With the beginning of ranked battles in Pokémon GO, it is very important to know in depth who are the best Pokémon in the game to participate in each League. With more than 600 Pokemon in the game, the decision of who to put in your team can be quite complicated for those who are not connected to the metagame.
So, so you don't make bad investments in Stardust and Candy, we've put together a list of the 25 best pokemons to be used in the Great League below (maximum CP 1500). Know that some very strong pokemons were left out of the list because we put here only the best of the best. Enjoy!
1. Azumarill
Grade: 10
A favorite among players and also one of the best pokemons in the game. Azumarill has an above-average stamina that allows it to even survive a few super effective hits. Its typing (Water and Fairy) also grants very useful resistances against relevant types in the Great League like Fighting, Dark, and Dragon.
best attacks
Agile: Use Bubbles as the hit does more damage and generates more energy.
loaded: Hard Play and Freezing Ray is the most versatile combination as it provides cover against Grass-type Pokemon, Azumarill's main counters.
2. Skarmory
Grade: 10
Perfect for the Great League, Skarmory also has great resistance and an incredible typing that grants it 10 resistances and only 2 weaknesses! Its highest performance is against Plant Pokemon, which can be defeated even without using Charged Attacks. Overall, Skarmory is, above all, a safe option to join your team.
best attacks
Agile: The choice between Air Strike and Steel Wing is completely personal. The first option generates a little more energy and grants advantages against Fighting, Grass and Insect type Pokémon. Steelwing is better against Ice, Stone, and Fairy, as well as doing a little more damage overall.
Loaded: Air Strike and Flash Cannon.
3. The altars
Grade: 10
Altaria is a devastating Pokémon in the Great League. In addition to having an absurd resistance, its damage is extremely high even without using charged attacks. As if that weren't enough, the cost to acquire a new Charged Attack for Altaria is just 10.000 Stardust!
Considering its quality, a specific counter is often needed to deal with Altaria. In this sense, the best options are Azumarill, Bastiodon and Probopass. It is also worth remembering that Altaria has a double weakness against Ice.
best attacks
Agile: Dragon's Breath as it is one of the strongest agile attacks in the game.
loaded: Air Strike and Dragon Pulse. The first requires little energy and deals great damage, while the second is a strong option against other Dragons, especially when shields are gone.
4. Galarian Stunfisk
Grade: 10
Galarian Stunfisk, or Stunfisk of Galar, is the latest Pokemon in the game to earn a spot in the PVP metagame. Even with its ridiculous appearance, the pokémon has access to some of the best moves in the game, which on top of that counter most other top tiers. In addition, Stunfisk of Galar is extremely tough.
best attacks
Agile: Mud Shot, as it has one of the highest power generations in the game.
loaded: Rockslide and Earthquake. The former offers valuable coverage in this league, as well as requiring little energy. The second is responsible for Galarian Stunfisk destroying Registeel, Bastiodon, Melmetal, etc.
5. Venusaur
Grade: 9.5
Despite not having as much stamina, Venusaur hits HARD. The pokémon also doesn't have spectacular attributes or even interesting resistances, but what makes it strong for the Great League are the available moves. In addition, because it is also a Poison type, Venusaur is able to gain an advantage against other Grass Pokémon.
best attacks
Agile: Vine Whip as it generates more energy.
loaded: Plant Wrath and Sludge Bomb.
6. Bastiodon
Grade: 9.5
Literally a wall. Bastiodon is in 6th place for highest Defense in the game, even above Deoxys in its defense form. Because of this, Bastiodon takes very little damage from any element that doesn't counter it. Its main role in the meta is to counter Flying Pokemon like Altaria and Skarmory. However, his very high defense doesn't save him from Fighters and Grounders.
best attacks
Agile: Knocked down as it does more damage.
loaded: Stone Edge and Flamethrower. The former fulfills its role as a counter to Flyers (among other types), while the latter should be used against Steel and Grass.
7. Tropius
Grade: 9
A regional Pokemon from Africa, Tropius stands out among Grass Pokemon due to its Flying subtype, which provides great moves to deal with other Grass Pokemon in addition to Fighting Pokemon. In addition, Tropius has a resistance well above average and, even having a double weakness against Ice, is able to withstand an Azumarill's Frost Ray, for example.
best attacks
Agile: Razor Leaf deals extremely high damage and is able to destroy opponents weak against Plant without even needing charged blows. However, the hit also has one of the worst energy generations in the entire game.
loaded: Leaf Blade and Ace of the Air. The first is a standard blow to be used in cases where Folha Navalha was not enough. The second must be used against other Plant Pokémon.
8. Sableye
Grade: 9
Sableye has one of the most interesting typings in the game, being Dark and Ghost. Because of this, their only vulnerability is against Fairies, which aren't that common in the Great League. Despite not having great resistance compared to other pokemons on this list, Sableye has access to great attacks capable of countering big names in PvP.
best attacks
Agile: Shadow Claw, as it generates a little more energy.
loaded: Dirty Game and Power Gem. The former can be used very often and is great for forcing shields. The second offers some coverage against Fairies.
9. Swampert
Grade: 9
Swampert is not very tough but has access to an extremely strong and offensive moveset (read below). Being both Earth and Water, it has great weakness against Plant and is destroyed by Razor Leaf users.
best attacks
Agile: Mud Shot, as it is the attack with the highest energy generation in the entire game.
loaded: Hydro-cannon (event attack) and Earthquake. The former is a much stronger option than Surfing and requires very little more energy. Earthquake requires more energy, which is not a problem considering the quality of the Mud Shot.
10. Umbreon
Grade: 9
Umbreon is one of the best pokemons for PvP. Despite having a low Attack stat, its resistance is far above average, which allows it to launch many of its fast charged attacks. Overall, Umbreon is a great choice for neutral combat, but its hit limitation makes it very vulnerable to counters.
best attacks
Agile: Roar as it generates more energy.
loaded: Dirty Game and Last Resort (Event Attack). The first is the highest damage dark move for Umbreon, while the second is useful against Fairies and Bugs.
11. Registeel
Grade: 9
Registroel has the seventh highest Defense in the game, making it one of the toughest Pokemon in the game. Being solely Steel, Registeel has weaknesses against types not as present in the Great League metagame as Fire, Earth, and Fighting. With the recent availability of the agile move Mirar, Registeel has had its power generation issue fixed, which makes it one of the best pokemons for PvP.
best attacks
Agile: Aim, as it provides all of the power generation needed for Registeel to use its slow charged blows.
loaded: Flash Cannon and Focused Burst. Use this second only in extreme cases.
12. Meganium
Grade: 9
A similar but inferior option to Venusaur. Meganium has much above average resistance and its main differentiator is access to the Earthquake move, which offers great coverage against common Fire and Poison counters, as well as being super effective against other top tiers like Bastiodon and Probopass.
best attacks
Agile: Vine Whip.
loaded: Plant Wrath (Event Hit) and Earthquake. The former is possibly the best Plant attack in the game and Earthquake provides great coverage.
13. Deoxys (Defense form)
Grade: 9
Deoxys in its defensive form is almost unfair. With the second highest Defense in the game, this psychic pokemon has unmatched toughness in the Great League. Also, with the right attacks, Deoxys is capable of dealing super effective damage to 10 (!!!!) different types of Pokemon, including, of course, several top tiers. Its only downside is the fact that it is extremely inaccessible as it was only available in EX raids.
best attacks
Agile: Counterattack as it is one of the best agile attacks for PvP and still provides cover against Shadows.
loaded: Psychic Slash and Stone Slide offer more coverage, however, Thunderstorm is an Ace up its sleeve against top tiers like Azumarill and Skarmory.
14. Hypno
Grade: 8
Hypno is a slow pokemon, but it has great results. Its main role is to counter Fighters (mainly Medicham) and its great differential is access to several charged attacks, which makes it extremely versatile and capable of countering any pokémon in the game.
best attacks
Agile: Confusion, as it deals the most damage and generates the most energy.
loaded: Shadowball offers great coverage against Ghosts and opens up a huge advantage in fights against other Psychics. Focused Blast allows for wins against tanks like Bastiodon and Probopass. Thunder Punch counters Azumarill and Skarmory, in addition to inducing the use of shields against other opponents
Hypno's list of charged attacks goes on, but the ones mentioned above are the most relevant.
15. Marowak (Forma de Alola)
Final report: 8
Marowak (Form of Alola) is the typical anti-meta. Its presence on this list is exclusively due to the fact that it counters several top tiers Fighters, Ice, Fairy, Steel and etc. The pokemon also has decent resistance and access to Shadowball. Its biggest negative point is the common vulnerabilities like Water, Earth and Stone.
best attacks
Agile: Spell, as it does more damage and generates a lot more energy.
loaded: Shadow Ball and Club Strike. The former is the main damage dealer of the Marowak while the latter provides coverage against 5 types common in the Great League, as well as charging very fast.
16. Raichu (Forma de Alola)
Grade: 8
Raichu is a very versatile and efficient pokémon in some points, but its very low resistance makes it last for a short time in combat. The pokemon is extremely strong against Flying and Water, and even has resistance against Fighters. His lightning-fast move Electric Shift allows him to deal decent damage across most types in the game, while his charged moves are fast and provide cover. Due to its fragility, Raichu is best used first, when there are still shields in play.
best attacks
Agile: Electric Shift, as it is one of the most consistent agile attacks in the Great League, dealing great neutral damage to many types in the game.
loaded: Thunder Punch and Grass Knot. The former charges extremely fast and is good for pressing shields. The second offers coverage against the various Earth Pokémon present in the Great League, such as Swampert, Whiscash, Quagsire, etc.
18. Mandibuzz
Grade: 8
Mandibuzz is the type flying/dark, a very favorable combination for the Great League. It works as a kind of "winged Umbreon", with great resistance and energy generation. As a Flyer, Mandibuzz has great resistance against the many plants in this league, in addition to taking neutral damage from many Fighters. Unfortunately, its Flying-type attacks aren't a big deal.
best attacks
agile: Roar as it generates more energy.
loaded: Dirty Game and Ace of Air. The first is one of the best Dark-type moves in the game, with great value for money due to good damage and very low energy cost. The second is the secondary option that should be used against Fighter Plant Pokemon.
19. Probopass
Grade: 8
One of the greatest tanks in the Great League, Probopass has the 9th highest defense in the entire game. Probopass also has great versatility of moves that allow it to do well against many opponents, with the exception of Ground and Steel, against which it has fourfold weakness.
best attacks
agile: Both Spark and Rock Throw are great moves. Choose the one that fits best with the rest of your team.
loaded: Rock Slide and Lightning are the most optimized choices, but still don't provide coverage against Earth.
20. Melmetal
Final report: 8
Melmetal is one of the most relevant rare Pokemon for PvP in Pokemon GO. Its unique Steel typing grants it no less than 11 resistances, having problems only against Fighting, Ground, and Fire. Its main features are the fast power generation and great available charged moves. Unfortunately, due to the difficulty of evolving a Meltan, the pokémon is much (MUCH) more accessible for those who get a Mystery Box through the Nintendo Switch games Let's Go Pikachu and Let's Go Eevee.
best attacks
Agile: Shock Thunderstorm, as it offers very high energy generation.
loaded: Stone Slide and Lightning have great numbers (high damage and low energy cost).
21. Medicham
Grade: 8
Medicham is a counter to tanks like Umbreon, Bastiodon, and Registeel. Despite the well-distributed attributes, Medicham has surprisingly high damage, in addition to having coverage against Flying counters through Ice Punch.
best attacks
Agile: Counterattack as it is one of the best agile attacks for PvP.
loaded: Dynamic Punch to finish off any tank and Ice Punch to provide cover and force shields as it charges very fast.
22. Mew
Grade: 7.5
The famous pokémon 151 remains relevant in the Great League with its incredible resistance and absolutely unpredictable moveset. In all, Mew has no less than 14 (CA-TOR-ZE) available agile attacks of the most varied types and absurd 25 (TWENTY-FIVE!!) charged attacks, which also encompass almost all types of the game.
best attacks
Agile: Shadow Claw is the most relevant in the Ultra League metagame.
loaded: Psychic Shock and Shadow Pulse. The former gains bonus damage for being psychic while the latter is a tool for dealing with Giratinas.
23. Lapras
Grade: 7.5
Lapras has the 14th highest Stamina in the game. In the Great League, his Ice attacks are able to counter various top tiers like Altaria, Tropius, Meganium, Venusaur, etc. Note that, even against Plant Pokemon, Lapras manages to stay in the fight due to its very high resistance.
best attacks
Agile: Water Revolver, as it is the most balanced option in terms of damage and power generation.
loaded: Surfing and Freezing Ray. The first is mandatory as it deals high damage and requires little energy. The second also gains bonus damage for being Ice-type, which provides great coverage against the league's Dragons and Flyers.
24. Quagsire
Final report: 7.5
Another one of the "slush" pokémons of the Great League. Quagsire has many traits in common with Swampert and Whiscash (which was narrowly left out of this list). Because it has the Water and Earth combo, its only weakness (double) is against Plant, making it a very safe option for your team. As a big difference, Quagsire has access to great moves that other Pokemon of the same type don't have.
best attacks
Agile: Mud Shot, as it has the highest power generation in the game.
loaded: Earthquake and Stone Edge cover 8 different types and deal very high damage.
25. Haunter
Final report: 7.5
Haunter is a pokemon with a lot of ups and downs and best used by experienced PvP players. It has very low resistance and high attack power, going in the opposite direction of the best Pokemon in the game. Even so, if used at the right time, Haunter is capable of dealing extremely high damage even against the best tanks in the game, without the need for super effectives. Unfortunately, your Poison subtype only gets in the way of your Ghost side.
best attacks
Agile: Shadow Claw is one of the best agile attacks in the game.
loaded: Shadow Punch and Shadow Ball. The former charges extremely fast allowing Haunter to apply great pressure to the opponent's shields, while the latter deals extremely high damage that makes Haunter one of the most offensive Pokemon in the Great League.
See also more Pokemon GO PvP tips:
- Kanto Cup in Pokémon GO: the best Pokémon in the league!
- The best pokémons for Cup (Little Cup) in Pokémon GO!
- The best Pokémon for the Ultra League in Pokémon GO!
- The best Pokemon for the Master League in Pokemon GO!
- Pokémon GO: Advanced Battle League (PvP) Tips
- All about Psychic Pokemon in Pokemon GO!
