Powering up
After the stardust event I’ve been investing in counters more frequently, at least taking relevant Pokémon to level 30 or to a breakpoint.
So far:
2 Dark Tyranitar to level 30
Shadow Ball Mewtwo to level 30
Sky Attack Moltres to level 30
100% Hariyama to level 32
Shadow Claw Gengar to level 35
Gardevoir to level 30
Dragonite to level 30
I have a few options to power up next, but I’m struggling to decide where to spend my stardust (and struggling to bring myself to spend it at all). Here are some options:
Raikou - level 15, 14/12/14 or 13/14/15 (A/D/S)
Entei - level 15, 15/12/13 or 14/13/15 (A/D/S)
Sky Attack Moltres - level 20, 15/11/15 or Shiny 15/11-12/13-14 (A/D/S)
Mewtwo
I’ll probably hold off on powering up Entei as I can still get 2 more from research and it will likely be outclassed soon. I’ll probably hold off on powering up Mewtwo as well, it’s available for a month and I’d only want a copy of each move to level 30.
I also have trades lined up for Legacy Dragonite, a bunch of Dark Tyranitar and Machamp.
I don’t have any Kyogre, Groudon, or Rayquaza but I could get them from trading, and provided the IVs were decent I wouldn’t mind investing in them.
What do you think?
Answers
I know this wasn't part of your question. But I would highly consider powering up Machamp (higher DPS compared to Hariyama but ledss TDO), as it is pretty much the only 1 Gen pkmn that will survive Gen 4 wave, alongside Mewtwo and Gengar. Oh, watch Poke AK video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km9otlGI-JE) for more info on M2's moves
I have 3 15 Attack IV (one is 15/14/15) Machamp powered up to level 35. Right now my fighting team is those three, 2 Hariyama (91% and 100%), and a 96% Blaziken at level 30. I like a little variation on my teams so I didn’t mind investing, especially with it being 100%. I always do Machamp raids when I find them and I’m going to get roughly 10 when I trade with a friend so any high IV/Lucky ones I get from that I’ll likely power up
I think that you do the right thing holding on to your stardust.
Power up only what you need. None of the options in queue are a priority. If you find many water defenders in gyms might consider power up raikou. Don't invest in more fire types for now.
Also, I wouldn't recommend to power up one version of each Mewtwo to level 30. Only shadow ball, psychic and ice beam will remain meta relevant IMO. And it's very likely that psychic gets upgraded to psystrike in the future. Your Mewtwo candy are better off in your SB Mewtwo for now.
Update: I caught a 100% Mewtwo today with Confusion/Psychic so I instantly powered it up to 30. I’m torn between keeping it as-is to use in Machamp raids or TMing it hopes of getting Focus Blast for gym clear. I have a feeling using TMs will be a waste because of how many charge moves Mewtwo can learn, though.
TM it based upon what you think you'll need it for more. Do you regularly raid Machamp and want a better clear time? Keep it with Psychic. Want to give your four-armed fisters a break? TM it to Focus Blast.
Personally I'd hope for Ice Beam. While not as popular as the two moves you want it would make a fun alternative ice attacker should Rayquaza return before we see Gen 4. I have a Shadow Ball Mewtwo at level 35 that's serviceable enough for Machamp raids and I'm not in need of a Focus Blaster, but that's just me.
I’m not really lacking in either department really. Gym clearing is as simple as clicking, it just gets boring using machamp over and over lol.
My machamp raid team right now has this Mewtwo, level 30 sky attack Moltres, 4x level 30-35 Espeon, level 34 Alakazam, level 30 Gardevoir, and Lugia if I’m feeling lazy. I swap out Gardevoir for one of the espeon if it’s a steel moveset machamp.
I have a 15/12/13 Ice Beam Mewtwo right now so I’ll probably just keep it psychic I guess
