In Pokémon, the aim of the game is all about collecting and battling hundreds of the titular monsters across various regions. There's always some sort of evil scheme for a young trainer to uncover and foil while they get stronger and prepare for tackling the Gyms, Elite Four, and beyond.
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While the games themselves are getting a little bit easier as time goes on to account for a newer generation of players, that doesn't mean that every battle is going to be a walk in the park. There are many battles throughout the franchise that bring an extra challenge, and a select few that push it further towards being downright unfair.
Updated on December 10th, 2022 by Tom Steel: With the Pokémon games now in their ninth generation with the recently released Scarlet & Violet, the series promotes more accessibility and a lesser difficulty to appeal to players of all ages. However, that isn't to say that there aren't still specific challenges and difficult battles that still crop up from time to time. This list has been updated to include even more of Pokémon's hardest battles.
15 Brock Punished Certain Choices At The Pewter Gym
Pokémon Red & Blue, FireRed, & LeafGreen
Brock might be the first Gym Leader encounter of the entire franchise, but that doesn't mean he's easy. In fact, he's a downright nightmare to anyone with a Charmander or a Pikachu as a starter. If the player didn't start with Squirtle or Bulbasaur, they're in for an extremely rough ride against his team.
Unless players can get Charmander Metal Claw in the later games or level up a Bug-type enough to be useful, there's not much before him that is super-effective otherwise. In Pokémon Yellow and the Gen I remakes, Mankey can be found on Route 22 located west of Viridian City, with its Fighting-type moves serving as a perfect weapon against the formidable Rock-types.
Brock's Pewter Gym lineup includes:
• Geodude (level 12)
• Onix (level 14)
14 Giovanni's Dastardly Plans Came To A Head At The Viridian City Gym
Pokémon Yellow
Giovanni is one complex character who has gone through some serious design changes. He's the father of Silver, started up the infamous Team Rocket, went mad with power, and also held the title of the Indigo League 8th Gym Leader. In each game that he's an opponent, he judges players and takes his time observing what his lackeys are doing to try and stop them.
Once Giovanni finally returns to his Gym, he furiously battles the child ruining his ambitions in a brutal match of strength. Then, when it's all over, he accepts his defeat and disappears into the void where even his gang can't find him. Giovanni's Pokémon Yellow team is higher leveled and geared more towards his anime counterpart, especially with his iconic Persian.
Giovanni's Yellow Viridian Gym lineup includes:
• Dugtrio (level 50)
• Persian (level 53)
• Nidoqueen (level 53)
• Nidoking (level 55)
• Rhydon (level 55)
13 Valerie Introduced The Power Of Fairy Types At The Laverre Gym
Pokémon X & Y
When Fairy-types were first introduced, Valerie was the leader of the pack and the first real taste of challenge for what they were truly capable of. Valerie immediately introduced the Fairy aesthetic, both in her own outfit and the adorable yet capable Fairy-type team she assembled.
There's a reason Fairy has become one of the ultimate types. It's hard to combat, and it takes Dragon types down a peg from their formerly untouchable status. There's not a lot to prepare newcomers for Valerie, especially since the games were pretty much a walk in the park before her.
Valerie's Laverre Gym lineup includes:
• Mawile (level 38)
• Mr. Mime (level 39)
• Sylveon (level 42)
12 Lance Was A Force To Be Reckoned With At The Indigo Plateau Elite Four
Pokémon Red, Blue, & Yellow
After Red, Blue, and Yellow, the developers did some changes to Lance's overall power. His team's levels were reduced and became much easier to fight when Dragon and Ice moves were suddenly much easier to obtain.
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However, In the first generation, he wasn't pulling punches. Even the rival battle after him pales in comparison, as he's the first real experience with the all-mighty Dragon-type in the series. None of the other Dragon Masters compete with how hard he was back in the day.
Lance's Gen I Indigo Plateau lineup includes:
• Gyarados (level 58)
• Dragonair (level 56)
• Dragonair (level 56)
• Aerodactyl (level 60)
• Dragonite (level 62)
11 Steven Stone Showed The Might Of Steel Types At The Ever Grande League
Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire
According to Pokémon canon, Steven Stone actually came in second place and shouldn't be the Hoenn Champion. That title should belong to Wallace, but the Water Gym Leader had enough on his plate with his Gym and contests. This is why Steven isn't the leader in Emerald, for example. However, Steven is a massive tank quite capable of defending his Champion title.
Steven's Steel-types have a ton of resistance, and that Metagross of his packs a considerable punch. There are plenty of other Steel trainers out there, but Steven shows what the type can really do. Steven's team received slight level buffs in the remakes, but he was much tougher and more impactful in the original Gen III games.
Steven Stone's Gen III Champion lineup includes:
• Skarmory (level 57)
• Claydol (level 55)
• Aggron (level 56)
• Cradily (level 56)
• Armaldo (level 56)
• Metagross (level 58)
10 Mewtwo Was A Relentless Legendary In Cerulean Cave
Pokémon Red, Blue, HeartGold, SoulSilver, & Let's Go
Mewtwo shows up all the time throughout the Pokémon games and is a fan favorite for good reason. After all, Mewtwo packs a serious punch and is the most brilliant example of just how powerful Psychic-types can be.
The legendary Mewtwo can be found in Cerulean Cave in the Kanto games, ready to test the player's strength after becoming Champion. Not only are the wild Pokémon around it the strongest in their games, but Mewtwo itself is also the highest level players are going to face, and it makes sure to earn that title.
9 AI Turo Unleashed Formidable Paradox Pokémon & A Legendary
Pokémon Violet
largely divided opinions upon their release, but the sheer quality and brilliance that oozed out of the games' character designs and storylines cannot be denied. In fact, both games generated unprecedented levels of emotion and entertainment from their storylines, to the extent that each game had its own exclusive twist on the big final battle.
Violet had the AI Professor Turo, a heartbreaking twist on the fate of Arven's parent. The final two battles before the end credits rolled saw him use a team of Paradox Pokémon and even Violet's cover Legendary Pokémon, Miraidon. Violet and Turo's team differed from the Scarlet counterpart Sada in that the focus was centered on the distant future over the ancient past.
Turo's Gen IX Zero Lab lineup includes:
• Iron Moth (level 66)
• Iron Bundle (level 66)
• Iron Hands (level 66)
• Iron Jugulis (level 66)
• Iron Thorns (level 66)
• Iron Valiant (level 67)
• Miraidon (level 72)
8 AI Sada Was Just As Terrifying & Intense As Her Violet Counterpart
Pokémon Scarlet
While Pokémon Violet went toward the distant future with Professor Turo and the Paradox Pokémon, Scarlet followed Arven's mother, Sada, and her fascination with the ancient past. This different theme threw up entirely new Paradox Pokémon befitting this ancient theme.
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AI Professor Sada's team was equally as intimidating and terrifying as Turo's, and like her Violet counterpart, she also utilized the cover Legendary Pokémon, Scarlet's Koraidon. These battles are overwhelming with their difficulty and stand above the rest of Scarlet & Violet, in addition to the incredibly intense musical accompaniment that reflects the gravity of the situation perfectly.
Sada's Gen IX Zero Lab lineup includes:
• Slither Wing (level 66)
• Scream Tail (level 66)
• Brute Bonnet (level 66)
• Flutter Mane (level 66)
• Sandy Shocks (level 66)
• Roaring Moon (level 67)
• Koraidon (level 72)
7 Red Was The Final Challenge At Mt. Silver
Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver
Red is the original protagonist of the Pokémon games. He's gotten a ton of different incarnations across the franchise, but one thing stays the same in the games: he is easily one of the toughest trainers of all time. According to canon, after defeating the Indigo League Elite Four, he just ditched his life and traveled to Mt. Silver, where he can be found at the summit.
At the peak of Mt. Silver, Red, one of the most difficult trainer battles ever, waits wordlessly with a well-rounded team. , Red's team were all in their 70s except for his level 81 Pikachu, and he had an Espeon instead of Lapras. Notably, the Gen IV remakes switched up the difficulty even higher.
Red's Gen IV lineup includes:
• Pikachu (level 88)
• Lapras (level 80)
• Snorlax (level 82)
• Venusaur (level 84)
• Charizard (level 84)
• Blastoise (level 84)
6 Cynthia Was Formidable In Every Battle
Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, & Platinum
Cynthia is one of those champions who deserves every ounce of love she gets from fans. She was kind and helpful during the plot, is incredibly knowledgeable about the world around her, and has a killer team. The original Sinnoh games were where she shone the brightest, packing a huge challenge into her shocking team.
The Gen IV remakes, however, don't do Cynthia the justice she deserves since they have the unavoidable exp share making it too easy, but she still manages to be at least a little difficult to fight. While Cynthia's original Champion team is always remembered as her toughest and most formidable, she can be rematched after completing Stark Mountain with even higher levels.
Cynthia's Platinum post-Stark Mountain lineup includes:
• Spiritomb (level 74)
• Roserade (level 74)
• Togekiss (level 76)
• Lucario (level 76)
• Milotic (level 74)
• Garchomp (level 78)
5 Arceus Was A Huge Test At Mt. Coronet
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Arceus is the god of all Pokémon that can change type depending on the tablet it is holding. It also always has one of the most terrifying musical themes in the series, which is definitely appropriate. Even against other players in competitive, Arceus is a tough fight.
Arceus is almost always the toughest wild Pokémon encountered, often locked behind events due to its strength, and generally is a massive powerhouse capable of sweeping all teams. In Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the titular legendary is viewed as the main focus and boss of the entire game, and the difficulty of the final battle is befitting of that status.
4 Lusamine Was A Horrifying Foe In Ultra Space
Pokémon Sun & Moon
It's a common note that the Alola games were not very difficult. However, their Ultra counterparts really fleshed out and polished the games before them and were brilliant installments to play with newcomers to the franchise.
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While Guzma was finally a worthy team leader, the rest of his team was kind of pathetic. Lusamine, however, was downright horrifying in every step of her story. When she fused with Nihilego and battled against the player, she was one tough fight that still sends shivers down the spines of those who experienced it.
Lusamine's second battle lineup includes:
• Clefable (level 50)
• Lilligant (level 50)
• Mismagius (level 50)
• Bewear (level 50)
• Milotic (level 50)
3 Ghetsis Was An Intense & Formidable Villain At N's Castle
Pokémon Black & White
Ghetsis was by no means everybody's favorite villain, but every interaction or battle with him had a certain level of gravitas and intensity to it. Black 2 & White 2 had players fight Legendary Pokémon controlled by Ghetsis as well as a new-look team of his own, but Ghetsis' team in Black & White was much more formidable.
The fateful encounter in N's Castle is still considered one of the toughest battles players have ever faced in the Pokémon games, and for good reason. Ghetsis' laid out a strong foundation for a team, but his ace Hydreigon packed more of an impactful punch back in Gen V and could be a real menace.
Ghetsis' Gen V lineup at N's Castle includes:
• Cofa*grigus (level 52)
• Bouffalant (level 52)
• Seismitoad (level 52)
• Bisharp (level 52)
• Eelektross (level 52)
• Hydreigon (level 54)
2 Volo Brought A Significant Twist & Exhausting Gauntlet Of Battles
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Volo was encountered several times over the course of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but was seen as a simple Gingko Guild Member and curious traveler until much later on. Upon collecting all the Plates and meeting Volo at the Temple of Sinnoh, Volo's true identity and intentions were ultimately revealed.
Volo quickly switched gears and released his malicious intent. His initial team drew many similarities to Cynthia's, but it didn't even end with the first battle. Volo then unleashed Giratina on the player with two additional battles. Three difficult battles with no time to heal or prepare in between was a punishing gauntlet to edge players even closer to that final showdown with Arceus.
Volo's final lineup at the Temple of Sinnoh includes:
• Spiritomb (level 68)
• Roserade (level 68)
• Togekiss (level 68)
• Arcanine (level 68)
• Lucario (level 68)
• Garchomp (level 68)
• Giratina (level 70)
1 Ultra Necrozma Was The Ultra Test
Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
In Ultra Sun & Moon, players faced off against heightened levels of evil and difficulty, which even came in various forms of Necrozma. However, the most fabled and generally feared battle in the Pokémon franchise is still considered to be against the high-level Ultra Necrozma.
Ultra Necrozma boasts a Psychic/Dragon-type twist on the Prism Pokémon and is perfectly capable of sweeping any team that isn't prepared. Players need to expect to take hits and plan accordingly, and using a Focus Sash to ensure a hit connects is a solid game plan. Otherwise, this battle is exhaustingly difficult.
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