Battle Rules:
Each match is played using the Pokémon Link Club Colosseum, found on the top floor of the Pokémon Center. The tournament will use the Double Cup rules set, with some additional restrictions.
* Each match will use the 2-on-2 format.
* Each Pokémon on a player’s team must be Level 50 or lower. The Pokémon Link Club Colosseum does not have an auto-level feature, so Pokémon that are Level 51 or higher cannot be adjusted down to Level 50, and are ineligible for this competition.
* A player’s team may not contain two of the same Pokémon.
* Each Pokémon on a player’s team may use held items, though no 2 Pokémon on a team may hold the same item. Allowed items include held items from Pokémon™ Platinum Version, and earlier video games, including Berries 1–61. The Soul Dew item may not be used.
* Players may not enter two Pokémon with the same nickname.
* Players may not enter a Pokémon nicknamed with the name of another Pokémon character (for example, a Lucario nicknamed “Spiritomb”).
* Players found to have inappropriate/offensive Trainer names or Pokémon nicknames, as determined by the event staff, will be disqualified from the event.
Pokémon Restrictions:
Players may use Pokémon found in the Pokémon™ Platinum Version National Pokédex, between 001 and 492, including those Pokémon imported from earlier video games, with the exception of those Pokémon listed below.
The following Pokémon are ineligible for use in the tournament:
150 – Mewtwo 386 – Deoxys
151 – Mew 479 – Rotom
248 – Tyranitar 483 – Dialga
249 – Lugia 484 – Palkia
250 – Ho-Oh 487 – Giratina
251 – Celebi 489 – Phione
382 – Kyogre 490 – Manaphy
383 – Groudon 491 – Darkrai
384 – Rayquaza 492 – Shaymin
385 – Jirachi
Move Restrictions:
Pokémon may only use moves (including those learned in an earlier video game) which have been learned through one of the following methods:
* By leveling up
* By TM or HM
* As an Egg move, through breeding
* From a Move Tutor
* Already learned by a Pokémon, which was received at an official Pokémon event or promotion
* Already learned by a Pokémon, which was received from another Pokémon game (such as the Pikachu that knows Surf, from Pokémon Battle Revolution)
* By Smeargle’s “Sketch” move (limited to the above moves learned by Pokémon between 001 and 492)
Tournament Operation:
The Qualifier Tournament is a Single Elimination event. Each match will consist of a single game, and will result in the winner advancing to the next round and the loser being removed from the tournament.
* A player wins by knocking out his or her opponent’s final Pokémon.
* If an attack knocks out both players’ last Pokémon, the player that used the attack loses the match and is eliminated from the event. This includes attacks such as Explosion, Selfdestruct, and Destiny Bond.