More than any Pokémon game before, Pokémon Sword and Shield have tons of things to do once you've beaten the game. One of those things is the Champion Tournaments. There are 28 possible Trainers and Gym Leaders you can face in the Champion Tournaments and you don't have much control over who you're matched up against so building solid teams to take on each of them is important!
What are Champion Tournaments anyways?
Much like challenging the Elite Four in previous Pokémon Games, to beat Pokémon Sword and Shield you compete in a Champion Tournament. Once you've completed the game, however, you can go back and compete in Champion Tournaments again and again to prove you're still deserving of the title. Each Tournament will match up eight trainers and Gym Leaders, including yourself and face off in the same manner that you did in the original Tournament. While you can choose one of trainers or Gym Leaders in the line up, you can only do so if you have their Rare League Card and the rest are chosen at random.
During the Tournament, you cannot change your team but your Pokémon are fully healed between each battle. You can also rearrange your team or even change held items between battles. While these are some of the most difficult NPC battles in the game, this does give you a bit of an advantage if you know who you're up against.
Why compete in Champion Tournaments?
In addition to the challenge, the rewards for completing a Champion Tournament are well worth the effort. You will win cash and lots of Exp. each time, as well as items. For the first Champion Tournament of the day, you'll win a Wishing Piece, to summon a Dynamax Pokémon, but each consecutive battle that day will give you one of the following items:
- Nugget
- Dive Ball (x3)
- Dusk Ball (x3)
- Heal Ball (x3)
- Luxury Ball (x3)
- Nest Ball (x3)
- Net Ball (x3)
- Quick Ball (x3)
- Repeat Ball (x3)
- Timer Ball (x3)
- Great Ball (x3)
- Ultra Ball (x3)
- Big Nugget
- Rare Candy
- Nugget (x2)
- Nugget (x3)
- Poké Ball (x100)
- Flame Orb
- Iron Ball
- Life Orb
- Toxic Orb
- Rare Candy (x2)
- Beast Ball
- Fast Ball
- Friend Ball
- Heavy Ball
- Level Ball
- Love Ball
- Lure Ball
- Moon Ball
Competing Trainers and their Teams
There are 28 possible Trainers you can face in the Champion Tournaments, including Gym Leaders, your Rivals and the former Champion, Leon. While you can choose one Trainer in the line up, assuming you have their Rare League Card, the rest are chosen at random. This can make planning your team a challenge but, fortunately, we know every possible team you might face so you can plan accordingly.
Familiar Faces
Milo: the Grass type Gym Leader
- Shiftry lv 60 (Sword) or Ludicolo lv 60 (Shield)
- Eldegoss lv 60
- Bellossom lv 61
- Cherrim (overcast) lv 61
- Flapple lv 62 (Sword) or Appletun lv 62 (Sheild)
Nessa: the Water type Gym Leader
- Golisopod lv 60
- Pelipper lv 60
- Quagsire lv 61
- Toxapex lv 61
- Drednaw lv 62
Kabu: the Fire type Gym Leader
- Torkoal lv 60
- Ninetails lv 60
- Arcanine lv 61
- Salazzle lv 61
- Centiskorch lv 62
Bea (Sword only): the Fighting type Gym Leader
- Hawlucha lv 60
- Grapploct lv 60
- Sirfetch'd lv 61
- Falinks lv 61
- Machamp lv 62
Allister (Shield only): the Ghost type Gym Leader
- Dusknor lv 60
- Chandelure lv 60
- Cursola lv 61
- Runerigus lv 61
- Gengar lv 62
Bede: the Fairy type Gym Leader
- Mawille lv 61
- Gardevoir lv 61
- Rapidash lv 62
- Sylveon lv 62
- Hatterene lv 63
Gordie (Sword only): the Rock type Gym Leader
- Barbarcle lv 60
- Shuckle lv 60
- Stonjourner lv 61
- Tyranitar lv 61
- Coalossal lv 62
Marnie: the new Dark type Gym Leader
- Purloin lv 59
- Toxicraok lv 59
- Scrafty lv 59
- Morpeko lv 60
- Grimsnarl lv 60
Melony (Shield only): the Ice type Gym Leader
- Frosmoth lv 60
- Mr. Rime lv 60
- Eiscue lv 61
- Darmanitan lv 61
- Lapras lv 62
Raihan: the Dragon type Gym Leader
- Torkoal lv 60
- Goodra lv 60
- Turtinator lv 61
- Flygon lv 61
- Duraludon lv 62
Piers: the Dark type former Gym Leader
- Scrafty lv 60
- Malamar lv 60
- Skutank lv 61
- Toxtricity lv 61
- Obstagoon lv 62
Hop: your rival
- Dubwool lv 69
- Snorlax lv 68
- Corviknight lv 70
- Rillaboom, Cinderace, or Inteleon (depending on which starter you choose) lv 70
- Zacian (Shield) or Zamazenta (Sword) lv 70
Leon: the former Champion
- Aegislash lv 70
- Seismitoad lv 69
- Dragapult lv 68
- Rillaboom, Cinderace, or Inteleon (depending on which starter you chose) lv 70
- Charizard lv 70
New Trainers from all over Galar
In addition to all the Gym Leaders and Rivals you already know, Champion Tournaments introduce several new Trainers to challenge. You cannot change your Pokémon once you start the tournament but you can change their order before going in based on who you're up against.
Yue: a Normal type trainer weak to Fighting type moves. Don't bring your Ghost type moves here!
- Greedent lv 56
- Cinccino lv 56
- Diggersby lv 57
- Dubwool lv 57
- Snorlax lv 58
Kent: a Flying type trainer who is weak against Electric, Rock and Ice type moves.
- Sigilyph lv 56
- Unfezant lv 56
- Mandibuzz lv 57
- Cramorant lv 57
- Braviary lv 58
Cher: a Rock type trainer with high Defense.
- Gigalith lv 56
- Stonjourner lv 56
- Shuckle lv 57
- Sudowoodo lv 57
- Barbaracle lv 58
Icla: a Poison type trainer who can be handled mostly with Ground type moves like Earthquake.
- Toxicroak lv 56
- Drapion lv 56
- Garbodor lv 57
- Weezing lv 57
- Toxapex lv 58
Izar: an Ice type trainer who can easily be wiped out with Fire type moves.
- Vanilluxe lv 56
- Frosmoth lv 56
- Beartic lv 57
- Mr. Rime lv 57
- Mamoswine lv 58
Polaire: a Bug type trainer with a diverse set of secondary types. Rock type moves are your best bet here.
- Ribombee lv 56
- Golisopod lv 56
- Crustle lv 57
- Orbeetle lv 57
- Vikavolt lv 58
Vega: a Water type trainer whose only defense against Electric type moves is Seismitoad.
- Pelipper lv 56
- Barraskewda lv 56
- Seismitoad lv 57
- Araquanid lv 57
- Gyarados lv 58
Deneb: a Fighting type trainer who is weak to Flying, Psychic, and Fairy type moves but whose Lucario is a challenge.
- Falinks lv 56
- Grapploct lv 56
- Hawlucha lv 57
- Lucario lv 57
- Sirfetch'd lv 58
Wei: a Ghost type Trainer who is all but immune to your Normal and Fighting type moves. Ghost and Dark types will serve you well here.
- Polteageist lv 56
- Froslass lv 56
- Trevenant lv 57
- Golurk lv 57
- Jellicent lv 58
Dunne: a Ground type trainer who will fail in the face of Flying and Ice type moves.
- Sandaconda lv 56
- Dugtrio lv 56
- Claydol lv 57
- Mudsdale lv 57
- Flygon lv 58
Pia: a Grass type trainer who is best matched by Fire and Poison type moves.
- Shiinotic lv 56
- Eldegoss lv 56
- Ferrothorn lv 57
- Vileplume lv 57
- Tsareena lv 58
Terry: a Dragon type trainer who can't handle Fairy types.
- Drampa lv 56
- Noivern lv 56
- Tutonator lv 57
- Dracovish lv 57
- Haxorus lv 58
Phoebus: a Fire type trainer who will Burn your Pokémon. Be sure to have a Burn Heal and bring your best Water, Ground, and Rock type moves to beat him.
- Torkoal lv 56
- Heatmor lv 56
- Rotom (fire) lv 57
- Chandelure lv 57
- Arcanine lv 58
Corvin: an Electric type Trainer who is easily wiped out by Ground type moves.
- Bolthund lv 56
- Raichu lv 56
- Lanturn lv 57
- Toxtricity lv 57
- Dracozolt lv 58
Theemin: a Steel type trainer who is best matched with Fire type moves but, specifically, Special Fire type moves like Flamethrower.
- Purrserker lv 56
- Mawille lv 56
- Bronzong lv 57
- Steelix lv 57
- Copperajah lv 58
Questions about Champion Tournaments?
Do you have any questions about Champion tournaments? Tips for fellow players? Drop us a comment below and be sure to check out our many other Pokémon Sword and Shield Guides!
