Number: # 021
Type: Water
Species: Spray
Gender: 87.5% Male – 12.5% Female
Japanese Name: Hiyappu
Description: Panpour is the Water type member of the elemental monkey trio. It is by far the most docile, friendly and easiest to catch and train. Just like the other two, Panpour are very Pokémon to encounter in the wild; this is because they live in hidden locations not normally explored by humans.
Their habitat consists of either marshes, or mountaintop lakes and rivers. Additionally, they sometimes migrate into the Moor of Iccirus in the warmer months. This is because they thrive in wet or damp environments, but it is also because they live in fear of anything very dry. You see, Panpour survive off the amounts of water stored away in their heads and tails, and this water is very susceptible to evaporation. If they stay within an arid area such as Route 4 for too long, they will become weakened and eventually die.
As previously stated, Panpour require a large amount of water to survive. In order to meet this need, they store a volume of water in special sacs located within their head and tail. They can use these sacs to either hydrate themselves, or alternately they can squirt it out for conventional purposes, or use it as a weapon.
This water is purified within their body and contains many nutrients; so any plant watered by this will grow quickly and become very large. Because of this, many farmers or agriculturists own Panpour to aid them in gardening or other uses. Panpour are kind creatures so they love to help humans by doing these sorts of jobs.
Personality: Panpour are the kindest of all the elemental monkeys, which is saying a lot. Much like Pansage's leaves have medicinal qualities, Panpour's water does too. It uses this water to tend to the wounds of any injured creature they see, or them drink it to become hydrated. They stop to heal humans or captured Pokémon too, and this is one of the only times they are seen interacting with humans in their natural habitat. This is also how they are usually caught; but unlike the other two, who usually have to be forced to join, Panpour will sometimes happily join a traveling human out of curiosity, or because they sense a kind and loving human…
They have the kindness and playfulness of both Pansage and Pansear, but they lack the competitive spirit, energy and temper of either. They would rather spend their life in the slow lane, enjoying everything as much as they can while everyone else races past. Because they are so passive, many people think that Panpour is weaker, slower or less intelligent; it is actually quite to opposite. Panpour is just as fast and strong as their counterparts; they just don't show it as often. They are also more intelligent than Pansage and Pansear, because they move slowly enough to observe and learn from their surroundings, while Pansage and Pansear carry on in haste.
While they aren't crazy about battling like their brethren, they can still enjoy battling and get into the spirit of things.
Lifespan: Panpour live noticeably longer than the other monkeys, reaching about 40 – 50 years of age. We are currently conducting research to explain this.
Diet: Panpour stick to simple foods such as berries and nuts, and lack the interest for sweets unlike the others. Instead, they are more content to eat basic and plain tasting foods, such as bread. Maybe this is because they do not require the extra energy to keep themselves going, because they do not use up so much energy as Pansear.
How To Bond: Panpour are basic creatures, and their demeanour is vastly different from the other elemental monkeys. They will cheerfully listen to your commands shortly after meeting you, and aren't the type of Pokémon to complain. However, they are wise Pokémon, and will quickly figure it out when you are taking advantage of them or bullying them. They won't tolerate this for long, and will quickly abandon you if the bad treatment persists.
All you need to do to bond with this Pokémon is be a nice person, and make it obvious. Share your food, play with it, and make it feel important. Give it jobs to complete so it feels accomplished too. As a simple Pokémon, bonding can be as easy as living besides them.
As they are naturally apprehensive of combat, you will have to warm them up to the idea of it first if you want them as a competitive Pokémon. Talk to them about all the spoils of victory, and how great it is to be a winner. Tell it how you can travel the world and see many different exciting things. As a Pokémon that has lived hidden away for all its life, this will be tremendously appealing.
Battling: As mentioned many times, Panpour are disinterested in battling. This means you have to convince them that battling is worth it! When you have done this, they can make a useful member on your team.
Being a pure Water type, Panpour only has two typing weaknesses; Grass and Electric. Electric Pokémon are far and few between in Unova, so normally that wouldn't sound like a problem, but there are many non-Electric Pokémon that can learn Electric moves just as easily, so you need to be wary. Grass types are your main hindrance, as they are irritatingly common and can have a series of debilitating effects.
Panpour can only evolve by exposure to a Water Stone, and once it has evolved it can no longer learn any more moves naturally. This means that you need to teach Panpour as many moves as you can, unless you plan on teaching it TMs after evolution. It starts off with basic moves such as Scratch and Water Gun, but it learns better ones as it gains more battle experience.
One fantastic move that Panpour learns early on is Scald, a powerful attack boosted by STAB. In addition to being powerful, it can also inflict a burn. Many wild Pokémon wise up and flee from battle when they receive a burn, as it means they are always at a gradually increasing disadvantage.
Acrobatics is another suggested move, as it lets Panpour make good use of its speed, plus it can be used to counter against those pesky Grass types. Keep in mind that the common Bug-Grass type Sewaddle family has quadruple weakness to Flying type attacks, this can be used to storm your way through forests.
Apart from those, Panpour also learns more moves, although not quite as useful as those two, and the majority of them are Dark. If these moves don't quite cut it out for you, feel free to visit the TM section of your local Pokemart.
With Fellow Pokémon: They are benevolent and caring, and this shows through in their interactions with other Pokémon. They are skilled at making friends and become popular quickly, so they make great team members. They know how to maximize teamwork and effort, so they really shine in double battles. They will also help feed your other Pokémon and tend to their injuries, so they can 'babysit' your younger Pokémon should you need to go elsewhere for the time being.
Younger Pokémon will rapidly warm up to Panpour and start to view it as a bigger brother or sister, and start following it around adoringly. Alternately, older Pokémon will see Panpour as a responsible young'un and likely give it the respect it deserves.
Warnings: Panpour poses no threat to you. However, you must always remember that it will quickly succumb to a dry environment, so make sure to return it to its pokeball should the sunlight turn harsh. Also, never ever take Panpour to Route 4 or Relic Castle. Panpour will die within minutes of being exposed to such a harsh combination of heat, aridness and sandstorms. Only a truly irresponsible trainer would lead their Pokémon into such circumstances.
Summary: Panpour are a wonderful species of Pokémon that can be a real help in battle and in normal life. They suit both lifestyles too, and can adapt to match any changes as well. Because of their caring, compassionate nature they make wondrous Pokémon for new or inexperienced trainers, because they can help support the responsibility of caring for multiple trainers. They also evolve into a nice Pokémon, unlike the other two monkeys.
Next Time… Number 022 Simipour!
A/N: I did better than anticipated… Oh well, I had a lot to work with for this Pokémon, although I felt like I compared it to the other monkeys a bit much. On an unrelated note, I'm looking forward to Blitzle's entry, only four entries away!
Fun Facts: It, along with its two contemporaries, seem to inspired by the three wise monkeys motif; with its eyes closed, Panpour represents "see no evil". It is also based on a fountain or a geyser.