The “Nifty Or Thrifty” article series takes a comprehensive look at the meta for Cup formats — the 2024 edition of Halloween Cup, in this case — particularly focused on Pokémon where you can save yourself some stardust. Because we all want to field competitive teams, but where can we get the best bang for our buck?
The OG Halloween Cup represented the first limited meta many players ever participated in. By now you know that they often require all-new team crafting and consideration of things you may not have even evolved yet. My goal is to show you which of those may be worth pursuing yourself, but also to prepare you to FACE many of these and know how to handle them, since there are several you may not have encountered in PvP before.
There are a lot of new Pokémon to consider this year, and I’ll mark them all with a 💥, and mark things with a big buff and/or move addition with a 💪.
Now let’s dive in!
10,000 Dust/25 Candy
GRENINJA
Greninja WaterDarkWater Shuriken | Night Slash & Hydro Cannonᴸ
Greninja is actually exactly the same as it was last year, so why is it suddenly ranked below only two other Pokémon in this year’s Halloween Cup? Well, for one thing it handily beats both of them (Carbink and newcomer Clodsire) and also many of the other big risers this year that DID get move buffs like Galarian Moltres, Golurk, Qwilfish, Drapion, and a resurgent Drifblim and Alolan Marowak, among others. Put simply, Greninja now finds itself as very disruptive Pokémon in this year’s Halloween meta and all the new tricks and treats that come with it.
WIGGLYTUFF 💪
Wigglytuff NormalFairyCharm | Swift & Icy Wind
The best way to slow down Greninja? Charm it to death. Wiggly is generally the best of the Charmers thanks to its Normal sub-typing and thus double resistance to Ghost damage, giving it a big leg up in the Halloween meta. After sliding lower and lower in the rankings with each passing Halloween Cup, Fairies look like they’re in for a bit of a renassance this year, and Wigglytuff is by far the best pure Charmer. In addition to all the Darks it bullies (literally every single one except the Poisonous group), Wiggly overcomes other risers like Golurk and Drifblim, longtime staples Azumarill and Froslass, and can even take down the popular Brutal Swing/Play Rough version of Galarian Weezing. It helps that it’s gotten two very good charge moves since last December in Icy Wind and now the suddenly good Swift.
CLEFABLE 💪
Clefable FairyFairy Wind | Meteor Mash & Swift/Moonblast
As good as Wiggly is, however, even with its advantages versus Ghosts, Wiggly doesn’t hold a candle to Clefable. There are several viable move combos, but I think Meteor Mash and the newly added Swift are the best and most versatile way to go, with Mash beating opposing Fairies like Wiggly, Alolan Ninetales, Carbink, and G-Weezing (even with Overheat!), with Swift also setting it up for wins over stuff like Shadow Drapion, Shadow Golurk, and Sableye. Wigglytuff still uniquely beats things that deal heavy Ghost damage like Drifblim, but Clefable has most other advantages.
ARIADOS 💪
Ariados BugPoisonPoison Sting | Lunge & Megahorn/Trailblaze
Yes, it can learn Trailblaze now, but it’s really the buff to Poison Sting that has it making more of an impact than ever. Notice I don’t even have it using Trailblaze there! The Grass coverage IS nice for beating stuff like Golurk and Qwilfish, but Megahorn can match all other core meta wins and adds on things like Sableye, Drapion, enemy Ariados, and surprises like Galarian Moltres, Alolan Ninetales, and Froslass. (The sims don’t always show it, sometimes just going straight Lunge happy, but in 1v1 shielding, Lunge followed by Megahorn DOES take down stuff like G-Moltres and normal and Shadow Sableye… trust me.) Ariados is not the highest ranked Bug because it currently shows results with Trailblaze. Give it Megahorn and I’ll take Ariados over any other Bug in this meta.
BEEDRILL
Beedrill BugPoisonPoison Jab | Fell Stinger/X-Scissor & Drill Runᴸ
Beedrill has found itself less and less popular as time has gone on, but in Halloween Cup, it remains a potent threat to Fairies, Poisons, and Fighters alike, beating (beeting?) all Fairies except Rocks, Grasses, Dark/Poisons, and then stuff like Clodsire (without Stone Edge, at least), Toxapex, Qwilfish, Greninja, Sableye and more. And yes, I recommend Fell Stinger over X-Scissor (though only slightly) because it can outrace Qwil and Greninja. (X-Scissor instead takes out Guzzlord and better threatens Darks in general.)
WORMADAM (TRASH)
Wormadam (Trash) BugSteelConfusion | Iron Head & Bug Buzz
I’m a little stumped as to why it’s ranked so low. 🤔 A decent Trashadam looks far more deserving of a higher rank, at least to me! it capably handles most Poisons (Clodsire, Toxapex, Qwilfish, Skuntank all among them), Fairies (Wigglytuff, Clefable, Alolan Ninetales, FW Mawile), opposing Bugs, and big names like Azumarill, froslass, and Guzzlord too. What’s not to love?
I feel compelled to mention GOLISOPOD while we’re talking cheap Bugs, but honestly, despite some seemingly big advantages with its moves (particularly Shadow Claw), it’s just okay. If you’re going to run it, I think I recommend Aerial Ace (which beats Azumzill and Ariados) over X-Scissor (which instead beats Greninja and Malamar), and I also recommend higher Attack to at least tack on Shadow Sableye. I suppose it’s an okay core breaker (check the winlist) but I don’t feel great about it. Similar story with the new Shadow Claw LEAVANNY. I was hopeful that after its Community Day, it would at least make an impact in this of all metas, but that looks unlikely.
HISUIAN SAMUROTT
Samurott (Hisuian) WaterDarkFury Cutter | Icy Wind & Dark Pulse
If you’re looking for some Bug damage that can do much more, consider non-Bug Hisuian Sammie. its moveset is all over the place (starter moves for Hisuian starters when?), but somehow, it just works here in Halloween Cup. This is obviously a spice pick through and through, but hey, in terms of spice you could do a LOT worse. 🌶️
ALOLAN RATICATE
Raticate (Alola) DarkNormalQuick Attack | Crunch & Hyper Fang
The record is actually the same overall as “spice” H-Sammie, but it’s easier to trust A-Rat because it’s far less reliant on dealing super effective damage to achieve victory, and this translates to only direct, hard counters (like Fairies and things with Fighting damage) giving A-Rat hard losses. Most things it loses to, it does so only after beating the stuffing out of the opponent. Alolan Raticate can wade into a lot of battles and just hang in there and buy you time (perhaps with a Crunch debuff or two in the process), especially with this season’s shortened switch timer. It’s a better generalist than the simple win/loss columns indicate.
INCINEROAR 💪
Incineroar FireDarkSnarl/Double Kick | Blast Burnᴸ & Darkest Lariat
You ideally want [top notch IVs]() here to add on wins versus Umbreon and Malamar, but Incineroar is viable enough, sure. Beating the other big Fires (A-Wak and Skeledirge). many of the prominent Darks (including Sableye, Mandibuzz, and the aforementioned Umbreon and Malamar, and of course burning through Ice and Steel and Bug and Grass types (plus Drifblim, as a nice bonus) comes with the territory too. But it’s quite glassy, losing to most Fairies and host of others.
Skeledirge FireGhostI wish I could give a hearty shout-out to fellow Fire type SKELEDIRGE, but it’s looking rather tepid this year. It can beat a few things that Incineroar cannot (like Wigglytuff, Skuntank, and Guzzlord), but overall it’s a bit less dynamic and can’t match Incineroar’s Dark wins for rather obvious reasons. It’s still solid in PvP overall, but you might want to park it for Halloween Cup.
VENUSAUR
Venusaur GrassPoisonVine Whip | Frenzy Plantᴸ & Sludge Bomb
Grass is not real great in this meta, but if you really need one, Venusaur is probably the overall best, overcoming Waters and Fairies alike, as well as stuff like Umbreon, Sableye, Galarian Weezing (with Play Rough), and even Clodsire. Yes, this is niche, as Grass only has so much to do in this unfriendly meta, but Venusaur plugs that hole capably.
GOLBAT
Golbat PoisonWing Attack | Poison Fang & Shadow Ball
For a while there, Golbat just better and better with each passing Halloween Cup… but with Wing Attack nerfed, the party is (mostly) over. While it’s still an okay budget option that does take down some of the bigger names in the meta, it’s just not enough of those names to really be something you can rely on anymore, which just pains me to write, but it’s true.
SWALOT
Swalot PoisonMud Shot | Ice Beam & Sludge Bomb/Gunk Shot
Another fast move nerf cutting the legs out of several formerly better options is Mud Shot. The slower energy gains has humbed Swalot, who just last year was a rising star. Shame, shame.
50,000 Dust/50 Candy
CLODSIRE 💥
Clodsire PoisonGroundPoison Sting | Stone Edge & Earthquake
There are numerous move combos you could use, and there’s something to be said for going against the grain with unexpected surprises Sludge Bomb, Water Pulse, or even Legacy move Megahorn. But my recommendation is still going to be Stone Edge and Earthquake, along with Poison Sting for the fast move, as it just does the most widespread damage. Stone Edge has obvious applications in smashing Flyers (Mandibuzz, Drifblim, Galarian Moltres) and other Rock-weak stuff like Alolan Ninetales and Ariados that can cause major problems otherwise, while Earthquake is absolutely critical for opposing Poisons (particularly Drapion, Qwilfish, Toxapex, and the mirror) and other things weak to Ground like A-Wak and Mawile. Megahorn can take out stuff like Megahorn and Sableye, and it or Sludge Bomb are fast enough to snipe Greninja, but otherwise EdgeQuake is just better.
TOXAPEX
Toxapex PoisonWaterPoison Jab | Brine & Sludge Wave
The rise of Grounds (and others that resist Poison) knock Toxapex down a few pegs this year, but it is absolutely still a major player in this meta. ‘Pex is a Water that can beat all Grasses AND every other Water type but Jellicent (which should be a smaller player than in years past anyway), while also washing away Fires (A-Wak with improved Bone Club being the only exception) and Rocks, and every single Fairy in the format except a certain set of keys. Bonuses include Umbreon, Mandibuzz, Guzzlord, Greninja, Qwilfish, and even Malamar and its super effective Psywave. Beyond a handful of potent Ghosts, Poisons, and those on-the-rise Grounds, there STILL isn’t much that Toxapex cannot grind down into toxic dust.
SKUNTANK 💪
Skuntank PoisonDarkPoison Jab | Crunch & Trailblaze
I have advocated for Flamethrower in years past, but especially after its buff this season, Trailblaze has taken the lead. While Flamethrower still has the best shot at beating opposing Dark/Poisons, Trailblaze is faster, self-buffing, and just a better match for the meta, shown with wins versus Toxapex, Qwilfish, Azumarill, Mandibuzz, and Umbreon. I don’t recommend Shadow nearly as emthusiastically, though… it loses too much with its slashed bulk.
Nobody seems to really talk about it anymore, but yeah, ALOLAN MUK is still a solid Dark/Poison too. Nothing particularly special about it, with no coverage moves to speak of, but it can grind things down effectively on the right team.
HISUIAN QWILFISH 💪
Qwilfish (Hisuian) DarkPoisonPoison Sting | Aqua Tail & Shadow Ball/Ice Beam
I like it a little less than its wet, Johtonian cousin, but sure, H-Qwil works fine in this meta, particularly with high rank IVs which can add wins like Umbreon and Shadow Sableye. Ice Beam (as simmed there) has obvious applications versus Flyers, bringing Mandibuzz, Guzzlord, and Galarian Moltres into the win column, as well as that win over Umbreon, while Shadow Ball instead overpowers stuff like Toxapex, Froslass, and Shadow Alolan Marowak.
QWILFISH 💪
Qwilfish WaterPoisonPoison Sting/Water Gun | Aqua Tail & Ice Beam
But yeah, I like the OG Qwilfish a bit better. It’s not just that it can [get more wins than H-Qwil]](https://pvpoke.com/battle/multi/1500/halloween/qwilfish-26.5-8-15-15-4-4-1-1/11/0-2-4/2-1) (at least with some extra Attack, which brings stuff like Skuntank and Ariados into the win column), but the quality of its wins, with big names that H-Qwil cannot match like Azumarill, Galarian Weezing, and Golurk, as well as Froslass, Ariados (as mentioned), and Mawile. Hisuian Qwilfish certainly still has its advantages (beating things regular Qwil cannot like Sableye, Umbreon, Mandibuzz, Drifblim, and Malamar, all thanks to its Dark subtyping and the resistances that go with it), but overall I personally like my Qwilfish soggy in this meta. How about you?
One other quick note before I move on: while I think it’s generally less preferred, you do have the option of running Water Gun Qwil too. While it gives up quite a bit that Poison Sting can outrace (such as Azumarill, Guzzlord, Qwilfish itself, and counterintuitively, Golurk), it picks up Mandibuzz, Shadow Sableye, and the big one: Clodsire. Some teams out there may prefer that, so I’m just pointing it out!
TENTACRUEL
Tentacruel WaterPoisonPoison Jab | Acid Spray & Scald
I will admit: I didn’t expect Tentacruel to still sim this well, but then again, it still capably handles Fairies (which are rising back up in the meta, and it helps that is resists G-Weeze’s Overheat AND Fairy moves), can take down fellow Waters like Greninja and Qwilfish, and outlasts many of its fellow Poisons like Skuntank and Drapion. Its typing also allows it to outlast Froslass and Alolan Marowak, and it takes out Sableye too, just to show off. Tentacruel doesn’t care about Scald nerfs… it just keeps on striking fear into opponents and getting them to throw shields at Acid Spray and curse their bad fortunes. 😈
JELLICENT
Jellicent WaterGhostBubble/Hex | Surf & Shadow Ball
JelliBelli, however, it definitely on a downward trajectory since the nerf to Surf. Formerly one of the top options in Halloween Cup, I’m sure people will still be using it, but even at its best, it’s a shell of its former self. And yes, I do recommend Bubble to at least have the ability to take out rising stuff like Carbink and Ariados. It’s really hard for me to recommend Jellicent at all anymore, though.
ARAQUANID
Araquanid WaterBugBug Bite | Bubble Beam & Bug Buzz/Water Pulse
‘Nid is ranked over 50 spots lower than Jellicent, yet I trust it a lot more, especially with high rank IVs to add Azumarill to an impressive winlist that already includes a TON of Dark types, Ice types (Froslass, Alolan Ninetales), Qwilfish, Golurk, and a potential tie with Clodsire. Yes, it relies on Bubble Beam, which is not everyone’s cup of tea, but the potential cannot be ignored. There are teams that can run off of that kind of debuffing.
AZUMARILL
Azumarill WaterFairyBubble | Pick Two
There are lots of ways to go with the moves, and they’re all valid. Ice Beam/Play Rough is a good all-arounder that not surprisingly does the best in 2shield matchups. Ice Beam/Hydro Pump pulls the best overall numbers, tacking on Clodsire, Wigglytuff, and Mawile, but has no realistic way to win the mirror match. My personal recommendation is Play Rough/Hydro Pump to allow you to win (or at least tie) the mirror match, still take out Clodsire and Wiggly, and give up only Mawile (sometimes) in the process. But again, you can really go any way here and be fine, depending on your own team composition. Azu is REALLY good in this meta though, so give strong consideration to if/how it can best help your team… and have a plan to take it down when your opponents bring the Blue Bunny Of Doom to battle.
KLEFKI 💥
Klefki SteelFairyAstonish | Foul Play & Flash Cannon/Play Rough
Here’s a very fun new option this year… if you have one from its limited spawning zone or from this past summer’s GOFests. Klefki has only recently gained real PvP potential thanks to the LONG-awaited buff to Astonish, and boy, does it ever have potential now! A full anti-Ghost moveset with Astonish and Foul Play is pretty nice here, picking off Ghosts like Sableye, Drifblim, and Froslass and even managing to die the dangerous Shadow Golurk. But it goes much further than that, taking out Malamar, Mawile, Shadow A-Tales, Ariados, Qwilfish, Toxapex, and Galarian Weezing (at least without Overheat) too! Either Play Rough or Flash Cannon is then enough to add on Carbink, Guzzlord, Umbreon, and Skuntank, and then it’s a choice between Wigglytuff (Flash Cannon) or Mandibuzz (Play Rough). In 0shield and 2shield scenarios, the choice is similar, with Play Rough picking off Darks like Umbreon, Mandi, and Greninja, and Flash Cannon being more consistent with Carbink and other Fairies. But either way, Klefki is really, truly legit and not just a gag ‘mon now, at least in Halloween Cup.
DEDENNE 💪
Dedenne ElectricFairyThunder Shock | Parabolic Charge & Play Rough
Less niche than you may think. Yes, obviously Deedee’s bread and butter is countering Flying and Water types, which it does very well, but it’s also still a solid anti-Dark (as long as there’s no Poison involved) that also has a good shot at taking down Galarian Weezing. Dedenne has a role to play for sure.
MORPEKO 💥
Morpeko ElectricDarkThunder Shock | Psychic Fangs & Aura Wheel
For reasons covered in my recent Morpeko analysis, it’s a little hard to gauge how good it’ll be in this meta. But I am pretty confident it WILL be good. And at least a little chaotic!
GALARIAN WEEZING 💪
Weezing (Galarian) PoisonFairyFairy Wind | Brutal Swing/Sludge & Overheat
Once again the sims tend to default to Play Rough, and so once again I strongly recommend you ignore that and run with Overheat instead. Play Rough makes Darks much easier (beating Mandibuzz and Umbreon), but Overheat just does SO much more (beating Skuntank, Ariados, Mawile, Froslass, Alolan Ninetales, Wigglytuff, the mirror, and more) that I can’t ignore it. One other trick you CAN use, though… instead of Brutal Swing, you can go with [Sludge]() as your bait/coverage move, dropping Ghosts like Drifblim and Golurk, but gaining Mandibuzz and Umbreon back, along with Azumarill!
NIDOQUEEN
Nidoqueen PoisonGroundPoison Jab | Poison Fang & Earth Power
No doubt the Queen has seen much better days, but it still clings to enough relevance here to be worth dusting off again, at least on some teams. She’s one of those Poisons that can handle risers from the last couple interations of Halloween Cup like Clodsire, Toxapex, Galarian Weezing, Skuntank, and Ariados thanks to double resisting Poison and hitting back with Earth Power. But of course, she also holds down Fairies (even Carbink and Mawile) and as a bonus, can wear down the newly scary Galarian Moltres too. More of a specialist now, but quite a good one in that role. Don’t forget about her… long live the Queen!
SALAZZLE
Salazzle PoisonFireIncinerate | Poison Fang & Dragon Pulse
The other prominent Poison Fang user. I didn’t cover it last time because it really does take some shenanigans to get it under 1500 CP, but it’s been long enough now that I feel obligated to point out that, yeah, it’s pretty good here. Sigh Salandit in the wild WHEN, Niantic?
PANGORO 💪
Pangoro FightingDarkKarate Chop | Night Slash & Close Combat
The only Fighter in the format that actually wants to run with a full Fighting moveset, and Pangoro does a lot with it. Obviously it rips through most Dark types (including the Dark/Poisons) except for Mandibuzz and Greninja, and can turn the tables on things that most Darks and/or Fighters would struggle with like Drifblim, Golurk, Carbink, Powder Snow Alolan Ninetales, and Mawile. It still struggles with many Poison types, and obviously folds like a cheap chair to any Fairy aside from half-Rock Carbink and half-Steel Mawile and Klefki, but Pangoro has a lot to offer here.
RUNERIGUS 💪
Runerigus GroundGhostShadow Claw | Brutal Swing/Sand Tomb & Shadow Ball
Brutal Swing is the new buff this year, and yes, it’s a nice option. But one can easily make a case that it’s still better here with Sand Tomb instead, as that leads to a win over Galarian Weezing (while Swing takes down Froslass instead), as well as Skuntank with shields down. Brutal Swing, meanwhile, can pick off Malamar and Drifblim in 2v2 shielding, should things go that far.
And PALOSSAND is similar, but a little bit weaker and less versatile, IMO.
ALOLAN MAROWAK 💪
Marowak (Alola) FireGhostFire Spin | Bone Club & Shadow Boneᴸ
In the past there’s been some debate (at least by me) about whether or not Hex was worth it, but with Fire Spin getting a slight buff and Bone Club now being a legit move and not just for baits, there’s little reason not to just run with Spin/Club/Shadow Bone, which adds on stuff like Skuntank, Shadow Sableye, and Wigglytuff to everything Hex could do. Some of its more impressive wins now include Shadow Sableye, Qwilfish, Toxapex, Drifblim, Skuntank, and Galarian Weezing, aside from the obvious Ice and/or Fairy and/or Steel types.
DUSKNOIR 💥
Dusknoir GhostAstonish | Shadow Punch & Shadow Ballᴸ
There’s nothing truly remarkable about its all-Ghost moveset, but there is no doubt that Dusknoir is now a good general purpose beatstick, particularly as a Shadow which does unfortunately drop Drifblim, but gains Carbink, Galarian Weezing, and Malamar. More than worth the tradeoff there, IMO.
FROSLASS
Froslass IceGhostPowder Snow | Avalanche & Shadow Ball
I think it’s still the tried and true Powder Snow/Shadow Ball/Avalanche you want. Lass is actually really good at combating most (though not all) Poison types, and has positive matchups with Grasses (duh), Grounds, Flyers, and even some big-name Darks like Guzzlord and Shadow Sableye. She can also outrace Charjabug, Alolan Ninetales, Galarian Weezing and others. Froslass, as per usual, is much more dangerous than her overall win/loss record would imply.
ALOLAN NINETALES
Ninetales (Alola) IceFairyPowder Snow/Charm | Weather Ball (Ice) & Dazzling Gleam/Psyshock
No, I didn’t forget about it when I covered the other 50k Fairies. It’s just that you may want to run it as more of an Ice type (+Wigglytuff, Drifblim, Golurk, Ariados) than a Fairy type here, though CharmTales (+Azumarill, Malamar, Shadow Sable, Greninja) can still can do very good work too.
MALAMAR 💥
Malamar DarkPsychicPsywave | Foul Play & Superpower
I’m actually not a huge fan of it in this meta particularly… just looks too niche for my tastes, and uncomfortably reliant on Superpower. But it WILL be out there, I guarantee it, so at least have a plan in mind to counter it, because it CAN dominate some things in this meta pretty hard if put in the right spot.
LOKIX 💥
Lokix BugDarkSucker Punch | X-Scissor & Bug Buzz/Trailblaze
Again, I don’t have a great feeling about it in this meta, but it’s a new toy people are itching to try, and it certainly beats enough meta things to be interesting. IF you run it, I think I actually like Bug Buzz as the best closer, as even though it doesn’t provide extra coverage like, say, Trailblaze can, it’s just a big threat overall and slams the door on nice bonuses like Guzzlord and Qwilfish.
GALVANTULA
Galvantula BugElectricVolt Switch | Lunge & Discharge
I’m just gonna say it: Galvantula is ranked TOO low! I mean, it still does quite a bit in this meta, in both normal (beats Qwilfish and Shadow Drapion) and Shadow form (beats Ariados and Mandibuzz).
75,000 Dust/75 Candy
CARBINK 💪
Carbink RockFairyRock Throw | Moonblast & Power Gem
In past Halloween Cups, some players found success by running Tyranitar and/or Crustle with Smack Down, as Rock swats aside potent Flying, Ice, Fire, and/or Bug types in the meta with super effective damage, and deals at least neutral damage to darn near everything else, while the Rock typing very conveniently resists potent Poison attacks too. Add to that extreme bulk and a typing that adds on resistances to Dark, Dragon, and Bug damage, and you have Carbink, ranked behind only one other Pokémon in the meta (Clodsire) with a projected performance to match. Avoid Waters and Grounds and most Poisons (and what little Steel it present here), and Carbink can rip through just about everything else, and puts up a solid fight even in most of those losing matchups. Perhaps even better, you don’t HAVE to dip heavily into XLs to have one ready to go… something like a 14-15-15 works very well too, giving up Shadow Sableye in 1shield and Wigglytuff in 2shield, but gaining Azumarill in 0shield and 2shield, so it all really evens out.
ZWEILOUS
Zweilous DarkDragonDragon Breath | Body Slam & Dark Pulse
Obviously it needs to avoid Fairies like Carbink, but Zweil operates well as a Ghost and Dark slayer, beating nearly every Ghost and basically every Dark but Lokix, Skuntank, and those with Fighting damage. That is most all of what it can do, but it’s not a bad hole to fill at all.
Hydreigon DarkDragonAnd as a very quick aside, even its evolution HYDREIGON could be quite good here now with the buff to its Brutal Swing. Hmmmm…. 🤔
MANDIBUZZ
Mandibuzz DarkAir Slash/Snarl | Shadow Ball & Aerial Ace
There are merits to several move combos, but here’s the nutshell. First, I recomnend Shadow Ball in the mix for how it can overcome stuff like Froslass, Drifblim, and (Sludge Bomb Clodsire) more readily than other moves. Then there’s the fast move decision. Snarl more easily beats Ghosts (Froslass especially), while Air Slash more easily beats Darks like Greninja and the mirror match (versus Snarl Mandi). There’s no “wrong” way to go, really.
UMBREON
Umbreon DarkSnarl | Foul Play & Last Resortᴸ/Psychicᴸ
Umbreon rarely wows with its number of wins… but what is impressive is its remarkable consistency. Yes, it impressively shreds all the Ghosts, but what Umbreon does best is wear a lot of things down. I generally recommend Last Resort to handle Darks (Mandi, A-Muk, Shadow Drap, mirror), but yes, Psychic works fine too for its anti-Poison role, consistently topping Clodsire and sometimes Toxapex and Galarian Weezing as well. Umbreon puts up a good fight against basically everything here without a steady diet of Fairy, Fighting, or Bug damage, and remains one of the safest gap fillers you’ll find in this meta.
DRAPION 💪
Drapion PoisonDarkPoison Sting | Aqua Tail & Crunch
The buffed Poison Sting makes it scarier than ever, in both regular form and as a Shadow, the former having the bulk to outlast Greninja, G-Weeze, Shadow Sable, Umbreon, and Shadow Golurk, and the latter having the Attack strength to instead overpower Carbink, Froslass, A-Wak, Sableye, G-Moltres, and Ariados. Expect to see a LOT of both versions in your battles… good luck!
SABLEYE 💪
Sableye DarkGhostShadow Claw | Foul Play & Power Gem/Return
Again, Sableye brings more pressure than just the numbers alone show. Short of heavy Fairy damage, it’s actually a pretty tough “out” for most opposing Pokémon, beating the stuffing out of even pretty hard counters like Umbreon even in defeat. Buffed Power Gem makes it more dangerous than ever in this meta; while it’s a liability in matchups like Clodsire, it brings in a bunch of new potential wins like Greninja, Alolan Ninetales, and Galarian Moltres and Mandibuzz, depending on the scenario. I do still prefer the non-Shadow version, but Shadow Sable is more than viable. While it drops some staples like Greninja, Froslass, Shadow Alolan Marowak, and Shadow Alolan Ninetales (Powder Snow), look at the gains: Clodsire, Golurk, Drapion, and G-Moltres. Not too shabby if you have one at the ready.
Spiritomb DarkGhostOr if you want to get spicy, SPIRITOMB is legit now too after the buff to Sucker Punch, and has an easier time beating Clodsire and Golurk, though cannot match Sable’s success versus Greninja and Alolan Ninetales.
GOLURK 💪
Golurk GroundGhostMud Slap | Shadow Punch & Dynamic Punch
Wade… I mean, uh, Golurk. You can finally, finally, matter. The Mud Slap and Shadow Punch buffs finally allow my boy to make a real difference in this and other metas to come, crushing the biggest Poisons (Clodsire, G-Weeze, Toxapex, Skuntank, Ariados, Qwilfish, etc.), Rocks, Steels, and Fires under a mudslide, with Sableye (regular and Shadow) as a very nice bonus. It means he’s an X-Man… he is THE X-Man.
Sorry, got carried away. (I assume many of you caught the reference! Moving on….)
DRIFBLIM 💪
Drifblim GhostAstonish | Shadow Ball & Mystical Fire/Icy Wind
Yet another case where the actual performance usually exceeds the numbers. It’s worth noting that ShadowBlim can pick up Shadow A-Wak and Azumarill.
SCIZOR 💪
Scizor BugSteelBullet Punch | Trailblaze & Night Slash/X-Scissor
The sims want to go with Fury Cutter, but no… it’s still Bullet Punch that you want instead. Fury Cutter has obvious applications versus Darks (able to beat stuff like Umbreon and Malamar with relative ease), but Bullet Punch wallops important things like Galarian Weezing (without Overheat, anyway), Alolan Ninetales, Froslass, Sableye, Skuntank, Drapion, and Qwilfish. After that the one constant is that you want the new Trailblaze, but there is merit to both X-Scissor for anti-Dark fun (usually Guzzlord and Umbreon), Night Slash for anti-Ghost and better outracing things like Azumarill, and then Shadow or not. All are basically sidegrades of each other, so trick your Scizor out the way you like. Just don’t leave it behind… it is sneaky scary in Halloween Cup, folks.
FORRETRESS 💪
Forretress BugSteelVolt Switch/Bug Bite | Mirror Shot & Earthquake
Forretress has gotten a little better with each iteration of Halloween Cup, and now here it comes with the new fast move many have probably already forgotten it received this season: Volt Switch. This brings in new potential wins that Bug Bite could only dream of like Azumarill, Carbink, Qwilfish, and less obvious Shadow Drap and Shadow Sable, though the Bug damage of Bug Bite still has merit versus Darks like Guzzlord, Malamar, Umbreon, Greninja, and non-Shadow Sableye. There’s also Shadow Forret to consider, which with Bug Bite can somehow conquer Clodsire (though giving up things like Sableye and Froslass in the process). I like Steely Bugs like Forret and Scizor a LOT in this new Halloween Cup and think they’re both very underrated right now.
MAWILE 💪
Mawile SteelFairyFairy Wind | Iron Head & Play Rough
Fire Fang used to be THE way to go, but Fairy Wind is clearly a much bigger threat now since its buff this season, adding on things like Azumarill, Carbink, Malamar, Sableye, Drapion, and Galarian Moltres, to name a few. The combination of big Fairy and Steel damage is bigger than anything Fire ever did for it.
How does this always happen? I’m almost out of time and Reddit characters, so time for rapid fire mode!
100,000 Dust/100 Candy
Moltres (Galarian) Dark- I’ve mentioned it a lot, partly because it’s risen up rapidly this season on the Play!Pokemon circuit, but GALARIAN MOLTRES is just okay here, if I’m being honest. Very worth showing off, sure, but it still doesn’t hold a candle to Mandibuzz in metas like this.
- Especially if you have a good one, GUZZLORD has really nice potential in this meta now with the buff to Brutal Swing. Dragon Claw is probably the best way to go for the second move, but I do like at least the idea of Sludge Bomb as a nasty surprise to throw at Fairies.
- TAPU FINI remains okay-ish, but it takes a backseat to Azumarill with the nerf to Surf.
- ORIGIN GIRATINA can be fun to show off, but not in this meta!
FEELIN’ LUCKY?
Nidorina Poison Golett GroundGhostAmong stuff worth maxing out (and trying to get lucky trades for to help with the costs and IVs), we have NIDORINA and GOLETT that are well worth a mention.
Grimer PoisonBut the one I REALLY want to give a shout out to is GRIMER. The little dude is a beast now with the Mud Slap buff, and the hundo performs just as well and saves you a few XL Candy. Shadow Grimer gives up Greninja and Shadow PowderTales, but adds Sableye, Clodisre, Shadow A-Wak, and the Shadow hundo can do all that and overpower Froslass too!
I’m sure your eyes are glazing over after that LONG read, so I’m just gonna end things right here and wish you the best of luck in Halloween Cup. 🎃 I hope it’s enjoyable and that this perhaps helps add a bit to your fun!
Until next time, you can find me on Twitter for PoGO analysis nuggets, or Patreon.
Stay safe out there, Pokéfriends, and happy battling!