Pokémon Go Element Cup Remix team recommendations, restrictions and dates explained

Element Cup Remix restrictions in Pokémon Go explained

There were three restrictions to keep in mind when choosing your team for the most recent Element Cup in Pokémon Go — the Remix version comes with an additional ban list.

Firstly is the CP limit of 500, so make sure your choices either meet this limit or are beneath it.

Secondly, the Pokémon you can enter must be either fire, grass or water types. They can be multiple types – Dewpider, for example, is a water/bug-type that is perfectly legal (and highly recommended).

Thirdly, only Pokémon which have the ability to evolve and are the first in their evolutionary line are eligible for the Element Cup. This means, for example, Charmander is eligible for the Element Cup, but not Charmeleon.

Lastly, we have the remixed part of the cup. The following four Pokémon are banned from the cup:

• Chinchou
• Cottonee
• Ducklett
• Salandit

This is arguably the most exciting part of the cup, as it shakes up something we've seen before. Those who didn't go for the top-three (and Salandit) in the Element Cup could be rewarded here, if their choices are top-tier, meaning they don't have to put resources into a new team.

However, no matter how you played the Element Cup before, this is your chance to try a brand new meta with a brand new team!

Our Pokémon Go Element Cup Remix recommendations from Bulbasaur to Fomantis

Just like with every league or special cup in the Go Battle League, there is no true 'best' team for the Element Cup, because you'll never know which Pokémon are in your opponent's team.

The restriction does mean, however, that there is a limited pool of Pokémon for you to choose from, which does help you choose your team.

Before making your selection though, it's a good idea to review the restriction for the Element Cup Remix, so you know exactly which Pokémon are available to you.

You should also ensure you have a selection of Pokémon types and have one Pokémon who's Charged attack can be built up quickly, so you force your opponent to use one of their shields early on.

Our Pokémon Go Element Cup Remix recommendations in National Pokédex order:

Shadow Bulbasaur

Type: Grass / Poison
Perfect IVs: 0/11/15
Recommended moves: Vine Whip (Fast) / Seed Bomb (Charged), Sludge Bomb (Charged)
Bulbasaur weaknesses: Fire, Flying, Ice, Psychic

First and foremost, Bulbasaur carries over from our previous recommendations, meaning the fan favourite Seed Pokémon gets another tour of Go Battle League.

As before, the poison-type attribute is certainly a plus here, helping it take down fellow grass types, while the grass typing of course will naturally beat the water types. By ensuring your Bulbasaur knows both Seed Bomb and Sludge Bomb as its Charged moves will allow you to utilise both of these advantages.

This makes fire-types your obvious nemesis, with the likes of Vulpix setting your hopes (and chances of winning) ablaze.

Unlike the regular Element Cup, Shadow Bulbasaur is now the better option, although a regular Bulbasaur will perform well, too.

You can expect to beat Seel, Chikorita, Wooper, Dewpider and even Slugma, though Slowpoke, Fomantis and (of course) Vulpix are your main threats.

Shadow Vulpix

Type: Fire
Perfect IVs: 0/15/14
Recommended moves: Quick Attack (Fast), Body Slam (Charged), Weather Ball (Charged)
Vulpix weaknesses: Ground, Rock, Water

If you want to run a fire-type Pokémon, Shadow Vulpix is by far the way to go. Vulpix still performs admirably, and Litwick is perfectly OK, but beyond that, your win rate will quickly drop.

If grass- or ice-type type Pokémon are your biggest concern, the spammy Quick Attack/Weather Ball combo will have you covered.

The issue, of course, is the strength of water-type Pokémon, so while you beat pretty much all the grass types, you lose to pretty much all of the water-types, including Dewpider and Seel, which we can expect to see a lot of. The fire types are more split, with Slugma beating you, but Growlithe doing little more than growling at you.

Shadow Oddish

Type: Grass
Perfect IVs: 0/15/13
Recommended moves: Razor Leaf (Fast), Sludge Bomb (Charged), Seed Bomb (Charged)
Oddish weaknesses: Fire, Flying, Ice and Psychic

Oddish is a fairly similar Pokémon to Oddish, and finishes very similar in the overall power rankings, although there are some key differences – Oddish for one, is a lot glassier, but applies a lot more Fast move pressure in return.

This is thanks to Razor Leaf being such a heavy-hitting move. It’s well worth a look if you’re concerned about water-types, as Oddish will roundly beat them.

The issue, of course, is the extreme weakness to fire, and otherwise being hit. As long as you know you’re supposed to go in hard, applying heavy damage after another (faster) Pokémon has stripped the opponent’s shields, you should do ok.

Expect to beat the water types, and lose to pretty much all of the fire types. Grass-types are a little more split, but remember your low defence here.

Shadow Slowpoke

Type: Water / Psychic
Perfect IV: 2/15/14
Recommended moves: Confusion (Fast), Psychic (Charged), Psyshock (Charged)
Slowpoke weaknesses: Bug, Dark, Electric, Ghost, Grass

When it comes to Slowpoke in the Element Cup Remix, you'll be actually using it for its psychic-type attacks and not its water-type moves.

This will help you deal with any troublesome poison-types, like Oddish and Bulbasaur, along with Pokémon that are weak to psychic-types, such as Tepig.

Since Slowpoke is part water-type, it will also enjoy a strong resistance against fire-type Pokémon even though you'll most likely be playing it with a full psychic-moveset. This means you can use it to take care of any troublesome fire-type which comes your way.

It’s worth noting that there’s a big difference here between the Shadow and normal variants in terms of results – definitely use a Shadow Slowpoke where you can.

Looking to matchups, you can expect to easily beat Skrelp, Growlithe, Litwick (which is impressive against a ghost), Fomantis and Slugma, while Chikorita, Vulpix and the other water types in your list will have you beat.

Seel

Type: Water
Recommended moves: Lick (Fast), Aqua Tail (Charged), Icy Wind (Charged)
Seel weaknesses: Electric, Grass

Seel returns as a great choice in the Element Cup remix, but this time with Lick as its Fast move, instead of Ice Shard.

This Pokémon is famously as bulky as it is spammy, and yet has the agility you’re looking for to really make a dent in the meta. The ice-type coverage is great against its natural enemy, grass types, with Aqua Tail there to take down the fire types. As for Lick? That’s there for the occasional psychic type (Slowpoke) and ghost types (Pumpkaboo and Litwick).

That said, Ice Shard is still entirely reasonable – it will get you a very similar win rate, so if you’re on the fence here, go with your gut.

Seel will easily beat any fire type it comes up across, although you should expect to lose against Dewpider, Skrelp and Wooper. How you fare against the grass types will depend on whether you choose to run Ice Shard or Lick.

Shadow Wooper

Type: Fire
Perfect IVs: 0/15/15
Recommended moves: Mud Shot (Fast), Body Slam (Charged), Mud Bomb (Charged)
Wooper weaknesses: Grass

Spamminess and shield pressure once again come together, though this time in the form of a water-type that throws ground-type attacks.

Mud Shot is great as a fast-charging Fast move, that works very well with Mud Bomb, helping strip shields very quickly. Body Slam is there for when you need something else to spam, should you run across anything resistant to your main attack.

As with most of the Shadows in this list, the low bulk is a bit of a drawback, but not enough that you should be dissuaded – Wooper is a great closer for your team. Expect to beat any of the fire types, while losing to the likes of Dewpider, Seel and Chikorita

Slugma

Type: Fire
Perfect IVs: 0/15/15
Recommended moves: Rock Throw (Fast), Flame Charge (Charged), Rock Slide (Charged)
Slugma weaknesses: Ground, Rock, Water

Slugma is a useful choice for the Element Cup not because of its fire-type moves, but because of its rock-type moves.

Both Rock Throw and Rock Slide will deal a good amount of damage to any fire-type Pokémon which comes your way.

The downside of focusing Slugma's moveset on rock-type attacks is that it won't be as useful to defeating grass-types, so you will need to factor this into your strategy.

You can expect to beat all of the fire types, plus Dewpider and Oddish, although Seel, Chikorita and Slowpoke will have you quickly beat.

Lileep

Type: Rock/Grass
Perfect IVs: 0/15/15
Recommended moves: Infestation (Fast), Ancient Power (Charged), Grass Knot (Charged)
Lileep weaknesses: Bug, Fighting, Ice, Steel

Another Pokémon with no weaknesses to the headline three types, Lileep is a great choice for your team, and a fantastic closer for the late-game.

Infestation may not hit hard, but it charges very quickly, helping you fire off Ancient Power to boost your attack and defence (10% chance) and beat the fire types, or fire off a Grass Knot should you come across anything weak to grass.

All in all, this is a great choice for its spamminess and lack of relevant weaknesses, but that doesn’t mean a guaranteed win. While you’ll trash the likes of Seel, Shadow Vulpix and Slowpoke, you will lose to a regular Vulpix, Chikorita and Dewpider.

Dewpider

Type: Water
Recommended moves: Bug Bite (Fast), Mirror Coat (Charged), Bubble Beam (Charged)
Seel weaknesses: Electric, Flying, Rock

Dewpider joins the Element Cup Remix as the top-rated Pokémon. It’s bulky and agile, and runs a good suite of moves to cover most bases. Plus, given its lack of weakness to the headline three types in this meta, you know you’re onto a winner.

You can expect this little spider to be an absolute monster. Although it doesn’t apply much shield pressure, Bug Bite is a reasonable move, Bubble Beam is great debuff spam (dropping the opponent’s attack by one stage), and Mirror Coat is a back-up coverage move.

The sum total of this is that you beat Wooper, Seel, Chikorita and Vulpix. The issue is that you’ll lose to Bulbasaur, Shadow Chikorita and Slugma.

Fomantis

Type: Grass
Recommended moves: Fury Cutter (Fast), Leaf Blade (Charged), Grass Knot (Charged)
Fomantis weaknesses: Bug, Fire, Flying, Ice, Poison

Fomantis sits in the middle of the Venn diagram of spamminess and shield pressure, making it a great choice for your team.

Fury Cutter is as fast-charging as it sounds, leading in Leaf Blade if you need to bait a move, and Grass Knot if you want to hit in with high damage.

The issue is the lack of bulk that this typing brings. Still, this beats Seel, which likely won’t be running an ice-type fast move this time round, as well as Wooper, Slugma and Chikorita. However, the fire-types that run fire moves will have you beat, along with Dewpider.

The Shared Skies Season is here! The Strength of Steel event is currently running in Pokémon Go. Go Fest 2024 may have been and gone, but you can still play around with the Fusion mechanic. Meanwhile, ticket holders can finish Go Fest 2024: A Shadowy Caper and The Dusk Settles. Don't forget to try out Routes, Gift Exchange and Party Play while you're hunting down rare Pokémon, fighting in the Go Battle League or competing in PokéStop Showcases.

Element Cup Remix dates and times in Pokémon Go explained

The Element Cup Remix is running alongside the Master League, from Thursday 17th November to Thursday 24th November 2022, with the following end times depending on your region:

• UK - 9pm (GMT)
• Europe - 10pm (CEST)
• East Coast USA - 4pm (EDT)
• West Coast USA - 1pm (PDT)

Have fun competing in the Element Cup Remix!