After an introductory ‘livestream’ to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s biggest influencer (and Electric-type gym leader) Iono, the identity of her mysterious partner Pokémon has been revealed.
Say hello to the rather goofy but irresistibly squishy Bellibolt, a giant green frog with an electrifying new ability. According to its page on the official Scarlet and Violet website, Bellibolt builds up electricity and then discharges it through the two bumps on its head, which aren’t actually its eyes, despite their appearance.
Apparently due to its docile nature, it struggles to make the first move in a battle. “It is difficult to train Bellibolt to initiate a battle without it being attacked first,” its description reads. It’s not clear if this means it just has incredibly low speed stats, or if it can literally never make the first move in a battle.
While that might sound like a drawback, it does possess a brand new ability that might use that to its advantage.
Electromorphisis sees Bellibolt become charged up when hit by an attack, which will significantly increase the damage of the next Electric-type move it uses. So, while you might take the first blow, it’ll mean you can deal some decent damage with a following Electric-type attack. Bare this in mind when taking on Iono at her gym.
We’ve seen several new Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet revealed ahead of the game’s release date, including Krawf, Wiglett, Cetitan, and more. However, we’ve still only seen one Paldean form so far (that being Paldean Wooper) and are yet to see the final evolutions of the three starter Pokémon.