History CrutchCharacter / Pokemon

* Similar to Geodude in Kanto, Aron can be found very early in the Hoehn games and has pretty good physical Defense and Attack to hit hard and take punishment. Unfortunately, its typing and low Sp. Def leave it highly open to its increasingly common weaknesses later in the game. Not to mention it will take a while to get it next evolution stage, let alone its final form.

* In ''Yellow'', following the story from the anime, it is possible to find a level 9 Pidgeotto in Viridian Forest (where Ash caught one). While its moveset is unimpressive, its stats as a second-evolution Pokémon are enough to brute-force most enemies up to Misty. After that, though, it'll suffer hard from its [[MasterOfNone all-around middling stats]] and terrible movepool, even as a Pidgeot.

* Wurmple evolves very quickly and the typings of both evolved forms leaves them with a double resistance to Brawly's Fighting-type attacks. Dustox also learns Confusion early, and both evolutions can hit back with Gust. However, their stats are far outshone by other evolved Pokémon, so don't expect to keep them on your team for long. It doesn't help that their STAB moves are powered by their much weaker Physical Attack.

* Bullet Seed is another crutch move in ''Ruby and Sapphire''. You can get the TM for it right before the Rock-type Gym and can put it on a starter Treecko or easily caught Shroomish to sweep through the Gym and some of the subsequent hikers (who also favor Rock-types) on the next route. However, its low base power and unreliability with its SpamAttack means it will quickly be replaced.

* Farfetch'd, which had this status way back in ''Red and Blue'', regains it in ''X and Y'', where it's available before the first Gym--which happens to be a Bug-type Gym, and thus, made easy by a Flying-type with STAB moves. Furthermore, a change to the critical hit formula means that if it has its signature item, it can [[CriticalHitClass guarantee critical hits]] with moves that have increased chances. Even then, however, its stats are still mediocre and quickly outclassed.

* Like in the originals, Hoothoot evolves fairly early into Noctowl at level 20, becomes respectably strong for that point, and gets an enhanced moveset including [[BlowYouAway Air Slash]] for STAB and learning Confusion much earlier. It still falls off after the fifth gym or so, and there are better Flying-type options.

* Like in the originals, Hoothoot evolves fairly early into Noctowl at level 20, becomes respectably strong for that point, and gets an enhanced moveset including [[BlowYouAway Air Slash]] for STAB and learning Confusion much earlier. It still falls off after the fifth gym or so.

* Averted by the Starly line, which is far more useful than the previous Gens early game Normal/Flying-types. It has excellent offensively-oriented stats, gains the powerful STAB move Brave Bird, and, somewhat uniquely, the Fighting-type move [[BareFistedMonk Close Combat]] to deal with Rock and Steel-types that would normally resist it's STABs. Its final evolution, Staraptor, is a staple of many in-game teams of this era.

* Averted by the Starly line, which is far more useful than the previous Gens early game Normal/Flying-types. It has excellent offensively-oriented stats, gains the powerful STAB move Brave Bird, and, somewhat uniquely, the Fighting-type move [[BareFistedMonk Close Combat]] to deal with Rock and Steel-types that would normally resist it. Its final evolution, Staraptor, is a staple of many in-game teams of this era.

* It's possible to find a Surskit with ''[[LastDiscMagic Hydro Pump]]'' before you even meet up with your dad for the catching tutorial by abusing the ''Dev Nav'' feature. It can easily devastate the early part of the game using the move, especially the [[DishingOutDirt first Gym]], though it will eventually drop off in usefulness, due to its mediocre stats and underwhelming evolution that ''loses'' Speed points and even loses its water-type STAB.

* While the ability was {{nerf}}ed from its DiscOneNuke status in Gen III, the early ComMon Lillipup comes with Pickup. The items are not as high-end, but you'll still be set for the rest of the game if you grind early on. Even better, Pickup can now steal away a one time use item the opponent uses up or thrown at them with Fling, meaning you can snag several good berries in a short amount of time. Not to mention that it loses Pickup when it evolves and gains the more situational Sand Rush ability, compared to its other ability: the much more useful Intimidate.

* Like in ''Yellow'', Mankey can be found as soon as you reach Viridian City, where it is immediately useful against Brock and the abundant Normal and Rock types this early. The Primeape line is better this time around with being able to get better moves like Cross Chop and Brick Break for STAB, but Primeape's stats are still lackluster and it still has the problem of abundant Poison types in Kanto and Psychic-types still being overly powerful, while there's no Dark-types and few Steel-types around to counterbalance, so while more usable Primeape still isn't ideal to keep on your team late into the game.

* In ''RGBY'' (and their remakes), ''X & Y'', and ''Sun & Moon'', Pikachu (and Pichu in the latter case) can be found in the wild very early on. It'll likely be the first wild Electric-type a trainer will encounter and can make short work of the ubiquitous early game Flying-types, but it'll likely be outclassed by mid-game and their evolution in Raichu is pretty underwhelming. If holding a Light Ball (a Pikachu-exlusive held-item that boosts stats which vary by game), Pikachu can hold on a little longer in a mixed FragileSpeedster[=/=]GlassCannon role, but with a heavy emphasis on the "fragile" and "glass" parts that will still have it outclassed by the late-game.
** In ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' Pikachu can be caught before the first Gym in the [[NoobCave Viridian Forest]], its typing and stats make it great early on (since ComMons like Zubat and Pidgey are weak to [[ShockAndAwe Electricity]]). However, its evolved form Raichu is pretty mediocre by the endgame standards. This is even more drastic in ''Yellow'', where it's your starter Pokémon. It starts as easily your best Pokémon, can naturally learn Thunderbolt and (possibly) Surf, being a GlassCannon, hit like a truck for some time. However, the fact that it can't evolve (the game prevents you from giving it a Thunder Stone) means that it falls behind as your other Pokémon evolve and become stronger.

* The Luxray line can be caught very early and learns both Spark and Bite by level 18, which are both fairly strong moves for such early point in the game. However, it eventually falls off due to Spark being its strongest Physical STAB with just 65 BP and its Special Attack isn't very good. Even Raichu, another CrutchCharacter itself, proves to be a better Electric-type in the endgame.

* Farfetch'd, which had this status way back in ''Red and Blue'', regains it in ''X and Y'', where it's available before the first Gym--which happens to be a Bug-type Gym, and thus, made easy by a Flying-type. Furthermore, a change to the critical hit formula means that if it has its signature item, it can [[CriticalHitClass guarantee critical hits]] with moves that have increased chances. Even then, however, its stats are still mediocre and quickly outclassed.

** Early access to Move Tutors in ''VideoGame/PokemonUltraSunAndUltraMoon'' expands Pikachu's attack options to include [[ExtraOreDinary Iron Tail]] and Signal Beam. You can even get one that has [[MakingASplash Surf]] after completing Mantine Surf, giving it even more coverage before it evolves into Alolan-Raichu with [[PsychicPowers Psychic]] STAB. It will still plateau by the time you reach the end game.

* In the Obsidian Fieldlands, it's possible to catch a Level ~27 Gyarados before you're even at a high enough rank to control it. What stops this from being a DiscOneNuke like the Gen I Magikarp Salesman, however, is the fact that soon afterward you'll encounter Alpha Pokémon bosses that easily outclass it and [[BeefGate can wipe your party if you're not careful]].

* It's possible to find a Surskit with ''[[LastDiscMagic Hydro Pump]]'' before you even meet up with your dad for the catching tutorial by abusing the ''Dev Nav'' feature. It can easily devastate the early part of the game using the move, especially the [[DishingOutDirt first Gym]], though it will eventually drop off in usefulness, due to its mediocre stats and underwhelming evolution that loses Speed points and even loses its water-type STAB.

* ''Yellow'' makes the Fighting-type Mankey available on Route 22, just west of Viridian City, whose Fighting-type Low Kick will help you make short work of Brock. Mankey can also dispatch the Geodude encountered in Mt. Moon with ease. Unfortunately, the Fighting-type isn't particularly helpful after that. Its weaknesses to the broken Psychic-type and ubiquitous Flying-type, as well as the fact that Poison-types resist it (which is the most common type in Gen I), there being a lack of good Fighting-type moves (Mankey/Primeape won't get anything better than the inaccurate and self-damaging 80 power Submission), and Primeape being a weak fully-evolved Pokémon itself, leaves it in the dust.

* Like in the originals, Hoothoot evolves fairly early into Noctowl at level 20, becomes respectably strong for that point, and gets an enhanced moveset including Air Slash for STAB and learning Confusion much earlier. It still falls off after the fifth gym or so.

* Like the various caterpillars, Kricketot evolves quickly into Kricketune, which has good stats compared to the unevolved Mons you'll be using up to that point but gets outpaced very quickly when those start to evolve. However, it's fairly lacking in utility moves compared to the caterpillars' evolved forms. If you really want to you a Bug-type, Heracross is a much better option.

* Like the various caterpillars, Kricketot evolves quickly into Kricketune, which has good stats compared to the unevolved Mons you'll be using up to that point but gets outpaced very quickly when those start to evolve. However, it's fairly lacking in utility moves compared to the caterpillars' evolved forms.

* Averted by the Fletchling line, which is far more useful than the other standard early game Normal/Flying-types. It develops good stats and evolves into ''Fire''/Flying types, so it has more coverage than the other common flyers. Its Hidden Ability Gale Wings was also massively overpowered when it was first introduced, though it got {{Nerf}}ed in the seventh generation because of how absurd it was.

* Gogoat has all around [[JackOfAllStats solid, but not spectacular stats]] and a really large movepool. The fact that it can be caught so early makes it designed for a lot of newer players, but later on, more powerful Pokémon will be able to outshine it, due to being a MasterOfNone. There are better Grass-types like Rosarade and Vileplume.

* Crabrawler can be caught early in the game through berry trees, its stats are high for a first-stage Pokémon, and it can be taught Brick Break via TM, which is a powerful STAB move for how early you can get it. However, it can't evolve until you reach Mount Lanakila, ''[[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon the area where the Pokémon League is]]'', so it'll fall behind once evolved Pokémon start showing up more as enemies. Even once it does evolve into Crabominable, it's a slow GlassCannon with a dreadful defensive typing that will not fare well against the Elite Four's teams and types.

* ''Yellow'' makes the Fighting-type Mankey available on Route 22, West of Viridian City, whose Fighting-type Low Kick will help you make short work of Brock. Mankey can also dispatch the Geodude encountered in Mt. Moon with ease. Unfortunately, the Fighting-type isn't particularly helpful after that. Its weaknesses to the broken Psychic-type and ubiquitous Flying-type, as well as the fact that Poison-types resist it (which is the most common type in Gen I), there being a lack of good Fighting-type moves (Mankey/Primeape won't get anything better than the inaccurate and self-damaging 80 power Submission), and Primeape being a weak fully-evolved Pokémon itself, leaves it in the dust.

* If you haven't raised a Kadabra, you could be relying on your traded Mr. Mime, especially for a lot of the Pokémon Tower to deal with the Ghost-types in it (and that only works because said Ghosts are also Poison-types, too — try this against the Ghosts in any other generation, and you'll soon regret it). After that, Mr. Mime tends not to be that useful and many players will opt to replace it.

* Wurmple evolves very quickly and the typings of both evolved forms boasts a double resistance to [[GreenThumb Gardenia's Grass moves]] and can hit back with [[BlowYouAway Gust]]. But as with the last Gen, their stats are far outshone by other evolved Pokémon later down the line, by around the Hearthome gym.

* Wurmple evolves very quickly and the typings of both evolved forms boasts a double resistance to [[GreenThumb Gardenia's Grass moves]] and can hit back with [[BlowYouAway Gust]]. But as with the last Gen, their stats are far outshone by other evolved Pokémon later down the line.