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With all the Ultra Beasts now available in Pokemon GO, their viability in PvP is often pondered upon by players. They appear occasionally in five-star raids and can be captured and used in battles. Each of these creatures is just as strong as some of the minor Legendaries, so you might think they are good for Pokemon GO's PvP.
However, that is not always true. While some are viable options, others fail miserably in trainer battles. This article will rank the seven available Ultra Beasts based on their matchups against Pokemon GO's Ultra and Master League meta.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinions. These ranks are based on available data upto May 2024. Although Poipole has been released, it is a base evolution stage Pokemon and cannot keep up with the entries in this list in terms of stats. For this reason Poipole has been excluded from this ranked list.
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Which Ultra Beast is the best in Pokemon GO Battle League?
10) Pheromosa (PvPoke rankings: Ultra League N/A, Master League #524)
- Type: Bug and Fighting
- Attack: 316
- Defense: 85
- Stamina: 174
- Fast Attacks: Bug Bite, Low Kick
- Charged Attacks: Bug Buzz, Lunge, Focus Blast, Close Combat
- Recommended moveset: Bug Bite + Close Combat and Lunge
Pheromosa's stat distribution is extremely skewed, with excellent Attack but abysmal Defense. It is so fragile at the 2500 CP cap that it doesn't even make it to PvPoke's list of viable creatures for Pokemon GO's Ultra League.
Even in the Master League, it cannot withstand incoming damage, making it a suboptimal choice for any trainer battles. This Ultra Beast does not have any favorable meta-friendly matchups and, therefore, is not worth the grind it takes to power up Ultra Beasts.
9) Blacephalon (PvPoke rankings: Ultra League N/A, Master League #143)
- Type: Fire and Ghost
- Attack: 315
- Defense: 148
- Stamina: 142
- Fast Attacks: Astonish, Incinerate
- Charged Attacks: Mystical Fire, Overheat, Shadow Ball
- Recommended moveset: Incinerate + Mystical Fire and Shadow Ball
Blacephalon boasts a phenomenal Attack stat but falls short in Defense and Stamina. It is a typical case of power-creep, making it unfit for the Ultra League in Pokemon GO. This translates to a glass cannon playstyle - powerful attacks but extreme vulnerability.
However, Blacephalon offers more options than Pheromosa. Its movepool grants flexibility, allowing it to target a wider range of Pokemon. Despite these strengths, the Ultra Beast's fragility remains a major drawback, and the long attack animation of Incinerate leaves it vulnerable to counterattacks.
8) Naganadel (PvPoke rankings: Ultra League #568, Master League #395)
- Type: Poison and Dragon
- Attack: 263
- Defense: 159
- Stamina: 177
- Fast Attacks: Air Slash, Poison Jab
- Charged Attacks: Acrobatics, Dragon Pulse, Fell Stinger, Sludge Bomb
- Recommended moveset: Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb and Dragon Pulse
Naganadel has a bulkier build that allows it to survive on the battlefield slightly longer. While still fragile, this allows Naganadel to function in both the Ultra League and Master League. Its forte lies in its ability to unleash a flurry of fast attacks.
Like other glass cannons, Naganadel has a good damage output, but can't take much itself. Its reliance on offense makes it vulnerable to strong counters and leaves it struggling against certain types.
7) Stakataka (PvPoke rankings: Ultra League #523, Master League #252)
- Type: Rock and Steel
- Attack: 213
- Defense: 298
- Stamina: 156
- Fast Attacks: Rock Throw, Takedown
- Charged Attacks: Bulldoze, Flash Canon, Stone Edge
- Recommended moveset: Rock Throw + Stone Edge and Flash Canon
Stakataka has amazing defensive stats, and is able to tank heavy blows in battle. Its typing grants it resistances to a surprising number of attacks, making it a flexible wall against many opponents. On the offense, this Ultra Beast can also dish out punishment with powerful Fast Moves.
Stakataka's resilience comes at a cost: it only has high-energy Charged Attacks, but learns only slow charging Fast Moves. This can leave it vulnerable during long battles, and its dual Rock/Steel typing gives it unfortunate double weaknesses to common types like Ground and Fighting.
6) Xurkitree (PvPoke rankings: Ultra League #569, Master League #171)
- Type: Electric
- Attack: 330
- Defense: 144
- Stamina: 195
- Fast Attacks: Thunder Shock, Spark
- Charged Attacks: Discharge, Thunder, Power Whip, Dazzling Gleam
- Recommended moveset: Thunder Shock + Discharge and Dazzling Gleam
Xurkitree suffers from some of the same power-creep issues. Its incredibly high Attack stat causes it to reach Ultra League's CP-cap at a very low level, leaving it with minimal bulk. Since the Master League doesn't have a CP-cap, the Ultra Beast enjoys comparatively greater bulk in this format.
Thanks to its Electric typing and access to Dazzling Gleam, Xurkitree can take down powerful meta picks such as Gyarados, Lugia, Togekiss, and Hero Forme Zacian.
5) Kartana (PvPoke rankongs: Ultra League #433, Master League #166)
- Type: Steel and Grass
- Attack: 323
- Defense: 182
- Stamina: 139
- Fast Attacks: Razor Leaf, Air Slash
- Charged Attacks: Leaf Blade, Aerial Ace, Night Slash, X-Scissor
- Recommended moveset: Razor Leaf + Leaf Blade and Night Slash
Kartana and Xurkitree share a similar fate when it comes to the Ultra League format of Pokemon GO Battle League, as they suffer from combat power inflation. That said, Kartana can easily take down some of the most prominent meta-picks in this format, such as Swampert, Tapu Fini, Walrein, and Cresselia.
The Master League is harder for Kartana because of the Ultra Beast's negligible Stamina stat. Thus, it's ideal for this Pokemon to be kept as far away from this format as possible. That said, Kartana is one of the best Grass-type PvE attackers.
4) Celesteela (PvPoke rankings: Ultra League #253, Master League #158)
- Type: Steel and Flying
- Attack: 207
- Defense: 199
- Stamina: 219
- Fast Attacks: Smack Down, Air Slash
- Charged Attacks: Body Slam, Bulldoze, Iron Head, Heavy Slam
- Recommended moveset: Air Slash + Body Slam and Bulldoze/Heavy Slam
Celesteela has a balanced stat distribution, but that acts against it. It neither shines at offensive prowess nor is it a defensive tank. This is why this Ultra Beast is often outclassed by Skarmory in the Ultra, which is way cheaper to build for this Pokemon GO Battle League format.
In the Master League, Celesteela can be a decent safe switch that can chip down the opponent with consistent Body Slam damage. However, don't expect it to earn too many knock-outs, as it loses to nearly all the powerful meta-picks.
3) Nihilego (PvPoke rankings: Ultra League #357, Master League #79)
- Type: Rock and Poison
- Attack: 249
- Defense: 210
- Stamina: 240
- Fast Attacks: Acid, Pound, Poison Jab
- Charged Attacks: Power Gem, Sludge Bomb, Rock Slide, Gunk Shot
- Recommended moveset: Poison Jab + Rock Slide and Sludge Bomb
Nihilego is a suboptimal pick in Pokemon GO's Ultra League since it loses to 17 of the top 50 meta picks in 1v1 combat. That said, it has decent matchups against creatures like Charizard, Walrein, and Tapu Fini, which are quite common. Like Celesteela, it has well-rounded stats but can't take advantage of its added bulk since it also has a higher Attack, which inflates its total combat power.
In the Master League, Nihilego obliterates Fairies like Xerneas, Togekiss, and Hero Forme Zacian. It also performs well against prominent meta-picks such as Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Reshiram.
2) Guzzlord (PvPoke rankings: Ultra League #24, Master League #102)
- Type: Dark and Dragon
- Attack: 188
- Defense: 99
- Stamina: 440
- Fast Attacks: Snarl, Dragon Tail
- Charged Attacks: Brutal Swing, Crunch, Dragon Claw, Sludge Bomb
- Recommended moveset: Dragon Tail + Brutal Swing and Dragon Claw
Guzzlord is one of the tankiest creatures in Pokemon GO. It can be easily acquired from raids, even as a solo raider. Its massive HP compared to moderate Attack stat means it is hard to remove from the battlefield in Pokemon GO's Ultra League format. The only thing you need to be wary of is Charm users since they will chip you down before you know it.
In the Master League, Guzzlord wins against Mewtwo, Orgin Forme Giratina, Swampert, Zekrom, and Ho-Oh, due to its ability to absorb Charged Attacks one after another. Dragon Tail, along with the spammable Brutal Swing and Dragon Claw, will chip down opponents before they know what hit them.
1) Buzzwole (PvPoke rankings: Ultra League #45, Master League #48)
- Type: Bug and Fighting
- Attack: 196
- Defense: 236
- Stamina: 216
- Fast Attacks: Poison Jab, Counter
- Charged Attacks: Fell Stinger, Lunge, Power-Up Punch, Superpower
- Recommended moveset: Counter + Superpower and Lunge
Buzzwole is the most consistent Ultra Beasts in the Ultra and Master League of Pokemon GO. It has not only more weightage to its defensive stats but also respectable offensive numbers. Counter, combined with the guaranteed Attack debuffs from Lunge, ensures this creature consistently deals damage while taking successively less in return.
In the Master League, Buzzwole can take down Dialga, Groudon, Zacian, Palkia, and other top meta-picks when you strategically employ it. If you wish to invest in building a single Ultra Beast, Buzzwole is the way to go.
