Distinction between Ground and Rock types. Do you think they should have been a single type?
Distinction between Ground and Rock types. Do you think they should have been a single type?
by sdrey
23 Comments
_scrapegoat_
Rock is a meh type. Ground is the best offensive type. Glad they are separate 😅
RenenutetNuvo
No. Ground types are more of a fluid element when compared to Rock types.
Ok-Leave3121
Nice description of them. Would love to see ones for the other types. Also would love to see more Pokemon based off of each example here
Avocado_3492
imo no since Rock is things that are kinda brittle and solid while Ground is more a mass of things that don’t necessarily hold form or are soft-ish
sdrey
Interestingly while sand Pokémon, moves Sand Tomb and Sand Attack are ground type; sandstorm is associated with rock type. The move is rock type, sandstorm weather increases sp.df. of rock type Pokémon and weather ball turns into rock type under sandstorm.
Wark_Kweh
Probably, especially after they introduced steel, which would fit nicely to the right of your rock column.
Ground, rock, and steel all generally cover minerals/crystals in various states of purity and cohesion.
Grass meanwhile covers foliage, wood, fungus, fruit, seeds, and all the seasonal variations within.
The problem, I guess, would be that combining 2 of those groups would create a very bloated “mineral” category. Worse if you combined all 3.
While they are separate, type match ups can be more granular(HA!). Which is another good argument for keeping them distinct.
CountScarlioni
I think they’re respective profiles are different enough to merit being separate types. I can’t say I’ve looked at many Rock- or Ground-types and thought they should have been the opposite, and having them all belong to a single “Earth” type, let’s say, feels to me like it would render that type too broad in scope, especially for a series whose fantasy elemental table is already so granular that it nearly reaches 20 classifications.
thegayestweeb
I think it’s better that Rock and Ground are separate types. Ground seems to be more about earth and dirt, whereas Rock is more about the minerals and substances derived from the earth but occurring under specific circumstances.
For instance, glass being associated with the Rock-type despite originating from sand – which is often associated with the Ground-type – may have something to do with the sand being put under intense heat in order to produce glass.
When sand is used to produce glass, its makeup is chemically changed and influenced on a molecular level. Glass is then considered a distinct enough from sand to warrant the two being categorized under different types.
balrus-balrogwalrus
Rock/Ground is the dumbest dual type and it kept happening in Gen 1
Bluelore
I think Ground is more about staying close to the ground, being underground and using the ground. Pretty much any Ground move is actually based on using the ground, it isn’t necessarily an elemental thing, but more of a fighting style. This is why sandstorm is a rock type move, because the sand is flying through the air, whereas sand attack is the pokemon picking up some sand from the ground and throwing it into the enemies face or sand tomb being a pitfall in the ground.
Carinail
I think in gen 1, it was a DUMB distinction, but these days I’m glad they’re different.
Wholesome-But-Savage
Ground looks like a specific type that can be given to just 15- 20 pokemon in total, but otherwise it seems it’s a bit forced onto the pokemon (my opinion). I think only Rock should have been there from the start and ground shouldn’t have been introduced. (Though the type matchups are interesting but you could do that with, say grass types and wood types)
Jamesyroo
I’ve always struggled with this question. In my head canon I’ve always seen ground types as associated with the element of earth (as in water, fire, earth, and air), whereas rock types are more physically associated with rocks
VicarLos
Okay, wig. Not this picture finally making it make sense to me that there is a distinction.
jedicms
Yep, still should have all been combined into Rock type. Earthquake (now a rock-type move) and similar moves would be super-effective against other Rock and Steel types. Flying would be immune to Rock (except for the move Rock Throw, which now assumes the role of Smack Down) and Rock would resist flying.
Mister_Sosotris
I wish they had been more separate in Gen 1. Onix and Geodude both being ground/rock really blurred the type matchups for me, and I had a hard time figuring out the distinction as a kid. Even now, I can read all the type matchups, and I still default to how it was back then, haha
video-kid
Much as I think it makes sense in some ways, I can also see why they’re different when you consider type differences.
Earth can’t hurt birds, so the immunity makes sense, but you can throw a rock at a bird. Steel is harder than most rock, so that makes sense, but it’s mined from the earth, so there’s a similar relationship there as with water and grass, for example.
It’s also a sort of situation where if we make this change, we might want to make other changes too, and that doesn’t always make sense. Ice is just frozen water, so would they just become one, too, even though they have totally different strengths and weaknesses?
Saying that, I’d love to see a mechanic, even just with specific pokemon or abilities, where types change to cover their weaknesses. Maybe a bulky ice pokemon that becomes water if it’s hit by a fire move, for example. I think it’d help cement the connection between different types while emphasizing their differences.
SillyMattFace
I’m fine with them being separate types, but they should have done more to differentiate than. Both type being weak to water and grass, and good against fire, makes it confusing. The fact that there were no pure rock types till gen 2 made it harder to tell the difference.
My wife was still getting them mixed up in Scarlet and Violet.
edelgardenjoyer
They make sense as distinct, but there are other types which are far more broad than a theoretical “earth” type. Grass covers every single type of plant as well as fungus and algae, Dark is everything from dirty fighting to manipulative evil to literal actual darkness.
Unaware_Earthquake
I think that ground and rock are not distinct enough to be two types. It would need rebalancing but it would be for the best.
Like there is no flower and tree type for good reason.
Water and Ice are very similar but different enough to be two types imo.
And ground/rock is probably the dumbest dual type.
DarkFlame9604
Rock and stone !!!
Spleenseer
Meanwhile, birds and wind are just “flying type”.
Cheese_Demon_King
This post is what finally helped me realize why Nihilego is Rock type. Thank you very much
23 Comments
Rock is a meh type. Ground is the best offensive type. Glad they are separate 😅
No. Ground types are more of a fluid element when compared to Rock types.
Nice description of them. Would love to see ones for the other types. Also would love to see more Pokemon based off of each example here
imo no since Rock is things that are kinda brittle and solid while Ground is more a mass of things that don’t necessarily hold form or are soft-ish
Interestingly while sand Pokémon, moves Sand Tomb and Sand Attack are ground type; sandstorm is associated with rock type. The move is rock type, sandstorm weather increases sp.df. of rock type Pokémon and weather ball turns into rock type under sandstorm.
Probably, especially after they introduced steel, which would fit nicely to the right of your rock column.
Ground, rock, and steel all generally cover minerals/crystals in various states of purity and cohesion.
Grass meanwhile covers foliage, wood, fungus, fruit, seeds, and all the seasonal variations within.
The problem, I guess, would be that combining 2 of those groups would create a very bloated “mineral” category. Worse if you combined all 3.
While they are separate, type match ups can be more granular(HA!). Which is another good argument for keeping them distinct.
I think they’re respective profiles are different enough to merit being separate types. I can’t say I’ve looked at many Rock- or Ground-types and thought they should have been the opposite, and having them all belong to a single “Earth” type, let’s say, feels to me like it would render that type too broad in scope, especially for a series whose fantasy elemental table is already so granular that it nearly reaches 20 classifications.
I think it’s better that Rock and Ground are separate types. Ground seems to be more about earth and dirt, whereas Rock is more about the minerals and substances derived from the earth but occurring under specific circumstances.
For instance, glass being associated with the Rock-type despite originating from sand – which is often associated with the Ground-type – may have something to do with the sand being put under intense heat in order to produce glass.
When sand is used to produce glass, its makeup is chemically changed and influenced on a molecular level. Glass is then considered a distinct enough from sand to warrant the two being categorized under different types.
Rock/Ground is the dumbest dual type and it kept happening in Gen 1
I think Ground is more about staying close to the ground, being underground and using the ground. Pretty much any Ground move is actually based on using the ground, it isn’t necessarily an elemental thing, but more of a fighting style. This is why sandstorm is a rock type move, because the sand is flying through the air, whereas sand attack is the pokemon picking up some sand from the ground and throwing it into the enemies face or sand tomb being a pitfall in the ground.
I think in gen 1, it was a DUMB distinction, but these days I’m glad they’re different.
Ground looks like a specific type that can be given to just 15- 20 pokemon in total, but otherwise it seems it’s a bit forced onto the pokemon (my opinion). I think only Rock should have been there from the start and ground shouldn’t have been introduced. (Though the type matchups are interesting but you could do that with, say grass types and wood types)
I’ve always struggled with this question. In my head canon I’ve always seen ground types as associated with the element of earth (as in water, fire, earth, and air), whereas rock types are more physically associated with rocks
Okay, wig. Not this picture finally making it make sense to me that there is a distinction.
Yep, still should have all been combined into Rock type. Earthquake (now a rock-type move) and similar moves would be super-effective against other Rock and Steel types. Flying would be immune to Rock (except for the move Rock Throw, which now assumes the role of Smack Down) and Rock would resist flying.
I wish they had been more separate in Gen 1. Onix and Geodude both being ground/rock really blurred the type matchups for me, and I had a hard time figuring out the distinction as a kid. Even now, I can read all the type matchups, and I still default to how it was back then, haha
Much as I think it makes sense in some ways, I can also see why they’re different when you consider type differences.
Earth can’t hurt birds, so the immunity makes sense, but you can throw a rock at a bird. Steel is harder than most rock, so that makes sense, but it’s mined from the earth, so there’s a similar relationship there as with water and grass, for example.
It’s also a sort of situation where if we make this change, we might want to make other changes too, and that doesn’t always make sense. Ice is just frozen water, so would they just become one, too, even though they have totally different strengths and weaknesses?
Saying that, I’d love to see a mechanic, even just with specific pokemon or abilities, where types change to cover their weaknesses. Maybe a bulky ice pokemon that becomes water if it’s hit by a fire move, for example. I think it’d help cement the connection between different types while emphasizing their differences.
I’m fine with them being separate types, but they should have done more to differentiate than. Both type being weak to water and grass, and good against fire, makes it confusing. The fact that there were no pure rock types till gen 2 made it harder to tell the difference.
My wife was still getting them mixed up in Scarlet and Violet.
They make sense as distinct, but there are other types which are far more broad than a theoretical “earth” type. Grass covers every single type of plant as well as fungus and algae, Dark is everything from dirty fighting to manipulative evil to literal actual darkness.
I think that ground and rock are not distinct enough to be two types. It would need rebalancing but it would be for the best.
Like there is no flower and tree type for good reason.
Water and Ice are very similar but different enough to be two types imo.
And ground/rock is probably the dumbest dual type.
Rock and stone !!!
Meanwhile, birds and wind are just “flying type”.
This post is what finally helped me realize why Nihilego is Rock type. Thank you very much