Key takeaways
- Melmetal ranks first in PvPoke's overall Great League rankings with a score of 93.9, using Thunder Shock, Double Iron Bash and Dynamic Punch (PvPoke)
- Mimikyu holds the top score of 100 in PvPoke's lead, closer and switch rankings for Great League (PvPoke)
- Double Iron Bash rose from 55 to 70 power in Trainer Battles this season (Pokémon GO)
- Standard Great League runs from November 10 to 17, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. PT, with a 1,500 CP cap (Pokémon GO)
- Mimikyu, Cramorant, Swablu, Vulpix and Snorlax are among this season's GO Battle League reward encounters (Pokémon GO)
The best Great League team right now is Mimikyu, Melmetal and Altaria. All three sit in the top four of PvPoke's overall Great League rankings (last updated October 31, 2026), and each one beats the main threats to the other two. Melmetal is ranked first with a score of 93.9, helped by this season's buff to Double Iron Bash. Standard Great League is live in GO Battle League from November 10 to 17, 2026. This guide covers the top 15 Pokémon and their movesets, the best leads, safe switches and closers, three complete teams (meta, shadow and budget) and the move changes that shaped the meta.
Checked against PvPoke's Great League rankings data (updated October 31, 2026) and the official GO Battle League: Twilight Trails post on November 12, 2026.
Basis: rankings and scores below come from PvPoke, an open-source battle simulator that runs every Great League matchup and scores each Pokémon from 0 to 100. Simulations assume good IVs and correct play, so real ladder results vary. The three teams are editorial picks built from PvPoke's win and loss data, not an official recommendation.
When is Great League live in GO Battle League?
Standard Great League runs from November 10 to November 17, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. PT, with a 1,500 CP cap, alongside Ultra League: Mega Edition and the 2026 GO LAIC Cup. It is the last standard Great League week of the Twilight Trails season. From November 24 to December 1, the Mega Catch Cup: Great League Edition also uses a 1,500 CP cap, allows Mega Evolutions, and only accepts Pokémon caught during the season (September 8 to December 1, 2026). The season ends on December 1, as covered in the Twilight Trails season guide.
If you also play Great League: Mega Edition when it returns, the rules differ: Mega-Evolved Pokémon are allowed, and one that would go over 1,500 CP has its level lowered for that battle only. After the Mega Evolution ends, the Pokémon stays in your party even if its normal CP is above the cap. The rankings in this guide are for standard Great League, where Mega Evolution is not available.
What are the best Pokémon in Great League right now?
Melmetal, Altaria, Shadow Ninetales, Mimikyu and Cramorant are the top five. The table lists PvPoke's top 15 overall with the recommended moveset for each.
| Rank | Pokémon | Score | Fast move | Charged moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melmetal | 93.9 | Thunder Shock | Double Iron Bash, Dynamic Punch |
| 2 | Altaria | 92.8 | Dragon Breath | Moonblast, Flamethrower |
| 3 | Shadow Ninetales | 92.6 | Ember | Weather Ball (Fire), Energy Ball |
| 4 | Mimikyu | 92.0 | Shadow Claw | Shadow Sneak, Play Rough |
| 5 | Cramorant | 91.6 | Peck | Surf, Fly |
| 6 | Tinkaton | 91.6 | Fairy Wind | Gigaton Hammer, Bulldoze |
| 7 | Shadow Altaria | 91.5 | Dragon Breath | Moonblast, Flamethrower |
| 8 | Corviknight | 91.4 | Sand Attack | Air Cutter, Iron Head |
| 9 | Galarian Corsola | 91.3 | Astonish | Night Shade, Power Gem |
| 10 | Florges | 91.3 | Fairy Wind | Chilling Water, Moonblast |
| 11 | Shadow Quagsire | 91.2 | Mud Shot | Aqua Tail, Stone Edge |
| 12 | Quagsire | 91.1 | Mud Shot | Aqua Tail, Stone Edge |
| 13 | Shadow Corviknight | 91.0 | Sand Attack | Air Cutter, Iron Head |
| 14 | Ninetales | 90.9 | Ember | Weather Ball (Fire), Energy Ball |
| 15 | Clodsire | 90.6 | Poison Sting | Earthquake, Stone Edge |
Just outside the top 15 are Shadow Hydreigon, Shadow Sableye, Thievul, Araquanid, Jellicent and Stunfisk, all above 90. Vigoroth (26th) and Snorlax (24th) matter more than their overall rank suggests because they are two of the best safe switches.
Which Pokémon are the best leads, switches and closers?
Mimikyu is the best Pokémon in all three roles, scoring 100 in PvPoke's lead, closer and switch rankings. After Mimikyu, each role has different leaders:
| Role | Top picks (PvPoke role score) |
|---|---|
| Lead | Mimikyu (100), Shadow Pangoro (89.1), Shadow Sableye (88.3), Shadow Hydreigon (87.7), Corviknight (87.5), Galarian Corsola (87.4) |
| Safe switch | Mimikyu (100), Snorlax (92.6), Vigoroth (90.7), Shadow Vigoroth (90.7), Shadow Feraligatr (89.5) |
| Closer | Mimikyu (100), Aegislash Blade Forme (96.4), Clodsire (92.4), Toxapex (90.0), Tinkaton (89.0), Registeel (88.3) |
Leads need to win the opening matchup or keep shield parity. Safe switches should not lose badly to anything common. Closers need bulk and shield-free damage for the last Pokémon standing, which is why slow, durable picks like Clodsire and Toxapex rank higher here than overall.
What is the best Great League team?
The strongest all-round team is Mimikyu (lead), Melmetal (switch) and Altaria (closer). Each member covers the others' losses in PvPoke's matchup data:
| Pokémon | Key wins | Key losses |
|---|---|---|
| Mimikyu | Altaria, Shadow Quagsire, Shadow Ninetales, Tinkaton, Cramorant | Melmetal, Vigoroth, Corviknight, Marowak |
| Melmetal | Mimikyu, Corviknight, Tinkaton, Cramorant, Vigoroth | Shadow Ninetales, Shadow Quagsire, Shadow Sableye, Stunfisk |
| Altaria | Shadow Ninetales, Vigoroth, Shadow Quagsire, Corviknight, Melmetal | Mimikyu, Thievul, Tinkaton, Galarian Corsola |
Mimikyu handles the Fairy and Water threats that trouble Altaria, Melmetal answers the Corviknight and Vigoroth that beat Mimikyu, and Altaria cleans up the Fire and Ground types that beat Melmetal. The weak spot is Tinkaton, which beats Altaria; save a shield or switch to Melmetal when you see it.
What are good alternative Great League teams?
Two more editorial teams, built from the same matchup data:
Shadow pressure: Shadow Sableye, Clodsire, Cramorant
Shadow Sableye (Shadow Claw, Foul Play, Drain Punch) leads into Cramorant, Shadow Quagsire, Melmetal, Shadow Ninetales and Vigoroth. Clodsire covers its losses to Tinkaton and Altaria and also beats Melmetal and Shadow Ninetales. Cramorant (Peck, Surf, Fly) beats Shadow Quagsire, Tinkaton, Shadow Ninetales, Corviknight and Altaria, which covers Clodsire's worst matchup. Watch for Mimikyu, which beats Clodsire and goes close with Shadow Sableye.
Budget: Galarian Corsola, Quagsire, Vigoroth
No Legendary, Mythical or Shadow Pokémon needed. Galarian Corsola leads into Altaria, Shadow Ninetales, Corviknight, Cramorant and Vigoroth. Regular Quagsire (Mud Shot, Aqua Tail, Stone Edge) beats Stunfisk, Melmetal, Tinkaton, Vigoroth and Shadow Sableye. Vigoroth (Scratch, Body Slam, Bulldoze) beats Shadow Ninetales, Florges, Mimikyu, Thievul and Stunfisk, which covers the Mimikyu problem the other two share.
Several top picks are easy to get this season: Mimikyu, Cramorant, Swablu (Altaria), Vulpix (Ninetales), Snorlax and Mareanie (Toxapex) are in the GO Battle League reward encounter pool for Twilight Trails.
What counters the top Great League Pokémon?
Knowing what beats the top five tells you what to lead with and when to switch. These are the five worst matchups for each, from PvPoke's simulations:
| Pokémon | Loses to |
|---|---|
| Melmetal | Shadow Ninetales, Shadow Quagsire, Shadow Sableye, Stunfisk, Altaria |
| Altaria | Mimikyu, Thievul, Tinkaton, Galarian Corsola, Cramorant |
| Shadow Ninetales | Mimikyu, Altaria, Vigoroth, Shadow Sableye, Cramorant |
| Mimikyu | Melmetal, Vigoroth, Morpeko, Corviknight, Marowak |
| Cramorant | Stunfisk, Shadow Sableye, Mimikyu, Galarian Corsola, Melmetal |
Two patterns stand out. Mimikyu and Shadow Sableye each beat three of the top five, which is why they make the best leads. Melmetal is the only top-five Pokémon that reliably beats Mimikyu, so most teams that open with something else keep Melmetal or Vigoroth in the back.
Which move changes shaped the current Great League meta?
The Twilight Trails season rebalanced many PvP moves, and several explain the current rankings:
| Move | Change (Trainer Battles) | Who benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Double Iron Bash | 55 to 70 power | Melmetal |
| Bulldoze | 45 to 80 power, guaranteed Defense drop, higher energy cost | Tinkaton, Vigoroth |
| Air Cutter | 45 to 60 power, lower Attack-raise chance, higher energy cost | Corviknight |
| Body Slam | 55 to 65 power, higher energy cost | Vigoroth, Snorlax |
| Moonblast | 110 to 90 power, lower energy cost | Altaria, Florges (faster, weaker) |
| Iron Head | 70 to 85 power | Corviknight |
| Infestation | 6 to 10 power | Araquanid |
| Brine | 60 to 100 power, higher energy cost | Toxapex |
How do you build your own Great League team?
Pick one Pokémon per role and check that no single common Pokémon beats two of your three. A simple process:
- Choose a lead that wins or ties at least half of the top 10 (Mimikyu, Shadow Sableye or Galarian Corsola).
- Add a safe switch that beats your lead's counters (Melmetal, Vigoroth or Snorlax are common answers to Mimikyu).
- Finish with a closer that has bulk and handles what is left (Altaria, Clodsire or Toxapex).
- Test the trio in PvPoke's team builder before spending Stardust, and favor high stat product IVs for 1,500 CP.
More Pokémon GO coverage is on the Pokémon GO hub.
Related guides
FAQ
What is the best Great League team in Pokémon GO right now?
Mimikyu, Melmetal and Altaria. All three are in PvPoke's top four for Great League (updated October 31, 2026) and cover each other's main losses.
What is the number one Pokémon in Great League?
Melmetal, with a PvPoke score of 93.9 using Thunder Shock, Double Iron Bash and Dynamic Punch. Double Iron Bash was buffed from 55 to 70 power this season.
What is the best Great League lead?
Mimikyu, which scores 100 in PvPoke's lead rankings. Shadow Pangoro, Shadow Sableye, Shadow Hydreigon and Corviknight follow.
When is Great League available in November 2026?
Standard Great League runs November 10 to 17, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. PT. The Mega Catch Cup: Great League Edition follows from November 24 to December 1.
What is a good budget Great League team?
Galarian Corsola, Quagsire and Vigoroth. None are Legendary, Mythical or Shadow Pokémon, and together they cover most of the top 15.
What is the CP limit for Great League?
1,500 CP. Great League: Mega Edition also uses 1,500 CP and temporarily lowers the level of Mega-Evolved Pokémon that would exceed it.
Sources
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