In the realm of high-stakes, action-packed Pokémon battles in the Galar region, no other generation stands as tall as fifth, with Pokémon from Black & White dominating the upper echelon of competitive battlers. Unova Pokémon have been formidable ever since their debut, and they continue to shine bright in Sword & Shield.

Creating a team consisting solely of Unova natives certainly isn’t a bad idea, but it can become tricky to choose out of the absolute ton of viable Gen V monsters. If you’re looking to relive your glory days as the champion of the Unova region, these are ten Pokémon you’ll absolutely want on your team.

10 Chandelure

This fancy, haunted chandelier has had quite the competitive history behind it, acting as that one sweeper that your opponents never see coming. Chandelure purely functions as a glass cannon (literally), with an insanely high base 145 Sp. Atk.

While Chandelure used to rely pretty heavily on a Substitute set, and still can, it’s better left as a pure special sweeper in Sword & Shield, holding items like a Choice Specs/Choice Scarf, Heavy-Duty Boots, or a Focus Sash. With a versatile moveset and tons of horsepower, opponents will have to be careful to not go down in one hit.

9 Haxorus

A single glance at this awesomely fearsome dragon is all it takes to see what it’s all about, which is pure, raw power. Much like Chandelure, Haxorus can act as a dangerous sweeper with devastating attacks and a respectable amount of Speed that lets it attack without too much worry.

Since it’s a much bulkier Pokémon, as well as being able to resist four extremely common typings, Haxorus can be difficult to get rid of without a speedy Fairy-type or an Ice Beam. Haxorus also has great coverage with moves like Earthquake, Close Combat, and Outrage.

8 Conkeldurr

If you’re looking for some explosive physical prowess, there may not be a better choice than Conkeldurr. It certainly won’t be pulling any sneaky punches with a base 45 Speed, but with a priority move in the form of Mach Punch, any opponent at low health is pretty much done for.

Guts is an absolutely fantastic ability, and it brings Conkeldurr’s base 140 Attack up to a staggering 210. A STAB Close Combat or Knock Off should never be taken lightly, and a team that isn’t prepared for Conkeldurr may find themselves wiped out in a matter of turns.

7 Volcarona

Before Sword & Shield, frail Pokémon like Volcarona always had a difficult time dealing with pesky field hazards, especially Stealth Rock, but Volcarona is able to bypass this struggle this time around with some Heavy-Duty Boots.

This makes it safer than ever to switch into, giving it far more opportunities to use Quiver Dance and wreck house, raising its Sp. Atk, Sp. Def, and Speed all in one. A base 135 Sp. Atk is more than enough to have Fiery Dance, Psychic, or Bug Buzz do an absolute ton of damage, especially when buffed with Quiver Dance.

6 Mandibuzz

Mandibuzz is one of the more unorthodox Pokémon around, filling roles that not a lot of other Pokémon can. Since its offensive stats are both pretty terrible, it relies on attacks like Foul Play, which uses the target’s attack stat to calculate damage, or more utility-focused attacks like Toxic, Knock Off, or U-Turn.

With Heavy-Duty Boots and its ability, Overcoat, Mandibuzz is completely immune to field hazards, weather effects, and powder-based moves like Sleep Powder, making it the prime choice as a Defogger with Roost to back it up.

5 Hydreigon

Hydreigon falls into the category of “pseudo-legendary”, which becomes apparent when noticing that every one of its stats is at least decently high. It mainly focuses on special attacks with a base of 125 and a devastating moveset.

As a Dark-Type it actually has access to Nasty Plot to boost its Sp. Atk even further, and a held item like a Life Orb or Wise Glasses can maximize its damage output. It has a 4x weakness to Fairy-Types, but a Nasty Plot + Flash Cannon will obliterate any Fairy-Type in its way.

4 Ferrothorn

Anyone with any amount of experience in competitive Pokémon has likely run into a few Ferrothorns, as it has never dropped below the OU-tier, making a name for itself as one of the absolute best hazard setters in the series.

KO’ing Ferrothorn can be very frustrating without a Fire-Type, as it has great defenses, Iron Barbs, and a Leftovers or Rocky Helmet will make things even more difficult. Spikes, Stealth Rock, and Thunder Wave are classic choices for Ferrothorn, but its decent 94 Attack can let it sneak in a move like Knock Off.

3 Excadrill

Another OU staple comes in the form of the Subterrene Pokémon, Excadrill. Those claws aren’t just for show, as a base 135 Attack and a phenomenal moveset allow it to tear through just about anything in its path.

Earthquake and Iron Head provide excellent STAB damage, even more so when boosted with Swords Dance, and Excadrill is one of few Pokémon to learn the amazing move, Rapid Spin. With access to Stealth Rock as well, Excadrill fills many roles with amazing success.

2 Bisharp

Cutting its way through the competition is Bisharp, a fearsome sweeper seen in the past three generations. With a great defensive typing combination and high defense, there’s nothing better to pair with its high attack stat and great moves.

Sucker Punch and Pursuit can be absolutely nasty on Bisharp, forcing opponents to play much more carefully as to not be hard read. Swords Dance, as it is on any physical attacker, is amazing at securing those all-important KO’s from Iron Head or Knock Off.

1 Amoonguss

Sitting near the very top of the Overused Tier is Amoonguss, the spongiest defensive Pokémon around. Without the proper counters, Amoonguss can easily stay near full health with a Black Sludge, its ability, Regenerator, and Giga Drain.

Its natural bulk and multitude of resistances make it one of the best stalling Pokémon since it can avoid OHKO’s while it whittles down foes with Toxic and consistent healing. If you’re worried about its defenses being lowered, Amoonguss has a field day with Clear Smog, tacking on even more reasons to use it.

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