#151: Mew

At the left you can see Mew's old art, in which the tips of its feet
and tail are a darker shade of pink than the rest of its body. For
comparison, Mew's new official artwork can be seen on the right,
in which it has a uniform pink color.

Awwww, would you take a look at that? IT'S SO CUTE!

Yeah, Mew is much more adorable than its clone and I've always liked it more than Mewtwo just because of this feature. Now, quite some things have been said about Mew in Mewtwo's entry, especially with regard to the first Pokémon movie, so I'm not going to give in-depth details about that again; I'm going to focus entirely on Mew instead. One thing can be said, though: Mew has an entirely different personality than Mewtwo. Whereas Mewtwo was created to be a battle machine and has developed a resentment towards the human race as a result of being used by people for their own personal gain, Mew has shown a much more cheerful, playful and selfless personality. Mew is incredibly adaptable and is shown to travel freely through air and water alike. It can make itself invisible at will and therefore it is very rarely seen, making scholars declare it extinct or assume it to be a mirage. It only shows itself to those who are pure of heart and have a desire to see it, only making its altruistic nature more evident.

This special Ancient Mew card was one of my most valued
possessions when I was still collecting TCG cards. It even had a
special back print, shown on the right.

But Mew is especially interesting in the fact that it is said to have DNA that contains the genetic codes of all Pokémon in existence, which is why it is believed to be their ancestor. This is also the reason why it can learn all kinds of techniques, being able to learn every TM, HM and Move Tutor move in the games (except those moves exclusive to a particular group of or individual Pokémon, such as Draco Meteor, Secret Sword or Dragon Ascent). I'll discuss Mew's competitive use later, but this feature indisputably makes Mew very versatile. The fact that it is believed to be the ancestor of all Pokémon makes many believe Mew is based on the recapitulation theory, a largely discredited biological hypothesis that, in the development from embryo to adult, animals go through stages resembling or representing successive stages in the evolution of their remote ancestors. That is why quite a few people think Mew resembles a vertebrate embryo, but I think it looks more like a combination between a cat and a jerboa, a desert rodent with large hind legs, small forepaws and a long, skinny tail. Sounds about right when you look at Mew, right?

But Mew wasn't only the center of my affection in the games; I also possessed a couple of valued Mew items, including a special Ancient Mew card that was issued in 2000 with the purchase of a ticket for the theatrical run of Pokémon the Movie 2000: The Power of One, limited to only the first week. I actually went to see that movie when I was ten years old, heh. I was too late to receive Ancient Mew, though, but I managed to get my hands on two copies of them later on.

OMG, look at Mew... It's such a cutie! 

The only thing that really bugs me is that Mew, even though it does make sense, isn't stronger than Mewtwo is. But with very well-rounded stats across the board - it has base 100 stats in everything - its competitive utility is nothing to sneeze at. While it can be used both offensively and defensively, it is outclassed by bulkier psychic types such as Cresselia and Slowbro and stronger ones such as Mega Gardevoir, Latios, Mega Medicham and Metagross. However, its excellent stats across the board make it hard to take down and easy to fight with. Especially when you build a bulky Mew set, you're sure Mew will stay on the battlefield for a while. With a Calm or Careful nature (depends on your choice to use either Psychic or Knock Off, respectively, as its only attacking move), the Leftovers for a little recovery every turn, and a moveset consisting of Taunt to prevent stalling, Roost for some healing and Will-O-Wisp to cripple especially physical-based foes, you'll be set. And instead of Taunt you can also run Defog to remove entry hazards or Stealth Rock to set those up yourself, while an offensive Mew would not be a bad idea, either. I think you should find out what Mew can do yourself by experimenting with all kinds of crazy movesets, because there are really too many of them to discuss here.

And now, before we move on to my conclusion (I bet you know by now what that's gonna be), take a look at some incredibly adorable GIFs of Mew I just can't deprive you of.

Yeah, I'm guessing those GIFs put a smile on your face, am I right? AM I RIGHT??? They definitely put a smile on my face, that's for sure.

At any rate, you probably know by now that I am a sucker for cute Pokémon (well, cute Pokémon that aren't exactly supposed to be cute) and it probably won't come as a surprise to you that I'm giving Mew a perfect rating, either. I've loved this thing ever since I saw the first Pokémon movie and it was so refreshing to see those tranquil scenes of Mew between the violent and turbulent scenes with the bitter and indignant Mewtwo. Despite having no Mega evolutions and being weaker stat-wise, Mew is superior to Mewtwo in every aspect. Mew is chill. Mewtwo is not.

Also, Mew is apparently not a legendary Pokémon, but a mythical Pokémon. These are distinctive from legendaries by the fact that they are not easily capturable in the games because they are usually event-only. Good to know.

Rating: 5/5

#147 - #149: Dratini, Dragonair & Dragonite

For comparison: Dratini (right) and Dragonair
(left) look significantly different than Dragonite
(floating above Dratini and Dragonair).

Okay, so... I understand the concept of evolution and I know Pokémon evolution is a whole different take on this concept. But usually, Pokémon that can evolve gradually change into a final form that looks like its pre-evolution(s), whether by shape, appearance, logic, color scheme or all of the above. Bulbasaur is a dinosaur-like reptile with a seed bulb on its back and is known to evolve into Ivysaur, who has a flower on its back that's about to bloom, and then one more time into Venusaur, a huge-ass dinosaur whose flower has finally fully bloomed. Squirtle is a turtle whose final form is an even bigger turtle with fucking cannons on its back, and Charmander's change into Charizard goes quite smoothly, even though both Charmander and Charmeleon look more like salamanders than reptiles or (flying) dragons. Butterfree doesn't even remotely resemble its pre-evolutions, but it's common knowledge that ugly catterpillars change into beautiful butterflies. The evolution of Magikarp into Gyarados seems odd, but it's based on the Chinese legend of how carp leaping over the Dragon Gate become dragons. But how on Earth does the beautiful, elegant, serpent-like Dragonair evolve into the ugly, plump and clumsy Dragonite? It's... it's just... I don't get it. I really don't get it. And to make matters even worse, Dragonite's shiny form has a sickly green color to it, which is so unlike Dragonair's shiny, with its pinkish body and the bright golden color of its beads. It's so pretty and elegant. That can't exactly be said of Dragonite, not even of its regular form.

Dragonair looks really savage in this amazing piece of fan art! In
fact, I think it resembles Norse sea serpent Jörmungandr a little
here.

It's even more confusing when you realize that Dratini, Dragonair and Dragonite all seem to be based on the same entities: ryū, Chinese and Japanese dragons that are often depicted as serpent-shaped water deities that traditionally symbolize auspicious powers, particularly control over water, rainfall, typhoons and floods, and are often thought to be bringers of strength and good luck. And that's what Dratini and Dragonair's flavor is all about, too. Dratini (despite its name some Dratini can exceed 6'06", which is actually quite big) is filled with life energy and thus it is constantly growing, shedding its skin regularly in a lair behind a waterfall. Its constant growth may be a nod to Jörmungandr, a sea serpent from Norse mythology that is believed to be the middle child of Loki (if you don't know who that is, you should watch The Avengers). According to Norse folklore, the god Odin took Loki's three children and threw Jörmungandr in the great ocean that encircles Midgard, causing him to grow so rapidly that he was able to surround the Earth and grasp his own tail.

This picture really emphasizes Dragonair's beauty.

And let's face it, Dratini and Draonair are based on sea serpents. Dragonair has such a large amount of energy in its body that it can discharge it through the crystalline orbs on its neck and tail, causing its body to brighten and give off an aura that can change climate conditions in its vicinity. By itself, it exudes a gentle aura of mysteriousness. The beads on its tail may refer to the rattlesnake being one of the things that may have been the inspiration for Dragonair. Another is Hermes, the Greek god of transitions and boundaries; an intercessor between the mortal and the divine; the protector and patron of herdsman, thieves, oratory and wit, literature and poetry, athletics and sports, invention and trade, roads, boundaries, and travelers; the conductor of souls into the afterlife; and the emissary and messenger of the gods. And only because the wing-like ears on Dragonair's head, with which it is sometimes seen flying, resemble the wings on Hermes's hat and sandals. Notwithstanding, it's more likely that Dragonair is based on the imugi, a species of lesser serpentine dragons that all full-fledged dragons once were, according to Korean mythology. After an imugi lives a thousand years, it will have to catch a jewel (called a Yeouiju) that falls from the sky in order to become a true dragon. The jewel on Dragonair's neck might also be a reference to the Japanese folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, in which the princess Kaguya-hime challenges her suitors to bring her back some items, including a colored jewel from a dragon's neck.

Whew. All these legends are dizzying me right now, and I haven't even had the chance to discuss Dragonite yet. Brace yourselves, this is going to be a longer article than I anticipated.

Fan art of two Dragonair, one of them shiny, embracing each
other. Yet again, this image emphasizes how pretty Dragonair
actually is, as opposed to Dragonite.

Okay. So. Dragonite. I may have given you the suggestion that I hate this thing, but I don't. I just think Dragonair is prettier and more elegant and its body parts are proportinal to its shape, size and appearance. This is not the case with Dragonite: despite being bigger and having a bulkier physique (Dragonair probably only reaches a length of 13'01" when you stretch it out), the horn on its head is actually smaller than Dragonair's, and the wings are too small relative to the size of its body. Beats me how it can fly faster than the speed of sound, being able to circle the globe in 16 hours at a pace of 1,556 mph (Mach 2). Dragonite is an intelligent and benevolent Pokémon that is known for its altruism: it searches for and saves drowning sailors and leads lost and foundering ships back to shore, hence its nickname 'Guardian of the Sea'. It is even often described as a marine Pokémon that is said to make its home somewhere in the sea. But as Chinese and Japanese dragons are often shown as being serpentine, Dragonite definitely isn't. It shares some traits with 'normal' dragons, but not too many, and I don't think we should deviate from Dratini and Dragonair's flavor anyway. Because, after all, Dragonite is a sea dragon of some sort, and I guess I'll just have to deal with the fact that Game Freak have done a bad job creating a proper evolution for Dragonair.

Some pretty cool fan art of Dragonite.

Well, at least design-wise. Because competitively, Dragonite is one of the best Pokémon to use! With a base stat total of 600 (and being the final form in a three-stage evolution line), Dragonite is considered a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, alongside Tyranitar, Salamence, Metagross, Garchomp, Hydreigon and Goodra. With the exception of Metagross, pseudo-legendaries are usually dragon-type or dragon-like Pokémon that are hard to obtain, emphasizing the power and rarity of the dragon type. This was especially apparent in the first two generations: Dratini and its evolutions were the only dragon types in Red, Blue and Yellow, and Kingdra was the only dragon-type addition to Gold, Silver and Crystal. It was almost as if they were exclusive to those who could tame them, but at least you get something in return: Dragonite is crazy strong and has access to some pretty sweet moves, if I may say so. One move is a must-have for Dragonite: Dragon Dance increases its attack and speed by one stage each. If you can pull off one or two of those, you can fire away with moves like Dragon Claw, Earthquake, Aqua Tail, Outrage, the elemental punches, Brick Break, Steel Wing, Stone Edge, Rock Slide, Power-Up Punch, Waterfall, Dragon Rush, Iron Tail, Extreme Speed, Iron Head, Superpower... Whatever floats your boat (no pun intended). With a Jolly nature, a Lum Berry as its held item (heals any status condition) and its hidden ability Multiscale (halves the damage from an incoming move when Dragonite is at full HP), you'll be set. With Dragon Dance in its arsenal, an Adamant Dragonite might not be a bad idea, and a Life Orb can be chosen over a Lum Berry instead. Just be aware that this item breaks Multiscale. Finally, a Choice Band set isn't uncommon, but you won't be able to use Dragon Dance, which is kind of a shame, to be honest.

In the end, Dragonite is an absolute MONSTER in competitive play, although I don't really like it design-wise. Dragonair has always appealed to me more than Dragonite did, and it has become one of my favorite Pokémon to date. It probably won't surprise you that Dragonair gets a perfect rating and Dragonite doesn't, and they're the first pre-evo and final stage within the same generation to pull that trick. (Magneton and Magmar did it before, but their evolutions are both Gen. IV Pokémon and were introduced 11 years after their pre-evos were.)

Rating Dragonair: 5/5

Rating Dragonite: 4/5

#144: Articuno

So now it's time to review the first ever legendary Pokémon in the National Pokédex, and also the first of the three legendary birds of Kanto: Articuno. In fact, its name already indicates that it's the first in the series of legendary birds, as uno, dos and tres (Spanish for 'one', 'two' and 'three', respectively) are clearly evident in the names of Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. So without further ado, let's get into this.

Sugimori art of Articuno.

Articuno is one of the few existing ice-type Pokémon in Kanto, and it is inarguably the best. Dewgong isn't that good, Lapras is more of a tank than a powerhouse, and Jynx and Cloyster are as frail as ice crystals; the former on the physical side of the spectrum and the latter on the special side. That's not to say they're not usable (I like Lapras and Cloyster a lot), on the contrary, but I'm just putting it out there. Articuno, on the other hand, is a pretty well-rounded Pokémon with a base stat total of 580! It's the highest base stat total we've seen so far, even though it's by far not the highest in the games. Its well-roundedness, with a slight preference towards its defenses, makes it extremely versatile in battles, although not too much by any means. You see, Articuno lacks move diversity, and the only viable special-based moves it can use are Ice Beam, Freeze-Dry, Hurricane and Signal Beam. It doesn't even get STAB from Signal Beam, so I wouldn't recommend using it at all, unless you feel you really have to. You're gonna have to fall back on some very useful status moves that Articuno can make perfect use of due to its bulk. Don't worry though, I'm going to offer you some sets that will definitely help you out. Hopefully.

Badass Articuno wallpaper.

First off, Articuno's natural bulk allows you to run a Timid or Modest nature. Both lower its attack, but Timid boosts its speed stat, which it desperately needs, while Modest boosts its special attack. A Timid nature is perfect if you want a tanky Articuno that can hit some things at moderate speed. You'll probably ask yourselves whether that is at all possible, but the answer is yes: invest in Articuno's speed and special attack, let it hold the Leftovers, teach it Substitute and Roost as well as Hurricane and either Ice Beam or Freeze-Dry, and you'll be set. Freeze-Dry is weaker than Ice Beam, but it hits water types super-effectively, so it's your call. As for a Modest set, you'll be better off with a Life Orb and some of its STAB moves in combination with Agility. This move basically doubles its speed, so it'll outspeed quite some Pokémon after setting up just one. Going all-out offensive with Choice Specs isn't a bad idea either, because it lets Articuno hit like a truck but limits it to using only one move. Agility will be out of the question if you decide to go for the Choice Specs, but I guess you gotta have to make a choice here. You could also consider giving it an Assault Vest instead, which limits it to using only damaging moves but increases its already crazy special defense by 50%. I don't really recommend it, but I guess it's not a terrible choice, considering the fact that I'm mentioning it at all.

We're so lucky to have amazing drawers in 'our' fan base,
otherwise we wouldn't have such awesome fan art such as this.

Enough about Articuno's battling capabilities; what is this thing all about? Well, it's a giant arctic bird that likes cold, isolated locations such as mountain peaks and even appears before doomed travelers lost in icy regions. The anime even shows that Articuno aids lost travelers and guides them home. It is believed to create snow (blizzards, even) out of water vapor in the air by just flapping its seemingly translucent wings, that are said to be made of ice. There's no doubt the designers at Game Freak meant for Articuno to be gentle and gracious, at which I can honestly say they didn't fail. Its benevolent nature is probably referring to the Iranian legend of the Simurgh, a mythical flying creature often depicted as a gigantic bird, which developed further as the rukh (Persian) or rukk (Arabic) in other Arabic-speaking countries. Well, its etymology is somewhat uncertain and therefore debatable, but it seems the English-speaking countries refer to this humongous bird as the roc. (Fun fact: there is actually an enclosed rollercoaster ride in the Dutch amusement park Efteling called Vogel Rok, which translates to "Bird Roc" and is based on the adventures of Sinbad and the roc bird from the 1001 Arabian Nights.) Appearance-wise, however, Articuno shares traits with ordinary birds such as the quetzal and the white-throated magpie-jay. Hey, I'm not making these names up, okay?

Is this what Articuno would look like in real life?

Look at Articuno. So elegant, so graceful, so magnificent. It has always been my favorite of the three legendary birds, and I don't think that's ever gonna change. Quite honestly, I often found myself appalled by Zapdos's appearance when I was still a kid, and I didn't like Moltres either. I'm 25 years old now, however, and I've learned to think rationally (except in the case of Lickilicky - I despise Lickilicky), so I have no problems with either of them now. Still, Articuno holds a special place in my heart, if only for being the one bird I always caught (and used!) in Red, Blue, Yellow and their remakes before taking on the Indigo League.

Rating: 5/5

#142: Aerodactyl

Yo, what is it with these prehistoric Pokémon being so fucking VICIOUS?

Amazingly dark fan art of Aerodactyl. 

Now, if we take a look at its Pokédex entries, it becomes clear that Aerodactyl was a carnivore living in the dinosaur era. Due to its ferocious attitude and sharp serrated fangs it was able to tear enemies apart, often charging at their throats. Even back then it was fearsome, gliding high in the skies while shrieking high-pitched cries. Even the Pokémon who lived during that era were terrified of Aerodactyl, which is clearly shown in the anime: in the 46th episode of the first season, "Attack of the Prehistoric Pokémon", Ash, Pikachu and Team Rocket become stuck in a cave after joining the Fossil Rush (which is basically a fossil excavation competition) and soon find themselves chased by Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto and Kabutops, who were awoken by the explosion caused by Team Rocket. However, the fossil Pokémon run even deeper into the cave, and it soon becomes evident why: they are scared of Aerodactyl, who swoops in and knocks down Ash's disobedient Charmeleon. Aerodactyl then firmly grabs Ash with its claws, flying out of the cave with Pikachu and Charmeleon being able to jump onto its back just in time. Once out it drops Pikachu and Charmeleon, and the latter, who was annoyed by Aerodactyl earlier, wants to battle it, only to get angry because it gets taunted by the prehistoric Pokémon. This event is important, because it triggers evolution in Charmeleon, who changes into Charizard in order for it to fight Aerodactyl in the sky. Ultimately, that annoying-ass Jigglypuff saves the day, making everyone - including Aerodactyl - fall asleep. Except for Charizard, of course, who puts its fingers in its ears and saves a falling Ash from a painful death.

Some more dark fan art of Aerodactyl. I think eerie area's, like
this volcanic area, are perfect to help show Aerodactyl's
personality. 

The fact that even Omstar and Kabutops - who aren't really the definition of adorable, to say the least - are scared of Aerodactyl means that it was a ferocious hunter that even other carnivores were afraid of. It even looked ferocious, as its newly-discovered Mega evolution (well, it's been around for approximately two and a half years, but you get my point) shows it how it looked like 65+ million years, before it became fossilized. But rather than being able to get revived from a regular fossil, it can be resurrected from an Old Amber. That sounds weird, as the Old Amber looks nothing like Aerodactyl at all, but reviving it happens by extracting DNA from amber first. That is something different than getting resurrected from an entire fossil, and maybe that's why regular Aerodactyl doesn't resemble its original prehistoric counterpart. Some parts of a genetic code can often get broken or lost during all those years, even though Aerodactyl's DNA is preserved in the best possible ways. Even in Jurassic Park, which I consider nothing more than science fiction, the genetic codes of dinosaurs had to be filled up by reptilian or amphibian DNA to make up for the DNA that got lost.

Official art of Mega Aerodactyl, drawn by Ken
Sugimori. 

But this is not a biology lesson. The big question is, 'How does Aerodactyl fare in the competitive scene?' Well, not bad at all. With base 135 attack, base 150 speed and the ability Tough Claws (which boosts the power of contact moves by 33%) as Mega Aerodactyl, it is a force to be reckoned with. This Pokémon has access to a variety of physical-based moves such as Iron Head, the elemental fangs, Crunch, Rock Slide, Stone Edge, Dragon Claw, Earthquake, Aqua Tail and Iron Tail, although it lacks some good physical STAB flying-type moves. Both Sky Attack and Fly require a turn to charge, even though the former works great if you give Aerodactyl a Power Herb to hold instead of the Aerodactylite, and moves like Wing Attack and Aerial Ace are only okay after a Tough Claws boost. At least they're potent enough, but it's a bit of a shame. Anyway, Aerodactyl's huge movepool gets even better, with Hone Claws to increase its attack and accuracy by one stage each (nice in conjunction with Stone Edge) and Roost to heal half of its HP. There are so many possible move combinations you can make that there isn't even room in this paragraph to mention them all. Just do whatever works best for you, as you can't go wrong with Mega Aerodactyl anyway, but make sure you're slapping a Jolly nature on it in order for it to make full use of its outstanding speed stat. Also, I'd recommend to stay shy of running a so-called 'bulky' Mega Aerodactyl, because that is just a waste of its potential. Well, in my opinion, at least... Besides, regular Aerodactyl are pretty fragile and are most often used as a 'suicide lead', setting up Stealth Rock and using Taunt to prevent opponents from removing said rocks with Defog, providing it survives the foe's hit first (a Focus Sash would come in handy here).

I can't get enough of this kind of art. It looks so pretty... 

I absolutely love Aerodactyl, especially its Mega. When I was a little kid, I was completely into dinosaurs and my mother let me watch Jurassic Park over and over and over again, although it was a couple of years after the movie came out. I was more in awe with all those dinosaurs running around than I was scared of what they were actually doing. My fascination with dinosaurs lives ever on, and the fact that Aerodactyl is based on a pterodactyl (a genus of pterosaurs) makes me love this thing even more. In 2014, paleontologists even named a species of pterosaur after this Pokémon, aerodactylus scolopaciceps, which makes Aerodactyl the only Pokémon to have a species/genus named after it. Reasons enough to give it a perfect rating, right?

Rating: 5/5

#133 - #136, #196 - #197, #470 - #471, #700: Eevee, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon & Sylveon

Y'all bitches better prepare yourselves, 'cause this is going to be one lengthy-ass article. I think. No, definitely.

Today I want to talk about one of my favorite evolution lines in existence: Eevee and its evolutions. They are often affectionately called Eeveelutions by most Pokémon freaks, and from here on out, I will refer to Eevee's evolutions by using this term. Unless, of course, I'm calling the Pokémon by its actual name. Obviously.

Eevee (middle), surrounded by its eight possible evolutions.

So... Eevee. Eevee is a curious Pokémon, being able to evolve into a whopping EIGHT possible Pokémon, which is more than any other Pokémon. Tyrogue is, with three possible evolutions, not even a close second; and if Game Freak had stopped adding new Eeveelutions after Gen. I, Tyrogue would have been tied with Eevee. But Game Freak didn't stop, and after Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon we also got Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon and the recently added Sylveon. The main reason why Eevee is able to evolve into any one of these eight different Pokémon is because it has irregularly shaped DNA that allows it to adapt to many different kinds of environments, changing its appearance and abilities completely in order for it to better suit its surroundings. It all depends on its habitat. Eevee is not like Ditto, who can transfrom into any Pokémon it sees and change back whenever it suits it; Eevee's evolution is permanent and is triggered by fulfilling certain requirements. In Red, Blue and Yellow, evolving Eevee was relatively easy, as Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon were obtainable by exposing Eevee to a Water Stone, Thunder Stone or Fire Stone, respectively. After that, it became harder to have Eevee evolve. Espeon and Umbreon can both be obtained by maxing out Eevee's friendship level and then leveling it up during the daytime or nighttime, respectively. Eevee will evolve into either Leafeon or Glaceon by leveling it up near the Moss Rock or Ice Rock, respectively, but this can be hard, as Eevee has often been unobtainable (or the Moss and Ice Rock inaccessible) in the main storyline since Diamond and Pearl. Finally, Gen. VI saw the introduction of Sylveon, who can be obtained by leveling up Eevee while it has a fairy-type move on it and two affection hearts in Pokémon-Amie.

ISN'T THIS THE MOST ADORABLE THING YOU HAVE EVER
SEEN???

Eevee has always been one of the most popular Pokémon, and it seems to be Game Freak's sweetheart as well. In the first, second and fourth generations, as well as FireRed and LeafGreen (Red and Blue remakes), Eevee is given to the player by a non-player character (NPC). In Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness and Pokémon Conquest, as well as some Mystery Dungeon games, Eevee is the starter Pokémon, while Pokémon Colosseum lets you start with two fully evolved Eeveelutions: Espeon and Umbreon. It's not a surprise that Eevee is so popular: because it is able to evolve into eight different Pokémon of eight different types, it is so diverse that it is impossible not to have at least one favorite Eeveelution. And maybe Eevee itself is one of your favorite Pokémon, just because it's so friggin' adorable. There is an abundance of cute Eevee fan art to be found on the Internet, as well as countless pieces of Eeveelution fan art. And rightfully so, because there is something to be said for any one of the Eeveelutions: Jolteon is the coolest, for example, while Flareon is the cutest, Espeon and Sylveon are the prettiest and Umbreon has the prettiest shiny form.

Look at how savage they are. ROAR!!!

It really helps that each Eeveelution has its own distinct flavor and battle tactics. Vaporeon, for example, has a cell structure that is similar to water molecules, which allows it to melt away and make itself invisible while underwater. It has the ability to control water, and when its fins begin to vibrate, it is a sign that rain will come within a few hours. Because it shares traits with felines and fish, Vaporeon's design may be a visual pun on the catfish, although it may also be inspired by the Telchines of Greek mythology, the original inhabitants of Rhodes. Eevee and its evolutions are even said to be based off of canines, but I personally think they look more feline rather than canine, with the notable exception of Jolteon. Back to Vaporeon. Competitively, Vaporeon has some beefy HP to it, as well as excellent special attack and some pretty damn good special defense. It is therefore often used as a wall, sporting a Bold nature to beef up its mediocre defense, so that it can take physical hits just as well as special ones. Combine it with the ability Water Absorb (nullifies all water-type attacks used on Vaporeon and heals it for 25% of its maximum HP whenever possible), the Leftovers to gain some HP back every turn, the Wish/Protect combo and Heal Bell for some annoying recovery, and Scald for a high chance to burn and thus reduce the impact of physical hits on Vaporeon, and Vaporeon just becomes a pain in the ass. You can also go for an all-out offensive approach; its excellent special attack and access to Ice Beam and other coverage moves like Signal Beam and Shadow Ball leaves it perfectly viable for that.

Awww, Eeveelutions can be cute, too! 

Jolteon, on the other hand, is all about the hit-and-run tactic. It excels in special attack and speed and is therefore more often used as an all-out attacker. A Timid nature, a Life Orb or the Choice Specs as held item and the ability Quick Feet (increases speed when suffering from a non-volatile status condition, although Volt Absorb works great, too) really help it to outspeed most other Pokémon and KO them in one or two hits, especially with moves like Thunderbolt, Volt Switch, Signal Beam and any type of Hidden Power. Jolteon can also learn Shadow Ball, if you find that convenient. Its relatively low HP and defense render it quite frail, though, so watch out. But it's not only its utility in the competitive scene that makes Jolteon a cool Pokémon: its design and flavor are some of the best of the Eeveelutions, in my opinion. Electric-type Pokémon tend to have cool, streamlined designs, and Jolteon is no exception. It is easily sad, angered or startled, and when it is, the hairs of its fur become needles that are fired at its opponents. Every time its mood changes, it accumulates negative ions in the atmosphere to blast out 10,000-volt lightning bolts. Even its cells produce electrical charges, which Jolteon amplifies with the static electricity of its fur and eventually discharges. Because of its feline traits, Jolteon may be based on Raijū, a mythical beast from Japanese mythology whose body is made of thunder and may take the form of a cat.

Fun fact: Jolteon is actually the only Eeveelution with no visible tail.

There is an abundance of cool and cute Eeveelution fan art to be
found on the Internet, but you'll encounter the occasional funny
piece as well. 

But while Jolteon is cool and all, it is not my favorite Eeveelution. Flareon is, and that's because its design comes closest to Eevee of all Eeveelutions. And I love Eevee for its adorableness, so take one guess why I prefer Flareon over all of the others... Exactly, because it's the fluffiest. Its flavor is perfect for that, too, as its fire typing causes it to have a high body temperature up to 1,650°F. That's where its fluffy fur comes into play: it acts as a conductor to release heat into the air, so that Flareon's body doesn't become excessively hot. Its high body temperature is caused by an internal flame sac, which Flareon uses to store and heat inhaled air then exhale it as fire as hot as 3,000°F. This sounds incredibly powerful, but sadly, Flareon isn't such a good competitive battler. It just doesn't seem to have the right stat distribution, because its attack is fantastic and its special defense is really good as well, but everything else just doesn't fit in. It has mediocre HP, defense and speed, which means it is quite frail and will often have to take a hit before it gets the chance to attack, provided that it does get a chance to attack. Its lack of good physical fire-type moves up until Gen. V made it one of the least favorite Eeveelutions to use competitively, which is more than understandable. Thankfully, it got Flare Blitz in Gen. VI, but it deals recoil damage, so watch out with that. As for the rest of its set, Superpower and Quick Attack are must-haves, while Iron Tail can be used to cover rock and fairy types and Substitute may be an option to delay Flareon's downfall. Give it an Adamant nature and give it a Choice Band, or make use of its hidden ability Guts, which increases Flareon's attack by 50% when it has a status condition, and let it hold a Toxic Orb (a Flame Orb won't work, because fire-type Pokémon can't get burned). The Choice Band is the better option, but because of the lack of good physical moves and its poor stat distribution, Flareon sucks ass in the competitive scene. It breaks my heart to say that, but yeah...

More Eeveelution fan art. 

Luckily, we have Espeon, who has about the same hit-and-run tactic like Jolteon. Blessed with excellent special attack and very good speed, Espeon is a great Pokémon to use in the UU tier. It has access to Psychic, Dazzling Gleam and Shadow Ball, as well as Signal Beam, Grass Knot and Morning Sun for some instant recovery, just for convenience. A Timid nature and the Choice Specs or Choice Scarf (a Life Orb if you want to add Calm Mind to Espeon's moveset) are recommended, as is its ability Magic Bounce, which reflects all status moves that would otherwise disadvantage Espeon back to the opponent. Hah, try to Thunder Wave me now, bitch! Synchronize, which causes the opponent to get the same status condition they gave to Espeon, seems nice, but you're better off with Magic Bounce. Espeon seems like a magical Pokémon in the first place, and that's not that far from the truth. Espeon uses the fine hairs of the velvety fur that covers its body to sense and read air currents, so that it can predict the future, the weather and an opponent's movements, while its forked tail quivers when it does that. Espeon appears to be based on the nekomata, also known as bake-neko, which are mysterious and intelligent fork-tailed cats. Ancient writings describe the nekomata as having 'eyes like a cat and a body like a dog', which could explain why Espeon looks feline as well as canine. Espeon is a light-hearted and loyal Pokémon, other than Umbreon (who was introduced in Gen. II alongside Espeon), who has kind of a dark personality.

Shiny Umbreon has blue rings and yellow eyes instead of yellow
rings and red eyes. I think it's very fancy. 

That is not exactly surprising, as Umbreon is a dark-type Pokémon. Being completely black, it can make itself perfectly invisible during nighttime, although the yellow rings on its fur glow faintly when it is exposed to the moon's aura (which is how it evolved in the first place) or when it gets exceptionally excited. It's also a defense mechanism that strikes fear into the hearts anyone nearby, and whenever it is agitated it sprays a poisonous sweat to keep the foe at bay. Its flavor suggests that Umbreon takes on more of a defensive tactic, and that is exactly what it is about. Provided with excellent defenses and some pretty good HP, Umbreon acts as a tank and is usually a pain to take down. Its attacking stats are really poor, though, but it doesn't need them, so don't worry. The Wish/Protect combo is a common tactic that makes Moonlight for instant recovery kinda useless, but it has Heal Bell to cure status conditions and Foul Play to deal some good damage, using the foe's attack stat against them rather than using its own. That way, it doesn't even matter if you're running a Calm, Careful, Impish or Bold nature; any of those is completely fine for it. Of course, the Leftovers are the obvious held item for it, but this time you'd do better to run Synchronize, as Inner Focus only prevents Umbreon from flinching. That seems nice, but it is purely situational and Umbreon can take a hit just fine, anyway. I just can't get over the fact that it looks a little like a hare or a rabbit (the ears!), which is why it could be based on East Asian folklores concerning a moon rabbit.

Why is it so HARD to pick fan art for this article? This one is
totally cute, though.

The Gen. IV additions work a little bit differently from Espeon and Umbreon, as Leafeon is just a... why, it's basically a plant. Well, its genetic structure is that of a plant, which allows it to perform photosynthesis and purify the air around it by sleeping under patches of sunshine. Although it is a pacifist and prefers not to fight, Leafeon has some very good attack, excellent defense and some pretty decent speed. All of its other stats are kinda meh, but if you manage to get a Swords Dance off, you can sweep with Leaf Blade and X-Scissor. Leafeon learns Knock Off, which is handy to make the foe lose its held item, while Synthesis provides some recovery, Baton Pass can be used to pass on the attack boost from Swords Dance to another Pokémon, and Iron Tail provides some very nice coverage against ice and fairy types. Those are all viable options. So what about natures, items and abilities? An Adamant nature isn't bad, but it's not preferred over a Jolly nature. A Choice Band locks Leafeon into using just one move until it is switched out, but it boosts its attack by 50%, while a Life Orb works just as well. Now, Leafeon works best in a sun team, because both of its abilities are only beneficial when the sun is up: Chlorophyll will double its speed, while Leaf Guard prevents it from being afflicted by non-volatile status conditions. So slapping Sunny Day on it might not be a bad idea, either. Additionally, you can even go the (physically) defensive way, but there's Vaporeon and Umbreon for that, so it's kind of unnecessary.

If you gather all Eeveelutions together, the result is a very
colorful bunch. 

Leafeon is definitely a good Pokémon, but Glaceon faces the same problem as Flareon: its stat distribution is not quite right. It has excellent special attack and some pretty good defensive stats, but it doesn't have the speed and HP stats to back them up. It can take a hit, but not exceptionally well, and like Flareon, Glaceon suffers from 'Shallow Movepool Syndrome': the best moves it gets are Ice Beam, Shadow Ball and Signal Beam, but that's about it. Water Pulse and Hidden Power are weaker options with just base 60 power, but I guess Glaceon can pull them off decently with that base 130 special attack. Just make sure you have a Modest-natured one holding the Choice Specs or a Life Orb. Maybe you'd be better off teaching Glaceon Hail, since both its abilities trigger when it's hailing: Snow Cloak raises Glaceon's evasion by 25%, while Ice Body heals a little of its maximum HP every turn. It's a tactic, but it takes time and it's a little bland; just use Vaporeon if you want an Eeveelution with Ice Beam. It's as slow as Glaceon and doesn't hit as hard, but it's bulkier and at least you're sure it'll survive a few hits. Unfortunately, Glaceon's flavor is as bland as its battle strategy. It can freeze its fur and make it stick out like sharp needles, and it is capable of creating ice crystals around it by lowering the temperature of its body and its surroundings. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that is overly special. I really, really like Glaceon's design a lot, but I don't think I would ever use it; at least not competitively.

Sylveon the dragonslayer.

Finally there's Sylveon, the latest addition to the Eevee family. X and Y introduced Pokémon-Amie, a sort of in-game app that allows you to pet and feed your Pokémon. Play with Eevee for a while and have it gain two affection hearts, and it will evolve when you level it up while it knows a fairy-type move. It'll be worth your while, though, as Sylveon is a beautiful Pokémon with a calm vibe to it, emitting a soothing aura from its ribbon-like feelers to calm fights. Of course, Sylveon is very affectionate towards you because you played with it in Pokémon-Amie, so it has the tendency to wrap its feelers around its Trainer's arms and walk with them. Sylveon is based on a sylph, a mythological spirit described as invisible beings of the air, which is why it received the brand new fairy typing. The fairy type has become infamous for its advantage over dragon types, being super effective on and completely immune to them. That's also what makes Sylveon so incredibly popular, along with the fact that it's capable of learning Psyshock, a well-liked move that deals physical damage using the user's special attack. Throw in a Modest nature, the moves Shadow Ball, Moonblast and either Hidden Power or Calm Mind with Choice Specs or a Life Orb, respectively, and it'll be tough to take down, especially on the special side of the spectrum. A Timid nature is an option, but Sylveon isn't very fast in the first place, and you want to max out that delicious special attack. As its special defense is by far its best stat, you could also run the Wish/Protect combo, although Vaporeon is generally better-suited for that, as it has more HP (even though Sylveon's base 95 HP isn't bad in the slightest).

Oh, one more thing: Cute Charm is a bad ability; you definitely want its hidden ability Pixilate, which turns all normal-type moves it uses into fairy-type moves. That works well with Hyper Voice, turning it into a STAB move for Sylveon that goes right through Substitute. It's weaker than Moonblast by only five base points, but it does get a boost from Pixilate, so it certainly pays off!

Very glittery and fancy fan art of the Eeveelutions, with Sylveon in the forefront.

In the end, not all Eeveelutions are equally good, but at least everyone has a favorite one. As I already stated, mine is Flareon, even though it is not the best battler out there. Besides, Eevee is so goddamn cute that it almost kills me. And yes, I know I'm a guy and all, but I have a thing for amazingly cute Pokémon, okay? So leave me be. Anyway, the fact that Eevee evolves into eight different Pokémon (obviously not at the same time) makes it one of the most unique Pokémon to date. And I have the feeling that the developers at Game Freak aren't done with Eevee yet, because I'm wondering whether Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon will contain brand new Eeveelutions as well, even though this whole sun-and-moon concept has been done with Espeon and Umbreon before (and again with Solrock and Lunatone). Then again, new Eeveelutions might be entirely unrelated to the games' storyline.

Okay, what the hell am I doing? We know absolutely nothing about the new games, only that they were announced a short while ago. It's way too early to speculate about games that won't be released until next winter, which is still nine months away, ha ha ha. Damn. Anyhow, all I know is that Eevee and the existing Eeveelutions are definitely some of my favorite Pokémon, because of their designs and uniqueness. You probably won't be surprised I'm giving all of them a perfect rating.

AND NOW I'M DONE FOR THE WHOLE FUCKING MONTH, GODDAMMIT! (Just kidding.)

Rating: 5/5

#123, #212: Scyther & Scizor

Scyther in all its glory.

Oh man, these Pokémon.

Remember when Scyther was awesome back in the day? Yeah, it was one of the better-designed and most popular Pokémon, but it has lost its appeal a little over the last fifteen years or so. Even in the time of Red, Blue and Yellow Scyther wasn't all that, just because it didn't learn any STAB bug- or flying-type moves other than the weak Wing Attack, which was still a whopping 35 power back then... and that was only in Pokémon Yellow. Sure, critical hits were based on speed and Scyther was one of the fastest Pokémon the game, so you could just spam Slash. Crits galore! Fortunately, Game Freak have only improved Scyther since then, giving it the awesome Technician ability (which increases the strength of moves with 60 power or less by 50%) and some moves that can benefit from it, such as Bug Bite and Aerial Ace. In the second generation, Scyther even got an amazing evolution named Scizor. The problem is that Scizor is superior to Scyther in every aspect except speed: Scizor becomes much slower in exchange for a little more bulk, a better attack stat and the ever-so-useful steel type. It even retains Technician, and from X and Y onward it even has been able to Mega-evolve.

Fan art of Scyther and Scizor. This image suggests that they are
equals, as they have roughly the same height and take the same
stance. 

Both Scyther and Scizor have a base stat total of 500, which is highly unusual in an evolution line; Pokémon typically get stronger when evolution triggers, but apparently this doesn't seem to apply to Scyther and Scizor. In fact, Scyther is the only pre-evolutionary form that has the same base stat total as its evolution. It does evolve by having it hold a Metal Coat and trade it away, but this is hardly the reason why Scyther and Scizor's base stat total is exactly the same; even Steelix's is much higher than Onix's (just like Scizor, though, it has lost some of its speed). My theory is that Scyther had good stats for a basic Pokémon already and that it didn't particularly need to become stronger; Scizor would have been way too overpowered - close to legendary status - if it had kept Scyther's excellent speed stat upon evolution. Great attack, great speed and decent bulk? Nigh impossible to take down, I'd say. Instead, you should see Scizor as an alternative to Scyther: the former has the all-important steel typing (this makes Scizor 4x weak to fire, but it's its only weakness) and is stronger and bulkier, while the latter has a STAB Technician-boosted Aerial Ace or Wing Attack and can make use of the Eviolite. By the way, I am not even counting the fact that I think Scizor is much more awesome than Scyther. When I was a kid, Scyther was one of my favorite Pokémon, but this shifted to Lugia and Scizor instead, and that hasn't changed much over the years.

Fan art of Scizor showing off its badassery.

Why, let's take a look at their Pokédex entries, shall we? Scyther is obviously based on the praying mantis and the mantidfly, and while the blades of mantises aren't that sharp, Scyther's are: they are able to slice through logs and become even sharper when used to cut through hard materials. With ninja-like agility and speed, it can create the illusion that there is more than one of them or become too fast for the human eye to track. And how about Scizor? Well, despite its name and its Gen. II classification as the 'Scissors Pokémon', which Game Freak corrected in Gen. III, its claws are more like pincers instead of scissors. Scizor can't rely on its dismal speed, so it uses its eye-patterned pincers instead to swing them and create the illusion that it has three heads. The pincers can crush any hard object to bits (even concrete when Scizor gets a chance to Mega-evolve). And while Scyther barely uses its wings to fly, Scizor is completely incapable of flight. It uses its wings to adjust its body temperature instead, because apparently its steel body can't handle its own hotness, ha ha ha.

Anyway.

Watch out, because Scizor is coming at you!

Competitively, Scizor is a pretty straightforward Pokémon: it is supposed to hit anything with tremendous strength, especially since it has a Mega. And as Scizor isn't very fast to begin with, you might want to max out its massive attack stat by running one with an Adamant nature, while an Impish nature focuses more on Scizor's defensive side. An ideal moveset might consist of Swords Dance, Bullet Punch (STAB and boosted by Technician), Bug Bite (ditto) and Roost for healing purposes. U-Turn can be used to gain momentum, as switching out after doing some damage is better than hard-switching, while Defog removes entry hazards and Knock Off can knock off the foe's item. This move isn't uncommon in competitive play lately, as it has been upgraded from 20 to 65 power since the days of X and Y. It is also capable of learning some fine coverage moves like Night Slash, X-Scissor, Iron Head, Brick Break, Superpower and Acrobatics (has a base power of 55, but this doubles when the user isn't holding an item). Want some Technician-boosted moves instead? Well, how about Aerial Ace? 60 power, never misses. Or Fury Cutter, a rather unreliable move with a base power of 40 that doubles every time it is used, which renders Technician useless most of the time. Metal Claw (50 power), Pursuit (which has 40 power and doubles when the opponent switches out on the turn you use it, in which case Technician doesn't trigger), Double Hit (hits twice for 35 power a pop, and with Technician it hits harder than Return) and Thief (60 power) are moves to consider as well. Don't like Mega Scizor? You can give regular Scizor a Life Orb or a Choice Band and still be good.

I don't know whether this is an action figurine or 3D art of Mega Scizor (the official
art is embedded in the original image for comparison), but it looks awesome! :D

I'd still recommend the first moveset I first mentioned, though, even for Scyther (except Bullet Punch; Scyther doesn't learn it and it should be replaced by Aerial Ace instead). However, a Jolly nature is very common on Scyther, especially combined with a Choice Scarf. It greatly benefits from the Eviolite as well, buffing up its defenses a little while still hitting like a truck. But Scizor's awesomeness can't be denied and that is exactly why I recommend it over Scyther. No, honestly, I fell in love with this thing when Gold and Silver came out and my love for it has only intensified when I saw its Mega form, and that's why it easily gets a perfect rating from me. Go, Scizor!

Rating: 5/5

#111 - #112, #464: Rhyhorn, Rhydon & Rhyperior

Early concept sketch of Capsule Monsters. Depicted are Rhydon
and its Trainer. 

I don't care about Rhyhorn. I really don't. I mean, I don't think it's a bad Pokémon by any means and I definitely don't hate it, but I just consider it pre-evolution number something. Add to that its uninteresting flavor (it's stupid, starts running in one direction due to its short legs, forgets why and keeps running like a headless chicken until it falls asleep or crashes into something and remembers why it had started dashing off in the first place) and you make me want to start talking about its evolution Rhydon. Why? Well, you'd expect the first Pokémon to have ever been created to be Bulbasaur or Pikachu, right? Well, no. Bulbasaur might be number one in the Kanto and National Pokédexes, but it is not the first Pokémon that Satoshi Tajiri has come up with. Neither was Pikachu, as the notorious yellow mouse wasn't even meant to be Ash's sidekick in the first place (Clefairy was), let alone the mascot of the entire damn franchise. No, according to interviews with Ken Sugimori - who creates the official Pokémon artworks - and early drafts of Capsule Monsters, as Pokémon was initially called when Satoshi Tajiri proposed its design concept to Nintendo, Rhydon was the first Pokémon to have ever been created.

Another concept sketch of Capsule Monsters. At the bottom left corner, you can
see a Rhydon standing or sitting at a fountain, together with its Trainer.

Yup, the whole hype started with Rhydon, a rhinoceros Pokémon that doesn't have any special role in the games, anime or manga whatsoever. This theory is further supported as Rhydon was the first Pokémon coded into Red and Blue, and as a result its index number in Gen. I is 001. It's actually too bad that its characteristics are a little bland and just don't meet up to the excitement of Rhydon being the first ever Pokémon to have been created. It is physically strong and has an armor-like hide that can withstand heat and physical blows, according to the Pokédex. Well yeah, that's quite apparent when you take a look at it. It has also been seen toppling over buildings with a sweep from its tail, which strongly reminds me of a certain trait of Nidoking's. Okay, Rhydon was probably the first one to have received that trait from Game Freak, but still... And mentioning that standing on its hind legs made it smarter only to say that it is still very forgetful in the very same Pokédex entry is a little bit contradictory, isn't it? RIGHT, Game Freak? The only interesting thing is that the horn Rhydon uses as a drill can crush uncut diamonds. Seriously, it takes some power to crush a diamond.

Little figurines of Rhyhorn (front) and Rhydon (back).

But then along came Rhyperior. Introduced in Gen. IV, along with some other - often horrendous - evolutions of Pokémon that already existed before that, Rhyperior is indeed superior. Having Rhydon a Protector to hold then trading it off is the method to evolve it; this method is a little tedious, but it pays off, because Rhyperior is an awesome-looking powerhouse! It even has cannon things as arms, which it uses to launch Geodude with. Like, what? Well, it actually fires ordinary rocks from its arms by tightening then expanding its muscles instantly, hence it is able to learn Rock Wrecker, a rock-type Hyper Beam. Remember Geodude, Graveler and Golem's entry, when I said that Geodude are often mistaken for ordinary rocks? Well, I guess Rhyperior is facing the same problem when it's looking for rocks it can shoot from its missile launchers to its heart's content. Also, its carapace can withstand any actual volcanic eruption, which is even more impressive than Rhydon being able to live in molten lava of 3,600°F.

Now, can you SEE how awesome Rhyperior is?

In the competitive scene, though, Rhyperior can't withstand many special hits, as its special defense is close to terrible and most fire-type moves are special-based. However, there are several ways to make use of Rhyperior. With its excellent HP, attack and defense, being 115, 140 and 130 respectively, it is already a physical tank and powerhouse, which allows you to invest in its HP and subpar special defense to create an all-out defensive tank with quite some offensive power left, too. Leftovers for a little recovery every turn completes the set. Another way: the move Rock Polish raises Rhyperior's speed stat by two stages and is great in conjunction with a Jolly nature and speed investment, which allows Rhyperior to take an attempt at sweeping, especially when it manages to get a Swords Dance off as well. This is completely optional, although you should give it a Life Orb for some extra power. Of course, the best way to make use of Rhyperior is to max out its monstrous attack stat by rocking (pun intended) a Choice Band Rhyperior with an Adamant nature. Murder guaranteed. Just make sure you're always using one with Solid Rock as its ability, as this reduces super-effective damage by ¼. That might come in handy when it gets hit by a water- or grass-type move, to which it normally has quadruple weaknesses. Lightning Rod is absolutely garbage, because it draws in electric-type attacks to which Rhyperior is immune to due to its primary ground typing, anyway. Its immunity takes precedence over its ability anyway, so the special attack boost from Lightning Rod won't even occur, unless it is holding a Ring Target. You don't want a special attack boost anyway, because its special attack is abysmal. Lastly, the ability Reckless powers up moves from which Rhyperior takes recoil damage. It seems nice at first glance, but you're not going to use Take Down by any means, so leave that ability be.

AAAAAAAHHH, LOOK AT HIM GOOOOO!!! :D

Naturally, almost every set should contain the moves Stone Edge and Earthquake, a combination that is often infamously referred to as EdgeQuake, but Rock Blast can be considered to break through substitutes and punish Focus Sash users. Fortunately, Rhyperior is blessed with a crazy diverse movepool to fill in some loose spots. Megahorn is commonly used in competitive play, as are Ice Punch and Aqua Tail. Hammer Arm, Poison Jab, Thunder Punch, Fire Punch, Crunch, Dragon Rush, Outrage, Iron Tail, Iron Head, the elemental fangs and Superpower are viable options for type coverage, while Dragon Tail is a somewhat weak move that makes Rhyperior go last but forces the opponent to switch out. You can even give Stealth Rock to it if you take the defensive approach. However, which combination of moves and item you use depends heavily on which tier you're fighting in and which Pokémon you're facing. And if Rhyperior falls short for you, you can just use a Rhydon with an Eviolite attached to it, so it is guaranteed to tank hits.

On my previous blog, I placed Rhydon at number 48 on my list of favorite Pokémon, just because it is the first drafted Pokémon. Yeah, I might have exaggerated a little bit with that. Since then, its evolution Rhyperior has grown a lot on me and I have come to absolutely adore this Pokémon. Of all the Gen. IV evolutions of already existing Pokémon, Rhyperior is BY FAR THE BEST. It probably won't surprise you I'm giving it a perfect rating!

Rating: 5/5