The Pokemon Go Willpower Cup is a battle format for the Go Battle League during the Season of Light. Only Fighting, Psychic and Dark-type Pokemon will be eligible, which gives trainers a large pool of options to choose from. However, these Pokemon will need to be at 1500 CP or below to enter. This is the same restriction as any of the Great League you may be used to.
While this specific cup will focus on certain types of Pokemon, there are still restrictions that trainers need to know before entering the latest battle format. The Willpower Cup begins Thursday, November 3 at 4 p.m. EDT and until Thursday, November 10.
There is one caveat though. Gardevoir is not allowed in this cup. So if you were thinking of using your own, you’ll have to come up with a different team.
Now that the rules are established, here are some of the best options for the Willpower Cup.
Galarian Rapidash
Type: Psychic/Fairy
Weaknesses: Poison, Ghost, Steel
Gardevoir is banned because its Fairy typing and access to Charm would make it a menace to teams in the Willpower Cup. Being strong against both Dark and Fighting types, anyone who can use Fairy-type attacks will benefit in this format and Galarian Rapidash can do just that.
Now, Galarian Rapidash isn’t as strong as Gardevoir and doesn’t have access to Charm, but it now has access to Fairy Wind with the start of the Season of Light. As for its Charged Attacks, Play Rough is its only Fairy-type move while it has access to Psychic if trainers want a powerful STAB attack against Fighting types. Body Slam is another viable Charged Attack. While it’s not strong against any type, it doesn’t take much energy to use so it’s a great move to burn through your opponent’s shields.
Umbreon
Type: Dark
Weakness: Bug, Fairy, Fighting
Umbreon is probably the most used Eevee-lution because of its natural bulk. While it doesn’t have the movepool to really deal with a variety of opponents, the trick is to outlast many of your opponent’s Pokemon and burn through as many shields as possible.
Snarl is your only real Fast Attack option while Foul Play (another Dark-type STAB move) and Last Resort, which was a Community Day-only move, are really what trainers will want to use. Psychic was also added to Umbreon’s movepool recently and can prove useful in a pinch against Fighting types that would otherwise give it a hard time.
Fighting types with Fighting-type attacks like Medicham are what trainers will have to look out for when using Umbreon in the Willpower Cup.
Sableye
Type: Ghost/Dark
Weakness: Fairy
Sableye’s typing is really why it can be useful in the Willpower Cup. Being weak to only Fairy-type attacks, Sableye can be another tank like Umbreon to outlast opponents and burn through shields.
Shadow Claw is the optimal Fast Attack for Sableye to use as it’s not resisted by many Pokemon and earns plenty of energy. Shadow Sneak and Foul Play are great Charged Attacks that don’t need a lot of energy stored to use. While they don’t deal a lot of damage, trainers should use them to draw out shields.
Medicham
Type: Fighting/Psychic
Weakness: Flying, Fairy, Ghost
Medicham will possibly be the Fighting-type trainers see most in the Willpower Cup.
Counter is one of the best Fast Attacks in all of Pokemon Go, and will spell doom for most Dark types - aside from Pokemon like Sableye and Mandibuzz.
As for its Charged Attacks, Power-Up Punch is a Fighting-type attack that boosts its Attack one stage even if it’s blocked, allowing for Medicham to steamroll other Pokemon.
Psychic is another powerful STAB attack that lowers the opponent’s defense, but Ice Punch may be a better option as it gives Medicham some coverage against Flying types like the aforementioned Mandibuzz.
Victini
Type: Psychic/Fire
Weaknesses: Water, Dark, Ghost, Rock, Ground
Victini was a menace in the Psychic Cup and Great League because it has access to some powerful and fast moves.
Quick Attack is its most viable Fast Attack option. Before this season, Quick Attack was a joke move, but its buffs now give Victini a move that can give it access to V-Create faster.
V-Create will be the main attacking option for Victini as it will bait out shields or deal major damage. The only downside is that it makes Victini very weak, but trainers who can get it in mid or endgame will dominate their opponents.
