Welcome back, Trainers! It's time to see how Cobalion will likely perform in Pokémon GO.
ATTACK: 192 |
DEFENSE: 229 |
STAMINA: 209 |
MAX CP: 3022 |
PLACE IN THE META: Time to enter the Legendary section of the Pokédex! First up, we have Cobalion. Cobalion and the other members of the Swords of Justice have the deck stacked against them, meaning they will not be as useful as they could be.
One of the main reasons Cobalion will not be all that great is its moves. If you are unaware, the moves Niantic assigns a Pokémon in GO are decided based on the pool of moves it can have in the mainline games. Looking at that pool, we do not see the crucial Counter or Dynamic Punch. Those two moves comprise the best Fighting-type moveset in Pokémon GO, and Fighting-types really struggle with relevance if they do not or cannot have them.
Without Counter and Dynamic Punch, Cobalion will not be able to compete with Machamp (and possibly Conkeldurr as well). With all that being said, all hope is not lost for Cobalion and the other Swords of Justice. The Swords of Justice do have a signature move known as Sacred Sword, and can all learn the move Double Kick. Should Niantic add Double Kick as a Fast Attack, Sacred Sword as a Charged Attack, and make both moves viable, then the Swords of Justice may become good (or at least better) Fighting-type attackers. A buff to Close Combat would help these Pokémon, too.
But Cobalion's problems don't end there. There are two other major impediments to Cobalion being a viable Pokémon. 1) Cobalion's low Attack stat. Pokémon with Attack stats that do not exceed 200 are not very useful (at least in Raids). And, 2) The stiff competition from Metagross with Meteor Mash and Dialga. Those two things combined will severely hinder Cobalion's Steel-type prowess. It really seems like Pokémon GO won't be too kind to this Pokémon.
LIKELY MOVEPOOL: Out of the Fast Moves we currently have in Pokémon GO, the following are the ones that seem most likely to be given to Cobalion:
Out of the Charged Moves we currently have in Pokémon GO, the following are the ones that seem most likely to be given to Cobalion:
Should Niantic add any new moves, the following are good candidates for Cobalion's movepool:
LOOKING AHEAD: Looking beyond Generation 5, Cobalion gains no evolution, exclusive Z-Move, or Mega Evolution that is known of at this time.
One of the main reasons Cobalion will not be all that great is its moves. If you are unaware, the moves Niantic assigns a Pokémon in GO are decided based on the pool of moves it can have in the mainline games. Looking at that pool, we do not see the crucial Counter or Dynamic Punch. Those two moves comprise the best Fighting-type moveset in Pokémon GO, and Fighting-types really struggle with relevance if they do not or cannot have them.
Without Counter and Dynamic Punch, Cobalion will not be able to compete with Machamp (and possibly Conkeldurr as well). With all that being said, all hope is not lost for Cobalion and the other Swords of Justice. The Swords of Justice do have a signature move known as Sacred Sword, and can all learn the move Double Kick. Should Niantic add Double Kick as a Fast Attack, Sacred Sword as a Charged Attack, and make both moves viable, then the Swords of Justice may become good (or at least better) Fighting-type attackers. A buff to Close Combat would help these Pokémon, too.
But Cobalion's problems don't end there. There are two other major impediments to Cobalion being a viable Pokémon. 1) Cobalion's low Attack stat. Pokémon with Attack stats that do not exceed 200 are not very useful (at least in Raids). And, 2) The stiff competition from Metagross with Meteor Mash and Dialga. Those two things combined will severely hinder Cobalion's Steel-type prowess. It really seems like Pokémon GO won't be too kind to this Pokémon.
LIKELY MOVEPOOL: Out of the Fast Moves we currently have in Pokémon GO, the following are the ones that seem most likely to be given to Cobalion:
- Metal Claw
- Quick Attack
Out of the Charged Moves we currently have in Pokémon GO, the following are the ones that seem most likely to be given to Cobalion:
- Close Combat
- Flash Cannon
- Iron Head
- Stone Edge
Should Niantic add any new moves, the following are good candidates for Cobalion's movepool:
- Double Kick
- Sacred Sword
- Superpower
LOOKING AHEAD: Looking beyond Generation 5, Cobalion gains no evolution, exclusive Z-Move, or Mega Evolution that is known of at this time.
Thanks for reading, Trainers! The next member of the Swords of Justice, Terrakion, is up next.
SOURCE: Pokémon Deluxe Essential Handbook, The Official National Pokédex: Pokémon Ultra Sun & Pokémon Ultra Moon Edition, Stats Calculated by Serebii | IMAGE CREDIT: The Pokémon Company