Topic: Underrated Pokemon

[SirBlaziken]

There are pokemon out there that no one really cares about, due to others having the same typing or work better for what they're being used for. So they mostly fade into the background. However, many of them have their own fanbases. Some would even argue that these pokemon deserve more recognition than what they've gotten. What are some pokemon that you think are horribly underrated?

One glaring example of this for me is Flygon. Since I don't feel like making a huge rant full of paragraphs, here's a list:

Flygon's Base Stats: 80/100/80/80/80/100 (For reference)

• Many more powerful, or faster, or more defensive dragons.
• Shares even its dual typing with Garchomp, which has a mega, is more powerful and faster.
• Every, and I mean every, other hoenn final stage dragon, including legends, has a mega. M-Altaria loses the x4 ice weakness with its mega. You know about M-Salamence and M-Rayquaza. Even the lati twins got one.
• Dragonite, which is one of the non-legendary final stage dragons, gets multiscale, a very powerful ability imo, as its hidden ability.
• While Hydregon and Haxorus don't get mega evolutions, Haxorus has a decent 97 base speed and an obscene 147 base attack. Hydregon is 95, making both below flygon in speed, but Hydregon has a 105 attack and 125 special attack.
• Goodra, although has an 80 base speed, has 100 attack, 110 speed, and an outrageous (for a dragon and in general) 150 base special defense.
• Ampheros (who is my favorite electric type), gains dragon typing upon mega evolution, and has attacking stats of 95/165/45. Even though speed is bad, that makes it good for TR teams, and that SpA is insane.
• The only dragon final stage that Flygon really has a shot to outclass is Druddigon, which doesn't evolve from or into anything, with attacking stats of 120/60/47. However, it has Defenses of both 90, beating flygon. So it's not even a complete outclass.

Those are actual stats, by the way. Also, the evidence I just presented may just be only a few reason why Flygon is outclassed. It is very balanced, however, and many people feel bad because it got left out in ORAS when mega evolutions got passed around. It has its uses, but whatever you want it to do, some other dragon can and will do it better. Gamefreak says that they couldn't agree on a design, and I hope that they do something cool with it.

I would rant on about another pokemon, but i've got to think about another underrated pokemon, and no, this is not intended to be a huge complaining session about how flygon is severely underrated. What is a pokemon you think is underrated and why? Feel free to rant if you with, I mean I did.

[Hahex and Oshawott]

IDK if outclassed=underrated. Cases like flygon are why we have the tier system in Smogon, so that it "theoretically" has a chance to see some use. But now that salamence has fallen from grace I wonder how that's shaken things up? Underrated would mean Pokemon that are low-tiered/considered low viability but are actually much better than people think.

Manaphy and Landorus-I a few months ago I'd say were underrated. If anyone was underrated now I guess Raikou? I've had a lot of fun using it. It's essentially a more offensive and faster version of Rotom-W if you stick an assault vest on it. Sure it doesn't get Will-o-Wisp or any sustain but it switches in on a lot of things and pivots away all speedy like with volt switch. 115 base speed is a really nice tier to have, letting it outspeed base 100s and still having room for some HP investment.

Even with assault vest in the game, it can be difficult to get something that can take special hits reliably. Ferrothorn kinda works, but lots of people run Landorus-T as their wall as Ferro doesn't contribute much offensively. Since he doesn't get much on the special side in terms of EV investment though, he doesn't take special hits that well. No one really wants to run two walls on both sides of the spectrum à la SkarmBliss because Pokemon have been getting stronger since then. But Raikou can take special hits and retaliate pretty damn hard with its zip zap cattiness. In fact, both Landorus-T and Raikou hit pretty hard even when running their respective defensive and assault vest sets. So you have a sweet bulky voltturn core.

I don't personally rate Choice Specs sets that much. Assault vest feels so much more versatile, whereas Choice Specs is more high risk high reward. Doesn't seem to fit my playstyle too much is all.

But yeah, Raikou is a pretty cool Pokemon and I feel like it should be used more. Or not so it doesnt get suspected (well no worries, it's definitely not that strong. But it kinda sucks against other Raikou)

[SirBlaziken]

I kinda forgot to include the perks of flygon using. My bad. XD

Yeah, Azumarill also isn't really taken seriously from what i've seen, but Sitrus berry + Belly drum is surprisingly dangerous.

[Delicious_Scout]

This reminds me of an article Smogon released a while ago: here it is.

[SirBlaziken]

So you're telling me not to use Vaporeon and use that abomination instead? Smogon, what the hell man?

I'm a bit surprised that Mega Steelix isn't seeing more use, though. It's not that bad, although the typing lets it down.

[SaRo|Rapidash]

So you're telling me not to use Vaporeon and use that abomination instead? Smogon, what the hell man?

I'm a bit surprised that Mega Steelix isn't seeing more use, though. It's not that bad, although the typing lets it down.

Ehhh, mega Steelix is pretty terrible. Defensive pokemon without recovery are bad enough, but then when you don't have leftovers and have a fairly average special defence stat it's really not looking good, and then when you're using up a mega slot that could be better filled by Mega-Slowbro or Mega-Venusaur (in terms of defensive teams). That and, as the article pointed out, M-Aggron is infinitely better and is still sub-par haha :')

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I'd say Slurpuff is slightly underrated - not saying it's fantastic but between the Belly Drum set and the CM/CG set it can be kinda difficult to predict. Still not great, but tends to do better than people expect in OU.

[JSM]

Amoonguss <3 No idea if it's still underrated because I haven't played in months, but Amoonguss has a place on all my teams.

[SirBlaziken]

Dick, slurpuff is underrated, but you'll usually find something better for a special attacker or belly drum (Azumarril). I'd use it more, if I had one.

Amoonguss is a lot better than people give it credit for. It can be extremely irritating to get rid of especially if it has regenerator.

[Sizacu]

Ah, I've never really been much of an Amoonguss person. It's very annoying to defeat, haha. Foongus is cute though.

I really like Gorebyss. Their design, the Sapphire dex entry (I believe? About how it basically drinks the prey from the inside out?) but not how you get one </3

[Turner]

I've always been impressed by Parasect whenever I've used one. Spore and False Swipe is really great for catching Pokemon but I also find that in battle I'm usually quite impressed by it, seems to be a lot more nimble and powerful than it looks.

[TatacoolThreat]

I find Sentret and Furret very good pokemon they have an amzing move pool and could be used as an hm slave but either way Furret its is really good in fact for my top 10 under rated pokemon #4 is tied between Bibarel and Furret

[Meowstic Royalty]

Anyone who looks at my username will know EXACTLY who I'll talk about here



Meowstic!

The Pokedex confirms this Pokemon has enough power under its belt (or rather, in its ears) to crush a 10 ton truck.

Unfortunately, it's placing in the PU tier, which is a pun for "it stinks", would suggest otherwise.

We know that the male and female Meowstics have different stats and movepools. The female is more offensive, but unfortunately it does that job terribly and isn't good enough to be usable. Therefore we'll be discussing the male.

The male is more supportive, and able to tank a lot of hits if you predict the opponent right.

Here's the set I use in game.

Meowstic-M
Item: Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
Moves: Thunder Wave, Psychic, Light Screen, Reflect

Just looking at this, the advantage is obvious. Prankster with easy access to both screen moves. Send it out as your first Pokemon and you've got some easy double screens set up pretty quick.

Opponent sends in a physical sweeper? Reflect.
Opponent sends in a special sweeper? Light Screen.
Opponent sends in a smaller or setup? Thunder Wave.

Meowstic's got ya covered. And Psychic is there to utilize it's not terrific, but decent special attack stat. Also ya gotta have an attack in there somewhere.

Another handy advantage is if you send it out against the opponent, they'll rarely have any idea what to do to fight it off. After all, it's got you covered in every way. Most opponents would opt for something powerful and super effective, yet a priority screen completely negates it because after that this tiny fuzzy cat will tank everything you throw at it.

My team in game consists of five death machine sweepers and then this guy.

The rest of my team would never survive without Fate the Shiny Meowstic there to take hits and ensure the rest of the team do as well.

A huge disadvantage of sweepers is that they're usually glass cannons: dealing heavy hits but not able to take hits themselves. Meowstic's priority screens practically double their life in the battlefield, and priority paralyzing can ensure the opponent barely has the opportunity to fight back.

And on top of all that, it's cute and huggable as well.



Look at it.

Daw.

 

[SirBlaziken]

Another pokemon that's underrated is Slowbro.

You saw that right, slowbro.

Sure it has a mega and it's defense is op, but I still feel like it isn't getting the respect it deserves as a great attacking wall.

Slowbro
Ability: Regenerator
Item: Leftovers
Moves: Slack off, Scald, Ice Beam, Psychic/Psyshock

Slack off keeps health off while you're in and regen will boost it when you switch out. Suspect a grass type is coming in? Ice beam wrecks lives. If it's venusaur, psychic makes its mega's ability useless. Suspect a dark type? Switch out for health boost or hit decently with Scald with a decent burn chance. Ghost? Same rules apply. If that ghost is gengar, your psychic move ruins it. Bug type? Tank the U-Turn and move on. Steel type? Scald still helps out. Talonflame ruining your life? Bring slowbro in, which can survive a U-turn or brave bird with relative ease. However, Toxic and Burns will wear it down, especially the former, so a cleric could help out. Plus special attackers do a number on it. If the other pokemon is physical, you'll have a fun time.

This pokemon is my premier physical wall and you'll see it quite often on one of my teams as one of the 3 water types I have on it.