Hey everyone, I updated the Monotype Chart to version 2.02, all the corrections on it were small but numerous and mainly include adding the number of Pokemon you can catch in a game. Some of these mistakes were caught by me but a lot were from you so thanks so much for your corrections!
Here’s the corrected chart below; again if you see any corrections let me know and thanks again!
I think out of all the Pokemon types out there the Steel type looks the most intriguing for a Monotype Run. A Monotype Run is a run where you train only one Pokemon type throughout the game, similar to being a gym leader. And with the main issue being that you have to watch out for your weaknesses…a Steel type run looks pretty stellar! After all, there are a lot of Steel Pokemon with dual typings and quite a few of them neutralize their weaknesses! Steel has also seen a boom in early availability which makes them prime and ready for a Monotype Run. So let’s take a look which Pokemon games you should play, and which you should avoid, and which Pokemon you should have on your team!
Rules
Best Games
Fans of the DS, 3DS, and Switch can breathe a sigh of relief as you are more than likely to find a team that can fit you. Platinum, Sun/Moon, and B2/W2 are great but XY, Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon and Sword/Shield are stellar. What these latter games have in common is a high abundance of Steel Pokemon, early availability, and notable stars that will carry you to victory.
It’s hard to pick which one of these is my favorite in all honesty. Even Platinum and B2W2 I like a lot despite the less-than-common Steel Pokemon. USUM has Empoleon and Metagross which are quite rare, SWSH gives you Rookidee from Route 1 which neutralizes two of your weaknesses (and of course the Wild Area), and XY gives you a Riolu before your first gym and then later a Lucarioite which is fantastic! However, if you were to twist my arm, I would pick XY because of that sweet Riolu but you also get the likes of Honedge early on (nice), and later pick up Pokemon like Steelix, Aggron (X), Skarmory, Durant, Klefki, and Ferrothorn. It’s such a nice, diverse team and it’s a shame that neither Bronzong or Metagross are in those games because it would be perfect.
I tell you, when those Sinnoh remakes do come out it’s going to be great for you Steel fans. So many great Steel Pokemon with Piplup as your starter, I think it’s going to be a wonderful ride. I haven’t done a Steel run yet, but if I do it will probably be when the remakes come out.
Worst Games
Yeah…not a shocker that Kanto games just straight up suck. Hope you enjoy that Magneton! It’s available halfway through the game! Johto is also not the best as Scizor and Steelix is acquired by trading so you’re limited to just three Pokemon and even then Skarmory is found in just Silver, Crystal, and SS. Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are incrementally better as you can neutralize your weaknesses but it’s not a whole team and your first Pokemon is after the first gym.
Pokemon Teams for Each Game
Red/Blue/Yellow and FireRed/LeafGreen
Ideal Team: Magneton
First available Pokémon: Magnemite via Power Plant through surfing (need the Soul Badge)
Covers weaknesses? No, Ground, Fighting, and Fire not neutralized.
Gold/Silver/Crystal and HeartGold/SoulSilver
Ideal Team: Magneton, Forretress, Skarmory (S, C, SS)
First Pokémon: Pineco via headbutting trees after the second gym or Magnemite in Suburban Area at 1000+ steps via Pokewalker.
Covers Weaknesses? No, Fire is not neutralized
Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald and OmegaRuby/AlphaSapphire
Ideal Team: Aggron, Skarmory, Magneton/Magnezone, Mawile (R, E, OR)/Klefki (ORAS), Bronzong (ORAS), Excadrill (ORAS)
Optional Pokémon: Forretress (ORAS), Klinklank (ORAS)
First Pokémon: In RSE, Aron via Granite Cave shortly before the second gym. However, in ORAS, the second floor basement is blocked off and you need a Mach Bike to access it. As such Aron is acquired after the second gym (as well as Mawile in OR). The earliest Steel Pokemon you can catch in ORAS is a Magnemite via Horde Encounter on Route 110, also after the second gym.
Covers Weaknesses? Yes
Diamond/Pearl/Platinum
Ideal Team: Empoleon, Bastiodon (Pearl and Platinum)/Probopass (Platinum [need an ID that ends with an even number]), Bronzong, Lucario, Steelix, Magnezone (Platinum)
Optional Pokémon: Dialga (Diamond), Wormadam
First Pokémon: Piplup via starter
Covers Weaknesses? Yes, provided you get a Bronzong that has the Levitate Ability.
Black/White and Black2/White2
BW
Ideal Team: Excadrill, Klinklang, Ferrothron, Cobalion, Bisharp, Durant
First Pokémon: Drilbur via Wellspring Cave after first gym
Cover weaknesses? No, Fire is not neutralized.
B2W2
Ideal Team: Lucario/Cobalion, Metagross, Excadrill, Aggron, Ferrothorn, Skarmory
Optional Pokémon: Klinklang, Probopass, Bisharp, Magnezone
First Pokémon: Riolu via Floccesy Ranch before first gym
Cover weaknesses? Yes
X/Y
Ideal Team: Lucario, Probopass/Aggron (X), Aegislash, Mawile, Ferrothorn, Durant
Optional Pokémon: Wormadam, Klefki, Bisharp, Magnezone, Skarmory, Steelix
First Pokémon: Burmy via Route 3, before the first gym. Don’t worry, you’ll get a Riolu soon after via Route 22, also before the first gym.
Weaknesses Covered? Yes, and in more ways than one. Ground is covered by Ferrothorn, Durant, and Skarmory. Fire by Probopass/Aggron. Fighting by Mawile, Durant, Wormadam, Aegislash, and Skarmory.
Sun/Moon and Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon
SM Ideal Team: Metagross, Skarmory, Dugtrio, Bastiodon (Moon)/Probopass, Aegislash (scan), Klefki
Optional Pokémon: Sandslash (Moon), Togedemaru, Magnezone
First Pokémon: Magnemite near the Trainer School, before the first trial
Cover weaknesses? Yes
USUM Ideal Team: Metagross, Skarmory, Empoleon (scan), Dugtrio, Bastiodon (UM)/Probopass, Aegislash (scan)
Optional Pokémon: Sandslash (UM), Togedemaru, Klefki/Mawile, Forretress, Bisharp, Magnezone
First Pokémon: Magnemite near the Trainer School, before the first trial
Cover weaknesses? Yes
Sword/Shield
Ideal Team: Corviknight, Lucario, Bronzong, Ferrothorn, Aegislash, Duraludon
Optional Pokémon: Perrserker, Steelix, Klinklang, Stunfisk, Bisharp, Mawile (Sword), Excadrill, Copperajah, Durant, Togedemaru, Escavalier (Sword Raid)
First Pokémon: Rookidee by overworld (30%) via Route 1
Weaknesses Covered? Yes
MVP (Most Valuable Pokemon)
Metagross and Bronzong
Honestly, I was going back and forth among three different Pokemon who was the top MVP but I landed on our Psychic bois for these principal reasons; their commonality in late games, the handy resistance to Fighting moves and, in particular, Metagross’ stellar stats and Bronzong’s defense. Starting with Metagross, this is the strongest non-Mega, non-Legendary Steel Pokemon and it has an amazing moveset. The stellar Attack and the good Special Attack give Metagross the potential to dish out such attacks as Earthquake, Meteor Mash, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Shadow Ball, and Hammer Arm. Pretty sweet.
Bronzong, meanwhile, really leans into its defensive Steel typing with impressive Defense and Special Defense stats but the real reason why you want this bell is its abilities. Levitate is pretty incredible making it completely immune to Ground moves which is fantastic. And Heatproof halves Fire damage making it a potential switcher when you’re facing the likes of say a Magmar. It doesn’t have anything too stellar for attacking but Psychic, Rock Slide, and Grass Knot would be good against the Ground, Fire, and Fighting types. And it can do a lot of status and defense buffs which is great.
Available in: DPP (Bronzong), B2W2 (Metagross), ORAS (Bronzong), SM and USUM (Metagross), SWSH (Bronzong)
Lucario
Lucario was recently voted as the second most popular Pokemon, behind my frog Greninja, in a 2020 Official Pokemon poll. And I don’t find this surprising! Lucario is wonderful and is definitely the cool and stoic mascot of Generation 4. In our case, Lucario is a fantastic addition for your team as it has so many great things going for it. The biggest thing? It’s movepool. Just scroll through its list of TMs, TRs, Move Tutors, and Level Ups, and its apparent Lucario can learn a lot. Some simple highlights include Blaze Kick, Dragon Pulse, and Aura Sphere. Fantastic.
Also, surprisingly, Lucario can be caught early in quite a few games, sometimes before the first gym like XY and B2/W2. Lucario is the prime reason why these games are great in the first place. You have on your team a versatile Pokemon with great stats. Only flaw? No crucial resistances. You’re exposed to all three weaknesses. Whoops. Welp, at least you can get a Mega Lucario before the Championship in XY.
Available in: DPP, B2W2, XY, SWSH
Aggron (along with Bastiodon and Probopass)
Finding a resistance and even immunities to Fighting and Ground moves are easy for your Steel team, for Fire moves…not so much. Empoleon is a rare starter, Heatran is a legendary, and Duraludon was just introduced. So that leaves our Rock team members. Although they’re 4x weak to Fighting AND Ground attacks, the resistance to Fire is so helpful especially since Fire Pokemon are weak to Rock attacks. You need some sort of counter to them and these guys can do it.
All three of them really embody their Steel/Rock combo and have super high Defense stats. Additionally, Bastiodon and Probopass have a really high Special Defense stat while Aggron’s is pretty small. So if you need a wall, it’s these guys. Unfortunately, Bastiodon and Probopass are really bad attackers so stick to their defense moves if you use them. Of the three, Aggron, is the strongest and has a really good Attack stat so I suggest him. Aggron can learn the elemental punches, Dragon Claw, and Aqua Tail so you have a nice variety of moves against your opponents. Aggron has the ability Rock Head which is supeeeeeer niiiiiiiiice for Head Smash which you can easily get in ORAS. Also…GET THAT MEGA AGGRON IN ORAS! Super strong and its Filter Ability halves super effective attacks which is EXCELLENT.
Available in: RSE and ORAS (Aggron), Pearl (Bastiodon), Platinum (Probopass and Bastiodon), B2W2 (Probopass), X (Aggron and Probopass), Y (Probopass), Moon and UM (Bastiodon and Probopass), Sun and US (Probopass)
Aegislash
I kid you not, as of Sword and Shield, Aegislash has had a near perfect appearance record since its XY debut. It also has a great habit of appearing relatively early in the respective games being available after the first gym in XY, on the second island via scanning in SM and USUM games, and Hammerlocke Hills in SWSH. Okay, so why Aegislash?
A startlingly high Attack and Special Attack (150!) makes even substandard moves seem deadly in Aegislash’s sword. Heck, Aegislash’s move distribution is alright but it doesn’t really matter when you’re packing stats like those right? Honestly, teach it the likes of Sacred Sword, Shadow Sneak, Iron Head, and Shadow Claw and you’re good! Biggest disadvantage is obviously that bulk as it’s offense mode has really low defense and HP and it’s quite slow. So if you’re worried about survival you can keep it’s signature King Shield ability which is quite helpful. Still though, that immunity to Fighting is freaking sweet.
Available in: XY, SM and USUM (Island Scan), SWSH
Empoleon
I debated whether to put Empoleon on here or not but I relented because despite its rarity, this starter has a lot of things going for it and is the reason why Platinum is good and USUM is stellar for a Steel run. First, type combo. Empoleon is, as of Gen VIII, the only Pokemon that is Water/Steel which is fantastic for your Fire foes but more importantly it gives you a crucial STAB against Ground and Fire Pokemon. And second, amazing stats, Empoleon has one of the higher Special Attacks among Steel Pokemon so this means you can use the killer combo of Surf and Ice Beam no problem. And of course, if you’re playing DPP, or the eventual Sinnoh remakes, you will start off with Piplup as you’re starter which is such a blessing.
Available in: DPP (Starter), USUM (Island Scan)
Skarmory and Corviknight
These two birds are important as they give you an immunity to Ground attacks and a resistance to Fighting attacks. On the whole, you’re more likely to run into Skarmory, who’s surprisingly common, compared to the very recent Corviknight. Unfortunately, that’s about the extent of their usefulness. Their movepool selection is rather small so their Flying moves are appreciated but they won’t do much against your Ground opponents except stalling and whittling them down. Skarmory also suffers from lack of physical Flying moves and it can only learn strong Special Flying moves by leveling up which it fails to use due to its low Special Attack. Like, come on, Gamefreak, at least give Skarmory Drill Peck or something…TMs and Move Tutors are nice but doesn’t do much for Skarmory.
Honestly, Skarmory is a fantastic example of just because it blocks your weaknesses doesn’t mean it’s useful. Skarmory may be great for a Flying Run but given the option I would go for Metagross/Aegislash and Ferrothorn/Durant before picking it up.
Available in: Skarmory in Silver, Crystal, RSE, SoulSilver, B2W2, ORAS, XY, SM, USUM. Corviknight in SWSH
I think it speaks volumes that Columbo remains one of the most popular shows from both the 70s and from the detective genre. There’s just nothing else quite like it. The style, the main character, the soundtrack, and of course, the reverse-whodunit story lines. Whereas many tv shows older than 30 years may fall by the wayside, Columbo remains an oddly timeless piece despite its very dated setting. You can sit back, watch an episode, and be enamored by this humble detective and his charismatic, murdering antagonist. So in this age of reboots, remakes, and sequels, I’ve been asking myself the question: What would a Columbo remake be like?
Columbo’s simple and surprisingly still unique premise can be easily adopted to modern television. A perpetrator murders their victim and Columbo has to figure out how they done it and how he will catch them. Through a humble, often forgetful approach, the perpetrator will let down their guard and allow Columbo into their lives even to the point of helping him. But through slip ups and confusion, they will spiral further and further into Columbo’s figurative trap where he nabs them. It’s such a splendid show that it works very well despite the formula repeating (almost) every episode.
So I think the Columbo series would fit very well as a miniseries similar to Sherlock. Instead of producing 22 or even 13 episodes, we can produce maybe 7 or 8 episodes that are about an hour and a half long. An episode being more than an hour long will definitely help us connect to a new villain and give us time with them which is very valuable.
Additionally, Columbo has two persistent themes that continue from season to season that I think can be adopted very well for the 2020’s; cutting edge technology employed in the murder, and, more importantly, a lower class man outwitting upper class murderers.
That cutting edge technology I think has so much potential. Sure, it would make our modern Columbo dated within 10 or 20 years of its time but so did the show from the 70’s! Those ancient computers, subliminal messaging (which is debunked), and, weirdly, Robby the Robot are so humorous to watch nowadays. Technology shouldn’t stop us here. This can be anything from a newly developed app, to medical devices, drones, mechanical ingenuity (Battlebots anyone?), smartphones, self-driving cars, AI, virtual reality, and 3D printing. And this is just off the top of my head! The use of any of these for murdering people can be done with excellence. I would love to see the use of that self-driving car, btw, I can totally imagine the murderer be like “Perhaps the car didn’t “see” the victim when it accidentally ran over it.” Pick any of these and it’s bound to be a fun story.
Love this episode (from “Mind Over Mayhem”)
But I think the more important reoccurring story element is the lower class man outmaneuvering the egotistical upper class individual. The original Columbo show always had hints and elements of this. Columbo’s car is rusty and on the verge of a breakdown, he smokes cheap cigars and his trench-coat looks old and ragged. Meanwhile, his antagonists’ homes are large and lavishing, they pursue expensive hobbies, they run large corporations or enterprises, they’re big-time actors, high ranking generals, scumbag politicians, notable doctors, and even a lauded matador. They may be repelled by Columbo’s cigar or amused by his forgetful and humble mannerisms. They see themselves as above him and are increasingly frustrated by his persistence and ingenuity. This iconic symbolism definitely needs to continue in the new series. Columbo can now go after Bezos or Zuckerberg-esque archetypes. He can take down greedy bankers, careless oil tycoons, gluttonous Hollywood producers, and insufferable Pharm leaders. It would be so satisfying to watch.
There should also be a few episodes with a sympathetic villain. There are several Columbo episodes with likable villains like “Try and Catch Me” or “Bye Bye Sky High IQ Murder Case” and I think a modern audience would really connect to that. I can real quickly list several murderers that can easily connect with the audience; an abused wife of a rich CEO, a veteran damaged by a corrupt officer, or a scientist whose funding has just been terminated. Columbo was also not afraid to get political, as seen in “The Conspirators,” so it would be refreshing to see a take on maybe police brutality or immigration. Again, the well for these villains is deep.
This segues into the big question, who would play Columbo? The great Peter Falk, God rest his soul, had passed away in 2011, and left a noticeable void in our heart. His death does make the show’s revival tricky as when you think of Columbo, you think of Peter Falk! The man and the character are one and the same!
And to a point this is true, but here’s the thing. Columbo was adopted from the play “Prescription: Murder.” This play had gone on showings long before Peter Falk took on the role. The play still continues to this there and there are other actors who’ve played Columbo since Peter Falk’s passing. They may not have the exact same mannerisms but they still pull of their own interpretation of the character. So the thought of someone else playing Columbo isn’t that surprising.
And if we really want to separate fans of the classic Columbo to our new one I think it would help to go off the beaten path and hire a female actor to play the lead role.
I want to emphasize that this is not “Mrs. Columbo;” this is “Lt. Columbo” who works in the police force. After all, Columbo is just a last name and we were never confirmed what Peter Falk’s character’s first name is. He always introduced himself as Lt. Columbo and everyone would refer to him as such. This new Columbo would be the same.
I honestly think this can open a lot of cool and unexpected doors for our new female lead. The most prominent of which is that underestimation that so many murderers have against Columbo. A female lead would honestly benefit from this (which is an unfortunate truth about our society). But can you imagine some douchey CEO who thinks he got away with the perfect murder and in walks this shabbily dressed lady who seems meek and polite? He thinks he’s got this in the bag! And then his whole world comes crashing down as she just brings him down, down, down, and down. God I would pay to see that.
I think another thing that might strengthen our new Columbo would be making her Latina. I can imagine her being the daughter of immigrants and growing up in a poor neighborhood. In all the vague story recollections and character interactions we had with Falk’s Columbo, we are given the impression that this Italian man feels for his people and for the downtrodden. He wants to make sure they are well and he understands their plight. Our Latina Columbo could do this in spades; she can interact with folks who can help her solve the case (maids, drivers, construction workers, landscapers, and etc.). Time and time again, Columbo has asked the help of the working class and the poor to help him and they oblige as his friendly and easy going nature really brings them to his side. Latina Columbo can easily achieve this, especially if the series took place in California again.
And they should definitely bring back a dog…maybe a French Bulldog?
I think one thing this new series should definitely not change is Columbo’s mysterious personal life. I know it would be tempting to give her a backstory, and show her family, and give her goals and challenges but honestly? We already have plenty of that in other shows. The new Columbo show should really hold firm on her mysterious backstory. Focus on the murderer, the episode’s protagonist, and learn from them why we should care for them and even secretly hope they get away. The murderers are the actual driving force behind the story.
Who would play our new Columbo? Honestly, I wouldn’t know who to pick as I don’t really have an eye for that. Really, I think it should be a nobody, somebody that hasn’t big on any major television or movie roles. I think that may make some Universal execs feel uncomfortable with that but remember that a lot of the guest stars in the original Columbo series were relatively famous. They were really recognizable back then and some are still recognizable today like William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Leslie Nielsen, Janet Leigh, and Dick Van Dyke to name a few. I think it would be really fun if we had the likes of Bryan Cranston, Emilia Clarke, or Kumail Nanjiani play as guest murderers. The previous series had plenty of Oscar-winning stars guest star so it’s not a stretch to see that high level of fame for here too.
The potential for our new Columbo series would be amazing given our current circumstances. I think modern audiences would love the character relationships, the ingenious murderous plots, and of course, Columbo herself. What do you guys think? Would you like to see another Columbo series? Who do you think should play her (or him if you want)? Let me know!
Oh and one more thing, regardless of gender, Columbo needs to have her Misses Columbo. That’s gotta stay!
The Unapologetic Nerd 