The Road of Legends PvE Analysis: Mega Evolutions

Welcome, Trainers! The hype is real. With every passing day, Pokémon GO Fest 2026 draws closer, and so does the arrival of Mega Mewtwo. Naturally, many Trainers are already saving up their Raid Passes and preparing to go all in during GO Fest. Before that, though, we have The Road of Legends Event, which brings back an incredible lineup of Legendary Pokémon, Mythical Pokémon, and Ultra Beasts in all their glory, complete with special backgrounds. On top of that, the event also offers two additional free Raid Passes per day. It’s easy to see why many Trainers will be tempted to jump into a few raids and add some missing powerhouses to their rosters.

Amid all that excitement, however, there is another category of raids that deserves just as much attention: Mega Raids. Events like Road to Legends often push Mega Evolutions into the background, as most Trainers focus primarily on the featured Five-Star raids. The same trend usually carries over into meta discussions, where Mega Evolutions tend to take a backseat. That’s exactly why this time, I wanted to give these Mega Evolutions some well-deserved spotlight and take a closer look at where they stand in the current PvE meta.

Mega Evolutions in Raids

Mega Raids

The following Pokémon will appear in Mega Raids:

Date	Mega / Primal Raid Boss	Shiny Mega Evolution/Primal Form	Guide
Monday, July 6	Mega Salamence	Mega Salamence	Mega Salamence Raid Guide
Tuesday, July 7	Mega Tyranitar	Mega Tyranitar	Mega Tyranitar Raid Guide
Wednesday, July 8	Mega Gardevoir	Mega Gardevoir	Mega Gardevoir Raid Guide
Thursday, July 9	Mega Gengar	Mega Gengar	Mega Gengar Raid Guide
Friday, July 10	Primal Kyogre	Primal Kyogre	Primal Kyogre Raid Guide
Friday, July 10	Primal Groudon	Primal Groudon	Primal Groudon Raid Guide

The Dragon Pokémon: Salamence→Mega Salamence

	Salamence	Mega Salamence
Typing	Dragon Flying	Dragon Flying
Max CP	4239	5688
ATK	277	310
DEF	168	251
HP	216	216
Weak to
Resists

First up is the Pseudo-Legendary from the Hoenn Region, Salamence. Both Salamence and Mega Salamence share the same typing and hence the same weaknesses and resistances, including double weakness to Ice and double resistance to Grass and Ground. What does change are the stats, with Mega Salamence having a massive 310 attack stat and 251 defense stat, enabling it to have a high-DPS and high-TDO combo. Using our DPS Comparer Tool:

It is quite evident how much of a difference there is between Salamence and Mega Salamence, with Mega Salamence among the Top-10 Dragon Attackers. Even more interesting is the moveset, with Salamence needing the legacy move of Outrage to perform to its full potential. Mega Salamence, on the other hand, doesn’t need Outrage and prefers Draco Meteor as its Charged Attack. Its high defense allows it to reach multiple Draco Meteors during a raid battle, which allows it to dish out even more damage at a higher DPS. Both Salamence and Mega Salamence can also double up as Flying raid attackers as well, where they occupy even a higher position in the meta. 

As a Flying raid attacker, Mega Salamence is among the Top-5 Flying Attackers, while Salamence itself isn’t far behind. While both of them may not have access to any Flying type Fast Attack, Fire Fang more than makes up for it. The only drawback for Mega Salamence is it trails behind Mega Rayquaza and Mega Garchomp as a Dragon attacker, while also trailing Mega Rayquaza as a Flying attacker. Since, only one Mega Evolution can be active at a time, Trainers who already have access to Mega Rayquaza or Mega Garchomp, may not find much use for Mega Salamence. But, for Trainers who still don’t have access to those two, Mega Salamence is a very strong substitute and can definitely be a meaningful addition to your raid roster.   

The Armor Pokémon: Tyranitar→Mega Tyranitar

	Tyranitar	Mega Tyranitar
Typing	Rock Dark	Rock Dark
Max CP	4335	6045
ATK	251	309
DEF	207	276
HP	225	225
Weak to
Resists

Next up, we have another Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon, this time from Johto Region. Tyranitar and Mega Tyranitar, both have the same dual typing of Rock and Dark. As such both of them have the famed double resistance to Psychic attacks while also share the same infamous double weakness to Fighting. One look at the stats, and Trainers can easily guess how strong Mega Tyranitar can potentially be in the meta. Again using our trusted DPS Comparer Tool, let us compare Mega Tyranitar’s performance with Best Rock Attackers: 

Among the Mega Evolutions, Mega Tyranitar only sits behind Mega Diancie. Factor in the accessiblity issue, and it is more likely that Mega Tyranitar will be the best Rock Mega Evolution that Trainers can have access to. Also, we should not forget about that high TDO, thanks to Mega Tyranitar’s high defense stat. It means that not only Mega Tyranitar will be dealing damage for a longer period of time, it will also be boosting the attack of its allies for much longer. But, Trainers that’s not all. Mega Tyranitar can also be used as Dark type attacker. 

Mega Tyranitar is currently the Best Dark Attacker in Pokémon GO. Its high TDO makes an impact here as well. While some Pokémon like Mega Absol and Shadow Hydreigon may have higher DPS, Mega Tyranitar’s high defense easily compensates for it by allowing it to stay in the battle for longer durations. Trainers should keep in mind that Smack Down is a legacy move for Tyranitar. Hence, Trainers may not be able to use the same Tyranitar for both Rock and Dark raid rosters. But with such strong performances across both Rock and Dark type raid meta, it is a no-brainer: Mega Tyranitar is worth every bit of resource investment one can possibly make. 

The Embrace Pokémon: Gardevoir→Mega Gardevoir

	Gardevoir	Mega Gardevoir
Typing	Psychic Fairy	Psychic Fairy
Max CP	3497	5101
ATK	237	326
DEF	195	229
HP	169	169
Weak to
Resists

We are now going back to the Hoenn region. Gardevoir and its Mega Evolution, Mega Gardevoir are Psychic and Fairy type Pokémon and hence, double resist both Dragon and Fighting type attacks. As a Psychic attacker, Mega Gardevoir has to compete with some of the best raid attackers in the game: Mewtwo and its Mega Evolutions. Nevertheless, Mega Gardevoir still performs solidly, placing itself among the Top-10 Psychic Attackers.

While the gap in performance between Gardevoir and Mega Gardevoir is significant, Mega Gardevoir still trails Mega Alakazam and the ever-present Mewtwo and its Mega Evolutions. With Mega Mewtwo featured in Super Mega Raids during the Go Fest, Mega Gardevoir, as a Psychic raid attacker, unfortunately finds itself in an awkward and irrelevant position. Where Mega Gardevoir truly shines is as a Fairy raid attacker.

Just like Mega Tyranitar as a Dark raid attacker, when it comes to Fairy Raid Attackers, Mega Gardevoir is the absolute best Mega Evolution. And just like the two Mega Evolutions above, Mega Gardevoir’s high TDO means that it will continue to deal massive damage to the opposing raid boss for longer durations, while also boosting the attacks of its allies. While in the Psychic arena, Mega Gardevoir may have been outshined, in the Fairy kingdom, Mega Gardevoir still reigns as the queen. 

The Shadow Pokémon: Gengar→Mega Gengar

	Gengar	Mega Gengar
Typing	Ghost Poison	Ghost Poison
Max CP	3254	4902
ATK	261	349
DEF	149	199
HP	155	155
Weak to
Resists

From the good old Kanto region, we have Gengar and Mega Gengar up next. Thanks to their Ghost and Poison typing, they have some solid and much needed resistances, including a triple resistance to Fighting and double resistance to Bug, Normal and Poison. They also take increased damage from Ghost, Dark, Psychic and Ground type attacks. Gengar is the OG glass-cannon of our game and Mega Gengar continues to be one among Mega Evolutions as well. Comparing its performance with Best Ghost Attackers:

A whopping 5.29 DPS points difference between Gengar and Mega Gengar. As far as Mega Evolutions go, Mega Gengar is only behind the two Mega Mewtwos. But this is evidence of how good Mega Mewtwo X & Y are and not how bad Mega Gengar is. Mega Gengar is an excellent Ghost type Mega Evolution, one that is definitely worth having in your raid roster. As far as its role as a Poison attacker goes, let’s just have a look at the numbers:

Mega Gengar has the highest DPS of all Poison Attackers in the game. Mega Gengar functions outstandingly well in both Ghost and Poison departments. One thing to remember is that Lick is a legacy move for Gengar. Trainers who may not want to spend an Elite Fast TM can opt for Shadow Claw as its Fast Attack. Overall, Mega Gengar is one of the better Mega Evolutions a Trainer can have access to, and one that Trainers should look to put some resources into.

The Sea Basin Pokémon: Kyogre→Primal Kyogre

	Kyogre	Primal Kyogre
Typing	Water	Water
Max CP	4652	6672
ATK	270	353
DEF	228	268
HP	205	218
Weak to
Resists

Its time for Primal Reversion with Kyogre and Primal Kyogre. As both of them are pure Water types, they are weak to only Electric and Grass and have double the number of resistances. With such impressive stats, both Kyogre and Primal Kyogre make a massive splash in the Water raid attacker meta. 

As we can see, the whole Kyogre Family is among Top-10 Water Attackers, with Primal Kyogre reigning supreme. Kyogre itself is not far behind either, just trailing Mega Gyarados. Primal Kyogre, infact is so strong, that Trainers can use it even as an Ice attacker, with Avalanche as its Charged Attack. It occupies the #10 position among Best Ice Attackers in the game. Primal Kyogre raids are excellent for Trainers lacking a good Water attacker as not only does this give them Primal Energy from raids, it also allows them to encounter Kyogre and hence, stock up on those Kyogre XL candies by making use of those guaranteed XL Candy drops. 

The Continent Pokémon: Kyogre→Primal Kyogre

	Groudon	Primal Groudon
Typing	Ground	Ground Fire
Max CP	4652	6672
ATK	270	353
DEF	228	268
HP	205	218
Weak to
Resists

And last but definitely not the least, we have another Hoenn Legendary: Groudon and Primal Groudon. Groudon, upon its Primal Reversion, becomes a Ground and Fire type. Hence, it looses its weakness to Ice and Grass but at the cost of being double weak to Water. Primal Groudon also retains its double resistance to Electric attacks. Just like Primal Kyogre, Primal Groudon also makes a very monumental impact in the Ground raid attacker meta. 

Just like Kyogre in the Water meta, the whole Groudon family dominate the Ground raid meta, with Primal Groudon being the absolute Best Ground Attacker. Unfortunately for Primal Groudon though, despite also being a Fire type and having some of the best stats a Pokémon can possibly have, it struggles as a Fire raid attacker, because of a lackluster Fire movepool. But, when can you dominate a certain meta like Primal Groudon does, no one cares about anything else. Primal Groudon raids are also excellent for Trainers lacking a good Ground attacker as not only does this give them Primal Energy from raids, it also allows them to encounter Groudon and hence, stock up on those Groudon XL candies by making use of those guaranteed XL Candy drops. 

Parting Words

That is it Trainers! We are at the end. With so much attention on Legendary, Mythical, and Ultra Beast raids during the Road to Legends event, it is easy to overlook just how valuable these Mega and Primal raids really are. All of them bring real value to the current PvE meta, whether through elite damage output, strong teamwide Mega boosts, or long-term resource gains like XL Candy and Mega or Primal Energy.

If anything, Trainers can consider using their two free daily Raid Passes on these Mega and Primal raids. And for those who have already built these powerful evolutions, this is the perfect chance to help fellow Trainers who are still working toward theirs. After all, Pokémon GO has always been about community, and no Trainer should be left behind.

Let us know Trainers! Which Pokémon Raids are you targeting for the event? Are you looking for to do some of these Mega Raids? Or, are you skipping this event and saving all your passes for GO Fest? 

As always, stay safe! And Happy Raiding! May everyone get a background SHUNDO!!!