Over the years, a ton of Legendary Pokemon have been introduced. These powerful creatures are typically known to be one-of-a-kind, incredibly strong, and famous among the population for their power, role in the creation of the world, or other legendary lore. There is no official definition for a Legendary Pokemon, but they're typically understood to be well-known unique beings that are important in the legends of the in-game universe.

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This has led to some confusion over what constitutes a Mythical Pokemon, as they were formerly considered part of the same group, but are now separate. There are also some Pokemon that seem like they should be Legendary Pokemon for various reasons. Here are some of the Pokemon that seem Legendary, but actually aren't, and why.

Updated January 16, 2023, by Rain Egan: Now that Pokemon Scarlet & Violet have been released and fully explored by fans, there is even more confusion as to what constitutes a Legendary Pokemon. Thanks to the release of Gen 9, there are now over a thousand Pokemon in the Pokedex - and of course, even more with complex lore typically reserved for Legendaries. With an increasingly competitive scene, there also seems to be an increase in the number of Pokemon with high enough base stats to rival those of some Legendaries. As a result, the number of Pokemon that should be Legendary but aren't continues to grow larger.

20 Palafin

A Palafin in battle with a Violet trainer

Gen 9's Palafin checks a number of boxes of Legendary Pokemon in generations past. It has an exclusive ability, an interesting transformation gimmick, is the first-ever dolphin Pokemon in the franchise, and has an impressively high base stat total of 650.

Palafin is a favorite in the competitive scene for its incredibly high base stats, but these base stats can only be accessed through the Pokemon's gimmick. Once the Pokemon is switched out of battle, then switched back in, it transforms into a Hero Form that packs one hell of a punch.

19 Baxcalibur

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Baxcalibur post-evolution sparkle

Baxcalibur is Paldea's Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon. Like every other pseudo, Baxcalibur has a base stat total of exactly 600, though it is slightly different in terms of stat distribution. Typically, Pseudos have an even stat distribution, but Baxcalibur's is all over the place. It has an incredibly high Physical Attack of 145, a decent HP stat of 115, and then everything else is painfully average.

Still, it's another Pokemon often confused with a Legendary. In recent games especially, Legendaries tend to be Dragon-types with super high base stats, and the Dragon/Ice-type Baxcalibur ticks both of these boxes.

18 Iron Valiant

Screenshot of player appearing to hold the Pokemon Iron Valiant.

Iron Valiant is one of the Pokemon Violet exclusive paradox Pokemon and a Fairy/Fighting-type Pokemon that's based on Gallade and Gardevoir. This Pokemon has a pretty unique typing -in that it is currently the only Pokemon in the series with the Fairy/Fighting-type combination.

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Aside from being unique in that regard, Iron Valiant boasts an impressive 590 base stat total. While that's not enough to justify Legendary status, many have argued that more of the Paradox Pokemon should hold Legendary status, as they hold an important place in the lore of Pokemon Scarlet & Violet.

17 Ditto

Ditto Pokemon

Ditto is a classic, Gen 1 Pokemon that is often confused with a Legendary because of its unique transformation ability. It typically has one move - Transform - which allows it to transform into the Pokemon that it's battling, gaining its stats, move pool, and ability in the process. A Pokemon with such a powerful ability is a prime candidate for Legendary status.

In terms of game releases, it's the only non-Legendary Pokemon in Pokemon GO from the Kanto region that wasn't available with the game's release. This, in turn, lead to hype and confusion among newer fans surrounding the Pokemon's Legendary status.

16 Mimikyu

Mimikyu Pokemon in the woods

Mimikyu is a fan-favorite Pokemon from Pokemon Sun & Moon that makes more sense as a Legendary than a regular Pokemon. While it doesn't have the base stats to justify Legendary status, it does have the uniqueness and lore that is typically only associated with Legendaries.

It's believed that seeing its true form will lead to a mysterious illness or painful death. Because of this, it's always covered by a disguise of the Pokemon mascot Pikachu in the hopes of gaining friends through deception.

15 Dragonite

dragonite pokeon anime

Not only is Dragonite one of the most powerful Pokemon in the first-generation Pokemon games, but it's also one of the series' very first dragon-type Pokemon, and definitely has that Legendary Pokemon look about it. What's more, its placement in the Pokedex is also a little suspicious.

Together with its earlier evolutionary forms, Dragonite is sandwiched between the three legendary birds and Mewtwo and Mew; the first five of the series' Legendary Pokemon. This has led some to speculate that Game Freak had originally planned for the Pokemon to be legendary as well, although there's very little evidence to back this up other than its Pokedex position.

14 Tyranitar

One of the strongest Pokemon in the Monster egg group, Tyranitar boasts some incredible base stats. Together, they add up to 600 and make the armor Pokemon stronger than many of the series' earlier Legendary Pokemon. For comparison, the three legendary birds' stats only total 580.

One of the other things that make the Pokemon stand out is its unique type combination; with no other Pokemon possessing the rock and dark-type pairing. It also has some of the series' most powerful moves in its learnset, evolves at a very high level, and has one of the coolest-looking Mega Evolutions so far.

13 Metagross

The Metagross Pokemon species

Much like Tyranitar, Metagross is an incredibly powerful Pokemon with stats that are on par with most of the series' legendary creatures. Where it sets itself apart though is through its solid physical attack and defense stats, which few others can rival.

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It takes an awful lot to bring down a Metagross and it's this kind of durability that people often associate with Legendary Pokemon. What's more, at just 1.6%, it has the exact same catch rate as some of those with Legendary status like Articuno and Mewtwo.

12 Garchomp

Pokemon Anime Mega Garchomp Standing Tall

Sometimes a Pokemon just looks like the should be Legendary, and that's definitely the case with Garchomp. The gold star emblazoned on the front of its head suggests there's something special about it while the intricacies of its design are far more ornate than the average Pokemon.

As with most of the other Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon, it has very high base stats and excels when it comes to physical attacks as well. It also has access to some solid moves, has a decent type combination, and is up there with some of the very best Pokemon in the series when it comes to competitive play.

11 Goodra

From its high base stats to its high-level evolutionary requirements, there are plenty of reasons why some confuse Goodra for a Legendary Pokemon. The main one though is that, like many of the monsters found throughout the series, Goodra is seemingly based on a real-world legend.

The Pokemon shares many similarities with a creature called the Lou Carcolh from French folklore; most notably its retractable tentacles and elongated body. There's also a legendary Japanese creature called the Shussebora which is not too dissimilar to Goodra.

10 Darkrai

pokemon go darkrai counters

Many Legendary Pokemon come in pairs or trios, and Generation IV introduced a few of these groups. One of them consists of Cresselia, which represents the crescent moon, hopes, and pleasant dreams, and Darkrai, which is associated with the new moon and gives people nightmares. Together, they're known as the Lunar Duo.

However, Cresselia is a Legendary Pokemon and Darkrai is Mythical. This is most likely because Legendary Pokemon are known to exist while Mythicals are not, and Darkrai operates in the darkness under the cover of shade and night. However, it throws the pairing off a bit having them fit different Legendary statuses.

9 Fossils

game freak dracozolt arctozolt dracovish arctovish

Fossil Pokemon are a bit strange all things considered. They went extinct long ago, but their fossils are used to resurrect them entirely, and really no one bats an eye at this. Various trainers use Fossil Pokemon on their team like it's no big deal, even though it's a miracle of scientific achievement.

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Since they come in limited amounts and are pretty famous in the in-game world, one could make the argument for Fossil Pokemon to have Legendary status. However, they're treated as any other Pokemon for the most part. Apparently, the ability to revive long-extinct life forms within seconds is not really that interesting to the people of the Pokemon world.

8 Genesect

Pokemon Genesect group in line with glowing orbs

Another Mythical that should have its status changed to Legendary is Genesect. While Mythicals are Pokemon that are so rare their very existence is cast into question, Genesect is pretty well-known to exist, as it's a human creation. Pokemon like Celebi and Mew are considered Mythical because their existence is a rumor, and they are the subject of old stories and tales.

Genesect, however, was created by Team Plasma and given cyber upgrades. It was revived from a fossil (many think a Kabutops fossil) and enhanced with modern tech in an attempt to create the world's strongest Pokemon. The anime even shows several Genesect in a group created by Team Plasma. It's pretty clear these things exist, and they're pretty ubiquitous.

7 Zoroark

Zorua and Zoroark

Zoroark shouldn't necessarily be a Legendary, but there is confusion over whether it is one. A few things have led fans to believe this Pokémon is Legendary when it isn't, and it's entirely understandable.

Zoroark was the main character of a movie, which is a role typically held for Legendaries and Mythicals, and it has been distributed prominently through events in-game, which, again, is typically reserved for Mythicals. Its shady in-game lore, rarity, and hushed status also lend to the idea that it's pretty unique and legendary in the literal sense. But, Zoroark is just a regular Pokemon like many others.

6 Absol

Pokemon Absol Official Card Art

There's another pure Dark-type that many have confused for a Legendary Pokémon, long before the existence of Zoroark. That is Absol, the Dark-type introduced in Generation III. Many, many people have questioned online whether Absol is a Legendary, so the misconception is pretty popular.

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However, Absol is just a regular old Pokemon. Part of why people think it's Legendary is probably because of its rarity and the fact that it's rarely seen by human eyes. Absol is also apparently considered a bad omen, as natural disasters seem to occur after people see it. This shroud of mystery contributes to its rarified image.

5 Unown

Unown

There are some Pokemon that really are headscratchers when it comes to why they're not Legendary Pokemon. This is definitely the case with Unown. Everything said in the games and anime about these Pokemon points to them being Legendary, but for some reason, they just aren't.

Like many other Legendaries, these Pokemon are shrouded in mystery and are studied by scientists and researchers. They're said to be ancient beings with some role in helping establish human language. They also have odd, unexplained powers, and they featured prominently in a movie, in which they were actually considered Legendary by both the characters and a special book belonging to the character Molly.

4 Volcarona

Evolve Larvesta to Volcarona

Joining Zoroark and Absol in the category of Pokemon that fans mistake for a Legendary is Volcarona. This Fire/Bug-type from Generation V is often considered to be Legendary for a few reasons. In the Gen V games, one can be caught by approaching its sprite on the overworld at the bottom of a fancy dungeon, where it's level 70. Typically, this approachable sprite system is reserved for Legendaries.

It's also incredibly powerful and very rare, plus it evolves at an insanely high level. Despite all of this, it's not Legendary, and many of them can be obtained if players have the patience to catch and evolve some Larvesta.

3 Rotom

Rotom in the anime

Rotom is an incredibly strange Pokemon. It's capable of inhabiting or possessing various electronic devices, most notably the household appliances that it takes over to make its various obtainable forms: a fan, a lawnmower, a washing machine, a refrigerator, and a microwave oven. However, it's also been shown to possess a Pokedex to make the Rotom Dex from Gen VII and a bicycle to make the Rotom Bike in Gen VIII.

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In the Generation IV games, when Rotom was introduced, the player could only obtain one — and only through an event. This also contributed to the confusion over its Legendary status.

2 Arcanine

Arcanine with the Legendary Birds

One of the most commonly confused Pokemon in terms of Legendary status is Arcanine. There are a few very understandable reasons for this, most of them centered around the fact that it seems Game Freak originally planned to make it a Legendary before something changed their minds.

Arcanine's official title is quite literally the "Legendary Pokemon," and its Pokedex entries and other in-game lore all point to its Legendary status. Some Pokedex entries call it Legendary and say it's been "described in Chinese legends." A famous screenshot of an early anime episode also shows a tablet containing the Legendary Birds alongside an Arcanine, which really doesn't help.

1 Spiritomb

Spiritomb in the anime

Spiritomb definitely seems like it should be a Legendary. One-of-a-kind in the game it was introduced? Check. Incredibly detailed in-game lore about its ancient history? Check. Requires a special item to obtain it? Check. Doesn't evolve? Check. But, it isn't.

Spiritomb is said to have been a wicked being made up of 108 spirits that were chained to the Odd Keystone for its cruel misdeeds 500 years ago. The player can typically only obtain one through a series of specific events, too. However, despite all of this, it's not a Legendary Pokemon.

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