Sweet or Tart: Which Apple Reigns Supreme for Your Applin?
Deciding which apple is “better” for your Applin – the Sweet Apple or the Tart Apple – isn’t about inherent superiority, but about strategic teambuilding and personal preference. Do you want a bulky special attacker in Appletun, or a faster, physical-attacking Flapple? The choice is yours, and it depends entirely on what your team needs and what playstyle you prefer. There’s no objectively “best” apple; only the best apple for you. Both Pokémon have their strengths and weaknesses. Let’s dive into the delicious details!
Delving into the Delicious Details: Appletun vs. Flapple
The Applin evolutionary line presents a fascinating choice, offering two distinct Pokémon with contrasting strengths. Understanding these differences is crucial for making an informed decision about which apple to bestow upon your little worm-like friend.
Appletun: The Enduring Elder
Giving your Applin a Sweet Apple results in Appletun, a Grass/Dragon-type known for its impressive bulk and decent Special Attack. Imagine a cozy apple pie, that’s Appletun.
- Stats: Appletun boasts high HP (110) and solid Special Defense (80), making it a surprisingly resilient special tank. Its Special Attack (100) is respectable, allowing it to dish out decent damage with moves like Dragon Pulse and Giga Drain. However, its Speed (30) is abysmal, meaning it will almost always move last.
- Strengths: Appletun excels in defensive roles. Its high HP and Special Defense allow it to take hits, while its Special Attack lets it retaliate effectively. It can also utilize support moves like Leech Seed and Recover to sustain itself. Thick Fat ability makes it neutral to Ice attacks.
- Weaknesses: Its low Speed and a quadruple weakness to Ice are major liabilities. Common Ice-type moves can easily knock it out in one hit. Its physical defense (40) is also very vulnerable.
- Ideal Nature: A Modest nature (+Special Attack, -Attack) or a Bold nature (+Defense, -Attack) are good choices for Appletun, further enhancing its strengths.
Flapple: The Fruitful Fighter
Presenting your Applin with a Tart Apple yields Flapple, another Grass/Dragon-type, but with a focus on physical offense and speed.
- Stats: Flapple features a strong Attack stat (110) and a decent Speed stat (70). This allows it to hit hard and outspeed some slower threats. Its defenses, however, are quite frail.
- Strengths: Flapple shines as a physical attacker. Its high Attack stat allows it to deal significant damage with moves like Grav Apple (its signature move) and Outrage. The Hustle ability will boost it’s attack even further.
- Weaknesses: Its low defenses make it vulnerable to strong attacks. With Hustle, attacks may miss due to the low accuracy of its attacks. The biggest weakness is its typing and vulnerability to faster opponents that can exploit weaknesses.
- Ideal Nature: A Jolly nature (+Speed, -Special Attack) or an Adamant nature (+Attack, -Special Attack) are optimal for Flapple, maximizing its offensive potential.
Dipplin: A Sticky Situation
In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, Applin gains a third evolution: Dipplin. This evolution requires a Syrupy Apple, found in the Kitakami region. Dipplin is a Grass/Dragon type and evolves into Hydrapple. It has a different stat distribution and movepool than either Appletun or Flapple. If you are playing Scarlet or Violet, it is often better to evolve into Dipplin as the stats are generally better than Appletun or Flapple.
Which Apple Should You Choose?
Consider these questions when making your decision:
- What role does your team need filled? A bulky special attacker and supporter? Or a fast physical sweeper?
- What are the weaknesses of your team? Do you need something to cover certain type matchups?
- What is your preferred playstyle? Do you enjoy setting up and slowly wearing down opponents, or quickly overwhelming them with powerful attacks?
Ultimately, the choice is yours. Experiment, have fun, and find the apple that best suits your team and your style!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions to help you further understand the Applin evolution dilemma:
1. How do I get a Sweet Apple and a Tart Apple?
In Pokémon Sword and Shield, the method to obtain these apples depends on your game version. In Sword, you’ll receive a Tart Apple from an NPC near the large tree in Hammerlocke Hills. In Shield, you will receive a Sweet Apple. You can find multiple apples by riding your bike over water and finding item spawns, or by trading online. In Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, both apples are available for purchase at Delibird Presents shops after obtaining three gym badges.
2. What Pokémon needs a Tart Apple to evolve?
Only Applin evolves into Flapple when given a Tart Apple.
3. What Pokémon evolves with a Sweet Apple?
Only Applin evolves into Appletun when given a Sweet Apple.
4. Can you get both Flapple and Appletun in the same game?
Yes, you can. In Sword and Shield, you can trade with someone who has the opposite version or find additional apples. In Scarlet and Violet, both apples are readily available for purchase.
5. What is the best nature for Applin before evolving it?
The “best” nature depends on which evolution you’re aiming for. For Flapple, a Jolly or Adamant nature is ideal. For Appletun, a Modest or Bold nature is more suitable.
6. What is the difference between the Sweet Apple and the Tart Apple in real life?
The article states that the sweetest apple, Fuji, has naturally high sugar levels inherited from its parents: Red Delicious and Virginia Ralls Janet. The tartest apple, Granny Smith, has high acidity. This is an analogy; the real-world flavors connect to the Pokémon evolutions, where Sweet Apple evolves Applin into the defensive Appletun, while Tart Apple evolves Applin into the offensive Flapple.
7. What happens if you give Applin to the wrong person?
The article mentions giving an Applin to an NPC, but not permanently. The NPC uses the Applin briefly and then returns it with either a Sweet Apple or a Tart Apple, depending on the game version.
8. Is Applin rare in Pokémon Sword and Shield?
Applin has a 10% encounter rate on Route 5 in Sword and Shield, making it relatively uncommon but not exceedingly rare.
9. What are Appletun’s biggest weaknesses?
Appletun’s primary weakness is its quadruple vulnerability to Ice-type moves. It is also weak to Fairy and Dragon-type moves. Its low physical defense is also a vulnerability to physical attacks.
10. Does Applin have multiple evolutions?
Yes! Applin can evolve into Appletun (with a Sweet Apple), Flapple (with a Tart Apple), or Dipplin (with a Syrupy Apple in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet).
11. How do I evolve Applin into Dipplin?
To evolve Applin into Dipplin, you need to use a Syrupy Apple. You can find these in the Kitakami region of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet and buy them from a fruit stand for $500.
12. Why isn’t my Applin evolving?
Make sure you are using the correct apple! A Sweet Apple for Appletun, a Tart Apple for Flapple, and a Syrupy Apple for Dipplin (in Scarlet and Violet). If you have the correct item and your Applin still isn’t evolving, ensure you’re using the item directly from your bag on Applin.
13. Can I find the Sweet and Tart Apple in Tera Raid Battles?
No, the Sweet and Tart Apples are not typically found in Tera Raid Battles. They are primarily obtained through purchase or specific in-game events/NPC interactions.
14. Are Flapple and Appletun version exclusives?
Yes, in Pokémon Sword and Shield, finding the apples are version exclusive. Tart Apples are more common in Sword, while Sweet Apples are more common in Shield. However, trading allows you to get both Pokémon regardless of your version. Both are purchaseable in Scarlet and Violet.
15. Where can I learn more about Pokémon strategies and team building?
Numerous online resources offer detailed information on Pokémon battling, strategy, and team building. Consider exploring websites like Serebii.net, Smogon University, or watching videos from reputable Pokémon content creators. You might also be interested in the Games Learning Society which brings together a passionate community committed to advancing knowledge around games and learning. Visit their website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.
Remember, the best apple for your Applin is the one that fits best within your team strategy and compliments your individual playstyle. Happy evolving!