Best VGC Moves for Pokémon Champions to Teach Your Pokémon

With Pokémon Champions right around the corner, now is the time to start thinking about movesets for your team and what will be most competitive for battling. If you’re planning on transferring Pokémon in, having the right moves ready will save you time and VP when the game launches on April 8th.

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Looking to improve competitively? Visit our Pokemon Champions guides for builds, tier lists and strategies.

Best Competitive Moves for Pokémon Champions

While full movepools and formats may evolve in Pokémon Champions with the new M-A format, core VGC staples are almost guaranteed to remain relevant. These are the moves you should prioritize teaching your Pokémon now to save VC:

Core Damage Moves

• Protect – Essential in nearly every VGC format
• Earthquake – Strong spread damage option
• Heat Wave – Reliable special spread move
• Rock Slide – Coverage plus flinch potential

Utility and Support Moves

• Tailwind – Speed control is always valuable
• Trick Room – Enables slower team compositions
• Helping Hand – Boosts partner damage in key turns
• Fake Out – One of the best tempo tools in doubles

Disruption and Control

• Taunt – Shuts down setup and support
• Will-O-Wisp – Reduces physical damage output
• Thunder Wave – Speed control and paralysis pressure
• Spore – One of the strongest status moves available

Setup and Positioning

• Swords Dance / Nasty Plot – Boost damage for sweeper roles
• U-turn / Volt Switch – Maintain momentum and positioning
• Protect variants (Detect, Wide Guard, etc.) – Still valuable alternatives

Read More: Pokémon Champions Competitive Transition Guide: April-May 2026

With Pokémon Champions simplifying team building and IVs, having access to strong, proven movesets should prove to be even more critical.

If you’re preparing for Pokémon Champions, start here and stay tuned for more.

Read More: How to Get New Pokémon in Pokémon Champions: All methods

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