12 best Grass-type Pokemon ranked: Kartana, Venusaur, Roserade & more

The world of Pokemon is full of powerful and elegant creatures, but not all of them are worthy of a spot on your dream team, so here’s a ranked list of the 12 best Grass-type Pokemon you need to be looking out for.

Grass-type Pokemon are one of the most common typings you’ll come across in any journey, just falling behind Water-types. While this does mean trainers have plenty to choose from in-game, it also means it’s far more difficult to figure out which one is best.

There are plenty of reasons you should have a powerful Grass-type on your team: They’re strong against Water, Ground, and Normal-types – which you’ll often come across in battle – and many of them are able to learn self-healing and poison attacks, both of which can turn the tide in battle.

To help you decide which Grass-types to add to your roster, we’ve rounded up the best of the bunch based on everything from stat distribution, potential move pools, abilities, and how they actually play in battle. These green ‘mon are a cut above the rest.

12. Leafeon

As a pure Grass-type, Leafeon does have slightly more weaknesses than the types it’s strongest against. While it also may not be the strongest of Eevee’s evolutions, can make for a good temporary addition to a Trainer’s team while out hunting for a stronger Grass-type or a dual-typed ‘mon to switch it out with.

Its 130 defense stats means that it can hold its own in a battle, coupled with an above-average 110 Attack stat to ensure it can deal some decent amounts of damage.

Unfortunately, though, the adorable Leafeon’s other stats leave something to be desired, as it has the lowest of all the Eeveelutions Special Attack of 60 alongside 65 for Speed and HP.

11. Tangrowth

It’s certainly not the most impressive-looking Grass-type, and you might even be surprised to see it earn a place on our list, but Tangrowth is a well-rounded Pokemon that has a decent set of stats including 125 Defense, 110 Special Attack, 100 Attack, and 100 HP.

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Tangrowth has some great abilities, too. Chlorophyll doubles its low Speed stat in harsh sunlight, while the hidden ability Regenerator restores 1/3 HP when withdrawn from battle. Just don’t use it when going up against a special attacking ‘mon, as it only has a meager 50 Special Defense.

10. Sceptile

Without a doubt, the coolest-looking Grass-type Pokemon is Sceptile. It might not get as much attention as its fellow Hoenn starter evolutions Blaziken and Swampert, but you’d be wrong to completely overlook Sceptile, as it manages to back its fierce appearance up with some great stats.

There’s no denying that Sceptile is lacking in bulk and won’t last long on the battlefield, but a 120 Speed stat makes it one of the fastest Pokemon in the franchise, and the Overgrow ability combined with STAB means that already-solid moves like Giga Drain and Leaf Blade can be deadly.

Sceptile excels in its Mega Evolution, though, giving it an extra 100 stats to play with. This boosts its Attack to a huge 110 and its Special Attack to a devastating 145. Oh, and that Speed stat? It’s now 145. It’s easily one of the best Mega Evolutions in the franchise.

9. Celebi

Celebi is arguably one of the cutest little grass Pokemon types out there. A dual Psychic/Grass type, this Mythical ‘mon first time traveled its way into the franchise back in Generation 2.

While its dual typing makes it weak to 7 types: Bug, Flying, Ice, Fire, Poison, Dark, and Ghost, it has its own uses out on the battlefield that makes it viable in many different situations.

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The tiny Pokemon is a fantastic choice is any team, with an evenly stacked stat of 100 across all of its main stats, making it a jack-of-all-trades that can face off against other ‘mon without breaking much of a sweat.

8. Roserade

Roserade may not be as popular as it once was several generations ago, but this floral queen of thorns can still pack a punch in Pokemon.

Roserade really excels when it comes to Special stats, with 125 Special Attack and 105 Special Defense, meaning it’s a great choice for specific situations rather than being an all-rounder. A low 60 HP means it won’t last long, but the healing ability Natural Cure helps with that, while its other potential ability, Poison Point, can destroy opponents when they make contact.

Being a Grass/Poison-type really works in Roserade’s favor, as it doesn’t have many major weaknesses to exploit. Meanwhile, its move pool includes Sludge Bomb and Giga Drain, which will deal high damage with STAB bonus, and the support moves Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sleep can make its moveset shine.

7. Shaymin

Shaymin might not be as popular as its fellow Gen IV Mythical creatures Darkrai, Manaphy, and Arceus, but when it comes to Grass-types, it’s still one of the top choices you can take into battle.

Like Celebi, it has 600 total base stats, the highest of any non-Mega Grass-type Pokemon, with 100 given to each stat. While some trainers may see this as a negative thing as it doesn’t necessarily excel in any one particular area, it does mean that it can fill either defense or offense roles depending on your requirements.

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Having 100 stats each across Defense, Special Defense, and HP gives it a pretty decent bulk, while healing moves like Leech Seed and the ability Natural Cure will help it stay in battle for longer. Meanwhile, the signature move Seed Flare can deal some impressive damage with the added bonus of STAB.

Give Shaymin a Gracidea flower, and it becomes Sky Forme. In this version, its stats get shaken up, prioritizing Speed (125) and Special Attack (125) but falling lower on Defense (75) and Special Defense (75). This versatility makes Shaymin an excellent choice for a variety of scenarios.

6. Zarude

Many players have probably never used the Mythical creature Zarude, as it was introduced fairly late in Sword & Shield and could only be obtained with a special code. But it’s already proven itself to be a worthy addition to any trainer’s roster – and it’s absolutely terrifying.

Zarude has an impressive 600 total base stats, with 120 of them going to Attack and 105 going to Defense. It has 105 HP, which is one of the best health stats you’ll find among Grass-types, and a high 105 Speed means it can strike first against a number of the most powerful opponents.

Special credit goes to its exclusive move Jungle Healing, which restores the HP of the user and its allies by 25% of their max HP. It also removes non-volatile status conditions like Burn, Poison, and Paralysis, extending its use beyond just offensive capabilities.

Zarude requires caution, though. As a Dark/Grass-type, it’s weak to Fighting, Flying, Poison, Bug, Fire, Ice, and Fairy-types, which can be a major threat. However, it does have immunity to Psychic-types and resistance to Ghost, Ground, Water, Grass, Dark, and Electric-types moves, so in the right scenario, Zarude can thrive.

5. Venusaur

As one of the three final evolutions of the iconic Gen 1 starter Pokemon, Bulbasaur’s final form Venusaur was always going to get a spot on our best Grass-type list. It remains a popular choice over two decades later, and still proves a formidable addition to any trainer’s team.

While it doesn’t have a single outstanding stat, it is very well balanced, and shows off with 100 Special Attack and 100 Special Defense. Its abilities help, with Chlorophyll potentially doubling its Speed stat and Overgrow multiplying its Attack stat by 1.5 when it has a third or less of its max HP.

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Venusar’s move pool is impressive, too. Access to Poison-type attacks like Sludge Bomb means it can deal massive damage to Grass and Fairy-types, while Giga Drain covers Water-type opponents and allows Venusaur to recover HP in the process.

The ability to Mega Evolve or Gigantamax, depending on which generation you’re playing, means that Venusaur also has multiple ways to increase its power far beyond its already solid stats.

4. Rillaboom

Our second final evolution starter on this list is Gen VIII’s Rillaboom, which left many trainers impressed by its power after it debuted in the most recent games, Pokemon Sword & Shield.

The hidden ability Grassy Surge restores HP each turn and boosts the power Grass-type moves by 50%. When combined with Rillaboom’s amazing Attack stat and a lineup of powerful Grass-type moves such as Grassy Glide, which always goes first, and Wood Hammer, which has an incredible 120 Power.

Rillaboom’s real crown jewel is its signature Grass-type move Drum Beating, which reduces the opponent’s Speed stat and has 80 Power. This move, of course, will benefit from Grassy Surge and STAB, meaning it’s an absolute monster on the battlefield, especially when up against Ground, Rock, or Water-types.

3. Tapu Bulu

The bull-like Tapu Bulu is one of four guardian deity Legendaries that first appeared in the Alola region. It’s described as a “lazy” Pokemon, but don’t let that fool you, as this is one powerful ally to have on your team and packs the most powerful punch out of all four deities.

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Tapu Bulu has multiple recovery options including the ability Grassy Surge, which heals some HP of grounded Pokemon every turn (and also boosts Grass-type moves), as well as the move Horn Leech that deals decent damage and also restores the user’s HP by half the damage dealt to the opponent.

Stats-wise, it excels with 130 Attack and 115 Defense, and doesn’t have any significant shortcomings. Tapu Bulu also has access to an impressive pool of moves like Giga Impact and Hyper Beam, both of which have a massive 150 Power, and a selection of Fairy-type attacks to help take down Dragons.

2. Ferrothorn

Grass-types might not be known for being tanky, but Ferrothorn arrives on the scene to prove that every type has its exceptions. It matches Kartana with 131 Defense, but far exceeds the Ultra Beast with its 113 Special Defense, making it the best overall choice for those looking for a Grass-type defender.

While it does have a major weakness to Fire that you’ll need to watch out for, Ferrothorn’s Grass/Steel-typing gives it plenty of other protections, with complete immunity to Poison and good resistance against Normal, Rock, Steel, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic, Dragon, and Fairy-type attacks.

A shockingly low 20 Speed stat may put some trainers off using Ferrothorn on their team, but the right moveset can make up for this: Gyro Ball deals more damage the slower the user is compared to the target, Stealth Rock and Spikes set hazards for opposing teams, and Leech Seed will prolong staying power.

The ability Iron Barbs also helps make up for this slow speed, as any enemy that dishes out a move that makes contact with Therroforn will lose 1/8 of their total HP. Overall, Therroforn is an absolute tank.

1. Kartana

Kartana is one of several extradimensional Pokemon – known as Ultra Beasts – that originate from Ultra Space and first appeared in the Alola region through wormholes. If that origin story hasn’t already sold you on this incredible creature, then know that its cool factor is exceeded by its power.

Kartana has an astronomical 181 Attack, which is the highest of any non-mega creature in Pokemon, even beating Primal Groudon and Attack Forme Deoxys. It’s also got a brilliant 131 Defense and a very respectable 109 Speed.

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Unfortunately, Kartana does fall down with its 59 HP and insanely low 31 Special Defense, but like the tanky Ferrathorn, having a Grass/Steel-typing will give it a wide defense coverage, including complete immunity to Poison and resistance to powerful typings like Dragon, Fairy, and Psychic.

But really, who cares about those low stats when it’s such a beast on the offense? Kartana has one final trick up its sleeve, which is the ability Beast Boost. Each time it knocks out a Pokemon, its most proficient stat, high Attack stat, will be boosted.

Kartana is the best Grass-type Pokemon you’ll find, and arguably one of the best of any typing.

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So, there you have it – that’s everything you need to know about the best Grass-types in Pokemon.

Looking for more lists to help you decide which ‘mon to take out with you on your journey? Make sure to check out our guides:

10 best Fairy-type Pokemon | 12 best Water-type Pokemon | 15 best Fire-type Pokemon | Cutest Pokemon of all time | 15 best Psychic-type Pokemon | 10 best Ghost-type Pokemon | 15 best Fighting-type Pokemon | 15 best Legendary Pokemon of all time | Every cat Pokemon | Every dog Pokemon | 22 most expensive Pokemon cards