With the GO Beyond update bringing us a level cap increase to 50 you know there will be some changes to the Pokémon GO PvP scene. In this article, we’re taking a closer look at changes that are likely to happen in the Great League meta.
We’re going to split the Pokémon into three categories. In the first category, we’re talking about Pokémon that were already very good and with this change are becoming even better. In the second category, we’re taking a closer look at two new expensive additions to the Great League meta. And at last, we’re going to mention a few Pokémon that might be able to find some spotlight from time to time.
Keep in mind we still aren’t sure what the new max CP of every Pokémon will be, but to analyze the Great League meta we’re going to use the data from the Australian test.
The rich get richer
Well, maybe that’s not the best title to have here, but “The great are getting greater” doesn’t have the same ring to it, but I digress.
Azumarill
WaterFairy
|
|||||
| Level | CP | IVs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1500 | 8/15/15 | |||
| 45.5* | 1499 | 0/15/15 | |||
If you ever tried playing any Great League PvP you must have seen Azumarill. One of the best, if not the best Pokémon in Open Great League format. If you wanted to be competitive in GO Battle League you probably made one and you spent a ton of dust because its max CP was 1588. You needed to power it up to at least Level 36 to get anywhere close to the 1500 CP limit. But now, you can make an even better Azumarill. Now it can have even more bulk. But if you don’t have any extra Stardust lying around, you don’t need a new one, the one you have will do just fine for now.
Medicham
FightingPsychic
|
|||||
| Level | CP | IVs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1431 | 15/15/15 | |||
| 50* | 1499 | 5/15/15 | |||
Medicham was always unable to come anywhere close to 1500 CP, but was still one of the best Counter users in the Great League together with Deoxys Defense, Machamp (also Shadow Machamp), Primeape and lately Sirfetch’d. But now, with Level 50 soon in the game, it could be back at the top as the best Counter user in Great League. It can get 8 HP and 6% buff in defence stat while Attack remains almost the same.
But there is some room to save your Stardust and XL Candy even here. You can still use your old Medicham if you have one powered up and just power it up 7-8 more times to get closer to 1500 CP and gain even more stats on that tanky fighter.
Sableye
DarkGhost
|
|||||
| Level | CP | IVs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1476 | 15/15/15 | |||
| 49.5* | 1499 | 0/15/15 | |||
Sableye was always a really good pick thanks to its unique typing and great stats. It wasn’t as far to the 1500 mark as Medicham, but you needed the perfect (or close to perfect) one to get close to it. When you count in that you maybe want Return as your Charge move, it was expensive, just like Medicham was.
But now with Level 50, you will be able to power it up a bit more and get even better stats and scoop up a bit more wins against other Great League Pokémon. Same as with Medicham, if you already have one, you can save by powering it up 2-3 times and you’ll be good to go right away.
Bastiodon
RockSteel
|
|||||
| Level | CP | IVs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1497 | 12/15/15 | |||
| 50* | 1497 | 0/15/14 | |||
Bastiodon was always a rock and steel type tank. But with Level 50 introduced into the game it gets even more rock and steel type armor and is even tankier. It was always able to get to 1500 CP, but now, with Level 50, it can (similarly to Medicham) get 8 HP more and get an almost 7% defence buff if you’re willing to spend a small fortune on it.
You can still rock your old one if you have it powered up and save Stardust and Candy, or if you want to run the perfect Grasshole team you need to be prepared to spend a ton of your stardust savings.
Grasshole – a popular name in the Pokémon GO community for GBL teams consisting of Bastiodon and two Razor Leafers (or sometimes one Razor Leafer and one Counter user)
HONOURABLE MENTION
Wormadam (Trash)
BugSteel
|
Jumpluff
Grass
|
Both Wormadam (Trash) and Jumpluff are good options in Great League PvP and are getting a little bit of buff if you’re willing to spend a ton of dust and candies on better IVs.
The rich get richer 2
This time you need to be rich with Pokémon GO currency to be able to purchase this Pokémon, as you need them at Level 50 or really close to it to use them properly (unless you are MartoGalde).
Lickitung
Normal
|
|||||
| Level | CP | IVs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1411 | 12/15/15 | |||
| 50* | 1499 | 8/14/15 | |||
According to the always trustworthy PvPoke Lickitung is about to be the Top 5 Pokémon in Great League. With Lick (of course) as a Fast move and Body Slam* and Power Whip as Charge moves Lickitung is now a big threat to the Great League meta. It can even win against Deoxys Defense with Counter that deals super-effective damage.
It probably won’t be breaking the meta and there won’t be a lot of people using it, but it is and will be a great option in Great League for some time. If you have one with good IVs and with legacy move Body Slam, it’s time to start saving and power it up, especially if you’re playing The Silph League Arena tournaments.
Wobbuffet
Psychic
|
|||||
| Level | CP | IVs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1026 | 15/15/15 | |||
| 50* | 1160 | 15/15/15 | |||
Even with Level 50, Wobbuffet is not even close to 1500 CP. But if you’re looking for Medicham or a Defense Deoxys, and they are not expensive enough and you want to try something a bit worse, you can always try Wobbuffet. It gains an extra 20 HP from Level 40 and you only need to spend a ton of Stardust and XL Candy. Also, you really want to have Charge move Return on it.
Good luck collecting Wobbuffet XL Candy. (but don’t)
Maybe one day
If you really like spice in your Great League teams or you’re playing The Silph Arena tournaments, this Pokémon will probably be useful one day. But you do have to realize, there will probably never be Black Friday deals in Pokémon GO, so if you ever want to use them in battle, you will need to spend A LOT of Stardust and XL Candy.
Bayleef
Grass
|
Bonsly
Rock
|
||
| Level 40 CP | Level 50* CP | Level 40 CP | Level 50* CP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1454 | 1500+ | 1302 | 1472 |
Grimer (Alola)
PoisonDark
|
Grimer
Poison
|
||
| Level 40 CP | Level 50* CP | Level 40 CP | Level 50* CP |
| 1374 | 1500+ | 1374 | 1500+ |
Nidorino
Poison
|
Corsola
WaterRock
|
||
| Level 40 CP | Level 50* CP | Level 40 CP | Level 50* CP |
| 1393 | 1500+ | 1387 | 1500+ |
Dustox
BugPoison
|
Hippopotas
Ground
|
||
| Level 40 CP | Level 50* CP | Level 40 CP | Level 50* CP |
| 1224 | 1384 | 1358 | 1500 |
Parting words
The changes won’t be as massive in Great League as they will be in Ultra League and to be competitive you probably don’t need to power-up anything apart from Medicham and Sableye a few more times just to get closer to that 1500 mark.
Good luck ranking up next season!