Pokémon GO Hisui Cup – Great League Edition: Best Pokémon

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In the land of Hisui, individuals may not have owned a Pokédex at that time, but they were certainly skilled in combat. You’ll be treading on the same battle-hardened paths as them when you participate in the Hisui Cup: Great League Edition in Pokémon GO.

From July 8 to 15, 2025, the unique, time-bound GO Battle League structure will take place. It’s distinct from regular Great League competitions due to its exclusive ruleset. While there are similarities, such as the Competition Points (CP) cap for participating Pokémon being 1,500, meaning you can’t use your high-powered ones. Furthermore, only Pokémon originally discovered in the Hisui region or those with a Pokédex number between #387 and #493 are eligible to participate.

As a dedicated fan, I’m ready to bring my A-game for the Hisui Cup – Great League Edition in Pokémon GO! Here’s my lineup of top-tier Pokémon based on the data and simulations provided by PvPoke.com:

1. Azumarill (Play Rough/Hydro Cannon) – With its impressive attack and balance of stats, Azumarill is a force to be reckoned with in this league. Its Play Rough move is particularly effective against many common Pokémon.
2. Regieleki (Volt Switch/Wild Charge) – This fast Electric-type Pokémon can disrupt opponents’ strategies with its speed and powerful moves. Volt Switch allows it to maintain momentum by swapping out when its HP drops below a certain threshold.
3. Skarmory (Brave Bird/Steel Wing) – Known for its high defense, Skarmory is a reliable tank that can take a lot of hits. Its Brave Bird move has good coverage and power, making it a formidable attacker as well.
4. Alolan Golem (Stone Edge/Rock Slide) – With its high attack stat and decent defense, Alolan Golem is a solid choice for this league. Stone Edge provides good coverage against many Pokémon, while Rock Slide can chip away at opponents’ health.
5. Galvantula (Voltswitch/Dazzling Gleam) – This Bug/Electric-type Pokémon can deal significant damage with its Dazzling Gleam move, and Volt Switch allows it to maintain momentum by swapping out when its HP drops below a certain threshold.
6. Whirlpool (Whirlpool/Hydro Cannon) – With its high attack stat and decent speed, Whirlpool is a strong choice for this league. Its signature move, Whirlpool, can deal significant damage to many Pokémon, making it a formidable attacker.
7. Sableye (King’s Shield/Foul Play) – Known for its high defense and ability to boost its special defense with King’s Shield, Sableye is a reliable tank that can take a lot of hits. Foul Play provides good coverage against many Pokémon.
8. Rhyperior (Smack Down/Stone Edge) – With its high attack stat and decent defense, Rhyperior is a solid choice for this league. Smack Down provides good coverage against many Pokémon, while Stone Edge can chip away at opponents’ health.

Hisui Cup – GL Edition: Best Leads

In the initial stages of a fight, these Pokémon relentlessly harass opponents, often forcing them into disadvantageous positions from the get-go. They also have an impressive ability to endure intense battles, lasting longer than many other creatures in their category. This makes them ideal for opening matches, as they can deliver early knockouts or establish effective counter strategies.

  1. Hisuian Electrode (Thunder Shock, Wild Charge, Swift)
  2. Drapion [S] (Poison Sting, Crunch, Aqua Tail)
  3. Dusknoir [S] (Astonish, Dynamic Punch, Shadow Punch)
  4. Mamoswine (Powder Snow, Icicle Spear, High Horsepower)
  5. Shadow Gliscor (Fury Cutter, Earthquake, Aerial Ace)
  6. Roserade (Poison Sting, Weather Ball (Fire), Leaf Storm)
  7. Hisuian Overqwil / Overqwil (Poison Sting, Aqua Tail, Shadow Ball)
  8. Shadow Heatran (Fire Spin, Magma Storm, Stone Edge)
  9. Shadow Gallade (Psycho Cut, Close Combat, Leaf Blade)
  10. Mantyke (Bubble, Aerial Ace, Water Pulse)

Pokémon marked with [S] perform similarly in their regular and Shadow forms.

Hisui Cup – GL Edition: Best Safe Switches

If the starting Pokémon you’ve chosen isn’t working well for you, it might be wise to replace it with another one. This is where Safe Switches can help. These are either powerful initial Pokémon or those that are particularly effective against common leading Pokémon in the game format. By making an early switch, you keep your original Pokémon alive to re-enter the battle at a later stage and potentially force your opponent to change their strategy immediately too.

  1. Sneasler (Shadow Claw, Close Combat, Aerial Ace)
  2. Hisuian Qwilfish (Poison Sting, Aqua Tail, Shadow Ball)
  3. Shadow Drapion (Poison Sting, Crunch, Aqua Tail)
  4. Spiritomb (Sucker Punch, Rock Tomb, Shadow Ball)
  5. Hippowdon [S] (Sand Attack, Weather Ball (Rock), Scorching Sands)
  6. Shadow Gliscor (Fury Cutter, Earthquake, Aerial Ace)
  7. Vespiquen (Fury Cutter, X-Scissor, Power Gem)
  8. Hisuian Samurott (Fury Cutter, Dark Pulse, Icy Wind)
  9. Gliscor (Fury Cutter, Earthquake, Aerial Ace)
  10. Electivire (Thunder Shock, Ice Punch, Wild Charge)

Hisui Cup – GL Edition: Best Closers

In situations where both sides have used up their protective shields and the fight has reached its climax, these Pokémon prove especially valuable. Known as “Closers,” they are either exceptionally durable or can swiftly end battles with potent Charge Moves, which cannot be dodged without a shield.

  1. Electivire [S] (Thunder Shock, Ice Punch, Wild Charge)
  2. Shadow Gallade (Psycho Cut, Close Combat, Leaf Blade)
  3. Shadow Sneasler (Shadow Claw, Close Combat, Aerial Ace)
  4. Shadow Mamoswine (Powder Snow, Icicle Spear, High Horsepower)
  5. Shadow Empoleon (Metal Claw, Hydro Cannon, Drill Peck)
  6. Shadow Toxicroak (Poison Sting, Dynamic Punch, Shadow Ball)
  7. Sneasler (Shadow Claw, Close Combat, Aerial Ace)
  8. Wormadam (Trash) (Bug Bite, Bug Buzz, Iron Head)
  9. Mamoswine (Powder Snow, Icicle Spear, High Horsepower)
  10. Drapion [S] (Poison Sting, Crunch, Aqua Tail)

Hisui Cup – GL Edition: Best Attackers

In a battle scenario, these Pokémon excel when facing trainers who still have protective barriers (shields), especially if you’ve used up your own shields. Essentially, they serve as your secret weapon for making a strategic comeback. These attackers possess crucial resistance abilities and powerful quick actions to offset the disadvantage of having no shields. As for Shadow forms, they are less common in this category because they sustain more damage compared to their regular counterparts, making them a somewhat risky choice to deploy on the battlefield.

  1. Gastrodon (Mud Slap, Body Slam, Earth Power)
  2. Drapion (Poison Sting, Crunch, Aqua Tail)
  3. Togekiss (Charm, Psyshock, Aura Sphere)
  4. Drifblim (Hey, Icy Wind, Shadow Ball)
  5. Gliscor (Fury Cutter, Earthquake, Aerial Ace)
  6. Hippopotas (Sand Attack, Rock Tomb, Dig)
  7. Vespiquen (Fury Cutter, X-Scissor, Power Gem)
  8. Bastiodon (Smack Down, Stone Edge, Flamethrower)
  9. Shadow Drapion (Poison Sting, Crunch, Aqua Tail)
  10. Wormadam (Trash) (Bug Bite, Bug Buzz, Iron Head)

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2025-07-08 16:47