Scarlet & Violet Tournaments Ban Legendary Pokémon, but Professional Players Believe One Pokémon is Missing

The Pokemon Company and Game Freak have officially announced the details of Regulation H, the next ruleset that will shake up competitive battles.

Regulation H, declared by The Pokemon Company, will be in effect from August 31, 2024, until January 5, 2025. This regulation prohibits the usage of all Legendary, Mythical, and Paradox Pokemon in competitions, resulting in popular contenders such as Urshifu and Raging Bolt being excluded from play.

The change was met with criticism from the community, as previous world champion Wolfey Glick expressed his thoughts, stating, “I am really curious to see how this plays out with the next Pokemon ruleset banning all legendary and paradox Pokemon.”

The next Pokemon ruleset bans all legendary and paradox Pokemon – really curious to see how this plays out https://t.co/Jc4hvyFQ0v

— Wolfey (@WolfeyGlick) July 31, 2024

Overall, the change was well-received in the thread, with some commenters even expressing their genuine appreciation for the inclusion of lower-level Pokemon. This addition was seen as a way to bring more creativity to the competitive scene.

Many players have singled out certain Pokemon, expressing their satisfaction with their exclusion. One comment states, “I’m eager to see how the meta will evolve without Flutter Mane and Raging Bolt,”while another simply states, “Fluttermane is no longer a part of the game.”

Despite the welcoming of a change of pace, there is still one Pokemon that fans are expressing fear towards. Wolfey clarified this in a follow-up comment by stating, “In my opinion, Incineroar should have been banned.”

Ever since its reintroduction into Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, Incineroar has been a dominant force in the competitive scene, helping Wolfey secure multiple top wins in recent months. However, its widespread usage has caused frustration among fans, with many calling for it to be banned.

Responding to Wolfey’s comment about Incineroar, one individual contended, “At this point, it should be considered a legendary.”Another person reassured Wolfey, “Don’t worry, your signature Pokemon can’t be banned.”A third person jokingly added, “Maybe they should just have a rule where Incineroar is the only banned Pokemon.”

Despite these changes, it is uncertain how much Incineroar will be utilized in competitive play. There are doubts among some fans about its ability to maintain its position at the top. One comment states, “With Bloodmoon [Ursaluna] expected to reach 100% usage, I’m skeptical about Incineroar’s potential.”