Pokemon Scarlet and Violet introduce players to the first-ever open-world setting in the history of the franchise, which is built in a way that allows free exploration of the Paldea region, albeit with a few limits that mainly come from the lack of level scaling. This can hinder some players from going exactly wherever they want as soon as they start their adventure, as some areas feature mid-to-high-leveled pocket monsters, going anywhere from 30 to over 50, which is not feasible to explore at the very beginning of the game. A better idea is to take a look at the starting area, catching new Gen 9 critters, and maybe focus on leveling up Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's starters to evolve them once.

This is something that's up to personal preference, but one of the earliest new Pokemon that players encounter in their travels is Tarountula, a cute Bug-type Pokemon with a huge spiderweb on its back. This critter is one of the very first that were leaked in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Pokedex ahead of launch, and it evolves into a critter called Spidops that many players may end up underestimating due to its base stats and its peculiar looks. However, there is a lot to unpack when it comes to Spidops, and it could very well become one of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's most OP Pokemon if played correctly, especially in some competitive scenarios.

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Why Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Spidops Can be Amazing in Competitive Battles

spidops pokemon scarlet violet paldea region

While Spidops and its pre-evolution might strike players as just another Bug-type evolution line, they learn a new move called Silk Trap, which works essentially like Protect, but with an extra perk. When Spidops uses Silk Trap, not only does it protect itself from incoming damage, but it also reduces the Speed of any attacker that makes direct contact. This Pokemon Scarlet and Violet move is especially powerful against stat-stacking critters, for example, or attackers that rely on high Speed because they're so-called "glass cannons," meaning that they need to act before other pocket monsters due to them being frail on the defensive side.

Competitive Pokemon battles usually are all about stats, and lowering those of the opposing critters can easily turn the tides of the fight. Protect is already a very powerful move in competitive battles because it entirely negates incoming damage, but pairing that effect with a Speed reduction for attackers makes Spidops already a very interesting pick. However, there's more to this new Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Bug-type evolution line than meets the eye.

While Spidops' stats are on the low side, with a base stat total of only 404, having abysmal Speed for this critter is not a bad thing, and it does have decent stats for its bulk and for physical attacks. For example, with Silk Trap reducing the attacker's Speed, opponents might be tempted to switch out, which makes Spidops deal incredible damage through its Hidden Ability, Stakeout. If that doesn't end up being the case, this Pokemon can learn a Fighting-type move called Circle Throw, which has reduced priority but switches the target out after dealing damage to it, forcing the opponent to change their strategy.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Spidops also learns other useful moves like Block, in case the user wants the opposing Pokemon to stay in the battle, or Gastro Acid, which deprives the target of its Ability, often a game-changing tool in competitive battles. With Leech Life, Spidops can stay alive longer, allowing players to control the battlefield even further, whereas with Taunt it can force opposing Pokemon to attack it, and then use Silk Trap on the following turn. Overall, this spider-like Pokemon has a lot going on for itself, and players shouldn't underestimate it.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for the Nintendo Switch.

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