Sometimes the best strategy for winning a Pokémon battle is outlasting your opponent. Staying alive long enough for poison or a sandstorm to knock out their Pokémon is a fun way to "stall" the battle and ensure a victory out of sheer stamina prowess.
In order to do this, and more generally just last in battle beyond a few hits, you'll need a Pokémon with a decent amount of HP. Luckily, there are some candidates for the role, thanks to their extremely high HP stats. Here are the top Pokémon by HP stat, giving you a great list of beefy monsters with which to outlast your enemy.
Updated on December 10th, 2020 by Michael Christopher: With an ever-evolving series like Pokemon, it's important to keep on top of lists like these. New Pokemon are introduced all the time, and it's also fun to remember those from past generations that just missed the mark for a list of the best stats. We felt like it would be a good idea to revisit this list and add some new faces, as well as looking to past generations for who could run with the best of them.
15 Tie — Melmetal and Munchlax
Sometimes random Pokemon have surprisingly-high base stats, and Munchlax is a great example. It's a Baby Pokemon, which typically means that it has terrible stats, but amazingly, Munchlax ties with an evolved Mythical for its base HP, clocking in at 135 points alongside Melmetal.
These two are both pretty bulky, so such a high HP stat isn't a surprise. But, it is a bit comical that Munchlax, a Baby Pokemon, runs in the same league alongside something as powerful as Melmetal.
14 Solgaleo and Lunala
As Legendary counterparts, Lunala and Solgaleo have similar stats. They have the same base stat total of 680, with slightly different distributions. Solgaleo has higher physical stats, with 137 and 107 in attack and defense respectively, while Lunala focuses on special, with 137 and 107 in special attack and special defense, respectively again.
They both have the same high HP though, with 137 base points in the stat. They also have the same speed, at 97 points.
13 Wigglytuff
It seems that being somewhat round, bulky, and pink in the Pokemon world means you'll have a high HP stat. Just look at Chansey, Audino, Miltank, and many other examples. Wigglytuff is also a member of this group of Pokemon, being pink, round, bulky, and able to take several hits before going down.
Wigglytuff's base HP stat is a fantastic 140, placing it above several Legendaries and Mega Evolutions. Its other stats, unfortunately, don't live up, but they aren't horrible. It boasts a decent 75 points in special attack and 70 in physical attack. But, its HP is where Wigglytuff shines.
12 Eternatus
Another Pokemon that clocks in at 140 base HP is Eternatus, one of the most recently-introduced Legendaries. It could register in the same entry as Wigglytuff as a tie, but it stands alone here because they're interesting for separate reasons.
Eternatus has an Eternamax form which is currently unobtainable as a Pokemon. In that form, it has the single highest base stat total of any Pokemon at 1125, which is insane. But, for HP, it still ties with Blissey at 255, which just shows how crazy Blissey's HP stat is. Non-Eternamax Eternatus, though, still puts up respectable numbers.
11 Hariyama
Many Pokémon with extremely high HP stats are big, beefy, and thick. This is presumably because they'd be able to tank several hits before being brought down unlike something thin and frail.
It's no surprise, then, that a Pokémon like Hariyama would make it onto this list. This Fighting-type from Generation III has a base HP stat of 144, which is very good. It's interestingly the highest HP stat of any Fighting-type, as well, which is incredibly dangerous when paired with its 120-point attack stat.
10 Tie — Giratina, Slaking, Drifblim
In this spot, there's a tie between three Pokémon. Both forms of Giratina (Altered and Origin), Slaking, and Drifblim all have an HP stat of 150.
Giratina is a Legendary Ghost/Dragon-type that has an incredible base stat total of 680, making that HP stat just a drop in the bucket of why Giratina is great. Drifblim is a Ghost/Flying-type introduced in the same generation based on a hot air balloon. It ties with Giratina for the highest HP of all Ghost-types, and takes the title for the highest HP of all Flying-types.
Slaking is just a beastly and powerful Pokémon with insane stats all around.
9 Snorlax
Joining Slaking on the list of high-HP Normal-types is Snorlax. This sleepy dude has long been known for its stamina and endurance in battle, clocking in at a beautiful 160 HP stat.
Snorlax' HP is typically paired with the item Leftovers, which restore a bit of it each turn in battle, ensuring that Snorlax will truly outlast most of its opponents. An attack stat of 110 is also nice. Snorlax is, sadly, brought down by a speed stat of only 30, though. Happens to the best of us.
8 Alomomola
A surprising entry on this list is Alomomola, a Water-type fish introduced in Generation V with an HP stat of 165. With two healing abilities (Hydration and Regenerator) that heal status conditions and HP under certain conditions, and access to moves like Aqua Ring, Wish, and Wide Guard, this fish is going to be standing for a long time.
Many of the moves and abilities that Alomomola should run make it a viable Pokémon to use in double battles. Just watch out for the lack of offensive power.
7 Wailord
Returning to the theme of Pokémon with high HP stats being huge, bulky monsters is Wailord. This gigantic whale (literally) has an HP stat of 170, which is incredible. That HP stat makes up more than a third of Wailord's entire base stat total, especially given the fact that its other stats are subpar at best.
Luckily, its HP stat is the highest of all Water-types. This giant Pokémon (one of the biggest there is) is definitely going to be difficult to knock down.
6 Wobbuffet
Since it was created to look and behave like a punching bag, it's no surprise that Wobbuffet can take a hit. This Psychic-type introduced in Generation II has an HP stat that clocks in at 190. The rest of its stats are abysmal, but that's fine, since Wobbuffet is a gimmicky Pokémon that has no real need for them.
Most of Wobbuffet's moves are based on it reflecting attacks, damage, and other effects back onto the opponent.
5 Regidrago
A new face on this list is Regidrago, who was just introduced in the Crown Tundra expansion alongside its counterpart, Regieleki. Both of these Pokemon burst onto the scene with a particular stat that ranks among the best of them. Regidrago has an HP stat of 200, putting it comfortably on this list.
Regieleki, though, definitely wins here. Its speed stat is now the highest of any Pokemon in existence. Poor Regidrago can't say the same, but that doesn't mean its HP isn't still very high.
4 Zygarde (Complete Form)
It can be pretty annoying to get a Complete Form Zygarde on your team, but the reward is worth the work, since it has incredible stats. The highest among them is its HP stat, which comes in at a nice 216.
This attack stat essentially makes Zygarde a brick wall. That's an almost incomprehensible amount of HP, especially if boosted through various means. You'll need to chip away at this guy for a while to take it down.
3 Guzzlord
With the highest HP stat of any Dark-type or Dragon-type (with the exception of Eternamax Eternatus), Guzzlord is an immensely tanky Pokémon. This terrifying Ultra Beast has an HP stat of a whopping 223.
This is one of the highest stat points possible, let alone highest HP stat, with only a few Mega Evolutions' defense stats and a handful of other things surpassing it. Guzzlord is, again, a huge beastly Pokémon, so it's no wonder it has so much stamina.
2 Chansey
There aren't many "top stats" lists that will see an unevolved Pokémon near the top of the list. However, Chansey, famous for its bulkiness, takes the second spot here. This Normal-type Pokémon, which is always seen working in Pokémon Centers as healers (fitting) has an HP stat of 250.
Chansey is a popular choice for stalling tactics because it has such a high HP stat and several moves that recover lost health. Good luck!
1 Blissey
How hilarious is it that the two top spots on this list go to members of the same evolutionary family? Blissey is the all-time HP champ, sliding in at a beautiful and awe-inspiring 255 base HP. This stat also registers as the single-highest stat in any category.
This clears even well-known numbers like Shuckle's 230 base defense and special defense and any of Eternamax Eternatus's stats (other than HP, for which it ties with Blissey). There's just no competition when it comes to these numbers.