Top 50 Pokémon: Rainbow Rocket blasts off again!

[Kirin]

18th
#701 Hawlucha
Wrestling Pokémon
Fighting / Flying
First Discovered: Kalos Region (Gen VI, X/Y)
Score: 85 - Votes: 3 - Highest vote: 1st (Rascally Badger)​

It always strikes a pose before going for its finishing move. Sometimes opponents take advantage of that time to counterattack.

It’s the smallest luchador! Hawlucha has very good Speed and the Unburden ability, which doubles its Speed once it loses its item. This pairs very nicely with one of the seeds that sets terrain on switch-in, such as the Electric Seed, and with the Acrobatics move, which deals double damage if the user has no held item.

Ehh? How’s this pipsqueak supposed to be scary?

Size will only take a fighter so far. I admire Hawlucha’s fighting spirit.

Even though it’s Gen VI, we don’t have this cool bird yet! Everyone assumes that it’ll be a Battle League exclusive prize when it does show up. We did get Pikachu Libre, which shares its luchador aesthetic and its amazing move Flying Press. Glad I get to see it in action here at least!

A wrestling bird. I love 'em

 

[Rascally Badger]

That's my boy!

 

[RT-55J]

those talons on its wings are terrifying.

 

[Falselogic]

My 'lil wrestling bird! #2 on my list.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

21st (tie)
#083 Farfetch’d
Wild Duck Pokémon
Normal / Flying
First Discovered: Kanto Region (Gen I, Red/Blue/Green)
Score: 80 - Votes: 3 - Highest vote: 1st (Ixo)​

These are some, uh, interesting picks from the leader of Team Galactic. Giovanni, do you have any commentary?

Cyrus wasn’t notified about the tournament until two days ago. The responsible party has been dealt with.

Farfetch’d has a respectable Attack stat, a good movepool, and a good signature item. Unfortunately, it’s slow and frail, making it hard to use.

I like to use Farfetch’d with a nice orange glaze.

James, stop drooling!

I haven’t eaten today!

Yeah, combat-wise the Farfetch’d family didn’t make a splash until Sirfetch’d who we saw earlier, but it’s got a lot of panache. One of the first set of regional exclusives, it could only be found in Japan for several years and is still sequestered there outside of certain events.

The game made me call him Dux and that is some bullshit.

 

[Torzelbaum]

The game made me call him Dux and that is some bullshi

do

 

[Kirin]

Oooh, I want that shiny.

 

[Kirin]

17th
#197 Umbreon
Moonlight Pokémon
Dark
First Discovered: Johto Region (Gen II, Gold/Silver)
Score: 90 - Votes: 3 - Highest vote: 1st (conchobhar)​

When this Pokémon becomes angry, its pores secrete a poisonous sweat, which it sprays at its opponent's eyes.

After Sylveon, Umbreon is the most popular Eeveelution in VGC. Umbreon has better Defense, but Sylveon has the better type. Still, Umbreon is incredibly hard to take down, and its Foul Play deals damage based on the opponent’s Attack, allowing it to retain some offensive presence despite a fully defensive build.

It’s… edgy.

So that’s his team?

This one’s in the bag!

Just like in this world, Umbreon in GO is a cute little tank which has made it a mainstay of Great League GBL forever; it just takes hits for days. In fact it was on one of my first teams! Bonus if it’s shiny with the cool blue Tron rings.

A streamer friend I watch uses an anthropomorphized Umbreon as their vtuber avatar. That definitely had no influence my placement here. :3

 

[Torzelbaum]

I really love how Hawlucha's shiny colour scheme makes it look like the perfect "heel" to the other one's "face."

Um actually, if Hawlucha is based on lucha libre wrestlers then the correct terms would be rudo and técnico.

 

[Rascally Badger]

Shiny Hawlucha is the only shiny I have.

I've played nearly every Pokemon game right at launch. I don't know that I've seen a pokemon since first generation where I immediately decided that I loved that little guy. Except Hawlucha. I found one in Y, and have basically never not rostered one on my team for any time that using Hawlucha was an option since.

 

[Kirin]

Intermission 3: Jessie and James vs Cyrus​

Did you find a sixth Pokémon?

(whisper, whisper) We’ve got a plan!

James, this is a terrible idea!

So you have a better idea?

Well…

Time’s up. Hit the stage.

Team Rocket leads Mewtwo and Eevee into Cyrus’s Scyther and Umbreon. Good call on Cyrus’s part – that duo threatens a round 1 KO on Mewtwo. But Mewtwo isn’t having it! It KOs Scyther with a single Ice Beam. Umbreon takes Mewtwo down to a quarter health with a Foul Play, and Eevee… is that what I think it is?

A Z-Move? That wasn’t allowed in this format! …I approve.

It’s Extreme Evoboost! That’ll double all of Eevee’s stats, taking it from a joke to a powerhouse. Cyrus responds by bringing in Hawlucha, who creates electric terrain with its Electric Seed. Hawlucha outspeeds and takes out Mewtwo with Acrobatics. The boosted Eevee takes out Hawlucha in a single Body Slam, and Umbreon’s Foul Play takes Eevee to about half health. What an action-packed round!

So much for Mewtwo.

Cyrus brings in Empoleon, and Jessie sends out… Persian? That wasn’t on the list.

It can’t be… No! Stop the match!

No… Surely they didn’t.

Oh, but they did. Jessie! James! This is beyond the pale! Steal anything from anyone, but do not steal my Persian!

I told you this was a terrible plan!

What? I told you it was a terrible plan!

Get those two out of my sight.

But I can stick around, right?

… … …Yes.

 

[Kirin]

Well, that was… a spectacle. I feel like things aren’t really going to plan here.

It’s… fine. Some minor obstacles that don’t impede my larger goals. That’s all.

Oh! It's Lysandre: genius inventor, CEO of Lysandre Labs, and leader of Team Flare, the most stylish criminal organization on the planet! You'd think someone this wealthy would have no need to turn to organized crime, but he has some serious hangups about anything he perceives to be less than beautiful. A little therapy would've made him a productive member of society. It's a shame, really.

Have you considered that perhaps the irregularity that made him try to take over the world might also be responsible for his inventiveness?

A true conundrum if so.

15th (tie)
#569 Garbodor
Trash Heap Pokémon
Poison
First Discovered: Unova Region (Gen V, Black/White)
Score: 95 - Votes: 4 - Highest vote: 4th (Rascally Badger)​

This Pokémon eats trash, which turns into poison inside its body. The main component of the poison depends on what sort of trash was eaten.

Garbodor is one of only 32 Pokémon known to have the ability to Gigantamax. This is something of a curiosity: every other Gigantamax-capable Pokémon is native to either Galar or Kanto. Why has this trash heap been given this gift? The world may never know.

The smell… I’m gonna be sick.

Humans’ limited sense of smell has its advantages.

It’s got an interesting move set, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone actually use this trash heap for anything. So… this should be novel?

Somehow this gross trash monster wraps back around to cute.

A lot of people will point to this pile of junk as a way of saying the series has jumped the shark. No way. It's a great design.

 

[Falselogic]

Only Pokemon could make trash adorable.

 

[Torzelbaum]

I had Garbodor at #20. I like the base form but I really like the Gigantamax form.

 

[Rascally Badger]

I like the pokemon made of trash. My your heart be filled with love and garbage.

 

[Kirin]

15th (tie)
#724 Decidueye
Arrow Quill Pokémon
Grass / Ghost
First Discovered: Alola Region (Gen VII, Sun/Moon)
Score: 95 - Votes: 4 - Highest vote: 2nd (Beta Metroid)​

It nocks its arrow quills and shoots them at opponents. When it simply can't afford to miss, it tugs the vine on its head to improve its focus.

Decidueye has very good Attack and Sp. Attack, allowing it to build into Giga Drain and Shadow Ball or Leaf Blade and Spirit Shackle. This can make it tricky to deal with. It has middling Speed, Defense, and HP, though, so it’s also fairly tricky to use effectively. While Grass and Ghost have surprisingly good offensive coverage, Decidueye struggles against Normal/Flying types.

Imagine being unable to beat a bird!

Hmm… But it is also a bird, is it not?

Ranger Owl here has the *potential* to be good in GO, but the Gen VII starters haven’t yet gotten their special CD moves yet, and it’s currently saddled with a gravely lackluster moveset. Hopefully after a future move shake-up it’ll have its chance to be awesome.

Oh my goodness. It's a D&D character, but it's also an owl.

 

[Johnny Unusual]

Never seen the monster before but immediately thought of this.

 

[Beta Metroid]

My daughter is really into owls, which has led me to gravitate toward them in media, and as a dude who's always gravitated toward Grass starters, this spooky archer owl just appeals to my inner 12-year-old.

With said history of Grass starters, I've long since accepted that they're going to have approximately 15 weaknesses, and Decidueye actually doesn't fare too badly on that front! And as the entry stated, some nice offensive coverage.

 

[Falselogic]

Decidueye was in my final team for Moon. They're great.

 

[Kirin]

14th
#132 Ditto
Transform Pokémon
Normal
First Discovered: Kanto Region (Gen I, Red/Blue/Green)
Score: 102 - Votes: 4 - Highest vote: 5th (Adrenaline, Torzelbaum)​

Its transformation ability is perfect. However, if made to laugh, it can't maintain its disguise.

Friend of Pokémon breeders the world over, it’s a little-known secret that Ditto can also battle! Competitively, Ditto finds the most use in formats that allow one or two restricted Pokémon on a team. This lets the little guy duplicate the strongest Pokémon on the opposing team, breaking the power ceiling just a bit. Of course, while Ditto’s other stats transform to match the target’s, its low HP does not change. Because of this, the Speed-boosting Choice Scarf is the held item of choice for Ditto as a way of ensuring it adds value to the team before getting knocked out. Oh, and here’s your Ditto fact for the day: for a long time, it had the same cry as Poliwag. Kalosian Ditto were the first discovered Ditto to use a unique cry.

You say it’s Normal-type, but it’s pretty weird!

Sadly we don’t have breeding in GO, and Ditto isn’t allowed in GBL, though it can be a fun meme pick for gym defense. It is one of only a few ‘mon to have a unique encounter method; there’s a shifting set of other Pokémon it will disguise itself as in the wild, only revealing its true form after you catch it, which makes it tricky to find since you just have to target the eligible species and hope for the best. We also got its shiny as part of a Kanto celebration a while back, which is fun.

Another fun Ditto fact: its name in Japanese is "Metamon", which is pretty great.

All the pokeymans at once.

 

[Torzelbaum]

Just a fun little ever-smiling 'mon that can be anymon.

I also find this tidbit about it to be quite interesting:

Ditto Group: As the name implies, Ditto is the only Pokémon in this [egg] group, and is capable of breeding with all other Pokémon (regardless of gender) aside from those in the No Eggs Discovered and Ditto groups

Take from that what you will.

 

[Kirin]

Huh, I actually didn’t know that Ditto can’t breed with other Ditto.

 

[Adrenaline]

Another existentially terrifying monster

 

[Kirin]

13th
#007 Squirtle
Tiny Turtle Pokémon
Water
First Discovered: Kanto Region (Gen I, Red/Blue/Green)
Score: 105 - Votes: 4 - Highest vote: 1st (Adrenaline)​

Squirtle's shell is not merely used for protection. The shell's rounded shape and the grooves on its surface help minimize resistance in water, enabling this Pokémon to swim at high speeds.

Squirtle has no real competitive niche, but how can you not love it? I assume Squirtle is acting as a mascot for Lysandre.

I agree with your assessment. Form trumps function for criminal overlords, and nowhere is this more true than in Team Flare.

Squirtle showed up in sunglasses in an early memorable Community Day variation. It’s also worn a party hat, a visor, and a pretty cool Yamask-themed Halloween top hat - nowhere near the number of outfits perennial cosplayer and hat-collector Pikachu has gotten, but still a respectable showing.

Squirtle in sunglasses is just the coolest. Squirtles running deep also the coolest. Hands down the best G1 Starter. Charmander and Bulbasaur are just losers with no friends.

 

[Torzelbaum]

I had Squirtle at #10 but that vote really was mostly for this guy:

 

[Falselogic]

Squirtle Squad!

 

[Adrenaline]

He's a little turtle guy.

 

[Kirin]

12th
#130 Gyarados
Atrocious Pokémon
Water / Flying
First Discovered: Kanto Region (Gen I, Red/Blue/Green)
Score: 108 - Votes: 5 - Highest vote: 8th (JBear, Beta Metroid)​

A tale is told of a town that angered Gyarados. Before the sun rose the next day, flames utterly consumed the town, leaving not a trace behind.

Gyarados has been a fan favorite since the very beginning due to its power and accessibility – you can catch a Magikarp just about anywhere, after all. It has a fantastic stat distribution, great abilities in Intimidate and Moxie, and everyone’s favorite setup move, Dragon Dance. The last several generations have been less kind to Gyarados, since newer and better physical moves have been introduced to Water and Flying that Gyarados can’t use. Liquidation, Fishious Rend, and Acrobatics would be game-changers for the sea monster, but aside from the Grass-type Power Whip, it hasn’t received a new move since gen 3: it’s stuck with Waterfall and Bounce. In fact, Hurricane is the only other Flying-type move Gyarados can learn. Its shallow movepool has not prevented it from being one of the most popular Pokémon in the ’dex.

Well here’s what you get for your 400 Magikarp candies. Gyarados was a powerhouse in the early days, and continues to be quite usable even now. (Waterfall is a high-power fast move in GO, and it can also go Dark with Bite/Crunch or Dragon with DragonBreath/Outrage if needed.) The Mega form we got recently has given it another niche with the addition of Dark typing for STAB.

Useful but not as cute as Magicarp

Everybody loves an underdog story, and this underdog turns into a big scary flying water dragon who can learn a bunch of TMs. He was on my end-game team in the original game.

 

[Falselogic]

Gyarados would be the perfect pokemon if you just flailed around a little bit when he attacked. Another member of my final team in the original game.

 

[Beta Metroid]

One of Pokemon's coolest concepts. Wild that they adamantly refuse to give it Dragon typing, even in Mega form.