Monotype Viability Rankings

[Dark T]

Bisharp can also run Life Orb, Focus Sash, etc. If you don't like the recoil from Life Orb, Expert Belt may be an option. Bisharp could also force switches on some pokemon such as eviolite users and run Swords Dance. There's also the options of Psycho Cut, Break Brick, and if you want to be forcing a lot of switches, Stealth Rocks can be an option.

I will add that to my post. Thank you, Anubis.

 

[Death God Anubis]

I will add that to my post. Thank you, Anubis.

Np man :], share sets and share the love <3.

 

[Dark T]

Malamar for Dark C

Pros:
- Great ability in Contrary
(Loves Sticky Web, Intimidate, and Defog)
- Very Powerful Fighting type move Superpower that has a side effect of a Bulk Up thanks to Contrary.
- Unique typing gives it only 2 weaknesses.
- Good coverage (STAB Psycho Cut to beat Fighting types and Rock Slide to beat Bugs.)

Cons:
- Mediocre stats
- No reliable recovery
- Very weak to Bug
- Can get locked in to Superpower if running a choice set

RestTalk

Malamar @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Superpower
- Night Slash / Psycho Cut

Assault Vest

Malamar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 8 Atk / 248 SpD
Careful Nature
- Superpower
- Psycho Cut
- Night Slash
- Rock Slide

Choice Band or Scarf

Malamar @ Choice Band / Choice Scarf
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Superpower
- Psycho Cut
- Night Slash
- Rock Slide

 

[Acast]

Malamar for Dark C

Pros:
- Great ability in Contrary
(Loves Sticky Web, Intimidate, and Defog)
- Very Powerful Fighting type move Superpower that has a side effect of a Bulk Up thanks to Contrary.
- Unique typing gives it only 2 weaknesses.
- Good coverage (STAB Psycho Cut to beat Fighting types and Rock Slide to beat Bugs.)

Cons:
- Mediocre stats
- No reliable recovery
- Very weak to Bug
- Can get locked in to Superpower if running a choice set

RestTalk

Malamar @ Leftovers
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Superpower
- Night Slash / Psycho Cut

Assault Vest

Malamar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 8 Atk / 248 SpD
Careful Nature
- Superpower
- Psycho Cut
- Night Slash
- Rock Slide

Choice Band or Scarf

Malamar @ Choice Band / Choice Scarf
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Superpower
- Psycho Cut
- Night Slash
- Rock Slide

Malamar was already done quite a while back by n64lord iirc. I don't blame you for missing it though. I checked Anttya 's list in the original post and I didn't see Malamar so it would be easy to miss.

A tip to anyone who wants to do a viability post on a Pokémon: Go to the search box in the top right corner of the screen and type in the Pokémon's name. Make sure "Search this thread only" is checked and then press enter. That will show you all the posts that include the Pokémon's name in this particular thread. Please check to be sure the Pokémon has not already been done before. If it has been done before and you think the ranking is incorrect, feel free to make a post suggesting a ranking change.

 

[Dark T]

Malamar was already done quite a while back by n64lord iirc. I don't blame you for missing it though. I checked Anttya 's list in the original post and I didn't see Malamar so it would be easy to miss.

A tip to anyone who wants to do a viability post on a Pokémon: Go to the search box in the top right corner of the screen and type in the Pokémon's name. Make sure "Search this thread only" is checked and then press enter. That will show you all the posts that include the Pokémon's name in this particular thread. Please check to be sure the Pokémon has not already been done before. If it has been done before and you think the ranking is incorrect, feel free to make a post suggesting a ranking change.

Thank you. Yeah I checked all the Dark Types in the OP and never saw it there so I thought I would do it. It appears we both agree on it being C.

 

[truedrew]

Tyranitar and Bisharp for Dark A:

Tyranitar:

Pros:
- Has lots of viable sets thanks to its large move pool.
- Access to Stealth Rocks
- Excellent Bulk: 100, 110, 100 (Special Defense raises even higher in a sandstorm.
- High attack stats: 134, 95.

Cons:
- It is slow: 61 base speed.
- Has a lot of weaknesses.
- Sand can hurt other team members or be taken advantage of.

Choice Scarf

Tyranitar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Crunch
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge

Stealth Rocks

Tyranitar @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature / Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Crunch
- Ice Beam / Stone Edge
- Earthquake / Fire Blast

Assault Vest or Choice Band

Tyranitar (M) @ Assault Vest / Choice Band
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Crunch
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch / Ice Punch

Bisharp:

Pros:

- Powerful STAB priority in Sucker Punch.
- Steel is a benefit for dealing with Fairy types
- Access to Pursuit and Knock Off as well as coverage in Psycho Cut and Brick Break.
- Can force switches such as Eviolite users.
- Defiant allows it to take advantage of Defog, Sticky Web and Intimidate.
- High Attack: 125
- Has access to Stealth Rocks
- Resists Stealth Rocks

Cons:

- 4 times weak to Fighting.
- Slow: 70
- Sucker Punch can be taken advantage of due to low PP

Defiant Attacker

Bisharp @ BlackGlasses / Life Orb
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Iron Head
- Pursuit / Swords Dance

i Do think both these pokemon were done first by DEG

 

[Dark T]

i Do think both these pokemon were done first by DEG

I didn't see 'em in the Dark listings.

 

[Anttya]

Yeah, this is my fault. I must've forgot to list some stuff. Sorry bout that :c

 

[scpinion]

So...I was scrolling through the thread and realized I have Mega-Swampert reserved for Water...completely forgot about writing that up with all the fun I've been having over on the Monotype website.

Thus, without further ado:

Nominating Mega-Swampert for B rank on Water

Swampert @ Swampertite
Ability: Damp
EVs: 104 HP / 252 Atk / 152 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Low Kick/Rain Dance

Alternative EV spreads to creep particular threats

For neutral Nature:
No Spe investment gets you to past base 110's in rain
76 Spe lets you outpace non-scarf Skymin in rain.
108 Spe creeps Mega-Manectric in rain
152 Spe creeps Mega-Sceptile and scarf base 80's in rain

Using Jolly (boosting Nature):
204+ outspeeds Scarf Thundurus-Therian in rain
244+ outspeeds Scarf base 108's (Keldeo, Terrakion, etc.) in rain
The only reason to run max speed is if you want to tie other base 70 Pokemon outside rain. Max speed only gets you a speed tie with scarf base 110's in rain.

Alright, I do not feel like there is too much to analyze on Mega-Swampert: Its a Swift Swim sweeper, and a really good one. It has the movepool and stats to threaten almost the entire metagame in rain, a notable exception being scarf-Skymin. Thus, Mega-Swampert must either take a turn to set rain itself or it needs some assistance in setting rain before it can wreak havoc on the opponent. The obvious partner is Politoed, but I've found Rain Dance Lanturn to work really well as a secondary rain setter. It provides the added benefit of serving as a slow pivot into any SS sweeper (Manaphy also does it well and has reliable recovery in rain). While Mega-Swampert performs its role exceptionally well, and requires support that is easy to provide, it shouldn't rise beyond B rank because of how difficult a rain team is to pull off without access to Damp Rock. By the time one brings it in to sweep, there are only 4 turns of rain left, which savvy players can easily stall out.

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

I'm gonna address a few posts here, so I'm not gonna quite them all cuz I'm too lazy because I can't quote multiple posts on my tablet for some reason, but they're all above this one or on the bottom of the previous page.

First of all, Dark T , when you are going to do an analysis, you should write a description of how each set functions, and explain why you chose the moves/ability/EVs/nature/item. Imo, a typical analysis should look something like this:

Example Analysis Model

I nominate {Pokemon name} for {S/A/B/C/D/E} Rank in {Pokemon type}

Pros/Cons (optional)

Sprite/Picture of Pokemon

Set 1

Set 1 Description. Be sure to include why you chose those moves, why you chose that ability (if there is a choice), explain the EVs/Nature (especially if the EVs are a little wonky--meaning not 252/252/4), and explain the item, or if there is a choice for item, explain the benefits of each one. Say what role this Pokemon fills on the team, and how to effectively use the set. Remember, this is for players new to monotype and to help them quickly make a competitive team. Also suggest alternate EV sets/natures if there are other viable ones.

Alternate Sets/Descriptions (if applicable)

Summarize and explain why it deserves that rank. Also mention what support, if any, this Pokemon requires to achieve its maximum potential. Mention good partners, and threats to this Pokemon.

TL; DR (if your post is really long)

PS Replays (if you have them)

Secondly, when you want to do a write-up, do what Acast said, or just look in the To-Do/Reserve List hide on the first page. If your Pokemon is there (and not reserved) then you can do it.

Thirdly,
Bisharp has already been done by Dream Eater Gengar on the first page--it was literally the 7th post in this thread.

Fourthly, Tyranitar was reserved (for Dark) by Clearly on page 34, but it is past the 5-day limit so you can do that write-up (just to clear that up).

Fifthly, Anttya you should put Bisharp and Malamar in the Rankings already <.<

Sixthly, I think there should be a couple Rank changes made (I'll address what DM35 and zulkaz said, and there are a couple other things I want to say).

Seventhly, scpinion , why would you use Damp on Swampert before it Mega Evolves? Wouldn't Torrent be better for if you switch in on something and get down to less than 1/3rd, so you can take advantage of the Waterfall boost before/during the turn you mega evolve? I just think it is better as Explosion/Self-Destruct are hardly used. The only two Pokemon I can think of right now that would use them are the occasional Forretress (although that is usually a SR setter/spinner/defensive wall and doesn't want to die) and Carbink (which is pretty rare, and even then it might not run Explosion).

Eighthly, is there any news on when Volcanion is being released? Kinda random but it seems like it would be a decent Ass Vest user and I could use the fire STABs on my mono-water team :P.

Wow, lot of people tagged :s.

 

[scpinion]

I'm gonna address a few posts here, so I'm not gonna quite them all cuz I'm too lazy because I can't quote multiple posts on my tablet for some reason, but they're all above this one or on the bottom of the previous page.

First of all, Dark T , when you are going to do an analysis, you should write a description of how each set functions, and explain why you chose the moves/ability/EVs/nature/item. Imo, a typical analysis should look something like this:

Example Analysis Model

I nominate {Pokemon name} for {S/A/B/C/D/E} Rank in {Pokemon type}

Pros/Cons (optional)

Sprite/Picture of Pokemon

Set 1

Set 1 Description. Be sure to include why you chose those moves, why you chose that ability (if there is a choice), explain the EVs/Nature (especially if the EVs are a little wonky--meaning not 252/252/4), and explain the item, or if there is a choice for item, explain the benefits of each one. Say what role this Pokemon fills on the team, and how to effectively use the set. Remember, this is for players new to monotype and to help them quickly make a competitive team. Also suggest alternate EV sets/natures if there are other viable ones.

Alternate Sets/Descriptions (if applicable)

Summarize and explain why it deserves that rank. Also mention what support, if any, this Pokemon requires to achieve its maximum potential. Mention good partners, and threats to this Pokemon.

TL; DR (if your post is really long)

PS Replays (if you have them)

Secondly, when you want to do a write-up, do what Acast said, or just look in the To-Do/Reserve List hide on the first page. If your Pokemon is there (and not reserved) then you can do it.

Thirdly,
Bisharp has already been done by Dream Eater Gengar on the first page--it was literally the 7th post in this thread.

Fourthly, Tyranitar was reserved (for Dark) by Clearly on page 34, but it is past the 5-day limit so you can do that write-up (just to clear that up).

Fifthly, Anttya you should put Bisharp and Malamar in the Rankings already <.<

Sixthly, I think there should be a couple Rank changes made (I'll address what DM35 and zulkaz said, and there are a couple other things I want to say).

Seventhly, scpinion , why would you use Damp on Swampert before it Mega Evolves? Wouldn't Torrent be better for if you switch in on something and get down to less than 1/3rd, so you can take advantage of the Waterfall boost before/during the turn you mega evolve? I just think it is better as Explosion/Self-Destruct are hardly used. The only two Pokemon I can think of right now that would use them are the occasional Forretress (although that is usually a SR setter/spinner/defensive wall and doesn't want to die) and Carbink (which is pretty rare, and even then it might not run Explosion).

Eighthly, is there any news on when Volcanion is being released? Kinda random but it seems like it would be a decent Ass Vest user and I could use the fire STABs on my mono-water team :P.

Wow, lot of people tagged :s.

To be honest...it doesn't matter. However, Damp is preferred precisely because you don't want to switch Swampert into a threat and let it take damage to put it in torrent range. Chances are it will be a win condition in most battles.

If I really have to make another argument to justify Damp: It can be easy to predict explosion users (Azelf is another that is creeping up more often nowadays) and this provides a free turn to mega-evolve if you play it just right.

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

To be honest...it doesn't matter. However, Damp is preferred precisely because you don't want to switch Swampert into a threat and let it take damage to put it in torrent range. Chances are it will be a win condition in most battles.

If I really have to make another argument to justify Damp: It can be easy to predict explosion users (Azelf is another that is creeping up more often nowadays) and this provides a free turn to mega-evolve if you play if just right.

I guess that makes sense. How does damp work anyway? Is the move stopped altogether or do they still die but you don't take damage? I've never seen it used before :P.

 

[Gnief Fiar]

I guess that makes sense. How does damp work anyway? Is the move stopped altogether or do they still die but you don't take damage? I've never seen it used before :P.

If Self-Destruct or Explosion are selected in battle, the attack will fail and the user will not faint.-Bulbapedia

Damp also takes out Aftermath damage, so if you REALLY hate Electrode or Drifblim, then you could use it. Not sure if it could actually come in handy TOO much when against Aftermathers.

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

If Self-Destruct or Explosion are selected in battle, the attack will fail and the user will not faint.-Bulbapedia

Damp also takes out Aftermath damage, so if you REALLY hate Electrode or Drifblim, then you could use it. Not sure if it could actually come in handy when against Aftermathers.

OK thanks.

 

[InfernapeTropius11]

Rank Changes:
First to address what DM35 said:

DM35

This thing is a monster, Croven basically said everything, it still deserves S Rank on Flying. I would also say it sweeps Grass with Sludge Bomb/Psychic: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-194550013 and it has Focus Blast for Ferrothorn.

Mega Gallade coming in really hurt Megacham. Higher attack stat at the beginning of the battle, Fake Out, and HJK having 10 BP more than Close Combat is all it has now. I think it deserves A Rank on Fighting, and A/B Rank on Psychic, as Psychic now has a lot of megas (Alakazam, Gardevoir, Gallade, Metagross, Latias, Latios) that are all really good, so I personally think B Rank is better but I'm not 100% sure. Yes it is still good, but it is decreased in usage now that ORAS brought physical attackers that can set up and tank a couple hits (Metagross/Gallade) and is outclassed in just about every way imo. Also, its Fake Out/HJK/Zen Headbutt/[Ice Punch/Bullet Punch/Poison Jab] set is walled by Sableye (immune to 3, priority burn, weak non-STAB, non-SE coverage is relied on to hit it) and Aegislash (immune to Fake Out/HJK, resistant to Zen, resistant to Ice/Bullet Punch or immune to Poison Jab, STAB SE priority, King's Shield lowers Medicham's attack). Average speed tier (100) doesn't help it either.

Volcarona is amazing on bug and after just 1 or 2 quiver dances it can sweep many teams. QD is basically calm mind with a speed boost, and Volcarona has the bulk to set up on lots of things (especially as it gets roost). Also serves as a Mega Sableye check as it will win the set up war and can't be burned. Can beat steel/dark/grass/Ice/electric and even ground and flying after a couple QDs and Charizard is gone. Also gets an awesome STAB--fiery dance. 80 BP and a 50% chance to raise your Spa is amazing. Agree with S Rank on Bug.

Meloetta is a very good Pokemon for psychic. It punishes choiced ghost moves, and prevents a sweep. With either Ass Vest, Calm Mind, Relic Song, or Restalk, Meloetta is an excellent Pokemon that fits on just about every mono psychic team. Agree with S Rank on Psychic

Kyurem-B is just a monster. It has amazing attack, above average bulk, reliable recovery, and many sets including Band, Scarf, mixed, or bulky sets with Roost+3 attacks, or sub roost sets. It also has a neutrality to Ice, which is very handy for a dragon type. Agree with S Rank on Dragon

Now, I'm gonna address what zulkaz said:

zulkaz

I agree that these Pokemon deserve A Rank on bug. They provide spin support (very helpful in a tier where Stealth Rocks are common and for a type weak to Rock) which allows sweepers such as Scarfcross, Volcarona, and Mega-Pinsir to enter safely. They are also very good stealth rocks setters themselves and offer other qualities to their team. Rapid Spin also allows them to remove hazards without removing your own hazards. Forretress is also a very nice defensive option and can take Stone Edges, as well as being able to bring in your sweepers safely with a slow Volt Switch. Armaldo helps Bug during the flying matchup, threatening with STAB Stone Edge, as well as providing useful utility in the form of Knock Off.

I don't believe Mega Heracross deserves A Rank on Bug. It has an amazing attack and Swords Dance, but all Bug Megas are physical (and also have SD) and have abilities that can further boost their moves. Using Mega Heracross means you can't use a variety of other Pokemon. First of all you can't use Mega Beedrill. Mega Beedrill is a frail glass cannon sweeper, but hits like a truck with STABs because of Adaptability and has Swords Dance to boost its attack (you shouldn't use regular Beedrill either--its too frail and doesn't have a very good ability). Mega-Pinsir is in the same boat as Beedrill somewhat, although it does have increased bulk. It also gets Swords Dance and an amazing ability in Aerilate. Aerilate gives it a stronger STAB than Mega Heracross (Return is up to 132ish after Aerilate but pre-STAB) and has priority in Quick Attack to finish off weakened threats (and it also gets the Aerilate then STAB boost). Once again regular Pinsir is pretty bad so that eliminates any option from there completely. Mega Scizor also has amazing attack and an amazing ability: Technician. This makes Bug Bite a 90 BP STAB move, and Bullet Punch a 60 BP priority steel STAB. It also has the option to run a bulky set, with Roost and Defog, as well as access to Swords Dance. Using Heracross as a Mega also means you can't use it for two other great roles: a Scarf Moxie late-game sweeper, or a Guts status absorber. The Scarf Moxie set is the best way to use Heracross imo, as it absolutely rips through weakened teams late-game, including flying, electric, psychic, dark, opposing bug, ice, and even fire and rock, types bug struggles with. Guts is also useful, as (barring Volcarona for burns and the bug/steel types for poison) Bug struggles with status (you could use Galvantula to absorb paralysis, but it is frail and is usually used as a Sticky Web lead that sets webs then bashes stuff until it dies).
TL; DR: Mega Heracross is useful, but not as useful overall as the stuff it prevents you from using, thus deserving B Rank. It is still very good and has its uses, but overall it is better to use Moxie/Guts regular Heracross and a different Mega for bug imo.

Now that Mega-Mawile is banned, these could happen:

Now that Mega Mawile is banned

Now that Mega Mawile is banned, I believe these Pokemon will become more effective. Carbink will have a role as a rocks setter/kaboomer, deserving C/D Rank now, as Diancie will probably be the Mega of choice for Fairy now. Carbink was relegated because Diancie was simply better, but now Mega Diancie will likely be used for other purposes, so Carbink will regain its niche. Azumarill will become the most viable physical attacker with Belly Drum and Huge Power effectively giving it 8x attack in one turn, and would deserve S Rank (although it is debatable that it could stay A Rank). Slurpuff will probably see increased usage as the next most viable physical attacker (also with BD, and now Drain Punch) but I'm not sure if that is enough to bring it up to A Rank. It is a possibility though, as it has some nice options in BD, Calm Mind, and Cotton Guard for boosts, and Play Rough/Drain Punch/Return for attacks (admittedly though, that is everything it gets :I). This leaves it walled by Aegi/Skarm and things like Forretress/Scizor to an extent, but Flamethrower Togekiss/Clefable reks them. Or (if you use CM) you could go special, but I'm not gonna go into that, as I think it is more likely to see it as a physical BD user. Note that these are all for Fairy.

Now that Mega Mawile is banned, Bisharp can be moved to S Rank on steel imo. It gets Swords Dance, and, best of all, DEFIANT. This allows it to switch in on Sticky Web/Defog/Intimidate users and get a free Swords Dance. This allows it to demolish teams such as Bug (just about every bug team sets webs), Flying (relies heavily on Defog as they are SR weak), and basically anything weak to Steel or Dark or that uses stat drops. It gets STAB from its Sucker Punch, as well as Knock Off/Iron Head for other STABs, and Brick Break/Poison Jab/X-Scissor/Psycho Cut/Pursuit/Dual Chop for coverage. It also has Klefki screen/T-Wave support, Heatran to absorb WoW, Skarmory to absorb Fighting/Ground moves, as well as the ability to effectively use many items (Lum Berry/Life Orb/Focus Sash/Black Glasses/Expert Belt).

Some Other Rank Changes That Could Be Made:

Other Rank Changes

Conkeldurr is an amazing Pokemon. It has 3 great abilities, decent bulk, a wide physical movepool, a variety of effective sets, and is a great Ass Vest user. First of all its abilities: Sheer Force, Guts, and Iron Fist. All 3 boost its attack power on all or some of its moves. Sheer Force combines well with Life Orb to get more power than Choice Band without recoil and with the ability to switch moves (on moves that get the Sheer Force boost). Guts lets it absorb status for its teammates. While burns cripple many of its teammates, it boosts Conkeldurr's attack and it can recover off the damage with STAB Drain Punch. Also, it is slow already so it doesn't really care about paralysis. It can also take Toxic, but Cobalion is better in these situations imo, because of its immunity (as Toxic damage steadily worsens, forcing Conkeldurr to switch). Iron Fist boosts its many punch attacks, including Hammer Arm, Drain Punch, Mach Punch, the Elemental Punches, and Focus Punch (if you run SubPunch). It has 105 HP, which is very good. It also allows it to use SubPunch, and Seismic Toss can't break the Sub with investment. It can run Bulk Up to boost its attack and defense, or use Assault Vest to have good special defense. It has a wide and effective movepool (STAB, Priority, changes stats, in brackets explains what stats are changed [if applicable] and what abilities boost it, but not Guts [Guts boosts all moves when statused]): Bulk Up (+1 Atk/Def), Mach Punch (Iron Fist), Hammer Arm (Iron Fist, -1 Spe), Drain Punch (Iron Fist), Ice Punch (Iron Fist and Sheer Force), Thunder Punch (Iron Fist and Sheer Force), Fire Punch (Iron Fist and Sheer Force), Poison Jab (Sheer Force), Focus Punch (best used with Substitute), Low Kick, Low Sweep (-1 Spe for opponents), Superpower (-1 Atk/Def--opposite of Bulk Up, so could be used with Bulk Up to make it hit harder on first turn, and still be boosted if you Bulk Uped twice I guess), Power-Up Punch (+1 Atk), Brick Break, Stone Edge, Earthquake, Payback, Knock Off, Facade, Retaliate. It also helps fighting vs. Psychic, Fairy, and Flying, as they are predominantly special, and he can tank a hit with his snazzy Assault Vest, and hit back hard with Payback, Knock Off, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Stone Edge, or Poison Jab (EQ for Klefki, or Fighting STAB).
TL; DR: Conkeldurr is an amazing Pokemon that has a wide movepool, can run many sets, helps fighting against its weaknesses, and is an essential part of the fighting defensive core while having tremendous offensive capabilities, so S Rank for Fighting.

I think Whimsicott can go down to B Rank on Grass. Its typing doesn't help it very much. It gains a weakness to Steel and doubles its Poison weakness in exchange for a neutrality to Bug (which many better grass types also have). It is tremendous Taunt bait, especially if it doesn't carry Taunt itself. Its offensive sets are pretty bad/outclassed, with the only niche being Switcheroo (but Rotom-Mow has Trick and it and Skymin both hit harder, and Skymin is faster as well). It is fast, but it is frail. It has Prankster support, but Leech Seed is better with bulkier Pokemon imo, like Mega Venusaur or Ferrothorn (even Skymin can use SubSeed better, as it is faster than pretty much anything, and doesn't have to use Prankster, allowing it to hax stuff with Seed Flare/Air Slash and Serene Grace--it also likes the regained health that lets it last longer). Encore/Taunt/Stun Spore are its most effective moves, but it is not enough to give it A Rank, so I believe it deserves to move down to B Rank as it is a useful support Pokemon, but Stun Spore only has 75% accuracy, and it is frail with a bunch of weaknesses to common types (Fire/4xPoison/Steel/Flying/Ice). Also, it is often used as a sacrifice to paralyze something and stop a sweep, but again Stun Spore has 75% accuracy, does nothing to Limber/Overcoat/Grass-type/Sap Sipper/Magic Bounce Pokemon, and something you commonly sacrifice shouldn't be A Rank. Magic Bounce Pokemon especially wall it, as it can't Taunt, Encore, Leech Seed, or Stun Spore them, forcing a switch and letting it set up something (screens if Espeon, Calm Mind if Mega Sableye/Mega Diancie, Swords Dance if Mega Absol).

Sableye should move down to B/C Rank on Ghost. This is pretty simple to explain. Everything it does, its mega does better. Its Mega Evolution doesn't have to Mega Evolve right away, and it can keep Prankster to use WoW and Recover as priority. Then it can get boosts, Mega Evolve to gain bulk and power, and sweep with Dark Pulse after a couple of Calm Minds. The only thing Sableye has is Lefties and Taunt, which is a pretty good trade-off. So basically, it is almost always better to choose Sablenite over Leftovers, and CM/Dark Pulse over Taunt/Knock Off, rendering regular Sableye mostly obsolete on ghost. It still has a niche on dark (if you want to use Absol/Houndoom/Tyranitar as your mega) but on Ghost Mega Sableye is simply better.

I just wanted to suggest some stuff and throw in my 2 cents worth, if you read it all then wow, thanks :P.

P.S. What is the rank for Sableye (Dark)? C'mon Anttya, forgetting to put all the Dark types in the rankings <.<

 

[Sae]

Alright some things that Anttya is probably too busy to say cause she's still on vacation:

• Rank changes should be implemented when she's back. If by the off chance she has like more than hour of free time, then maybe they'll get updated but she's on vacation so don't expect too much out of her. She'll be back later this week so I think we can chill about that. If you want the changes to be made immediately might be a good idea to compile a list of the things you think she hasn't gotten to rather than just talking about individual mons needing it.

Proven users are well... proven users. They have proven themselves to be knowledgable Monotypes players, knowing the best sets in Monotype, how to use them in disadvantages etc. This will also be on Pokemon that are extremely good (aka S ranked Pokemon) since they need to be covered thoroughly if a new user is to understand why it's S rank. A good example would be Staraptor (Normal). An average monotype player would have no idea as to what BulkyRaptor is, and that's its main niche. Even if they knew the set, they'd have no idea how to explain it well making it seem more of a troll set instead of a legit one. As for becoming a "proven" user, Sae and I will find a way to "test" people since we won't give them away for free :P

• Ant talked about the proven users thing. It hasn't been put on the back burner; it is in the works and almost done. If you guys want a preview it'll be anyone who thinks they deserve a shot will write the rankings/changes through paragraphs of 2-3 of a given list of Pokemon. This is your chance to not only show that you know deeply about the meta, but also you can argue for your own opinion effectively even if say Ant and I disagree which is the whole point of a viability ranking (aka: how effective your rhetoric is). The rest of the details are in the works (including the list of mons) but it's almost done.

 

[Anttya]

To promote better write-ups, the Monotype Viability Reviewers (Anttya, Sae Sae, Nani Man) have decided to enforce a rule where deciding ranks is a privilege and not something to mass produce. Newer players may not have your experience in the metagame, and therefore might need more guidance when deciding members for their team. This requires better wording, rank choices, and sets. From now on, unless you are a "proven" user, you may not do writeups. However, you can still contribute as much as you want by helping with sets.

How do I become a "proven" user?

Listed below, are specific Pokemon that we have chosen. There is at least 1 Pokemon per type, so you will find something from the type you main. These Pokemon all have their niches, and it's your job to find them and rank them based on what you think.

Or, you can PM Anttya and Sae Sae your writeup, and we'll approve it. (If you only want to do 1-2 writeups.)

This would be a good example of a 3/3 ranking.

It does not have to be extremely long to be good, just get to the point.

How judging works

- We will judge you based on wording, rank choice, and set(s) choice. Perfect grammar / wording aren't necessary, but make sure it's easy to understand. Make sure you include the Pokemon's main niches. (Example: Mega Pidgeot has a speed tier that lets it outspeed a majority of Fighting types, and it lets you run BulkyRaptor while keeping a BirdSpamming mon etc)
- Each writeup will be out of 3 points (6 possible points overall) and you need at least a 5 to pass.
- If we find any plagiarizing (stealing words from official analysis or other users) you will be punished.

List of possible Pokemon to write about. Choose 2!
PM your write-ups to both Anttya and Sae Sae via Smogon in a pastebin / PM format.

• Mega Diancie (Fairy)
• Skuntank(Poison)
• Nidoking (Poison)
• Scrafty (Fighting)
• Volcarona (Fire)
• Honchkrow (Flying)
• Armaldo (Bug)
• Forretress (Bug)
• Politoed (Water)
• Jellicent (Ghost)
• Rotom-H (Electric)
• Heatran (Fire)
• Scrafty (Dark)
• Mega Audino (Normal)
• Empoleon (Steel)
• Mega Swampert (Ground)
• Tyrantrum (Rock)
  
• Druddigon (Dragon)
• Uxie (Psychic)
• Articuno (Ice)
• Mega Sceptile (Grass)
• Serperior (Grass)

Please do not get offended if you do not pass, simply lurk and learn more before trying again. (~1 Week)

"Proven" Users

Articuno I
All Falls Down
zulkaz​

 

[Dark T]

I will submit mine when I get some time. Definitely interested in contributing. Monotypes is easily the funnest tier. Random Monotypes is actually the funnest, but it is not on the main server yet, unfortunately.

 

[Freeroamer]

OK I was really bored and had nothing to do, so I thought I'd give my thoughts on our current S Rank and what changes need to be made:

Moving Down

Mega-Medicham(Fighting and Psychic) -> A Rank

This really suffered with the introduction of Mega Gallade, with it's only saving grace being higher initial power and Fake Out. These are not enough to overcome the significant advantages that Gallade offers, which go through increased bulk, ability to set-up, more reliable Fighting STAB, much improved Speed tier and even an ability to run different sets, such as Bulk Up or a nasty Will-o-Wisp set that's been running around. Simply put, I just don't see many situations where I would rather have this over Gallade, it could yet drop even further in my opinion as it's simply outclassed.

Moving Up

Volcarona(Bug) -> S Rank

Seriously, try and make a Bug team without this thing. It's extremely potent at what it does, and the bulkier sets that have been running around are often what Bug users will end up sweeping with most of the time, despite access to the likes of Mega Pinsir. This is a great compliment to just how good Volcarona is at what it does, and after a QD or two, which it usually easily finds the room to setup thanks to it's underappreciated bulk, it absolutely cleans teams. Like wipes them off the radar. Provided you have a Heatran answer(or you could run HP Ground) it massacres Steel, an oft difficult matchup for Bug. A really strong choice for Bug and that deserves to be reflected in it's ranking.


Kyurem-B(Dragon) -> S Rank

Another of those that I just wouldn't consider making a team of it's type without, it's just that good. Between it's remarkable BST, Ice neutrality and reasonable movepool which benefits from it's ability, this is a top choice for Dragon teams. It's never a safe thing to play against, as it's impossible to tell what set it might be running, between Choice Scarf/Band, Special-based mixed attacker, Physical based mixed attacker, SubRoost sets and even a Hone Claws+Dragon Tail set, it's literally impossible to play around, as p. much everything ever is smashed by a certain set.

These are my opinions on what need to change regarding S Rank, all in all it's looking pretty good, nice work guys n_n

Just gonna put these back here, I feel these are changes that absolutely need to be made to S/A Rank, I did suggest Lando-i to A for Flying and Meloetta to S for Psychic but those are more arguable.

 

[ForgottenOnes]

Just gonna put these back here, I feel these are changes that absolutely need to be made to S/A Rank, I did suggest Lando-i to A for Flying and Meloetta to S for Psychic but those are more arguable.

So months ago, I made a post about Volcarona moving to S. Not only does Volcarona have a reliable move (Roost) for healing, It doesn't only have "1 chance" to set up. Sure Rocks are a huge factor in getting Volcarona out, but after a Roost or 2, Volcarona is back to being healthy! The only Pokemon that I can think off the top of my head who straight out fuck volcarona in the ass is Heatran. Even after +8 SpA Heatran still can wall a Bug Buzz, Bug Buzz probably only does around 50% damage.

As for Kyurem-B, I also support this for moving up to S rank. Kyurem-B is just way too versatile. It can be a choice scarf set, a sub set, a lot of sets. And with its ability to run both physical and special, it can be a great fairy counter with iron head. It can kill Azumarill with Fusion Bolt. Its just a great mon in general imo.

Thats about it, when I have more time I'll post more about rank changes.

 

[Acast]

So months ago, I made a post about Volcarona moving to S. Not only does Volcarona have a reliable move (Roost) for healing, It doesn't only have "1 chance" to set up. Sure Rocks are a huge factor in getting Volcarona out, but after a Roost or 2, Volcarona is back to being healthy! The only Pokemon that I can think off the top of my head who straight out fuck volcarona in the ass is Heatran. Even after +8 SpA Heatran still can wall a Bug Buzz, Bug Buzz probably only does around 50% damage.

As for Kyurem-B, I also support this for moving up to S rank. Kyurem-B is just way too versatile. It can be a choice scarf set, a sub set, a lot of sets. And with its ability to run both physical and special, it can be a great fairy counter with iron head. It can kill Azumarill with Fusion Bolt. Its just a great mon in general imo.

Thats about it, when I have more time I'll post more about rank changes.

I agree with Volcarona moving up to S rank, but I just wanted to mention even Heatran can't 100% wall it because Volca oftentimes runs HP Ground. It's not hugely common, but it's a viable option. Of course with this Volcarona kind of has 4mss because it can't have Quiver Dance, Fiery Dance, Bug Buzz, Roost, and HP Ground all on the same set. I run Giga Drain on my Volcarona in place of Roost, which doesn't help against Heatran at all of course, but it does help a ton with coverage, especially against Water, Ground, and Rock teams and it provides some recovery as well. All in all, despite the 4mss, Volcarona is S rank imo.

 

[Anttya]

Just gonna put these back here, I feel these are changes that absolutely need to be made to S/A Rank, I did suggest Lando-i to A for Flying and Meloetta to S for Psychic but those are more arguable.

I moved Volc and Kyu up, but I feel like Medicham needs more debate. It's outclassed by Gallade in several ways, but Medicham is still Monotype's scariest wallbreaker ;)

Couple changes that should be made while i have been looking at this thread
Forretress and Armaldo (Bug) B----> A

This change is very necessary because these two Pokemon provide bug with the support it needs whether it be Stealth Rocks or Rapid Spin both of these Pokemon provide them. These two Pokemon are also very solid physical walls. Armaldo with its good typing provides a good check to Charizard Y which bug has a hard time with. With Forretress it walls physical flying types and Armaldo does this too. Overall the ability to get rid of hazards and being the best way to remove hazards and also it frees up a move slot of Scizor. I feel these Pokemon should be moved up because they provide support for most viable bug Pokemon in bug monotype and are best bug Pokemon with Rapid Spin.

Mega Heracross (Bug) B---->A

Couple things about this pokemon i need to state bug provides the best support this pokemon could ever dream for in sticky web. Which makes this Pokemon a top tier threat, but with its decent bulky it can also take hits and i feel the only reason person put A because most people think Mega Pinsir outclasses it which is not true the 3 Bug megas are all good and one is not better than the other. Another very positive point about this mega unlike Pinsir it can beat sableye 1v1 with guts before mega evo which makes this Pokemon extremely tricky to cripple if you are running a slow team or your team is grounded with sticky web up. Overall with the base 185 attack ability to boost that already high attack and sticky web which bug has Galvantula and Shuckle the best Pokemon with sticky web in the game and getting up sticky is just so easy with those mons I say that Mega Heracross should be moved up for A rank for sheer power and the support it needs which it can be easily given on bug.

Done, and I agree with you.

(Dang sorry I took so long!)
Mega Steelix (Ground) for B rank!

Specially defensive

Steelix @ Steelixite
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Gyro Ball
- Dragon Tail

This Mega Steelix set is designed to support its team by phazing out the opposing one and dragging their Pokemon through entry hazard damage. Sassy nature and maximum special bulk maximize Mega Steelix's rather average ability to take special attacks. Stealth Rock is a staple here for punishing switches and assisting the team with getting KOs. Earthquake is the obligatory STAB attack, which does considerably more damage coming from the increased Attack power that Steelix gains upon Mega Evolution. Gyro Ball is the secondary STAB move that takes advantage of Steelix's low Speed and negative Speed nature to be as powerful as possible. Roar is the primary option in the final slot for shuffling the opposing team, forcing enemies to take hazard damage and preventing them from benefiting from any stat boosts they may have attained; Dragon Tail is an option that doesn't get rid of Substitutes like Roar does, but it provides additional damage to Stealth Rock when shuffling the opponent's team, and the only Pokemon that are immune to this move, Fairy-types, are deterred by Steelix's inherent offensive and defensive advantage against them.

Offensive Steelix

Steelix @ Steelixite
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock

Heavy Slam and Earthquake are Steelix's two main STAB moves on this set, Heavy Slam providing a solid 120 BP, Stone Edge is used to hit flying type pokemon that resist Steel type (Zapdos, Charizard, etc.). The last move in this set should be Stealth Rock, as it provides great team support.

Note aside, Mega Steelix gets the ability Sand Force, so its Ground/Rock/Steel type moves will get boosted (Stone Edge, Earthquake and Heavy Slam in this case) so pairing it up with a pokemon with Sandstream (Hippodown) or a pokemon that can effectively use Sand Storm would be ideal.

Giving Mega Steelix B rank because as a stealth rock setter it is outclassed by many pokemon like Hippodown, and as a mega evolution spot it is outshined by Mega Garchomp and (maybe) Mega Sawmpert, still that doesn't mean that Mega Steelix itself is a bad pokemon, it has an amazing Defense and its Special Defense got a nice boost; I had my doubts about classifying as a B rank pokemon but I finally reached a conclusion.
May or may not have forgotten about some sets, please feel free to share them!

I agree with the sets and stuff, but I personally feel like it's better off in C rank mainly because of its Speed and typing. It still maintains its weakness to Ground, and Water. The only thing it gains is a neutral to Grass, but it's still setup completely walled by Ferro :[ Nice writeup tho!

Reserving mega pidgeot for normal

Just noticed it was already done by Arifeen. Sorry bout that :c

 

[Freeroamer]

I moved Volc and Kyu up, but I feel like Medicham needs more debate. It's outclassed by Gallade in several ways, but Medicham is still Monotype's scariest wallbreaker ;)


Done, and I agree with you.

I agree with the sets and stuff, but I personally feel like it's better off in C rank mainly because of its Speed and typing. It still maintains its weakness to Ground, and Water. The only thing it gains is a neutral to Grass, but it's still setup completely walled by Ferro :[ Nice writeup tho!

Just noticed it was already done by Arifeen. Sorry bout that :c

My feeling about Medi is that in 8/10 situations I'd rather have Gallade.

Disadvantages to using Medi

• Lot easier to offensively check - I'll just give you a couple of examples, on my Ground team, if Medi comes in and kills something(not unusual) I can simply send in my Landorus and OHKO Landorus straight up. Same with my Water team and Keldeo and Greninja's Hydro Pumps(Greninja needs it to be slightly weakened). I could go on, Latios on Dragon, but quite simply, Gallade beats all of these, not just being able to survive the hits, but being able to outspeed and KO these offensive checks with the right move. This in itself makes it a lot easier to deal with compared to Gallade.
• Less utility in a lot of matchups - this is kinda linked to the point above but Gallade generally tends to shine in the more offensively orientated metagame of Monotype, whereas Medicham just wishes everything was a little slower and bulkier so it had more stuff to smash. The speedy Fighting types can hit it hard before it moves, looking at Infernape and Keldeo here, while Exca in Sand and Lando-i can do this for Ground, Lando again can do it for Flying, as can it's fellow genies, against Psychic Gallade offers significantly more utility thanks to it's Knock Off, whereas Medicham is countered by bulky Psychic types in the mould of Slowbro and defensive Mew.
• Balk - Both dislike priority but Gallade can generally take it on much better than Medicham can. Add into this that Gallade can often get off 2 hits where Medicham might only get one, due to tanks that can survive one attack and hit back hard. This could even be relevant to random sash users. Basically what I'm trying to say here, is that the extra bulk of Gallade can win games by simply being able to get off an extra attack thanks to it's extra bulk.
• Less risky main STAB - HJK has power alright, but you're a brave person to click it if there's even one Ghost type on the opposing team due to it's drawback. Also it has a tendency to miss at the worst times.

Disadvantages to using Gallade

• Not as much initial power as Medicham, which means that stuff like Skarmory and Hippowdon can switch in if they're completely healthy and proceed to phaze/attack. This is true to an extent, but a CC from Gallade is still punching ~40% into these mons, meaning they have to be very healthy indeed to be safe switchins. also thanks to this power, they're forced to Roost the turn after, meaning a free switch for something that can take advantage of these passive mons.
• Not as useful priority - Biggest seeling point of Medicham over Gallade imo, it gets Fake Out to circumvent it's Speed issues for one turn and get guaranteed chip damage. Can also be a useful last ditch attempt to take down a boosted sweeper, although you will lose some of your team in the process.

After looking at both sides, I honestly think Gallade simply outclasses Mega Medicham and should be the go to for a Mega if you want a physical hard hitter for either of those teams.

 

[ForgottenOnes]

I agree with Volcarona moving up to S rank, but I just wanted to mention even Heatran can't 100% wall it because Volca oftentimes runs HP Ground. It's not hugely common, but it's a viable option. Of course with this Volcarona kind of has 4mss because it can't have Quiver Dance, Fiery Dance, Bug Buzz, Roost, and HP Ground all on the same set. I run Giga Drain on my Volcarona in place of Roost, which doesn't help against Heatran at all of course, but it does help a ton with coverage, especially against Water, Ground, and Rock teams and it provides some recovery as well. All in all, despite the 4mss, Volcarona is S rank imo.

I really don't see HP Ground as viable anymore. Volcarona is known for its reliable recovery move, and its ability to set up and fuck some shit up. With HP Ground, Volcarona loses one of its most important moves. It simply CANNOT survive many attacks without Roost. But yeah, very happy that Volcarona moved up.

Anyways I see Mega Medicham being discussed a hell ton on here. Here is my view. I think Mega Medicham deserves S Rank for both types. First off, it has Fake Out. Fake Out breaks sashes, it does damage so you are able to knock something out. Sure it receives stiff competition from Mega Gallade, but Mega Gallade doesn't have Pure Power. If we wanna talk about attack, lets talk about attack, Mega Medicham wins. Other than being a little bit more bulky, Mega Gallade doesn't have a better movepool than Mega Medicham. Sure Mega Gallade may be a bit quicker than Mega Medicham, however, unless you wanna OHKO Mega Medicham, Medicham will Drain Punch, recover, and knock ur ass out. So I see it in S rank, but not a OP Pokemon, and I think it creates a good edge in the metagame.

 

[DoW]

My feeling about Medi is that in 8/10 situations I'd rather have Gallade.

Disadvantages to using Medi

• Lot easier to offensively check - I'll just give you a couple of examples, on my Ground team, if Medi comes in and kills something(not unusual) I can simply send in my Landorus and OHKO Landorus straight up. Same with my Water team and Keldeo and Greninja's Hydro Pumps(Greninja needs it to be slightly weakened). I could go on, Latios on Dragon, but quite simply, Gallade beats all of these, not just being able to survive the hits, but being able to outspeed and KO these offensive checks with the right move. This in itself makes it a lot easier to deal with compared to Gallade.
• Less utility in a lot of matchups - this is kinda linked to the point above but Gallade generally tends to shine in the more offensively orientated metagame of Monotype, whereas Medicham just wishes everything was a little slower and bulkier so it had more stuff to smash. The speedy Fighting types can hit it hard before it moves, looking at Infernape and Keldeo here, while Exca in Sand and Lando-i can do this for Ground, Lando again can do it for Flying, as can it's fellow genies, against Psychic Gallade offers significantly more utility thanks to it's Knock Off, whereas Medicham is countered by bulky Psychic types in the mould of Slowbro and defensive Mew.
• Balk - Both dislike priority but Gallade can generally take it on much better than Medicham can. Add into this that Gallade can often get off 2 hits where Medicham might only get one, due to tanks that can survive one attack and hit back hard. This could even be relevant to random sash users. Basically what I'm trying to say here, is that the extra bulk of Gallade can win games by simply being able to get off an extra attack thanks to it's extra bulk.
• Less risky main STAB - HJK has power alright, but you're a brave person to click it if there's even one Ghost type on the opposing team due to it's drawback. Also it has a tendency to miss at the worst times.

Disadvantages to using Gallade

• Not as much initial power as Medicham, which means that stuff like Skarmory and Hippowdon can switch in if they're completely healthy and proceed to phaze/attack. This is true to an extent, but a CC from Gallade is still punching ~40% into these mons, meaning they have to be very healthy indeed to be safe switchins. also thanks to this power, they're forced to Roost the turn after, meaning a free switch for something that can take advantage of these passive mons.
• Not as useful priority - Biggest seeling point of Medicham over Gallade imo, it gets Fake Out to circumvent it's Speed issues for one turn and get guaranteed chip damage. Can also be a useful last ditch attempt to take down a boosted sweeper, although you will lose some of your team in the process.

After looking at both sides, I honestly think Gallade simply outclasses Mega Medicham and should be the go to for a Mega if you want a physical hard hitter for either of those teams.

I have to say I disagree on this first point: Mega Gallade is far easier to offensively check, due to its need to set up to cause a lot of damage combined with a lack of fake out meaning it can't wear down offensive checks in the way Mega Medicham can. For example, I think this replay proves my point quite well: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-201300766
NPK tries to bring in Mega Gallade multiple times in the game, however each time it struggles to do anything due to either offensive presence from my team or clear smog from Gastrodon. People liken its ability to set Swords Dance then sweep to Mega Mawile, however there is a clear difference: through Intimidate, Mawile could have set up on my Scarf Garchomp: -1 252 Atk Garchomp Earthquake vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Mega Mawile: 182-216 (60 - 71.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
On the other hand, Mega Gallade's lesser power, lesser bulk and less powerful priority mean it would have lost the matchup even with a close combat followed by a Shadow Sneak, which would fail to KO.

On the other hand, a Mega Medicham in this situation would have been able to constantly wear down my offensive checks through use of fake out, while High Jump Kick would easily have broken down my walls: 252+ Atk Pure Power Mega Medicham High Jump Kick vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Hippowdon: 249-294 (59.2 - 70%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Note that Hippowdon carries whirlwind, meaning Mega Gallade cannot set up on it either. On the other hand, Mega Medi wouldn't particularly care about whirlwind, while earthquake (doing about 50% back) wouldn't have mattered much due to my lack of priority and the fact it was going to switch out of any revenge killers anyway.

Also, while Mega Gallade's ability to sweep is perhaps more useful against offensive teams, there are a number of other good sweepers or cleaners on both psychic and fighting teams, and I would argue that in the current metagame where bulky flying, bulky steel and bulky water teams are common, wallbreakers are always going to be very useful. Add to this the fact that Mega Medicham can choose its coverage from elemental punches, as well as the options of fake out and bullet punch. While this gives it 4mss, it means it can choose which walls to destroy most, and allows it to take chunks out of flying teams if wanted, which is very useful for fighting teams in particular. Mega Gallade generally runs Close Combat, SD, Ice Punch and Knock off or Shadow Sneak, and although it can run other options this is quite probably its best set, meaning quite often I find it to be more predictable.


This isn't to say Mega Medicham is better than Mega Gallade. Honestly were I to make a fighting team, I'd be considering both very strongly right now. However, I do feel that Mega Medicham has a very real niche outside of what Mega Gallade does, and has a number of matchups where it is more useful, not solely restricted to against more bulky teams. Because of this I think it still deserves S rank, rather than being demoted to A rank due to being outclassed by Mega Gallade.