Pokémon Gold & Silver: 10 Best Gen 2 Pokémon

When trainers picked up Eevee in generation two they had five evolution options instead of the three from Kanto. This put Umbreon almost in direct competition with Espeon for the Eeveelution the trainer would choose. The first thing that set Umbreon apart was the look. The pitch black background pierced by the yellow rings was a strong aesthetic.

The second aspect of Umbreon that made it stand out, not just from the other Eeveelutions but from almost every other Pokemon, was the fact that it was Dark type. This was one of the two new types introduced in generation two, and immediately offered Umbreon a level of mystery and intrigue that few other Pokemon possessed.

The dark typing of Umbreon would help trainers in a huge way in Ecruteak City's gym. Before the Dark type there was very little that could do a lot of damage to Ghost types without taking the same damage back, but the addition of Umbreon allowed for trainers to face Morty's ghosts with confidence.

Again, as with Crobat, Umbreon was a reward for training Pokemon properly and increasing friendship rather than just fighting with a Pokemon until it fainted then going again. This was a Pokemon that had to be earned, but once earned it was more than worth the effort.