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, presuཧmably,ꦓ 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.
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 ple🧸ased, and left it for competitive communities like Smogon (and Nintendo, at official events) to ban what needed banning.
From Mewtwo and Mega Kang😼askhan 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. Everཧ 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, th🎃ere 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.
Still꧙ 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 manageꦦable), that’s reason enough for its banning.
23 Should Be Banned: Mega🍷 Kangas🥀khan
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 an🀅d 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 deal🧜t 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 thi🍃ng and not bothering anybody.
It’s not especially fast, powꦆerful, 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: Shayminꦯ 🍒
So, yes. It’s difficult to implement Mythical Pokemon in official tournℱament ꧅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).
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 Banne𒆙d: Smeargle 🍃
Let’s just take a moment here to lo𝓡ok 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 lea♉rned 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 P💛okemon 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 i🦋s considered op𓄧pressive 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 o🥂f 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 abi🎉lity 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 nꦚow 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 G❀engar, but it can switch out).
Gengar itself has fallen from grace (it’s currently UUBL on Smogon), but its Mega form is c🔯onsidered Uber for its abili💝ty to select and trap the opponents it wants to remove.
