If there’s one thing that gamers tend to get all kinds of riled about, it’s character balance. In fighting games, which are super-competitive by nature, this is especially crucial. Take something like Super Smash Bros., for instance. Discussion of the series is always dominated by tier lists, matchups, and who’s better than who. Remember when Little Mac was added to the series? The torches and pitchforks were out for the pint-sized pugilist, who was considered deeply OP before people realized that he was actually… well, pretty darn bad.
The same will be true of King K. Rool, presumably, once players notice that his laggy attacks take about seven centuries to complete. Still, there was so much uproar about him that he was quickly nerfed.
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In the Pokemon world, balancing is an even greater headache. It’s a heck of a task for the average fighter, with a roster of 25 or so, so just what the heck can Game Freak do here? With all the various forms taken into account, we’re talking about a roster of around one thousand Pokemon now.
Game Freak’s approach to this balancing dilemma was a novel one. Well, no, it was the approach most people take: It’s not our darn problem, let somebody else deal with it. They just did whatever they darn well pleased, and left it for competitive communities like Smogon (and Nintendo, at official events) to ban what needed banning.
From Mewtwo and Mega Kangaskhan to the humble Wobbuffet and Smeargle, let’s take a look at some Pokemon that had no place in tournaments (and some that apparently did).
Updated July 9, 2021 by Russ Boswell: Game Freak continues to release new and exciting Pokemon, as well as variants on the 'Mons players have come to know and love over the years. But not all Pokemon are created equal and players have had to deal with a lot of banned Pokemon during their journey to the top of the PVP leaderboards. Whether it's the TCG, official tournaments, or just general online play, there are a lot of banned Pokemon showing up for a variety of reasons. To give players a better idea of what banned Pokemon to look out for, and what types of banned Pokemon they'll have to leave off their team, this list has been updated with better pictures, information, and relevant stats.
25 Banned: Mewtwo
Well, naturally. Ever since the very first games back in 1998, Mewtwo has been one of the most fearsome beings in the Pokeverse. That feeling players got when they finally earned entry into Cerulean Cave and were faced with the task of battling this thing? Its sprite was darn unsettling and it absolutely would not get in the Poke Ball. Still, that’s the fault of anyone challenging themselves not to use the Master Ball.
Never mind all of that, though. The important thing is that Mewtwo is considered Uber by Smogon (whether in its standard form or as Mega Mewtwo X/Y), and is usually banned from official tournaments too.
24 Banned: Deoxys
As players will see, there are several grey areas in the world of Pokemon balancing. Sometimes, a Pokemon is just outright too strong to be allowed (boxart legendaries like Kyogre and Groudon, for instance, usually have to sit tournaments out). Sometimes it’s just outright too strong, but it’s allowed anyway.
Still other times, a Pokemon isn’t particularly strong, but it’s banned anyway. It’s a bit of a mess. Deoxys boasts several of these traits at the same time. It’s tended to be an event Pokémon, and while it’s also super strong in some forms (and super-frail, so manageable), that’s reason enough for its banning.
23 Should Be Banned: Mega Kangaskhan
So, yes. As much as some snark on Game Freak and the balancing of Pokemon, there’s one thing players definitely can say for them: when it’s really necessary and the outcry is loud enough, they will sometimes step in and try to fix some of their biggest mistakes. Eventually.
Mega Kangaskhan is one example. In the transition to Pokemon Sun and Moon, its ability Parental Bond was nerfed, so the second hit dealt only a quarter of the damage of the first. Before this change, Mega Kangaskhan was absolutely monstrous (why does Power-Up Punch give it two attack boosts?), and dominated tournament play as a result.
22 Banned: Mew
Now, Mew’s quite an interesting case. As of writing, Smogon has zero issues with Mew. There it is in the OU tier (standard play, essentially), happily doing its thing and not bothering anybody.
It’s not especially fast, powerful, or defensive, but boasts base 100 stats across the board. Combine that with its ability to learn just about every TM there is, and you’ve got an incredibly versatile Pokemon.
A Pokemon that’s too ‘broken’ for standard play? Not at all. A Mythical Pokemon? Yes, and that’s the issue. Largely being available only through events, Mew is banned from most Battle Spot tournaments and the like as a way of leveling the playing field.
21 Banned: Shaymin
So, yes. It’s difficult to implement Mythical Pokemon in official tournament play, what with the restrictions on obtaining them. For this reason, they don’t usually make the cut (even where powerhouses like Rayquaza are permitted, as with recent VGC rulesets).
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This also means that Shaymin (also boasting base stats of 100 all around) is out. There’s an interesting caveat in this case, though. While standard flowery green hedgehog Shaymin (which may not be the form’s official name) is banned due to that technicality, Shaymin-Sky is just a beast.
20 Should Be Banned: Smeargle
Let’s just take a moment here to look at Smeargle. Does that look like the face of might, malice, and relentless destruction? No, no it doesn’t. It looks like a beagle. Don’t be deceived, though. While Smeargle has terrible stats, it’s a neat supporter in VGC (it can learn any supportive move it fancies, after all), and has been a huge menace in the past. Largely due to one asset: Dark Void.
The community has gone backward and forwards over the banning of Dark Void (it can only be learned from Darkrai, which is itself banned), as putting both opponents to sleep at once is totally uncool. As of right now, players have had to settle for a nerf to the move’s accuracy, which is something, at least.
19 Banned: Blaziken
There was a time when Blaziken wasn’t really all that much to fear. It had a neat movepool and reasonable power, but was nothing really excessive.
When it got its hidden ability, though, everything changed. Speed Boost allows this battlin’ bird to snowball incredibly quickly. Often, a simple Protect is all it needs to outspeed entire teams. If players can predict that and hit it hard enough, they can take it right out of the battle before it becomes a problem, but with its high-powered moves and good coverage, Speed Boost Blaziken can be a real oppressive force. It’s in the Ubers tier for good reason.
18 Banned: Aegislash
When Aegislash was first introduced in Pokemon X and Y, some players were just a little on the skeptical side. With the generic trash bags and ice cream cones that naysayers had been complaining about, a cursed sword Pokemon didn’t seem to be bucking the less-than-creative trend.
However players feel on that issue, though, there’s one thing they can’t really deny: Aegislash is an excellent Pokemon. Its exclusive Stance Change ability allows it to be as hugely physically powerful and hugely defensive as the player wishes. Not at the same time, though, so it can be exploited, but it’s very effective when used right.
As a Steel-type, it’s also a full stop to a lot of Fairy Pokemon, and is considered oppressive enough to also be UU in Smogon’s eyes.
17 Should Be Banned: Talonflame
Ah, yes. Here’s another Pokemon that had a period of notoriety throughout the earlier days of X and Y. Players wouldn’t have thought it, back when they caught Fletchling in the opening moments of the game, but this thing is formidable.
Like Mega Kangaskhan, its ability was to blame for this. Gale Wings gave it priority on all Flying-type moves, which meant one thing: priority Brave Bird. Coupled with its very high base speed, this meant it had an absurdly strong priority move that other priorities couldn’t really touch either. It was able to checkmate most Fighting-types and prevent them from moving simply by existing, and that was also uncool.
Fortunately, Talonflame got a well-deserved nerf in the transition to generation seven too. Gale Wings now only kicks in when the user is at full HP.
16 Banned: Mega Gengar
Mega Gengar's design is just fantastic, taking all the grinning malevolence that Gengar is known for and dialing it up a notch (and adding hilariously tiny legs). Players can definitely appreciate this Pokemon in all its visual glory. But what can players not appreciate? Mega Gengar’s Perish Trap shenanigans.
This strategy revolves around the ability Shadow Tag and the move Perish Song, which prevents the opponent from switching out and causes it to faint when three turns are up (it has the same effect on Gengar, but it can switch out).
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Gengar itself has fallen from grace (it’s currently UUBL on Smogon), but its Mega form is considered Uber for its ability to select and trap the opponents it wants to remove.
15 Banned: Mega Rayquaza
The Mega Pokemon of generation six were a bit of a mixed bag, all in all. Some of them managed to actually make lesser-appreciated Pokemon more viable, which should have been the point of the whole concept in the first place. Mega Kangaskhan went way overboard, but it’s one example of that.
Other times, though, Mega Evolutions were doled out to Pokemon that didn’t remotely need them. The already-Uber Rayquaza was totally fine as it was, but then players got Mega Rayquaza. This offensive juggernaut doesn’t even need a Mega Stone (allowing it to use an item to boost its damage still further).
Mega Rayquaza has the distinction of being so darn powerful that it was actually banned from Ubers play. Smogon's Anything Goes tier is the only place you’ll find this abomination.
14 Should Be Banned: Wobbuffet
Oh, Wobbuffet. There’s no need to be like this, there really isn’t. A frequent issue with the Pokemon franchise is that lots of ‘mon all perform the same sort of role. Speedy special attackers, say. If one’s a little faster and a little stronger than another, that’s the one players are going to pick, isn’t it? Things get a little samey as a result.
As such, players should probably be happy that unique Pokémon like Wobbuffet exist. The fact is, though, this great gelatinous pain in the behind was designed just to be annoying.
With its huge HP stat, Shadow Tag ability, Counter, Mirror Coat, and Encore, Wobbuffet has everything it needs to mess with opponents. It can trap them in, force them to attack, survive that attack (usually) and then eliminate the opponent. It’s never a fun time.
13 Banned: Archeops
This fossil Pokemon boasts high offenses and Speed, but is auto-nerfed by its terrible ability Defeatist (which halves its Attack and Special Attack when it’s at 50% HP or lower).
Archeops in the TCG, however, has been a completely different story. The Noble Victories Archeops had the infamous Ancient Power Ability, which prevented both players from evolving Pokemon by playing cards from their hands. It was a huge limiting factor and ruined the flow of the game, hence the ban.
12 Banned: Shiftry
On the subject of the TCG and some of its more questionable cards, there’s another Pokemon to look at. It’s another unassuming, seemingly innocent one, too: Shiftry. The controversial Shiftry card released in the Next Destinies expansion also caused a huge issue. Its Ability, Giant Fan, was already potent, allowing the player to flip a coin and (if heads) return one of the opponent’s Pokemon to their deck.
This could only be done once, on playing Shiftry to evolve a Pokemon, but it formed a totally broken combo with Forest of Giant Plants (allowing Giant Fan to kick in multiple times). After Forest of Giant Plants was banned itself, Shiftry was again permitted for use in the Expanded format.
11 Should Be Banned: Xerneas
This is where the whole policy of banning some Pokemon and allowing others gets deeply shonky. The likes of Mew and (regular) Shaymin are forbidden because they’re Mythical, not because they’re Godzilla-with-a-bazooka destructive forces that will set the metagame alight.
Xerneas, meanwhile, 100% is a Godzilla-with-a-bazooka destructive force that will set the metagame alight, but apparently that was a-okay. The VGC formats of recent years have featured a whole lot of Xerneas, and there’s a simple reason for that: it’s just fantastic.
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With a Power Herb in hand, it can give itself a +2 in Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed in a single turn (via Geomancy). Then, all it needs to do is fire off a Dazzling Gleam or Moonblast, boosted by Fairy Aura, and melt the opposition into a puddle of happy, rainbow-colored mess (like one of those Unicorn Frappuccinos from Starbucks).
10 Should Be Banned: Klefki
Now, these are the sorts of Pokemon that get under some people's skin the most. It’s always a tough time whenan opponent throws out a Xerneas or something, but many would usually take that over something specifically designed to be a status troll.
That’s Klefki. As players can tell by its teeny-tiny appearance, this little thing can’t do much in the way of offense, but it makes up for that in other ways. With its fiendish shenanigans, mostly.
The Swagger and Foul Play combination is always infuriating (players simultaneously boost the opponent’s Attack by two stages and confuse them, then use Foul Play to hit them with their own boosted power), and with its excellent Fairy and Steel typing, nobody pulls it off better than Klefki.
The only saving grace of this sort of thing is that Thunder Wave’s accuracy was nerfed. Let’s be grateful for that.
9 Banned: Dragonite
Yes, there’s something a little spooky going on with Dragonite, and not just Lance’s one that somehow managed to learn Barrier (which was, much later, given to a special event Dragonite in Lance’s honor).
The OG Dragon-type has received all kinds of neat buffs in recent generations, with the Multiscale ability (halving all damage it takes when hit from full HP), Dragon Dance, Extreme Speed, and such making sure it’s as relevant as ever on the battlefield.
As reported over on Screen Rant, though, it has often been banned from tournament play. This is simply because competitive play usually revolves around level 50 Pokémon, and Dragonair doesn’t evolve until level 55.
8 Should Be Banned: Gliscor
As competitive Pokemon players know, a balanced team with well-defined roles is the key to success. Among other things, players pack sweepers, clerics, and dedicated walls. Players can’t complain about walls, per se. They’re usually the backbone of a team. It’s just… holy heck, some defensively-inclined Pokemon are obnoxious.
So why is Gliscor banned? Whenever players see Gliscor, they can usually be sure that they're in for a long and frustrating battle. It has the Poison Heal ability, and will almost always carry a Toxic Orb to take advantage of that. Once it’s poisoned itself, players can’t hit it with any other status to wear it down over time (which is super important where walls are concerned), and it’ll ruin everything.
7 Banned: Ash-Greninja
In its standard form, Greninja surprised a lot of players. On Froakie’s first reveal, the internet was super-snarky about the little guy, but it got the last laugh in the end. With its hidden ability Protean (which changes it to the type of the move it’s using before attacking), this thing has a damage output far better than its modest stats would suggest.
It’s a great Pokemon as it is, but Ash-Greninja is on a whole different level. It may not have Protean, but it has something even more potent in its place: Battle Bond. With this ability, if it knocks out an opposing Pokémon, it transforms into the Ash-alike Greninja from the show. It has some truly excessive stats in this form and is rightly forbidden.
6 Should Be Banned: Cresselia
Anyone who has dabbled in competitive Pokemon over the last decade or so has almost certainly encountered this thing. We’ve already touched on the fact that defensive Pokemon can be real nightmares to deal with, and Cresselia is the absolute epitome of that.
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It’s just so darn solid. Its defenses are some of the best in the game, and it has a great healing move (Moonlight) to sustain itself. It can happily boost itself and dish out some nice damage, too. Cresselia’s main asset, however, is the huge range of supporting moves it has access to. Trick Room? Sun? Helping Hand? Maybe something a little different, like Gravity? It can do it all.
