Other Type Changes: ICE

[Zanark]

Been thinking about ways to change up the types for my fangame, I don't really know much about the current balancing but I feel like some types are just plain bad or that there is little reason to use them. One of these is the ICE type Pokémon.

This is what I've come up with so far

• Strong ICE type moves like ICE BEAM and BLIZZARD are now more restricted among non ICE type Pokémon.
• FREEZE DRY is now available to more ICE type Pokémon.
• FROST BREATH now has a power of 70.
• ICICLE CRASH now has a accuracy of 100%.
• ICE BURN now has a power of 80 and more defensive ICE type Pokémon has access to it

I would like to add a resistance or remove a super effective but there are so many options that could make sense and that would be good balance wise... Like resistance to either GROUND, FLYING, DRAGON, WATER, GHOST or FAIRY. Even types like BUG and GRASS makes sense but they already have issues.
Likewise, removing SE of either FIGHTING, STEEL or ROCK wouldn't break anything as far as I can see.

The general idea is to make ICE a bit more defensive without altering the type chart too much, I also want them to be more valuable to use offensively by making their stronger attacks less available to others (mainly to WATER types.)

Any ideas about these changes? Any suggestions?

 

[Astefia]

It would feel natural if Ice had a resistance to Water. Also, the suggestions about moves do make sense.
Howewer, the weaknesses of Ice are pretty logical too, and IMHO should not be removed.

 

[Yin]

Perhaps making ice beam more restricted isn't a good idea since people could dislike it (It is used in a lot of smogon movesets or replacement for moves for more accuracy) but Blizzard makes sense. Perhaps make Blizzard's PP a little higher so it would give people a better reason to use blizzard in their movesets. I really like the rest of the ideas tho!

I mostly agree, but SE moves to ice from Fighting and stell makes sense. Perhaps you could remove rock tho, though I also think it doesn't make much sense. Sure, you can break the ice with rock but ice can freeze a rock too. It made more sense in my head lol maybe just make them natural to each other.

Resistance to dragons and immunity to Water makes a lot of sense! I don't agree with the rest though since they kinda make sense.


Perhaps make it super effective against water? It could be a great buff!


Might be a little too overpowered though but I'm not that worried since you are gonna balance the rest of the types

 

[TendoSetsun]

I wouldn't remove Ice-Type coverage from any Pokemon, but I would buff the Ice-Type defensively. Maybe give it resistances to Ground or Flying/Fairy. If you think doing this alone would make Ice too OP, you could maybe slightly nerf Ice offensively. Maybe by giving Rock a resistance to Ice, just as an example which could help-out another underpowered type
Another buff you could give to Ice-Types is giving them boosted Defense in Hail. A cliche suggestion, but still something which should probably be implemented

 

[EndlessBeat]

I was just thinking about this, and I think the changes that make the most sense would be having Ice resist Ground and Flying. (Maybe Grass too if you're up for it) Its offensive prowess is already fairly good. It only really needs defensive buffs.

 

[catchneko]

I added resistances to Ground and Dragon myself.

The big issue with Ice types is how GameFreak chooses to handle them and their stat spreads.

Half of them are built like Avalugg here and because of Ice's poor defensive type matchups (lots of weaknesses with few resistances), bulky Ice builds tend to fail. If you've noticed, there's plenty of fast or offensive Ice mons that combined with a strategy or an offensive type it synergizes well with that actually make it into high tiers, at least in competitive.

(From left to right: Alola-Ninetales, Mamoswine, and Galar-Darmanitan)​

Mons like Alola-Ninetales (instant hail + AV setter with >100 speed), Mamoswine (Ground type (so based) and 130 attack + ice shard), and the infamous Galar-Darmanitan (minmaxed offensive spread taken further by its bullshit stupid ability) all have something to them that makes them solid team members without resorting to being bulky walls whose typing means they can't take hits.

Ice is an offensive type.

Another buff you could give to Ice-Types is giving them boosted Defense in Hail. A cliche suggestion, but still something which should probably be implemented

This would actually be a good idea tbh I might steal this

• FREEZE DRY is now available to more ICE type Pokémon.

I like this

• FROST BREATH now has a power of 70.

When you factor it in always critting and thus always ignoring stat changes that would lower its damage, 105 effective BP seems a little overkill, don't you think? I think it's funnier to leave it a Technician-able move anyway lmao

 

[fersure4]

I am considering making Ice resist flying, and then have fairy weak to flying.

Buff to ice. Nerf to fairy. Neutral(ish) change to flying.