Strongest new and returning Pokemon in the Pokemon Sword and Shield Crown Tundra DLC

Now that Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Crown Tundra DLC is upon us and droves of Pokemon, both brand-new and familiar from generations past have flooded back into the competitive meta, we’ve decided to reassess and designate the ones that might prove most useful in battle.

Here’s our list of the strongest returning Pokemon in the Pokemon Sword and Shield’s Crown Tundra DLC.

Genesect

Genesect, the genetically-engineered Bug/Steel Pokemon first introduced in Pokemon Black and White makes its return in the Pokemon Sword and Shield Crown Tundra DLC. Although Genesect is dangerous on account of its solid 99 base Speed, impressive 120 base Attack, a deadly ability in Download (which on switch-in, determines the weaker of the enemy’s two defensive stats and boosts the corresponding Attack stat for Genesect) what makes it most dangerous is its formidable movepool and the ability to succeed with myriad movesets.

Genesect is deadly with a multitude of movesets, which makes scouting necessary when facing it in battle — although one wrong guess and you’re fodder for the high-tech cannon fitted to its back.

One popular moveset for Genesect hinges on the held item Choice Band (which boosts the holder’s attack by 1.5x but relegates it to using only the first move selected) and U-Turn, a Bug-type move which switches the user out after dealing damage to its target, establishing Genesect as a deadly, hit-and-run artist. With Choice Band equipped Genesect can OHKO many frailer Pokemon and even take sizable chunks out of those who resist it.

Genesect can also switch it up for those predicting U-turn and utilize a Special Attack-oriented moveset; equipped with a Choice Scarf (the Special Attack equivalent of a Choice Band, which boosts Special Attack by 1.5x) and a moveset like Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Flamethrow and Bug Buzz (or Psychic. Or Rock Polish. Etc.), Genesect boasts excellent type coverage and the ability to KO physical walls who were expecting to impede the physical Geneset like Ferrothron or Corviknight.

All in all, Genesect is an unpredictable, highly versatile Pokemon that can nuke unsuspecting Pokemon and even supposed counters if the opponent isn’t careful.

Landorus-I

Landorus in Incarnate Forme is another powerful wallbreaker making its return in Pokemon Sword and Shield Crown Tundra. Like our previous entry Genesect, Landorus-I features a vast array of coverage moves which make it a nightmare to both switch into and stay and fight against.

The djinn-looking Pokemon’s ability Sheer Force, which gives moves with secondary effects 1.3x power (at the cost of negating the secondary effect) makes its STAB Earth Power absolutely devastating and gifts auxiliary moves such as Rock Slide, Sludge Wave and Knock Off plenty of punch as well. Landorus-I isn’t just an all-out attacker either; it can administer stat-boosting sets centered around Rock Polish or Calm Mind as well.

Overall, Landorus-I is a dangerous Pokemon with very few defensive counterplays, a unique base Speed and the ability to force switches, making it effective on Stealth Rock or other field hazard teams.

Naganadel

Naganadel is a Poison/Dragon Pokemon who first appeared in Pokemon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon. Resembling a dragon up top and and looking like a cross between an enormous wasp abdomen and a turkey baster down below, Naganadel wreaks havoc on the opposition with access to Nasty Plot (which boosts Special Attack by 2 stages) and powerful STAB moves Sludge Wave and Draco Meteor in tandem with Fire Blast. It can also boost its Speed with its Beast Boost ability, which raises its highest stat by 1 stage if it attacks and KOs an opposing Pokemon.

Pheromosa

The svelte, elegant-looking Pheromosa is an Ultra Beast uber Pokemon who sports blistering 151 base Speed and impressive offensive stats (137 base), which it utilizes to pulverize even the bulkiest of foes with STAB High Jump Kick and U-Turn.

Although Pheromosa is a definitive example of a glass cannon, with only 37 base Defense and Special Defense stats, it can learn the move Quiver Dance, which raises the user’s Sp. Atk, Sp. Def, and Speed by 1 stage, making Pheromosa more than capable of running a Special Attacker moveset like Ice Beam (to counter Flying and Ground types), Quiver Dance, Bug Buzz and Focus Blast.

Blaziken

He’s baaaack!

In Pokemon Black and White, Blaziken gained the Speed Boost ability, and with it transcended from the realm of merely competent Pokemon to one of near-godliness.

After a few turns, Speed Boost augments Blaziken’s to such blazing intensity that he outspeeds the entire metagame, making him an excellent sweeper. Armed with Swords Dance, a stat-boosting move which raises the user’s Attack by 2 stages, the 120 base-power STAB Fire move Flare Blitz and either Hi Jump Kick or Low Kick, Blaziken can be too hot to handle for any opponents who haven’t kept its presence in mind.

Dragonite

My first experience with Pokemon was Pokemon Red way back in 1998, wherein leveling a Dratini into a Dragonair into a Dragonite (alongside evolving Magikarp into Gyarados for the first time) was an all-time, defining gaming moment — so as you can imagine, Dragonite still holds a special place in my old heart. (Besides, how many other Pokemon do you know as altruistic as Dragonite, as our Most Wholesome Pokemon PokeDex entries list revealed?)

In Pokemon Sword and Shield, Dragonite has the ability to wreak havoc as a sweeper with its impressive 134 base Attack and a physical attacker set with Dragon Dance and Extremespeed.

Like most of the Pokemon on this list however, Dragonite’s strength lies with its versatility. Thanks to its Multiscale ability, which cuts damage taken in half when at full health, Dragonite can serve as a durable tank as well. Couple that with Roost and Heal Bell in Dragonite’s moveset and the derpy-looking OG dragon has some serious staying power.

Kyurem-Black

This one might be obvious, with Kyurem being the mascot for Pokemon Black and White 2 and all, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t include Dragon/Ice powerhouse Kyurem-B on this list of best battling Pokemon returning in the Pokemon Sword and Shield Crown Tundra DLC.

Kyurem-Black is one of the game’s most fearsome wallbreakers thanks to its potent 170 base Attack, capability of learning Dragon Dance, its own unique BoltBeam combination in Fusion Bolt and Icicle Spear and an amazing ability in Teravolt.

Spectrier

Spectrier is a Ghost Pokemon — a Ghost horse to be more specific — which makes its debut in the Pokemon Sword and Shield Crown Tundra DLC.

Equipped with hellacious 130 base Speed and 145 base Special Attack, Spectrier can steamroll teams who aren’t prepared with a moveset along the lines of Shadow Ball, Will-o-Wisp, Substitute and Nasty Plot, the latter of which raises its already considerable Special Attack to frightening levels.

Magearna

Magearna is a dual-type Steel/Fairy Pokemon which first appeared in Pokemon Sun and Moon. Looking like a cross between a bunny and a nursemaid version of See-Threepio from Star Wars, Magearna’s body, which is composed of myriad metallic spheres, is actually just the shell for the Soul-Heart — its true life-force — housed within.

The Soul-Heart is also Magearna’s ability, which raises its Special Attack by 1 stage after a Pokemon faints. Coupled with the move Shift Gears, which boosts the user’s Speed, Magearna becomes a very dangerous Pokemon best used as a Special sweeper in the late stages of the match.

Regieleki

The Legendary Golems (which you can recapture in the Pokemon Sword and Shield Crown Tundra DLC) gain a shocking new addition to their fold in Pokemon Sword and Shield Crown Tundra in the form of Regieleki. Regieleki’s ability, Transistor, adds a 1.5x jolt to its already STAB-boosted Electric type attacks; combined with its considerable 200 base Speed and armed with a Choice Specs held item, Regieleki with a moveset such as Volt Switch, Rising Voltage, Thunder and Thunder Cage can do Zeus-like damage to pretty much anything that isn’t a Ground-type Pokemon.

What do you think is the best returning Pokemon in Pokemon Sword and Shield Crown Tundra? Did we forget to include one on this list? Let us know in the comments.