The 10 Best Water-Type Pokemon, Ranked

Image via The Pokémon Company Published Nov 12, 2026, 7:21 PM EST Writing from the Chicagoland area in Illinois, Robert is an avid movie watcher and will take just about any excuse to find time to go to his local movie theaters. Robert graduated from Bradley University with degrees in Journalism and Game Design with a minor in Film Studies. Robert tries his best to keep up with all the latest movie releases, from those released in theaters to those released on streaming. While he doesn't always keep up with the latest TV shows, he makes it a goal to watch nearly every major new release possible. He has been honing his craft and following any and all movie news all his life, leading up to now, where he has a vast knowledge of film and film history. He also logs every movie that he watches on his Letterboxd page, and has hosted a weekly online movie night with his closest friends for over 6 years. Sign in to your Collider account With over 30 years of different Pocket Monsters to choose from, Pokémon has been continuously expanding and exploring the possibilities of these lovable creatures. Each of the different types have their own merits and benefits to them, but it was clear from the very start that there was something fundamentally special about the Water type. With 180 different Water-type Pokémon, they have been a constant presence within the franchise, as it still stands as the most plentiful type, making up over 17% of all Pokémon and having more than any other type. A lot of this is inherent to needing various Pokémon to populate the various watery areas in games, but that hasn't stopped the Water type from being one of the most versatile and impactful types in the series. From lovable starters at the beginning of the game to legendary Pokémon that command the high seas, the diversity of the type continues to make it a fan favorite to this day. 10 Manaphy The incredibly cute mythical Pokémon at the center of the film Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea, Manaphy's charm and surprising strength as a guardian of the sea have made it a fan favorite ever since its debut in Generation IV. Its adorable design is the clear highlight, further amplified by frequent appearances in spinoff games like Pokémon Pokopia, New Pokémon Snap, and the Pokémon Ranger series. The Ranger games specifically were one of the only ways to obtain the mythical Pokémon for a long time, up until it was made catchable in Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Even outside of its appearance, there are a lot of signature strengths exclusive to Manaphy that continue to make it a genuinely effective Pokémon in battle. With powerful setup moves like Tail Glow and its signature move Take Heart, as well as the ability to transfer its stat buffs to allies with its signature move Heart Swap, Manaphy can both deal out unexpectedly high damage or provide its allies with that same overwhelming strength. 9 Slowking The Water/Psychic type Slowpoke and its evolution Slowbro have been icons of the series since their debut in the very first generation of Pokémon, but the lineage of these lovable oafs arguably got its best incarnation one generation later with the split evolution, Slowking. Evolving from Slowpoke when traded with a King's Rock, this evolution is described by the Pokédex as a Slowpoke attaining unexpected intelligence and power after being bitten by a Shellder in the head. Slowking has had two distinct moments of importance that have made it such a fan-favorite Water-type Pokémon. First, its appearance in Pokémon The Movie 2000, as a guardian of his island and one of the very few Pokémon in the anime that can talk to humans. The second is that this Pokémon received an exceptional exclusive move in Generation IX, Chilly Reception. This pivoting move sets up the snow weather effect before switching out for another Pokémon, which, when combined with Slowking's natural bulk and Regenerator ability, makes it one of the best bulky pivots a singles team could ask for and a must-have for any snow-centric teams. 8 Tentacruel Image via The Pokémon Company There's something inherently charming and timeless about the simplicity of many of Pokémon's initial designs in the first generation, with one of the absolute best examples being Tentacruel, which by all accounts is just a giant Jellyfish squid. However, simplicity in its design is far from a bad thing, as this has helped make the Water/Poison type absolutely iconic, combined with its genuine strengths, making it a great choice for a Water type and one that is constantly appearing in games. In terms of a classic team to play through and experience a Pokémon game's story with, Tentacruel is one of the most consistent and reliable Water types out there, with great Special Defense and surprisingly useful offensive capabilities with good speed and half-decent attack stats. There are countless ways to build and utilize Tentacruel to great success, with access to great supporting moves like Rapid Spin, Toxic Spikes, Haze, and Flip Turn giving it a lot of versatility. 7 Swampert Image via the Pokémon Company It wouldn't be a list of great Water-type Pokémon without bringing up one of the many exceptional starters, as many trainers have created unbreakable bonds with their very first Pokémon on a new journey. However, not all starters are created equal, with the Water/Ground type Swampert continuously being one of the absolute best. With great typing that gives it only a single weakness and exceptional stats to boot, this bulky amphibian has been an icon of Generation III ever since the games' release. However, all of these signature strengths are only further amplified when taking its Mega Evolution into account, with Mega Swampert being one of the best Mega Evolutions out there. Making expert use of the Swift Swim ability, Mega Swampert in the rain transforms into a near-unstoppable menace, dealing out massive damage with ludicrous speeds that can't be outmatched. This Mega Evolution only got stronger with its recent return, as Pokémon Champions gave it access to the high-power recoil move Wave Crash, massively upgrading its damage output. 6 Palafin The newest Water-type Pokémon on this list but already an undeniable fan favorite and one of the strongest Water-types in Pokémon history, Palafin is Pokémon's answer to a transforming superhero akin to characters like Ultraman. The core premise is that its design is initially unchanged from its pre-evolution, Finizen, but after it switches out in battle, it transforms into its powerful Hero Form, getting a massive stat buff and the highest attack stat of any Water-type and Base Stats that rival Legendary Pokémon. Considering the fact that trainers are constantly switching out their Pokémon, this minuscule hurdle required to have access to overwhelming power doesn't even feel like a hurdle at all. This overwhelming power is further amplified by its signature move Jet Punch, a powerful priority move that largely acts as a stronger version of Aqua Jet. It truly does feel like an unstoppable superhero in Pokémon form, as its icon status will only continue to grow in the years to come. 5 Gyarados Image via the Pokémon Company The original icon for a strong and powerful Water-type Pokémon, Gyarados is Pokémon's greatest example of how great things come to those who are patient with their Pokémon. The Water/Flying type ironically evolves from the quintessential icon of weak Pokémon, Magikarp, but that only makes its massive strength once it evolves all the more iconic and memorable. It acts as a reward for those willing to put in the work to evolve Magikarp, an icon of raw strength since the very first Pokémon games. With two great abilities, Intimidate and Moxie, Gyarados will always be able to leave an impact on a team, especially with a great setup move like Dragon Dance, allowing it to completely decimate teams. Gyarados proved to be such a fan favorite that it was in the first batch of Pokémon to receive a Mega Evolution, with Mega Gyarados turning into a Water/Dark type and receiving a significant increase to its Attack and its defenses. 4 Greninja Image via the Pokémon Company The fact that every new Water-type starter is instinctively going to be compared to the great starters of the past can make it a difficult hurdle for newer starter Pokémon to achieve. This makes it all the more impressive that Greninja was effectively able to become not just one of the most iconic Water-Type starters 6 generations in, but Greninja is also in contention for one of the most iconic and recognizable Pokémon of all time. The sleek design of a frog ninja firing off water shurikens was simply too cool for fans to not fall in love with, with Greninja immediately becoming the fan-favorite Pokémon of the Kalos region. It has certainly helped that the Pokémon has received a lot of love over the years, being playable in the Super Smash Bros. series and having two iconic forms in Ash-Greninja and Mega Greninja. Greninja was also the winner of the very first Pokémon of the Year poll conducted by The Pokémon Company, being voted in 2020 as fan-favorite of the entire series. Collider Exclusive · 8 Questions · 2 Minutes Which Iconic Fandom Should You Join? Harry Potter · Lord of the Rings · Star Wars · Star Trek Eight honest questions about how you actually are: what you put on when you need cheering up, how deep you go into the things you love, what you argue about, what you keep on your shelf. Answer them and we will tell you where you belong. Four of the biggest fandoms on earth are taking new members, and they could not be more different from one another. ⚡Harry Potter(Wizarding World) 💍Lord of the Rings(Middle-earth) ⚔️Star Wars(A Galaxy Far Away) 🖖Star Trek(The Final Frontier) FIND YOUR PEOPLE → 01 What do you put on when you need cheering up? Nobody is brave about this one. AThe same thing I have watched a hundred times. BSomething long, slow and beautiful. CSomething big and loud with a great score. DOne clever episode of something hopeful. NEXT QUESTION → 02 How deep do you go into something you love? There is no shallow end here, only different deep ends. AI know every character and all the gossip. BI have read the appendices and studied the maps. CI have a ranked opinion on every instalment. DI want to know how the world actually works. NEXT QUESTION → 03 What do you and your friends actually argue about? Every fandom has one argument it has been having for years. AWhich one of us is which type. BWhether the adaptation got it right. CWhether the new stuff ruined the old stuff. DWhether the right thing was actually done. NEXT QUESTION → 04 How do you feel about a room full of strangers? Every one of these comes with a very big room. AGreat, and I will know everybody by the end. BFine, as long as they take it seriously. CBrilliant, especially if there is something to dress up for. DHappy, provided the conversation is interesting. NEXT QUESTION → 05 Where would you rather spend a week? Pick on instinct rather than on budget. AAn old castle somewhere rainy. BMountains, long walks, no phone signal. CA desert with an unbelievable night sky. DA city built around a university. NEXT QUESTION → 06 What do you believe about people, mostly? All four of these stories have an answer, and they disagree. AMost of them turn out better than expected. BThe smallest ones decide the biggest things. CAnybody can change, even very late on. DWe work it out if we keep talking. NEXT QUESTION → 07 What is actually on your shelf? Look over at it before you answer. AEverything I owned when I was twelve. BHardbacks, in order, read more than once. CFigures, posters, and a few things still boxed. DBooks about how things work, plus a model or two. NEXT QUESTION → 08 What do you actually want from a story? Eight questions in, this is the one that picks your fandom. AA place I can go back to whenever I need it. BA world complete enough to get lost in. CSomething huge I can share with everybody. DAn idea that changes how I think. REVEAL MY FANDOM → Membership Confirmed Your Fandom Is…Four of the largest communities on the planet, and four completely different reasons to belong to one. Here is yours, what it would give you, and the argument you would be having within a week. Harry PotterYou belong to the fandom that is really about comfort. Hogwarts works on people because it is a place rather than a plot, and the pull is not the wizard war so much as the corridors, the food, the weather and the sense that somebody is expecting you. You are drawn to belonging, which is why this fandom sorted itself into houses within about five minutes and has never stopped. This is the most social of the four, and the one most likely to know which type every single person in your life would be. The books are built to be reread rather than analysed, and rereading is exactly what you do with things you love. The new HBO series is bringing the whole thing back one book at a time, which means the arguments are about to start all over again. Lord of the RingsYou belong to the deepest fandom on this list, the one where somebody has always read further than you and is quietly delighted to say so. Middle-earth rewards patience more than any other world in popular culture. You like the sense that the story you are reading is only the visible part of something enormous, which is precisely how Tolkien built it. This fandom takes adaptation seriously to a degree that other fandoms find slightly alarming, and it has good reasons for that. Your favourite thing about the books is probably the bit that is not action at all, which is the walking, the songs and the long goodbyes. Nobody here thinks heroism belongs to the powerful, and the whole story exists to make that argument. Star WarsYou belong to the loudest and largest tent of the four, the one where three generations are all watching the same thing and none of them agree about any of it. That disagreement is not a flaw in this fandom, it is the main activity. You want something you can share with absolutely everybody, from a six year old to a grandparent, and this is the only one on the list that really does that. Nobody argues like Star Wars fans argue, and the argument has been running since roughly 1980 with no sign of resolution. The pull here is sensory before it is narrative, since it is the sound design, the score and the look of a used and dented galaxy. You would be first in the queue, in costume, with strong opinions and a genuinely good time. Star TrekYou belong to the thinking fandom, the one that turns up for the argument rather than the explosion. Trek has always been a series of ethical problems in space, and the people who love it love being asked what they would have done. You are an optimist in a way that is currently unfashionable, and this is the only major franchise still willing to say the future might be better. The best episodes are the ones where nobody fires anything, which is a sentence that makes perfect sense to this fandom and to nobody else. Starfleet Academy brought the franchise back to a classroom in 2026, which is appropriate, because Trek has always been a bit of a seminar. You would want the conversation afterwards more than the episode itself, and here you will always find somebody willing to have it. ↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ 3 Palkia The Spatial Pokémon, Palkia, emerging from a cloud of dust in Pokemon: The Rise of Darkrai One of the very few Water/Dragon-type Pokémon and the box art mascot for Pokémon Pearl and its remake, Pokémon Shining Pearl, Palkia's sheer presence and power as the controller of space in the Pokémon universe have made it an absolute icon. However, overwhelming power is far from the only thing that Palkia has going for it, as its exceptional design with pearls on its shoulders and its long neck makes it one of the most unique and striking Legendary designs to date. Being a legendary mascot Pokémon, Palkia has made constant appearances in main-line games and spinoffs as a dominant presence of power, most notably in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, where it received the powerful Origin Forme that sets it on four legs, paralleling Arceus, which created it. Its signature move, Spacial Rend, has also made it a consistent menace in battle, with 100 base power and a high crit chance, Palkia's usage of this move can completely wipe out unprepared foes. 2 Blastoise Being the final evolution of the very first Water-type starter in the series, it's difficult to get over the overwhelming love and nostalgic passion that people have for Blastoise. This iconic turtle with water cannons coming out of its shell has been an icon of the series since its inception, from a signature partner of Gary Oak to being the mascot of one of the first Pokémon games, Pokémon Blue. For a long time, when people thought of the Water-type as a concept, Blastoise was one of the first Pokémon that came to mind, and this is still the case for many fans 30 years later. Pokémon has certainly played up the reputation and passion that people have for Blastoise over the years, giving it a massively expansive move-pool over the generations to help it maintain relevance in an ever-changing series of power creep and new threats. It has also received two powerful forms in Mega Blastoise and Gigantamax Blastoise, both massively increasing the capability of its power. Even today, Blastoise is incredibly versatile and worthwhile in a gameplay sense, able to be either a reliable tank or a powerful sweeper with access to the setup move Shell Smash. 1 Kyogre Image via the Pokémon Company Kyogre goes beyond simply being the clear choice for the greatest Water-type Pokémon, as it enters the conversation as what could easily be considered one of the greatest Pokémon of all time. This master of the oceans has been completely dominating since its debut as the mascot Pokémon of Pokémon Sapphire (and its sequel, Pokémon Alpha Sapphire), with its iconic Drizzle ability bringing powerful rain whenever it enters the field. In its debut game, Kyogre is sought after in a dangerously psychotic plot to expand the world's oceans using its immense power, a symbolic example of just how powerful this titan of the sea truly is. Simply by existing on the field, Kyogre makes every other Water-type Pokémon stronger with its rain, including itself, allowing it to single-handedly decimate teams as one of the strongest Pokémon ever. Its strengths were also expanded upon in its powerful Primal Reversion form, which gives it access to a rain so heavy that other weather cannot be set over it, and Fire-type moves fail when trying to be used in it. Pokémon Origins Release Date 2013 - 2013-00-00 Network TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, TSC Cast Junko Takeuchi Red (voice) Takuya Eguchi Green (voice) Tomokazu Sugita Takeshi (voice) Minoru Inaba Old Man Fuji (voice)