The Pokémon line contains hundreds of cute, creepy, and silly creatures. Many of their designs mimic the appearances of real-life animals and objects. Frog Pokémon are some of the most beloved characters in the franchise and can make great additions to your in-game party.
The Pokémon company, Game Freak, created 15 unique frog-based Pokémon between Generation I and Generation IX. Although many of these are starter Pokémon in the videogames, their evolved variations can pack a big punch against opponents. Explore the characteristics of these charming characters below.
Tympole
Like most Pokémon, Tympole’s name is highly reminiscent of its real-world counterpart. In this case, a tadpole. Most gamers will recognize this cute little happy frog by its stubby body and big head.
Tympole isn’t the strongest fighter when it comes to battle. It won’t take long for a slightly higher-level opponent to KO this Pokémon. Still, Tympole undoubtedly wins the hearts of many gamers with its big cheeks and enthusiastic attitude.
Pokédex entries mention that this little water Pokémon communicates with others by singing high-pitched melodies underwater. This feature would be consistent with other musical characters the Pokémon company added to the franchise, like Jigglypuff.
Frogadier
Frogadier is the angsty, middle-evolution form of Froakie and Greninja. This Pokémon has many frog-like qualities, including a slimy body, bulbous fingers, and a wide mouth. Frogadier can also move around on two legs in battle, like a human.
Pokémon fans usually have little else to say about this character. Still, you can appreciate some details that went into Frogadier’s design. The Pokémon company emphasized many of its anime characteristics when creating this frog for the games.
The Pokédex lists Frogadier as a bubble frog Pokémon with a base HP of 54. It won’t survive long in a fight unless you protect it with higher-level creatures (see our guide to bat Pokémon for some great recommendations).
Poliwhirl
Poliwhirl is second in its evolution line and has some very cute aspects of its design. It may surprise you that the original inspiration for Poliwhirl comes from the transparent skin of tadpoles and other frogs.
The first thing you probably notice about this Pokémon is the swirl in the middle of its belly. If Poliwhirl is supposed to represent the translucent body of a frog, you can probably assume this line represents its guts… Yikes.
Still, the original concept of Poliwhirl includes some other really cool features. According to the Pokédex, staring at its belly for too long can cause you to become sleepy. Poliwhirl comes from one of the only water-type evolutions in the Pokémon franchise that imitates each stage of an actual frog’s life cycle.
Ivysaur
Ivysaur is the second-stage evolution in the Bulbasaur line. This creature doesn’t look quite as awkward as other teenage Pokémon. Many fans love Ivysaur’s design for its protruding flower bud and stubby little legs.
Ivysaur is an excellent addition if you prefer water-type Pokémon in your party. Although it looks a little more like a dinosaur than a frog Pokémon, you can still see some resemblance to the real-world animal.
Although Ivysaur only has a base HP of 60, its special defense of 80 slightly makes up for any lack of performance.
Poliwag
Poliwag is the first generation in its evolution line. It doesn’t look too different from Poliwhirl except for its lack of hands and the addition of a small white tail. As you can probably tell, Poliwag is another Pokémon that resembles a tadpole.
This Pokémon may seem weak initially, but it can grow to become a formidable fighter on your team. Poliwag can level up to a max HP of 284 with a good speed stat of 306.
Politoed
The Pokémon company really outdid itself with the design of this creature.
Few characters resemble all the qualities of a frog more than Politoed. This Pokémon has many extreme frog features, such as a green body, large mouth, and squat stature.
Politoed is a cute final variation of the Poliwhirl evolution line. It is also one of the only frog Pokémon that can use the Drizzle ability. These amphibious pocket monsters are a must-have if you want to expand your party to include a frog team.
Croagunk
Like in the real world, not all frogs in Pokémon are green. Croagunk is a blue frog Pokémon that uses its toxins to slow down its opponents. However, unlike real frogs, it spits at its enemies to administer the lethal poison. Many people love these creatures for their vibrant color pallet and mischievous personalities.
Many Pokedex entries suggest that Croagunk does not like a fair fight. Trainers should prepare for dirty tricks and quick attacks when confronting these creatures. Croagunk appears in many games like Diamond and Pearl.
Froakie
Froakie is the first evolution of the Greninja line.
Fans have cherished this Pokémon since its Generation VI debut. This cute little frog secretes flexible bubbles all over its body called frubbles. According to the Pokedex, these bubbles reduce any damage Froakie sustains in battle.
Like Politoeds, Froakies are also some of the only frog creatures that actually look just like real-world frogs.
Although this Pokémon does not have a high defense, it makes up for it with speed.
Palpitoad
What do you get when you stretch Tympole out and add a pair of feet? Fans would agree it would probably look like a Paliptoad.
Paliptoad is one of the silliest-looking frog Pokémon in the franchise. Though its name sounds like a weird version of the word toad, it doesn’t really look anything like one.
Palpitoad has a decent base HP score for being just one evolved form higher than Tympole. However, most people like this toad Pokémon because of its goofy design. Palpitoad has an awkward smile and plenty of character in both the anime and games.
Poliwrath
The mighty Poliwrath is the final form of its evolution line (assuming you did not evolve your Poliwhirl into a Politoed). This frog Pokémon has an overall decent offense and can make a great addition to your team.
Unlike its pre-evolutions, Politwrath appears much stronger and much angrier. This character is in many mainline titles, including Pokémon Sword & Shield, Pokémon Black & White, and Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire.
However, many fans were disappointed that Poliwrath did not appear in Pokémon Violet or Pokémon Scarlet for Nintendo Switch.
Seismitoad
Seismitoad isn’t the prettiest Pokémon, but it sure does leave an impression. This frog-like Pokémon is the final evolution of its line. Its unibody frame includes vibrating lumps resembling warts on the back of a real-world toad.
Seismitoad has an impressive base HP score of 105. Trainers can maximize these stats to 414, making this Pokémon a challenging obstacle to take down.
Although a Seismitoad may look menacing to some, they still have a sweet spot for their trainers.
Venusaur
Most of the final forms in Pokémon do not compare to the iconic look of Venusaur. This frog Pokémon looks like a beastly bullfrog mixed with a prehistoric dinosaur. Most fans recognize this creature for the vibrant red lily pad blooming out of its back.
Venusaur appeared during the first generation of Pokémon media and became essential to many trainers’ teams. You can begin evolving this creature at level 16.
The design looks similar to its littler form, Bulbasaur. Both Pokémon have blue skin, jagged teeth, and cautious eyes.
Toxicroak
Tokicroak is the more mature-looking form of Croagunk. This frog Pokémon has a large poisonous sack protruding from his neck, used to attack his opponents. It’s no wonder Toxicroak has an incredible 106 base attack stat which you can max out at 342.
Unlike its smaller form, this Pokémon also has a large pair of claws which can be a real threat to other Pokémon on the field.
As of this writing, Toxicroak is the final evolution of its line. Fans are eager to see what the Pokémon company has in store for this character down the line.
Greninja
Greninja is the scarf-veiled ninja frog that fans all know and love. This third-generation form of Froakie indeed came a long way in terms of style and abilities. In the anime, Greninja (appropriately named Ash-Greninja) was the first Pokémon that Ash caught in the Kalos Region,
Aside from its awesome design, the best part about Greninja is its base Speed stat of 122. Fortunately, you can evolve your Frogadier at level 36 to see this Pokémon’s skills firsthand.
Bulbasaur
Last but certainly not least: Bulbasaur.
Even non-fans of the Pokémon franchise can recognize a Bulbasaur when they see one. These cherished starter characters are some gamers’ first introduction to water-type creatures when they play a Pokémon game. Bulbasaur is both charismatic and effective on the field, especially when using its specialty Vine Whip move.
This adorable frog Pokémon has the privilege of being #001 in the Pokédex. Bulbasaur appears in many of the same games as other iconic Pokémon, like Pikachu, and holds a special place in fans’ hearts.
Learn How To Build The Best Pokémon Team With That VideoGame Blog
Frog Pokémon make some of the best additions to a water-type team. If you are new to this franchise, you may have questions about starting your Pokémon adventure. At That VideoGame Blog, we help gamers unpack the ins and outs of building a Pokémon party.
Continue exploring our blogs to learn more about starters in Pokémon Gen IX. Our team teaches you some of the best tips and tricks when starting your game. Additionally, we’ll keep you up to speed with industry news and releases.
Dane started off gaming at the tender age of 3 with the first Atari console. His favorite video game genres are turn-based RPGs (can I get a shout out for Tactics Ogre?) and fighting games. Read more...
