Sometimes you just want to be the very best, like no one ever was, and that requires doing a little bit of homework. Pun aside, that certainly applies to the world of Pokemon, as its best for every trainer — whether playing Pokemon GO, the TCG, or one of the many mainline video games — to know exactly what they’re taking into battle every day. It’s not just about the effectiveness of a type, either. You might have a type advantage over your opponent, but still can’t seem to get past their strongest Pokemon. Fortunately, someone out there is looking out for the rest of us.
A Pokemon fan/player who goes by the moniker Valdihr created a handy chart and posted it online, outlining the five strongest Pokemon of each and every type. Not only that, but Valdihr also includes the best fast and charged attacks that each Pokemon can learn specific to their respective types.
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The criteria here are pretty simply. Every Pokemon in every type must have a fast and charged attack in that type to be considered. Fairy and Normal types were not included because Fairy types have no fast attack and Normal types have no meta relevance.
We’re going to run through most of the highlights of the chart (not including the top moves for each character), but you can click here to see it in its entirety. You’ll notice a couple of Pokemon show up for multiple types on this list, speaking to their ability to stand out in a variety of ways.
The types begin alphabetically with Bug, and the top five ranked (in order) are Scizor, Pinsir, Yanmega, Scyther, and Heracross. Following that is the Dark Type, which is led by Tyranitar, Weavile, Honchkrow, Houndoom, and Absol. For the Dragon type Pokemon, the five strongest are Rayquaza, Dialga, Salamence, Garchomp, and Dragonite. The top five Electric type are Raikou, Zapdos, Electivire, Magnezone, and Luxray.
The Fighting type kicks off with Machamp, Breloom, Hariyama, Blaziken, and Toxicroak. For Fire, you’ve got Moltres, Blaziken, Charizard, Entei, Flareon. For Flying, Honchkrow, Rayquaza, Ho-Oh, Togekiss, Yanmega. Ghost: Giratina O, Gengar, Banette, Mismagius, and Drifblim.
Alright, onto the home stretch now. The top five Grass type are Roserade, Sceptile, Breloom, Venusaur, and Tangrowth. Ground: Groudon, Garchomp, Rhyperior, Mamoswine, Rhydon. Ice: Mamoswine, Glaceon, Weavile, Jynx, Articuno. Poison: Roserade, Toxicroak, Victreebel, Alolan Muk, Muk. Psychic: Mewtwo, Azelf, Espeon, Alakazam, and Latios. Rock: Rampardos, Tyranitar, Rhyperior, Omastar, Golem. Steel: Metagross, Dialga, Scizor, Aggron, Empoleon. Finally, bringing up the rear is Water, with Kyogre, Feraligatr, Gyrados, Swampert, and Vaporeon.
Which type do you think has the strongest top five lineup? Let us know in the comments!