Favorite Pseudo Legendary

[FroyoDragon]

As a sucker for Sinnoh, the answer unsurprisingly comes down to Garchomp :b

 

[Gengarzilla]

My favourite of the pack is Metagross, but Kommo-o is actually a surprise second place for all the new toys it got in USUM. Third is Goodra for how it deviates from being a hyper destructive war machine in personality and stat line. I really appreciated the different direction it took.

Least favourite would be Salamence. I dunno, something about this Pokémon makes it feel unappealing and the Mega didn't help that.

 

[GhostLucario]

My favorite is Hydreigon, it's one of my favorite pokemon in general. I just really like the concept and the typing, I had been waiting for a Dark/Dragon for sooooooo long (since Gen 2). The fact that it's a special attacker is so appealing since I prefer Sp Attack over physical attack.

 

[Zweilous]

Which one of these mighty champions is your favorite?
Either Salamence or Hydreigon. Salamence is the one I liked the most ever since Hoenn, but Hydreigon has grown on me a lot since its introduction to the point that I consider it one of my favorite Pokémon in general.

What do you like, or dislike, about their designs, origins and such?

Spoiler

Dragonite: I always had mixed feelings on Dragonite. I loved Dratini and Dragonair's serpentine design and I was looking forward to seeing that continue with the final evolution, and Dragonite's deviation from what I liked the most about those two hurt my opinion on it.

Tyranitar: I didn't have as much of an attachment to it like some of the others, but I do like its possible Godzilla inspiration and typing. It's a pretty cool design all-around, just more in the middle in terms of the group.

Salamence: I will admit it's a bit on the bland side design-wise since it's just another western-inspired dragon with unique wings (cool looking wings though), but I loved the little lore with it being a Bagon that so desperately wanted to fly that it would jump off cliffs to achieve its dream. Then, eventually through evolution, it manages to achieve its dream and grow wings, gaining the ability that it so coveted and it'll be so overjoyed that it'll fly around for hours and not stop until its tired. It's a cute little story that makes evolving it feel mutually satisfying for both you and your Pokémon, adding to that innerconnected feeling that the series often goes for.

Metagross: Easily the most unique out of the bunch, I like the concept of it being a single Beldum that combines with others and creates a Pokémon that increasingly becomes stronger and more intelligent. It's a concept that has been seen before with Magnemite and the line, but I feel it's done much better with Metagross.

Garchomp: The design concept is just awesome with this guy, it's a land shark that incorporates western dragon traits with a hint of intimidation factor and it combines into a very likeable design IMO. It also was the first of its group that I was able to properly use on my main game team due to how it was given out in Platinum and as a result I gained an attachment to it.

Hydreigon: At first I wasn't as fond of it, but as I grew older and got the chance to use it in other games I grew to love it. I like the concept of it being an Yamata no Orochi inspired Pokemon as well as how they incorporated its multiple heads into its evolutions as it starts with a single head that grows more as it evolves. I also liked its typing (which was unique until SM) and its animations in Pokémon Refresh, as I think it gives it a lot of charm since it can be both badass and adorable, which can be lacking from a lot of the others.

Goodra: I like the concept of it being a slug/snail dragon, but I'm not as fond of the final design. It kind of has Dragonite's problem for me in that I wish it kept the more snail-like appearance of its pre-evolution, and while it's not lost like with Dragonite's serpentine elements, it's played down enough that I was a bit underwhelmed with the design. I will say this though, it's pretty cute, if a bit too slimy.

Kommo-o: I like the warrior motif this guy has. The southeastern inspiration in the line can really be felt with the way it grows up in evolution (going from training, to being a lone warrior that is sent out on its own, to being an adult that watches over the young warriors), how each of its forms act and respond in battle, and how the design reflects that with the scale motif of its armor. It also has a unique typing that I wanted to see for a while now and I'm glad they gave it to a Pokémon that has as much thought put into its concept like Kommo-o.

What are your experiences raising one?

Spoiler

In terms of main-game, the only ones I've used are Dragonite, Salamence, Garchomp, and Kommo-o. With Dragonite, I used it in Crystal first I believe due to the Dragon's Den one having Extreme Speed. I took my sweet time since I preferred Dragonair and I needed to grind, but it was a useful member of my team. Salamence was because I liked Drake's, so on my repeat playthrough I got a Bagon and grinded it up. I liked using him, but at the time I did wish it came earlier since I had to stop to get it. Garchomp was the first that felt like a cohesive part of my team from start to finish due to how early you can get it and it being able to contribute due to its typing, so I didn't have to grind for it. Kommo-o I had to search for a bit, but once I got it I felt it did enough for the time it had on my team, even if it was much shorter then the rest of them.

Post-game, I've used Tyranitar, Salamence, Metagross, Garchomp, Hydreigon, and Kommo-o. Of them, Salamence, Metagross, and Hydreigon have been mainstays on my online teams (with the dragons switching out for each other depending on the rest of my team) and the three of them plus Garchomp have been great assets to me for the battle facilities. Kommo-o I wanted to use, but had trouble fitting it in, but if/when I get UM or another future Pokémon game with the Z-Move and Move Tutors in it I'll definitely give it another shot.

Does it tend to take you a long time?
Before Gen 5, the only one I'd say didn't was Garchomp for the reasons I mentioned above, with the ones past that generation being easier to do overall. Post-game, it's not an issue overall due to being able to grind more efficiently.

Does it feel rewarding in the end?
Oh yes it does.

Do you tend to stray away from such usage?
Depends on the game, though mostly yes before Gen 6.

Is there a certain kind of pseudo legendary that you yearn to see in future Pokemon games?
Nothing I particularly yearn for, though I will admit I wouldn't mind seeing what they'd do with another non-draconic member of the group.

 

[Alola]

I realized I haven't answered these myself.

Which one of these mighty champions is your favorite?
Easily Goodra! I love its friendly design, disposition and defensive nature (something super satisfying is watching my Goodra tank hits in competitive/in-game battles) and dealing out damage in return. I loved seeing it animated with Ash, even though the writers failed to allow it a solid victory in the Kalos League. It's also a nice departure from the string of previously looking intimidating pseudos since Dragonite. Lastly, it's one of the moderately easy pseudos to raise since it reaches the Goodra stage at level 50.

What do you like, or dislike, about their designs, origins and such?

Spoiler

Dragonite- I think its design is pretty decent, if not a bit thick for its stat spread. It certainly belies its huge Attack stat though. Something I always thought strange was how different it looks from its pre-evolutions. Dragonair just looks so elegant while Dragonite looks like an alternate Barney. I didn't begin to appreciate its design until Generation 4, where its friendly look became my favorite among the pseudos until Goodra came into existence. Something I do like is how its wings expand in size when it actually uses them for flight or wing-based attacks.

Tyranitar- When I was a kid, I really liked Tyranitar's design. Oh so much. Getting older though, I don't necessarily feel the same way. I think it looks great animated, but not so much in-game. Especially from the back, with all of those protruding spikes. Thankfully, Generation 6 made looking at it from that angle a lot better. I do like its Mega Evolution design even though a lot of people don't. It seems fitting to me. If their goal was to make a Godzilla like Pokemon, I'd say they've done pretty well here.

Salamence- Eh, it never really did much for me design wise. I don't think it looks bad at all though and thought it looked amazing animated when Sawyer used one last. I do think its Mega Evolution has one of the coolest looking designs though. Salamence also has my favorite lore out of all the pseudos. I mean, it genetically gained wings through sheer willpower of wanting to fly. As @Zweilous said, it really is mutually satisfying for both Pokemon and Trainer. I'm not a fan of its rampages though.

Metagross- I really like its design. No wings, just metal-limb robotic psychic spider awesomeness. Especially when the anime shows it calculating battle strategies through its eyes and such. Mega Metagross looks a tad bit clunky though, with all of those extra limbs. But kudos to Metagross for not being draconian in design. Being a physical Psychic- type is also pretty unique.

Garchomp- Initially, I thought it was a really cool Pokemon, in design, stats, and move pool. I dreaded fighting Cynthia in Pearl and Platinum, due to how strong it is-it's what made me raise an Ice- type for the first time ever! Then Game Freak gave it a rather ugly looking, slow moving Mega Evolution. And this thing is all over the place competitively. It just annoys me now, honestly.

Hydregon- I like the Brutal Pokemon's design. I think it'd have difficulty holding anything in its "hands" though. But the the six wings, black and blue coloring, as well as rugged appearance certainly looks badass and menacing. I don't think an average person would consider it a Pokemon if they didn't know any better. I also like how its line uses German numbers in their English names.

Goodra- What can I say? Its design is so easy, comforting and something I would feel confident and safe letting my younger siblings interact with. I like that it has visible irises now, after lacking them in its previous evolutions. Also, the antennae on its head look really cool when they're used for attacking. It's purple and green coloring is also visually appealing to me. I want to give it a hug! I do think game Freak should have made the line Dragon/Water though. Seriously, Game Freak.

Kommo-o- A really unique and awesome design! I think my favorite thing about it is how its tail resembles a khakkhara. Its lore is also pretty cool-it's as if they knew Alola would be plagued by the dilemmas that happens in-game and are ready to fight against it. It's typing is also pretty interesting, even if it leaves it widely open to Fairy- types like Hydreigon.

What are your experiences raising one?

Spoiler

Hmm. I've raised a Dragonite, Metagross, Hydreigon (cheated a bit), Goodra and Kommo-o. Everyone barring Dragonite I've raised in Generation 6, so leveling them up was never really a hassle-Pokemon Refresh and the EXP system saw to that.

Dragonite however, I raised in SoulSilver-it was the one with Extreme Speed. That took forever-I've never taken so long to fully evolve a Pokemon before, especially given the horrible level curve in Johto. It didn't become a Dragonite until halfway through my Kanto adventure. When it did though, it was easily the powerhouse of my team.

Metagross was raised in Omega Ruby. It was the Shiny Beldum from the event. While it was cool at first, it started to lose party momentum for me after it became a Metang. So I ended up boxing it (or what I called "staying with Mom") while raising another Pokemon. However, it made a glorious return for the Hoenn finale in the Delta Episode and was instrumental in helping me catch Rayquaza as a Metagross. Leveling it up was very easy given Gen 6's EXP system.

I say I cheated with Hydreigon because I didn't raise it from a Deino. Rather, I caught one in Kalos' Victory Road. It was an over-world ambush and I was super surprised to see that they had become wild encounters. It was a Pokemon I had always been keen to use, so I caught it and she became the sixth member of my party. Very powerful addition to use against the Elite Four and Champion.

I raised a Goodra in a Y playthrough as well as in Moon and Ultra Moon. I had a much better time using the line in Alola rather than Kalos for several reasons: 1) Unlike Alola, Kalos doesn't have an area that rains 24/7. So it was difficult finding rain, and time in the real world, to evolve Sliggoo 2) Goomy came kind of late in the game, with 2 out of the 3 remaining Gym Leaders you could use it against being super-effective against Dragon types 3) Kalos just had so many Pokemon to raise, so I ended up either rotating party members or using the above mentioned Hydreigon.

In Alola though, I've enjoyed battling with Sliggoo and Goodra. They've both been involved in several plot relevant battles, making their party time feel substantial.

Kommo-o I raised during my very first play through of Moon. I was impressed with how quickly you could get one, but sad that you didn't have much time to enjoy using it. Furthermore, its move-set was just too lackluster for me to fully enjoy. The combination of the two made me not use it in subsequent playthroughs (Although I understand it got a lot more new toys in USUM).

Does it tend to take you a long time?
Before Gen 6, yes! Raising Dragonite was ridiculous and such a mission. Without a Lucky Egg too! Generation 6 though made it a lot easier. In fact, it isn't even a daunting task anymore-it just takes them a little longer to level up sometimes than my other party members. If its post-game, then doubly so. New features like Amie/Refresh and Pelago, the better availability of Lucky Eggs, being able to battle high level Pokemon or re-battle Trainers/Secret Bases, have made raising pseudos a lot easier.

Does it feel rewarding in the end?
Admittedly, Dragonite did feel way more rewarding than anyone else due to the sheer difficulty of raising it. However, my Goodra in Ultra Moon felt the most meaningful because she evolved during the plot climax at the Aether Foundation and then evolved again during our trip to acquire the Moon Flute on Exeggutor Island (thankfully it was already raining and I didn't have to backtrack to Route 17 or some such).

Do you tend to stray away from such usage?
Usually, yes. The only pseudo I'd willingly raise nowadays is Goodra; any curiosity I had for other pseudos is no longer present. I tend to not raise them for the most part, especially since they're so common in competitive battles.

Is there a certain kind of pseudo legendary that you yearn to see in future Pokemon games?
Anything not a Dragon would be glorious. I'm kind of tired of it. Them going down the Metagross route was such a welcome breath of fresh air, a breath I hope they decide to exhale again in Generation 8.

 

[Sakuraa]

Salamence, which is my all time favorite Pokemon overall.

 

[~Smugleaf~]

Tyranitar, but I also love Hydreigon and Metagross.
Apart from Salamence, I have mixed to negative feelings on the rest. I especially hate Dragonite and Goodra for ruining otherwise good lines.

 

[Harryghost]

Welp, it's really hard to choose my favorite pseudo-Legendary Pokémon from the group, considering I like all of them equally... Uh, Imma go with Hydreigon, if only for that speed and Sp. Atk stat, and certainly, that relatively uncommon Dark/Dragon typing.

Close seconds would be Dragonite and Garchomp.

 

[EmpoleonProd]

For me it's Metagross, but Garchomp is a SUPER close 2nd. I pretty much always use the regional pseudo in all the games I play, I used a Salamence in the main game of OR, and a Metagross post-game and competitively, I'm planning on using both Dragonite and Tyranitar when Crystal drops later today, I used Goodra in Y, Kommo-o in Sun and Ultra Sun. I like the design of Metagross and the overall usability competitively, not having any 4x weaknesses is nice, and his typing gives him sooo many resistances.

 

[Kung Fu Ferret]

Goodra is my favorite because of the anime, but thanks to a certain YouTube video that is hilarious, Dragonite is a very close second.

 

[Gengarzilla]

I think I'll try repeating my post with more detail. Here I go!


Which one of these mighty champions is your favorite?
Metagross tops my list for its combination of intelligence and sheer brutality, which I feel is kinda rare for a Psychic type. I don't ordinarily go out of my way to use that type for the frequent physical frailty they exhibit, but Metagross has been a whole other story.

What are your experiences raising one? Does it tend to take you a long time? Does it feel rewarding in the end?

Spoiler

Throughout official Pokémon games alone, I have used Tyranitar, Metagross, Hydreigon, Goodra, and Kommo-o.

Tyranitar was during my post-game Black version, caught as a Pupitar. While it was a very welcomed addition to the party, Sand Stream eventually resulted in me rotating it out for another Pokémon and I haven't found a way to fit one in a team since. For what it's worth though, using the big guy was fun while it lasted.

Metagross was during my post-game Platinum version and during the story in Omega Ruby, caught and bred as a Beldum respectively. I'll start by saying that I felt and still feel absolutely no shame in saving my Master Ball for one of those swarming Beldum, as it went on to give me a win against Palmer when I could only manage a draw (which the game called a loss for me even though his last Pokémon fell first).
In Omega Ruby, even though it was a bit annoying to not be able to evolve Beldum immediately this time and I already had a Mega Evolver here, slapping a Choice Band on this Metagross really made up for that little problem. Using it to trash Steven's Mega Metagross one time felt so good.

Hydreigon was also for the story in my Omega Ruby version, caught as a Deino while I was playing with the DexNav after beating Wallace. Needless to say, I didn't see this one coming. It was also a bother to fully evolve but it and Metagross were a great combination for dealing with the Delta Episode and beyond.

Goodra was after my X version's post-game story was concluded, bred as a Goomy when I was getting into competitive play for the first time outside of simulators like Smogon and decided to replace most of my team en-masse. I liked it, but the friendly dragon sadly shares Tyranitar's fate: I haven't used one afterwards. Goodra, alongside the other newbies, shaped me greatly as a Pokémon fan though, and I'm happy for that.

Kommo-o is from my Ultra Moon version and differs from the rest of these in that I obtained it as is, being the Totem-sized Pokémon from Samson Oak before I started Episode RR. As part of my self imposed rule to beat all six team leaders with each one of my six Pokémon, Kommo-o singlehandedly took on Cyrus and muscled through his party.

Do you tend to stray away from such usage?
Given that I've used at least one in every generation since Gen IV, I'd say that I don't. I'm not shy to make these power catches when needed.

Is there a certain kind of pseudo legendary that you yearn to see in future Pokemon games?
Maybe something that doesn't have a draconic or reptilian inspiration next time? I don't really get why lots of Pokémon fans moaned about the third Fire/Fighting starter when that same generation gave us the fourth Dragon pseudo. I don't mind Hydreigon and the later members but that's the point when I thought it was getting repetitive.

 

[Matleo]

Kommo-O, becuse of its abilities that allow it either to be immune to moves or weather damage and dust moves..

why isnt Shedinja a pseudolegendary? when we will get a bug type for this category?

 

[Zeb]

Hydreigon, because once you've played with one in Amie/Refresh you'll see it in a whole new light. It's like an excitable puppy.

 

[Dialgafan1]

Salamence, with honorable mentions going to Hydreigon and Kommo-o.

 

[TheMonster6893]

Gotta love Tyranitar. Such a cool looking Pokemon. I have to admit I've never used it, but one day I'd really like to. I'm not a huge fan of it's mega, but I can forgive it lol. I really wish it was available earlier in Johto. It easily would have made one of my teams from either my original playthrough or Silver or my two playthroughs of HG. In any event one day I'll use it.

 

[Rex Glacies]

Slight Sinnoh bias, but definitely Garchomp. Looks amazing, fast, strong - it's one of my all time favorite Pokemon anyway.

Second place is Metagross, followed by Hydreigon.

 

[UnovaForever]

Which one of these mighty champions is your favorite?
Hydreigon. Dragons are my favorites and its design is fairly unique as far as Pokemon go. I also like all of the pseudo legendaries to an extent.
What do you like, or dislike, about their designs, origins and such?
I have always thought that it was weird for Dratini to be available in the Safari zone of the first games. I actually like Dragonite even with the massive change in design. On the other hand, I hate Goodra's design after its amazing preevolutions. All of them have cool ideas implemented in their designs though that tend to progress well. Bagon to Salamence has the most amazing story compared to all of the others. Hydreigon has King Ghidorah background and number of head progression that I found fascinating. I love how it gets a dominate head in its final evolution. Its animated sprite in B/W era is awesome with the floating thingy that it does.
What are your experiences raising one?
Since you get them so late, I almost never raise them until post game. They are easy to raise though when you get to that point.
Does it tend to take you a long time?
Yep.
Does it feel rewarding in the end?
Yep, especially because all of them are usable to some degree.
Do you tend to stray away from such usage?
Nope. I've used Hydreigon, Metagross, Kommo-o, Dragonite, and Tyranitar in tournaments.
Is there a certain kind of pseudo legendary that you yearn to see in future Pokemon games?
It'd be cool to see a non-dragon one again like what other people have said. For dragon typing though, I'd love to see a Dragon/Steel. I need something to beat fairies with outside of Naganadel.

 

[Mijzelffan]

Salamence is probably my favourite, but I like the unexpected twists the pseudo-legendaries in gen 1-3 have in general. Dragonair is completely different from dragonite, both pupitar and shelgon are coccoon-like which is funny and I also like how beldum turns out to have been a leg all along once it evolves into metagross.

 

[Arcalargo]

So, it's kind of funny, but this thread has inspired me to do a Nuzlocke with just the Pseudo Legendaries. I'm not allowed to catch anything else, but as soon as I was able to I gifted myself 8 eggs that had the 1st forms of all 8 listed here. So far, it has been interesting. I'm trying not to over level and the first island was a breeze, but my first Totem on Akala almost saw me lose my first teammate. It is going to be interesting to see how these 8 stack and to see if it's easy or harder with them than normal.

As for ease of raising, so far with the almost mono dragon typing, it is a bit of a challenge. Also since they all level so slowly (No EXP Share for me), it is getting to be a little bit of a slog to keep on top of the grind right now. I'll type something up for the travelog later, I just wanted to let y'all know what this thread has done for me.

Dratini(M) = Spike
Pupitar(F) = Mel
Metang = HAL9000
Bagon(M) = James
Gible(F) = Ella
Dineo(F) = Songbird
Goomy(M) = Schmoo
Jangmo-o(M) = Eragon

 

[Matleo]

4 have immunities and one got 2 immunity abilities(Kommo-o)?
interesting will be the future of pseudolegendaries.

What was Arcanine in the past? or do I mistake that from the anime?