Why is "Fell Stinger" considered a usually useless move?

Question

It's very useful if you're close to knock down the opponent, why it is a usually useless move?

Comments

I'm not into competitive, but its base power is only 50, so if you can't guarantee you're going to get a KO with it, it's a pretty weak move.

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Proof that how Fell Stinger is good.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8nationaldex-1285222259

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That's not proof, that's you fighting one opponent -- and still losing, though you did do a lot of damage. Proof is consistently getting the same results against high-ladder opponents. What was your ELO in that fight?

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ELO???

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Elo is ur rating.click ladder then go search up ur name. Or go to a chat room and click on ur name till u can see ur elo

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ELO is the system Showdown uses to rank players. That's an oversimplification, but I don't really know how to explain it. It's a number upwards of 1000, based on how many battles you win. You start at 1000, and get ELO every time you win, and lose some every time you lose. You can find your ELO for a specific format by searching for yourself in "find a user" and clicking your name. That replay isn't worth considering it you don't have high ELO.

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I could be wrong but im 90% sure ususally isn't a word,,, so imma edit

Answer 1

Fell Stinger has one main problem, this being that many Pokémon have much more consistent moves then Fell Stinger. In addition, 50 BP makes Fell Stinger a huge risk for a huge reward. Combine this with the fact for much more reliable/desirable Moves leads to Fell Stinger being outclassed and thus, not used.
Here is a quick example.
Mega Beedrill is perhaps one of the only Pokémon that has the option to run Fell Stinger even remotely successfully. Beedrill usually runs Drill Run, U-Turn and the last slot is a couple of options. Beedrill can either go for the gambit and run Fell Stinger to get a possible KO or it can run a reliable, and good move, in Knock Off. Most people go for Knock Off for its beneficial side effect as well as more reliability.

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/pokemonshowdown/comments/bntam0/shouldve_known_a_1500_would_use_fell_stinger/

Comments

Also bug in general is just not a good typing offensively, which is why most Volcarona ditch Bug Buzz for something like Giga Drain so that they can have a good coverage/utility moveslot left for Hidden Power Ground, Hidden Power Ice, or Roost.

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Good point.

Answer 2

For starters, Fell Stinger is a Bug type move with 50 Base Power. That's not a lot. It does have that amazing three attack stat boost, but it's just not powerful enough. When you have a max moveset of four moves, most (if not all) Bug type Pokemon will have one attacking Bug type move. X-Scissor for Physical Attackers and Bug Buzz for Special Attackers are common. X-Scissor and Bug Buzz have powers of 80 and 90 respectively, making them relatively good moves.

It also has very little distribution between Pokemon. This doesn't have to do with why it's "usually useless" but why you don't see it in competitive play. In Gen 8, the only Pokemon that can learn it by level up are Qwilfish, Vespiquen, Drapion, Escavalier, Genesect, Togedemaru, Naganedel, and Buzzwole. That's.... Not very many. Especially when 3 are Legendary/Mythical. Many of these Pokemon have much better ways to utilize their powers then Fell Stinger.

All in all, Fell Stinger just ain't that much of a good move. Drapion uses it sometimes, and if your playing Little Cup with Skorupi, then definitely you will want to use it but other than that, it's pretty useless.

Hope I helped

Source

Comments

Doesn't inteleon learn it too?

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nvm it says by level up

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Inteleon learns U-Turn at level up (level 20), but it never gets Fell Stinger by level up.