Pokemusings, week 37:

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The best offense is a good defense

All that said, stats alone do not necessarily make a great defensive Pokemon. Spiritomb's stats aren't the greatest, but its Ghost/Dark typing means that nothing can hit it for super-effective damage. Ludicolo is one of our recent favorites when it comes to defensive specialists. Its Special Defense is high, while its Defense is pretty average. However, its Water/Grass typing means that it only takes super-effective hits from Bug, Flying, and Poison attacks - two of which are not super common in the competitive scene. Scizor is another great example, with its Bug/Steel typing; it takes a massive hit from Fire moves, but anything else hits it for regular damage or less. Pokemon with unusual typing can make great defenders, regardless of their stats.

Now just because a Pokemon is a defensive specialist doesn't mean that it can't pack a punch. Rhyperior immediately comes to mind when we think of defenders that can also hit hard. Its high Defense stat is actually surpassed by its Attack stat. This gives it some interesting versatility. It can absorb Physical hits all day and if your opponent switches to a Special sweeper, it can lay down some heavy smack on the incoming foe. And for the record, we firmly believe that every trainer should have a female Rhyperior named Mother.

Many people think that legendary Pokemon should automatically be turned into offensive forces. This could not be further from the truth. There are a number of legendaries that are better suited for defense rather than offense. Celebi, Cresselia, and Lugia are just a few. Celebi works well due to the substitute/leech seed combo (more on that next week), while Cresselia and Lugia are blessed in terms of stats.