Welcome to the Paldea Region, an island where Pokemon Scarlet and Violet takes place, and you are a new student whose journey is the school assignment.  In this article, we get to rank 12 out of 696 pokemon that are available within the game itself.  Even though the franchise itself has a grand total of 1025 pokemon, not counting the region variants, it will still be a long list.

As stated before, you are a new student going on, what is called, a Treasure Hunt.  Where the students are inspired to find their own ‘treasure’ in life, the one thing that brings them meaning.  You take part in three separate storylines that converge into one near the end, learning about other people’s treasure along the way.

One feature that this game introduces is terastallization, which requires a tera orb to activate.  What this does is, during battle, put your pokemon in a crystal coat, causing one of two things.  One is to enhance the current type of the pokemon, or one of them, if the pokemon is a dual type.  The other is to change the pokemon’s type completely into a different one, changing the game for both sides.  This is for battle only, and you also need to recharge the tera orb at a Pokemon Center, in order to use it again.

Now time for the countdown of the 12 strongest pokemon in the game.  The person who owns this list is Gullermo Kurten, who wrote it as an article, “Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: 12 Pokémon With The Highest Attack Stats, Ranked” for ScreenRant, which can be found on this link:  Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: 12 Pokémon With The Highest Attack Stats, Ranked (screenrant.com).  And as the title says, these are pokemon that are considered to have the highest attack stats, meaning physical attacks. 

12. Cerludge-125 [Good]

And with one swing of the blade . . .

Available as a Violet-exclusive evolution for charcadet, it is a Fire/Ghost type pokemon.  As stated in the article:  “It's an interesting type combination, and the more recent mainline Pokémon games have done well to give both Fire and Ghost some Physical Attack-focused moves.” 

Best moves:

• Bitter Blade
• Shadow Claw
• Flare Blitz
• Phantom Force
• Swords Dance

Strengths:

• With Flash Fire ability, it can absorb Fire-type attacks, and use it to make its own fire stronger.
• As a ghost type, it is immune to Normal and Fighting type attacks
• With the Bitter Blade attack, it can absorb the damage caused to its opponent when used.
• Type advantage against Grass, Bug, Ice, Psychic and Ghost pokemon

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Water, Rock, Ground and Dark type pokemon
• Ghost type attacks have no effect against Normal-type pokemon
• It is also weak against Ghost-type attacks

 

11. Brute Bonnet-127 [Good]

When that one friend returns from a long vacation.

Available in Scarlet only, it is a Paradox Grass/Dark-type that looks like the ancestor of Amoonguss, in the Unova Region.  As stated in the article:  “It's well worth learning how to catch Brute Bonnet, as its potential in battle is backed up by solid coverage moves to compensate for its weaknesses.”

Best moves:

• Seed Bomb(TM)
• Payback
• Sucker Punch
• Crunch
• Sunny Day

Strengths:

• With the Protosynthesis ability, its stats go up when the Sunny Day attack is used to change the weather.
• If equipped with Booster Energy, it can also give its stats a boost
• As part Dark-type, it is immune to Psychic-type attacks
• Type advantage against Water, Rock, Ground, Psychic and Ghost-types

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison, Fighting and Fairy-types
• Double weakness from bug-type moves, can be knocked out easily by a powerful one
• An easy target, if one is not careful

 

10. Chien-Pao - 130 [Good]

If this were a horror movie . . .

One of the Legendary Pokemon, a Dark/Ice-type, that is requested by one of your teachers, near the end of the main story.  To quote from the article: “Chien-Pao's offensive capabilities are backed up by a high base speed that makes its powerful attacks come fast and furious.”

Strengths:

• Sword of Ruins ability lowers defense, once introduced into battle
• Dark type provides immunity to Psychic-type attacks
• Type advantage against Grass, Flying, Ground, Psychic, Ghost and Dragon-type pokemon
• Legendary status gives it higher stats

Weaknesses:

• Sword of Ruins ability also lowers the defense of the pokemon it battles alongside in double battle
• Type disadvantage from Fire, Bug, Rock, Steel and Fairy-type moves
• Double weakness from Fighting-type moves

 

9. Great Tusk-131 [Good]

Calm down, Grandpa!

Exclusive to Scarlet only, it is one of the Paradox Ground/Fighting-type pokemon that seems to be an ancestor of Donphan from the Johto Region.  To quote the article: “Great Tusk is an ancient relative that adds the Fighting-type alongside the former's Ground.  It's an overall physically imposing type combination, with its daunting 131 in Attack more than complementing its intimidation factor.”

Recommended moves:

• Earthquake
• Close Combat
• Sunny Day

Strengths:

• Same ability as Brute Bonnet, as well as the equip item
• Type advantage against Normal, Electric, Rock, Steel and Dark-type pokemon
• Immune from Electric-type attacks

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Grass, Water, Ice, Flying, Psychic and Fairy-type attacks
• Ground-type moves have no effect against Flying-type pokemon nor pokemon with the levitate ability
• Fighting-type moves have no effect against Ghost-type pokemon

 

8. Iron Thorns-134 [Great]

If Godzilla and Mechagodzilla were a pokemon.

Exclusive to Violet, a Rock/Electric-type Paradox pokemon that looks like a futuristic version of Tyranitar from the Johto Region.  To quote the article:  “Takes a futuristic Mecha-Godzilla-like twist on Johto's resident pseudo-Legendary, Tyranitar. Iron Thorns drops its predecessor's secondary Dark-type and adopts the Electric-type instead.”

Recommended moves:

• Rock Slide
• Stone Edge
• Thunder Fang/Punch
• Wild Charge
• Electric Terrain

Strengths:

• With the Quark Drive ability, it’s stats improve when Electric Terrain move is used
• It also gains a stats boost when Booster Energy is equipped
• Type advantage against Fire, Water, Flying and Ice-type pokemon

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Grass and Fighting-type moves
• It is also weak from Water-type moves
• Has a double weakness from Ground-type attacks
• Electric attacks have no effect on Ground-type pokemon 

 

7. Kingambit-135 [Great]

Royal(ish) portrait

The evolved form of Bisharp, a Dark/Steel-type pokemon, from the Unova Region, can be gained by these circumstances:  Bisharp needs to be equipped with a Leader’s Crest, which it defeats 3 other Bisharp that have its own group of Pawniard.  You also have to level up once achieved, in order to evolve it.  To quote the article: “Kingambit serves as a fantastic physical wall thanks to its HP and Physical Defense.”

Recommended moves:

• Sucker Punch
• Night Slash
• Iron Head

Strength:

• Supreme Overlord increases its Attack and Special Attack for each pokemon that were defeated before it
• Steel-type prevents poisoning from the opponents pokemon
• Dark-type makes it immune from Psychic-type moves
• Type advantage against Rock, Ice, Psychic, Ghost and Fairy-type pokemon

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Fire and Ground-type attacks
• Double weakness from Fighting-type attacks
• Can lose its boost, if the opponent were to use moves like Haze, to reset everything to base stats.

 

6. Slither Wing-135 [Great]

Something happened after a few eons.

Available only in Scarlet, a Bug/Fighting type Paradox Pokemon.  As it is put in the article: “Slither Wing is an ancient take on Volcarona, one of the most proficient Bug-type Pokémon in the series.”  By the way, Volcarona, a Bug/Fire-type, is a pokemon from the Unova Region.

Recommended moves:

• First Impression
• Superpower
• Close Combat
• Leech Life
• Sunny Day

Strengths:

• Same with Brute Bonnet, when it comes to ability and equip item
• Type advantage against Normal, Grass, Rock, Ice, Psychic, Steel and Dark-type pokemon

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Fire and Fairy-type moves
• Can also receive damage from Psychic-type moves
• Has a double weakness from Flying-type moves
• Fighting-type moves have no effect on Ghost-type pokemon

 

5. Koraidon-135 [Great]

Time to breakout the power boost.

Exclusive only to Scarlet, a Fighting/Dragon-type Legendary Pokemon.  You get two, one that is given to you to raise in the beginning, the other after the final battle in the main storyline.  The first one you are given, also doubles as your ride, that gains extra abilities.  From the article: “Koraidon's Attack equals its Speed stat, with defenses to ensure that it's a sturdy opponent in battle.”

Recommended moves:

• Dragon Claw
• Outrage
• Close Combat
• Collision Course

Strengths:

• The ability, Orichalcum Pulse, intensifies the sunlight, causing an increase in Attack strength
• One of them doubles as your transportation
• Type advantage against Normal, Rock, Ice, Steel, Dark and Dragon Types

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Flying and Psychic-type moves
• Also disadvantage from Ice and Dragon-type moves
• Double weakness from Fairy-type moves
• Dragon-type moves have no effect on Fairy-type pokemon
• Fighting-type moves have no effect on Ghost-type pokemon

 

4. Roaring Moon- 139 [Excellent]

Connection to Mega Evolution, maybe?

Exclusive only to Scarlet, a Dragon/Dark-type Paradox pokemon.  Looking like an ancestor of Salamence, a pokemon found in Hoenn.  From the article: “making for a rare type combination only otherwise seen with the Hydreigon line and the Ultra Beast creature Guzzlord.”

Recommended moves:

• Outrage
• Dragon Claw
• Throat Chop
• Crunch

Strengths:

• Same as Brute Bonnet, in ability and equip item
• Type advantage against Psychic, Ghost and Dragon-type pokemon
• Dark-type makes it immune from Psychic-type attacks

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Bug, Ice and Fighting-type moves
• Also disadvantage from Dragon-type moves
• Double weakness from Fairy-type moves
• Dragon-type moves have no effect on Fairy-type pokemon

 

3. Iron Hands- 140 [Excellent]

Anybody in need of a big hand, or two?

Exclusive only in Violet, a Fighting/Electric-type Paradox pokemon that looks like a futuristic version of Hariyama, which is from the Hoenn region.  To quote the article: “Pokémon Violet has the right to say it has the most formidable Paradox creature when it comes to its raw Physical Attack stat.”

Recommended moves:

• Close Combat
• Wild Charge
• Belly Drum
• Electric Terrain

Strengths:

• Same as Iron Thorns, in ability and equip item
• Type advantage against Normal, Water, Flying, Rock, Ice, Steel and Dark-type pokemon

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Ground, Psychic and Fairy-type attacks
• Electric-type moves have no effect on Ground-type pokemon
• Fighting-type moves have no effect on Ghost-type pokemon

 

2. Baxcalibur-145 [Excellent]

When somebody tells you to put your back into it one too many times.

A Dragon/Ice-type Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon that can take a long time to fully evolve.  It is an unique match of two types, since most Dragon-types are extremely weak against Ice-type moves.  As it is stated in the article: “It's an intriguing type combination since species with the Ice-type are typically known for being physically frail, but Baxcalibur certainly makes it work.”

Recommended moves:

• Ice Fang
• Dragon Claw
• Icicle Crash
• Glaive Rush

Strengths:

• The ability, Thermal Exchange, can absorb Fire-type moves, and use it to increase its attack power
• Type advantage against Grass, Flying, Ground and Dragon-type pokemon

Weaknesses:

• Type disadvantage from Fighting, Rock, Steel and Fairy-type moves
• Still weak from Dragon-type moves
• Dragon-type moves have no effect on Fairy-type pokemon

 

1. Palafin- 160 [Best]

Cue cheesy theme song

Palafin is the evolved form of finizen, a water-type pokemon, which can be found along the beaches in some places.  It comes in two forms, the one you see is the Hero Form, which can only be activated in battle.  To activate it, you need to have it use an attack that has you swap it with another of your pokemon, such as Flip Turn, then you send it back out, getting this form as well as an attack boost.  To evolve it, you need to have it reach a certain, while using the Union Circle, which is how the games allow you to team up with other players.  To add a quote from the article: “Palafin might not seem like the most powerful offensive option in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet at first glance, but this particular attacker shows that a book should never be judged by its cover.”

Recommended moves:

• Flip Turn
• Jet Punch

Strengths:

• Zero to Hero ability activates the form transformation
• New form boosts the attack strength
• Type advantage against Fire, Rock and Ground-type pokemon

Weaknesses:

• Swapping pokemon, if you are the first to attack, can leave the new pokemon open to an attack that can do some serious damage
• By the time Palafin returns to the field, it could be facing an opponent with a better advantage
• Type disadvantage from Grass and Electric-type moves

Enjoying time with the team

If any of them surprised you any, welcome to the club.  Some fit the phrase, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,’ while others get a slight advantage due to being legendary pokemon.  One thing to  remember is that no matter how high the attack stats are on a pokemon, there are things that can make them useless.  Such as the opponent having a pokemon with higher defense stat, or if the types are not in your favor.  So choose your team wisely, and carefully.

For other things Pokemon SV, check these out:

• [Top 10] Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Best Fire Types (Ranked)
• [Top 15] Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Best Electric Types (Ranked)
• [Top 10] Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Best Dragon Types (Ranked)