Today's Pokemon Presents finally shared new details about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet after months of silence on The Pokemon Company's part, and with the third trailer come a few answers to popular questions. While the appearance of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's starters' evolutions remains secret for the time being, the trailer did reveal the name of Gen 9's Pokemon region and showcased the games' battle gimmick in full force. The Paldea region is home to a unique phenomenon called Terastallization, which makes Pokemon change their type or boost the effectiveness of their moves if their Tera type matches their original type.
The Terastal phenomenon is much more complex than that, however, as each Pokemon can have a certain Tera type that may vary across specimens that belong to the same species, meaning that every Pokemon can virtually change its type to any other in existence. The type change mechanic also boosts moves of the assigned type, which can be used very effectively from an offensive perspective to make off-type moves hit harder via STAB. In terms of defense, changing a Pokemon's type can provide it with immunities or switch up its weaknesses, making Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Terastallization potentially more interesting than Mega Evolutions.
Why Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Terastallization is a Great Gimmick
Mega Evolutions are among the most well-known battle gimmicks in the Pokemon series due to introducing power-ups for already popular Pokemon through a new in-battle new look as well as new types or other forms of enhancements. Generation 6 was heavy on Mega Evolutions in both Pokemon X and Y and in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, but the gimmick didn't make a comeback in Gens 7 and 8. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet also seem to have foregone Mega Evolutions, but the new Terastallization feature more than makes up for it.
The Terastal phenomenon works on every Pokemon in Paldea, which is an upgrade in and of itself compared to the limited pool of pocket monsters for which Mega Evolutions were available. While some Pokemon gained a type via Mega Evolutions, like Sceptile and Ampharos, Terastallizing a Pokemon changes its type to any other as long as players try to collect duplicate monsters with different Tera types. This mechanic is much more interesting in the long run because of all the applications this feature has. If the Tera type of a Pokemon can be changed by some unrevealed mechanic, this means that Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will have a healthy selection of viable critters in the endgame.
Terastallization could make for a more sustainable endgame as well due to the replayability value that players can get out of their teams and desired Pokemon, whereas Mega Evolutions can fall short due to how limited the selection is. Furthermore, experienced trainers will be able to drastically manipulate the course of any battle via Terastallization, as every Paldean Pokemon can use this gimmick at any point in the fight, lasting for the remainder of the encounter. For example, making Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's pre-order special Pikachu Terastallize into a Flying-type to avoid Ground moves would be very powerful.
Likewise, turning a Dragon-type into a Fairy Pokemon when fighting other Dragon-types could make the pocket monster immune to incoming damage at the cost of STAB damage. While Mega Evolutions will always have a place in the history of the Pokemon franchise, exploring other gimmicks is healthier for the franchise, and the Terastal phenomenon could even win the hearts of many trainers to become their favorite mechanic overall.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet launch on November 18, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.