Dina Bader: Stay on top of Pokémon Go battles, Gyms, and more with these movesets

A Pokémon is only a good as it's moves.

While it may seem like Combat Power (CP) or stats (IV) are the most important factors in Pokémon Go, movesets play a critically important role as well. Movesets are the combination of the quick attack and charged attack your Pokémon uses in Gym and Raid Battles.

The wonderful, terrible thing about movesets is that they're determined at random. If you catch or hatch a Snorlax, you get whatever you get. If you evolve a Slaking, Tyranitar, Dragonite, Gyarados, Blissey, etc. or catch one after a Raid, they're determined by a roll of the dice the moment you hit the evolve button or as soon as the Premier Ball stops bouncing. That means your perfect IV Shelgon can become a less-than-ideal Salamence.

The good news is that, with Technical Machines (TMs), you can re-roll your old, terrible movesets and try for new, great ones. But how do you know which movesets will help your Pokémon win at PvP Trainer Battles and decimate Gyms and Raids and which will make a fight simply unwinnable? Here's the newly updated list!

What are the best Pokémon Go movesets cheat sheet

If all you want is a quick reference for the absolute best moveset for the most powerful Pokémon (CP) in Pokémon Go as the game stands today, here it is. (For more details and alternate movesets, keep reading below).

Legendary and Mythical Pokémon

While there are some Trainers who have entire teams of each Legendary Pokémon, Legendaries and Mythicals are some of the rarest Pokémon in the game. On top of that, they require the most walking to earn Candies, so it can be extremely time consuming and outright expensive to power them up and teach them new moves. However, they're also some of the most powerful Pokémon in the game, so you'll want them to have the best possible movesets.

Pokémon	Attack
Articuno	Frost Breath + Ice Beam or Blizzard
Zapdos	Thunder Shock* + Thunder Bolt
Moltres	Fire Spin + Overheat Wing Attack + Sky Attack*
Mewtwo	Confusion + Psystrike* or Shadow Ball*
Armored Mewtwo	Confusion + Psystrike*
Mew	Shadow Claw + Psyshock
Raikou	Thunder Shock + Wild Charge
Entei	Fire Fang + Overheat
Suicune	Snarl + Hydro Pump
Lugia	Extrasensory + Sky Attack or Future Sight
Ho-Oh	Extrasensory or Hidden Power + Brave Bird or Fire Blast
Celebi	Confusion + Psychic
Regirock	Rock Throw or Lock-On + Stone Edge
Regice	Frost Breath or Lock-On + Blizzard
Registeel	Metal Claw or Lock-On + Flash Cannon
Latias	Dragon Breath + Outrage
Latios	Dragon Breath + Dragon Claw
Kyogre	Waterfall + Surf
Groudon	Mud Shot + Earthquake or Solar Beam
Rayquaza	Dragon Tail + Outrage
Jirachi	Confusion + Doom Desire
Deoxys (Normal Form)	Charge Beam + Thunderbolt
Deoxys (Attack Form)	Poison Jab + Dark Pulse
Deoxys (Defense Form)	Counter + Thunder Bolt or Rock Slide
Deoxys (Speed Form)	Zen Headbutt + Thunderbolt
Uxie	Confusion + Future Sight
Mesprit	Confusion + Future Sight
Azelf	Confusion + Future Sight
Dialga	Dragon Breath + Draco Meteor
Palkia	Dragon Tail + Draco Meteor
Heatran	Fire Spin + Flamethrower
Regigigas	Hidden Power + Giga Impact
Giratina (Origin)	Shadow Claw + Shadow Ball
Giratina (Altered)	Shadow Claw + Dragon Claw or Shadow Sneak
Cresselia	Confusion + Futuresight
Darkrai	Snarl + Shadow Ball or Dark Pulse
Victini	Confusion + V-Create
Cobalion	Metal Claw + Sacred Sword
Terrakion	Smack Down + Rock Slide
Virizion	Zen Headbutt + Leaf Blade
Tornadus	Air Slash + Hurricane
Thundurus	Thunder Shock + Thunder Punch
Reshiram	Fire Fang + Overheat
Zekrom	Dragon Breath + Outrage Charge Beam + Wild Charge
Landorus	Mud Shot + Earth Power
Kyurem	Dragon Breath + Draco Meteor
Genesect	Fury Cutter + X-Scissor
Meltan	Thunder Shock + Thunderbolt
Melmetal	Thunder Shock + Thunderbolt

Non-Legendary Pokémon

Most other species of Pokémon can be found more easily than Legendary and Mythical Pokémon. Many are featured in Community Days and other events, so earning Candies for these Pokémon is easier. You probably won't want to waste Elite TMs on most of these Pokémon, but normal TMs can definitely get you some really good moves. While we won't tell you every single Pokémon's best moves (because, let's face it, even with the best moves and top CP, Pidgey isn't going to serve you well in any sort of fight,) here are some of the best non-Legendary Pokémon in the game, along with their ideal movesets:

Pokémon	Attack
Venusaur	Vine Whip + Frenzy Plant*
Charizard	Fire Spin + Blast Burn*
Blastoise	Water Gun + Hydro Canon*
Arcanine	Snarl + Wild Charge
Alakazam	Confusion + Psychic*
Machamp	Counter + Dynamic Punch
Victreebel	Razor Leaf + Leaf Blade
Golem	Rock Throw + Stone Edge or Rock Blast
Alolan Golem	Rock Throw + Rock Blast or Stone Edge
Slowbro	Confusion + Psychic
Muk	Poison Jab + Gunk Shot
Gengar	Shadow Claw + Shadow Ball
Hypno	Confusion + Psychic
Kingler	Bubble + Crabhammer
Exeggutor	Confusion + Psychic or Solar Beam
Alolan Exeggutor	Bullet Seed + Solar Beam
Rhydon	Mud Slap + Stone Edge or Earthquake
Mr. Mime	Confusion + Shadow Ball
Pinser	Bug Bite + X-Scissor
Gyarados	Waterfall + Hydro Pump
Lapras	Frost Breath + Blizzard
Vaporeon	Water Gun + Hydro Pump
Jolteon	Thunder Shock + Thunderbolt
Flareon	Fire Spin + Overheat
Omastar	Rock Throw* + Rock Slide*
Aerodactyl	Steel Wing + Hyper Beam
Snorlax	Lick + Return
Dragonite	Dragon Breath + Outrage or Draco Meteor*
Meganium	Vine Whip or Razor Leaf + Frenzy Plant
Typhlosion	Ember + Overheat
Feraligatr	Waterfall + Hydro Cannon
Ampharos	Charge Beam + Zap Cannon
Espeon	Confusion + Psychic
Umbreon	Snarl + Foul Play
Slowking	Confusion + Psychic
Steelix	Iron Tail + Heavy Slam
Scizor	Bullet Punch + Iron Head
Heracross	Counter + Close Combat
Usaring	Counter + Hyper Beam
Donphan	Counter + Earthquake
Tyranitar	Bite + Crunch Smack Down* + Stone Edge
Sceptile	Bullet Seed + Frenzy Plant*
Blaziken	Fire Spin + Blast Burn*
Swampert	Water Gun + Hydro Cannon*
Gardevoir	Charm + Dazzling Gleam Confusion + Synchronoise
Breloom	Counter + Dynamic Punch
Slaking	Yawn + Hyper Beam
Hariyama	Counter + Dynamic Punch
Aggron	Iron Tail + Heavy Slam
Wailord	Water Gun + Surf
Flygon	Dragon Tail + Dragon Claw Mud Shot + Earth Power
Armaldo	Fury Cutter + Rock Blast
Claydol	Confusion + Psychic
Milotic	Waterfall + Surf
Banette	Shadow Claw + Shadow Ball
Walrein	Frost Breath + Blizzard
Salamence	Dragon Tail + Outrage*
Metagross	Bullet Punch + Meteor Mash*
Torterra	Razor Leaf + Frenzy Plant*
Infernape	Fire Spin + Blast Burn*
Empoleon	Waterfall + Hydro Cannon*
Roserade	Razor Leaf + Grass Knot Poison Jab + Sludge Bomb
Rampardos	Smack Down + Rock Slide
Mismagius	Hex or Sucker Punch + Shadow Ball
Honchkrow	Peck + Sky Attack
Garchomp	Dragon Tail + Outrage Mud Shot + Earthquake
Lucario	Counter + Aura Sphere
Weavile	Snarl + Foul Play Ice Shard + Avalanche
Magnezone	Spark + Wild Charge
Rhyperior	Smack Down + Stone Edge Mud Slap + Earthquake
Tangrowth	Vine Whip + Power Whip
Electivire	Thunder Shock + Wild Charge
Togekiss	Charm + Dazzling Gleam
Yanmega	Bug Bite + Bug Buzz
Leafeon	Razor Leaf or Quick Attack + Leaf Blade
Glaceon	Frost Breath + Avalanche
Mamoswine	Powder Snow + Avalanche
Gallade	Confusion + Synchronoise
Probopass	Spark + Thunderbolt
Froslass	Powder Snow + Avalanche or Shadow Ball
Serperior	Vine Whip + Grass Knot
Emboar	Low Kick + Focus Blast
Samurott	Water Fall + Hydro Pump
Unfezant	Air Slash + Sky Attack
Excadrill	Mud Slap + Drill Run
Conkeldurr	Counter + Dynamic Punch
Darmanitan	Fire Fang + Overheat
Galarian Darmanitan	Ice Fang + Avalanche
Ferrothorn	Bullet Seed + Power Whip
Chandelure	Fire Spin + Overheat Hex + Shadow Ball
Haxorus	Dragon Tail + Dragon Claw
Golurk	Mud Slap + Earth Power
Hydreigon	Bite or Dragon Breath + Dark Pulse

Again, many Pokémon have several ideal movesets, so keep reading for more!

Legacy Move*.

Shadow Pokémon

With the latest rebalance of Shadow Pokémon and the addition of events where you can change Frustration for another Charged attack, there are Shadow Pokémon that you will want in your roster too. You can only change a Shadow Pokémon's Charged attack during specific events, but once it knows a normal attack, you can change it again and again. Here are the Shadow Pokémon worth keeping and investing in:

Mewtwo
Metagross
Salamence
Machamp
Weavile
Tyranitar
Moltres
Zapdos
Electivire
Magnezone
Entei
Torterra
Venusaur
Gardevoir
Charizard
Alakazam
Gyarados
Banette
Victreebel
Arcanine
Exeggutor
Gallade
Magmortar
Pinsir
Scizor
Houndoom
Omastar
Porygon-Z
Cacturne
Sharpedo
Shiftry
Blastoise
Flygon
Scyther
Absol

Note: While most Shadow Pokémon have the same ideal movesets as their normal counterparts, Shadow Mewtwo is in a class unto itself. It is by far the strongest Pokémon in the game. As such, many of its Charged attacks are well worth having. Shadow Ball is exceptionally useful against other Psychic types. Psystrike makes it the most powerful Psychic type attacker. Even some of its other attacks, like Ice Beam, Flamethrower, and Thunderbolt are very useful in particular Raids and PVP fights. Focus Blast and Hyper Beam are the only Charged attacks without good uses.

What if you don't have the best movesets?

Since the introduction of the Raid Battle system in June 2017, you can get Technical Machines to change your movesets. Two of the possible rewards for beating Raid Bosses are Quick TM and Fast TM, which can be used to change Quick Moves and Charge Moves respectively. Regular TMs are completely random and cannot access Legacy Moves.

Legacy Moves are special moves that were once available for a Pokémon but are no longer. Sometimes they were removed when Niantic re-balanced the game. Some were only available on Community Day or in special Raids. Either way, if a Legacy Move happens to be the best possible move for a Pokémon and you don't have it, you cannot get it with a normal TM. Before you use a TM on any Pokémon, double check that it doesn't have a Legacy Move because once it's gone, you cannot get it back!

More recently, Niantic introduced Elite TMs. These TMs are very rare and difficult to get, but allow you to choose from any move a Pokémon can have, including Legacy Moves. They aren't random either. You get to choose the move. Because of how hard it is to get Elite TMs, you'll want to save them for your very best Pokémon, but hey, now you can have a Mewtwo with Shadow Ball and Psystrike!

How do you change movesets in Pokémon Go? With Technical Machines (TM)!

What about Types?

It's also important to keep in mind types! While some Pokémon only have one type, most have two and all Pokémon can learn moves from multiple types. Although most Pokémon have a single moveset that is the best for their whole species, there are some Pokémon who have multiple sets. Take Chandelure, for example; Chandelure is a Fire and Ghost type and can be one of the best of either. If you're using your Chandelure as a Fire type, you'll want it to know Fire Spin and Overheat, but if you're going for Ghost type, you'll want Hex and Shadow Ball.

What about secondary Charge Moves?

With PvP Trainer Battles has come secondary Charge Moves. You can buy them with Stardust and Candy, and TM them to whatever it is you need. So, what do you need? Typically, variety. If the best Charge Move is a full bar, get a secondary that's multi-bar. If there are two possible types for the Charged move, get both. For example, a Mewtwo with Shadow Ball or Psystrike is incredible, but one with both? Gamebreaker! However, adding a second Charge Move is expensive (up to 100K Stardust on the Legendaries) so make sure there is a good secondary move before spending on this upgrade.

Your best Pokémon Go movesets?

These are the best Pokémon Go movesets I've seen for the toughest Pokémon and best counters currently in the game. If you have a favorite that didn't make the list, let us know in the comments. And be sure to check out our Complete Pokédex, as well as our many Pokémon Go Guides so you too can become a Pokémon Master!