The Top 10 Best Alolan Pokémon in Pokémon GO

Alolan Pokémon are reimagined versions of the forgettable Kanto Pokémon. Better, different elemental type, more powerful. Alolan Marowak, for instance, has been a nightmare in the Great League for so many years now, and trainers still dread seeing that white bone spin onto the field.

You can get most of them from the eggs your friends send you. Despite the power spike, not all of them are worth spending candy on. Here we outline which ones are.

What Alolan Forms Actually Are

As mentioned, Alolan forms are regional variants of Gen 1 Kanto Pokémon rebuilt for the Alola region in Pokémon Sun and Moon. They occupy the same Pokédex slot, but have completely different types. Normal Exeggutor, one of the original 151 Kanto Pokémon, is a stubby Grass and Psychic type, while Alolan Exeggutor is a Grass and Dragon skyscraper that stands nearly thirty-six feet tall and is the tallest Grass type in the game. The changes in typing are what matter the most, because it completely changes which battles a Pokémon can win and lose.

Always take note that the Alolan forms only refer to the Kanto variants and don't include the new Pokémon from the Alola region, which we know is often confusing. Tapu Koko and Necrozma, for example, are separate native species, not Alolan forms. Calling them Alolan Pokémon is technically half right, but that would be confusing.

You can get most of them from Gifts, some from raids and Field Research, often hatching from 7 km eggs. And they're not always available. Check the lineups to see the egg pools for each season before expecting. It's also better to top up on PokéCoins, so you can run incubators to speed up the hatching process.

The 10 Best Alolan Pokémon in Pokémon GO, at a Glance

This tier list is ranked not by nostalgia, but by usefulness in PvP and raids. Max CP is measured at Level 50.

Alolan Marowak Still Owns the Great League

The combination of Fire and Ghost in the form of Alolan Marowak is so OP. This Pokemon is immune to a wide range of Normal and Fighting damage, double resists Bug, and shrugs off Fire, Grass, Ice, Steel, Fairy, and Poison.

This is especially useful in the Great League when faced with Pokémon of different Fighting types. Deal fire attacks by feeding it Fire Spin, then Bone Club and Shadow Bone, and it'll be unstoppable.

Despite the moveset and statset, its stat ceiling of 2,075 max CP keeps this Pokémon locked to the lower leagues, but that's exactly where it wants to be.

Alolan Ninetales

If you're wondering why the Alolan Ninetales sits so high on the list, its rare Ice and Fairy typing is one of the best in the game. That type works in both the Great and Ultra League. It threatens Dragons, Flying attackers, and the Dark types other Pokemon in the list can't. Its moves like Weather Ball and Psyshock are hard-hitting STAB options that offer strong coverage.

Alolan Ninetales was listed by PvPoke in Ultra League's top twenty, and Pokemon Go Hub's breakdown can show you how it fares well no matter the format. Above everything, its shiny version is a soft lavender, if that matters to you.

Alolan Muk and Sandslash

Alolan Muk is a reliable Poison and Dark tank whose high HP and defensive typing let it resist a lot of common types, grant a full immunity to Psychic damage, and hold its own against Fairies. Though not epic-level good, it's been a Great and Ultra League pick because of that.

Behind it on the list is Alolan Sandslash, whose solid defense and special defense pair with Shadow Claw to earn its spot. That fast move is among the best in all of PvP, and its movepool only gets better from there. Add to that Ice Punch and Drill Run that its Ice and Steel body gives, and you have a bulky creature that can fight Dragons and Steels alike.

Alolan Golem and Exeggutor

While most Alolan forms do best in PvP, these are for raids. Evolve your Geodude line all the way up, and Alolan Golem becomes an A-tier Electric attacker, with moves like Volt Switch and Wild Charge best for countering Water or Flying bosses. Alolan Exeggutor is a budget Grass attacker that can also hold up against Water bosses using its Bullet Seed and Solar Beam if you don't have better options available. Both of them are pretty mid on the charts, but do well enough on raids to earn you rewards.

Alolan Raichu and the Rest

Alolan Raichu, a pokemon with a rare Electric and Psychic dual typing, can fire Volt Switch and Wild Charge in Great League, but carries a weakness to four types: Dark, Ground, Ghost, and Bug.

Great League specialists Alolan Raticate, Alolan Persian, and Alolan Dugtrio round out the ranking at eight through 10 as niche picks for when you need to counter enemies. Raticate hits hard against Psychic and Ghost leads, Persian is a cheap Dark type able to use Foul Play, while Dugtrio's Ground and Steel nature can deal quick and good amounts of damage.

Which Alolan Forms Deserve Your Candy

If you're a beginner, the best Alola starter picks to capitalize on are Marowak and Ninetales. Both are useful in leagues, with available rare shiny versions. Other than these two, everything else on the list will depend on the meta or if you have your eyes set on specific targets in themed Cups. Nonetheless, the community really needs to stop sleeping on Alola. They run the lower leagues; give them some love!