The level of competitiveness in the Pokemon Go Battle League is insane, and rising to the top ranks of the Master League’s current season isn’t easy. Despite that, our list with the best team recommendations should be enough to get you there.
Trainers looking to test their power in Pokemon Go will want to head to the Go Battle League, which is the game’s competitive PvP mode. Here, players can battle against others around the world with their best Pokemon and earn rewards as they go.
There are three leagues to compete in: Great League, Ultra League, and Master League. Right now, we’re focusing on the latter, which is the Go Battle League’s top-tier competition where there are no restrictions on which Pokemon can compete.
Only the strongest fighters will have a chance of success in this free-for-all league, so to help you figure out which Pokemon are worth spending the time and energy powering up, we’re taking a look at the best team to use in the Master League.
Contents
- Best team for Pokemon Go Master League
- Best Pokemon for Pokemon Go Master League
- Pokemon Go Master League start & end date
Best team for Pokemon Go Master League
One of the best teams you can use in Pokemon Go’s Master League is Zygarde, Groudon, and Mewtwo. These are three of the strongest Pokemon in the meta that will provide wide coverage against most types.
As always, it’s impossible to say what the ‘ultimate team’ looks like across every single scenario, as it really depends on which Pokemon your opponent sends out – and you won’t know that until the battle begins.
Having said that, we’ve included several Pokemon below that should serve you well in most battles you’ll find yourself in. These require XL Candy to reach their full potential, so this can be quite an expensive league.
Best Pokemon for Pokemon Go Master League
Dialga
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charged Moves: Iron Head or Draco Meteor
- Resistances: Poison, Grass, Bug, Electric, Flying, Normal, Psychic, Rock, Steel, and Water
- Weaknesses: Fighting and Ground
Dialga has long been considered one of the biggest threats in the Master League. Aside from being ridiculously powerful, it also has the incredible advantage of being a Dragon-type that’s not weak to Fairy-type attacks or Dragon-type attacks.
Dragon Breath is Dialga’s optimal Fast Move, so make sure you have it. As for Charged Moves, Iron Head is the only option that can really be spammed, while Draco Meteor is a devastatingly strong move (but watch out for the huge Attack self-nerf).
Solgaleo
- Fast Move: Fire Spin
- Charged Moves: Psychic Fangs or Iron Head
- Resistances: Normal, Flying, Rock, Steel, Grass, Ice, Dragon, Fairy, Poison, and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Ground, Ghost, Fire, and Dark
As a half-Steel-type Pokemon, Solgaleo has a huge amount of type resistances that combine well with its extreme bulk to make it very difficult to take down. It’s also the number one Dialga counter, which is something every Master League team needs.
The mix of Fire, Psychic, and Iron-type moves in its ideal moveset gives Solgaleo a wide coverage against other fan-favorite Master League champions like Dragonite and Zacian.
Dragonite
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charged Moves: Dragon Claw or Superpower
- Resistances: Bug, Fighting, Fire, Grass, Ground, and Water
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Ice, and Rock
Dragonite has always been a good choice for the Master League, but following the addition of Superpower to its moveset, it has the ability to take down meta-ruling Steel types like Melmetal and Dialga. This has given it a huge boost up the rankings and it now sits at number three on PvPoke.
Dragon Breath is the winner when it comes to Fast Moves, so pair this with the Charged Move Dragon Claw for some huge STAB power that will let you take down other Dragon types. Finally, you’ll want Superpower as your secondary Charged Move to target those tricky Steel-type Pokemon.
Lugia
- Fast Move: Dragon Tail
- Charged Moves: Sky Attack or Aeroblast
- Resistances: Fighting, Ground, Grass, and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Dark, Electric, Ghost, Rock, and Ice
Lugia has incredible bulk and access to some brilliant moves, making it a standout in the Master League with wins against the likes of Groudon and Mewtwo. The addition of the exclusive move Aeroblast only elevated Lugia’s performance.
Go with Dragon Tail as Lugia’s Fast Move and Sky Attack as its primary Charged Move, as this low-cost attack also has STAB. Combine these with Aeroblast, which deals a shocking amount of damage and has a chance to give a big buff to its Attack stat.
Mewtwo
- Fast Move: Psycho Cut
- Charged Moves: Psystrike or Shadow Ball
- Resistances: Fighting and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Bug, Dark, and Ghost
Would it really be the Master League without a mention of Mewtwo? This iconic Psychic-type Legendary has earned its spot as one of the top players in the Pokemon Go Battle League, with an immense Attack stat and access to some brilliant moves.
Go with Psycho Cut as Mewtwo’s Fast Move, as it has the best energy generation. Then, you’ll have access to Pystrike, a powerful and relatively cheap Charged Move with STAB damage, and Shadow Ball, which provides some extra coverage against Ghost-type Pokemon.
Giratina (Origin Forme)
- Fast Move: Shadow Claw
- Charged Moves: Shadow Ball or Ominous Wind
- Resistances: Normal, Fighting, Bug, Electric, Fire, Grass, Poison, and Water
- Weaknesses: Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, and Ice
Both forms of Giratina are well-placed in the Master League, but Origin Forme is capable of reaching a slightly higher CP which gives it an edge, which is why many Trainers prefer it. Both are definitely worth having on your team, though.
Regardless of which version you have, Shadow Claw is Giratina’s best Fast Move. If you have Origine Forme, go with Shadow Ball and Ominous Wind as Charged Moves. If you have Altered Forme, go with Dragon Claw and Ancient Power.
Zekrom
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charged Moves: Crunch or Wild Charge
- Resistances: Electric, Fire, Flying, Grass, Steel, and Water
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Ground, and Ice
Zekrom has the same stats as Dialga, including that huge Attack stat, which is enough to put it on your radar. It has a resistance to Steel-types, which is unusual for Dragons, and key wins against Lugia, Giratina (Origin Forme), Kyogre, and Metagross.
Go with Dragon Breath as Zekrom’s Fast Move, as it deals decent STAB damage. When it comes to Charged Moves, choose Crunch and Wild Charge for a good variety of coverage. These are also the cheapest options available, so you can use them often.
Zacian
- Fast Move: Snarl
- Charged Moves: Play Rough or Close Combat
- Resistances: Electric, Fire, Flying, Grass, Steel, and Water
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Ground, and Ice
Zacian has proven itself to be a brilliant wildcard in the Master League. It’s one of the few Fairy-types that can keep up with the rest of the meta when it comes to stats and CP, and it has both double resistance and double effectiveness against Dragon-types, which reign supreme here.
Snarl has the best energy generation of Zacian’s Fast Moves, so make sure you have that. Then, you’ll get quicker access to brilliant Charged Moves like Play Rough, which deals huge STAB damage, and Close Combat, which can help cover Zacian’s big weakness to Steel-types.
Groudon
- Fast Move: Mud Shot
- Charged Moves: Precipice Blades or Fire Punch
- Resistances: Electric, Poison, and Rock
- Weaknesses: Grass, Ice, and Water
Groudon is a brilliant addition to any team in the Master League, thanks to its impressive bulk and a great STAB moveset. But it excels because of its ability to destroy Steel-types like the omnipresent Dialga and others including Metagross and Melmetal.
Make sure Groudon has Mud Shot as its Fast Move, as it has brilliant energy generation that will let you access two strong Charged Moves: Fire Punch and Precipice Blades. Both require requires an Elite TM, but it’s worth it for the low cost, strong power, and shield-baiting potential.
Kyogre
- Fast Move: Waterfall
- Charged Moves: Surf or Origin Pulse
- Resistances: Fire, Ice, Steel, and Water
- Weaknesses: Electric and Grass
Kyogre may not be the absolute best performer in the Master League, but it’s got plenty of opportunities to cause a splash (or a tidal wave) with a huge Attack stat and a brilliant moveset that also includes access to an Ice-type move to take on Dragons.
Waterfall is the optimal Fast Move, as it has very good damage output and the benefit of STAB. Make sure you have the low-cost Surf as your main Charged Move, then follow it up with Origin Pulse. However, remember you need a special Kyogre that already has Origin Pulse.
Meloetta – Aria
- Fast Move: Quick Attack
- Charged Moves: Psyshock or Dazzling Gleam
- Resistances: Ghost and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Bug and Dark
Since its addition to the game, Meloetta has been ruling Master League due to its strong resistances, extreme bulkiness, and the shield pressure extortion it exerts.
This Pokemon happens to be one of the few that can take down champions like Giratina and Mewtwo, so take this under consideration when you build your team. Plus, having Psyshock benefits from STAB, while Dazzling Gleam gives you the upper hand against Dark-type Pokemon, which are Meleotta’s weakness.
Ho-Oh
- Fast Move: Incinerate
- Charged Moves: Brave Bird or Sacred Fire
- Resistances: Ground, Fighting, Steel, Fire, Fairy, Bug, and Grass
- Weaknesses: Rock, Water, and Electric
The always beautiful Ho-Oh is one of the most balanced Pokemon in the Master League, as it is as bulky as powerful.
Its Fast Move Incinerate deals a lot of damage, but its Ho-Oh’s Charged Moves the extremely amazing ones, as both are considered to be some of the strongest moves in the whole game. Plus, Sacred Fire has a 50% chance to debuff the enemy’s ATK stat.
Landorus (Therian Forme)
- Fast Move: Mud Shot
- Charged Moves: Sandsear Storm or Stone Edge
- Resistances: Electric, Fighting, Poison, Bug, and Ground
- Weaknesses: Ice and Water
Even though it’s not as bulky as other Ground-type Pokemon, Landorus Therian Forme has good coverage against a wide variety of types. Plus it can access its Charged Moves quickly, which pressures opponents to waste their shields.
As with Groudon, the Fast Move Mud Shot will let you access the Charged Moves fast thanks to its brilliant energy generation. Even though Sandsear Storm requires an Elite TM, it’s worth it thanks to its debuff, while Stone Edge works as a powerful coverage nuke.
Xerneas
- Fast Move: Geomancy
- Charged Moves: Close Combat or Moonblast
- Resistances: Fighting, Bug, Dark, and Dragon
- Weaknesses: Poison, and Steel
The incorporation of its signature move Geomancy turned Xerneas into the top Fairy-type Pokemon in the game. Plus, the move Close Combat targets its greatest weakness, the Steel types.
More so, its great balanced stats allow Xerneas to endure long battles while also dealing a good amount of damage with its moveset, which can target the dangerous and abundant Dragon types.
Kyurem
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charged Moves: Dragon Claw or Glaciate
- Resistances: Water, Grass, and Electric
- Weaknesses: Fighting, Rock, Steel, Dragon, and Fairy
The mix of a good moveset, plus a solid ATK stat and a good amount of HP has put Kyurem at the top. But since accessing its Legendary move Glaciate, it has become unstoppable in fights.
This Charged Move not only gives great coverage, but it also debuffs the enemy’s ATK stat. That move along with Dragon Breath and Dragon Claw (which also benefit from STAB) is a great combo to have on any team.
Zygarde (Complete Forme)
- Fast Move: Dragon Tail
- Charged Moves: Crunch or Earthquake
- Resistances: Poison, Rock, Fire, and Electric
- Weaknesses: Ice, Dragon, and Fairy
With a super bulky HP stat and great balance between resistance and damage, Zygarde is the most desirable creature in Pokemon Go since it debuted in July 2023.
Not only is this Pokemon incredibly difficult to take down, but it is the perfect counter for the many Dragon-type creatures going around this rank as well as others like Dialga, Lugia, and Kyurem.
More so, its ideal moveset deals plenty of damage with both Dragon Tail and Earthquake, while Crunch can help with your strategy as it baits shields.
Now it sits at number one on PvPoke, so any Master League team will benefit from a Complete Forme Zygarde’s performance.
Pokemon Go Master League start & end date
The latest Pokemon Go Battle League season will run from December 1, 2023, at 1 pm (PST) until March 1, 2024, same time.
Before the season ends, the Master League will appear alongside the Evolution Cup: Great League Edition from February 9, 2024 until February 16, 2024. Then it will come back with both Great and Ultra Leagues from February 23, 2024 until March 1, 2024 with x4 Stardust from win rewards.
You can see the current schedule for Season 17 of the Go Battle League here.
Those are the best Pokemon you can take to the Master League.