The Sinnoh Cup is a brand new challenge debuting in Season 10 of the Pokemon Go Battle League, and only the very best team of Pokemon will be able to take you to victory.
While the cornerstones of the Pokemon Go Battle League will always be the Great League, Ultra League, and Master League, each season comes with its own special Cups that switch things up and offer a new way to battle other Trainers.
In Season 10, one of the most exciting new additions is the Sinnoh Cup, which follows in the footsteps of the Kanto Cup and coincides with the long-awaited Pokemon Legends Arceus by only allowing creatures that originated in Gen 4.
Any Pokemon you enter will also need to be below 1500 CP, meaning it can be tough to figure out what to use. Below, we’ve shared our recommendation for the best Sinnoh Cup team and included some extra picks for good measure.
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Best team for the Sinnoh Cup in Pokemon Go
One of the best teams you can use for the Sinnoh Cup is Bastiodon, Lucario, and Abomasnow. These are three of the strongest competitors and will give you good coverage against the majority of opponents you’ll come up against.
As with any Cup or League, it’s impossible to say what a truly ‘best’ team looks like, as it all depends on what Pokemon your opponent has hidden in their Poke Balls – and you won’t know that until you’ve already entered a battle.
Despite this, there are a few Pokemon that are already showing themselves to be standouts in the Sinnoh Cup meta, which we’ve explored below. Having these on your team should bring you one step closer to the top.
Best Pokemon for the Sinnoh Cup
Bastiodon
- Fast Move: Smack Down
- Charged Moves: Stone Edge and Flamethrower
- Resistances: Dragon, Ice, Psychic, Fairy, Bug, Rock, Flying, Normal, and Poison
- Weaknesses: Ground, Fighting, and Water
It probably won’t come as a surprise to Pokemon Go Battle League veterans that Great League champion Bastiodon is the top threat in the Sinnoh Cup. It’s an absolute tank that even beats out Legendaries when it comes to Defense stats.
Smack Down is a solid Fast Move option that hits hard, while Stone Edge is a powerful Rock-type Charged Move that takes advantage of STAB. Flamethrower is a bit of a wild card that can be used to take down other Steel-types.
Lucario
- Fast Move: Counter
- Charged Moves: Power-Up Punch and Shadow Ball
- Resistances: Bug, Dark, Dragon, Grass, Ice, Normal, Poison, Rock, and Steel
- Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, and Ground
With Bastiodon taking the top spot in the Sinnoh Cup, you’ll need a counter on your team that can take it down without fail. That Pokemon is Lucario, which can also easily defeat the likes of Abomasnow, Empoleon, and Cresselia.
Counter is one of the best Fast Moves in Pokemon Go, so definitely have that under Lucario’s belt. As for Charged Moves, look towards Power-Up Punch for shield baiting (plus a useful Attack buff) and Shadow Ball for wider coverage.
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Gastrodon
- Fast Move: Mud Slap
- Charged Moves: Earth Power and Body Slam
- Resistances: Electric, Fire, Poison, Rock, and Steel
- Weaknesses: Grass
Gastrodon has never been a particularly interesting species in Pokemon Go, but it gets a chance to step into the spotlight in the Sinnoh Cup, where it can be used as a counter to both Bastiodon and Lucario – the two top players in the meta.
You’ll want a Ground-type build for Gastrodon in the Sinnoh Cup, so go with Mud Slap as a Fast Move and Earth Power as your primary Charged Move, both of which get STAB. Body Slam is a great second option for baiting shields.
Abomasnow
- Fast Move: Powder Snow
- Charged Moves: Weather Ball (Ice) and Energy Ball
- Resistances: Electric, Grass, Water, and Ground
- Weaknesses: Fire, Flying, Poison, Rock, Bug, Steel, and Fighting
Abomasnow is already a good pick in the Great League meta, but in the Sinnoh Cup many of its biggest threats are banned, so it really gets a chance to shine as one of the top competitors. If you have a Shadow Abomasnow, even better.
Powder Snow has fast energy generation, so choose that as Abomasnow’s Fast Move – you’ll then have quicker access to the low-cost Weather Ball (Ice) to bait shields and Energy Ball for some impressive STAB damage and extra coverage.
Cresselia
- Fast Move: Psycho Cut
- Charged Moves: Moonblast and Grass Knot
- Resistances: Fighting and Psychic
- Weaknesses: Bug, Dark, and Ghost
There’s only one Legendary that’s viable for the Sinnoh Cup, and that’s Cresselia. Famous for its bulk and relatively low max CP, it’s a great alternative choice for taking out opponents like Gastrodon, Gallade, Gliscor, and Empoleon.
Psycho Cut has brilliant energy generation (which more than makes up for its low damage output), so go with that as your Fast Move. Moonblast is a great Charged Move, while Grass Knot increases coverage and is very cheap if you have access to it.
Pokemon Go Sinnoh Cup start date & time
The Sinnoh Cup begins in the Pokemon Go Battle League on Monday, January 10, 2022, at 1PM PST and runs until Monday, January 24, 2022 at 1PM PST.
It will be joined by the traditional Great League, with no Great League Remix set to take place this time around.
You can see the current Pokemon Go Battle League Season 10 schedule and rewards here.
