5 strongest Water-types and their best moves in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

One of the most exciting parts about every new Pokemon game is building one's team. Thankfully, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet make this even more fun. Because of the game's open-world approach, trainers have access to tons of different Pocket Monsters the moment they embark on their journey.

One of the many staples of having an effective team is proper type coverage, and Water is one of the best types trainers can have on their team. Water-type Pokemon are some of the bulkiest creatures in the franchise, and they're also some of the best offensive options.

While many have chosen to start with the Water-type starter Pokemon Quaxly, others have picked the Grass or Fire-type starter. This leaves a spot open in their party for creatures who possess water-typing.

Readers should keep in mind that the choices in this article are merely suggestions. The best part of any fresh playthrough of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is the freedom and experimentation that comes with team building. That said, this article will list the five best Water-type Pocket Monsters that are worth having on one's team in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

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Best Water-type Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

1) Barraskewda

Barraskewda as it appears in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Known for its high Attack and Speed stats, Barraskewda is one of the best glass cannon Water-types in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Not only does it have excellent offensive potential, but it can also be found incredibly early. Simply return to the beach after the first rival battle to catch one near the shore.

A moveset comprising Liquidation, Ice Fang, Aqua Jet, and Drill Run will give Barraskewda great general coverage and options against its weaknesses. Having a moveset of attacking moves allows Barraskewda to make use of the Assault Vest item for a free boost in Special Defense.

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2) Palafin

Palafin's Zero Forme as it appears in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Palafin is one of the most unique creatures to be introduced in the franchise so far. While it may not look particularly strong, it gets a huge stat upgrade once it switches into battle after already making an appearance. This activates its ability and changes it to its Hero Forme.

A moveset consisting of Charm, Flip Turn, Acrobatics, and Jet Punch lets Palafin deal incredible amounts of damage with its newfound Attack stat. Flip Turn's effect of switching out the user makes it very easy to activate the Zero to Hero ability, giving a free switch in forms.

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3) Azumarill

Azumarill as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

When building a team, one of the more unusual picks a lot of players don't consider is Azumarill. It has been getting better with each passing generation. Thanks to the sixth generation introducing the Fairy typing, Pure Power Azumarill has quickly become one of the scariest Water-types in the franchise.

Waterfall, Play Rough, Charm, and Aqua Ring provide a great general moveset that allows Azumarill to heal, debuff opponents, and make use of STAB (same-type attack bonus). However, trainers will want to be mindful of the ability of their Azumarill. For example, an Azumarill with Thick Fat is not as useful as one with Pure Power, which doubles Azumarill's attack power.

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4) Slowbro/Slowking

Slowbro as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

These next two choices are interchangeable as the only key difference between them is that Slowbro is built for physical Defense while Slowking is built for Special Defense. However, since Slowking is a trade evolution, most players would rather have Slowbro in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Since both share a similar movepool, both benefit from a moveset of Calm Mind, Slack Off, Chilling Water, and Psychic. This set functions as a sort of pseudo-stall, with Slack Off healing the user, Calm Mind buffing their Special Defense, and Chilling Water lowering the attack stat of the attacker.

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5) Gyarados

Gyarados as it appears in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

A beloved fan favorite, Gyarados makes a return in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Much like Barraskewda, Gyarados' pre-evolved form Magikarp is available very early as it can be found on the beach where trainers have their first Pokemon battles. Magikarp also evolves quite early at level 20.

With a moveset of Waterfall, Dragon Dance, Earthquake, and Crunch, Gyarados is capable of cleaving through any opponent it may go up against in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.