When broken down to its fundamentals, is really no different than the average turn based RPGs. In fact, Generations I and II are as classic as they come in retrospect, fea♍turing typical RPG pacing, dungeon design, and plot progression. At the same time, what helped elevate Pokémon was the evolution at the center of the gameplay.
Cust𝔉omizable parties and monster raising RPGs existed long befꦇore Pokémon, but Pocket Monsters managed to create even more party variety through evolutions. Essentially class changes built into each Pokémon’s (party member’s) leveli𒆙ng, certain Pokémon completely change when they hit a new level. Naturally, not all Pokémon are created equally and some take quite a bit of grinding to fully evolve.
10 Sliggoo Into Goodra (Lv 50 Minimum)
As tends to be the case with most Dragon Types, the journe🍒y to getting a Goodra is quite a grindy one. Be prepared to dump some levels into either Goomy or Sliggoo. In the case of the former, Goomy evolves into Sliggoo at leཧvel 40. Sliggoo then evolves into Goodra at level 50 which, granted, could be worse.
Early 50s is a pretty reasonable ending point for any Generation’s Elite Four, so having 🌊a Goodra prepped for an endgame party (as far as the main story is concerned) is more doable than other Pokémon. Either way, 50’s not that bad of a grind.
9 Pawniard Into Bisharp (Lv 52 Minimum)
On paper, grinding to level 52 for a Bisharp isn’t too bad, but there’s a funda🌳mental difference between an evolution like Pawniard into Bisharp and Goomy into Sliggoo into Goodra– the latter has better progression. In evolving twice over, players will have stronger tangible proof of their Goomy’s growth on the way to their final evolution.
Without an evolutionary step between Pawniard and Bisharp, hitting 52 can feel like a much longer endeavor than it really is. Especially when taking into consideration the fact you’ll ideally be grinding this Pawniard from level 1✃. Still, that’s just an afternoon. The real beasts are still to come.
8 Cosmoem Into Solgaleo Or Lunala (Lv 53 Minimum)
This is quite the grind no matter how you try to slice it. To even get a Cosmoem, Generation VII Trainers first need to nab a Cosmog by bringing their Solgaleo or Lunala 🐟to either the Lake of the Sunne🐓 or Lake of the Moone depending on which version they’re playing. That’s simple enough, but here’s the problem: Cosmog is level 5.
That sa🎉id, since Trainers will naturally only be able to obtain their Cosmog near the ending of the game, evolving them into Cosmoem and then either Solgaleo or Lunala– again depending on version. Worth noting, Cosmoem evolves into🧔 Solgaleo in Sword and Lunala in Shield.
7 Rufflet Into Braviary (Lv 54 Minimum)
In a series filled to the brim with insanely cool Flying Type Pokémon, Braviary is one of the most visually appealing. For a Gen V Pokémon, Braviary has a cool design, a nice color palette, and errs on the side of simplicity. Naturally, it makes sense Trainers would want their own. It is a bit of a grind, thoꦑugh.
Unlike other bird Pokémon who are typically fully evolved in their 30s over the course of two evolutions𒐪, Rufflet only has the single one into Braviary and level 54 is around the point where the leveling process starts to become a bit too much. It’s still doable, but the closer to 60 we gജet, the worse the grinding.
6 Vullaby Into Mandibuzz (Lv 54 Minimum)
Another Gen V Flying Type, Mandibuzz aesthetically isn’t as cool as Braviary, but it arguably has a much cleaner design and the prospect of a vulture Pokémon is certainly appealing. Vullaby’s ♋design has a certain old school charm as well, but as is the case with Rowlet into Braviary, get ready for a grind.
Since Mandibuzz is basically Braviary’s late game foil, it only makes sense that Vullaby would also need to reach level 54 to evolve like Rufflet before it. Unlike Braviary, however, Mandibuzz has a very unique Typing compa🧜red to other flying types: Dark/Flying, which is appealing in its own right.
5 Dragonair Into Dragonite (Lv 55 Minimum)
The series’ first line of Dragon Types, getting a Dratini and eventually evolving it into Dragonite is something all Trainers who played Generation I as it releas♎ed strived for. How could we not? Dratini was almost a taunt, offered as a prize at the Game Corner. Little did we know how long the journey would be. Grinding to level 55🗹 in Gen I is no easy task, either. Good luck doing that before the Elite Four.
Still, actually managi൲ng to bring a Dragonite to the Champion battle is an incredible feeling. One that requires some real time, but it’s fulfilling. Nowadays, the modern games make grinding far eas🤪ier. It’s still a pain, but things used to be much worse.
4 Pupitar Into Tyranitar (Lv 55 Minimum)
Tyranitar’s line is Dark/Rock with nothing to do with Dragons, but it essentially filles the role of Generation II’s “Dragon Type.” To put things into clearer terms, Tyranitar is to Generation II what Dragonite was to Generation I. As a result, 𝓀it’s really no surprise Pupitar evolves into Tyranitar at the exact same level Dragonair evolves into Dragonite.
Like the Dragonite line, the Tyranitar line features two evolutions: from Larvitar to Pupitar at level 30, and then from Pupitar to Tyranitar at level 55.ཧ As is the case with Dragonite in Generation I, it’s not the most practical to spend time grinding for a Tyranitar in Gen II (especially since everything is so low leveled,) but the novelty of having a Tyr🅺anitar makes it worth i🌼t.
3 Larvesta Into Volcarona (Lv 59 Minimum)
Have fun raising your𝓡 level 1 Larvesta into a level 59 Volcarona. It is going to take a long time, and frankly it might not even feel worth it half the time, but Volcarona is absolutely woꦯrth the effort. Not only does it have an excellent design, its unique typing (Bug/Fire) reall🎐y does it wonders. It also helps that Volcarona has a great stat spread and move pool.
But it is a grind. Even in the modern games, going fr💞om level 1 to level 59 is something that takes both time and effort– even more so if you’re going to be EV training your Larvesta in the process.
2 Drakloak Into Dragapult (Lv 60 Minimum)
Although needing to hit level 60 to nab a Dragapꦓult doesn’t s💃ound like the ideal grinding process, Generation VIII at least makes leveling far easier than any other games in the series. Honestly, this i💃s a Generation where the average Tr🌳ainer will reach the Elite Four ov🥃erleveled. Simply find a Dreepy, toss it into your party, and let the rest work itself out.
A Dragon/Ghost Type, Dragapult makes for a very cool Pokémon to have in the party. It certainly helps🍷 that each new evolution is cooler looking than the last, culminating in one of the most mystical looking Dragons to grace the series.
1 Zweilous Into Hydreigon (Lv 64 Minimum)
Generation V’s Dragon Type, no Pokémon takes longer to fully evolve than Deino into Zweilous into Hydreigon. Inspired by a dinosaur, this Dark/Dragon Type is truly one of the coolest Pokémon to come out of Generation V, and while the grind is arguably way too long for its own– with no especially quick grindin🅰g spots– it’s worth it.
Hydreigon is especially viscous in Generation V, befitting its ridiculously high minimum level. This is a Pokémon that’s very difficult to counter, and 🧸it can make getting through Black/White and Black 2/White 2’s post-games a significantly smoother process. Not that either game😼 is especially challengingඣ.