Pokémon GO Battle League: The best picks for the Great League

The Pokémon GO Battle League preseason is underway, and certain Pokémon are already taking over the Great League metagame. Here are the top Pokémon thus far and why they are so strong.

1. Altaria

• Dragon Breath
• Dazzling Gleam
• Sky Attack/Dragon Pulse

Altaria is probably the best pick in the Pokémon GO Great League format. Dragon Breath and Peck are both good, fast moves, and it can gain an additional charge move for only 10,000 Stardust. Dazzling Gleam and Sky Attack/Dragon Pulse give it versatility, allowing it to deal with multiple threats.

2. Lairon

• Metal Claw
• Body Slam
• Rock Slide/Heavy Slam

Lairon is useful because it’s bulky and it counters Altaria. It’s a Steel-type, making it strong against Fairy, Flying, and Dragon moves. It also has access to Rock Slide as a charge move, so it can land super-effective hits on Flying and Fire types. Like Altaria, it only costs 10,000 Stardust to learn a second charge move, which makes it a great, cheap option.

3. Marshtomp/Swampert

• Water Gun/Mud Shot
• Hydro Cannon/Hydro Pump
• Earthquake

Marshtomp and Swampert are solid picks because their typing allows them to counter Electric, Fire, Rock, and Ground-type Pokémon with Ground and Water-type moves. In the Pokémon GO Battle League, there is an abundance of different creatures running around, so having a lot of coverage options makes them a strong choice. Once again, it only costs 10,000 Stardust to get a second charge move on them.

4. Lapras

• Ice Shard/Water Gun
• Ice Beam
• Hydro Pump

Lapras is fairly common in the Great League, especially at lower tiers. Ice Beam is a strong charge move, and it can serve as a counter to Altaria. However, it does need to be careful of Rock-type attacks. Additionally, while Lapras is strong, it requires 75,000 Stardust to learn a second charge move, which is necessary for coverage in the Battle League.

5. Piloswine

• Powder Snow
• Blizzard/Bulldoze
• Stone Edge

Piloswine is a good option against Altaria and Lairon, but like Lapras, it’s more expensive. It costs 50,000 Stardust to get a second charge move, which it needs for coverage. With a mix of Ice, Rock, and Ground-type attacks, it can cause a lot of problems for a variety of Pokémon.

6. Ludicolo

• Razor Leaf
• Solar Beam
• Hydro Pump/Blizzard

Ludicolo is an excellent counter to Swampert because it gains Grass-type moves but is also part Water-type. This helps to protect it from Ice and Fire-type attacks. Taking a Grass-type Pokémon is risky, however, due to the amount of Flying-type Pokémon currently in the meta.

There are plenty of other strong picks for the Pokémon GO Battle League as well. Notable mentions go out to Wigglytuff, Noctowl, Zapdos, Moltres, and Jolteon. To be successful, make sure to take a variety of move types to have an answer for anything.