The Premier Cup works a bit differently in the Pokémon Go Battle League. It has the same rules as the primary league occurring at the same time, but it prevents players from using their mythical or legendary Pokémon, so there are a few more limited options. For the Master League, this means a lot of the Pokémon that exceed 2,500 will see some consistent use, and if players prefer to not raid, they can take their best choices into these fights.
The Premier Cup for the Master League follows the same rules where players can use any Pokémon at any CP level. However, just don’t craft a team using a mythical or a legendary Pokémon. Here are some of the best Pokémon you can use during these battles.
Garchomp
Garchomp is one of the more powerful standard Pokémon you can capture in the wild and from raids. It’s a Dragon and Ground-type, making it only weak to Dragon, Fairy, and Ice-type attacks. It’s going to be resistant to Electric, Fire, Poison, and Rock-type moves, but it’s a sturdy Pokémon that can easily lead your team in every battle. You only need to watch out for Mamoswine, Chesnaught, Sirfetch’d, Gyarados, Swampert, and your opponent using another Garchomp. Overall, it’s an amazing Pokémon for the Premier Cup.
Metagross
Another amazing Pokémon that you can use in the Premier League is Metagross. It’s also a fairly common Pokémon for players who consistently find themselves involved in Pokémon Go events. Not only can use you use it in the Premier Cup, but you can also expect to see Metagross as a regular choice in the regular Master League. It’s a Steel and Psychic-type Pokémon, making it only weak to Dark, Fire, Ghost, and Ground-type moves. However, it’s resistant to Dragon, Fairy, Flying, Grass, Ice, Normal, Poison, Psychic, Rock, and Steel-type moves. Your opponent will have a hard time trying to find a weakness during the battle.
Snorlax
A Pokémon many players may not expect is a good choice is Snorlax, the Normal-type Pokémon. It’s only weak to Fighting-type attacks, and resistant to Ghost-type moves, but because it’s only weak to one thing, your opponent had better hope they have a Fighting-type move to take it out. Snorlax has an obscene amount of health, making it a huge tank that absorb a massive amount of punishment. If you want a Pokémon to lead your team, Snorlax is a great option.
Excadrill
An even stronger Pokémon that was already good, and now is even better, is Excadrill. At the middle point of the Battle League’s sixth season, Excadrill is now able to learn mud shot. It’s a better Ground-type fast move, increasing its use, and giving it more energy to use its powerful charged moves during battle. Now, with the correct team and good timing on your part, you can use Excadrill to take out Dragonite. It shot up through the ranks, and you can expect to see it in the Premier Cup and the standard Master League.
Dragonite
Dragonite is a Flying and Dragon-type Pokémon, widely used by several trainers. You can expect to see it frequently used by nearly everyone in the Master League Premier Cup. Only a handful of other Pokémon can be it, notably the Dragon-types like Garchomp. Still, unless you use the absolute best Pokémon in the Premier Cup to take it down, Dragonite can easily run train against an unsuspecting Pokémon team. With little stopping it, you can build a team around it to propel yourself in this roster.
Gyarados
Gyarados is widely used in the Master League, and it’s one of the easier standard Pokémon you can find all over. Because it takes forever to find a suitable Magikarp to use for its base, it can be a little tough. With it being a Pokémon everyone hunts for, chances are plenty of trainers who may not always play the game have this in their roster. It can take down some of the stronger choices, such as Garchomp, Metagross, Snorlax, Excadrill, and several others, so if you’re worried about fighting any of those Pokémon, make sure to add Gyarados to your team.
Swampert
Swampert is another interesting choice. It’s a Water and Ground-type Pokémon, making it weak to only Grass-type moves. While that’s far more common in the Ultra League, not too many Pokémon have any Grass-type Pokémon or moves in their roster. It’s not a powerful Pokémon, but having that in your back pocket might mean the difference between victory or defeat. Unfortunately, if a Pokémon can counter it, it will be countered extremely hard, and you’re out of luck.
Togekiss
Do you want to destroy Dragon, Fighting, Dark, or Flying-type Pokémon in this league? Togekiss is your solution. Togekiss is consistently one of the best Pokémon to use to counter any particular Pokémon options you fear your opponent might have in their roster, so make sure not to use this as your first choice during battle. When you effectively use this Pokémon to battle specific choices, such as Garchomp, Machamp, Gyarados, Dragonite, Haxorus, Sirfetch’d, or even Swampert. Make sure you’re thinking about how to use this Pokémon and the moveset it is using.
Electivire
Electivire is not a Pokémon many trainers would believe is capable of being used in the Master League. It’s an Electric-type Pokémon, making it weak only weak to Ground-type attacks, but it’s resistant to Electric, Flying, and Steel-type attacks. It’s going to be a useful Pokémon to battle against Gyarados, Togekiss, Magnezone, and a few other notable Water-type Pokémon. If you’re noticing players are using more Water-type Pokémon or choices that are not typically chosen at the top tier of the Premier Cup for the Master League, it’s an effective choice.
Machamp
The final recommended Pokémon of the Premier Cup for the Master League is Machamp, one of the strongest Fighting-type Pokémon in the game. Machamp won’t be used to battle against the Dragon-type Pokémon or take away the countering power of Togekiss. Still, it can effectively eliminate several of the weaker options some trainers might be using. You want to use Machamp against Rhyperior, Vaporeon, Chesnaught, Magnezone, Mamoswine, or against a Snorlax if a player uses it. You’ll have to craft your team to fit Machamp into it, though.
