Kinda sad how the only thing holding bug together is Sticky Web and U-Turn. Problem is: U-Turn has been given to non-bug types, so it’s not unique to them.
Quiver Dance is arguably the most overpowered stat boosting move in pokemon history so that's holding Bug type pokemon together as well. Fell Stinger would be a kinda of broken too if a pokemon with Technician could use it.
Pour one out for Spidops, a mono-bug mon with an actually cracked learnset and a strong ability (seriously, Stakeout First Impression SHOULD be one of the scariest revenge-killing threats any mon has to stand up against) married to possibly the worst stat distribution in Pokemon history. And he even learns Sticky Web just to twist that knife even further. Easily the biggest missed opportunity for a good pokemon this gen.
@@chrisrozier3123 Well, it at least makes sense in lore as some fairy type pokes are just shitheads who fuck you up for fun. At least dark types are evil and dodged and ghost types do it for feeding. Fairy types are like those wild folklore creatures who do stuff just because yes. Hatterene literally can kill people and pokemon for not "vibing"
@@chrisrozier3123 FR. Screw Tinkerbell and Game Freak. If they wanted to put a stop at fighting and Dragon types they should have made actually good ice, psychic and flying types.
It never made sense to me how fairy resisted bug, my theory is that GF did it so they could give the fairy type to psychic types without ruining them forever
it doesnt keep bugs relevant, it keeps the 9 designated bugs relevant... which is pretty sad. The fact that to make a good bug type you have to give godly stats, move, and pair it with a really good type - fire for volcarona - is pretty sad too.
Exactly. You can't say a type is held up in the metagame when 9 out of ~50 Fully Evolved Bug types get it. Volcarona needs Fire typing AND Quiver Dance AND Better stats than most bugs get AND a great move in Giga Drain that cover its Water/Rock weakness to be where it is. It isn't the Bug that's keeping it relevant.
@@webbowser8834 they did not ban scizor. But Mega scizor is used in ubers because its a good counter to xerneas and has enough bulk to check common HO pokemon like deoxysis. Its main competition are the acutal uber steel type but having a really strong bullet punch gives it a niche.
@@kingwailord4143 Ohhhhhh, yeah I knew about it's niche as a defogger/Xern check. I thought it got banned from OU sometime after the gen ended despite never being an issue.
u turn, first impression, sticky web and knock off is what I like running on Spidops, the GOAT. Stakeout makes first impression funny when it the opponent is afraid of it revenge killing something about to die.
@@joaquinduverne6259 underrated funny Mon. Yes the stats are garbage but that defense is surprisingly more usable than it seems and he has SO many potential shenanigans, with silk trap being a really interesting speed control revenge thing. It's a Mon you swap in after a Mon dies to either silk trap something or do a first impression suicide, or maybe even lead at the begging to throw out webs. Circle throw and leech life (leech particularly with defensive sash spidops) on spidops are also pretty fun. Yes, he's still VERY bad, but he is funny
I like the idea that every type has this archetype it follows, and bug has not really had one until now. It seems to deal more with utility and speed control, and I hope GF continues to give bug types more options to follow this idea.
@@BriskeeeenWell it depends. It gives them a nice staple in earlygame playthroughs, but it also kinda guarantees theyll become that one mon you end up replacing once youre past the second gym, which is a bit unfortunate.
the thing about the bug type is that it easily has some of if not the best moves in the game: sticky web, u-turn, quiver dance, fell stinger, first impression, tail glow, and a lot of the normal attacking moves are super solid power and accuracy wise but so many bug types don't get a lot of these really good moves or they're not specific towards the bug type poke. Imagine if scizor got fell stinger or if yanmega got tail glow it would stupid
I feel it's not just Sticky Webs holding the type together but also mons like Scizor, Volcarona, and somehow Rimobee (That Bug/Fairy mon from Alola) in today's meta and in general that have remained consistent and powerful for years to come
Ribombee is the only pokemon that gets Quiver Dance AND Stored Power (to my knowledge) so yeah, it's a strong pokemon even though most players use it as a fast Sticky Web setter.
My big problem with bug type is the fact that it’s not super effective against the fairy type. Think about it before then the ice type was the glass cannon counter to the dragon type because most dragons back then has a secondary typing that made them quad weak to ice. They could have done the same thing with a relationship with fairies and bugs where the bugs get a buff by being one of the primary counters to the type that completely walls off the dragons of the game. Instead bug is weaker for some reason and I don’t see the logic behind it.
+1, they decided to remove the dragon threat by adding an even stronger type, and it is even strong to bug?? Fairy type is complete nonsense OP, and if they wanted to 'fix' the types they absolutely should have given bug an offensive advantage and ice an defensive advantage against fairy, or something along those lines.
@@Castersvarog Okay so let bug types resist fairy instead. That way it's the actual Pokemon getting the buff and not the moves. Bug resisting fairy isn't too hard to rationalize in my mind
It's a shame Golisopod didn't get much usage. Great defensive and offensive typing, two stab priority moves, access to swords dance, and bulky stats that can take super effective hits easily. Plus an awesome design. Its main issues are its speed, an easily exploitable ability (unless you're holding a berry), and what was once its signature move that's predictable thanks to it only working on the first turn/ switch in. Still a great mon imo.
Pod got kicked in the balls with its ability. If it activated at the end of the turn instead of immediately it would've been great. Being slow and easily ejected just torpedos your momentum
Really sucks that one of the coolest looking bug type pokemon has a drawback ability that is likely one of the worst outside of slow start. End of the turn eject would have been incredible, but it just gets dogpiled by anything faster than it if you're not running first impression :(
The only thing bug type does for genesect is give it stab on U-turn. Otherwise it's a complete detriment and genesect would be better off as pure steel.
@@misteral9045 Bug + Steel has only a single weakness in Fire, removing weakness to both Ground and Fighting. Bug + Steel is actually much better than pure Steel, which is why Scizor is so much better defensively than many Steel types. (And why Forretress was such a good hazard setter before Ferrothorn came into the picture with access to Leech Seed and good attack stats.)
@@normal6483 Bug/steel only has one 4x weakness, no resistances, and immunity to toxic, effectively becoming a worse normal type, which is not known for it's defensive qualities. Scizor has never been good on defense, it had a niche with SD technician bullet punch and now only shows up when some fairies need checking. Scizor also would be mostly better off as pure steel, though to be fair it actually uses some bug moves besides U-turn, and it does serve more of a defensive role than genesect.
@@misteral9045 No resistances? It resists fairy, steel, psychic, dragon, bug, & ice. It has a double resistance to grass and is immune to poison. It's super capable of switching in on many resisted hits against powerful and spammable moves, which is the prinary reason resistances are so valuable. Also, Snorlax and Chansey are normal type. Clefable used to be normal type. Pure normal is an excellent defensive profile because barely having any exploitable weaknesses makes you much harder to kill.
I feel like the way they intended to balance the bug type as a whole was to give them low stats, but incredibly good moves and abilities to make up for it. Sticky web is the best hazard in the game, quiver dance and tail glow are some of the best boosting moves in the game, first impression is an incredible revenge killing tool, and on the ability side compound eyes, tinted lens and speed boost are incredible abilities that are mostly only given to bug types. Bug types have the tools but their stats are just way too low to make use of them, imagine if butterfree had a high base speed and could throw out super fast 98% accuracy sleep powders with compound eyes, or if yanmega could actually do damage without having to run specs and be deceased if it switches in on stealth rock Also another factor that hurts bug types is the prevalence of u-turn, since it's absolutely everywhere the meta favors bug resistant mons and bug weak ones get phased out, so bug stab becomes less valuable since there are fewer things to hit with it
Somewhere in GameFreak there's a manager who has had to be physically restrained, because every day he tries to break out the poison spray or flame thrower to kill the tiny bugs/spiders in the office, and every day the security team is ready to intercept him. He's too important to fire, so they do this little dance daily. And so he takes revenge on bugs in the game and has been very successful. The one mercy is that sticky web made it past him, and I suppose Volcarona which was probably a personal attack against him by another employee. :D
The Bug type is cool becayse it's designed to be bad in isolation with its weaknesses and bad offense, but has tools that make up for it. The problem is that these tools, especially the moves, are limited by distribution. So, for the solution, they should give the type itself a special property, like how flying is immune to all hazards except rocks. My suggestion is that a special effect is activated when a Bug-type switches out, like a stat drop or something.
Special effects that are applicable to all pokemon off a given type are always immunities; ghosts immune to trapping, flying to effects that target grounded mons, dark types to the ability prankster, fire and poison being immune to their own status conditions etc. The one exception is specific types getting a passive stat boost in certain weather, ie ice in snow and rock in sandstorm; and these are still entirely passive and defensive effects; an ability that lowers opponent defense when a bug switches out is far too active. Maybe for starters they get immunity to sticky webs? A defense or speed boost when certain terrain is active? Reduced damage from sound-based attacks?
Having a type be bad in isolation is not fun, we're already taught that there are weak pokemon and strong pokemon with the bst differences, why pigeonhole an entire type to a role like the former? Cause the Bug types that aren't supposed to be weak just get cucked.
@@SuperSonic3557 my only guess for a thematic reason is that they thought if the florges line didn't resist bugs they wouldn't be good enough flower protectors or something.
@@Headspr0uter i was thinking in the same direction but didn't bother to write it down in my first comment 😅 Even thought they should be effective against fairies but i realised it would be bcs of the same reason it is effective against grass.
Tinted Lens is an ability that synergises well with Bugs (since they have so many types that resist them lol). The fact that Lokix is still UU is pretty impressive but Tinted Lens First Impression is nothing to sneeze at
Ok, volcarona is not the only one to have hit A-tier in OU. Forretress and Scizor did it multiple times, even if they're not currently ranked as highly
i think the best bug buff would be giving them +1 speed on webs instead of dropping (does not interact with boots) this way offensive bug-types not named volcarona can actually have some saving grace
Might not make sense with the lore. I suggested that Bugs be immune to hazards they currently know (so if they got Sticky Web, they can't get caught in it). Maybe that can be merged with your's. A Bug that knows Sticky Webs gain SPE when landing on it.
My favorite tactic and I’m glad it managed to get some viability this gen thanks to Goldengo reminds me of ursaluna making trickroom viable except he’s not reliant on it.
I think bug (and possibly poison) should benefit from a terrain. Something around “Boggy Terrain”. Obvious bug boost and I think it should double sticky web’s effect and increase the chance of statuses to be afflicted (maybe a 15% increased chance to proc)
The problem with big types is that gamefreak keep them hold ing them back on bad base stat totals and stat distributions(like hp stat of most bug types, for example), i know that there suppose to evolve fast for weaker stat, but that trend is unhealthy for the bugs types in casually and competitive because unless there is one or two niches they can fill with movepool or ability they are kinda horrible pokemon, and it going to stay that way until some base stats and bug type moves buffs are made.
Bug types should get a unique pivoting move that forces the opponent to target their slot. It wouldn't be good to pivot in frail sweepers but it would work as a rage powder for bulky switch ins. Imagine switching in an amoongus with the move, it's like having the shroom on the field without it being there. The opponent has to guess if the bug type will redirect into a benched teammate, setup themselves, or go for an attack. It makes sense for the typing's archtype as well. The bug annoys and buzzes around the opponents to gain their attention, them swaps out when the opponents try to attack it. It also gives use to their higher speed stats and leans into their typings being fast but frail. Bug types just need ways to not get hit and be a nuisance, as well as BST buffs. They've been suffering from first route BSTs along the lines of Onix for decades now.
the thing is, it is not that hard. Make it hit fairy 2x and resist it. Also, give u-turn turn the scald treatment and done. Will not be top tier, but a solid niche
My favorite type overall is Bug, and I've even done a Monobug LC run of Pokemon Unbound on Insane Mode (though I did have to allow Yanma and Cutiefly, normally "LC Ubers", to even get past Gym 3). Being locked to probably the worst STAB in the game hurts a lot, but it's not all bad as secondary types can cover for that; on the defensive side, the Bug/Steel type on Forretress and Scizor cover Bug's Flying and Rock weaknesses at the cost of one double weakness, while Araquanid resists that one double weakness. Also, Beedrill got robbed. Its Mega was loads of fun, you could dance around with U-Turn or, if you come in on a weakened target, go for a boosted Fell Stinger and potentially roll the entire other team with +3 Adaptability Poison Jab and +3 Drill Run for coverage. And if a threat comes in, you could U-Turn is still an option that'll probably chip that threat really good. It was awesome, and it would be an absolute menace to all the Psyspam I hear about, since Psyspam categorically *can't* use priority and check it!
bug is personally my favorite type, they’re so fun to use early game since they evolve so early and become powerhouses for a little while, even tho most of them fall off in terms of raw power (butterfree, beedrill without mega is dog dookie sadly, etc etc) i love powerhouses like heracross, volcarona, scizor, ribombee they may not be the best but i just love the idea of the underdogs rising to glory and kicking ass idk how the heck they could get buffed tho
Some minor changes I think might help Bug types: 1. A Bug type can't be affected by an entry hazards it knows. So if your Bug have Sticky Web, your opponent can't catch it with that. 2. Bug types have priority U-Turn. This gives them an advantage over non-Bug types that also learn the move. 3. Bug types ignore Dark type's Prankster immunity, if the critter somehow have the ability (Currently only applies to Volbeat/Illumise) and other effects that prevent priority (Psychic Terrain, Queenly Majesty, etc).
Its funny that the answer for making bugtype interesting is right there: Strong Moves on weak pokes. But they keep making the moves not exclusive to bugtypes so they get shafted again and again.
I would love the next type introduced to Pokémon be the tech type (digital/technology based), and have bug be super effective against it. Pokémon love puns and that’s a golden one right there
I think it's high time they buff infestation to either work like leech seed so no need to stay. And buff X-scissor to have high critical hit ratio like leaf blade And finally reverse bug fairy interaction
Bug types would skyrocket if the Fairy interaction was changed into a SE instead of a resist and Ghost resist is removed into a neutral, never made any sense why it was like that.
Honestly the best buff for big types is just… making their stats not absolute trash. Barring that maybe like a new resistance to give the type some more defensive utility.
If I could set Sticky Web on my own side of the field for Trick Room in VGC... would I? I don't know. Why am I thinking about this out loud on the internet... Oh no, I'm doing it again.
1. Scald treatment for u turn 2. Give the op moves to every bug type so we can have scizor with Technician fell stinger 3. "Nerf" u turn to 60 BP so scizor is even stronger 4. Slight bst buffs for all bugs 5. When was the last time you saw a bug get crushed by a rock? ROCK NEUTRALILTY, FAIRY RESISTANCE
Don't worry, they'll start handing out the webs to everything they can and drive Bug further into the dumpster at their earliest convenience. This is the same development studio that decided Fairy should resist Bug after all.
First Impression, Bug Buzz, Quiver Dance, Infestation…Fell Stinger was a cool gimmick for a bit. Bug type needs some kind of Close Combat or Supercell Slam, maybe even a Hydro Pump. Bugs need something
Megahorn is stronger than Hydro Pump. It just has terrible distribution and is Physical in a world where Intimidate and Burn exist and is Bug type in a world where Ghost and Fairy resist it.
Volcorona the best! Also, bug types moves really shouldnt be resisted by fairy tbh. Bug really needs some more super effective matchups, and also for its mons to be made with better designs Like why the hell is vikivolt so slow?!? It really doesnt help that most bug types have really bad type combos, (bug poison being chief among them) We all know that bug types can legitimately make absurdly powerful pokemon, with good type matchups and the like (bug steel for example is incredible) Its still up in the air for what the worst type is between bug and ice, but at least ice is very good offensively. What they could do is try to go all out with the utility provided by bug type moves, like with sticky web. Thinking about it, a good chunk of the issue with most bug types is terrible movepools, and the ones that do have good movepools tend to have terrible stats
I wish Spidops had been given prankster. Imo its design pulls heavily from Anansi, a TRICKSTER spider god. I wonder how its usage would've changed from prankster sticky web alone.
Honestly all bug types needs is for rock weakness to be taken away and for fairies to take neutral damage to bug instead of resisting Edit: Sorry everyone Volcarona hacked into my computer and wrote this comment
i think quiver dance is whats holding the type together. most bug mons have really terrible stats and terrible secondary typing (like almost all of them are 4x rocks weak) and they become semi viable because of one broken move. the move literally sent volcarona to ubers and it would never be OU without it. if a real threat like magaerna or charizard Y got quiver dance they would be ridiculously broken. ubers also still contains threats like pheromosa and genesect that dont get sticky web. while theyre not viable there they would absolutely annihilate OU. also most sticky web setters suck, only ribombee is really good imo because its fast AF, has QD (seeing a pattern?) and status
Poor bug type, as if having worst stats distribution from all types wasn't enough, Fairy took them out of game, since kinda was a replace for psychic and also killing dark and resisting them... That was weird but its even weird than GF knowing bug is doing so bad refuses to give them actually good mons...
