Pokemon Go Battle League – Best Holiday Cup: Ultra League Edition team

The Holiday Cup: Ultra League Edition joins Pokemon Go‘s Battle League rotation during the Precious Paths season with a festive twist on competitive play and a new meta to master in just a week.

While the standard Great, Ultra, and Master Leagues are still the backbone of PvP, Niantic regularly spices things up with limited-time Cups, each featuring special restrictions that force trainers to rethink their usual strategies.

This holiday-themed Cup returns with Ultra League rules, meaning only a few types are eligible, and Pokemon must be at or below 2,500 CP. With the tighter typing pool shaping the meta, picking the right team is key, so here are the strongest fighters to bring into battle.

Best team for the Pokemon Go Holiday Cup: Ultra League Edition

The best team you can take into the Holiday Cup is made up of Shadow Dusknoir, Lickilicky, and Aurorus. These are three of the strongest Pokemon that should give you coverage against the most common opponents.

Another team that players could try out is Skeledirge, Lickilicky, and Oranguru.

As with any League or Cup, it’s impossible to say what a true ‘best’ team looks like in the Holiday Cup, as it really depends on the Pokemon your opponent sends out – and you won’t know that until the battle begins.

Still, there are a few Pokemon that can perform well in most situations, which we’ve listed below alongside their optimal movesets and weaknesses.

Best Holiday Cup: Ultra League Edition Pokemon

Alolan Sandslash (XL)

Fast Move: Powder Snow
Charged Moves: Ice Punch and Drill Run
Type: Ice/Steel
Strong against: Dragon, Psychic, Normal, Grass, Bug, Flying, Fairy, Ice, and Poison
Weak against: Fire, Fighting, and Ground

The dual Ice/Steel-type Alolan Sandslash is another defensively strong Pokemon for this Cup if you avoid its double weaknesses of Fighting and Fire.

Powder Snow is Alolan Sandslash’s obvious Fast Move choice. It may not hit hard, but it generates good energy per turn, allowing you to get those Charge Moves out with decent regularity.

One of those is Ice Punch, a very cheap as spammy move that can help you get rid of your opponent’s shields to then hit them with full force. If you can afford a secondary Charged Move, go with Drill Run to expand your coverage.

Jellicent (XL)

Fast Move: Hex
Charged Moves: Surf and Shadow Ball
Type: Water/Ghost
Resistances: Normal, Fighting, Water, Steel, Poison, Ice, Fire, and Bug
Weaknesses: Dark, Electric, Ghost, and Grass

This gigantic jellyfish gives trainers an incredible bulk, along with a vast list of resistances that will keep it alive during an encounter.

Both of Jellicent’s Fast Moves are great options that benefit from STAB. While Bubble offers stronger Water-type coverage, Hex has slightly faster energy generation, as well as Ghost-type coverage.

To balance Hex, go with Surf as your Charged Move. It’s not only really cheap, but it also deals great damage and benefits from STAB. As your secondary option, use the nuke Shadow Ball. If you need a different type of coverage, you can switch Shadow Ball for Ice Beam.

Dudunsparce

Fast Move: Rollout
Charged Moves: Rock Slide and Drill Run
Type: Normal
Resistances: Ghost
Weaknesses: Fighting

Dudunsparce is basically the same as its previous stage (Dunsparce), but better attack-wise, so take advantage of that.

For its moveset, use Rollout as the Fast Move. It is incredible for PvP due to its high energy gain and how well it works with the Charged Moves. As for those, both Rock Slide and Drill Run are relatively cheap and powerful. Plus, their types combined give Dudunsparce great coverage.

Spiritomb

Fast Move: Sucker Punch
Charged Moves: Rock Tomb and Shadow Ball
Type: Ghost/Dark
Resistances: Normal, Psychic, Poison, and Fighting
Weaknesses: Fairy

Even though Sableye is always ranking higher, for this particular Cup, its alternative Spiritomb is way better. It has the same type combination, as well as similar stats and coverage.

As for the moveset, players should go for Sucker Punch as the Fast Move, as it outclasses the other option (Feint Attack) by far. For the Charged Moves, Shadow Ball is Spiritomb’s main threat, while Rock Tomb can be used to expand the coverage and decrease the target’s Attack stat by 20%.

Magnezone (Shadow)

Fast Move: Volt Switch
Charged Move: Wild Charge and Mirror Shot
Type: Electric/Steel
Resistances: Bug, Dragon, Electric, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Normal, Poison, Psychic, Rock, and Steel
Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, and Ground

With a huge 12 resistances and impressive Attack and Defense stats, Magnezone is a brilliant addition to your team. Plus, many of its biggest threats in the Battle League aren’t eligible for this Catch Cup, which helps a lot.

For its moveset, go with Volt Switch as a Fast Move. It is a balanced move that deals damage while generating decent energy. For the Charged Moves, use Wild Charge and Mirror Shot for maximum STAB damage potential.

Keep in mind that while Wild Charge decreases your own Defense stat by 33.3%, Mirror Shot has the chance of decreasing your target’s Attack stat by 20%.

Raikou

Fast Move: Thunder Shock
Charged Moves: Wild Charge and Aura Sphere
Type: Electric
Resistances: Electric, Flying, and Steel
Weaknesses: Ground

Legendaries don’t have much of a place in the Holiday Cup, partly due to the CP limit, but Raikou is an excellent addition to any trainer’s team.

It will be expensive to power up and unlock a second Charged Move for Raikou, but if you can afford it, go with Thunder Shock (fast energy gain) as a Fast Move, combined with the Charged Moves Wild Charge (powerful and cheap) and Aura Sphere (spam/bait) for optimal damage and coverage.

Annihilape (Shadow)

Fast Move: Counter
Charged Moves: Rage Fist and Ice Punch
Type: Fighting/Ghost
Resistances: Bug, Fighting, Normal, Poison, and Rock
Weaknesses: Fairy, Flying, Ghost, and Psychic

Annihilape has taken a seat in a lot of Battle League competitions since its debut. With Marshadow, these are the only two Fighting/Ghost creatures in the franchise, so this is a type to exploit.

Counter is a great Fast Move in Pokemon Go, thanks to its high damage and decent energy generation, so make sure you have that.

When it comes to Charged Moves, you’ll want Rage Fist – Annihilape’s signature move – for big Ghost-type damage. Besides its low cost, good DPE, and attack boosts, when paired with Counter, it provides nearly unresisted damage.

If you need extra coverage, use Ice Punch as the secondary Charged Move.

Oranguru (XL)

Fast Move: Confusion
Charged Moves: Brutal Swing and Trailblaze
Type: Normal/Psychic
Resistances: Psychic and Ghost
Weaknesses: Bug and Dark

Dual Normal/Psychic-type Oranguru might not be the first Pokemon that comes to mind when thinking about great fighters for the Go Battle League. However, thanks to its type combination, coverage, bulkiness, and spammy moves, Oranguru earned a solid place on our list.

While all of its Fast Moves benefit from STAB, Zen Headbutt and Yawn are really low-quality options, so go with Confusion for good damage output. Then, for the Charged Moves, use Trailblaze to increase your Attack stat by 25% and then hit hard with Brutal Swing.

Bellibolt

Fast Move: Sucker Punch
Charged Moves: Parabolic Charge and Zap Cannon
Type: Electric
Resistances: Steel, Flying, and Electric
Weaknesses: Ground

The pure Electric-type from Bellibolt is ideal to face many opponents in the current meta. Plus, it has pretty good stats – with a lot of Stamina – and a very powerful move pool players can work with.

While Thunder Shock provides maximum energy generation, Sucker Punch can expand Bellibolt’s coverage while also dealing good damage and energy generation, so go with it.

The Charged Moves should be Parabolic Charge to increase the user’s Defense stat by 25%, and the nuke Zap Cannon to decrease the target’s Attack stat by 20%.

Skeledirge

Fast Move: Incinerate
Charged Moves: Torch Song and Shadow Ball
Type: Fire/Ghost
Resistances: Bug, Fighting, Normal, Fairy, Fire, Grass, Ice, Poison, and Steel
Weaknesses: Dark, Ghost, Ground, Rock, and Water

Skeledirge is the strongest current Fire-type trainers can take into the Holiday Cup, and its secondary Ghost typing only helps it further.

Incinerate is a very good Fast Move, and pairing it with Shadow Ball will make for a nasty combination. However, before blasting the Ghost-type nuke, it’s better to use Torch Song first to increase the user’s Attack stat by 25%.

Dusknoir (Shadow)

Fast Move: Astonish
Charged Moves: Shadow Punch and Dynamic Punch
Type: Ghost
Resistances: Normal, Fighting, Poison, and Bug
Weaknesses: Dark and Ghost

This Pokemon works best as the lead or charger of a team. Plus, it has the necessary Defense to stand its ground while dealing good damage.

Astonish is a very spammy move that will allow it to access its Charged Moves fast while also getting rid of the opponent’s shields. The key to Dusknoir making it into the League is mainly because of Shadow Punch, an excellent Ghost-type move, and Dynamic Punch, a Fighting-type attack that expands its coverage.

Doublade (XL)

Fast Move: Shadow Claw
Charged Moves: Sacred Sword and Gyro Ball
Type: Steel/Ghost
Resistances: Normal, Poison, Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Psychic, Rock, Steel, and Fighting
Weaknesses: Dark, Fire, Ghost, and Ground

Doublade has one of the best type combinations by boasting the Steel typing, as it gives this strange-looking Pokemon twelve resistances.

However, you must use the right moveset to exploit its advantages, and that includes teaching it Shadow Claw as its Fast Move. It will generate a lot of energy early on, unlocking your Charged Moves. Use Sacred Sword to expand your coverage and bait the opponent’s shields to leave them defenseless, and Gyro Ball to deal good Steel-type damage.

Lickilicky (XL)

Fast Move: Rollout
Charged Moves: Body Slam and Shadow Ball
Type: Normal
Resistances: Ghost
Weaknesses: Fighting

The bulky Lickilicky is a very solid choice for the League, as it only has one weakness, and its move pool allows it to hit a wide range of types with Normal, Ghost, and Rock attacks.

Rollout is a move that offers fast charge, so Lickilicky can access both Charged Moves faster. Body Slam can be used as shield bait, while Shadow Ball works as a coverage nuke to target league favorites Giratina and Cresselia.

Aurorus

Fast Move: Powder Snow
Charged Moves: Weather Ball (Ice) and Meteor Beam
Type: Rock/Ice
Resistances: Poison, Normal, Ice, and Flying
Weaknesses: Fighting, Steel, Grass, Ground, Rock, and Water

Aurorus made it to the list mainly because of its outstanding Stamina (214) and Ice typing, which is offensively valuable as it hits a specific niche.

This dual Rock/Ice-type Pokemon works ideally as a lead as it can push the enemy shields with its spammy Fast Move Powder Snow and then devastate them with Weather Ball or the nuke Meteor Beam, depending on the coverage.

Lapras

Fast Move: Psywave
Charged Moves: Sparkling Aria and Ice Beam
Type: Water/Ice
Resistances: Ice and Water
Weaknesses: Electric, Fighting, Grass, and Rock

Besides its great bulk, Lapras has an impressive move pool, with four Fast Moves and seven Charged Moves to pick from.

Even though focusing only on Water and Ice moves to benefit from STAB would be the logical thing to do, for the Fast Move, it is best to go with Psywave. It offers the most energy generation among all the options and expands Lapras’s coverage.

Skull Bash, Blizzard, and Hydro Pump are quite expensive moves, and with a few other options available, they are just not worth it. Instead, use Sparkling Aria for a solid Charged Move with STAB. It costs the same as Surf but does five more damage.

As for the secondary Charged Move, Ice Beam will offer more coverage against Grass, Dragon, and Flying opponents while also benefiting from STAB.

Pokemon Go Holiday Cup rules & restrictions explained

The Holiday Cup is one of the most unique challenges in the Pokemon Go Battle League, as only Normal, Grass, Electric, Ice, Flying, and Ghost-type Pokemon are allowed to enter. Additionally, they must also be at or below the 2,500 CP limit to be eligible.

Remember that, even though the mentioned types limit your options when compared to the open League tiers, dual types like the Rock/Ice Aurorus can take part, which does make forming a team a little bit easier.

The latest Battle League season is underway, running from December 2, 2025, until March 3, 2025. For the rest of its run, the Holiday Cup will appear on:

December 23, 2025 – December 30, 2025: along with the Great League.

This means you’ll only have one week to dominate this Go Battle League cup and work your way to the top.