Best Pokemon in Pokemon GO—Strongest for Every type

When Pokemon Go came out in 2016, it really became a sensation not only in the gaming community but also within the general public as well. Its unique concept and gameplay instantly captured everyone's attention, which consisted of catching the virtual Pokemon by locating them through GPS. The way it blends real-world exploration with the Pokemon catching truly made it quite addictive. It's been a decade since its release, and the game has seen significant upgrades with added features like trading, seasonal events, and PvP battles. With millions of players still active, the game is going on smoothly with consistent updates and events.

As of 2025, the game consists of 883 Pokemon, which makes it confusing to know which is the best. So, to make things easy for you, we have made the list of the best Pokemon of every type in Pokemon GO.

Best Pokemon in Pokemon Go by Type

Best Attacker in Pokemon Go

For those who are looking for the best defenders that excel in scenarios like gym battles and PvP, Primal Reversions of Powerful Legendaries are the best options available.

• Crowned Sword Zacian: His Crowned Sword form turns Zacian into an extraordinary, unstoppable being, as it not only has the highest CP in the game but also an amazing Attack stat and multiple resistances. While Metal Claw is his fast move, its energy generation allows players to reach the signature move Behemoth Bash, which is quite powerful.
• Crowned Shield Zamazenta: This Legendary Pokemon has a high defense of 292. With an outstanding moveset of Metal Claw and Close Combat, Zamazenta has astonishing total damage, which is the best for Master League.
• Mega Rayquaza: He is the finest Dragon pokemon available in the game. With the combination of Dragon Tail and Dragon Ascent, Rayquaza is unstoppable. He can also be used as an incredible Flying-Type attacker, with Air Slash being his most dominating move when combined to Dragon Ascent.

Best Defenders in Pokemon Go

If you are more of a defense person who prefers on saving stamina of your Pokemon to use later, or use them to tire the opponents, then the below-mentioned Defenders are the perfect choice for you.

• Blissey: She is the best choice for Gym encounters, as Blissey has a fabulous amount of stamina with pretty good Defense Stats. She is a Normal type, so going with Pound and Hyper Beam will prove very beneficial for you.
• Snorlax: Although Snorlax doesn't have huge stamina stats as Blissey, his CP is quite high, with decent Defense and Attack stats. In addition, he has a high max CP of 3,225 that makes him a good choice for PvP, where you can even switch Hyper Beam for Superpower.
• Metagross: With 10 type resistances, and key moves like Meteor Mash and Earthquake, this Steel/Psychic-type Pokemon is the finest choice for defending gyms. Interestingly, Metagross can turn into an effective attacker, given its strong move pool and high stats.

Best Pokemon For PVP

Pokemon Go consists of three major Leagues, namely, the Great, the Ultra and the Master League. However, these leagues follow a rotation throughout every season, with only one appearing at a time. Each of these leagues has different restrictions, with the common one being the CP limit. If you are looking for the best Pokemon for PVP, it depends on the league and battle format, as the type matchups and stats like energy and bulk are very crucial. Below we have mentioned the best picks for PVP across all three leagues.

Great League

• Diggersby: It is a bulky Pokemon with a special and useful combination type. Although Diggersby is a normal/ground type, it has fiery charged moves like Fire Punch and Scorching Sands, along with resistances including Ghost, Electric, Rock and Poison. It will prove very effective against the strong poison-type Pokemon featured in the latest season.
• Forretress: This Bug/Steel-type Pokemon boasts an excellent 465 base stat, with a high defense of 140 and 90 attack. It has resistance to nine types, including Poison, Grass, Steel, Psychic, Normal, Ice, Fairy, Dragon, and Bug, making it a great Bagworm Pokemon. It will do wonders in PVP, especially the Great League. With moves like Bug Bite, Earthquake and Rock Tomb, it will dominate the opponent effortlessly. It can target the Fire-type ones too that can be finished with Earthquake, which also saves you from the weaknesses.
• Clodsire: It is really one of the best choices in the Great League, as it is nearly perfect at everything. This bulky Poison/Ground-type Pokémon consists of moves like Poison Sting, Mud Bomb and Sludge Bomb, it will excel in PvP battles like Great and Ultra. It has a quirky design and multiple resistances, which makes it a fan favorite.

Ultra League

• Bellibolt: This Electric Type is the best option to use against the Water-Types released in the current season. With 109 HP, a special attack of 103, and powerful moves, he will prove good in the Ultra League. Its unique ability, Electromorphosis, elevates the next move's power, which makes it the strategic choice in battles. Its Thunder Shock provides maximum energy generation, while its fast move Sucker Punch expands the coverage to deal a huge amount of damage.
• Lapras: This Water/Ice pokemon has a variety of moves in its pocket, of which Psywave is the best, as it offers the most energy generation and expands the coverage. Although moves like Skull Bash and Blizzard are great moves, prefer using Sparkling Aria as the charged move, as it deals more damage. While using Ice Beam against the Grass, Dragon and Flying types will prove the best.
• Corviknight: This Steel-type has many resistances, including Poison, Grass, Bug, Steel, Psychic, Normal, Ground, Flying, Fairy, and Dragon. It has pretty good defense and stamina stats, which makes it tough for the opponents to weaken him. It has only one fast move, Sand Attack, but its impact and coverage make it a dominant attack move to use. While its Charged moves including Sky Attack and Iron Head, both deal decent damage.

Master League

• Origin Forme Palkia: With a base attack of 280 and Max CP of 4,863, this Water/Dragon-type Legendary Pokemon is perfect for ending a battle. Its Fast move, Dragon Breath is quite stronger. With Dragon Tail or Dragon Breath as Fast Moves, it performs better against Dragon, Fire, Ground, and Rock-Types.
• Solgaleo: This Psychic/Steel is a beast who uses Metal Claw and Iron Head to dominate the Fairy, Ice and Rock-Types. Its signature move, Sunsteel Strike, further enhances his performance. Although it is not too dominant in PvP, Solgaleo is one of the best choices in gym battles.
• Dawn Wings Necrozma: It was introduced in the game during the GO City: Steel City Event in 2024 as a Psychic/Ghost-type Legendary Pokemon in the game. With high attack stats of 277 and fine Charged Move, Moongeist Beam, Dawn Wings Necrozma makes a perfect opponent against the Fighting and Poison Types. It is a bulky creature who can be used as a lead, as it has the ability to pressure opponents and waste their shields.