Best Pokemon for the Pokemon GO Halloween Cup

Niantic Labs' Halloween Cup is well underway in Pokemon GO during this GO Battle competitive season.

The Halloween Cup, itself, is a special tournament with a unique set of parameters in place. Only Pokemon under 1500 CP and within a certain group of accepted types will be eligible to battle. In true Halloween fashion, those types are bug, poison, dark, fairy, and/or ghost. With such a narrow pool to choose from, trainers may find it difficult to weigh one similar choice against another.

Here's our take on the top contenders for the Pokemon GO Halloween Cup.

Pokemon GO Halloween Cup: Best Pokemon

S-Tier

• Azumarill (Bubble + Play Rough)
• Gengar (Shadow Claw + Sludge Bomb)
• Chandelure (Incinerate/Hex + Shadow Ball)

These are your cornerstone Pokemon. Regardless of team composition or strategy, we recommend all trainers have at least one of the Pokemon listed above. Azumarill is a Great League staple and those who can obtain a Gengar under 1500 CP should unquestioningly take advantage of one of the most powerful ghost-types in the game. Chandelure, while not as impressive as either Pokemon mentioned previously, has been making a name for itself since release and makes for a decent substitute.

A-Tier

• Ariados (
• Jellicent (Hex/Bubble Beam + Shadow Ball)
• Alolan Marowak (Fire Spin/Hex + Shadow Ball)
• Mawile (Fire Fang + Play Rough/Power-Up Punch)

These are the Pokemon we recommend trainers use to build out their team. Jellicent and Mawile, in particular, will likely be common sights within the tournament. In fact, we encourage trainers missing an Azumarill to strive for a Jellicent in its place. Mawile's steel-typing and Fairy-type move pool shouldn't be underestimated in combat. Additionally, Ariados' pre-evolved form, Spinarak, is currently taking over the wild, making it a simple way to round out the team.

B-Tier

• Drifblim (Hex + Icy Wind/Shadow Ball)
• Houndoom (Fire Fang + Foul Play/Crunch)
• Sylveon (Charm + Dazzling Gleam)
• Umbreon (Snarl + Foul Play)
• Skuntank (Poison Jab + Crunch)

Trainers who find themselves missing a specific type from their team should refer to this list. Sylveon and Umbreon are solid mono-type choices for fairy and dark, respectively. Veterans should remember Skuntank from its own moment in the Sun in the years prior. Meanwhile, Drifblim and Houndoom are decent dual-types that can be thrown in to keep opponents on their toes.

C-Tier

• Granbull (Charm + Play Rough)
• Beedrill (Poison Jab + X-Scissor/Drill Run)
• Tyranitar (Smack Down + Crunch)
• Galvantula (Volt Switch + Discharge)
• Wigglytuff (Charm + Play Rough/Ice Beam)
• Scrafty (Counter/Snarl + Foul Play)

These Pokemon are the last resort. If trainers find themselves in a pinch, are getting frustrated and looking to shake things up, or simply don't have any of the Pokemon we listed in the higher tiers—here are your go-to's. Granbull and Beedrill are typically underestimated and could be used to a trainer's advantage. Meanwhile, Wigglytuff and Tyranitar serve their own niches as a Charm machine and aggressive glass cannon, respectively. Scrafty's pre-evolved form, Scraggy, is currently being featured in one-star Raids, making it easy to grab if needed.

Pokemon GO's Halloween Cup will run from Oct. 15 to Nov. 2.