Pokemon VGC: Best Utility Pokemon

Trainers carefully h&pick competitive Pokemon teams to maintain a winning battle strategy. There are many team types & Pokemon roles in competitive play, & one of the most common are utility Pokemon. A utility Pokemon has a moveset designed to play a specific part in battles that can be either offensive or defensive.

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Utility Pokemon will have solid base stats & an extensive movepool, & they can be used in multiple ways depending on a team’s needs. However, utility Pokemon are usually tailored for only one task, providing a supportive advantage. Examples of utilities in competitive Pokemon include but aren’t limited to lead, defense support, & sweeper. Let’s review the best utility Pokemon for competitive Pokemon & the Video Game Championships (VGC).

Jirachi

Jirachi is one of the most versatile Pokemon with incredibly balanced stats, all sitting at 100. Because of its even stat distribution, its utility options are based on its moveset. Its ability Serene Grace gives moves’ additional effects a boost, which will Approach into play often as a Steel/Psychic-type Pokemon. Jirachi’s STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) move, Iron Head, is more likely to cause its target to flinch. Moves like Protect or Thunder can solidify its stall abilities, with Thunder having an increased chance to Paralyze its target.

Jirachi also has a better recovery move that benefits its allies if used as a healer, Healing Wish. Healing Wish will cause the user to faint immediately, but they will restore the HP of the following Pokemon & heal all status conditions when they switch in. The best part is that the next Pokemon that takes the field won’t activate Healing Wish if it’s already in perfect health. It will only activate if another Pokemon is sent in with a Status Condition or low HP.

Gardevoir

Gardevoir works best as a Special attacker & lead. It is a Psychic/Fairy-type, so it holds the defensive advantage over common STAB abusers Fighting & Psychic-type. Gardevoir also possesses good recovery options like Draining Kiss, Rest, & Recover, so it can stay on the field. Another defensive perk is its ability. Synchronize means the user will gain that same condition whenever a Pokemon inflicts it with a Status Condition (i.e., Burn, Paralyze, & Poison).

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Its best offensive option is Moonblast, with an impressive power of 95 & a STAB boost. Alone its Speed doesn’t hold it back much, but an item such as Choice Scarf makes it able to take move priority in most cases, though this does limit it to its first move. Nevertheless, even without the increased Speed, Gardevoir can take the field with its other attack moves pulling from its Psychic roots to put holes in opponent’s teams.

Whimsicott

Whimsicott is a solid support utility Pokemon. Its movepool includes multiple options for passive damage, including but not limited to Poison Powder, Stun Spore, Hurricane, & Leech Seed. Players can also use it to set up team support moves such as Tailwind & Safeguard. Furthermore, Tailwind means slower tank Pokemon aren’t as limited by their bulk, & Safeguard will protect against Status Conditions for a limited time.

Its support options don’t end there, & Whimsicott works well on Sun teams as a Sunny Day setter. Solar Beam, its most robust Grass-type moves, no longer needs to charge up if Harsh Sunlight is on the field. Additionally, players can use it to activate Grassy Terrain to double up its field coverage & assist any Grass-type allies.

Gengar

Gengar is Ghost/Poison-type Pokemon that works well on offensive teams. Utility-wise, players often use it as a Substitute Pokemon. The Substitute takes 25% of the user’s HP & puts that HP into a Pokedoll that takes all incoming damage for the user unless broken. Gengar can be lying in wait while its ally pulls in damage. After the Substitute is broken, players can start hitting their opponents with some of its Poison & Ghost STAB moves. Sludge Wave & Shadow Ball are hard to survive, even without a type-weakness.

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Players can also take advantage of its Poisonous aura by getting passive damage from a poison infection. All its Poison moves have some percentage to leave behind the deadly Status Condition. Its Speed makes this hard to avoid, & slower opponents don’t st& a chance. Gengar does lack recovery options, so players would do well to pair it with a healer or to give it an HP-restoring Held Item or Berry.

Azumarill

Azumarill is often overlooked, but it is a formidable Revenge Killer or mid-match Wall Breaker. When it comes to its stats, don’t expect to get too many surprises from it, but its type resistances & immunities go far in the Pokemon VGC. Azumarill is resistant to common offensive types such as Fire, Fighting, Water, & Dark. Electric-types are its primary issue, but a Ground-type ally can remove some of that pressure.

Since it holds its own against most types defensively, players can use it to absorb damage for their Glass Cannons & Sweepers. It’s also a Screen Setter, protecting its team against attack moves. It’s also got support moves like Helping H& & Encore. Offensively, its water STAB moves like Scald & Liquidation pack enough power to punch a hole in its target, not to mention the potential burn Scald can leave behind. With the right strategy, Azumarill is an essential partner.

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