Anyone who has played a Pokemon game before will be familiar with single battles. Each Pokemon story follows you as the main character, going on an adventure and mostly engaging in one-on-one battles against other trainers and gym leaders. The formula remains the same, but individual battles play out a little differently.
Pokemon Champions focuses solely on the battle aspect, where you choose three of your six Pokemon to compete in one-on-one battles. Choosing the right Pokémon to use is always a big deal, so we've compiled a list of some of the best Pokémon to add to your single battle team.
Incinerate
Incineroar has always been a strong Pokemon, and it seems to get stronger with every game it's added to. Intimidate is still a strong ability to lower the attack stat of the enemy, and with options in its 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 all stat changes to always hit for a good chunk of damage. Parting Shot also takes you out of combat in a snap, keeping Incineroar safe. It's a great single combat option with an arsenal of responses.
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Garchomp
Garchomp is always powerful and is another staple in VGC. With an ability like Rough Skin that ensures every physical hit does some damage to the opponent, you can get a feel for what kind of Pokemon Garchomp is in a 1v1 lineup.
Similar to Incineroar, you can flinch the opponent, deal a devastating Earthquake, hit a Dragon Claw, and do Sword Dance to make each of these moves even more powerful. It's not hard to find a Swords Dance enhanced Garchomp that can shoot the opponent.
Kingambit
For anyone not in the know, this addition may seem like a bit of a surprise, but don't be fooled, the Kingambit has some great coverage options thanks to its bulk and high Attack stats. While not as broken without its Terastalization option, it has a decent arsenal that can help you take down an opponent.
Sucker Punch is a must, stopping priority moves and compensating for Kingambit's speed stat. Throw in a Swords Dance for even more power, and you'll see why the stat investment is worth it. You will almost never be knocked out in a single hit, and the follow up attack will be brutal.
Flotte
Floette comes over from Pokemon Legends ZA and proves to be a threat to anyone in its path. While you can only get it through a Pokemon Home transfer from ZA, it's well worth picking up for its ridiculously devastating Light of Ruin attack.
Although you will also get hit, it is a 140 power move with 90 accuracy that can destroy a single target. While Floette works well for dual battles more, this single attack makes it well worth putting on this list.
Archaludon
Another durable Pokemon, Archaludon is hard to get rid of in a single battle format. With abilities like endurance, boosting its defense stats, and robust that prevents an OHKO, your opponent will be facing a bulky tower that won't leave the field.
The dreaded Flash Cannon and Draco Meteor both deal ridiculous damage, though Draco Meteor will lower your SP. Atk stats when used. Throw in a Thunderbolt for more cover and a Dragon Tail to force a switch, and you've got a strategic powerhouse on your hands.
Hippowdon
If some Pokémon are good at setting up for double battles, Hippowdon is good at setting up for single battles. Slack Off keeps it in battle longer than you expect, healing it when it gets low. Moves like Stealth Rock, Whirlwind, and Yawn all help stop a single opponent in their tracks by removing status effects or removing them from the game entirely.
If you set up a Sandstorm, Hippowdon has a great way to take advantage of it with its abilities, and if not, you have the trusty Earthquake to clean up what Pokemon are left.
Hydreigon
The amount of options available to Hydreigon, along with the type coverage of its moveset, makes it a strong contender for single combat. The dragon-type Draco Meteor is here, as is a U-turn for a quick exit from battle if needed.
Fire-like moves like Flamethrower can take advantage of any Sun that one of your other Pokemon might put up, and it still has access to Flash Cannon and Focus Blast to deal with his SP. Atk damage. Its Levitate ability ensures that any traps like Spikes are completely ignored for a safe engagement, allowing you to get in for a quick knockout.
Corvik night
Corviknight's abilities are in a league of their own here and do half the battle for you. Mirror Armor allows it to ignore stat-lowering effects, meaning you'll always do the damage you're intended for, which can make the difference in a single battle. Roost allows for a quick heal, U-turn for a quick retreat, and Iron Defense ensures that your opponent will have a hard time taking this bird down.
Raising your defense will help with Body Press, as will Bulk Up. Brave Bird is there for the bulk of the damage, but the ability to just raise your defense stat until the opponent does little to no damage makes Corviknight a huge threat in single combat.
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