The Most Difficult Pokémon to Catch, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the Pokémon you think is the most difficult!
Updated on Apr 27, 2024 06:25
Capturing rare Pokémon often feels like a quest in itself, testing even the most experienced trainers' skills and patience. Each elusive creature presents unique challenges that can hinge on strategy, timing, and a bit of luck. This list compiles those notoriously tricky Pokémon, offering a glimpse into the hurdles they present during gameplay.
By participating in this ongoing ranking, you get to voice your experiences and opinions, shaping a collective insight into the most challenging catches out there. Your votes help to provide an authoritative guide for fellow trainers, enabling them to better prepare and succeed in their own adventures.
What Is the Most Difficult Pokémon to Catch?
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188votesMewtwo is one of the most powerful and elusive Pokemon in the game, and can be found in a very difficult raid battle. It has a very low catch rate, making it extremely difficult to catch.Mewtwo is a Psychic-type Pokémon introduced in Generation I. It is a legendary Pokémon known for its immense psychic powers and extraordinary intelligence. Mewtwo's appearance is similar to that of Mew, but it has a more muscular build, purple fur, and a long, thick tail.
- Type: Psychic
- Height: 6'07" (2.0 m)
- Weight: 269.0 lbs (122.0 kg)
- Abilities: Pressure (Increases the foe's PP usage), Unnerve (Prevents opposing Pokémon from eating held berries)
- Base Experience: 306
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232votesLugia is a legendary Pokemon that can be found in the game's raid battles. It has a low catch rate and can be extremely difficult to catch.Lugia is a legendary Psychic/Flying type Pokémon from Pokémon Violet. It is known as the Diving Pokémon and is said to be capable of causing storms that last for 40 days and 40 nights. Lugia is a highly sought after Pokémon due to its powerful abilities and majestic appearance.
- Type: Psychic/Flying
- Height: 5.2 m
- Weight: 216.0 kg
- Ability: Pressure
- Base Experience: 220
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330votesHo-Oh is another legendary Pokemon that can be found in raid battles. It has a low catch rate, making it difficult to catch.Ho-Oh is a legendary Pokémon known as the Rainbow Pokémon. It is said to appear when a rainbow shines after a rainstorm, bringing happiness to anyone who sees it. It has an elegant and majestic appearance, resembling a phoenix with golden feathers and a fiery tail. Ho-Oh possesses immense power and is considered one of the most majestic and rare Pokémon in the Pokémon Violet game.
- Type: Fire/Flying
- Height: 3.8 meters
- Weight: 199.0 kilograms
- Abilities: Pressure/Regenerator
- Base Experience: 218
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422votesRayquaza is a powerful legendary Pokemon that can be found in raid battles. It has a very low catch rate and can be extremely difficult to catch.Rayquaza is a Dragon/Flying type legendary Pokémon from the Hoenn region. It is known as the Sky High Pokémon and is said to be capable of quelling storms and flying freely through the sky. Rayquaza has a serpentine body with green skin, yellow eyes, and several yellow fins on its head and tail. It has an elongated, yellow, dragon-like face with a pair of sharp fangs protruding from its upper jaw.
- Type: Dragon/Flying
- Height: 23'00" (7.0 m)
- Weight: 445.3 lbs (206.5 kg)
- Ability: Air Lock
- Catch Rate: 2
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517votesGroudon is a powerful legendary Pokemon that can be found in raid battles. It has a low catch rate and can be difficult to catch.Groudon is a Legendary Ground-type Pokémon introduced in Generation III. It is known as the Continent Pokémon. Groudon possesses immense power and is said to have created the landmasses of the Pokémon world. It is a towering, dinosaur-like creature with a red, armored body and distinct blue patterns across its skin.
- Type: Ground
- Ability: Drought
- Height: 11'06" (3.5m)
- Weight: 2,094.4 lbs (950.0 kg)
- Base experience: 218
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63votesKyogre is another powerful legendary Pokemon that can be found in raid battles. It has a low catch rate and can be difficult to catch.Kyogre is a legendary Water-type Pokémon that debuted in Generation III. It is often referred to as the 'Sea Basin Pokémon' due to its power over the ocean. Kyogre is known for its imposing size and blue, serpentine body with prominent dorsal fins and a large tail. Its appearance is reminiscent of a whale or an orca.
- Type: Water
- Height: 14'09" (4.5m)
- Weight: 776.0 lbs (352.0 kg)
- Abilities: Drizzle, Hydration (Hidden)
- Base Experience: 218
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711votesDialga is a legendary Pokemon that can be found in raid battles. It has a low catch rate and can be difficult to catch.Dialga is a Legendary Pokémon from the Sinnoh region. It is known as the Temporal Pokémon and is of the Steel/Dragon type. Dialga is said to have the ability to control time and can create temporal rifts to travel through dimensions. Its distinct appearance features a blue and silver body, with a spiky crest on its head and large gray plates on its back.
- Type: Steel/Dragon
- Height: 17'09" (5.4 m)
- Weight: 1505.8 lbs (683.0 kg)
- Ability: Pressure (increases opponent's move usage)
- Catch Rate: 30 (3.9% with Poké Ball & full health)
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84votesPalkia is another legendary Pokemon that can be found in raid battles. It has a low catch rate and can be difficult to catch.Palkia is a legendary Water/Dragon-type Pokémon that made its first appearance in Generation IV. It is known as the Spatial Pokémon, representing space and dimensions. Palkia was created by Game Freak.
- Type: Water/Dragon
- Pokedex Number: 484
- Height: 4.2m
- Weight: 336.0kg
- Ability: Pressure / Telepathy (Hidden)
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98votesGiratina is a legendary Pokemon that can be found in raid battles. It has a low catch rate and can be difficult to catch.Giratina is a dual-type Ghost/Dragon Legendary Pokémon known as the Renegade Pokémon. It is characterized by its serpent-like body, dark blue skin, and unique physical features such as six legs, large wings, and a long, snake-like neck. Giratina has the power to travel freely between the Distortion World and the real world.
- Type: Ghost/Dragon
- Ability: Pressure
- Hidden Ability: Telepathy
- Base Stats: Origin Forme: HP 150 / Attack 120 / Defense 100 / Sp. Atk 120 / Sp. Def 100 / Speed 90; Altered Forme: HP 150 / Attack 100 / Defense 120 / Sp. Atk 100 / Sp. Def 120 / Speed 90
- Height: Origin Forme: 6.9 m; Altered Forme: 4.5 m
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107votesDarkrai is a mythical Pokemon that can only be obtained through special events. It has a very low catch rate and can be extremely difficult to catch.Darkrai is a Dark-type Pokémon known as the Pitch-Black Pokémon. It is characterized by its grim appearance and mysterious nature. Darkrai is said to be able to manipulate dreams and create nightmares, often haunting the dreams of humans and other Pokémon. It is mainly known for its elusive and hard-to-catch nature, making it one of the most challenging Pokémon to obtain in Pokémon Violet.
- Type: Dark
- Category: Pitch-Black Pokémon
- Ability: Bad Dreams
- Height: 4'11" (1.5m)
- Weight: 111.3 lbs (50.5 kg)
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Ranking factors for difficult Pokémon
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LocationSome Pokémon are found in rare or hard-to-reach locations. The more challenging the environment, the harder it will be to encounter and catch the Pokémon.
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Weather and TimeCertain Pokémon appear only in specific weather conditions or times of the day. These factors can make it harder to find and catch them.
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Flee RateSome Pokémon have a higher chance of fleeing during battle. A higher flee rate increases the difficulty of capturing the Pokémon since it might escape before you have a chance to catch it.
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RaritySome Pokémon are very rare, appearing only in specific locations or under rare circumstances. The rarer the Pokémon, the more difficult it is to capture.
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Evolution MethodSome Pokémon can only be obtained by evolving other Pokémon through specific methods, such as trading or using an evolutionary stone. Depending on the method, this can make it more difficult to obtain the Pokémon.
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In-game Events and LegendariesEvent-exclusive or Legendary Pokémon are typically much harder to catch due to their limited availability and low catch rates.
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Shiny PokémonShiny Pokémon are extremely rare and sought-after variations of standard Pokémon. The odds of encountering a Shiny Pokémon are notably slim, making them challenging to catch.
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Health and Status EffectsPokémon with lower HP or afflicted with a status condition, such as sleep or paralysis, are easier to catch. It might take several attempts or various strategies to weaken the Pokémon or apply status effects, increasing the difficulty of the catch.
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Type of Poké BallThe effectiveness of different Poké Balls varies depending on the situation. Using a basic Poké Ball on a high-level Pokémon will be less effective than using a specialized ball, such as an Ultra Ball or a Dusk Ball at night. Your supply and choice of Poké Balls can affect the difficulty of capturing a Pokémon.
About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most difficult Pokémon to catch. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or Pokémon is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 1886 views
- 222 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each Pokémon once every 24 hours. The rank of each Pokémon is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
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More information on most difficult pokémon to catch
Background Information: What Makes a Pokémon Difficult to Catch?
Catching Pokémon can be a thrilling experience, but some creatures are notoriously harder to catch than others. Several factors can make a Pokémon more difficult to catch, such as their rarity, strength, and evasiveness.
One of the main factors that affect a Pokémon's catchability is their catch rate. Each Pokémon has a catch rate that determines the probability of catching them with a Poké Ball. Catch rates vary from species to species and can be modified by factors such as the Pokémon's level, current status, and the type of Poké Ball used.
Another factor that can make a Pokémon more challenging to catch is their behavior during battle. Some Pokémon have moves that can lower the accuracy of a player's Poké Ball throws or increase their own evasiveness. Others can inflict status conditions such as sleep, paralysis, or confusion, which can make it harder to catch them.
Furthermore, some Pokémon are simply harder to find than others. Rare or legendary Pokémon are often elusive and require players to complete specific tasks or meet certain conditions before they can be encountered. These Pokémon can be very difficult to catch, as they tend to have low catch rates and may be very strong or have unique abilities.
Overall, the difficulty of catching a Pokémon depends on a variety of factors, and some creatures are more challenging to add to your collection than others. So, which Pokémon is the most difficult to catch? Let's take a look at some of the contenders!
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