You’re staring at the screen in Sootopolis City. The rain is pouring. Kyogre and Groudon are screaming at each other, and you realize your team is basically three different shades of blue. It happens to everyone. Honestly, picking a water type pokemon emerald team feels like being a kid in a candy store where half the candy is actually just different versions of the same salt-water taffy. Emerald is unique because the entire final third of the game is essentially one giant swimming pool. You need Surf. You need Dive. You need Waterfall. If you don't plan your roster around these HMs, you're going to have a bad time.
Hoenn is famously "too much water," according to that one infamous review, but for a specialist, it's a playground.
The diversity is wild. You have the stoic Swampert, the terrifying Gyarados, and the surprisingly bulky Walrein. But most players fall into the trap of just catching whatever they find on Route 118. That’s a mistake. If you want to actually beat the Elite Four without burning through thirty Hyper Potions, you need to understand how the typing splits work in Generation III. Remember, this is before the Physical/Special split of Diamond and Pearl. In Emerald, every single Water move is Special. That means your high-Attack Kingler is basically useless with Crabhammer, but your high-Special Attack Starmie is a god.
The Starter Dilemma: Is Mudkip Actually Mandatory?
Let's be real. Mudkip is the "easy mode" button for Hoenn.
When you evolve it into Marshtomp and eventually Swampert, you gain the Ground typing. This is massive. It makes you completely immune to Electricity, which is the natural predator of the water type pokemon emerald roster. Wattson’s Gym? Joke. Flannery? Washout. Even the late-game encounters with Magneton become trivial because Swampert can just Earthquake them into oblivion.
But there’s a cost to efficiency. Swampert is slow. If you don't lead with him, you're often taking a hit before you can move. And while being a Water/Ground type is great, it leaves you with a 4x weakness to Grass. One "Giga Drain" from a random Ludicolo and your starter is history.
Some people prefer the challenge of skipping the starter for something more exotic. Maybe you want to run a Rain Dance team. If that's the case, Swampert isn't even your best bet. You’d want something like Pelipper for the early game, though it's kind of a "budget" choice until you realize it can fly you around the map. Pelipper’s stats aren't great in Emerald—this was way before it got the Drizzle ability in later generations—but its utility is unmatched for a casual playthrough.
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Deep Sea Teeth and Hidden Gems
Everyone talks about Milotic. It’s the "holy grail" of water type pokemon emerald encounters.
Finding Feebas is a nightmare. It only appears in six specific tiles on Route 119. These tiles change based on the "Trendy Phrase" in Dewford Town. It’s tedious. You have to fish every single spot, twice, just to be sure. Most people give up after an hour and just settle for a Tentacruel.
Actually, Tentacruel is underrated.
It’s fast. It has incredible Special Defense. In a game where the final Gym Leader (Juan) and the Champion (Wallace) both use Water types, having a fast Poison/Water type that can shrug off Special attacks is a legitimate strategy. Plus, it learns Clear Smog? Wait, no, that's later. In Emerald, it relies on Barrier and Toxic stalling. It’s a "dirty" way to win, but it works.
Then there's Sharpedo.
It’s a glass cannon. You send it in, you Crunch something, and it dies. Because Dark and Water are both Special categories in Gen III, Sharpedo’s massive 120 Attack stat is actually wasted on its own STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) moves. You’re forced to rely on its 95 Special Attack. It’s still decent, but it feels like driving a Ferrari in a school zone. You know it can do more, but the game mechanics are holding it back.
Mapping the Late Game Surge
By the time you reach the Ever Grande City, you’ve realized that the HM tax is real.
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You need a "mule" or a very diversified team. This is where the water type pokemon emerald experience gets technical. You have to balance the slots.
- Surf: Essential. High damage, 100 accuracy.
- Dive: Necessary for progress, but kind of weak in battle.
- Waterfall: Needed to reach the Pokemon League, but in Gen III, it’s a Special move.
If you put all three on your Swampert, you’ve ruined its moveset. You’re better off catching a Wailmer. Wailord has a massive HP pool, and while its defenses are paper-thin, it can carry all the HMs you need while your "real" fighters keep their high-impact moves like Ice Beam or Thunderbolt (for the Starmie users out there).
Speaking of Ice Beam, that is the single most important move for any Water type in Emerald. Why? Drake. The final Elite Four member uses Dragons. If you don't have a Water type that can roar out a 4x effective Ice Beam, his Salamence will Dragon Claw your entire team into the dirt. You can buy the Ice Beam TM at the Mauville Game Corner. It’s expensive. It’s worth every single coin.
Why Lanturn is the Secret MVP
If you dive in the deep-sea patches near Sootopolis, you’ll find Chinchou.
Lanturn is arguably the best non-starter water type pokemon emerald has to offer for the endgame. It’s Water/Electric. This means it resists the STAB moves of almost every other Water type you’ll face. When you're fighting Wallace for the Championship title, his Milotic and Ludicolo can be a massive headache. Lanturn just sits there and zaps them.
It has the "Volt Absorb" ability too. If an opponent tries to hit you with a Thunderbolt, you just heal. In a region where everyone and their mother is carrying a Wingull or a Marill, Lanturn is the ultimate counter-meta pick.
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It’s not all sunshine, though. Lanturn’s base stats are... modest. It relies heavily on its unique typing and ability rather than raw power. If you’re looking for a "one-shot" monster, you’re looking for Kyogre. But using a legendary feels a bit like cheating, doesn't it?
The Reality of Ludicolo and the Version Exclusives
Emerald changed things up by making both Lotad and Seedot lines available, unlike Ruby and Sapphire where they were split.
Ludicolo is a menace.
Water/Grass is a legendary defensive typing. It only has three weaknesses: Flying, Poison, and Bug. In the Hoenn late-game, those aren't exactly common attacking types for major bosses. Ludicolo with the "Rain Dish" ability and a held item like Leftovers becomes nearly impossible to kill in the rain.
The problem? You need a Water Stone. You can find one in the Abandoned Ship, but if you use it too early, Lombre won't learn its best moves. If you wait too long, you're carrying a weak Pokemon through the mid-game. It’s a delicate balance of timing.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Run
If you're starting a new save file today, don't just wing it. The "too much water" meme is funny until you're stuck in a loop of Repels and frustration.
Prioritize the Move Tutor. In Battle Frontier (post-game), you can get some insane moves, but for the main story, focus on the TM for Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. A Water type without coverage is just a target.
Check your Natures. Since Water is Special in Emerald, a "Modest" nature (+Special Attack, -Attack) is your best friend. Even for Swampert, unless you’re strictly using Earthquake, you want that Special Attack to be decent for Surf.
Don't sleep on Starmie. You can find Staryu by fishing in Lilycove City. It is arguably the fastest Water type in the game and can learn Psychic, Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, and Surf. It is a literal coverage god. It can solo almost the entire Elite Four if you level it high enough.
The HM Solution. Catch a Tropius for your "Land HMs" (Cut, Fly, Strength, Flash) and keep a Sharpedo or Wailmer in the PC specifically for the "Sea HMs." This keeps your combat team's move slots open for actual strategy.
Ultimately, the water type pokemon emerald meta is about managing the Physical/Special divide and preparing for the Dragon-type wall at the end of the game. Whether you go with the "Starter Sweep" or a more complex "Rain Dance" setup, respect the typing. It’s the most populous type in the game for a reason.
Before you head into the Cave of Origin, make sure you've stopped by the Lilycove Department store. Stock up on Full Heals. The late-game Water trainers love to use Confusion and Sleep moves. You've been warned.
Go grab a Rod, find a spot near the waterfall, and start fishing. The right team member is probably hiding under a tile you haven't checked yet.