Generation 9 Doubles OU — Format Reference
Smogon Doubles OU is 4v4 Doubles with all six Pokémon brought to battle — distinct from VGC's bring-4-from-6 ruleset. The format is community-driven rather than tournament-rotation-driven, producing a more permissive banlist and a different competitive identity from official VGC.
Cartridge
Scarlet & Violet
Type
4v4 Doubles
Brought
All 6 (vs VGC's 4)
Run by
Smogon community
Six Pokémon brought to battle, four active per turn. The format thinks in deeper rotation than VGC's four-Pokémon committed roster — every battle is a longer matchup puzzle.
At a glance
Smogon Doubles OU is the community's 4v4 Doubles format. Distinct from VGC: full 6v6 brought to battle, no team-preview lead-cut, no Reg-specific dex restrictions, community-driven banlist instead of tournament-rotation.
The format runs on the same Smogon clause set as Singles OU, with a Doubles-specific banlist for Pokémon that distort the 4v4 dynamic. Tera is legal; Restricted Legendaries are banned.
- Format type4v4 Doubles, all 6 Pokémon brought to battle
- CartridgePokémon Scarlet & Violet
- MechanicsTera legal; standard Smogon Singles clause set + Doubles-specific bans
- Restricted slotBANNED — Restricted Legendaries not permitted
- Lead choiceBoth sides bring 6 to battle; first 2 of each team auto-active turn 1
- Where it's playedPokémon Showdown ladder + Smogon Doubles tournaments. Live tier page: /sv/doublesou.
Format rules
Smogon Doubles OU applies the standard Smogon Singles clauses plus Doubles-specific bans. The format inherits OU's ban philosophy — banning Pokémon that distort the format individually, rather than VGC's rotational dex-cuts.
| Clause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Sleep Clause | Only one opposing Pokémon may be put to sleep at a time. |
| Species Clause | Each team can only carry one of any given species. |
| Evasion Clause | Evasion-boosting moves and abilities are banned. |
| OHKO Clause | Sheer Cold, Fissure, Horn Drill, Guillotine are banned. |
| Endless Battle Clause | Battle states that cannot end are forbidden. |
| Battle structure | All 6 brought; first 2 active per side at turn 1; switch-in mechanics standard. |
| Restricted slot | BANNED — Calyrex-Shadow, Miraidon, Koraidon, Terapagos all banned. |
| Doubles-specific bans | Format-specific Pokémon bans for distorting the 4v4 dynamic (see banlist). |
Smogon Doubles vs VGC
Smogon Doubles OU and VGC are both 4v4 Doubles, but they play differently. The bring-all rule, the banlist philosophy, and the absence of Reg cycles all distinguish Smogon Doubles from VGC.
Community-run, all-6 brought
Battle structure
4v4 Doubles, all 6 Pokémon brought to battle, first 2 active turn 1.
Lead choice
No team-preview lead-cut. Both sides see all 6, but bring all of them.
Restricted slot
BANNED — Calyrex-Shadow, Miraidon, Koraidon all banned.
Banlist driver
Community suspect tests. Bans target Pokémon that distort the format individually.
Items
No item clause — multiple identical items permitted.
Tournament use
Smogon Tour, Doubles UU / RU sister formats, dedicated Doubles tournaments.
TPCi-run, bring-4 of 6
Battle structure
4v4 Doubles, bring 4 from a 6, team-preview lead-cut.
Lead choice
Both sides see all 6 at team preview, then secretly choose which 4 to bring.
Restricted slot
Variable per Reg — 0/1/2 Restricted Legendaries depending on rotation.
Banlist driver
TPCi rotation. Reg G / H / I / M-A all have different dex eligibility.
Items
Item Clause — each held item appears at most once per team.
Tournament use
Pokémon World Championships, official Championship Series events.
Banlist
Smogon Doubles OU bans Pokémon that distort the 4v4 dynamic. The banlist is community-driven via suspect tests; it shifts more slowly than VGC's rotation but more frequently than Singles OU.
Notable Smogon Doubles OU bans (typical)
| Pokémon / Mechanic | Why it's banned |
|---|---|
| Calyrex-Shadow | Restricted Legendary. Permanent ban from Doubles OU. |
| Miraidon | Restricted Legendary + Hadron Engine + Specs Electro Drift. Permanent ban. |
| Koraidon | Restricted Legendary + Orichalcum Pulse Sun. Permanent ban. |
| Terapagos | Restricted Legendary status — Terastal Forme too defensive for the format. Banned. |
| Zacian-Crowned | Intrepid Sword + 148 Speed at 170 Attack. Permanent ban. |
| Urshifu | Single Strike form (Wicked Blow + Unseen Fist) typically banned for Doubles in line with OU treatment. |
| Various OU-banned Pokémon | Pokémon banned in Singles OU often also banned in Smogon Doubles OU when their offensive ceiling exceeds the format's 4v4 dynamic. |
Archetypes
Smogon Doubles OU archetypes lean toward bulky offense and weather. Without VGC's Restricted Legendaries, the offensive ceiling sits with non-Restricted Pokémon plus Tera-tunable wallbreakers.
Aggressive
Bulky Offense
4 offensive Pokémon plus 2 supporting pivots. Defining cores: Incineroar Fake Out + offensive cornerstone + speed control + redirection.
Weather
Pelipper Rain
Pelipper Drizzle + rain-boosted partners. Less central than Reg G / H but still viable.
Trick Room
TR Bulky
Slow setters + slow attackers. Useful with the bring-all rule — TR setup turn 1 with 6 Pokémon brought lets the team commit fully.
Redirection
Indeedee Cores
Indeedee-Female Psychic Surge + Follow Me + setup partner. Defining redirection core.
Setup
Volcarona / Setup Wincons
Volcarona Quiver Dance + Heat Wave spread. Defining setup wincon when the team can support a turn of setup.
Hazard
Glimmora Hazard
Glimmora Toxic Debris + Mortal Spin support. Hazard-driven Doubles offense.
Doubles team roles
Smogon Doubles OU's team roles inherit the standard Doubles framework. Without Restricted Legendaries to define the team's offensive cornerstone, the format pushes toward role compression on the available roster.
Without Restricted, teams pick a Tera-tunable offensive cornerstone. Common choices: Volcarona, Tornadus-Therian equivalents, Archaludon.
IncineroarIntimidate + Fake Out remains the format's primary Fake Out user.
Whimsicott Prankster Tailwind, Hatterene Trick Room, Icy Wind spread Speed-drop.
Spread movers: Heat Wave, Earthquake (with allied immunity), Make It Rain, Hyper Voice Sylveon Pixilate.
Tornadus-Therian Regenerator + U-turn, Incineroar Parting Shot.
Indeedee-Female Psychic Surge + Follow Me. Amoonguss Regenerator + Rage Powder + Spore.
Doubles OU wincons: Volcarona Quiver Dance, Iron Hands equivalents (when Paradox-eligible), Calm Mind setup.
What makes Doubles OU different
Smogon Doubles OU is distinct from both Singles OU and official VGC. The bring-all rule changes how matches play out; the community-driven banlist produces a more permissive format than VGC.
6→4
Brought to battle
vs VGC's bring-4-from-6
✗
Restricted slot
Calyrex / Miraidon banned
↑
Format permissiveness
Wider Pokémon pool than current VGC Reg
- All 6 brought to battle — no team-preview lead-cut. The matchup unfolds across all 6 Pokémon per side, producing longer games and deeper rotation strategy than VGC.
- Community-driven banlist — Smogon's suspect-test cycle handles bans rather than TPCi rotation. The list shifts based on usage and community vote.
- No Reg cycles — unlike VGC, the format runs continuously without rotation-driven roster cuts. The dex stability lets teams refine over longer cycles.
- Smaller community than Singles OU — Smogon Doubles is actively played but the player pool is smaller than Singles OU. Tournaments are dedicated.
How to get started
Smogon Doubles OU is more permissive than VGC and more Doubles-specific than Singles OU. Players from either background transfer partial knowledge.
- Read Smogon's Doubles OU tier page — banlist + suspect history canonical.
- Choose your offensive cornerstone — Volcarona, Archaludon, or other Tera-tunable wallbreakers replace VGC's Restricted slot.
- Build the support core — Incineroar Fake Out + Whimsicott Tailwind + redirection Pokémon.
- Learn Doubles fundamentals — spread move math (75% damage), redirection mechanics, lead choice. The VGC Teambuilding guide's Doubles content applies.
- Ladder Pokémon Showdown — Doubles OU ladder is active. Doubles Tournament play continues via Smogon Tour and dedicated Doubles tournaments.
Where to go from here
The above is the static reference for Gen 9 Doubles OU. Live tier data lives in the rest of Pokékipe.
- Live tier data — /sv/doublesou for Doubles OU usage and Pokémon stats.
- Mechanics — Gen 9 — Scarlet & Violet covers Tera and the underlying engine.
- Adjacent Doubles formats — VGC Reg M-A (official Doubles, Champions), VGC Reg I, VGC Reg G.
- Workflow — VGC Teambuilding guide's Doubles content applies to Smogon Doubles OU.