Bug-types are often overlooked in the world of Pokemon. Whether that’s due to their ‘creepy’ character design or their abundance of weaknesses from Fire, Flying, and Rock-type enemies, these creatures are often considered to be weak or undesirable.
If players have not used Bug-type Pokemon on their team before, though, they’re missing out. When trained right, Bug Pokemon can grow strong and can actually be competitively viable in the right team. This type also has a lot of other merits that often don't get any appreciation. Below are just a few reasons why players should give these creepy critters the love they deserve.
5 They Have Great Designs
Some players might think that Bug Pokemon are creepy and, well, Bug-like. With bulging eyes and flapping wings, it would be fair to say that Bug Pokemon are an acquired taste. After all, not everybody likes creepy crawlies. But Pokemon like Butterfree, Volcarona and Venomoth have genuinely gorgeous designs. The firefly Pokemon Volbeat and Illumise also have a great partnership, as gender counterparts of each other.
Finally, it would be impossible to talk about cool Bug-type Pokemon designs without one of the coolest Pokemon designs ever. Scizor is a Bug/Steel-type Pokemon, which evolves from Scyther if it is traded while holding a Metal Coat. x4 Fire weakness aside, Scizor has an awesome color palette and strong pincer claws, which is perfect for the powerful Bug-type.
4 Bug Trainers Are Cool Throughout The Games
Bug-type Trainers are a staple of a journey in any mainline Pokemon game. These Trainers fill the early routes of most games, because of the early abundance of Bug Pokemon. Many people have fond memories of catching their first Caterpie or Wurmple in one of the first battles with their Starter. Whilst many Trainers abandon their Bug-type Pokemon as soon as a stronger choice comes along, there are some who rise to the top. Aaron is the first member of the Sinnoh Elite Four and specializes in Bug-type Pokemon. What's more, the story behind his success is a devastating tale that many can relate to.
The Diamond and Pearl anime revealed Aaron's motives for raising and battling with Bug Pokemon. As a child, he abandoned his beloved Wurmple after it lost a battle. Wracked with guilt over his cruelty, Aaron strived to understand Bug Pokemon better and become a member of the Elite Four.
3 Bug Moves Are Great
Online Pokemon players can thank Bug-type moves for revolutionizing the competitive play scene. U-Turn is a Gen 4 Bug-type move that swaps out the user after dealing damage. It was the first switch move, followed by Volt Switch and Flip Turn in later generations. With a base power of 70 and 100 Accuracy, this move allows trainers to simultaneously deal damage and switch the team members to gain a Type advantage, which can often turn the tides of battle.
And, of course, who doesn’t remember being ambushed by String Shot in Viridian Forest? This move lowers the target's speed, making it nigh impossible to attack first and tough to land any hits. Bug types have tons of statusmoves like these, which can be incredibly useful in battle.
2 Resistance & Super-Effectiveness
Fighting and Psychic-types are some of the strongest Pokemon in the game. Fighting-type Attackers like Passimian, Machamp, Mienshao, and Zamazenta have some of the highest Attack stats in the franchise. However, Bug Pokemon are resistant to Fighting-type moves; this means that they are, in theory, much more likely to survive an attack from one of these heavy-hitters. While it’s true that Bug Pokemon don’t have the highest Defense stats out there, the resistance can make a big difference.
Furthermore, Generation One Psychic-type Pokemon dominated the game with only one weakness: Bug-types. Bug Pokemon were incredibly weak in Generation One, with a terrible moveset to boot; however, later Generations have given them a much-needed buff. With an increased movepool that is super-effective against Psychic-Type Pokemon, paired with a STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), Bug-type Pokemon become viable choices to take care of any Psychic sweepers.
1 Incredible Stats
Some players might be under the impression that Bug-type Pokemon are some of the weakest out there, and they're not necessarily wrong. However, some Bug-type Pokemon have found their niche in Sword & Shield’s competitive scene thanks to their amazing stats. For example, Volcarona is a Fire/Bug-type Pokemon that sees frequent use in the OU (Overused) tier in Smogon University, a fan-made organization that sets the standard of play for non-official competitive Pokemon battles. Ninjask has the second-highest speed stat of all Pokemon, beaten only by Regieleki.
When combined with Ninjask's ability, Speed Boost (which increases Speed at the turn of every round), Ninjask can become deadly for even the fastest of enemy teams. Finally, there's Shuckle, the Bug/Rock dual-type Pokemon who has the greatest standard deviation of all Pokemon. This means that it is either the best or in the bottom three of every base stat. Whilst this might sound like a negative, it means this Pokemon can have the highest base Defense and Special Defense stats of all obtainable Pokemon. Because of this, Shuckle has built a reputation as an impenetrable wall, capable of setting up hazards such as Stealth Rock or Toxic. This kind of utility proves the underrated value of Bug-type Pokemon.