Say Goodbye to This Popular Competitive Format in Pokemon Champions

The main draw of Pokemon Champions will be the chance to participate in both single and double Pokemon battles using some of the franchise’s most powerful critters. For the first time since Gen 7, Pokemon Champions allows players to use Mega Evolution in battle, including the 45 new Megas added in Legends: Z-A. Not every competitive Pokemon format uses the game’s strongest critters, and fans of Pokemon‘s Little Cup format will be out of luck when Champions launches.

The Little Cup Format Won’t Be Playable in Pokemon Champions

Although the official Pokemon VGC format is double battles, competitive Pokemon players have developed all kinds of rules for other formats to keep battles interesting. Single battles are another popular battle format that will be allowed in Champions, and self-imposed challenges like monotype battles are possible as well. Unfortunately, for as feature-packed as Pokemon Champions is when it comes to creating the ultimate competitive team, it doesn’t allow players to use not-fully-evolved Pokemon, meaning the Little Cup format will be off the table.

Rules for Competitive Pokemon’s Little Cup Format

• All Pokemon must be level 5, any Pokemon that can be obtained at level 5 is banned
• Only Pokemon that haven’t evolved can be used
• Banned moves: Baton Pass, Sticky Web
• Banned Abilities: Moody
• Banned Items: Heat Rock

The Little Cup format allows players to test their competitive skills when using Pokemon that aren’t at their full power yet. Limiting battles to basic, unevolved Pokemon at level 5 gives Little Cup battles a new layer of strategy when access to the most powerful competitive builds is limited. Little Cup also gives Pokemon that otherwise would never see competitive play in standard formats a chance to shine, and players a chance to use some of their favorite weaker mons in a competitive setting.

Some of the Best Pokemon for Little Cup in Gen 9

• Vullaby
• Mienfoo
• Foongus
• Mudbray
• Alolan Diglett
• Glimmet
• Mareanie
• Tinkatink
• Toedscool

The two stars of the Little Cup format in Pokemon Gen 9 are Vullaby and Mienfoo, thanks to their access to Knock Off. Since Little Cup only features unevolved Pokemon, the Eviolite item, which increases a Pokemon’s Defense and Special Defense if they’re not fully evolved, is a must-use. This makes mons with access to Knock Off incredibly valuable for removing Eviolite from opposing Pokemon, and Vullaby’s bulk and Mienfoo’s Attack make them both easy additions to any Little Cup team.

Other great Little Cup mons include Foongus for its Defensive bulk and access to Spore, Mudbray for setting up Stealth Rock and a powerful Earthquake user, Alolan Diglett for a surprisingly fast Earthquake user, and Glimmet for a variety of entry hazards like Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes via its Toxic Debris Ability. The core of Mareanie, Tinkatink, and Toedscool can also be a strong combo within the Little Cup format. Toedscool is good for hazard control with access to Rapid Spin, and can Knock Off an opponent’s Eviolite. Tinkatink can counter Vullaby with STAB Draining Kiss while also being a good Steel-type wall. Mareanie is bulky and can survive a long time with access to Recover and the Regenerator Ability, while also having Ice Beam as a counter to Toedscool and Foongus.

Pokemon Champions Requires Fully-Evolved Pokemon (With One Major Exception)

Fans of the Little Cup format will have to stick to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet for their competitive battles, since Pokemon Champions has confirmed that only fully-evolved Pokemon can be used in the game. Pokemon Champions already won’t feature every Pokemon at launch, but those that are available in the game have to be their fully-evolved forms. There is one major exception to this rule, as Pikachu will be usable alongside both Alolan and Kantonian Raichu. This makes sense given Pikachu’s iconic mascot status, and it’s possible that other Pokemon mascots, like Eevee, will be usable as well. However, the Eviolite item is also confirmed to be absent from Pokemon Champions at launch, meaning it’s probably not worth using Pikachu in a competitive battle anyway.

Not All Hope is Lost for the Future of Little Cup in Pokemon Champions

Despite only fully-evolved Pokemon being available in Champions at launch, it’s possible that unevolved Pokemon will become usable sometime down the line. According to Pokemon Champions producer Masaaki Hoshino, the developers only wanted to make final evolutions available at launch to make the game more accessible to new players, removing some of the overwhelming feeling of having access to over 1,000 critters. However, Hoshino states that the team is considering adding not-fully-evolved Pokemon in the future as players become more familiar with the game’s mechanics.

As understandable as it is to want to avoid overwhelming new Pokemon Champions players with choices at launch, the lack of unevolved and not-fully-evolved Pokemon at launch is a little disappointing, especially for fans of Little Cup battles. Pokemon Champions will likely give players plenty of room to strategize and experiment with its mechanics, with a particular focus on the new Mega Evolutions that will be usable in a competitive setting for the first time. But players who enjoy unconventional battles may need to stick with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet for the time being.