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Pokemon GO's Sunshine Cup arrived on May 10, 2023, and will remain in the current PvP lineup until May 17, 2023. This format only permits Pocket Monsters with 1,500 CP or lower to enter, much like the Great League. Furthermore, the participating creatures must be at least partially Normal, Fire, Grass, or Ground-type, and Charizard has been banned from the cup.
The advent of this format has allowed many Normal-type Pocket Monsters to rise to the top of the meta, though they aren't the only species that can perform well in this Pokemon GO PvP cup.
For trainers who may be struggling to pick a team in this Pokemon GO format, there are many great squads to utilize that are both effective and cheap to power up and outfit with moves.
Note: Parts of this article are subjective and solely reflect the opinions of the writer
Recommended teams for Pokemon GO's Sunshine Cup Great League in May 2023
Pidgeot/Shadow Gliscor/Hisuian Electrode
Many Normal/Flying-type Pokemon make for excellent leads in the Sunshine Cup, and Pidgeot may be the best of the bunch. Its rapid moves and ability to charge its energy quickly give it a great starting spot in any battle in the cup. Its ability to power up Charged Moves also allows it to pressure enemy shields often.
Furthermore, with the exception of Steel Wing, all of Pidgeot's attacks deal extra damage, thanks to STAB damage provided by matching the Flying-type moves to Pidgeot's partial Flying-type status as a user.
However, Pidgeot can't account for every opponent and doesn't have the most robust health total. This is where a switch like Shadow Gliscor can come in. Even with its Shadow Pokemon debuff, Gliscor has great defense stats and can deal good damage as well. Furthermore, its status as a Ground-type creature allows it to counter popular Fire-type picks like Blaziken and Ninetales.
Once an opponent in this Pokemon GO cup is out of shields or is down to their last Pocket Monster, trainers can bring out Hisuian Electrode to close out the battle.
This creature should be avoided if the enemy's final pick is a Ground-type creature. Otherwise, Hisuian Electrode matches up great against the heavy Flying-type meta. Additionally, this Electric-type Pocket Monster has the ability to hold its own, thanks to its quality max defense stat.
Vigoroth/Noctowl/Galarian Stunfisk
Its evolution Slaking may not be an ideal pick for a lead, but Vigoroth has proven to be both tanky and effective at dealing damage in Pokemon GO's Sunshine Cup. Access to moves like Counter, Bulldoze, and Body Slam gives it exceptional coverage against other Normal-type creatures and Fire-type foes.
Vigoroth's Normal typing also keeps it safe from most sources of super effective damage except for Fighting-type moves, making it a fantastic starting Pokemon to open a Sunshine Cup team with.
In the event that Vigoroth is faced with a capable enemy with Fighting-type attacks, it's not a bad idea to bring in Noctowl as a switch. This creature not only has great stamina stats in Pokemon GO, but it can deal with various opponent types, including Grass-type and even Ghost-type foes, thanks to its ability to learn Shadow Ball.
This makes Noctowl the ideal pick when dealing with meta darlings in the format like Abomasnow, Trevenant, and Blaziken.
Galarian Stunfisk is well-known for its spectacular durability in Pokemon GO, making it a great closer to use in the Sunshine Cup.
Thanks to a mixed Rock/Ground-type arsenal of moves, including Rock Slide, Mud Shot, and Earthquake, Galarian Stunfisk can outlast its opponents with its awesome stats. It can counter popular enemy options like Jumpluff, Blaziken, Abomasnow, and Noctowl.
