Here at Pocket Tactics, we love all the toad and frog Pokémon. From Bellibolt to Venusaur, there’s just something about this lovely lot that always makes us want to add a frog friend to our party. We’ve put together this guide detaling all the amphibians from across the series, so you can find out some facts you might not know.
For more Pokélists, be sure to check out our guides to cat Pokémon, dog Pokémon, fish Pokémon, monkey Pokémon, and frog Pokémon’s natural enemy, all the spider Pokémon. Or, if you’re feeling nostalgic, turn back the years with our picks for the best gen 3 Pokémon, gen 5 Pokémon, gen 7 Pokémon, and gen 8 Pokémon. We’ve also got a complete Pokédex, in case you need reminding of the long list of catchable creatures.
Here are all the toad and frog Pokémon.
Poliwag / Poliwhirl / Poliwrath / Politoed
Poliwag, Poliwhirl, and Politwrath are the original gen 1 frog Pokémon, following the path from frog spawn to, well, whatever Poliwrath is. This trio plays into the hallucinogenic properties of some of the world’s frogs by using the spiral on their tummies to hypnotize other Pokémon.
If you’ve ever played Pokémon Gold, Silver, or Crystal, you should recognize Poliwratch from Cianwood City gym, where gym leader Chuck relies on the fully evolved Pokémon’s big-hitting punches and ability to put opponents to sleep.
Politoed gets its own paragraph here because we love Politoed. How could you not? If you’re anything like me and grew up without a Pokémon trading partner, you probably dreamed of one day owning this gen 2 Pokémon.
Not only is it an iconic design, but Politoed is a staple of the competitive double VGC format, providing tanky support for rain teams while setting up the required precipitation with the Drizzle ability. It’s also one of the best shiny designs out there, with Politoed’s green and yellow design going all psychedelic with a pink and blue palette swap.
Bulbasaur / Ivysaur / Venusaur
Believe it or not, Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur are all frog Pokémon. I know, it might not be obvious at first, but the more you look at this evolutionary trio, the more obvious it becomes. Don’t just take my word for it, this information is from the highest source in Pokémon, designers Astuko Nishida and Ken Sugimori. Or, boot up Pokémon Let’s Go Eevee or Let’s Go Pikachu and watch any of these three hop around behind you as a toad leaps from lilypad to lilypad.
As the only frogs with a fire Pokémon weakness, this trio is pretty unique in terms of the rest of the Pokémon on this list. Venusaur is also the only frog Pokémon with both a Mega and a Gigantamax Pokémon form, with Game Freak often keen to revisit the original trio of starter Pokémon when introducing new mechanics. As long as the Pokémon series is still going strong, we expect to see Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur as common fixtures, and you know what? We’re not at all mad about it.
Froakie / Frogadier / Greninja
We’ve seen Ash team up with a fair few fantastic monsters over the years, but Greninja is up there with the best of them. It’s also one of the rare instances of a Pokémon proving powerful in both the anime series and the competitive Pokémon scene, with Greninja’s high special attack and speed making him something of a pain for opponents. It also wears its tongue as a sleeve, which is one of the more peculiar Pokémon designs that somehow works.
We can’t forget Froakie, though. It’s blue, it’s cute, and well, that’s enough for me. Considering there have been three new water-type starters since Froakie arrived with the rest of gen 6 Pokémon, we’re yet to meet one quite as charming. Frogadier is a little more forgettable than its basic form and final evolution, but you only have to deal with it from level 16 to 36, so it’s hardly a problem.
Croagunk / Toxicroak
Okay, so here me out here. I have a real soft spot for Croagunk. There’s something about its design that’s grown on me over the years, and now I’m always keen to catch one as early as I can. Toxicroak is also a bit of an underrated toad, with a solid attack stat that makes throwing out moves like Poison Jab and Close Combat that much more enjoyable.
Like Ash’s Greninja, Croagunk may be a familiar poison Pokémon to fans of the anime series. Brock, usually one for collecting rock-types, caught a Croagunk during his adventure through Sinnoh, with the two eventually forming a bond that rivals that of Ash and Pikachu. While we never see Brock evolve his beloved gen 4 Pokémon into Toxicroak, that doesn’t mean his partner Pokémon isn’t up to facing off in battles, with Brock coming to prefer sending out his Croagunk ahead of other mons like Steelix and Ludicolo.
Tadbulb / Bellibolt
Tadbulb and Bellibolt are the latest frog Pokémon additions, making their debut in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. While this pairing might live by the water, they’re actually electric Pokémon, each providing enough voltage to wipe the floor with a Poliwag or Quaxly. They also make for one of the most dramatic evolutions across the frog Pokémon spectrum, with Tadbulb drastically changing in the presence of a thunder stone.
While it’s not the best battler of the gen 9 Pokémon, Bellibolt can still provide a few shocks during your gym battle with Iona and is a worthy teammate if you’re looking to zap some bird Pokémon out of the sky. Outside of that, Bellibolt’s design makes it seem like a very cuddleable Pokémon, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see it in Squishmallow form before too long.
Tympole / Palpitoad / Seismitoad
Seismitoad is the swamp frog of the Pokémon world, with dual water/ground typing offering it a powerful moveset, including heavy hitters like Surf, Earthquake, and Hydro Pump. In terms of weaknesses, there are pros and cons to picking Seismitoad for your party. The most significant benefit is that, unlike most other water Pokémon, this toad is immune to electric moves. However, with both water and ground typings weak to grass attacks, moves like Razor Leaf and Vine Whip are four times as effective against this big old toad.
There’s not much to say about Tympole besides that it’s a pretty cute starting point for this evolutionary line, with sweet little eyebrows that make it something of a Mr. Bean lookalike. Palpitoad, like many middle evolutions, is often overlooked, but it’s worth mentioning for its goofy smile alone. While this group of frog Pokemon might not be the most memorable from the series, these toads are certainly worthy of their place on this list.
There you have it, our guide to all the toad and frog Pokémon. To find out more about some of the typings we mentioned in this guide, check out our lists of the best water Pokémon, grass Pokémon, fighting Pokémon, electric Pokémon, and dark Pokémon. Or, if you’re looking to take on some frogs, see our guides to water Pokémon weakness, fighting Pokémon weakness, and grass Pokémon weakness.
