Favourite Ground-type Pokemon?

[Reinhardt]

I've seen a lot of Favourite Pokemon of a certain type threads on here, but not one for my personal favourite type: Ground (unless its buried somewhere far back), so I thought I'd start one.

I've had a few favourite Ground-types over the years, but at the moment it's Golurk, a fantastic physical attacker with an interesting design and access to some moves you wouldn't expect just by looking at it, such as Fly. Golurk's type combination also gives it three complete immunities, and while there have been other Ground/Ghost-types since, I'd say Golurk is still the best of them.

Mudsdale is an extremely close second faourite for me; good attack and defense stats, good moveset, and its Stamina ability often comes in handy even if you're up against special attackers. To be honest Mudsdale is the only new Pokemon from Generation 7 I really love, and I plan to use it again on a Single-Strike Urshifu team when The Isle of Armour is out.

Speaking of Generation 8, I've used Sandaconda in both full playthroughs of Pokemon Sword I've done, with great success. While it's not as good an attacker as Golurk or Mudsdale, its high defense lets it endure a lot of hits, and its Sand Spit ability is again a really handy one that has helped me out in a few battles. Sandaconda is often the Pokemon I use in the big battle against Eternamax Eternatus, which it can hold its own very well against. I give Sandaconda a comfy third place.

 

[Ignition]

Ground is one of those types were it’s very hit or miss for me but a few of them are some of my all time favorites.

10) Mudsdale: A simple yet powerful design. I like how bulky it is and, although I never used one in game, it’s never failed me in competitive.
9) Nidoking: Probably my 3rd favorite Kanto Pokémon after Kingler and Primape and probably the one I’ve used the most. It has a wide movepool and it’s easy to get early on in the games it appears in so it’s fun to use. Plus I love its shade of purple
8) Mamoswine: After I found out Piloswine got an evolution, I was pretty excited and Mamoswine didn’t disappoint. Strong STAB combination with a memorable role in the anime as Dawn’s powerhouse.
7) Trapinch: It’s cute. That’s it. I like Vibrava and hate Flygon for ruining it though.
6) Torterra: Probably my second favorite Agra’s starter behind Sceptile. The concept of a walking world turtle is pretty clever. Detective Pikachu’s movie adaption also gave me more appreciation for it. Wish Ash’s has fared better.
5) Gliscor: A flying scorpion sound sounds equally cool yet terrifying. Like Mamoswine, it was nice to see an old Pokémon I liked get a buff. Ash’s was an enjoyable character with a strong showcasing.
4) Seismitoad: Easily the best Water/Ground type. GF realized they peaked with this design so they stopped making Pokémon with the type combination. It looks dopey yet strong simultaneously. Was the MVP of my original White run.
3) Garchomp: My favorite pseudo who’s also arguably the most popular. It’s the ace of the most popular Champion (who was my first) and, after watching it sweep Paul in the show with little effort, was something I looked forward to beating in game and even ended up catching my own as my my final member of my first team ever. Lots of nostalgia for this Pokémon.
2)Zygarde: My favorite legendary. The lore behind this thing is super unique and I’m a fan of all of its forms (especially Complete/100%). It had a great central role in XYZ. It also has the most signature moves (Core Enforcer being the coolest even if it’s the least useful).
1) Krookodile: My original favorite Pokémon until Incineroar came around (technically Infernape came before it but it was short lived). I love how the line merged the ideas of a crook and a croc. It also has a unique color scheme. Shiny Sandile, and, by extension, Krookodile was my first Shiny. I have fond memories of sweeping my friends with Choice Band Moxie Krookodile. Ash’s was also the best part of BW’s anime. There’s nothing bad I can say about this Pokémon honestly

Honorable mentions: Palossand, Marshtomp, Camerupt, Golurk, Runerigus.

 

[Reinhardt]

8) Mamoswine: After I found out Piloswine got an evolution, I was pretty excited and Mamoswine didn’t disappoint. Strong STAB combination with a memorable role in the anime as Dawn’s powerhouse.

I like Mamoswine too, I would always try to use it on teams in Heart Gold and Soul Silver, but because Swinub isn't available until really late game I would often cheat a little bit, I'd get to the Ice Path and catch a Swinub in one game, then trade it across to another in which I'm not as far along in the story, something like after beating Whitney or Morty.

 

[Leonhart]

Flygon is probably my favorite Ground-type, although I hardly take its Ground-type traits into account when I use it. Gablias (Garchomp) is another one of my favorites, followed by Nuoh (Quagsire).

 

[catzeye]

I love the ground type...it's definitely my favorite type.

My favorites would be
Swampert: First fully evolved starter and my all time favorite starter
Flygon: It's design is so adorable and definitely deserved a mega-evolution. I actually prefer Flygon over Garchomp (even though I like Garchomp too)
Excadrill: Had to grow on me at first, but has definitely become the MVP of my latest White 2 run
Krookodile: One of my favorite Pokemon of all time. I think it has one of my favorite in-game cries
Runerigus: Out of the Ground/Ghost (I love ghost types) this is by far my favorite. There was a fan-made g-max form of it that super cool, and now I wish it had gotten a g-max form as well.
Gliscor: Another one that had to grow on me, but Ash's one in the anime made me like it a lot (will definitely be used in a DP remake)
Zygarde (50% form in particular): One of my favorite legendaries. I like all three forms but 50% is probably my favorite
Nidoqueen: Both Nidoking/Nidoqueen are pokemon I like, but I give Nidoqueen the edge because I like that it's an all female ground line (we don't have a lot of feminine ground types)

 

[RedJirachi]

Here's my favorites per generation

• Gen I: Ultimately Golem. It was always as a young person this cool, hard to get Pokemon(I started before Wi-Fi). Sure it's devestated by Water and Grass types, but it is still a tough Pokemon and it looks pretty cool
• Gen 2: Quagsire. The OG Water/Ground, it has this fun, goofy design I love and in my Johto plays(when not using Totodile) it was pretty useful
• Gen 3: Swampert
• Gen 4: Garchomp is an amazing Pokemon to use and a devastating opponent, and it's design is just super-rad
• Gen 5: Krookodile. The gangster look, the experience I had using it in my team and utility of its abilities were all positives for me. Golurk was really close
• Gen 6: Zygarde. There wasn't much to choose from
• Gen 7: Mudsdale. Simple, effective, and Stamina is a great ability
• Gen 8: I'm not sure to choose from Sandaconda or Runerigus, however I think I should default to the former what with it not being connected to a prior generation

 

[OwensJB]

Swampert is my favorite ground type ever since I played Ruby. I guess Krookodile and Garchomp are pretty hardcore too but Swampert has the cooler design.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

1. Garchomp
2. Flygon
3. Zygarde
4. Groudon
5. Torterra
6. Nidoqueen
7. Quagsire
8. Tyranitar
9. Camerupt
10. Whiscash

Honorable mentions:

• Mudsdale
• Gastrodon
• Gliscor
• Mamoswine
• Krookodile
• Landorus
• Palossand

 

[LusoTrainer]

Marowak has always been my favourite, but there are a lot of other cool Ground-types like Sandshrew/Sandslash, Rhydon, Golem, Onix, Donphan and Piloswine.

 

[Reinhardt]

1. Garchomp
2. Flygon
3. Zygarde
4. Groudon
5. Torterra
6. Nidoqueen
7. Quagsire
8. Tyranitar
9. Camerupt
10. Whiscash

Honorable mentions:

• Mudsdale
• Gastrodon
• Gliscor
• Mamoswine
• Krookodile
• Landorus
• Palossand

I've always enjoyed using Flygon in OR/AS, but I often have problems with Camerupt whenever I use it. I really want to like it, but it always struggles whenever I put it on a team, and inevitably ends up as a weak link. I've heard good things about Whiscash, and almost had it as my Water-type in my most recent Shield playthrough, perhaps I'll give it a try some day.

 

[KingstonUponHulbury]

Ground's also my favourite type, so I'll really challenge myself to keep it to my top five. I would have a hard time picking out ten!

1: Golem - The OG! His design is super-gnarly and he makes Gen 1 birds not named Articuno cry. Rock's become an increasing liability as time goes on but it also helps Golem retain offensive teeth in the modern game. Should've gotten a Mega.

2: Donphan - I love bulky quadrupeds, and Donphan embodies those design tropes. It's held back by his lack of STAB on anything other than Earthquake but the stats are actually fairly ridiculous; there's a wonderful simplicity to the strategy of taking most attacks well and hitting hard in return.

3: Hippowdon - Donphan takes attacks well; Hippowdon doesn't even feel them. My competitive awakening occurred in Gen V and Hippowdon spear-headed my success so much that my sand teams became a bit of a meme within my group.

4: Nidoking - One of my all-time favourite designs, though I'm permanently disappointed that he looks really quite small in modern games. His stats were balanced in Gen 1 and look pretty paltry now, but there's no other Pokémon in the game that gets so much mileage out of Sheer Force.

5: Swampert - No wonder everyone has fond memories of Swampert, it's probably the best ever starter for an in-game run-through. I don't think you could get a better typing and stat distribution for Swampert's playstyle, it can hit so many things for SE damage while taking neutral hits all day. Shame it never got Recover.

 

[jaden767]

From each generation:

1. Nidoking
2. Quagsire
3. Camerupt
4. Garchomp
5. Excadrill
6. Zygarde
7. Mudsdale
8. Sandaconda

 

[TwilightBlade]

In truth I think the Ground type is my least favourite Pokemon type tied with Rock so there are only a few Ground Pokemon that I think look spiffy like Nidoking, Garchomp and Flygon. I'm sort of neutral about most others even if I've used them on my teams.

 

[NovaBrunswick]

1: Golem - The OG! His design is super-gnarly and he makes Gen 1 birds not named Articuno cry. Rock's become an increasing liability as time goes on but it also helps Golem retain offensive teeth in the modern game. Should've gotten a Mega.

At least he got an Alolan form.

In truth I think the Ground type is my least favourite Pokemon type tied with Rock so there are only a few Ground Pokemon that I think look spiffy like Nidoking, Garchomp and Flygon. I'm sort of neutral about most others even if I've used them on my teams.

I'm also neutral about the Ground type, but I do like it more than Rock.

 

[RedBlastoise]

As unoriginal as it sounds I really like Garchomp, Flygon and Rhyperior. Ground types are sort of hit or miss though when you think about it because for every awesome Ground Pokemon you get a ton of awful ones like Hippowdon, Quagsire and Mudsdale.

 

[KingstonUponHulbury]

As unoriginal as it sounds I really like Garchomp, Flygon and Rhyperior. Ground types are sort of hit or miss though when you think about it because for every awesome Ground Pokemon you get a ton of awful ones like Hippowdon, Quagsire and Mudsdale.

Ha, we're literally diametrically opposed in our tastes in Ground-types! I love Hippo and Quaggy and can't stand Garchomp and Rhypinocchio.

 

[((JAWS))]

Garchomp all day baby

 

[Monox D. I-Fly]

Swampert and Groudon for the same reason as this:

Swampert - love its "derpy yet powerful" looks, typing and bulk.
Sandslash - adorable and very fast in sandstorm.
Nidoking - looks cool and has a great movepool, not to mention Sheer Force.
Groudon - a counterpart to my favourite legendary, Kyogre, with an amazing Primal Forme.
I also really like: Golem, Flygon, Golurk, Garchomp, Krookodile, Donphan, Quagsire and Mudsdale.

 

[carterfeygo]

Swampert, Garchomp, Gliscor and Nidoking are my favorite ones! Swampert was my starter in Ruby and Alpha Sapphire and I loved it so much

 

[Ishiftyounot]

Sandslash - So Sandslash was the Pokemon that got me into the franchise, funny how that works right? A friend from school gave me a few of their Pokemon cards and Sandslash was definitely the coolest out of them. I remember researching it on the Pokemon website's Pokedex and trying to draw it, was a lot of fun! Never properly used one before on a team but I'd like to, both it and it's Alola Form are super cool and deserve more love.

Flygon - This one is definitely my favourite Ground type and possibly my favourite Dragon type too. It's so slick design-wise and it hits pretty damn hard too. Flygon was part of the era of what I like to call the "accessible Dragon type" alongside Altaria - a Dragon type which didn't evolve too late, wasn't a complete nightmare to train and could be caught by the mid-game with little issue. It was the first Dragon type I ever properly used I think? I love it. Goh getting it in the anime soon has me hyped as hell (even if I think I'd prefer Ash to use it) too.

Gliscor - You're going to see a lot of Sinnoh Ground types on this list, want to take a guess as to what my first region is? Gliscor has a very cool design that I distinctly remember drawing when I was younger (or getting my dad to draw it for me) and loved seeing it in the anime! My friend used one too to great success, although I didn't because a Flying type that can't learn Fly is kind-of a dealbreaker for me in the earlier generations. It's pretty good!

Torterra - My current favourite Sinnoh starter, and the one I did not use! Poor Torterra, slow Pokemon just aren't my thing for in-game playthroughs. A tortoise with a continent on it's back is amazing and has Terry Pratchett vibes all over it, and Torterra got some sweet moves and anime focus to go along with that. Can't say much more about it really?

Steelix - Steel type snek is cool! Steelix just looks so menacing and formidable, like an iron wall you just will not be able to break through. A pity that it often tends to be the opposite, at least for in-game stuff (my competitive days are over me thinks). But damn, Steelix is a cool Pokemon! I've never used one, lo and behold, but I would like to. Maybe a Ground monotype is in the works to actually use a few of these Pokemon...