(No longer spoilers) Full Alolan Dex revealed: VGC17 analysis

[MagnusHexem]

2 years ago, we were introduced to the Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Special Demo! The most interesting thing that came out of it was the fact that there was a lot of unusable code found inside of the demo, thanks to dataminers and hackers. We found out that there were no new megas left, and we were even able to find out the base stats of each of the new ones.

Here were are, with the Sun and Moon demo finally in our hands, and while not as much has been left in the code, there are new things that have been discovered. We can't see any potential new Mega evolutions or base stats. However, what we did get some new info on was the entire Alolan Dex. It revealed some new Alolan forms of Kanto Pokemon that we have yet to see, and it showed us all 92 Pokemon from Alola!

Here is the link to the pictures that reveal what is in the Dex: http://imgur.com/gallery/5C8ry

However, what I'd like to take away from this is the other Pokemon that are in the Alolan Dex. All the original Kanto classics, as well every other Pokemon from Johto to Kalos, that are shown to be in this special dex, are the Pokemon that we will have to choose from in the upcoming VGC format. This is a big deal for a number of reasons.

The obvious one is that we can start looking at the meta and picking out the best mons to use on our teams without having to wait a month from now and then rushing to make an adequate team. The big kicker is that the Sun and Moon format is starting almost immediately after the game comes out. December 1st, to be exact. There are going to be less than two weeks for us to finish the game and get a team ready in a new generation! To make thing even crazier, we aren't going to be able to use transfered Pokemon due to the rules, and any abilities that might make Pokemon better will be stuck in Gen 6 for the time being due to Pokemon Bank not being ready right away. On top of all of this, the London International Championships are taking place on December 11th! Needless to say, the meta there is going to be very different and highly un-developed.

However, with this information, we can try to piece together what the meta might look like. It's hard to know everything. We don't know about any nerfs or buffs that any Pokemon got. We don't know if there will be new things introduced on Gen 7 Pokemon that could counter Pokemon from other generations. We don't know what new moves or abilities will be given to already existing Pokemon. However, I'd like to take a look at what will be legal as of December first, and what we might be able to make of it.

I will be trying to do some analysis in later posts, but for now I'm going to be listing each legal Pokemon. I'm simply compiling the information we have by listing every fully-evolved Pokemon into text, including a few Pokemon that might be viable with and eviolite, and leaving out Pokemon that everyone knows are bad. Here goes:

Kanto:

I'm going to imagine that the Pokemon here that have Alolan forms will not be available in their original forms until Pokemon Bank is fully functioning, so I'm going to split this part up. Like the Alolan Pokemon themselves, we don't know everything about these Pokemon, so I'm going to split them up just to make it easier for us to analyze everything later.

Normal Pokemon:

Butterfree
Fearow
Pikachu
Clefable
Wigglytuff
Parasect
Golduck
Primeape
Arcanine
Poliwrath
Alakazam
Machamp
Tentacruel
Slowbro
Magneton
Cloyster
Gengar
Hypno
Chansey
Kangaskhan
Seaking
Starmie
Scyther
Electabuzz
Magmar
Pinsir
Tauros
Gyarados
Lapras
Ditto
Vaporeon
Jolteon
Flareon
Aerodactyl
Snorlax
Dragonite

Alolan forms:

Raticate (Normal/Dark)
Raichu (Electric/Psychic)
Sandslash (Ice
Ninetales (Ice/Fairy)
Dugtrio (Unknown)
Persian (Dark)
Golem (Unknown)
Muk (Poison/Dark)
Exeggcutor (Grass/Dragon)
Marowak (Fire/Ghost)

^These Pokemon above in their original forms will very likely not be legal until Bank is ready to transfer to Gen 7, which is presumably some time in January.


Johto Pokemon:

Ariados
Crobat
Lanturn
Sudowoodo
Politoed
Espeon
Umbreon
Murkrow
Slowking
Granbull
Scizor
Sneasel
Skarmory
Porygon2
Smeargle
Miltank
Blissey


Hoenn:

Pelipper
Masquerain
Hariyama
Sableye
Sharpedo
Wailord
Torkoal
Trapinch
Flygon
Whiscash
Milotic
Absol
Glalie
Relicanth
Salamence
Metagross


Sinnoh:

Rampardos
Bastiodon
Gastrodon
Drifblim
Mismagius
Honchkrow
Garchomp
Riolu
Lucario
Lumineon
Weaville
Magnezone
Electivire
Magmortar
Leafeon
Glaceon
Porygon-Z
Probopass
Frosslass


Unova:

Stoutland
Gigalith
Whimsicott
Lilligant
Krookodile
Carracosta
Archeops
Garbador
Vanilluxe
Emolga
Alomomola
Braviary
Mandibuzz


Kalos:

Talonflame
Pangoro
Sylveon
Carbink
Goodra
Klefki
Trevenant
Zygarde? (They probably won't make anything Zygarde-related legal.)

As for the Alolan Pokemon themselves, there are 92 of them, so the format is bound to be cluttered with them. We don't know everything about them, but for what we do know about the Pokemon from Kanto to Kalos, I'm going to try and analyze what I think will be good, as well as the merit of a few other Pokemon that might not have had as much of a chance before. I'm going to put them in seperate posts, though, as it'll take a while, and I'd like to see some feedback from everyone else here, as I don't expect to be perfect or correct in all of my predictions. For now, you can check through the lists I've created here and see what you think. Will there be any breakout stars in this format that never got a chance to shine? Will Pokemon like Metagross and Snorlax make a comeback? Will Pokemon like Garchomp and regular Salamence rule the meta once again? Discuss here!