Battle Tower Master Class Guide: Best Team for Singles and Doubles

This is a guide for the best Pokemon to use in the Battle Tower's Master Class Battles in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl (BDSP). Learn the best teams for singles and doubles to use in Master Class, and what Pokemon are important to watch out for.

Battle Tower Guides
Battle Tower Guide	Best Battle Tower Singles Team
Best Battle Tower Doubles Team	Master Class Guide & Best Teams

Master Class Singles Best Battle Team

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Attacks
Garchomp	Rough Skin	Focus Sash	・Outrage ・Earthquake ・Poison Jab ・Swords Dance
Nature / EVs	Jolly 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Final Stats	183 HP / 182 Atk / 115 Def / 106 SpD / 169 Spe
Suicune	Inner Focus	Chesto Berry	・Scald ・Ice Beam ・Calm Mind ・Rest
Nature / EVs	Calm 252 HP / 204 SpD / 52 Spe
Final Stats	207 HP / 135 Def / 110 SpA / 177 SpD / 112 Spe
Scizor	Technician	Lum Berry	・Bullet Punch ・X-Scissor ・Swords Dance ・Roost
Nature / EVs	Adamant 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Final Stats	177 HP / 200 Atk / 120 Def / 101 SpD / 85 Spe

Atk/SpA values are omitted where irrelevant.

Master Class Singles Team Strategy

Set Up Your Pokemon for Offense

Setting up our Pokemon to sweep is our main strategy. It is important to be aware of what your own Pokemon's weaknesses are and be able to make defensive switches. Set up Swords Dance or Calm Mind when able, and sweep from there.

Use Garchomp as Primary Attacker

Garchomp
Garchomp's Strengths
It can sweep through whole teams after a Swords Dance.
Garchomp is able to deal chip damage with its Rough Skin Ability.

Garchomp is able to hit hard and fast thanks to its respectable Attack and Speed stats, However it isn't the most durable Pokemon. Switch out if the opposing Pokemon threatens to KO it.

Recommended Held Item

Focus Sash and let Garchomp survive a supereffective hit, ensuring a turn of Swords Dance. It will get knocked out by a priority move, however, so expect to either preserve Garchomp and switch out or allow Garchomp to faint for a free switch-in.

Switch in Suicune as a Defensive Wall

Suicune
Suicune's Strengths
It is extremely bulky, rarely ever KO'd in one hit.
Suicune is able to switch into an incoming Ice Beam that would otherwise KO Garchomp.
It is also able to switch into incoming Fire-type Attacks that would threaten Scizor.

This Pokemon is almost always able to set up multiple Calm Minds without getting knocked out. Be sure to use Rest when Suicune is in danger. If its Hidden Ability, Inner Focus is unavailable, Pressure is still a strong Ability to have.

Recommended Held Item

Suicune is able to recover its health with Rest and cure itself of the resulting Sleep status immediately thanks to its Chesto Berry.

Close Out Games with Scizor

Scizor
Scizor' Strengths
Can boost its Attack with Swords Dance.
It can switch into Fairy-type moves for Garchomp and takes neutral damage from Ice.
Scizor is reasonably bulky.

Scizor is able to be a formidable attacker without needing to set up. Setting up Swords Dance makes it even more powerful and it will be able to get decisive knock outs.

Recommended Held Item

Lum Berry allows Scizor to immediately heal from status conditions.

Master Class Singles Pokemon to Watch Out For

List of Pokemon to Watch Out For
Latios	Mamoswine	Lapras

Latios

This Pokemon can outspeed Garchomp and threaten Suicune with a Thunderbolt. An opponent leading with Latios always puts us at a disadvantage because we always have to switch out our lead Garchomp.

Mamoswine

Mamoswines in Master Class typically run Focus Sash, letting it survive more than one hit. Its access to powerful Earthquakes and priority Ice Shard make it more than a match against our lead. Consider switching into Scizor and taking out Mamoswine with two Bullet Punches.

Lapras

An opposing Lapras walls our Suicune as well as threatens it with Freeze Dry. It can also hurt Scizor with strong Surfs.

Master Class Doubles Best Battle Team

Pokemon	Ability	Item	Attacks
Ludicolo	Swift Swim	Life Orb	・Hydro Pump ・Giga Drain ・Ice Beam ・Fake Out
Nature / EVs	Modest 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Spe
Final Stats	165 HP / 81 Atk / 90 Def / 156 SpA / 120 SpD / 113 Spe (226 in Rain)
Politoed	Drizzle	Sitrus Berry	・Scald ・Ice Beam ・Perish Song ・Protect
Nature / EVs	Calm 244 HP / 180 Def / 4 SpA / 76 SpD / 4 Spe IVs: 0 Atk
Final Stats	196 HP / 118 Def / 111 SpA / 143 SpD / 91 Spe
Arcanine	Intimidate	Mago Berry	・Flare Blitz ・Snarl ・Extreme Speed ・Safeguard
Nature / EVs	Jolly 252 HP / 4 Atk / 4 Def / 108 SpD / 140 Spe
Final Stats	197 HP / 131 Atk / 101 Def / 108 SpA / 114 SpD / 146 Spe
Togekiss	Super Luck	Scope Lens	・Dazzling Gleam ・Air Slash ・Follow Me ・Protect
Nature / EVs	Timid 116 HP / 52 Def / 156 SpA / 4 SpD / 180 Spe IVs: 0 Atk
Final Stats	175 HP / 122 Def / 160 SpA / 136 SpD / 135 Spe

Atk/SpA values are omitted where irrelevant.

Master Class Doubles Team Strategy

Utilize This Team to Win Fast and Prolong Streaks

Using this team is an efficient means to getting win streaks in Master Class Double Battles, and obtaining BP and items. Ludicolo is able to threaten huge damage with strong Hydro Pump attacks. We must always protect our Politoed and take out Pokemon that threaten to knock it out.

Togekiss is a bulky Pokemon that is able to deal massive damage with its critical hits, making it a great Pokemon for closing out games, while Arcanine is a very reliable support Pokemon.

Ludicolo's Hyper Offense

Ludicolo
Ludicolo's Strengths
Hydro Pump usually knocks out Water-weak Pokemon, and deals lots of damage on neutral hits.
Ludicolo is not walled by bulky Water Pokemon because of its Giga Drain.
When Rain is up, It is always the fastest Pokemon on the field.

Ludicolo's job in this team is to get as many knock outs as it can. It usually succeeds because Pokemon in the Battle Tower are rarely equipped with Focus Sash.

Be sure to use PP Ups on Hydro Pump so that you can use it more, especially because it is Ludicolo's strongest offensive move.

Recommended Held Item

Life Orb allows Ludicolo to be a strong offensive presence.

Beat Stall Strategies with Politoed

Politoed
Politoed's Strengths
It has very good bulk, and can stick around for long games.
Can occasionally burn opponents with Rain-boosted Scald.
Politoed can let you win otherwise unwinnable games with Perish Song.

Politoed can be a decent attacker in Rain, using Rain-boosted Scald attacks. Running into opposing stall strategies are no longer a problem when Politoed can Perish Song a Pokemon that has used Double Team multiple times.

We must be mindful of our positioning in the battle, only opting to use Perish Song when we can still switch out our Pokemon, or when our opponent can no longer switch out theirs.

A less complicated EV spread of 76 HP / 252 SpA / 180 Sp for a Calm Politoed will also suffice, letting it be faster, while sacrificing some of its bulk.

Recommended Held Item

A Sitrus Berry is important for letting our Politoed survive longer.

Arcanine's Bulky Support

Arcanine
Arcanine's Strengths
It acts as a bulky support Pokemon thanks to its Intimidate Ability, and Snarl. .
It can still be effective even in Rain.
Arcanine has a strong priority Move in Extreme Speed, being able to reliably take out Pokemon with low health.

Arcanine is usually a good defensive pivot, for if you run into a slower weather setter, or if you need it to take a Thunder Punch for Politoed. Do, however, watch out for Water-type moves, as they will knock out Arcanine in Rain.

Recommended Held Item

Having Arcanine hold a Mago Berry lets it stick around longer to fulfill its supporting role. Occasionally, you can also trigger its Mago Berry with recoil damage from Flare Blitz.

Use Togekiss for Offense and Redirection

Togekiss
Togekiss' Strengths
Pokemon that cannot hit Togekiss for super-effective usually cannot beat it 1-on-1.
Its critical hits allow it to finish out games.
Togekiss has reliable redirection with its Follow Me.

Togekiss can offer support because of its respectable bulk, as well as offense thanks to its powerful Ability, Super Luck, letting it score consistent critical hits. If the listed EV Spread is too difficult to incorporate into your Togekiss, a simpler 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe will suffice.

Recommended Held Item

Super Luck when combined with Scope Lens lets Togekiss score consistent critical hits. This damage output is valuable especially when you need to close out games.

Battle Tower Doubles Pokemon to Watch Out For

List of Pokemon to Watch Out For
Zapdos	Gyarados	Heracross

Zapdos Can Hit Us for Super Effective Damage

Zapdos

This Pokemon threatens both our leads as well as threatens both of our Pokemon in the back. It also does not get knocked out with a single Ice Beam. We must knock out Zapdos before it can do damage to our team.

Gyarados Can Wall Our Lead's Offense

Gyarados

Gyarados in Battle Tower has access to Power Whip which can knock out Politoed. It also resists Ludicolo's offense.

Gyarados' Water and Flying Typing lets it resist our Water and Grass Moves, and takes neutral damage from our Ice Beams. Because it can comfortably take hits, it could set up Dragon Dance, which is bad news for our team.

Heracross can Knock Out Ludicolo

Heracross

Battle Tower's Heracross often have access to Megahorn, which can knock out Ludicolo. Stone Edge can also hit Arcanine and Togekiss hard. Pokemon like Rapidash also have access to Megahorn, so be sure to knock them out immediately.

Randomness

Pokemon equipped with Quick Claw may give us a hard time because we always want Ludicolo to move first. There is also the chance for our Hydro Pumps to miss, even in rain.

Pokemon BDSP Related Guides

Battle Tower Guide

Battle Tower Related Guides

Best Battle Tower Team with 100-Win Streak	Battle Tower Master Class Guide
Best Battle Tower Doubles Team	How to Get BP (Battle Points)
How to Beat Tower Tycoon Palmer

Battle Tower Pokemon by Alphabet

A	B	C	D
E	F	G	H
I	J	K	L
M	N	O	P
Q	R	S	T
U	V	W	X
Y		Z

All Battle Tower Pokemon