Generation VIII introduced an interesting substitute to Mega Evolution: Dynamaxing. For three turns, Pokemon would grow into gigantic size and double their HP, and – most significantly for this list – used Max Moves.
Aside from the signature G-Max Moves, there are nineteen total Max Moves: one for each type, and Max Guard. They each replaced the actual moves in a Pokemon’s moveset depending on what type they were prior to Dynamaxing, except Max Guard which replaced all status moves.
All the attacking Max Moves came with one secondary effect each. While they are all equal on paper, some of them will inherently be more useful than others thanks to their type and the utility of their secondary effects. For most cases, a Max Move’s placement on this list is determined by how effective the move is type-wise, and how much the secondary effect will benefit the user.
10 Max Mindstorm
This move replaces all Psychic-type attacks upon Dynamaxing, and it comes with the secondary effect of creating Psychic Terrain. The Psychic-type is actually somewhat underwhelming offensively, only having two strengths and getting completely walled by Dark-types.
Still, it can absolutely decimate Fighting-types, and if you manage to pull it off, the added effects of Psychic Terrain certainly help. Aside from boosting Max Mindstorm further should you use it again, it completely prevents the opponent from using priority moves, which especially helps fast sweepers that lack bulk or defense.
9 Max Ooze
Despite being one of the worst offensive types, the Poison-type has a very useful Max Move to its name: Max Ooze, which boosts the user’s Special Attack.
If used by a special attacker, Max Ooze can prove to be very beneficial, as that boost to Special Attack can boost its other moves moving forward, including other Max Moves if it’s still in Dynamax after, so long as it doesn’t switch out. If you’re looking to execute Max Ooze, be wary of using it on a stray Steel-type that can wall it.
8 Max Quake
Max Quake is a Ground-type Max Move that boosts the user’s Special Defense upon usage. This move’s benefits can be somewhat situational. A Special Defense boost is always nice, but it might not always be immediately useful, in the case that the user is already an incredible Special wall, or the opponent is a physical attacker.
Users also have to be wary of Flying-types that can completely wall the move. That’s standard for all Ground-type moves, but making that mistake will cost you a turn of Dynamax, which can be huge.
7 Max Hailstorm
The Ice-type, for all its flaws, is very powerful offensively as shown by its Max Move. The first move on this list to not be completely walled by any type, Max Hailstorm is super-effective against Flying- and Grass-types which are quite common, and Ground- and Dragon-types which are very powerful.
As a secondary effect, the move sets up hail. It might not even be beneficial to the user, as most non-Ice type Water-types are likely to carry the move, but at least the move is powerful.
6 Max Knuckle
The Fighting-type Max Knuckle is essentially a physical version of Max Ooze, boosting Attack instead of Special Attack. It also has the added caveat of being completely walled by one type, being the Ghost-type.
All that said, it ranks over Max Ooze for the Fighting-type generally being much better offensively. While Max Ooze can check Fairy-types, Max Knuckle can hit five types super-effectively, compared to Max Ooze’s two. Not to mention, most Pokemon that use Fighting-type moves are physical attackers anyways, bringing more benefits to their potential users than Max Ooze would.
5 Max Overgrowth
The Grass-type Max Overgrowth, similar to Max Mindstorm, brings in the type’s respective terrain upon use. The Grassy Terrain, in turn, has been considered as arguably the best and easily the most commonly used terrain among the four available.
That’s mainly due to the healing that the terrain gives, even though it also heals the opponent bit by bit. Regardless, the Grass-type checks a few very strong types and no type is immune to it defensively, so Max Overgrowth will be a very reliable move in a Dynamaxed Grass-type Pokemon’s arsenal.
4 Max Steelspike
The Steel-type is one of the best types of the game, so Dynamaxing a Steel-type Pokemon is usually a good bet. It’s an incredible bonus, then, to get a Defense boost from it.
Of course, what applies to Max Quake also applies to Max Steelspike, but conversely. If facing a physical attacker, Max Steelspike’s Defense boost will bring huge benefits, but if facing a special attacker, it will bring less so. Still, Max Steelspike can be quite reliable, especially since it is super-effective against Fairy-types.
3 Max Geyser
The second move on this list to bring in weather, Max Geyser is the Water-type Max Move, and it brings the rain, a la Drizzle. What sets it apart from Max Hailstorm is that the rain actually boosts Water-type moves, so if a user were to spam it, it would be even stronger after the first hit and will even boost non-Max Water-type moves moving forward.
In terms of type matchup, Water is pretty solid, and can’t be totally walled unless the opponent just so happens to have a Pokemon with Water Absorb or Storm Drain.
2 Max Flare
Ditto here, but for Fire-types and the sun. Max Flare will decimate those weak to it, bring the sun along with it, and boost all Fire-type moves until it runs out. It ranks above Max Geyser because the sun can actually weaken Water-type moves that would otherwise cause huge damage to a Fire-type user.
In terms of type matchups, the Fire-type and Water-type are about even, although it should be noted that Fire has an advantage over Steel that’s hard to find anywhere else. Again, be careful of using it on a Flash Fire Pokemon.
1 Max Airstream
The Flying-type Max Move might be a weird one to rank as the best of the bunch if you look at it purely based on type. At the very least, it doesn’t get completely walled by any other type.
What puts it above all the other Max Moves, though, is its secondary effect: a boost in Speed. Winning the Speed war is important, so Max Airstream having that benefit is huge, especially on a Pokemon that could use some help in that stat. Your Pokemon might be very difficult to stop if it manages to outspeed the other team’s designated sweeper thanks to this move.
NEXT: 10 Fairy-Type Pokemon And Their Real-Life Inspirations
