Iron Leaves (Paradox Virizion) Meta Analysis: A Speculation

Virizion never really made a mark in the game but Iron Leaves can do that in the Grass type PvE meta as long as it gets the right moveset. And there’s some good news in this regard: Iron Leaves movepool is anyway very limited in the main series games, and even more limited when it comes to learnable moves in Pokémon GO.  PS: Though it doesn’t get STAB, Sacred Sword (preferably this over Close Combat), can be a viable move to boot. Now you see why Iron Leaves is so underwhelming compared to the other Paradox Pokémon I’ve analyzed? It’s sad though because Iron Leaves actually has a nice appeal. Grass type. It gets Magical Leaf as the only possible Grass fast move and it’s fine, actually. Yes, something like Vine Whip would have been great but Magical Leaf works. Not only is it one of those rare moves to cross the famed 3 EPT (Magical Leaf gets 3.33 EPT), but it also deals decent damage. And with possible access to relatively low energy charged moves like Leaf Blade (35 energy), Grass Knot (50 energy), and even the powerful Leaf Storm (130 DMG at only 55 energy), Iron Leaves does seem sorted for good PvP performance. You can go full grass and threaten the likes of poor Swampert, Groudon (be careful of Fire Punch though) and Kyogre, Rhyperior etc. Yes, Grass isn’t the most coveted type in an ML scenario but in the right match-ups with some infamous ML heavyweights, Iron Leaves will cut through, literally!  So while it probably won’t be as exciting as some of the other Paradox Pokémon, it can be usable. The concept of Paradox Pokémon is one of the most innovative and exciting stuff done in the franchise and they can cause a stir in the meta if treated well by Niantic!