Stantler

Stantler is a fictional species of Pokémon from the Pokémon series. As with all other Pokémon, is to battle both wild Pokémon, untamed creatures encountered while the player passes through various environments, and tamed Pokémon owned by Pokémon trainers.

The name "Stantler" is a portmanteau of the words stag (a male deer) or stare (look or gaze fixedly) and antler. The in-game Pokédexes of the Pokémon series. Its Japanese name, "Odoshishi", is a play on the term "Shishi odoshi" (ししおどし), a farming device used in gardens specifically to frighten away deer or other animals. The name Stantler refers to both the overall species and to individuals within the games, anime, and manga series.

Biological characteristics
Stantler's physical appearance is highly reminiscent of the Asian Sika Deer. However, it has been demonstrated in both the Pokémon anime and video game series that it has several traits that are exclusive to reindeer, such as both males and females having full grown antlers in an adequate season, and preferring to live in cooler environments.

The primary offensive capabilities of a Stantler revolve around the use of special orb-like glands that grow from the topside of the fork in their antlers. These orbs produce a psychotropic mist that, although pleasant smelling, can cause hallucinations to those exposed to it for prolonged periods of time. While a player is unable to call upon such a tactic themselves in the video games, this trait has been referenced in the anime, and remains a large part of the Stantler's characterization.

In the Pokémon video games
Stantler first appears in Pokémon Gold and Silver.

Stantler reappears in Pokemon Emerald in the Safari Zone.

Stantler appears in other Pokémon games, including Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team and Red Rescue Team. It's orbs allow it to use psychic-type attacks. However, it isn't usually used in competitive battling.

In the Fourth Generation Stantler can be found only in Pokémon Pearl on Route 207 with use of the Pokeradar. Stantler acquires a new ability in the Fourth Generation, Frisk which allows you to see your opponent's held items.

In the Pokémon anime
Stanter's first anime appearance was in the short "Santa's Little Helpers", part of the Pikachu's Winter Vacation Christmas special in which Ash and his friends aid Santa by treating a sick Stantler responsible for pulling his sleigh, similar to famous reindeer of Christmas lore. In the US released Pokémon Christmas Bash music CD, Stantler is also mentioned in song on a few tracks, often as a visual replacement for Santa's reindeer.

In episode 127, "The Little Big Horn", a juvenile Stantler was briefly in the care of Brock, a major recurring character, after it was discovered that it had an injury. By utilizing its special horn orb, it was able to project illusions of several dozen Stantler in its vicinity whenever threatened, an ability that had been referenced in the Pokémon games, yet had not been seen in animated form until this time. By the end of the episode, the Stantler was returned to its family after it had recovered, but not until Team Rocket attempted to capture it with a gigantic Stantler robot that was promptly destroyed.

In episode 474, "Different Strokes for Different Blokes", A Stantler is caught for only a brief moment by Paul, a Pokémon trainer and primary antagonist who captured it just as he and Ash were about to have a match in the middle of the forest that was the Stantler's home. After commenting on how that particular Stantler knew so little special attacks, he quickly released it.

Stantler has played minor roles in several other episodes, including: episodes 126 "Snubbull Snobbery", episode 148 "Tricks of the Trade", episode 191 "Freeze Frame", Episode 243 "Hocus Pokémon", and episode 287 "A Bite To Remember".

In the Pokémon manga
Pokémon Adventures is a manga series based primarily on the Pokémon Game Boy titles and features characters and Pokémon present in the original series. Professor Oak, a prominent character in the Pokémon franchise, and leading authority of Pokémon information in the Pokémon world, had a Stantler in his possession starting with "Chapter 94: Vs. Elekid!". In the following issue, "Vs. Stantler!", Gold, a Pokémon trainer and protagonist of the Gold and Silver series, battled against it. This would be Stantler's first and thus far only Pokémon Adventures appearance.

In the Pokémon Trading Card Game
The Pokémon Trading Card Game is a collectible card game made to simulate a Pokémon battle in the video game series. Players must use cards with individual strengths and weaknesses in an attempt to defeat their opponent by "knocking out" each of their respective Pokémon cards using a variety of attacks and support cards. The game was first published in North America by Wizards of the Coast in 1999, until Nintendo USA started publishing the series in 2003. In that time, Stantler has made four appearances, all being Normal-type Basic Pokémon and Colorless, in the Neo Genesis, Neo Revelation, Skyridge and EX: Unseen Forces expansions.