About Stratagem
What is Stratagem?
Stratagem is a free, open, browser-based tactical companion designed specifically for competitive Pokémon VGC (Video Game Championships) players. It combines team discovery, team building, matchup analysis, and battle simulation into a single streamlined experience.
VGC is the official doubles format for competitive Pokémon, governed by The Pokémon Company. In VGC, two players each bring a team of six Pokémon but select only four for each battle. Lead selection, item choices, speed control, and positional play are critical — and that is where Stratagem helps.
Whether you are a seasoned competitor preparing for a regional championship or a newcomer exploring competitive team building for the first time, Stratagem provides the tools you need to make informed, data-driven decisions.
Key Features
Team Discovery
Browse a curated library of competitive teams designed for the current metagame. Each team comes with a full Pokepaste, strategic summary, game plan for common matchups, and a highlighted star player. Teams are categorized by archetype (Trick Room, Tailwind, Hyper Offense, Bulky Offense, and more) so you can find one that matches your preferred play style.
Recommendations update as new teams emerge in the metagame. You can shuffle through options, import a team directly into the analysis pipeline, or use them as a starting point for your own custom builds.
Team Builder
Build teams from scratch using a fully featured team builder. Select species, abilities, held items, moves, natures, IV spreads, and EV spreads. The builder shows real-time stat calculations, type-effectiveness feedback (weaknesses, resistances, and immunities), and legality warnings for the selected game mode.
When Champions mode is enabled, the builder automatically uses the Champions-specific move pool and stat point system (0–32 scale). Export your finished team as a standard Pokepaste to share with friends or import into Pokémon Showdown.
Matchup Analysis
The Intel dashboard provides eight specialized analysis panels. The Matchup Heatmap gives you a bird's-eye view of how every Pokémon on your team performs against every Pokémon on the opponent's team. The Lead Advisor recommends the strongest lead pair based on speed tiers, priority moves, and expected damage output.
The Speed Tier Chart compares effective speeds under different field conditions (Tailwind, Trick Room, weather, terrain). The Damage Calculator lets you run specific move calculations between any two Pokémon, including Champions-specific ability overrides like Mega Sol and Dragonize.
Battle Simulator
Simulate full VGC double battles turn by turn. The simulator calculates turn order, expected damage ranges, and field-condition changes for every possible move. You can test alternate lines of play — "What happens if I lead Incineroar + Tornadus instead?" — without risking ladder rating.
The simulator supports all standard VGC mechanics including Mega Evolution, weather, terrain, Trick Room, Tailwind, abilities, items, and status conditions.
Game Modes
Stratagem supports two game modes. Standard mode uses the full Pokémon roster and mainline move pool data from PokeAPI. Champions mode restricts the roster and move pool to the Pokémon Champions ruleset, uses the 0–32 stat point system, and applies Champions-specific ability effects.
You can switch between modes at any time using the toggle in the header. All analysis, calculations, and team recommendations update automatically to reflect the selected mode.
Who Is Stratagem For?
Stratagem is built for anyone interested in competitive Pokémon — whether you play VGC tournaments, Pokémon Champions doubles, or both. From seasoned competitors preparing for their next event to newcomers who want to understand team building at a deeper level, Stratagem provides the analysis tools you need. It is free to use, requires no account or login, and runs entirely in your browser.
Disclaimer
Stratagem is an unofficial fan project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures Inc., or The Pokémon Company. Pokémon and all related media are trademarks of their respective owners. All game data is used under fair use for commentary and analysis purposes.