The 2017 list put Blissey first, followed by Tyranitar and Donphan. That was a historical ranking of Johto additions based on a combined-stat approach for well-rounded Gym battling—not a current ranking for every Pokémon GO battle format.
What the 2017 Gen 2 list measured
Pokémon GO’s Johto rollout began in February 2017. In its February 15 announcement, Niantic said more than 80 Pokémon originally discovered in Johto would start rolling out later that week, alongside new evolution opportunities and Evolution items for some evolutions. Read Niantic’s announcement.
Jacob Siegal’s BGR list, published February 20, 2017, ranked the new Pokémon using what it described as the “best product of stats” to find well-rounded Gym battlers. It was not simply a ranking by maximum CP: Blissey was first even though the article listed Tyranitar with the higher maximum CP. Siegal also noted that a different metric could change the order. Read the BGR article.
The 10 strongest Gen 2 Pokémon, according to the 2017 list
The CP figures below are the maximums reported by BGR in 2017. They are historical figures, not verified current maximums or evidence of present-day performance.
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#1 Best Overall
| Rank | Pokémon | Type | Maximum CP reported by BGR (2017) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blissey | Normal | 3,219 |
| 2 | Tyranitar | Rock/Dark | 3,670 |
| 3 | Donphan | Ground | 3,022 |
| 4 | Steelix | Steel/Ground | 2,439 |
| 5 | Heracross | Bug/Fighting | 2,938 |
| 6 | Feraligatr | Water | 2,721 |
| 7 | Espeon | Psychic | 3,000 |
| 8 | Ampharos | Electric | 2,695 |
| 9 | Slowking | Water/Psychic | 2,482 |
| 10 | Scizor | Bug/Steel | 2,801 |
Source for every rank, type, and CP value: BGR, February 20, 2017.
Why Blissey ranked above Tyranitar
The order reflected the list’s combined-stat emphasis, rather than a single stat or the displayed CP values. Tyranitar had the highest listed maximum CP of the ten—3,670, according to BGR in 2017—but Blissey ranked first overall with a listed maximum of 3,219. The article’s point was that a balanced Gym battler could rank ahead of a Pokémon with a higher individual stat: as Siegal put it, “while Heracross might have a higher attack value than Steelix, Steelix is a more well-rounded choice for gym battling.”
Rank #2
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Was Tyranitar the strongest Gen 2 Pokémon?
Not in this particular ranking: BGR placed Tyranitar second and Blissey first. Tyranitar did have the highest listed maximum CP among the ten, but that is a different measure from the combined-stat ordering. The answer depends on what “strongest” means and which battle format is being considered.
This list captures a February 2017 view of Gym battling. It should not be treated as a current tier list for Gyms, raids, or a specific PvP league; assessing those requires the format, current stats, moves, typing, and matchups.
Rank #3
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Does Pokémon GO Plus + make a Pokémon stronger?
No. Niantic describes Pokémon GO Plus + as an optional Bluetooth accessory for alerts and interactions such as catching attempts and spinning PokéStops or Gym discs. It does not increase Pokémon battle stats or change a ranking. Its connected-device catching has limits: it uses regular Poké Balls, cannot use Berries, and gives one attempt per encounter; the auto-throw setting applies to nearby Pokémon previously caught. See Niantic’s official Bluetooth-device guidance.
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