Pokemon GO: Top picks for the Ultra League as of January 2022

To be successful in the Ultra League in Pokemon GO, trainers will need the best options.

Now that the Great League is over, trainers can use Pokemon with a higher CP limit. Thankfully, though, most of the high tier options in the Great League meta are also brilliant in the Ultra League. There’s no need to bench that perfect IV Trevenant just yet.

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Which Pokemon should trainers be using in Ultra League matches?

Recently, Walrein received a new move for the Spheal Community Day: Icicle Spear. Many fans wondered if this would raise Walrein’s viability. Well, it looks like they were right. Shadow Walrein is ranked at number 4 on PvPoke, and regular Walrein is just below it.

Walrein is also one of several threats that work well in both the Great League and Ultra League. Trevenant is another threat with so much damage potential that it dominates both metas. Talonflame and Galarian Stunfisk also fall into this category.

One threat that only performs in Ultra League, though, is Cresselia. Given its stats, it is arguably the best defensive legendary (although Registeel and Lugia could take that title as well). Cresselia also benefits from a wide movepool.

Cresselia is one of the bulkiest options in the Ultra League (Image via The Pokemon Company)

It doesn’t even run a Psychic-type charge move. At the moment, most Cresselia’s are running Moonblast to hit most opponents and Grass Knot to get surprise wins against Swampert and Walrein.

Venusaur might be something trainers think of using since many trainers got a Venusaur with Frenzy Plant through the recent Bulbasaur Community Day. Currently, Venusaur is ranked 24 in the Ultra League, while Shadow Venusaur is rated at 17.

Surprisingly, though, Venusaur is being outclassed by Meganium. Since the Johto starter gets access to Earthquake, it can do something to Steel-types, unlike Venusaur. In a meta where Registeel and Galarian Stunfisk run rampant, a plan for Steel-types is necessary.

A couple of other Pokemon lower than the rankings but still perform well are Scrafty, Giratina (Altered) and Alolan Ninetails. Scrafty can boost its mediocre Attack stat with Power-up Punch, potentially setting up a sweep.

As for Giratina (Altered), Dragon and Ghost is simply an excellent typing to go along with Giratina’s defensive stats. Alolan Ninetails is fighting with Clefable and Sylveon over the best Charm spammer in Ultra League right now, but its Ice typing gives it other coverage against Meganium and Trevenant.