Competitive Pokémon Guides
Encyclopedic references on every era, format and mechanic. 50 guides — pedagogical first, with discreet links into the live data.
Getting started
Start here if you're new to competitive Pokémon — what it is, where it's played, and how to get into it.
Match Preparation Workflow — Pre-Game Scouting & Mental Setup
Pre-match preparation: opponent scouting, lead prediction, mental model setup, and Pokékipe's replay/scouting workflow. The 30-minute prep that separates ladder players from tournament players.
Read guide →In-Game Decision Making — Risk, Prediction & Win Conditions
How to make decisions turn-by-turn: risk assessment, prediction trees, when to play safe vs go for the kill, win-condition tracking. The macro skill that separates 1500 from 1900 ELO.
Read guide →Best-of-Three Tournament Strategy — Adapting Across Games
How to play a best-of-three: information gathering in Game 1, adaptation in Game 2, deciding in Game 3. Mental energy, lead diversification, Tera reveal timing, counter-adaptation.
Read guide →Run a Tournament on Pokékipe — Host Workflow Reference
End-to-end workflow for hosting a tournament with Pokékipe's creation engine: configure the bracket, seed players, run check-in, manage matches with auto-report and dispute handling, publish standings.
Read guide →Start Playing Competitive Pokémon in 2026 — Zero to First Tournament
End-to-end onboarding: pick a format, build your first team, play on Showdown, scout opponents, find your first tournament. Walks you through every Pokékipe feature in the order you'll need them.
Read guide →Smogon Tiering Explained — Ubers, OU, UU, RU, NU, PU, LC
How the Smogon tier system works: usage cutoffs, the reusability ladder (Ubers → OU → UU → ...), suspect tests, banlists, and why tier choice matters. Cross-links every Gen 9 tier guide.
Read guide →Eras
What defines competitive Pokémon in each game generation — mechanics, gimmicks, abilities, items, and the formats they shaped.
Generation 9: Scarlet & Violet — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 9: Terastallization, the Stellar type, signature abilities and items, formats, and the Pokémon that shaped the meta.
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Generation 8: Sword & Shield — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 8: Dynamax and Gigantamax, the rotational Galar dex, Heavy-Duty Boots' impact on hazard control, defining bans and the Pokémon that shaped the era.
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Generation 7: Sun & Moon — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 7: Z-Moves, the Alola region, Ultra Beasts, the Tapu legendary quartet, defining bans and the Pokémon that shaped the era.
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Generation 6: X & Y — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 6: Mega Evolution, the introduction of the Fairy type, the type chart rebalance, weather duration nerf, defining bans and the Pokémon that shaped the era.
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Generation 5: Black & White — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 5: permaweather teams, Hidden Power, Dream World abilities, the Sleep Clause rule change, defining bans and the Pokémon that shaped the era.
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Generation 4: Diamond, Pearl & Platinum — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 4: the physical/special split, Stealth Rock, the introduction of Choice Scarf / Specs / Life Orb, and the era that produced Garchomp, Lucario and the Sinnoh roster.
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Generation 3: Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 3: abilities introduced, natures, the modern EV system, weather-summoning abilities, and the ADV era that founded modern competitive Pokémon.
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Generation 2: Gold, Silver & Crystal — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 2: the introduction of Steel and Dark types, the Special split into Attack and Defense, held items, breeding, and the most defensive OU meta in franchise history.
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Generation 1: Red, Blue & Yellow — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 1: the original 15-type chart, unified Special stat, Speed-tied critical hits, and the Tauros / Snorlax / Chansey RBY OU meta that started it all.
Read guide →Pokémon Champions — Competitive Reference
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon Champions: the official VGC platform launched April 2026, Mega Evolution as the launch gimmick, the Reg M-A format, the Young MA-Dex roster, and the new Mega Evolutions added in Champions.
Read guide →Formats
Smogon and VGC formats with their rules, banlists and archetypes — without the data dump.
Generation 9 OU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Generation 9 OU (OverUsed): rules, banlist, archetypes, the seven team roles, Tera's role in the format, and how to start competing on the ladder.
Read guide →Generation 8 OU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 8 OU (Sword & Shield Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, Dynamax's mid-generation ban, Heavy-Duty Boots distribution, and the Future Sight pivot pattern.
Read guide →Generation 7 OU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 7 OU (Sun & Moon Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the Z-Move + Mega Evolution coexistence, the Tapu cores, and the Mega Mawile / Mega Lucario era.
Read guide →Generation 6 OU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 6 OU (X & Y / ORAS Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the introduction of Mega Evolution, the Aegislash ban saga, Talonflame Gale Wings, and the Knock Off rebuff.
Read guide →Generation 5 OU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 5 OU (BW / B2W2 Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the permaweather era, banned-paired ability rules, the Therian formes, and the BW1 vs BW2 sub-meta split.
Read guide →Generation 4 OU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 4 OU (DPP / HGSS Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the post-split offensive meta, Stealth Rock's arrival, MixMence, and the era of Choice Scarf / Specs / Life Orb.
Read guide →Generation 3 OU (ADV) — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 3 OU (ADV — Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the foundational Smogon era, the Skarm-Bliss defensive core, and Tyranitar sand offense.
Read guide →Generation 2 OU (GSC) — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 2 OU (GSC — Gold/Silver/Crystal Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the franchise's most defensive metagame, the seven core walls, and RestTalk + Spikes stall.
Read guide →Generation 1 OU (RBY) — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 1 OU (RBY — Red/Blue/Yellow Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the big six (Tauros / Snorlax / Chansey / Starmie / Exeggutor / Alakazam), and 28 years of continuous play.
Read guide →VGC 2024 Regulation G — Doubles Format Reference
Reference guide for VGC 2024 Regulation G (Scarlet & Violet Doubles): rules, eligible Pokémon, archetypes, the up-to-2-Restricted ruleset, and the Calyrex-Shadow / Urshifu / Incineroar / Tornadus-T era.
Read guide →VGC 2025 Regulation H — Doubles Format Reference
Reference guide for VGC 2025 Regulation H (Scarlet & Violet Doubles): rules, eligible Pokémon, archetypes, the no-Restricted / no-Paradox / no-Mythical ruleset, and the bulky-meta era around Archaludon, Pelipper, Annihilape.
Read guide →VGC 2025 Regulation I — Doubles Format Reference
Reference guide for VGC 2025 Regulation I (Scarlet & Violet Doubles): rules, eligible Pokémon, archetypes, the Paradox-returns-no-Restricted ruleset, and the Iron Hands / Flutter Mane / Booster Energy meta.
Read guide →VGC 2026 Regulation M-A — Doubles Format Reference
Reference guide for VGC 2026 Regulation M-A on Pokémon Champions: rules, the Young MA-Dex roster, the 59 available Mega Evolutions, archetypes, and how Champions's launch format differs from cartridge VGC.
Read guide →Generation 9 Ubers — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 9 Ubers (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the Restricted Legendaries roster, the Calyrex-Shadow / Miraidon / Koraidon era, and Anything Goes context above.
Read guide →Generation 9 UU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 9 UU (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist with UUBL, archetypes, the faster-than-OU pace, and the Tinkaton / Sylveon / Rotom-Wash sub-OU staples.
Read guide →Generation 9 RU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 9 RU (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist with RUBL, archetypes, the polarized mid-tier meta, and the Mienshao / Decidueye era.
Read guide →Generation 9 NU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 9 NU (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist with NUBL, archetypes, the specialized lower-tier meta, and the niche-threat focus that distinguishes the format.
Read guide →Generation 9 PU — Singles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 9 PU (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist with PUBL, archetypes, the bottom-of-hierarchy meta, niche-Pokémon focus, and the high tier-shift volatility that keeps the format moving.
Read guide →Generation 9 LC — Little Cup Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 9 Little Cup (Smogon Singles, level 5, unevolved-only): rules, banlist, archetypes, the Eviolite-defined meta, and the base-stat-ratio dynamics that distinguish the format.
Read guide →Generation 9 Doubles OU — Smogon Doubles Format Reference
Reference guide for Gen 9 Doubles OU (Smogon's 4v4 Doubles, distinct from VGC): rules, banlist, archetypes, the all-six-brought ruleset, and how Smogon Doubles differs from official VGC.
Read guide →Mechanics
Deep-dives on the systems that govern every battle: stats, status, speed, weather, type interactions.
Pokémon Type Chart — Complete Effectiveness Reference
Encyclopedic reference for the 18-type chart: all super-effective / resisted / immune matchups, dual-typing math, ability-based type modifications, and how the chart evolved across generations.
Read guide →Pokémon Damage Formula — Complete Calculation Reference
Encyclopedic reference for the damage formula: the full equation, every modifier (STAB, type, crit, weather, abilities, items, spread), the 85-100% damage roll, and cross-gen variations.
Read guide →Status Conditions in Pokémon — Complete Reference
Encyclopedic reference for the six status conditions (paralysis, sleep, freeze, burn, poison, confusion): exact rules, cross-gen evolution, Sleep Clause, status-modifying abilities and items.
Read guide →Speed & Priority Mechanics — Complete Reference
Encyclopedic reference for speed mechanics: priority brackets (-7 to +7), speed tiers, Trick Room, Tailwind, speed-modifying abilities and items, and the speed-tie rule.
Read guide →Weather & Terrain in Pokémon — Complete Reference
Encyclopedic reference for the four (now five) weathers — sun, rain, sand, hail, snow — and the four terrains. Damage boosts, Speed abilities, ability auto-setters, terrain-specific moves, cross-gen evolution.
Read guide →Terastallization — Deep-Dive Reference
Comprehensive guide to Tera: defensive vs offensive Tera, Tera Blast, Stellar typing, role compression, banlist context (Ogerpon-W, Terapagos), and how Tera reshaped Gen 9 teambuilding.
Read guide →Mega Evolution — Deep-Dive Reference
Comprehensive guide to Mega Evolution (Gen 6-7 only): the Speed-reroll mechanic, Mega Stones, ability changes, the 48 Mega forms, and why Megas defined Gen 6-7 OU and VGC.
Read guide →Z-Moves — Deep-Dive Reference
Comprehensive guide to Z-Moves (Gen 7 only): base power conversion table, status Z-effects, signature Z-Moves, Z-Crystals, and why Z-Moves shifted Gen 7 from defensive to offensive.
Read guide →Dynamax & Gigantamax — Deep-Dive Reference
Comprehensive guide to Dynamax (Gen 8 only): the 3-turn HP-doubling buff, Max Move secondary effects, Gigantamax forms, banned in Smogon OU but legal in VGC 2020, and how Dynamax warped Gen 8.
Read guide →Teambuilding
How to actually build a competitive team, from concept to tournament prep.
Build a Competitive Team from Scratch — Step-by-Step Workflow
End-to-end workflow for building a competitive team in any format: pick an archetype, choose a core, fill roles, calculate spreads, validate the team. Pairs each step with the Pokékipe tool that makes it concrete.
Read guide →Reading the Meta & Counter-Teaming — Data-Driven Approach
How to read usage statistics, identify the top threats, and counter-team the meta. Walks through Pokékipe's usage charts, popular teammates, popular counters, and replay scouting feature for practical use.
Read guide →EV Spreads & Speed Tiers — The Math That Matters
How to calculate EV investments that hit specific speed benchmarks, defensive rolls, and offensive 1HKO/2HKO thresholds. Speed tier list, defensive math, nature picks, and how to validate a spread with the Pokékipe calculator.
Read guide →Item Economy — Choosing the Right Held Item per Role
Comprehensive guide to held items in competitive Pokémon: when to run Choice items, Heavy-Duty Boots, Leftovers, Life Orb, Berry Juice, Booster Energy. Item-by-role decision tree and live usage data per format.
Read guide →Lead Bringing in VGC — From Team Preview to Best-of-Three
How to read team preview, decide which 4 of 6 to bring, plan leads + switches across a Bo3. Replay scouting workflow, lead matrix construction, common VGC lead pairings, and how Pokékipe's replay tools accelerate prep.
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