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Now that February 2, 2023, has arrived, Pokemon GO trainers can participate in the returning Ultra Premier PvP competition. This player-versus-player format operates largely similar to Ultra League with the same 2,500 CP cap. However, legendary/mythic Pokemon are disallowed here, and any creatures boosted by XL Candies cannot be used either.
While Ultra Premier was just relaunched for the first time in 2023, its meta is evolving at a rapid pace. However, thanks to the tireless work and data collected by the Pokemon GO community, players were aware of some of the top Pokemon to use in this competition well before its return. Since team formulation is so vital to success in PvP, it's not a bad time to examine some of the top picks and teams..
While there's no perfect team in Pokemon GO PvP, it doesn't hurt to recommend one that can set players up for success in Ultra Premier.
Recommended team for tackling Pokemon GO's Ultra Premier
When building any competitive PvP team for Pokemon GO, it's best to examine each member of the party based on what role they perform well in. This tends to lead Pocket Monsters to fall into three different categories: leads, switches, and closers. Some Pokemon are even proficient in multiple roles, giving trainers the extra flexibility needed to adjust or alter tactics in battles on the fly.
There are countless team compositions to mull over, but the one below can be very effective, especially when the trainer's rank is between one and 15.
- Lead - Shadow Charizard (Wing Attack, Blast Burn, Dragon Claw)
- Switch - Bewear (Shadow Claw, Superpower, Stomp)
- Closer - Hariyama (Counter, Close Combat, Heavy Slam)
There's a lot to like about the Pokemon GO team listed above, as it strikes a great balance between high damage output and admirable durability.
Beginning with Shadow Charizard, this creature offers great damage thanks to its Shadow form boost. Moreover, the Pocket Monster's move combination of Wing Attack, Blast Burn, and Dragon Claw gives it the ability to take on opponents in several different type matchups. Granted, Charizard loses some durability as a Shadow Pokemon; however, it can quickly dispatch many enemies before it takes much damage.
If Shadow Charizard ends up in a type matchup that doesn't favor it, tag in Bewear. As a Normal/Fighting-type in Pokemon GO, this creature has an intriguing elemental type combination as well as plenty of bulk. Shadow Claw is a great spammy move, and Bewear can generate impressive shield pressure with both Superpower and Stomp. This moveset also gives it a mix of Ghost, Normal, and Fighting-type moves, allowing the entity to take on various enemy types.
Once an opponent is unshielded or down to their last combatant, bring in Hariyama. This Fighting-type is well-known for its exceptional durability while still being able to dish out plenty of damage.
Hariyama excels at outlasting just about any enemy it's up against while being able to severely damage them with Heavy Slam and Close Combat when they're unshielded. Granted, the entity has its own weaknesses like any Pokemon, but it's a very difficult foe to dislodge or overcome after a long PvP battle.
