Pokemon Legends Z-A Mega Evolution Tier List: Ranking All 26 New Megas

Complete tier list ranking all 26 new Mega Evolutions in Pokemon Legends Z-A. Discover the best Megas, their stats, movesets, and which ones deserve a spot on your team.

Pokemon Legends Z-A dropped with a massive surprise: 26 brand-new Mega Evolutions that have never existed in any previous Pokemon game. This isn’t just rehashing old favorites—we’re talking completely fresh designs, stat distributions, and strategic possibilities that shake up the competitive scene.

But here’s the thing: not all Megas are created equal. Some of these transformations turn mediocre Pokemon into absolute powerhouses, while others somehow manage to make their base forms look better by comparison. If you’re wondering which Mega Evolutions deserve the precious Mega Evolution slot on your team (you can only use one per battle, after all), you’ve come to the right place.

Let me break down every new Mega Evolution by tier, explain what makes the top picks so dominant, and help you avoid wasting resources on the underwhelming ones.

Important Note: Gen 6 Starters Are Exclusive

Before we dive in, here’s something that caught many players off guard: Mega Greninja, Mega Delphox, and Mega Chesnaught aren’t included in this tier list because they’re locked behind competitive play and a Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

Here’s the release schedule:

• Mega Greninja – Season 1 competitive rewards
• Mega Delphox – Season 2 competitive rewards
• Mega Chesnaught – Season 3 competitive rewards

Since most players won’t have access to these immediately, and their stats haven’t been fully tested in normal gameplay, they’re sitting this ranking out. We’re focusing on the 26 Megas you can actually use right now.

S-Tier: The Absolute Best Mega Evolutions

These are the Megas that dominate battles, have incredible stat optimization, and should be your first choices for serious team building.

Mega Starmie – The Surprise Champion

Why it’s S-tier: Honestly, nobody expected Starmie to become arguably the best Mega Evolution in the entire game, but here we are.

Key stats:

• 660 Base Stat Total (third-highest among new Megas)
• Exceptional Speed stat
• Hybrid attacker with high Attack and Special Attack
• Available fairly early in Wild Zone 2

What makes it special: Mega Starmie combines incredible offensive stats with blistering Speed, meaning it consistently moves first and hits like a truck. The hybrid attacker designation means you’re not locked into just special moves—you have flexibility depending on what your opponent throws at you.

The coverage is phenomenal. Water and Psychic STAB moves already hit a huge portion of the type chart, and Starmie’s movepool lets you cover weaknesses effectively. If you managed to catch Staryu in Wild Zone 2 early, evolve it and start working toward this Mega immediately.

Best use case: Fast-paced battles where you need to strike first and strike hard. Perfect for taking down bulky opponents before they can set up.

Mega Chandelure – The Special Attack Monster

Why it’s S-tier: If you thought Chandelure was already a Special Attack beast, wait until you see the Mega form.

Key stats:

• 175 Special Attack (absolutely ridiculous)
• 620 Base Stat Total with well-distributed defenses
• Good Speed to ensure you move before most opponents
• Ghost/Fire typing remains incredibly useful

What makes it special: That 175 Special Attack isn’t a typo. Mega Chandelure can obliterate opponents with powerful Ghost and Fire-type moves, and the coverage options are strong enough to handle most threats. The defensive stats got buffed too, so it’s not the glass cannon you might expect.

Best use case: Sweeping teams with special attacks. Excellent against defensive walls that can’t handle raw power.

Mega Skarmory – The Optimized Defender

Why it’s S-tier: On paper, a 565 Base Stat Total sounds modest compared to others in S-tier. But stat optimization matters more than raw numbers.

Key stats:

• 140 Attack (massive for a defensive Pokemon)
• Incredibly high Defense and Special Defense
• Good Speed for a tank
• 40 Special Attack (this is intentional and brilliant)

What makes it special: That hilariously low 40 Special Attack isn’t a weakness—it’s a feature. Every single stat point that could’ve been wasted on Special Attack went into Defense, Speed, and Attack instead. You get a Pokemon that hits hard physically, tanks everything, and still moves at a respectable pace.

Steel/Flying is one of the best defensive type combinations in Pokemon, giving you resistances to a huge chunk of the type chart. Moves like Brave Bird and Iron Head mean Mega Skarmory doesn’t just sit there tanking—it actively threatens opponents.

Best use case: Physical attacking tank that walls most physical threats while dishing out serious damage.

Mega Zygarde – The Legendary Powerhouse

Why it’s S-tier: Zygarde was already impressive, but the Mega Evolution pushes it into “actually broken” territory.

Key stats:

• 216 Special Attack (highest in the entire game)
• Access to exclusive move “Nihil Light”
• Already solid bulk gets even better

What makes it special: Let’s talk about Nihil Light, because it’s genuinely absurd. This move:

• Deals massive damage regardless of opponent’s stat changes
• Ignores stat boosts entirely (Bulk Up? Doesn’t matter.)
• Hits Fairy-types effectively (covering Zygarde’s traditional weakness)

This is the only completely new move in Pokemon Legends Z-A, and it’s attached to a Mega with the highest Special Attack in the game. That’s not balanced, that’s a nuclear option.

Best use case: Late-game battles, boss fights, competitive matches where you absolutely need to win. This is your ace in the hole.

A-Tier: Excellent Choices Worth Building Around

These Megas are genuinely strong and viable for most content. They might have minor weaknesses, but they’re still powerful additions to any team.

Mega Barbaracle – The Type Change Champion

Why it’s A-tier: Mega Barbaracle does something rare—it completely changes its typing by dropping Water for Fighting.

Key stats:

• Very high Attack and Defense
• Rock/Fighting combination offers unique resistances
• Good bulk with decent Speed
• Excellent STAB move selection

What makes it good: The type change opens up new strategic possibilities. Fighting-type STAB moves hit incredibly hard, and the Rock typing gives you options against Flying, Bug, and Fire types. The movepool diversity means you can customize it for different threats.

Minor weakness: Losing Water typing means you lose some coverage, but the Fighting-type compensation makes up for it.

Mega Emboar – The Consistent Bruiser

Why it’s A-tier: Not flashy, but reliable and powerful where it counts.

Key stats:

• 148 Attack (up from 123 base)
• Solid bulk and defensive stats
• Good STAB move options
• Resists several common types

What makes it good: Emboar was always held back by its defenses and Speed. The Mega Evolution patches these issues while boosting Attack to respectable levels. It’s not going to surprise anyone, but it consistently performs well in battles.

If you went with a Kanto starter, Mega Emboar offers different type coverage that complements Water or Grass starters nicely.

Minor weakness: The Attack boost isn’t massive (25 points), so it feels more like refining what was already there rather than transforming it.

Mega Excadrill – The Ground-Type Destroyer

Why it’s A-tier: Ground and Steel is an excellent type combination, and Excadrill maximizes it.

Key stats:

• 165 Attack (among the highest in the game)
• Good HP and defenses
• Respectable Speed
• Powerful Ground-type move options

What makes it good: Ground-type moves are consistently useful throughout the game, hitting Electric, Steel, Poison, Rock, and Fire types super-effectively. The Steel typing gives you incredible resistances (seriously, Steel resists like 10 different types).

Minor weakness: While the stats are great, it’s somewhat predictable. Opponents who know you have Mega Excadrill will prepare for Ground-type attacks.

Mega Falinks – The Gen 8 Representative

Why it’s A-tier: Falinks is the only Generation 8 Pokemon in the game, and its Mega Evolution does it justice.

Key stats:

• Very high Attack and Defense
• Respectable 100 Speed
• Pure Fighting typing with fantastic coverage moves
• Access to moves that counter its weaknesses

What makes it good: What Falinks lacks in STAB diversity (only Fighting-type), it makes up for with an incredibly diverse movepool. You can run coverage for Psychic, Flying, and Fairy types that normally threaten Fighting-types, making it surprisingly versatile.

Minor weakness: Being pure Fighting means you’re only getting STAB on one type of move, which limits your options slightly.

Mega Feraligatr – The Controversial Design

Why it’s A-tier: Despite polarizing opinions on its design, the stats don’t lie.

Key stats:

• 160 Attack (eye-watering damage potential)
• New Water/Dragon typing
• Great move selection

What makes it good: Water/Dragon is a fantastic offensive combination. You get STAB on two commonly useful types, and the stat distribution supports an aggressive playstyle. That 160 Attack means anything that doesn’t resist your moves is getting crushed.

Minor weakness: Low HP and Speed hold it back from S-tier. You hit like a freight train, but you’re somewhat slow and can’t take too many hits before going down.

Mega Floette (Eternal Flower) – The Special Case

Why it’s A-tier: Eternal Flower Floette getting a Mega Evolution is fascinating from a lore perspective and strong from a gameplay one.

Key stats:

• Very high Special Attack and Special Defense
• Gets the +100 BST boost that Florges normally has over regular Floette
• Pure Fairy typing

What makes it good: Fairy-type is excellent both offensively and defensively in modern Pokemon. High Special Attack means Fairy moves hit extremely hard, and high Special Defense means special attackers struggle to break through.

Minor weakness: Coverage moves are lackluster. You’re mostly relying on Fairy-type STAB, which while powerful, can be walled by Steel-types.

Mega Hawlucha – The Flying Luchador

Why it’s A-tier: One of the publicly announced Megas before release, and it delivers on expectations.

Key stats:

• Well-rounded stats across the board
• Fighting/Flying combination
• Good move coverage
• Respectable Speed

What makes it good: Base Hawlucha is decent but forgettable. Mega Hawlucha transforms it into a legitimate threat with stats that support both offensive and defensive play. The Fighting/Flying combo is rare and offers unique coverage options.

Minor weakness: Doesn’t excel in any one area—it’s good at everything but not amazing at anything specific.

Mega Scrafty – Naveen’s Ace

Why it’s A-tier: Featured as Naveen’s signature Pokemon, and for good reason.

Key stats:

• 135 Defense and Special Defense (incredible bulk)
• 130 Attack (solid offensive presence)
• Access to Bulk Up for stat boosting
• Dark/Fighting typing

What makes it good: This is a tank that can also fight back. The defensive stats mean Mega Scrafty can survive almost anything, and with Bulk Up, you can boost Attack and Defense even further mid-battle. The coverage moves available mean you can hit a wide variety of threats super-effectively.

Minor weakness: Speed isn’t great, so faster opponents can chip away at you before you get going.

B-Tier: Situationally Good, But Flawed

These Megas have redeeming qualities and can work in specific team compositions, but they have notable weaknesses that prevent them from being top-tier choices.

Mega Clefable – The Disappointing Type Change

Why it’s B-tier: Fairy/Flying sounds amazing on paper, but execution leaves something to be desired.

Key stats:

• Good defensive stats
• Immune to Dragon and Ground attacks
• New Flying typing adds coverage

What holds it back: The movepool is surprisingly limited. Air Slash is basically your only strong Flying-type option, and while Fairy moves are good, you’re not taking full advantage of that dual typing. You have incredible resistances but struggle to leverage them offensively.

When to use it: If you need a defensive pivot that can handle Dragon and Ground types specifically, Mega Clefable works. Just don’t expect it to sweep teams.

Mega Dragonite – The Identity Crisis

Why it’s B-tier: This is genuinely confusing. Dragonite got a Mega Evolution and somehow ended up worse in some ways.

Key stats:

• 700 Base Stat Total (objectively great)
• Lowered Attack compared to base Dragonite
• Gained Special Attack instead

What holds it back: Regular Dragonite is a physical powerhouse. Mega Dragonite shifts toward special attacks but has a hybrid movepool, meaning you’re not fully optimized for either physical or special attacking. It’s good, but it feels like a downgrade from what you already had.

When to use it: If you want to run a mixed attacker set or need Dragonite’s bulk with more Special Attack options.

Mega Dragalge – The Speed Problem

Why it’s B-tier: Amazing Special Defense, but crippled by terrible Speed.

Key stats:

• One of the highest Special Defense values in the game
• High Defense and Special Attack
• 44 Speed (oof)

What holds it back: In Pokemon Legends Z-A, Speed affects cooldowns on all moves. Being this slow means you’re constantly waiting to attack while opponents pummel you. The defensive stats help you survive, but you can’t capitalize on opportunities quickly enough.

When to use it: Trick Room teams or situations where you know you’re fighting slower opponents.

Mega Drampa – Speed Problem Part 2

Why it’s B-tier: Similar issues to Dragalge—great offensively, terrible Speed.

Key stats:

• 160 Special Attack (genuinely impressive)
• Good bulk
• 36 Speed (even worse than Dragalge)

What holds it back: That Special Attack means nothing if you’re always moving last. By the time Mega Drampa attacks, faster opponents have already set up, boosted their stats, or knocked out your teammates.

When to use it: Same as Dragalge—Trick Room or guaranteed slower matchups.

Mega Eelektross – The Ability Loss Victim

Why it’s B-tier: Loses one of the best abilities in Pokemon due to game mechanics.

Key stats:

• Impressive hybrid attacker stats
• Decent move coverage

What holds it back: Base Eelektross has Levitate, making it immune to Ground-type moves despite being an Electric-type. Pokemon Legends Z-A removed abilities entirely, so Mega Eelektross loses that immunity. Combined with only average bulk, it becomes significantly more vulnerable.

When to use it: If you need a hybrid Electric-type and don’t mind the Ground weakness.

Mega Froslass – The Ice-Type Curse

Why it’s B-tier: Ice-types have always struggled defensively, and Mega Froslass can’t escape that.

Key stats:

• Great Special Attack
• 120 Speed (respectable)
• Ice/Ghost typing

What holds it back: Ice is the worst defensive type in Pokemon. You resist Ice, and that’s it. Meanwhile, you’re weak to Fire, Fighting, Rock, Steel, and Ghost. Mega Froslass hits hard and fast but folds under any pressure.

When to use it: Glass cannon strategies where you plan to knock out opponents before they can retaliate. If you’re looking for early-game catches, consider this a late-game option instead.

Mega Pyroar – The Coverage Problem

Why it’s B-tier: Fast but lacking the tools to use that Speed effectively.

Key stats:

• 126 Speed (one of the highest)
• Decent offensive stats

What holds it back: Move coverage is poor. You’re fast, but you don’t have the moves to threaten a wide enough range of opponents. You’ll run into Pokemon that resist your limited movepool and can’t do much about it.

When to use it: If you love Pyroar’s design and want to make it work despite the limitations.

Mega Victreebel – The Fun Design with Mediocre Stats

Why it’s B-tier: One of the coolest new designs, but struggles to compete.

Key stats:

• Respectable across the board
• Grass/Poison typing
• Hybrid attacker

What holds it back: Grass and Poison aren’t great offensively. Many Pokemon resist one or both types, and middling Speed means you’re often attacking second. Being a hybrid attacker sounds flexible, but in practice, you’re just okay at physical and special attacks instead of great at either.

When to use it: If you’re building a theme team or just love the design (it really is fun).

C-Tier: Hard to Recommend

These Megas have significant flaws that make them difficult to justify using over other options, even in casual playthroughs.

Mega Malamar – “My Friend Malamar” (Unfortunately)

Why it’s C-tier: The marketing campaign was entertaining, but the Mega Evolution is underwhelming.

Key stats:

• Just above average in every stat
• Low-ish Attack and Special Attack for a hybrid attacker
• Mediocre offensively

What holds it back: Everything about Mega Malamar screams “decent but not good.” It doesn’t excel at anything, and being a hybrid attacker with mediocre offensive stats means you’re not threatening anyone.

When to use it: Honestly? Probably don’t unless you’re really attached to Malamar.

Mega Meganium – The Wasted Potential

Why it’s C-tier: This one genuinely hurts because Meganium deserved better.

Key stats:

• Amazing defensive stats
• Gains Fairy as a secondary type
• 4x weakness to Poison

What holds it back: The movepool is terrible. You get a few viable Grass moves and a few viable Fairy moves, but not enough of either to be effective. Coverage is almost non-existent, and that 4x Poison weakness means any Poison-type move instantly chunks your health or knocks you out.

If you chose Meganium as your Kanto starter, this is unfortunately disappointing news. The base form might actually be more useful.

When to use it: If you’re doing a challenge run or want to prove it can work despite everything.

Mega Scolipede – The Speed Sacrifice

Why it’s C-tier: Takes everything good about Scolipede and removes it.

Key stats:

• High Attack and Defense
• Lost most of its Speed stat
• Average Special Defense
• Low HP

What holds it back: Base Scolipede’s entire identity was being fast and hitting hard. Mega Scolipede trades that Speed for Defense and Attack, creating a slow, somewhat bulky attacker with low HP and average Special Defense. You’re not fast enough to strike first, not bulky enough to tank reliably, and not hitting hard enough to justify the trade-offs.

When to use it: It’s genuinely hard to recommend this over base Scolipede or just using a different Mega entirely.

Building Your Team Around Mega Evolutions

Now that you know the rankings, here are some strategic considerations:

Only One Mega Per Battle

Remember: you can only use one Mega Evolution per battle. Choose wisely based on your opponent’s team composition.

Type Coverage Matters

Your Mega should either:

• Cover weaknesses in your regular team
• Amplify your team’s strengths
• Provide utility that non-Megas can’t match

If you’re running Eevee with various evolutions, think about which Mega complements those type combinations best.

Early vs. Late Game Megas

Some Megas like Mega Starmie are available early and make the campaign easier. Others like Mega Zygarde are late-game rewards. Plan your team progression accordingly.

Crafting and Resources

Getting Mega Stones requires materials. If you’re farming for resources, check out guides on Colorful Screws, Clear Purple Sludge, and hunting Alpha Pokemon for rare drops.

Happiness and Evolution Requirements

Some base Pokemon require high happiness to evolve before you can even access their Mega forms. Plan ahead if you’re working toward specific Megas.

Competitive vs. Casual Considerations

For casual playthroughs: Honestly, use whatever Mega Evolution you think is cool. The S-tier and A-tier choices make life easier, but C-tier Megas can still clear the story with proper support.

For competitive play: Stick to S-tier and high A-tier Megas. Mega Starmie, Mega Chandelure, Mega Skarmory, and Mega Zygarde will consistently outperform other options when facing optimized opponents.

For Rank battles: Remember those Gen 6 starter Megas are locked behind competitive play. Reaching higher ranks unlocks these exclusive options, potentially shifting the tier list once they’re widely available.

The Future: Mega Dimension DLC

Worth mentioning: future DLC could add more Mega Evolutions or rebalance existing ones. Mega Raichu, for instance, is confirmed to get two different Mega Evolution forms in the Mega Dimension DLC, which could be game-changing.

If you’re building a long-term team and want to future-proof your choices, consider Pokemon that might receive Mega Evolutions in updates. Having a good Pikachu ready to evolve means you’ll be prepared when that content drops.

Final Thoughts: Choose Wisely

Pokemon Legends Z-A’s 26 new Mega Evolutions range from “absolutely broken” to “why did they do this to you?” Mega Starmie, Mega Chandelure, Mega Skarmory, and Mega Zygarde lead the pack, while unfortunate souls like Mega Meganium and Mega Scolipede struggle to justify their existence.

My recommendations:

• For early-game dominance: Catch Staryu and work toward Mega Starmie
• For mid-game power: Mega Excadrill or Mega Barbaracle
• For late-game content: Save your Mega slot for Mega Zygarde
• For competitive play: Learn to use Mega Chandelure and Mega Skarmory effectively

The beauty of having 26 options is that experimentation is encouraged. These tiers aren’t absolute laws—they’re informed recommendations based on stats, movesets, and practical battle experience. If you love a B-tier Mega and want to make it work, go for it. Half the fun of Pokemon is proving the tier lists wrong.

Now get out there and start Mega Evolving!

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For official updates on Pokemon Legends Z-A and Mega Evolutions, visit the Pokemon Legends website or get the game from the Nintendo Store.

Also Read:

• How to Get Pikachu in Pokemon Legends Z-A: Complete Catching & Evolution Guide
• How to Change Time From Day to Night in Pokemon Legends Z-A (Complete Guide)
• Complete Wild Zone 2 Guide: Every Pokemon Location in Pokemon Legends Z-A