Is Snorlax Good in Pokémon GO?

I’ve always imagined sleeping on a Snorlax’s belly to be similar to sleeping on a large dog, except obviously even bigger. It seems like such a warm, relaxing state to be in. Of course, if Snorlax rolled over, you’d probably die. Snorlax may be sleepy, but it’s prodigious size can make it a surprisingly formidable Pokémon. But in a game like Pokémon GO that’s all about walking, can a Snorlax still be good?

Despite what its lazy stature may imply, Snorlax is a stat powerhouse, with attack and health stats that could give some legendary Pokémon a run for their money. Not only that, but its movelist includes some truly devastating tricks in the right situations. Snorlax is less of a combatant to be trained, and more of a large, blunt object to be sent in the general direction of something that’s bothering you.

Is Snorlax Good in Pokémon GO?

As a pure Normal type, Snorlax only has one weakness, that being Fighting types. Everyone else only gets regular damage levels, aside from Ghost types which Normal types are naturally resistant to. Pair this natural immunity with a CP that can reach well over 3,000, including a defense of 169 and a max health of 272, and any battle against a Snorlax becomes a battle of attrition. 

He ain’t just gonna sit there and take it, though. One of Snorlax’s signature moves is Hyper Beam, with a commanding 150 damage versus a surprisingly affordable energy cost of 26.3. Plus, unlike in the mainline games, Hyper Beam doesn’t require you to burn a turn after use, so you can go right on with other moves if you have the energy for them, and considering Snorlax’s 330 stamina, you’ll probably have the energy for them. Speaking of other moves, one of its best Quick Moves is Lick. Lick isn’t that strong of a move, but because it’s a Ghost type move, almost nothing can resist it, aside from a Normal type.

If you’re the kind of player who doesn’t mind a little tanking in their builds, then Snorlax is absolutely a viable pick, whether it be for PvP or the Master League.