Eeveelutions. Which one should I choose?

For about a month now I have been getting more and more of a similar question, one that is most likely Pokemon XD inspired. Several viewers have asked me what the best evolution of Eevee is. In the generation 3 games, Eevee has 5 evolutions, none of which are really that much better than the other. Statistically speaking their attributes are slid all over the map between each of the evolutionary forms. As such, Eeveelutions are best described as specialty Pokemon, and when used correctly can be absolutely deadly on a well crafted team.

JOLTEON: Without a doubt, Jolteon has become one of my favorites over the years. Out of the 5 Eeveelution options, Electric-type Jolteon is the fastest, while boasting a second best special attack, making it have an uncanny ability to strike fast and hard in nearly any condition. Rain Dance and Thunder are great options here, although Jolteon's special attack is high enough to make a 100 accuracy move like Thunderbolt do significant damage to any opponent. Very fragile. Jolteon will almost never withstand an Earthquake or even a very strong Special Attack, so make sure to implement some type of defensive help.

VAPOREON: Easily the most well rounded of the bunch, Water-type Vaporeon also boasts one of the bulkiest HP stats in the game, somehow also with a decent Special Attack and Defense, with monstrous Special Defense as well. A bit lacking in Attack and Speed, though these stats are hardly necessary. Vaporeon learns Acid Armor by itself, as well as Hydro Pump later on. Equipped with Ice Beam and Leftovers, Vaporeon can become a very dangerous tank.

FLAREON: Looks like he sucks, and lives up to it. Being a Fire-type in 3rd generation games with a massive attack stat and horrendous Special Attack leaves MUCH to be desired by Flareon. I still don't know why he learns Smog. His moveset is rather weak, and though T.M. options are decent, the bad stats are enough to scoff at this wannabe Arcanine. Unless you enjoy losing, don't choose Flareon.

ESPEON: Honestly, it's extremely difficult not to LOVE Espeon. With the highest Special Attack among its brethren and a Speed stat second only to Jolteon, Espeon belongs in the same talks as Alakazam as far as Psychic-types go. In the 3rd generation games, having an Espeon with Bite is a must. A little bit lacking in defenses, though not as much as Jolteon, and Light Screen and Reflect are available via TMs if wanted. Just having the move Psychic is enough to blow through almost any oppostion that isn't resistant to Psychic-type moves. Morning Sun can also be implemented for health recovery. Espeon is a B.A. Pokemon, no matter how you look at it. Fantastic choice for any team.

UMBREON: The tankiest of the tanks. Dark-type Umbreon is a nightmare to take down, boasting extraordinarily high Defense and Special Defense, as well as above average HP. Lacking in the firepower department, but with moves like Confuse Ray, Toxic, Attract, and Protect, those downsides are hardly noticeable. Will almost always survive even Cross Chop and Megahorn, both of which are supposed to have an advantage over it. Annoying as anything to fight (Queue broken controllers, Gameboys, DS's), but hard to pass up. Give it Leftovers and Moonlight and the health will seemingly never go down.


So there you have it. Obviously, there is no cut and dry answer as to which evolution is the best (though it's a consensus agreement that Flareon is by far the worst). Each evolution is capable of having a team built around it, or serve as a great surprise entry as well. Proper EV training and movesets are key, but when used correctly, Eeveelutions are a force to be reckoned with.

Hope this answered everyone's questions. Feel free to drop me a line if there are outstanding questions/concerns/comments.