#144: Articuno

So now it's time to review the first ever legendary Pokémon in the National Pokédex, and also the first of the three legendary birds of Kanto: Articuno. In fact, its name already indicates that it's the first in the series of legendary birds, as uno, dos and tres (Spanish for 'one', 'two' and 'three', respectively) are clearly evident in the names of Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. So without further ado, let's get into this.

Sugimori art of Articuno.

Articuno is one of the few existing ice-type Pokémon in Kanto, and it is inarguably the best. Dewgong isn't that good, Lapras is more of a tank than a powerhouse, and Jynx and Cloyster are as frail as ice crystals; the former on the physical side of the spectrum and the latter on the special side. That's not to say they're not usable (I like Lapras and Cloyster a lot), on the contrary, but I'm just putting it out there. Articuno, on the other hand, is a pretty well-rounded Pokémon with a base stat total of 580! It's the highest base stat total we've seen so far, even though it's by far not the highest in the games. Its well-roundedness, with a slight preference towards its defenses, makes it extremely versatile in battles, although not too much by any means. You see, Articuno lacks move diversity, and the only viable special-based moves it can use are Ice Beam, Freeze-Dry, Hurricane and Signal Beam. It doesn't even get STAB from Signal Beam, so I wouldn't recommend using it at all, unless you feel you really have to. You're gonna have to fall back on some very useful status moves that Articuno can make perfect use of due to its bulk. Don't worry though, I'm going to offer you some sets that will definitely help you out. Hopefully.

Badass Articuno wallpaper.

First off, Articuno's natural bulk allows you to run a Timid or Modest nature. Both lower its attack, but Timid boosts its speed stat, which it desperately needs, while Modest boosts its special attack. A Timid nature is perfect if you want a tanky Articuno that can hit some things at moderate speed. You'll probably ask yourselves whether that is at all possible, but the answer is yes: invest in Articuno's speed and special attack, let it hold the Leftovers, teach it Substitute and Roost as well as Hurricane and either Ice Beam or Freeze-Dry, and you'll be set. Freeze-Dry is weaker than Ice Beam, but it hits water types super-effectively, so it's your call. As for a Modest set, you'll be better off with a Life Orb and some of its STAB moves in combination with Agility. This move basically doubles its speed, so it'll outspeed quite some Pokémon after setting up just one. Going all-out offensive with Choice Specs isn't a bad idea either, because it lets Articuno hit like a truck but limits it to using only one move. Agility will be out of the question if you decide to go for the Choice Specs, but I guess you gotta have to make a choice here. You could also consider giving it an Assault Vest instead, which limits it to using only damaging moves but increases its already crazy special defense by 50%. I don't really recommend it, but I guess it's not a terrible choice, considering the fact that I'm mentioning it at all.

We're so lucky to have amazing drawers in 'our' fan base,
otherwise we wouldn't have such awesome fan art such as this.

Enough about Articuno's battling capabilities; what is this thing all about? Well, it's a giant arctic bird that likes cold, isolated locations such as mountain peaks and even appears before doomed travelers lost in icy regions. The anime even shows that Articuno aids lost travelers and guides them home. It is believed to create snow (blizzards, even) out of water vapor in the air by just flapping its seemingly translucent wings, that are said to be made of ice. There's no doubt the designers at Game Freak meant for Articuno to be gentle and gracious, at which I can honestly say they didn't fail. Its benevolent nature is probably referring to the Iranian legend of the Simurgh, a mythical flying creature often depicted as a gigantic bird, which developed further as the rukh (Persian) or rukk (Arabic) in other Arabic-speaking countries. Well, its etymology is somewhat uncertain and therefore debatable, but it seems the English-speaking countries refer to this humongous bird as the roc. (Fun fact: there is actually an enclosed rollercoaster ride in the Dutch amusement park Efteling called Vogel Rok, which translates to "Bird Roc" and is based on the adventures of Sinbad and the roc bird from the 1001 Arabian Nights.) Appearance-wise, however, Articuno shares traits with ordinary birds such as the quetzal and the white-throated magpie-jay. Hey, I'm not making these names up, okay?

Is this what Articuno would look like in real life?

Look at Articuno. So elegant, so graceful, so magnificent. It has always been my favorite of the three legendary birds, and I don't think that's ever gonna change. Quite honestly, I often found myself appalled by Zapdos's appearance when I was still a kid, and I didn't like Moltres either. I'm 25 years old now, however, and I've learned to think rationally (except in the case of Lickilicky - I despise Lickilicky), so I have no problems with either of them now. Still, Articuno holds a special place in my heart, if only for being the one bird I always caught (and used!) in Red, Blue, Yellow and their remakes before taking on the Indigo League.

Rating: 5/5