Look, we've all been there. You're deep into a Max Raid Battle, the music is pumping, and suddenly the opponent isn't just big—it’s a skyscraper with a completely new look. If you’ve spent any time in the Galar region, you know that while every mon can Dynamax, only a tiny elite squad can Gigantamax. But honestly, most players treat them like they’re just "Dynamax Plus," and that’s a mistake that’ll cost you matches.
The real list of Gmax Pokemon isn't just a trophy gallery. It's a list of specific tactical overrides. When a Pokemon Gigantamaxes, it swaps out standard Max Moves for G-Max Moves. Sometimes that’s a massive upgrade. Other times? You might actually be better off sticking to a regular Dynamax to keep your weather or terrain control.
Every Gigantamax Pokemon Currently in the Game
You can’t just find these guys anywhere. In Pokemon Sword and Shield, you're usually hunting purple beams in very specific dens, or you’re headed to the Isle of Armor to cook up some Max Soup.
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Here is the breakdown of who actually has the "Gigantamax Factor" and what they bring to the table:
The Kanto Legends
- Charizard: Uses G-Max Wildfire. This is nasty because it deals damage for four turns to any non-Fire type.
- Venusaur: G-Max Vine Lash. Similar to Charizard, it keeps damaging non-Grass types for four turns.
- Blastoise: G-Max Cannonade. The Water version of the "chip damage" moves.
- Butterfree: G-Max Befuddle. It doesn't just hit; it randomly inflicts Poison, Paralysis, or Sleep. It’s chaotic.
- Pikachu: G-Max Volt Crash. A guaranteed paralyze on all opponents.
- Meowth: G-Max Gold Rush. Basically "Pay Day" on steroids. It confuses enemies and earns you a ton of in-game cash.
- Machamp: G-Max Chi Strike. Boosts your critical hit ratio.
- Gengar: G-Max Terror. This prevents the opponent from switching out. In competitive play, this is a death sentence.
- Kingler: G-Max Foam Burst. Harshly lowers the opponent’s Speed.
- Lapras: G-Max Resonance. This is arguably one of the best moves in the game because it sets up Aurora Veil (reducing damage) even if there’s no hail.
- Eevee: G-Max Cuddle. Infatuates the opposite gender. Kinda niche, but annoying.
- Snorlax: G-Max Replenish. It has a 50% chance to restore a berry the Pokemon has already eaten.
The Galar Powerhouses
- Rillaboom: G-Max Drum Solo. 160 power and ignores the target's Ability.
- Cinderace: G-Max Fireball. Also 160 power and ignores Abilities.
- Inteleon: G-Max Hydrosnipe. You guessed it—160 power and ignores Abilities.
- Corviknight: G-Max Wind Rage. It clears screens like Reflect and Light Screen.
- Orbeetle: G-Max Gravitas. Sets up Gravity for five turns.
- Drednaw: G-Max Stonesurge. It hits and sets up Stealth Rock simultaneously.
- Coalossal: G-Max Volcalith. Continues to deal damage for four turns.
- Flapple: G-Max Tartness. Reduces the opponent’s evasiveness.
- Appletun: G-Max Sweetness. Heals the status conditions of your allies.
- Sandaconda: G-Max Sandblast. Traps the opponent in a sand tomb for four to five turns.
- Toxtricity: G-Max Stun Shock. Poisons or paralyzes all opponents.
- Centiskorch: G-Max Centiferno. Traps non-Fire types in a fire spin.
- Hatterene: G-Max Smite. Confuses all opponents.
- Grimmsnarl: G-Max Snooze. Has a chance to make the opponent fall asleep on the next turn.
- Alcremie: G-Max Finale. It heals your allies while doing damage.
- Copperajah: G-Max Steelsurge. Scatters sharp spikes (like Spikes) on the field.
- Duraludon: G-Max Depletion. Reduces the PP of the last move the opponent used.
- Garbodor: G-Max Malodor. A high chance to poison opponents.
- Melmetal: G-Max Meltdown. Prevents the opponent from using the same move twice in a row (Torment effect).
The DLC Specials
- Urshifu (Single Strike): G-Max One Blow. This Fighting/Dark monster hits through Protect and Max Guard.
- Urshifu (Rapid Strike): G-Max Rapid Flow. The Water/Fighting version, also punches right through Max Guard.
How to Actually Get These Forms (2026 Update)
If you're jumping back into the game now, don't waste hours resetting dens in the Wild Area unless you really enjoy the grind. The Isle of Armor DLC completely changed the economy of Gmax Pokemon.
Basically, you need Max Soup. You find Max Mushrooms in caves and forests on the Isle of Armor. If you feed three of them to a Pokemon that has a Gigantamax form (like the ones listed above), it gains the Gmax factor. Simple.
There is one exception: Urshifu. You can't just give him regular soup. You have to find Max Honey by beating a Vespiquen in a Max Raid Battle on Honeycalm Island. It’s a bit of a trek, but G-Max Urshifu is a total wall-breaker in the current meta.
The Strategy Mistake Most People Make
Why do people fail with Gmax? They forget that Max Moves change the weather.
Take Charizard. A regular Dynamax Charizard uses Max Flare, which sets up Sun. In the Sun, Fire moves do more damage. But G-Max Charizard uses G-Max Wildfire. It deals extra damage over time, but it doesn't set the Sun. If your team relies on Solar Power or Chlorophyll, Gigantamaxing might actually sabotage your own strategy.
On the flip side, G-Max Resonance (Lapras) is strictly better than Max Hailstorm in almost every scenario. Why? Because Max Hailstorm sets up Hail, which hurts your own non-Ice types. Resonance sets up the defensive veil without the annoying chip damage to your own team.
Finding the Rarest Ones
While most can be "souped" now, finding them in the wild is still a badge of honor. The "Promoted Raids" are mostly a thing of the past, so you're looking for those thick, purple beams of light.
- G-Max Snorlax: Only spawns in specific dens like the one in Slippery Slope (Crown Tundra) or the Bridge Field.
- G-Max Melmetal: You can't catch this in a den. You have to transfer a Pokemon from Pokemon GO to Pokemon Home. Once you do, you’ll get a Mystery Gift in the mobile version of Home with the Gmax Melmetal.
- G-Max Pikachu/Eevee: Originally, you needed Let's Go save data. Now, you can just find them in the Wild Area train station or use the soup method.
Actionable Next Steps
If you want to complete your collection or build a competitive team, stop blindly hunting beams.
First, head to the Isle of Armor and complete the first few trials to unlock the Max Soup kitchen. It saves you dozens of hours of RNG. Second, check your team's weather synergy. If you're running a rain team, do NOT use a Gmax Pokemon whose move will overwrite your rain with something useless like Gravity or Confusion.
Finally, if you're playing Pokemon GO in 2026, keep an eye on the Power Spots. Gigantamax has finally rolled out there, and the mechanics are different—you'll need a group of up to 40 trainers to take down a Gmax Venusaur or Blastoise. The "Gmax Factor" carries over when you transfer them to the console games, making it one of the easiest ways to fill out your list.
Collect your mushrooms, check your move sets, and stop overwriting your own weather.