RenegadeFox on "Salamence as Uber...?"

Oh hey! More insanely stupid things from the Smogonites-- a seemingly different e-race who like to make a mess of their own tier system!

Today's topic would be on Salamence; admittedly not a Pokemon I use all that often, much like Garchomp, but still one I find stupid for the reasons they bumped up there in the first place.

For Garchomp, I believe it was because it was 'too powerful', or some crud like that. (which is immediately baffling, since there are several Pokemon with the same, or stronger base Attack/Special Attack as Garchomp, including Porygon-Z, Alakazam and Metagross) Admittedly I could be wrong, because until recently, I still thought they had Umbreon in UU/BL and I rarely go there for updates on a tier system I don't use.

But that doesn't stop me from having an opinion on something that seemingly 80% of Pokemon battlers online all use as the template example of what can and cannot be used in specific matches.

If you look at Salamence's page, he has been relegated to the role of being Rayquaza's lapdog in Ubers. None of the sets indicate a thread of sense for the reason of it being boosted up there, but it seems to be they're almost adopting the 'its too powerful' rule and sugar-coating it with lapdoggedness under Rayquaza.

The following text is stuff I posted on a forum I visit where a thread actually appeared concerning the removal of Salamence from OU:

In respects to Smogon's "Rayquaza's Dance Partner" set for Salamence:
Yeah... so? That's like saying Kingdra is a powerful asset in Ubers alongside Kyogre, because once the rain is going, Swift Swim will almost always allow you to outspeed your opponents' Pokemon and a well-timed Draco Meteor will likely either KO or severely damage Palkia.
"Oh noes! Kingdra should be Uber, too!!"

In respects to Smogon's "Rayquaza's Wall Breaking Partner":
Something that Blissey could do with its Special Defense and absolutely ridiculous HP stats-- it also doesn't take 4x damage from Ice-type attacks, can learn Thunder Wave and can be assisted itself by Lugia or Defense forme Deoxys, who can take the physical attacks nicely.

Say what you will; I've heard a lot of people actually say, "Oh, it'll hopefully bring a more diverse selection of Pokemon out now that one of the 'big guns' is gone," which I wouldn't mind, if an actual reason was given, outside of the crappy, "Wah, we say it is so, so follow our rules! Salamence is a good partner for Rayquaza! Insta-Uber!!!"-kind of crap that just emanates from Smogon with this 'decision'.

...and the reason why it bothers me so? The fact that people are calling Uber over it, already! There was one comment I saw on a video I forget that listed it as Uber, just because Smogon say so.

Well... that's my 'rant' on Salamence's position on Smogon, I suppose. Good luck to all the Smogonites running around YouTube going, "OMG, u r teh sux, relying on an U8BER!!1!"

-RenegadeFox

General Pokemon: 'Pseudo-Legendaries'

Something that has kind of always bothered me is some of the terms people use when referring to specific Pokemon. Its mostly only towards a term that Bulbapedia has adopted for a small group of Pokemon who they refer to as 'pseudo-Legendaries'.

Just sit there and say it to yourself for a minute. 'Pseudo-Legendaries'. Seriously, how stupid a term does that sound? I'd sooner call them "extraordinary" Pokemon or even "remarkable" Pokemon, but "pseudo-Legendaries"? Are you seriously trying to say that these four Pokemon are masquerading is a pack of fake Legendary Pokemon? True, they would highly likely be very rare in the wild; maybe even extinct, (as natural evolution without Trainer assistance could prove near-impossible as an explanation as to why there are still mountains when Tyranitar is said to level them) but that, coupled with the reasoning that they have 600 total in base stats and therefore MUST be 'veiling' themselves as Legendaries is like saying Rotom is a Legendary because its acquisition through a minor in-game event is similar to catching say... Regigigas or something. (i.e. the music, etc.)

In fact, the true Pokemon that should be the only ones to hold the title of 'pseudo-Legendary' would be Ditto and Zorua & Zoroark, as Ditto can transform itself into a copy of a Legendary Pokemon (thus making it a fake) and at least Zoroark has been indicated to have the ability to change its physical appearance to match that of another Pokemon; case and point, it transforming into (or creating the illusion of it being one, at least) a Raikou in the short clip for the next Pokemon movie. These Pokemon actually have the ability to masquerade as a Legendary Pokemon, which is something Dragonite, Tyranitar, Salamence, Metagross and Garchomp cannot do.
Heck, even the Bulbapedia article states:

"The term originates from the Greek verb Pseudo, which means to lie."
- Article

Is there anything about these Pokemon that gives the faintest hint they may be holding themselves on an equal level with Legendary Pokemon? (EXCLUDING position in the Pokedex, I add) Something that isn't stupid, like the fact that they have "higher stats than the rest of the normal Pokemon". (because Slaking has even higher base stats for those wanting to complain about that) I'm talking about at face value; knowing what kind of Pokemon it is, how its obtained, etc.

I actually just thought; 'mythical' could be another term better suited to them. Anything but 'Pseudo', because instead of putting them in a high regard for the kind of Pokemon they are, its more tearing them down for pretending to be what they aren't... which is what they are not doing.