Fire Spin vs Flamethrower: Theory vs Reality

If you want to see the original Moltres live stream playthrough and background for this run, you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/live/R9qEsdcZ... Why did Game Freak give Moltres Fire Spin instead of Flamethrower in Pokémon Yellow? At first glance, Flamethrower is clearly the stronger move. It has higher base power, perfect accuracy, and no drawbacks. But when you look deeper into the mechanics of Generation 1 Pokémon, the situation becomes more complicated. Fire Spin has a unique trapping mechanic that prevents the opponent from attacking, which raises an interesting question: Could Fire Spin actually be better than Flamethrower in theory? In this video, I break down the mathematics behind Fire Spin vs Flamethrower and analyze whether Game Freak’s original move choice for Moltres might have made sense from a theoretical perspective. Using probability, damage calculations, and battle mechanics, we examine how trapping moves function in Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow. After exploring the theory and mathematical expectations, I put the idea to the test with two full Pokémon Yellow solo speedruns: One run where Moltres starts with Fire Spin One run where Moltres starts with Flamethrower The results reveal how theory compares to real gameplay, and whether Game Freak’s 30-year-old decision actually holds up in practice. If you enjoy Pokémon mechanics deep dives, speedrun analysis, and solo challenge runs, this video breaks down one of the most interesting move design questions from Generation 1 Pokémon. This run follows my standard Pokémon Yellow solo challenge rules: -Only the starter Pokémon is used in battle -No items are allowed in trainer battles -No major glitches or exploits -No evasion boosting -Game speed set to 400% -Early-game wild encounter manipulation permitted What You'll See in This Video -Fire Spin mechanics in Generation 1 Pokémon -Flamethrower vs Fire Spin damage and probability analysis -How trapping moves affect speedrunning strategy -Two Pokémon Yellow Moltres solo runs Pokémon Featured Moltres – Legendary Fire/Flying Pokémon Moves discussed: Fire Spin Flamethrower Game: Pokémon Yellow Version (1998) Art credit for opening background to: https://www.deviantart.com/global99/a...