Pokemon Champions is about to get a game-changing update on September 8, introducing powerful Pokemon, Mega Evolutions, items, new battle rules, and more. Pokemon Champions came out in April this year, and it has since become the official battling hub for the Pokemon franchise. The game was used for the VGC portion of the World Championships 2026, and based on comments from the developers, it could even become where turn-based combat is preserved, should the main series introduce different battle mechanics and rules.
Pokemon Champions‘ best double battle teams have changed dramatically over time, as the game has introduced more Pokemon and items after launch. On top of that, the meta is ever-changing, which shows with Mega Dragonite winning this year’s World Championships despite being often considered among the weaker Mega Evolutions in the meta. Interestingly, the meta started with a great Incineroar presence, but the winning team of the VGC Masters division didn’t even use it. Now, the meta is going to change even more dramatically on September 8 thanks to three confirmed Mega Evolutions, some regular Pokemon, and more.
Pokemon Champions Officially Adding New Pokemon, Mega Evolutions, Items, and Rules
A now-deleted tweet from the official Nintendo of America Twitter account was published on August 31, confirming that Pokemon Champions is adding new Pokemon, Mega Evolutions, and items on September 8, including some popular picks. It’s unclear why the tweet was deleted, but the confirmed Pokemon were shown in a trailer during the closing ceremony at Worlds 2026, so details are unlikely to change. Even then, just a handful of new Pokemon and items are always more than enough to change how the game is played completely, and that’s what is happening on September 8 with Regulation Set M-C, launching at 6 pm PT and ending on December 1 at 5:59 pm PT. The confirmed details for September 8 are as follows:
-
Pokemon Champions Regulation Set M-C
- Mega Z Pokemon: Officially adds Mega Absol Z, Mega Lucario Z, and Mega Garchomp Z.
- 26 New Pokemon: Officially adds 26 new Pokemon, of which Rillaboom and Baxcalibur are now confirmed. It’s unclear whether Mega Baxcalibur will be available. The 26 new Pokemon likely include special Megas, so Mega Absol Z, Mega Lucario Z, and Mega Garchomp Z may be part of the official number.
- New Abilities: Abilities for Mega Absol Z, Mega Lucario Z, and Mega Garchomp Z have been officially announced. They are Sharpness, Aura Break, and Levitate, respectively.
- Updated Battle Rules: While the wording is obscure, this typically means new items are being added, with potential restrictions for using specific Pokemon, Mega Evolutions, and other means of team composition.
-
-
Image via The Pokemon Company -
Image via The Pokemon Company
Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s Mega Absol Z (a Dark/Ghost Pokemon) will have the Sharpness ability, which boosts its damage done with slicing moves by 50%, including moves like Night Slash, Aerial Ace, Psycho Cut, and Shadow Claw. Mega Lucario Z is getting Aura Break, which reduces the damage of opposing contact moves by 50%. Finally, Mega Garchomp Z gets Levitate, which makes it immune to Ground-type attacks. It’s worth noting that, if the 26 new Pokemon figure from Nintendo includes Mega Z Pokemon, Absol, Lucario, and Garchomp (and their regular Megas) are all in the game already, so they wouldn’t technically be new Pokemon.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Still, Pokemon Champions adding Rillaboom is a big deal because it’s a Terrain setter, which adds a new mechanical layer to the game. Baxcalibur is also confirmed, and it was a powerful meta threat in Gen 9, now with a Mega Evolution whose ability has yet to be confirmed. New items will also inevitably make a big splash in the current meta, depending on what is added. With Rillaboom confirmed, it’s plausible that Seeds will come back to VGC, as they trigger their effects when a Pokemon holding one is sent out on the field while a specific Terrain is active. For example, Grassy Seed is consumed upon entering the field while Grassy Terrain is up, which Rillaboom sets with its ability, increasing the user’s Defense stat. This would make Pokemon like Sneasler even more powerful and versatile, proccing Unburden, or maybe boosting a Pokemon’s Acrobatics attack if they consume Seeds upon entering the field
More items like Assault Vest could dramatically change the game, too, making certain Pokemon much more viable than they currently are, thus forcing the meta to evolve around them. For example, the best rain teams in Pokemon Champions often use Archaludon and/or Mega Dragonite alongside the likes of Basculegion and Pelipper. However, Archaludon could amazingly on its own without rain if Assault Vest is added, as the item provides a 50% boost to the user’s Special Defense stat when it has only attacking moves in its kit. Since Special Defense is Archaludon’s weakness, Assault Vest would make it an incredible threat in all teams, and it would massively change the game on its own.
With the official post stating that Regulation Set M-C will have “updated battle rules,” there is a chance that teambuilding will have some caveats. For example, Mega Z Pokemon may be limited to one per team, like restricted Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Z-A. There is also a chance that this simply refers to an updated roster of Pokemon and items, but even then, it’s going to be a big deal for the September 8 update, making Pokemon Champions feel like a different game entirely.
