Worst-Designed Pokemon Of All Time

Summary

• Some Pokemon designs are uninspired and lack purpose and creativity.
• Human-like Pokemon designs, such as Mr. Mime and Jynx, are generally disliked and out of place.
• Certain Pokemon, like Probopass and Eiscue, have design choices that are widely regarded as problematic or strange.

The Pokemon series is home to some of the finest creature designs. If not for the great mix of creativity and simplicity, Pokemon would not nearly be as successful as it is today. However, when so many Pokemon are required to fill a Pokedex, there are going to be a few misses. Some designs are uninspired or lazy, and they seem to just fill the space between the good designs.

Despite what some fans may think, the worst designs aren’t the weird ones. The worst designs are the ones that simply have no purpose. They don’t take any risks or creative spins. In some cases, they’re outright just not appealing. This isn’t something every person is going to agree on, but these designs are widely regarded as far from spectacular.

Updated on January 11, 2025, by Ben Painter: Some Pokemon are perfectly designed. Garchomp, Metagross, and even Pikachu are fine examples of this, and they are much loved across the board by fans. However, some creatures do not receive the same treatment. Some Pokemon are so poorly designed that even the Pokemon franchise does not give them much play after they debut. Their designs can be confusing, offensive, and just downright awful. With so many to choose from, this list has been updated to feature even more of the worst-designed Pokemon, which include some questionable alternate forms of some legendary Pokemon.

35

Gurdurr

An Unsettling Design

• Type: Fighting
• Generation: 5
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Black & White
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Mossfell Confluence, Fellhorn Gorge, Paradise Barrens, Tera Raid Battles (3★)

This Generation 5 Pokemon has an interesting motif. Throughout each evolution, it gains a different thing to hold, from Timburr with a log, Gurdurr with a girder, and Conkeldurr with two stone pillars. That raises the question of how items work with Pokemon evolution.

Each of the three Fighting types have rough designs, but Gurdurr is by far the worst. It is too humanoid for a start, and to make matters worse, it has a clown/circus strongman thing going on, which doesn’t sit right with many fans who have coulrophobia. The pink on its body looks like enlarged veins, which really doesn’t work either.

Gurdurr’s Base Stats

34

Calyrex

Head-To-Body Proportion Is All Off

• Type: Psychic/Grass
• Generation: 8
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Sword & Shield: The Crown Tundra DLC
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

Pokemon fans were alarmed when the face of the Crown Tundra DLC of Pokemon Sword & Shield was announced as they were greeted with a disproportionately deer-like Pokemon with a huge bulb on its head and long skinny legs. This ‘mon just doesn’t look right. Legendary Pokemon should look powerful and menacing, but Calyrex simply doesn’t.

However, this Pokemon can be somewhat improved when it gains a trusty steed in Glastrier or Spectrier. Both can combine to increase the stats of Calyrex and have it ride the icy or ghostly horse.

Calyrex’s Base Stats

33

Crabominable

Just Plain Ugly

• Type: Fighting/Ice
• Generation: 7
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Sun & Moon
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: East Province: Area Two, North Province: Glaseado Mountain, Tera Raid Battles (4★), Chargestone Cavern, Polar Biome

This Pokemon certainly builds a strong case for being the ugliest of all the creatures in the franchise. Just like its name suggests, it draws inspiration from the abominable snowman, and its face is certainly in that realm. Gamers can see what GameFreak was going for, but it just doesn’t work.

It is a shame because its pre-evolved form, Crabrawler, has a great design, but it is ruined when taking its final form. There are a lot of crab Pokemon in the franchise, and this ‘mon is certainly the worst.

Crabominable’s Base Stats

32

Enamorus

It Looks Like A Powerpuff Girls Villain

• Type: Fairy/Flying
• Generation: 8
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Legends: Arceus
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

The Forces of Nature were a Legendary trio introduced in Pokemon Black & White, but they gained another member when the player headed to the ancient land of Hisui with Enamorus. The Fairy/Flying Pokemon has an interesting design, and many fans have likened it to The Powerpuff Girls villain, HIM.

What makes matters worse is that it has another form, and that is probably worse. The Therian form is a weird turtle-looking thing, which doesn’t really make much sense as a Fairy/Flying-type Pokemon. At least it is a great battler with fantastic stats, and the Fairy typing is always overpowered.

Enamorus’ Base Stats

31

Origin Forme Dialga & Origin Forme Palkia

Iconic Designs Have Took A Turn

• Type:
  • Dialga: Steel/Dragon
  • Palkia: Water/Dragon
• Generation: 8
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Legends: Arceus
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

The designs of Dialga and Palkia are perfect. Originally introduced in Pokemon Diamond & Pearl, fans had no complaints as they looked like the powerful Legendary Pokemon that they are.

However, in the ancient version of the Sinnoh region, the creation duo were given origin forms that were downright an eyesore. Dialga’s legs became something that didn’t resemble legs anymore, and Palkia became a centaur. The latter is probably the biggest example of a Pokemon not being anything like its type. What about Origin Forme Palkia makes it a Water type? GameFreak really messed up with these two.

Origin Forme DIalga & Palkia Base Stats

30

Blacephalon

A Confusing Design Meets A Clown

• Type: Fire/Ghost
• Generation: 7
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Sun & Moon
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

Ultra Beasts deserve a lot of slack because they are meant to look weird and confusing; they originate from an alternate dimension, so it makes sense why they look the way they do. However, that does not mean that they all have good designs.

Blacephalon is a clown that meets a disco ball. Clowns are not favored among many as it goes, so this Pokemon was not off to a great start when it first appeared. What makes this Pokemon worse is its confusing typing, Fire and Ghost. There is nothing to suggest about this design that it should be either of those types; Fairy and Psychic would make much more sense.

Blacephalon’s Base Stats

29

Stakataka

The Most Un-Pokemon Looking Pokemon

• Type: Rock/Steel
• Generation: 7
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Sun & Moon
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

As far as Ultra Beast designs go, Stakataka is easily one of the worst. There are a lot of Pokemon in the franchise that ‘don’t feel like Pokemon,’ and this particular creature is a fine example of one.

Its design appears to be based on a building. Pokemon are usually based on animals or plants, with a few exceptions like Magnemite and Klefki being based on objects. That said, these designs work much better than Stakataka. A building inspiration seems like a bit of a stretch, even for an Ultra Beast. At least its typing of Rock/Steel makes sense for it.

Stakataka’s Base Stats

28

Probopass

The Mustache Needs To Go

• Type: Rock/Steel
• Generation: 4
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Diamond & Pearl
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Tera Raid Battles (5★)

The pre-evolved form of Nosepass was first brought to fans in Generation 3, and it was not regarded as a bad design. But in the next generation, it received an evolution in Probopass, and it was disliked among fans. The mustache simply makes no sense on a Rock/Steel-type.

Its nose is its full gimmick, which can be understood, but the matching hat and the human-like eyes make for a hideous-looking Pokemon. This is without mentioning the potential negative racial stereotype that Probopass’ design alludes to. It’s a problematic and awfully designed Pokemon.

Probopass’ Base Stats

27

Binacle

An Angry-Looking Pokemon

• Type: Rock/Water
• Generation: 6
• Game Introduced: Pokemon X & Y
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

This Pokemon looks like something from The Last of Us. Binacle has two faces, which is just creepy. What makes it worse is that they also look like hands. A Pokemon based on a barnacle was always going to end in a nightmare-fueled way, as it isn’t the prettiest of creatures on Earth.

What Binacle has going for it is its evolution. Barbaracle is a much better-designed Pokemon. The Rock/Water ‘mon gains one face and looks more like a golem, standing on two feet. However, its four hands each have an eye on them, which is quite creepy. At least it is useful in battle with high defense, impressive attack, and a base stat total of 500.

Binacle’s Base Stats

26

Mr. Mime

Clowns Are Always Going To Lose

• Type: Psychic/Fairy
• Generation: 1
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Red & Blue
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

Where should one start with Mr. Mime? Clowns are disliked by many across the world, and that’s for obvious reasons. So why did Game Freak create a clown Pokemon? Mr. Mime is also a prominent feature in the anime, playing the role of Ash’s mom’s Pokemon, and it just looks so out of place among its animal-like peers.

Human-based Pokemon are never revered as the best Pokemon, and Mr. Mime is no exception. In the live-action Detective Pikachu movie, Mr. Mime makes an appearance with a more realistic appearance, and if fans have not had the pleasure of seeing this design yet, they should look with caution, as it may as well have been Pennywise the Clown.

Mr. Mime’s Base Stats

25

Alolan Persian

A Worse Version Of An Iconic Pokemon

• Type: Dark
• Generation: 7
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Sun & Moon
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: Trade with Salvatore in the League Club Room for Mewoth and then evolve

The Pokemon Persian is an iconic Pokemon, playing the role of the main villain, Giovanni of Team Rocket’s, signature Pokemon. So it is understandable why Persian would receive a new form when Alolan forms were introduced in Pokemon Sun & Moon.

This design falls flat on its face. Its face is too round and does not match the rest of its body. Making it a Dark-type was a good move, but Dark types are meant to be evil-looking, and Alolan Persian even fails at that. It looks very different from its original counterpart, which kind of defeats the point of Regional Variants.

Alolan Persian’s Base Stats

24

Sawk & Throh

Slightly Too Human-like

• Type: Fighting
• Generation: 5
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Black & White
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

As mentioned with Mr. Mime, human-looking Pokemon do not work well, and Sawk and Throh are perfect examples of why. They are even wearing clothes, which raises another question. Since these Pokemon are not seen without their karate outfits, it is assumed that the clothes are part of their skin.

Perhaps that is critiquing the design too much, but when discussing the lore of Pokemon, some fans need everything to make sense, and Sawk and Throh just don’t. It is hard looking at the two Fighting Pokemon and not seeing Sesame Street‘s Bert & Ernie. Several memes on the internet highlight this similarity, and once one of them has been seen, it’s very hard to forget.

Sawk and Throh’s Base Stats

23

Jynx

A Controversial Design That Needed To Be Changed

• Type: Ice/Psychic
• Generation: 1
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Red & Blue
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

Jynx‘s original design was so controversial that it had to be recolored, and it has not been a main feature in the anime since 2006. The less said about the original design the better, but even with its retouching, Jynx’s design is still quite strange. It is very human-like, complete with a dress and flowing blonde locks.

Human designs don’t really work, and in Jynx’s case, it’s hard to deny. It was given a pre-evolution in Smoochum, and this works much better. Unsatisfied fans have even gone on to redesign this Pokemon themselves.

Jynx’s Base Stats

22

Mothim

A Forgettable Pokemon With A Plain Design

• Type: Bug/Flying
• Generation: 4
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Diamond & Pearl
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

There are several butterfly/moth Pokemon in the franchise (Butterfree, Venomoth, Beautifly, Vivillon, and so on), and all of them do a better job than Mothim. The Generation 4 Pokemon is just forgettable. It is part of a split evolution between Burmy and Wormadam, and gamers always prefer to go the Wormadam route, as it has more use in battle.

This Pokemon is simply just a moth and not a clever interpretation of one, such as Frosmoth. The design seems lazy and is easy to forget when one considers the nicer designs of similar Pokemon in the series.

Mothim’s Base Stats

21

Slurpuff

A Truly Bizarre Pokemon

• Type: Fairy
• Generation: 6
• Game Introduced: Pokemon X & Y
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

Generation 6 brought the Fairy-type and several different designs of Pokemon, mainly all that fit with the cute, pink aesthetic, such as Slurpuff.

However, Slurpuff, along with its pre-evolved form of Swirlix, doesn’t fit the cuteness that other Pokemon have. Their faces are silly and look pained. The fact it needs to be traded to evolve is a blessing, as few trainers will ever get the chance to use a Slurpuff and its derpy face. The Fairy-type has produced some amazing designs, but Slurpuff is not one of them.

Slurpuff’s Base Stats

20

Celesteela

A Complicated Mess

• Type: Steel/Flying
• Generation: 7
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Sun & Moon
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

As a whole, the Ultra Beasts are horribly designed, although that may be the point, as they are from another dimension. Nonetheless, Celesteela is the worst of the bunch. Looking at it, it is hard to tell what it is meant to be, and it certainly does not look like a Pokemon.

The arms on its side aren’t attached and just look out of place, and its long thin neck and large body are disjointed. The whole design is bizarre and lacks clarity.

Celesteela’s Base Stats

19

Eiscue

A Penguin With An Ice Cube On Its Head

• Type: Ice
• Generation: 8
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Sword & Shield
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: North Province: Area Three, North Paldean Sea, Tera Raid Battles (4★) (Violet only)

This Pokemon certainly has its fans, but in reality, it is just a penguin with an ice cube on its head. It is another example of a strange design choice, but again, this may be the point.

Thanks to its Ice Face ability, the ice cube on its head acts as a substitute, and it takes damage for Eiscue, but it reverts to its Noice Face form. This design is even worse as it is just a blue penguin head that doesn’t even match the rest of the body. Although it is all for a gimmick, it just doesn’t work.

Eiscue’s Base Stats

18

Klink

A Strangely Simple Design

• Type: Steel
• Generation: 5
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Black & White
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

Klink feels like a cheap rip-off of Magnemite – an industrial-designed steel Pokemon that adds more heads with each evolution. Klink feels dull in this regard.

Moving gears simply don’t make for an interesting Pokemon design, and there isn’t much of a twist in terms of what this Pokemon can do. A member of the fifth generation, Klink is instantly one of the worst and most forgettable Pokemon designs.

Klink’s Base Stats

17

Vanillite

A Flying Ice Cream Cone

• Type: Ice
• Generation: 5
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Black & White
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: N/A

Food Pokemon are just weird, and Vanillite is one of the stranger variants designed for this category. A flying ice cream cone isn’t exactly the most exciting or interesting Pokemon.

Fans have to wonder how the creature’s designers came up with this one because it is really off-color for the series. Pokemon fans want their monsters to be cutting-edge and unique, not edible.

Vanillite’s Base Stats

16

Luvdisc

An Oddly-Shaped Fish

• Type: Water
• Generation: 3
• Game Introduced: Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire
• Location In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet: South Province: South Paldean Sea, East Province: East Paldean Sea, West Province: West Paldean Sea, Tera Raid Battles (2★), Coastal Biome

At least Luvdisc doesn’t try to hide behind a cool-sounding name – it is literally a heart-shaped disc. A heart doesn’t exactly invoke a sense of power or danger either, which makes it easy to categorize Luvdisc under the cute Pokemon section.

But Luvdisc isn’t even that cute; it’s just a pair of lips and eyes on a heart. It’s neither compelling nor appealing as far as even the worst Pokemon designs go.

Luvdisc’s Base Stats