Furfrou hair can be stylized into an impressive array of patterns, but almost all of them – including the most fashionable – come at the expense of skill in combat. The Furfrou so beloved by kings were virtually useless as bodyguards, for their puffy, elaborate styles of fur slowed them down and allowed their foes an easy target to grab. Furfrou are one of the few pokemon used primarily in this era for display, and almost never for combat. But there was a time before form trumped function for the Furfrou, and their styles of old once made them the terrors of the battlefield.
The specific grooming methods are lost, much to the chagrin the efforts of a few stubborn, eccentric trainers who wish to turn their Furfrou into fighting machines, but the principles which allowed ancient Furfrou to win pokemon battles are still known. Furfrou trainers know that trimming their fur increases their speed, but beyond a certain point it also weakens their defense, for their fur coat is in truth a very unusually shaped shield – and the sweet spot which maximizes both is lost to history, although experimentation continues in hopes of finding it once again. Colors, patterns, and even tufts of fur, according to ancient records, could be used not only for Furfrou to look impressive at the expense of their skill, but to create vivid optical illusions and make opponents miss their targets and dodge phantom attacks.
Yet few ancient drawings of these Furfrou have survived, and a drawing can contain only point their few modern trainers in the general direction of their goal. Figuring out the styling techniques is another matter entirely, and humanity has thus far failed to rediscover the secrets of the ancient Furfrou groomers.
