Why Was Hail Replaced With Snow in Pokémon? (What Is the Difference Between Snow and Hail in Pokemon?)
I’ll admit it. I didn’t understand why Snow replaced Hail 😕. I thought it was another gimmick to get players excited.
Admittedly, the defense boost made me use my Ice Pokemon more in battle. However, I wondered why not include it in Hail instead of replacing it.
So, I posed this question in Discord and got different perspectives.
Most suggested it had to do with Overworld mechanics, which made sense. Also, snow is much better than hail.
Anyway, two years later, and I’m loving the upgrade. Here’s what you need to know…
What is the difference between Hail and Snow in Pokemon?
Hail was an underperforming move designed to damage non-ice-type Pokemon. It was first introduced in the third-generation games but was later replaced by Snow, which addressed Hail’s glaring issues.
Here’s a table outlining the differences between Snow and Hail 👇:
|
Aspect |
Snow |
Hail |
|
Introduction |
First seen in Mystery Dungeon: Red and Blue before appearing in Legends: Arceus. Replaced Hail in the Generation 9 games. |
Introduced in Generation 3 games. |
|
Learnset by TM |
Snow is a weather condition created by Snow Warning and Snowscape. |
TM07 – Generations 3 – 6, Sun Moon, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. TM35 – Sword and Shield. |
|
Effect |
Snow lasts 5 to 8 turns and pairs with Aurora Veil to reduce damage from Physical and Special Attacks and raise the Ice-type Pokemon’s defense by 50%. |
Hail lasts 5 to 8 turns and damages non-ice type Pokemon by 6.25% of their max HP after each turn. |
Is Snow better than Hail in Scarlet and Violet?
Yes. Snow is better than Hail in Scarlet and Violet. As mentioned, Hail was an underperforming move that damaged non-ice-type Pokemon.
However, it was handicapped by the Ice Pokemon’s poor defensive abilities. Consequently, it was reworked into Snow.
Here’s why Snow is better:
Hail’s poor defense performance
Hail concentrated on inflicting damage on the opponents. However, it left your Ice-type vulnerable to Physical and Special Attacks 🤓.
Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be a problem, but given the Ice type’s poor defensive abilities, the trade-off wasn’t worth it.
The Pokemon creators replaced this with Snow, which focused on improving your Pokemon’s defense, allowing it to last longer in battles.
Snow’s balanced defense and offense.
Snow improves your Pokemon’s defense by 50%. Additionally, it retains Blizzard’s accuracy. In fact, when Blizzard is used during Snow, it bypasses accuracy checks, ensuring it always hits.
This combination makes Ice-type Pokemon more formidable and desirable in a battle.
Finally, abilities like Slush Rush are also adapted for Snow, meaning the switch didn’t have significant trade-offs that would decrease your Pokemon’s performance.
What’s the best way to use Snow in Scarlet and Violet?
Snow made ice-types more desirable in battle by raising their defense and ensuring Blizzard always hits. You’ll need Chilly Reception, Snowscape, and Snow Warning to use Snow 🌨️.
Also, include a Pokemon that capitalizes on these moves and allows you to attack. For this, select Abomasnow. Its Snow Warning lets it create a snowstorm without spending a turn.
You could also create a Snow team with Abomasnow and Cetitan, whose abilities work when a snowstorm starts.
For instance, Cetitan activates Slush Rush, making it faster than its competitors. Finally, include Hydreigon, whose Aurora Veil helps it last longer in battles.
