The Master League Classic is a new format debuting in Pokémon Go’s Go Battle League to coincide with the end of Season Six.
In this mode, players will only be able to use Pokémon that haven’t been upgraded with XL Candies, allowing players of all levels to have a chance against one another. Players looking to use Pokémon that they have increased the CP limit on can still use them in the regular Master League.
The scene hasn’t changed that much since the previous Master League. The same Legendary and Mythical Pokémon are continuing to be powerful options for trainers looking to reach higher ranks.
Here are a few of the best Pokémon to use in the Master League Classic that are still strong even without the benefits of XL Candies.
Mewtwo
One of the staples of the franchise, Mewtwo continues to be a dominant force in the Master League Classic. Although XL Candies enable the Genetic Pokémon to truly unlock its hidden potential, its high 3,000 CP possibilities and large movepool make it one of the strongest and safest options in PvP.
Confusion is Mewtwo’s best choice of quick move. It’s quite powerful compared to other quick moves and helps fill the charge gauge very quickly.
As for charge moves, it comes down to the player to determine what the best option is. From Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, Focus Blast, to even its signature Psystrike, Mewtwo has many powerful options at its disposal. If you’re looking to keep coverage in mind, Flamethrower might be best to keep Pokémon like Genesect in check.
Melmetal
This Mythical Pokémon has it all. If you need damage, bulk, or both in one, Melmetal is the choice for you.
Steel-type Pokémon are known for having large HP pools, and Melmetal may be one of the best options out of them all. It might not have a massive movepool, focusing primarily on Electric and Steel-type attacks, but with the right support in tow it will put a dent in your enemy’s team.
The only drawback is Melmetal’s availability. Players must have access to the Mystery Box and obtain 400 Meltan Candies to get this Mythical Pokémon. Luckily this process has been made easier, as players can obtain a Mystery Box every three days by transferring a Pokémon from Pokémon Go to Pokémon HOME.
Thunder Shock is the only available option as a quick move for Melmetal. Flash Cannon and Rock Slide are the best options for charge moves, since Superpower lower’s Melmetal’s Attack and Defense and Hyper Beam’s charge is very high.
Kyogre
Like in previous seasons, Kyogre is getting ready to make waves in the Master League in Season Six.
The Sea Basin Pokémon is one of the strongest Water-type Pokémon currently available in Pokémon Go, pailing only to Mega Gyarados who will release with the Lunar New Year event but will not be available to use in the Go Battle League.
Its incredibly high HP and Attack stats continue to make it one of the biggest threats in PvP with no signs of slowing down. Kyogre was just recently featured once more in Raids, so if players have one at their disposal, this is the best time to take advantage of its power.
Even after its release, Waterfall is Kyogre’s only quick move. But it makes up for this lack of variety in its charge moves, where it has access to Water, Electric, and Ice-type moves. Since it has Waterfall already, Hydro Pump and Surf aren’t the best options for type coverage, but Thunder and Blizzard are great options for catching opponents off guard.
The Master League Classic is available now in the Go Battle League and will last until Feb. 15.
