Pokémon you think are underrated

[Ophie]

Kingler is definitely underrated. Even with its new GMax form I still don’t see it being used very often or even talked about past the first two months after SwSh were released. Venonat and Venomoth also seem to be underrated. They don’t even appear in any Pokédex that doesn’t have you being in Kanto at some point in the game. Every other Gen I Pokemon appear in at least one additional Dex that is outside of the Kanto and Johto region. Even the Legendaries and Mew.

I've been long awaiting for Venomoth to return in some region's native Pokédex. They tried real hard to give it more attention by some then-unique, nifty Abilities like Tinted Lens and Wonder Skin, but they've all since been used by other Pokémon as well (notably Sigilyph, who is similarly not talked about much).

As for Kingler, I've always felt it got potential ever since the physical/special split in Generation IV. That being said, I think this is a Pokémon that will eventually get its day, even if it might not even be in this generation. Tentacruel was long dismissed as fodder until Generation V when it was discovered that this thing has a lot of resistances, very nice Special Defense, Rapid Spin, and Liquid Ooze to discourage Leech Seed, and it's been hanging on since, even if Toxapex stole its thunder in a big way.

Generations 5 through 8 have a LOT of underrated Pokemon that really do need some more love. Seismitoad, Lilligant, Galvantula, Florges, Pyroar, Gogoat, Clawitzer, Wishiwashi, Lurantis, Boltund, Sandaconda and Copperajah just to name a handful. As far as pre-Gen 5, I think Lanturn is massively underrated, I've heard a lot of people call it average or even down right weak, but every time I've had Lanturn on a playthrough team it's been an MVP and does really well.

Lanturn came up a couple of times in the Armor Beginnings competition; I had a surprisingly hard time with them. That beig said, I only saw them among Japanese players. Those guys really know how to think outside the box when it comes to making teams.

(By the way, Seismitoad has since become a staple of rain teams.)

I do agree with the rest of those, but Pyroar, for some reason, gets Abilities that boost Attack despite its Attack not being that great (which is odd considering the animal it's based on) but a much better Special Attack. I get the hunch Pyroar will see a lot more use if, say, Unnerve or Moxie is replaced with Competitive...which might not really happen, not only because Pyroar already has three Abilities, but lions in real life are not competitive creatures. (I think I'll go put a more in-depth explanation on that in the "Did You Know?" topic.)

 

[jaden767]

Slurpuff line, Speitzee line, Litleo line....

The Spritzee line is criminally underrated. I mean I get that Aromatisse looks really weird but Spritzee is super cute but I got the feeling during the 6th generation that most people preferred Flabebe and its evos over Spritzee.

 

[Ishiftyounot]

Politoed

- an odd choice to be sure! I used it in HeartGold (a game which gave me access to Gyarados, Slowking, Quagsire and more as more viable Water type alternatives) and it was pretty decent up until Lance where it cemented itself as one of my best party members. Competitively it sucked until Gen V where it got Drizzle and suddenly we had weather wars in OU despite it's more average stats, which coincidentally is when I got into competitive Pokemon. Gen VI then ruined that by limiting weather turns, and Gen VII gave Pelipper the same ability except the birb could hit harder, pivot out and heal itself. Such a fall from grace. Politoed does have some solid credentials though with a solid amount of utility in moves like Encore, Perish Song and Hypnosis, and good coverage with Water STAB, Ice Beam, Psychic and Focus Blast. A shame it's not used more really!

 

[NovaBrunswick]

I admit that I really don't like Maractus. To me it's one of those Gen 5 Pokemon that I felt could've been an evolved form of an older Pokemon similar to Alomomola and Bouffalant. I like Cacnea and Cacturne though. :]

Didn't we all think Alomomola was the evolution of Luvdisc at first? Some people also thought Bouffalant was Tauros's evo, until it was confirmed that no Pokémon from previous gens would appear in B/W (at least not until the post-game).

They tried real hard to give it more attention by some then-unique, nifty Abilities like Tinted Lens and Wonder Skin, but they've all since been used by other Pokémon as well (notably Sigilyph, who is similarly not talked about much).

Sigilyph was used by a few NPCs in Gen 5, including N and Caitlin (I think?)

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

Didn't we all think Alomomola was the evolution of Luvdisc at first? Some people also thought Bouffalant was Tauros's evo, until it was confirmed that no Pokémon from previous gens would appear in B/W (at least not until the post-game).



Sigilyph was used by a few NPCs in Gen 5, including N and Caitlin (I think?)

Caitlin did use Sigilyph on her team and it was one of the special N Pokémon you could catch in BW2.

 

[Aduro]

I think a lot of people don't realise how incredible Alolan Persian is in VGC.

With Fur Coat, its one of the most physically bulky mons around. Its faster than a lot of crucial pokemon. And it gets absolutely tons of moves which stop opponent pulling off their win conditions. Snarl, Fake Out, Parting Shot, Flatter, Fake Tears, Taunt and many more.

 

[Leonhart]

Politoed

- an odd choice to be sure! I used it in HeartGold (a game which gave me access to Gyarados, Slowking, Quagsire and more as more viable Water type alternatives) and it was pretty decent up until Lance where it cemented itself as one of my best party members. Competitively it sucked until Gen V where it got Drizzle and suddenly we had weather wars in OU despite it's more average stats, which coincidentally is when I got into competitive Pokemon. Gen VI then ruined that by limiting weather turns, and Gen VII gave Pelipper the same ability except the birb could hit harder, pivot out and heal itself. Such a fall from grace. Politoed does have some solid credentials though with a solid amount of utility in moves like Encore, Perish Song and Hypnosis, and good coverage with Water STAB, Ice Beam, Psychic and Focus Blast. A shame it's not used more really!

I admit that I have a love-hate relationship with the species: I liked it in the anime and main series games, but I detest the species in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games, particularly in Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky because of its habit of using Perish Song.

 

[Ophie]

I think a lot of people don't realise how incredible Alolan Persian is in VGC.

With Fur Coat, its one of the most physically bulky mons around. Its faster than a lot of crucial pokemon. And it gets absolutely tons of moves which stop opponent pulling off their win conditions. Snarl, Fake Out, Parting Shot, Flatter, Fake Tears, Taunt and many more.

Yeah, there seems to be a similar strategy around Alolan Persian the way there's one emerging around Thievul (pair with Grassy Terrain Rillaboom, Grassy Seed raises Thievul's Defense and triggers Unburden, Thievul starts using Snarl to lower the opposing Pokémon's Special Attack, Thievul uses Parting Shot when HP gets low), who was also another underappreciated Pokémon but seems to be getting its day now.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

Is Altaria underrated? Because I don’t hear anyone talking about it very much or see it get used much outside of its Mega. So with no Mega now I just wonder if anyone will still consider using it.

 

[Nodqfan]

Even without its mega with the defense boost and Magic Bounce, I think Sableye is underrated especially with Prankster as its ability granting priority to moves like Quash, Taunt, and Will-O Wisp and many other moves that its able to learn make it still useful.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

Is Altaria underrated? Because I don’t hear anyone talking about it very much or see it get used much outside of its Mega. So with no Mega now I just wonder if anyone will still consider using it.

Altaria seems pretty popular enough. Winona also had an Altaria.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

Altaria seems pretty popular enough. Winona also had an Altaria.

It’s only popular for the Hoenn games and Mega. Most of the time Altaria is only talked about for being on Winona’s team and not much else. Its Mega get more love than its regular form because of its typing.

 

[Luthor]

I'm going to say Arctozolt. Certainly for in-game play it was really was very useful and I think that in the right circumstances it could be extremely good.

 

[Leonhart]

Is Altaria underrated? Because I don’t hear anyone talking about it very much or see it get used much outside of its Mega. So with no Mega now I just wonder if anyone will still consider using it.

I don't think it was that popular prior to it receiving a Mega Evolution and becoming Lutia's (Lisia's) ace Pokemon in OR/AS. Personally, I always thought it was rather bland, although I did use one in Omega Ruby recently.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I don't think it was that popular prior to it receiving a Mega Evolution and becoming Lutia's (Lisia's) ace Pokemon in OR/AS. Personally, I always thought it was rather bland, although I did use one in Omega Ruby recently.

That’s what I meant. Until it got a Mega, Altaria got very little attention despite it being a Dragon type that didn’t look reptilian and it had a pretty good move pool. Then it got a Mega with a completely unique typing and immunity from its regular form’s biggest weakness. Then everyone was using it during ORAS gameplays. Then SM came out and Altaria was shoved aside for Z-Moves.

 

[mehmeh1]

Carracosta (usually forgotten in comparison to Archeops, who is also quite underrated tbh), Tangela (nobody talks about good ole' noodle blob), Marshtomp (he's derpy and that's his charm)

 

[Auraninja]

This right here is exactly the reason why the Greninja favouritism annoys me so greatly. It got all the special treatment in the world while its fellow starters got squat. The Chespin and Fennekin lines might as well have not existed and no one would have noticed because Froakie was really the only one everyone seem to care about (and it shows).

Honestly, I just like Greninja because it's a frog.
I also like Heliosk because it's a lizard.

I will die on the Corsola hill. I'm not saying that (regular) Corsola is competitively viable, but it has such a cute appeal and a great lore behind it.

Probably my favorite marine Pokemon.

 

[OshyHikari]

I will die on the Corsola hill. I'm not saying that (regular) Corsola is competitively viable, but it has such a cute appeal and a great lore behind it.

Probably my favorite marine Pokemon.

I'm with you. Corsola can be very bulky when in the right hands, and it actually has one of my favourite shinies of any Pokemon. There's something so beautiful about that aqua blue colour.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

I'm going to say Arctozolt. Certainly for in-game play it was really was very useful and I think that in the right circumstances it could be extremely good.

I did say that I think the Galar fossils are rather underrated, since they're pretty unique to all the other regional fossils and people don't seem to pay much attention to them.

That’s what I meant. Until it got a Mega, Altaria got very little attention despite it being a Dragon type that didn’t look reptilian and it had a pretty good move pool. Then it got a Mega with a completely unique typing and immunity from its regular form’s biggest weakness. Then everyone was using it during ORAS gameplays. Then SM came out and Altaria was shoved aside for Z-Moves.

Pokémon logic: Altaria is a dragon, but Charizard isn't. (At least not in its non-Mega form, anyway.)

I will die on the Corsola hill. I'm not saying that (regular) Corsola is competitively viable, but it has such a cute appeal and a great lore behind it.

Probably my favorite marine Pokemon.

And it got even more of a tragic backstory in Sword/Shield with a new Ghost-type Galarian form and the effects of climate change on it.

 

[Auraninja]

And it got even more of a tragic backstory in Sword/Shield with a new Ghost-type Galarian form and the effects of climate change on it.

It should be noted that they aren't talking about anthropogenic climate change with G. Corsola, but ancient climate change associated with the meteor that ended the Mesozoic.