Early Pokémon EUIC Scarlet and Violet meta shows no surprises in dominant picks

The Pokémon Europe International Championships (EUIC) are underway in London, and the Scarlet and Violet VGC meta is exactly what you’d expect, with the usual suspects at the top of the day-one usage chart.

The 12 most-used Pokémon at EUIC have been revealed by Play! Pokémon, filled with Starters, Paradox Pokémon, Legendary Pokémon, and a giraffe. The biggest threat sitting at the very top is Incineroar. With an impressive 43-percent usage rate, the Fire/Dark-type Starter has the perfect utility for VGC. Between its Intimidate ability and Parting Shot, Incineroar can constantly cycle in and out of the field to drop the opponent’s stats and get better positioning. Also, each time it enters the field, it can use Fake Out to flinch the opponent for that turn.

Meanwhile, two Paradox Pokémon take second and third place on the EUIC usage chart—Flutter Mane and Raging Bolt. Flutter Mane is no stranger to the Scarlet and Violet meta, with its usage rate reaching nearly 80 percent at last year’s EUIC. Although its current usage is about half what it was, the Ghost/Fairy remains the strongest and most consistent Pokémon introduced in Gen IX. That said, Raging Bolt is right on Flutter Mane’s heels, making a name for itself as the best Paradox ‘mon added in The Indigo Disk DLC.

Unsurprisingly, seven of the most-used Pokémon at EUIC are Legendary Pokémon. We have two genies in Incarnate Forme Landorus and Tornadus, Ogerpon’s Wellspring and Hearthflame forms, both of Urshifu’s forms and the strongest Treasure of Ruin, Chien-Pao. If this is any indication, the upcoming Regulation G should be dominated by even more Legendaries when players are allowed to bring one restricted Pokémon like Calyrex, Zacian, Koraidon, and Miraidon.

Lastly, we have another Starter, Rillaboom, and the giraffe, Farigiraf, as popular EUIC picks. Rillaboom is another Fake Out user like Incineroar, but it’s more offensive and gets another priority move, Grassy Glide, to use in harmony with its Grassy Surge ability. Coincidentally, Farigiraf is popular because of its unique ability to shut down priority moves like Fake Out, Grassy Glide, and Urshifu’s Aqua Jet. If priority moves weren’t so important in VGC, Farigiraf probably wouldn’t be so common in the meta.

Of course, these usage stats are only from the first day of the event. Day two’s usage stats will be a better indicator of which Pokémon are seeing the most success. I’m personally rooting for Raging Bolt to keep climbing and reaching new heights.