Metagame Cross Evolution

[idea]

As smellslikememe and flying moose's teams have shown, stall is quite good in this metagame. Here's my team which got me to number one on the ladder with an Elo of 1561 1607. https://pokepast.es/2416d332dbd1f321

(Miltotic, Toxapex, Vespiquen, Reuniclus, Quagsire, and Hatterene as evos, in that order)
This team does very well despite not using any of the should-be banned mons: I think that it's favoured against almost every team in the meta if played well. Thanks to min min for reminding me that Tentacool gets haze when I was telling them that I thought that I would probably have to replace it because it was setup bait and reminding me of a few other things like the fact that I should be running coil over curse on Munchlax since it has more pp.

 

[smellslikememe]

Everybody's been posting stall teams, but I made a bulky offense team that I've had a high level of success with on the ladder.

This team does struggle with Magneton somewhat, but personally I've found counterplay extremely easy. The notable aspect about this team was that it was never changed since I made it - I thought it was incredible how well it matched up against basically any playstyle in the metagame. Anyways, without further ado, I present the team that brought me straight to the highest GXE/Glicko-1 on the ladder.


Rhydon-Gallade Bulky Offense

Full team description

→
Gallade (Rhydon) @ Choice Band
Ability: Justified
EVs: 172 HP / 180 Atk / 68 Def / 88 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Shadow Sneak

After cross-evolving, Rhydon-Gallade reaches a terrifying Attack stat of 220, which essentially means that even resisted switchins will be reluctant to even think about trying to capitalize on its hypothetically easy to wall STAB combination. Here's an example of just how terrifying this Attack stat is:

180+ Atk Choice Band Rhydon-Gallade Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Fur Coat Vullaby-Persian-A: 159-187 (40.3 - 47.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

Not even your average Fur Coat abusers can comfortably stomach a Close Combat from this monster - the only exceptions are Tangela and some bizaare niche Pokemon like Pumpkaboo-S. With the given EVs, Rhydon is still able to consistently 2HKO Wailmer-Toxapex with Earthquake. Notably, however, it outspeeds and 2HKOs fully physically defensive Onix-Vaporeon, lives a +6 Adamant Munchlax-Arcanine Extreme Speed after Stealth Rock with the given EVs while maximizing Attack and HP, blows past stall teams with little to no resistance, is generally bulky enough to take both physical and special hits, and as an added bonus, easily nets revenge kills on fast and frail evolutions, such as Ninjask and Accelgor. It primarily acts as a wallbreaker that is able to deal a tremendous amount of damage to nearly everything in the metagame, while not dragging the team down against offensive teams by virtue of its access to bulk and priority. Nearly all stall teams that don't pack a specific check fear its Earthquake/CC/Ice Punch combo.

→
Gardevoir (Haunter) @ Leftovers
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 2 Def
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Energy Ball
- Calm Mind

While this Pokemon only has a base Speed of 125 which leaves it prone to being outsped when matched up against offensive teams, the utility it brings is hard to understate. Trace allows it to accomplish a myriad of tasks, such as countersweeping weather teams, being an annoyance against stall due to being able to Trace Regenerator and Pressure, and it also acts as a soft Tangela check by virtue of its Poison-type. Even without considering all that, it doesn't drag the team down outside of that role due to its respectable offenses and being able to faze incoming resists with Sludge Bomb poisons. The IVs listed don't detract from the overall effectiveness of the set but allow Rhydon's Shadow Sneak to KO full HP Ditto.

→
Butterfree (Magneton) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Hurricane
- Energy Ball
- Volt Switch

For the most part, this set should be self explanatory. It deals with Scyther and some Tangela variants where other common Choice Scarfers would struggle, and notably it also pressures Wailmer. In general, it can threaten opposing teams with Thunder and Hurricane, gain momentum with Volt Switch, and surprise common Ground-type switchins with Energy Ball. Highly useful against offensive teams due to its very high speed tier only surpassable by base 190s or above.

→
Hitmontop (Honedge) @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Mach Punch
- Shadow Sneak
- Bullet Punch
- Swords Dance

Honedge acts as the team's primary revenge killer, having some of the strongest priority in the game outside of Extreme Speed Munchlax variants. It can generally act as a soft check against Butterfrees and Frosmoths with its priority, but needs them to be weakened in order to do so. Other than that, it provides a good switchin to any passive Pokemon lacking Will-o-Wisp or Scald.

→
Steelix (Scyther) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Iron Head
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
- Roost

Scyther's Steel/Flying-type allows it to act as a blanket switchin to many of the physical attackers in the metagame. Its Sheer Force-boosted Iron Head can pressure passive Pokemon even uninvested due to its inherently high Attack Stat, and it's also the team's only hazard setter. While I usually don't use it as a lead, it can effectively get hazards in on many of the Pokemon it switches into, especially opposing Scyther.

→
Gyarados (Vullaby) (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Defog
- Roost

Hazard removal is pretty crucial for this team, because with the exceptions of Haunter or Scyther, every team member struggles to deal with either Stealth Rock or Toxic Spikes, meaning that Vullaby's ability to switch in on most physical attackers and simultaneously threaten them with Brave Bird and hazard removal is critical to the team's success. It has good synergy with Scyther-Steelix, and its high base Attack stat means that most offensive Pokemon will be uncomfortable switchng in for fear of taking a significant chunk of damage from Brave Bird or taking chip damage off of U-Turn and then being subsequently pressured by a switchin. Overall Vullaby is extremely important to the team and should be kept alive at all costs against teams that heavily utilize entry hazards.

 

[+Kyi+]

It won't let me use the moves for the mons that the mons evolve too. For example, when I name a Clefairy Toxapex I don't get baneful bunker.

 

[CoolMan6001]

It won't let me use the moves for the mons that the mons evolve too. For example, when I name a Clefairy Toxapex I don't get baneful bunker.

Clefairy can only evolve into 3rd stage eolutions due to evolving from Cleffa. Toxapex is a 2nd stage evolution.

 

[+Kyi+]

I also don't get spiky shield when I name a tangela Cacturne

 

[CoolMan6001]

I also don't get spiky shield when I name a tangela Cacturne

What's the moveset? You can't use more than two moves the original mon doesn't learn.

 

[+Kyi+]

I haven't given a moveset cuz it doesn't have any of the moves Cacturne has that tangela doesn't

 

[alephgalactus]

It won't let me use the moves for the mons that the mons evolve too. For example, when I name a Clefairy Toxapex I don't get baneful bunker.

I haven't given a moveset cuz it doesn't have any of the moves Cacturne has that tangela doesn't

Clefairy can’t cross evolve into Toxapex because Toxapex and Clefairy are both Stage 2 evolutions. Cleffa could cross evolve into Toxapex, but Clefairy cannot.

As for Cacturne, it doesn’t exist at the moment.

 

[+Kyi+]

Oh well thanks

 

[Cuddly]

It's pretty desolate here, so I would like to present what Slowking-Galar offers, being the only entirely new evolution from CT.

Galarian Slowking is a Stage 2 Pokemon that evolves from Galarian Slowpoke with no further evolutions.

Stats

HP: +5
Atk: +/- 0
Def: +15
SpA: +70
SpD: +70
Spe: +15
BST: +175
The most notable stat increases are SpA and SpD, giving both 70+. In CE, it is rare to find both SpA and SpD from a 2 stage Pokemon be given such high boost, only in Milotic, Frosmoth, Gardevoir, Regular Slowking, and maybe some other Pokemon I missed. A somewhat nice detail is that it does not increase its Atk, so if you want a dedicated Special Attacker, Slowking-G won't make Confusion and Foul Play stronger.

Movepool Additions

Avalanche
Brick Break
Drain Punch
Eerie Spell
Focus Blast
Hex
Ice Punch
Iron Defense*
Nasty Plot
Power Gem
Razor Shell
Sludge Bomb
Sludge Wave
Fling
Giga Impact
Hyper Beam
Mega Kick
Mega Punch
Muddy Water
Swagger
Veno Drench
Venoshock
Most notable moves given to a Pokemon are in bold, and some moves with potential are given a *

Characteristics

Typing: +Poison/Psychic (replaces the pre-evolution's typing as Slowpoke-G is pure Psychic, and this typing change replaces the primary typing with Poison and adds a Psychic typing)

Abilities: Curious Medicine (completely useless in Singles), Own Tempo, Regenerator (HA)

Height: +0.6m

Weight: +43.5 kg

Minimum Level: 1

Slowking-G faces some competition for being an evolution by Milotic (very fitting considering their appearances), a Cross Evolution that also provides sky high Special Stats for first stage Pokemon. This competition is pretty stiff, especially considering that Milotic provides a lot in other stats like HP and Def, and provides a large movepool that can have physical attacking support. What sets Slowking-G apart is regenerator, additions like Nasty Plot and Eerei Spell, changing the Pokemon's typing completely, and not giving any unnecessary Atk.

Slowking-G is also the only 2 Stage Pokemon with such a high SpA increase that provides Nasty Plot, something Milotic and Gardevoir do not provide while regular Slowking provides lesser of the important stats and does not provide Eerei Spell.

Edit:
Another possibility with I just realized that you can use Slowking-G as literally Satan himself.

Satan if he was a pedophile

I swear there is so disturbing stuff you don't want to see

I'm warning you

Ok, fine. Ruin your day having obtained this knowledge, possibly the rest of your life as you spend your days awake realizing such horrors exist.

Slowking-Galar (Slowpoke) @ Leppa Berry
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Block
- Recycle
- Eerie Spell
- Slack Off

Remember how Slowbro with a Leppa Berry single handedly was so outlandishly broken that it's the sole clause of AG? Yup, this set is inspired by it. Slowking-G itself does not learn Recycle, but in CE, it can. Instead of Heal Pulse, this set doesn't endlessly heal you, but instead drains all your opponent's PP. Imagine Gothitelle, with its ability to trick a choice scarf onto anything, and just wait until they die. Well while you are not able to instantly trap everything, this set can pretty much do its trapping multiple times. This is helped by the fact that you can give yourself regenerator, so if things go sour you'll be rewarded with fleeing.

Here is regular Slowpoke as the base Pokemon, although any Pokemon with Recycle, Block or Mean Look, some recovery, and having crippled to opponent's side already, you can technically do the same or a similar set with that Pokemon. In fact, a Pokemon that can be seen more often as an offensive Pokemon, necessitating a wall to switch into, can nab an easy KO as they slowly drain all their PP away. Slowking-G does provide Nasty Plot and a massive boost to SpA.

For lures, you can you Smoochum, or preferably Gothita. Gothita is a lot more unassuming in what it can do and has better bulk, but Smoochum has a more believable disguise because of that frailty and having 155 SpA afterwards. It is odd however that anyone would run Smoochums at all, which could be a dead giveaway.

 

[urkerab]

Typing: +Poison/Psychic (replaces the pre-evolution's typing as Slowpoke-G is pure Psychic, and this typing change replaces the primary typing with Poison and adds a Psychic typing)

Well, that's a type change that's never happened before. I guess it's a bit over-specific to special-case this to do something else, i.e. if primary type is not Poison, secondary type becomes original primary type and primary type becomes Poison?

 

[Orig Stall Guy]

Well, that's a type change that's never happened before. I guess it's a bit over-specific to special-case this to do something else, i.e. if primary type is not Poison, secondary type becomes original primary type and primary type becomes Poison?

Im actually unsure of how this works. Galar slowbro type is pure psychic which I think is treated as psychic/psychic.
Would the evolution to poison/psychic mean the primary typing becomes poison? I can't think of good examples to reference this.

 

[Cuddly]

Well, that's a type change that's never happened before. I guess it's a bit over-specific to special-case this to do something else, i.e. if primary type is not Poison, secondary type becomes original primary type and primary type becomes Poison?

Well that it actually has happened before with CE in Galarian Slowbro, Alolan Marowak, and Galarian Mr. Mime as see here

It should be noted that Slowbro-Galar is actually a Poison-Psychic type, Showdown has just implemented it wrong. Once it is fixed, it will be one of three cross evolutions that will always induce the same type change, the others being Marowak-Alola and Mr. Mime-Galar.

I just remembered this unique interaction way back when IoA was released, and it's something you would almost never notice unless you thought about it or someone told you.

 

[smellslikememe]

Hey all! Cross Evolution has been inactive for the past few months following OMotM, but with the advent of the Crown Tundra DLC I think it's necessary to make a post to let people know of any potential updates to the metagame. As usual the spreadsheet has been updated with new/returning DLC additions.

Potentially viable returning crevolvers:

Golbat
Electabuzz
Magmar
Lairon
Lileep
Anorith
Gabite
Metang
Archen
Poipole

Potentially viable returning crevolutions:

Nidoqueen (Sheer Force, +Ground secondary)
Nidoking (Sheer Force, +Ground secondary)
Omastar (Swift Swim, Shell Smash)
Kabutops (Swift Swim)
Dragonite (Multiscale, +Flying secondary)
Blaziken (Speed Boost)
Altaria (+Dragon primary)
Salamence (Intimidate, +Flying secondary)
Garchomp (Rough Skin, Stealth Rock)
Naganadel (Beast Boost, +Dragon secondary)

Other viable Pokemon (returning Ubers, new additions, etc):

Lugia
Ho-Oh
Kyogre
Groudon
Fug
Dialga
Palkia
Giratina
Genesect
Zygarde
Tapu Koko
Tapu Lele
Tapu Bulu
Pheromosa

The Crown Tundra metagame will probably represent a slight shift from the IoA meta. While the IoA meta was dominated by physical attackers and Pokemon with a great deal of physical bulk, the return of Magmar, Electabuzz, Nidoking/Queen, Salamence, and Dragonite may mark a slight shift in the composition of teams due to an influx of viable Flying-types and several strong special attackers once again roaming the metagame. It is especially Magmar and Electabuzz that are noteworthy - both were ranked in A+ last generation and are capable of firing off powerful special attacks while also being blessed with good typings and above average speed. While power creep has noticeably affected this generation, I think both are still some of the most viable Pokemon in the metagame.

Calyrex in both of its formes has the capacity to be a polarizing Pokemon. Calyrex-Shadow is overall excellent with its high offensive stats and precise movepool, while Calyrex-Glacial will have a niche on Trick Room, although its typing leaves it prone to many of the metagame's offensive monsters. The return of the weather trio and the Tapus gives weather and terrain-based playstyles options without relying on overly passive setters, and the overall boost to legends with Galar/IoA move tutors may once again lead to more than just a few Ubers being viable.

 

[urkerab]

Well that it actually has happened before with CE in Galarian Slowbro, Alolan Marowak, and Galarian Mr. Mime as see here

Alolan Marowak doesn't share a type with its prevo, but I didn't realise that they messed up Galarian Mr. Mime's typing too... in that case, I guess we should just leave it as overwriting both types. And the other approach of treating a single type as a duplicate dual type makes things worse, e.g. for Sylveon, as that would force Fairy type.

 

[PQRDG]

I jus think started diving into this and it seems very cool. I see some interesting potential for certain sweepers. For example, Salandit/Heliolisk or Scyther/Barraskewda.

However, I have started creating a team, but I do not see the option to seek a battle from the lobby. Is this format just very niche, or... ?

Also, what’s is the stance on a Skill Link/Scale Shot combo? Ending the turn with a +5 speed and a KO might be a lot...

 

[idea]

I jus think started diving into this and it seems very cool. I see some interesting potential for certain sweepers. For example, Salandit/Heliolisk or Scyther/Barraskewda.

However, I have started creating a team, but I do not see the option to seek a battle from the lobby. Is this format just very niche, or... ?

Also, what’s is the stance on a Skill Link/Scale Shot combo? Ending the turn with a +5 speed and a KO might be a lot...

That's not how scale shot works. You get +1 speed and -1 defence at the end, regardless of how many times it hits.

 

[PQRDG]

That's not how scale shot works. You get +1 speed and -1 defence at the end, regardless of how many times it hits.

Okay, I don’t I know why I for some reason thought that it applied to every hit, and not just at the end. Whoops.

Also, if we want to go for something COMPLETELY crazy, Lickitung/Cosmeog. If it can keep the Unaware ability it’s even better, but +100 to both defences, with Cosmic Power, Rest Talk and Body Press makes a brutal combo for an already decently tanky Pokemon.

And final edit for a question. I notice the ban list on abilities does not include a few signature form-changing abilities, such as Stance Change, Zen Mode, or Flower Gift. How do those abilities work in this game mode?

 

[Nitro Indigo]

I've considered cross-evolving Trapinch into something that gives a high speed boost, such as Boltund, but I haven't had the chance to test it out yet.

 

[AIPS]

And final edit for a question. I notice the ban list on abilities does not include a few signature form-changing abilities, such as Stance Change, Zen Mode, or Flower Gift. How do those abilities work in this game mode?

Stance Change and Zen Mode won't do anything.
Flower Gift will actually still give the +1 Atk and +1 SpD in sun (or atleast it should).

 

[anaconja]

Stance Change and Zen Mode won't do anything.
Flower Gift will actually still give the +1 Atk and +1 SpD in sun (or atleast it should).

it doesn't

Also, if we want to go for something COMPLETELY crazy, Lickitung/Cosmeog. If it can keep the Unaware ability it’s even better, but +100 to both defences, with Cosmic Power, Rest Talk and Body Press makes a brutal combo for an already decently tanky Pokemon.

cosmoem doesn't have unaware, cosmog does. the set itself sounds quite mediocre as you have a useless ability, plus it just gets hard stopped by any ghost-type, unaware user (anything + quagsire and clefable), or haze user (given pex is a very good crevolution, there are plenty).

I've considered cross-evolving Trapinch into something that gives a high speed boost, such as Boltund, but I haven't had the chance to test it out yet.

i don't see why you would ever use trapinch, the only thing that distinguishes it from like mudbray, drilbur, and even sandshrew is first impression (which isn't stab). otherwise it's strictly outclassed due to its abysmal speed (as you mentioned), but also its lack of bulk and very scarce movepool.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

I was mainly interested because of its high attack, but that's a good point.

 

[in the hills]

I haven't shared my thoughts on CE in a while, but it's been super fun to play in the DLC2 metagame! I really hope we win OMotM sometime... Anyways, after playing a bunch there's a few things I thought I'd mention as being possibly banworthy in the current metagame:

Calyrex-Shadow is easily the most broken thing in the current meta and for obvious reasons. Base 165 SpA with an insanely good speed tier and As One make it incredibly easy for Calyrex-Shadow to blow right through teams. While there is some counterplay available to it, it forces either a bulky Dark-type like Vullaby!Gyarados or one of two Normal-types on almost every team, or else you're susceptible to getting steamrolled yourself, and all of these options are susceptible to Trick. Additionally, with such centralized counterplay, it's incredibly easy to curate Calyrex-Shadow's teammates towards beating them with options like Zacian-C, Spritzee!Milotic, or even Chansey!Hatterene (which can WishPort to keep it healthy, though that's another issue). I think Calyrex-Shadow doesn't really have any place in the metagame as is, and should probably be quickbanned at some point.


Chansey gained one really important tool this generation: Teleport. This move option already forced Chansey as an evolution to be banned, but honestly Chansey as a Pokemon is arguably more problematic. Chansey!Hatterene is a super fat wall with a good typing, Magic Bounce, and WishPort off of 250 base HP, which is WAY more support than any one Pokemon should bring to a team, in my opinion. While Chansey is a passive wall and can't do much against most breakers, the team support it provides for both offensive and defensive partners is unmatched in the metagame, and in my opinion, makes it banworthy.


Toxapex as an evolution is a tough one given there's not very many Pokemon that properly utilize it in the metagame, but Wailmer and Munchlax evolving into Toxapex make this option arguably too good. +90 to both defenses with Regenerator, Haze and Recover are insanely good on Pokemon with already high HP stats, and make Pokemon like Wailmer able to wall nearly every physical attacker in the meta. While I think it might be a good thing that these blanket walls exist, I do question whether or not they're healthy for the metagame. Honestly not fully sure how I feel about Toxapex as an evolution yet, but it's been something that's been on my eye since the last OMotM so I thought I'd share to get other opinions.


Not really gonna say much on this one, given I'm pretty sure it's an oversight on the PS banlist rather than intentionally being unbanned, but honestly I don't really care either way if Shadow Tag ends up banned on PS, it's actually not that strong of an option when most bulkier walls have ways to pivot out. However, this is still an uncompetitive ability and was intended to be banned, so I think it probably should be reflected on PS that way.

Overall though, the metagame has been super fun to play, and I'm glad we got some of the Pokemon from last generation back with DLC2. I've been having fun messing around in friendlies with a bunch of new sets and old ones as well, so I thought I'd just dump some sets for some people who may be interested in trying out this metagame
The Classics: (click sprites for sets)
These are some of the classic Pokemon you'll see when playing Cross Evolution! These Pokemon are usually popular because of their high BST or just high stats in particular, and most are very potent in the metagame! I'd like to highlight Spritzee in particular, as in my opinion it is one of the best Pokemon in this metagame overall.

Butterfree Evolutions:
Butterfree evolutions are some of the most powerful special breakers in the metagame, and the DLC gave us some of our more classic options back. Quiver Dance+Hurricane and an insane SpA boost makes these breakers super threatening, not to mention two strong ability choices: Compound Eyes to make sure your attacks don't miss, and Tinted Lens to break past nearly any Pokemon.

Gallade Evolutions:
Gallade evolutions are similar to Butterfree evolutions in that they make for some of the strongest breakers in the metagame. Magmar in particular is insanely difficult for teams to handle this generation, while Rhydon and Piloswine make for great Stealth Rock setters.

RegenVest:
RegenVest makes its way into yet another metagame, this time with some actually cool users though. All of these Pokemon are super fun to use and each serve a different purpose, so I'd recommend trying them all out. Scyther!Slowking-Galar in particular is a really strange set that has come out of DLC2 that makes for a great offensive pivot that's still insanely bulky.

Ubers:
Many people seem to be shocked that Ubers are allowed in Cross Evolution, when the truth is most of them aren't very great. However, some of them (especially the new ones from Gen 8) do have definable niches in the metagame, and a few can be strong breakers as well! (also dear god their sprites are huge)

Dragonite Evolutions:
Dragonite evolutions are really fun, and there's probably a ton more to try out than the ones I've mentioned, given I mostly only use them for Stealth Rock setters. On that note, I've been thoroughly enjoying Rhydon!Dragonite lately, as it's incredibly strong and can take a hit from almost any Pokemon at full

The Rest:
Here's the rest of the sets I felt like sharing, though I didn't feel like going into much detail on. Omanyte is a really funny breaker with either Espeon or Swoobat evolutions, and it's hilarious to watch it break through teams. Wailmer and Hippopotas are some of the best physical walls in the metagame, Hippopotas is able to avoid being 2HKOd by +3 Zacian-Crowned. Porygon's Boomburst is the strongest in the tier, and Nuzzle is great team support. Archen hits ridiculously hard with Choice Band Tough Claws Head Smash, and has priority to back it up, or it can run a Choice Scarf set with Hitmontop as the evolution.

These are just a few sets in the CE metagame, there's sooo many options to try out that I could go on for days about the sets I like. Try out this metagame and I'm sure you'll find a bunch that you enjoy as well!

 

[Nitro Indigo]

Omanyte is a really funny breaker with either Espeon or Swoobat evolutions

Simple Shell Smash sounds terrifying... I want to try it.

Also, I wonder why Butterfree is banned in Inheritance, but not this? Is it because Cross Evolution is centred around hyper offence, so it doesn't stand out as much?

 

[smellslikememe]

Simple Shell Smash sounds terrifying... I want to try it.

Also, I wonder why Butterfree is banned in Inheritance, but not this? Is it because Cross Evolution is centred around hyper offence, so it doesn't stand out as much?

Butterfree is banned in Inheritence because its Tinted Lens/QD sets were excessively powerful in relation to the rest of the metagame.

Cross Evolution, on the other hand, tends to favor bulkier teams much of the time due to a higher degree of variety and the way stat/type changes are distributed to begin with. You would be surprised to find that hyper offense is one of the least consistent playstyles. Butterfree is severely limited by its movepool and its donor pool, which is why it isn't considered egregiously broken.