OK, many people say that Gen V's pokemon sucked. I don't quite agree. It may have had some duds, and 649 pokemon in the concepts are getting to sometimes be either stale or weird, although unlike many I have no objection to Garbodor. I will be doing a "worst of" post later, as well as tackling all the other games, so keep a lookout.
Honourable mentions
Because Gen V really did put out a great little set of legendaries. Maybe too many, I can't deny it, but let's look at them in their groups. Zekrom and Reshiram are just the best looking pokemon ever: sleek, simple, elegant, dramatic, unique and so impactful. BAM! MUTHAFUCKIN' DRAGON IN THE HOUSE! Combine this with unique and, especially in Reshiram's case, excellent typing and some seriously powerful moves and you have a killer pair. Kyurem's ice type and stats are less useful and helpful, but absofusion was a cool and helpful idea. Tornadus, Thundurus and Landorus were interesting and usable, and I appreciated Tornadus as the first pure flying type. Interestingly Landorus was the weak link of the three (I'll stick to Gliscor.) Then there were the Swords of Justice. If you're alone now, just try saying that in as booming a voice as possible, like Dumbledore. I love them, especially Terrakion who is a complete killer with awesome typing. Keldeo's Resolute form kind of looks like a depressed gay pride float but I still like it. I love the concept behind the quartet. There's Zoroark, who straddles the line between being a legendary and not, and whose ability, design and typing I love, although I find it flawed in movepool and for some reason it bugs me that its ponytail is tied in turquoise, which is the worst possible colour, and makes it look more feminine than I'd like. And then there are the event legendaries. I really like them all, but I have to give a shoutout to Meloetta, the singing pokemon. I love it as a singer, I like its designs a lot and its typings and ability to switch between them are really useful in battle. So yeah, let's leave them at the door, in a little box that says "Cool."
Other honourable mentions go to darmanitan, which is really strong but scares the crap out of me, and Escavalier which.....well, you'll find out why I didn't put a bug/steel in.
10) Samurott
This is basically here to avoid me being crucified for not including a starter. I liked the Oshawott line the best, but that's not to say I loved it. The water type is decent, especially in the Unova region, I really like its design and its stats make it a usable pokemon. I just wish it had had a secondary type. Probably fighting. But it was head-and-shoulders above the other Unova starters.
9) Scrafty
Love its typing, don't much like its design, think its stats could have been better. Next!
8) Reuniclus
As the best trick-room special sweeper is a legitimate threat. And magic guard is a killer ability. Other than that, it's a green psychic-type blob.
7) Krookodile
Krookodile looks like a boss. It's a red-and-black gangster crocodile. Decent enough typing. Otherwise, meh.
6) Haxorus
Listen, I'm as surprised as you are. But it is just a dragon type, which is fine but not unique. It's a really decent pokemon to use, and its shiny form is amazing-looking. But it disappointed me because surely this should be dragon-fighting. And THAT is good typing.
5) Ferrothorn
For finally giving us a grass type with half-decent defensive typing, and for being cool and unique. Its offensive typing...I guess, it could do with a wider movepool to let it do more, especially with types like fire. And it could REALLY do with being used with Trick Room, because boy is it ever slow!
4) Excadrill
Now that is a pokemon with killer attack. Its speed is...decent, could do with a boost. Oh wait, sand rush. Well, that's sorted. Or, if for some inconceivable reason you want a slow sweeper you can take sand force. It's all sand. Its defensive typing is...odd, to say the least. Ice and grass are the only two types to do it normal damage. 4 types do it 2x damage. The other 11 it resists or is immune to. This makes ground/steel excellent defensive typing, especially with 2 immunities, albeit to types it is never ever gonna have to face. This is hindered by its bad defences, but they aren't actually terrible It looks pretty good, and it's a design I'm surprised we haven't seen already. So yeah, it's one of the strongest battlers in Unova, and it's a solid threat.
3) Chandelure
This one's for you, Frances. No, I like Chandelure a lot, more conceptually than as a battling pokemon, but I'll still use it in battle. Mostly for its jaw-dropping special attack but also because it has the movepool and offensive typing to match it. Its abilities are amazing. I mean, if a flash fire Chandelure switches into a Heatran's fire attack, it's throwing around 142 base power flamethrowers (some say 210-base overheat, I say screw the drop in special attack.) And its dreamworld ability, shadow tag, is crazy. But like I said, mostly I LOVE the concept of a possessed chandelier that steals people's souls. And it looks amazing.
2) Hydreigon
Dark and dragon are my two favourite types. Hydreigon is the first pokemon to combine the two and its classification as "The Brutal Pokemon" is more than justified. Its all-round offenses are incredible and its movepool is huge, varied and powerful. This means that Hydreigon can fire off all kinds of hellaciously strong attacks, and you can never be quite sure what to expect from it. Its ability is hugely helpful, as it can switch in to entry hazards with impunity, and is immune to earthquake. Its speed, however, is only OK, and the one thing that movepool lacks is a decent stat-boosting move. As for its design.....I don't even need to say it. Just bow down, people. One thing you may not have noticed is the tank tracks down its front. Its original design was sort of a cyborg dragon-tank thing, and it's kept the treads even now it's a hydra. Hydreigon is the pseudo-legendary of Gen V, and it's fully earned its place among the likes of Metagross, Salamence and Tyranitar. I love my evil dragon. I call him Clive.
1) Volcarona
Because it's the sun. Also, because it might be the only truly unique-looking bug type pokemon besides Genesect. Its offensive typing is among my all-time favourites, able to deal super-effective STAB to steel, ice, bug, grass, psychic and dark types, and between its two types it is virtually unresisted. Its defensive typing is fair enough, yes the 4x weakness to rock is almost a dealbreaker, but it does have 5 resistances. As for its stats, they are wonderful. 135 base special attack ranks it just below Chandelure, but what makes it a better special sweeper is both its speed and typing. Its special defense is excellent, but its physical stats are mediocre at best, which makes rock-type moves even more of a problem. As a versatile special sweeper though, it is usually at the core of my party, especially in the sun. Hint for free, Volcarona fits BEAUTIFULLY into a dragon-type team, to get rid of pesky steel and ice types. Volcarona and Palkia make a really great doubles team. For some reason, this is like my version of Ash's Pikachu. I love you, Volcarona.
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