Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have come and gone and in spite of their technical issues, I still found them to be very fun and enjoyable Pokémon games overall thanks to a story that has better than average writing compared to what we usually expect from these games, some lovely looking graphics, the open world gameplay and some very fun characters. You can read my full thoughts in my review on the games here.
But another thing that makes Scarlet and Violet fun new additions to the Pokémon franchise is the new Pokémon we've gotten in the games. There are some pretty bad new ones out there with some mediocre designs like Maushold, Espartha and the Wiglett line but most of the new ones are a home run and have some of the best designs Pokémon have given us in recent years.
So which Paldean Pokémon are my overall favourites? Which ones are the ones I like above all others? Which ones are the ones I'd be likely to take on an adventure through Paldea time and time again? Let's dive in as we count down my Top 10 Favourite Paldean Pokémon...
Number 10: Cetitan
One of the first Paldean Pokémon to be revealed during the marketing campaign for Scarlet and Violet, Cetitan immediately caught my interest for its unique design amongst other Ice-types and looking like it could pack quite a punch. And needless to say, it lives up to its promises.
Cetitan is a bulky, hard-hitting Ice-type that can learn some hard-hitting moves like the newly introduced Ice Spinner attack, Earthquake to deal with Fire and Rock-types that would pose a threat to it and Heavy Slam to make use of its great weight. What makes it even better compared to other Ice-types is that it can have the Thick Fat ability to halve the damage it takes from Fire attacks. Useful when they're one of the types it's weak against, am I right? It also has the Slush Rush ability in which its speed increases when it's snowing, which can be useful for those that use snow-based teams and its Hidden Ability is Sheer Force, which is always a useful ability to have.
Cetitan is a little on the slow side but it makes up for it by being a strong Ice-type with great attack strength and a badass looking design. This is one whale you don't want to mess with as it could kick your ass in a second! I enjoyed using Cetitan in my first Paldean playthrough and it's a pity it's the only decent new Ice-type we have in this generation as we could've done with more. But that only makes Cetitan more unique and worth using as a result. If you like Ice-types, this is one titan you won't regret using...
Number 9: Paldean Tauros
Tauros was in desperate need of an upgrade and Scarlet and Violet didn't disappoint with its new Paldean form. However, form is the wrong word here as Tauros didn't get just one regional variant...but THREE.
Paldean Tauros are generally pure-Fighting types and it's the Combat Breed that's the most common to find but there are other breeds that are Fire/Fighting and Water/Fighting respectively. Out of the three, I used the Aqua Breed in particular but I plan to use the other two in later runs. Paldean Tauros doesn't look the most creative out there with it essentially just looking like Tauros with its fur dyed black but it does look pretty badass in those colours anyway. The Fire and Aqua Breeds have more to them with different horn shapes, mane styles and tail designs to make them stand out from one another.
Paldean Tauros is much stronger than its Kantonian form with higher attack and higher physical defence while still having access to many powerful physical moves like Close Combat, Zen Headbutt (which is useful in fending off other Fighting-types), Earthquake, Outrage, Stone Edge and more, it can learn Iron Head to shoo off Fairy-types and the Fire and Aqua Breeds can also learn some powerful Fire and Water attacks. Their signature move is Raging Bull, a move that can break through barriers like Light Screen and Reflect and its typing depends on the breed that's using it, meaning it can be a Fighting, Fire or Water type attack depending which Tauros you use. It also maintains the usual Tauros abilities of Intimidate and Anger Point, which are always useful to have in a battle.
Paldean Tauros is a marked improvement over the classic Kantonian breed and I loved using the Aqua Breed in my first run. I look forward to using the other two in later runs. This is one angry bull nobody wants to be in the path of when its starts charging...
Number 8: Iron Valiant and Iron Thorns
We have a tie here as these two are my favourite of the Paradox Pokémon and I can't pick a favourite out of them.
Violet is home to the futuristic Paradox Pokémon in where they all look like robot versions of various species. In these two's case, Iron Valiant looks like a hybrid of Gallade and Gardevoir while Iron Thorns looks like a robot Tyranitar. Given Tyranitar's Godzilla inspired roots, of course it has to have its own equivalent to Mecha Godzilla, am I right? XD
These two are the coolest looking of the Paradox Pokémon in my eyes. They look like all-powerful machines that could kill you instantly and could easily start a robot apocalypse if they were left out-of-control! Iron Valiant looks like this majestic knight-ish warrior with a twin bladed sword that could cut up enemies in an instant while Iron Thorns looks like it could wreck great destruction with its bulky Tyranitar inspired looks.
They're no slouches in a battle either. Iron Valiant maybe frail defensively but its Fairy/Fighting is nothing to sneeze at and its stats allow for it to run a mixed moveset of Physical and Special Attacks so you never know what you're gonna get with this guy. It can also learn a lot of powerful moves on either side like Aura Sphere, Close Combat, Moonblast, Night Slash and more and every time it's in battle, it just looks super cool. I love it! :D
Iron Thorns might be a bit of a downgrade compared to Tyranitar with its Rock/Electric typing giving it a double weakness to Ground attacks and has lower Special Defence but it's still very strong and bulky on the physical side, is faster than Tyranitar and can learn some hard hitting moves like Earthquake, Wild Charge, Stone Edge, all the elemental punches and fangs and can even learn Dragon Dance to boost its attack and speed even further. It can cover its Grass and Ground weaknesses easily with Ice Punch, Ice Fang, Fire Fang or Fire Punch and even if it's weak to Water-types, it's part Electric type so nobody sensible would even use Water-types to fight it! Also it has less weaknesses than Tyranitar with its double-typing so I'd say it's still worth using.
Both these Pokémon come with the Quark Drive ability, an ability that boosts their best stat on Electric Terrain or if they're holding a Booster Energy capsule. Given their best stats are their attacking stats, they're really gonna hit like tanks when they get going!
Of all the Paradox Pokémon out there, these two are my absolute favourites and I'll be happy to use them again and again. I just wish they had proper names though. I like to think they're called "Steelade" and "Mechatar". But a Pokémon by any other name is just as strong and these two are definitely powerful mons worth using...
Number 7: Tinkaton
What is it with Fairy-types looking adorable AND badass at the same time? The moment I saw Tinkaton, I thought "This is the most stupidly awesome thing I've ever seen and I want one!" While I didn't use it on my first run given Daschbun ended up being my Fairy-type I used for my first run, I definitely am using one on my next run, and for good reason.
Tinkaton is a Fairy/Steel type, already a fantastic combination defensively with two immunities and several resistances and only two weaknesses in the form of Fire and Ground but it can learn Rock attacks like Stone Edge to handle Fire types and can be bred Ice Hammer to shoo off Ground types. As for the design, the best way to describe it is "This is what happens if you turn Amy Rose from Sonic the Hedgehog into a Pokémon". Its design invokes the cute innocent looking creatures that Fairy types often are but also looks like something you're best off avoiding thanks to the giant hammer. It's always comical to see the small figure wielding a giant weapon of some kind and that just makes Tinkaton more fun as a result.
But Tinkaton isn't all looks. It has a brilliant Special Defence stat, decent speed and while it's not the strongest attacker ever, it can still learn a few powerful moves here and there with its best move being its signature move Gigaton Hammer. It's a move that has base 160 power and perfect accuracy so it's always guaranteed to hit like a tank on types that don't resist Steel with the only drawback being that it can't be used twice in a row. Regardless, it's still a move you don't want your Pokémon to be on the receiving end of. Also that hammer of Tinkaton's has made it the nightmare of all Corviknight living there for reasons anyone whose read its Pokédex entry will know about...
I love Tinkaton for its design, typing and stupidly powerful signature move and I can't wait to use it for the first time in my next playthrough. I think this little critter is going to serve me well... ;)
Number 6: Meowscarda
I'll never forget how when people saw Sprigatito, they were practically BEGGING for its final form to be quadrupedal. Why they wanted that so badly, I'll never understand and I'm glad it wasn't just to make them sore over all their pointless whining over something that doesn't even matter in the end. Besides, Meowscarada looks fine as it is, making it quadrupedal wouldn't have made it look any better.
Anyway, this cool cat looks absolutely FAB-U-LOUS. It has this whole magician vibe going on complete with a masked appearance and what looks like a cape to boot. Meoswcarada has this cool, charismatic appearance that makes it look like it's gonna perform the most amazing show you've ever seen and it just looks so classy that I love it. But Meowscarada isn't just about looking good. It's a solid starter Pokémon too with the best speed stat of all fully evolved starter Pokémon to date, a high attack stat and a great signature move in the form of Flower Trick, a move that always lands a critical hit when it hits. It has a pretty versatile moveset too with moves such as Thunder Punch, Play Rough, Shadow Claw, U-turn, Brick break and Night Slash at its disposal with Thunder Punch especially providing it a useful counter against Flying-types. With how fast and strong it is, Meowscarada is guaranteed to hit hard and fast no matter what it's up against.
This is one fabulous feline that I'll be happy to have on a team in the future. I plan for my next run to be a Sprigatito run so I'll get to see for myself how good Meowscarada is. With its classy design, magician motif, high speed and strong attack stats, this is one kitty that you'll be sorry to mess with...
Number 5: Baxcalibur
Dragon is my favourite typing in all of Pokémon. If I was a Gym Leader, I'd be a Dragon-type Gym Leader. So upon seeing that Scarlet and Violet had a brand new Dragon-type Pokémon to use, I couldn't resist giving Baxcalibur a go.
Baxcalibur is one solid ball of awesome in so many ways. It has this clear Godzilla-inspired design going for it with a huge sail on its back that may evoke the Spinosaurus while also resembling the blade of a sword, which goes with its Excalibur inspired name. Baxcalibur is a Dragon/Ice type, the first of its kind since Kyurem from Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 so it's unique amongst other pseudo-legendries in that regard. And it lives up to the pseudo-legendary name too for it's AN ABSOLUTE BEAST! It has a MONSTROUSLY high attack stat, decent bulk and speed and it can learn a lot of powerful Dragon and Ice attacks to make use of. Top that off with it being able to learn Dragon Dance and you have a Pokémon that can wreck teams by itself! In my case, it did just that for when I played Pokémon Violet for the first time, I used this guy against Hassel of the Elite Four and I literally swept his entire team with a Dragon Dance boosted Baxcalibur. That's how strong it is! The one downside to it is its terrible signature move. I mean Glaive Rush hits the opponent but then on the next turn, your opponent hits back and does double damage to you while being unable to miss? Get stuffed, that's terrible! You're better off just using Outrage.
Terrible signature move aside, Baxcalibur is one awesome dragon and I can happily rate it among the great Dragon-type Pokémon alongside Dragonite, Salamence, Flygon, Noivern, Haxorus, Hydreigon and Dragapult. With a beastly attack stat and some strong moves at its disposal, this guy could give even Godzilla a run for its money...
Number 4: Kingambit
Question: What do you get if you take Bisharp and make it even MORE awesome? Answer: You get this guy. ;)
Kingambit is just a total badass and that's as evident as can be in its design alone. It has this shogun/samurai motif going on with the armoured appearance, large helmet and even larger moustache that looks like it's made from a sword. That looks so goofy and yet so awesome at the same time. XD I could've done without the long hair that it sits on though. It just makes Kingambit look like a lazy slob. Stand up and fight, dammit! =P
Anyway, Kingambit as as strong as it looks with a very high attack stat, high physical defence and large amount of HP. It maybe slower than Bisharp, but slow and steady wins the race here for it not only hits hard, but it can learn a lot of powerful moves too. It has access to the usual powerful Steel and Dark moves you might expect from it, it can learn Zen Headbutt to stand up to Fighting-types that would threaten it, Stone Edge to snuff out Fire-types and it has its own signature move with Kowtow Cleave, a hard hitting Dark-type attack that never misses. It can also learn some stat boosting moves like Swords Dance to make it even stronger. But what makes this guy REALLY overpowered is its signature ability, Supreme Overlord. It gains an attack boost depending on how many Pokémon in your party have fainted. That alone sounds stupidly broken and could make Kingambit a real threat to your opponents, especially if you use it last. Too bad Paldea's Top Champion Geeta never thought of that, isn't it? =P
Bisharp was already great. Kingambit is even greater and I loved using this badass Pokémon in my first Paldean adventure. It was worth the training and I couldn't be happier to see some new life breathed into the Pawniard line. Kingambit is a gambit that will pay off big time...
Number 3: Palafin
It's a dolphin Pokémon. What other reason do I need to love it?
Palafin does have a pretty complicated and needlessly specific way of evolving but it's totally worth it for what you get is a dolphin Pokémon that looks cute and cuddly, but that all changes when it makes the transformation...
...to this.
Palafin is a strong Water-type Pokémon that is worth using in any run on Scarlet and Violet. Its Zero Form isn't anything special but its Hero Form is where all the fun begins. Its ability Zero to Hero transforms it into its Hero Form when it switches out and in its Hero Form, it boasts a massive attack stat that could make even Poliwrath feel jealous of it, decent bulk and great speed that means it'll likely out speed and hit you several times before you can even try to fight back. It helps too that Palafin has access to some powerful moves like Liquidation, Waterfall, Ice Punch, Acrobatics and more and it has some useful moves like Flip Turn and U-turn for switching out so you can get its Hero Form out into action. Because it's so fast, it'll most likely get to hit and switch out before anyone can try and stop it from transforming. With how high its attack power is, it goes to show that this dolphin packs a mean punch.
I love the design too and the whole Zero to Hero thing going on. It's very evocative of classic superheroes with the transformation gimmick more akin to a superhero changing into his costumed identity or his true form. Think of Palafin is like a dolphin Superman if you will. He just looks like a badass and that he could really send you flying with a single punch if you mess with it!
It's about time we got a dolphin Pokémon and they really gave us one with a twist we didn't expect. If there's a superhero you need to call to save the day, Palafin is your Pokémon...
Number 2: Skeledirge
It's a fire-breathing crocodile that's also part Ghost. Nuff said. XD
When playing the game for the first time, I knew Fuecoco was my first choice for starter as I love crocodiles and I love Fire-types so it was a match made in heaven for me. Then I saw Skeledirge's design and loved it even more. Thankfully, they made it so it's quadrupedal so it looks more unique compared to crocodile Pokémon like Feraligator and Krookodile before it and also looks more like a traditional crocodile to make it even better. It also has this Day of the Dead vibe going on with the skeleton liking markings and the colourful face markings while also going for a singer gibe with its signature move and the little fiery bird on the end of its snout.
As a fighter, it has an impressive Special Attack stat along with great physical bulk and its Fire/Ghost typing makes it a pretty dangerous foe to deal with. Heck, its typing gives it coverage for a lot of the bosses in Scarlet and Violet and can even handle Geeta's team by itself save for Glimmora! Its move pool isn't the widest ever but it can learn some powerful Fire and Ghost attacks, Earth Power for extra coverage, Solar Beam to deal with Water types and Snarl to lower the opponent's Special Attack with. Its signature move, Torch Song, is where it really shines for it raises Skeledirge's Special Attack every time it's used so Skeledirge has the potential to be really overpowered when you're done spamming the move.
Skeledirge is as awesome as a fire-breathing crocodile should be and it gets everything right. Its design is awesome, its a powerful fighter, it has a great signature move and it's just a joy to use in the game. This is undoubtedly the Number 1 Starter Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet and my go to choice for a Paldean starter anytime.
And my Number 1 Favourite Paldean Pokémon is...Ceruledge
Holy Arceus, I LOVE this thing! The moment I saw it, I knew I had to use it in my first Paldean playthrough and it didn't disappoint!
It's another Fire/Ghost type like Skeledirge is but Ceruledge has a knight theme going on with it. It looks like this armoured warrior with swords for hands and its overall appearance screams "badass"! It looks like it could cut you to pieces before you've even had time to blink and the armoured appearance only makes it look even more awesome. The knight theme just looks so cool and the Ghost-typing gives it some cool design traits like the purple colouring, the ghostly blades, the helmet design and the flame on the back of its head.
And then there's its fighting prowess. Ceruledge is a bit on the frail side but has good Special Defence, amazing attack and decent speed. It learns a variety of powerful moves too such as Night Slash, Solar Blade, Psycho Cut, Shadow Claw and Poison Jab but the icing on the cake is its signature move, Bitter Blade. It's a Fire-type attack that allows it to sap away some of your opponent's HP and replenish its own when it attacks. That's always useful, especially in Tera Raids where moves that replenish HP are the best moves to use there. Ceruledge was the first Pokémon revealed from Scarlet and Violet where I liked it instantly and it didn't disappoint. I had so much fun using this badass Fire Ghost Knight thing and I love watching it in action every time I use it. It's also Ceruledge that played a huge part in me choosing to play Violet first because it's a Violet exclusive.
Ceruledge has it all in terms of what makes a great Pokémon. Its strong, it has a cool typing, it looks really awesome and it's enjoyable to play with as you go through your Pokémon journey. All of this makes Ceruledge unquestionably my Number 1 Favourite Paldean Pokémon...
And that's it for this list. I hope you enjoyed it and I invite you to share your favourite Paldean Pokémon down in the comments below. Which ones are YOUR favourites? I'd love to hear them.
Next week, I'll be looking over Sonic's newest game with Sonic Frontiers. See you then everyone!
Honourable Mentions
Annhailape
Iron Moth
Bombirdier
Kilowattrel
Pawmot
Mabosstiff
Roaring Moon
Oh, well I never
Was there ever
A Mon so clever as
Magical Meowscarada?
Seriously, the moment I saw this one was a magician as the PokeDex says, I couldn't help but think of Mr. Mistoffelees. ;)