Pokemon Go Battle League – Best 2025 Championship Series Cup team

Players hoping to compete in the 2025 Championship Series Cup will need to adjust to the new rules, which are changing the typical strategies used in Pokemon Go Battle League.

The Championship Series Cup differs from typical Great, Ultra, and Master Leagues by using specially designed rules. These rules limit which Pokémon types are allowed and exclude some of the strongest Pokémon, encouraging players to build teams that require more careful planning and strategy.

Since only a few Pokémon really stand out, it’s important to know which ones are the strongest. Here’s a look at the best Pokémon to use in the Pokémon Go Battle League 2025 Championship Series Cup.

Best team for the Pokemon Go 2025 Championship Series Cup

A great team for the Pokemon Go Championship Series Cup this year is Oranguru, Gyarados, and Alolan Marowak. These Pokemon are all very powerful and work well together to cover a lot of different types, giving you an advantage against many opponents.

Another team that players could try out includes Oranguru, Runerigus, and Walrein.

Just like with any competitive league or tournament, it’s hard to define the absolute “best” team. The ideal lineup really depends on what Pokémon your opponent uses, and you can’t know that until the battle starts.

However, some Pokémon are consistently effective in many battles. We’ve included a list of these Pokémon below, along with the best moves to teach them and what they’re weak against.

Best 2025 Championship Series Cup Pokemon

Goodra

Fast Move: Dragon Breath
Charged Moves: Aqua Tail and Thunder Punch
Type: Dragon
Resistances: Electric, Fire, Grass, and Water
Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, and Ice

This gooey Dragon-type Pokémon from Generation 6 is known for its incredible durability, which has made it a strong competitor in the Championship Series. It also benefits from a wide range of moves and the ability to repeatedly use them.

Its diverse range of Fast and Charged Moves—five different types in total—allows it to effectively battle a wide variety of Pokémon, making it a versatile choice in most situations.

Dragon Breath is the better Fast Move because it gets a damage boost from STAB. For Charged Moves, Aqua Tail is useful for covering weaknesses, drawing out enemy shields, and dealing solid damage. If you’re facing Flying-types, Thunder Punch is a good option.

Arctibax

Fast Move: Dragon Breath
Charged Moves: Avalanche and Dragon Claw
Type: Dragon/Ice
Resistances: Water, Grass, and Electric
Weaknesses: Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, Rock, and Steel

As a fan, I can tell you Arctibax is rough to face if your opponent also has one! It’s an Ice and Dragon type, so it can use moves from both, and the really annoying part is that it’s not weak to Ice attacks. That makes it super hard to take down!

Dragon Breath is a fast and powerful Fast Move that pairs well with Arctibax’s Charged Moves, maximizing its STAB (Same-Type Attack Bonus). For taking on Flying-types, Avalanche is the best choice, while Dragon Claw is strongest against other Dragon-types.

Walrein

Fast Move: Powder Snow
Charged Moves: Icicle Spear and Earthquake
Type: Ice/Water
Resistances: Ice and Water
Weaknesses: Electric, Fighting, Grass, and Rock

Walrein became a powerful Pokémon in the Go Battle League after receiving a strong set of moves during its January 2022 Community Day, and it’s especially effective in this year’s Championship Series Cup.

Okay, so if you want to really make Walrein shine in battle, you have to use Powder Snow as its Fast Move. It charges up energy super quickly, letting you unleash two really strong Charged Moves. I usually go with Icicle Spear because I can throw it out a lot to break through opponents’ shields, and then Earthquake for massive damage and to hit a wider range of Pokémon. It’s a great combo!

Alolan Marowak

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

Okay, so Alolan Marowak is seriously good. It’s got awesome stats and can learn a ton of powerful moves, which makes it super flexible in battle. Honestly, you can build it to fit pretty much any playstyle, which is great. If you’re newer to battling, it’s a really safe pick because it’s just consistently strong.

Although Fire Spin deals decent damage as a Fast Move, Hex is a better option because it gets a damage boost from STAB and generates energy much faster.

Flame Wheel is a powerful Fire-type attack that doesn’t cost much energy, and Shadow Ball is a strong Ghost-type attack perfect for taking out Psychic and Ghost types.

Dusknoir

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

As a fan, I’ve found this Pokémon is seriously amazing when you send it out at the start of a battle, or bring it in to quickly attack. It’s tough enough to take a hit while still dishing out some serious damage, which is exactly what I want in a Pokémon!

Astonish is a move that quickly charges up special attacks and breaks down the opponent’s defenses. Dusknoir performs well in battles thanks to its strong Ghost-type move, Shadow Punch, and its versatile Fighting-type attack, Dynamic Punch, which gives it an advantage against many different opponents.

Claydol

Fast Move: Mud Slap
Charged Moves: Rock Tomb and Ice Beam
Type: Ground/Psychic
Resistances: Electric, Fighting, Poison, Psychic, and Rock
Weaknesses: Bug, Dark, Ghost, Grass, Ice, and Water

Claydol is easily defeated by many types of attacks, making it one of the most vulnerable Pokémon. However, it can still be effective thanks to its high Defense and a surprisingly good selection of moves for the current competitive scene.

Mud Slap is a pretty good Fast Move, and it deals significant damage, especially because of STAB. For Charged Moves, Rock Tomb is useful for hitting a wider range of Pokémon and always lowers the opponent’s Attack, which can really turn the tide of a tough battle. Ice Beam is a strong coverage move to use when you have plenty of energy.

Gyarados

Fast Move: Dragon Breath
Charged Moves: Aqua Tail and Crunch
Type: Water/Flying
Resistances: Ground, Bug, Fighting, Fire, Steel, Water
Weaknesses: Electric and Rock

Gyarados remains a powerful choice in the Cup because it can learn a variety of moves that are effective against even the strongest opponents, like Turtonator.

This Pokémon has a great variety of powerful Water, Dark, and Dragon-type moves. But, because its Defense isn’t very high, it’s a good idea to keep a Shield handy to protect it from attacks.

Use Dragon Breath as your quick attack because it deals a lot of damage and builds up energy quickly. Combine it with a low-energy Charged Move like Aqua Tail to break through your opponent’s defenses. Adding Crunch as another Charged Move will give Gyarados more versatile attack options.

Bronzong

Fast Move: Metal Sound
Charged Moves: Psyshock and Payback
Type: Steel/Psychic
Resistances: Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Normal, Poison, Psychic, Rock, and Steel
Weaknesses: Dark, Fire, Ghost, and Ground

Bronzong is a strong contender in the Championship Series Cup thanks to its many resistances. What really sets it apart, though, is its ability to use moves of three different types, giving it a wide range of attacks.

Fast Move Metal Sound is a great choice because it boosts Bronzong’s Steel-type attacks and quickly builds energy. This fast energy gain is crucial for unleashing Bronzong’s most powerful moves. Combine it with Psyshock for reliable and cost-effective Psychic damage, and finish the set with Payback, a powerful attack that covers Bronzong’s weaknesses.

Dusclops (XL)

Fast Move: Hex
Charged Move: Ice Punch and Shadow Punch
Type: Ghost
Resistances: Bug, Fighting, Normal, and Poison
Weaknesses: Dark and Ghost

Dusclops is a top-tier Ghost-type Pokémon in this league, thanks to its Ice-type attacks and its ability to defeat Pokémon like Metang, Claydol, Runerigus, and Bronzong.

Hex is the most effective Fast Move for quickly building up energy, and it benefits from STAB (Same-type attack bonus). For Charged Moves, Ice Punch is your best option, as it’s super effective against Grass, Ground, Flying, and Dragon-type Pokémon.

For your second Charged Attack, Shadow Punch is a powerful and cost-effective move that you can use frequently.

Sealeo

Fast Move: Powder Snow
Charged Moves: Surf and Body Slam
Type: Ice/Water
Resistances: Ice and Water
Weaknesses: Electric, Fighting, Grass, and Rock

Sealeo performs well in tournaments thanks to its high defense and moves that allow it to wear down opponents with consistent attacks, especially in smaller competitive environments.

During a Fast Move, use Powder Snow to rapidly build energy and consistently attack thanks to its STAB bonus. Whenever you can, unleash the Charged Move Body Slam to break your opponent’s shields or gain an advantage. When facing tougher Pokémon, rely on Surf for a more powerful attack that can break through their defenses.

Dewgong

Fast Move: Ice Shard
Charged Moves: Icy Wind and Drill Run
Type: Water/Ice
Resistances: Ice and Water
Weaknesses: Electric, Fighting, Grass, and Rock

Despite its adorable appearance, Dewgong is a surprisingly resilient Pokémon. Its high HP and ability to hinder opponents allow it to withstand attacks from many powerful Pokémon, making it a very dependable choice when switching in during battles.

To get the most out of this Pokémon, use Ice Shard as your quick attack to build up energy and deal consistent damage. Follow that up by repeatedly using Icy Wind to weaken your opponent and make them use their shields at inconvenient times.

If you have the resources, teach Dewgong Drill Run. It provides important coverage against types like Steel, Rock, and Electric, which typically resist Ice attacks. This makes Dewgong a much more versatile and powerful Pokémon overall.

Glalie

Fast Move: Rollout
Charged Moves: Avalanche and Shadow Ball
Type: Ice
Resistances: Ice
Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, Rock, and Steel

The pure Ice-type Glalie is a beast thanks to the great synergy between all of its move pool.

Glalie can quickly build up energy with its Fast Move, Rollout, allowing it to use its powerful Charged Moves sooner. This makes it a strong finisher in battle, able to defeat tough, defensive Pokémon like Claydol and Walrein by constantly attacking.

Okay, so when I’m using Glalie, Avalanche is my go-to move. It hits hard with Ice damage – either forcing my opponent to switch Pokémon or straight-up knocking them out! But Ice moves aren’t super effective against everything, so I also run Shadow Ball. It gives me coverage against those Psychic and Ghost types that would normally wall my Ice attacks, letting me hit them for big damage too.

Runerigus

Fast Move: Shadow Claw
Charged Moves: Rock Tomb and Brutal Swing
Type: Ground/Ghost
Resistances: Poison, Normal, Fighting, Electric, Rock, and Bug
Weaknesses: Dark, Ghost, Grass, Ice, and Water

Okay, so Runerigus is just… a really unique Pokémon! I love that it’s Ground and Ghost – that typing is super interesting. Plus, it’s seriously tough with its amazing Defense stat. It’s quickly become one of my favorites!

To get the most out of this Pokémon in battle, give it the Fast Move Shadow Claw. It’s a powerful move that works well with this Pokémon’s type, and it strikes a good balance between dealing damage and building up energy for stronger attacks.

While Shadow Claw doesn’t get a STAB bonus, it’s a great pairing with Brutal Swing, improving your move coverage and, more importantly, tricking opponents into using their shields early in the battle. As a second Charged Attack, choose Rock Tomb, which lowers the opposing Pokémon’s Attack power by 20%.

Turtonator

Fast Move: Incinerate
Charged Moves: Brutal Swing and Dragon Claw
Type: Fire/Dragon
Resistances: Fire, Grass, Bug, Electric, and Steel
Weaknesses: Dragon, Ground, and Rock

Turtonator performs well in this Cup because its unique type combination is very effective against common Pokémon such as Bronzong, Oranguru, Glalie, and Dusknoir. It also has powerful Charged Moves that are super effective against Ghost, Ice, Psychic, and Dragon types.

For your quick attack, choose Incinerate – it’s powerful, generates a lot of energy, and works well with this Pokémon. As your main charged attack, use Brutal Swing; it helps cover more types and can trick opponents into using their shields. Finally, add Dragon Claw as a second charged attack – it’s strong, fast, and gets a bonus because it matches this Pokémon’s type.

Oranguru

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

Oranguru, a Normal and Psychic-type Pokémon, isn’t usually the first choice for Go Battle League battles. But its unique type combination, diverse moves, durability, and ability to repeatedly use moves have proven surprisingly effective, earning it a spot as a strong contender.

All of this Pokémon’s quick attacks are strong thanks to STAB, but Confusion is the best choice for dealing damage, as Zen Headbutt and Yawn aren’t very effective. For powerful charged attacks, use Trailblaze to boost your attack power by 25%, then follow up with Brutal Swing.

Pokemon Go 2025 Championship Series Cup rules & restrictions explained

The Championship Series Cup is a special tournament in the Go Battle League because it’s not held frequently. Pokémon participating must have a CP of 1,500 or less.

Only Pokémon of the Ice, Flying, Psychic, Ghost, and Dragon types are permitted in this competition. Although this is a smaller selection than in standard battles, remember that Pokémon with two types, such as Oranguru (Normal/Psychic), are still eligible.

Just a reminder that, in addition to Legendary, Mythical, Shadow, and Ultra Beast Pokémon, Dark and Rock-type Pokémon are also not allowed, as well as a few other specifically restricted Pokémon.

Bannned Pokemon

2025 Championship Series Cup start & end date

The new Battle League season has begun and will last from September 2, 2025, to December 2, 2025. Here’s where you can find this year’s Championship Series Cup during the season:

November 18 – November 25: along with the Master League: Mega Edition

During it, players will get x4 Stardust from win rewards.

Okay, so I’ve been looking for the best Pokémon to build a winning team for the Championship Series Cup in Pokémon Go this season, and those are the ones I’ve found! If you want to go even further, I’d also recommend checking out guides for top attackers, strong defenders, and overall PvP champions. And definitely stay in the loop with all the latest Pokémon Go events – you don’t want to miss the current Community Day or Spotlight Hours!

2025-11-19 12:54