Pokémon Legends: Z-A has quickly become a competitive battleground for trainers worldwide on the Nintendo Switch, with its dynamic ranked seasons routinely shaking up the metagame.
Developed by Game Freak and distributed by Nintendo, the title continues to capture the attention of Pokémon fans eager to dominate the leaderboard.
Season 5 of Ranked Battles introduces significant shifts in the competitive landscape by now permitting both sub-Legendary and Mythical Pokémon on teams, resulting in fresh strategies and fierce competition throughout the season. With the inclusion of new categories of Pokémon, trainers can expect to encounter a surge in powerful battle-ready monsters like Melmetal and Magearna.
Both have emerged as top contenders thanks to their remarkable stats and versatile movepools.
Below, we analyze the best movesets and items for these popular Season 5 picks, as well as other notable sub-Legendaries and Mythicals now shaking up the rankings. Melmetal Long regarded as an imposing threat, Melmetal boasts a formidable Steel typing and access to the exclusive move Double Iron Bash.
This signature move packs substantial punch, benefiting from Melmetal’s high Attack stat and broad range.
In addition, Melmetal's movepool features strong coverage options like Dynamic Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Earthquake, and Giga Impact.
Ice Punch is often considered essential, primarily as a counter to top threats like Garchomp—still a dominant Pokémon in the current meta.
Trainers typically equip Melmetal with Life Orb for increased damage and focus on maximizing HP and Attack EVs, adhering to the 252/252 split recommended for most offensive builds. Magearna Magearna continues to impress since gaining access to Season 5’s competitive scene.
Its unique Steel/Fairy typing offers both offensive power and defensive resilience.
Key attacks such as Fleur Cannon, Solar Beam, Steel Beam, and Calm Mind make Magearna a versatile threat, capable of leveraging its considerable Special Attack.
Magearna can also Mega Evolve into Mega Magearna, amplifying its offensive potential.
Utilizing beam moves as Plus Moves enhances speed and efficiency in battle.
For those opting out of Mega Evolution, a Shuca Berry is a common held item, providing protection against Ground-type attacks. Volcanion Volcanion’s rare Fire/Water typing, combined with high defense and a powerful Special Attack, makes it a distinct choice for trainers.
Steam Eruption headlines its arsenal, bringing high base power and a burn chance.
Supplemental moves like Heat Wave, Overheat, Earth Power, and Solar Beam provide strategic flexibility.
Despite a pronounced weakness to Ground-types—prevalent thanks to the metagame staple Earthquake—Volcanion remains a valuable asset with unique matchups. Heatran Heatran's presence in Season 5 reflects its signature strengths and weaknesses.
Its moveset is centered around Magma Storm, a wide-coverage Fire-type move capable of inflicting devastating burns.
Heatran pairs well with special attacks such as Earth Power, Solar Beam, Dark Pulse, and Dragon Pulse.
Trainers must tread carefully against Ground-type moves, however, as a single well-timed Earthquake can eliminate Heatran.
To offset this, some opt for Focus Sash or strategic pairing with Flying-types, while others utilize Mega Evolution for enhanced stats. Terrakion As the premier member of the Swords of Justice in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Terrakion excels as a high-risk, high-reward glass cannon.
Equipped with a Life Orb and a moveset featuring Head Smash, Close Combat, Swords Dance, and a choice between Earthquake or Poison Jab (with some incorporating Giga Impact), Terrakion is straightforward to use and delivers punishing blows, albeit at the cost of survivability. Other Notable Pokémon Trainers will also encounter Darkrai, Keldeo, Meloetta, Hoopa Unbound, and Genesect on occasion, though each presents more focused weaknesses.
Genesect, for instance, is frequently seen with Fire or Water Drives paired with Techno Blast.
Additional Season 5-legal options include Cobalion, Virizion, Latias, Latios, and Zeraora—whose Mega Evolution has offered a notable power boost, though Mega Ampharos often outshines it with Charge, Meteor Beam, and Reflect. Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s Season 5 continues to evolve the Nintendo Switch competitive scene, and new additions to the ranked roster offer fans exciting strategies to explore.
For official updates and more insights into competitive play, visit Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s website or the Nintendo eShop.
Developed by Game Freak and distributed by Nintendo, the title continues to capture the attention of Pokémon fans eager to dominate the leaderboard.
Season 5 of Ranked Battles introduces significant shifts in the competitive landscape by now permitting both sub-Legendary and Mythical Pokémon on teams, resulting in fresh strategies and fierce competition throughout the season. With the inclusion of new categories of Pokémon, trainers can expect to encounter a surge in powerful battle-ready monsters like Melmetal and Magearna.
Both have emerged as top contenders thanks to their remarkable stats and versatile movepools.
Below, we analyze the best movesets and items for these popular Season 5 picks, as well as other notable sub-Legendaries and Mythicals now shaking up the rankings. Melmetal Long regarded as an imposing threat, Melmetal boasts a formidable Steel typing and access to the exclusive move Double Iron Bash.
This signature move packs substantial punch, benefiting from Melmetal’s high Attack stat and broad range.
In addition, Melmetal's movepool features strong coverage options like Dynamic Punch, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Earthquake, and Giga Impact.
Ice Punch is often considered essential, primarily as a counter to top threats like Garchomp—still a dominant Pokémon in the current meta.
Trainers typically equip Melmetal with Life Orb for increased damage and focus on maximizing HP and Attack EVs, adhering to the 252/252 split recommended for most offensive builds. Magearna Magearna continues to impress since gaining access to Season 5’s competitive scene.
Its unique Steel/Fairy typing offers both offensive power and defensive resilience.
Key attacks such as Fleur Cannon, Solar Beam, Steel Beam, and Calm Mind make Magearna a versatile threat, capable of leveraging its considerable Special Attack.
Magearna can also Mega Evolve into Mega Magearna, amplifying its offensive potential.
Utilizing beam moves as Plus Moves enhances speed and efficiency in battle.
For those opting out of Mega Evolution, a Shuca Berry is a common held item, providing protection against Ground-type attacks. Volcanion Volcanion’s rare Fire/Water typing, combined with high defense and a powerful Special Attack, makes it a distinct choice for trainers.
Steam Eruption headlines its arsenal, bringing high base power and a burn chance.
Supplemental moves like Heat Wave, Overheat, Earth Power, and Solar Beam provide strategic flexibility.
Despite a pronounced weakness to Ground-types—prevalent thanks to the metagame staple Earthquake—Volcanion remains a valuable asset with unique matchups. Heatran Heatran's presence in Season 5 reflects its signature strengths and weaknesses.
Its moveset is centered around Magma Storm, a wide-coverage Fire-type move capable of inflicting devastating burns.
Heatran pairs well with special attacks such as Earth Power, Solar Beam, Dark Pulse, and Dragon Pulse.
Trainers must tread carefully against Ground-type moves, however, as a single well-timed Earthquake can eliminate Heatran.
To offset this, some opt for Focus Sash or strategic pairing with Flying-types, while others utilize Mega Evolution for enhanced stats. Terrakion As the premier member of the Swords of Justice in Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Terrakion excels as a high-risk, high-reward glass cannon.
Equipped with a Life Orb and a moveset featuring Head Smash, Close Combat, Swords Dance, and a choice between Earthquake or Poison Jab (with some incorporating Giga Impact), Terrakion is straightforward to use and delivers punishing blows, albeit at the cost of survivability. Other Notable Pokémon Trainers will also encounter Darkrai, Keldeo, Meloetta, Hoopa Unbound, and Genesect on occasion, though each presents more focused weaknesses.
Genesect, for instance, is frequently seen with Fire or Water Drives paired with Techno Blast.
Additional Season 5-legal options include Cobalion, Virizion, Latias, Latios, and Zeraora—whose Mega Evolution has offered a notable power boost, though Mega Ampharos often outshines it with Charge, Meteor Beam, and Reflect. Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s Season 5 continues to evolve the Nintendo Switch competitive scene, and new additions to the ranked roster offer fans exciting strategies to explore.
For official updates and more insights into competitive play, visit Pokémon Legends: Z-A’s website or the Nintendo eShop.
