Project "Update Overviews" (post 1 updated with reservations)

[nyttyn]

I will be attempting to aid this project as a writer, as while I'd like to say I'm a good battler, I'm no Stone.

If possible, i'll take Blissey's overview. Blissey because the first few sentences are just a rant on how it's harder to use in BW then in DPP which could be condensed into one, two sentences tops.

Current Blissey Overview (OU):

Blissey's job gets harder and harder with each new generation. ADV forced Blissey to deal with Substitute + Calm Mind users, while DPP introduced Nasty Plot, Life Orb, and Choice Specs to boost special moves, and overall stronger opposing Pokemon. BW is Blissey's toughest challenge yet, with the introduction of Psyshock, which lets special attackers hit Blissey's Defense instead of her Special Defense. Additionally, with stronger Fighting-type Pokemon that were introduced in this generation, Blissey is forced out much more often. However, Blissey managed to gain one massive boost. With the new Wish mechanics, Wish now heals 50% of the user's HP, meaning that Blissey will be able to heal most injured Pokemon back to full HP. Furthermore, she still has the Special Defense to tank many attacks despite competition from her younger sibling Chansey. With the proper teammates, Blissey can still wall the majority of special attackers and be a general nuisance to the opposing team.

Why it should be changed: The overview spends a entire two sentences complaining about previous generations, when what changed in a previous generation isn't relevant to pokemon today. In addition, while it does bring up the issue of fighting types and psyshock, it is somewhat outdated as Blissey faces a far larger threat today thanks to mixed attackers. Finally, it doesn't really say why I would want to use it over Chansey.

Proposed Overview:

Blissey is a titanic, Specially Defensive fat blob of a Pokemon that unfortunately has had a hard time transitioning into B/W2. With the move Psyshock, which allows a user to target Blissey's inferior Defense stat instead of her titanic Special Defense stat, as well as the fact that many special attackers (such as Tornadus-T and Keldeo) now tend to pack a physical fighting move to force it as well as numerous steel and other Specially Defensively bulky Pokemon out, it has not had a good time. To make matters worse, there are Pokemon with such titanic Special Attacking stats/setup potential (Such as Thundurus-T) that they can simply force Blissey out with the threat of game-ending setups.

However, it's not all gloom and doom, as Wish now restores 50% of the user's HP, which means its Wishes now will almost always heal the targeted Pokemon to full HP. In addition, Blissey still performs the role of Specially Defensive tank almost without parallel, holding the second largest special bulk in the game, second only to Chansey. It does, however, have two advantages over its earlier evolution - it is not forced to use the item Eviolite, and it has a workable Special Attack stat. While it isn't the easiest Pokemon to use, Blissey is still a massive wall that stops special attacks cold, and should be considered for any team that has trouble with Special Attackers.

Why this review should be the update: I remove all mention of increased difficulties in prior generations, updated the flaws to include relevant threats, and mentioned why you would want to use Blissey over Chansey as why you would want to even remotely consider it in this meta.



also honestly Virizion shouldn't have a OU analysis. It just isn't OU tier.

[Aldaron*]

Honestly, I initially wanted to have people reserve whatever overviews they wanted (even if someone else already did) and just choose the best (foster competition etc.) because my goal for this project is solely quality, not efficiency (i dont care when it finishes).

However, I had truly underestimated (more forgotten) how writing brings out the bitchiness in users...so, not for efficiency's sake but more my sanity's sake, I'll just go with 1 overview can only have 1 person reserve it, and if a current analysis is being written, the writer for the overview defaults to that analysis writer and others can advise on it.

I'll work to update the op with who has reserved what full analyses and make writer -> adviser changes for whoever already posted in this thread.

[yee]

I'd like to write / advise Chansey and Jellicent next.

[Aldaron*]

I think people are a little all over the place atm on the overviews, so after a chit chat on irc, we've come up with a small template of sorts.

First, a strong, concise statement about the Pokemon's general performance in the BW2 OU tier (first and upfront so the reader knows exactly what he is dealing with). Then, if applicable, a brief description of how it has changed from previous Gen OUs (so people looking to compare generational roles know where to start). The previous two can even be a single statement as long as it is clear and informative. Finally, and this is the brunt of the overview, why you should use this Pokemon. This encompasses two main things: its strategies (note strategies, like hazards stacking on Deoxys-D, not moves / items, like Dragon Dance on Salamence or Focus Sash on Alakazam; the latter are overly specific for an overview, unless of course you feel those specifics are the LARGE majority of what a Pokemon does) and how it does something notable in comparison to similar pokemon (try to keep this very brief, though this may also be an instance where you get specific).

The overview shouldn't dwell (too much) on specifics, unless the specific is "iconic" on the Pokemon (I can understand mentioning Multiscale on Dragonite, or Drizzle on Politoed, or Spikes on Deoxys-D), and the overview shouldn't deal with counters / checks (we have a separate section for that). Remember, we're focusing more on breadth here, not depth. Depth is the individual set description part.

Here is something close to what I'm looking for, and I ask most of the writers to try to follow this example of posting the current overview, why it should be updated, your fix, and what your fix does better:

Sableye:

Current Sableye overview - 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.

Why I think this should be altered - I think overall it's a bit wordy, and could do with more relevant information. It also doesn't mention that while yes, it can annoy teams, its main role is a spin blocker that annoys teams. Also nothing mentioning how it is unique in practice from other similar Pokemon. Yes, it mentions the ghost typing and prankster, but it doesn't mention something important like being the premier sun spinblocker, which is a practical reason to use it as opposed to something theoretical. Also seems a bit outdated, calling Sableye "mediocre," which it certainly isn't, especially in BW2 OU.

My proposed overview - Sableye, pitiful in previous generations, thanks Arceus for respect in BW2 OU due to the combination of Prankster and a collection of Prankster-abusable moves, like Taunt, Recover, and Will-O-Wisp. It has three primary roles in BW2: to act a spinblocker, to cripple physical offense with priority Will-O-Wisp, and to break stall with priority Taunt. While Sableye has utility on most team archetypes, it is important to note that it is the premier spinblocker on Sun teams, as Drought allows it to easily beat Tentacruel and Starmie while Will-O-Wisp and Taunt allow it to take care of Donphan and Forretress.

Why this overview should be the update - I cut out a lot of the fat and just mentioned the main reasons to use Sableye (Prankster + 3 moves). I talked about its 3 main roles and mentioned something notable it does for spinblockers.

Honestly, Sableye was probably easier than other OU Pokemon, as its only real set is Recover / Taunt / WoW / Dark Move (the calm mind set listed isn't serious in BW2 OU anymore) and its actually decent enough to not have to dwell on why it is bad.

The overview should just quickly tell the reader how the pokemon is in ou (is it good, bad, or decent), how it compares to previous generations, what its main strategies are, and something notable about it.

[alexwolf]

Celebi

Old Overview

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Celebi has a known history of metagame-related pressure; with every new generation, its niche in OU becomes ever harder to maintain because of the need to cover new threats. With the transition to the fifth generation, classic rivals such as Scizor and Tyranitar are more popular than ever, while the emergence of newer threats, especially Latios, Latias, Hydreigon, and Chandelure, threaten Celebi's existence in OU. This problem isn't helped by the fact that Celebi didn't receive anything significantly new in the transition, forcing it to resort to the classics.

Despite these unnerving flaws, Celebi only actually requires adaptation to function in the tier it has comfortably inhabited for three generations. While Celebi's typing brings it many crippling weaknesses, it also grants Celebi resistances to six common attacking types. This, in conjunction with its 100 / 100 / 100 defenses, allows Celebi to sponge many attacks, even some super effective ones, and support its team with ease. Celebi isn't bad offensively either, having access to an adequate offensive movepool as well as the ever-useful Nasty Plot to destroy the most common Pokemon in OU. With the correct support, Celebi will always be a valuable addition to a team, capable of easily paving the way for a teammate.

New Overview

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<p>As most legendary Pokemon, Celebi was blessed with great Base Stats all around. It also has a quite good and synergistic typing, an awesome ability that lets it act as a status absorber, and a phenomenal movepool. These traits allow Celebi to play many roles, depending to your teams needs. It can be a sturdy special wall that handles many prominent threats, such as Keldeo, Thundurus-T, Sheer Force Landorus, and Breloom, with a large repertoire of utility moves, consisting of Stealth Rock, U-turn, Perish Song, Thunder-Wave, Heal Bell and Baton Pass. Or it can take the offensive route and abuse its good coverage, bulk and resistances to set up with Nasty Plot, making it quite hard to wall. It can even use a choice scarf set to revenge kill troublesome threats, a baton pass set to assist your sweepers, or a tank set to combine the offensive and defensive roles.</p>

<p>However the list of its flaws is as big as the list of its advantages. His typing leaves it with a whopping seven weaknesses, one of them being a quadruple weakness to Bug moves. This means that it is prone to both Pursuit trapping, and to U-turn, which is never a good thing with Genesect lurking in the corner. As most Grass-types, it struggles quite a bit against sun teams, and finally is hurt by the prevalence of Tornadus-T. But don't let those flaws disappoint you. With the right teammates Celebi can really shine, and prevent those pesky rain teams that are everywhere from overwhelming you.</p>

Here is the Celebi Overview. I have mentioned that Celebi struggles with Genesect and Tornadus-T around, but i don't think that the overview should be particularly negative, as Celebi is still a pretty good poke that has a lot of good qualities, such as being the best Keldeo counter in the tier, and checking Thundurus-T, SubCM Jirachi, and rain teams in general. Not to mention it is a fantastic pivot with exceptional utility moves.

Rotom-W

Old Overview

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The transition to BW was a very strange one for Rotom-W, as its typing changed from Electric / Ghost to Electric / Water. Although this means Rotom-W has lost its job as the go-to spinblocker in standard play, its fantastic typing means it has found a new niche as a premier bulky Water-type. Thanks to Levitate, Rotom-W has only a single weakness to Grass-type attacks, and it can effectively counter some of the game's most prominent threats, such as Gliscor and Landorus. New toys, especially Volt Switch, further bolster Rotom-W's abilities as a Choice Scarf or Choice Specs user, allowing it to pull off an effective hit-and-run strategy while still dealing good damage in the process. If you're looking for something that can hit hard and check a large portion of the metagame successfully, Rotom-W is an excellent Pokemon to consider.

New Overview

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<p>Although Rotom-W didn't gain any improvements in BW2, it has managed to stay in the spotlight due to its ability to handle many new threats such as Keldeo, Genesect, Tornadus-T, and rain teams in general, which are on the rampage, in addition to the Pokemon it used to check. Its awesome typing, useful ability, and great dual STABs make it one of the few Electric-types that can beat Tyranitar and check Ground types, while also allowing it to fit on any team with little worries; it performs especially well in team archetypes revolving around the VoltTurn strategy, mainly offensive ones. Alongside Scizor, Genesect, and Tornadus-T, it can run circles around whole teams with little effort, making it a very annoying Pokemon to face. Rotom-W may not have a lot of options, but it does its job well, and has carved its own niche as a premier VoltTurn partner.</p>

[Myzozoa]

Trying to follow Aldaron's guidelines.

Deoxys-D

Since its cousin Deoxys-S was banished from the tier, Deoxys-D has risen to its place as the most threatening lead in the OU metagame. Because of its consistency and efficiency, Deoxys-D is the premier supporter on Weather-less offensive teams, as entry hazards quickly become an even greater advantage than controlling the weather. With the rare trifecta of Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Taunt, opponents can only gaze disappointedly as Deoxys-D sets up multiple layers of entry hazards while they are unable to set up even a single layer themselves.

[Arcticblast]

I guess since I'm still writing/trying to pass QC with Roserade and Donphan, I'll take those ones.

[Aldaron*]

Originally Posted by Fat Myzozoa

Trying to follow Aldaron's guidelines.

Deoxys-D

Since its cousin Deoxys-S was banished from the tier, Deoxys-D has risen to its place as the most threatening lead in the OU metagame. Because of its consistency and efficiency, Deoxys-D is the premier supporter on Weather-less offensive teams, as entry hazards quickly become an even greater advantage than controlling the weather. With the rare trifecta of Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Taunt, opponents can only gaze disappointedly as Deoxys-D sets up multiple layers of entry hazards while they are unable to set up even a single layer themselves.

Here is pttp's version:

[Overview]

<p>Although its stats indicate otherwise, Deoxys-D is the premier offensive spike-stacker in the OU metagame. Its base 90 Speed stat allows it to outpace just what it needs to, while its enormous bulk make it impossible to take down in one blow, allowing the user to get at least one, if not two, layers of entry hazards set. This consistency appeals to many players, and as the generation has progressed, so has Deoxys-D's recognition as one of the best. Not only does it have the tools necessary to be a great spike-stacker, but it can also run certain moves to ensure that its work cannot be blown by common Rapid Spinners. It has essentially defined the new, fast pace BW2 metagame, as it is used on nearly every hyper offensive team. Unfortunately for Deoxys-D, it is a Psychic-type, which leaves it vulnerable to many common attackers, most notably Genesect and Tyranitar. It also has no way of breaking through either of the Magic Bounce users, Espeon and Xatu, rendering it essentially useless as long as those Pokemon are in battle. Despite these flaws, Deoxys-D has risen up to the creme of the crop, firmly holding a position as one of the elite.</p>

Both are good and what I'm looking for, and initially, when I wanted multiple people to be able to reserve an overview and compete for the best, this is exactly what I wanted. However, since yesterday I realized people can be massive bitches when it comes to writing, we're going with the writer is the reserved analysis person.

That said, I like how myzozoa explicitly mentions "lead" (because that is what deoxys-d does) and how he specifically says "weatherless offense," because deo-d is iconic on weatherless offense, and newer readers need to know that.

If we could get pttp to mention lead and weatherless offense, this overview would be perfect to me. I also don't think pttp just mentioning hyper offense is enough because while weatherless offense could fall under that umbrella, there needs to be specific mention of where the reader will see deo-d mostly (weatherless offense teams).

[nyttyn]

Doing Ditto, Jirachi, and Haxorus.

Ditto:

Old Analysis:

With the ability to pass on any genetic sequence, Ditto's role as the breeding machine was well-known and much-used by trainers around the world to obtain flawless IVs on their Pokemon. Ditto's repertoire has expanded, however, and it is now capable of something much more. With Imposter, Ditto can be known as the greatest revenge killer of all time, using its opponents moves against it. With Team Preview being a staple in the BW metagame, opponents will be hesitant to set up once they see Ditto in your party. Although Ditto is an imposing threat to any team, its HP is downright pitiful. Unfortunately for Ditto, HP is the one stat Imposter does not copy, so Ditto will be forever stuck with its 48 base HP. Ditto also has little to no use against opposing stall teams as when Ditto transforms, it will be little more than a Choice Scarf stall Pokemon; not the most useful thing in the world. Ditto is a risk—use its power with caution.

Why it should be changed: Too long, too flavorful.

New Analysis:

Ditto is, in a nutshell, one of the best revenge killers in the game. Taking on the exact stats (bar HP), moves, typing, status, and ability of the enemy Pokemon thanks to its new ability Imposter, Ditto can quickly turn a game around. While Team Preview might make your opponent will be hesitant to set up on you, in this metagame of fast, game-ending threats, such a revenge killer is invaluable. However, it will suffer against stall teams as it must keep its poor base HP and is practically forced to use a Choice Scarf; it also struggles against Substitute-setup sweepers due to Imposter's mechanics.

Why the overview should be the update: Cut out the fat, mentioned the single biggest danger to Imposter Ditto (substitute), mentioned why you would want it on your team, how it works, and

Haxorus:

Old Analysis:

Haxorus's name isn't the only cool thing about him. Sporting a massive Base 147 Attack, Haxorus has the ability to OHKO or 2HKO nearly everything in the game, even without entry hazard support. In addition, access to amazing moves like Dragon Dance, Swords Dance, and a STAB Outrage makes him both devastating and unpredictable. Unfortunately, he has meager defenses and a disappointing Speed stat, which, when coupled with its shallow attacking movepool, can sometimes cause him to be brushed aside in favor of its Dragon-type brethren, namely Salamence and Dragonite. Despite these shortcomings, Haxorus's sheer power often merits him a spot on a team, as very little can safely switch into this behemoth

Why it should be changed: Outdated

New Analysis:

Once upon a time, Haxorus's massive base attack saw it being accused of being too good. However, the reality for Haxorus is that it is simply outclassed in the BW2 OU metagame. With a awkward base 97 speed, very poor defenses, and a rather subpar movepool, there seems to be no reason to use it over the stronger, bulkier Kyurem-B. However, there are two main reasons to consider this haxy dragon for a teamslot: firstly Haxorus has the better defensive typing; in particular, it isn't weak to Stealth Rock. Secondly, it has a better movepool then Kyurem-B, Aqua Tail and Superpower allow it to break through threats Kyurem-B cannot, such as AirLoon Heatran. While Haxorus does face serious competition from the faster Dragons such as Salamence and Latios, access to both Dragon Dance and a strong Fighting move gives it a certain niche.

Why this should be the updated analysis: Updating the analysis to reflect BW2 changes.

Jirachi

Old Analysis:

Jirachi is best described by the French term Noblesse Oblige, meaning that with great abilities and influence come great powers. After repeatedly high usage during the last two generations, Jirachi remains one of the best Pokemon with a base stat total of 600, and for good reason. Its phenomenal typing and enormous movepool allow it to run a variety of sets that no other competitors can replicate fully, which cements Jirachi as an unpredictable, universal threat. Its extremely useful ability, Serene Grace, is still as abusable as ever, paired with moves including but not limited to Iron Head, Body Slam, and Thunder. Jirachi's list of options is certainly extensive, as it can perform many roles ranging from the classic Calm Mind set to standard physical sets to helpful support sets.

Jirachi's plethora of options and possibilities are not the only things that benefit it this generation. With the presence of classic and new threats in the land of the OU, such as Latios, Latias, Reuniclus, Ferrothorn, and Outrage users, Jirachi bravely stands up against many of them. Its Steel / Psychic typing grants Jirachi eight resistances and a mere two weaknesses, allowing Jirachi to sponge many of the omnipresent Dragon-, Rock-, and Ice-type attacks of OU. On top of this, Jirachi's typing also grants it easy access to the battlefield, being immune to both sandstorm and Toxic Spikes, making it hard to stall out. To put salt in the opponent's wounds, the Wish Pokemon, of course, also has access to Wish, granting consistent, reliable healing for itself and its teammates. With all these traits in consideration, Jirachi can easily fit on and support any team with little issue.

Why it should be changed: Simply too long, and oddly specific.

New Analysis:

For those of you who are wishing upon the stars for a great Steel-type: look no further. With eight resistances (including one to Dragon), only two weaknesses, a wide movepool, a great ability, and base 100 stats, Jirachi is a stellar Pokemon worth using on many teams. To put the cherry on the cake, the new BW Wish mechanics mean that Jirachi is a even greater supporter then before, able to heal many Pokemon from the cusp of death to full HP with a single wish pass. While it suffers from unfortunate Fire and Ground weaknesses, somewhat lacking STAB options, as well as only good attacking stats rather than great ones, Jirachi is a Pokemon worth at least looking at.

Why this should be the new analysis: Shorter, to the point, mentions BW/BW2 changes (wish mechanics).


GP approved 1/2

[Iconic*]

SHARPEDO

Like a plethora of other Pokemon that were hopelessly useless in DPP, Sharpedo went from a sub-par attacker to a legitimate BW OU threat as a result of its new Dream World Ability. Sharpedo is used almost exclusively as a Life Orb sweeper on offensive rain teams, utilizing Protect to nab a free Speed Boost and then attempting a sweep with its great movepool and deadly dual STAB. Thanks to impressive mixed attacking stats, Sharpedo can choose to go either fully physical or mixed, and it has access to powerful moves such as Waterfall, Crunch, Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, and Earthquake. While Sharpedo possesses all the tools it needs to be a top-tier sweeper, its hampered by its pitiful defenses that rank among the worst in the entire game, meaning it can't even switch into resisted attacks. Sharpedo is also almost completely walled by the one Pokemon that almost always gives rain teams the shivers: Ferrothorn. However, when played to its strengths as a late-game cleaner with Drizzle support, Sharpedo can prove to be both a unique and useful offensive presence.

[PttP]

lol thats 8 overviews gg aldaron

thanks for the gp checks mafeking! and yeah for hitmontop i feel that translated is the best word to use in that scenario

hitMONSTERtop [gp 1/2]

<p>In such a fast, high-paced offensive metagame, many average Pokemon often get spun under the table. Hitmontop has been more or less relegated to this role—its offensive capabilities are lackluster in comparison to other Fighting-types in Terrakion and Conkeldurr, while its defensive capabilities are restricted due to a lack of reliable recovery. However, all is not lost for Hitmontop, as the offensive metagame has translated into a flux of spike-stacking teams, often times with the usage of multiple physical attackers. With Intimidate and Rapid Spin in its arsenal, Hitmontop is able to carve itself a niche as an ever-valuable Rapid Spin user that is also able to beat dangerous physical threats such as Terrakion and Lucario. Hitmontop is an incredibly limited Pokemon in terms of versatility outside of these two roles, but they might just be what you need to succeed.</p>

STARaptor [gp 1/2]

<p>Unfortunately for Staraptor, it has been banned into the barren wasteland known as BL. Too strong for UU, but too weak to be used consistently in OU, it struggles to find a place on most teams. Its weakness to Stealth Rock and paper-thin defenses contribute to this, as it has a hard time switching in unless after a kill. Despite having Close Combat in its movepool to alleviate the poor coverage between its STABs, it struggles to break through certain Steel-types, such as Jirachi. Its 100 base Speed puts it in an awkward position, as with a Choice Band equipped, it just isn't fast enough to be effective in a metagame flooded with speedy attackers, and with a Choice Scarf attached, it struggles to do enough damage. On the bright side, it receives a nifty Dream World ability in Reckless, which powers up its main two STABs, Brave Bird and Double-Edge, to incredible levels. It also has access to U-turn, an excellent move in a metagame based so heavily on momentum. Although a rather risky Pokemon to use, Staraptor can perform well under favorable conditions.</p>

SCRAFTY [gp 1/2]

<p>It is safe to say that Scrafty is not the Pokemon it once was in BW1, and its drop from OU to UU reflects that. With the new, powerful Pokemon that BW2 has brought in the form of rain attackers, namely Keldeo and Tornadus-T, Scrafty just cannot find its place in the metagame. Its bulk cannot withstand the onslaught of attacks that it is bound to take from such threats, and even if it manages to get a Dragon Dance boost, it is still outsped by Tornadus-T. Unfortunately, the transition to a fast paced metagame means that Scrafty's main perk in beating stall has been nullified, as stall is no longer nearly as prevalent as it was in BW1. Although extremely vulnerable to the multitude of rain attackers, Scrafty still maintains its dominance over most sand teams, and that in itself could warrant a slot on your team if desperate.</p>

NINJABUG [gp 1/2]

<p>Ninjask has been in existence for three generations, and its job hasn't changed since its inception. Ninjask's main goal is to accumulate as many Speed boosts as possible in order to start a successful Baton Pass chain. In this role, it is second to none, and should be expected on every Baton Pass team. To put it simply, Baton Pass based teams do not and cannot work without Speed boosts to begin the chain, and no Pokemon accumulates Speed boosts nearly as effectively or reliably as Ninjask. However, with the introduction of BW came Ninjask's new main enemy: Prankster. Ninjask is entirely vulnerable to Prankster Taunts and, consequently, the entire chain is ruined by this pesky strategy. Either way, if you're looking to build a Baton pass team, always start at Ninjask.</p>

DUGGYDUGGY [gp 1/2]

<p>Dugtrio is a very specialized Pokemon, its main use is to maintain control of the weather wars that dominate the metagame through the means of Arena Trap. It is used primarily on sun offense teams for its ability to to trap and KO weakened weather starters such as Tyranitar and Politoed, while also being able to eliminate Pokemon that threaten sun teams such as Terrakion. However, its usage is not limited to sun offense as it commonly finds itself a place on offensive rain teams for its ability to dispose of Pokemon that would normally be a hassle to defeat. Threats such as Ninetales and Tyranitar are now hesitant to switch in out of fear of being trapped by Dugtrio and thus losing the weather war, while Steel-types such as Jirachi have to second guess about switching into Tornadus-T due to Dugtrio's presence. Despite this, Dugtrio is not without its flaws. It has a mediocre Attack, meaning that in order to cause any real damage, it must hit its target super effectively, and even then it struggles to do meaningful damage. Its non-existent defenses mean that it can only come in after a kill, or with excellent prediction. Combine these two things together, and if Dugtrio is not facing an opposing weather team, it will often be dead-weight. Nevertheless, with the dependence on winning the weather war in the metagame, Dugtrio is one of the more important Pokemon in the tier.</p>

virizion [gp 1/2]

<p>Although Virizion didn't gain or lose anything with the introduction of BW2, the transition from BW1 to BW2 was not a kind one. In BW1, it was used as a check to the multiple threats that rain offense had to provide, but in BW2, it has turned into a burden when facing rain offense. With Pokemon such as Tornadus-T and Genesect being common sights on rain offense, Virizion doesn't stand a chance against the prominent playstyle. Everything in the metagame has gotten faster and stronger, leaving Virizion struggling to keep pace. As such, it has experienced the drop from OU to UU and is probably going to stay there for the foreseeable future. It still does have the niche of being able to check sand offense teams with its two STABs, but now faces competition from Breloom as the primary Grass / Fighting type Pokemon, with Breloom having the advantage thanks to Spore and Mach Punch. The last year has been a tough one for Virizion, and all indications show that that trend will continue.</p>

rock bird on site already so...[gp 2/2]?

<p>With Team Preview required in all standard BW battles, Aerodactyl's role as a suicide lead from DPP has been greatly hampered. No longer can it prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock; they can just set it up later. As such, Aerodactyl has seen a great drop in usage, dropping from the mantle of OU all the way to down to RU. Its lacking defenses and Stealth Rock weakness make it almost useless mid-game, limiting its roles greatly. On the bright side, the one thing it hasn't lost over the generation shift is its ability to set up Stealth Rock—its amazing Speed allows it to set up the entry hazard with remarkable consistency. Add to that the fact that most players don't account for Aerodactyl when they make their team, and you might just have yourself a key cog to your team. In such a fast-paced, offensive metagame, this niche is more than enough reason to use Aerodactyl.</p>

the ACTUAL deo-d overview [gp 1/2]

<p>Although its stats indicate otherwise, Deoxys-D is the premier offensive lead spike-stacker in the OU metagame. Its base 90 Speed stat allows it to outpace just what it needs to, while its enormous bulk makes it impossible to take down in one blow, allowing the user to get at least one, if not two, layers of entry hazards set. This consistency appeals to many players, and as the generation has progressed, so has Deoxys-D's recognition as one of the best. Not only does it have the tools necessary to be a great spike-stacker, but it can also run certain moves to ensure that its work cannot be blown away by common Rapid Spin users. It has essentially defined the new, fast-paced BW2 metagame, as it is used on nearly every hyper offensive (specifically weatherless offensive) team. Unfortunately for Deoxys-D, it is a Psychic-type, which leaves it vulnerable to many common attackers, most notably Genesect and Tyranitar. It also has no way of breaking through either of the Magic Bounce users, Espeon and Xatu, rendering it essentially useless as long as those Pokemon are in battle. Despite these flaws, Deoxys-D has risen up to the creme of the crop, firmly holding a position as one of the elite.</p>

[Temp V1]

Cresselia

Old Overview

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While Cresselia didn't acquire any new toys in the new generation, it retains its place as a great mixed wall in OU. Its outstanding defenses allow it to sponge many attacks, and with Levitate, it can switch into the common Ground-type attacks thrown around in the OU metagame. Coupled with instant recovery in Moonlight or Rest, Cresselia can be incredibly tough to take down.

The new auto-weather inducers bring mixed news. Sand, sun, and rain have dominated OU, and while sun increases Moonlight's recovery, rain and sand hinder it. With the power creep making most threats more powerful, Cresselia's walling capabilities are once again severely limited. Even so, its bulk is still unmatched, and it is still viable as a mixed wall in the OU metagame.

New Overview

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For Cresselia the shift from DPP to BW was not all that big, and BW2 has been much of the same, however Cresselia still is as good a wall as you will find. Sporting incredibly solid defenses of 120/120/130, Cresselia can comfortably take hits, and lots of them.

Cresselia’s main function is to wall, whether it be from the Physical side of the spectrum, the Special side or heck even both, it fulfills this function very effectively. With a great ability in Levitate Cresselia picks up immunity to the omnipresent ground moves such as Earthquake, allowing for many free switch ins. It also possesses an incredible support move pool, championed by its signature move Lunar Dance. With this generation being heavily defined by powerhouse physical attackers, many of whom are Fighting types; Cresselia’s Psychic typing further helps its walling capabilities, nullifying serious threats in the OU metagame.

Landorus-Therian

Landorus-T Overview

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BW2 brought with it the release of some of the biggest offensive threats we have seen to date: including the Therian forms of Thundurus, Tornadus and Landorus. Landorus-T is often overlooked for the other Therians, or even its Incarnate form, however Landorus in its Therian form has acquired a very particular set of skills, skills that allow it to be a nightmare for the metagame when fully utilized.

Landorus-T trades off 10 base Speed and Special Attack for an increased 20 base Attack, which allows it to be truly threatening outright with a base Attack stat of 145. One of Landorus-I’s biggest draws is the rather unique 101 speed tier, which allows it to out speed a range of big threats and so losing that tier may seem like a substantial drawback, however Landorus-T functions in different ways. Landorus-T is one of a very limited number of Pokémon who can effectively run either an Offensive set, Defensive set or Support set, which is one of his greatest assets. Landorus-T swaps the useful offensive abilities Sand Force and Sheer Force for Intimidate, which is more useful than ever in the current metagame with so many physical powerhouses running around. This ability will provide more than ample opportunities for Landorus-T to set up, whether it be Stealth Rocks on a supporting set, Rock Polish on an offensive set, or simply to lower the attack of a foe, it truly is the crux of Landorus-T’s usefulness.

[alexwolf]

Xatu

Old Overview

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Ever since it appeared in GSC, Xatu has been consistently underwhelming. Even three generations on, Xatu is cursed with average stats, an unexciting movepool, and a less-than-stellar Psychic / Flying typing. So why has Xatu suddenly shot up through the ranks? Magic Bounce is the answer. With a permanent Magic Coat wielded only by a select few, Xatu now has an important job to perform: bouncing back status effects, Stealth Rock and Spikes, and other miscellaneous effects, making it almost the perfect anti-support Pokemon. What differentiates Xatu from Espeon, however, is the fact that Xatu is much more capable of a support role than its fellow Magic Bounce user, for a variety of reasons, most notably its larger support movepool and access to reliable recovery. While their movepools are otherwise very similar, and Espeon has better stats, Xatu is still a viable choice on any defensive team that struggles with status and other effects, provided it is played correctly.

New Overview

---

<p>Xatu is a weird Pokemon; while its stats and typing suck, its ability, Magic Bounce, is one of the best abilities in the game, and makes it undeniably the best Deoxys-D counter in the game. This, combined with good moves such as Roost, Heat Wave, and U-turn, allow Xatu to fulfill a specific niche in OU. Xatu acts as a pseudo-spinner that doesn't kill your momentum, as it doesn't need to waste one turn to use Rapid Spin, and has U-turn too keep up the pace. For this reason, Xatu works best in offensive teams that detest entry hazards, especially Sun offense. What's more is that Xatu has a typing suited to taking hits from most entry hazard users in OU, such as Ferrothorn, Deoxys-D, and Forretress, coupled with passable defenses and reliable recovery, meaning that it can live long enough to outlast opposing entry hazard users, making it a decent option for more defensive teams that have a way to deal with Pokemon that can beat Xatu and therefore set up entry hazards, such as Terrakion and Tyranitar. Outside of its niche Xatu sucks though, as it is frail for a defensive Pokemon, lacks significant offensive pressure, often making it set up bait, has a Pursuit weakness, and competes with Espeon for a team slot, as Epseon is a more offensive alternative that is much better at setting up Dual Screens. As long as you stick to Xatu's niche, which is countering Deoxys-D, and preventing entry hazards for certain kinds of teams, mainly Sun Offense, you won't be disappointed.</p>

[Jukain]

gastro gastro gastrodon

old:

[Overview]

<p>With the prominence of Ferrothorn in OU, it is understandable that previously-useful bulky Water-types such as Swampert have seen a rapid fall in usage. Although Gastrodon was seldom used in the previous generation, it has curiously managed to avoid this trend and has actually gained significant popularity for a number of reasons. Gastrodon's signature ability, Storm Drain, has been buffed tremendously, not only giving it an immunity to Water-type attacks but also giving Gastrodon a free Special Attack boost when it is hit by one. In addition, because many teams now use Ferrothorn as their only Grass-type attacker, Hidden Power Grass is now almost never used, letting Gastrodon completely wall special attackers such as Starmie and Rotom-W. Because Gastrodon now boasts all of these advantages over its competitors and the metagame in general, it has turned from a trivial novelty into an unexpectedly dangerous tank, either when statusing helpless opponents or simply destroying them with the extra power that Storm Drain can provide.</p>

new:

[Overview]

<p>While Gastrodon was tossed aside in DPP due to being outclassed by basically every bulky Water-type out there, BW is much kinder to it. Storm Drain went from being a useless ability to one of the most useful abilities, granting Gastrodon an immunity to Water-type attacks and a Special Attack boost when it is hit by one as well. When combined with stellar special bulk and usable 92 Special Attack, Gastrodon proves to be an excellent Pokemon. All of these traits add up to the best rain check in the business, as most Water-type sweepers, Tornadus-T, and Thundurus-T are unable to break Gastrodon without a Grass-type move. Other offensive threats, such as Latios and Hydreigon, cannot defeat Gastrodon either. The only impediments to Gastrodon's success are Ferrothorn, the upsurge of Chlorophyll sweepers, and its slightly disappointing Defense stat. Despite these downfalls, Gastrodon can fit onto basically any team bar heavy offense or sun, so throw it on your team and you will be on the road to success.</p>

I just need to post this, I'll be revising it to cut out a bit of fluff.

EDIT: ah much better cut fluff I'll get to work on the next two

[Lord of Bays]

Hydreigon!

Old

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There is no Pokemon more violent than Hydreigon; it's well-known for attacking anything that so much as moves. This is a fairly apt observation, since in competitive play, Hydreigon will do everything in its power to destroy its target. Hydreigon has a scary combination of high powered STAB moves, high offensive stats, and a wide array of coverage moves that target everything in OU for at least neutral damage. While other Dragon-types come close to being uncounterable, Hydreigon drops all pretenses and actually IS uncounterable. To put it bluntly, Hydreigon is flat out impossible to wall, and if you think that it can be beaten by a Steel-type, think again. It can obliterate every single Steel-type in OU given the chance, and turn them into a fine powder with its large selection of coverage moves. If that wasn't enough, Hydreigon has some pretty decent defensive stats for an offensively oriented Pokemon. 92 / 90 / 90 is nothing to laugh at, and it will usually take a strong super effective move to take it down. Access to Levitate and Roost also means it's hard to wear it down with hazards. Fortunately (or unfortunately?), Hydreigon has a fairly crippling shortcoming that prevents it from utterly destroying teams: its Speed. Due to its mediocre Speed, Hydreigon is outsped by the majority of offensive Pokemon in the tier, meaning it will often be forced out after a KO. This is the fundamental flaw that keeps Hydreigon from being a staple on most teams. It has awesome power, but being forced out after a KO is a clear detriment. Being weak to common priority moves such as Mach Punch and Ice Shard doesn't help either. However, none of that really matters if you're committed to making Hydreigon work. When it comes to pure wallbreaking, none can match Hydreigon's ability to eliminate everything in its path.

New

---

Hydreigon belongs to the special group of Pokémon that can boast they possess no true counters: They potentially carry a move that can OHKO or 2HKO any Pokémon in the game, and as such are virtually impossible to switch in to. Its peers include such wrecking balls as Deoxys-A, Excadrill, and Salamence. He also has Levitate, garnering many of the benefits his Flying-type brethren possess with nearly none of the drawbacks. Hydreigon is even gifted with excellent attacking and defensive stats as well as a movepool to make any Pokémon Leaf Green with envy, so why does he struggle in OU? The answer is simple: Hydreigon’s base 98 speed. While very far from bad, he falls just short of the myriad of base 100 speed Pokémon. Hydreigon’s secondary Dark typing only makes things worse, giving it weaknesses to Fighting- and Bug-type attacks while doing nothing to improve its STAB coverage or alleviate its Dragon and Ice weaknesses. Hydreigon is not an easy Dragon to use, and isn’t always the right one, with many of his peers being faster, more powerful, or both, but don't be afraid to give it a try; this ferocious hydra just might surprise you.

Thanks nyttyn!

[nyttyn]

Lord of Bays, try

Hydreigon is not an easy Dragon to use, and isn’t always the right one, with many of his peers being faster, more powerful, or both, but give it a try; this ferocious three-headed monster might just surprise you

[capefeather]

Main reasons I haven't been writing analyses are lack of time, being leery of metagame shifts, and a recurring sense of "why am I doing this for these people". But for now, the third is passed, and this project does away with the other two.

I'll take the overviews I wrote, other than Dragonite, which undisputed took, that jerk ;) (On that note, please leave a Lance reference in there :( I'd be the first to admit that having both was rather awkward, but I always liked Lance's "virtually indestructible" line.)

Originally Posted by Fat Current Chandelure

Chandelure is a mixed bag in many ways. It sports an incredible 145 base Special Attack, but its other base stats are much less impressive, especially considering that it is vulnerable to Stealth Rock and sandstorm damage. While its typing is solid offensively, especially in the sun, it also gives Chandelure key weaknesses that attract dangerous threats such as Terrakion and Landorus, all of whom can easily revenge kill, or even set up on, the rather slow Chandelure. Nonetheless, the luring Pokemon has some useful immunities to Fire-, Fighting-, and Normal-type attacks. Overall, a team's inclusion of this peculiar cocktail of wallbreaking power and vulnerability to revenge kills can be very rewarding with solid back-up and careful switching.

Originally Posted by Fat New Chandelure

Chandelure's incredible 145 base Special Attack, which allows it to fire off some of the most powerful attacks in OU with a sun boost, are poorly supported by all of its other stats. Its typing, in concert with its Speed, has unfortunate weaknesses that attract many dangerous threats that can easily revenge kill, or even set up on it. The fact that it dislikes both rain and sand does it no favors when it is also weak against every entry hazard. Despite all this, if you really just want to see this nuke go off, you can fall back on Chandelure's immunities to Fire-, Fighting-, and Normal-type attacks to do so. Alternatively, you can try out Kyogre in Ubers.

Originally Posted by Fat Current Porygon2

Porygon2 is a solid, all-purpose wall to use on a team that needs, but can't afford to run, a large defensive core. It is among some of the bulkiest Pokemon in the game, and it has an excellent ability in Trace, which allows it to switch with little fear into opponents with abilities such as Flash Fire, Water Absorb, and Volt Absorb, which are usually very powerful special attackers. Trace also allows Porygon2 to take advantage of other abilities such as Levitate, Natural Cure, Intimidate, and Poison Heal. A workable 105 base Special Attack goes a long way in preventing Porygon2 from becoming a "sitting duck", taking attacks from the likes of Gliscor, Gyarados, and Salamence, and OHKOing or 2HKOing them back.

Nonetheless, this virtual duck suffers from several drawbacks that ultimately prevent it from taking the OU environment by storm. Lack of Leftovers recovery, low Speed, and shallow movepool mean that Porygon2 is relatively easy to overwhelm with multiple fast sweepers or with pure brute force from boosted attacks. All in all, Porygon2 is a jack of all trades when it comes to walling; its Normal typing is a double-edged sword, having only one weakness (to Fighting), as well as only an immunity to Ghost and no resistances. Porygon2 is a solid wall that certainly won't discriminate when it comes to walling offensive threats.

Porygon2 should not be the main focus or the starting point of a team; it is a "glue" Pokemon that turns momentum in its team's favor, and thus it may not be suited for heavily defensive teams or teams with solid cores of specialized Pokemon.

Originally Posted by Fat New Porygon2

By many metrics, Porygon2 is the bulkiest Eviolite user in the game, competing even with the most defensive of Pokemon. This high bulk is supported by three decent abilities, especially Trace, as well as a workable base 105 Special Attack to strike back at its foes. Unfortunately, its good qualities end there. Lack of Leftovers recovery, low Speed, and shallow movepool mean that Porygon2 is relatively easy to overwhelm with the kind of offensive pressure that is typical in many teams. Defensively, its Normal typing is a double-edged sword at best. These drawbacks ultimately prevent this virtual duck from taking the OU environment by storm.

Maybe I'm being too rough on Pokémon I used to totally try to give every chance to, but meh.

[Harsha]

I can write and advise for Keldeo, Ninetales, Politoed, and Volcarona. I'll edit my post here with them when I write them.

Keldeo:

<p>Keldeo may arguably be the cutest Pokemon in the OU tier, but that's not all there is to this pretty pony! With a great base 129 Special Attack and a good base 108 Speed, it has all the tools it needs to punch holes in opposing teams with relative ease. With Secret Sword, it becomes one of the only special attackers in the entire metagame that is capable of getting past Chansey and Blissey with ease. With all of these pros, it's hard to imagine that there are reasons to not use Keldeo, but sadly, this is the case. While Keldeo has great STAB coverage, especially with access to powerful moves such as Hydro Pump and Secret Sword, it has a very shallow movepool. In fact, what walls Keldeo is usually determined solely by the moves it runs. Keldeo is usually limited to running its STABs and a Hidden Power of choice for coverage, but this pony certainly isn't one-sided. With a great boosting option in Calm Mind, the ability to run power-boosting items such as Life Orb or Choice Specs, and the ability to speed up with Choice Scarf, Keldeo can definitely wreak havoc on opposing teams.</p>

[Mafeking]

Aldaron posted the need for GP to start on these in the queue and I have time sooooo gonna tackle all 8 of ballabrown's okay be back soon!

edits for all 8

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hitMONSTERtop

<p>In such a fast, high-paced offensive metagame, many average Pokemon often get spun under the table. Hitmontop has been more or less relegated to this role—its offensive capabilities lack greatly (are lackluster) in comparison to other fFighting-types in Terrakion and Conkeldurr, while its defensive capabilities are restricted due to a lack of reliable recovery. However, all is not lost for Hitmontop, as the offensive metagame has translated (is this the word you mean? It feels like "transformed" makes more sense) into an flux of spike-stacking teams, often times with the usage of multiple physical attackers. With Intimidate and Rapid Spin in its arsenal, Hitmontop is able to carve itself a niche as an ever-valuable Rapid Spinner (user) that is also able to beat dangerous physical threats such as Terrakion and Lucario. Hitmontop is an incredibly limited Pokemon in terms of versatility outside of these two roles, but they might just be what you need to succeed.</p>

STARaptor

<p>Unfortunately for Staraptor, it has been banned into the barren wasteland known as BL. Too strong for UU, but too weak to be used consistently in OU, it struggles to find a place on most teams. Its weakness to Stealth Rock and paper-thin defenses contribute to this, as it has a hard time coming (switching) in unless after a kill. Despite having Close Combat in its movepool to alleviate the poor coverage between its STABs, it struggles in breaking (to break) through dual-type Steels (certain Steel-types), such as Jirachi. Its 100 base Speed puts it in an awkward position, as with a Choice Band equipped, it just isn't fast enough to be effective in a metagame flooded with speedy attackers, and with a Choice Scarf attached, it struggles to do enough damage. On the bright side, it receives a nifty Dream World ability in Reckless, which powers up its main two STABs, Brave Bird and Double-Edge(+comma) to incredible levels. It also has access to U-turn, an excellent move in a metagame based so heavily on momentum. Although a rather risky Pokemon to use, using Staraptor comes with the fine privilege of being able to say "kacaw" after each kill and can perform well under favorable conditions.</p>

SCRAFTY

<p>It is safe to say that Scrafty is not the Pokemon it once was in BW1, and its drop from OU to UU reflects that. With the new, powerful Pokemon that BW2 has brought in the form of rain attackers ((+comma)namely Keldeo and Tornadus-T), Scrafty just cannot find its place in the metagame. Its bulk cannot withstand the onslaught of attacks that it is bound to take from such threats, and even if it manages to get a Dragon Dance boost, it is still outsped by Tornadus-T. Unfortunately, the transition to a fast paced metagame means that Scrafty's main perk in beating stall has been nullified, as stall is no longer nearly as prevalent as it was in BW1. Although extremely vulnerable to the multitude of rain attackers, Scrafty still maintains its dominance over most sand teams, and that in itself could warrant a teamslot (slot on your team) if desperate. Sunny days are definitely not in Scrafty's forecast, as it appears Drizzle will rain on his parade for an extended amount of time.</p>

NINJABUG

<p>Ninjask has been in existence for three generations, and its job hasn't changed since its inception. Ninjask's main goal is to accumulate as many Speed boosts as possible in order to start a successful Baton Pass chain. In this role, it is second to none, and should be expected on every Baton Pass team. To put it simply, Baton Pass based teams do not and cannot work without Speed boosts to begin the chain, and no Pokemon accumulates Speed boosts nearly as effectively or reliably as Ninjask. However, with the introduction of BW came Ninjask's main new (main) enemy: Prankster. Ninjask is entirely vulnerable to Prankster Taunts and(+comma) consequently, the entire chain is ruined by this pesky strategy. Alas, this is the risk one takes when they decide to use Baton Pass, so it isn't out of the realm of possibility to believe that you wouldn't give a damn about that problem. Either way, if you're looking to build a Baton pass team, always start at Ninjask.</p>

DUGGYDUGGY

<p>Dugtrio is a very specialized Pokemon, its main use is to maintain control of the weather wars that dominate the metagame through the means of Arena Trap. It is used primarily on sun offense teams for its ability to to trap and KO weakened weather starters such as Tyranitar and Politoed, while also being able to eliminate Pokemon that threaten sun teams such as Terrakion. However, its usage is not limited to sun offense as it commonly finds itself a place on offensive rain teams for its ability to dispose of Pokemon that would normally be a hassle to defeat. Threats such as Ninetailes and Tyranitar are now hesitant to switch in out of fear of being trapped by Dugtrio and thus losing the weather war, while Steel-types such as Jirachi have to second guess about switching into Tornadus-T due to Dugtrio's presence. Despite this, Dugtrio is not without its flaws. It has a mediocre Attack, meaning that in order to cause any real damage, it must hit its target super-effectively, and even then it struggles to do meaningful damage. Its non-exisistant (non-existent) defenses mean that it can only come in after a kill, or with excellent prediction. Combine these two things together, and if Dugtrio is not facing an opposing weather (team), it will often be dead-weight for your team. Nevertheless, with the dependence on winning the weather war in the metagame, Dugtrio is one of the more important Pokemon in the tier.</p>

virizion

<p>Although Virizion didn't gain or lose anything with the introduction of BW2, the transition from BW1 to BW2 was not a kind one. In BW1, it was used as a check to the multiple threats that rain offense had to provide, but in BW2, it has turned into a burden when facing rain offense. With Pokemon such as Tornadus-T and Genesect being common sights on rain offense, Virizion doesn't stand a chance against the prominent playstyle. Everything in the metagame has gotten faster and stronger, leaving Virizion struggling to keep pace. As such, it has experienced the drop from OU to UU and is probably going to stay there for the foreseeable future. It still does have the niche of being able to check sand offense teams with its two STABs, but now faces competition from Breloom as the primary dual Grass- and Fighting-type (Grass / Fighting type) Pokemon, with Breloom having the advantage due to access (thanks) to Spore and Mach Punch. The last year has been a tough one for Virizion, and all indications show that that trend will continue.</p>

rock bird

<p>With Team Preview required in all standard BW battles, Aerodactyl's role as a suicide lead from DPP has been greatly hampered. No longer can it prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock; they can just set it up later. As such, Aerodactyl has seen a great drop in usage, dropping from the mantle of OU all the way to down to RU. Its lacking defenses and Stealth Rock weakness make it almost useless mid-game, limiting its roles greatly. On the bright side, the one thing it hasn't lost over the generation shift is its ability to set up Stealth Rock—its amazing Speed allows it to set up the entry hazard with remarkable consistency. Add to that the fact that most players don't account for Aerodactyl when they make their team, and you might just have yourself a key cog to your team. In such a fast-paced, offensive metagame, this niche is more than enough reason to use Aerodactyl.</p>

the ACTUAL deo-d overview

<p>Although its stats indicate otherwise, Deoxys-D is the premier offensive lead spike-stacker in the OU metagame. Its base 90 Speed stat allows it to outpace just what it needs to, while its enormous bulk makes it impossible to take down in one blow, allowing the user to get at least one, if not two, layers of entry hazards set. This consistency appeals to many players, and as the generation has progressed, so has Deoxys-D's recognition as one of the best. Not only does it have the tools necessary to be a great spike-stacker, but it can also run certain moves to ensure that its work cannot be blown away by common Rapid Spinners (users). It has essentially defined the new, fast-paced BW2 metagame, as it is used on nearly every hyper offensive (specifically weatherless offensive) team. Unfortunately for Deoxys-D, it is a Psychic-type, which leaves it vulnerable to many common attackers, most notably Genesect and Tyranitar. It also has no way of breaking through either of the Magic Bounce users, Espeon and Xatu, rendering it essentially useless as long as those Pokemon are in battle. Despite these flaws, Deoxys-D has risen up to the creme of the crop, firmly holding a position as one of the elite.</p>

copy/paste for all 8

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hitMONSTERtop

<p>In such a fast, high-paced offensive metagame, many average Pokemon often get spun under the table. Hitmontop has been more or less relegated to this role—its offensive capabilities are lackluster in comparison to other Fighting-types in Terrakion and Conkeldurr, while its defensive capabilities are restricted due to a lack of reliable recovery. However, all is not lost for Hitmontop, as the offensive metagame has translated (is this the word you mean? It feels like "transformed" makes more sense) into a flux of spike-stacking teams, often times with the usage of multiple physical attackers. With Intimidate and Rapid Spin in its arsenal, Hitmontop is able to carve itself a niche as an ever-valuable Rapid Spin user that is also able to beat dangerous physical threats such as Terrakion and Lucario. Hitmontop is an incredibly limited Pokemon in terms of versatility outside of these two roles, but they might just be what you need to succeed.</p>

STARaptor

<p>Unfortunately for Staraptor, it has been banned into the barren wasteland known as BL. Too strong for UU, but too weak to be used consistently in OU, it struggles to find a place on most teams. Its weakness to Stealth Rock and paper-thin defenses contribute to this, as it has a hard time switching in unless after a kill. Despite having Close Combat in its movepool to alleviate the poor coverage between its STABs, it struggles to break through certain Steel-types, such as Jirachi. Its 100 base Speed puts it in an awkward position, as with a Choice Band equipped, it just isn't fast enough to be effective in a metagame flooded with speedy attackers, and with a Choice Scarf attached, it struggles to do enough damage. On the bright side, it receives a nifty Dream World ability in Reckless, which powers up its main two STABs, Brave Bird and Double-Edge, to incredible levels. It also has access to U-turn, an excellent move in a metagame based so heavily on momentum. Although a rather risky Pokemon to use, Staraptor can perform well under favorable conditions.</p>

SCRAFTY

<p>It is safe to say that Scrafty is not the Pokemon it once was in BW1, and its drop from OU to UU reflects that. With the new, powerful Pokemon that BW2 has brought in the form of rain attackers, namely Keldeo and Tornadus-T, Scrafty just cannot find its place in the metagame. Its bulk cannot withstand the onslaught of attacks that it is bound to take from such threats, and even if it manages to get a Dragon Dance boost, it is still outsped by Tornadus-T. Unfortunately, the transition to a fast paced metagame means that Scrafty's main perk in beating stall has been nullified, as stall is no longer nearly as prevalent as it was in BW1. Although extremely vulnerable to the multitude of rain attackers, Scrafty still maintains its dominance over most sand teams, and that in itself could warrant a slot on your team if desperate.</p>

NINJABUG

<p>Ninjask has been in existence for three generations, and its job hasn't changed since its inception. Ninjask's main goal is to accumulate as many Speed boosts as possible in order to start a successful Baton Pass chain. In this role, it is second to none, and should be expected on every Baton Pass team. To put it simply, Baton Pass based teams do not and cannot work without Speed boosts to begin the chain, and no Pokemon accumulates Speed boosts nearly as effectively or reliably as Ninjask. However, with the introduction of BW came Ninjask's new main enemy: Prankster. Ninjask is entirely vulnerable to Prankster Taunts and, consequently, the entire chain is ruined by this pesky strategy. Either way, if you're looking to build a Baton pass team, always start at Ninjask.</p>

DUGGYDUGGY

<p>Dugtrio is a very specialized Pokemon, its main use is to maintain control of the weather wars that dominate the metagame through the means of Arena Trap. It is used primarily on sun offense teams for its ability to to trap and KO weakened weather starters such as Tyranitar and Politoed, while also being able to eliminate Pokemon that threaten sun teams such as Terrakion. However, its usage is not limited to sun offense as it commonly finds itself a place on offensive rain teams for its ability to dispose of Pokemon that would normally be a hassle to defeat. Threats such as Ninetales and Tyranitar are now hesitant to switch in out of fear of being trapped by Dugtrio and thus losing the weather war, while Steel-types such as Jirachi have to second guess about switching into Tornadus-T due to Dugtrio's presence. Despite this, Dugtrio is not without its flaws. It has a mediocre Attack, meaning that in order to cause any real damage, it must hit its target super effectively, and even then it struggles to do meaningful damage. Its non-existent defenses mean that it can only come in after a kill, or with excellent prediction. Combine these two things together, and if Dugtrio is not facing an opposing weather team, it will often be dead-weight. Nevertheless, with the dependence on winning the weather war in the metagame, Dugtrio is one of the more important Pokemon in the tier.</p>

virizion

<p>Although Virizion didn't gain or lose anything with the introduction of BW2, the transition from BW1 to BW2 was not a kind one. In BW1, it was used as a check to the multiple threats that rain offense had to provide, but in BW2, it has turned into a burden when facing rain offense. With Pokemon such as Tornadus-T and Genesect being common sights on rain offense, Virizion doesn't stand a chance against the prominent playstyle. Everything in the metagame has gotten faster and stronger, leaving Virizion struggling to keep pace. As such, it has experienced the drop from OU to UU and is probably going to stay there for the foreseeable future. It still does have the niche of being able to check sand offense teams with its two STABs, but now faces competition from Breloom as the primary Grass / Fighting type Pokemon, with Breloom having the advantage thanks to Spore and Mach Punch. The last year has been a tough one for Virizion, and all indications show that that trend will continue.</p>

rock bird

<p>With Team Preview required in all standard BW battles, Aerodactyl's role as a suicide lead from DPP has been greatly hampered. No longer can it prevent the opponent from setting up Stealth Rock; they can just set it up later. As such, Aerodactyl has seen a great drop in usage, dropping from the mantle of OU all the way to down to RU. Its lacking defenses and Stealth Rock weakness make it almost useless mid-game, limiting its roles greatly. On the bright side, the one thing it hasn't lost over the generation shift is its ability to set up Stealth Rock—its amazing Speed allows it to set up the entry hazard with remarkable consistency. Add to that the fact that most players don't account for Aerodactyl when they make their team, and you might just have yourself a key cog to your team. In such a fast-paced, offensive metagame, this niche is more than enough reason to use Aerodactyl.</p>

the ACTUAL deo-d overview

<p>Although its stats indicate otherwise, Deoxys-D is the premier offensive lead spike-stacker in the OU metagame. Its base 90 Speed stat allows it to outpace just what it needs to, while its enormous bulk makes it impossible to take down in one blow, allowing the user to get at least one, if not two, layers of entry hazards set. This consistency appeals to many players, and as the generation has progressed, so has Deoxys-D's recognition as one of the best. Not only does it have the tools necessary to be a great spike-stacker, but it can also run certain moves to ensure that its work cannot be blown away by common Rapid Spin users. It has essentially defined the new, fast-paced BW2 metagame, as it is used on nearly every hyper offensive (specifically weatherless offensive) team. Unfortunately for Deoxys-D, it is a Psychic-type, which leaves it vulnerable to many common attackers, most notably Genesect and Tyranitar. It also has no way of breaking through either of the Magic Bounce users, Espeon and Xatu, rendering it essentially useless as long as those Pokemon are in battle. Despite these flaws, Deoxys-D has risen up to the creme of the crop, firmly holding a position as one of the elite.</p>

GP Approved 1/2 times 8

[NixHex]

C/P stuff

Yee ape (CP)

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Stoked to take Ape.

[Overview]

<p>Infernape's mixed attacking talents no longer help it out the way they have for the rest of his career. The name of the game in BW2 is all-out offense, which for an attacker generally means do one thing and do it well. On the physical side, offensive teams with only one dedicated physical wall are consistently broken by Rock Gem Terrakion, who boasts far stronger physical attacks and much higher usable bulk when used in sand. On the special side, Infernape isn't very good to start with. Rain teams in particular have Pokemon like Tentacruel and Tornadus-T which assure he can not pull a sweep or even leave lasting damage. If you attempt to counteract the weather with your own, you run into the problem of Venusaur, Victini, and Darmanitan collectively outclassing it under sun while returning to the original Terrakion + any top-tier special attacker problem in sand and hail. Infernape's past gave him reasons to be used against stall, which has an easier time stacking physical walls to beat Terrakion's sets than his. In particular, sun stall teams with Sableye despised him because he can 2HKO anything under the sun without being halted by a burn. However, stall is not a significant part of BW2 and the chances of finding a proper place for Infernape in your team are slim.</p>

Nachos Abomasnow (C/P)

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[Overview]

<p>Abomasnow's main role on a team is to remove the opponent's weather advantage, and really the only reason to consider using it on your team. Don't bother using Abomasnow to create a hail team; they're far inferior to sand, sun, and rain teams. Abomasnow's stats and movepool lend it to a role of disrupting the opponent's team patterns through an offensive or SubSeed set. Ultimately, Abomasnow doesn't need much team support as it has a singular role in messing with your opponent's team and breaks whatever weather advantage they may have had.</p>

Nachos (are) (Meta)gross (not a cp, please read thx)

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[Overview]

<p>I don't get There is no good reason why you would use Metagross in OU. It's walled by Rotom-W and Ferrothorn, doesn't really provide anything to the support for your team and is worse at the whole +2 Speed thing than Landorus and Genesect. The Explosion nerf in BW didn't help the lead set with Explosion either. Still, low ranked players use it for some reason, probably because it looks cool. Do me us a favor and stop using it so it can finally become UU.</p>
{Tried my best to replace the first person stuff. An alternate option for the last part would be Do UU players a favor and stop using it so it can finally move down.}

Temp V1's Cresselia (not cp)

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[Overview]

<p>For Cresselia, the shift from DPP to BW was not all that big, and BW2 has been much of the same, however Cresselia still is as good a wall as you will find. Sporting incredibly solid defenses of 120/120/130, Cresselia can comfortably take hits, and lots of them. Cresselia's main function is to wall, whether it be from the physical side, of the spectrum, the special side, or heck even both, it fulfills this function very effectively. With a great ability in Levitate, Cresselia picks up an immunity to the omnipresent Ground-type moves such as Earthquake, allowing for many free switch ins. It also possesses an incredible support move pool, championed by its signature move Lunar Dance. With this generation being heavily defined by powerhouse physical attackers, many of whom are Fighting types, Cresselia's Psychic typing further helps its walling capabilities, nullifying serious threats in the OU metagame.</p>

Temp V1 Lando-T (cp)

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[Overview]

<p>BW2 brought with it the release of some of the biggest offensive threats we have seen to date, including the Therian forms of Thundurus, Tornadus, and Landorus. Landorus-T is often overlooked for the other Therians, or even its Incarnate form; however, Landorus in its Therian form has acquired a very particular set of skills, skills that allow it to be a nightmare for the metagame when fully utilized.</p>

<p>Landorus-T trades off 10 base Speed and Special Attack for an increased 20 base Attack, which allows it to be truly threatening outright with a base Attack stat of 145. One of Landorus-I's biggest draws is the rather unique 101 speed tier, which allows it to outspeed a range of big threats, so losing that tier may seem like a substantial drawback. However, Landorus-T functions in different ways. Landorus-T is one of a very limited number of Pokémon who can effectively run either an offensive, defensive, or Support set, which is one of his greatest assets. Landorus-T swaps the useful offensive abilities Sand Force and Sheer Force for Intimidate, which is more useful than ever in the current metagame with so many physical powerhouses running around. This ability will provide more than ample opportunities for Landorus-T to set up, whether it be Stealth Rock on a supporting set, Rock Polish on an offensive set, or simply to lower the attack of a foe. It truly is the crux of Landorus-T’s usefulness.</p>

undisputed dragonite (cp)

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[Overview]

<p>Dragonite is a top tier OU Pokemon, and while different sets can fit any team archetype, it is most commonly seen as an Offensive Dragon Dancer. Generally making its way into the battle as a mid-game opener or wall breaker, Dragon Dance Dragonite has few counters under the traditional definition. Recently, Dragonite's effectiveness has been hampered by Genesect's Choice Scarf Ice Beam. Aside from Gensect and Scizor's Bullet Punch, every other Dragonite counter is slow and defensively oriented, so they will take a lot of damage from Outrage. The most notable second set is the Rain Tank, although it is rare. Other sets have fallen by the wayside as the metagame becomes more offensively oriented. Many Pokemon are both faster and can OHKO Dragonite, so unless it is boosting speed via Dragon Dance, Dragonite is usually considered more of a liability than an asset.</p>

yee Tangrowth (cp)

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[Overview]

<p>By the grace of Regenerator, Tangrowth has become one of the most resilient physical walls in the game, second only to Protect Gliscor after its Toxic Orb has activated. Tangrowth's home is generally on defensive teams, where it can be used to scout Choice Band attackers by taking the blow and regenerating out to a resist, or wearing down the other team massively with it's support movepool featuring Sleep Powder, Leech Seed, and Knock Off. It can also be used effectively on balanced teams for the same purpose and to counter top physical threats, being hard for even Breloom to toss aside when asleep. A small special defense investment will allow it to take a Hydro Pump or two as well. It's not going to be fighting for top 5 usage any time soon but it can still be an effective fit in numerous teams.</p>

GP Approved 1/2 x 7

[Nachos]

Scrap that Metagross, NixHex, for here is the revised version:

New Metagross

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Metagross has a limited amount of decent traits. It can actually take a strong physical move from things like Kyurem-B and hit back, and can run a Specially Defensive set with Pursuit that does well against threats like Latios. Its problem is that it’s basically outclassed by virtually every steel in OU, who deserve that crucial team spot more than Metagross. It’s walled by commonly seen defensive Pokemon such as Ferrothorn and Rotom-W, which is a problem when other steels such as Genesect and Scizor can just U-turn out on the problem. If you’ll ever use Metagross, then it’s because it fills a specific niche that you may need, otherwise stick to its better brothers.

Tyranitar will be up in a bit.

Tyranitar

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You’re using Tyranitar to set up sandstorm, so play to its strengths. Defensive sets with Stealth Rock are done better by Hippowdon, who isn’t annihilated by the popular Dugtrio & Genesect combination found on many sun and rain teams and at the same time has reliable recovery. Tyranitar is pretty versatile which allows it to be less one dimensional than Hippowdon and therefore can run Fire Blast to catch Ferrothorn. However, Tyranitar should be running a more offensive set such as Choice Band to get easy kills with Pursuit while at the same time hurting something badly with its STAB moves. Choice Scarf sets have declined in popularity with the arrival of Tornadus-T, but have some merit on teams that include both Hippowdon and Tyranitar.

[PK Gaming]

Hi

I hope this is permitted because i've got an issue with some of the proposed changes.

Haxorus's name isn't the only cool thing about him. Sporting a massive Base 147 Attack, Haxorus has the ability to OHKO or 2HKO nearly everything in the game, even without entry hazard support. In addition, access to amazing moves like Dragon Dance, Swords Dance, and a STAB Outrage makes him both devastating and unpredictable. Unfortunately, he has meager defenses and a disappointing Speed stat, which, when coupled with its shallow attacking movepool, can sometimes cause him to be brushed aside in favor of its Dragon-type brethren, namely Salamence and Dragonite. Despite these shortcomings, Haxorus's sheer power often merits him a spot on a team, as very little can safely switch into this behemoth

there is nothing wrong with this overview. Its succinct; short and sweet. Sums up Haxorus' pros and cons quite nicely without being fluffy. It's outdated in the sense that it needs to mention genesect & kyurem(who admittedly fits into the end where it mentions salamence & dragonite as competition) but that can easily be fixed without scrapping the entire overview.

I hope this doesn't come across as a KNOCK IT OFF, but i really do feel like some of these overviews are being changed for the sake of being changed to inject your own flavor into the analysis. (the hax jokes :/). That said, the majority of these overviews are pretty solid like Lord of Bays Hydreigon revamp. one was pretty fucking amazing, hats off for making that overview 10X better.

[yee]

Chansey-

It's quite obvious where Chansey's strength is, her and her sister Blissey best the game in special walling, by miles. However, in the very rare case of BW2 they are unable to do so. New special threats are the reason, Tornadus-T, Keldeo, and Thundurus-T being the new faces of rain and Venusaur getting Giga Drain mean Chansey loses to the most powerful special threats. With it's performance as a special wall it becomes at best an average Stealth Rock setter if anything.

If you do decide to use a blob, residual damage is the key in deciding which to use. If you are using a Sandstorm or Hail summoner on your team, Blissey's benefits from Leftovers will far outweigh those of Chansey's extra bulk. Without them, Chansey's bulk generally gives it the nod.

Jellicent-

Jellicent is the bulkiest Ghost-type available in OU tier and with it's useful Water-typing it has consistently remained viable throughout BW.

I'll finish the rest + Machamp later and reserve Skarm for now.

[DarkBlazeR]

I'd like to contribute to this project. I currently feel as if I don't contribute enough to the community outside of occasionally posting my thoughts in the OU forum. I've had 5+ years of competitive experience, and possess good writing skills honed from writing scientific reports for my degree course.

Scizor

Original Overview:

Scizor is indisputably one of the top threats in today's metagame. Not only does its Bug / Steel typing give it a host of useful resistances to complement its respectable bulk, Scizor also has a great ability, Technician, to abuse in tandem with its base 130 Attack, making it a real offensive terror. While neither of Scizor's STABs are particularly potent offensively, what U-turn and Bullet Punch lack in coverage, they more than make up for in utility. STAB Technician Bullet Punch, when boosted by a Choice Band or Swords Dance, is a terrifically powerful priority move, which grants Scizor revenge killing and sweeping potential sure to be valued by any team. Scizor also possesses excellent scouting capability thanks to STAB U-turn, which does huge damage to opposing Pokemon whilst giving a teammate a free switch-in. Scizor is one of only two Bug-types that aren't weak to Stealth Rock to get U-turn, the other being Genesect, making it arguably the greatest abuser of the move in the game.

Whether Scizor is sweeping with Swords Dance, scouting with Choice Band U-turn, or picking off opponents with Technician Bullet Punch, it will surely be a great asset to any team, especially ones that struggle against threats such as Latios, Reuniclus, and Tyranitar. As it accomplishes many jobs and provides fantastic offensive and defensive support, Scizor will be a good fit for virtually any team.

Why it needs to be changed:

It does not take into account Genesect's impact on the metagame, and how this has affected Scizor's usage in OU.

New Overview:

In the past, Scizor was perhaps the most definitive offensive force to grace the OU tier. However, it has since been dethroned, to an extent, by its Bug/Steel cousin Genesect. The latter possesses Download, significantly higher Speed and the combination of stats and movepool to hit hard on both sides of the attacking spectrum.

While Scizor may occasionally find itself having to catch its breath in the hostile new metagame that is BW2, it still occupies a valuable niche. Despite sharing the same type as Genesect, Scizor can differentiate itself with Technician boosted STAB Bullet Punch. Notwithstanding Steel's relatively poor coverage, the ability to hit many key threats in OU for either Super Effective or neutral damage gives it fantastic utility. Scizor has revenge killing potency with Bullet Punch – allowing it to check a multitude of fast threats such as Terrakion, Lati@s, Gengar and Venusaur. Packing a slow, powerful U-turn gives Scizor fantastic scouting potential, providing a teammate a window into the action unscathed. Consider that Scizor is not limited to revenge killing and scouting; it can quite comfortably sweep a team with Swords Dance. Its plethora of resistances in combination with decent bulk and access to reliable recovery allow it to play a pivotal role in a team's defensive backbone. If you accentuate Scizor's individual strengths, you should find that it is still one of the most effective Pokémon in the metagame.

EDIT: I'm aware this is a bit wordy - I'm going to make it more concise when I get the time to do so. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[nyttyn]

Originally Posted by Fat PK Gaming

Hi

I hope this is permitted because i've got an issue with some of the proposed changes.



there is nothing wrong with this overview. Its succinct; short and sweet. Sums up Haxorus' pros and cons quite nicely without being fluffy. It's outdated in the sense that it needs to mention genesect & kyurem(who admittedly fits into the end where it mentions salamence & dragonite as competition) but that can easily be fixed without scrapping the entire overview.

I hope this doesn't come across as a KNOCK IT OFF, but i really do feel like some of these overviews are being changed for the sake of being changed to inject your own flavor into the analysis. (the hax jokes :/). That said, the majority of these overviews are pretty solid like Lord of Bays Hydreigon revamp. one was pretty fucking amazing, hats off for making that overview 10X better.

I disagree. The current Haxorus review is far too kind to it, and fails to mention the new tutor moves which give you a reason to use him over the other dragons. It might be a good overview, but it is also outdated, and far too positive to a pokemon that is really just outclassed. Admittedly, there might not be any real reason to change the flavor of outdated overviews, but at the same time there's no real reason to keep them.