The generational division is one of the most defining elements of the Pokemon franchise. Every few years, a new generation of games is released, and they not only bring in new Pokemon, characters, and regions but also huge changes in the battle mechanics of the franchise, which keep the gameplay fresh.

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While some Pokemon benefit from each generational change, many others suffer greatly from it. Every single Pokemon generation has its fair share of creatures who were heavily nerfed because of the new mechanics, and they can’t thrive in the competitive battle scene like they once used to. And it can be the result of even the smallest of changes.

1 Gengar

Can't Levitate Anymore

With its incredible Speed & Special Attack and its diverse move pool, Gengar has always been one of the most popular Pokemon, both because of its design and its impressive battle capabilities. On top of that, Gengar also had the useful ability Levitate, which made it immune to Ground-type attacks, which would otherwise do super effective damage because of its Poison-type.

However, Generation 7 changed Gengar forever, when Levitate was replaced in favor of Cursed Body. While this is not a bad ability by any means, getting rid of Levitate meant that now Gengar could be hit by any Ground-type move with no problems, which changed its battle viability forever.

2 Tauros

When Broken Mechanics Complete You

Tauros was a Pokemon that benefited from the broken mechanics of Generation 1. Since Critical Hits were determined by speed, Hyper Beam didn’t need to recharge if it knocked out an opponent and Special Defense and Special Attack were just one shared stat, Tauros was one of the most feared Pokemon in the first competitive meta.

But in Generation 2, Game Freak fixed almost every mistake, and Tauros suffered from it. With no Critical Hit advantage, a low Special Attack stat, and Hyper Beam working as it was supposed to be, it wasn’t as useful as it was in the previous generation. This was one of the first big nerfs in the Pokemon franchise.

3 Darkrai

It's All Smeargle's Fault

Sometimes, a Pokemon can be directly responsible for the nerfing of another entirely different Pokemon. This is exactly what happened with Darkrai, as its signature move, Dark Void, could put any opponent in the field to sleep, which was fitting for a Legendary Pokemon that normally wouldn’t be used in regular competitive battles.

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However, many players made Smeargle learn Dark Void, so they could use it efficiently in lower formats, and it ended up dominating the competitive scene. Because of this, Game Freak reduced the accuracy of Dark Void from 80% to 50% in Generation 7. The worst part is that this didn’t really affect Smeargle, but it nerfed Darkrai forever. Even Hypnosis is less risky to use.

4 Hydreigon

The Rise Of The Fairies

Back in Generation 5, the Dragon-type was infamous for being extremely overpowered. Hydreigon, Unova’s new pseudo-legendary, was one such case. This was one of the most popular Pokemon of its generation, thanks to its Dark & Dragon typing and its huge move pool.

But in Generation 6, the Fairy-type was introduced to nerf the Dragon-type forever. Hydreigon suffered the most since it was the only one that now had a double weakness against the new type, while it previously had just a few manageable singular weaknesses. Luckily, Hydreigon managed to work around this nerf in subsequent generations.

5 Thundurus

Getting Worse With Each Generation

As a Legendary Pokemon, Thundurus was powerful in battle. Its ability Prankster gave priority to all of its status moves, which let him use useful tools like Taunt, Swagger, or Thunder Wave to mess with its opponents in efficient ways. This was a tough Pokemon to deal with, but sadly, each passing generation brought new nerfs for Thundurus.

Generation 6 made all Electric-types immune to paralysis, meaning that Thunder Wave could be more easily avoided. Generation 7 made all Dark-types immune to Prankster and introduced Psychic Terrain, which nullifies moves with priority. And Generation 8 even removed Hidden Power, a move that used to give Thundurus more offensive coverage.

6 Talonflame

The Gale Wings Fiasco

Talonflame used to be the king of the competitive meta back in Generation 6 when it was introduced. This was mainly due to its ability, Gale Wings, which gave priority to every Flying-type move, meaning that Talonflame could spam Brave Bird, Roost, and much more without breaking a sweat.

But it would only take one generation for Talonflame to lose its crown, as Generation 7 changed the mechanics of Gale Wings, making it so it only gave priority if the Pokemon was at full health. Considering that Talonflame suffers a lot from entry hazards like Stealth Rock and that Brave Bird gives it recoil damage, this change made this Pokemon basically unusable from this point onward.

7 Aegislash

Its Shield Can Be Broken Now

Back in Generation 6, Aegislash was one of the best Pokemon to use in battle. This was mainly due to its ability Stance Change, which made Aegislash swap between Blade and Shield forms whenever it used King’s Shield, which was also a solid signature move that protected the Pokemon from any move and lowered the attack on anyone who made contact with it by two levels.

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Thanks to this move and ability combination, Aegislash dominated the competitive scene for many years, until Generation 8. Pokemon Sword & Shield nerfed the sword & shield Pokemon by reducing the offensive stats of its Blade Form and the defensive stats of its Defense Form, while also changing King’s Shield, so it now lowers the attack of an opponent by one level. To make things even worse, this generation introduced Urshifu, a Pokemon that can break through protective moves like this one with its ability, Unseen Fist.

8 Mimikyu

Its Signature Ability Got Nerfed

Mimikyu had a really practical ability that went along with its concept perfectly. Properly named Disguise, it made Mimikyu impervious to any damaging move until this decoy was busted with one hit. Being immune, even if it’s for one single turn, is an enormous advantage in Pokemon battles, as it gives Mimikyu the freedom to raise its stats with no problems.

But, from Generation 7 onward, Disguise now actually makes Mimikyu lose 1/8 of its HP when the decoy is busted. While it is still a useful ability, it heavily altered this Pokemon’s competitive viability, since it’s not as easy to set up anymore. On the other hand, though, many seasoned players seem to think this was a rather necessary nerf.

9 Cinderace And Greninja

Two Abilities, One Nerf

Greninja and Cinderace have two incredible abilities that let their user change their type into the same type as the move it is using: Protean and Libero, respectively. Because of this, these two Starter Pokemon were extremely prominent in the competitive battle scene for many years, as their diverse move pools meant they could always keep their opponents guessing.

But Generation 9 changed both abilities in the same way, as now they can only change types once until they're switched out again. This removes the vast adaptability that both Greninja and Cinderace once had. It’s most likely Game Freak wanted to balance this ability because Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduced Terastallization, a new mechanic that lets any Pokemon change types once per battle.

10 Kangaskhan And Mawile

Lack Of Mega Evolution

When it was introduced back in Generation 6, Mega Evolution was an interesting mechanic that let Pokemon that would otherwise be weak transform into immense powerhouses that every competitive player wanted to use. Mega Kangaskhan, with the ability Parental Bond, and Mega Mawile, with the ability Huge Power, were among some of the most used Mega Evolutions for two generations.

But sadly, Mega Evolution was removed back in Generation 8 and hasn’t returned yet. While other powerful creatures that could Mega Evolve don’t really miss this mechanic, this meant that Kangaskhan and Mawile went back to being the weak Pokemon they used to be and have no real competitive use anymore.

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