After an initial trailer for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet that only showcased Iono as the Electric-type Gym Leader of the Paldea region, which proved to be controversial because of its style and the fact that it didn't reveal new critters, today's follow-up video did come with a new pocket monster. This Pokemon is called Bellibolt, and it's going to be Iono's ace companion in Gym battles. Bellibolt is designed to be similar to toads, but its Electric type does have a big influence on its features, to the point that two bumps on the side of its head look like eyes, but instead are used to discharge electricity.
After the trailer, the official website for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet was updated to include relevant information about Bellibolt. Much like what happened with Farigiraf's Abilities, Bellibolt's description also comes with an entirely new Ability set to debut in Gen 9, called Electromorphosis - and it could very well be Bellibolt's signature Ability, making it exclusive to this frog-like Pokemon. At first glance, Electromorphosis might not seem like much, but it has the potential of turning Bellibolt into a force to be reckoned with in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's competitive scene if paired with the right stats, items, and strategies.
Bellibolt's Stats and Combos With Electromorphosis Ahead of Scarlet and Violet's Release
In the trailer, Bellibolt appears to be quite big in terms of size but sports a huge belly, which acts as a Tesla coil of sorts. Pokemon that have a bulky appearance tend to also have stats that convey as much, as they typically do not have many points in Speed but compensate with a higher stat distribution in Defense, Special Defense, and HP. As far as Bellibolt goes, this is still unconfirmed due to the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet website not delving into in-game details like stats when it describes Gen 9 critters, but it remains a safe assumption to make.
This is an important detail because it would pair exceptionally well with Electromorphosis, which is described as providing the user a boost to damage with Electric-type Pokemon moves after being hit. This bonus is likely either 50% or 100%, and if Bellibolt does end up having low Speed and high defenses, it could allow the frog Pokemon to take a blow or two before its turn, thus activating Electromorphosis and giving it a stronger rebuttal. While Electric moves only deal supereffective damage to Flying and Water-types, they also deal neutral damage to twelve types total, which makes this Ability likely to see some play in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet regardless.
However, Electromorphosis could become incredibly powerful when one factors in a few key elements. For example, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are likely to bring back an item called Weakness Policy, which raises the Attack and Special Attack of the user if it's hit by a supereffective move - which in the case of a pure Electric-type can only be Ground. In double battles, Bellibolt could be used alongside a partner that has access to Bulldoze or Earthquake as cross-type moves, hitting the Electric frog Pokemon and proccing both Electromorphosis and Weakness Policy at the same time, increasing its damage dealt by a substantial amount.
Factoring in other buffs, like a same-type Terastallization that would further boost the STAB damage multiplier from 50% to 100% on Bellibolt's Electric moves, this combination could make it hit from 250% to 300% of the base damage of any move. Parabolic Charge would be a fantastic move to pair with this strategy because it heals the user for a portion of the damage dealt, essentially making Bellibolt an awesome tank that also dishes out incredible damage. Even when not factoring in Weakness Policy, Bellibolt could make great use of Electromorphosis in any double battle scenario, but also in single battles, where one could adapt the strategy to make the Pokemon bulkier.
How Electromorphosis Could Enhance Strategic Play in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
Electromorphosis is an interesting Ability because it doesn't simply provide occasional buffs to Pokemon, but it can both enable a specific playstyle on the offensive side and become a strategic problem to tackle for opponents. Having slow Pokemon is often not ideal, but historically this has also been frequently turned into an advantage thanks to other components of the game, such as the move Trick Room, which inverts the order in which the critters on the battlefield take turns. In the case of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Bellibolt, low Speed doesn't need anything else to become an advantage other than Electromorphosis itself.
Furthermore, Electromorphosis can be used to force opponents into making risky decisions when playing against Bellibolt, as damaging it will activate its effect, meaning that unless the frog monster is taken out in one hit, it will retaliate with a more powerful Electric move. This Ability can also be used to turn Bellibolt into a sweeper under the right circumstances, which would again force opponents to play around it and change their strategy entirely in order not to be annihilated. This is unlikely to be as useful in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Gym battles or any other regular in-game activity, though.
Another use for Electromorphosis with Bellibolt could be to keep one's Terastallization at hand as a defensive tool and then turn the Pokemon into a Flying-type with it after the Ability procs, making it immune to incoming supereffective Ground attacks. Ultimately, Electromorphosis seems like a very interesting new concept for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's several Electric-types, and if it's exclusive to Bellibolt, it will still be an asset for the frog-like creature. Overall, there's a good chance Bellibolt could make a mark on Gen 9's meta, and the final stats on its new Ability play a huge role in it.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are set to release on November 18, exclusively for Nintendo Switch.