VG Modified ruleset by Play Pokemon

All tournaments must follow the current VG Modified ruleset to be sanctioned by Play! Pokémon. Listed below is the current VG Modified ruleset. All regional, national, and worlds tournaments will follow this ruleset until changes are made.

Rules Summary
This is all you really need to know to start practising and forming teams:

• All matches are played in Doubles format
• Pokemon above Level 50 will be brought down to 50 for the match while those below 50 will stay as-is
• Players choose 4 of their 6 registered Pokemon after team preview
• Species Clause and Items Clause are in effect
• Pokemon ineligible for Battle Subway are banned (see below for the full list)
• Dark Void and Sky Drop are banned
• Soul Dew is banned
• You must use Pokémon Black Version 2 or Pokémon White Version 2

If you'd like to read about specific situations that may arise or just so you know every detail before the events, keep reading below!

Full Rules
Pokémon Organized Play supports several tournament formats for sanctioned play of the Pokémon video games. This document covers each of the approved formats and their variations. Tournaments that do not use one of the formats described here may not be sanctioned.

5. Standard Format Style
All sanctioned Pokémon video game tournaments require players to assemble a team of Pokémon, with items, prior to the start of the event. The standard format style for all PLAY! Pokémon tournaments is Double Battle.
 

5.1. Double Battle
In Double Battles, each player selects four Pokémon from his or her party of six to battle with. At the start of the battle, players send out the first two Pokémon in their party, making a total of four Pokémon on the battlefield. Game play continues until a player knocks out all four of his or her opponent’s Pokémon.

6. Standard Team Construction Rules
When building a team for a PLAY! Pokémon tournament, all players must adhere to these standard construction rules.

• A player’s team cannot contain two Pokémon with the same Pokédex number
• Each Pokémon on a player’s team can hold an item, though no two Pokémon may hold the same item
• A player’s team cannot contain two Pokémon with the same nickname
• A player’s team cannot contain a Pokémon nicknamed with the name of another Pokémon (for example, an Unfezant named “Pidove”)
• Pokémon may only use moves that have been learned through one of the following methods:
• By leveling up
• By TM or HM
• As an Egg move, through breeding
• From a character in the game
• A move already known by a Pokémon received at an official Pokémon event or promotion

7. Sanctioned Format
Pokémon Organized Play supports one format for sanctioned play: Modified. Sanctioned events are listed on the POP website, and the results are reported to POP after the event concludes.

7.1. Modified Format
The Modified format is the standard tournament format for PLAY! Pokémon video game events. This format will be used at all premier events unless specified otherwise. The Modified format for the 2011– 2012 season will use the following restrictions:

• Only Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2 Game Cards are permitted for use.
• Players may use Pokémon from the National Pokédex, from No. 001–649, that are caught in the game, transferred from a previous Pokémon title, or received at an official event or distribution.
• The following Pokémon may not be on a player’s team:
• 150 – Mewtwo
• 151 – Mew
• 249 – Lugia
• 250 – Ho-Oh
• 251 – Celebi
• 382 – Kyogre
• 383 – Groudon
• 384 – Rayquaza
• 385 – Jirachi
• 386 – Deoxys
• 441 – Chatot
• 483 – Dialga
• 484 – Palkia
• 487 – Giratina
• 489 – Phione
• 490 – Manaphy
• 491 – Darkrai
• 492 – Shaymin
• 493 – Arceus
• 494 – Victini
• 643 – Reshiram
• 644 – Zekrom
• 646 – Kyurem
• 647 – Keldeo
• 648 – Meloetta
• 649 – Genesect
• Pokémon must be placed in the Battle Box.
• Pokémon above level 50 are permitted, but they are auto‐leveled down to 50 for the duration of battle.
• Players may use Pokémon with Hidden Abilities that have been officially released via Pokémon Black Version and Pokémon White Version, the Pokémon Global Link, or an official event or promotion.
• Pokémon may not know the moves Sky Drop or Dark Void.
• The Wonder Launcher cannot be used during battle.

Furthermore:
26. Team Restrictions
Players may only use Pokémon that are legal for the tournament format. Players are responsible for ensuring that their team adheres to any restrictions set forth by the tournament format and this document.

26.3. External Devices
The use of external devices to modify or create items or Pokémon in a player’s party is expressly forbidden. Players found to have Pokémon or items that have been tampered with will be disqualified from competition, regardless of whether the Pokémon or items belong to that player or were traded for. Players should only have Pokémon that they have raised themselves and items that they have received through normal game play. It is always the player’s responsibility to have legal Pokémon and items during the competition.

25. Game Cards
Only legitimate Pokémon Game Cards can be used in PLAY! Pokémon tournaments. Players are restricted on which language Game Cards they can use, based on the country where they are playing.

• Players at European events may only use European Game Cards.
• Players at North American events may only use North American Game Cards.
• Players at the World Championships may only use Game Cards that are legal in their home markets.

25.1. Game Systems
Players may use any system in the Nintendo DS™ family of systems during the competition. This includes the Nintendo DS, Nintendo DS Lite™, Nintendo DSi™, Nintendo DSi XL™, Nintendo 3DS™, and the Nintendo 3DS XL™. Players are responsible for bringing a charger that is compatible with their system.

26. Team Restrictions
Players may only use Pokémon that are legal for the tournament format. Players are responsible for ensuring that their team adheres to any restrictions set forth by the tournament format and this document.

26.3. External Devices
The use of external devices to modify or create items or Pokémon in a player’s party is expressly forbidden. Players found to have Pokémon or items that have been tampered with will be disqualified from competition, regardless of whether the Pokémon or items belong to that player or were traded for. Players should only have Pokémon that they have raised themselves and items that they have received through normal game play. It is always the player’s responsibility to have legal Pokémon and items during the competition.

27. Team Registration
Before the first round of a tournament, team registration may occur. This process involves each player listing the exact contents of his or her team. To make team registration easier on the tournament staff, players should complete their team list prior to registration. These team lists can later be used by Tournament Organizers and judges to verify that a team has not been altered since the outset of a tournament. Players are not allowed to change their Pokémon or items at any time during a tournament.

28. Time Limits
Tournament staff is responsible for running a timely event. To assist in this effort, POP has established guidelines for time limits during various portions of the event.

28.1. Pregame Time Limit
If team preview is enabled, players have 90 seconds to view their opponent’s team and select their Pokémon.

28.2. Midgame Time Limit
Any mid-game effects, such as selecting a move or retreating Pokémon, are to take place within the 60 seconds allocated per turn. Note taking may only occur when not being prompted to select a move.

28.3. Match Time Limits
Single-game matches will be 20 minutes. For best-of-three matches, each game will be 20 minutes.

29. Match Resolution
A player wins by knocking out his or her opponent’s final Pokémon.

• If the player’s final Pokémon used Selfdestruct, Explosion, Destiny Bond, or Final Gambit, and both players’ final Pokémon are knocked out as a result, that player loses that game
• If a player’s final Pokémon used Double‐Edge, Volt Tackle, Flare Blitz, Take Down, Submission, Brave Bird, Wood Hammer, Head Smash, Struggle, or Wild Charge, or was holding Life Orb, and both players’ final Pokémon are knocked out as a result, that player wins that game
• If both players’ final Pokémon is knocked out by a weather condition, such as Hail or Sandstorm, the player whose Pokémon is knocked out last wins the game
• If a Pokémon’s Ability or held item, such as Rough Skin, Aftermath, Liquid Ooze, Iron Barbs, or Rocky Helmet, results in each player’s final Pokémon being knocked out, the player with the Ability or held item will win the game
• A player who selects “Run” during a battle will count as the loser of that game, whether selected intentionally or not.

29.1. Tiebreakers
Should the time limit expire before a player knocks out his or her opponent’s final Pokémon, the winner of the game is determined based on the criteria below.

• Remaining Pokémon
• If one player has more remaining Pokémon than the other, that player wins the game.
• If both players have the same number of Pokémon remaining, the result of the game is determined by average percentage of HP remaining, as described below.
• Average Percentage of HP Remaining
• If one player’s team has a higher average percentage of HP remaining, that player wins the game.
• If both players’ teams have the same average HP remaining, the result of the game is determined by amount of HP remaining, as described below.
• Amount of Total HP Remaining
• If one player’s team has a higher total HP remaining, that player wins the game.
• If both players’ teams have the same total HP remaining, the result of the game is a tie.

29.2. Sudden Death
If a game ends in a tie during the single elimination portion of an event, a single Sudden Death game is played to determine the winner of the match. Players are required to gain an advantage in number of remaining Pokémon over their opponent. Tournament staff will evaluate the game at the end of each turn to determine if an advantage has been gained. After each turn has been completed, the tournament staff will determine the number of Pokémon that each player has remaining.

• If both players have the same number of Pokémon remaining at the end of the turn, the game continues for another turn.
• If a player has more remaining Pokémon than his or her opponent at the end of any turn, that player wins the game.

Once the winner of the active game has been determined, the following criteria will be used to determine the winner of the match, based on which game in the match has just been completed.

Game 1:
The players proceed to game 2.

Game 2:
If the winner of game 2 also won game 1, that player wins the match.
If the winner of game 2 did not win game 1, the match is tied and the players proceed to game 3.

Game 3:
The winner of game 3 wins the match.