Pokémon Emerald Nuzlocke Tier List (Updated for 2025)

Happy New Year! It’s 2025, and about time for an updated Nuzlocke tier list for Pokémon Emerald.

The old tier list was one of our most popular pages, and Emerald is one of the most popular games to Nuzlocke, so we want to make sure we keep our tier list current. I’ve made some updates to the list to be more accurate and to reflect a bunch of new experience and community feedback.

A few quick notes about our criteria for ranking Pokémon:

• While we don’t penalize Pokémon for rarity, Pokémon which are available early in the game and are guaranteed or common will naturally get a bonus.
• We don’t strictly rank for any specific ruleset, but the Hardcore Nuzlocke is the lens through which we primarily view these Pokémon.
• Pokémon within tiers are not strictly ordered. While there may be a slight trend from top to bottom of a tier, a Pokémon’s position in a tier should generally not be considered relative to others in the same tier.
• Note: I also strive to approximate a normal distribution, which means our top and bottom tiers should be kept small. If you’re wondering why a Pokémon at the top of A-tier isn’t in S-tier, that may be why – we had to draw a cutoff somewhere!

For a more detailed breakdown of how we make tier lists, read the Nuzlocke University Tier List Philosophy.

Check out the tier list below, and then keep reading for an explanation of what we look for in each tier.

S-tier: These Pokémon have excellent typing, stats, and movepools, and have good matchups against important opponents in both the early and the late-game, or they have one specific strength or gimmick which allows them to “break” the game (see Shedinja). These Pokémon are the star of an effective team, and the rest of the team members should be chosen to support and compliment them.

A-tier: These are strong Pokémon with great typing, stats, and movepools, who can provide good offensive and/or defensive presence to a team. They have generally good matchups against important opponents in either the early or the late-game. They may not be as individually dominant as an S-tier Pokémon, but they are powerful core members of a balanced and effective team.

B-tier: These are useful Pokémon with generally good typing and stats, but they may have a shallow movepool, be lacking in a key stat, or simply be outclassed by a similar Pokémon in a higher tier. They may have good matchups against important opponents, but may also have severe weaknesses to common or dangerous foes. They are useful for fulfilling a specific role, and can find a place on an effective team, despite one or two significant flaws.

C-tier: Good stats, typing, or movepool – pick one, maybe two at most. These Pokémon have somewhat limited usefulness, but can be occasionally valuable. Many of these Pokémon have stats that do not compliment their typing well, lack important moves in their type, or are only useful for a limited section of the game, but a thoughtful player can build around their significant flaws and include one or two of these Pokémon on an effective team.

D-tier: These Pokémon have generally poor stats or typing, or are crippled by a bad ability or other severe weakness. These Pokémon offer little to a team, and should be avoided unless no other options are available, or a player desperately needs a Pokémon of a particular type for a difficult battle.

F-tier: These Pokémon are prohibitively bad, having poor stats, typing, and movepools. They should be replaced as soon as possible, and players should avoid using them, even in situations where they have a type advantage. These Pokémon will not be found on effective Nuzlocke teams.

---

That concludes our Emerald Nuzlocke tier list. Do you agree with our rankings? Tier lists aren’t an exact science, so share your thoughts with us and others in the comments! If you’re planning on starting a Nuzlocke run of Pokémon Emerald, take a look at our Pokémon Emerald Nuzlocke Guide and Tips for the information you need to complete the run efficiently.

Do you like generation three, but but prefer the Kanto region? Check out our most recent Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen Nuzlocke Tier List, or our ranking of the FireRed and LeafGreen starter Pokémon. For more tier lists in different generations, head to our Nuzlocke tier lists index for more Pokémon rankings, and be sure to check out Nuzlocke University’s home page for more tier lists, tips, rankings, and other content!