Beginner
Pokémon Champions Glossary
Watch a ranked stream or scroll through a forum thread and you'll keep running into words like STAB, priority move, and guaranteed OHKO. None of it is complicated once you know what it means — here's a rundown of the terms you'll actually run into, grouped by topic.
Stats and builds
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Base stats | The fixed baseline stats every Pokémon species has. The higher it is, the stronger that stat runs. You can look these up in the Pokédex. |
| Real stats | The actual in-battle numbers once base stats, nature, and SP are all factored in. Always shown at Lv. 50. |
| SP | Champions' stat investment system. It replaces EVs from the mainline games — you get 66 points total, with a cap of 32 per stat. See the Mainline vs. Champions differences guide for details. |
| Nature | Raises one stat by 10% and lowers another by 10%. Most players pick a nature that boosts Speed or their main attacking stat. |
| IVs | In Champions these are always fixed at 31, so you never have to worry about them. |
Battling
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| STAB | Short for Same-Type Attack Bonus — a move that shares a type with the Pokémon using it. It gets a 1.5x power boost. Think a Water-type Pokémon using a Water move. |
| Priority move | A move with high priority that goes first regardless of Speed. Quick Attack, Aqua Jet, and Shadow Sneak are classic examples. |
| Guaranteed OHKO / guaranteed 2HKO | Means you'll KO the opponent in one or two hits no matter what. It's "guaranteed" if the KO still lands even at the lowest possible damage roll. |
| Damage roll | Damage isn't a fixed number — it varies slightly within a range (roughly 85% to 100%). This is where phrases like "93% chance to OHKO" come from. |
| Critical hit | Deals 1.5x damage and ignores the target's defensive stat boosts. |
| Flinch | The Pokémon that gets hit can't act at all that turn. Moves like Iron Head are built around causing this. |
Don't guess at guaranteed KOs or damage rolls — check them precisely with the damage calculator.
Roles (what a Pokémon does for the team)
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sweeper | A main attacker that sets up and then tears through the opposing team one by one. |
| Tank, wall | A role built to stay standing and soak up the opponent's offense. |
| Support | Helps the team out with things like Tailwind, screens, or Taunt — backing up its allies rather than attacking directly. Especially important in Doubles. |
| Lead | The Pokémon sent out first to set the tone for the match, usually to lay down Tailwind or Stealth Rock. |
| Wallbreaker | A hard-hitting attacker built to force its way through tanks and walls. |
| Pivot | A move like U-turn or Volt Switch that lets you attack and switch out immediately, keeping the momentum on your side. |
Strategy and field conditions
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Setup | Using a move like Swords Dance or Dragon Dance to boost your stats first, then sweeping from there. |
| Trick Room | A field effect that makes slower Pokémon move first for 5 turns. The backbone of slow, hard-hitting teams. |
| Tailwind | Doubles your whole team's Speed for 4 turns. Close to mandatory for offense-oriented Doubles teams. |
| Screens | Reflect (physical) and Light Screen (special) that cut incoming damage in half. |
| Weather | Includes Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, and Hail. Each boosts certain types and triggers weather-related Abilities. |
Champions-only terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Scout | The system for recruiting Pokémon, used instead of catching them. See the account start guide for the full rundown. |
| VP | The core currency used for scouting, training, and Mega Stones. You can't buy it with real money. |
| Trial | A free 7-day trial voucher handed out every 22 hours. |
| Regular Ticket | A ticket that lets you scout a Pokémon instantly without spending VP. |
| Mega Evolution | Powering up one Pokémon mid-battle. Champions has only Mega Evolution — there's no Dynamax or Terastallization. |