Crobat

Crobat stands out as one of the most reliable leads of the metagame. Its outstanding base 130 Speed, which allows it to outspeed every relevant Pokemon bar Mewtwo and Mega Gengar, is complemented by a wide utility movepool that includes moves such as Taunt, Tailwind, and Quick Guard. Taunt, in particular, is especially useful, as it allows Crobat to function as a reliable check to other leads such as Smeargle, which has lower Speed and often runs status moves only. In addition to these unique traits, Crobat's decent defensive typing makes it a good check to Xerneas, as it resists Fairy-type attacks while also being able to stop Geomancy thanks to Taunt. However, Crobat's utility diminishes throughout the game, as its mediocre 85 / 80 / 80 bulk doesn't allow it to repeatedly switch into moves that it doesn't resist. It is also heavily reliant on its teammates, as it doesn't have any offensive presence besides Super Fang, which deals less damage each turn and cannot KO foes at all. Lastly, Crobat faces competition as a fast utility-based Pokemon from Talonflame: the latter has an optimal base Speed, also has access to Quick Guard and Taunt, and can set up Tailwind before getting Taunted by a Prankster user thanks to Gale Wings. However, Crobat's Inner Focus makes it immune to Fake Out, and its access to Haze gives it a better matchup against setup sweepers.