The most chill Pokemon around, the Ice Pokemon, have some fantastic fighters in their midst. Ice is presently one of the least numerous types in the series, but don't let such thoughts tarnish their reputation. It's a great type when used effectively, and many of our frosty monster friends are solid picks for all sorts of teams.

Take Ice's inherent strength against Dragon Pokemon, for example. Dragons are prominent fixtures in plenty of climactic encounters, meaning Ice-types earn their keep when it counts. With their glacial coolness and some awesome designs, Ice-types deserve more love. Here are some of our favorites.

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Updated May 30, 2022, by Cameron Roy Hall: Since Ice Pokemon have been around since the first generation, it would be easy to believe that they should have an ample set of 'mons to show for it, and yet... there are barely 50 of them, making Ice Pokemon the smallest group in the game by a pretty significant margin. So let's show them some love. Here are our favorites of the bunch in a refurbished iteration of an older article.

18 Frost Rotom

Rotom-Freeze smiling

In its natural state (if such a word can even be used here), Rotom is an Electric/Ghost-type Pokemon that first appeared in the fourth generation. Unlike other ghostly apparitions, this little spark has a thing for possessing electronics, and sometimes it possesses a refrigerator, thus transforming it into Frost Rotom.

The haunted appliance has a solid Special Attack stat and an incredible pool of STAB moves. It's also relatively quick with a promising Speed stat, but shouldn't necessarily be relied upon for a speed strategy. Now, Frost Rotom learns Blizzard immediately upon transformation, but cannot gain any other Ice-type moves, so it's still primarily an Electric-type.

17 Walrein

Walrein roaring

Walrein was first introduced in the third generation. Over the years, it's still one of the most popular Ice-types for trainers to feature on their teams. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Walrein's only subpar stat is its Speed. This massive Pokemon will likely get hit first in most battles, but it has high enough HP and Defensive stats that it can sustain a good deal of punishment.

Trainers would be wise to take advantage of its high Special Attack. Walrein has a number of Ice and Water Special moves in its learnset that will get STAB. A combination of any of these will make Walrien a useful Pokemon to have in most battles. Plus, even when it's made it looks so huggable!

16 Avalugg

Avalugg looming

In Pokemon: Legends Arceus, Avalugg got a Hisuian variant that gained a secondary typing. The walking tank became an Ice/Rock-type Pokemon to be feared with a powerful Attack state and an equally prominent Defense stat. Conversely, its Special Attack and Special Defense are rather low, along with its speed, so make sure that it's fighting the appropriate opponents.

There are three abilities available to Avalugg; Strong Jaw, Ice Body, and Sturdy, with the last one being its hidden ability. Strong Jaw is pretty funny because it amps up biting moves and, as can be clearly seen, Avalugg's jaw is a terrifying nightmare weapon.

15 Eiscue

Eiscue'S frozen and normal heads

This penguin-like Pokemon is a formidable force for physical attackers. Thanks to its Ice Face ability, it has to be hit once to remove the block on its head before it will take any physical damage. In other words, Eiscue gets a free hit on its opponent in many scenarios.

Special-based moves will strike beyond the block, but Ice Face is still quite handy situationally. It's not uncommon to go up against foes whose entire move sets revolve around either Attack or Special Attack stats, respectively. If you can predict the former, Eiscue has it made.

14 Aurorus

Aurorus with Meowth and James

One of the more aesthetically beautiful former fossils around, Aurorus is an Ice/Rock-type Pokemon. While this makes it very vulnerable to Fighting and Steel-type moves, it has many ways of ensuring victory. A nice base stat total of 521 with high HP and strong Special Attack means Aurorus can pack a punch and live to tell the tale.

Another part of what makes Aurorus great is its abilities. Snow Warning, its Hidden Ability, will create Hail for five turns, meaning non-Ice types will take damage every turn. Its regular Ability, Refrigerate, means it'll turn all Normal-type moves into Ice-type moves, giving them an impressive power boost.

13 Galarian Darmanitan

Back when Pokemon Sword & Shield first launched, there was an almost instantaneous outcry against Galarian Darmanitan's usage in regular matches. This sort of thing has happened before in prior generations, leading some to suspect it would be permitted outside of Uber-tier battling again just as soon as the right counters were discovered.

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This never happened. Why is Galarian Darmanitan such an all-star? Two words: Gorilla Tactics. This snow-white stud's standard Ability grants a stellar 50 percent boost to its Attack stat by locking it into the first move it uses in any given fight. Yes, it's functionally the same as the Choice Band item but Gorilla Tactics stacks with Choice Band, doubling Galarian Darmanitan's Attack from an eye-opening 140 base to a catastrophe-inducing 280.

12 Cloyster

Cloyster smirking

Since its introduction in Generation 1, Cloyster has been a widely-used and well-liked Pokemon. It's an Ice/Water-type with a high 180 for Defense, one of the highest in the series. And with Shell Armor, Cloyster's never going to be the victim of a critical hit, either.

Cloyster also has access to Icicle Spear, a multi-hit move that can strike up to five times. Should you be in possession of one whose Ability is not Shell Armor, but Skill Link, this move will always hit five times, which can often mean the difference between a couple of icy pecks on the cheek and a downright deadly strike.

11 Alolan Ninetales

Alolan Vulpix and Ninetales

Another Pokemon that was widely considered "broken" when it was introduced is Alolan Ninetales. Unlike its original Kanto form, which is a pure Fire-type, Alolan Ninetales is an Ice/Fairy-type and is arguably the most popular seventh-generation regional form.

A base stat total of 505, including a Speed stat of 109, lets the foxy fighter smack swiftly with a powerful paw. And that's not all. Being an Ice/Fairy-type critter, Alolan Ninetales is a dragon-killing machine. Your opponents would be wise to withdraw their draconian measures at first sight of it.

10 Abomasnow

Abomasnow roaring

If you hadn’t guessed already from its name, Abomasnow is, in fact, the abominable snowman. Also known as the Frost Tree Pokemon, it looks a good bit like a Christmas tree with a heap of snow on its branches.

Abomasnow has an Ability called Snow Warning, which triggers a raging hailstorm from the start of a match. This means that the relatively low accuracy of moves such as Blizzard will be ignored, ensuring a direct hit. Blizzard's designated drawback is its 70 percent accuracy, which is intended to prompt players into weighing whether or not its 110 base power is worth the risk. Needless to say, it's always worth the risk with this big fellow. Just keep it far, far away from any Fire-type foes.

9 Vanilluxe

Vanilluxe smiling

No evolutionary line embodies some people's dismay at how broadly Pokemon designs have branched out quite like Vanillite's. Vanilluxe, its final form, trades one scoop of delicious ice cream for two. According to the Pokedex, Vanilluxe is made when two Vanillites partially melt in the sun, refreezing together overnight. That's... honestly pretty messed up.

Despite its sugary appearance, Vanilluxe has solid Attack, outstanding Special Attack, and enough Special Defense to withstand a few close calls. It can also heal a sixth of its max HP per turn when the weather condition Hail is in effect, which, when you think about it, makes even more sense than it probably should.

8 Weavile

Weavile swiping claws

Weavile is a Dark/Ice-type, and not only is it one of the best Dark Pokemon, but it’s also one of the best Ice-types. It has solid stats: high Speed and high Attack. It doesn’t learn many Ice-type moves naturally, but Weavile's TM compatibility more than makes up for that fact. Even without the wealth of Ice-type moves, it still uses the dual-typing to its advantage, and immunity to Psychic-types helps to shut down several would-be destroyers.

Among the smartest techniques you can teach Weavile is Icy Wind, which deals damage while also lowering the enemy’s Speed. Combine that with Weavile’s base Speed stat, and you can be sure this clever weasel will always get that pivotal first hit.

7 Kyurem

Kyurem glowing

It goes without saying that Dragon Pokemon are awesome, so an Ice and Dragon dual-type like Kyurem gets bonus points. This also nullifies the super-effective damage that Ice moves would usually cause to a Dragon-types, rendering Kyurem (somewhat) safe from the number one reason Ice-types are so marvelous. Being a legendary, Kyurem has brilliant stats, particularly in terms of HP, Attack, and Special attack.

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It can learn a good mix of Ice- and Dragon-type moves. Plus, its Pressure ability raises the opponent’s PP usage; sync Pressure with moves like Substitute and Roost, and Kyurem can even function as a defensive staller.

6 Froslass

Froslass hovering

A veritable frosty lass, Froslass can claim her unique Ice-and-Ghost typing entirely for herself. It’s a pretty good mix, too, with total immunity to Normal- and Fighting-type moves. Set her up with Icy Wind, Spikes, and Destiny Bond, and Froslass will more than earn her reputation as a man-slayer.

Wait, what? That's right, Froslass is a murderess. Numerous Pokedex entries either allude to this or outright state it. She's known to stalk men she considers attractive, freezing their bodies and using them as decorations. Pokemon Ultra Moon helpfully adds, "If you hear it knocking at your door, do not open it!" Great advice, Ultra Moon.

5 Mamoswine

Mamoswine frowning sinnoh pokemon anime dawn

An Ice/Ground-type, Mamoswine is a hefty Pokemon with a strong base Attack. It has huge tusks made of solid ice, and its Hidden Ability, Thick Fat, makes it more resistant to Ice and Fire-type moves. Mamoswine is also pretty rare, since most of its kind disappeared during an Ice Age. So, that's cool.

It also has access to ruthless moves like Take Down and Earthquake, the latter of which is so ridiculously useful that you never build a team without at least a single instance of it. This mammoth's a standout wall-breaker who still gets plenty of mileage in Generation VIII.

4 Regice

Regice standing still

Regice is a hulky Pokemon, with an extremely high Special Defense. Another oldie – the Pokedex reckons that Regice was formed during the Ice Age. Hopefully, that didn't involve killing any Mamoswine in the process. Its entire body is made of ice, so cold that it won’t even melt when submerged in lava. Sadly, gameplay mechanics don't always listen to trivia, seeing as Regice's weakness to Fire-type assaults remains.

Its move set offers lots of coverage, including Electric, Fighting, Ice, Psychic, and Ground. Pokemon games are clearly never going to change the whole six-per-team rule, and many competitive rulesets make that three instead; the perks of versatility are self-explanatory.

3 Articuno

Articuno using blizzard as snow rains down.

One of the first legendary Pokemon to ever grace our screens was Articuno, from the fabled trio of legendary birds. It has good all-around stats, but excels in Special Defense. Immunity to Flying-type moves ups the ante.

It is said that Articuno appears to people who are lost in the mountains. This implies that Articuno rescues them, right? But the Pokedex classifies those people as "doomed," so technically, the jury's out. On the brighter side, Articuno creates snow as it flaps its wings in flight. On the relevant side, it can learn some fierce moves such as Brave Bird and Freeze-Dry. The latter is super effective against Water-type Pokemon, an unusual quirk that can really come in handy.

2 Glaceon

Glaceon looking surprised

Eeevee and its "Eeveelutions" are fan favorites for a reason, and Glaceon deserves its place in the spotlight. Its design is simple but cool, and it boasts a strong Special Attack stat, with decent Special Defense to follow.

Like a fancy frosty porcupine, Glaceon can freeze its fur and turn its hairs into spiky needles which can then be fired into opponents. It can also control its own body temperature. Don’t you wish you could do that? With an arsenal of different moves at its disposal, Glaceon is a cute but deadly fighter, and a top-tier Ice Pokemon to boot.

1 Lapras

Lapras flying?

Lapras is a classic and the first major Ice Pokemon for many old-school players. It has high HP and Special Defense, but not at the expense of dreadful Attack and Special Attack. Put another way, Lapras can serve as a stalwart tank but still dish out the pain. Ice/Water is admittedly a fairly common pairing, but that doesn't make it bad — flipping that typing on its head, Water won't do much to Lapras, and Ice does even less.

Many fans love Lapras for its "gentle heart" and its reputation for ferrying people across seas and oceans. It's also thought to be highly intelligent, to the point that it can understand human speech. Then again, it seems like most Pokemon can do that, at least in the anime... so perhaps that's not as big a boast as it ought to be.

Lapras can also provide some surprising coverage. Thunderbolt? Dragon Breath? Solar Beam? Maybe that increased intelligence is no joke after all.

NEXT: Pokemon Sword & Shield: How To Fish