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Zoroark is all about fighting dirty, using sneaky tricks and underhanded tactics to win matches. It achieves this by utilizing its signature ability, Illusion, which allows to appear as the 6th slot Pokemon on your team. This can lead to some pretty tricky mindgames, as your opponent has no idea if you've sent Zoroark out or not. That Scizor that just switched in might be secretly a Zoroark in disguise that's just waiting to roast your Skarmory with Flamethrower. Your Heatran might not stop that Jirachi if it happens to carry Focus Blast. When all's said and done however, Zoroark is burdened with several limitations that prevent it from being an absolute murderer. It's disappointingly frail, to the point where it can never switch into anything and any remotely powerful attack will OHKO it. It relies on its Speed to KO opposing Pokemon, but 105 Base Speed is a step below several prominent Pokemon, notably the Swords of Justice, Gengar and Tornadus-T. Still, when it comes down to it, Zoroark is the perfect assassin, taking out unaware targets with impunity. Just don't let it get caught outside of the shadows.

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Zoroark is blessed with awesome attacking stats, a great Speed stat, and a plethora of move options, making it an offensive threat to watch out for. Access to both Nasty Plot and Swords Dance makes it an unpredictable and effective sweeper, which allows it to pose as a major threat to both offensive and stall teams. However, the main draw to using Zoroark is its unique ability Illusion, which allows it to take on the appearance of the last Pokemon on your team. When properly used, Illusion can temporarily trick the opponent into thinking Zoroark is a different Pokemon altogether, which can allow it to get a surprise kill or even set up. Illusion works well with Zoroark's incredible coverage, which, when paired with Sucker Punch, allows it to take out the vast majority of the metagame. However, Zoroark's miserable defenses mean that almost any strong STAB or super effective priority move will OHKO it. Zoroark's typing also pales in comparison to that of Gengar or Lucario, and it has a hard time switching in. As a result of this, Zoroark is a difficult Pokemon to use and unforgiving if you make a mistake. However, despite these flaws, Zoroark is still a solid Pokemon; a successfully executed feint from Zoroark can instantly turn the tide of the match.

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Zoroark is all about fighting dirty by using sneaky tricks and underhanded tactics to win matches. It achieves this by utilizing its signature ability, Illusion, which allows to appear as the Pokemon in the sixth slot of your team. This can lead to some pretty tricky mind games, as your opponent has no idea if you've sent Zoroark out or not. That Scizor that just switched in might be secretly a Zoroark in disguise that's just waiting to roast your Skarmory with Flamethrower. Your Heatran might not stop that Jirachi if it happens to carry Focus Blast. When all's said and done however, Zoroark is burdened with several limitations that prevent it from being an absolute murderer. It's disappointingly frail, to the point where it can never switch into anything, and any remotely powerful attack will OHKO it. It relies on its Speed to KO opposing Pokemon, but base 105 Speed is a step below several prominent Pokemon, notably Keldeo, Terrakion, Gengar, and Tornadus-T. Still, when it comes down to it, Zoroark is the perfect assassin, taking out unaware targets with impunity; just don't let it get caught outside of the shadows.

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With apologies to anthropologist Ashley Montagu, Staraptor's purpose is "to die young as late as possible." This predatory bird can certainly make an impact with its fearsome Attack, decent Speed, and high Base Power moves, with enough power to OHKO and 2HKO some of the most common threats in OU with little support. The reason why Staraptor outclasses comparable Normal/Flying-type Pokemon is no mystery: it has Close Combat to round out its type coverage, disposing of Rock- and Steel-types that would otherwise wall its Normal- and Flying-type STAB attacks. What differentiates Staraptor from other competitors in OU is its ability to abuse the Flying-type STAB, which has deceptively great coverage in the current metagame alongside Close Combat.

The bad news is that while Staraptor is capable of sweeping whole teams, its lackluster defenses, weakness to Stealth Rock, and reliance on recoil moves limit its survivability on the battlefield severely. The mere existence of faster competitors and priority attacks in the metagame regulates Staraptor's own presence as well. Despite these weaknesses, Staraptor has qualities that differentiate it from the many physical attackers that roam this new generation, making it a significant threat given the right conditions.

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Staraptor is a Pokemon with numerous shortcomings. Firstly, it has a weakness to Stealth Rock, and when combined with constant recoil from Brave Bird, means it will get worn down rather quickly. Staraptor also suffers from the fact that its Base 100 Speed stat simply isn't up to par in this fast-paced metagame, so it will be outpaced very frequently. It also has poor defenses, meaning that it will usually cringe in one move. Finally, Staraptor's crippling weaknesses to Ice, Rock, and Electric make it so that threats such as Mamoswine, Thundurus-T, and Terrakion can dispose of it before it can react.

However, Staraptor does have some perks that make it usable in OU. With 120 Attack along with an ability in Reckless and two powerful STABs in Brave Bird and Double-Edge, can put massive dents in teams. It also has Close Combat to put the hurt on numerous Steel-types, as well as U-turn to keep up offensive momentum. Despite Staraptor's many shortcomings, it can be good enough to perform well in the right conditions.

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Blessed with Dark / Fighting typing and decent stats all around, Scrafty lives up to its reputation of being a bad-ass ghetto lizard. Sporting good defenses, decent Attack, and two different boosting moves in Bulk Up and Dragon Dance, Scrafty is a versatile threat, viable on both balanced and offensive teams. The combination of Rest and Shed Skin is another neat perk of Scrafty's that allows it to heal itself somewhat reliably and distinguish itself from similar Pokemon. While its low Speed and weakness to Fighting-type moves hold it back from being a top-tier threat, Scrafty has just the right moves, stats, and typing to find a niche in the standard metagame.

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To put it bluntly, Scrafty is one of the Pokemon who got hit the hardest in the transition to BW2. Although he still has his good qualities going for it, he just struggles to find his place in the OU metagame. With powerful attackers such as Keldeo and Thundurus-T, Scrafty's bulk just doesn't come up to par in this much more offensive metagame. With a poor Speed stat, Scrafty often struggles to outspeed much of the metagame even with a Dragon Dance boost. His weaknesses to Fighting and Flying are much more prominent than ever, meaning that he will more than often struggle to nab a boost. Scrafty has also lost his former niche as a stallbreaker, as stall is much less prominent a force in BW2. However, as grim as things may be for Scrafty, he does have a few things going for him that make him viable for use in OU. With great type coverage along with Moxie and Dragon Dance, Scrafty still can sweep some unprepared teams in the right conditions. Just do keep in mind though; Scrafty isn't the kind of Pokemon you can just slap onto a team and expect initial improvements, as a matter of fact, doing so usually will provide the opposite effect.

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While Sableye has been considered a mediocre Pokemon in past generations, it received a godsend from the Dream World in the form of Prankster, an ability that gives an added +1 priority to all non-attacking moves. Not only is it the only Ghost-type with Prankster, but it is also the only Pokemon with this ability that has access to both Recover and Will-O-Wisp. Add to this the fact that Sableye is immune to many attacking moves with priority, and you have an insanely annoying Pokemon that can cripple entire teams—if the opponent doesn't quit beforehand. However, despite these perks, it is still an all-around mediocre Pokemon outside of Prankster, with none of its base stats exceeding 75. Furthermore, Sableye can only really switch in to a few select Pokemon, like Alakazam, Reuniclus, or Skarmory. However, Sableye is still a Pokemon you can trust to perform its job well on your team.

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Sableye, once languishing in the forgotten depths of NU, has gained a wonderful new ability in Prankster. Along with that comes the proper movepool to abuse it; that includes Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, and Recover. This, along with a coveted Dark / Ghost typing, gives Sableye some unique niches in OU; a spinblocker who can annoy teams, a stallbreaker with its priority Taunt, and a hindrance to physical attackers with Will-O-Wisp. With all of these in mind, Sableye can fit itself on most teams, however, where it shines most is on sun teams, where it benefits from weakened Water-type attacks from Tentacruel and Starmie to help it do its spinblocking annoyer job much more effectively.

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After a long history of being relegated to the lower tiers due to its horrid Speed, paper-thin defenses, and lack of powerful STAB options, Crawdaunt once again appears unable to avoid its tiering fate in this generation of Pokemon. Though cursed with such dubious attributes, there is at least one good reason to use Crawdaunt in OU: Adaptability. This amazing ability from the Dream World gives it access to more power than it has ever had before, and with rain support, grants Crawdaunt plenty of opportunities to crush its enemies with its crustaceous claws. Once-feared tanks such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory crumble beneath its awesome might, and serve only as an example as to why one should not underestimate this unorthodox, albeit formidable foe

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Crawdaunt's sole reason to be used in OU is its ability, Adaptability. This gives it enough power to smash through even the bulkiest of Pokemon such as Skarmory and Hippowdon. Along with it comes a boosting move in Dragon Dance, allowing it to hit significantly harder while also outspeeding some notable things in OU. However, Crawdaunt is still cursed with its poor atributes that really hold it back from being a truly dangerous powerhouse. It has a low Speed stat, meaning that even with Dragon Dance, numerous Pokemon such as Terrakion can smash through it. It also has very poor defenses, meaning it struggles to survive long enough to hit enough targets. In short, use Crawdaunt for its sheer power, or don't use it at all.

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With a change in the definition of Evasion Clause now banning Sand Veil from OU, Garchomp lost most of his strength in sandstorm, leaving him with only his Rough Skin ability. However, don't think Sand Veil was the only reason for Garchomp's success; a great Dragon / Ground dual typing coupled with high base stats is nothing to scoff at. Garchomp's almost perfect STAB coverage is only resisted by Skarmory and the rarely seen Bronzong and inviable Shedinja. Resisting Stealth Rock and working well under any weather condition are just a few more of his many perks.

Although he faces competition from his Dragon-type brethren Dragonite, Salamence, and Haxorus, Garchomp can stand his ground thanks to his unique attributes, including the ability to set up Stealth Rock and an immunity to Electric-type moves that leaves him completely unaffected by Thunder Wave and Volt Switch. His weaknesses to Dragon- and Ice-type moves do leave him vulnerable to faster Dragon-types and Ice Shard users, but these are issues team support should take care of.

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With the banning of Sand Veil under a revised Evasion Clause, the infamous Mach Pokémon returns to rampage in OU. His nearly-unresisted STAB coverage and excellent Attack and Speed stats provides him with an always terrifying offensive presence, and with bulk practically unheard of on a Pokémon as powerful as Garchomp, stopping him in the middle of a sweep is no mean feat. Garchomp's Ground-subtyping is even more of a blessing, providing immunity to Electric attacks such as Thunder, Volt Switch, Thunder Wave, and a resistance to Stealth Rock, giving him switch-in opportunities his Flying brothers would rage for.

Garchomp's versatility is not to be underestimated either. His fantastic base 108 HP and 95/85 defenses gives him better all-around bulk than Swampert! Garchomp was given every tool he needs to succeed as a defensive pivot and harasser in the generation shift: Rough Skin ensures any physical attacker will be wishing they had stayed home; Dragon Tail gives Garchomp a powerful phazing tool, which mixes perfectly with Stealth Rock, a gift from the Black and White 2 Move Tutors. His excellent base 102 speed even makes Garchomp quite possibly the most devastating RestTalk phazer in the game, as opposing attackers will find him far sturdier than other Pokémon as powerful and walls that can take his punishment will quickly find themselves returned to their Pokéballs only to take more damage upon re-entry.

As incredible as we've painted Garchomp to be, and he most certainly is incredible, he has his fair share of shortcomings. The most obvious is the absence of Sand Veil, and the free turns it provides. Despite his unique speed, the only 102 Pokémon in the game, it's just not as fast as it once was, especially with Keldeo, Terrakion, and the twin Eon Pokémon running amok. Finally, his Ground-subtyping removes his resistances to Water- and Grass-type attacks, which are always dangers in the weather-torn OU metagame, as well as compounding Dragon's fatal Ice weakness.

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With a change in the definition of Evasion Clause now banning Sand Veil from OU, Garchomp lost most of his strength in sandstorm, leaving him with only his Rough Skin ability. However, don't think Sand Veil was the only reason for Garchomp's success; a great Dragon / Ground dual typing coupled with high base stats is nothing to scoff at. Garchomp's almost perfect STAB coverage is only resisted by Skarmory and the rarely seen Bronzong and inviable Shedinja. Resisting Stealth Rock and working well under any weather condition are just a few more of his many perks.

Although he faces competition from his Dragon-type brethren Dragonite, Salamence, and Haxorus, Garchomp can stand his ground thanks to his unique attributes, including the ability to set up Stealth Rock and an immunity to Electric-type moves that leaves him completely unaffected by Thunder Wave and Volt Switch. His weaknesses to Dragon- and Ice-type moves do leave him vulnerable to faster Dragon-types and Ice Shard users, but these are issues team support should take care of.

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With the banning of Sand Veil under a revised Evasion Clause, the infamous Mach Pokémon returns to rampage in OU. His nearly-unresisted STAB coverage and excellent Attack and Speed stats provides him with an always-terrifying offensive presence, and with bulk practically unheard of on a Pokemon as powerful as Garchomp, stopping him in the middle of a sweep is no mean feat. Garchomp's Ground subtyping is even more of a blessing, providing immunity to Electric attacks and a resistance to Stealth Rock, giving him switch-in opportunities his Flying brothers would rage for. Garchomp's versatility is not to be underestimated either. His fantastic base 108 HP and 95/85 defenses gives him better all-around bulk than Swampert! Garchomp was given every tool he needs to succeed as a defensive pivot and harasser in the tail end of the generation: Black and White 2's Move Tutors gave him access to Stealth Rock, Rough Skin punishes physical attackers, and Dragon Tail uses his excellent Attack and bulk in combination.

As incredible as we've painted Garchomp to be, and he most certainly is incredible, he has his fair share of shortcomings. The most obvious is the absence of Sand Veil and the free turns it provides. Despite his unique speed, the only 102 Pokemon in the game, it's just not as fast as it once was, especially with Keldeo, Terrakion, and the twin Eon Pokemon running amok. Finally, his Ground subtyping removes his resistances to Water- and Grass-type attacks, which are always dangers in the weather-torn OU metagame, as well as compounding Dragon's fatal Ice weakness.