What is the Catch Cup in Pokemon GO?

Pokemon GO's PvP leagues are always evolving, and the same can be said of the new Catch Cup currently running until April 5, 2022.

The Catch Cup is somewhat unique even among the most restrictive Pokemon GO PvP modes. This has led to a fair share of criticism, but other trainers have heralded it as a breath of fresh air for trainers who are tired of more traditional battle formats.

Catch Cup's rules, even by limited-time cup standards, are considerably restrictive. For trainers to succeed, they'll need to think through their battle parties from start to end in order to create a winner.

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Pokemon GO: A closer look at Catch Cup's rules and restrictions

Players in the Catch Cup will need to rely on recently-caught Pokemon (Image via Niantic)

Trainers diving into Pokemon GO's Catch Cup will be familiar with the CP cap, but otherwise may be a bit confused as to which Pokemon qualifies for entry into a battle team. When taking a closer look, it's not quite as complicated as it might seem.

Plainly, trainers will only be able to use Pokemon that they have caught during the current Battle League season. Among these, Mythic Pokemon cannot be used, meaning players will need to stick to Standard or Legendary Pokemon.

Aside from these rules, Catch Cup operates very similar to the Great League in Pokemon GO. The most major omissions from the cup are the Mythics during this season, including Zarude, Hoopa, Darkrai, Deoxys, Genesect, Meloetta, and Victini.

This is unfortunate to some, as Pokemon like Darkrai, Genesect, and Deoxys have very defined roles in PvP combat. Regardless, there are more than enough Pokemon remaining that have been caught during the current PvP season to make up for the lack of Mythics.

Aside from the above restrictions, all players need to worry about is the CP cap of 1,500. If any Pokemon exceed this hard cap, they'll be unavailable for the Catch Cup even if they meet other requirements. However, players familiar with Pokemon GO's Great League should be very familiar with the concept.

Since the Catch Cup itself continues for a few more days, that means there's still ample time to formulate a winning battle team and set out to rise in the ranks. The better the final rank, the better the rewards, and that's to say nothing of the items, Stardust, and experience points players can earn after battles.

Limited-time cups pride themselves on throwing Pokemon GO trainers through a few loops and forcing them to rethink their strategies, and the Catch Cup is another entry in a long line of these contests. If you've got the time and the Pokemon, it might not hurt to dive in and see just how well your own team stacks up.