Pokémon contests can be a great way to break up the cycle of battles that makes up most Pokémon games. They feature in both the Hoenn and Sinnoh regions, most recently appearing as Super Contests in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. Super Contests feature a timing-based rhythm game where Pokémon can use their moves to have certain effects on their score, earning Appeal by playing to the various judges.
The Tough category favors Normal, Rock, and Ground type Pokémon, but others are also represented. Some Pokémon make better Tough competitors than others, with access to certain combinations of moves that give them a sure shot at victory.
10 Bibarel Can Bash And Bite Its Way To Victory
Tough Super Contests don't have a lot of opportunities for tricky combos, so sometimes the best competitors are just the straightforward ones. Bibarel is very easy to catch in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, as it is the evolved form of one of the first Pokémon players come across. It has access to moves like Bite, Headbutt, Super Fang, and Strength, all of which earn a solid three Appeal when used in Super Contests. Bibarel isn't the fanciest competitor, but it makes a solid effort.
9 Golem Is A Great Representative Of The Rock And Ground Types
Golem makes great use of the many Rock and Ground type moves that are effective in Tough Super Contest. It can learn Rock Slide, Rock Throw, Strength, and Tackle, all basic Tough moves that earn it three Appeal.
It also has access to moves like Earthquake and Rock Smash which earn extra Appeal if used last in the turn. Unfortunately, Golem does not learn the necessary moves to ensure it goes last, so it's better off with the brute force approach.
8 Machamp Is As Tough As They Come
Fighting type Pokémon tend to excel in the Cool category, but Machamp makes a decent Tough competitor as well. It learns Low Kick, Rock Slide, and Seismic Toss, all of which earn three Appeal. A Machamp transferred all the way from Generation I can even have Take Down, which also earns three Appeal, or Skull Bash, which earns four Appeal if no other Pokémon chooses the same judge. Machamp doesn't have a lot of set-up moves, but it can easily push its way to a Tough victory.
7 Flareon Is Surprisingly Tough For Its Size
The Tough category rewards Pokémon willing to play slow, as might be expected. Flareon might seem like an odd choice for Tough contests, seeming more at home in the Cute or Cool categories. But with access to both Curse and Scary Face, Flareon makes a surprisingly good Tough competitor. Scary Face enables the user to move last on the next turn, while Curse earns more Appeal the later in the turn it is used. This combination makes Flareon an unlikely contender for Toughest Pokémon.
6 Gastrodon Gets Memento For The First Time
Every Pokémon Super Contest category has a handful of moves that are huge risks, but also carry huge rewards if they pay off.There are three of these moves in the Tough category: Double-Edge, Fissure, and Memento.
These moves earn no Appeal unless every Pokémon chooses to focus on the same judge, in which case they earn an astonishing 15 Appeal. For the first time in Pokémon history, Gastrodon got access to Memento in Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, allowing it to compete in the Tough category with this all-or-nothing approach.
5 Onix Has Control Over Voltage
Onix and Steelix are pretty obvious choices for the Tough category, and luckily they have the moves to back up their impressive appearance. They can use several of the basic Appeal moves, like Rock Slide and Strength, but they are also able to manipulate the Voltage system to earn even more points. Stone Edge earns four Appeal if the Judge's Voltage goes up, while Head Smash earns a whopping five Appeal if the Pokémon that just went reached max Voltage. Onix has a little more control over things, allowing it to really excel in Tough contests.
4 Gengar Can Win, But It Feels Like Cheating
The mischievous and wicked Gengar might not seem at all like the right match for a Tough contest, but it has access to several moves that interact with the Voltage system and propel it to victory. Grudge earns two Appeal and lowers the Voltage of all the contest's Judges. Lick raises the score if the Voltage is low, while Rain Dance prevents the Voltage from going up and earns two Appeal. Ghost type Pokémon aren't known for their toughness, but Gengar can pull enough strings to eke out a win.
3 Skuntank Finally Gets One Over On The Ground Types
Like many Rock and Ground type Pokémon, the Tough category likes to take things slow. But Rock and Ground types aren't the only ones who can manipulate the speed system. Skuntank can learn both Sludge Bomb and Scary Face to help it compete with the likes of Golem and Onix.
Scary Face makes the user move last next turn, while Sludge Bomb earns four Appeal if used last. Skuntank's Poison typing means that it probably wants to avoid Ground types in battle, but it actually has a leg up in Super Contests.
2 Nidoqueen Is Exceptionally Talented
Pokémon of many types can compete in Tough Super Contests, but it's no surprise that Ground types are some of the best. Nidoqueen uses the strategy common to the Tough category: taking things slow. It can learn one of the two moves that allow the user to move last, Mud Shot. This move, which also scores two Appeal, can be followed up with an Earthquake or Bomb, each earning four Appeal if used las in the turn.
1 Marowak Sets Itself Up For Victory
Marowak demonstrates a lot of internal and emotional toughness by surviving without its mother, and it can leverage this to win at Tough Super Contests. Skull Bash can earn up to four Appeal if no other Pokémon choose the same Judge, rewarding a Marowak for its loner nature. Additionally, Marowak's signature move Bonemerang can be used two turns in a row to earn a consistent two Appeal, guiding it to an easy victory.