{"id":116229,"date":"2019-02-15T22:47:48","date_gmt":"2019-02-15T21:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=116229"},"modified":"2025-07-01T22:21:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T05:21:34","slug":"competitive-pokemon-smogon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/competitive-pokemon-smogon\/","title":{"rendered":"Competitive Pok\u00e9mon: Smogon and varying formats"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Game Freak has always kept the competitive spirit of Pok\u00e9mon alive and well with their frequent tournaments. The Video Game Championships (VGC) is a popular form of competition that is hosted by the Pok\u00e9mon Company itself. We\u2019ve even created a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/beginners-guide-to-competitive-pokemon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">complete beginner\u2019s guide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to help you get started in becoming a VGC master. However, there are other competitive formats as well. If you\u2019ve begun looking into competitive Pok\u00e9mon before, then you have probably heard of a site called <strong>Smogon<\/strong>. While the Pok\u00e9mon Company hosts VGC tournaments, Smogon is an independent fan-made company that hosts its own frequent tournaments. These are the two main platforms that you\u2019ll be able to find competitive players to battle, as both types of players tend to utilize the online battle simulation system of <a href=\"https:\/\/play.pokemonshowdown.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pok\u00e9mon Showdown<\/a>. Unlike VGC rules, Smogon has created tier lists for Pok\u00e9mon, allowing for a diverse range of tournament formats. Here is an easy guide to each format along with some general tips.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>What are\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon Smogon tournaments?<\/h2>\n<h3><b>Main tiers and competitive formats\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-129468\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-showdown.jpg\" alt=\"Pokemon Showdown\" width=\"700\" height=\"368\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-showdown.jpg 1098w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-showdown-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-showdown-768x404.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-showdown-1024x538.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As stated before, there are two main organizations that handle competitive formats, Smogon and The Pok\u00e9mon Company. Smogon divides their formats into tier lists based on how often a Pokemon is used (such as OverUsed and NeverUsed). Conversely, The Pokemon Company (competitively known as Play! Pok\u00e9mon) has one fixed format of competitive battling (Battle Spot), and one that varies year to year (VGC). Here are the main formats for each:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Play! Pok\u00e9mon<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pokemon.com\/us\/strategy\/an-introduction-to-the-video-game-championships\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">VGC<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is their main format for regular tournaments within their championship league. The rules change every year, though they roughly follow the same pattern as Battle Spot Doubles. More information can be found about this format from our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/beginners-guide-to-competitive-pokemon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">VGC guide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/battle_spot_singles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Battle Spot Singles<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This format consists of each player being given 120 seconds to view each other\u2019s team of six Pok\u00e9mon. Then both players get to choose three of their Pok\u00e9mon to use in a single battle against their opponent. The banlist is the standard banlist for Play! Pok\u00e9mon, meaning mostly mascot legendaries and mythical Pok\u00e9mon.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/xy\/formats\/battle_spot_doubles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Battle Spot Doubles<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This format is essentially the standard base format for VGC tournaments. Each player chooses four of their six Pokemon to battle against each other, after seeing each other\u2019s original six. The banlist is the standard banlist for Play! Pok\u00e9mon, meaning mostly mascot legendaries and mythical Pok\u00e9mon.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Battle Spot Special<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The only Battle Spot format that changes regularly. \u201cSpecial\u201d indicates special rulesets. This typically means an altered banlist, such as allowing mythical Pok\u00e9mon, which are customarily banned in Play! Pok\u00e9mon formats.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Note: Smogon provides guides and information on each of these formats, and manages them on the Pok\u00e9mon battle simulator, Pok\u00e9mon Showdown. Play! Pok\u00e9mon manages them within the actual game consoles, and on the official Pokemon.com website.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"sc-card-starred-link\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-starred-link__img\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2018\/06\/pokemon-quest-thumbnail1.png\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-title\">\r\n        <p class=\"sc-card-starred-link__title\">A beginner\u2019s guide to Pok\u00e9mon Quest<\/p>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__button\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/a-beginners-guide-to-pokemon-quest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\">Get started \u25ba<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__link\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/a-beginners-guide-to-pokemon-quest\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<p><b>Smogon<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/forums\/threads\/zeroused.3629669\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ZeroUsed (ZU)<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Technically this tier is still being created, so there aren\u2019t many official tournaments for it yet, and the name and Pok\u00e9mon within the tier are subject to change. That said, it will consist of Pok\u00e9mon that have an incredibly low percentage of usage among all tiers and competitive formats. It is currently unclear what the ZU meta will look like once it&#8217;s been released, but you will definitely find the weakest\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon in this tier.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/pu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">PoorlyUsed (PU)<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This is currently the lowest tier until ZU is officially released. Pok\u00e9mon in this tier tend to be more gimmicky than some of the others, as it is more difficult to rely on standard strategies when there aren\u2019t many powerful Pok\u00e9mon within the tier. Only ZU and PU Pok\u00e9mon are allowed in this tier.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/nu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">NeverUsed (NU)<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The second-lowest tier currently, and one of the more standard ones among players who like using undervalued Pok\u00e9mon. While there are still Pok\u00e9mon that rely on gimmicks at this stage, there are many standard roles here. You&#8217;ll often see weaker versions of a higher tier Pok\u00e9mon in the NU tier. For example, Clawitzer and Mega Blastoise have the same ability and function the same way, but Clawitzer is NU because it is essentially the weaker option. ZU, PU, and NU Pok\u00e9mon are all allowed to be used in this tier.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/ru\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">RarelyUsed (RU)<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While less popular than some of the other formats, Pok\u00e9mon in this tier\u00a0start to be more formidable. There are even Pokemon in this tier that are viable to be used in higher tiers like OU and Ubers. These Pok\u00e9mon tend to follow ZU, PU, NU, and RU Pokemon are allowed in this tier.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/uu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">UnderUsed (UU)<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the more common formats, UU is full of Pok\u00e9mon that are just below standard usage. Many of the Pokemon in this tier are fairly powerful, but have direct competition with an OU Pok\u00e9mon that just does their job better. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example, Blissey and Chansey do the same exact thing. They are both used as Special Defensive walls. However, Chansey actually does this better, since it can hold an item called Eviolite which boosts the defenses of non-fully evolved Pok\u00e9mon. This is why Chansey is an OU Pok\u00e9mon while Blissey is in UU.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This tier is also where the majority of Pok\u00e9mon are first able to be used, making it a fairly large tier with some versatility. Any Pokemon in ZU, PU, NU, RU, or UU can be used in this tier.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/ou\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">OverUsed (OU)<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This tier is often considered the standard format for Smogon and Single battles in general, since it consists of commonly powerful Pok\u00e9mon that aren\u2019t innately overpowered.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Any Pok\u00e9mon that are not in Ubers or AG are allowed in this format.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/uber\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Ubers<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This tier is commonly seen as the legendary tier among new players, as most powerful legendary Pok\u00e9mon are in this format.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All Pok\u00e9mon besides Mega Rayquaza are allowed in this format.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/ag\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">AnythingGoes (AG)<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This tier was specifically created for Mega Rayquaza, who was considered too powerful for Ubers at the time.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Essentially this tier removes many standard balancing rules, including any individual Pok\u00e9mon restrictions. Any Pok\u00e9mon can be used, and none of Smogon\u2019s general rules apply (except for their Endless Battle Clause).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/uubl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">BorderLine (BL)<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Borderline Pok\u00e9mon exist between two formats. There are usually only a few Pok\u00e9mon between formats, which is why these Pok\u00e9mon don\u2019t have their own standard tournament tier. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">An example of a Borderline Pok\u00e9mon is one that is too strong to be in UnderUsed but too weak to be in OverUsed. This would put the Pokemon in the UUBL tier.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/lc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Little Cup (LC)<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This format is unique, as it consists of unevolved Pok\u00e9mon at level 5. The rules are a bit unique, as some of the standard Smogon rules do not apply to this format (such as the Item Clause). Additionally, the banlist of Pok\u00e9mon consists of any Pok\u00e9mon that has already evolved or can not evolve at all. Extremely powerful first stage Pok\u00e9mon, such as Scyther and Yanma, are also not allowed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smogon.com\/dex\/sm\/formats\/doubles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Doubles OU, UU, and Ubers<\/span><\/a>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">These formats work the same way as the formats they are named after, except they are double battles instead of single.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(Note: Battle Spot formats can be found within the games\u2019 online match modes, while VGC is exclusive to Play! Pok\u00e9mon sponsored tournaments. All of those formats, along with Smogon\u2019s can also be accessed for battle simulation on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/play.pokemonshowdown.com\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pokemon Showdown<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Smogon formats, unlike Play! Pok\u00e9mon, have no in-game mechanic to enforce them, and are typically used in private tournaments).<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-program\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-program__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__img\" alt=\"Pokemon Go\" src=\"https:\/\/images.sftcdn.net\/images\/t_app-logo-l,f_auto,dpr_auto\/p\/e6290d2a-96d0-11e6-869d-00163ec9f5fa\/1284888783\/pokemon-go-logo.png\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-title\">\r\n        <span class=\"sc-card-program__title\">Pokemon Go<\/span>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-program__button sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/pokemon-go.en.softonic.com\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Free Download<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-rating\">\r\n        <svg class=\"rating-score__content\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.1\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" viewbox=\"0 0 50 50\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 50 50\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path class=\"rating-score__background rating-score--good\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><path class=\"rating-score__value rating-score__value--70\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-dashoffset=\"70\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><text class=\"rating-score__number\" content=\"7\" text-anchor=\"middle\" transform=\"matrix(1 0 0 1 25 31.0837)\" data-auto=\"app-user-score\">7<\/text><\/svg>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <span class=\"sc-card-program__description\"><\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__bigpic\" src=\"\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-program__link track-link sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/pokemon-go.en.softonic.com\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<h3><b>General rules:<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-129544 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore.jpg\" alt=\"Pok\u00e9mon\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-800x450.jpg 800w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-664x374.jpg 664w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-238x134.jpg 238w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-436x246.jpg 436w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-370x208.jpg 370w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-304x170.jpg 304w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/Pokemon-encore-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As with everything, the Pok\u00e9mon Company and Smogon have very different rules from each other. That said, each of them tends to follow the same guidelines within their formats. Here are the general rules for each:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Play! Pok\u00e9mon<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Time Limit &#8211; Each match can only last 30 minutes, with each player being given one minute for their turns. If they take too long, a random move will be selected. If the 30 minutes elapse before the match is resolved, the game goes to the player with more Pok\u00e9mon still alive.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Level Limit &#8211; Pok\u00e9mon that surpass level 50 will automatically be brought down to 50.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Species Clause &#8211; A team can\u2019t have any more repeated Pok\u00e9mon on it (this includes form changes. So you can only have one Rotom on your team, even if you have different Rotom forms).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Item Clause &#8211; No Pokemon can hold the same item as another on their team<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Origin Marker &#8211; Depending on the game, Pok\u00e9mon require a symbol that show they were born within that generation. Generation 6 uses a blue pentagon, while Generation 7 uses a black clover<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Banlist &#8211; In addition to the above rules, Play! Pok\u00e9mon formats typically follow the same banlist of mascot legendaries and mythical Pok\u00e9mon. In addition to these Pokemon, Mewtwo and Zygarde are also included in the typical banlist.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Smogon<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Species Clause &#8211; Same as above<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Item Clause &#8211; Same as above<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Evasion Clause &#8211; Minimize and Double Team are banned moves<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Swagger Clause &#8211; The move Swagger is banned<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">OHKO Clause &#8211; One-hit Knockout moves are banned (for example, Fissure and Sheer Cold)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sleep Clause &#8211; A player can only have one Pok\u00e9mon on their team put to sleep at a time. This means if a player switches out their sleeping Pok\u00e9mon, you are not allowed to put the new Pokemon to sleep as well.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Moody Clause &#8211; Pok\u00e9mon aren\u2019t allowed to have the ability Moody, even if they have access to it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Endless Battle Clause &#8211; A player can not force an endless battle. This is possible through a few different means, typically by stalling the opponent out by healing the player and opponent and not allowing them to do anything. <\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Note, the reason this clause doesn\u2019t exist in Play! Pok\u00e9mon formats, is because they have a time limit instead.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As you can see, Smogon tends to focus on rules that prevent games to focus on chance, while Play! Pok\u00e9mon tends to focus on rules that will prevent slow games.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-starred-link\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-starred-link__img\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-small.jpg\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-title\">\r\n        <p class=\"sc-card-starred-link__title\">Beginner\u2019s Guide to Pok\u00e9mon Let\u2019s Go: Pikachu and Eevee<\/p>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__button\" href=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-small.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\">Read Now \u25ba<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__link\" href=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-small.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<h3><b>General tips on getting started<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">So now that you know how the formats work, where do you go from here? Well, first you should identify what format appeals to you. If you like fast double battles, and are willing to travel frequently for tournaments, then VGC would be a good format to look into. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Alternatively, if you prefer longer single battles, then you\u2019ll probably be interested in a Smogon format. Since Smogon divides their formats into tiers, you will probably want to make teams for tiers that have Pok\u00e9mon you want to use. OU is a good standard format to look into playing, at least while you\u2019re getting started. This is because the range of Pok\u00e9mon that are usable in this format is much larger than most of the others, and it is commonly considered the general format for singles tournaments (especially in more casual settings). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No matter which format you\u2019re looking to play in, you\u2019ll want to build a team around a coherent strategy. Weather and Trick Room teams are the easiest to create, since the main strategy of your team is easy to identify. This also means that other players will have some idea how to play against them. Don\u2019t let that frighten you, though, as these teams are still powerful and easy to create. We recommend building a rain team around Pelipper, or a Trick Room team around Mimikyu. These are useful for both Play! Pok\u00e9mon and Smogon formats (at least within the tiers that Smogon allows them in).<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"sc-card-starred-link\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-starred-link__img\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/comp-pokemon-small.jpg\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-title\">\r\n        <p class=\"sc-card-starred-link__title\">Beginner\u2019s Guide to Competitive Pok\u00e9mon<\/p>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__button\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/beginners-guide-to-competitive-pokemon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\">Read Now \u25ba<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__link\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/beginners-guide-to-competitive-pokemon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<h3><b>Status moves are your friend<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-129543 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/alolan-persian.jpg\" alt=\"Pok\u00e9mon\" width=\"654\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/alolan-persian.jpg 654w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/alolan-persian-300x199.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 654px) 100vw, 654px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This applies to both Smogon tournaments and Play! Pok\u00e9mon. Many players will complete their entire Pokemon journey within the game without ever using a status move. This is easily accomplished, since most opponents can be defeated without them, and many of them won\u2019t use status moves themselves. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In competitive Pok\u00e9mon, however, this is far from the case. You will see status moves on practically every Pok\u00e9mon, even purely offensive mons, like Gengar. The types of status moves you will see can vary greatly depending on the format you are competing in. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example, entry hazards (moves that cause damage to a Pok\u00e9mon when they enter the battlefield) are incredibly common in singles battles, but almost never seen in VGC formats. This is because entry hazards are hard to take advantage of in VGC, since there are only four Pok\u00e9mon on a team, and two of them are out at a time. This means those entry hazards would only be useful against the two\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon that aren&#8217;t out at the beginning. This is a huge difference from single battles, where entry hazards are almost guaranteed to effect five\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon, making them much more useful. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Additionally, VGC battles go much faster than Smogon formats, as Smogon formats tend to have a lot of switching. Without that switching, entry hazards will rarely proc, making them pretty useless overall in VGC. Here are a few common status moves you will see in each format:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Entry Hazards<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Examples: Stealth Rocks, Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Sticky Web<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As stated above, these moves are a Smogon standard and a VGC rarity. They each have their own benefits. Stealth Rocks and Spikes are typically more offensive entry hazards, while Toxic Spikes and Sticky Web provide team support. Stealth Rocks, in particular, is universally considered the most powerful entry hazard as it does incredible amounts of damage, especially on Pokemon who have a weakness to Rock.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It should also be noted that since entry hazards are so useful in Smogon battles, so are entry hazard removers: Rapid Spin and Defog.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Protect and similar moves<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Examples: Protect, Detect, King\u2019s Shield, Baneful Bunker, Spiky Shield<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The general rule of thumb is: In single battles, practically no Pok\u00e9mon use these moves, while in double battles almost every Pok\u00e9mon has one. This is because you can use them to make your opponent waste their turn by successfully predicting what Pok\u00e9mon they will attack in a double battle, giving the protector\u2019s partner a free turn. In single battles, there are very few benefits and situations where you want your opponent to waste a turn that you also don\u2019t get to do anything on. That is not to say they can never be used in singles, as highly defensive Pok\u00e9mon can use this move to wait out a poisoned or leech seeded Pok\u00e9mon&#8217;s health.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Move Restriction moves<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Examples: Taunt, Torment, Encore, Disable<\/li>\n<li>These moves restrict your opponent&#8217;s options. Each one uses a different way to prevent your opponent from attacking. You can combine many of them to force your opponent to Struggle or switch\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Healing\/Clerical moves<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Examples: Aromatherapy, Heal Pulse, Heal Bell, Wish<\/li>\n<li>As the name implies, these moves are particularly useful for healing and supporting your party. Usually, you&#8217;ll have one\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon that uses a few of these moves. Tanky\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon with large support movepools are popular choices for clerical\u00a0Pok\u00e9mon, like Blissey and Sylveon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Pok\u00e9mon roles<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-129545 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon.jpg\" alt=\"Pokemon\" width=\"1113\" height=\"663\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon.jpg 1113w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-300x179.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-768x457.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2019\/02\/pokemon-1024x610.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1113px) 100vw, 1113px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On competitive forums, you will often see Pok\u00e9mon described as sweepers, walls, and clerics. These terms relate to a Pok\u00e9mon&#8217;s primary use in battle. Here are some common roles you will see, and a few examples of them:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Physical\/Special\/Mixed Sweeper<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A sweeper is a Pok\u00e9mon whose primary job is to deal heavy amounts of damage. They are typically fast Pok\u00e9mon (though there are slow bulky sweepers out there), who specialize in either Attack (Physical) or Special Attack (Special). There are a few Pok\u00e9mon who can be a Mixed Sweeper as well (dealing both Physical and Special damage).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some examples include: Scizor with Swords Dance and Bullet Punch as a somewhat common physical sweeper; Gengar with Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb for a special sweeper; and Lucario makes a\u00a0potential mixed sweeper with Bullet Punch and Aura Sphere.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Physical\/Special\/Mixed Walls<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A wall is the exact opposite of a sweeper. A Pok\u00e9mon whose primary job is to have a strong defense. All walls have a mix of Special Defense, Defense, and HP, but many are inclined to be more physically or specially defensive. Walls can be incredibly useful for switching Pok\u00e9mon in safely, and disrupting your enemy\u2019s strategy. Many of them also have valuable status moves.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A common special wall is Blissey, due to her naturally high Special Defense, while a common physical wall is Skarmory for the same reason but with Defense.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cleric<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Named after the healers of the RPG world, clerics are Pok\u00e9mon with access to moves that can heal their team, such as Wish or Aromatherapy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Sylveon is just one of many Fairy Pok\u00e9mon that can provide clerical support for their team. It has access to both Wish and Heal Bell.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supporter<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Supporter Pok\u00e9mon are mostly status users. Their primary job is to use their status moves to provide support for the rest of their team and disabling their opponent. This can be accomplished through move-restricting and status-inducing moves like Thunder Wave and Encore.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pok\u00e9mon with the ability Prankster are often used as supporters, since Prankster lets a Pok\u00e9mon use a status move before any other Pok\u00e9mon on the field. Whimsicott makes a great supporter for this reason, as it has access to common support moves like Taunt and Encore.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Lead<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The first Pok\u00e9mon to be sent out. Usually, you have a few of these on a team depending on your strategy. In single battles, entry hazard users are common lead Pok\u00e9mon, as they can get out their hazards early into the game<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Aerodactyl is a powerful lead Pok\u00e9mon, since it\u2019s fast and has access to Stealth Rocks.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Setter (Weather, Terrain, Room)<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On teams with a field-altering strategy, there has to be at least one Pok\u00e9mon that sets up the weather\/terrain\/etc. These Pok\u00e9mon are integral to the strategy of a team, and are often the first target of your opponent, so make sure to protect them effectively.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Since there are many different types of field strategies, there are also many different types of setters. Pelipper and Politoed are common rain setters on weather teams, since they have access to Drizzle (an ability that activates Rain Dance once they enter the battlefield). <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Similarly, the Tapus are the best terrain setters, since they each have access to a different ability that sets up a terrain when they enter the battlefield. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For Trick Room setters, you\u2019ll want to use a bulky slow Pok\u00e9mon, like Reuniclus, Slowbro, or Mimikyu (with Disguise active).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of course, there are more roles than just these, but these are the most common. Ideally, your team will consist of a special sweeper, a physical sweeper, a wall or supporter, and any combination of three other Pok\u00e9mon that fit your strategy. However, a full team of sweepers is not incredibly uncommon in Battle Spot games.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No matter how you decide to do your Pok\u00e9mon journey, your first stop should be\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pokemonshowdown.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Pok\u00e9mon Showdown<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to start creating teams and practicing against other players with them. There is no better way to learn than hands-on, so you should go out and see what other players are doing. You can learn all about the current meta in your format, and even start to raise in the ranks of Showdown itself.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to try your hand at a Pok\u00e9mon Smogon tournament? Here&#8217;s how it all works.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9154,"featured_media":116348,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":0},"categories":[2518,2441,3150],"tags":[1343,1625],"usertag":[784,788,786],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-116229","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","category-how-to","category-uncategorized","tag-pokemon","tag-smogon","usertag-gamer","usertag-gamer-casual","usertag-gamer-console"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116229","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9154"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116229"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116229\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":326571,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116229\/revisions\/326571"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116229"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116229"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116229"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=116229"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=116229"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=116229"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}