putuksstuff:

POKEDDEXY CHALLENGE DAY 10

-Favorite Grass Type-

#071 Victreebel, the Flycatcher Pokémon

When you think carnivorous plant, the pitcher plant is usually not the first thing you think about. Usually people think about the venus flytrap. Victreebel is based on said pitcher plant. It took Game Freak until Gen IV to get to the more iconic venus flytrap. That says a bit about their resourcefulness, I feel.

Pitcher plants lure prey into it’s gaping cavity using the bright colors of the brim, or the promise of nectar (that is soon to be broken). The brim of the plant is very slippery and causes the prey to fall in. The inside of the plant is very waxy and near-impossible to climb out of. There’s also a pool of digestive fluid that traps, then drowns and finally digests victims. The most common victims are insects, spiders and slugs, though sometimes even larger creatures, such as lizards or even birds fall victim to the pitcher plant.

The plants do not digest their prey for energy, as they have photosynthesis. Much rather they gain extra nutrients that are sparce in the areas the plant grows in. A very interesting and more than just a little creepy plant.

That aside, Victreebel is also rather interesting in the games. While it’s defenses are rather lacking, it has decent offensive stats, both physically and specially. It’s even capable of running sets that utilize both ends of attack. It’s a tad slow, but it’s Chlorophyll ability can make up for that, should you use it on a sun team. While you’re at it, teach it Solar Beam and Growth.

Victreebels movepool isn’t the most plentiful, but it gets enough to get the job done: on the physical side it can learn Return, Leaf Blade and Power Whip, while on the special side it’s a bit more versitile with moves like Leaf Storm, Sludge Bomb, Energy Ball, Grass Knot and Acid Spray. Use Swords Dance if you go physical. You could also combine it’s hidden ability Gluttony and the move Belch, but it’s a bit unreliable.

Why Victreebel is my favorite Grass type, I’m not really sure. I remember wanting one during my first run of Pokémon Red, but Victreebel was exclusive to Pokémon Blue. I guess I just really like the design. Maybe the TV show and James’s Victreebel had to do with that aswell, as the crazed carnivorous plant gobbling James time after time was quite amusing.

On a side note, in the german dub of the cartoon, Victreebel did not traumatize many children with it’s harsh shrieks, it just said it’s name. Thank you german dubbing team, without you, I’d probably be afraid of Victreebel, as opposed to it being one of my favorites.

Fun fact: whenever I see a grass type I do the same scream Victribell did on the show :T