Ash's Palpitoad
サトシのガマガル Satoshi's Gamagaru
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Ash's Palpitoad
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Ash's Palpitoad (Japanese: サトシのガマガル Satoshi's Gamagaru) is the seventh Pokémon obtained by Ash in the Unova region.
History
Palpitoad was first seen in Facing Fear with Eyes Wide Open!, where he was the leader of a group of wild Tympole that lived in a lake. Ash and Oshawott had unknowingly invaded his territory while looking for an underwater plant to help his, Cilan's, and Iris's Pokémon heal after being poisoned by wild Foongus that were disturbed by Ash's Scraggy. Palpitoad was angered by their intrusion, and ordered his Tympole cohorts to attack them. When they swam away in fear of Oshawott, he called upon his friend, Stunfisk's, help. However, when Cilan fished Stunfisk out of the water, Palpitoad was forced to face Oshawott himself. Despite knowing some powerful moves, the Vibration Pokémon lost to Oshawott's newly-mastered Aqua Jet, and was captured by Ash.
In Reunion Battles In Nimbasa!, he was used in the Club Battle Tournament against Burgundy's Stoutland. Despite being his first battle with Ash as his Trainer, the two synchronized well, avoiding Stoutland's attacks and dealing out powerful blows. Eventually, Palpitoad was caught in Stoutland's mouth when it used Thunder Fang, though he avoided damage from the Electric-type move, being part Ground-type. However, Burgundy took the chance, and ordered an Ice Fang attack, which became a problem for Palpitoad until he used Supersonic to shatter the ice, and knock Stoutland back. After blocking Stoutland's Fire Fang with Mud Shot, Palpitoad won the match with a direct hit from Hydro Pump. In Club Battle Finale: A Hero's Outcome!, Palpitoad battled Dino's Darumaka in the semifinals, and won with a single Hydro Pump, allowing Ash to move on to the finals.
In Dazzling the Nimbasa Gym!, Palpitoad was used in Ash's Gym battle against Elesa. Being immune to Electric-type moves, Palpitoad was the ideal choice for this battle, and was Ash's sole strategy for the battle. Palpitoad took many ineffective hits from Zebstrika's Flame Charge and a Double Kick attack, proving unable to dodge. As Zebstrika headed towards Palpitoad using Quick Attack, Ash commanded a Supersonic attack, which blocked and confused Zebstrika. Palpitoad then finished the match with a Mud Shot, followed by a Hydro Pump. Palpitoad showed signs of fatigue after Elesa recalled Zebstrika, so both Iris and Cilan suggested that Ash should recall him and switch to another Pokémon. Ash, however, decided to stick with Palpitoad when Elesa brought out Emolga. However, Palpitoad found himself unable to keep up with Emolga's fast moves, and was hit by an Acrobatics attack, and several Aerial Ace attacks before he was hit with Emolga's Attract, causing him to become immobilized by infatuation. After another couple more hits from Aerial Ace, Palpitoad was knocked out, ruining Ash's strategy for the battle.
In Rocking the Virbank Gym! Part 2, Ash used Palpitoad as his fifth Pokémon during his Gym battle against Roxie, and her final and strongest Pokémon, Garbodor. Palpitoad first tried to use Mud Shot on the Trash Heap Pokémon, but Garbodor used its extendable arms to raise itself from the floor and dodge the attack. As Garbodor attacked with Hyper Beam, Palpitoad used Hydro Pump to block it. Palpitoad then tried another Mud Shot, but it was blocked and countered by a Gunk Shot attack, which poisoned Palpitoad as it hit. Garbodor attacked Palpitoad two times with Venoshock, being twice as powerful because of the poison, and he was knocked out.
In Strong Strategy Steals the Show!, Ash used Palpitoad in his Vertress Conference battle against Stephan and his Zebstrika. During the battle, Palpitoad was shown to have learned a new move, Sludge Wave, which caused Zebstrika to become poisoned when the attack hit. Despite of this, Zebstrika was able to fight back, even using the poison as an advantage while striking back with Facade, and eventually both Pokémon were knocked out, with Palpitoad managing to defeat his opponent with a Mud Shot just before fainting himself from the damage taken from Zebstrika's Giga Impact.
Palpitoad was not seen during Ash's adventures through the Decolore Islands, but reunited with his trainer upon his return of Pallet Town. Ash decided later to head to Kalos and, as usual, make a fresh start with just Pikachu, therefore Palpitoad would be staying at Professor Oak's Laboratory permanently.
Personality and characteristics
Palpitoad was once quite the rowdy Pokémon, and liked to be the boss over others, such as when he commanded a group of Tympole and a Stunfisk to attack Ash and his Oshawott in Facing Fear with Eyes Wide Open!. Palpitoad is also very protective over what he claims as his own, such as territory, as shown in the same instance. In the Club Battle Tournament, Palpitoad has been shown to be quite the powerhouse. Since he shares a love for battling with Ash, Palpitoad seems satisfied to have Ash as his Trainer, and they were able to work well together, despite only recently being captured at the time and it being the first battle Palpitoad participated in with his Trainer. Palpitoad has also been shown to be physically tough, as he can endure attacks easily as shown in the Gym battle with Elesa.
Moves used
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| Using Sludge Wave
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| A † shows that the move was used recently, unless all moves fit this case or there are fewer than five known moves.
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Trivia
- Like Dawn's Togekiss, there seems to be some inconsistency in terms of Palpitoad's size. In his debut appearance, he was similar to the size of Ash's Oshawott. However, in his second appearance, he is shown to go up to Ash's waist. Later, in Dazzling the Nimbasa Gym!, he appears to be the same size as he was in his first appearance.
- Before Palpitoad, the last Pokémon which Ash had caught in its evolved state was his Noctowl, which he caught over 530 episodes before him.
- Palpitoad is also the only evolved Pokémon Ash has obtained which, at this moment, still can evolve, if Pikachu isn't counted.
- Of all of Ash's Pokémon, Palpitoad has been absent from the greatest number of episodes in a row while still being in rotation at the time: 36 episodes, spanning from after Strong Strategy Steals the Show! to before BW142.
- Palpitoad is Ash's only Pokémon that hasn't been seen interacting out of battle.
- Palpitoad and Leavanny are the only ones of Ash's Unova Pokémon that have not encountered Team Rocket.
- Palpitoad is the only dual-type Water-type Ash currently owns.
Related articles
For more information on this Pokémon's species, see Palpitoad.
