Best moveset for Walrein in Pokémon Go

Pokémon fans know very well that even if their partners start out cute and cuddly, most times they’ll grow into fierce beasts, ditching that cuteness for power.

For some Pokémon players, seeing the loveable round Spheal slowly evolve into the formidable Walrein is a drastic change. For others, simply looking at the Ice Break Pokémon reminds them of the Hoenn Elite Four member Glacia, who was more than willing to drench players’ Fire-type Pokémon in torrents of water as they faced her Ice-type team.

In the nearly 20 years that Walrein has been part of the Pokémon series, it remains one of the bulkiest Water- and Ice-type Pokémon. These qualities transfer over into Pokémon Go, as Walrein is a great option in the Go Battle League’s Great League as well as in most Raids. However, obtaining Walrein can be a rather difficult feat, especially with how many Spheal Candies players will need to reach that final evolution.

Pokémon Go players who missed out on the Community Day featuring Spheal at the start of this year shouldn’t fret—not only will Spheal begin to appear more frequently as the weather gets colder, but the Clap Pokémon will appear en masse during the December Community Day weekend. Per the game’s loading screen, it appears that costumed Spheal will also be making an appearance later this month, though they will likely remain incapable of evolving.

Best moveset for Walrein in Pokémon Go

Walrein functions best in both the Great League and in Raids where the opposing Pokémon is a Fire-, Ground-, or Dragon-type. Despite also being super-effective against Grass-types and Rock-types, Walrein takes the same level of damage in return, so it’s best to use other Pokémon in those specific situations.

Though Walrein has preferred options for both its Fast Attack and Charged Attack, its wide access to coverage moves of multiple types makes it extremely versatile, meaning it should be built depending on the niche it needs to fill on a player’s team. Players should also note that it has access to two event-exclusive moves—the Fast Attack Powder Snow and the Charged Attack Icicle Spear—which can only be learned on Community Day or via an Elite Fast TM or Elite Charged TM, respectively.

The most efficient use of Walrein is as a bulky mixed attacker that uses Waterfall as its Fast Attack and either Blizzard or Icicle Spear as its Charged Attack. Waterfall acts as a great way to build energy for Charged Attacks while Walrein receives minimal damage from opposing attacks thanks to its bulk—even if those attacks are super effective.

Icicle Spear’s three charges also act as a great way for Walrein to bait opponents into using their Protect Shields, rendering them defenseless to stronger attacks from the player’s other Pokémon. If players are using Walrein only for Raids, though, it may be better to choose one of its other Charged Attack options—Blizzard, Earthquake, or Water Pulse—to deplete boss’ health bars more quickly.