During each season of the Pokemon GO Battle League, players will bring their best teams to meet various challenges. In the Willpower Cup, you’ll need to assemble a team of Pokemon at or below 1500 CP. So, which Pokemon should you choose?
During this season’s Willpower Cup, players will need to create a Pokemon team following specific guidelines. All Pokemon must be 1500 CP or below, and only certain types can be used. In the Ultra League Willpower Cup, players can bring the following types:
If you’re not typically prone to using these Pokemon types or just need to reevaluate thanks to the CP limits, you may need to build a brand new Pokemon team to meet this specific challenge. Not to worry – we’ve got some suggestions.
Since you’ll be facing off against other players using Dark, Fighting, and Psychic types for the Willpower Cup, strategy will come into play. You can’t necessarily rely on type effectiveness or super-high CPs to win the day, which means you want to assemble a versatile team.
First things first, you’ll need to see what you’re working with. Figure out your options in terms of Pokemon that meet the type and CP requirements for the Willpower Cup. Once you’ve got your list, it’s time to figure out the best combo from what you’ve got.
Most players opt to start with a hard-hitter that has solid attack while bringing in a middle Pokemon that can be swapped in if your opponent’s starter has a strong advantage. Pokemon with dual types can be useful here, as a Dark/Flying or Psychic/Fairy combo could give you the edge against a Fighting-type opponent. Of course, you never know what your opponent will bring until you’re facing them, so it’s a good idea to have a mix of options in your three-Pokemon lineup.
To round it out, be sure you save a Pokemon with solid defense to sit on the bench until your shields run out. You’ll need to withstand those hard-hitting attacks at their full force.
You’ll want to consider the specific stats of your available qualified Pokemon when building your team, as you may want to lean on those Pokemon with better stats even if they’re not part of an ideal lineup. Even so, if you’re looking for suggestions, here are some combinations we think could serve you well in the Willpower Cup.
| Pokemon | Type |
|---|---|
 Claydol | Psychic/Ground |
 Morpeko | Electric/Dark |
 Drapion | Dark/Poison |
This combo gives you good type coverage within the permitted rules.
Claydol is generally considered a hard-hitting starter and some opponents will just plain run away at the sight of it due to how it’s been dominating the Willpower Cup. Morpeko is a great option if your opponent leans into those dual-Flying types we mentioned above. Finish off with Drapion, another hard-hitter in PvP, and you’re on your way.
| Pokemon | Type |
|---|---|
 Mandibuzz | Dark/Flying |
Drapion | Dark/Poison |
 Hisuian Qwilfish | Dark/Poison |
This team starts with a generally fast attacker who also has that Flying-type advantage on any Fighting types your opponent may bring. Then, we have two standby dark/poison types that are generally considered powerhouses in the PVP space to bring it home.
| Pokemon | Type |
|---|---|
 Galarian Rapidash | Psychic/Fairy |
 Gardevoir | Psychic/Fairy |
 Sneasler | Dark/Poison |
This team brings beauty and grace to the battlefield, but it’s also packed with some sneaky strong attackers. The Fairy typing for Galarian Rapidash and Gardevoir will give you an edge against Dark and Fighting Types, while Sneasler cleans up with strong defense and hard-hitting charged attacks.
These are just a few well-rounded options, though the best team is ultimately going to depend on your bank of Pokemon and your play style. Try out different combos to see what works for you based on the Pokemon you’ve got available, and you should be able to see your way to a few Willpower Cup victories before the tournament ends on November 19.
Pokemon GO is available to play now.