The Rise and Fall of Palafin in Competitive Play
Palafin once ruled the competitive scene of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It won many tournaments and earned a big name. But suddenly, it lost its top spot in the VGC world. This kind of fall isn’t new in competitive Pokémon gaming. Yet, Palafin’s case stands out.
Not the First to Fall
On July 4, a Reddit thread popped up. In it, Pokémon players talked about strong Pokémon that lost their edge. Many pointed out Gengar losing its Levitate ability with Generation VII. Gengar used to be immune to Ground attacks, but not anymore.
Other Pokémon got mentioned too. Talonflame’s Gale Wings ability got a big nerf after just one generation. Darkrai’s signature move, Dark Void, saw its accuracy drop massively. The common thread? These Pokémon got weaker because of intentional ability or move changes. Mid-Gen IX, Dondozo faced a similar fate when an update changed how it gained stat boosts.
What Happened to Palafin?
Palafin’s situation was different. It wasn’t due to a nerf. For a while, players saw it as a major threat. Palafin won two international titles this year alone, plus several regional titles. But by the time the Portland Regionals came in May, its popularity dipped suddenly. Despite this dip, it wasn’t entirely out.
Wolfe Glick, a Pokémon Champion, discussed in his video, “What Happened to Palafin?”, the changing game met. Gyarados, another Water-type, became popular. It could resist Palafin’s Water attacks and lower the attack stat of opponents with Intimidate. Players also used Water Tera Type more defensively, hurting Palafin’s attack power.
All of this happened while the Regulation C ruleset was still in play. This means there were no format changes causing Palafin’s fall. It simply couldn’t keep up with new strategies and techniques players developed, losing its top spot quickly.
Palafin’s Current Stand
However, Palafin isn’t completely out of the game. It made it to the finals at the North America International Championships last weekend. It didn’t win all three international titles this year, but this shows it might still have a chance. With the World Championships in August, we might see Palafin make a comeback.
To sum up, Palafin’s story in the competitive Pokémon world is one of rapid rise and fall. Yet, its recent performance gives hope that it’s not the end. The competitive scene is always evolving, and so are the strategies. Who knows? Palafin might just surprise us all at the World Championships.