5 Flying-type moves to avoid in Pokemon

Despite how numerous Flying-type Pokemon are, there are relatively few Flying-type moves, and not all of those moves are worth using a move slot for in the first place.

There are a good number of moves that players should simply avoid teaching their Pokemon, let alone using.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

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5 Flying-type moves to avoid in Pokemon

#5 - Peck

Peck (Image via Bulbapedia)

It might seem obvious that a move most fledgling Flying-type Pokemon start with should be forgotten and avoided. With only 35 base power, Peck is even weaker than Tackle and has no beneficial secondary effects. At least it has 100% accuracy, unlike Tackle. But it's still inferior to gust, another potential early-game Flying-type move since Gust has a higher base power and also has the potential to hit opponents during Fly, Bounce, and Sky Drop.

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#4 - Pluck

Pluck (Image via the Pokemon Wiki)

Pluck is a 60 base power, 100% accurate move. However, its secondary effect is not all that useful, making its usefulness in the long-run next to zero.

Eating an opponent's berry is nice, but it's very unlikely that an opposing Pokemon will be holding a berry in the first place. In most cases, Pluck will end up being used as if it were the exact same as Wing Attack- which, aside from the berry-eating gimmick, it basically is.

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#3 - Feather Dance

Feather Dance (Image via the Pokemon Wiki)

Self-buffing moves have a long history of being some of the most useful, yet least casually-used moves in the Pokemon franchise. Alternatively, debuffing moves like Feather Dance have a long history of being both less useful and less used, both casually and competitively.

Feather Dance drops the opposing Pokemon's attack by an entire 2 stages, which is somewhat useful. But it's completely useless against special-type attackers, and all it takes to undo Feather Dance's effects is a quick switch-out by the opponent.

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#2 - Sky Drop

Sky Drop (Image via Bulbapedia)

Going back to moves that are basically used just like Wing Attack...

Sky Drop is another 60 base power, 100% accurate move. Its gimmick is that it sends the user soaring high into the sky, avoiding enemy attacks. But it also sends the target up into the sky with the user. Then it deals damage the next turn and the opposing Pokemon is free to do whatever it likes.

This move is worse than Wing Attack, since if the opponent survives and is slower, they'll be given a guaranteed hit on the user without the chance for the trainer to switch out, use items, or react in any way.

Sky Drop has its uses in double or triple battles, but in casual play, it's simply not as good as many other moves like it.

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#1 - Sky Attack

Sky Attack (Image via Bulbapedia)

Sky Attack possesses the single highest base power of any Flying-type move, clocking in at 140 base power. It also has a high critical-hit ratio and a chance to make the opponent flinch. With so much going for it, it's hard to believe that SKy Attack could be considered bad.

But the downside to Sky Attack is that it needs a turn to charge before being used. And, unlike Solar Beam and Solar Blade, there is no way to skip this charging turn. So instead of dealing 140 base power worth of damage in one turn, Sky Attack is essentially dealing 70 base power worth of damage over two turns, leaving the user vulnerable to 1-2 attacks while charging up.

In addition, an opponent can simply switch out to a Pokemon that resists Flying-type moves. The sheer power of Sky Attack means nothing before a Pokemon like Steelix.

Oh, and the move also has only 90% accuracy, meaning that even if the user survives the warm-up turn, it may still miss the activation.

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