Whenever there's a franchise like Pokémon that has creatures with elemental-type powers fans will often latch on to anything having to do with fire or water and most of the other types fall by the wayside.
Thankfully, the Pokemon franchise does a great job of creating cool and interesting Pokemon for every type there is. Despite this, normal-type Pokemon continue to fight a life of irrelevance to this day. To show them the respect they deserve, let's now rank the 10 best normal-type Pokemon from worst to first.
Updated March 28, 2022 by Russ Boswell: There are a lot of great Pokemon out there of varying types, but some players often overlook the "Normal" Pokemon that are released with each generation. Although Normal-types get a bad reputation sometimes as "weaker" fighters that aren't as useful in battle, there are some pretty fantastic Normal-types out there that are capable of dishing out some serious damage. To better showcase the best Normal-type Pokemon, the following list has been updated with even more entries that shine a light on some of the better creatures that call this typing home.
13 Furret
When it comes to Normal-type Pokemon it's hard not to immediately think about Furret. This iconic Ferret-like Pokemon has received a ton of attention from fans over the years thanks to its adorable design and rather alarming size. Furret memes took over the Internet for a short time, and it's definitely cemented itself as one of the most beloved Pokemon in the entire franchise.
Unfortunately, Furret hasn't shown up in many of the modern games, and although it's cute, cuddly, and memeable, it's not very viable in a competitive sense. Besides trick-builds or strange mechanics, Furret remains on the sidelines in most competitions thanks to its middling stats. Hopefully, it'll receive a regional variant in the future or get a power boost of some sort.
12 Obstagoon
Pokemon Sword and Shield introduced players to Obstagoon, proving that not all Normal-type Pokemon have to look, well, normal. Obstagoon definitely doesn't look or feel like a Normal-type, thanks to its Punk Rock styling that mimics the appearance of popular Rock group, Kiss. Obstagoon is a fearsome-looking bipedal Pokemon, a far cry from the sleek Linoone that players are used to seeing outside of the Galar region.
Past its striking looks lies a fairly strong Pokemon that's capable of holding its own, especially against Psychic-types. It's dual Normal/Dark typing helps it roll through Psychic Pokemon moves while simultaneously giving it some relief against Dark attacks. That said, it still maintains a 4x weakness to Fighting, which can put a damper on its overall strength.
11 Blissey
Purists and those that grew up on Generation 1 may prefer the simplistic design of Chansey over its more-detailed evolution but Blissey is definitely one of the best Normal-type Pokemon that Game Freak has ever added to the games. Many players stray away from Normal-types thanks to their weakness to Fighting and lack of "power" in battle. But Blissey serves a great purpose as one of the best tanks available throughout the Pokemon universe.
Those that are looking for a great frontliner or a stonewall that will allow them to stall and set up some of their more elaborate strategies can rely on Blissey thanks to its insanely high health pool. It does have middling stats when it comes to defense but players that know how to dance around those weaknesses can turn Blissey into a defensive powerhouse.
10 Porygon
Porygon was the Pokemon you looked at and wondered why it existed. Once you learned a little bit more about it, you remembered that coders helped make the games so it makes sense there'd be a creature centered around data in their game.
Whereas most of the creatures are a melding of real-life living things, it's impressive that a Pokemon like Porygon made the final release of the game. Having a polygonal creature based on data and computers bends the rules of what Pokemon can be and could have been an understandable cut.
9 Exploud
If you happened to see the new Detective Pikachu film then you were treated to Exploud's middle evolution Loudred providing beatbox music entertainment during the underground Pokemon battles. Loudred is the type of creature who likes to use its abilities to provide a good time for people, whereas its final evolution could accidentally cause a major earthquake. If you're the type of person who seeks out quiet solitude you're likely not the best fit for a literal loudmouth like Exploud.
8 Bewear
One glance at Bewear would have you assuming that it's a cuddly fairy-type bear Pokemon that would be great to have as a live-in pet. It turns out that its look is all a facade as the pink and black creature is partially a fighting-type and comes in at a staggering 6' 11" tall.
They are said to be extremely dangerous, and, if you're a trainer who comes across their habitat, that you should avoid it for safety concerns as they are generally off-limits. Its name is also a warning in and of itself.
7 Oranguru
Anyone who's ever seen the Disney classic The Jungle Book could tell you about the legendary giant orangutan in that movie and how it was mystical, terrifying, and interesting all in the same breath. Oranguru is a Pokemon designed around that same mystic and magical energy associated with the giant orange ape from that film. Though it doesn't have a previous or following evolution it does have a counterpart in Passimian. If you want to befriend Oranguru you must look towards the moon.
6 Toucannon
Is Toucannon a Pokemon that looks exactly like the bird it's based on? Well yes, but it's not that big of a deal when toucans are already some of the coolest looking birds there are. If waking up and eating a bowl of Froot Loops never sold you on the colorful tropical birds, then one glance at Toucannon's multicolored beak and imposing stare will do the trick.
It happens to be the final evolution in a line of three and is worth investing in the tiny baby bird known as Pikipek and helping them become majestic.
5 Noctowl
As a Pokemon, Noctowl sports a design that isn't interesting or surprising. The fact of the matter is that owls are naturally interesting and mysterious looking creatures so by simply looking like a normal owl, Noctowl gets a spot as one of the better normal-type Pokemon.
Truth be told, it is an evolutionary line that's ripe for a third evolution that takes it to the next level. A final evolution could embrace the predatory tendencies of owls and make it truly terrifying for those who are unimpressed with Noctowl's design.
4 Slaking
Though Snorlax will be talked about later in the list, Slaking is another lazy normal-type Pokemon that happens to be quite a hassle in battle. This is pretty impressive considering Slaking is so dedicated to being lazy that it virtually exists laying in a lounging type manner and fights that way.
Since it mostly lays on its side it's hard to understand how large they are at an average height of around 6' 7". This means that this lazy sloth would tower over the likes of Charizard if it simply cared enough to stand up on its feet.
3 Braviary
Braviary seems to be a creature solely designed to embody American culture. Whether by accident or on purpose, this ferocious bird has a design and color scheme that's quite evocative of the United States. Braviary is made up of mostly red, white, and blue, and also is based mostly on eagles which happen to be the national bird of the United States of America.
Every generation of Pokémon games features new birds, but Braviary happened to feel unique and refreshing which is hard for expected types of new Pokemon.
2 Ursaring
Earlier, Bewear was mentioned as another cool normal-type Pokemon who also happens to be based on a bear. Where it takes the approach of looking cute, Ursaring decided to lean into what can make bears terrifying to come in contact with.
Its pre-evolution, Teddiursa, is an adorable little cub with a crescent moon on its forehead which happens to evolve into a powerhouse of a creature. Its typing may not be all that interesting, but Ursaring will never back down from a fight.
1 Snorlax
Laziness is a trait that's often looked down upon, but, given the right circumstances, it can be a relatable feeling that can help form friendships and bonds. Snorlax are big cuddly loaves of laziness that trainers and fans just can't get enough of. Ever since the early days when trainers had to wake one up that was blocking a path, respect and admiration have only grown over the years. There's a reason it was made a rideable partner Pokemon in the recent Let's Go games and let trainers cuddle him as he walked around.