Quick Links
The Master League is the ultimate challenge for Trainers looking to test their might in thePokémon GOBattle League. With no limit on how strong your Pokémon can be, the gloves really come off in this Legendary-filled league. As a result, it’s more important than ever to know the best team to take into battle, because it’s going to be very expensive to power them up to their full potential.
Pokémon GOmight be primarily about catching ‘em all, but there’s also adedicated Battle Leaguefor Trainers to fight each other in PvP Battles. The Great League is the entry-level league, where Pokémon are capped at 1,500 CP. Then there’s the Ultra League, where the limit is 2,500 CP. Finally, the Master League is where the most experienced Trainers can unleash their top Pokémon with no restrictions.
Pokémon GO Shiny Odds (& Why Raids Are Best) Explained
Shiny odds in Pokémon GO work very differently compared to the rates in the mainline series. There are a few factors that make them so different.
Best Team For The Master League In Pokémon GO
Origin Forme Palkia & Dialga Rise To The Top
One of the best teams you can use in the Master League isOrigin Forme Palkia, Dawn Wings Necrozma, and Xerneas. While it’s impossible to choose a team that will win every single match, these three Pokémon are standout choices that will give you good coverage against most opponents.
Origin Forme Palkia is currently the number one Pokémon in the Master League meta, making huge waves since its arrival during the Pokémon GO Tour: Sinnoh event in February 2024. Improved stats and access to the powerful attack Spacial Rend mean Origin Forme is essentially a better version of standard Palkia, which was already a great option for the Master League.
With Origin Forme Palkia on your team, you’ll want your other two Pokémon to be able to answer not only Palkia’s major counters but also Origin Forme Dialga, which is another top choice in the meta.Dawn Wings Necrozmacan fulfill this role incredibly well as one of the strongest new additions to the game, while Xerneas is a great counter to any Dragon-types you might come across.
Keep in mind that every Pokémon will need XL Candy and lots of Stardust to reach their full potential in the Master League, making this a very expensive and time-consuming league to prepare for. If you don’t have enough resources, taking part in the Great League or the Ultra League might be a better option.
Alternatively, if you’ve managed to catch an Origin Forme Dialga that knows the attack Roar Of Time, you’re able to create an excellent team consisting ofOrigin Forme Dialga, Groudon, and Mewtwo. Together, these three Pokémon have great coverage options, with Mewtwo and Groudon helping you take down any Trainers that send Origin Forme Palkia out into battle.
Best Pokémon For The Master League
The Strongest Of All Time
Many of the top Pokémon in the Master League meta can only be obtained through time-limited Raid Battles, while their strongest attacks are often tied to specific events, such as Origin Forme Palkia and its move Spacial Rend. Even the more common Pokémon like Dragonite and Groudon will require lots of resources to teach them their optimal moves and power them up enough.
You can see some of the top performing Pokémon in the Master League below alongside their best movesets:
Incinerate
Brave Bird & Sacred Fire
There’s a high chance you won’t have all of these Pokémon in your collection, so a bit of mixing and matching might be required. The most important thing is that you have as much coverage as possible. For example, if you know one of your Pokémon is weak to Fairy-type attacks, try to make sure you’ve got another Pokémon on your team that can take out Fairies.
If you don’t have any of the Pokémon in the table above, it might be a struggle to get wins in the Master League, as the meta is very much dominated by a select few creatures. However, if you still want to take part, it’s a good idea to take a look atPvPoketo see which Pokémon are near the top of the rankings. Pay attention to their strengths and weaknesses and give it your best shot.
Because the Master League has no restrictions or CP limit, there’s less of an even playing field when compared to the Great League and the Ultra League, where the goal is primarily to get all of your Pokémon as close to a specific CP as possible. You’ll need to be at a high Trainer level if you want to power them up as high as possible, and it will cost a lot of resources, too.
One good thing about the Master League is that many of the top competitors are also great Raid attackers. Take this into consideration when deciding which Pokémon to power up. For example, if you’re in need of a strong Psychic-type attacker, Mewtwo might be a good option to focus on as it’s also a great all-rounder in the Master League.
Pokémon GO Master League Start & End Date
Three Weeks To Compete
The traditional Master League returns to thePokémon GOBattle League onFriday, August 24, 2025, at 1 PM PST / 4 PM EST / 9 PM BST, and runs untilFriday, August 02, 2025. This means you’ve got three weeks to take part and work on putting together the best team possible.
In its first week, the Master League will appear alongside theFossil Cup: Great League Edition. In its second week, it will appear alongside the Catch Up: Great League Edition, the traditional Great League, and the traditional Ultra League. In its final week, it will appear alongside the traditional Great League and the traditional Ultra League inPokémon GO.
