Straptor, even with about 40 points less of Attack beats Rayquaza soundly if it has Wing Attack and Sky Attack, both of which it can learn in the main games. (In Windy weather so you can actually SEE Straptor, double Flying Rayquaza is on next page) Rayquaza may have higher TDO VS certain raid targets like Machamp or Grass type targets, but DPS wise, will it be Straptor?
Staraptor with both of those moves would have superior DPS to Rayquaza, likely replacing it as a go-to flying type attacker. The (assumed) ease of access as the early route bird more than compensates for its reduced bulk.
The theoretical flying-type king would be Moltres if it ever got a double flying moveset, having higher DPS and TDO than all other options. It currently learns all flying fast moves in the game and has access to Sky Attack as well.
Even if it got the moves, Pidgeot doesn't have the stats to be the best of its type. Staraptor already has one half of that equation, Niantic's graces would need to give it the other half.
By that logic too, Honchkrow will likely be an even easier get unless the Dusk Stone gets tied in to its evolution. Murkrow are everywhere and most people have a mountain of candy for it as well as a few likely evolution suspects.
Agreed, but you are guaranteed an evolution item every 7 days, as well as I have gotten things like the metal coat from opening gifts, so it will likely be made easier to get them (plus will all the evolution items added in gen IV, they'll need to make the spawns more frequent, up till now theres been 5; dragon scale, metal coat, upgrade, king's rock and sunstone, gen IV added at least 10; protector, dubious disk, shiny/dusk/dawn/oval stones, razor claw, magmarizer, electrizer, and razor fang)
IT seems more likely they may do away with evolution items, as Feebas requires the prism scale to evolve (or up'ing beauty stat) but made its requirement walking 20 km as a buddy, so they may not want to triple the amount of evolution items, many of which are species specific
Man, it's going to be long waiting for some of these evolutions if we have to rely solely on gifts and 7 day streaks for evo items. I haven't paid attention to the streaks but from gifts I've only gotten metal coats and king's rocks. "R"NG already favors some items over others with there being 5 in play, it'll be hellish when there's 20.
Feebas's walking thing I feel like was a nod to the contest beauty system; Keep it as your buddy so it feels pretty or some shit, I don't know. I doubt they'd replace that with the Prism Scale.
Seems like it will happen, given dragon ascent will likely not be added to Rayquaza for a long time if at all, and most people dont use flying rayquaza for much right now (it only matches agaisnt machamp, and thats it, which i'd consider a poor reason at best to keep one double flying until Virizion or other or better flying weak raid bosses come out)
it seems likely they'd give staraptor a good flying set, mostly as until now, most nonlegendary flying types are pretty lackluster or are dragonite (who only has a flying charge move, but is still the best flying attacker). its a lot like ground/steel/poison, all have a lot of potential, but just arent tapped because movesets or move specs
