The *Pokémon GO* Battle League’s Holiday Cup: Little Edition is here, running from December 17th to 24th, 2024! This Little Edition brings a fresh challenge with a 500 CP cap and type restrictions, limiting you to Electric, Flying, Ghost, Grass, Ice, and Normal types. Get ready to strategize and build new teams!
Related: Best Pokémon GO Fantasy Cup Teams
Best Holiday Cup Teams for Pokémon GO
The type restrictions, while less severe than the Fantasy Cup, still demand strategic team building. The real hurdle? Finding suitable Pokémon under 500 CP. Let's explore some effective strategies.
Building a Strong Holiday Cup Team
First, sort your Pokémon by CP to identify eligible candidates. Then, focus on Pokémon fitting the allowed types: Electric, Flying, Ghost, Grass, Ice, and Normal. Remember, evolved forms often exceed the CP limit, so your usual meta might not apply.
Smeargle, previously banned but seemingly eligible this year, is a major contender. Its ability to learn moves like Incinerate and Flying Press makes it a formidable opponent. Planning your counter-strategy against Smeargle is crucial.
Suggested Holiday Cup Team Combos
Smeargle's move-copying ability dominates the meta. However, depending on your available Pokémon, you can counter it. Here are some team suggestions:
| Pokémon | Type |
|---|---|
 Pikachu Libre | Electric/Fighting |
 Ducklett | Flying/Water |
 Alolan Marowak | Fire/Ghost |
This team utilizes dual typing for broader coverage. Pikachu Libre’s Fighting type counters Normal-type Smeargle, while Ducklett and Alolan Marowak (or Skeledirge as a substitute) provide further type advantages.
| Pokémon | Type |
|---|---|
 Smeargle | Normal |
 Amaura | Rock/Ice |
| Ducklett | Flying/Water |
A "join the Smeargle meta" approach. Ducklett counters Fighting types targeting Smeargle, while Amaura provides Rock-type coverage.
 Gligar | Flying/Ground |
 Cottonee | Fairy/Grass |
 Litwick | Fire/Ghost |
This team features less common Pokémon but offers strong type coverage. Litwick counters Ghost, Grass, and Ice types; Cottonee provides strong Grass and Fairy moves; and Gligar excels against Electric types.
These are just suggestions; your optimal team depends on your available Pokémon and playstyle. Good luck in the Holiday Cup: Little Edition!
Pokémon GO is available now.
