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November is a big month for Pokemon GO, as the game sees two new creatures, Guzzlord and Ursaluna, joining its roster of catchable monsters. This has the potential to be a real game-changer, with Guzzlord being an Ultra Beast and Ursaluna being one of the best Ground-type tanks.
Pokemon GO's battle system practically guarantees that every participant will take damage, so tanks are some of the most important archetypes that trainers can stock up on during team-building.
Given that the two newest entries are both tanks, some trainers may want to know how they will impact the metagame. Having a solid grasp of any online title's metagame is the key to repeated success. So what can trainers expect to see in the Ultra League for the month of November?
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer
Swampert, Galarian Stunfisk, and other Pokemon that form a meta-defining team in Pokemon GO's Ultra League
Registeel, Cobalion, Altered Giratina
Funnily enough, despite Registeel being one of the worst competitive battlers in the main series, the change in Pokemon GO's battle system greatly increases its effectiveness. This is thanks to Registeel's massive defensive stats as well as its pure Steel typing, which gives it resistance to 10 of the 17 different types in the game.
Cobalion also possesses impressive defenses while also having great offensive prowess, thanks to its secondary Fighting typing and strong movepool. Many competitive players prefer Cobalion over Lucario due to this stronger defensive front, leading to a significant spike in its usage.
Altered Forme Giratina is a great defensive tank choice, thanks to its Ghost and Dragon typing as well as the defensive orientation that comes with the form. Since the recent Halloween event granted trainers the chance to catch one with the special Shadow Force move, now is a great time to test it out.
Swampert
Not every Pokemon GO trainer has the option to catch every Legendary Pokemon described in the section prior. For this reason, the game also has a catalog of solid choices that are much more common to encounter.
Swampert is a great example of a bulky tank capable of carrying certain matchups. Thanks to its type combination only giving it one weakness (Grass-type attacks), the Pokemon can easily fit into a lot of teams for a sturdy defensive tank or a shield baiter.
Its powerful Ground typing also works great for chunking health off of Steel-type tanks that dominate the metagame.
Steelix
Steelix is a common Steel-type Pokemon that trainers will want on their Pokemon GO team if they cannot find any Legendaries.
Thanks to its secondary Ground typing and unbreakable defense, Steelix provides a great wall. However, trainers looking to use it should be mindful that it lacks impactful offensive stats.
Galarian Stunfisk
The ruler of the Great League, Galarian Stunfisk is also viable in the Ultra League. Much like Steelix, this pick is known for its Ground and Steel typing. While it has a slightly more potent movepool, it lacks the pure defense of Steelix. However, this works to Stunfisk's advantage as it plays into adaptability.
Overall, Pokemon GO's Ultra League is in a state of experimentation at the moment. While there is an established meta, the new additions of Ursaluna and Guzzlord are sure to rest in the minds of trainers when building the most favorable team composition.
