The Pokemon GO meta is constantly shifting. New Pokemon are added all the time, existing Pokemon receive new moves, raid bosses rotate in and out, and much, much more. However, you can't go wrong using a Pokemon at the top of its class — specifically, the best Pokemon of each type.

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Need a Fairy-type to deal with those pesky Dragons? How about a strong Fighting-type to make quick work of all three Regis? You could even use a Normal-type as an all-rounder and generalist.

We've broken down the best Pokemon of every type to make sure you always have a list of options.

We'll update this post when the meta shifts, making sure it's always up-to-date and the perfect resource for all your battling needs.

Updated on August 8, 2023 by Quinton O'Connor: Arlo's the current threat in August 2023, so we've noted which Pokemon work best against his lineup.

• This list is looking at PvE — that is, the best Pokemon to use in raids, taking down gyms, battling Team GO Rocket, and things of that nature. The best Pokemon for PvP is another conversation.
• Which Pokemon is best suited for a situation is entirely dependent on many, many factors: weather, the opponent's secondary typing, whether an ally has a Mega Evolved Pokemon in the battle, a Pokemon's level, and much more. This ranking looks at these Pokemon in a vacuum for an objective, overall impression of the best of each type.
• We have ranked the best of the best based on Pokemon that have moves of the corresponding type for both their fast and charge move. Those who don't have a move of their type for one or the other will be listed lower down, but not in the top ranks (save for the Normal-type, which has very few Pokemon worth examining).
  • For example Xerneas does not have access to a Fairy-type fast move, so it is not included in the top six Fairy-types, despite belonging there otherwise. But, it's one of the top Fairy-types, so we've included it in the "other options."

• This list considers not just DPS and TDO, but stats, the current meta, type combinations, and more. For full details on the DPS and TDO of every Pokemon with every possible move combination, check out GamePress and PokemonGOHub, who have compiled such information. The DPS and TDO data used here are from GO Hub.

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Bug

Pokemon GO: The Best Bug-type Attackers, Explained

Overall, Bug isn't the best type. Sure, it has its uses, especially in terms of taking down Psychic- and Dark-types from time to time, but both of those types have other weaknesses that are home to Pokemon that are much stronger. With that said, Bug-types can find some niche use here and there.

Mega Beedrill is unquestionably the best Bug-type. However, even with its best Bug-type moveset of Bug Bite and X-Scissor, its DPS still falls behind. With a monster max Attack stat of 303, though, it's worth paying attention to, especially with its low evolution cost from Weedle and Kakuna.

For the rest of the ranking, you're looking at the same familiar faces that dominate the Bug-type in the main series. There are no surprises here. Pinsir and Scizor both do very well, whether in their boosted Shadow forms or just the vanilla forms. When their Mega Evolutions are released, they'll be pretty great, though they may not take down Mega Beedrill.

Genesect has a fun gimmick with its different Drives, but sadly none of them add much value. It's best as a Bug- or Steel-type, with the moves to match. The different Techno Blast types can have their use in the PvP meta, but they aren't that great in PvE. As far as Bug-types go, if you're looking for something that isn't Shadow or Mega Evolved, Genesect is the best.

Escavalier and Yanmega might be some surprising faces, but the Bug-type doesn't have much competition for the top spots. Both have a secondary type, though Escavalier's is a bit more useful. Escavalier's Steel-typing will cover its Rock and Flying weaknesses. Yanmega's secondary Flying-type doesn't add much coverage, but it does give you some options.

Type Chart

Other Options

If you don't have the Pokemon listed above, consider their non-Mega and non-Shadow variations. Scizor and Pinsir both rank amongst the top Bug-types when not Shadow, making them your next best bet. However, if you really need some budget options, consider these:

• Scyther (Fury Cutter | Bug Buzz)
• Heracross (Struggle Bug | Megahorn)
• Scolipede (Bug Bite | Megahorn)
• Durant (Bug Bite | X-Scissor)

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Dark

Pokemon GO: The Best Dark-type Attackers, Explained

When you're going up against Psychic-type raids, like Mewtwo, Cresselia, or the Lake Guardians, Dark-types will often fill out your roster for some of the best counters. Dark also serves as a fantastic check on Ghost-types, since Ghost's only other weakness is itself, meaning it'll counter... your counters... so Dark is probably best in a vacuum. Unfortunately, Ghost-types have some better moves available, so when choosing Dark or Ghost for a raid against a Psychic-type, it will really depend on the context.

Mega Houndoom is a fantastic choice. Its secondary Fire-typing gives it some utility against Steel-types, as well as one of Dark's weaknesses, Bug (though why you'd take a Dark-type up against a Bug-type is unclear). While its DPS rating is basically on par with Mega Absol's, it'll stick around longer, making it better for TDO. It's fairly future-proof, too, with only Mega Tyranitar, and Hoopa Unbound posing any imminent threats to its throne. Even then, it'll outclass M-Tyra in pure DPS.

Mega Absol's spot in this ranking was once held by Shadow Tyranitar, but the new Mega outclasses it in TDO since Shadow Tyra's DPS is so low in comparison. However, they're both great picks. As for Mega Absol, you're looking at the top DPS Dark-type attacker, though it's a complete glass cannon, with Defense and HP stats too low to keep it around for long. However, it'll hit hard and fast before going down, so it's great in the right contexts. Tyranitar, once the absolute ruler of the Dark- and Rock-type categories, did fall from grace slightly with the introduction of some later Pokemon. But, it's still an absolutely fantastic option. Luckily, it's available in its Shadow version, giving it a boost to put it almost on par with the best Dark-types of recent years. It'll often serve better as a Rock-type attacker, but given the exclusivity of Smack Down as a Community Day move, you might opt to use Tyra as a Dark-type move user.

Shadow Weavile and Shadow Honchkrow are both completely solid options as Dark-type attackers, but tend to see more use for their secondary typings — Shadow Weavile as an Ice-attacker and Shadow Honchkrow for Flying. Shadow Honchkrow has a truly outstanding DPS of 22.093 with Snarl for its fast move and Sky Attack as a charge move but opt for Dark Pulse if you want the Dark-type moves, which has a slightly worse but still impressive DPS of ~18.5. Shadow Weavile also excels in the DPS category with its secondary type as a charge move — Avalanche, with 20.089 when paired with Snarl, but Snarl + Foul Play isn't far behind with 19.061.

As an aside, Weavile is a fantastic counter to Giovanni's Rhyperior, arguably the toughest of the Team Rocket leader's team/

Darkrai is a great contender among Dark-types, blasting in with a TDO over 400 with all Dark-type moves, compared to 302.2 for Shadow Honchkrow and 383.4 for Shadow Weavile. However, it sits behind Shadow Tyranitar and Mega Houndoom. If you're going up against Psychic-types, Darkrai does better with Shadow Ball than Dark Pulse in both DPS and TDO, but it's up to you. We think Darkrai is a swell Alakazam counter for Arlo August 2023.

Umbreon squeezes into the list with its sky-high defense and appreciable stamina. There's also the ease of acquisition to consider, and while simply being able to get a Pokemon quickly is hardly a qualifier for whether it's one of the best in its type, Umbreon's solid enough as-is for us to take a gander at all those easy Eevees. Remember to name yours 'Tamao' for a guaranteed Dark-type evolution.

Type Chart

Other Options

Though many people will have Tyranitar thanks to Larvitar Community Day, and Murkrow is common enough that most should have Honchkrow, their Shadow versions are another story. Luckily, non-Shadow Tyra, Weavile, and Honchkrow are also amongst the top Dark-type attackers. But, if you have trouble finding them, or any other of the top Dark attackers discussed above, consider some of these other options:

• Hydreigon (Bite | Dark Pulse)
• Yveltal (Snarl | Dark Pulse)
• Crawdaunt (Snarl | Night Slash)
• Bisharp (Snarl | Dark Pulse)
• Tyranitar/Shadow Tyranitar (Bite | Crunch)

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Dragon

Pokemon GO: The Best Dragonite-type Attackers, Explained

Dragon-types are widely considered the best and most viable Pokemon, at least generally speaking. Of course, the only type they’re good against is other Dragon-types, but with the sheer number of Dragon-type Legendaries, that’s more than enough for them to be useful. Dragon-types are typically considered great generalists, having use against a wide variety of matchups since they aren’t resisted by much, and the strongest dragons have high DPS and Attack stats.

The top spot amongst Dragon-types is changing all the time, in part because new Dragon-type Legendaries (and pseudos) are introduced but also because they frequently receive new moves, Shadow forms, and Mega Evolutions. Currently, the top spot in many respects belongs to Shadow Dragonite, though Shadow Salamence isn’t far behind it. With a massive Attack stat and decent bulk, Shadow Dragonite can achieve DPS and TDO stats of 22.87 and 1,081.28, respectively. It’ll hit hard and stay standing for a long time.

Very, very close behind Shadow Dragonite is Shadow Salamence, and the two have been kind of battling over the top spot back and forth for years in their non-Shadow forms. For DPS, Shadow Salamence actually passes Shadow Dragonite, even though it falls behind on TDO. Shadow Salamence has the highest DPS of any Dragon-type, actually. Which one you use is entirely contextual, but in the end, it doesn’t really matter because they’ll both just absolutely demolish almost everything in their path. The only problem with both of these dragons is their double weakness to Ice, but for the most part, they’re going to be great on your team in most matchups. Salamence will receive a Mega in GO one day, and Dragonite will not, so this ranking will probably move around again.

Another Pokemon that surpasses Shadow Salamence in TDO is Garchomp, though it falls behind on DPS as well. This Dragon/Ground-type pseudo will do a fantastic job as a Dragon-type attacker, and it’ll surely see some cool changes in use when its Mega is released. However, as of now, it does function better as a Ground-type. That isn’t to say it isn’t a good Dragon-type, as it’s arguably one of the absolute best, but if you have some Dragonite, Salamence, or other top Dragon-type attackers, it’s better to make use of Garchomp where it shines even more. Also, like with the plethora of Dragon/Flying-types, watch out for Ice-types, because Garchomp will also take double damage from them.

Both Salamence and Garchomp serve as worthy counters to Arlo's Shadow Nidoran. Our temporary switch to the suggestion of Earth Power on Garchomp (rather than the conventional Outrage) reflects its deep ability to get the job done. Garchomp's also great for handling the current Giovanni lineup Nidoking.

Joining these three pseudo-Legendaries at the top is an actual proper Legendary: Rayquaza. This behemoth is absolutely one of the best Pokemon of all time, so it’s probably no surprise to many people to see it here. It doesn't measure up to the already mentioned dragons here in terms of DPS or TDO, but it's still highly valuable as a team member, able to put out a ton of damage with ease. However, this is Rayquaza’s base form, and those passing it are mostly Mega Evolutions and Shadow Pokemon (insert “this isn’t even my final form” meme here). Mega Rayquaza will be coming to Pokemon GO sometime in the future, and should absolutely skyrocket Ray’s potential. In the main series, it ties with the Mega Mewtwo twins for the highest base stat total of any obtainable Pokemon. If that translates into Pokemon GO, it’ll absolutely dominate in almost any situation (except for against Ice-types — the bane of Dragon-types everywhere).

The only Mega Evolution currently in the top rankings here is Mega Charizard X — also the first one we’ve mentioned that isn’t double-weak to Ice. It doesn't quite reach the same DPS or TDO as those mentioned higher up, but for the time being, it still packs enough of a punch to make it into the top spots — for now. Eventually, Mega Charizard X will see some stiff competition from Pokemon like Mega Salamence, Mega Rayquaza, and maybe even some more Shadow Dragon-types. It’ll still be a fantastic choice, especially given its boost to other Dragon- and Fire-type moves when it’s on the field, but it’ll be outclassed by other Dragons on its Dragon-typing, and outclassed by other Fire-types (including Mega Charizard Y) for its Fire-type. Enjoy this amazingly designed lizard while you can, because soon it’ll be on the backburner (get it?).

Dialga unquestionably stands tall amongst the best Dragon-types, but its spot in the rankings is a tough one since it could go to its counterpart, Palkia, as well as either Zekrom or Reshiram. Each one has different uses, and they’re equally good, depending on your metric. However, we’ve chosen Dialga for one reason: it joins Mega Altaria as the only two Dragon-types in the game currently that aren't weak to Dragon-type moves. This is a fantastic quality, making Dialga a great counter to Dragon-type raid bosses with Dragon moves. If Niantic gives it Dragon Tail as a fast move and Outrage as a charge move, it might move up the ranking significantly.

Type Chart

Other Options

Of course, all the best Dragon-types are pseudos, Mega Evolutions, and Legendaries, so they may be hard to come by. Unfortunately, moving down the list into the not-as-good-but-still-decent Dragon-types will still produce Legendaries, like those listed below, as well as Haxorus, which is super hard to obtain.

Luckily, non-Shadow Dragonite and non-Shadow Salamence are ranked amongst the top Dragon-types as well, and they're both relatively common given their base stage's Community Days and frequent event-boosts and presence as Field Research encounter rewards. This all makes them the true budget options, since most players will have them, and they're still some best. However, if you really want some budget options, consider Kingdra (Dragon Breath | Outrage), Alolan Exeggutor (Dragon Tail | Solar Beam), and/or Flygon (Dragon Tail | Dragon Claw).

• Reshiram (Dragon Breath | Draco Meteor) or Zekrom (Dragon Breath | Outrage)
• Palkia (Dragon Breath | Draco Meteor)
• Latios (Dragon Breath | Dragon Claw)
• Haxorus (Dragon Tail | Dragon Claw)

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Electric

Pokemon GO: Best Electric-type Attackers, Explained

Legendaries and Megas reign supreme over the Electric-type category, with only Shadow Electivire (and maybe Magnezone in some situations) managing to eke in. Still, with only one weakness and some amazing super effective damage against Flying- and Water-types, Electric-types can cover a lot of ground.

Among these Electric-types, Shadow Raikou is, without challenge, the best. Its max Attack is a bit lower than Zapdos', but it doesn't even matter with the amount of extra damage its moveset can do. Wild Charge outclasses Thunderbolt completely, and Raikou has more max Defense, meaning it'll stick around a bit longer. Sure, Zapdos resists Electric's only weakness in Ground, but it trades that out for weaknesses to Ice- and Rock-type moves.

On the topic of Zapdos — even though it's a bit behind Shadow Raikou, Zapdos' Shadow variant is by no means worse. It comes in a close second or third situationally, with less DPS than Shadow Raikou and Shadow Electivire, but more TDO than the latter. As we said, Zapdos negates Electric's weakness to Ground, but it has a weakness to Rock and Ice instead, which can be good or bad, depending on what the situation is. Unfortunately, both Shadow Raikou and Shadow Zapdos are extremely hard to get your hands on, so if you don't have them, you might have to settle for another Pokemon from this ranking.

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While it takes third place for TDO, Shadow Electivire takes the top spot for pure DPS, managing to eke out both Shadow Raikou and Shadow Zapdos. It doesn't have the same bulk as Shadow Raikou, but it is much, much easier to obtain, making it an attractive option. Electivire also has access to Ice Punch, giving it a check on those pesky Ground-types. Consider Electivire when facing August 2023 Arlo's Sharpedo.

There are only two Electric-type Mega Evolutions in the Pokemon series, and both have already made their way into Pokemon GO. Mega Ampharos and Mega Manectric are both great Electric-type options, though they have different usages. Where Mega Manectric excels in DPS with its massive max Attack stat, Mega Ampharos has the bulk to last a lot longer and a secondary Dragon-typing that gives it some more utility, though also more weaknesses. Which one of these you go with will depend on your needs, but they're both fantastic.

The final Electric-type we'll talk about here is Zekrom, one of the mascot Legendaries from Generation 5. Like M-Ampharos, it's a Dragon/Electric-type, giving it some utility against some other Pokemon while also taking on more weaknesses. It's great as either a Dragon or Electric attacker, and both would serve you well.

Type Chart

Other Options

All the top Electric-types are either Legendary, Mega, or Shadows, so it's probably a bit daunting to look at that ranking. Luckily, there are some other options, many of which, in some situations, can outclass those listed above (especially Magnezone if it's a Shadow). Here are some of the other amazing Electric-types to consider:

• Magnezone (Spark | Wild Charge)
• Thundurus Therian Form (Volt Switch | Thunderbolt)
• Luxray (Spark | Wild Charge)
• Jolteon (Thunder Shock | Thunderbolt)

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Fairy

Pokemon GO: Best Fairy-type Attackers, Explained

Fairy-type Pokemon, unfortunately, don't seem to enjoy the same glittering stature as they do in the main series. This might be due to Pokemon GO's combination of physical and special stats into one single stat, as Fairy-types typically excel in Special Attack and Special Defense and have very poor physical Attack. Regardless, they'll have some good use against the types that Fairy typically takes down, those being Dark, Fighting, and most notably, Dragon. But, often there are better choices against those types.

Without question, your best bet for a Fairy-type is going to be Gardevoir. Its Shadow version is easily the best Fairy-type, though Togekiss outpaces it in overall TDO. Non-Shadow Gardevoir is also fantastic, ranking as one of the best Fairy-types just behind Togekiss, Xerneas, and its own Shadow variant. The fact that Xerneas doesn't have access to a Fairy-type fast move puts Gardevoir ahead in that respect, though. Once Mega Gardevoir is added to the game, it'll be even better, though still sitting behind Togekiss' TDO (~680 vs ~747). As a generalist, you'll want Charm + Dazzling Gleam, but Gardevoir's Psychic-type moveset of Confusion + Psychic will do better against Fighting-types.

Togekiss is definitely on par with Gardevoir, being a bit better than base Gardevoir but a bit worse than Shadow Gardevoir. Against Fighting-types, it'll be around the same, though, unlike Gardevoir, its secondary typing isn't as good in that regard (Air Slash + Aerial Ace). Type matchups are also interesting, as Togekiss' Flying-type, compared to Gardevoir's Psychic-type, gives it more weaknesses but also more resistances. It'll be contextual which of these two Fairy-types is your best bet.

Shadow Granbull is the last truly viable Fairy-type that has access to two Fairy-type moves, though it's far behind Togekiss and Gardevoir. It sits behind Mega Altaria and Xerneas for TDO, but passes both on DPS, and has the advantage of having a Fairy-type fast move, which those two do not. Granbull is a great budget option, given the ubiquity of Snubbull and the new Shadow Snubbull that can be obtained from GO Rocket Grunts. But, you'll definitely want to opt for the Togekiss/Gardevoir duo where possible.

As for the rest of the Fairy-types listed above (Clefable, Alolan Ninetales, and Wigglytuff), they're fine, but definitely not stellar. Against Fairy's typical victims, like Fighting, Dragon, and Dark, you'll definitely want to go with their other weaknesses instead of using these Pokemon. Alolan Ninetales is fun against Dragons, given its secondary Ice-typing, but you'll probably do better with Mega Altaria in that regard, as its Dragon-typing is better. These three Pokemon are far superior in the PvP meta than they are in PvE.

Type Chart

Other Options

Gardevoir and Togekiss will fill any kind of Fairy-type need you have, but if you don't have them, consider these options, some of which are almost on par with Gardevoir and Togekiss, but don't have Fairy-type fast moves:

• Galarian Rapidash (Psycho Cut | Play Rough)
• Xerneas (Tackle | Moonblast)
• Mega Altaria (Dragon Breath | Dazzling Gleam)
• Galarian Weezing (Tackle | Play Rough)

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Fighting

Pokemon GO: Best Fighting-type Attackers, Explained

Fighting is currently one of the best types in the game. It's dominated by Pokemon that hit fast and hard, and it serves as the weakness to many strong Pokemon, including Dark- and Steel-types, as well as the ever-popular Normal-type gym defenders like Blissey and Slaking. Barring an extreme (and unlikely) shift in the meta, Fighting should remain dominant for the foreseeable future.

The best Fighting-type is probably no surprise: Shadow Machamp. This Gen 1 punchy friend has long been considered one of the best Fighting-types in series history, and its Shadow boost just makes it even better. With access to some of the best Fighting-type moves, as well as Rock Slide for coverage against Flying-types, Shadow Machamp isn't going down without a fight.

Next in line, and the original replacement to Machamp's top spot, is Lucario. This Steel/Fighting-type edges past regular Machamp with higher DPS, but falls a bit short on TDO, even though its Steel-typing suggests it would resist more. Currently, it's the best Fighting-type that isn't Mega Evolved or Shadow boosted. But, it'll get its own Mega Evolution eventually, and that'll be quite the attacker when it arrives.

While Lucario knocked Machamp down a rank, Conkeldurr came in and did the same to Lucario. However, Lucario returned to its position with the release of Aura Sphere, knocking Conkeldurr down again, before both were pushed down again by Shadow Machamp. Isn't musical chairs fun? Regardless, Conkeldurr still stands among the best, offering some decent bulk and a whopping attack stat that'll knock the wind out of its opponents. It's absolutely worth keeping around and using in battle, despite losing the top spot. It isn't far behind its colleagues, and it'll still take down those Blissey basically as fast as Lucario or Shadow Machamp.

Both Lucario and Conkeldurr are great against Arlo August 2023's Aipom and Snorlax.

The first of many Fighting-type Mega Evolutions to see release in GO is Mega Lopunny. It'll likely lose some places in the ranking when others like M-Lucario and Mega Mewtwo X are released, but for now, Mega Lopunny is a sure bet. With a max Attack stat of 282, it's definitely a Pokemon worth adding to your team, even if it won't be one of the best for long.

Depending on what you are looking at — DPS, TDO, a combination of both, or other factors — the next-best Fighting-type will change. But, we'll take a look at one that ranks for DPS (Breloom) and one that ranks for TDO (Hariyama). Neither of these Pokemon is going to blow you away with power, but they are viable and okay in many instances. Breloom is actually ranked in the top ten for DPS, but its Grass-typing can be more of a hindrance than a help, especially since it'll double Fighting's already pervasive Flying weakness. However, Breloom is a fun choice and something different, and it's not like it's bad. Hariyama is much of the same, but more geared toward staying around a long time and not hitting quite as hard, offering some decent total damage output. This is thanks to its extremely high stamina, giving it the ability to soak up hits for a long time. If you need a Fighting-type that'll act as a damage sponge while still being able to output some okay offense, Hariyama is a great choice.

They aren't in the top six we've listed here, but Cobalion and Terrakion need some special mention. Neither has a Fighting-type fast move, but both are okay Fighting-type attackers — interesting enough that we're talking about them here instead of listing them in the other options below. With Metal Claw + Sacred Sword, Cobalion has the highest TDO of any Fighting-type. With Smack Down and Close Combat, Terrakion will be a fun choice against Flying-types, which typically pose a threat to Fighting-types. Neither of them is uber-impressive, but they're a fun choice with some niche use. Terrakion is superb against Arlo August 2023's Sharpedo as well as his Snorlax.

Type Chart

Other Options

There are quite a few Fighting-types that can get the job done. The ones above are the best of the best, but if you don't have them, there are some other great options. Non-Shadow Machamp is probably the best bet available, but if you don't want to use Machamp or don't have it, consider these other Pokemon:

• Blaziken (Counter | Blast Burn)
• Gallade (Low Kick | Close Combat)
• Toxicroak (Counter | Dynamic Punch)
• Emboar (Low Kick | Focus Blast)

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Fire

Pokemon GO: Best Fire-type Attackers, Explained

Fire-types are often widely beloved by fans, and the best Fire-types are nothing short of abundant. You have a ton of choices when looking for a good Fire-type Pokemon, especially with how many Legendaries, Starters, and Mega Evolutions sport the type and great offensive prowess.

The current reigning is Mega Charizard Y, though its grip on the top spot is shaky, with Mega Blaziken looming just around the corner, ready to pounce and take its place. One of a handful of Pokemon to reach a TDO over 1,000 (about 1,043.8 with Fire Spin + Blast Burn), Mega Charizard Y is going to really tear through the competition. Mega Charizard X is also fantastic, while slightly lower in terms of overall damage output compared to its twin. However, X doesn't have the double weakness to Rock like Y does, which is something to consider. It falls behind the other Mega Charizard in overall TDO and DPS, but it's still one of the best Pokemon on the game, and the boost it gives to other Dragon-types while it's on the field is not something to ignore. Keep X to being a Dragon-type attacker, and let Y take up the Fire-type mantle of the family.

Shadow Moltres, which also suffers from that double Rock-weakness, surpasses Mega Charizard X in terms of DPS, but only slightly, and falls behind on TDO. Despite this, it's one of the best Pokemon in the game, and will absolutely dominate as either a Fire-type or a Flying-type — dealer's choice.

Reshiram, the Vast White Pokemon and box art mascot of Pokemon Black, serves as a great Fire-type attacker. Its access to Fire Fang pairs nicely with Overheat, and both will be used well by Reshiram's massive max Attack stat of 275. Reshiram and Charizard work well against August 2023 Arlo's Scizor.

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Entei follows Moltres as a strong Fire-type Legendary from a trio that was given a Shadow form. Shadow Entei is great, with much more bulk than is typically seen from Fire-types. Between it and Shadow Moltres, you'll have decent choices for different situations. Shadow Moltres has more resistances but is more fragile and double weak to Rock, where Shadow Entei sticks around longer but has fewer resistances, including a vulnerability to Ground that Shadow Moltres doesn't need to worry over nearly as much. Which one you pick is entirely context-dependent, but both are amazing attackers. Entei also makes a stunning counter for Arlo from Team Rocket right now, dealing with Arlo's Mawile cleanly and efficiently.

Mega Houndoom is another Fire-type Mega, but it has Dark as a secondary typing, making it work a bit differently from the Mega Charizard twins. It'll serve much better as a Dark-type attacker, where it's easily one of the absolute best, but it's a terrific Fire-type as well. It'll work well enough for what you need, but using it as a Dark-type is a better use of that Mega Energy.

Blaziken is maybe a controversial pick here. It's slightly outclassed by other Fire-types like Heatran, Chandelure, Shadow Magmortar, and Shadow Arcanine in terms of TDO, but it's still a DPS master and is set to really skyrocket up the list once it can Mega Evolve. Plus, given how easy it is to obtain a Blaziken (Torchic is relatively common, frequently boosted in events, and a Community Day Pokemon), it does have some points over others like Chandelure, which technically outrank it. Mega Blaziken will absolutely tear up the Fire-type meta, too, launching itself to the top of the ranking with ease.

Type Chart

Other Options

The top of the Fire-type list is dominated by Shadow Pokemon, Mega Evolutions, and Legendaries, which means it might be a bit hard to obtain some of the best of the best. If you're looking for more accessible options, consider these (as well as non-Mega and non-Shadow versions of those Pokemon):

• Emboar (Ember | Blast Burn)
• Darmanitan (Incinerate | Overheat)
• Magmortar (Fire Spin | Fire Punch)
• Chandelure (Fire Spin | Overheat)

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Flying

Pokemon GO: Best Flying-type Attackers, Explained

There are a ton of good Flying-types in Pokemon GO, thanks in part to the abundance of Flying-type Legendaries. As one of the few counters to the ever-dominant Fighting-types, and a double resistance to Ground, Flying-types can make great all-rounders, too.

Without competition, Shadow Moltres takes the top spot here. It's not just the best Flying-type, it's also just one of the best Pokemon in the game in general. With 19.87 in DPS and 856.19 in TDO, this Pokemon is a terror in the skies. It's outclassed by Shadow Dragonite, Shadow Zapdos, and Mega Charizard Y, but none of them have a full Flying-type moveset, and Sh. Moltres does, which launches it over their heads.

Inching ahead of Shadow Moltres in DPS but not TDO is Mega Pidgeot, which might not be as powerful, but doesn't have a double weakness to Rock and isn't locked behind GO Rocket event exclusivity. Additionally, M-Pidgeot is one of the cheapest Mega Evolutions in the game, both in terms of Mega Energy requirements, but also evolution candy costs. One more bonus is that it boosts other Flying- and Normal-types in raids when it's on the field. So, while Sh. Moltres might be more powerful, you can get more mileage out of M-Pidgeot in many instances.

Shadow Honchkrow and Shadow Staraptor are great, great choices. Both are fantastic as Flying-types, but also rank for their other typing as well (Dark for Sh. Honch and Normal for Sh. Staraptor). In the absence of a Shadow Moltres, Shadow Honchkrow might be the next best choice, depending on the situation. It hits hard, but it goes down fast, so you might want to use it up first before the raid boss can get a charge move off. Shadow 'raptor is a bit less powerful than Sh. Honchkrow, but it's still a great choice. It hits hard and fast and will rack up damage quickly. It's especially appealing given the low evolution cost.

Rayquaza is, of course, no surprise. Long-time Pokemon fans might actually get a bit tired of hearing how great Rayquaza is, and that will be exacerbated when we see its Mega Evolution, which is easily one of the greatest Pokemon ever, regardless of game or type. There isn't much new to say here — Rayquaza is amazing, we all get it. It's definitely better as a Dragon-type attacker, but it'll grab you some easy wins as a Flying-type, too, and that'll probably be even more true when its signature move, Dragon Ascent (a Flying-type move, despite what the name might suggest) is released. Of course, go with Air Slash for a full Flying moveset, but it actually puts up better numbers with Dragon Tail, so it's up to you.

Following up behind these powerhouses is Yveltal, the box mascot of Pokemon Y. Yveltal might not be at the top of the list of Flying-type attackers for damage output or damage per second, but it does have a full Flying moveset, unlike many of those that surpass it like Dragonite, Ho-oh, Lugia, and the Kanto Legendary Birds. It also suffers from not having the resistance to Fighting-types that other flyers have, but it does double-resist Psychic, which can be appealing. Tornadus, Braviary, and Rayquaza will outperform Yveltal in many respects, but it's still a great choice. We may also see its signature move, Oblivion Wing, move it up the ranking a bit, though that remains to be seen. While there are better choices than Yveltal, it's still a respectable attacker, and because it's a flying red-and-black harbinger of destruction, we've chosen it over similar but more boring options.

Type Chart

Other Options

We're a bit spoiled by choice with Flying-types. There are so many great ones, and even common early-game birds with low evolution costs like Pidgey and Starly will go on to greatness, so it's probably one of the types with the easiest entry cost to the upper tiers. But, if you're looking for some other options, consider these sky-dwelling Pokemon:

• Lugia (Extrasensory | Aeroblast)
• Dragonite (Dragon Tail | Hurricane)
• Zapdos (Thunder Shock | Drill Peck)
• Braviary (Air Slash | Brave Bird)

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Ghost

Pokemon GO: Best Ghost-type Attackers, Explained

Ghost-types are often phenomenal, especially in matchups against Psychic-types. Given the high number of Psychic-type Legendaries, this comes in handy often. Shadow Ball is also one of the best moves in the game, so the fact that Ghost-types get STAB from it is very appealing.

Currently, the only Ghost-type Mega Evolution in the game, Mega Gengar soars above the rest of the spooky crew. Its massive max Attack stat of 349 (yes, you read that right) and access to fantastic moves make it one of the best Pokemon in the entire game, regardless of type. Lick and Shadow Claw are mostly interchangeable, but either one should be paired with Shadow Ball. Mega Gengar is so strong that it actually ranks as one of the best Dark-type attackers, too. It'll be joined eventually by Mega Sableye and Mega Banette, but neither should pose much of a threat to M-Gengar's top spot.

In place of Mega Gengar, regular Gengar is also fantastic, ranking amongst the top Ghost-types as well. If you're looking to round out a team though, and you want to avoid Gengar's pesky Psychic-type weakness, consider Origin Form Giratina. Both forms are powerful, but in PvE, Origin is much better. It has a massive TDO of 1017.14, putting it in first place for Ghost-types, and a decent DPS, too, sitting in fifth. What makes it really stand out is the fact that it doesn't faint at the drop of a hat like many other Ghost-types, which tend to be a bit glass-cannon-esque. Giratina-O has great bulk, letting it stay standing in battle for a good while. Altered Form Giratina doesn't have access to Shadow Ball or the stats to really be viable in PvE. That doesn't mean there's no point in investing in Giratina-A, though, as it's arguably the master of the GO Battle League.

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Chandelure, the Ghost/Fire-type from Gen V, was a fantastic Ghost-type then, and it is in Pokemon GO, too. It ranks high for both DPS and TDO, and its type combination is both useful and interesting. It makes for one of the best Ghost-type attackers, as well as one of the best Fire-type attackers, giving it some use for either function. Fore pure damage-per-second, it ranks third, and for total damage output, fifth. Plus, the fact that it doesn't need to be Shadow or Mega Evolved is very, very nice.

Sitting in third place behind Mega Gengar and regular Gengar for DPS is Shadow Rider Calyrex, then behind those three, Chandelure, and Giratina-O is Shadow Mismagius. Both of these Shadow Pokemon boast great DPS and decent TDO. Plus, the Shadow glow behind them as Ghost-types is really cool, for whatever that's worth.

Shadow Rider Calyrex is a rad counter to March 2023 Arlo's Crobat. It'll still rank behind Mega Gengar, but it'll be a bit better against Psychic-types than many Dark-types. Shadow Mismagius, though, isn't necessarily the best Ghost-type, but it's not the worst, either. It's okay, if you have it, and it'll get the job done, but it's probably not going to win any awards.

Drifblim fills out the top six here, but not because it's extremely impressive as an attacker. There simply aren't that many Ghost-types that outperform it and have two Ghost-type moves available. Giratina Altered sits above it, but with Dragon Claw, not its Ghost-type charge move Shadow Sneak, and Golurk is better too, but with Earth Power. Jellicent's TDO is higher while its DPS is lower, and non-Shadow Banette and Mismagius are both a bit better, but Drifblim is by no means terrible as an attacker. It's most commonly seen as a gym defender, thanks to its incredible health stat. It's a nice way to block out those Fighting-types that are used to take down gyms (thanks to the prevalence of Blissey and Slaking as defenders), since it triple-resists Fighting.

We nearly included Mega Banette, and may do so again in the future. As it stands, it's straightforwardly (ish!) a lesser form of Gengar, and we're not sure it secures a role in our top suggestions as a result.

Type Chart

Other Options

The fact that Gastly is always a common spawn, frequently appears as a Field Research encounter reward, and has even been featured in a Community Day means you probably have no shortage of them, giving you a nice Gengar or even a full team of six. But, if you're looking to diversify, here are some other choices:

• Golurk (Astonish | Earth Power)
• Spiritomb (Sucker Punch | Shadow Ball)
• Froslass (Hex | Shadow Ball)
• Jellicent (Hex | Shadow Ball)

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Grass

Pokemon GO: Best Grass-type Attackers, Explained

Grass is not typically considered an offensive type. Like Poison, it makes use of other strategies instead of pure damage output, like sleep and paralysis conditions, health-sapping moves, and more. However, Grass-type attackers see a lot of use against the all-too-common Rock/Ground combo, as well as being one of Water's only two weaknesses. In the battle of Rock, Ground, and Water, Grass is good against all of them. Additionally, Grass is often paired with a secondary typing that allows it some more utility, depending on the context.

Venusaur is already a bulk monster, but that's increased heavily by its Mega Evolution. Mega Venusaur sports an absolutely unbelievable max stat spread of 241 in Attack, 246 in Defense, and 190 in Stamina. This Grass/Poison-type is going to be standing for a long, long time, giving it massive TDO of ~1,005 points. The Grass-type move given to all Grass starters on Community Day, Frenzy Plant, is an extremely attractive factor. It's easily one of the best moves in the game and paired with the fast energy generation of Vine Whip, Mega Venusaur is a force to be reckoned with. It will one day be outclassed (probably) by Mega Sceptile, but for now, this bulky plant dino is here to soak up damage and deal it back out with ease.

Did you grab yourself a nice Tapu Bulu in a recent raid? You must be feeling good. Now, you can feel even better. Tapu Bulu makes an excellent pick in the May meta since it's got physical coverage down to a science. It hits hard and can take a few licks in turn.

Roserade and Shadow Victreebel will serve similar purposes, both being a Grass/Poison-type. However, Roserade surpasses Shadow Vic in TDO but the latter takes it in DPS. The problem with both of these Pokemon is that they're far outclassed by Venusaur, which is also a Grass/Poison-type. Still, they're fun to use and can fill any holes in your team that you may have. Further advantages to consider are their balanced stats and ability to take full advantage of an array of scenarios courtesy of the savvy choice to include a Poison move in its arsenal.

Zarude is a more recent addition to the scene, but it quickly took one of the top spots for Grass-types. This Mythical from Gen 8 is easily the best non-Mega and non-Shadow Grass-type in the game, and it will be for probably a long time. Only Rillaboom and the Ultra Beast Kartana look poised to take its spot in that regard, and they're probably a long way off. For overall performance in PvE, Zarude packs a wallop, only currently surpassed by Mega Venusaur. Right now, Zarude marks a fabulous counter against Arlo August 2023's Mismagius.

Tangrowth is an interesting case, as pure Grass-types aren't as common as one might think. In Generation 1, Tangela, its pre-evolution, was the only pure Grass-type at all. While that means it won't have some weaknesses that many other dual-type Grassies have, it also means no double resistances or double-STAB potential, either. Tangrowth sits just behind Sceptile in DPS (16.14 vs 16.17), it far exceeds it in TDO thanks to its much higher bulk. However, when Sceptile gains the ability to Mega Evolve, that story will probably change.

Type Chart

Other Options

There is no shortage of decent Grass-types. Your first go-to after those listed above should be their non-Mega or non-Shadow versions, but in the absence of even those, these will do nicely as well:

• Sceptile (Bullet Seed | Frenzy Plant)
• Celebi (Confusion | Leaf Storm)
• Leafeon (Razor Leaf | Leaf Blade)
• Alolan Exeggutor (Bullet Seed | Solar Beam)

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Ground

Pokemon GO: Best Ground-type Attackers, Explained

Ground, often considered a great type in the main series, offers some excellent options in Pokemon GO. Good against five types (including being Electric's only weakness), Ground-types will serve you pretty well. Unfortunately, the Ground-type movepool isn't fantastic by any means, especially with Earthquake's low viability compared to its absolute dominance in the main series. Other types will often serve better, but Ground-types do have a niche use in sunny weather or against Electric-types.

Shadow Mamoswine and Shadow Swampert both dominate in damage output and DPS, but only with charge moves that aren't Ground-type (Avalanche for Sh. Mamoswine and Hydro Cannon for Sh. Swampert). If Shadow Mamoswine has Bulldoze, it'll fall behind a bit from its Avalanche counterpart, but not terribly so, still holding a spot among the best Ground-types.

Not far behind are Mamoswine and Swampert in their non-Shadow forms (again with non-Ground charge moves, though), followed by Groudon with a massive TDO of 848.72. When it receives its Primal Reversion at some point, it'll be even better, though it'll take on a double weakness to Water. If Niantic ever gets around to releasing Precipice Blades, Groudon's signature move, it'll absolutely go from one of the top Ground attackers to one of the best Pokemon in general.

You definitely can't go wrong with Garchomp, filling in a type that other pseudos can't touch with its Ground-typing. That makes it especially useful against Electric-types, as it'll triple resist them. Similar to other pseudos like Dragonite and Salamence, Garchomp will be double-weak to Ice, so watch out for that. It'll perform great alongside them as a Dragon-type, but there is no shortage of good Dragons, so Garchomp is more fun as a Ground user with Mud Shot and Earth Power. Earthquake and Sand Tomb are okay, but they fall behind Earth Power — though they aren't limited to a Community Day move the way the latter is.

Excadrill surpasses both Groudon and Garchomp in pure DPS, but falls behind on TDO. Its secondary Steel-typing does give it some advantage though, nullifying Ground's weakness to Ice and Grass — but it does add Fighting, Ground, and Fire weaknesses in their place.

All around, Rhyperior is a great Ground-type attacker, but there isn't much to say about it. It's great! If you have a Rhyperior with Ground-type moves, it'll do well for whatever you need. But, it's much better as a Rock-type specialist thanks to its Community Day move, Rock Wrecker. Also, the double weakness to both Grass and Water is not very fun. Bring August 2023 Arlo down a notch with Excadrill and Landorus.

There are currently no Ground-type Megas in the game, meaning as of now you will not receive a boost from an ally with a Mega Evolved Pokemon on the field. Incoming Ground-types like Mega Swampert and Mega Garchomp will surely take over as the best Ground-type attackers, while others like Mega Steelix and Mega Camerupt will probably do better for their other typings (Steel for M-Steelix and Fire for M-Camerupt).

Type Chart

Other Options

None of the top Ground-type elites are super hard to get your hands on, with maybe the exception of Groudon and Landorus, as they're Legendaries. But, if you're looking for some other options, consider these easy-to-find Ground-types, some of which are amazing but don't have two Ground-type moves available:

• Swampert (Mud Shot | Hydro Cannon)
• Hippowdon (Thunder Fang | Earth Power)
• Donphan (Mud Slap | Earthquake)
• Torterra (Razor Leaf | Earthquake)

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Ice

Pokemon GO: Best Ice-type Attackers, Explained

It's not uncommon to see people dunking on Ice-types, especially in the main series. They only resist Ice itself, and they have many weaknesses. Additionally, the type itself is great on offense, being good against Flying, Dragon, Grass, and Ground, but Ice-types are made defensive rather than offensive, putting their matchups to waste. With that said, Ice-types are not as bad as their reputation makes them out to be. They seem to have some great prowess in GO in certain contexts, like against the ever-frequent Dragon-type raid bosses. Given that they do double damage to the seemingly endless stream of Dragon/Flying-types, as well as to Pokemon like Garchomp, Landorus, the upcoming Legendary Zygarde, and Sceptile's Mega Evolution, Ice-types aren't going anywhere, no matter how much criticism they face.

The most reputation-restoring name in the Ice-type game is Shadow Mamoswine, which is almost just as good in its non-Shadow form as well. This Pokemon is a mammoth both in design and in stats, and it'll truly make winter come to those pesky Dragon-types. Shadow Mamoswine has beastly Attack and Stamina, allowing it to do a ton of damage and dole it out for quite a while. The only real threat to its throne at the moment is Galarian Darmanitan's Zen Mode, which hasn't been released quite yet, but given that its regular form has, that could change at a moment's notice.

Mega Abomasnow is a clear second-place in terms of damage output in a vacuum, but it will fall down the list a bit against certain scenarios. Its double weakness to Fire, as well as its Grass-typing adding a bunch of weaknesses that Ice typically doesn't have, make it very, very fragile. However, it has a good set of stats, especially in its max Attack. The boost it'll give to other Ice-types while it's on the field is also worth noting, as it'll make Flying- and Dragon-types (as well as the combination of the two) go down really, really fast.

Edging out M-Abomasnow in DPS but being a bit too fragile to measure up in TDO is Shadow Weavile. It's quick and can really deal out some damage, as its appearance would suggest. The problem is that it's the glass cannon of all glass cannons, being super, super fragile. And, while Ice gets to boast its double effectiveness against the likes of Dragonite, Salamence, Rayquaza, and Garchomp, it also serves as the home of many Pokemon with double weaknesses. M-Abomasnow will go down fast to Fire moves, and Shadow Weavile's going to crumble at the sight of any Fighting-types. However, despite its fragility, it's one of the best Ice-types and one of the best Dark-types. Watch out, Giratina.

Galarian Darmanitan is, as mentioned, set to become the best Ice-type when its Zen Mode is released. Until then, though, it still stands on the podium. Like Shadow Weavile, it's also a glass cannon. It can dole out decent damage, and do it quickly, but it'll go down somewhat fast. Unfortunately, most Pokemon in GO cannot switch between their forms, so investing in regular G-Darmanitan doesn't necessarily mean you'll have a super-strong Zen Mode G-Darmanitan when it's released. Even still, its normal form is fantastic as an Ice-type attacker. Galarian Darmanitan is a great counter to Giovanni should he bust out Garchomp.

Amongst all of the Eeveelutions, Glaceon might be the one that does its type the proudest. At least, in PvE, because Umbreon has the PvP world wrapped up. As an Ice-type, Glaceon isn't the strongest, but it's reliable, and that's about the most you can say about it. It'll dish out some damage with its great Attack stat, and it's easy to obtain given the ubiquity of Eevee and cheap evolution cost (other than the Glacial Lure Module, but you can use the nickname trick once, too). Luckily, it doesn't have a double-weakness like many Ice-types do, but then again, neither does Mamoswine...

Shadow Articuno is a fun but very risky choice. It's very, very fragile, and it's hard to obtain, but it's also decently powerful. It'll get the job done, but it honestly ranks here mostly because there aren't that many fantastic Ice-types to choose from. At least the few you do have to choose from are great, and Shadow Arti is by no means terrible. It'll serve you well, but Shadow Mamoswine and Shadow Weavile are better and easier to obtain.

Type Chart

Other Options

The above Ice-types are the best of the best when it comes to Pokemon with both a fast and charge Ice-type move, but if you're having trouble finding them, there are other options. Your best bets are the regular forms of Mamoswine, Weavile, and Abomasnow, but, these will do a decent job as well:

• Vanilluxe (Frost Breath | Blizzard)
• Jynx (Frost Breath | Avalanche)
• Kyurem (Dragon Breath | Blizzard)
• Beartic (Powder Snow | Ice Punch)

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Normal

Pokemon GO: Best Normal-type Attackers, Explained

Look, Normal-types are not as bad as people make them out to be. Sure, you'll rarely find yourself using Normal-type attacks in Pokemon GO, but that doesn't mean they're totally useless. Normal-types only have one weakness (Fighting), they have a double resistance to Ghost, and they get STAB from moves like Hyper Beam and Giga Impact. They also do neutral damage to every type except Rock and Steel, meaning they can be great generalists. Additionally, they learn a lot of moves from other types, which isn't relevant in this specific ranking, but it's worth noting.

The best among them is Shadow Porygon-Z, which is in line with the fact that Porygon-Z is great in the main series as well. With Lock-On and Tri-Attack, it's going to have fantastic DPS and respectable TDO. Hyper Beam is viable, too, but not as good. But, Tri-Attack is locked behind an Elite TM as it's a CD move. You can purify it for Return, which is decent as well, but then you lose the Shadow boost.

Regigigas, like its appearances in the main series, is great on paper but disappointing in practice. There, it's nerfed by its Slow Start ability, which cuts its Attack and Speed in half for the first five turns it appears in battle. In GO, it's decent as a generalist with Hidden Power and Giga Impact. The type of Hidden Power it has will influence how good it is. Giga Impact is a great move that Regigigas will have STAB for, and it can be especially threatening in partly cloudy weather. Zen Headbutt is another fast move, and it's just better in DPS and TDO than Hidden Power, but depending on what typing your Regigigas gets for the move, Zen Headbutt might not be technically better.

Slaking is an excellent source of Yawn, likely the best in the meta. Body Slam is once again the order of the physical-attacking day. Slaking has the highest strength in the game, so expect it to hit hard.

Since Normal will have very rare use, let's run through the rest of the list quickly. Mega Lopunny is a fun choice, but it's much better as a Fighting-type attacker. Shadow Snorlax is a bulky option to keep yourself standing for a while, and it'll be an okay option against some Ghost-types thanks to its double resistance and Lick fast move, but it's otherwise best used as a gym defender. Shadow Ursaring is another fun choice, with the same use as Snorlax against Ghost-types thanks to Shadow Claw, but it doesn't boast the same bulk. Shadow Staraptor technically ranks for Normal-type attackers, but it's so good as a Flying-type that you shouldn't waste its potential. It doesn't even have a Normal-type charge move, and its Flying-type fast move, Wing Attack, is superior to Quick Attack in every way.

Type Chart

Other Options

Like we've said repeatedly, Normal-types don't have much meta relevance. But, if you're looking to use them for fun or just for something more interesting than the same old-same old, here are some more options:

• Blissey (Pound | Hyper Beam)
• Girafarig (Tackle | Psychic)
• Unfezant (Steel Wing | Hyper Beam)

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Poison

Pokemon GO: Best Poison-type Attackers, Explained

Poison is a bit of a strange case. In the main series, it makes its paycheck with the use of the poisoned status condition and other stat- and condition-affecting trickery. But, since that stuff doesn't really exist in Pokemon GO, Poison is reduced to the same strategy as every other type: don't go up against your weakness, and maximize your damage output. Unfortunately, Poison has never been great at sheer damage output, so that didn't translate to it being one of the better types in GO. With that said, it can be useful against Grass- and Fairy-types, when necessary.

The actual best Poison-type is without question Mega Gengar, but since it lacks a Poison-type fast move, we're going to exclude it here. But, even with another type fast move, it'll outpace the rest of the best Poison-type attackers. Mega Venusaur suffers the same problem. It's probably the second-place contestant against Mega Gengar, and even beats it in TDO, but it has no Poison-type fast move.

As for the best Pokemon with two Poison-type moves, your best bet is Mega Beedrill with Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb. Against Grass-types, though, its fast Bug-type move, Bug Bite, will do a bit better than Poison Jab. As of now, Mega Beedrill remains a fantastic Poison-type attacker but goes down quickly, so try to hit hard with its massive max Attack before it's taken down. As we mentioned in the Bug-type section, it's also fantastic how cheap it is to evolve a Weedle up to Beedrill, for what that's worth.

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Shadow Vileplume and Shadow Victreebel are almost twins. They perform similarly in TDO and DPS (though Victreebel is a bit higher in the former), they both have the Grass/Poison-type combination, both are from Gen I, and they both have Acid + Sludge Bomb as their best Poison moveset. Both serve their purpose as Poison-types well, but there isn't much notable about them. They're okay.

Roserade is also a Grass/Poison-type, but it's much, much better than its Gen I counterparts. Outside of Mega Evolutions, Roserade is the top Grass- and Poison- attacker. The only problem is that neither of those types is known for its offensive prowess. But, Roserade is definitely worth having, and it's a fun option in raids as opposed to using the same old Pokemon again and again. Once it gets a Shadow form, it'll be even better (and it'll look fantastic, too).

Shadow Muk is a fun choice, given its Gunk Shot charge move. But, it lags behind Roserade in terms of non-Mega Poison-types. That's not to say it isn't decent, though! It definitely has some use, especially with its decent bulk. It also has the fewest weaknesses of any of the Poison-types discussed in this section, thanks to being a monotype.

The final Poison-type worth looking at is Toxicroak, though it'll be a niche choice compared to some of the others listed here. Luckily, it doesn't have a Fire-type weakness like the multitude of Poison/Grass-types that exist. However, it trades that for a double weakness to Psychic instead. It has some Fighting-type moves for checking Steel-types, which double resist Poison, which is interesting. It'll do as a Poison-type attacker in PvE, but its real shining moments typically come in the Great League of the GBL.

Type Chart

Other Options

Poison isn't a great type in the Pokemon GO meta, and its best contenders aren't too hard to get your hands on. If you need some Poison-types, though, these will do pretty decently as well:

• Venusaur (Vine Whip | Sludge Bomb)
• Scolipede (Poison Jab | Sludge Bomb)
• Nidoqueen (Poison Jab | Sludge Wave)
• Skuntank (Poison Jab | Sludge Bomb)

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Psychic

Pokemon GO: Best Psychic-type Attackers, Explained

Ah, Psychic — what a fun type to look at in Pokemon GO. It once ruled the meta in Gen 1 before they nerfed it with the addition of the Dark-type in the Johto games, and while not as egregious, it still dominates in GO, too. This is thanks to two of the best Pokemon in the entire game, Mewtwo and Metagross, finding their homes in the Psychic-typing. Mewtwo, in particular, is comically good, as we'll see here.

Mewtwo is arguably the best Pokemon in Pokemon GO, bar none. With other Pokemon, their immense prowess can easily be checked by a bad type matchup, but that's not really a good way to check Mewtwo. This Legendary outperforms many other Pokemon with neutral damage against things they'd be super effective against. After its long, long reign of terror at the top, Mewtwo was finally knocked off its throne with the introduction of Mega Evolutions. However, it's now back to its old spot on the top of the podium with its Shadow variation. With an unbelievable DPS of over 27 points, Shadow Mewtwo is unstoppable. The only thing that stops Mewtwo from total domination is the fact that Psystrike, which it needs to reach these high numbers, is not always obtainable. But, that's hardly an obstacle. For Psychic-type attackers, Shadow Mewtwo is the clear #1, and regular Mewtwo is #2, so you're sure to have a good time with either of them.

Should you have trouble finding a Mewtwo or a Shadow Mewtwo, you aren't out options, though, as Metagross is one of the other best Pokemon in the game, and it's a Psychic-type as well. Regular Metagross has been pushed down the list a bit by Shadow Pokemon, but it also received a Shadow form, making it one of the highest-reaching attackers in the entire game. With a DPS of 20.02 and TDO of just below a thousand, Shadow Metagross isn't going to be stopped by much. The only issue with Psychic-attacker Metagross is that it has better use elsewhere. With a Steel-type moveset, Shadow Metagross launches itself even further up the charts, so it's better to opt for that and leave the Psychic-type attacks to Mewtwo and the rest of the gang.

Speaking of the rest of the gang, next up we have Shadow Exeggutor and Shadow Alakazam. Both have amazing DPS at just over 20 points, and are decent enough in the TDO category to justify their use over most other Psychic-types. Shadow Exeggutor is a nice Pokemon to have during the game until you get a Mewtwo. Its double weakness to Bug poses some concerns, though. Many of the early Pokemon fans who first played the Gen 1 games will remember Alakazam fondly, as one of the best Pokemon in the game, regardless of type (only boosted by how broken Psychic was at the time). It still holds onto some of that glory, albeit in an "I was popular in high school" type of way. Its Shadow form has extremely high DPS, but it's almost the definitive glass cannon, going down quickly due to its lack of bulk. One other problem is that Alakazam's best Psychic-type moveset uses Psychic, which is legacy. Future Sight isn't as good, but it's good enough.

Latios is the next Psychic-type attacker we'll examine. As a Dragon/Psychic-type, it'll add a few weaknesses that Psychic-types don't typically have (Ice, Dragon, Fairy), but also some resistances (Electric, Fire, Water, and Grass). It still boasts an impressive DPS of 19.05 and TDO of 878.17. There isn't much to say about Latios. It's good. Use it if you have it.

While, on paper, Hoopa Unbound is the second-best Psychic-type attacker in the game, it does have some flaws that prevent it from outclassing every other Pokemon below it in the "technical" ranking. With its huge Attack stat (311 max), it even leaves Mewtwo in the dust in that regard. However, its type combination of Psychic/Dark removes one of Psychic's main uses: resisting Fighting-types. Overall, it's a fantastic Pokemon for raids, but it still falls behind our old friend Psystrike Mewtwo, just like so many others.

Do consider Hoopa against Arlo August 2023's Alakazam.

Type Chart

Other Options

Don't have the best Psychic-types? Never fear! There are some other options! Lugia is actually ranked second between Shadow and non-Shadow Mewtwo for total damage output, but since it's so heavily slanted toward Defense, its DPS is dreadful. Attack Form Deoxys is the opposite, with incredible DPS and awful TDO, since it's so fragile. Here are some options to consider:

• Espeon (Confusion | Psychic)
• Azelf (Extrasensory | Future Sight)
• Mythicals: Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, and Victini (Psychic)
• Delphox (Zen Headbutt | Psychic)

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Rock

Pokemon GO: Best Rock-type Attackers, Explained

Rock is home to some Pokemon that hit hard, making them great as generalists, as well as uber-powerful against the handful of Flying-type Legendaries with a weakness to Rock, like Moltres, Articuno, Zapdos, Lugia, Ho-oh, Yveltal, the Forces of Nature, and more. At lower tiers, they'll also do a great job against Mega Raids like both Mega Charizard forms, and against common gym defenders like Dragonite and Salamence.

Once considered the greatest Rock-type attacker, Tyranitar lost its Rock-type throne to Rampardos in the same way it lost its Dark-type throne to Mega Houndoom and some others. But, its Shadow form places it back on top, so long as it has Smack Down, which can be a harsh barrier, given its exclusivity. You'll also want to watch out for those all-too-common Fighting-types, which have plagued Tyranitar as a double weakness since its introduction in Gen II of the main series. The addition of Fairy-types hasn't helped, either.

For a more obtainable attacker that doesn't need some Elite TMs to be a viable Rock-type attacker, look to the Gen IV Fossil Pokemon, Rampardos. This hard-hitting dinosaur is what knocked Tyranitar off its throne, easily ranking #1 in DPS, even ahead of Shadow Tyranitar and Legendary Terrakion. However, Rampardos plummets down the list in terms of TDO, sitting behind even Pokemon that aren't mentioned in this section. It'll hit really hard, but only a few times before going down to one of Rock's many weaknesses.

Bastiodon brings sterling defense and some underrepresented moves to the table in Smack Down and Stone Edge, a pair that syncs quite nicely to boot. Rock/Steel ensures those defenses are coupled with a ton of resistances, too. Bastiodon might not win any awards for bringing down your rivals pronto, but it can be a reliable choice for stalling.

Rhyperior shot up the list with its Community Day move, too, placing it comfortably in the top handful of Rock-type attackers. It ranks between Shadow Tyra and non-Shadow Tyra for TDO and DPS, sitting in second place for the former stat, and fifth for the latter. It's a great option, but its double-weakness to both Grass and Water is concerning. Like Rampardos for Crobat, Rhyperior is one of the more viable picks in case Arlo sends out Armaldo and especially Charizard.

Terrakion's a great choice if you have one but don't have a good Rampardos or Tyranitar. It's usable, but it isn't going to win any awards. It sits behind the already-mentioned Rock-types in both DPS and TDO, but its lack of double-weaknesses is a definite boon compared to many other Rock-types. Terrakion is a great pick against Arlo's Aipom in August 2023.

The last two Rock-types we'll talk about here are both Aerodactyl, but not in its vanilla form. Shadow Aerodactyl only requires a brief explanation: it's fine. It benefits from being a base stage that's fully evolved, meaning you won't need any candies for evolution. However, even though it places amongst the best Rock-types, it's not the most readily available Pokemon that you might have. If you're looking to put Aerodactyl to use, you'll want to focus on its Mega Evolution. Mega Aerodactyl is, at the moment, the single best Rock-type attacker in the game. It has an absolutely massive total damage output, and the Rock-type has a lot of offensive use in Pokemon GO. Unfortunately, Mega Aerodactyl will likely drop a couple spots once Mega Tyranitar and Mega Diancie release, but until then, it's your best bet.

Type Chart

Other Options

Rock-types are some of the best in the current meta, and there are plenty of them to choose from. Both Tyranitar and Rhyperior had Community Days for their base stages, meaning they're pretty common. But, if you're having trouble finding any of the Pokemon listed above, consider these:

• Gigalith (Smack Down | Rock Slide)
• Golem — Kantonian or Alolan (Rock Throw | Stone Edge)
• Lunatone and Solrock (Rock Throw | Rock Slide)
• Kabutops (Waterfall | Stone Edge)

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Steel

Pokemon GO: Best Steel-type Attackers, Explained

Steel is definitely more of a defensive type, but it'll pack a punch on offense from time to time, too. This is especially true if you use the right Pokemon. Steel is great against Fairy-, Rock-, and Ice-types, which makes them great as a partner to Dragons and especially dual Dragon/Flying-types (don't worry, we will talk about Dialga). With ten resistances and a double resistance, it's also hard to get some good moves off against them. If you're using Steel-types, watch out for the all-too-common Ground, Fighting, and Fire moves, though, as they hit hard and serve as Steel's three weaknesses.

Ask any veteran player what the best Steel-type is, and they probably won't even miss a beat before saying Metagross — more specifically, Shadow Metagross. This pseudo-Legendary is immensely powerful, with DPS around 22.4 and TDO of a massive 1,106.63, Shadow Metagross measures up to the likes of Mewtwo, Rayquaza, and the other top Pokemon in the game. It's fairly future-proof, too, with the only real threats to its metal throne being Kartana (Generation VII), Zacian (Generation VIII), and its own Mega Evolution. The one real downside to Shadow Metagross is that it reaches these massive numbers with Meteor Mash, which is a Community Day move. One thing to note is that it can counter Fighting, one of its only weaknesses, with a second charge move: Psychic. Or, if you don't have access to Meteor Mash, just go for Psychic for a decent ranking still.

The only Steel-types that surpass Dialga for total damage output are Jirachi (which doesn't have a Steel-type fast move), Metagross, and Shadow Metagross. Dialga's going to put out quite a bit of damage over its long time spent on the field. It almost meets the same ranking for its DPS, but it is slightly bumped down a bit by Lucario, but only when Lucario has Aura Sphere, which isn't a Steel-type move. Overall, Dialga is a solid (literally) pick, performing amazingly as both a Steel-type and a Dragon-type.

Not nearly as powerful as Shadow Metagross but still very helpful are two other Shadow Pokemon: Shadow Aggron and Shadow Scizor. The former excels on defense, having a major max Defense stat of 257, while the latter excels in offense, offering up max Attack of 236. They'll do great in a raid against anything weak to Steel. Watch out, though, as Sh. Aggron is double-weak to Ground, and Sh. Scizor is double-weak to Fire. Additionally, while they're useful enough now, both have a Mega Evolution coming eventually, which may serve you better.

Registeel is in high demand right now for the sort of reason it doesn't take a Team Rocket scientist to deduce. It's sharply effective against other Steel-types, and Steel is one of the meta's definitive types (especially lately). Hook it up with Focus Blast and it will out-tank all those other tanks whilst routing them from the battlefield.

Last in this ranking is Genesect, the Mythical Pokemon from Generation 6. Like Excadrill, it's fine. It also serves its other type better (Bug), but it'll pass for a great Steel-type attacker when you need one. You know when you're up against a tough raid boss, and your first team has fainted, and you just go back in with whatever the game suggests for a second team because there's no time to switch them out? That's kind of Genesect's vibe. It's great for the B-team if you have enough Metagross to fill the A-team.

Type Chart

Other Options

Metagross is your best bet after Shadow Metagross, placing second behind its own Shadow form for total damage output and damage per second. It's easy to obtain, too, given Beldum's status as a Community Day Pokemon. However, if you need some other options besides Metagross, its Shadow form, and the others ranked above, here are some more options to consider:

• Jirachi (Confusion | Doom Desire)
• Empoleon (Metal Claw | Hydro Cannon)
• Heatran (Fire Spin | Iron Head)
• Bisharp (Metal Claw | Iron Head)

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Water

Pokemon GO: Best Water-type Attackers, Explained

If you're in need of a good Water-type, you're a bit spoiled with choice. There are plenty of great Water-types, as well as some great ones that aren't even released yet. And, you can dominate without even needing a Shadow version or a Mega Evolution, as many Water-types measure up to the big fish in their vanilla forms.

The likes of Kingler, Feraligatr, and Kyogre need no special boost to sit with the upper echelons.

With Kyogre, you're looking at a massive TDO of 919.04, and that's before its signature move, Origin Pulse, is even in the game, OR its Primal Reversion, which will just be ridiculous when it arrives. Kyogre once ruled the seas before the release of Mega Evolution and Shadow Pokemon, but it still compares to them, and it'll be back on top when its Primal Reversion is released.

Primarina has a few fringe benefits that are hard to ignore. For one thing, you can currently find its basic form with exceptional ease thanks to ongoing Alolan tomfoolery. There's also the more obvious fact, which is Primarina's dual typing. This is a double victory for the singer's repertoire since it can reliably provide strong coverage as either a Water user or a Fairy user.

The Gen II Starter, Feraligatr, also makes a great addition to any team. It pales in comparison to the likes of other pure Water monotypes, like Kyogre and Mega Blastoise, but it's a cheap investment in comparison to both of those Pokemon. It needs to have Hydro Cannon to be viable, too, and that exclusivity can be a problem. It's interchangeable with Empoleon, which will have slightly lower DPS and TDO, but has an interesting Steel secondary typing, giving it a resistance to Grass but adding a Fighting-type weakness.

The absolute best of the best in the world of Water Pokemon are Mega Blastoise, Mega Gyarados, and Shadow Swampert.

Shadow Swampert wins on DPS with a nice 20.98 with Water Gun and the CD-move Hydro Cannon, while Mega Blastoise will outpace it on TDO with 1,041,82. Mega Gyarados trails behind on DPS, but places at the top spot with total damage output, at a staggering 1,113.96. For these three, you'll want to watch out for their weaknesses. While M-Blastoise has the normal Water-type weaknesses of Electric and Grass, Sh. Swampert will take double damage from Grass while resisting Electric. Meanwhile. Gyarados' secondary Dark-typing gives it weaknesses to Fairy, Fighting, and Bug without covering any of Water's weaknesses. The additional problem with both of these Mega Evolutions is their expensive Mega Energy cost, which can be a barrier for sure.

While not one of the best attackers, if you're looking for a Water-type that will stand for a long time, keeping you in the raid and keeping the ally Mega bonus going, consider Mega Slowbro. It ranks behind the six Pokemon listed above for damage per second and total damage output, but its immense bulk will keep it on the field for a while. Plus, its dual-typing means Water-types and Psychic-types will receive the boost.

Type Chart

Other Options

There is no shortage of fantastic Water-types to choose from. If you don't have the Mega Energy for M-Blastoise or M-Gyarados, both of their Shadow versions and non-Mega Evolved forms will rank amongst the top Water-types, too, giving you a ton of options. However, if you still need some other choices, consider these:

• Empoleon (Waterfall | Hydro Cannon)
• Clawitzer (Water Gun | Crabhammer)
• Vaporeon (Water Gun | Hydro Pump)
• Greninja (Bubble | Surf)

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