Master League is the most challenging PvP format in Pokemon Go, and trainers are fired up to take on these grueling battles and earn victories. Here are the best Pokemon and PvP teams to help you dominate the Master League.
To dominate the Master League in the Go Battle League (GBL), Pokemon Go PvP players need to build solid teams with the strongest species in the mobile game. But unlike Great League and Ultra League, it requires plenty of in-game resources such as Stardust and Candies.
To help you pick the best Pokemon to invest in, here are the top recommendations for the best species and teams you can use in the Pokemon Go Master League.
- Best Pokemon Go Master League species
- Best team for Pokemon Go Master League
Pokemon Go Master League date & time
The Pokemon Go Master League runs from April 12, 2024, until April 26, 2024.
Also, you can access the Master Premier from April 26, 2024, to May 3, 2024. In this format, Legendaries, Mythicals, and Ultra Beasts are not eligible.
Best Pokemon Go Master League species
Zygarde (Complete Forme)
NianticZygarde (Complete Forme) has the highest stat product in the Master League.
- Weaknesses: Ice, Dragon, Fairy
- Resistances: Fire, Electric, Rock, Poison
- Best moveset: Dragon Tail and Crunch/Earthquake
With a whopping HP stat of 389, Zygarde (Complete Forme) is one of the bulkiest species ever in the Pokemon Go Master League meta, being able to tank super-effective hits from the likes of Dialga and other powerful Dragon types.
Additionally, it even impresses on offense by being able to go square off against both Lugia and Dialga, and can even counter future powerhouses such as Black and White Kyurem, and Eternatus. Dragon Tail is a hard-hitting Fast Move that goes well with Crunch to bait shields and Earthquake to score a nuke. With only a limited number of trainers having Zygarde (Complete Forme), this powerful Pokemon is the leading match-winner in this PvP format.
Groudon
NianticGroudon needs two Legacy Moves to be at its best.
- Weaknesses: Grass, Ice, Water
- Resistances: Electric, Rock, Poison
- Best moveset: Mud Shot and Precipice Blades/Fire Punch
Groudon is a great asset for any Pokemon Go team in the Master League especially if you caught it during a special event. Its massive bulk and extremely powerful attacks that benefit from STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) are perfect for dealing with powerful Steel and Fire-type Pokemon.
Mud Shot should be your Fast Move choice thanks to its power and quick energy generation. Precipice Blades is extremely powerful as a Charged Move and should be reserved for the end of the battle when there are no shields left. Fire Punch is ideal for spamming and provides good coverage. With this arsenal, Groudon is perfect as both lead or closer in any battle.
Lugia
NianticLugia is one of the bulkiest Pokemon in the game.
- Weaknesses: Rock, Ghost, Electric, Ice, Dark
- Resistances: Ground, Fighting, Grass, Psychic
- Best moveset: Dragon Tail and Sky Attack/Aeroblast
Lugia has outstanding bulk and superb STAB moves. While it has many weaknesses, it can tank a lot of damage as well. Lugia also works very well with most of the Pokemon listed in this guide, so it can be a great addition to your Pokemon Go team.
With Dragon Tail as Fast Move, Lugia will be able to deal massive damage with any Charged Move you choose. We recommend Sky Attack as a default for great STAB damage. Aeroblast is its strongest move, but if you’re looking for a coverage move, Hydro Pump is your best choice.
Xerneas
NianticXerneas gained meta-relevance after getting access to its signature move Geomancy.
- Weaknesses: Poison, Steel
- Resistances: Dragon, Fighting, Bug, Dark
- Best moveset: Geomancy and Moonblast/Close Combat
Xerneas is a top-notch Master League species in Pokemon Go thanks to having the best Fairy-type Fast Move in the game, Geomancy. It is pretty tanky while also being able to threaten Dragon-types with the powerful Moonblast.
Close Combat is a great second Charged Move that can counter its biggest weakness, Steel-type Pokemon. Xerneas works best as a Lead or a surprise switch-in as it doesn’t risk getting walled by something like Ho-Oh.
Garchomp
NianticGarchomp offers two entirely different playstyles in battle.
- Weaknesses: Ice, Dragon, Fairy
- Resistances: Fire, Electric, Rock, Poison
- Best moveset: Mud Shot/Dragon Tail and Outrage/Earth Power/Sand Tomb
Garchomp is one of the most versatile species in the Pokemon Go Master League meta as there are two ways you can use this powerful Dragon Pokemon. The choice of Charged Moves depends entirely on which Fast Move you decide to go with.
Mud Shot gives fast energy gains, helping you reach Garchomp’s Charged Move quickly. So, you can pair Outrage and Earth Power to give Garchomp nuking potential and use it as a closer when the opponent no longer has shields left.
Dragon Tail is one of the strongest Fast Moves and Garchomp can take advantage of the opponent’s Defense stat debuff by using Sand Tomb along with it. These two moves make Garchomp one of the most fearsome leads and switch-ins during battles. You can add Earth Power as the second Charged Move in this case.
Ho-Oh
NianticHo-Oh is one of the best Pokemon to use an Elite Charged TM.
- Weaknesses: Rock, Electric, Water
- Resistances: Bug, Grass, Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Ground, Steel
- Best moveset: Incinerate and Sacred Fire/Brave Bird
Incinerate has an extremely high damage output and energy gain, and despite the long cooldown, it sets up Ho-Oh to fire off two of the strongest Charged Moves in the meta: Sacred Fire and Brave Bird, both gaining STAB.
Sacred Fire deals an exceptional 130 damage at just 65 energy, and also has a 50% chance to debuff the opponent’s Attack stat. This powerful move can eliminate Steel-types and also dish out high neutral damage to Pokemon that resist it.
Brave Bird deals the same 130 damage but at an even lower energy cost of 55. That said, it severely debuffs Ho-Oh’s Defense in three stages. So, this move should be used only when shields are down or you are ready to switch out.
Dragonite
NianticDragonite has been a top-tier choice since Pokemon Go’s launch.
- Weaknesses: Rock, Ice, Dragon, Fairy
- Resistances: Ground, Fighting, Bug, Fire, Water, Grass
- Best moveset: Dragon Breath and Dragon Claw/Superpower
Dragonite is another Dragon-type that has been leading the Pokemon Go Master League competitive scene since its early days and that hasn’t changed much even with big meta changes. It’s a great option for dealing with other Dragon-types and can prove extremely useful for Steel types as well.
Dragon Breath and Dragon Claw are the best options for Fast and Charged Moves, respectively, thanks to the STAB. These attacks will deal tons of damage at quick intervals. If you have the chance to add another Charged Move, Superpower is a Steel-type destroyer that provides good coverage as well.
Kyurem
NianticKyurem can take on Fairy Pokemon despite being weak to them.
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, Rock, Steel
- Resistances: Electric, Grass, Water
- Best moveset: Dragon Breath and Dragon Claw/Glaciate
Kyurem surprised many Pokemon Go players when it became popular in the Master League after getting access to Glaciate. It has good Attack and HP stats, along with an impressive moveset that makes it very useful in PvP battles.
Dragon Breath and Dragon Claw help Kyurem in spamming shields and dealing STAB damage. Glaciate is an excellent second Charged Move as it offers great coverage and also debuffs the opponent’s Attack stat by one stage. This makes Kyurem easy to fit into almost any Master League team in Pokemon Go.
Mewtwo
NianticMewtwo is the perfect Pokemon for fast energy generation as well as high damage output.
- Weaknesses: Bug, Ghost, Dark
- Resistances: Fighting, Psychic
- Best moveset: Psycho Cut and Psystrike/Shadow Ball
Mewtwo works like magic in Pokemon Go Master League. Not only does it have powerful Stats, but it can also learn a huge variety of attacks to keep opponents on their toes. That said, you might want to reserve Mewtwo for the final stages of the fight since it’s not the bulkiest Pokemon on this list.
Psycho Cut is the ideal Fast Move for Mewtwo thanks to its fast energy generation. From there, we recommend using Psystrike and/or Shadow Ball as Charged Moves. The first one deals great STAB damage, while the second one is perfect for coverage from other Ghost-type Pokemon.
Zacian
NianticZacian can reliably threaten both Steel and Flying-type Pokemon.
- Weaknesses: Poison, Steel
- Resistances: Dragon, Fighting, Bug, Dark
- Best moveset: Snarl and Close Combat/Play Rough
Zacian has been a great addition to Pokemon Go Master League since its first appearance in Pokemon Sword and Shield. The legendary Pokemon is now a top-tier PvP pick and its type makes it a great asset for dealing with Dragon-type Pokemon.
Zacian’s moveset should have Snarl as its Fast Move to take advantage of its quick energy generation. Play Rough is a great Charged Move that can deal STAB damage and Close Combat provides coverage while also exerting tons of damage. But players should keep in mind that Close Combat debuffs Zacian’s Defense stat by two stages, so use it only when the opponent no longer has shields.
Melmetal
NianticMelmetal can be obtained by evolving Meltan with 400 Candy.
- Weaknesses: Fighting, Ground, Fire
- Resistances: Poison, Normal, Flying, Rock, Bug, Steel, Grass, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Fairy
- Best moveset: Thunder Shock and Superpower/Double Iron Bash
Melmetal isn’t what it once was, but can still be a tough challenge in the Pokemon Go Master League. It’s currently the best Steel-type Pokemon to use surpassing past top picks like Metagross.
While Thunder Shock is the only choice for Fast Move, Melmetal can learn a wide variety of Charged Moves from different types. We recommend the powerful Double Iron Bash for spamming STAB damage, and Superpower for some coverage. But players can also skip Double Iron Bash for Rock Slide to threaten Pokemon like Dragonite, Yveltal, and Gyarados.
Dialga
NianticDialga is perfect for dealing with other Dragon-type Pokemon.
- Weaknesses: Fighting, Ground
- Resistances: Poison, Normal, Flying, Rock, Bug, Steel, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic
- Best moveset: Dragon Breath and Iron Head/Draco Meteor
Dialga is another species that has seen better days in the Pokemon Go Master League. However, it’s still a great asset because it is one of the few Dragon-type Pokemon that isn’t weak against Fairy, Ice, or Dragon-type attacks.
You can’t go wrong with Dialga’s moveset because it has very limited but good options. Dragon Breath should be its Fast Move and Iron Head its Charged Move. If you have room and Candy for one more Charged Move, Draco Meteor will deal massive amounts of damage, but keep in mind that it will also debuff Dialga’s Attack stat by two stages. So, it’s best to use Draco Meteor when Dialga is used at the end of the battle.
Dialga Origin
NianticThe Origin forme has higher Defense and lower Attack than regular Dialga.
- Weaknesses: Fighting, Ground
- Resistances: Poison, Normal, Flying, Rock, Bug, Steel, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic
- Best moveset: Dragon Breath and Iron Head/Roar of Time
Dialga Origin functions more or less similar to the regular form in battle, except for a few notable differences. For starters, it has its signature move, Roar of Time, that has the same stats as Draco Meteor, but without the drawback of losing Defense in the process.
The extra bulk in the Origin forme helps it stand stronger against the likes of powerful Ground and Fighting-type Pokemon it is weak to while cutting them down to size with Dragon Breath. That said, remember that in a face-off against regular Dialga, the Origin form loses CMP (ChargE Move Priority) due to a lower Attack stat.
Palkia Origin
NianticPalkia is one of the few Dragon-type Pokemon not weak to Ice-type attacks.
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy
- Resistances: Fire, Water, Steel
- Best moveset: Dragon Breath and Aqua Tail/Spacial Rend
Unlike Dialga Origin, Palkia Origin is a direct upgrade over its regular form, with better stats all across the board.
The combination of Water and Dragon types is one of the best in the meta, making it take no super-effective damage from Ice, Grass, or Electric-type attacks and also resist Steel-type damage. With Aqua Tail, it can even trouble the Fairy-types it is weak to.
Dragon Breath and its signature move, Spacial Rend, form a deadly pair as it dishes out an impressive 95 damage at just 50 energy, threatening other Dragon Pokemon while also being able to burn through shields. Palkia Origin is one of the strongest additions to the Master League meta, and is easy to fit into teams.
Togekiss
NianticTogekiss is the best Charm user in the Master League.
- Weaknesses: Poison, Rock, Steel, Electric, Ice
- Resistances: Ground, Dragon, Fighting, Bug, Grass, Dark
- Best moveset: Charm and Ancient Power/Flamethrower
Togekiss is a great alternative to Zacian for those who couldn’t get their hands on the legendary Pokemon. Having a Fairy type in your team can come in handy since there are a lot of Dragon-types in Pokemon Go Master League.
For Togekiss’ moveset, you’ll want Charm as its Fast Move. While Togekiss has many different alternatives for that slot, no other attack will do much in battle. With the STAB damage covered there, Ancient Power and Flamethrower are great Charged Moves that provide coverage.
Gyarados
NianticGyarados can beat Dragon-types without taking super-effective damage in return.
- Weaknesses: Rock, Electric
- Resistances: Ground, Fighting, Bug, Steel, Fire, Water
- Best moveset: Dragon Breath and Aqua Tail/Crunch
Gyarados has climbed the ranks in the last few Pokemon Go seasons and can be a powerful ally in the Master League. It’s also one of the few Pokemon that has consistently been a top pick even though it is not a Dragon, Ghost, or Fairy-type.
Gyarados’ moveset should have Dragon Breath as Fast Move and Aqua Tail as Charged Move for dealing great STAB damage. Crunch is a great option as a second Charged Move both for coverage and a 30% chance to debuff the Defense stat of its opponents.
Baxcalibur
NianticBaxcalibur is the Gen 9 Pseudo Legendary Pokemon.
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, Rock, Steel
- Resistances: Electric, Grass, Water
- Best moveset: Dragon Breath and Dragon Claw/Avalanche
Baxcalibur makes its chilling presence known in the Master League meta with a pretty good 254 Attack stat, decent bulk, strong offensive coverage, and finally, a powerful set of moves to boot.
Though it has five weaknesses and struggles against Steel types, Baxcalibur can punish fellow Dragon types with the ever-reliable Dragon Breath, the spammy Dragon Claw to bait shields, and Avalanche, one of the most feared Charged Moves in the meta.
Unlike other Dragons, Baxcalibur can also beat the dreaded Togekiss, making it a great fit in teams that require Pokemon to counter Togekiss as well as other Dragon types.
Best team for Pokemon Go Master League
With the above list of Pokemon in mind, the best team for the Pokemon Go Master League should include Mewtwo, Dialga, and Groudon. Players can also consider using Melmetal, Togekiss, and Garchomp to create the popular Steel-Fairy-Dragon core.
Of course, including any of the Pokemon listed above will be great for your team composition. Keep in mind that there’s no ultimate team in Pokemon Go and every battle can go very differently depending on your opponent’s choices.
And there you have it, that’s all you need to know about the best species to use in the Pokemon Go Master League format. For more Pokemon Go content, check out our other guides:
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