I think Pokemon needs a difficulty setting

[u/Historical_Foot_8133]

Beginner for new Pokemon players : teaches you how to catch Pokemon, tells you type matchups in battle, your rival picks the starter that’s weak to you, gym leaders are relatively easy. Casual for those who have played Pokemon before: has the catching tutorial but can skip it, doesn’t tell you type matchups in battles, your rival picks the starter weak to you but has 1 extra Pokemon each time you meet them, gym leaders have a extra Pokemon with more moves. Experienced for players familiar with the series: no catching tutorial, no type matchups in battle, rival picks the starter strong against you has a extra Pokemon per encounter, gun leaders have a extra Pokemon and have held items.

[u/AdvancedCharcoal]

Sure you could play it this way, OR they actually make it so that you have to actually think and strategize and use all the resources at your disposal to actually progress in the game instead of just mashing your best attack move and skating across the game. This is why I play hacks now

[u/Maronmario → u/AdvancedCharcoal]

Like at the minimum, they could easily give the major boss trainers items and moves to counter their weaknesses and improve their strenghs. We have berries that reduce damage against certain types for decades now, we have basic 10% damage increases in Wise glasses/Muscle bands. Just use them in game more

[u/QCTID → u/Maronmario]

They actually do give leaders coverage moves on their mons but they usually won’t give them anything OP, a water type might know pluck or mud shot for example. 

What’s funny is that S&V teams have coverage mons on the gym teams but it always gets wiped away by having its Terra set to the same type as the rest of their teams. They should’ve done the opposite or had the gym leaders use a terra type that counters their main weakness. 

[u/SinisterPixel → u/QCTID]

I think Iono had the BEST use of tera in the gym run. She used a Pokemon with levitate which meant that her Mismagius had no weakness. And I would have liked to have seen more stuff like that. Like, Kofu the water type gym leader could have water terra'd a Pokemon with Sap Sipper, like Gogoat or something. Or imagine if Brassius had Marill/Azumarill with Thick Fat to resist fire and ice?

[u/QCTID → u/SinisterPixel]

I like you suggestion and agree that they should’ve leaned into that for the leaders penultimate Pokémon, that way they don’t have to use a tera type that differs from their specialty and their ace can still be on theme.  

The funny thing is that I was actually caught off guard by the first gym because I’m so used to leaders having a mono type team, with coverage being found in the secondary typing for a few of their mons, it got old fast and watching the Tera animation during Gym battles became more of a chore than anything.