>>22231653I'm in agreement that at the time, a deer Pokemon was something new. I also personally agree that the horns looking like eyes and the illusion concept are good idea. These are some things that I will admit are good about its design. However, if I wanted to be a dickhead I could just as easily use a reductionist argument like you did and say that illusions aren't a particularly innovative idea. I don't really understand how this concept is any better or worse than seasonal foliage changes or using a ninja as inspiration for a design.
For me it's also not just about concept, but also about execution. The idea of illusions is cool, but not much about Stantler's horns convey that idea, except the fact that they look like eyes. There isn't much in its idle animation or design that makes it stand out as an illusion master. You would have to be familiar with the lore (Pokedex entries basically) to realize this fact. There is a lot more they could have done with that idea, such as perhaps making half of it appear blurry or doing something weird like having part of its body appear from a portal. Somebody else hated on Zoroark earlier in this thread, but Gamefreak made use of an illusion gimmick much better with it. The way Zoroark uses illusions is hilarious. Admittedly, nothing in Zoroark's design either signifies it as a master of illusions, but the way its ability works in the game does. By contrast, Stantler doesn't stand out in that way. It just looks like a dumb deer.
