Scarlet & Violet (Almost) Got Rid Of Pokémon's Best Water

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet didn't completely remove powerful Water-type move Scald from the game, but it's sure to be seen far less often than before.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet almost completely removed one of the best Water-type moves, and caused a major metagame shift in the process. While it has not vanished from the series entirely, it's been removed from so many movesets that it may as well be a non-factor in Generation 9. Scarlet and Violet's Water-types largely require a new strategy as a result of the shift.

Scald is one of the strongest Water-type moves in Pokémon that isn't balanced by some sort of downside. It has a base power of 80, putting it on the higher-tier of power where Water-type attacks are concerned. In addition, it also carries a 30% chance of burning the target, making it one of the few non-Fire-type moves that can inflict a burn. Considering how impactful burns can be, this made Scald a move in high demand among Water-types. It ensured that Pokémon's Water-type starters had a powerful option in their repertoire. In terms of the metagame, Scald was a virtual requirement in the movesets of Water-type Pokémon.

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Not only was Scald an incredibly strong move, but it was also easy to come by. A majority of Water-type Pokémon could learn the move, with a few non-Water-types having access to it for coverage as well. As a bonus, Scald was teachable via TM during the era where TMs could be used an infinite amount of times. Thanks to this, a player could teach Scald to every eligible Pokémon they had as soon as they found the TM. Although Scald may not be quite on the level of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's strongest moves, this made it easy for players to provide their Water-type Pokémon with one of their best possible moves, frequently fairly early in the game.

The primary method by which Pokémon Scarlet and Violet reduced Scald's availability was removing it as a TM. Almost every Pokémon that could learn Scald did so via TM, so removing it as an option left only those that could learn it from leveling up. The only three Pokémon that could learn Scald in that way were Panpour, Simipour, and Volcanion. Panpour and Simipour are unavailable in Scarlet and Violet, and Volcanion is a hard-to-obtain Mythical Pokémon. This combination of traits renders Scald almost invisible in Scarlet and Violet after being one of Pokémon BDSP's best TM moves.

The virtual absence of Scald in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has led to Water-type Pokémon needing to find a new powerful move to make use of their same type attack bonus. Thankfully, there is already another potential contender for that role with Surf. Surf has 90 power, slightly stronger than Scald, but has no chance of burning enemies. It also hits all Pokémon on the field during double battles, which can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on the situation. Although Surf is no longer required to progress through the games, it's still as good as it was in the days when it was one of the aversions to the trend of Pokémon HMs being weak in battle.

The surprise disappearance of Scald from most movesets marks a significant shift for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's metagame. The ability to inflict burns at a rather high rate made it a move that almost every Water-type Pokémon could benefit from having in their arsenal. This change on its own ensures that Water-type Pokémon in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will be using new tactics than in the past games.

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Devin Friend is a graduate of McNeese State University with a bachelor's degree in creative writing. A lifelong love of cartoons and video games has given him endless enthusiasm as well as a critical eye for both mediums. Any game or show that catches his interest will be heavily researched and binged for hours on end. He has a great passion for creating characters and storytelling, and spends a lot of free time writing stories of his own.