Pokemon Scarlet & Violet introduced players to lots of new creatures to catch, andPokemon Gois steadily adding Gen 9 species for players to capture and train while they walk. While some of these are stars in the mainline games and the competitive scene, battles work differently in the mobile game, and you need to be careful what Pokemon you pick for PvE or PvP.
With no Paldean Legendaries in sight just yet, trainers still have many Gen 9 Pokemon to choose from to build powerful teams to successfully take on Raids, Go Battle League, Team Go Rocket members, and more.
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The wildcard for the wholeTeam Starin Pokemon S&V is a powerfulPoison-type attackerin Pokemon Go, but that’s about it. With only two weaknesses, against Fire and Ground-type attacks, the Multi-Cyl Pokemon boasts many resistances you can take advantage of thanks to its type combination.
However, the hard-to-get creature is not recommended for Raids or defending Gyms, so its overall score isn’t great. Since it takes a lot of effort to hatch Varoom and evolve it into Revavroom, it’s not worth the effort.
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Armarouge is a Pokemon Scarlet exclusive, but trainers can get both Charcadet’s evolutions in Pokemon Go. Getting them is quite the task, as you can only get Charcadet byhatching Eggs, but having these knights by your side can come in handy.
Armarouge has a lot of competition as both a Fire and Psychic-type attacker, and you’ll find way better options in more accessible Pokemon. But, since not all trainers are familiar with Armarouge’s type combination, you might take some opponents off guard.
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Normal-type Pokemon are usually underestimated in most games, but PoGo players know they can always find a good tank among their ranks. If you’re tired of seeing Slaking, Snorlax, Blissey, or Ursaluna defending Gyms, Oinkologne can shake things up a bit.
you may even teach her moves like Dig (Ground) or Trailblaze (Grass) to have some variety and coverage to surprise other players, but her stats aren’t very good overall. Outside of Gyms, Oinkologne won’t be able to help you much.
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In Gen 9 games, Bellibolt makes use of greatAbilitieslike Electromorphosis and Static, which can turn the tide of any battle. In Pokemon Go, Abilities aren’t a thing, so Bellibolt has to hold its own in battle.
Thanks to its Stamina stat, Bellibolt can be an interesting Gym defender who won’t faint without giving a fight, but that’s all it can offer. You can have Water Gun as its Fast Move to take down unaware Ground-type Pokemon, but you’ll have better luck with other Electric-type attackers.
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The other Charcadet evolution has a more useful type combination and better stats overall, but it can’t reach the potential it has in the mainline games. Ceruledge, the Pokemon Violet exclusive, is an average Fire and Ghost-type attacker. You’ll find better options in all the other Gens, which leaves Ceruledge in a tough spot.
This is mostly because Pokemon Go hasn’t introduced most of Gen 9’s signature attacks that make these creatures powerhouses in the mainline games. As long as that’s the case, Ceruledge will lack the power to defend Gyms or tackle Raids.
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Gen 9’s starter cat is a pretty decent Grass-type attacker in Pokemon Go, so you can surprise some opponents with Meowscarada, even without its signature move, Flower Trick. It can still take a lot of damage due to having seven weaknesses, so you need to be careful where you position it.
If you got a good Sprigatito from a Special Research, you’ll be able to get a powerful Meowscarada, but having Sceptile in your team might be a safer bet.
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In terms of Paldean starters, Quaquaval is the overall best choice, as it can hold its ground in both PvP and PvE. Like most Gen 9 Pokemon, it’s not at the top of any ranking and you’ll find better Water-type Pokemon in more accessible species, but Quaquaval can be an interesting wildcard to have.
With a combination of Water, Fighting, and Flying-type moves, you can surprise opponents with unpredictable attacks that take them off guard and make them rethink their strategies.
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Clodsire is another species that can’t fulfill its maximum potential due to the lack of Abilities in Pokemon Go’s gameplay. Without Poison Point or Water Absorb, Clodsire is reduced to a decent tank that can defend Gyms and not much else.
As a Poison-type attacker, Clodsire is even bested by Revavroom, and as aGround-type Pokemon, you have a wide variety of better choices that include Legendaries and iconic starters. But with a Stamina stat at 277, you can leave Clodsire in Gyms for a long time.
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Cetitan positioned itself as one of the best Ice-type attackers in Pokemon Go, giving players the chance to easily take down powerfulDragon-type Pokemon. What’s more, thanks to its incredible bulk, Cetitan is also a very reliable Gym defender that can net you some PokeCoins often.
The main downside to Cetitan is that any good Fire-type attacker, of which there are too many, can decimate it with a super-effective Charge Move with STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus), so keep that in mind.
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Primeape got a brand-new evolution with Gen 9, and the powerful Fighting/Ghost-type Pokemon is the number one wildcard for Tera Raids, no matter what Pokemon you’re facing.Annihilapeisn’t that great in Pokemon Go, but it can still hold its ground in Gyms thanks to its bulk.
As a Fighting-type attacker, it’s overshadowed by other top choices, but it can still deal tons of damage with its different Fast and Charge Moves. However, Annihilape is best used as a Ghost-type attacker to take down both Psychic and other Ghost-type species with ease.
