The 35 Most Powerful Pokémon, Ranked

Spanning nine generations and over 1000 kinds, Pokémon is a staple of Nintendo that continues to reel in players from all over the world. Pokémon is one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time, so it's no surprise that there are so many Pokémon over the course of 38 core games. When it comes down to it, though, which Pokémon are the most powerful in the series?

Well, here is our ranking of the most powerful Pokémon of all time. When compiling this list, we took into consideration a combo of game stats and in-game Pokédex entries that give us a sense of the canon abilities these Pokémon have in the larger world of the shows and the video games. So, without further ado, here are the most powerful Pokémon.

35 Raikou

When the Brass Tower in Johto burned down, three Pokémon were trapped inside and killed. Ho-Oh resurrected them as beasts that represented the lightning that struck the tower, the fire that burned it, and the rain that put it out. The beast of lightning is Raikou, who runs at the speed of a lightning bolt and can even fly through the air on storm clouds.

Wherever Raikou travels, clouds follow it, ensuring that Raikou is never without a source of devastating Thunderbolts. Even its roar is strong enough to shake the ground and make you feel as if a lightning bolt had just struck. Should opponents find a way to weather its attacks, Raikou's wicked speed can still help it catch them off guard, or even retreat if needed.

34 Suicune

Suicune is a Water-type Legendary and one of the three Legendary beasts resurrected by the Legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh. (Spoilers: Ho-Oh is also on this list.) Suicune is the most iconic of the three legendary beasts, with appearances in multiple games, both mainline and spinoff.

In the Pokémon Crystal lore, Suicune is the closest of the Legendary beasts to Ho-Oh and has the ability to purify water. Suicune is definitely one of the more mellow legendary Pokémon compared to the rest that will be found on this list, often portrayed as a serene, almost spiritual figure that glides across lakes and rivers as a symbol of rebirth and natural harmony.

33 Entei

The final member of the Legendary Beasts, Entei, represents the flames that burned the Brass Tower. It is identified by its distinct leonin appearance, which cuts a majestic figure as it races across the land. Part of the reason why it runs is that it has trouble containing the raw, destructive power within, which can sometimes lead to it leaking flames from its mouth.

Entei edges out Suicune because of how much more destructive its powers are. Whenever Entei roars, a random volcano in the world erupts, meaning that an angry Entei can cause untold levels of destruction via magma flows and volcanic ash. In direct battle, its flames are also said to be hotter than magma and capable of consuming anything they touch.

32 Zamazenta

In the ancient history of the Galar region, two wolf-like Pokémon stood alongside two human heroes to avert a disaster called the Darkest Day. The younger wolf, Zamazenta, could absorb metal to change into a defensive form that could withstand any attack. After their job was completed, Zamazenta and its counterpart, Zacian, went into a dormant state until the time came when Galar needed them again.

While Zamazenta cannot compare to the destructive capabilities of Zacian, it's more than deserving of its status as a heroic warrior of old. When it assumes its Crowned Shield form, Zamazenta's defenses are impenetrable, made even better by its Dauntlet Shield ability, which further strengthens its defensive resolve when the battle begins. It's also deceptively fast, unlike other defensive Pokémon, so while it might not hit as hard as others, it can outlast and outspeed most opponents.

31 Deoxys

When a space virus on a meteorite was exposed to a laser beam, it underwent a rapid mutation and transformed into the mythical Pokémon Deoxys. It now resembles a humanoid form with spiraling arms that look like DNA chains, with a glowing crystal in its chest that acts as its brain. Deoxys also developed powerful psychic abilities, which it unleashes in battle through an all-out attack called Psycho Boost.

Aside from its psychic abilities, Deoxys is one of the few Pokémon with the ability to change its forms. While its base form is well-rounded with its stats, it can become a more specialized attack, defense, or speed form, making it a tricky opponent to predict. It frequently comes into conflict with the legendary dragon Rayquaza and can regularly hold its own, which goes to show how far it can punch above its weight class.

30 Lugia

Lugia's ability to control the Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres in the Gold and Silver games is enough reason alone for the Legendary Pokémon to be added to this list as one of the most powerful; factor in its ability to create storms with its massive wings, and you have one impressive Legendary Pokémon.

It is a cover Legendary that rivals Ho-Oh and asserts dominance over the other three Legendary birds. Its mere presence is said to calm raging storms, reinforcing its mythic status as the true guardian of the seas. Impressive feats all around.

29 Ho-Oh

Ho-Oh is an incredibly powerful and iconic Legendary Pokémon. Originally debuting on the second generation of games, the celebrated Pokémon Gold and Silver, Ho-Oh gets a place on this list thanks to the incredible lore surrounding the Legendary Pokémon. Ho-Oh is the guardian of the skies and, after a terrible tragedy befell three other Pokémon, Ho-Oh used its ability to resurrect the dead to transform them into the three other "Legendary Beasts" in the game: Raikou, Entei, and Suicune.

Its Pokédex entries across generations emphasize that it leaves behind a shimmering trail of rainbows and is only seen by those with pure hearts. In battles, Ho-Oh is a tanky powerhouse with strong Fire and Flying-type moves like Sacred Fire, which not only deals heavy damage but also has a high chance of burning opponents.

28 Reshiram

The legendary trio of the Unova Region are three dragons who were once one, but split when two princes fought a war over truths and ideals. The white dragon, Reshiram, represents truth, and can exhale powerful fire blasts to decimate kingdoms who ignore truth for greed. Most of the time, Reshiram sleeps in the form of the Light Stone, but it will awaken to fight alongside a hero who proves themselves worthy.

If destroying kingdoms wasn't powerful enough, Reshiram's Fire-Dragon typing helps to negate several common weaknesses of both types, such as Water, Fairy, and Ice. It prefers to stay at a range during battle to unleash its signature attack, Blue Flare, which has a high chance of leaving targets burned if they aren't taken out. Fortunately, since Reshiram bonds with someone it considers a hero, it generally won't unleash its full force unless commanded.

27 Zekrom

Zekrom is the sleek black Legendary Pokémon that is a counterpart to Reshiram in the Pokémon Black and White games. Hailing from the Unova region, Zekrom is one of the less powerful Legendaries, but still useful and popular thanks to its Electric/Dragon-type pairing.

According to Pokédex entries, Zekrom can create large amounts of electric energy and stop any and all air resistance. Zekrom is definitely the most powerful, even stat-wise, with a large base attack stat. Zekrom is arguably the second most powerful of the Tao Trio from the Black and White games.

26 Heatran

Deep within the heart of the Sinnoh Region's Mount Coronet, Heatran was born. This Fire and Steel-type embodies the power of the planet's molten core, and makes its lair in volcanic caves, where it can climb effortlessly along the walls and ceiling. Should anyone choose to fight with Heatran, it unleashes a deadly Magma Storm around its opponents' feet, scorching them over multiple turns while it weathers attacks with its steel-shelled body.

As if Heatran wasn't deadly enough, it also has the power to Mega Evolve into a bulkier form that looks like a living volcano. While its speed is decreased in this form, Heatran can increase its body heat to a ridiculous 1.8 million degrees Fahrenheit. For reference, that's around the same temperature as the corona of the sun!