Pokemon GO Attacker and Defender tier list for August 2023

Pokemon GO's gym gameplay may not have experienced much change over the years, but it is easily one of the most socially engaging experiences the mobile title has to offer. This mode of play is the only way players can earn premium currency for free. Apart from this, you can also get rewards and experience what it's like to battle against another player's strongest creatures.

However, much like every other form of gameplay in the mobile title, there are certain Pokemon that are more suited for attacking and defending these points compared to others in the franchise. As such, it can be incredibly helpful for newer players to know which creatures are the best to help them find their footing.

---

Best Attackers and Defenders in Pokemon GO

S-Tier

Mega Sceptile as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Creatures in this tier are the best of the best. In the attacking field, a lot of creatures that make up this tier, like Primal Groudon, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Blaziken, have access to powerful charged attacks and signature moves that can be used to quickly cleave through teams that have been weakened after sitting in the gym for an extended period of time.

For defenders, only two creatures can truly be considered "top tier." Metagross and Blissey are the two best defenders thanks to Blissey's massive stamina stat (which is the highest in the game) and Metagross' perfect type combination and pseudo-legendary stat spread.

---

A-Tier

Ho-oh as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Attackers in the A-tier are simply outclassed due to no fault of their own. Most in the S-tier are there due to them having access to more powerful temporary forms, while the A-tier is occupied by those who are still amazingly powerful but lack that extra power spike from a Mega or Primal form. Creatures in this category include Shadow Ho-oh, Shadow Machamp, Rampardos, and Zekrom.

On the defending side of the spectrum, creatures in the A-tier are those that simply are not perfect like the two in Pokemon GO's S-tier. Snorlax and Drifblim are perfectly usable as gym defenders and can even excel those in the S-tier in the right circumstances. However, those in the S-tier are simply more beneficial to use in most situations.

---

B-Tier

Tangrowth as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Creatures in Pokemon GO's B-tier are sadly there for the sole reason that there are others that do the job better. For example, Mega Venusaur is a great attacking Grass-type to bring to a gym siege, but Mega Sceptile is better in every way for such battles due to its much higher damage output and secondary Dragon typing. Pokemon that inhabit this tier include Mega Venusaur, Mega Pidgeot, and Shadow Tangrowth.

Defense-wise, this tier includes creatures that are great in their own right but serve as much better siegers than defenders. While still decent, trainers would see much more success if they opted for other creatures. Pokemon in this tier include Garchomp, Gyarados, and Dragonite.

---

C-Tier

Conkeldurr as seen in the anime (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Finally, making up the last of the viability tiers are creatures that are very accessible to newcomers. However, as players progress and gain access to more powerful creatures, these initial Pokemon gradually fall off in terms of effectiveness. Monsters in this tier include Zarude, Tyrantrum, and Chesnaught.

In terms of defenders in Pokemon GO, these are the creatures that serve better when paired with specific creatures in the gym or with a niche in mind. However, in terms of the rest of the defense metagame, they are simply not viable picks in most circumstances. Those in this tier include Conkeldurr, Magnezone, and Azumarill.