Generation 6 is right around the corner! And as expected, the game master file has been updated including the movesets for Generation 6 Pokémon. So let’s see who are the biggest winners and losers of the Gen 6 move update.
Please, keep in mind that this article will just focus on the PvE (player vs enemy – raids and gyms) side of the game. We also have a PvP one in the works, so stay tuned!
Disclaimer: Movesets are subject to change before the official release. In fact, it has already happened in the past (RIP Sky Attack Mandibuzz) and it could happen again.
Biggest winners
Some of the Gen 6 Pokémon got blessed with great movepools, while others haven’t had the same luck. The following list will feature those who were lucky enough to be considered the winners of this update (not necessarily in order of relevance). Please note that only those who are somehow relevant in the PvE meta will be included.
Don’t forget that this is NOT a list of the best attackers of this generation but a general overview of the Pokémon with decent stats for PvE who were lucky enough to get access to good movesets that make them somehow useful or unlucky enough to get terrible movesets that made them barely usable despite having great potential.
Hawlucha
Hawlucha
Fighting
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 195 | DEF 153 | STA 186 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Low Kick Fighting | Flying Press Fighting | ||||
I can’t believe I’m recommending using a Pokémon with Low Kick as its fast move. Hawlucha got access to a dual flying type moveset (Wing Attack + Sky Attack) and a dual fighting type one (Low Kick + Flying Press). As you can see, its stat distribution is not that impressive, and Low Kick is such a terrible fast move.
However, Flying Press is insane, and that’s why Hawlucha is usable in the current meta. With a base power of 110, a cooldown of 2.3 seconds and an energy cost of 50, Flying Press is actually the best PvE charge move in terms of the DPS*DPE metric. That alone makes Hawlucha usable.
As a flying type attacker, it’s worse than Tornadus. As a fighting type one, it’s worse than regular (non-shadow) Machamp, and it could work as an alternative to Hariyama or Breloom. So definitely usable! If Low Kick was a Counter clone, Hawlucha would improve but it still wouldn’t be enough to reach Aura Sphere Lucario or Shadow Machamp‘s level. Technically, Hawlucha got really good moves (considering its movepool in the main series games), so that’s why it’s listed as a winner.
Clawitzer
Clawitzer
Water
|
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| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 221 | DEF 171 | STA 174 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Water Gun Water | Crabhammer Water | ||||
Clawitzer is technically a winner, as it got access to Crabhammer. Its DPS falls between the Hydro Cannon users and Crawdaunt. And Kingler is still the supreme Crabhammer user.
Clawitzer is not a bad choice but there are better investments if you’re looking for a water type attacker, such as Kingler, Kyogre, the water megas and of course shadow Pokémon such as Swampert or Gyarados.
Tyrantrum
Tyrantrum
DragonRock
|
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| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 227 | DEF 191 | STA 193 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Dragon Tail Dragon | Outrage Dragon | ||||
Tyrantrum got blessed with the best dragon type moveset and a double rock type moveset as well (Rock Throw + Stone Edge). Unfortunately, there is a good list of better attackers of both types.
It can’t compete with Rayquaza, shadow Dragonite and shadow Salamence as a dragon type attacker & Rampardos and Rhyperior are significantly better rock type attackers. But still, technically a winner!
Sylveon
Sylveon
Fairy
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 203 | DEF 205 | STA 216 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Charm Fairy | Dazzling Gleam Fairy | ||||
Sylveon will get access to Charm, which is a huge relief. Unfortunately that won’t be enough to make it a top-tier raid attacker, as there are better fairy type attackers (shadow Gardevoir, Togekiss, Gardevoir, Mega Gardevoir (eventually) and even Granbull), but it’s definitely worth considering as a budget attacker (you should be able to evolve a wild level 35 Eevee) vs. dragon types with heavy-hitting dragon type moves such as Outrage or Draco Meteor.
Trevenant
Trevenant
GhostGrass
|
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| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 201 | DEF 154 | STA 198 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Shadow Claw Ghost | Shadow Ball Ghost | ||||
Trevenant got access to the best Ghost type moveset in the game. It won’t shake up the meta, but at least its potential won’t be wasted due to a terrible moveset.
Pyroar
Pyroar
FireNormal
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 221 | DEF 149 | STA 200 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Fire Fang Fire | Overheat Fire | ||||
Pyroar is not a bad attacker, but its performance is far from the one of the best fire type attackers in the meta. In fact, it’s slightly better than Magmortar. It was lucky enough to get one of the best fire type movesets in the game though, so it deserves a mention.
Zygarde
Zygarde
DragonGround
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 203 | DEF 232 | STA 239 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Dragon Tail Dragon | Outrage Dragon | ||||
Dragon Tail and Outrage is the best moveset Zygarde could get as a dragon type attacker. Unfortunately, its attack stat is too low to shine in the current meta. But still, technically a winner! In terms of performance, it’s worse than Latias, Goodra and Alolan Eggy. It got access to Earthquake as well, but Garchomp is a much better dragon & ground type attacker.
Not winners, but not losers either
Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether a specific Pokémon is a loser or a winner. That’s why I decided to create this category.
Yveltal
Dark
|
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| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 275 | DEF 203 | STA 270 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Snarl Dark | Dark Pulse Dark | ||||
Yveltal’s case is tricky. It got access to a double Dark (Snarl + Dark Pulse) and type moveset (Gust + Hurricane), but none of them excel in the current meta. To be honest, having access to Foul Play, Sky Attack and Oblivion Wing (its signature move) in the main series games, you’d expect Ylveltal to shine a bit more. So much wasted potential.
With the current stats and movesets in the game master file, Yveltal would perform quite well as a Dark type attacker but not so well as a flying type one. So it’s technically not a winner (it didn’t get the best moves), but not really a loser either (you can still use it in raids thanks to its great stats). We’ll see what happens in the future.
Fun fact: Yveltal and Xerneas have not received the 9% nerf in the Game Master file (yet). So you can imagine that if Yveltal gets it, its performance would significantly decrease.
Aegislash (Blade Forme)
Aegislash (Blade)
SteelGhost
|
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| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 291 | DEF 97 | STA 155 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Fury Cutter Bug | Shadow Ball Ghost | ||||
With an impressive attack stat of 291 (but laughable bulk though), Aegislash Blade Forme is not really a winner, but definitely not a loser either. Aegislash can learn Shadow Claw in the main series games, which is the best ghost type fast move in Pokémon GO.
Unfortunately, it won’t be able to learn it in GO for now (because it would’ve been too good in PvP?), but things might change in the future.
The truth is, even without Shadow Claw, Aegislash Blade Forme is so powerful that it only ranks below the ghost megas in terms of DPS. Oh, and Fury Cutter was listed as its best fast move (although it doesn’t get STAB) because it deals super effective damage vs. psychic types. Its bulk however hinders its performance a bit, otherwise it’d be a monster!
Goodra
Goodra
Dragon
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 220 | DEF 242 | STA 207 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Dragon Breath Dragon | Draco Meteor Dragon | ||||
The pseudo-legendary of this generation, Goodra, is not really a winner (PvE-wise). It can’t learn Dragon Tail in the main series games, but it can learn Outrage (which it won’t be able to learn in Pokémon GO as of now).
Dragon Breath + Draco Meteor is not the best dragon type moveset in PvE, and its performance is more or less comparable to Latias’.
Biggest losers
Xerneas
Xerneas
Fairy
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 275 | DEF 203 | STA 270 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Tackle Normal | Giga Impact Normal or Moonblast Fairy | ||||
Xerneas is the biggest loser, period. Charm is currently the only fairy type fast move in the game, and Xerneas can’t learn it in the main series games. Thus, we all knew that this was coming.
However, Xerneas can learn moves such as Play Rough or Dazzling Gleam in the main series games. But apparently not in GO, where it’s stuck with the absolutely terrible move Moonblast.
But don’t worry, I’d say there’s a high chance Geomancy (Xerneas’ signature move) will someday be converted to a fairy type fast move in GO. Geomancy + Dazzling Gleam Xerneas would be the ultimate dragon slayer.
Florges
Florges
Fairy
|
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| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 212 | DEF 244 | STA 186 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Vine Whip Grass | Moonblast Fairy | ||||
Poor Florges, could’ve learned Dazzling Gleam, but ended up being stuck with Moonblast instead.
Heliolisk
Heliolisk
ElectricNormal
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 219 | DEF 168 | STA 158 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Volt Switch Electric | Thunderbolt Electric | ||||
Let’s be clear, Heliolisk just doesn’t have the stats to shine in the PvE meta. With Thunder Shock + Wild Charge, it could’ve been at least decent, but Volt Switch + Thunderbolt is not good enough.
The Gen 6 starters
The Gen 6 starters belong to a different category.
Chesnaught
GrassFighting
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 201 | DEF 204 | STA 204 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Vine Whip Grass | Solar Beam Grass | ||||
Delphox
FirePsychic
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 230 | DEF 189 | STA 181 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Fire Spin Fire | Flamethrower Fire | ||||
Greninja
Water
|
|||||
| Stats | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATK 223 | DEF 152 | STA 176 | |||
| Best PvE Moveset | |||||
| Bubble Water | Surf Water | ||||
All of them will be better eventually, when they get access to their signature moves (Frenzy Plant, Blast Burn and Hydro Cannon). I wouldn’t recommend evolving them as soon as you get the candies required, because none of them will be top-tier attackers without their signature moves.
Chesnaught is a worse Leafeon as of now. Delphox is a worse Arcanine. And Greninja is a worse Gyarados. Out of the three, the one with the greatest potential is Greninja. With Hydro Cannon, it would perform quite similar to Crabhammer Kingler.
But there’s more. Ash-Greninja with Hydro Cannon would be so OP that it would out-DPS Kingler, Kyogre, the water type megas and even Origin Pulse Primal Kyogre. So you better start saving Froakie candies!
Conclusions
- As you can see, Generation 6 is not really a generation full of Pokémon with potential to power creep the existing meta
- Some of the most powerful Pokémon in this generation got the shaft and didn’t get their best moves (for now)
- Hoopa-Unbound and Diancie’s stats have not been added to the game master file yet, and they definitely have potential to shake up the meta
Did you like the analysis? Feel free to let us know what you think in the comments section down below!