Gen 1: It's slow & physically frail. Its amazing 130 Atk can't be used effectively because Fire is a Special. However at least its Spec is 110.
Gen II: The only Gen 1 Eeveelution to lose functionally 15points from its SpAtk in the Special Split, so its STAB moves are come from a lackluster 95 SpAtk.
Gen III: New EV system and Natures killed Mixed Attackers for anyone without Pseudo level base Stats,. Now Flareon has to choose between running STAB at only 95 SpAtk, or 130 Atk without STAB.
Gen IV: Phys/Spec Split SHOULD have saved Flareon's but the only Physical Fire move it got was fucking 65BP 95 Acc Fire Fang even though Flare Blitz literally sounds like Flareon's Signature move. Also Stealth Rock.
Gen V: Gets Guts to boost Atk and Flame Charge to boost Speed. However, its the worst Guts user in the game because it has to use Toxic Orb due to being a fire type.
Gen VI: Finally gets Flare Blitz. However, this just reveals how unsalvageable Flareon’s stat spread is. Its HP is too low to use recoil moves effectively. It’s also slow so it will almost always take extra damage before getting to attack. but its just fast enough that it can't outslow most trick room sweepers.
Gen VII: UNTEIRED the highest dishonor a fully evolved Pokemon can ever suffer. Not only that but Eevee got a move calls Sizzly Slide that’s 90BP and always burns, and it’s flat-out based on Flareon. However, only the partner Eevee that can’t evolve gets it so Flareon loses once again.
Gen VIII: Survive Dexit by virtue of being an Eeveelution, but even with the limited dex it’s even more useless due to power creep. It gets two new fire moves (Burning Jealously and Mystical Fire) and Scorching Sands for ground coverage but they all of those are Special, making them worthless to Flareon. Even more insultingly, burn damage got nerfed which is a huge boon for every Guts user except Flareon because as a Fire type it cannot be burned.
WHY
