Metagame Monday #1: Underrated and Overrated Pokemon

[Scattered mind]

Welcome to Metagame Monday.
This is a weekly discussion topic where we discuss about the competitive Pokemon scene (Both OU and VGC).

This week, we'll be talking about who do you think is the most “underdog” or underrated Pokemon in the OU and/or VGC metagame and who is the most overrated Pokemon. Share your thoughts and your experience with that/those Pokemon and tell us why you think they are better/worse than what most people might think in competitive battles.
To make it easier to know what metagame are you referring to, you can simply write : -VGC/OU-Name of a Pokemon at the start of your post.

If you disagree about a Pokemon being underrated or overrated, that is fine of course ! Just remember to respect each other’s opinions.

Spoiler

Also, check out our other daily topics for this week:
Speculation Sunday
Teamwork Tuesday
WiFi Wednesday
Theory Thursday
Fun Friday

 

[thegrovylekid]

Talonflame is the most overrated Pokémon in the OU metagame. While priority is cool at face value, Talonflame has a horrible attack stat [Boldore, a NFE, has 24 more attack], meaning, even with priority, it won't be OHKOing stuff without weakness/the defending Pokémon is weakened. On top of that, Talonflame has a terrible 4X weakness to Stealth Rock, so it loses 50% of its health, combined with Talonflame's reliance on Brave Bird and Flare Blitz, both recoil moves, often topped with a Life orb, reduces the time Talonflame can stay on the field! Talonflame's defenses are garbage, which means if you live their hit, they're done, because they're losing a quarter of their health from their own attack! Why would anyone devote a spot to this?

That's my thought, thanks.

 

[Scattered mind]

Talonflame is a strong revenge killer and I can agree, the metagame has adapted to it. Talonflame is a threat and a big one after all, but teams has many great answers to it such as Slowbro, Tyranitar, Raikou and MegaMan.

OU Gengar: is also somewhat overrated imo. His speed is no longer that much impressive and the rise of Mega Alakazam and Weavile doesn't help him. While it is still capable of forcing switches and using Sub, Gengar on his own cannot switch into pretty much anything with his fragile defensive stats and he also has a weakness to priority moves from Mega Pinsir's Quick Attack, Aqua Jet Gale Wing BB and Ice Shard.

 

[One Approved]

Well I'll start off with an underrated pokemon instead. I think Mega Sharpedo is quite viable in the OU metagame. The problem with it is that it really only works on very specific types of teams, centered around getting the Sharpedo sweep, so there's definitely a legitimate reason you don't see it very often. That being said, with 1 protect to grab Speed Boost, it threatens a huge portion of common OU threats (ie: Alakazam, Diancie, Excadrill, Tyranitar, Latios, and more.) and it can steamroll Hyper Offense teams once you get rid of their priority users. It's definitely not god-like or anything ridiculous like that, but it's quite viable IMO.

Gengar I think is a tad underrated too, actually. I think that so many people just slap it onto a team and expect it to do well, but I think Gengar is one of the most skill-intensive pokemon to use. I've seen high-level players use it with great success, but I also see lower-level players (like myself, lel) use it pretty poorly and then get wrecked on ladder. It's an awkward pokemon.

 

[Cinesra]

Talonflame is better in practice than on paper. The 80 or so Attack doesn't look like much but a STAB 120 move and often Sharp Beak or CB makes up for it and priority is a big deal. A CB set can't expect to demolish walls, but Talonflame nukes moderately frail mons and anything weak to Brave Bird. The SR weakness isn't as big of a deal now with Defog. Don't use Life Orb though. It even can run a stall breaker set with Brave Bird, Roost, and two of SD/Taunt/Wisp/Bulk Up to laugh in the face of pokes that would otherwise counter it.

I think Suicune needs more love because Crocune is pretty fun to use and can annoying/devastating to face if you aren't prepared.

Chesnaught is underwhelming to me because of burns. The only defensive Grass type that is really crippled by Scalds or Rotom Wisps I would want to use is Ferrothorn, although Chesnaught does have a niche.