Pokémon Go: Best Pokémon for the Holiday Cup

THE Pokémon Go Battle League has changed to a new format, the Holiday Cup.

From December 22 to December 29, 2022, 8pm UK time, the new cup is here where only Normal, Grass, Electric, Ice, Flying, and Ghost types can participate.

They must have a maximum CP of 1.5k, limiting the types of Pokémon that can participate.

Here are the best teams to use in Pokémon Go’s Holiday Cup in the Go Battle League.

Pokémon Go: Best leads for the Holiday Cup

Lead Pokémon need to apply pressure from the start and must have long durability.

There are a number of great options for this, depending on the types you use for the rest of your team.

Here are our recommendations:

• Shadow Magnezone (Spark, Wild Charge, Mirror Shot)
• Luxray  (Spark, Wild Charge, Psychic Fangs)
• Aurorus (Powder Snow, Weather Ball (Ice), Meteor Beam)
• Alolan Graveler (Volt Switch, Stone Edge, Rock Blast)
• Dubwool (Double Kick, Body Slam, Payback)
• Charizard (Wing Attack, Blast Burn, Dragon Claw)
• Magnezone (Spark, Wild Charge, Mirror Shot)
• Zangoose (Shadow Claw, Close Combat, Night Slash)
• Abomasnow (Powder Snow, Weather Ball (Ice), Energy Ball)
• Shadow Alolan Marowak (Fire Spin, Shadow Bone, Bone Club)

Pokémon Go: Best switches for the Holiday Cup

You will require a strong Pokémon to switch into, if your lead Pokémon isn’t holding up as well as you might hope.

This should be a different type to your lead, and will work as a counter to other popular leads.

Here are our recommendations:

• Shadow Charizard (Wing Attack, Blast Burn, Dragon Claw)
• Zangoose (Shadow Claw, Close Combat, Night Slash)
• Dubwool (Double Kick, Body Slam, Payback)
• Charizard (Wing Attack, Blast Burn, Dragon Claw)
• Shadow Luxray (Spark, Wild Charge, Psychic Fangs)
• Aurorus (Powder Snow, Weather Ball (Ice), Meteor Beam)
• Obstagoon (Counter, Night Slash, Cross Chop)
• Zebstrika (Spark, Wild Charge, Flame Charge)
• Shadow Electivire (Thunder Shock, Wild Charge, Ice Punch)
• Shadow Walrein (Powder Snow, Icicle Spear, Earthquake)

Pokémon Go: Best closers for the Holiday Cup

Closers work best when there are no shields left in play on either side of the field.

They often have incredible charged attacks, and have enough bulk to take on opposing strong attacks.

This is what we recommend:

• Togedemaru (Thunder Shock, Wild Charge, Gyro Ball)
• Regice (Lock On, Blizzard, Earthquake)
• Shadow Electivire (Thunder Shock, Wild Charge, Ice Punch)
• Aurorus (Powder Snow, Weather Ball (Ice), Meteor Beam)
• Shadow Magnemite (Thunder Shock, Magnet Bomb, Discharge) *with XL candy
• Shadow Magneton (Thunder Shock, Magnet Bomb, Discharge)
• Magnezone (Spark, Wild Charge, Mirror Shot)
• Froslass (Powder Snow, Avalanche, Shadow Ball)
• Lanturn (Water Gun, Surf, Thunderbolt)
• Shadow Raikou (Volt Switch, Wild Charge, Shadow Ball)

Pokémon Go: Best attackers for the Holiday Cup

If you find that your shields often run out before your opponents, you might want to switch to an attacker.

These Pokémon have good bulk, and strong fast attacks to finish off opponents.

Here’s what we recommend:

• Aurorus (Powder Snow, Weather Ball (Ice), Meteor Beam)
• Lanturn (Water Gun, Surf, Thunderbolt)
• Altaria (Dragon Breath, Sky Attack, Moonblast)
• Pachirisu (Volt Switch, Thunder Punch, Thunderbolt) *with XL candy
• Wigglytuff (Charm, Ice Beam, Play Rough)
• Obstagoon (Counter, Night Slash, Cross Chop)
• Alolan Ninetales (Charm, Weather Ball (Ice), Psyshock)
• Vigoroth (Counter, Body Slam, Bulldoze)
• Mantine (Wing Attack, Bubble Beam, Ice Beam)
• Castform (Snowy) (Powder Snow, Weather Ball (Ice), Ice Beam)

Written by Marco Wutz and Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.