Sooo.....Evolve Piloswine AFTER the event, right?
Since Ancient Power was confirmed as the CD move for this month, it's probably a given that I should evolve AFTER the event is over, right? From what I understand, Ancient Power is kind of a crap move atm. I'm thinking I'll probably evolve one or two Piloswine during the event just so I have the exclusive move, and just in case they add status effects/boosts into the game at some point. Would that be the right way to go?
Answers
I plan to evolve one for each PvP league.
Ancient Power is pretty meh in Go and doesn't really offer it anything it doesn't have with Stone Edge. Its main series claim to fame is that it has a 10% chance to raise the user's stats one stage. This coupled with the talk of buff/debuff text found in the latest game master teardowns has me wondering if I should evolve more with it just in case stat buffs do get added.
Want to make sure I'm understanding the whole "stat buff" mechanism. In the main game you have to actually *use* ancient power (or whatever other stat buffing move) in order for it to have an effect. The mere presence of it on a species doesn't provide the buff, you have to actually use it?
If that's the case, it still probably doesn't seem worth it, at least in Mamoswine's case. You only get to fire off so many charge moves in any battle, and wasting one on a non-stab mediocre rock move for a chance at marginally improved already awesome ice move... Doesn't seem like it would ever work out?
What are people's thoughts on Niantic implementing the buffs?
Without knowing all the stats and how useful it might be, the one reason why getting Ancient Power could be to use it in PvP. Sure, it's not a great move, but I suppose being able to "surprise" your opponent with a Rock type move as a 2nd charge attack could perhaps be slightly useful.
But I might be wrong.
Mamoswine should be available after the event, and going forward, with a Sinnoh Stone. Until an hour after the event, one will get Ancient Power if evolving Mamoswine. I suspect that's the only window to get it.
Ancient power is underwhelming for PvE, but a decent, not great move for PvP. The advantage it has over Stone Edge is it takes less energy to use. Giratina has wreaked havoc with the combination of Dragon Claw and Ancient Power for a while now.
But for PvE, you want Powder Snow/Avalanche. Best ice in the game. Evolve after 6 for a better chance to get Avalanche.
Secondary effects are one way having AP could actually become relevant. Even so, it's a bad charge move that doesn't get STAB, while Avalanche is an amazing charge move that gets STAB. AP would need a buff of unforeseen proportions to become relevant as a damaging move, or offer a huge secondary effect to make it worth sacrificing energy for.
There's some potential for PvP maybe, but ground already covers fire and ice already covers flying, leaving only bug types and fire/flying types as relevant targets.
