With such a vast ocean to travel across, the Pokémon that lets you Surf, Waterfall, and Dive can become your ace very quickly. Here are my suggestions for great aquatic Pokémon worth adding onto your Gen 6/Gen 3 team.
5. Whiscash
Suggested Moves:
Surf Waterfall Earthquake Ice Beam
Whiscash comes with meh stats that are made up tenfold by an awesome typing, and early access to the strongest moves in the games. Like any other Pokémon on this list, Whiscash can learn Surf and Waterfall by HM, so those are both good choices for your moveset. Whiscash also learns Earthquake way earlier than most other Pokémon in the Hoenn games, learning it at level 34. Although with its typing, Wishcash brings a x4 weakness to Grass-type moves, so Ice Beam will come in handy as some coverage. You can get Ice Beam with TM13 in Sea Mauville (ORAS only). How to catch: Catch a Barboach by fishing on Route 111 with the Good Rod, then raise it to level 30 to evolve it into Whiscash. You can find the Good Rod by talking to a fisherman along the shore on Route 118.
4. Ludicolo
Suggested Moves:
Surf Waterfall Energy Ball Zen Headbutt
Ludicolo is a unique Water/Grass-type that focuses on Special Attack and Defense. It’s exclusive to Emerald and the Sapphire games, so if you’re playing Ruby or Omega Ruby, you’ll unfortunately miss out (aside from trading it in). Also keep in mind that Ludicolo learns no moves by leveling up after it evolves, so make sure to teach every move you want before evolving Lombre. For Grass-type STAB, Energy Ball is your best choice. To get this move, take the Acro Bike to the west side of the Safari Zone and snag TM53. For Water-type STAB, Ludicolo should use Surf and Waterfall. Since they’re HMs, it can still learn them after it evolves. And finally, Ludicolo’s unique typing gives it a weakness to Poison moves, so teach Lombre Zen Headbutt at level 40 to cover for that. Zen Headbutt is a Physical move, but it should do the trick all the same. How to catch: Catch a Lotad on Route 102, then raise it to level 14 to evolve it into Lombre. Next, pick up the blue shard on Route 124 and trade it with the Route 124 Treasure Hunter to get a Water Stone. Once Lombre knows the level-up moves you want it to know, use the Water Stone on it to evolve it into Ludicolo.
3. Tentacruel
Suggested Moves:
Surf Waterfall Toxic Barrier
Tentacruel often gets overlooked because of its pre-evolution ruining a peaceful Surfing trip (without repels). But just because Tentacool is everywhere, doesn’t mean Tentacruel sucks. As a defense-based Water/Poison-type, Tentacruel is best used as a Toxic staller, poisoning the enemy and outliving it. Of course, since it’s a Water-type, you should still teach it Surf and Waterfall – just dedicate the third and fourth move slot to poison tactics. Toxic is the most important move for stalling here, and you can find it as early with TM06 on the Fiery Path on Route 112. And lastly, extend your staller by buffing Tentacruel’s already high Defense with Barrier, a Psychic-type move that Tentacool learns at level 29. How to catch: Catch a Tentacool by fishing on Route 103, then raise it to level 30 to evolve it into Tentacruel.
2. Gyarados
Suggested Moves:
Surf Waterfall Bulldoze/Earthquake Dragon Dance/Crunch
Gyarados is a powerhouse that specializes in one-shotting anything with a type-weakness to its attacks. Surf and Waterfall are the only good picks for its Water-type STAB moves. But its other two move slots are a little more flexible. If you want to cover Gyarados’ x4 weakness to Electric-type moves, then Bulldoze or Earthquake are the best way to do it. Bulldoze (TM78) is found in the Mauville City PokeMart, whereas Earthquake (TM26) is found much later, in the Seafloor Cavern. If you want to buff Gyarados’ already high Attack, Dragon Dance will raise both its Attack and Speed, turning it into a powerful sweeper. Dragon Dance is learned at level 47. And if you’re playing the remakes, you might want to make the most of Mega Gyarados’ new typing by teaching it some Dark-type STAB. The best choice for this is Crunch, learned at level 41. How to catch: Catch a Magikarp by fishing just about anywhere, starting on Route 102. Raise Magikarp to level 20 to evolve it into Gyarados. In ORAS, you can find Gyarados’ mega stone in the Fisherman’s hut on Route 123.
1. Swampert
Suggested Moves:
Surf Waterfall Earthquake Ice Beam
The best Water-type in Hoenn is also the strongest Water starter of all time – and it doesn’t even need its mega form to take the #1 spot here. Swampert has the high base stats you’d expect from a starter Pokémon, as well as a dual Water/Ground-typing that makes it immune to Electric-type attacks. It also has a high Attack stat and only one type weakness – so let’s focus this build on dealing as much damage as possible. Of course, Surf and Waterfall will make up Swampert’s Water STAB moves. Swampert’s Ground-typing gives it the ability to learn Earthquake too, so let’s do that! Earthquake can first be learned at level 51, or from TM26 in the Seafloor Cavern. Finally, Swampert can cover for its x4 weakness to Grass once you unlock Sea Mauville. Pick up Ice Beam (TM13) from the abandoned ship as soon as you can. How to catch: Choose Mudkip as your starter on Route 101, then raise it to level 16 to evolve it into Marshtomp, and then up to level 36 to evolve it again into Swampert. In Gen 6 you’ll get the Swampertite from Steven during the main story.
