"Worst Pokémon Ever"

Being an unrepentant dog hater myself, I was thinking of bringing up a Pokémon like this myself, but Dachsbun is not the worst one to me.

It's the Maschiff/Mabosstiff family.

Why oh why did anyone at Game Freak see the need to introduce three new two-stage dog families in the same generation? There's Fidough/Dachsbun, Greavard/Houndstone, and Maschiff/Mabosstiff, which all feature roughly the same base design and work roughly the same mechanically. They're single-typed Pokémon that evolve by level at 26/30/30 and have a BST of 477/488/505.

With three sets of dogs in the game, at least they should be distinct somehow. Two of them are. Fidough's bread theme is wonderfully unique, and Greavard takes the "the only good dog is a dead dog" thing to a whole new level. But Maschiff is just ... awfully generic. It's a quite basic mastiff design, its typing is quite bland (pure Dark), and its movepool is nothing to write home about. Sure, it has a unique ability, but it's very situational. Mabosstiff is essentially a physical Houndoom with no flavour. With two other dog families in the game, why add a third one if it's this generic?

My theory is that they needed a dog for the Arven plotline. But Dachsbun wouldn't have the same emotional impact ("Oh no, my pastry dog is hurt!"), and Houndstone is already dead. The writers wanted a Pokémon players could sympathize with, hence they made a dog that looks a lot like a real-life dog for that story, rather than some goofy design.

Also, Gen IX is slightly lacking in Dark-types. Okay, there are ten others beside the Maschiff family, but Maschiff is the only one that can evolve. So it's not entirely without a purpose.
Mabosstiff doesn't feel like it fits amazingly into the narrative role it was given either. As a Dark-type, and not one that has other clear associations besides being a jerk (compare to Darkrai or Absol, for example), it feels completely reliant on being a dog to convey it being a loyal companion. As someone who's most vivid memory involving a dog is being hospitalized when I was 4, this fails on me. Thinking on it, a lot of my own "it's okay buddy, I'll get you through this" moments have involved computers, so Arven having magnemite or something like it would probably produce the desired emotions in me a lot better.
 
Mabostiff is the only passable dog mon this gen, but I agree the others are garbage.

Though to be fair, fidough line's problems are partly to do with my dislike of fairy = food lines, enhanced by the fact that there are only 2 new fairy lines during main story.
I actually think the Fidough line handles that concept better than the others. Pastries specifically are something that shows up semi-frequently in classic fairy tales, while Slurpuff and Alcremie seem like their inspirations are a bit too modern for that. Daschbun having a mechanically interesting signature ability with clearer flavour (heh) connections than Sweet Veil and no overlap with Misty Terrain also makes it feel less like they slapped on the food theme because they didn't have any other ideas for a Fairy-type. Similarly with the line being outside the Fairy egg group (it's Field/Mineral)
 
I actually think the Fidough line handles that concept better than the others. Pastries specifically are something that shows up semi-frequently in classic fairy tales, while Slurpuff and Alcremie seem like their inspirations are a bit too modern for that. Daschbun having a mechanically interesting signature ability with clearer flavour (heh) connections than Sweet Veil and no overlap with Misty Terrain also makes it feel less like they slapped on the food theme because they didn't have any other ideas for a Fairy-type. Similarly with the line being outside the Fairy egg group (it's Field/Mineral)
pudding (or merange, or whatever) & cream aren't that modern
people love mixing milk with things
 
Being an unrepentant dog hater myself, I was thinking of bringing up a Pokémon like this myself, but Dachsbun is not the worst one to me.

It's the Maschiff/Mabosstiff family.

Why oh why did anyone at Game Freak see the need to introduce three new two-stage dog families in the same generation? There's Fidough/Dachsbun, Greavard/Houndstone, and Maschiff/Mabosstiff, which all feature roughly the same base design and work roughly the same mechanically. They're single-typed Pokémon that evolve by level at 26/30/30 and have a BST of 477/488/505.

With three sets of dogs in the game, at least they should be distinct somehow. Two of them are. Fidough's bread theme is wonderfully unique, and Greavard takes the "the only good dog is a dead dog" thing to a whole new level. But Maschiff is just ... awfully generic. It's a quite basic mastiff design, its typing is quite bland (pure Dark), and its movepool is nothing to write home about. Sure, it has a unique ability, but it's very situational. Mabosstiff is essentially a physical Houndoom with no flavour. With two other dog families in the game, why add a third one if it's this generic?

My theory is that they needed a dog for the Arven plotline. But Dachsbun wouldn't have the same emotional impact ("Oh no, my pastry dog is hurt!"), and Houndstone is already dead. The writers wanted a Pokémon players could sympathize with, hence they made a dog that looks a lot like a real-life dog for that story, rather than some goofy design.

Also, Gen IX is slightly lacking in Dark-types. Okay, there are ten others beside the Maschiff family, but Maschiff is the only one that can evolve. So it's not entirely without a purpose.
I'm surprised those 3 aren't counterparts, actually. I was expecting them to be when the pre-release info/leaks were coming out.

I was also expecting Arven's Manbosstiff to die and come back as a Houndstone at the end of his storyline, though I guess that's probably too dark for GF.
 
Have I mentioned how much I hate Luxray? It’s not even one thing I don’t like about it either. The Mickey Mouse ears and the Shadow the Hedgehog mane do not complement each other at all, not that the rest of the design would be salvageable anyways. It’s a blue cat with bloodshot eyes and black fur-pants things. The whole x-ray gimmick seems really tacked on, and doesn’t do anything in game either. We could’ve gotten an x-ray move that ignores held items or something along those lines to at least reinforce that theme at least a little? No idea why this thing and it’s pre-evolutions are considered the some of the best designs of gen 4, but I can see why it’s considered one of the best designed electric types, given the entire typing has a rodent infestation which lowers the bar pretty significantly.

Don’t get the hate for sunkern though. Is it a totally unviable and forgettable waste of a sun stone? Of course! Would it taste amazing if you cracked the shell off and roasted it with some salt? Also of course!
 
So I know its common to shit on the future Paradox forms for just "being the same mons but robots". But I think, IMO, the one that's the worst for this and a Pokemon that's surprisingly mediocre in general is Iron Jugulis.

The design is literally just Hydreigon with different textures. Even Iron Bundle changed more than that. The dex entry is funny, and the name is cool, but beyond that there's little intrigue.

Honestly I think the kicker though is the stat arrangement. Its a worse Hydreigon with slightly better Speed and a much less interesting and worse typing overall. I know Iron Thorns is like this to Tyranitar as well, though there at least Thorns has a unique type and enough movepool differences to make you actively want to use one over what its based on. Jugulis pretty much gets most of the unique moves Hydreigon gets, so in the end the only difference is you trade a cool typing for one that has to rely on fucking Hurricane for strong STAB and is weak to Stealth Rock.

While I do know its technically considered better competitively compared to Hydreigon, in comparison to most of its Paradox brethren it falls short. Its easily my least favorite Pokemon of Gen 9 cause at least Cetitan is unique, even if not in a pleasant way. (And it has an actually kinda cute pre-evo which saves it somewhat)
 

CTNC

Doesn't know how to attack
Tandemaus, Flittle, Tadbulb, Charcadet, Paladian Tauros, Yellow Tatsugiri, and maybe Shroodle are some of Gen 8's worst new Pokemon because of one major problem they all have. Their Shiny versions look almost the same and they were introduced in a game where you can see Shinies in the over world.

You can't tell with Shroodle when its back isn't turned toward you and Tatsugiri's forms are all different colors from their originals, but the Yellow one's Shiny is the same color as the Orange one's normal coloration. Paladian Tauros is the absolute worst of all of them because it's practically impossible to tell even if you know what you're looking for! I always run into Tauros in case one of them is Shiny (I did find a Shiny while doing that, but it was Marill. Awesome! :D) and what makes it even more annoying is they love to run around so one of them is always where you're standing when you run away from the last one.


I've got to mention the Shiny Lechonk I found too as something missable because I thought it was another Hoppit in a group of 6 at first. They're found in the same area and it turns out they're the same shade of pink.


Cetoddle has the dishonor of making me think I was seeing yet another glitch at first. I've heard of people thinking their games are glitched when they find a Shiny Pokmeon, but it's always from someone that'd never seen a Shiny before, not from someone with about 2 Boxes of Shinies! It looked like it under lit as though it was in the shade even though it was in sun with no shadows around and every other Pokemon looked bright as they should be. I ran into it when I started suspecting it wasn't a glitch and was still shocked to see the sparkles.
 
I'm nominating Luvdisc. Here's why:
1. Design. It's just a heart with eyes. It's one of the laziest Pokemon designs ever.
2. In-game/Competitive Use: It has a BST of 330, and no base attacking stat over 40. It's moveset isn't that great, either. There are so many better water types. It doesn't even have a gimmick outside of holding Heart Scales, which is its only use.
Bruh, we are using luvdisk right now to perform emotes.
Great design imo. Fills the role of uncompetitive weak pokemon with an on cartridge niche and out of game uses.
 

Yung Dramps

awesome gaming
Fills the role of uncompetitive weak pokemon with an on cartridge niche
Not anymore! In case you've forgotten, move relearning is now free and remotely accessible. In other words, Luvdisc has somehow, by some ungodly act of hell gotten even worse. Being Heart Scale fodder wasn't a particularly dignifying role, but it was a role all the same. Now, Luvdisc is genuinely completely without purpose from a game design standpoint. I fully expect it is going to become the new most requested candidate for an evolution now that Dunsparce fans have gotten their way, and for very good reason. Just god damn man. God damn.
 
So I know its common to shit on the future Paradox forms for just "being the same mons but robots". But I think, IMO, the one that's the worst for this and a Pokemon that's surprisingly mediocre in general is Iron Jugulis.

The design is literally just Hydreigon with different textures. Even Iron Bundle changed more than that. The dex entry is funny, and the name is cool, but beyond that there's little intrigue.

Honestly I think the kicker though is the stat arrangement. Its a worse Hydreigon with slightly better Speed and a much less interesting and worse typing overall. I know Iron Thorns is like this to Tyranitar as well, though there at least Thorns has a unique type and enough movepool differences to make you actively want to use one over what its based on. Jugulis pretty much gets most of the unique moves Hydreigon gets, so in the end the only difference is you trade a cool typing for one that has to rely on fucking Hurricane for strong STAB and is weak to Stealth Rock.

While I do know its technically considered better competitively compared to Hydreigon, in comparison to most of its Paradox brethren it falls short. Its easily my least favorite Pokemon of Gen 9 cause at least Cetitan is unique, even if not in a pleasant way. (And it has an actually kinda cute pre-evo which saves it somewhat)
Yeah I actually mistook Iron Jugulis for Hydreigon the first time I saw it in the overworld since they look so similar.

Also why don’t you like Ceititan? Celtoodle is really cute, Ceititan’s cry sounds like a screaming goat which always makes me laugh, and gameplay wise it’s a very good Belly Drum / Slush Rush user.
 

Pikachu315111

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Mabosstiff doesn't feel like it fits amazingly into the narrative role it was given either. As a Dark-type, and not one that has other clear associations besides being a jerk (compare to Darkrai or Absol, for example), it feels completely reliant on being a dog to convey it being a loyal companion. As someone who's most vivid memory involving a dog is being hospitalized when I was 4, this fails on me. Thinking on it, a lot of my own "it's okay buddy, I'll get you through this" moments have involved computers, so Arven having magnemite or something like it would probably produce the desired emotions in me a lot better.
Looking through the Gen 9 Pokemon, hard to think what other Pokemon could have taken Mabosstiff's place.
  • Lechonk/Oinkologne? Would actually fit better with Arven's food theme team. I can only guess maybe not everyone will feel a pig is that cute thus not sympathetic enough?

  • Tandemaus/Maushold? Like, maybe have one of them become ill which has the other one(s) worried, hence it's not only Arven who is personally affected. While they're cute, I also have a suspicion that they're partly a joke Pokemon with their evolution method and general overall theme, so expecting to take them seriously in one case could be mood whiplash.

  • Cyclizar? With Koraidon and Miriadon being past & future versions of them, would make sense that Sada/Turo would have one that Arven bonded with closer after they pull in the Legendary. Could maybe be in someway used to explain why it was specifically a past/future version of Cyclizar, which isn't that special of a Pokemon otherwise, was the one Paradox Pokemon they got first. And we could potentially have had Koraidon/Miraidon show some more concern/worry as they see a member of its descendent/ancestor species suffering (and maybe sympathy with how it's technically injured from fighting with the other dominant one, though being a Legendary it was able to get away with just being in a de-powered state).

  • Pawmi/Pawmo/Pawmot? Obviously the Pikaclone would also be a good choice, if not generic (which is maybe why it wasn't). Could have even created a heroic moment for it by making it a Pawmo, gets cured & starts following around Arven, and during the moment where everyone is fighting back against the Paradox Pokemon it evolves to protect Arven. Would feel more natural than of a storyline than Salvatore randomly finding an injured one & nursing it back to health.
 
  • Cyclizar? With Koraidon and Miriadon being past & future versions of them, would make sense that Sada/Turo would have one that Arven bonded with closer after they pull in the Legendary. Could maybe be in someway used to explain why it was specifically a past/future version of Cyclizar, which isn't that special of a Pokemon otherwise, was the one Paradox Pokemon they got first. And we could potentially have had Koraidon/Miraidon show some more concern/worry as they see a member of its descendent/ancestor species suffering (and maybe sympathy with how it's technically injured from fighting with the other dominant one, though being a Legendary it was able to get away with just being in a de-powered state).
Cyclizar was Heath's partner Pokemon iirc.
I also don't believe Koraidon was the one brought first, I''m not sure they clarify which one was.
 

Specs

Getting in your own way
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Not anymore! In case you've forgotten, move relearning is now free and remotely accessible. In other words, Luvdisc has somehow, by some ungodly act of hell gotten even worse. Being Heart Scale fodder wasn't a particularly dignifying role, but it was a role all the same. Now, Luvdisc is genuinely completely without purpose from a game design standpoint. I fully expect it is going to become the new most requested candidate for an evolution now that Dunsparce fans have gotten their way, and for very good reason. Just god damn man. God damn.
as a luvdisc luver, it hurts :psycry: Even though I absolutely love that move relearning is free and everywhere

I just hope they don't fuck up its evo or form or whatever they give it. Maybe introduce a new useful item and make luvdisc hold it, then explain in some pokedex entry about why it now holds this instead of heart scales (if they don't want to go the evo/form route)
 
When I saw Iron Jugulis, I asked myself "What did they do to my boi, Hydreigon?" since it is my second favorite Pokemon after the Unrivaled Charizard.
How much does Game Freak want to make me question what I like about that Pokemon? First the 2 of the three supposed heads are just hands and now he has a crush with a robot in the future.
I just try to imagine what the wild Zweilos are thinking when they see a random Iron Jugulis next to them. How would they react?

But I don't think any of the paradox Pokemon are the worst Pokemon of Gen 9. I am really disappointed by the starters even if the cat doesn't look as awful as I imagined it would look.
The Dunsparce Evolution is a major disappointment.
 
When I saw Iron Jugulis, I asked myself "What did they do to my boi, Hydreigon?" since it is my second favorite Pokemon after the Unrivaled Charizard.
How much does Game Freak want to make me question what I like about that Pokemon? First the 2 of the three supposed heads are just hands and now he has a crush with a robot in the future.
I just try to imagine what the wild Zweilos are thinking when they see a random Iron Jugulis next to them. How would they react?

But I don't think any of the paradox Pokemon are the worst Pokemon of Gen 9. I am really disappointed by the starters even if the cat doesn't look as awful as I imagined it would look.
The Dunsparce Evolution is a major disappointment.
Wait, weren't the side heads mostly just hands and mouths already? The eyes look permanently closed/vestigial, and a lot of the dex entries mention they don't have brains in them. Apparently Jugulis will change the display on the side heads when emoting, which is actually more active than regular Hydreigon is with them.
 
Wait, weren't the side heads mostly just hands and mouths already? The eyes look permanently closed/vestigial, and a lot of the dex entries mention they don't have brains in them. Apparently Jugulis will change the display on the side heads when emoting, which is actually more active than regular Hydreigon is with them.
I don't believe a single thing about the dex entries over statements by Game Freak employees. And Ken Sugimori stated they are hands, not heads in Nintendo Dream Magazine.
 
I don't believe a single thing about the dex entries over statements by Game Freak employees. And Ken Sugimori stated they are hands, not heads in Nintendo Dream Magazine.
Thus the design of Hydreigon, with one true head, and whose arms and wings give it a silhouette that still looks like lots of heads. By the way, the arms that looks like heads don’t actually have their own individual brains.”

Unno: “Well when I heard that Hydreigon was modeled after Orochi, I told them it’s supposed to have 8 heads. Hydreigon has 3 heads (including arms), and 6 wings. That’s a total of 9.”
I mean even in the interview he says the same thing as the game more or less.

When head hands dont have brains they are effectively just hands that look like heads (& presumably also connected to the stomach)
 
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I usually don't put many of the newer mons in "worst poke ever", but THIS LINE has surely earned it.
356px-Pokedex_Image_Pawmot_SV.png

wtf is this? It barely changes at all!

Ever since it was revealed, I wasn't huge on Pawmi. It just looked like another generic pikaclone to me with nothing to stand out. It was later discovered in the game that it evolves...except it's just the same mon but slightly bigger and it now stands up.

Is this a joke? I'm not a fan of Dudunsparce either but at least I get the comical intention: a shitmon which fans have theorized its hidden potential for decades, only for it to barely change. What is 'the funni' here? We left this design philosophy from Gen 1 (see the Poli line) ages ago, this is just embarassing nowadays...
 

Karxrida

Death to the Undying Savage
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Related to the above:
I love Maushold and all but the only difference between it and its prevo Tandemaus is the presence of a baby.
1671407235979.png
1671407253310.png
 

UberSkitty

Assist Skitty was too broken for NDUbers
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Disclaimer: many mons mentioned here are far from the worst mons, as I actually don't hate many mons personally, and they're just examples. So hold your Horseas.

I feel like the ultimately worst trait a mon can have is disappointment, often centered around their design. I wouldn't consider Pokemon like Luvdisc and Slugma the worst mons because nobody expects anything from them in the first place, meaning most people just don't have any strong thoughts or feeling about them. Meanwhile, others thrive on their flaws, like Magikarp and Probopass, which is what keeps them out of the list. But say a mon has a genuinely good design, it's more likely to catch your attention, just for you to find out it's plethora of flaws.

First there's mons that are just horrible in game and competitively. Ledian and Ariados have been mentioned on here multiple times from what I've seen. By design alone, these mons are great, and I'd love to use elemental punches Ledian in Crystal. But their stats are just horrible, alongside their movepools without TMs and being a pain to evolve, meaning if I did pick up a Ledian it would eventually feel like I wasted my time on it. Don't forget mons that are built up as op in the anime and manga like Onix, Beedrill, and, well, Pikachu.

Another example would be disappointing evolutions or forms of a liked mon, specifically their designs. Certain starters are a good example of disliked evolutions, like Chesnaught and Combusken. This obviously still applies to other mons though, like Sneaseler, Cherrim, and Mega Aggron. Also special shoutout to Mega Latios/Latias, who go from two amazing designs to a virtually identical meh design.

Finally, there's the mons based on popular animals/things but just end up sucking. There's Volbeat the firefly, Bastiodon the triceratops, Vanilluxe the ice cream, the list goes on. A personal example for me would penguins, since have a strong dislike for all the penguin mons bar Piplup. If it weren't for my love of penguins I wouldn't care at all about Delibird and Eiscue.

So, based on these aspects, what's the worst mon of them all? The answer is quite simple.
1671593129377.png

Look into those eyes and tell me you don't see horrible. Honestly, if it didn't evolve from the best mon that is Skitty, it would just be a mediocre and overlooked mon. Same with being a cat, but to a lesser extent, similar to Purugly. But that is not the case. If one were to have a Skitty on their team, not knowing what it would evolve into, it would just be a waste of a good Moon Stone. With stats like those, it not only sucks in game but only has viability in one meta, that being ADV ZU. And that's only worsened by the fact that it's used as a stall mon. It's seen multiple times in the anime and manga, with Ruby from Adventures even owning one, making it another example of an over-built up mon. It's awkwardly skinny, as opposed to Skitty's adorable stubby body, honestly just reminding me of those Siamese cats from Land and the Tramp. And that head is just deformed, between the eyes, cheek fur, and what I guess are ears. Honestly the combination of the weird head and skinny body just make it look like its neck is about to snap. And that dull purple color, while not the worst, is definitely a downgrade from Skitty's adorable pink. Overall, like I said, if it weren't the evolution and downgrade of Skitty, the worst mon would still be up for debate, but is ultimately brought down by that disappointment.[/spoiler]So yeah, watch out for that disappointment. In a split second, it can make you go from not caring about a mon to utterly despising it, as shown above.

tldr: delcatty sucks
 
I don't actually think it's the worst, and I actually like it, but I want to take a step back and analyze how Hitmonchan has been done dirty from birth.

First, its design. It's, other than Mr. Mime, probably the closest to full on humanoid in Gen 1 and still a disturbingly sterling example of humanoid mons over the years. Even Hitmonlee is a little less humanoid with its rounded head; Hitmonchan might have a ridged head, but it wears clothing.

Then, moveset and stats. Hitmonchan is clearly designed as a boxer, so it's slower and a little tankier than Hitmonlee, never a good sign. But it's a boxer, so the elemental punches make sense. Right? Right??! Well, have fun using them with its "sterling" 35 Special. Without it, it's limited to the usual Normal and Fighting moves of Gen 1, and it loses out bad to Hitmonlee, who gets access to moves like Double Kick, Jump Kick and High Jump Kick. Hitmonchan is stuck with Submission, which is all around worse than any of those three moves.

So Gen 2 has to save it with the special stat split, right? HAH! Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee both get access to a weirdly high 110 Special Defense and keep their godawful 35 Special Attack. Makes sense for Hitmonlee; less for Hitmonchan, which could've had a niche of a special attacking Fighting type. At least it can claim the priority Mach Punch and very strong Dynamicpunch... except Hitmonlee gets access to both Dynamicpunch AND Mind Reader. Oh, and all 3 of the Hitmons can get Mach Punch through egg moves. So that's another nail in the already nailed shut coffin.

Oh, but Gen 3 will save it with abilities, right? Hitmonlee's ability? Limber, meaning it can't get paralyzed. Hitmontop's ability? Intimidate, only one of the best abilities of all time. Hitmonchan? Keen Eye. Can't have accuracy lowered. Uh huh. At least it gets Sky Uppercut... except High Jump Kick is just as powerful and just as accurate and coming off a stronger attack stat.

Finally, Gen 4 rolls around, and finally, finally, Hitmonchan is sitting pretty. Iron Fist gives a boost to punching moves including the new Bullet Punch, the physical/special split means it can finally use the elemental punches like Arceus intended AND it gets Drain Punch and access to recovery. Smooth sailing now, right? Except even with Iron Fist 75 base power has long since lost its relevancy and Drain Punch is only 60 base power and has only 5 power points. Oh and Hitmonlee gets access to Reckless, boosting its High Jump Kick even further than the 100 base power it already has, Close Combat makes almost any other Fighting move pointless and Hitmontop gets access to Technician to boost itself as well.

Hitmonchan hasn't sniffed above RarelyUsed in its entire life, and that was effectively a meme. It's not Little Mac. It's not even Soda Popinski. It's Glass Joe. Someone throw in the damn towel.
 

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