np: UU Stage 1 - Changes

[Lord Death Man]

I think the issue with Jirachi is that it has so many very good sets combined with a 60% flinch chance and a pretty decent typing.

Yes, Scarf Jirachi has checks and counters, especially when you know what move it's locked into, but that doesn't change that the set you expect might not be the set it's running, and many Scarfrachis are going to click u-turn at least half the time anyway. Also,

252 Atk Jirachi Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Lucario: 73-87 (25.9 - 30.9%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252 Atk Jirachi Fire Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Lucario: 184-218 (65.4 - 77.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252+ SpA Life Orb Lucario Vacuum Wave vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Jirachi: 172-203 (50.4 - 59.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

I don't think Lucario can switch in and still check Scarf Jirachi; they might have to give something up, but they get to pick which. Even revenging it can be difficult because they might have something that checks NP Lucario, which makes it moot. I also don't think Modest is standard, but whatever.

Iron Head 60% flinch is kind of uncompetitive. Further, it doesn't even have to run Iron Head, but running a specific mon JUST to have a chance to check one of a specific pokemon's sets is very uncompetitive.

Jirachi is definitely worth a suspect at least, in my opinion.

 

[So Dynamic]

im p sure rachi is going ou via usage regardless

 

[Pinkin Lark]

Rachi's only thing is that it's annoying as fuck to deal with, as 90% of them are Scarf and about 8% are ParaFlinch combos. Special Rachi is actually insanely fun to play, but it's totally overshadowed by the simple fact it has Serene Grace and two 30% Flinch moves. And if we were banning shit on bullshit strats alone, Machamp would be the first to go.

As mentioned, Rachi might rise come Feb. -- was pretty much 100% rising pre-ORAS debacle, and has seen a rise again in usage over the last two months(2.26% and 2.86% respectively). Will need a bit more of a push this month to make it, though.

As for Mega-Cham; what hasn't been said? Thing wrecks just about everything. Just run Fletch and hope they get overconfident. Or abuse it like hell for free ladder until they ban it. Works either way.

 

[glock in my toyota]

im p sure rachi is going ou via usage regardless

i mean this isnt guaranteed by any means, weve been saying this for like 3 months now, but this time hopefully lol

 

[Patrick1088]

Rachi's only thing is that it's annoying as fuck to deal with, as 90% of them are Scarf and about 8% are ParaFlinch combos. Special Rachi is actually insanely fun to play, but it's totally overshadowed by the simple fact it has Serene Grace and two 30% Flinch moves. And if we were banning shit on bullshit strats alone, Machamp would be the first to go.

As mentioned, Rachi might rise come Feb. -- was pretty much 100% rising pre-ORAS debacle, and has seen a rise again in usage over the last two months(2.26% and 2.86% respectively). Will need a bit more of a push this month to make it, though.

As for Mega-Cham; what hasn't been said? Thing wrecks just about everything. Just run Fletch and hope they get overconfident. Or abuse it like hell for free ladder until they ban it. Works either way.

We are getting a tier shift in Feb? I thought tbe next shift was April since we had two tier shifts since ORAS came out.

 

[slated]

We are getting a tier shift in Feb? I thought tbe next shift was April since we had two tier shifts since ORAS came out.

No, we're getting a tier shift in feburary with the normal percentages instead of the different ones we had in January and December.

 

[Mighty Dagon]

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-205707369
Medi kinda rekts stall. The fact is, I'm a decent player, and I managed to beat feng with it (and hax)

 

[Christo]

I believe Mega Medicham has ridiculous wallbreaking capacity. It can 1 or 2 HKO most of the tier with its dual STABS. If people start using things like doublade or spiritomb which are not viable, then something is wrong. It can even run fire punch for doublade. Bulky psychics that check it are taken care of by dark type teammates eg Hydreigon. Mega Medicham is completely broken in UU so ban in my opinion.

Oml Doublade is 100% viable in uu.

 

[Schpoonman]

Doublade is at the very bottom of viability, and only to check/counter broken shit like Mega Medicham. Did you see Doublade in high-ladder play before Medicham came back? No.

 

[YABO]

Doublade is at the very bottom of viability, and only to check/counter broken shit like Mega Medicham. Did you see Doublade in high-ladder play before Medicham came back? No.

Doublade has always been a cool niche 'mon, its foolish to say that it only has viability because of Mega Medi.

 

[yamb]

Arcanine and Weezing are good at things other than checking Mega Mawile guys, I swear!

How long until Megacham leaves?

 

[Patrick1088]

Doublade has always been a cool niche 'mon, its foolish to say that it only has viability because of Mega Medi.

I think Doublade is more viable than say Bronzong which rose in usage during the Diancie/Diggersby testing meta. Doublade had become more viable with the loss of priority WoW from Sableye. There really arent too many viable WoW users in UU atm. Ive used Weezing as my DH to decent success, but other than that and the (more than occassional) burn from Scald, burn isnt seen as much. There is Entei, too, with Sacred Fire, but thats only a 2hko on bulky doub

252+ Atk Choice Band Entei Sacred Fire vs. 240 HP / 0 Def Eviolite Doublade: 234-276 (73.3 - 86.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Doub isnt worn down by t spikes toxic orbseismic toss. Has priority and good ghost//steel/fighting coverage.

So, to sum it up, Doublade has a good nice in the current meta, but its recent rise in usage is directly corresponding to MegaChams testing. One semi viable mon doesnt mean MegaCham shoud stay.

Hogg i think youll get a kick out of this post after our battle the other day lol

 

[Christo]

Doublade is at the very bottom of viability, and only to check/counter broken shit like Mega Medicham. Did you see Doublade in high-ladder play before Medicham came back? No.

Doublade checks pretty much every physical sweeper in uu bar banded entei and krookodile if you did not deal prior damage. And just because its on the the bottom of the viability, does not automatically make it not viable in UU. Not to mention its offensive presence can easily sweep through teams after its threats are dealt with.

 

[TM13IceBeam]

How is Doublade even at the bottom of viability anyway, it's B rank in viability rankings. He has an actual niche in UU unlike, say, Scrafty???

 

[Schpoonman]

...I'm clearly out of touch, I can't remember seeing one in weeks. Just ignore that.

 

[imaloony]

How is Doublade even at the bottom of viability anyway, it's B rank in viability rankings. He has an actual niche in UU unlike, say, Scrafty???

Man, Scrafty gets underestimated all the time. I'm not saying he's a top tier threat, but he's got a really good Assault Vest set (With Intimidate he becomes extremely bulky on both sides of the spectrum), and his Rest/Bulk Up/Shed Skin set is also really good.

 

[nv]

Man, Scrafty gets underestimated all the time. I'm not saying he's a top tier threat, but he's got a really good Assault Vest set (With Intimidate he becomes extremely bulky on both sides of the spectrum), and his Rest/Bulk Up/Shed Skin set is also really good.

While these may seem like good sets, Scrafty is just not good at all in UU since XY. It is only still stuck in UU usage wise because low ladder noobs think it is viable. When it comes down to it, there are so many mons that do a WAY better job than Scrafty such as Machamp, which is way better thanks to Close Combat and the combo of Choice Band + Guts, or even Pangoro as Pangoro has a reliable way to beat Fairies and break stall via SD or gain momentum via Parting Shot.

tl;dr Pls for the love of god drop Scrafty to RU already...

 

[Mahmudkipz]

Scrafty talk aside, has anyone been using Pangoro? CB/SD are both pretty amazing at wallbreaking, especially since it has great coverage and can wear down its checks with Knock Off.

-1 252+ Atk Choice Band Pangoro Gunk Shot vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Granbull: 240-284 (62.5 - 73.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Choice Band Pangoro Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 40 Def Crobat: 288-340 (77.2 - 91.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock


Lol this thing is a savage.

 

[So Dynamic]

dont mention av scrafty please

 

[TM13IceBeam]

im p. sure machamp is a competent enough user of assault vest to be considered much superior than scrafty

stab knock off isnt really too important when you have a nuke in close combat off much higher attack, or dynamic punch aka the worst move in existence.


the only thing that scrafty really has is that bulk up set, and he really struggles in a meta where fairies are pretty prevalent. pangoro is a much better choice tbh @_@

 

[Talpr0ne]

The fact that a legitimately good Pokémon such as Ampharos has significantly more chances to drop than garbage such as Scrafty and Flygon makes me laugh and cringe at the same time. It doesn't help that the same is happening in RU with Abomasnow and Emboar on the edge of NU while Ambipom, Hitmonchan and Claydol are still there, well above the cutoff, infesting RU and laughing at the rage of competent players.

| 48 | Flygon | 5.00573% | 45892 | 6.310% | 37641 | 6.379% |
| 59 | Scrafty | 4.14066% | 44353 | 6.098% | 35564 | 6.027% |
| 63 | Ampharos | 3.94437% | 31877 | 4.383% | 25364 | 4.298% |
(usage from December 2014)

 

[slated]

The fact that a legitimately good Pokémon such as Ampharos has significantly more chances to drop than garbage such as Scrafty and Flygon makes me laugh and cringe at the same time. It doesn't help that the same is happening in RU with Abomasnow and Emboar on the edge of NU while Ambipom, Hitmonchan and Claydol are still there, well above the cutoff, infesting RU and laughing at the rage of competent players.

| 48 | Flygon | 5.00573% | 45892 | 6.310% | 37641 | 6.379% |
| 59 | Scrafty | 4.14066% | 44353 | 6.098% | 35564 | 6.027% |
| 63 | Ampharos | 3.94437% | 31877 | 4.383% | 25364 | 4.298% |
(usage from December 2014)

Ampharos was significantly worse in December because it was still recovering from its ridiculous drop in usage during Mega Diancie / Mega Altaria era. It's rising by a lot and will 100% be higher than both of those by February. Even a lot of competent UU players were hesitant to use Mega Ampharos in the early December era, especially when you could use better megas (Mega Lop/Mega Gallade were still legal IIRC).

 

[imaloony]

While these may seem like good sets, Scrafty is just not good at all in UU since XY. It is only still stuck in UU usage wise because low ladder noobs think it is viable. When it comes down to it, there are so many mons that do a WAY better job than Scrafty such as Machamp, which is way better thanks to Close Combat and the combo of Choice Band + Guts, or even Pangoro as Pangoro has a reliable way to beat Fairies and break stall via SD or gain momentum via Parting Shot.

tl;dr Pls for the love of god drop Scrafty to RU already...

That's a bad comparison; Machamp and Scarfty have different roles with the AV. Machamp can hit harder, but Scrafty is bulkier and actually has a recovery move to use with it. It's not a simple matter of "This one is objectively better!"

Hell, BlameTruth in one of his recent VLogs was even talking about how he thinks Cress and Scrafty are among the most underrated pokemon in the game right now.

 

[boltsandbombers]

That's a bad comparison; Machamp and Scarfty have different roles with the AV. Machamp can hit harder, but Scrafty is bulkier and actually has a recovery move to use with it. It's not a simple matter of "This one is objectively better!"

Hell, BlameTruth in one of his recent VLogs was even talking about how he thinks Cress and Scrafty are among the most underrated pokemon in the game right now.

How do they have different roles? Machamp is objectively better because it has significantly higher attack and speed, better defensive typing than scrafty, and wider movepool. Machamp can hax its way through opponents witth 100% accurate Dynamicpunches thanks to no guard, absorb status better than scrafty with guts, and not to mention Drain Punch is pretty darn weak.
I barely even play UU, and I know that.
Please dont ever bring blame truth into the discussion here, his opinions dont mean jack shit, as he has flawed knowledge of metagames. His only strategy is just to slap an Assault Vest onto every single Pokemon and think its good, which is not.

 

[Joltage]

Seriousy, Scrafty hits like a limp noodle without boosts, and multiple boosts at that. And what is this recovery move that your referring to on AV Scrafty? Drain Punch? You do realize that you actually have to hurt stuff to get any decent recovery with that move, right? Also Scrafty's "bulk" means jack squat when it's as weak to as much common shit as it is. Scrafty is bad. Period. End of Story. Stop using it.