Pokémon/Characters/Generation III Families

A list of Pokémon who debuted in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and their relatives. Introducing 135 Pokémon, of which only 2 are related to older Generations, this generation was the second largest until Generation V came around. 7 Pokémon related to this generation were introduced in Generation IV, bringing the grand total to 140. Seeing as in the first games of this gen, several old Pokémon were absent, numerous Expies were introduced, and so several themes such as Fossils were brought back. This generation was also the first to diverge from the trio-uber-event dynamic of legendaries (although Lugia and Ho-Oh were a borderline break), by making the version mascots another trio, and introducing a pair of legends with no equivalent in older gens.

For other generations, go here.

Treecko, Grovyle, and Sceptile (Kimori, Juptile, and Jukain)


Hoenn's Grass-type starters, a family of Wood Geckos. They are the Fragile Speedsters of the bunch. Treecko's first STAB move, Absorb, may be weak, but evolve it, and Grovyle and Sceptile get their Signature Move: Leaf Blade.


 * Everything's Better with Dinosaurs: The older two forms are arboreal leaf-raptors.
 * Raptor Attack: ...And they actually get some things right, such as the inward-facing hands and leafy "feathers".
 * Fragile Speedster: Unlike Jumpluff, the only Grass-type (aside from Shaymin) that can be favorably compared to it in terms of Speed pre-Generation V, Sceptile has very good offensive stats. The problem is, the same can't be said for its defenses. Its Dream World Ability, Unburden, makes it even faster once its held item is used up.
 * Green Thumb
 * In a Single Bound
 * Dinosaurs Are Dragons: There's a reason this species is part of the Dragon egg group.
 * Lightning Bruiser
 * Signature Move: Leaf Blade, in Generation III. Also, as a Grass starter, Grass Pledge and Frenzy Plant.
 * Turns Red: Like all Grass-type starters, its Grass-type moves are boosted in potency when it's down to 1/3 of its HP, thanks to its Overgrow ability.
 * Wall Crawl

Torchic, Combusken, and Blaziken (Achamo, Wakashamo, and Burshamo)


Hoenn's Fire-type starters, they are based on the cockfighting sport popular in Thailand. Since Roxanne, the first leader, uses Rock-types, some players get discouraged from picking it first. However, it is effective in battles once it evolves, and its Fire/Fighting typing allows it to take down two of the Elite Four as well as the Champion in Ruby and Sapphire.


 * Bare-Fisted Monk: Blaziken is fully capable of uppercutting foes right out of the sky.
 * Early-Bird Cameo: Blaziken was the only starter to appear in the anime before its generation debut. And yes, we get the joke "early bird."
 * Everything's Better with Chickens: A Badass one to boot.
 * Glass Cannon
 * In a Single Bound: Those long legs help.
 * Kiai: Combusken is said to make loud noises when practicing his or her martial arts moves.
 * Kick Chicken
 * Lightning Bruiser: Its statistically average Speed is brought to much more formidable levels by its Dream World Ability, Speed Boost, which makes Blaziken faster at the end of each turn.
 * Mighty Glacier: Is this without Speed Boost... well, sort of.
 * Glass Cannon: Infernape's defensive abilities are very slightly superior to Blaziken's. Infernape is famous for being a Fragile Speedster, so yeah. On the other hand, Blaziken does hit harder than Infernape, even when Infernape is packing its Dream World ability.
 * When All You Have Is a Hammer: As Speed Boost is a Dream World ability, it limits Blaziken's movepool considerably, making it extremely predictable. But Blaziken can wreck teams with the few strong moves it has access to and the only move it loses that deserves mention is Thunder Punch and Hi Jump Kick deals more damage than a super effective Thunder Punch would.
 * Kamehame Hadoken: In the Gamecube games, whenever Blaziken uses special attacks like Flamethrower, it does not spit them out. Instead, they come out of its wrists.
 * Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Blaziken is a kickboxing fire chicken.
 * Overshadowed by Awesome: Blaziken was mostly outclassed by Infernape in almost every way in the Generation IV games; while Blaziken could hit harder than Infernape (especially in terms of physical attacks), Infernape's superior speed (and, to a lesser extent, its marginally superior defenses), along with respectable offensive might on both the physical and special spectrums, made it significantly more useful to most competitive teams. Generation V seems to have corrected this; while Infernape is still a formidable opponent, Blaziken's new Status Buff potential placed it, arguably, among the best Pokémon in the metagame.
 * On the other hand, Blaziken manages to do this in spades to Emboar. Seriously, the only stat that's higher for Emboar than for Blaziken is HP, and high HP doesn't amount to much when paper-thin defenses mean that any attack from a powerful opponent inflicts massive damage anyways.
 * Playing with Fire: So freaking much.
 * Tertiary Sexual Characteristics: Male Combusken and Blaziken have longer "cowlick" feathers than females.
 * Shotoclone: Blaziken
 * Signature Move: Blaze Kick, in Generation III. And as a Fire starter, Fire Pledge and Blast Burn.
 * Status Buff: Obtains Speed Boost in the fifth generation (and already has Baton Pass, though are sadly incompatible in existing releases), allowing it to compete much better against the 2 other Fire/Fighting starter lines. (Granted, it already blows Emboar out of the water in just about every single department except for HP... well, except that Emboar can learn a Water-type move. Emboar also has slightly higher Attack, but is too slow to use it.)
 * Took a Level in Badass: The evolutionary line is basically a chicken getting more and more Badass (much as real ones do as they grow up). Its Dream World Ability makes it even more formidable, perhaps too formidable...
 * Turns Red: Blaze boosts the power of its Fire-type moves when it's about to keel over.

Mudkip, Marshtomp, and Swampert (Mizugorou, Numaclaw, and Laglarge)


People like Mudkip.

Hoenn's Water-type starter. It is a Pokémon based on the Mudskipper, with some Axolotl traits as well. Mudkip evolves into Marshtomp as early as level 16 at which point it'll turn into a Water/Ground dualtype pokemon. This is a very solid type both offensively (Water and Ground type attacks tend to be very powerful) and defensively (Water/Ground has only one type weakness).

For the purpose of collecting the gym badges it's a great starter as well, considering that its Water-type takes care of Roxanne and Flannery, and its Ground-type takes care of Wattson.


 * Achilles Heel: Marshtomp and Swampert have a 4x weakness to Grass.
 * An Ice Pokémon: Like most Water-types, it can be taught Ice-type moves. This makes its only weakness (Grass) rather difficult to exploit.
 * Awesome Yet Practical: Swampert is statistically the strongest of the starters, and it's also one of the most useful ones. Unlike every other starter, it has remained consistently popular and useful in the competitive scene since its debut, though it has taken a bit of a hit in usefulness in Generation V.
 * Power-Up Letdown: Its Dream World ability is Damp, which simply prevents the usage of Selfdestruct and Explosion; said moves were nerfed to the point of undesirability at the same time.
 * Dishing Out Dirt: The line is of the Ground type from Marshtomp onward; additionally, it has access to numerous useful Rock moves.
 * For Massive Damage: It's a single weakness, but a crippling one: any powerful Grass-related will wreck Swampert. (On the other hand, it's the only Water-type starter, and one of a small handful of Pokémon, that's immune to Electric.)
 * Informed Ability: Swampert's Flavor Text regularly states that it can swim as fast as a jet-ski. Its Speed actually isn't that good, nor does it get Swift Swim as a Dream World ability (which would've made a hell of a lot of sense).
 * Making a Splash
 * Mighty Glacier: Its Speed isn't as bad as some others of similar constitution, but it certainly pales compared to his Attack and defensive stats.
 * Pint-Sized Powerhouse: According to the Pokédex, Mudkip can crush rocks bigger than itself.
 * Signature Move: Muddy Water, in Generation III, and Water Pledge and Hydro Cannon (being water starters) in Generations IV and V.
 * Turns Red: Like all starters, its primary Water-type moves get boosted when it's been pushed to nearly its limit, thanks to its Torrent ability.

Poochyena and Mightyena


A Hyena that inhabits the first few routes in Ruby and Sapphire but graduates to Com Mons in Emerald. Poochyena is somewhat cowardly, running away from foes with its Quick Feet, but Mightyena's fearsome appearance intimidates the opponent, lowering its attack. They are loyal to their Trainers and are popular pets. It should be noted that Poocheyna and Mightyena are the first pure Dark-types to have an evolutionary line (prior to this, the only Dark-types that could evolve were ones that were mixed with another type).


 * Big Badass Hyena: Mightyena is this incarnate. Poochyena tries to be this, but has a penchant for running away from anything that fights back.
 * Combat Pragmatist: They can use Thief, Torment, Taunt, and Swagger. And they're the first pure-Dark types that have an evolution line.
 * Com Mons: In Emerald. Averted in Ruby and Sapphire, where they are limited to the first Route, paralleling Sentret's role in Gold and Silver.
 * Everything's Precious With Hyena Cubs: Averted, since they normally steal, torment, and taunt, making them more like Hellhounds or Angry Guard Dogs.
 * I Am Not Weasel: Due to their appearance, people often mistake them for wolves. They're actually based off of the Brown hyena.
 * Undying Loyalty: Mightyena's pokedex entries state that it will never disobey the commands of a skilled trainer.

Zigzagoon and Linoone (Zigzaguma and Massuguma)


Respectively a raccoon and a badger, they are curious Pokémon that have the tendency to find things after battles. They also like to take things from other Pokémon using Covet. They seem to have the appetite for Oran and Sitrus berries, since they are often found with them.


 * Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: No points on how the creators came up with their names.
 * Theme Naming: Zigzag and line.
 * Big Eater: Implied due to its Gluttony ability.
 * Com Mons
 * Disc One Nuke: Has the Pickup Ability that gives you free items just for being in your party. That includes Nuggets, Ultra Balls, Max Revives, Rare Candies, and King's Rocks.
 * Nerf: In FireRed and LeafGreen the drop lists and chances were changed so it would mostly get you Berries - still useful, but not Nuke-level - and from Emerald on, Pickup's rewards were scaled based on the Pickup Pokémon's level.
 * Glass Cannon: Linoone to a ridiculous extent once it uses Belly Drum.
 * Expy/SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: The Hoenn equivalent of Rattata and Raticate, down to being in most land routes.
 * Item Caddy: Thanks to Pickup and its item-stealing moves. Can also be used for many HM moves, making it a handy traveling partner.
 * Lethal Joke Character: At first glance, Linoone appears to be the typical first route common pest that is outclassed by other normal types, though Linoone has one the most deadly game-changing strategies if done right. The strategy involves using Belly Drum, which with proper EV training will bring you to exactly 50% health, which in turn activates its held item the Salac Berry thanks to Gluttony. Basically with a lot of luck, you could have a Mon with +6 Attack and +1 Speed plowing through teams like no tomorrow.
 * Even better if it's one of those special Linoone with ExtremeSpeed, which essentially makes you worry less about your foes' priority attacks.
 * Non-Elemental
 * Rascally Raccoon: The aforementioned Pickup ability and stealing moves. Strangely, Linoone's design is more based on a badger. Justified by the Japanese word for raccoon and badger being roughly the same.

Wurmple, Silcoon, Cascoon, and Beautifly, Dustox (Kemusso, Karasalys/Mayuld, and Agehunt/Dokucale)


An unusual Pokémon when it comes to evolution. All Wurmple start as the same species, but random factors in the game lead it down two branching evolutionary paths. Some Wurmple evolve into Silcoon, which in turn evolve into the beautiful, yet vicious Beautifly. Other Wurmple evolve into Cascoon, which in turn evolve into the poisonous moth Dustox.


 * Com Mons
 * Beautifly Is Bad: Don't let its appearance fool you, Beautiflies aren't exactly nectar sippers...
 * Crutch Character: both typings of the evolved forms leaves them with 1/4 resistance to Brawly's fighting-type attacks, not to mention Dustox can learn Confusion early.
 * Expy/SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Of the Caterpie and Weedle lines, since they are larval Pokémon that show up early in the game, evolve into a cocoon, and end as a flying bug. Wurmple even combines the natural movesets of Caterpie and Weedle.
 * Flight: Beautifly. Dustox is similar to Beedrill and Venomoth in that it is airborne, but is neither a Flying type or has Levitate as an ability.
 * For Massive Damage: Beautifly is already very delicate, but one good Rock-type attack is pretty much guaranteed to take it out.
 * Poisonous Pokémon: Dustox
 * Pretty Butterfly: Beautifly. (Just watch out; it's also vicious.)
 * Psychic Powers: Dustox naturally learns quite a bit of Psychic-type moves.
 * Tertiary Sexual Characteristics: Male Beautifly have smaller red spots on their wings than females; Male Dustox likewise have larger antennae than females.
 * Urban Legend of Zelda: Whether your Wurmple evolves into a Silcoon or a Cascoon is based on the personality value, hidden normally, not by gender, stats, time of day, etc.

Lotad, Lombre, and Ludicolo (Hasubo, Hasubrero, and Runpappa)


Water-Grass-type Pokémon that inhabit the freshwater areas of Routes 102 and 114. They have an affinity for rain and bear lily pads on their heads, which they use to ferry small Pokémon across small bodies of water and to catch rainwater to restore HP.


 * Dance Battler: Ludicolo, so freaking much.
 * Foil: To the Seedot family. Same base stat totals, same evolution process (first at lvl. 14, then next with use of an evolutionary stone), Lotad learning Rain Dance and Seedot learning Sunny Day, and exclusive to Sapphire and Ruby, respectively.
 * Fun Personified: Ludicolo.
 * Green Thumb
 * Healing Factor: Capable of learning a wide array of health restoration moves, plus an ability that restores hit points when the weather is rainy.
 * Making a Splash
 * Nice Hat: Lily-pad hats are awesome, okay?
 * Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Ludicolo somewhat resembles a pineapple with a duck bill wearing a lily-pad sombrero.
 * Perpetual Frowner: Lotad and Lombre. In spite of that, their behavior is quite cheerful.
 * South of the Border
 * Youkai: They have some Kappa-like elements.

Seedot, Nuzleaf, and Shiftry (Tanebo, Konohana, and Dirtengu)


Grass-Dark-type Pokémon (Seedot is pure Grass) that share a habitat with the Lotad line and later inhabit Routes 117 and 120. They have an affinity for sunlight. Seedot has minimal offensive abilities, while Nuzleaf is able to learn Extrasensory, which allows it to take down the Fighting-type that they would be weak to.


 * Action Bomb: Exploding acorns/tengus!
 * Combat Pragmatist: They have no honor whatsoever when it comes to fighting.
 * Foil: See Lotad's entry.
 * For Massive Damage: Any reasonably powerful Bug attack will take this line down.
 * Gag Nose: starting with Nuzleaf.
 * Green Thumb
 * Jerkass: Shiftry, according to the 'dex.
 * Lightning Bruiser: A Shiftry with the Chlorophyll ability becomes this once sunny weather is active.
 * Hoist By His Own Petard: However, sunny weather also boosts Fire type moves, incidentally one of Shiftry's weaknesses. Therefore it can be used against him.
 * This can go both ways though; if the opponent is using a strategy involving sunny weather and you have a Chlorophyll Shiftry, switch it in and take advantage of it.
 * Metal Slime: In Emerald, really hard to find.
 * There is, however, an in-game trade early in Emerald, in Rustboro City. The problem? The requisite Pokémon, Ralts, is a Metal Slime itself.
 * Obviously Evil: Shiftry's species is the Wicked Pokémon. And doesn't look quite innocent either.
 * Psychic Powers: They have the move Extrasensory in their natural movepool, allowing it to take out the Fighting and Poison-types easily and potentially make it flinch.
 * Youkai: Shiftry is based on a tengu.
 * Its Japanese, German, and French names are Dirteng, Tengulist, and Tengalice, making this even more obvious.

Taillow and Swellow (Subame and Oosubame)


Swallow Pokémon that inhabit the early routes of Hoenn. They're not as common in their region as their counterparts Pidgey, Starly, and Pidove are in their regions. They are true Determinators, refusing to give up even when they are near defeat.


 * Big Badass Bird of Prey: And it's a swallow, too!
 * Blow You Away
 * Com Mons: Subverted. Like Sentret, they look like Com Mons, and you expect them to be common, but nope, they are rare to find.
 * Determinator: What Guts amounts to.
 * Expy: While often compared to Pidgey and Starly, its evolutionary pattern, Pokédex description, and stat distribution is actually more in line with Spearow.
 * Fragile Speedster
 * For Massive Damage: Don't let the anime tell you otherwise, Electric-type attacks DO hurt them.
 * Glass Cannon: When affected with a status condition, Guts kicks in and makes their attacks deadly, even if survivability gets even more hindered. Combine with Facade for optimal effect.
 * Non-Elemental

Wingull (Camome) and Pelipper


Water and Flying-type Pokémon that are found everywhere while surfing. Wingull is a Fragile Speedster, learning speed-based attacks like Quick Attack and even Agility, but Pelipper has a much different moveset, learning Hydro Pump and the Stockpile trio, and having a Defense stat of 100 but a Speed stat lower than Wingull.


 * Blow You Away: Wingull learns more wind-based attacks than Pelipper, though.
 * Com Mons: On water routes.
 * Flight
 * For Massive Damage: Zap it with a well-placed Electric attack for massive damage.
 * Fragile Speedster: Oddly, Wingull fits this, but Pelipper doesn't.
 * Healing Factor: Its Dream World ability, Rain Dish, lets it regain health in the rain.
 * It also learns Roost, something which an AI-controlled Pelipper tends to spam repeatedly.
 * Mighty Glacier: Pelipper tries to be this. Unfortunately, the fact that Electric attacks will turn it into Hoenn Fried Pelican makes its defensive value questionable.

Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir (Sirknight), and Gallade (Erlade)
Gallade debuts in Generation IV

Psychic-type Pokémon, notable for Kirlia and Gardevoir's feminine appearances, despite having an equal chance to be either gender. All of them are sensitive to the emotions of people and Pokémon around it.


 * Blade Below the Shoulder: Gallade has two of them.
 * Confusion Fu: Gallade's movepool. Psychic, Dark, Grass, Fighting, Rock, Flying, Bug, Ground...
 * Cute Monster Girl: Kirlia and Gardevoir, though they can be male.
 * Dude Looks Like a Lady: Kirlia and Gardevoir, despite 50% of them being male. Gallade, with his more masculine appearance, was probably added to fix this.
 * Humanoid Abomination: The fact that they are in the Indeterminate egg group suggests this.
 * Mama Bear: Gardevoir will protect their trainer, no matter what.
 * Metal Slime: Ralts is rare in every game it can be encountered. Made even more frustrating in that it's the first Pokémon your rival Wally encounters in Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald.
 * Magikarp Power: Ralts is one of seven Pokémon with lower base stats than the Trope Namer, and Kirlia is the weakest of all non-cocoon evolved Pokémon, but Gardevoir is a bulky alternative to Alakazam, and Gallade is an unique Pokémon with a great movepool.
 * Mighty Glacier edging on Lightning Bruiser: Both Gardevoir and Gallade have impressive Special Defense and offense (Special Attack for Gardevoir, Attack for Gallade), but only average Speed. Thus, while they're not really slow, it's still pretty easy to outspeed them.
 * One-Gender Race: Gallade can only evolve from male Kirlia.
 * Power Floats: In Sword and Shield, if Gardevoir is in your party when you make a campsite, you'll see it doesn't walk; it seems to use its psychic powers to float.
 * Psychic Powers
 * Synchronization: 2 out of 3 of this family's abilities, Trace (copying the opponent's own ability) and the one which is actually called Synchronize (passing status effects).
 * Undying Loyalty: Gardevoir towards its trainer.

Surskit and Masquerain (Ametama and Amemoth)


A very rare Pokémon, respectively based on a water-strider and an eye-spotted moth. Surskit is Bug and Water-typed and has a movepool with limited offensive abilities. Masquerain uses its eye-spotted wings to intimidate the opponent and has a natural moveset that is more in line with the likes of other flying insects. This line is notable for having a unique type combination (Bug/Water) removed upon evolution.


 * Big Creepy-Crawlies
 * Blow You Away: Masquerain
 * Blush Sticker: Surskit
 * Flight: Masquerain.
 * For Massive Damage: Masquerain is very weak to Rock attacks.
 * Making a Splash: Surskit
 * Metal Slime: Try to find one outside of a swarm.
 * Power-Up Letdown: Surskit's unique Bug/Water type combination makes it an interesting catch at first... Only for it to evolve into yet another generic Bug/Flying type.
 * Walking on Water: Surskit is a water strider.

Shroomish and Breloom (Kinococo and Kinogassa)


Mushroom Pokémon that mainly inhabit forests like Petalburg Forest. They have the Effect Spore ability which sometimes causes Standard Status Effects on contact. Shroomish is a pure Grass-type that favors more Status Effect moves. Breloom gains the Fighting-type in addition to its Grass-type and gains many effective Fighting-type moves to take advantage of its amazing Attack stat.


 * Bare-Fisted Monk: Despite its short stubby arms, Breloom's main form of combat is to punch its foes into submission. Some adaptations show that the arms stretch extremely far beyond its body.
 * Big Ol' Unibrow: Shroomish.
 * Boxing Kangaroo: Breloom, albeit roughly in appearance, and arguably why it was classified as a Fighting-type.
 * Everything's Better with Dinosaurs: Breloom has some characteristics of dinosaurs, with its head being similar to an Pachycephalosaurus and its tail resembling an Ankylosaurus tail.
 * For Massive Damage: Breloom to Flying attacks.
 * Lethal Joke Character/Difficult but Awesome: Breloom is a major threat in OU competitive play, yet it has one of the lowest base stat totals in the tier.
 * Magikarp Power: Shroomish is useful to a degree, but doesn't do much apart of spreading status and helping against Roxanne, while Breloom is an excellent Pokémon in the main game too.
 * Perpetual Frowner: Shroomish
 * Standard Status Effects: Spore, Poison Powder and Stun Spore.

Slakoth, Vigoroth, and Slaking (Namakero, Yarukimono, and Kekking)


Notorious for its "ability" to stop attacking every other turn, Slakoth isn't very useful besides its high Attack for an early Pokémon. Its evolution, Vigoroth, is all-around great, with solid Attack and Defense and the ability to not fall asleep. Slaking, however, regains the Truant ability, but its incredible Attack and Defense makes up for it.


 * Acrofatic: You'd expect the flabby, lazy Slaking to be slowed down by its big gut, right? Nope, it's actually faster than Vigoroth.
 * Badass Normal: Slaking has stats on par with those of Groudon and Kyogre. Yet it is not a Legendary, it is the fully evolved form of a Pokémon that can be captured in the area prior to the first badge. Oh, and a Normal type as well. Now if only it weren't so damn lazy...
 * Badass Abnormal: Then again, this is a Pokémon we are talking about, it is only normal relatively speaking.
 * Blessed with Suck: Truant makes you unable to attack every second turn. Can be quite deadly in double battles, but easily stopped by Protect in single battles.
 * Brilliant but Lazy: Slaking is this trope incarnate. Slaking definitely isn't slow, he's just incredibly lazy. All of its stats are good, including Speed.
 * Slakoth not so much, as it is unable to attack every other turn due to its low metabolism. Slaking doesn't attack often for similar reasons, though in Slaking's case it's quite capable of being ferocious - it just exhausts itself too easily.
 * In fact, judging by base stats alone, Slaking reaches the levels of Groudon and other legendaries. Its laziness (Truant) is the only thing keeping it back from being a god-like pokemon.
 * Lightning Bruiser: Vigoroth and Slaking, even if the latter stops attacking every other turn. Slaking's base Speed stat is actually rather high, despite what you'd expect.
 * Magikarp Power: Slakoth is slightly stronger than the Com Mons, but is killed by its ability. Vigoroth is an all-around solid Pokémon. Slaking hits like a truck, is fast, has loads of HP and decent defenses, and the only thing keeping it out of being Purposefully Overpowered is its ability.
 * Non-Elemental
 * Signature Move: Slack Off, in Generation III. Afterwards, other relaxed Pokémon got it (not Snorlax, though).

Nincada, Ninjask, and Shedinja (Tsuchinin, Tekkanin, and Nukenin)


Another Bug Pokémon with strange evolution, it is meant to be a Cicada with Ninja elements. Nincada starts out as a Bug/Ground type with a limited moveset. Normally, it evolves into Ninjask, only second to Speed Forme Deoxys as the fastest Pokémon, but if you have an empty slot and any kind of Pokéball, it "splits" into the mysterious Shedinja, which has resistance to any non-super-effective attack thanks to its Wonder Guard ability.


 * Blow You Away: Ninjask
 * Boring but Practical: Like Mew, Ninjask is mostly used for Baton Passing Status Buffs; its Attack is decent, but outclassed by a lot, and its defenses are too horrendous for it to survive for very long. As mentioned below, it can pack a punch, but this relies on the element of surprise
 * Crippling Overspecialization: Despite the myriad ways to defeat it, Shedinja can still take down Uber staples Kyogre and Palkia with little trouble.
 * Dishing Out Dirt: Nincada
 * Divergent Character Evolution: Apart of the vastly different secondary types, Nincada attempts to be a Stone Wall of sorts, Ninjask is a Fragile Speedster specialized in Min-Maxing that still can pack a punch, and Shedinja is a One-Hit-Point Wonder gimmick that otherwise plays like a slower Ninjask.
 * Flight: Ninjask. Shedinja is also always in the air.
 * For Massive Damage: As a Bug/Flying dual-type Pokémon, Ninjask can't stand Rock attacks, and its frail defenses make sure of that even further.
 * Fragile Speedster: Ninjask is the second-fastest Pokémon in the game, and its ability makes it even faster.
 * Glass Cannon: It also has decent attack, but abysmal defenses.
 * Holy Halo: Shedinja.
 * Kryptonite Is Everywhere: Shedinja is impervious to damage! Well, provided that it doesn´t get hit by a attack with the type of one of its 5 weaknesses or a Shadow move, Hail, Sandstorm, Stealth Rock, Spikes, Shadow Sky, Poison, Leech Seed, Confusion, Burn, Destiny Bond, Perish Song, or Rough Skin. Or, for that matter, any non-Fighting/Normal attack from a Pokémon with the Mold Breaker, Teravolt, or Turboblaze abilities or the move Gastro Acid, which turns Shedinja into just another one hit point wonder.
 * Ninja: And Ninjask has Samurai elements as well.
 * No Biological Sex: Shedinja
 * One-Hit-Point Wonder: Uniquely among Pokémon, Shedinja is one of these.
 * Our Ghosts Are Different: Shedinja, a discarded cicada shell with angel wings and a halo.
 * Our Angels Are Different: After all, it does have wings and a halo...
 * Soul Power: Shedinja
 * Support Party Member: Ninjask is a natural-born Baton Passer.
 * This Looks Like a Job For Aquaman: Shedinja is, in every sense of the word, a pure gimmicky One-Hit Wonder...unless you're stuck trying to catch Kyogre in Sapphire or Emerald, where his Wonder Guard ability nullifies every single one of Kyogre's attacks (Kyogre doesn't even have indirect attacks like Hail to do the job), leaving him a sitting duck as you whittle away at his health. Same goes for Latios/Latias.
 * Urban Legend of Zelda: You can have ANY kind of ball to get Shedinja, you do not need a Pokeball... In Generation III at least. In Generation IV and V, you do need a Pokeball.
 * Who's Laughing Now?: While extremely convoluted, there is a technique to change a Shedinja's ability to Sturdy in Triples play. Outside of status ailments, weather conditions, the various Won't Work On Me moves/abilities (all of which are mentioned above), or multi-hit moves (which are almost never used in competitive play, and one of the few that has any common use is nulled by Shedinja's Ghost typing even without Wonder Guard), making it even more difficult to take out (as the most common ways, attacks of its weakness elements, no longer do the job).
 * Your Soul Is Mine: Looking into the hole on Shedinja's back is said to cause it to steal your soul.
 * The Moral Guardians were right! Playing Pokémon does steal kids' souls!

Whismur, Loudred, and Exploud (Gonyonyo, Dogomb, and Bakuong)


Specializing in sound-based moves like Hyper Voice and Uproar, they inhabit caves like Rusturf Tunnel, Victory Road, and Underground Pass. They also are resistant to other sound-based moves thanks to their Soundproof ability.


 * Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Loudred's ears look like stereo speakers, while Exploud's "air vents" vaguely allude to those found on a pipe organ.
 * Cute but Cacophonic: Whismur, whose screaming can get as loud as (or louder than) a jet plane.
 * Fire, Ice, Lightning: Exploud can learn the Elemental Fangs.
 * Jack of All Stats: Exploud has decent stat distribution and a great mixed movepool.
 * Make Me Wanna Shout: See above for Whismur. And while we're at it, let's look at Loudred and Exploud. Loudred's screaming can blow apart houses and turn over trucks, and Exploud's screaming can be heard from six miles away and is strong enough to trigger an earthquake.
 * Non-Elemental
 * Signature Move: Hyper Voice.
 * Wingding Eyes: Whismur's eyes look like crosshairs.

Makuhita and Hariyama (Makunoshita and Hariteyama)


Bulky Fighting-type Pokémon that also like caves. They have high HP as well as high Attack. They are closely associated with the moves Arm Thrust and Smellingsalt.


 * Bare-Fisted Monk
 * Eyes Always Shut: Makuhita
 * Mighty Glacier
 * Scunthorpe Problem: Makuhita's Japanese name is Makunoshita.
 * Signature Move: Arm Thrust, until Generation V. They are also associated with Smelling Salt, since other Pokémon can only learn it by breeding.
 * Stout Strength: Hariyama tests its strength by standing on railroad tracks and trying to stop trains with its bare hands (remember troper kids: don't try this at the railroad tracks).
 * Sumo Wrestler In All Of Us

Nosepass and Probopass (Dainose)
Probopass debuts in Generation IV

Nose-shaped Rock-type Pokémon that are magnetic and hide in rocks. Nosepass's relation to magnetism allows it to learn Electric-type moves that would usually take it down easily. It also evolves into the Moai-like Probopass in magnetic areas like Mt. Coronet, giving it a Steel type.


 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * Eenie Meenie Miny Moai
 * Expy: A stand-alone Rock Pokémon with very high defensive stats that is the trump card of the first gym leader, but stops being a threat after that, and gets a Steel-typed evolution in the next generation? Onix, is that you?
 * Extra Ore Dinary: Probopass.
 * Fake Ultimate Mook: Just like Onix, Nosepass in its debut is somewhat of a threat in the hands of the first gym leader, but stops being so when any of your Pokémon evolves.
 * For Massive Damage: Fighting and Ground attacks. The latter can be averted with Magnet Rise
 * Gag Nose: Probopass's large nose and bushy mustache has been compared to that of Groucho Marx (and the novelty nose and glasses mask used as a Paper-Thin Disguise both in fiction and Real Life inspired by Groucho's memetic look), Mario from the Super Mario Bros. video games, and Mr. Potato Head.
 * Gravity Master: Probopass can learn the move Gravity naturally.
 * Metal Slime: Unless you're carrying around Rock Smash regularly, they're not commonly encountered (even then, their encounter rate isn't extraordinarily high).
 * Mighty Glacier: In game, it's one of the slowest families of Pokémon out there, with Probopass having a base speed of 40. In story, its Pokedex mentions that it only moves a few inches a year.
 * Missing Secret: Has Head Smash as one of its Egg Moves in Generation IV. Nothing that can breed with Nosepass can learn it, though. This was fixed in generation V, with the move no longer listed as heritable.
 * Shock and Awe: Because of their relation to magnetism, they can naturally learn a few Electric-type attacks.
 * Shown Their Work: Probopass is based on what the Moai statues originally looked like in both design and paint scheme, based on recent research and paint analysis.
 * Silicon Based Pokémon
 * Stone Wall
 * Waddling Head
 * You Will Not Evade Me: Learns Block, and all Steel-types are subject to this thanks to the Magnet Pull ability.

Skitty and Delcatty (Eneko and Enekororo)


Cat-like Pokémon that are generally weak but are very hard to find anyway. Skitty is closely associated with Assist, which allows it to randomly select a move from one of the party's Pokémon. A Moon Stone evolves it into Delcatty.


 * Cute Kitten
 * Eyes Always Shut: Skitty.
 * Improbable Species Compatibility: The first half of the Trope Namer...
 * Metal Slime: It only has a 2% encounter rate, tying it with Chimecho.
 * Joke Character: Delcatty sucks as a fighter, let's leave it at that.
 * Lunacy: you need a Moon Stone to evolve Skitty.
 * Non-Elemental: Typical of Normal-types, but the ability Normalize makes ALL of its attacks Normal-type. While this puts these pokemon even worse at battling than they normally are, they have the gimmick of paralyzing Ground-types with a Normal-type Thunder Wave.
 * Signature Move: Before Generation IV, Assist.

Sableye (Yamirami)


The first ever Pokémon to have both the Dark and Ghost types, giving it no immediate weaknesses to any type. It is a gremlin-like creature that subsist on a diet of rocks and minerals. It is exclusive to Sapphire.


 * Combat Pragmatist
 * Eat Dirt Cheap: Gems are its favorite food. So much so that gems form on its skin, especially in its eyes.
 * Jack of All Stats: Its type combination (Dark and Ghost) has no weaknesses. This doesn't make it a top threat, though, as its stats (and being outclassed by another mon using the typing better) keep it in the lower tiers.
 * Lethal Joke Character: In Pokémon Black and White, Sableye can learn the Prankster ability via the Dream World. This allows it to use non-attacking moves, such as Will-O-Wisp, Recover, and Taunt, among others, first. It's very effective in annoying the opponent and can easily throw a monkey wrench in an enemy's plans. With a proper defensive EV spread, this ghost is far from the weakling it was in previous gens.
 * Won't Work On Me: Leave your Fighting, Psychic, and Normal types at home; they'll be useless against it (unless you have Odor Sleuth or Foresight as an attack, or the Scrappy ability).
 * Power-Up Letdown: Fourth Generation gave Sableye the alternate ability "Stall". With it, an already weak Pokémon gets crippled even further by being forced to attack last (barring exceptional situations).
 * Our Ghosts Are Different
 * Slasher Smile
 * Stealth Pun: It has a ruby and sapphire in its body; its Shiny form, meanwhile, shows off an emerald.
 * Soul Power
 * Supernatural Is Purple
 * Took a Level in Badass: Its Dream World Ability, Prankster, increases the Action Initiative of non-damaging moves, turns it into a Goddamn Bat in competitive play.

Mawile (Kucheat)


Based on the two-mouthed woman in Japanese mythology, it is a pure-Steel type Pokémon, but it strangely leans many Dark-type moves. It's exclusive to Ruby. The big black mouth is actually a pair of horns it uses to look more intimidating.


 * Combat Pragmatist: Even though it's not a Dark-type (it's a pure Steel-type), it learns a large number of Dark-type moves (particularly those of the "deceptive tricks" kind, like Flatter and Sucker Punch).
 * Cute Monster Girl: Just try to ignore that growth on its back.
 * And the fact that half of them are male.
 * Extra Ore Dinary
 * Killer Rabbit
 * More Teeth Than the Osmond Family: The second "mouth."
 * Obake: Based on the futakuchi-onna (two-mouthed woman).

Aron, Lairon, and Aggron (Kokodora, Kodora, Bossgodora)


Beastlike Pokémon that are Steel and Rock-typed. They have a habit of eating any metal they come across, including those that make up railroads and building frames. Like most Steel and Rock types, their Defense is their strongest stat. Their Attack isn't too bad either, but its Speed is pretty low.


 * Counter Attack: Gets the "counter anything" Metal Burst move.
 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * Extra Ore Dinary
 * For Massive Damage: Fighting- and Ground-type attacks.
 * Mighty Glacier
 * Non-Malicious Monster/Obliviously Evil: A recurring theme in their Pokédex entries is the friction caused between them and humans. For example, Aron occasionally descend from their mountain habitats and start eating steel constructs such as rails and bridges, and Lairon usually clash with humans who attempt to mine the iron ore it usually nest nearby. As for Aggron... "territorial" is an understatement. But while it will viciously attack any intruders upon its territory, it will also work diligently to preserve its territory, and it will work just as diligently to restore its territory if a natural disaster wrecks it. (We humans could learn something from Aggron's example.)
 * Stealth Pun: A part-Rock type has the Heavy Metal ability.

Meditite and Medicham (Asanan and Charem)


Pokémon that are Fighting and Psychic-typed, probably based on meditating monks. Thanks to their signature Pure Power ability, their Attack is doubled, making the it quite high. They are one of the few Pokémon to learn Hi Jump Kick.


 * All Monks Know Kung Fu
 * Fire, Ice, Lightning: Medicham can naturally have the three elemental punches.
 * Glass Cannon: Very much so. They have low attack, except for their Pure Power ability that doubles their attack. They also have little defenses and die very quickly.
 * Lotus Position: Meditite. In fact it's a Levitating Lotus Position.
 * Muscles Are Meaningless: Their limbs are about as thick as a leek, yet their Attack is one of the highest due to their ability.
 * Psychic Powers

Electrike and Manectric (Rakurai and Livolt)


Canine-like Pokémon that are Electric-typed. Typical of the typing, their Speed and Sp. Attack are their best stats, though they're not as good as others.


 * Big Badass Wolf: Manectric is based on the wolf form of Raiju.
 * Fragile Speedster
 * Also a Glass Cannon on the Special side.
 * Overshadowed by Awesome: One of the few Electric types introduced in Hoenn. If Pikachu, Voltorb, and Magnemite weren't around, it might get more love.
 * Playing with Fire: For no specific reason they can be taught Fire attacks as of Generation IV.
 * Shock and Awe
 * Youkai: a Raiju.

Plusle and Minun


Considered the Pikachu Expies of Hoenn, they are version counterparts of each other. Minun is more common in Ruby while Plusle is more common in Sapphire. Their abilites, Plus and Minus respectively, are meant for double battles, as when both are in play, their Sp. Atk increases.


 * Expy: Of Pikachu, Considered to be the Pikaclones of Generation III, thanks to being electric mice.
 * Fun Personified
 * Kid Appeal Character
 * Shock and Awe
 * Theme Twin Naming
 * Wonder Twin Powers: Their respective abilities, Plus and Minus, only work in conjunction with each other, until Generation V where other Pokémon can have the same ability.

Volbeat and Illumise


Two fireflies who are classified as different species, they are respectively male and female versions of each other. Illumise is even able to produce Volbeat. According to the 'dex, Illumise emits a scent that attracts Volbeat, and the Volbeat will fly around the sky in elaborate patterns with its tail glowing to woo the Illumise.


 * Big Creepy-Crawlies: And they are also in the Humanshape egg group.
 * Bizarre Sexual Dimorphism: Much like the Nidos, they count as different species despite their eggs proving they're the same mon.
 * Light'Em Up
 * Lunacy: They naturally learn Moonlight.
 * Sickeningly Sweethearts
 * Signature Move: Volbeat had Tail Glow (that is actually named Firefly Light in Japan) in Generation III. Signal Beam, too, at least before FireRed and LeafGreen.
 * Took a Level in Badass: Volbeat in Generation V - it got Prankster from the Dream World, and Tail Glow got buffed, too, making it a crazy specialized for Baton Passing Special Attack boosts.

Budew (Subomi), Roselia, and Roserade
Budew and Roserade debut in Generation IV

A Pokémon with roses for arms. Once a standalone Pokémon in Generation III, it was given a baby form as well as an evolved form in Generation IV. Said to be Ken Sugimori's favorite.


 * Ascended Extra: Back in Generation III, Roselia was an unappealing Pokémon that was normally useless in battle, up until it was given an even more powerful evolution in the next generation as well as becoming Com Mons.
 * Camp Gay or Camp Straight: Roserade can be interpreted as this if male.
 * Dance Battler
 * Eyes Always Shut: This was Roselia's sprite for a long time until Platinum.
 * Glass Cannon: Roserade's Special Attack is equal to Exeggutor's - that is, really freaking good. Unlike Exeggutor, Roserade has passable speed, but mediocre defensive stats.
 * Green Thumb
 * The Medic
 * Combat Medic
 * Petal Power
 * Poisonous Pokémon: The only Grass/Poison Pokémon outside of Generations I and V.
 * Ridiculously Cute Critter: Budew.
 * Shout-Out: Roserade has been compared to Eric from The Phantom of the Opera and Tuxedo Kamen (Tuxedo Mask) from Sailor Moon due to its mask-like protrusion on its face and its penchant for roses.
 * Something About a Rose
 * White Haired Pretty Mon: Roserade.

Gulpin and Swalot (Goklin and Marunoom)


These poison-typed Pokémon will eat anything they come across. That includes berries, tires, trash, anything. The digestive juices inside their stomachs will digest anything except itself. They are also able to wield quite a bit of sludge-based attacks.


 * Big Eater: The clue is in the name.
 * Blob Monster
 * Extreme Omnivore: Swalot moreso than Gulpin (though they both qualify regardless). The biggest thing Swalot can eat is the tire off a car; meanwhile, Gulpin's stomach acid can dissolve anything, including scrap iron. Though there is one thing Swalot and Gulpin couldn't eat even if they tried: their own stomachs.
 * Eyes Always Shut: Gulpin
 * Poisonous Pokémon

Carvanha and Sharpedo (Kibanha and Samehader)


Carvanha is a piranha-like Pokémon that can initially only be found in the river near Mauville City. Sharpedo is a shark-like Pokémon that is pretty easy to find once you get the Super Rod. Their offensive stats and speed are all incredible, but it suffers from low defensive stats.


 * Combat Pragmatist: Well they ARE piranhas and sharks, after all.
 * Everything's Even Worse with Sharks: Sharpedo is said to be so destructive that it only takes one of these creatures to sink and destroy a supertanker.
 * Fragile Speedster + Glass Cannon: And how! Rough Skin helps a little by hurting opponents that strike them, but there are plenty of ways around that
 * Making a Splash
 * Piranha Problem
 * Took a Level in Badass: Got Speed Boost as a Dream World abilty.

Wailmer and Wailord (Wahleko and Whaleo)


Whale-like Pokémon that are Water-typed and are somewhat based on inflatable objects like beach balls and blimps. Currently, Wailord holds the position of the longest Pokémon in existence. Their HP is rather massive.
 * Gentle Giant: applies to both members of the evolutionary line, since Wailmer is said to be one of the largest non-evolved Pokémon.
 * Improbable Species Compatibility: ...The other half of the trope namer.
 * Making a Splash
 * Mighty Glacier: Although the colossal HP can only compensate to a degree for the lackluster defenses.
 * Required Party Member: Alongside Relicanth, was needed to access the Golems.
 * Signature Move: Prior to Generation V, the only Pokémon to learn Water Spout naturally, apart from Kyogre.

Numel and Camerupt (Donmel and Bakuuda)


Making their home around Mt. Chimney, these camels store magma inside their humps and release them when using Eruption and Lava Plume. Numel are also quite dull, being rather unfeeling to pain (though not as much as Slowpoke). They excel in Attack and Special Attack but lack in Speed. Water-types absolutely wreck them due to their Fire/Ground typing.


 * Delayed Reaction: Numel only.
 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * For Massive Damage: Water is its major weakness.
 * Mighty Glacier
 * Playing with Fire
 * Signature Move: Prior to Generation IV, the only Pokémon to learn Eruption naturally, apart from Groudon.

Torkoal (Coatoise)


Also, living in Mt. Chimney is this tortoise that stores coal in its shell. When agitated, it blows out black smoke to disorient the enemy. In battle, it surrounds itself in White Smoke to prevent anyone from lowering its stats. Its defense is its best stat and has average stats everywhere else except for Speed, which is absolutely abysmal.


 * Mighty Glacier
 * Playing with Fire
 * Smoke Out
 * Turtle Power

Spoink and Grumpig (Baneboo and Boopig)


A strange Pokémon if there ever was one: The piglet has no back legs, so it gets around by bouncing on a springy tail, however, the bouncing action preforms an even more vital function: It keeps its heart pumping, so if it stops bouncing, its heart stops and it will die. It also carries a large pearl on its head which apparently amplifies its psychic power. It becomes more normal (for a Pokémon at least) when it evolves into Grumpig.


 * As the Good Book Says... and Stealth Pun: "[D]o not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."
 * Messy Pig
 * Gameplay and Story Segregation: Thankfully, Spoinks don't die when you knock them out!
 * Overshadowed by Awesome: A solid Psychic-type—too bad Hoenn offers two families (Abra and Ralts) of that type with better offensive stats (king for in-game use) and movepools far before it can be found. Competitively, it does a bit better, being the best UnderUsed special wall.
 * Psychic Powers
 * Spring Coil: Spoink has this, and must bounce on it or face death by cardiac arrest.
 * Stone Wall
 * Supernatural Is Purple: Even though they're Psychic types and not Ghosts.

Spinda (Patcheel)


This odd Pokémon is a common sight in the ash-covered Route 113. It has two motifs going for it: the patches on a Spinda's face differ from individual to individual, much like a fingerprint. Using an algorithm in the coding, there are over four billion combinations for face patches. The second motif is that its movepool and abilities revolve around spining and dizziness. It's not a Pokémon that's going to win battles for you, but it's at least one you aren't likely to forget.


 * Butt Monkey: To Smogon in particular, but if another Pokémon is compared to Spinda in any way, odds are good that it's not a compliment.
 * Cast of Snowflakes: There are over four billion possible spot patterns, meaning you're not likely to see the same kind of Spinda twice.
 * Confusion Fu: Quite literally, most of its abilities and moves have to do with confusion.
 * Drunken Master
 * Everything's Better with Spinning
 * Joke Character
 * Master of None: Spinda's stats are all equal... and they all suck.
 * Pandaing to the Audience
 * Power-Up Letdown: It gets the impressive Contrary Ability from the Dream World, but has no moves that can abuse it. This can be mollified in two ways; one, by knowing the attack- and defense-lowering move Superpower from Dream World, or by using Assist (learned via egg moves) to use V-Create, Close Combat, Draco Meteor, etc.
 * Signature Move: Teeter Dance, before Generation V (others could learn it via breeding).
 * Wingding Eyes: Its eyes are swirls.

Trapinch (Nuckrar), Vibrava, and Flygon


Based on the antlion, Trapinch is a Ground-typed Pokémon commonly found in the wild in desert areas. It evolves into Vibrava, which gives it an additional Dragon-type and lowers its Attack while primarily raising Speed. Afterwards, it evolves into Flygon, which returns its high Attack.


 * Big Creepy-Crawlies: They're based on the antlion, but they're not bug-typed.
 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * Divergent Character Evolution: Trapinch is a slow but strong Ground-type trapper, while Vibrava and Flygon are standard fast and strong Levitating Dragon-types. In fact, when a Trapinch evolves, its attack actually gets lowered... only to go back to where it originally was upon evolution to Flygon.
 * Glass Cannon: Trapinch. It has shockingly high Attack, but its other stats are at the standard levels for unevolved Pokémon (read: not very good).
 * Fragile Speedster: Vibrava. Well, "fragile" might not be the best term (its defenses are mediocre, not terrible,) but its so-so Attack makes it easy to outlast regardless.
 * Jack of All Stats: Flygon, which has both Trapinch's solid Attack and Vibrava's solid Speed, plus good defenses as well.
 * For Massive Damage: Ice types will wreck it.
 * Our Dragons Are Different: In this case, Vibrava and Flygon are draconic antlions.
 * Status Buff: Averted. Despite being a dragon that looks very nimble, it can't learn Dragon Dance or any buffs beyond Hone Claws.
 * Overshadowed by Awesome: Sadly appears the case, as Salamence is no longer banned in Generation V. There's Haxorus and Hydreigon, too, and Team Preview makes its scouting moveset moot, which was its one major niche.
 * You Will Not Evade Me: Arena Trap is essentially the Magnemite line's Magnet Pull, with different limitations.

Cacnea and Cacturne (Sabonea and Noctus)


Another pair of desert denizens, Cacnea and Cacturne, being based on cacti, are very well adapted for desert life. They use their thorny arms as clubs to batter their opponents, or they can shoot needles to subdue them. They're also noteworthy of having Sand Veil as an ability, which makes them not only more evasive in a Sandstorm, but also immune to its damage. Cacturne takes on a creepy scarecrow-like appearance and becomes a dark-type.


 * Alien Blood: Cacturne have sand for blood.
 * All Deserts Have Cacti: Where you find them.
 * Combat Pragmatist: Cacturne.
 * Difficult but Awesome: Cacturne's got good Attack, but its poor Speed and defenses mean that it usually gets knocked out before it can utilize its offensive might. However, a player who is good at predicting their opponent's next move can fully utilize Cacturne's beastly offense by using Sucker Punch to hit hard before the opponent gets to attack, and Focus Punch to hit even harder if the opponent isn't trying to attack. It also has the ability Sand Veil, which means if there's a sandstorm up, there is a 20% chance that the foe's attacks will miss Cacturne enitrely. Long story short: Cacturne may look like a novelty, but in the hands of a Chessmaster, it's a force to be reckoned with.
 * For Massive Damage: To Bug-type attacks.
 * Glass Cannon: Poor speed, poor defenses, but very good attack.
 * Green Thumb
 * Implacable Pokémon: Cacturne form packs to stalk travelers through deserts, waiting for said travelers to wear itself out. Then the Cacturne will beat it up and suck it to a dessicated husk.
 * Man-Eating Plant: Sucks its prey dry like a vampire.
 * Nice Hat: Cacturne, at least.
 * Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: A vampiric scarecrow cactus.
 * Our Vampires Are Different
 * Scary Scarecrows
 * Signature Move: Needle Arm, until Generation V.
 * Fittingly, said Gen V Pokemon is a cactus too.

Swablu and Altaria (Tylto and Tyltalis)


Cute blue birds with a cloud theme. Swablu is a regular Normal/Flying type that isn't particularly noteworthy but it does evolve into Altaria, which is a Dragon/Flying type. Its highest stat is its special defense, but ice types still present a problem.


 * Blow You Away
 * For Massive Damage: Ice-type attacks (not unlike most Dragon-types, really).
 * Flight
 * Instant Awesome, Just Add Dragons: Altaria is based on the Blue Bird of Happiness, which comes from a Belgian play that includes a star called Tytalis (Altaria's Japanese name to boot), which is part of the Draco Constellation.
 * The Male Ingenue Must Be A Soprano: Altaria is the Humming Pokémon, and this family is normally known for grace, cleanliness, and forming fluffier wings when they bond with people.
 * The Medic
 * Mighty Glacier: Altaria's defenses are surprisingly high for a Dragon-type.
 * Opera: Based on song birds and opera music.
 * Our Angels Are Different
 * Our Dragons Are Different: Altaria, VERY different indeed.
 * Personal Raincloud: They can use Rain Dance, and their plumage is made up of cotton.
 * That Cloud Is A Bird
 * Weather Control Creatures: As of Generation V, some Altaria have the power to normalize make everybody ignore weather when in play.

Zangoose and Seviper (Habunake)


Two Pokémon with an intense rivalry that is practically part of their nature. They inhabit Route 114, just outside of Meteor Falls. They are both hard-hitters, both having decent offense.


 * Acquired Poison Immunity: Owing to their long rivalry, Zangoose has the Immunity ability.
 * It has a unique Dream World ability that, while it means Zangoose can be poisoned, its powers will be boosted
 * Badass Normal: Zangoose, keeping a feud with the Poisonous Seviper and actually having several advantages.
 * Enemy Mine: They are mortal enemies and have been for quite some time. Doesn't mean they can't be on the same team, fight together on a Double Battle, or even breed.
 * Foe Yay: Despite being rivals, they can still be bred together.
 * Foil: To each other.
 * Good Scars, Evil Scars: Zangoose is a variation—the red patterns on its white fur look like really badass scars.
 * Non-Elemental: Zangooze
 * Poisonous Pokémon: Seviper.
 * Retcon: Zangoose's claws were originally purple in its game sprites (but not in its concept art).
 * The Rival: To each other.
 * Signature Move: Seviper's Poison Tail, until Generation V. Zangoose's Crush Claw could always be bred into other Pokémon, but was learnable only by Zangoose in the attack's debut.
 * Wolverine Claws: Zangoose

Lunatone and Solrock


This pair of Pokémon are living meteorites that fell from space. Both of them resemble stellar bodies: Solrock resembles The Sun while Lunatone resembles The Moon. Solrock is more physically-inclined while Lunatone is specially-inclined. Both are also Rock/Psychic and have a small chance of carrying evolutionary stones (Sun Stones for Solrock, Moon Stones for Lunatone).


 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * Foil: To each other.
 * Irony: They do not learn Moonlight and Morning Sun, respectively.
 * Nor does one evolve into the other (or at least change forms based on night and day). Would have been cool if they did.
 * Lunacy: Lunatone
 * The Man in the Moon/The Face of the Sun: A little more subtle than most examples.
 * No Biological Sex
 * Playing with Fire: Solrock isn't a Fire type, but it does have some fire moves to use.
 * Power Floats
 * The Power of the Sun: Solrock.
 * Psychic Powers
 * Red Eyes, Take Warning: Lunatone's in particular are said to fill anyone with fear.
 * Silicon Based Pokémon
 * Solar and Lunar
 * Starfish Alien: They're living metorites from space.
 * Telepathy: Solrock can read minds.

Barboach and Whiscash (Dojoach and Namazun)


Water/Ground type catfish. They possess the ability to cause earthquakes, and are also said to have a limited ability to predict real earthquakes. Unlike real catfish, Whiscash's tail is horizontal, resembling a sea mammal's tail instead of a fish's.


 * The Catfish
 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * Earthquake Creature
 * For Massive Damage: To Grass-type attacks.
 * Making a Splash
 * Mighty Glacier
 * Overshadowed by Awesome: Having the same typing as both Quagsire and Marshtomp/Swampert but with less of a movepool (and less useful abilities) result in it getting little love, despite being decent in its own right.
 * Shout-Out: They're based off a Japanese myth about giant catfish causing earthquakes.

Corphish and Crawdaunt (Heigani and Shizarigar)


Crayfish Pokémon that were apparently introduced from overseas. These fiesty Pokémon are resoruceful enough to thrive in any enviroment they're introduced to (as long as there's enough water).


 * Combat Pragmatist: what would you expect from the "Ruffian" and "Rogue Pokémon"?
 * Divergent Character Evolution: Unlike most Expyed species, [ and Crawdaunt have steadily been made more dissimilar playwise (while keeping both equally viable) with future generations. Kingler has usable physical bulk, gained Agility (double speed) in Generation 4, and received the very nice Sheer Force ability (boost damage of moves with a chance of inflicting secondary effects by 33% but remove the effect chance) in Generation 5; Crawdaunt, on the other hand, has enough special attack to run mixed sets, gets Dragon Dance (raise speed and attack by 50% each) in Generation 4, and the very nice Adaptability ability (boost the bonus from using attacks of the same type as the user from 1.5 to double damage) in Generation 5.
 * Giant Enemy Crayfish: Or crawdad, if you prefer.
 * Glass Cannon
 * Making a Splash
 * Signature Move: Crabhammer, shared with the Kingler family.

Baltoy and Claydol (Yajilon and Nendol)


Clay figurines brought to life by mysterious means, these Pokémon prefer arid ruins and are able to weild a number of elemental attacks. They are based on the "shakōkidogū", a "Spaceman" figurine from the Jōmon period.


 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * Eyes Do Not Belong There: Claydol has eyes all around its head.
 * Living Toys: Apparently, both are clay figurines found in ancient ruins that somehow came to life.
 * No Biological Sex
 * Power Floats
 * Psychic Powers
 * Stone Wall
 * Mighty Glacier: It can also dish out quite a bit of damage.
 * Tron Lines: Baltoy.

Lileep and Cradily (Lilyla and Yuradle)


Despite being part grass and resembling a plant, this fossil Pokémon is based on a crinoid: a creature related to seastars that are still living in the deep oceans today. It is an extremely slow Pokémon, but it more than makes up for it in its defenses. It is revived from a Root Fossil.


 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * Expy: Fills the same role as the Kanto fossils along with Anorith, staring a tradition.
 * Eyes of Gold
 * Glowing Eyes of Doom: Especially Cradily.
 * Fossil Revival
 * Green Thumb
 * Palette Swap: Mentioned only because of an amusing fact: their "Shiny" forms switch colors with each other.
 * Prehistoric Monster
 * Stone Wall: Practically a Diamond Wall against special attacks during a sandstorm. Rock-types get their special defense doubled during that sort of weather, and Cradily's base Special Defense is more than respectable. And it can have Recover bred onto it.

Anorith (Anopth) and Armaldo


Reviving a Claw Fossil will net you this fossil Pokémon. Despite being labeled as an "Old Shrimp", Anorith is based on a creature known as an Anomalocaris, which at one meter long was the largest predator in the early cambrian oceans. When it evolves, it grows legs and vaguely resembles a dinosaur.


 * Big Creepy-Crawlies
 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * Expy: Fills the same role as the Kanto fossils along with Lileep, starting a tradition.
 * Fossil Revival
 * Giant Enemy Anomalocaris
 * Making a Splash: They can learn Water Gun and Aqua Tail.
 * Mighty Glacier
 * Generation V gives it the power to become a Lightning Bruiser in the rain via Swift Swim.
 * Mix-and-Match Critters: Armaldo is half Anomalocaris, half stegosaurus.
 * Prehistoric Monster
 * Viewers Are Geniuses: Anomalocaris is an ancient creature really only mentioned in documentaries and Advanced Placement Paleontology class.

Feebas and Milotic (Hinbass and Milokaross)


A weak, little fish that evolves into a mighty serpent. Reminds you of Magikarp, right? It's actually pretty different. First, Feebas is exceptionally rare; it can only be encountered in certain tiles in the Route 119 river (as well as one of the Mt. Coronet underground lakes). Second, it is unique in that it is the only Pokémon that evolves with a contest stat, namely, Beauty. This makes both finding one and evolving one a daunting task.


 * Foil: To Magikarp and Gyarados, with beauty instead of power.
 * Also in temperament. Gyarados is vicious and destructive while Milotic is peaceful and gentle.
 * Guide Dang It: You want a Milotic but don't know how to get one? GOOD LUCK.
 * Lightning Bruiser: Milotic is quite similar to Gyarados, albeit more specially and defensively oriented, has a weak physical attack that it won't be using, and, while Gyarados gets Intimidate to compensate for the lower physical defense, Milotic only needs to get a Standard Status Effect to get it multiplied by 1.5.
 * Magikarp Power: Even if slightly more useful than Magikarp, you aren't going to get anywhere with Feebas. Milotic, on the other hand...
 * Making a Splash
 * Metal Slime: The opposite of Magikarp; to find a water tile (not body, TILE) that yields Feebas you'd have to spend several hours or be very lucky. However, once encountered, it is easy to catch. Evolving it, however...
 * Averted in Generation V: Feebas is easy to find, there are wild Milotic, and it can be evolved by trading it with an item attached. Thank you, Gamefreak.
 * Also averted in HeartGold and SoulSilver; grind enough on the Pokewalker, and you'll reach the final route, where Feebas are merely an uncommon occurrance.
 * World's Most Beautiful Woman: Among Pokémon.

Castform (Powalun)


A tiny Pokémon that seems to resemble nothing more than a floating head. Castform is best known for changing its appearance and typing with the weather: It becomes a fire type under strong sunlight, a water type in the rain and an ice type in a snowstorm. Its most famous move is Weather Ball, a move that can become certain types under certain weather conditions, much like Castform itself.


 * Bubbly Clouds: Part of what its design is based on. However, it is easy to mistake its lower part for something else.
 * Involuntary Shapeshifting: Depending on the weather.
 * Voluntary Shapeshifting: But it can control the weather, thus, it can choose its form.
 * Signature Move: Weather Ball, in Generation III. Changes form along with the weather as well.
 * Non-Elemental: Well, Normal, anyway. Fog.
 * Playing with Fire: Strong sunlight (Sunny Day, Drought).
 * Making a Splash: Rainstorm (Rain Dance, Drizzle).
 * An Ice Person: Hailstorm (Hail, Snow Warning).
 * Dishing Out Dirt: Sandstorm (even though Castform lacks a form for them).
 * The Corruption: Shadow Sky. The only way a non-Shadow Pokémon can harness Shadow Power.
 * Weather Control Pokémon: But not automatically like other such Pokémon.

Kecleon


One of the earliest Pokémon of the third generation games to be promoted, Kecleon is a chameleon that's well known for changing its colors and almost becoming invisible, the only exception is the zig-zagged band of red on its torso. This doesn't factor into the game itself, but its ability comes fairly close. Every time it is hit with an attack, it becomes that attack's typing. Much like the red band, this can be its Achilles' Heel.


 * Awesome but Impractical: The concept is cool, but considered to be too easily shaken up to be used effectively.
 * Barrier Change Boss: Its Color Change ability makes it change to the type that it was last attacked with. It can be easily beaten by Dragon-types, due to the type's self-weakness. Ghost also, if you can change its type off normal first.
 * Early-Bird Cameo: The very first Generation III Pokémon to appear in the anime, midway through the Johto arc.
 * Hollywood Chameleons
 * Invisibility: Though an uncooperative stripe on its body will give it away.

Shuppet and Banette (Kagebouzu and Jupetta)


One of two pure ghost families that are caught far into the game, Shuppet and Banette live up to the reputation of ghost types being fairly creepy. Shuppet feed off vengeful emotions and gather where such people live. Banette is more freaky in that it takes on the form of an animate doll searching for the child who discarded it. They have a high attack stat but little else.


 * Bedsheet Ghost: Shuppet, vaguely.
 * Casting a Shadow
 * Creepy Doll: Both Shuppet and Bannette are abandoned children's dolls, reanimated by a grudge against their former owners.
 * Divergent Character Evolution: Dusclops got an evolution, but Banette didn't. And, unlike Scyther, Scizor, and Pinsir, Dusknoir has higher stats than Banette and Dusclops.
 * Emotion Eater
 * Foil: To the Duskull line. It is more prominent in Sapphire while Duskull is more prominent in Ruby. Also, Shuppet is relatively a Glass Cannon while Duskull is a Stone Wall.
 * Glass Cannon
 * Our Ghosts Are Different: They're not so much ghosts as they are discarded toys possessed by an evil force said to be the grudge they've held against being abandoned by their owners.
 * Soul Power

Duskull, Dusclops, and Dusknoir (Yomawaru, Samayoru, and Yonoir)
Dusknoir debuts in Generation IV

Another pure ghost family, Duskull and its kin gathers inspiration from a variety of Stock Monsters, but mostly The Grim Reaper, Mummies and the Cyclops. It has a repuation of relentlessly pursuing their quarry, capturing it and then spiriting it away. It is mostly a defensive monster.


 * Belly Mouth: Dusknoir.
 * Casting a Shadow
 * Foil: See Shuppet.
 * Ghostly Cyclops
 * Gravity Master: Naturally learns the move Gravity.
 * The Grim Reaper: If Dusknoir's Pokédex entry is to be believed.
 * Mummy: Dusclops
 * Our Ghosts Are Different
 * Soul Power
 * Stone Wall
 * Mighty Glacier: Dusknoir is significantly stronger that its preevolutions.
 * Took a Level in Badass: Similar to Chansey, the introduction of the Eviolite item (which gives both defenses a 50% boost if the holder is not a final evolution) takes Dusclops, a decent Stone Wall that was overshadowed by its later evolution, and makes it into able to stand up against nearly anything.

Tropius


A Pokémon that resembles a sauropod dinosaur, it is somehow able to fly with banana leaves growing from its back and it also grows a beard of bananas on its neck. The origin of this beard is supposedly due to consuming so much fruit that it ended up growing its own. So the old adage "You are what you eat" really does apply to this Pokémon. Most people just use it as a cool ride and a mover of obsticles though. Who doesn't want to ride on a flying banana plant dinosaur?


 * Blow You Away
 * Boring but Practical: Its main use is being an HM slave. Despite being a dinosaur that flies by using palmtree leaves and has a beard made of bananas/Nanab berries.
 * Flight
 * For Massive Damage: Freeze it with a well-placed Ice attack
 * Green Thumb
 * Stock Dinosaurs: Now With LEAF WINGS!

Chingling and Chimecho (Lishan and Chirean)
Chingling debuts in Generation IV

Pokémon that resemble bells and wind chimes. It's a psychic Pokémon that wasn't very notable when it was first introduced. Its effectiveness was not only hampered by the availability of other more useful psychic types, but its rarity meant that people wouldn't normally go out of their way to find one. Gen IV was kinder in that it recieved a baby in Chingling and was made more common. But it's not exactly top tier.


 * Guide Dang It: In Ruby/Sapphire, no trainers own one and they could only be found in a patch of grass on top of a mountain you weren't likely to stay at. Even then, they had only a 1% chance of showing up.
 * Metal Slime
 * Make Me Wanna Shout
 * The Medic
 * Power Floats
 * Psychic Powers

Absol


A white furred Dark-type with a very fetching design that proved to be a fan favorite. Absol has a reputation of being a bad omen and seeing one is said to bring doom. How this Pokémon is able to predict such events is not explained, but it showing up is supposed to be a warning that a disaster is imminent (as a result, many people have accused Absol of being doombringers rather than heroes). It has a wicked attack stat, but lacking in other stats.


 * Awesome but Impractical: It has the biggest movepool of any non-legendary pokemon besides Smeargle; plenty of OU Pokemon would kill for Absol's movepool. Due to Absol's stats, however, 90% of the moves it can learn are completely useless to it.
 * Bearer of Bad News: Absol can predict when and where disasters will happen, and tries to warn people of the danger. However, since this means that Absol is always present when the disaster strikes, this leads to...
 * Cassandra Did It
 * The Cassandra
 * Hero with Bad Publicity
 * The Scapegoat
 * Chronic Hero Syndrome: Despite all the hatred it gets for allegedly causing doom, it still goes out of its way to help people.
 * Confusion Fu: Has an INSANELY HUGE movepool... Too bad it is only able to use physical attacks to good effect...
 * Dark Is Not Evil: Notably honorable within its type, even getting the Justified ability.
 * Dragons Up the Yin-Yang: Its head looks like a taijitu and it has mysterious disaster-sensing powers.
 * Fashionable Asymmetry
 * Glass Cannon: It has a very high Attack, Swords Dance, a high critical rate ability, and is the strongest priority user in the game, but has mediocre Speed and horrible Defenses.
 * Sinister Scythe: As if one scythe weren't enough, it seems to feature three sickle-like growths on its body: two on its head, one on its tail. And the two on Absol's head, one looking more blade-like than the other, appear to form a yin-yang symbol together in their juxtaposition.

Snorunt, Glalie, and Froslass (Yukiwarashi, Onigoalie, and Yukimenoko)
Froslass debuts in Generation IV

An odd conicial fellow that evolves into an icy sphere, Snorunt and Glalie were introduced as the first Pokémon that were purely Ice types (All the others were dual types). Snorunt was originally only found in the icy depths of the Shoal Cave, which was only at low tide, and even then it was scarce. Aside from its typing, it wasn't that remarkable since its stats were all even. in Gen IV, female Snorunt had the ability to evolve into Froslass with the help of a Dawn Stone. Unlike its kin, Froslass is an Ice/Ghost and its stats favor speed over defenses.


 * Astonishingly Appropriate Appearance: Snorunt looks like it is wearing a poncho and Glalie looks as if it's wearing a hockey mask.
 * An Ice Pokémon
 * Fragile Speedster: Froslass
 * Jack of All Stats: Snorunt and Glalie's stats are perfectly equal, but a tad low overall, and their typing is not forgiving at all.
 * Master of None: Like many of the well-rounded Pokémon, Glalie suffers hard from this.
 * One-Gender Race: All Froslass are female.
 * Our Ghosts Are Different: Froslass is a Yuki-onna (a Japanese ice ghost/demon)
 * Shout-Out: Glalie's Japanese name, Onigoalie, is pretty aptly given considering it is stylistically similar to (now mostly defunct) ice hockey goalie.
 * Goalie's two 'horns', however, also made it look similar to Shin Getter Robo.
 * Soul Power: Froslass
 * Trap Master: Froslass is notable as the only Ghost-type that can learn an entry hazard move.
 * Youkai: Froslass is based on a Yuki-onna. Glalie itself may be based on the Okubi, a giant head that appears in the sky as omens of doom.

Spheal, Sealeo, and Walrein (Tamazarashi, Todoggler, and Todozeruga)


A family of seal-like Pokémon, Spheal is an adorable Ice/Water type that becomes more Walrus-like as it evolves. It's a bulky Pokémon that works best in Hailstorms. If it has the thick fat ability, it only takes 1/8 damage from Ice moves.


 * An Ice Pokémon
 * Badass Moustache: Appears to grow one as it evolves.
 * Cute Little Fangs: Spheal. Sealeo has some too, but the mustache kind of defeats the point.
 * Making a Splash
 * Mighty Glacier
 * Ridiculously Cute Critter: Spheal. It's a given.
 * Signature Move: Ice Ball, although it has always been breedable into several Pokémon.
 * Stone Wall: Hail, Ice Body, and Leftovers can recover 1/8 of Walrein's health in one turn, which can be increased to a quarter health with Protect stalling. Stallrein is pretty much a requirement for all Hail-based teams.

Clamperl (Pearlulu), Huntail, and Gorebyss (Sakurabyss)


If you thought a fish that evolves into an octopus was bizzare, then what about a clam that evolves into two kinds of deep sea eels? Clamperl is an unusual Pokémon that produces a single large pearl in its lifetime, which is then used by the equally unusual Spoink (it's best not to ask how the pearl comes into the possession of Spoink). Clamperl are able to evolve by trading with either a DeepSeaTooth or a DeepSeaScale attaches to it. Huntail is more physically oriented while Gorebyss is specially oriented.


 * Alluring Anglerfish: Huntail does this with its Fish shaped tail.
 * Beauty Is Bad: Gorebyss. The Pokédex specifically notes that while it is pretty it is also very cruel. It feeds by sticking its needlelike mouth into other Pokémon and SUCKING THEIR BODY FLUIDS. And once it finishes, its body color turns a more vivid pink.
 * Combat Pragmatist: Huntail naturally gets a few Dark-type moves.
 * Glass Cannon: Huntail.
 * Making a Splash
 * Psychic Powers: Gorebyss can naturally learn a few Psychic-type attacks.
 * Seashell Bra: Gorebyss, regardless of gender.
 * Stone Wall: Clamperl
 * Took a Level in Badass: In Generation V, Gorebyss and Huntail learn Shell Smash, which is the biggest Status Buff in the game. This can be used in tandem with Baton Pass to pass the boost on to a teammate. This single handedly turned a relatively ho hum standard Water-type line into one of the biggest Demonic Spiders in the metagame. Even Clamperl benefits heavily from it, though not as much.

Relicanth (Jilanth)


This Pokémon is based on a fish called the coelacanth. Once thought to be extinct but was discovered as a still extant species and the best example of a living fossil. Relicanth displays a similar role and is closely associated with fossil Pokémon dispite not being revived from one. Instead you must either dive into the seas of Hoenn or fish them up in other places in later games. You need this Pokémon and a Wailord in order to get the three legendary Golems. )and in certain party positions, too.}


 * Dishing Out Dirt
 * For Massive Damage: Hit it with a Grass-type attack.
 * Making a Splash
 * Mighty Glacier: Incredibly slow, but it with a large HP pool as well as decent attack (particularly usable with physical Water moves in Generation IV) and physical defense, plus can buff its special defense with Amnesia.
 * Prehistoric Monster: The first one in the series to be explicitly stated that was ancient and didn't go extinct. Naturally, this is a nod to the real-life coelacanth.
 * Required Party Member: Alongside Wailord, it was needed to access the Golems.
 * Use Your Head: Relicanth is one of the few Pokémon that can make use of the devastating Head Smash without any recoil.

Luvdisc (Lovecus)


Lots of things can be said about this Pokémon. Very few of them are actually good though. It is based on a discus fish and is associated with love and romance. Despite being as powerful as many Pokémon that need to evolve twice in order to be useful, Luvdisc has no such benefit. However, the scales that they shed are highly sought after by collectors who will teach moves to your other Pokémon so there may be some consolation to encountering this Pokémon.


 * Cardiovascular Love
 * Fragile Speedster: And even then, it's not all that fast, unless you use Agility or Rain Dance.
 * Joke Character: Its base stat total makes Farfetch'd look like a Legendary (or at the very least, an OU Pokemon). Its only significance is that it may hold Heart Scales used in move relearning.
 * Making a Splash
 * Urban Legend of Zelda: It was pretty much taken for granted pre-Generation-V-release that Alomomola - another pink, heart-shaped fish Pokémon - was an evolution of Luvdisc. This turned out not to be the case.
 * Visual Pun: Shiny Luvdisc are literal hearts of gold.

Bagon, Shelgon, and Salamence (Tatsubay, Komoruu, and Bohmander)


Bagon is a small dragon Pokémon that constantly dreams of soaring the skies, dispite the fact that it possess no way of doing so. In its frustration, it hurls itself off cliffs or bashes its head against rocks. As a result, its skull is very thick. However, as it evolves, something miraculous occurs: It grows a bony shell around most of its body, and then once it evolves once more, it sheds the shell and the Pokémon realizes its long held dream of flight. Unlike the peaceful Dragonite, this Pokémon is quite ferocious.


 * Clap Your Hands If You Believe: Salamence developed its wings out of an extremely strong desire to fly.
 * Evolution Gives You Wings
 * Expy/SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: The Hoenn psuedo-legendary, as well as Metagross.
 * Flight: Salamence
 * For Massive Damage: Ice-type attacks and its own type, just like most of the other Dragons.
 * Jerkass: Salamence has built up a reputation for being an extremely vicious and cruel Pokémon.
 * Lightning Bruiser: Awesome stats all arround. Some Glass Cannon tendencies, but compensates its low defense with Intimidate.
 * Our Dragons Are Different
 * Shout-Out: Salamence's wing shape and color scheme are a tribute to Devilman.
 * Use Your Head: Bagon constantly gets hit on the head in its attempts to fly. This, in turn, has given it a head harder than steel.

Beldum (Dumbell), Metang, and Metagross


A robotic lifeform, Beldum apparently evolve by fusing with one another: two Beldum are needed for a Metang while two Metang are needed for a Metagross. The first time one might encounter a member of the family was the final battle against Steven Stone, Hoenn's Pokémon champion. However, once you've beaten him, one can go to Mossdeep and a Beldum is waiting for you as a gift. In this state its only move is Take Down, but once you get it to evolve it can learn a wide variety of moves that make it a very formidable Pokémon. This line is famous, not only for their power, but their VERY low catch rate of 3. (Combine that with Beldums recoil-causing Take Down, and you got a Mon thats harder to catch than a non-roaming legendary.)


 * Boss in Mook Clothing: Pokémon Black and White has shaking grass in the Giant Chasm. Wild Metagross Appeared!
 * Metal Slime: Rare to find, and a catchrate of 3 (meaning it's harder to catch than many legendaries). Also literally metallic.
 * Combining Mecha: The Pokedex claims that both Beldum and Metang evolve by having two combine themselves. Though one wonders where the second Beldum or Metang came from when one the player owns evolves.
 * Cyber Cyclops: Beldum.
 * Extra Ore Dinary
 * Genius Bruiser: Metagross has four brains and is said to be superior to a supercomputer. And it's physically strong too.
 * Herr Doktor: Metagross draws some inspiration from the classical image of those characters: The cross in its face can be seen as thick frowning eyebows and a moustache.
 * Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: A German scientist predatory metallic Spider Tank with four brains and Psychic Powers? Why, of course!
 * Magikarp Power: In Generation III when it was first introduced, Take Down was the only move Beldum could learn before evolving into Metang, hampering its ability to battle well. However, later games introduced ways to obtain a Beldum(Pokewalker, Dream World) that could use Iron Head, Zen Headbutt, or both.
 * Mighty Glacier: However, it can use Agility and Bullet Punch to turn itself into a Lightning Bruiser.
 * No Biological Sex
 * Psychic Powers
 * Signature Move: Meteor MASH (novel) is heavily associated with Metang and Metagross. Mostly because the only other Pokémon to learn it is Clefairy.
 * Spider Tank
 * Use Your Head: Besides Take Down, Beldum can only be taught head-based moves for attacking.
 * When All You Have Is a Hammer: Beldum's only attack is Take Down, unless you grab one on the Pokéwalker route Winner's Path.

Regirock, Regice, and Registeel


The main legendary trio of Hoenn. This group deviates from the previous trios by not being based on any kind of animal. Instead they take on a robotic form. All of them have bodies based inanimate sources, mainly rock, ice and steel. It isn't known how they were made, who made them or why they were made. (In Gen III, that is.) The way to find them is rather complicated and it involves deciphering brallie and following their arbitrary instructions. What is surprising is what materials the Regis were made from: Regirock appears to have been made from rocks all over the world, Regice from antarctic glacial ice and Registeel from metal that isn't off this earth.


 * Bowdlerization: Registeel's sprite had to be changed in the European version of Diamond/Pearl after some people noticed that its arm was extended in a similar fashion to the Nazi salute; the change was later applied to all versions of the game from Platinum onward.
 * Exactly What It Says on the Tin: Their names are a spelled out indication of which one has which powers:
 * An Ice Pokémon: Regice.
 * Extra Ore Dinary: Registeel.
 * Dishing Out Dirt: Regirock.
 * For Massive Damage and Blessed with Suck: All of them have types that don't fare well against Fighting-type attacks (Normal for Regigigas, Rock for Regirock, Ice for Regice, and Steel for Registeel).
 * Golem: No, not the first-gen Pokémon.
 * Guide Dang It: Obtaining them -- OH, GOD! You'll need a Relicanth, a Wailord (in a specific order in the party), four other random Pokémon in the party to fill up slots, Surf, Dive, Dig, a preternatural instinct for direction, and the ability to read Braille (unless you've got a chart or the web handy). The only clue to this is a very vague mention in a town that has no significance to the plot and can be skipped entirely with no consequence. And even then, it only states that a trio of a Rock, Steel, and Ice type exist somewhere out there.
 * At least the game gives you a Braille guide... sort of. There's nothing to really indicate that the symbols on the small stones are the alphabet in order.
 * Mighty Glacier: Regirock is a physically-oriented example, Regice is a specially-oriented (and literal) example, and Registeel is a defensive Jack of All Stats.
 * No Biological Sex
 * No Pronunciation Guide: Regice is supposed to sound like Regi-ice, but take it with a grain of salt.
 * Shout-Out: Registeel's cry resembles the famous sound effect used when the Transformers transform.
 * Stone Wall: Registeel's stats are more balanced than its brethren, but it can't hit hard from either side.

Latias and Latios


A pair of legendary dragons that fly all over the Hoenn region after beating the elite 4. Highly intelligent, they have access to a number of abilities, which are further enhanced by an item known as the Soul Dew. Latias are female and are mostly red while Latios are male and are mostly blue. They can use their down to refract light and alter their appearence to take on human forms or become invisible when they desire to.


 * Bizarre Sexual Dimorphism: A much lesser case than others listed in this page, physically being only a reasonable difference in bodily proportions and a Palette Swap.
 * Cute Bruiser: Latias
 * Distaff/Spear Counterpart: they are this for each other
 * Early-Bird Cameo: stars of Pokémon Heroes, the last movie set in the anime's original series.
 * Lightning Bruiser: Both of them, specially in the special side; Latios being more offensively oriented, and Latias more defensively oriented. Said status is greatly increased if a Soul Dew is attached to either.
 * Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Dragon-bird-jet planes! Psychic dragon-bird-jet-planes!
 * No Biological Sex: Averted; a first of legendary Pokemon. Though they still can't breed.
 * Our Dragons Are Different: And kinda bird-like. In fact, concept art suggests that Blaziken and Latias were originally one Pokémon split into two entirely different species.
 * Power Floats
 * Psychic Powers
 * Purposefully Overpowered: Their associated held item, Soul Dew, is prevented from working in the Battle Tower and similar facilities. Seeing that its effect is always having an extra Calm Mind, on an already strong Pokémon, this is justifiable.
 * My Rules Are Not Your Rules: But the ones you can face in the Battle Frontier are not restricted from having Soul Dew working for them and this was proven via damage calc comparisons.
 * Signature Move: Mist Ball for Latias, Luster Purge for Latios.

Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza


The main legendaries of the Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald games. Each of them embodies a part of the landscape: Groudon represents the continents, Kyogre represents the oceans, while Rayquaza represents the sky. Long ago, Groudon and Kyogre had a severe battle which almost brought an end to the world via flooding monsoons and raging infernos; luckily, they were calmed by light pouring from the Red and Blue Orbs and entered a deep slumber. Depending on the version, the player must face one of them which has been awakened by Team Magma (Groudon) or Team Aqua (Kyogre) as their mere presence has a great influence on the weather. In Emerald, both are awakened and it is up to the player to awaken Rayquaza and end the feud once more.


 * Badass: All three members of the trio, but Groudon in particular was declared the second-manliest Pokémon of all time by Smogon.
 * Blow You Away: Rayquaza is the sky incarnate.
 * Wind Is Green: Again, Rayquaza.
 * Conflict Killer: As the internal mediator of the trio, Rayquaza is the only one who can calm the two other Pokémon down.
 * Creation Myth
 * Dishing Out Dirt: Groudon. Hell, Groudon is the very incarnation of the ground.
 * Eldritch Abomination: Not too far off. All three are incredibly ancient, lurk in places beyond the reaches of man, and are extremely powerful; the awakening of either Groudon or Kyogre constitutes an apocalyptic event and would have devastated the world had it gone unchecked for much longer. Rayquaza, however, is actually rather benevolent, but he's still a terrifyingly powerful demigod no matter what way you look at it.
 * It helps that they're based off what could be also be called cosmic horrors.
 * Everything's Better with Dinosaurs: Groudon
 * Tyrannosaurus Rex/Stock Dinosaurs
 * Expy: The trio are, in some accounts, based on three legendary beasts of Biblical mythology - Behemoth (land), Leviathan (sea), and Ziz (sky).
 * Foil: Kyogre and Groudon foil each other, and Rayquaza foils both of them. Ironically, in battle Rayquaza tends to get one-shotted by Kyogre due to a weakness and is still at a disadvantage against Groudon if one teaches them the appropriate moves.
 * Flight: Rayquaza
 * For Massive Damage: Rayquaza has trouble surviving Ice-type attacks. Too bad Ice-type Pokémon have trouble surviving Rayquaza's attacks.
 * Kyogre's boosted Water-type attacks, thanks to its Drizzle ability that causes endless rain. Specifically, a successful Choice Specs-boosted Water Spout is the near equivalent of Instant Kill on Pokémon.
 * Infinity+1 Sword: Kyogre and Groudon in Emerald, Rayquaza in all three versions.
 * Land, Sea, Sky: Groudon, Kyogre, and Rayquaza respectively
 * Lightning Bruiser: As expected, their lowest stats are only low compared to other Olympus Mons.
 * Mighty Glacier: Kyogre and Groudon, on the special and physical sides respectively.
 * Glass Cannon: Rayquaza, who hits as hard as the others on both sides, but takes hits as bad as the others in their weak sides.
 * Magma Man: Groudon. It's a Ground-type, but like Lugia's association with water, it's strongly associated with volcanoes and magma and sunlight (and by extension, fire). The reason why it wasn't given a secondary Fire type was probably to not let it be killed too easily by Water-types, especially its nemesis Kyogre.
 * Making a Splash: Kyogre. It's the very representation of the seas.
 * No Biological Sex
 * Olympus Mons: In fact, the first to be treated as such instead of simply "very powerful."
 * Our Dragons Are Different: Rayquaza, although rather close to the traditional Chinese version.
 * Plot Coupon That Does Something: This is the generation that introduced Abilities, and it just so happens that all three of their signature Abilities were relevant to the stories of their respective games.
 * Physical Gods: They created/rule over the oceans, continents and atmosphere respectively. "Gods" are the only way you can describe them.
 * Purposefully Overpowered: You won't be able to use them in the Battle Tower, most official tournaments, and most cups in 3D fighters. In fact, in the metagame, if every Pokémon is allowed to be used, Kyogre and Groudon tend to be number 1 and 2 or 3 (usually competing with Dialga) respectively, and both of them, but especially Kyogre, are insanely powerful, to the point that things like Quagsire are used exclusively for countering it (Quagsire can absorb Kyogre's Water-type attacks and nullify its popular Thunder, then force it into an Encore. And even Quagsire can't handle some Kyogre variants, even those that that don't wield Hidden Power Grass-type). Rayquaza is no slouch either, usually sitting above number 10 and having one of the most powerful Dragon-type moves outside of Latios (who is quite viable on the Special side of things with Soul Dew attached). And finally Groudon, who is so versatile you won't be able to guess its full moveset easily, and after proper set-up, becomes one of the, if not the, deadliest sweeper in the games.
 * Signature Abilities: Prior to Generation V, the weather-altering abilities Drought and Drizzle were exclusive to Groudon and Kyogre, respectively. However, with the introduction of the Dream World in Pokémon Black and White, Ninetales and Politoed gained access to these abilities.
 * Rayquaza is also one of only two Pokémon to know V-Create (an event-exclusive move), the other one being Victini (whom the move was originally designed for). Yup, 180 Base Power coming off of 150 Base Attack. And even the rain won't save you thanks to Air Lock.
 * Single Specimen Species: One would imagine. Could you picture two of any of these guys running around?
 * You do find one of the two(and the third if you trade the other over) in Pokémon Heart Gold and Soul Silver. Of course this could just mean the Hoenn protagonist wasn't able to hold onto them/it's the Weather Pokemon you didn't catch in Ruby/Sapphire.
 * Spell My Name with an "S": In Japan, "Kaiorga" and "Kyogre" have both been seen.
 * Sword of Plot Advancement: Kyogre and Groudon in their respective versions, to an extent. They must be encountered and either defeated or captured to progress with the plot, so they aren't technically required. Few players will pass on their chance to catch a Lost Forever Game Breaker, though.
 * Time Abyss: Rayquaza is hundreds of millions of years old. Given they created the seas and land, so would Kyogre and Groudon.
 * Tron Lines: Red, blue (Groudon's are slightly hard to see at times), and yellow. Coincidentally, they represent the main colors used in subtractive color mixing. The patterns are also heavily featured in Emerald's pre-battle cutscenes and on the floor of the Pokémon Gold and Silver remakes's Embedded Tower.
 * Weather Control Creatures: Played straight by Groudon and Kyogre, and inverted by Rayquaza since it blocks out any weather (but doesn't remove it, so its effects come back into play as soon as Rayquaza leaves the field).
 * Yin-Yang Clash: Groudon vs. Kyogre, requiring Rayquaza to break them up.

Jirachi


A Pokémon of mysterious power. It lays dormant until a comet comes close to the earth from which Jirachi draws its power from. This comet orbits the earth every 1,000 years and then only for a week. Thus, Jirachi is only active for that single special week. It has the ability to grant wishes during that time.


 * Expy: The expected Mew stand-in.
 * Extra Ore Dinary
 * Eyes Do Not Belong There: It has a Third Eye on its stomach that is usually closed. It's not as creepy because Jirachi is adorable.
 * Gravity Master: Naturally learns the move Gravity.
 * Lightning Bruiser: All around high stats.
 * Jack of All Stats: Equal stats, as expected of the Mew expy. Accordingly, beating one is pretty much down to luck. It is THE incarnation of Luck-Based Mission in the competitive metagame (alongside Shaymin-S).
 * Luck-Based Mission: Serenes Grace doubles the chance of any secondary occurring. This leads to Jirachi's utter pain in the ass of a primary set: Body Slam for a 60% chance of paralyze (1/4th speed, 1/4 chance of not acting), then Iron Head for a 60% chance of causing flinch (don't move)
 * Make a Wish
 * No Biological Sex
 * Psychic Powers
 * Purposefully Overpowered: No luck if you wanted to use it in the Battle Tower or a tournament.
 * Reality Warper: Can grant any wish, thus this trope logically follows. In the anime and Pokémon Special, villains even use it to create eldritch abominations.
 * Though in the anime, it requires either absorbing a lot of power or teleporting stuff.
 * Really A Millennium Old: At the very least.
 * Signature Move: Doom Desire, which is Death From Above.

Deoxys


A Pokémon from beyond the stars. Deoxys is an hominoid alien that was derived from a space virus that was mutated by a laser of sorts. Depending on the game (and in later generations, certain meteorites), Deoxys can change its appearence and stat distribution.


 * Alphabetical Theme Naming: Might just be a coincidence, but Deoxys Defense, Normal and Attack Formes?
 * Combat Tentacles: That can turn into arms, too.
 * Crippling Overspecialization: with the exception of Speed Forme, every other Forme relies too much on its specialized stats, leaving the other stats (especially HP, which is consistently bad in all Formes) rather lacking.
 * Fashionable Asymmetry: Speed Forme
 * Frickin' Laser Beams: Part of its origin according to Generation III. Generations IV and V just refer to "DNA mutation".
 * Humanoid Abomination: Certainly gives off this feel. The fact it's a sentient virus doesn't help.
 * Leitmotif: Three rather creepy bell strikes.
 * Meaningful Name: Deoxyribonucleic acid or... DNA.
 * Multiform Balance
 * Glass Ninja: Normal Forme, the "attack" part is exaggerated in Attack Forme.
 * Stone Wall: Defense Forme.
 * Fragile Speedster: Speed Forme. Also counts as the Jack of All Stats, as it has otherwise balanced stats.
 * No Biological Sex
 * Power Crystal: the source of its powers. Also probably its brain.
 * Psychic Powers
 * Purposefully Overpowered: Won't see any use in the Battle Tower or in tournaments.
 * Signature Move: Psycho Boost.
 * Starfish Alien: While all Pokémon are theorised to be this, Deoxys is the only Pokémon that is downright proven to be an alien. Well, an alien space virus.