PvP is an increasingly popular part of the Pokémon GO experience - and battling in the Great League is one of the game's best features. This slightly advanced tier of the PvP ladder will challenge even the hardiest of trainers, as you need to balance types and strategy to succeed. Our Pokémon GO Great League tier list will help solve some of those problems for you!
In this tier list, we'll run over the best Pokémon to lead your line in player battles, as well as detailing the best choices for each different role. Given you can only have three Pokémon in your Battle Party at once, these choices can be difficult.
Pokémon GO Great League tier list
Read on to see the four separate tier lists we have for Pokémon GO Great League choices. There are four different roles in the game, with Pokémon useful either as leads, attackers, defenders, or closers.
We've got separate lists for each so you can mix and match the roles when making your roster of three 'mons. Remember that Pokémon in the Great League can only have a maximum CP of 1,500. That's why some of the most renowned Pokémon, including legendaries, may not appear on this list.
Who is the best Pokémon GO Great League lead?
Pokémon GO Great League lead
Best Leads
First up is our tier list of the five best Pokémon GO Great League leads. These are Pokémon who you'll send out to inflict instant, blistering damage on opponents in the early stages. This can be useful in using up opponent shields early on, leaving them open to attacks in the later stages.
As you can see, we went for Medicham as the sole best Pokémon GO Great League leads. If you can manage to get one with a 3-star appraisal, then its rapid-fire moves like Counter and especially Dynamic Punch can be hugely damaging. It's also a Pokémon that very neatly fits into the upper boundaries of the Great League requirements, as its Level 40 maximum CP is 1,431. If you manage to get Psychic as the heavy attack as well, you'll be in for a very easy run in the Great League.
Who is the best Pokémon GO Great League attacker?
Pokémon GO Great League attacker
Best Attackers
Next is a look at the best Pokémon for pure attacking in the Great League. These are the picks that can land consistently high damage, but may not be the best in terms of taking punishment themselves. They're handy for mid-battle encounters where you're trying to wear down your opponent's second or third Pokémon.
As per our tier list, Azumarill is the Pokémon you'll want to use when grinding out attacking patterns. A unique combination of Fairy and Water types, Play Rough is comfortably Azumarill's best move with a solid 37.5 DPS.
Given how its types make it effective against Water, Fire, Ground, and Dark types, most of your adversaries will suffer increased damage against Azumarill. The only sticking points are Electric, Grass, and Poison - so steer clear of Azumarill in these instances.
Who is the best Pokémon GO Great League Safe Switches?
Pokémon GO Great League Safe Switches
Best Safe Switches
If you find yourself dissatisfied with your starting Pokémon, it may be beneficial to switch it out for another option. This is where the Safe Switch comes into play. These Pokémon are either formidable leads themselves or excel at countering common leads. Bringing in a Safe Switch can help secure an elimination, disrupt your opponent's strategy, or safeguard your lead for the later stages of the match.
If it was up to us, everyone would be using the Deoxys Defense form. At present, it's unavailable in raids, so you're out of luck if you didn't pick it up in mid-February. The rewards are definitely worth it, as this defensive form of Deoxys is great at taking punishment.
If you manage to get one that just slips under the 1,500 CP mark, then you can use it in the Great League. Attacks are still very strong, with both Counter and Zen Headbutt working well offensively, but it's Deoxys' ability to tough out power-up attacks that makes it useful.
Who is the best Pokémon GO Great League closer?
Pokémon GO Great League closer
Best Closers
Last but not least, a good closer Pokémon is also crucial to securing a Great League victory. These types of Pokémon often need to have high HP, as the chances are you'll have used your shields up by the latter stages of battle. They'll also need good stamina to land quick attacks too, to make sure you can take down the final enemy Pokémon before they get you. Here's who we recommend going for.
Our choice of the best Great League closer is a Pokémon who'll haunt those who played Gold and Silver: Skarmory. Its defensive stats are once again the name of the game, with 163.1 defense to block attacks and limit the effectiveness of your rivals. Combined with its Brave Bird quick move, that does a blistering 78 DPS, Skarmory will take down your opponent's last Pokémon with ease.
That's it for our Pokémon GO Great League tier list! With the suggestions found in this guide, you'll be able to rack up some impressive win streaks and earn the top rewards in no time. For more mobile game rankings, our Cookie Run: Kingdom tier list and Shindo Life elements guide can help.
Elsewhere, check out our Genshin Impact tier list and AFK Arena tier list for character tips in two of the biggest gacha games around. We've also got a YuGiOh Master Duel deck list for another big mobile title.