Trainers in Pokémon Go are often treated to exciting competitions, and the Jungle Cup: Great League Edition is one of the most anticipated events. This guide will break down the best team strategies to maximize your chances of success when the opportunity arises.
In addition to the main leagues—Great, Ultra, and Master League—Niantic frequently introduces unique and remixed cups, creating fresh challenges for trainers. Currently featured in the Tales of Transformation season, the Jungle Cup: Great League Edition allows participation for Pokémon with a maximum CP of 1, 500. However, trainers must carefully select their Pokémon based on specific type requirements.
The Ideal Team Composition for the Jungle Cup: Great League Edition
When piecing together a formidable team for the Jungle Cup, consider using Altaria, Forretress, and Cradily. This trio offers broad type coverage and has proven to be quite effective in various matchups.
While it’s challenging to pinpoint a universally “best”team due to the unpredictable nature of opponents, specific Pokémon consistently perform well across various encounters. Below is a comprehensive list of some top performers for the Jungle Cup, complete with their optimal movesets and vulnerabilities.
Top Pokémon for the Jungle Cup: Great League Edition
Zweilous
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charged Moves: Body Slam and Dark Pulse
- Type: Dark/Dragon
- Resistances: Dark, Electric, Fire, Ghost, Grass, Psychic, and Water
- Weaknesses: Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Fighting, and Ice
As a well-established contender in various Battle League tiers, Zweilous excels in the Jungle Cup due to its impressive moveset, combining Dragon Breath with Body Slam for damage while Dark Pulse provides additional coverage and benefits from STAB.
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
Runerigus stands out thanks to its high Defense and unique dual-typing. Employing Shadow Claw as a Fast Move maximizes damage potential while enabling effective shield-baiting strategies with Brutal Swing and Rock Tomb.
Togekiss
- Fast Move: Peck
- Charged Moves: Aura Sphere and Psyshock
- Type: Fairy/Flying
- Resistances: Bug, Dragon, Fighting, Ground, Dark, and Grass
- Weaknesses: Electric, Ice, Poison, Rock, and Steel
Togekiss is a versatile asset in battle, boasting access to various Charged Moves that enhance type coverage. Utilize Peck for rapid energy generation, and employ Aura Sphere and Psyshock strategically for shield management and damage output.
Dunsparce
- Fast Move: Rollout
- Charged Moves: Drill Run and Rock Slide
- Type: Normal
- Resistances: Ghost
- Weaknesses: Fighting
Despite its unassuming appearance, Dunsparce is impressively bulky and features a robust move pool. Rollout serves as an effective Fast Move, providing quick energy gains to unleash powerful Charged Moves that ensure competitive edge.
Scizor (Shadow)
- Fast Move: Bullet Punch
- Charged Moves: Night Slash and Trailblaze
- Type: Bug/Steel
- Resistances: Grass, Poison, Bug, Dragon, Fairy, Ice, Normal, Psychic, and Steel
- Weaknesses: Fire
Scizor’s speedy offense makes it a pressure-inducing Pokémon, especially when backed by its high Defense. Bullet Punch is the superior Fast Move choice, allowing you to leverage Night Slash for shield baiting and Trailblaze to intensify pressure on vulnerable opponents.
Guzzlord
- Fast Move: Dragon Tail
- Charged Moves: Brutal Swing and Dragon Claw
- Type: Dark/Dragon
- Resistances: Psychic, Water, Grass, Ghost, Fire, Electric, and Dark
- Weaknesses: Fairy, Bug, Dragon, Fighting, and Ice
This ultra-creature excels due to its spammy nature and exceptional Stamina, which helps it withstand prolonged battles. Leverage Dragon Tail for energy generation while strategically using Brutal Swing and Dragon Claw for damage.
Steelix (Shadow)
- Fast Move: Thunder Fang
- Charged Moves: Psychic Fangs and Crunch
- Type: Steel/Ground
- Resistances: Poison, Rock, Electric, Steel, Psychic, Normal, Flying, Fairy, Dragon, and Bug
- Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, Ground, and Water
Steelix’s wide array of resistances and solid Defense allows for strategic positioning in battles. Deploy Thunder Fang to pressure opponents while using charged moves like Psychic Fangs and Crunch to inflict damage and lower their Defense.
Piloswine
- Fast Move: Powder Snow
- Charged Moves: Icicle Spear and Stone Edge
- Type: Ice/Ground
- Resistances: Electric and Poison
- Weaknesses: Fighting, Fire, Grass, Steel, and Water
Piloswine’s efficiency comes from its Fast Move, Powder Snow, which quickly charges its Charged Moves. This combination allows for effective shield baiting with Icicle Spear, followed by Stone Edge for significant damage.
Cradily
- Fast Move: Acid
- Charged Moves: Grass Knot and Rock Tomb
- Type: Rock/Grass
- Resistances: Electric and Normal
- Weaknesses: Bug, Fighting, Ice, and Steel
Ranked as one of the top Pokémon this season, Cradily’s resilience and skillful moveset set it apart. Using Acid for quick energy generation enables swift access to Grass Knot and Rock Tomb, capitalizing on type advantages against relevant threats.
Corviknight
- Fast Move: Sand Attack
- Charged Moves: Air Cutter and Payback
- Type: Flying/Steel
- Resistances: Bug, Grass, Poison, Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Normal, Psychic, Steel, and Ground
- Weaknesses: Electric and Fire
Corviknight benefits from numerous resistances and solid defensive stats. Sand Attack, while lacking STAB benefits, provides excellent energy generation. Use Air Cutter to chip away at shields while considering Payback for heavier damage.
Forretress
- Fast Move: Bug Bite
- Charged Moves: Rock Tomb and Sand Tomb
- Type: Bug/Steel
- Resistances: Poison, Grass, Steel, Psychic, Normal, Ice, Fairy, Dragon, and Bug
- Weaknesses: Fire
Forretress’ extensive resistances and formidable Defense make it an excellent choice for competitive play. While Bug Bite might not be the strongest move type, it is STAB-enhanced and can yield powerful Charged Moves like Rock Tomb to weaken opponents.
Crustle
- Fast Move: Fury Cutter
- Charged Moves: X-Scissor and Rock Wrecker
- Type: Bug/Rock
- Resistances: Normal and Poison
- Weaknesses: Rock, Steel, and Water
While Crustle had previously underperformed, its introduction of Rock Wrecker has opened new doors in the current meta. Combine Fury Cutter with X-Scissor for shield management, while Rock Wrecker delivers heavy damage against top competitors.
Clodsire
- Fast Move: Poison Sting
- Charged Moves: Earthquake and Stone Edge
- Type: Poison/Ground
- Resistances: Poison, Electric, Rock, Fighting, Fairy, and Bug
- Weaknesses: Ground, Ice, Psychic, and Water
Clodsire’s surprising performance stems from its solid stats and versatile movepool. Employ Poison Sting for energy generation and leverage Earthquake and Stone Edge to apply pressure and adapt to various matchups.
Diggersby
- Fast Move: Quick Attack
- Charged Moves: Fire Punch and Scorching Sands
- Type: Normal/Ground
- Resistances: Ghost, Electric, Rock, and Poison
- Weaknesses: Fighting, Grass, Ice, and Water
Though not a leading attacker, Diggersby’s resilience and diverse type coverage make it a valuable member of any team. Utilize Fire Punch to counter Grass-types and Scorching Sands for potent damage output.
Altars
- Fast Move: Dragon Breath
- Charged Moves: Sky Attack and Flamethrower
- Type: Dragon/Flying
- Resistances: Fighting, Water, Bug, Fire, Grass, and Ground
- Weaknesses: Ice, Fairy, Dragon, and Rock
Although evolving Altaria requires significant resources, its capabilities make it worth the effort. Choose Dragon Breath for its powerful damage output and complement it with Sky Attack and Flamethrower for versatile coverage.
Understanding the Jungle Cup: Regulations and Restrictions
The Jungle Cup presents a distinctive challenge within the Pokémon Go Battle League, emphasizing strategy and type advantages. Participating trainers must remember:
- All participating Pokémon must have a CP of 1, 500 or less.
- Eligible types include Normal, Grass, Electric, Poison, Ground, Flying, Bug, and Dark.
- Keep in mind, both Gligar and Galarian Stunfisk are banned from this competition.
While these restrictions might limit your selection compared to the open leagues, dual-typed Pokémon, such as Dragon/Flying Altaria, can still be chosen, enhancing team flexibility.
Jungle Cup: Great League Edition Schedule
As part of the latest season of Pokémon Go Battle League, the Jungle Cup will take place from November 4, 2025, until November 11, 2025, coinciding with the regular Ultra League. The overall season runs from September 2, 2025, to December 2, 2025.
With the Jungle Cup previously hosted in October, players will enjoy an extended opportunity of two weeks to refine their strategies and compete.
These recommendations serve as a roadmap for assembling an effective team in the Jungle Cup: Great League Edition. For further insights and strategies, check out our comprehensive guide on the Battle League schedule and rewards, along with additional resources on top attackers, defenders, and esteemed Pokémon champions.
Leave a Reply