Revolutionary Bug-Type Pokémon: Gen 10's Potential Game-Changing Upgrades

Highlights

Bug-type Pokemon currently have major weaknesses and limited offensive abilities, which diminishes their effectiveness in competitive battles.

To enhance Bug-types in the upcoming Gen 10, it is crucial to address their weaknesses by rebalancing the type chart and boosting their overall base stat total. These improvements will not only make Bug-types more practical but also significantly more enticing for players.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet fans can look forward to new content in the form of The Teal Mask and The Indigo Disk expansions, set to release in the upcoming months. While it may be too early for the announcement of Pokemon Gen 10, hints of its development might appear as early as next year, particularly during the Pokemon Presents event held in February for the series' anniversary. However, the future successor of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will need to address the significant flaws within the game or even the entire series. One area that could use improvement is the Bug-type Pokemon.

While there are Bug-type creatures that excel in combination with other types in Pokemon games, there are also some that do not benefit their counterparts due to subpar offense and defense capabilities offered by the Bug type. This issue becomes more apparent when comparing the strength of other types and the neglect of Bug-type creatures in terms of stats. Therefore, it is crucial for a Gen 10 Pokemon game to prioritize the enhancement and competitiveness of Bug-types.

Pokemon Gen 10 Needs Better Bug-Type BST and Type Charts

Bug-type Pokemon have a decent balance of weaknesses and resistances, but the weaknesses, which include Flying, Rock, and Fire, are quite common. On the other hand, they only resist Grass, Ground, and Fighting types. In terms of offense, Bug-type Pokemon are limited, as they are only strong against Grass, Psychic, and Dark types.

However, Bug moves are ineffective against seven types, making it difficult to land a super effective hit on many Pokemon, including Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ghost, Steel, Fire, and Fairy types. Even if the nineteenth type in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet remains a one-time battle gimmick, adjusting the current type chart could provide more opportunities for underwhelming Bug-types to shine. In fact, Ice-types are considered the second worst type in the game after Bug. By allowing Bug-types to deal effective damage against Fairy or Ghost types, it would open up new offensive strategies.

Another major issue with Bug-type Pokemon is their consistently low BST (base stat total), which can be attributed to their portrayal as early-game creatures in the series. A prime example of this is Lokix, a Bug/Dark type introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Although Lokix had a unique design and type combination, its extremely low BST compared to other Paldean Pokemon undermined its potential. This trend has persisted since the early games, and it is time for Gen 10 to break this pattern.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet defied many conventions, and it is only fair for Gen 10 to follow suit by breaking free from gameplay restrictions and limitations that have hindered player enjoyment. This is not to say that Bug-types are inherently weak, but unless they possess exceptional stats or type combinations, they are often overlooked in teambuilding. This represents a missed opportunity, as many Bug-type Pokemon boast captivating designs and unique Abilities that remain overshadowed by their type chart, stats, or a combination of both.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for the Nintendo Switch.