VGC 2024 Regulation G — Doubles Format Reference
Reg G is the Scarlet & Violet VGC format that allowed up to two Restricted Legendaries per team. The most powerful SV VGC ruleset of the era — and the format the 2024 World Championships ran on.
Cartridge
Scarlet & Violet
Type
4v4 Doubles
Restricted
Up to 2 per team
Status
Frozen format
Two Restricted Legendaries on a team means every other slot is built around enabling them. Calyrex-Shadow was the answer; the rest of the meta was the question.
At a glance
Reg G is the highest-power VGC format of the SV era. Calyrex-Shadow + a second Restricted on most teams produced an offensive ceiling no Doubles format outside of late-Series VGC has matched.
The format is now frozen — Reg H succeeded it in early 2025. Reg G remains the most-discussed VGC ruleset of the gen and the foundation Worlds 2024 was decided on.
- Format type4v4 Doubles, brought 4 from a 6
- CartridgePokémon Scarlet & Violet
- Restricted slotUp to TWO Restricted Legendaries per team
- MechanicsTera legal, Paradox Pokémon legal, no Megas / Z-Moves / Dynamax
- StatusFrozen — replaced by Reg H in early 2025
- Where it's playedPokémon Showdown ladder + retro VGC tournaments. Live data: /sv/vgc2024regg.
- Tournament contextWorlds 2024 played under this rule set
Format rules
VGC formats apply a Doubles-specific rule set on top of the cartridge engine. Items are clause-restricted; the team-preview lead-choice is part of every match.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Battle type | 4v4 Doubles, brought 4 from a 6 |
| Team preview | Yes — both sides see all 6 before lead choice |
| Level | All Pokémon set to level 50 |
| Species Clause | Each team can only carry one of any given species |
| Item Clause | Each held item can only appear once on the team |
| Restricted slot | Up to 2 Restricted Legendaries per team (eligible list below) |
| Tera | LEGAL — once per team, per battle |
| Paradox Pokémon | LEGAL |
| Time control | Tournament-standard match clock + per-turn timer |
| Best of | Best-of-3 in tournament play |
Eligible Pokémon
Reg G uses the full SV Paldea + DLC dex with the Restricted Legendary list permitted. Mythicals are excluded.
Restricted Legendaries — up to 2 per team
- Calyrex-Shadow — the format-defining Restricted slot. 165 SpA + 150 Spe + Astral Barrage spread + Grim Neigh stat-snowball ability.
- Calyrex-Ice — 165 Atk + 50 Spe + Glacial Lance spread + As One (Chilling Neigh) Atk-snowball. Trick Room cornerstone.
- Miraidon — 135 SpA + 135 Spe + Hadron Engine auto-Electric Terrain + Electro Drift super-effective ×4/3 boost.
- Koraidon — 135 Atk + 135 Spe + Orichalcum Pulse auto-Sun + Collision Course super-effective ×4/3 boost.
- Terapagos — DLC2 box legendary. 90/65/85/65/85/60 base; 95/95/110/105/110/85 in Terastal Forme via Tera Shell.
- Zacian — Crowned + Behemoth Blade + Intrepid Sword on switch-in.
- Zamazenta — Crowned + Behemoth Bash + Dauntless Shield on switch-in.
- Lunala, Solgaleo, Necrozma-Dusk-Mane, Necrozma-Dawn-Wings — Sun/Moon-era Restricted; Necrozma fusions with Sunsteel Strike / Moongeist Beam.
- Dialga, Palkia, Giratina — Sinnoh box legendaries; Origin Forme variants viable.
- Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem — Unova trio; Kyurem-Black/White through HOME transfer.
- Groudon, Kyogre, Rayquaza — Hoenn legendaries via HOME.
- Lugia, Ho-Oh — Johto legendaries via HOME.
Excluded categories
- Mythicals — Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Victini, Keldeo, Meloetta, Genesect, Diancie, Hoopa, Volcanion, Magearna, Marshadow, Zeraora, Meltan / Melmetal, Zarude, Pecharunt all banned.
- Mewtwo — Mythical-equivalent banned status.
- Ultra Beasts — Ultra Beasts not part of the Restricted list; available as standard Pokémon (Pheromosa, Kartana, Naganadel etc. in the eligible roster as non-Restricted).
Tera + Restricted = the Reg G design fact
The combination of two Restricted Legendaries plus Terastallization produced the highest offensive ceiling SV VGC ever reached. Most teams ran one or both Restricted slots Tera-tunable as the team's primary win-condition lever.
For the underlying Tera mechanic, refer to the Terastallization section of the Gen 9 Era guide.
The Calyrex-Shadow centerpiece
Calyrex-Shadow appeared on the majority of competitive Reg G teams. Its 165 SpA + 150 Spe + Grim Neigh ability (raises SpA by 1 stage on each KO) produced a Pokémon that snowballed offensive value across the match. Astral Barragespread move + Pollen Puff partner heal (Indeedee or Tornadus-Therian) defined the format's offensive shape.
Tera as the Restricted answer
Most teams ran Tera on a non-Restricted Pokémon as the answer to opposing Calyrex-Shadow. Tera Dark Urshifu Single Strike to absorb Astral Barrage; Tera Normal Incineroarfor Fake Out + Knock Off support; Tera Flying speed-boost teams via Tornadus-Therian. The Tera slot was one of the team's most contested decisions.
Archetypes
Reg G archetypes cluster around the Restricted slot choice. Each Restricted defines the team's offensive engine; the remaining four slots support that engine.
Format-defining
Calyrex-Shadow Core
Calyrex-Shadow + Urshifu Single Strike + Incineroar Intimidate / Fake Out + Tornadus-Therian Tailwind setter. The most-played Reg G core.
Sun
Koraidon Sun Offense
Koraidon Orichalcum Pulse + Sun-boosted Fire / Grass partners. Flutter Mane + Specs Sun threats. Helping Hand support.
Electric Terrain
Miraidon Speed Offense
Miraidon Hadron Engine + Quark Drive Paradox abusers + Iron Hands Belly Drum. Electric Terrain blocks sleep + paralysis.
Trick Room
Calyrex-Ice TR
Calyrex-Ice Glacial Lance + slow Trick Room setters (Indeedee, Hatterene equivalents). 50 Spe sits perfectly in Trick Room bracket.
Steel Box
Zacian / Zamazenta
Zacian-Crowned offensive (Behemoth Blade) or Zamazenta-Crowned defensive (Dauntless Shield + Body Press) cores. Less common than Calyrex but tournament-viable.
Defensive
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Bulky Offense
Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Sunsteel Strike + Trick Room setup + bulky support. Steel/Psychic walls many threats.
VGC team roles
VGC team roles are different from Singles. The Restricted slot is unique to VGC; Fake Out and Speed control are central in ways Singles doesn't reproduce.
One or two Restricted Legendaries. Reg G allows up to 2; pre-Reg-G most VGC formats allowed at most 1. The Restricted choice defines the team's offensive engine and structural archetype.
Incineroar Intimidate + Fake Out is the format's defining Fake Out user. Other options: Whimsicott (Fake Tears + Tailwind), Hitmontop (Intimidate + Wide Guard).
Speed control is non-negotiable in VGC. Tailwind doubles team Speed for 4 turns. Trick Room reverses speed for 5 turns. Icy Wind spread Speed-drop. Thunder Wave niche.
Spread moves hit both opponents for 75% damage. Astral Barrage, Heat Wave, Earthquake (with allied immunity), Make It Rain, Hyper Voice Pixilate, Glacial Lance all defining options.
VGC pivots produce momentum AND lead-flexibility. Tornadus-Therian U-turn + Tailwind, Incineroar Parting Shot, Volcarona U-turn niche.
Follow Me + 2 priority redirection. Indeedee-Female with Psychic Surge + Follow Me support. Amoonguss Regenerator + Rage Powder + Spore.
Reg G defining wincons: Calyrex-Shadow Grim Neigh snowball, Iron Hands Belly Drum + Drain Punch, Volcarona Quiver Dance with Tera Fairy, Calyrex-Ice Trick Room Glacial Lance.
What makes Reg G different
Reg G is the most powerful SV VGC format. The two-Restricted ruleset is unique in modern VGC; Reg H, Reg I, and Reg M-A all narrowed back from this peak.
2
Restricted slot
Up to 2 per team — Reg G unique
✓
Tera + Paradox
Both legal, both meta-defining
↑
Power ceiling
Highest of any SV VGC ruleset
- Two Restricted slots — most VGC formats allow 0 or 1 Restricted; Reg G allows 2. The combinatorial space of viable cores expanded dramatically.
- Tera + Restricted produced one-shot win conditions — Calyrex-Shadow Tera Normal Astral Barrage, Miraidon Tera Fairy Draco Meteor immunity, etc.
- Worlds 2024 — the Worlds 2024 finals were played under Reg G. The competitive history of the format is well-documented.
- Replaced by Reg H — Reg G ended in early 2025. Reg H deliberately narrowed the dex by removing all Restricted, all Paradox, and all Mythical Pokémon.
How to get started
Reg G is now a frozen retro VGC format. Tournament archives are extensive; sample teams from Worlds 2024 are well-documented.
- Choose your Restricted — Calyrex-Shadow is the most-played starting point. Calyrex-Ice (Trick Room), Miraidon (Electric offense), or Koraidon (Sun offense) are alternatives.
- Build the support core — Incineroar Fake Out, Tornadus-Therian Tailwind, redirection support, speed-control answers.
- Pick your Tera target — usually a non-Restricted Pokémon. Tera Dark Urshifu, Tera Fairy Volcarona, Tera Steel Heatran are all defining choices.
- Play replays of Worlds 2024 — every top team is documented. The skill ceiling lives in lead-prediction and Tera timing.
- Ladder Pokémon Showdown — Reg G has an active retro VGC ladder. Tournament play continues for retro VGC.
Where to go from here
The above is the static reference for VGC 2024 Reg G. Live frozen-format data lives in the rest of Pokékipe.
- Live format data — /sv/vgc2024regg for Reg G usage and tournament results.
- Mechanics — Gen 9 — Scarlet & Violet covers Tera, Paradox abilities, and the underlying Gen 9 engine.
- Adjacent VGC formats — Reg H (no Restricted / no Paradox), Reg I (Paradox returns), Reg M-A (Champions current).
- Workflow — VGC Teambuilding guide. Tournament Preparation guide.