Pseudo Legendary tier list
Every pseudo legendary in-game ranked from worst to best. Raid attacker rank, Master League rank, Shadow + Mega potential, future outlook. Metagross takes #1 — but Garchomp and Tyranitar are close, and Baxcalibur has the biggest upcoming upgrade.
Fan-coined term for Pokémon that meet three criteria: final stage of a 3-stage evolution line, exactly 600 base stat total before Mega evolution, and a slower XP curve in the main series games. The term is unofficial — Niantic doesn't use it — but it's widely understood as "the strongest non-legendary Pokémon in each generation."
10 pseudo legendaries in-game so far — one per main-series generation released. Dragon-type dominates the category (8 of 10 are Dragon-type or partial Dragon).
Skip for raids. Marginal PvP play. Pokédex tick at best.
Don't invest dust. Wait for Hisuian form before re-evaluating.
Solid investment if you have spare candy — clear upward trajectory.
Currently #9 ice attacker without any of its upgrades. Will dominate once Mega + signature move land.
Limited future upside but Shadow form is genuinely top-tier Dark. Build one.
Reliable but no longer cutting-edge. Mega makes it worth keeping in the rotation.
Best non-legendary Flying attacker. Strong second-best Dragon Mega. Build aggressively.
Best dual-purpose Mega in the game. The most cost-efficient #1 attacker slot you can build.
Best non-legendary in both Dragon and Ground categories. Master League staple. Build with confidence.
Best pseudo legendary in-game. Solid in raids, top-3 Master League, viable in Max Battles. Build first.
If you can only commit XL Candy + dust to one pseudo legendary right now:
- 1. Metagross — best dual-purpose. Raids + Master League + Max Battle utility. Steel/Psychic typing means it covers matchups no other pseudo can.
- 2. Garchomp — Master League staple. Mega Garchomp is #2 Ground (only Primal Groudon better) AND a respectable Dragon. Less crowded category than pure Dragon.
- 3. Tyranitar — Mega Tyranitar is #1 Dark attacker + #4 Rock. Most cost-efficient #1 attacker slot you can build because the species itself is common from raids and Community Days.
Mega Salamence at #4 is also worth building if you have spare Mence candy from generations of Hatchathons.
▸What is a pseudo legendary Pokémon?
Fan-coined term for Pokémon that meet three criteria: final stage of a 3-stage evolution line, exactly 600 base stat total before Mega evolution, and slower XP curve in the main series games (more XP to level). In-game there are 10 pseudo legendaries — one per main-series generation released to date.
▸Which pseudo legendary is the best?
Metagross — best dual-purpose Pokémon across raids, Master League, and Max Battles. #3 in Master League (top-3 non-legendary), #8 Steel attacker, viable Max Battle tank thanks to Steel/Psychic typing (10 resistances). Garchomp is a close second.
▸Is Dragonite still worth using?
Yes, but as a role player rather than the meta. Dragonite ranks #30 Dragon attacker — outclassed by Salamence, Garchomp, Rayquaza. Mega Dragonite is a solid Dragon Mega and Dragonite itself rotates back into mega raids frequently, so it's the easiest pseudo Mega to obtain. Keep one or two in rotation.
▸Which pseudo legendaries have the biggest future upside?
Baxcalibur and Dragapult. Baxcalibur gets a Mega form (Pokémon Legends ZA DLC) that will make it the #2 Ice attacker in-game and best Ice Mega. Dragapult is the Galar pseudo — if Pokémon Legends Z-A or the next Legends game introduces Gmax/Z-Mega mechanics, Dragapult is the most likely beneficiary. Both also have signature moves not yet added in-game.
▸Should I invest in Goodra or Kommo-o?
Generally no. Both are bottom-2 pseudo legendaries in-game. Goodra is mediocre in raids (#58 Dragon) with some Master League play (#52). Kommo-o is even worse for raids (#65 Dragon, #153 Fighting). Skip unless completing the Pokédex or for shiny collection. Wait for Hisuian Goodra to make Goodra worth a second look.
▸Are pseudo legendaries good in Max Battles?
Metagross is. The other 9 are not — they lack the Dynamax form. Metagross's Steel/Psychic typing gives it 10 type resistances, and its 0.5-second fast move makes it a usable Max Battle tank when Crowned Zacian / Zamazenta aren't available. That added utility is the deciding factor pushing it above Garchomp in this tier list.
▸What's the candy/XL Candy investment to max a pseudo legendary?
Standard pseudo legendary L40 → L50 costs ~296 XL Candy + 296 base candy + 25M Stardust. Master League pushes typically stop at L40-42 where breakpoints land. Full L50 is for completionists. Easiest XL source: Meltan Mystery Box (free 180+ XL per box) if maxing Metagross/Melmetal; otherwise it's a wild-catch grind.