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Hello Trainers! Happy New Year 2026 to everyone. We are now officially in what I call “The Hangover Week”, holidays and parties behind us and New Year resolutions and work targets ahead of us. In all this frenzy, let’s not forget the upcoming Pinch Perfect event starting on January 6th. This event features the debut of Ambush Pokémon: Klawf. So, how will Klawf impact the Pokémon GO meta? Let’s find out.
Klawf: Stats, Profile and Typing
Klawf
Rock
| Max CP | 2717 |
|---|---|
| ATK | 184 |
| DEF | 185 |
| HP | 172 |
| Weak to |      |
| Resists |     |
| Fast moves |
|
| Charge moves |
|
One look at the above table and the word that comes to mind is “Nah!”. Klawf, introduced in Generation 9 with the release of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, is a pure Rock type with with underwhelming stats and a shallow move-pool in Pokémon GO. It doesn’t evolve into or from any other Pokémon.
Klawf in Pokémon GO PvE
Raids
If you look at Klawf’s moveset, it actually has access to Rock Throw and Rock Slide, which gives it a classic Rock STAB combo. But, with a 2717 max CP and only 184 Attack, Klawf is outclassed by mainstay Rock attackers such as Rampardos, Rhyperior, and Tyranitar in raid scenarios, even with optimal movesets. Comparing Klawf’s performance with some of the meta Rock attackers using our DPS Comparer Tool:
As we can see, Klawf’s PvE ceiling is low compared to established Rock staples. It is usable as a dex and early‑game filler, but not worth investing rare resources into for serious raid offense.
Klawf in Pokémon GO PvP
Ideal Moveset: Mud-Slap + Rock Tomb 
& Rock Slide /Bulldoze
Early simulations place Klawf outside the top staples in GO Battle League. Its mono Rock typing leaves it vulnerable to 5 different types: Fighting, Grass, Ground, Steel, and Water, all of which are currently heavily represented in the current Great and Ultra League cores, limiting its practical use. You can run either of Rock Slide or Bulldoze as second Charged Move, the performance remains similar.
Great League
In Great League, Klawf’s performance doesn’t inspire much. It does gain some expected wins against the likes of Bastiodon, Mandibuzz and Talonflame, and even against some other meta threats like Sableye (non-shadow, loses to shadow variant), but that’s about it. Anything else and there is a +1 to the loss column: from expected losses like Marowak and Feraligatr to even against the likes of Morpeko and Spidops. In any shield scenario, the story remain similar: A losing record with only a handful of wins.
Klawf’s ideal IV spread for Great League is 1/15/15, 1500 CP, Level 23.5.
Ultra League
A similar story continues in Ultra League, or one may argue, even more painful considering the XL candy requirement to build a Klawf for Ultra League. Wins Corner is sparsely populated with Pokémon like Steelix, Lickilicky, Tinkaton and Bellibolt, while the Loss Corner is densely populated with the likes of Virizion, Jellicent, Corviknight and Empoleon. For all the XL investment Klawf demands, the returns are negligible at best.
Klawf’s ideal IV spread for Great League is 0/13/15, 2499 CP, Level 50.
Master League
Even at its Max CP of 2717, Klawf gets outclawed by the Master League heavyweights. But, credit where credit is due, Klawf does get 1 honorable win: Against Ho-Oh in zero and 1v1 shield scenario and against Zacian (Hero) in 2v2 shields scenario (loses to Ho-Oh in 2v2).
Is Klawf Worth Building?
It is now more of a rhetorical question. From a resource perspective, Klawf is not an efficient sink for time, effort or stardust if your goal is PvE or PvP performance. Klawf is just fun, thematic Rock Crab that falls short of any meta relevance. If you are able to get a good IV spread Klawf, hoard it, you never know what the future holds! (Sadly it doesn’t have a signature move, although it does have a signature ability: Anger Shell. Unfortunately, there is no corresponding mechanic to abilities in Pokémon GO.)
Parting Words
Looks like Klawf’s not exactly ready to rock the meta just yet—but hey, not every debut Pokémon needs to be a rampaging Rampardos, right? Sometimes, it’s just about catching something new, taking a few AR pics and having a bit of relaxed fun. After all, a new year means new chances to catch ‘em all… one claw at a time.
Let us know Trainers! Is Klawf anyone’s favourite Pokémon? Would you like abilities to somehow be incorporated in Pokémon GO. If yes, then how? And as always, Stay Safe!
