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    Best Defenders Tier List

    A complete tier list of best Gym defenders in Pokémon GO. The best Gym Defenders are Pokémon with high bulk, which is calculated by multiplying Pokémon Stamina and Defense. Our list of Defenders is calculated by using this metric, and does not account for Defender's moves or typing. Moves and typing are not important in the current Gym Defense meta, and you shouldn't spend resources powering up Defenders or adjusting their moves.

    Click to jump to a particular tier:

    Pokémon GO Best Defenders

    S Tier

    There are only two Pokémon we value as S Tier Defenders: Blissey and Chansey. Blissey is an absolute powerhouse in Gym defense, and its bulk is comparable to two Pokémon in one. Chansey is not far off either, as it outranks any other Pokémon aside from Blissey.

    A+ Tier

    A+ Tier Defenders are Pokémon that bring immense bulk (in a non-Blissey world), and they are the staple of Gym defense. They are great picks, and you can hardly go wrong with any of these Defenders. Any of these Pokémon will give the attackers a run for their money, and given their type variety, they can be quite tricky to defeat.

    A Tier

    A Tier Defenders are excellent defenders, solid all arounders, and Pokémon that often don't have a good place in the Raiding or Trainer Battles meta, so using them as Gym Defenders is a great option.

    B Tier

    B Tier Defenders can be seen as supplementary choices for your Gym defense team, but be aware that some of these Pokémon are better in PvP than Gym Defense. Still, some are very easy to obtain, so using them as Defenders is a solid choice if you decide to do so.

    C Tier

    Our Defender's C Tier really does capture a wide variety of Pokémon, and to be honest, you should probably avoid using them as Gym Defenders. Most of them have a better use in one of the PvP Leagues, or have a useful Mega Evolution, or are simply good Raid Attackers. Again, the choice is yours, but there are better options for Gym Defense.

    D Tier

    Simply not great Gym defense choices, but better than an empty Gym.