VGC 2025 Regulation I — Doubles Format Reference
Reg I is the SV VGC format that re-allowed Paradox Pokémon while maintaining the Restricted ban. Iron Hands and Flutter Mane returned as core threats; Booster Energy speed control became central again. The format sits between Reg G's full power and Reg H's narrowness.
Cartridge
Scarlet & Violet
Type
4v4 Doubles
Restricted
BANNED
Paradox
LEGAL
Reg H removed the offensive ceiling. Reg I added it back — but kept the Restricted ban that capped the absolute top. The result: a format wide enough for variety, narrow enough to stay healthy.
At a glance
Reg I is the bridge format. Reg H's narrowness produced a healthy meta but limited variety; Reg I added Paradox Pokémon back to the eligible roster, restoring offensive depth without re-introducing the Calyrex-Shadow ceiling.
The format ran late 2025 — early 2026. Replaced by Reg M-A on Pokémon Champions in April 2026. Reg I is widely considered the most balanced full-power VGC format of the SV era.
- Format type4v4 Doubles, brought 4 from a 6
- CartridgePokémon Scarlet & Violet
- Restricted slotBANNED — no Restricted Legendaries permitted
- ParadoxLEGAL — Ancient + Future Paradox both allowed
- MythicalsBANNED — full Mythical list ineligible
- MechanicsTera legal, Booster Energy legal, no Megas / Z-Moves / Dynamax
- StatusFrozen — replaced by Reg M-A on Champions in April 2026
- Where it's playedLive data: /sv/vgc2025regi.
Format rules
Reg I differs from Reg H by ONE rule change: Paradox Pokémon are re-allowed. Restricted Legendaries and Mythicals stay banned.
| 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 | ZERO — no Restricted Legendaries permitted |
| Paradox Pokémon | LEGAL — full Ancient + Future Paradox roster eligible |
| Mythicals | BANNED — full Mythical list ineligible |
| Tera | LEGAL — once per team, per battle |
| Best of | Best-of-3 in tournament play |
Eligible Pokémon
Reg I = Reg H + Paradox. The Reg H eligible roster carries forward; the Paradox additions reshape offensive expectations significantly.
Paradox Pokémon — back in the format
The 16+ Paradox Pokémon that Reg H banned are all legal in Reg I:
- Ancient Paradox (Protosynthesis): Great Tusk, Scream Tail, Brute Bonnet, Flutter Mane, Slither Wing, Sandy Shocks, Roaring Moon, Walking Wake, Gouging Fire, Raging Bolt.
- Future Paradox (Quark Drive): Iron Treads, Iron Bundle, Iron Hands, Iron Jugulis, Iron Moth, Iron Thorns, Iron Valiant, Iron Leaves, Iron Boulder, Iron Crown.
Booster Energy returns to the meta
Paradox Pokémon channel 
Booster Energy to activate Protosynthesis or Quark Drive — boosting their highest stat by 1.3× (1.5× if Speed) once per battle. Without Sun (Protosynthesis) or Electric Terrain (Quark Drive), Booster Energy is the universal trigger; one slot per Pokémon, one Booster Energy per team via Item Clause.
Paradox returns — the Reg I shift
The categorical change from Reg H to Reg I is small in rule text, large in metagame impact. Re-allowing Paradox Pokémon brought back the offensive engines Reg H had stripped.
Iron Hands — the Doubles wallbreaker returns
Iron Handsis the format's defining physical wallbreaker. 154 Atk + 90/120/120 bulk + Belly Drum + Drain Punch + Wild Charge + Booster Energy Atk activation. The combination produced one-shot KO threats Reg H could not field.
Flutter Mane — special speed control
Flutter Mane with 135 SpA + 135 Spe + Booster Energy Speed activation reaches 200+ Speed. Defining special wallbreaker / speed-control Pokémon — outspeeds nearly all non-Booster Pokémon and threatens Moonblast spread + Shadow Ball coverage.
Tera centralisation continues
With Paradox back, Tera is even more central than in Reg H. Most teams run Tera on a Paradox abuser — Tera Steel Iron Hands, Tera Fairy Flutter Mane, Tera Ground Iron Treads. The Tera flip neutralises the format's most common defensive answers.
Archetypes
Reg I archetypes restore Reg G's structural depth without the Restricted layer. Most teams run 1-2 Paradox Pokémon as offensive cornerstones, supported by Tailwind / Trick Room speed control and Fake Out support.
Hyper Offense
Iron Hands + Flutter Mane core
Iron Hands Belly Drum + Flutter Mane Specs Booster + Incineroar Fake Out + Tornadus Tailwind. Defining Reg I HO core.
Sun
Walking Wake / Gouging Fire
Torkoal Drought + Sun Paradox abusers (Roaring Moon Protosynthesis Speed, Walking Wake Specs Hydro Steam, Gouging Fire Sun-boosted Burning Bulwark).
Electric Terrain
Iron Treads / Iron Moth
Pawmot Electric Surge equivalent setup + Quark Drive Paradox abusers (Iron Treads Speed, Iron Moth Speed) + Booster Energy speed.
Trick Room
Iron Hands TR
Hatterene + slow Trick Room abusers. Iron Hands 50 Speed sits perfectly in TR bracket. Glastrier-equivalents (without Restricted, run Ursaluna-Bloodmoon).
Bulky Offense
Sinistcha / Dondozo Cores
Sinistcha Hospitality (passive heal to ally) + Dondozo Unaware swallow + Iron Hands or Flutter Mane offense.
Speed Control
Whimsicott / Tornadus Tailwind
Whimsicott Prankster Tailwind + offensive Doubles support. Tornadus-Therian Regenerator + Bleakwind Storm spread + Tailwind.
VGC team roles
Reg I's team roles inherit the standard VGC framework. The Booster Energy slot replaces the Restricted slot as the cornerstone offensive engine.
One Paradox Pokémon channels Booster Energy as the team's offensive cornerstone. Common holders: Iron Hands (Atk boost), Flutter Mane (Speed boost), Iron Bundle (Speed), Roaring Moon (Speed), Iron Valiant (SpA or Speed).
IncineroarIntimidate + Fake Out remains the format's primary Fake Out user.
Tornadus Prankster Tailwind, Hatterene Trick Room, OR Booster Energy Speed Paradox (Flutter Mane / Iron Bundle outspeed unboosted Choice Scarf).
Reg I spread movers: Bleakwind Storm (Tornadus-T), Heat Wave, Earthquake (with allied immunity), Dazzling Gleam.
Tornadus-Therian Regenerator + U-turn, Incineroar Parting Shot, Iron Valiant Encore + offensive presence.
Indeedee-Female with Psychic Surge + Follow Me. Amoonguss Regenerator + Rage Powder + Spore.
Reg I wincons: Iron Hands Belly Drum, Flutter Mane Calm Mind, Roaring Moon Dragon Dance + Booster Speed, Volcarona Quiver Dance.
What makes Reg I different
Reg I is the bridge format between Reg H's narrowness and Reg G's power ceiling. Many players consider it the most balanced full-power SV VGC format.
✓
Paradox
Re-allowed after Reg H ban
✗
Restricted
Stays banned
↑↓
Power
Between Reg G and Reg H
- Paradox returns — Iron Hands, Flutter Mane, Roaring Moon, Iron Bundle all back. The format's offensive depth is restored without the Calyrex-Shadow ceiling.
- Booster Energy meta — most teams carry one Booster Energy holder. The item clause means only one Booster Energy per team, forcing the choice of which Paradox gets the boost.
- Tera + Booster + Fake Out — three offensive levers per match. Most games hinge on which side commits which lever first.
- Replaced by Reg M-A on Champions — Reg I ended in early 2026 when Pokémon Champions launched with its own Reg M-A format on a different platform.
How to get started
Reg I is now a frozen retro VGC format. Tournament archives are extensive; the meta is well-documented.
- Choose your Paradox Pokémon — Iron Hands and Flutter Mane are the format's most-played Booster Energy holders.
- Build the support core — Incineroar Fake Out + Tornadus Tailwind + redirection Pokémon (Indeedee-F or Amoonguss).
- Pick your Tera target — usually a Paradox Pokémon. Tera Steel Iron Hands, Tera Fairy Flutter Mane, Tera Ground Iron Treads are all defining choices.
- Copy a sample team from Worlds-equivalents — Reg I's tournament archive is well-documented.
- Ladder Pokémon Showdown — Reg I has an active retro VGC ladder.
Where to go from here
The above is the static reference for VGC 2025 Reg I. Live frozen-format data lives in the rest of Pokékipe.
- Live format data — /sv/vgc2025regi for Reg I usage and tournament results.
- Mechanics — Gen 9 — Scarlet & Violet covers Tera, Paradox abilities, and Booster Energy.
- Adjacent VGC formats — Reg H (the previous narrowed era), Reg M-A (Champions current), Reg G (Restricted era).
- Workflow — VGC Teambuilding guide. Tournament Preparation guide.