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Mega Froslass forms the core, inspired by a build seen in a prominent player's video that paired Froslass with Emolga and Azumarill. The author kept that trio and rebuilt the remaining three slots. Froslass is a dual-role attacker and screen-setter that can use Blizzard offensively or set up Light Screen and Reflect. Garchomp (Focus Sash) lays Stealth Rock and uses Rock Tomb to limit opponent speed, covering matchups where Meganium struggles to come in. Mega Meganium (HB) walls Fighting and physical attackers and uses Giga Impact as a surprise pressure tool. Hisui Samurott patches the Psychic vulnerability and resists Bullet Punch and Sucker Punch while countering Basculegion-F. Three-move Volcarona (Fiery Dance, Bug Buzz, Psybeam plus Quiver Dance) can OHKO Mega Starmie, Mega Empoleon, and Mimikyu after one Quiver Dance, and Psybeam allows it to hit Meganium and Toxapex. Azumarill (Belly Drum) invests heavily in Speed EV to outspeed Corviknight, Skeledirge, and similar mid-Speed targets. The result met the author's expectations.Build article →

Frustrated by Archaludon's constant pressure, the author built around Mega Charizard Y as a special attacker that dominates Steel types in general and handles both Archaludon and Corviknight. The Will-O-Wisp set lets it deal with a large number of physical attackers like Lopunny, Lucario, and Meowscarada. Corviknight (Leftovers) is paired specifically to use Defog to remove Stealth Rocks, enabling Charizard to use its defensive investment fully. Meowscarada (Choice Scarf) outspeeds Basculegion-F and naturally draws out Steel types for Charizard. Mega Dragonite backs up against Fire matchups and uses Aqua Jet to pin Ceruledge. Garchomp (Focus Sash) was added for Mega Charizard X and Volcarona. Primarina (Kee Berry) was meant as the Houndoom and Hippowdon counter but almost never saw play — the author acknowledges this slot needs replacement. The team's consistent weaknesses are hit-rate-dependent moves and stall-style Umbreon plus Hippowdon combinations.Build article →

Built to counter the common Archaludon and Corviknight pressure through a Mega Charizard Y plus Corviknight hazard-clearing cycle, the team reached 503rd place and 2512 rating in Champions S1. Mega Charizard Y runs Will-o-Wisp and Roost with a physically-defensive stat spread, delivering enough fire damage without special investment in sun and making it very easy to burn Garchomp switch-ins. Corviknight (Leftovers) clears Stealth Rock for Charizard and uses Mirror Armor to absorb stat-drop moves like Moon Force and Mystical Fire; it appeared in virtually every game. Scarf Meowscarada out-speeds Scarf Basculegion, cleans up Delphox and Dragonite that threaten Charizard, and uses Flip Turn to maintain momentum. Mega Dragonite handles Incineroar and specially-focused Mega matchups where Charizard struggles. Sash Garchomp lays Stealth Rock and hits hard with Rock Slide. Primarina (Sitrus Berry, Misty Terrain) was intended to handle Umbreon and sleep cycles but was rarely selected; the author acknowledges this slot should become a more naturally integrated wallbreaker.Build article →

Using Mega Florges and Mega Kangaskhan as the double-Mega pair, the author reached 504th place and 2512 rating in Champions S1. Mega Florges anchors the team, with Mega Kangaskhan plus Sash Garchomp as the backbone after accounting for Florges's four weakness categories: Steel, Fire, Poison walls, and fast physical threats from above. Kangaskhan's moves are entirely targeted at anti-Florges lines: Earthquake and Fire Punch handle Corviknight and Aegislash, Ice Punch beats Garchomp and Dragonite, while Double-Edge punishes frail Mega Charizard and Florges mirrors. The author avoids Fake Out plus Sucker Punch mind games as a stylistic preference. Archaludon was the strongest team member, running Specs plus Focus Energy to fake out opponents with a two-stage drop, then land guaranteed crits to bypass Poison immunity and Stockpile stacking — a threat the author almost never lost to even against stall teams. Scarf Basculegion and Mega Skarmory (Brave Bird, Swords Dance, Roost, Taunt) were finalized after extensive testing. The author identifies insufficient late-season reps as the main shortcoming.Build article →

The team starts from wanting fast, high-power Electric Mega Raichu Y as the ace. Its three banes are Garchomp, bulky mons, and fast attackers, and it also struggles to move twice in front of the same Pokemon, so the author built around two axes: finite-cycle counterplay and setups that guarantee action turns. To that end: Orthworm tanks Garchomp and hands Raichu safety via Shed Tail; Mega Starmie breaks the bulky mons Raichu can't crack, using Bulk Up to plow through walls off an Orthworm handoff; Araquanid checks fast attackers, holding a Chople Berry to lay Sticky Web first so Raichu moves before threats. Whimsicott plays counter and closer with Leech Seed plus Sub/Protect, punishing every Garchomp variant, while Meowscarada patches gaps and opens a Toxic Spikes win route. The author says the team isn't fully polished, loads heavily on speed control, but is tight on both firepower and Build article →

Driven by a love of Pelipper's Electro Beam animation, the author built a rain-core team around Pelipper and Archaludon that reached a peak 2556 and a final 2511 rating in Champions S1. Both Pelipper (Sash) and Archaludon (Scarf) appeared in 100% of games; Archaludon's Draco Meteor threatens nearly every target when boosted by rain, while Pelipper's Hurricane hits reliably and delivers near-Specs damage under rain with a Choice Specs-like boost. Mega Starmie leverages rain speed to clear Archaludon mirror matchups and creates Flip Turn momentum. Mega Lucario was added to counter the proliferation of HD Archaludon, with its special Wave Crash (dubbed the author's personal nickname) one-shotting even specially-invested Archaludon, and its Iron Head Cannon also handles Hippowdon and Primarina. Mega Glimmora spreads Toxic Spikes before Mega evolving, then uses Adaptability to burst through Primarina and Sturdy-Archaludon. Hydreigon was slotted last to deter opposing lead Gengar but achieved a 0% usage rate; the author admits Gengar still won those games regularly. The team's strategy is blunt: run the three-piece core, break the Ground types, and win — except Bellibolt, which the author identifies as a completely unworkable matchup.Build article →

This team is built around Mega Scizor as the primary Mega evolution, supported by rain elements, finishing Season 1 at rank 510. The author assessed the new environment and concluded that Mega Florges and Mega Gengar dominate the Tier S Mega slots, that stacking moves are the most efficient way to break through bulky Pokemon without Choice items in the pool, and that cycle-based teams hold a structural advantage. Mega Scizor fits naturally into a cycling strategy through Roost, remains non-disadvantaged against Florges and Gengar, and covers the top non-Mega threats well, making it the ideal core. Pelipper and Archaludon were added for rain setup and Stealth Rock, Mega Starmie was brought in as the second Mega slot to handle dragons and Charizard-Y that trouble Scizor, Umbreon provides full-team sustainability via Toxic and Wish, and Glimmora with Corrosion handles Archaludon and the Corviknight matchup. The team's major self-assessed weakness is Mega Blastoise, which nobody on the team can reliably stop.Build article →

This team finished Season M-1 at rank 512 (R2511), built around Flareon as a personal staple. The central strategy is exploiting set prediction to gain early numerical advantage, with the key innovation being a Choice Scarf Archaludon spotted on social media — this single addition carried the author from R2300 to R2500. Opponents consistently misjudged Archaludon's set, allowing it to outspeed and KO Mega Lucario, Mega Gengar, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Florges, and other fast threats that would normally have a speed advantage. Supporting cast: Mega Venusaur for mixed bulk and to cover Flareon's Grass weakness, Tyranitar for special tanking against Mega Delphox and Mega Dragonite, Corviknight with Mirror Armor to block stat drops, and Garchomp with Lum Berry and Swords Dance for sweeping. Weakness: Archaludon's recoil makes it setup bait after attacking, and Mega Chesnaught has no reliable check in the team.Build article →

This Mega Scizor-centered cycle team reached a peak of R2587 and finished at R2511. The author returned to competitive play after roughly two years away and sees the team's result as proof that even lapsed players can compete at the 2500 level. The team philosophy is cycle-based attrition rather than one-shot power: wear down the opponent through repeated switches and pressure until their defensive structure collapses. Mega Scizor runs Curse to extend its physical coverage and hold its own against Aegislash and Meowscarada. Rotom-Heat on Choice Scarf handles fast threats like Kommo-o and Mega Gyarados from above while Volt Switch enables Florges cycling. Kingambit with Leftovers uses Encore to trap and grind down defensive Pokemon. Basculegion-M with Cursed Body threatens sweep loops forcing opponents into bad selection choices. Mega Florges and HB Ooze Berry Garchomp cover fast dragons like Dragonite and Hydreigon. The hardest matchup is Hippowdon, especially paired with Mega Gyarados, as Whirlwind and Stealth Rock quickly neutralize Rotom-Heat.Build article →

This is a bulky stall team, and the author left notes on each member. Mega Slowbro walls special attackers first, then comes back in to grind down physical threats; sometimes he even ran Trick Room over Iron Defense. Umbreon is prized for beating the Hydreigon plus Metagross pair, and a Substitute-Taunt Hydreigon opponent is basically a free surrender. Scizor was slotted in for the annoying Kingambit and Mimikyu but rarely saw play. Glimmora is an attacker that also drops Toxic Spikes on the side, often leading against Delphox teams to chip with a Gem before pivoting out and copying it with Ditto. The author calls Ditto the team MVP, saying a stall team without it really struggles.Build article →

This team centered on Mega Lopunny finished Season 1 at rank 516 (R2511). The author found that an Adamant Mega Lopunny with Mega Kick is extremely powerful: underpowered Primarina, Florges, and Charizard can be KO'd outright with Fake Out into Mega Kick or Fake Out into Close Combat, drastically reducing the need for switch prediction. The supporting cast includes HB Leftovers + Lazy Hippowdon for physical sponge and setup, Primarina with Calm Mind and Sleep Berry to break physical walls and handle Hippowdon and Corviknight, a specially defensive Mega Scizor to check Florges' Dazzling Gleam and Mega Dragonite, Archaludon with Focus Lens and Focus Energy to guarantee critical hits against Clefable and other defensive boosters, and Lum Berry Swords Dance Quaquaval to sweep off Hippowdon and Corviknight as setup fodder. The author self-critiques Quaquaval as underperforming due to needing support to handle fast threats; Volcarona is identified as the hardest counter, with its Flame Body deterrent and sun-boosted Morning Sun making it nearly impossible to handle.Build article →

The author placed 519th (peak 2259) with a build around lure pressure, baiting out matchups it beats. They first tried a Floette core but it flopped, since the Steel types it lures in are too strong and Aegislash kept punching through the whole back line. So they swapped to a Mega that lures things it actually beats and landed on Mega Blastoise, which draws in meta-relevant but stat-light picks like Primarina and Meowscarada. Around it sit Gengar and Corviknight to hunt those low-stat threats, Garchomp as the Ground slot, and a Choice Scarf Meowscarada. They were convinced Aegislash would decide the whole season and tuned the team to break it and its support (especially the Hippowdon plus Aegislash pairing), which grew common late-season, vindicating the call; movesets were built specifically to deny opponents the draw. The long second half is the author venting that Champions is less fuBuild article →

This team, dubbed 'Kouichi Idai-Ette' (well-known powerhouses), placed highest at R2526 and finished at R2510, built around the dual core of Florges and Basculegion-M. Florges was the starting point: it avoids disadvantage against Clefable and Umbreon, its high-power Fairy moves pass cleanly through many matchups, and it reduces forced switch reads. To address the weakness of Florges getting overwhelmed by fast Megas like Gengar, Lucario, and Starmie, Choice Scarf Basculegion-M was added to lure dark-type responses and strike first. Garchomp with Dragon Tail and Stealth Rock prevents steel and fire types from forming stable defensive layers against Florges. Kingambit with Choice Specs serves as the Basculegion-M check, handles Greninja and Meowscarada leads, and pressures Garchomp and Venusaur cycles that trouble Florges. The back slots include Mega Delphox and Gyarados to address Corviknight (which Choice Scarf Garchomp could not handle) and to provide speed control. The author candidly notes this team has many disadvantaged matchups, with Lopunny and Choice Scarf Garchomp being the most problematic.Build article →

The core plan is to use Clefable as a setup pivot, then baton momentum into sweepers. Clefable runs Moonblast, Thunder Wave, Encore and Stealth Rock with Magic Bounce; it reliably eats a Timid Archaludon Flash Cannon and outspeeds a paralyzed max-speed Mega Delphox, serving as Mega slot 1 and the lead setter, though the author fears a missed Thunder Wave. Garchomp borrows someone else's bulky spread with Stealth Rock and Spikes, low usage but solid when picked. Volcarona boosts damage via Swarm plus Bug Buzz and actually got better as Charizard and Ceruledge declined. Mega slot 2 is Mega Gyarados, thrown at Mimikyu teams to snatch speed with one Dragon Dance. Basculegion runs Adamant plus Focus Sash and can beat the rain Pelipper-Swampert-Archaludon core. Kingambit got hard to use as Hippowdon, Blaziken, Staraptor and Hisuian Samurott rose, and the author admits it might be worth swappinBuild article →

This team built around Mega Skarmory finished Season M-1 at rank 527 (R2510). The author chose Mega Skarmory because its Flying plus Ground coverage looked straightforwardly strong, and its pre-Mega Sturdy ability enables a distinctive double-boost line: take a physical hit to activate Weak Armor, boosting Speed, then Mega evolve to combine that with Swords Dance-boosted Brave Bird for a sweep. Gardevoir was the team's MVP: Trace to verify Greninja's ability, Pixie Plate to punish overconfident poison types, Vacuum Wave for revenge KOs, and high bulk in head-to-head leads, enabling wins against Garchomp, Archaludon, Greninja, and Mega Dragonite — appearing in 140 of 207 victories. Basculegion-F with Cursed Body Orb covers leads Gardevoir cannot handle. Emolga's type immunities completely shut down Quick Turn and priority Ghost/Water moves. Mega Glimmora acts as a second Mega to shape opponent selection while Incineroar handles fire-type threats and uses Swords Dance off Charizard as a setup target. The hardest matchups are Mega Delphox and Aegislash.Build article →