Thousands of Pokémon TCG competitors are in for tough challenges in the Big Easy when the North America International Championships begin on June 7. The difficult decisions begin even before arriving in New Orleans, as the players must research the top decks and choose the one they hope will carry them to victory.

For Pokémon TCG fans, those competitors’ difficult decisions make for more exciting battles to watch! And to help identify the decks to watch for, we’ve once again assembled our power rankings panel to break them down. Will newcomer Dragapult ex rocket to the top, or will stalwarts like Lugia ex and Charizard ex hold on to their glory? Read on, then catch the matches streaming live June 7–9 on Twitch.tv/PokemonTCG.

The Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade expansion is sure to bring changes to our format, but Dragapult ex is the most anticipated card by far heading into this year’s North America International Championships. Its Phantom Dive attack has an incredibly high damage output against Active Pokémon, while also spreading damage to the Bench. Especially impressive is how difficult it is to stop damage going onto the Benched Pokémon, as neither of the popular Bench protectors Manaphy or Jirachi will be able to block it. In addition, the new Drakloak has a highly consistent Ability, Recon Directive, to further help Dragapult ex decks set up by providing extra draw power per turn.

It seems like the big question surrounding Dragapult ex is not whether it will be successful, but which variant of the deck will turn out to be the strongest. Looking at the tournament results from Japan, we find plenty of variety in deck lists. Players will need to make a lot of decisions when building this deck, and one of the most important ones is how to accelerate Energy onto Dragapult ex, as Phantom Dive requires both a Psychic Energy and a Fire Energy. Xatu from the Scarlet & Violet—Paldean Fates expansion seems to be a popular option, but our former champion Charizard ex can make for an excellent partner as well. Even Mela, a Supporter that has not seen much play so far, could do the job.

With no Weakness, built-in consistency, and an amazing attack, Dragapult ex seems too good to flop. How players navigate this new threat to the metagame will be the deciding factor heading into NAIC! — Tord Reklev

Lugia VSTAR won the first major tournament in the Sword & Shield—Temporal Forces format at the Champions League in Fukuoka in Japan, but it has since struggled at the major tournaments elsewhere. However, its future is looking bright thanks to the introductions of the ACE SPEC card Legacy Energy and Carmine. Carmine may look like a mediocre card because of its discard plus draw-5 effect, but it can be used on the first turn when you go first! This gives Lugia VSTAR decks another solid Supporter that’s especially helpful in discarding its Archeops.

However, the main boost this deck gets is from Legacy Energy. Ever since the rotation of Aurora Energy, Lugia VSTAR has been desperate for anything that would let it use attackers that cost non-Colorless Energy, even using Single Strike Energy and some Basic Energy for a period of time. Just the one Special Energy of every type can power up a ton of attackers. With it, you can take extra Prizes with Iron Hands ex, attack multiple Pokémon with Wellspring Mask Ogerpon ex, and even shuffle your Lumineon V back in with Aqua Return, which lets you use extra Luminous Sign Abilities throughout the game. Legacy Energy also comes with the bonus of a “Life Dew”-style effect of making the Pokémon it’s attached to give up one fewer Prize card, but this doesn’t come up too often as many decks are including Temple of Sinnoh or Enhanced Hammer as a response to the resurgence of Lugia VSTAR in the format.

I’m curious to see how Lugia VSTAR performs at NAIC—it gains a ton of power with Legacy Energy and has a favorable matchup against the new threat of Dragapult ex. But if enough players come packed with Temple of Sinnoh or Enhanced Hammer, Lugia VSTAR could significantly struggle at NAIC. However, if people decide to disrespect it, we could see another international win for Lugia VSTAR! — Natalie Millar

Miraidon ex has also emerged as a force to be reckoned with. However, this has little to do with what it gained from the Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade expansion, and a lot more to do with the expected popularity of other archetypes.

Hype surrounds Lugia VSTAR and the new Dragon-type Pokémon on the block, Dragapult ex. Both decks rely on Evolution Pokémon, which means they might struggle to set up under the early-game pressure that Electric Generator enables Miraidon ex to apply. The former has a Lightning-type Weakness, and it features essential support Pokémon like Archeops that can be Knocked Out in one hit by the Amp You Very Much attack of Iron Hands ex. Dragapult ex can do a maximum of 200 damage with Phantom Dive, which is insufficient to Knock Out Miraidon ex or Iron Hands ex. As a comeback method, it pales in comparison to Charizard ex’s Burning Darkness attack. Fortunately for Miraidon ex enthusiasts, Dragapult ex has tricks to keep Charizard ex in the dark.

Miraidon ex charged past over 2,700 competitors to claim the title at the Champions League in Sapporo, Japan, the first event at worldwide at which the Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade expansion was legal for competitive play. Will lightning strike twice or will Miraidon ex just be a flash in the pan? — Ellis Longhurst

If you’re like a lot of Pokémon TCG fans, you might have mixed feelings about Gardevoir ex. Since its release, it’s oscillated between being a top-of-the-format powerhouse and a relative bottom-dweller. Even between expansions (which have delivered intriguing new partners for Gardevoir ex, like Scream Tail from Scarlet & Violet—Paradox Rift and Flutter Mane from Scarlet & Violet—Temporal Forces), the metagame has shifted in ways that have dramatically boosted or harmed Gardevoir ex’s chances. Unfortunately, Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade doesn’t have much to offer this deck. Sure, Unfair Stamp is cool, but it’s not going to transform Gardevoir ex into a reliable force at the top.

That’s not great news, and things get a bit more awkward from there. Gardevoir ex has another enemy beyond its opposition—time! Playing out matches with Gardevoir ex is a considerable commitment, and the Best-of-3, 50-minute format for Regional and International Championships does not lend itself to Gardevoir ex’s success. Games simply take longer when your goal is to evolve multiple sets of Stage 2 Pokémon, making playing three full games a tall order. That means a Gardevoir ex player generally has to avoid losing any games at all to come away with a win in the match, which is a high standard of excellence—especially when Stage 2s are on the agenda.

In my mind, Gardevoir ex’s best hope at an NAIC title is in the hands of one of the stellar players who favor it, including our own Tord Reklev. It’s a deck that requires skillful play, as it comes with a lot of risks. While any run to the top of an event as large as NAIC will require a bit of luck, I’m not sure this is the path I’d choose. — Christopher Schemanske

Charizard ex, generally considered the best deck out of Scarlet & Violet—Temporal Forces, is still a contender for NAIC, but it has a lot to overcome. The strategy is still the same: use Charizard ex, supported by Pidgeot ex and/or Bibarel, to do more and more damage over the course of the game. However, no new cards from Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade fit into Charizard ex’s game plan, and it has to deal with more threats than ever before.

On one front, Dragapult ex matches up well against Charizard ex. It can trade two-hit KOs while also spreading damage on Charizard ex’s Bench, take Prizes off of small Basic Pokémon like Pidgey, or set up for a powerful Technical Machine: Devolution play. On another front, Lugia VSTAR was always a difficult opponent for Charizard ex, and the addition of Legacy Energy makes it even more so.

Charizard ex can adapt by including cards like Radiant Tsareena to heal damage spread by Dragapult ex, or Temple of Sinnoh to deal with Lugia VSTAR better. But to win NAIC, it will have to handle both of these, as well as other decks like Giratina VSTAR. This is a tall order, hence Charizard ex’s low placement on this list. — Stéphane Ivanoff

Natalie Millar: Charizard ex was a dominant deck after its release, winning the first four major events that happened outside of Asia. However, the presence of Dragapult ex appears to be keeping it down, as Charizard ex struggles against the spread damage of Phantom Dive and the eventual use of Technical Machine: Devolution. The reduced popularity of Charizard ex decks has led to a rise in Miraidon ex decks—and a victory for one at the Champions League in Sapporo—creating a sort of triangle in the metagame between Dragapult ex, Charizard ex, and Miraidon ex.

I have seen several players attempt to combine two of these decks into one and play Dragapult ex with Charizard ex, but that deck didn’t have much success at the Champions League in Sapporo. I also could see the Snorlax Stall deck slumbering its way through the new format. It did just win the Stockholm Regional Championships in the hands of Azul Garcia Griego, and it gains some new toys to play with—Accompanying Flute and Handheld Fan—that put opposing Pokémon into play and disrupt opposing Energy cards.

There are a lot of decks that demand specific answers in this current format, and I think the players who will see the most success are the ones who can balance these answers with their deck’s own consistency. In the past, consistency has played a major role in winning these big tournaments, but the trend was bucked at the last NAIC when Cyrus Davis won with the Rapid Strike deck. Will we see a straightforward deck win like Tord Reklev’s Charizard ex deck from EUIC, or will something come out of nowhere? I guess we will just have to find out!

Christopher Schemanske: A beautiful thing about the Standard format for NAIC 2024 is that you can find a deck to fit pretty much any style. Want to pursue intricate setup and have practically unlimited draw power? Gardevoir ex is ready for you. Care to play a careful game, controlling your opponent’s tempo as much as your own setup? Charizard ex is happy to assist. Is your goal to force your opponent to run out of cards? Snorlax, Eri, and others have created many such options. Simply want to blow through everything as quickly as possible? Miraidon ex and Iron Hands ex are the team for you. Want to draw mostly unplayable hands all day, but miraculously pull off some victories anyway? Lugia VSTAR is your friend.

Dragapult ex is the looming threat, though, to which all others must pay careful attention. 320 HP, no Weakness, and an Energy-cheap attack that threatens the Bench is a very powerful combination. If I were looking toward this wide-open world to bring home an NAIC title, I’d be hard-pressed to ignore the potential Dragapult ex presents as an answer to almost everything. My sense is that Dragapult ex won’t overwhelm any particular matchups, but it will have a chance in nearly every game—that’s hard to argue with in what might just be the largest International Championships ever. While I will be part of the event’s Professor Team instead of playing this year, I’m nevertheless excited to see what comes out on top in New Orleans. Best of luck to everyone playing for the title this year!

Tord Reklev: Some other cards I have on my radar for this event are the new Munkidori and Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex.

Munkidori with its Adrena-Brain Ability is nothing short of incredible. It seems like a flexible tech card for multiple archetypes, acting not only as a way to heal, but also as a damage modifier to take key Knock Outs. One of the best consistency cards from our previous tournaments, Cleffa, is Knocked Out immediately with this Ability. The deck that can probably utilize Munkidori the best is Gardevoir ex, since Gardevoir ex’s Ability naturally damages its own board. In addition, the Gardevoir ex deck usually does not rely that much on its hand attachments, which means the player will have an easier time attaching a Darkness-type Energy to Munkidori to activate its Ability.

Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex also seems like one of the strongest cards to appear for some time. For starters, it’s similar to Radiant Charizard, a card that has been featured in multiple tournament-winning decks since its release. What I find especially interesting about Bloodmoon Ursaluna ex is that it can attack for 0 Energy the moment the opponent has only one Prize card remaining. This is even stronger than Radiant Charizard, as its attack cost always requires at least a single Fire Energy card attached.

I think we will see a lot of games being eclipsed by a “Blood Moon” in the coming months, and I for one can’t wait for its debut!

Stéphane Ivanoff: An archetype that didn’t make our Top 5 but that I think has definite potential is Control. This deck aims to beat the opponent by countering their plans with Energy denial or locking a support Pokémon in the Active Spot, rather than by racing to six Prizes (although taking Prize cards is one of the win conditions). Control is rarely seen because it’s difficult both to play and to build: it has to adapt to the rest of the metagame and have a (sometimes completely different) game plan for each deck, whereas most decks usually play the same way no matter the matchup with only minor adjustments depending on the opponent. Plus, because of the shorter time limits, Control sees very little play in Japan, so there’s no blueprint to help Western players build the deck the way there is for more popular decks like Dragapult ex.

Nevertheless, Control devotees like Alessandro Cremascoli, who reached Top 4 at EUIC, prove time and time again that underestimating this deck is a mistake that top players can’t afford to make. Don’t be surprised when a handful of experts do well with it!

Ellis Longhurst: If I had to describe the 2024 North America International Championships in one word, it would be “new.” The event will take place in a new location—New Orleans, Louisiana. Players will compete for the first time using cards from the newest expansion—Scarlet & Violet—Twilight Masquerade. And a new record for the number of Pokémon TCG competitors at a tournament in the Championship Series is expected to be set. Perhaps there will also be a new name to add to the list of International Championships winners!

The title is not the only prize for which players are competing. The 2024 NAIC is the final opportunity to earn Championship Points before the 2024 World Championships in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. The top players by Championship Points across the 2024 season—the top 16 players from the North America region, top 22 players from Europe, top 12 players from Latin America, top 4 from Oceania, and top 2 from the Middle East—will receive a Travel Award worth thousands of dollars and a Round 1 Bye at the World Championships.

Most eyes will be on the top tables in New Orleans, but every match will be important to players trying to earn a Travel Award, regardless of whether they are still in contention for a seat on Championship Sunday. Keep up to date with the journeys of your favorite players by checking out the Play! Pokémon Leaderboard and tuning in to the official broadcast of the 2024 NAIC.

For more Pokémon TCG competitive strategy and analysis, please visit Pokemon.com/Strategy.

By Amanda Lundberg, Contributing Writer

The 2024 Pokémon GO Championship Series is nearing its finale, with the 2024 Pokémon North America International Championships (NAIC) as the last opportunity for Trainers to win enough Championship Points to hit the leaderboards and qualify for the 2024 Pokémon World Championships taking place in Honolulu, Hawai’i, on August 16–18, 2024. With 500 Championship Points awarded to the winner of the NAIC event, many Trainers are getting their teams prepared and scrimmaging against their friends in the hopes of bringing home that first-place trophy or maybe earning a Travel Award or Travel Stipend to Honolulu. Pokémon GO fans and friends, get ready to let the good times Roggenrola at the 2024 Pokémon North America International Championships taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana!

The 2024 NAIC will also be one of the largest Pokémon GO events of the season, with many big names and well-known competitors signed up to participate and test their mettle. With that in mind, who are some of the players you should be keeping an eye on?

North American Players to Watch

One Trainer to consider is Doonebug97. A two-time Worlds competitor already, Doonebug97 has spread his wings and flown higher than any player, winning four total Regional Championships, three of them during this season alone! Doonebug97 also competed at the 2024 Pokémon Europe International Championships (EUIC) and took home a second-place finish, narrowly missing out on what would have been his first International Championships title. The NAIC will be his last chance of the season to secure a qualification for the World Championships, but his impressive accolades have put a rather large target on his back—many competitors are hoping to squash the (Doone)bug.

Doonebug97 shares an iconic rivalry with Reis2Occasion, a North American battler, caster, and well-known Pokémon GO content creator. These two have consistently battled head-to-head in local tournaments and regional competitions, with neither Trainer firmly establishing themselves as the better battler. Reis2Occasion has consistently top cut at regional competitions this season and is currently sitting at fourth place on the North American leaderboard, but the NAIC event could be the competition where he makes the push to be even closer to being number one.

The 2023 Pokémon GO World Champion, ItsAXN, had his breakout performance at the 2022 North America International Championships, winning first place and becoming the first Trainer to win an International Championship, a Regional Championship (the 2023 Portland Regional Championships), and a World Championship. The NAIC event in New Orleans can expect to see many of the Pokémon, attacks, and strategies that will be used in the 2024 Pokémon World Championships, and ItsAXN will be battling and studying the competition to determine who might take his crown this year in Honolulu, Hawai’i.

Some other notable North American Trainers who are bound to thrill are Arrohh, a player known for unique team compositions, and OutofPoket, who has been playing out of his mind lately, most recently securing a third-place finish at the 2024 Indianapolis Regional. Mamaclimbs, a well-known Trainer within the circuit and in the women’s battling community, is just 143 points away from qualifying for Worlds; the 2023 Baltimore Regional Champion, HouseStark93, is right ahead of her, only needing 127 for his own qualification.

But those are just the North American Trainers! After so many battlers from the area travelled to London for the 2024 EUIC, many Latin American and European competitors are now seeing if they can take the NAIC champion title back to their home countries. Let’s start by breaking down some of the top Trainers coming in from Latin America.

LATAM Players to Watch

As mentioned in the 2024 Pokémon GO Latin America International Championship preview article, Trainers with the letters “LNDs” at the start of their in-game name are part of the “GBLindos,” a well-known, well-trained team of players from Brazil. A few battlers from this team are making their way to New Orleans, anxious to get in some last real-world competition before Honolulu. LNDsTSteinar is on an absolute tear this season, getting fourth place at the LAIC, second at the 2024 São Paulo Regional Championships, and being crowned the winner of the 2024 Goiânia Regional Championships. LNDsKanan won the São Paulo Regional and LNDsRargef won the first event for Latin America this season in Curitiba, Brazil, winning every single battle. He then continued that momentum when he won the LAIC, the largest Latin American tournament.

Other Latin American champions who are competing in New Orleans are Desinked (2024 Buenos Aires Special Event Champion) and JavierV20 (2024 Mexico City Qualifier Champion).

European Players to Watch

After Doonebug97’s amazing performance at the EUIC event, many European Trainers are watching to see if any of their own battlers will have an equally good run across the pond. The 2024 Utrecht Special Event Champion, Inadequance, was quoted in the awards ceremony as saying he was coming for the NAIC title. With his record of consistently top cutting event after event, many believe he may just be the player to do it. Barcelona Special Event Champion Zzweilous recently hit number one on the global leaderboard in the GO Battle League and has proven time and again that he has noteworthy skill in the “show six, pick three” format utilized in the Pokémon GO Championship Series. Other top cut performers joining the ranks in New Orleans are Maxy1000000P, Triptando, Aerobubble66, emslieboy98, and Samy85.

Take to the Shared Skies!

Not only is the NAIC the final open event of the season, it’s also the first event to take place during the new Pokémon GO Shared Skies Season. This makes it a great opportunity for players to test the Pokémon and attacks that will be used by many Trainers in the 2024 World Championships.

Whiscash dominated the metagame (or “meta”) during the World of Wonders Season, mainly because it can learn the Water-type Charged Attack Scald. With Scald’s 50 energy cost and a 50% chance of dropping your opponent’s attack stat by one stage, the Water- and Ground-type Whiscash took to the arena and went toe-to-toe (or fin-to-toe) with the many Lickitung, Gligar, and Annihilape being played. But now that the chance for Scald to debuff has been slightly decreased in the new season, Whiscash may sink back into the mud, at least for the time being.

Additionally, the Fast Attack Spark got a power reduction, meaning that Lanturn, a popular user of the attack, will not be as potent as it has been for the last few seasons. With the changes to Scald and Spark, this may be an opportunity for a new Water-type Pokémon to take center stage in the new season’s meta.

Fringe-favorite Fairy-type Pokémon can now learn a new Charged Attack: Swift. Clefable and Wigglytuff have made a few appearances on top teams throughout the 2024 Pokémon GO Championship Series, though the jury is still out on whether players will turn to this Normal-type attack or if they will stick to the more standard move sets.

Regardless of who you will be cheering for, the 2024 Pokémon GO North American International Championships is an event you definitely don’t want to miss! So grab your popcorn if you’re watching online—or your event ticket if you’re playing in person—and get ready for some incredibly exciting battles!

It’s time to get hyped for the storylines heading into the 2024 North America International Championships (NAIC). It’s the final International Championships of the season and the first to feature Regulation Set G, which allows one restricted Legendary Pokémon per team. Since Regional Championships started using Regulation Set G, we’ve seen the return of classic Pokémon like Kyogre and Ice Rider Calyrex, but there’s been plenty of variation, from Zamazenta’s surprising rebound to the newly discovered Miraidon. Regulation Set G will also be used at the 2024 Pokémon World Championships, making NAIC a key preview to the competitive season’s capstone event in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi.

We’ve gathered three amazing experts for an exciting roundtable to talk us through what the metagame has in store for fans at NAIC this year: Joe Ugarte, Lou Akcos-Cromie, and Aaron Traylor, joined by Chris Shepperd from Pokemon.com. From intriguing Pokémon to top players to surprise strategies, the group has it covered. Read on so you’ll be ready to watch all three days of action on Twitch.tv/Pokemon.

Shepperd: Thanks all for joining again! I feel like this is going to be a really good discussion. Let’s get started.

Regulation Set G has already put together some storylines, and we’ll be with it through Worlds. So I wanted to start off by asking simply what you think of this format. We don’t see it very often and it has its own unique aspects.

Traylor: I like this format quite a lot! It’s the first time we’ve ever had tournaments with only one restricted Pokémon in-person instead of online, and playing the format has been a lot of fun.

Ugarte: The format has a lot of interesting factors to it. Single restricted Pokémon formats typically force you to focus around supporting your restricted Pokémon and making sure it does its job effectively. I also feel like there has been a lot of hype around this format, which is reflected in how much online play there is along with the two Regionals that have happened. I also enjoy how restricted formats can make certain niche Pokémon better.

Akcos-Cromie: I’m very pleasantly surprised—I was ready for it to be really imbalanced and feature rock-paper-scissors matchups. But there is a more diverse metagame evolving than I first anticipated. It is still in its very early days but I’m hopeful!

Ugarte: I do agree with what Lou said. The format feels very diverse and it doesn’t feel overwhelmingly dependent on what matchups you pull.

Shepperd: Joe, you touched on it, but my follow-up is how it has affected your approach to team construction. Has it made you think differently about how to build your whole team?

Traylor: I think the single restricted format allows a lot of strange Pokémon to shine in ways that they wouldn’t in other formats, and it kind of means that no one restricted Pokémon can be on top of the metagame for long. For instance, let’s say Ice Rider Calyrex was to hit 60% usage in a big tournament. At the next one, you might see not only restricted Pokémon that match up nicely versus it, but also teams that have unique non-restricted Pokémon that match up well into it. Pelipper is reaping the benefits of this now—hitting almost 40% usage in Day 2 of the Stockholm Regionals—but other examples might include Bronzong, which, really, Ice Rider Calyrex wants no part of.

Ugarte: Absolutely, restricted formats typically have that impact on team building. There is a big focus around making sure your “king” piece, if you will, functions as effectively as possible, therefore having a lot of tools around it to support. I think if you look at most of the successful teams so far in Regulation Set G, they do a really good job of playing into covering each restricted Pokémon’s weaknesses.

Traylor: It’s also way easier to come up with a five-Pokémon team and then use your last slot to cover perceived weaknesses. This is usually not efficient when it’s a regional Pokédex or National Pokédex format, which tend to be mostly decentralized. On the other hand, in restricted formats, when there’s a good chance you’ll run into the Pokémon that you’re covering for with a whole slot on your team, it can actually be quite effective.

Akcos-Cromie: I think there are two approaches. There’s the one that Joe mentioned about picking a restricted Pokémon and then building the other five around it to support it and provide counter strategies to other archetypes. The other mode is really metagame orientated: Miraidon won the first Regional of Regulation Set G, and then suddenly we saw a lot of team-building choices designed to specifically counter that match up. For example, to challenge Miraidon, competitors used more Ground–Tera Type Pokémon and tried different restricted Pokémon, such as Terapagos.

Ugarte: One team that I believe perfectly exemplifies the idea of supporting your restricted Pokémon is Joji Kaieda’s second-place team at the Stockholm Regionals. The team is designed around perfectly supporting the offensive potential of Terapagos with Choice Specs, using Booster Energy Speed-boosting, Flutter Mane with Icy Wind, Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon, and Amoonguss’s redirection. Chi-Yu’s Beads of Ruin Ability also lowers the opponent’s Special Defense, allowing all the special attackers to be more threatening on the field.

Metagame trends also matter, as Lou said. Certain Tera Types and Pokémon will rise up to counter an increased usage of certain restricted Pokémon. People had a lot of respect for Shadow Rider Calyrex early in the metagame, and slowly that’s falling off a bit as it has underperformed.

Shepperd: Lou, you mentioned the diversity in the metagame a bit ago, and it’s been a major storyline so far. Does this format lend itself to finding good matchups rather than sticking with the “most powerful” Pokémon? We’ve certainly seen a lot of different Pokémon make good runs at recent Regionals.

Ugarte: One thing that I think is beneficial in restricted formats a lot of the time is finding Pokémon that aren’t as well-prepared for—or have less direct answers. That’s why you’ll see unique Pokémon like Latios and Galarian Moltres on the winning team in Stockholm, because those two specific Pokémon fix certain restricted Pokémon matchups. I think this format rewards finding more creative solutions through unique Pokémon a lot more, so there isn’t as much of a need to only have the “most powerful” Pokémon on your team.

Akcos-Cromie: For me, it’s more about finding a cohesive team—even the most powerful Pokémon can be defeated by a good strategy. Previous formats saw Incineroar and Flutter Mane at the top of the usage stats, but now Flutter Mane is falling out of the top spot and Incineroar was only in two of the top eight teams. Yes, they are still “goodstuff” Pokémon, but they cannot hold their own anymore without the team synergy and clear strategies in a match. Ultimately, every Trainer has the option for one powerhouse restricted Pokémon in their team, and there will always be some more reliable than others—but finding the right one for your team composition, playstyle, and overall team approach to the metagame is more important.

Traylor: I think you’re exactly right, Lou. In my opinion, this format lends itself well to having one point of view with your Pokémon that you really believe in, and then executing that really well—better than other players. I think trying to be opportunistic with which restricted Pokémon you choose in light of what’s popular can lead to a surface-level understanding of the archetype that you’re playing, and its strengths and weaknesses.

Relationships between restricted Pokémon are much more than black and white, or counter and countered. Especially with Terastallization, restricted Pokémon are capable of a lot of things, so with a little thought you can really take a restricted Pokémon all the way.

Akcos-Cromie: Like Joe said, each Pokémon needs a role. I was sad we didn’t see any Galarian Moltres on the Stockholm broadcast, but it wasn’t needed for those specific matchups, so it stayed on the bench.

Shepperd: Let’s focus in a little then. What are some of the surprising restricted Pokémon you’ve seen at recent events, and what has made them find success?

Akcos-Cromie: I was definitely not expecting Zamazenta to get its redemption arc.

Shepperd: Yeah, that has been the surprise, hasn’t it?

Ugarte: I think Miraidon and Zamazenta winning the first two events were surprising for a lot of players. Miraidon and Zamazenta had limited success online. But once the first two Regionals happened, it’s clear that those two Pokémon have incredible potential.

Akcos-Cromie: I think I was brainwashed from Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield when Zacian was simply the superior restricted Pokémon. I really underestimated the potential of Zamazenta coming into this new metagame. With Terastallization, it really opens up defensive flexibility for it and allows it to shine.

Ugarte: Zamazenta in particular has had one of the biggest redemption arcs I have ever seen, going from an obsolete restricted Pokémon option in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield to one of the best in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet.

Traylor: Miraidon was a lot of fun to surprise people with in Indianapolis.

Akcos-Cromie: Volt Switch damage!!! That was a wake-up call for sure for Miraidon doubters.

Ugarte: Getting access to Body Press was a life-changing moment for Zamazenta. And I bet, Aaron, watching how much damage it was doing in every game, it looked insanely impressive.

Traylor: It was one of the best tournaments of my life, just taking Volt Switch KO after Volt Switch KO. What made it special and surprising was how few people expected the level of damage that it did. It’s kind of funny which Pokémon will see popularity among the player base and which will be written off by the field at large. It makes you wonder what else is out there that hasn’t been executed to its fullest capacity yet.

Shepperd: At the same time, traditional heavyweights like Groudon and Kyogre have slipped down.

Akcos-Cromie: Seeing Groudon and Kyogre not be as strong has been interesting—I was expecting more weather wars and Trainers picking up “old reliables” to get a quick grip on battling.

Traylor: Unfortunately for Groudon, and to some extent Kyogre, the power level in Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet has risen to such a high degree that the accuracy issues with Origin Pulse and Precipice Blades are much more obvious.

Ugarte: Groudon being way worse makes me very sad, but it was expected after all the power creep from every generation. When every restricted Pokémon has access to a consistent 120 base power spread move and Groudon’s signature move has 120 base power and 85% accuracy, you know it might be over for everyone’s favorite Continent Pokémon.

Traylor: Bring back Primal Reversion Groudon! Then everyone will have a chance to learn a thing or two about which restricted Pokémon is REALLY the best.

Ugarte: I think if Groudon either had its Primal Reversion level of power or had access to a 100% accurate signature move, it would be worth using. But the fact that Groudon in particular has a wildly inconsistent signature move puts it in a really tricky spot. Koraidon’s Orichalcum Pulse Ability gives itself an Attack boost on top of calling forth sun, making it a superior sun option for most teams in most cases.

Akcos-Cromie: Haha! The past Paradox Pokémon also would appreciate it. I think that’s the other benefit to Miraidon—we FINALLY have an Electric Terrain setter to activate the Quark Drive Ability of the future Paradox Pokémon.

Shepperd: Every Pokémon needs its time in the sun apparently.

Let’s look ahead to NAIC now. How do you expect the current crop of top Pokémon to fare in New Orleans?

Ugarte: I believe we will see usage at NAIC reflect what we have seen so far. If I had to give an estimate of the top restricted Pokémon, I would say it would be Ice Rider Calyrex, Zamazenta, Miraidon, and Terapagos, in no specific order.

Those by far have seemed the most consistent. I am a little unsure about Shadow Rider Calyrex now that we have seen the format develop a bit more. It’s a strong Pokémon, but it seems to have a lot of issues with all of the Normal-type Pokémon and compositions that are popular right now.

Akcos-Cromie: I agree with Joe—those restricted Pokémon will be top tier. I think people will still try and make Shadow Rider Calyrex work, but Terapagos gives it so much trouble. Being a Normal type and not taking damage from Astral Barrage, as well as the rise in Wide Guard users such as Pelipper or even Zamazenta—it’s really hard for Shadow Rider Calyrex to find its place right now.

Traylor: NAIC is very close by in the grand scheme of things. The time between the Indianapolis and Stockholm Regionals and NAIC versus the time between NAIC and Worlds is almost incomparable when it comes to evaluating the metagame, building and refining a team, etc. I don’t think things will get too much crazier from what we’ve already seen, but I think that early-format teams centering around Pokémon like Ice Rider Calyrex, Shadow Rider Calyrex, and Terapagos will have to iterate or be left behind.

Ugarte: I definitely agree with Aaron, people will have to iterate on the already existing concepts to make them function as we progress more in the format.

Traylor: I think Shadow Rider Calyrex is still really fearsome, and the more people forget about it, the more damage it is posed to do. 120 base power Astral Barrage isn’t going to stop claiming knockouts anytime soon, metagame trends or not.

Shepperd: Will NAIC be used by players who already have their Worlds invites to test new strategies? It seems like there is a lot of opportunity for that this year.

Traylor: Chris, I think NAIC is a great opportunity for those with their Worlds invites to leave nothing on the table and go for the title. First place is a lot of money and a lot of glory, and I can’t think of a single player qualified to Worlds with the ability to go to New Orleans who wouldn’t like that for themselves.

Ugarte: I do think that there are two potential outcomes from this format and how people will approach it. Either they keep trying to refine concepts they have worked on and continually work to make them better, or switch to other restricted Pokémon and archetypes as the format progresses.

Akcos-Cromie: I also think at NAIC we will see some absolute wild archetypes come into the scene. There are SO many viable Pokémon at the moment and many ways you can build—Trick Room, balance, terrain boosting etc.—and I think if someone can find a niche Pokémon and utilize it well, then it could steal the show. I think NAIC will be like a mini-Worlds: everyone really carving their mark before Worlds and making a statement.

Ugarte: And absolutely, I think everyone in New Orleans is in it to win it!

Akcos-Cromie: I also expect a rise in Gastrodon usage at NAIC—it’s always fared well in restricted formats and has play against Miraidon, Incineroar, Iron Hands (which is picking back up)—and still pressures Rapid Strike Urshifu. Only the blue one though. Sorry, Joe.

Shepperd: That’s actually where I wanted to go next! We’ve talked plenty about the restricted Pokémon, but we’ve also seen major shifts in supporting Pokémon. One question: Pelipper?

Traylor: Pelipper!

Shepperd: Pelipper it is.

Ugarte: Pelipper is incredibly well placed in the meta right now so the weather control is pretty nice. Can you believe that Pelipper is arguably a better rain setter than Kyogre right now? I think that’s a really funny development.

Traylor: Pelipper pretty much won the lottery when it comes to toolkits for non-restricted Pokémon. It’s as if it got an invitation in the mail (perhaps delivered by another Pelipper, the one from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon) saying: Your presence is humbly requested at the Regulation Set G party.

Akcos-Cromie: Honestly, it’s the support it provides that lets it shine. Rain can support Pokémon weak to Fire-type moves while also enabling 100% accurate Hurricanes to tackle the Grass-type Pokémon like Rillaboom and Amoonguss, as well as all the Grass–Tera Types we see, like on Zamazenta! Also, Wide Guard is just incredible defensively against Ice Rider Calyrex and Shadow Rider Calyrex, and even Tera Starstorm on Terapagos after it Terastallizes.

Traylor: I think this ties into what we were talking about earlier, though. Pokémon with specific support move sets that do exactly what you need are very valuable, and Pelipper does a lot of valuable things.

…Yeah, all of those things you just said, Lou.

Shepperd: Pelipper shows that weather teams are still thriving without their big guys doing the activations?

Akcos-Cromie: Yeah, it actually allows for rain but still allows you to have your restricted slot flexible.

Traylor: The other weather setters aren’t as lucky. Torkoal is cool, but doesn’t have as comprehensive of a support package, and can’t do as much to defend itself or its partners.

Ugarte: I think the fact that you can activate weather without needing to commit to using a restricted slot is one of its best qualities. Lou also mentioned Wide Guard; that move in a restricted format is incredible.

Traylor: Tyranitar has issues with the Fighting-types going around, and Alolan Ninetales and Abomasnow are too dependent on their own weather for their utility.

Ugarte: Torkoal, unfortunately, is almost always chained to Trick Room compositions, using the Eruption set. But even that set feels a bit power crept in the current format.

Traylor: Honestly, I think Torkoal could do it. Body Press is such a good move on it.

Akcos-Cromie: And Pelipper DOES have Internationals history behind it, if I remember correctly. It top-cut all four Internationals in 2017!

Traylor: A lot of teams would love to have a Pokémon that can threaten Ice Rider Calyrex under Trick Room as well. You also get Zamazenta and Amoonguss and Rillaboom.

Ugarte: Torkoal does have access to a wide range of cool support moves, which is nice for it. In previous formats, like Regulation Set C, it was able to use Eject Pack [with] Overheat to success.

And…Fissure.

Akcos-Cromie: The fact Amoonguss is still thriving in a format with Electric Terrain being used frequently baffles me. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more challenges to the Mushroom Pokémon with Torkoal or Ice Rider Calyrex!

Traylor: As a Miraidon player, I’m actually really scared of a well-designed Amoonguss team! Perhaps alongside Terapagos or Rillaboom to change the terrain out from under Miraidon. It feels bad to have utility against Amoonguss such as Safety Goggles or Grass-types when you have the Electric Terrain covering your team, but…

Shepperd: Have certain archetypes also seen shifts in usage as different restricted Pokémon have found success?

Ugarte: I do think majority of successful teams right now lean into one certain form of Speed control, whether that’s Trick Room or Tailwind. Some teams like Rajan Bal’s and Aaron’s team used both Farigiraf and Whimsicott, and you also have teams with Ice Rider Calyrex focusing more on Trick Room.

I think rather than a “rise” of a specific kind of team, it’s more so that every team needs some form of Speed control to keep on pace with other teams.

And they commit to a certain approach around their restricted Pokémon, with some having more optimal approaches than others when it comes to what form of Speed control they should be using.

Akcos-Cromie: I was going to mention Speed control too. We’re also seeing a rise in Flutter Mane using Icy Wind and/or Taunt to gain Speed control or shut down Trick Room or Tailwind (on non-Prankster Pokémon) more successfully. Raging Bolt with Electro Web is also still popular. I think everyone needs some method of controlling Speed, otherwise they will get steamrolled if they always let their opponent gain control of the field Speed.

Traylor: It doesn’t feel good to have a Shadow Rider Calyrex or Kyogre raining attacks down on your team before they can move. So everything you can do to gain control is a big deal.

Ugarte: I believe I know one slug who would appreciate Kyogre raining attacks down…

Akcos-Cromie: I also saw a lot of Ice Rider Calyrex teams where only Calyrex could set Trick Room while also being able to operate without it. It was very interesting to see the flexibility Trainers are adding to their teams so they can adapt to as many matchups as possible.

Shepperd: We’re tossing out like a million different strategies right now! Is this what NAIC is going to be like?

Traylor: NAIC is going to be a whirlwind for sure! Regulation Set G lets a lot of strategies and cool Pokémon shine. I’m very excited to see what will succeed at NAIC.

Akcos-Cromie: I think as a last few weeks before NAIC conclude, there will be more “reliable” or concrete strategies that Trainers will use, but I also expect some top Trainers to hide a unique Pokémon choice, or build a team for the NAIC stage and keep it secret until then.

Ugarte: I definitely think that the strategies on this format are a little less clear-cut than our previous roundtables. Less time for the format to develop could mean there are some ideas we may not even be aware of yet. That being said, this format does feel like there are many potential good teams.

Traylor: I’m also excited to eat my weight in beignets.

Shepperd: Eyes on the prize, Aaron.

Traylor: The prize is beignets!

Ugarte: Beignets are a pretty good prize!

Traylor: Everyone can be a winner in New Orleans.

Beignets are like Poffins but for people. Makes you think.

Shepperd: OK, let’s talk players! As usual, NAIC is going to attract some of the top players in the world, but will also be a massive field. Do you think the cream will still rise to the top? Or is this a tournament set up well for underdog success?

Ugarte: I definitely think we will see top talent succeed again.

Traylor: One interesting fact about the Regionals winners this year in North America is that outside of Michael Zhang, the other nine Regional winners have all been playing VGC since at least 2015. Michael began playing just before 2020, I believe.

Akcos-Cromie: Oh wow, that’s super interesting. Literal years of experience! Honestly, I just feel like the veterans will have this event.

Ugarte: My eyes for this tournament are on Marco Silva, he has been on fire this season, just coming off of a Top 4 with a 13-1 record in Stockholm. He is now only two International titles off of winning all four regions’ International Championships.

Akcos-Cromie: Marco Silva was on my radar too. Nobody has won three ICs in VGC, and I think he will be set to be the first. He’s just SO consistent.

Ugarte: All he has to do is win NAIC and EUIC to complete the set. I think he’s been an incredible player to watch throughout the season and has the potential to take it all the way.

Traylor: I always want to believe in underdog stories, and one of the best parts about competitive Pokémon is that everyone has a chance, no matter who you are. The data right now is siding with the veteran players but that could easily be proven wrong.

Akcos-Cromie: We’ve also seen a lot of consistency in EU, especially with Michael Kelsch just getting his first Regional win. He’s one to watch. Additionally, Àlex Gómez Berna will be looking to retain the title. I’m interested to see if he can do it!

Shepperd: Why have the more experienced players been able to capitalize on this format?

Ugarte: I don’t know if its necessarily this format so much as just the year. We actually see quite a bit of newer talent in each Regional cut, as well, but it’s always the veterans who end up taking it in the end.

And it’s always close. I do believe we can definitely see some underdogs make Top 8. Can’t forget about Tim Edwards’s run at EUIC earlier this season!

Traylor: Honestly, I’m not sure. The players who are newer to VGC who tend to break out find a part of the game that they’re really good at that few other people in the world can capture in the same way. In 2023, two players who achieved success as “rookies” were Justin Tang and Abdullah Mohayyuddin.

I hate to be the one to do it, but Wolfe Glick has won two Regionals this season alone. It feels like we don’t mention him in these articles because he’s implicitly a favorite, but if you want to talk frontrunners, I’m not sure the last time that’s happened in North America since Gavin Michaels won back-to-back in 2017.

Akcos-Cromie: Honestly, I think it’s just years of wisdom and experience that almost becomes like second nature to some players. They instinctively acknowledge and interpret information they see in game. For example, seeing how much damage their Pokémon deals to another—they can infer more clearly how that Pokémon has been trained, and then use that information to influence their decisions.

Additionally, Pokémon is about playing the player as much as it is about the matchup. Veterans have more experience reading their opponents and figuring out if they’re a risk taker or safe strategist based off just one game. I feel players like Wolfe do this really well; they just look at every possibility and figure out exactly what their opponent will most likely do.

Shepperd: Yeah, sometimes the simplest answer is the best one. Wolfe has both the long-term and short-term success in his favor.

Ugarte: I do think Wolfe is definitely someone to be looking at this NAIC, he has definitely hit his stride this season and has been on fire since Charlotte. I do believe however, that there are a lot of other players I would have my eyes on too.

Traylor: Coming back to the point about Worlds invites, I feel like the positioning of NAIC actually makes it harder to win for players without their invites yet, because you’re heavily encouraged to run something that you know could get you a 5-4, 6-3, or 7-2 record on Day 1, guaranteeing you the points you need for your invite.

Ugarte: Àlex Gómez Berna, our reigning champ from last year, is someone I would expect to work incredibly hard for this event and come in with a strong team.

Akcos-Cromie: I hear Dr. Traylor is also someone to watch out for, as well as a certain Mr. Ugarte.

Traylor: Thank you, Lou!! Note: I am not a medical doctor.

Ugarte: Thanks, Lou!

Traylor: I feel like we skated past a lot of the local North American player discussion.

• James Baek is a Regional Champion this year who has had some incredible Worlds finishes in the past. If he gets into a good rhythm, he can really make a run for the title.
• Riley Factura had one of the most impressive Regional runs in history earlier this year, with a first- and second-place appearance alongside multiple Top 8 and 16ths.
• Alex Underhill, Michael Zhang, and Rajan Bal are not only Regional Champions, but are connected to a massive network of other top players such as Nick Navarre and Justin Burns—this group will definitely work together to build teams that develop the metagame in significant ways.
• James Evans has had an incredible Regionals season as well with a first- and second-place finish to his name. Once he finds something he likes in Regulation Set G, he will be a force to be reckoned with.
• Scott Iwafuchi is one of North America’s best players and if he’s going, I could see him taking the whole thing.

Outside of North America:

• Michael Kelsch got second place at Worlds, just won a Regional, and has said publicly that he’s gonna make a run for the title in NAIC.
• Aurélien Soula has put up some very impressive results in Europe and they could have a great performance.

Shepperd: I made a distinction between veteran and newer players earlier, but Aaron, your lengthy comment kinda shows that there are still a LOT of experienced players. That’s a large group to navigate unto itself.

Traylor: Yes!!! I think the late-stage matches of Day 2 at NAIC where these titans are battling it out are what I’m really excited for, personally. I really hope I can be there competing alongside them.

Ugarte: I think my players to look out for would be: Wolfe Glick wanting to end his season with a strong NAIC performance, Àlex Gómez Berna wanting to defend his title of NAIC Champion, Marco Silva looking to add another International win to his already impressive resume, and Michael Kelsch looking to already build on his incredible performances as a player.

I also think Justin Tang and Shiliang Tang have really hit their stride when it comes to working together on teams, and if they find something good, they can both go very far at NAIC.

Shepperd: Maybe I like to talk about this more than it deserves, but this is a new location for a major Pokémon competition. How will that affect players?

Akcos-Cromie: NEW ORLEANS IS VERY EXCITING!! I know so many people are thrilled to make Pokémon memories with friends in a new location.

Ugarte: I think the new location will result in a lot of good memories for the players. One part I enjoy about every International is getting to see new things and new places, and doing that with my friends. I think it definitely enhances the experience and makes it something a lot of people will look forward to.

Traylor: Chris, I think players will need to keep in mind the same sorts of things that they did in Japan—which is that New Orleans is HOT and HUMID in the summer.

Ugarte: Oh no.

Traylor: Oh yes, brother. It’s a swamp.

Shepperd: Yes. Drink lots of water, people.

Akcos-Cromie: Flashbacks!

Ugarte: I sweat more in Japan than I think I’ve sweat in my entire life. Maybe New Orleans will change that, haha!

Akcos-Cromie: Try being ginger in that Japan heat—it was an experience.

It still won’t be as bad as the panic sweat of Trainers clicking Precipice Blades…

Ugarte: I might be getting called out here, Lou…

Shepperd: OK, I think we’re getting close to wrapping this up, but I want to give you all a chance to throw out what you think fans should watch for on stream from NAIC.

Ugarte: I think I would look out for unexplored restricted Pokémon, like Kyogre and Koraidon. Those two seem like they have lots of potential that still can be discovered.

They have had success, but less than one would anticipate, and have been mostly flying a bit more under the radar.

I would also say even though Shadow Rider Calyrex has underperformed, it is likely still a big threat as a Pokémon that can do very well if the right team is found for it.

Akcos-Cromie: Watch out for Terapagos! With its unique Tera-interactive Abilities, it’s really placed to shake up a match. Removing terrains and weather with its Terastallization can really cause an opponent to lose momentum, as well as the damage that Tera Starstorm can deal out is impressive. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this radiant little Pokémon be the key piece in a lot of victories. Also look out for Gastrodon—I’ll be cheering those Trainers on!

Also, we saw a lot of three-game matches in Stockholm. I’m hoping the expertise of our Trainers allows for many adaptations in a set, leading to thrilling and nail-biting Game 3s! Get the snacks ready for a brilliant broadcast.

Shepperd: OK, lay it on the line: what restricted Pokémon leads its Trainer to a Championship?

Traylor: MIRAIDON.

Honestly though, I could really see any of them taking the title. Which is a nothingburger answer. Which is why I said Miraidon. It’s just such an even field this year when it comes to the power level of these Pokémon.

Akcos-Cromie: Terapagos! I just feel it’s going to happen!

Ugarte: My gut is telling me Terapagos or Zamazenta. But my heart is telling me Groudon…

Shepperd: Groudon with the comeback!

Akcos-Cromie: Better get it some glasses.

Ugarte: It’s gonna eat carrots so it can connect all of its Precipice Blades.

Traylor: Dude, Joe, this is some very real team advice. I think you should just commit to Groudon now for NAIC and make it the best it can be. You’re one of the best in the world at piloting it and I think it is massively undervalued in the current metagame, so why not just make it happen?

Ugarte: Perhaps if we can figure how to not lose by missing Precipice Blades. (laughs)

Traylor: (laughs)

Akcos-Cromie: Gravity?

Traylor: Gosh, what even gets Gravity in this format? Bronzong…

Ugarte: Sableye…

Akcos-Cromie: Options!

Ugarte: SMEARGLE?!

Traylor: SMEARGLE!

Akcos-Cromie: (laughs) I was just going to say SMEARGLE.

Shepperd: Hydrapple?

Traylor: Give it a shot!

Shepperd: We could spend the next half hour building Joe’s NAIC team.

Ugarte: Then get shoutouts to the roundtable for the winning NAIC team.

Akcos-Cromie: There we go, we solved the matchup for Joe.

Traylor: It’s set. See you in the finals. Make sure you shout out me and Lou when you get there.

Shepperd: That’s all the time we got! Thanks again for all of your awesome insights. This has been another fantastic discussion. Regulation Set G has so many interesting aspects to explore.

Ugarte: Thanks for having us! It was a great time, and I am incredibly excited to see how NAIC pans out.

Akcos-Cromie: I think it’s safe to say that NAIC will be full of exciting Pokémon and lots of possibility. Thank you for having us—I’m even more excited for the show now!

Shepperd: I agree, Lou. Just a lot of possibilities. The fans are in for an absolute treat. Good luck in New Orleans, everyone! I look forward to seeing how you all do.