Second Stage Pokémon You Like Better Than Their Final Stage

[Patrick Haines]

Literally none of them because I care far far more about battling capabilities than something so trivial/inconsequential as design. Porygon2 in particular is a no go; that demon wronged me so hard on my favourite PMD game once.

Not even Pokémon like Chansey/Type: Null (and I am sure others) that are (arguably) more competitively viable than their evolutions.

 

[Virbank Video]

Literally none of them because I care far far more about battling capabilities than something so trivial/inconsequential as design. Porygon2 in particular is a no go; that demon wronged me so hard on my favourite PMD game once.

Hmm interesting. I think if you were to round up every single Pokémon fan and take a vote on which was the more trivial between design and battle capability, the vast majority would vote battle capability. Competitive battlers are a minority. Albeit a vocal one, but a minority nonetheless.

(Not downplaying the value in your opinion by the way - just interesting to see someone describe a Pokémons design as trivial).

Back on topic, the first few that come to mind for me are...

Wartortle
Pidgeotto
Nuzleaf (I don’t particularly like Nuzleaf but my goodness Shiftry is an abomination)
Dewott
Palpitoad

 

[Kassie]

Machoke. I tried to bait an everstone trade for a Machoke in Global Terminal one time, but the guy didn't equip it.

 

[Fairy Type Arceus]

I love sceptile alot but I do think groyvle is a little bit better designed.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

I used Lombre a lot back in the Emerald days, and I can say I like it more than Ludicolo. It just seems over the top to me.

 

[Jyo]

For me Servine is the main one that fits in
I do love Serperior, I love Servine a lot more harder to decide on to evolve or not

Torracat kind of works... I love Incineroar too, not counting it

 

[IncineROAR]

Quilava and Bayleef are much cuter than their final evolutions. Typhlosion and Meganium are pretty meh, but Feraligatr is much more awesome looking than Croconaw.

 

[PinkIceFox]

I like Clefairy's design more than Clefable's. It's just a taller Clefairy with different ears, loses the cute blush and the little fang, and has bigger wings. I wish they gave Clefable something to make its design more interesting. Darker pink fur with a white belly? Cut little curls of hair under the ears? Anything!

I like Machoke's head design more than Machamp's.

I've never liked how Geodude's line goes rock with arms -> larger rock with more arms -> Lizard headed turtle ball with a rock-looking shell. Golem's design is not bad but it just does not fit to me so I like Graveller better.

I don't like Rhyperior's design at all, same with Electivire and Magmortar.

And that's just in the first generation. If I look through all of them I'm sure I'd find more.