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Pokemon GO's Great League Remix has reopened from July 13, 2023, to July 20, 2023. While this specialty format has similar rules to the Great League (like the 1,500 CP cap), the 20 most-used Pocket Monsters by trainers ranked Ace level and above are banned from participation. This includes popular picks like Noctowl, Lanturn, Skarmory, Umbreon, Registeel, Galarian Stunfisk, Medicham, and Swampert.
Due to the removal of some of the staple meta choices in this Pokemon GO PvP format, trainers have to get a little creative with their team building. Fortunately, there are still a ton of Pocket Monsters worth utilizing that evaded the ban hammer.
If Pokemon GO fans are looking for a few recommendations for their Great League Remix team, there are some notable options that immediately come to mind.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer
Recommended Pocket Monsters to utilize in Pokemon GO's Great League Remix
1) Carbink
Max Base Stats
- Attack - 84.8
- Defense - 247.8
- Stamina - 126
Carbink is a new addition to Pokemon GO. This means that the incredibly durable creature evaded the ban due to it not being used enough before data was collated by Niantic. While it may end up getting removed in future Great League Remixes, Carbink is one of the best options players can use in the format this July.
Carbink has a fairly rare Rock/Fairy typing paired with remarkable bulk, thanks to its sky-high Defense IVs. This makes it one of the best defenders a player can use on their team, and it matches up well against Dark, Flying, Bug, Fire, Ice, Dragon, and Fighting-type foes. Just be sure to keep it away from Steel-type attacks.
2) Scrafty
Max Base Stats
- Attack - 110.4
- Defense - 155.3
- Stamina - 117
Durability is beloved in Pokemon GO's Great League Remix, much like it is in the traditional Great League, and Scrafty is an understated option in the latter. This allowed it to dodge a ban while having excellent durability with improved damage output compared to Carbink.
Furthermore, Scrafty is a Dark/Fighting-type Pokemon with great Fast Move pressure and energy generation. Thanks to access to Charged Moves like Power-Up Punch, Scrafty can snowball over the course of a battle and take over as its damage potential increases with each subsequent punch.
3) Shadow Quagsire
Max Base Stats
- Attack - 111.2
- Defense - 111.9
- Stamina - 161
Although this July's Great League Remix prohibited the best "Mud Boy" Pokemon (Swampert) from participating, there are plenty of great alternatives that can perform a similar function. Shadow Quagsire has quality endurance while having the same great access to Water and Ground-type moves.
Mud Shot and Mud Bomb make Shadow Quagsire a menace against meta picks like Shadow Alolan Sandslash, Shadow Drapion, and Carbink. Furthermore, access to Charged Moves like Stone Edge gives it solid type coverage and the ability to flexibly meet many different enemy type combinations in this format.
4) Vigoroth
Max Base Stats
- Attack - 117.6
- Defense - 112.6
- Stamina - 144
Normal-type species in Pokemon GO offer a particularly compelling skill set in PvP in general, including the Great League Remix. Vigoroth may be the best example of this, sporting good durability and only one elemental weakness (Fighting-type). Vigoroth can also deal neutral damage to most opponents with Normal-type moves like Body Slam.
By combining attacks like Counter, Body Slam, and Brick Break, Vigoroth can be a great all-around fighter that isn't easy to counter in Pokemon GO. Access to the move Counter also lets Vigoroth spam its Fast Attack, charging up its energy quickly and effectively.
5) Regirock
Max Base Stats
- Attack - 103.7
- Defense - 180.2
- Stamina - 115
Although its counterpart Registeel got banned for its extensive use in Pokemon GO PvP, Regirock offers a similar set of capabilities (and defensive stats) despite being a Rock-type that is easier to counter. Nonetheless, Regirock has access to the Fast Move Lock On, which gives it peerless energy generation.
Even better, Regirock has access to several quality Charged Moves like Stone Edge, Earthquake, Zap Cannon, and Focus Blast in Pokemon GO. Thanks to Lock On, Regirock can fire off Charged Moves often, and its variety of moves allows it to defeat many different opponent types.
6) Shadow Alolan Sandslash
Max Base Stats
- Attack - 116.5 (+20%)
- Defense - 132.6 (-20%)
- Stamina - 124
Shadow Pokemon have an established place in Pokemon GO PvP, especially in the Great League and its variant formats. With popular Ice-type creatures like Alolan Ninetales, Walrein, and Froslass removed from entry, Shadow Alolan Sandslash fills the void quite well, thanks to its boost to damage output as a Shadow Pokemon.
Even better, the shadow debuff imposed on Shadow Alolan Sandslash still leaves it with good overall durability in Pokemon GO. Attacks like Powder Snow, Drill Run, and Ice Punch provide it with quality shield pressure.
Overall, Shadow Alolan Sandslash can perform well as both a lead in battle and also a solid switch.
