Pokémon Scarlet and Violet looks to be shaking up the competitive scene immensely according to information that has leaked recently. Many common strategies and tactics that have been a staple in the meta are getting adjusted or changed entirely. For fans of bulky water defensive Pokémon, a leaked change to Scald might force them to think of a new plan of action.
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According to Centro LEAKS, the move Scald will become a signature move to Volcanion and no longer be learnable by any other Pokémon. Scald has been an extremely useful move for tanky water Pokémon in competitive play. It allows for some useful damage while having a chance to apply the burn status to the opponent, which chips away at the enemy’s health bar while lowering the power of physical moves.
Fan opinion seems to be mixed. Some are extremely happy that bulky water types will be easier to deal with now. Pokémon like Toxapex has found popularity in the meta because they can take a beating with high defense to stay alive while using Scald and other status effects to whittle down physical attacking opponents.
Other players wonder why Scald has been placed on Volcanion as it already has a signature move in Steam Eruption that does the same thing but better at a small cost to accuracy. This change essentially erases Scald entirely as players will more than likely use Steam Eruption instead of Scald unless they need more PP for longer fights.
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have had quite a few leaks recently. Whether it’s the new starter evolutions or new shiny and Legendary Pokémon that you’ll be able to catch when the game goes live on November 18.
