Altaria (Pokémon)
| Altaria | |
|---|---|
| Altaria National Pokédex Swablu - Altaria (#334) - Zangoose Hoenn Pokédex Swablu - Altaria (#122) - Zangoose | |
| Japanese name | Tyltalis |
| Evolves from | Swablu |
| Evolves into | None |
| Generation | Third |
| Species | Humming Pokémon |
| Type | Dragon / Flying |
| Height | 3 ft 7 in (1.10 m) |
| Weight | 45.4 pounds (20.6 kg) |
| Ability | Natural Cure |
Altaria (チルタリス, Chirutarisu, Tyltalis in original Japanese language versions) is one of the Template:Pokenum fictional species of Pokémon from the Pokémon Franchise – a series of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri.
The purpose of Altaria in the games, animes and mangas, as with all other Pokémon, is to battle both wild Pokémon, untamed creatures encountered while the player passes through various environments, and tamed Pokémon owned by Pokémon trainers.[1]
The name, Altaria may have been derived from "altitude", "altostratus" or "alto", and "aria," which means "a beautiful melody". It may also have some relation to Altair (Arabic for "the flyer"), which is the brightest star in the constellation Aquila. It may also be related to the Latin word "altaria," meaning altar.
Altaria is a blue phoenix-like bird that is feminine in appearance. Its cloud-like wings that wrap underneath its body are not wings in the traditional avian sense, but they are used like normal wings at any rate. Two tendrils, possibly feathers, come off the back of its head.
Altaria carries a highly refined set of vocal chords for a Pokémon. It sings and trills beautiful melodies (which has been described as a gorgeous soprano) in its crystal-clear voice as its pastime in the mountains, making its listeners experience dreamy wonderment. But although it seems unlikely, Altaria also carries a flame sac within its body (compare with Torchic), which it uses to launches intensely hot fireballs from its mouth in self defense from attackers. During migration, Altaria wheels through the sky among billowing, cotton-like clouds, supported by aerial updrafts in the sky that it catches with its buoyant wings in order to soar.
Altaria is available in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. It can be evolved from Swablu at level 35, or caught in the fifth floor of Sky Pillar, where it can reach up to level 60, thus making it one of the highest-level wild Pokémon in the game, apart from various Legendaries.
In Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, Winona, the leader of Fortree Gym, uses a Level 33 female Altaria that knows the moves Aerial Ace, Dragonbreath, Dragon Dance, and Earthquake. Altaria is also trained by Bird Keepers and Dragon Trainers, as well as the Elite Four challenger Drake. Drake's Altaria does not know any attacking move. Altaria can learn any move that Swablu can (save for Mirror Move), as well as Dragonbreath and Dragon Dance. It is the only non-legendary Pokémon (save for Pidgeot) that learns Sky Attack naturally.
It can also be taken from Cipher Admin Lovrina at Citadark Isle in Pokemon XD:Gale of Darkness.
Generally, Altaria is an underused Pokémon. Its Natural Cure ability complements its defensive stat arrangement and multiple resistances. Unfortunately, the vast majority of its movepool is offensive, which is less than useful to a Pokémon whose major stats are its defenses; particularly when said Pokémon (Altaria) has attack stats that are subpar (though not awful). Generally, people just use the classic Dragonite or popular Salamence over Altaria.
In the episode called True Blue Swablu of the Pokémon anime, May takes care of an injured Swablu until it returns to full health and can fly again. Several Altaria appear at the beginning when it is shown how the Swablu was injured. Altaria is also one of Winona's Pokémon. Ash's Grovyle was able to defeat it in battle, despite the type disadvantage. Altaria is also one of Drake's Pokémon. Ash used Grovyle against it (much like he did with Winona's), but Altaria prevailed.
Altaria made a cameo in the movie, Jirachi: Wish Maker.
Altaria, so far, has made three appearances in the Pokémon Trading Card Game, in every case as a Stage-1 Colorless Pokémon: in EX Dragon, EX Deoxys , EX Emerald (as Altaria EX). Altaria agrees to the design ethic of Dragon Pokémon in the card game by having attacks that require multiple energy types. In Altaria’s case, its cards require water and lightning energy.
Altaria will star as a Pokémon-ex in the final third-generation set, EX Dragon Frontiers, alongside other Pokémon-ex dragons.
References
- The following games and their instruction manuals: Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald; Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen; Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness
- Notes
- ^ Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire Review (page 1) Ign.com. URL Accessed June 1, 2006.
- Books
- Barbo, Maria. The Official Pokémon Handbook. Scholastic Publishing, 1999. ISBN 0-439-15404-9.
- Loe, Casey, ed. Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition Official Perfect Guide. Sunnydale, CA: Empire 21 Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-930206-15-1.
- Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon FireRed Version & Pokémon LeafGreen Version Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., August 2004. ISBN 1-930206-50-X
- Nintendo Power. Official Nintendo Pokémon Emerald Player’s Guide. Nintendo of America Inc., April 2005. ISBN 1-930206-58-5
- Mylonas, Eric. Pokémon Pokédex Collector’s Edition: Prima’s Official Pokémon Guide. Prima Games, September 21 2004. ISBN 0-7615-4761-4
External links
- Official Pokémon website
- Bulbapedia (a Pokémon-centric Wiki)’s article about Altaria as a species.
- Template:Serebiidex
- Pokémon Dungeon Pokédex entry, full of statistics analysis
- PsyPoke Pokédex entry
- Smogon Pokédex entry
- Template:WikiKnowledge