A Master's Guide to the Gym Leader Challenge Format (and its 10 Sub-Formats)

Beyond the official circuit of the Standard format lies a world of creative, strategic, and deeply rewarding gameplay. At the forefront of these community-driven formats is the Gym Leader Challenge (GLC). It’s a format designed to test your skill as a true Pokémon Master, forcing you to build a cohesive team around a single type and rewarding deep card knowledge over reliance on a few overpowered cards.

Our pillar guides have introduced you to the world of competitive Pokémon. This guide is your masterclass in its most popular fan-made format. We will provide an exhaustive breakdown of the GLC rules, its carefully curated ban list, and, most importantly, a deep-dive strategic analysis of each of the ten playable Pokémon types—the "sub-formats" that give GLC its incredible diversity and replayability.

What is the Gym Leader Challenge? The Core Rules

The Gym Leader Challenge is a singleton format that uses the Expanded card pool but with some crucial restrictions designed to foster creativity and balance. Every deck must adhere to five simple, yet format-defining, rules.

Singleton Format: You can only include one copy of any card with the same name in your deck. The only exception is for Basic Energy cards.
Single Pokémon Type: Your deck may only contain Pokémon of a single type (e.g., only Water-type Pokémon, or only Psychic-type Pokémon).
No Rule Box Pokémon or ACE SPECs: This is the most important rule. Your deck cannot contain any Pokémon with a Rule Box (this includes Pokémon ex, V, VMAX, VSTAR, GX, BREAK, Radiant, and Prism Star Pokémon). Powerful, one-per-deck ACE SPEC cards are also banned.
Expanded Card Pool: The format uses cards printed from the Black & White series onward.
GLC Ban List: The format is balanced by its own dedicated ban list, which is actively maintained by the community.

These rules create a gameplay experience focused on single-prize Pokémon, careful resource management, and strategic depth, rewarding players with extensive card knowledge.

The Official GLC Ban List (as of April 2025)

To maintain a healthy and balanced metagame, the GLC format has a dedicated ban list. These cards have been identified as being overly powerful or enabling non-interactive strategies within the format's unique rules.

Lysandre's Trump Card (XY–Phantom Forces, 99/119)
Oranguru (SM–Ultra Prism, 114/156)
Forest of Giant Plants (XY–Ancient Origins, 74/98)
Chip-Chip Ice Axe (SM–Unbroken Bonds 165/214)
Hiker (SM–Celestial Storm 133/168)
Kyogre (Shining Fates 021/072)
Pokémon Research Lab (SM—Unified Minds, 205/236)
Raikou (SWSH-Vivid Voltage 050/185)
Marshadow (Shining Legends 45/73)
Duskull (SM-Cosmic Eclipse 83/236)
Double Colorless Energy (All versions)
Twin Energy (SWSH—Rebel Clash 174/192)

The recent banning of Double Colorless Energy and Twin Energy is a perfect example of active format curation, designed to slow down the explosive potential of types like Colorless and Dragon and encourage more diverse Energy strategies.

Mastering the Types: A Deep Dive into GLC's "Sub-Formats"

The true beauty of GLC is that each of the ten playable types functions as its own unique sub-format, with distinct strengths, weaknesses, and strategic identities. Mastering GLC means mastering the types.

(Note: The Fairy type, while not officially banned, was discontinued in the TCG. Due to its significantly smaller card pool, it is at a major disadvantage and is not covered in this competitive guide.)

Grass Type: The Engine of Overwhelming Growth

Strategic Identity: Grass is the king of setup and explosive energy multiplication. It boasts the best Pokémon search in the format, allowing it to consistently build a board of powerful evolution Pokémon that can quickly overwhelm the opponent.
Key Support Pokémon: The engine is built on Stage 1 Pokémon. Grovyle's Sunshine Grace and Grotle's Sun-Drenched Shell provide unparalleled Pokémon search. For Energy, Rillaboom's Voltage Beat and Cherrim's Spring Bloom accelerate Energy into play, while Venusaur's Jungle Totem doubles the effectiveness of every Grass Energy on the board.
Key Attackers: With the engine online, attackers like Shining Genesect and Zarude can deal massive damage, scaling with the amount of Energy in play. Jumpluff offers an efficient single-Energy attack, while Torterra provides a bulky, hard-hitting option.
Core Strategy: The game plan is to use Grotle and Grovyle to assemble your board, setting up Rillaboom and Venusaur. Once this engine is running, you can power up a massive attacker in a single turn and begin taking one-hit Knock Outs.

Fire Type: Explosive Energy and Raw Power

Strategic Identity: Fire is all about explosive, Supporter-based Energy acceleration and high-damage attacks. It excels at going second to unleash powerful turn-one plays that can put the opponent on the back foot immediately.
Key Support Pokémon: Emboar's Inferno Fandango Ability is a classic "Rain Dance" style effect for Fire, allowing you to attach multiple Fire Energy from your hand. Delphox's Mystical Fire provides a consistent draw engine. Charizard (from XY—Evolutions) doubles the damage output of your Fire Energy.
Key Attackers: Volcanion is the ideal starter if you go second, using its Flare Starter attack to accelerate three Fire Energy from your deck. Ho-Oh is another reliable early-game attacker. For late-game power, Heatmor can deal a staggering 180 snipe damage if you can load it with six Energy.
Core Strategy: The goal is to go second and use Volcanion to power up a Benched attacker. From there, use Supporters like Blacksmith and Welder, and Stadiums like Magma Basin, to continuously recover and accelerate Energy, fueling a relentless assault of high-damage attacks.

Water Type: The Master of Board Control

Strategic Identity: Water is the master of consistency and control. It has access to multiple Energy accelerators, the best search-based evolution lines, and a toolbox of bulky attackers, allowing it to control the board state with unmatched reliability.
Key Support Pokémon: Water has three incredible "Rain Dance" Pokémon in Blastoise, Frosmoth, and Baxcalibur, all of whom can accelerate Water Energy from the hand. The Inteleon line, with Drizzile's and Inteleon's Shady Dealings Ability, provides surgical precision in searching for any Trainer card. Octillery's Abyssal Hand offers steady draw support.
Key Attackers: Alolan Vulpix is one of the best starting Pokémon in the entire format, with a free attack that searches for two Pokémon. For damage, bulky attackers like Wailord and Wishiwashi have "Hydro Pump" style attacks that scale with the amount of Energy attached. Water also has some of the best spread attackers in Cloyster and Kyurem.
Core Strategy: Start with Alolan Vulpix to find the pieces for your engine (Baxcalibur/Frosmoth and the Inteleon line). Once your Energy acceleration is online, use your search Abilities to find the perfect attacker for the situation and overwhelm your opponent with a constant stream of powered-up threats.

Lightning Type: Blinding Speed and Spread Damage

Strategic Identity: Lightning is synonymous with speed. It aims to end games quickly with rapid Energy acceleration from the discard pile and powerful spread attacks that can wipe an opponent's entire board in a single turn.
Key Support Pokémon: The core engine is the "Dynamotor" Ability, found on both Flaaffy and Eelektrik, which attaches Lightning Energy from the discard pile to your Benched Pokémon. For draw support, Zebstrika's Sprint and Electrode's Buzzap Thunder provide explosive card draw.
Key Attackers: Zapdos is a phenomenal opening attacker, capable of dealing 80 damage for a single Energy on the first turn. The main strategy, however, revolves around building up devastating spread attackers on the Bench, like Electivire, Regieleki, and Tapu Koko, to set up a multi-prize turn.
Core Strategy: Use an early attacker like Zapdos to apply pressure while using your draw Abilities and search cards to fill your discard pile with Lightning Energy. Then, use Dynamotor to power up a massive spread attacker on the Bench. Once ready, unleash a board-wiping attack to take multiple Prize cards and seal the game.

Psychic Type: The Toolbox of Tricks and Disruption

Strategic Identity: Psychic is the ultimate toolbox type, boasting a vast array of strategies from Ability lock and spread damage to explosive combo attacks. Its lack of a common Weakness makes it unpredictable and difficult to counter.
Key Support Pokémon: Psychic can do it all. For Ability lock, Garbodor's Garbotoxin is a format-defining threat. For Energy acceleration, Malamar's Psychic Recharge and Xatu's Clairvoyant Sense are excellent. For consistency, Gallade's Buddy Catch allows you to search for any Supporter card once per turn.
Key Attackers: The options are limitless. Giratina and Dragapult are powerful, consistent attackers. Blacephalon can place 12 damage counters on the board in a single attack. In Lost Zone variants, Sableye's Lost Mine is a terrifying threat.
Core Strategy: A Psychic player must first choose their path. Will they lock their opponent out of the game with Garbodor? Will they spread damage with Chandelure and Mismagius? Or will they use the powerful search of Gallade to find the perfect answer for every situation? This adaptability is Psychic's greatest strength.

Fighting Type: Unstoppable Force and Raw Power

Strategic Identity: Fighting is all about raw, low-maintenance damage and incredible bulk. It forgoes complex support engines in favor of powerful Basic Pokémon and damage-boosting Trainers that can flatten any opponent who stumbles.
Key Support Pokémon: Fighting has the least amount of traditional support, but it makes up for it with unique options. Coalossal's Tar Generator Ability provides crucial Energy acceleration from the discard pile. It also has access to a unique "fossil lock" strategy with Kabutops and Archeops, which can prevent the opponent from evolving their Pokémon.
Key Attackers: This is where Fighting shines. A huge roster of bulky, hard-hitting Pokémon can be enhanced even further by damage-boosting cards like Strong Energy, Stone Energy, and Martial Arts Dojo.
Core Strategy: The game plan is simple and effective: get a big attacker into play and start hitting hard. Use Supporters like Korrina to find both your Fighting Pokémon and an Item card. The focus is on pure aggression and leveraging your Pokémon's natural bulk to win trades.

Colorless Type: Unmatched Consistency and Special Energy

Strategic Identity: Colorless is the master of consistency and flexibility. It has the best generic draw support in the format and can leverage the game's most powerful Special Energy cards thanks to its unique acceleration options.
Key Support Pokémon: The draw engine is second to none, with Cinccino's Make Do and Bibarel's Industrious Incisors providing a constant stream of cards. The cornerstone of the archetype is Porygon-Z's Crazy Code Ability, which allows you to attach a Special Energy card from your hand once per turn, breaking a fundamental rule of the game.
Key Attackers: Because they can use any type of Energy, Colorless attackers are incredibly versatile. Slaking can be powered up in a single turn with Triple Acceleration Energy. Ditto can copy the attack of any Basic Pokémon in the discard pile. Even a flock of birds, like Talonflame and Lugia, can form a powerful strategy.
Core Strategy: The goal is to set up your draw engine (Bibarel/Cinccino) and your Energy engine (Porygon-Z) as quickly as possible. Once online, you can use your superior draw power to find the perfect Special Energy and attacker for any situation, overwhelming your opponent with a toolbox of options.

Darkness Type: Lethal Attacks and Vicious Disruption

Strategic Identity: Darkness is a type of deadly finesse, combining powerful, efficient attackers with some of the best disruption in the format. It excels at both direct aggression and crippling control strategies.
Key Support Pokémon: Galarian Weezing's Neutralizing Gas is one of the best Ability lock effects in GLC. For Energy acceleration, Hydreigon's Dark Squall acts as a "Rain Dance" for Darkness, while Dark Patch accelerates Energy from the discard pile. Liepard's Trade Ability provides much-needed draw consistency.
Key Attackers: Guzzlord is a terrifying threat, with a "Red Banquet" attack that lets you take an extra Prize card on a KO. Galarian Moltres is an incredible late-game cleaner, dealing more damage as the opponent takes prizes. Efficient attackers like Hoopa and Weavile can apply early pressure.
Core Strategy: Darkness decks can pivot between two main plans. The first is a hyper-aggressive strategy centered on powering up Guzzlord to take multiple prizes and run away with the game. The second is a disruptive strategy, using Galarian Weezing to shut down the opponent's engine while you chip away at them with efficient attackers or even a Poison-based strategy.

Metal Type: The Immovable Object

Strategic Identity: Metal is the ultimate defensive powerhouse. It wins by being an unbreakable wall, using a combination of high HP, damage reduction, and healing to outlast the opponent before crushing them with a powerful counter-attack.
Key Support Pokémon: Aegislash's Big Shield Ability reduces all incoming damage by 30. Combined with Tools like Metal Frying Pan, this can make your Pokémon nearly invincible. For Energy, Bronzong's Metal Links accelerates from the discard, while Magnezone's Magnetic Circuit accelerates from the hand.
Key Attackers: Dialga is a fantastic lead, with an attack that can recover any card from your discard pile and a second attack with an infinite damage ceiling. Copperajah is a monstrous late-game attacker. Revavroom provides much-needed draw support to keep the engine running.
Core Strategy: The game plan is a slow, methodical grind. Use your defensive Abilities and Tools to make your Active Pokémon an impenetrable wall. Use your Energy acceleration to build up a massive attacker on the Bench. Once your opponent has exhausted their resources trying to break through your defenses, bring up your fully powered attacker and sweep the game.

Dragon Type: High Risk, High Reward

Strategic Identity: Dragon is the most aggressive and high-risk, high-reward type in GLC. It boasts some of the most powerful attackers in the format, but they come with complex and often contradictory Energy requirements, demanding masterful resource management to pilot effectively.
Key Support Pokémon: The entire type is held together by the Gabite and Dragonite line. Gabite's Dragon Call searches for a Dragon Pokémon, and Dragonite's Fast Call lets you search for any Supporter card once per turn, providing incredible consistency.
Key Attackers: The attackers are powerful but demanding. Drampa's Berserk can deal 160 damage for just two Energy. Ultra Necrozma has similar high damage potential. Zygarde is an excellent late-game sniper.
Core Strategy: The key to success is Double Dragon Energy, a powerful Special Energy that provides two Energy of every type at once. The goal is to use Dragonite's Fast Call to find the exact Supporters you need to get your attackers powered up with Double Dragon Energy and other resources. It's a high-wire act of resource management, but a successful Dragon player can take down any other type with sheer, overwhelming force.