Ally Pokemon: An Assessment

Ever since my battle with Raticate, I have been encountering wild pokemon which call upon other pokemon of their kind for assistance in battle.  I'm still not exactly sure about how I feel about this.

The way it works is that if you sufficiently injure a wild pokemon, it may call for help.  This means that the pokemon could be joined in battle by another of that pokemon or by a similar pokemon.  Oricorio are joined by other Oricorio, Pichu are joined by other Pichu or Pikachu.  Whether or not that call is answered is based on probability (I still do not know the statistical likelihood of another pokemon appearing), but the result usually seems to be that my pokemon is now battling two opponents.

On the one hand, I like the extra challenge that wild battles now pose.  There really is no easy match because unless you can reliably remove an opponent from play, you're in for a surprise once its HP falls below 50%.  It makes the game more challenging (haven't I always said I wanted a "hard mode"?).  It also gives wild matches a perilous quality.  Remember how, waaaaaay back in Red version in Gen 1, Professor Oak said "it's dangerous to go into wild grass?"  Well here is the fulfillment of that promise.  It makes sense in the canon of the game series.

On the other hand, it makes it fucking impossible to catch a pokemon.

When there are multiple opponents on the field, you aren't allowed to toss pokeballs.  I'm sure you can see how clitting frustrating this makes captures.  When trying to catch Delibird--a pokemon I just wanted for my pokedex--I was accosted by several different pokemon all whilst failing my captures.  Weaken delibird, second delibird appears, KO delibird, delibird appears, KO delibird, toss pokeball, fail, delibird appears, KO delibird, toss pokeball, fail, delibird appears, KO FUCKING DELIBIRD, TOSS POKEBALL AND FAIL, FUCKING DELIBIRD APPEARS.

It's GODAMN FUCKING MADNESS.

I really don't know what the solution would be other than to allow one to toss a pokeball when two pokemon are on the field.

...

Actually, that is perfect--it fixes the entire system.  Why couldn't they think of that?!