What can you do as a free member?

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and unlock all our premium features and tools to enhance your gaming experience.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save articles to your watchlist and get notified when they're updated with new information.

Member benefits illustration

Create your free account today and save your favorite games for quick access later, synced across all your devices.

Member benefits illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you'll receive instant notifications when someone replies to your posts.

Comment rating feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can make use of convenient features in the comments section, such as rating and sorting comments.

Premium archive feature illustration

By creating a Game8 account and logging in, you can access Premium articles that are exclusively available to members.

Site Interface

Guest
Free Member
Article Watchlist
Game Bookmarks
Cross-device Sync
Light/Dark Theme Toggle
User Profiles
Direct Feedback
Comment Rating

Game Tools

Guest
Free Member
Interactive Map Access
Interactive Map Pins
Interactive Map Comments
Interactive Map Pins Cross-Device
Check List
Event Choice Checker
Deck Builder Cross-Device
Message Board Notification
Message Board Cross-Device
Build Planner
Stat Calculator
Diagnostic Tool
Weapon/Armor Wishlist

Want more information?Learn more

Pokemon Sword and Shield

Movesets & Best Builds for Ranked Battle | Best Competitive Pokemon

10
Add to Watchlist

★ Tier List / Doubles Tier List / Movesets / Rental Teams
✬ Pokemon HOME Dex Completion Shiny Rewards:
┗ Meloetta | Manaphy | Enamorus | Keldeo | Meltan
☆ Competitive Battle Guide

Pokemon Sword and Shield - Best Builds for Ranked Battle

NEW Check out our Movesets for Competitive and VGC Battle for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet!
☆Pokemon SV Movesets and Best Builds

The guides below contain information for the Movesets and best Builds for each Pokemon, including the best Natures, EV spreads, recommended Held Items, and our tier list for how they fare in competitive online play. Read on for the latest advice on how to craft the perfect team for Ranked Battle.

Competitive Pokemon Battle Guides
Pokemon SWSH - Tier ListSingles Tier List Pokemon SWSH - Best BuildsBest Builds Pokemon Sword and Shield - Ranked Battle Series 10 Contenders.pngSeries 12 List of Contenders
Pokemon SWSH - Doubles Tier ListDoubles Tier List Pokemon SWSH - Competitive Team BuildingTeam Building Pokemon SWSH - Rental TeamsRental Teams

List of Contents

Which Meta Do You Build For?

Ranked - Singles 201
Votes
Ranked - Doubles 127
Votes
Smogon 2
Votes
Showdown 11
Votes
VGC 3
Votes

Ranked Battle Series 11 Builds Have Arrived!

Series 11 allows players to use two Legendary Pokemon per team for competitive play. These include the following:

Pokemon SWSH - MewtwoMewtwo Pokemon SWSH - LugiaLugia Pokemon SWSH - Ho-ohHo-oh Pokemon SWSH - KyogreKyogre
Pokemon SWSH - GroudonGroudon Pokemon SWSH - RayquazaRayquaza Pokemon SWSH - DialgaDialga Pokemon SWSH - PalkiaPalkia
Pokemon SWSH - GiratinaGiratina Pokemon SWSH - ReshiramReshiram Pokemon SWSH - ZekromZekrom Pokemon SWSH - KyuremKyurem
Pokemon SWSH - XerneasXerneas Pokemon SWSH - YveltalYveltal Pokemon SWSH - ZygardeZygarde Pokemon SWSH - CosmogCosmog
Pokemon SWSH - CosmoemCosmoem Pokemon SWSH - SolgaleoSolgaleo Pokemon SWSH - LunalaLunala Pokemon SWSH - NecrozmaNecrozma
Pokemon SWSH - ZacianZacian Pokemon SWSH - ZamazentaZamazenta Pokemon SWSH - EternatusEternatus Pokemon SWSH - CalyrexCalyrex

Ranked Battle Series 12 | Rules and Legal Pokemon

Tier List for Ranked Battle

Pokemon SWSH - Pokemon Tier List

Our full list of Pokemon most used in Ranked Battle, broken down into tiers and with detailed explanations of their usefulness and weak points.
Pokemon Tier List for Ranked Battle

Strategies for Individual Pokemon

Crown Tundra Pokemon Builds

Movesets & Best Builds for The Crown Tundra Pokemon
Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Articuno Best BuildsGalarian Articuno Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Zapdos Best BuildsGalarian Zapdos Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Moltres Best BuildsGalarian Moltres
Pokemon SWSH - Raikou Best BuildsRaikou Pokemon SWSH - Entei Best BuildsEntei Pokemon SWSH - Suicune Best BuildsSuicune
Pokemon SWSH - Articuno Best BuildsArticuno Pokemon SWSH - Zapdos Best BuildsZapdos Pokemon SWSH - Moltres Best BuildsMoltres
Pokemon SWSH - Tornadus Best BuildsTornadus Pokemon SWSH - Thundurus Best BuildsThundurus Pokemon SWSH - Landorus Best BuildsLandorus
Pokemon SWSH - Tapu Koko Best BuildsTapu Koko Pokemon SWSH - Tapu Lele Best BuildsTapu Lele Pokemon SWSH - Tapu Bulu Best BuildsTapu Bulu
Pokemon SWSH - Tapu Fini Best BuildsTapu Fini Pokemon SWSH - Regieleki Best BuildsRegieleki Pokemon SWSH - Regidrago Best BuildsRegidrago
Pokemon SWSH - Latios Best BuildsLatios Pokemon SWSH - Latias Best BuildsLatias Pokemon SWSH - Heatran Best BuildsHeatran
Pokemon SWSH - Cresselia Best BuildsCresselia Pokemon SWSH - Glastrier Best BuildsGlastrier Pokemon SWSH - Spectrier Best BuildsSpectrier
Pokemon SWSH - Nidoking Best BuildsNidoking Pokemon SWSH - Swampert Best BuildsSwampert Pokemon SWSH - Dragonite Best BuildsDragonite
Pokemon SWSH - Salamence Best BuildsSalamence Pokemon SWSH - Garchomp Best BuildsGarchomp Pokemon SWSH - Metagross Best BuildsMetagross
Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Slowking Best BuildsGalarian Slowking Pokemon SWSH - Nihilego Best BuildsNihilego Pokemon SWSH - Naganadel Best BuildsNaganadel
Pokemon SWSH - Pheromosa Best BuildsPheromosa Pokemon SWSH - Buzzwole Best BuildsBuzzwole Pokemon SWSH - Celesteela Best BuildsCelesteela
Pokemon SWSH - Kartana Best BuildsKartana Pokemon SWSH - Stakataka Best BuildsStakataka Pokemon SWSH - Blaziken Best BuildsBlaziken
Pokemon SWSH - Kyogre Best BuildsKyogre Pokemon SWSH - Yveltal Best BuildsYveltal Pokemon SWSH - Xerneas Best BuildsXerneas
Pokemon SWSH - Necrozma (Dusk Mane) Best BuildsNecrozma (Dusk Mane) Pokemon SWSH - Calyrex (Shadow Rider) Best BuildsCalyrex (Shadow Rider) Pokemon SWSH - Mewtwo Best BuildsMewtwo
Pokemon SWSH - Calyrex (Ice Rider) Best BuildsCalyrex (Ice Rider) Pokemon SWSH - Dialga Best BuildsDialga Pokemon SWSH - Lugia Best BuildsLugia
Pokemon SWSH - Black Kyurem Best BuildsBlack Kyurem Pokemon SWSH - Zekrom Best BuildsZekrom Pokemon SWSH - Ho-Oh Best BuildsHo-Oh
Pokemon SWSH - Rayquaza Best BuildsRayquaza Pokemon SWSH - Zygarde Best BuildsZygarde Pokemon SWSH - Reshiram Best BuildsReshiram
Pokemon SWSH - White Kyurem Best BuildsWhite Kyurem Pokemon SWSH - Groudon Best BuildsGroudon Pokemon SWSH - Regirock Best BuildsRegirock
Pokemon SWSH - Palkia Best BuildsPalkia Pokemon SWSH - Regigigas Best BuildsRegigigas Pokemon SWSH - Registeel Best BuildsRegisteel
Pokemon SWSH - Regice Best BuildsRegice Pokemon SWSH - Giratina Best BuildsGiratina Pokemon SWSH - Solgaleo Best BuildsSolgaleo
Pokemon SWSH - Lunala Best BuildsLunala Pokemon SWSH - Kyurem Best BuildsKyurem Pokemon SWSH - Necrozma Best BuildsNecrozma
Pokemon SWSH - Uxie Best BuildsUxie Pokemon SWSH - Mesprit Best BuildsMesprit Pokemon SWSH - Azelf Best BuildsAzelf
Pokemon SWSH - Calyrex Best BuildsCalyrex

Isle of Armor Pokemon Builds

Movesets & Best Builds for Isle of Armor Pokemon
Pokemon SWSH - Scizor Best BuildsScizor Pokemon SWSH - Kingdra Best BuildsKingdra Pokemon SWSH - Magnezone Best BuildsMagnezone
Pokemon SWSH - Volcarona Best BuildsVolcarona Pokemon SWSH - Chansey Best BuildsChansey Pokemon SWSH - Blissey Best BuildsBlissey
Pokemon SWSH - Talonflame Best BuildsTalonflame Pokemon SWSH - Azumarill Best BuildsAzumarill Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Slowbro Best BuildsGalarian Slowbro
Pokemon SWSH - Porygon2 Best BuildsPorygon2 Pokemon SWSH - Urshifu Single-Strike Style Best BuildsUrshifu Single-Strike Style Pokemon SWSH - Urshifu Rapid-Strike Style Best BuildsUrshifu Rapid-Strike Style
Pokemon SWSH - Slowbro Best BuildsSlowbro Pokemon SWSH - Alolan Marowak Best BuildsAlolan Marowak Pokemon SWSH - Dragalge Best BuildsDragalge
Pokemon SWSH - Klefki Best BuildsKlefki Pokemon SWSH - Lycanroc Best BuildsLycanroc Pokemon SWSH - Amoonguss Best BuildsAmoonguss
Pokemon SWSH - Poliwrath Best BuildsPoliwrath Pokemon SWSH - Palossand Best BuildsPalossand Pokemon SWSH - Mienshao Best BuildsMienshao
Pokemon SWSH - Starmie Best BuildsStarmie Pokemon SWSH - Heracross Best BuildsHeracross Pokemon SWSH - Comfey Best BuildsComfey
Pokemon SWSH - Porygon-Z Best BuildsPorygon-Z Pokemon SWSH - Alakazam Best BuildsAlakazam Pokemon SWSH - Politoed Best BuildsPolitoed

Builds for New (Gen8) Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for New Pokemon
Pokemon SWSH - Dragapult Best BuildsDragapult Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Corsola Best BuildsGalarian Corsola Pokemon SWSH - Toxtricity Best BuildsToxtricity
Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Darmanitan Best BuildsGalarian Darmanitan Pokemon SWSH - Corviknight Best BuildsCorviknight Pokemon SWSH - Dracovish Best BuildsDracovish
Pokemon SWSH - Grimmsnarl Best BuildsGrimmsnarl Pokemon SWSH - Rillaboom Best BuildsRillaboom Pokemon SWSH - Duraludon Best BuildsDuraludon
Pokemon SWSH - Cinderace Best BuildsCinderace Pokemon SWSH - Alcremie Best BuildsAlcremie Pokemon SWSH - Dracozolt Best BuildsDracozolt
Pokemon SWSH - Hatterene Best BuildsHatterene Pokemon SWSH - Eiscue Best BuildsEiscue Pokemon SWSH - Inteleon Best BuildsInteleon
Pokemon SWSH - Pincurchin Best BuildsPincurchin Pokemon SWSH - Frosmoth Best BuildsFrosmoth Pokemon SWSH - Zacian Best BuildsZacian
Pokemon SWSH - SirfetchSirfetch'd Pokemon SWSH - Flapple Best BuildsFlapple Pokemon SWSH - Coalossal Best BuildsCoalossal
Pokemon SWSH - Centiskorch Best BuildsCentiskorch Pokemon SWSH - Arctozolt Best BuildsArctozolt Pokemon SWSH - Zarude Best BuildsZarude
Pokemon SWSH - Galarian Weezing Best BuildsGalarian Weezing Pokemon SWSH - Eternatus Best BuildsEternatus Pokemon SWSH - Indeedee (Female) Best BuildsIndeedee (Female)
Pokemon SWSH - Sandaconda Best BuildsSandaconda Pokemon SWSH - Zamazenta Best BuildsZamazenta

Builds for Returning Pokemon

Movesets & Best Builds for Returning Pokemon
Pokemon SWSH - Mimikyu Best BuildsMimikyu Pokemon SWSH - Wash Rotom Best BuildsWash Rotom Pokemon SWSH - Gyarados Best BuildsGyarados
Pokemon SWSH - Ferrothorn Best BuildsFerrothorn Pokemon SWSH - Aegislash Best BuildsAegislash Pokemon SWSH - Excadrill Best BuildsExcadrill
Pokemon SWSH - Tyranitar Best BuildsTyranitar Pokemon SWSH - Hydreigon Best BuildsHydreigon Pokemon SWSH - Heat Rotom Best BuildsHeat Rotom
Pokemon SWSH - Arcanine Best BuildsArcanine Pokemon SWSH - Mamoswine Best BuildsMamoswine Pokemon SWSH - Toxapex Best BuildsToxapex
Pokemon SWSH - Togekiss Best BuildsTogekiss Pokemon SWSH - Cloyster Best BuildsCloyster Pokemon SWSH - Durant Best BuildsDurant
Pokemon SWSH - Snorlax Best BuildsSnorlax Pokemon SWSH - Charizard Best BuildsCharizard Pokemon SWSH - Sylveon Best BuildsSylveon
Pokemon SWSH - Lucario Best BuildsLucario Pokemon SWSH - Hippowdon Best BuildsHippowdon Pokemon SWSH - Umbreon Best BuildsUmbreon
Pokemon SWSH - Conkeldurr Best BuildsConkeldurr Pokemon SWSH - Quagsire Best BuildsQuagsire Pokemon SWSH - Gastrodon Best BuildsGastrodon
Pokemon SWSH - Lapras Best BuildsLapras Pokemon SWSH - Whimsicott Best BuildsWhimsicott Pokemon SWSH - Rhyperior Best BuildsRhyperior
Pokemon SWSH - Goodra Best BuildsGoodra Pokemon SWSH - Haxorus Best BuildsHaxorus Pokemon SWSH - Glaceon Best BuildsGlaceon
Pokemon SWSH - Mow Rotom Best BuildsMow Rotom Pokemon SWSH - Type: Null Best BuildsType: Null Pokemon SWSH - Gengar Best BuildsGengar
Pokemon SWSH - Milotic Best BuildsMilotic Pokemon SWSH - Gardevoir Best BuildsGardevoir Pokemon SWSH - Flygon Best BuildsFlygon
Pokemon SWSH - Chandelure Best BuildsChandelure Pokemon SWSH - Lanturn Best BuildsLanturn Pokemon SWSH - Torkoal Best BuildsTorkoal
Pokemon SWSH - Bisharp Best BuildsBisharp Pokemon SWSH - Seismitoad Best BuildsSeismitoad Pokemon SWSH - Silvally Best BuildsSilvally
Pokemon SWSH - Butterfree Best BuildsButterfree Pokemon SWSH - Primarina Best BuildsPrimarina Pokemon SWSH - Incineroar Best BuildsIncineroar
Pokemon SWSH - Blastoise Best BuildsBlastoise Pokemon SWSH - Decidueye Best BuildsDecidueye Pokemon SWSH - Venusaur Best BuildsVenusaur
Pokemon SWSH - Darmanitan Best BuildsDarmanitan Pokemon SWSH - Alolan Ninetales Best BuildsAlolan Ninetales Pokemon SWSH - Gothitelle Best BuildsGothitelle
Pokemon SWSH - Crawdaunt Best BuildsCrawdaunt Pokemon SWSH - Clefable Best BuildsClefable Pokemon SWSH - Reuniclus Best BuildsReuniclus
Pokemon SWSH - Kommo-o Best BuildsKommo-o Pokemon SWSH - Terrakion Best BuildsTerrakion Pokemon SWSH - Cobalion Best BuildsCobalion
Pokemon SWSH - Virizion Best BuildsVirizion Pokemon SWSH - Noivern Best BuildsNoivern Pokemon SWSH - Fan Rotom Best BuildsFan Rotom
Pokemon SWSH - Toxicroak Best BuildsToxicroak Pokemon SWSH - Pelipper Best BuildsPelipper Pokemon SWSH - Jellicent Best BuildsJellicent
Pokemon SWSH - Celebi Best BuildsCelebi Pokemon SWSH - Clefairy Best BuildsClefairy Pokemon SWSH - Hitmontop Best BuildsHitmontop
Pokemon SWSH - Diggersby Best BuildsDiggersby Pokemon SWSH - Ditto Best BuildsDitto Pokemon SWSH - Raichu Best BuildsRaichu
Pokemon SWSH - Hawlucha Best BuildsHawlucha Pokemon SWSH - Shiftry Best BuildsShiftry Pokemon SWSH - Tsareena Best BuildsTsareena
Pokemon SWSH - Ludicolo Best BuildsLudicolo

Gigantamax Pokemon Builds

Movesets & Best Builds for Gigantamax Pokemon
Pokemon SWSH - Gigantamax Grimmsnarl Best BuildsGigantamax Grimmsnarl Pokemon SWSH - Gigantamax Snorlax Best BuildsGigantamax Snorlax Pokemon SWSH - Gigantamax Charizard Best BuildsGigantamax Charizard

Pokemon SWSH Related Guides

Top Page Back to the Top Page
PokedexPokedex Story WalkthroughsStory Walkthrough
Wild AreaWild Area New FeaturesNew Features
Gym Leader BattlesGym Leader Battles List of MovesList of Moves
Version ExclusivesVersion Exclusives Message BoardMessage Board
Training Your PokemonTraining Your Pokemon List of ItemsList of Items
List of AbilitiesBeginner Tips & Guides MapsList of Maps

Comment

See more comments (10 Comments)

Author

Pokémon Sword and Shield Walkthrough Team
This article was created by Game8's elite team of writers and gamers.
    Leave feedback(Login required)
    Please participate in our site
    improvement survey
    12/2025
    Would you assist in
    improving Game8's site?
    ×
    This survey will take about 1 minute.
    Your answers will help us to improve our website.
    We are listening to our users' valuable opinions and discussing how to act on them.
    The information collected through this survey will be used for the purpose of improving our services. In addition, the information will only be disclosed a part of a statistic in a format that will not allow identification of personal information.
    Begin Survey
    Not Now
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Advertisements.
    Amount of Ads
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Placement of Ads
    Timing of Ad Display
    Ad Loading Speed
    Safeness of Ads
    Content of Ads
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Quality of Articles.
    Amount of information
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Frequency of updates
    Speed of new information
    Accuracy of articles
    Understandibility of articles
    Readability of sentences
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Usability of the Site.
    Ease of finding information
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Loading Speed
    Use of Color
    Font Size
    Visibility of Images
    Easy to Understand Layout
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Message Boards, Comments.
    Ease of Writing
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Readability
    Ease in Finding Information
    Comment Quality
    Comment Quantity
    Admin Response
    ×
    Please rate each item regarding Game8.co's Site's new design.
    Please rate our site's new design
    Very Dissatisfied
    Somewhat Dissatisfied
    Fine
    Somewhat Satisfied
    Highly Satisfied
    Do you think that the website's design change makes the site easier to use?
    Has the new design made it easier for you to find information on the site?
    Has the new design improved the overall visual appeal of the site?
    How would you rate your overall satisfaction with the new design of the site?
    ×
    How likely are you to recommend Game8 to someone you know?
    Very Unlikely
    0
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10
    Very Likely
    If you have other opinions regarding potential improvement to the website, please share them with us. We would appreciate your honest opinion.
    Note: This is a free response section, so you can proceed without entering anything.
    Note: Please be sure not to enter any kind of personal information into your response.
    ×
    Thank You
    ×
    Thank you for participating in our survey! Your answers will help us to improve the quality of our website and services.
    We hope you continue to make use of Game8.
    Close
    For other opinions or comments, go here.

    Rankings

    Popular Articles
    Message Board

    Gaming News

    Tides of Annihilation Gameplay Trailer Deep Dive: Dual Frontline System & More Analyzed

    Tides of Annihilation Gameplay Trailer Deep Dive: Dual Fr...

    Popular Games

    Recommended Games

    All rights reserved

    ©2019 Pokémon. ©1995-2019 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc.

    The copyrights of videos of games used in our content and other intellectual property rights belong to the provider of the game.
    The contents we provide on this site were created personally by members of the Game8 editorial department.
    We refuse the right to reuse or repost content taken without our permission such as data or images to other sites.

    Pokémon Sword and Shield Walkthrough & Guides Wiki

    Quick Access
    Guide Index

    Latest News

    Events

    Online Competitions

    The Crown Tundra

    Crown Tundra Story Guides

    Crown Tundra Pokemon Lists

    Crown Tundra New Features

    Crown Tundra Maps

    Crown Tundra New Items

    Crown Tundra Updated Guides

    Crown Tundra Tips & Tricks

    How to Get Crown Tundra Pokemon

    Obtainable via the Story
    Non-Story Pokemon

    The Isle of Armor

    New Features

    Tips & Tricks

    Game Information

    Maps

    Isle of Armor

    Hot Articles

    Message Boards

    Story Walkthrough

    Main Story

    Trainer Battles

    Post Game Content

    Advice for Finishing the Story

    Pokedex

    Pokemon in Sword and Shield

    List of Pokemon by Type

    How to Get Rare Pokemon

    Wild Area

    Guide to the Wild Area

    Wild Area Maps and Obtainable Pokemon

    Items

    Moves

    Abilities

    Competitive Play

    Training & Breeding Your Pokemon

    Tier Lists for Ranked Battle

    Competitive Team Building

    Movesets & Best Builds for Ranked Battle

    The Crown Tundra
    The Isle of Armor Pokemon
    New Pokemon
    Returning Pokemon

    Best Teams for Ranked Battle

    Beginner's Tips & Guides

    Pokemon Guides & Strategy

    New to Pokemon Sword and Shield

    Trade & Battle Pokemon Online

    Miscellaneous

    New Features

    Japanese Pokemon Sword and Shield Walkthrough

    Other Pokemon Wikis