Choosing the best Water-type Pokemon can be quite a hassle when you’re building your team in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. The game has a decent amount of Water Pokémon to choose from, but not all of them are suitable for battle. Especially if you plan to compete in the game. So, in this guide, check out the 10 best water Pokemon to add to your team in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Also learn about their basic stats and the best moves for them.
The 10 Best Water-Type Pokemon in Scarlet and Purple
- 10. Gastrodon (water / earth)
- 9. Bruxish or Veluza (Water/Psychic)
- 8. Tatsugiri (Water/Dragon)
- 7. Float (Water)
- 6. Palafin (Water)
- 5. Goldak (Water)
- 4. Cloister (water/ice)
- 3. Dondozo (Water)
- 2. Quaquaval (Water/Combat)
- 1. Gyarados (water/fly)
10. Gastrodon
Starting with Gastrodon, this is a pretty solid choice. No, I mean it literally when I call it durable because of its high HP and decent special protection stats. If you need a tank on your team then this is a good option. Its typing is also good thanks to being a water and ground type. So as long as you don’t mind Grass Pokémon, you’re good. And since it has a good special attack, you are also protected on the offensive side, just remember that this Pokemon is slow. This way you will be second in most turns. Gastrodon’s total base stat is 475. Some of his best moves are:
- Water Pulse (learned at level 15)
- Turbid Water (learned at level 33)
- Strength of the Earth (learned at level 39)
- Earthquake (can be taught with TM)
9. Bruxish or Velusa
Here I have given two Pokemon options depending on your play style. Bruxish has a total base stat of 475, while Veluza has a total base stat of 478. This is why you might prefer one Pokémon over another. Bruxish is good if you are looking for a good attacking Pokémon, it has high attack and speed stats. Veluza is great if you’re looking for a more balanced Pokémon. Don’t worry if you can’t catch one or the other. As long as you can catch any of them, you should be fine. The best part is that they are both Water and Psychic type Pokémon.
- Bruxish best moves:
- Aquatail (learned at level 33)
- Psychic Fangs (learned at level 41)
- Wave Strike (learned at level 44)
- Elimination (can be taught with TM)
- Velusa’s best moves:
- Aquacutter (learned at level 25)
- Psycho Cut (learned at level 40)
- Liquidation (learned at level 45)
- Waterfall (can be taught with TM)
8. Tatsugiri
One of the strongest dual types in the game is the Water Dragon type combo. And Tatsugiri has both of these types, which makes him very strong. Tatsugiri does not evolve into any Pokémon in this game. But considering how strong his base form is, we can only imagine how much stronger he will become in future games when they release his evolution. Tatsugiri has very high Special Attack and Special Defense. His total base stat is 475. Here are the best moves for him.
- Turbid Water (learned at level 39)
- Dragon Pulse (learned at level 52)
- Surfing (can be taught with TM)
- Draco Meteor (can be taught with TM)
7. Float
Another Pokemon from the Gen 4 games is back on this list. If you’re looking for pure water-type Pokémon, then Floatzel is an easy recommendation. Its overall base statistic is 495. This Pokémon also has very high attack and speed. So if you want to quickly finish off your enemies, Floatzel can be very useful for that. Here are the best moves to use with it:
- Liquidation (learned at level 41)
- Aquatail (learned at level 46)
- Hydraulic pump (learned at level 57)
- Wave Strike (learned at level 62)
6. Palafin
Palafin becomes a very strong Pokémon in its second form. In its null form, it only has a total base stat of 457, which you might think should place it last on this list. But the catch is that in hero form, his overall base stats increase from 475 to 650. This makes Palafin a really strong pick. The catch here is that you have to switch it in combat in order for it to transform. So given how weak and strong he can be, I decided to place him in the middle of this list. Palafin, like Floatzel, is only a Water-type Pokémon and has no other types. Here are the best moves for this:
- Aquatail (learned at level 39)
- Hydraulic Pump (learned at level 50)
- Wave Strike (learned at level 61)
- Outrage (can be taught with TM)
5. Goldak
Now back to regular Pokémon that are strong without having to change their place in battle. At number 5 we have Goldak. Like the previous two Pokémon on this list, this is a pure water-type Pokémon. He has some of the most balanced stats in the game, with an overall base stat of 500. But where it counts, he has high stats, and that stat is his special attack. You can find Psyduck almost at the beginning of the game, so getting him isn’t too hard either. Here are the best moves for this:
- Water Pulse (learned at level 12)
- Aquatail (learned at level 24)
- Surfing (can be taught with TM)
- Hydraulic Pump (learned at level 40)
4. Cloister
Defense is sometimes overlooked in Pokémon games. But if you want to add a strong Water Pokémon with great defense to your team. Then Cloister is your Pokémon. Not only is it a dual-type Pokémon, having water and ice types. But he also has a very high overall base stat of 525. Here are the best tricks you should teach him:
- Icicle (learned at level 1)
- Waterfall (can be taught with TM)
- Elimination (can be taught with TM)
- Ice Spinner (can be taught with TM)
3. Dondozo
Speaking of defense and tanks, Dondozo is another option if you’re looking for these Pokemon. Dondozo is a pure water Pokémon with a total base stat of 530. It has a very high health pool. And excellent attack and defense characteristics. But this statistic comes at the cost of low speed. Which shouldn’t be a big deal for this Pokémon. These are the best moves you should teach him.
- Diving (learned at level 20)
- Aquatail (learned at level 40)
- Wave Strike (learned at level 65)
- Outrage (can be taught with TM)
2. Aquaval
This list would be incomplete if it did not include the initial evolution of games. And that’s why we have Quaquaval, the final form of Quaxly, in second position. It is a dual-type Pokémon, having the Water and Fighting types. Like Golduck on this list, Quaquaval also has near-balanced stats for the most part. But his attack stat is where he shines. Its overall total base stat is 530. Don’t worry if you haven’t chosen this Pokémon as your starter, you can still get it from a friend by trading. These are the best moves for this.
- Brick Break (can be taught with TM)
- Liquidation (learned at level 47)
- Melee (learned at level 58)
- Wave Strike (learned at level 64)
1. Gyarados is the best water pokemon in scarlet and purple
Finally, for the best Water-type Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet, we have Gyarados. This Pokémon has been in the series since the first generation and still maintains its position as one of the strongest water Pokémon of all time. Gyarados is a dual-type Pokémon: water and flying. This Pokémon has a total base stat of 540. With very high attack and good HP and special defense stats. The best part is that you can get it quite easily as it evolves from Magikarp to Gyarados at level 20. Here are the best moves for that.
- Waterfall (learned at level 21)
- Aquatail (learned at level 32)
- Thrash (learned at level 48)
- Outrage (can be taught with TM)
That covers this list of the best Water-type Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. I suggest you check out our dedicated section of Pokemon SV guides for more help on other topics in this game.