Max Defenders Tier List (May 2025)

Explore our in-depth Tier List of best Max Defenders to use in Pokémon GO’s Max Battles. Our Max Defenders Tier List is sorted into five categories, starting from the top tier Defenders and moving downwards. Our Tier List takes many things into account including Defense, HP and longevity of usefulness. Hopefully this will help you to spend your precious resources in the right place!

We also have a separate Max Attackers Tier List.

What are Defenders?

Defenders are Pokémon which take damage form the Max Boss and generate Max Energy by attacking. They are often Pokémon with high Stamina and Defense, but low Attack.

Their key characteristic is that they have a really short Fast Attack (0.5 seconds), allowing them to generate Max Energy quickly. We call them Defenders, but you will sometimes find the term Chargers, since their main role is to “charge” before the Max Phase. These two terms are often interchangeable. Once the Max Phase starts, you want to switch into one of the best Max Attackers to deal damage.

S Tier

Pokémon	Best Move and resistances
Blissey Dynamax	Pound Resistances: Ghost
Corviknight Dynamax	Sand Attack Resistances: Dragon Fairy Flying Ground Psychic Normal Steel Poison Bug Grass
Blastoise (Gigantamax)	Bite/Water Gun Resistances: Water Steel Ice Fire

Explanation

S Tier Max Defenders are the best Defenders that you can obtain and use in the game right now. These Pokemon have a combination of high Defence, high HP and a good range of resistances. Blissey has an incredibly high HP stat and can be considered the best healer in the game. Blastoise and Corviknight both have very high Defense stats and cover each other’s resistances so choose whichever one is most appropriate for the opponent.

A Tier

Pokémon	Best Move and resistances
Raikou	Thunder Shock Resistances: Steel Flying Electric
Snorlax	Lick Resistances: Ghost
Lapras	Water Gun Resistances: Ice Water
Zapdos	Thunder Shock Resistances: Steel Ground Grass Flying Fighting Bug
Venusaur	Vine Whip Resistances: Water Fighting Fairy Electric Grass

Explanation

A Tier Max Defenders are versatile replacements for S Tier Defenders when you are unable to obtain them. They can all hold their own when pitted against the right opponent having good Defence, HP and resistances. All of these options are well worth your time.

B Tier

Pokémon	Best Move and resistances
Greedent	Tackle / Bite / Mud Shot Resistances: Ghost
Rillaboom	Scratch Resistances: Water Electric Grass Ground
Dubwool	Tackle Resistances: Ghost
Excadrill	Metal Claw / Mud Shot Resistances: Steel Psychic Normal Flying Fairy Dragon Bug Electric Rock Poison
Charizard	Dragon Breath Resistances: Bug Grass Fairy Fighting Fire Ground Steel

Explanation

B Tier Max Defenders are decent Defenders in their own right, but they are either highly situational or a better alternative exists in higher tiers. They simply do not have the Defence and HP stats to rival the better tiers and their resistances are all covered by better options.

C Tier

Pokémon	Best Move and resistances
Inteleon	Pound / Water Gun Resistances: Fire Ice Water Steel
Gengar	Sucker Punch / Shadow Claw / Lick Resistances: Fighting Bug Normal Poison Fairy Grass
Butterfree	Bug Bite Resistances: Fighting Ground Bug Grass
Sableye	Shadow Claw Resistances: Fighting Poison Normal Psychic

Explanation

C Tier Max Defenders are the remaining useful Defenders available however they have glaring weaknesses in the stats and there are plenty of other better options further up the tier list.

F Tier

Explanation

F Tier Max Defenders unfortunately do not have any 0.5 second fast moves available which renders them useless in max battles as a charger. Check back in future however, if given an appropriate move some of these options might eventually become useful!

The post Max Defenders Tier List (May 2025) appeared first on Pokémon GO Hub.

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