The Sorcerous Cup


June 1st - June 30th, 2020

Announcing June's Global Cup: The Sorcerous Cup!

Get ready for a new challenge beginning on June 1st! With it comes a new chance to prove your skill and increase your global and local player ranking! The Sorcerous Cup - inspired by the mystical beasts you’ll conjure for battle - follows the same basic rules as all Silph Arena global cups, but this month it comes with a special twist! Here's what you need to know:

What Is The Sorcerous Cup?

Each month the Silph Arena holds a month-long Cup - a 'themed' PvP tournament - that provides tens of thousands of trainers around the world a specially-designed competitive challenge and a chance to prove they're the very best. The Silph Arena is the world's largest global network for ranked Pokemon GOTM tournament play.

During the Cup (June 1st - June 30th), local Silph League communities host and record a special tournament using the free Silph.gg tools. Wins and losses in this local tournament affect your player rank on local and global leaderboards, and can help you progress towards higher player tiers!

All players are welcome to compete, whether it’s your first tournament or your hundredth! Find a local tournament near you on the Tournament Map!

Reminder: only remote events are permitted through June!

Sorcerous Cup Rules

The Sorcerous Cup has a few special rules (designed to provide added challenge and fun) that differ from standard PvP combat in Pokemon GO:

  • Team of 6: Competitors will bring a team of 6 Pokemon (and register them before the tournament begins). All battle parties used must be comprised of these 6 Pokemon.
  • Great League: Matches are played in Great League: only Pokemon up to 1500 CP are permitted in the Cup.
  • Sorcerous Types: Only Pokémon with Ice, Poison, Fairy, Psychic, and Normal types (including dual types) are allowed, with a few exceptions:
    • Only Pokémon with a second charge move that costs 50k stardust or less are allowed. (If a species' evolutions or pre-evolution stages differ in move costs, only the evolution stages whose charge moves are 50k stardust or less are permitted.
    • Dewgong, Alolan Raichu, Galarian Linoone, Obstagoong and Shadow Pokémon are not permitted in the Sorcerous Cup to feature a wider variety of species and, for Shadow Pokémon, due to availability constraints.
  • Eligible List: What follows is the official list of exactly which species are permitted for use in the Sorcerous Cup:

    Gen 1

    #1
    #2
    #3
    #13
    #14
    #15
    #16
    #17
    #18
    #19
    #20
    #21
    #22
    #23
    #24
    #29
    #30
    #31
    #32
    #33
    #34
    #35
    #36
    #39
    #40
    #41
    #42
    #43
    #44
    #45
    #48
    #49
    #52
    #53
    #63
    #64
    #65
    #69
    #70
    #71
    #72
    #73
    #79
    #80
    #83
    #84
    #85
    #88
    #89
    #91
    #92
    #93
    #94
    #96
    #97
    #102
    #103
    #108
    #109
    #110
    #115
    #121
    #128
    #132
    #137
    #143

    Gen 2

    #161
    #162
    #163
    #164
    #167
    #168
    #169
    #173
    #174
    #175
    #176
    #177
    #178
    #183
    #184
    #190
    #199
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #201
    #202
    #203
    #206
    #209
    #210
    #211
    #215
    #216
    #217
    #220
    #221
    #233
    #234
    #235
    #238

    Gen 3

    #201
    #201
    #263
    #264
    #269
    #276
    #277
    #293
    #294
    #295
    #298
    #300
    #301
    #307
    #308
    #315
    #316
    #317
    #325
    #326
    #327
    #333
    #335
    #336
    #337
    #338
    #343
    #344
    #360
    #361
    #362
    #363
    #364
    #365
    #374
    #376

    Gen 4

    #396
    #397
    #398
    #399
    #400
    #406
    #407
    #424
    #427
    #428
    #431
    #432
    #433
    #434
    #435
    #436
    #437
    #439
    #440
    #446
    #453
    #454
    #459
    #460
    #461
    #463
    #468
    #473
    #474
    #475
    #478

    Gen 5

    #504
    #505
    #506
    #507
    #508
    #519
    #520
    #521
    #527
    #528
    #531
    #543
    #544
    #545
    #568
    #569
    #572
    #573
    #574
    #575
    #576
    #577
    #578
    #579
    #590
    #591
    #613
    #614

    Gen 7

    #19
    #20
    #27
    #28
    #37
    #38
    #88
    #89

    Gen 8

    #110
    #263
    #264
    #554
    #555

    And in text form:

    • Abomasnow, Abra, Aipom, Alakazam, Alolan Vulpix, Ambipom, Amoonguss, Arbok, Ariados, Audino, Azumarill, Azurill, Baltoy, Beartic, Beedrill, Beldum, Bellsprout, Bibarel, Bidoof, Bronzong, Bronzor, Budew, Bulbasaur, Buneary, Chingling, Cinccino, Claydol, Clefable, Clefairy, Cleffa, Cloyster, Croagunk, Crobat, Cubchoo, Delcatty, Ditto, Dodrio, Doduo, Drowzee, Dunsparce, Duosion, Dustox, Ekans, Exeggcute, Exeggutor, Exploud, Farfetch’d, Fearow, Foongus, Froslass, Furret, Galarian Darmanitan, Galarian Darumaka, Galarian Linoone, Galarian Zigzagoon, Gallade, Garbodor, Gastly, Gengar, Girafarig, Glalie, Glameow, Gloom, Golbat, Gothita, Gothitelle, Gothorita, Granbull, Grimer, Grimer (Alolan), Grumpig, Gulpin, Happiny, Haunter, Herdier, Hoothoot, Hypno, Igglybuff, Ivysaur, Jigglypuff, Kadabra, Kakuna, Kangaskhan, Koffing, Lickilicky, Lickitung, Lillipup, Linoone, Lopunny, Loudred, Lunatone, Mamoswine, Marill, Medicham, Meditite, Meowth, Metagross, Mime Jr., Minccino, Muk, Muk (Alolan), Munchlax, Natu, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Nidoran♀, Nidoran♂, Nidorina, Nidorino, Ninetales (Alolan), Noctowl, Oddish, Patrat, Persian, Pidgeot, Pidgeotto, Pidgey, Pidove, Piloswine, Porygon, Porygon-Z, Porygon2, Purugly, Qwilfish, Raticate, Raticate (Alolan), Rattata, Rattata (Alolan), Reuniclus, Roselia, Roserade, Sandshrew (Alolan), Sandslash (Alolan), Scolipede, Sealeo, Sentret, Seviper, Skitty, Skuntank, Slowbro, Slowking, Slowpoke, Smeargle, Smoochum, Sneasel, Snorlax, Snorunt, Snover, Snubbull, Solosis, Solrock, Spearow, Spheal, Spinarak, Spinda, Spoink, Stantler, Staraptor, Staravia, Starly, Starmie, Stoutland, Stunky, Swablu, Swalot, Swellow, Swinub, Swoobat, Taillow, Tauros, Teddiursa, Tentacool, Tentacruel, Togekiss, Togepi, Togetic, Toxicroak, Tranquill, Trubbish, Unfezant, Unown !, Unown ?, Unown A, Unown B, Unown C, Unown D, Unown E, Unown F, Unown G, Unown H, Unown I, Unown J, Unown K, Unown L, Unown M, Unown N, Unown O, Unown P, Unown Q, Unown R, Unown S, Unown T, Unown U, Unown V, Unown W, Unown X, Unown Y, Unown Z, Ursaring, Venipede, Venomoth, Venonat, Venusaur, Victreebel, Vileplume, Walrein, Watchog, Weavile, Weedle, Weepinbell, Weezing, Weezing (Galarian), Whirlipede, Whismur, Wigglytuff, Wobbuffet, Woobat, Wynaut, Xatu, Zangoose, Zigzagoon, Zubat
  • No Duplicates: Only one of each Pokemon species is permitted on your team of 6. (No species duplicates!)
  • Arena Rules will be followed in all other particulars.

Take a moment to review the Arena Rules linked above. The rules have been updated for the new Competitive PvP Season, make sure you’re familiar with all of the changes!

How to Compete

Registration for the June Cup will become available to local community leaders on May 22nd, 2020 - but Sorcerous Cups must be scheduled for dates between June 1st and June 30th, 2020. Find a Cup tournament hosted by local groups (remotely!) near you via the Tournament Map and RSVP today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Community Leader Questions:

How Do I Host a Sorcerous Cup Tournament in My Community?

Simply log in to Silph.gg with an authorized Community Leader account and create a Cup tournament on your community management page. You will be given an RSVP url to share with your community and, on the day of the tournament, a join code to confirm your tournament's registrants. For a guide to setting up your tournament on Silph.gg, click here.

How Do I Become Authorized to Host Tournaments on Silph.gg?

All Silph League Discord community admins simply need to add themselves as 'Tournament Admins' via the Discord @SilphRoad bot:

  • On Discord, use the @SilphRoad add-tournament-admin @username#0000 command in your #silph-league channel. (You may need to log out of Silph.gg and back in again!)

Telegram channel and group admins are automatically authorized on Silph.gg.

Can I host multiple Sorcerous Cups in my community in June?

Yes. However, only one Sorcerous Cup will have significant impact in the participant’s Global Ranking. Participants can choose at the start of the Cup if they want that specific Cup to be weighted more heavily than the others.

Does the Sorcerous Cup have to be hosted on a specific date?

Any date between June 1st and June 30th, 2020 is a valid date to hold your community's Sorcerous Cup. The tournament registration page will not allow registering your Cup for an invalid date or time - so as long as you are able to create your tournament on Silph.gg, you will know it is set for a valid date.

I am a community leader of a Facebook Group (or other platform like Slack, Line, etc). How do I host the Sorcerous Cup for my community?

The Arena team is working quickly to enable non-Discord/Telegram communities to host the Cup. Stay tuned for news on this front!

Participant Questions:

How Do I Join a Sorcerous Cup Tournament in My Community?

Find a local Cup being hosted (remotely!) by a nearby group and RSVP via the Tournament Map and read the event details on the event's RSVP page!

How Important Are Monthly Cups for My Player Rank?

Very. The vast majority of player rank in the Arena is derived from performance in the global, standardized Cups. (This is because Cups allow the Arena to observe the same controlled competitive scenarios for each player!)

Why is the Sorcerous Cup played in Great League?

Great League (max 1500cp) provides a diverse, new playing field with many options for creative, competitive teams. It also allows more casual players to join tournaments at meetups without being completely unable to compete with level 40 trainers who often sport the same level 40 Legendary Pokemon. Great League also marks immediately irrelevant much of the amassed arsenal of those who manipulate their GPS location ('spoof') to circumvent in-game mechanic limiters and acquire unnatural advantages.

Where can I learn more about global player ranking?

You can learn more about Global Player Rankings by reading our Guide to Player Rank.

About the 2019-2020 Competitive Season »

Resources & Guides

Time to study up! Conquering this meta requires preparation and practice. Review this collection of guides and resources from Arena contributors and community content creators to help you on your way to victory:

Nifty Or Thrifty: Sorcerous Cup

By: JRE_Seawolf

It's time to start building your Sorcerous Cup team, so bargain hunters rejoice! Nifty or Thrifty is here with your monthly picks to really stretch that stardust.

Copy and paste this string into the Pokemon GO search filter to see all of your eligible Pokemon! Learn how to copy and paste into Pokemon GO with this guide for iOS and Android.

Sorcerous Cup - The Meta Simplified

By: lorma96

Infographic from Gamepress helping to demystify the Sorcerous Cup Meta!

Meta Simplified

By: STEEEEEEEEEEVE7

PVP Steve's Sorcerous Meta Breakdown

Sorcerous Cup Top Poison Types

By: battleheropvp

HeroVange gets deep into the poisons of the Sorcerous Cup

Best Pokemon to Use in the Sorcerous Cup

By: AliLuckey

Ali Luckey suggests the best Pokemon to use on your team for this month's cup!

Sorcerous Cup Team Builder

By: Ganeto24

Sorcerous Cup team building guide from Ganeto

How to Build a Sorcerous Cup Team

By: RcCola95

Team Rocket Academy goes deep into the top picks for this month's meta.

Live Cup Data

As you plan your battle team, consider the species which appear most frequently in this meta:

Most Commonly Faced Species

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