DEXERTOThe Master League, Pokemon Go’s hardest PvP competition, is brimming with Legendaries and extraordinary creatures, so here are the ones you should use to build the best team in the Battle League.
The latest Delightful Days season changed the Battle League’s meta, forcing players who want to rise to the top of the ranks to rebuild their best teams.
Unlike the Great and Ultra tiers, the Master League has no CP cap, which means any Pokemon – including the mighty Legendaries – can compete.
Given that there are over 60 Legendary creatures in Niantic’s game, here are the ones you should consider, including some other incredible fighters.
Best team for the Pokemon Go Master League
Currently, the best team that trainers can use in the Great League includes Crowned Shield Zamazenta, Origin Forme Palkia, and Solgaleo, as these are three of the strongest fighters, and they all offer good coverage against most of the major Great League opponents.
DEXERTO| POKEMON | FAST MOVE | CHARGED MOVES | TYPE | RESISTANCES | WEAKNESSES | ALTERNATIVES |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Crowned Shield Zamazenta | Ice Fang | Close Combat & Behemoth Bash | Fighting/Steel | Bug, Poison, Rock, Dark, Dragon, Grass, Ice, Normal, and Steel | Fighting, Fire, and Ground | Crowned Sword Zacian / Annihilape |
 Origin Forme Palkia | Dragon Breath | Aqua Tail & Spacial Rend | Water/Dragon | Water, Fire, and Steel | Dragon and Fairy | Gyarados / Dragonite |
 Solgaleo | Fire Spin | Psychic Fangs & Iron Head | Psychic/Steel | Poison, Psychic, Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Normal, Rock, and Steel | Dark, Fire, Ghost, and Ground | Dusk Mane Necrozma / Metagross |
Crowned Shield Zamazenta has an incredible total damage output thanks to its signature move, Behemoth Bash, and can stand strong in battle due to its massive Defense stat. Plus, it benefits from a good amount of resistances and just needs to look out for three weaknesses.
Unlike its counterpart – Zacian – the best moveset for PvP consists of Ice Fang (for high power and coverage), Close Combat (cheap move with good coverage), and Behemoth Bash (cheap signature move with outstanding damage).
Palkia Origin Forme has incredible Defense and HP and an incredibly high Attack stat. This creature is a charger that works perfectly for leading or closing a battle, thanks to its powerful moveset.
Dragon Breath is stronger than Dragon Tail, so go with it as a Fast Move. For Charged Moves, similar to Dialga Origin Forme, its signature move Spacial Rend is the ultimate attack to use, while also using Aqua Tail to spam.
As a half-Steel-type Pokemon, Solgaleo has a huge amount of type resistances that combine well with its extreme bulk and varied move pool to make it very difficult to take down.
Solgaleo’s Fast Moves are not that great, but Fire Spin can help expand the coverage and has superior energy gain. As for the Charged Moves, Psychic Fangs is very spammable and can be used to bait shields, while Iron Head can be used to counter Zacian.
If you don’t have access to either of those three Pokemon or you come across an opponent that targets your team’s weaknesses, we have a long list of other powerful creatures that can help you dominate the Great League.
Best Pokemon for Pokemon Go Master League
Rhyperior (Shadow)
NIANTIC- Fast Move: Mud-Slap
- Charged Moves: Rock Wrecker and Breaking Swipe
- Type: Ground/Rock
- Resistances: Poison, Electric, Rock, Normal, Flying, and Fire
- Weaknesses: Grass, Water, Fighting, Ground, Ice, and Steel
The bulky Rhyperior is a great Pokemon to lead a team, thanks to its high Stamina stat that allows it to take hits well.
Mud-Slap deals heavy damage for a Fast Move and can also be spammed to access the Charged Moves faster and to force opponents to waste their shields early on in the battle.
The Charged Move Rock Wrecker is one of the best in the game, as it has a very low energy cost and deals massive damage, while Breaking Swipe has great power, low cost, and can decrease the target’s Attack stat by 20%.
Heatran (Shadow)
NIANTIC/DEXERTO- Fast Move: Fire Spin
- Charged Moves: Magma Storm and Stone Edge
- Type: Fire/Steel
- Resistances: Bug, Fairy, Grass, Ice, Poison, Steel, Dragon, Flying, Normal, and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Ground, Fighting, and Water
Shadow Heatran offers elite-level bulk, typing, and raw firepower, making it one of the strongest Fire/Steel creatures in the Master League.
Out of its two Fast Moves, Bug Bite is just useless, while Fire Spin offers greater damage and energy. Plus, it benefits from STAB. As for the Charged Moves, Magma Storm is cheap, also has STAB, and pairs nicely with Fire Spin. On the other hand, Stone Edge gives Heatran the most overall coverage.
Groudon
Niantic / The Pokemon Company- Fast Move: Mud Shot
- Charged Moves: Precipice Blades and Fire Punch
- Type: Ground
- 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 (either form) 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 an Elite TM, but it’s worth it for the low cost, strong power, and shield-baiting potential.
Annihilape (Shadow)
Nianitc / The Pokemon Company- Fast Move: Counter
- Charged Moves: Rage Fist and Close Combat
- Type: Fighting/Ghost
- Resistances: Poison, Rock, Normal, Fighting, and Bug
- Weaknesses: Flying, Ghost, Psychic, and Fairy
Annihilape has taken a seat in a lot of Battle League competitions since its debut. With Marshadow, these are the only two Fighting/Ghost creatures in the franchise, so this is a type to exploit.
Counter is a great Fast Move in Pokemon Go thanks to its high damage and decent energy generation, so make sure you have that.
When it comes to Charged Moves, you’ll want Rage Fist – Annihilape’s signature move – for big Ghost-type damage. Besides its low cost, good DPE, and attack boosts, when paired with Counter, it provides nearly unresisted damage.
If you need extra Fighting power, use Close Combat as the secondary Charged Move.
White Kyurem
DEXERTO- Fast Move: Ice Fang
- Charged Moves: Fusion Flare and Ice Burn
- Type: Dragon/Ice
- Resistances: Water, Grass, and Electric
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, Rock, and Steel
Just like Black Kyurem, White Kyurem came to dominate the Master League with its outstanding stats and great move pool – especially its Ice-type attacks.
Ice Fang has incredible damage for a Fast Move and pairs nicely with the Charged Move Ice Burn, which is basically a nuke. To expand its coverage and mainly to keep itself safe from Steel-type opponents, White Kyurem can use Fusion Flare, a very cheap option to take into consideration.
Zygarde (Complete Forme)
DEXERTO- Fast Move: Dragon Tail
- Charged Moves: Crunch and Earthquake
- Type: Dragon/Ground
- Resistances: Poison, Rock, Fire, and Electric
- Weaknesses: Ice, Dragon, and Fairy
With a super bulky HP stat and a great balance between resistance and damage, Zygarde is one of the most desirable creatures 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 Giratina, Dusk Mane Necrozma, and Mewtwo.
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.
Landorus Therian Forme
NIANTIC- Fast Move: Mud Shot
- Charged Moves: Sandsear Storm and Stone Edge
- Type: Ground/Flying
- Resistances: Ground, Bug, Fighting, Poison, and Electric
- 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 quickly, 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.
Urshifu (Single Strike Style)
DEXERTO- Fast Move: Sucker Punch
- Charged Moves: Dynamic Punch and Payback
- Type: Fighting/Dark
- Resistances: Dark, Rock, Psychic, and Ghost
- Weaknesses: Fairy, Fighting, and Flying
The moment Urshifu made its Pokemon Go debut, it quickly climbed the Master League ranks. However, not both forms. Because there are already many established Water-type Pokemon in the current meta, only Urshifu Single Strike Style has managed to establish itself as a top choice.
Urshifu Single Strike Style might be very similar to Pangoro, but with the addition that it can take down Master League rulers: Black Kyurem, both Palkia formes, Dusk Mane Necrozma, and many more.
For this newcomer to work, players have to use Sucker Punch as its Fast Move, as it provides higher energy generation than Counter. Then, set Dynamic Punch for a wider coverage, high DPE, and low cost, and if you can afford a secondary Charged Move, go with Payback. It might be expensive, but it’s worth it if you want to take down Ghost and Psychic-type opponents. Plus, all of them benefit from STAB.
Lunala
DEXERTO- Fast Move: Shadow Claw
- Charged Moves: Shadow Ball and Moonblast
- Type: Psychic/Ghost
- Resistances: Fighting, Normal, Psychic, and Poison
- Weaknesses: Dark and Ghost
Gen 7’s Legendary, Lunala, is an incredibly powerful addition to any Go Battle team, as it is extremely bulky. But that’s not all, as it has a very high Attack stat as well as a strong and versatile move pool to deal plenty of damage.
Teach the Moone Pokemon Shadow Claw as its Fast Move for energy generation. Lunala recently gained access to it, and thanks to that, it can reach its expensive Charged Moves earlier. Mooblast is a nuke that also decreases the target’s Attack stat by 20%, while Shadow Ball has high power.
The whole moveset benefits from STAB. Plus, it offers the Legendary near-flawless coverage.
Black Kyurem
DEXERTO- Fast Move: Shadow Claw
- Charged Moves: Freeze Shock and Fusion Bolt
- Type: Dragon/Ice
- Resistances: Water, Grass, and Electric
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, Rock, and Steel
Black Kyurem is one of the most powerful creatures in Pokemon Go, which is why it has taken the Master League by surprise with its dual Dragon/Ice typing.
This Legendary is a great attacker and, due to its other solid stats, can perform well in any position – lead, switch, or closer.
Shadow Claw has high energy generation, so you’ll reach your Charged Moves early on. As for the Charged Moves, Fusion Bolt is the cheapest choice, and it widens Black Kyurem’s coverage. Freeze Shock, on the other hand, is an outstanding nuke.
Dawn Wings Necrozma
THE POKEMON COMPANY- Fast Move: Shadow Claw
- Charged Moves: Moongeist Beam and Dark Pulse
- Type: Psychic/Ghost
- Resistances: Fighting, Normal, Psychic, and Poison
- Weaknesses: Dark and Ghost
As soon as it debuted, Dawn Wings Necrozma took a spot in the top 10 due to its Psychic/Ghost-type combination, which gives it key resistances to the many Psychic Pokemon on the Master League ranking.
Dawn Wings Necrozma is a bulky creature that can be used as a lead or charger, as it excels at pressuring opponents to waste their shields early on, thanks to its strong and rapid attack, Shadow Claw.
For the Charged Moves, its signature attack, Moongesit Beam, is a wonderful nuke, while Dark Pulse gives it wider coverage.
Crowned Sword Zacian
DEXERTO- Fast Move: Metal Claw
- Charged Moves: Close Combat and Behemoth Blade
- Type: Fairy/Steel
- Resistances: Dragon, Bug, Rock, Psychic, Poison, Normal, Ice, Grass, Flying, Fairy, and Dark
- Weaknesses: Fire and Ground
Zacian’s Crowned Sword form is considered almost unstoppable due to having the highest CP in the game, plenty of resistances, an outstanding Attack stat, and a potent move pool.
As a Fast Move, Metal Claw is just average, but has good energy generation and benefits from STAB. This will allow players to reach the signature move Behemoth Blade, which is cheap and ridiculously strong.
Those who can afford a secondary Charged Move can add Close Combat to expand the coverage and deal even faster, high damage.
More helpful guides
- 1km Buddy list
- All current and upcoming events
- All promo codes
- How to beat Arlo
- How to beat Cliff
- How to beat Giovanni
- How to beat Sierra
- Max Mondays Raid schedule
- PokeStop Showcase schedule
- Raid bosses schedule
- Rocket Grunt counters and lineups
- Shadow Raid schedule
- Spotlight Hour schedule
- Battle League Season schedule & rewards
- Field Research tasks & rewards
Pokemon Go Master League start & end date
The latest Battle League season is underway, running from June 3, 2025, until September 2, 2025. For the rest of its run, the Master League will appear on:
- August 12 – August 19 (along with the Great and Ultra Leagues)
- August 19 – August 26 (along with the Catch Cup: Great League Edition)
- August 26 – September 2 (along with the Great and Ultra Leagues)
Every Master League week will offer x4 Stardust from win rewards.
Those are the best Pokemon you can use to build your Master League team during this Pokemon Go season. For more content, check our guide with the Battle League schedule and rewards, as well as all the best attackers, defenders, and PvP champions.
