Pokemon GO's Go Battle League has shifted hard during the Forever Forward season. A new PvP battle system, several move rebalances, and Mimikyu's arrival have all reshuffled the top of every league. Let’s follow LDShop, as here is exactly which Pokemon rank highest right now in Great League, Ultra League, and Master League, plus the full tier groups behind them. Keep your account stocked through LDShop before a ranked push, and use the breakdown below to decide what to build next.
Pokemon GO PvP Tier List 2026 at a Glance
|
League |
#1 |
#2 |
#3 |
#4 |
#5 |
CP Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Great League |
Mimikyu |
Lickilicky |
Tinkaton |
Altaria |
Empoleon |
1,500 CP |
|
Ultra League |
Mimikyu |
Lickilicky |
Corviknight |
Tinkaton |
Shadow Corviknight |
2,500 CP |
|
Master League |
Crowned Sword Zacian |
Origin Forme Palkia |
Metagross |
White Kyurem |
Lunala |
No limit |
These rankings weigh performance as a lead, closer, switch, and charger together, not one single fight. A Pokemon sitting fifth can still beat a Pokemon sitting first in the right matchup, so use this table as a shortlist rather than a fixed order.
Pokemon GO Great League Tier List
Great League caps every Pokemon at 1,500 CP, so typing and move pacing decide more than raw stats. Mimikyu leads with Shadow Claw, Shadow Sneak, and Play Rough. It only became legal here once the new PvP battle system rolled out in June, and its Ghost and Fairy typing leaves it with very few clean counters.
The full current Great League tier group looks like this:
|
Tier |
Pokemon |
|---|---|
|
S |
Mimikyu, Lickilicky, Tinkaton, Altaria, Empoleon, Jellicent, Forretress, Quagsire, Ninetales |
|
A+ |
Corviknight, Thievul, Cramorant, Galarian Corsola, Feraligatr, Jumpluff, Fearow |
|
A |
Clodsire, Guzzlord, Sliggoo, Sealeo, Medicham, Kingdra, Sableye, Umbreon, Azumarill, Furret |
Many trainers stocked up on Ninetales candy during the 10th Anniversary event, which explains why it suddenly has the investment to compete again this season.
A few names worth flagging beyond the top five:
- Ninetales now runs Energy Ball instead of Overheat, hitting Ground and Rock types faster than its old set allowed.
- Seismitoad jumped from a low ranking into the top forty after an Earth Power buff, since Icy Wind now covers its own weaknesses while lowering the opponent's attack.
- Jumpluff can finally skip its old bait-heavy moveset because Energy Ball reaches full charge in ten turns.
Pokemon GO Ultra League Tier List
Ultra League raises the ceiling to 2,500 CP, and Mimikyu still leads with the identical Shadow Claw, Shadow Sneak, Play Rough set. Lickilicky takes second with the same build it uses in Great League.
|
Tier |
Pokemon |
|---|---|
|
S |
Mimikyu, Lickilicky, Corviknight, Tinkaton, Shadow Corviknight, Jellicent, Empoleon, Forretress |
|
A+ |
Florges, Virizion, Shadow Forretress, Shadow Feraligatr, Galarian Moltres, Alolan Ninetales |
|
A |
Annihilape, Talonflame, Cresselia, Malamar, Dusknoir, Kingdra, Ampharos, Lapras, Blastoise |
Corviknight is the standout here. With Sand Attack, Air Cutter, and Payback, it resists all but two types in the current format, which makes it a near universal safe swap. Its shadow form uses the same moveset and sits just behind it in current simulations.
Pokemon GO Master League Tier List
Master League drops the CP ceiling entirely, which changes the resource question completely. Crowned Sword Zacian leads with Metal Claw, Close Combat, and Behemoth Blade, a combination that hits almost everything for neutral or super effective damage. Origin Forme Palkia follows with Dragon Breath, Aqua Tail, and Spacial Rend, and Metagross rounds out the top three using Shadow Claw, Meteor Mash, and Earthquake.
|
Tier |
Pokemon |
|---|---|
|
S |
Crowned Sword Zacian, Origin Forme Palkia, Metagross, White Kyurem, Reshiram, Eternatus, Origin Forme Dialga, Kyogre |
|
A+ |
Lunala, Shadow Reshiram, Shadow Palkia, Marshadow, Dawn Wings Necrozma, Black Kyurem, Zekrom, Ho-Oh |
|
A |
Yveltal, Dusk Mane Necrozma, Shadow Kyogre, Garchomp, Shadow Garchomp, Shadow Metagross |
White Kyurem needs a Glaciate Kyurem fused with Reshiram to unlock Ice Burn, so confirm that legacy move before spending fusion energy. Because Master League has no cap, an underleveled legendary can still enter the format, but it gives up real stats against a fully invested opponent. Getting a legendary to that fully invested state takes a steady supply of Raid Passes and Poke Coins, and a quick Pokemon GO top up can speed up that grind without draining your own wallet at retail prices. The best platform to make the top-up is LDShop, it lets players top up for less and it is a great way to save money.
Recent Move Changes That Shifted the Pokemon GO PvP Rankings
Forever Forward adjusted power and energy cost on several attacks without touching any Pokemon's base stats, and that alone moved rankings around.
- Drill Run: power reduced, energy cost lowered.
- Charm: power reduced slightly.
- Energy Ball: power reduced, energy cost also dropped.
- Earth Power and Gust: energy generation improved.
- Earthquake: power increased.
Several Pokemon also gained new charged moves this season, including Sliggoo with Dragon Breath and Body Slam, and Kingdra finally getting Surf. These additions explain why some older Pokemon suddenly reappear in current team building discussions after months of being ignored.
What Makes a Pokemon Good in Pokemon GO PvP
A strong PvP Pokemon rarely wins on typing alone. Bulk keeps it on the field longer, efficient energy generation lets it threaten charged attacks sooner, and a second charged move gives it an answer when the first one gets resisted. Shield pressure matters just as much, since an opponent who cannot safely ignore your charged attack gets forced into a bad decision every turn.
Which Pokemon Should You Build First
If your Stardust is limited, pick one league and commit to it. A Great League build only needs to reach 1,500 CP, while Master League removes that ceiling and rewards patience over rushing a single project. If you already own a competitive Lickilicky or Tinkaton, chasing the top ranked Pokemon for a small ranking gain usually delivers less value than fixing a weak third team slot.
Conclusion
Pokemon GO's PvP scene keeps moving every season, and Forever Forward has clearly favored a mix of newly eligible Pokemon and older names that quietly received better moves. Mimikyu and Lickilicky dominate the capped leagues, while Crowned Sword Zacian anchors Master League without much real competition near the top. Rather than chasing every new Pokemon GO ranking update, focus on finishing the builds you already have and filling the gaps in your current lineup. That approach wins more sets than restarting your roster every time a tier list shifts.
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Edmund G. Kolis Experienced Game Editor
I'm a game guide writer with over 20 years of experience playing all types of games, especially anime-style RPGs, gacha and sports games. I love finding smart ways to beat tough levels without spending too much money. By studying game mechanics and character systems, I create easy tips to help players save time and resources. When I'm not gaming, I watch anime to get inspiration for strategies. My goal? To help you enjoy games more and stress less – even when facing "impossible" bosses! Let’s make gaming fun and affordable together!
