The GO Wild Area 2024 is the inaugural event of this nature, and features Gigantamax Toxtricity, Dynamax Drilbur, Primal forms, Dialga and Palkia Origin in Raids, and Safari Balls, using which you can catch the debuting Mighty Pokémon in the game.
Niantic’s official GO Wild Area announcement designates Mighty Pokémon as wild species with an IV floor of 13/13/13, more likelihood to be XL or XXL, and difficult to catch (hence the option of GO Safari Balls). These include a bunch of fully evolved Pokémon and they can be shiny! They can also be caught at Level 40 with no weather boost, and Level 45 – 50 with weather boost.
To put it into perspective, these Mighty mons, on one hand, feel similar to Alpha Pokémon introduced in Legends Arceus, going by their high stats, bigger size, and difficulty in catching.
In the same vein, they are also similar to Brilliant Pokémon in Sword and Shield, who tend to have the same properties as announced for Mighty Pokémon. In fact, the effects around Mighty Pokémon spawns are akin to the Brilliant Aura in the Gen 8 games.
It appears that the concept of Mighty Pokémon is a cocktail combining the Safari Zone catches, and Alpha and Brilliant Pokémon. Sweet!
With shiny availability and stats sorted, it begs the question — How valuable is each Mighty Pokémon for PvE and PvP? We’ll have a look at each of the ones announced and gauge how best to use them in the meta.
Mighty Pokémon (Saturday, November 23, 2024)
Pidgeot
PvE
While Pidgeot itself isn’t too useful in the PvE scene, its Mega Evolution is among the strongest types in Pokémon GO. Aside from the one-and-only Mega Rayquaza, the type meta lacks any real powerhouses, with some powerful Megas being hindered by their moveset.
280 ATK, and the Gust and Brave Bird combo make Mega Pidgeot grand against Bug, Fighting, and Grass Raid bosses. That said, keep in mind that its part Normal typing makes it take neutral damage from Fighting bosses, rather than resist them.
PvP
Pidgeot needs to Mega Evolve in order to be viable in PvE, but it is a solid PvP pick for the Great and Ultra League, courtesy of its ability to heavily resist Ghost and Ground types. Usual suspects like Trevenant and Shadow Golurk go toothless against Pidgeot, and Fighting types have a tough time as well.
Gust gives high Fast Move damage. Coming to the Charged Moves, it packs Brave Bird as a nuke and Feather Dance to lower the opponent’s ATK by two stages. All in all, a superb pick that struggles due to low bulk and the presence of Steel types.
Golem
PvE
Golem is a Rock/Ground-type Pokémon, combining two of the best offensive types. It has decent stats, including a neat ATK stat of 211, earning it a slot in your team of Raid counters when rejoining the lobby against bosses weak to either of Golem’s STAB moves.
A classic Pokémon which was highly sought-after to beat the Kanto Legendary Bird trio, it is heavily outclassed but still usable!
PvP
The Rock and Ground combo gives Golem excellent offensive presence in the Great and Ultra League (the Master League is too much for it). But, its double weaknesses to Grass and Water, two common sights in the lower PvP Leagues, aside from other common weaknesses, seriously halts its prospects.
Gyarados
PvE
The Gen 1 classic Gyarados works as a great counter to Ground types thanks to its Water typing. While it sports nice damage figures, Gyarados is still outclassed and needs to Mega Evolve to compete. Even then, the Water/Dark Mega faces still competition from many Water Pokémon, including starters.
Ultimately, Gyarados is still a viable Water type but many others out-damage it.
PvP
In PvP, Gyarados is a scary pick even though Kyogre is the superior option. That’s because Gyarados takes up a unique niche of being able to threaten Dragon types with its many Dragon type moves while not taking super-effective damage in return.
On the other hand, a Water type moveset is also great, dealing heavy damage to much of the meta. Moreover, it’s only weak to Electricx2 and Rock, two types that aren’t too common in the Master League. Needless to say, it suits the Master Premier format more and works as a core breaker for some Dragon, Fairy, and Steel teams. Also, it gives Groudon a real headache! 😆
Luxray
PvE
With a great ATK stat, Luxray is a fine choice for high Electric type damage. Its bulk is sort of a concern, so dodging is recommended. This awesome-looking Pokémon may not be a top Electric type pick but it is always serviceable. Also, a stellar shiny to hunt for! 🙂
PvP
Luxray is a decent Electric type pick for the Great League where it takes advantage of the powerful Wild Charge and its Community Day move, Psychic Fangs to function in both no-shield and shields-up scenarios. Unfortunately, its fragility is the reason behind its downfall, melting away even to high-damage Fast Moves.
Scolipede
PvE
The Bug/Poison-type Scolipede has decent ATK and low bulk stats, making it an average option for both its typings. While Bug type offense isn’t too useful in general, it can join your entourage of Poison type counters when facing Fairy and Grass Raid bosses.
PvP
Scolipede suffers due to its bulk but in many matchups, it impresses! These include bouts against Fairy and Fighting types, both of which it resists. Offensively, the powerful Bug type move Megahorn is its weapon of choice, dealing huge damage. All this works in the Great League where it’s known to throw opponents off-guard. Otherwise, it goes down hard in the Ultra and Master League.
Galvantula
PvE
The popular Galvantula sadly doesn’t have the stats required for PvE relevance. Don’t use it in Raids or Gyms.
PvP
In PvP, the Bug/Electric Galvantula is a dire threat, utilizing its resistances to Electric, Fighting, Grass, and Steel to full effect, as they all are prominent types in the Great and Ultra League. If you’re able to catch a Hundo, consider maxing it out to level 50 since it attains 2494 CP.
It hard counters some of the biggest threats in the Ultra League, mainly due to the move Lunge, dealing STAB damage and also dropping your opponent’s ATK, guaranteed! Galvantula is one of the best Mighty Pokémon takeaways!
Tyrantrum
PvE
The T-Rex of the Pokémon world is a fan favorite, and a meta-relevant Rock type attacker thanks to the powerful Meteor Beam. While not top-notch, it is capable of some high damage!
As a Dragon type, it stands no chance to break into the draconic meta. Still, a fun dino Pokémon to use!
PvP
Tyrantrum’ type combo gives it many weaknesses but its Rock type offensive coverage is useful. It is outclassed in all PvP Leagues but with better moves down the line, it can work as a viable pick in the Master League. For now, it’s all spice! 
And oh, its shiny is sooooo regal! A must-have shiny 😀
Toxapex
PvE
Toxapex isn’t built for PvE at all.
PvP
273 DEF!!!!! Toxapex is a fortress, a Pokémon custom-built for the Great League. It tanks hits like a pro, tormenting the mighty Azumarill like it’s nothing. While it’s a defensive behemoth, its excessive reliance on Poison-type offense limits it a bit. Overall, it’s a superb Great League Pokémon that is not usable in the Ultra or Master League.
Saturday Mighty Pokémon Priorities
On a shiny hunting perspective, all are exciting obviously.
But for combat, you should focus on Galvantula, Gyarados, and Tyrantrum.
Mighty Pokémon (Sunday, November 24, 2024)
Venusaur
PvE
Venusaur itself is a nice option but Mega Venusaur is the way to go. A solid Grass type and often Poison type attacker, Mega Venusaur is bulky and an ace at keeping the Mega boost running for a long time. Be sure to give it Frenzy Plant though!
PvP
Despite not having the highest of stats, Venusaur is a smooth operator in PvP. It is particularly a menace in the Great and Ultra League, where it reigns supreme as the overall most powerful Grass type attacker. Its Poison typing helps it defensively, resisting the likes of Electric, Fairy, Fighting, and Water.
Surprisingly, the magic of Frenzy Plant makes Venusaur somewhat viable even in the Master League. It troubles many a powerhouse in this format and even wins against some like Zacian, Togekiss, Excadrill, and Kyogre when shields are up. A worthy catch!
Poliwrath
PvE
Poliwrath looks angry…angry because its stats don’t cut it in PvE. 😛
PvP
Poliwrath possesses impressive bulk and it gained Counter from its July 2023 Community Day. Sadly, Counter got nerfed in the Max Out GBL Season, bringing its potential down. But, with stat-changing moves like Icy Wind and Power-Up Punch, as well as Scald and Dynamic Punch in the mix, Poliwrath is unpredictable in the Great and Ultra League, making it worth your consideration.
Dragonite
PvE
The first-ever Pseudo Legendary is a decent Dragon type attacker even though it’s widely outclassed by several dragons at this point. With the bread ‘n’ butter Dragon moveset of Dragon Tail and Outrage, a Hundo Dragonite is an honorary addition to your Dragon entourage.
PvP
Dragon Breath, Dragon Claw, and Superpower… a spectacular trio that keeps Dragonite a key part of the GO Battle League. It’s dangerous across all three PvP Leagues, threatening heavy neutral damage while also threatening Steel types with Superpower. 😎
It is able to go toe-to-toe against the strongest Legendaries, making it an evergreen dragon in PvP. Hunt for it, trainers!
Feraligatr
PvE
The fierce Feraligatr is severely overtaken by a slew of other Water types who deal higher DPS in Raid battles. Thanks to Hydro Cannon, it’s not entirely bad so if you are rejoining a Raid loss against a boss weak to Water type moves, Feraligatr can be utilized.
PvP
CAUTION! FERALIGATR INFESTED META
Indeed, Feraligatr is among THE Pokémon to beat in the Great and Ultra League. The versatile Shadow Claw, OP Hydro Cannon, and resourceful Ice Beam/Crunch put the entire PvP meta on notice, being able to chomp through several opponents. However, remember that it needs a shield or two to unleash its true potential.
Basically, you’re going to want a Feraligatr!
Electivire
PvE
Electivire is a top-notch Electric type Pokémon, dealing more DPS than even some Legendaries. Dodging is more or less mandatory, ensuring that it justifies the tremendous damage output from Thunder Shock and Wild Charge.
Putting Megas and Shadows aside, Electivire is among the top DPS options and certainly deserving of your attention.
PvP
With pretty low DEF and HP, Electivire isn’t meant for PvP.
Mamoswine
PvE
While Shadow Mamoswine is the real deal in PvE, regular Mamoswine is no slouch. Boasting excellent Ice and Ground moveset and high ATK, it can perform double duty with sublime excellence. It’s insane, the things Mamoswine can do. It’s a must-have Pokémon and if you’re lucky to grab a Hundo, don’t think twice before maxing it out to level 50!
PvP
Mamoswine works best in the Master League, where it either excels or fails miserably. Offensively, Ice and Ground get almost perfect neutral coverage and with plenty of opponents weak to these two types, Mamoswine can have a field day and sweep through entire teams alone in the right matchups.
In contrast, it has hardly any resistances and a low DEF stat, leaving it susceptible to quick defeats in the wrong matchups. In a nutshell, using Mamoswine is like a coin flip, going fabulous or terrible.
Eelektross
PvE
Eelektross, just like Luxray, is another example of an Electric type Pokémon that isntt bad per se, but outclassed by many of its peers. Use it if you’re low on Electric type options.
PvP
Eelektross is blessed with a versatile moveset featuring Electric, Dragon, Dark, and Water type moves. This very factor propels it to contention in the Great and Ultra League, using its moves and single weakness to Ground as advantages.
But, that’s about it. Better Electric types exist in these two Leagues.
Dragalge
PvE
Dragalge is the first Poison/Dragon in the franchise, and this combination is pretty quirky, to say the least. But, Dragalge lacks the stats to make any substantial impact in the PvE scene.
PvP
Sporting the Poison/Dragon typing not only makes Dragalge not weak to Fairy types but also gives it the ability to counter them. Or does it? 😕
It has Gunk Shot, which is too expensive to fire off considering that it costs a whopping 75 energy. Acid as a Fast Move is plain bad. So, Dragalage is unable to get any offensive perks from its USP — the Poison typing 😥
It’s still usable with the powerful Dragon Tail, but overall, is not worth the investment.
Sunday Mighty Pokémon Priorities
Gorgeous shinies all across, but for the meta, focus on Mamoswine, Feraligatr, and Dragonite.
Enjoy the GO Wild Area event and may you catch many shinies and high IV versions of Mighty Pokémon. Do note that these Pokémon will be available with their featured attacks, and you won’t need Elite TMs!
All the best, trainers!
