Smogon players, rejoice — the two most hated competitive Pokémon just got hit with the nerf hammer in Pokémon Champions, and the meta is about to shift DRAMATICALLY!
Gholdengo and Annihilape have terrorized ranked battles since launch — Gholdengo’s “Good as Gold” ability shutting down all status moves and Annihilape’s “Rage Fist” stacking infinite damage made them borderline unbeatable. Game Freak finally listened!
Table of Contents
Pokémon Champions Exact Nerf Breakdown
| Pokémon | What Got Nerfed | Before | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gholdengo | Good as Gold ability | Blocks ALL status moves | 75% chance to block (rng) |
| Gholdengo | Make It Rain (move) | 130 base power + Sp.Atk drop | 110 base power + Sp.Atk drop |
| Annihilape | Rage Fist (move) | +50 BP per hit received | +35 BP per hit received |
| Annihilape | Defiant (hidden ability) | Activates on ANY stat drop | Only activates on Attack drops |
How This Changes the Meta
Gholdengo dropping from “unkillable status sponge” to “sometimes blocks status” completely opens up competitive Pokémon team building — Toxic, Thunder Wave, and Will-O-Wisp users can finally breathe!
Annihilape’s Rage Fist nerf means it can no longer one-shot entire teams after taking just 3 hits. The ceiling is lower, but it’s still viable as a bulky sweeper.
Winners & Losers from These Nerfs
| Category | Winners | Losers |
|---|---|---|
| Biggest winner | Clodsire (Toxic now works!) | Gholdengo mains |
| Rising threat | Hatterene (Magic Bounce meta) | Annihilape stall teams |
| New S-tier | Dragapult (less competition) | Balance teams relying on both |
| Sleeper pick | Toxapex (status moves viable again) | Gholdengo hazard stack teams |
More competitive Pokémon guides → Pokémon Champions Meta Tier List After Nerfs
FAQs
Is Gholdengo still usable after the nerf?
Absolutely — 75% status block is still strong, just no longer guaranteed. It drops from S-tier to A-tier!
What replaces Annihilape as the best Rage Fist user?
Honestly nobody — Annihilape is still the best user, just balanced now. Kingambit rises as the premier bulky sweeper instead!
