Pokémon is a video game series that made its mark with financial and critical success ever since its inception in 1996. A lot of fans from the 90s will always look back on the Pokémon that they have chosen to be in their party when playing Red or Blue. In fact, even if the older fans still play the newer games, they are more than likely going to say that the first generation of Pokémon is the best. After all, the nostalgia is very strong in them whenever they see Charizard or Gengar in future games.
This might not be Smogon, but the Pokémon on this list have outstanding qualities that make them strong in battle. It can be their typing, stats, move set, or all of the above. Some of these Pokémon were probably never bad to begin with, but later on, they would become more powerful for every generation they come back in. Over the years, future games would include Mega Evolutions and Z-Crystals, making beloved classic Pokémon perform better and surprise opponents who would not expect them!
Whether they are used for competitive or in-game battling, the player would do their absolute best to make sure their favorite Pokémon shines in battle and make them proud. It might have taken them twenty years to get stronger, but it is better late than never for those who love these kinds of Pokémon. Here are twenty-five original Pokémon that didn’t start off great, but managed to be amazing today.
25 From A Nuisance To A Powerhouse
No one likes to come across a Zubat or Golbat in the wild, especially in locations like Mt. Moon and Cerulean Cave. The sound of their cries when encountered in the wild are engraved into the minds of annoyed players who just want to get items left on the ground and escape to the next session in the game. There were better Flying or Poison-type Pokémon from the games they debuted in. The only time they were memorable was when Brock got his own Zubat in the original anime. So, it would be hard to believe that it would gain an amazing evolution in Gold and Silver.
Golbat would eventually evolve into a Crobat through high friendship.
In battle, Crobat is insanely fast and can amazingly hit hard when given moves like Brave Bird and Poison Fang. Its move pool is limited for Poison-type moves, but its speed makes up for its other stats. It can even have two great abilities named Inner Focus and Infiltrator. The former prevents Crobat from getting confused and the latter helps it ignore the effects of the opposing team’s barriers, such as Reflect and Light Screen. Sometimes an annoyance can prove to be quite interesting.
24 Unexpected Surprise
Wigglytuff is that one Pokémon you don’t really care about since its pre-evolution Jigglypuff stole the show in the anime. It was also a Normal-type back in the day, which does not have any pros except for having an immunity to Ghost-type moves. Being weak to Fighting-type moves, however, did not help. Plus, there were other better Normal-type Pokémon such as Cleffable and Chansey. Ever since its debut in Red and Blue, Wigglytuff was just that Pokémon who just stood there and acted cutely. It all changed when the sixth generation did something that made it slightly better.
Just slap the Fairy-typing on it and it can improve better.
It felt like a blessing for Wigglytuff to gain the upper hand. Not only did its Fighting-type weakness go away, but it can learn moves like Dazzling Gleam and Play Rough. Its abilities are also unique, having Frisk, Competitive, or Cute Charm. It even gained ten additional points in its special attack so it can hit a bit harder. While it is definitely not going to be useful in competitive battling in the upcoming years, Wigglytuff managed to become a bit better thanks to the fact it gained the strong Fairy-typing.
23 Excellent Speed
Since it has been nearly twenty years when Pokémon Red and Blue was released, it is crazy how we tend to forget that Magneton was a pure Electric-type due to the Steel-type not being added until the second generation and onward. Unfortunately for Magneton, Electric-type Pokémon outclassed it like Jolteon and Zapdos. It eventually stood out becoming one of the first Steel-type Pokémon in the second generation, but it boasts a higher special attack stat than attack. Steel-type moves that hit the opponent were classified as physical moves, so Electric-type moves would only make the cut.
Then came the fourth generation, where it got an epic evolution.
Magneton would later become a Magnezone by leveling up on Mt. Coronet, or any place that has a magnetic field. Its special attack and defense stats increased significantly. While it is slower than your average Electric-type Pokémon, Magnezone manages to be one of the best thanks to its great move pool. Moves like Flash Cannon, Thunderbolt, and Discharge can dish out a lot of damage to those who have a disadvantage against the Magnet Area Pokémon. Just make sure that it does not get anywhere near Ground, Fighting, or Fire-type moves, otherwise, it will be gone in an instant.
22 Two Great Choices
Slowpoke is an interesting Pokémon. The fact that there is a song dedicated to this creature, anything is bound to happen. Like with the previous entry, there are some Water-type Pokémon that perform better. It can evolve into Slowbro, which would become a bit stronger and bulkier. However, it is as the name suggests, slow. Then in the second generation, Slowpoke got another evolution by the name of Slowking, which is similar to Slowbro, but it has more special defense than regular defense. With the item King’s Rock, it can evolve into Slowking. With Oblivion, Slowking can be prevented from moves like Attract and Own Tempo can prevent confusion.
Four generations later, Slowpoke can evolve into Slowbro and eventually mega evolve with a Slowbronite. It would gain a lot of defenses and obtain the ability Shell Armor, which prevents critical hits. While we have no idea whether mega evolution would make a return with more Pokémon to get the treatment, at the very least, Slowpoke can benefit with two great evolutions. The combination of Water and Psychic-type can be dangerous but amazing. This dopey but interesting Pokémon will leave their trainers impressed with what power it has in battle. Regardless of battling, would you evolve it into a Slowbro or Slowking?
21 Electrifying Power
Sometimes there are Pokémon that tend to actually be pretty good when they are introduced. Electabuzz is one of them, having decent attack and speed to help go first and hit well. When the second generation introduced baby Pokémon, it got a baby form named Elekid. Along with Jynx and Magmar, the three were getting the same treatment. In a way, they are watered down versions of the legendary bird trio consisting of Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres.
The fourth generation of Pokémon gave a lot of attention to the Pokémon in the first generation, and Electabuzz was one of them. It can evolve into Electivire and become a wonderful powerhouse. When given moves like Wild Charge, Cross Chop, and Ice Punch, it can get rid of threats that would take it out. Plus, its attack stat is insanely high, so having an Electric-type Pokémon focused on its attack stat could be a great addition to a team.
It is shocking to see a Pokémon from the first generation to get an evolution later on, but it shows that there are many ways a Pokémon can evolve. Whether through a trading stone or leveling up, reaching to their highest potential can lead to something wonderful.
20 Too Hot To Handle
Just like Electabuzz, Magmar ended up getting an evolution that made it stronger and cooler. There will be some people who will prefer Magmar over Magmortar, but Magmar was inferior compared to the Fire-type Pokémon from the first generation. However, some people can appreciate it due to the lack of Fire-type Pokémon that are catchable in the wild in Diamond and Pearl. When it evolves, its special attack skyrockets like you would not believe it. To evolve Magmar, you would need to have the Magmarizer. It actually coincides with Electabuzz’s Electirizer, who needs it to evolve into Electivire.
Because of that, Magmar and Electabuzz parallel each other in a way.
Magmar evolving into Magmortar can learn fantastic moves such as Lava Plume, Solar Beam, and Focus Blast. That way, it would have fantastic coverage for its weaknesses while being able to hit like a truck. Those Ice and Grace-type Pokémon are certainly to be terrified of Magmar once it evolves into a beast. Design-wise, it is a bit over the top, but that power is something you cannot deny. Try to add it to your party and watch it incinerate the opponents with ease with its strong Fire-type moves.
19 Adapting Just Right
The last of the original Pokémon on this list that evolves in the fourth generation, Porygon is truly unique. Despite its controversy in 1997, Porygon still manages to make appearances when it evolved in the second generation, becoming Porygon2. Unfortunately, it was a Normal-type, and it had no advantages over the other types. While it does remain a Normal-type throughout its evolutions, the fourth generation was kind enough to give it an evolution. Porygon-Z looked bizarre, but it is no joke in battling.
After evolving while holding an Up-Grade when trading, Porygon would become Porygon2. Then Porygon2 would evolve by holding a Dubious Disc while trading. Is it worth doing a lot of trading to obtain the Virtual Pokémon? Why yes it would. Its special attack stat is mindboggling, having the highest special attack stat until Mega Pidgeot and Drampa arrived to tie it up. Its ability Adaptability can increase its Normal-type moves from 1.5x to 2x. Imagine it using Hyper Beam with an optimal nature, Choice Specs, and six Calm Minds up. It might not deal super effective damage, but whoever gets hit that is not a Steel or Rock-type will say goodbye to their health points. Perhaps Porygon seems more threatening than it looks.
18 Mythical Strength
At first, Seadra just looks like a spiky seahorse who evolved from the cute Horsea. Like a middle child, Seadra is one of the most forgettable Pokémon that appeared in the first generation. Other than Magikarp, Seadra is one of the fish out of water who does not have anything special going for it in battle. When there was an evolution for Seadra in Gold and Silver, fans have been interested to know what it would evolve into. After all, if it is known as the Dragon Pokémon, where is that additional typing?
Behold Kingdra, the first ever Dragon and Water-type Pokémon.
Seadra would later become beneficial thanks to evolving into Kingdra. Not only did it get balanced stats, but becoming a Dragon-type eliminated two of its Water-type weaknesses, which are Electric and Grass-types. Even though it did have a weakness for Dragon-type moves and later on Fairy, Kingdra was that one Pokémon you did not want to mess with. It can learn Dragon Dance, which is one of the best moves period for raising its attack and speed by one stage. Learning Outrage can mean business just as long as it can do something about its confusion after being fatigued. Seadra managed to become more noticeable thanks to an additional to the Horsea evolution line.
17 Calling Spiritual Power
Marowak has one of the saddest but compelling lore in the Pokémon franchise. Its pre-evolution Cubone would cry over their mother’s skull due to Team Rocket taking her life. When the player goes into Pokémon Tower in the first and third generation games, they encounter the ghost of Marowak and defeated it in battle so it can rest in peace. It might have an impact on the story, but no one ever uses a Marowak in battle, let alone competitive.
In an interesting turn of events, the seventh generation decided to give Marowak the spotlight. It eventually got an Alolan form that turns it from a Ground-type to a dual typing of Fire and Ghost. Its stats remain the same, but that unique typing gives Marowak some attention in competitive battling. It can have the ability Cursed Body, which disables the move their opponent used to attack them. The moves it can learn are Shadow Bone, which has a chance to lower the opponent’s defense stat by one stage, and Flare Blitz, a devastatingly powerful Fire-type move that gives recoil damage after attacking. To think that a Pokémon like Marowak would even get the Alolan treatment, but it became better because of it.
16 Just Getting Better
This choice is probably a headscratcher, and you would be right. Arcanine is one of the most well-known Pokémon in competitive battling. It is a fantastic Pokémon, but from the generation it debuted in, Arcanine had some issues. Its stats are amazing, but the move pool back then was limited, along with Fire-type moves being exclusively special attacks until the fourth generation. It has more physical strength than special, so most of the moves would be ones that are not its typing. It could only learn three Fire-type moves at the time, and the only moves that were physical that it can learn were Normal-type, except for Dig, which is a Ground-type move.
Thanks to the physical and special split, Arcanine can attack well with physical Fire moves such as Flare Blitz and Flame Charge. Its abilities it can have are also amazing. If it gets hit with a Fire-type move, it will increase its said type moves. Arcanine can also have Justified, and even though it is not immune to Dark-type moves, it will raise its attack stat by one stage if it were to be hit by one. This huge dog had hidden potential and it proudly impressed us with its amazing power.
15 Two Forms To Appreciate
Just like Arcanine and Magmar, Ninetales suffered from a limited move pool for Fire-type moves in Pokémon Red and Blue. However, since it is more of a special attacker, the Fire-type moves are beneficial for it. With decent special attack, special defense, and speed, Ninetales can help out while also looking beautiful. In the fifth generation, it gained the hidden ability Drought, and it can have an instant Solar Beam to take out all of its weaknesses. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, we were surprised with what Game Freak revealed.
There are two amazing options for Ninetales. Do you prefer its normal version or its Alolan form?
Its Alolan form changes from a Fire-type fox into a gorgeous Ice and Fairy-type Pokémon. It might have gained a four times weakness to Steel, but it has become a wonderful special wall and trading nine points of attack for more speed. It even comes with Snow Cloak or Snow Warning, giving it more evasiveness in the hail or setting up hail to use Blizzard. Robert Frost once said in a poem, “Some say the world will end in fire, some say in ice,” and that is what perfectly describes how effective each version of Ninetales provide great support.
14 Fantastic Future Potential
Some entries on here like Scyther may be surprising, but Bug types were actually one of the worst types back in the old days. Not to mention, Scyther was a Bug and Flying-type, and it does not appreciate Rock-type moves especially. However, if you get it to evolve into a Scizor, then it will replace the Flying-type for a Steel-type. Even then, it will gain a huge weakness to Fire-type moves, but it does become better in battle overall. Its niche is the abilities Technician, which boosts the power of moves with 60 base power or less by fifty percent.
The sixth generation eventually gave it a mega evolution, and it made Scizor crazy good with a huge increase in attack and defense. It still kept its Technician ability, but that is what makes it more powerful. Giving it Bullet Punch will make those Fairy or Ice-type Pokémon sorry for coming out into battle. Meanwhile, if it faces an opponent that has the advantage, it can safely switch out with U-Turn. Even though Scyther has been one of the coolest Bug-type Pokémon, it would later on evolve into the slick and awesome Scizor, who would get its own amazing mega evolution. Scyther is the true definition of the phrase, “This isn’t even my final form.”
13 Wonders Of Evolution
One of the most popular Pokémon of all time, Eevee is known as the Evolution Pokémon for a good reason! So far, it can evolve into eight different kinds of Pokémon, and it manages to stay relevant due to its appeal to both genders. All of the Eeveelutions proved to have something unique about them and we will go over them. Vaporeon has Water Absorb, gaining health points if hit by a Water-type move. Jolteon has Volt Absorb, which is the same as Vaporeon’s but with Electric-type moves. Flareon has Flash Fire so that its Fire-type moves would increase in power.
Umbreon and Espeon both have Synchronize, so when it is inflicted with a status condition, the opponent will get it too. Leafeon has Leaf Guard while Glaceon has Snow Cloak, which increases their evasions with sunlight and hail involved respectively. Last but not least, Sylveon has Cute Charm, making the opponent be infatuated. Later on, in Pokémon Sun and Moon, Eevee would get a Z-Move, which calls all of the Eeveelutions so far and help it gain two stages on every stat just as long as Last Resort is one of its moves. You mess with Eevee, you have to deal with its evolutions!
12 Tropical Giant
Exeggutor was actually a monster back then with it having the Psychic-type. It can use Sleep Powder to immediately put its opponent to sleep and its special attack was unbelievable. Later on, however, other Grass and Psychic-types were performing much better than the palm tree-like Pokémon. Because of that, Exeggutor was rarely used, even when it gained the ability Chlorophyll, which would double its speed in the sun. Unfortunately, Exeggutor is not known for having a great speed stat, so it acted more as a support than a front liner unlike its time in the first generation.
The seventh generation then gave us the weirdest form of Exeggutor that somehow managed to be an interesting Pokémon to use in battle. Not competitively, since it has major weaknesses such as Ice, Fairy, and Dragon-type moves to worry about. Its Alolan form is so huge that it eventually became a meme. Regardless, it has an insane special attack that goes up to 125 and a nice attack stat to add to the table. It might not see the light of day in competitive battling, but in-game can lead to some interesting matchups. Just be prepared to see mostly Alolan Exeggutor’s neck throughout the gameplay.
11 OG Avian
Any fan of Pokémon, regardless of which generation they were introduced to, would easily recognize Pidgeot due to its simple design and memorability. It started the trend of having every bird Pokémon become Normal and Flying-type, even if it can get repetitive at times. It shined as a great battler in the first generation, but as the games went on, Pidgeot was slowly being forgotten and would mainly be used as a flyer for the trainer to use to get to somewhere.
Pokémon X and Y gave it another chance to shine.
It would gain more power thanks to mega evolution. Mega Pidgeot is not really the best mega evolved Pokémon, but it certainly outclasses its normal form by a landslide. Ironically, it relies more on being a special attacker rather than a physical attacker. With No Guard, it can never miss a move regardless of accuracy, so the move Hurricane is a strong combination with that ability. Heat Wave is also a nice choice to help get rid of Ice-type Pokémon. As long as it remains useful in competitive battling, Pidgeot will remind fans that the first generation has brought some amazing power, even if it comes by years later.
10 Lucky And Still Standing
Chansey is a staple in the Pokémon series thanks to Nurse Joy having one near her whenever Ash and the gang go to a Pokémon Center. In the games, she is very useful as an unstoppable wall due to her very high HP and decent special attack and special defense. While she is an incredible stall, an attacking Chansey is not that common. To make things interesting, Chansey eventually got an evolution in the second generation games. Blissey’s HP is the highest in the entire franchise, even higher than a Legendary Pokémon or an Ultra Beast.
With the help of raising her IVs or individual values, training Blissey to have more health points can help her survive a battle for much longer than it normally would. Her abilities also benefit her very high HP, acting as a healer and inflicting status conditions onto her opponents. When her physical defense is very low, she is at least guaranteed to survive one hit from a Fighting-type move just as long as she heals up as soon as possible. If you level up one to level 100, Seismic Toss is a fantastic move to give her since she will deal 100 points of damage. Plus, she is great at giving experience points!
9 Power Creeping Ghost
Was Gengar the worst battler in Red and Blue? Absolutely not. It has great special attack, special defense, and speed to help sweep its opponents. The issue with Gengar back in the day was that its dual typing of Poison and Ghost make its STAB moves, also known as same-type attack bonus, backfire due to its dual typing moves being physical. So moves like Shadow Ball, while doing some damage, won’t do as much since it was considered a physical move.
The fourth and sixth generations certainly made Gengar fans very happy.
Diamond and Pearl introduced the physical-special split for moves and it changed the metagame completely for the better. Gengar can benefit greatly with Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb while dealing a lot of damage with its incredible special attack stat. The sixth generation gave Gengar a mega evolution, and it was so broken that it went to Uber in competitive play. Not to mention, it gained a huge boost in special attack and speed to add the damage. The ability Shadow Tag even prevented its opponents from switching out, making it a win-win situation for Gengar. To this day, its mega evolution still remains in Uber, but it is probably better that way since it is too powerful.
8 Through The Power Of Light Ball
Even those who are not a fan of Pokémon can immediately tell who Pikachu is. It is the mascot of the series for being able to appeal to boys and girls for how cool and strong it is, but also for how cute it is. In the first generation, Jolteon, Electrode, and Zapdos were the superior Electric-type Pokémon due to their great speed and special attack. The second generation gave it a chance to perform well in battle thanks to the inclusion of the Light Ball, which is exclusively for Pikachu and it doubles its special attack.
If Pikachu with a Light Ball is not your forte, then you can always evolve it into a Raichu, more specifically if you are in Alola. It gains the Psychic-type and its stats are boosted slightly compared to normal Raichu. It also comes with Surge Surfer, which doubles its already outrageous 110 base speed if Electric Terrain is in effect. Pikachu is an overall fun Pokémon to have around, whether for the use of Light Ball or getting it to evolve in Sun and Moon. There will always be better options for an Electric-type Pokémon, but Pikachu will always be the most popular Pokémon.
7 Piercing Through Walls
To rival Scyther, there is also another Bug-type Pokémon that had its prime-time before getting less attention. The name is Pinsir and unlike Scyther, it did not get an evolution to help stand out in battle for the later generations to come. While Scyther would turn into Scizor and become a fantastic Pokémon to use, Pinsir is just there. The fifth generation eventually gave it a hidden ability called Moxie. With that, it gains one stage of attack for every time it knocks out another Pokémon. Unfortunately, a certain Bug-type Pokémon by the name of Heracross did the job better, making Pinsir be rarely used in battle.
Thanks to the sixth generation, Pinsir gained a mega evolution, making it a fierce competitor to face. Once it mega evolves, its attack, defense, and speed increase drastically. It also gains the ability Aerilate, which turns Normal-type moves into Flying-type. Combined with Swords Dance, those that have a disadvantage against Mega Pinsir will be scared of the Bug and Flying-type Pokémon. Even a move like Quick Attack can help KO the opponent for the sake of coverage. There is saying that goes, “Good things come to those who wait,” and that is exactly what Pinsir did.
6 What Type Changing Can Do To You
Clefable isn’t the most common Pokémon to be used in battling that came from the first generation, but it had its uses once in a while. It can be described as a jack of all trades, but master of none type of Pokémon. It is unpredictable but does not necessarily have any strengths. In terms of battling, Clefable is okay, but other Normal-type Pokémon do its job better like Porygon-Z. It does have Magic Guard, but that ability can be confusing if put in the wrong hands.
Thanks to the Fairy-type being added in the sixth generation, Clefable became bulkier and stronger.
It can check out strong Pokémon that poses as a threat while being able to recover HP using Soft-Boiled. Moonblast is an amazing special attack that can lower the opponent’s special attack by one stage. It might have average speed consisting of 60 base, but sometimes being durable and strong is better than being fast and frail. Clefable is also a great choice for having moves like Heal Bell and Wish so that the Pokémon on its team can recover from a status condition or gain HP back. Overall, Clefable is one Fairy-type that can be beneficial to any team.
