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The Light Type: An Updated Guide

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Literature Text

Overview
The Light type is a well-rounded, generalist type. Most Light-type moves are status moves, with effects including healing allies or themselves, preventing opponents from attacking, or reflecting effects back at the opponent. Combat-wise, Light types can be adapted to both defensive and offensive styles of gameplay, and their relatively balanced stats can be used to cover the disadvantages that other types may have.

Defense
The Light type plays competently as a defensive player, but does not particularly excel at this role. Light is weak to the common Grass, Dragon, and Dark types, the latter two being frequent offensive types. However, Light resists the common Psychic and Fighting types, which are often used offensively. The Light type has a diverse movepool, with numerous status moves, and many Light-types have strong defensive stats to counteract their elemental weaknesses. The Light-type can work well with most other types, but is most suitable for pairing with a type that is specialized in either attack (e.g. Ice or Fighting) or defense (e.g. Rock or Steel), either to back up the usually weak defensive stats of the former or to enhance the already strong defenses of the latter. The Light type is also notable for its wide variety of recovery moves, which can restore health or prevent enemy attacks from reaching it. Many moves of this sort can be beneficial to the user itself, allowing the Light type to hold its own in single battles. However, Light-type status moves are most effective in team battles, because many of them are used primarily to help allies instead of the user itself.

Offense
The Light type is also a mixed bag offensively. Its Attack is somewhat mediocre, making physical moves challenging, but its Special Attack is more useful. The use of attacks that reflect moves back at the opponent, along with increased priority, makes Light-types a challenging type to overcome. Many offense-oriented Light-types are also known for their speed, allowing them to strike more quickly than other types of Pokemon. Light is also useful for its advantage against the otherwise powerful Fairy and Ghost types, which are frequently defensive, as well as the common Flying-types would otherwise be able to threaten the metagame with powerful STAB. However, although the Light type is super-effective against five types, four others resist it, including the common Grass and Fire types. It is helpful, therefore, to pair the Light type with another offensive type, such as Fighting, to compensate for this disadvantage.

Contest Properties
When used in Contests, Light-type moves typically become Beauty moves, while some may be Cool moves.

Battle Properties
When used offensively, the Light type...
  • ...deals 2x damage to: Fire, Water, Psychic, Ghost, Fairy, Flying
  • ...deals 1/2x damage to: Grass, Electric, Normal
When used defensively, the Light type...
  • ...takes 1/2x damage from: Fire, Fighting, Psychic, Ghost, Poison
  • ...takes 2x damage from: Dark, Bug, Grass, Dragon, Ice
Canon Moves Reclassified as Light-type
  • Light Screen
  • Flash
  • Tail Glow
  • Reflect
  • Heal Bell
  • Lucky Chant
  • Morning Sun
  • Spotlight
  • Wish
  • Swift
  • Cosmic Power
New Moves

Corona
Category: Status
Power: N/A
PP: 5
Accuracy: N/A
Target: All opponents
The user creates a powerful halo that envelops the entire field. The number of turns before each Pokemon faints depends on its type advantage against the user.
(Note: A type advantage against the user is determined by whether or not the opponent is able to resist the user's STAB moves. An opponent with normal resistance to either of the user's types faints in 8 turns; one that takes 1/2x damage from one of the user's types faints in 4 turns; one that takes 1/2x damage from both of the user's types or 1/4x damage from one of them faints in 2 turns; and one that takes 1/4x damage from both types [e.g. a Fire/Electric type if the user is Light/Steel] faints on the next turn.)

Halo
Category:
Status
Power: N/A
PP: 10
Accuracy: N/A
Target: User or single ally
A wondrous ring of light negates secondary effects of enemy attacks for up to 5 turns.

Unction
Category: 
Status
Power: N/A
PP: 20
Accuracy: N/A
Target: User
The user pours a healing elixir upon itself, regaining 1/16th of its maximum HP with each turn. (Compare: Aqua Ring)

Purification
Category:
Status
Power: N/A
PP: 15
Accuracy: N/A
Target: Self or single ally
The user cleanses itself or an adjacent ally of all status effects. If used in a single battle, it will cleanse a random ally in the party affected by a status. If the user itself has a status effect, it will cleanse itself. This move will fail if no party members have status effects.

Disappear
Category:
Status
Power: N/A
PP: 30
Accuracy: N/A
Target: User
The user becomes invisible. Attacks directed only at the user that have an accuracy of 100% will automatically miss for the next three turns.

Force Field
Category:
Status
Power: 60
PP: 15
Accuracy: 80%
Target: User
The user protects itself with a field of energy. The next attack directed at the user will automatically fail.

Hard Light
Category: 
Status
Power: 60
PP: 15
Accuracy: 80%
Target: User and all allies
The user creates a shield of energy that lasts for three turns. Enemy attacks will rebound upon the foe and damage them.

Gleam
Category:
Status
Power: N/A
PP: 15
Accuracy: 100%
Target: Anyone adjacent
A shining gleam from the user lowers the target's accuracy by 25% for one turn.

Shimmer
Category:
Status
Power: N/A
PP: 15
Accuracy: 100%
Target: Anyone adjacent
A shower of sparkles that automatically blinds the selected foe, and has a chance of blinding other foes as well.
(NOTE: A Pokémon that is blinded will be affected for 1-4 attacking turns; blindness lasts until the effect wears off or the affected Pokémon switches out. Under this effect, the accuracy of any attacking move used by the affected Pokémon will be reduced by 50%.)

Penance
Category:
Status
Power: N/A
PP: 10
Accuracy: 80%
Target: All opponents
The user focuses their willpower towards divine retribution. If the next attack directed at the user decreases stats, it will decrease the attacker's stats instead of the user's.

Love Share
Category: 
Status
Power: N/A
PP: 15
Accuracy: N/A
Target: User + Single ally
The user donates some of its own life force to heal an ally. This reduces the user's own HP, while increasing the ally's HP by the same amount.

Healing Rites
Category: 
Status
Power: N/A
PP: 10
Accuracy: N/A
Target: All allies
The user performs a sacred ritual. One turn later, all party members have their health restored by the amount of damage the user took after using this move.

Retribution
Category:
Physical
Power: N/A
PP: 20
Accuracy: 100%
Target: Anyone adjacent
A retaliation move that counters any physical attack, inflicting double the damage taken. (Compare: Counter.)

Angel Ring
Category: Physical
Power: 30
PP: 10
Accuracy: 90%
Target: Anyone adjacent
A divine spinning blade hits the opponent over 5 turns. It doubles in power for each consecutive hit. (Compare: Rollout, Ice Ball.)

Dash Attack
Category: Physical
Power: 60
PP: 15
Accuracy: 75%
Target: Single opponent
The user hits the opponent by running at extremely high speeds. It also raises the user's Atk, Sp. Atk, and Speed.

Barrier Bash
Category: Physical
Power: 60
PP: 15
Accuracy: 80%
Target: Single opponent
The user rams the opponent with a field of energy. The next attack directed at the user will automatically fail.

Shield Breaker
Category: Physical
Power: 75
PP: 15
Accuracy: 100%
Target: Anyone adjacent
A powerful blow that allows the user to negate an opponent's protection. (Compare: Brick Break.)

Flash Step
Category: Physical
Power: 80
PP: 5
Accuracy: 100%
Target: Single opponent
The user moves fast enough to attack first. It fails if the target is not readying an attack, however. (Compare: Sucker Punch.)

Laser Beam
Category: Special
Power: 35
PP: 30
Accuracy: 80%
Target: Single opponent
A beam of light is fired at the opponent. It may cause blindness if it hits.

Dazzle
Category: 
Special
Power: 50
PP: 10
Accuracy: 100%
Target: Anyone adjacent
Sparkles summoned by the user sharply lower the target's Atk and Sp. Atk. May also cause blindness.

Beam Spam
Category: Special
Power: 30
PP: 25
Accuracy: 100%
Target: Single opponent
Description: Multiple beams of light hit the target for 2-5 turns. (Compare: Bullet Seed.)

Laser Cutter
Category: Special
Power: 90
PP: 15
Accuracy: 100%
Target: Anyone adjacent
A beam of light stabs at the opponent like a spear. It pierces through barriers and has a chance of causing blindness. (Compare: Thunderbolt.)

Starburst
Category: Special
Power: 95
PP: 15
Accuracy: 100%
Target: Anyone adjacent
The user unleashes a blast of searing light that damages everything around it. This may also leave the opponent with a burn. (Compare: Sludge Wave or Surf. 10% chance of burning anyone hit.)

Cosmic Ray
Category: Special
Power: 100
PP: 5
Accuracy: 50%
Target: Anyone adjacent
The user fires a focused, devastating beam of starlight. It may also blind the opponent. (Compare: Inferno.)

Flash Bomb
Category: Special
Power: 110
PP: 10
Accuracy: 70%
Target: Anyone adjacent
The user fires a projectile that emits a destructive flash of bright light. It may also blind any affected opponent. (Compare: Thunder.)

Rainbow Beam
Category: Special
Power: 80
PP: 10
Accuracy: 90%
Target: Anyone adjacent
A multicolored beam of light strikes the opponent, lowering a random stat. It may also blind the opponent.
Note: Depending on the color of the beam, this attack can lower Attack (Red), Defense (Orange), Special Attack (Yellow), Special Defense (Green), or Speed (Blue).

Rainbow Ring
Category: Special
Power: 120
PP: 5
Accuracy: 70%
Target: All opponents
The user's speed creates a powerful ring of colors. It may lower all stats if it hits. (Compare: Focus Blast.)

Super Laser
Category: Special
Power: N/A
PP: 5
Accuracy: 75%
Target: Anyone adjacent
A powerful laser is fired with devastating force. If it hits, the target faints instantly.

Canon Pokemon receiving a secondary Light type
(Note: All Pokémon included on this list must be single-typed in canon.)
  • Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable (Fairy/Light; all three have Starburst as a new starter move and can learn all Light-type moves available via TM and tutor.)
  • Kantonian Rapidash (Fire/Light; now learns Dash Attack as an added starting move, and can also now learn Shield Breaker and Flash Step via move tutor.)
  • Milotic (Water/Light, now learns Dazzle instead of Twister.)
  • Cherrim (Grass/Light, gets Dazzle as a starting move and can learn all special Light-type moves available via TM and tutor.)
  • Shinx, Luxio, and Luxray (Electric/Light; Shinx gets Gleam as a new starting move and Shimmer in place of Baby-Doll Eyes, and Luxio and Luxray get Shield Breaker as a new relearnable move.)
  • Gothorita and Gothitelle (Psychic/Light; both get Cosmic Ray as a starting move and can learn all Light-type moves available via TM and tutor.)
  • Elgyem and Beheeyem (Psychic/Light; Headbutt is replaced by Barrier Bash; Beheeyem gets Corona as a new starting move as well, and this line can learn all special Light-type moves available via TM and tutor.)
Whew, this is a long'un! My region is going to introduce the Light type, which used to be pretty common for fakemon creators prior to the introduction of the Fairy type, but I think I made mine different enough from the canon Fairy type to work pretty well. Now with new battle properties and a full list of new moves!

I decided not to retype any moves this time around. I believe the canon moves don't need to be changed because I'm worried it could throw off the type balance for the metagame. I did, however, introduce several new status/healing moves for the Light type to call its own as compensation. Aside from that, with the introduction of the Fairy type, I felt it worth factoring it in when trying to figure out the new type effectiveness. Instead of resisting Water and Flying, Light weakens both, because it travels quickly through both of them like electricity does according to Pokemon logic. Fairy is weak to Light because I didn't want to make it overpowered and also because light is supposed to be holy, and a ward against magic like the Fairy type suggests. As for the Dark and Dragon weaknesses, it's to keep it from becoming OP and also to connotate that it's easy to corrupt something pure and holy with evil intents like the Dark type or primordial instincts like the Dragon type. (Also European dragons were sometimes the symbol of the devil, and would often be seen fighting angels in church murals.)

Enjoy! The first Light-type in my region should be coming soon-ish.

Old version: fawkestheskarmory.deviantart.c…

1/31/20 EDIT: Added moves that have been retconned to Light-type (as a precedent remember that some moves were changed from Normal to Dark when that type was introduced in Gen 2), and canon Pokemon that will be given a secondary Light typing along with what Light-type moves they can learn. And added two new moves as well!
© 2016 - 2024 SkarmorySilver
Comments5
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Jamie260397's avatar
Ability:
Rejuvenate - Makes all Normal-Type moves become Light-Type.

Items:
Light Gem - Increases the power of the users first Light-Type move by 30%. It is consumed after use.
Shining Plate - Increases the power of Light-Type moves by 20%.
Starr Berry - Weakens the foe's super-effective Light-Type move.
Angel Wings - Increases the power of Light-Type moves by 20%.
Lightium Z - Converts Z-Power into crystals that upgrade Light-Type moves to Light-Type Z-Moves.

Z-Move
Blinding Light - The user unleashes a powerful ray from the heavens onto its opponent with its Z-Power. The power varies, depending on the original move.

Some Pokémon I reclassed into Light-Type: sta.sh/01ez5wsxd6o9

What do you think?