The Pokémon franchise is home to 18 different types, and fans often gravitate towards the most obviously powerful ones Dragon. However, a good Pokémon typing isn't just about having strong resistances; it's also about having a solid selection of powerful moves that are available to a wide range of Pokémon. Some Pokémon types are generally considered weaker than others, an perhaps no type is as underrated as the Bug type.
Some of the weakest Gym Leaders, Elite Four members and trainers in the Pokémon games are the Bug-type trainers. Many early route Bug Catchers use some of the weakest Pokémon available, contributing to the Bug-type's bad reputation. However, when used correctly, Bug-types can hold their own in Pokémon battles, as they have some incredibly powerful move options that are often overlooked.
While Bug-types are often incredibly weak before evolving, many of them evolve pretty early. While not every fully-evolved Bug Pokémon will shock trainers with their power, there are plenty of notable ones worth adding to your team. There are the usual suspects like Scizor and Beedrill, which are fast and great at hitting hard. This combo actually works great for Bug Pokémon, especially when considering the kinds of moves they tend to use.
There is a pretty clear pattern of Bug Pokémon having access to high-damaging attacks and status-inflicting moves that go beyond their typing. For example, Poison Jab not only has a surprisingly high base power, but it also can poison the target. While there are stronger moves that Bug-types can learn, a status effect that deals damage every turn can make a huge difference in battle. A lot of Bug Pokémon can also learn moves like Stun Spore and Sleep Powder, which cause paralysis and sleep, respectively.
While status-inflicting moves are great, Bug-types are, of course, not the only ones who can learn these. However, these Pokémon typically have pretty diverse learn sets, giving them great coverage options to counter super-effective foes they may come across. There are plenty of Bug Pokémon with access to Water, Fire, Grass, Fighting and even Rock-type moves.
Though Bug Pokémon do tend to have pretty low defense and HP stats, they make up for that by being incredibly versatile. Of course, some are more powerful and underrated than others. Frosmoth, for example, stands out for having an incredibly powerful Hidden Ability, that means it only takes half-damage from Special Attacks. Another noteworthy Pokémon is Yanmega, a Bug/Flying-type that has tons of great coverage and epitomizes all of the Bug-type's strengths. Not only does it have Speed Boost as its ability, but it also has a high attack stat that emphasizes its incredibly vicious move set.
While a type having powerful Pokémon is great, Bug-types also benefit from being available early on -- a fact that has been a double-edged sword. Bug Pokémon have a reputation for being weak because of the many Bug Catchers that players fight each on in each game. Still, there are some powerful Bug-type masters who really highlight the strengths of the type.
Unova's Burgh is the most powerful Bug-type Gym Leader in the games, beating out Bugsy and Viola two thanks to his Dewbble. As a Bug/Rock-type Pokémon, it can easily counter the Flying-types that typically work well again Bugs. The rest of Burgh's team doesn't mix things up as much as his Dwebble does, Burgh still exemplifies the diverse range of moves that make his chosen Pokémon type worth using.
Team Skull Boss Guzma is another notable Bug-type trainer, perhaps the strongest one in the series to date. In Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Guzma challenges the player with an absolutely terrifying team that'll catch most trainers by surprise. Type coverage helps in the final battle against him in the main story, though when he returns to challenge the player for their title as Champion, his Pokémon have some new moves that counter any Fire or Rock-types that would otherwise take him out quickly. While it's understandable why it has the reputation it does, the Pokémon and trainers players can encounter throughout the series prove that there is more to the Bug-type than immediately meets the eye.