20 Strongest Water-Type Pokémon, Ranked

Although Squirtle is arguably the most famous Water-type in the world of Pokémon, there are many others that can be more impressive and powerful than this adorable starter when used in battle. As with all the types, Pokémon under this classification can vary drastically in how strong they are, particularly when evolved into a Mega Evolution. Many Water-types are also combined into dual types, providing both greater strengths and weaknesses. Of course, sometimes the pure Water-type Pokémon can prove to be the most useful to Trainers in many situations.

While certain Mega Evolutions and Primal Reversions count as pure Water-types, creatures that can acquire any typing based on an item or move do not qualify. Whether battling in Pokémon GO, playing one of the mainline video games such as Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, or using physical cards in the trading card game, Pokémon TCG, having strong Water-type Pokémon can have a significant impact. Classic, pure Water-type creatures such as Blastoise, or dual-typing Pokémon like Swampert can change the course of a battle with ease.

There are many ways to classify “strongest” in the world of Pokémon. These Water-type Pokémon were selected based on the stat total of each while taking special movesets and other features into consideration.

20 Seismitoad

Pokédex #0537

The froggy Seismitoad is the final evolution of Gen 5’s Tympole and it’s a great combination of Ground and Water types. The different bumps on the Pokémon’s body are said to have different properties, from increasing its punching power to letting out a poison in response to attacks.

Seismitoad has good all-around stats, with 105 HP, 95 Attack, and 85 Sp. Attack for a grand total of 509. Its special abilities give the Pokémon an edge thanks to its poisonous skin. Any unlucky opponent who hits Seismitoad with a physical attack becomes poisoned, making Seismitoad a fairly powerful opponent.

19 Vaporeon Offers A Lot Of Health & High Sp. Stats

Pokédex #0134

Vaporeon, one of the original Eeveelutions, often gets swept to the side in favor of stronger Water-type Pokémon, many of which have a dual-typing. While it is certainly not the most powerful in its category, coming in with a stat total of 525, it offers a lot of health and very strong Sp. Attack and Sp. Defense stats.

Vaporeon’s 130 HP gives it the time to build up for its Special Attacks, which can deal a substantial amount of damage. Due to its high Sp. Def, it does well against Special attackers but can struggle more against Physical ones. In the right setup, it can be a surprisingly strong, and adorable, Pokémon in battle.

18 Inteleon’s Speed & Special Attack Give It An Edge

Pokédex #0818

Out of the three Generation 8 starters, Sobble’s fully evolved form, Inteleon, is perhaps the most divisive. Many players do not like its hybrid of lizard and human-like design or the concept behind it.

Despite the dislike, Inteleon is an incredibly fast and powerful Pokémon, with much of its 530 stat total placed into Speed (120) and Special Attack (125). When Inteleon is able to use its signature move, Snipe Shot, it is often able to one-shot opponents due to its strong Special Attack stat.

17 Greninja Has Great Speed, Attack, & Sp. ATK Stats

Pokédex #0658

The final evolution of the Kalos Water starter, Greninja is a memorable Pokémon in general, which is made even more apparent by its guest appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series. Greninja has a stat total of 530, with a strong distribution of those points into Speed (122), Special Attack (103), and Attack (95), making it a powerful fighter who can strike its foes down quickly.

Attacks like Hydro Pump, Water Shuriken, and Dark Pulse are fantastic for their dual Water/Dark-type. Plus, Greninja’s Protean ability makes coverage moves just as deadly as its primary weapons of choice.

16 Dondozo Has A Stat Total Of 530

Pokédex 0977

Dondozo may be very slow, but that doesn’t take away from its impressive HP, Attack, and Defense. One of the new Pokémon introduced with Gen 9’s Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, Dondozo has a stat total of 530, and only 35 of those points are in Speed, which leaves the rest of that number to be spread across its other stats.

Not easily taken down, Dondozo has 150 in HP, with 115 in Defense and 100 in Attack. With HP and Defense that high, its speed stat becomes negligible, as it can withstand many blows before even noticing.

15 Feraligatr

Pokédex #0160

Feraligatr is the final evolution form of the Gen 2 Water-type Pokémon Totodile. The blue Pokémon is based on alligators, as the name suggests, and its huge, powerful mouth and jaws are its main strength. Also like its real-world counterpart, Feraligatr has a thick skin thanks to strong scaly armor.

Accordingly, Feraligatr’s strongest stats are Attack at 105 and Defense at 100. Its stat total is a respectable 530, which isn’t the most powerful but is strong enough to hold its own in a battle. The Pokémon’s Torrent ability also give its water attacks a 50% boost when its HP falls below a third, helping it out in a pinch.

14 Swampert’s Ground/Water-Typing Make It Immune To Water’s Weakness

Pokédex #0260

The Hoenn region games are still affectionately looked back upon by the fan base as some of the best mainline Pokémon games. One of that generation’s assets is perhaps its well-rounded starters, with Swampert proving to be reliable in its own right.

Its dual Water/Ground-type is incredibly useful, granting it immunity to the otherwise Achilles’ heel for Water species (Electric) and only one weakness (4x to Grass). Swampert has impressive all-around stats, with a stat total of 535 and only its Speed falling below 85.

13 Lapras

Pokédex #0131

Lapras is one of the original 151 Pokémon from Gen 1. Its design is based roughly on the real-world plesiosaur dinosaur and it shows up in the original Pokémon anime as a great way to surf between islands.

Lapras is a Water and Ice type Pokémon with a fairly high 130 HP, 95 Special Defense, and a total stat count of 535. From gen 3 and up, Lapras has a special ability called Water Absorb that allows it to absorb Water-type moves instead of being hurt by them. It’s also immune to critical hits, making it an even better Water-type to use in battle.

12 Kingdra Has Solid All-Around Stats

Pokédex #0230

Kingdra is the final evolution of the Gen 1 Horsea and Seadra that was added in Gen 2. Originally, the Water and Dragon Pokémon could only be acquired by trading a Seadra holding a Dragon Scale.

Kingdra may not have any specific strengths in its stats, but its total stats of 540 are one of the most balanced of the water types. Every single one of Kingdra’s stats is 95, except for Speed which is 85 and HP at 75. This makes Kingdra a solid choice for any trainer.

11 Gyarados Has High Attack Stats & High HP

Pokédex #0130

Pokémon‘s original Kanto region and its first 151 pocket monsters are perhaps some of the most memorable, including the Water-type Gyarados. The second evolution of the essentially useless Magikarp, Gyarados makes the slog of sticking with Magikarp worth it.

Mega Gyarados stacks on what already makes it strong, plus is more competent with a Water/Dark-type mix.

The dual Water/Flying-type has a stat total of 540, with much of that being focused on Attack and HP. Though it is four times weaker to Electric damage due to this combo, its Physical Water-type attacks such as Waterfall and Dragon Dance can quickly take down many foes.

10 Milotic’s Special Attack Stat Makes It Very Powerful

Pokédex #0350

With a high base stat total of 540 and access to some great moves, Milotic is one of the strongest Pokémon from the Hoenn region. While its Attack stat of only 60 is disappointing, it throws its offensive strength into its Special Attack at 125. While this stat is not groundbreaking, it can be devastating when combined with the Pokémon’s bulk and defensive stats.

Opponents often need several turns to defeat Milotic, and it can strike many times before it faints. As the evolution of the weak Feebas, Milotic shows that not everything is as it immediately appears.

9 Iron Bundle Makes Up For Low HP With High Defense & Sp. ATK

Pokédex #0991

One of the Paradox Pokémon introduced in Gen 9, Iron Bundle is essentially a Water-type version of Delibird. It may look clunky and slow, but this mechanical pocket monster has one of the fastest Speed stats at 136.

That, combined with its 114 Defense and 124 Special Attack make it a very powerful Pokémon, even though it only has a measly 56 HP. Iron Bundle comes in with a stat total of 570, and its Speed can be even higher with its Agility move.

8 Keldeo’s Speed And Special Attack Gives It An Edge

Pokédex #0647

Keldeo is a Water and Fighting legendary from Gen 5 that resembles a donkey with a fiery red hairdo and a blue horse-like tail. Keldeo’s stat total is 580, which is impressive for a regular Pokémon but fairly low for a Legendary.

The Pokémon’s best stats are Speed at 108 and Special Attack at 129, helping it to unleash powerful Special attacks quickly. Although Keldeo doesn’t evolve, it has a “Resolute Form” which switches out its moveset while maintaining the stats the same, for players who want to mix things up.

7 Suicune Has Great Defense, Sp. Defense, & High HP

Pokédex #0245

With a surprisingly even stat spread, Suicune can face some difficulties by not having anything particularly impressive, despite its stat total of 580. It’s structured as more of a tank overall, with 100 HP, 115 Defense, and 115 Special Defense, but Attack, Special Attack, and Speed are all between 75 and 90.

By Legendary standards, they are not incredibly impressive, although they are still a powerful Pokémon in many situations and can wear down non-Legendary foes quite easily. On the other hand, Suicune has a very appealing design, so it’s still a popular choice for fans.

6 Walking Wake Can Do Some Heavy Damage To Opponents

Pokédex #1009

The Paradox Pokémon version of Suicune, Walking Wake is slightly better with a stat total raised to 590, but continues with Suicune’s theme of having its stats remain fairly even. It does feature a higher Special Attack stat of 125, however, which provides a better opportunity for it to do some heavy damage, and its higher Speed at 109 lets it accomplish that quicker.

Also, for this Paradox combination, Walking Wake adds the Dragon-type, which provides access to some of the strongest moves in the Pokémon universe. This combination makes Walking Walk a great choice for any water-type trainer.

5 Manaphy Is Stronger Than Most Water-Types

Pokédex #0490

When it comes to Mythical Pokémon, Manaphy is not quite as good as some of the others. Its stats are all fairly high, and it has a stat total of 600, but its stats are the same 100 points across the board, preventing it from excelling in any one department.

As a Mythical, though, it is stronger than most other pure Water-types and it has a Status move that can help it significantly: Tail Glow. This move raises its Special Attack dramatically. Its accessible moves are still limited, and many of its more powerful moves are available only through TM and TR, but Tail Glow makes Manaphy much more capable.

4 Volcanion’s Water/Fire-Typing Gives It A Nice Bonus

Pokédex #0721

Simply for having the amazing dual combination of Fire- and Water-Type, Volcanion stands out as being not only unique but powerful. Known as the Steam Pokémon for its blend of powers, it has a stat total of 600.

It does suffer from being somewhat slower, with a Speed stat of only 70, but makes up for this with a Special Attack stat of 130 and Defense at 120. Even its standard Physical Attack has a high 110, ensuring that this Mythical Pokémon is powerful against a large range of rivals.

3 Mega Blastoise Is More Powerful Than Most Water-Type Pokémon

Pokédex #0009

On its own, Blastoise is one of the better final evolutions of a Water starter Pokémon and has a stat total of 530. As such, it would rank as one of the strongest pure Water-types in the franchise. With a Mega Evolution, though, Blastoise can surpass the vast majority of Water-types and its stat total jumps to 630.

This Water-type Pokémon keeps its high defensive stats and even boosts them slightly, although its HP and Speed stay the same. Mega Blastoise has counters and weaknesses, but it truly shines with its drastically increased Special Attack stat. Its Mega Launcher ability increases the power of Aura and Pulse moves, making Water Pulse not only more viable but also deadly.

2 Palkia’s Stats Are All In The Triple Digits

Pokédex #0484

While its counterpart Dialga is an imposing Physical Attack-focused Pokémon, the Pearl mascot, Palkia hones in on Special Attacks. As with any creature classified as a Legendary, power comes by default, and it does so thanks to its total stat value of 680 spread and a Water/Dragon dual typing.

This combination is particularly useful for ridding itself of the Ice weakness Dragons are normally plagued by. Every stat is in the triple digits barring HP (90), allowing it the option of outright nuclear attacks like Hydro Pump, Draco Meteor, Spacial Rend, and even coverage moves like Thunder and Fire Blast.

1 Kyogre & Primal Kyogre Make The Most Powerful Water-Type Pokémon

Pokédex #0382

As with Blastoise, Kyogre is very strong before acquiring a new form, with a stat total of 670 and being the box art Legendary for Pokémon Sapphire. With the introduction of its Primal Reversion, though, it became almost unstoppable with a massive stat total of 770. The only real drawback is its Defense, which is still not bad.

Primal Kyogre’s offensive stats are absurdly strong, and with its Primordial Sea ability, heavy rain falls on the battlefield, boosting its Water moves even more. No enemy should want to find itself in Primal Kyogre’s path, because this Pokémon Legendary can destroy teams with ease.