Pokemon may have seemed like a bit of an oddity upon its debut in the 1990s, but now it’s one of the most successful properties of all time and there’s no end in sight. The Nintendo Switch’s Pokemon Sword & Shield are the newest entries in the core series and allow a whole new generation of players to experience its magic.
Sword & Shield, along with their DLC expansions, bring a lot of new Pokemon into the mix, but some are more memorable than others. Hatterene is a new Pokemon that gets a lot of attention, but there’s still a lot about the creature that goes overlooked.
10 She Takes Her Inspiration From European Folkloric Witches
Pokemon are so diverse that the creatures cover the whole spectrum, whether it's animals or even inanimate objects. Several Pokemon have particularly disturbing backstories and represent some of the bigger dangers in the Pokemon world.
Hatterene may look harmless enough as a Psychic- and Fairy-type, but she's highly prone to attack and loves to instill fear into those who intrude on her territory. Hatterene’s wicked ways have such a reputation that she’s also known as the Forest Witch and the Raging Goddess in reference to her tendency to claim victims.
9 She Can Read People's Emotions For Up To 30 Miles
Hatterene is one of the more powerful psychic Pokemon that's introduced in Sword & Shield. Hatterene's psychic nature consumes every aspect of the Pokemon. Her moveset is full of strong psychic techniques, but it also alters her environment.
In its Gigantamax form, Hatterene's immense psychic power allows it to read the emotions of anyone that's in a 30-mile radius. This gives Hatterene a natural advantage and she’s able to determine the precise moment when its target becomes aggressive. It allows Hatterene to invade the heads of other Pokemon and humans without them even realizing it.
8 She's The Only Pokemon That Can Use The Move Magic Powder
The games take a creative approach to how Pokemon learn techniques, whether it's naturally, through the use of TMs, or even through breeding specific Pokemon. Many techniques can be versatile between Pokemon, but there are a few that are restricted to specific creatures.
This is the case with Magic Powder, a new Psychic-type move introduced in Sword & Shield as Hatterene's signature attack. Magic Powder is only helpful to players who know how to build a strong strategy. The technique doesn't hurt the opponent, but it instead just turns them into a Psychic-type.
7 She's A Counterpoint To Grimmsnarl
Pokemon finds interesting ways to connect certain creatures together, even if they're not directly related or share an evolutionary link. Hatterene shares a lot in common with another new Pokemon from Generation VIII, Grimmsnarl, and its evolutionary chain.
They both become Fairy-type Pokemon that evolve at the same time and have the same base stats and catch rates. Hatterene and its kind can only be female, whereas Grimmsnarl are only male. Both of these Pokemon also use similar attack patterns and they both pull from folklore for their inspiration, whether it's witches or ogres.
6 She Has A Gigantamax Form
The Pokemon series has kept the core mechanics to its battle system, but it occasionally finds ways to update the combat in a way that isn't overwhelming. The addition of Gigantamax forms is a fun way for certain Pokemon to get highlighted while presenting battles differently than before.
Hatterene receives a Gigantamax form that doesn't drastically change her appearance other than an increase in size and tentacles. Gigantamax Hatterene is also the only Pokemon that can learn G-Max Smite, a powerful Fairy-type attack that inflicts damage and confuses all opponents.
5 Her Psychic Powers Cause Headaches In Those Nearby
The Pokemon games do a good job to prove the utility of most of the different Pokemon types, but the psychic variety has always been especially intimidating. Psychic-types have been associated with powerful Pokemon right from the start of the series and there's a reason that telekinesis and psychic behavior fuels so many horror stories.
Hatterene's psychic abilities are so intense that she emits an energy that causes anyone in her vicinity to get headaches. It's an effective way for Hatterene to remain undisturbed and deter potential predators, whether they're humans or fellow Pokemon.
4 She Knows The Hidden Ability Magic Bounce
There are some interesting ways in which Pokemon combat has become more robust throughout the years. There are not just different structures to the types of battles, but there are now abilities and hidden abilities that pertain to certain Pokemon in addition to their regular moves.
Hidden abilities can be a mixed bag but Hatterene's is one that can be helpful under the right circumstances. Hatterene's hidden ability is Magic Bounce, which originated in Generation V and reflects the status effects of moves back at the opponent.
3 She's Rival Bede's Signature Pokemon
There are many staples that have stuck with the Pokemon series since its inception, but one of the more playful customs that continues to carry over is that the protagonist has a rival who they periodically check in with and battle.
Pokemon Sword & Shield actually features several rivals, but Hatterene becomes the primary Pokemon that rival Bede uses. Alternatively, rival Marnie is partial to Grimmsnarl, which also bears a connection with Hatterene in some ways. Bede's heavy use of Hatterene helps make the Pokemon so memorable.
2 She Possesses Highly Deadly Tentacles
Hatterene is such a powerful Pokemon that sometimes individuals might not even be aware of how she defeated them. Hatterene's range of psychic abilities allows her to easily affect and confuse her prey on a biological level. However, she also has tentacles that she'll use to snatch up and tear apart the victims that invade her privacy.
Hatterene's deadly tentacles have helped build her Forest Witch reputation, but the appendages become even more dangerous in her Gigantamax form because they gain the ability to produce lightning-like bursts of projectile energy.
1 She Plays An Important Role In The Pokemon TCG
It’s amazing how much the Pokemon Trading Card Game has grown into its own entity. As the Pokemon TCG tries to stay as current as possible with the changes of the video games, Hatterene has been added.
Hatterene is one of the more rare and powerful Psychic-type Pokemon in the game; when it comes to the TCG, there are two Hatterenes available through the various Sword & Shield set expansions. An even more elusive special promotional version of Hatterene was also given out at a Pokemon TCG tournament in Japan earlier this year.