Scarlet and Violet players can soon get free Pokémon used to win 2022 World Championship

A top-tier competitive Pokémon, for free.

Ash Ketchum lifting a trophy with Pikachu, becoming a Pokémon world champion.
Image via Pokémon

Whether you’re a casual Pokémon player or an eventual world champion, the passion for the game often remains the same. And now, even though you didn’t need to grind hard to get that win that Eduardo Cunha earned in 2022, you have the opportunity to pick up one of the same Pokémon he used to win his title.

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During the upcoming 2023 World Championship stream in August, a code will be shown that will allow Scarlet and Violet players to get the same Gastrodon that helped win Cunha his 2022 championship in Sword and Shield, The Pokémon Company announced today. This includes the same ability, moves, and color of Gastrodon, all for free as long as you watch the stream or get the code.

As for that Gastrodon, the ability for this championship version is Storm Drain, making it immune to Water-type damage and giving it a Special Attack buff if it gets hit by a Water-type move. The moveset is strong, with Earth Power, Icy Wind, Yawn, and Protect. That’s two strong moves, with Earth Power getting the same-type attack bonus and Icy Wind providing some flexibility with a 55-damage Ice-type move on a Ground/Water-type Pokémon. Add to that two useful utility moves, with Yawn for sleep and Protect for blocking damage.

Related: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s two hardest Tera Raids prove you need more than strategy to win

If you want the true experience to make the Pokémon as similar to the competitive one as possible, give it the Leftovers item, which will allow it to heal for a little HP every turn. As for the rest of Cunha’s championship-winning team, it consisted of Calyrex, Rillaboom, Incineroar, Thundurus, and Zacian alongside his Gastrodon.

To redeem this code and get this Gastrodon when it appears, simply:

  • Go to the main menu of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet.
  • Select Poké Portal, then Mystery Gift.
  • Choose “Get with code/password.”
  • Enter the code.

If you are more of a Pokémon card game player instead, there is another drop coming. For avid TCG players, the same stream will drop a code to get a free golden Charizard EX card for fans to use online. Both drops will be available when the 2023 World Championships take place from Aug. 11 to 13.

Author
Image of Michael Czar
Michael Czar
Contributing writer for Dot Esports. Covering esports news for just over five years. Focusing on Overwatch, VALORANT, Call of Duty, Teamfight Tactics, and some general gaming content. Washington Post-published game reviewer. Follow me on Twitter at @xtraweivy.