Best team for the Halloween Cup (Ultra League Edition) in Pokemon Go

The Halloween Cup is returning to Pokemon Go with an Ultra League Edition, which means the max CP for entry is higher and the ‘best teams’ to use are looking a little different.

To celebrate the arrival of the spookiest season, Pokemon Go is not only hosting a two-part Halloween event, but also bringing the much-loved Halloween Cup back to the Pokemon Go Battle League lineup.

After running with Great League rules for a week, the Halloween Cup is now getting an Ultra League Edition. With a higher 2500 CP limit, you’re going to have to rethink those best team makeups.

Niantic

Best team for the Pokemon Go Halloween Cup (Ultra League)

One of the best teams you can use for the Ultra League Edition of the Halloween Cup is Nidoqueen, Tentacruel, and Giratina. Both forms of Giratina will work, but Altered Forme is superior in this Ultra League format.

These three Pokemon should provide coverage against most opponents, but it’s worth pointing out that it’s almost impossible to choose an absolute ‘best’ team as it really depends on what your opponent sends into battle.

Below you’ll find some of the top choices to take into the Ultra League Edition of the Halloween Cup this time around, as well as details of their best movesets and any weaknesses you need to watch out for.

Best Pokemon for the Halloween Cup (Ultra League)

Nidoqueen

Niantic / The Pokemon Company

• Fast Move: Poison Jab
• Charged Moves: Poison Fang and Earth Power
• Resistances: Bug, Electric, Fairy, Fighting, Poison, and Rock
• Weaknesses: Ground, Ice, Psychic, and Water

Nidoqueen is already a top contender in the regular Halloween Cup, but in the Ultra League Edition, it becomes the number one threat. You’ll need XL Candy to get it there, but with wins over Alolan Muk, Skuntank, Toxicroak, Mandibuzz and loads more, it’s worth it.

You’ll want Poison Jab as Nidoqueen’s Fast Move, as it benefits from STAB and high energy generation. Then, for Charged Moves, go with the low-cost Poison Fang as your primary option and Earth Power as a solid secondary option for some wider coverage.

Giratina (Altered Forme)

Niantic / The Pokemon Company

• Fast Move: Dragon Breath
• Charged Moves: Dragon Claw and Ancient Power
• Resistances: Normal, Fighting, Bug, Electric, Fire, Grass, Poison, and Water
• Weaknesses: Dark, Dragon, Fairy, Ghost, and Ice

With the Halloween Cup entering its Ultra League phase, Legendaries are starting to appear in the top rankings. The best one by far is the fearsome Giratina (Altered Forme), which can take out most opponents with its brilliant STAB moveset and huge bulk.

Dragon Breath is Giratina’s best Fast Move for dishing out big STAB damage, so go with that. As for Charged Moves, Dragon Claw is cheap and can be spammed to bait shields, while Ancient Power adds some extra Rock-type coverage to Giratina’s arsenal.

Tentacruel

Niantic / The Pokemon Company

• Fast Move: Poison Jab
• Charged Moves: Scald and Sludge Wave
• Resistances: Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Ice, Poison, Steel, and Water
• Weaknesses: Electric, Ground, and Psychic

Tentacruel doesn’t get many chances to shine in the Go Battle League, but it turns out the Ultra League Edition of the Halloween Cup is the perfect scenario for it. With enough XL Candy, it can beat the likes of Crobat, Umbreon, Mandibuzz, and Skuntank.

Poison Jab is the best Fast Move for Tentacruel to have in its moveset. Scald is the cheapest Charged Move, which gives it an option for baiting shields, while Sludge Wave is a powerful STAB attack that can deal some huge damage.

Genesect

Niantic / The Pokemon Company

• Fast Move: Fury Cutter
• Charged Moves: Magnet Bomb & Techno Blast
• Resistances: Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Grass, Ice, Normal, Poison, Psychic, and Steel
• Weaknesses: Fire

With only one weakness and a huge amount of type resistances, Genesect is a very tricky Pokemon to take down – which makes it a great addition to your Halloween Cup team! Any form will work, but it looks like Shock Drive and Chill Drive will have the best win rate.

Fury Cutter is the best Fast Move for Genesect, as its brilliant energy generation will give you frequent access to two powerful Charged Moves: Magnet Bomb for huge STAB damage and Techno Blast for extra coverage that relates to the Drive you’ve chosen.

Mandibuzz

Niantic / The Pokemon Company

• Fast Move: Air Slash
• Charged Moves: Foul Play and Aerial Ace
• Resistances: Dark, Ghost, Grass, Ground, and Psychic
• Weaknesses: Electric, Fairy, Ice, and Rock

Another Pokemon that performs very well in both the regular Halloween Cup and the new Ultra League Edition is Mandibuzz. It’s got high bulk and is able to take down big names like Crobat, Toxicroak, Umbreon, Trevenant, and Gengar.

Air Slash has the highest damage output of Mandibuzz’s Fast Moves which is useful here. When it comes to Charged Moves, Foul Play and Aerial Ace are two great STAB options that don’t cost too much to use and offer decent coverage when paired together.

Pokemon Go Halloween Cup (Ultra League) rules & restrictions

The main rule of the Halloween Cup is that only Bug, Dark, Fairy, Ghost, and Poison-type Pokemon are eligible to take part. They must also be at or below the max 2500 CP limit.

While this does heavily restrict your options when building a team, remember that dual types are allowed to take part. For example, the Poison/Ground-type Nidoqueen is eligible.

Pokemon Go Halloween Cup (Ultra League) start & end date

The Ultra League Edition of the Halloween Cup begins on Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 1PM PT / 4PM ET / 9PM BST and ends on Thursday, November 3, 2022, at 1PM PT.

It will run alongside the traditional Great League, and we’ve got a best team guide for that right here.