>>55634857It's because of how Chikorita got pissed on in its own debut region very badly with majority of the gyms & all of Team Rocket and that Meganium was made to be a support Pokemon as a starter. The non-issue of its "girly" appearance and not appearing "le badass" like with Typhlosion, Feraligatr, and the gen 1 starters that predate them didn't do any first impression favors either.
Having Leaf Guard as its hidden ability doesn't help either, but Sceptile, Torterra, and Decidueye also have hidden abilities that don't exactly do anything significant for them either. And Serperior's only saving grace is Leaf Storm with Contrary. Also Typhlosion is guilty of the same shit as Meganium in having a shit movepool.
- Unburden is pointless for a Pokemon with 120 speed
- Shell Armor only protects against crits (which are uncommon anyway)
- Long Reach is pointless on a mixed attacker that people will use as a special attacker anyway. To make this worse Spirit Shackle (Alolan Decidueye signature move) isn't even a contact move. Hisuian Decidueye got the better deal with Scrappy but Hisuian Lilligant exists.
It's just that Meganium came first and hating on it is pretty much tradition at this point but really the true problem is Game Freak's record of gimping grass type starters as seen with Meganium, Sceptile, Torterra, Serperior, Chesnaught(?) and Decidueye. Only until with Rillaboom and Meowscarada Game Freak decided to not be a sleaze with grass type starter Pokemon.
