Samtendo09
Ability: Light Power
Had anyone mentioned Volbeat and Illumise for the "Worst Pokémon Ever"? Regardless, I will take a lightly in-depth analysis on why those two are a pity excuse of Bug-type Pokémon.
Firstly, their design. While paired Pokémon are supposed to be similar to each other, Volbeat and Illumise are way too similar to stand out on their own. And while the inspiration derived from a greaser and a flapper (or housewife, Illumise's design is a bit unclear), respectively, their design did a poor job to make a convincing design and come off as generic.
Secondly, the fact that their "gimmick" is being a pair and as gender opposite. That's the way how Solrock + Lunatone, Plusle + Minun and the rivalry between Zangoose and Seviper did it at the expense of not making them evolve (which Plusle and Minun started the whole Pika-Clone trend, btw), and they don't have gender exclusivity either. The problem is that the Bug-type pair comes off as really forced and failed to pay off, as there's nothing too interesting on them to make them stand out, and like the other pairs, they have no excuses to not evolve since they have no special gimmicks, either.
Thirdly, the fact that they don't help the problem with Bug-type being seen as weak overall despite powerhouses like Scizor, Heracross and Pinsir until around Gen 5. Their stats are nothing to write about despite being fairly rarer than the Wrumple line, and their stats are not all that better than either Beautifly and Dustox. Volbeat have Tail Glow... which boosts it's paltry Sp. Attack, so that move is only useful for Prankster + Baton Pass, and plenty of other Pokémon would do the job better anyways despite those not having Tail Glow.
Those two Bug-types are prime examples of completely wasted potentials, since they got nothing that make them stand apart from the other Gen 3 pairs to the point of complete insensibility. Those are easily the most forgettable Bug-type, possibly even beating the Burmy line, and easily the most forgettable Gen 3 Pokémon overall.
Firstly, their design. While paired Pokémon are supposed to be similar to each other, Volbeat and Illumise are way too similar to stand out on their own. And while the inspiration derived from a greaser and a flapper (or housewife, Illumise's design is a bit unclear), respectively, their design did a poor job to make a convincing design and come off as generic.
Secondly, the fact that their "gimmick" is being a pair and as gender opposite. That's the way how Solrock + Lunatone, Plusle + Minun and the rivalry between Zangoose and Seviper did it at the expense of not making them evolve (which Plusle and Minun started the whole Pika-Clone trend, btw), and they don't have gender exclusivity either. The problem is that the Bug-type pair comes off as really forced and failed to pay off, as there's nothing too interesting on them to make them stand out, and like the other pairs, they have no excuses to not evolve since they have no special gimmicks, either.
Thirdly, the fact that they don't help the problem with Bug-type being seen as weak overall despite powerhouses like Scizor, Heracross and Pinsir until around Gen 5. Their stats are nothing to write about despite being fairly rarer than the Wrumple line, and their stats are not all that better than either Beautifly and Dustox. Volbeat have Tail Glow... which boosts it's paltry Sp. Attack, so that move is only useful for Prankster + Baton Pass, and plenty of other Pokémon would do the job better anyways despite those not having Tail Glow.
Those two Bug-types are prime examples of completely wasted potentials, since they got nothing that make them stand apart from the other Gen 3 pairs to the point of complete insensibility. Those are easily the most forgettable Bug-type, possibly even beating the Burmy line, and easily the most forgettable Gen 3 Pokémon overall.
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