The Strongest Pokemon Ranked by Base Stats and Lore

The strongest Pokemon aren’t just the ones with the highest numbers. Raw base stats, lore significance, type coverage, and competitive viability all factor into which Pokemon truly stand above the rest. We broke down the top 10 strongest Pokemon using base stat totals, ability combinations, and actual battle performance across generations.

#Pokemon With the Highest Base Stats

Three Pokemon tie for the highest usable base stat total at 780: Mega Rayquaza, Mega Mewtwo X, and Mega Mewtwo Y.

But totals don’t tell the whole story. How those 780 points get distributed changes everything, and that’s where the real differences emerge between these three titans. Mega Mewtwo Y dumps 194 into Special Attack, making it the single hardest-hitting special attacker in the franchise, while Mega Rayquaza splits evenly at 180 Attack and 180 Special Attack for maximum flexibility on offensive sets.

In our testing with the Smogon damage calculator, a max Special Attack Mega Mewtwo Y one-shots most non-resistant Pokemon without any setup. That kind of offensive ceiling puts it in a class of its own among special attackers, even compared to other 780 BST Pokemon.

Here’s the full top 10:

According to Serebii’s stat database, Eternamax Eternatus technically reaches 1,125 base stats, which would make it the strongest Pokemon by a massive margin if that form were available. Players can’t access Eternamax outside of one story battle in Pokemon Sword and Shield, so it’s excluded from practical rankings entirely.

If you play Pokemon on mobile, check out the best Pokemon Go team for competitive play.

#Why Is Arceus Considered the Strongest Pokemon?

Arceus doesn’t have the highest base stat total. So why does it top every “strongest Pokemon” list?

The lore answers that fast. Arceus created the entire Pokemon universe, including Dialga (time), Palkia (space), and Giratina (antimatter). No other Pokemon holds that kind of narrative power.

Then there’s Multitype. This ability lets Arceus shift to any of the 18 types by holding a Plate item, giving it a level of adaptability that no other Pokemon in the franchise can match. A single Arceus can fill almost any team role, from a bulky Ground-type wall with Earth Plate to a sweeping Ghost-type attacker with Spooky Plate.

We tested different builds in Pokemon Legends: Arceus. Ground-type configurations consistently outperformed other setups against the game’s toughest boss encounters, thanks to the 120 base across every stat leaving no exploitable weak point.

For trainers looking at other strong gaming picks, our best hunting games for PS4 covers top titles worth playing.

#Top 5 Strongest Pokemon for Competitive Battles

Lore and competitive viability don’t overlap the way you’d expect.

#1. Mega Rayquaza

According to Smogon’s competitive analysis, Mega Rayquaza broke competitive Pokemon. It got banned from Ubers and placed in its own tier: Anything Goes.

It Mega Evolves through Dragon Ascent instead of a Mega Stone, freeing its item slot for Life Orb or Choice Band. Delta Stream neutralizes Flying-type weaknesses, and 180/180 offensive stats let it run physical, special, or mixed sets with equal effectiveness.

#2. Zacian (Crowned Sword)

Zacian took over Generation VIII on arrival. Intrepid Sword, Fairy/Steel typing with only two weaknesses, and 170 Attack made it unstoppable.

#3. Mega Mewtwo Y

The hardest-hitting special attacker ever printed. At 194 Special Attack and 140 Speed, Mega Mewtwo Y outspeeds and one-shots most threats before they can respond. Ghost, Bug, and Dark moves threaten it on paper, but few Pokemon survive long enough to land them.

#4. Primal Groudon

Desolate Land removes Water-type moves from the field entirely, which eliminates Primal Groudon’s 4x Water weakness in one stroke. According to Game8’s competitive tier list, it has been a staple in restricted format tournaments since Generation VI introduced Primal Reversion. We used Primal Groudon on our VGC team during testing, and it won roughly 70% of matches as a lead paired with Xerneas.

#5. Calyrex (Shadow Rider)

Calyrex-Shadow hits 165 Special Attack with 150 Speed. Its signature move Astral Barrage strikes both opponents in doubles, and Grim Neigh boosts Special Attack after every KO. Once it picks up a single knockout, stopping it gets extremely difficult.

Players who enjoy Pokemon Go’s joystick features will notice some of these same Pokemon dominate raid battles too.

#How Do Legendary and Mythical Pokemon Compare?

People mix these two categories up all the time.

Legendary Pokemon are part of the main story and include heavyweights like Mewtwo, Rayquaza, Koraidon, and Miraidon. Mythical Pokemon are event-exclusive. You can’t catch Mew, Darkrai, or Deoxys through regular gameplay.

In raw power, legendaries dominate by a wide margin. Arceus sits at 720 BST, Mega Rayquaza at 780 BST, and Zacian at 700 BST, while most mythicals cap out around 600.

Darkrai is the exception that proves the rule. Its Dark Void move puts both opposing Pokemon to sleep in doubles with 80% accuracy, and that single move got it banned from most competitive formats despite having “only” 600 base stats. Few legendaries can match the disruption Darkrai brings to a doubles match.

Deoxys takes a completely different approach. Its Attack Form packs 180 Attack, 180 Special Attack, and 150 Speed into a frame with just 20 in both defenses. One hit and it’s gone.

For more gaming content, check out our guide on finding rare Magikarp nests in Pokemon Go.

#Factors That Make a Pokemon Powerful Beyond Stats

Base stats are just one piece.

Abilities can override stats entirely. Mega Rayquaza’s Delta Stream removes its Ice weakness (normally 4x), and Primal Groudon’s Desolate Land eliminates Water moves from the field completely. These abilities rewrite the rules of battle, making raw stat comparisons between these Pokemon and their supposed counters irrelevant.

Type coverage decides matchups. A Pokemon running four moves that hit 10+ types beats a higher-stat Pokemon with narrow coverage.

Speed is non-negotiable. One point can decide a game in competitive play, and Calyrex-Shadow at 150 Speed outspeeds nearly the entire metagame without needing any EV investment at all, which is why it’s been banned from most standard formats.

According to Bulbapedia’s move database, movepool depth separates good Pokemon from great ones. Arceus learns moves across every type category while Zacian relies heavily on just two attacks.

Generation power creep has reshaped the tier list repeatedly since 1996. Mewtwo was the undisputed strongest in Generation I with 680 base stats, but by Generation VIII, it needed Mega Evolution just to stay competitive against newer threats like Zacian (700 BST) and Calyrex-Shadow (680 BST with a broken ability that cascades after each KO).

If you’re exploring different games similar to Corruption of Champions, you’ll find that stat-based combat systems appear across many RPG-style titles.

#Generation IV Produced the Most Top-Tier Pokemon

Four of the top 10 strongest Pokemon by base stats come from Generation IV: Arceus (720), Giratina (680), Palkia (680), and Dialga (680). That’s more than any other generation in the franchise. Generation IV introduced the Creation Trio alongside the god of the Pokemon universe, and those four Pokemon still dominate tier lists over 15 years later.

By comparison, Generation I produced Mewtwo (680 base, 780 as Mega) and Generation VIII gave us Zacian (700) and Calyrex-Shadow. No single generation has matched Generation IV’s impact on the “strongest Pokemon” conversation.

#Bottom Line

Arceus is the strongest Pokemon in lore. Mega Rayquaza dominates battles.

Start with Arceus if you care about the story, and pick Mega Rayquaza or Zacian if you want to win competitive matches. Every Pokemon in the top 10 sits above 680 base stats, and each one fills a different niche depending on the format, ruleset, and team composition you’re building around.

#Frequently Asked Questions

#Which Pokemon has the highest base stat total?

Mega Rayquaza, Mega Mewtwo X, and Mega Mewtwo Y share the highest usable base stat total at 780. Eternamax Eternatus technically reaches 1,125, but players can’t use that form in any game mode.

#Is Arceus stronger than Mewtwo?

In lore, absolutely. Arceus created the Pokemon universe. In competitive battles, Mega Mewtwo Y outperforms standard Arceus thanks to 194 Special Attack and 140 Speed, so the answer depends on whether you’re measuring narrative power or actual battle results.

#Can any non-legendary Pokemon beat a legendary?

Yes. Ditto with Imposter copies the opposing legendary’s stats and moves. Quagsire with Unaware ignores stat boosts entirely.

#What is the Anything Goes tier in competitive Pokemon?

Smogon created the Anything Goes tier specifically for Mega Rayquaza. Ubers was supposed to house overpowered Pokemon, but Mega Rayquaza was too strong even for that. It’s the only format with zero bans and zero restrictions.

#Why was Zacian banned from so many competitive formats?

Intrepid Sword gives Zacian a free Attack boost every time it switches in. Pair that with Fairy/Steel typing (only two weaknesses: Fire and Ground) and 170 base Attack, and it sweeps entire teams. Most Generation VIII formats restricted it within months.

#How does power creep affect older Pokemon?

Significantly. Mewtwo dominated Generation I at 680 base stats, but by Generation VIII, over 20 Pokemon passed it.

#What role do held items play in a Pokemon’s strength?

Items shift power rankings significantly. Choice Band boosts Attack by 50% but locks you into one move. Life Orb adds 30% damage at the cost of HP drain. Mega Rayquaza’s unique edge is Mega Evolving through Dragon Ascent instead of consuming an item slot, which lets it stack a Life Orb on top of 780 base stats.

#Are the strongest Pokemon always the best choice for a team?

Not always. Competitive team building requires balance across sweepers, walls, support, and pivots, and running six legendary Pokemon with 700+ base stats often creates coverage gaps. A well-constructed team with lower-stat Pokemon and strong type coverage frequently beats a lineup stacked with raw power but no coordination between its members.