Gaiien Region: Grass Starter

by Keleri

Gaiien Region Map Gaiien Region Fire Starter
borfang line.png
Keleri The first of Gaiien’s starter pokemon, the grass-type Sylpup and its evolutions. Sylpup and the other starters are distributed by a number of pokemon professors around the region, but due to their competitive availability many trainers obtain their first pokemon as a rescue from a pokemon center, or from a trader or breeder. Borfang is a useful companion due to its ability to fly with two trainers and their gear, but it is valued by criminal gangs for the same reason and its ability to fly silently at night.

Sylpup –> (lv. 20) Timbark –> (lv. 36) Borfang

#001
Sylpup
Conifer Pokemon
Grass-type
A friendly pokemon that loves to play. It spends several hours a day in the sun, sleeping and drawing nourishment.
Learnset: Tackle, Growl, Absorb, Bite, Vine Whip, Odor Sleuth

#002
Timbark
Conifer Pokemon
Grass-type
A fast and agile pokemon, it loves to run and chase flying-type pokemon. Its wings are still growing.
Learnset: Razor Leaf, Poison Fang, Crunch, Roar, Howl, Root Grasp

#003
Borfang
Conifer Pokemon
Grass/Dragon-type
It has a long life and it grows continuously, shedding bark and needles. It can fly at great speeds and carry heavy loads.
Base Stats: (70/105/85/65/85/120) 530
Ability: Overgrow / Hidden: Sap Sipper
Learnset: Slash, Needle Arm, Dragon Jaw, Aerial Ace, Dive Bomb, Wood Hammer, Outrage

Russell's starter, Sylvia, was a Sylpup in my fanfic Gods and Demons.
Keleri, May 23, 2016
Gamingfan, kyuukestu, T.C. and 9 others like this.
Tags:
Gaiien Region Map Gaiien Region Fire Starter
  1. Keleri
    Keleri
    @Cloudswift Thank you!!! It's true, I was quite affected by Bulbasaur's growing bulb when I originally designed Sylpup haha. I liked the idea of the transition from pinecone, to branch, to DRAGONWIIIIIIINGS as the monster grew.
    Apr 11, 2018
    Cloudswift likes this.
  2. Cloudswift
    Cloudswift
    I didn't even realize Sylpup had wings--or stubs of wings--until I looked closely! I love how you made them into pinecone-looking things, it feels like some kind of symbolism. At least, that's my opinion on it. Timbark has a great transitional design, and I think the little spiky things on its back are super nice too! And Borfang is just INCREDIBLY cool. The concept of it is awesome in itself, like a griffin but a wolf instead of a lion, and the color getting considerably deeper adds to the cool factor in itself. I also like how the hidden ability is Sap Sipper, since coniferous trees are particularly notorious for their sap. All-in-all, great job! :)
    Apr 10, 2018
    Keleri likes this.
  3. flint-n-steel
    flint-n-steel
    I'd choose Borfang, out of the three. My Borfang's moveset would probably be Dragon Fang, Outrage, Wood Hammer and Aerial Ace :)
    Sep 30, 2017
    Excalibur Queen likes this.
  4. alexryce
    alexryce
    GIANT BAT DOGGO.

    YES. I LOVE THIS.
    Aug 19, 2017
    Excalibur Queen and Keleri like this.
  5. Keleri
    Keleri
    @StellarWind Elsydeon Thanks for your feedback, Stel, it's so great to hear your in-depth thoughts!!! In some ways the starters betray their RSE-era origins with the Bulbasaur bulb/Chikorita bud that turns into a branch and then a wing (and Fire/Fighting old Oxhaust-- I did not knowwwwww, none of us knew, lol) but I hope to learn something about making the features develop in an organic way, which the canon pokemon often do so well.
    May 24, 2016
  6. StellarWind Elsydeon
    StellarWind Elsydeon
    W00t w00t! Glad to see Gaiien making its way to 'Charms. ^_^

    Torn as I'd be in choosing between this line and the water starter line, I do believe that this would probably be my choice of starter, were I to begin a journey in Gaiien. Aside from the type combination appealing to me greatly, I love the tree bark/conifer look and how it spreads out across the creature as it evolves - and honestly, it somehow manages to synthesize the "Wolf With Dragon Wing I Thought Was The Coolest When I Was Twelve" aesthetic into something that stands on its own right even years later (Something about the current design feels a lot more "Tree Dragon Convergently, Superficially Resembling a Wolf" actually!) - and that alone gets my respect.

    (Incidentally, I absolutely LOVE how the wings are so obviously branch material on the entire line.)
    May 24, 2016