What do you think is the most underrated Pokemon in OU? (Read the OP and Post #215)

[Turnstoash]

See, the problem here being that if they do have a terrakion, they'll sacrifice a pokemon and use it. And having a poke pass plus six in a stat to you, as well as having a beneficial weather, means that you have a rather large advantage. What prevents the enemy from wearing you down, then switching in t-tar on your rest? Or hippow, with roar. Or abomasnow with wood hammer.

A) if they have to sacrifice a poke that sounds good to me. I can always switch out of terrakion if I want to. (although admitedly it's often more beneficial to let lapras die than to try and switch into cb terrakion) B) plus 6 is only if the opponent makes a mistake, +3 is much easier and can be done multiple times a game. C) I would assume the pokemon involved in wearing me down would be doing so at their own cost D) I can pass to pokemon other than lapras if the situation calls for it. In fact politoed himself apreciates a +3 sp attack or a sub in most weather wars. (and on a lesser note, E: Woodhammer isn't that scary. If I have stealth rocks up the added recoil involved in attacking a lapras makes the weather war practically mine. Plus it doesn't even kill. I would be more concerned with giga drain)

P.S. F) if they have a hippowdon with roar I would probably be trying a different tactic than baton pass

 

[doughboy]

A) if they have to sacrifice a poke that sounds good to me. I can always switch out of terrakion if I want to. (although admitedly it's often more beneficial to let lapras die than to try and switch into cb terrakion) B) plus 6 is only if the opponent makes a mistake, +3 is much easier and can be done multiple times a game. C) I would assume the pokemon involved in wearing me down would be doing so at their own cost D) I can pass to pokemon other than lapras if the situation calls for it. In fact politoed himself apreciates a +3 sp attack or a sub in most weather wars. (and on a lesser note, E: Woodhammer isn't that scary. If I have stealth rocks up the added recoil involved in attacking a lapras makes the weather war practically mine. Plus it doesn't even kill. I would be more concerned with giga drain)

P.S. F) if they have a hippowdon with roar I would probably be trying a different tactic than baton pass

I played against you and your strategy is particularly weak to hazards. If the player knows what he is doing and knows about Volbeat's encore, it is paticularly easy to play around. All you have to do is force the switch out, which means Volbeat takes 50% and Lapras another 25%+the damage that comes in. The strategy doesn't work. Besides, at the end of the day it isn't worth sacrificing an entire team slot to give a +3 boost when many Pokemon can easily reach +2 on their own. Really beyond +2 is really pushing the need for power.

 

[Ericcc]

Rest Talk Gyarados by far. Omg this thing is a beast. The set lets it capitalize on its resistances and offers the team a status absorber. I can't express enough his usefulness for sponging attacks from physical attackers (as well as special!). He comes in on a resisted move, say a FB coming from a Heatran. The Heatran is like "shoot gotta switch out to /insert Gyarados counter here/ now darn..." The counter comes in and you DD. Ok not a big deal, they Toxic/Paralyze you. Then bam you DD again. The opponent is like... Hm I'll stall it out no problem. You then proceed to Rest and the opponent is literally flabbergasted beyond belief. They then switch out knowing they're deadweights and bring in a speedy killer. But by that time you're already faster than the whole of scarf OU'ers, and can outspeed them and probs OHKO. All that matters is you get lucky with Sleep Talk, :); which I would say is his only drawback.

& I actually find that a Careful nature with Max HP/SpDef is actually more beneficial as he can virtually absorb any incoming Draco Meteors with ease. Yeah, with ease. And then stall the opponent out with DD's and Waterfalls. I love this guy! He benefits a lot from no entry hazards to help his bulk, so Magic Bounce Espeon is useful to block the entry hazards or possibly a Spinning Forretress, with whom Gyrados has good synergy.

 

[Turnstoash]

I played against you and your strategy is particularly weak to hazards. If the player knows what he is doing and knows about Volbeat's encore, it is paticularly easy to play around. All you have to do is force the switch out, which means Volbeat takes 50% and Lapras another 25%+the damage that comes in. The strategy doesn't work. Besides, at the end of the day it isn't worth sacrificing an entire team slot to give a +3 boost when many Pokemon can easily reach +2 on their own. Really beyond +2 is really pushing the need for power.

You are correct about both the hazards and the predicting encore. A rapid spin user and the fact that a large majority of the people I face don't know squat about volbeat help combat this. If you would like to tell there are flaws I already know this. If you want to tell me it doesn't work you are wrong. I win about as often as I lose. Last I checked this thread was on underrated pokemon, not invincible pokemon or the best pokemon in ou. I believe both volbeat and to a lesser extent lapras qualify because they have more use in OU than people give them credit for, if only because they get no credit.

 

[Adamant Zoroark]

As an extensive user of Zoroark, I'd say it's the most underrated, albeit the most difficult to use. Zoroark really gets a bad reputation in OU due to the noobs with a ladder rating of under 900 who use it and don't know how to. Okay, I'll admit Team Preview DOES hurt it a little bit, but team preview doesn't say when or even if Zoroark will be used in the battle. Given proper use of Illusion and removal of special walls and priority users, I've swept so easily with Nasty Plot Zoroark it's not even funny. The opponent may predict that you're trying to trick them by using the Illusion ability, but I prefer not to use prediction in my arguments - Prediction can go either way, and you can also move a different Pokemon to the last spot in your party to further confuse the opponent.

 

[TheGrassIsGreener]

Staraptor

Seriously, I only see it once in a blue-moon but I swear I've never not lost a pokemon to its absurd Brave Bird/ Close Combat

I never realized its potential until the Battle Hall, and while I rarely see it played in OU, it always is problematic for me, taking out my Machamp lead if it fails to hurt itself in DynamicPunch's confusion (since Stone Edge doesn't cut it).

I'm surprised it's not more common. Its typing must underwhelm those whom it doesn't deter.

 

[Ericcc]

Staraptor functions well with a Choice Scarf. It out speeds and TTar after a DD. Also Heatran with a Scarf. I think its scouting ability (UTurn) makes it have the potential to excel progressively as a Volt Turner... having good synergy with CS Magnezone.

I think most people don't use it because in all honestly, it's defensively weak with not-so-great typing. I think immunity to Spikes/EQ is all it really has going for it defensively. Oh, and Intimidate, lolzz. The weakness to SR and fragility and neutrality to priority attacks (CB Scizor) greatly stymie its ability to stay alive for as long as it should be in order to be successful at doing all the aforementioned revenge killing.

This Guy really needs Wish support. And no entry hazards! I smell a Magic Bounce Espeon...

 

[Lestersmodge]

Sceptile makes a great lead (and yes I'm talking about in ou). With focus blast, hp fire, earthquake, and a grass move of your choice it can demolish all of the weather leads and most other leads. I used it with a focus sash and with great speed and overgrow that almost assures me a good chance of taking out the opposing teams lead.

 

[Stratos]

I never realized its potential until the Battle Hall, and while I rarely see it played in OU, it always is problematic for me, taking out my Machamp lead if it fails to hurt itself in DynamicPunch's confusion (since Stone Edge doesn't cut it).

I'm surprised it's not more common. Its typing must underwhelm those whom it doesn't deter.

The problem with staraptor is that it is beaten by most common physical walls - Skarm, Jirachi, and Slowbro to name but a few. When it keeps having to switch in, its strongest move is recoil, and it has an SR weakness it's not the best mon for its job in OU, since it's surprisingly similar in role to Terrakion. If you're gonna use Raptor, do it right with a SubRoost set, but even then it leaves much to be desired.

 

[EndlessSKy]

Chandelure

With sub up and only a handful of checks out of the way. It dismantles teams time and time again. Chandelure can accomplish many things with proper team support. Its downsized for its SR weakness and mediocre speed, but heavens sake ppl use Volcarona with its horrible 4x weakness to rocks and this can shadow Hydreigons sub variant that has risen up after being ridiculed by pros.

 

[Deaga]

The problem with staraptor is that it is beaten by most common physical walls - Skarm, Jirachi, and Slowbro to name but a few. When it keeps having to switch in, its strongest move is recoil, and it has an SR weakness it's not the best mon for its job in OU, since it's surprisingly similar in role to Terrakion. If you're gonna use Raptor, do it right with a SubRoost set, but even then it leaves much to be desired.

Use it along with Magnezone. Preferably a Specs Magnezone, so you can steamroll even CM Jirachi. You'll still have some problems with Slowbro, but I'm pretty sure it can't tank Brave Bird with a few hazards.

 

[Princess Bubblegum]

Life orb Jolly 252 Staraptor -> Max defense slowbro: 41.1%-48.8%

So yeah, you need about 2 hazards to take it down unless you get high damage rolls, and even then you still need one layer.

The biggest problem by far with Staraptor is how suicidal it is, im pretty sure after it takes out that slowbro with 2 brave birds, with all that recoil and stealth rock damage on top of that, its pretty much dead. Sure it makes a great wall breaker, but in OU there are much better wall breakers that aren't so suicidal. And if your looking for a drag mag team up, you might as well use dagons that can actually sweep without killing themselfs so fast.

 

[Lebron]

I've always felt that volcarona is quite underated
people assume that once they've got up the rocks it's over
but morning sun makes volcarona an absolute beast
punishing those walls to come in and finish it off

I've only used volcarona once
and it wasn't even on a sun team
after two quiver dances, only choice users can revenge kill
because vol resists bullet and mach punch
after I've taken out their choice user
vol can come in and sweep

even if there aren't enough quiver dances
it's really bulky on the SpD side
while physical attacks might activate flame body

so all in all
don't underestimate volcarona just because of 4x SR!

 

[2sly4u]

Underrated:

For most underrated, I'm going to go with Wobbuffet. In the hands of a capable player he can shut down basically any play style in the game. Terrakion giving you trouble? Revenge it with Wobb's Counter. Something stopping your sweep? Tickle it a couple times and Pursuit it with a teammate. Even VolTurn gets wrecked with a well-timed Mirror Coat (or a Counter against U-Turn if you're full health), while set up and stall both fall to Encore. In a pinch, he can often act as a "get out of jail free" pokemon, sacrificing himself to Encore an opposing sweeper, opening up ways for you to counter. That said, he has his share of problems, in that his move pool is barren and he doesn't have much offensive or defensive synergy outside of Tickle/Pursuit Trapping because of his lack of solid resistances or type coverage. He also (at least I found) has a bit of a learning curve just because his moves are so bizarre, and the penalty for mispredicting can be huge. Even so, he was an Uber two gens in a row for a reason, and it can be easy to see his value once you get used to his unorthodox strategies.

Overrated:

I'd have to say Espeon. There's no denying Magic Bounce is an awesome ability, but for the most part Espeon's switch-ins are pretty predictable, which hurts her ability to fill her main niche. If I see my opponent has an Espeon, I'm not going to start throwing down Spikes with Ferrothorn. Instead, I'm going to Gyro Ball/Power Whip on the inevitable switch and completely decimate her HP. This brings me to my next point, which is her lackluster (for OU) stats. Espeon has a stat distribution that suggests she should be a sweeper, but she's mostly played defensively for her ability so she needs investment in her HP. This leaves her in an awkward in-between zone, where she can't really threaten offensively but she can't really take a good hit either. To her merit, she's a decent DualScreener and her presence can keep hazards off the field through deterrence alone, but I think she's been seriously overhyped. If you really want something that can bounce back hazards, use Deyoxys-D. At least he can take a hit and has access to Recover.

 

[tehy]

You are correct about both the hazards and the predicting encore. A rapid spin user and the fact that a large majority of the people I face don't know squat about volbeat help combat this. If you would like to tell there are flaws I already know this. If you want to tell me it doesn't work you are wrong. I win about as often as I lose. Last I checked this thread was on underrated pokemon, not invincible pokemon or the best pokemon in ou. I believe both volbeat and to a lesser extent lapras qualify because they have more use in OU than people give them credit for, if only because they get no credit.

First of all, you have a rapid spin user, a politoed, a lapras, and a volbeat. What exactly if the rest of your team, and what happens if volbeat goes down? Sounds like you're done for to me.

Secondly "people i face don't know squat about volbeat". I call this brand of thinking "SE against stupid." The problem is that you gain an advantage over someone you already have significant advantages over, and give an advantage to those who have advantages over you already-smart people who know about volbeat.

Thirdly, where are you winning and losing? That would be interesting to analyse.

Fourth, volbeat does have a place, but not much of one. Lapras is not particularly hard to replace IMO, just find a bulky special water-type. Suicune, vaporeon, ETC. Lapras gets no credit for a very good reason.

 

[Lebron]

Hmm, then I announce that Terrakion is the most underrated Poke in the game. Everyone keeps sending Pokes to their death against it.

Terrakion gets sweeps because of its raw power
no one underestimates that
My volc got those sweeps because people assumed I was half dead once they put up SR, and played carelessly, allowing me 2 or 3 quiver dances

 

[Ouro]

Well if you're running Morning Dance you miss out on coverage. Heatran is immune to Fire and resists Bug Buzz 4x. You're pretty much going to get Roar'd out and die on the next time you switch in.

Not to mention Tyranitar is one of the most popular Pokemon in OU and will nerf your healing with the summoned Sandstorm.

 

[baddjordan]

I have been using the electric eel with expert belt. Modest, Volt Switch, Flamethrower, Grass Knot, Hidden Power Ice. Good on a momentum team, poor defensive typing but has Levitate and no weaknesses. Great switch in to Acrobatics Gliscor, Landours sometimes, Skarmory, and great type coverage. In a Turn/Switch team, it breaks through stuff like HP Fire grass types and Gastrodon. Fun to use and underrated since no one rates it at all. Not the most underrated though.

 

[voidzone]

Underrated
Water Absorb Cacturne: It is able to outspeed a vast majority of bulky Water Types with little EV Investment and either Sub up in front of them or hit them (really) hard with Seed Bomb. Immunity to Scald is pretty nice and with a bit HP EVs it easily survives non-stabbed (most likely uninvested) Icebeams from anything. Add in Swords Dance to utilize free turns and Sucker Punch to revenge kill things with a BP 80 stabbed prio move from a 115 attack base and you have an even more versatile pkmn than just an overspecialized water counter.

Overrated
Forretress, since it is seldom more than setup fodder and IMO Ferro and Skarm do a better job in the same departement.

 

[Lebron]

Well if you're running Morning Dance you miss out on coverage. Heatran is immune to Fire and resists Bug Buzz 4x. You're pretty much going to get Roar'd out and die on the next time you switch in.

Not to mention Tyranitar is one of the most popular Pokemon in OU and will nerf your healing with the summoned Sandstorm.

Every pokemon has its counters, why would I attempt to sweep with a heatran still intact on the opposing team?
Tyranitar is bad for volc, thats why I used him on a sun team, and its usable in rain.

There's a guy who underestimates volc

 

[666lumberjack]

The problem with staraptor is that it is beaten by most common physical walls - Skarm, Jirachi, and Slowbro to name but a few. When it keeps having to switch in, its strongest move is recoil, and it has an SR weakness it's not the best mon for its job in OU, since it's surprisingly similar in role to Terrakion. If you're gonna use Raptor, do it right with a SubRoost set, but even then it leaves much to be desired.

This is untrue. Adamant CB Staraptor 2HKOs both 252 HP Jirachi and Physically Defensive Slowbro with Brave Bird as long as there is a single layer of spikes on the field, or rocks in Slowbro's case. Close Combat does even more to Jirachi. The only safe switch is Physically Defensive Skarmory since CB Close Combat 2HKOs Specially Defensive Skarm after Stealth Rock. As long as you can weaken Skarmory to about 70% you can 2HKO even 252/252+. Or, just U-turn to Magnezone and beat it 100% since it's can't take Staraptor after 2 SR switchins and a U-turn unless it has Leftovers - if it does, it can't escape Magnezone and you just opened a big hole for another sweeper to take advantage of, and you still have a fantastic wallbreaker. The only good solution to it is revenge killing really, or smart play to try and stall recoil if you're desperate. SubRoost is cool and all but it doesn't have to power to muscle through flying resists which aren't weak to Close Combat. I'd miss Double-Edge too.

 

[rolrctermaniac]

I would have to say slowbro. I find that its unique quality is being a physicly defensive bulky water. He is also a psychic type that just sits there and trolls tyranitar (unless it is banded).

 

[Samuel_996]

I know it's getting more and more popular, but I'd have to plump for Gastrodon here. It completely shuts down Rotom-W and (with HP investment) comfortably Recovers off CB U-Turn or Superpower from Scizor. I've used it in one of two ways in the past and loved both:

Gastrodon (F) @ Leftovers Trait: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Recover
- Toxic
- Earth Power

Comes in on a choiced Toed or Rotom-W and gets up a sub, toxic stalls pretty admirably along with having decent power on its STAB with +1, even with no SAtk investment. Has some problems due to mono-attacking coverage of course, so I suppose you could go Scald > Substitute, but that's preference.

On the other hand, I've also worked with this set.

Gastrodon (F) @ Life Orb Trait: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Scald
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Recover / Hidden Power (Fire)

Still an amazing Rotom-W counter. With a Storm Drain boost this thing gets to 465 SAtk without factoring Life Orb, which is pretty hot. At +1 HP fire outside of rain can OHKO even 252/252+ SDef Ferro 81.25% of the time, while with one layer of spikes this becomes a guaranteed OHKO. (standard Ferro being one of the only things Gastrodon can outspeed so no Power Whip worries), whilst its STABs crush most things that are neutral or better. Has the additional bonus of not being hurt so bad by getting Tricked a choice item (it particularly doesn't mind specs) as so many Trick mons would do predicting the more used Toxic stall set.

All in all I've found Gastrodon to be pretty versatile and very anti-meta with Volturn being so rampant. Just watch out for surprise HP Grasses.

Another mon I've been playing around with recently is Aggron. With DDNite, CBNite, CB Haxorus etc being rampant, I'm finding my teams getting ripped apart by Outrage pretty commonly, and being so hipster I've been trying to find something other than Skarm that can switch in on Outrage and wreck. So after some playing around I got to the following Aggron set:

Aggron (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Rock Head
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Thunder Wave
- Head Smash
- Hone Claws
- Substitute

With 180 base Defense and a Dragon resist Aggron laughs off any Outrage and either sets up a sub or paralyzes there and then, and after that with any luck I can sub until they get fully paralyzed and set up a Hone Claws, after with point Head Smash is just insanely powerful on anything that doesn't resist it or isn't Gliscor. Of course the main issue with Aggron in OU is that it's quad weak to two common attacking types, but with team support these problems can be rectified (for instance I support it with Intimidate Gyara, who eats up water attacks, -1 Close Combats, and is immune to EQ.)

Obviously Aggron has flaws in OU, and I'm certainly not saying he can just be dropped onto any team. I use him on my current set because he fills a purpose nicely, but I've been pleasantly surprised by just how many kills he can get per game. (ie pretty much always one, and with some parahax, more.)

Other cool mons are +Def Claydol (nice Terrakion counter, hot spinner due to Levitate and SR resistance and can also put up rocks itself, so imo a better Donphan), Rotom-C for reasons covered in prior posts by better players, Staraptor which has been discussed to death, Victreebel in sun and Roserade. I love Roserade with a more offensive set than the sleeper/spiker since it also gets Weather Ball so has nice utility on both Sun and Rain (although fu Ferrothorn) teams.

 

[aVocado]

is quagsire still not ou? i vote for that thing, it can wall so much ridiculous shit in b/w because on unaware, recover, and good stats. sure it loses to rain teams but a lot of the time, i can be building a team and say wow sd terrakion and sd scizor and dd lum nite and etc etc fuck me up, o wait lol quagsire!

I agree. I've taken out entire teams with a moveset of Stockpile/Recover/Toxic/Scald.

 

[lmitchell0012]

There's so many underrated pokemon but I think sawsbuck is such an underrated pokemon. Very few pokemon in OU can avoid being 2HKO'd after a swords dance, and his abilities can be easily abused with ninetails and grass attacks being fairly common. Skarmory and gengar are I think the only true counters to him currently in OU.