Elementary Pokemon Trivia Quiz

Answer: Raticate

Solving the riddle gives you Ra - Ti - Ca - Te.
Raticate is described as a mouse Pokémon, but the artwork and the name point more to a rat than to a mouse. Normal type Pokémon are rather useful against any type of other Pokémon, except for ghost-type Pokémon such as Gastly.
Raticate is the first evolution of Rattata, at level 20.
In comparison, the first evolution of the starter Pokémon (grass type, fire type or water type) are Ivysaur, Charmeleon and Wartortle, respectively. Raticate is typically faster than any of these comparable Pokémon, but has less hit points.

Answer: Arbok

Deciphering the elemental code gives you Ar - B - O - K.
The Arbok resembles a cobra. Its name is (phonetically) "cobra" in reverse. Arbok is the first evolution of Ekans, the basic snakelike Poison type Pokémon.
Arbok has more than average attack stats for a first evolution. But Ekans evolves only at level 22 into Arbok, whereas the starter Pokémon (Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle) already evolve for the first time at level 16.
Poison type Pokémon have no effect on Steel type Pokémon (for instance Magnemite). It sounds logical, but as the game is set in a fantasy world normal logic needs not always to apply.

Answer: Pikachu

The chemical elements mentioned in the question are symbolized by P - I - K - Ac - H - U.
Pikachu is a mouse Pokémon. The artwork resembles a mouse with a lightning-like tail. The name is derived from the Japanese words for the sounds it makes: sparkling and squeaking.
In the games Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue, Pikachu is one of the wild Pokémon one can catch. One has to start with Bulbasaur (grass type), Charmander (fire type) or Squirtle (water type). In Pokémon Yellow though Pikachu is the only starter Pokémon.
Compared to Bulbasaur, Charmander or Squirtle, Pikachu is far more rapid.
Electric type Pokémon as Pikachu are good against water types (for instance Squirtle) and flying types (such as Pidgey). But they have no effect at all when attacking ground type Pokémon (e.g. Sandshrew).

Answer: Paras

Solving the riddle gives you Pa - Ra - S. Another riddle is possible too: Phosphorus - Argon - Arsenic.
Paras resembles a crab with two mushrooms growing from its back. It is named a mushroom Pokémon and will evolve at level 24 into a Parasect.
The name is derived from "parasite", because most of the nutrition it absorbs goes to the mushrooms on its back.
The combination of bug type and grass type makes Paras more than effective against psychic types (for instance Abra) and dark types (such as the Aiolan Rattata).

Answer: Arcanine

Deciphering the elemental code will give you Ar - Ca - Ni - Ne.
Arcanine is the evolution of the fire Pokémon Growlithe. It is a legendary Pokémon, so chances to find this one are pretty slim.
The artwork for Arcanine combines a basic doglike look with tiger's stripes and lion's manes. The name combines the roots for arcane (archaic) and canine.
Arcanine is overall a good Pokémon. Only the Defense and Special Defense stats are just average.
As a fire type Pokémon, Arcanine is especially good against grass types, ice types, steel types and bug types. Examples of these preferred opponents are respectively Tangela, Cloyster, Magnemite and Caterpie.

Answer: Poliwag

The elements mentioned in the question form Po - Li - W - Ag.
Poliwag resembles a tadpole. The name combines a local synonym for tadpole (polliwog) and the tail movement by which it swims.
Poliwag is a quite basic Pokémon (but not the water starter). Its stats are average, but it is faster than any of the starter Pokémon.
Water type Pokémon are especially effective against combined rock/ground type Pokémon such as Geodude. They defend especially well against combined ice/steel types such as the Aiolan Sandshrew.

Answer: Hypno

Solving the riddle gives you H - Y- P - N - O. An alternate version for the riddle would combine No for nobelium (replacing nitrogen and oxygen).
Psychic type Pokémon are good when attacking fighting types (such as Machop) or poison types (like Ekans). But don't tackle a dark type Pokémon (e.g. Aiolan Rattata) with your psychic one: your attacks would be in vain, and your defence against dark Pokémon is weak.
Hypno is overall a quite strong Pokémon, with very good special defence. It evolves from Drowzee at level 26, but you can encounter Hypno also in some places in Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue.
Hypno has obviously derived its name from the word hypnosis, one of the special moves it can develop quite rapidly. The artwork for Hypno is a big cat, with a ruffed collar and holding a pendulum in one of its front paws.

Answer: Cubone

The correct solution to the riddle is Cu - B - O - Ne.
Cubone is a basic Pokémon with a strong defence. As a ground type Pokémon, it can't attack a flying type Pokémon (such as Butterfree), but is immune to attacks by electric type Pokémon (for instance Pikachu).
Cubone was named after the words "cub" and "bone". The artwork resembles a cub masked with a skull, and holding a long bone in one of its paws. I'd say it looks like a bear cub, but because it never takes off its mask, this is quite hard to tell.

Answer: Pinsir

The chemical symbols you had to retrieve were P - In - S - Ir. An alternate version would split the indium into iodine and nitrogen.
Pinsir does not evolve, as it is already a quite powerful Pokémon. His defence is better than average, and his attack is exceptionally good.
As a bug type Pokémon, Pinsir is good at fighting grass types (for instance Bulbasaur), psychic types (such as Hypno) and dark types (e.g. the Aiolan Rattata).
Pinsir's name refers to the pinchers with which it performs one of his most basic attacks. The artwork for Pinsir shows a stag beetle with two elaborate horns.

Answer: Articuno

The chemical symbols involved in the question are Ar - Ti - Cu - No. An alternate riddle could replace the nobelium by nitrogen and oxygen.
Within the first generation (Pokemon Red / Pokémon Blue and Pokémon Yellow) Articuno is one of the most valuable Pokémon. It has more than average hit points, a good defence, a fine special attack and an exceptionally good special defence.
The name Articuno is derived from the polar regions (arctic) and the Spanish for one (uno). The artwork is a bird with a long wavy tail, and a crest of what looks like ice shards.
Articuno is a legendary Pokémon, so chances of stumbling upon it are quite rare. It does not evolve at any time.
As a flying type Pokémon, Articuno is quite good against grass type, fighting type or bug type Pokémon. But Articuno is also an ice type Pokémon, which once again gives it an advantage over grass type Pokémon. Articuno fares best against a combined grass/bug type Pokémon such as Paras: it has double effect because Articuno is a flying type, doubles once more because Articuno is also an ice type, doubles once more because Paras is a bug type and doubles again because Paras is a grass type Pokémon. This totals up to a sixteen-fold advantage, which may come to a 24-fold advantage if Articuno uses a flying type move such as the Wing Attack.