Pokemon: The Hardest Boss Fights In The Games, Ranked

by

Summary

  • The mainline Pokemon games hide infamously brutal story bosses that defy the series’ kid-friendly reputation.
  • Some of these tough battles are against actual Pokemon, like the Totem Araquanid or Ultra Necrozma.
  • The fights against Whitney, Ghetsis and Cynthia are among some of the most challenging encounters against human trainers in the entire series.

Many people think the *Pokemon* games are too easy, and that’s understandable since they’re designed for kids. But experienced players know that’s not always the case. The series has several boss battles known for being really difficult.

Occasionally, a main Pokémon game will challenge players with a powerful trainer or wild Pokémon that feels nearly unbeatable, due to its high level, strong team, or other difficult elements. Throughout the long history of the Pokémon series, there have been many challenging boss fights, but here are some of the absolute hardest. This list focuses only on required battles within the main story, with fixed levels and teams – it doesn’t include random, optional battles from post-game facilities like the Battle Frontier or Battle Tower.

Totem Araquanid

Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon

  • Level: 20
  • Types: Water/Bug
  • Ability: Water Bubble
  • Moves: Leech Life, Bubble, Bite and Aurora Beam

While Pokémon Sun and Moon were popular, some players found them too simple. The next games, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, addressed this by making the boss battles more challenging. All the Totem Pokémon in these newer games are tougher than before, but Totem Araquanid is especially well-known for being difficult.

This battle appears intentionally difficult. Araquanid has an ability called Water Bubble that weakens Fire-type attacks and prevents it from getting burned. It also uses Leech Life, a strong Bug-type move that damages Grass-type Pokemon while healing itself. Adding to the challenge, it’s raining heavily, which makes Araquanid’s Water-type attacks even more powerful.

Whitney

Gold, Silver & Crystal / HeartGold & SoulSilver

  • Clefairy (Level 18/17)
  • Miltank (Level 20/19)

Even experienced *Pokémon* players get nervous when they hear the names Whitney and Miltank. This Normal-type Gym Leader from Goldenrod City in the Johto region is well-known as one of the most challenging early opponents in the entire series. A big part of the difficulty is that Normal-type Pokémon are only weak to Fighting-type moves, and Fighting-type Pokémon are rare in the Johto region, particularly before you’ve beaten a few Gyms.

Whitney’s strongest Pokémon is definitely Miltank. It has a powerful moveset, including Stomp which can stun opponents, Attract which can incapacitate male Pokémon, Milk Drink to heal itself, and Rollout, a physical attack that gets more powerful with each use. This battle is famously difficult, both in the original *Gold and Silver* games and in their updated versions, and some skilled players even build their entire team strategy around preparing for it.

AI Sada/ AI Turo

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet

Sada’s Team:

  • 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)

Turo’s Team:

  • 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)

Even with some imperfections, *Pokemon Scarlet* and *Pokemon Violet* stand out for having one of the most compelling stories in the core *Pokemon* series. The game is packed with unforgettable scenes, especially the climactic battles against the AI versions of the Professors: AI Sada in *Scarlet* and AI Turo in *Violet*.

These final bosses in the expansive RPG have incredibly strong Pokémon teams. They both utilize powerful, high-stat Paradox Pokémon with a wide range of moves, making them tough opponents. The biggest challenge comes last: AI Sada or AI Turo will send out a Koraidon or Miraidon holding a Terrain Extender. This item makes their special terrain last much longer, significantly boosting the power of their moves for a prolonged period.

Ultra Necrozma

Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon

  • Level: 60
  • Types: Psychic/Dragon
  • Ability: Neuroforce
  • Moves: Photon Geyser, Dragon Pulse, Smart Strike and Power Gem

Many fans consider *Pokémon Ultra Sun* and *Ultra Moon* to be among the most challenging core *Pokémon* games, and the battle against the Legendary Pokémon on the box art, Ultra Necrozma, is a prime example. This fight is well-known for being incredibly difficult, especially since you face it alone – no other Pokémon help out.

This Pokemon is a powerful Level 60 Legendary with boosted stats, making it incredibly strong and resilient right from the start. It also has a great selection of attacks, including two very powerful moves of its own type, plus Steel and Rock attacks specifically to counter its weakness to Fairy-types. Its special ability, Neuroforce, makes attacks that are already super effective even more devastating, meaning any Pokemon vulnerable to its moves won’t last long.

Red

Gold, Silver & Crystal / HeartGold & SoulSilver

  • Pikachu (Level 81/88)
  • Snorlax (Level 75/82)
  • Venusaur (Level 77/84)
  • Charizard (Level 77/84)
  • Blastoise (Level 77/84)
  • Espeon (Level 73) Only in Generation Two
  • Lapras (Level 80) Only in Generation Four

The *Pokémon* games set in the Johto region – *Gold, Silver, and Crystal*, as well as their updated versions, *HeartGold and SoulSilver* – are fan favorites. What makes them special is that they offer two regions to explore. Players begin their adventure in Johto, and after becoming champion, they unlock the Kanto region, allowing them to challenge its Gym Leaders. Once they’ve defeated all sixteen Gym Leaders, they can climb Mt. Silver for a final battle against Red, the original hero from the very first *Pokémon* games.

This optional boss battle is the hardest challenge in the games, truly testing a player’s skills. Red’s Pokémon are incredibly powerful and high-leveled, and he has access to Full Restores – items that instantly heal his team. This allows him to quickly recover from any damage and undo a player’s progress, making the fight even more difficult. (He has two Full Restores in the original games and four in the remakes.)

Ghetsis

Black & White

  • Cofagrigus (Level 52)
  • Bouffalant (Level 52)
  • Seismitoad (Level 52)
  • Bisharp (Level 52)
  • Eelektross (Level 52)
  • Hydreigon (Level 54)

Many fans consider *Pokémon Black and White* to be the first *Pokémon* games with a truly sophisticated story. Unlike previous games that ended with a battle against the regional Champion, this one culminates in an epic showdown with Ghetsis, the villainous leader of Team Plasma.

Ghetsis doesn’t focus on a single type of Pokémon, so his team is varied and covers a lot of different strengths and weaknesses. But players should be particularly careful of two Pokémon in particular: Eelektross, which has no weaknesses due to its ability, and Hydreigon, a very strong Pokémon that shouldn’t even be in his possession. Hydreigon normally evolves at level 64, but Ghetsis has one at level 54, highlighting just how powerful he is.

Volo

Pokemon Legends: Arceus

  • Spiritomb (Level 68)
  • Roserade (Level 68)
  • Togekiss (Level 68)
  • Hisuian Arcanine (Level 68)
  • Lucario (Level 68)
  • Garchomp (Level 68)
  • Giratina (Level 70)

Pokemon Legends: Arceus changed the way Pokemon games were played, emphasizing action-packed battles against powerful Noble Pokemon and reducing the number of traditional trainer battles. Because of this shift, the final showdown with Volo – a surprising villain – caught many players off guard. He’s a formidable opponent, nearly as strong and skilled as Cynthia, the well-known Sinnoh Pokemon Champion and a descendant of his family.

Volo’s team is full of powerful Pokémon, including Spiritomb, Lucario, and the region’s strongest, Garchomp. However, the most challenging part of fighting him is when he brings out the Legendary Pokémon Giratina. This Pokémon is incredibly strong and difficult to defeat, and it has a unique ability: when it’s defeated, it transforms into its Origin Forme and completely recovers its health. This unexpected twist has surprised and annoyed *Legends: Arceus* players since the game launched in 2022.

Cynthia

Diamond, Pearl, & Platinum / Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl

  • Spiritomb (Level 61/58)
  • Roserade (Level 60/58)
  • Lucario (Level 63/60)
  • Milotic (Level 63/58)
  • Garchomp (Level 66/62)
  • Gastrodon (Level 60) Only in Diamond, Pearl and their remakes
  • Togekiss (Level 60) Only in Platinum

Many *Pokemon* fans agree that Cynthia is the best Pokemon Champion, and it’s easy to see why. She’s not only stylish and likable, but she’s also a remarkably skilled trainer known for incredibly difficult battles, both in the original *Pokemon* games and their updated versions. A big part of what makes Cynthia so challenging is her well-balanced team – she uses a diverse group of powerful Pokemon with moves and types that cover each other’s weaknesses.

Spiritomb is incredibly resilient, Milotic can recover and reflect special attacks, and Lucario is a fast and powerful special attacker. Cynthia’s strongest Pokémon, Garchomp, is a formidable pseudo-legendary known for its high Speed and Attack, capable of defeating almost any opponent – even those it’s normally weak against, like Ice and Fairy types. Both her original Champion battles in the Generation 4 games and their remakes are notoriously difficult, but her post-game rematch in *Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl* is exceptionally challenging. Her Pokémon reach levels 70 and 80, making it a true test for only the most dedicated, skilled, and experienced *Pokémon* players.

Read More

2025-10-08 10:36