This guest Dream Smasher was created by @JunichiMasuba1 and @Hamada_520 on Twitter.
One of the Pokemon franchise’s most popular side series is the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series. Most fans agree that the best game of this series is Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky. Because of this, the best representative of this series would be the Grovyle from Explorers. The difference between him and other obscure characters is that him being a Grovyle makes him easily recognizable, even to someone who’s never heard of the Mystery Dungeon series. That being said, this particular Grovyle has many unique aspects and moves that would make him stand out compared to the nine Pokemon currently on the roster. This character would be unique through his use of a combination of both the Mystery Dungeon series’s mechanics, as well as Grass-type Pokémon moves.
Who is Grovyle?
Splash-screen by TheRealHeroOfWinds
Grovyle, along with his partner Celebi, are time travellers who escaped to the past to stop their post-apocalyptic future from becoming a reality. Being a major character in his home game, Grovyle’s moveset would revolve around attacks and mechanics exclusive to the Mystery Dungeon series. As a time traveller, he would also have unique attacks involving the manipulation of time. Grovyle is a major character in the story of Explorers. He’s the most prominent character in it, besides the silent protagonist and their partner. When introduced early on in the story, the characters are led to believe he is a thief that is trying to bring about the end of the world through his stealing of the Time Gears. These are ancient artifacts that keep time flowing properly in the area that they govern. However, as the story continues, the characters are made aware that Grovyle came from the future, with the mission of stopping the world from being completely frozen in time.
Importance to Nintendo/Series
Grovyle is important to the Pokemon franchise due to him representing the deep stories and unique mechanics of the Mystery Dungeon series. While a lot of his attacks can be used by any Grovyle, it’s this one’s clear personality and special abilities that put him above other members of his species. While every Pokemon in the current Smash roster is a generic member of their species, Grovyle would be the odd one out due to him being an established character (except arguably Mewtwo who may be based on the one from the movie due to him speaking in Melee).
While Grovyle isn’t that important to Nintendo as a whole, Smash Bros. has a distinct lack of side game representation in its roster. The roster is full of characters who are only important to a series’s main games. This trend should be removed with the addition of a Pokemon character who would be more than just a plain Grovyle. His inclusion would finally allow the music and stages of Pokemon’s largest side series to appear in Smash as well. Even though Grovyle is not relevant at the moment, him being a starter in the relatively recent Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire has kept this character’s species fresh in people’s minds. While Grovyle would represent Pokémon’s side games, he would also be a representation for Pokémon’s third generation as a whole, which is the only early Pokémon generation to not receive a fighter. Grovyle would be a unique addition to the roster due to him both representing an iconic side game, and a certain part of the main series that has yet to see much representation.
Colors and Design
Grovyle in this game would resemble other members of his species, with the exception of his bag and how he moves. In the PMD anime special, the only appearance of Grovyle not in sprite form, Grovyle wears a bag that he keeps his supplies in. These supplies would appear in his move set. In the game, Grovyle’s movements and animation would resemble a human more than it resembles a Pokemon. This is because, in the world of Mystery Dungeon, the world is inhabited solely by Pokemon who’ve taken on practices of humans in their societies.
Grovyle should have the normal 8 palette swaps like most fighters,
- His normal color of course
- A skin based on his partner, the Shiny Celebi from the future arc
- A skin based on Dusknoir
- A skin based on Grotle (Starter option in PMD)
- A skin based on Monferno (Starter option)
- A skin based on Prinplup (Starter option)
- A skin based on Primal Dialga
- A skin that’s a gray recolor to represent the Planet’s Paralysis (dead leaf costume)
How Will He Play?
Now, let’s have a look at some stats:
-Can they crawl: Yes
-Can they wall jump: Yes
-How many jumps do they have: 2
-Are there any exclusive abilities they have*: No
-Weight Class: C
-Height Class: C+
-Speed Class: B
-Are they mirrored when they face left: No
*Like Peach’s float
His gimmick would be a mechanic seen in the first two Mystery Dungeon games: Move Linking. With his ability to manipulate time, Grovyle would be able to link his Special Moves together to allow for powerful combinations He would be able to link two of his special moves with the hold of the button during any special attack leading to easy combos. Grovyle would only be able to link two Special Moves together in a single combo. Moves could not be linked when off the ground. Examples would include Quick Attack linked into Absorb for a “quick recovery” of sorts, and Leaf Blade (Up Special) into Quick Attack for safe ledge recovery. Once used, a Special Attack cannot be repeated in a Link Combo, i.e. Quick Attack can’t be linked into Quick Attack and in some instances, like X-Scissor (dash attack), a special move can be linked into a non-special move, like Leaf Blade into aerials or Quick Attack into X-Scissor.
Series Icon and Stock Icon (courtesy of Voyager)
Kirby Hat by @Hamada_520
| Move type | Description |
| Entrance Animation: | 
Grovyle jumps out of a Dimensional Hole |
| Stance: | 
Grovyle would stand with his arms lifted up, mimicking his species’s fighting style |
| Idle Animation #1: | Grovyle puts his arms down, looks around, and kicks the ground impatiently |
| Idle Animation #2: | 
Grovyle puts a twig in his mouth, referencing Ash Ketchum’s Grovyle |
| Walking: | Grovyle walks forward, putting his arms down |
| Running: | Grovyle puts his head down and runs with one of his arms over his mouth |
| Jumping: | Grovyle jumps high with his feet behind him; his second jump is a forward flip |
| Crouching: | Grovyle gets down on one knee |
| Crawling: | 
Grovyle keeps his head close to the ground as he slowly moves forward |
| Jab: Fury Cutter | 
Grovyle begins to fiercely slash at the opponent, mimicking the animation of the Sableye using Fury Swipes |
| Forward Tilt: Crush Claw | Grovyle swings his arm downward, spikes like Captain Falcon’s |
| Down Tilt: Low Kick | Grovyle performs a sweeping kick that launches opponents upwards, like Peach’s Down Tilt |
| Up Tilt: | 
Grovyle swings his head plumage upwards, hitting in front, above, and behind him |
| Dash Attack: X-Scissor | 
Grovyle runs forward as the leaves on his arms glow. He then slashes forward in a cross shape |
| Side Smash: Double Kick | A roundhouse kick followed by a dropkick |
| Up Smash: | Grovyle performs a Leaf Blade uppercut |
| Down Smash: Luminous Orb | 
Grovyle pulls out a Luminous Orb and slams it on the ground. It can stun like Zero Suit Samus’s Down Smash |
| Neutral Air: Leaf Storm | Causes glowing leaves to blow away from Grovyle’s body, deals little damage but has a large wind box |
| Down Air: Slam | Grovyle slams his arms downward, can spike |
| Forward Air: Aerial Ace | Grovyle swipes forward in semicircular motion, has a wide range but not as powerful as his Back Air |
| Back Air: Aerial Ace | Grovyle stabs one of his arms behind him, has a small range but is more powerful than his Forward Air |
| Up Air: | Grovyle’s arms glow as he swipes upwards in a semicircular motion |
| Grab: | 
Grovyle wraps his arms around the opponent tightly, a reference to a grab that he performs in one of Explorers’s most important cutscenes |
| Pummel: | Grovyle tightens his grasp on the opponent and moves him and the opponent forward |
| Forward Throw: | Grovyle lets go and shoulder bashes the target |
| Up throw: | Grovyle lets go and uppercuts the target (KO’s at high percentages) |
| Down Throw: | Grovyle slams a Leaf Blade down on his opponent |
| Back Throw: | Grovyle turns him and the opponent around before he uses X-Scissor |
| Neutral Special: Absorb | 
The leaves on Grovyle’s arms turn into vines made of green energy as Grovyle wraps them around the target, draining their health; it can be charged to deal more damage and gain more health |
| Neutral Special Custom #1: Mega Drain | The move takes longer to charge, but it deals more damage and heals more |
| Neutral Special Custom #2: Giga Drain | The move takes no time to charge, but it cannot be linked |
| Side Special: Quick Attack | Grovyle stays in place for a second before charging forward in a burst of speed. Can be cancelled by turning, attacking, air dodging, or shielding. If cancelled in mid-air, it can’t be used again |
| Side Special Custom #1: Detect | Grovyle’s eyes glow blue as he instantly launches forward and goes much further, but deals no damage |
| Side Special Custom #2: Agility | Grovyle can angle the attack in all directions, functioning similarly to Pichu’s Up Special from Melee since they have the same name |
| Up Special: Leaf Blade | 
The leaves on Grovyle’s arms glow as he uppercuts upwards. Provides good vertical recovery, weak, but can combo |
| Up Special Custom #1: Brick Break | Grovyle’s uppercuts into the air, it is slower and has less vertical recovery than Leaf Blade, but it deals more knockback |
| Up Special Custom #2: Magical Leaf | Grovyle launches himself upwards as he leaves a trail of glowing, multicolored leaves behind him; this attack has long range but it deals no damage |
| Down Special: Dig | 
Grovyle braces for an attack, and if he’s hit during this animation, he’ll strike under the opponent, burying them in the ground and leaving them open for a follow-up. If used in the air, Grovyle’s counterattack will spike the opponent |
| Down Special Custom #1: Double Team | Grovyle counters in an identical manner to Lucario and his Down Special |
| Down Special Custom #2: Dimensional Scream | This counter deals very little knockback, causing enemies hit by the attack to be within range for Grovyle to follow-up and begin a combo |
| Final Smash: Passage of Time |   
Grovyle calls upon Celebi, who upon opening the Passage of Time, sends any fighters caught in the attack to Temporal Tower, where they take a Roar of Time from Primal Dialga |
| Up Taunt: | Grovyle pulls out an apple and takes a bite out of it (no effects) |
| Side Taunt: Grass Whistle | Grovyle pulls out a leaf and plays the main theme of his home game on it |
| Down Taunt: | Grovyle strikes a cool pose. |
| Victory Animation #1: | Grovyle falls from high above, then stands while holding a Time Gear in one of his hands |
| Victory Animation #2: | 
Grovyle looks off into the distance with his arms crossed before Celebi appears and hugs him, visibly annoying Grovyle |
| Victory Animation #3: | Grovyle runs forward with the camera to his side and then strikes a pose |
Grovyle could have a unique theme being a reference to the main theme of the Mystery Dungeon Explorers games.
Outro
While most people believe that Decidueye is the most likely Pokemon to appear in the next Smash Bros., Grovyle would make for a unique fighter that also represents one of the largest side series in the Pokemon franchise. While he may be extremely unlikely, he would be able to represent a significant part of the series not yet present in Smash while also bringing his series’s unique mechanics along with him.
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Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series if my favorite Pokemon spinoff series, as every title makes me cry in the end. Even Grovyle may be an interesting choice, I would also include Wigglytuff too as being the Ultimate Pink Balloon Pokemon for having a destructive voice and power to destroy bad guys. (lol) But I do agree the chances are low due to Sakurai avoiding spinoffs as well. However, as I thought about spinoffs, Dr. Mario is from the spinoff title as well, so that possibility wouldn’t be futile I guess. But even then, whether that’ll be from PMD series or Gen 7, we do need another new Pokemon to join in, even if that’s the new grass-type other than the returned Ivysaur.
Great Dream Smasher article you made! Thanks for the enjoyment!