Competitive Pokemon is a completely different beast compared to the mainline games and story teams. While you can easily run through the game relying on strong Pokemon, the competitive side focuses more on strategy. Synergy, support moves, and team composition matter more than raw power. Pokemon Champions features a healthy meta right now with several different Pokemon and teams being viable, even with its limited selection of Pokemon.
That is exactly why Pokemon Champions is so interesting right now. With a smaller roster, the meta feels open, but that will not last forever. As more Pokemon are introduced, familiar strategies from Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will start to reappear. Legendary Pokemon can shape formats, but some of the most impactful additions will be standard picks that bring consistency, disruption, and synergy. There is no doubt that these seven Pokemon will shape the meta when they are eventually added to Pokemon Champions.
Electabuzz and Magmar are not typically seen as top threats on their own, but they bring something extremely valuable to doubles formats. Their access to Follow Me and supportive utility makes them strong enablers for more aggressive teammates. What makes Follow Me on these Pokemon so good is their ability, Vital Spirit. This makes them immune to moves like Hypnosis, Sleep Powder, and Spore, allowing you to protect your team from falling asleep.
While redirecting attacks is an incredible tool in VGC, Electabuzz and Magmar have other great tools as well. Electrowave and Thunder Wave give Electabuzz speed control, and Magmar can threaten physical attackers with Will-O-Wisp. Both Pokemon get access to Taunt as well, allowing them to shut down other supportive Pokemon. And with the Eviolite, if Pokemon Champions adds it, they both have great bulk that makes them hard to remove from the field. If they are added, these will be excellent support Pokemon on many teams.
Clefairy has been one of the most reliable support Pokemon in competitive history. Its ability Friend Guard reduces damage taken by allies, making it a key part of many successful team compositions. This is similar to Maushold, and just like it, Clefairy gets the move Follow Me. Its disruptive and supportive nature makes it a key Pokemon on most teams. Combined with its healing moves, Clefairy provides great utility.
Friend Guard is an excellent ability to boost its partner’s survivability, but the Eviolite also makes Clefairy a tank as well. This not only lets Clefairy sit on the field and support its allies, but it can provide offense through Moonblast and even more utility through Encore. Clefairy is one of those Pokemon that cannot simply be ignored. If Clefairy is ever added to Pokemon Champions, then it can easily fit into many different teams and be a real menace.
Trick Room is one of the strongest strategies in competitive Pokemon, and few Pokemon excel at it like Porygon2. It is incredibly bulky thanks to the Eviolite item, making it difficult to quickly knock out. This makes it a reliable partner to set up Trick Room. Its slow speed stat allows it to thrive once Trick Room is set up, and with Recover, it can stay on the field long enough to set up a second one when the first Trick Room runs out.
But Porygon2 isn’t just a Trick Room setter. Its Analyze ability can potentially boost its special attack, turning it into an offensive powerhouse. With a wide variety of coverage moves, it can threaten many Pokemon in the format. Outside of this, Porygon2 also has access to various supportive and disruptive moves like Thunder Wave, Icy Wind, and more. If Porygon2 comes to Pokemon Champions, Trick Room teams may see a rise in popularity and slot this Pokemon in.
Dondozo and Tatsugiri form one of the most unique and powerful combinations introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Their Commander ability interaction creates a massive stat boost that can quickly spiral out of control. Even though this strategy forces you to play with a single Pokemon, Dondozo is strong enough to handle opposing teams if the opponent doesn’t have an answer to it. Unless players have a reliable counter or Haze, it can quickly snowball out of hand.
While this is the best way to play Dondozo, it is also viable on its own. It is a strong and bulky Water-type Pokemon with good coverage moves. This lets players play a mind game of whether they will bring Donodozo and Tatsugiri, Dondozo solo, or leave both behind. From the moment these Pokemon are added to a team, the opposing player has to consider whether they need to bring a counter to it at the risk of bringing Pokemon that may not be good against the rest of the team.
Terrain is available in Pokemon Champions, but without strong terrain setters, it has not been a major part of the meta. That will certainly change when Indeedee, one of the best terrain setters in the game, is added. Psychic Terrain both blocks priority moves and boosts Psychic-type attacks. Indeedee Female is the more popular of the two, thanks to increased bulk and abundance of support moves. It fits particularly well on Trick Room and will likely see a rise in this strategy.
Outside of Psychic Terrain and Trick Room, Indeedee Female provides a lot of utility. Follow Me provides redirection to keep allies safe, while Helping Hand can boost up its partner’s attacks. This is especially strong for those using Expanding Force alongside the terrain it sets up. It also has access to moves like Fake Out, Reflect, Light Screen, and more, even if these are seldom used. Indeedee is Pokemon that doesn’t immediately seem threatening, but it can control the pace of a match if left on the field for too long.
Rillaboom is one of the most consistent Pokemon in competitive play, and will be another major part of the terrain meta. It sets up Grassy Terrain upon entry, weakening Earthquake, which is popular right now, providing healing to all Pokemon touching the ground, powering up Grass-type moves, and enabling Grassy Glide. If this wasn’t enough, Rillaboom has one of the most versatile move sets and fills a similar role to Incineroar, one of the best competitive Pokemon of all time.
Fake out is one of the most annoying moves in Pokemon, and Rillaboom has access to it. Along with Taunt, this move provides vital disruption. But Rillaboom is also an offensive powerhouse with moves like Wood Hammer, High Horsepower, and Grassy Glide. Then there is U-turn, which lets it pivot out and come back in to reset Grassy Terrain and Fake Out again. Rillaboom and Incineroar are a powerful Fake Out combo that dominated Scarlet and Violet and can easily do the same in Pokemon Champions.
Amoonguss is one of the most dominant support Pokemon ever introduced, and it will be a nightmare in Pokemon Champions unless the Safety Goggles item is added. Its access to Spore and Rage Powder makes it a disruptive force, either putting Pokemon to sleep or protecting its allies. But taking it out is no easy task either, as it has great bulk and the ability Regenerator, allowing it to switch in and out to heal back up. Its inclusion will force players to consider positioning more than ever, and that’s even taking into account its other strengths.
Amoonguss has access to Pollen Puff, allowing it to heal allies and damage foes. Sludge Bomb is another offensive tool that it receives and will be strong against popular Fairy-type Pokemon like Mega Floette. It is most common on Trick Room teams, allowing it to take advantage of its naturally low speed, but it can thrive outside of Trick Room as well. Amoonguss is a strong Pokemon that also fits into the Grass, Fire, and Water core, and players will likely see it everywhere when it is added to Pokemon Champions.
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