#56 S23 Fossil Cup: Great League Edition – Pokémon Introduction and Recommended Teams｜Pokémon GO

The Fossil Cup only allows Pokémon of three types to enter: Water, Rock, and Steel. However, Rock-types perform very poorly in this cup, so players can essentially treat it as a format with only two viable types. Let's go over the top-performing Pokémon from each of the remaining types.

Top Water-type Pokémon

Gastrodon ranks first in the Fossil Cup, likely due to its strong and consistent ability to pressure Steel-types. However, there are several Water-type Pokémon in the cup that can counter Gastrodon. Players who have experienced its strength across multiple leagues will surely come prepared with answers to it. Whether it can truly deliver results in practice remains to be seen.

Gastrodon
Mud Slap Body Slam Earth Power

Thanks to Poliwrath’s resistance to Water-type moves and its ability to deal effective damage to Steel-types, it has become a strong pick in the Fossil Cup. Additionally, with many Bug-type Pokémon seeing play in this cup, Poliwrath’s Bug resistance gives it even more favorable matchups. As a result, Poliwrath has replaced the previously common Lucario as the top Fighting-type choice! However, Poliwrath has a hard counter in Jellicent, which also appears frequently in the cup. When building your team, make sure to include a teammate that can handle Jellicent. The similarly typed Tauros (Paldean Form) also brings useful Grass-type coverage, making it a fun and viable option for those who have it.

Poliwrath	Tauros （Paldean Form, Aqua Breed)
Counter* Scald / Dynamic Punch Icy Wind	Double Kick Aqua Jet Trailblaze

Since there are virtually no Pokémon in the cup that resist Ghost-type moves, Jellicent can consistently perform well offensively. Additionally, its resistance to Fighting- and Bug-type attacks gives it a strong edge against opponents like Poliwrath. As a result, it has become one of the most popular and well-loved picks among players in the Fossil Cup!

Jellicent	Golisopod	Araquanid
Hex Surf Shadow Ball	Shadow Claw X-Scissor Aqua Jet	Bug Bite 泡沫光線 Bug Buzz

Golisopod and Araquanid are both strong picks against Water/Ground types, and they’re not overly threatened by Grass-types like Ferrothorn either, making them relatively versatile options in the cup. Among the two, Golisopod stands out for its access to Shadow Claw, giving it an answer to Jellicent and enhancing its overall coverage. However, its lower bulk means it requires sharper battle awareness and precision to play effectively. In contrast, Araquanid boasts excellent bulk, providing more margin for error and stability during matches.

Top Steel-type Pokémon

Ferrothorn is one of the few Steel-type Pokémon that can effectively and consistently pressure Water-types. Thanks to its advantageous typing, Ferrothorn is without a doubt the most commonly used Steel-type Pokémon in the Fossil Cup.

Ferrothorn
Bullet Seed Power Whip Thunder

Scizor and Forretress are considered neutral and reliable picks. In addition to their wide coverage, their Bug typing conveniently helps patch up Steel-type weaknesses to Ground and Fighting. These two Pokémon rarely find themselves at a type disadvantage in battle, but their typing doesn’t offer many major advantages either—how well they perform largely depends on the player's in-game decision-making and understanding of matchups. Note that while Scizor is usually recommended to run Bullet Punch as its fast move, most Pokémon in this cup resist Steel-type attacks, so it's better to use Fury Cutter instead. As for Forretress, both of its fast move options are viable and can be chosen based on team strategy.

Forretress	Scizor (Shadow preferred)
Bug Bite / Volt Switch Rock Tomb Earthquake	Fury Cutter Night Slash Trailblaze

The once-dominant Fossil Cup powerhouse, Lucario, doesn't seem as intimidating this time around… Since switching its fast move to Force Palm, Lucario still boasts solid damage output per hit, but its slower move pacing often causes it to fall behind opponents in charge timing. This makes it harder for its glassy frame to capitalize on its offensive power and quick strikes. As a result, the once-popular Power-Up Punch strategy may struggle to perform well in the current meta. I recommends trying out charge moves like Close Combat or Thunder Punch instead for better results.

Lucario
Force Palm* Thunder Punch / Close Combat / Shadow Ball

Ground and Steel typing sounds like a recipe for disaster, right? Not necessarily! Alolan Dugtrio actually has a higher Attack stat than Lucario, and with proper shield support, its fast move Mud-Slap can dish out enough raw damage to even take down Water-types in certain situations. I played Alolan Dugtrio on day one of the cup and found it surprisingly effective. That said... if you mismanage your shields and leave it exposed, Dugtrio turns into three helpless potatoes—completely at the mercy of your opponent.

Dugtrio (Alolan, Shadow preferred)	Steelix
Mud Slap Mud Bomb Iron head	Thunder Fang Psychic Fangs Breaking Swipe

If Alolan Dugtrio is all-in on offense, then Steelix is the complete opposite—fully invested in bulk. With its impressive durability and the added utility of Psychic Fangs lowering the opponent’s Defense, Steelix can still go toe-to-toe with Water-types using its fast move Thunder Fang and come out with solid results. Players should not underestimate Steelix’s strength in the Fossil Cup.

No mainstream Rock-types are present

Rock-types are weak to both Water and Steel, making them a poor fit defensively in the Fossil Cup. Unless you're aiming to counter specific Pokémon or have a unique strategy in mind, it's generally best to avoid bringing Rock-types into battle…

Cradily	Barbaracle
Acid Rock Tomb Grass Knot	Fury Cutter / Mud Slap Cross Chop Grass Knot

If you truly feel uneasy going without a Rock-type on your team, I recommends using Barbaracle. With access to Cross Chop and Grass Knot, it can hit both Water- and Steel-type opponents effectively, giving it a decent chance to shine in the Fossil Cup!