9 Most Powerful Pokémon Across Every Game Ever Released

Arceus is often called the creator of the Pokémon world. With the highest base stat total among many legendaries, it can change types depending on the plate it holds.

Arceus’s lore positions it as a godlike being, making it arguably the most powerful legendary Pokémon in history.

At full power, it surpasses all others. With type advantages through its ability Multitype, incredible physical strength, special defense, and the highest adaptability, Arceus remains the ultimate Pokémon. In lore and in battle, it stands as the strongest Pokémon of all time.

Eternatus is linked to the Darkest Day event in the Pokémon Sword and Shield games. Found in the Found deep beneath Galar in an underground energy plant, this legendary Pokémon has staggering base stats, especially in special attack.

Its role in nearly destroying the world cements it as one of the most powerful Pokémon.

Mewtwo’s backstory already makes it one of the strongest Pokémon, being the result of human experiments to create the ultimate fighter.

Its mega evolutions—Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y—elevate it further. Mega Mewtwo Y, with unmatched special attack and high speed, dominates competitive battles.

Mew is a mythical Pokémon said to contain the DNA of every other Pokémon, making it incredibly powerful despite its small size. Known for its adaptability, Mew can learn nearly every move. In the Pokémon world, it’s revered as the origin of many species.

Rayquaza is the sky-high Pokémon that stops the endless clash between Groudon and Kyogre. Its mega evolution, Mega Rayquaza, is considered one of the most powerful Pokémon of all time.

With the ability to mega evolve without items, incredible speed, and devastating dragon type attacks, Rayquaza is often viewed as a master among legendaries.

Kyogre is the sea basin Pokémon that can undergo primal reversion using the Blue Orb. In this primal form, its base stats climb even higher, giving it dominance over water and weather. Known for its full power over the oceans, it’s one of the most powerful legendary Pokémon in the franchise.

As the guardian of the seas and a counterpart to the legendary birds trio, Lugia has immense psychic type power. It can calm storms and control the seas. With incredibly high special defense and the ability to take on ground type attacks with ease, Lugia’s original form is built for long battles.

Ho-Oh, introduced in the early Pokémon series, is one of the first legendary Pokémon Ash Ketchum ever encountered in the anime.

Known for its rainbow plumage, it has the power to resurrect other Pokémon. With strong stats across attack and defense, Ho-Oh holds legendary status in both lore and gameplay.

A guardian deity from "Pokémon Sun and Moon," Tapu Lele is deceptively small but incredibly powerful.

As a psychic type Pokémon with strong special attack and impressive speed, it can overwhelm other Pokémon in battle. It also has the ability to heal and boost allies, making it one of the more versatile legendaries.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.