The Unova region added so many new Pokemon it can be hard to remember them all. Some were cute, some were fast, but the Gen V region also added some of the strongest Pokemon that fans have seen yet. Most Pokemon regions don’t have as many unique Pokemon as the Unova region has, which means that there are lots of good Pokemon to choose from when searching for the strongest ones.
This list will rank ten of the absolute strongest Gen V Pokemon and help players decided which ones they want to catch during their next play through of Black and White. From powerful Bug-Types to Dragon-Types that can be fused together, here are 15 of the strongest Pokemon from the Unova region!
Updated by December 10th, 2020 by Tanner Kinney: The Unova region has an umber of designs that people still laugh at to this day. Gears, ice cream, trash bags, it’s all there. However, despite the odd designs, the Unova Pokemon tend to stick out more compared to some of the other more plain Pokemon. On top of this, the Unova region created some competitive staples that have been relevant in high tiers of play since their release. Love it or hate it, the Gen 5 roster is pretty much inescapable in the modern Pokemon games.
20 Amoongus
Amoongus is a bit deceptive in its strength. By all accounts, it looks to be another mid-tier bulky grass-type, with Effect Spore being a fun but useless ability. It has great HP, but its defensive and offensive stats leave a lot to be desired.
However, what Amoongus has is one of the best defensive typings in Grass/Poison, the Regenerator ability, and access to Spore. Regenerator allows it to restore HP on switching out, and Spore allows it to guarantee a sleep on a dangerous target. Appearances aside, Amoongus is a Pokemon to be respected.
19 Serperior
Serperior is another Pokemon that, on the surface, looks to be a fairly underwhelming bulky grass-type starter. In its original gen, that’s about all Serperior was good for. However, once it gained access to its Hidden Ability, Contrary, it quickly rose to dominance.
Contrary reverses all stat alterations, including self-inflicted ones. Because of this and its access to Leaf Storm, it can quickly boost its Special Attack to absurd levels and sweep with its solid speed. It also has access to Glare, a utility move that guarantees paralysis. There are a lot of reasons to fear this superior snake.
18 Hydreigon
Hydreigon, in its original Gen, was quite the monster. It had no real counters and could tear apart teams with its incredibly good special attack and movepool. However, with the inclusion of the Fairy-type, of which Hydreigon is quad-weak to, it started to fall in priority.
Don’t let that discourage you, though; Hydreigon has all the same power it had on release. It still boasts a solid movepool, allowing for a number of different movesets to be viable. It can serve the role of a powerful wallbreaker or as a supportive drake. Either way, there’s still plenty of reason to respect this pseudo-legendary.
17 Volcarona
Volcarona has what could be considered the worst possible typing for a Pokemon in competitive play: Bug/Fire. This makes it weak to Stealth Rocks and other priority threats. Despite all that, Volcarona has been consistently top-tier since it was added in Gen 5. It’s that good.
Volcarona boasts incredible speed and special attack, along with Quiver Dance to boost both of those stats even further. On top of this, it has other offensive options in case fire and bug dual coverage can’t cut it. Its abilities don’t really serve its role as a sweeper, but that doesn’t matter. And now, with Heavy-Duty Boots, it doesn’t even have to fear rocks anymore. There’s no stopping this bug once it gets fired up.
16 Ferrothorn
When learning to do competitive battles in OverUsed gameplay, most players quickly learn one particular lesson: bring an answer to Ferrothorn. This steel/grass Pokemon has everything it needs to be a ridiculously powerful tank.
It has been the premier hazard setter for some time, with access to Spikes and Stealth Rocks. It can Rapid Spin to remove rocks. It has Leech Seed for regeneration. It has Thunder Wave for paralysis. It even has Power Whip and Gyro Ball, two attacks with incredibly high base power. Ferrothorn has everything it needs or wants. If any Pokemon fulfills the tank role, it’s Ferrothorn.
15 Emboar
Emboar is the final evolution of the Fire-Type starter Tepig. This Pokemon is a dual Fire/Fighting-type and it uses its large weight and mass to obliterate its enemies. Its appearance resembles a standing boar and is mostly orange in color.
Emboar deserves a spot on this list for being a powerhouse of a Pokemon. and also for being one of the easier Unova Pokemon to obtain since players can choose it as their starter at the beginning of the game. Any trainer that’s looking for a strong-willed fire partner should consider raising Tepig to evolve into an Emboar.
14 Gigalith
Gigalith is a dark-colored Rock-Type Pokemon that has red spikes sticking out of its body. It is the final evolution of Raggenrola and it is quite strong for a Rock-Type Pokemon. Standing on four feet, this Pokemon uses strong Rock-Type moves to decimate its opponents and win its battle for its trainer with ease.
Rock-Type trainers from Unova need to get themselves a Gigalith ASAP. This Pokemon will fight by its trainer’s side until the very end and its strong moveset combined with its fierce rocky appearance earns it a spot on this list.
13 Scolipede
Scolipede is a dual Bug/Poison-Type Pokemon and it is the final evolution of Venipede. It has a red, black and purple color scheme with a long centipede-like body and horns sticking out of its head. Although its dual typing isn’t a rare one, Scolipede’s strong moveset makes it a foe to fear.
Scolipede is a fan favorite Pokemon, especially among Bug-Type trainers due to its frightening appearance and its dual Typing. Both Poison-Type and Bug-Type trainers that reside in the Unova region need to catch this giant creepy crawler immediately.
12 Golurk
Golurk is a dual Ground/Ghost-Type Pokemon and it is known for being a force to fear in battle. It is a very large, statue-like Pokemon and it is admired by trainers because of its unique Typing. Golurk is the evolution of Golett.
Most of the Ghost-Type Pokemon in Unova are small and not as strong in appearance as Golurk, which is why it offers the unique option for Ghost-Type trainers to have a Pokemon with some muscle in their party. Any Unova trainers who are looking for a tough Pokemon can look no further after catching a Golurk.
11 Excadrill
Excadrill is a powerful Ground/Steel-type Pokemon with both great base HP and Attack stats, as well as three different abilities to choose from: Sand Force, Mold Breaker, and Sand Rush. This underrated mole has a 4x resistance to the ever-popular Stealth Rock and has access to excellent moves such as Earthquake, Iron Head, and Rapid Spin (perfect for clearing entry hazards.) This force of nature will be hard to take down since it is resistant and/or immune to 10 different types in total. This Unovan species is an excellent choice for those who want a cannon that won’t break in one hit.
10 Haxorus
Coming up against a Haxorus in battle may just make you scream “Hacks!” This cool creature can OKHO or 2HKO almost every opponent in the game, with an amazing 147 base Attack stat and only three weaknesses. It becomes even more of a threat when taught moves such as Sword Dance (which gives it an outrageous boost) and Outrage (which makes it attack outrageously). Few trainers would gamble the lives of their Pokemon when facing off against Haxorus, making it a true gem of the Unova Pokédex.
9 Darmanitan
It’s not unreasonable to presume a creature with flaming eyebrows will be powerful, but Darmanitan is used to exceeding expectations placed upon it. With a base Attack of 140 and a powerhouse move like Flare Blitz, Darmanitan offers a fair fight to most opponents on the field. While in Zen mode, four of its base stats are in the 100 range, with the biggest being Special Attack at a whopping 140. The unpredictability gained by introducing a Darmanitan into battle gives any player an advantage over their opponent, as the element of surprise can be absolutely deadly.
8 Terrakion
Terrakion is a member of the Fighting Swords of Justice and it is a legendary Pokemon with a dual Rock/Fighting-Type. Its color design consists of grey, brown and orange. It stands on four legs and is the kind of Pokemon that trainers would be scared to approach because of its intimidating appearance.
Terrakion is not very trustworthy of humans at first however if it is caught it will fight by its trainer’s side obediently. Terrakion is definitely the physically strongest out of its group of the four legendaries and if a trainer catches it Team Rocket won’t be bothering them anytime soon!
7 Genesect
Genesect is a unique Steel/Bug-Type legendary Pokemon. It is a legendary Pokemon that could only be obtained by the player through in-game events. This legendary has existed in the Pokemon world for a long time however Team Plasma modified it and added a cannon to its back, making this Pokemon much stronger than it originally was in nature.
Genesect is a sight to behold; with its sharp claws and purple, steel exoskeleton it is easy to see why Genesect deserves a place on this list. It is one of the most powerful Pokemon in the Unova region and its Steel-Typing makes it a hard hitter while also being extremely durable.
6 Landorus
Landorus is fast and powerful, giving its counterpart Thundurus a run for its money when it comes to strength. Such a strong Pokemon doesn’t come easily, however: Unova trainers will have their work cut out for them trying to catch Landorus in the first place. Behind that prickly face is a Pokemon that has a base stat total of 600 and it isn’t afraid to use it, especially when enhanced by Rock Polish or Swords Dance.
Pure, brute strength isn’t every trainer’s thing, however. They may be impressed with Landorus’ generous powers, which bless any field it visits with a bountiful harvest of crops. By making the soil rich in nutrients, Landorus truly gives back to the land, earning it the name “Guardian of the Fields.”
5 Thundurus
Thundurus is considered to be one of the Forces of Nature and it is a legendary dual Flying/Electric-Type. It flys around on its storm cloud roaming the world looking for places to create thunderstorms. It is definitely the Strongest Force of Nature because of its ability to call strong bolts of lightning down on its enemies.
Thundurus is blue in appearance with a circle of spiky balls all around it. It has a cloud underneath it and a white mustache above its mouth. Thundurus always seems to look mad when approaching other creatures and this expression that it wears makes its appearance even more frightening. If a trainer wants a strong Pokemon from the Unova region there aren’t many that have more power than Thundurus.
4 Cobalion
Cobalion stands out; it’s what it was born to do, besides fight and protect its fellow Pokemon as a Sword of Justice. With great Speed and excellent Defense, Cobalion rises to the top, beating out other Fighting-types with its many advantages.
Its 108 base Speed can help it beat out many other Pokemon to attack, and the ability to use Swords Dance and Calm Mind can set it up to wreak havoc with Close Combat or Stone Edge. Pokemon like this only come around once, which is why we call them legendary.
3 Reshiram
Reshiram is a white, angelic-looking Pokemon and has a dual Dragon/Fire Typing. It has been legendary in the Unova region for a long time and it is able to fuse with Kyurem is a strainer has caught both legendary Pokemon. It is part of the Tao Trio and its purpose is to represent the truth in the world.
If a trainer can catch this legendary, they can obliterate most of their foes using its strong Fire and Dragon-Type moves. Reshiram is one Pokemon that trainers will not want to lose their chance to catch should they get close to it. A beautiful dragon that is also an extremely tough legendary, there isn’t much more a trainer could want from a Pokemon!
2 Zekrom
Zekrom is a giant black dual Dragon/Electric-Type legendary Pokemon that it is part of the Tao Trio. It is frightening in appearance with its dark color scheme and its menacing red eyes. This along with its size makes it a Pokemon that trainers would like to avoid if possible.
Zekrom can be fused with Kyurem if they possess both Pokemon however catching both is an extremely daunting task that is not fit for weaker trainers. With its large size accompanied by its scary strength, Zekrom is a Dragon-Type Pokemon that only the strongest trainers will get the chance to catch.
1 Kyurem
Kyurem is a dual Dragon/Ice-Type Pokemon and it is also a member of the Tao Tri legendary Pokemon in Unova. It is mostly grey in color and has a very long, peculiar-looking neck. It is easy to see why this legendary Pokemon is a Dragon/Ice-Type just based on its appearance alone.
Kyurem is able to fuse with both Reshiram and Zekrom and if it is not fighting for a trainer it resides in the Giant Chasm. Players can attempt to catch this Pokemon in Black 2 and White 2 and they can fuse Kyurem with either Zekrom or Reshiram to create an even stronger legendary Pokemon. Fused Kyurem is such a powerhouse!
NEXT: Pokemon: The 10 Most Powerful Pokemon Of Each Type
