Top Teams for Pokemon GO Holiday Cup Little Edition

If you're a Pokémon GO trainer looking to stay ahead of the curve, the Fantasy League has just wrapped up—and now it's time for the next challenge in the GO Battle League. The Holiday Cup: Little Edition is here, bringing fresh rules and exciting strategic opportunities for players to rethink their team compositions.

Holiday Cup: Little Edition Rules – Dual Destiny Season

The Holiday Cup: Little Edition runs from December 17, 2024, through December 24, 2024.

As part of the "Little Edition" format, all eligible Pokémon are capped at a maximum CP of 500, adding an extra layer of challenge for trainers used to higher-powered teams. Additionally, only Pokémon of the following types will be allowed:

• Electric
• Flying
• Ghost
• Grass
• Ice
• Normal

This combination of type restrictions and the low CP ceiling means many players will need to step outside their usual strategies and build entirely new teams tailored for this unique meta.

Building a Competitive Team for the Holiday Cup

With six typing options available, this cup isn't as restrictive as the Fantasy Cup—but it still requires careful planning. The biggest hurdle will be assembling a strong team with Pokémon that have a CP under 500.

To get started, sort your Pokémon by CP to identify which ones qualify for the cup. From there, focus on selecting Pokémon with strong PvP viability within the allowed types: Electric, Flying, Ghost, Grass, Ice, and Normal.

One Pokémon making waves this season is Smeargle, which appears to be legal in this format after being banned in previous events. Smeargle’s ability to learn powerful moves like Incinerate and Flying Press makes it a potential game-changer, so crafting a strategy to counter or utilize it effectively could give you the edge you need.

Top Team Suggestions for the Holiday Cup

Here are some recommended team combinations based on current trends and battle dynamics:

Balanced Counter Strategy

Pokémon	Type
Pikachu Libre	Electric/Fighting
Ducklett	Flying/Water
Alolan Marowak	Fire/Ghost

This lineup covers multiple type advantages and includes counters to Smeargle. Pikachu Libre’s Fighting-type moves can quickly take down Normal-type opponents, while Ducklett and Alolan Marowak offer versatility against Grass and Fighting subtypes. If you don’t have a low CP Alolan Marowak, consider using Skeledirge as a substitute due to its similar typing.

Go With the Meta

Pokémon	Type
Smeargle	Normal
Amaura	Rock/Ice
Ducklett	Flying/Water

Embrace the power of Smeargle and use it to dominate the battlefield. Ducklett helps counter trainers using Fighting-types against your Smeargle, while Amaura provides solid Rock-type coverage against Ice and Flying opponents.

Underdog Lineup

Gligar	Flying/Ground
Cottonee	Fairy/Grass
Litwick	Fire/Ghost

This team leans into less commonly used Pokémon but offers strong type synergy. Litwick’s Ghost/Fire typing gives you an edge against other Ghosts and Ice/Grass types. Cottonee brings solid Fairy and Grass-type moves, while Gligar counters Electric-types and resists Fire attacks.

Ultimately, success in the Holiday Cup: Little Edition depends on the Pokémon you have access to and how well you understand type matchups and move sets. These team suggestions are meant to guide your choices—your own playstyle and available roster will determine your final lineup.

Good luck out there, trainers!

Pokémon GO is available to play now.