Game Freak should really stop doing this when they create new moves

[Sweet Serenity]

We have gotten some new moves in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet such as Ice Spinner, Trailblaze, Chilling Water, Tera Blast, and so on, but pretty much every other move is a signature move for one or a few other Pokémon. I believe Game Freak need to create some new moves to add more balance to the game, such as more moves that can hit all foes in double battles. Additionally, they should make a physical Electric-type counterpart of Thunderbolt rather than forcing us to use Wild Charge that causes recoil damage, a Fire-type counterpart to Flamethrower rather than Flare Blitz that also causes recoil damage, and so on. I would also like to see more physical Fairy-type moves other than Play Rough. Every new move doesn't have to be a signature move. It seems like almost every new Pokémon gets its own signature move these days. Because of that, I think signature moves are less special now, and, sometimes, it only makes me think that other Pokémon could probably use the signature move more than the Pokémon in question. What do you think?

 

[Explorer of Time]

As someone who plays a lot of monotype runs, I completely agree with you about some types needing to fill gaps in their movesets. There's a lot of Pokémon held back because they don't have access to a good physical or special STAB move, especially in earlier generations.

That being said, I disagree with your opinion about signature moves. They help make Pokémon more unique and I think that's a good thing.

 

[Devalue]

Agrees on a few more moves being nice for underserved offense/type combinations. Makes it hard for the Luxrays of the world to function. Adds Special Rock to that list.

Likes signature moves, however. Creates another dimension to evaluate each Pokemon on. Often knows similar moves among Pokemon of the same type. Becomes hard to justify X or Y when one just has better stats. Accepts signature abilities too.

 

[Squirtkipfan01]

As far as new moves, weird how water type does not have a move in the vain of thunderbolt, flamethrower, or ice beam; moves with 100 accuracy, power of 90, low chance of respective statuses. Actually alot of types i feel could use one for just a pretty good move you can slap ontop various pokemon for more coverage, but water is the one that comes to mind being so common

 

[Palamon]

This is the generation with the fewest new moves ever with less than fifty at the time before the DLC. This is vert weird, and I do think it's weird it was mostly signature moves. I found the list of all the new moves in generation IX (only 48 btw) and some of these we can't even use. Like this one. Yeah, definitely need to stop with that. We need more moves other Pokemon can use. How many of the new moves this generation aren't Signature moves anyway?

 

[Devalue]

This is the generation with the fewest new moves ever with less than fifty at the time before the DLC. This is vert weird, and I do think it's weird it was mostly signature moves. I found the list of all the new moves in generation IX (only 48 btw) and some of these we can't even use. Like this one. Yeah, definitely need to stop with that. We need more moves other Pokemon can use. How many of the new moves this generation aren't Signature moves anyway?

Only just started this generation. Breaks down Generation 8:

Sword/Shield base game: 77 new moves

• 31 signature moves (Apple Acid, Aura Wheel, Behemoth Bash, Behemoth Blade, Bolt Beak, Branch Poke, Clangerous Soul, Court Change, Decorate, Dragon Darts, Drum Beating, Dynamax Cannon, Eternabeam, False Surrender, Fishious Rend, Grav Apple, Jaw Lock, Magic Powder, Meteor Assault, No Retreat, Obstruct, Octolock, Overdrive, Pyro Ball, Snap Trap, Snipe Shot, Spirit Break, Strange Steam, Stuff Cheeks, Tar Shot, Teatime)
• 3 not signature moves (Body Press, Breaking Swipe, Life Dew)
• 24 G-Max moves
• 19 Max moves

Sword/Shield DLC: 37 new moves

• 11 signature moves (Astral Barrage, Dragon Energy, Eerie Spell, Fiery Wrath, Freezing Glare, Glacial Lance, Shell Side Arm, Surging Strikes, Thunder Cage, Thunderous Kick, Wicked Blow)
• 19 non-signature move tutor moves (Burning Jealousy, Coaching, Corrosive Gas, Dual Wingbeat, Expanding Force, Flip Turn, Grassy Glide, Lash Out, Meteor Beam, Misty Explosion, Poltergeist, Rising Voltage, Scale Shot, Scorching Sands, Skitter Smack, Steel Beam, Steel Roller, Terrain Pulse, Triple Axel)
• 7 G-Max moves

Legends: Arceus: 24 new moves

• 21 signature moves: Barb Barrage, Bitter Malice, Bleakwind Storm, Ceaseless Edge, Chloroblast, Dire Claw, Esper Wing, Infernal Parade, Lunar Blessing, Mountain Gale, Mystical Power, Psyshield Bash, Raging Fury, Sandsear Storm, Shelter, Springtide Storm, Stone Axe, Take Heart, Triple Arrows, Victory Dance, Wildbolt Storm
• 3 not signature moves: Headlong Rush (kind of), Power Shift, Wave Crash

???: 2 new signature moves: G-Max Meltdown (Melmetal), Jungle Healing (Zarude)

(Hopefully counted all those correctly.)

____________

For non-signature moves in Generation 9: 9 moves (Aqua Cutter, Axe Kick, Chilling Water, Comeuppance, Ice Spinner, Pounce, Snowscape, Tera Blast, and Trailblaze)

Finds it hard to classify Generation 7. Example: Started with Dragon Hammer as exclusive to Alolan Exeggutor. Handed it to Tropius in Ultra Sun/Moon. Same with First Impression, Strength Sap, and Power Trip. Similarly, how do you handle Gear Up with Klinklang and Magearna?

Sees 15 Generation 7 non-signatures (probably?): Aurora Veil, Brutal Swing, Burn Up, High Horsepower, Laser Focus, Leafage, Liquidation, Lunge, Psychic Terrain, Smart Strike, Speed Swap, Stomping Tantrum, Spotlight, Tearful Look, and Throat Chop. Restricted several of these to, like, three Pokemon. Turned some signature moves into general moves later (like Pollen Puff). Welcomes someone to double-check these. Rushed it. (Would like to go to bed soon.) Could have written one as non-signature due to becoming one in later generations.

Edit: Added Laser Focus and Leafage to Generation 7. Hit the filter with that second move, apparently.

 

[Soaring Sid]

Definitely agree with the demand for a physical non recoil thunderbolt or somesuch.

And Signature moves.... Well now that we have 1000+ pokémon, the signature moves are still rare, considering what small percentage of pokémon have them. Adds a different taste.


But considering that we're getting new moves at a new frequency compared to older games, i.e. more quickly than ever beforeand a section of them signature..., it can create a sensation that there are too many signature moves.

 

[ReKoil]

I'll second the mention of wanting more Special category Rock moves.

I do like the idea of signature moves, that only a select few are able to learn a certain move. A lot of them end up being spread to a couple other mons in later gens too, which is even better. The mon that has it as a signature move gets to shine with it in it's debut generation, and then other mons get access to it later on as well.

 

[Amore]

As far as new moves, weird how water type does not have a move in the vain of thunderbolt, flamethrower, or ice beam; moves with 100 accuracy, power of 90, low chance of respective statuses. Actually alot of types i feel could use one for just a pretty good move you can slap ontop various pokemon for more coverage, but water is the one that comes to mind being so common

Water gets Surf (which is a spread move, however, so no good in VGC) or Scald which has a higher status chance and lower power. Waterbolt would seem redundant to many.

I do wish they hadn't got rid of Pursuit. Really adds to the guesswork around switching in competitive battles. Hidden Power I understood, the Toxic nerf too tbh (although given VGC is in Doubles, making stall super rare anyhow, I think it should have stayed).

some of these we can't even use. Like this one. Yeah, definitely need to stop with that. We need more moves other Pokemon can use. How many of the new moves this generation aren't Signature moves anyway?

I'm really hoping the Star custom Revavroom formes become available at some point. Was so cool when I fought the first one and hadn't realised it was a Pokémon until they called it out! (first challenging battle I'd had in Pokémon for about 10 years too, did my usual thing of not evolving my 'mons and actually lost the first time).

 

[Adam Levine]

While I'm not exactly against signature moves being more common in these newer generations, I'm a little peeved by the fact that some of them have effects that in my opinion shouldn't be locked to signature moves.

For example, Shell Side Arm is an interesting move whose category changes depending on whether it would do more damage as a physical or special move. This is a neat idea for a move, and I would've hated if this was the only time we saw a move like this (thank goodness Tera Blast was introduced the next generation). Same goes for a move like Flying Press; the fact that this is still our only dual-typed move is a crime.

The lack of new non-signature moves wouldn't bother me as much if they at least helped out some types lacking in decent wide-distribution moves. Only in Generation IX did they finally up the distribution of Power Gem so that specially oriented Rock-types finally have a decent STAB option (I hate Meteor Beam so much), but physical Electric-types still get squat. I understand that different types of Pokémon with different stats need different tools in order for the game to not be so homogenous, but the playing field needs to be evened out a little in my opinion. Why, only last generation did non-bird physical Flying-types get Dual Wingbeat for STAB, and until the move tutor is available again they're stuck with Acrobatics (which is hard for some to take advantage of) and Aerial Ace (it's honestly insane to me that Smogon sets for Scyther before SwSh had this move).

I would say this isn't a problem exclusive to attacks, but a lot of the newer status moves would be broken, or at least have serious metagame ramifications, if they were given to more than just a few Pokémon. Court Change, Revival Blessing, Chilly Reception, Tidy Up, and Victory Dance come to mind. That said, it would be nice if some defensive Pokémon were given better tools (imagine if Mega Aggron or Zamazenta had a reliable recovery move, for example).

 

[Amore]

Why, only last generation did non-bird physical Flying-types get Dual Wingbeat for STAB, and until the move tutor is available again they're stuck with Acrobatics (which is hard for some to take advantage of) and Aerial Ace (it's honestly insane to me that Smogon sets for Scyther before SwSh had this move).

To be fair for a vast majority of players who probably forget to put an item on their Pokémon, Acrobatics is an incredible STAB to have in-game. 110BP no recoil? Awesome.
Smogon sets had Aerial Ace for Scyther because at 60BP before Technician its actually a 90BP move on Scyther. The rest of the physical Flying-types were worse off though I agree. But if they'd introduced an 80BP physical Flying move, Scyther wouldn't run it as Technician would mean Aerial Ace was still better - its the 2 hits of Dual Wingbeat that make it great.