Question

Why is Eelektross so overlooked?
I know there definitely are better Electric 'mons out there, but this thing has LITERALLY no weaknesses (aside for the HA of Excadrill that would just mess things up) and besides a pretty bad speed, that could be used for a Trick Room, it has pretty solid stats overall and could go both ways in regard of attacks.
Plus, with some EVs training in SDef and Def it would get pretty good stats.

I've only faced him twice on the PSS, and both times I remained perplexed as to why isn't this guy spammed in every team.
Have I misjudged Eelektross or there actually is a really good potential for it?

Comments

Great question, I was also wondering.

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Thanks, glad I helped.

Answer 1

Eelektross is a nice pivot and Assault Vest user, but it isn't good enough to compete with the other great Electric Pokemon in the game.

1. Although no weaknesses looks good on paper, Eelektross's defensive typing is pretty mediocre. Pure Electric doesn't pack many resistances, which greatly limits Eelektross's switch-in opportunities. This hurts it a lot as its primary function is a Volt Switch pivot, which needs to be able to switch into things to work efficiently.
2. It is extremely slow. Trick Room is not a reason to ignore this flaw, as Trick Room requires you to build an entire team around it, greatly reducing team building options. Low Speed makes Eelektross pretty easy to revenge kill as well.
3. It doesn't have fantastic bulk, and will be worn down quickly. Assault Vest fixes this on the special side, but physical attackers and wallbreakers will deal substantial damage to Eelektross.
4. Its offensive stats are fairly ordinary. While it is nice for mixed attacking sets, 115 and 105 aren't enough to fight against various tanks and walls, and will miss out on many vital KOs.
5. It is outclassed, both offensively and defensively. Rotom-Wash beats it defensively with its superior stats, movepool and typing, and Mega Manectric is faster and hits harder. Eelektross has trouble setting itself apart from these Pokemon.

Assault Vest Eelektross is a good special tank and pivot in its tier RU, where it can fight threats like Moltres, Mega Pidgeot and Meloetta, but it fails to make itself useful in higher tiers where better options are available.

Comments

Mega-Pigeon is being suspected right now in RU. I don't see how it's any good though, extremely shallow movepool to work with.
Otherwise, great answer. I was equally wondering.

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I'm a bit disappointed now, Eelektross really piqued my interest.
Great answer tho, it cleared out my doubts.
Thanks a bunch Fizz!

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@RecreativeReshiram: I play RU frequently so I know Mega Pidgeot is a big threat. It's very difficult to revenge kill, it has a lot of power and reliability with 100% accurate Hurricune (that AV Eelektross walls) and access to Heat Wave, which nearly perfects its coverage of the tier. What it can't hit super effectively it U-Turns out on, making it annoying to kill if the opponent can keep it away from its counters. I will agree though, Serperior and Dragalge are being suspected too, and Pidgeotis not nearly as centralising as they are and probably won't be banned imo.
@Torym: Don't get me wrong, Eelektross isn't a bad Pokemon, it just isn't great and as a result is not used over other Electric types. Glad to see that helped though!

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1-Eelektross has movepool that's 1000 times better than Rotom Wash's, in both special attacks, physical attacks, and status, and it also has recovery that's a bit more reliable than Pain Split.
2-Rotom Wash's typing isn't better as it has two weaknesses grass and ground since it's also affected by pokemon with Mold Breaker. So while you have to be worried about grass and pokemon with mold breaker with Rotom Wash, you only need to worry about pokemon with mold breaker with Eelektross.
3-Using Eelektross as a pivot is the way you would use it, but it works in many other ways, because of it's great stats.
4-Rotom Wash isn't better offensively than Eelektross as it has the same special attack stat as Eelektross and Eelekteoss has better special attacking moves, and Eelektross also has 115 in physical attack and has great moves in that area too, and Rotom Wash has very low HP, while Eelektross has a bit more, but it actually helps more. And with the Assault Vest and it's better HP stat it already has more probablities of surviving than Rotom Wash

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@AniMangelo I am not sure why you are repeatedly comparing this Pokemon to Rotom Wash as if it is its only competition, but I'll address each of your points individually anyway.
1: Eelektross's movepool is better, but that doesn't mean that its competition won't get equally serviceable options for moves. Pokemon like Mega Manectric get by with Flamethrower and HP Ice and are regarded as having good coverage, even when that's more or less the extent of their movepool. If you want to compare to Rotom Wash, then it gets a second STAB, Will-O-Wisp and Pain Split all of which contribute to its role as a pivot. I do not see how Giga Drain is more reliable recovery than Pain Split.
2: I disagree. With its part Water type Rotom Wash gains key resistances to types like Fire, Water and Ice which massively improve its switch-in opportunities. Grass is an uncommon offensive typing outside of Pokemon that get it from STAB -- Fire, Water and Ice show up in much broader contexts. Pure Electric + Levitate is also good but it's not better as you say.
3: Such as...? My point stands that even though Eelektross has good stats, other Pokemon with better a better Speed and typing outclass it. Magnezone, Tapu Koko, Rotom Wash, Zapdos, Raikou etc. all do their roles better than Eelektross would.
4: Rotom Wash is not better than Eelektross offensively (I never said it was!), but again you're ignoring Pokemon like Manectric, Tapu Koko etc. as if they don't exist. These Pokemon are faster, more powerful and have good enough movepools that Eelektross doesn't have anything huge over them. Rotom's defences are no worse than Eelektross's because it has better Defence and Special Defence, and it isn't pressured to invest in an attacking stat as it poses more of a threat spreading Will-O-Wisp and gaining momentum. Burning the opponent indirectly boosts its Defence, and it can use Leftovers and Pain Split unlike Eelektross if it depends on Assault Vest. Combined with more switch-in opportunities, Rotom Wash makes for an all-around better pivot.