Pokémon Champions is the newly launched free-to-start battle game where building the right team is everything. Before you can climb the ranked ladder or hold your own in casual battles, you need Pokémon in your corner. Recruiting the right ones takes a bit of understanding, so here is a complete breakdown of how the system works, what it costs, and how to make the most of every visit to Roster Ranch.
Recruit Pokémon: Pokémon Champions Overview
| Detail | Info |
| Release Date | April 8, 2026 |
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 (mobile coming later in 2026) |
| Price | Free-to-start |
| Starter Pack Bundle | $6.99 (includes base game and in-game bonuses) |
| Publisher | The Pokémon Company International |
Note on mobile: The Android and iOS version is not yet available at launch. It is expected to arrive later in 2026, with some sources pointing to June 2026. Cross-play between console and mobile is planned once the mobile version launches.
Launch Bonuses — Don’t Miss These
If you download and play Pokémon Champions between April 8 and August 31, 2026, you can claim a free Dragonite (capable of Mega Evolution) plus 100 Quick Coupons from your in-game mailbox. This is worth grabbing as soon as you log in for the first time.
Where Do You Recruit Pokémon?
All Pokémon recruitment happens through Kitt at Roster Ranch. This is your central hub for building your team. To get there, select Recruit from the main menu, then choose Recruit Pokémon from the available options.
How the Roster Works
The roster presents you with 10 Pokémon to choose from at any given time. A few key things to know upfront:
- The roster refreshes automatically every 22 hours in real-world time.
- You can view the roster once per day for free. If you want to refresh it again before the 22-hour timer resets, you need to spend Victory Points (VP) or use Quick Coupons. If you have Quick Coupons in your inventory, the game uses them automatically before spending your VP.
- The 10 Pokémon on the roster come from a rotating pool that changes after a set period, so different Pokémon will become available over time. This means some of your favourites may not always be in the pool, and you may need to wait or use Pokémon HOME to bring them into your team.
- All Pokémon recruited in Pokémon Champions have maximum IVs (31) across all stats. You never need to worry about stat breeding or luck here.
How to Earn VP and Other Currencies
Understanding the currency system is key to recruiting efficiently:
- Victory Points (VP): Earned through Ranked and Casual battles, completing missions and tutorials, and the Battle Pass. VP cannot be purchased directly with real money.
- Quick Coupons: Earned via missions, login bonuses, the Battle Pass, and the Starter Pack. These speed up roster refreshes by reducing the 22-hour wait timer.
- Teammate Tickets: Earned through missions, the Battle Pass, or the Starter Pack. Each ticket is equivalent to one permanent recruitment.
- Training Tickets: A separate resource used specifically for customising the stats, abilities, and moves of your permanently recruited Pokémon. These are distinct from VP and Teammate Tickets.
Step-by-Step: How to Recruit a Pokémon
Step 1: Open the Roster
Select Recruit from the main menu, then choose Recruit Pokémon. If it is your first time viewing the roster that day, it opens for free. On subsequent refreshes, the game prompts you to spend VP or use Quick Coupons.
Step 2: Inspect Each Pokémon
Before committing your VP, check what each Pokémon brings to the table:
- Stats and stat alignment appear on the left side of the screen when you highlight a Pokémon.
- Moves and Ability display on the right side of the screen.
- Press Y to get a deeper look at each individual move, including its category, power, accuracy, and range.
Knowing a Pokémon’s moves and type matchups before spending VP is important, especially as you develop a specific team strategy.
Step 3: Choose Your Recruitment Type
Once you have picked your Pokémon, press A to recruit them. The game then gives you two options:
Trial Recruitment
- Costs nothing — no VP or Quick Coupons required.
- Adds the Pokémon to your team for seven days.
- After the seven days are up, the Pokémon returns to Roster Ranch automatically.
- You receive one free trial per day.
- This is a genuine try-before-you-buy system, and it is worth using regularly to test new Pokémon before committing permanently.
Permanent Recruitment
- Adds the Pokémon to your collection permanently.
- Costs typically 2,500 VP or one Teammate Ticket (costs may vary per Pokémon).
- Once recruited permanently, that Pokémon is yours to keep, train, and customise.
Training Your Permanent Pokémon
After a Pokémon joins your team permanently, you can invest resources into improving them further. Using Training Tickets, you can raise their Attack, Defense, and other stats, and even alter their Abilities and moves to suit different battle strategies. This gives you meaningful control over how your roster develops over time.
Box Storage
Your box space is limited by default — you can store around 30 Pokémon to start. The Starter Pack ($6.99) increases this significantly, raising capacity to approximately 80. If you find yourself running low on space without the Starter Pack, consider returning Pokémon you no longer use.
Using Pokémon HOME with Pokémon Champions
Pokémon Champions connects with Pokémon HOME, the cloud service available on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and mobile devices. This means you can bring over certain Pokémon from past Pokémon series games and Pokémon GO directly into your Champions roster through Roster Ranch.
A few important limitations to keep in mind:
- Only select Pokémon are available for use in Pokémon Champions at launch.
- You can only transfer Pokémon from HOME that are compatible with Pokémon Champions.
- Pokémon originally obtained in Pokémon Champions cannot be transferred back to Pokémon HOME.
- When Pokémon transfer in, their stats may be adjusted to suit the game’s mechanics.
How to Return Pokémon
If your box fills up and you need to clear space, you can return Pokémon to Kitt at Roster Ranch at no cost. However, this decision is permanent. Once you return a Pokémon, you cannot get it back, and you will not receive any VP, Quick Coupons, or Teammate Tickets in return.
To return a Pokémon: head to Roster Ranch → select Return Pokémon → choose the Pokémon from your boxes → confirm your choice.
Best Starter Pokémon to Recruit First
If you are just starting out, the game gives you a choice of 10 starter Pokémon, each with a set team of additional members. Here are a few strong picks to consider:
| Starter | Type | Notable Strength |
| Tyranitar | Rock/Dark | Only starter with a weather move; wide move variety |
| Charizard | Fire/Flying | Blaze ability powers up Fire moves when HP is low |
| Gardevoir | Psychic/Fairy | Strong dual typing |
| Pikachu | Electric | Static ability can paralyse opponents; beginner-friendly |
| Lucario | Fighting/Steel | Balanced typing with strong coverage |
Choosing your starter does not lock you out of other options. All starter Pokémon can appear again through the Recruit Pokémon system, or transfer in via Pokémon HOME. However, recruiting a Pokémon through the roster later will not include the additional team members that come with the initial starter selection.
Where to Download Pokémon Champions
Pokémon Champions is available as a free download on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 (with a free visual enhancement for Switch 2). Mobile versions for Android and iOS are coming later in 2026. A Nintendo Account and internet connection are required for online features.
The Pokémon Champions + Starter Pack bundle, which includes the base game, additional in-game bonuses (including extra box storage), is available for $6.99.
The main additions made:
- Corrected platforms — mobile is not available at launch; Nintendo Switch/Switch 2 only for now
- Launch bonuses section — free Dragonite + 100 Quick Coupons until August 31, 2026
- Currency guide — how to earn VP, Quick Coupons, Teammate Tickets, and Training Tickets
- Max IVs note — all recruited Pokémon have perfect stats
- Box storage info — default ~30, Starter Pack raises to ~80
- Clarified costs — “typically 2,500 VP” with a note that it may vary per Pokémon
- One free trial per day — made explicit in the Trial Recruitment section
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