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

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.

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.

About the author

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.