Intro to RBY Tradebacks OU

Hypno

The biggest winner in RBY Tradebacks OU is undoubtedly Hypno. Previously used as a rarely-seen sleep lead, Hypno becomes one of the deadliest sweepers in the metagame thanks to a few gifts from GSC. The first is the event move Amnesia. While Amnesia only increases the user's Special Defense by two stages in later generations, in RBY, Special Defense and Special Attack are lumped together under the Special stat. This means that using Amnesia becomes the equivalent of using two Calm Minds. It should be noted that Hypno only really needs to hit +4, which brings it up to 984 Special, as RBY stats max out at 999.

Hypno also notably gained access to the elemental punches in GSC, which it makes great use of in Tradebacks. While Psychic, Amnesia, and Rest are all pretty much set in stone for offensive Hypno, whichever coverage move it opts for will dictate how it can be countered, and until it reveals that move, your opponent can only hope to guess correctly. Exeggutor is dangerous for its access to Explosion, which does 80.9 - 95.4% against Hypno, but it's 2HKOed at +2 if Hypno runs Ice Punch. At +2, Ice Punch also has a good chance of OHKOing another common Explosion user, Golem, which Psychic fails to do. On the other hand, Slowbro can set up Amnesias alongside Hypno and ultimately defeat it, though it gets bopped if Hypno has Thunder Punch instead. Electric coverage is also handy against other Water-types, with Starmie in particular taking much more damage from that than any of Hypno's other attacks.

Sample Set:

Hypno

- Amnesia

- Psychic

- Ice Punch / Thunder Punch

- Rest

Snorlax

Snorlax has always been the most versatile threat in RBY OU. With a fantastic movepool that includes Body Slam, Hyper Beam, Self-Destruct, Earthquake, Counter, Surf, Reflect, Rest, Amnesia, Blizzard, and Ice Beam, you never really know what to expect until it starts swinging. So, what could it possibly gain to make a huge impact on this already diverse powerhouse? Lovely Kiss, of course! Thanks to the NYC events, Snorlax gains an always-helpful sleep-inducing move.

That versatility I mentioned before is exactly what makes Snorlax the most dangerous sleeper in Tradebacks. While most sleepers such as Jynx and Exeggutor would be foolish to forgo their sleep moves, Snorlax doesn't actually need Lovely Kiss at all to be effective, which only makes it more unpredictable. This can be particularly worrisome, as you never know if Snorlax is going attack, set up, or try to put something to sleep when you're deciding what to switch into it. Leaving your team unprepared for any Snorlax set can be devastating, so you must be ready for anything whenever it pops up.

Sample Set:

Snorlax

- Lovely Kiss

- Body Slam

- Earthquake

- Self-Destruct

Alakazam

Alakazam has always been a rather one-dimensional threat in RBY OU. Psychic, Recover, and Thunder Wave are pretty much guaranteed, with either Seismic Toss or Reflect rounding out the set. Thanks to GSC's TMs, however, it finally has some coverage moves to smack around its common switch-ins. Much like with Hypno, the choice comes down to Ice Punch vs. Thunder Punch. Thunder Punch is notable for two reasons. First off, it means that Alakazam no longer fears Starmie, which would otherwise be a tricky match-up for it. Secondly, it means Alakazam can actually put the hurt on Slowbro. The only way that special attacks are capable of doing serious damage against a set-up Slowbro is with critical hits, and with Alakazam's incredible 23.4% chance to land a critical hit, it threatens to nail Slowbro for 76.8 - 90.5% damage nearly a quarter of the time.

Meanwhile, Ice Punch finally gives Alakazam a solid attack against Exeggutor, which would normally be a safe switch-in that threatens to use Explosion or put a foe to sleep. It also has a 10% chance to freeze the foe, allowing Alakazam to fish for hax against Chansey, especially if the latter was foolish enough to use Thunder Wave first. That said, if Chansey's already paralyzed, Alakazam should just stick to spamming Psychic against it. The Rock-types are also taking more damage from Ice Punch, as it's a guaranteed 2HKO on both, which Psychic falls short of consistently achieving.

Sample Set:

Alakazam

- Psychic

- Thunder Punch / Ice Punch

- Thunder Wave

- Recover

Tauros

Everyone's favorite RBY OU cleaner is still great in Tradebacks. It also has two new tricks up its sleeves. The first one is Surf, which does massive amounts of damage to Golem and Rhydon. Unfortunately, it doesn't even guarantee the OHKO on either one, even after they switch in on Body Slam. For that reason, Blizzard is still usually preferred, as it will do more damage to Exeggutor and scare off Dragonite. The second addition is Quick Attack, which looks like a fun priority move to toss onto Tauros until you realize that every move on its standard set is much more useful overall.

Persian

Persian is normally seen as more of a fringe threat in RBY OU, as other Normal-types such as Tauros, Snorlax, and even Kangaskhan are more potent overall. In Tradebacks, however, it becomes notable for one important reason: it's the fastest sleeper in the game. Hypnosis may have shaky accuracy, but that doesn't stop Persian from being a solid choice for the lead slot, especially now that finding a second sleeper is easier than ever with Snorlax around. Persian also gains Amnesia in Tradebacks, with Thunderbolt and Bubble Beam as options for special attacks, but its low Special and overall bulk make it a poor candidate for that.

Clefable

Clefable, on the other hand, can run Amnesia effectively. With Thunderbolt and Blizzard / Ice Beam at its disposal, it actually outdamages Hypno's elemental punches. Hypno's still usually the better choice overall, however, thanks to its resistance to Psychic and the added power of STAB on its own Psychic. While running Clefable over Hypno isn't usually recommended, packing both is an option if you're looking to overwhelm opposing teams with powerful Amnesia sweepers.

Jolteon

Jolteon picked up Growth from an NYC event, and unlike the other Eeveelutions, it makes pretty good use of it. It actually sets up pretty safely against Chansey and can eventually beat it down with Thunderbolt instead of relying on the weak Double Kick. That said, Growth Jolteon is even more susceptible to being hard-walled by the Rock-types, so it's absolutely crucial to remove them before attempting a sweep with it.

Gengar

Normally seen as a fast sleeper that can absorb stray Explosions, Gengar actually has more utility courtesy of GSC. It gains Haze as an Egg Move, which isn't a bad move to have on hand with all of the Amnesia and Growth users in the metagame. More importantly, it gains Ice Punch as a solid coverage option. Besides giving it a better move to hit Exeggutor with, it makes Gengar a fantastic counter to Dragonite.

Others

Several other Pokémon gain some nifty perks, though they're much less impressive in the long run. Ninetales receives Hypnosis, making it a decent sleep lead that 2HKOes Jynx and Exeggutor, and it can pack annoying moves such as Confuse Ray and Fire Spin to boot, but Persian and Gengar are faster sleep leads that are more threatening overall. Nidoking is notable for gaining Amnesia and Lovely Kiss, though it can't use both at the same time, sadly. It's pretty outclassed as an Amnesia sweeper, and sleep isn't a big enough niche in this metagame to make it worth using a Pokémon with so many killer weaknesses. Dodrio gains Low Kick, which lets it land chip damage against the Rock-types, but the attack doesn't do much more than that. It also picks up Quick Attack, but that can't be used alongside Low Kick, which is usually the preferred option. Raichu can now use Sing, giving it something to threaten Exeggutor with, though Sing's poor accuracy is a downer. Vaporeon can run a Growth set, but its lack of immediacy and Vapoeron's lack of a Psychic typing make it hard to justify over Slowbro.

Stayed the Same

Even with all of the changes to movesets, most of RBY OU's mainstays play identically to before. Despite gaining nothing in the transition, Slowbro becomes a more viable option in general thanks to its ability to beat Ice Punch Hypno. Golem has a clear edge over Rhydon in this metagame, as having another Explosion user is always handy for slamming the various Amnesia users. Exeggutor is the best response to Thunder Punch Hypno and has an easier time against Tauros that drop Blizzard for Surf, but it needs to watch out for Ice Punch on the likes of Hypno, Alakazam, and Gengar now.

Chansey, Jynx, Lapras, and Zapdos are all identical to how they used to be. Starmie is also basically the same, only gaining Confuse Ray. Its standard sets continue to be the most used ones, but you should always be wary of it possibly running a parafusion set in Tradebacks. Dragonite will also be running its usual AgiliWrap set the majority of the time. That said, it now has access to Haze and outspeeds all of the common Amnesia users, so keep that in mind if you see one switching in against them.

Moveset Changes

• Venusaur: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Defense Curl (M), Light Screen (B), Petal Dance (B), Razor Wind (B), Skull Bash (B)
• Charizard: Smokescreen (L), Wing Attack (L), Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Defense Curl (M), Fire Punch (M), Bite (B), Rock Slide (B)
• Blastoise: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Ice Punch (M), Defense Curl (M), Waterfall (M), Confusion (B), Haze (B), Mist (B)
• Butterfree: --
• Beedrill: --
• Pidgeot: --
• Raticate: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Defense Curl (M), Bite (B), Counter (B), Fury Swipes (B), Screech (B)
• Fearow: Quick Attack (B), Tri Attack (B), Sonic Boom (E)
• Arbok: Haze (L), Headbutt (M), Slam (B)
• Raichu: Headbutt (M), Defense Curl (M), Double Slap (B), Sing (E), Petal Dance (E), Dizzy Punch (E)
• Sandslash: Defense Curl (L), Headbutt (M), Counter (B)
• Nidoqueen: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Ice Punch (M), Defense Curl (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Disable (B), Focus Energy (B), Supersonic (B), Lovely Kiss (E)
• Nidoking: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Ice Punch (M), Defense Curl (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Amnesia (B), Confusion (B), Disable (B), Supersonic (B), Lovely Kiss (E)
• Clefable: Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Defense Curl (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Amnesia (B), Splash (B), Dizzy Punch (E), Petal Dance (E)
• Ninetales: Headbutt (M), Disable (B), Hypnosis (B)
• Wigglytuff: Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Defense Curl (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Dizzy Punch (E), Petal Dance (E)
• Golbat: Gust (B), Quick Attack (B), Whirlwind (B)
• Vileplume: Razor Leaf (B), Swords Dance (B), Leech Seed (E)
• Parasect: Poisonpowder (L), Counter (B), Light Screen (B), Psybeam (B)
• Venomoth: Gust (L), Screech (B)

Moveset Changes

• Dugtrio: Tri Attack (L), Screech (B)
• Persian: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Amnesia (B), Hypnosis (B)
• Golduck: Screech (L), Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Waterfall (M), Light Screen (B), Psybeam (B), Psychic (B), Petal Dance (E), Tri Attack (B)
• Primeape: Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Defense Curl (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Meditate (B)
• Arcanine: Headbutt (M), Fire Spin (B), Thrash (B)
• Poliwrath: Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Defence Curl (M), Waterfall (M), Haze (B), Mist (B), Splash (B), Growth (E), Lovely Kiss (E)
• Alakazam: Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Barrier (B), Light Screen (B)
• Machamp: Karate Chop (L), Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Light Screen (B), Meditate (B), Thrash (E), Fury Swipes (E)
• Victreebel: Leech Life (B), Lovely Kiss (E)
• Tentacruel: Waterfall (M), Aurora Beam (B), Haze (B), Confuse Ray (E)
• Golem: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Fire Punch (M)
• Rapidash: Fury Attack (L), Headbutt (M), Double Kick (B), Hypnosis (B), Quick Attack (B), Thrash (B), Low Kick (E)
• Slowbro: Ice Punch (M), Stomp (B)
• Magneton: Tri Attack (L), Agility (E)
• Farfetch'd: Headbutt (M), Gust (B), Mirror Move (B), Quick Attack (B)
• Dodrio: Haze (B), Quick Attack (B), Supersonic (B), Low Kick (E)
• Dewgong: Waterfall (M), Disable (B), Lick (B), Peck (B), Slam (B)
• Muk: Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Haze (B), Lick (B)
• Cloyster: Barrier (B), Screech (B)
• Gengar: Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Haze (B)
• Onix: Headbutt (M), Sharpen (E)
• Hypno: Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Barrier (B), Light Screen (B), Amnesia (E)
• Kingler: Amnesia (B), Dig (B), Haze (B), Slam (B)

Moveset Changes

• Electrode: Headbutt (M), Agility (E)
• Exeggutor: Confusion (L), Headbutt (M)
• Marowak: Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Screech (B), Skull Bash (B), Swords Dance (B), Fury Attack (E)
• Hitmonlee: Headbutt (L), Tackle (P), Dizzy Punch (E), Rage (E)
• Hitmonchan: Headbutt (M), Hi Jump Kick (B), Tackle (P), Dizzy Punch (E), Rage (E)
• Lickitung: Lick (L), Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Double Slap (E)
• Weezing: Poison Gas (L), Psybeam (B), Psywave (B), Screech (B)
• Rhydon: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Thrash (B)
• Chansey: Headbutt (M)
• Tangela: Headbutt (M), Amnesia (B), Confusion (B), Reflect (B)
• Kangaskahn: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Disable (B), Focus Energy (B), Stomp (B)
• Seadra: Waterfall (M), Headbutt (M), Aurora Beam (B), Disable (B), Dragon Rage (B), Splash (B), Haze (E)
• Seaking: Haze (B), Hydro Pump (B), Psybeam (B), Swords Dance (E)
• Starmie: Confuse Ray (L), Harden (P)
• Mr. Mime: Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Hypnosis (B)
• Scyther: Headbutt (M), Counter (B), Light Screen (B), Razor Wind (B), Sonic Boom (E)
• Jynx: Headbutt (M), Meditate (B), Confusion (P), Sing (P), Dizzy Punch (E), Petal Dance (E)
• Electabuzz: Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Barrier (B), Karate Chop (B), Rolling Kick (B), Dizzy Punch (E)
• Magmar: Headbutt (M), Fire Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Barrier (B), Karate Chop (B), Screech (B), Dizzy Punch (E)
• Pinsir: Headbutt (M), Fury Attack (B), Rock Throw (E)
• Tauros: Horn Attack (L), Thrash (L), Headbutt (M), Surf (M), Quick Attack (E)
• Gyarados: Thrash (L), Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Waterfall (M), Bubble (E)
• Lapras: Headbutt (M), Aurora beam (B), Bite (E)
• Ditto: --
• Vaporeon: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Waterfall (M), Growth (E)
• Jolteon: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Growth (E)
• Flareon: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Growth (E)
• Porygon: Barrier (E)
• Omastar: Constrict (L), Bite (L), Headbutt (M), Aurora Beam (B), Haze (B), Slam (B), Supersonic (B), Rock Throw (E)
• Kabutops: Sand-Attack (L), Mega Drain (L), Headbutt (M), Aurora Beam (B), Dig (B), Rock Throw (E)
• Aerodactyl: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Earthquake (M), Whirlwind (B), Rock Throw (E)
• Snorlax: Defense Curl (L), Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Lick (B), Lovely Kiss (E), Splash (E)
• Articuno: Gust (L), Roar (M)
• Zapdos: Peck (L), Roar (M)
• Moltres: Wing Attack (L), Ember (L), Roar (M)
• Dragonite: Wing Attack (L), Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Waterfall (M), Haze (B), Light Screen (B), Mist (B), Supersonic (B), Hydro Pump (E)
• Mewtwo: Headbutt (M), Ice Punch (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M)
• Mew: Headbutt (M), Roar (M), Ice Punch (M), Defense Curl (M), Thunder Punch (M), Fire Punch (M), Waterfall (M)