To achieve the title of champion in the Ultra League, it is necessary to have the strongest Pokemon on your team for this highly competitive mode. Below are the most optimal choices to dominate in the Pokemon Go Battle League during season 18.
The Go Battle League in Pokemon Go is a PvP mode where trainers from all over the world can compete against each other using their strongest Pokemon and have the chance to win various rewards.
Every season, the three tiers of the Great League, Ultra League, and Master League are reset, providing a constant opportunity for new challenges. At the moment, players are able to compete in Pokemon Go Battle League Season 18, with a new season set to begin later this year.
Although there are some restrictions, Pokemon must have a maximum CP of 2500 in order to participate. Therefore, it is important to have a team of powerful fighters that can reach this limit. Let’s examine the top Pokemon choices for the Ultra League.
Table of Contents
- Best team for Pokemon Go Ultra League
- Best Pokemon for Pokemon Go Ultra League
- Pokemon Go Ultra League start & end date
Best teams for Pokemon Go Ultra League
Pokemon Go’s Ultra League has a max CP of 2500.
In Pokemon Go’s Ultra League, Trainers can utilize Registeel, Giratina (Altered Forme), and Feraligatr as a powerful team. These three fighters are highly ranked in the meta and offer a diverse range of coverage against common opponents.
It is difficult to determine the ultimate ‘best’ team for the Ultra League, as its effectiveness can vary depending on the opponents faced. While Registeel is often considered the dominant force, a fully powered-up Swampert will always pose a threat.
Despite this, there are several Pokemon that are generally effective in most scenarios. While some of these may require XL Candy to reach their full potential, it is worth noting that not all Trainers have access to this resource. Therefore, we have also included some suggestions for non-XL options.
Best Pokemon for Pokemon Go Ultra League
Regirock
- Fast Move: Lock On
- Charged Moves: Stone Edge and Focus Blast
- Resistances: Normal, Poison, Flying, and Fire
- Weaknesses: Steel, Ground, Fighting, Water, and Grass
While it may not match the power of its Legendary titan counterpart, Registeel, Regirock remains a top contender for the Ultra League. One advantage of Regirock is that it does not require XL Candy to be effective, making it a more attainable option.
Just like Registeel, it is recommended to use the powerful Fast Move Lock On for Regirock. This move generates a significant amount of energy, allowing you to unleash two strong Charged Moves, Stone Edge and Focus Blast. The latter is especially useful for coverage against Steel-types.
Guzzlord
- Fast Move: Dragon Tail
- Charged Moves: Dragon Claw or Crunch
- Resistances: Ghost, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Dark, and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Fairy, Fighting, Bug, Ice, and Dragon
With its formidable moves and high HP, this Ultra Beast, wielding both Dark and Dragon powers, has climbed to the top of the League. While it may have a weak defense, Guzzlord is an ideal choice to lead any battle.
When combined, all of the aforementioned moves can cause a significant amount of damage. Additionally, they all receive a 20% damage boost from the Same Type Attack Bonus when used by Guzzlord during battles.
Skarmory (XL)
- Fast Move: Steel Wing
- Charged Moves: Sky Attack and Flash Cannon
- Resistances: Ground, Dragon, Psychic, Normal, Steel, Flying, Fairy, Grass, Bug, and Poison
- Weaknesses: Fire and Electric
Skarmory is generally balanced in its abilities and its type provides it with resistance against multiple others. Its sole vulnerabilities are to Electric, Fire, and other Steel types.
Skarmory favors using Steel Wing as its Fast Move because of its superior energy generation and its effectiveness against Fairy, Ice, and Rock types. Both Sky Attack and Flash Cannon are undoubtedly its strongest Charged Moves, as Brave Bird does not perform as well.
Swampert
- Fast Move: Mud Shot
- Charged Moves: Hydro Cannon and Earthquake
- Resistances: Electric, Steel, Rock, Poison, and Fire
- Weaknesses: Grass
Swampert is a highly accessible Pokemon that does not require XL Candy. It is a Water/Ground-type with only one weakness (Grass), making it a great choice for battling powerful Steel-types such as Melmetal and Registeel, as well as the Legendary Giratina.
It is recommended to select Mud Shot as the Fast Move for its superior energy generation. Swampert’s optimal Charged Move is Hydro Cannon, which is exclusively available on Community Days or with an Elite Charged TM, but Earthquake is a reliable alternative if not obtained.
Cobalion
- Fast Move: Double Kick
- Charged Moves: Sacred Sword and Stone Edge
- Resistances: Bug, Dark, Dragon, Grass, Ice, Normal, Poison, Rock, and Steel
- Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, and Ground
The most recent addition to our Ultra League list is Cobalion, a Legendary Pokemon that had previously been overlooked. However, with the Season of Light update, it gained access to the Fast Move Double Kick, which proved to be the missing piece to its potential as a champion.
As previously stated, it is recommended to use Double Kick as Cobalion’s Fast Move as the other options are not as effective. For Charged Moves, Sacred Sword is a great choice for strong STAB damage, while Stone Edge provides additional coverage for Rock-type attacks.
Mandibuzz (XL)
- Fast Move: Snarl
- Charged Moves: Dark Pulse and Aerial Ace
- Resistances: Ghost, Grass, Dark, Ground, and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Rock, Electric, Ice, and Fairy
Despite not possessing any exceptional moves and having less resistances compared to other recommended Ultra League Pokemon, Mandibuzz compensates for this with its impressive Defense and Stamina stats.
The Fast Move Snarl has a faster energy generation than Air Slash, making it the recommended choice. As for Charged Moves, Dark Pulse is considered the strongest for Mandibuzz due to its high damage and STAB bonus. However, if you desire more coverage, Aerial Ace is a suitable option.
Virizion
- Fast Move: Double Kick
- Charged Moves: Leaf Blade and Sacred Sword
- Resistances: Ground, Rock, Water, Grass, Electric, and Dark
- Weaknesses: Flying, Poison, Fire, Psychic, Ice, and Fairy
The list only includes one Pokemon with a Grass typing, the Legendary Virizion. Despite its vulnerability to Fire attacks, its secondary Fighting typing provides valuable resistances against Dark and Rock-type moves.
When constructing your team, it’s important to consider Virizion’s strengths as an attacker and lead. With its impressive Defense and Stamina stats, this creature is known for its durability and ability to last in battle. Additionally, its powerful moves such as Leaf Blade and Sacred Sword are great for forcing the opponent to use their shields.
Cresselia
- Fast Move: Psycho Cut
- Charged Moves: Moonblast and Grass Knot
- Resistances: Fighting and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Bug, Dark, and Ghost
Cresselia may need the Master League to fully tap into its legendary abilities, but its true potential shines in the Ultra League. With its impressive defensive stats and a maximum CP that exceeds the league’s limit, it is perfectly suited to defeat formidable opponents such as Giratina and Swampert.
Cresselia offers two strong Fast Move choices: Psycho Cut, which provides consistent energy generation, or Confusion, which deals STAB damage. When it comes to Charged Moves, Moonblast is the top pick, although Grass Knot can also be a valuable option for additional coverage if it is available to you.
Pidgeot (XL)
- Fast Move: Wing Attack
- Charged Moves: Feather Dance and Brave Bird
- Resistances: Bug, Ghost, Grass, and Ground
- Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, and Rock
Despite being overlooked in the mainline Pokemon games, the early-game birds have shown their worth as a valuable addition to any trainer’s team in the Go Battle League, with Pidgeot being a prime example.
To maximize Pidgeot’s potential, it is recommended to utilize Wing Attack as a Fast Move to quickly generate energy, then follow up with Feather Dance to inflict a guaranteed -2 Attack debuff on the opponent. Finally, deliver a devastating blow with Brave Bird for significant STAB damage.
Zygarde Complete Forme
- Fast Move: Dragon Tail
- Charged Moves: Crunch or Earthquake
- Resistances: Poison, Rock, Fire, and Electric
- Weaknesses: Ice, Dragon, and Fairy
Since its debut in July 2023, Zygarde has been highly sought after in Pokemon Go due to its impressive HP stat and well-balanced resistance and damage.
This Pokemon is not only extremely challenging to defeat, but it also serves as an ideal counter against the numerous Dragon-type creatures found in this rank, including Dialga, Lugia, and Kyurem.
In addition, its optimal moveset effectively inflicts significant damage through the combination of Dragon Tail and Earthquake. Additionally, the use of Crunch can also be beneficial in your overall strategy as it can lure out shields.
Poliwrath (XL)
- Fast Move: Counter
- Charged Moves: Scald or Icy Wind
- Resistances: Rock, Bug, Steel, Fire, Water, Ice, and Dark
- Weaknesses: Flying, Grass, Electric, Psychic, and Fairy
This large yet energetic Pokemon continues to be one of the top contenders in the Ultra League, capable of defeating powerful opponents like Cobalion, Steelix, and the formidable Swampert.
One of the standout qualities of Poliwrath is its impressive moveset. Counter is widely considered to be one of the top Fast Moves in the game, and Scald not only inflicts significant damage, but also has a chance to decrease the opponent’s ATK stat, similar to Icy Wind.
Giratina (Altered Forme)
- Fast Move: Shadow Claw
- Charged Moves: Dragon Claw and Shadow Sneak
- Resistances: Normal, Fighting, Bug, Electric, Fire, Grass, Poison, and Water
- Weaknesses: Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, and Ice
The majority of Trainers consider Giratina (Altered Forme) to be the ultimate choice in the Ultra League due to its bulkiness and devastating abilities. While there are some strong opponents that can counter it, avoiding them allows Giratina to easily defeat a large portion of the Go Pokedex.
For your Fast Move, it is recommended to choose Shadow Claw due to its well-balanced combination of damage and energy gain. As for the Charged Move, Dragon Claw is the optimal choice as it receives STAB and can be used frequently. However, if you have the resources, Shadow Sneak is also a solid option for a secondary Charged Move.
Kill Finn
- Fast Move: Water Gun
- Charged Moves: Surf and Moonblast
- Resistances: Bug, Dark, Dragon, Fighting, Fire, Ice, and Water
- Weaknesses: Electric, Grass, and Poison
Tapu Fini, the Water/Fairy-type guardian deity, is a relatively new addition to this list. It fulfills a similar role to Azumarill in the Great League, possessing excellent typing and solid defensive capabilities that allow it to overcome opponents such as Steelix, Poliwrath, and Giratina.
Despite Tapu Fini’s struggles with mediocre Fast Moves, Water Gun stands out as the strongest option due to its STAB. It is recommended to prioritize Surf as the primary Charged Move due to its lower energy cost, and to follow it up with the powerful Moonblast for significant Fairy-type damage.
Feraligatr (Shadow)
- Fast Move: Shadow Claw
- Charged Moves: Hydro Cannon and Ice Beam
- Resistances: Steel, Fire, Water, and Ice
- Weaknesses: Grass and Electric
This content crocodile is an excellent choice for both charging and closing, thanks to its impressive stats and moves. Despite its vulnerabilities, it can withstand common Pokemon types like Steel and Fire, making it a valuable asset.
Moreover, Feraligatr’s array of moves aids in its ability to quickly acquire Charged Moves, enabling it to pressure the opponent into using their shields early on and rendering them vulnerable for the remainder of your team.
Registeel (XL)
- Fast Move: Lock-On
- Charged Moves: Focus Blast and Flash Cannon
- Resistances: Poison, Normal, Flying, Rock, Bug, Steel, Grass, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, and Fairy
- Weaknesses: Fire, Ground, and Fighting
In our view, Registeel is the undisputed ruler of the Ultra League. With a powerful Fast Move that generates energy, numerous resistances, and victories over top competitors such as Cresselia and Giratina, the Legendary titan reigns supreme.
The Fast Move that was previously mentioned is Lock-On and it is crucial. With this move, you will have access to two powerful Charged Moves – Flash Cannon, which benefits from STAB, and Focus Blast, which provides useful Fighting-type coverage.
Pokemon Go Ultra League start and end date
The next season of the Pokemon Go Battle League will be active from March 1, 2024, until June 1, 2024, at 10:00 AM in your local time zone.
Throughout its duration, the Ultra League will be featured on:
- March 8 – March 15
- March 22 – March 29
- April 5 – April 12
- April 19 – April 26
- May 3 – May 10
- May 24 – May 31
You can view the current schedule for the Pokemon Go Battle League and its corresponding rewards here.
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