Why Liepard is not worth using in Pokemon GO

Liepard has been a Pokemon of interest to many Pokemon GO fans since its arrival with the other Unova region Pokemon. Debuting in Pokemon Black and White, many main series veterans have a soft spot for this Pokemon.

Many veterans of the series may remember Liepard as being one of the main plot devices for Hugh, the rival trainer for Pokemon Black 2 and White 2. This was one of the Pokemon Team Plasma stole from his little sister when it was just a Purrloin, Liepard's pre-evolved form. The player and Hugh later encounter Liepard and return it to his sister.

With a new wave of players entering Pokemon GO's competitive scene, many players may not know if Liepard is even worth using in Pokemon GO.

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Liepard in Pokemon GO: An analysis

"Stealthily, it sneaks up on its target, striking from behind before its victim has a chance to react." - an excerpt from Liepard's Pokedex entry (Image via The Pokemon Company)

While Liepard is most known in competitive play for being a support Pokemon in main series Pokemon games, but Pokemon GO is a vastly different game than the main series. A Pokemon's stat spread can differ significantly from its stats in the main series with no ability or difference between physical and special attacks.

On the outside, looking at Liepard's stats in Pokemon GO, players might see a Dark-type that has the potential to sweep late-game in Great League due to it having an above-average attack stat for the tier. This would be true if Great League was not a tier dominated by bulky Fighting and Steel types and Fairy-type attackers. Liepard gets steamrolled by the Pokemon that defeat the tier, like Galarian Stunfisk and Azumarill.

In other tiers, Liepard never gets any better. With a maximum combat power of only 2,087, Liepard is barely usable in Ultra League. Compared to the legendaries that inhabit Ultra League, Liepard does not stand a fraction of a chance in that League, making it a waste of a team slot. Liepard is not even eligible for the Master League.

Liepard's lack of reliable charged attacks in Pokemon GO also prevents it from advancing in the tier list. Due to Liepard's low bulk, it would require at least one fast-charging charged attack for it to at least have the opportunity to deal heavy burst damage. Liepard lacks this capability as its fast attacks do not generate enough energy for Liepard to land a charged attack before it gets knocked out.

If Liepard is not a good choice for Pokemon GO, what made it good in the main series? In main series Pokemon games, Pokemon gain access to one bonus ability that significantly contributes to the main series' different battle style to make it more of a turn-based strategy game rather than an action battle game.

In the main series, Liepard has access to the ability Prankster, which grants priority to its non-damaging moves. Priority is a hidden value in Pokemon games that determines how Pokemon take their turns to attack. The speed stat of a Pokemon typically decides standard turn orders unless a move with priority is selected like Quick Attack or Protect.

In the weather-dominated metagame of the fifth generation, Liepard had a large niche as a weather setter in both Rarely and Never Used tiers. Moves like Sunny Day and Rain Dance are non-damaging moves, so thanks to Liepard's Prankster ability, it was almost guaranteed to set its weather on the first turn it was sent out, making it very useful for teams that use weather effects.

While Liepard is not a very good choice to use in Pokemon GO, but this may quickly change one day if Liepard is granted some faster attacks or some charged attacks that charge faster. Liepard is a little too slow to deal any large chunks of damage with charged attacks in Pokemon GO.