▶ GUIDE · 2026-10-14T00:00:00.000Z

How to Build the Best All 22 Pokemon Team

Building an All 22 Pokemon team sounds easy until you realise you need twenty-two starters and only one of each Pokémon. Mewtwo can’t play quarterback, receiver and safety at the same time. This guide walks through the order we fill a roster in, why that order matters, and the small decisions that separate an 80 OVR team from a 90+ one.

Step 1: Understand what the rating actually rewards

Every rating on this site comes from one formula. Each position looks at a blend of a Pokémon’s base stats plus a “size” score built from height and weight. A quarterback is mostly Special Attack, Special Defense and Speed. Receivers and cornerbacks are mostly Speed. Linemen care about Defense, HP and size. The result is scaled so most Pokémon land between the 50s and the 90s, with 99 as the cap.

Your team OVR is the average of your offense and defense ratings plus a type-variety bonus of up to +5: you earn +1 for every three different types on your roster. That last part matters more than people expect, and we will come back to it.

Step 2: Fill your scarce positions first

The biggest mistake new coaches make is placing their favourite Pokémon first. Instead, look at where the talent pool is thin. Very few Gen 1 Pokémon are both fast and powerful, and those same few are the best options at quarterback, running back, receiver, cornerback and safety. On our scouting board, Mewtwo tops QB (94), RB (90), WR (95), CB (89) and FS (87). You only get one, so decide early where it creates the most value.

A good rule: put your one elite all-rounder where the drop-off to the next option is largest. At WR, Electrode (92) and Jolteon (89) are strong backups, so Mewtwo at receiver gains you only a few points. At QB, the next best are Alakazam (90) and Gengar (86). Neither choice is wrong, but do the maths before you commit.

Step 3: Build the trenches with heavy, tough Pokémon

Lines are where the original 151 shine, because Kanto is full of heavy, high-Defense Pokémon. For offensive tackles and guards, Cloyster (98), Onix (93), Rhydon (93), Golem (92), Slowbro (89) and Lapras (88) are excellent. On the defensive line, Rhydon (97), Golem, Cloyster and Dragonite (96), Kingler (95) and Machamp (94) are elite.

Because there are so many good big bodies, you can usually fill all nine line spots with 85+ players. That makes the lines the place where you save your star power for the skill positions.

Step 4: Don’t forget the “hybrid” spots

Tight end, fullback and linebacker reward balance. Snorlax is the best fullback on the board at 98 thanks to its enormous HP and size. Cloyster (92) and Kingler (89) make outstanding tight ends. At outside linebacker, Cloyster (87), Kingler (86) and Dragonite (85) lead. These spots overlap with the lines, so plan ahead: if Cloyster is your left tackle, it can’t also be your tight end.

Step 5: Chase the type bonus without wrecking your ratings

Fifteen types exist in Gen 1, so the maximum bonus of +5 needs fifteen different types across your 22 players. In practice, aim for at least 12 types (+4). The cheap way to add types is through positions with lots of close alternatives. If your two best defensive tackle options are both Rock and Ground, swapping one for a Water or Fighting Pokémon that rates one or two points lower can still raise your OVR, because the bonus applies to the whole team.

Step 6: Check your weakest link

After filling everything, sort your mental list by the lowest rating on the field. One 65 at cornerback drags your defensive average down more than you might think, because each side averages only eleven players. Upgrading your worst player by 15 points is worth more than upgrading your best by 3.

Step 7: Test it

Hit Sim 17 Games in the builder. The season simulation is luck-based, but teams in the low 90s go undefeated far more often than teams in the low 80s. Then share your lineup link or download the image card.

Quick checklist

• One elite all-rounder, placed where the drop-off is biggest.
• Nine linemen rated 85+.
• Snorlax or another huge Pokémon at fullback.
• At least 12 different types.
• No starter below 75.

Ready to try a harder version? The 151 Challenge takes away your free choice and makes every one of these decisions under pressure.