Audino
Availability: Early-game in any rustling grass after obtaining the first badge.
Typing: Audino is a Normal type, hitting most fights neutrally except for Shauntal who is immune and Marshal who hits it super-effectively.
Stats: 103/86/86 bulk make Audino sturdy. 50 Speed and the offensive stats of 60 are mitigated by...
Movepool: Wide. You’ll have Pound and DoubleSlap for STAB until it gets Secret Power at level 20 and Return at Nimbasa, where Thunder Wave, Reflect and Light Screen can also be bought. Other TMs include Dig and Grass Knot early on and many Special TMs like Charge Beam, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt (detour) Surf, Thunder, Fire Blast, and Blizzard later on. To utilize these effectively, it advised to teach Audino Work Up via TM.
Major Battles: With Secret Power/Return, Work Up and high bulk, Audino takes on many Gyms very well. Audino’s movepool and Reflect/Light Screen keep it relevant endgame, with the Substitute and Work Up TMs helping it sweep Shauntal and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Get Regenerator as a Ability to heal 1/3 HP upon switch. Catch Audino in the level range of 8-11 in the Dreamyard
Basculin
Availability: Lategame; Almost everywhere with Surf, which is obtained after getting six badges.
Typing: Basculin are Water type, letting them take on Shauntal’s Chandelure, Grimsley’s Krookodile and N’s Archeops.
Stats: 92 Attack and 98 Speed make Basculin a physical sweeper that can’t take a hit (you won’t use 80 Special Attack much).
Movepool: It gets Crunch at level 24 and STAB via Aqua Tail at 28 or the Waterfall HM. Double-Edge or the Return TM give Normal coverage.
Major Battles: Basculin with Adaptability STAB has decent matchups in the remaining fights bar Drayden, with Crunch hitting Shauntal’s Jellicent.
Additional Comments: There is a Basculin trade if you give Mincinno in Driftveil City, and it is inferior due to lacking Adaptabilty Ability. Use Repel with a level 25 Pokemon on Route 6 (near Driftveil) to get a high-level Basculi . Red-Striped Basculin are in Black Version, while Blue-Striped Basculin are in White Version, though the opposite-striped Basculin can be found by Surfing into rippling water and both forms have identical stats.
Blitzle
Availability: Early-game (20% chance to appear in Route 3).
Typing: Electric allows it to hit all Water-types bar Palpitoad and Seismitoad, along with Skyla and other Flying-types. It leaves it with the sole weakness to Ground, represented majorly only by Clay.
Stats: Zebstrika has a great Attack stat and an excellent Speed stat letting it outpace many foes. Its defensive stats are fine, but not the best.
Movepool: It learns Shock Wave at level 11 and Thunder Wave at level 15. Flame Charge at level 18 allows it to hit the Electric-resistant Grass-types, with other STAB via Spark at level 25 (as Blitzle) and Wild Charge at 47 (as Zebstrika), respectively. The Return TM helps it hit Ground-types.
Major Battles: Flame Charge allows it to beat Burgh's Leavanny, and it does well against Elesa as Zebstrika. It can surprisingly, take out 2/3 of Clay's team by mitigating Bulldoze Speed drops with Flame Charge, and then hitting with Return. It sweeps Skyla effortlessly and can do well against Brycen. From there, it can only beat specific Electric-weak targets like Shauntal's Jellicent and spread paralysis with Thunder Wave.
Additional Comments: A Zebstrika can also be caught at Route 7, thus skipping Blitzle's rather bad period, but it misses on all previous matchups. The Abilities Lightning Rod and Motor Drive give Special Attack and Speed buffs by one stage respectively when the line is hit by Electric moves.
Cobalion
Availability: Late-game; Mistralton Cave (requires Surf), one static encounter, Guidance Chamber, level 42.
Typing: Fighting/Steel typing gives Cobalion advantages against Brycen, the 8th gym, Grimsley as well as N and Ghetsis.
Stats: Most of Cobalion's stats are around 90 save 129 Defense, 108 Speed and 72 Special Defense.
Movepool: It has Iron Head and Sacred Sword, can be taught X-Scissor, Volt Switch and Work Up via TMs, and gets Swords Dance at level 49.
Major Battles: Great for Brycen, but struggles against Drayden requiring many Work Up uses. Bad for Shauntal and Marshal, but sweeps Grimsley and Caitlin with Swords Dance (the latter with X-Scissor). Rather favorable against N, but you might not sweep due to Focus Blast Zoroark and the legends (Zekrom lives a +6 Sacred Sword). Good against Ghetsis, though Hydreigon comes pretty close if not OHKOs you and outspeeds.
Additional Comments: Cobalion is a decent lategame option, but a flawed one due to requiring a detour and 90 Attack being underwhelming. Dusk Balls to catch it with can be bought from Driftveil. Cobalion's default Justified Ability raises its Attack when hit by a damaging Dark-type move, which you can exploit with Pokemon weak to Dark against Grimsley and Ghetsis.
Deerling
Availability: Mid-game (35% chance to appear in Route 6).
Typing: Grass allows it to hit Clay and common Rock and Ground-types super effectively, while Normal hits Bug and Poison types neutrally. However, it leaves it awkward against Skyla, Brycen, and Marshal.
Stats: Deerling has good Speed, but rather low other stats. As Sawsbuck, it gets great Speed and Attack with acceptable bulk.
Movepool: Jump Kick and Take Down are notable moves it will have upon being caught. At level 32, it learns its first Grass STAB, Energy Ball. Upon evolution, at level 37, it learns Horn Leech. It can be taught Return and Wild Charge through TMs and Megahorn through the move relearner.
Major Battles: It can sweep Clay with healing, Brycen, and Drayden/Iris with the exception of Haxorus. It does well against Shauntal, Grimsley, and Caitlin, and can beat Ghetsis's Bisharp and Seismitoad as well.
Additional Comments: You can catch a Deerling from dark grass for higher levels. The Sap Sipper Ability is preferred but not required.
Druddigon
Availability: Late-game; 10% in every season but Winter (in which it doesn't spawn at all) at Dragonspiral Tower’s entrance.
Typing: Dragon typing lets Druddigon hit the remaining opponents neutrally with STAB, being fairly good against Drayden.
Stats: 77/90/90 bulk with 120 Attack makes Druddigon an effective tank, albeit one with a below-average 48 Speed.
Movepool: You start with Dragon Claw and Crunch, and you can immediately give Druddigon Rock Slide and Bulldoze via TM. Revenge is learned at level 35 for Fighting coverage and Hone Claws can be taught for a Heart Scale at the Move Reminder.
Major Battles: While Druddigon can be shaky against Brycen, Yache Berry can help, and it has the bulk to take Cryogonal’s Aurora Beam and hit back with Revenge or Rock Slide. You have an edge against the eighth gym because their use of Dragon Tail lets you strike first. End-game, Crunch hits Shauntal and Caitlin, and Revenge can be used for the Fighting-weak targets that Grimsley, N and Ghetsis use.
Additional Comments: You’ll want Sheer Force over Rough Skin as an Ability to power up Druddigon’s moves with secondary effects.
Ducklett
Availability: Mid-game (Driftveil Drawbridge shadows).
Typing: Water/Flying; former gives it an advantage against Ground-types (most notably Clay) and Fire types, while the latter makes it strong against Fighting-types like Marshal's as well as Bug and Grass types. However, it is easily picked off by Electric-type moves and Rock types are shaky.
Stats: Ducklett and Swanna's stats are generally average at best, with highest being 97 Speed alongside 87/87 offenses as Swanna.
Movepool: Level-up-wise, the only notable moves are Air Slash and Roost at level 24 and 30 respectively, and Brave Bird at level 47 as Swanna. TM-wise, it should be taught Scald very soon and potentially Rain Dance at level 34. It makes a great HM slave with STAB Surf and Fly.
Major Battles: It beats Clay save Excadrill and sweep the other Gyms barring the 8th due to Haxorus. Against the Elite Four, it can beat specific threats, almost sweeping Marshal and Grimsley, though there's always one Pokémon that prevents a sweep. Caitlin is a bad matchup.
Additional Comments: As a Ducklett, it will rely heavily on Mystic Water for damage output. One can be obtained from Nacrene City for saying you picked Oshawott (even if you didn't) before Surf. Keen Eye is more useful than Big Pecks Ability-wise, but not required.
Elgyem
Availability: Late-game (Celestial Tower from third floor onwards, 15%)
Typing: Psychic gives it a type advantage against Marshal, but is left severely weak to Grimsley and vulnerable to Shauntal's Ghost types.
Stats: Elgyem possesses a good Special Attack, although the other stats are rather mediocre, especially Speed. Upon evolving, its Special Attack becomes a massive 125 and its bulk is acceptable, though it remains sluggish at 40 Speed.
Movepool: Elgyem will be using with Zen Headbutt and (potentially) Hidden Power until it learns Psychic at level 39. It also learns Calm Mind at level 43 and, as Beheeyem, Recover at level 50. The Shadow Ball TM alongside Calm Mind lets it do well against Caitlin and Shauntal. It can be taught Charge Beam for Skyla and Thunderbolt from P2 Laboratory with Surf, though the latter isn't required.
Major Battles: Elgyem can do well against Skyla with Charge Beam and Drayden/Iris (Brycen is average). Against the Elite Four, it loses to Grimsley, but does well against the rest, especially by setting up on them. However, it will generally require healing every fight and it cannot sweep Shauntal fully due to her Golurk outspeeding. You can also use Imprison on Shauntal and Caitlin, locking 3/4 of their teams out of Shadow Ball.
Additional Comments: Hold off Elgyem's evolution by 2 levels so it can learn Calm Mind a little bit earlier. Synchronize is the preferred Ability to afflict the Burn, Paralysis, or Poison status on Elgyem's foes who cripple it with those status.
Emolga
Availability: Routes 5/16, rustling grass, 10% encounter rate at level 22.
Typing: Electric/Flying gives Emolga advantages against Skyla and Marshall. Rock moves are common but Ice moves are rare outside Brycen.
Stats: 103 Speed is solid with average offenses of 75 and somewhat fragile 55/60/60 bulk.
Movepool: Emolga's early Electric STABs (Shock Wave/Spark/Electro Ball/Volt Switch) are interchangeable. Acrobatics is at level 30 for Flying STAB, Light Screen is at level 34, and Discharge is at level 50 (the Thunderbolt TM is an alternative). Agility at level 46 can power up Electro Ball.
Major Battles: Good against Skyla and Marshal and neutral elsewhere. It can do decently against Shauntal's Jellicent, Grimsley's Scrafty and Caitlin's Sigilyph (watch out for Ice Beam from it though).
Additional Comments: You can trade a Boldore for Emolga with Hiker Manny on Route 7. The male Lax natured Emolga is level 30 with Lum Berry and 20/20/31/20/20/20 IVs. Emolga's default Static Ability paralyzes contact move users 30% of the time and can also power up Electro Ball.
Golett
Availability: Lategame; Dragonspiral Tower 1F (50%), 2F (100%)
Typing: Golett and Golurk are Ground/Ghost types with advantages against Caitlin, Marshal and to an extent N and Shauntal.
Stats: Golett and Golurk are slow, but have great Attack and good defenses; Golurk has a exemplary 124 Attack with 89/80/80 bulk.
Movepool: Immediately reteach Shadow Punch for a Heart Scale in Mistralton City and TM Bulldoze on for physical STABs. Iron Defense is a great move for Golett against many opponents. By holding off on evolving two extra levels, Golett will learn Earthquake early at level 45 to replace Bulldoze. The fourth slot can be rotated from Bulldoze, the Brick Break / Low Sweep / Rock Slide / Substitute TMs and the Fly HM as Golurk.
Major Battles: If you have Golurk with Earthquake, it can do well at the 8th gym, as Fraxure and Haxorus will generally boost while you 2HKO. Against the Elite 4, it takes on Shauntal and Caitlin with Shadow Punch and helps against Grimsley and Marshal with Iron Defense, Earthquake, and Fly, even reliably soloing Marshal. Golurk performs well against N and is decent for Ghetsis, but watch out for super-effective coverage.
Additional Comments: The Iron Fist Ability is preferred over Klutz, as it will give Golett and Golurk's Shadow Punch a 20% boost.
Gothita
Availability: Mid-game (30% chance to appear on Route 5/16, only in Black Version).
Typing: Psychic lets it beat Marshal and all Poison-types reliably, but is left weak to Shauntal's Ghost-types and Grimsley's Dark-types.
Stats: The whole line's stats are generally not very high, but acceptable, with the exception of Gothitelle's Special Defense, which reaches 110.
Movepool: It has Faint Attack and Psyshock at levels 24 and 25 respectively. As a Gothorita it learns Psychic at level 39. Charge Beam and Shadow Ball are recommended moves to be taught through TM, and you can also TM it Thunderbolt from P2 Laboratory.
Major Battles: As a Gothorita, it does well against Skyla and helps against Brycen. As a Gothitelle, it has a great matchup against Marshal and contributes to Caitlin and Shauntal's matchups.
Additional Comments:You can catch a Gothita from dark grass at level 25, which will have Psyshock immediately. The Frisk Ability is unhelpful.
Klink
Availability: Chargestone Cave, levels 25-27. 1F 29%, 2F 26%.
Typing: Steel type gives Klink resistances to the Gyms and the primary STABs of Shauntal, Caitlin, and Grimsley, with a weakness to Marshal.
Stats: Klink starts out as a slow master of none due to 70/60 defenses being undermined by 40 HP and 55 Attack. Klang is respectable stats wise aside from 50 base Speed. Klinklang at level 49 has decent 60/115/85 bulk with 100 Attack and 90 Speed.
Movepool: The only physical attacks the line gets are STAB Gear Grind (two-hit move for 50 power each) and the Rock Smash and Return TMs. If you hold off Klang on evolving three levels, it gets Shift Gear at level 52 to boost Attack and raise Speed. It does
not learn Wild Charge via TM.
Major Battles: Klink uses the otherwise niche Charge Beam (learns naturally at 26) to handle Skyla along with Gear Grind. Brycen is handled by Klang's Gear Grind, though Beartic can live at least one and likely use Swagger. Klang can tackle the 8th gym, but will likely be worn down since it has no way of boosting its own Attack save X items. The Elite Four are largely average thanks to coverage moves, but N and Ghetsis are favorable.
Additional Comments: The Plus and Minus abilities are irrelevant. The Klink line generally has reliability issues due to Gear Grind's 90 accuracy.
Minccino
Availability: Mid-game (30% chance to appear on Route 5/16).
Typing: Normal lets it hit all major opponents neutrally bar Shauntal and common Rock and Steel-types, but it is weak to Marshal's Fighting-types.
Stats: Minccino's stats are middling bar 75 Speed. Cinccino's Attack and Speed are high, but is has fragile 75/60/60 bulk.
Movepool: As a Minccino, it will have Encore upon being caught, which is really useful if the opponent uses a status move, as the AI doesn't generally know how to switch. It also learns Swift, Tail Slap (main STAB) and Wake-up-Slap (only useful for the Bisharp end-game) at levels 19, 25, and 31 respectively. As a Cinccino, it can be retaught Bullet Seed and Rock Blast through move relearner for Technician-boosted coverage.
Major Battles: Cinccino can do well against Clay, especially if it locks Excadrill into Hone Claws. It also sweeps the rest of the Gym Leaders without too many problems (although Drayden's Druddigon is problematic due to Rough Skin). It does well against Shauntal, not including Cofagrigus, and fine against Caitlin. It can also be useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: A Shiny Stone to evolve Minccino is found from a girl in a house on Route 6. Technician is the preferred Ability to boost the power of multi-hit moves.
Munna
Availability: Early-game in the Dreamyard with a 20% encounter rate at levels 8 and 10.
Typing: Both Munna and Musharna are pure Psychic types, with Marshal being their only advantageous matchup.
Stats: Munna and Musharna focus on being bulky attackers, with Munna having 67 Special Attack with 76/45/55 bulk. After evolving with a Moon Stone, those stats get increased to 117/85/95 bulk with 107 Special Attack as a Musharna; but the line in general are extremely slow.
Movepool: Munna starts with Yawn, picking up Psybeam at level 11, Moonlight at level 17, Calm Mind at level 33 and Psychic at level 37, after which you should evolve Munna. TM-wise, Musharna can make use of Charge Beam, Shadow Ball, Thunder Wave, Reflect, and Light Screen.
Major Battles: As a Musharna, it does pretty well against Skyla, Brycen and the 8th gym with Psychic, but has problems against the previous Gym Leaders unless you evolve early. If you have Calm Mind, it can do well against Shauntal, Caitlin and Marshal, often requiring support elsewhere.
Additional Comments: If you evolve Munna early, Musharna will start falling off soon after Clay as it will have Psybeam as STAB forever. If you evolve Munna later, it will 3HKO things throughout it's life as a Munna, but tank hits rather well with Eviolite. You can get a Musharna in the Dreamyard's rustling grass (before you get a Moon Stone from Lenora in Pinwheel Forest) but this is unreliable with a 5% encounter rate.
Pansear
Availability: Early-game; Dreamyard (Oshawott) / Pinwheel Forrest (Inner) rustling grass at 10%.
Typing: Fire typing is average Gym wise aside from Burgh and Brycen, being neutral otherwise.
Stats: The monkeys have mixed 98 offenses, 75/63/63 bulk and 101 Speed.
Movepool: The weak Incinerate becomes Flame Burst at level 22 with Yawn at 16. Simisear gets Dig, Acrobatics, Shadow Claw, Rock Tomb/Slide and all Fighting type TMs for wide coverage. The Fire Blast TM is at Iccirus for stronger STAB.
Major Battles: Aside from Burgh and Brycen, Simisear can handle Shauntal and Grimsley with Work Up, with TM coverage handling almost everything else.
Additional Comments: The default Ability Gluttony activates Berries at 50% HP. Evolve at level 22 after getting a Fire Stone in Castelia City.
Pidove
Availability: Early-game (40% chance to appear in Route 3).
Typing: Normal hits all bosses bar Shauntal for neutral damage, while Flying helps against Burgh and Marshal, although it makes Elesa difficult.
Stats: 105 Attack and 93 Speed are good with decent 80/80/55 bulk as Unfezant. Pidove struggles with slightly low stats for a little bit though.
Movepool: Work Up, Quick Attack, and Air Cutter are going to be its moves for the majority of time until Nimbasa, where it can be taught Return through TM. Fly can also be taught for a physical Flying STAB, while also providing fast travel across the whole region. Work Up allows it to sweep most matchups post-Elesa. Roost at level 18 allows the line to deal with Clay's Excadrill and Brycen due to removing the Flying typing.
Major Battles: It does well against Burgh and as a Unfezant defeats all Gym Leaders from Clay (save Excadrill) onwards, typically relying on Work Up boosts. It also does well against Shauntal and Ghetsis, although it is completely useless against N.
Additional Comments: Pidove generally requires a few Work Up boosts to sweep every good matchup. Super Luck is the preferred Ability.
Roggenrola (no trade)
Availability: Roggenrola is caught in Wellspring Cave at a 50% encounter rate.
Typing: Rock typing lets the Roggenrola line take on Lenora, Burgh, Elesa, Skyla, Brycen in addition to N.
Stats: Roggenrola and Boldore physical tanks, but are extremely slow. After evolving into Boldore, it has 105 Attack and excellent bulk with Eviolite.
Movepool: Roggenrola has Headbutt, picking up Rock Blast at level 14 and Iron Defense at level 20. If you keep it unevolved for 2 levels, Roggenrola picks up Rock Slide at level 27 which carries it to Stone Edge at 49. Rock Smash, Return, Bulldoze and Toxic can be taught via TMs.
Major Battles: The line is a great choice for Lenora, Burgh and (if the only mon in the party) Drayden/Iris with Iron Defense. Boldore counters Elesa, Skyla, and Brycen well, but should mostly avoid Clay. It will generally be less useful endgame due to 105 Attack not hitting hard enough.
Additional Comments: The Sturdy Ability lets the Roggenrola line survive any hit at full HP. Eviolite is required to make Boldore’s bulk manageable.
Sewaddle
Availability: Early-game (35% chance of appearing in inner Pinwheel Forest).
Typing: Grass notably allows it to hit Water, and Rock, and Ground-type Pokémon which Clay uses. Its Bug typing helps with Grass-types, Psychic-types (Caitlin), and Dark-types (Grimsley). However, it is left with many weaknesses, the most fatal being Flying and Fire.
Stats: Sewaddle and Swadloon have good bulk and Attack. Leavanny possesses high Attack and Speed with decent 75/80/80 bulk.
Movepool: It has Bug Bite and Razor Leaf as STABs very early (by Level 15), along with Leaf Blade and Swords Dance at levels 36 and 46 respectively. The Return and Shadow Claw TMs are good for Leavanny. X-Scissor should also be taught through TM as well for Bug STAB.
Major Battles: Swadloon takes out Burgh's Leavanny. As a Leavanny, it can take out one of Elesa's Emolga and beat Clay bar his Excadrill and Brycen save his Beartic. It sweeps all the Elite Four except Marshal due to Stone Edge. It can also take down Ghetsis's Seismitoad and Cofagrigus.
Additional Comments: Swadloon requires 220 friendship to evolve into Leavanny. Swadloon will likely evolve before Elesa, but definitely before Clay. Use massages in Castelia and the Soothe Bell in Nimbasa to your advantage. Swarm is the preferred Ability over Chlorophyll.
Snivy
Availability: Starter, Nuvema Town.
Typing: Grass typing is bad for 5/8 Gyms aside from Clay (hit super-effectively bar Excadrill) and neutral elsewhere save half of Shauntal’s team.
Stats: The Snivy line are speedy walls with below average offenses until Serperior.
Movepool: Shallow. Vine Whip upgrades to Leaf Tornado and then Leaf Blade at 32, with Growth and Leech Seed early on. At level 36, Servine gets Coil but has trouble setting up due to having 5 weaknesses. Giga Drain at level 44 Return, Reflect and Light Screen TMs are in Nimbasa City.
Major Battles: Besides Gyms, Serperior can hit Shauntal’s Jellicent and Golurk, Grimsley’s Krookodile, N’s Carracosta and Ghetsis’s Seismitoad.
Additional Comments: Overgrow gives Grass attacks a 50% boost at 1/3 HP or less. Snivy is a mediocre Grass type and the worst Unova starter.
Tirtouga
Availability: Mid-game (Revived at Nacrene City Museum from a Cover Fossil from Relic Castle, level 25).
Typing: Water/Rock is not useful, as it makes it much weaker to Clay and Elesa. It does prove useful against Skyla and Brycen though.
Stats: The Tirtouga line has a good Attack and Defense stat, although they lack Special Defense and Speed, with the latter being problematic, as Shell Smash boosts sometimes are not enough to outpace everything.
Movepool: It starts off with Aqua Jet, Crunch, and Ancient Power. Ancient Power can be replaced with Rock Tomb via TM for physical Rock STAB until Smack Down at level 31 or Rock Slide through TM. Scald can be taught via TM and replaced by the Surf HM, Aqua Tail (level 45) or the Waterfall HM post-Surf. The line can either rely on Curse at level 35 or Shell Smash at level 40 for sweeping, the latter giving more power outright.
Major Battles: Although it struggles against many opponents, it can flawlessly beat Skyla, Brycen, and Drayden. It also performs well against Grimsley and can prove useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Due to low Speed, you may need 2 Shell Smashes to outpace everything. Sturdy or Solid Rock are both good Abilities.
Tympole
Availability: Early-game; 40% chance to appear in Pinwheel Forest (Outer).
Typing: Water lets it hit Clay along with Fire-types and common Rock-types. Water/Ground typing from Palpitoad onward leaves it with only a quad weakness to Grass. The typing also allows it to do well against Elesa by blocking off her Volt Switches.
Stats: Other than HP, which reaches 105 as Seismitoad, the line's stats are generally only decent all around.
Movepool: It has BubbleBeam at capture and gets Mud Shot at level 16. Palpitoad learns Muddy Water at level 28 and Rain Dance at level 33. TM-wise, Dig (as Sesmitoad), Bulldoze, Rock Slide, Scald, and Brick Break are good options. Drain Punch is at level 44. Teach it Surf once acquired.
Major Battles: Can beat Burgh bar his Leavanny and is really useful against Elesa. It also has a nice matchup against Clay. Starting from Skyla, it will be heavily reliant on rain for great damage output, except it is bad against Caitlin regardless. However, it is useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Since it will be relying heavily on rain, getting one with the Swift Swim Ability is a good idea. Level 17 Tympole can be found in the dark grass of Pinwheel Forest (Outer), so you will likely want to catch one from there.
Vanillite
Availability: Mid-game; Cold Storage at 30% encounter rate.
Typing: The Vanillite line are pure Ice types, only having clear advantages against Brycen (with Flash Cannon) and the 8th gym.
Stats: Vanillite and Vanillish excel in Special Attack and Special Defense while having modest other stats. Once it evolves into Vanilluxe lategame, it has great stats all around with a fantastic 110 Special Attack and an acceptable 79 Speed.
Movepool: Vanillite starts with STAB Avalanche, picking up Mirror Shot for Steel-type coverage and Acid Armor soon. Before evolving at level 35, Vanillite learns the great STAB Ice Beam. Vanillish gets Mirror Coat at level 47 and can be taught Flash Cannon and Light Screen via TM.
Major Battles: Vanillite can do decently against Clay with Acid Armor and Avalanche, though it will likely have difficulty soloing without items. Vanillish does well against Skyla and the 8th gym, and can take on Brycen if taught Flash Cannon. Against endgame, Vanilluxe tends to have one target it can hit super-effectively per battle aside from Marshal, and can turn the tables on special attackers with Mirror Coat.
Additional Comments: Vanillite evolves at level 35 and 47 into Vanillish and Vanilluxe respectively, so patience is needed when raising it.
Venipede
Availability: Early-game, Pinwheel Forest (Inner), 15%.
Typing: Bug/Poison, which lets it only have a true advantage against Burgh’s Leavanny (Marshal has Stone Edge and Rock Slide).
Stats: Venipede has good Attack, Defense and Speed, with Whirlipede briefly defensive. Scolipede has 100 Attack, 112 Speed and 60/89/69 bulk.
Movepool: Venipede is unwieldy until Poison Tail at level 19 and Bug Bite at 22 before evolving into Whirlipede and learning Iron Defense. Early on, the line can use Rock Smash, Rock Tomb, Dig and Return via TMs. As a Scolipede, the line can relearn Megahorn via Heart Scale and teach Poison Jab and Rock Slide via TM later post-Surf. Scolipede's signature move, Steamroller (level 39) is outclassed by Megahorn and the X-Scissor TM.
Major Battles: Whirlipede beats Burgh's Leavanny, but should avoid Elesa. As a Scolipede, it can deal with Clay's Krokorok and use Iron Defense and Dig for Excadrill. Scolipede should sit Skyla out, but takes on Brycen and the 8th gym fairly well. Scolipede is decent for Caitlin but should be careful of misses and STAB Psychic. It beats end-game's physical threats with Iron Defense, but should be wary of high-critical hit ratio moves.
Additional Comments: Both Poison Point and Swarm have their uses, so either Ability is fine. Consider catching a Whirlipede once the dark grass inside Pinwheel Forest opens up after beating Burgh to skip the awkwardness of Venipede's early moves.