The Element Cup tier list in Pokémon Go – May 2022

What are your best choices for the Element Cup?
Image via Niantic

The Element Cup has arrived in Pokémon Go. In it, you’ll have the chance to use multiple Pokémon from a limited pool of choices to use on a team and fight against other players. The Pokémon you want to use will need to be a Fire, Grass, or Water-type Pokémon, and they cannot exceed 500 CP. To help choose which Pokémon to use, we’ve created a tier list to list them all out. This guide lists out the Element Cup tier list in Pokémon Go.

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The Element Cup tier list

You will need to choose three Pokémon to use in your team. These choices categorize into three unique roles: a Lead, a Switch, and Closer.

Lead tier list

The Lead Pokémon in your team will be the first Pokémon you use in your roster. You will want this Pokémon to have a decent defense, but it can also dish out plenty of damage against an opponent. Therefore, you usually want to dedicate one shield to it.

TierPokémon
SBulbasaur, Chikortia, Chinchou, Cottonee, Ducklett, Exeggcute, and Salandit
ABinacle, Budew, Litwick, Lotad, Pumkaboo, Skrelp, Slowpoke (Shadow), and Vulpix (Shadow)
BBarboach, Binacle, Cyndaquil, Foongus, Oddish (shadow), Shroomish, Turtwig (shadow), and Wailmer
CChespin, Clauncher, Darumaka, Hoppip, Lileep, Litleo, Poliwag (shadow), and Rowlet
D Houndour (shadow), Seedot, Sewaddle, Shroomish, Skrelp, Snivy, Torchich, and Tympole

Switch tier list

The Switch Pokémon in your team will be the Pokémon you swap out for your Lead Pokémon. It typically fits in as a counter to anything super effective to your Lead Pokémon and is a support choice that can deal plenty of damage. We recommend dedicating one or two shields of your shields to this choice.

TierPokémon
SChikorita, Ducklett, Exeggcute, Salandit, Seel, Slowpoke, Tentacool, and Vulpix
ABudew, Cottonee, Lileep, Lotad, Skrelp, Slugma, Spheal, and Wooper (Shadow)
BBulbasaur, Chinchou, Pansage, Poliwag, Seddot, Sunkern, Surskirt, Tepig
CBinacle, Deerling, Growlithe (shadow), Frillish, Litwick, Pumpkaboo, Shellder (shadow), Skrelp,
DChimchar, Clamperl, Cyndaquil, Darumaka, Fennekin, Finneon, Mantyke, Oshawott

Closer tier list

The Closer Pokémon in your team will be the final Pokémon you use against your opponent. You want to make sure this one has the highest defenses of the group and can stand by itself as a single threat, which also means it has plenty of attack power. You want to dedicate no shields to it.

TierPokémon
SBulbasaur, Chinchou, Ducklett, Fomantic, Salandit, Seel, Tirtouga, and Vulpix
ABellsprout, Binacle, Cacnea, Carvanha, Magby, Paras, Snover, Tangela (shadow),
BChespin, Chikorita, Fennekin, Foongus, Lileep, Omanyte (shadow), Slowpoke (shadow), Wooper
CDarumaka, Hoppip (shadow), Litleo, Pansear, Seedot, Shroomish, Snivy, Tirtouga
DBarboahc, Kabuto, Mantyke, Ponyta, Psyduck (shadow), Remoraid, Skrelp, Tentacool

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Zack Palm
Zack Palm is the Senior Writer of Gamepur and has spent over five years covering video games, and earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Oregon State University. He spends his free time biking, running tabletop campaigns, and listening to heavy metal. His primary game beats are Pokémon Go, Destiny 2, Final Fantasy XIV, and any newly released title, and he finds it difficult to pull away from any Star Wars game.