With the April 8th release of Pokemon Champions getting closer, we’re learning more about how the game works. Besides changes like removing Individual Values (IVs) and adding new Abilities to Mega Evolutions – features introduced in Legends: Z-A – Pokemon Champions is also adjusting how many times you can use moves before they run out of Power Points (PP). Some moves will benefit from this, but one of the most powerful moves in the entire Pokemon series is getting significantly weaker.
In the game Pokemon Champions, moves have a limited number of uses, called PP. Once a move runs out of PP during a battle, it can’t be used again. Recent changes to PP values by the developers are significant and could really shake up competitive battling. One move particularly affected by these changes is Protect, and it’s likely some popular competitive strategies will become less effective.
Pokemon Champions is Nerfing Protect
As a huge Pokémon fan, I was really excited to see the latest gameplay details shared by CentroLeaks! Apparently, they’ve made some cool changes to how many times you can use a move in the upcoming game. Basically, a lot of moves are getting a PP boost – moves that used to have 5 PP will now have 8, 10 PP becomes 12, and 15 PP goes up to 16. Everything else will max out at 20 PP. It’s awesome because it means we can use our favorite, powerful moves more often! The only exception is Protect, which isn’t getting this boost, which is a little weird, but overall it sounds like a great change.
Unlike the main Pokemon games, you can’t permanently increase a move’s PP in Pokemon Champions – there’s no equivalent to a PP UP item.
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Protect’s PP is Being Reduced in Pokemon Champions
- Previously: 10 PP, now 8 PP
Unlike most other moves with 10 PP that are getting a boost, Protect is actually losing some PP. It will now have only 8 PP, similar to moves that originally had 5 PP. Protect is a long-time essential move in competitive Pokémon battles and is often considered the best move in the game, as it allows a Pokémon to avoid all damage from an opponent’s attack. However, using it repeatedly can cause it to fail, so players may need to use Protect more strategically to avoid running out of PP.
Why Having Less PP is a Significant Nerf for Protect
In Pokemon VGC double battles, Protect is an essential move for most teams. It offers key benefits, like the ability to safely observe your opponent’s team and predict their strategies without risking damage. It’s also incredibly useful for dodging attacks that hit all Pokemon, such as Earthquake, which can be particularly harmful to Fire and Electric-type teammates.
The recent change to the move Protect also weakens strategies that rely on stalling with Toxic in Pokemon Champions. These strategies usually involve poisoning the opponent with Toxic, then using Protect and Substitute to avoid damage while slowly healing with items like Leftovers. But with Protect now usable only 8 times, it’s harder to maintain this defensive setup for long. Competitive players bothered by Toxic stall will likely appreciate this change. However, reducing Protect’s uses will probably lead to slower, more careful battles in Pokemon Champions, with fewer opportunities for aggressive or risky moves.
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2026-03-26 15:05