Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have finally been unleashed upon adoring fans who have to catch ’em all. Along with some interesting graphical issues, the games feature a slew of new pocket monsters in all shapes and sizes and varying degrees of weirdness. Naturally, some favorites will emerge. We will review the best new Pokémon found in Scarlet and Violet and list our favorites.
Gen 9 features some interesting beasts, from a goofy little Fire-type starter to your motorbike/dragon companion that you meet right at the beginning of the game. With 107 new friends to meet, it’s time to gaze upon the 11 best new additions to Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. While this list doesn’t include Paradox Pokémon, there are still spoilers for late-game Pokémon and evolutions!
Miraidon
In Violet, you meet Electric/Dragon Miraidon almost right away. Looking weak and surrounded by Houndooms on the beach, the player intervenes to help what will soon be your new constant companion. Miraidon is a dragon type that looks like a robot and a motorcycle, all wrapped into one new creature. Additionally, Miraidon plays a big part in the Titans storyline, where fellow student Arven enlists the player’s help to defeat the various Titan Pokémon around Paldea and find the Herbs Mystica.
With each Titan you defeat, you find another herb which Arven then crafts into a sandwich for you. When you feed it to Miraidon, it regains an aspect of its original powers back, such as dashing, being able to jump extremely high, climbing vertical surfaces, and gliding. You can’t use Miraidon in battle initially, but he’s always around to help you speed across the vast Paldean landscape.
Skeledirge
Skeledirge is the final evolution of the Fire-type starter Pokémon Fuecoco. Initially, Fuecoco starts as an adorable little goofy dinosaur. When you meet the starter, it’s clear he isn’t the brightest after he accidentally torches a berry and still tries to eat it. Fuecoco is a solid Fire type, but he changes the game once he evolves into Skeledirge.
Skeledirge is a fire/ghost type and appears like a red and white crocodile with flames around his head and a little fiery bird perched on his nose. As per his Pokédex entry, Skeledirge is a type of Pokémon whose “gentle singing soothes the souls of all that hear it. It burns its enemies to a crisp with flames of over 5,400 degrees Fahrenheit”. After evolving, he acquires Torch Song, a mighty Fire move that sees Skeledirge bring out a mic stand and yell, firing the bird toward opponents and engulfing them in flames.
Rock on, buddy.
Lechonk
Lechonk is not good for battling; it’s a standard Normal type you meet almost immediately in the game. New friend Nemona takes it upon herself to show you the ropes on the way to your new school and to teach you how to battle and catch Pokémon, and you go up against a Lechonk.
Having said all that, Lechonk is a perfect, round little piggy Pokémon. As one of the first new Pokémon revealed officially for the game, the hog type set the internet on fire with its perfectly spherical shape and adorable face. Lechonk’s Pokédex entry states, “This Pokémon spurns all but the finest of foods. Its body gives off a herb-like scent that bug Pokémon detest.”
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Another tidbit from the official Pokémon website is that “Lechonk’s body is all muscle because of all the walking it does to find the best things to eat.” A little bowling ball of muscle, Lechonk evolves into Oinkologne, a fabulously sassy pig with two different forms depending on gender.
Rabsca
Echoing the depiction of a scarab in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Psychic/Bug-type Rabsca is the evolution of Rellor. With a metallic blue body and purple and red ball that it pushes around in front of itself, the Pokédex entry for Rabsca in Scarlet and Violet says, “An infant sleeps inside the ball. Rabsca rolls the ball soothingly with its legs to ensure the infant sleeps comfortably.” Once Rellor evolves into Rabsca, it learns the powerful and impressive move Revival Blessing, which revives a fallen party member and restores half of its max HP.
To obtain a Rabsca, you can hunt for 4-star Tera raids or evolve Rellor. You have to walk 10,000 steps with Rellor walking with you to evolve it. This is done by put Rellor as your party leader and hitting the R button to send him out. There will be no indication of how many steps you have taken together; Rellor will evolve the next time it levels up after hitting the goal.
Fidough
Fidough, the puppy Pokémon is a new Fairy type for Gen 9. A little lump of unbaked dough, Fidough is a delightfully plump, sad-faced dog reminiscent of a particularly squishy pug. As per the Pokédex entry, “The yeast in Fidough’s breath is useful for cooking, so this Pokémon has been protected by people since long ago.” Anyone with a dog can attest that yeasty dog breath is better than standard dog breath.
At level 26, Fidough evolves into Dachsbun, a golden brown, perfectly baked Dachsund. After evolving, Dachsbun acquires the ability Well-Baked Body, which means Fire-type attacks don’t do any damage but instead boost its defense stat. In French, Dachsbun is called Briochien, which is infinitely better and should have just been its name across the board. That or Barkery.
Clodsire
Evolved from the Paldean form of Wooper, Clodsire has the face of a benevolent creature the main character in an 80s kids’ film would befriend. The Paldean counterpart to Quagsire, Clodsire is a Poison/Ground type that inhabits the swampy marshland areas of the region. According to the Pokédex, “It lives at the bottom of ponds and swamps. It will carry Wooper on its back and ferry them across the water from one shore to the other.” The idea of a Clodsire essentially being a Wooper Catbus is, frankly, delightful.
Clodsire has the abilities of Poison Point, Water Absorb, and Unaware. Foes can be poisoned when they use a physical attack against Clodsire. It can heal up to a quarter of its HP when hit with Water attacks and ignore stat modifications.
Houndstone
Houndstone is the evolved form of the adorable, life-sucking dog Pokémon Greavard. A Ghost-type with an insanely overpowered move, Houndstone has already been banned from competitive Pokémon tournaments. The move in question is Last Respects, which is more powerful the more defeated Pokémon the player has in their party.
A shaggy yet skeletal large dog, Houndstone has a tombstone protruding from its head where its previous form had a candle. Lumbering and spooky, there’s no doubt you want Houndstone on your team when it’s time to take on the Elite Four.
Tinkaton
Bright, pink, and tiny, the Fairy/Steel type Tinkaton is very cute. Don’t let looks deceive you; she wields a massive 220-pound hammer with which she bashes her opponents.
When Tinkaton evolves from its middle form Tinkatuff, it acquires the move, Gigaton Hammer, a Steel-type move with 160 Atk. Best of all, the Pokédex entry implies it is some tiny Viking. “The hammer tops 220 pounds, yet it gets swung around easily by Tinkaton as it steals whatever it pleases and carries its plunder back home.”
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Once again, the French name for Tinkaton (Forgelina) is excellent. She’s a great powerhouse with the handy abilities of Mold Breaker, Own Tempo, and Pickpocket. The cherry on top is that when you share a picnic with your team, she sleeps on her gigantic hammer, and Tinkaton is the consummate mischief-maker.
Orthworm
Steel-type Orthworm is hilarious. A big robot earthworm, Orthworm is a strong steel type. Additionally, its appearance seems to be based on Slimey from The Muppets.
You would be forgiven for writing this Pokémon off as just a silly design. Orthworm has a big, smiley face and truly ludicrous little arms that shoot out of its side when it attacks. Orthworm is one of the Titans you encounter during the Herbs Mystica quest with Arven. Stumbling across a gigantic grinning worm poking out of the ground is a high point of the game.
However, Orthworm is a bit of a beast. Since catching it, Orthworm has been a mainstay in my party and has had little to no issue taking down anything it comes up against. Able to learn Ground and Rock moves, Orthworm also has the ability Earth Eater, which means it will regain HP when hit with a ground move.
Ceruledge
The Violet exclusive evolution of Charcadet, Ceruledge is a Ghost/Fire type that evolves using a special armor set. To acquire the Malicious armor needed to evolve Charcadet. First, battle a load of Sinistea, as you will need ten Sinistea chips to exchange. Next, find the guy in Zapapico who wants to trade; voila, you have your Malicious armor.
Once you evolve Ceruledge, it will learn Shadow Claw, but the best move Ceruledge can acquire is Bitter Blade. Not only a strong Fire attack, but Bitter Blade also saps the foes HP by up to half the amount of damage taken.
Klawf
Mighty Klawf, crab king of Paldea, is a Rock-type semi-robotic crab that can be encountered in South Province Area 3. Like Orthworm, Klawf is one of the Titans discovered in the Herbs Mystica quest line and clings to cliff faces, ready to pounce on unsuspecting trainers as they pass underneath it.
Also, like Orthworm, Klawf has no evolutionary form because it is a perfect creature. Klawf has the abilities of Anger Shell, Shell Armor, and Regenerator. The first two abilities mean that when an attack causes its HP to drop to half or less, the Pokémon gets angry, lowering its Defense and Sp. Def stats but boosting its Attack, Sp. Atk, and Speed stats. Shell Armor prevents critical hits from landing.
Regenerator is the most interesting ability Klawf has in its robotic carapace. Once it is switched out, up to 33.3% of its HP will be restored.
Wrapping Up
In my mind, these are the 11 best new Pokémon from Scarlet and Violet. I’m sure there are other favorites to talk about, so keep the conversation going in the comments below!
