Generation V Defense Tiers
 

Note: This is a continuation of Dragontamer's efforts. I do not take credit for this method. All credit for the original method used goes to him.

Physical Defense Tier Chart:

Special Defense Tier Chart:

Modification List:


What are Defense Tiers?

Defense Tiers are a scale that measure a Pokemons overall defensive capabilities from highest to lowest. This is accomplished by multiplying the HP stat with the Defense or Special Defense stat, and using that product with the base logarithm of 1.1



The intent of this data is to help players make appropriate decisions for team building when assessing a Pokemons overall defensive qualities, where base stats alone would not have been sufficient in helping to determine which Pokemon may have been better suited for a particular role.

An example would be Manaphy vs Walrein. Manaphy has base 100 HP and 100 Defense, while Walrein has 110 HP and 90 Defense. While the total between the two base stats among Manaphy and Walrein are the same, they are not equal defensively speaking. By looking at the chart, we can see that Manaphy has a physical defense score of 118.52 at with 0 EV investment, while Walrein has 118.18, a .34 difference. If we were to give them each 252 HP EVs and 252 Defense EVs, Manaphy would score at 122.78, while Walrein scores at 122.56, a .22 difference.

What we have observed from this is that while their base totals for the two respective stats are the same, they do not have equal defensive capability, stat wise. What we can also see is that this continues to change given different EV investment, and does not remain a constant difference.

This becomes even more obvious when we observe a Pokemon like Blissey, who while has a physical score of 110.21 with 0/0 EVs, has a physical score of 119.08 with 252/252 EVs! That's a +8.87 tier increase, and will mean that Blissey will take almost 90% more damage from physical attacks from that investment alone.


How is the chart organized?

The chart is organized in to numerical tiers, starting from Regirock Tier 123 to Pichu Tier 98 in the Physical Defense Chart, and from the Blissey Tier 128 to Magikarp Tier 99 in the Special Defense Chart. Because the damage is calculated using the logarithmic scale base 1.1 there is a 10% damage difference between every tier. What this means is that a Pokemon in a specific tier will take exactly 10% more damage than a Pokemon in an exact tier above it, and will take exactly 10% less damage than a tier below it.

i.e. Wobuffet, who is in Tier 118 under the Physical Defense Chart, and has a physical defensive score of 118.35, will take 10% less damage from the same attack (assuming no type weakness) as Cradily, who has a physical defensive score of 117.35.

Stat spreads are read from left to right. In the Physical Defense Chart, the order follows as such: 0 HP/0 Defense, 0 HP/0 Special Defense, 252 HP/252 Defense, 252 HP/252 Special Defense. In the Special Defense Chart, the order follows the reverse, as such: 0 HP/0 Special Defense, 0 HP/0 Defense, 252 HP/252 Special Defense, 252 HP/252 Defense.

Pokemon are tiered primarily by there score under the first column 0/0 regardless of how significant their score may increase with a 252/252 spread. An example of this would be Blissey, who is placed in the 110 tier with 110.21 under the Physical Defense Chart with 0/0 investment, despite having a 9 tier increase when given 252/252 EVs. When Pokemon are of equal score, they are ordered numerically via Pokedex number.

Note: Natures are NOT taken in to account in these calculations. If you want to know the score with a nature included, please refer to the modification list above.


How do I determine Defense Tier scores for customized EV spreads?

Simply use the same example I explained above. After determining the raw stats of the Pokemon when given the desired EV spread, take the HP stat, and either the Defense or Special Defense stat, and multiply them together. Then take that product, and use the base logarithm 1.1

I like to use the logarithmic calculator provided here. Press the Logarithm button, click the "Other" option, type 1.1 in the box beside it, and enter your product in the empty box beside the box that says "Logarithm of". Instead of using the product, you can even type the multiplication in instead, such as 404*328, and the calculator will produce the score automatically.


What if I want to include other factors in to the score, such as type resistance, stat boosts, or hazard damage?

That's what the modification list is for! Simply take the values in the legend and add or subtract them from the total score of the Pokemon. Easy.

An example of this would be Salamence, with a 0/0 Defense score of 116.25. If we wanted to figure out Salamence's defensive ability with its ability Intimidate in effect, we simply refer to the chart, and add 4.25 to the score. Salamences new score with Intimidate included becomes 120.50.

Reserved Post.

I've updated the opening post with the Special Defense scores!

Now if we could just organize the most useful to least useful resistances in order in the least subjective manner possible...

This is really cool, I always wondered how the defense calculator did it. I can probably get custom ev stats using math instead of guessing and checking now. I should note that for most users its probably easier to take the log of 1.1 by doing this:

Log(HP*Defense Stat)/log(1.1) both base 10 of course, the standard calculator log.

http://www.smogon.com/smog/issue3/attacking_types

Unfortunately this is obviously outdated, going back to DPP (before even HGSS) where Ferrothorn and Multiscale Dragonite didn't exist and Latios was Uber (Latias was still OU at that point). Still that's the closest thing I can remember to an objective list. Hopefully a list like this can be made again but that requires someone who wants to do the job.

there's actually a better one in the CAP subforum posted by X-Act, i don't recall the name but it got necro'd rather recently so finding it should not be that hard.

Just looking real quick some things seemed off, like that a 252/252 steelix has worse defense than a 0/0?

other than that good work, nice chart, it's pretty cool.

EDIT: never mind i was reading the chart stupid. but now that we're on the issue why is there a 0/0 def and a 0/0 sdef? they are the exact same thing amirite? it would make more sense for your calcs to be done with 0/0, 252/0, 0/252, and 252/252 in that order imho

EDIT2: Bingo. now note this was made in '08 but most of this stuff still seems fairly relevant save for special dragon.

I've also noticed that the chart needs to be updated. After going through the chart, I realized that 5th gen pokes are still referred to by their Japanese names.

Shedninja may be last, but when shedninja walls something, it walls it.