The Black and White UU Threatlist
Ok, the UU threatlist is now officially DONE; I have edited all completed submissions, and this can now be GPed!!!
GP Approvals: 1/2 NigSex, 2/2 CP
Compendium of Completed Submissions:
Ok, the UU threatlist is now officially DONE; I have edited all completed submissions, and this can now be GPed!!!
GP Approvals: 1/2 NigSex, 2/2 CP
Compendium of Completed Submissions:
Abomasnow
Typing: Grass / Ice
Base Stats: 90 HP / 92 Atk / 75 Def / 92 SpA / 85 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Snow Warning / Soundproof (Unreleased)
Despite having stats that fail to amaze in any category, and a huge number of weaknesses, Abomasnow has the extremely unique ability Snow Warning, which allows it to summon permanent hail every time it enters battle. This alone has caused Abomasnow to serve an important—indeed, crucial—role in any hail team. The support of permanent hail is invaluable to Pokemon such as Froslass, as it activates Snow Cloak, giving them a true niche. Abomasnow can also allow the infamous StallRein to initiate its 32 turns of Toxic stall. The permanent hail also gives Blizzard perfect accuracy, enabling Abomasnow and its teammates to fire off a 120 Base Power attack with no drawbacks. Support isn't all Abomasnow is good for; it can work well on its own, too. Thanks to its decent mixed attacking stats and poor but not unusable Speed, Abomasnow often finds itself running a Choice Scarf set, utilizing its 120 Base Power STAB Blizzard and Wood Hammer to revenge kill foes. The snowman can also run a SubSeed set; although its weaknesses are numerous, Abomasnow still has resistances that allow it to switch in and stall with the combination of Leech Seed and Hail. However, the aforementioned weaknesses cause Abomasnow to be easily defeated, so it must be played with care. Abomasnow's Stealth Rock weakness does not allow it to switch in often, but this is mitigated by its total domination of its only competition for starting weather: Hippopotas.
Aerodactyl
Typing: Rock / Flying
Base Stats: 80 HP / 105 Atk / 65 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 130 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Pressure / Unnerve (Released)
Aerodactyl was once perhaps the best suicide lead in the game, but with the release of BW and the advent of Team Preview, it has lost its niche in OU, and has dropped into the depths of UU. In UU, however, it can abuse its blazing Speed and remarkable Attack stat torip apart entire teams, thanks to its great movepool. With Taunt and Roost to deal with more defensive teams, and the famed EdgeQuake combination to rip apart offensive combinations, Aerodactyl can find a place on almost any team. It does suffer from some key downfalls, though. Relatively awful defenses, even by UU standards, mean that it has difficulty taking even the weakest of hits, and if it can't KO the opposing Pokemon, chances are that it's going to get KOed back itself. Its weakness to the priority moves that are abundant in UU is crippling, and it truly prevents it from being a top tier Pokemon. Despite its few flaws, Aerodactyl truly is a prehistoric beast.
Altaria
Typing: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 75 HP / 70 Atk / 90 Def / 70 SpA / 105 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure / Cloud Nine
Since RSE, Altaria has been the premier Dragon-type in UU. Unfortunately, the advent of BW and all that came with it brought Flygon down to UU, giving Altaria stiff competition for a spot on a team. However, Altaria has quite a few advantages over its competitor. Dragon / Flying typing is a great boon to Altaria, as it offers some key resistances. This helps Altaria, as its wide secondary movepool and great Special Defense stat allow it to run support sets effectively. Altaria's abilities both have their uses. Natural Cure keeps it status-free, but is rather useless if it's running Heal Bell. Cloud Nine is good when Altaria is up against weather, but comes at the expense of some key moves such as Roost, Heal Bell, and Body Slam. Altaria can also go on the offensive with Dragon Dance; this is its key advantage over Flygon, which can only boast Hone Claws as a setup move. Although Altaria sounds great, it is taken care of by most physical attackers, and Ice-type attacks usually mean instant death. Don't think Altaria is bad, though; it is a dangerous and rather versatile Pokemon that should always be prepared for.
Ambipom
Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 75 HP / 100 Atk / 66 Def / 60 SpA / 66 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Pickup / Technician / Skill Link (Unreleased)
Ambipom can accomplish a variety of jobs. It can be a great mid-game sweeper, or a revenge killer on any team. Its fantastic Speed, combined with Technician and a respectable 100 base Attack, means that it can rip holes into almost any team. In the transition to BW UU, Ambipom's job has stayed the same: to scout the opponent's sets and items while dealing significant damage to their team. Unless it is up against a Ghost-type, Ambipom will almost always be dealing damage for free, thanks to its extremely powerful Fake Out. Armed with a Technician-boosted Payback to wipe out Ghost-types, a Technician-boosted Aerial Ace to defeat Fighting-types, and a safe getaway in U-turn, Ambipom will always have a technique to deal with its usual counters. However, it is not without its flaws. Ambipom's laughable defenses mean that it will be taking quite a beating from any attack.Its Speed is no match for the likes of Jolteon, Aerodactyl, and Crobat, the latter of which has Inner Focus, meaning it can't be defeated by Fake Out. Ambipom will also have to face old enemies such as Hitmontop, and new enemies such as Cobalion. In addition, 100 base Attack is not enough to overpower dedicated physical walls. Even with its flaws, Ambipom's hit-and-run tactics are unmatched in the UU tier, making it a top threat in the metagame.
Arcanine
Typing: Fire
Base Stats: 90 HP / 110 Atk / 80 Def / 100 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Flash Fire / Justified
Since the introduction of BW UU, Arcanine has been a formidable force within the tier. Although it can no longer take advantage of Drought (as Vulpix is now banned), it still has all the tools necessary to succeed in the tier. Excellent mixed attacking stats, solid Speed, reasonable bulk, two extremely useful abilities, and an amazing movepool that provides it with almost impeccable coverage while still allowing it to retain a slot for a priority move, healing, or another type of support move all combine to make Arcanine one of the best Pokemon in the UU tier. The transition to Black and White granted Arcanine access to Close Combat and Wild Charge, improving its coverage and power dramatically. These new assets, as well as its previous advantages, allow Arcanine to play a variety of roles. Arcanine is one of the most versatile Pokemon available in UU play, capable of tearing holes in opposing teams with its powerful Choice Band set, smashing walls and possibly sweeping while retaining the ability to heal with Morning Sun and switch moves with its devastating physical or mixed Life Orb sets. It can even utilize bulky sets that take advantage of its reasonable defensive stats, access to somewhat reliable recovery, two extremely useful abilities in Intimidate and Flash Fire, and decent support movepool, which includes moves such as Roar, Toxic, and Will-O-Wisp. Arcanine's only significant drawback is its pure Fire typing, which, while excellent offensively, is poor defensively, giving it weaknesses to common Water-, Ground-, and Rock-type attacks, including the omnipresent Stealth Rock. Despite these drawbacks, and due to its incredible power and versatility, Arcanine is easily one of the most powerful and dangerous Pokemon in the UU tier, and is a threat that every team should prepare for if it hopes to succeed in UU play.
Azelf
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 75 HP / 125 Atk / 70 Def / 125 SpA / 70 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Infamous as a suicide lead in DPP OU, Azelf returns this generation in UU as an extremely threatening special sweeper. Sporting a blazing 115 Speed as well as 125 base attacking stats, Azelf is often seen running Nasty Plot to take advantage of its excellent special movepool and firepower. Furthermore, Azelf's Psychic typing allows it to utilize the move Psyshock effectively in order to bypass common special walls such as Chansey. Azelf can also use its oft-overlooked 125 base Attack to smash the special walls it lures in with a Choice Band-boosted attack, or scout with a strong, fast U-turn. If needed, Azelf can also cripple a wall that switches in by Tricking its Choice Band onto it. Azelf can provide support for its teammates by utilizing Taunt and setting up dual screens or Stealth Rock. However, Azelf has problems with Chansey if it doesn't carry Nasty Plot and Psyshock. Houndoom and Victini can also switch in on most special attacking sets, and most Dark-types can revenge kill Azelf or trap it with Pursuit. Azelf isn't the bulkiest of Pokemon either, so while it is hard to switch in to, it can often be revenged by a Choice Scarf user.
Azumarill
http://www.smogon.com/forums/../bw/pokemon/azumarill Typing: Water
Base Stats: 100 HP / 50 Atk / 80 Def / 50 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Thick Fat / Huge Power / Sap Sipper
Azumarill picks up from last generation exactly where it left off; revenge killing with its massively powerful Aqua Jets. With its Huge Power ability sending its initially cringe-worthy Attack sky rocketing to levels rivaling Groudon, Azumarill's priority Aqua Jet utterly destroys frail sweepers. Threats such as Houndoom and Nidoking, who are weak to it, are almost always handily OHKOed, while frailer attackers such as Venomoth and Jolteon are 2HKOed with ease. Rounding out Azumarill's coverage are Superpower, Ice Punch, and Double-Edge, which are also seen alongside Waterfall at times. These attacks will almost always 2HKO even bulky Pokemon if they are weak to them. However, Azumarill's immense power comes at the cost of low Speed, and only very modest bulk. You will have to find yourself predicting spotlessly, or else your opponent will effortlessly outpredict Azumarill. In general, bulky Water-types such as Suicune make the best counters, as long as they aren't weak to one of Azumarill's coverage moves. Overall, if you want a wrecking ball with which to smash your opponent's team, or ridiculously powerful priority to insure yourself against powerful sweepers, accept no substitutes.
Bisharp
Typing: Dark / Steel
Base Stats: 65 HP / 125 Atk / 100 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Inner Focus / Defiant / Pressure (Unreleased)
Bisharp is one of BW's new Pokemon, and it is a rather interesting one at that. Its fantastic Attack stat, access to Swords Dance, and an extremely power STAB Sucker Punch give it a fantastic niche in UU. It can also weather weaker physical attempts at a revenge kill, thanks to its underestimated base 100 Defense stat. Unfortunately, Bisharp doesn't really boast much else; sure, it can sweep effectively under the right circumstances, but its poor Speed and weaknesses to Fighting-, Ground-, and Fire-type attacks really hampers its ability to do this. Its great need for the right team support lets it down, and as such, Bisharp isn't as much of threat as some of the other Pokemon on this list, but it sure is one to look out for.
Celebi
Typing: Grass / Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP /100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure
Celebi vies for the title of premier Grass-type of UU. With its balanced base 100 stats and good movepool, it's easy to see why Celebi is so versatile. Defensively, its typing provides a unique resistance palette, resisting common Ground-, Water-, Electric-, and Fighting-type attacks. With a reliable recovery move in Recover, Celebi can be a hard nut to crack, and with its great ability Natural Cure, it effortlessly checks bulky Water-types such as Suicune, Milotic, or Slowbro. Its massive support movepool includes Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, Leech Seed, Trick, Baton Pass, Heal Bell, and Perish Song. As if that were not enough, it also has access to three notable boosting moves—Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, and Calm Mind—and can sweep by itself. However, as with all versatile Pokemon, Celebi suffers from a severe four-moveslot syndrome. Offensive sets often lack coverage due to Celebi's poor STAB options. Although nothing really likes to switch on the defensive sets because of the threat of Thunder Wave or Leech Seed, Celebi's staggering seven weaknesses—the largest number of weaknesses on any Pokemon—prevent it from being truly top tier. The omnipresent Chansey can easily deal with Celebi, which also restricts its usefulness. Still, Celebi can surprise just about any team with absurd versatility; ignore it at your own risk.
Chansey
Base Stats: 250 HP / 5 Atk / 5 Def / 35 SpA / 105 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer (Unreleased)
Chansey once again returns to UU as the top special wall in its class. Its ridiculously good defensive stats are boosted even further this generation, thanks to the introduction of Eviolite. Eviolite makes Chansey so incredibly good that it can even wall physical attacks that it would never even dream of switching into before, such as defensive Rhyperior, Donphan, and Flygon. Chansey can also make use of its immense support movepool; Wish is one of its unique options, and its Wishes can fully restore the HP of Pokemon such as Mismagius, thanks to the new mechanics. This fat pink blob has become more annoying than ever, and crippling status moves help it a ton truly cementing its position. Toxic and Thunder Wave can cripple any sweeper that Chansey sets out to wall, and it does it so well. Unfortunately, though, Chansey's major weakness to strong physical Fighting-type attacks (of which there is an abundance in UU) stop it from being nigh-on invincible. Pokemon such as Heracross can switch in for free, and launch off a STAB Close Combat, which will send Chansey to its grave. When paired up with the correct team support, however, Chansey is a real threat overlook it at your peril.
Charizard
Typing: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 78 HP / 84 Atk / 78 Def / 109 SpA / 85 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Blaze / Solar Power
Charizard has always been a fan favorite since its premiere in RBY, but it was cast into NU for most of DPP. The standard BellyZard set in Gen IV was somewhat of a novelty, in which Charizard would use a combination of Salac Berry, Blaze, Belly Drum, Substitute, and Fire Punch to set up a monster with +6 Attack,+1 Speed, and a Blaze boost that could sweep teams. One should note that Fire Punch is a DPP move tutor move, and that Salac Berry is, at the moment, unobtainable in BW. This set can still be run effectively in BW, but is checked somewhat by the widespread use of priority moves: Charizard resists Mach Punch from Hitmontop, but doesn't have the physical bulk to take hits well, and loses to most other priority. Its new toy in BW is the ability Solar Power, which increases its Special Attack by 50% in exchange for 1/8th of its HP every turn in intense sunlight. With moves such as STAB Flamethrower boosted by sunlight, Dragon Pulse, Focus Blast, Air Slash, and SolarBeam, it can abuse its buffed Special Attack with a Choice Specs or Choice Scarf, but needs to rely on sunlight support from a Sunny Day user to be run effectively. Charizard also has a crippling 4x weakness to Stealth Rock, so Rapid Spin support is a necessity. It is checked by the omnipresence of Water-types such as Slowbro, Milotic, and Suicune, and loses its Solar Power boost when Hippopotas or Snover is out. However, in sunlight with Solar Power, or when given the chance to properly set up a Belly Drum, Charizard is a huge threat that can sweep teams.
Cobalion
Typing: Steel / Fighting
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 129 Def / 90 SpA / 72 SpD / 108 Spe
Abilities: Justified
Cobalion is the only member of the musketeer trio to fall into UU, but that by no means makes it a bad Pokemon. Although it does come with unfortunate weaknesses to Ground-, Fighting-, and Fire-type attacks, its outstanding typing grants it a multitude of resistances and, in conjunction with its exceptional physical bulk and decent special durability, plenty of opportunities to switch in. Cobalion has access to two superb stat-boosting moves in Swords Dance and Calm Mind, as well as decent offensive stats and a terrific Speed stat with which to pull them off. Its first-rate Fighting-type STAB and solid coverage options allow it to achieve top-notch coverage with only two moves, freeing up a moveslot for additional coverage against specific threats or a utility move such as Taunt. However, Cobalion does possess some drawbacks: its attacking stats are usable, but not great, and thus certain bulky Pokemon can wall it despite its boosts. It is forced to rely on the inaccurate Focus Blast as a STAB move as well as requiring a Hidden Power for coverage when using a Calm Mind set. Despite these flaws, Cobalion is a very good Pokemon that can tear apart unprepared teams with ease.
Cresselia
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 120 HP / 70 Atk / 120 Def / 75 SpA / 130 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Cresselia returns to UU as one of the best walls in the tier. Excellent defensive stats across the board truly make it an excellent sponge for many of the powerful attackers that roam the tier, and it has a decent support movepool to back it up. It may seem all rosy for Cresselia, but unfortunately, it isn't. Being a Psychic-type hurts its ability to wall a bulk of attacks, as it leaves it with many weaknesses to some common types. Getting hurt by moves such as Pursuit, U-turn, and Shadow Ball aren't great things for a wall either, and Cresselia has to put up with these negative traits. Also, it is somewhat outclassed by its legendary companion Deoxys-D, which boasts higher defensive stats, along with the ability to set up Spikes and use a reliable recovery move; Cresselia must choose between Moonlight or RestTalk. Overall, Cresselia lacks a few key properties that prevent it from being a wall that is almost as strong as Deoxys-D, Chansey, or Donphan, and these lacking traits mean that it isn't top-tier. Beware of it, though, as it is still a threat to watch out for.
Crobat
Typing: Flying / Poison
Base Stats: 85 HP / 90 Atk / 80 Def / 70 SpA / 80 SpD / 130 Spe
Abilities: Inner Focus / Infiltrator
Crobat is a fantastic Pokemon in UU, thanks to its great typing, blazing Speed, and decent stats across the board. With its usable Attack, high Speed, and a STAB 120 Base Power attack in Brave Bird, it is thus no wonder that Crobat makes an excellent Choice Band user. While it may seem outclassed by other heavy hitters in the tier, it should definitely not be overlooked. Crobat's secondary Poison typing gives it 4x resistances to Fighting-, Grass-, and Bug-type attacks, allowing it to switch into the likes of Shaymin and Hitmontop and take very little damage. Crobat can make a great scout thanks to U-turn and its superb Speed stat, too. It can also scare Pokemon such as Celebi and Mismagius away with its powerful attacks, then catch them off guard with Pursuit, which can also be used to revenge kill Victini after a V-create. However, Crobat is not limited to being a Choice Band attacker, and also makes a fantastic stallbreaker with Taunt, Roost, Super Fang, and an immunity to Toxic. Overall, Crobat should definitely not be taken lightly.
Deoxys-D
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 70 Atk / 160 Def / 70 SpA / 160 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Pressure
After wasting away last generation as one of the least popular Uber Pokemon, Deoxys-D has now been set loose on UU. With astronomical defenses and unusually high Speed for a wall, Deoxys-D is almost impossible to defeat without powerful super effective STAB attacks. What truly sets Deoxys-D apart, however, is its excellent array of support moves that puts other defensive behemoths such as Cresselia and Suicune to shame. It can set up Spikes and Stealth Rock very easily thanks to its combination of bulk and Speed, while Taunt shuts down opposing walls and prevents offensive Pokemon from setting up. Recover makes wearing Deoxys-D down with repeated assaults a futile endeavor, and Magic Coat allows it to protect itself from status. Its low HP prevents it from being truly unbreakable (Choice Band Heracross OHKOes even the most defensive variants with Megahorn), and it doesn't pose much of an offensive threat, but Deoxys-D is undoubtedly one of the best supporting Pokemon in UU.
Donphan
Typing: Ground
Base Stats: 90 HP / 120 Atk / 120 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Sturdy / Sand Veil (Unreleased)
Donphan's roles are limited, but it is extremely effective at what it does. Donphan is one of the most effective support Pokemon in the UU tier thanks to its access to Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, outstanding physical bulk, and its enormous Attack stat, which complements its use of STAB Earthquake. Due to the importance of Rapid Spin in UU, Donphan's ability to use it effectively cements its status as one of the most common Pokemon in UU. Although its typing leaves something to be desired defensively, its decent base HP and excellent base Defense stat make up for its shortage of useful resistances. However, Donphan is not limited to a defensive role, as its impressive base Attack, good offensive typing, and access to solid coverage and priority moves such as Head Smash, Stone Edge, Ice Shard, and Seed Bomb all allow it to use a Choice Band effectively. Although Seed Bomb sounds like a strange choice, it allows Donphan to 2HKO the bulky Water-types that would otherwise wall it. Donphan is one of the most prevalent Pokemon throughout the UU tier and, as such, is a Pokemon that every team must be able to handle.
Drapion
Typing: Poison / Dark
Base Stats: 70 HP / 90 Atk / 110 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Battle Armor / Sniper / Keen Eye (Unreleased)
Drapion arrived on the competitive scene last generation, and was mainly used as a Swords Dance-using tank. That option is still viable in the BW UU metagame, as Drapion boasts a 110 base Defense, along with a respectable 90 base Attack and 95 Speed. It also has good coverage in the form of STAB Crunch paired with Earthquake / Brick Break. Drapion is also one of the few Pokemon to have the combination of Toxic Spikes and a phazing move (Whirlwind), and its Poison typing means that one of a wall's greatest enemies, Toxic, is nullified in this case. Drapion can be used to rid the field of Toxic Spikes that hamper your team, while also proving to be a great check for Azelf, capable of running Pursuit to catch the fleeing pixie off-guard. It also has decent, but highly situational abilities; Sniper boosts the power of critical hits scored by its moves, and Battle Armor prevents the opponent from scoring annoying critical hits. Drapion's support options other than Toxic Spikes and Whirlwind are limited to Knock Off and Taunt. Taunt can be used to shut down Pokemon such as Uxie, while Knock Off is used to hinder the usefulness of Pokemon such as Chansey and Choice Scarf-users. However, the main thing Drapion suffers from is its lack of recovery outside of RestTalk. This, along with its highly situational abilities and its fairly shallow movepool, stop it from being a truly great Pokemon.
Dugtrio
Typing: Ground
Base Stats: 35 HP / 80 Atk / 50 Def / 50 SpA / 70 SpD/ 120 Spe
Abilities: Sand Veil / Arena Trap / Sand Force (Unreleased)
Dugtrio is a very interesting Pokemon, as without its ability, Arena Trap, it is basically useless. Arena Trap allows Dugtrio to be a very efficient revenge killer, giving it the ability to trap any Pokemon that is not Flying-type or packing Levitate. It can then smack them with a super effective hit. Dugtrio also boasts access to Sucker Punch, which allows it to hit faster threats. 120 base Speed allows it to outspeed almost all Pokemon, which is necessary due to its pitiful defenses even by UU standards. Dugtrio will most likely get OHKOed by any semi-powerful attack, a major setback due to its only average base 80 Attack stat. However, Dugtrio can be used to revenge kill huge threats such as Raikou, Houndoom, and Registeel. It can also be used to get off a guaranteed Stealth Rock against walls and slower sweepers. Dugtrio's other options are limited to Aerial Ace, Night Slash, and Reversal. Aerial Ace is used to revenge kill Heracross, while Night Slash can be used in place of Sucker Punch for slower threats such as Gardevoir, and Reversal can be used in combination with Focus Sash to get off a powerful hit. Overall, Dugtrio's base 80 Attack is a major let down for such a frail Pokemon, but a well-played Dugtrio can get rid of major threats and give its user a major advantage.
Durant
Typing: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 58 HP / 109 Atk / 112 Def / 48 SpA / 48 SpD / 109 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Hustle / Truant (Unreleased)
Durant is a rather one-dimensional Pokemon due to its poor movepool and Hustle, but it can tear through the opposition like paper after a Hone Claws boost. With an Attack boost from Hone Claws, Durant reaches over 700 Attack, and the accuracy boost negates Hustle's forced 80% accuracy. Although its movepool consists only of its STAB moves, Thunder Fang, and Stone Edge, it is just enough to get the job done. Along with its interestingly high Speed, HustleDurant can destroy almost any team lacking a solid physical wall. Unfortunately, due to its abysmal Special Defense, almost any strong, neutral, special attack will 2HKO or even OHKO. Because of this, Durant can't usually switch in on attacks, but must be brought in after a KO. However, once Durant gets even one boost from Hone Claws, it is usually the end unless the opponent carries a Choice Scarf user or a Steel-type such as Registeel.
Dusknoir
Typing: Ghost
Base Stats: 45 HP / 100 Atk / 135 Def / 60 SpA / 135 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Pressure
Dusknoir is back again, and it has finally dropped into UU. Having fantastic base defenses means it can take a variety of attacks with the utmost ease, before hitting back with a move from its respectable base 100 Attack stat. Dusknoir also has access to Will-O-Wisp, which can really help it in taking on physical attackers such as Hitmontop and Donphan. However, the advent of Eviolite means that Dusknoir's younger brother, Dusclops, gives it a run for its money, as it has much better defenses, a truly astronomical feat. It perhaps beats Dusknoir to the title of "best UU spinblocker", although Dusknoir's ability to equip Leftovers and acceptable Attack stat does give it some niche over its pre-evolution. On the whole, Dusknoir can be an effective spinblocker, although it is outclassed mainly by Dusclops.
Eelektross
Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 85 HP / 115 Atk / 80 Def / 105 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Eelektross is one of the more unique Electric-types introduced in BW. The combination of its Electric typing and Levitate ability grants it no weaknesses, which is a cool trait to possess. It also has the offensive stats to do damage when it needs to, and the movepool to back it up. Even Chansey should be slightly worried when dealing with the special set, as Eelektross can use Acid Spray to reduce its target's Special Defense by two stages, meaning Chansey will be taking extra damage over time. When playing with the special set, it's best to use the aforementioned Acid Spray to weaken Eelektross's counter, then fire away with Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, Grass Knot, or Hidden Power Ice to deal massive damage. Coil is an interesting move that takes advantage of Eelektross's bulk and higher Attack stat. Coil raises Attack, Defense, and accuracy, which makes Eelektross very bulky after heavy Special Defense investment. Eelektross's greatest downfall is its lackluster base 50 Speed. Its low Speed puts it at somewhat of a disadvantage, because it has a chance to be set up on or KOed before accomplishing much. Despite being threatened by Acid Spray, Chansey still remains an annoying wall in Eelektross's path, as it can cripple Eelektross with Toxic or Thunder Wave; however, Chansey struggles against the Coil set when Eelektross is safe behind a Substitute. It may be overshadowed by Rotom and Jolteon, but Eelektross should never be underestimated, as its versatility and zero weaknesses make it a very underrated threat in UU.
Electivire
http://www.smogon.com/forums/www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/electivire Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 75 HP / 123 Atk / 67 Def / 95 SpA / 85 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Motor Drive / Vital Spirit
Once seen as a joke in OU, Electivire is back in action this generation, and it's ready to assert its overlooked base 123 Attack in UU. A great ability in Motor Drive can rectify its underwhelming Speed, while a Life Orb raises its Attack to transform it into a threatening sweeper. Electivire gained a great new move in Wild Charge this generation, meaning that it finally has a reliable physical STAB and doesn't have to resort to a weaker special move. Electivire's access to the elemental punches really aid it in grabbing a sweep; having super effective coverage on a variety of Pokemon is one of Electivire's main benefits. However, with the advent of Team Preview, grabbing Electivire a Speed boost has become a much more difficult task, and up against an accomplished player, it is nigh-on impossible to do successfully. If you can grab that Speed boost, though, Electivire is definitely a threat to look out for.
Empoleon
Typing: Water / Steel
Base Stats: 84 HP / 86 Atk / 88 Def / 111 SpA / 101 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Torrent / Defiant
Empoleon is truly the Emperor of UU. Its great dual typing gives it eleven resistances and an immunity, which really help Empoleon take advantage of its neat defensive stats. Its great Special Attack and Special Defense mean that Empoleon can be both offensive and defensive, and it boasts a good support and attacking movepool to boot. Empoleon has the ability to check some real threats, such as Huntail and Houndoom, when it is fully utilizing its defensive capabilities, and support moves such as Roar and Stealth Rock can make it a vital team player. On the other hand, Empoleon can also become a potent threat itself, with powerful Water-type STAB attacks and Agility to boost its middling Speed. However, it does have fairly common weaknesses in Fighting-, Ground-, and Electric-type attacks, which prevent Empoleon from becoming a truly top-tier Pokemon. All in all, be careful when you see Empoleon switching in, as its versatility can make it very dangerous.
Emboar
Typing: Fire / Fighting
Base Stats: 110 HP / 123 Atk / 65 Def / 100 SpA / 65 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Blaze / Reckless (Unreleased)
Emboar, the BW Fire-type starter Pokemon, has arguably the best offensive typing in the game. This typing grants it access to high powered STAB moves such as Flare Blitz and Superpower. With its sky-high base 123 Attack stat and powerful coverage moves such as Head Smash and Wild Charge, Emboar is a large threat to any unprepared team.It is set back by his low Speed, however, and is forced to run a Choice Scarf or Flame Charge set to remedy this. Fire / Fighting, though excellent offensively, is not the greatest defensive typing in the world. Emboar often finds itself defeated by common Ground-, Water-, Flying-, and Psychic-type attacks. Even with its respectable natural bulk, it is unable to take these hits due to its dependence on recoil-inducing moves. All in all, Emboar is a serious threat that every team should prepare for, and when Reckless is released, it will only become more dangerous.
Escavalier
Typing: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 135 Atk / 105 Def / 60 SpA / 105 SpD / 20 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Shell Armor / Overcoat (Unreleased)
Escavalier is one of the many new Bug-types introduced in the fifth generation, and it sports a hefty 135 base Attack and bulkier defensive stats than Scizor, but abysmal Speed, making it the ideal Trick Room sweeper. Unfortunately, in addition to its low Speed stat, it has an equally poor movepool limited to its STAB moves and Normal- and Dark-type moves for coverage. However, if Escavalier has a chance to get a Megahorn off its ridiculous Attack stat, it will severely damage even those that resist it. For that reason, 4x resists are really the only counters that are able to switch in to a Choice Band-boosted Megahorn. In addition, if Escavalier is within Swarm range, even 4x resists will be hard-pressed to switch in more than once. Escavalier is not difficult to use; simply abuse the power of its ridiculously strong Megahorn and watch your opponent fall. Teammates that can sponge Escavalier's crippling Fire-type weakness are greatly appreciated, but otherwise, Escavalier is relatively easy to fit on a team, even more so on a Trick Room team as it resists the common Bug-, Dark-, and Ghost-type weaknesses of Trick Room users.
Flygon
Typing: Ground / Dragon
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 80 Def / 80 SpA / 80 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Flygon has finally dropped into UU for the first time due to the overshadowing presence of more powerful Dragon-types in OU such as Salamence, Latios, and Latias. However, UU is where Flygon can really shine, with the only other useful Dragon-type being Altaria, which is mostly inferior. Flygon commonly utilizes a Choice Band or Choice Scarf set, and hits hard with STAB Outrage and Earthquake. Choice Band Flygon can punch holes in the opponent's team, while Choice Scarf Flygon makes an excellent revenge killer. Flygon also has access to fantastic coverage moves in Fire Punch, ThunderPunch, and Stone Edge. With the arrival of the fifth generation, Flygon also gained the move Hone Claws, which boosts accuracy and Attack. However, Flygon is not limited to a physical movepool; it also boasts an expansive special movepool including Earth Power, Signal Beam, Fire Blast, and Draco Meteor, allowing Flygon to go mixed or fully special. Flygon is a great addition to any team as a revenge killer or wall breaker, and should be considered a dangerous threat in the UU metagame.
Gligar
Typing: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 75 Atk / 105 Def / 35 SpA / 65 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil / Immunity
Gligar may seem outclassed by some of the other physical walls in the tier, but its ability to make use of Eviolite brings it right back up to the top. It can take on threats such as Rhyperior without difficulty by hitting them with a Toxic. Boosting moves such as Swords Dance and Agility give Gligar its main niche as a Baton Pass user that can set up in front of the likes of Rhyperior and Donphan. Gligar can also attempt a sweep of its own, as its 75 base Attack stat doesn't look too shabby when boosted up by Swords Dance. Like most Eviolite users, though, Gligar lacks straight-up power; its attacks are incredibly weak without the boost from Swords Dance, and this means that without status, Gligar is often seen as setup bait. Gligar can accomplish some tasks effectively, but on the whole, it is outclassed by other physical walls, such as Donphan and Rhyperior.
Gorebyss
Typing: Water
Base Stats: 55 HP / 84 Atk / 105 Def / 114 SpA / 75 SpD / 52 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Hydration
Gorebyss is a rather lackluster Pokemon at first glance. It seems to be nothing more than another bulky Water-type, and it supposedly has nothing over its adversaries, Suicune and Slowbro. However, if you care to look deeper, Gorebyss is one of only two Pokemon in UU (the other being its brother, Huntail) to be able to Baton Pass a Shell Smash boost—arguably the best one turn setup move in the entire game. If a Pokemon such as Heracross, which could really do with a boost to both its Speed and Attack, is passed a Shell Smash boost, it is almost unstoppable under the right circumstances; this is what gives Gorebyss its niche. Gorebyss can also sweep with great effect itself, especially under rain, where its boostsfrom Shell Smash andSwift Swim will send its Speed stat through the roof, while allowing it to spam extremely powerful STAB Surfs. Other than that, though, Gorebyss is a rather terrible Pokemon, due to it being outclassed in almost every other way. Unless you're passing Shell Smash, then Gorebyss's job is more often than not better done by another Pokemon.
Heracross
Typing: Bug / Fighting
Base Stats: 80 HP / 125 Atk / 75 Def / 40 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Guts / Swarm / Moxie (Unreleased)
Throughout RSE and much of DPP, Heracross was one of the best Pokemon in the game. Since its glory days, Heracross has fallen to UU, but is by no means a Pokemon that should be taken lightly. Its excellent Attack stat and access to STAB moves with high Base Power lend themselves well to sets utilizing Choice items, and its decent Speed stat makes either Choice Band or Choice Scarf an outstanding option, since Heracross is fast enough to effectively take advantage of the Speed boost from a Choice Scarf while still being fairly fast without it. With access to two solid boosting moves in Swords Dance and Bulk Up, good defenses, the ability to activate its great Guts ability with a Toxic Orb or Flame Orb, decent Speed, and powerful STAB moves, Heracross can play the role of an all-out sweeper. However, Heracross's enormous power does come with a price: its STAB attacks are easily walled, and despite reasonable defenses, its survivability is limited; the Choice sets will be forced to switch often, and Heracross is vulnerable to all forms of entry hazards, while sets using Toxic Orb or Flame Orb are worn down by the status they inflict. Heracross may have a few drawbacks, but overall, it is a fantastic Pokemon in UU.
Hippopotas
Typing: Ground
Base Stats: 68 HP / 72 Atk / 78 Def / 38 SpA / 42 SpD / 32 Spe
Abilities: Sand Stream / Sand Force
Hippopotas returns to BW UU keeping its title as the only Pokemon with access to Sand Stream allowed in the tier. Gone are the days when Hippopotas set up sandstorm and Stealth Rock, and fainted without doing much else. Thanks to the advent of Eviolite, its poor defenses turn into something useful. Its increased staying power means it can use its support movepool which includes Steath Rock, Roar, Yawn, and much more effectively. Its biggest asset remains its ability to set up permanent sandstorm, though. Sand Throw Stoutland can use the sandstorm to double its Speed, while Cradily or Rhyperior can become surprisingly bulky thanks to the Special Defence boost given to Rock-type Pokemon. Sadly, Hippopotas is not the only auto-weather inducer of UU; Abomasnow has fallen to UU thanks to Drizzle Politoed and Drought Ninetales. As a result, it might be necessary to keep Hippopotas alive until the end of the match. Considering that it has no offensive capability, this can be a burdensome task. Its base 72 Attack is high for a NFE Pokemon, but it will not be able to hurt anything unless Earthquake is super effective. Additionally, its Special Defense is rather subpar even with the help of Eviolite, so a special Grass- or Water-type move can eliminate Hippopotas without fail. Still, Hippopotas is a strong supportive threat that can indirectly defeat teams with its sandstorm.
Hitmontop
Typing: Fighting
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 35 SpA / 110 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Technician / Steadfast (Unreleased)
Blessed with two incredibly useful abilities, Hitmontop is a versatile Pokemon that can fit on nearly any team. With Intimidate, it is a sturdy physical pivot and perhaps the most reliable Rapid Spin user in UU, while with Technician and an array of priority attacks, it is a lethal revenge killer. It can even use Bulk Up to boost its Attack and sweep through offensive teams with Mach Punch. Hitmontop's main weakness is its inability to perform both offensive and defensive duties with the same set; without Technician, Hitmontop struggles to be threatening offensively, and without Intimidate, it lacks the bulk to absorb powerful hits. When played purposefully and intelligently, however, Hitmontop is one of the most efficient Pokemon in UU.
Honchkrow
Typing: Dark/ Flying
Base Stats: 100 HP / 125 Atk / 52 Def / 105 SpA / 52 SpD / 71 Spe
Abilities: Insomnia / Super Luck / Moxie
Honchkrow is back again in UU, and it's ready to wreak havoc upon the tier with its fantastic mixed attacking stats. Honchkrow's immensely powerful Brave Bird is unrivaled, and its coverage moves such as Sucker Punch, Heat Wave, and Superpower help to make it extremely hard to switch into. Honchkrow has the ability to run a variety of items on its attacking sets, whether it be with a Life Orb, Choice Specs, or Choice Scarf, and each of them are very effective. Honchkrow is an excellent counter to Nasty Plot Azelf, and is also one of the few Pokemon to be able to break through the Chansey + Deoxys-D core that is so popular in the tier. Honchkrow is not without its issues, though. Its mediocre Speed means it can be revenge killed without much difficulty, although potential revenge killers must be wary of STAB Sucker Punch. Also, Honchkrow lacks any significant boosting moves, which means it is perhaps outclassed by other, stronger sweepers.
Houndoom
Typing: Dark / Fire
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 50 Def / 110 SpA / 80 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Early Bird / Flash Fire / Unnerve (Unreleased)
Houndoom is one of the best anti-metagame Pokemon in UU. With immunities to Psychic- and Fire-type attacks, it can switch in freely on the STAB attacks of powerhouses such as Victini, Azelf, and Espeon, then trap them with the deadly Sucker Punch + Pursuit combination. Houndoom also has access to Nasty Plot, and with a nice base 110 Special Attack and a fantastic offensive STAB combination that is resisted by very few Pokemon, it can easily sweep through unprepared teams. Houndoom's chief weaknesses are its low Defense and average Speed, which make it very vulnerable to priority and revenge killing. Nonetheless, its sheer power after a Nasty Plot boost and its utility as a check to some of the metagame's top threats make Houndoom a threat every player must prepare for.
Huntail
Typing: Water
Base Stats: 55 HP / 104 Atk / 105 Def / 94 SpA / 75 SpD / 52 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Water Veil
Huntail canoften be dismissed as a useless Pokemon due to its low Speed, low HP, and awkwardly balanced stats. However, Huntail gets access to one of the best setup moves in the game—Shell Smash. After just a single turn of setup, Huntail can rip through the opposition, regardless of how many defense drops it has received. It has access to great physical attacks in Ice Fang, Crunch, and Waterfall, and a great special movepool consisting of Surf, Scald, and Ice Beam. It can also Baton Pass the great stat boosts to any waiting Pokemon. Huntail is a great addition to any team, especially one that uses Rain Dance already.
Jolteon
Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 65 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 110 SpA / 95 SpD / 130 Spe
Abilities: Volt Absorb / Quick Feet
Jolteon's immense Speed and its fantastic immunity to Electric-type attacks—particularly Thunder Wave—means that it is a fantastic late-game cleaner in UU. Its Choice Specs-boosted Thunderbolt hits incredibly hard, and can 2HKO almost any Pokemon in the tier, barring Ground-types and Pokemon sporting an Electric-type resistance. Jolteon can also act as a great lure to said Ground-types, as hitting them with a Hidden Power Ice or Hidden Power Grass will 2HKO almost every time. Jolteon may seem like an absolutely fantastic Pokemon, but honestly, it lacks the movepool that's needed for a Pokemon to be great. Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Hidden Power, and Signal Beam are perhaps the only moves that it can use effectively, which means that it really struggles against a lot of Pokemon. Don't let that get you down, though, as Jolteon's speedy Thunderbolts are very useful to have on your team.
Kingdra
Typing: Water / Dragon
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Sniper / Damp
Once one of the mightiest powerhouses of the OU tier, Kingdra dropped into UU when the combination of the abilities Drizzle and Swift Swim was banned. Its typing is outstanding offensively, to the point where it gains almost perfect neutral coverage with just its STAB moves, and quite good defensively, boasting incredibly useful quadruple resistances to Fire- and Water-type attacks, as well as a nice resistance to Steel-type attacks and only one weakness. Kingdra's stat spread is nothing special, but it is just enough to enable Kingdra to perform its various duties; this versatile Pokemon has plenty of options in terms of sets. It is capable of running a variety of Dragon Dance sets, from the famous ChestoRest set to a set that uses Substitute and Dragon Dance to scout and rack up boosts, specially based Rain Dance and Choice Specs sets, as well as a variety of mixed sets. With all of the Fire-types and Water-types in the UU tier, Kingdra does not lack setup opportunities, and can devastate opposing teams with only one turn of setup. Because of this, Kingdra is certainly a formidable threat and should never be underestimated.
Lilligant
Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 70 HP / 60 Atk / 75 Def / 110 SpA / 75 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Own Tempo / Leaf Guard (Unreleased)
Boasting stats better than Venomoth as well as access to Sleep Powder and Quiver Dance, Lilligant is a force to be dealt with, as it is the only other Quiver Dance-user in the tier. Some advantages Lilligant has over Venomoth include its Grass typing, which grants a neutrality, rather than a weakness, to Stealth Rock. In addition, its higher base Special Attack allows it to hit harder from the start. It is also slightly bulkier and has the same Speed stat as Venomoth. Perhaps the only reason to use Venomoth over Lilligant is its access to Baton Pass and its Tinted Lens ability, but Lilligant makes up for it with two wonderful abilities in Chlorophyll, which doubles its Speed in the sun, and Own Tempo, which allows for the use of Petal Dance without suffering confusion. Lilligant is not without its flaws, though. It has aridiculously tiny movepool, forcing it to resort to Sleep Powder, Quiver Dance, a Grass-type move, and a Hidden Power of choice, meaning it will be walled depending on the Hidden Power type. However, Lilligant hits very hard after a boost, outspeeds everything that isn't equipped with Choice Scarf, and can cripple an opponent with sleep, and thus should not be underestimated.
Mamoswine
Typing: Ground / Ice
Base Stats: 110 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 70 SpA / 60 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Snow Cloak / Oblivious / Thick Fat
Mamoswine is one of the most dangerous Pokemon in UU thanks to its mammoth (pardon the pun) Attack stat and surprisingly high Speed. The reason Mamoswine is such a dangerous threat is because its dual STAB attacks—Earthquake and Icicle Crash—have fantastic coverage, and are only resisted by one Pokemon, Rotom-H, which is OHKOed by Stone Edge. STAB priority in Ice Shard is also a great benefit for it. With a Life Orb, Mamoswine can put dents in teams given the right support and prediction. Mamoswine can also do a great job of setting up Stealth Rock and then weakening an opponent with a Focus Sash + Endeavor combination. Mamoswine is one of the only Pokemon immune to both sandstorm and hail, meaning its Focus Sash won't be spoiled by weather. Overall, Mamoswine is a serious threat with its giant Attack stat, and will destroy unprepared teams.
Medicham
Typing: Fighting / Psychic
Base Stats: 60 HP / 60 Atk / 75 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Pure Power / Telepathy (Unreleased)
Medicham makes Azumarill almost sound like a joke. Don't scoff at the poor Attack stat: Pure Power will double it inconspicuously as it enters battle. Yes, double. As in free Swords Dance. An Attack stat that would make Ubers shudder. And to make things better, it has priority Bullet Punch. If that's not enough, Medicham has access to the three elemental punches: Fire Punch, Ice Punch, and ThunderPunch. It also has STAB Zen Headbutt and Hi Jump Kick, as well as other coverage options such as Rock Slide and Poison Jab, giving it have perfect coverage. STAB Hi Jump Kick is its main forte, as it simply rips gaping holes into anything that isn't a Ghost-type. It can set up with Bulk Up, and has STAB Drain Punch or Recover for recovery moves; its decent bulk allows it to forgo the need for a Focus Sash. Its excellent typing grants it a lone weakness to Flying-type attacks, giving it many opportunities to switch in and wreak havoc. An excellent addition to any team with its versatility, Medicham will certainly not disappoint.
Mew
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Synchronize
Mew, the former Uber, is back in BW to wreak havoc in the UU tier. It stands out as the most diverse and unpredictable of the many Psychic-types in the tier. It uses its balanced stats and gigantic movepool to keep your opponents on their toes at all times. Mew is an efficient sweeper with useful setup moves such as Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, and Rock Polish, and coverage options such as Psychic, Psyshock, Flamethrower, and Aura Sphere. It can also use Baton Pass to pass these boosts off to a teammate better suited to sweep. It is sufficient defensively, boasting base 100 defenses and moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Softboiled, and Taunt. Its ability, Synchronize, will make your opponent think twice before attempting to status Mew. Although Mew's versatility makes it look appealing, each of its sets faces stiff competition from other Psychic-types in the tier. Azelf is a stronger, faster Nasty Plot user, while Slowbro and Cresselia are bulkier walls. However, if you are looking for the ultimate mixed bag in Pokemon, one that can threaten the entire tier, look no further than Mew.
Milotic
Typing: Water
Base Stats: 95 HP / 60 Atk / 79 Def / 100 SpA / 125 SpD / 81 Spe
Abilities: Marvel Scale / Cute Charm
In a tier with no shortage of bulky Water-type Pokemon, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, Milotic proves itself to be one of the most popular choices, thanks to its excellent stat spread and movepool. Milotic has top-notch defenses, especially when coupled with an impressive ability in Marvel Scale, which boosts Milotic's Defense when it is afflicted with a status condition. As if these advantages were insufficient, Milotic also has access to an instant recovery move in Recover, solid STAB, useful coverage options, and an outstanding support movepool, which includesHaze, Toxic, and Dragon Tail. Milotic's impressive bulk and support options lend themselves well to either physically or specially defensive sets, while its solid Special Attack stat and decent Speed stat mean that Milotic can even run a viable offensive set, although other Pokemon generally outclass it at this role. Milotic does, however, possess a few drawbacks. It is a prime target for Grass-type Pokemon, and powerful Electric-type sweepers can easily set up on it or force it out. Roserade is of particular note, as is Raikou, since Roserade can set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes, neither of which Milotic enjoys, although it can take advantage of a single layer of Toxic Spikes to activate Marvel Scale. Raikou, on the other hand, can simply set up on it with Calm Mind. Milotic's many advantages make it one of the most popular Pokemon in UU and, as such, it is a threat all teams should prepare for.
Mismagius
Typing: Ghost
Base Stats: 60 HP / 60 Atk / 60 Def / 105 SpA / 105 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Mismagius is back, and once again it is UU's top offensive Ghost-type. Base 105 Speed remains ahead of the curve in UU, and Mismagius has everything it needs to be a fearsome threat. It can set up with Nasty Plot or Calm Mind, especially against defensive Pokemon that rely on Seismic Toss to do damage, while protecting itself from status with Substitute or Taunt. Since it outspeeds most of the metagame's top threats, Choice sets are also very effective offensively, and Trick allows Mismagius to completely cripple an opponent's special wall. Mismagius can even take on a defensive role with moves such as Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Pain Split, and Destiny Bond to expertly disrupt an opposing team's strategy. Mismagius's one major fault is its physical frailty, which makes it very vulnerable to Pursuit. It may not be as pervasive as it once was, but don't doubt for a second that Mismagius can still wipe out any team that doesn't prepare for it.
Nidoking
Typing: Poison / Ground
Base Stats: 81 HP / 92 Atk / 77 Def / 85 SpA / 75 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Rivalry / Sheer Force
With the advent of BW, Nidoking has gotten a massive upgrade in the form of the ability Sheer Force, which boosts the power of moves with secondary effects such as Flamethrower, and also removes recoil damage from Life Orb when using those moves. Nidoking can finallyuse its massive special movepool effectively, most of which is boosted by Sheer Force. Since Sheer Force prevents Life Orb recoil for moves that have secondary effects, it is essentially a stronger Choice Specs boost when combined with Life Orb, but Nidoking retains the freedom to switch moves. Base 85 Special Attack may seem underwhelming, but after the combined boosts from Sheer Force and Life Orb, Nidoking obtains the highest Special Attack of any special attacker in UU. With access to moves such as Flamethrower and the BoltBeam combination, as well as powerful STAB moves boosted by Sheer Force in Earth Power and Sludge Wave, Nidoking can hit a wide array of threats super effectively. Nidoking can also use a Choice Scarf to revenge kill faster threats who can OHKO it, losing the Life Orb boost but still retaining the Sheer Force boost and the ability to KO a number of threats with its diverse movepool. Overall, Nidoking is a force to be reckoned with and should not be underestimated at any cost.
Nidoqueen
Typing: Poison / Ground
Base Stats: 90 HP / 82 Atk / 87 Def / 75 SpA / 85 SpD / 76 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Rivalry / Sheer Force
Although Nidoqueen’s male counterpart overshadows it in terms of offense, Nidoqueen has found a niche as an excellent support Pokemon. Almost no other Pokemon in UU is capable of learning both Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, and Nidoqueen has utility based on that alone. In addition to her incredible support movepool, including the aforementioned entry hazards as well as moves such as Roar, Taunt, and Toxic, Nidoqueen also possesses fantastic defensive typing, while also having access to STAB on one of the best offensive types in the game. Her typing provides her with important resistances to Fighting-, Rock-, and Bug-type attacks, as well as a complete immunity to Electric-type attacks, although it does leave her with a weakness to Ground-type attacks, which is always a flaw in a physical wall or tank. In conjunction with her good defensive stats, her typing allows Nidoqueen to perform excellently as a physical wall, capable of countering some of the most significant threats in the UU tier. Nidoqueen does not lack attacking options either, with access to both physical and special STAB moves, as well as a plethora of other coverage moves, all of which pair quite well with her Ground-type STAB attacks. Nidoqueen's impressive support options, good defenses, and top-notch type coverage make her a great choice for any team in need of her unique advantages, especially teams based around hail support, and opposing teams should always have some answer to Nidoqueen, lest she directly or indirectly cause their defeat.
Ninjask
http://www.smogon.com/forums/www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/ninjask Typing: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 61 HP / 90 Atk / 45 Def / 50 SpA / 50 SpD / 160 Spe
Abilities: Speed Boost / Infiltrator (Unreleased)
Ninjask is almost solely in UU for its ability to act as a fantastic Baton Passer. Its ability, Speed Boost, allows it to boost its Speed without even wasting its time using a move. It just has to wait, usually by stalling with Substitute + Protect, while also being able to set up a Swords Dance along the way most of the time. Ninjask can then just Baton Pass away to the next Pokemon, giving its chain a much needed Speed boost, so more boosts can be stockpiled up. Ninjask does, however, lack almost any defensive prowess whatsoever, and without defense boosts from other Pokemon, it will almost always be KOed by even the weakest of physical attacks. Ninjask also lacks almost any niche outside of what it does, and it can often fail at its job, as Pokemon such as Haze Milotic can wreck Baton Pass teams in UU, making Ninjask useless. Overall, Ninjask can only do a specified job, and it does it very well. If, however, it fails at its job in one way or another, Ninjask will become dead weight for your team, and it should not be used if you don't want to risk this.
Porygon-Z
Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 85 HP / 80 Atk / 70 Def / 135 SpA / 75 Def / 90 Spe
Abilities: Adaptability / Download / Analytic (Unreleased)
Last generation, Porygon-Z was such a massive threat in the UU metagame that it was deemed too powerful, and was banned to the BL tier. This generation, Porygon-Z once again finds its way back to the UU metagame and is prepared to wreak havoc with its ridiculously powerful Adaptability-boosted STAB Tri Attack. Porygon-Z can effectively utilize either Choice Scarf as a revenge killer, or Choice Specs as a major offensive force. It also has access to boosting moves such as Agility and Nasty Plot and, in conjunction with its wide movepool consisting of the BoltBeam combination, Dark Pulse, Tri Attack, and Hidden Power, Porygon-Z can easily destroy anything not named Chansey. Despite it weakness to common Fighting-type attacks, Porygon-Z can easily run through teams if given the chance to set up, or even with a simple Choice Scarf set.
Quagsire
Typing: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 95 HP / 85 Atk / 85 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 35 Spe
Abilities: Damp / Water Absorb / Unaware
Quagsire leaps into UU with its new ability, Unaware, which negates the foe's stat modifications. This prevents Quagsire from ever becoming setup fodder; setup sweepers such as Sigilyph, Raikou, and Suicune can't touch it. Quagsire packs a wide support movepool consisting of Body Slam, Counter, Encore, Haze, Recover, Toxic, and Scald, along with Stockpile and Curse to ensure that it can deal damage to threats that it walls. Offensively, base 85 Attack is enough to work with, and can be boosted with Curse. Water / Ground is a fantastic offensive combination; Waterfall and / or Earthquake is thus usually enough for any set. Rock Slide, Brick Break, and Ice Punch are offensive options to consider, but come at the cost of losing Unaware. Another ability that sets Quagsire apart from other bulky Water-types, namely Slowbro and Milotic, is Water Absorb. With Water Absorb, Quagsire can take Aqua Jets and Waterfalls from Choice Band Azumarill, and even boosted Surfs from Suicune. Quagsire's typing grants it four resistances, most notably to Rock- and Fire-type moves. With Water Absorb, it has a single Grass-type, which can be remedied by proper team synergy. weaknessQuagsire does have its own share of weaknesses, however. The ever-common Toxic shuts most of its sets down completely, which undermines its tanking and walling prowess considerably. Even with Ice Punch, almost all Grass-types laugh at what Quagsire has to offer, and can OHKO with the appropriate move. Roserade, Shaymin, Celebi, and Sceptile can all pose huge problems for it. Overall, if Quagsire is played to its strengths, it can benefit any team.
Raikou
Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 90 HP / 85 Atk / 75 Def / 115 SpA / 100 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Volt Absorb (Unreleased)
Raikou is better than most Electric-types with the exception of Jolteon, which is faster, has similar Special Attack, and also Volt Absorb to abuse. However, Raikou has access to Calm Mind and possesses the bulk to abuse it. Last generation, a special event also gave Raikou four new moves that expanded its pitiful movepool: Aura Sphere, Weather Ball, Zap Cannon, and ExtremeSpeed. Unfortunately, there is a heavy cost for access to these moves. Because these moves come with the event Raikou, they must be used with a Rash nature, which boosts Special Attack while lowering Special Defense. Fortunately, Raikou still hits 329 Speed with a neutral nature, which outspeeds positive-natured base 100s by a single point. Raikou can effectively run a Choice Scarf set which outspeeds the entire metagame, or a Choice Specs set which deals ridiculous amounts of damage. In addition, Raikou can run bulky SubCM sets or offensive Calm Mind sets as well as a decent RestTalk set with Calm Mind. Overall, Raikou is no small threat in UU, and can easily tear apart teams after just one Calm Mind, especially with many of its counters restricted to OU.
Registeel
Typing: Steel
Base Stats: 80 HP / 75 Atk / 150 Def / 75 SpA / 150 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Clear Body / Light Metal (Unreleased)
Registeel is one of the few Steel-types in UU, and is also one of the bulkiest Pokemon in UU overall. With 80 / 150 / 150 defenses, it takes even super effective hits with impunity. While it can take serious damage from some offensive threats, it can paralyze or badly poison almost anything, certainly crippling either defensive or offensive threats. It has a plethora of support options, such as Body Slam, Counter, Curse, Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, and Toxic, making it hard to predict its moveset. Its important resistance to Stealth Rock and immunity to the increasingly common Toxic Spikes will help Registeel switch in with ease. However, Registeel does come with a large amount of drawbacks. Even with gargantuan defenses, the lack of a recovery move outside of Rest means that it won't last long. Being susceptible to Spikes isn't good, with it switching out frequently. While it has many offensive options to choose from, its meager 75 attacking stats mean that it'll have to rely on Seismic Toss to do damage, making it stopped cold by Taunt users. Even with these drawbacks, Registeel is a top-tier defensive threat, and should not be taken lightly.
Rhyperior
Typing: Ground / Rock
Base Stats: 115 HP / 140 Atk / 130 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Lightning Rod / Solid Rock / Reckless
Rhyperior is a monster. Well, at least physically. Great Attack and Defense mean that Rhyperior can deal out huge damage, while also taking a beating itself. Its great offensive typing gives it perhaps the best dual STAB; Stone Edge and Earthquake can cause huge amounts of damage, and Megahorn will complete the coverage on any offensive set. Access to Stealth Rock further enhances the viability of the defensive set, as it can set up the ever-so-important entry hazard. However, all is not sunshine for Rhyperior, as its abysmal Speed and awful Special Defense means that it is difficult to sweep with and difficult to wall with respectively. Its typing is a double-edged sword, as although it is great offensively, it is awful defensively,giving Rhyperior crippling weaknesses to Grass- and Water-type attacks. Don't think that Rhyperior is bad, though, as it can definitely hold its own in UU.
Roserade
Typing: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 70 Atk / 55 Def / 125 SpA / 105 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure / Poison Point / Technician (Unreleased)
Roserade is one of the best Grass-types in UU. Possessing good special bulk, an impressive support movepool including two types of entry hazards, Leech Seed, andvarious status moves, an excellent Special Attack stat, and an attacking movepool just extensive enough to give it the coverage it needs, Roserade can play many roles and fit on all types of teams. Roserade's ability to set up both Spikes and Toxic Spikes while crippling opposing Pokemon with Sleep Powder or Stun Spore and absorbing Toxic Spikes gives it a niche which no other UU Grass-type can occupy. Its ability to use the combination of Rest and Natural Cure for pseudo-instant recovery coupled with its impressive special bulk also allows it to survive throughout the game and set up entry hazards at will. Roserade can also take advantage of its base 90 Speed and base 125 Special Attack to run offensive sets with powerful STAB moves, reasonable coverage, and the ability to put would-be counters to sleep. Roserade is a Pokemon that should always be taken seriously, and is a good choice for almost any team.
Rotom-C
Typing: Electric / Grass
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Rotom-C, while not as popular as other Rotom formes, still has its own niches. Its unique typing grants it several useful resistances (and an immunity) to commonGround-, Electric-, Water-, Grass-, and Steel-type attacks. This makes Rotom-C one of the best switch-ins to Water-type Pokemon available. However, its typing also brings weaknesses to Fire-, Ice-, and Bug-type attacks, all of which are common in the UU tier. Rotom-C's nice stat spread allows it to play both offensive and defensive roles. Its STAB attacks and movepool complement its offensive potential, as its STAB moves offer decent coverage and its coverage becomes wider with the use of a Hidden Power. Rotom-C can easily run a Choice Specs, Choice Scarf, or Life Orb set if used offensively, while its nice typing and defensive stats allow it to spread status and wall opponents effectively if used defensively. Rotom-C is not a Pokemon to underestimate despite its lack of popularity compared to certain other Rotom formes.
Rotom-H
Typing: Electric / Fire
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Rotom-H took a fall from grace fromthe DPP OU tier due to the loss of its Ghost typing. However, the threat of STAB Overheat and Volt Switch turns a former defensive behemoth into a serious offensive threat in UU. Its great STAB coverage and access to Trick means that it is most often seen as a Choice user. Choice Specs Overheat is a powerful move that can even dent Pokémon with resistance to Fire-type attacks, while Volt Switch has good utility as a way to keep momentum or a scouting move despite the advent of Team Preview. Trick renders Chansey useless by locking it into a single move and lowering its defenses. Rotom-H is no slouch defensively, either—Pain Split and Will-O-Wisp along with Levitate and solid defensive stats can give it surprising bulk for a Fire-type. Still, its Fire typing gives Rotom-H a nasty weakness to Stealth Rock—perhaps the only thing that undermines its usage as a top-tier Choice Specs user. As a result, keeping Stealth Rock on the opposing field with a Ghost-type is a great way to check Rotom-H. Still, Rotom-H with Rapid Spin support can be a devastating offensive presence to unprepared teams. Every team should have a way to deal with Rotom-H lest you want it to pick off team members one by one with its powerful attacks.
Sawsbuck
Typing: Normal / Grass
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 70 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Sap Sipper / Dream World: Serene Grace (Unreleased)
Prior to Vulpix's ban from UU, Sawsbuck was an amazing Chlorophyll abuser. Utilizing its doubled base 95 Speed and impressive base 100 Attack, Sawsbuck outsped the entire unboosted tier and caused some serious dents to opposing teams with its dual STAB of Return / Double-Edge and Horn Leech, complimented further by moves such as Jump Kick, Nature Power (which becomes Earthquake in WiFi battles), Wild Charge, and Megahorn. After Vulpix's ban, Sawsbuck lost a huge niche in UU, but can still prove to be threatening through moves such as Swords Dance, Agility, and Baton Pass. Unfortunately, Sawsbuck's weaknesses to common Fighting-, Fire-, Bug-, and Ice-type attacks, two of which can be priority moves, reduces its desirability on UU teams even further. Regardless, Sawsbuck should not be underestimated as a sweeper in the UU metagame, and while permanent sun is no longer present in UU, it is still a fantastic sweeper for sun teams.
Sceptile
Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 70 HP / 85 Atk / 65 Def / 105 SpA / 85 SpD / 120 Spe
Abilities: Overgrow / Unburden (Unreleased)
Sceptile is an underrated Pokemon in the UU tier, but it boasts some very promising traits. First and foremost is its excellent base 120 Speed, which allows it to outrun the majority of the UU tier. This, in conjunction with any move from Sceptile's vast movepool, allows it to deal huge amounts of damage whether equipped with a Life Orb, Choice Specs, or even Leftovers. Sceptile is also an accomplished SubSeed user, as its ridiculous Speed stat allows it to outspeed anything standard, meaning it can set up Substitute and start draining away health with Leech Seed before anything can stop it. Sceptile can also make use of Swords Dance to act as a surprise to its opponent, and it works well, even though its Attack stat may seem sub-par at first glance. Sceptile does, however, lack almost any bulk—much like almost every other fast sweeper—which means it is easily revenge killed by the likes of Flygon. Give Sceptile's great coverage and wonderful Speed a chance, though; it's certainly a threat to look out for.
Scyther
Type: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 80 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Technician / Swarm / Steadfast (Dream World)
While Stealth Rock will always give it a hard time, Scyther got a few new toys this generation, specifically Eviolite, which allows it to come in on its many resistances and set up Swords Dance. With Technician, Bug Bite and Aerial Ace become threatening STAB moves, allowing Scyther to take apart teams. While Scyther truly shines with Eviolite, it can also use Life Orb and hit harder than it already does. Scyther can also imitate its big brother Scizor in OU and run a Choice Band set, hitting quite hard thanks to its base 110 Attack. Overall, Scyther is a good Pokemon who could be better, but don't discredit it.
Sharpedo
Typing: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 70 HP / 120 Atk / 40 Def / 95 SpA / 40 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Rough Skin / Speed Boost
Sharpedo has been a rather forgotten Water-type in the midst of options such as Suicune and Milotic, but now brings a whole new level of sweeping to the table with the addition of the fabled Speed Boost ability. Although its wallbreaking prowess isn't strong enough to get it banned from OU like Speed Boost Blaziken, it still hits hard with the same Attack stat as Blaziken, good base 95 Special Attack, and a decent movepool consisting of STAB Waterfall, Hydro Pump, Crunch, and Dark Pulse, and Ice Beam, Hidden Power, and Earthquake to work with for coverage. Despite Sharpedo's higher Attack stat, its mixed set is arguably the most dangerous, with the ability to destroy counters to the physical set with Ice Beam or Hidden Power Fire. Also, STAB Hydro Pump hurts anything that doesn't resist it, even without any investment. Although Sharpedo is still located in the depths of RU, it is definitely viable in UU, and even in OU. Sharpedo is only one of four Pokemon to have the ability Speed Boost, and it can abuse it fully. Underestimate Sharpedo at the expense of the match.
Shaymin
Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure
Shaymin is the complete package with balanced stats, recovery in Leech Seed, and a strong STAB move. Being a pure Grass-type gives it unique resistances to Ground-, Water-, and Electric-type attacks. Seed Flare, Shaymin's signature move, is what allows Shaymin to become one of the better offensive Grass-types; even dedicated special walls such as Snorlax will have trouble taking repeated Seed Flares along with Leech Seed, especially with such a high chance of having their Special Defense cut in half. Natural Cure makes sure that a wall cannot stall out Shaymin with Toxic unless it is the last remaining Pokemon. However, its barren movepool leaves much to be desired. Unlike fellow Grass-types with access to status and support moves galore, Shaymin only has access to Leech Seed. However strong, Seed Flare is also cursed with unreliable accuracy, low PP, and poor coverage. Shaymin's coverage options arealso limited to Hidden Power and Earth Power, and a myriad of Pokemon can check Shaymin depending on its Hidden Power. Still, the cute hedgehog can pose problems to teams not ready to face its powerful Seed Flares.
Sigilyph
Typing: Psychic / Flying
Base Stats: 72 HP / 58 Atk / 80 Def / 103 SpA / 80 SpD / 97 Spe
Abilities: Wonder Skin / Magic Guard / Tinted Lens
Sigilyph is one of UU's premier Psychic-types, thanks to its fantastic ability, Magic Guard. With it, Sigilyph is not damaged by non-attacking moves. Stealth Rock, sandstorm, hail, burn, and most importantly, even poison will not affect Sigilyph, increasing its longevity to a considerable degree. Even with its lackluster defenses, Sigilyph has access to Calm Mind and Cosmic Power to remedy this weakness, and can even Psycho Shift a burn to cripple physical attackers. It's no slouch at sweeping, either; it doesn't take recoil from Life Orb, and with acceptable Speed and Special Attack, it can tear through teams with a boosted Psychic. It's not all good news for the Nazca bird, however. Having five common weaknesses to Dark-, Ghost-, Electric-, Ice-, and Rock-type attacks, in exchange for only three resistances somewhat undermines its tanking abilites. It also suffers from serious moveslot syndrome, as having Calm Mind / Psycho Shift / Roost / Psychic / Ice Beam / Hidden Power is impossible on only one set. Overall, if Sigilyph is played to its strengths, it can be a major asset to any team.
Slowbro
Typing: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 110 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
In a tier as full of bulky Water-types as UU, any bulky Water-type vying for usage needs to have some way of differentiating itself from the other bulky Water-types in the tier in order to earn a slot on a team. In Slowbro's case, its Psychic typing and access to the Regenerator ability allow it to stand out from among the myriad of bulky Water-types available in UU. In addition to impressive defensive stats, the Regenerator ability, and top-notch defensive typing that sports six useful resistances, Slowbro has access to instant recovery and an excellent support movepool that includes moves such as Thunder Wave and Toxic. It also possesses good neutral and super effective coverage between its STAB moves and other coverage options such as Flamethrower, Fire Blast, and Ice Beam. Slowbro can also check certain other threats with Calm Mind, relying on its amazing physical bulk to take hits while boosting its decent Special Attackand Special Defense stats in order to take on Pokemon that it ordinarily couldn't. Finally, Slowbro can set up Trick Room and is one of the best Pokemon for the job, since its bulk and access to Regenerator allow it to switch in several times throughout the match in order to set up Trick Room.
Smeargle
Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 55 HP / 20 Atk / 35 Def / 20 SpA / 45 SpD / 75 Spe
Abilities: Own Tempo / Technician / Moody
Smeargle possesses the ability to do literally anything, with a movepool that extends ad infinitum. However, with all of its stats except Speed being pitiful, Smeargle's options are restricted to supporting sets. All Smeargle should pack the move Spore, as a 100% accurate sleep move is too good to pass up, and the other moveslots are often devoted to a Baton Pass set, passing huge boosts such as the new Shell Smash, the fearsome Belly Drum, or even the lesser seen Gear Grind; Quiver Dance is viable too, but that is best left to Venomoth, which possesses greater offensive and defensive stats as well as access to Sleep Powder and Tinted Lens-boosted Bug Buzz. Access to Ingrain, Spore, Baton Pass, Magic Coat, and the aforementioned boosting moves also make Smeargle a prime candidate for Baton Pass teams. A lesser seen lead set with access to both Spikes and Stealth Rock (or Toxic Spikes) can be used, with Spore and a filler move such as Taunt or U-turn in the final slot. A level 1 FEAR set can also be run, with Dragon Rage, Trick Room, Spore, and Endeavor. Smeargle is almost always shut down by a quick Taunt, and unless you correctly predict with Magic Coat, Smeargle will become incapacitated. Smeargle's sheer versatility makes it an unpredictable threat that one should definitely watch out for, lest its wide array of supporting options swing the tides of battle.
Snorlax
Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 160 HP / 110 Atk / 65 Def / 65 SpA / 110 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Immunity / Thick Fat / Gluttony
Snorlax is the definition of a special tank, being able to soak up hits with ease and hit back hard, due to its fantastic HP, Attack, and Special Defense stats, along with its good typing. It can run Immunity or Thick Fat; Immunity allows it to take a Toxic that other walls will hate, while Thick Fat will further assist in its tanking, as most Fire- and Ice-type attacks are special. However, any strong physical move, especially of the Fighting-type, will easily tear it apart, and Snorlax should be wary of Pokemon such as Hitmontop. Snorlax can go on the offensive with its ability to deal massive damage. Thanks to its stats, with Immunity, Snorlax can counter special attacking walls with Toxic such as SubRoost Zapdos, or counter Fire- and Ice-types that allow it to throw around powerful Body Slams or Returns. Alternatively, Snorlax can go defensively, threatening a sweep with Curse, which boosts its mediocre Defense and amazing Attack while throwing away its already useless Speed. This sweep should not be attempted if the opponent still has a Fighting-type on their team, or a very strong physical attacker. Snorlax can even go more defensive, with a RestTalk set with Whirlwind, although it is wasting its offensive prowess, and there are other options for that role that might fit it better. With a huge offensive movepool consisting of Body Slam, Return, Selfdestruct, Earthquake, Fire Punch, Crunch, and Pursuit, few things can switch in safely, especially to the Choice Band set. Snorlax should not be underestimated, as if used correctly, it can cause great havoc.
Spiritomb
Typing: Ghost / Dark
Base Stats: 50 HP / 92 Atk / 108 Def / 92 SpA / 108 SpD / 35 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Infiltrator (Unreleased)
Spiritomb's average stats mean that it looks relatively dull when compared to other defensive Ghost-types, such as Dusclops and defensive Mismagius. However, Spiritomb has something any Ghost-type bar Sableye would die (excuse the pun) to have: a secondary Dark typing. This typing gives Spiritomb no weaknesses whatsoever, and this is truly quite a boon to the budding spinblocker. Spiritomb boasts a movepool that lets it accomplish everything it needs, with moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Pursuit, and Sucker Punch. It also has Hypnosis, which can be effective at times, as if it hits, it effectively removes a Pokemon from the battle. Everything may seem all bright and rosy for Spiritomb, but although it lacks weaknesses, having only one resistance aside from its three immunities really hurts Spiritomb's ability to switch in. It can also be worn down quite easily be powerful hits; it doesn't like switching into moves such as Choice Band Azumarill's Waterfall. Overall, Spiritomb is a solid spinblocker, although its only average defenses, as well as a mediocre number of resistances and immunities, truly hampers its ability to be really top tier.
Suicune
Typing: Water
Base Stats: 100 HP / 75 Atk / 115 Def / 90 SpA / 115 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Water Absorb (Unreleased)
The UU tier offers a plethora of bulky Water-types, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Of these, Suicune boasts the highest overall defensive stats and the most threatening offensive presence. Suicune's access to Calm Mind, Rest, Sleep Talk, Surf, Scald, Ice Beam, Substitute, Roar, and Hidden Power gives it all the tools it needs to be a potent offensive threat and an almost impenetrable defensive monster. Suicune's famous CroCune set allows it to boost its stats with Calm Mind, recover with Rest, and strike back with its STAB move of choice. This set relies on its incredible physical bulk to accrue its initial boosts, Rest and Sleep Talk to recover HP and avoid status conditions, and either Surf or Scald to deal damage after boosting. Suicune can also run an offensive set with Calm Mind, a STAB move, Ice Beam, and Hidden Power Electric, which gives it perfect coverage and a much greater immediate offensive presence. Suicune can also boost its stats from behind a Substitute or pseudo-Haze with Roar. Overall, Suicune is a formidable Pokemon that every player should prepare for.
Tangrowth
Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 100 HP / 110 Atk / 125 Def / 100 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / Regenerator
In a tier full of Grass-type Pokemon, Tangrowth stands out from the rest thanks to its amazing physical bulk. Packing physical defensive stats among the best in the game coupled with decent defensive typing, excellent support moves such as Sleep Powder and Knock Off, and a solid attacking stat spread and movepool, Tangrowth is an outstanding bulky Grass-type in a tier where bulky Grass-types shine. It has two excellent abilities in Chlorophyll and Regenerator, both of which have their uses. Chlorophyll should be used on Sunny Day teams, as Tangrowth has good attacking stats and a solid offensive movepool, which allow it to function as a sweeper in conjunction with Chlorophyll’s Speed boost. Regenerator is the superior ability for defensive variants, as it heals up to one third of Tangrowth's HP whenever it switches out and makes up for its limited recovery options. Tangrowth's only instant recovery move is Synthesis, which may be unreliable depending on the weather in play, so Regenerator helps Tangrowth recover HP effectively in all field conditions. Regenerator also enables Tangrowth to forgo Synthesis altogether and run addition support or coverage moves. Tangrowth should be considered for a team slot based on its advantages over other bulky Grass-types, but players must also take into account its disadvantages: its abysmal Special Defense and Speed stats.
Togekiss
Typing: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 85 HP / 50 Atk / 95 Def / 120 SpA / 115 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Hustle / Serene Grace / Super Luck
Togekiss is perhaps the most annoying Pokemon in the game to be up against. With an incredibly good ability in Serene Grace, a fantastic move to abuse it with in Air Slash, and heavenly Special Attack to back it up, Togekiss can really be a top-tier threat when used with the right team support. Togekiss also has access to a whole lot of other fantastic moves; Nasty Plot, Aura Sphere, Flamethrower, and Thunderbolt are just a few examples on the offensive side of things, while Togekiss also has an immense support movepool, which includes moves such as Wish, Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, and Heal Bell. Togekiss, however, has a few major flaws. Its Speed is just too little to sweep effectively with, requiring it to carry Thunder Wave to actually be effective. Unless it carries Heal Bell, Togekiss is also completely walled by Chansey. Togekiss can be effective, as stated before, when used with the right team support, but if it lacks this invaluable support, it's definitely going to have a hard time accomplishing its task.
Uxie
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 75 HP / 75 Atk / 130 Def / 75 SpA / 130 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Uxie returns to UU to reclaim its role as a premier bulky Psychic-type Pokemon, but sadly finds itself with too much competition. Mew, Deoxys-D, and Cresselia are enjoying the limelight as top walls, leaving little room for Uxie. It does have multiple support options such as dual screens, Stealth Rock, Trick, Thunder Wave, Heal Bell, and Yawn, and it can also use Rain Dance alongside Damp Rock, or Sunny Day with Heat Rock to set up weather abusers. Memento and U-turn remain Uxie's only significant niche as a bulky Psychic-type. These moves are very valuable since they provide a free switch-in for setup sweepers or weather abusers, and Uxie is the bulkiest Pokemon with access to these moves. Uxie works best as a supporter for offensive teams that dislike losing momentum. Not responding to Uxie seriously can result in a clean sweep.
Venomoth
Typing: Bug / Poison
Base Stats: 70 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 90 SpA / 75 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Shield Dust / Tinted Lens / Wonder Skin
Before BW came around, Venomoth was just another forgotten Bug-type banished to the depths of NU due to its inferior typing, movepool, and stats. However, now that the fifth generation has blessed Venomoth with Quiver Dance, a move that raises Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed all at once, Venomoth can be quite the threat to deal with. With access to Sleep Powder and perfect coverage in Bug Buzz and Psychic thanks to Tinted Lens, Venomoth can easily run through most of UU. Venomoth also gets Baton Pass to pass off any boosts obtained and, in conjunction with Sleep Powder, this can be very dangerous indeed. Venomoth is a great addition to any Baton Pass team, but can also hold its own as a sweeper thanks to Quiver Dance and Tinted Lens. Venomoth also has access to Toxic Spikes, but this is usually overlooked for Quiver Dance. Unfortunately, with Venomoth's Bug typing comes a weakness to Stealth Rock, so Rapid Spin users are appreciated to preserve Venomoth's vitality. Overall, Venomoth is a very potent threat in the BW UU metagame, whether as a sweeper or a Baton Pass user, and should not be underestimated.
Victini
Typing: Fire / Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Victory Star
Though plagued with a terrible defensive typing that leaves it weak to Pursuit and Stealth Rock, vulnerable to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and weak to commonGround-, Water-, and Rock-type attacks, Victini is still a dangerous force in the UU tier. Its stat allocation allows it to serve many roles, though its sheer amount of weaknesses and lack of recovery preventit from being an effective wall. What makes Victini such a potent offensive threat, though, is its ability, Victory Star, and its access to many powerful coverage moves. Victory Star boosts the accuracy of its moves by 10%, making a special set with powerful, inaccurate moves such as Thunder, Focus Blast, and Fire Blast very potent. Victini also has access to many powerful physical attacks such as Fusion Bolt and the all powerful V-create, a 180 Base Power STAB behemoth. Victini can also be a potent Choice Scarf user with its access to U-turn and Final Gambit. One should only use Victini for its offensive capabilities, however, as its many weaknesses leave much to be desired.
Weavile
Typing: Dark / Ice
Base Stats: 70 HP / 120 Atk / 65 Def / 45 SpA / 85 SpD / 125 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Pickpocket (unreleased)
Withbase 120 Attack and base 125 Speed, Weavile is indeed an offensive threat to watch out for. Its amazing Dark / Ice STAB combo allows it to rip through the influx of Psychic- and Flying-types present in UU. Weavile also has STAB priority in Ice Shard as well as STAB Pursuit, allowing it to function as an effective revenge killer or trapper and giving it a good niche. It can even use Swords Dance and sweep through unprepared teams. However, while Weavile's typing gives it an amazing STAB combination to abuse, it leaves a lot to be desired defensively. With five weaknesses, along with a Stealth Rock weakness, and terrible defensive stats, Weavile has difficulty switching in. Despite these flaws, Weavile is an offensive threat to watch out for, whether it be revenge killing, trapping Pokemon, or sweeping straight through unprepared teams.
Xatu
Typing: Psychic / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 75 Atk / 70 Def / 95 SpA / 70 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Synchronize / Early Bird / Magic Bounce
Xatu is one of the more versatile Pokemon in the metagame, thanks to its new ability, Magic Bounce. Having the equivalent of a Magic Coat at all times can help it do much more than what it could do without it. Warding off status helps Xatu both offensively and defensively, bouncing off paralysis on a Choice or Calm Mind set, or ridding itself of Toxic on a dual screens set. Access to support moves such as Calm Mind, Baton Pass, Confuse Ray, FeatherDance, Haze, Light Screen, Reflect, U-turn, Thunder Wave, and Toxic gives it a variety of ways to support its teammates, backed up by reliable recovery moves in Roost and Wish. However, even with its ability, Xatu has a lot of things going against it. 65 / 70 / 70 defenses aren't exactly stellar, and any neutral hit not backed by Calm Mind has a good chance of 2HKOing. Dark-types in the tier, such as Weavile, Houndoom, and Honchkrow, can all pose huge problems for Xatu, forcing it to switch often. If Stealth Rock eludes Xatu's Magic Bounce for some reason, it takes a whopping 25% damage per switch in, so precise prediction must be employed whenever using Xatu. Overall, if Xatu is played to its strengths, it can aid any team.
Yanmega
Typing: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 86 HP / 76 Atk / 86 Def / 116 SpA / 56 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Speed Boost / Tinted Lens / Frisk
Yanmega is perhaps one of UU's most devastating sweepers if played correctly. Boasting great Special Attack and Speed in addition to two great abilities in Speed Boost and Tinted Lens, Yanmega can easily destroy unprepared teams. A set running Speed Boost alongwith Protect outspeeds the entire metagame bar Choice Scarf users, while a Choice Specs-boosted Tinted Lens set has perfect coverage with just two moves and can even 2HKO normal counters to the Speed Boost set. However, despite Yanmega's unparalleled sweeping capabilities, one thing holds it back: Stealth Rock. Upon each entry into battle, Stealth Rock strips away a crippling 50 percent of its health. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to pack a Rapid Spin user when using Yanmega. In addition, teammates to cover its common Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type weaknesses should be present. With the proper support, Yanmega is ready to tear any team into pieces. Underestimate this dragonfly at your peril.
Zapdos
Typing: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 90 HP / 90 Atk / 85 Def / 125 SpA / 90 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Lightning Rod (Unreleased)
Zapdos returns in BW, but this time in UU. Armed with great typing and formidable offensive and defensive stats, it can work well on rain teams, spamming Thunder, while having enough bulk to set up its own rain. It can also stall out opponents with a combination of Pressure, Substitute, Roost, and Toxic. In addition, with Roar, it can also be a reliable phazer with decent bulk and reliable recovery in Roost. But don't underestimate Zapdos's offensive prowess, as with 125 base Special Attack and 100 base Speed, it can run through teams. However, Zapdos is not without its faults, especially with a weakness to Stealth Rock and Ice-type attacks. Chansey can easily wall any variation of Zapdos, and is extremely common in the UU metagame. Still, with proper team support, such as including a Rapid Spin user and teammates to help eliminate Chansey, Zapdos can be a great addition to any team.
Zoroark
Typing: Dark
Base Stats: 60 HP / 105 Atk / 60 Def / 120 SpA / 60 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Illusion
Zoroark's unique ability, Illusion, allows it to be disguised as one of its teammates; this, in conjunction with its fantastic mixed attacking stats, allows it to be a potent threat in the current metagame. Zoroark boasts some fantastic moves in its arsenal, and it can hit extremely hard with them, especially when boosted up by Nasty Plot. Unfortunately for Zoroark, it is the epitome of a "fast, frail sweeper". Its horrible defenses make it extremely vulnerable, and it will almost always be OHKOed by any neutral STAB attack. Don't even let it try to survive a Fighting-type attack—it can't. Despite these flaws, when used correctly, Zoroark can net a few surprises, as when it is disguised, it's very difficult to know if it is Zoroark and switch in an appropriate counter.
Typing: Grass / Ice
Base Stats: 90 HP / 92 Atk / 75 Def / 92 SpA / 85 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Snow Warning / Soundproof (Unreleased)
Despite having stats that fail to amaze in any category, and a huge number of weaknesses, Abomasnow has the extremely unique ability Snow Warning, which allows it to summon permanent hail every time it enters battle. This alone has caused Abomasnow to serve an important—indeed, crucial—role in any hail team. The support of permanent hail is invaluable to Pokemon such as Froslass, as it activates Snow Cloak, giving them a true niche. Abomasnow can also allow the infamous StallRein to initiate its 32 turns of Toxic stall. The permanent hail also gives Blizzard perfect accuracy, enabling Abomasnow and its teammates to fire off a 120 Base Power attack with no drawbacks. Support isn't all Abomasnow is good for; it can work well on its own, too. Thanks to its decent mixed attacking stats and poor but not unusable Speed, Abomasnow often finds itself running a Choice Scarf set, utilizing its 120 Base Power STAB Blizzard and Wood Hammer to revenge kill foes. The snowman can also run a SubSeed set; although its weaknesses are numerous, Abomasnow still has resistances that allow it to switch in and stall with the combination of Leech Seed and Hail. However, the aforementioned weaknesses cause Abomasnow to be easily defeated, so it must be played with care. Abomasnow's Stealth Rock weakness does not allow it to switch in often, but this is mitigated by its total domination of its only competition for starting weather: Hippopotas.
Aerodactyl
Typing: Rock / Flying
Base Stats: 80 HP / 105 Atk / 65 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 130 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Pressure / Unnerve (Released)
Aerodactyl was once perhaps the best suicide lead in the game, but with the release of BW and the advent of Team Preview, it has lost its niche in OU, and has dropped into the depths of UU. In UU, however, it can abuse its blazing Speed and remarkable Attack stat torip apart entire teams, thanks to its great movepool. With Taunt and Roost to deal with more defensive teams, and the famed EdgeQuake combination to rip apart offensive combinations, Aerodactyl can find a place on almost any team. It does suffer from some key downfalls, though. Relatively awful defenses, even by UU standards, mean that it has difficulty taking even the weakest of hits, and if it can't KO the opposing Pokemon, chances are that it's going to get KOed back itself. Its weakness to the priority moves that are abundant in UU is crippling, and it truly prevents it from being a top tier Pokemon. Despite its few flaws, Aerodactyl truly is a prehistoric beast.
Altaria
Typing: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 75 HP / 70 Atk / 90 Def / 70 SpA / 105 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure / Cloud Nine
Since RSE, Altaria has been the premier Dragon-type in UU. Unfortunately, the advent of BW and all that came with it brought Flygon down to UU, giving Altaria stiff competition for a spot on a team. However, Altaria has quite a few advantages over its competitor. Dragon / Flying typing is a great boon to Altaria, as it offers some key resistances. This helps Altaria, as its wide secondary movepool and great Special Defense stat allow it to run support sets effectively. Altaria's abilities both have their uses. Natural Cure keeps it status-free, but is rather useless if it's running Heal Bell. Cloud Nine is good when Altaria is up against weather, but comes at the expense of some key moves such as Roost, Heal Bell, and Body Slam. Altaria can also go on the offensive with Dragon Dance; this is its key advantage over Flygon, which can only boast Hone Claws as a setup move. Although Altaria sounds great, it is taken care of by most physical attackers, and Ice-type attacks usually mean instant death. Don't think Altaria is bad, though; it is a dangerous and rather versatile Pokemon that should always be prepared for.
Ambipom
Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 75 HP / 100 Atk / 66 Def / 60 SpA / 66 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Pickup / Technician / Skill Link (Unreleased)
Ambipom can accomplish a variety of jobs. It can be a great mid-game sweeper, or a revenge killer on any team. Its fantastic Speed, combined with Technician and a respectable 100 base Attack, means that it can rip holes into almost any team. In the transition to BW UU, Ambipom's job has stayed the same: to scout the opponent's sets and items while dealing significant damage to their team. Unless it is up against a Ghost-type, Ambipom will almost always be dealing damage for free, thanks to its extremely powerful Fake Out. Armed with a Technician-boosted Payback to wipe out Ghost-types, a Technician-boosted Aerial Ace to defeat Fighting-types, and a safe getaway in U-turn, Ambipom will always have a technique to deal with its usual counters. However, it is not without its flaws. Ambipom's laughable defenses mean that it will be taking quite a beating from any attack.Its Speed is no match for the likes of Jolteon, Aerodactyl, and Crobat, the latter of which has Inner Focus, meaning it can't be defeated by Fake Out. Ambipom will also have to face old enemies such as Hitmontop, and new enemies such as Cobalion. In addition, 100 base Attack is not enough to overpower dedicated physical walls. Even with its flaws, Ambipom's hit-and-run tactics are unmatched in the UU tier, making it a top threat in the metagame.
Arcanine
Typing: Fire
Base Stats: 90 HP / 110 Atk / 80 Def / 100 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Flash Fire / Justified
Since the introduction of BW UU, Arcanine has been a formidable force within the tier. Although it can no longer take advantage of Drought (as Vulpix is now banned), it still has all the tools necessary to succeed in the tier. Excellent mixed attacking stats, solid Speed, reasonable bulk, two extremely useful abilities, and an amazing movepool that provides it with almost impeccable coverage while still allowing it to retain a slot for a priority move, healing, or another type of support move all combine to make Arcanine one of the best Pokemon in the UU tier. The transition to Black and White granted Arcanine access to Close Combat and Wild Charge, improving its coverage and power dramatically. These new assets, as well as its previous advantages, allow Arcanine to play a variety of roles. Arcanine is one of the most versatile Pokemon available in UU play, capable of tearing holes in opposing teams with its powerful Choice Band set, smashing walls and possibly sweeping while retaining the ability to heal with Morning Sun and switch moves with its devastating physical or mixed Life Orb sets. It can even utilize bulky sets that take advantage of its reasonable defensive stats, access to somewhat reliable recovery, two extremely useful abilities in Intimidate and Flash Fire, and decent support movepool, which includes moves such as Roar, Toxic, and Will-O-Wisp. Arcanine's only significant drawback is its pure Fire typing, which, while excellent offensively, is poor defensively, giving it weaknesses to common Water-, Ground-, and Rock-type attacks, including the omnipresent Stealth Rock. Despite these drawbacks, and due to its incredible power and versatility, Arcanine is easily one of the most powerful and dangerous Pokemon in the UU tier, and is a threat that every team should prepare for if it hopes to succeed in UU play.
Azelf
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 75 HP / 125 Atk / 70 Def / 125 SpA / 70 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Infamous as a suicide lead in DPP OU, Azelf returns this generation in UU as an extremely threatening special sweeper. Sporting a blazing 115 Speed as well as 125 base attacking stats, Azelf is often seen running Nasty Plot to take advantage of its excellent special movepool and firepower. Furthermore, Azelf's Psychic typing allows it to utilize the move Psyshock effectively in order to bypass common special walls such as Chansey. Azelf can also use its oft-overlooked 125 base Attack to smash the special walls it lures in with a Choice Band-boosted attack, or scout with a strong, fast U-turn. If needed, Azelf can also cripple a wall that switches in by Tricking its Choice Band onto it. Azelf can provide support for its teammates by utilizing Taunt and setting up dual screens or Stealth Rock. However, Azelf has problems with Chansey if it doesn't carry Nasty Plot and Psyshock. Houndoom and Victini can also switch in on most special attacking sets, and most Dark-types can revenge kill Azelf or trap it with Pursuit. Azelf isn't the bulkiest of Pokemon either, so while it is hard to switch in to, it can often be revenged by a Choice Scarf user.
Azumarill
http://www.smogon.com/forums/../bw/pokemon/azumarill Typing: Water
Base Stats: 100 HP / 50 Atk / 80 Def / 50 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Thick Fat / Huge Power / Sap Sipper
Azumarill picks up from last generation exactly where it left off; revenge killing with its massively powerful Aqua Jets. With its Huge Power ability sending its initially cringe-worthy Attack sky rocketing to levels rivaling Groudon, Azumarill's priority Aqua Jet utterly destroys frail sweepers. Threats such as Houndoom and Nidoking, who are weak to it, are almost always handily OHKOed, while frailer attackers such as Venomoth and Jolteon are 2HKOed with ease. Rounding out Azumarill's coverage are Superpower, Ice Punch, and Double-Edge, which are also seen alongside Waterfall at times. These attacks will almost always 2HKO even bulky Pokemon if they are weak to them. However, Azumarill's immense power comes at the cost of low Speed, and only very modest bulk. You will have to find yourself predicting spotlessly, or else your opponent will effortlessly outpredict Azumarill. In general, bulky Water-types such as Suicune make the best counters, as long as they aren't weak to one of Azumarill's coverage moves. Overall, if you want a wrecking ball with which to smash your opponent's team, or ridiculously powerful priority to insure yourself against powerful sweepers, accept no substitutes.
Bisharp
Typing: Dark / Steel
Base Stats: 65 HP / 125 Atk / 100 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Inner Focus / Defiant / Pressure (Unreleased)
Bisharp is one of BW's new Pokemon, and it is a rather interesting one at that. Its fantastic Attack stat, access to Swords Dance, and an extremely power STAB Sucker Punch give it a fantastic niche in UU. It can also weather weaker physical attempts at a revenge kill, thanks to its underestimated base 100 Defense stat. Unfortunately, Bisharp doesn't really boast much else; sure, it can sweep effectively under the right circumstances, but its poor Speed and weaknesses to Fighting-, Ground-, and Fire-type attacks really hampers its ability to do this. Its great need for the right team support lets it down, and as such, Bisharp isn't as much of threat as some of the other Pokemon on this list, but it sure is one to look out for.
Celebi
Typing: Grass / Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP /100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure
Celebi vies for the title of premier Grass-type of UU. With its balanced base 100 stats and good movepool, it's easy to see why Celebi is so versatile. Defensively, its typing provides a unique resistance palette, resisting common Ground-, Water-, Electric-, and Fighting-type attacks. With a reliable recovery move in Recover, Celebi can be a hard nut to crack, and with its great ability Natural Cure, it effortlessly checks bulky Water-types such as Suicune, Milotic, or Slowbro. Its massive support movepool includes Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, Leech Seed, Trick, Baton Pass, Heal Bell, and Perish Song. As if that were not enough, it also has access to three notable boosting moves—Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, and Calm Mind—and can sweep by itself. However, as with all versatile Pokemon, Celebi suffers from a severe four-moveslot syndrome. Offensive sets often lack coverage due to Celebi's poor STAB options. Although nothing really likes to switch on the defensive sets because of the threat of Thunder Wave or Leech Seed, Celebi's staggering seven weaknesses—the largest number of weaknesses on any Pokemon—prevent it from being truly top tier. The omnipresent Chansey can easily deal with Celebi, which also restricts its usefulness. Still, Celebi can surprise just about any team with absurd versatility; ignore it at your own risk.
Chansey
Base Stats: 250 HP / 5 Atk / 5 Def / 35 SpA / 105 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer (Unreleased)
Chansey once again returns to UU as the top special wall in its class. Its ridiculously good defensive stats are boosted even further this generation, thanks to the introduction of Eviolite. Eviolite makes Chansey so incredibly good that it can even wall physical attacks that it would never even dream of switching into before, such as defensive Rhyperior, Donphan, and Flygon. Chansey can also make use of its immense support movepool; Wish is one of its unique options, and its Wishes can fully restore the HP of Pokemon such as Mismagius, thanks to the new mechanics. This fat pink blob has become more annoying than ever, and crippling status moves help it a ton truly cementing its position. Toxic and Thunder Wave can cripple any sweeper that Chansey sets out to wall, and it does it so well. Unfortunately, though, Chansey's major weakness to strong physical Fighting-type attacks (of which there is an abundance in UU) stop it from being nigh-on invincible. Pokemon such as Heracross can switch in for free, and launch off a STAB Close Combat, which will send Chansey to its grave. When paired up with the correct team support, however, Chansey is a real threat overlook it at your peril.
Charizard
Typing: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 78 HP / 84 Atk / 78 Def / 109 SpA / 85 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Blaze / Solar Power
Charizard has always been a fan favorite since its premiere in RBY, but it was cast into NU for most of DPP. The standard BellyZard set in Gen IV was somewhat of a novelty, in which Charizard would use a combination of Salac Berry, Blaze, Belly Drum, Substitute, and Fire Punch to set up a monster with +6 Attack,+1 Speed, and a Blaze boost that could sweep teams. One should note that Fire Punch is a DPP move tutor move, and that Salac Berry is, at the moment, unobtainable in BW. This set can still be run effectively in BW, but is checked somewhat by the widespread use of priority moves: Charizard resists Mach Punch from Hitmontop, but doesn't have the physical bulk to take hits well, and loses to most other priority. Its new toy in BW is the ability Solar Power, which increases its Special Attack by 50% in exchange for 1/8th of its HP every turn in intense sunlight. With moves such as STAB Flamethrower boosted by sunlight, Dragon Pulse, Focus Blast, Air Slash, and SolarBeam, it can abuse its buffed Special Attack with a Choice Specs or Choice Scarf, but needs to rely on sunlight support from a Sunny Day user to be run effectively. Charizard also has a crippling 4x weakness to Stealth Rock, so Rapid Spin support is a necessity. It is checked by the omnipresence of Water-types such as Slowbro, Milotic, and Suicune, and loses its Solar Power boost when Hippopotas or Snover is out. However, in sunlight with Solar Power, or when given the chance to properly set up a Belly Drum, Charizard is a huge threat that can sweep teams.
Cobalion
Typing: Steel / Fighting
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 129 Def / 90 SpA / 72 SpD / 108 Spe
Abilities: Justified
Cobalion is the only member of the musketeer trio to fall into UU, but that by no means makes it a bad Pokemon. Although it does come with unfortunate weaknesses to Ground-, Fighting-, and Fire-type attacks, its outstanding typing grants it a multitude of resistances and, in conjunction with its exceptional physical bulk and decent special durability, plenty of opportunities to switch in. Cobalion has access to two superb stat-boosting moves in Swords Dance and Calm Mind, as well as decent offensive stats and a terrific Speed stat with which to pull them off. Its first-rate Fighting-type STAB and solid coverage options allow it to achieve top-notch coverage with only two moves, freeing up a moveslot for additional coverage against specific threats or a utility move such as Taunt. However, Cobalion does possess some drawbacks: its attacking stats are usable, but not great, and thus certain bulky Pokemon can wall it despite its boosts. It is forced to rely on the inaccurate Focus Blast as a STAB move as well as requiring a Hidden Power for coverage when using a Calm Mind set. Despite these flaws, Cobalion is a very good Pokemon that can tear apart unprepared teams with ease.
Cresselia
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 120 HP / 70 Atk / 120 Def / 75 SpA / 130 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Cresselia returns to UU as one of the best walls in the tier. Excellent defensive stats across the board truly make it an excellent sponge for many of the powerful attackers that roam the tier, and it has a decent support movepool to back it up. It may seem all rosy for Cresselia, but unfortunately, it isn't. Being a Psychic-type hurts its ability to wall a bulk of attacks, as it leaves it with many weaknesses to some common types. Getting hurt by moves such as Pursuit, U-turn, and Shadow Ball aren't great things for a wall either, and Cresselia has to put up with these negative traits. Also, it is somewhat outclassed by its legendary companion Deoxys-D, which boasts higher defensive stats, along with the ability to set up Spikes and use a reliable recovery move; Cresselia must choose between Moonlight or RestTalk. Overall, Cresselia lacks a few key properties that prevent it from being a wall that is almost as strong as Deoxys-D, Chansey, or Donphan, and these lacking traits mean that it isn't top-tier. Beware of it, though, as it is still a threat to watch out for.
Crobat
Typing: Flying / Poison
Base Stats: 85 HP / 90 Atk / 80 Def / 70 SpA / 80 SpD / 130 Spe
Abilities: Inner Focus / Infiltrator
Crobat is a fantastic Pokemon in UU, thanks to its great typing, blazing Speed, and decent stats across the board. With its usable Attack, high Speed, and a STAB 120 Base Power attack in Brave Bird, it is thus no wonder that Crobat makes an excellent Choice Band user. While it may seem outclassed by other heavy hitters in the tier, it should definitely not be overlooked. Crobat's secondary Poison typing gives it 4x resistances to Fighting-, Grass-, and Bug-type attacks, allowing it to switch into the likes of Shaymin and Hitmontop and take very little damage. Crobat can make a great scout thanks to U-turn and its superb Speed stat, too. It can also scare Pokemon such as Celebi and Mismagius away with its powerful attacks, then catch them off guard with Pursuit, which can also be used to revenge kill Victini after a V-create. However, Crobat is not limited to being a Choice Band attacker, and also makes a fantastic stallbreaker with Taunt, Roost, Super Fang, and an immunity to Toxic. Overall, Crobat should definitely not be taken lightly.
Deoxys-D
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 70 Atk / 160 Def / 70 SpA / 160 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Pressure
After wasting away last generation as one of the least popular Uber Pokemon, Deoxys-D has now been set loose on UU. With astronomical defenses and unusually high Speed for a wall, Deoxys-D is almost impossible to defeat without powerful super effective STAB attacks. What truly sets Deoxys-D apart, however, is its excellent array of support moves that puts other defensive behemoths such as Cresselia and Suicune to shame. It can set up Spikes and Stealth Rock very easily thanks to its combination of bulk and Speed, while Taunt shuts down opposing walls and prevents offensive Pokemon from setting up. Recover makes wearing Deoxys-D down with repeated assaults a futile endeavor, and Magic Coat allows it to protect itself from status. Its low HP prevents it from being truly unbreakable (Choice Band Heracross OHKOes even the most defensive variants with Megahorn), and it doesn't pose much of an offensive threat, but Deoxys-D is undoubtedly one of the best supporting Pokemon in UU.
Donphan
Typing: Ground
Base Stats: 90 HP / 120 Atk / 120 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Sturdy / Sand Veil (Unreleased)
Donphan's roles are limited, but it is extremely effective at what it does. Donphan is one of the most effective support Pokemon in the UU tier thanks to its access to Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin, outstanding physical bulk, and its enormous Attack stat, which complements its use of STAB Earthquake. Due to the importance of Rapid Spin in UU, Donphan's ability to use it effectively cements its status as one of the most common Pokemon in UU. Although its typing leaves something to be desired defensively, its decent base HP and excellent base Defense stat make up for its shortage of useful resistances. However, Donphan is not limited to a defensive role, as its impressive base Attack, good offensive typing, and access to solid coverage and priority moves such as Head Smash, Stone Edge, Ice Shard, and Seed Bomb all allow it to use a Choice Band effectively. Although Seed Bomb sounds like a strange choice, it allows Donphan to 2HKO the bulky Water-types that would otherwise wall it. Donphan is one of the most prevalent Pokemon throughout the UU tier and, as such, is a Pokemon that every team must be able to handle.
Drapion
Typing: Poison / Dark
Base Stats: 70 HP / 90 Atk / 110 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Battle Armor / Sniper / Keen Eye (Unreleased)
Drapion arrived on the competitive scene last generation, and was mainly used as a Swords Dance-using tank. That option is still viable in the BW UU metagame, as Drapion boasts a 110 base Defense, along with a respectable 90 base Attack and 95 Speed. It also has good coverage in the form of STAB Crunch paired with Earthquake / Brick Break. Drapion is also one of the few Pokemon to have the combination of Toxic Spikes and a phazing move (Whirlwind), and its Poison typing means that one of a wall's greatest enemies, Toxic, is nullified in this case. Drapion can be used to rid the field of Toxic Spikes that hamper your team, while also proving to be a great check for Azelf, capable of running Pursuit to catch the fleeing pixie off-guard. It also has decent, but highly situational abilities; Sniper boosts the power of critical hits scored by its moves, and Battle Armor prevents the opponent from scoring annoying critical hits. Drapion's support options other than Toxic Spikes and Whirlwind are limited to Knock Off and Taunt. Taunt can be used to shut down Pokemon such as Uxie, while Knock Off is used to hinder the usefulness of Pokemon such as Chansey and Choice Scarf-users. However, the main thing Drapion suffers from is its lack of recovery outside of RestTalk. This, along with its highly situational abilities and its fairly shallow movepool, stop it from being a truly great Pokemon.
Dugtrio
Typing: Ground
Base Stats: 35 HP / 80 Atk / 50 Def / 50 SpA / 70 SpD/ 120 Spe
Abilities: Sand Veil / Arena Trap / Sand Force (Unreleased)
Dugtrio is a very interesting Pokemon, as without its ability, Arena Trap, it is basically useless. Arena Trap allows Dugtrio to be a very efficient revenge killer, giving it the ability to trap any Pokemon that is not Flying-type or packing Levitate. It can then smack them with a super effective hit. Dugtrio also boasts access to Sucker Punch, which allows it to hit faster threats. 120 base Speed allows it to outspeed almost all Pokemon, which is necessary due to its pitiful defenses even by UU standards. Dugtrio will most likely get OHKOed by any semi-powerful attack, a major setback due to its only average base 80 Attack stat. However, Dugtrio can be used to revenge kill huge threats such as Raikou, Houndoom, and Registeel. It can also be used to get off a guaranteed Stealth Rock against walls and slower sweepers. Dugtrio's other options are limited to Aerial Ace, Night Slash, and Reversal. Aerial Ace is used to revenge kill Heracross, while Night Slash can be used in place of Sucker Punch for slower threats such as Gardevoir, and Reversal can be used in combination with Focus Sash to get off a powerful hit. Overall, Dugtrio's base 80 Attack is a major let down for such a frail Pokemon, but a well-played Dugtrio can get rid of major threats and give its user a major advantage.
Durant
Typing: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 58 HP / 109 Atk / 112 Def / 48 SpA / 48 SpD / 109 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Hustle / Truant (Unreleased)
Durant is a rather one-dimensional Pokemon due to its poor movepool and Hustle, but it can tear through the opposition like paper after a Hone Claws boost. With an Attack boost from Hone Claws, Durant reaches over 700 Attack, and the accuracy boost negates Hustle's forced 80% accuracy. Although its movepool consists only of its STAB moves, Thunder Fang, and Stone Edge, it is just enough to get the job done. Along with its interestingly high Speed, HustleDurant can destroy almost any team lacking a solid physical wall. Unfortunately, due to its abysmal Special Defense, almost any strong, neutral, special attack will 2HKO or even OHKO. Because of this, Durant can't usually switch in on attacks, but must be brought in after a KO. However, once Durant gets even one boost from Hone Claws, it is usually the end unless the opponent carries a Choice Scarf user or a Steel-type such as Registeel.
Dusknoir
Typing: Ghost
Base Stats: 45 HP / 100 Atk / 135 Def / 60 SpA / 135 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Pressure
Dusknoir is back again, and it has finally dropped into UU. Having fantastic base defenses means it can take a variety of attacks with the utmost ease, before hitting back with a move from its respectable base 100 Attack stat. Dusknoir also has access to Will-O-Wisp, which can really help it in taking on physical attackers such as Hitmontop and Donphan. However, the advent of Eviolite means that Dusknoir's younger brother, Dusclops, gives it a run for its money, as it has much better defenses, a truly astronomical feat. It perhaps beats Dusknoir to the title of "best UU spinblocker", although Dusknoir's ability to equip Leftovers and acceptable Attack stat does give it some niche over its pre-evolution. On the whole, Dusknoir can be an effective spinblocker, although it is outclassed mainly by Dusclops.
Eelektross
Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 85 HP / 115 Atk / 80 Def / 105 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Eelektross is one of the more unique Electric-types introduced in BW. The combination of its Electric typing and Levitate ability grants it no weaknesses, which is a cool trait to possess. It also has the offensive stats to do damage when it needs to, and the movepool to back it up. Even Chansey should be slightly worried when dealing with the special set, as Eelektross can use Acid Spray to reduce its target's Special Defense by two stages, meaning Chansey will be taking extra damage over time. When playing with the special set, it's best to use the aforementioned Acid Spray to weaken Eelektross's counter, then fire away with Thunderbolt, Flamethrower, Grass Knot, or Hidden Power Ice to deal massive damage. Coil is an interesting move that takes advantage of Eelektross's bulk and higher Attack stat. Coil raises Attack, Defense, and accuracy, which makes Eelektross very bulky after heavy Special Defense investment. Eelektross's greatest downfall is its lackluster base 50 Speed. Its low Speed puts it at somewhat of a disadvantage, because it has a chance to be set up on or KOed before accomplishing much. Despite being threatened by Acid Spray, Chansey still remains an annoying wall in Eelektross's path, as it can cripple Eelektross with Toxic or Thunder Wave; however, Chansey struggles against the Coil set when Eelektross is safe behind a Substitute. It may be overshadowed by Rotom and Jolteon, but Eelektross should never be underestimated, as its versatility and zero weaknesses make it a very underrated threat in UU.
Electivire
http://www.smogon.com/forums/www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/electivire Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 75 HP / 123 Atk / 67 Def / 95 SpA / 85 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Motor Drive / Vital Spirit
Once seen as a joke in OU, Electivire is back in action this generation, and it's ready to assert its overlooked base 123 Attack in UU. A great ability in Motor Drive can rectify its underwhelming Speed, while a Life Orb raises its Attack to transform it into a threatening sweeper. Electivire gained a great new move in Wild Charge this generation, meaning that it finally has a reliable physical STAB and doesn't have to resort to a weaker special move. Electivire's access to the elemental punches really aid it in grabbing a sweep; having super effective coverage on a variety of Pokemon is one of Electivire's main benefits. However, with the advent of Team Preview, grabbing Electivire a Speed boost has become a much more difficult task, and up against an accomplished player, it is nigh-on impossible to do successfully. If you can grab that Speed boost, though, Electivire is definitely a threat to look out for.
Empoleon
Typing: Water / Steel
Base Stats: 84 HP / 86 Atk / 88 Def / 111 SpA / 101 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Torrent / Defiant
Empoleon is truly the Emperor of UU. Its great dual typing gives it eleven resistances and an immunity, which really help Empoleon take advantage of its neat defensive stats. Its great Special Attack and Special Defense mean that Empoleon can be both offensive and defensive, and it boasts a good support and attacking movepool to boot. Empoleon has the ability to check some real threats, such as Huntail and Houndoom, when it is fully utilizing its defensive capabilities, and support moves such as Roar and Stealth Rock can make it a vital team player. On the other hand, Empoleon can also become a potent threat itself, with powerful Water-type STAB attacks and Agility to boost its middling Speed. However, it does have fairly common weaknesses in Fighting-, Ground-, and Electric-type attacks, which prevent Empoleon from becoming a truly top-tier Pokemon. All in all, be careful when you see Empoleon switching in, as its versatility can make it very dangerous.
Emboar
Typing: Fire / Fighting
Base Stats: 110 HP / 123 Atk / 65 Def / 100 SpA / 65 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Blaze / Reckless (Unreleased)
Emboar, the BW Fire-type starter Pokemon, has arguably the best offensive typing in the game. This typing grants it access to high powered STAB moves such as Flare Blitz and Superpower. With its sky-high base 123 Attack stat and powerful coverage moves such as Head Smash and Wild Charge, Emboar is a large threat to any unprepared team.It is set back by his low Speed, however, and is forced to run a Choice Scarf or Flame Charge set to remedy this. Fire / Fighting, though excellent offensively, is not the greatest defensive typing in the world. Emboar often finds itself defeated by common Ground-, Water-, Flying-, and Psychic-type attacks. Even with its respectable natural bulk, it is unable to take these hits due to its dependence on recoil-inducing moves. All in all, Emboar is a serious threat that every team should prepare for, and when Reckless is released, it will only become more dangerous.
Escavalier
Typing: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 135 Atk / 105 Def / 60 SpA / 105 SpD / 20 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Shell Armor / Overcoat (Unreleased)
Escavalier is one of the many new Bug-types introduced in the fifth generation, and it sports a hefty 135 base Attack and bulkier defensive stats than Scizor, but abysmal Speed, making it the ideal Trick Room sweeper. Unfortunately, in addition to its low Speed stat, it has an equally poor movepool limited to its STAB moves and Normal- and Dark-type moves for coverage. However, if Escavalier has a chance to get a Megahorn off its ridiculous Attack stat, it will severely damage even those that resist it. For that reason, 4x resists are really the only counters that are able to switch in to a Choice Band-boosted Megahorn. In addition, if Escavalier is within Swarm range, even 4x resists will be hard-pressed to switch in more than once. Escavalier is not difficult to use; simply abuse the power of its ridiculously strong Megahorn and watch your opponent fall. Teammates that can sponge Escavalier's crippling Fire-type weakness are greatly appreciated, but otherwise, Escavalier is relatively easy to fit on a team, even more so on a Trick Room team as it resists the common Bug-, Dark-, and Ghost-type weaknesses of Trick Room users.
Flygon
Typing: Ground / Dragon
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 80 Def / 80 SpA / 80 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Flygon has finally dropped into UU for the first time due to the overshadowing presence of more powerful Dragon-types in OU such as Salamence, Latios, and Latias. However, UU is where Flygon can really shine, with the only other useful Dragon-type being Altaria, which is mostly inferior. Flygon commonly utilizes a Choice Band or Choice Scarf set, and hits hard with STAB Outrage and Earthquake. Choice Band Flygon can punch holes in the opponent's team, while Choice Scarf Flygon makes an excellent revenge killer. Flygon also has access to fantastic coverage moves in Fire Punch, ThunderPunch, and Stone Edge. With the arrival of the fifth generation, Flygon also gained the move Hone Claws, which boosts accuracy and Attack. However, Flygon is not limited to a physical movepool; it also boasts an expansive special movepool including Earth Power, Signal Beam, Fire Blast, and Draco Meteor, allowing Flygon to go mixed or fully special. Flygon is a great addition to any team as a revenge killer or wall breaker, and should be considered a dangerous threat in the UU metagame.
Gligar
Typing: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 75 Atk / 105 Def / 35 SpA / 65 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil / Immunity
Gligar may seem outclassed by some of the other physical walls in the tier, but its ability to make use of Eviolite brings it right back up to the top. It can take on threats such as Rhyperior without difficulty by hitting them with a Toxic. Boosting moves such as Swords Dance and Agility give Gligar its main niche as a Baton Pass user that can set up in front of the likes of Rhyperior and Donphan. Gligar can also attempt a sweep of its own, as its 75 base Attack stat doesn't look too shabby when boosted up by Swords Dance. Like most Eviolite users, though, Gligar lacks straight-up power; its attacks are incredibly weak without the boost from Swords Dance, and this means that without status, Gligar is often seen as setup bait. Gligar can accomplish some tasks effectively, but on the whole, it is outclassed by other physical walls, such as Donphan and Rhyperior.
Gorebyss
Typing: Water
Base Stats: 55 HP / 84 Atk / 105 Def / 114 SpA / 75 SpD / 52 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Hydration
Gorebyss is a rather lackluster Pokemon at first glance. It seems to be nothing more than another bulky Water-type, and it supposedly has nothing over its adversaries, Suicune and Slowbro. However, if you care to look deeper, Gorebyss is one of only two Pokemon in UU (the other being its brother, Huntail) to be able to Baton Pass a Shell Smash boost—arguably the best one turn setup move in the entire game. If a Pokemon such as Heracross, which could really do with a boost to both its Speed and Attack, is passed a Shell Smash boost, it is almost unstoppable under the right circumstances; this is what gives Gorebyss its niche. Gorebyss can also sweep with great effect itself, especially under rain, where its boostsfrom Shell Smash andSwift Swim will send its Speed stat through the roof, while allowing it to spam extremely powerful STAB Surfs. Other than that, though, Gorebyss is a rather terrible Pokemon, due to it being outclassed in almost every other way. Unless you're passing Shell Smash, then Gorebyss's job is more often than not better done by another Pokemon.
Heracross
Typing: Bug / Fighting
Base Stats: 80 HP / 125 Atk / 75 Def / 40 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Guts / Swarm / Moxie (Unreleased)
Throughout RSE and much of DPP, Heracross was one of the best Pokemon in the game. Since its glory days, Heracross has fallen to UU, but is by no means a Pokemon that should be taken lightly. Its excellent Attack stat and access to STAB moves with high Base Power lend themselves well to sets utilizing Choice items, and its decent Speed stat makes either Choice Band or Choice Scarf an outstanding option, since Heracross is fast enough to effectively take advantage of the Speed boost from a Choice Scarf while still being fairly fast without it. With access to two solid boosting moves in Swords Dance and Bulk Up, good defenses, the ability to activate its great Guts ability with a Toxic Orb or Flame Orb, decent Speed, and powerful STAB moves, Heracross can play the role of an all-out sweeper. However, Heracross's enormous power does come with a price: its STAB attacks are easily walled, and despite reasonable defenses, its survivability is limited; the Choice sets will be forced to switch often, and Heracross is vulnerable to all forms of entry hazards, while sets using Toxic Orb or Flame Orb are worn down by the status they inflict. Heracross may have a few drawbacks, but overall, it is a fantastic Pokemon in UU.
Hippopotas
Typing: Ground
Base Stats: 68 HP / 72 Atk / 78 Def / 38 SpA / 42 SpD / 32 Spe
Abilities: Sand Stream / Sand Force
Hippopotas returns to BW UU keeping its title as the only Pokemon with access to Sand Stream allowed in the tier. Gone are the days when Hippopotas set up sandstorm and Stealth Rock, and fainted without doing much else. Thanks to the advent of Eviolite, its poor defenses turn into something useful. Its increased staying power means it can use its support movepool which includes Steath Rock, Roar, Yawn, and much more effectively. Its biggest asset remains its ability to set up permanent sandstorm, though. Sand Throw Stoutland can use the sandstorm to double its Speed, while Cradily or Rhyperior can become surprisingly bulky thanks to the Special Defence boost given to Rock-type Pokemon. Sadly, Hippopotas is not the only auto-weather inducer of UU; Abomasnow has fallen to UU thanks to Drizzle Politoed and Drought Ninetales. As a result, it might be necessary to keep Hippopotas alive until the end of the match. Considering that it has no offensive capability, this can be a burdensome task. Its base 72 Attack is high for a NFE Pokemon, but it will not be able to hurt anything unless Earthquake is super effective. Additionally, its Special Defense is rather subpar even with the help of Eviolite, so a special Grass- or Water-type move can eliminate Hippopotas without fail. Still, Hippopotas is a strong supportive threat that can indirectly defeat teams with its sandstorm.
Hitmontop
Typing: Fighting
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 35 SpA / 110 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Technician / Steadfast (Unreleased)
Blessed with two incredibly useful abilities, Hitmontop is a versatile Pokemon that can fit on nearly any team. With Intimidate, it is a sturdy physical pivot and perhaps the most reliable Rapid Spin user in UU, while with Technician and an array of priority attacks, it is a lethal revenge killer. It can even use Bulk Up to boost its Attack and sweep through offensive teams with Mach Punch. Hitmontop's main weakness is its inability to perform both offensive and defensive duties with the same set; without Technician, Hitmontop struggles to be threatening offensively, and without Intimidate, it lacks the bulk to absorb powerful hits. When played purposefully and intelligently, however, Hitmontop is one of the most efficient Pokemon in UU.
Honchkrow
Typing: Dark/ Flying
Base Stats: 100 HP / 125 Atk / 52 Def / 105 SpA / 52 SpD / 71 Spe
Abilities: Insomnia / Super Luck / Moxie
Honchkrow is back again in UU, and it's ready to wreak havoc upon the tier with its fantastic mixed attacking stats. Honchkrow's immensely powerful Brave Bird is unrivaled, and its coverage moves such as Sucker Punch, Heat Wave, and Superpower help to make it extremely hard to switch into. Honchkrow has the ability to run a variety of items on its attacking sets, whether it be with a Life Orb, Choice Specs, or Choice Scarf, and each of them are very effective. Honchkrow is an excellent counter to Nasty Plot Azelf, and is also one of the few Pokemon to be able to break through the Chansey + Deoxys-D core that is so popular in the tier. Honchkrow is not without its issues, though. Its mediocre Speed means it can be revenge killed without much difficulty, although potential revenge killers must be wary of STAB Sucker Punch. Also, Honchkrow lacks any significant boosting moves, which means it is perhaps outclassed by other, stronger sweepers.
Houndoom
Typing: Dark / Fire
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 50 Def / 110 SpA / 80 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Early Bird / Flash Fire / Unnerve (Unreleased)
Houndoom is one of the best anti-metagame Pokemon in UU. With immunities to Psychic- and Fire-type attacks, it can switch in freely on the STAB attacks of powerhouses such as Victini, Azelf, and Espeon, then trap them with the deadly Sucker Punch + Pursuit combination. Houndoom also has access to Nasty Plot, and with a nice base 110 Special Attack and a fantastic offensive STAB combination that is resisted by very few Pokemon, it can easily sweep through unprepared teams. Houndoom's chief weaknesses are its low Defense and average Speed, which make it very vulnerable to priority and revenge killing. Nonetheless, its sheer power after a Nasty Plot boost and its utility as a check to some of the metagame's top threats make Houndoom a threat every player must prepare for.
Huntail
Typing: Water
Base Stats: 55 HP / 104 Atk / 105 Def / 94 SpA / 75 SpD / 52 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Water Veil
Huntail canoften be dismissed as a useless Pokemon due to its low Speed, low HP, and awkwardly balanced stats. However, Huntail gets access to one of the best setup moves in the game—Shell Smash. After just a single turn of setup, Huntail can rip through the opposition, regardless of how many defense drops it has received. It has access to great physical attacks in Ice Fang, Crunch, and Waterfall, and a great special movepool consisting of Surf, Scald, and Ice Beam. It can also Baton Pass the great stat boosts to any waiting Pokemon. Huntail is a great addition to any team, especially one that uses Rain Dance already.
Jolteon
Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 65 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 110 SpA / 95 SpD / 130 Spe
Abilities: Volt Absorb / Quick Feet
Jolteon's immense Speed and its fantastic immunity to Electric-type attacks—particularly Thunder Wave—means that it is a fantastic late-game cleaner in UU. Its Choice Specs-boosted Thunderbolt hits incredibly hard, and can 2HKO almost any Pokemon in the tier, barring Ground-types and Pokemon sporting an Electric-type resistance. Jolteon can also act as a great lure to said Ground-types, as hitting them with a Hidden Power Ice or Hidden Power Grass will 2HKO almost every time. Jolteon may seem like an absolutely fantastic Pokemon, but honestly, it lacks the movepool that's needed for a Pokemon to be great. Volt Switch, Thunderbolt, Hidden Power, and Signal Beam are perhaps the only moves that it can use effectively, which means that it really struggles against a lot of Pokemon. Don't let that get you down, though, as Jolteon's speedy Thunderbolts are very useful to have on your team.
Kingdra
Typing: Water / Dragon
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Sniper / Damp
Once one of the mightiest powerhouses of the OU tier, Kingdra dropped into UU when the combination of the abilities Drizzle and Swift Swim was banned. Its typing is outstanding offensively, to the point where it gains almost perfect neutral coverage with just its STAB moves, and quite good defensively, boasting incredibly useful quadruple resistances to Fire- and Water-type attacks, as well as a nice resistance to Steel-type attacks and only one weakness. Kingdra's stat spread is nothing special, but it is just enough to enable Kingdra to perform its various duties; this versatile Pokemon has plenty of options in terms of sets. It is capable of running a variety of Dragon Dance sets, from the famous ChestoRest set to a set that uses Substitute and Dragon Dance to scout and rack up boosts, specially based Rain Dance and Choice Specs sets, as well as a variety of mixed sets. With all of the Fire-types and Water-types in the UU tier, Kingdra does not lack setup opportunities, and can devastate opposing teams with only one turn of setup. Because of this, Kingdra is certainly a formidable threat and should never be underestimated.
Lilligant
Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 70 HP / 60 Atk / 75 Def / 110 SpA / 75 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Own Tempo / Leaf Guard (Unreleased)
Boasting stats better than Venomoth as well as access to Sleep Powder and Quiver Dance, Lilligant is a force to be dealt with, as it is the only other Quiver Dance-user in the tier. Some advantages Lilligant has over Venomoth include its Grass typing, which grants a neutrality, rather than a weakness, to Stealth Rock. In addition, its higher base Special Attack allows it to hit harder from the start. It is also slightly bulkier and has the same Speed stat as Venomoth. Perhaps the only reason to use Venomoth over Lilligant is its access to Baton Pass and its Tinted Lens ability, but Lilligant makes up for it with two wonderful abilities in Chlorophyll, which doubles its Speed in the sun, and Own Tempo, which allows for the use of Petal Dance without suffering confusion. Lilligant is not without its flaws, though. It has aridiculously tiny movepool, forcing it to resort to Sleep Powder, Quiver Dance, a Grass-type move, and a Hidden Power of choice, meaning it will be walled depending on the Hidden Power type. However, Lilligant hits very hard after a boost, outspeeds everything that isn't equipped with Choice Scarf, and can cripple an opponent with sleep, and thus should not be underestimated.
Mamoswine
Typing: Ground / Ice
Base Stats: 110 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 70 SpA / 60 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Snow Cloak / Oblivious / Thick Fat
Mamoswine is one of the most dangerous Pokemon in UU thanks to its mammoth (pardon the pun) Attack stat and surprisingly high Speed. The reason Mamoswine is such a dangerous threat is because its dual STAB attacks—Earthquake and Icicle Crash—have fantastic coverage, and are only resisted by one Pokemon, Rotom-H, which is OHKOed by Stone Edge. STAB priority in Ice Shard is also a great benefit for it. With a Life Orb, Mamoswine can put dents in teams given the right support and prediction. Mamoswine can also do a great job of setting up Stealth Rock and then weakening an opponent with a Focus Sash + Endeavor combination. Mamoswine is one of the only Pokemon immune to both sandstorm and hail, meaning its Focus Sash won't be spoiled by weather. Overall, Mamoswine is a serious threat with its giant Attack stat, and will destroy unprepared teams.
Medicham
Typing: Fighting / Psychic
Base Stats: 60 HP / 60 Atk / 75 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Pure Power / Telepathy (Unreleased)
Medicham makes Azumarill almost sound like a joke. Don't scoff at the poor Attack stat: Pure Power will double it inconspicuously as it enters battle. Yes, double. As in free Swords Dance. An Attack stat that would make Ubers shudder. And to make things better, it has priority Bullet Punch. If that's not enough, Medicham has access to the three elemental punches: Fire Punch, Ice Punch, and ThunderPunch. It also has STAB Zen Headbutt and Hi Jump Kick, as well as other coverage options such as Rock Slide and Poison Jab, giving it have perfect coverage. STAB Hi Jump Kick is its main forte, as it simply rips gaping holes into anything that isn't a Ghost-type. It can set up with Bulk Up, and has STAB Drain Punch or Recover for recovery moves; its decent bulk allows it to forgo the need for a Focus Sash. Its excellent typing grants it a lone weakness to Flying-type attacks, giving it many opportunities to switch in and wreak havoc. An excellent addition to any team with its versatility, Medicham will certainly not disappoint.
Mew
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Synchronize
Mew, the former Uber, is back in BW to wreak havoc in the UU tier. It stands out as the most diverse and unpredictable of the many Psychic-types in the tier. It uses its balanced stats and gigantic movepool to keep your opponents on their toes at all times. Mew is an efficient sweeper with useful setup moves such as Swords Dance, Nasty Plot, and Rock Polish, and coverage options such as Psychic, Psyshock, Flamethrower, and Aura Sphere. It can also use Baton Pass to pass these boosts off to a teammate better suited to sweep. It is sufficient defensively, boasting base 100 defenses and moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Softboiled, and Taunt. Its ability, Synchronize, will make your opponent think twice before attempting to status Mew. Although Mew's versatility makes it look appealing, each of its sets faces stiff competition from other Psychic-types in the tier. Azelf is a stronger, faster Nasty Plot user, while Slowbro and Cresselia are bulkier walls. However, if you are looking for the ultimate mixed bag in Pokemon, one that can threaten the entire tier, look no further than Mew.
Milotic
Typing: Water
Base Stats: 95 HP / 60 Atk / 79 Def / 100 SpA / 125 SpD / 81 Spe
Abilities: Marvel Scale / Cute Charm
In a tier with no shortage of bulky Water-type Pokemon, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, Milotic proves itself to be one of the most popular choices, thanks to its excellent stat spread and movepool. Milotic has top-notch defenses, especially when coupled with an impressive ability in Marvel Scale, which boosts Milotic's Defense when it is afflicted with a status condition. As if these advantages were insufficient, Milotic also has access to an instant recovery move in Recover, solid STAB, useful coverage options, and an outstanding support movepool, which includesHaze, Toxic, and Dragon Tail. Milotic's impressive bulk and support options lend themselves well to either physically or specially defensive sets, while its solid Special Attack stat and decent Speed stat mean that Milotic can even run a viable offensive set, although other Pokemon generally outclass it at this role. Milotic does, however, possess a few drawbacks. It is a prime target for Grass-type Pokemon, and powerful Electric-type sweepers can easily set up on it or force it out. Roserade is of particular note, as is Raikou, since Roserade can set up Spikes and Toxic Spikes, neither of which Milotic enjoys, although it can take advantage of a single layer of Toxic Spikes to activate Marvel Scale. Raikou, on the other hand, can simply set up on it with Calm Mind. Milotic's many advantages make it one of the most popular Pokemon in UU and, as such, it is a threat all teams should prepare for.
Mismagius
Typing: Ghost
Base Stats: 60 HP / 60 Atk / 60 Def / 105 SpA / 105 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Mismagius is back, and once again it is UU's top offensive Ghost-type. Base 105 Speed remains ahead of the curve in UU, and Mismagius has everything it needs to be a fearsome threat. It can set up with Nasty Plot or Calm Mind, especially against defensive Pokemon that rely on Seismic Toss to do damage, while protecting itself from status with Substitute or Taunt. Since it outspeeds most of the metagame's top threats, Choice sets are also very effective offensively, and Trick allows Mismagius to completely cripple an opponent's special wall. Mismagius can even take on a defensive role with moves such as Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Pain Split, and Destiny Bond to expertly disrupt an opposing team's strategy. Mismagius's one major fault is its physical frailty, which makes it very vulnerable to Pursuit. It may not be as pervasive as it once was, but don't doubt for a second that Mismagius can still wipe out any team that doesn't prepare for it.
Nidoking
Typing: Poison / Ground
Base Stats: 81 HP / 92 Atk / 77 Def / 85 SpA / 75 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Rivalry / Sheer Force
With the advent of BW, Nidoking has gotten a massive upgrade in the form of the ability Sheer Force, which boosts the power of moves with secondary effects such as Flamethrower, and also removes recoil damage from Life Orb when using those moves. Nidoking can finallyuse its massive special movepool effectively, most of which is boosted by Sheer Force. Since Sheer Force prevents Life Orb recoil for moves that have secondary effects, it is essentially a stronger Choice Specs boost when combined with Life Orb, but Nidoking retains the freedom to switch moves. Base 85 Special Attack may seem underwhelming, but after the combined boosts from Sheer Force and Life Orb, Nidoking obtains the highest Special Attack of any special attacker in UU. With access to moves such as Flamethrower and the BoltBeam combination, as well as powerful STAB moves boosted by Sheer Force in Earth Power and Sludge Wave, Nidoking can hit a wide array of threats super effectively. Nidoking can also use a Choice Scarf to revenge kill faster threats who can OHKO it, losing the Life Orb boost but still retaining the Sheer Force boost and the ability to KO a number of threats with its diverse movepool. Overall, Nidoking is a force to be reckoned with and should not be underestimated at any cost.
Nidoqueen
Typing: Poison / Ground
Base Stats: 90 HP / 82 Atk / 87 Def / 75 SpA / 85 SpD / 76 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Rivalry / Sheer Force
Although Nidoqueen’s male counterpart overshadows it in terms of offense, Nidoqueen has found a niche as an excellent support Pokemon. Almost no other Pokemon in UU is capable of learning both Stealth Rock and Toxic Spikes, and Nidoqueen has utility based on that alone. In addition to her incredible support movepool, including the aforementioned entry hazards as well as moves such as Roar, Taunt, and Toxic, Nidoqueen also possesses fantastic defensive typing, while also having access to STAB on one of the best offensive types in the game. Her typing provides her with important resistances to Fighting-, Rock-, and Bug-type attacks, as well as a complete immunity to Electric-type attacks, although it does leave her with a weakness to Ground-type attacks, which is always a flaw in a physical wall or tank. In conjunction with her good defensive stats, her typing allows Nidoqueen to perform excellently as a physical wall, capable of countering some of the most significant threats in the UU tier. Nidoqueen does not lack attacking options either, with access to both physical and special STAB moves, as well as a plethora of other coverage moves, all of which pair quite well with her Ground-type STAB attacks. Nidoqueen's impressive support options, good defenses, and top-notch type coverage make her a great choice for any team in need of her unique advantages, especially teams based around hail support, and opposing teams should always have some answer to Nidoqueen, lest she directly or indirectly cause their defeat.
Ninjask
http://www.smogon.com/forums/www.smogon.com/bw/pokemon/ninjask Typing: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 61 HP / 90 Atk / 45 Def / 50 SpA / 50 SpD / 160 Spe
Abilities: Speed Boost / Infiltrator (Unreleased)
Ninjask is almost solely in UU for its ability to act as a fantastic Baton Passer. Its ability, Speed Boost, allows it to boost its Speed without even wasting its time using a move. It just has to wait, usually by stalling with Substitute + Protect, while also being able to set up a Swords Dance along the way most of the time. Ninjask can then just Baton Pass away to the next Pokemon, giving its chain a much needed Speed boost, so more boosts can be stockpiled up. Ninjask does, however, lack almost any defensive prowess whatsoever, and without defense boosts from other Pokemon, it will almost always be KOed by even the weakest of physical attacks. Ninjask also lacks almost any niche outside of what it does, and it can often fail at its job, as Pokemon such as Haze Milotic can wreck Baton Pass teams in UU, making Ninjask useless. Overall, Ninjask can only do a specified job, and it does it very well. If, however, it fails at its job in one way or another, Ninjask will become dead weight for your team, and it should not be used if you don't want to risk this.
Porygon-Z
Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 85 HP / 80 Atk / 70 Def / 135 SpA / 75 Def / 90 Spe
Abilities: Adaptability / Download / Analytic (Unreleased)
Last generation, Porygon-Z was such a massive threat in the UU metagame that it was deemed too powerful, and was banned to the BL tier. This generation, Porygon-Z once again finds its way back to the UU metagame and is prepared to wreak havoc with its ridiculously powerful Adaptability-boosted STAB Tri Attack. Porygon-Z can effectively utilize either Choice Scarf as a revenge killer, or Choice Specs as a major offensive force. It also has access to boosting moves such as Agility and Nasty Plot and, in conjunction with its wide movepool consisting of the BoltBeam combination, Dark Pulse, Tri Attack, and Hidden Power, Porygon-Z can easily destroy anything not named Chansey. Despite it weakness to common Fighting-type attacks, Porygon-Z can easily run through teams if given the chance to set up, or even with a simple Choice Scarf set.
Quagsire
Typing: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 95 HP / 85 Atk / 85 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 35 Spe
Abilities: Damp / Water Absorb / Unaware
Quagsire leaps into UU with its new ability, Unaware, which negates the foe's stat modifications. This prevents Quagsire from ever becoming setup fodder; setup sweepers such as Sigilyph, Raikou, and Suicune can't touch it. Quagsire packs a wide support movepool consisting of Body Slam, Counter, Encore, Haze, Recover, Toxic, and Scald, along with Stockpile and Curse to ensure that it can deal damage to threats that it walls. Offensively, base 85 Attack is enough to work with, and can be boosted with Curse. Water / Ground is a fantastic offensive combination; Waterfall and / or Earthquake is thus usually enough for any set. Rock Slide, Brick Break, and Ice Punch are offensive options to consider, but come at the cost of losing Unaware. Another ability that sets Quagsire apart from other bulky Water-types, namely Slowbro and Milotic, is Water Absorb. With Water Absorb, Quagsire can take Aqua Jets and Waterfalls from Choice Band Azumarill, and even boosted Surfs from Suicune. Quagsire's typing grants it four resistances, most notably to Rock- and Fire-type moves. With Water Absorb, it has a single Grass-type, which can be remedied by proper team synergy. weaknessQuagsire does have its own share of weaknesses, however. The ever-common Toxic shuts most of its sets down completely, which undermines its tanking and walling prowess considerably. Even with Ice Punch, almost all Grass-types laugh at what Quagsire has to offer, and can OHKO with the appropriate move. Roserade, Shaymin, Celebi, and Sceptile can all pose huge problems for it. Overall, if Quagsire is played to its strengths, it can benefit any team.
Raikou
Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 90 HP / 85 Atk / 75 Def / 115 SpA / 100 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Volt Absorb (Unreleased)
Raikou is better than most Electric-types with the exception of Jolteon, which is faster, has similar Special Attack, and also Volt Absorb to abuse. However, Raikou has access to Calm Mind and possesses the bulk to abuse it. Last generation, a special event also gave Raikou four new moves that expanded its pitiful movepool: Aura Sphere, Weather Ball, Zap Cannon, and ExtremeSpeed. Unfortunately, there is a heavy cost for access to these moves. Because these moves come with the event Raikou, they must be used with a Rash nature, which boosts Special Attack while lowering Special Defense. Fortunately, Raikou still hits 329 Speed with a neutral nature, which outspeeds positive-natured base 100s by a single point. Raikou can effectively run a Choice Scarf set which outspeeds the entire metagame, or a Choice Specs set which deals ridiculous amounts of damage. In addition, Raikou can run bulky SubCM sets or offensive Calm Mind sets as well as a decent RestTalk set with Calm Mind. Overall, Raikou is no small threat in UU, and can easily tear apart teams after just one Calm Mind, especially with many of its counters restricted to OU.
Registeel
Typing: Steel
Base Stats: 80 HP / 75 Atk / 150 Def / 75 SpA / 150 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Clear Body / Light Metal (Unreleased)
Registeel is one of the few Steel-types in UU, and is also one of the bulkiest Pokemon in UU overall. With 80 / 150 / 150 defenses, it takes even super effective hits with impunity. While it can take serious damage from some offensive threats, it can paralyze or badly poison almost anything, certainly crippling either defensive or offensive threats. It has a plethora of support options, such as Body Slam, Counter, Curse, Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, and Toxic, making it hard to predict its moveset. Its important resistance to Stealth Rock and immunity to the increasingly common Toxic Spikes will help Registeel switch in with ease. However, Registeel does come with a large amount of drawbacks. Even with gargantuan defenses, the lack of a recovery move outside of Rest means that it won't last long. Being susceptible to Spikes isn't good, with it switching out frequently. While it has many offensive options to choose from, its meager 75 attacking stats mean that it'll have to rely on Seismic Toss to do damage, making it stopped cold by Taunt users. Even with these drawbacks, Registeel is a top-tier defensive threat, and should not be taken lightly.
Rhyperior
Typing: Ground / Rock
Base Stats: 115 HP / 140 Atk / 130 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Lightning Rod / Solid Rock / Reckless
Rhyperior is a monster. Well, at least physically. Great Attack and Defense mean that Rhyperior can deal out huge damage, while also taking a beating itself. Its great offensive typing gives it perhaps the best dual STAB; Stone Edge and Earthquake can cause huge amounts of damage, and Megahorn will complete the coverage on any offensive set. Access to Stealth Rock further enhances the viability of the defensive set, as it can set up the ever-so-important entry hazard. However, all is not sunshine for Rhyperior, as its abysmal Speed and awful Special Defense means that it is difficult to sweep with and difficult to wall with respectively. Its typing is a double-edged sword, as although it is great offensively, it is awful defensively,giving Rhyperior crippling weaknesses to Grass- and Water-type attacks. Don't think that Rhyperior is bad, though, as it can definitely hold its own in UU.
Roserade
Typing: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 70 Atk / 55 Def / 125 SpA / 105 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure / Poison Point / Technician (Unreleased)
Roserade is one of the best Grass-types in UU. Possessing good special bulk, an impressive support movepool including two types of entry hazards, Leech Seed, andvarious status moves, an excellent Special Attack stat, and an attacking movepool just extensive enough to give it the coverage it needs, Roserade can play many roles and fit on all types of teams. Roserade's ability to set up both Spikes and Toxic Spikes while crippling opposing Pokemon with Sleep Powder or Stun Spore and absorbing Toxic Spikes gives it a niche which no other UU Grass-type can occupy. Its ability to use the combination of Rest and Natural Cure for pseudo-instant recovery coupled with its impressive special bulk also allows it to survive throughout the game and set up entry hazards at will. Roserade can also take advantage of its base 90 Speed and base 125 Special Attack to run offensive sets with powerful STAB moves, reasonable coverage, and the ability to put would-be counters to sleep. Roserade is a Pokemon that should always be taken seriously, and is a good choice for almost any team.
Rotom-C
Typing: Electric / Grass
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Rotom-C, while not as popular as other Rotom formes, still has its own niches. Its unique typing grants it several useful resistances (and an immunity) to commonGround-, Electric-, Water-, Grass-, and Steel-type attacks. This makes Rotom-C one of the best switch-ins to Water-type Pokemon available. However, its typing also brings weaknesses to Fire-, Ice-, and Bug-type attacks, all of which are common in the UU tier. Rotom-C's nice stat spread allows it to play both offensive and defensive roles. Its STAB attacks and movepool complement its offensive potential, as its STAB moves offer decent coverage and its coverage becomes wider with the use of a Hidden Power. Rotom-C can easily run a Choice Specs, Choice Scarf, or Life Orb set if used offensively, while its nice typing and defensive stats allow it to spread status and wall opponents effectively if used defensively. Rotom-C is not a Pokemon to underestimate despite its lack of popularity compared to certain other Rotom formes.
Rotom-H
Typing: Electric / Fire
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Abilities: Levitate
Rotom-H took a fall from grace fromthe DPP OU tier due to the loss of its Ghost typing. However, the threat of STAB Overheat and Volt Switch turns a former defensive behemoth into a serious offensive threat in UU. Its great STAB coverage and access to Trick means that it is most often seen as a Choice user. Choice Specs Overheat is a powerful move that can even dent Pokémon with resistance to Fire-type attacks, while Volt Switch has good utility as a way to keep momentum or a scouting move despite the advent of Team Preview. Trick renders Chansey useless by locking it into a single move and lowering its defenses. Rotom-H is no slouch defensively, either—Pain Split and Will-O-Wisp along with Levitate and solid defensive stats can give it surprising bulk for a Fire-type. Still, its Fire typing gives Rotom-H a nasty weakness to Stealth Rock—perhaps the only thing that undermines its usage as a top-tier Choice Specs user. As a result, keeping Stealth Rock on the opposing field with a Ghost-type is a great way to check Rotom-H. Still, Rotom-H with Rapid Spin support can be a devastating offensive presence to unprepared teams. Every team should have a way to deal with Rotom-H lest you want it to pick off team members one by one with its powerful attacks.
Sawsbuck
Typing: Normal / Grass
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 70 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Sap Sipper / Dream World: Serene Grace (Unreleased)
Prior to Vulpix's ban from UU, Sawsbuck was an amazing Chlorophyll abuser. Utilizing its doubled base 95 Speed and impressive base 100 Attack, Sawsbuck outsped the entire unboosted tier and caused some serious dents to opposing teams with its dual STAB of Return / Double-Edge and Horn Leech, complimented further by moves such as Jump Kick, Nature Power (which becomes Earthquake in WiFi battles), Wild Charge, and Megahorn. After Vulpix's ban, Sawsbuck lost a huge niche in UU, but can still prove to be threatening through moves such as Swords Dance, Agility, and Baton Pass. Unfortunately, Sawsbuck's weaknesses to common Fighting-, Fire-, Bug-, and Ice-type attacks, two of which can be priority moves, reduces its desirability on UU teams even further. Regardless, Sawsbuck should not be underestimated as a sweeper in the UU metagame, and while permanent sun is no longer present in UU, it is still a fantastic sweeper for sun teams.
Sceptile
Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 70 HP / 85 Atk / 65 Def / 105 SpA / 85 SpD / 120 Spe
Abilities: Overgrow / Unburden (Unreleased)
Sceptile is an underrated Pokemon in the UU tier, but it boasts some very promising traits. First and foremost is its excellent base 120 Speed, which allows it to outrun the majority of the UU tier. This, in conjunction with any move from Sceptile's vast movepool, allows it to deal huge amounts of damage whether equipped with a Life Orb, Choice Specs, or even Leftovers. Sceptile is also an accomplished SubSeed user, as its ridiculous Speed stat allows it to outspeed anything standard, meaning it can set up Substitute and start draining away health with Leech Seed before anything can stop it. Sceptile can also make use of Swords Dance to act as a surprise to its opponent, and it works well, even though its Attack stat may seem sub-par at first glance. Sceptile does, however, lack almost any bulk—much like almost every other fast sweeper—which means it is easily revenge killed by the likes of Flygon. Give Sceptile's great coverage and wonderful Speed a chance, though; it's certainly a threat to look out for.
Scyther
Type: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 80 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Technician / Swarm / Steadfast (Dream World)
While Stealth Rock will always give it a hard time, Scyther got a few new toys this generation, specifically Eviolite, which allows it to come in on its many resistances and set up Swords Dance. With Technician, Bug Bite and Aerial Ace become threatening STAB moves, allowing Scyther to take apart teams. While Scyther truly shines with Eviolite, it can also use Life Orb and hit harder than it already does. Scyther can also imitate its big brother Scizor in OU and run a Choice Band set, hitting quite hard thanks to its base 110 Attack. Overall, Scyther is a good Pokemon who could be better, but don't discredit it.
Sharpedo
Typing: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 70 HP / 120 Atk / 40 Def / 95 SpA / 40 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Rough Skin / Speed Boost
Sharpedo has been a rather forgotten Water-type in the midst of options such as Suicune and Milotic, but now brings a whole new level of sweeping to the table with the addition of the fabled Speed Boost ability. Although its wallbreaking prowess isn't strong enough to get it banned from OU like Speed Boost Blaziken, it still hits hard with the same Attack stat as Blaziken, good base 95 Special Attack, and a decent movepool consisting of STAB Waterfall, Hydro Pump, Crunch, and Dark Pulse, and Ice Beam, Hidden Power, and Earthquake to work with for coverage. Despite Sharpedo's higher Attack stat, its mixed set is arguably the most dangerous, with the ability to destroy counters to the physical set with Ice Beam or Hidden Power Fire. Also, STAB Hydro Pump hurts anything that doesn't resist it, even without any investment. Although Sharpedo is still located in the depths of RU, it is definitely viable in UU, and even in OU. Sharpedo is only one of four Pokemon to have the ability Speed Boost, and it can abuse it fully. Underestimate Sharpedo at the expense of the match.
Shaymin
Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure
Shaymin is the complete package with balanced stats, recovery in Leech Seed, and a strong STAB move. Being a pure Grass-type gives it unique resistances to Ground-, Water-, and Electric-type attacks. Seed Flare, Shaymin's signature move, is what allows Shaymin to become one of the better offensive Grass-types; even dedicated special walls such as Snorlax will have trouble taking repeated Seed Flares along with Leech Seed, especially with such a high chance of having their Special Defense cut in half. Natural Cure makes sure that a wall cannot stall out Shaymin with Toxic unless it is the last remaining Pokemon. However, its barren movepool leaves much to be desired. Unlike fellow Grass-types with access to status and support moves galore, Shaymin only has access to Leech Seed. However strong, Seed Flare is also cursed with unreliable accuracy, low PP, and poor coverage. Shaymin's coverage options arealso limited to Hidden Power and Earth Power, and a myriad of Pokemon can check Shaymin depending on its Hidden Power. Still, the cute hedgehog can pose problems to teams not ready to face its powerful Seed Flares.
Sigilyph
Typing: Psychic / Flying
Base Stats: 72 HP / 58 Atk / 80 Def / 103 SpA / 80 SpD / 97 Spe
Abilities: Wonder Skin / Magic Guard / Tinted Lens
Sigilyph is one of UU's premier Psychic-types, thanks to its fantastic ability, Magic Guard. With it, Sigilyph is not damaged by non-attacking moves. Stealth Rock, sandstorm, hail, burn, and most importantly, even poison will not affect Sigilyph, increasing its longevity to a considerable degree. Even with its lackluster defenses, Sigilyph has access to Calm Mind and Cosmic Power to remedy this weakness, and can even Psycho Shift a burn to cripple physical attackers. It's no slouch at sweeping, either; it doesn't take recoil from Life Orb, and with acceptable Speed and Special Attack, it can tear through teams with a boosted Psychic. It's not all good news for the Nazca bird, however. Having five common weaknesses to Dark-, Ghost-, Electric-, Ice-, and Rock-type attacks, in exchange for only three resistances somewhat undermines its tanking abilites. It also suffers from serious moveslot syndrome, as having Calm Mind / Psycho Shift / Roost / Psychic / Ice Beam / Hidden Power is impossible on only one set. Overall, if Sigilyph is played to its strengths, it can be a major asset to any team.
Slowbro
Typing: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 110 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
In a tier as full of bulky Water-types as UU, any bulky Water-type vying for usage needs to have some way of differentiating itself from the other bulky Water-types in the tier in order to earn a slot on a team. In Slowbro's case, its Psychic typing and access to the Regenerator ability allow it to stand out from among the myriad of bulky Water-types available in UU. In addition to impressive defensive stats, the Regenerator ability, and top-notch defensive typing that sports six useful resistances, Slowbro has access to instant recovery and an excellent support movepool that includes moves such as Thunder Wave and Toxic. It also possesses good neutral and super effective coverage between its STAB moves and other coverage options such as Flamethrower, Fire Blast, and Ice Beam. Slowbro can also check certain other threats with Calm Mind, relying on its amazing physical bulk to take hits while boosting its decent Special Attackand Special Defense stats in order to take on Pokemon that it ordinarily couldn't. Finally, Slowbro can set up Trick Room and is one of the best Pokemon for the job, since its bulk and access to Regenerator allow it to switch in several times throughout the match in order to set up Trick Room.
Smeargle
Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 55 HP / 20 Atk / 35 Def / 20 SpA / 45 SpD / 75 Spe
Abilities: Own Tempo / Technician / Moody
Smeargle possesses the ability to do literally anything, with a movepool that extends ad infinitum. However, with all of its stats except Speed being pitiful, Smeargle's options are restricted to supporting sets. All Smeargle should pack the move Spore, as a 100% accurate sleep move is too good to pass up, and the other moveslots are often devoted to a Baton Pass set, passing huge boosts such as the new Shell Smash, the fearsome Belly Drum, or even the lesser seen Gear Grind; Quiver Dance is viable too, but that is best left to Venomoth, which possesses greater offensive and defensive stats as well as access to Sleep Powder and Tinted Lens-boosted Bug Buzz. Access to Ingrain, Spore, Baton Pass, Magic Coat, and the aforementioned boosting moves also make Smeargle a prime candidate for Baton Pass teams. A lesser seen lead set with access to both Spikes and Stealth Rock (or Toxic Spikes) can be used, with Spore and a filler move such as Taunt or U-turn in the final slot. A level 1 FEAR set can also be run, with Dragon Rage, Trick Room, Spore, and Endeavor. Smeargle is almost always shut down by a quick Taunt, and unless you correctly predict with Magic Coat, Smeargle will become incapacitated. Smeargle's sheer versatility makes it an unpredictable threat that one should definitely watch out for, lest its wide array of supporting options swing the tides of battle.
Snorlax
Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 160 HP / 110 Atk / 65 Def / 65 SpA / 110 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Immunity / Thick Fat / Gluttony
Snorlax is the definition of a special tank, being able to soak up hits with ease and hit back hard, due to its fantastic HP, Attack, and Special Defense stats, along with its good typing. It can run Immunity or Thick Fat; Immunity allows it to take a Toxic that other walls will hate, while Thick Fat will further assist in its tanking, as most Fire- and Ice-type attacks are special. However, any strong physical move, especially of the Fighting-type, will easily tear it apart, and Snorlax should be wary of Pokemon such as Hitmontop. Snorlax can go on the offensive with its ability to deal massive damage. Thanks to its stats, with Immunity, Snorlax can counter special attacking walls with Toxic such as SubRoost Zapdos, or counter Fire- and Ice-types that allow it to throw around powerful Body Slams or Returns. Alternatively, Snorlax can go defensively, threatening a sweep with Curse, which boosts its mediocre Defense and amazing Attack while throwing away its already useless Speed. This sweep should not be attempted if the opponent still has a Fighting-type on their team, or a very strong physical attacker. Snorlax can even go more defensive, with a RestTalk set with Whirlwind, although it is wasting its offensive prowess, and there are other options for that role that might fit it better. With a huge offensive movepool consisting of Body Slam, Return, Selfdestruct, Earthquake, Fire Punch, Crunch, and Pursuit, few things can switch in safely, especially to the Choice Band set. Snorlax should not be underestimated, as if used correctly, it can cause great havoc.
Spiritomb
Typing: Ghost / Dark
Base Stats: 50 HP / 92 Atk / 108 Def / 92 SpA / 108 SpD / 35 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Infiltrator (Unreleased)
Spiritomb's average stats mean that it looks relatively dull when compared to other defensive Ghost-types, such as Dusclops and defensive Mismagius. However, Spiritomb has something any Ghost-type bar Sableye would die (excuse the pun) to have: a secondary Dark typing. This typing gives Spiritomb no weaknesses whatsoever, and this is truly quite a boon to the budding spinblocker. Spiritomb boasts a movepool that lets it accomplish everything it needs, with moves such as Will-O-Wisp, Pursuit, and Sucker Punch. It also has Hypnosis, which can be effective at times, as if it hits, it effectively removes a Pokemon from the battle. Everything may seem all bright and rosy for Spiritomb, but although it lacks weaknesses, having only one resistance aside from its three immunities really hurts Spiritomb's ability to switch in. It can also be worn down quite easily be powerful hits; it doesn't like switching into moves such as Choice Band Azumarill's Waterfall. Overall, Spiritomb is a solid spinblocker, although its only average defenses, as well as a mediocre number of resistances and immunities, truly hampers its ability to be really top tier.
Suicune
Typing: Water
Base Stats: 100 HP / 75 Atk / 115 Def / 90 SpA / 115 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Water Absorb (Unreleased)
The UU tier offers a plethora of bulky Water-types, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Of these, Suicune boasts the highest overall defensive stats and the most threatening offensive presence. Suicune's access to Calm Mind, Rest, Sleep Talk, Surf, Scald, Ice Beam, Substitute, Roar, and Hidden Power gives it all the tools it needs to be a potent offensive threat and an almost impenetrable defensive monster. Suicune's famous CroCune set allows it to boost its stats with Calm Mind, recover with Rest, and strike back with its STAB move of choice. This set relies on its incredible physical bulk to accrue its initial boosts, Rest and Sleep Talk to recover HP and avoid status conditions, and either Surf or Scald to deal damage after boosting. Suicune can also run an offensive set with Calm Mind, a STAB move, Ice Beam, and Hidden Power Electric, which gives it perfect coverage and a much greater immediate offensive presence. Suicune can also boost its stats from behind a Substitute or pseudo-Haze with Roar. Overall, Suicune is a formidable Pokemon that every player should prepare for.
Tangrowth
Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 100 HP / 110 Atk / 125 Def / 100 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / Regenerator
In a tier full of Grass-type Pokemon, Tangrowth stands out from the rest thanks to its amazing physical bulk. Packing physical defensive stats among the best in the game coupled with decent defensive typing, excellent support moves such as Sleep Powder and Knock Off, and a solid attacking stat spread and movepool, Tangrowth is an outstanding bulky Grass-type in a tier where bulky Grass-types shine. It has two excellent abilities in Chlorophyll and Regenerator, both of which have their uses. Chlorophyll should be used on Sunny Day teams, as Tangrowth has good attacking stats and a solid offensive movepool, which allow it to function as a sweeper in conjunction with Chlorophyll’s Speed boost. Regenerator is the superior ability for defensive variants, as it heals up to one third of Tangrowth's HP whenever it switches out and makes up for its limited recovery options. Tangrowth's only instant recovery move is Synthesis, which may be unreliable depending on the weather in play, so Regenerator helps Tangrowth recover HP effectively in all field conditions. Regenerator also enables Tangrowth to forgo Synthesis altogether and run addition support or coverage moves. Tangrowth should be considered for a team slot based on its advantages over other bulky Grass-types, but players must also take into account its disadvantages: its abysmal Special Defense and Speed stats.
Togekiss
Typing: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 85 HP / 50 Atk / 95 Def / 120 SpA / 115 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Hustle / Serene Grace / Super Luck
Togekiss is perhaps the most annoying Pokemon in the game to be up against. With an incredibly good ability in Serene Grace, a fantastic move to abuse it with in Air Slash, and heavenly Special Attack to back it up, Togekiss can really be a top-tier threat when used with the right team support. Togekiss also has access to a whole lot of other fantastic moves; Nasty Plot, Aura Sphere, Flamethrower, and Thunderbolt are just a few examples on the offensive side of things, while Togekiss also has an immense support movepool, which includes moves such as Wish, Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave, and Heal Bell. Togekiss, however, has a few major flaws. Its Speed is just too little to sweep effectively with, requiring it to carry Thunder Wave to actually be effective. Unless it carries Heal Bell, Togekiss is also completely walled by Chansey. Togekiss can be effective, as stated before, when used with the right team support, but if it lacks this invaluable support, it's definitely going to have a hard time accomplishing its task.
Uxie
Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 75 HP / 75 Atk / 130 Def / 75 SpA / 130 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Uxie returns to UU to reclaim its role as a premier bulky Psychic-type Pokemon, but sadly finds itself with too much competition. Mew, Deoxys-D, and Cresselia are enjoying the limelight as top walls, leaving little room for Uxie. It does have multiple support options such as dual screens, Stealth Rock, Trick, Thunder Wave, Heal Bell, and Yawn, and it can also use Rain Dance alongside Damp Rock, or Sunny Day with Heat Rock to set up weather abusers. Memento and U-turn remain Uxie's only significant niche as a bulky Psychic-type. These moves are very valuable since they provide a free switch-in for setup sweepers or weather abusers, and Uxie is the bulkiest Pokemon with access to these moves. Uxie works best as a supporter for offensive teams that dislike losing momentum. Not responding to Uxie seriously can result in a clean sweep.
Venomoth
Typing: Bug / Poison
Base Stats: 70 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 90 SpA / 75 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Shield Dust / Tinted Lens / Wonder Skin
Before BW came around, Venomoth was just another forgotten Bug-type banished to the depths of NU due to its inferior typing, movepool, and stats. However, now that the fifth generation has blessed Venomoth with Quiver Dance, a move that raises Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed all at once, Venomoth can be quite the threat to deal with. With access to Sleep Powder and perfect coverage in Bug Buzz and Psychic thanks to Tinted Lens, Venomoth can easily run through most of UU. Venomoth also gets Baton Pass to pass off any boosts obtained and, in conjunction with Sleep Powder, this can be very dangerous indeed. Venomoth is a great addition to any Baton Pass team, but can also hold its own as a sweeper thanks to Quiver Dance and Tinted Lens. Venomoth also has access to Toxic Spikes, but this is usually overlooked for Quiver Dance. Unfortunately, with Venomoth's Bug typing comes a weakness to Stealth Rock, so Rapid Spin users are appreciated to preserve Venomoth's vitality. Overall, Venomoth is a very potent threat in the BW UU metagame, whether as a sweeper or a Baton Pass user, and should not be underestimated.
Victini
Typing: Fire / Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Victory Star
Though plagued with a terrible defensive typing that leaves it weak to Pursuit and Stealth Rock, vulnerable to both Spikes and Toxic Spikes, and weak to commonGround-, Water-, and Rock-type attacks, Victini is still a dangerous force in the UU tier. Its stat allocation allows it to serve many roles, though its sheer amount of weaknesses and lack of recovery preventit from being an effective wall. What makes Victini such a potent offensive threat, though, is its ability, Victory Star, and its access to many powerful coverage moves. Victory Star boosts the accuracy of its moves by 10%, making a special set with powerful, inaccurate moves such as Thunder, Focus Blast, and Fire Blast very potent. Victini also has access to many powerful physical attacks such as Fusion Bolt and the all powerful V-create, a 180 Base Power STAB behemoth. Victini can also be a potent Choice Scarf user with its access to U-turn and Final Gambit. One should only use Victini for its offensive capabilities, however, as its many weaknesses leave much to be desired.
Weavile
Typing: Dark / Ice
Base Stats: 70 HP / 120 Atk / 65 Def / 45 SpA / 85 SpD / 125 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Pickpocket (unreleased)
Withbase 120 Attack and base 125 Speed, Weavile is indeed an offensive threat to watch out for. Its amazing Dark / Ice STAB combo allows it to rip through the influx of Psychic- and Flying-types present in UU. Weavile also has STAB priority in Ice Shard as well as STAB Pursuit, allowing it to function as an effective revenge killer or trapper and giving it a good niche. It can even use Swords Dance and sweep through unprepared teams. However, while Weavile's typing gives it an amazing STAB combination to abuse, it leaves a lot to be desired defensively. With five weaknesses, along with a Stealth Rock weakness, and terrible defensive stats, Weavile has difficulty switching in. Despite these flaws, Weavile is an offensive threat to watch out for, whether it be revenge killing, trapping Pokemon, or sweeping straight through unprepared teams.
Xatu
Typing: Psychic / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 75 Atk / 70 Def / 95 SpA / 70 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Synchronize / Early Bird / Magic Bounce
Xatu is one of the more versatile Pokemon in the metagame, thanks to its new ability, Magic Bounce. Having the equivalent of a Magic Coat at all times can help it do much more than what it could do without it. Warding off status helps Xatu both offensively and defensively, bouncing off paralysis on a Choice or Calm Mind set, or ridding itself of Toxic on a dual screens set. Access to support moves such as Calm Mind, Baton Pass, Confuse Ray, FeatherDance, Haze, Light Screen, Reflect, U-turn, Thunder Wave, and Toxic gives it a variety of ways to support its teammates, backed up by reliable recovery moves in Roost and Wish. However, even with its ability, Xatu has a lot of things going against it. 65 / 70 / 70 defenses aren't exactly stellar, and any neutral hit not backed by Calm Mind has a good chance of 2HKOing. Dark-types in the tier, such as Weavile, Houndoom, and Honchkrow, can all pose huge problems for Xatu, forcing it to switch often. If Stealth Rock eludes Xatu's Magic Bounce for some reason, it takes a whopping 25% damage per switch in, so precise prediction must be employed whenever using Xatu. Overall, if Xatu is played to its strengths, it can aid any team.
Yanmega
Typing: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 86 HP / 76 Atk / 86 Def / 116 SpA / 56 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Speed Boost / Tinted Lens / Frisk
Yanmega is perhaps one of UU's most devastating sweepers if played correctly. Boasting great Special Attack and Speed in addition to two great abilities in Speed Boost and Tinted Lens, Yanmega can easily destroy unprepared teams. A set running Speed Boost alongwith Protect outspeeds the entire metagame bar Choice Scarf users, while a Choice Specs-boosted Tinted Lens set has perfect coverage with just two moves and can even 2HKO normal counters to the Speed Boost set. However, despite Yanmega's unparalleled sweeping capabilities, one thing holds it back: Stealth Rock. Upon each entry into battle, Stealth Rock strips away a crippling 50 percent of its health. For this reason, it is of utmost importance to pack a Rapid Spin user when using Yanmega. In addition, teammates to cover its common Rock-, Ice-, and Electric-type weaknesses should be present. With the proper support, Yanmega is ready to tear any team into pieces. Underestimate this dragonfly at your peril.
Zapdos
Typing: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 90 HP / 90 Atk / 85 Def / 125 SpA / 90 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Lightning Rod (Unreleased)
Zapdos returns in BW, but this time in UU. Armed with great typing and formidable offensive and defensive stats, it can work well on rain teams, spamming Thunder, while having enough bulk to set up its own rain. It can also stall out opponents with a combination of Pressure, Substitute, Roost, and Toxic. In addition, with Roar, it can also be a reliable phazer with decent bulk and reliable recovery in Roost. But don't underestimate Zapdos's offensive prowess, as with 125 base Special Attack and 100 base Speed, it can run through teams. However, Zapdos is not without its faults, especially with a weakness to Stealth Rock and Ice-type attacks. Chansey can easily wall any variation of Zapdos, and is extremely common in the UU metagame. Still, with proper team support, such as including a Rapid Spin user and teammates to help eliminate Chansey, Zapdos can be a great addition to any team.
Zoroark
Typing: Dark
Base Stats: 60 HP / 105 Atk / 60 Def / 120 SpA / 60 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Illusion
Zoroark's unique ability, Illusion, allows it to be disguised as one of its teammates; this, in conjunction with its fantastic mixed attacking stats, allows it to be a potent threat in the current metagame. Zoroark boasts some fantastic moves in its arsenal, and it can hit extremely hard with them, especially when boosted up by Nasty Plot. Unfortunately for Zoroark, it is the epitome of a "fast, frail sweeper". Its horrible defenses make it extremely vulnerable, and it will almost always be OHKOed by any neutral STAB attack. Don't even let it try to survive a Fighting-type attack—it can't. Despite these flaws, when used correctly, Zoroark can net a few surprises, as when it is disguised, it's very difficult to know if it is Zoroark and switch in an appropriate counter.
