In thePokémonanime, Brock is one of the longest-lasting characters, second only to Ash and Pikachu and Team Rocket. This has given him the chance to build up quite a diverse array of Pokémon over the years, making him a challenging trainer who can be difficult to pin down.
Brock’s Pokémon started out as Rock-types, as is appropriate for a gym leader, but he soon diversified as he embraced his goal of becoming a Pokémon Breeder, and later, a Doctor. While battling isn’t really what Brock specializes in, he’s still a very skilled trainer, and he has a collection of varying types and abilities that give him an edge in battle. Like Misty, Brock didn’t let his time out of focus cost him, as he would continue evolving and training his Pokémon long after parting ways with Ash. Here are 10 of Brock’s strongest Pokémon, ranked.
Comfey is Not a Combatant
First Appearance: Pokémon Sun & Moon, “Heart of Fire! Heart of Stone!”
Comfey is a Pokémon that wasgiven to Brock by Nurse Joy in Alola, and only appears in one episode. In that episode, it was used by Brock to calm down an angry mama Kangaskhan so that he could treat its baby. Comfey’s only known move is Sweet Scent, used to ease a Pokémon’s nerves so that it can be better treated by the likes of Nurse Joy or Brock. As such, Comfey isn’t really a Pokémon that’s meant to be used for battling.
Comfey is Brock’s only Fairy-type Pokémon, as well as his only Pokémon caught after leaving the series’ main cast. For his current goal of becoming a Pokémon Doctor, Brock’s Comfey is an excellent choice, but its lack of utility in battle makes it a bit too one-note. Despite having had Comfey for only a short time, however, Brock commanded it with confidence.
Geodude is Brock’s Most Loyal
First Appearance: Pokémon the Original Series, “Showdown in Pewter City”
Geodude is one ofBrock’s oldest and most loyal Pokémon, the second he caught after Onix. Because Onix is such an enormous Pokémon, Geodude was often Brock’s go-to when indoors or in other cramped areas where Onix’s size would be a problem. Geodude’s ability to hover made it very versatile, and it often aided in fighting fires and other such situations.Brock would use Geodude to battle frequently; it easily defeated Ash’s Pidgeotto in their gym battle, and was key to holding off Team Rocket inMewtwo Returns.
Geodude had a handful of different attacks, covering some good types, such as Seismic Toss, Dig, and Gyro Ball. Geodude rarely gets to really show off, but it’s undoubtedly one of the most mature and loyal Pokémon seen in the series, and makes for a fantastic team with Brock.
Sudowoodo is Deceptively Strong
First Appearance: Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, “From Cradle to Save”
Brock obtained Sudowoodo as a Bonsly, late in theRuby and Sapphireera. As such, it was one of the first fourth-generation Pokémon to appear in the anime, alongside May’s Munchlax. Bonsly wasthe only Pokémon Brock initially brought with him to Sinnoh, as it still needed his attention as a baby. It evolved into Sudowoodo soon after, and became a surprisingly powerful fighter, despite its former attitude as a crybaby.Its move Mimic allows it to use the attacks of its enemies, while also having moves like Low Kick and Feint Attack.
Sudowoodo was extremely respectful of Brock, and followed his orders without question, seeing him almost as a parental figure. Sudowoodo’s deceptive appearance would often come in handy for it in battle, as it appears to be a Grass-type but is actually Rock.
Croagunk Attack Brock More Often Than Pokémon
First Appearance: Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, “Gymbaliar!”
Croagunk was the first Pokémon Brock caught in the Sinnoh region. A Poison- and Fighting-type, Croagunk represented some new types for Brock to acquire, helping to balance his team more. Croagunk was quite strong, often easily defeating Team Rocket and Team Galactic grunts, and even facing off with its evolved from, Toxicroak. Croagunk was known for using Poison Jab on Brock when he flirted too much with the girls, leading to him being dragged away afterward.
Brock’s Croagunk knew moves like Poison Jab, Poison Sting, and Brick Break, which gave it access to same-type moves for added bonus damage. Croagunk has helped to win Brock some competitions, albeit unusual ones, such asthe Pokémon Dress Up Contest, for which Brock won a Happiny egg. Croagunk and Brock have a close relationship, and it reflects well in their battling together.
Marshtomp Never Reached Its Full Potential
First Appearance: Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, “A Mudkip Mission”
Obtained as a Mudkip, Marshtomp was Brock’s second Pokémon in the Hoenn region. It had previously helped care for young Mudkip that were being raised to become first partners, butjoined Brock after Team Rocket attacked. It often fought alongside Brock’s Lotad, with the two using joint Water Gun attacks to help take down threats.Mudkip evolved into Marshtomp while in a practice battle with Ash, and became even more like its trainer with a tendency to fall in love easily. Marshtomp would eventually be left at Pewter Gym when Brock headed to Sinnoh.
Marshtomp knew some good moves, such as Mud Shot, but never really developed any more powerful Water-type attacks than Water Gun. Marshtomp could’ve been a fantastic Pokémon for Brock if it had evolved all the way to Swampert, but unfortunately that didn’t happen.
Crobat Grew Over a Long Time
First Appearance: Pokémon the Original Series, “Clefairy and the Moon Stone”
Brock’s Crobat was one of the first Pokémon he caught after joining Ash on his journey. Captured as a Zubat, it slowly grew and evolved alongside Brock as he explored the Kanto and Johto regions.Zubat was known for its Supersonic, allowing it to confuse enemy Pokémon with ease. As Crobat, it gained more powerful moves and became substantially stronger. It was often relied upon for its ability to fly, especially when helping to search for stolen Pokémon, and its capacity to guide them through caves.
Crobat didn’t often get to show off what it could do, but even still, it managed to show up Team Rocket on a number of occasions. As one of Brock’s fully-evolved Pokémon, it should pack some powerful Flying- and Poison-type attacks, making it a lot more dangerous than one might expect.
Ludicolo’s Unique Typing Made it Very Handy
Ludicolo was Brock’s first new Pokémon in the Hoenn region, as a Lotad. It was also his first Water- and Grass-type Pokémon, adding more diversity to his team. Lotad proved to be valuable almost immediately, helping fend off a Sharpedo while May got out of the water.Lotad became a close ally of Brock’s Mudkip, as the two often used tandem Water Gun attacks. It had a reputation for being a bit dense, but as it evolved, it became more outgoing and friendly in addition to more powerful.
Ludicolo knows some good moves, like Razor Leaf and Teeter Dance, allowing it to confuse Pokémon the way Zubat used to. Ludicolo had a good sense of rhythm and liked to dance, which would sometimes help it in battle. With its unique type combination, it made for a difficult opponent for many.
Blissey Can Heal and Tank
First Appearance: Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, “One Big Happiny Family”
Blissey is one of the last Pokémon that Brock obtained; he originally hatched it from an egg as a Happiny, and slowly raised it up to become a Chansey, and then a Blissey. WithBrock’s new career as a Pokémon Doctor, Blissey is an exceptionally helpful Pokémon for him to have.It knows powerful attacks, like Dazzling Gleam and Mega Punch, as well as helpful moves like Softboiled, which regenerates HP. As a Happiny, it was phenomenally strong, and that strength stayed with it as it evolved.
Blissey makes for a great companion in a double battle, with its ability to heal allies and tank attacks. As one of the Pokémon with the highest HP stats, Blissey’s health is enormous, making it very difficult to knock out. In fact, Brock’s Blissey has never actually been defeated on screen.
Forretress Was a Tough Opponent
First Appearance: Pokémon Gold and Silver, “Going Apricorn!”
Brock caught Pineco in the Johto region, and it remained a Pineco for quite some time. It finally evolved over a hundred episodes later into Forretress, at which time it gained Rapid Spin and became capable of eliminating dangerous hazards, like spikes. As both Pineco and Forretress, it had a habit of blowing itself up with Self-Destruct or Explosion, often in reaction to just about anything. Forretress was the only Pokémon Brock brought with him to Hoenn, and it put in a lot of work there early on.
While Explosion does knock out one’s own Pokémon, it’s arguably the most powerful tool at Brock’s disposal, and he’s even been able to take out Team Rocket mecha with it. Spikes can be extremely dangerous as well, and they played a key role in helping Brock to capture his Bonsly. Since entry hazards are rare in the anime, Forretress can be a very tricky opponent to deal with.
Steelix is Brock’s Strongest Pokémon
Brock’s Onix was his first Pokémon, and has been one of his most loyal. Brock left Onix in the care of his brother, Forrest, who helped it to evolve as he acted as Gym Leader for Pewter Cityduring Brock’s absence. As Steelix, it was far more powerful than it had ever been as Onix, and had access to a huge variety of moves, such as Iron Tail, Dragon Breath, Stone Edge, and Gyro Ball.Better still, in his time off-screen, Brock managed to obtain a Key Stone and Mega Stone, allowing him to Mega Evolve Steelix.
Brock’s Mega Steelix is absolutely his strongest Pokémon, and it performed exceptionally well in battle against Kiawe, tanking a Z-move and retaliating. Its Steel and Rock typing make it very resistant to most kinds of damage, allowing it to face off against a variety of foes with ease. While it may not be as strong as some of Ash’s toughest Pokémon in thePokémonanime, Steelix proves Brock is not to be trifled with.
