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The best generalists for each weather (including unreleased Gen3 Pokémon)

February 7, 2018 - Albert Kleinstein
Gym Combat Research
Pokemon Go Research
generalists_weather

Here are my rankings of the best attackers against a neutral target (i.e. not considering type advantages and resistances) for every weather currently available in Pokémon GO.

The first table is based on my “Raid Score” metric, where DPS is weighed exponentially and tankiness only proportionally, because raids are mainly a fight against the clock (especially now that damage is not reset when rejoining).

Results are very similar to Pokébattler’s Time To Win rankings, and that’s what I recommend to use in raids when you run out of specialists (which are usually the best).

Rank #Sunny/ClearPartly CloudyCloudyRainSnowWindyFogNo weather
1Moltres FS/OHMewtwo any/HB2Mewtwo Co/FB2Kyogre WF/HP5Rayquaza DT/OR1Rayquaza DT/OR1Mewtwo any/SB2Rayquaza DT/OR1
2Entei FS/OH12Rayquaza DT/OR1Machamp Co/DPRaikou TS/WC15Mewtwo Co/SB2Salamence DT/DMRayquaza DT/OR1Mewtwo Co/SB2
3Groudon Ms/SB6Salamence DT/DMRayquaza DT/OR1Rayquaza DT/OR1Salamence DT/DMDragonite DT/OR4Tyranitar Bi/Cr3Salamence DT/DM
4Rayquaza DT/OR1Dragonite DT/OR4Salamence DT/DMMewtwo Co/SB2Jirachi Co/DDMewtwo Co/Ps2Salamence DT/DMDragonite DT/OR4
5Mewtwo Co/SB2Kyogre WF/HP5Hariyama Co/DPSalamence DT/DM or DT/HPDragonite DT/OR4Latios DB/DCDragonite DT/OR4Kyogre WF/HP5
6Salamence DT/DMTyranitar Bi/SEDragonite DT/OR4Zapdos CB/TbKyogre WF/Bz or WF/HP5Groudon DT/SBKyogre WF/HP5Latios DB/DC
7Flareon FS/OHLatios DB/DCKyogre WF/HP5Dragonite DT/OR4Ho-Oh SW/FB11Latias DB/DCGengar Hx/SB7Entei FS/OH12
8Dragonite DT/OR4Entei FS/OH12Breloom Co/DPGyarados WF/HPLatios DB/DCEspeon Co/FSLatios DB/DCMoltres FS/OH
9Kyogre WF/HP5Moltres FS/OHBlaziken Co/FBLatios DB/DCEntei FS/OH12Lugia ES/SA10Entei FS/OH12Raikou TS/WC
10Blaziken FS/OHRaikou TS/WCHeracross Co/CCEntei FS/OH12Moltres FS/OHKyogre WF/HP5Moltres FS/OHGroudon DT/SB6

Next, a “pure DPS” ranking. Here it’s just about the (neutral-type) damage dealt while the attacker is alive, independently of whether it lasts 5 seconds or 2 minutes.

Rank #Sunny/ClearPartly CloudyCloudyRainSnowWindyFogNo weather
1Moltres FS/OHMewtwo any/HB2Breloom Co/DPKyogre WF/HP5Rayquaza DT/OR1Rayquaza DT/OR1Mewtwo any/SB2Rayquaza DT/OR1
2Flareon FS/OHRayquaza DT/OR1Machamp Co/DPRaikou TS/WC15Salamence DT/DMSalamence DT/DMGengar Hx/SB7Salamence DT/DM
3Entei FS/OH12Salamence DT/DMMewtwo Co/FB2Rayquaza DT/OR1Mewtwo Co/SB2Dragonite DT/OR4Rayquaza DT/OR1Mewtwo Co/SB2
4Rayquaza DT/OR1Dragonite DT/OR4Rayquaza DT/OR1Salamence DT/DM or DT/HPDragonite DT/OR4Mewtwo Co/Ps2Salamence DT/DMDragonite DT/OR4
5Blaziken FS/OHMoltres FS/OHBlaziken Co/FBMewtwo Co/SB2Jirachi Co/DDLatios DB/DCAlakazam any/SBMoltres FS/OH
6Salamence DT/DMGengar Hx/SB7Salamence DT/DMZapdos CB/TbJynx FB/Av14Alakazam Co/FSBanette SC/SBGengar Hx/SB7
7Mewtwo Co/SB2Latios DB/DCHariyama Co/DPDragonite DT/OR4Moltres FS/OHEspeon Co/FSTyranitar Bi/Cr3Latios DB/DC
8Groudon Ms/SB6Kyogre WF/HP5Gengar Hx/Sb7Gyarados WF/HPGengar Hx/SB7Groudon DT/SBHoundoom Sn/FPKyogre WF/HP5
9Charizard FS/OHTyranitar Bi/SEHeracross Co/CCJolteon TS/TbKyogre WF/Bz or WF/HP5Jirachi Co/DDAbsol Sn/DPAlakazam Co/SB8
10Dragonite DT/OR4Alakazam Co/SB8Dragonite DT/OR4Pinsir BB/XS13Latios DB/DCMoltres FS/OHMoltres FS/OHBreloom Co/DP

Then the “Overall” ranking, best used for taking down gyms efficiently in both potions/revives and time. In gyms, unlike in raids, there is (almost) no risk of timeout, so DPS and TDO can be weighed equally.

I don’t recommend to use this ranking for raids, unless you really have a big problem with getting revives or potions, or unless you only want to choose a final anchor to get off some final damage instead of having the whole team faint (and therefore wasting time in rejoining).

Rank #Sunny/ClearPartly CloudyCloudyRainSnowWindyFogNo weather
1Entei FS/OH12Blissey £/HB9Mewtwo Co/FB2Kyogre WF/HP5Kyogre WF/Bz or WF/HP5Rayquaza DT/OR1Mewtwo any/SB2Kyogre WF/HP5
2Groudon Ms/SB6Mewtwo any/HB2Kyogre WF/HP5Raikou TS/WC15Jirachi Co/DDDragonite DT/OR4Tyranitar Bi/Cr3Mewtwo Co/SB2
3Moltres FS/OHKyogre WF/HP5Rayquaza DT/OR1Mewtwo Co/SB2Ho-Oh SW/FB11Salamence DT/DMKyogre WF/HP5Rayquaza DT/OR1
4Kyogre WF/HP5Snorlax Li/HBDragonite DT/OR4Rayquaza DT/OR1Mewtwo Co/SB2Lugia ES/SA10Rayquaza DT/OR1Dragonite DT/OR4
5Mewtwo Co/SB2Rayquaza DT/OR1Machamp Co/DPGyarados WF/HPRayquaza DT/OR1Mewtwo Co/Ps2Dragonite DT/OR4Salamence DT/DM
6Ho-Oh SW/FB11Tyranitar Bi/SESalamence DT/DMDragonite DT/OR4Dragonite DT/OR4Latios DB/DCSalamence DT/DMGroudon DT/SB6
7Rayquaza DT/OR1Dragonite DT/OR4Hariyama Co/DPZapdos CB/TbSalamence DT/DMGroudon DT/SBSnorlax Li/HBEntei FS/OH12
8Dragonite DT/OR4Salamence DT/DMGroudon DT/SB6Salamence DT/DM or DT/HPGroudon DT/SB6Kyogre WF/HP5Groudon DT/SB6Blissey £/HB9
9Latios DB/SBGroudon DT/SB6Entei FS/OH12Vaporeon WG/HPEntei FS/OH12Ho-Oh ES/BBEntei FS/OH12Lugia ES/SA10
10Salamence DT/DMEntei FS/OH12Blissey £/HB9Groudon DT/SB6Blissey £/HB9Jirachi Co/DDBlissey £/HB9Ho-Oh SW/FB11

Finally, a “pure TDO” ranking, i.e. these are the Pokémon that do the most damage per revive. Most of them are slow, but very tanky.

Only recommended as attackers for gyms and if you have more time than revives/potions. DON’T even think about using this ranking for raids (OK maybe for Marowak you can.)

Rank #Sunny/ClearPartly CloudyCloudyRainSnowWindyFogNo weather
1Blissey £/HB9Blissey £/HB9Blissey £/HB9Blissey £/HB9Blissey £/HB9Blissey £/HB9Blissey £/HB9Blissey £/HB9
2Lugia ES/SA10Snorlax Li/HBLugia ES/SA10Kyogre WF/HP5Lugia ES/SA10Lugia ES/SA10Lugia ES/SA10Lugia ES/SA10
3Groudon Ms/SBLugia ES/SA10Snorlax Li/HBLugia ES/anyHo-Oh SW/FB11Ho-Oh ES/BBSnorlax Li/HBSnorlax Li/HB
4Entei FS/OH12Regirock RT/SEKyogre WF/HP5Snorlax Li/HBKyogre WF/Bz or WF/HP5Dragonite DT/OR4Kyogre WF/HP5Kyogre WF/HP5
5Ho-Oh SW/FB11Kyogre WF/HP5Ho-Oh SW/FB11Raikou TS/WC15Snorlax Li/HBGroudon DT/SBTyranitar Bi/Cr3Ho-Oh SW/FB11
6Snorlax Li/HBSlaking Y/HBSlaking Y/PRHo-Oh SW/FB11Regice FB/BzSnorlax Li/HBMewtwo any/SB2Groudon DT/SB6
7Kyogre WF/HP5Ho-Oh SW/FB11Groudon DT/SB6Vaporeon WG/HPJirachi Co/DDKyogre WF/HP5Ho-Oh SW/FB11Entei FS/OH12
8Moltres FS/OHGroudon DT/SB6Regirock RT/FBGroudon DT/SB6Groudon DT/SB6Rayquaza DT/OR1Groudon DT/SB6Mewtwo Co/SB2
9Tyranitar Bi/FBTyranitar Bi/SEMewtwo Co/FB2Milotic WF/SuEntei FS/OH12Mewtwo Co/Ps2Entei FS/OH12Jirachi Co/DD
10Mewtwo Co/SB2Mewtwo any/HB2Entei FS/OH12Regirock RT/ZCAggron IT/HSLati@s DB/DCJirachi Co/DDRegirock RT/SE

Glossary of moves abbreviations:

  • Fast moves: AS = Air Slash, BB = Bug Bite, Bi = Bite, BS = Bullet Seed, Bu = Bubble, CB = Charge Beam, Co = Counter/Confusion, DB = Dragon Breath, DT = Dragon Tail, ES = Extrasensory, FB = Frost Breath, FC = Fury Cutter, FF = Fire Fang, FS = Fire Spin, Hx = Hex, IT = Iron Tail, £ = Pound, Li = Lick, Ms = Mud Shot, PC = Psycho Cut, RT = Rock Throw, SC = Shadow Claw, Sn = Snarl, SP = Sucker Punch, SW = Steel Wing, TS = Thunder Shock, VS = Volt Switch, WF = Waterfall, WG = Water Gun, Y = Yawn
  • Charge moves: AA = Aerial Ace, Av = Avalanche, BB = Brave Bird, Bz = Blizzard, CC = Close Combat, Cr = Crunch, DC = Dragon Claw, DD = Doom Desire, DM = Draco Meteor, DP = Dynamic Punch/Dark Pulse, EQ = Earthquake, FB = Fire Blast/Focus Blast, FP = Foul Play, FS = Future Sight, HB = Hyper Beam, HP = Hydro Pump, HS = Heavy Slam, Hu = Hurricane, OH = Overheat, OR = Outrage, PR = Play Rough, Ps = Psychic, SA = Sky Attack, SB = Solar Beam/Shadow Ball, Sb = Sludge Bomb, SE = Stone Edge, Su = Surf, Tb = Thunderbolt, WC = Wild Charge, XS = X-Scissor, ZC = Zap Cannon

All calculations have been done with my Choose Your Attackers v12.0 spreadsheet, no dodging.

Footnotes:

1 Rayquaza: AS/OR and DT/AA are not optimal but OK.

2 Mewtwo: any moveset except for PC/Ps is good; in Windy weather, any moveset is good.

3 Tyranitar: Bi/SE is not optimal but OK.

4 Dragonite: DB/OR, DT/DC, DB/DC are not optimal but OK. DT/HB is good in Partly Cloudy weather, SW/OR is good in Snow, DT/Hu is good in Windy weather.

5 Kyogre: Blizzard is OK (excellent in Snow); in Rain, Thunder is OK too. Hydro Pump is still the best move.

6 Groudon: Ms/SB and DT/SB have similar performance. Ms/EQ is good too in Sunny/Clear weather, and DT/EQ is good too in Windy weather.

7 Gengar: legacy SC/SB and SC/Sb are even better than the respective Hex movesets. SP/SB and SP/Sb are slightly worse but still good.

8 Alakazam: Co/FS is almost as good.

9 Blissey: keep in mind that its neutral DPS is only 51% that of Rayquaza (60% in Partly Cloudy). However she’s the queen of TDO, which is good to take down gyms (slowly), but of course not for raids.

10 Lugia: ES/FS is almost as good.

11 Ho-Oh: SW/SB is almost as good.

12 Entei: FF/OH is not optimal but OK.

13 Pinsir: FC/XS is almost as good.

14 Jynx: Co/Av is not optimal but OK.

15 Raikou: TS/Tb and VS/WC are not optimal but OK.

EDIT: Minor Text Fixes™.

Attackers
Weather

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