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#9
Default
171
ATK
207
DEF
188
STA
Lvl 50Max CP
2788
Lvl 40
2466
Lvl 25Weather Boost
1761
Lvl 20Raids/Eggs
1409
Lvl 15Research
1057

PvE Analysis

Blastoise: the OG bad Vaporeon. After so many generations of Pokemon, there are now numerous bad Vaporeon, who itself is now a worse Gyarados, who itself is a worse Kyogre, etc. Even on defense, Blastoise is also a bit underwhelming. Its fast moves barely do anything to attackers, while its bulk is nowhere close to that of Vaporeon or Milotic.

Max Battles

As a Dynamax Pokemon, Blastoise is a solid tank in the early metagame. Its high Defense stat allows it to make good use of Max Guard to tank and redirect boss aggro. Thanks to Water Gun's short 0.5s duration, Blastoise can charge up the Max Meter quickly in tougher battles. You don't really want Blastoise as your damage dealer, as Inteleon significantly outclasses it in that role.

With the release of Gigantamax Blastoise, regular Blastoise is outclassed except in situations where you may want access to Max Darkness (and even then, it's negligibly better). However, as Blastoise primarily wants to click Max Guard and Max Spirit to support its teammates, not having the extra power of G-Max Cannonade isn't a terribly huge loss. Nonetheless, it is still outclassed.

Best PvE Offensive Moveset

  • Water Gun has the advantage of Water Type STAB and better overall performance, putting it in a stronger position than Bite.

  • Hydro Cannon* is objectively outstanding. Don't bother with other options.

  • Hydro Pump is Blastoise's optimal non-exclusive charge move.

  • Ice Beam has its select advantageous matchups.

  • Flash Cannon is an awful 1-bar charge move, and Skull Bash isn't useful either.
  • Rollout isn't great for Blastoise.
  • Return offers nothing of any value.

Best PvE Defensive Moveset

  • Rollout is the best way to go on defense.
  • Hydro Cannon is a fantastic choice for power and pairs best with Bite, while Ice Beam is perfect for counter-coverage and works just fine with either quick move.

  • Hydro Pump hits hard and early in the animation, but Blastoise may not live to use it.

  • Even when Hydro Pump is resisted, Flash Cannon is still worse.
  • Skull Bash takes too long to access as a 1-bar move, but is harder to dodge than other moves. 
  • Return is Blastoise' only three-bar move, making it attractive for defense. However, its power is low.

PvP Analysis

Rollout is preferable to Water Gun and Bite due to its high energy generation, fueling Blastoise's wonderful Charged Attacks.

Behold, one of the best charge moves in the game: Hydro Cannon (40 Energy, 2 DPE). This is the main highlight of Blastoise, and is almost mandatory if you want Blastoise to perform at its peak potential. Hydro Pump is a lot slower and less efficient in comparison; if you're gonna use Blastoise then trade for one with Hydro Cannon, or don't use Blastoise at all. 

Ice Beam should be the second charge move for Blastoise as it provides meaningful coverage. Flash Cannon can hit hard, but with a 70 energy cost it's quite slow and doesn't really complement Blastoise anyways. 

Great League

As a starter (or first partner, as they are officially named) Pokemon, Blastoise is part of an elite group of Pokemon blessed with one of the best Charged Attacks in the game: Hydro Cannon. Blastoise has the bulk to compete with a lot of the meta picks in Great League. The Might and Mastery Season provided Blastoise with a high energy generating move in Rollout, which allows it to finally come out of its shell as a premier Water-type pick. Though other options are Azumarill and Feraligatr do still compete with it, it is still a top contender. Bonus swag points if you're rocking a shiny variant with shades. #squirtlesquad 

Ultra League

Blastoise is a beast in the Ultra League, once again courtesy of its great bulk and wonderful moveset. It is a top-tier Water-type Pokemon, reigning alongside other Waters such as Feraligatr and Lapras.

Master League

Unfortunately, Blastoise's strong moveset isn't strong enough to carry it here. Kyogre is an indisputably better option, whereas Feraligatr now outclasses it in Master Premier - both due to having superior stats. In formats where its Mega form is viable - like in some Grassroots formats, the addition of Rollout on its movepool makes Mega Blastoise a more appealing option.

Purification Cost
3 Candy + 3,000 Stardust
Second Charge Move Cost
10,000 Stardust + 25 Candy
Flee Rate
5 %
Buddy Distance
3 KM
Catch Rate
5 %
Female Ratio
12.5 %
Male Ratio
87.5 %