My Ranking of Pokémon Types/Favourite Pokémon of Each Type

I’m going to apologise in advance for stealing more ideas from Pinkie of Pinkie’s Paradise, a series I’d highly recommend you read through. I’ve been super intrigued by her lists of her favourite Pokemon of each typing, something I wanted to so something similar to myself. However, I’m not sure I could meet her sheer word count when it comes to talking about individual Pokemon.

So instead I’m going to rank my actual favourite Pokemon types overall, from least favourite to mostest favourite. And then list my top three favourite Pokemon of each type at the same time. If I have three I feel strongly enough to list them anyway. When it comes to my justification for classifying one Pokemon in a particular type over another, I’m going to say it’s pretty arbitrary. Mostly trying to go for primary typings and/or the type that represents that particular Pokemon best.

Will I cheat and break that rule? Almost absolutely, but I’ll let you decide that totally invalidates this list or not.

 

Flying

(*Shrug* I like Staraptor I guess)

I don’t really see flying as a real typing. If I’m honest; I always forget it was a type at all. I kind of see it more as a supplement more than anything. There are very few pure Flying types or Pokemon that have Flying as its primary type. Plus, there are a bunch of Pokemon that look like they should be flying but aren’t, because they have two other types already. So they get levitate or something to make them as good as flying. I kind of feel like flying is just shorthand for bird type in the wealth of normal/flying Pokemon to pick from.

 

Normal

(#3: Silvally, #2: Porygon 2, #1: Snorlax)

Normal is a tricky one. Like the type suggests, there’s not much about it for me to feel strongly about. There are individual Pokemon I like with the typing, but overall, being uninteresting is kind of their deal. Although I do love Snorlax, as shown by the fact that it’s been closely associated with this blog here and there as a placeholder image I never replaced. It kind of shows in that both Silvally and Porygon 2 are on my list; who are both very atypical examples of the typing.

 

Fairy

(#3: Hatterene, #2: Sylveon, #1: Togekiss)

Fairy is a type I’m glad exists, as to put a stop to the domination of Dragon types that was rampant throughout Gens IV and V. Plus I really like the weird, randomly creepy tone and aesthetic that follows around the typing in the overworld where they seem to gather. Although that doesn’t really seem to translate to the Pokemon themselves, which all seem to share more simple, cutesy design theme. Like Flying, I enjoy Fairy as a supplemental type than one that can stand on its own.

 

Dark

(#3: *Shrug*, #2: Absol, #1: Umbreon)

I feel like I should like Dark types a whole lot more than I actually do. It’s a visual aesthetic I should be all about, but in the end it feels like something that the Ghost typing does better in almost any given example. Umbreon is my favourite eeveelution, despite it being pretty low in terms of usefulness compared to it’s siblings. But overall Dark is a pretty uninteresting type. You use Crunch or Dark Pulse and that tends to be all they have to them.

 

Psychic

(#3: Slowbro, #2: Female Meowstic, #1: Gardevoir)

How the mighty have fallen. Psychic used to be the dominant type, which has since fallen from grace thanks to the introduction of both Dark and Steel types in the second generation, coupled with how good Bug types are now. There are a lot of Psychic types I like, but few I love. My main issue is that there is very little variation in the typing. It really boils down to feeling like a Psychic machine that also sometimes uses Shadow Ball.

 

Ground

(#3: Donphan, #2: Marowak, #1: Gliscor)

Ground is a workhorse typing. A no-nonsense, Earthquake throwing brute of a type that does a job in almost all situations. Weirdly, I feel like Ground type goes Normal types job as the simple, allrounder typing better than Normal does. Ground keeps its head down and puts in a good shift. That being said, Gliscor is one of my favoueite all time Pokemon, which is a combination of types you might forget is a thing. That poison heal though.

 

Electric

(#3: Zapdos, #2: Electivire, #1: Magnezone)

Electric types do it for me on aesthetic alone. Electric types look cool, and that’s by design for the most part. Electric used to be my go-to typing when I was building my teams in earlier generations, something I’d always have to have in my team. Now though, I’ve come to appreciate Grass types a lot more and as a result, Electric types have fallen in my estimation. Plus that ground immunity is killer. Maybe that’s why I really like Electivire as a rare physical Electric type.

 

Rock

(#3: Golem #2: Solrock, #1: Rhyperior)

Like Electric, Rock is a typing I really like on pure aesthetic. I have a fondness for big, chunky physically defensive Pokemon. When it comes to building teams, as a rule; I like Pokemon with more of a defensive stat spread than the glass cannon archetype. I prefer to chip away at opponents rather than sweep them with high speed. And aside from Steel, Rock is all about that hard headed approach. Although for a time there was no differentiation between the Rock and Ground as they seemed bundled together for a long time.

 

Fighting

(#3: Hawlucha, #2: Throh, #1: Poliwrath)

Considering what a powerful typing fighting is in the metagame, even I’m surprised that fighting isn’t higher on my list. But looking at all the Pokemon on the list with the typing it, like flying, feels like a type that really shines when it’s being used in combination with something else. Pure Fighting is a good type in terms of coverage, but alone can feel fairly limited. Which is why it doesn’t get any higher than this middlish position.

 

Water

(#3: Corsola, #2: Samurott, #1: Greninja)

It’d be difficult for Water to be too far down on anybody’s list considering the sheer amount of them in the game. I mean there’s just so much inspiration out there for the designers to pull from when it comes to Water Types. I like Water types more now than I used to, as the recent games have added some much needed diversity to them, adding a ton of physical water type moves and status moves like Scald. For a while, they were just surf machines that occasionally used Ice Beam.

 

Dragon

(#3: Kingdra, #2: Flygon, #1: Dragonite)

Dragon is a cool-ass typing. Almost all Dragon types come in two varieties; either super cool and edgy (in the literal sense) or they’re big, doughy balls of love. And they’re great in both flavours. You can’t go wrong with Dragon types, and even after Fairy showed up, they still do a job in most situations. Especially now, as they’ve become just another typing, rather than the weird type reserved for legendary and psuedo-legendary Pokemon.

 

Ghost

(#3: Aegislash, #2: Chandelure, #1: Trevenant)

In the way I like to build teams and the type of Pokemon I’m attracted to, I love to play to be a pain in the ass. Bombarding opponents with status effects and being difficult to deal with. No type exemplifies that role better than Ghost types. Having access to all sorts of strange and unusual moves to do with, coupled with how wide and diverse the typing is, there is a lot to attract you Ghost types. With Water, you know the inspiration is going to be some kind of fish (to be utterly reductive). With Ghosts you can get sandcastles, teapots, candles and lawnmowers. The possibilities are endless.

 

Ice

(#3: Avalugg, #2: Glalie, #1: Frosmoth)

I love Ice types, I wish they didn’t suck so much. I love the design and visual style of pretty much every Ice type, the white and frosty blue colour scheme is one I never get sick of seeing in anything. But to say Ice types have fallen from grace would be overselling any importance Ice types had in the first place. With Fairy coming and stealing their thunder as the hard counter to Dragon, all Ice has going for them now is a type weakness to a relatively warm breeze. Seriously, they’re weak to everything. Which makes me sad because they’re all so… cool… *sorry*

 

Grass

(#3: Ferrothorn, #2: Torterra, #1: Venusaur)

I mentioned before that I like tricky Pokemon, and like Ghost types, Grass has a lot of utility when it comes to being a pain in the ass. Having access to a ton of status inducing moves, even more than Ghost, and one of my favourite moves in the entire series in Leech Seed. Grass has a ton of variety and utility across the available Pokemon in the typing, and is a typing I enjoy far more for what they do than how they look. Which isn’t to denigrate the cool designs that are there in amongst the mix. Just letting you know it isn’t just about looks for me. I mean, since they changed Venusaur from a dinosaur to a toad, I still love him.

 

Fire

(#3: Salazzle, #2: Volcarona, #1: Blaziken)

For a long time I was a self proclaimed Fire type starter guy. Despite Bulbasaur being my main choice in the original games, for the following three generations I would pick a fire starter without even looking at the alternatives. I’ve since moved away from that trend, but still enjoy Fire types all the same. In part due to their penchant to burn opponents, which is always a fun way of ruining an opponent’s day. Plus they’ve got Blaziken, which is my favourite Pokemon. Full Stop. It’s another typing chocked full of great designs and great looking moves. Fire makes its way this high based on a weighted average of being a type I never think I’ve been without in any game I’ve played.

 

 

Steel

(#3: Lucario, #2: Metagross, #1: Scizor)

Steel types are cool. They’re that combination of not really having any bad designs and doing the job of being big, bulky defensively orientated Pokemon, which I’ve already said is something I groove on. As this list has gone on, you’ve probably noticed a lot of types from this high ranking bunch sneaking into my favourite of other types. Steel seems to find its way into mixing with everything, while also being a great type than can stand on its own. Plus, unlike Ice, it resists so much stuff that sending in a Steel type to only lose a sliver of health is one of the more satisfying Pokemon experiences for me.

 

Poison

(#3: Toxtricity, #2: Drapion, #1: Muk)

I’ve talked about other types feeling like they’re simply supplemental to whatever else the individual Pokemon has going on. The likes of Toxtricity and Salazzle are perfect examples of this. But as I mentioned what I spoke about Ghost and Grass Pokemon, I like that tricky nonsense, and there is nothing like a no nonsense case of badly poisoned to ruin an opponent’s day. I never even realised I liked Poison type Pokemon so much until very recently, maybe when I was so utterly devastated to realise Muk wasn’t going to be available in Sword/Shield. They all just look cool and edgy in a way Dark types which they could pull off.

 

Bug

(#3: Venomoth, #2: Escavalier, #1: Heracross)

I feel bad about this top three, I struggle to decide on just three Pokemon I like out of the Bug typing, which especially feels bad when I’ve already picked other Bugs to be in other type lists previously on the list. I’ve always had a soft spot for Bug types, even when they were kind of useless in the first generation of games. Being the only type strong against Psychic, while also being weak against Psychic, but then not really having any good Bug type moves to capitalise on it. That changed though as the generations went on and Bug became a very solid, very varied typing. Having Pokemon that fill all kinds of different archetypes on both the offensive and defensive spectrum, as well as being both physical and special attackers.

It’s purely for the sheer variety of things Bug types can do, combined with very varied designs throughout the generations that I enjoy Bug types have have done several trick runs where I start with just 6 Bug types and see how I manage.

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And there you have it, a very round about list that just gave me an excuse to get all of the gushing out of my system in one go. I might do a follow up to this in highly clickbaity fashion and actually list my top * Pokemon overall. But I feel that’s a list that’ll change on a daily basis outside of a few choice entries. Thanks again to Pinkie for (hopefully) not getting mad at me for stealing her idea. I do have another Pokemon post in the works, my belated visitation to the Isle of Armour has gotten me back into Pokemon with a fervour I haven’t felt since X and Y.