The best Pokemon in this Pokemon tier list aren't just raw BST. A Pokemon's typing, stat distribution, and role all factor in. Slaking has 670 BST — one of the highest in the game — but sits in B Tier because its ability forces it to skip every other turn. Meanwhile, some lower-BST Pokemon with great type coverage or speed punch well above their weight class.

How to read this tier list
Elite Pokemon
Base Stat Total of 600+i
Legendary
Story-central, catchable in-gamei
Mythical
Rare, event-exclusivei
BST
Base Stat Total (sum of all 6 stats)i
Fast with strong offensei
Bulky with good offensei
Very high offense, slowi
Extremely bulky, low offensei
High offense but fragilei
Bulky support, low offensei
Fast utility, momentum controli
S
Meta-Defining 1 Pokemon
600+ BST the best Pokemon that warp any format they show up in.
A
Strong Picks 2 Pokemon
Strong Pokemon you can build a team around. Reliable in most matchups.
C
Situational 76 Pokemon
Specialist Pokemon for specific matchups. Don't expect them to carry every game.
525
Venusaur
Venusaur#0003
GRASSPOISON
534
SWEEP
Charizard
Charizard#0006
FIREFLYING
314
Squirtle
Squirtle#0007
WATER
530
Blastoise
Blastoise#0009
WATER
395
Butterfree
Butterfree#0012
BUGFLYING
395
Beedrill
Beedrill#0015
BUGPOISON
479
PIVOT
Pidgeot
Pidgeot#0018
NORMALFLYING
413
Raticate
Raticate#0020
NORMAL
442
PIVOT
Fearow
Fearow#0022
NORMALFLYING
448
Arbok
Arbok#0024
POISON
320
Pikachu
Pikachu#0025
ELEC
450
Sandslash
Sandslash#0028
GROUND
323
Clefairy
Clefairy#0035
FAIRY
505
PIVOT
Ninetales
Ninetales#0038
FIRE
435
Wigglytuff
Wigglytuff#0040
NORMALFAIRY
455
Golbat
Golbat#0042
POISONFLYING
395
Gloom
Gloom#0044
GRASSPOISON
490
Vileplume
Vileplume#0045
GRASSPOISON
285
Paras
Paras#0046
BUGGRASS
405
Parasect
Parasect#0047
BUGGRASS
450
Venomoth
Venomoth#0049
BUGPOISON
425
SWEEP
Dugtrio
Dugtrio#0051
GROUND
290
Meowth
Meowth#0052
NORMAL
440
PIVOT
Persian
Persian#0053
NORMAL
500
Golduck
Golduck#0055
WATER
455
Primeape
Primeape#0057
FIGHT
555
Arcanine
Arcanine#0059
FIRE
510
Poliwrath
Poliwrath#0062
WATERFIGHT
310
Abra
Abra#0063
PSYCHIC
400
SWEEP
Kadabra
Kadabra#0064
PSYCHIC
505
BREAK
Machamp
Machamp#0068
FIGHT
490
Victreebel
Victreebel#0071
GRASSPOISON
300
Geodude
Geodude#0074
ROCKGROUND
390
Graveler
Graveler#0075
ROCKGROUND
495
BREAK
Golem
Golem#0076
ROCKGROUND
500
SWEEP
Rapidash
Rapidash#0078
FIRE
315
Slowpoke
Slowpoke#0079
WATERPSYCHIC
490
TANK
Slowbro
Slowbro#0080
WATERPSYCHIC
325
Magnemite
Magnemite#0081
ELECSTEEL
470
SWEEP
Dodrio
Dodrio#0085
NORMALFLYING
475
Dewgong
Dewgong#0087
WATERICE
500
TANK
Muk
Muk#0089
POISON
310
Gastly
Gastly#0092
GHOSTPOISON
405
GLASS
Haunter
Haunter#0093
GHOSTPOISON
385
Onix
Onix#0095
ROCKGROUND
483
SUPPORT
Hypno
Hypno#0097
PSYCHIC
325
Krabby
Krabby#0098
WATER
475
BREAK
Kingler
Kingler#0099
WATER
490
PIVOT
Electrode
Electrode#0101
ELEC
530
BREAK
Exeggutor
Exeggutor#0103
GRASSPSYCHIC
425
Marowak
Marowak#0105
GROUND
455
Hitmonchan
Hitmonchan#0107
FIGHT
490
Weezing
Weezing#0110
POISON
345
Rhyhorn
Rhyhorn#0111
GROUNDROCK
485
BREAK
Rhydon
Rhydon#0112
GROUNDROCK
435
Tangela
Tangela#0114
GRASS
490
Kangaskhan
Kangaskhan#0115
NORMAL
440
Seadra
Seadra#0117
WATER
450
Seaking
Seaking#0119
WATER
460
Mr. Mime
Mr. Mime#0122
PSYCHICFAIRY
500
SWEEP
Scyther
Scyther#0123
BUGFLYING
455
BREAK
Jynx
Jynx#0124
ICEPSYCHIC
490
PIVOT
Electabuzz
Electabuzz#0125
ELEC
495
Magmar
Magmar#0126
FIRE
500
BREAK
Pinsir
Pinsir#0127
BUG
490
SWEEP
Tauros
Tauros#0128
NORMAL
200
Magikarp
Magikarp#0129
WATER
535
Lapras
Lapras#0131
WATERICE
525
TANK
Vaporeon
Vaporeon#0134
WATER
525
SWEEP
Jolteon
Jolteon#0135
ELEC
525
BREAK
Flareon
Flareon#0136
FIRE
395
Porygon
Porygon#0137
NORMAL
495
BREAK
Omastar
Omastar#0139
ROCKWATER
495
BREAK
Kabutops
Kabutops#0141
ROCKWATER
515
SWEEP
Aerodactyl
Aerodactyl#0142
ROCKFLYING
580
Articuno
Articuno#0144
ICEFLYING
  • By raw base stat total, legendaries like Arceus (720 BST) and Rayquaza (680 BST) sit at the top of S Tier. Pseudo-legendaries like Tyranitar, Salamence, and Metagross all hit 600 BST. "Strongest" changes depending on format though. Some S Tier picks are banned in competitive rulesets, which is why A Tier Pokemon often matter more in practice.

  • Dragons have some of the highest average BST in the game. Most pseudo-legendaries are Dragon-type, and their offensive stats tend to be loaded toward Attack or Special Attack. Before Fairy was added in Gen 6, Dragon was only weak to Ice and itself. Even with the Fairy weakness now, their raw power keeps them in the upper tiers.

  • A and B Tier Pokemon are your best bet. S Tier legendaries are strong but you usually can't catch them until late in the game. Pokemon in the A and B range are available earlier and still hit hard enough to carry a run. Blaziken and Swampert are good examples of starters that stay useful the whole way through.

  • It's a general-purpose ranking based on the full national dex. Not tied to any single competitive format like VGC or Smogon OU. The tiers reflect overall strength across games, so you can use it whether you're teambuilding for ranked battles or just picking strong Pokemon for a playthrough.

  • Most starters land in B or C Tier. They're solid for in-game but don't have the stats to compete with legendaries and pseudo-legendaries at the top. A few break that trend though. Blaziken with Speed Boost and Swampert with only one weakness (Grass) punch into A Tier territory in the right format.

  • Click any Pokemon on this list to open its individual page with the full stat spread, evolution chain, move list, and game availability. You can also browse all Pokemon in the Pokedex and sort by any stat.

  • It updates when new Pokemon enter the database, whether from a new generation or DLC. Rankings across the full national dex.