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pokemon go

Best Picks for Pokemon GO Retro Cup Great League Edition (December 2023)

Some of the best 'Mons to help you claim victory.

Retro Cup Great League is one of several events in Pokemon GO PVP Seasons, bringing a focus on Pokemon of the original fifteen Generation 1 Typings. With the Timeless Travels Season featuring Retro Cup Great League, players are starting to determine which Pokemon they my utilize on their teams. If you find yourself in a similar situation, we’ve got some handy recommendations for you to consider.

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Pokemon GO Retro Cup Great League Edition Best Choices

With Pokemon GO’s Retro Cup Great League making a return throughout the Timeless Travels Season in December 2023, players are beginning to select strong Pokemon to craft some key team compositions that they can take into battle. Retro Cup runs between Dec. 2, 2023 – Dec. 9, 2023 alongside the Great League, so if you’re still struggling to find your footing, there’s still plenty of time to pivot your team and start nailing victories.

Pokemon GO Timeless Travels Battle League
Image Source: Niantic & Pokemon GO

Of course, when selecting Pokemon to build their PvP Retro Cup teams, Trainers will need to meet some specific criteria, as noted by the Retro Cup rules and regulations. These are very important to know before you begin building your team, as there will be certain limit on which Pokemon can or can not be used in the Cup.

Retro Cup Rules in Pokemon GO

  • Pokemon of the Dark, Fairy, and Steel Types are prohibited.
  • Pokemon must be below the max CP limit of 1500.

As indicated by PvPoke, here are five of the best choices to consider for each of the original Pokemon Typings, as well as the strongest moveset for each Pokemon.

Fire Type

Talonflame

  • Fast Move: Incinerate
  • Charged Move: Flame Charge

Skeledirge

  • Fast Move: Incinerate
  • Charged Move: Shadow Ball

Shadow Alolan Marowak

  • Fast Move: Fire Spin
  • Charged Move: Shadow Bone

Charizard

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Blast Burn

Ninetales

  • Fast Move: Fire Spin
  • Charged Move: Weather Ball (Fire)

Water Type

Mantine

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Ice Beam

Jellicent

  • Fast Move: Hex
  • Charged Move: Surf

Skeledirge

  • Fast Move: Incinerate
  • Charged Move: Shadow Ball

Pelipper

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Hurricane

Lanturn

  • Fast Move: Spark
  • Charged Move: Surf

Grass Type

Abomasnow

  • Fast Move: Powder Snow
  • Charged Move: Energy Ball

Serperior

  • Fast Move: Vine Whip
  • Charged Move: Frenzy Plant

Tropius

  • Fast Move: Air Slash
  • Charged Move: Leaf Blade

Venusaur

  • Fast Move: Vine Whip
  • Charged Move: Frenzy Plant

Lurantis

  • Fast Move: Fury Cutter
  • Charged Move: Leaf Blade

Normal Type

Lickitung

  • Fast Move: Lick
  • Charged Move: Body Slam

Pidgeot

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Brave Bird

Rufflet

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Brave Bird

Vigoroth

  • Fast Move: Incinerate
  • Charged Move: Shadow Ball

Dubwool

  • Fast Move: Double Kick
  • Charged Move: Body Slam

Electric Type

Hisuian Electrode

  • Fast Move: Thunder Shock
  • Charged Move: Wild Charge

Shadow Electivire

  • Fast Move: Thunder Shock
  • Charged Move: Ice Punch

Electivire

  • Fast Move: Incinerate
  • Charged Move: Shadow Ball

Shadow Electrode

  • Fast Move: Volt Switch
  • Charged Move: Discharge

Shadow Electabuzz

  • Fast Move: Thunder Shock
  • Charged Move: Thunder Punch

Fighting Type

Medicham

  • Fast Move: Counter
  • Charged Move: Dynamic Punch

Shadow Sneasler

  • Fast Move: Shadow Claw
  • Charged Move: Close Combat

Shadow Machamp

  • Fast Move: Counter
  • Charged Move: Close Combat

Sirfetch’d

  • Fast Move: Counter
  • Charged Move: Leaf Blade

Hawlucha

  • Fast Move: Poison Jab
  • Charged Move: Flying Press

Poison Type

Shadow Golbat

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Poison Fang

Toxapex

  • Fast Move: Poison Jab
  • Charged Move: Brine

Dragalge

  • Fast Move: Dragon Tail
  • Charged Move: Aqua Tail

Clodsire

  • Fast Move: Mud Shot
  • Charged Move: Stone Edge

Salazzle

  • Fast Move: Incinerate
  • Charged Move: Poison Fang

Ice Type

Frosslass

  • Fast Move: Powder Snow
  • Charged Move: Avalanche

Walrein

  • Fast Move: Powder Snow
  • Charged Move: Icicle Spear

Castform (Snowy)

  • Fast Move: Powder Snow
  • Charged Move: Weather Ball (Ice)

Sealeo

  • Fast Move: Powder Snow
  • Charged Move: Body Slam

Regice

  • Fast Move: Lock On
  • Charged Move: Blizzard

Flying Type

Mantine

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Ice Beam

Shadow Golbat

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Poison Fang

Shadow Gligar

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Dig

Pelipper

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Hurricane

Pidgeot

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Brave Bird

Psychic Type

Cresselia

  • Fast Move: Psycho Cut
  • Charged Move: Grass Knot

Victini

  • Fast Move: Quick Attack
  • Charged Move: V-Create

Deoxys (Defence)

  • Fast Move: Counter
  • Charged Move: Psycho Boost

Wobbuffet

  • Fast Move: Counter
  • Charged Move: Return

Hypno

  • Fast Move: Confusion
  • Charged Move: Shadow Ball

Ground Type

Shadow Gligar

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Dig

Runerigus

  • Fast Move: Shado Curse
  • Charged Move: Sand Tomb

Shadow Gliscor

  • Fast Move: Wing Attack
  • Charged Move: Earthquake

Shadow Flygon

  • Fast Move: Dragon Tail
  • Charged Move: Dragon Claw

Stunfisk

  • Fast Move: Thunder Shock
  • Charged Move: Mud Bomb

Rock Type

Aurorus

  • Fast Move: Powder Snow
  • Charged Move: Meteor Beam

Regirock

  • Fast Move: Lock On
  • Charged Move: Stone Edge

Cradily

  • Fast Move: Bullet Seed
  • Charged Move: Rock Slide

Tyrunt

  • Fast Move: Dragon Tail
  • Charged Move: Ancient Power

Amaura

  • Fast Move: Powder Snow
  • Charged Move: Thunderbolt

Bug Type

Golisopod

  • Fast Move: Shadow Claw
  • Charged Move: Aerial Ace

Charjabug

  • Fast Move: Spark
  • Charged Move: X-Scissor

Galvantula

  • Fast Move: Volt Switch
  • Charged Move: Discharge

Shadow Beedrill

  • Fast Move: Poison Jab
  • Charged Move: X-Scissor

Ariado

  • Fast Move: Poison Sting
  • Charged Move: Cross Poison

Dragon Type

Arctibax

  • Fast Move: Dragon Breath
  • Charged Move: Avalanche

Shadow Dragonair

  • Fast Move: Dragon Breath
  • Charged Move: Boy Slam

Altaria

  • Fast Move: Dragon Breath
  • Charged Move: Sky Attack

Shadow Dragonite

  • Fast Move: Dragon Breath
  • Charged Move: Dragon Claw

Kommo-o

  • Fast Move: Dragon Dragon Tail
  • Charged Move: Cloe Combat

Ghost Type

Cofagrigus

  • Fast Move: Shadow Claw
  • Charged Move: Shadow Ball

Trevenant

  • Fast Move: Shadow Claw
  • Charged Move: Seed Bomb

Gengar

  • Fast Move: Shadow Claw
  • Charged Move: Shadow Ball

Shadow Haunter

  • Fast Move: Shadow Claw
  • Charged Move: Shadow Ball

Dusclops

  • Fast Move: Hex
  • Charged Move: Ice Punch

That’s everything you need to know about the Retro Cup rules in pokemon GO, as well as some of the best contending picks for your team. For more helpful guides, check out the rest of our content here at Twinfinite. We have a variety of different guides that can help you with Pokemon GO catching, training, Raids, events, and more, such as the best and strongest Gen 2 Pokemon in the game.


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Grace Black
Grace is a writer and digital artist from New Zealand with a love for fiction and storytelling. Grace has been writing for Twinfinite for one year and in the games industry for two years. She's an enthusiast of everything spooky, an occasional anime enjoyer, and a die-hard Ghost-Type Pokemon fangirl. Her favorite video games include Overwatch 2, Life is Strange, The Last of Us, Baldur's Gate 3, and Pokemon - all of which she will never tire of.