Anyone who has played a Pokemon game in the past will be familiar with the individual battles. Each Pokemon story follows you as the main character, going on adventures and mostly taking part in one-on-one battles against other trainers and gym leaders. The formula remains the same, but individual battles play out a bit differently.
Pokemon Champions focuses entirely on the fighting aspect as you choose three of your six Pokemon to compete in one-on-one battles. Choosing the right Pokemon to use is always a big deal, so we've compiled a list of some of the best Pokemon to add to your team for each battle.
Incineroar
Incineroar has always been a strong Pokemon and seems to get stronger with every game it's added to. Intimidate remains a strong ability to lower the enemy's attack stat, and with options in his arsenal like Parting Shot, you can make your opponent's attacks little more than a tickle while your own attack is strong.
Darkest Lariat continues to be a staple, ignoring any stat changes to always hit for a good chunk of damage. Parting Shot will also quickly take you out of battle and keep Incineroar safe. It's a great one-battle option with an arsenal of answers.
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Garchomp
The ever-powerful Garchomp is another stalwart in the VGC. With an ability like Rough Skin that makes every physical hit do a bit of damage to the opponent, you can get a feel for what type of Pokémon Garchomp is in a 1v1 lineup.
Similar to Incineroar, you can make your opponent twitch, cause a devastating earthquake, tap Dragon Claw, and dance with your sword to make each of these moves even more powerful. It's not hard to find a Garchomp boosted by Swords Dance that can shoot opponents.
Kingambit
To anyone unfamiliar with him, this addition may come as a bit of a surprise, but don't be fooled, Kingambit has great coverage options thanks to his size and high Attak stat. While it's not as broken without terrastalization options, it has a decent arsenal that can help you beat your opponents.
Sucker Punch is a must, stopping priority moves and balancing Kingambit's speed stat. Throw yourself into Swords Dance for even more performance and see why investing in stats pays off. You will almost never be knocked out in one hit and the follow up attack will be brutal.
Flotte
Floette comes from Pokemon Legends ZA and is shown to be a threat to anyone who stands in its way. While you can only get it via transferring Pokemon Home from ZA, it's worth bringing because of its ridiculously devastating Light of Ruin attack.
Even if you get hit too, it's a 140 power move with 90 accuracy that can destroy a single target. While Floette works better for dual battles, this single attack is worth putting on this list.
Archaludon
Another durable Pokemon, Archaludon is hard to get rid of in a single battle format. With abilities like Stamina increasing his defense stat and Sturdy preventing OHKOs, your opponent will be facing a massive tower that won't leave the field.
The dreaded Flash Cannon and Draco Meteor deal ridiculous damage, though Draco Meteor will reduce your SP. Atk stat when used. Sneak with Thunderbolt for more coverage and Dragon Tail to force a switch and you have a strategic force in your hands.
Hippowdon
If some Pokémon are great in double battle setups, Hippowdon is great in single battle setups. Slack Off keeps him in battle longer than you'd expect and heals him when he's down. Moves like Stealth Rock, Whirlwind, and Yawn help stop a single opponent in their tracks by dropping status effects or removing them from play entirely.
If you set up a Sandstorm, Hippowdon has a great way to capitalize on it with its abilities, and if not, you have a reliable Earthquake that will clean up whatever pokemon are left.
Hydreigon
The amount of options Hydreigon has at his disposal, along with the type coverage of his moveset, makes him a strong contender for single combat. The dragon-type Draco Meteor is here, as is a counter spin for a quick exit from battle if needed.
Fire-type moves like Flamethrower can benefit from any sun one of your other Pokemon can put out, and it still has access to Flash Cannon and Focus Blast to dish out its SP. Atk damage. His Levitate ability ensures that any traps like Spikes are completely ignored for a safe power-up and sets you up for a quick takedown.
Corviknight
Corviknight's abilities stand on their own here and do half the battle for you. Mirror Armor allows him to ignore stat-reducing effects, meaning you always deal the damage you have, which can make the difference in a single battle. Roost allows for a quick heal, counter turn for a quick retreat, and Iron Defense ensures that your opponent will have a tough time taking this bird down.
Body Press will help boost defense, as will Bulk Up. Brave Bird is available for a big chunk of damage, but being able to only increase the defense stat until the opponent takes no damage makes Corviknight a huge threat in one-on-one battles.
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