Is Barraskewda Worth Building in Pokémon GO? Full Meta Guide! - Pokémon GO Hub

Greetings, Trainers! The Ultra Unlock: Water Festival 2026 is almost here, and it is bringing two new Pokémon from the Galar region to Pokémon GO: The Rush Pokémon, Arrokuda and its evolution, the Skewer Pokémon, Barraskewda. Trainers can use 50 Arrokuda Candy to evolve Arrokuda into Barraskewda. So how does Barraskewda stand out in the current Water meta, let’s find out!

Barraskewda is a pure Water type Pokémon from the Galar region. This leaves it vulnerable to Grass and Electric attacks, while giving it resistance to four different types. Its biggest strength is its Attack stat. With 258 Attack, Barraskewda can potentially deal serious damage when it gets the chance to attack. The problem is that it cannot take much damage in return as its bulk is fairly low.

High Attack and low bulk can still work for a Pokémon if it has an excellent moveset. Unfortunately, Barraskewda does not have that luxury. Barraskewda is not a strong Water type attacker in PvE. Its biggest problem is Aqua Jet, which is a very poor charged attack for a Pokémon that is supposed to fill the role of a Water attacker. Using our DPS Comparer Tool:

Kyogre, Primal Kyogre and Water starters with Hydro Cannon are all far more reliable choices. They either deal much more damage, last longer in battle, or offer a better combination of both. Barraskewda falls well behind them because it lacks a powerful Water charged attack. Its other charged attacks do not completely fix the problem. Close Combat is its strongest option in terms of damage, while Crunch can also perform better than Aqua Jet. That puts Barraskewda in a strange position. Its best overall moveset is not even a proper Water type moveset, while its Waterfall and Aqua Jet combination is too weak to compete with the Top Water Attackers. For now, Barraskewda is not worth powering up for raids.

Ideal Moveset: Peck + Aqua Jet & Close Combat

PvP is often where Pokémon with poor raid potential can find a useful role. A good moveset, strong typing or access to useful coverage moves can sometimes make up for low stats. Barraskewda does have some of those tools: Peck is a strong Fast Attack, while Crunch and Close Combat provide coverage against several different types. Its lack of bulk is the main issue as Barraskewda takes heavy damage from most attacks and often needs a shield to simply stay in the battle.

Barraskewda’s Great League record is not particularly impressive across all shield scenarios. Its win-loss ratio sits around one win for every three losses, which is not enough to make it a serious option for regular use. Barraskewda can defeat Pokémon such as Talonflame, Dewgong and Medicham. Those wins are useful, but they are outweighed by losses against Charjabug, Forretress, Seaking, Empoleon, Annihilape and Corviknight.

Barraskewda’s ideal IV spread for Great League is: 0/14/14, 1496 CP, Level 21.

Moving into the Ultra League does not solve Barraskewda’s problems. The higher CP limit gives it a little more bulk, but not enough to change its overall performance. Barraskewda can still pick up some notable wins. Empoleon, Guzzlord, Skeledirge and Annihilape are among the opponents it can defeat. However, it remains too fragile to perform consistently in the Ultra League meta. Ampharos, Lapras, Regidrago, Jellicent, Virizion and Tinkaton are some of the Pokémon that can defeat it.

Barraskewda’s ideal IV spread for Ultra League is: 2/15/15, 2494 CP, Level 39.

Barraskewda is not suitable for the Master League. Its max CP of 3003 is simply too low for the format. Barraskewda does have an honourable win against Tyranitar in zero-shield battle and against Rhyperior in 1v1 matchup.

Barraskewda’s ideal IV spread for Master League is: 15/15/15, 3003 CP, Level 50.

At the moment, Barraskewda is not a worthwhile investment for PvE or PvP. Its high Attack stat is appealing, but its weak bulk and disappointing moveset hold it back in every format. Aqua Jet prevents it from becoming a useful Water raid attacker, while its fragile defensive profile limits its value in Great League and Ultra League. It is still worth catching a few Arrokuda and evolving one for your Pokédex. Barraskewda could become more interesting if it gets a stronger Water type charged attack in the future, but with its current moveset, it is better treated as a collection Pokémon than a competitive investment.

Barraskewda’s arrival during the Ultra Unlock: Water Festival 2026 is exciting for collectors and completionists, but competitive trainers should temper expectations for now. Without a powerful Water charged attack and with a fragile defensive profile, it struggles to secure a consistent role in either PvE or PvP. For now, enjoy the Water Festival, complete your Arrokuda and Barraskewda entries, and direct your resources toward Pokémon that reliably move the needle in PvE and PvP battles. Barraskewda remains a promising collector’s piece with potential down the line, but it is not yet a competitive priority.

Let us know Trainers! What were your expectations for this year’s Ultra Unlocks? Which Water Festival over the years has been your favorite?