Reg M-B Power Rankings: which new Pokémon will actually shake the meta
By ChampTeams Editorial
Reg M-B just dropped, and with it came 32 newly-legal Pokémon — including a wave of returning Mega forms with brand-new Champions-specific abilities. Some of these are reruns of 2014–2016 nightmares. Some are total wildcards (looking at you, Mega Staraptor with Contrary). Without a full week of tournament data, we ranked them using base stats, historical VGC pedigree, and how each kit slots into the M-A meta we already know.
The tier list at a glance
Here is the whole list in one image — full writeups below for each pick.
S Tier — Will define the format
S TIERMega Metagross
Tough ClawsMega Metagross was the single most-used Pokémon in VGC 2016 (Worlds finals: both teams ran it). Tough Claws turns Meteor Mash, Bullet Punch, and Iron Head into nuclear options. 110 Speed with 145 Attack is the best stat line in M-B, full stop.
S TIERMega Mawile
Huge PowerHuge Power doubles its already-high 105 Attack to an effective 525, which is silly. Mega Mawile won VGC 2014 Worlds and was the most-feared Pokémon in the format. Intimidate on switch-in (base form) is a real layer of utility before Mega-evolving for the kill turn.
S TIERMega Swampert
Swift SwimPelipper / Politoed rain teams just got a new finisher. Swift Swim Mega Swampert effectively hits 110 Speed in rain with 150 Attack, comfortably outspeeding most of the M-A meta. The Champions buff giving it Wave Crash is the real story: a 120 BP STAB off that Attack stat turns it into an absurd rain sweeper that cleaves through the field. Wave Crash + Earthquake + Ice Punch is genuinely uncounterable on a wet field.
S TIERMega Staraptor
ContraryThe wildcard pick of M-B. Contrary inverts Close Combat and Brave Bird stat drops, meaning every spammed STAB literally raises its own Defense/Sp. Def or doesn't lose Attack/Speed. Even better: Charm from Whimsicott boosts Staraptor's Attack instead of dropping it, so you can run a Charm + Staraptor "defensive stacking" core. Hard counters basically don't exist for the first week.
A Tier — Strong contenders
A TIERMega Blaziken
Speed BoostBanned in mainline VGC for years for a reason. Speed Boost means turn 2 it outspeeds everything. Fragile defensively and dies to Choice Scarf Basculegion + priority, but if you get a Protect off on turn 1 the game can spiral fast.
A TIERMega Sceptile
Lightning RodLightning Rod does real work on rain teams: it draws in Electric moves to shield partners like Pelipper or Basculegion from Thunder / Thunderbolt, then banks the redirected hit as a +1 Sp. Atk boost. 145 Speed is near the top of the format (only Mega Aerodactyl's 150 outruns it), and the new Champions Earth Power addition gives it brutal coverage off that high Special Attack. Leaf Storm / Dragon Pulse / Earth Power / Focus Blast is one-shot or be-one-shot.
A TIERGholdengo
Good as GoldGood as Gold blocks Trick, Will-O-Wisp, and Encore — things Whimsicott and Sinistcha were getting away with all of M-A. Make It Rain still hits hard off 133 Special Attack, but the Champions nerf stings: 95% accuracy (down from 100) and a 2-stage Sp. Atk drop after use instead of 1, leaving it noticeably weaker than its Scarlet/Violet version. Pairs neatly with Mega Mawile.
A TIERAnnihilape
DefiantRage Fist scales with damage taken, which means Intimidate-heavy M-A teams feed it on the switch-in. 90 Speed with Choice Scarf hits a usable 314, and Defiant on Intimidate makes it a hard counter for Incineroar + Arcanine-Hisui cores.
A TIERMega Eelektross
EelevateChampions-original ability: Ground immunity + a Moxie-style boost to its highest stat on KO. Thunderbolt / Flamethrower / Dragon Pulse coverage handles half the format. The honest concern from week-1 feedback is that it leans hard on OHKOs to start snowballing — if it can't one-shot, the boost never lands.
A TIERMega Raichu Y
No GuardNo Guard turns Zap Cannon into a 120 BP guaranteed-paralysis nuke and gives Focus Blast 100% accuracy. Suddenly it's the most reliable special attacker in the format. The "much-needed Mega Charizard Y answer" people were asking for.
B Tier — Viable with a plan
Niche-but-real picks
Mawile
Mega Pyroar
Mega Raichu X
Grimmsnarl
Mega Barbaracle
Mega Scrafty
Mega Falinks
Mega Dragalge
Mega Malamar| Pokémon | Ability | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Mawile (base) | Intimidate | Intimidate + Sucker Punch utility, Trick Room comp filler. |
| Mega Pyroar | Fire Mane | Underrated by most week-1 lists. 126 Speed outspeeds Sneasler and Froslass, Fire STAB threatens Venusaur, and Torkoal's Helping Hand makes Sun-team Heat Wave terrifying. |
| Mega Raichu X | Electric Surge | Auto Electric Terrain is huge for damage-boost cores and Rising Voltage cheese. Limited support, but the only legal new terrain setter in the format besides itself. |
| Grimmsnarl | Prankster | Reflect + Light Screen on demand, Spirit Break to chip Mega Metagross, Parting Shot pivots into the threat. Noticeably bulkier than Sableye and back from retirement — the main worry is Mega Metagross breaking screens with Psychic Fangs and OHKOing back with Iron Head. |
| Mega Barbaracle | Tough Claws | Stone Edge / Razor Shell coverage; sand teams. |
| Mega Scrafty | Intimidate | Keeps Intimidate + Fake Out into mega, works inside and outside Trick Room. Drain Punch / Knock Off bulky pivot. |
| Mega Falinks | Defiant | Punishes Intimidate; No Retreat + Close Combat finisher. |
| Mega Dragalge | Regenerator | Recovery on switch + Draco Meteor / Sludge Bomb pivot for balance teams. |
| Mega Malamar | Contrary | Superpower spam is theoretically good but the community verdict so far is closer to "don't use this"; pair with Whimsicott if you want to try. |
C Tier — Specialists
CMega Scolipede
Shell ArmorShell Armor (crit immunity) is unusual for a Mega ability, but it stabilises Megahorn / Poison Jab spam against Focus Sash + crit-fish strategies. Lower Speed than expected — Tailwind support required.
- Houndstone — Sand Rush + Body Press has theoretical merit on sand teams; Tyranitar setter required.
- Vileplume — Sleep Powder + Effect Spore is annoying, but Speed limits it.
- Mega Scolipede — see card above.
D Tier — Hard pass for now
Likely no top-cut placements without a Trick Room miracle
Musharna
Qwilfish
OverqwilMusharna, Qwilfish, Overqwil. All are technically legal but bring nothing that an existing M-A staple does better.
Our predictions
- Mega Metagross hits S tier within 2 weeks and stays there. Body Press + Ice Punch coverage was an underrated angle.
- Mega Staraptor with Contrary + Charm from Whimsicott becomes the early "defensive stacking" core people talk about for the first month.
- Mega Mawile rises slower but ends as the format's best Steel-type.
- Pelipper teams pick up Mega Swampert and start winning regionals; Basculegion drops a slot on those teams.
- Gholdengo + Mega Mawile becomes the new Floette + Kingambit (i.e. the safe bring on every team).
- At least one S-tier pick from M-A drops a tier as Intimidate stacking + Rage Fist Annihilape eats their week.
- Mega Pyroar on a Torkoal sun team is the dark-horse trophy pick by month two.
M-B is hours old as of writing. These rankings are educated extrapolations from past metas and known VGC theory. The tier list page on champteams.gg will display data-driven M-B rankings once enough tournaments have happened. Check back in two weeks.
Try the new picks now
All 32 species (and the new Mega Stones for them) are live in the builder and battle mode under the Reg M-B format. Use the "New" filter pill in the Pokémon selector to see only the new additions.