Top 100 Pokemon #98: Braviary

The Normal/Flying dual type is one that gets some amount of flak, for various reasons. First of all, in Gen I, Normal/Flying was the only dual type assigned to Normal, and given that no natural pure-Flying type appeared until Gen V and Tornadus (or you can count Gen IV's Arceus w/Sky Plate if you really want to), the Normal-type was the dual-type assigned to Flying to indicate that the Pokemon was a, well, normal, run-of-the-mill bird Pokemon. Then, every generation has added a Normal/Flying Pokemon that appears all across the region, adding some degree of annoyance to the equation for those who don't want to see another Pidgey ever again. In addition, the Pokemon that were Normal/Flying, while not necessarily bad, tended to be on the weaker side competitively. Gen III and IV tried to buck the trend by making sure that at least some Normal/Flying birds that could be competitive. Gen V, however, brought the Pidove line, which went right back to subpar Normal/Flying types. If only there was a hero that could save us from Normal/Flying mediocrity...

...what's that in the sky? It's a bird! It's a plane!

It's... a bird!

#98: Rufflet/Braviary

Rufflet and Braviary are eagle-based Pokemon designed to have a very American flavor. You know, since the bald eagle is the representative bird of the USA. Rufflet recklessly fights foes stronger than he is, while Braviary is a valiant Pokemon that will stand up for his friends.

The concept is pretty good, but why did GameFreak make them male-only? It is kind of silly to keep this "valiant American hero" Pokemon to be male only (moreso to make Mandibuzz a female-only counterpart). This is probably the main thing I don't like about this Pokemon's concept, and the big reason why he does not rank any higher.

That aside, though, the rest of the Pokemon is solid. Both Rufflet and Braviary combine the eaglet/eagle concept with a red-white-blue color scheme (very fitting, of course). Feathers around the head give a reference to Native Americans, which is a nice touch. Rufflet is definitely a cute pre-evolution, while Braviary is designed to be somewhat reminiscent of a Superman-like superhero.

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be like my dad and save the world from defensive walls!

Okay, time to talk competitive. Braviary has very good stats overall. His worst is Special Attack at Base 57, so forget about using him as a special attacker. His best stat is Attack at a nice Base 123, which will definitely do some serious damage. He has a solid Base 100 HP and Base 75 for both Defenses, meaning he can take hits okay. Speed is at Base 80, so he will outspeed many defensive Pokemon, though he might not be able to sweep comfortably.

The main problem with Normal/Flying types like Braviary, though, is that their STAB types are both resisted by Rock and Steel types. The good ones have ways around this, and Braviary, fittingly enough for a heroic Pokemon, has a Superpower.

I break through Rock and Steel types with a Base 120 power Fighting attack. What's your superpower?

Now, this isn't quite as good as Staraptor's Close Combat, since it does drop Braviary's Attack as well as Defense, meaning his next hits won't be as powerful. But while he's in there, the perfect coverage between Superpower, Brave Bird, and Return means that nothing can safely switch into Braviary without possibly taking massive damage, especially if Braviary has a Choice Band. This makes Braviary a great wallbreaker, designed to break through defensive walls and punish anyone that tries to stop him, especially in lower tiers.

Other good moves in Braviary's arsenal include U-Turn, Bulk Up, and Roost. The first allows him to scout for potential switches or to make an escape while still doing damage. The second actually works okay with Braviary's defensive stats, and Roost works with either Bulk Up or with a Life Orb and to recover damage from Stealth Rock or Brave Bird recoil.

Braviary's best ability is his Dream World one, Defiant. (If you have White 2, a Braviary with Defiant appears on Mondays on Route 4.) It keeps him from being affected by Intimidate, which gives him +1 in Attack instead; it also might kick in at other random times, especially in-game. Keep in mind that Defiant is affected neither by Superpower's stat drops or by ones inflicted by his teammates. Keen Eye isn't particularly useful unless all your friends like using Sand-Attack on you, and while Sheer Force is a great ability, the only attack Braviary can really use that would get a boost is Rock Slide, or maybe Sky Attack in-game.

Overall, this is to say that Rufflet and Braviary are very worthy additions to the Normal/Flying family despite being an all-male species. Use one next time you want a true American hero on your team.

The land of the free, and the home of the Brave Bird.

Next time: An eurypterid.