Your Fav Card of Your Fav Competitive Pokemon in Each Generation

[ddk]

What is your favourite card of your favourite Pokemon to use in competitive battles for each generation? Feel free to include only the generations you’ve played and tell me why that Pokemon is special to you and any fun memories of battles you’ve had with it!

Generation 1 OU: Tauros - There are few things in RBY as satisfying as a Tauros sweep. With its insane crit rate, coverage and Hyper Beam not needing a recharge turn on a KO, Tauros is the perfect Pokemon to setup an end game win con with. I have fond memories of the E4 Gen 1 tourney where my Tauros 2 v 1’d my opponent’s Starmie and Tauros because it got two crit Hyper Beams in a row. I then went on to win the tournament with a Tauros sweep.

Generation 2 OU: Gengar - I really love how Gengar plays in this generation. Due to the ability to max stats, it’s not nearly as frail as in other generations and has a nice blend of electric/ice coverage, utility and the coveted Explosion. It’s also a nice check to mono-normal Snorlax, which I encountered a fair bit of in the E4 Gen 2 tournament, including grand finals.

Generation 3 OU: Celebi - Celebi is one of the most versatile Pokemon. It can run bulky sets, utility sets with Leech Seed, offensive sets with Calm Mind and Baton Pass or some combination of the above. The E4 Gen 3 tournament was one of the most competitive tournaments and the one I wanted to win most, and I found myself using Celebi as a glue on many of my teams to secure victory.

Generation 4 OU: Jirachi - Serene Grace Iron Head

Generation 5 OU: Volcarona - It’s no secret that Volcarona is one of my favourite Pokemon, and that love started all the way back with BW OU when it was the current generation. It’s a high-risk, high-reward Pokemon that can be tricky to position with its 4x rock weakness, but the payoff is immense if you can get a single Quiver Dance off. This Pokemon may have cost me my crown in both E4 brackets but I don’t regret it at all. I will win with my fav one day…

Generation 6 OU: Clefable - I have very fond memories of being called various ahem words on the Showdown ladder for using this Pokemon. If you weren’t around for this generation, you’ll soon understand why once the E4 Gen 6 Singles bracket gets underway.

Generation 7 OU: Serperior - I didn’t play much Gen 7 and it was the generation that made me lose interest in singles, but Serperior is really cool and can snowball out of control with multiple Contrary Leaf Storms giving it a free +2 in special attack.

Generation 8 VGC: Togekiss - I played a lot of Gen 8 VGC pre-DLC when the dex was limited and Togekiss was the #1 mon in the format. It was both a superb supporter with Follow Me and could even be a solid attacker both in and out of Dynamax with crit Dazzling Gleam or Max Airstream. Sadly, it fell off once the old staples returned to the format and restricteds were allowed.

Generation 9 VGC: Flutter Mane - A 10-year-old designed this thing’s stats. Using it satisfies the inner child in me.

If you’re a fan of competitive battling or want to get your feet wet, the E4 Generation 6 tournament is still accepting sign-ups (until May 18, 2025). Come join the fun!

No this topic was not created to help advertise my tournaments

[DeekBoy]

I watched a ton of Showdown content back in gen 6. Seeing Clefable get used always brought a smile to my face.

[ddk]

There was something very satisfying about seeing your opponent unable to 2HKO Clefable by throwing everything and the kitchen sink at it while you set up countless Calm Minds.

[Vertemes]

Hold on now I gotta counter clefable in my team…

oh wait…bisharp lol.

[wisewailmer]

Ol’ Reliable

[c0ll3ct0r]

I don’t really have favorites, I love them all. I have my play style, which is definitely conducive to certain Pokemon, and my style is certainly informed by favoritism when that’s an option. But ultimately it always boils down to utility and having the right tool for the job.

That said, I’ll highlight what these Pokemon do to their respective OU metagames because I really enjoy it:

RBY OU: Alakazam - I am that sick fuck who enjoys Alakazam on Alakazam special drop fishing, or Alakazam on Chansey. The subtle dance of paralysis, pp and Recover. Very often the thing that decides the game.

GSC OU: Vaporeon - As someone who’s terrorized people with Wish and/or cleric Vaporeon ad nauseam, there’s something endearing about the fact that Vaporeon is a special setup threat this gen. Certainly no Marowak or Drumlax but not entirely tame either. I’d say this one is more fun to use than to watch, just like Heracross there’s a reason you don’t see it often.

ADV OU: Breloom - What can I say? Always dangerous. Always. There is no circumstance where seeing this thing doesn’t raise your heart rate. It will destroy something before it goes.

DP OU: Nidoqueen - Toxic Spikes is cool regardless of the mon that uses it, but Nidoqueen definitely makes it even cooler. Especially the fact that it actually works and isn’t just complete cheese.

BW OU: Venusaur - Sun was fun while it lasted, none more so than this guy.

XY OU: Togekiss - I definitely had my preferences this gen. SkarmBliss, birdspam in the form of Mega-Pinsir, Mega-Manectric, Choice Band Dragonite, support Zapdos and Scizor, even the blunt tool that is Choice Scarf Head Smash Aegislash to pummel unsuspecting Mega Zards. Scarf Trick Modest Togekiss accompanied many of them.