Many Pokemon fans enjoy the main series for the surprising amount of strategy involved in its combat. For a spinoff game that offers a similar amount of depth, look no further than the mobile title Pokemon Masters. Using a team of three famous trainers and their Pokemon, players can duke it out against foes in exciting real-time 3v3 battles.

Each teammate plays their own role in the fight, and the Support role is perhaps the most critical. These bulky companions withstand incoming attacks while strengthening and sometimes healing allies. A number of good Support pairs join early on through story progression and random Sync Scouts for new players. Here’s a breakdown of which are the best to use.

12 Cheryl/Blissey

On the surface, Blissey has a lot going for it. It has a large HP pool, good special bulk, and a move that allows it to heal any Pokemon twice. Blissey also increases the defenses of the allies it heals. It works well paired with special Strikers, since it can raise their Special Attack by up to four stages.

Unfortunately, Blissey lacks a good Defense stat, leaving it vulnerable to heavy physical hitters. Furthermore, since it can’t raise its Speed, its two attacking moves deplete the Move Gauge rather quickly.

11 Marlon/Carracosta

Carracosta is nearly the opposite of Blissey in terms of physical bulk. It has a tanky shell that can withstand heavy physical damage thanks to X Defense All. Its “Rough Seas Ahead!” move also allows it to endure an attack that would otherwise knock it out.

Continuing Blissey’s trend, though, it has weak offensive moves that take up too many Move Gauge slots to be of good use. At least Rock Tomb lowers the opponent’s Speed when it hits. Other than that, though, these two probably won’t see much use.

10 Maylene/Medicham

This gym leader’s form of support comes through raising physical Attack and critical hit rate. Her “Gloves Off!” move also guarantees each ally’s next attack hits. This comes in handy for otherwise unreliable moves like Blizzard and Thunder.

The evolved Medicham also knows Drain Punch, which gives it longevity by healing a portion of the damage it deals. Much like Blissey and Carracosta, however, Medicham’s attacking moves take up a lot of Move Gauge squares. Because they are such a valuable resource, it’s better to allocate them to other sync pairs.

9 Liza/Lunatone

Liza and Lunatone do a good job of raising defenses and Special Attack for every allied sync pair. Along with their low-cost Confusion, they help activate powerful Sync Moves very quickly.

Unfortunately, their use doesn’t go far beyond that. They mostly serve as a distraction that, despite increased defenses, goes down fairly quickly. Still, Liza makes good use of her time on the field by buffing her teammates. She may not hit hard herself, but that’s to be expected of a Support pair.

8 Marley/Arcanine

Marley and Arcanine are the first Support sync pair on the list who can Speed for the entire team. X Speed all sharply increases Speed for each allied sync pair, allowing for the Move Gauge to fill much faster.

Additionally, Arcanine’s moveset also includes a buff that removes status effects from all allies; it also prevents further status effects from occurring for a while. Since Marley is a common sync pair to scout, new players can take advantage of her support services right away.

7 Cheren/Stoutland

Despite being a five-star sync pair obtained later in the game, Cheren is rather subpar. Stoutland’s Full Heal is helpful for removing status conditions, and “Apply Yourself!” refreshes the Move Gauge while also adding HP Regen to all allies.

Unfortunately, Stoutland itself is most powerful when affected by a status condition, and both its moves take up valuable Move Gauge real estate. Since Support pairs are mostly about taking hits, being affected by burns or poison results in serious detriment.

6 Roxanne/Probopass

Another common sync pair to scout, Roxanne and her Probopass give their allies a big advantage in multiple ways. “Study Buddies!” sharply raises both Special Attack and Speed for all allied sync pairs, and X Defense All gives them each some added physical bulk.

Roxanne also comes with Wide Guard, which protects against spread moves like Heat Wave and Earthquake once per battle. Her only attack option, Ancient Power, also has a chance of raising Probopass’s stats further. All this makes her a great addition to special attacking teams.

5 Drake/Salamence

Drake is all about raising bulk. He can raise the player’s team’s Defense and Special Defense by four stages each. He can also refresh the Move Gauge with his “Hard to Starboard!” move.

Salamence’s passive move Terrify 1 also lowers the Attack stat of all opponents when it enters battle, much like the Intimidate ability from the core series. Overall, Salamence provides longevity even after it gets knocked out.

4 Player/Torchic

About halfway through the main storyline, the player character receives a Torchic that becomes a new sync pair. Despite its small size, it provides a hefty amount of support. It can raise the Attack, Special Attack, and critical hit rate of every ally, making it a perfect teammate for increasing offensive potential.

It also comes with Flame Charge, which raises its Speed, and Flamethrower, which can burn opponents. Even without a means to sustain itself, Torchic still puts in a lot of effort when it comes to helping its team.

3 Misty/Starmie

The iconic Misty joins the party at the very beginning, and her sync grid ensures her viability in even later battles. One of her moves raises her entire team’s Special Defense, perfect against heavy special attackers.

Her “Catch Us If You Can!” also raises one ally’s evasiveness while also applying an HP Regen effect. It’s the perfect tool to help frailer party members stay in the battle for longer. And with its MP Refresh grid slot, there’s a good chance that all allies can benefit from it, Starmie included.

2 Rosa/Serperior

Rosa also joins fairly early on, as the first five-star sync pair of the game. Her Snivy evolves into a powerful ally, which shows in two major ways. The first is X Sp. Atk All, while the second is the more useful “Time to Energize!”. This move completely refreshes the Move Gauge, which is vital for keeping up a barrage of powerful attacks.

Rosa’s sync grid allows this move to refresh MP on occasion, meaning players potentially get an unlimited supply of Move Gauge slots throughout the battle.

1 Skyla/Swanna

Despite her humble three-star beginnings, Skyla and her Swanna prove to be one of the most effective Support pairs available through the story. Her stat-raising move boosts both Defense and Speed for all party members. Paired with her Potions that can refresh thanks to her sync grid, she proves one of the most long-lived Support pairs in the game.

With the right grid slots, her low-cost Gust also has a chance to flinch opponents. Skyla’s stat boosts, healing, and low move costs are everything players could hope for in a Support member.

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