Pokemon GO: Top 5 best attackers to use when taking on gyms

Challenging gyms can be a painful experience if trainers don’t beat the right Pokemon.

Any gym defender who knows what they’re doing is going to leave a strong defensive team in that gym. This means that trainers will have to go up against some of the tankiest Pokemon in the game. The only way trainers can counter this is with high DPS Pokemon that can break through the opposition.

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Which Pokemon are strong enough to take on gym defense teams?

Here are five Pokemon every trainer must use when challenging gyms in Pokemon GO:

5) Metagross

Metagross was on Steven's Champion team in Generation III (Image via The Pokemon Company)

This Pokemon benefits from great typing as well as sheer power. With 257 Attack, Metagross can break through tanky Pokemon, specifically with Meteor Mash. Since it is Steel and Psychic-type, it also provides some important resistances. In particular, it can beat Fairy-types, which are common on gym defense teams.

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4) Mega Charizard Y

Mega Charizard has not one, but two Mega evolutions (Image via Niantic)

There isn’t any real type advantage that Mega Charizard Y provides; it’s just flat out too strong. This Pokemon can do more neutral damage than others do with super effective damage. It’s borderline unfair that Mega Charizard Y gets 319 Attack, and Fire Spin plus Blast Burn has an incredibly high damage output.

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3) Mewtwo

Mewtwo is native to Cerulean Cave in Kanot (Image via The Pokemon Company)

It should be no surprise that the strongest Pokemon in the game would be good to use against gym defenders. Mewtwo does so much damage that it’s almost impossible to defend. Mewtwo also has a great list of coverage moves that it could bring to a gym. It can use Ice Beam for Ground-types, Flamethrower for Grass-types, etc.

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2) Tyranitar

This Pokemon is mostly useful because it compliments the number one Pokemon on this list. Tyranitar has lots of DPS with Crunch or Stone Edge. The biggest role that it fills, though, is taking out Psychic and Flying-types that are found on Gym defense teams.

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1) Lucario

Lucario was introduced in Generation IV (Image via The Pokemon Company)

Strong Fighting-types are almost necessary to take on Gym defense teams, and not too many are stronger than Lucario. Looking at the common Pokemon on Gym defense teams, it’s clear to see that Normal-types are popular (Blissey, Snorlax, etc.). Lucario is great here because it hits Normal-types for super effective damage.

Since Fighting-types are so good at countering Gym defense teams, a smart trainer would pair Blissey or Snorlax with a Psychic or Flying Pokemon. This is why Tyranitar is valuable: it counters these Pokemon for Lucario.

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Note: The article reflects the views of the writer.