Despite the similarities between Pokémon Scarlet and Violet Legendaries Koraidon and Miraidon, one Pokémon rises above the other. When buying a new Pokémon game, players will typically make their decision based on which Pokémon looks better on the box art without any deeper knowledge. With other Legendary Pokémon like Kyogre and Tapu Koko being used in competitive play, it can help to know which legendary from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is strongest: Koraidon or Miraidon.
Literally pitting the two against one another is a draw: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Koraidon and Miraidon are designed to be equivalents stat-wise, and their types don’t provide an advantage. Additionally, not all Pokémon players are the same: Some pick Pokémon based on their taste, some pick based on strength, and others just want the “coolest” option. The most fitting way of deciding the better Pokémon is to evaluate and compare both their design and their competitive utility.
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet's Koraidon Is Better Than Miraidon
Koraidon and Miraidon are ancient and futuristic versions respectively of the present-day Pokémon Cyclizar, technically making them Paradox Pokémon. Both Legendaries resemble motorcycles, and indeed the player can ride each Legendary around the Paldea region. This makes the aesthetic of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's Legendary-types even more important - they’re the vehicle the player rolls around in. Koraidon looks like a Harley with tall ape hanger handlebars. Its fiery-red coloration and bulky appearance give this Pokémon a tough, go-anywhere physique. Miraidon, alternatively, looks like a sci-fi jet bike, with a sleek physique. Its strobing lit-up body and pixelated eyes feel more digital and sophisticated. The player’s taste will determine which Pokémon looks better, but what’s brilliant is that their designs also hint at their utility in battle.
Koraidon is an “all-terrain” Pokémon with great coverage. Koraidon uses Physical Attack, as reinforced by its signature Fighting-type move Collision Course. When Collision Course is super-effective, it deals 30% bonus damage. A Fighting-Dragon type Pokémon, Koraidon is 4x vulnerable to Fairy-type moves. That may seem like a big weakness with such strong Fairy-type Pokémon around, but Koraidon has a secret trick: Koraidon naturally learns Fire-type moves like Flamethrower in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, countering Fairy-types. Even better, Koraidon’s ability Orichalcum Pulse not only boosts its Attack stat by 30%, but also summons Harsh Sunlight as a weather effect which further boosts Fire-type attacks by 50%. Koraidon covers its weaknesses by utilizing three types simultaneously.
Miraidon, however, has a single-minded approach to battle. Miraidon focuses on Special Attack, and has a version of Koraidon’s Collision Course called Electro Drift with the exact same effect, but it's Electric-type and uses Special Attack. Miraidon doubles down on its Electric-Dragon typing with the ability Hadron Engine, which not only boosts its Special Attack by 30% but also summons an Electric Terrain that boosts Electric-type attacks by a further 30%, making it one of the most powerful Pokémon in Scarlet and Violet. Even better, Electric-types have only one weakness, Ground, and so Miraidon has fewer weaknesses than Koraidon. There is one massive trade-off in exchange: Miraidon’s inflexible strategy makes it a one-trick pony that’s easy to plan around in competitive battles.
Due simply to its adaptability then, Koraidon is more often the better Legendary. While Miraidon has devastating Electric-type moves, these are only useful against Flying and Water-types, neither of which are prevalent in Generation 9’s meta (with the exceptions of Dondozo and Iron Bundle). Koraidon’s versatility feels more practical, and summoning Harsh Sunlight allows team compositions with Pokémon like Hisuian Lilligant and Torkoal. If the player prefers Miraidon’s design, it’s still a good choice: Either Legendary will dominate with their incredibly high Speed. They will both be outpacing other Dragon-types in the competitive scene for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
