How to start battling in Pokémon Go
How Do you actually play out the PVP battles in Pokémon Go?
Local and distance PVP battles against other players in Pokémon Go:
What makes the best Pokémon in a PVP Battle?
The best performances of Pokémon in combat are determined by three simple things:
The TOP Great & Ultra and Master League Pokémon sorted by total stats
The best Great League Pokémon by total stats
The best Ultra League Pokémon by total stats
The best Master League Pokémon by total stats
The best Pokémon for battles - sorted by coverage
Pokémon Go PVP FAQ:
Which rewards can you win in a trainer PVP battle?
Is there any limit for the number of PVP battles per day?
Which Pokémon are allowed, which are restricted?
How does it work against NPCs / AI / solo-mode?
What about possible Pokémon tournaments?

How to start battling in Pokémon Go

Pokemon GO Battle Leagues are *the* new PvP format which will see players take part in the new PVP Trainer Battles. The Pokemon GO trainer battles will take place in different leagues. Players have to choose one of the three leagues before taking part – but each league has a maximum Combat Power limit.

Great, Ultra and Master League explained:

  • Great League: 1,500 CP limit per Pokemon

  • Ultra League: 2,500 CP limit per Pokemon

  • Master League: No CP limit per Pokemon

The Official Pokemon GO Twitter handle wrote:

" While Pokémon with high CP might be a big advantage in Master League battles, Trainers will have to think more strategically when battling in the Great and Ultra Leagues, where there are specific CP limitations. "

This means that players are actually encouraged to analyse which creatures they would choose to bring into PvP battles!

How Do you actually play out the PVP battles in Pokémon Go?

In the trainer PVP fights, two players with three Pokémon each compete - which is a big change from the typical Pokémon games, which normally allow both sides to have six Pokémon in their group. Players can adjust their battle group early and then select it after the battle begins. Then the players select the Pokémon to use for the fight and send it out to fight each other. Battles are not turn-based! Players can switch between their three Pokémon as they wish, although a decay timer prevents them from constantly switching between their groups.

  • To fast attack, you tap the screen. Unlike gym battles/raids, there is no swiping to dodge. Tapping to fast attack juices up your charge attack.

  • Now each Pokémon can have a second charge move permanently unlocked (using stardust/candy). These unlocked charge attacks will also work in raids/gym battles. The new move is picked at random from that Pokémon’s currently available moves at the time of unlock (read: you won’t get a community day exclusive move, or a legacy move, unless Niantic opts to bring them back into the move pool).

  • When you fire a charge attack, a circle and timer appear on screen. The faster you tap that circle before the timer counts down, the more damage your charge attack can potentially do.

  • When your opponent fires a charge attack, you’ll have the opportunity to use a “Protect Shield,” which greatly limits the damage it can do. The catch: you only get two protect shields per battle, so you’ll want to use them at the right time.

  • Matches are timed so far! If the time expires and Pokémon are left, the win goes to the player with the most remaining Pokémon and/or the most health.

Local and distance PVP battles against other players in Pokémon Go:

Pokémon Go battles are restricted to players who are Pokémon Go level 10 or above. If you're just starting, it won't take too long to get there - and means you should have a range of creatures at your disposal to start battling. Once you have reached level 10, there are two ways to battle others in Pokémon Go.

There are two ways of battling against others:

1. Locally:

To battle another player in person, you have to be part of the same trainer league — which we’ll get to later. More importantly, you have to swap battle codes. These are separate from the trainer codes used to add people to your friends list. Instead, battle codes are unique QR codes that a player must scan in order to send a battle invitation to another. Battle codes are assigned to all players automatically and can be found in the battle menu. Open the 'Nearby' menu, which is at the bottom right corner of the map screen. This will give you a variety of Battle options. Trap the 'Challenge a Trainer' button and scan the QR code on another player's screen (also found in the same menu). You don't need to be Friends to battle locally.

2. Distance / battle your friends online:

First, you need to be Ultra or Best Friends (the two highest tiers of friendship) to battle another player at a distance. When you are ready, go to your Friends list, and find the player you want to battle. Press the Battle button, and they will receive a notification. If they accept, the battle begins. You cannot remotely battle against your Good and Great Friends.

What makes the best Pokémon in a PVP Battle?

There is one important thing to keep in mind when determining the best Pokémon for a PvP battle: IVs. Especially Pokémon's Attack IVs. You probably already know that every Pokémon has IVs that range from 0 to 15 for each of their attacks, defenses, and stamina, and these IVs - combined into a formula with their base values and level - affect how high or low these values are currently.

The problem is that CP does not really reflect attack, defense and stamina equally! Niantics approach is that the attack weighs heavily in the formula to find out what CP a Pokémon has, but the attack doesn't really have more impact on the combat than the other two statistics. This means that if you have a Pokémon with very low Attack IVs, you can actually work out some more statistics for it - although you have to keep in mind that of course this is only relevant in the Grand and Mid League; there is no upper limit in the Master League, so you want Pokémon to be at the highest level with perfect Ivs.

The best performances of Pokémon in combat are determined by three simple things:

  • The type of Pokémon - this affects the Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB) of its own attacks and its defense coverage (how many different types of attacks it fends off).

  • Pokémon's current statistics - not to be confused with basic statistics or CP (a representative number that doesn't affect anything in the actual fight). The most important statistics are the current attack, defense, and stamina of the fighting Pokémon, as determined by its current level and the IVs (hidden values that act like Pokémon genes).

  • The Pokémon's moves - both their offensive coverage (how many different enemy types they are either effective, super effective, or double effective) and their actual DPS. In other words: You want the Pokémon with the highest possible total attack, defense, and stamina; a Pokémon with good typing for defensive coverage and useful STAB; and a Pokémon with strong moves that provide good offensive coverage against a variety of enemy types.

Here’s an example video:

The TOP Great & Ultra and Master League Pokémon sorted by total stats

Listed according to the max. possible total of Attack, Defense and Stamina while staying below the 1,500 CP cap, with perfect 15/15/15 IVs. Pokémon with an asterisk (*) by their name are not yet available yet.

This content is from reddit user Trudisheff's public spreadsheet

The best Great League Pokémon by total stats

Rank

Pokémon Name

Level

Att.

Def.

Sta.

CP

Total Stats

1

Chansey

40

59

113

396

1255

568

2

Blissey

19

83

107

297

1497

487

3

Wobbuffet

40

59

95

313

1026

467

4

Bastiodon*

38

84

234

132

1496

450

5

Shuckle

40

25

324

79

405

428

6

Deoxys (Defense Forme)

23

101

221

97

1494

419

7

Wailord

23

121

65

231

1498

417

8

Wailmer

40

119

65

230

1468

414

9

Umbreon

24.5

93

168

152

1496

413

10

Azumarill

36

97

128

184

1497

409

11

Munchlax*

27.5

106

92

210

1486

408

12

Probopass*

25

100

193

113

1485

406

13

Wigglytuff

27

118

72

215

1486

405

14

Registeel

21

96

183

125

1468

404

15

Cresselia

18

94

154

155

1469

403

16

Dusclops

35.5

106

190

103

1489

399

17

Drifblim

22

122

73

204

1497

399

18

Steelix

21.5

100

177

121

1483

398

19

Lanturn

25

107

101

189

1489

397

20

Jumpluff

34

100

149

148

1496

397

21

Uxie*

20.5

103

172

118

1478

393

22

Lickitung

40

97

120

175

1411

392

23

Dunsparce

32

108

106

178

1496

392

24

Tropius

27

104

123

165

1497

392

25

Snorlax

16

109

98

184

1474

391

26

Regirock

16.5

105

175

111

1472

391

27

Regice

16.5

105

175

111

1472

391

28

Swalot

26.5

106

119

165

1497

390

29

Lapras

19.5

106

111

172

1471

389

30

Lugia

14

103

162

124

1481

389

The best Ultra League Pokémon by total stats

Rank

Pokémon Name

Level

Att.

Def.

Sta.

CP

Total Stats

1

Blissey

33

107

137

383

2482

627

2

Chansey

40

59

113

396

1255

568

3

Cresselia

31

123

201

202

2490

526

4

Registeel

40

124

237

162

2447

523

5

Deoxys (Defense Forme)*

40

125

272

120

2274

517

6

Wailord

40

150

80

286

2280

516

7

Regirock

28

137

229

144

2498

510

8

Regice

28

137

229

144

2498

510

9

Uxie*

39

134

223

153

2488

510

10

Snorlax

27

142

127

239

2488

508

11

Steelix

40

128

226

154

2414

508

12

Lapras

36

138

145

224

2490

507

13

Lugia

23.5

134

210

161

2486

505

14

Drifblim

40

154

92

258

2382

504

15

Giratina (Altered Forme)

25.5

136

161

201

2462

498

16

Relicanth

39

138

171

188

2492

497

17

Deoxys (Attack Forme)*

37.5

332

47

117

2487

496

18

Lickilicky

40

139

154

203

2467

496

19

Umbreon

40

111

201

182

2137

494

20

Hariyama

31.5

165

95

234

2485

494

21

Suicune

29

140

179

172

2472

491

22

Cloyster

38.5

157

211

118

2493

486

23

Walrein

34

148

144

194

2492

486

24

Vaporeon

28

155

124

206

2492

485

25

Articuno

28.5

147

179

158

2485

484

26

Kangaskhan

37.5

152

139

192

2494

483

27

Tentacruel

40

143

177

162

2422

482

28

Slowbro

38.5

150

152

180

2490

482

29

Slowking

38.5

150

152

180

2490

482

30

Aggron

29

153

195

134

2486

 

The best Master League Pokémon by total stats

Rank

Pokémon Name

Level

Att.

Def.

Sta.

CP

Total Stats

1

Blissey

40

113

145

403

2757

661

2

Slaking

40

241

143

236

4431

620

3

Lugia

40

164

256

197

3703

617

4

Regigigas*

40

238

177

185

4337

600

5

Arceus*

40

199

199

198

3982

596

6

Melmetal

40

194

180

220

3875

594

7

Kyogre

40

225

192

173

4115

590

8

Groudon

40

225

192

173

4115

590

9

Ho-Oh

40

200

204

180

3863

584

10

Giratina (Altered Forme)

40

159

189

236

3379

584

11

Giratina (Origin Forme)*

40

189

159

236

3683

584

12

Mewtwo

40

248

155

180

4178

583

13

Garchomp*

40

218

164

200

3962

582

14

Dialga*

40

229

178

173

4029

580

15

Snorlax

40

162

145

272

3225

579

16

Tyranitar

40

210

175

189

3834

574

17

Rhyperior

40

202

162

210

3733

574

18

Palkia*

40

233

181

160

3981

574

19

Regirock

40

153

256

162

3122

571

20

Regice

40

153

256

162

3122

571

21

Chansey

40

59

113

396

1255

568

22

Metagross

40

214

192

162

3791

568

23

Heatran

40

210

180

177

3754

567

24

Dragonite

40

219

168

177

3792

564

25

Latios

40

223

179

162

3812

564

26

Cresselia

40

131

215

217

2857

563

27

Rayquaza

40

236

146

180

3835

562

28

Latias

40

192

206

162

3510

560

29

Salamence

40

230

144

182

3749

556

30

Entei

40

197

146

210

3473

553

The best Pokémon for battles - sorted by coverage

This list has been compiled by reddit user “alpha1812”:

  • Ghost and Fighting - The best combination, with no Pokémon able to resist both options. Mewtwo with Shadow Ball and Focus Blast will be one of the strongest Pokémon in the Master League meta.

  • Fairy and Ghost, or Fairy and Dark - Only resisted by the Pyroar or Mawile evolution lines, which are off-meta themselves. Legacy Alakazam can learn Dazzling Gleam and Shadow Ball, whilst other good picks include Gardevoir, Mew, and Banette.

  • Electric and Ice - Only resisted by the Magnezone line and two Rotom forms, which are both off-meta again. Mewtwo is again a strong choice, with Ice Beam and Thunderbolt (what's known as BoltBeam in the mainline Pokéon community) learnable. Even higher in our stats list is Kyogre, which can learn Blizzard and Thunder.

  • Fire and Dragon - Resisted only by the Water-Fairy-Type Azumarill line, which is off-meta. The hopefully-coming-soon Garchomp can learn Fire Blast and Outrage, as can other top-30 Master League Pokémon Salamence. Lower-rated Charizard and Mew are other alternatives.

  • Rock and Ground - Resisted only by the Grass-Ground Breloom and Torterra evolution lines, which are off-meta. Can be learned by the high-ranking Master League Pokémon Rhyperior, whilst Hippowdown is a decent bet in lower leagues, if you can get one at the right level.

For more information, please consider checking this fantastic spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ 1QDk6pGO6hbh3GrdeJp_0bx-xVMiG0zYAfpWZUV7ZaME/edit

Pokémon Go PVP FAQ:

  • Which rewards can you win in a trainer PVP battle?
  • Well, first of all, both trainers receive a prize after a battle, which usually consists of sweets, stardust, and rare items like a Sinnoh stone. In a way, they're both winners. But in another, more precise sense, only one of them is really the better Pokémon coach. Their only additional prize is the chance to rejoice. Fighting against friends also increases the level of friendship between the two, funnily enough.

  • Is there any limit for the number of PVP battles per day?
  • No, although you can only receive rewards from coach fights up to three times a day.

  • Which Pokémon are allowed, which are restricted?
  • You can use all Pokémon, including legends, except Ditto and Shedinja.

  • How does it work against NPCs / AI / solo-mode?
  • Yes, if you want to take your team to a higher level before taking on your friends or other locals, the solo training mode is just right for you. The team leaders - Blanche, Candela and Spark - put themselves at the players' disposal for battle, so they can train as often as they want without having to find someone else to play with. These are known as Team Leader Battles and are available indefinitely. (However, you can only receive one award per day from them.)

  • What about possible Pokémon tournaments?
  • No, although Niantic said that it encourages players to host their own unofficial tournaments. Right now, you have to rely on your local colleagues to determine who is the best of them all.