>>44673164Because back then Pokemon couldn't actually do every type of move under the sun and it was about making the best of what you got. It wasn't just about Type and Stats but also movepool as being able to learn a good, interesting move was capable of making or breaking a Pokemon.
For example Scyther and Pinsir both had excellent stats but they just couldn't learn any bug attacks. That's fine for Pinsir, Pinsirs typing was more about determining his weaknesses and resistances than it was about STAB, as for how he would actually attack you it would be with normal type moves and the fighting type Submission. I actually prefer this in a lot of ways, I don't think gen 1 did it perfectly, I'd say Gen 2 hit the sweet spot. That's why I'm actually glad a lot of moves got removed from the game because I think coverage is way to available in modern Pokemon, and so many moves being available to so many things is definitely just another form of Power Creep. The lowest acceptable BP for anything to use is like.. 80.
Why the fuck can Gyarados use Power Whip? (Inb4 he whips you with his body, that should be Body Slam or Slam, fuck off, there's no reason that should be grass coverage)
Why is Rhyperior able to learn Poison Jab? Exactly what in it's design or power set would suggest it's able to secrete and utilize poison in its horns? That makes sense for Nidoking, that makes sense for Beedrill, but why would Rhyperior have that ability?
And then there's moves like Close Combat which are so general and nonspecific it's pretty much completely arbitrary who gets it and who doesn't, since unless you look like Mismagius or something you could pretty much make an argument for almost every Pokemon being cable of "close combat".
Also, you know back in the old gens there was actually a reason to use your Lesser attack stat? Being a mixed attacker actually means something when you're not gaurenteed to have tons of strong attacks with good coverage just out of one stat.
