Daily Pokemon September 1st-12th

Let's get this over with, shall we?

1st. Cricketant is the first. Oh how lovely. Cricketant is one annoying bug. It's almost unfair because this pokemon is really pathetic yet annoying as heck. First of all, it's got a speed stat that is in no way fair. Second, it has an ability that bites to anyone trying to battle it. Hopper makes it so this guy gets an evasion boost every turn. That makes it a pokemon without use for the likes of Double Team. The solid Bug type is forgetable. The rest of its stats are average at best but it gets enough use out of that Speed and Ability combo to stay fighting for ages. It's especially annoying when it pulls off Sing. Tier wise it's still a UU because of its stats, however so yeah.

2nd. Well, I can't say I didn't forsee this. YePredihawk shines today. I felt like Staraptor was treated too well in Sinnoh so I made a birdie that can top it. The main think allowing to top Staraptor is that it too can learn Close Combat AND has better Attack than Staraptor does. It's also plenty faster than Staraptor and is a bit bulkier defense wise too. It still fits into the generic "Early Bird" Pokemon role (Pidgey, Hoothoot, Tailow, and Starly) but it's a better one, set apart from others. As all of the other birds, it lingers in UU but can be a MONSTER there.

3rd. Tigrageddon is a newer Fire Type that we've not yet encountered. It's an offensive monster Physically but not so much Specially which is a problem considering its type. It gets Flame Wheel, Flare Blitz, and Pyro Claw but in the way of Physical fire moves, that's it. It's better off than the likes of Flareon and Arcanine but it also fits into their mold, a solid UU.

4th Insectricute is a Bug/Electric type who happily sheds that Ground weakness and flying weakness keeping only weaknesses to Fire and Rock. While fragile, this evolved form of Volbeat packs a punch. Tail Glow on it is once again insane to try and battle. Its new use of Thungerbolt is good for warding off things that would otherwise take advantage of it. Its stats are okay except for its Sp. Atk and Sp. Def which are outstanding. It's Speed isn't half bad either. It can comfortably fit into the OU/Standard tier.

5th. Pyrosus is one of Rapidash's two evolutions. Of them, the other is probably preferable. This one is equally as fragile an with stats that are passable at best. Its physical attack as leaps and bounds better than its Special which is just awful. Its speed is insane but this Fire/Flying type is still too poor off movepool wise to use it effectively. This is one of those pokemon that slides right into UU or NU.

6th. Chloroflor is everything Sunflora could have hoped for and more! In previous generations, Sunflora was just awful. Its Sp. Attack and Defense were nice but everything else was either Average or below. Speed being a major hinderence. Now all of that is made up for. Its attack lies at a base 100 and Sp. Attack 120. Defensively, it's got that nice little physical defensive boost it's been wanting and the nice little Special Boost it didn't even need. Speed was where Sunflora rally lacked. Now Chloroflor has that problem fixed. It isn't any Jumpluff but Base 90 over base 3 any day. Chlofoflor got a lot of new toys to play with as well and slots nicely into the OU tier.

7th. Did I mention there were FIVE BEASTS? Yep, this one I just couldn't mention. Now I can. Dracoal, the Fire/Dragon evolution of Repticoal. It's an Absolute MONSTER and slots well into Standard but can deal some heavy damage in Uber too if used right. Dragon/Fire swipes all two of the Dragon typing's weaknesses, leaving it with two of Fire's (Ground and Rock.) Stat wise? Scary Speed and Destructive Sp. Atk, not to mention Great Defense. It only lacks a few things. For starters, its HP isn't that great. But it can be made up for. Its Sp. Defense os just Average and its Physical Attack is Good but not nearly as powerful as its other stats. Its movepool is crazy with good moves including Earthquake which, despite smaller attack, does some massive damage.

8th. Donfreight is the more offensive of Donphan's two new evolutions. Its speed is lacking but it is an offensive beast. It also learns the wonderful attack, Long Haul, which is also its ability's name. The Ability takes some speed in exchange for boosting attack and the Attack is just devastating. That said, it's not the boring Rock/Ground type that Geodude's evolutionary line falls too and it isn't as poorly off as Rhyperior but it's still a Rock/Ground type and a slow one. Grass and Water annihilate it. Stat wise, it's okay. Poor speed, Killer Attack, Poor Sp. Atk, Great Defense and passable Sp. Defense. Tier wise definitely UU.

9th. Auriorage is Lucario's much unneeded Evolution. But it got it and now it has a Glass Canon evolution to call its own. The only difference is speed. Its speed it scary now...in a good way if you're the one using it. Its movepool isn't much different but its Stats, especially that speed, got some real boosts. Not much can be said for it. Tier wise, it lingers with Lucario in Standard.

10th. Next up is the Grass type Starter final evolution, Oaklavine. Oaklavine, given some speed boosts, is a beast. It's a deadly wall to be up against because of its insane attack stat. Both its Defensive Stats are insane but this guy is slow. It isn't REALLY slow but it's Slow enough to make somewhat of a distance. Its typing is wonderful from both Rock and Grass perspective. Rock loses Water, Ground, and Grass Weaknesses and Grass loses Poison, Fire, and Flying weaknesses. That said, Oaklavine has all of three weaknesses in Fight, Steel, and Ice. Tier wise, its bulk alone is worth the slot in Standard.

11th. Flarecrow is one pokemon anyone should fear battling. It's already earned a comfy place in the Standard tier for its stats alone. While as bulky as a toothpick, its speed, HP, and Special Attack and Defense are monstrous. It really benefits from being one of two pokemon with its ability, preventing it from causing any form of self damage. This includes self KO moves which is why it has access to Memento and Memorial and doesn't faint. Key strategy is to slam Memorial on the opponent, minimizing their defenses then it can hammer them with an attack for a potential one hit knock out.

12th. Phoeniflame is good and bad at the same time. It's mostly because of Stealth rock. It has good stats, specifically it has very good defenses and a lovely physical attack which would be bad if it wasn't also part flying type with access to such moves as Ariel Ace. However, plenty of other pokemon outclass it. Dracoal punishes it with its ability to learn...heck, all five beasts can learn Rock Slide and annihilate it. Two of them have access to Stealth Rock as well...what a thrill. It skims Standard tier but just hardly. Maybe come G7, it'll be reborn from its ashes with something to redeem it.