Descending into the Catacombs

Before I get started, I would like to say that this month will be a Pokémon Go-filled month, which means there would be a few more posts related to Pokémon Go than there would normally be. Even then, there are a few expected posts, like one on what's going on with the Silph League Arena this month. For this month, there is an "ultimate" theme in two ways: in what the theme entails, and in that this is the last theme for this competitive season. The name of it should give one a rough idea of what it involves: this month's theme is called Catacomb.

"Catacombs" refer to caverns where the dead are laid to rest, in some cases formerly. With that in mind, the allowed types reflect that environment, and they are the Grass, Ice, Rock, Bug, and Dark types. Already, based on purely these types, one can see a "double triangle" of interactions, which would be Grass › Rock › Ice › Grass and Grass › Rock › Bug › Grass; the Dark type provides an additional good measure that will be effectively combated by the Bug type. What will really determine the dynamics, of course, will be the other types brought into play by Pokémon with dual types in the teams, for which this theme allows, albeit with a few restrictions, for which this month's theme has quite a few.

This time, any Pokémon with the Steel type as one of its types are disallowed. Some classes of Pokémon are also disallowed: Legendary, Mythical, and Shadow Pokémon may not be used, as well as Regional Pokémon, those which are designated to appear only in certain places in the world, whether a narrow swath or a wide one. There are also a few species bans in effect, and they are Scrafty, Dewgong, Alolan Ninetales, Obstagoon (yes, as the evolution of the recently introduced Galarian Linoone), and Crustle. As always, these restrictions are in place to make sure that more species can get into action, though a few will always creep to the top. All things considered, there are 191 possible species that can be put in play.

As I've stated, this is the last theme of the current competitive season, and it has been a whirlwind. It started in October of last year with a theme that I didn't cover separately, and then progressed through several themes and the dynamics of the world, up to now and this theme. What's next after this is to finish up the season with the continental championships - which has progressed since last month - up to August and then cap everything with a world championship. After that, it would be time for the SLA to take a break until the next season starts, which may be in the same month as last year and surely will have its own neat themes. That will be something to see when it happens. 

For now, there is this final theme of this season. It can be considered a gloomy theme with its connotations, what with the "catacombs" as places where the dead (used to) rest. It could speak for the competitors that have not achieved much this season - "dead" in a sense. But then, there is always hope for life in some of these caverns, and that is something to take advantage of with this theme, if only for one last time and one more (ultimate) opportunity to "shine lively" before the run of battle themes end, along with the season itself.

One year ago: Fast Captures in Pokémon Go

Two years ago: Let's Go Trade

Three years ago: Speedblogging Like a Ninjask