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Pokémon Go: The Great League Tier List – September 2023

The best Pokémon to use in the Great League Pokémon Go meta, and this guide covers the best Pokémon that you should be using.

The Great League returns to Pokémon Go at the start of the Adventures Abound. Here, you will have a chance to face off against multiple trainers as you test out some of the best Pokémon combinations you can use, especially with multiple Pokémon receiving new moves and several attacks receiving some balance changes.

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There are multiple choices you’ll want to consider. This guide will cover the Battle League Great League tier list for Pokémon Go for the Season of Gems.

Great league tier list

Image via the Pokémon Company

You can use any Pokémon in this category, so long as they do not exceed 1,500 CP. Unlike the other competitions, this will not be as strict, so you don’t have to meet as many other qualifications to make sure your team is ready for these battles in Pokémon Go.

Related: Best teams for the Great League in Pokémon Go

Lead tier list

The Pokémon in your lead spot will be the first one you use in battle in Pokémon Go. Therefore, you want to make sure they’re a bulky option, capable of handling whatever Pokémon type your opponent can throw at you during these battles.

TierPokémon
SMedicham, Pelipper, Poliwrath (Shadow), Scrafty, Sneasler, and Swampert (Shadow)
AGalarian Stunfisk, Luxray (shadow), Machamp (shadow), Passimian, Pidgeot, and Quagsire (Shadow)
BCarbink, Gliscor, Jellicent, Kommo-o, Primeape, and Vigoroth
CCharizard, Lickitung, Mantine, Noctowl, Registeel, and Whiscash
DAlolan Ninetales, Altaria, Dubwool, Golbat, Greninja, and Haxorus

You want to pick a suitable Lead Pokémon that will catch your opponent off guard and make sure they deal plenty of damage, but they also need to take a few punches. You want to avoid having any glass cannons in this role and use at least one shield for them.

Switch tier list

These will be the ideal switch Pokémon in Pokémon Go’s Great League competition. These are normally in your second or third slot and will be the Pokémon you swap out when using your first or final Pokémon to protect against specific counters for your team.

TierPokémon
SDubwool, Galarian Stunfisk, Lickitung, Medicham, Pelipper, and Sableye
ACharizard (Shadow), Drapion (Shadow), Gliscor, Lickitung, Medicham, and Politoed (Shadow)
BMachamp (Shadow), Primeape, Scrafty, Sneasler, Vigoroth, and Walrein (Shadow)
CAlolan Ninetales, Cresselia, Mew, Noctowl, Snorlax, and Zangoose
DDrapion, Galvantula, Haxorus, Munchlax, Sirfetch’d, Whiscash

The Switch Pokémon will be the one causing quite a bit of damage that you can swap to prevent your Lead or Closer Pokémon from taking an attack. If you’re trying to save your Lead Pokémon from fainting from a straight battle, you can move your Switch Pokémon on, and they can do some serious damage. You want to reserve at least one shield for this choice or two if you’re more comfortable with your bulky Lead Pokémon in Pokémon Go.

Closer tier list

The Pokémon in the Closer position will be the final Pokémon you use against your opponent in Pokémon Go’s Great League. It needs to be a hybrid of being a bulky Pokémon and has enough power to defeat the final choice of your opponent.

TierPokémon
SCarbink, Electivire, Galarian Stunfisk, Regice, Regirock, and Registeel
AAltaria, Bastiodon, Froslass, Medicham, Staraptor, and Togedemaru
BBuzzwole, Hitmontop, Raikou, Skarmory, Swampert, and Victini
CAlolan Sandslash, Azumarill, Cradily, Sableye, Sneasler, and Turtonator
DCresselia, Excadrill, Falinks, Lanturn, Meganium, and Trevenant

Your Closer Pokémon will want to have a high amount of defense and stamina, but you don’t want to forget about making sure they have a decent amount of attack power, either. That’s what makes Registeel, Regice, and Regirock some of the best Pokémon to fill this role in Pokémon Go. They’re incredibly robust and have a good series of charged attacks to destroy opponents. In addition, your Closer Pokémon should not require any shields to be useful.


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Author
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Zack Palm
Zack Palm is the Senior Writer of Gamepur and has spent over five years covering video games, and earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Oregon State University. He spends his free time biking, running tabletop campaigns, and listening to heavy metal. His primary game beats are Pokémon Go, Destiny 2, Final Fantasy XIV, and any newly released title, and he finds it difficult to pull away from any Star Wars game.