With over 1000 Pokémon in the National Pokédex, here are the 15 strongest ranked by powers.
The Pokémon franchise dates back to 1997 and features hundreds of creatures for enterprising trainers to catch and collect (coming from numerous video games, trading cards, and the incredibly successful anime).
While some are simple takes on real-life animals like rats or pigeons, others shape the very wills of Earth, bending time, building reality, and - in one particular case - creating the entire known universe.
So, here are the 15 strongest Pokémon of all time:
15 Most Strongest Pokémon, Ranked
Mew
While quite unassuming looking, Mew is quite the force to be reckoned with. This ethereal pink fluffball had the honor of being #151 of the original 151 Pokémon introduced.
Mew (known in the Pokédex as the New Species Pokémon) contains the DNA of every Pokémon and can learn Transform, giving it the ability to become any other creature in the Pokédex. The Transform ability gives Mew all of a particular Pokémon's base stats except HP, making it a more frail version of even the most powerful Pokémon.
As a bonus, Mew can learn any move that is not exclusive to a particular Pokémon, meaning the adorable creature can come packed with some serious firepower.
Groudon
Groudon (#383 in the National Pokédex) is an ancient force to be reckoned with in the Pokémon world. Known as the Continent Pokémon, Groudon has domain over the lithosphere, forming the continents in prehistoric times.
Groudon is what is known as a Super-Ancient Pokémon, being one of three incredibly powerful forces that formed the three elemental spheres of the Pokémon world (Earth, Water, and Air).
In ancient times, Groudon (at the time known as Primal Groudon) possessed incredible power with a battle between it and Primal Kyogre causing a near-cataclysmic event. However, another Super-Ancient known as Rayquaza was able to intervene and strip Groudon of its Primal powers.
Kyogre
Similarly to Groudon ruling over and being responsible for forming the land and continents of the Pokémon world, Kyogre holds domain over the lithosphere, controlling all bodies of water. Seeing as Earth (which the Pokémon world closely emulates) is 71% water, one can easily see just how powerful a force of nature like Kyogre is.
Known in the Pokédex as the Sea Basin Pokémon, Kyogre created all the oceans that separate the Pokémon world's many regions and "has the power to create massive rain clouds that cover the entire sky," even saving people from drought at points in history (per Pokémon Database).
This Super-Ancient can also channel Prime energy (just like Groudon), with Primal Kyogre being partly to blame for putting the world on the brink of destruction during its battle with Primal Groudon.
Xerneas
Xerneas (first introduced in Pokémon X/Y) is a legendary Pokémon - and a member of the Aura Trio - so powerful it rules over all life and ecosystems.
Known as the Life Pokémon, Xerneas is said to have the power to share eternal life, essentially being the Pokémon world's answer to the Fountain of Youth.
In Pokémon X and Y, the game where it was introduced, Xerneas was so strong it was being researched to power a super weapon that could steal the life energy of anyone who stood in the user's way.
Yveltal
Yveltal (#717 in the Pokédex) is Xerneas' polar opposite, known as the Destruction Pokémon. Yveltal is responsible for the powers of destruction in the world of Pokémon, with the ability to absorb life force from any living thing.
According to Pokémon legends, Yveltal uses its life-sucking powers to make itself stronger, being a harbinger of doom to the people of Kalos (the region where it originates).
It also absorbs all life energy of living things departing the world, building its strength constantly as a result.
Hoopa
Another ultra-powerful cutie is Hoopa, a mischief-maker responsible for the forces of chaos in the Pokémon world. What makes Hoopa so strong is the power of its mysterious hoops. The character's six rings can send anything - no matter the size - into the far reaches of space within seconds.
Hoopa can also Mega-Evolve into Hoopa Unbound, who has gone up against some of Pokémon's heaviest hitters and came out on top. Hoopa Unboard can summon other Legendary Pokémon, creating unstable time-warps that destroy the surrounding area.
The creature was even able to fend off the god-like Mega Rayquaza, Mega Latios, and Mega Latias in Pokémon the Movie: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages, a demonstration of strength that almost alone puts the Pokémon on this list.
Zygarde
The third of the Aura Trio (made up of Xerneas and Yveltal) is Zygarde. This Dragon/Ground type is a snake-like Legendary Pokémon, that has the power to control the very order of the world.
While Zygarde is technically made of smaller, unassuming Zygarde cells when in its Complete Forme, the creature is one of the strongest beasts in all of Pokémon.
In the manga, Zygarde in 50% form took down Mewtwo, and - while it was eventually defeated - the Legendary went toe-toe with Ultra Necrozma, pushing the incredibly powerful Pokémon to the brink.
Mewtwo
Mewtwo - which is a human-created version of the Pokémon Mew - has proven to be ultra-powerful throughout its history in the series.
Whether it was killing anime protagonist Ash in Pokémon: The First Movie (scarring generations of children in the process) or being the golden goose to catch in the series' first batch of video games, Mewtwo has proven time and time again it is one of the strongest and most terrifying Pokémon out there.
There's also the fact that when Mega-Evolved into its Mega forms, Mewtwo has a base state of 780, which is the highest of any Pokémon in the Pokédex, tying the beast with only Mega Rayquaza and Eternamax Eternatus.
Necrozma
Given the distinct honor of being Pokémon #800 in the national Pokédex is the almighty Necrozma. Described as the Prism Pokémon, this intimidating beast can transform into three different forms (Dusk Mane Necrozma, Dawn Wings Necrozma, and Ultra Necrozma.
Thought to be an ancient being from another world, Necrozma "survives by absorbing light" (via Pokémon Database), and has been known to swallow all things within dimensions like an inter-dimensional blackhole.
In the game, Necrozma - while not the statistically strongest - sports a gargantuan 754 base stat, a number that is only outdone by a select few.
Palkia
While Pokémon like Kyogre and Groudon rule the domain of Earth (or Pokémon's equivalent to it), Palkia controls literal space.
Created as a part of the Myth trio, Palkia was formed at the conception of the universe by the all-powerful Arceus, forming reality along with the time-controlling Dialga.
Given its domain over space, Palkia can warp reality, giving it the ability to travel anywhere in the universe within seconds, while also creating new dimensions whenever it so chooses. As described in Pokémon legend, Palkia's birth is said to have created the sky for the people of the Pokémon world.
Dialga
Another member of the Myth Trio is Dialga. Known as the Temporal Pokémon, Dialga was conceived along with Palkia and Giratina at the birth of the universe by Arceus to rule over time.
Dialga has the power to control time, moving it forward or turning it back at will. As stated in its Pokédex entry, "It is said that time began moving when Dialga was born," so without Dialga, the events of the Pokémon franchise could not happen.
Dialga exists outside of time, with the ability to move from past to future to present, making it one of the strongest Pokémon in the series.
Giratina
Giratina is the third and most powerful member of the Myth Trio in the Pokémon franchise. Born at the creation of the universe, Giratina proved too violent by Arceus to control any domain of the real world, thus being banished to an alternate dimension known as the Distortion.
Giratine has, on multiple occasions, overpowered its Myth Trio cohorts, tearing holes in space and reality, to cause chaos in the real world.
While the people of the Pokémon world pay their respects and honor Dialga and Palkia, the myth of Giratina was covered up as its strength was feared and the series' ancient humans feared even sharing the myth of Giratina could incite its return.
Rayquaza
The third and strongest member of the Super-Ancient Pokémon is Rayquaza. Living amongst the clouds, this Pokémon is said to rule over the skies.
Rayquaza can soothe even the most powerful of creatures, having saved the world from near-certain destruction on multiple occasions.
What makes Rayquaza stand out most when it comes to the strongest Pokémon conversation though is its sheer strength. Rayquaza's Mega-Evolution has the highest base stats of any Pokémon in the Pokédex (tied with Mega-Mewtwo and Eternamax Eternatus).
Eternatus
Eternatus is said to be from another world, feeding off the energy of an alien meteor at its close.
Known as the Giagantic Pokémon, Eternatus is the source of the energy that allows trainers to Dynamax and Gigantimax their Pokémon, turning them from their normal form into Kaiju-like monsters the size of skyscrapers.
Eternatus' Eternamax form is known as the strongest Pokémon from a purely statistical perspective, as it is tied with Mega Rayquaza, Mega Mewtwo X, and Mega Mewtwo for the highest base stats of discovered Pokémon in the franchise.
Arceus
In the conversation for the strongest Pokémon, Arcues is hands-down no question the winner. While others can fight for second or third, this God-like being is the only creature in the franchise deserving of the top spot.
Arceus (aptly named the Alpha Pokémon) is the creator of the Pokémon universe as fans know it. After creating Dialga and Palkia to watch over space and time, Arcues hand-crafted reality with its 1000 arms.
Arceus also uses its deictic abilities to replace any of the Myth Trio that may be captured by trainers, so that no dimension goes without its protectors of threads of reality.
