Pokemon Champions has been a polarizing game since it came out, as it only launched with a few Pokemon and items and has some pretty significant glitches. Still, it seems like a good fighting game so far, even with its issues, as it allows players to easily build and experiment with the teams they want, possible movesets, abilities, and more. While Pokemon Champions does all of these things well, one of the aspects that can frustrate newcomers the most is how approachable some Pokémon actually are. Because all pets are only found in the battle pass or Recruit screen if you don't have them there Home of Pokemonit boils down to luck.
For example, let's say you want to recruit Sinistcha for your Trick Room team, but you don't have him in Home of Pokemon and/or not own Pokemon Scarlet and VioletTeal Mask DLC or even the base games. Every day (technically every 22 hours) you get a free attempt to recruit a Pokemon, but those Pokemon are randomly selected from Pokemon Champions' Pokedex, so you're not guaranteed to get any of the ones you want. Then, even if you do, you have to pay 2500 VP or use a Teammate Ticket to permanently recruit Pokemon before you can edit them. As such, the game kind of “forces” you to play the latest major titles to actually build your team.
Pokemon Champions: How to get Eternal Flower Fleet and Mega Stone
Unlock the power of the Eternal Flower Fleet and its Mega Stone in Pokémon Champions with this comprehensive guide to perfect your team.
How the Pokémon Champions recruitment mechanic works
Currently, you have the following options to speed up the process and help you choose which Pokemon to recruit first Pokemon Champions:
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Free build of 10 new Pokemon to choose from every 22 hours
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Quick Coupons and/or VP for completing a new Pokemon build by reducing the waiting time to 22 hours (1 Quick Coupon equals one hour of waiting removed and 100 VP equals one hour of waiting removed)
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Complete achievements to earn Affinity Tickets, which guarantee that three Pokémon in the new lineup will have the corresponding type on the ticket. For example, if you use a Ghost Affinity Ticket, you are guaranteed three Ghost-type Pokémon
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You can use Affinity Tickets by clicking X on the switch or Switch on the Recruit Pokemon screen before a new Pokemon build appears, and it works for both free new builds and builds with Quick Coupons or VP.
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Some Daily Missions, Weekly Missions, Starter Missions, and Member Missions award multiple Quick Coupons and VP that you can use to meet new Pokemon or permanently recruit the ones you have
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Order in Pokemon Champions grants one-time VP bonuses
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Playing single and double battles Pokemon Champions awards VP based on the length of the battle and awards more VP to the winner
Why Pokémon champions aren't enough to build good teams
However, other than that, you have no other options to recruit Pokémon in the game unless you join it Home of Pokemon. That's the reason to play Pokemon Scarlet and Violet in 2026 seems all the more binding for anyone participating in competitive battles since the Gen 9 games have most Pokemon in Champions Pokedex.
Other creatures will require you to play Pokemon Legends: Arceus or Pokemon Legends: ZA to obtain however. A big example is Eternal Flower Floette because you can only get Mega Floette Pokemon Champions and use it to fight if you transfer it from Pokemon Legends: ZA on Home of Pokemonand then allow him to visit you Pokemon Champions.
Every elusive Pokemon in Scarlet and Purple and how to get them in Pokemon Champions
These are the Pokemon you won't find Pokemon Scarlet and Violet from Champions Pokedex:
- Beedrill – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Pidgeot – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Alakazam – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA, Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Kangaskhan – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Starmie – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Pinsir – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Aerodactyl – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Hisuian typhlosion – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Steelix – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA, Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Aggron – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Manectric – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Sharpedo – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Cast form – Only obtained in Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
- Absol – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Roserad – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA, Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Lopunny – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA, Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Hisuian Samurott – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Watcher – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Leopard – Only obtainable in Pokemon Sword and Shield
- Simisage – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Simisar – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Simipur – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Audi – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Cofagrigus – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Garbodor – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Vanillux – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Emolga – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Diggersby – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Pangoro – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Furfrau – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Aegislash – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Aromatic – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Slurpuff – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Heliolisk – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Tyrantum – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Aurora – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Gourgeist – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Hisuian Decidueye – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Drampa – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Mr. Rim – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Runerigus – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Sneasler – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Hisuian Goodra – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Hisuian Avalugg – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
In addition to these 44 Pokémon, all remaining 142 Pokémon and their variants can be obtained in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Most of these 44 animals are FOR exclusive, which makes sense since they either have new Mega Evolutions FORold, or are mostly Gen 6 Pokemon.
Finally, it's worth noting that while you can get Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja Pokemon Scarlet and Violetthe only way to get Chesnaughtite, Delphoxite and Greninjite in Pokemon Champions is to transfer these three Pokémon from Legends: ZA. The same goes for Floettite, which you only get by transferring the Eternal Flower Floette Pokemon Champions. As such, whether you like it or not, Pokemon Champions makes all the latest mainline releases somehow mandatory unless you just want to recruit Pokemon into them Champions and hope for the best. And even then, be prepared to spend a lot more VP than you think to recruit them permanently and then modify them.
