Encyclopedic references on every era, format and mechanic. 50 guides, pedagogical first, with discreet links into the live data.
Start here if you're new to competitive Pokémon, what it is, where it's played, and how to get into it.
Pre-match preparation: opponent scouting, lead prediction, mental model setup, and Pokékipe's replay/scouting workflow. The 30-minute prep that separates ladder players from tournament players.
Read guide →How to make decisions turn-by-turn: risk assessment, prediction trees, when to play safe vs go for the kill, win-condition tracking. The macro skill that separates 1500 from 1900 ELO.
Read guide →How to play a best-of-three: information gathering in Game 1, adaptation in Game 2, deciding in Game 3. Mental energy, lead diversification, Tera reveal timing, counter-adaptation.
Read guide →End-to-end workflow for hosting a tournament with Pokékipe's creation engine: configure the bracket, seed players, run check-in, manage matches with auto-report and dispute handling, publish standings.
Read guide →End-to-end onboarding: pick a format, build your first team, play on Showdown, scout opponents, find your first tournament. Walks you through every Pokékipe feature in the order you'll need them.
Read guide →How the Smogon tier system works: usage cutoffs, the reusability ladder (Ubers → OU → UU → ...), suspect tests, banlists, and why tier choice matters. Cross-links every Gen 9 tier guide.
Read guide →What defines competitive Pokémon in each game generation, mechanics, gimmicks, abilities, items, and the formats they shaped.
Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 9: Terastallization, the Stellar type, signature abilities and items, formats, and the Pokémon that shaped the meta.
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Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 8: Dynamax and Gigantamax, the rotational Galar dex, Heavy-Duty Boots' impact on hazard control, defining bans and the Pokémon that shaped the era.
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Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 7: Z-Moves, the Alola region, Ultra Beasts, the Tapu legendary quartet, defining bans and the Pokémon that shaped the era.
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Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 6: Mega Evolution, the introduction of the Fairy type, the type chart rebalance, weather duration nerf, defining bans and the Pokémon that shaped the era.
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Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 5: permaweather teams, Hidden Power, Dream World abilities, the Sleep Clause rule change, defining bans and the Pokémon that shaped the era.
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Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 4: the physical/special split, Stealth Rock, the introduction of Choice Scarf / Specs / Life Orb, and the era that produced Garchomp, Lucario and the Sinnoh roster.
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Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 3: abilities introduced, natures, the modern EV system, weather-summoning abilities, and the ADV era that founded modern competitive Pokémon.
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Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 2: the introduction of Steel and Dark types, the Special split into Attack and Defense, held items, breeding, and the most defensive OU meta in franchise history.
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Everything that defines competitive Pokémon in Gen 1: the original 15-type chart, unified Special stat, Speed-tied critical hits, and the Tauros / Snorlax / Chansey RBY OU meta that started it all.
Read guide →Everything that defines competitive Pokémon Champions: the official VGC platform launched April 2026, Mega Evolution as the launch gimmick, the Reg M-A format, the Young MA-Dex roster, and the new Mega Evolutions added in Champions.
Read guide →Smogon and VGC formats with their rules, banlists and archetypes, without the data dump.
Reference guide for Generation 9 OU (OverUsed): rules, banlist, archetypes, the seven team roles, Tera's role in the format, and how to start competing on the ladder.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 8 OU (Sword & Shield Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, Dynamax's mid-generation ban, Heavy-Duty Boots distribution, and the Future Sight pivot pattern.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 7 OU (Sun & Moon Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the Z-Move + Mega Evolution coexistence, the Tapu cores, and the Mega Mawile / Mega Lucario era.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 6 OU (X & Y / ORAS Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the introduction of Mega Evolution, the Aegislash ban saga, Talonflame Gale Wings, and the Knock Off rebuff.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 5 OU (BW / B2W2 Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the permaweather era, banned-paired ability rules, the Therian formes, and the BW1 vs BW2 sub-meta split.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 4 OU (DPP / HGSS Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the post-split offensive meta, Stealth Rock's arrival, MixMence, and the era of Choice Scarf / Specs / Life Orb.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 3 OU (ADV — Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the foundational Smogon era, the Skarm-Bliss defensive core, and Tyranitar sand offense.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 2 OU (GSC — Gold/Silver/Crystal Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the franchise's most defensive metagame, the seven core walls, and RestTalk + Spikes stall.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 1 OU (RBY — Red/Blue/Yellow Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the big six (Tauros / Snorlax / Chansey / Starmie / Exeggutor / Alakazam), and 28 years of continuous play.
Read guide →Reference guide for VGC 2024 Regulation G (Scarlet & Violet Doubles): rules, eligible Pokémon, archetypes, the up-to-2-Restricted ruleset, and the Calyrex-Shadow / Urshifu / Incineroar / Tornadus-T era.
Read guide →Reference guide for VGC 2025 Regulation H (Scarlet & Violet Doubles): rules, eligible Pokémon, archetypes, the no-Restricted / no-Paradox / no-Mythical ruleset, and the bulky-meta era around Archaludon, Pelipper, Annihilape.
Read guide →Reference guide for VGC 2025 Regulation I (Scarlet & Violet Doubles): rules, eligible Pokémon, archetypes, the Paradox-returns-no-Restricted ruleset, and the Iron Hands / Flutter Mane / Booster Energy meta.
Read guide →Reference guide for VGC 2026 Regulation M-A on Pokémon Champions: rules, the Young MA-Dex roster, the 59 available Mega Evolutions, archetypes, and how Champions's launch format differs from cartridge VGC.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 9 Ubers (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist, archetypes, the Restricted Legendaries roster, the Calyrex-Shadow / Miraidon / Koraidon era, and Anything Goes context above.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 9 UU (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist with UUBL, archetypes, the faster-than-OU pace, and the Tinkaton / Sylveon / Rotom-Wash sub-OU staples.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 9 RU (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist with RUBL, archetypes, the polarized mid-tier meta, and the Mienshao / Decidueye era.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 9 NU (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist with NUBL, archetypes, the specialized lower-tier meta, and the niche-threat focus that distinguishes the format.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 9 PU (Smogon Singles): rules, banlist with PUBL, archetypes, the bottom-of-hierarchy meta, niche-Pokémon focus, and the high tier-shift volatility that keeps the format moving.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 9 Little Cup (Smogon Singles, level 5, unevolved-only): rules, banlist, archetypes, the Eviolite-defined meta, and the base-stat-ratio dynamics that distinguish the format.
Read guide →Reference guide for Gen 9 Doubles OU (Smogon's 4v4 Doubles, distinct from VGC): rules, banlist, archetypes, the all-six-brought ruleset, and how Smogon Doubles differs from official VGC.
Read guide →Deep-dives on the systems that govern every battle: stats, status, speed, weather, type interactions.
Encyclopedic reference for the 18-type chart: all super-effective / resisted / immune matchups, dual-typing math, ability-based type modifications, and how the chart evolved across generations.
Read guide →Encyclopedic reference for the damage formula: the full equation, every modifier (STAB, type, crit, weather, abilities, items, spread), the 85-100% damage roll, and cross-gen variations.
Read guide →Encyclopedic reference for the six status conditions (paralysis, sleep, freeze, burn, poison, confusion): exact rules, cross-gen evolution, Sleep Clause, status-modifying abilities and items.
Read guide →Encyclopedic reference for speed mechanics: priority brackets (-7 to +7), speed tiers, Trick Room, Tailwind, speed-modifying abilities and items, and the speed-tie rule.
Read guide →Encyclopedic reference for the four (now five) weathers — sun, rain, sand, hail, snow — and the four terrains. Damage boosts, Speed abilities, ability auto-setters, terrain-specific moves, cross-gen evolution.
Read guide →Comprehensive guide to Tera: defensive vs offensive Tera, Tera Blast, Stellar typing, role compression, banlist context (Ogerpon-W, Terapagos), and how Tera reshaped Gen 9 teambuilding.
Read guide →Comprehensive guide to Mega Evolution (Gen 6-7 only): the Speed-reroll mechanic, Mega Stones, ability changes, the 48 Mega forms, and why Megas defined Gen 6-7 OU and VGC.
Read guide →Comprehensive guide to Z-Moves (Gen 7 only): base power conversion table, status Z-effects, signature Z-Moves, Z-Crystals, and why Z-Moves shifted Gen 7 from defensive to offensive.
Read guide →Comprehensive guide to Dynamax (Gen 8 only): the 3-turn HP-doubling buff, Max Move secondary effects, Gigantamax forms, banned in Smogon OU but legal in VGC 2020, and how Dynamax warped Gen 8.
Read guide →How to actually build a competitive team, from concept to tournament prep.
End-to-end workflow for building a competitive team in any format: pick an archetype, choose a core, fill roles, calculate spreads, validate the team. Pairs each step with the Pokékipe tool that makes it concrete.
Read guide →How to read usage statistics, identify the top threats, and counter-team the meta. Walks through Pokékipe's usage charts, popular teammates, popular counters, and replay scouting feature for practical use.
Read guide →How to calculate EV investments that hit specific speed benchmarks, defensive rolls, and offensive 1HKO/2HKO thresholds. Speed tier list, defensive math, nature picks, and how to validate a spread with the Pokékipe calculator.
Read guide →Comprehensive guide to held items in competitive Pokémon: when to run Choice items, Heavy-Duty Boots, Leftovers, Life Orb, Berry Juice, Booster Energy. Item-by-role decision tree and live usage data per format.
Read guide →How to read team preview, decide which 4 of 6 to bring, plan leads + switches across a Bo3. Replay scouting workflow, lead matrix construction, common VGC lead pairings, and how Pokékipe's replay tools accelerate prep.
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