Humanoid Pokemon, those shaped most like the game’s take on real-world people, share a special place in the hearts and Pokedexes of both long-time and newer fans. While the jury is out on exactly what qualifies a Pokemon as human-like, game developers have given their take via the “human-like” egg group, which allows breeding between similarly-shaped Pokemon.
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The Pokemon Human-like Egg Group
Egg groups determine which Pokemon can breed to produce an egg and hatch into an entirely new monster. While Ditto can breed with every potential mate, most Pokemon are limited specifically to one or more egg groups. Some humanoid Pokemon cannot breed at all. Each generation has its own take on breeding, with Pokemon nurseries often preparing the eggs for pickup. Eggs can also appear in Pokemon picnics in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
The Pokemon exclusive to this group include Abra, Kadabra, Alakazam, Machop, Machoke, Machamp, Drowzee, Hypno, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Mr. Mime (and its Galarian form), Jynx, Electabuzz, and Magmar from the original Pokemon games, aka Generation 1. Hitmontop is the sole entry from Generation 2. The third generation includes Makuhita, Hariyama, Sableye, Meditite, and Medicham. Generation 4 egg-group members include Croagunk, Toxicroak, Electivire, and Magmortar.
Generation 5 delivers almost as many new entries to the egg group with Timburr, Gurdurr, Conkeldurr, Throh, Sawk, Gothita, Gothorita, Gothitelle, Elgyem, Beheeyem, Pawniard, and Bisharp. No new entries came with Generations 6 and 7, but Generation 8 added Toxtricity and Mr. Rime.
Additions to Pokemon’s Human-like Egg Group
Some seriously questionable “human-like” Pokemon also slip into this group thanks to the addition of multiple egg groups in later generations, creating some weird Pokemon breeding pairs. Generation 3 introduced Ralts, Kirlia, and Gardevoir to the game, but they started with the Amorphous egg group and became part of the human-like selection much later. Volbeat, Illumise, Spinda, Cacnea, and Cacturne also joined in that generation and share multiple groups.
Generation 4 saw dual-group entries with Chimchar, Monferno, Infernape, Buneary, Lopunny, Lucario, and Gallade. The fifth generation introduced Mienfoo, Mienshao, Pancham, and Pangoro. Generation 6 added Hawlucha to the dual-egg-group team, previously it had been only human-like. No new additions came with Generation 7, but Generation 8 delivered Scorbunny, Robot, Cinderace, Clobbopus, Grapploct, Impidimp, Morgrem, and Grimmsnarl.
As Pokemon have swapped, gained, and lost groups in the past, it’s entirely possible that more members of this selection may appear in future titles. Many of the newer Pokemon already share a focus on two or more types, with single-type Pokemon often gaining new strengths and weaknesses from evolution or bonuses from terastallization.
Humanoid Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet
Charcadet, Amarouge, Ceruledge, and Kingambit joined the official egg group in Generation 9 with the introduction of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Paradox Pokemon cannot breed, but few can deny that Iron Hands and Iron Valiant belong in a list of humanoid Pokemon every bit as much as their present-day counterparts.
Egg groups aside, it definitely seems that Pokemon including Gengar and Banette, which have strong ties to humans in the lore, might be just as close to the look of real humans as Croakgunk and Cacnea. Other humanoid Pokemon that don’t make the egg group cut include Gholdengo, despite an obvious resemblance, and Meowscarada or Tsareena. Even Tinkaton looks more human than many current group members, and at least one Meowth out there would also like to be considered.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available on Nintendo Switch.
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