5 must-try spice picks in Pokemon GO's Great League

Pokemon GO is known for overhauling many of the main series' main-stay mechanics. Though not every player's main interest, the game features a competitive Battle League using its reworked combat system, which revolves around light and heavy attacks rather than turn-based strategies with four moves for each creature. The league is also split into three seperate categories.

The Great League is the most accessible of the three as it is open to any Pokemon with a combat power score of 1,500. However, the meta can feel incredibly stale after repeated playing sessions in high MMR lobbies. For this reason, many players may want to try out some new picks for their battle party.

Listed below are five spice picks that trainers should try in Pokemon GO's Great League.

NOTE: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinion.

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5 anti-meta picks for Pokemon GO's Great League

1) Origin Giratina

Origin Giratina is used to counter Annihilape and Cresselia (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Origin Giratina is a top contender in the Ultra and Master Leagues, but some players may not know that it has a niche in Great League. Being a Dragon- and Ghost-type critter, it resists a lot of common attacking types. In addition, its movepool makes it the perfect counter for top-tier threats like Cresselia and Annihilape.

Since it is a Legendary Pokemon, Origin Giratina has a much higher stat pool than most other contenders. However, the Pocket Monster is incredibly rare, so if players do not have one already, they might have to wait for a while before it returns to Five-Star Raid Battles.

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2) Vigoroth

Vigoroth is a middle-stage evolution that is better in the Great League than many fully-evolved creatures (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Vigoroth is the evolution of Slakoth and the pre-evolved form of Slaking. Despite being an unevolved creature, it performs incredibly well in the Great League due to its amazing movepool and its ability to use more of its stats (since it can level up more due to its lower combat power maximum). This allows it to use more of its stat potential.

Vigoroth's access to Counter and Rock Slide gives it some coverage options and allows it to take on metagame staples like Lickitung, Talonflame, and Galarian Stunfisk. However, it can be stopped by Cresselia, Annihilape, and Azumarill, which can be common in higher MMR lobbies.

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3) Empoleon

Empoleon is a great defensive choice, but may struggle against the tier's many Ground-types (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Empoleon is one of the many Water-type starter Pokemon that excel in the Great League due to its tanky stats and access to Hydro Cannon, one of the strongest Water-type moves in Pokemon GO. However, unlike most other Water-type creatures in the game, Empoleon has a secondary Steel typing that adds another layer of defenses onto its already high bulkiness.

For a tank in Pokemon GO, Empoleon also has a lot of coverage options. Being a Steel- and Water-type critter, it primarily runs Steel Wing and Hydro Cannon. However, it also has access to Drill Peck, which allows it to stand its ground against Grass and some Fighting-type Pokemon.

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4) Gogoat

Gogoat is one of the few offensive Grass-types that stand a chance in Pokemon GO's Great League (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Gogoat is a powerful Grass-type Pokemon that has the potential to counter the many Water-type critters that inhabit the higher tiers of Great League, like Azumarill, Whiscash, Swampert, and Lanturn. Additionally, it has access to some helpful coverage in Brick Break, which keeps it from being walled off by Steel-type foes.

Where some players may prefer Serperior in Pokemon GO since it has access to Frenzy Plant, Gogoat's Fighting-type coverage allows it to take on more match-ups than the Grass-type starter from the Unova region. With Lickitung and Registeel being very prominant, Gogoat can be very helpful.

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5) Hakamo-o

Hakamo-o is another unevolved creature, much like Vigoroth (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Hakamo-o is very similar to Vigoroth in terms of stats and playstyle. While Hakamo-o is slightly weaker in terms of stamina and attack, it makes up for it with better defense and a fleshed-out typing in Dragon and Fighting, which also helps its defensive utility.

This Pocket Monster possesses amazing typing coverage, with most creatures in the metagame not being able to resist any of its attacks other than Fairy-type critters.

However, Hakamo-o is considerably rarer than Vigoroth in Pokemon GO as it is a member of a Pseudo-Legendary evolutionary line.