The 10 Best Pokémon In Pokémon Showdown

Pokémon Showdown is an online battle simulator that you can play in your browser. In this game, you can choose your team of six Pokémon from any in existence, and battle against other players across the world in any ruleset that you’d like.

Over the years, there have been so many different Pokémon released, and it can be hard to even know what’s worth picking above the rest. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the 10 best Pokémon in Pokémon Showdown!

10. Palkia

• Base Stats: 90 HP / 120 Attack / 100 Defense / 150 Special Attack / 120 Special Defense / 100 Speed
• Type: Water / Dragon
• Abilities: Pressure, Telepathy

Palkia is the Legendary from Pokémon Pearl, and remains useful in battle to this day. It’s a very well-rounded Pokémon, without any glaring weaknesses. The Pressure ability drains the Power Points of any Pokémon that dares to attack Palkia, making it more useful as the battle progresses.

Palkia’s biggest advantage is the Spacial Rend move. Any time you choose Palkia, choosing Spacial Rend alongside is a must-have, as it has the potential to one-shot most Pokémon in the entire game. Combine this with its 150 Special Attack, and you’ve got a threat that most players will really struggle to deal with.

9. Garchomp

• Base Stats: 108 HP / 130 Attack / 95 Defense / 80 Special Attack / 85 Special Defense / 102 Speed
• Type: Dragon / Ground
• Abilities: Sand Veil, Rough Skin

In a list filled with Legendaries, Garchomp still manages to stand out amongst the crowd. Overall, it’s a very well-balanced Pokémon. It can take a hit, deal heavy damage, and beat most Pokémon to the punch in a Speed test. It doesn’t really have many weaknesses beyond Ice Beams, so only very specific team compositions have a chance of beating Garchomp.

Combine all of this with the Sand Veil ability and Garchomp is much more difficult to hit. Garchomp remains one of the most used Pokémon in Pokémon Showdown, and in non-Legendary games, it’s ridiculously overpowered.

8. Giratina

• Base Stats (Origin): 150 HP / 120 Attack / 100 Defense / 120 Special Attack / 100 Special Defense / 90 Speed
• Base Stats (Altered): 150 HP / 100 Attack / 120 Defense / 100 Special Attack / 120 Special Defense / 90 Speed
• Type: Ghost / Dragon
• Ability (Origin): Levitate
• Abilities (Altered): Pressure, Telepathy

The Legendary Giratina is notable due to its ability to switch between its Origin and Altered Formes on the fly. Both versions are extremely powerful, with only small variations in their base stats.

For Giratina, you want to look more at its abilities when deciding what you want to use. The Origin Forme has Levitate, which when facing Ground-type moves is just overpowered. Meanwhile, you can use Pressure in the Altered Forme, which works exactly like it does with Palkia, snatching PP from opponents with every attack.

7. Kyogre

• Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Attack / 90 Defense / 150 Special Attack / 140 Special Defense / 90 Speed
• Type: Water
• Ability: Drizzle

Kyogre is a Pokémon that really relies on others being weak to Water-type moves. If you can use Kyogre’s Drizzle ability to create rain, the power of its Water-type moves is massively increased. With its 150 Special Attack, this can be a potent combination if you’ve got a moveset that is primarily Water-types.

If you’re looking to fit a Water-type Pokémon into your team composition, you can’t go wrong with Kyogre. It’s a Legendary though, so beware under some rulesets that it may be banned.

6. Deoxys – Attack

• Base Stats: 50 HP / 180 Attack / 20 Defense / 180 Special Attack / 20 Special Defense / 150 Speed
• Type: Psychic
• Ability: Pressure

Deoxys – Attack is the ultimate glass cannon Pokémon. Its Attack and Special Attack are absurdly high, meaning it can deal deadly damage from the off. When you combine it with 150 Speed, you can almost guarantee that Deoxys – Attack will always be making the first move in battle.

Yes, its 50 HP, 20 Defense, and 20 Special Defense mean it’s very squishy. But what does it matter if they’re already dead by the time it comes to take their moves? Deoxys – Attack won’t be perfect for every team composition, but if you can fit it in, you’re surely getting one of the best Pokémon in Pokémon Showdown.

5. Rayquaza

• Base Stats: 105 HP / 150 Attack / 90 Defense / 150 Special Attack / 90 Special Defense / 95 Speed
• Type: Dragon / Flying
• Ability: Air Lock

Rayquaza was first introduced all the way back in Pokémon Emerald, and it’s remarkable that it still remains one of the best Pokémon out there to this day. Overall, Rayquaza is mostly known for being a pretty heavy hitter. 150 Attack and 150 Special Attack puts it in the upper tier of attackers, and combined with the signature move Dragon Ascent, Rayquaza can put down plenty of Pokémon with one hit.

Air Lock is a great ability to have, too, disabling all effects of weather conditions. This can nullify some of the other strong Pokémon in the game that rely on weather buffs.

4. Zekrom

• Base Stats: 100 HP / 150 Attack / 120 Defense / 120 Special Attack / 100 Special Defense / 90 Speed
• Type: Dragon / Electric
• Ability: Teravolt

Zekrom is one of the best all-rounders in the entirety of Pokémon Showdown. 150 Attack is nothing to sniff at, but it can definitely take a hit too. We’d recommend you pick Zekrom alongside the Ancient Power move, which has the chance to raise all of its stats by one stage. If it was a good all-rounder before, it’s an excellent one after reaping the rewards of Ancient Power.

Its Teravolt ability is pretty overpowered too, allowing Zekrom to ignore the abilities of other Pokémon when attacking. It renders the defensive abilities of others useless, giving Zekrom the opportunity to hit regardless of any negative effects.

3. Landorus – Therian

• Base Stats: 89 HP / 145 Attack / 90 Defense / 105 Special Attack / 80 Special Defense / 91 Speed
• Type: Ground / Flying
• Ability: Intimidate

Landorus – Therian is something of a Swiss Army Pokémon. Its base 145 Attack makes it a heavy hitter, and when combined with Intimidate, which allows it to reduce the Attack of opponents, Landorus – Therian has a few ways it can be useful in battle.

It also has a very versatile moveset, which means it can play almost any role. However, it is mostly used as a Sweeper or as a Defensive Utility. Overall Landorus – Therian has one of the highest usage rates of everyone in Pokémon Showdown, and for good reason.

2. Kyurem – Black

• Base Stats: 125 HP / 170 Attack / 100 Defense / 120 Special Attack / 90 Special Defense / 95 Speed
• Type: Dragon / Ice
• Ability: Teravolt

Kyurem – Black is a monster in Attack, with 170 base stat. This is the highest of any non-Mega Pokémon, meaning it hits hard. What really separates Kyurem – Black from the pack is its Teravolt ability, which allows its moves to ignore the abilities of other Pokémon.

For example, if you’re facing a Garchomp and it has cast Sand Veil, it should be harder to hit, right? Kyurem – Black can hit right through that, ignoring all negative effects. This applies to any ability in the game, making Kyurem – Black easily one of the top Pokémon in Pokémon Showdown.

1. Arceus

• Base Stats: 120 HP / 120 Attack / 120 Defense / 120 Special Attack / 120 Special Defense / 120 Speed
• Type: Normal
• Ability: Multitype

The beauty of the Legendary known as Arceus doesn’t come in its stats. It’s well-balanced, sure, but it isn’t the star of the show. Instead, it’s the Multitype ability that makes Arceus the best Pokémon in Pokémon Showdown.

In case you’re not aware, Multitype gives Arceus the ability to change its Type, depending on the plate that it’s holding. For example, if you give Arceus a Flame Plate, it becomes a Fire Type. This makes Arceus a formidable foe for every single Pokémon in the game.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Screenshot from Pokémon Showdown..