What are all the Pokémon Legendaries?

Legendary Pokemon occupy a special place in Pokémon: they are rare, often powerful, and usually central to a game or region's story. In this article I explain what counts as a Legendary Pokémon, how they differ from related categories such as Mythical Pokémon and Ultra Beasts, and give a readable overview of the main legendaries by generation so you can see how the classification has evolved.

Legendary Pokemon: what makes one legendary?

Generally, Legendary Pokémon are unique or extremely rare species that cannot be bred, are typically encountered only once in the mainline games, and often have higher base stats or special roles in the lore. They are not necessarily stronger in every situation, but they are intended to feel important. Over time the franchise has layered other related categories on top of this concept, so the term is sometimes used loosely.

Legendary versus Mythical and Ultra Beasts

Mythical Pokémon are a subset normally tied to events or distributions, like Mew or Celebi. They are often treated as even rarer than legendaries. Ultra Beasts were introduced in Generation VII and are extradimensional creatures that the games treat differently from conventional legendaries. All three groups are rare and special, but the distinction matters for collectors and competitive players.

Notable Legendary groups by generation

Below is an overview of the most recognised Legendary Pokémon from each main generation. This is meant as a practical guide rather than a complete database, as games and events occasionally reclassify or add creatures.

Generation I: Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Mewtwo. (Mew is classed as Mythical.)

Generation II: Raikou, Entei, Suicune, Lugia, Ho-Oh. (Celebi is Mythical.)

Generation III: Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Latias, Latios, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza. (Jirachi, Deoxys are Mythical or event.)

Generation IV: Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Heatran, Regigigas. (Darkrai, Shaymin are Mythical.)

Generation V: Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem. (Victini is Mythical.)

Generation VI: Xerneas, Yveltal, Zygarde. (Diancie, Hoopa, Volcanion are Mythical.)

Generation VII: Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma. Ultra Beasts are separate.

Generation VIII: Zacian, Zamazenta, Eternatus. Crown Tundra added Regieleki, Regidrago, Glastrier, Spectrier and Calyrex. (Some are treated as legendary story Pokémon.)

Generation IX: Koraidon, Miraidon, Chi-Yu, Ting-Lu, Wo-Chien, Chien-Pao. Koraidon and Miraidon are central legendaries; regional titles continue to vary.

Why it matters to players and collectors

For casual players, legendaries are memorable story beats and useful team additions. For collectors they are prized for rarity and artwork. Competitive players often consider legendaries for their unique abilities and stats, though many formats restrict them. Knowing which Pokémon are classed as legendary helps when planning hunts, trades or displays.

Legendary Pokémon remain a core part of Pokémon's appeal because they combine lore, rarity and gameplay importance. If you are tracking a full list, official Pokédex entries and community resources will reflect the latest games and event releases, as the roster can expand with new generations and special distributions. Official and community sources are the best places to check for an up-to-date roster.