While a majority of consumers playing Pokémon games do so casually, there are a number of ways people have found to make the game much more interesting. Video Game Championships, or VGC, has been going strong since 2009 but had unofficial tournaments in 2008. A lot of rules and different formats have been added and changed over the years, but the main competitive format for VGC tournaments is Doubles.
A team of 6 Pokémon is chosen, with 4 able to participate in a battle against the opponent. There are lots of strong and menacing Pokémon among the current 893 in the Pokédex, but there are many that one wouldn't expect to make their stride in a serious competition.
10 Whimsicott Won The 2017 World Championship With Speed Control
The Grass/Fairy-type Pokémon wasn't a big surprise in the tournament, as Whimsicott had been seen a lot during the meta leading up to it. It has the ability Prankster, meaning that it has priority for status moves. Of course, if a priority move were to be used on a Dark-type, the move would fail, which is exactly what happened in the competition. It was used in the meta as a way of increasing the player's speed for all their Pokémon as it's one of the fastest Pokémon with access to the move Tailwind. Nature Power was used to deal damage, and because it doesn't have a clear base power, it has increased priority with Whimsicott's ability. If that wasn't enough, moves like Encore and Memento could force a switch by the opponent, giving the player's team more than enough time to start setting up.
9 Gastrodon Has Just One Weakness
The Ground/Water typing is one of the strongest in Pokémon. It has immunity to Electric-type attacks and many resistances. In the meta for Generations V through VII, Gastrodon provided and very powerful mix of offensive and defensive capabilities.
During the 2018 World Championships, Gastrodon was bulky enough of a Pokémon to withstand even the strongest of attacks from highly offensive Pokémon, while also having just enough Special Attack to take out those same threats with super-effective moves. Using its ability Storm Drain, the Pokémon has an additional immunity to water, and lots of coverage with Ice Beam, Earth Power, and even Scald.
8 Mega Kangaskhan Couldn't Even Be Set Back By Its Nerf
The lovable mother Pokémon, carrying its child with it wherever it goes, had a Mega Evolution in Generation VI. Its controversy among players even had the Pokémon banned in many unofficial formats. What makes the Pokémon so powerful in its Mega Evolution is the combination of its massive attack stat and its signature Ability, Parental Bond. While Mega Evolved, the child joins in the fight and does the same attacking move its mother does at half the power. Because of the way the ability works, an exploit was quickly found when using the move Power-up Punch. Normally the move would increase the user's attack stat by one stage (50%) but because of the ability, two punches would be used and would increase Mega Kangaskhan by two stages (100%). An easy setup using this along with other high damaging moves like Return or Earthquake had the meta carrying a counter just for this Pokémon.
7 Azumarill Could Get OHKOs With A Maximum Attack & Priority Combo
Pokémon with the ability Huge Power are usually feared in the VGC community, and only a handful of Pokémon are capable of having it. Doubling a Pokémon's attack stat, Huge Power is used for quick revenge kills. Azumarill has many different sets to take advantage of for different situations.
Setting up with this Pokémon with the move Belly Drum halves its HP in exchange for maximizing their attack. Although it's a slow Pokémon, Azumarill has access to a priority STAB move called Aqua Jet to allow it to strike first. Put it in a Trick Room team and it's nearly unstoppable with Waterfall, Ice Punch, and Play Rough.
6 Chansey Is Better Than Its Evolution, Blissey
Normally Pokémon evolutions are preferred because of the increase in their base stats, but with Chansey, that isn't the case. Making use of the Eviolite item, Chansey's defense and special defense increase by 50%. This a game changer when considering how high its special defense already is on its own, as well as its monstrously high HP stat. Paired up with Toxic, Seismic Toss, and Soft-Boiled, this is a Pokémon that plays the waiting game as it tanks every hit. Slowly but surely, it'll whittle down opposing Pokémon with poison and Seismic Toss.
5 Pelipper Has Been Buffed Since Sun & Moon
A handful of Pokémon got many changes in Generation VII, but Pelipper really benefitted with access to some scary moves. Pelipper got the ability Drizzle, which is like a free Rain Dance. It increases water moves by 50% and decreases fire moves by the same.
Making use of its bulk, Pelipper is perfect on a rain team and can be a very supportive member to beasts like Mega Swampert. Alternatively, it can also be an offensive threat on its own with moves like Hurricane, which has perfect accuracy in the rain and will deal with nearly any Grass-type that threatens the team.
4 Amoonguss Has Perfect Utility To Make It A Force To Be Reckoned With
The Poké Ball-topped fungus has many sets that were terrifying to deal with in the meta. For starters, it's very bulky and has access to Spore, a move that is guaranteed to make a Pokémon fall asleep. Even if Amoonguss takes a big Aerial Ace from an opposing Scizor, it can take the hit just fine and switch out comfortably with its Ability, Regenerator. Whenever a Pokémon switches out with this ability, they regain 1/3 of their HP. Trying to set up on an Amoongus is a challenge as well since Clear Smog, a move that removes any stat increases on anyone hit by it, had an increased usage in the meta. If that wasn't enough, Amoonguss becomes more annoying if it's running Rage Powder, a move that forces Pokémon to target the one using it. This makes Amoongus the center of attention, which, when paired with a sweeper Pokémon, can be devastating.
3 Serperior's Contrary Ability Is Broken
The 5th Generation Starter Pokémon Serperior is a pure Grass-type with decent enough stats. Its Speed is its highest, with average Special Attack and reasonably good Defense and Special Defense. Although its move pool isn't the best, Serperior shines where the other 5th Gen starters don't. The Hidden Ability Contrary makes any stat increase or decrease do exactly the opposite. This becomes especially powerful when using the 130 base power move Leaf Storm.
Normally moves like Leaf Storm are supposed to be powerful with the cost of lowering the user's Special Attack by two stages. With Contrary, however, Leaf Storm becomes Serperior's greatest attacking move that only increases in strength. When used with a Choice Scarf or given a diverse move pool with some defensive investment, Serperior can wipe an entire team on its own.
2 Smeargle Can Learn Any Move
Looking at Smeargle's stats, one would never think this Pokémon could set foot next to the likes of Garchomp or Tyranitar. Smeargle's strength derives from its use of Sketch, the only move that it is capable of learning through level up. With it, Smeargle can lean any combination of 4 moves. Hazards like Stealth Rock or Spikes could be put on for easy setup from the start of the battle. To make sure Smeargle survives, the item Focus Sash is necessary, making sure Smeargle survives a single attack, leaving it at 1 HP. A common use of Smeargle is to make Pokémon sleep with the use of Spore or Dark Void, allowing a guaranteed setup from the player's other Pokémon for at least one turn.
1 Pachirisu Was The One Pokémon No One Saw Coming
The winner of the 2014 Pokémon World Championship proved to many fans that unconventional Pokémon shouldn't be overlooked in the competitive scene. The meta changes every generation, but Se-Jun Park refused to keep Pachirisu on the bench. Fighting the likes of Tyranitar and even a Mega Lucario, Pachirisu was trained to be just bulky enough to survive some incredible high base power moves. Nuzzle was used for paralysis, and Follow Me was used to take the heat off of Se-Jun's Garchomp. Combined with Super Fang, a move that halves a Pokemon's HP, Se-Jun won, and the meta was visibly shaken as many people started to reevaluate their favorite Pokémon from a competitive standpoint.
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