(#133) #470 + #471: Leafeon and Glaceon (Eevee part three)

Oh no... there's more, and this isn't even the end of it. Here we have two more Eeveelutions, so we may as well press on with them.

Leafeon and Glaceon are more examples of new evolutionary mechanics. We're starting with Leafeon, which can only be obtained by levelling up in the presence of a mossy rock, which have been added to areas since Generation 4 to allow for this. The question on your minds is no doubt "is this any good?" To start my answer, it's a grass-type, so not a great start, but that said, it could be what the type really needs... The thing is, it's pretty much an exclusively physical beast, with base 110 attack and 130 defence along with 95 speed. Since we have an attack focus, low special attack isn't a deal breaker, so this being 60 is no issue, but special bulk would have been nice since you suffer at the hands of fire (predominantly special), and with only 65 in special defence and 65 in HP, you won't last long at the hands of something with flamethrower. Leaf guard as an ability courts danger, as it only works in the sun, preventing status conditions affecting Leafeon, even stopping you from using rest, which could be a great way of getting shut down by a foe. On the hidden ability side, chlorophyll again needs the sun to activate, but it does double your speed, including EVs and IVs, so nearly base 200 with no investment: that's insane!

It sucks AND it looks bad... Just set it on fire...

After a fairly poor start, maybe a good move pool can save this? In addition to the Eevee standards, you get access to razor leaf (base 55 grass physical with a good critical ratio, also hitting all adjacent foes), grass whistle (puts the target to sleep, and also like sing is only 55 accuracy), magical leaf (tragically a grass special move, so the base 60, no accuracy check attack is of limited use here (think of it as a grass version of swift)), and giga drain (utility of this move is also lowered by the special categorisation, but it exists as a base 75 grass special that drains the foe's health to you). Swords dance gives you a double stage boost to attack, and synthesis is very much like morning sun and moonlight we saw last time, healing you based on the weather (50% normal, 67% sunny and 25% rainy). You get sunny day by level, and then after last resort, we close with leaf blade, a base 90 physical grass move with a good critical ratio once more.

Moving onto the TM list, the interesting additions to the Eevee standards include solar beam (base 120 grass special (sadly) that would be great in the sun as it has no charge turn in bright sunshine), aerial ace (basically a flying physical version of swift), energy ball (another good grass move that falls into the special category), X-scissor (a base 80 bug physical that is well worth consideration) and grass knot (the heavier they are, the harder they fall). In addition to the Eevee tutor set you can pick up giga drain again, knock off, seed bomb (a grass physical with base 80), synthesis and worry seed (effectively replaces the target's ability with insomnia, preventing it sleeping, like loads of foes may do to you with your leaf guard).

Things haven't looked good so far, so moving onto Glaceon, and we have to first admit that the decent ice moves are also available on Vaporeon, so why do we have this? A different stat distribution, STAB on the ice moves, different abilities and arguably less coverage (see later). 130 special attack is similar to Vaporeon, but 110 defence and 95 special defence seem good, but 65 HP and 65 speed are a little sad. 60 attack isn't disastrous, but there are some good physical moves on offer, which is a bit annoying. The new abilities are snow cloak (increases evasion in hail, and since you don't take hail damage, this could be inspired if you invest in the defences and HP as a bulky staller), and the hidden ability of ice body (any Pokemon that makes contact with you gets frozen). If you run the former ability and you are looking for wild Pokemon, don't let it lead in the snow.

It looks like crystals, like a poor man's Suicune!

So again to the level list, and again ignoring the Eevee regulars. This time around we bring in icy wind (base 55 ice special which hits all adjacent foes and lowers their speed a stage), bite (base 60 dark physical, sadly, which can cause flinching), ice fang (again a physical tease, base 65, can cause freezing and flinching), and ice shard, which is basically an ice version of quick attack, which is also on this set... Yeah, this makes me confused. Anyway, we also get barrier (boosts your defence by two stages) and mirror coat (if you're hit by special attack, it will hit the aggressor back with double the damage you sustained unless they are dark-type, since, y'know, this is a psychic move). You also get hail and blizzard either side of last resort, and they combo well, especially with snow cloak.

Onto the TMs, and what we get in addition to the Eevee standards. Pretty slim pickings for offensive variety here, in truth: hidden power and shadow ball that are on that long list we said we'd ignore are two of the better shouts if you wish to deal damage directly, whilst blizzard and hail also pop up again. Sunny day is there if you feel suicidal, as well. Frost breath is a decent shout as a base 60 ice special with basically 100% critical chance, but only 90 accuracy. The tutor offers water pulse and aqua tail, so basically that comes back to the Vaporeon comparison I made earlier, but you also get signal beam again, along with icy wind.

In all, Leafeon is just rubbish: the abilities may as well not exist, since in the sun an ember used by something with minimal special focus will torch you (literally) and as a grass-type, well, you'll be laughed at. Glaceon appears to be rubbish if you look at it and at Vaporeon, and yes, you get a fighting, rock and fire weaknesses, but a good standard ability to use with hail, which in turn boosts blizzard's feeble accuracy to perfect, with a good way to deal consistent damage from hail itself, some good bulk and blizzard itself is a little scary.

(All artwork presented by Ken Sugimori, taken from the Bulbapedia image archives)