What Pokemon are Worth Keeping in Pokemon Go?

As an experienced Pokemon Go player andMoveset Analyzer, I often get asked – "What Pokemon are really worth keeping and investing in for battles, gyms, and long-term collection goals?" With over 600 Pokemon available in Go, it can be overwhelming to decide which ones are worth pursuing and powering up.

In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll analyze the top Pokemon that have value and utility for different aspects of the game, so you can build the optimal roster to take over gyms, win raids, climb PVP ranks, and fill your Pokedex with pride.

The Ultimate Attackers – DPS Kings for Raids

Raids are all about dealing enough damage to take down the boss before time runs out. For this, you want glass cannon attackers with the highest Damage Per Second (DPS) to maximize your Premier Ball rewards. Here are the top Pokemon worth powering up for raid DPS:

Mewtwo – Psychic Legendary with Exceptional Attack

With an unmatched 300 base attack stat, Mewtwo is hands down the #1 raid attacker in Pokemon Go. Its vast movepool including the exclusive Psystrike gives Mewtwo top counters for most raid bosses. Shadow Mewtwo pushes its DPS even higher by 20% making it the single best investment for raids.

Shadow Moltres – A Fiery Glass Cannon

Moltres already boasted high DPS with its fire and flying moveset. But being a shadow boosts Moltres‘ attack to 470(one of the highest in Go, second only to Shadow Mewtwo), letting it burn through raid bosses faster than any non-legendary.

Rayquaza – Legendary Dragon/Flying Sweeper

Rayquaza has been a dominant force since its introduction, with some of the highest DPS in the game thanks to its 284 attack stat and access to strong dragon charge moves. It excels as both a flying and dragon type attacker.

Metagross – Steel Psychic Heavy Hitter

Metagross fulfills an important dual role as both a strong psychic attacker and the #1 steel type raid sweeper. With high TDO and stellar 243 base attack, Metagross makes quick work of bosses like Registeel, Jirachi, and Latios.

Chandelure – Spooky Fast Fire Attacker

With an outstanding attack stat of 271, Chandelure is the strongest non-legendary fire type, outpacing Moltres in DPS. Its ghost moves give it additional coverage making Chandelure one of the most versatile attackers.

Building a Raid Dream Team

The key for raid success is assembling a team of optimal counters to exploit the boss‘ weaknesses. Here are some examples of crafting the best raid crews:

Mewtwo Raid Team

• Mega Gengar – Top ghost counter
• Darkrai – High DPS dark legendary
• Chandelure – Versatile ghost/fire option
• Tyranitar – Strong dark staple
• Weavile – Glass cannon dark attacker
• Scizor – Resists Mewtwo‘s psychic moves

Kyogre Raid Team

• Zekrom – Electric legendary with Wild Charge
• Raikou – Speedy electric beast
• Magnezone – Dragon resists water moves
• Electivire – Strong budget electric pick
• Luxray – Gets STAB on electric attacks
• Roserade – Grass type with Weather Ball

Dialga Raid Team

• Excadrill – Ground top counter with Mud Slap
• Rhyperior – Rock wrecker gives Super Effective STAB
• Chandelure – Resists steel and dragon moves
• Machamp – Heavy fighting damage output
• Conkeldurr – Fighting specialist, tanks hits well
• Magnezone – Electric counters for steel type

Defensive Tanks – Ideal Gym Defenders

While raids require pure DPS, gym defense calls for Pokemon with massive TDO (Total Damage Output) through sheer bulk. These are the top Pokemon worth investing in to station at gyms and demotivate attackers:

Blissey – The Ultimate Wall

With a whopping 490 base HP, no other Pokemon comes close to Blissey for raw staying power. Combined with healing moves like Softboiled and Hyper Beam, Blissey can stall enemies for hours. It‘s essential for any serious gym defender.

Snorlax – Bulk Meets Offense

Snorlax balances offense and defense perfectly with great HP and access to heavy hitting Charge moves like Body Slam and Earthquake. This lets Snorlax dish out damage while its 330 base defense soaks hits.

Slaking – Intimidating Wall, But Fighting Vulnerable

Slaking boasts the highest CP in Go, intimidating enemies with its sheer size. But it‘s easily countered by fighting moves like Machamp‘s Dynamic Punch, making it less viable despite its bulk.

Milotic – An Elegant Tank

Milotic has excellent overall base stats with 190 HP and a solid defense stat of 242. This well-rounded tankiness combined with the Feebas candy cost makes Milotic one of the best accessible defenders.

Galarian Weezing – Counter Meta Defender

Weezing‘s unique poison/fairy typing gives it an edge, resisting fighting attacks that counter most defenders. With neutral damage from Machamp, Weezing forces attackers to diversify their rosters.

Battle-Ready PvP Competitors

PvP requires an entirely different skillset, with bulk, moveset, and shield baiting coming into play. Here are some of the top Pokemon worth investing in for PvP great, ultra, and master leagues:

Great League

• Azumarill – Bulky fairy type
• Altaria – Dragon Breath and Sky Attack
• Skarmory – Max resistances with steel/flying
• Medicham – Glass cannon under 1500 CP
• Deoxys Defense – Ultimate wall with Psycho Boost
• Bastiodon – Rock and steel lure shields

Ultra League

• Cresselia – Tanky psychic legend
• Swampert – Spammy with Hydro Cannon
• Giratina Origin – Ghost/dragon meta beast
• Registeel – Sturdy with flash cannon
• Talonflame – Fire bird with Brave Bird nuke
• Venusaur – Poison/grass core

Master League

• Mewtwo – High attack psychic supreme
• Dialga – Dragon and steel offense/defense
• Melmetal – Thunder shock and Rock Slide
• Togekiss – Charm makes quick work
• Excadrill – Mud shot + Earthquake
• Zacian – Snarls andClose Combat destroy

Event, Shiny, Regional, and Legacy Catches

Beyond battles, certain rare Pokemon have prestige value for collectors:

• Event-exclusive – Victini, flower crown Eevee, glasses Squirtle
• Regional – Tropius, Carnivine, Pachirisu
• Legacy moves – Body Slam Snorlax, Shadow Ball Mewtwo
• Shinies – Any color variants, like red Gyarados

Trades can reroll for chance of lucky Pokemon – high IVs and half stardust costs.

And hundos like perfect 4* (100%) IV legendaries are the holy grails.

Stardust and Candy – The Costs of Powering Up

All of this investment into your Pokemon roster costs a ton of stardust and candy. Here‘s a breakdown of what it takes to fully maximize just one Pokemon:

Action	Stardust	Candy
Evolve Basic to Stage 1	0	12-50
Evolve Stage 1 to Stage 2	0	25-100
Evolve Stage 2 to Stage 3	0	100-400
Power Up to Level 40	225,000	248-296
Unlock 2nd Charge Move	75,000	Varies
Total Per Pokemon	~300,000	~1,000

That‘s around 300,000 stardust and 1,000 candy per Pokemon powered up with a second charged move unlocked.

With how scarce these resources are, it‘s crucial to prioritize investments into your MVP battle teams and favorites first before powering up extras.

Long Term Viability – Movesets, Typing, and Generations

Some Pokemon stand the test of time and retain their usefulness for many generations:

• Tyranitar – Always a top dark attacker
• Metagross – Ideal steel type
• Dragonite – Legendary dragon offense
• Gyarados – Waterfall + Hydro Pump
• Rhyperior – Ground staple with Rock Wrecker

While others fall off:

• Slaking – Crippled by Yawn
• Blissey – Chansey often superior
• Snorlax – Outclassed by newer options
• Lapras – Walrein overtakes as ice type

So it pays to favor Pokemon with exclusive moves, later generation typings, and enduring movesets.

Key Takeaways – Build Teams Playing To Their Strengths

• Raid attackers – Mewtwo, Rayquaza, Shadow Moltres, Metagross, Chandelure
• Gym defenders – Blissey, Snorlax, Slaking, Milotic, Weezing
• PvP picks – Azumarill, Cresselia, Swampert, Mewtwo, Giratina
• Collectors – Shinies, hundos, legacies, regionals, events
• Stardust/Candy cost – Around 300k/1k per Pokemon powered up
• Long term options – Tyranitar, Metagross, Dragonite, Rhyperior

There are no objectively "best" Pokemon – each one has strengths for different scenarios. Building teams tailored to fulfill specific battle roles is key rather than chasing generalists.

As an experienced Pokemon Go analyst, these are the top monsters worth pursuing for raids, gyms, PvP leagues, collections, and long term viability. Use these tips to make the most of your roster! Let me know if you have any other questions on powering up Pokemon investments.