Pokémon is more than just a series of JRPGs developed by Game Freak and published on Nintendo’s consoles. Pokémon is far bigger than an anime series and Detective Pikachu. Pokémon transcends any one specific medium. Many customers view these games as a reliable hobby that serves as an accessible entry-level RPG, while simultaneously containing enough depth to entertain veterans. However, Pokémon is serious business! Game Freak’s releases birthed a competitive scene fueled by dedicated trainers seeking to challenge for the right to be named as the best!
Pokémon’s trading card game is one way to do battle, but video game players are also spoilt for choice. During any given year, multiple championships are held to weed out the strong among the weak. Pokémon Championship Serieshas already confirmed that Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon’s rosters will serve as the basis for 2019’s competitions. Divided into regional and international tournaments, competitors have approximately three months to earn a predetermined amount of points to place in the top spot. Assembling a balanced team tends to be the difference between victory and defeat; fortunately, the PRO scene has identified a handful of capable fighters who should be able to get the job done!
Everyone has their preferences, but playing favorites is the quickest way to secure a loss. Certain Pokémon might be popular or useful in single-player, but PRO players eat them for breakfast. Here are the 20 most embarrassing Pokémon casuals use (and 10 PRO picks)!
Disclaimer: “Uber” Pokémon are banned from standard competitions. Due to their limited application, this list will make no mention of them.
30 Casuals: Lucario
Starring alongside Mew in Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew and earning a spot on Super Smash Bros. Brawl’s roster, Lucario was inescapable for a short while! Due to people’s familiarity with the fox combatant, Lucario quickly became somewhat of a favorite in the competitive scene.
Nowadays, Lucario’s usefulness is limited to specific situations.
While the Pokémon benefits from a varied movepool and passable offensive stats, Lucario’s low defense is compounded by a vulnerability to “Fight,” “Fire,” or “Ground” skills. Ideally, Lucario should be employed as a sweeper, but the fox’s average speed can be catastrophic!
29 Casuals: Pikachu
Pikachu is Pokémon’s mascot. The adorable rodent exists to sell merchandise and toys. Regardless of one’s attachment to the anime or the dozen Pikachu plush toys showcased on your glass shelf, Ash’s best friend should never be used during a competitive battle. We have all tasted defeat at the hands of Red’s Pikachu, but Pokémon Yellow’s iteration is unattainable.
Over the years, Pikachu has worked tirelessly to expand the brand’s global footprint: the Pokémon has earned a break! Leave Pikachu for single-player and live-action anime adaptations.
28 Master: Garchomp
Competitive battles are divided into numerous tiers that determine whether a Pokémon is eligible for a particular contest. As the level beneath “Uber,” “Overused” lists more than 50 of the metagame’s most valuable combatants. Introduced in Generation IV, Garchomp was eventually neutered to diminish the Pokémon’s frankly broken nature. Nevertheless, the dragon still ranks among the tier’s standout fighters.
Garchomp’s versatility is its greatest strength! Whether employed as an offensive or defensive unit, Garchomp has the necessary skills to ruin an opponent’s day. Unless battling a Pokémon with ice attacks, Garchomp should be fine!
27 Casuals: Machamp
With the exception of Mega evolutions, Generation I’s roster is better ignored. Now, in all fairness, certain Pokémon can be serviceable given the right situation; however, trainers striving to enter the competitive scene should not base their picks on nostalgia.
Landing somewhere in the middle between a wrestler and a Greek demigod, Machamp is a powerhouse who crawls rather than sprints.
Permitted enough turns, the bodybuilder can land a significant blow, but Machamp’s embarrassing speed guarantees damage will be received. Crucially, the Pokémon’s defense is not quite high enough to compensate.
26 Casuals: Dragonite
A sweeper acts as a team’s clean-up crew. Generally, a Pokémon is either fast or powerful, but certain abilities provide stat boosts which effectively turn the benefactor into a KO machine. Dragonite’s “Dragon Dance” circumvents the beloved monster’s underwhelming speed, while “Multiscale” is also a lifesaver.
Dragonite should not be underestimated, but the Generation I veteran is far from an intimidating opponent. While most candidates fall within a specific tier, certain Pokémon are banned from a lower level while simultaneously being too vulnerable for the next step. Forbidden from any tier beneath “Overused” but possessing too many glaring weaknesses for standard competitions, Dragonite is stuck in limbo!
25 Master: Mew
Mewtwo is only permitted in “Uber” classified matches, but the original version ranks as a rare example of a legendary Pokémon judged to be acceptable for standard battles. Mew is the living embodiment of a team player, as the adorable creature shines the brightest when employed as a supporting performer.
That is not to say Mew lacks devastating moves, but it should primarily be used as a pivot deployed as the need arises. With the exception of a handful of types, Mew should be able to survive most encounters.
24 Casuals: Miltank
Whitney’s Miltank spammed “Rollout” on route to steamrolling many hopeful young trainers striving to earn their Plain Badge. Back in the day, Miltank’s presence evoked cries of frustrating and fear; nowadays, the cow elicits little more than mild confusion.
Pairing up a high defense with a respectable mix of support and attack abilities, Miltank can be effective against a large chunk of the metagame. However, any positives are undermined by an unspectacular special defense and a vulnerability against “Fight” types. As a “Normal” Pokémon, Miltank’s attacks never benefit from a damage boost.
23 Casuals: Eevee’s Evolutions
Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! cemented the fox’s status as the franchise’s second mascot. Dating back to Generation I, Eevee is the Pokémon most likely to be raised as a pet. It is simply adorable. Capable of evolving into eight elemental forms, Eevee’s general flexibility compliments the single-player’s accessible nature.
Competitive battles favor Pokémon with niche abilities, and Eevee’s evolutions are simply too barebones to be worth recommending.
Flareon, Vaporeon, and Jolteon are comfortably the worst of the bunch, as each element has produced multiple superior candidates.
22 Master: Volcarona
Volcarona’s design is hardly the only intense thing about this Pokémon! Classified in the “Overused” tier, Volcarona demolishes most opponents. The bug is notably vulnerable to “Stealth Rock” and struggles against “Flying” types, but “Quiver Dance” makes up for these weak spots. The support move elevates Volcarona’s special attack, special defense, and speed.
Generation VII introduced Z-Moves, extremely powerful attacks forged from a trainer’s bond with their Pokémon, and Volcarona happens to possess some of the strongest Z-Moves in the game!
21 Casuals: Ditto
Ditto claim to fame is “Imposter,” an ability that permits the gooey blob to mimic the opponent’s chosen Pokémon. If used wisely, Ditto can be set up to counter sweepers, but the copycat’s stats remain the same after completing the transformation.
Fighting fire with fire sounds interesting in theory, but Ditto’s flame rarely amounts to anything more than a flicker. Alongside learning its opponent’s moves, Ditto also copies its weaknesses; consequently, all combatants tend to know an effective way to eliminate their own.
20 Casuals: Gardevoir
Gardevoir is a glass cannon. Adding to an already impressive base stat, “Calm Mind” elevates the fairy’s special attack to absurd heights, and Gardevoir’s moveset makes good use of this power. Unfortunately, a light touch is all that is needed to shatter this beautiful creature into countless pieces.
Gardevoir’s painfully low physical defense turns battles into a contest to see who can land the first blow. Equipping “Choice Scarf” elevates the Pokémon’s speed by 50%, but Gardevoir’s weakness is simply too pronounced to be bypassed.
19 Master: Blacephalon
Once Blacephalon builds up a head of steam, there is no stopping it! Inaugurated in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, this quirky creature belongs to an elite group of monsters known as the Ultra Beasts. While not without flaws, Blacephalon’s staggering special attack is near unstoppable, and the Ultra Beast is no slouch when it comes to speed or physical attacks.
Ultra Beasts benefit from an ability that automatically boosts the Pokémon’s highest statistic after defeating an opponent.
Gardevoir and Blacephalon are both glass cannons, but the latter possesses just enough tricks to justify the risk. Strong and weak against multiple types, Blacephalon should only be used strategically.
18 Casuals: Nidoking
Nidoking’s abilities transform the massive beast into a powerhouse. “Sheer Force” sacrifices a move’s secondary effect in favor of an increase in strength, while the poisonous Pokémon is effective against seven different types!
Experienced players should presumably not struggle too much against the veteran combatant; nevertheless, Nidoking is a decent option for most encounters. So, why did he make the cut? Well, Nidoqueen is simply a sturdier candidate. Neither gender is especially effective, but the queen trounces the king every day of the week.
17 Casuals: Slowking
Competitive matches are typically won before a hit is even landed. If participating in the “Overused” category, trainers should assume their opponent will own a Volcarona or a Greninja. Rather than stacking the team with the hardest hitters, victory is rewarded to those who come prepared to nullify the enemy.
Vulnerable to “Dark,” “Electric,” “Bug,” “Grass,” and “Ghost” Pokémon, Slowking’s weaknesses are too wide-spread and easily exploited. In terms of abilities, the drowsy ruler is actually quite impressive and reliable; unfortunately, Slowking’s pathetic speed means the Pokémon nearly always has to tank a direct hit.
16 Master: Zapdos
Out of the three legendary birds, Zapdos is the only one who has remained a viable option. Classified as part of the “Overused” tier, the electrifying creature is resistant to six unique types; conversely, “Ice” and “Rock” attacks are Zapdos’ sole elemental weaknesses.
The legend’s offensive prowess is nothing too extraordinary, but Zapdos should be primarily utilized as a counter for the likes of Mega Scizor and Mega Pinsir. “Roost” heals 50% of the bird’s health, allowing Zapdos to outlast many of its contemporaries. Honestly, Zapdos is hardly among the tier’s standout entries, but Generation I needs some love!
15 Casuals: Raichu
Raichu’s fantastic pace permits Pikachu’s evolution to serve as a reliable revenge attacker, as most opponents will be left with no choice but to surrender the first blow. It has a move that boosts Raichu’s special attack, but the rat’s fragility means trainers cannot afford to allow multiple hits to land.
At its best, Raichu strikes a quick blow before switching with another combatant, a strategy implemented efficiently using “Volt Switch,” a move that automatically substitutes the Pokémon.
14 Casuals: Blastoise
We hate to say it, but the RPGs’ starters are mostly trash in the competitive scene. Perpetually languishing among the lowest tiers, Blastoise is undesirable.
Even if one were to ignore the “Overused” Pokémon, Squirtle’s evolution is a mediocre “Water” type, and that is putting it nicely.
Recovery items cannot be used in competitions; as a replacement, the majority of Pokémon learn recovery abilities. Anyone lacking a reliable healing option is at a significant disadvantage, and Blastoise amplifies this shortcoming with a glaring weakness against “Grass” and “Electric” types.
13 Master: Gastrodon
Speaking of “Water” Pokémon, Gastrodon’s uninspiring stats are somewhat misleading. Painfully slow and possessing only slightly above average defense, the Sinnoh monster might seem like a rather vulnerable candidate. Now, in all fairness, Gastrodon’s usefulness is limited to special situations, but the Pokémon stands out due to its versatile resistance and one weakness.
Consequently, Gastrodon is a brilliant counter to popular “Overused” Pokémon like Heatran and Magearna. With access to a solid recovery ability, Gastrodon helps chip away at the opponent’s health while maintaining a dependable safety net.
12 Casuals: Snorlax
Snorlax’s 15 minutes of fame has gradually come to an end. The personification of laziness, Snorlax featured prominently among the higher tiers for a significant number of years, but the Generation I Pokémon’s failings have become too pronounced to merit a recommendation. As players strive to learn their Achilles heels, the youngest Pokémon tend to dominate the “Overused” and “Underused” categories.
Comparatively, anyone with a passing interest in the competitive scene should be familiar with Snorlax’s standard tactic. “Curse” raises Snorlax’s attack and defense, but the fighter’s bulky design does not translate to its defensive capabilities.
11 Casuals: Steelix
Onix is a huge snake made out of stone. How is this monster not incredible? Alongside to serving as the first memorable gym battle in the franchise’s gaming history, Brock eventually earns a Steelix and a Mega Steelix in the anime! With such a storied legacy, it seems reasonable to assume that Steelix should be a pretty solid option.
Well, that’s not the case. Putting aside an exceptionally high defense and a handful of powerful moves, Steelix is weak to four of the most common types in any tier. How is it possible to be vulnerable to both “Fire” and “Water?”
