Nearly two years into Dynamax content, the roster of Pokémon that have made a lasting mark on the meta remains a surprisingly short list. Many Dynamax/Gigantamax Pokémon have come and gone as event fodder; useful for filling the Pokédex, less so for filling a battle roster. But a small handful have proven themselves to be something else entirely.
Dynamax Blissey cemented its tank/healer role from the moment it arrived, and has never really fallen off the top. Crowned Sword Zacian and Crowned Shield Zamazenta – neither of which are even true Max Pokémon – crashed the meta and immediately became two of the most essential pieces in the mode. These are the names that get talked about. These are the Pokémon that define what “meta-relevant” looks like in Max Battles.
And then, quietly, and without much fanfare, Dynamax Excadrill arrived.
It doesn’t carry a Legendary tag. It doesn’t have a Gigantamax form. It doesn’t fit in every battle out there. And yet, more than 500 days since its initial release, Dynamax Excadrill is still the single best Ground damage dealer in Max content, and is a formidable defensive option in the right match-ups. That’s a claim that very few Dynamax Pokémon from the early days of this mode can still make.
As an Attacker – Still the #1 Ground-type Damage Dealer
Here is quite a strange fact: nearly two years into Max content, there are still only two Ground type Dynamax or Gigantamax Pokémon in the entire meta – Dynamax Excadrill and Dynamax Flygon, with the latter having made its debut only very recently. For one of the most offensively versatile types in the game, i.e. effective against Electric, Fire, Poison, Rock, and Steel simultaneously, the options available to trainers in Max Battles remain oddly thin.
And at the top of that thin list sits Excadrill. With a base ATK of 255, it out-damages Flygon (205 ATK) by roughly 24% – a gap wide enough that there’s no real debate to be had. If 
Max damage is what you need, Excadrill is the answer.
The significance of this becomes clearest in battling Gigantamax Toxtricity: an Electric and Poison boss that Excadrill is doubly effective against. Since Toxtricity first arrived in Max content, Excadrill has been the recommended attacker for that encounter; and nothing has changed.
Looking ahead, there are only four Pokémon with the Attack stat high enough to eventually surpass Excadrill as a Max attacker once they are released, with three of them being legendaries: Landorus (both Therian and Incarnate Forme), Groudon, and Garchomp. These are meaningful future threats, but they are also Pokémon that will almost certainly arrive tied to major, high-investment events (minus Gible potentially). This means that the dethroning of Excadrill as the #1 attacker is coming eventually, but not any time soon. Until those Pokémon are released in Dynamax form, this is the spot that Excadrill owns.
| Damage Dealer |
||
| Ranking | Pokémon | Damage Output vs. Excadrill |
| 1 |  Therian Landorus Dynamax |
+13% |
| 2 |  Groudon Dynamax |
+6% |
| 3 |  Incarnate Landorus Dynamax |
+2% |
| 4 |  Garchomp Dynamax |
+2% |
| 5 |  Excadrill Dynamax |
– |
| 6 |  Rhyperior Dynamax |
-6% |
As a Tank: Still Does the Job Well
Besides being an amazing damage dealer, Excadrill’s Ground/Steel dual typing, combined with two 0.5-second Fast Attacks in Mud Shot and Metal Claw, also gives it a proper defensive role in specific match-ups.
In the current meta, Dynamax Excadrill ranks #2 as a tank against both Poison and Rock attacks, and #4 against Electric attacks – an amazing feat for a Pokémon that was among the first few to debut back when Max Content just started.
That said, the excitement around Excadrill differs rather significantly between veteran vs. newer trainers. Seasoned trainers and min-maxers who already have their rosters built out will find that Crowned Shield Zamazenta comfortably beats Excadrill against both Rock and Poison, while Flygon and Latias are the better options against 
. Those Pokémon should take priority if you have them and have them powered up.
For newer trainers, however, particularly those who missed the Crowned Shield Zamazenta event and didn’t manage to get the Energy needed to unlock its Crowned form, a well-invested Excadrill is far from just a dex filler; it is definitely a competent Pokémon to pick up, even grind for. It is also worth noting that Excadrill is a much more accessible option, as Drilbur is more readily available to obtain candy for, and doesn’t require raiding.
| Tanking vs. Rock Attacks | ||
| Ranking | Pokémon | Hits Sustained vs. Excadrill |
| 1 |  Crowned Shield Zamazenta |
+123% |
| 2 | Excadrill Dynamax |
– |
| 3 |  Crowned Sword Zacian |
-2% |
| 4 |  Metagross Dynamax |
-6% |
| Tanking vs. Poison Attacks | ||
| Ranking | Pokémon | Hits Sustained vs. Excadrill |
| 1 | Crowned Shield Zamazenta |
+43% |
| 2 | Excadrill Dynamax |
– |
| 3 | Metagross Dynamax |
-7% |
| 4 |  Corviknight Dynamax |
-12% |
| Tanking vs. Electric Attacks | ||
| Ranking | Pokémon | Hits Sustained vs. Excadrill |
| 1 |  Flygon Dynamax |
+79% |
| 2 |  Vibrava Dynamax |
– |
| 3 |  Latias Dynamax |
– |
| 4 | Excadrill Dynamax |
– |
Long-term, things don’t look quite so comfortable for Dynamax Excadrill. With only 129 DEF, Excadrill is innately fragile, and as the Max roster expands, it is expected to gradually fall out of the top 10 for each of these three defensive match-ups. Its damage dealing capability will outlast its defensive relevance, shifting Excadrill fully into the role of a damage dealer when more Pokémon make their debut in Max content.
Conclusion & Recommendation
Dynamax Excadrill occupies a rare, and really commendable spot in the Max Battle meta: a non-Legendary, non-Gigantamax Pokémon that has retained genuine top-tier relevance across 500+ days of a constantly evolving game mode. In that time, Excadrill has held the top spot as a Ground damage dealer, while remaining a top tier tank against Rock, Poison and Electric attacks.
If you don’t have one yet, or haven’t invested in one properly, the recommendation is clear. Farm Drilbur, prioritizing one with the highest ATK value that you can get your hands on.
The post Dynamax Excadrill: 500+ Days Later and Still a Top Tier Pokémon appeared first on Pokémon GO Hub.
