Closing Out the Pokémon GO Battle League Season with the Electrical Cup and Catch Cup

By Caleb Peng

As we head into the month of November, the ultimate month of the Pokémon GO Adventures Abound Season, Trainers all over the world need to battle for his or her last rankings within the GO Battle League. From newer gamers attempting to hit the Ace Rank for the primary time to seasoned gamers preventing for that highest leaderboard place, everybody can have an opportunity to battle it out within the upcoming Electrical Cup and Catch Cup.

On this article, we will probably be diving into the distinctive metagame (or “meta”) of the Electrical Cup and the seasonal Catch Cup. The Electrical Cup will happen from November 3 to 17 and the Catch Cup will comply with from November 17 to 24. The Electrical Cup’s first and second weeks will run concurrently with the Nice League and Extremely League, respectively. The Catch Cup would be the solely format out there throughout its week.

The primary and final time we had the Electrical Cup, it befell in January and February of this 12 months, in the course of the Legendary Needs Season. The cup’s guidelines dictate that each Pokémon used have to be Electrical kind and 1,500 CP or beneath. Stunfisk, Heliolisk, Charjabug, and Vikavolt are banned from use. Whereas these guidelines haven’t modified from final time, there are nonetheless new elements to be careful for.

This Season launched a variety of adjustments to the strikes and transfer units of accessible Electrical-type Pokémon. The Quick Assault Spark noticed a rise in injury on the tradeoff of slower power technology. Magnemite, Magneton, and Magnezone can now all study the Quick Assault Volt Swap, which is an improve for Magnezone particularly. Mareep, Flaaffy, and Ampharos can now study the Charged Assault Trailblaze, offering them with a Grass-type assault to extend their kind protection. As well as, Pawmi from the Paldea area was launched to Pokémon GO, and its Evolutions Pawmo and Pawmot have entered the meta, each with the intriguing kind mixture of Electrical and Preventing.

Magnezone is among the Pokémon that advantages essentially the most from this shakeup. Volt Swap permits Magnezone to realize power sooner than it may with Spark, fueling a faster Wild Cost (which nonetheless hits exhausting, even whether it is resisted by many Pokémon within the Electrical Cup meta). Magnezone also can use Mirror Shot, a less expensive Charged Assault with a 30% probability of reducing the opponent’s Assault that’s particularly helpful for baiting out Defend Shields.

The adjustments to the Quick Assault Spark are typically seen as a downgrade to the transfer for the Electrical Cup. Though it does extra injury in an surroundings the place most Pokémon resist Electrical-type injury, its slower power technology is a major blow to its utility. This largely impacts Lanturn, however on this meta, Water Gun is usually its most well-liked Quick Assault anyway since so few notable Electrical-type Pokémon resist Water-type injury. Given the power of Lanturn within the Electrical Cup, although, Spark should be helpful for these Lanturn-versus-Lanturn matchups. Trainers should resolve if the tradeoff is value utilizing it as an alternative of the extra typically helpful Water Gun.

The Charged Assault Trailblaze not solely supplies Mareep and its Evolutions with further kind protection, nevertheless it’s additionally assured to extend the person’s Assault. Of Mareep, Flaaffy, and Ampharos, Ampharos is the Pokémon Trainers are most definitely to select from this group to make use of within the Electrical Cup. With entry to the Darkish-type Charged Assault Brutal Swing, Ampharos can hit all the pool of Pokémon most frequently used within the Electrical Cup meta for impartial or supereffective injury when mixed with Trailblaze. Shadow Ampharos can also be an possibility if you wish to pack an excellent greater punch and make your opponents suppose twice about shielding in opposition to Charged Assaults. With Lanturn being one of many bulkiest and strongest Pokémon on this meta, the addition of Trailblaze to Ampharos presents a severe risk to many prime groups.

The addition of Pawmi and its Evolutions supplies extra selection to the Electrical Cup meta. Pawmo solely has entry to Electrical-type assaults, so it will not be used a lot. Pawmot, alternatively, can study the hard-hitting Preventing-type Charged Assault Shut Fight, which supplies it with supereffective protection in opposition to Metal-type Pokémon like Magnezone and Togedemaru, in addition to in opposition to Rock-type Pokémon like Alolan Geodude and its Evolutions. Shut Fight hits most Pokémon within the meta for at the least impartial injury as nicely, making it a viable selection for Electrical Cup groups.

Staple Pokémon from the final Electrical Cup that may nonetheless have a big effect embody Hisuian Electrode, Galvantula, and Luxray. Hisuian Electrode’s Electrical- and Grass- typing permits it to withstand Water-type injury, neutralizing opposing Lanturn. Galvantula’s entry to the Quick Assault Fury Cutter and Charged Assaults Lunge and Power Ball present it with unimaginable protection in opposition to all the meta pool—although Magnezone, which is predicted to develop into a extra standard selection, does notably resist all of these strikes. Luxray is the one Pokémon within the Electrical Cup that may study a Floor-type Quick Assault, which hits all the meta pool for impartial or supereffective injury. However there’s a caveat: the aforementioned Quick Assault Luxray can study is Hidden Energy, which is a random, unchangeable kind for every particular person Luxray. These fortunate sufficient to have a Luxray with Floor-type Hidden Energy will instantly see its worth on this format.

The final Electrical Cup was fairly standard for a metagame the place lots of the Pokémon had the potential to be aggressive in each matchup, making protect utilization and power administration crucial. Listed here are some pattern groups that you possibly can check out this time round:

• Lanturn, Magnezone, Galvantula

• Hisuian Electrode, Ampharos, Luxray

• Alolan Graveler, Hisuian Electrode, Pawmot

For the Catch Cup: Adventures Abound Version, gamers are solely allowed to make use of Pokémon caught throughout this present Season. As well as, Legendary Pokémon are ineligible, and all Pokémon have to be 1,500 CP or beneath.

The Catch Cup is all the time a blended bag of Trainers both operating solely newly caught and raised Pokémon or those that caught prime meta Pokémon earlier within the Season and raised them particularly for the Catch Cup. Though operating robust meta picks is all the time an important technique, it doesn’t imply it’s the one option to win.

With the latest November Neighborhood Day that includes Wooper and Paldean Wooper, Pokémon GO launched Clodsire to the sport, which will probably be an immediate contender for the highest spot within the meta. Its twin Poison- and Floor- typing supplies unimaginable protection in opposition to many ceaselessly used Pokémon within the Nice League together with Medicham, Registeel, Serperior, Azumarill, Lanturn, and Carbink. Clodsire’s pure bulk offers Trainers extra time and suppleness to make errors in battle. As a newly launched Pokémon with a variety of potential, count on to see Clodsire hit the bottom operating for the Catch Cup. This in flip will doubtless transfer many gamers to plot counterstrategies in opposition to this new risk. Floor-type Pokémon similar to Swampert and Galarian Stunfisk could rise in utilization together with Ghost-type Pokémon similar to Froslass and Jellicent.

Legendary Pokémon, similar to Deoxys and Mew, are ineligible on this format, permitting Pokémon like Medicham to shine much more in absence of such tough matchups. And since Trainers can solely use Pokémon caught throughout this Season, some standard Legendary Pokémon and Extremely Beasts, similar to Registeel, Tapu Fini, and Buzzwole, will nearly actually be absent. These elements assist slim down the bigger Nice League meta pool to a extra predictable one for Catch Cup.

However there are nonetheless different Pokémon new this Season that might make an influence. Many gamers solely just lately began utilizing Carbink, and given its power within the Nice League, I count on to see many freshly educated Carbink in motion within the Catch Cup. This Season’s Crew GO Rocket Takeover introduces new Shadow Pokémon similar to Whiscash and Bastiodon, which many Trainers will probably be attempting out for the primary time. Shadow Whiscash is a powerful counter to Clodsire, giving Trainers extra causes to run it within the Catch Cup. Bastiodon usually is thought to be hit and miss—completely dominant in the suitable matchups and a whole legal responsibility within the incorrect ones. Gamers who’ve loved that playstyle with Bastiodon within the Nice League will doubtless attempt their hand with a Shadow Bastiodon performing the same position within the Catch Cup.

Lastly, we’ve had in-person regional occasions this Season that featured Pokémon related to the GO Battle League, similar to Meditite, Lickitung, Carbink, Shieldon, Chinchou, Alolan Vulpix, and Wooloo. Trainers who attended one among these occasions will doubtless have the assets to boost their Pokémon into robust contenders, so be ready to face them on the battlefield.

To assist put together for the Catch Cup meta, the Adventures Abound Season rewards Trainers with Pokémon encounters in the event that they win sufficient matches in a single set of the GO Battle League. I like to recommend saving Pokémon you encounter this manner—particularly Marill, Meditite, Frillish, Carbink, Lickitung, Skarmory, Phantump, Mareanie, Scrafty, and Wooloo—as a result of they or their advanced varieties may have vital roles in your Catch Cup group. It’s additionally vital to notice that Pokémon caught in the course of the Adventures Abound Season by different Trainers are eligible, barring the opposite restrictions. Which means Pokémon you get in trades can be utilized within the Catch Cup if the unique Coach caught it throughout this Season. Most of the greatest Trainers on this planet use Pokémon traded from mates within the GO Battle League, so that is one other nice option to construct your Catch Cup group.

The Catch Cup could be filled with surprises in the case of groups you could encounter, however listed below are some counter-picks in case the meta develops the best way we predict it’ll:

• Alolan Sandslash, Umbreon, Clodsire

• Lickitung, Medicham, Carbink

• Gligar, Swampert, Jellicent

As we head in the direction of the tip of the GO Battle League: Adventures Abound Season with the Electrical Cup and Catch Cup, I want you the most effective in your battles. Everybody has completely different objectives they’re aiming for, however I hope we’re all united in our aim of making nice reminiscences whereas battling opponents from all over the world. Good luck, have enjoyable, and carry on tapping!

Caleb Peng
Caleb Peng is a Pokémon GO commentator, content material creator, and competitor. He has completed 2nd at two Regional Championships and certified for the 2023 Pokémon GO World Championships. Caleb has been an avid Pokémon GO PvP Coach since proper after it launched in 2016 and has been commentating for the Pokémon GO Championship Sequence since its inception in 2022. Exterior of Pokémon GO, he enjoys exhibiting off footage of his cats.