Pokemon Go best Master League team | Go Battle League Season 13
NianticRising to the top ranks of the Master League in Season 13 of the Pokemon Go Battle League isn’t easy, but our best team recommendations for the current season should help you get there.
Trainers looking to test their might in Pokemon Go will want to head to the Go Battle League, which is the game’s competitive PvP mode. Here, players can battle against others around the world with their best Pokemon and earn rewards as they go.
There are three leagues to compete in: Great League, Ultra League, and Master League. Right now, we’re focusing on the Master League, which is the Go Battle League’s top-tier competition where there are no restrictions on which Pokemon can compete.
Only the strongest fighters will have a chance of success in this free-for-all league, so to help you figure out which Pokemon are worth spending the time and energy powering up, we’re taking a look at the best team to use in the Master League.
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Best team for the Master League in Pokemon Go
One of the best teams you can use in Pokemon Go’s Master League is Dialga, Melmetal, and Mewtwo. These are three of the strongest Pokemon in the meta that will provide wide coverage against most types.
As always, it’s impossible to say what the ‘ultimate team’ looks like across every single scenario, as it really depends on which Pokemon your opponent sends out – and you won’t know that until the battle begins.
Having said that, we’ve included several Pokemon below that should serve you well in most battles you’ll find yourself in. These all require XL Candy to reach their full potential, so this can be quite an expensive league.
Best Pokemon for the Master League in Pokemon Go
Dialga
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charged Moves: Iron Head and Draco Meteor
- Resistances: Poison, Grass, Bug, Electric, Flying, Normal, Psychic, Rock, Steel, and Water
- Weaknesses: Fighting and Ground
Dialga has long been considered one of the biggest threats in the Master League. Aside from being ridiculously powerful, it also has the incredible advantage of being a Dragon-type that’s not weak to Fairy-type attacks or Dragon-type attacks.
Dragon Breath is Dialga’s optimal Fast Move, so make sure you have it. As for Charged Moves, Iron Head is the only option that can really be spammed, while Draco Meteor is a devastatingly strong move (but watch out for the huge Attack self-nerf).
Melmetal
- Fast Move: Thunder Shock
- Charged Moves: Superpower and Rock Slide
- Resistances: Poison, Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Normal, Psychic, Rock, and Steel
- Weaknesses: Fire, Fighting, and Ground
As a Steel-type Pokemon, Melmetal has a huge amount of type resistances that combine well with its high-level bulk to make it very difficult to take down. It can also be a Dialga counter, which is something every Master League team needs.
Thunder Shock is the only Fast Move available for Melmetal in Pokemon Go, so having the right Charged Moves is essential. We’d recommend pairing Rock Slide with Superpower, both of which are relatively low-cost and offer great type coverage.
Dragonite
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charged Moves: Dragon Claw and Superpower
- Resistances: Bug, Fighting, Fire, Grass, Ground, and Water
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Ice, and Rock
Dragonite has always been a good choice for the Master League, but following the addition of Superpower to its moveset, it now has the ability to take down meta-ruling Steel-types like Melmetal and Dialga. This has given it a huge boost up the rankings and it now sits at number one on PvPoke.
Dragon Breath is the winner when it comes to Fast Moves, so pair this with the Charged Move Dragon Claw for some huge STAB power that will let you take down other Dragon-types. Finally, you’ll want Superpower as your secondary Charged Move to target those tricky Steel-type Pokemon.
Lugia
- Fast Move: Dragon Tail
- Charged Moves: Sky Attack and Aeroblast
- Resistances: Fighting, Ground, Grass, and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Dark, Electric, Ghost, Rock, and Ice
Lugia has incredible bulk and access to some brilliant moves, making it a standout in the Master League with wins against the likes of Groudon and Mewtwo. The recent addition of the exclusive move Aeroblast only elevated Lugia’s performance.
Go with Dragon Tail as Lugia’s Fast Move and Sky Attack as its primary Charged Move, as this low-cost attack also has STAB. Combine these with Aeroblast, which deals a shocking amount of damage and has a chance to give a big buff to its Attack stat.
Mewtwo
- Fast Move: Psycho Cut
- Charged Moves: Psystrike and Focus Blast
- Resistances: Fighting and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Bug, Dark, and Ghost
Would it really be the Master League without a mention of Mewtwo? This iconic Psychic-type Legendary has earned its spot as one of the top players in the Pokemon Go Battle League, with an immense Attack stat and access to some brilliant moves.
Go with Psycho Cut as Mewtwo’s Fast Move, as it has the best energy generation. Then, you’ll have access to Pystrike, a powerful and relatively cheap Charged Move with STAB damage, and Focus Blast, which provides some extra coverage.
Giratina (Origin Forme)
- Fast Move: Shadow Claw
- Charged Moves: Shadow Ball and Ominous Wind
- Resistances: Normal, Fighting, Bug, Electric, Fire, Grass, Poison, and Water
- Weaknesses: Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, and Ice
Both forms of Giratina are well-placed in the Master League, but Origin Forme is capable of reaching a slightly higher CP which gives it an edge, which is why many Trainers prefer it. Both are definitely worth having on your team, though.
Regardless of which version you have, Shadow Claw is Giratina’s best Fast Move. If you have Origine Forme, go with Shadow Ball and Ominous Wind as Charged Moves. If you have Altered Forme, go with Dragon Claw and Shadow Sneak.
Zekrom
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charged Moves: Crunch and Wild Charge
- Resistances: Electric, Fire, Flying, Grass, Steel, and Water
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Ground, and Ice
Zekrom has the same stats as Dialga, including that huge Attack stat, which is enough to put it on your radar. It has a resistance to Steel-types, which is unusual for Dragons, and key wins against Lugia, Giratina (Origin Forme), Kyogre, and Metagross.
Go with Dragon Breath as Zekrom’s Fast Move, as it deals decent STAB damage. When it comes to Charged Moves, choose Crunch and Wild Charge for a good variety of coverage. These are also the cheapest options available, so you can use them often.
Zacian
- Fast Move: Snarl
- Charged Moves: Play Rough and Close Combat
- Resistances: Electric, Fire, Flying, Grass, Steel, and Water
- Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Ground, and Ice
Zacian has proven itself to be a brilliant wildcard in the Master League. It’s one of the few Fairy-types that can keep up with the rest of the meta when it comes to stats and CP, and it has both double resistance and double effectiveness against Dragon-types, which reign supreme here.
Snarl has the best energy generation of Zacian’s Fast Moves, so make sure you have that. Then, you’ll get quicker access to brilliant Charged Moves like Play Rough, which deals huge STAB damage, and Close Combat, which can help cover Zacian’s big weakness to Steel-types.
Groudon
- Fast Move: Mud Shot
- Charged Moves: Fire Punch and Earthquake
- Resistances: Electric, Poison, and Rock
- Weaknesses: Grass, Ice, and Water
Groudon is a brilliant addition to any team in the Master League, thanks to its impressive bulk and a great STAB moveset. But it excels because of its ability to destroy Steel-types like the omnipresent Dialga and others including Metagross and Melmetal.
Make sure Groudon has Mud Shot as its Fast Move, as it has brilliant energy generation that will let you access two strong Charged Moves: Fire Punch and Earthquake. Fire Punch requires an Elite TM, but it’s worth it for the low cost and shield-baiting potential.
There are big changes expected when Groudon gets access to the new Charged Move Precipice Blades during Pokemon Go Tour: Hoenn, as it will likely become the number one threat in the Master League meta. But for now, this is Groudon’s optimal moveset.
Kyogre
- Fast Move: Waterfall
- Charged Moves: Surf and Blizzard
- Resistances: Fire, Ice, Steel, and Water
- Weaknesses: Electric and Grass
Kyogre may not be the absolute best performer in the Master League, but it’s got plenty of opportunities to cause a splash (or a tidal wave) with a huge Attack stat and a brilliant moveset that also includes access to an Ice-type move to take on Dragons.
Waterfall is the optimal Fast Move, as it has very good damage output and the benefit of STAB. Make sure you have the low-cost Surf as your main Charged Move, then follow it up with Blizzard as a secondary option for extra coverage options.
Togekiss
- Fast Move: Charm
- Charged Moves: Ancient Power and Flamethrower
- Resistances: Bug, Dark, Dragon, Fighting, Grass, and Ground
- Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Poison, Rock, and Steel
If you don’t have access to Zacian, Togekiss is the next best thing. With so many Dragon-types in the meta, having a Fairy-type Pokemon on your team is a really good idea; just watch out for its big vulnerabilities to Electric and Steel-type attacks.
If you’re looking for Fairy-type attacks, go with Charm as your Fast Move – it doesn’t have the best energy generation, but it will dish out some solid STAB damage. Follow that up with the low-cost Ancient Power and Flamethrower for some extra coverage options.
Pokemon Go Master League start & end date
The Master League returns to the Pokemon Go Battle League on Thursday, February 16, 2023, at 1PM PT / 4PM ET / 9PM GMT and runs until Thursday, February 23, 2023, at 1PM PT.
It will then be replaced by the Master League: Mega Edition where Mega-Evolved Pokemon will be eligible to take part.
You can see the current schedule for Season 13 of the Go Battle League here.