Hypno Report

Hypno (the Hypnosis Pokémon) is an uncommon Psychic-type Pokémon found among grassy fields and forests within the Kanto, Johto, Alola and Paldea regions as well as Berry Forest of the Sevii Islands and the Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova regions on rare occasions. Although not as powerful as Pokémon like Gardevoir and Alakazam, Hypno are dependable fighters that can control almost any Pokémon with their intense hypnotic powers and take a significant beating from special attacks. If you need to kick a habit or are just looking to make the opposition's sleep painful, you can't get a better therapist than a Hypno; just make sure that it doesn't make you or anyone else do anything too foolish for the sake of dignity alone!

Like Drowzee, Hypno have the ability to eat the dreams of others, but for some reason, they only ever do so if they are extremely hungry (preferring to prey on Pokémon like Komala rather than humans) and instead prefer to feast on small berries and medicinal herbs for sustenance. The reasoning behind this is not fully understood, but it is believed that Hypno have a deeper understanding of the physical world around them and require more direct forms of nourishment than dreams alone, though it also may have to do with the fact that Hypno are independent fighters that work or play with no one else. In fact, Hypno are often seen spending extensive time meditating in secret, perfecting their hypnotic powers within their minds and honing their ability to manipulate the minds of others with their Psychic-type powers. This extensive meditation seems to have a significant impact on their overall performance in battle, as Hypno are able to utilize the Switcheroo and Nightmare techniques shortly after they evolve, making them a far greater tactical threat than Drowzee could ever be.

Above all else, Hypno are known for the pendulum they carry and its function in regards to their impressive hypnotic powers. The pendulum's construction itself has remained somewhat of a mystery, as Hypno never let them leave their grasp or studied, and in fact swallow it before death and allow their strong stomach acid to dissolve it completely. It is currently believed that the pendulums are formed from the dreams that Drowzee devour before they evolve and can thus be seen as an analogue to the spoons that Alakazam carry into battle. Nonetheless, every pendulum is exactly the same, and they are able to cause drowsiness and sleep in anyone nearby within three seconds, even if the Hypno wielding it is not concentrating on that subject. The pendulum itself acts just like a real hypnotic pendulum in that Hypno constantly swing the pendulum back and forth in a perfect rhythm; the arcing of the pendulum, combined with the glittering of its shiny surface, is enough to lull just about anyone into a state of deep hypnotic sleep (hence its universal effect on all nearby individuals) when combined with a low-grade psychic pulse emitted by the object in question. Once in this state, a Hypno can use its psychic powers to ingrain mental commands into its subjects from a distance, turning them into its slaves; this makes the appearance of the pendulum absolutely essential to making their Hypnosis technique effective, and Hypno will often take the time to polish their pendulum every day in order to ensure they are ready for battle at any time. The lasting effects of such hypnotic states vary, but in most cases, the longer an individual stares at the pendulum before going under, the longer the state lasts. Furthermore, the pendulum can act as a channel for strengthening their tactical abilities; once a Hypno locks eyes with a hypnotized enemy, it can use moves like Hypnosis and Confusion or even Psychic simultaneously, inflicting massive damage and debilitating the opposition at the same time. The ability to utilize hypnotic suggestion and cause direct damage in such a fashion is exceptionally difficult if not impossible for other creatures to replicate and effectively serves as the hallmark of the species. Unfortunately, this power has not helped their reputation among humans, as Hypno have a habit of making anyone they meet fall asleep just so they can quickly taste their dreams; if they find the dreams to be tasty, they will carry off the victim, whom is never seen again. Even so, their hypnotic powers make them highly recommended for individuals that are having chronic sleep issues, and they are often the only non-medication-based solution to insomnia in their native regions that is certifiably reliable when wielded by the right medical professional.

While they might lack the sheer agility possessed by other Psychic-types, Hypno are impressive tacticians that can easily turn an opponent's offensive game right back at them with impressive offensive moves and manipulative tendencies like no other. You may have some trouble dealing heavy damage with them in most cases, but considering they can effectively turn any non-Dark-type Pokémon into a clucking chicken in an instant, this should rarely ever prove to be a major issue. Just make sure that you give Hypno the respect that they deserve; if there is one thing that Hypno are really good at, it's getting what they want at the expense of others, even if that means forcing their own trainers to do something stupid and dangerous just to prove a point!

Professor Wormwood