The Ultimate Guide to HP: How to Build the Tankiest Pokémon for Battles in Pokémon GO

Hey Pokémon GO trainer! Have you ever wondered how some Pokémon can absorb insane amounts of damage before fainting in gym battles and raids? Well, wonder no more! Their secret is having massive HP, and in this guide I‘ll show you exactly how to get the highest HP Pokémon possible in Pokémon GO.

As an avid Pokémon researcher and GO Battle League enthusiast, I‘ve studied the ins and outs of HP and survivability extensively. With the right knowledge, you can turn technologically-challenged Pokémon like Blissey into unbreakable walls capable of withstanding any attack!

What Exactly is HP?

HP stands for "hit points" and represents a Pokémon‘s health in battle. The more HP a Pokémon has, the more damage it can take before fainting. Simple right? But HP is actually calculated from several factors:

• Base Stamina Stat: Ranges from 1 to 255 and unique for each Pokémon species
• Individual Values (IVs): Range from 0 to 15 for HP
• Effort Values (EVs): Gained by powering up, boost HP
• Level: Maxes at 40 for wild Pokémon, 50 when powered up

Let‘s see some examples of how these factors combine to determine max HP:

So Pokémon with higher base stamina will always have an advantage in maxing out their HP. But you can also boost HP through IVs, EVs, and leveling up.

Now let‘s compare HP to CP, which is calculated from attack, defense, and stamina. Two Pokémon can have the same CP but vastly different HP depending on the weight given to stamina vs other stats in the CP formula.

For example, Umbreon caps out around 2,000 CP but can have well over 350 HP at level 50 because its base stamina is so high. Glass cannons like Alakazam can hit 3,000+ CP but might not crack 200 HP.

Why You Want Massive HP in Battle

HP represents survivability – it‘s what allows some Pokémon to absorb insane amounts of damage before fainting. While glass cannons rely on DPS, tanks with massive HP can simply outlast them.

In difficult raid battles and competitive gym defense, anchor Pokémon with 500+ HP are essential. Blissey, Chansey, Snorlax, Slaking – they provide the bulk to soak damage so glass cannons like Dragonite can dish it out. Even if their own DPS is low, their mountainous HP enables the team to survive.

When choosing Pokémon for your battle parties, don‘t ignore HP! A balanced combo of survival and offense is key. You always want to pair glass cannons with defensive anchors to optimize performance. The tankier your anchors, the longer your cannons have to fire before the team crumbles.

Let‘s look at some examples…

Optimal Raid Party Balance

Against a Solar Beam Ho-Oh raid boss, a team of all dragons will get shredded before doing meaningful damage. But swap in a Blissey and now your dragons have time to attack safely:

• Lead: Blissey – tanks Solar Beams so team survives
• Mid: Dragonite – deals damage while shielded
• Anchor: Rayquaza – hits hard once shields are gone

Gym Defense with Ultra Tanks

Place a maxed out Blissey or Chansey in an open gym slot and watch attacker after attacker get walled and demotivated by their ridiculous HP. Nothing is more frustrating than timing out on a level 10 gym!

So when building a gym defense squad, always have designated anchors with massive HP pools. Snorlax, Slaking, Aggron, Milotic – they are beaten slowly if at all, buying time for berries and remotivating.

See why optimizing HP is so critical in PvP battles? Now let‘s dive deep into maxing it out…

How to Obtain High HP Pokémon in Pokémon GO

To get the absolute tankiest Pokémon possible, you want ones with naturally high base stamina and perfect IVs. Here are the best ways to obtain them:

• Hatch eggs – Many HP-focused Pokémon come from 10km eggs like Chansey, Larvitar, Dratini. 2km eggs can yield Azurill and Wobbuffet too.

• Research rewards – Snorlax, Feebas, and Slakoth have all been Field Research rewards in the past. Keep an eye out for stamina-rich Pokémon as raid/research breakthrough encounters.

• Raids – Tier 3 and 4 often have chunky species like Snorlax, Tyranitar, Milotic. Tier 5 Bringers Blissey and Chansey as well.

• Trading – Swap with friends to reroll IVs and get lucky Pokémon. Both will boost your odds of getting perfect HP IVs.

• Power Up – Don‘t forget to invest stardust and candy to max out level 40 (50 when mega evolved) HP.

Now let‘s look at some of the tankiest Pokémon and their potential max HP ranges when fully powered up:

As you can see, the potential HP ranges are enormous on certain maxed out Pokémon. With such deep health pools, they can stall out even the most ferocious raid bosses and gym attackers.

Defensive Meta and Raid Boss Counters

Now let‘s dive into the current defensive meta for gyms and raids. Which tanky Pokémon are rising to the top as the best anchors and walls?

Analyzing usage data from my local discord and talking to other top players worldwide, a few massive HP trends emerge:

• Blissey Dominance – No surprise here as the #1 gym defender. Its unparalleled HP combined with seismic Special Defense makes it the ultimate wall. Requires 3+ Machamps to take down.

• Slaking Surge – While not as tough overall as Blissey, its CP keeps it highly ranked. Most players lack fighting depth to counter. Play Rough wrecks Machamp.

• Snorlax Standout – A top anchor for both defense and offense. With Lick or Zen Headbutt movesets, it‘s one of the only generalized walls in the game.

• Milotic Milestone – One of the only viable non-Normal defenders thanks to its massive HP pool. Surf hits Rock/Steel Machamp counters hard.

Now let‘s examine current raid bosses and recommend the best tanky counters with focus on HP:

• Cresselia – Psycho Cut hits fast and hard. Anchor with Lugia who resists Psychic moves while dealing solid damage.

• Virizion – Spams Grass Knot which decimates Ground types. Rhydon with Smack Down/Stone Edge provides the Grass resistance and defense to tank hits.

• Heatran – Fire/Steel typing is unique for a T5 boss. Max HP Rhyperior takes neutral damage while dishing super effective Rock Smashes.

See how optimizing resistances, movesets, and HP is crucial to countering challenging raid bosses? Proper anchors allow your glass cannons to boost damage.

Parting Thoughts on Stamina and Survivability

As you can see, HP is a complex stat but absolutely vital for survival in PvP battles. While new generations may bring future upheavals, the timeless tanks – Blissey, Chansey, Snorlax – will always have a place in the high HP hall of fame.

I hope this guide gave you some new insight into maxing out HP for your battle teams. Let me know if you have any other questions! I could talk Pokémon stats all day. And don‘t hesitate to share your own massive HP tank stories in the comments below!