Duffel Creatures Draft League


1. What this league is

  • This is a Gen 9 SINGLES National Dex Draft League.
  • Games are played on Pokémon Showdown in
    [Gen 9] Tera Preview NatDex Draft.
  • There are 4 divisions.
    The top one is Dragapult Division.
    The bottom one is Goodra Division.

You build a team using points, then battle once per week.
The goal is to do well in your division and reach playoffs.


2. The draft board and points

  • Every Pokémon on the board has a point cost.
  • You get 115 points total to build your team.
  • Your team after the draft will have:
    • 10–12 Pokémon
    • Never more than 115 points spent

If you pull many expensive Pokémon, you might end with:

  • Just 10 or 11 Pokémon, because you run out of points early.

Example
If you get three 15-point mons (45 points) and two 20-point mons (40 points),
you have already spent 85 points on 5 Pokémon.
You then have only 30 points left for the rest of your team.


3. Stage 1 – Random draft (first pass)

3.1 Draft order between divisions

  • The draft order is randomized.
  • It uses a snake draft that:
    • Starts in Dragapult Division
    • Goes down through all divisions
    • Ends in Goodra Division
  • Then it snakes back the other way.

Simple picture (example, not exact team names)
Round 1: Dragapult → Hydreigon → Baxcalibur → Goodra
Round 2: Goodra → Baxcalibur → Hydreigon → Dragapult
…and so on, until all the random picks are done.

All picks in this stage come from the full draft board.

3.2 How your random team is built

  • You are randomly assigned Pokémon from the board.
  • This continues until:
    • You have at least 10 Pokémon, and
    • You do not go over 115 points.

So after Stage 1, each coach will have:

  • 10 to 12 Pokémon
  • A total cost up to 115 points

3.3 Evolutions and budget problems

Sometimes the randomizer hits an evolved Pokémon that causes issues.

If the evolution:

  • Already belongs to another coach, or
  • Would break your point budget

…then:

  • You instead get its pre-evolution,
    as long as that pre-evo is worth more than 1 point.

Example
The randomizer picks Garchomp, but:

  • Someone else already owns Garchomp, or
  • You cannot afford Garchomp with your points.
    Then you are given Gabite instead, if Gabite is valued above 1 point. If not it would be rerolled by default.

3.4 Regional forms

  • If a Pokémon has regional forms (like Weezing):
    • You may choose the form you want when it is drafted.
    • Example: Weezing-Galar or Weezing-Kanto.

You choose the form during the drafting stages at any point..

3.5 Megas in the draft

  • You do not have to own a Mega.
  • But you can only have one Mega per team.

4. Stage 2 – Rerolls and deleting Pokémon

After the random draft, everyone moves into Reroll Stage
(also called 2nd Stage Drafting).

4.1 Rerolls: the basics

  • Each coach can reroll up to 4 Pokémon.
  • You reroll one Pokémon at a time.
  • For each reroll:
    • You pick 1 Pokémon to replace.
    • You are shown 3 new random Pokémon.
    • These three are taken from the same point tier or lower than the one you are replacing.
    • You choose one of the three. The old Pokémon is gone.

Example
You reroll a 10-point Pokémon.
You then see three options, for example:

  • Another 10-pointer
  • A 7-pointer
  • A 3-pointer
    You pick one of them. Your old 10-pointer is removed and replaced with that pick.

4.2 Reroll order and time limit

  • Reroll turns follow the same division snake order as the first draft but this time exclusive to the division.
  • Each reroll turn has a 4-hour timer.
  • If you do not pick in time, you may get skipped and you may makeup your stage 2 process at any time.

4.3 Deleting one Pokémon for points

You are allowed to delete one Pokémon during or after your rerolls.

  • You can only delete one Pokémon this way.
  • You can delete it at any time during rerolls or right after.
  • When you delete it, you gain back its points into your budget.

Example
You have a 12-point mon you really hate using.
You delete it. Now you have 12 free points to work with alongside whatever your remaining budget is (it gets added back to it).

4.4 Guaranteed last pick from leftover points

After you finish your:

  • Up to 4 rerolls, and
  • Optional one deletion

…you look at your leftover points.

  • If you have spare points that match a point tier
    (for example, 15 points left),
  • You will receive a random Pokémon from that exact tier.

Example
End of rerolls and deletion:

  • You have 15 points left, and
  • Your team is not full yet with 11 out of 12.
    You get one random 15-point Pokémon added to your team.

4.5 Bonus rerolls for big leftover budgets

After all four rerolls and any deletion are done:

  • If you have more than 19 points left:
    • You get 2 extra rerolls as a bonus.

These work like normal rerolls:

  • Replace a Pokémon,
  • See three new options from similar or lower tier,
  • Pick one.

4.6 Automatic extra Pokémon if you only have 10

If you end all rerolls and deletion with:

  • Only 10 Pokémon total on your team

…you are automatically given two extra random Pokémon.

  • These two bonus mons:
    • Must be from different point tiers.
    • Their combined cost is chosen to match your remaining points.

Example
After everything, you have:

  • 10 Pokémon
  • 15 points left
    You might get a 10-point mon and a 5-point mon,
    or an 8-point and a 7-point.
    The exact pair is random, but the total equals your leftover points.

5. Tera Captains and Z-Captains

Only special captains can Terastallize or use Z-Moves.

5.1 How many captains you get

You can nominate:

  • 2 Tera Captains, and
  • 2 Z-Captains

Limits:

  • Your 2 Tera Captains together cannot exceed 25 points total
    (this includes their Tera tax which does NOT apply to your draft point total, it is exclusive to the tera point total).
  • Your 2 Z-Captains together also cannot exceed 25 points total.
    (There is no Z-tax; just the normal points).

5.2 Which Pokémon are allowed to be captains

Some high-cost Pokémon cannot be captains at all:

  • 19–14 point Pokémon
    Cannot be Tera captains.
  • 19–16 point Pokémon
    Cannot be Z-captains.
  • Megas
    Cannot be Tera or Z captains.

Also:

  • A Pokémon cannot be both a Tera Captain and a Z-Captain
    at the same time.

5.3 Who is allowed to Tera / use Z-Moves

  • Only your Tera Captains may Terastallize.
  • Only your Z-Captains may use Z-Moves.
  • This rule lasts for the whole season, unless you change captains by transaction.

You do not have to Tera or use Z-Moves every battle.

  • Your Z-Captains do not need to hold their Z-Crystal every game.
  • They just cannot use a Z-Move without the crystal that game.

5.4 Changing captains during the season

You can change captains using transactions (see next section).

Key points:

  • You can change your Tera Captain choices up to 10 times per season.
  • You can change your Z-Captain choices up to 10 times per season.
  • Changing captains does not spend one of your 10 “regular” transactions
    (the ones used for re-randomizing Pokémon, etc).
  • When you change captains:
    • You must still respect the 25-point total cap for your two Tera Captains (with tera tax).
    • You must still respect the 25-point total cap for your two Z-Captains.
    • You must still follow the bans on high-point mons and Megas.

Once you remove a Pokémon from being a captain:

  • It cannot become the same type of captain again that season.
    (Tera → Tera again, or Z → Z again.)
  • It can switch roles once (for example, Tera Captain → later Z-Captain).

6. Transactions, trades, and re-randomizing (during the season)

6.1 How many transactions you get

You get:

  • 10 regular transactions for the entire season, plus
  • Separate allowances to change Tera and Z captains (up to 10 times each).

There is also a weekly limit:

  • You can use up to 2 transactions per week per section,
    where “sections” are:
    • Tera Captain changes
    • Z-Captain changes
    • Re-randomizing/devolving/evolving Pokémon

So in one week, you could for example:

  • Change 1 Tera Captain,
  • Change 1 Z-Captain, and
  • Re-randomize 2 Pokémon,
    as long as each section only uses up to 2 moves.

6.2 What counts as a regular transaction

Regular transactions include:

  • Re-randomizing one of your Pokémon.
  • Devolving a Pokémon (going down an evolution stage).
  • Evolving a Pokémon (going up an evolution stage).
  • Changing its form (for form-changing species).

When you re-randomize a Pokémon:

  1. By default, it rolls from its original point bracket.
    • Example: a 10-point Pokémon rolls from other 10-point options.
  2. You may extend the roll downward by 2 points.
    • Example: your 10-point mon can instead roll from 10, 9, and 8 point mons.
  3. If you have spare leftover points, you can sometimes extend upward:
    • Example: with 1 extra point, your 10-point mon can roll from
      11, 10, and 9 point mons.

Simple example
You have a 10-point Pokémon you don’t like.
You also have 1 spare point in your budget.
You MUST re-randomize it from the 11–10–9 bracket instead of the plain 10 bracket. You do not have a choice there.

6.3 Captain swaps as transactions

  • Changing a Tera Captain or Z-Captain uses a special transaction.
  • Captain swaps do not use up your 10 regular transactions.
  • You can switch:
    • Tera → new Tera,
    • Z → new Z,
      or
    • Tera ↔ Z (swap their roles).
  • If you switch a Pokémon from Tera Captain to Z-Captain (or back),
    that counts as only 1 captain transaction
    (and you choose whether it counts toward your Tera or your Z change total).

6.4 When transactions become active

  • Any transaction or re-roll you make during a week becomes active at the start of the following week.
  • Deadline: Sunday 11:59 PM EST is the last time you can make a transaction that will apply to the next week.

7. Battles and weekly deadlines

7.1 Where you play

  • All battles are played on the Main Pokémon Showdown server.
  • Format: [Gen 9] Tera Preview NatDex Draft.

7.2 When you play

  • All weekly matches are due Sunday at 11:59 (GMT-4).
  • Each week, you and your opponent have one full week to:
    • Contact each other,
    • Schedule,
    • Play the match.

If you need extra time:

  • Talk to Timboberino (the host) or any of the mods and explain the situation.

7.3 Scheduling rule and penalties

  • If neither player has scheduled by Friday night (the exact time is written as Friday 11:59 PM EST):
    • Both players receive a −3 loss for that week.
  • If this happens to you thrice, you may be removed from the league after a discussion with mods.

So:

  • Always schedule early.
  • Post your availability clearly.
  • Show proof that you tried to set a time.

7.4 Sportsmanship and behavior

  • Rage quits are not allowed.
    Do not forfeit unless a true stall war makes the match unplayable.
  • Be respectful toward other coaches.
  • Bullying or harassment will not be tolerated.
  • Timboberino can punish unsportsmanlike behavior at their discretion.

8. Mega rules

  • Megas must always hold their Mega Stone.
    • Example: Mega Slowbro must hold Slowbronite.
  • They do not have to Mega Evolve on the turn they come in.
  • They cannot hold any other item.
    • So no Boots, no Leftovers, etc. Only the correct Mega Stone.

9. Smogon clauses and Baton Pass

  • All standard Smogon clauses apply, except:
    • The Baton Pass clause is removed (see below for the custom rule).
    • The Trapping Abilities clause is removed.

So:

  • Sleep Clause, Species Clause, Evasion Clause, etc., still apply.

Items:

  • All items are allowed, except any items specifically banned elsewhere in the league rules or in the board.

Baton Pass rule (custom)

  • Baton Pass is “dry pass only.”
  • This means:
    • You cannot Baton Pass Substitute.
    • You cannot Baton Pass self-inflicted status or stat boosts.
  • You may only use Baton Pass as a plain switch move.

10. Playoffs

10.1 Who qualifies

  • The top 6 teams from each division make playoffs.
  • In each division:
    • Seeds 1 and 2 get a bye in Round 1.
    • Round 1 matchups are:
      • 3 vs 6
      • 4 vs 5

10.2 After division playoffs

  • Each division crowns 1 division champion.
  • The 4 division champions then play in a Grand Finals stage
    to decide the overall league winner and grand prize.

10.3 Tiebreakers

If teams are tied in the standings, tiebreakers go in this order:

  1. Differential (your KO spread over the season)
  2. Head-to-head record between the tied teams
  3. Coin toss, if still tied

10.4 Playoff match format

  • Playoffs use a single-elimination bracket.
  • Each playoff round is best-of-three.

For each playoff series:

  • You prep a pool of 9 Pokémon from your draft.
  • For each game in the set:
    • You bring 6 Pokémon to the team builder.
  • Between games:
    • You may swap up to 2 Pokémon in and out of your 6,
    • From your 9-mon prep pool.

Example
Game 1: you bring A, B, C, D, E, F (from your 9).
Game 2: you can change up to 2 of them,
maybe swapping E and F out for G and H.
Game 3: you can again adjust up to 2 Pokémon.


Edit

Pub: 14 Nov 2025 18:55 UTC

Edit: 23 Nov 2025 21:16 UTC

Views: 128