On the hunt for the best ground Pokemon? Sometimes, you just need to smash your opponent into… Well, into the ground, and these ferocious beasts can lay the smackdown just as efficiently as a fighting type, though don’t expect them to possess the same speed and agility. They trade that for immense strength – for the most part, at least. We’ve gone head-to-head with all the ‘mon of this type that we could find, just so that we could tell you what the best ground Pokémon in Pokémon Go are.
If this isn’t the type for you, and you prefer to float like a Butterfree or sting like a Beedrill, you can check out our picks for the best bug Pokémon and fighting Pokémon. Or, if you want to go out in a blaze of glory, our picks for the best fire Pokémon can help you out with that, too. If you’re just after some freebies – which is fair – then we have all the latest Pokémon Go codes for you, too.
Here are our picks for the best ground Pokémon in Pokémon Go:
Garchomp / Shadow Garchomp
- Fast move – Mud shot
- Charged move – Earth power
Not only is Garchomp one of the best dragon Pokémon in Pokémon Go, but it also happens to be a powerhouse when it comes to ground-types, with access to some ferocious attacks that are sure to make your opponent want to run in the opposite direction. Without a doubt, you want to give it mud shot and earth power if you want it to focus on ground-based attacks.
Garchomp can end up being a pretty formidable foe, with a max CP of 4,479 and an extremely powerful 261 attack stat to back up the numbers, proving just how much of a powerhouse this dragon-type ‘mon can be. If you manage to capture the shadow variant of Garchomp, you’ll have access to an even heavier hit, with an additional 20% damage that more than makes up for the 20% your Garchomp takes at the same time. Go big or go home, right?
Rhyperior / Shadow Rhyperior
- Fast move – Mud slap
- Charged move – Earthquake
Rhyperior has been a familiar, rocky face of the franchise for a hot minute, first making an appearance way back in gen four. This tanky ‘mon can pack a huge punch and has a respectable amount of HP, meaning it can be tough to take down. But we do still consider Rhyperior to be a Pokémon evolution downgrade thanks to its silly roundness, but some things just can’t be helped. Regardless, when it comes to effectiveness on the battlefield, that doesn’t really matter all that much. Right?
This beast can reach a CP of 4,221, which is very respectable on this list. Regarding its move set, we highly recommend you equip Rhyperior with mud slap and earthquake. However, if you want to give this ‘mon its best possible charge attack, you should make sure it has rock wrecker instead (this, as the name suggests, is a rock-type move). While the normal version of Rhyperior stands tall among the best ground Pokémon in Pokémon Go, its Shadow variant is a little higher on the list, so make sure you aim for that – don’t let the increase in damage you take deter you, as the offense Rhyperior gives is worth it.
Landorus
- Fast move – Mud shot
- Charged move – Earth power
Of course, Landorus is on this list for the best ground Pokémon in Pokémon Go. This ‘mon is a rock-solid choice for a powerful ground ‘mon, so if you’re ever faced with the opportunity to capture one, we highly recommend throwing everything you can at it.
The Incarnate Forme is, naturally, very powerful but we actually suggest you utilize Landorus’s Therian Forme, since it can reach a max CP of 4,434 which is a pretty large gap between the Incarnate’s max CP of 4,057. As well as that, your Landorus will be gifted with a staggering 289 attack stat.
Excadrill / Shadow Excadrill
- Fast move – Mud slap
- Charged move – Earthquake
Excadrill is a tough ‘mon to defeat, especially since it’s a combination of ground and steel-types, which means you’ve got access to some unique move combinations that can cause more than a few problems for your rivals.
Admittedly, Excadrill’s potential CP is a bit lower than some of the others on this list, coming in at 3,667, though it does have a 255 attack stat, meaning it can cause some serious damage, and it can do even more if you have a Shadow Excadrill. If you want this ‘mon purely for its ground-type attacks, go for mud slap and earthquake. However, if you want the best fast attack it has to offer, you should go for the steel-type move metal claw.
Mamoswine / Shadow Mamoswine
- Fast move – Mud slap
- Charged move – high horsepower
Yes, one of the best ice Pokémon just so happens to also be one of the best ground Pokémon in Pokémon Go, and thanks to its hybrid nature, Mamoswine can freeze your opponents and then crush them into the ground – either way, victory is yours.
Getting into the specifics, Mamoswine can reach 3,763 CP, putting it in good standing on this list, with its 247 attack and 242 stamina stats ensuring it can both deal and withstand a good amount of damage. If you want Mamoswine to use only ground Pokémon moves, we recommend you give it mud slap and high horsepower. If you want the very best it has to offer, consider swapping out high horsepower for avalanche.
Finally, we highly recommend you use Shadow Mamoswine if you can, as its stamina stat ensures it can take that additional damage on the chin, while its attack stat means it can cause devastating damage with that 20% increase.
Golem
- Fast move – Mud slap
- Charged move – Earthquake
When all of you old school Pokémon fans think of ground types, Golem is probably one of the first to pop into your heads. This bouldery ground type is… Well, literally a ball of rock. Dating all the way back to the first gen, this ‘mon is one of the OGs when it comes to ground types, and is the best from that gen in our opinion. It’s no surprise that Golem can bulldoze the competition (pun intended).
Shadow Golurk
- Fast move – Mud slap
- Charged move – Earth power
Golurk is interesting in that it is not only a ground-type but also a ghost Pokémon, which opens it up to some unique attack combinations that can cause all kinds of problems for those standing on the other side of the battlefield. Admittedly, when it comes to ghost ‘mon, it’s not that great, but as a ground Pokémon, Golurk has a bit more to offer.
While it’s not our first pick (or even our second or third), Shadow Golurk is still a solid option, particularly as it has some extra defenses from being a part ghost-type. In terms of attacks, mud slap and earth power are the best things to equip it with. However, it’s worth pointing out that its 3,226 CP is on the lower end of this list, meaning it really doesn’t compare to the likes of Garchomp.
Swampert
- Fast move – Mud slap
- Charged move – Earth power
Swampert is another hybrid ‘mon that combines its base ground type with water, which can lead to some devastating effects. This final evolution of the Hoenn region starter can slap enemies into the floor or drown them with water attacks, and that’s why it’s one of our best picks.
Donphan
- Fast move – Mud slap
- Charged move – Earth power
Donphan doesn’t borrow from secondary types, like most other ‘mon, and this tanky guy is one of the few pure-bred ground Pokémon around. This only serves to prove just how much of a hard-hitter it can be, because Donphan has some pretty impressive defense stats (which makes sense, considering it has built in armor) and can take out your foes with ease.
Groudon / Shadow Groudon
- Fast move – Mud slap
- Charged move – Precipice blades
Yes, this legend is here, and if you know what’s good for you, you’re going to go out of your way to get this beast on your team. We can’t oversell how good Groudon is, and if you’re in the market for a ground-type, you can do no better than this legendary beast.
Just to really hammer the point home, Groudon can achieve a CP of 4,652, which is even bigger than Garchomp and Landorus, and it certainly blows the likes of Shadow Golurk out of the water. Plus, Groudon has a pretty large attack stat with 270, and as people who firmly believe offense is the best defense, we think this is a real boon.
While the normal version of Groudon is formidable and deserving of a spot among the best ground Pokémon, we’d be lying if we didn’t say that its Shadow version is the one you want. Shadow Groudon is a true contender for the title of the best ground-type in Pokémon Go.
There you have it, the best ground Pokémon in Pokémon Go. Should you come across these guys and need help beating them, then consult our ground Pokémon weakness guide. If you’re after another adventure, just head over to our best Pokémon games list.
We can even help you to fill out your Pokédex with our Dreepy evolution, Floette evolution, Ralts evolution, Salandit evolution, Rockruff evolution, and Bisharp evolution guides. Or, we can tell you how to evolve Pawmo, how to evolve Inkay, and how to evolve Primeape. If you’re after some more freebies for all your hard work, we’ve got plenty of Pokémon Unite codes for you, too.