SP Training Guide
— Pokémon Champions
Pokémon Champions replaces the old EV system with a transparent Stat Point (SP) system. Each Pokémon gets 66 total SP with a hard cap of 32 per stat — and every SP is exactly +1 to that stat at Level 50, no rounding needed. This guide covers the full SP system, speed tiers, bulk benchmarks, the three core archetypes, and ready-to-use builds for Garchomp, Incineroar, Pelipper, Basculegion, and Kingambit.
SP vs EV — System Comparison
| Parameter | Champions (SP) | Scarlet/Violet (EV) |
|---|---|---|
| Total budget | 66 SP | 510 EVs |
| Max per stat | 32 SP | 252 EVs |
| Stat gain per point | +1 (direct) | +1 per 4 EVs (rounding) |
| Max gain per stat | +32 | +63 |
| IVs / Individual Values | All 31 (automatic) | Must breed / bottle caps |
| 1 SP = old system | ≈ 8 EVs | — |
| Cost to reassign | 5 VP / SP (removal free) | Feathers / re-trainer items |
| Standard template | 32 / 32 / 2 | 252 / 252 / 4 |
In SV, 252 EVs raised a stat by ~31 points at Level 50. Champions' 32 SP raises it by exactly 32 — nearly identical output with zero rounding frustration. The bigger win is that IVs are automatically maxed on every Pokémon, eliminating the breeding / bottle-cap grind entirely.
The Three SP Build Archetypes
The standard template for maximizing damage output while controlling speed. The leftover 2 HP gives a tiny survivability edge against priority moves and chip damage. Best for: Garchomp, Basculegion, Kingambit (physical), Flutter Mane, Iron Bundle.
For Pokémon that do not need maximum Speed to hit their key tier. 16 Speed SP outspeeds most uninvested mid-speed threats, freeing 16 SP for survivability. Best for: Kingambit, Swampert, Archaludon, slower physical sweepers.
The core support template: maxing HP first raises both physical and special bulk, then the remaining 34 SP split between Def and SpDef based on current meta threats. Incineroar and defensive pivots run this. Adjust the 22/12 split based on whether physical or special threats are more prevalent.
Speed Tier Reference Table
Speed formula: ⌊(base × 2 + 31) × 0.5⌋ + 5 + SP invested. A Speed-boosting Alignment multiplies the result by 1.1.
| Pokémon | Base Spd | 0 SP | 16 SP | 32 SP (max) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mega Aerodactyl | 150 | 170 | 186 | 202 | Fastest Mega threat |
| Iron Bundle | 136 | 156 | 172 | 188 | Fastest Paradox attacker |
| Flutter Mane | 135 | 155 | 171 | 187 | 2nd fastest, highest SpAtk |
| Sneasler | 120 | 140 | 156 | 172 | High-speed physical threat |
| Whimsicott | 116 | 136 | 152 | 168 | Speed support anchor |
| Tornadus-T | 111 | 131 | 147 | 163 | Tailwind support core |
| Garchomp | 102 | 122 | 138 | 154 | Key mid-tier benchmark |
| Urshifu | 97 | 117 | 133 | 149 | Banded/scarfed striker |
| Landorus-T | 91 | 111 | 127 | 143 | Intimidate speed control |
| Basculegion | 86 | 106 | 122 | 138 | Scarf hits 207 Speed |
| Pelipper | 65 | 85 | 101 | 117 | Invests SP in SpAtk or bulk |
| Incineroar | 60 | 80 | 96 | 112 | Almost always 0 Speed SP |
| Kingambit | 50 | 70 | 86 | 102 | Usually 0 Speed SP |
- • 154 — Garchomp max Speed SP; beats most uninvested threats
- • 155+ — Flutter Mane 0 SP; Garchomp cannot outspeed uninvested
- • 138 — Basculegion max Speed SP (no Scarf)
- • 207 — Basculegion max Speed SP + Choice Scarf
- • 122 — Garchomp 0 SP (opponents need 23+ SP to outspeed)
- • Jolly / Timid equivalent ×1.1: Garchomp 32 SP → 169 Speed
- • Brave / Quiet equivalent ×0.9: Speed ×0.9, ideal for Trick Room
- • Alignment cost: 500 VP (separate from SP costs)
- • Trick Room: 0 Speed SP + speed-reducing Alignment = minimum Speed
Bulk Thresholds & SP Benchmarks
Takeaway: Incineroar does NOT need HP SP investment to survive Garchomp Life Orb EQ. 16 HP SP (HP 186) gives comfortable cushion against a second Rock Slide follow-up.
Takeaway: Kingambit benefits from 10+ HP SP (HP 185+) or 10+ SpDef SP (SpDef 115+) to reliably survive a rain-boosted attack from Scarf Basculegion. Supreme Overlord boosts are crucial for the counter-KO.
Takeaway: Flutter Mane needs at least 16 HP SP (HP 177) to avoid OHKO from +1 Kingambit Kowtow Cleave. Priority Prankster moves from partners are the safer answer than raw bulk investment.
※ Damage figures are approximate estimates excluding random roll range (85–100%) and Alignment modifiers. Use the damage calculator below for precise values before finalizing builds.
5 Top Pokémon — SP Build Examples
Outspeeds virtually all uninvested threats in Regulation M-B. Life Orb preserves move flexibility — no move lock like Choice Scarf. The 2 HP SP provides marginally better survival against chip and priority. A Speed-boosting Alignment multiplies to 169 Speed, outspeeding uninvested Flutter Mane.
Max HP investment (32 SP) maximizes the impact of Def and SpDef investments. The remaining 34 SP split 22/12 toward physical Defense given the physical-heavy Regulation M-B metagame. Zero Speed SP is intentional: Incineroar wants to move last to Fake Out protect partners safely.
Dual-role rain setter and offensive threat. Max SpAtk with Choice Specs lets rain-boosted Hurricane hit extremely hard. Max Speed ensures Tailwind before most uninvested mid-speed threats. An alternative defensive build (32 HP / 20 Def / 14 SpDef) suits rain teams that prefer Wide Guard over Hurricane pressure.
Choice Scarf boosts Speed to 207 — outspeeding every non-scarfed threat in the format. Last Respects scales with fainted team members, making late-game Basculegion an increasingly devastating cleaner. The more attrition your team causes early, the harder it hits. Pair with Pelipper to double the rain boost.
Supreme Overlord stacks attack boosts as your team faints, and Defiant negates Intimidate by turning it into an Attack buff. 24 HP SP (HP 199) is the key bulk threshold — surviving multiple special hits while sweeping. Zero Speed SP is correct: Kingambit wants to clean up late-game under opposing speed pressure, not race for speed control.
Common SP Mistakes to Avoid
Dividing 66 SP evenly (11 per stat) is far weaker than concentrated investment. 11 Speed SP only adds 11 Speed — nowhere near enough to hit a key tier benchmark. Focused investment is what creates competitive advantages.
Investing all 32 Speed SP without confirming your target tier wastes SP that could go elsewhere. To outspeed uninvested Whimsicott (136), Garchomp only needs 14 Speed SP (122 + 14 = 136). The spare 18 SP should go to HP or Attack.
Alignments multiply the final stat by ×1.1 or ×0.9. Skipping a Speed-boosting Alignment on a fast Pokémon is equivalent to losing ~12 Speed stat points. Cost is 500 VP — a significant but worthwhile investment for speed-sensitive builds.
Zero Speed SP alone is insufficient for Trick Room teams. You must also apply a Speed-reducing Alignment (Brave/Quiet equivalent) to minimize Speed fully. Forgetting the Alignment leaves your "slow" Pokémon moving before its partners under Trick Room.
HP investment helps both Physical and Special bulk, but raw HP without Def/SpDef investment is less efficient than splitting. Incineroar with 32 HP + 22 Def survives physical hits dramatically better than 54 HP + 0 Def at the same total SP cost.
SV 252 EVs gave ~31 stat points; Champions 32 SP gives 32. The output is similar, but the total budget drops from ~127 effective SV points to 66 SP — making three-stat-max impossible. You must choose which two stats to maximize and deliberately invest the remaining 2 SP.
SP System Meta Data
Since Pokémon Champions launched, SP adoption rates in competitive play have mirrored the format's growing tournament presence. Based on Pikalytics Regulation M-B tournament data, Garchomp's top build (32 Atk / 32 Spd / 2 HP) represents approximately 32.7% of all Garchomp sets in high-level play, establishing it as the definitive offensive template. Incineroar exemplifies the support archetype — virtually all competitive Incineroar sets invest zero Speed SP in favor of concentrated HP and Defense.
Verify Your SP Build with PokeStats Tools
The damage calculator and speed calculator support Pokémon Champions SP values — enter your SP build and confirm your benchmarks before heading into ranked.