Pokémon Champions dropped on Switch with a big splash, and right out of the gate, its competitive scene is buzzing – but not without some drama. The game’s first tournament, held the very day it launched on April 8, brought over 500 players together online, all battling to snag the top spot and a share of a $500 prize pool. And guess what? It confirmed exactly what many players feared: some Pokémon, especially Incineroar, are still dominating the meta like they’ve got a crown glued to their head.
Incineroar Dominates Early Pokémon Champions Meta
If you’ve ever dipped a toe into competitive Pokémon before, Incineroar’s dominance won’t surprise you. This fire/dark wrestling tiger has been a staple since Sun and Moon, and it’s back, bigger and bolder. In the first Champions tournament, a whopping 53.76% of teams included Incineroar. That means more than half the players wanted this bulky, intimidating Pokémon on their side.
What makes Incineroar so darn good? It’s the perfect mix of offense, defense, and support. Its ability, Intimidate, slashes the opponent’s attack stats, making it a nightmare for physical attackers. Then you’ve got Fake Out, a move that stalls opponents for a turn, and Parting Shot, which weakens foes before Incineroar safely switches out. It’s like having a Pokémon that can bully the battlefield and then sneak away without taking damage.
Because of all this, Incineroar fits into almost any team setup. It’s tough to imagine the game’s competitive scene without it – and honestly, it’s surprising that The Pokémon Company didn’t try to shake things up by leaving it out for the first season. But it’s just too iconic and effective to bench.
Top Tournament Picks Show a Familiar Competitive Core
After Incineroar, Sneasler was the next most popular pick at 36.84%, and interestingly, it had a higher win rate (51.38%) than Incineroar’s 49.89%. Other top Pokémon making waves in doubles battles included Sinistcha, Garchomp, Basculegion, Kingambit, Pelipper, Whimsicott, Archaludon, and Tyranitar.
This lineup isn’t random. Many of these Pokémon show up regularly in online matches, proving that the meta in Champions is already shaping itself around tried-and-true favorites. For example, Kingambit is favored for its Dark/Steel typing and powerful moves like Kowtow Cleave, while Garchomp shines with its hard-hitting AoE attacks and solid bulk. Whimsicott and Pelipper often play important support roles, keeping teams running smoothly.
New Dual-Timer Rules Trigger Competitive Debate
Besides the Pokémon themselves, the tournament highlighted a new ruleset twist that’s causing quite the stir. In Champions, battles have two timers: a personal timer for each player and an overall timer for the match. If the overall timer runs out, the match ends in a draw – no matter who has more Pokémon left or who has more HP. This is a big change from previous Pokémon games, where the player with more surviving Pokémon or HP would win if time expired.
This new draw rule aims to stop players from dragging out matches to avoid losses, but it’s sparked heated discussions. Some players, like thezekroman, complain that slow, annoying teams get rewarded with draws, saying, “This only makes those slow paced teams even more annoying. This one Torkoal kept putting my whole team to sleep, and I don’t even get points for it.” On the flip side, others appreciate the change. Individual_Paper80 shared, “Had a legit 5 minute slogfest draw yesterday with a burned Corviknight without flying type attacks and Roost vs my Sinistcha.”
Then, of course, there are those who admit to purposely stalling, like Electrical_Active180, who joked, “Me.. a Hoodra staller likes this very much.” While the dual-timer system prevents full-match idling, the debate over whether draws are fair when one player clearly has the upper hand is still ongoing.
Launch Issues Surface, but Competitive Scene Shows Promise
The launch wasn’t flawless. Players encountered bugs like Pokémon getting stuck in limbo when transferring from Pokémon Home to Champions. Thankfully, The Pokémon Company apologized and quickly rolled out fixes to mend the rough spots.
Despite these hiccups, the competitive scene is already lively and promising. But with Incineroar holding the throne and new rules stirring debate, the meta is far from settled. It’ll be fascinating to watch how players adapt, which Pokémon rise or fall in popularity, and if the game’s balance will shift as more tournaments happen.
For anyone jumping into Pokémon Champions, knowing the top contenders and the quirks of the current ruleset is a must. Whether you love the dominance of old favorites or want to see fresh strategies shake things up, the competitive scene is off to a fiery start.
