In Pokémon GO Max Battles, the trainer who brings the right tank (wall) usually wins. Bosses attack with several move types, so the best wall changes from fight to fight. This guide rounds up the 12 best tanks across all 18 attack types — a companion to our type-by-type durability ranking.
How to pick a tank
Two traits separate a great Max Battle wall from an average one:
- Double resistance — stacking two resistances cuts incoming damage to roughly a third, so a double-resist wall survives far longer.
- 0.5-second fast move — a quick fast move charges your Max meter faster, letting the wall act between the boss's hits.
Now let's go through the 12 tanks, with the type matchup each one covers best.
The 12 best Max Battle tanks
1. 
Regirock (Rock) — Regirock has enormous defensive stats and resists Fire, Normal, Poison, and Rock. It even chips bosses with a Rock-type Max Move, so it earns its slot on both ends. A dependable, easy-to-build wall.
2. 
Flygon (Ground / Dragon) — Flygon shrugs off Electric attacks with a triple resistance and hits back with a Ground-type Max Move. It is the cheap, reliable answer to Electric-type bosses.
3. 
Corviknight (Flying / Steel) — Corviknight pairs a double resistance with a fast 0.5-second move, so it farms Max energy while it tanks. It is the top everyday wall against Grass-type bosses.
4. 
Gigantamax Lapras (Ice / Water) — The only Gigantamax tank on this list. High bulk, a double resistance, and a 0.5-second fast move make it excellent against Ice-type bosses, especially under Ice weather boost.
5. 
Lugia (Psychic / Flying) — Lugia has elite bulk and double resistances to Fighting and Ground. It has no 0.5-second move, so bring it in to soak specific hits — a slightly advanced pick.
6. 
Zamazenta (Crowned Shield) (Fighting / Steel) — Zamazenta is a top-tier wall: very high defense and an automatic shield at the start of the battle, backed by a fast, hard-hitting Special move. One of the best tanks in the mode if you can get one.
7. 
Vespiquen (Bug / Flying) — Vespiquen brings a triple resistance and a 0.5-second fast move, with strong resistances to Ground, Fighting, and Grass. A recently added, ready-to-use wall.
8. 
Malamar (Dark / Psychic) — Malamar combines a triple resistance with a 0.5-second move, so it eats hits far longer than its rivals. It is the standout tank against Psychic-type bosses.
9. 
Excadrill (Ground / Steel) — Excadrill triple-resists Poison and double-resists Rock and Electric. It is cheap to build and hits harder than Flygon — a long-time Max Battle workhorse.
10. 
Blissey (Normal) — Blissey stacks a double resistance on top of already massive HP, topping average-durability charts across many bosses. A must-have wall when you cannot coordinate with a group.
11. 
Zacian (Crowned Sword) (Fairy / Steel) — Zacian has a triple resistance and high all-round stats, taking the bulk crown against Bug- and Dragon-type bosses while also hitting hard.
12. 
Registeel (Steel) — Registeel trades a little offense for even more bulk than Zacian, leading average durability against bosses like Articuno. Pair it with Zacian for a two-wall core.
Quick reference: all 12 tanks
| Pokémon | Type | Best against | Key trait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regirock |
Rock | Fire / Rock / Normal / Poison | All-purpose bulk |
| Flygon |
Ground / Dragon | Electric | Triple-resists Electric |
| Corviknight |
Flying / Steel | Grass | Double resist + 0.5s move |
| Gigantamax Lapras |
Ice / Water | Ice | Only Gigantamax wall |
| Lugia |
Psychic / Flying | Fighting / Ground | Elite bulk, double resists |
| Zamazenta (Crowned Shield) |
Fighting / Steel | Poison / Rock (broad) | Auto shield, top defense |
| Vespiquen |
Bug / Flying | Ground | Triple resist + 0.5s move |
| Malamar |
Dark / Psychic | Psychic | Triple resist + 0.5s move |
| Excadrill |
Ground / Steel | Rock / Electric / Poison | Cheap, hits hard |
| Blissey |
Normal | Ghost (and universal) | Highest raw bulk |
| Zacian (Crowned Sword) |
Fairy / Steel | Dragon / Bug | Triple resist, strong offense |
| Registeel |
Steel | Fairy / Steel | Pure-Steel bulk |
Related guides
Max Battle durability ranking by type — see how every tank stacks up, type by type. Each Pokémon above also links to its full Max Battle evaluation.
Bottom line
Tanks aren't everything — in solo runs you still need Special-move damage to break the boss's HP — but a strong wall is what keeps your team alive long enough to win. Build a couple of these and you'll be ready for almost any Max Battle. Legendaries are hard to get, so start raising easy-to-find pre-evolutions early.
