We might be hurtling towards the release of Pokémon Legends Z-A, but for competitive players, there's still plenty of life left in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Regulation J is now live, and this new ruleset introduces some interesting restrictions that will shape fun strategies and teams.
Best teams for Regulation J ranked matches in Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
| Pokémon | Ability | Item | Nature | Moves | Tera Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arceus | Multitype | Clear Amulet/Pixie Plate | Modest | Judgement, Perish Song, Protect, Dazzling Gleam | Fairy |
| Lunala | Shadow Shield | Leftovers | Modest | Moongeist Beam, Expanding Force, Wide Guard, Trick Room | Fairy |
| Meloetta | Soul-Heart | Leftovers | Quiet | Fleur Cannon, Flash Cannon, Protect, Trick Room | Fairy |
| Calyrex (Ice Rider) | As One | Clear Amulet | Adamant | Glacial Lance, High Horsepower, Trick Room, Protect | Water |
| Urshifu (Rapid Strike) | Unseen Fist | Choice Scarf | Adamant | U-Turn, Close Combat, Surging Strikes, Aqua Jet | Water |
| Flutter Mane | Protosynthesis | Focus Sash | Timid | Moonblast, Shadow Ball, icy Wind, Protect | Stellar |
| Incineroar | Intimidate | Rocky Helmet | Relaxed | Moonblast, Shadow Ball, Icy Wind, Protect | Bug |
| Ursaluna (Blood Moon) | Guts | Flame Orb | Jolly | Facade, Earthquake, Headlong Rush, Protect | Ghost |
| Miraidon | Hadron Engine | Assault Vest | Modest | Electro Drift, Draco Meteor, Snarl, Volt Switch | Electric |
| Koraidon | Orichalcum Pulse | Assault Vest | Adamant | Collision Course, Breaking Swipe, Flare Blitz, Flame Charge | Fire |
| Raging Bolt | Protosynthesis | Life Orb | Modest | Thunderbolt, Protect, Thunderclap, Draco Meteor | Electric |
This latest regulation allows for the use of any Pokémon valid in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. That means any Pokémon in the Paldea, Kitakami, and Blueberry Academy Pokédex. On top of this, all Legendary and Mythical Pokémon are allowed. The only banned Pokémon is Greninja with the Battle Bond ability. You can see the full list of eligible Pokémon at this link.
The only restrictions for the regulation are as follows: No more than two Legendary or Mythical Pokémon can be in one team. Plus, duplicate held items are not allowed. Regulation J runs from Sunday, Aug. 31, at 5pm. PDT to Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, at 3:59pm PST.
Much like previous regulations, expect some of the top Pokémon to dominate teams purely thanks to high stats. Pokémon like Arceus, Ice Rider Calyrex, Lunala, and Koraidon will be leading up a lot of teams.
Arceus is always a popular pick thanks to its versatility, as it can use plates and its Multitype ability to change itself to any type, giving lots of STAB options. With a uniform 120 base stats across the board, you can run Arceus as either a fantastic physical or special attacker, but its moveset leans towards special, making it a good match with Koraidon, Incineroar, and Calyrex (Ice Rider).
Another popular pick for this regulation will be Magearna, thanks to one of the game's best abilities. Magearna has Soul-Heart, which gives the Pokémon a boost to special attack when any Pokémon on the field faints, including teammates. With fantastic defensive typing thanks to Steel and Fairy, Magearna makes a great teammate to Pokémon like Lunala, Calyrex (Ice Rider), and Urshifu (Rapid Strike).
When it comes to filling out the rest of the team, expect to see a lot of heavy attackers like Incineroar, Rillaboom, Annihilape, and Ursaluna (Blood Moon). A mixture of good movesets, great typing, and some fantastic stats keeps these picks in contention.
For support, so think Protect users, the ability to weaken defences, start Trick Room, or inflict status effects, there are a few strong picks. Amoonguss has become a competitive favorite, as has Indeedee, Farigiraf, Grimmsnarl, and Whimsicott. Just be sure to balance your team's strengths and spread out your type advantages.
The post Best Regulation Set J Ranked teams in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet appeared first on Destructoid.
