In thePokémon series, Bug-Types are often seen as a very weak Type. This is due to Bug attacks only doing half damage to 7 of the 18 Types. They are only good against Grass, Bug, and Dark. Additionally, most Bug-Types were made to be weak early game Pokémon.
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Despite the odds stacked against them, a few Bug-Types still stand at the top of the Pokémon power structure. This list will highlight a few of the 27 Bug-Types that can be obtained inPokémon Scarlet and Violet’s Paldea region.
10Masquerain
Surskit and Masquerain can both be found in South Province Areas 4 and 5. Masquerain can also appear in Area Zero, although you will have much better options available to you when you’re that far into the game. Surskit is Bug/Water, but upon Evolving at level 22 it’ll become a Bug/Flying-Type.
Surskit’s Type combination makes it stand out more than its Evolution, but its Total Base Stats is merely 269. Masquerain is at 454. That is slightly lower than Vespiquen which has the same Type combination, but Masquerain’s access to many Water-Type attacks makes it more versatile.
Nymble is a brand-new pure Bug-Type that becomes the Dark/Bug Lokix at level 24. It’s really easy to obtain these Pokémon since their spawn locations cover almost half of Paldea. They aren’t particularly useful in the late game but can help you early on if you really want a Bug on your team.
The Dark-Type cancels out two of Bug’s weaknesses and makes it immune to Psychic, but it also cancels out one of Bug’s resistances and adds two other weaknesses. This type combination mostly balances itself out.
Rabsca is one of the most uniquely obtained Pokémon on this list. You must catch a Rellor in the Asado Desert, have it walk 1,000 steps while using the Let’s Go feature, and then level it up.
Rabsca is a mixed Bug/Psychic-Type with 100 Special Defense and 115 Special Attack. Psychic helps it overcome Fighting and Poison-Types at the cost of becoming weak to Dark, Ghost, and even Bugs despite being one itself.
Snom and Frosmoth are Ice/Bug-Types that can be found in the Glaseado Mountains. Snom can only Evolve into Frosmoth if it has a high Friendship value and levels up at night.
Ice attacks are Super Effective against Ground, Flying, and Dragon. The drawbacks of the Ice/Bug combination are most of their weakness overlap, meaning some attacks like Fire moves will deal four times as much damage to it.
Venomoth is a Poison/Bug-Type. It can be caught at the Tagtree Thicket or be obtained by training a Venonat up to level 31. Poison gives it a new advantage over Fairy at the cost of becoming weak to Psychic.
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Venomoth’s stats are mostly balanced. Its highest are Special Attack and Speed. Overall it’s just a fine choice. Not too many flaws but not too many strengths.
5Forretress
Forretress Evolves from Pineco at level 31. It is a Bug/Steel-Type that can be found on the Socarrat Trail in the far northwest corner of Paldea. Forretress has an incredibly high 140 Base Defense Stat as well as a fairly nice 90 Attack, but its other stats are lackluster.
The Steel-Type gives Forretress many new resistances and immunity to Poison attacks. It’s also Super Effective against three Types that Bug isn’t; Ice, Rock, and Fairy. These factors make Bug/Steel a nice combination.
Despite not being fully Evolved, Scyther is a better option than most other Bug-Types in the game. It has 110 Attack, 105 Speed, 80 in both Defenses, and 70 HP. The only thing it’s lacking in is Special Attack, but it’s perfectly fine to just be a physical attacker.
If Scyther didn’t have the poor Bug/Flying-Type combination then it’d most definitely be one of the best Bugs in the game. Scyther’s habitat stretches from Casseroya Lake to the great crater.
3Heracross
Heracross is another Bug that can be found on the Socarrat Trail. It is part Fighting-Type, meaning it has 5 more strength and 2 more weaknesses than pure Bug-Types do.
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Like Scyther, Heracross has n extremely high Attack stats with solid HP, Defense, Special Defense, and Speed. Its Type combination being much better gives it a huge advantage. Heracross is one of the few Bug-Types actually worth having on your team in the late game.
Scizor is the Steel/Bug Evolution of Scyther. It can’t be obtained in the wild. The only way to get one is to catch a Scyther, give it a Metal Coat item, and then trade it. This can make it a little hard to get, but the payoff is worth it. The Steel-Type is Super Effective against 3 Types, is resistant to over half the Types in the game, and makes Scizor immune to Poison.
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The Type combination is a massive step up from what Scyther had. Scizor is one of the few cases of an Evolution that doesn’t increase the Base Stat Total. I had 500 just like Scyther, although they are rearranged a little. For example, it now has 130 Attack.
1Volcarona
Volcarona has been consistently considered a high-tier Bug-Type ever since it was introduced to the series. It’s part Fire-Type and evolves from Larvesta at level 59. Volcarona’s Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed Bases Stats are all over 100. Its Base Stat Total is 550 which is not only above every other Bug-Type in the game, but also almost as high as some Legendary Pokémon.
Standard Volcarona is proof that a Bug can be one of the best Pokémon in the game, but it also has a new Slither Wing form. Slither Wings is a Bug/Fighting-Type with 570 Base Stat Total, bringing it even closer to the strength of a Legendary. Its highest stat is Attack at 135.
