Pokemon Champions Tier List: Best Pokemon and Champions Ranked (2026)

This Pokemon Champions tier list covers both the Pokemon Champions competitive game (current Regulation M-A, June 2026) and ranks the champion characters from all main series Pokemon RPGs.

Most Pokemon Champions tier list guides tell you what to use and stop there. The part they skip is what kills your ranked win rate: knowing how to beat what everyone else is running. Incineroar is in nearly every Doubles team. Hippowdon walls every Singles ladder. Eternal Flower Floette threatens every Dragon-type. This Axeetech guide gives you the full tier list AND the counter guide in one place, because knowing the meta without knowing how to beat it is half the work done.

TL;DR: Disambiguation Box: This guide covers TWO different things both called Pokemon Champion tier list.If you are looking for the best Pokemon to use in the Pokemon Champions competitive game (launched April 2026), start at the Singles section below. If you are looking for a ranking of classic Pokemon champion characters from the main series RPG games like Cynthia, Blue, and Leon, jump to the Classic Champions section near the end of this page.

Regulation Note: All tier placements for Pokemon Champions apply to Regulation M-A (April to June 2026). Regulation M-B is confirmed as the next ruleset and will change the available Pokemon pool. See the Regulation M-B Preview section for confirmed changes.

Also Read on Axeetech: Pokemon Champions Codes

Are You Looking for the Pokemon Champions Game or Classic Pokemon Champions?

Pokemon Champions is a competitive turn-based strategy game released by Game Freak and The Pokemon Company on April 8, 2026, for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. A mobile version launched on June 17, 2026. It is a separate game from the main series Pokemon RPGs. In Pokemon Champions, players build teams of six Pokemon (all final evolutions) and compete in ranked online Singles and Doubles formats using Victory Points as the primary currency.

If you searched ‘Pokemon Champions tier list’ wanting to know which Pokemon to recruit and build in this new competitive game, the tier lists below are for you. The Singles section starts with the best Pokemon for the 1v1 format. The Doubles section covers the 2v2 partner format that defines the competitive meta.

If you searched this phrase wanting to know how champions like Cynthia, Blue, Red, and Leon rank across all the main series Pokemon RPGs by difficulty, the Classic Pokemon Champions section near the end of this page covers all 13 champions from every main series game with difficulty ratings and their notable ace Pokemon.

Also Read: Granblue Fantasy Relink Tier List

Quick Answer: Best Pokemon for Each Format Right Now

Here is the fastest answer to the most common version of this query for Pokemon Champions in Regulation M-A.

• Best Singles Pokemon: Hippowdon (S tier stall wall), Garchomp (S tier physical attacker), Kangaskhan (S tier aggressive attacker), Eternal Flower Floette (S tier special attacker)
• Best Doubles Pokemon: Incineroar (S tier, dominates every team archetype), Sneasler (S tier speed attacker), Garchomp (S tier in both formats), Eternal Flower Floette (S tier Fairy threat)
• Best Mega Evolutions: Mega Floette (S tier, Light of Ruin + Fairy Aura), Mega Delphox (S tier speed sweeper), Mega Greninja (S tier), Mega Gengar (S tier Shadow Tag sweeper)
• Free-to-play priority: Incineroar first for Doubles, Garchomp second, Sneasler third

VP Economy Note: Victory Points are the primary currency for recruiting Pokemon in Champions. They are deliberately limited in supply as a free-to-play balance mechanic. This guide includes a VP investment section telling you which S-tier Pokemon to target first and which ones you can safely delay. Check for the updated version on the official Fandom page.

Pokemon Champions Singles Tier List (Regulation M-A, June 2026)

The Singles format in Pokemon Champions pits three Pokemon per side against each other in a 1v1 elimination structure. Strategies that dominate Doubles frequently fail here: team support utilities like Fake Out and Tailwind have less value, and individual Pokemon power and type coverage become the primary determinants of success. Based on data from 493 tournaments and 69,424 battles compiled by the pokemon-zone.com competitive dataset, Hippowdon and Garchomp lead the Singles meta as the two Pokemon sitting above every other option.

Tier	Pokemon	Role	Key Reason for Placement
S Tier	Hippowdon, Garchomp, Kangaskhan, Eternal Flower Floette	Stall, Physical DPS, Aggressive DPS, Special DPS	Hippowdon stall ceiling is unmatched in Singles; Garchomp’s unpredictable moveset threatens every team preview; Kangaskhan’s single Fighting weakness and Fake Out pressure; Floette’s Fairy Aura special bulk
A Tier	Sneasler, Primarina, Meowscarada, Archaludon, Hydreigon, Greninja, Pelipper, Charizard	DPS, Fairy counter, Speed sweeper, Tank, Attacker, Speed sweeper, Rain setter, Sun attacker	All viable for anchoring a Singles team; each covers matchup holes the S tier picks leave open
B Tier	Kingambit, Sinistcha, Excadrill, Dragonite, Froslass, Basculegion, Tyranitar, Toxapex, Clefable	Priority DPS, Support, Sand attacker, Physical attacker, Speed control, Rain sweeper, Sand setter, Wall, Fairy wall	Solid in the right team composition; slightly less consistent than A tier individually
C Tier	Farigiraf, Armarouge, Hatterene, Feraligatr, Oranguru, Hisuian Arcanine, Scizor	Trick Room, Special attacker, Special attacker, Physical sweeper, Support, Physical attacker, Steel attacker	Niche roles; effective with specific setup but not reliable without dedicated team support

Hippowdon leads the Singles meta because its stall ceiling has no competitor in the current Regulation M-A pool. Sandstream creates passive sand damage on switch-in, Slack Off provides reliable recovery, and its massive physical bulk means it walls the majority of the physical attackers in the tier. Its single weakness to Water, Grass, and Ice is manageable through prediction and team building.

Kangaskhan rewards aggressive play. Its only weakness is Fighting, making it simple to fit into almost any team. Access to Fake Out for free pressure, Sucker Punch for priority damage, and strong Normal-type attacks mean opponents always face immediate momentum loss on the first turn.

Quick Tip: The Singles format rewards Pokemon that can do at least one of three things well: stall opponents out, sweep through multiple matchups with consistent damage, or apply immediate first-turn pressure. Build your team around one of these three pillars and fill gaps with your remaining two slots.

Pokemon Champions Doubles Tier List (Regulation M-A, June 2026)

Counter Note: The top S-tier Pokemon in Doubles (Incineroar, Garchomp) are so widely used that not knowing their counters is a bigger mistake than not having them on your team. Learn the counters in this guide before building your next team.

Doubles in Pokemon Champions is a 2v2 partner format where two Pokemon are active simultaneously on each side. The meta rewards team synergy, weather control, and utility moves that influence both active Pokemon rather than single-target power. Incineroar has dominated this format since its release history in Video Game Championships and carries that dominance directly into Pokemon Champions as the single most impactful Pokemon in the entire game.

Tier	Pokemon	Role	Key Reason for Placement
S Tier	Incineroar, Sneasler, Garchomp, Eternal Flower Floette	Utility support, Speed attacker, Physical DPS, Special attacker	Incineroar’s Intimidate drops opponent attack on switch; Sneasler speed pressure with Dire Claw status; Garchomp’s Rough Skin punishes contact; Floette’s Fairy Aura blanket threat
A Tier	Kingambit, Sinistcha, Whimsicott, Charizard, Gengar, Tyranitar, Wash Rotom, Hawlucha, Aerodactyl	Sucker Punch priority, Redirection, Tailwind, Sun attacker, Trapping, Sand setter, Water coverage, Physical sweeper, Speed control	The core of most team archetypes; all extremely strong with the right partner
B Tier	Pelipper, Archaludon, Excadrill, Froslass, Dragonite, Basculegion (Male), Farigiraf, Scizor, Primarina, Hatterene, Toxapex	Rain setter, Rain attacker, Sand sweeper, Speed control, Physical/Special hybrid, Rain sweeper, Trick Room setter, Steel attacker, Fairy coverage, Trick Room attacker, Poison wall	Weather team components and Trick Room builds; strong in their dedicated archetypes
C Tier	Armarouge, Hisuian Arcanine, Blastoise, Oranguru, Feraligatr	Special attacker, Physical attacker, Rain attacker, Support, Physical sweeper	Situational picks that require specific team environments to succeed consistently

The Incineroar plus Kingambit core is the most common partnership in the current Doubles meta. The synergy is structural: Incineroar‘s Intimidate ability drops the Attack stat of all opposing Pokemon on switch-in, softening physical threats for Kingambit. When an opponent tries to use their own Intimidate against your Kingambit, its Defiant ability triggers, boosting Kingambit‘s Attack by two stages instead of lowering it. The opponent’s utility backfires.

Sinistcha deserves specific mention in Doubles. Its signature move Matcha Gotcha deals damage, applies a burn chance, and heals Sinistcha simultaneously. As the best redirection Pokemon in the game (its Follow Me equivalent draws attacks away from partners), it provides both offensive and defensive utility in one slot.

Quick Tip: The most consistent Doubles team structure is Incineroar plus one weather setter, two Pokemon that benefit from that weather, and one speed control option. This creates a predictable gameplan that is reliable even in ladder matches against unfamiliar opponents.

Pokemon Champions Mega Evolution Tier List: Best Mega Forms Ranked

Mega Evolutions are a distinct layer of competitive strategy in Pokemon Champions. Each Pokemon has one Mega Evolution form activated through its corresponding Mega Evolution Stone. Only one Pokemon per side can Mega Evolve per battle, making the choice of which Mega to run a high-stakes team-building decision.

Mega Evolution Order Bug: When two opposing Pokemon Mega Evolve on the same turn, the order is currently random and does not follow speed priority. This is a known issue being addressed in a future patch. Until it is fixed, avoid running two weather setters on the same team, as a mirror-match opponent can randomly set their weather last and override yours.

Tier	Mega Form	Key Ability or Mechanic	Best Format
S Tier	Mega Floette, Mega Delphox, Mega Greninja, Mega Gengar	Fairy Aura boosts all Fairy moves; Speed sweeper; versatile attacker; Shadow Tag prevents switching	Both formats; Mega Floette works both; Mega Gengar especially powerful in Singles
A Tier	Mega Charizard Y, Mega Hawlucha, Mega Froslass, Mega Venusaur, Mega Lucario	Drought sun setter; No Guard plus Entrainment OHKO combo; Speed control; Thick Fat bulk; priority attacker	Both formats; Mega Charizard Y strongest as sun team anchor
B Tier	Mega Garchomp, Mega Dragonite, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Scizor, Mega Glimmora	Sand ability; Special sweeper under weather; Mega Launcher cannon moves; Priority attacker; Adaptability Meteor Beam	Doubles mostly; Mega Aerodactyl and Mega Glimmora require weather support
C Tier	Mega Gengar X (base), Mega Blastoise, others not listed above	Context-dependent; Mega Blastoise Mega Launcher with water pulses; various niche roles	Situational; require specific team builds to justify the Mega Evolution slot

Mega Floette is the closest thing to a Legendary Pokemon in Pokemon Champions and the entire meta accounts for it. Upon Mega Evolving, it gains the Fairy Aura ability, which amplifies all Fairy-type moves for both sides of the field, effectively making its Light of Ruin signature move even more powerful than its already extreme base damage suggests. A single Calm Mind boost before activating Mega Floette can eliminate entire teams.

The Z-Mega Garchomp variant has been announced but is not yet in the game as of Regulation M-A. Plan team builds assuming standard Mega Garchomp for now.

Quick Tip: Mega Gengar’s Shadow Tag ability prevents opponent Pokemon from switching out in Singles. Combined with Mega Gengar’s high Special Attack and Speed, this means a correctly timed Mega Gengar can eliminate one guaranteed Pokemon per battle by trapping it. Time your Mega Evolution to the moment your opponent brings in their weakest remaining Pokemon.

Meta Counter Guide: How to Beat the Most Common Threats

Every Pokemon Champion tier list tells you what the best Pokemon are. None of them tell you how to beat those same Pokemon when your opponent runs them. The four threats below are in the majority of high-ladder teams in Regulation M-A. Not knowing their counters costs wins.

Threat Pokemon	Best Counters	Type Advantages	Strategic Note
Incineroar	Conkeldurr, Machamp, Hariyama, Buzzwole, Fighting-type priority moves	4x weak to Fighting; Fire and Dark STAB do not threaten Fighting types	Burn status from Will-O-Wisp opponents shuts down Incineroar’s physical attack permanently; Intimidate immunity Pokemon like Defiant Kingambit punish its best utility
Hippowdon (Singles)	Garchomp, Kingambit, Scizor, any Water/Grass/Ice coverage	Weak to Water, Grass, and Ice	Hippowdon’s Sandstream and Slack Off make it hard to KO through attrition; carry a super-effective coverage move rather than trying to chip through its bulk; Taunt prevents Slack Off recovery
Eternal Flower Floette	Steel-types (Scizor, Kingambit), Poison-types (Toxapex), Bulky attackers	Fairy resists: Steel, Poison; Fairy immune: none	Floette’s special bulk means you need a super-effective hit or a physical attacker; Kingambit’s Dark-type STAB is not effective but its Steel typing resists Fairy; Toxapex Poison STAB threatens neutrally and walls its damage
Garchomp	Ice-type coverage (Ice Punch, Icicle Spear, Blizzard), Fairy types (Primarina, Mega Floette), Choice Scarf revenge killers	4x weak to Ice; also weak to Dragon and Fairy	Garchomp’s Ground-type immunity to Electric makes it hard to check with common coverage; but ice moves from virtually any attacker threaten it immediately; keep at least one Ice coverage move on your team at all levels of play

How to Counter Incineroar

Incineroar is the most used Pokemon in Pokemon Champions Doubles and the most important Pokemon to have a counter for. Its value comes from Intimidate, Fake Out, and pivoting options rather than raw damage. The correct way to counter it is to negate its utility, not to simply KO it.

• Fighting-type pressure: Incineroar has a 4x weakness to Fighting. A Fake Out into Throat Chop or a Close Combat from any Fighting type removes it immediately. Keep a Fighting-type move on your team.
• Defiant mechanics: Running Kingambit as your Incineroar partner in your own team means any opposing Intimidate Incineroar actually buffs your Kingambit. Opponents cannot safely use Intimidate against you.
• Burn prevention: A Burned Incineroar loses its physical attack value entirely. Will-O-Wisp from Sinistcha or any Ghost/Fire-type support denies its offense permanently.
• Protect prediction: Skilled Incineroar players cycle Fake Out and Protect to maintain safe pivoting. Threatening the Protect with a wide-spread move or attacking the partner while Incineroar Protects removes the Fake Out safety net.

How to Counter Hippowdon in Singles

Hippowdon wins Singles games through pure attrition. Its strategy is to set Sandstorm with Sandstream, recover HP with Slack Off, and wait for residual damage and passive turns to accumulate. The only way to beat it is to deny the stall tools rather than trying to outdamage its natural bulk.

• Taunt support: Taunt prevents Slack Off from activating, which is the primary win condition against Hippowdon. Any Pokemon with access to Taunt and decent speed can lock down Hippowdon’s recovery.
• Super-effective coverage: Water, Grass, and Ice moves hit Hippowdon for at least 2x damage. Carrying even one of these coverage types on your team creates a reliable switch-in threat.
• Stallbreaker ability: Pokemon with Soundproof, Overcoat, or Magic Guard avoid the Sandstorm chip damage that Hippowdon relies on for passive chip.

How to Counter Eternal Flower Floette

Eternal Flower Floette is the top special attacker in Singles and a constant threat in Doubles. Its Fairy Aura ability amplifies its own Fairy moves while its special bulk makes it difficult to revenge kill. The counter approach is type resistance rather than bulk.

• Steel-type switch-ins: Steel types resist Fairy-type moves entirely. Kingambit, Scizor, and Archaludon can switch into Floette’s Fairy moves without taking super-effective damage.
• Poison-type coverage: Poison moves are super-effective against Fairy. Toxapex walls Floette with Regenerator recovery and threatens back with Scald or Baneful Bunker.
• Physical attackers: Floette’s physical defense is lower than its special defense. A hard-hitting physical attacker at neutral type can overwhelm it faster than a resisted special attacker.

How to Counter Garchomp

Garchomp is the most unpredictable physical attacker in Pokemon Champions because its wide movepool means team preview cannot reveal its set. The universal answer is Ice-type coverage, which is a 4x weakness regardless of the set it is running.

• Ice-type coverage: Ice Punch, Icicle Spear, Freeze-Dry, or Blizzard all deal 4x damage to Garchomp. Carry at least one Ice coverage move on any Singles team.
• Fairy-type switch-ins: Primarina and Mega Floette both resist Garchomp’s Dragon-type STAB and threaten back with Moonblast or Light of Ruin.
• Choice Scarf revenge killers: Garchomp is fast but not insurmountably so. A Choice Scarf Sneasler outspeed it and removes it with Ice Punch before it can attack.

Team Archetypes: Build Around the Tier List

Tier lists tell you which Pokemon are strong individually. Archetypes tell you how to build a team around a coherent strategy. The five archetypes below define the current Pokemon Champions competitive environment in Regulation M-A.

Archetype	Core Pokemon	Role They Fill	Playstyle
Sun Team	Torkoal, Mega Charizard Y, Archaludon (with sun)	Sun setter, Primary sun attacker, Special attacker boosted by sun	Torkoal sets Drought manually; Mega Charizard Y activates Drought on mega; Solar Beam becomes one-turn; aggressive offense
Rain Team	Pelipper, Archaludon, Basculegion (Male)	Rain setter, Electric/Dragon special attacker, Rain-boosted sweeper	Pelipper’s Drizzle sets rain automatically; Archaludon’s Thunder is 100% accurate under rain; Basculegion’s Water moves hit hardest under rain
Sand Team	Hippowdon or Tyranitar, Garchomp, Excadrill	Sand setter, Sand-boosted physical attacker, Sand Rush sweeper	Hippowdon or Tyranitar sets Sandstorm; Garchomp receives a Special Defense boost; Excadrill with Sand Rush doubles its speed under sand
Trick Room	Sinistcha, Hatterene, Farigiraf, slow hard-hitters	Trick Room setter, Redirector, Support, Attackers who benefit from reversed speed	Sinistcha’s Matcha Gotcha sets up Trick Room while dealing damage; Hatterene’s Magic Bounce reflects opposing Taunt; slow powerful Pokemon move first under reversed speed
Hyper Offense	Sneasler, Kingambit, Mega Floette, Garchomp	Speed sweeper, Priority attacker, Mega sweeper, Physical attacker	No defensive play; pure aggression from turn one; Sneasler pressures immediately; Kingambit cleans up weakened targets with Sucker Punch; Mega Floette one-shots anything not resisting Fairy after Calm Mind

The Sun Team archetype requires awareness of the Mega Evolution order bug. If your opponent also runs a weather setter, and both Mega Evolve on the same turn, the weather outcome is currently random. Until this is patched, run only one weather setter per team to guarantee weather control.

Quick Tip: New players should start with the Rain Team archetype. Pelipper’s Drizzle sets weather automatically without needing to Mega Evolve, which removes the timing complexity. Archaludon under rain is the most consistent damage dealer to learn competitive Pokemon Champions with.

VP Investment Guide: Best Pokemon to Recruit First

Victory Points are scarce in Pokemon Champions as a deliberate free-to-play balance decision. The recruitment pool rotates, and not every Pokemon is available at every point in the season. This guide ranks the priority order for your limited VP budget based on which Pokemon provide the most competitive value across the widest range of teams and archetypes.

Priority	Pokemon	VP Cost (approx)	Why Worth It	Format
1	Incineroar	High (check current pool)	The single most impactful Pokemon in Doubles meta; Intimidate plus Fake Out utility applies to every team archetype without exception	Doubles essential
2	Garchomp	High	S tier in both Singles and Doubles; wide moveset flexibility; threatens every team; Mega Garchomp adds additional value for one of the stronger A tier Mega Evolutions	Both formats
3	Sneasler	Medium-High	S tier in both formats; Dire Claw status disruption; speed pressure from turn one; no other Pokemon provides the same combination of speed and status utility	Both formats
4	Eternal Flower Floette	High (scarce)	S tier Singles; A tier Doubles; Fairy Aura makes it a blanket threat; only Pokemon in the roster with this specific damage profile	Singles priority
5	Kingambit	Medium	Core Doubles partner for Incineroar; Defiant ability punishes opponent Intimidate; Sucker Punch priority cleaning; works in virtually every offensive team	Doubles
6	Sinistcha	Low-Medium	Best redirection and support in Doubles; Matcha Gotcha damage plus heal plus burn; low VP cost relative to impact; Trick Room setter for that archetype	Doubles support
7	Hippowdon	Medium	Mandatory for Sand teams in Singles; otherwise available as a wall; significantly lower priority if you primarily play Doubles	Singles priority

One important clarification: the Pokemon you know how to use well will always outperform a higher-tier Pokemon you have not practiced. A skilled Feraligatr player with a well-built rain team will beat a poorly executed Garchomp set in most matches. Invest VP in high-tier Pokemon but practice with them before expecting immediate results on the ranked ladder.

Quick Tip: Check the recruitment pool at the start of every season. Pokemon availability rotates, so sometimes a lower-priority purchase becomes urgent because a key S-tier Pokemon has appeared in the pool temporarily. The Sneasler window in particular has historically been short in previous rotation patterns.

Regulation M-B Preview: What Changes Next

Regulation M-B is the confirmed next ruleset for Pokemon Champions following Regulation M-A (April to June 2026). Pokemon Zone has already published early Regulation M-B data with new Pokemon entering the competitive pool.

Key confirmed changes for Regulation M-B include an expanded Pokemon roster with new eligible final evolutions not present in M-A. Specific additions include Pokemon from the most recent main series titles that were not part of the initial M-A pool. The full regulation changelist is published on the official Pokemon Champions and Pokemon Zone websites at the time of the regulation transition.

For team-building purposes before M-B launches, the following adjustments to current M-A tier placements are likely based on the confirmed additions. New weather setters entering the pool shift weather team composition. New Fairy-type threats entering means Eternal Flower Floette counter preparation becomes even more critical. Any new Pokemon with Intimidate or Fake Out access immediately enters the Doubles conversation.

Quick Tip: Do not spend VP on Pokemon specifically targeted toward the M-B meta before the regulation officially changes. Tier shifts between regulations can be significant, and investing in M-A meta Pokemon that drop in M-B wastes your limited VP budget. Wait for the official M-B announcement before changing your team strategy.

Pokemon Game Champions Ranked by Difficulty: All Main Series Champions

For players who arrived at this Pokemon Champion tier list looking for rankings of the classic Pokemon game champion characters, here is a complete difficulty ranking covering all main series Pokemon RPG champions from Pokemon Red and Blue through the most recent main series title.

Rankings reflect the challenge of the final champion battle at the point in the game it is encountered, not post-game rematches. ‘Ace Pokemon’ refers to the most iconic or most dangerous Pokemon they use in their first league battle.

Champion	Game(s)	Difficulty Rating	Notable Ace Pokemon	Region
Cynthia	Diamond, Pearl, Platinum	S Tier (Hardest)	Garchomp (Level 62, fully evolved, wide coverage)	Sinnoh
Red	Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, SoulSilver	S Tier (Hardest)	Pikachu (Level 88 in original, with Espeon, Snorlax, Blastoise, Charizard, Venusaur)	Johto post-game
Blue	Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, LeafGreen	A Tier (Very Hard)	Mega-less but balanced six-Pokemon team with no obvious weaknesses; starter counters yours	Kanto
Leon	Sword, Shield	A Tier (Very Hard)	Eternatus in league; Charizard as ace with Gigantamax form in champion fight	Galar
Iris	Black 2, White 2	A Tier (Hard)	Haxorus with high Attack and diverse Dragon-type coverage; Hydreigon with wide special coverage	Unova
Steven	Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, ORAS	A Tier (Hard)	Metagross; Steel-type team hard to super-effectively hit without Fire or Ground coverage	Hoenn
Alder	Black, White	B Tier (Moderate)	Volcarona; can be swept if you outleveled during story; strongest Pokemon is gated behind its move availability	Unova
Wallace	Emerald	B Tier (Moderate)	Milotic; Water-type team with reliable recover moves; manageable with Electric or Grass coverage	Hoenn
Diantha	X, Y	B Tier (Moderate)	Mega Gardevoir; opponent’s Mega Evolution is impactful but team is otherwise manageable	Kalos
Lance	Gold, Silver, Crystal, HG/SS	B Tier (Moderate)	Dragonite x3 in original; Dragon-type coverage but Ice moves counter the entire team	Johto
Professor Kukui	Sun, Moon	B Tier (Moderate)	Incineroar; surprise seventh Pokemon breaks the standard six-Pokemon expectation; Professor fight is memorable	Alola
Geeta	Scarlet, Violet	C Tier (Easiest)	Glimmora; Top Champion but notoriously considered the weakest champion battle in the series by the community	Paldea
Nemona	Scarlet, Violet	C Tier (Easiest)	Rival champion; Final Nemona battle is a climactic fight but lower difficulty than other champion battles	Paldea

Cynthia earns the consensus top spot on nearly every fan difficulty ranking because her Garchomp in Pokemon Diamond and Pearl has a complete moveset, full type coverage, and no notable weaknesses at the level players typically encounter it. Many players who grew up with Generation 4 have a specific memory of losing to that Garchomp. It is the defining champion battle of the franchise for a generation of players.

Geeta occupies C tier not because of poor character design but because the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet champion fight is widely documented as the most underwhelming champion battle in the series mechanically. Her team lacks the cohesion and difficulty spike that champion battles traditionally deliver.

Quick Tip: Red in Gold and Silver is technically a post-game bonus champion rather than the final game challenge, but his Level 88 Pikachu plus a full team of evolved starters at matching levels represents the hardest battle in the Gen 2 games by a significant margin.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Pokemon in Pokemon Champions?

Incineroar is considered the single most valuable Pokemon in Pokemon Champions for Doubles play, where its Intimidate ability, Fake Out pressure, and pivoting options apply to virtually every team archetype. In Singles, Hippowdon and Garchomp lead the meta as the two Pokemon sitting above all others. Eternal Flower Floette is the most feared special attacker in both formats.

Who is the hardest Pokemon champion in the main series games?

Cynthia from Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum is the consensus hardest main series Pokemon champion. Her Garchomp at Level 62 with full type coverage and no exploitable weaknesses at the level players typically reach the Elite Four has stopped more playthroughs than any other champion encounter. Red in Gold and Silver is technically harder on paper but operates as optional post-game content rather than the mandatory final story challenge.

What is the best team in Pokemon Champions Doubles?

The most reliable Doubles team structure in Regulation M-A centers on Incineroar plus Kingambit as the core pair, supported by a weather setter and two Pokemon that benefit from that weather. Sinistcha provides the best redirection and recovery support. Sneasler provides immediate speed pressure. Combining these six roles gives you a team that covers every major meta threat.

Is Incineroar good in Pokemon Champions?

Incineroar is widely regarded as the most valuable Pokemon in the current Pokemon Champions meta, particularly in Doubles. Its Intimidate ability lowers the Attack of all opposing Pokemon on switch-in, its Fake Out forces an opponent’s Pokemon to flinch for free on the first turn, and its pivoting moves allow teammates to enter the field safely. These utility tools apply to nearly every team archetype, making Incineroar the highest VP priority investment in the game.

What is Regulation M-A in Pokemon Champions?

Regulation M-A is the current competitive ruleset in Pokemon Champions, running from April 2026 to June 2026. It defines which Pokemon are eligible for ranked play and which items, moves, and Mega Evolution Stones are available. All tier placements in this guide apply to Regulation M-A. The next ruleset, Regulation M-B, is confirmed as the following regulation and will expand the available Pokemon pool.

What Mega Evolutions are best in Pokemon Champions?

The top Mega Evolutions in Pokemon Champions are Mega Floette (Fairy Aura makes Light of Ruin devastating), Mega Delphox (speed sweeper), Mega Greninja (versatile attacker), and Mega Gengar (Shadow Tag trapping in Singles). Mega Charizard Y is the strongest Sun Team anchor. Only one Pokemon per team can Mega Evolve, so choose the Mega that fits your team’s win condition.

How do I counter Incineroar in Pokemon Champions?

Incineroar has a 4x weakness to Fighting-type moves, making any Fighting-type attacker the most direct counter. Beyond raw type matchup, the Defiant ability on Kingambit turns Incineroar’s Intimidate against the opponent. Burn status from Will-O-Wisp denies Incineroar’s physical attack value permanently. Predicting its Protect cycle with a wide-spread move disrupts its Fake Out-and-retreat pattern.

Who is better Cynthia or Leon as a Pokemon champion?

Cynthia is considered the harder and more impactful champion battle by the competitive Pokemon community. Her Garchomp with high Attack, Speed, and full coverage was a genuinely threatening encounter in 2006 and remains an iconic difficulty benchmark. Leon offers a more spectacular battle presentation with Gigantamax Charizard and a strong narrative buildup but is generally considered less mechanically challenging than Cynthia’s team composition.

What is the best Pokemon to spend Victory Points on in Pokemon Champions?

Incineroar is the highest-priority VP investment for Doubles play because it is relevant in every team archetype. Garchomp is the second priority because it is S tier in both Singles and Doubles. Sneasler is the third priority for its speed pressure and status disruption utility. Check the VP Investment section of this guide for the full priority order with cost context.

How does Singles differ from Doubles in Pokemon Champions?

Singles in Pokemon Champions uses three Pokemon per side in a 1v1 format where each player eliminates the opponent’s team one by one. Individual power, type coverage, and stall mechanics define the meta. Doubles uses two Pokemon active simultaneously per side in a 2v2 partner format where spread moves, weather synergy, and utility moves that affect both active Pokemon define the meta. Many strategies that work in Doubles (Fake Out, Tailwind, redirection) are significantly weaker or useless in Singles.

What is Eternal Flower Floette and why is it S tier?

Eternal Flower Floette is a special form of Floette based on a Pokemon with significant lore in the main series games. In Pokemon Champions, it is S tier because of its impressive Special Attack and Special Defense stats combined with the Fairy Aura ability, which amplifies all Fairy-type moves on the field. Its signature signature move and Dragon-type resistance make it a blanket threat that Dragon-type Pokemon like Garchomp struggle to check.

What team archetypes work best in Pokemon Champions?

The five strongest archetypes in current Regulation M-A are Sun Team (Torkoal or Mega Charizard Y as setter), Rain Team (Pelipper plus Archaludon), Sand Team (Hippowdon plus Garchomp plus Excadrill), Trick Room (Sinistcha setter plus slow hard-hitters), and Hyper Offense (Sneasler, Kingambit, Mega Floette). Rain Team is the most beginner-friendly due to Pelipper’s automatic Drizzle. See the Team Archetypes section of this guide for core Pokemon per archetype.

What changes in Pokemon Champions Regulation M-B?

Regulation M-B follows the April to June 2026 Regulation M-A period and expands the eligible Pokemon pool. Confirmed additions include new Pokemon not available in M-A, with the full eligible list published on the official Pokemon Champions and Pokemon Zone websites when the regulation changes. Meta impacts include new weather setters and potential new Fairy-type threats. See the Regulation M-B Preview section in this guide for strategy advice.

Is Pokemon Champions free to play?

Pokemon Champions is free to play. It launched on April 8, 2026 for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 at no cost, with a mobile version available from June 17, 2026. The primary progression currency, Victory Points (VP), is earned through ranked matches and seasonal rewards. Pokemon are recruited through the VP recruitment system. Some premium cosmetics are available but do not affect competitive performance.

Your Action Plan: Three Steps to Start Winning Ranked

Here is the three-point action plan based on this complete Pokemon Champion tier list.

1. For Doubles (start here): Recruit Incineroar first. It is relevant in every team archetype and provides immediate impact in every ranked match. Build the Incineroar plus Kingambit core as your foundation. Add a weather setter and two weather beneficiaries.
2. For Singles (target next): If you primarily play Singles, recruit Garchomp for physical threat versatility and Hippowdon for the stall anchor. These two cover the majority of ladder matchups on their own.
3. For Mega Evolution priority: Run Mega Floette if you can access it. Run Mega Delphox or Mega Charizard Y if you prefer an easier team structure. Avoid running two weather-dependent Megas on the same team until the Mega Evolution order bug is patched.

This Pokemon Champion tier list will be updated when Regulation M-B replaces M-A. Check the Regulation M-B Preview section for advance notice of which current picks are most at risk of a tier drop in the next ruleset.