Cutiefly, Ribombee (SM)

F&$% me, that unoriginal name.

First location: Route 2.

Stats, Evolutions.
The funny thing about the bug-types from Gen 7 is that none of them are pathetic at all. They're just as strong as any other Pokémon, instead of being associated with disgustingly weak early-game Pokémon. Ribombee is no different.

When it starts as a Cutiefly, it's impossibly fast, and its special attack stat is decent, making it a great choice early on, and a great Pokémon to E-Raticate Raticate and make Hala holler. Unfortunately, it will start to fall behind your other team members as time goes on. The only thing that is decent for it later on is its speed. There are few Pokémon that outspeed it here, though.

It faces a career resurrection in the form of an evolution at level 25. It's way faster than most Pokémon in Alola, a pretty slow region, and with a pretty good special attack, it hits hard. Its impossibly high speed on a slow region automatically garners the bee fly a niche over almost every other Pokémon you find in Alola before the postgame. Even very fast Pokémon like Persian, Salazzle or Lycanroc-Midday look pale in comparison to Ribombee.

Moves, Abilities, Typing.
It starts with Absorb, Fairy Wind and Stun Spore. Definitely not bad moves, although Stun Spore is rather inaccurate, but that paralysis effect is nice. Struggle Bug at 10 is its best attack until it gets Silver Wind a mere THREE LEVELS later. It's a move with an amazing (for this part of the game) 60 power and a chance to boost all of its stats. If you want to wreck Raticate, have it learn this move. Draining Kiss is definitely better than Absorb, more power, STAB, and it has the same effect. Sweet Scent at 21 makes Stun Spore more accurate, but do you really want to paralyze the opponent this badly? It evolves at level 25, but you can hold it off till 26 to have it learn Bug Buzz, two levels before Ribombee is meant to get it.

Upon evolving, it gets its best move so far: Pollen Puff! An attack that can heal your partner in doubles! If you held it off, it will also have Bug Buzz, which is essentially the same move, but without the healing in doubles effect. It's so good, you'll want to have both moves at once despite being similar. Dazzling Gleam at 35 is a great attacking move. Aromatherapy at 42 heals all of the status conditions of the party, which is not bad if you're in the Elite Four, or are too lazy to go healing at a Pokémon Center. Finally, it gets Quiver Dance at 49. You most likely know what it is, and it increases two of our bumblebee friend's best stats.

Avoid teaching it physical moves via TMs, and unfortunately, it gets quite a few of them. You can teach it Solar Beam + Sunny Day if you can afford it all, Psychic, Energy Ball... And not much else. It does get Light Screen and Roost, but still.

Its abilities are Honey Gather (pretty much useless) and Shield Dust (prevents attacks from inflicting status conditions on Ribombee). The better one is obvious.

Its typing is Bug/Fairy, giving it five weaknesses but a lot of important resistances, including resistances to the Fighting type, the Dark type, and an immunity to the Dragon type. Hardly what I'd call fragile.

Important Battles
I'm starting to think the game hates Bug-types...
 * Totem Gumshoos: They all hit very hard, and Cutiefly has little defense, but if you use Stun Spore at the start and then spam Silver Wind then your chances of losing are rather slim.
 * Totem Raticate: Spam Silver Wind. You win.
 * Hala 1: Spam Fairy Wind and Draining Kiss. You win.
 * Totem Wishiwashi: I wouldn't recommend using it here. This part of the game is when Cutiefly needs an evolution very badly, and while it can outspeed everyone, it will get destroyed on turn one...
 * Totem Salazzle: No.
 * Totem Lurantis: Only use it if you have already evolved it. It can outspeed everyone in the fight, but it's weak to all of its supports. Still, it's nice to see Totem Lurantis in a tight spot, and Pollen Puff is OP here.
 * Olivia 1: It's very risky. It outspeeds everyone, but it has a type disadvantage. Don't.
 * Totem Vikavolt: Ribombee resists bug moves. Pollen Puff is your best friend here, and even with that speed boost Vikavolt's still outsped.
 * Totem Mimikyu: Mimikyu is hard no matter what you choose.
 * Nanu: Both of its STAB types do super effective damage. Need I say more?
 * Hapu: It resists ground moves, but you should be careful of Dugtrio. Aside from that, not bad.
 * Totem Kommo-o: I AM A BADASS DRAGON! I AM THE STRONGEST AROUND-- DID THAT WORM USE DAZZLING GLEAM?! OH NO!
 * Hala: A singlehanded sweep by Ribombee is not inconceivable.
 * Rest of the League: Ribombee either has the type disadvantage or they resist one of its types. It's slightly better with Acerola, but it's particularly bad with Kukui because most of his Pokémon wall Ribombee.

Conclusion
Ribombee's huge speed earns it a niche in a mostly slow region. Combine it with an actually good level-up movepool and decent special attack and you get a Pokémon that's different from other speedsters in that it has more to it than just speed. My main issue is that it takes a bit long for Ribombee to become truly valuable, and its matchups against important trainers are not as great, but if you want a Bug type and a fast mon, you'll loooove Ribombee.

Rating: 89%