Number: # 002
Type: Grass
Species: Grass Snake
Gender: 87.5% male – 12.5% female
Japanese Name: Janovy
Description: If your Snivy has evolved into a Servine, then congratulations! You're a somewhat competent trainer. A Snivy only evolves when it has gained sufficient battle experience, and has developed a strong bond with its trainer. As with all evolutions, Servine gains a large boost in power. However, this also gives it a huge boost to its already huge ego. If you haven't already made yourself as an authority, you need to now. Otherwise, it'll run all over you.
Upon evolution, Servine's speed also increases dramatically. Because of this, it loves to run everywhere, trying to burn all the energy gained during the evolution process. As it zips along, it gives the illusion of sliding across the ground like its legless snake counterparts, such as Seviper. Its hunting and stealth skills also improve greatly, to the point where they can easily camouflage themselves against any flora. Servine love to practise these skills by running and hiding throughout vegetated areas, so it is advised you let them out frequently to engage in this practise.
Personality: Servine retains is prideful and somewhat vain personality from as a Snivy; but not only that, it often worsens. That right, your already arrogant Snivy has now become an even more arrogant Servine. Even tamed Snivy can throw aside any domination you had over it once it evolves, leading to more quarrels. Regardless of this, they are somewhat more caring of their trainers, as only a competent trainer can give a Snivy the training it needs to evolve; so they will probably respect you out of gratitude.
They are very proud of their newfound speed and stealth, so they will be very eager to show it off to everyone visible. However, if they continuously lose battles or fail repeatedly, they may develop serious inferiority complexes or a lack of self-confidence. This is made even worse if witnessed or inflicted by a fellow Snivy evolutionary. This needs to be dealt with immediately; otherwise it may potentially interfere with your Servine's evolution into a Serperior.
Lifespan: As stated in Snivy's entry, a fully evolved Serperior usually lives as long as their trainer. A Servine that never has the chance to evolve will live longer than an unevolved Snivy, but will most likely pass on before their trainer does.
Diet: Servine are able to photosynthesise like their pre-evolution, and can extract twice as much energy as well; thus making them a very enduring Pokémon. However, they cannot do this if they are dirty, so you must bathe them regularly so they can survive undisturbed. Alternately, your Servine will happily eat most edible foods, and as a plus, they are usually not as fussy as they were as a Snivy.
How To Bond: Now, how you should bond with your Servine depends entirely on whether you succeeded on asserting yourself back when it was a Snivy. Because of this, this section will be spilt into two halves. If you DID succeed in asserting yourself, see the GOOD section. If you DIDN'T, see the BAD section. Then carry onto the BOTH section.
GOOD: Even though you managed to convince your Snivy that you're not a total pushover, it will mostly likely try and challenge your authority with its newfound power. Dealing with this is simple. All you have to do is give clear examples as to why you're both its boss and its friend. The best way is to show off your tactical skills during battle. If you can help it reach its full potential and teach it all the new attacks and moves it can learn in its new form, all its previous respect and more will come flooding back.
BAD: This is very troublesome for you. Once a Snivy believes something, it will take an extreme amount of coaching to convince it to think otherwise. It will mostly likely not listen to your instructions and act according to its own whim and desires. It won't abandon you like a Snivy would, because as much as it looks down on you, it will still have grown attached to you.
In order to sort it out, you will need to toughen up a lot. Act tough. Act confident. Act calmly. Send your Servine out into battle and ensure it secures victory. Once it realises you took a level in badass, it will start paying attention to what you have to say.
BOTH: Remember, you are not only its owner, but its companion. And you need to act accordingly so it can believe that. Give it plenty of time out of its pokeball, and set aside time for just the two of you. Talk to it, ask it how it feels. Let it express its ideals and beliefs. Also, it is fantastic to set a goal that the two of you both want. That way, they will feel that they need to stay by your side in order to reach their dreams and become accomplished.
Love: Now, did you accept Servine's feelings when it was a Snivy? If not, it's going to be very pushy and be a lot more demanding. You are going to have a very, very tough time getting it off your back. (Or out of your bed). Seriously, if you thought your jealous, paranoid ex was troublesome you need to see a jealous Servine! It won't let anyone else get an inch near you, and will retaliate with fury should anyone attempt to do so.
If you accepted or even welcomed Servine's feelings as a Snivy, then it will be considerably more docile, and will be far less callous than its peers. It will still act dignified and won't let your relationship interfere with its public standing, but it will be warmer to you than otherwise. Additionally it will still act jealous, but will be more reserved knowing that it's your little special one.
Battling: As previously stated, Servine gain a great amount of power and skills when they evolved, along with a boost in confidence. Because of this, they are extremely eager to leap into battle and show off. However they will have no experience using their brand new moves and thus will turn to their trainer for help. Patrat and Lillipup are generally weak and common Pokémon and make great punching bags for your Servine to practise its great new moves, such as Leech Seed, Mega Drain and Leaf Blade. You must always try your best to let Servine battle as much as possible. It will very quickly come to dislike you if it feels that you are holding it back, or preventing it from reaching its full potential.
Since Servine are great at camouflaging against plants and can use flora to their advantage, they have a big advantage in forests and even grassy fields. They also function well in deserts, since the extra sunlight boosts their photosynthesis, and they have a typing advantage over all the local ground and rock type Pokémon. You must be very wary of cold weather though, Servine are weak to the cold and will be unable to photosynthesise if they sky is overcast.
Typing-wise, Servine can help in many places. You can easily glide through caves, given that the Rock and Ground types there stand no chance. The same applies for water-type Pokémon living in bodies of water. However, you must be careful of Bugs when walking through forests, as well as the Flying-Types hunting them. In these circumstances, Servine is best to put its hiding skills to use.
Additionally, be careful when walking through Chargestone Cave. The Klink inhabiting it will fully resist whatever you throw at them, and Servine will be unable to dodge and hide in such a small and barren place.
With Fellow Pokémon: Servine will still see itself as the leader of all your Pokémon, and won't allow anyone to try and surpass it. They will always be your special little starter, and will burst into enraged, jealous fury should they feel they are in second place. While they won't be as rough as they were as a Snivy, they will still resort to bullying if they feel it is required. They will leave most of the orders up to you but if given the opportunity, Servine will start bossing the other Pokémon around.
For example, don't be surprised if you're in the forest as the sun sets, and leave your Pokémon as you go to the toilet before setting up your camp, only to come back and find your Servine ordering all your other Pokémon to set it up for you. Things like this can often be helpful, but it can lead to trouble it if clashes with what you actually want.
Because of this behaviour your Pokémon may either come to resent Servine, or look up to it. You need to resolve any resentment straight away, or your Pokémon will begin to fight and ignore your commands, a potentially dangerous thing when in the middle of a battle. Pokémon looking up to Servine is no problem at all, and is actually encouraged. Research shows that Pokémon fight more efficiently when they have another Pokémon in your party as a role model.
Warnings: None. Servine will no longer abandon you no matter how badly it looks down on you. And besides ignoring you and causing general mischief, it will cause no harm.
Summary: Overall Servine is generally much more behaved than Snivy, and is far more powerful, resourceful and versatile. It lacks the extra strength of Pignite, as well as the battle finesse of Dewott, but makes up for it through sheer tactics and instincts. The very moment you are sure your Snivy faithfully trusts you, you should encourage it to evolve into this creature.
Next Time… Number 003 Serperior!
