Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s Mega Baxcalibur Confirms a Sad Pseudo-Legendary Trend

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As a long-time Pokémon fan, I was so excited to hear about Pokémon Legends: Z-A! It’s amazing that Game Freak is finally giving Mega Evolution the dedicated game it deserves – a lot of us think it’s the best battle mechanic they’ve ever created. And it’s not just a rehash of the old ones! The game already launched with a ton of new Mega Evolutions – 26, to be exact – alongside all the favorites from the Gen 6 games. But the best part? The DLC is adding another 19! The latest trailer pretty much confirmed it, showing off Chimecho and Baxcalibur, which were actually leaked when the main game first came out. It’s a dream come true for Mega Evolution fans like me!

The return of Mega Baxcalibur in Pokemon Legends: Z-A is exciting for fans of this strong Pokemon from Generation 9, but it also highlights a concerning pattern with other similar Pokemon. These ‘pseudo-Legendary‘ Pokemon – a group of ten powerful creatures with a combined base stat total of 600 – are usually among the best in each generation. Here’s a look at them:

  • Dragonite (Dragon/Flying, Gen 1)
  • Tyranitar (Rock/Dark, Gen 2)
  • Salamence (Dragon/Flying, Gen 3)
  • Metagross (Steel/Psychic, Gen 3)
  • Garchomp (Dragon/Ground, Gen 4)
  • Hydreigon (Dark/Dragon, Gen 5)
  • Goodra (Dragon, Gen 6)
  • Kommo-o (Dragon/Fighting, Gen 7)
  • Dragapult (Dragon/Ghost, Gen 8)
  • Baxcalibur (Dragon/Ice, Gen 9)

Although these Pokémon are among the strongest in Pokémon Legends: Z-A and throughout the main series games, they aren’t all created equal. Each of the ‘pseudo-Legendary’ Pokémon has received boosts and improvements in the game they first appeared in, or in later games. With Mega Baxcalibur now confirmed, this pattern extends beyond just Dragapult.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A Officially Makes Dragapult the Worst Pseudo-Legendary

Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon aren’t just strong; they often have unique abilities or features added to make them even more impressive and appeal to fans. Here are some examples:

  • Dragonite: Mega Evolution in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
  • Tyranitar: Mega Evolution in Gen 6, Paradox Pokemon in Gen 9 (Iron Thorns)
  • Salamence: Mega Evolution in Gen 6, Paradox Pokemon in Gen 9 (Roaring Moon)
  • Metagross: Mega Evolution in Gen 6
  • Garchomp: Mega Evolution in Gen 6, second Mega Evolution in Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s DLC (based on leaks)
  • Hydreigon: Paradox Pokemon in Gen 9 (Iron Jugulis)
  • Goodra: Regional form in Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Hisuian Goodra)
  • Kommo-o: Z-Move in Gen 7 (Clangorous Soulblaze)
  • Dragapult: N/A
  • Baxcalibur: Mega Evolution in Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s DLC

It’s true that signature moves can be seen as a bit of a gimmick, and Dragapult’s Dragon Darts aren’t unique in that regard. Other powerful Pokémon like Metagross (Meteor Mash), Hisuian Goodra (Shelter), Kommo-o (Clangorous Soul and Clanging Scales), and Baxcalibur (Glaive Rush) also have their own unique, signature attacks.

It’s especially disappointing to see Garchomp getting another Mega Evolution in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, while reports suggest Dragapult isn’t even included in the game’s DLC. However, Dragapult was added to the list of returning Pokemon relatively recently, so there’s still hope it might receive attention in future updates.

The Leaked Pokemon Legends: Galar is Dragapult’s Best Hope

Okay, so the new Pokemon Legends: Z-A trailer pretty much confirms those leaks about a Pokemon Legends: Galar game, or at least strongly hints at it. And if that happens, it’d be awesome if we got regional or even Gigantamax forms for Pokemon from Galar – especially the Dragapult line! We’ve seen how popular and useful the Hisuian forms were in competitive battling in the current generation, and honestly, I think regional forms are a better long-term addition to the game than Mega Evolutions ever were.

The Pokedex entries in Pokemon Sword and Violet offer intriguing clues about Dreepy’s past. Sword mentions it swam in ancient seas, while Violet says it used to bite Clauncher. These details strongly suggest that a Dragon/Water type Dragapult, unique to the Galar region, will soon be revealed in Pokemon Legends: Galar.

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2025-11-09 19:06