According to leaks, Scald is rumored to be Volcanion's signature move in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. The weeks that prelude the release of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have already been riddled with leaks. It's clear this will be a different kind of game, with Terastaling, TM machines, and loads of new moves and abilities. None of these announcements may be more impactful than Volcanion's potential signature move. If true, there will be tons of Water-type Pokémon who will miss that move.
Plenty of Water-types may lose access to Scald in Generation IX
This link was introduced through the Twitter account for Centro Leaks, who has basically been on top of many developments concerning Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The tweet claims Volcanion would be the only Pokémon who could learn Scald. This would have a huge impact for Water-types in Pokémon, as many of them would lose access to the move (Toxapex, Slowbro, Suicune, etc.).
The possibility that so many Pokémon would lose this move has become quite controversial in the Pokémon community. Many bulky Water-types rely on Scald to get key burns on stronger Pokémon (Scald has a 30% chance to burn the target).
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Once a Pokémon is burned, its Attack stat is cut in half, which can really cripple its damage output. Certain physical attackers like Kartana, Dragonite, and Weavile had to be very careful to play around Scald burns in competitive and casual play alike. Now, these threats are free to Swords Dance and Dragon Dance up without the fear of being Scald burned. Popular YouTubers such as BKC and Blunder have already voiced opinions on the issue.
Want more Pokémon Scarlet and Violet news? Check out All version exclusives in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet [Updated] here at Pro Game Guides!