Best Max Battle Tanks against Dark-type Attacks

A complete list of best tanks against Dark-type Dynamax and Gigantamax Bosses. Compare all available Max Battle tanks against incoming Dark-type attacks. Search through Max Battle eligible Pokémon and their recommended Fast Attacks, then compare tank scores and average HP loss. Remember that the type refers to the boss’s attack, not the tank’s own typing!

Updated Oct 23, 2026, 05:58 UTC


1.	Dynamax Urshifu (Single Strike Style)	Sucker Punch	124.1	21.1%
2.	Crowned Shield Zamazenta	Metal Claw	107.1	24.5%
3.	Dynamax Blissey	Pound	100	26.2%
4.	Dynamax Umbreon	Feint Attack	99.1	26.4%
5.	Gigantamax Grimmsnarl	Bite	95.6	27.4%
6.	Crowned Sword Zacian	Metal Claw	88.8	29.5%
7.	Dynamax Sylveon	Quick Attack	86.1	30.4%
8.	Dynamax Urshifu (Rapid Strike Style)	Counter	78.2	33.5%
9.	Dynamax Hydreigon	Bite	77.6	33.7%
10.	Dynamax Chansey	Pound	76.2	34.3%
11.	Dynamax Passimian	Counter	71.2	36.8%
12.	Dynamax Regirock	Lock-On	70.4	37.2%
13.	Dynamax Regice	Lock-On	70.4	37.2%
14.	Gigantamax Snorlax	Lick	67.5	38.8%
15.	Gigantamax Machamp	Bullet Punch	65.6	39.9%
16.	Dynamax Machamp	Counter	65.6	39.9%
17.	Dynamax Registeel	Metal Claw	65	40.3%
18.	Dynamax Suicune	Water Gun	63.5	41.3%
19.	Dynamax Ho-Oh	Extrasensory	62.8	41.7%
20.	Eternatus	Dragon Tail	62.1	42.1%
21.	Dynamax Weavile	Feint Attack	59.3	44.2%
22.	Dynamax Articuno	Frost Breath	59.1	44.3%
23.	Gigantamax Lapras	Psywave	58.7	44.6%
24.	Dynamax Lapras	Water Gun	58.7	44.6%
25.	Dynamax Rhyperior	Smack Down	57.6	45.4%
26.	Dynamax Milotic	Waterfall	57.4	45.6%
27.	Dynamax Hitmontop	Counter	57.2	45.8%
28.	Dynamax Falinks	Counter	55.6	47.1%
29.	Dynamax Vaporeon	Water Gun	54.7	47.9%
30.	Dynamax Hitmonchan	Counter	54.5	48.1%
31.	Dynamax Lugia	Extrasensory	54	48.5%
32.	Dynamax Entei	Fire Fang	52.5	49.8%
33.	Dynamax Walrein	Frost Breath	52.1	50.2%
34.	Dynamax Corviknight	Sand Attack	51.8	50.5%
35.	Dynamax Hitmonlee	Low Kick	50.5	51.8%
36.	Dynamax Cryogonal	Frost Breath	50.5	51.8%
37.	Dynamax Greedent	Tackle	50.1	52.2%
38.	Dynamax Raikou	Thunder Shock	49.5	52.9%
39.	Dynamax Gyarados	Bite	49.1	53.3%
40.	Dynamax Rhydon	Mud-Slap	49	53.4%
41.	Dynamax Gigalith	Smack Down	49	53.5%
42.	Dynamax Machoke	Low Kick	48.8	53.7%
43.	Dynamax Zweilous	Bite	48.6	53.8%
44.	Gigantamax Blastoise	Bite	47.9	54.7%
45.	Dynamax Blastoise	Water Gun	47.9	54.7%
46.	Dynamax Zapdos	Thunder Shock	47.1	55.6%
47.	Gigantamax Rillaboom	Scratch	46.5	56.3%
48.	Dynamax Rillaboom	Scratch	46.5	56.3%
49.	Dynamax Moltres	Fire Spin	46.3	56.6%
50.	Gigantamax Venusaur	Vine Whip	44.4	58.9%

Rows per page1–50 of 162

Top tanks against Dark-type attacks

#1Dynamax Urshifu (Single Strike Style)
Sucker Punch
Score
124.1
Avg. HP lost / hit
21.1%
#2Crowned Shield Zamazenta
Metal Claw
Score
107.1
Avg. HP lost / hit
24.5%
#3Dynamax Blissey
Pound
Score
100
Avg. HP lost / hit
26.2%
#4Dynamax Umbreon
Feint Attack
Score
99.1
Avg. HP lost / hit
26.4%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best tank against Dark-type attacks in Max Battles?

Dynamax Urshifu (Single Strike Style) is the top-ranked defender against Dark-type attacks in Pokémon GO Max Battles with the current settings. It scores 124.1, with an average HP loss of 21.1% per hit against the benchmark opponent. With a base Defense of 177, Dynamax Urshifu (Single Strike Style) also benefits from resistance to Dark-type attacks: its typing reduces incoming damage to 39.06% of neutral damage before other modifiers and rounding.

What other Pokémon are good tanks against Dark-type attacks?

Other top-ranked defenders against Dark-type boss attacks include Crowned Shield Zamazenta, Dynamax Blissey, and Dynamax Umbreon. Resistance to Dark-type attacks helps Crowned Shield Zamazenta and Dynamax Umbreon take less damage. For Dynamax Blissey, durability against this attack type comes from HP and Defense rather than type resistance.

What is the best Fast Attack for Dynamax Urshifu (Single Strike Style)?

The top-recommended Fast Attack for Dynamax Urshifu (Single Strike Style) in Max Battles is Sucker Punch with the current settings. Faster Max Meter generation is the first tie-breaker between equally durable movesets, followed by Max Attack damage. Max Meter gain depends on damage dealt and attack duration, rather than Charged Attack energy. An asterisk (*) marks a legacy Fast Attack.

How These Rankings Work

These rankings show how durable different Pokémon are against Dynamax and Gigantamax bosses. Higher scores are better.

The 100-Point Benchmark

What 100 means: The best overall tank, Dynamax Blissey, sets the baseline with an average of 26.179% HP lost per hit across all 18 equally weighted attack types.
Scoring: 80 means 80% of the reference’s overall effective bulk; 150 means 1.5 times that bulk against the selected attack type. Strong matchups can score above 100.
What changes the baseline: Filters, search and pagination keep the same baseline. Level and weather changes recalculate it.

Current Setup & Settings

Pokémon stats: Level 40 with perfect IVs (15/15/15).
Conditions: Extreme weather and level 3 Max Attacks. Max Guard and Max Spirit are not included.
Customization: Change the level, weather and eligible Pokémon using the table settings.

How Damage Is Calculated

Incoming damage: Half comes from a spread hit, and half from the average of a targeted hit with the best and worst dodge reductions. Each hit is rounded individually.

Score = 100 × Dynamax Blissey’s average HP loss % across all types ÷ this Pokémon’s HP loss % against the selected type

Tie-breakers: Faster Max Meter generation comes first, followed by Max Attack damage.

The Boss Opponent Benchmark

The reference opponent uses median stats from 29 available Tier 5 Dynamax and Tier 6 Gigantamax bosses with verified encounter profiles. Each boss contributes once, after its encounter and damage multipliers are applied.

Boss stats: Adjusted Attack: 284.4 · Effective Defense: 170.25 · HP: 70,000 · Attack power: 95.
Tank roster: Rankings include all available Dynamax and Gigantamax Pokémon with valid Max moves, plus eligible special forms. This is separate from the verified boss pool.
Attacks: The benchmark attack matches the selected type and receives STAB; outgoing attacks use neutral typing. Generic fallback profiles, unavailable bosses and missing move pools are excluded from the benchmark.

Important Notes

Formula-based ranking: This is not a full battle simulation. It does not predict team Max Attack opportunities, boss enrage, survival time or wins.
Real-world variation: Actual boss moves and damage breakpoints can change performance.
Forms: Forms are ranked separately. Only available Pokémon with valid imported Max moves are included.
* Marks a legacy Fast Attack.