Not every Pokemon with a sky-high CP belongs in your raid party. Some are absolute boss melters. Others are basically just expensive cheerleaders.

The real MVPs are the ones that hit hard, exploit raid weaknesses, and keep delivering no matter which Legendary or Mega shows up next.

With that in mind, here's our opinionated list of the best Pokémon for raids in Pokemon GO. This lineup features the attackers that are worth every Rare Candy and Stardust you throw at them.

1. Mega Rayquaza

Mega Rayquaza combines unmatched Attack with Dragon Ascent. This makes it one of the strongest raid attackers regardless of matchup. It also excels as a Dragon-type counter against numerous Legendary bosses.

2. Primal Groudon

Primal Groudon dominates Ground-type raids thanks to Precipice Blades. It crushes Electric, Fire, Poison, Rock, and Steel bosses. It also boosts allied Ground, Fire, and Grass attacks.

3. Primal Kyogre

With Origin Pulse, Primal Kyogre remains the premier Water attacker. Its Primal boost also strengthens teammates using Water, Electric, and Bug-type Pokemon during raids.

4. Mega Mewtwo Y

Mega Mewtwo Y boasts phenomenal Psychic-type damage through Psystrike. Even outside Psychic matchups, its extraordinary Attack stat lets it compete with specialized raid counters.

5. Mega Mewtwo X

Mega Mewtwo X uniquely combines Fighting and Psychic offense. With Counter and Psystrike, it handles multiple raid bosses. Along with that, it benefits from exceptional offensive stats.

6. Black Kyurem

Black Kyurem delivers elite Dragon-type damage. It stands among Pokemon GO's highest-DPS raid attackers. Its powerful signature moves keep it near the top of current PvE rankings.

7. White Kyurem

White Kyurem dominates Ice-type offense with Ice Burn. This makes it devastating against Dragon, Flying, Grass, and Ground raid bosses that frequently appear in five-star rotations.

8. Dawn Wings Necrozma

Dawn Wings Necrozma excels as a Ghost attacker with Moongeist Beam. Its impressive survivability gives it an advantage in lengthy Legendary raids over frailer alternatives.

9. Mega Lucario

Mega Lucario provides elite Fighting-type damage using Aura Sphere while boosting allied Fighting and Steel attacks. With these, coordinated raid groups become considerably stronger.

10. Mega Garchomp

Mega Garchomp performs brilliantly as both a Dragon and Ground attacker. That dual utility makes it valuable across a wide range of raid bosses.

11. Shadow Mewtwo

Shadow Mewtwo remains an outstanding general attacker. And that's because its incredible Attack often compensates for lacking a type advantage, especially with Psystrike equipped.

12. Mega Gengar

Mega Gengar dishes out massive Ghost-type DPS using Shadow Ball. Despite its fragility, it melts Psychic and Ghost raid bosses before they become threatening.

13. Mega Tyranitar

Mega Tyranitar offers top-tier Dark and Rock coverage. Bite and Brutal Swing make it especially effective against Ghost and Psychic Legendary Pokemon.

14. Shadow Metagross

Shadow Metagross with Meteor Mash remains the benchmark for Steel attackers. It destroys Fairy, Ice, and Rock raid bosses with remarkable consistency.

15. Shadow Rhyperior

Shadow Rhyperior's Rock Wrecker transforms it into an elite Rock attacker. Flying, Fire, Bug, and Ice raid bosses rarely withstand its overwhelming damage.

16. Mega Blaziken

Mega Blaziken thrives in both Fire and Fighting roles. Whether facing Steel, Ice, Bug, or Dark bosses, it consistently delivers reliable offensive value.

17. Reshiram

Reshiram remains one of Pokemon GO's strongest Fire attackers. Fusion Flare allows it to excel against Bug, Steel, Grass, and Ice raid bosses.

18. Shadow Salamence

Shadow Salamence combines enormous Dragon-type DPS with excellent coverage against powerful Legendary Dragons. Its Shadow bonus keeps it highly competitive despite newer releases.

19. Mega Salamence

Mega Salamence offers excellent Dragon-type damage but still boosts allied Dragon attacks. Its combination of power and durability makes it dependable for multiplayer raids.

20. Zacian (Crowned Sword)

Crowned Sword Zacian delivers outstanding Steel-type offense through Behemoth Blade. This gives players another elite option against Fairy, Rock, and Ice raid bosses.

21. Zamazenta (Crowned Shield)

Crowned Shield Zamazenta has emerged as a powerful Steel attacker capable of competing with many established raid specialists thanks to Behemoth Bash.

22. Eternatus

Eternatus ranks among the game's strongest Dragon attackers. Its tremendous offensive stats and Dynamax Cannon keep it near the top of current raid simulations.

23. Rampardos

Rampardos remains the definition of raw Rock-type DPS. While fragile, its immense offensive power makes it a favorite against Flying and Fire raid bosses.

24. Kartana

Kartana delivers exceptional Grass-type damage despite its paper-thin defenses. Against Water, Rock, and Ground bosses, it finishes raids with incredible speed.

25. Xurkitree

Xurkitree stands among the best Electric attackers thanks to its sky-high Attack. It excels against Water and Flying raid bosses throughout the annual raid cycle.

What are your favourite Pokemon to take raiding?

Read more at Gaming Community by Max Level!

Written by

Nilendu Brahma

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi