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There are Pokémon of various types in Pokémon GO, but if you're looking for the best Pokémon to use for gym battles, raids, and GO Battle League, you'll find that most just don't cut it for PoGo raids. Here's our Pokémon GO tier list of the strongest Pokémon that are worth your Candy and Stardust.
April 2026 Meta Snapshot
GBL Season 26 brought a move rebalance that redefined trainer battles with nerfs to Bastiodon's Smack Down in Great League, while others got buffed, such as Jellicent's Dazzling Gleam and Corviknight's Rock Tomb. Primal Groudon and Mega Rayquaza sit at the top of counter charts with the legendary Pokémon (Zacian, Zamazenta, and Regieleki) returning to raid rotation.
How We Rank
Different raid battles, including mega raids, call for varying considerations. DPS and TDO for raids, bulk for gym defense and best defenders, and win rates for GO Battle League. Versatility matters across content. Along with these, we also cross-reference raid rankings, league data, and attacker lists.
But if you want the best Pokémon right away, consider Pokémon accounts from igitems to skip the grind.
Best Pokémon Tier List, April 2026
| Tier | Pokémon | Role / Type |
|---|---|---|
| S | Mega Rayquaza | Raid Attacker (Dragon/Flying) |
| Primal Groudon | Raid Attacker (Ground/Fire) | |
| Primal Kyogre | Raid Attacker (Water) | |
| Shadow Mewtwo | Raid Attacker (Psychic) | |
| Crowned Sword Zacian | Master League / Raids (Fairy/Steel) | |
| A | Mega Lucario | Raid Attacker (Fighting/Steel) |
| Origin Forme Palkia | Master League (Water/Dragon) | |
| Zekrom | Master League / Raids (Dragon/Electric) | |
| Blissey | Gym Defender (Normal) | |
| Jellicent | Great / Ultra League (Water/Ghost) | |
| B | Metagross | Raid Attacker / Defender (Steel/Psychic) |
| Garchomp | Raid Attacker (Dragon/Ground) | |
| Corviknight | Ultra League (Flying/Steel) | |
| Azumarill | Great League (Water/Fairy) | |
| Zygarde | Ultra League (Dragon/Ground) | |
| C | Snorlax | Gym Defender (Normal) |
| Togekiss | Gym Defender / Ultra League (Fairy/Flying) | |
| Lugia | Master League (Psychic/Flying) | |
| Florges | Great League (Fairy) | |
| D | Altaria | Great League (Dragon/Flying) |
| Furret | Great League (Normal) |
S-Tier: The Best Pokémon in Pokémon GO
Mega Rayquaza remains the strongest Pokémon in Pokémon GO as Dragon Ascent delivers the highest Flying-type DPS, and Dragon Tail plus Breaking Swipe cover almost every raid boss. Both Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre dominate as premier raid attackers in Pokémon GO, countering Fire, Rock, Electric, Steel, and Ground raid bosses across different raids between them.
The strongest Psychic-type is still Shadow Mewtwo with its versatile move pool that allows it to contribute across different matchups, while Crowned Sword Zacian is near unstoppable in Master League with the max CP, 11 resistances, and Behemoth Blade.
A-Tier: Top Attackers and Defenders
Mega Lucario tops the Pokémon GO attacker tier list for Fighting-types with a fast charging Counter, and a formidable Aura Sphere that delivers damage output rivaling legendary Pokémon. Origin Forme Palkia dominates Master League with Dragon Breath, Aqua Tail, and Spatial Rend. Zekrom covers Master League and excels as a raid Pokémon. These Pokémon to use are all reliable performers.
For defending gyms, Blissey, with its 496 base stamina, makes for an effective staller even in a disadvantageous matchup. Jellicent works well in the Great League thanks to its bulk and resistances. But if you need legendary Pokémon shinies, you can find those on igitems as well.
B-Tier: Strong Pokémon Worth Your Stardust
With 10 resistances, Metagross works well as a defender and ranks among the best attackers in the game, having the top Steel moveset available. These creatures in Pokémon GO aren't the strongest, but are all highly effective. They lose out to boss counters and others in terms of performance potential.
Garchomp serves as one of the best counters for Ground and Dragon raids with its powerful type combinations, but loses to Primals in DPS. Corviknight climbed Ultra League as a Flying/Steel type and pairs well with Zygarde, with excellent stamina in a Dragon-dominated meta. Azumarill is still a staple with a Water/Fairy typing.
C-Tier: Niche Picks With Limits
The Pokémon available here are decent, but are now far outclassed by the list of the best options on this Pokémon tier list. Snorlax was a top gym defender, now overshadowed by Blissey, while Togekiss is a good gym defender but falls short against Dark and Electric. Florges works for Great League as a Fairy-type with Chilling Water, but its limited move pool and typing, combined with lower defense and stamina stats, lacks the impact of S-tier options like Mega Rayquaza or Primal Groudon.
D-Tier: Fallen From Rotation
Altaria was the go-to budget Dragon Pokémon, but new Pokémon in the game have pushed it out of competitive rotation. Furret has high stamina and a single weakness, but its mediocre damage nullifies that benefit. For most situations, your Stardust and Candy are better spent on many of the best Pokémon that outperform these options.
Building Your Pokémon GO Roster
After checking on the tier list, build your top raid attackers first as the best Pokémon GO attackers to power up to help catch more legendaries. The Primals and Rayquaza, with the highest CP among raid attackers, are currently the absolute best Pokémon to power up for gym or raid content, and Crowned Sword Zacian for Master League.
If you're looking to take a shortcut and skip the grind, igitems offers PokéCoins to help you participate in raids through raid passes and remote raid bundles. This Pokémon GO guide is updated regularly, so check back again for the latest news about meta.