Read this Pokemon GO guide on the recommended & best Pokemon to power using Stardust & Candy. Know which to power up for legendary raids, gym battles and defense, & more!
Check Out How To Raise CP Here!Priority In Powering Up
[NOTE] Power Up Pokemon Until PL 30
It's recommended to power up Pokemon only until Pokemon Level 30. Doing so after this level doesn't make any noticeable change in its statistics so it's best to use your resources on other Pokemon instead.
Pokemon Is Level 30 After Stardust Needed Is 5000
You can figure out the Pokemon's Level by the amount of Stardust required to power it up. When the Stardust needed reaches 5,000, when you power up the Pokemon twice after, it's already at PL 30.
Check Out Ways To Earn Stardust!Prioritize Powering Up Pokemon Frequently Used
The first few Pokemon you should power up are those that you use in gym and raid battles. Since Stardust is a precious & hard-to-get commodity, power up the Pokemon that are used more often.
Pokemon Used In Legendary Raids
More stars means higher priority to power up.
| Pokemon Priority | [[Normal Attack / Charge Attack] Effective In This Raid |
|---|---|
| Kyogre ★ ★ ★ | [Waterfall / Hydro Pump] Groudon |
| Roserade ★ ★ ★ | [Razor Leaf / Solar Beam] Kyogre |
| Electivire ★ ★ ★ | [Thunder Shock / Wild Charge] Kyogre |
| Tyranitar ★ ★ ★ | [Bite / Crunch] Deoxys |
| Raikou ★ ★ | [Thunder Shock / Wild Charge] Kyogre |
| Zapdos ★ ★ | [Thunder Shock / Zap Cannon] Kyogre |
| Gyarados ★ ★ | [Waterfall / Hydro Pump] Groudon |
| Venusaur ★ ★ | [Vine Whip / Frenzy Plant] Kyogre |
| Weavile ★ | [Feint Attack / Foul Play] Deoxys |
| Scizor ★ | [Fury Cutter / X-Scissor] Deoxys |
Pokemon Used In Lower Level Raids
More stars means higher priority to power up.
| Pokemon Priority | [[Normal Attack / Charge Attack] Effective In This Raid |
|---|---|
| Machamp ★ ★ ★ | [Counter / Dynamic Punch] ・Absol ・Aggron |
| Kyogre ★ ★ ★ | [Waterfall / Hydro Pump] ・Aggron ・Solrock ・Lunatone ・Claydol |
| Groudon ★ ★ ★ | [Mud Shot / Earthquake] ・Aggron ・Solrock ・Lunatone ・Claydol |
| Moltres ★ ★ ★ | [Fire Spin / Overheat] ・Metagross ・Shiftry |
| Flareon ★ ★ | [Fire Spin / Overheat] ・Metagross ・Shiftry |
| Entei ★ ★ | [Fire Spin / Overheat] ・Metagross ・Shiftry |
| Roserade ★ ★ | [Razor Leaf / Solar Beam] ・Claydol ・Crawdaunt |
| Gyarados ★ ★ | [Waterfall / Hydro Pump] ・Claydol ・Solrock ・Lunatone |
| Breloom ★ | [Counter / Dynamic Punch] ・Absol [Bullet Seed / Grass Knot] ・Sharpedo |
| Raikou ★ | [Thunder Shock / Wild Charge] ・Sharpedo ・Crawdaunt |
| Electivire ★ | [Thunder Shock / Wild Charge] ・Sharpedo ・Crawdaunt |
| Zapdos ★ | [Thunder Shock / Zap Cannon] ・Sharpedo ・Crawdaunt |
Pokemon For Gym Battle & Defense
More stars means higher priority to power up.
| Pokemon Priority | [[Normal Attack / Charge Attack] Criteria For Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Machamp ★ ★ ★ | [Counter / Dynamic Punch] ・Fighting Type moves are very powerful ・Can easily take down high HP Blissey defending the gym |
| Blissey ★ ★ ★ | [Zen Headbutt / Dazzling Gleam] ・Best suited for defending a gym ・Has high HP that can make it last in the gym longer |
| Metagross ★ ★ ★ | [Bullet Punch / Meteor Mash] ・Has high attack that can take down Pokemon ・Can be used against a variety of Types ・Meteor Mash is a Legacy Move, making it difficult to obtain |
| Moltres ★ ★ ★ | [Fire Spin / Overheat] ・Has very high attack stats ・Has one of the strongest Fire Type moves ・Can easily take down a Metagross guarding a gym |
| Kyogre ★ ★ | [Waterfall / Hydro Pump] ・Kyogre's base stats are very high overall ・Can fight against many different Pokemon |
| Groudon ★ ★ | [Mud Shot / Earthquake] ・Has powerful attack base stats ・Can be used to counter Metagross |
| Raikou ★ ★ | [Thunder Shock / Wild Charge] ・Overall base stats are top tier ・Moves are easy to use & charge gauges fast |
| Snorlax ★ ★ | [Zen Headbutt / Hyper Beam] ・Highest defense next to Blissey ・Can protect the gym longer with its powerful moves ・Best suited to defend gyms |
| Dragonite ★ ★ | [Dragon Tail / Outrage] ・Has top-tier attack power ・It's Dragon Type moves are hard to counter ・Dragonite is best used to attack gyms |
| Tyranitar ★ ★ | [Bite / Crunch] ・Is strong with high HP, attack, & defense ・Moves are easy to use & charge gauge quickly ・Has dual weaknesses so it's not suited for gym defense |
| Lapras ★ | [Frost Breath / Petal Blizzard] ・Has high durability ・Can be used to attack or defend gyms |
| Vaporeon ★ | [Water Gun / Hydro Pump] ・Has enough durability to defend gym well ・Moves are strong and excellent in battle |
| Jolteon ★ | [Thunder Shock / Thunderbolt] ・One of the strongest Electric Type Pokemon ・Can be an alternative to Raikou |
Power Up Pokemon With High CP
High CP Pokemon Can Save You Stardust Cost
Catching a Pokemon with already high CP will save you a lot of Stardust. It's best to decide using the Pokemon's CP whether or not you will power it up. Try to power up Pokemon with IV of 90% and above, too!
Catch During Weather Boost To Get High CP
Pokemon with a weather boost also appear with a higher CP. They spawn more often and can have a maximum Pokemon Level (PL) of 30, so try to capture as many as you can to get high stat Pokemon.
Check Out Weather System Here!Power Up Pokemon With Good Moves
Choose Pokemon With Powerful, Flexible Moves
Even if a Pokemon's CP or IV is low, it's best to prioritize powering up Pokemon with strong, flexible moves you can use in battle. Moves are crucial in combat, determining the damage depending on its Type & effectiveness.
Check Out Type & Effectiveness Chart!Moves Can Be Changed Via TM
You can sometimes receive a TM when defeating a raid battle. These can be used to change the moves of your Pokemon. A Pokemon with high IV but ineffective moves can be bred for battle simply by using a TM on it.
Check Out TM Details Here!High IV Pokemon
Power Up High IVs When Raiding With Small Group
In battle, high IV Pokemon aren't that important. The IVs come into play when you are fighting a high-level raid boss with only a few people. This is when high IV Pokemon have an advantage.
Check Out What Is Individual Value!IVs Cannot Be Changed
A Pokemon's IV cannot be changed once it is caught. As these values are already set, players should keep catching Pokemon for higher chances of getting a high IV Pokemon.
Hatch Eggs Or Defeat Raid Bosses
Hatching eggs or defeating then capturing raid bosses will give you higher chance of getting high IV Pokemon. If you're looking for Pokemon with higher Individual Values, this is the way to go.
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