The best Pokémon to give XL candy in Pokémon Go

XL Candy is the best item you can receive for your Pokémon in Pokémon Go. You’ll need it when you go beyond level 40 and your trainer level starts getting closer to level 50. Unfortunately, none of your Pokémon can eat regular candy to level up, and they need to consume XL Candy to become stronger. It’s a precious resource, and you don’t want to give it to every Pokémon. Here’s what you need to know about the best Pokémon to give XL Candy in Pokémon Go.

The best XL Candy for Pokémon in Pokémon Go

All Mythical and Legendary Pokémon

There are multiple Mythical and Legendary Pokémon you can catch in Pokémon Go. If you can receive XL candy for them, we will always prioritize those over any other Pokémon you can encounter in the game. Unlike the other Pokémon, you can typically only catch them from five-star raids, Special Research projects, or more specific encounters. These are some of the best Pokémon in the game, so make sure to go out of your way to get their XL Candy.

Related: Can you catch a shiny Phantump in Pokémon Go?

Abomasnow

Abomasnow is a Grass and Ice-type Pokémon. You typically find it used by Ultra League players, who can receive XL Candy and still battle in these competitions. We highly recommend that you exceed the 2,500 CP, as it does not have as much use in the Master League. So long as you give it enough XL Candy to still battle in the Ultra League, this is a practical choice for both the standard and the Shadow versions.

Dragonite

For a more powerful Pokémon that you can use in the Master League, look no further than Dragonite. Although it is not a legendary or Mythical Pokémon, Dragonite is still difficult to find XL Candy, given it is a Dragon-type. Its starting evolution, Dratini, can be troubling to track down. Regardless, XL Candy for this Pokémon can give it the boost it needs to battle against some of the best Pokémon in the Master League category.

Galarian Stunfisk

Going back to the Ultra League, we have another fan-favorite, Galarian Stunfisk. Again, you can use the candy you acquire from catching this version or the standard Stunfisk. Galarian Stunfisk is especially brutal because it is a Ground and Steel-type, compared to the standard Ground and Electric-type. It is superb at shutting down multiple types of Pokémon in the Ultra League. Between the two, Galarian Stunfisk will always be a better investment.

Gyarados

Gyarados is a unique Pokémon; you should give it XL Candy if you plan to use it in the Master League. If you’re planning to use it in the Ultra League, you will want to avoid giving it any of these candies, as it will then exceed the 2,500 CP cap for this competition. Gyarados is not as good as Dragonite, but it’s a niche option against Garchomp, Giratina, Metagross, and Lugia, although it is weak against Ho-Oh, Excadrill, and Togekiss.

Nidoqueen

For another unorthodox choice, we have Nidoqueen. Before the Poison Fang update, Nidoqueen was seen as one of the weaker choices in Pokémon Go, but it has seen a massive surge in players using this Pokémon for the past year or so. Because of its usefulness in the Great and Ultra Leagues, grabbing XL Candy for Nidoqueen is an excellent idea, but make sure to keep it under 2,500 CP. Unfortunately, this Pokémon is not useful in the Master League.

Steelix

Another Ultra League giant is Steelix and Ground and Steel-type Pokémon. Recently, Niantic has added Psychic Fangs to Steelix’s moveset, giving it far more use than it previously had. However, it was always considered good, especially given its high defense as a Steel-type. However, it has become a far more viable option now that it can regularly use a Psychic-type Charged Attack. If you have the chance to farm up XL Candy for Steelix, we highly recommend it.

Swampert

The next Pokémon we want to highlight that you should always be getting XL Candy for is Swampert, the Ground and Water-type Pokémon. Swampert is regularly used in almost every Pokémon Go Battle League competition, and if you plan to use it in the Master League, it’s a requirement to give it XL Candy. Without XL Candy, Swampert will fall short of the many legendary and robust Pokémon in these upcoming fights, and you’ll feel those effects every time you use it.

Talonflame

Another Pokémon highly praised in the Ultra League is Talonflame, a Flying and Fire-type Pokémon. Talonflame has seen a lot of use following the Fletchling Community Day in March 2021. During the event, should players evolve Fletchling to Talonflame, it would learn the fast move Incinerate, which gave this Pokémon far more use in the Great and Ultra Leagues. If you plan to use Talonflame in the Ultra League, it will give you a better chance of winning these battles if you power it up using XL Candy.

Trevenant

The final Pokémon we want to highlight is Trevenant, the surprisingly powerful Ghost and Grass-type Pokémon. It arrived in October 2021 and has become a fan-favorite due to its good moveset and excellent stats. Trevenant does not have much use in the Master League, but if you give it enough XL Candy to remain under 2,500 CP, it becomes a fantastic option for the Ultra League, and one of the better options in this competition.