Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10) · Stories

The Horror – Part 2 (A Venusaur Story)

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Story by Jack Bumby
This is part 2 of a story. If you’ve not yet read part 1, click here.

Fishing Village png
I’ll never forget what I saw in that dismal place, so far from the rest of humanity. Image Credit: @fdjrt

The journey down the river was short, but it had its moments of beauty. I’ve seen lots of very memorable sights in my lifetime, but nothing compares to the two days I spent heading into that dark place.

On the first day, I saw very little aside from the usual small fishing villages you see dotted all around Kanto. But once we moved out of the region, and further up river, it was unforgettable. On my first night I saw a school of Horsea and Seadra, all following a lone Kingdra. I don’t think those proud creatures even knew we were there, despite Growlithe’s continued attempts to bite and roar at them from the side of the boat. She was loyal, and well-trained, but was still a slave to her animal instincts.

I also witnessed the ship’s (albeit minimalist) crew in the heat of an argument. I’d never even imagined what a quarrel between a Mr Mime and a Machamp would look like, but it was as surreal as you’d expect. After a few minutes, and more than a few heated shouts, the First Mate retired below decks to continue shovelling coal. From what I could tell, he was suggesting they turn back. The Captain had managed to mime that it was “their job”, and that had shut the First Mate up. But I don’t think it was anger that started that argument. As First Mate Machamp retreated to the engine room, it looked like fear.

*

On the second day, the boat ran aground. The river had gotten very shallow around the edges, and despite the best efforts of the Captain, she ended up on the bank. The relief in First Mate’s Machamp’s eyes was easy to miss, but I saw it as he poked his head from inside the bowels of the ship. But it was to be short-lived. I’d stepped off to assess the damage, which appeared minimal, but we were well and truly stuck. I considered my next move. Should I walk? Surely the forest would be far too perilous for just Growlithe and myself. As if in agreement, a deep rumbling sound emerged from the forest. Having read up on the dangers in this part of the world, I swiftly re-boarded the boat. But Growlithe stood her ground.

“Get on the boat, girl!” I shouted but she paid me no mind. The rumble was close now, and I could see the trees in front of her wobbling and swaying. There was a dry crack as one collapsed. Growlithe assumed an attack stance. I ran to her. Out of the treeline, a Dugtrio emerged. They were followed by another, and then another, and then another. The line continued until it disappeared into the depths of the forest. They descended on the boat.

“There girl, take it easy.” I stroked her fur. It was easy to forget, but she was still a pup. The Dugtrio got to the boat and began moving it back into the river. I saw Mr Mime grab the wheel to keep himself steady as the ship jerked and bounced back into the water. They surrounded it until they were underneath the entire hull. With this many, the ship was soon back into the water, bobbing on a gentle current – seemingly unaware of how close the journey came to disaster. The Dugtrio then headed back into the forest. Growlithe calmed.

“C’mon girl. Back on the ship.”

Reflecting on the events of the day, I lay awake that evening. The Dugtrio didn’t attack, they weren’t crossing the river, and they came out of their safety to help us – even risking their lives in the water. We were in their home, and they aided our journey. This led me back to the Venusaur. Who was I to capture it? With this dreaded thought circling my mind, I fell into a sporadic and unpleasant sleep.

*

There were four hard knocks at my door, each from a different muscled fist. The First Mate was telling me it was time. I could see from the small window that it was barely dawn. The light outside was grey and thick with the petrichor of a wet night. I put my hat on and swung the door open. The First Mate was stood outside and it appeared he’d been crying.

“Are we here?” I asked. He looked at the ground, nodded, and pointed his finger to the front of the boat. I beckoned for Growlithe to follow me and I headed to the bow of the ship. I’ll never forget what I saw in that dismal place, so far from the rest of humanity. We’d pulled into a small port. Down the jetty was a rudimentary town. There were a few buildings that might pass for living quarters, and a makeshift Pokémon Center. There was a despondent-looking Pokémon Nurse stationed there. Stood around were men and women dressed in black, holding lanterns like out-of-focus extras in a gothic horror film. Besides the town was a steep and muddy hill. Slowly trudging their way down this was the gloomiest group of Pokémon I’d ever laid my eyes on. It was mainly made up of Machamp, with a few Machoke, and even a small number of Machop. Tired was an understatement for these poor creatures, they looked on the verge of fainting. They began heading into the small living quarters, until the last of them closed the doors. Appalled, I approached one of the men at the end of the jetty.

“What’s going on?” I demanded. “What in the devil are you doing with those Pokémon?”

“Those?” He sneered. “They’re building.”

“What on earth would you want to build all the way out here?” I lifted my arms, gesturing to the wet trees around us, the air ripe with the putrid petrichor of the previous night.

“Our new digs,” he smiled. “You’re looking at the future site of Team Rocket’s newest underground laboratory.”

“Team Rocket?”

“We’ve rebranded.” He looked me up and down. “Say, are you the guy they sent down from head office? The one who’s supposed to catch our Venusaur?”

“Yes, but-“

“Well watch out. He’s been destroying our buildings, freeing the Pokémon. He’s no ordinary Venusaur.”

“He’s freeing them?” I spluttered.

“Yeah. Big guy too. Must be as old as the forest.” As if the forest had overheard the conversation, and I was beginning to think that place had an impeccable sense of timing, the floor shook beneath us.

“Is that him?” I asked, readying myself. But there was no time for the man to respond. From the depths of the labyrinth around us I heard a cry that froze my blood in its veins.

“SAUUUUUUUUUUR!”

Go to Part 3!

Generation #1 (1-10) · Stories

The Horror – Part 1 (Venusaur Story)

jackbumby4 Comments

Story by Jack Bumby. Part 1 of 3.

The Horror
We began our journey into that enigmatic place of mystery and malice. Image Credit: @fdjrt

The PA system buzzed and a tired voice crackled out. “Sorry folks, looks like we’re here all night. The water’s too choppy to cross, but we’ll have you in Vermilion City by daybreak tomorrow.”

The others groaned. Arcanine let out a low whine and covered his head with his paw. I leant back into her fur and lowered the brim of my hat over my eyes. The giant living pillow beneath my head rumbled.

*

I’m not sure how long I slept before their discussion woke me. I opened my eyes and surveyed the cabin. Flames bounced from the low ceiling, down the walls, and lit up the sleeping Pokémon around the space. In the centre, the other trainers were huddled around a small fire – talking about their glory days. It took a few moments for me to gather my senses, but I realised they were talking about the biggest Pokémon they’d ever encountered, or perhaps the most dangerous. In my experience, the two went hand-in-hand. Jamie’s laughter had awoken me. It was a sudden, distressing sound, like a Haunter with a sore throat. I closed my eyes, hoping to catch up with the last few tendrils of the dream I was having before they vanished forever.

“Hey Robert!” It was Jamie. I briefly wondered about keeping my eyes closed, pretending I was still sound asleep and hadn’t heard her. But there wasn’t much chance of me falling back asleep anyway. I sat up and stretched my arms with a dull pop.

“Yes, Jamie?” Irritation had seeped into my voice. I tried to hide it. “Are you guys alright?”

“We were wondering,” she broke eye contact, shifting her gaze to the straw-ridden floor, “What’s the most dangerous Pokémon you’ve ever seen? Face-to-face I mean.”

The others looked around at me. Their voracious eyes flickered orange in the fire-light.

“Guys, you don’t want to hear an old man’s stories.”

“Of course we do!” Jamie burst in.

“It’s not very nice. I don’t like to talk about it.” Arcanine shifted under me, nudging me with her head. “But, if you guys want to hear it.”

Jamie looked back at the others, as if to say I told you he would. Whatever anyone says, deep down everyone enjoys telling stories.

“Ok, shift a bit closer. And put that fire out. The sun’s coming up soon and we’ll be on the move again.”

I began.

*

When I was a young man, I made a bit of a name for myself as a trainer. Nothing fancy, but enough to attract the attention of a few particular organisations. They liked my efficiency, and the fact that I’d never lost a battle didn’t hurt things either. I’d also managed to catch a troublesome Onix, one people said could never be caught – let alone trained. (But that, as they say, is another story for another day). There was one up-and-coming organisation in particular that took an interest after that moment. You’ve probably heard of them as Team Rocket, but back then they were called something different. I can’t recall.

I took the meeting with the head honcho. You have to remember, I was popular back then, and that meant I made a lot of Pokédollars. But being that popular, I spent most of it as I made it. Usually on things I’d regret. So I took the meeting. What harm was there? He was offering me some sort of opportunity, said it would raise my profile even more and it’d be easy money. And, as I said, my pockets were tapped. I was more than willing to ride that potential gravy train.

The meeting was odd. I was lead, or escorted, to the penthouse office of the biggest building I’d seen in my life. In that office was one table, and a chair on either side. The man across from me during that meeting made next to no impression in my mind. It’s as if he could have been any number of people.

“We want you to catch a Pokémon, a Venusaur,” he said. His voice was perhaps the least memorable thing about this already forgettable man. Looking back, I think he wanted me to forget every detail about him.

“Of course.” I was happy to do it, this was firmly in my wheelhouse. But I knew the old idiom, if something’s too good to be true, blah, blah. “What’s the catch?” I asked.

“No catch. Having this Venusaur out of the equation is in this business’ best interest. It’s been causing quite a lot of environmental havoc. Not to mention quite a bit of pandemonium with the local populace.”

It was an altruistic view, but it mattered little to me. I only needed to know one thing, “What’s the pay?”

He went into more detail after that. Apparently, a Venusaur was running rampant in a rural area just outside the Kanto region. It was a desolate, depressing place. Only reachable by boat. It was this more than the money that hooked me. As a boy I’d always been fascinated by the dark places on the map, the undiscovered areas of the world. Of course, by the time I’d grown up, the majority had been discovered and someone had built a Pokémart and a gym. After we’d agreed on pay, the only question I wanted answering was when I could get started.

*

The boat they gave me should have been my first clue that things weren’t exactly on the level. It was named the S.S. Cactus, and it looked like a wreck that had been left as a bizarre floating mausoleum. The captain didn’t instil much confidence in me either. An ancient Mr Mime, he looked older than even the ship. The moth-eaten peaked cap atop his head appeared older than the two combined. He showed me to my quarters. It was a small cabin at the rear of the ship, barely large enough for myself and Growlithe. But we’d spent a few tough nights in Viridian Forest, and compared to that with its incessant buzzing of Beedrils and the constant hooting of Noctowls, the cramped accommodation was practically the S.S. Anne.

I soon found out that, apart from the Captain and the Machamp acting as First Mate, we were the only ones on that vast ship. But, through a tricky exchange, the Captain assured us that it wasn’t a long journey. I asked the First Mate and the Captain just before we set off if either of them had heard talk of the Venusaur at the end of the river. The Captain pretended not to have heard, and First Mate Machamp all of a sudden made himself very busy moving my luggage aboard.

Soon after that, we began our journey into that enigmatic place of mystery and malice.

Go to Part 2!

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Venusaur SWOT Analysis

Rebecca PanksLeave a comment
Venusaur asleep as Jigglypuff draws on its face

Its not uncommon for a Venusaur to fall asleep mid battle after using up its major moveset once or twice. Image credit: Shizukahanari

There are a multitude of benefits and limitations you get from different Pokémon. This SWOT analysis helps you decide whether to include Venusaur to your battle team, and includes specialist advice for both breeder and catcher, as well as combatants facing this Pokémon in battle.

Strengths

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Venusaur’s immense size, strength, and pure might. Venusaur is the fifth most powerful grass-type Pokémon in the world (known to date) and they can be pure powerhouses on the field. They dominate most team battles in mid-to-high battle arenas, and are incredibly intimidating foes to face.

One thing that contributes to this power is that Venusaur is incredibly in tune with its environment and has a very deep understanding of the natural world. This can be very useful for certain battle arenas. For example, your Venusaur can use its vines to chop up a lake and make it harder for water Pokémon to navigate, they can manipulate air waves and create a deafening sound to disorientate a foe, or they can speak to plants and spur rapid movement of root systems, branches, thorns and spores. If you ever see a Venusaur fighting in a forest-based arena, it is a pure spectacle and nigh impossible to beat. Unfortunately, most trainers know this and (if they have the choice) they will constantly challenge you with more urban arenas that are void of all plant life. Either way, there are very few environments where your Venusaur can’t have a little fun with.

When Venusaur’s types were last assessed (they re-test each Pokémon’s abilities every couple of centuries or so to see if they have developed any new type abilities), my grandfather told me that he advised the assessment board to add psychic to its type listings due to their ability to uncannily “know” an opponent’s next move. Subsequent testing has found that it is not a psychic ability, but simply a highly developed empathy and understanding of psychology. Venusaur are, indeed, very attune to Pokémon’s body language and even audible clues that give away their next movements. This counterbalances Venusaur’s slower speed and is tricky to battle against.

Weaknesses

A disadvantage of Venusaur’s size is that it is inevitably immobile. Venusaur can move around, but it expends a lot of energy doing so, and this only gets worse with age. Venusaur are slow growers, but they never actually stop growing. At one point, they’re reclassified as ‘Mega’ or ‘Gigantamax’, but (unlike other Pokémon that can undertake this transformation) Venusaur can achieve these sizes naturally with time. This phenomenon is actually thought to be part of their natural lifecycle: they get so huge that they stop being able to take care of themselves and their bodies become part of the forest—which is quite darkly poetic, if you think about it. However, with the invention of the Pokéball and modern Pokémedicine, trainers can set up a successful care routine so that Venusaur can survive much longer than they do in the wild. But, the larger they grow, the slower and less agile they will be in battle.

Venusaur is so closely tied with its environment that it really suffers if its living conditions are less than ideal, and this can drastically affect its performance in the field. There are very strict rules in the larger leagues as to what condition your Venusaur must be in before it can even sign up for a competition, including the quality of Venusaur’s leaves and tree bark, the colour of its flower, and even tooth, claw and skin condition. Many trainers opt to keep their Venusaur in a nature preserve, rather than keeping them at home, but the rising pollution of forests is making things tougher. For those that want to regularly use moves such as Solar Beam also need PLENTY of sun time (usually with additional vitamins and heat lamps, which come with their own risks).

Another downside to being environmentally sensitive is that Venusaur often have an acute fear of fire. It is thought that this comes from something called ‘tree memory’, where Venusaur taps into the memories of the forest and feels the hurt and pain caused by wildfires. This can be very distracting to Venusaur who are in the middle of a particularly fiery battle and cause it to let down its defenses.

Opportunities

Due to their rarity, Venusaur has a lot of fans. There are whole groups dedicated to attending every single arena Venusaur battle—I attended their meets once or twice over the years, they’re a good bunch! This fandom can easily help raise the profile of any trainer that places Venusaur in a high-ranking position in their battle team. A higher profile means more sponsors, and more sponsors mean a higher chance in getting a ticket to the more prestigious leagues. Any Venusaur trainer must learn to work with fans, but I say see it as a positive experience: interact with them, be kind to them, enjoy them.

Venusaur’s natural moveset does not include any poison-based moves, but it has capacity to learn some (Sludge Bomb and Venoshock to name a few). Manually teaching these moves could be a great differentiating factor for your Venusaur and give you the edge against fairy and grass types.

Threats

Deforestation and pollution are massive threats for Venusaur health. They don’t tend to do to well in more urban areas, as a connection to nature is quintessential to Venusaur happiness. Similarly, in battle, some arenas will dramatically affect your Venusaur’s performance (especially for strategies that use a lot of environmental effects). Concrete floors, metal walls, brick buildings, and glass pyramids (like the infamous Abbey Stadium) are a challenge.

Older Venusaur will need to find ways to keep up defense and attack flexibly from one spot—especially if your strategy does not include environmental manipulation. Venusaur can be at risk from medium-to-high speed Pokémon without specific training to counter such attack styles.

Breeders

  • Maintain Venusaur’s connection with nature as part of its daily routine. It is preferable if you live near a wooded area (that isn’t already a Bulbasaur territory). In addition, try to get Venusaur involved in charity work: working in a human or Pokémon community would do.
  • It is essential that you offer extensive one-to-one training with trainers wanting to own a Venusaur who have not had any previous experience with the Bulbasaur-Ivysaur-Venusaur line before. Ideally, you would make it mandatory that they have had previous experience, but I understand that this can’t always be the case. Cover nutrition, health and environment as core requirements—especially when it comes to ageing.
  • Venusaur can get a little bad tempered as they grow older, so teach emotion coaching to allow new trainers to maintain an open communication about thoughts and feelings with their Pokémon

Combatants

  • High speed will usually be a good tactic against a Venusaur, and more effective the older (and larger) they are. Consider all attack angles available on the battlefield (attacks from above, below, behind, to the side, and straight on), and vary up attack patterns. Attacks such as Decoy and Substitute can be effectively used alongside.
  • If you can dodge its vines, you may be able to get into a big Venusaur blindspot to its rear, giving you a major advantage.
  • Venusaur often have little stamina, so aim to keep dodging attacks to wear them out. Its not uncommon for a Venusaur to fall asleep mid battle after using up its major moveset once or twice—especially if its trainer didn’t ensure it got enough sun time.

Trainers

  • Don’t forget that Venusaur is part poison type. If fed the right foods, Venusaur’s skin can secrete a toxic substance. This can cause slight poison damage when your opponents attack with certain moves (for example, Bite, Peck, and Lick). Ask your local breeder for the best diets (remember to keep them safely away from non-poison type Pokémon, children, and pets if you go down this route, however).
  • Sunbathe, sunbathe, sunbathe. This is especially important if you intend on using high-energy moves such as Hyperbeam. Consider Hyperbeam use very carefully in battle, because it is a big energy sapper. Many battles are over too soon because the trainer used the big move too early.
  • Make environment use a key part of your training and your battle plans. You’ll need to be flexible, to account for all possible arena types, but a strong environment manipulation can be a huge counter to your limited movement and can be very effective.

Love Venusaur? Check out the Guide posts on how to catch and look after Bulbsaur, Ivysaur and Venusaur

Click here to see more SWOT Analysis for Bulbasaur and Ivysaur

Click here to read a story about a man travelling upriver to learn about a legendary Venusaur.

Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10)

Venusaur (#3)

Rebecca Panks1 Comment
There is a sense of mystery around them to which their slow, reflective nature only adds. Image Credit: Takamizawa Usui

Venusaur are mighty and sacred individuals, often nicknamed King of the Forest. Often the star of myths and legends, wild Venusaur often remain motionless for years at a time and only stir at times of crisis.

It was once thought that Venusaur was part psychic type because of its innate awareness of its environment, but scientists are now discovering that Venusaur may be able to connect to the mycorrhizal network of the forest, a connection that can span miles around.

Where to find one

Venusaur are rare in the wild and extremely powerful. On top of this, there is always the moral question as to whether you should catch a wild one. Ivysaur only evolve into Venusaur one at a time and they do so to become protectors of the forest. Scientists are only just discovering just how deeply these Pokémon are connected to their forest homes. Each Ivysaur accepts this special mission and will not be readily prepared to stop its cause.

I have known a few instances where Venusaur capture was necessary. In one awful case, a fire ravaged a whole woodland beyond repair. The council decided to build on the land and turn it into a Pokémon retreat, but the Venusaur in charge of that area was so distraught that he’d let down the Pokémon he was destined to protect, he quickly fell into depression. I, and a team of breeders, was asked to help him. We decided he needed specialist care. We found a trusted trainer to capture him and take him to a therapist. It took him a few years of dedicated care, but the Venusaur is doing well! Last I knew he started his own nursery.

A Venusaur’s power is very hard to tame. It takes a long time for this Pokémon to fully respect you if you catch it from the wild. For all of these reasons and more, I would instead recommend raising an Ivysaur to evolve to Venusaur. Though, I would only advise this for battle purposes. Venusaur is a hard-to-manage breed that have a lot of specific requirements. Think very carefully about the reasons you have for evolving him before doing so. Ivysaur live long, happy lives without needing to evolve and it comes quite natural to them.

Scientists are now discovering that Venusaur may be able to connect to the mycorrhizal network of the forest. Image credit: Marta Maszkiewicz

Raising for battle

Ivysaur evolve to become Venusaur at level 32. After they evolve, they can learn the moves Worry Seed, Synthesis, Petal Blizzard and Solar Beam. Of these, Ivysaur only learns one of these, so there is a benefit to evolving for battle. If you’re planning on delaying, I’d recommend evolving no later than 45 for learning Synthesis. Worry Seed can probably be missed, especially if you’ve kept Bulbasaur’s Sleep Powder and are happy with the accuracy.

Venusaur have immense power and can be a great battle partner. However, long gone are the days of sporty Ivysaur, and your Venusaur will tire very quickly in battle. Don’t use him against anything that uses speed, as you’ll be at a disadvantage. That’s not to say that his moves are slow, just his movement. Razor leaf, Petal Blizzard and Solar Beam are all intense, fast-paced attacks that Venusaur can perform with exceptional accuracy.

Keeping Venusaur happy and healthy

Venusaur need a lot of care, especially when they get older. They often find it difficult to move and will need consistent leg-strengthening exercises to maintain full mobility. It is advisable that you hire a personal trainer for your Venusaur, who will be able to plan a personalised activity plan to meet his specific needs.

If you have raised your Venusaur from an Ivysaur and wish to continue his development, I’d recommend stopping agility course training and begin wellness training. This is a new concept that was helping develop a few years ago. Essentially, a study into Venusaur battle statistics found that young Venusaur who had regular battle training were just as effective in battle as middle-aged Venusaur who had many more years of time to hone their skills. It is thought that by age 53 or so, Venusaur reaches its peak in terms of power. This makes some biological sense, as it is the time when he learns Solarbeam, his most powerful attack.

Wellness training comprises a mixture of grooming (leaf / claw trimming and exfoliating the skin), plant care (using fertiliser, nutrient food additives and carefully planned water / sunlight schedules) and mental development (puzzles, socialisation and work). This might not sound like training, but these all keep Venusaur happy and focused, which have shown some promising results in battle.

It is advisable to take some courses in plant care, as Venusaur’s plant will need similar care to exotic species

Overall

As a breeder, you come to gain a lot of respect for Venusaur and it truly is a miracle to see one. There is a sense of mystery around them to which their slow, reflective nature only adds. Venusaur are immensely powerful Pokémon that need a lot of care. They show great courage in battle, but often get tired and show their age.

It took him a few years of dedicated care, but the Venusaur is doing well! Last I knew he started his own nursery. Image credit: Laurie MacQueen
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Ivysaur Biology: Getting Energy

Rebecca PanksLeave a comment
My Ivysaur’s favourite snack is nuts, especially pistachios. Image credit: Jozanto Soe Aung

Ivysaur has bounds of energy – so much so that he rarely sits still. One of the reasons for his get-up-and-go attitude is that he has two energy sources: metabolism and photosynthesis. This article will look at these two methods and how Ivysaur uses them to get moving.

Using the Light

Ivysaur uses photosynthesis to create sugar using the Sun’s energy. This technique is used by all plants, from mosses to trees. Here is how it works:

  • Ivysaur’s leaves are filled with a substance called chlorophyll (that’s what makes his leaves green). This substance holds many piles of small discs called chloroplasts. As sunlight hits the chloroplasts, it activates a protein in the leaf cell called an enzyme
  • Enzymes speed up chemical reactions for many different processes. The enzymes used in photosynthesis break up water molecules into oxygen, hydrogen and electrons. Ivysaur gets water by drinking, like you and me, while typical plants get water from their roots
  • The hydrogen released from the water molecule teams up with some electrons to transform chemical NADP into NADPH. This then reacts with other chemicals in the plant to form sugar
  • The oxygen released from the water escapes from the leaf into the atmosphere. We breathe oxygen, which is one reason why photosynthesising Pokémon and plants are so important!

Food for thought

Ivysaur’s second method of getting energy is eating, like you and me. Ivysaur is an omnivore, which means he eats both plants and animals. My Ivysaur’s favourite snack is nuts, especially pistachios. I don’t know where he got it from as I’m not a nut fan! Wild Ivysaur are opportunists and their natural diet includes nuts, berries, vegetables, leafy greens, grasses, flowers, snakes, frogs, eggs and birds. It is best to try and reflect this diet as closely as possible, mainly focusing on vegetables. Here is how Ivysaur gets his energy from eating:

  • First (Ivysaur’s favouritepart, he tells me), Ivysaur chooses something to eat. My guess is pistachios! As he eats, he chews the food with his teeth. An Ivysaur has two types of teeth: molars and canines. Canines are pointy, designed for ripping and tearing. They are situated at the front of the jaw. Ivysaur’s molars are larger and flatter, located at the back of the mouth. These are used for grinding down plants and breaking up food
  • As Ivysaur chews, his mouth produces saliva. Spit is filled with enzymes that are specialised at breaking down sugars
  • Once it has been chewed, food is then swallowed. It travels down the oesophagus (a muscly tube in his neck) and travels into the stomach
  • The stomach is a muscular sac that contains acid. The stomach vigorously moves food around, while mixing it with the acid and breaks it down to a pulp. As the food is pulverised, specific sugar-processing enzymes continue the job of breaking down sugar into a simpler sugar, glucose
  • The pulpy food moves from the stomach into the intestines. The glucose is transferred into the body cells through the intestines, which are lined with a series of bumps that ‘catch’ the food
  • The body uses insulin to tell cells to let glucose in. The cells then use glucose to create energy

Makes and Fun Spots

Pokémon-Inspired Outfits: Ivysaur

Rebecca PanksLeave a comment

You love Pokémon? Well now you can dress like them too! This set of posts are designed to give you some inspirations so you can pull together some outfits based on your favourite Pokémon! The styles are all simple, so you can achieve the look no matter what your budget! These outfits were drawn by Elaineayana.

For Ivysaur, these easy-to-wear paper bag waist trousers will help keep you on trend and ready to go. This is paired with a black crisscross cami and a silky lace bolero.

Found any good bargains? Post your finds below!

Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10) · Makes and Fun Spots

A Beginner’s Guide to Ivysaur Training

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Keep your Ivysaur in top running order by keeping them active. Image Credit:
Jozanto Soe Aung

Ivysaur sure have a lot of energy! All that vigour can get misdirected into destructive behaviour if you don’t give your Ivysaur regular, rigourous exercise. One excellent way to do that is training using agility courses. This guide will show you some of the best Ivysaur workouts and the equipment you can get to help.

Why Agility is Awesome

Ivysaur are best at using the field to their advantage, but their stocky build can cause a lot of drag. Keep your Ivysaur in top running order by keeping them active. Some benefits to using an agility course include:

  • Agility is all about high-paced controlled movement, which will help tremendously in battle. The course will also give Ivysaur a mental workout by learning how to use each piece of equipment
  • Agility training helps develop your communication with Ivysaur, as you learn to give accurate and precise orders
  • This training technique can also be fun party piece! Your Ivysaur will love showing off his moves just as much as you’ll enjoy demonstrating your strong trainer skills

What is an Agility Course?

An agility course consists of a set of equipment, called ‘contacts’. There are typically 12-18 obstacles in a complete professional course, but you should start with one or two and build up. This guide will show the top five pieces of agility equipment and explain how to use them.

Tunnels

Tunnels are an easy way to train for speed, focus and listening to instructions. It is one of the simplest to teach.

It starts with trust. Your Ivysaur must believe that the dark, enclosed space is safe to go into, and that nothing scary is lurking inside. In the wild, Ivysaur tend to sleep out in the open, choosing to use camouflage rather than shelter. Small spaces are not his forte. In addition, natural ‘tunnels’ such as hollow tree logs and caves are often heavily guarded by the Pokémon living inside.

Begin by putting some of your Ivysaur’s favourite treats or toys near the entrance of the tunnel. Let him explore by himself at first and don’t introduce commands just yet. Every time he goes near the entrance of the tunnel (or better, inside) give him lots of praise. He should get the message.

Getting your Ivysaur to travel all the way through a tunnel may take lots of patience and repetition. Start with a short tunnel, and place treats throughout. If you’re lucky, he’ll just head straight through following the treats. If not, team up with someone else your Ivysaur is familiar with (perhaps a family member or human / Pokémon  friend. You encourage him to go in the tunnel, while your friend encourages him to go out the other end. Gradually lengthen the tunnel, and once he has the hang of it you can start introducing bends.

To step it up, make or buy a multi-branch tunnel. Use colour markers to indicate which branch you want him to follow. Another customisation level of advanced courses is to create hills and drops in your tunnel.

Jumps

Ivysaur aren’t natural jumpers. They much prefer to have all four feet planted to the ground. However, jumping is a great way to build body strength. You can use skipping ropes, hoops, jumping fences, or just set up logs at different heights. I have found most success with the latter, but my trainer friends all have their favourites.

I once trained an Ivysaur for a Pokémon Ranger who was looking to put on an event at the park. His Ivysaur was getting restless and his trainer had decided to make him part of the show. They had a series of hoops they wanted the Ivysaur to jump through, but he just couldn’t get up that high. The more they tried to encourage him, the more worried he got until it was almost at breaking point. I always think about him to help me remember that slow and steady is the best course.

I moved the hoop very low to the ground so that Ivysaur would only have to step through. I then tempted him with little pieces of orange – his favourite treat. We did that a few times a day for a week, then I slowly stepped it up so he’d have to do a little hop through the hoop. Using little baby steps like this helped to improve his confidence. After that, my ranger friend was able to take over. We managed to get that Ivysaur jumping through hoops in less than two months, just in time for the show.

Ramps

Training an Ivysaur to use a ramp is a very useful trick. Not only is it a key item for endurance training in an agility course, but it can also help prepare elderly Ivysaur for transportation in and out of cars.

Ramps are very easy to train. The only issue, really, will come if your Ivysaur is afraid of heights. It is essential that you address this fear first before introducing a timid Ivysaur to a high ramp: even if it doesn’t look all that high to you!

An Ivysaur’s fear can be tackled very similar to human fear. Try to slowly desensitise him to the situation. Is he afraid of going up stairs? Try and encourage him to go up step by step. Then, see if he will look over the banister. If the fear is persistent, you could try using a hypnotherapist or Pokémon therapist to find out the cause of the issue. The ones that incorporate other Pokémon into the treatment are best, unless your Ivysaur is a good drawer.

Targets

Targets are one of the best training methods if your aim is for battling, as well as exercise. Your Ivysaur should be quite talented at hitting targets already, as he has known Vine Whip from level 7 or so. Your job is to make things more difficult. Here are some ways to create a more dynamic target practice:

  • Attach targets to a washing line (one of those that moves on a pulley system) and move the targets back and forth. Alternatively, install a pole in your training grounds and do the same, but vertically
  • Use AI-based targets (you can get these from some Pokémarts) where they make sounds or light up. You can programme different layouts, and even set it to music for a new challenge
  • Use the clay discs used in clay pigeon shooting as targets. You could also use a frisbee
  • Hide some targets around the house or garden and tell Ivysaur to make a muddy vine print when he finds them. This won’t train for hitting targets, but is is a unique way to help him use his brain
  • Use a tennis ball machine to train quick reaction times. Make sure it is not pointed directly at your Ivysaur, but just to the left or right of him

Weave Poles

Weave Poles improve dexterity and precision. They also look great in shows, if you get several Ivysaur doing it one after another. If you time it right, you can get one little head poking out to the right, while his follower pokes his head to the left. Always makes me giggle.

Teaching weave poles is one of the more challenging to train, as your Ivysaur can’t just explore by himself. Start him to the first pole is at his right shoulder, and put a treat to the right of it. As he goes for the first treat, put another on the left of the next pole. Hopefully, he will walk in the right direction. Once he gets the hang of it, introduce some sort of cue. I wave my hand in a little S shape, like a snake wriggling through grass. You only need to do this when he is at the start of the weave.

You can practice weaving out and about by getting your Ivysaur to weave in and out of your legs when taking wide steps. Remember, though, that the outside world has many exciting distractions and your Ivysaur may not be as focused as he is in the environment of your home or training ground.

Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10) · Stories

A Search for Peace (An Ivysaur Story)

Rebecca PanksLeave a comment

Story by Michael Turner


All of them had clearly enjoyed their adventure. Image credit:
Thyfany Ron

Through the peaceful shade of the trees, sunlight trickled through like the last fragments of fallen rain. Each drop drifted down, flashing the area beneath. As the brief sparks of sun found their way to the earth, a patch of vegetation opened a single eye. Summer.

The heat was so intense it could be smelled in the air. It was pleasant, in smaller doses. The shrub gave a low sigh. She had lost her concern for the sun long before. Dancing in the stream, playing with the others: it was a younger bulb’s game. Now, the greatest concern she held was the pleasantness of the shade and the beauty of a good nap. Taking a deep sigh, she relaxed back onto her stomach, her stumpy legs curling up to cover her eyes.

The silence did not last long. An echoing boom rang through the forest, shaking the trees and the earth. Once more, the shrub’s eyes flashed open and a low sigh gurgled up from the pit of her stomach. With a grunt from both the creature’s lips and legs, the large patch of shrubbery struggled to its feet. A low growl rumbled out from the shrub’s mouth before it began to lumber forwards.

Coming to a thicker patch of vegetation, the shrub uncoiled a pair of vines from around the flower that rested on its back and sharply slapped the brambles apart. The creature skulked forwards, coming to a stop at the edge of the greenery. A small clearing lay ahead, a grass field spilling out into the open before ending in a rough rock wall.

Atop the patch of rocks stood a large Mankey, its furred limbs raised as it screeched down in warning. Below the Mankey, cowering behind a patch of rocks, was a small horde of baby Nidoran. The little things squealed and shrieked, bumping their heads against each other for reassurance. The Mankey didn’t seem to care for this small family and instead continued to cry itself, thumping the floor with its foot. It was an unusual affair, the shrub concluded.

The Mankey was always grumpy by nature and the little ones there had strayed too far from their mother. They were eager to run, that much was clear, but their terror kept them rooted to the spot and clinging to one another for support. They were in no real threat, the shrub knew. Mankey, feral though they might be, knew better than to anger a poison type. Still, Mankey are stubborn things and so, instead, it continued to shriek and bawl, pounding the floor with its limbs.

The sound was like a drumbeat, obnoxious and constant. The shrub growled, crouching down into the nearby plants and hoping the poor children would see sense and dart for the safety of the undergrowth sooner rather than later.

Her hopes were dashed as further loud shrieking called from above. Pidgeys. Those ambitious but arrogant little things had started to circle. It wasn’t long before one of them took a swoop at the big bully. The Mankey screeched again, swatting at its new enemies. The fresh noise startled the baby Nidoran more and they swarmed towards the rock, hoping to gain shelter from it.

This, of course, only served to anger the Mankey more, who began stamping on his rock and swiping down in an effort to scare the young ones away. It didn’t work. Worse still, it attracted further problems. Beedrill and Butterfree were disturbed by the banging. They emerged and began to circle as well. Their curious buzzing mingled with the rest of the noise. Soon, the entire group was as angry as the Mankey was and the noise was only getting louder.

This, the shrub decided, simply would not do. With a loud grumble, she struggled forwards from her hiding place, emerging into the brightness of the clearing. No-one noticed her approach. Nor did they notice as she settled beside them all and took a deep breath. The light of the sun fell free of the shade here, flowing into the shrub’s outstretched flower. It twitched, reaching for the sun in turn, before folding out as a puff of golden spores rose into the air. The spores rose steadily. They hit the Mankey first. For a moment, the Mankey was angered further. What strange attack was this? The creature’s rage did not last for long. His swings to the sky became more and more half-hearted and his pounding on the rock floor lost its lustre.

The gathered Pidgey, likewise, seemed to lose energy as the spores finally took hold. Their swoops became lazier, until they simply flopped to the ground and nested beside the Mankey they had once fought. The insect Pokemon, soothed by the growing silence, soon left after an encouraging vine whip from the shrub dispersed them. The shrub turned to the baby Nidoran and gave a low groan. The Nidoran did not need to be told twice. They filed out from their shade under the rock and scurried towards their new saviour.

As the shrub opened its flower wide, the Nidorans took shelter, nuzzling against their new friend. This, they decided, was much better than the rock they had so fiercely tried to covet. The shrub gave another low call to the Mankey, who replied in kind with a nod, before shooing away the Pidgey and curling up atop his rock. With the chaos defused, the shrub turned to leave with the crowd of Nidorans trailing behind her.

There were seven in total, three boys and four girls, and all of them had clearly enjoyed their adventure, now it was all done. It didn’t take long for the fading excitement to dull into weariness. The poor creatures stumbled forwards a few more steps before flopping down beside the shrub. She was warm and pleasant company. The shrub cared little, but was at least glad the little ones appeared to share her respect for rest. With a lazy shrug of her great legs, the shrub collapsed back into the shade, the small swarm of Nidoran resting around her. As one nuzzled up to her, the Ivysaur gave a grateful sigh and closed her eyes once more. Peace at last.

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Ivysaur SWOT Analysis

Rebecca Panks2 Comments

Ivysaur have a high drive and almost dogged persistence. Image Credit: faiahaato

There are a multitude of benefits and limitations you get from different Pokémon. This SWOT analysis helps you decide whether to include Ivysaur to your battle team, and includes specialist advice for both breeder and catcher, as well as combatants facing this Pokémon in battle.

Strengths

Similar to its predecessor, Ivysaur has a sharp mind and a deep understanding of the natural environment. Except, now, he has the stamina and dexterity to boot. I’ve always said the army could go a long way by recruiting more Ivysaur as tacticians, as their battle planning is highly developed. In fact, they are regularly recruited by security firms and police forces.

Ivysaur have a high drive and almost dogged persistence. If you ask it to do something, it will do whatever it takes to get it done, or die trying. This can often get it into a spot of bother, but their hardiness pulls them through 9 times of out 10. This determination makes Ivysaur very reliable.

The flower on an Ivysaur’s back is now developed enough to contribute towards powder and seed growth, meaning these can be much more potent. While it takes some time to master, these attacks can be powerful tools in battle. They can also have uses outside of battle. For example, there was an interesting case a few years ago where a game preserve had some trouble with its fencing and a herd of elephants slipped through the net and were headed straight for a village. Relations between the village and reservation had been iffy at best, so the reservation rangers were very keen to get the elephants swiftly rounded up before they troubled the villagers. I knew an Ivysaur breeder nearby, who gladly helped. Her team of around 5 Ivysaur used their sleep powder to send the elephants into a doze. From there, they could be safely sedated properly without the herd getting startled and running.

Weaknesses

Ivysaur often finds itself torn between wanting to please its trainer and wanting to push boundaries, which can lead to some miscommunication and disagreement in battle. For example, I was once battling a Pidgeotto with an Ivysaur in my care, who was ever so eager to try out its powder moves as it had overheard my discussions with its trainer around powder potency. I’d told Ivysaur that, for this battle, we were going to re-practice vine work, but he wasn’t having any of it. He puffed out his chest, strutted out to the field—one eye on its trainer—and out came the sleep powder, which flurried its way over to Pidgeotto…. but, boy, did Ivysaur’s rising pride get an abrupt shock as the Pidgeotto swiftly used Gust and blew those spores back at us! Luckily, Pidgeotto’s aim was a touch off and the majority missed us, but it did float over to my recreation garden and put an unsuspecting Weedle and Mankey to sleep. They missed out on the vegetable growing contest that year because of that, bless them.

Ivysaur’s high determination can give it a kind of tunnel vision, where it neglects or disregards anything that doesn’t contribute towards the goal at hand. In battle, this means it might forget to maintain defence when attacking, it may act too hastily in unexpected terrains, and it has a tendency to fight down to its very last remaining strength—making it difficult to judge at what point to swap them out. There can be ramifications in non-battle life, too. Ivysaur might be so determined to train, for example, that it forgets to eat and rest. In fact, this Pokémon finds it very difficult to rest at all—tricky when it needs a certain amount of sun basking each day.

Opportunities

I would like to see more trainers putting trust in this Pokémon’s abilities. Especially in the low-to-mid battling ranges, Ivysaur should be up front and center—as opposed to being used as support, which I often see. With its powders and seeds focused on stat attacks, I can certainly see why Ivysaur isn’t seen as the hard hitter it is, but its Seed Bomb and Take Down attacks aren’t something to treat lightly (not to mention its well-practiced Vine Whip).

Ivysaur gives us more in flexibility, compared to Bulbasaur, and many miss this opportunity. They tend to keep Ivysaur in one place—using a similar battle plan to Bulbasaur. While I can see the argument that keeping Ivysaur stationary is good preparation training for its Venusaur stage, keeping prone isn’t using Ivysaur to its best ability for this stage of its evolution cycle. This ‘mon has energy! Let him use it. I want to see running, leaping… hell, even swinging on its vines is possible. Your opponents sure won’t be expecting that.

Threats

Ivysaur can be a bit of a forgotten stage in the Bulbasaur-Ivysaur-Venusaur line and, as a result, trainers don’t plan effectively for it. When someone gets a Bulbasaur, they have big visions of either the cute, little companion, or the hulking great power. They don’t want the awkward teenager. This, unfortunately, leads to rushed or enforced evolution—which is bad for many reasons: unseasoned, unruly Venusaur being only one—and also huge Ivysaur abandonment when trainers come to realise that not all Ivysaur can evolve. In the wild, there is a special ceremony where a Venusaur is chosen. Not too much is known about it (much more research is needed), but the legends go that only one Venusaur is selected every 100 years, and this Venusaur’s duty is to protect the forest. The selected Ivysaur has to have the right temperament and have made a big impact on its community. Its a position of honour and respect just as much as it is training and time.

The potential for malnutrition is a huge threat for Ivysaur. These Pokémon are eager to be active, they don’t want to sit and bask in the sun. Some don’t even want to sit down long enough to eat a good meal. It is imperative for an Ivysaur trainer to be strict and strong willed. Not only must you enforce sun time, but you should firmly teach Ivysaur how to safely slough off energy while also maintaining self-care. Either that, or you will be run ragged trying to tear after him with nutrition supplements. Try to make healthcare a position of pride or a puzzle to solve: How do we make sure your leaves keep green and strong? How do we maintain petal health? However, don’t overdo it, either. I have seen one or two cases where Ivysaur have needed to be treated for self esteem. Keep health in mind at all times.

Breeders

  • Start Ivysaur preparation during the Bulbasaur years, where possible. Flower and leaf care, activity planning, and time management can all be taught at the Bulbasaur stage. Get Bulbasaur involved in helping other Ivysaurs, if possible, as this will be great for team bonding and emulate a wild Bulbasaur-Ivysaur-Venusaur society.
  • Get Ivysaur involved in as much sport as you can. Solo sports, team sports and training will all go a long way in building Ivysaur’s strength and stamina.
  • Do some Ivysaur awareness campaigns: taking them to events, sharing leaflets, taking part in charities, and touring schools are some ideas. We must play our part in demystifying Ivysaur and sharing what we know of its folklore.

Combatants

  • Facing an Ivysaur can be quite daunting as it will just keep coming at you! If you’re in a multi battle, distraction techniques work very well (getting one Pokémon with high speed or high defence to draw Ivysaur’s attention, then using a second Pokémon to deal the damage), because Ivysaur can be so focused, he often falls for misdirection.
  • Those powders can be very debilitating—especially with older Ivysaur that have had more time to practice. Avoid them at all costs. Some possibilities are to go underground at the time of attack, use flying Pokémon that understand wind direction, or use moves that can re-direct the spores. The more creative you can be the better, as a good trainer will try to expect your reaction and respond.
  • A busy Ivysaur is not a thinking Ivysaur, so it is best to keep the attacks coming. Their resilience isn’t too strong, so some consistent, well-paced attacks shouldn’t take too long to chip away at their defences.

Trainers

  • Use the lack of understanding to your advantage. People tend to think of Ivysaur as slow and lumbering, like Venusaur, so train for speed and agility to surprise them.
  • Ensure you have a deep understanding of Bulbasaur-Ivysaur-Venusaur relations, history and physiology before undertaking Ivysaur care. Especially when it comes to mythology and evolution lines. If you’re wanting to evolve Ivysaur into a Venusaur, do your genetics research and ensure you get Ivysaur involved in community and charity work alongside training.
  • Ivysaur is happiest in a cool forest environment, and is thus not too comfortable in extreme environments. This aversion to fire and ice can become obsessive and turn to fear if not kept in check.

Click here to see the SWOT Analysis for Bulbasaur

Click here to see the Breeder’s Guide Post for Ivysaur

Generation #1 · Generation #1 (1-10)

Ivysaur (#2)

Rebecca Panks2 Comments
They move through the forest with as much grace as a Goldeen moves through water. Image credit: Takamizawa Usui

Ivysaur are known as the teenage Bulbasaur, which is a pretty adequate comparison. This Pokémon thinks, sorry knows, he is the best at everything. And I mean everything. They are typically stubborn and outright gutsy, which can get them into a lot of trouble. They do tend to calm down a little as they get higher leveled. In fact, I’ve heard many stories that describe Ivysaur looking after the young of other Pokémon. I guess that’s a good skill to have if they want a chance at becoming King of the Forest.

Where to find one

Ivysaur typically live alone or in small family groups with Bulbasaur. They are extremely territorial and spend most of the day roaming their land looking for threats. They’re the easiest of the Bulbasaur evolution line to find in the wild, but its no stroll in the park! Their territories tend to be at the heart of dense forests, a landscape they know intricately. They know all the holes you might trip over, the pointy branches you might be spiked by and the vines you will get tangled in. Despite their bulky build, they move through the forest with as much grace as a Goldeen moves through water and a high-leveled one will have learned to use the environment to their advantage. They are also extremely hardy and it will take a strong, well-trained Pokémon to take them on.

If you can’t tell by the above, catching an Ivysaur in the wild is best left to the intermediate or advanced trainer. Beginners, or the less adventurous of you, will find much more pleasure in raising a Bulbasaur to become an Ivysaur. The evolution level is quite low at 16. This is very achievable with a little training. If you’d rather just skip to the Ivysaur stage, you can get an Ivysaur from breeders, but I’d very much advise not missing out on those early years.

Preparing the home

If you’re raising a Bulbasaur to become an Ivysaur, you will have fewer teething problems when it comes to introducing him to the home. By the time he is level 16, Bulbasaur should be used to you and your routines. However, you may find that he begins to push the boundaries as an Ivysaur. Suddenly, that cupboard where you keep the Pokémon food that your Bulbasaur would never touch is raided by your Ivysaur. He starts fights with others, whereas he used to always get along with the pet Skitty so well. These are all to be expected due to Ivysaur’s territorial urges and should be easy to train out. If you catch him from the wild, he will take a lot longer to adjust.

One other change you will notice is Ivysaur’s activity levels. Bulbasaur will happily lounge for hours on end, but Ivysaur just can’t sit still. It is important that you help Ivysaur expend some of that extra energy. Training for battle is the best way: agility courses, target practice, the whole lot. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend getting a young Ivysasur if you’re just wanting a companion Pokémon. They need to be constantly on the move and will quickly get too zealous in play. If you just have to have a companion Ivysaur, I’d suggest asking at the Pokémon retirement centre. Older Ivysaur are a lot calmer and only need to be exercised a couple times a day.

Similar to Bulbasaur, Ivysaur needs a lot of sun-time. In fact, it needs much more. That fabulous flower on its back needs a lot of sustenance and its high energy levels demand fuel. Make sure Ivysaur has a dedicated area in the garden to sunbathe undisturbed. He won’t want to, mind. You’ll have to be strict with him to make him stay put long enough to recharge fully.

Raising for battle


Ivysaur loves to keep active, which is perfect for training. Image credit:
Marta Maszkiewicz

Ivysaur only has the capacity to learn one new move (Razor Leaf), if evolved from a Bulbasaur at 16 and to a Venusaur at 32. However, Bulbasaur can learn Razorleaf at level 19, so it might be a good idea to delay evolution and teach Bulbasaur this move instead. Otherwise, you’re going to have to wait until Ivysaur is level 31, a big disadvantage. Be careful if catching an Ivysaur in the wild, as he will not be able to learn any of the Bulbasaur-stage moves he didn’t pick up naturally. That means you might be missing out on key strategic elements such as Sleep Powder and Poison Powder, which do not naturally develop to the right strengths needed for using these as moves in battle. If he already knows these moves, you can train them to be more potent.

Ivysaur loves to keep active, which is perfect for training. He is also dexterous and intelligent, two traits that are ideal for developing new strategies. I always found that the best battle ideas came from my Ivysaur, especially when it comes to working the field. You should let Ivysaur have a certain level of independence during a battle and place great trust in his natural instincts. This is not the Pokémon for control freaks, as he will know better than you practically every time.

One area he might be lacking is knowledge of other Pokémon and type advantages. This is where you come in! Teach him all you know about the different Pokémon you spot and discuss with him any strengths and weaknesses. You could hire Ivysaur to coach your other Pokémon, which will help him develop that understanding. He will also enjoy the sense of responsibility.

Keeping Ivysaur happy and healthy

If your Ivysaur does not get enough natural sunlight, he will become weak quickly. This is one Pokémon that is not happy when unwell. They despise it. It is thought by Pokémon behaviourists that wild Ivysaur have a hierarchy with the toughest earning more territory. Therefore, it is vital for your Ivysaur’s physical and mental health that he gets enough nutrients, vitamins and sunlight.

A heat lamp may have been handy for Bulbasaur, but it will be of little use with Ivysaur: there is no chance you’ll get him to sit for long enough under it to have any effect. If you live in a rainy or cloudy area, you might need to seek specialist help. I know a few good sunlight gyms that are designed as a training ground photosynthsising Pokémon. They have these massive sunlight -emulating ceiling fixtures and are designed to trap moisture like a giant greenhouse. Make sure you take plenty of water for yourself, though.

Ivysaur will need help maintaining its flower. He doesn’t have any nerve endings in his leaves (a little like our nails) so you can use regular garden cutters to stop it looking too raggedy. You should include a regular supply of fertiliser in its food, which will give it plenty of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Be prepared for the flower to give off a strong smell. Be careful when visiting forest areas, as Combee, Beedrill and other pollinator Pokémon might end up swamping you.

Overall

Ivysaur is a great battle partner. He is dependable, dedicated and quick-minded. He does need a lot of training and maintenance, but he gives out ten-fold. He will also be acceptable as a working Pokémon, especially as a park ranger or guard. However, I would not recommend keeping an Ivysaur as a companion Pokémon unless you can provide a lot of physical and mental stimulation, or are willing to get a more mature one.

He will be acceptable as a working Pokémon, especially as a park ranger or guard. Image credit: Olivia Bigelow
  • For a Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur Sonnet, click here (partner website).