Rate that Pokemon, Fire Red/Leaf Green Version

[BBM]

Poliwag/Poliwhirl/Poliwrath: 6.79

This is Poliwag before people started farming them for Drizzle Politoeds.

I think Poliwrath is an attempt to be a mixed fighter. Only problem is that its offenses are lower than all the fully evolved fighting-types in this game (85 Atk lololol, 70 SpA and 70 Speed). It can go mixed (and it probably should to avoid getting outclassed by the other fighters). It gets all the fun fighting toys (Brick Break, Rock-type moves, Earthquake), the water-type toys (Water moves and Ice Beam), and then some other oddities (Psychic and Hypnosis). So it's got a nice movepool, but it lacks the stats to really use them well. As with all fishing Pokemon, you're getting it underlevelled (Good rod why you come so late!!!).

6.5+1 bias = 7.5/10 - Low movepool and underlevelled-ness hold it back. Bias is from Drizzle Politoed and all of its Drizzle glory (I like rain teams).

The Poliwag family gets a lot of good moves (Hypnosis, Earthquake, Psychic, etc) and Water Absorb as an ability, but are let down by mediocre stats.

7/10

Rating on Ingame, and movepool counts.

Lesse, good movepool, and can evolve anytime after evolution, and Water Absorb is nice.

+1 bias, because Red's Poliwhirl was the most badass thing ever.

9.5/10

I don't care, this one is one of my faves.

Good defences and HP, but physical attack and speed are almost the same as Mankey's (without Cross Chop and Rock Slide access). Can use Bulk Up and has a diverse movepool, but his speed stat isn't good enough for set-up sweeping. 5/10

5/10 if we're not talking about Politoed.

7/10 if Politoed. (Because it's adorable. Not really because of Drizzle, even though Drizzle is homgmazing.)

6/10 It would have been great but its a fighting type without learning any solid fighting type moves and is weak to flying and psychic moves along with grass and electric. Its attacking strength is also miserable and the water stone can be hard to get at times. However it can learn important HM's (surf) and if you have enough TM's to make up for its lack of learned moves it can be solid.

Edited July 15, 2012 by BigBangMeteor

[BBM]

Abra/Kadabra/Alakazam

Golem is easily comparible to the others of it's kind, while FRLG Abra family is only comparable to Mr.Mime in turns of being the best overall.

1/10

Kinda not worth it, considering that it has poor coverage, and shit durability, and requires a trade evo, and isn't going survive 2 physical attacks.

Psychic-types are more useful in FR/LG Kanto because of Weezing and Gengar families running Levitate now (and Dig being weak), and with Hypno being slow and weaker offensively, Kadabra has less competition. Psychic and Shock Wave isn't very wide coverage on the other hand, and Jynx with Mr. Mime get better moves (former gets Ice Beam, latter Thunderbolt and Magical Leaf) and faster growth due to being tradees. They can also fight for themselves as soon as you get them. In that light, the competition for being the team's Psychic is not in favour of Kadabra. 7/10

alakazam was better when psychic was broken. Now its coverage is a bit worse because its best coverage moves are in Emerald's battle frontier.

6/10

Edited July 15, 2012 by BigBangMeteor

[BBM]

Venonat/Venomoth: 4.28

Probably the best bug in FRLG. Scyther has moveset problems, and Pinsir never gets STAB. >.< That doesn't mean it's amazing though.

It's got mediocre stats (90 SpA and Speed are its highest). Which are pretty average in this game. Getting Silver Wind through move relearner gives Venomoth access to the best Bug-type move in the game (60 BP, 5 PP, Gamefreak hates bugs). It's got all the same status spores as Buttterfree, only with actual stats. It's still got the narrow movepool of the most of the Pokemon in Gen.3, but it's got stats that let it use that narrow movepool (which Zubat, Vulpix and Paras can't do). It's too bad this game hates it. After you get your hands on a Venonat, you've got Koga, Sabrina, Blane, Giovanni and the Elite Four left. Sabrina and Blane tear Venomoth a new one. I guess it can do alright against Giovanni if you avoid the Rock-type moves, and Psybeam @ Lv.36 can help against Koga. You resist his STABs and hit him for super effective damage.

4.5 + 1 bias = 5.5/10 - It gets pretty gimped by its typing, which gives it two physical STABs to run off of base 65 SpA. It really wanted the Physical/Special split to come in this Gen, as it would be a lot better. It's niche against Koga. It's still got powders and stuff that Butterfree had. Only difference is that it has higher stats.

Venomoth has no real way to take advantage of STAB due to its low Attack, and has to rely on a few Grass and Psychic moves to do actual damage. It does, however, have status powders and actual stats, unlike Butterfree.

5/10. At least it gets a lot better in later generations. I love Venomoth. :(

Can't use its STABs effectively and doesn't do too well against any of the remaining gym leaders by the time you get it. 4/10

4/10

Alright, but is kinda like a lategame Butterfree.

It's really terrible until its evolution at lv. 31, when it suddenly gets good special attack and speed. Psybeam is learnt quickly as Venomoth, but you'll want to teach it Psychic and Giga Drain if you're seriously planning to use it. Psychic especially is a highly contested TM, and Venomoth is amongst the worst users of it; it's highly unlikely to get it. Without these TMs, it's really mediocre (Parasect can at least destroy trainers with buyable TMs and high attack) and training a Venonat to evolve is really not worth the time no matter how you look at it.

3/10

Like Butterfree, only with slightly better stats (that aren't worth it, especially when it evolves much later) and no Compound Eyes skill to boost powders/supersonic.

3/10.

Okay, I'm done updating! A HUGE thanks to Espinsosa, who did around two-thirds of the ratings for me. You guys may now post! We're still on Alakazam!

Note: Venonat is here instead of where it should be because I accidentally skipped it when I was moving all the ratings.

Edited July 15, 2012 by BigBangMeteor

[Darros]

I'm going to do Alakazam ITT instead of in the other one.

So Abra sucks balls, and Alakazam requires a trade evolution. An Abra is also not fun to catch because of Teleport. Psychic isn't even that good anymore. Durability isn't even that great.

4/10 only because you could do much worse.

EDIT: I also suggest you link the ratings to posts in the OP.

Edited July 15, 2012 by Knuckles

[BBM]

Okay, I linked all the ratings in the OP, and also put all the ratings in Spoilers to make the pages less monstrously long. Also, I realized I'd forgotten Venonat when I was doing the links, so I added that in at the end.

[Ema Skye]

Psychic isn't even that good anymore.

uhh, what? The only things that resist Psychic in this game are Magnemite and Magneton. Everything else is hit for neutral damage or better. Psychic's the best mono-stab in this game.

So, Abra sucks, plain an simple. Kadabra and Alakazam are glass cannons. They live in a kill or be killed world. If they don't kill something, chances are they will be dead next turn. Alakazam lacks coverage (its only got Shock Wave for non-Psychic special attacks), but when your a Psychic type in Kanto, it doesn't matter. Alakazam is crazy fast (only Jolteon, Aerodactyl and Electrode outspeed, and the first two are rare to find), so expect it to go first most of the time. It's pretty easy to put on a team too. As long as you have something to take down the Magnets (a Fighting type, Fire type or Ground type), Alakazam will provide you with an amazing sweeper that doesn't need coverage to strike fear. It also loves preying on Rocket's Poison-type Pokemon.

7-1 bias = 6/10 - Loses three points for Abra being useless, as well as a pain to catch. Bias comes from how centralizing it was in competitive play.

[BBM]

uhh, what? The only things that resist Psychic in this game are Magnemite and Magneton. Everything else is hit for neutral damage or better. Psychic's the best mono-stab in this game.

So, Abra sucks, plain an simple. Kadabra and Alakazam are glass cannons. They live in a kill or be killed world. If they don't kill something, chances are they will be dead next turn. Alakazam lacks coverage (its only got Shock Wave for non-Psychic special attacks), but when your a Psychic type in Kanto, it doesn't matter. Alakazam is crazy fast (only Jolteon, Aerodactyl and Electrode outspeed, and the first two are rare to find), so expect it to go first most of the time. It's pretty easy to put on a team too. As long as you have something to take down the Magnets (a Fighting type, Fire type or Ground type), Alakazam will provide you with an amazing sweeper that doesn't need coverage to strike fear. It also loves preying on Rocket's Poison-type Pokemon.

7-1 bias = 6/10 - Loses three points for Abra being useless, as well as a pain to catch. Bias comes from how centralizing it was in competitive play.

This is my vote, but without the negative bias.

BTW Lucina, I hope to see this same negative bias against GARchomp if we ever do Sinnoh.

[TheVinceKnight]

Abra is unforunately a little late in the game, but does some part in defeating Koga, and mostly Team Rocket's poison pokemon.

Abra is a bit of a bitch to catch, especially since it will most likely Teleport away if you fail to catch it turn 1.

Leveling up Abra isn't that hard either.

Lucina really summed it up. 6.5/10 for that moustache Alakazam has.

[BBM]

Abra gets a 5.36!

Day 28: Machop/Machoke/Machamp

Remember, Machamp IS counted!

[Espinosa]

Another fighting-type, slower than Primeape but somewhat bulkier and capable of dishing out greater damage if you can bother to make use of its Guts ability. Similar movepool to Primeape with access to Bulk Up, EQ and Rock Slide, but with less speed, availability and requiring a trade for better stats (we're indeed counting Machamp but not necessarily in favour of the Pokemon rated). Machoke also wants to be Machamp more than, say, Kadabra wants to be Alakazam (the latter has no trouble going first and OHKOing with Psychic). Low speed isn't necessarily bad, doubling Revenge's power when going second, but you'll still be taking damage and statuses before attacking.

5.5/10

[Titamon]

The Machop family picked a pretty bad time to become available. Midgame is pretty heavy on poison, ghost and psychic types. The final nail in the coffin is that they have bad speed and need to be traded to reach their full potential.

2.5/10

[ZemZem]

Another fighting-type, slower than Primeape but somewhat bulkier and capable of dishing out greater damage if you can bother to make use of its Guts ability. Similar movepool to Primeape with access to Bulk Up, EQ and Rock Slide, but with less speed, availability and requiring a trade for better stats (we're indeed counting Machamp but not necessarily in favour of the Pokemon rated). Machoke also wants to be Machamp more than, say, Kadabra wants to be Alakazam (the latter has no trouble going first and OHKOing with Psychic). Low speed isn't necessarily bad, doubling Revenge's power when going second, but you'll still be taking damage and statuses before attacking.

5.5/10

[Ema Skye]

The Machop family picked a pretty bad time to become available. Midgame is pretty heavy on poison, ghost and psychic types. The final nail in the coffin is that they have bad speed and need to be traded to reach their full potential.

2.5/10

Yuuuuuuuup

[Shadow Mir]

The Machop family picked a pretty bad time to become available. Midgame is pretty heavy on poison, ghost and psychic types. The final nail in the coffin is that they have bad speed and need to be traded to reach their full potential.

2.5/10

This, but with negative bias for being a trade evolution.

[MacLovin]

5/10

Decent, but no speed or good sp defense to back it up.

Still , not a bad pick, but you could do better

[TheVinceKnight]

Machamp on the same day as Emerald? Wow.

This game hates Machamp.

No joke.

The Machop family picked a pretty bad time to become available. Midgame is pretty heavy on poison, ghost and psychic types. The final nail in the coffin is that they have bad speed and need to be traded to reach their full potential.<br style="color: rgb(7, 55, 2); font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; background-color: rgb(239, 255, 240); ">2.5/10

This will be my vote.

[BBM]

3.57 for Machop.

[BBM]

Day 29: Bellsprout/Weepinbell/Victreebell

[Espinosa]

A Pokemon to recruit for Misty slaying and then never use it again (unless you absolutely can't deal with those hikers somehow). Better stats and natural learnpool (GROWTH FOR SETUP, Vine Whip over Absorb, earlier Sleep Powder) than Oddish for Starmie-killing. If you do decide to use it long-term... Victreebel will be yours in Celadon, and it requires move relearner to learn Razor Leaf, a major improvement over Vine Whip with more PP than Giga Drain. Victreebel is not terribly slow and also has a very high physical attack stat to hurt Rockets' Pokemon with Secret Power or something (Acid is less powerful than SP in spite of the STAB).

I recall saying Parasect is the best non-starter grass-type in the game, but I'm willing to take my words back (primarily because Parasect is too slow to take on hikers with Bullet Seed/Giga Drain, being under risk of eating a rock-type attack), because that grass-type has to be Victreebel. Pity you don't get Sludge Bomb during the maingame and its physical movepool is so low. Going to give him a 6.5/10, though it's still not a Pokemon I'd personally use. Early Growth and evolution as early as lv. 21 makes him even better than Venusaur, I'd argue. Still not a Pokemon I'd train on an efficient run though, but it does things well.

[frat_tastic]

A Pokemon to recruit for Misty slaying and then never use it again (unless you absolutely can't deal with those hikers somehow). Better stats and natural learnpool (GROWTH FOR SETUP, Vine Whip over Absorb, earlier Sleep Powder) than Oddish for Starmie-killing. If you do decide to use it long-term... Victreebel will be yours in Celadon, and it requires move relearner to learn Razor Leaf, a major improvement over Vine Whip with more PP than Giga Drain. Victreebel is not terribly slow and also has a very high physical attack stat to hurt Rockets' Pokemon with Secret Power or something (Acid is less powerful than SP in spite of the STAB).

I recall saying Parasect is the best non-starter grass-type in the game, but I'm willing to take my words back (primarily because Parasect is too slow to take on hikers with Bullet Seed/Giga Drain, being under risk of eating a rock-type attack), because that grass-type has to be Victreebel. Pity you don't get Sludge Bomb during the maingame and its physical movepool is so low. Going to give him a 6.5/10, though it's still not a Pokemon I'd personally use. Early Growth and evolution as early as lv. 21 makes him even better than Venusaur, I'd argue. Still not a Pokemon I'd train on an efficient run though, but it does things well.

But a 7/10.

[Shadow Mir]

5.5/10. Vine Whip has only 10 PP, which makes it even harder to bear with than Oddish (and some other grasses). However, it can evolve to its final form in Celadon.

Edit: Might as well add

and add half a point for the fact that James's Victreebel being clingy was pretty funny. Edited July 16, 2012 by Golden Cucco

[MacLovin]

7/10

Like a shitty Bulbasaur that can evolve as soon as celedon.

[TheVinceKnight]

At least this thing is usable.

What do you do with it after Misty, anwyay?

6.5/10

[BBM]

6.6 for Bellsprout.

[BBM]

Day 30: Tentacool/Tentacruel

Edited July 18, 2012 by BigBangMeteor