As more and more Pokémon games are added to the series, we’re getting a constant stream of weird and wonderful new creatures to battle, capture, and collect. Many are based on animals in the real world, but the sheer volume of Pokémon based on certain animals has grown exponentially since the series debuted. In this guide, we’ve ranked every frog Pokémon from best to worst, so you know how many there are and which ones are superior.
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Every frog Pokémon in the series from worst to best
Below, we’ve listed every frog Pokémon in the series from worst at the top to best at the bottom. We’re basing this on how good they are as Pokémon in the games and the TV show, but also compared to the rest of the roster. We’re also judging them based on how good they are as frogs. If they don’t look like a frog or do a decent job of using frog-like qualities, they’re not going to be very high on this list.
20) Bulbasaur
Bulbasaur isn’t quite a frog, but many Pokémon fans see it as such. It’s hard to compare it to anything else, and given its three evolutions, it may as well be one. We’re not saying it’s a good frog, but the way it holds nature on its back and has a frog-like face makes us see it as a dog of the frog world.
19) Lotad
Lotad is not a frog Pokémon. Not really. But we can’t resist including it here. It’s a lilypad with a creature underneath it, and that makes us think of the defensive measures frogs use to keep their young alive. Some lay frogspawn on leaves and protect them, while others use the cover of pondweeds. It’s useless as both a Pokémon and a frog, but we still think it’s worthy of this list.
18) Palpitoad
Tympole evolves into Palpitoad, and that makes sense from an evolutionary standpoint, but this isn’t the best-looking Pokémon on this list by a long way. It’s a blob with bulbous growths, and that’s perfect for something that needs to look like a toad. On the other hand, this Pokémon feels way too basic and more like a joke. The evolutions before and after are way better.
17) Bellibolt
Bellibolt was one of the first Pokémon to be revealed for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It’s one of the cutest Pokémon out there and is an electric type instead of water. To get it, you need to expose Tadbulb to a Thunder Stone. It’s a good frog Pokémon in the sense that it’s large and blubbery and looks like a frog, but it doesn’t have much else going for it.
16) Quagsire
You can’t deny that Quagsire looks like a larger version of a tadpole. It’s got a big tail, hands and feet that could be flippers, and a big grin on its face. It’s a lovely Pokémon that feels more like a lovable dog than a frog in its temperament and can be very strong in battle if trained correctly. We think that the frog-like appearance of this one makes it well worth including on this list and any frog team you’re building.
15) Ivysaur
Ivysaur is quite frog-like in its face, but the body betrays it. Many of its moves feel like they belong with a frog Pokémon. It makes use of nature, holds a flower on its back, and seems like some sort of cross between a toad and a turtle but fits in either world. This is a great Pokémon, but it’s not until the final evolution that we reach perfection.
14) Venusaur
Venusaur is the pinnacle of frog Pokémon from the first generation of Pokémon games. It looks like the dinosaur relatives of frogs. It has a huge tree on its back and is known for being pretty enormous. It retains that link with nature, pushing back against enemies with grass-type moves. The face on this Pokémon makes it look like an ancient toad, something that’s eaten countless other creatures. It’s still not an amazing frog, but it’s a really good Pokémon, and that makes it worthy of being here on this list.
13) Croagunk
Croagunk might be a frog Pokémon, but it’s not a very good one. If you’ve ever watched the TV show, this Pokémon can be found hassling Brock at every opportunity. It has poison sacs that it fills while idle and takes a jab at anything it can with poison attacks. It’s a sneaky Pokémon, but not as great as a frog. It’s impossible to deny the physical similarities though.
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12) Greninja
Greninja is the coolest frog you’ll find in Pokémon history. It spins water into stars that can cut through metal, and it looks very intimidating. As far as frogs go, this is maybe one of the best in the series. However, it’s not that useful in practice, with many other frog Pokémon proving to be more helpful in battles and daily life.
11) Poliwrath
The final evolution of Poliwag, Poliwrath was one of the few Pokémon you needed to use a Water Stone to get in the first generation of Pokémon games. It’s a powerhouse, able to carry you on its back through the water and smash any opponent. However, it’s not as brilliant as a frog Pokémon. Clearly, the design was inspired by frogs when Poliwag was created, but that design has lost its way by the time you get here.
10) Poliwhirl
The first evolution up from Poliwag, you’d be forgiven for thinking Poliwhirl was as far as you could push when leveling up this Pokémon. However, one Water Stone away was Poliwrath. This set of Pokémon was obviously inspired by the lifecycle of a frog, and that’s great. But if we’re talking about how good this Pokémon is as a frog, then Poliwhirl might have to take a back seat. It’s got power, sure, but it’s not as powerful as you might like your team to be by the end of any Pokémon game.
9) Wooper
Wooper is the worst of the Tadpole Pokémon, but it’s still worthy of including on this list. There are a couple of variants of this Pokémon, with the basic version appearing in Pokémon Gold and Silver and the Paldean version showing up in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The Paldean variant covers itself in toxic sludge to poison enemies when it attacks. With its evolution into Quagsire, it’s clearly meant to resemble a tadpole, but there’s just something off about its appearance.
8) Poliwag
There’s not a soul on Earth who doesn’t like Poliwag. This Pokémon is meant to be the tadpole of the frog family, evolving two more times, depending on what you want. This is one of the earliest Pokémon in the series, and it’s one you’ll always pick up as a starter water type when building up your party. If you put the effort in, it can carry your team to victory against anything.
7) Tadbulb
Tadbulb is a surprising Pokémon added with Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. It’s an eclectic type that’s very clearly based on tadpoles, and it almost wins as the best tadpole Pokémon out there. The twist of this Pokémon being an electric type is enough to make it worthy of being included in any frog team and helps you differentiate your best Pokémon without compromising on the frog aesthetic.
6) Tympole
Tympole is a tiny Pokémon that can pack a lot of punch. It’s a great contender to be the best frog Pokémon because it’s so clearly a tadpole. It was a new Pokémon in the Generation 5 Pokémon games that offered something slightly different from the usual trio that Poliwag ends up being. It’s a nice way to differentiate, and, if we’re honest, it’s better than those very early Pokémon designs.
5) Froakie
One of the very first Pokémon to be revealed for Pokémon X and Y. Froakie is your water type start, and it’s the cutest thing you’ll ever see. Eventually, this Pokémon becomes Greninja, which isn’t that great as a third evolution for your starter. However, many people liked it enough if they were trying for a water-type start. For us, this is a great frog Pokémon, but not a great Pokémon.
4) Frogadier
After you pick up Froakie, it’ll evolve into Frogadier. It looks like a bit of an amalgamation of a cloud and a lake, but there are definitely more than a few frog-like qualities in there. It’s not the best-looking Pokémon of the bunch, though, but that’s likely because it looks so much like a frog. If you’re looking to build up a crew of frogs in your next run, this needs to be one of them.
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3) Toxicroak
Toxicroak is a very interesting Pokémon. It’s a fighting and poison type, meaning it can absolutely smash opponents with heavy hits that keep on stinging after. It’s got the best feature of a frog, the expanding throat, making it look terrifying and intriguing all at once. We love this Pokémon because it’s also got the bright highlights that toxic frogs in real life have.
2) Politoed
With the second generation of Pokémon games, we got what is almost the perfect frog Pokémon. Politoed is the result of trading a Poliwhirl while it’s holding a King’s Rock. These items are hard to come by, so you’d likely skip getting Politoed if you didn’t know it was there. For those of us who had played a lot of the first generation, though, this was an amazing revelation. As far as frogs go, it’s also very close to the real thing, which is why it’s so high on this list.
1) Seismitoad
If you want the very best frog Pokémon out there, it has to be this. Seismitoad is an absolute monster. It’s huge, looks like a toad, and pretty much smells like a toad, just from the visuals alone. You can almost taste the dark pond scent that would be coming from this thing. It’s a water and ground type, with growths that each contain fluids that do various things. It’s the ultimate frog Pokémon and one that reminds you why you probably shouldn’t pick up every frog you see.
Published: Mar 13, 2023 09:47 am