Since debuting in 1996,Pokémonhas become perhaps the world’s highest-grossing media franchise, and certainly one of the most iconic. The series revolves around magical creatures called Pokémon, which human trainers can capture in Pokéballs for transportation and use in battles, contests, and other activities. The franchise includes video games, a trading card game, and various anime, such asthe long-running seriesthat followed Ash Ketchum and its successor,Pokémon Horizons: The Series.
One of the main gimmicks ofPokémonis that the creatures can evolve into stronger forms with enough time and dedication. For some species, this can’t come soon enough, as they are quite weak and helpless before evolution.There are even a few unlucky species that don’t evolve and just cannot stack up against their more powerful brethren, making it difficult to justify using them in a team compared to others.
10Wishiwashi (Solo Form)
Pokédex #746, “The Small Fry Pokémon”
TheAlola region is home to many curious Pokémonwho thrive in its tropical environment. One of the most common sights is Wishiwashi, the smallest Water-type Pokémon, which are constantly preyed upon by other species.While individual Wishiwashi are helpless, they can signal one another with their shining eyes to join forcesand become a powerful School Form to fight off would-be predators.
While the School Form is mighty and a fun gimmick, it comes with some serious drawbacks. Only Wishiwashi level 20 and above can use it in battle, and they will revert to Solo Form if the School Form takes too much damage. This forces it to make do with its pathetic stats, guaranteeing that it’ll be taken out on the next hit.
9Scatterbug
Pokédex #664, “The Scatterdust Pokémon”
Each Pokémon region has certain Pokémon that fit into common themes, such as the early Bug-type that is easy to catch and evolve to introduce the mechanic to new trainers. For the Kalos region, the Bug-type is Scatterbug, a single-toothed caterpillar covered in a fine powder. This powder protects Scatterbug from environmental shifts, and if a predator comes around, Scatterbug defends itself with a paralyzing powder.
Scatterbug’s access to Stun Spore gives it an interesting niche compared to other early-game Bug-Types, but otherwise, it’s pretty mediocre.Tackle is the only offensive move it gets until level 15 gives it Bug Bite, but that means delaying evolution for a move that won’t even be too good on Scatterbug’s final form of Vivillon. Speaking of evolution, Scatterbug evolves into Spewpa at 9 and Vivillon at 12, which is higher than other early Bug-types, who tend to reach their final stage by level 10.
8Kricketot
Pokédex #401, “The Cricket Pokémon”
When night falls upon the Pokémon world, Kricketots come to fill it with music. These little Bug-types bang their antenna together to communicate, and the noise they make is similar to a xylophone. They are loudest on autumn nights when they gather in large numbers, and since their legs are so short, they often trip and knock their antenna together by accident.
Kricketot may be adorable and have a fun gimmick combining music and crickets, but in battle, it’s a far cry fromone of Sinnoh’s best Pokémon. Originally,Kricketot only learned Growl for lowering the enemy’s attack stat, Bide for dealing double the damage it takes over two turns (if it survives that long), and Bug Bite at level 16, which won’t do much due to Kricketot’s low attack. Later games swapped out Bide for Tackle and added Struggle Bug to the list, but its low stats can’t make use of these new tools, and though evolving to Kricketune gives it more options, it’s still an overall weak Bug-type.
Pokédex #10, “The Worm Pokémon”
The original early-game Bug-type, Caterpie, is an adorable caterpillar with a voracious appetite. It spends most of its time eating leaves sometimes bigger than itself, and if threatened, it will emit a foul smell from its antenna. Because of its abundance across many regions and its quick evolution process, it’s a common Pokémon for new trainers to pick up.
What makes Caterpie weaker than some other first-stage Bug-types, such as Weedle and Wurmple, is its typing. While those other options have the Poison-typing to give them better defensive value, Caterpie is pure Bug, and has a very shallow movepool of Tackle, String Shot, and Bug Bite, but acquiring the latter means delaying Caterpie’s evolution into Metapod. Still, Caterpie’s quick evolution means that it won’t stay weak for long, and Butterfree is very useful thanks to its Flying-type and utility moves, making it one of themost popular Kanto Pokémon.
Pokédex #191, “The Seed Pokémon”
First introduced in the Johto Region, Sunkern is a Grass-type Pokémon that tends to be active during the daytime. They are aware of their weakness and thus spend their days immobile, feeding off morning dew, or randomly falling from the sky. Part of the reason for its immobility is that it can conserve energy for its eventual evolution into Sunflora.
Sunflora has the lowest base stat total of any Grass-type at 180, and the lowest HP stat at 20. It gets access to some good Grass-type moves like Giga Drain and Solar Beam, and can set up harsh sunlight with Sunny Day, but pretty much any other Grass-type can do the same and survive an attack from the enemy. You might think that evolution can save Sunkern, but Sunflora goes from terrible to mediocre, and evolution requires a rare Sun Stone, which could be better used on other species like Gloom, Petilil, and Cottonee.
Pokédex #872, “The Worm Pokémon”
Galar introduced a fair few unique Bug-types to the franchise, but the one that stands out the most isthe adorable Pokémon Snom. An Ice and Bug-type, this little worm eats snow and will chew its way to the top of a mountain to get the best, freshly fallen snow on the peak. It cools the air around its body to form icy spikes for protection, and when tired, it hangs from a branch to disguise itself as an icicle.
Snom is the weakest Ice-type Pokémon and learns only two moves by leveling up: Powdered Snow to lower the opponent’s speed, and Struggle Bug to lower their special attack. Its typing also does it no favors, as it has a quadruple weakness to Rock and Fire-type attacks. Things do look up once it evolves into Frostmoth, but to do so, Snom needs to love its trainer and level up at night, which can be tedious to fulfill due to the friendship mechanic and Snom’s poor performance in battle.
Pokédex #824, “The Larva Pokémon”
Galar’s early Bug-type is Blipbug, whose big reflective eyes and little bowtie give it an inquisitive, scholarly look. This is fitting, as Blipbug is quite intelligent and always on the hunt for more knowledge. They are a common sight in gardens, but can be easily dealt with because, while they are quite smart, they are physically weak.
Blipbug’s stats are predictably low, with special defense and speed being the only areas it could be considered “average.” However, what truly makes it the worst early Bug is that it only learns one move, Struggle Bug. The only good thing that can be said about Blipbug, aside from its cute design, is that it evolves quickly into the Psychic and Bug-type Dottler by level 10, gains more defenses and moves, and feels like it has a chance of surviving up to level 30 and becoming an Orbeetle.
Pokédex #129, “The Fish Pokémon”
Many Pokémon can be found in rivers, lakes, and the sea, but the most common is Magikarp. This Water-type has a strong immune system, which allows them to thrive in any environment, which is good, because their swimming speed is so poor that they often get swept away by currents. When it comes to battling, the best that most Magikarp can do is flop around.
Now, any experienced trainer knows that, at level 20,Magikarp goes through the inspiring evolution into Gyarados. Unfortunately, since Magikarp can’t do anything most of the way there, trainers need to find ways to share experience earned from battling, either by swapping it in and out of battle, or using items like the EXP Share to divide experience points. At level 15, Magikarp does learn Tackle as a means of defending itself, butwith its poor offensive and defensive capabilities, it’s not going to last long in a fight, so it’s best to just keep switch-training until it’s time to evolve.
Pokédex #63, “The Psi Pokémon”
While Magikarp can eventually learn how to fight on its own, the same cannot be said for Abra, a Psychic-type whose evolutionary family inPokémongot wrapped up in some controversy. This opossum-like creature spends most of the day sleeping so it can channel and grow its psychic powers. Should it sense danger approaching, Abra will teleport away, which makes them one of the most difficult species to capture.
Even if a trainer manages to capture an Abra before it can teleport away, the only move it knows is Teleport. It can learn some moves via Technical Machines to make use of its high special attack stat, but depending on the game, these new moves can be one-use only, and Abra’s defences are so pitiful that, if it doesn’t one-hit its foes, it’s likely to get one hit itself. Yet, like Magikarp, the struggle is worth it for Kadabra and, eventually, Alakazam.
Pokédex #201, “The Symbol Pokémon”
The Psychic-type Unown is one of themost mysterious Pokémon species. They come in 28 different forms, each resembling a letter from the alphabet, a question mark, and an exclamation mark, making researchers question if they or the alphabet were created first. They usually live in a separate dimension, but occasionally cross into the Pokémon world, where they can unleash mysterious powers in large enough numbers.
Sadly, Unown is pretty useless in-game aside from capturing one of each of its forms for completionists' sake. Their Levitate ability might allow them to dodge Ground-type attacks, but mediocre stats mean that Unown will still go down to a slight breeze. They also only learn one attack, Hidden Power, and its type is randomized based on the individual Unown, meaning that they are limited by random chance as to how many Pokémon they can even try to stand up to.
