Board 8 > Favourite middle stage pseudo-legendary pokemon?

(+) Yeah! (+)

B8's favourite Pokemon
Basic early rodent: Zigzagoon > Bidoof >> Sentret
Evolved rodent: Furret >> Raticate > Linoone
Basic early bird: Starly > Pidgey > Hoothoot
Middle bird: Pidgeotto > Fletchinder > Corvisquire
Fully evolved bird: Corviknight > Staraptor > Talonflame
Larval bug: Caterpie > Venipede > Sewaddle
Middle bug: Swadloon > Charjabug > Whirlipede
Fully evolved 3-stage bug: Scolipede > Butterfree > Beedrill
Basic early 2-stage bug: Cutiefly > Spinarak > Combee
Evolved 2-stage bug: Shedinja > Ribombee > Centiskorch
Pikaclone: Mimikyu >> Emolga > Pachirisu
Basic 2-stage primary ghost: Misdreavus > Drifloon > Pumpkaboo
Evolved 2-stage primary ghost: Mismagius > Trevenant > Cofagrigus
Basic 2-stage pure grass: Skiddo > Tangela >> Petilil
Evolved 2-stage pure grass: Lilligant > Gogoat > Lurantis
Basic 2-stage primary fire: Vulpix > Growlithe >>> Slugma
Evolved 2-stage primary fire: Arcanine > Ninetales >> Alolan Marowak
Basic crustacean: Dwebble > Krabby > Clauncher
Evolved crustacean: Clawitzer > Golisopod > Kingler
Basic 2-stage pure ground: Cubone > Sandshrew > Phanpy
Evolved 2-stage pure ground: Sandslash > Marowak > Mudsdale
2-stage baby: Riolu > Mantyke > Munchlax
3-stage baby: Elekid > Pichu > Togepi
Basic fossil: Tyrunt > Omanyte > Archen
Evolved fossil: Kabutops > Tyrantrum > Archeops
Chimeric fossil: Dracovish > Arctozolt > Dracozolt
Basic human-like: Abra > Ralts > Machop
Middle human-like: Kadabra > Electabuzz > Machoke
Fully evolved human-like: Gardevoir > Alakazam > Gallade
Basic 2-stage primary ice: Alolan Vulpix > Snom > Cubchoo
Evolved 2-stage primary ice: Froslass > Alolan Ninetales > Glalie
Basic mollusc: Shellos > Shellder > Inkay
Evolved mollusc: Cloyster > Gastrodon > Octillery
Basic 2-stage primary fighting: Pancham > Galarian Farfetch'd > Mienfoo
Evolved 2-stage primary fighting: Lucario > Pangoro > Mienshao/Sirfetch'd
Basic pseudo-legendary: Goomy > Dratini > Larvitar

Lots of love to go around yesterday, Goomy edges Dratini in the end. Thanks, stuffer(s).

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/8/0/4/AANyLIAAC7NU.jpg
(Read left to right, top row to bottom row)

Obligatory middle stages today. Consistently the least liked entry in most 3-stage lines, but due to their late evolutions you'll spend more time with this bunch than most. Which is the best?

Close between Drakloak and Gabite.

Not like it'll matter tho Dragonair is going to win easily.

Went with Sliggoo this time.

Drakloak > Sliggoo > Gabite > Metang > Dragonair > Zweilous >>>>> Hakamo-o > Shelgon > Pupitar

Dragonair obviously. A shame Dragonite don't end up looking that great though!

Hm. Probably Drakloak

Sliggoo > Metang > Drakloak > H-Sliggoo > Hakamo-o > Dragonair > Gabite > Shelgon > Pupitar > Zweilous

Dragonair is my favorite of its line and I don't think that's the case with any og the others.

most_games_r_ok posted...

Dragonair obviously. A shame Dragonite don't end up looking that great though!

Dragonair -> Dragonite is one of the more bizarre evolutions.

Gotta be Dragonair for me.

I find it hard to care too much about Drakloak, Hakamo-o, or Gabite since they're a bit too similar with their final evos. But I'm glad to see they have their fans too. Except for Hakamo-o, it seems.

went with metang, but new guy in the bottom right is p cool

Dragonair is so cool

wtf is up with some of these

Giving a lonely vote to Hakamo-o. Drakloak is an easy second.

Sliggoo may not (or may?) be the best of this group, but it is by far the best of its evolution line.

Gabite > Hakamo-o > Drakloak > Metang > Dragonair > Sliggoo > Pupitar > Shelgon > Zweilous

I don't get why they went the early bug middle stage route for Pupitar and Shelgon. Pupitar especially feels underdiscussed on the bad Pokemon design front - cocoon/pupae Pokemon are already on the low end, and it's stuck between two of the better designs without really making much sense there.

...it's only now clicking with me that Larvitar is the 'larva' stage. This line makes less sense to me the more I look close. Either way, Larvitar doesn't really look like a larva (hence me somehow overlooking the pun when I was a child and never questioning it since), so Pupitar still feels out of place.

These are pretty much all bad, aside from Dragonair, which is great

I really like a lot of these too.

Not sure I can vote against that Dragonair tail though.

Dragonair is great, but I actually really love Pupitar.

I think Drakloak is the only one I like here

Aw, I missed the chance to vote Dreepy.

I'm not as big a fan of gen 1 designs as most people, especially us old doddies on Gamefaqs, but I have to admit that Dragonair is a gorgeous design. The rest are all decent enough too, but Dragonair takes it easily. Shoutouts to Drakloak and Sliggoo too.

Dragonair > Drakloak > Sliggoo > Gabite > Hakamo-o > Pupitar > Zweilous >>> Metang > Shelgon

Dragonair loses some points because I used to pull its rare card all the fucking time from Base Set booster packs which infuriated me when I still had plenty of rares left to collect. However, the rest of these are so fucking terrible, other than perhaps Metang and Pupitar which still aren't great, that it still wins easily.

Dragonair curb stomps here, but I do like Pupitar.

most of these are fine but dragonair easy

RyoCaliente posted...

Dragonair is great, but I actually really love Pupitar.

they're both really, really good

i thought about it, though, and while i thought i liked pupitar the best, i'd be sadder if dragonair was deleted. so maybe i like dragonair more

I don't get the Dragonair love. It's kinda boring. The best part about it is its name

pretty easy Gabite vote for me, but i like Drakloak quite a bit

Since Game Freak is going back and giving out new split evolutions again, maybe there's still a chance for all you Dragonair fans to get the evolution you wanted.

Sliggoo > Dragonair > Drakloak > Gabite > Pupitar > Shelgon > Hakamo-o > Metang > Zweilous

Besides the top two a pretty meh group. I really don't like the horn thing on Metang's face.

It's between Metang, Gabite and Drakloak for me, though I understand Dragonair's appeal with it being the only one to not just be a smaller version of the final evo (except the cocoon-ish two).

Drakloak is definitely my second choice here. Really appreciating it.

love me some zweilous, mainly because hydreigon is a top 3 poke for me

Metang all the way.

(time to start locking these topics when they're done)