Best moveset for Ampharos in Pokemon GO & is it any good?
Following the Mareep Community Day Classic event in Pokemon GO, many Trainers will be wondering what the best moveset is for the freshly-evolved Ampharos.
Known as the Light Pokemon in the Pokedex, Ampharos first appeared in Gold & Silver's Johto region before making its Pokemon GO debut in 2017. It's got plenty of moves - including the featured attack Dragon Pulse - but are any of them good? Let's find out.
Best moveset for Ampharos in Pokemon GO
One of the best PvP movesets you can teach Ampharos is Volt Switch as a Fast Move paired with Thunder Punch and Dragon Pulse as Charged Moves.
Ampharos only has access to two potential Fast Moves, making this an easy choice as Volt Switch has better energy generation and damage output than Charge Beam. Make sure you have this.
When it comes to Charged Moves, Thunder Punch is the cheapest STAB option at 40 Energy, giving Ampharos the ability to bait shields, while Dragon Pulse gives it some extra coverage against Dragon-type opponents.
Click to enlargeIf you didn't manage to get Dragon Pulse during the Mareep Community Day Classic event and you don't want to spend an Elite Charged TM, a good alternative is Dark Pulse which is a fairly cheap attack at 40 Energy.
On the other hand, if you're hoping to use Ampharos as a Raid attacker, you'll want a combination of Volt Switch and Zap Cannon for optimal damage.
All moves Ampharos can learn in Pokemon GO
Ampharos can learn two Fast Moves which we've listed below:
- Charge Beam (Electric)
- Volt Switch (Electric)
Ampharos can learn eight Charged Moves which we've listed below:
- Brutal Swing (Dark)
- Dragon Pulse (Dragon)
- Focus Blast (Fighting)
- Power Gem (Rock)
- Thunder (Electric)
- Thunder Punch (Electric)
- Trailblaze (Grass)
- Zap Cannon (Electric)
All of these attacks can be obtained by using a Charged TM, except for Dragon Pulse which can only be learned via evolution during special events or by using an Elite Charged TM.
Is Ampharos any good?
The short and simple answer is that Ampharos is not a standout in either PvP or PvE. It does have some potential in the Ultra League, where it can take down common opponents like Pidgeot, Charizard, and Walrein, but there are better Electric-type alternatives like Bellibolt or Heliolisk to spend your resources on.
When it comes to Raid Battles, Ampharos is a decent performer if you're in need of an Electric-type attacker. But again, there are simply better alternatives out there. I'd recommend focusing on Zapdos, Xurkitree, or Zekrom. If you don't have any of those Legendaries, invest in a strong Electivire or Magnezone instead.
Things look a lot different when you take Mega Ampharos into account. This powered-up Mega Evolution is a top-tier Electric-type attacker in Pokemon GO, but you'll need to wait for it to return to Raid Battles so you can earn Mega Energy if you don't already have enough - and who knows when that will happen.
That's everything you need to know about Ampharos! Check out our Pokemon GO homepage for more guides like the best Great League team or the latest Spotlight Hour schedule.
