During December Community Day, on December 17th & 18th from 9am to 9pm local time, trainers will be able to evolve Pokémon featured in 2022 Community Day events to learn their Featured Attacks. These exclusive moves were only available through evolution during their respective Community Day events, and will be available one last time next Saturday and Sunday.
Some Community Day exclusive moves have had large effects on their Pokémon, while others very little. This article will review and suggest each of the 15 Pokémon and their moves meta relevance for PVE and PvP usage!
NOTE: This article is Part 1 of a 2-part series. Part 2 will feature an analysis of the 2021 Community Day moves, which will also be available during the December CD event!
January Community Days
Spheal Community Day
Walrein
IceWater
Exclusive Moves: Powder Snow (fast attack) Ice and Icicle Spear (charged attack) Ice
Walrein is not a very favourable choice when it comes to PVE and Raid attacking. Powder Snow and Icicle Spear did not have an effect on it as an Ice attacker mainly because they are faster moves designed for PvP. If you plan on using Walrein for PVE, I recommend using Frost Breath and Blizzard instead.
However, Walrein performs well in both Great League and Ultra League PvP with the Powder Snow and Icicle Spear moveset, so it’s still worth evolving at least 2 with one under 1500 CP and the other under 2500 if you didn’t in January!
Bulbasaur Community Day Classic
Venusaur
GrassPoison
Exclusive Move: Frenzy Plant (charged attack) Grass
Frenzy Plant has a large impact on Venusaur as a Grass type Attacker. Paired with Vine Whip, Shadow Venusaur ranks 6th best Grass type and regular Venusaur ranks 16th best Grass type. If Mega evolved, Mega Venusaur becomes the 2nd best Grass type in Pokemon GO behind recently added Mega Sceptile.
Venusaur’s next best Charged attack, Solar Beam, has considerably lower statistics in comparison to Frenzy Plant. Overall, I highly recommend evolving your Ivysaur into Venusaur during the event if you don’t already have one with Frenzy Plant, it is a key Pokemon for the PVE Meta.
In the case that you do want to use Venusaur in PvP, I recommend using Vine Whip, Frenzy Plant and Sludge Bomb in both Ultra League and Great League. Venusaur performs at a high level in both leagues, but ranks better in the Ultra League.
February Community Day
Hoppip Community Day
Jumpluff
Grass
Exclusive Move: Acrobatics (charged attack)
Jumpluff is similar to Walrein, in that its Community Day moves had no effect on its PVE statistics. Given that it does not have a type fast attack there isn’t any use for it in PVE or Raid attacking. Jumpluff’s best moveset combination for PVE is Infestation and Solar Beam but its low attacking statistics and max CP make it hard to use.
If you do want to use your Jumpluff though, its best usage comes as a spice pick in the Great League with the fast attack of Fairy Wind and charged attacks of Aerobatics and Energy Ball. Those 3 moves combined give a good range of coverage and damage dealt.
March Community Day
Sandshrew & Alolan Sandshrew Community Day
Sandslash
Ground
Exclusive Move: Night Slash (charged attack) Dark
I don’t recommend using Sandslash in any Meta as it is not good for PVE or PvP, Raid attacking or PvP. Its Community Day move of Night Slash provides minimal usage due to it being a Dark type attack and Sandslash being a Ground type.
Sandslash (Alola)
IceSteel
Exclusive Move: Shadow Claw (fast attack) Ghost
Alolan Sandslash benefits from its Community Day move of Shadow Claw. If you pair it with Ice Punch, Blizzard and/or Bulldoze it performs strongly in Great League PvP. It does not rank as a top Ice type PVE attacker but the Shadow Claw fast attack still improved its performance overall.
April Community Day
Stufful Community Day
Bewear
NormalFighting
Exclusive Move: Drain Punch (charged attack) Fighting
Bewear is a mediocre Fighting type Attack ranking around 25th. There’s plently of better picks including Terrakion, Mega Blaziken, Machamp, Mega Lopunny, Lucario, Conkeldurr, Lucario, Virizon Keldeo, Cobalion, Buzzwole, Pheromosa, Breloom… the list could go on. If you don’t have many of those Pokémon and your last pick is a Bewear use Counter and Superpower.
In PvP, Drain Punch has no usage for Bewear. If you do plan on using your Bewear for PvP its best moveset is Shadow Claw, Superpower and Payback, a spice pick in the Great League.
Overall, please don’t use Drain Punch. It has no use whatsoever for PVE or PvP for Bewear!
Mudkip Community Day Classic
Swampert
WaterGround
Exclusive Move: Hydro Cannon (charged attack) Water
Hydro Cannon Swampert is one of the most useful Pokémon there is in the game. It ranks high in every aspect. Recently added Mega Swampert is both the best Water type Attacker and the best Ground type Attacker. Shadow Swampert is 4th for Water type and 10th for Ground type, while regular Swampert is 8th for Water type and around 16th for Ground type.
In PvP, in ranks extremely high in every league. Great League we recommend using Mud Shot, Hydro Cannon and Sludge Wave, while in Ultra and Master League we recommend Mud Shot, Hydro Cannon and Earthquake. In each of these leagues Hydro Cannon is very spammy and great for fast damage dealt to your opponent.
May Community Day
Alolan Geodude Community Day
Golem (Alola)
RockElectric
Exclusive Move: Rollout (fast attack) Rock
Alolan Golem did not benefit from Rollout in PvP or PVE. For PvP, Volt Switch is the better fast attack and in PVE, Rock Throw is a better choice too. Overall, we don’t recommend prioritising Alolan Golem’s Community Day move, and instead evolving outside of the event times if you plan on using it.
June Community Day
Deino Community Day
Hydreigon
DragonDark
Exclusive Move: Brutal Swing (charged attack) Dark
Brutal Swing is a must have move for Hydreigon. Its quick and spammy moves make it easy to defeat and dodge Raid Bosses, making it the best non-Mega Dark type Attacker. In PVE, it was previously ranked 9th best Dark type Attacker but Brutal Swing was added it is the 3rd best Dark type Attacker behind Mega Houndoom and Mega Gyarados.
In PvP, Hydreigon’s double weakness to Fairy type Charm users makes it difficult to use in Great League and Ultra League. However, it is one of the best in the Master League with the moveset of Dragon Breath, Brutal Swing and Flash Cannon. It is essential you add the 2nd move of Flash Cannon to cover the previously mentioned weakness it has to Fairy types!
July Community Day
Starly Community Day
Staraptor
Normal
Exclusive Move: Gust (fast attack)
Gust improves Staraptor minimally in PVE and PvP rankings. Paired with Brave Bird, Shadow Staraptor ranks 8th best type Attacker and regular Staraptor as the 15th best type Attacker. I don’t recommend using Staraptor in PvP as it doesn’t perform well and is just lacking a quick and spammy Charged attack to fulfil at its potential.
August Community Day
Galarian Zigzagoon Community Day
Obstagoon
NormalDark
Exclusive Move: Obstruct (charged attack) Dark
For PVE, Obstagoon is no good at all. None of its Charged attacks are note worthy and they don’t match the speed of its Fast attacks. However, in PvP the moveset of Counter, Night Slash and Cross Chop is an amazing combination for Obstagoon in the Great League and Ultra League. In saying this, Obstruct is not a good Community Day move and you are better off evolving your Galarian Linoone before or after the event.
September Community Day
Roggenrola Community Day
Gigalith
Rock
Exclusive Move: Meteor Beam (charged attack) Rock
In PVE, Meteor Beam had a small but positive impact on Gigalith’s attacking statistics. It currently ranks 7th best Rock type Attacker but previously was the 9th best Rock type Attacker before September Community Day. I recommend using Smack Down as a fast move with Meteor Beam when using it for PVE and Raid attacking.
For PvP, Gigalith is no good in any league. Its only possible use is as a spice pick in the Master League with the moveset Smack Down, Superpower and Meteor Beam.
October Community Day
Litwick Community Day
Chandelure
GhostFire
Exclusive Move: Poltergeist (charged attack) Ghost
For both PVE and PvP, Shadow Ball is a better Ghost type Charged attack than Poltergeist for Chandelure. Evolving before or after the event to avoid having to TM away Poltergeist is recommended, making sure you have Hex and Shadow Ball instead. Chandelure is also favourable as a Fire type with Fire Spin and Overheat.
November Community Day
Teddiursa Community Day
Ursaluna
NormalGround
Exclusive Move: High Horsepower (charged attack) Ground
Ursaluna does not have a Ground type fast attack causing it to miss out on the high end of Meta ranking. When it comes to PVE, with Tackle as a fast attack, Shadow Ursaluna it ranks higher than any other Ground type Attacker in the game including Mega Swampert and Garchomp. Regular Ursaluna is not far behind with Tackle either, at 4th. All this goes to say that in the possibility Ursaluna does have a better fast attack added in future, in particular Shadow Claw, it would top the rankings by far.
For PvP, Ursaluna is a great choice for the Master League. Tackle, High Horsepower and Thunder Punch are highly recommended for optimal usage.
Dratini Community Day Classic
Dragonite
Dragon
Exclusive Move: Draco Meteor (charged attack) Dragon
Dragonite’s Community Day move of Draco Meteor is not the best choice of Charged attack in PvP or PVE. When used in PVE and Raid attacking, the moveset of Dragon Tail and Outrage performs best ranking Shadow Dragonite as the 3rd best Dragon type Attacker and regular Dragonite as the 13th best Dragon type Attacker.
In PvP, Dragonite is useful in all three leagues. Dragon Breath, Dragon Claw and Superpower is the best recommended moveset in Great, Ultra and Master League with fast and wide coverage.
Overall, I recommend evolving before or after Community Day to avoid the exclusive move and avoid wasting a Charged TM.
Conclusion
I hope you found this guide useful. Here’s a reminder of the importance of different Community Day exclusive moves in case you forgot. Swampert, Hydreigon, Venusaur and Walrein are must haves with their Community Day moves and should be prioritised. Gigalith, Alolan Sandslash, Staraptor and Ursaluna are all improvements and should be evolved during the event. Obstagoon, Bewear, Sandslash, Chandelure, Jumpluff, Dragonite and Alolan Golem are better without their Community Day exclusive moves and are not recommended to evolve.
Good luck and I hope you enjoy the upcoming CD weekend!
