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 more. However, you can’t go wrong using a Pokemon at the top of its class — specifically, the best Pokemon of each type.
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 ensure you always have a list of options. We’ll update this post when the meta shifts, ensuring it’s always up-to-date and the perfect resource for all your battling needs.
To be optimally prepared for the next raid fights, you should fall back on the ten best rock attackers. These are particularly useful in fighting the Bug, Ice, Fire, and Flying types.
Some notes:
- This list looks 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 also stats, the current meta, type combinations, etc. For full details on the DPS and TDO of every Pokemon with every possible move combination, check out GamePress and PokemonGOHub, which have compiled such information. The DPS and TDO data used here are from GO Hub.
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, its DPS still falls behind even with its best Bug-type moveset of Bug Bite and X-Scissor. 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.
You’re looking at the same familiar faces that dominate the Bug-type in the main series for the rest of the ranking. There are no surprises here. Pinsir and Scizor both do very well, whether in their boosted Shadow forms or just the vanilla forms. They’ll be pretty great when their Mega Evolutions are released, though they may not take down Mega Beedrill.
Genesect has a fun gimmick with its different Drives, but sadly, none add much value. It’s best as a Bug- or Steel-type, with the moves to match. The different Techno Blast types can be used 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 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.
Other Options
If you don’t have the Pokemon listed above, consider their non-Mega and non-Shadow variations. Scizor and Pinsir rank amongst the top Bug types when not Shadow, making them your next best bet. However, if you need some budget options, consider these:
- Scyther (Fury Cutter | Bug Buzz)
- Heracross (Struggle Bug | Megahorn)
- Scolipede (Bug Bite | Megahorn)
- Durant (Bug Bite | X-Scissor)
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 choosing Dark or Ghost for a raid against a Psychic-type will depend on the context.
Mega Houndoom is a fantastic choice. Its secondary Fire-typing gives it some utility against Steel-types and 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.
Shadow Tyranitar once held Mega Absol’s spot in this ranking, 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 a 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 SmackDown 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. Still, they 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 opts 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.
Darkrai is a great contender amongst 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 DPS and TDO, but it’s up to you.
Mega Gyarados is an absolute beast with its total damage output of just over a whopping 800 (compared to ~530 for Bite + Crunch Shadow Tyra and 574.3 for Mega Houndoom with two Dark moves), but that’s with its charge move as Hydro Pump (and Bite for its fast move). With an all Dark-type moveset of Bite + Crunch, it’ll fall to 747.3, which is still better than the other Dark-types we’ve discussed already but not as impressive. The DPS between those two movesets is extremely close, though.
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 among 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)
Pokemon GO: The Best Dragonite-type Attackers, Explained
Dragon-types are widely considered the best and most viable Pokemon, 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 many 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 because new Dragon-type Legendaries (and pseudos) are introduced and because they frequently receive new moves, Shadow forms, and Mega Evolutions. In many respects, the top spot 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 battling over the top spot back and forth for years in their non-Shadow forms. For DPS, Shadow Salamence passes Shadow Dragonite, even though it falls behind on TDO. Shadow Salamence has the highest DPS of any Dragon-type. Which one you use is entirely contextual, but in the end, it doesn’t matter because they’ll both 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 also falls behind on DPS. 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 use it 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.
At the top, joining these three pseudo-Legendaries is an actual proper Legendary: Rayquaza. This behemoth is 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 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 dominate in almost any situation (except 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 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 stiff competition from Pokemon like Mega Salamence, Mega Rayquaza, and maybe even 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. Still, it’ll be outclassed by other Dragons on its Dragon-typing and by other Fire-types (including Mega Charizard Y) for its Fire-type. Enjoy this amazingly designed lizard 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, and 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 that aren’t weak to Dragon-type moves. This is 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 significantly increase the ranking. It also has a signature move on the horizon: Roar of Time. How good this move will be is currently unknown, but it could seriously lift Dialga higher on this list. For now, it may not be the best Dragon-type game, but you can’t go wrong using it in many situations.
The 10 best rock attackers in the ranking
- Rhyperior with catapult and rock launcher
- Rameidon with catapult and stone hail
- Terrarium with catapult and stone hail
- Tyranitar with catapult and stone
- Lycanroc (Tag form) with stone throw and stone
- Brockoloss with catapult and stone hail
- Aerodactyl with Stone Toss and
- Amoroso with stone throw and stone hail
- Regirock with stone throw and stone
- Aggron with catapult and stone
Rihornior
Rihornior is the last evolution of Rihorn. It is from the 4th generation of games and is of ground and rock type. Rhyperior benefits above all from high attack and stamina values. And his defense is impressive too.
With his move set of the catapult and rock thrower, Rihornior also does a lot of damage to the opponent. However, keep in mind that Boulder Launcher is an event move that you can only get by using a Top Charge TM at the moment.
Is there a shiny rhyperior? Yes, you can catch Shiny Rihorn and evolve it into Rihornior. You can recognize a dazzling Rihornior by its yellow armor on the body.
Rameidon
The rock Pokémon Rameidon also comes from the 4th game generation and is the further development of Koknodon. Although it has a significantly higher attack value than Rihornior, it cannot withstand as much in combat.
It also does decent damage with its Catapult and Rock Launcher combo, but it can’t keep up with Rock Launcher. For this reason, it secures second place in our ranking, just behind Rihornior.
Can you catch Shiny Rameidon? To get Shiny Rameidon, you must first catch a Shiny Koknodon. You can find this in partly cloudy weather in the wilderness and occasionally in eggs and research tasks. You can recognize a dazzling Rameidon by its red decorations on the head and body.
Terrakion
Another powerful rock attacker is the legendary Pokémon Terrarium. This is from the 5th generation and belongs to the rock and fighting types. You can find it as a raid boss in the level 5 raids now and then.
Terrarium has a slightly better attack stat than Rhyperior, but it doesn’t quite match Rameidon’s. On the other hand, it has a solid defense value and can also score points in endurance, so it stays with you for a while in battle.
In battle, it’s best to use his Catapult and Rock Hail attacks. Like Rameidon, it does a lot of damage to the opponent. In addition, Terrarium is also among the top 10 battle attackers in Pokémon GO.
Can you catch Shiny Terrakion? Yes, you can be lucky enough to catch an Iridescent Terrarium. You can recognize it by its tan body and red horns.
Despotary
The final evolution of Larvitar is the Rock and Dark-type Pokémon Tyranitar. The Pokémon from the 2nd generation of games also scores with a high attack and endurance value. And also, in defense, it is slightly better than Terrakion.
In contrast to the other rock attackers, such as Rihornior or Rameidon, Despotar relies on a catapult and stone edge moveset. To carry out this charging attack, however, it takes significantly longer for it to be charged.
Does Shiny Tyranitar exist? Yes, you can get the shiny form of Tyranitar in-game. To do this, you must catch a Shiny Larvitar and evolve it accordingly. Unlike the normal form, Tyranitar’s iridescent variant has a purple belly and a different shade of green.
Lycanroc
Lycanroc is a Rock-type Pokémon from the 7th generation of games. It can be developed from Wuffles into its two variants, day and night forms. However, the tag form is particularly suitable for use in raids.
Lycanroc (Tag Form) scores particularly well with a high attack stat, almost as strong as Rhyperior’s. And it can also convince in terms of endurance. With a Rock Toss and Rock Edge moveset, it has a fast Instant Attack, but it does less damage to the opponent compared to other Rock Edge Charged Attacks.
Alternatively, you can also rely on his night form. This is worse in attack but lasts longer in battle because of its higher endurance and defense values. Again, you should use the move set of stone throw and stone edge.
Can you catch Shiny Lycanroc (Day Form)? To get the shiny form of Lycanroc, you must first catch a Shiny Rocker and then evolve it into Lycanroc during the day. You can recognize the dazzling variant by its blue body.
Brockoloss
Brockoloss also joins the list of top rock attackers. The Rock Pokémon from the 5th generation of games can be developed from Pebbles. However, unlike some of the other candidates on the list, it has a slightly lower Attack stat.
With its move set of catapult and stone hail, it does good damage to the opponent, just like Rameidon and Terrakium.
Does Shiny Brockoloss exist? If you catch Shiny Pebbles, you can evolve it into Brockoloss via Sedimantur. You can recognize the dazzling Brockoloss by the light blue tips that extend over its entire body. By the way: Sedimantur is one of the Pokémon in the game that you can evolve into Brockoloss for free after trading it.
Regirock
The legendary Pokémon Regirock from the 3rd generation of games can also score as a good rock attacker. The Rock-type Pokémon has no advancements or evolutions.
Regirock is particularly impressive due to its enormous defense value. And its stamina is also solid so that it can last a long time in battle. On the other hand, it weakens in attack and has the worst attack value of the top attackers.
Like Amoroso, it uses the Fast Attack Stone Throw, which is relatively fast. With Stone Edge, however, it has a charged attack that takes a while to play. In addition, it does significantly less damage compared to other movesets.
Can you catch Shiny Regirock? Yes, you will encounter a dazzling Regirock in one of the level 5 raids with a bit of luck. You can recognize it by its dark brown body.
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 much 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 matter how much 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 way 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 you might have to settle for another Pokemon from this ranking if you don’t have them.
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 easier to obtain, making it an attractive option. Electivire also has access to Ice Punch, giving it a check on those pesky Ground-types.
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 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 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.
Other Options
All the top Electric types are either Legendary, Mega, or Shadows, so it’s probably 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)
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: 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 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 (Air Slash + Aerial Ace). Type matchups are also interesting, as Togekiss’s Flying-type, compared to Gardevoir’s Psychic-type, gives it more weaknesses and 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 with 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 want to opt for the Togekiss/Gardevoir duo where possible.
The other Fairy-types listed above (Clefable, Alolan Ninetales, and Wigglytuff) are fine but not stellar. Against Fairy’s typical victims, like Fighting, Dragon, and Dark, you’ll 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, as its Dragon-typing is better. These three Pokemon are far superior in the PvP meta than in PvE.
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. It serves as the weakness to many strong Pokemon, including Dark- and Steel-types and 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 makes it even better. With access to some of the best Fighting-type moves and Rock Slide for coverage against Flying-types, Shadow Machamp isn’t going down without a fight. Even without the Shadow boost, regular Machamp sits at the top, too, just slightly behind some newer introduced Pokemon like Lucario, Blaziken, and Mega Lopunny. But it’s fast, has decent bulk, and hits hard, so it’s still a terrific option, especially given how abundantly common Machop is.
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 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 Mega Evolution, and that’ll be quite the attacker when it arrives.
While Lucario knocked Machamp down a rank, Conkeldurr 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. Despite losing the top spot, it’s worth keeping around and using in battle. It isn’t far behind its colleagues, and it’ll still take down those Blissey as fast as Lucario or Shadow Machamp.
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 Mega Lopunny is a sure bet for now. With a max Attack stat of 282, it’s 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 look at one that ranks for DPS (Breloom) and one that ranks for TDO (Hariyama). Neither of these Pokemon will blow you away with power, but they are viable and okay in many instances. Breloom is 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. Thanks to its extremely high stamina, this gives 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 SmackDown 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.
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 many 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 will tear through the competition. Mega Charizard X is also fantastic, while slightly lower overall damage output than 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 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.
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 resistance but is more fragile and double weak to Rock. In contrast, Shadow Entei sticks around longer but has fewer resistances, including a vulnerability to Ground that Shadow Moltres doesn’t need to worry about nearly as much. Which one you pick is entirely context-dependent, but both are amazing attackers.
Mega Houndoom is another Fire-type Mega, but it has Dark as a secondary typing, making it work 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 also a terrific Fire-type. 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 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 has some points over others like Chandelure, which, technically speaking, technically speaking, outrank it. Mega Blaziken will also tear up the Fire-type meta, launching itself to the top of the ranking with ease.
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. 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 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 and 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 and rank for their other typing (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 first before the raid boss can get a charge move off. Shadow’s 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.
Best Crypto Rock Attackers
- Crypto Tyranitar with catapult and stone hail
- Crypto Aerodactyl with stone throw and stone edge
- Crypto amoroso with stone throw and stone edge
- Crypto Aggron with catapult and stone flurry
Are Crypto Pokémon worth it? Shadow Pokémon have a 20% stronger attack than other monsters. They do more damage to their opponent as a result. Even if they are a bit worse in defense and therefore don’t last as long in battle, the use of Crypto Pokémon in raids can be worthwhile.
Best Mega Rock Attackers
- Mega Aerodactyl with stone throw and stone edge
Are mega-developments worth it? It is also worth relying on corresponding mega-developments in raid battles. These are, namely, a temporary further development of individual monsters. Their values are then higher, and their attacks also become stronger in battle.
In addition, Mega Evolutions in the Raid also boost the attacks of other Pokémon if they match the type of Mega Pokémon. So it makes sense to take Mega Aerodactyl into your team. However, it is currently the only Rock-type Mega Pokémon. As more Mega Rock Attackers become available, we will update this list accordingly.
