Doubles VGC 2025 Regulation J Metagame Discussion

[RauSakura]

Approved by Sapphire, edited from the VGC Regulation I OP by Princess Autumn

Welcome to the VGC Metagame Discussion thread for Regulation J! This metagame is currently playable on PS! but will not be the official in-game ruleset until 1st September 2025 through to 4th January 2026. Note that this ruleset will only apply for in-game ranked ladder. Other live tournament events will use the Regulation H ruleset between 1st September and 1st December. The ruleset of Regulation J legalizes all Pokémon available in Scarlet and Violet and is a dual special Pokémon format. This thread is primarily for the discussion of VGC Regulation J, discussion about other formats should go in their appropriate threads.

Players are limited to a maximum of two of the following restricted special Pokémon on their teams:

Restricted Special Pokémon

Mew
Deoxys
Deoxys-Attack
Deoxys-Defense
Deoxys-Defense
Jirachi
Phione
Manaphy
Darkrai
Shaymin
Shaymin-Sky
Arceus
Keldeo
Meloetta
Diancie
Hoopa
Hoopa-Unbound
Volcanion
Magearna
Zarude
Pecharunt
Mewtwo
Lugia
Ho-Oh
Kyogre
Groudon
Rayquaza
Dialga
Dialga-Origin
Palkia
Palkia-Origin
Giratina
Giratina-Origin
Reshiram
Zekrom
Kyurem
Kyurem-White
Kyurem-Black
Cosmog
Cosmoem
Solgaleo
Lunala
Necrozma
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane
Necrozma-Dawn-Wings
Zacian
Zacian-Crowned
Zamazenta
Zamazenta-Crowned
Eternatus
Calyrex
Calyrex-Ice
Calyrex-Shadow
Miraidon
Koraidon
Terapagos

If you're new to VGC, be sure to check out the other posts in the forum and to join our Discord! You might also want to look into resources like VGCPastes, VGC Guide, VGC damage calculator to help you get started.

 

[SoulBadguy0408]

I think we all know Magearna TR is a pretty good team

 

[Pengu]

personal meta thoughts on reg j, starting with a mythical vr (this is technically early meta thoughts so...)

Arceus

Arceus is one of only a few mythicals that is actually a contender for a restricted slot. Base 120 in every stat is insane, making it not only super bulky but also super strong and fast. I personally think only a few Arceus formes are good though, being the following:
, , , ,

Of course, any of them could realistically work. Normal Arceus is obviously the best in my opinion; STAB +2 Extreme Speed is picking off so many things, especially when next to things like Chien-Pao. You also only really fear Zamazenta-C, Koraidon, and the Urshifu formes, where the first and last are vulnerable to Extreme Speed (especially when boosted) and Zamazenta-C can be handled by partners like Amoonguss. Extreme Speed also hits almost anything, and coverage like Shadow Claw and Earthquake exist for Ghosts and Steels.

Fairy-Arceus (Fairyceus for short) is probably going to be good. Very good into Koraidon and is a nice switch in to Draco Meteor from Miraidon, Body Press, Close Combat, and more. Fairyceus is also a reliable Calm Mind user, especially since Judgement as a Fairy move really only thuds into Magearna and Volcanion and Volcarona, while Earth Power can threaten all of those. I think a support set is interesting too, but you probably don't want to waste your restricted slot on a dedicated support...

Arceus-Ground (Groundceus) is probably better than Fairyceus, considering you do far better into Miraidon in exchange for a worse Calyrex-I and Kyogre matchup, as well as a worse Urshifu matchup. You do threaten a lot (again with a Calm Mind set), and a Dragon Dance / Swords Dance set could be really cool for this guy as well.

Arceus-Water (Waterceus) is pretty similar to Fairyceus, beating out Urshifu-R, Kyogre, Calyrex-I, and doing decent into Koraidon. Unfortunately, this guy feels kind of relegated to a supportive option that can sometimes do good damage, considering Water hardly hits anything hard enough to be good.

Arceus-Dark (Darkceus) is the last form I'd like to talk about. Realistically you only use it for Calyrex-S and maybe early meta EForce Deoxys. Yeah, similar to Water in that Dark isn't hitting a lot outside of the Calyrex formes, I think this could be a nice Calm Mind user though too.

Overall, Arceus is a strong and versatile Pokemon that can mody likely fit anywhere.

Magearna

Magearna is probably the mythical I've used most so far (granted I've only used this, Deoxys-Attack and a bit of Arceus and Volcanion), and it feels really solid. It has good bulk and Soul-Heart is absolutely broken.

I think accommodating for this is actually really easy. For a Trick Room team (since Magearna is pretty slow), just sacrificing a Follow Me user like Smeargle and letting Magearna set Trick Room makes you a +2 sweeper already, letting you launch powerful Flash Cannons and Fleur Cannons.

Calm Mind builds are also really solid, but probably a bit worse, since you are far more vulnerable to Koraidon and such, but partners like Grimmsnarl, probably Encore+Disable Calyrex-S, Rillaboom, Amoonguss and others can help diminish this. I assume this will play like CM Pagos + CSR, although I'm not too sure.

Magearna, as stated above, is pretty broken lol (forgot to mention, hut you can also set TR while sacrificing Annihilape with Scarf Final Gambit and, assuming it OHKOs, gives Magearna and +2, while +1 is guaranteed regardless).

Deoxys-Attack

DeoA is pretty good in my opinion, certainly above most other Mythcial Pokemon. Its high speed and attacking stats make it a favorable option for many teams (for reference, you are matching speed with Calyrex-S). Unfortunately, you really need Focus Sash to do anything, meaning something like Life Orb or Choice Specs are off the table, although scarf sounds cool.

This doesn't really matter though, since Tera Psychic Psycho Boost Helping Hand-boosted in Psychic Terrain with Beads of ruin goes hard.

You definitely need some support into Urshifu-R though, since you can't take Surging Strikes at all. There really isn't much to say aside from "funny nuke go boom". Definition of a glass cannon for sure.

Darkrai

Although people think this Pokemon is good, I don't believe it to be all of that and am willing to move it down a tier or two.

Dark Void is a move that almost everyone is familiar with; and not for a good reason. Luckily, it got nerfed pretty bad going into gen 9, going from 80% accuracy to 50% accuracy. This means, to reliably put things to sleep, you need a fast Gravity user, and there aren't many (from what I've seen, CSR is the best here) faster than Darkrai.

Even if you manage to put things to sleep, what will you do? Dark Pulse, although good, isn't very strong, especially coming off of Darkrai. Setting up with CSR is far more valuable; the opportunity cost is far too high for Darkrai to be legit good... unfortunately.

The Rest

rest of these will be short, since the ones above are really the only usable ones

- I tried using this guy as a TR attacker and it really doesn't do great. Maybe a bulky AV / Rocky Helm set could work out? But wasting a restricted slot on that isn't very good...

- Kinda just worse than Deoxys-Attack since you die to anything in both formes, maybe if you can survive Surging Strikes it could have a niche but I doubt it can.

- Think this one is pretty under explored, willing to move it up but just haven't seen what it can do (Eforce breaker in TR I guess?).

- Been theorying with this one for a bit now, could maybe pull off what it pulls off in DOU? Diamond Storm is stupid enough where this will be at least niche.

- Probably will only work in bo1 which is good because this is only bo1 anyways, Scarf Air Slash sounds nice and Seed Flare does good damage.

- Relic Song and transformation could be cool, bulky enough too.

- Fast and strong with a pretty shit typing, Jungle Healing is cool (but cresselia literally gets the same thing...).

- Learns all TMs gotta be good at something

- Paraflinch anyone?

- Just doesn't do enough damage, gets good utility but is probably better built for singles.

- baton pass tail glow. Manaphy just doesn't have the power anymore to keep up.

- should probably be in D tier, just clinging to hope that its good because I love the thing.

- this can probably swap with pecharunt considering its high spatk and low speed.

- worse than sky forme

- urshifu. Need I say more?

& - shit on top of shit

yeah that's it bye, subject to change, though I probably won't play much because Regulation H is pretty fun.

 

[vertake]

I think we all know Magearna TR is a pretty good team

I fought some of those. The best check are helping hand + astral barrage with life orb or spell tag, ooor specs chiyu with helping hand. Or you might use imprison Farigiraf for averting TR

 

[AnsonIsTheBest]

GO DEOA