Welcome to the VGC subforum's inaugural Draft signups! Hosted by Chromate, Nyx and Robbie35646, the tournament will take place using the [Gen 9] VGC 2023 Regulation C format present on both the main and Smogtours Pokemon Showdown! servers.
Due to the nature of this tour, only the first 5/8ths (62.5%) of signups are guaranteed entry, all signups beyond this point will be picked from a randomized list, so if you'd like to ensure a spot, sign up early. You can read the full ruling here.
Format:
You must play all games using the following challenge code (which you can use by pasting it into the DMs of your opponent on PS!):
/challenge gen9vgc2023regulationc @@@ Tera Type Preview
If a game is challenged without the code, you must rechallenge using the code, or you will forfeit that game. There will be no gentlemen's agreements.
Scheduling Advice:
This thread and all future VGC Draft I threads should be considered the final ruling in case of discrepancy between threads, Discord announcements, and Google spreadsheets. Contact a host if you have any questions or spot an error. We are human, after all. Use this sheet to explore the Draft and Battle rules, as well as the Point tiers for draftable Pokemon.
Signups will close on Sunday, April 30th, at 11:59pm GMT+0. To enter, simply use the form above and join the Discord server, anyone who is not in the server will have their signup removed. The Draft documents will be going offline on 30 April as we set up the draft stage.
Please not that this tour will not count towards the Draft League subforum's circuit despite being a draft tour.
If you'd like to help with updating the sheets for the draft/battle pool phases, reach out to any of the hosts via Smogon or Discord.
Due to the nature of this tour, only the first 5/8ths (62.5%) of signups are guaranteed entry, all signups beyond this point will be picked from a randomized list, so if you'd like to ensure a spot, sign up early. You can read the full ruling here.
- Once signups are complete, players will be randomized into pools of eight for drafting in the Smogon VGC Draft Discord server in channels made for each pool. A contributor will facilitate the coordination of the draft section for each pool.
- Once drafts are finished, players will be re-randomized into battle pools of four, which play in a round robin format. Groups of battle pools will be granted a scheduling channel for ease of communication. The two highest placing players in each battle pool will advance further.
- After pools complete, the competitors that advance will be placed into an unseeded bracket until a winner is determined.
- Note: You must be in the Discord server for all of these stages, to ensure ability to participate and communicate.
- You have up to 110 points with which to draft 10 Pokémon. Costs are listed on your pool’s tab on the drafting spreadsheet.
- If a Pokémon is picked by someone else, you may not pick it.
- For the first round, there is a 12 hour timer. After the first round ends, there will be a continuous 6 hour timer within which you must pick, or you will be skipped, and will be required to make-up your pick when you are next online. All timers are off between 10pm-7am local time (check your pools pinned message for local time).
- Your timer will halve every time you are skipped. It is recommended to leave picks (with backups) with your pool moderator to avoid this.
- The following Pokémon have access to all of their forms (although you may only bring up to 1 to each battle):
- Basculin 
- Oricorio 
- Toxtricity 
- Squawkabilly 
- Tatsugiri 
- If a Pokémon that is available in SV is untiered, please ask a host.
- Species Clause applies to your draft.
- All games must be played in the [Gen 9] VGC 2023 Regulation C tier on smogtours.psim.us or psim.us.
- You may not change teams between games.
- General tournament rules and regulations can be found here.
- SV cartridge win conditions are in place; there are no ties.
- Each set is a best-of-three set.
- Rulings regarding team legality can be found here, under 1.2.1 -> 1.4.1.
- Team sheets will be closed with the exceptions of all Pokémons' Tera Types.
- Replays must be posted to the pool/round thread, please mention the result, your opponent's name and your pool number.
- Rankings within pools may not be 100% accurate as the spreadsheet does not track head-to-head results. Players are ranked based upon: most wins, head-to-head, battle differential.
About Activity Decisions
Activity Decisions / Coin Flips: In the event that there is an uncompleted match at the deadline, it will be coin flipped unless one or both of the players involved in the match specifically request an activity win and explain sufficiently why they deserve to win over their opponent. Attempting to schedule a battle is required in order to receive the win by activity. To make it clear that you are requesting an activity win when you post, you must open your post with "Activity Win Request" in bold.
For example, if you believe your opponent is making an unfair request and that they don't deserve the activity win over you, you can either make your own request or quote their post and explain why they don't deserve it. You should try to make your activity win request posts at least 24 hours before the deadline to give your opponent a reasonable opportunity to contest it with their own activity win request.
[Credit to the Official Smogon Tournament hosting team for the rule.]
Activity Decisions / Coin Flips: In the event that there is an uncompleted match at the deadline, it will be coin flipped unless one or both of the players involved in the match specifically request an activity win and explain sufficiently why they deserve to win over their opponent. Attempting to schedule a battle is required in order to receive the win by activity. To make it clear that you are requesting an activity win when you post, you must open your post with "Activity Win Request" in bold.
For example, if you believe your opponent is making an unfair request and that they don't deserve the activity win over you, you can either make your own request or quote their post and explain why they don't deserve it. You should try to make your activity win request posts at least 24 hours before the deadline to give your opponent a reasonable opportunity to contest it with their own activity win request.
[Credit to the Official Smogon Tournament hosting team for the rule.]
Format:
You must play all games using the following challenge code (which you can use by pasting it into the DMs of your opponent on PS!):
/challenge gen9vgc2023regulationc @@@ Tera Type Preview
Scheduling Advice:
- Prioritize scheduling with your opponent. The chance of you advancing in the tournament by attempting to avoid your opponent is nonexistent compared to playing your matches.
- Do your best to make time for your matches, Activity Win requests may be rejected if the hosts believe that a valid attempt to play did not occur, such as if you only offer limited times to play.
This thread and all future VGC Draft I threads should be considered the final ruling in case of discrepancy between threads, Discord announcements, and Google spreadsheets. Contact a host if you have any questions or spot an error. We are human, after all. Use this sheet to explore the Draft and Battle rules, as well as the Point tiers for draftable Pokemon.
Signups will close on Sunday, April 30th, at 11:59pm GMT+0. To enter, simply use the form above and join the Discord server, anyone who is not in the server will have their signup removed. The Draft documents will be going offline on 30 April as we set up the draft stage.
Please not that this tour will not count towards the Draft League subforum's circuit despite being a draft tour.
If you'd like to help with updating the sheets for the draft/battle pool phases, reach out to any of the hosts via Smogon or Discord.
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