Pokemon Mythbusters Thread

[Shuppet Master]

Yes, I'm a fan of those crazies on the Discovery Channel, I got hooked after seeing one episode - they were hilarious in their means of using science to prove things wrong. Adam Savage is a laugh riot!

Anyways, since they'd never let me become a Myth-tern, I decided to take a safer route and start up a thread here for Pokemon Diamond and Pearl myths to bust. Let me start with this one:

Myth: You must defeat the Elite 4 to obtain the National Dex.

Busted! I collected all the necessary Pokemon to fill out the gaps that would have required battling the Elite 4 and I visited Rowan, and Oak came and gave me the National Dex. Note, though, that I'm being realistic here - Feebas cannot be obtained without the Super Rod, and that's the only Pokemon which is impossible to get without trading before the Elite 4. (While you can spot Feebas on Route 222 via trainer battles, Cynthia is the only Pokemon who owns Milotic, its evolved form.)

If you have any Pokemon myths you want me to bust, post here.

[Silent Dragonfly]

Myth: Pressing B and Up will greatly improve the chance of capture when throwing any type of ball.

An oldie but a goodie. Many rumours of various button combinations have popped up throughout the life of the Pokémon games, all of which are false. The factors that affect the chance of capturing a Pokémon are it's current HP compared to it's total HP, a status effect it is under (Asleep and Frozen being more effective than Paralyzed and Burned), and it's predetermined Capture Rate - the lower this is the lower chance you have of capturing it.

[Lady Vulpix]

Another old busted myth:

Minun×Minun=Plusle
Plusle×Minun=Minun

Minuns and Plusles follow the same breeding rules as most other pokemon. Still, it would have been fun if it worked like that.

[Storm]

Soda Pop isn't a medicine

false, it is !

[Mega Horny]

If you breed Nidoqueen and Nidoking, the baby will be holding a rare item

True! Just screwing with you, we've known that was false for a while now.

[Elec Man EXE]

Can you migrate from GBA games after getting the national dex, but BEFORE beating the Elite 4? Or would you still need to beat the E4 to migrate?

[Storm]

Can you migrate from GBA games after getting the national dex, but BEFORE beating the Elite 4? Or would you still need to beat the E4 to migrate?

i guess so.. too bad, because i just found people that could trade charmander, sandshrew and tyranitar with me .. but so i first have to see the diamond-cover pokemon and the prevolution of bisleef (anyone can help me tonight, just trade them up and down, only have to see them for a moment )?

[Negrek]

Can you migrate from GBA games after getting the national dex, but BEFORE beating the Elite 4? Or would you still need to beat the E4 to migrate?

You don't need to beat the Elite 4 to migrate.

And Storm, you don't need to have the National 'Dex to receive pokémon like charmander from people who are using D/P. They will show up as being pokédex #??? until you get the National 'Dex.

[Shuppet Master]

Myth: Pressing B and Up will greatly improve the chance of capture when throwing any type of ball.

An oldie but a goodie. Many rumours of various button combinations have popped up throughout the life of the Pokémon games, all of which are false. The factors that affect the chance of capturing a Pokémon are it's current HP compared to it's total HP, a status effect it is under (Asleep and Frozen being more effective than Paralyzed and Burned), and it's predetermined Capture Rate - the lower this is the lower chance you have of capturing it.

I agree that those button presses aren't viable and are just superstitions we have to increase our luck(but I'm a hypocrite - I tend to use that combo you mentioned whenever I have a hard time getting a capture, especially when the formula's random number blows to bad luck and the Pokemon manages to escape - I had a heck of a time catching a $#*#$*@ Murkrow in Diamond, and found out its Capture Rate is equal to Chansey's! WTF?!?). A recent rumor has been that if you yell "Gotcha!" when the ball sucks the Pokemon in, it acts like a Master Ball. (laughs)

Another old busted myth:

Minun×Minun=Plusle
Plusle×Minun=Minun

So Minun and Plusle are seperate Pokemon and always hatch their kind? I thought it was something like Volbeat and Illumise(I noticed that all Volbeat are male and Illumise are female, so if you breed an Illumise and got a male, it would be a Volbeat.) Well, nice pointing out of that.

Soda Pop isn't a medicine

Anyone who believed THAT and didn't read the description of the item should be sticking with Final Fantasy and NOT Pokemon.

If you breed Nidoqueen and Nidoking, the baby will be holding a rare item

Obviously false - due to the fact Nidoqueen cannot breed, only Nidoran Female. The game makers obviously didn't want people making breeder Queens.

you don't need to have the National 'Dex to receive pokémon like charmander from people who are using D/P. They will show up as being pokédex #??? until you get the National 'Dex.

Sort of like how it was in Emerald, if you traded a Charmander, it wouldn't have an entry until you got the National Dex. I guess the makers were smart and realized that GTS and wi-fi would make it impossible to do what they did in Fire Red/Leaf Green.

I am surprised how many people enjoyed this thread! I was sure it would get deleted by the mods for being spam, but this is great.

[Houndoom_Lover]

Darkrai (and the other less dark) pokemon can be gotten through a glitch. Myth/Fact? (Those slugs may have patched it up, I just want to know if anyone tried?)

[Shadow Djinn]

Darkrai (and the other less dark) pokemon can be gotten through a glitch. Myth/Fact? (Those slugs may have patched it up, I just want to know if anyone tried?)

It is only possible with an imported copy of Diamond/Pearl that was part of its initial release. There's a chance of wiping your data if you goof it, and Nintendo patched it up in later japanese versions of DP.

[rinku]

Here's a good one:

4th Gen carts are segregated by region (i.e. Japan, USA, UK, Australia, France), preventing uploads from other regions' carts

In fact they are segregated by *language* (i.e. Japanese, English, French).

[mr_pikachu]

All things considered, I feel stupid for asking this. But since I still can't get to my Wi-fi network long enough to check it for myself...

Myth: The levels of Pokemon are adjusted when competing in the Battle Tower. They are not adjusted during regular Wi-fi battles with other trainers.

So is this a fact, or will it be busted?

[PNT510]

All things considered, I feel stupid for asking this. But since I still can't get to my Wi-fi network long enough to check it for myself...

Myth: The levels of Pokemon are adjusted when competing in the Battle Tower. They are not adjusted during regular Wi-fi battles with other trainers.

So is this a fact, or will it be busted?

Fact.

[Storm]

No.. not a fact.. You can choose to play with the real level, or to level the pokemon before you play at the counter

[Silent Dragonfly]

All things considered, I feel stupid for asking this. But since I still can't get to my Wi-fi network long enough to check it for myself...

Myth: The levels of Pokemon are adjusted when competing in the Battle Tower. They are not adjusted during regular Wi-fi battles with other trainers.

So is this a fact, or will it be busted?

Upon selecting the option to battle in WiFi you get:

SINGLE BATTLE
-> FREE BATTLE
-> Lv50 BATTLE
-> Lv100 BATTLE

DOUBLE BATTLE
-> FREE BATTLE
-> Lv50 BATTLE
-> Lv100 BATTLE

[Razola]

Pokemon above level 50 will be lowered to 50 when entering the Battle Tower. Pokemon below 50 remain at their current level.

That's how Battle Towers work.

[Jeff]

OK, before this thread slips off the page and dies a horrible death, here's another rumor that needs to be solved once and for all. Tangela and Tropius, are they obtainable in-game? The guides are saying that Tangela appear in swarms at Mt. Coronet, and Tropius is rare in the Safari Zone, and yet there are still people that are insisting that they can only be obtained by transferring from the old games. Has anyone found either of these in-game yet?

[Razola]

Tangela: CONFIRMED as being in D/P without the GBA insertion.
Tropius: CONFIRMED as being in D/P without the GBA insertion.

[Zcade0]

Got a myth for you. I've heard that the pokemon locater sometimes will make certain patches flash different colors meaning a shiny is there. Is this true? Supposedly, you can then use a repel to make sure your only finding that type of pokemon in that patch...

[Jeff]

True, saw the videos on Youtube, I'll see if I can dig them up.

Also, looks like we have a source for the Tropius myth. Remember kids, don't trust Serebii.

[Zcade0]

Alright, thanks!

[RattataGuy]

Got a myth for you. I've heard that the pokemon locater sometimes will make certain patches flash different colors meaning a shiny is there. Is this true? Supposedly, you can then use a repel to make sure your only finding that type of pokemon in that patch...

I can say that is true, but only because the game itself tells you that. I was talking with Dawn after post-E4 and she basically said the same thing.

[DarkestLight]

Alright.

Myth: Sandstorm has added effects in D/P
Hail has added effects in D/P {Like making Blizzard hit 100%, and having Pokemon with Ice Body gain HP back during Hail.}


I need to know n_n Mainly cause for some weird reason I can't find out.

[Negrek]

True and true. Sandstorm multiplies the special defense of rock-type pokémon by 1.5, and hail raises the accuracy of blizzard to 100% and heals ice body pokémon.

[Houndoom_Lover]

Ummm, can you get Gangar in the scary room with the Gangar picture in the old tower, how long does it take?

[Negrek]

Gengar appears only in the right room on the second floor, and only if you have a pokémon game inserted into the GBA slot. I'm too lazy to check if that's the "scary room with the gengar picture", but yeah. Its appearance rate is equal to that of all other GBA-insertion 'mon.

[DarkestLight]

Another myth???

The rate at which Elekids will hold Electricizers and Magby's with Magmarizers depends upon your completion of the inserted game's Pokedex. (i.e, if you finished it, they have a 98.5% chance of holding it.- whereas if you only have it completed around 33%-then only 33% of the time you'll see aforementioned Pokemon with said item)

[Jeff]

Gengar appears in the 4th room from the left (the one with the painting).

[Roy Karrde]

Rumor: You can use the Battle Tower to fill up your Pokedex, there by getting Pokedex pictures of all the hard to reach Pokemon like Squirtle or Cyndaquil.

Truth: False, the Battle Tower does not record any Pokemon sadly, even though it does contain every single Pokemon in the game.

[AdventureSerum]

Myth: Pressing B and Up will greatly improve the chance of capture when throwing any type of ball.

An oldie but a goodie. Many rumours of various button combinations have popped up throughout the life of the Pokémon games, all of which are false. The factors that affect the chance of capturing a Pokémon are it's current HP compared to it's total HP, a status effect it is under (Asleep and Frozen being more effective than Paralyzed and Burned), and it's predetermined Capture Rate - the lower this is the lower chance you have of capturing it.

I remember hearing and entrusting my wholesale belief in this technique back in the golden days of elementary school. I figured out it doesn't do squat a long time ago, but I still do it just for luck.

[Crazy Elf Boy]

Myth: In the underground there is more treasure in the walls around places where spheres have been buried

(Some one please tell me if this is myth or not, I have noticed this happen a bit but I really need to know for sure)

[Blademaster]

BUSTED.

I buried five Spheres at the entrance of my Secret Base; after two weeks of searching, I found only one or two troves of buried treasure in the walls around the Base, and none of it was worth mentioning.

[DarkestLight]

Got a new one.

Myth: Pokerus leaves your party Pokemon in 24 hours.

Is that bloody true? Cause if it is, then I have reason to freak out.

[RattataGuy]

Got a new one.

Myth: Pokerus leaves your party Pokemon in 24 hours.

Is that bloody true? Cause if it is, then I have reason to freak out.

Now while I don't know how long pokerus lasts in DP, do know that once a pokemon has it, it will always gain double EV, even after it isn't contagious anymore.

When there's a purple "pokerus" indicator on the pokemon, it's contagious and will pass it to any pokemon in your active party at random (I think after a battle, but I'm not sure). After a period of time, it can no longer pass it along - you'll see a little happy face icon on the summary screen - but it will still have the effects of the virus, namely, doubled EV.

You can always stop time for the pokerus virus by sticking the pokemon in a PC box and only bringing it out when you want to spread pokerus to others.

[Houndoom_Lover]

Sweet! I'll just have to be paceint...(sp? -_-)

Myth: By making crazy names like !!!!6575KID and stuff like that, you can get rare pokemon like Mewtwo at random times?

[RattataGuy]

Myth: By making crazy names like !!!!6575KID and stuff like that, you can get rare pokemon like Mewtwo at random times?

Okay, I think I know where that "myth" comes from. It's actually true to an extent in the first generation games. It has to do with how the games stored your name during the pokemon catching demo (when the name was temporarily changed to "Old Man") and a programming oversight that kept that information saved in memory.

If you did the "surf trick" to try to catch Missingno, the game would take data from your name and use it to call up a pokemon of a certain level. If you knew how the data was encoded you could name yourself something that would bring up a legitimate pokemon.

I really read the Pokemon Wiki way too much in my free time.

[Houndoom_Lover]

Oh, yeah ^_^ I know how it works, trust me. I've fiddled with my faddle more than every other person I know! ^_^ Name a glitch and I'd do it...killed my blue *sniffles* I just wanted to see what others would say

I love Wiki Pokemon, and Yu-gi-oh. Hmmm, let's see- Oh!

Myth: Okay, I'm gunna spell these wrong but *closed my eyes* Crap, do I remember it? You have a level 100 Ragice? Rock? Steel? and a level 100 Requesa (sp?) take 'em to the daycare and walk 15,0000-ish steps. You'll get a super rare mystery egg after that.

I never tried it since neither of them are at level 100 yet...

[Pokemaster Ash]

Tropius: CONFIRMED as being in D/P without the GBA insertion.

...Okay, but the question is how the heck do you get Tropius to appear? When I looked at the Dex, it said 'Area Unknown'. Even when you need the Radar, it says something is there. I know where it's supposed to be (Safari Zone), but.... And, of course, it says 'Area Unknown' for Munchlax even though we know it appears on the trees with an impossible rarity, so there has to be some trick to Tropius...

EDIT: And after asking around at GameFaqs (among other places), they don't know anything either. That's not much of a good sign. Someone said Tropius might have been removed from the english release, but I figure he didn't know what the heck he was talking about.

[Astarin]

I've got one:

Do normal-type Pokemon get STAB in D/P?

As far as I know, they never got it in the older games, but I've read otherwise about the latest ones. Can anyone clarify?