While some of the best Defenders in Pokemon Go are simply those with the highest HP, there is an art to selecting the right Pokemon to supplement those already in the Gym properly. In many cases, you will not be the first trainer to add your Pokemon, so you'll want to take note of particular weaknesses to contribute to a diverse lineup.
Forcing challengers to switch Pokemon and delay their attacks on your lineup is the best way to ensure you have time to feed your Pokemon a Golden Razzberry; this is the most effective method to hang onto your team's Gym. If you're the first trainer to leave a Pokemon, you'll want to know the most competitive options to choose from the best Gym Defenders in Pokemon Go.
10 Dragonite - Your Offensive Defense
Dragonite has been an intimidating defender to leave in Pokemon Gyms since the game's early days in 2016 due to excellent offensive moves like Dragon Tail that can shred would-be-attackers. Despite having a 4x weakness to Ice-type moves, Dragonite shines brightest as a disruptor placed between two other tank Pokemon, ideally Fairy-types, as it will require your attacker to waste valuable time with a switch.
Like Dragonite, it is rare to keep a Pokemon Go Gym standing for very long, especially in large cities. With that in mind, knowing when to deploy Dragonite is almost as important as knowing when to feed it a Golden Razzberry to keep it fit and ready to fight.
9 Gyarados - An Unexpected Guardian
Much like Dragonite, Gyarados is best used to add some variety between bulky Psychic, Fairy, or miscellaneous defenders. Gyarados won't survive very long against Electric-types, so you'll want to avoid using them in gyms heavy on Water-types. Make sure it has Waterfall or Dragon Tail as a Quick Move for the best DPS.
If you are using it in a lineup with Garchomp, go for a Dragon Tail and Crunch moveset, as this will allow you to get off some quick burst damage as your opponent either pivots from a fight with Garchomp or prepares another option to deal with that powerful Ground and Dragon-type monster.
8 Wobbuffet - The Punching Bag That Smiles Back
Wobbuffet is an excellent staple to add to almost any Gym-defending lineup in Pokemon Go. Its ability to soak up damage provides valuable time to protect your Pokemon and Pokecoins. Wobbuffet won't contribute much damage but will offer a valuable forced switch if placed properly, as it is one of the bulkiest Psychic-type options outside the usual powerhouses.
The appeal of leaving a shiny defender is always high, so this squishy blob will be a fun addition if you're going for an all-pink theme while trying to maintain a helpful set of defenders to actually do a job. Don't rely on Wobbuffet for much other than an extra few seconds to carefully heal your defending team.
7 Milotic - A Sturdy Serpent
Milotic has wonderful versatility for Water, Ice, and Dragon-type moves, all supplemented by excellent bulk stats to ensure it deals some crucial damage before eventually being bested by an Electric or Grass-type. When used in tandem with Dragonite, this duo shines as both types that are strong against Milotic will fail miserably against Dragonite.
If you have the opportunity to coordinate with your fellow Gym-defending trainers, aim to create a wall with Milotic and Dragonite to soften up your opposition before piling on the bulkiest options in the back.
6 Chansey - One Tough Egg To Crack
Chansey is just one of the top bulk options for defenders, mostly used in pairings with its evolved form, Blissey, to create massive time delays for those who want to claim a gym. While Chansey's damage is somewhat disappointing, try to set up a Zen Headbutt and Dazzling Gleam moveset to get the best bang for your Stardust.
Chansey, like Wobbuffet, is mostly there to deter people from even entering the battle with the threat of wasting countless minutes and potions against these hard-to-crack eggs. Despite being weak to ever-prevalent Fighting-types like Machamp and Lucario, the moveset should deal good damage to both choices, slightly softening them up for their following battle.
5 Drifblim - Machamp's Nightmare
Pokemon Go Gym defending almost always comes down to stopping a team of Machamp as the central core. Drifblim provides another solid option for doing so with a strong Ghost-typing to enhance its wonderful bulk. Hex can be combined with either Icy Wind, Ominous Wind, or Shadow Ball depending on what you think will be thrown at you.
Icy Wind is perhaps the best option as it will be used quickly due to the low energy requirements while also hitting common attackers like Dragonite and Garchomp for big chunks of Super Effective damage. Drifblim is another excellent addition for lineups that need some diversity to keep them difficult to counter.
4 Gardevoir - Elegant Annihilation
Gardevoir boasts perhaps the two most common Gym Defender types but also two of the best in the form of Psychic and Fairy. Gardevoir provides an excellent form of damage with access to quintessential moves like Charm and Dazzling Gleam, which can provide great general utility while annihilating Dragon-type attackers in a flash.
Gardevoir boasts a balance between excellent defensive typing and powerful offensive moves making it perhaps the best dual-purpose Gym Defender in the game and certainly worth the investment to power up your strongest available option. Stat-wise, Gardevoir is a bit frail, so don't rely on it to stop your opponents alone.
3 Togekiss - Charming, Isn't It?
Charm is perhaps the best Quick Move for defending Gyms in Pokemon Go. Togekiss offers incredible bulk and a wonderful array of Charged Moves to augment its already powerful Charming capability. Choose between Dazzling Gleam, Flamethrower, or Aerial Ace to deal with Dragon, Ice, or Fighting-type foes, respectively,
With a Charged Move covering the three most prevalent attacking types in the meta-game, Togekiss is a near-must-have for those who take Gym Defending seriously. It requires a switch from almost every possible team composition and could surprise an attacker with a quick KO if it is strategically placed behind another powerful offensive Pokemon.
2 Metagross - A Solid Steel Defense
Metagross is easily the best buddy to pair with Togekiss as they cover each other's weaknesses and force challengers to switch or be knocked out almost immediately. Meteor Mash is an excellent generalist Charged Move, while Psychic is designed to KO any Poison-type foolish enough to stay in after dealing with Togekiss prior.
Metagross's excellent defensive type combination of Steel and Psychic necessitates that your opponent switch to a frail Dark or Ghost-type to take you down quickly. And yet, it hits back with a powerful Meteor Mash to endanger choices like Froslass, while Psychic can send Gengar packing with ease. Zen Headbutt and Bullet Punch are each good choices for a Fast Move, with the slight edge belonging to Zen Headbutt to cover more typical threats.
1 Blissey - The Time-Wasting Wall
Blissey continues her reign atop the Pokemon Go Gym Defender mountain that began from her very introduction. While she should never be relied upon to defeat her opposition, Blissey can be very dependable for savvy Golden Razzberry users determined to keep their Pokemon healthy and earn those valuable Pokecoins.
Blissey does tout access to Zen Headbutt and both Dazzling Gleam or Psychic to keep Machamp teams on their toes. Luckily, any non-Super Effective types take a noticeable amount of time to defeat Blissey, so she will often be able to either force a switch or knockout an attacker if they don't watch their HP. There simply isn't a better way to guarantee your Pokecoins than using a Golden Razzberry on your highest CP Blissey defending a gym while keeping a close eye on it.