Starting today, we're adding regular coverage of competitive Pokémon — VGC regionals, top-performing teams, and the road to Worlds. First up: a look at what's actually winning right now.

The Indianapolis Regional Championship — the first official tournament held outside Asia on Pokémon Champions — drew 1,013 players, making it one of the largest regionals of the season. Arsal Puri took the title piloting a Mega Charizard Y and Mega Floette core, beating out a field that leaned heavily on a now-familiar cluster of Pokémon: Basculegion led usage among competitors at just over 50%, with Kingambit close behind at roughly 48%, followed by Garchomp (around 43%) and Sneasler (about 33%).

That usage pattern lines up with what's been showing up across other regionals this season, too. Dylan Salvanera — a past Roanoke Regional Champion — took Las Vegas, while Cary D'Ortona won Toronto back in January. Between them, a similar core of bulky offensive threats and speed-control support keeps reappearing in winning lists, even as individual team compositions vary.

The circuit isn't done yet. Victory Road to San Francisco, a VGC Circuit finale event, runs August 15–16 as the last major stop before Worlds. Expect the metagame to shift at least a little as top players save their best ideas for the biggest stage — we'll be tracking it.