5 Pokemon Types That Need More Love in Gen 10

When Pokemon Red and Blue first launched, there were 15 different Pokemon types. Since then, we’ve seen a few new additions in the form of Dark, Steel, and Fairy types. With a current total of 18 existing types to choose from, it can sometimes feel like certain ones get the spotlight more than others. New Pokemon games almost always offer players a choice between Fire, Grass, and Water types as the starters, and those types continue to be more popular than many others. As a result, the playing field can start to feel a bit unbalanced at times.

Each new generation of Pokemon is a chance for the games to do something different. And Gen 10 will be no different. This game will be the first new main series entry since Pokemon Scarlet & Violet arrived in 2022. We don’t yet know much of anything about Gen 10, but the typical trio of starter types is likely. Beyond that, though, it’d be nice to see Pokemon finally give some more love to some of its most overlooked types. Here are 5 Pokemon types that really need more new Pokemon in Gen 10.

5) Ground

Ground-type Pokemon are pretty uncommon compared to other types. This may be because the Rock-type often has similar designs, which kind of narrows the field for what new Pokemon types could be. But Ground types can be pretty useful, with a decent list of type advantages and their immunity to Electric. However, being weak to both Grass and Water, incredibly popular Pokemon types, can limit the utility of Ground-type Pokemon in battle.

There have been some interesting Ground-type Pokemon designs over the years, but it’s hard to top cuties like Cubone and Phanpy. However, it feels like Ground-types should be more common. So many animals burrow, after all, and a Ground-type isn’t necessarily limited to a particular habitat. I’d love to see more iterations on Ground-type designs in Gen 10.

4) Dragon

Dragon types have been around since the beginning, but they’re still fairly rare compared to other types. There are only a handful of pure Dragon types in Pokemon to this day, though there are a good number of dual-types. In Gen 10, it would be nice to see some new iterations on Dragon-type Pokemon. A lot of recent designs have leaned into a Dinosaur-like look, and I’d love to see some returns to the more fanciful style of Pokemon like Dratini and Dragonair.

It makes sense that Dragon types are fairly rare, since they tend to be pretty powerful in battle. Who among us didn’t struggle against Lance and his Dragon-type lineup in Gen 1? However, the introduction of new types like Ice and Fairy has helped balance the playing field. In fact, having more Dragon-type Pokemon might help some of these other less-common types shine. So, here’s to more interesting Dragon Pokemon designs in Gen 10 to give this Pokemon type more variety and numbers.

3) Ice

Like Dragon-types, Ice-type Pokemon have been a part of the franchise since Gen 1. Yet it remains the least common Pokemon type, with just around 60 Pokemon across all generations. There are likely a few reasons for this. First, Ice-types tend to spawn in specific, snow or ice-covered areas in Pokemon games. That means they’re often relegated to a small area compared to other types. And then, there’s the fact that Ice-type Pokemon have quite a few weaknesses to other types, making them a bit unpopular.

Despite their relatively long list of weaknesses, Ice types have a lot of potential. They are strong against Dragon and Ground types, some of the trickier ones to take on in battle, and there’s potential for some more creativity with design. I’d love to see Gen 10 introduce new ways to bring Ice-type Pokemon into the game earlier, with spaces that make sense for these cooler-temp creatures. And some new Ice-type designs that aren’t literal ice cream cones or penguins with ice blocks on their heads would be refreshing, as well.

2) Dark

I love a Dark-type Pokemon, as my affinity for Umbreon and Houndoom will attest. This type wasn’t added until Pokemon Gold and Silver, which expanded the original type chart in a few notable ways. They help balance out the power of Psychic types by giving them another weakness, and they also offer some excellent gothic Pokemon designs. However, Dark types remain one of the least common Pokemon vareites out there, and I’d love to see that change.

A lot of the Dark-type designs, especially for pure Dark-types, are pretty dog or cat-coded. And many of them are great designs, but I’d love to see some expansion on what a Dark-type Pokemon could be. Like Ice-type Pokemon, Dark-types do tend to suffer from having quite a few weaknesses. But even so, their strength against Ghost and Psychic types makes them a solid addition to your team. Plus, many of the types they’re weak to are also less common, including Bug and Fairy. So bring on more Dark-type Pokemon in Gen 10.

1) Steel

Admittedly, I’ve never liked Steel-type Pokemon. Their designs tend to be cold, sleek, and futuristic, often leaning away from the kind of cute Pokemon I personally prefer. Steel was another Gen 2 addition to the franchise, and it remains pretty rare to this day. In the more recent Pokemon games, we’ve gotten a few interesting new designs that lean away from the typical Steel-type pattern, such as Cufant and Orthworm. I want to see more of this in Gen 10.

Steel types can be considered a bit overpowered due to their lengthy list of resistances. However, that’s fairly well balanced with the number of types they’re not very effective against. And Fighting, Ground, and Fire types are all fairly common, whereas the types Steel goes hard against are less so. Adding more Steel types into the game could give players more options to play with strategy, while also offering a chance for some more unique designs for this relatively rare Pokemon type.

What types do you want to see more of in Pokemon Gen 10? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

Pokemon Fans Looking For a Challenge Should Try Out This New $10 Game