What Changed in Pokémon Champions Regulation M-B?

Guides

Regulation M-B expanded the roster and item pool. The important question was not whether every new option belonged on a team, but which additions changed the matchups an existing team had to respect.

Read M-B as a change log

A new regulation changes more than legal names. New attackers alter defensive benchmarks; support Pokémon alter lead selection; and new items create choices in slots that previously had an obvious answer. Compare your M-A team against the new roster before rebuilding from scratch.

New Mega choices need a real trade-off

Blaziken-Mega, Swampert-Mega and Metagross-Mega offer distinct pressure, but a Mega must hold its Mega Stone. Judge one by typing, ability, speed, damage profile and the partners it needs, not by combinations with items it cannot hold. Non-Mega additions such as Grimmsnarl and Gholdengo can carry utility items that a Mega cannot.

M-B Pokémon to evaluate

These additions ask different questions in team preview.

Mega Blaziken Mega Blaziken
Mega Swampert Mega Swampert
Mega Metagross Mega Metagross
Grimmsnarl Grimmsnarl
Gholdengo Gholdengo

Notable item options

Life Orb Life Orb Damp Rock Damp Rock Wide Lens Wide Lens Light Clay Light Clay Iron Ball Iron Ball

Update benchmarks before declaring a matchup solved

Life Orb improves the damage of damaging attacks at the cost of recoil. Light Clay supports longer screen turns. Wide Lens reduces risk from imperfect accuracy without making a move perfect. Each is useful only when it solves a specific problem.

Use a real calculation for important benchmarks: targeting, STAB, weather, screens, abilities, type effectiveness and the random damage range all matter.

Questions for an M-B rebuild

  • Which new Pokémon changes my lead?
  • Has a new item shifted a key knockout range?
  • Does my Mega slot still fit the expanded field?
  • Can my team operate if its first speed-control plan is denied?