Pokémon TCG Format
“Island Challenge”
Platform Pokémon TCG
Round Time: 30 mins
Match Format: Single Game (Best of One)
Deck Lists: Required, Open Team Sheet for Top Cut
Deck Building Restrictions:
Players are required to bring an Expanded* (Sun-Moon onwards) Format (60-card) constructed deck.
You are only permitted to use a single type of Pokemon in a deck (Fire, Water, Grass, ect)
Gameplay Rules:
Normal Game Play rules will apply. However, any card specifying EX, GX, VSTAR, ect will count for rule box in general.
Legal Regulation: Sun and Moon Onwards
Legal Rarities: All rarities allowed
Maximum quantity of cards with same name: Standard deckbuilding rules apply
Banned Cards:
- Chip-Chip Ice Axe (Sun & Moon—Unbroken Bonds, 165/214)
- Double Colorless Energy (Many printings since Base Set)
- Duskull (Sun & Moon—Cosmic Eclipse, 83/236)
- Flabébé (Sun & Moon—Forbidden Light, 83/131)
- Flapple (Sword & Shield—Rebel Clash, 022/192; Sword & Shield—Shining Fates, SV013/SV122; Sword & Shield—Astral Radiance, TG02/TG30; Sword & Shield Promo, SWSH022)
- Gengar & Mimikyu GX (Sun & Moon—Team Up, 53/181)
- Hero’s Medal (Sword & Shield– Vivid Voltage, 152/185)
- Island Challenge Amulet (Sun & Moon—Cosmic Eclipse, 194/236 and 265/236)
- Jessie & James (Hidden Fates, 58/68 and 68/68)
- Lt. Surge’s Strategy (Sun & Moon—Unbroken Bonds, 178/214; Hidden Fates, 60/68)
- Marshadow (Shining Legends, 45/73; Black Star Promo, SM85)
- Medicham V (Sword & Shield—Evolving Skies, 083/203, 185/203, and 186/203)
- Mewtwo & Mew GX (Sun & Moon—Unified Minds, 71/236)
- Mismagius (Sun & Moon—Unbroken Bonds, 78/214)
- Oranguru (Sun & Moon—Ultra Prism, 114/156)
- Reset Stamp (Sun & Moon—Unified Minds, 206/236, 206a/236, and 253/236)
- Unown (Sun & Moon—Lost Thunder, 90/214)
- Unown (Sun & Moon—Lost Thunder, 91/214)
FAQ
Isn’t the banned list just the Expanded banned list?
Yes and No. Scoop Up Net was removed as it now can’t be used on Rule Box Pokemon and Double Colorless Energy was added, among others which will be notated in Updates
Forest seal stone can be used by any rule box?
Yes
Cherish ball can be used to find any rule box?
Yes
How does a Pokemon like Gallade (Sun& Moon- Cosmic Eclipse 82/236) work?
The type is the type listed on the card. The ability grants an additional type
Milotic ex would not replace “Tera Pokemon” with “Rule Box”?
Correct, Tera was not a “Rule”
Farigiraf ex would still keep the Basic modifier, yes?
Correct, Basic Rule Box Pokemon
Would Latios GX’s Tag Team modifier be replaced?
No, Tag Team was not a “Rule”
Updates:
6/16/26
-Added “Hero’s Medal” to banned list
-Added FAQ Questions thanks to Sable
6/19/26
-Added “Mewtwo & Mew GX” & “Gengar & Mimikyu GX” to banned list due to being cost prohibitive and unfun. We want this to be fun and accessible to all players.
-Added more FAQ thanks to Sable
Pokémon VCG Format
“Physical vs Special Split”
Platform Pokémon Champions
Round Time: In-Game Timer
Match Format: Best of Three
Team Lists: Required
Rule Set: Regulation M-B (see Team Building below)
Battle Format: Double Battle (4v4)
Replica Pokemon: Allowed
Rental Teams: Not Permitted. Please reach out if you need Pokémon! We may also have a few rental Switches available to play!
Team Building:
Please note that these rules may change slightly on release of Regulation M-B. We did build this format to be as Regulation Proof as possible but without knowing what is coming, there is no way of knowing 100%. Please see the Updates box below for any changes.
Do you remember when Physical and Special were split by what type of move it was? This format aims to return to that.
You can only use Physical Moves if the attack is of these types: Normal, Fighting, Flying, Poison, Ground, Rock, Bug, Ghost, Steel.
You can only use Special Moves if the attack is of these types: Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Dark, Fairy.
All Status moves are allowed.
(Eg: Giga Impact- allowed, Hyper Voice no. Mystical fire allowed, Bitter Blade no, Phantom Force yes, Shadow Ball no).
Please refer to this spreadsheet for full list of disallowed moves: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1XjjPmNKoEfaiL84PGok6e2LPqSxr5MJTwPz-eMOEQR0/edit?gid=0#gid=0
Restrictions:
Please note that these rules may change slightly on release of Champions Regulation M-B. Please see the Updates box below for any changes.
Only 1 Mega Stone per team.
Updates:
6/19/26
-Clarification added- “Moves that change type from ability are taken as their base form. EX: Pixilate Hyper Voice is not allowed but Pixilate Quick Attack is” (Thanks Jake!)
Pokémon GO Format
“Painters Cup”
Platform Pokémon GO
Round Time: In-Game Timer
Match Format: Best of Five
Team Lists: Required (Open team sheets)
Rule Set: Great League; bring 6/pick 3
Team Building:
All Pokémon on a Player’s team must have the same color as defined by Pokémon Home.
Banned Pokemon:
- All Legendary Pokémon
- All Mythical Pokémon
- All Pokémon listed on the Pokémon GO Championship Series Banned Pokémon List