Introduction
The Classic Thunderbolt event is upon us. And while this event may seem like many others on the surface, it hides within itself a golden bonus that’s potentially really exciting; We Get a Free Sync Pair!
And what Sync Pair, you may ask? The answer is that’s up to you! In a show of generosity, DeNA is giving us a choice from a selection of the game’s older Poke Fair Units and letting us pick our own poison (so to speak, as we still don’t have much by way of Poison Types). We’ve got a number of choices available, so which is the right one to pick up in this rare opportunity? Well, that’s why we’re here now… or rather you’re here, as you’re currently reading this. We’ve compiled a list of the available Sync Pairs, and have assigned overviews to them using a number of criteria. What is this criteria, you may ask? Let’s break it down:
Sync Pair Name
Current Tier List Placement
A quick reminder of what the community generally thinks of this Sync Pair in the current meta. This is by no means a deciding factor, but it can give a bit of insight as to the general potential utility of the pair at hand.
Description
A quick break-down with some important points to consider up-front
⅕ to ⅗ Sync Grid
The utility of each Sync Pair at every Sync Move level from 1 to 3 in order to highlight the utility of not only adding a Sync Pair to your team, but increasing the Sync Move level of an existing Sync Pair instead.
Synergy
An outline of the type of team-support that this Sync Pair needs to operate well, as well as what teams appreciate having them along for the ride where applicable.
Competition
When considering investing in a Sync Pair, it’s always important to know what other Sync Pairs can do. We don’t want to pick a pair and later find out that another Sync Pair does the same job better.
Final Verdict
Our last thoughts on the Sync Pair, and a basic outline of how good of an investment each is in a vacuum.
With that out of the way, let’s get to the meat of the topic and begin our list of the Sync Pairs available in the Classic Thunderbolt Event!
Lance & Dragonite
Lance & Dragonite have the distinction of being the first Sync Pair to sport the now-standard 4-bar move paradigm, and was the original really “great” Dragon Type Sync Pair. They had issues with needing to Support on release, that’s become a far easier fix to make as of late. While the Dragon Type Meta has moved on in the time since Lance & Dragonite hit the scene, a Hyper Beam from this pair is still a very potent force to be reckoned with.
To be honest, Lance & Dragonite get most of what they need with their base kit. Since their grid is more focused on utility than power, running them at ⅕ is a perfectly viable option if your team can support them properly. Heck, at ⅕ they even get their first Potion: MP Refresh 2 tile, which just sweetens the deal.
Hyper Beam: Move Gauge Refresh 4 and the second Potion: MP Refresh 2 tiles are the big take-aways here. Not much more to say, in truth.
Unlike most Sync Pairs, Lance & Dragonite don’t have many huge, “must have” tiles at ⅗. The most offensively-impactful tile has to be Hyper Beam: Accuracy+10, as a missed Hyper Beam is never a good time. That aside, Rejuvenate 5 is nice for added Move Gauge support, and Healthy Healing is handy for added longevity.
3/5 Sample Grid
Lance & Dragonite need Special Attack and Critical Rate support, and we don’t exactly have a huge list of easily accessible Support units that can do that job at the moment. Sabrina & Alakazam is arguably the most accessible option for this job while also patching up Hyper Beam’s imperfect accuracy. Special Costume Jasmine & Celesteela, Special Costume Lillie & Polteageist, and Sygna Suit Kris & Suicune are all examples of limited options that give Lance & Dragonite all that they need as well, each with their own unique benefits on the side. Sygna Suit Lyra & Celebi can also help by maxing Critical Rate/nearly maxing Special Attack without an MP Refresh, and can also free up the Support unit to perform other tasks while taking up very little Move Gauge most of the time thanks to the ability to use Grassy Glide for free on Grassy Terrain.
Another option is splitting up the roles and having the full ⅔ of your team focus on supporting Lance & Dragonite. This can definitely work, as this could also free up some Move Gauge support with Sync Pairs like Player & Cobalion or Professor Sycamore & Xerneas, which is the other big need that Lance & Dragonite really have. Finally, one of the absolute top units to pair with Lance & Dragonite has to be Lucas & Dialga for their ability to set Dragon Zone and deal their own tremendous Dragon Type blows, though fitting these two onto the same team can be a slight challenge due to Lance & Dragonite’s buff needs and Lucas & Dialga’s limited number of Free Move Next activations.
Lance & Dragonite have what is arguably the steepest competition among the Sync Pairs on this list. To start with, Zinnia & Rayquaza are free-to-play and can perform just fine in comparison to Lance & Dragonite most of the time. And going even deeper, Sygna Suit Serena & Zygarde (who we will definitely see on this list again moving forward) in particular can outright surpass the power of Dragonite’s Hyper Beam while also hitting the entire enemy team with each attack, all without needing any form of outside support. Lucas & Dialga and Leon & Eternatus are also strong competition, though their move damage tends to be a bit weaker than what Lance & Dragonite can do without external boosts.
Lance & Dragonite are actually pretty solid overall. While they have a lot of competition, players who have missed their fabled competition for one reason or another can definitely rely on Lance & Dragonite’s power to shore up that weakness.
It’s also nice that even leaving them at ⅕ is perfectly fine, making this a potential one-and-done option for those who go this route.
Cynthia & Garchomp
Much like how Lance & Dragonite hit the scene as the first good Dragon, Cynthia & Garchomp joined Pokemon masters as the first good Ground Type Sync Pair. Well respected on release, they were also one of the earliest Sync Pairs to truly capitalize on weather thanks to their ability to utilize Sandstorm effectively. Sadly, time has not been too kind to Cynthia & Garchomp, but they still fill a potentially valuable niche as one of the few decent Ground Type attackers in the game.
At base power, Cynthia & Garchomp lack the major multipliers that they need in order to compete with the other “good” Ground Type attackers, but they still have an overall solid base kit to use. The most stand-out grid tiles are probably Sand Shelter for a little longevity and X Attack: MP Refresh 3 for stronger setup.
The biggest take-away here is Sands of Time 2, which can help with the move gauge when a Sandstorm is raging. Probably best to just stick with ⅕ unless you’re prepared to make the leap to ⅗ eventually.
Surging Sand 3 and Ramming Speed are pretty much needed for Cynthia & Garchomp to compete with their contemporaries on any level, as these boosts are pretty substantial and make a real and tangible difference in their performance.
3/5 Sample Grid
If you want to add Cynthia & Garchomp to your team, then you’re going to need sandstorm setters. Acerola & Palosand are fine, but we do have other great units like Ingo & Excadrill and Anniversary Raihan & Flygon who offer a lot more additional utility. Even Bertha & Hippowdon can definitely work wonders in this capacity.
It’s also worth noting that Cynthia & Garchomp additionally have the advantage of being able to work alongside a few of the Sync Pairs mentioned in the upcoming Competition section to form a dual-Striker setup, though that will generally require the use of the aforementioned Ingo & Excadrill to pull off effectively most of the time.
Ground is an under-represented type, but it does have a few very strong Sync Pairs under its banner. In particular, Maxie & Groudon and Sygna Suit Giovanni & Nidoking cast a long shadow, while even the previously visited monster that is Sygna Suit Serena & Zygarde can definitely moonlight in Ground Type damage.
Cynthia & Garchomp nearly require Sandstorm to operate at a high level, so the viability of picking them hinges on your current roster of Sync Pairs. If you’re lucky enough to have some solid options on that front, then they’re okay overall, as they can still put out solid AoE damage and clear stages well via Earthquake.
Just note that ⅗ is the big goal here, so be prepared for future investment if you intend to use this event to unlock Cynthia & Garchomp, though using this to build up their Sync Move level is a perfectly fine choice as well. Honestly, Cynthia & Garchomp probably make for one of the weakest options here, but that’s not to say that they’re an all-around bad choice.
Steven & Metagross
The original Steel Type attacker, Steven & Metagross still have one of the absolute highest Attack stats in the game post-Mega Evolution, yet the low power of their main attack lets them down in the end. Still, this is a Sync pair with a presence as solid as Steel, and a bit of utility outside of sheer damage as well. While the meta has moved on a bit, Steven & Metagross’ unique tricks still keep them at least somewhat competitive in their unique niche.
Right off the bat, Steven & Metagross get access to Haymaker, which allows them to mutilate the enemy team with their powered-up Sync Moves with ease. And since Steven’s Trainer Move offers Sure Crit, this is a pretty easy setup overall. They’re going to need support for Critical Rate outside of that, but overall they’re very solid right out of the box!
The big take-away here is Recuperation 2, which can vastly increase Steven & Metagross’ longevity. ⅖ is still pretty solid, but definitely the least useful Sync Move level for our steely Champion and violent supercomputer.
This is where we see Aggravation 1, which makes Steven & Metagross not only strong, but also… aggravating! High flinch odds gives them utility beyond simple damage and opens up potentially game-saving plays with a well timed/properly aimed Iron head. This level also gives the two Sync Move+25 Power tiles, which can stack with Haymaker to make for a very respectable Sync Nuke when set up properly. Finally, Bullet Punch: Eagle Eye 9 gives Steven & Metagross a slow but reliable way to self-max their Critical Rate, which makes this last strive definitely worth it.
3/5 Sample Grid
Palentine Marnie & Mawile are the big ones here, as they can double-up Flinches, drop the opposing team’s Defense, and set Steel Wish to crank the damage up to 11. The other big want for Steven & Metagross is probably some Move Gauge support, so Sync Pairs like Skyla & Swanna, Masked Royal & Incineroar, or Anniversary Skyla & Tornadus are very useful to have around.
Steel is indeed under-utilized, but it’s definitely not a barren type! Raihan & Duraludon and Sygna Suit Giovanni & Nidoking are probably the biggest competition here, while Grimsley & Bisharp are more designed for one tremendous burst of damage, followed by lower damage output comparatively.
The aforementioned Palentine Marnie & Mawile are also strong competition, though they’re also ideal partners, as previously mentioned, so they don’t deserve more than a passing mention here. Player & Solgaleo have semi-similar damage output with less additional utility, but they’re also free-to-play to compensate. Finally, Gloria & Zacian are also on this list and in direct competition, but we’ll get to them soon enough.
Getting to ⅕ or ⅗ are both worthwhile milestones for Steven & Metagross here. If you don’t intend to invest much in the future and this event will only give you ⅖, then you should probably look elsewhere.
Overall, Steven & Metagross are not the worst on this list, and may be worth picking up for some.
Sygna Suit Cynthia & Kommo-o
Introduced as the intended counter for the Latios Legendary Arena, Sygna Suit Cynthia & Kommo-o dropped as an enticing prospect just a bit before the first anniversary. While good overall, they were sadly under-performers on release, as the AoE meta had already been recently shaken up by Sygna Suit Red & Charizard and Cynthia’s base Sync Pair, highlighted above. However, this is one of the few Sync Pairs that has actually managed to see more utility recently, as the rise of Sync Move Counter reducing effects are currently on the rise, and Sygna Suit Cynthia & Kommo were among the first to abuse this effect.
At base power, Cynthia & Kommo have access to very solid AoE damage and decent self-buffing capabilities, making them useful right out of the box. Just don’t expect anything from their grid at this level, as it has basically nothing worth mentioning beyond X Sp.Attack: MP Refresh 2.
⅖ can be very helpful if only for the move gauge help that comes with Clanging Scales: Move Gauge Refresh 3, but it actually has a few other key tiles worth mentioning as well. Static Shock can be a bit of a pain to set up without outside help, but it offers a fairly huge damage boost on Sync Moves, though Dragon Breath: Hostile Environment 1 can also help on that front if worse comes to worst.
Paralysis Synergy 2 and High Five 1 are the big take-aways here. The former is a steroid for Clanging Scales if setup, and the latter adds an additional +1 to virtually all stats on Sync Move use. This is helpful for various reasons, but one of the more noteworthy benefits is the fact that it slows down Clanging Scales’ Defense Drops substantially. Also worth mentioning are Adrenaline 1 for Sync Move Counter support and Eyes on the Prize: MP Refresh 4 for stronger setup/better Sync Move counter support.
3/5 Sample Grid
A little bit of offensive support on the Special side is a must, as Cynthia & Kommo-o are hard-pressed to self-max under most circumstances. The usual suspect Sync Pairs like Sabrina & Alakazam or Sygna Suit Elesa & Rotom do the trick on that front. Move Gauge Support is also potentially important, so Sync Pairs like Skyla & Tornadus or Masked Royal & Incineroar can fill in nicely too. Palentine Serena & Whimsicott in particular deserve special mention for their ability to boost Speed while also providing Paralysis support. Classic Elesa & Emolga can also provide some Paralysis support while also melting the opposing team’s stats with ease, giving them a lot of sheer utility.
Defense support from Sync Pairs like Jasmine & Steelix or Dawn & Torterra can also be useful on select stages for their ability to patch up Kommo’s ever-dropping Defense when below ⅗, but tend to be less necessary on most stages. Finally, Lucas & Dialga absolutely have to show up again, as their sheer power and ability to set Dragon Zone can seriously boost Sygna Suit Cynthia & Kommo and enable easy stage clears. Just make sure that you bring along some Move Gauge support for this combo, as Lucas & Dialga will drain your team very quickly once their Free Move Next effects run dry.
Sadly, Sygna Suit Cynthia & Kommo directly compete with Sygna Suit Serena & Zygarde for their main niche in the game, and trying to compete with the tyrannical tier-list-topper is never a good thing.
Just like Lance Dragonite, other competing Sync Pairs include Lucas & Dialga and Leon & Eternatus, though Cynthia & Kommo’s AoE attacks can set them apart a bit. Even Zinnia & Rayquaza can pose competition to Cynthia & Kommo-o, though the lack of AoE damage definitely makes a difference.
If you’re after Dragon Type damage with this event, then the real question boils down to Lance & Dragonite or Sygna Suit Cynthia & Komm-o. When compared, Lance & Dragonite definitely come out on top in the damage department, but are also more difficult to set up.
Overall, Sygna Suit Cynthia & Kommo-o are capable, but definitely more niche than most of the Sync Pairs on this list.
Gloria & Zacian
Gloria & Zacian were a bit divisive on their arrival, if only due to the fact that they were the featured Sync Pair for the Battle Buffet Bash event, which is the only competitive event that Pokemon Masters has had to date. Nowadays, they sit as a rather awkward Steel Type damage that has stellar damage output potential… but only after the other team has used a Sync Move. Honestly, if they didn’t have that drawback, they’d be genuinely all-around great. On that same note, Gloria & Zacian are also competent when it comes to Fairy Type attack damage, so they do have a bit of extra viability in that regard.
This… gives you basically everything. Gloria & Zacian don’t really need their grid, so you’re basically all set on your initial pull, as their base kit is the source of about 90% of their total damage output. The most stand-out options here have to be Behemoth Blade: Move Gauge Refresh 2 and Play Rough: Move Gauge Refresh 3, as they can help out with the move gauge a bit.
Play Rough: Superduper Effective 1 and Play Rough: On a Roll 2 can make it easier for Fairy Type builds to do their job, and Critical Ferocity 2 has use if you want to make Gloria & Zacian more self-sufficient, though they still need Critical Rate support to truly excel.
⅗ doesn’t actually offer much, but it does have Head Start 1, which can stack with Gloria’s Trainer Move and basically any other similar effect on another Sync Pair to knock one full rotation off of the first Sync Move counter. That aside, the most important tiles have to be the second Behemoth Blade: Move Gauge Refresh 2 and the two Sync Move Power+25 tiles. It’s nice to hit ⅗, but definitely not necessary.
3/5 Sample Grid
Sadly, Gloria & Zacian need quite a bit of help to really excel. Critical Rate support is a must, and Attack support is very recommended, so a bit of standard Physical Support from units like Sonia & Yamper, Hop & Zamazenta, or Hilbert & Samurott is important. Palentine Marnie & Mawile are also ideal for their ability to weaken the opponent’s defenses and set up Steel Zone. And since Gloria & Zacian generally don’t mind giving away the first Sync Move due to their unique effect of only dealing maximum damage after the opposing team has a Sync Buff, it’s perfectly viable to Mega Evolve Mawile early on in this team comp.
Gloria & Zacian are almost sure to take at least one Sync move from the opposing team for reasons outlined above, so a bit of help with defenses/healing can be appreciated for some stages, so Sync Pairs like Skyla & Swanna or Sygna Suit Morty & Ho-oh can be situationally useful too. Finally, Gloria & Zacian have high speed and potentially stellar move gauge management options, so they can easily double-up with the other big-name Steel Types like Steven & Metagross and Raihan & Duraludon for a dual-striker setup given the right Support unit.
Steel is still not a super-competitive type, with the main competition being Sygna Suit Giovanni & Nidoking, Raihan & Duraludon, Grimsley & Bisharp, Player & Solgaleo, or the aforementioned Steven & Metagross. When comparing the two Steel Types available from this event, Gloria & Zacian have better move gauge management and higher damage output thanks to Behemoth Blade’s high base power, but this comes at the cost of needing to wait for the opponent’s Sync Move to really score big hits.
Meanwhile, Steven & Metagross rely on their own Mega Evolution for maximum output, and even then will definitely fall behind Gloria & Zacian’s damage. To compensate, they tend to also have more supportive functions to keep themselves alive with the flinch potential and bulk, so it kind of balances out to a certain degree.
Gloria & Zacian is another Sync Pair that can operate at near optimal levels even at ⅕, so simply adding them to your team in this respect isn’t the worst move that you can make. They cover a type that we don’t have much coverage for and hit very hard, but they generally won’t start hitting hard until about the time that they’ve scored their second Sync Move buff, as that’s how long it will generally take for the opposing team to drop their first Sync Move.
The main issue with picking up Gloria & Zacian is, naturally, the fact that Steven & Metagross are also on this list, as they have a few advantages that should be reviewed before making this decision. However, Gloria & Zacian are sure to pay back their investment if this is the direction that you think that you want to go.
N & Zekrom
Electric is not a very represented type in terms of high damage dealers, and N & Zekrom hit the scene as the first ever superstar for the type. High Electric Type damage is their hallmark, and they deliver to this day. They require a fair bit of support in order to operate at peak efficiency, but they definitely get the job done when needed. It’s also worth mentioning that their ability to outright ignore many passive skills that the opposition has is a very valuable feature, as it allows them to crush many Legendary Arena/Legendary Gauntlet stages while outright ignoring the stage gimmick. It’s also worth noting that N & Zekrom can lean into Outrage instead and focus on Dragon damage, but they’re definitely the weakest option on this list that can do that job. Still, it is added value if it’s needed.
While a bit less powerful when fresh out of the box, N & Zekrom still have the basis of what makes them powerful from the very start. They are very capable of dropping powerful Bolt Strikes and hitting for boosted Super Effective damage, making ⅕ a perfectly usable level.
Honestly, not much changes at ⅖. The most standout tiles here are Bolt Strike: Move Gauge Refresh 2, two out of six of the Sync Move Power+25 tiles, and Bolt Strike: Hostile Environment 1, the latter of which is of limited utility. But if you want to go the Dragon route, then this Sync move level does grant Outrage: Confusion Boon 3 and Outrage: Paralysis Synergy 3.
This is where we get Bolt Strike: Move Gauge Refresh 3 and Static Shock 3, the latter of which offers a fairly substantial damage boost to N & Zekrom’s Sync Move. Add to this the last four Sync Move Power+25 tiles, and Zekrom can definitely wreak some havoc at ⅗.
3/5 Sample Grid
N & Zekrom are strong, but they definitely need some help to get their job done. Critical Rate support is a must, and some help buffing attack is very appreciated too, so Sync Pair like Hilbert & Samurott and Sonia & Yamper are the gold-standards.
The final touch needed to put N & Zekrom over the edge is Electric Terrain support, meaning partners like Volkner & Luxray, Classic Elesa & Emolga, and even New Year Volkner & Electivire pair perfectly for maximum damage output.
The strongest outright competition for Electric Type damage is definitely New Year Volkner & Electivire, who tend to outclass poor N & Zekrom on Electric-weak stages in particular. That said, they can potentially pair with N & Zekrom for doubled-up damage, as previously stated, while also supported by Electric Terrain. So already having them doesn’t make N & Zekrom a poor choice for this event.
Aside from them, a few non-Electric Sync Pairs like Professor Oak & Mew and Archie & Kyogre are very capable of competing with their given Electric Type moves, while less lauded Electric Types like Elesa & Zebstrika or the recently EX-Unlocked Hau & Alolan Raichu are also able to do the job very well depending on the situation. Classic Elesa & Emolga get mention too, as while they may be less reliable in terms of move damage, they can at least Sync and use Max Lightning for bursts of huge damage. Finally, it’s worth mentioning that Marnie & Morpeko, while substantially lower in terms of move damage, also sport a potentially obscene Electric Type Sync Move if set up properly.
N & Zekrom may not be considered as good as they once were, but they’re still undeniably effective in their own right. They can tear up Electric weak stages with the right support, can moonlight with Dragon Type damage, and can enable a victory on many Legendary Arena/Gauntlet stages without needing to worry about the stage gimmick.
For these reasons, N & Zekrom are definitely stand-outs for this event, just don’t bother with ⅖ unless ⅗ is your long-term goal.
Alder & Volcarona
Alder & Volcarona were very interesting on release. They got a fair bit of attention, but simultaneously flew under the radar just enough that a lot of people skipped them. This was despite their being the first genuinely great Bug Type Sync Pair in the game when it comes to sheer damage. Even though the game has moved on to even bigger numbers and we now have other Bug Types who can compete with them on their own stage, Alder & Volcarona are still very powerful, and have the distinction of having the least direct competition of any Sync Pair on this list.
Alder & Volcarona are surprisingly competent when they first join your team, easily maxing out their Critical Rate and Special Attack with just 3 moves while also picking up +2 Speed on the side. You can expect high performance from ⅕ Alder & Volcarona, just don’t expect anything really worthwhile from their grid at this level.
⅖ adds the first Hyper Beam: Move Gauge Refresh 2 tile, the first Hyper Beam: Accuracy+5 tile, and… that’s it. Don’t plan on stopping at ⅖ if you want any kind of improved performance.
Devastation and Overpower are reason enough to want ⅗. While Struggle Bug: Critical Strike 5 combined with Struggle Bug: Superduper Effective 9 can potentially make Struggle Bug an at least semi-respectable AoE move on Bug weak stages, this approach is a bit more of a meme in truth. Unparalleled Power! Hit and Heal 9 may also be worthwhile for some builds, as a bit of extra healing can occasionally be all that it takes to win some stages. Nonetheless, a lot of power is locked behind this level, so it’s worth achieving.
3/5 Sample Grid
First and foremost, a bit of help dropping the opposition’s Special Attack is appreciated for Devastation and Overpower. Viola & Masquerain, Champion Iris & Hydreigon, and Bede & Hatterene are all solid in this role for sure.
Move Gauge support from Sync Pairs like Skyla & Swanna, Palentine Serena & Whimsicott, or Skyla & Tornadus can also be very important here, as Hyper Beam is a 4-bar move, and Volcarona isn’t exactly blazingly fast. Special Costume Ingo & Accelgor also pair up extremely well here, if only because the damage output boost from Bug Zone is very significant to say the least.
Alder & Volcarona have the distinction of having the highest average Bug Type attack damage in the game at this time, comparable only to Emmet & Escavalier. They have a very strong presence in an under-represented type, and can be made extremely formidable even in neutral scenarios should the proper support options be made available. It’s also worth mentioning that even if you already have Emmet & Escavalier, Alder & Volcarona may still be worth considering for their ability to deal damage from the Special side, which can make a tangible difference on some stages.
Other Bug Type attackers like Lusamine & Pheromosa or Guzma & Golisopod definitely exist, but they’re not really comparable to our Champion and his Solar Moth in practice. For these reasons, Alder & Volcarona probably have the least direct competition of any Sync Pair on this list.
Alder & Volcarona actually have very attractive prospects for this event. They have a fair bit of potential power even at ⅕, gain a lot at ⅗, don’t need much support to hit like a truck, provide coverage an under-represented type, and can even slot into off-types pretty effectively.
Weigh your options, but know that this is definitely one of the front-runners all things considered.
Closing
It’s hard to objectively rank the Sync Pairs on this list in terms of most to least value, and that’s not the point of this article. You can take a look at our Tier List to see the Sync Pairs that the community considers to be the “best”, but that kind of approach leaves out a very important metric; the fact that literally every single person that’s playing this game has a different set of Sync Pairs at their disposal. The “worst” Sync Pair on this list might be amazingly impactful for specific people if their unique features can fill a specific need. For that reason, our goal has been to simply present a short overview of each in hopes of maybe shedding light on factors that could otherwise be overlooked so that you can make a more informed choice. That said, here's a quick summary of the Sync Pairs on offer:
- Lance & Dragonite are powerful, and great even at 1/5. They're probably the best Dragon Type on this list, and have solid general utility. Just remember that they need a lot of Support to work well!
- Cynthia & Garchomp are less important than they once were, and haven't kept up with the damage standards of the day. They're still pretty solid though, and cover the fairly rare Ground Type for added value. You're probably going to want 3/5 eventually.
- Steven & Metagross hit relatively hard, cover a semi-rare type, have good longevity for a Striker, and can even disable the enemy team at times. They're a bit weak by today's standards and have a slow/awkward setup, but they're still good in their own right. 3/5 is a bit of a big deal here.
- Sygna Suit Cynthia & Kommo-o are capable, but overshadowed pretty hard by many other Sync Pairs. They're still very usable, but their utility drops pretty hard when compared to a number of other Dragons that we currently have in the game. Going for 3/5 is also pretty important so be prepared to aim for it.
- Gloria & Zacian can hit pretty hard in an under-represented type, but they take a while to hit really hard and need team support. Where Steven & Metagross offer utility, Gloria & Zacian offer damage. They're also great for Dual-Striker team comps. 1/5 is fine, and 3/5 can be somewhat useful too.
- N & Zekrom hit very hard, but need team support to work well. If you've got all of the pieces that they need, then they can offer very fast stage clears, and can also tear through many Legendary Arena stages thanks to their ability to outright ignore enemy abilities. 1/5 is fine, 2/5 is okay, and 3/5 has some nice bonuses worth going for.
- Alder & Volcarona cover the rarest type on this list, and hit hard while doing it. One of the better options here in a vacuum, they can shore up some weaknesses that many teams may have, and can even work well on neutral stages. 1/5 is perfectly fine, but 3/5 is where they can really shine.
For me personally, the answer to this question is definitely getting N & Zekrom to ⅗, but I look forward to hearing about your choice in the comments, as well as learning why you made said choice. Have fun with the event, and enjoy your free Poke Fair Sync Pair / duplicate!
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