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Draft Leagues have suddenly become a large phenomenon in the Pokemon community.
These competitions somehow mash up the enjoyment of fantasy sports and Pokemon battling. Many big names in the community feature draft league content, including Pokeaim and Wolfe Glick. As a result, this has become many fans’ favorite way to play the game.
Draft format becoming popular way to play Pokemon
Draft Leagues work like typical competitive gaming leagues, except that participants draft the Pokemon beforehand, instead of making a team of six on their own. Teams usually range from 10 to 12 team members that trainers can choose from to build each week.
For Drafts, trainers are usually forced to pick from certain Tiers, where Tier 1 options are legendaries and other powerhouses and Tier 5 options are usually very substandard. This is to keep trainers from simply drafting six Dragonites and ending up with an overpowered team.
So, why are these competitions so popular? Well, part of the reason why is the preparation that goes into it. When a trainer knows which options are on the other team, they can team build specifically to counter those options. As a result, some players win by running very wacky sets.
For example, Excadrills don’t usually run Assault Vest as an item. When Pokeaim had to build for his Week 1 opponent in WBE, he used this item because it ensured that Excadrill could live a +2 Focus Blast from Alolan Raichu.
It’s tweaks like this that make a difference between winning and losing games in Draft Leagues. Trainers often find that they are using sets they would have never otherwise used outside of Draft League.
It also allows trainers to use underrated options. Gamers who like to participate in Wi-Fi battles might get tired from seeing Urshifu and Galarian Moltres everywhere (or Garchomp and Latios for those who play online Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl). In a draft setting, however, overlooked options can sometimes translate into easy wins.
Most Draft Leagues can be found through Discord. While some use Wi-fi battles from the console games, others play on Pokemon Showdown.
