Ranked Battle Series 8 Tier List Contenders

Ranked Battle Series 8 will allow players to use one Legendary Pokemon on their team! Learn which Pokemon are set to shake up and dominate the metagame!

Tier List Contenders

Over 100 Pokemon made a return in The Crown of Tundra DLC, including legendary Pokemon.

Ranked Battle Series 8 announced that players can use one Legendary Pokemon on their team, and this new rule will no doubt cause a shift in the current metagame!

Ranked Battle Series 8

All Tier List Contenders Ranked

Legendary Pokemon

S Tier
Zacian	Yveltal	Eternatus
A Tier
Xerneas	Kyogre	Necrozma (Dusk Mane)
Calyrex (Shadow Rider)	Calyrex (Ice Rider)
B Tier
Mewtwo	Ho-Oh	Lugia
Dialga	Black Kyurem	Zekrom
Rayquaza	Reshiram

Non-Legendaries and Psuedo Legendaries

S Tier
Ditto
A Tier
Cinderace	Regieleki	Mimikyu	Tyranitar
B Tier
Celesteela	Rillaboom	Lapras	Ferrothorn
Gastrodon	Toxapex	Quagsire	Chansey

Who will top the Tier List?

S-Tier Legendary Pokemon Reviews

Zacian

Zacian - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Zacian's great dual typing, and 170 Atk and 148 Spd in its Crowned Sword form make it one of the most formidable physical attackers in the game. It's signature move, Behemoth Blade, becomes a 200 Base Power Steel-type move when used against Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokemon.

With how common Dynamax and Gigantamax leads are in the current metagame, Zacian is shaping up to become the most commonly used Anti-Lead in Series 8.

Yveltal

Yveltal - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Yveltal is shaping up to become one of the most common Dynamax leads in Series 8 due to its access to Max Airstream. It's also one of the more unpredictable Pokemon on this list as it can fill the role of a physical or special attacker, or even go on the defensive as a support Pokemon.

Eternatus

Eternatus - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Much like Zacian, Eternatus is shaping up to become a formidable Anti-Dynamax Lead courtesy of its signature move, Dynamax Cannon, which becomes a 200 Base Power Dragon-type move when used against Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokemon.

A-Tier Legendary Pokemon Reviews

Xerneas

Xerneas - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Xerneas is one of the best setup sweepers courtesy of its signature move, Geomancy, which boosts its Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed by 2 stages.

It's looking like one of the most commonly used leads in the upcoming Ranked Battle Series 8 due to its ability to quickly turn the tide of the game as soon as it gets its Geomancy boost.

Kyogre

Kyogre - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Kyogre's ability to set up rain with its Drizzle Ability makes it a powerful lead and an integral part of Rain Dance teams, especially since it retains its signature move Origin Pulse from the previous games.

Necrozma (Dusk Mane)

Necrozma (Dusk Mane) - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Dusk Mane Necrozma's great Psychic/Steel typing makes it a great answer to the very common Fairy-types in the metagame, and will undoubtedly become a common Pokemon in Series 8 with the return of Xerneas.

Access to Dragon Dance as well as Solgaleo's powerful signature move Sunsteel Strike make it a force to be reckoned with and is a Pokemon that all players should take into account when building a team.

Calyrex (Shadow Rider)

Calyrex (Shadow Rider) - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Calyrex's Shadow Rider form is one of the fastest and arguably one of the most powerful special sweepers in the current game, with its Astral Barrage move capable of one-shotting opposing leads and heavily damaging even the most defensive Pokemon.

The fact that it can set up with Nasty Plot makes it incredibly difficult to switch into if it manages to get a boost!

With its As One Ability combining Unnerve and Spectrier's Grim Neigh Ability, the High King Pokemon is set to make the upcoming Series 8 metagame even more offense and speed focused.

Calyrex (Ice Rider)

Calyrex (Ice Rider) - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Although not as immediately threatening as its Shadow Rider counterpart, Calyrex's Ice Rider form should not be understimated. It's massive defenses ensure that it can set up with Swords Dance, and hit back with its Glacial Lance signature move.

With its As One Ability combining Unnerve and Glastrier's Chilling Neigh Ability, the High King Pokemon has the ability to overpower defensive-oriented teams that aren't prepared for a powerful physical attacker that can shrug off attacks.

B-Tier Legendary Pokemon Reviews

Mewtwo

Mewtwo - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Even with the introduction of faster and more powerful legendaries, the original Legendary Pokemon is no slouch! Mewtwo's well-rounded stats and access to a plethora of special coverage moves make it a force to be reckoned with.

It's signature move, Psystrike, separates it from other special sweepers since it can actually overpower special walls - with its signature move targeting the Special Wall's weaker Defense stat.

Ho-Oh

Ho-oh - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Ho-Oh's Fire typing gives it a niche over other physical attackers with its immunity to burns. It also has one of the most powerful signature moves in the game, Sacred Fire, which has a 50% chance to inflict a burn.

With its Regenarator Ability and the new Heavy-Duty Boots, Ho-Oh can now switch in and out without fear of getting worn down by Stealth Rock.

Lugia

Lugia - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Lugia remains one of the best defensive Pokemon in the game, and can run either its flagship Pressure set or it's even bulkier Multiscale defensive set.

Although it lacks the same offensive presence as the other Pokemon on this list, Lugia is an important Pokemon that will definately find its way in more balanced and defensive teams as a check and answer to the new tier's powerful offensive-oriented Pokemon.

Dialga

Dialga - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Dialga's great balanced stats and access to utility moves such as Thunder Wave, Stealth Rock, and Metal Burst make the Temporal Pokemon one of the best offensive pivots in the upcoming metagame.

It's also shaping up to become a powerful Dynamax lead courtesy of its great defenses, and it can now freely use its powerful STAB moves such as Roar of Time without the need to charge afterwards.

Black Kyurem

Black Kyurem - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Black Kyurem received Dragon Dance in the Crown Tundra, letting it finally fill the role of a setup sweeper and a more efficient Dynamax Lead.

The fact that it received Dual Wingbeat means it can boost it and its party's speed even further with Max Airstream.

Zekrom

Zekrom - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Access to Dragon Dance and an incredible physical movepool makes Zekrom a powerful physical attacker that can easily overpower the many physically defensive Water-types. Access to Dual Wingbeat means it can also fill the role of a Dynamax lead, setting up Max Airstream to support it and its teammates.

Rayquaza

Rayquaza - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Rayquaza's Air Lock Ability makes it a great anti-Weather team and can completely stop the weather changes from Max Moves such as Max Flare, Max Rockfall, Max Hailstorm, and Max Geyser.

The Sky High Pokemon is also a great Dynamax lead as has access to both Max Airstream and Max Knuckle, allowing it to set up without needing to use Dragon Dance.

Reshiram

Reshiram - Best Build for Ranked Battle

As one of the few Dragon-type Pokemon with a secondary Fire-typing, Reshiram has little to fear from the many Fairy-types that plague the current metagame. With a great special movepool and access to a powerful signature move in Blue Flare, the Vast White Pokemon is a threatening Pokemon that all teams need an answer to.

S-Tier Pokemon Reviews

Ditto

Ditto - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Ditto's ability to imitate an opposing Pokemon with Imposter, make it a great clutch Pokemon that can turn the tables of the battle. With Series 8 now letting people use powerful legendary Pokemon, Ditto has the potential to provide a significant boost to a team's offenses if it manages to copy the right Pokemon!

A-Tier Pokemon Reviews

Cinderace

Cinderace - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Cinderace will now have to contend with faster and stronger Pokemon running rampant in the upcoming metagame, but the fact that it can get STAB from all of its moves thanks to its Libero Ability mean that it will remain a solid choice for physical attacker.

Regieleki

Regieleki - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Regieleki will remain a top Pokemon in the upcoming metagame. As the fastest Pokemon in the entire game, it has a niche as a powerful Electric-type that can hit hard and as fast as possible with its Transistor-boosted moves.

Mimikyu

Mimikyu - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Mimimkyu will remaina a solid choice for a setup sweeper solely for the many Psychic and Dragon-type legendary Pokemon that will be introduced in the upcoming metagame, although it will now have to compete with stronger Dynamax leads.

Tyranitar

Tyranitar - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Tyranitar's low speed and Sand Stream Ability gives it a niche in the upcoming metagame as a counter weather setter to the likes of Groudon and Kyogre. Although it can't directly switch into these titans, it's still a versatile Pokemon that can put a stop to opposing weather simply by switchin in.

B-Tier Pokemon Reviews

Celesteela

Celesteela - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Celesteela's great dual typing, great stats, and access to many support moves lets it directly compete with the many legendary Pokemon that will be introduced in the upcoming Ranked Battle Series 8, and is an particularly great counter to defensive Pokemon such as Lugia and Giratina.

Rillaboom

Rillaboom - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Rillaboom remains a great revenge killer with its Grassy Surge boosted Grassy Glide, and although it now has to contend with strong Legendaries that can take a hit, it still have a niche as an offensive pivot - especially in the Doubles metagame.

Lapras

Lapras - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Laparas remains a great contender in the upcoming metagame courtesy of its dual-typing and utility moves such as Freeze-Dry, which allows it to threaten powerful Water-types such as Kyogre.

Ferrothorn

Ferrothorn - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Ferrothorn will remain an omnipresent Pokemon in many teams simply due to being the best Stealth Rock setter in the metagame. Thanks to its great stats and typing, it can directly contend with powerhouses such as Kyogre, Zekrom, and Eternatus.

Gastrodon

Gastrodon - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Gastrodon has a niche as a great Kyogre counter, with its Storm Drain Ability letting it absorb the latter's powerful Origin Pulses and then phazing it with Yawn.

Toxapepx

Toxapex - Best Build for Ranked Battle

Although Toxapex now needs to be wary of powerful Electric-types such as Zekrom, it's still an important defensive Pokemon that can wall even powerful legendaries. As one of the few defensive Pokemon that still have the move Toxic, it can also threaten opposing defensive Pokemon and wear them down with its moves.

Quagsire

Quagsire - Best Build for Ranked Battle

With so many setup sweepers relying on boosting moves in the upcoming Series 8 metagame, Quagsire has a niche as an Unaware wall that completely ignores stat boosts. It can then wear them down with Scald or surprise its usual checks with Counter.

Chansey

Chansey - Best Build for Ranked Battle

With so many Legendary Pokemon that are powerful special attackers, Chansey will see an incrase in usage in the upcoming metagame. Although it needs to be wary of Pokemon such as Mewtwo, the Egg Pokemon still remains the best answer to special sweepers thanks to its Eviolite-boosted defenses.

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