Pokemon champion has been a polarizing game since it came out, as it launched with only a handful of Pokemon and items, and it has some pretty significant flaws. Still, it seems like a good fighting game for now, even with its issues, as it allows players to easily build the teams they want and experiment with them, possible moves, abilities, and more. While Pokemon champion does all of these things well, one of the aspects that can feel most frustrating to newcomers is how accessible some Pokemon really are. Because all the animals are only in the battle pass or on the recruit screen, if you don't have them with you Pokemon homeit boils down to luck.
For example, say you want to recruit a Sinistcha for your Trick Room team, but you don't have one in Pokemon home and/or do not own Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Teal Mask DLC, or even the base games. You get one free recruit pokemon attempt per day (technically every 22 hours), but these pokemon are randomly selected from Pokemon champion' Pokedex, so you're not guaranteed to get any of them you want. Then, even if you do, you'll need to pay 2,500 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 mainline titles to actually build your team.
Pokemon Champions: How To Get Eternal Flower Floette & Mega Stone
Unlock the power of the Eternal Flower Floette and its Mega Stone in Pokemon Champions with this comprehensive guide to perfect your team.
How Pokemon Champions Recruit Pokemon Mechanic Works
As it stands, you have the following options to speed up the process and help you choose which Pokemon to recruit first in Pokemon champion:
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Free set of 10 new Pokemon to choose from every 22 hours
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Express Vouchers and/or VP to meet a new series of Pokémon by shortening the waiting time by 22 hours (1 Express Voucher equals one hour of waiting time removed and 100 VP equals one hour of waiting time removed)
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Complete achievements to earn Affinity Tickets, which guarantee that three Pokémon in the new lineup 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 your Switch or Switch on the Recruit Pokemon screen before the new set of Pokemon appear, and it works for both free new lineups and those with Instant Vouchers or VP
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Certain Daily Quests, Weekly Quests, Starter Quests, and Member Quests provide more Quick Coupons and VP that you can use to meet new Pokemon or permanently recruit the ones you have
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Ranking up in Pokemon champion gives one-time VP bonuses
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Play singles and doubles battles in Pokemon champion awards VP based on how long the battle was, and awards more VP to the winner
Why Pokemon Champions isn't enough to build good teams
Beyond that though, you have no other options to recruit Pokemon in the game unless you connect it to Pokemon home. That's why you play Pokemon Scarlet and Violet year 2026 seems all the more mandatory for anyone interested in competitive battles, as Gen 9 games have most of the Pokémon in Master Pokedex.
Other animals will require you to play Pokemon Legends: Arceus or Pokemon Legends: ZA however to get. A big example is Eternal Flower Floette, as you can only get Mega Floette Pokemon champion and use it to fight if you transfer one from Pokemon Legends: ZA to Pokemon homeand then let it visit you Pokemon champion.
Every unobtainable Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet and how to get it in Pokemon Champions
These are the Pokemon you can't find in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet from Master Pokedex:
- Bee drill – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- The 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
- Aggro – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Manectarian – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Sharpedo – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Mold – Only obtained in Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl
- Absol – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Rosed – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA, Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Lopunny – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA, Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Hisuian Samurott – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Watch and – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Leopard – Only obtained in Pokemon Sword and Shield
- Simisage – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Simisar – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Simipour – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Audio – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Cofagrigus – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Garbods – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Vanilla luxury – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Emolga – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Diggersby – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Pangoro – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Furfrou – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Aegislash – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Aromatisse – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Slurpuff – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Heliolic – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Tyrant room – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Aurora – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Gourgeist – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Hisuian Decidueye – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
- Dramp – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: ZA
- Mr. Rime – 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 Avalug – Obtained in Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Apart from these 44 Pokemon, all remaining 142 Pokemon and their variants can be obtained in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Most of these 44 animals are ZA exclusive, which makes sense since they either have new Mega Evolutions in ZAold, or they're Gen 6 Pokemon, for the most part.
Finally, it's worth noting that while you can get Chesnaught, Delphox, and Greninja in Pokemon Scarlet and Violetthe only way to bring in Chesnaughtite, Delphoxite and Greninjite Pokemon champion is to transfer these three Pokemon from Legends: ZA. The same goes for Floettite, which you only get by transferring Eternal Flower Floette to Pokemon champion. As such, whether you like it or not, Pokemon champion make all recent mainline releases mandatory in some way, unless you just want to recruit Pokemon Master 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 edit them.
