Pokémon Go Master League team recommendations

Things to know about putting together an Master League team in Pokémon Go

No CP limits means you have the most of freedom any League team, and though the best Pokémon by and large do well here, the meta means there are certain creatures which will do better than others based on what everyone else is choosing.

By and large, Legendaries are the most useful in this group, but you can easily form a team without them, to both purposely counter them and offer a wide range of coverage.

The reliable staples of starter Community Day Pokémon are much less effective here than other leagues as a result, but others who have been highlighted have evolutions and exclusive moves that can really help you, if you were around at the time.

Though CP isn’t everything in this league - above all, you want to go with types which suit the meta - maximising the power of your chosen team can give you a slight advantage. There’s a couple of ways to make this more cost effective, such as performing Lucky Trades to halve their Stardust costs (and increase the likelihood of them perfect IVs) and having them as your Best Friend to give them a CP boost while they’re your buddy.

And, the higher Trainer Level you are, the higher the CP cap grows. That said, there are diminishing returns of this final point - with Stardust and Candy costs going through the roof for very little CP gain as you reach its cap - so don’t get hung up on this in particular.

As always, no matter which League you participate in, you’re after Pokémon with a decent bulk (the ability to survive Charged moves, type weakness depending, so you can fire off a few of your own) and those that best counter or exploit weaknesses in the current meta (which is a term for what the community is using at present).

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Though there are specific Pokémon and types that dominate the meta, remember with the Go Battle League (and player versus player battles in general) you’ll be going in blind; so even if you cover yourself with a wide range of offence and defence options, no team is invincible.

Still, even with a few of the below Pokémon in your team, you should be able to fare better than if you just selected those with the highest possible CPs.

The Dual Destiny Season is here! It brings the Holiday Part 1 event with it. You can now catch Dynamax Pokémon through Max Battles. First, however, you need to visit Power Spots to collect Max Particles and complete the To the Max! quest. Don't forget to try out Routes, Gift Exchange and Party Play while you're hunting down rare Pokémon, fighting in the Go Battle League or competing in PokéStop Showcases.

Our Pokémon Go Master League recommendations, from Dragonite to Zacian

There is no one 'best' team you can choose - since, as mentioned previously, you don’t know what you are up against - and not everyone has access to every type of Pokémon.

And with the recent move shake-up to rebalance Go Battle League, we’re going to be heading into a brand new meta, so nobody is sure what exactly the best Pokémon are right now. What was once the top, is no longer the undisputed champ, and what was once the best moveset may no longer be the case.

So, here is a general list of recommended Master League Pokémon to build a team from, with a wide range of sources that should suit all players, whether you’ve been collecting Legendaries since their debut, or have just started playing. Some of these will be what was at the top before and we think is still worth running; some will be new additions that have come to challenge the throne. Either way, do check the moveset as there’s a solid chance that these have been tweaked slightly.

Remember, when forming a team, you are only allowed one of each in the Go Battle League, and ideally you’d want to build a team with different type strengths and defence.

Our Pokémon Go Master League Team recommendations, as of September 2024, in National Pokédex order:

Dragonite

Type: Dragon / Flying
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Dragon Breath (Fast), Dragon Claw (Charged), Superpower (Charged)
Weaknesses: Ice, Dragon, Rock and Fairy

Dragonite remains one of the top picks for Master League, both in its regular and Shadow form.

Its high CP cap gives it a brute strength few other Pokémon can match, and works as a very efficient Dragon-type counter with its Dragon moves and typing. Running the move Superpower previously allowed Dragonite to shoot up the rankings, and hold its position as the strongest pseudo-legendary Pokémon in the meta.

The good news is that, having been subject to a Community Day and around since the start of Pokémon Go, Dragonite is going to be available for most players who want to try the new spice. The bad news is basically that last sentence all over again. So, if you don’t want to run one, make sure you pack something like Xerneas, Zacian, Dialga, Lugia and Ho-Oh that can take down this fan favourite.

If you’re curious as to if you should run a Shadow Dragonite instead of a normal one, you should not. Shadow Dragonite is still a total beater, but the regular version wins more matches in the long run.

Shadow Mewtwo

Type: Psychic
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Psycho Cut (Fast), Psystrike (Legacy Charged), Shadow Ball (Legacy Charged)
Weaknesses: Bug, Dark and Ghost

Despite Mewtwo once standing as one of the most exclusive Legendaries in the game since its EX Raid debut, chances are you’ve picked up a few Mewtwo over the years. While it was once top of the league, it’s no longer the very best. It’s still excellent, but it’s far from being a must-run Pokémon in Master League.

With its max CP of 4724, it also has the highest CP of any meta-relevant Pokémon.

Previously, there was debate over the best ways to build a Mewtwo, with the ideal choice coming down to whether you had the Shadow variant running Ice Beam or the regular version running Focus Blast. Don’t worry about all that now because we’re running with what is simply the best across both now - Psystrike and the anti-psychic tech, Shadow Ball.

The Mewtwo mirror match may spring to mind, but the Shadow Ball is actually there to take down Necrozma and Solgaleo, the front-runners for best Psychic-types in Master League. It also takes down Lugia, Dialga and Giratina Origin, which is pure upside.

There is a third variant here - Armored Mewtwo - but it is ironically weaker than the other two options thanks to its much worse moveset, so we would advise against running it in the Master League.

Ho-Oh

Type: Fire/Flying
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Incinerate (Fast), Brave Bird (Charged), Sacred Fire (Legacy Charged)
Weaknesses: Rock (2x), Electric and Water

Ho-Oh can be pretty annoying to build, burning through dozens of Fast TMs to get to Incinerate, but it’s worth it if you’re looking for a defensive Pokémon that can lay down both Fast move and shield pressure.

The major downside to this Pokémon, however, is that it’s a little tricky to use. Sacred Fire has a 50% chance of dropping your opponent’s attack, which is great, but Brave Bird - the cheaper of your two Charged moves - will leave your defense it tatters, dropping it three stages.

If you’re ok with this drawback, Ho-Oh offers wins against Xerneas, Mewtwo, Dusk Mane Necrozma and Dialga - a few of which are on this list. Losses will come from Therian Landorus, Dawn Wings Necrozma, Zygarde Complete, Giratina Origin and Lugia - most of which are on this list…

Groudon

Type: Ground
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Mud Shot (Fast), Fire Punch (Legacy Charged), Precipice Blades (Legacy Charged)
Weaknesses: Grass, Ice and Water

While its cousin, Kyogre, has fallen from grace (and this list), Groudon stands tall as one of the top picks for this meta. Its signature move, Precipice Blades, was a massive boon for this Pokémon, helping it resolutely take down some of the biggest threats in the meta, from Dialga to Mewtwo, Xerneas and even Dawn Wings Necrozma.

Of course, the downside is that it has its own weaknesses, including Dragonite and fellow Ground-type and powerhouse Therian Landorus. If you’re a fan of its eternal nemesis, Kyogre, you can obviously beat Groudon there, too.

Rhyperior

Type: Ground/Rock
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Mud Slap (Fast), Rock Wrecker (Legacy Charged), Breaking Swipe (Legacy Charged)
Weaknesses: Grass (2x), Water (2x), Fighting, Ground, Ice and Steel

Rhyperior is one of the best non-Legendary Pokémon in the game, and its standing in the Master League is testament to its strength. Despite having two double weaknesses, it’s still a bulky, spammy Pokémon that offers both Fast move and shield pressure. Plus, Breaking Swipe comes with a 50% chance of dropping the opponent’s attack by one stage, which is a nice occasional bonus.

This all translates into wins against some of the meta’s heaviest hitters: Dialga, Mewtwo, Dawn Wings Necrozma, Giratina Origin and Xerneas.

Sadly, it’s not all upside: losses come from Kyogre (the king of wet, which Rhyperior is allergic to, despite knowing Surf), Therian Landorus, Dragonite, Groudon and Zygarde Complete.

Dialga (Origin)

Type: Steel / Dragon
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Dragon Breath (Fast), Iron Head (Charged), Roar of Time (Legacy Charged)
Weaknesses: Fighting and Ground

The former undisputed king of the meta, Dialga was once everything in the Master League; you either had to run one or run something that will take it down - ideally both.

Dialga is still a top-tier pick, but it’s no longer the be all and end all, and is worse than its newer counterpart, Origin Forme Dialga.

If you are planning to run one, make sure you invest your hard-earned candy into the best possible Dialga; the sheer volume here means that you will likely run into the mirror, which in turn means that it’s often a straight battle of who has the best IVs.

Palkia (Origin)

Type: Water / Dragon
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Dragon Breath (Fast), Aqua Tail (Charged), Spatial Rend (Legacy Charged)
Weaknesses: Dragon and Fairy

Sure, Dialga might be cool and all, but Palkia has dethroned its cousin as the top of the meta. Origin Forme Palkia is the new king.

Origin Palkia affords a spammy, dynamic Pokémon that lays down both Fast Move and shield pressure. If you don’t have an Origin Forme, you can use a regular Palkia with Draco Meteor to great effect, but be aware that this move will nuke your own attack stat, making it a much more difficult Pokémon to use expertly.

There really is a lot to be said for simply spamming the opponent to death. Especially when that opponent is running Giratina Origin, Dragonite, Zygarde Complete, Mewtwo or Dawn Wings Necrozma.

If you’re planning on running an Origin Palkia, be aware that you will lose to the following Pokémon: Xerneas, Dialga, Zacian, Lugia and Dusk Mane Necrozma.

Giratina (Altered ideally, but Origin is great too)

Type: Ghost / Dragon
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Giratina Altered moves: Shadow Claw (Fast), Dragon Claw (Charged), Ancient Power (Charged)
Giratina Origin moves: Shadow Claw (Fast), Shadow Ball (Charged), Ominous Wind (Charged)
Weaknesses: Dark, Dragon, Ghost, Ice and Fairy

Not only does Giratina rule the Ultra League, but it stands tall in the Master League as well.

Giratina is, put simply, incredibly powerful, leaning on its brute strength and Ghost/Dragon-types to take down most other creatures in a straight match up. Though you’ll want to go after the Altered Forme if you have the option, Origin is still a welcome alternative.

Landorus (Therian)

Type: Ground/Flying
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Mud Shot (Fast), Sandsear Storm (Legacy Charged), Stone Edge (Charged)
Weaknesses: Ice (double-weak) and Water

Skycat Landorus, as it is fondly known, has taken Groudon’s title as the top Ground-type Pokémon. Lando Catrissian’s signature move, Sandsear Storm, is an absolute beating, and is essential if you want to win. It is cheap, does decent damage and - most importantly - is guaranteed to drop the enemy’s attack by a single stage. This easily makes up for its relative lack of bulk and even its volatility when going against those tricksy Pokémon with non-STAB Ice-type attacks. However, if you see Kyurem come to tangle, you know what to do…

Dragonite, however, is Therian Landorus’s biggest threat, so be sure to switch out if you see it coming. Beyond that, Dawn Wings Necrozma, Mewtwo, Yveltal and Zygarde Complete are your biggest issues. Wins will come from Dusk Mane Necrozma, Ho-Oh, Dialga, Xerneas and Giratina Origin.

Kyurem

Type: Dragon/Ice
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Dragon Breath (Fast), Glaciate (Legacy Charged), Dragon Claw (Charged)
Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, Rock and Steel

The addition of Glaciate, Kyurem’s signature move, proved essential to this Pokémon’s standing in Master League - a meta dominated by Pokémon weak to Ice-type moves. Glaciate dropping the opponents attack by one stage with each hit is pure, ice-cold, gravy.

Kyurem offers a spammy, dynamic Pokémon that can apply a lot of Fast move pressure, while also keeping the dragons in check. Just be aware that with five weaknesses, you need to know your match-ups, and switch into Kyurem when it suits you, and out when it doesn’t.

On that note, you can expect wins against Giratina Origin, Yveltal, Mewtwo, Zygarde Complete and Therian Landorus. Losses come from Xerneas, Dusk Mane Necrozma, Dialga, Dragonite and Ho-Oh.

Meloetta

Type: Normal/Psychic
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Quick Attack (Fast), Psyshock (Charged), Dazzling Gleam(Charged)
Weaknesses: Bug and Dark

Sometimes you don’t want to think about types and match-ups. Sometimes you just want a Pokémon to go out there and wallop the other Pokémon.

If this is you, we present Meloetta - a Normal type that runs a fast-charging Fast Move, that gets you into a quick Psyshock or a Fairy-type nuke to sort out all those Dragons running amok.

If you do want to know the match-ups, however, we have you sorted. Wins come from Giratina Origin, Therian Landorus, Xerneas, Mewtwo and Dragonite. Losses, meanwhile, come from both Necrozmas, Ho-Oh, Dialga and Zygarde Complete.

Florges

Type: Fairy
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Fairy Wind (Fast), Disarming Voice (Charged), Moonblast (Charged)
Weaknesses: Poison and Steel

Where there be Dragons, there be also Fairies. So say pirates the rules of type-based metas. Florges is a bulky, spammy Pokémon that runs three Fairy-type attacks in a Dragon-dominated meta. It is, therefore, a bit of a beater.

Fairy Wind is a fast-charging attack and Disarming Voice is relatively cheap to fire off. Moonblast will give an occasional (10% chance) one-stage drop to the opponent’s attack, which is nice but shouldn’t be relied on. Instead, you should rely on killing the opponent with kindness. That sounds like a Fairy thing to do, right?

Florges beats all of the non-Dialga Dragons plus Xerneas. It loses to Ho-Oh, both Necrozma, Mewtwo and - of course - Dialga.

Yveltal

Type: Dark/Flying
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Sucker Punch (Fast), Dark Pulse (Charged), Oblivion Wing (Charged)
Weaknesses: Electric, Fairy, Ice and Rock

The rise of Necrozma was met with the return of Yveltal to the top of the meta. This infamously strong Dark-type legendary has relatively little downside - it is bulky, flexible and offers both Fast move and shield pressure. It’s just a great Pokémon.

Not only does it beat both Necrozma and Mewtwo, but it also takes down Giratina Origin and Dialga.

Losses will come from Zacian, Dragonite, Xerneas, Ho-Oh and Zygarde Complete.

Zygarde (Complete)

Type: Dragon/Ground
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Dragon Tail (Fast), Crunch (Charged), Earthquake (Charged)
Weaknesses: Ice (double-weak), Dragon and Fairy

First of all, if you have a Complete Zygarde, congratulations - your efforts in interacting with the stupid Routes feature mean you already deserve to win.

Complete Zygarde is a bulky, dynamic Pokémon that applies a good deal of Fast Move pressure. If you haven’t completed Zygarde, however, the 10% forme is completely unplayable, and the 50% form is mediocre - it has better defense, but it completely lacks the bulk and has worse attack.

In combat, Complete-forme Zygarde racks up wins against both Necrozma, Giratina Origin, Mewtwo and Dragonite. However, be aware that some the Pokémon you can easily beat can run Ice-type attacks. If you see someone switch into a Pokémon that you know can run something like Ice Beam, you’ll need to make a judgement; either push for the win with Zygarde or switch to another Pokémon you know can win.

A maxed-out Zygarde will also lose to the following Pokémon: Xerneas, Togekiss, Zacian, Dialga and Lugia.

Solgaleo

Type: Psychic/ Steel
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Fire Spin (Fast), Psychic Fangs (Charged), Iron Head (Charged)
Weaknesses: Dark, Fire, Ghost and Ground

Despite what it looks like, and its name, Solgaleo is not a Fire-type.

What it is is an extremely bulky Psychic/Steel-type that applies Fast move and shield pressure with a suite of spammy attacks.

Fire Spin is just a decent all-round move. Psychic Fangs is a relatively cheap attack that guarantees the opponent’s defense will fall by a single stage. Iron Head offers a nice bit of coverage, and an alternative once you’ve sent the opponent’s defences through the floor.

A maxed-out Solgaleo enjoys wins against Xerneas, Zacian, Dialga, Dragonite and Mewtwo. It will lose, however, to both Necrozma, Giratina Origin, Ho-Oh and Zygarde Complete.

Dawn Wings Necrozma

Type: Psychic/ Ghost
Perfect IVs: 15/15/15
Recommended moves: Shadow Claw (Fast), Moongeist Beam (Legacy Charged), Dark Pulse (Charged)
Weaknesses: Dark and Ghost (both double-weak)

While Lunala somewhat bad in Master League, it is a lot, lot better when it is powering up a Necrozma. And what Dusk Wings Necrozma does, it does at full tilt. If offers Fast Move and Shield pressure on a bulky Pokémon with dynamic attacks. It is, however, susceptible to two double-weaknesses.

So, this is max risk, max reward Pokémon. Used properly, you can exploit moves like Moongeist Beam to do tremendous damage. However, you need to know when to switch out.

Yveltal, for example, can ruin your day pretty quickly. Complete Zygarde, Giratina Origin, Mewtwo and Groudon can all roundly defeat Necrozma, too.

That said, this Pokémon clearly has some decent wins under its belt for it to sit at the top of the meta. If you run Dawn Wings Necrozma, you can look forward to wins against Xerneas, Ho-Oh, Dialga, Therian Landorus and Dragonite.

Good luck in the Master League!