Aren't there some popular BLs?

[Chou Toshio]

As it's been said, the difference between BL and OU is usage and not power, correct? Yet, as of late I've been finding myself running into some BLs more frequently on shoddy than quite a few of the OUs.

Particularly:
-Flotzel
-Flygon (Resisting the common Ground-Rock combo differentiates it from Garchomp imo)
-Tentacruel
-Umbreon
-Mismagus
-Scizor
-Charizard

There are probably some others that are just not coming to mind easily at the moment. Some of these make sense-- Tentacruel in particular is probably picking up more use because of the increase in Toxic Spike use, along with its recent popularization in some war stories. Anyone else having this experience? Having it with different BLs?

And my question-- if a BL becomes more commonly used than some OUs, is it still a BL? o.O BTW I don't want to open an annoying tier discussion. Just talk about cool BLs having more impact on the environment.

 

[Pneuma]

Well, no.

Tentacruel definitely needs a new lookover, it's on virtually every stall team ever thanks to Toxic Spikes. Scizor had been getting a lot of smogon attention in the last few weeks and people remembered how much damage he can do (and how bulky he is as a sweeper).

Zard and Umbreon and Mismagius are as ~common as they ever were; Floatzel and Flygon both have great celebrity sets and are about as popular as BL should be.

 

[imgty]

if then...i think it may bacome an OU....

 

[Forsety]

Tentacruel is pure UU, its just always functioned well in various environments in all generations due to its niche in typing and moves. Tentacruel could never go any higher simply because of the fact it lacks any real power or epic high defenses. Theres no sense in promoting it since it doesn't unbalance the lower tiers either and it can be used in standard anyway.

 

[Fenikkusu]

I like using miltank entirely too much. The poor cow has proved itself to be a very nice cleric/wall for me. Not to mention a funny match where it singlehandedly paralyzed most of an opponent's team. Curse tank rules when the spec-sweepers have been destroyed.

 

[TheMantyke]

Ambipom I've noticed on wifi to be gaining slight popularity for The Al gore moveset.

 

[Jumpman16]

to answer your question, if a bl pokemon starts to be used more and more, it because ou, by default. it's pretty simple. your opening paragraph reads kind of annoyingly lol...it doesn't really matter what one player has seen, which is what makes tier talk so utterly futile

 

[Chou Toshio]

Wait, Ambipom is BL? O.o *checks list* holy cow, Ambipom is BL . . . I never knew . . . lol

Yeah, that thing is pretty damn popular.

to answer your question, if a bl pokemon starts to be used more and more, it because ou, by default. it's pretty simple. your opening paragraph reads kind of annoyingly lol...it doesn't really matter what one player has seen, which is what makes tier talk so utterly futile

*flinch* as I mentioned, I didn't want to start a tier debate. Those things can get annoying, and as you say, the experiences of a single player are ultimately meaningless.

 

[xc_hawk]

Like forsety said, tentacruel's UU, not BL. His typing is unique, but he has a hard time taking any advantage of his special defence because of it. A special wall that's weak to psychic and electric, fun. (I saying this because I use him a ton in OU, he is in my opinion the best t-spiker)

Mismagius is gaining popularity also, and with good reason. It can take on cresselia and blissey (out CMs cress, perish traps bliss)

 

[Pneuma]

it doesn't really matter what one player has seen, which is what makes tier talk so utterly futile

Right, testimonials are junk in the face of science.
But at the same time, the only way we can even check for usage (which is directly linked to the OU/BL tiers) is by, you guessed it, battle experience.

You're right to disregard the solitary comments but eventually there is what is called a "common sentiment" which cannot be overlooked.

(I saying this because I use him a ton in OU, he is in my opinion the best t-spiker)(I saying this because I use him a ton in OU, he is in my opinion the best t-spiker)

Then how is he truly UU if he's damn near the best Toxic Spiker in all of OU? There is a point where niche transcends stats. Look at Shedinja, look at Spiritomb, look at Abomasnow (or Snover or Hippopotas for that matter).

 

[xc_hawk]

You're completely right Pneuma, I was just giving my opinion. I don't know the general public's opinion on t-spikers, I assumed it was forry.

 

[Pneuma]

You're completely right Pneuma, I was just giving my opinion. I don't know the general public's opinion on t-spikers, I assumed it was forry.

I was using you as evidence for my argument, sorry.
Additionally, Forry is the most common T-spiker right now.

 

[sandman]

choicespecs zard is a monster, besides from intimate i prefer it sometimes over salamence because its ability just puts it a step over mence, once when i was fighting a gastrodon and in the blaze range, i two koed it with fireblast, also charizard gets focus blast and you add the surprise of it not being a bellyzard. And mismagius should be in the OU slot, blissey can't counter the calmmind version unless it runs calm mind too, the only other counters i can think of off the bat besides that are spiritomb or snorlax.

 

[Bogmire]

Abomasnow's been gaining in popularity lately. I've been seeing more and more hail teams. It does a good job at walling bulky waters too

 

[Jumpman16]

And mismagius should be in the OU slot, blissey can't counter the calmmind version unless it runs calm mind too, the only other counters i can think of off the bat besides that are spiritomb or snorlax.

don't make me lock this thread. nobody uses mismagius, so it is not overused. it is that simple.

 

[cim]

Popular BLs also include steel penguin hero Empoleon (Blissey-haters and "Chrisisme"s's wall of choice), Staraptor, Spiritomb, Milotic, and Jolteon. I think the BL category's a bit bloated and some stuff should go to OU.

 

[cim]

Abomasnow's been gaining in popularity lately. I've been seeing more and more hail teams. It does a good job at walling bulky waters too

Provided the bulky water doesn't run any moves not named Surf, Abomasnow is a fantastic water wall. It also has great typing and a multitude of purposes outside of weather support, just like Tyranitar! Eh, I'll pass. I personally think Abomasnow's UU; it's not like Hail is a very good weather type.

 

[nitnit]

Zangoose and Pinsir see some use.

 

[pepiux]

I've been using CM Mismagius and indeed non CM Bliss gets stopped cold... It's actually a good thing when they sent Bliss to counter Missy and they realize they can't do a thing. Cresselia has a hard time against Missy too if she doesn't run Psychic or Shadow Ball (I've encontered a few...)

 

[darkie]

Scizor and Tentacruel are really the most common out of the list in the OP.

 

[Chou Toshio]

don't make me lock this thread. nobody uses mismagius, so it is not overused. it is that simple.

meh, I'm sorry Misty. I just wanted to talk about the fact that I was seeing a lot of BLs around recently, and wondered what other people were running into. But I guess any discussion on the use of BLs inherently gets connected to tier . . . :/

 

[Dragontamer]

Provided the bulky water doesn't run any moves not named Surf, Abomasnow is a fantastic water wall. It also has great typing and a multitude of purposes outside of weather support, just like Tyranitar! Eh, I'll pass. I personally think Abomasnow's UU; it's not like Hail is a very good weather type.

Due to the Stallrein set which pretty much entirely relies on hail (as well as Glaceon's Specs Blizzard pwning any non-water/ice type), it was decided that no weather effects are to be in UU. That includes not only Abomasnow and Hippowdon... but snover and hippopatias.

Take it from me: hail is a very under-appreciated weather type (or at least it was...) Hail does seem to be a lot more popular, at least on shoddy. But Sandstorm teams are as present as ever. Either way, infinite hail from Abomasnow makes it much easier to set up than rain dance or sunny day, which IMO suffer greatly from the uber-status of Kyogre and Groudon.

 

[Lady_Lyndis]

I wonder when we'll update the OU tier with some new commonly used pokes. I think a few BL's use have exceded that of fellow OUs, and should be considered.
Blah blah blah


Anyways onto the question... hmmmm.
I think that Ambipom definately has been seeing more use, a LOT more use. Either NP bpassing or fake-out double hit u-turn -ish sets have been increasing in popularity. Is Hippowdon BL? I think his usage has decreased... maybe not what would I know lol!

As for OUs who are becoming more rare.... I can't think of many!
Except, perhaps, Ninjask.

 

[Dragontamer]

Ninjask is BL isn't he?

 

[Lady_Lyndis]

Ninjask is BL isn't he?

Hmm I don't thinks so... I'll go check