Mega and Primal forms matter more than ever in Pokémon GO raids. Some are massive damage dealers, some are reliable tanks, and some are cheap options that still pull their weight. Below I break down the strongest choices for 5-star and Mega raids, plus a few accessible picks for trainers who do not want to waste resources.

Mega Rayquaza

Max CP: 6458. Stats: 377 ATK / 210 DEF / 227 HP. Typing: Dragon/Flying.

Mega Rayquaza sits at the top for PvE. If you unlocked Dragon Ascent it becomes a premier damage machine against anything weak to Dragon or Flying. It deals huge damage per second even when not getting type bonuses, so prioritize it if you have the Mega Energy.

Mega Dragonite

Max CP: 5452. Stats: 299 ATK / 255 DEF / 209 HP. Typing: Dragon.

Dragon Tail and Draco Meteor (legacy) make Mega Dragonite a top pure Dragon attacker for players who do not have Rayquaza. It has solid bulk and hits hard enough to be reliably useful in many raids despite a limited movepool.

Mega Gengar

Highest Attack in the game: 349 (not highest CP). Typing: Ghost/Poison.

Mega Gengar is the best Mega investment for raid damage per second. Many of its fast moves are viable: Lick, Shadow Claw, Hex, and Sucker Punch. Shadow Ball is the most useful charged move for general raid damage. If you want raw offensive value for many raid matchups, this is a safe place to spend energy.

Primal Kyogre

Primal form with mechanics similar to Mega evolutions. Typing: Water.

Primal Kyogre is currently the strongest Water attacker for PvE. Waterfall plus Origin Pulse tears through Rock, Ground, and Fire raid bosses and is generally a top counter in many scenarios.

Primal Groudon

Primal form with Mega-like mechanics. Typing: Ground.

Primal Groudon is the strongest Earth-type attacker thanks to Mud Shot and Precipice Blades. It performs extremely well versus Electric, Steel, Fire, Grass, Ice, and Bug types. Access is limited because it came from a past event, so only veterans will likely have it.

Mega Lucario

Max CP: 4325. Stats: 310 ATK / 175 DEF / 172 HP. Typing: Fighting/Steel.

Mega Lucario is the best Steel/Fighting Mega to invest in. With Force Palm and Aura Sphere (or Meteor Mash for some players), it delivers excellent total damage output and is relatively affordable to max compared to many other Megas.

Mega Tyranitar

Max CP (100% IV): 6045. Typing: Rock/Dark.

Mega Tyranitar is a bulky raid tank for matchups where it does not have a type disadvantage. Common sets are Bite/Brutal Swing for Dark coverage or Smack Down/Stone Edge for Rock. It is expensive to max but becomes very hard to displace once fully powered up.

Mega Blaziken

High base Attack: 329. Typing: Fire/Fighting.

Mega Blaziken has one of the strongest attack stats among Megas and is great when you can safely handle its many weaknesses. Counter and Blast Burn (elite) is the preferred setup because Counter charges Blast Burn quickly.

Mega Latios and Mega Latias

Max CP around 5000. Typing: Dragon/Psychic.

Both Mega Latios and Mega Latias are valuable for their Dragon/Psychic typing and broad resistances. Dragon Breath is the recommended fast move. For charge moves, Latios often runs Psychic, while Latias benefits from Outrage. The initial Mega Energy cost for either the first time is high, so plan ahead.

Mega Gardevoir

Typing: Fairy/Psychic.

Mega Gardevoir is currently the best Fairy attacker in Pokémon GO and a reliable Dragon counter with Charm and Dazzling Gleam. It also works as a Psychic attacker with Confusion and Psychic when you need that role.

Mega Victreebel

Max CP: 3963. Stats: 265 ATK / 181 DEF / 190 HP. Typing: Grass/Poison.

Mega Victreebel is a new, budget-friendly addition that hits harder than its CP suggests. Magical Leaf and Sludge Bomb give it respectable raid performance for a low-cost Mega that is easy to power up.

Mega Banette

Max CP: 3590. Base Attack: 312. Typing: Ghost.

Mega Banette turns into a very strong Ghost attacker when evolved. Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball are the optimal moveset for dealing fast, hard hits against Psychic and Ghost raid targets.

Mega Swampert

Stats: Attack 283 / Defense 218 / Stamina 225. Typing: Water/Ground.

Mega Swampert is versatile because it only has a Grass weakness and resists many common types. Mud Shot and Hydro Cannon (elite) are the best moves. If you lack Hydro Cannon, Surf or Earthquake are usable substitutes.

Mega Sceptile

Base Attack: 320. Typing: Grass/Dragon subtleties depending on form.

Mega Sceptile is a strong Grass pick when its weaknesses are not a factor. Fury Cutter and Frenzy Plant are the preferred moveset for maximum damage in the right raids.

Mega Blastoise

Stats: Attack 264 / Defense 237 / Stamina 188. Typing: Water.

Mega Blastoise is a tanky Water Mega. Bite and Hydro Cannon is the best combo for charging the big hit quickly. Ice Beam is a useful secondary charged move if you have the candies and resources.

Mega Venusaur

Stats: 241 ATK / 246 DEF / 190 HP. Typing: Grass/Poison.

Mega Venusaur is a balanced and durable Grass attacker. Vine Whip and Frenzy Plant give it excellent damage against Rock, Water, and Ground raid bosses. Sludge Bomb adds useful coverage.

Mega Pidgeot

Attack 280. Typing: Normal/Flying.

Mega Pidgeot is a simple, budget-friendly Flying attacker. Gust and Brave Bird are the recommended moves. It is easy to raise and only costs 100 Mega Energy the first time, making it a practical early Mega.

Mega Houndoom

Typing: Dark/Fire.

Mega Houndoom is a potent dual-type attacker. For Dark damage use Snarl and Foul Play. For Fire-focused roles, Fire Fang and Fire Blast can work. It handles Ghost and Psychic raid targets well.

Mega Ampharos

Base Attack: 294. Typing: Electric.

Mega Ampharos hits hard offensively but is relatively squishy on defense. Volt Switch or Charge Beam plus Zap Cannon provides strong Electric damage. Watch out for Ground-type raid bosses.

Mega Aerodactyl

Typing: Rock/Flying but limited to Rock moves in practice.

Mega Aerodactyl relies on strong Rock moves. Rock Throw with Ancient Power or Rock Slide gives high damage when you can supply the Mega Energy and candies. It is not the easiest Mega to fully power due to rarity in raid rotations and limited candy events.

Mega Charizard Y

Max CP: 5037. Stats: 319 ATK / 212 DEF. Typing: Fire/Flying.

Mega Charizard Y is the top Fire Mega for raids. Fire Spin plus Blast Burn is the go-to set for most encounters. Alternatives like Air Slash can be used situationally, but Blast Burn remains the core charged move to teach if you can.

Quick takeaways: invest in Mega Rayquaza and Mega Gengar for raw raid damage, then consider Mega Dragonite, Mega Lucario, or Mega Tyranitar depending on the raid types you face. Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon are among the most powerful attackers but are limited by past-event access. For budget-friendly options, Mega Victreebel, Mega Pidgeot, Mega Swampert, and Mega Lucario offer strong value for the resources required.