Well, Pokémon Sword and Shield’s roster certainly has proven controversial, hasn’t it? In the run-up to the game’s release, the fact that many beloved Pokémon weren’t going to make the cut definitely wasn’t very well received by a lot of the fanbase.
The Galar region would prove to be bereft of a lot of fan favorites, but there’s one thing nobody can deny: some true powerhouse Pokémon call this region home. If you’re new to the game and you’re wondering which critters would make great additions to your team, you’ve come to the right place.
10 Cinderace
When it comes to the best potential team members in any Pokémon game, the first choice you’ve got to consider is your starter. Should you opt for Scorbunny, Sobble or Grookey? Well, as always, there isn’t really a wrong answer there. Let’s take a look at all three in turn.
Scorbunny’s final evolution does bring a lot to the table. It’s a very straightforward Pokémon: it wants to hit hard and fast, and there aren’t really many notable Fire-types in the game that can do that as well as Cinderace. It’s frail, but Pyro Ball is just incredibly strong and super spammable.
9 Inteleon
The next starter Pokemon we’re going to give a shout-out to is Sobble. This adorable little soul instantly captured the hearts of many fans when it was revealed, for its maudlin nature and apparent tendency to cry with anxiety at the drop of a hat (which is certainly a mood).
Its final evolution, Inteleon, has a similar gameplan to Cinderace. With slightly more Speed and power (though it’s a special attacker rather than a physical one), this Water-type can outspeed and wash away a whole variety of opponents. Being a pure Water Pokémon, however, it does lack in coverage. Still, that’s what your other five team slots are for.
8 Rillaboom
To round out our look at the fully-evolved starters of Galar, here comes the hulking powerhouse that is Rillaboom. Grookey is perhaps the starter that was given the least appreciation on its first reveal, so it’s nice to see that the little drummer can also more than hold its own as a starter pick.
As with Cinderace, it’s arguable that there aren’t too many potent Grass-types in Galar that can really compete with Rillaboom. It’s a strong physical attacker (it has the highest base Attack of any starter Pokémon to date, in fact) and is able to learn a range of powerful moves like Earthquake. It does lack in Speed compared to its starter counterparts, though.
7 Dragapult
Needless to say, if you’ve been enjoying competitive battles in Sword and Shield, you’ve no doubt come across countless Dragapults. The pseudo-Legendary of the Galar region, the unassuming Dreepy eventually evolves into quite the formidable creature.
Dragapult is a Dragon/Ghost Pokémon with incredible Speed, solid mixed offenses and an unpredictable arsenal of moves to pick from. It’s among the most common picks in competitive play at the moment, and rightly so. The only drawback for the main game is that it’s a pain to get one, as Dreepy is quite rare and Drakloak doesn’t evolve into Dragapult until level 60. It’s more than worth the effort, though.
6 Dracovish
Sword and Shield took a very interesting approach to Fossil Pokémon. Generation VIII added four new ones in total, twice as many as fans tend to be given. They also (there’s really no beating around the bush with this one) look utterly bizarre.
The gimmick here is that Fossils are revived in pairs, and the resulting Pokémon is a bizarre, Frankenstein’s Monster of a splice between two different creatures. Peculiar as it looks, Dracovish has quickly established itself as a metagame mainstay, thanks to its Fishious Rend attack (which hits for double damage if it goes first, also stacking with rain, the Strong Jaw Ability and other boosts). Another easy-spam move that can tear through just about anything.
5 Corviknight
Corviknight is one of the signature Pokémon of the Galar region, featuring heavily in the trailers and promo material for Sword and Shield. It’s one heck of a majestic creature, serving a vital role in getting the residents of the region from place to place.
Rookidee can be caught super early in the game, and you wouldn’t really expect it to evolve into such an excellent Pokémon. It certainly does, though, as the Raven Pokémon is a Steel/Flying-type with soplid all-around stats and some very useful moves in its arsenal. Grab it as soon as you can and start training it early: you won’t regret it.
4 Zacian
Well, it probably comes as no surprise to see that some of the Legendary Pokemon of the Galar region are going to make our list. Zacian, the Fairy (or Fairy/Steel depending on its form) mascot of Pokémon Shield, is a monstrous force on the battlefield.
With its great Speed, absurd Attack and Intrepid Sword Ability (which boosts its Attack by one stage when it switches in), this critter is a nightmare to deal with. Interestingly, its counterpart Zamazenta isn’t nearly as good, being more defensively-inclined but not really having the movepool to make use of its strengths.
3 Charizard
The only non-Galar native Pokémon to make our list, it’s fan favorite Charizard. Many long-time Pokémon fans’ starter of choice, the Charmander family has always held a special place in the fandom’s hearts (except in the case of those who are getting sick of the sight of it, naturally).
In Sword and Shield, Charizard again gets special treatment. The only Kanto starter to make a prominent appearance and be given a Gigantamax form in the main game (DLC aside), Charizard is the signature Pokémon of the legendary Champion Leon, and if you can get your hands on one early (through trading), it’ll be a worthy replacement for Cinderace if you picked another starter.
2 Grimmsnarl
Impidimp is another Pokémon that made a prominent appearance in the game’s promotional material. It’s a very unique little critter, boasting a completely unique Dark/Fairy typing and a nice range of sneaky supportive moves.
Impidimp may be lacking in raw power, but as it evolves, it quickly remedies that problem. Grimmsnarl is another very popular competitive pick, but despite its high Attack and interesting signature STAB moves (False Surrender and Spirit Break), it usually takes a supportive role, setting up dual screens using its Prankster Ability. For the main game, though, it’s best to stick with simply muscling your way through opposing trainers.
1 Eternatus
Fans who have completed the main campaign will know how important the games’ third Legendary, Eternatus, is to the overarching plot. As the story reaches its climax, an epic showdown is called for, and Eternamax Eternatus certainly provides that.
The Eternatus players catch isn’t capable of assuming this form, but it’s still super darn strong in its base form. It boasts huge HP, Special Attack and Speed, and also offers some formidable signature moves in Dynamax Cannon and Eternabeam. It’s incredibly edgy-looking, too, which is also a bit of a bonus.
NEXT: 10 Things Everyone Completely Missed In Pokemon Sword & Shield
