Pokemon Legends: Z-A is receiving a new trailer for its Mega Dimension DLC shortly, and it has already revealed five new Mega Evolutions as well as the main gameplay loop of the expansion. Even before the hyped DLC is released, though, you can have more content to tackle in the game if you haven’t completed all Side Missions or 15 Challenger Ticket battles for the Infinite Z-A Royale (or even 20 for an extra, special Side Mission). Critters like Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Zygarde, Xerneas, and Yveltal are all available after the main story ends, but now they can also be used in ranked battles as of Season 3. As powerful as they are, though, a new threat is washing them all away.
Battles in Pokemon Legends: Z-A are very different from what the series has offered so far, as the turn-based combat always revolved around Speed tiers, strategies to have slow Pokemon go first, or moves like Tailwind to make speedy mons even faster. However, Speed is not that important in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, unless you specifically want a critter to have faster cooldowns. This is a marginal benefit in the current meta, so naturally bulky Pokemon can be much better than the competition, and that’s why Vaporeon is such a powerful tidal wave now.
Related
It’s Official: Say Hello to Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s New Mega Darkrai and Heatran
Pokemon Legends: Z-A has 26 confirmed new Mega Evolutions, but dataminers have already found a new Mega for both Darkrai and Heatran.
Vaporeon is Virtually Unbeatable in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
Considering that Pokemon Legends: Z-A makes Pikachu OP and competitively viable, it’s no wonder that an underdog like Vaporeon can shine. However, you may have underestimated how much it can really carry in your ranked battles. There are a few reasons why Vaporeon is OP in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, and they are as follows:
- Vaporeon has access to Calm Mind, which buffs its Special Attack and Special Defense stats. Personally, I run a 252 HP, 100 Defense, 156 Sp. Attack, Modest nature Vaporeon with Expert Belt to be bulkier against physical attackers, and it works wonders with Surf, Hydro Pump, and Ice Beam as offensive moves.
- Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s best Dragon-types are all over ranked battles, and Garchomp or Zygarde are basically guaranteed to show up at least on one team per game. Unless they run bulkier sets or items like Focus Sash, a boosted Vaporeon will one-shot them with Ice Beam even without STAB.
-
The format is filled to the brim with Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Charizard, Excadrill, Yveltal, Delphox, Chandelure, Dragonite, Stunfisk, and Hippowdon. These are all very powerful, but they will be most of the time one-shot by Vaporeon with Surf, Hydro Pump, or Ice Beam if Calm Mind is up.
- Most players use a standard 252 HP, 252 Attack or Special Attack set for their Pokemon, meaning they will often lack bulk. This allows Calm Mind-buffed Plus Moves in Pokemon Legends: Z-A to one-shot almost anything.
- Vaporeon is only weak to Grass and Electric, whereas it resists Steel, Fire, Water, and Ice.
-
The biggest threats to Vaporeon are:
- Ampharos – It’s a bulkier Pokemon with access to Light Screen, and many players use Magnet with Thunderbolt on it, which can one-shot Vaporeon or take it down to low HP.
- Glaceon – It has access to Freeze-Dry, which can deal massive damage to Vaporeon if buffed by Calm Mind and items like Life Orb or Never-Melt Ice, if not one-shot it.
- Metagross – It resists Ice, it’s quite fast and bulky, it has very high Attack, and it has access to Thunder Punch, meaning Vaporeon may be in a pinch against Metagross. Heavy Slam timed right will also dodge all of Vaporeon’s attacks.
- Pikachu – Although it will be one-shot by a powered-up Vaporeon due to its low stats, it can also one-shot it in return with a Charge up while holding Light Ball and using Volt Tackle.
- Xerneas – If it’s boosted by Geomancy, and it uses Thunderbolt/Thunder, Xerneas could one-shot Vaporeon, depending on its held item, or take it down to low HP.
Grass-types in Pokemon Legends: Z-A’s ranked battles are not very common, and even then, they are weak to Ice Beam. For example, the new Mega Chesnaught is quite bulky, but it will still be one-shot by a Calm Mind-boosted Vaporeon using Ice Beam.
Why Vaporeon Can Win You Any Match in Pokemon Legends: Z-A
All these reasons make Vaporeon one of the very best Pokemon to use in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, as it can counter most of the meta. On top of that, Pokemon like Skarmory, Gyarados, and Mega Feraligatr, which are very powerful physical attackers and rather common, can still have a hard match-up against Vaporeon if it’s buffed with Calm Mind and attacks first. I have a size S shiny Vaporeon I use all the time, and be it the size or the fact that not many players know how powerful it is, I have an easy time sniping opponents across the map.
Systems
Released
October 16, 2025
ESRB
Everyone 10+ / Fantasy Violence, In-Game Purchases
