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Pokémon Champions - releasing April 8, 2026

Do we know anything about Regulation M-C yet? Wondering if it will be a massive lineup change or just adding/removing a few new Pokemon.
 
pkmfan said:
Do we know anything about Regulation M-C yet? Wondering if it will be a massive lineup change or just adding/removing a few new Pokemon.
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If you want my reads on what will be in M-C from high-probability to low-probability, they're here:
Lectrys said:
Taking this new interview into account, may as well present my current predictions for the next regulation, from most likely to least likely (and most heat) - I wonder how many will be refuted by the post-Worlds announcements - I honestly have no clue what to predict for Choice Band and Choice Specs due to the article explicitly saying they are not new-user-friendly, yet the next regulation being implied to not be so friendly to new users:

Near-Lock:
  • It's Regulation M-C, Not MT-A
    • The article actually doesn't mention "M-C" as the name of the next regulation, but it strongly implies Terastallization won't be in yet and that the extra week tacked onto M-B isn't devoted to implementing Tera.
Highly Likely:
  • All Remaining Non-Legendary Mega Evolutions are In
    • This is quite strongly implied by the article saying that the next regulation will still focus on Mega Evolution and that there plain aren't that many non-legendary Megas left to go. Mega Garchomp Z will have to be the one policing Mega Salamence, although Mega Lucario Z can deal a lot of damage to it.
  • No Legendaries Will Be In
    • The article claims the staff are taking bets on which legendary will be the first to get into Champions - this pointedly implies that none will get into M-C.
Medium Likely:
  • Mega Garchomp Z Will Get Levitate
    • I mean, it already levitates in Legends Z-A, why won't it levitate in Champions?
  • Mega Baxcalibur Will Get Thermal Exchange
    • It's the Baxcalibur line's signature ability. Why ditch it?
  • Mega Golisopod Will Get An Improved Semi-Clone of Emergency Exit
    • Game Freak already showed with Mega Eelektross that they are loath to mess around with the ability of a Mega whose base form has no hidden ability (technically, all 3 ability slots are the same). Mega Eelektross has Eelevate, a custom buffed version of its base form's staple Levitate. As much as I and a bunch of the fans wish Mega Golisopod gains an ability that makes sure it can't switch out instead, I don't think Game Freak has that kind of sense of humour. My current strongest bet is that Mega Golisopod's semi-clone of Emergency Exit switches it out at 25% of max. HP instead, although I can also see the semi-clone only having Mega Golisopod switch out at end of turn.
  • Dondozo Will Be In, Therefore TatsuDozo Will Be a Thing
    • Even official Pokemon art likes putting Tatsugiri in Dondozo's mouth, so Dondozo seems like a near-lock if Tatsugiri is in. And that extra week they tacked onto Regulation M-B has to be for a reason - I say it's to test out Commander more. And Commander-buffed Dondozo is a demon. Bulky enough to tank a super-effective STAB special attack once, strong enough to OHKO many mons with neutral attacks...strong enough that Smogon's Doubles OU banned TatsuDozo by banning Commander. VGC players of the past have tried managing the demon fish by Encoring it into Protect, sleeping it, burning it, Hazing it, Intimidate spamming it, and plain trying to attack through it and mixing it up with timely Protects. Oh yeah, that worked well enough to expose Tatsugiri a ton on official tournament footage. But do consider that Dondozo can use Water Veil to dodge Burn, Oblivious to dodge Intimidate spam, and Curly Order Up to mitigate Intimidate spam, and it used to be able to dodge Spore with Tera Grass. I'm personally devoting my 4th moveslot on Sinistcha specifically to deal with TatsuDozo, and I'm thinking Curse and praying Dondozo doesn't have Crunch or Avalanche. TatsuDozo is definitely not new-user-friendly to deal with, and it will be the start of Champions regulations not being so friendly to new users anymore.
Less Likely But More Heat:
  • All Mega Tatsugiri Forms Will Get Drizzle
    • Even with TatsuDozo getting itself banned from Smogon's Doubles OU by Commander getting the axe, TatsuDozo was still very beatable in previous VGC seasons, and Tatsugiri getting exposed often led to Tatsugiri getting eliminated quickly and the TatsuDozo team losing swiftly after that. I therefore predict TatsuDozo will get a buff in Champions...but only by buffing Mega Tatsugiri. Pokedex justification is shaky and also points to stuff like Mega Launcher, but Drizzle would give Mega Tatsugiri a real buff and a real reason to get Mega'd in VGC...and it would finally put Rain on an even footing setters-wise with the other weathers, which all get setters on Megas and therefore can set their preferred weather on Turn 1 after switch-ins happen. Not gonna lie, I'm sick of putting Lum Berry on Garchomp and Rain Dance on Pelipper in VGC to compensate for the fact that Charizard can Mega Y on Turn 1 and erase my attempts to manually switch in Pelipper to switch to Rain (Grimmsnarl and its Parting Shot didn't work out for me), and Mega Tatsugiri getting Drizzle would solve all this. Game Freak will probably be kind and keep the ability on Mega Curly, Stretchy, and Droopy the same - the only competitive difference between them will be the kind of boost Order Up offers, which will be enough to make Curly be the best Tatsugiri because it enables Unaware Dondozo instead of forcing Oblivious in front of Intimidate spam.
  • Mega Absol Z Will Get Contrary
    • Oh boy, I can actually see Mega Absol Z get a variety of abilities, including Sharpness, Tough Claws, Tinted Lens, the Dark or Ghost version of Aerilate, and a buffed version of Super Luck that raises the critical hit ratio by 2 stages instead of 1. But based on that interview answer where a staffer said that Mega Absol Z was their favourite mon to use in Champions, and the absolute fire in posters' hearts here using Mega Staraptor in Doubles, I'm currently betting that Mega Absol Z will similarly get that fan favourite, Contrary.
  • Mega Lucario Z Will Get Mega Launcher
    • I can similarly see Mega Lucario Z getting several abilities, such as Adaptability yet again and Scrappy, so even the most likely guess of Mega Launcher is absolutely not a safe bet.
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I'd place "Medium Likely" to be above 50% chance and "Highly Likely" to be above 80% chance.

In comparison, as much as I'd like Assault Vest to come back and Weakness Policy to finally get out of the trailers, I have no good read on whether either will show up.
 
girazard said:
First game watching was Swiss Round 1s with Sejun Park vs Juan Salerno, was a a Garchomp/Charizard mirror match both running Ancient Power.

M-C save us pls
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Eh, while there is a decent amount of "charislop", the teams shown on stream were pretty varied, even with the charizard teams having variations.

Sure the decision to have both first and last streamed matches being big 6 mirrors was... questionable to say the least, but overally there is a healthy amount of team archetypes, with charizard having 45% day 1 usage, a lot less than people though.



In the end, worlds is worlds. People are playing to win and will bring what is best.
And "best" is charizard, so people will bring it.
That is just how metas work.
 
Day 2 megas presence according to VGC Stats
1788013918258.png

The so called Chari slop has the highest presence but by a very small margin. I do insist there's a pretty decent team diversity.
Part of it is probably due to how popular the Charizard Big 6 was, most teams were specifically made to counter it, so it makes sense a large chunk of the players running it ended up being countered and removed on the way to day 2.
Looking forward to see what we get in top 16.

Also for curiosity, here's all the x-0 and x-1 teams
1788014025220.png
 
Worldie said:
Day 2 megas presence according to VGC Stats
View attachment 859376
The so called Chari slop has the highest presence but by a very small margin. I do insist there's a pretty decent team diversity.
Part of it is probably due to how popular the Charizard Big 6 was, most teams were specifically made to counter it, so it makes sense a large chunk of the players running it ended up being countered and removed on the way to day 2.
Looking forward to see what we get in top 16.

Also for curiosity, here's all the x-0 and x-1 teams
View attachment 859378
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What site is that screenshot from
 
1788040181777.png


In the end only 4/8 top 8 is Charizard team, with 2 italian ice and two Dragonite+Floette teams.
Meanwhile 7/8 Kingambit :>

Honestly, way WAY far from the absurd centralization of CHALK. I think people over-hate on Chari-slop teams, they are common because they're good and easier to pilot, but far from the absurdity of CHALK or even Miraidon/Calyrex were.
 
Worldie said:
Normal people: "Man I hate Charizard I hope it disappears it's ruining the tournament"

Me: "I'm truly enjoying how many matches are being decided on rockslide coinflips :) "

ngl I'd be ok with every single team being Charizard if that gets us to remove Rock Slide from the game
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If Rock Slide got removed, I know a bunch of people are going to start Stone Edging. In an ideal world everyone would Rock Tomb, but considering those Power Whip Tsareenas and Gunk Shot Sneaslers, Stone Edge is happening and either missing or critting.
 
RocketSurgery said:
Ok, well, guess now I'm rooting for scovillian frosslass.
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Ok, well.... I guess M-B's not beating the allegations.

Basculegion, Kingambit, Garchomp, and Floette are guaranteed champs this year. So it's down to Dragonite/Sneasler and Charizard/Whimsicott. (spoilers in case anyone plans on catching up on day 2, I guess).

It would be fitting if Charizard finally won a world championship on the 30th anniversary year.
 
zenmodeman said:
If Rock Slide got removed, I know a bunch of people are going to start Stone Edging. In an ideal world everyone would Rock Tomb, but considering those Power Whip Tsareenas and Gunk Shot Sneaslers, Stone Edge is happening and either missing or critting.
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It wouldn't be remotely as coinflippy as "when in doubt click Rock Slide and hope for a flinch".
Any of these would be better than the double-RNG of "just don't miss" + "just flinch to win" making clicking Rock Slide very often the correct play even into resists.
Magcargo said:
People are really forgetting they gave it Moody as a base ability :psycry:
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It's more a case of Scovillain not really getting to use it.
If you bring Scovillain, you want to mega it asap to abuse Spicy Spray, you rarely ever get the luxury of spending a single turn non-mega, so at best you get one chance if for some reason you want to defend turn 1.
 
Worldie said:
It's more a case of Scovillain not really getting to use it.
If you bring Scovillain, you want to mega it asap to abuse Spicy Spray, you rarely ever get the luxury of spending a single turn non-mega, so at best you get one chance if for some reason you want to defend turn 1.
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Did you watch any of the scovillian games? Players were definitely holding off on mega evolving to fish for beneficial moody boosts.
 
RocketSurgery said:
Did you watch any of the scovillian games? Players were definitely holding off on mega evolving to fish for beneficial moody boosts.
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Only when they actually had a free turn where they could afford it, es turn 1 vs a fake out user or on predicted switches.

In a normal circumstances you don't want to protect to fish for rng (which notably, can even backfire, you can get a -spdef or -def and sometimes even -spatk or -speed can be horrible)
 
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