#252 - #254: Treecko, Grovyle & Sceptile

Fan art of Treecko (on top of Sceptile), Grovyle (left) and
Sceptile (right).

It's time to enter the Hoenn region, and what better way to do that than to start off with the best starter Pokémon ever? I am, of course, talking about Sceptile. Its pre-evolution Treecko, however, is a feisty little thing. It is a cool, calm and collected Pokémon in dire situations and almost never gets upset, although it is bold enough to hold staredowns with opponents larger than itself. While it is clearly based on the leaf-tailed gecko, a species of lizard that blends in with plant-like appendages, the digits on Treecko's hands and feet have small hooks rather than adhesive toepads and enable it to scale vertical walls with ease. It is even able to predict the next day's weather by sensing humidity with its tail. Grovyle isn't all that interesting; it has stronger muscles than Treecko and is known for its dexterity in the treetops, as it has powerful legs that allow him to leap from branch to branch with astounding agility, which I'm sure Treecko is able to do to some extent as well. The leaves protruding from Grovyle's body are used for camouflage, which is not surprising for a Pokémon that is based off of geckos. And while Bulbapedia states that Grovyle - and Sceptile, for that matter - resembles certain species of dinosaurs appearance-wise, I still consider the whole evolution line lizards, geckos in particular.

This Treecko wants to be a Sceptile so badly that it is dressed
in a Sceptile tracksuit. So adorable.

I mean, there were some feathered bipedal dinosaurs, and the leaves on Grovyle's arms do give it some aesthetic similarities to dromaeosaurus and protarchaeopteryx, but where is the collar-like appendage on Sceptile that the dilophosaur is so well-known for nowadays? Or did Michael Crichton and Jurassic Park's scenarists make it up entirely? I don't think so. No, I'm sticking with leaf-tailed geckos, and you can take that quite literally: Sceptile has a leafed tail that looks like the tree branch of a conifer. Also, its behavior seems to be more plant-like than lizard-like, as it seems to be basking in sunlight to regulate its body temperature. Sceptile also has two rows of yellow nodules on its back, which are described as seeds with nourishing effects and the ability to revitalize trees. This gives Sceptile resemblances to leguminous plants with nitrogen stored in nodes of their roots, while the seeds or seed pods of these legumes contain quite some nutrients, too: well-known examples that can be included in a healthy diet are peas, beans, peanuts, lentils and soybeans. Aesthetically, the rows of nodes on Sceptile's back - especially when it comes to shiny and Mega Sceptile - bear resemblances to seed cones of certain yew trees. And considering the entire Treecko line's relation to trees, this affiliation is not too farfetched.

Official art of Mega Sceptile, which is one of my favorite Megas
to date. The tail is longer than regular Sceptile's and can be fired
at opponents like a missile.

Unfortunately, Sceptile has been nerfed in Gen. IV, making its then signature move Leaf Blade a physical move while Sceptile itself was more of a special attacker. It is still more of a special attacker, but its physical movepool is so much better. Crunch and Dragon Claw were two of its best special-based coverage moves because of their typings, but since the Gen. IV physical/special split they're physical. Furthermore, Sceptile learns Earthquake, Outrage, Iron Tail, Thunder Punch, Drain Punch, Rock Slide, X-Scissor and Brick Break, whereas the best special-based moves it can get are several grass-type moves like Leaf Storm and Energy Ball and two coverage moves in Focus Blast and Dragon Pulse. Dragon-type moves do get a STAB boost upon Mega-evolving, but it's basically adding insult to injury. However, I personally like a physical Sceptile more than a special one, although this is mainly because of its insanely large physical movepool and access to Swords Dance. Like, Mega Sceptile's base attack stat is still a solid 110, so it isn't bad by any means, although its base 145 special attack and ability Lightning Rod (draws in electric-type moves, nullifies them and raises Mega Sceptile's special attack by one stage afterwards) inarguably make it more of a special attacker. And you know what? A special moveset is the most efficient and most utilized moveset on Sceptile, but a Swords Dance set is so much more fun to use, only because of its gigantic physical movepool. And because its base 145 speed is already insane to begin with, you can easily run an Adamant nature instead of a Jolly nature; barring any Pokémon holding a Choice Scarf, it'll outspeed everything anyway.

Ash's Sceptile, with its signature twig.

Sceptile, and especially its Mega form, is my favorite starter Pokémon to date, although I have to say they're gonna be surpassed by Litten and Torracat and whatever their final evolution will be when Pokémon Sun and Moon drop. And I'm not joking this time. Of course, Sceptile will forever be one of my favorite Pokémon, not in the least because Ash owned a Sceptile that showed some serious badassery and personality in the anime. It already came up with and perfected new variations of certain moves when it was still a Treecko or Grovyle, but as a Sceptile it started keeping a twig in its mouth like a banchō, a Japanese juvenile gang leader. This character type was very common in sixties and early seventies manga and anime and it gave Sceptile a little bit more of a mischievous personality, which I loved. By the way, have you seen Sceptile's shiny form? Gorgeous. This factor, and all of the other factors described above, at least result in a perfect rating from me on this blog.

Rating: 5/5