Kanto Cup Meta Pokemon GO: How to Be the Very Best

Kanto Cup Meta in Pokemon GO requires trainers to test their knowledge of the franchise's original 151.

Niantic Labs announced the Kanto Cup alongside the Little Cup at the start of their Pokemon GO Battle competitive Season 5 via the game's news blog on Nov. 2, 2020. These two cups were slated to be unique battle experiences for trainers with a set of requirements asking them to think outside the box. The Little Cup only allowed first-form Pokemon under 500 CP to enter while the Kanto Cup limits entrants to those with PokeDex numbers 001-151.

Kanto Cup Meta Pokemon GO

The Kanto Cup will run from Nov. 16, to Nov. 23, 2020, at 4 p.m., replacing the Little Cup as the featured tournament in-game. Trainers may only select Pokemon with PokeDex numbers 151 or lower and under 1500 CP. However, alternate forms—such as Alolan forms—are allowed as they still retain their original PokeDex number.

The top Pokemon rumored to make up the bulk of the meta are Hypno, Alolan Muk, Alolan Marowak, Machamp, Lapras, Wigglytuff, and Dewgong. Other popular choices include Snorlax, Dragonite, Gengar, Pidgeot, all three evolved starters, and Alolan Golem.

#097, Hypno, is at the center of it all as a pure-psychic type. In the mainstream Kanto-centric games, psychic-types were a choice to be feared. Very little truly countered them until the influx of dark-types with Johto. As such, trainers should expect to see a lot of Hypno in this competition. Currently, the best moveset for Hypno includes the quick move Confusion and the charged move Shadow Ball—both as a counter against other potent choices and against itself.

Other counters against Hypno are where Alolan Muk and Marowak come into play. Muk does best with the quick move Snarl and the charged moves Dark Pulse or Sludge Wave—while additionally standing its ground better than most pure dark-types in the cup. Meanwhile, Alolan Marowak does well with the quick moves Fire Spin or Shadow Bone and the charged move Bone Club. What it lacks in resistance it makes up for in uncanny strength against fighting, steel, and fairy types.

Snorlax or Lickitung are also viable choices—though the latter is much harder to find with a quality moveset. Munchlax is unable to compete in this cup so, finally, tanky Snorlax can return to the spotlight. Depending on the rest of the team, trainers may want to run it with the quick move Lick or Body Slam with the charged move Superpower. Earthquake is another good choice as a charged move, considering its deadly advantage against Muk.

Machamp remains the champ of fighting-types and the best fighting choice trainers have. Lapras and Dewgong make for good picks in otherwise inexperienced hands with Ice Shard and some water-type charged move to take down Alolan Marowak. Wigglytuff's quick move Charm, considering the Pokemon's revamped fairy-typing, makes quick work of opponents in a pinch.