What is the best team for Master Premier in Pokemon GO? (February 2023)

The Master Premier PvP format returned to Pokemon GO on February 16, 2023, alongside the original Master League. It possesses similar rules to the main Master League but with a few tweaks.

Specifically, Master Premier still lacks a CP cap like Master League. However, Legendary/Mythical Pokemon are no longer allowed in Master Premier, and any Pocket Monsters powered up by XL candies are also prohibited. This shakes up the meta considerably compared to the traditional Master League, where XL and Legendary/Mythical Pokemon are quite common.

Formulating a battle team for this Pokemon GO format can be tricky but not impossible. There may not be a perfect team, but there are those that should set trainers up for continued success.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer

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Top recommended Master Premier team in Pokemon GO's Mythical Wishes update

Never count out Dragonite in Pokemon GO's Master Premier (Image via Niantic)

When building a competitive PvP team in any Pokemon GO Battle League, trainers tend to have three separate roles in their team. These include a lead Pokemon who is used first, a switch to help the lead when it's in a bad matchup, and a closer to finish fights and defeat unshielded enemies.

Some Pocket Monsters excel at multiple roles, so players can mix and match them as needed to acquire the best possible results.

Here is the recommended Master Premier team in Pokemon GO's Mythical Wishes update:

• Lead - Dragonite (Dragon Breath, Dragon Claw, Superpower)
• Switch - Shadow Gyarados (Dragon Breath, Aqua Tail, Crunch)
• Closer - Metagross (Bullet Punch, Meteor Smash, Earthquake)

If the Pokemon listed above have high CP and great IV stats, trainers should be in good shape with this team in Pokemon GO's Master Premier.

As a lead, Dragonite is a formidable opponent thanks to its high attack stat, respectable durability, and heavy shield pressure. Dragon Claw can deal heavy damage, and Superpower allows it to deal with Ice-type enemies that would ordinarily counter it. However, even Dragonite can't protect itself from all of its elemental weaknesses.

When Dragonite ends up in a poor type matchup, Pokemon GO trainers can bring in Shadow Gyarados. Thanks to its high attack power and the increased damage output from being a Shadow Pokemon, the creature can quickly and effectively take down many opponents. Shadow Gyarados will need to stay away from Electric-type opponents, but otherwise, it should be able to cover Dragonite's back effectively.

When a foe is down to their last Pokemon or has expended their shields, trainers can toss out Metagross to bring the battle to its conclusion.

Metagross is highly durable while still having a great attack stat, giving it the ability to bring the pain and take some itself (as long as it stays away from Fire, Dark, Ghost, or Ground-type moves). Its ability to use moves like Earthquake also means it can protect itself against its Fire-type counters and some Ghost-types like Gengar, who is partially Poison-type.

This team should ultimately be tweaked by players to ensure it works as effectively as possible. However, the initial lineup should be able to provide them with a good amount of success without any alterations.