Those hoping to build an unstoppable team inPokemon Scarlet & Violetare in luck, as although there are more than 600 Pokemon missing from the games at launch, there’s still a fairly wide selection of powerful Pokemon from which to choose, many of which arebrand new additions to the long-running franchise. One or two are version exclusives, but most of the most powerful Pokemon can be caught in either version of the game.
As one might perhaps expect, the list of the strongest Pokemon inPokemon Scarlet & Violetis mainly made up of Legendary and Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon, meaning that most of the games' most powerful Pokemon are Dragon-types. However, there are still a few non-Dragon-type Pokemon worth keeping an eye out for, which bodes well for anyone looking to build a strong team with excellent type coverage.
Updated July 25, 2025, by Tom Bowen:Trainers hoping to get their hands on the strongest Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet have plenty of options, as there are plenty of Legendary, Mythical, and Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon available throughout the Paldea, Kitakami, and Unova regions. This includes hard-hitting DLC Pokemon like Pecharunt and Terapagos; both of whom rank highly among the best Paldean Pokemon and are well worth adding to one’s team.
Poison/Ghost-Type
How to Get Pecharunt in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Pecharunt is available as part ofPokemon Scarlet & Violet’s epilogue, which can be triggered after completing the main story of both DLC expansions. To catch Pecharunt, players will need to progress through the epilogue’s story until they face off against the Mythical Pokemon in battle, after which, they’ll be given the opportunity to catch it.
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Bold, Docile, Impish, or Lax
Dragon/Ground-Type
How to Get Garchomp in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Players will be able to find Garchomp circling around the upper ring of the great crater in the center of Paldea, though reaching this point will requirethe climbing upgrade for Koraidon or Miraidon. A Tera Form Garchomp can also be found in a cave in West Province (Area Two) just to the west of the Asado Desert and Cascarrafa. Alternatively, players can find Gible or Gabite to the north of the map around Glaseado Mountain and then evolve them into Garchomp by leveling them up. Gible evolves into Gabite at level 24 and Gabite evolves into Garchomp at level 48.
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Dragon-Type
How to Get Goodra in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
In order to get Goodra inPokemon Scarlet & Violet, players will need to evolve Sliggoo by reaching level 50 while it is raining or foggy. If it is not raining or foggy when Sliggoo hits level 50, it will evolve the next time that it levels up while in the right weather conditions. Players can catch Sliggoo in the area surrounding Casseroya Lake or evolve it from Goomy by reaching level 40. Goomy can be found in a lot of different places, including pretty much all of South Province.
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Dragon/Flying-Type
How to Get Salamence in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
The only way to obtainSalamence’s non-Paradox formis through evolving Shelgon by reaching level 50. Shelgon can be found in South Province (Area 6) or evolved from Bagon at level 30. Bagon only spawns in caves such as the ones in West Province (Area One), and, like Shelgon and Salamence, is exclusive toPokemon Violet.
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Dragon/Ghost-Type
How to Get Dragapult in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Dragapult evolves from Drakloak at level 60, with Drakloak having previously evolved from Dreepy at level 50. Players can find Drakloak in the northern part of Paldea, particularly in the Casseroya Lake area. Dreepy, on the other hand, appears only in swampy areas, so those hoping to find one should explore the southern part of the map. Unfortunately forScarletplayers, the Dragapult evolutionary linecan only be caught inPokemon Violet.
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Rock/Dark-Type
How to Get Tyranitar in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
The only way to obtain the non-Paradox form of Tyranitar is by evolving Pupitar, which can be accomplished by leveling it up to level 55. Pupitar can be found in South Province (Area 6) or by evolving Larvitar at level 30. Larvitar is a lot more common, showing up in West Province (Area One) and several areas of South Province. Just as Dragapult is aViolet-exclusive Pokemon, Tyranitar and its earlier forms areexclusive toPokemon Scarlet.
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How to Get Dragonite in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Dragonite can be found flying above the light brown part of the map in North Province (Area 2). It also evolves from Dragonair at level 55, which, along with its unevolved from Dratini, can be found in the Casseroya Lake area. Players should be warned though that both Dratini and Dragonair are rare spawns and will dive under the water very quickly whenever players get too close to them.
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Dark/Dragon-Type
How to Get Hydreigon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
The only way to obtain Hydreigon’s non-Paradox form is by evolving Zweilous at level 64. Zweilous can be found in areas one and two of North Province or in the northeast part of the Glaseado Mountain range. Alternatively, players can find a Deino in the caves in South Province (Area 6) or the ones surrounding the Glaseado Mountain and then evolve it into Zweilous by reaching level 50. Unfortunately, Hydreigon, Zweilous, and Deino are all exclusive toPokemon Scarlet.
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Dragon/Ice-Type
How to Get Baxcalibur in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Pokemon Scarlet & Violetplayers hoping to get themselves a Baxcalibur will need to evolve Arctibax by reaching level 54. They can find Arctibax in North Province (Area One) or by evolving it from Frigibax by leveling it up to level 35. Frigibax can be found all over the Glaseado mountain, though it is a rare spawn.
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Water-Type
How to Get Palafin in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
to get Palafin, players will need to level up a Finizen to level 38 or higher whileplaying in co-op mode. Finizen can be found in the Paldean sea which surrounds the island of Paldea. It spawns pretty much the whole way around, though players will need to unlock their Legendary Pokemon’s Swim ability by beating theOpen Sky Titanto have a chance of finding one. To get Palafin’s Hero Form, players will need to withdraw it from battle and then swap it back in.
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Normal-Type
How to Get Slaking in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Slaking can sometimes be found in the northern part of the Casseroya Lake area or can be evolved from Vigoroth by reaching level 36. Vigoroth can be caught in South Province (Area Five) or in the patch of land between the great crater, the base of the Glaseado Mountain, and the southern section of Casseroya Lake. It also evolves from Slakoth at level 18, which can be found in some of the trees in areas three and five of South Province. However, players will need to dash into the trees to knock them down, which they’ll only be able to do afterdefeating the Stony Cliff Titan.
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Fighting/Dragon-Type
How to Get Koraidon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Koraidon can only be found inPokemon Scarletand accompanies players on their journey through the Paldea region. After completing all three main story paths and the final quest, The Way Home, the player’s Koraidon will be able to change form and join their team in battle. If they return to the bottom of the crater afterward, players will be able to find andcatch another Koraidonas well.
Electric/DragonType
How to Get Miraidon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Miraidon can only be found inPokemon Violetand accompanies players on their journey through the Paldea region. After completing all three main story paths and the final quest, the player’s Miraidon will be able to change form and join their team in battle. If players return to the bottom of the crater a little later on, they’ll be able to find and catch themselves a second Miraidon
How to Get Terapagos in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
Terapagos is exclusive to the Indigo Disk DLCand is caught automatically at the end of the expansion’s storyline. It has three forms, with its strongest boasting a monstrous 700 base stat total, making it one of the most powerful Pokemon in the history of the long-running franchise.
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