The Ember Cup


January 1st - January 31st, 2023
Wave 1 Details »

Announcing January's Global Cup: The Ember Cup!

Get ready for a new challenge beginning on January 1st! With it comes a new chance to prove your skill and increase your global and local player ranking! The Ember Cup 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 Ember 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 Pokémon GOTM tournament play.

During the Cup (January 1st - January 31st), 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

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!

Ember Cup Rules

The Ember 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.
  • Ignite your team team: Alolan Muk, Hisuian Qwilfish, Honchkrow, Machamp, Malamar, Poliwrath, Primeape, and Sirfetch’d, and Pokémon with Fire, Electric, Grass and Ground typings (including dual types) are allowed with a few exceptions
    • Dragon-Types, Steel-Types, Rock-Types, Water/Ground Dual Types, Abomasnow, Diggersby, Dugtrio, Lanturn, Nidoqueen, Ninetales, Pachirisu, Salazzle, Stunfisk, and Whimsicott, and Shadow Pokémon are not eligible to use in the Ember Cup.
    • Mega Pokémon are not eligible to use in the Ember Cup.
  • Eligible List: What follows is the official list of exactly which species are permitted for use in the Ember Cup:

    Gen 1

    #1
    #2
    #3
    #4
    #5
    #6
    #25
    #26
    #27
    #28
    #34
    #37
    #43
    #44
    #45
    #46
    #47
    #50
    #57
    #58
    #59
    #62
    #68
    #69
    #70
    #71
    #77
    #78
    #100
    #101
    #102
    #103
    #104
    #105
    #114
    #125
    #126
    #135
    #136
    #145
    #146

    Gen 2

    #152
    #153
    #154
    #155
    #156
    #157
    #170
    #172
    #179
    #180
    #181
    #182
    #187
    #188
    #189
    #191
    #192
    #207
    #218
    #220
    #221
    #228
    #229
    #231
    #232
    #239
    #240
    #243
    #244
    #250
    #251

    Gen 3

    #252
    #253
    #254
    #255
    #256
    #257
    #270
    #271
    #272
    #273
    #274
    #275
    #285
    #286
    #290
    #309
    #310
    #311
    #312
    #315
    #322
    #323
    #324
    #328
    #331
    #332
    #343
    #344
    #351
    #357
    #382
    #383

    Gen 4

    #387
    #388
    #389
    #390
    #391
    #392
    #403
    #404
    #405
    #406
    #407
    #413
    #413
    #420
    #421
    #421
    #430
    #449
    #450
    #455
    #459
    #465
    #466
    #467
    #470
    #472
    #473
    #479
    #479
    #492
    #492

    Gen 5

    #494
    #495
    #496
    #497
    #498
    #499
    #500
    #511
    #512
    #513
    #514
    #522
    #523
    #529
    #540
    #541
    #542
    #546
    #548
    #549
    #551
    #552
    #553
    #554
    #555
    #556
    #585
    #585
    #585
    #585
    #586
    #586
    #586
    #586
    #587
    #590
    #591
    #595
    #596
    #602
    #603
    #604
    #607
    #608
    #609
    #622
    #623
    #631
    #636
    #637
    #640
    #642
    #642
    #645
    #645

    Gen 6

    #650
    #651
    #652
    #653
    #654
    #655
    #662
    #663
    #667
    #668
    #687
    #694
    #695
    #702
    #708
    #709
    #710
    #710
    #710
    #710
    #711
    #711
    #711
    #711

    Gen 7

    #26
    #89
    #105
    #722
    #723
    #724
    #725
    #726
    #727
    #737
    #738
    #741
    #741
    #753
    #754
    #755
    #756
    #757
    #761
    #762
    #763
    #785
    #787
    #796

    Gen 8

    #100
    #101
    #211
    #562
    #865
    #867
    #893
    #901

    And in text form:

    • Amoonguss, Ampharos, Arcanine, Baltoy, Bayleef, Bellossom, Bellsprout, Blaziken, Blitzle, Bounsweet, Braixen, Breloom, Budew, Bulbasaur, Cacnea, Cacturne, Camerupt, Carnivine, Celebi, Chandelure, Charizard, Charjabug, Charmander, Charmeleon, Cherrim (Overcast Form), Cherrim (Sunshine Form), Cherubi, Chesnaught, Chespin, Chikorita, Chimchar, Chinchou, Claydol, Combusken, Cottonee, Cubone, Cyndaquil, Darmanitan, Dartrix, Darumaka, Decidueye, Dedenne, Deerling (Autumn Form), Deerling (Spring Form), Deerling (Summer Form), Deerling (Winter Form), Delphox, Diglett, Donphan, Drilbur, Eelektrik, Eelektross, Electabuzz, Electivire, Electrike, Electrode, Elekid, Emboar, Emolga, Entei, Exeggcute, Exeggutor, Fennekin, Flaaffy, Flareon, Fletchinder, Fomantis, Foongus, Galarian Yamask, Galvantula, Gligar, Gliscor, Gloom, Golett, Golurk, Gourgeist (Average Size), Gourgeist (Large Size), Gourgeist (Small Size), Gourgeist (Super Size), Grotle, Groudon, Grovyle, Growlithe, Heatmor, Heliolisk, Helioptile, Hippopotas, Hippowdon, Hisuian Electrode, Hisuian Qwilfish, Hisuian Voltorb, Ho-Oh, Honchkrow, Hoppip, Houndoom, Houndour, Incineroar, Infernape, Ivysaur, Jolteon, Joltik, Jumpluff, Krokorok, Krookodile, Lampent, Landorus (Incarnate Forme), Landorus (Therian Forme), Larvesta, Leafeon, Leavanny, Lilligant, Litleo, Litten, Litwick, Lombre, Lotad, Ludicolo, Lurantis, Luxio, Luxray, Machamp, Magby, Magmar, Magmortar, Malamar, Mamoswine, Manectric, Maractus, Mareep, Marowak, Marowak (Alolan), Meganium, Minun, Moltres, Monferno, Morelull, Mow Rotom, Muk (Alolan), Nidoking, Nincada, Numel, Nuzleaf, Oddish, Oricorio (Baile Style), Oricorio (Pom-Pom Style), Pansage, Pansear, Paras, Parasect, Petilil, Phanpy, Phantump, Pichu, Pignite, Pikachu, Piloswine, Plusle, Poliwrath, Ponyta, Primal Groudon, Primeape, Pumpkaboo (Average Size), Pumpkaboo (Large Size), Pumpkaboo (Small Size), Pumpkaboo (Super Size), Pyroar, Quilava, Quilladin, Raichu, Raichu (Alolan), Raikou, Rapidash, Roselia, Roserade, Rowlet, Runerigus, Salandit, Sandile, Sandshrew, Sandslash, Sawsbuck (Autumn Form), Sawsbuck (Spring Form), Sawsbuck (Summer Form), Sawsbuck (Winter Form), Sceptile, Seedot, Serperior, Servine, Sewaddle, Shaymin (Land Forme), Shaymin (Sky Forme), Shiftry, Shiinotic, Shinx, Shroomish, Simisage, Simisear, Sirfetchd, Skiploom, Slugma, Snivy, Snover, Steenee, Sunflora, Sunkern, Sunny Castform, Swadloon, Swinub, Talonflame, Tangela, Tangrowth, Tapu Bulu, Tapu Koko, Tepig, Thundurus (Incarnate Forme), Thundurus (Therian Forme), Torchic, Torkoal, Torracat, Torterra, Trapinch, Treecko, Trevenant, Tropius, Tsareena, Turtwig, Tynamo, Typhlosion, Ursaluna, Venusaur, Victini, Victreebel, Vikavolt, Vileplume, Virizion, Volcarona, Voltorb, Vulpix, Wash Rotom, Weepinbell, Wormadam (Plant Cloak), Wormadam (Sandy Cloak), Xurkitree, Zapdos, Zarude, Zebstrika
    • 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 January Cup will become available to local community leaders on December 21st, 2022 - but Ember Cups must be scheduled for dates between January 1st and January 31st, 2023. Find a Cup tournament near you via the Tournament Map

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Community Leader Questions:

    How Do I Host a Ember 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.

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

    Any date between January 1st and January 31st, 2023 is a valid date to hold your community's Ember 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 Ember Cup 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 Ember Cup Tournament in My Community?

    Find a local Cup being hosted by a community near you 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 Ember 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 2023 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:

EMBER CUP + VANGUARD FIELD META SIMPLIFIED!!!!

By: STEEEEEEEEEEVE7

Steve breaks down the two Faction Battlefields for Season 2 Cycle 3, with the Ember Battlefield being used for the first Cup of the 2023 Season. Get a first look now!

Ember Simplified Meta

By: mysticsharry

A simple battle team analysis by Mysticharry.

Meta Campo Abrasivo

By: BarbatosRV

Learn the Ember Cup meta quickly with this simplified graphic form BarbatosRV!

EU/NA Emerald/Diamond Factions Ember

By: greenbeev

See the Ember Cup Pokémon usage in Factions after the first Bout of Season 2 Cycle 3.

Ember Cup - Busted / Ready to Rumble / Spicy Nuggets by Pallet Town PVP

By: FishOnAHeater

Be prepared for these strong and spicy picks in the Ember Cup!

Runerigus can beat about EVERYTHING in this meta!

By: Inadequance

Inadequance walks you through the Ember Battlefield in Factions and how Runerigus performs.

Ember Cup with FishOnAHeater - Meta Guide

By: ruumiguel

Lucky Ruu talks Ember Cup picks with guest FishOnAHeater.

Live Cup Data

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

Most Commonly Faced Species

©2023 The Silph Road | All Rights Reserved | @SilphGG | /r/TheSilphArena
Pokémon And All Respective Names are Trademark & © of Nintendo 1996-2023
Pokémon GO is Trademark & © of Niantic, Inc.
The Silph League Arena, Silph.gg, and The Silph Road are not affiliated with Niantic Inc., The Pokemon Company, or Nintendo.
For inquiries, contact Team@TheSilphRoad.com