Pokémon that are better unevolved

Reflexes

• Not all Pokémon need to evolve to be strong in battle; Clefairy and Chansey are great examples of this.

• Eviolite boosts like those of Rhydon and Dusclops can make unevolved Pokémon even more powerful than their evolved forms.

• Certain Pokémon like Pikachu and Vigoroth shine with unique abilities that make them more competitive than their evolved counterparts.

Evolution is one of the characteristic elements of Pokemon series, as these wonderful but strange creatures constantly grow and transform into completely different beings with new abilities. However, despite its importance, not all Pokémon benefit from evolution as much as players might believe.

Due to game mechanics such as typing, abilities, moves, and/or items, there are a good number of popular Pokémon that are famous for being surprisingly good in battle despite not being fully evolved. Some of them are even better than their respective evolutions. The following creatures are undeniable proof that evolution is not always necessary to stand out in this franchise.

8

Pikachu

Use the light ball

As the face of the franchise and one of the most recognizable fictional characters in the entire world, it makes sense that Game Freak would give Pikachu Special treatment when it comes to items, moves and abilities. But this means that it is usually better than its evolution in many ways, which is unfortunate because Raichu It’s also a solid Pokémon in its own right.

The Light Ball item (which doubles a Pokémon’s attack and special attack stats) only works on Pikachu and not Raichu. On top of that, the franchise mascot received other generational mechanics, such as his own Z-Move form and Gigantamax, making him more special and viable in battle. Even the special companion Pikachu of Pokémon Let’s go, Pikachu! It can learn some unique moves and since it can’t evolve at all, no Raichu will be able to use them.

7

Clefairy

Better hidden ability

When it comes to appearances, most fans tend to prefer the iconic Pokémon. Clefairy to Clefable because it looks more friendly and cute, even though they both have similar designs. But that’s not the only reason that makes most players use the unevolved form of this evolutionary family: Clefairy also has a significant advantage in battle.

Clefairy’s hidden ability is Friend Guard, which reduces damage dealt to allies during double battles. It loses this when it evolves into Clefable. Since double battles are one of the most popular formats in competitive Pokémon battles, Clefairy is often preferred by professional players. Its use was boosted by the introduction of the Fairy type in Generation Six, as it also gave Clefairy some solid resistances to other types.

6

rhydon

Eviolite makes Rhyperior unnecessary

During years, rhydon It was an iconic Pokémon, fully evolved and impeccably designed. Most fans didn’t feel it was necessary to evolve further. However, to his surprise, hyperperior It was added in Generation 4 and has had mixed reception since. Many people feel that, despite its admittedly attractive appearance, Rhyperior was an unnecessary addition that looks overly designed.

On top of that, Rhyperior was further undermined by the introduction of Eviolite, an item that increases the physical and special defense of any Pokémon that isn’t fully evolved. By holding this item, Rhydon had a sturdy defensive tank that could still deal a good amount of damage. After all, he spent years as the fully evolved form of his evolutionary family, so he was able to maintain his popularity thanks to Eviolite.

5

Chansey

Another big Eviolite user

Back in Generation 1, Chansey It was the quintessential support Pokémon because it had a lot of HP, solid bulk, and could even heal itself with its signature move, Soft-Boiled. However, its evolution BlisseyIt was introduced only one generation later and remained the best choice for many years.

But Eviolite completely changed this dynamic again. His incredible improvements in defensive stats mean that Chansey can now become even bulkier than Blissey, so he was naturally thrust to the top of competitive battles. It’s important to clarify that Blissey is still a very solid support Pokémon that is used a lot, but Chansey appears in tournaments more frequently, and for good reason.

4

Murkrow

Honchkrow’s hidden ability is not that useful

Generation 2 introduced a good number of small and/or weak Pokémon that felt like they should evolve, but unfortunately couldn’t. In the case of Murkrowwas finally blessed with an intimidating evolution called honchkrow in Generation 4. However, the subsequent implementation of Hidden Skills changed everything when it came to the balance between these two.

Murkrow has the hidden ability Joker. This ability prioritizes status moves and is very valuable in competitive circles. Honchkrow, however, loses it in favor of Moxie, another solid ability but not as useful as Prankster. Due to this difference, Murkrow can often be seen using moves like Tailwind or Taunt in tournaments, which can completely change the outcome of competitive battles.

3

Porygon2

Better stats everywhere

Special sweepers abound in Pokémon. So, despite how impressively powerful Porygon-Z That is, there are many other similar creatures that can fulfill the same role. But bulky defensive tanks are not as common, which has led to their pre-evolution, Porygon2becoming even more viable.

Eviolite has done it again. Due to his significant boost to Porygon2’s defenses, he can resist many powerful moves that Porygon-Z could never resist. But even without this item, the total base stats of these Pokémon from the same evolutionary family aren’t that different: Porygon2 even has better defensive stats by default. Both are excellent when it comes to battle, but they succeed in different areas, and Porygon2 fills a much more needed niche.

2

Vigorot

Doesn’t skip turns like shutdown does

It’s not often that an unevolved Pokémon is significantly better than its evolution introduced in the same Generation, but this is exactly what happened with Vigorot. Its evolved form, Off, It is one of the most powerful Pokémon in the entire franchise, thanks to its diverse move pool and incredible stats. However, this is ultimately hampered by one thing: its ability.

Slaking is famous for having the Truant ability, which prevents him from acting every other turn. Vigoroth lacks this ability and instead has Vital Spirit, so, even if his stats are not as strong as his evolution, he can be much more useful and active in battle. This results in many experienced trainers preferring to use Vigoroth instead of Slaking, whether in regular matches or within the competitive scene.

1

Dusclops

Eviolite wins again

Many consider Dusclops be the example of Pokémon that are better than their evolved forms. Because, despite how strong and intimidating To become night From the looks of it, this type of classic ghost from the Hoenn region has become much more popular and competitively viable since Generation 5. This is mainly due to one item that has appeared time and time again on this list: the unique e unmatched. Eviolite.

Dusclops and Dusknoir have almost exactly the same Defense and Special Defense stats, but the former can use Eviolite to increase these defenses even further, giving it a huge advantage over its evolution. Because of this, Dusclops is one of the most prominent bulk walls in competitive battles, and in turn has overshadowed Dusknoir for many years. Not to mention, his lower Speed ​​stat means he can become a huge threat on Trick Room teams. Of course, the Gripper Pokémon is not weak in any sense of the word, but it is not as useful or effective as its pre-evolution. Because of this, some fans have forgotten that Dusclops even has an evolution in the first place.