What are the best Pokemon Go Movesets for Top Tier Pokemon?
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If all you want is a quick reference for the absolute best moveset for the most powerful Pokémon (CP) in their most efficient roles (Attack/Defense) in Pokémon Go as the game stands today, here it is. (For more details and alternate movesets, keep reading below).
For a full list of all move sets and their power, check out SilphRoad's article here
Changing your Movesets
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Movesets are like the lottery. Whether you catch, hatch, or evolve, you never know what you're going to get. Some Pokémon have upwards of six or more moveset combinations, some amazingly good, others terrible.
If you have an ideal moveset, it's great. You'll do the most damage in the least amount of time while maintaining the best ability to dodge. If you don't, not all is lost. You could still have the same type of moves, only less damaging or slower.
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For example, Machamp with Counter and Dynamic Punch is one of the best attackers in the game. Machamp with Counter and Close Combat, though, is a fairly close second. Dragon Tail Outrage is the best for Dragonite, but Dragon Tail Hurricane isn't far behind.
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Conversely, Machamp with Bullet Punch and Heavy Slam or Dragonite with Steel Wing and Hyper Beam... nowhere close.
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New with the June 2017 Raid Battle system, you can even get Technical Machines to change your movesets. Two of the possible rewards for beating Raid Bosses are Quick TM and Fast TM, which can be used to change Quick Moves and Charge Moves respectively.
Attacking Movesets Methodology
Each Pokemon has a particular role that they best excel at, so most, if not all Pokemon can be useful attackers. Attacking movesets grades are aimed at making Pokemon excel the most in their particular role, as well as improve their viability in a handful of other feasible match-ups. Having two attacks of the same type is generally an advantage, as you can more directly abuse the gym defender's type disadvantage that you're exploiting. Each player has a different playstyle, but we assume most players only dodge charge moves while attacking. Generally, moves with a shorter cool down are better for players who dodge, while moves with higher damage output but a longer dodge window are better for players who don't dodge. Both circumstances are considered in this iteration of the ratings.
Defending Movesets Methodology
Most Pokemon are not meant to be defenders (Alakazam, Tangela, etc...) and only around 20-25 Pokemon currently released are good defenders worth putting in gyms. If the Pokemon is not on our Defenders Tier List, it is likely not a good gym defender. A moveset's defensive ranking is generally based on its maximum damage output against an array of their most common counters. High damaging quick moves are better than high energy gaining quick moves, since a majority of sub-par defenders will most likely die before using their charge move. Note that this is not always the case with tankier Pokemon such as Blissey and Snorlax. Multiple bar charge moves are better when a Pokemon is less likely to survive long enough to successfully execute a sometimes more powerful lesser bar move. Again, a different case for tankier Pokemon. A moves dodge window has lesser influence now that more players are comfortable with dodging.
POKEMON GO RAIDING GUIDE
Today I'm going over the best new movesets in Pokémon GO since the Gen 2 update. Please keep in mind these are *preliminary* calculations and will likely change once we've had time to do more extensive math.
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Credit: Trainer Tips
I talk a lot about the importance of both IVs and movesets in Pokémon GO, and I get a lot of questions about when to choose one over the other. Today I explain how and when to prioritize each of the two.
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Credit: Trainer Tips