Generation 5 is regarded by many as one of the best, at least story-wise. But what about the 156 Pokémon they introduced in Black and White? Though some are a little forgettable, some really good ones are still among fan favorites. Here’s our pick of Unova’s best Pokémon.
Best Pokémon from the Unova Region
One could say that the most important trait to decide whether a Pokémon is good or not is its competitiveness. In the end, that’s not all that is important, sometimes making a Pokémon overall good and attainable, or just having an iconic design is enough to make the win a special place in people’s hearts.
Excluding legendaries, which would make this list a tad unfair, let’s take a look at the best Pokémon that could accompany you in your quest to become Unova’s Champion, and beyond.
Haxorus
A pure Dragon-type Pokémon, and the final evolution of Axew. Though it is not too easy to get, because Axew can only be caught in Mistralton Cave with a 20% chance of appearing, it’s completely worth the effort of looking for it. Its design is menacing and cool, even if it looks a bit more like a bug than a dragon. Its overall stats are good, too, so it’s a great Pokémon to have in whichever Pokémon game you can get.
Krookodile
I always thought this Pokémon was wearing a pointy pair of sunglasses, but it turns out its eyes are just like that. Krookodile is kind of overlooked because Sandile, its first form, is just so, so common. But catching that tiny crocodile and training it up to become this intimidating Ground/Dark-type Pokémon is very rewarding.
Serperior
The final evolution of Snivy, one of the starters for the region. Serperior is a pure Grass-type Pokémon, and even if Grass-types aren’t usually a first choice for competitive battling, Serperior stands its ground. Plus its got an elegant-looking design (even if it’s a little weird that it loses its limbs along the way)
Scolipede
The highlight of this Pokémon is its ability Speed Boost, because its typing Bug/Poison is nothing exceptional. Speed Boost makes Scolipede super fast because its speed stat is already very high. Besides these competitive advantages, Scolipede is also easy to get. Venipede, its first form, is a common Pokémon. It’s also really cute looking, though not in the most traditional way.
Chandelure
People might be divisive about its design because it’s just “a thing” with a face, but even if it is, it’s a very gracious and powerful thing. It’s got pretty good stats, with a major focus on Special Defense. It’s also relatively easy to get into your party. Litwick is a very common Pokémon, and evolving it to Chandelure only requires a Dusk Stone. On a side note, the type combination Ghost/Fire is really appealing.
Excadrill
There’s hardly a Pokémon with more defensive advantages than this one. Out of all 18 Pokémon types, Excadrill’s Ground/Steel type combination makes it resistant to eight types, and immune to two. And of the other eight remaining, only four signify an actual threat. If a skilled player has an Excadrill on their party, be afraid, that’s not going to be an easy battle.
Oshawott
Not all Pokémon on this list need to be tanks, sometimes they can just be silly little guys. Even if Serperior is also part of this list, there’s no denying that Oshawott itself it’s the best starter you can pick in Unova. It’s adorable, and the most useful one at the beginning of the game (at least until you get to Elesa). There’s a reason why Oshawott was also picked as a starter in Legends: Arceus, it’s an amazing little buddy.
Scrafty
Scrafty looks like a little punk delinquent and that alone is enough to make it a great addition to the list. But really, looks aside, Scrafty is a pretty solid Pokémon. Though the Dark/Fighting-type combination became more popular in newer generations, Scrafty was a true pioneer of this typing, and he presents good offense and defense.
Volcarona
Volcarona is a formidable special attacker, its base stat it’s through the roof. Its Bug/Fire type combination gives it six resistances, which is a fair amount. Sadly it’s not too easy to get, as there’s initially only one in Pokémon Black and White, and you get it by hatching an egg you receive from a ranger on route 18. Fail to talk to this ranger and you might miss this Pokémon forever (I mean, for the playthrough).
Audino
Generation 5 tried to introduce some “equivalent” Pokémon to those of Generation 1. Audino is definitely the equivalent of Chansey as they’re both pink and cute Pokémon that focus on healing. Some people underestimate Audino because they’re not proficient attackers. However, in team battles, it excels with its high HP and healing abilities, which can certainly help you out of tricky situations. Plus I mean, look at it, it is really cute.
Zoroark
This pure Dark-type Pokémon’s popularity may rely on the fact that it is N’s signature companion, and everyone loves N. Regardless, Zoroark is not only cool-looking but pretty decent in battle, too. At the time Gen 5 games were released, having a Zoroark had some kind of mystic aura to it. In Black and White, it was an event-exclusive Pokémon, and in Black 2 and White 2, you could only have it by evolving the Zorua you got from N.
Hydreigon
A pseudo-legendary Pokémon, just like Dragonite, Metagross, Garchomp, and some others. Hydreigon is probably not only the best Pokémon in Unova, but also one of the best overall. The best part it’s that it really isn’t too hard to get, all you need is to catch a Deino in Victory Road and evolve it all the way, at least in Pokémon Black and White. It’s so good that it has been one of the few Pokémon to be in every mainline Pokémon game ever since it was created. Its Dark/Dragon typing gives it six resistances and two immunities. And look at it, it’s got heads for hands.
