Ledian = Pokejunk?

[CeruleanSpirit]

I am currently making breeding test with Bug pokemons to see if I can make them good. I tried to do something with Ledyba/Ledian. I even took the trouble to get it from the Pokemon Safari with Adamant synchronize and get it's secret ability: Iron fist. Looking at it's info sheet, I thought maybe I could a so-so boxing bug with it. I breed it to give it perfect Atk. IV and gave it the following move:

Moves: Drain Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, U-Turn (yes, I have spend 24 BP on this s***)

I figured that with Iron fist + Lightning,Ice and fighting fists, I had a wide coverage toward weaknesses and U-Turn to bug out just in case. But even at lvl. 55, Ledian has a whooping 68 Atk! I realized early on that it was not worth spending the EV training. Even like this, it can't one-punch down a lvl. 45 pokemon that's weak to a Thunder-punch. So it's almost worthless unless I organize with a friend a battle of weak pokemons (say stats under 400)

So I am right in saying that Ledian is one of the worst pokemons out there??

 

[Somewhere_]

Its typing does not help either haha. It has no stats to work around, and drain punch is not as useful without bulk. And the others lack STAB as well- other than u-turn of course.

 

[Mawa]

I LOVE the desing of Ledian!! I hope it's gonna have a Mega Evolution one day pleaaaaaase

But I agree, I never saw anyone who can play with this Pokemon... Everything this Pokemon can do, another one can do it better...

 

[Megan]

It doesn't have a good attack stat and even Iron Fist doesn't medicate that.

If you wanna use it, though, try using one with Light Screen, Reflect, Encore and U-Turn.

 

[Hikamaru]

I always found Ledian so difficult to use, its stats are complete rubbish except for Sp. Defense (I think) and not even Iron Fist is enough to help it, since its punching moves are still weak even with the ability.

 

[Sun]

Its typing does not help either haha. It has no stats to work around, and drain punch is not as useful without bulk. And the others lack STAB as well- other than u-turn of course.

This is so true, in a sense the Ledian line is more pathetic than a Magikarp, a Magikarp at least evolves into something useful. It's really a bleh Pokemon if you ask me. If there are no Contest and Pokeathlon, this Pokemon would have no other use than a Pokedex data requirement Like in BW. Lol

 

[LusoTrainer]

Ledian was a constant part of my team in Silver, and no, it wasn't junk.

 

[Splash]

I like it's role in BW2 though.. ruling over the world using humans as pokemon..

 

[Somewhere_]

Ledian was a constant part of my team in Silver, and no, it wasn't junk.

What was your strategy?

 

[VisualJae]

It's not exactly an offensive powerhouse, but you can use it as a special wall Baton Passer with Silver Wind/Swords Dance.

Give it Swarm instead of Iron Fist so maybe you can cheese a late U-Turn or Silver Wind if it comes down to that.

But yes, pretty much anything you want Ledian to do, another Pokemon can do it better. If you want to go for flavor, by all means do so.

Five Star Pokemon gets 5/10 rating.

 

[Emboar]

I think Smogon says it best.

"Oh Ledian... You're as cute as a button, and about as strong as one too."

 

[Boomerang Cutter]

I feel Ledian's stats and typing doesn't really do it much justice, compared to its other Bug-type brethren. It's a shame - I do like its design but it doesn't have too much going for it.

 

[LusoTrainer]

What was your strategy?

I didn't have any particular strategy. I recall it had double-edge, swift and solar beam.

 

[Pendraflare]

This is reminding me of the time that Marriland unfortunately ended up with a Ledian very late into his Y WonderWedlocke stream (with no bag items in battle) after he had beaten Lysandre, and after training it and its partner (a Banette) up, they died in their first real fight.

But I wonder if it would fare me any better if I were to use one early on...

 

[Hikamaru]

Like Boomerang Cutter said, its really only good point is its design (dem alien eyes) but it gets outclassed by even fellow Bug/Flying-types, and pretty much all other Bug-types in general.

 

[Cerberus87]

It's effectively an inferior Vespiquen.

I've never seen it used successfully and I searched a lot since I've always thought it was THE worst Pokémon in GSC to use in competitive battle and one of the worst in the game overall.

It's worthless as an attacker, but it gets Baton Pass, dual screens, stat-boosting moves and a few other supporting alternatives, so it should be used for that. It's one of the worst alternatives if you need a BPer, though. The typing sucks, the Speed is bad, and it dies to anything physical.

People usually joke about Farfetch'd but Ledian is probably a much better example of how NOT to create a competitive Pokémon. I mean, Farfetch's actually has a lot of nifty tools to work with along with a good typing, it just doesn't have the stats. Still, Ledian was probably never intended for competitive since it's an early game bug and becomes redundant very quickly as most of them do in their respective games. It does pale in comparison with its counterpart Ariados, though, and Ariados itself was never good to begin with.

That being said... Using one would definitely be an interesting challenge.

 

[KorpiklaaniVodka]

Ledian's main use would be as a Baton Pass user. You can also try to set up dual screens with it.

 

[CeruleanSpirit]

HA! thanks for the reply after a week, I was kind of getting desperate. ^_^

The point of this experiment was that I did a monotype-run bug lately, so I wanted to assess all the bugs. I tried to do stuff with almost all of the bugs. I finally came up with duo awards for best, worst and unique. The bug awards:

BEST: Scizor, Volcarona
UNIQUE: Shedinja, Shuckle
WORST: Ledyan, Kricketune

And yes, Ledyan came in first place because of it's horrible stats. When I breed a pokemon, I really try to find it's unique flavor. I often give move according to flavor. That's why I thought Iron fist with 3 kind of punch moves was a good idea, but it came out bad... :-(

Light Screen, Reflect, Encore and U-Turn. That's Smogon's idea. I had read it and thought it was of interesting that Ledyan came up with 3 protection move as it evolved from Ledyba. So basically it can only be a shield builder.

However I did end up using it. I breed another male one, gave it Baton Pass. The used it as a Baton Pass breeder. I ended up giving Baton Pass to Volbeat (Tail glow) and Masquerain (Quiver Dance). So It wasn't totally useless.

At this point I'm thinking of organizing a mini-tournament with friends of pokemons with global stats under 400. Ledyan could be viable for that.

 

[GiovanniViridian]

Loved the design, but never used it (especially I only played Gold and not Silver and even then in later games I don't even use him) so I don't know how bad it is.

Have a vid where someone Solo Runned Ledian to beat Red:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hDMok4mNcE

 

[Leòmhann teine]

HA! thanks for the reply after a week, I was kind of getting desperate. ^_^

The point of this experiment was that I did a monotype-run bug lately, so I wanted to assess all the bugs. I tried to do stuff with almost all of the bugs. I finally came up with duo awards for best, worst and unique. The bug awards:

BEST: Scizor, Volcarona
UNIQUE: Shedinja, Shuckle
WORST: Ledyan, Kricketune

And yes, Ledyan came in first place because of it's horrible stats. When I breed a pokemon, I really try to find it's unique flavor. I often give move according to flavor. That's why I thought Iron fist with 3 kind of punch moves was a good idea, but it came out bad... :-(

Light Screen, Reflect, Encore and U-Turn. That's Smogon's idea. I had read it and thought it was of interesting that Ledyan came up with 3 protection move as it evolved from Ledyba. So basically it can only be a shield builder.

However I did end up using it. I breed another male one, gave it Baton Pass. The used it as a Baton Pass breeder. I ended up giving Baton Pass to Volbeat (Tail glow) and Masquerain (Quiver Dance). So It wasn't totally useless.

At this point I'm thinking of organizing a mini-tournament with friends of pokemons with global stats under 400. Ledyan could be viable for that.

Have you hosted said tournament yet and if not could I participate with a mothim it isn't exactly under 400 but it is only 24 above 400 so it's not that powerfull and if it helps the movepool it has is kind of bad.