VGC
Regulation I
Complete Guide
Regulation I is the biggest format revolution of 2026: up to 2 restricted legendaries per team, chosen from a pool of 22. Strategic complexity scales exponentially. This guide covers the rule changes, top pairs, and team building logic.
1 Pokémon from the restricted list per team of 6. Team built around a single legendary core.
Up to 2 restricted legendaries per team. Pair selection expands from 22 singles to C(22,2) = 231 possible combinations.
Regulation I Restricted Pokémon Pool
The following 22 Pokémon count toward the restricted slots — maximum 2 per team.
* Speed values estimated at Timid/Jolly 252 EV Lv.50. Tiers reflect VGC competitive usage estimates.
How Dual-Restricted Changes Everything
Exponential Strategic Complexity
In Regulation G, seeing one restricted legendary gave you a strong read on the remaining 4 support slots. In Regulation I, 231 possible pairs make scouting exponentially harder, and match prep costs skyrocket.
Speed Planning Becomes Multivariable
With 1 restricted, speed EV planning was simple. With 2, you must ensure both legendaries’ Speed investments don’t conflict while hitting multiple benchmarks across different game situations.
Weakness Overlap Drives Pair Selection
Shared weaknesses between your two restricted Pokémon are the #1 team building consideration. Pairs with shared Ground weakness (Groudon+Zekrom) require significant support allocation, while complementary pairs (Calyrex-Shadow+Zacian) free up offensive slots.
Support Slots Are Scarce — Every Pick Is a Trade-Off
With 2 restricted in 6 slots, only 4 remain for support. Intimidate, Tailwind, Spore redirect, and Fake Out cannot all coexist — every support choice is a strategic sacrifice.
S-Tier Pairs: Deep Analysis
Calyrex-Shadow + Koraidon (~24% usage)
Calyrex-Shadow (150 base Speed, 165 SpAtk) provides immediate special pressure. Koraidon’s Orichalcum Pulse auto-sets Sun, boosting physical output and triggering Protosynthesis teammates. The dual offensive core forces opponents to wall both physical and special simultaneously — no single defensive Pokémon can handle both.
Calyrex-Shadow + Kyogre (~18% usage)
Completely complementary defensive typing — Calyrex-Shadow is weak to Dark but Kyogre resists it; Kyogre is weak to Electric/Grass but Calyrex-Shadow isn’t. Rain removes Calyrex-Shadow’s Ground weakness (Kyogre takes Earthquakes). Origin Pulse spread + Astral Barrage leaves no safe switch-in for the opponent.
Calyrex-Shadow + Zacian (~12% usage)
Zacian’s Steel/Fairy typing directly answers Dark-types (Incineroar, Grimmsnarl) that wall Astral Barrage. Intrepid Sword grants +1 Attack on entry. Both run max Speed, giving combined coverage over every restricted in the meta — the ideal no-setup offensive pair.
Regulation I Team Building in 6 Steps
Choose Your Restricted Pair
The most critical decision. Evaluate 6 axes: type coverage complementarity, speed interaction, offensive mode (Physical+Special vs double), weather/terrain effects, support efficiency, and Normal-type immunity.
Map Shared Weaknesses
Calculate both restricted Pokémon’s weaknesses. Every shared 2× weakness = −8 points; shared 4× = −15. Fewer shared weaknesses means more flexible support slots.
Establish Speed Control
Does your pair want Tailwind, Trick Room, or proactive speed drops (Icy Wind/Electroweb)? This decision drives the next two support slot choices.
Add Fake Out or Priority Blocker
Fake Out (Incineroar) or priority blocking (Farigiraf, Indeedee) is nearly mandatory. Regulation I turn 1 priority warfare is more complex with more unexpected legendary combinations.
Address the Top 3 Pairs
The top 3 pairs (Calyrex-Shadow+Koraidon, +Kyogre, +Zacian) represent ~54% of usage. Your team needs defined answers to each before laddering.
Refine EV Spreads
EV precision matters more in Regulation I. Both legendaries may need speed creep calculations against each other (does my Koraidon outspeed their Calyrex-Shadow?), alongside defensive benchmarks.
Best Support Pokémon in Regulation I
Intimidate + Fake Out + Parting Shot in one package — the highest-compatibility support in Regulation I. Almost every restricted pair benefits from Incineroar’s support cycle.
100% sleep Spore + Rage Powder redirection. Works in both Trick Room and Tailwind archetypes. Regenerator lets it cycle without being worn down.
Prankster priority Tailwind + Taunt makes Tornadus the most efficient Tailwind setter in Regulation I. Tailwind + Calyrex-Shadow’s speed creates overwhelming first-turn pressure.
Armor Tail blocks all increased-priority moves (including Fake Out) for the entire field. Essential on Trick Room teams protecting slow restricted legendaries from turn-1 priority warfare.
Psychic Terrain on entry blocks Fake Out and all priority moves for grounded Pokémon. Instantly reshapes the turn 1 priority dynamic. Follow Me redirection + Heal Pulse provide additional utility.
Protosynthesis under Koraidon’s sun boosts SpAtk by 30%. Extremely high base Speed provides a third sweeper threat. Can also support with Helping Hand or screen moves.
Analyze Your Regulation I Pair
Use the PokeStats Pair Analyzer to input your two restricted legendaries and get instant synergy scores, shared weakness analysis, and speed profiles.
Regulation I Complete Guide Index
From restricted legendaries to support cores — deep-dive every key piece of Reg I.