Pokemusings, week 37:

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The best offense is a good defense

Most of the gamers in our Pokemon general discussion forums favor offensive Pokemon. It's easy to understand why - beating the tar out of something with a wide variety of offensive maneuvers is just plain fun. Furthermore, the story modes in the numerous Pokemon titles give you no reason to use defensive strategies. Seasoned competitive players know how useful defensive Pokemon can be. If you're just starting out with competitive battling or you've always been an offensive-minded battler, then the next two issues of Pokemusings will help you get your defensive groove on.

Some Pokemon are great defenders due to their stats. Two of the most popular defensive Pokemon are Blissey (with its huge Special Defense) and Skarmory (with its huge Defense). While they're definitely overused in competitive play, especially Blissey, their stats give them a good reason to be. Blissey is a nightmare for opposing Special sweepers. The same goes for Skarmory and Physical sweepers. Shuckle is another common choice, with its high Defense and Special defense. These defensive Pokemon are tough to take down simply due to their impressive stats.