When people think of competitive Pokémon in Generation 2, powerhouses like Snorlax, Tyranitar, and Raikou come to mind. But buried deep in the meta, an unexpected contender occasionally made an appearance: Unown.
Yes, Unown—the weak, single-attack Psychic-type Pokémon that most players dismissed as a joke. Yet, in the hands of creative battlers, this seemingly useless creature found a tiny but fascinating niche in Gen 2 OverUsed (OU) play.
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How did this happen? Let’s dive into the strange and surprising ways Unown was used—and why it sometimes worked. If you enjoy such pragmatic play free, use the link to set up an account securely, quickly, and with lots of newcomer perks!
Why Unown Was Considered Useless
At first glance, Unown is one of the worst fully evolved Pokémon in existence, and its stats are abysmal:
- HP: 48
- Attack: 72
- Defense: 48
- Special Attack: 72
- Special Defense: 48
- Speed: 48
Its only move, Hidden Power, is determined by its IVs, meaning its typing and power are inconsistent. Even with a strong Hidden Power, its terrible bulk and speed make it easy to KO.
So why would anyone use it?
The Element of Surprise
In competitive Pokémon, unpredictability can be a weapon, and most players in Gen 2 OU expected battles to revolve around the same top-tier threats. Seeing an Unown on a team was so bizarre that opponents often didn’t know how to react.
Some players exploited this confusion, and by using it in unexpected ways, they could catch opponents off guard, stealing wins in niche scenarios.
Niche Strategies
While Unown was never a staple in competitive play, a few creative strategies gave it fleeting moments of relevance.
1. The “Last Resort” Sweeper
Believe it or not, it could function as a last-Pokémon sweeper under very specific conditions. Here’s how it worked:
- If an opponent’s team was weakened enough, Unown could clean up with a strong Hidden Power.
- Since Hidden Power’s type was random, some Unown had Hidden Power Electric or Fire, which could surprise common checks like Skarmory or Forretress.
- Because it was so rare, opponents often didn’t bother saving a counter for it, allowing it to pick off weakened foes.
This strategy was unreliable, but in rare cases, Unown could clutch a win when nothing else could.
2. The Bait-and-Switch Mind Game
Some participants used Unown purely for psychological warfare, as by including it on a team, they forced opponents to question its purpose.
- Did it have Hidden Power Ghost to hit Psychic-types?
- Was it holding a Choice Band (if hacked) for a stronger hit?
- Could it be a decoy to lure in a specific counter?
Since Unown was almost never seen, opponents sometimes overprepared for it, wasting turns or moveslots trying to eliminate a Pokémon that posed little threat.
3. The “Sacrificial Scout”
In rare cases, Unown was used as a sacrificial lead to gather information.
- Its Hidden Power revealed its type on the first turn, letting the person deduce the opponent’s team composition.
- Since it was expendable, losing it early didn’t cause much harm.
- Some trainers even ran it with Sleep Talk in hacked formats to absorb sleep moves.
Again, this was highly situational, but in a meta where every bit of intel mattered, Unown had some utility.
Why It Disappeared from Competitive Play
Despite these niche uses, Unown never became a serious threat, and here’s why:
1. Better Options Existed
Why use Unown when Alakazam, Espeon, and Starmie were available? These Psychic-types had better stats, movepools, and versatility, and even weak Pokémon like Girafarig outclassed Unown.
2. Too Inconsistent
Since Unown’s Hidden Power type was random, people couldn’t rely on it, and a bad one (like Bug or Normal) made it completely useless.
3. The Rise of More Powerful Metas
As Pokémon generations progressed, power creep made Unown even worse. By Gen 3 and beyond, its terrible stats and lack of moves left it completely unviable.
