ScraftyIsTheBest
On to new Horizons!
As far as the actual intrinsic group who follow a specific set of rules, talking about the 600 group/pseudo-legendary stuff, they've always followed three rules:
- Three stage
- 600 BST in final form
- Slow EXP group
Game Freak and TPC do acknowledge that particular group outside of the fan terms, even having a dedicated merchandise set to them.
They're practically always self-contained in one generation as a dedicated pattern of Pokemon that they intentionally create.
Archaludon is interesting because it's now a case of something that's similar to the classic pseudos in one way, but I wouldn't say it was the first: it just makes itself similar to the actual group in a different way and is the first to be so in its particular way, this one being that it has 600 BST.
There have been, in fact, several other Pokemon in generations before that have been "mistaken for the group" for many years since they are similar to the actual group in other ways. Chief among them are Flygon, Aggron, and Haxorus. Especially these three in particular, where they are similar in at least other ways, being three-stage Pokemon, two of them being Dragon-type and having late evolution levels, and two being in the Slow EXP group. Haxorus and Aggron in particular have been notoriously similar to the classic "pseudo-legendary" group in that they evolve twice and are in the Slow EXP group and both end up very powerful late-game mons.
Slaking, Volcarona, and Gholdengo also are sorta similar to the pseudos in other ways. Volcarona and Gholdengo are similar to each other but are both two-stage mons in the Slow EXP group with 550 BST that are "special" in different ways and are sandwiched between the classic pseudo-legendary in their roster (Hydreigon and Baxcalibur respectively) and the main sub-legendary group (Swords and Treasures) in the dex order. Slaking is a three-stage Slow EXP mon who ends up with a very high BST.
So in a way, Archaludon isn't really part of the intentional classical group, but it does join the leagues of Haxorus, Aggron, Slaking, Volcarona, etc. in being oddly similar to them, just in a new way, this time being its BST as opposed to the others having lower BST but being three-stage and/or in the Slow group. So Duraludon has become, in its own way, another Axew or Trapinch or Aron in that regard.
- Three stage
- 600 BST in final form
- Slow EXP group
Game Freak and TPC do acknowledge that particular group outside of the fan terms, even having a dedicated merchandise set to them.
They're practically always self-contained in one generation as a dedicated pattern of Pokemon that they intentionally create.
Archaludon is interesting because it's now a case of something that's similar to the classic pseudos in one way, but I wouldn't say it was the first: it just makes itself similar to the actual group in a different way and is the first to be so in its particular way, this one being that it has 600 BST.
There have been, in fact, several other Pokemon in generations before that have been "mistaken for the group" for many years since they are similar to the actual group in other ways. Chief among them are Flygon, Aggron, and Haxorus. Especially these three in particular, where they are similar in at least other ways, being three-stage Pokemon, two of them being Dragon-type and having late evolution levels, and two being in the Slow EXP group. Haxorus and Aggron in particular have been notoriously similar to the classic "pseudo-legendary" group in that they evolve twice and are in the Slow EXP group and both end up very powerful late-game mons.
Slaking, Volcarona, and Gholdengo also are sorta similar to the pseudos in other ways. Volcarona and Gholdengo are similar to each other but are both two-stage mons in the Slow EXP group with 550 BST that are "special" in different ways and are sandwiched between the classic pseudo-legendary in their roster (Hydreigon and Baxcalibur respectively) and the main sub-legendary group (Swords and Treasures) in the dex order. Slaking is a three-stage Slow EXP mon who ends up with a very high BST.
So in a way, Archaludon isn't really part of the intentional classical group, but it does join the leagues of Haxorus, Aggron, Slaking, Volcarona, etc. in being oddly similar to them, just in a new way, this time being its BST as opposed to the others having lower BST but being three-stage and/or in the Slow group. So Duraludon has become, in its own way, another Axew or Trapinch or Aron in that regard.