When a series has been around for more than two decades across various types of media, it's bound to spawn a bunch of questions that come up all the time. It's next to impossible to know absolutely everything about the world of Pokémon, as it encompasses countless games, multiple television series, movies, a trading card game, a manga series, merchandise, toys, and much, much more.
There are a few questions that are asked all the time by fans, especially when they're newer to the series. Here are some of the most commonly-asked questions, and the shortest possible answers to them.
10 How Many Pokémon Are There?
This is not just one of the most frequently asked questions, it's also one of the hardest to answer. Zarude, the most recently-introduced Pokémon, is #893, which is the simplest answer. But, Calyrex and the two new Regis — Regieleki and Regidrago — will make 894, 895, and 896 when they are released with the Crown Tundra DLC.
However, there are 36 regional forms for 35 different Pokémon (Meowth has two), which complicate the answer. Do they count as their own species? If so, this brings the total to 932. Mega Evolutions could also arguably count as separate Pokémon, with each one being given its own Pokédex entry, bringing the total to 980. However, the current official count stands at 893.
9 What's The Difference Between A Mythical & Legendary?
To the average person, "Mythical" and "Legendary" are synonyms that don't have much difference in meaning. However, in the Pokémon world, they are quite distinct from one another, albeit a bit confusingly. Simply put, a Legendary Pokémon is one that people know exists but has some extraordinary power or important role in the lore of the world. A Mythical Pokémon is one that is told of in hushed whispers or grand tales and only rumored to actually exist.
There are definitely some Mythicals that should be considered Legendary and vice versa, but their status is set and kept that way permanently. Mythicals, according to many fans, are basically just the Pokémon that can only be obtained through special events in the main series games (for the most part).
8 Why Is Ash Forever 10 Years Old?
The protagonist of the long-running anime series, Ash Ketchum, has been 10 years old for more than twenty years now. This fact has inspired many comical memes and funny running jokes about his apparent inability to age, but it does actually serve a purpose.
The makers of the Pokémon anime keep Ash at the same age so that younger viewers — the target audience — can relate to the character in the show they're watching. Despite the fact that time passes in the show, Ash will most likely remain 10 forever.
7 Which Game Should I Play?
Typically, the main series games grant the player two options. For example, you can pick up Sword or Shield, Ruby or Sapphire, or Black or White. These games often have slight differences between one another but are mostly the same. Often, a "third" option or sequel is released, like Platinum for Diamond & Pearl, or Black 2 & White 2 for Black & White.
Which version one should buy is often a hard question. But, you can give yourself some simple questions to help choose. Which box-art Pokémon do you prefer? Does a close friend have one version? If so, consider getting the opposite version so you can trade version exclusives.
As for the sequel games, they often fix some of the bugs and issues from the first round in that generation, but the story, Pokémon availability, and League members can change, so you'll have to do your research.
6 Where Do I Get A Shiny Pokémon?
Shiny Pokémon are Pokémon that have a variant color palette from their normal appearance. They've become extremely popular for collectors and even the average player due to their rarity and the excitement of finding one after a long hunt.
Each game handles shinies differently, with widely varying odds depending on which game you're playing. Typically, they're entirely random and based on chance. The games "roll" a number to determine if the Pokémon you encounter is shiny for each one you encounter. There are a plethora of different ways to increase these odds, depending on which game you're playing.
5 Do People Still Play Pokémon GO?
This is a common Tweet reply under Twitter threads about the popular mobile game, Pokémon GO. It spawns from the fact that what felt like the entire world played the game in 2016 before a sharp dropoff of players.
The simple answer is: yes, people still play. Pokémon GO is still one of the biggest games in the world with millions of daily players, ongoing events, and new content.
4 What Are IVs & EVs?
Pokémon's stats are not just the base stats that you can find online. Each individual Pokémon also has its own set of Individual Values (IVs) and Effort Values (EVs). It's a complicated process to explain what these values are, but they're basically a unique set of values that influence how that particular individual levels up.
IVs are like human or animal genes. They're inherent to that individual from birth (or capture) and are basically the unchanging potential a Pokémon has in each of its stats. EVs are like points that a Pokémon earns through various efforts (typically battling) that are applied toward each stat. The amount of EVs in a stat a Pokémon earns affects how much that stat goes up by when the Pokémon levels up.
3 Is Arceus God?
In the Pokémon world, many widely consider Arceus to be "God." This is because, according to in-game lore, Arceus created everything there is and is said to have existed before the universe did. Pokédex entries state that it was born from an egg that existed where there was nothing. It then shaped the world by creating the "creation trio" of Dialga, which represents time, Palkia, which represents space, and Giratina, which represents antimatter.
This is why one can often see Pokémon fans saying "Oh my Arceus" or "praying to Arceus." This Normal-type is about the closest thing to an original God that the Pokémon universe contains. However, much debate still revolves around the veracity of this claim.
2 Why Isn't [Pokémon] a [Type]?
Pokémon types are strange things. The way they interact with one another and the Pokémon that "have" them are always debated and misunderstood. But, one of the biggest questions is why certain Pokémon don't belong to certain types.
The simple answer is that the designers chose them to be the way they are. The more complicated answer is that they often have a typing that doesn't make sense at face value, but does when you think about it. The Dragon-type is the most commonly misunderstood. It actually, when you think about it, is about reptilian qualities rather than draconic, with Pokémon like Tyrantrum and Appletun falling in that typing.
1 Which Pokémon Should I Use?
Deciding which Pokémon to use is a question that plagues many players, but the fact is, they can use basically whatever they want in a standard playthrough. Popular streamers and online personalities have shown that entire games can be finished with one single terrible Pokémon, so the casual choice mostly depends on personal preference.
On the other hand, if a player is looking to get into the online world of competitive battling or trying to decide which Pokémon and movesets are the best, it's a good idea to check out various forums like Smogon, or the subreddit r/Stunfisk for starters. But at the end of the day, any of the 893 Pokémon can make great battle companions.