- Primary Subject: Legendary and Mythical Pokémon (Gameplay Balance & Team Mechanics)
- Key Update: The official reveal of Generation 10’s Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves has reignited intense community debate regarding the role of overpowering late-game Legendary and Mythical entities in modern campaign progression.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: July 2, 2026
- Quick Answer: Players frequently bench Legendary and Mythical Pokémon because their overwhelming power trivializes late-game battle challenges and disrupts deep emotional bonds forged with early-game companions.
When playing Pokemon, regardless of whether you're a newbie or a veteran, the first thing that likely comes to mind is what kind of team you're going to build. The journey to the top is going to be full of obstacles, so naturally, you'd want to pick partners who would help you get there.
Often, people choose the strongest possible Pokemon, ones that they know they can trust to carry them all the way to victory. Yet, for some reason, despite wanting the best of the best, they never, if not rarely, use Legendaries or Mythicals.
If you're a longtime fan of the series, then you would know that Mythical and Legendary Pokemon are essentially the strongest party members you could ever hope to have. They have stats and moves that can overpower nearly anything that comes their way, so you'd think it would be a no-brainer to use them and wreak havoc on opponents.
However, regardless of the overwhelming strength they can bring to a team, people choose not to use them. It makes you wonder, why is it that Mythical and Legendary Pokemon are often set aside? As someone who has been playing the games since the first generation, I can give a few good reasons.
First, it's that Legendary Pokemon take a while until you're able to get them. Regardless of whether you're playing the classic Red and Blue or the modern-day Scarlet and Violet, you'll need to invest a lot of time before you have a chance to meet both Mythicals and Legendaries.
It's understandable why you'd only have a chance to capture them late into the game, as their destructive power would make everything too trivial if they're caught early. However, because it takes a while to meet them, it causes a dilemma with the player. Yes, it's possible to get them, but then it would mean having to fit them in with the team.
There is a good chance that a person who has been playing any of the games for a while has already assembled a group of Pokemon that synergize very well and have the levels, stats, and moves that will allow for unbeatable strategies. So, if someone already has that, there would be no reason to disrupt it by replacing a team member with a Legendary or Mythical.
You could argue that the strength could offset the loss of the carefully laid-out team groundwork, and while that is a sensible line of thought, players would still rather not make the swap. This then brings me to the second reason why most wouldn't want to use Mythicals or Legendaries, which is that, despite what they can bring, it would be much better to set them aside than ruin the already established bond with the current team.
Again, since it takes a while to meet either a Mythical or Legendary Pokemon, the natural course of action is to gather party members that can take on the many different challenges along the journey. Yes, they start off weak, but with enough time and dedication, they can become powerful monsters in their own right.
During the course of that training period, players usually end up developing a connection with the Pokemon they've selected for their team. So, when the time comes that they have the opportunity to replace any one of them with a Mythical or Legendary, chances are that it's not going to happen.
Becoming attached to a team of Pokemon you built is normal, so it would make sense that players would rather not make sudden changes just for some additional power, no matter how strong it is. Speaking of which, the third reason why players don't use Legendaries or Mythicals is that they're too powerful.
Now, why would that be a bad thing? Wouldn't that make a good reason to add them to the party? Again, they will make even the toughest of obstacles easier than they should be, but that right there is the problem. By taking away the challenge, you also take away the fun and satisfaction that's supposed to come with it.
Nothing beats the feeling of overcoming a powerful opponent, regardless of whether it's an NPC or another player, through a hard-fought battle. If you use a Legendary or a Mythical, there's a good chance that fights will always be one-sided in your favor, and that absolutely cheapens the experience because of how easy it would be. While there are players out there who would take that opportunity for guaranteed victory, most would rather earn it with a team of Pokemon they believe in, despite the hardship, as there's more enjoyment from doing so.
It's possible that even in future games, whether it's Pokemon Winds and Waves or something further down the line, people still might not put Legendaries and Mythicals in their party, as the reasons I've provided may be the cause. Likely, such powerful creatures will maintain the role that they've been accustomed to for so long: trophies whose purpose is to be shown off. Although that may sound sad to some, it's more often than not what happens, and there's a good chance that it won't be changing anytime soon.
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