The Basics of Pokemon Types
Author's Note: This work is an emulation of what a starting trainer pamphlet about Pokemon types would be like, except geared towards the universe in which my other story, From the Ashes, takes place, and I'm mainly using this as a means to organize my thoughts.
For readers who haven't read my work, take this as my take on the Pokemon universe and its rules, especially the ones that deal with type effectiveness. This work will contain points that conflict with information found on wikis, but this is because it is my interpretation of the facts in the frame of the universe I'm writing in.
For readers who have read From the Ashes, this work is to be read as a published, League-funded and League-sanctioned pamphlet that exists in the universe in which From the Ashes takes place. This pamphlet comes in the blue folder given to every trainer after they register with the League and can be assumed to be common knowledge. However, it can also be assumed that not many people have bothered to read and memorize the information inside this pamphlet since much of it can be considered "common sense" for people living in the universe, so not all characters I write about will know the information here. And, like any book, this pamphlet may feature factual errors, but this is the fault of the publication. Read this work like a thin intro to Pokemon that someone like Adrielle could have picked up and read on their first day as a trainer.
Forward:
There are many creatures that inhabit this world, and among them are Pokemon. Identifiable by their distinct DNA, Pokemon have evolutionary characteristics that are often unable to be explained or replicated by science. They are easily natural wonders that defy evolutionary standards, and the fact that they exist is both a mystery and a blessing as they are the creatures on which our society is founded.
A close examination of Pokemon DNA has shown that all creatures classifiable as "Pokemon" are likely descendants of a single species of Pokemon that existed at one point in time. Some contemporaries believe that Pokemon branched off and evolved separately from other creatures, eventually reaching the many varied species existing today. Others contest that Pokemon arrived from another world or dimension since the genetic makeup and body composition of some species of Pokemon are unlike any of the other life forms found on this planet. The fossil record, though, supports the evolutionary theory to a certain extent: Pokemon have existed on this planet for millions of years and have gone through evolutionary changes during that time. However, the fossil record has many gaps and subsequently fails to provide the conclusive evidence needed to establish the existence of a single original species. This, along with the question of how and why Pokemon evolved to be so complex and varied, is a mystery, and the specifics of Pokemon evolution is still a widely debated topic today.
The many species of Pokemon are classified into categories called "types." This categorization is done by examining a Pokemon species' DNA, elemental composition, and physical and behavioral characteristics. Debates over whether or not a Pokemon belongs in a category are common, and there are many exceptions to every type's general classification guidelines. Generally, though, Pokemon can be assumed to have one "major" type and one "minor" type where the major type is more clearly expressed in their classificational traits than their minor type. In this way, care for a Pokemon is tailored primarily by species, then by major type, and lastly by minor type.
There are cases where a Pokemon may be classified only by its a major type despite characteristics of a minor type, but this is because the minor type is not prevalent enough for a definite classification. An example is Golduck, the water-type species that displays an aptitude for psychic-type moves towards the latter stages of its life. Studies have suggested that such Pokemon may be in the middle of an evolutionary trend towards becoming a dual type—that is, developing a minor type. However, the majority of the findings are inconclusive and only suggest correlational rather than causal relationships.