Game Freak broke new ground with the release of Pokemon X and Y in October of 2013. It marked the first time that the gaming giant had a simultaneous release of games across all key regions globally. Additionally, X & Y added, "Mega Evolution," which allowed 30 fully evolved Pokemon to take an additional step of development.
The important question for fans, however, remained the same. Would the new roster of Pokemon be good? The answer turned out to be "Yes!" The regional Pokedex for Gen 6 was fantastic and turned out to include some favorite creatures in the Pokeverse. Let's take a look at the strongest Pokemon in X & Y by stats.
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Updated April 13, 2025, by Hamza Haq: Defining what makes a Pokemon 'stronger' than other Pokemon is not an easy task. There are dozens of different factors to take into consideration, such as movepool, abilities, typing, immunities, and levels. Simply taking the stat total of a Pokemon and arbitrarily saying it is the strongest if this number is the highest is a very basic way to approach this discussion, but it's still relevant in a lot of cases. This is because when the difference between stat totals becomes large enough, all other differences cease to matter. A Squirtle is inarguably weaker than a Groudon, even though Groudon is technically weak to Water, and Squirtle is a special attacker, which is Groudon's weakness. Stats give a general feel of a Pokemon's power level that's accurate nine times out of ten.
17 Heliolisk
Base Stat Total: 481
Heliolisk is a speedy special attacker with a stat spread that complements its playstyle perfectly. With 109 Speed, Heliolisk is faster than most Pokemon it's likely to face off against, and a 109 Special Attack means that it can take on the role of a dedicated Sp. Attacker in any team without a problem.
It is an Electric/Normal Pokemon, which automatically gives it immunity to Ghost-type moves. But best of all, its ability Dry Skin gives it immunity to Water-type moves as well, making it one of the deadliest adversaries to any Water-type out there. The trade-off is being slightly weaker to Fire-type moves, which is more than worth it.
In terms of moves, Heliolisk's best options are Thunderbolt and Hyper Voice for reliable damage-dealing, with Grass Knot being useful for coverage against Ground-types, which give this Pokemon the most trouble.
Heliolisk evolves from Helioptile using a Sun Stone, which can be encountered on Route 9.
16 Malamar
Base Stat Total: 482
Despite its relatively high stat total, Malamar is not considered an especially powerful Pokemon. This is because, unlike a lot of others, its stats are spread out almost completely evenly, resulting in a mediocre stat spread that's not particularly bad at anything but also isn't particularly good either.
However, it's not all bad news for Malamar, as the Pokemon has one of the most powerful move and ability combinations available to it in the entire franchise: Contrary + Superpower.
Contrary is an ability that makes it so whenever a Pokemon's stats are raised, they are lowered instead, and whenever they are lowered, they are raised instead. This makes self-buffing moves like Swords Dance and Calm Mind completely useless but makes moves that lower stats have the opposite effect instead. Superpower is a move with 120 base power, but the downside is that it lowers the Attack and Defense stats of the Pokemon that uses it by one stage. With Contrary, it's the exact opposite scenario, meaning when Malamar uses it, not only will it deal devastating physical damage, but it will raise Attack and Defense instead. As a result, Malamar becomes a setup sweeper that can easily devastate an entire team of six on its own, if given the opportunity to get off the ground.
Malamar evolves from Inkay at level 30. Inkay can be encountered on Route 8 and Azure Bay.
15 Dragalge & Gourgeist
Base Stat Total: 494
Dragalge’s Dragon/Poison typing is excellent both offensively and defensively. With only a 2x weakness to Fighting, it only has trouble with physical Fighting-type moves like Close Combat and Force Palm. It’s incredible Sp. Def stat helps it tank most special attackers in almost every situation. With its abysmally low Speed stat (44), it needs that tankiness to stay in the field for more than a single turn.
Offensively, Dragalge relies on its decent Sp. Attack stat to dish out damage. Its expansive movepool gives it access to incredible moves like Draco Meteor and Sludge Bomb for STAB (Same type attack bonus) and Focus Blast for coverage. Dragalge is also a hazard setter as it can learn Toxic Spikes. Perhaps the best thing about Dragalge is its ability, Adaptability, which increases its STAB bonus from 1.5x to 2.0x, making its already powerful moves even stronger.
Gourgeist is a Ghost/Grass Pokemon that evolves from Pumpkaboo, a ghostly pumpkin that comes to life, clearly inspired by Halloween. It’s a curious Pokemon because, unlike most others, it comes in four different sizes: Small, Average, Large, and Super. Each size has different stats, with the Small size having the highest Speed but the lowest Attack and the Super Size being the Slowest but having the highest Attack. The size of the Gourgeist depends on the size of the Pumpkaboo from which it evolves.
In the competitive scene, Gourgeist doesn’t have much going for it, but in a regular playthrough, it can serve as an excellent source of STAB Grass, and Ghost moves with reasonable bulk, though choosing which size to pick can be a bit hit or miss.
Dragalge is a version exclusive Pokemon that can be obtained by fishing with a Super Rod in Route 8, Cyllage City, and Ambrette Town in Pokemon Y. It cannot be encountered in Pokemon X. Pumpkaboo can be found in Route 16.
14 Pangoro
Base Stat Total: 495
Pangoro is among the best non-legendary offensive Pokemon in X & Y, owing to its staggeringly high Attack stat (124). Its Fighting/Dark typing is excellent at type coverage, allowing Pangoro to deal super effective damage to nearly half of all Pokemon and neutral damage to the rest. The only typing that resists Pangoro’s relentless assault is Fairy.
Fairy type Pokemon are also the scariest opponents for Pangoro to face as their STAB attacks deal 4x damage to it. The other typings it needs to be wary of are Flying and Fighting, both dealing 2x damage.
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Movepool-wise, Pangoro has a lot of options. Drain Punch is a must-have, as it heals with every hit and deals decent damage. Bullet Punch is a priority move that always goes first, unless the opposing Pokemon also uses a Priority move of some sort. This gives Pangoro a way of ensuring it doesn’t get outsped in unfavorable matchups. Swords Dance boosts Pangoro’s already stellar Attack stat, increasing it by 2 stages upon use. This, alongside Bullet Punch, can turn Pangoro from a decent offensive Pokemon to a physical sweeper in the blink of an eye, OHKOing entire teams.
Pangoro can only be obtained by evolving a Pancham found in Route 5.
13 Talonflame
Base Stat Total: 499
Fire/Flying is overall a good combination. It gets 6 resistances, an immunity to Ground, 5 types it can hit super effectively, and only 3 weaknesses. The biggest problem with these 2 types is that both of them have extreme difficulties dealing with Rock-types, both offensively and especially defensively, as the Rock weaknesses is a 4x one. When looking at the stats, Talonflame might not seem like much. It's blisteringly fast at 126 Speed, but it has only a decent Attack stat at best.
Its signature Ability "Gale Wings" however, paints an entirely different picture. It has a basic, but supremely helpful effect, it simply gives all Flying-type moves Priority, meaning they always go first. This was also before this Ability was weakened to only work at full health in Generation 7 onwards, so this Ability really has no drawback. Combine this with the fact that Talonflame has access to strong Flying-type moves like Brave Bird and Acrobatics, this Pokemon does its job very well.
Wild Fletchling are native to Route 2, Route 3, and the Santalune Forest.
12 Hawlucha, Clawitzer, Carbink, Barbaracle, And Aesgislash
Base Stat Total: 500
Hawlucha is very similar to Talonflame in a lot of ways. It's slightly stronger at the cost of being slightly slower, its type combination of Fighting/Flying is better offensively but worse defensively than Fire/Flying, it even has a somewhat similar Speed based Ability in Unburden, doubling its Speed stat when it loses its item.
Clawitzer is a pure Water-type Pokemon. Pure Water is a great type. It only has 2 weaknesses, and also comes with 4 resistances and 3 strengths. It's a slow Pokemon, but it has a high Special Attack stat at 120, with decent defenses. By far the best thing about Clawitzer is its amazing Ability called Mega Launcher. This Ability boosts aura and pulse moves by 50%, and Clawitzer can learn Aura Sphere, Water Pulse, Dark Pulse, and Dragon Pulse, all of which receive this benefit.
Carbink is one of the most defensively oriented Pokemon in the entire franchise, with an equal split of 150 / 150 in its Defense and Special Defense stats. As a consequence, however, the rest of its stats are extremely low; it has 50 in Attack, Special Attack, Speed, as well as HP. In competitive battling, Carbink shines as a Trick Room setter thanks mainly to its access to Sturdy, which makes it very suitable for getting the move off.
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Barbaracle is a Rock/Water type Pokemon that evolves from Binacle at level 39 in Pokemon X & Y. A surprisingly powerful physical attacker, it has access to some serious firepower thanks to its ability to learn Shell Smash and a decent Attack stat (110). Combined with Tough Claws, its ability allows it to increase the power of contact moves by 1.3x. Barbaracle is not a threat to be taken lightly.
Aegislash is an absolute powerhouse. It has an amazing type combination in Steel/Ghost, coming with 9 resistances, 3 immunities, and only 4 weaknesses defensively. This ties with Steel/Electric and Steel/Normal for the most resistances a combination can have. Offensively, it can hit 5 types for super effective damage, and no single type can resist Steel and Ghost simultaneously. It has a unique Ability called Stance Change, which changes Aegislash's stats depending on what move it's currently using. When using a damaging move, it switches to Blade Forme, which has 140 in both attacking stats. When using King's Shield, it switches to Shield Forme, having 140 in both defenses instead.
Wild Hawlucha can be found on Route 10, wild Clauncher are located on Route 8, Ambrette Town and Cyllage City when fishing with the Good Rod (exclusive to X), Carbink reside in Reflection Cave, and wild Honedge can be found on Route 6. Binacle can be spotted in Route 8, 12, Ambrette Town, and Azure Bay.
11 Pyroar
Base Stat Total: 507
Pyroar is a Fire/Normal-type Pokemon, which is a very strong defensive combination. Only 4 weaknesses, 6 resistances, and immunity to Ghost. While offensively it's not as strong, 4 super effective types and only Rock resisting both STABs isn't much to complain about. The stats are useful as well, Pyroar has decent HP with high Special Attack and Speed. It even gets a useful Ability in Unnerve, making opponents unable to use Berries while this Pokemon is on the battlefield.
Pyroar does have a pretty big drawback in that its move coverage is sorely lacking. It learns good Special Attacking moves for only the Fire, Normal, and Dark types. If it got more move coverage, it'd be a much better Pokemon.
Pyroar's first form is known as Litleo, and it can be caught on Route 22.
10 Avalugg
Base Stat Total: 514
Avalugg is a pure Ice-type Pokemon. Unfortunately, it's also a classic case of "the bigger they are, the harder they fall." While Avalugg's HP, Attack, and Defense stats are incredible, everything else is so painfully lacking (particularly its Special Defense) that it suffers because of it. None of its Abilities are really noteworthy either. Combing these points with Ice being a terrible defensive type means that you have quite the questionable mix on your hands.
Bergmite can be found in the Frost Cavern north of Dendemille Town, very late into the game. Players can evolve these little critters into Avalugg.
9 Tyrantrum And Aurorus
Base Stat Total: 521
These are the 2 Fossil Pokemon for Gen 6. Tyrantrum is a Rock/Dragon-type Pokemon and Aurorus is a Rock/Ice-type, both sharing a base stat total of 521. These are both very solid choices for your team. They both get 2 good abilities each, have strong offensive typing, good movepools, and well-distributed stats. Their only real drawback is that they both have horrible typing defensively, but if players are fine with this, this duo will not disappoint.
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Both the Jaw and Sail Fossils are located at the end of Glittering Cave. Players can only choose one or the other, however. Trainers must take their chosen fossils to Ambrette Town's lab to revive them.
8 Sylveon
Base Stat Total: 525
Sylveon is a pure Fairy-type Pokemon and the latest eeveelution. It has very good HP, Special Attack, and Special Defense stats. Pure Fairy is also a fantastic type both offensively and defensively.
Cute Charm and Pixilate are both helpful Abilities, with the latter being the better of the two. Sylveon's biggest drawback is that it lacks variety with its attacking moves, forcing it to use the same types a lot when attacking.
Wild Eevee can be caught on Route 10. Players must level up Eevee with high affection and a Fairy-type move to evolve it into Sylveon.