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Can't decide which Pokemon to catch in Sword and Shield? Here is the best Pokemon tier list that includes both top-tier attackers and defenders.

Pokemon Sword and Shield: Best Pokemon Tier List

Can't decide which Pokemon to catch in Sword and Shield? Here is the best Pokemon tier list that includes both top-tier attackers and defenders.
This article is over 4 years old and may contain outdated information

There are over 400 Pokemon in Pokemon Sword and Shield, which can be a bit overwhelming if one decides to catch the best Pokemon out there. But no worries, as this tier list of the best Pokemon will help you find and catch only the top-tier monsters.

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All of the Pokemon listed below are good for different purposes. Some are good at attacking, while others are great at defenses. Either way keep on reading for more information on the best Pokemon in Sword and Shield.

S-Tier Pokemon

Dreepy/Drakloak/Dragapult

Why it’s the best:

  • One of the fastest Pokemon in the game
  • Best physical Dragon in the game
  • Huge pool of moves

Where to find Dreepy:

  • Lake of Outrage

Best movesets for Dragapult:

  • Dragon Dance
  • Dragon Darts
  • Phantom Force
  • Disable/Substitute/Will-O-Wisp
Toxel/Toxtricity

Why it’s the best:

  • Immune to Toxic damage
  • Super resistant to common types
  • Unpredictable moves

Where to find Toxel:

  • Motostoke Riverbank
  • Bridge Field
  • Route 7

Best movesets for Toxtricity:

  • Overdrive
  • Boomburst
  • Fire Punch
  • Toxic/Sludge Bomb/Shift Gear/Taunt
Rookidee/Corvisquire/Corviknight

Why it’s the best:

  • Excellent defense abilities
  • One of the only few Pokemon that can effectively beat ghost types

Where to find Rookidee:

  • Route 2
  • Motostoke Riverbank
  • Slumbering Weald

Best movesets for Corviknight:

  • Brave Bird/Body Press
  • Roost
  • Taunt
  • Defog/U-turn
Impidimp/Morgrem/Grimmsnarl

 

Why it’s the best:

  • Wide range of physical moves
  • Fits a vast number of teams
  • Very splashable

Where to find Impidimp:

  • Motostoke Outskirts
  • Stony Wilderness

Best movesets for Grimmsnarl:

  • Taunt/Swagger
  • Darkest Lariat/Foul Play
  • Thunder Punch/Spirit Break/Fire Punch
  • Thunder Wave
Darumaka/Darmanitan

Why it’s the best:

  • Extremely high attack stat
  • One of the best offensive Pokemon in the game

Where to find Darumaka:

  • Route 8
  • Route 10

Best movesets for Darmanitan:

  • Icicle Crash
  • U-turn
  • Earthquake
  • Flare Blitz

A-Tier Pokemon

Scorbunny/Raboot/Cinderace

Why it’s great:

  • Solid attack and speed stats
  • Gains STAB on every move

Where to find Scorbunny:

  • Fire starter Pokemon

Best movesets for Cinderace:

  • Pyro Ball/Flare Blitz
  • High Jump Kick/Low Kick
  • U-turn
  • Zen Headbutt/Gunk Shot/Fire Punch
Dracovish

Why it’s great:

  • Strongest water Pokemon in the game
  • Provides many opportunities for wallbreaking

Where to find Dracovish:

  • Fossil Lady at Route 6 (Fossilized Fish + Fossilized Drake)

Best movesets for Dracovish:

  • Fishious Rend
  • Crunch
  • Psychic Fangs
  • Low Kick
Corsola

Why it’s great:

  • Capable of wallbreaking every single physical threat

Where to find Corsola:

  • Giant’s Mirror

Best movesets for Corsola:

  • Stealth Rock
  • Will-O-Wisp
  • Strength Sap
  • Night Shade
Cufant/Copperajah

Why it’s great:

  • Huge base attack
  • Highly versatile pool of moves

Where to find Cufant:

  • Bridge Field

Best movesets for Copperajah:

  • Iron Head
  • Rock Slide
  • Earthquake
  • Stealth Rock
Applin/Flapple/Appletun

Why it’s great:

  • Lots of ways of restoring HP
  • Doubles the effects of berries

Where to find Applin:

  • Route 5
  • Stony Wilderness
  • Dusty Bowl
  • Giant’s Mirror

Best movesets for Appletun:

  • Recycle
  • Apple Acid
  • Leech Seed
  • Body Press/Draco Meteor

B-Tier Pokemon

Sobble/Drizzile/Inteleon

Why it’s good:

  • Impressive stats for special attacker

Where to find Sobble:

  • Water starter Pokemon

Best movesets for Inteleon:

  • Snipe Shot/Hydro Pump
  • Ice Beam
  • Dark Pulse/Air Slash
  • U-turn
Grookey/Thwackey/Rillaboom

Why it’s good:

  • Bulky design makes it a good team Pokemon

Where to find Grookey:

  • Grass starter Pokemon

Best movesets for Rillaboom:

  • Wood Hammer
  • Superpower
  • Knock Off
  • U-turn
Hatenna/Hattrem/Hatterene

Why it’s good:

  • Great apecial attack stat
  • Huge pool of utility moves

Where to find Hatenna:

  • Motostoke Outskirts
  • Stony Wilderness
  • Hammerlocke Hills

Best movesets for Hatterenne:

  • Rest
  • Psychic
  • Dazzling Gleam/Sleep Talk
  • Mystical Fire
Sizzlipede/Centiskorch

Why it’s good:

  • Has plenty of useful resistances for Grass, Fairy, Fighting, Ice, Bug, and Steel.

Where to find Sizzlipede:

  • Route 3

Best movesets for Centiskorch:

  • Fire Lash
  • Leech Life
  • Will-O-Wisp / Mystical Fire
  • Knock Off / Power Whip
Duraludon

Why it’s good:

  • Gains bulk and extra fire power

Where to find Duraludon:

  • Route 10
  • Lake of Outrage

Best movesets for Duraludon:

  • Dragon Pulse/Draco Meteor
  • Flash Cannon
  • Thunderbolt
  • Stealth Rock

That is all for the best Pokemon tier list, and for more Sword and Shield guides, check out the list below:


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Serhii Patskan
Serhii is the Writer at GameSkinny. He's been writing for GameSkinny since 2015. Before that, he's been writing for various outlets and playing video games, which eventually turned into a passion. The video games that have contributed the most to his enthusiasm for writing about this industry are Magic: The Gathering, Dark Souls, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.