Mythical Pokemon are the stuff of legends, although they aren’t quite categorized as legendary. The significant difference between Mythical and Legendary Pokemon is that one is a Pokemon that is believed to not exist, and the other is one that surely exists and is a part of legend.
In-game, though, Mythical Pokemon are typically those that are obtained through means outside of strict campaign gameplay. Legendaries are a Pokemon more often depicted on the box art, one that you know is in the game and can eventually catch with a Quick or Ultra Ball. In this article, we’ll give a rundown of some of the best Mythical Pokemon out there, ranked.
10. Mew
Mew is probably one of the easiest Mythical Pokemon out there to get, not because it’s so common to see in games, but it’s more often a gift given out by the company itself. Almost every Pokemon game has Mew availability, from SoulSilver to the modern age in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. That being said, Mew easily makes the list out of all the Mythical Pokemon out there not only for viability in competitive battle but because it’s just so darn cute. Fans still aren’t over the pink psychic cat and will likely not be over it any time soon.
Related: Top 15 Most Unique Pokemon, Ranked
9. Celebi
Time travel is a gimmick not to be trifled with in a story unless you have some robust world-building chops, but you wouldn’t guess that when the vehicle for such a plotline is a cute bug fairy. Celebi is the time-traveling Pokemon that makes our list because of its fantastic, adorable design and its plot significance in several Pokemon stories. Not only were they cool in mainline Pokemon movies but also in the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series.
8. Jirachi
Among Mythical Pokemon out there with a story-telling or motivating gimmick, there is none like Jirachi. If you give a strong Pokemon the power to grant wishes, you’ve perfectly set yourself up for some Bad Guy Team shenanigans for your player or main movie protagonist, which is exactly what happens in every movie that features Jirachi. Like many of the other tiny yet strong Mythical Pokemon out there, Jirachi is a force to be reckoned with in battle, having access to many moves that make them viable in competitive play. The tiny design details also bump them up on the list because just look at those little clown markings under their eyes!
Related: 5 Best Places To Level Up Fast In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet
7. Deoxys
If you want a Mythical Pokemon with a little more to flex than anyone else, Deoxys is the answer. It has a form for any occasion, even when you need to outspeed an Infernape before it Fire Punches you into the next dimension. Outside of pure battle strats, Deoxys has played a role in many movies and games, spanning from the mainline titles to the spinoffs as a mysterious Pokemon born of stars. Getting one in your game can be tricky, but there are enough Deoxys gifts to go around in past generations that you can snag if you know where to go.
6. Manaphy
Manaphy is an elusive Pokemon that you can almost only receive as a gift within select games. While Manaphy is one of a kind, Phione is not, the two making an interesting exception to the Mythical rule that all Mythicals are elusive. If you obtain a Manaphy, you can also get a Phione, both of which are adorable additions to any team. Manaphy’s importance is stated through its appearance in many games, movies, and even the Mystery Dungeon series as a character you discover via an Egg.
5. Phione
Phione ranks highly, almost through uniqueness alone. They are the only Pokemon you can obtain through breeding, which is also considered a Mythical. In addition to being a mite cuter than Manaphy, it’s unfortunately just a tad weaker, having an 80 stat spread all around instead of 100 like Manaphy. Phione often appears in Manaphy’s wake, being a Pokemon that you can easily obtain from HeartGold and SoulSilver onward.
4. Darkrai
Darkrai is a menacing Pokemon that easily chases people within their dreams, navigating through the dream realm. The design is top-notch, adhering to a color palette that you’d expect from a Pokemon all about causing nightmares. In battle, it’s a tricky customer to handle, with the ability to put your Pokemon to sleep and hurt them with every turn that passes. One thing that makes this Pokemon unique in the metadata of the game is that Dark Void, if attempted even through hacks to be used by another Pokemon, always fails.
3. Shaymin
Shaymin gets the top spot for many more reasons besides that they’re the cutest in the Mythical group. The unique aspect of this Pokemon is that it has multiple forms, thanks to the flower you can obtain in Platnium. Aside from getting it as a gift, you can find Shaymin in any version of Platnium, Diamond, or Pearl once you navigate to Flower Paradise. This is only accessible through a gifting of Oak’s Letter, though, so obtaining it legitimately can be challenging without hacking the letter into the game.
2. Victini
Victini is another Pokemon that wins the cute contest among Mythicals, being a Pokemon that you can find in Black and White. One unique aspect of Victini is that in the native Pokedex for the game in which it appears, it holds the number #000, coming before the starter Pokemon. The shiny form of Victini looks rather Christmas-y, with a red and white color palette instead of orange and cream.
1. Arceus
It wouldn’t be right to put the literal God of Pokemon elsewhere other than at the top of the list. Obtaining Arceus is tricky across games, being a gift Pokemon most of the time. The unique feature that places Arceus above all other Mythicals is the fact that it can change types easily. While this may not be too special in the modern day with Protean, the idea was quite unique to anyone playing in the DS era. I remember giving it different plates, going through encounters just to see what Arceus looks like from encounter to encounter.
