Grass-type Pokemon have always played second-fiddle to the Fire-type master race, and other types — Dragon, Psychic, and more recently, Fairy — have stood even farther ahead. Sadly, that’s still true in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
The best Grass types don’t provide the stat lines or the weakness coverages of their competition, but they remain a strong niche pick against Ground, Rock, and Water. Their strength against Electric is also beneficial, as this generation has some strong Electric types. Here are the best of them.
Top Five Best Grass-Type Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet
There aren’t too many Grass-types available in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, and even fewer truly worth using, but the best of them still scratch at the top tier for casual play.
You’d be hard-pressed to use any of the options on this list and be found wanting during a playthrough, though don’t expect to take them into endgame Tera Raids or other high-difficulty content. Some may have uses in competitive play, though not many.
Meowscarada
Sprigatito’s final evolution might have the most weaknesses out of all the starter options, but it’s also the fastest by a wide margin with a very usable attack stat to boot. Better, its dual Grass/Dark typing makes it an excellent choice for many of the later-game Gyms, Titan fights, and even the Elite Four. Of course, you will want something to deal with Fire, as some of the storyline capstone fights are designed to counter most compositions.
Perhaps the best reason to choose Meowscarada is its unique attack, called Flower Trick, which always crits, never misses, and has a good base power of 70. It’s a nightmare for any Pokemon weak to Grass moves, and coupled with Meowscarada’s inherently high Speed; you’re liable to get it off before your opponent.
Tsareena
The final evolution in the Bounsweet line, Tsareena won’t be winning any speed races, which puts it at something of a disadvantage against typically faster Fire and Flying types. Still, if it can survive a hit, its naturally high attack gives it a chance to clap back hard. Thanks to its good defense and special defense stats, Tsareena can probably tank most incoming attacks, even if they’re super effective.
Its other strength is in one of its Abilities, called Queenly Majesty, which stops opponents from using Priority moves. Priority is a complex mechanic that helps determine what order opposing Pokemon will use their moves, and specific attacks have a higher or lower Priority value than others. Think Protect, Detect, or Endure, though the list is much longer than that. Tsareena also can’t be put to sleep thanks to its hidden Ability Sweet Veil, cutting an otherwise large disadvantage from its weaknesses.
Arboliva
The special attacker to Tsareena’s standard attacker, Arboliva is a Grass/Normal dual-type, which, while opening up a few new weaknesses, gives it additional resistances as well, specifically an immunity to Ghost moves. And while its speed stat is actual trash, both of its defenses are pretty good, meaning it can take a few hits before it’s in dire need of healing or assistance.
Arboliva’s Seed Sower Ability also gives it some natural healing by summoning Grassy Terrain, though that will also heal the opposing Pokemon, so take them down quickly. Arboliva has a strong move list as well, with plenty of special-attack-heavy options, and can even learn some Fairy, Bug, and Ground-type TMs for additional coverage.
Gogoat
This spot is something of a tossup between Gogoat and Leafeon, but Gogoat wins thanks to its much higher overall survivability. Neither of its defense stats are great, but its HP base stat is almost double Leafeon’s, and both its attack stats are well in contention. The only other detriment is its below-average speed, but like Iron Hands, Gogoat can survive plenty if properly trained.
As a mixed attacker, whether you focus on standard or special attacks depends on your Gogoat’s IVs and Nature. It can learn some of the best Grass moves in either category, as well as Electric, Ground, Flying, Psychic, and even Fighting-type moves, giving you almost too many coverage options to count.
Brute Bonnet
The Scarlet-exclusive Paradox Pokemon from the ancient past, Brute Bonnet makes the list purely on its statline alone. Like most entries on this list, its speed is its dump stat, and don’t expect much out of special attacks either. However, equip this mushroom-looking mother trucker with Outrage, Thrash, Giga Impact, or Body Press, and watch your opponent’s HP bar quickly deplete.
Brute Bonnet’s own HP and defense stats are nothing to sneeze at either, so while it isn’t currently the meta for endgame content, it’s still a powerful contender for one of the best Grass-type Pokemon in all of Scarlet and Violet.
Those are our picks for the five best Grass-type Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet. We’ve chosen them thanks to their strong stats, move lists, and overall usability, but there are other options in the game if you don’t like some or all of the choices we’ve made. We’ve covered plenty of other Pokemon-related topics here, including the best Gym order, checking and raising friendship, and getting Nature mints. Our Pokemon Scarlet and Violet guides hub has more.
