15 Johto Pokemon With The Wrong Type

Highlights

• Umbreon should be a Poison-type, but changing its typing would conflict with its lore and design.
• Meganium should be a Grass/Fairy-type, as its abilities and characteristics align with the Fairy-type.
• Politoed should be a Water/Normal-type, emphasizing its powerful voice and putting it on par with Poliwrath.

Johto, often considered Kanto 2.0, iterated on the previous game in many ways (literally for a few Pokemon). It expanded the series by adding two new types, Steel and Dark, as well as type combos that had never been seen before.

Despite this focus on new player options, several Pokemon have typings that don’t entirely match their lore and abilities. Interestingly, over half of Johto’s Pokedex only have one type, while several could benefit from a second one. Surely, if Game Freak was given a second opportunity, these Pokemon would have slightly different typings.

Updated July 5, 2024 by Ben Painter: There are some Pokemon in the franchise that feel like they should be a different type. A big example of this is Gyarados, who should be a Dragon-type. This is more prevalent in the older generations, and Generation 2 is no exception.

There are several Pokemon who feel like they should be a different type in appearance and give them a needed boost for use in the games. This update adds five more Johto Pokemon who have the wrong type.

1 Ledian

The Five Star Pokemon

• Current Type: Bug/Flying
• Should Be: Bug/Fighting

Considering this Pokemon is categorized as the Five Star Pokemon, it is anything but. In fact, it is very average. Ledian’s stats are terrible for a fully evolved Pokemon, and it doesn’t last long after the second gym, as it just cannot keep up.

Bug/Fighting makes a lot more sense as it can learn a lot of Fighting-type moves, such as Mach Punch, Focus Punch, and Brick Break. It looks something like a superhero and Game Freak should have played up to that fact. Its hidden ability is Iron Fist, which powers up punching-based moves. With the change of type, it should also be able to learn the elemental punches, giving this Pokemon an extra dimension. There are so many Bug/Flying types, so some variation would be nice.

Ledian’s Base Stats:

2 Yanma

The Clear Wing Pokemon

• Current Type: Bug/Flying
• Should Be: Bug/Dragon

As previously stated, there are a lot of Bug/Flying types in the game, so there is a cry to change a few of these types and one of these is Yanma. As it is based on a dragonfly, it makes sense to give this Pokemon a Dragon typing, as it is right there in the name.

Yanma received a new evolution in Generation 4, Yanmega, but it was still not given a Dragon typing. There is actually no Pokemon that has this type in the game and Yanmega and Flygon are certainly two Pokemon who should be given it. Perhaps in Pokemon Legends Z-A, these Pokemon will receive a Mega Evolution that will finally give them the typing they deserve.

Yanma’s Base Stats:

3 Bellossom

The Flower Pokemon

• Current Type: Grass
• Should Be: Grass/Fairy

Back in Generation 2, Bellossom was introduced as a new branched evolution from Gloom, a Grass/Poison type Pokemon. But Bellossom became just a Grass-type, the only Pokemon in the franchise to just lose a type upon evolution.

If the Fairy-type was around in Gen 2, Bellossom would certainly have become Grass/Fairy. When it was introduced in Generation 6, past Pokemon changed types to receive the Fairy type, but Bellossom was left waiting. This ‘mon just has a Fairy feel to it, a little dancing creature with a grass skirt. Bellossom is an underused Pokemon and adding this extra element to it would make it stand out.

Bellossom’s Base Stats:

4 Ampharos

The Light Pokemon

• Current Type: Electric
• Should Be: Electric/Dragon

When Pokemon Gold & Silver were in development, Ampharos was designed as a Dragon-type, hence why it looks very different from its sheep-based pre-evolutions. Its name in Japanese is Denryu, which means “electric dragon.”

This change of typing did happen in Pokemon X & Y with the Pokemon’s Mega Evolution, which became a Dragon with its long fluffy locks. There is no explanation why Ampharos lost its typing when the full games were released. Due to the distinct lack of Dragons in Generation 2, it should have kept this type.

Ampharos’ Base Stats:

5 Sudowoodo

The Imitation Pokemon

• Current Type: Rock
• Should Be: Rock/Grass

This Pokemon’s whole gimmick is that it is a rock that disguises itself like a tree, which blocks the path for a player in the Generation 2 games. Although that is very much the point, Sudowoodo just looks more like a tree than a rock, so it should have been given at least a part Grass typing.

It can learn the Grass moves Wood Hammer, Trailblaze, and Grass Knot, which makes sense, although it may take away the point of this Pokemon. It tricks players into attacking it with Bug, Flying, or Fire moves, all of which it resists and can counter with Rock moves.

Sudowoodo’s Base Stats:

6 Umbreon

The Moonlight Pokemon

• Current Type: Dark
• Should Be: Poison

Umbreon is perhaps one of the strangest of the “Eeveelutions.” While all the others clearly stay on theme for their respective types, Umbreon veers into the Poison category. While most of its Pokedex entries focus on the Pokemon’s connection to the moon, a few highlight its ability to spray poisonous spores as a defense mechanism.

Unfortunately, changing Umbreon’s typing to Poison would mess up the sun and moon aspect it has with Espeon (and take away one of the Dark-type’s best designs). The best-case scenario would be a Dark/Poison type if Game Freak would allow a dual-type Eeveelution. As is, it looks like Umbreon’s typing will always conflict with its lore.

Umbreon’s Base Stats:

7 Meganium

The Herb Pokemon

• Current Type: Grass
• Should Be: Grass/Fairy

Of all the starters, Meganium is probably one of the worst ones. While it’s often viewed as nothing more than a dinosaur with a flower slapped on it, its Pokedex entries reveal it has abilities fitting to the Fairy-type. It has the ability to calm aggressive feelings with its aroma (an ability similar to another Fairy-type, Comfey).

Not only that, but it blunts its opponent’s “fighting spirit,” so it would be fitting for Meganium to be super-effective against Fighting types. Unfortunately, Meganium does not learn many Fairy-type moves, which makes this suggestion unlikely. Hopefully, Game Freak remembers this starter and gives it a regional form sometime in the future.

Meganium’s Base Stats:

8 Politoed

The Frog Pokemon

• Current Type: Water
• Should Be: Water/Normal

Politoed is probably one of the weirder suggestions, as Normal-type Pokemon typically weren’t Dual-typed until later generations. This trend could easily be retroactively applied to Politoed in future games. This new typing would emphasize Politoed’s powerful voice, as nearly every Pokedex entry makes sure to mention it, and the Normal-type is the closest thing Pokemon has to a Sound-type.

Giving it a second typing would at least put it on the same playing field as Poliwrath. After all, why pick this Pokemon if it’s still a mono-type? Giving it the Normal-type is the least Game Freak could do for Politoed.

Politoed’s Base Stats:

9 Blissey

The Happiness Pokemon

• Current Type: Normal
• Should Be: Normal/Fairy

Blissey’s new typing is fairly obvious. After Audino got a mega evolution in the Hoenn remakes and became a Fairy-type, it became clear how weird it was that Blissey wasn’t a Fairy-type. Audino was essentially a Chansey replacement for the anime, and Blissey is basically mega Chansey, so shouldn’t they both be Fairy-type?

If anything, it almost seems disrespectful to the original healer Pokemon that its replacement has gotten more special treatment than the original. While Blissey will always be one of the best tanks in the game, making it a fairy would cover its one weakness, so keeping it Normal-type might be for the best.

Blissey’s Base Stats:

10 Ariados

The Long Leg Pokemon

• Current Type: Bug/Poison
• Should Be: Bug/Dark

It’s kind of crazy that it took until the 9th generation of Pokemon to get the first Bug/Dark type, especially when Ariados was released in Gen 2 with its terrifying design. While some spiders are venomous, Ariados’s Pokedex entries don’t reference its poison typing at all.

Instead, they emphasize its cruel nature and tendency to follow its prey back to its home/nest and hunt its friends. It seems like something an evil or Dark Pokemon would do. Combine that with its fearsome appearance, and the Dark typing seems much more fitting (and unique) for the first spider Pokemon.

Ariados’ Base Stats:

11 Donphan

The Armor Pokemon

• Current Type: Ground
• Should Be: Ground/Rock

Donphan, one of the best Ground-types in the series, is more or less an elephant that is also a tire. This is probably why it’s a Ground-type because rubber resists electricity, but this connection could be better reflected in its typing.

Donphan’s go-to move (at least based on its Pokedex entries) is Roll Out, a Rock-type move. Given the strong connection to this move, giving it STAB would just make sense. Additionally, it’s said that a “normal attack” won’t phase a Donphan, but Ground doesn’t resist Normal attacks; Rock, however, does. It makes so much sense it’s basically a no-brainer.

Donphan’s Base Stats:

12 Noctowl

The Owl Pokemon

• Current Type: Normal/Flying
• Should Be: Psychic/Flying

Noctowl can be considered the Pokemon that made the “Route 1 bird” a tradition, but unlike other early birds, there isn’t much reason to keep Noctowl around in the late game. In recent titles, Game Freak has tried to spice up this tradition by giving the Route 1 bird an interesting second type.

If they’d had this philosophy in Johto, Noctowl would have been a Psychic/Flying type. Noctowl already learns several Psychic moves by leveling up and is said to rotate its head to “sharpen its mental power.” By all means, Noctowl would be a Psychic-type if it were introduced in a modern generation.

Noctowl’s Base Stats:

13 Dunsparce

The Land Snake Pokemon

• Current Type: Normal
• Should Be: Ground

Game Freak seems to have put this silly little guy into the normal category when it was more of the “other type.” That being said, everything about Dunsparce seems to suggest a Ground typing. All of its dex entries mention burrowing to escape, and it even shares its nest with Diglett, another Ground-type.

If burrowing and drilling are so pivotal to this Pokemon, then it should really be a Ground-type. Considering its recent evolution, Dudunsparce, Game Freak will probably never acknowledge this Pokemon again, but one can dream.

Dunsparce’s Base Stats:

14 Sunflora

The Sun Pokemon

• Current Type: Grass
• Should Be: Grass/Fire

Sunflora has a cute and endearing design that makes it easy to like, but its typing makes it incredibly easy to forget. This is unfortunate because nearly every one of its Pokedex entries highlights how it gets energy from the sun. While impressive, this is true of every type of plant, so it doesn’t help Sunflora stand out from the other plant-based Pokemon.

Being part fire-type would emphasize the unique relationship this Pokemon has with the sun and would be fitting for a monster with the title “The Sun Pokemon.”

Sunflora’s Base Stats:

15 Feraligatr

The Big Jaw Pokemon

• Current Type: Water
• Should Be: Water/Dark

It’s almost an understatement to say that Feraligatr’s most important feature is its jaw. It’s called “The Big Jaw Pokemon,” not the crocodile Pokemon, and nearly every dex entry mentions its powerful bite.

Given that Crunch and Bite are Dark-type moves, it would make sense for Feraligatr to get STAB on these moves. This new typing would also help it stand out from the previous mono-Water-type starter Blastoise; a tough act to follow. Not only that but Feraligatr is often described as savage, which is fitting for a Dark-type Pokemon.

Feraligatr’s Base Stats: