Limited time (and one of the most persistent, chest-hurting-coughs viral illnesses I can ever recall having) means limited analysis, but that should still help you prepare for the latest edition of Willpower Cup. Quite a bit is new and/or improved in this meta since we last saw it a year ago, so let’s briefly highlight all the major changes!
A quick reminder of what Sunshine Cup is (and isn’t):
- Great League, 1500 CP Limit.
- Only Psychic-, Dark-, and Fighting-type Pokémon are allowed.
- Gardevoir, Zoroark, and Zorua are all still banned.
Okay, enough intro. Let’s dive in!
ALL NEW
GRIMMSNARL
Grimmsnarl
DarkFairy
Low Kick | Foul Play & Draining Kiss
I almost went with Dark Pulse for the Dark move just to have three moves that were all buffed this season, but Foul Play‘s pacing is still superior here. Anyway, you DO want buffed Draining Kiss, as well as Low Kick rather than the statistically better Sucker Punch, simply because of the meta around you: Sucker Punch is resisted by the majority of the meta (all Fighting and Dark types, and even deals no better than neutral against half of the meta’s top 10 Psychic types (due to their secondary typings of Fighting, Dark, or Fairy). This is a Low Kick meta… without it, you lose stuff like Hydreigon, Lokix, Galarian Moltres, Pawniard, Hisuian Samurott, Tyranitar, and Throh. That and Draining Kiss alone do most of the work, as the only things you really need the cheaper Foul Play for are Sableye, Lokix, and Throh (and mostly just for baiting). Note also that you actually gain Malamar by going straight Draining Kiss rather than trying to squeeze in Foul Play; remember that Kiss now comes with a Defense buff for the user, which the flimsy Grimmsnarl really appreciates.
Morgrem
DarkFairy
MORGREM can be used too if you like. It lacks Low Kick and Draining Kiss, but has a lot more bulk and can therefore do a lot more even with less fancy moves.
FLAMIGO
Flamigo
Fighting
Peck | Upper Hand & Brave Bird
Also new to the game in just the last few months, and really good now this season with the addition of Peck. While it obviously wants nothing to do with Morpeko and other Electric types, being Flying is much more of a plus than a minus in this meta. It comes with a natural resistance to opposing Fighting damage as well as the Ground moves that Claydol and others WILL be bringing to bear to attempt to bury the key Poison, Steel, and Electric types in the meta. And thankfully, you don’t need the drastic self-debuffing of Brave Bird all that often outside of shieldless matchups. Upper Hand alone can do a lot of the work (missing out on only G-Moltres and Sableye), and can actually overcome Claydol despite being resisted (and doesn’t need the debuff of Upper Hand to trigger at all, despite the fact it eventually does so in the sim 🙃). Simple Flamigo should be quite popular and powerful now in Willpower.
SHADOW GRENINJA
Shadow Greninja
WaterDark
Water Skuriken | Brutal Swing & Hydro Cannonᴸ
The Ninja Pokémon itself is not new, but its Shadow version came out just this year, and looks a lot more dangerous than the non-Shadow, getting all the same wins plus things like Malamar (plus usually the Shadow), Mandibuzz, Sableye (plus the Shadow), and Umbreon. The Shadow is ranked in the Top 10, 30 spots higher than the non-Shadow, and it’s rather easy to see why.
NEW & IMPROVED
Alola Muk
PoisonDark
After peeking out from behind Drapion’s shadow for the better part of the last several years, ALOLAN MUK is back with a vengeance. Where it’s had relevance in the past, it mostly did so with Poison Jab + Acid Spray, grinding things down with its best-of-the-Dark/Poisons bulk, and running Dark Pulse for coverage. But in this meta now (and moving forward), it will instead be a lot faster and more dangerous with two new charge moves: Brutal Swing. Brutal Swing is a much spammier replacement for Dark Pulse, and finally a true coverage move in Ice Punch (continuing the odd tradition, see Kanto Muk with Thunder Punch, of me trying to envision the Muks being able to punch anything 👊), a particularly nice answer in this meta to the big Flying types, but obviously also something to throw at Darks and Fighters that resist Brutal Swing, and Ghosts (Sableye, Annihilape) that also resist Poison. Alolan Muk is ranked #1, and it’s really not hard to see why. I do NOT so much recommend the Shadow, however.
Drapion
PoisonDark
Speaking of DRAPION, it’s still quite good too, but in this meta especially, I recommend a fast move change to the newly buffed Infestation rather than the long-standard Poison Sting. While the latter still charges faster and can sneak in wins over Mandibuzz and Annihilape, Infestation just does a ton more with new wins that include Dark types Guzzlord, Hydreigon, Morpeko, Murkrow, Hisuian Samurott, Thievul, and Tyranitar, as well as the mirror match. Intrigued yet? Get in on that action before everybody else catches on!
Mandibuzz
Dark
MANDIBUZZ hasn’t really changed: it still wants to run with Air Slash and Aerial Ace in this meta for widespread neutral (or super effective versus Fighters, of course) damage. What has changed is this season’s cost reduction to Dark Pulse, which definitely makes it the preferred second charge move over other options.
Low Kick has gotten TWO big buffs this year, going from its former pitiful 2.0 Damage Per Turn/2.5 Energy Per Turn to its current 3.0 DPT/4.0 EPT, Shadow Claw clone self. I already mentioned it on Grimmsnarl, but there are several other Pokémon that directly benefit in this meta.
ANNIHILAPE definitely favors Low Kick now over the once-great Counter, helping offset this season’s cost increase to Rage Fist. It’s ranked inside the Top 10 (twice!).
I have only ever really talked about THROH in Fighting Cup with Zen Headbutt, which has relevance only in a meta like that one. But very quietly, it’s a nice beneficiary of the Low Kick buffs, despite not having much in the way of coverage (just Body Slam, if you even want it), thanks in large part to its very good bulk, with only Medicham being bulkier among Fighting types. That all said, I may actually favor Brick Break over Body Slam, alongside Focus Blast for a big blast to surprise with, as Brick Break actually picks up some additional wins in 2v2 shielding like Chesnaught, Hakamo-o, Kommo-o, Malamar, and Galarian Moltres.
Low Kick HAWLUCHA may be just a better Flamigo now (if you have one, of course!), with X-Scissor being my personal recommendation for coverage move to snipe things like Claydol (0shield) and Malamar (0shield and 1shield).
KINGAMBIT doens’t even have to run with Low Kick, as Metal Sound is a perfectly valid alternative. But it’s nice to have options! And Kingambit has a bunch between those fast moves and a suite of viable charge moves.
Like Greninja, CHESNAUGHT also got its Shadow variant just this year, and it’s another beneficiary of the Low Kick buffs, preferring it over Vine Whip now. And running it allows you to deal enough Fighting damage with fast moves that you no longer have to rely on self-nerfing Superpower and can just run Thunder Punch instead if you feel like it.
With buffs this season to both Low Kick and Blaze Kick, I think HITMONLEE is being completely overlooked. It shouldn’t be. The Shadow version is good too, and can stick with Close Combat or the less damaging (but also not self-debuffing) Brick Break.
I don’t think anyone is overlooking GALLADE anymore, but remember that whether you run with Low Kick or the rare-in-this-meta Charm, it also benefits now from the addition of Sacred Sword, which I think replaces Close Combat outright.
Claydol
GroundPsychic
Mud Slap may have been nerfed back in Season 26, but don’t worry: CLAYDOL is still a huge part of this meta, and recently buffed Earth Power seems like the best all-around closng move (alongside the almpst required Rock Tomb), though Ice Beam applies even more pressure to Flyers and, importantly, can take the mirror match.
Houndoom
DarkFire
I’ve already seen a couple folks trying out HOUNDOOM, which may as well be considered a new Pokémon with the addition of Incinerate and Trailblaze just a week ago. The end result is still fringe meta, at best, but it could be a great little wild card for unprepared teams.
Blaziken
FireFighting
Speaking of Fire and unprepared opponents, since this time last year, BLAZIKEN has been triple buffed with the addition of both Ember and Aura Sphere, and this season’s damage increase to Blaze Kick. It’s a risk with so many Claydol and Flyers out there that can pick on its typing. But this is a total blaze of glory option that can rip through a good chunk of the rest of the meta.
Thievul
Dark
I will reiterate as I did during its original Community Day analysis that, while I totally get the pacing is much better with Night Slash, THIEVUL is likely best not just with its Community Day move Icy Wind, but with Play Rough as well for closing power and coverage as well… particularly in this meta where Fairy damage has so much value. In particular, it’s the difference between beating Drapion, Hisuian Qwilfish, Malamar, Sableye, Galarian Moltres, and Medicham, or… well, not.
Tyranitar
RockDark
Not necessarily a strong endorsement, but I would be remiss to not point out that Dragon Breath TYRANITAR is a thing now. Do with that what you will.
And that’s it for now… the format has already arrived! Until next time, you can always find me on Twitter for regular GO analysis nuggets, or Patreon. And please, feel free to comment here with your own thoughts or questions and I’ll try to get back to you!
Thank you for taking the time to read. I sincerely hope this helps you master the latest version of Willpower Cup. Best of luck, and catch you next time, Pokéfriends!
