Tornadus Stonks! — Pokémon VGC Regulation F Meta Report
Pokémon VGC players have been following the meta closely since Regulation F was announced a few months back. From January 4th to April 30th, competitors will be playing under this new format and new top teams have started to emerge.
What Do Pro Players Want From Pokemon VGC’s Regulation F?
Pokémon Banned in Regulation F
Regulation F has the following Pokémon banned:
- Koraidon
- Miraidon
- Meloetta
- Mew
- Mewtwo
- Calyrex
- Eternatus
- Zacian
- Zamazenta
- Arceus
- Dialga
- Giratina
- Palkia
- Ho-Oh
- Lugia
- Kyogre
- Groudon
- Rayquaza
- Zarude
- Magearna
- Terapagos
- Volcanion
- Hoopa
- Necrozma
- Lunala
- Solgaleo
- Jirachi
- Deoxys
- Phione
- Manaphy
- Darkrai
- Shaymin
- Kyurem
- Reshiram
- Zekrom
- Keldeo
- Cosmog
- Cosmoem
Pokémon VGC Regulation F Meta Emerges
It's been a few weeks since Regulation F went into effect and we've seen a handful of regional and international competitions. This has allowed a meta to finally form and the competitive VGC community has noticed some teams thriving more than others.
According to beastcoast VGC pro Aaron "Cybertron" Zheng, the metagame has been revealed and it's faster than it's been recently. After the last few regionals, certain Pokémon and strategies have come out on top.
The best teams right now are known as "balance teams." These are Pokémon squads that are really strong and have synergy but no specific angle, like setting up Tail Wind. Most teams that have won recent regionals have been balance teams, including Wolfe Glick's powerful team including Water type Urshifu, Incineroar, Rillaboom, and Farigraf.
It's not easy to pilot these teams, but in the right expert hands, these balance teams have so many tools at their disposal. Glick's deck, for example, has multiple fakeout users and setup users, among other answers to popular Pokémon that may go up against it.
One Pokémon you'll see a lot is Tornadus. While you'll find it with a variety of different Pokémon, the main focus is the Tail Wind setup. Flying is also great to have on any team right now since many popular Pokémon, including Grass types, are weak to it. The Liverpool regional had four Tornadus team variations in the top eight, including Eduardo Cunha's which also had Nasty Plot Gholdengo and Assault Vest Raging Bolt for some defensive strategies and disruptive mechanics.
Top Teams in the Pokémon VGC Regulation F Meta
Looking for some of the best teams to run in the VGC before the next regional? Here are some of our picks.
Porygon 2 Balances
This archetype is on the rise, with Porygon slowing down the pace against Tornadus decks. The Pokémon's high stats make it a great choice for your team along with Amooguss and Incineroar since they have great damage control and recovery.
Hyper Offense
Tornadus is obviously here thanks to Tail Wind. This particular archetype pairs Tornadus with Chi-Yu and Flutter Mane to create an overwhelming offensive strategy. This team is also a bit bulky, making it even more oppressive, especially if you run Taunt to take down Porygon 2.
Setup Team
This team archetype is inspired by Eduardo Cunha and his focus on Gholdengo recently. Nasty Plot is pretty much considered "broken" if you can set up your entire team around this Pokémon. Ogerpon can take down an enemy's Incineroar while your own Incineroar can intimidate opponents. You basically are creating an answer to everything.
Trick Room
Hatterene, Indeedee, and Kingambit are the main Pokémon of this interesting team. The goal is to counter Psyspam, which is seen at a lot of competitive tournaments and events. For Kingambit, focus on Sword Stand and then Life Orb for Hatterene, ensuring maximum damage. The last slots are up to your preferences.
Balance Team
As we previously mentioned, this archetype is coming out on top in many regionals. It's strong and defensive but has no real focus when it comes to strategy. You'll see Amooguss, Rillaboom, Incineroar, Urshifu, Raging Bolt, and Chien-Pao, offering you a wide range of Pokémon types and moves. The double Fakeout plus Spore combo is quite oppressive and you also have a lot of recovery options, making you quite scary when it comes to attacking and defending.
Olivia is a long-time esports journalist and editor who covers just about every game but has a deep love for the FGC. Her goal is to find community-driven stories that bring a new perspective to the esports scene. In the past, she has worked for Team Liquid, Rogue, Inven Global, Dot Esports, Upcomer, and more. Outside of esports, Olivia enjoys Kirby, Pokemon TCG, Fallout, and writing science fiction. She can be found trying out new foods, traveling, or hanging out with her two orange cats. Fun fact: Olivia can do some video game and cartoon impressions!