Pokémon Champions M-B Regulation: complete format guide

Since its launch, Pokémon Champions has shaken up the habits of the competitive scene by centralizing ranked battles and VGC tournaments in a single client. On June 17, 2026, the seasonal update pushed Ranked Battle into a new era: the M-B Regulation. The game's second official format, it succeeds April's M-A Regulation, reintroduces Mega Evolution at full strength, and will serve as the battleground until the 2026 World Championships. This guide covers the exact rules published by The Pokémon Company, the newly allowed Pokémon, the meta observed on the servers, and the pitfalls that cost the most points when climbing the ladder.

What is the M-B Regulation?

The M-B Regulation is Pokémon Champions' second official ruleset. It is active from Wednesday, June 17, 2026 at 02:00 UTC until Wednesday, September 2, 2026 at 01:59 UTC, and governs both the game's Ranked Battle and the 2026 VGC tournaments organized by Play! Pokémon over the same period, including Worlds.

Compared to the preceding M-A Regulation, M-B keeps the same foundation: Mega Evolution allowed, Legendaries and Mythicals excluded, doubles format. Above all, it expands the pool of playable Pokémon by opening up 22 new species and 16 new Mega forms. The Battle Bond ability remains banned, and two Pokémon that were very popular in the previous format, Mega Lucario Z and Mega Garchomp Z, also remain blocked according to the lists published by The Pokémon Company.

Tip: if you're coming back from Scarlet & Violet, don't look for Terastallization here. Mega Evolution is the format's only offensive mechanic, and it completely changes the way you build a team.

The battle format in detail

The M-B Regulation is played exclusively in Double Battle (two active Pokémon side by side). Here are the exact parameters displayed in Ranked Battle mode:

• Prepared team: 4 to 6 Pokémon, all levels 1 to 100, automatically brought to level 50 in battle.
• Team preview: 90 seconds to reveal the full teams (Open Team List) and select the 4 Pokémon that will actually be brought into battle.
• Total match time: 20 minutes.
• Time per player: 7 minutes total across the entire battle.
• Time per turn: 45 seconds maximum to confirm orders.

Two fundamental clauses structure team building: the species clause (impossible to field two identical Pokémon) and the item clause (impossible for two Pokémon to hold the same item). Finally, Mega Evolution remains limited to a single use per battle: you can slot several Pokémon capable of Mega Evolving into your team, but only one will actually trigger its transformation.

Allowed and banned Pokémon

The general rule hasn't changed since M-A: Legendary, Restricted, and Mythical Pokémon remain out of format. No additional species has been specifically restricted for M-B according to the official rules published in June 2026, but these lists are subject to change if The Pokémon Company responds to a meta imbalance.

The 22 new species opened up in M-B

The format's big new addition is a batch of Pokémon from several generations, with a deliberate mix of OU staples and UU/RU curiosities rarely seen in VGC:

• Gholdengo, Annihilape, Grimmsnarl, Polteageist (Generation IX and VIII, all highly sought after competitively).
• The three Hoenn starters: Sceptile, Blaziken, Swampert.
• Staples from past formats: Metagross, Mimikyu, Staraptor, Hydreigon, Iron Bundle, Volcarona.
• Rarer options: Vileplume, Qwilfish (and its Hisuian form Overqwil), Amoonguss, Toxapex, Ceruledge, Golisopod, Grafaiai, Hexadron.

The 16 new Mega Evolutions

All the new species that have a Mega Stone see their evolved form unlocked, plus a few highly anticipated transformations:

• Mega Raichu X and Mega Raichu Y (two distinct forms).
• Mega Sceptile, Mega Blaziken, Mega Swampert, Mega Mimikyu, Mega Metagross, Mega Staraptor.
• Mega Iron Bundle, Mega Hydreigon, Mega Amoonguss, Mega Toxapex, Mega Ceruledge, Mega Golisopod, Mega Grafaiai, Mega Hexadron.

Held items: newcomers and bans

The notable point on the item side is the additions joining the legal pool in M-B. These include Life Orb, Scope Lens, Muscle Band, Wide Lens, Assault Vest, Light Clay, as well as the full set of weather rocks: Heat Rock, Damp Rock, Icy Rock, Smooth Rock. In practical terms, this rehabilitates rain, sun, sand, and hail strategies that were stifled in M-A by too few available rocks.

Classic items such as Leftovers, Choice Band, Choice Scarf, Choice Specs, or Light Ball (specific to Pikachu) remain allowed, provided the item clause is respected: each copy can only be held by a single Pokémon on your team. No general item ban has been announced in the official M-B ruleset published in June 2026; most restrictions therefore go through Mega Stones and items tied to banned forms.

The current meta: four dominant Pokémon

After a few weeks of Ranked Battle, a hardcore group has established itself at the top of the ladders. Here are the most-seen builds, as reported by community aggregators:

Gholdengo — the Gold gunner

Ability Good as Gold (total immunity to status moves), item Life Orb or Choice Specs. Dominant moveset: Make It Rain / Shadow Ball / Nasty Plot / Protect. A special pivot that nothing can silence, often paired with a partner capable of shielding it from Dark-type attacks.

Grimmsnarl — the ultimate support

Ability Prankster, item Light Clay. The most-played moveset combines Light Screen, Reflect, Protect, and Spirit Break. Priority on its screens thanks to Prankster, it sets up offensive conditions for its Mega partner in a single turn.

Annihilape — the offensive tank

Ability Rage Fist, item Leftovers. Classic set: Rage Fist, Drain Punch, Bulk Up, Protect. Every hit taken increases the power of its Rage Fist, turning attempts to neutralize it into a poisoned gift.

Mega Metagross — the physical finisher

Ability Clear Body (pre-Mega Evolution), item Metagrossite. Standard set: Zen Headbutt, Iron Head, Bullet Punch, Protect. Adamant or Jolly nature depending on whether you're looking to outspeed or hit harder. Its Steel-type priority move wreaks havoc against fragile screen setters.

Around this quartet gravitate staples like Garchomp, Chien-Pao, or Whimsicott, which often come back as partners to cover the core's Fire, Ground, Ghost, or Dark weaknesses. According to public usage data from Ranked Battle S3, none of these Pokémon shows an overwhelming win rate: the meta's four heroes hover around 46 to 48%, which suggests a format that's still balanced and far from a dominant centralizer. An ideal context for testing creative teams, provided you have a solid plan against the Grimmsnarl + Mega Metagross core that's omnipresent at the top of the ladder.

Tip: these four profiles regularly run together in popular cores. Plan at least one answer to Gholdengo on every team, or its repeated Make It Rain will end up costing you the match.

How to enter official tournaments

Play! Pokémon uses the M-B Regulation for its entire 2026 VGC circuit during this period, including international events. To be eligible:

1. Create or link a Pokémon Trainer Club account to Pokémon Champions.
2. Register for a tournament via the official Events page; Locals, Regionals, and the online circuit all use the same ruleset.
3. Prepare your team directly in Champions: official tournaments automatically check legality at registration, including the species clause and the item clause.

Important note: Champions no longer offers the short-range local communications found in the main series games. Everything goes through the servers, which guarantees tournament integrity but requires a stable connection for the entire duration of a round.

Five classic mistakes to avoid

• Neglecting the Open Team List: your opponents see everything from the preview. There's no way to hide a surprise Choice Scarf. Build your combos so they win even when announced in advance.
• Forgetting the item clause: two Leftovers or two Life Orbs on the same team and the client simply refuses to let you queue for the ladder.
• Counting on two Mega Evolutions in the same match: you can bring as many as you want in your prepared team, but only one will actually be able to transform. Always have a backup plan.
• Ignoring the new weather rocks: rain and sun archetypes are noticeably more viable than in M-A. A team without Defog or without Fighting resist can quickly get overwhelmed.
• Underestimating the timer: 7 minutes of individual time run out fast when you're in a complex mirror match. Practice deciding in 15-20 seconds while laddering, not just in tournaments.

Tip: keep an eye on the weekly patch notes. The Pokémon Company already has a habit of adjusting available Pokémon or allowed abilities without changing the regulation; M-B could therefore shift before it closes on September 2, 2026.

To go further

• Building a Screens + Mega core: four archetypes that exploit Grimmsnarl and Mega Metagross.
• The best partners for Gholdengo to cover its Dark and Fire weaknesses.
• Anticipating the M-C Regulation: which Restricted Pokémon could arrive after September 2026.