Pokémon Go trainers are always on the hunt for the best Pokémon to use in each mode. It’s part of the appeal. But what if you could streamline your lineup to include seven Pokémon capable of dominating them all?
One player, ISporE, took it upon themselves to calculate the best ones to use in each mode using data from the official app and third-party sources like Pokebattler and PvPoke. They shared the results in a Reddit thread yesterday. We’ve narrowed it down even more.
Best Pokémon for Raids: Shadow Tyranitar
Shadow Tyranitar is the most dominant Pokémon in raids. With its moveset of Bite and Brutal Swing, this Rock and Dark-type Pokémon can dish out a ton of damage. As a Shadow Pokémon, it requires more resources to power up but deals more damage. It’s also not hard to obtain. Shadow Pokémon are captured after battling with Team Go Rocket Grunts or Leaders at PokéStops that have been taken over by the villainous organization.
Best Mega Pokémon for Raids: Mega Groudon
If you’re lucky enough to have a Groudon and the necessary Mega Energy, Mega Groudon is the top-tier choice for Raids. Its Ground-type moveset of Mud Shot and Precipice Blades can tear through opponents, especially those weak to Ground-type attacks. Its high base stats and the additional boost from Mega Evolution make it a powerhouse.
Best Pokémon for PvP: Swampert
Swampert is the best Pokémon in PvP. This Water and Ground-type Pokémon is known for its versatility and durability. It also has balanced stats and a wide range of moves at its disposal, making it a reliable choice in most battles. Mud Shot and Hydro Cannon are a safe bet.
Best Pokémon for Great League: Carbink
Carbink is a standout pick in the Great League, where Pokémon CP is capped at 1,500. This Rock and Fairy-type Pokémon can hold its own against most enemies, especially with Rock Throw and Rock Slide—its deadliest combination. It also has a lot of defense, which is handy.
Best Pokémon for Ultra League: Registeel
In Ultra League, where the CP limit is set at 2,500, Registeel stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of usefulness. This Steel-type Pokémon can use the powerful combination of Lock On and Focus Blast to take down anyone, and if it’s struggling, it can fall back on its incredibly high defense stat.
Best Pokémon for Master League: Lugia
Lugia is the best choice in the extremely competitive Master League, where there are no CP limits. This Psychic and Flying-type Pokémon can deal lots of damage with its optimal moveset, Dragon Tail and Sky Attack—which have even more of a kick due to its ridiculously high stats. It can also brush off a devastating attack as if it were nothing thanks to its defense.
Best for Gym Defense: Blissey
When it comes to Gym Defense, no Pokémon holds the fort quite like Blissey. This Normal-type Pokémon has an astronomical amount of HP and can even heal itself, making it an unstoppable force against challengers.
More often than not, they’ll lose a battle of attrition.
Related: How to reach all ranks in the Pokémon Go Battle League
Pokémon Go doesn’t have every Pokémon released in the core series, but it has a lot, and while everyone has their favorites, these seven are objectively good in certain modes, especially once you account for ISporE’s calculations.
Not every Pokémon Go player in the July 2 thread in question totally agreed, but the general consensus was that it’s an excellent team for every activity in the app.
