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Talonflame
Type: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 78 / 81 / 71 / 74 / 69 / 126
Ability: Flame Body / Gale Wings
Talonflame is seen as one of the best revenge killers in the metagame, primarily due to its high Speed and excellent ability in Gale Wings. This ability gives priority to its Flying-type moves, allowing it to revenge, sweep, and clean with Brave Bird, which functions as a powerful, priority STAB move. It can also hit hard with Flare Blitz, which prevents it from being walled by Steel-types. Talonflame has two effective boosting moves in Swords Dance and Bulk Up, and it can also create momentum with its fast U-turn, while also having priority Roost to help mitigate the damage it takes from its recoil moves. Because of its high Speed, it has the freedom to run a Choice Band set, which takes advantage of Talonflame's stat spread perfectly. This marks Talonflame as a potent threat, and its ability to fill a multitude of roles only adds to its effectiveness in the metagame.
Bisharp
Type: Dark / Steel
Base Stats: 65 / 125 / 100 / 60 / 70 / 70
Ability: Defiant / Inner Focus / Pressure
With access to Defiant, Swords Dance, (add comma) and powerful STAB moves such as Sucker Punch, Knock Off, (add comma) and Pursuit, Bisharp is one of the deadliest sweepers and offensive supporters in the metagame. It has an excellent Attack stat, and its unique typing makes it the only Steel-type that still resists Ghost- and Dark-type moves, while its own Dark-type STAB, Knock Off, is now able to break through other Steel-types. In addition, Knock Off is both powerful, (remove comma) and removes a foe's item, threatening offensive and defensive Pokemon alike. Bisharp's ability, Defiant, makes it a perfect switch-in to Defog, doubling its Attack, while also meaning that Sticky Web and Intimidate only benefit it. Its secondary STAB in Iron Head also threatens the new Fairy-types, and it even has Pursuit to trap various Dark-type weak threats. Bisharp applies constant offensive pressure, (remove comma) and is thus one of the most effective attackers in the Overused environment.
Mega Charizard Y
Type: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 78 HP / 104 Atk / 78 Def / 159 SpA / 115 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Drought (Blaze / Solar Power)
Mega Charizard Y is renowned as one of the best wallbreakers in OU thanks to its extremely high Special Attack, decent Speed, and ability Drought. With the sun Drought brings, Mega Charizard Y can fire off extremely powerful sun-boosted Fire Blasts, which outright slaughter much of the OU tier. It is unique among Fire-types in that it can murder both Heatran and Water-types with its coverage, which includes Focus Blast and sun-enhanced Solar Beam. Thanks to its large Special Defense stat, Mega Charizard Y can take a battering from special attacks, heal up with Roost, and outright demolish their users. Furthermore, because the opponent does not know which Mega Charizard this is when it comes out, he or she is left to guess what to switch in initially, which can be punished. Combine all this with resistances to key types like Fighting, Bug, Fire, and Steel, and you have a frightening offensive Pokemon that given but one free opportunity can do serious harm to any team.
Umbreon
Type: Dark
Base Stats: 95 HP / 65 Atk / 110 Def / 60 SpA / 130 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Synchronize / Inner Focus
Umbreon carves out its niche in the metagame through the combination of several factors that distinguish it. Its phenomenal mixed bulk allows it to avoid 2HKOs from powerful attacks, even some non-STAB super effective ones, using its free turns to provide the team with Wish and Heal Bell support that will make efforts to wear down Umbreon's team extremely frustrating. In addition to being a sturdy wall and team supporter, though, Umbreon also maintains a modest offensive presence through its very useful Foul Play that prevents it from being setup bait for physically offensive threats. This deals heavy damage to many physical attackers that wish to break down Umbreon, and in combination with its good defensive typing and recovery, Umbreon is like a bad meal; it hurts and can't be kept down.
Mega Absol
Type: Dark
Base Stats: 65 HP / 150 Atk / 60 Def / 115 SpA / 60 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Magic Bounce (Pressure / Super Luck / Justified)
Mega Absol is blessed with huge Attack and Speed stats and an often-overlooked Special Attack stat that allows it to wallbreak or sweep depending on what is needed. Despite its frailty, its useful ability in Magic Bounce allows it to set up a Swords Dance on a variety of defensive Pokemon. Sucker Punch gives it extremely powerful priority that can be used to revenge kill Psychic- and Ghost-type attackers or sweep offensive teams. Knock Off also gives it a strong, more reliable option that has great utility against almost all Pokemon. Mega Absol's wide movepool allows it to choose its own counters, and if necessary, (add comma) it can even Baton Pass its boosts along to another sweeper, as almost no battler would attempt to phaze Mega Absol. The power, speed, and utility that Mega Absol provides makes it a lethal threat capable of sweeping or disrupting many teams if given the opportunity.
Mega Mawile
Type: Steel/Fairy
Base Stats: 50 HP / 105 Atk / 125 Def / 50 SpA / 95 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Huge Power
Sporting the highest Attack stat in the game, surpassing even Deoxys-A and Thick Club Marowak, Mega Mawile is a dangerous wallbreaker of frightening power. Its Steel/Fairy typing, the Intimidate ability in its base forme, and its deceptively high bulk once Mega-Evolved in Mega forme afford it many opportunities to switch in, set up, and wreak havoc. Its excellent coverage and access to powerful priority in Sucker Punch to work around its glacier-like speed make it even deadlier. Swords Dance doubles its already sky-high Attack to absurd levels; the list of things that can stomach a +2 Sucker Punch is quite short. It can alternatively use a Substitute set which, while not as powerful and lacking reliable recovery, protects it from the crippling burn status and frees opportunities to use non-priority attacks from a still extremely high Attack stat. Finally, Mawile's movepool is extensive, and potential counters can easily be hit harder than they might expect. Because of its sheer might, Mega Mawile has the potential to be a formidable threat to offensive and defensive teams alike.
Skarmory
Type: Steel / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 80 Atk / 140 Def / 40 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Keen Eye / Sturdy / Weak Armor
By virtue of its extremely high Defense stat and great defensive typing, Skarmory is a solid switch-in and counter to many prominent physical attackers. It's one of the few Steel-types that are immune to Ground-type moves and neutral to Fighting-type moves, and it carries with it an impressive eight resistances and two immunities that stop many. Access to reliable recovery makes Skarmory one of the most durable physical walls, while Whirlwind prevents it from becoming setup bait. The entry hazards it can lay down punish the special attackers that switch into it, and access to Defog can easily eradicate entry hazards detrimental to its own team. Overall, Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and amazing utility value make it a major defensive threat that must be played around carefully.
Gengar
Type: Ghost / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 130 SpA / 75 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Gengar sports two very high stats in Special Attack and Speed, and can certainly use them well can use its high Special Attack and Speed very well with a great STAB and solid coverage options. However, because of the extremely effective non-attacking moves Gengar has access to, it fights very differently than other fast special threats. Gengar's Substitute is notoriously easy to set up, thanks to Gengar's its great typing and ability. Disable takes care of the many opponents that rely on a single move to hit Gengar, Taunt shuts down any attempt to indirectly deal with Gengar, and Will-O-Wisp is a nasty surprise to any physical attackers hoping to hit it on its weaker Defense stat. These support options, coupled with the fact that Gengar needs only two attacking moves to hit the entire tier for neutral damage, make Gengar an extremely unconventional but equally deadly threat to teams of all varieties.
Volcarona
Type: Bug / Fire
Base Stats: 85 HP / 60 Atk / 65 Def / 135 SpA / 105 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Flame Body / Swarm
Volcarona is a fearsome sweeper if given even one free turn. A huge base 135 Special Attack stat and decent Speed combined with access to one of the best boosting moves in the game in Quiver Dance allow Volcarona to blast through an unprepared team with only one turn of setup. A good typing gives it strong STAB moves and as a virtue of it, Volcarona has as well as several resistances that it Volcarona can use to set up. In lieu of a fully offensive set, it can also run a bulkier set that sets up with frightening ease on physical and special attackers alike, even those with super effective moves. While there are several threats that can almost always prevent Volcarona from doing its job, if these are removed, (add comma) then Volcarona will usually have a chance to sweep and one must be careful not to give it a chance to do so when facing it.
Kyurem-B
Type: Dragon / Ice
Base Stats: 125 HP / 170 Atk / 100 Def / 120 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Teravolt
Boasting the 4th fourth highest BST in the game, surpassed only by the Mega Mewtwo forms and Arceus Himself, Kyurem-B is almost as dangerous as it seems. An obscenely high Attack stat and a great Special Attack stat allow it to function as a powerful mixed attacker attack effectively from both sides of the spectrum, and excellent bulk means it is very difficult to take down. Its ability is also helpful, allowing it to bypass many defensive Pokemon's abilities like Thick Fat or and Levitate. An ample movepool gives Kyurem-B strong STAB moves, good coverage options, and a variety of sets it can run. Its typing gives it some useful resistances, thus and Kyurem-B thus finds it easy to create and maintain a Substitute, while it can also be an all-out attacker that is relatively effective at stallbreaking.
Cresselia
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 120 HP / 70 Atk / 120 Def / 75 SpA / 130 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Levitate
A defensive juggernaut to the core, Cresselia has no issues taking a plethora of hits from the offensive Pokemon littered around the tier. Cresselia's phenomenal mixed bulk in tandem with its access to recovery and Levitate allow it to take on common threats such as Terrakion, Dragonite, Garchomp, and Keldeo. Aside from its defensive prowess, Cresselia is also a stupendous dual screener. Cresselia's biggest draw as a utility Pokemon, Lunar Dance, provides Cresselia with a means of completely restoring a battered teammate and distinguishes Cresselia from other users of the dual screens strategy. Despite lackluster typing, Cresselia shines as a supporting Pokemon in the metagame and is a defensive threat which every team should be prepared to deal with.
Togekiss
Type: Fairy / Flying
Base Stats: 85 HP / 50 Atk / 95 Def / 120 SpA / 115 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Hustle / Serene Grace / Super Luck
With solid bulk, respectable Special Attack, and a useful Fairy/Flying type, Togekiss is a good special wall. Its crucial type advantages against Dragon, Ground, and Fighting enable it to handle dangerous special threats as Latios and Landorus, and even some physical ones as Dragonite and Conkeldurr. Though somewhat held back by a Stealth Rock weakness, it has access to reliable recovery to offset the damage. Its support movepool is expansive, containing gems such as Defog, Thunder Wave, and Heal Bell. Its Serene Grace ability makes it an infamous abuser of the "paraflinch" strategy, in which slowed-down opponents are whittled down as successive flinches and full paralysis immobilize them. Overall, Togekiss's durability, utility, versatility, and even disruptive potential make it a notable defensive threat.
Gyarados
Type: Water / Flying
Base Stats: 95 HP / 125 Atk / 79 Def / 60 SpA / 100 SpD / 81 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie
Gyarados has many great traits to make it a threatening Dragon Dance user in the metagame. Alongside its great Attack stat, Gyarados has two excellent abilities that make it even more dangerous of as a sweeper. Intimidate helps it take hits better, (add comma) and Gyarados has several useful resistances and a decent bulk in order to set up on a myriad of Pokemon; these resistances include common priority moves such as Mach Punch and Bullet Punch one to many common priority moves seen in OU, Fire, Fighting, and more. This makes it not uncommon for Gyarados to find the opportunity to set up multiple Dragon Dances without too much of a problem. Moxie can alternatively be useful to prevent opponents from sacking sacrificing Pokemon against Gyarados in an effort to bring in a would-be counter freely. Its Water STAB gets good coverage on its own, (add comma) and a STAB Bounce allows it to take on Grass-types that usually threaten Water-type. It also has many coverage moves, such as Stone Edge, Ice Fang, and Earthquake, to deal with other Pokemon as well, making it tough to wall.
Mega Gyarados
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 95 HP / 155 Atk / 109 Def / 70 SpA / 130 SpD / 81 Spe
Ability: Mold Breaker (Intimidate / Moxie)
Just like Gyarados, Mega Gyarados is a threatening Dragon Dance sweeper. 155 Base 155 Attack is exceedingly high; (semi-colon) with it, its good STAB and myriad of coverage moves hit damn hard. With Mold Breaker, (add comma) it has the potential to get past a wide variety of Pokemon that it otherwise could not, (add comma) such as Rotom-W, Quagsire, and Mega Venusaur. Mega Gyarados's type change when it Mega Evolves is as useful as it is unique, having the luxury of setting up on Pokemon that either Water/Flying or Water/Dark allows as it has the luxury of setting up on different sets of Pokemon depending on what forme it is in. The Mega Gyarados's additional bulk, which sits at a great 95/109/130, is also helpful, and unlike base Gyarados, (add comma) it doesn't have to deal with any 4x weaknesses or a Stealth Rock weakness, meaning it is difficult to outright KO. All these traits allow Mega Gyarados to simultaneously act as a threatening sweeper and wallbreaker.
Mega Scizor
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 150 Atk / 140 Def / 65 SpA / 100 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Technician
Thanks to Technician and an extremely high base 150 Attack stat, Mega Scizor finds itself in possession of one of the strongest priority moves in the game in the form of Bullet Punch, allowing it to revenge kill many weakened threats. Furthermore, Swords Dance lets Mega Scizor easily sweep late-game once its counters have been sufficiently weakened, and Scizor can easily use its outstanding bulk, Roost, and nice typing to set up two or even 3 three boosts. Access to STAB U-turn lets Mega Scizor exit the field while dealing significant damage to many of the defensive threats that may attempt to check it. With a movepool consisting of many other options such as Pursuit, Knock Off, and more, Mega Scizor has a way to threaten or cripple just about every other Pokemon in the tier.
Shuckle
Type: Bug / Rock
Base Stats: 20 HP / 10 Atk / 230 Def / 10 SpA / 230 SpD / 5 Spe
Ability: Sturdy / Gluttony / Contrary
Shuckle's hilarious stats notwithstanding, (add comma) it indeed has a notable niche in OU. Impressive overall defenses make Shuckle the most resilient and reliable user of the powerful Sticky Web. Access to Encore prevents opponents from taking advantage of it freely, and it can be used to deter Defog and Rapid Spin users from removing Shuckle's hazards, or punish them if they do. Sturdy affords the use of a Mental Herb with little few regrets, (add comma) letting Shuckle act as a pretty effective lead, and Stealth Rock is always a nice touch. Sum these traits, and Shuckle is something that can threaten teams with its utility.
Mega Ampharos
Type: Electric / Dragon
Stats: 90 HP / 95 Atk / 105 Def / 165 SpA / 110 SpD / 45 Spe
Ability: Mold Breaker
When looking at Mega Ampharos, the first things that stand out are its glorious locks, (add comma) and its unique Electric/Dragon typing, shared only by the Uber titan Zekrom. When looking at its stats, the first two things that immediately stand out are its colossal 165 base Special Attack, the second highest in OU, and its atrocious base 45 Speed. However, (add comma) one thing to not overlook is its base 90 / 105 / 110 base defenses, which, when invested, makes Mega Ampharos ridiculously tanky, and as a result, one of Ampharos's best sets is a Volt Switch set, as it is capable of taking virtually any hit at full health and safely switching into a deadly sweeper in waiting. It is in this such role that its bad Speed is actually a blessing, as this allows it to function as a fantastic pivot switch, arguably the most optimized pivot switch one in the game. If utilized in an even more offensive manner, its Speed can be patched up quickly with Agility, turning Mega Ampharos into a deadly sweeper.
Rotom-W
Type: Electric / Water
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Rotom-W is an important defensive threat for numerous reasons. Its good mixed defenses allow it to take advantage of its stellar defensive typing. The number of useful resistances Rotom-W has is impressive, but what makes it so useful is its ability, Levitate, (add comma) which lets it avoid all the Ground-type moves that Ice-, Water-, Steel-, and Flying-type Pokemon use for coverage, and the fact that it only has a single weakness, (remove comma) means that often attackers will often not possess a coverage move to hit it super effectively. Possessing multiple semi-reliable methods of recovery, Rotom-W can be a pain to take down. In addition, Rotom-W has access to Will-O-Wisp, preventing many physical attackers from attempting to stay in and muscle past Rotom-W it. Finally, Rotom-W is one of the only defensive Pokemon with access to Volt Switch, which allows it to grab momentum on many of the switches it forces. These unique qualities combine to give Rotom-W an important place in the metagame.
Suicune
Type: Water
Base Stats: 100 HP / 75 Atk / 115 Def / 90 SpA / 115 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Pressure / Water Absorb (Unreleased)
With a great defensive typing, formidable bulk, and access to Calm Mind, it is no wonder that Suicune is a notable defensive threat in the OU metagame. Through the use of these mentioned attributes, Suicune can be a solid and sturdy late-game sweeper. With investment in physical bulk, the fabled CroCune set fears not the likes of status or offensive measures after it begins boosting. Indeed, it can only be stopped with by extraordinary power before it has begun accumulating Calm Mind boosts or with phazing. Suicune is also capable of deterring Pokemon that try to set up on it thanks to Scald, which possesses poses a nasty 30% burn chance of 30% to almost any setup sweeper that dare try. Deal with Suicune as soon as possible, (add comma) or face the consequence being fall victim to its offensive and defensive capabilities.
Victini
Type: Fire / Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Victory Star
Victini as an offensive Pokemon is typically employed as a wallbreaker, (remove comma) or revenge killer. Victini's Its stats may not look to fit these roles, even with a solid 100 base Speed, (remove comma) and great natural bulk for an offensive Pokemon. Victini's true power lies in its access to some legendary moves. Typically using a Choice Band, the exorbitant extraordinary Base Power of the STAB V-create lets it Victini demolish anything that does not resist it. As well Victini It also has access to a wide array of coverage moves, with highlights including the powerful Bolt Strike that punishes the Water-types that resist V-create, as well and Brick Break to muscle through Tyranitar and Heatran. V-create also allows Choice Scarf Victini to again thanks to the massive power of V-create can act as a revenge killer that can easily KO offensive threats; this set and utilizes U-turn to create momentum on forced switches forces. Even defensive teams that can reliably wall Victini have to be careful as Victini it has some serious tricks up its sleeve, (add comma) not limited to such as Trick and Final Gambit. Finally, going for ambush tactics Victini is also capable of a special set—typically Life Orb-boosted—which can take physically defensive Pokemon by surprise, and it has plenty of power to back it up, with Victory Star boosted patching up the accuracy of moves such as Focus Blast, Blue Flare, and Thunder.
Terrakion
Type: Fighting / Rock
Base Stats: 91 HP / 129 Atk / 90 Def / 72 SpA / 90 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Justified
Terrakion is a premier physically offensive Fighting-type capable of sweeping, wallbreaking, and revenge killing. Solid bulk, great Speed, and high Attack are just the right things to compete in OU. Commonly seen with a Life Orb or Choice Band, (add comma) Terrakion is very challenging to switch into; the coverage and power between Close Combat, Stone Edge, Earthquake, (add comma) and the occasional Hidden Power Ice put immense offensive pressure on the opponent, and Terrakion will usually KO something if it has momentum. Complimentary of With a great 108 base Speed, Terrakion's ability to check slower offenisve Pokemon is difficult to rival; anything but the bulkiest attackers falls to Close Combat or Stone Edge. With a Choice Scarf Terrakion is a great revenge killer, easily taking on the likes of Charizard, Dragonite, Tyranitar, Gyarados, Volcarona, and other dangerous Speed-boosting sweepers. As well as all-out attacking sets, (add comma) Terrakion has access to boosting moves Rock Polish and Swords Dance, (add comma) letting it sweep defensive teams, and or offensive teams depending on what the situation calls for. Finally, beyond pulverizing the opponent, (add comma) Terrakion is a very talented offensive supporter, reliably setting Stealth Rock, (remove comma) and keeping it up with either the pressure of Swords Dance or Taunt.
Mega Charizard X
Type: Fire / Dragon
Base Stats: 78 HP / 130 Atk / 111 Def / 130 SpA / 85 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Tough Claws (Blaze / Solar Power)
Mega Charizard X is Charizard's second Mega Evolution known at the moment, and its plain to see that the black dragon is just as threatening as its Y counterpart, if not more so, as Mega Charizard X it has pretty much everything it needs to be a threatening Dragon Dance sweeper. Dragon Dance boosts both Mega Charizard X's Attack and Speed stats significantly when used, and With its the ability to force multiple switches, nice defensive typing, and somewhat beefy 78/111/85 bulk, it's not hard for Mega Charizard X to get at least one Dragon Dance under its belt. On top of this, Mega Charizard X's Fire / Dragon STAB combination of Fire and Dragon is absolutely fantastic, and as it is resisted by only a fair few Pokemon such as Heatran and Azumarill boast the ability to resist the combination, which of course makes its offensive presence quite potent. Combine this with Mega Charizard X's its Tough Claws ability, which gives a slightly greater boost than a Life Orb to moves Mega Charizard X will be commonly using, (add comma) like such as Flare Blitz, Dragon Claw, and Outrage, and the ability to restore HP at will with Roost, and you have an absolute monster on your hands, capable of plowing through team after team entire teams once set up correctly. Overall, Mega Charizard X is a formidable offensive threat, and its Dragon Dancing prowess makes it a threat to offensive and defensive teams alike. (period)
Keldeo
Type: Water / Fighting
Base Stats: 91 HP / 72 Atk / 90 Def / 129 SpA / 90 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Justified
With an excellent base 129 Special Attack stat, a high BP powerful STAB in the form of Hydro Pump, and a good Speed tier, Keldeo is a very powerful specially offensive threat that should always be prepared for. With a Choice Specs equipped, Keldeo's Hydro Pump becomes a force to be reckoned with, and that can punch holes through a large spectrum wide variety of teams quite easily. On top of this, Keldeo has access to the exclusive Fighting-type move Secret Sword, which targets the opponent's Defense instead of Special Defense, letting Keldeo it easily break past incredibly Specially Bulky Pokemon special walls that might be able to take multiple Hydro Pumps quite easily, such as Goodra, Chansey, and Blissey. Choice Specs isn't the only set Keldeo can effectively run, though; Keldeo it can also effectively run a Choice Scarf set, using its boosted Speed to revenge kill a variety of threats such as Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, Genesect, and Mega Lucario, as well as a Calm Mind set that boosts its Special Attack and Special defense stats in preparation for a game-ending sweep, making it somewhat versatile. All in all, Keldeo is an excellent special attacker, and that should never be underestimated.
Heatran
Type: Fire / Steel
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body
With a staggering nine resistances, five of which are doubly resisted 4x, and two immunities, one of which is an immunity to popular and powerful the common Fire-type moves, Heatran is a full stop to many popular Pokemon. It has great mixed defenses that, when fully invested, allow it to take on a significant portion of attackers. With access to both Will-O-Wisp and Toxic, as well as the high burn rate of its most popular STAB, Lava Plume, Heatran can easily cripple many of its common switch-ins. Finally, it can phaze its opponents out with Roar, preventing them from attempting to boost up against Heatran and also collecting entry hazard damage after it sets up Stealth Rock. All in all, Heatran's decent stats, phenomenal typing, and wide support movepool make it a dangerous defensive threat.
Mega Venusaur
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 123 Def / 122 SpA / 120 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Thick Fat (Overgrow / Chlorophyll)
With extremely high 80/123/120 defensive stats, Mega Venusaur is certainly no defensive pushover. It carries valuable resistances to Fighting-, Grass-, Water-, Electric-, and Fairy-type moves, and its ability Thick Fat curbs the effectiveness of the Ice- and Fire-type coverage moves that offensive Pokemon commonly carry. An immunity to Toxic and access to semi-reliable recovery make Venusaur very hard to take down for defensive teams and offensive teams alike. Finally, Venusaur has access to status moves such as Leech Seed and Sleep Powder, letting it wear down or greatly cripple the few Pokemon that can actually threaten it. All of these qualities come together to make Mega Venusaur one of the tier's most resilient and self-sufficient defensive Pokemon.
Greninja
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 72 HP / 95 Atk / 67 Def / 103 SpA / 71 SpD / 112 Spe
Abilities: Torrent / Protean
With high Speed, good Special Attack, a solid offensive movepool, and a rare ability in Protean, Greninja makes for a very dangerous cleaner in OU. Its ability changes its type to that of whatever move it uses, meaning Greninja receives STAB off of every move. Along With a great offensive movepool with tools such as Hydro Pump, Dark Pulse, Ice Beam, and Extrasensory, Greninja can consistently pose a threat to many Pokemon. Access to Spikes and Toxic Spikes mean that Greninja can also function as a good offensive hazard setter, (add comma) setting up hazards for its team while still posing a strong offensive threat thanks to Protean. While its frailty and slight lack of power prevent Greninja from reaching the top of the charts, its Speed and great coverage make it a threat to many teams in OU.
Scolipede
Type: Bug / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 100 Atk / 89 Def / 55 SpA / 69 SpD / 112 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Swarm / Speed Boost
Scolipede sees use in OU mainly due to its ability, (add comma) Speed Boost. This, along with access to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, makes Scolipede a perfect candidate for a fast entry hazard setter in the OU metagame. In addition to this, Scolipede also has access to Baton Pass, which it can use to pass Iron Defense and Swords Dance boosts to its teammates and along with good boosting moves in Iron Defense and Swords Dance, make Scolipede a formidable user of the move. In addition, Thanks to its naturally high Attack and Speed along with a good offensive movepool in Megahorn, Earthquake, and Poison Jab, Scolipede can also sweep on its own, with its access to Swords Dance further helping it. Although its slight lack of power and many weaknesses can hold it back, Scolipede's versatility ensures that it can make for a solid addition to a team.
Dragonite
Type: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 91 HP / 134 Atk / 95 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Inner Focus / Multiscale
Dragonite sits near the top of the hierarchy of OU Dragons. With stats and typing similar to a handful of others, what sets Dragonite apart is its marvelous ability, (remove comma) and a movepool only second to the likes of Mewtwo and Arceus. As a Dragon Dancer, (add comma) Multiscale lets it get to +1 on damn near pretty much anything, typically in combination with a Lum Berry to avoid status. After that, (add comma) Dragonite has all the coverage it needs to topple over the OU tier, as well the raw power of Outrage to get past walls and even priority with Extremespeed to let it defeat the likes of priority-based revenge killers such as Talonflame, (remove comma) and Mamoswine. Besides being a Dragon Dance user that is challenging to stop from setting up, Dragonite also has other tactics. With a Choice Band it can check almost anything, (remove comma) and break down many walls, (add comma) as Multiscale, Outrage, Extremespeed, and its coverage go a long way. Roost can be utilized on offensive sets as well, letting Dragonite set up in the face of even more Pokemon.
Latios
Type: Dragon / Psychic
Base Stats: 90 HP / 90 Atk / 80 Def / 130 SpA / 110 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Latios has the highest Special Attack of any non-Mega Dragon in the OU tier, sturdy defensive stats, (add comma) and great Speed. To compliment this, Latios's movepool has plenty of options. It's no surprise that Latios is commonly seen breaking down defenses firing off Massive with its powerful Draco Meteors, getting past specially defensive Pokemon with Psyshock, using coverage moves to defeat would-be counters, and occasionally Tricking a Choice item to especially resilient specially defensive walls rendering them crippled to cripple them. Besides wallbreaking, Latios has access to the coveted Defog, (add comma) allowing it to utilize its excellent bulk, nice set of resistances, and offensive pressure to remove entry hazards. Non-Choice Unchoiced sets can also be seen with recovery moves letting Latios stay in the fight after being worn down that improve Latios's longevity.
Mega Venusaur
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 123 Def / 122 SpA / 120 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Thick Fat (Overgrow / Chlorophyll)
Mega Venusaur utilizes its stellar defensive capabilities to switch into numerous attacks with ease and fire off powerful Sludge Bombs and Giga Drains from its solid base 122 Special Attack. Boasting Thick Fat, Mega Venusaur is not threatened by Fire- and Ice-type attacks, a trait many other Grass-types would kill for. With this and resistances to numerous common attacks, it is among the easiest attackers in OU to switch in, providing offensive power and defensive utility in one slot. Its STABs alone pose a threat; with the coverage to take out the Fire- and Steel-types that resist them and reliable recovery, Mega Venusaur can fell many foes and persist throughout each battle as a force to be reckoned with, both offensively and defensively, for any team.
Mega Charizard X
Type: Fire / Dragon
Base Stats: 78 HP / 130 Atk / 111 Def / 130 SpA / 85 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Tough Claws (Blaze / Solar Power)
While renowned as a devastating offensive threat, Mega Charizard X is also seen filling the role of defender, boasting an excellent defensive typing and a solid base 111 Defense stat. Thanks to its resistances, defensive Mega Charizard X stands out as an excellent way to handle Mega Charizard Y, a top OU wallbreaker. It can switch into many physical attackers and cripple them with a burn, thereby ruining them for the remainder of the match. It is one of the best available switch-ins to offensive Electric-, Steel-, Bug-, and Grass-types of all kinds, taking their attacks with ease and smacking back hard with its Tough Claws-boosted attacks whilst Roosting off damage as needed, allowing it to persevere throughout each battle. With investment, Mega Charizard X proves an excellent defensive pivot that can cripple foes while still packing quite a punch.
Krookodile
Type: Ground / Dark
Base Stats: 95 HP / 117 Atk / 80 Def / 65 SpA / 70 SpD / 92 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie / Anger Point
Upon looking at Krookodile's stat spread, running it defensively might seem like some sort of cruel joke; it has only decent 95/80/70 defenses and a solid base 117 Attack stat to take advantage of. However, with full defensive investment and Intimidate, Krookodile proves to be a formidable physical wall. With the foe at -1, even neutral physical attacks—and even some super effective ones, such as Aegislash's Sacred Sword (Krookodile is one of the best ways to handle it in OU)—don't do much to it, and Krookodile has a number of tools to steal the momentum away from the opponent. Its STAB Knock Off cripples foes, making them easier for defensive teammates to wear down and handle overall. Taunt stops setup sweepers like Calm Mind Clefable that aim to boost up and stop defensive teams in their tracks, (remove comma) and prevents the foe from damaging or healing against Krookodile. Combine these two stellar moves with Stealth Rock, a crucial hazard for every team, and a threatening STAB Earthquake, (add comma) and you have a Pokemon that has a solid niche on defensive teams.
Sylveon
Type: Fairy
Base Stats: 95 HP / 65 Atk / 65 Def / 110 SpA / 130 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Cute Charm / Pixilate
With its base 95 HP and 130 Special Defense stats, Sylveon makes itself is known as a great special tank. A mono-Fairy typing gives Sylveon three resistances, one immunity, and only two weaknesses, which are both uncommon special attacking types, making Sylveon extremely tough to break through on the special side without substantial boosts. With access to Wish and Heal Bell, Sylveon not only has a fairly reliable method of recovery for itself, but can also heal up and cure teammates, so giving free turns to Sylveon can have far-reaching implications for the entire team. Pixilate makes Sylveon's Hyper Voice a powerful STAB move, ensuring that Sylveon is not setup bait for dangerous sweepers, and it can even use Calm Mind to bolster its Special Defense while also improving its offensive presence, exacerbating its difficulty to break making it all the more difficult to break.
Mandibuzz
Type: Dark / Flying
Base Stats: 110 HP / 65 Atk / 105 Def / 55 SpA / 95 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Big Pecks / Overcoat / Weak Armor
Mandibuzz is a serious defensive threat, possessing impressive bulk that can cover most physical and many weaker special attacks. Mandibuzz is also in possession of a It also has a unique typing that makes it one of the few Pokemon that resists Ghost-type attacks but isn't weak to Fighting-type attacks, making it one of the best counters to the popular Ghost-types such as Gengar and Aegislash that rely on Ghost/Fighting coverage. However, Mandibuzz's movepool is even more impressive, with staples such as Roost and Whirlwind to solidify its position as a reliable wall, (remove comma) and useful utility options such as Defog to help out its team by removing troublesome hazards, and as well as Taunt to hinder setup sweepers. Mandibuzz is no sitting duck, either, as Foul Play can heavily damage the physical threats it checks, while Knock Off can be a serious pain for any Pokemon reliant on their item. Overall, Mandibuzz remains a defensive threat that must be accounted for, both for its walling potential and its ability to seriously disrupt the opponent's strategy.
Mega Aerodactyl
Type: Rock / Flying
Base Stats: 80 HP / 135 Atk / 85 Def / 70 SpA / 95 SpD / 150 Spe
Ability: Tough Claws (Rock Head / Pressure / Unnerve)
What stands out about Mega Aerodactyl is its ungodly Speed that lets it outpace practically everything, even some Pokemon possessing a Choice Scarf. It also has decent bulk and a good set of resistances that allow it to check many threats, while staying healthy with access to reliable recovery in Roost. This allows it to be a good offensive Stealth Rock setter. Although Tough Claws doesn't boost its main STAB move, Stone Edge, high Base Power and STAB allow that to hit hard on its own, while almost all of its coverage moves get a free Life Orb boost on top of the high Attack stat to let Mega Aerodactyl wallbreak, clean, or revenge kill with great reliability. In fact, (space) its coverage is quite diverse, with Ice Fang for Latios and Landorus-T, Earthquake for Aegislash, and even Fire Fang to breeze through common physical walls such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Huge Speed, great power, and solid bulk makes Mega Aerodactyl a threatening Pokemon to face, especially with a wide array of coverage options to make it unpredictable.
Hippowdon
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 112 Atk / 118 Def / 68 SpA / 72 SpD / 47 Spe
Ability: Sand Stream / Sand Force
In a metagame that only gets more powerful, Hippowdon manages to stand up against a huge spectrum wide variety of physical attackers with its outstanding bulk, access to reliable recovery, and good defensive typing which leaves it with few physical weaknesses. Because of its great bulk, Hippowdon can wall some of OU's most common threats, including Aegislash, Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, Mega Charizard Y, and Excadrill, phazing them out with Whirlwind, reducing their longevity with Toxic, or hitting back with a considerably powerful Earthquake, Rock Slide, or Stone Edge. It even has Stealth Rock, which it can set up during many of the free turns it generates against helpless foes. Slack Off distinguishes it from its competition, as recovery makes it very difficult to leave a lasting impact on it. Hippowdon provides great utility, supplies sandstorm to support the team, and checks a huge amount of physical attackers with ease, while also using its decent special bulk to take those attacks if necessary.
Smeargle
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 55 HP / 20 Atk / 35 Def / 20 SpA / 45 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Own Tempo / Technician / Moody
Smeargle is the only Pokemon with access to the move Sketch, which essentially lets it copy any move and gives it any possible moveset it desires. This enables it to fill almost any supporting role on your team, (add comma) whether it is to lay down every entry hazard in the game, put foes to sleep with Spore, Taunt opposing leads, or even Baton Pass boosts such as Shell Smash. This diversity gives it a high level of unpredictability, and it enables it to tailor its moveset in order to best suit your team. Overall, Smeargle is quite dangerous due to its versatility, (remove comma), and should always be remembered in the metagame.
Ditto
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 48 HP / 48 Atk / 48 Def / 48 SpA / 48 SpD / 48 Spe
Ability: Limber / Imposter
Ditto is an unparalleled revenge killer in the metagme, by virtue of its Hidden ability Imposter. This ability allows Ditto to copy the opponents stats bar HP, moveset, and possible stat boosts simply by switching in. With a Choice Scarf, Ditto will always be faster than the opposing Pokemon unless they are holding a Choice Scarf themself, and Ditto uses this to sweep through teams with the potential boosts it has acquired. Not only this, but Ditto's ability lets it scout the movesets of common leads and other Pokemon with a wide variety of options; this makes planning against those threats much easier to handle. It also has the advantage of being able to copy Mega Evolutions Pokemon, allowing a possible two Mega Evolutions Pokemon on one team. Ditto is a thorn in the side of setup sweepers, and its strange talent should never be forgotten.
Thundurus-T
Type: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 79 HP / 105 Atk / 70 Def / 145 SpA / 80 SpD / 101 Spe
Ability: Volt Absorb / Defiant
Possessing one of the highest Special Attack stats in the game, Thundurus-T is a massively powerful special attacker. Volt Absorb is a great ability that gives it switch-in opportunities while healing itself, (add comma) and it has a nifty Speed tier that puts it just ahead of common Pokemon, including Manaphy and Mega Charizard Y, which it threatens with its powerful STAB Electric-type moves. Agility and Nasty Plot give it boosting moves that allow it to break through many different kinds of teams, and a good typing makes it very resistant to priority despite poor bulk. It can even utilize both boosting moves on one set so it will be helpful against more than one team archetype. Thundurus-T also has a very potent Choice Scarf set that revenge kills and picks up momentum with Volt Switch. Thundurus-T possesses many of the ideal characteristics of an offensive Pokemon, and it is among the most dangerous threats of the metagame.
Zapdos
Type: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 90 HP / 90 Atk / 85 Def / 125 SpA / 90 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Pressure / Static (Unreleased)
Zapdos has an amazing stat spread that has allowed it to be successful for all 5 five previous generations, and this one is no different. Good defensive stats combined with a typing that gives Zapdos resistances to the common Flying-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks allow Zapdos it to take on a plethora of powerful threats in the metagame, including Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Scizor. Roost allows it to do its job throughout the match, and it is one of the best Defog users as it finds many opportunities to do so. Its Special Attack is also very threatening, letting it fight back against the threats that it walls. A powerful STAB Thunderbolt and good coverage options such as Heat Wave mean Zapdos is both difficult to break through and sponge attacks from. Zapdos is an extremely effective Pokemon and that will cause trouble for many attackers when used correctly, and it must be played around carefully.
Cloyster
Type: Water / Ice
Base Stats: 50 HP / 94 Atk / 180 Def / 85 SpA / 45 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Shell Armor / Skill Link / Overcoat
Boasting access to the amazing move Shell Smash, Cloyster is a deadly sweeper, being able to double its Attack, Special Attack, and Speed in one turn, (remove comma) and also finding frequent setup opportunities with its gargantuan Defense stat. In addition, its ability Skill Link makes its Icicle Spear and Rock Blast essentially 125 Base Power moves, which causes devastation even to Pokemon that resist it. It can also use Hydro Pump to get past physical walls, (remove comma) or Razor Shell for specially defensive Heatran, and it even has priority in the form of Ice Shard. When equipped with a Never-Melt Ice, it can break through even the sturdiest of threats such as Mega Venusaur and Clefable. Cloyster can even use a King's Rock, which in conjunction with its multi-hit moves gives Cloyster a 41% chance of flinching the opponent, which is handy for breaking through sturdy walls. All in all, Cloyster is a threatening sweeper after only one turn of setup, and it can wreak havoc on unprepared teams.
Quagsire
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 95 HP / 85 Atk / 85 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 35 Spe
Ability: Damp / Water Absorb / Unaware
With its ability Unaware, Quagsire is able to take on the plethora of physical setup sweepers in the tier. Unaware ignores the opponent's offensive stat boosts, allowing Quagsire to still be an efficient check even if the foe is at +6. It can spread burns with Scald, crippling physical attackers, while it can also use Toxic to take down more defensive threats. It still has Earthquake as some form of offense against Ground-weak threats, as well as reliable recovery in the form of Recover; it can even lock an opponent into a move with Encore. It is very effective on stall teams, as it can help with some teammates' potential problems, specifically their ability to be often used susceptibility to being used as setup bait, making it an excellent counter to many Pokemon in the tier top threats such as Bisharp and Mega Charizard X. (period) making it a significant defensive threat.
Roserade
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 70 Atk / 65 Def / 125 SpA / 105 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Natural Cure / Technician
Roserade is an unique specimen among offensive support Pokémon. With exclusive access to Sleep Powder, Spikes, (add comma) and Toxic Spikes, it poses the dual threats of treacherous entry hazards and incapacitation by sleep, (add comma) the free turns from which it can use to its advantage as a hazard-setter. On the attacking side, Roserade's excellent base 125 Special Attack and good offensive movepool, including the very rare Technician Hidden Power, means even Steel- and Dragon-types need to tread carefully around it. Thanks to its other viable ability, Natural Cure, it can also function as a serviceable status absorber and a solid counter to prominent threats such as Rotom-W. Although its frailty and middling Speed somewhat hold it back, it is a solid player in offensive teams, bringing a special utility shared by none other.
Mega Scizor
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 150 Atk / 140 Def / 65 SpA / 100 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Technician
Mega Scizor's very high Defense and above average Special Defense stat allow it to tank a variety of attacks, especially because of its great defensive typing that leaves it with eight resistances, an immunity, and only a single weakness. With investment in Mega Scizor's HP, which isn't at all uncommon due to its fantastic Bullet Punch that negates the need for Speed investment, Mega Scizor becomes very bulky and won't be taken down without a dedicated effort. Mega Scizor can wall certain attackers with the help of Roost, sporting better defenses than even Skarmory when fully invested, whereas moves such as Defog, Knock Off, and Baton Pass make it a very resilient support Pokemon.
Chansey
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 250 HP / 5 Atk / 5 Def / 35 SpA / 105 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
Don't let Chansey's status as a NFE Pokemon fool you into thinking it's any less of a threat. With defenses exceeding even that of its evolved form Blissey thanks to Eviolite, Chansey is capable of taking a wide range of both physical and special attacks. Reliable recovery allows Chansey to stall while it wears down many of its opponents with either Toxic or Seismic Toss. Its ability, Natural Cure, prevents opponents from wearing it down with status, allowing it to out-stall even other defensive Pokemon. Finally, it has plenty of support options such as Wish, Stealth Rock, and Aromatherapy to help out its teammates, meaning giving free turns to Chansey is a dangerous ordeal. Make sure your team can break Chansey, as it is extremely difficult to wear down and will easily outlast its foes, given the chance.
Staraptor
Type: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 85 HP / 120 Atk / 70 Def / 50 SpA / 60 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Reckless
Staraptor's motto in battle is "live hard, die young." (period inside quotes) Boosted by the Reckless ability and Choice Band, its two STABs in Brave Bird and Double-Edge make it one monstrous wallbreaker, and Close Combat shatters any hopes of Steel- and Rock-types stopping its assault. It can just as effectively use Choice Scarf to become a fantastic and still hard-hitting revenge killer. Staraptor's perhaps biggest niche in the OU metagame is perhaps as a partner sweeper to Talonflame in a "double-bird" core. Taking inspiration from earlier "double-Dragon" strategies, the duo of Staraptor and Talonflame overwhelms their mutual counters—not even Rotom-W, often a team's sole Talonflame counter, can stand up to STAB-boosted Reckless Double-Edges. Its access to U-turn makes it a solid VoltTurner, forming such a core with Talonflame alone. In XY, every team must have a check to the "FlySpam" playstyle, or they will find themselves overwhelmed immediately.
Infernape
Type: Fire / Fighting
Base Stats: 76 HP / 104 Atk / 71 Def / 104 SpA / 71 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Blaze / Iron Fist
Infernape is a proficient mixed attacker in the metagame, with decent offensive stats, nice Speed, and a selection of great coverage moves. Infernape It is one of the best Pokemon to use against stall teams; it can easily break through common defensive cores with Fire Blast and Close Combat, as well as Quagsire with Grass Knot, an obstacle for offensive teams. Infernape also has Mach Punch as priority, as well as Thunder Punch as coverage for troublesome Pokemon such as Gyarados, both of which are boosted by Infernape's Iron Fist ability, though it has the freedom to choose Blaze to boost its Fire-type STAB attacks when it is weakened. Infernape's nice offensive typing combined with its solid power allow it to dismantle common stall cores and thoroughly trouble defensive teams.
Kingdra
Type: Water / Dragon
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Swift Swim / Sniper / Damp
Kingdra is one of the strongest, typically special, rain sweepers in the game. Backed by solid stats, in the rain Swift Swim gives Kingdra incredible Speed in the rain, and rain- and Life Orb / Choice Specs boosted Hydro Pumps have immense power. Kingdra is the crown jewel of rain offense, cleaning up teams that have lost their priority users or Water-resistant Pokemon, or crushing walls and sweepers alike with superior firepower and Speed. Water and Dragon together form great coverage Water / Dragon coverage is good enough to render additional coverage moves unecessary, so little consideration of coverage moves is needed, and with that Kingdra is thus capable of running a mixed set as rain-boosted Waterfalls attacks make short work of special sponges. Besides causing massive destruction in a drizzle the rain, Kingdra has a rather unique set that utilizes the move Focus Energy to confer itself a 100% critical hit rate, effectively a multiplier of 2.25 thanks to its ability Sniper. Critical hits also mean the stat drop of Draco Meteor is ignored, opposing Ditto are unable to take advantage of your boosting, and opposing Light Screen and Reflect are ignored. Although this set may be slow, it's extremely powerful and is very difficult to switch into.
Gliscor
Type: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 125 Def / 45 SpA / 75 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil / Poison Heal
Although Gliscor's Ground/Flying typing and base 125 Defense stat are nice, it's truly Gliscor's ability Poison Heal that makes its mark on the OU tier. In addition to the extra recovery helping Gliscor tank much stronger moves, the total 25% recovery gained over two turns from Poison Heal allows Gliscor to stall with Substitute and Protect without losing any health, preventing the vast majority of its opponents from actually being able to damage Gliscor at all once it sets up a Substitute. Because of this, Gliscor is a fantastic Toxic staller, and many poisoned Pokemon—despite perhaps carrying super effective moves—will eventually find themselves losing to Gliscor simply because they cannot touch it, especially as some moves (such as Hydro Pump) can easily be PP stalled. With a valuable support movepool including Stealth Rock and Knock Off, Gliscor can be both a nuisance to take down and a reliable source of your opponent's team's support.
Tangrowth
Type: Grass
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 125 Def / 110 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / Regenerator
Tangrowth's mono-Grass typing is nothing to laugh at, as this monster's base 100 HP stat and base 125 Defense make it incredibly bulky on the physical side and let it switch into many physical attackers with impunity. Its ability Regenerator allows it to simply switch out to regain health, making it extremely hard to wear down over the course of a match, even when afflicted by burn or poison. Leech Seed, Sleep Powder, and Knock Off let it wear out and cripple the Pokemon that could potentially hurt it and provide a great degree of support to the rest of its team. When equipped with an Assault Vest and maxed out in Special Defense, Tangrowth becomes an extremely resilient mixed pivot that can serve a team throughout the entire match thanks to Regenerator, and a good attacking movepool allows it to have a decent offensive presence in addition to its defensive capabilities.
Zygarde
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 100 Atk / 121 Def / 81 SpA / 95 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Aura Break
Zygarde does not look immediately threatening, but the numerous ways it can become so should not be underestimated. One should observe its potent STAB combination, which has very few resistances between them, and its access to boosting moves such as Dragon Dance and Coil, which is already a recipe for a very dangerous sweeper. Zygarde's offensive movepool is not wide, (add comma) but it is precise: with both STABs, Stone Edge, and Extreme Speed, there aren't a lot of offensive or defensive threats it cannot cover. Zygarde also has very impressive bulk, which can be further boosted with Coil, and this allows its Substitutes to not be broken by just about any non super-effective attack from defensive Pokemon. Access to Dragon Tail means that opposing phazers do not present a threat to Zygarde, which will almost always be faster. Zygarde's only real downfall is its inability to pose an immediate threat like other Dragons can against most neutral targets, but if you can pit Zygarde against an opponent it can comfortably defeat, the opponent may have little to no time left to stop it.
Azumarill
Type: Water / Fairy
Base Stats: 100 HP / 50 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Thick Fat / Huge Power / Sap Sipper
Azumarill's Huge Power ability gives it an effective Attack stat that rivals the most powerful attackers in the game, making it one of the most powerful Pokemon in OU. The combination of Waterfall and Play Rough is incredibly difficult to switch into, due to the fact that only a very few select defensive Pokemon resist both of these moves. With access to priority in the form of Aqua Jet, Azumarill is able to revenge kill weakened sweepers and pick off Pokemon that are faster than it. When equipped with a Choice Band, Azumarill becomes a potent wallbreaker capable of busting massive holes into offensive and defensive teams with ease. Azumarill even has access to Belly Drum to boost its Attack stat to obscene levels, and when combined with Aqua Jet, there's very little that can stop it from sweeping once it sets up. This flexibility in addition to its power, typing, and stats makes Azumarill a defining force in the OU metagame.
Mega Heracross
Type: Bug / Fighting
Base Stats: 80 HP / 185 Atk / 115 Def / 40 SpA / 105 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Skill Link (Swarm / Guts / Moxie)
Mega Heracross is no slouch when it comes to hitting hard. With an absolutely monstrous Attack stat and a potent STAB combination, Mega Heracross is easily one of the strongest wallbreakers and hole-punchers in OU. Its Skill Link ability forces Rock Blast, Pin Missile, and Bullet Seed to always hit their maximum amount of times, allowing Mega Heracross to have an immense amount of giving Mega Heracross immensely powerful coverage against a wide majority of defensive threats. With Swords Dance, Mega Heracross can even pose as a potent sweeper, capable of OHKOing most of the metagame with its powerful coverage moves after just one boost. One must not also forget that Mega Heracross has very solid defensive stats for such an offensive juggernaut, which means that it's able to easily survive almost any kind of non-super effective attack from full health, which makes making it quite threatening towards offensive teams as well. Its somewhat below average 75 base 75 Speed stat is more than enough to put it ahead most defensive threats, and a few offensive threats as well. With Mega Heracross's sheer power, insane coverage, and access to boosting moves, it's no wonder why teams cower in fear at the sight of this beast.
Klefki
Type: Steel / Fairy
Base stats: 57 HP / 80 Atk / 91 Def / 80 SpA / 87 SpD / 75 Spe
Abilities: Prankster / Magician
Klefki has gained much notoriety as a Prankster user and one of the most irritating Pokémon to face, and for good reason. While it may appear to be a subpar threat because of its at-best mediocre stats, its excellent typing, with nine resistances, two immunities and merely two weaknesses, more than makes up for its average bulk, and even its lacking offenses are made up for with Foul Play. It has access to a wide variety of support moves such as Spikes and dual screens, all thanks to augmented by Prankster-given priority, making Klefki setting up at least one of the above guaranteed against anything not itself having Prankster Taunt. Klefki can even use Switcheroo, so that not even otherwise good switch-ins as Gliscor are completely safe. Because of its wide support and disruptive potential, this little enchanted key-chain should never be underestimated.
Rotom-H
Type: Electric / Fire
Base stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
While at first glance it may seem as a lesser Rotom-W, the Heat forme of Rotom is surely not to be overlooked. Its unique typing, with eight very useful resistances, and access to Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, and Trick makes Rotom-H intensely anti-metagame. It can reliably check such dangerous threats as Talonflame, Aegislash, Thundurus, Mega Mawile, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Pinsir with more consistency than Rotom-W in some cases due to the increased resistances. Its immunity to both paralysis and burn means that it is also a great status absorber. Thanks to Levitate, it completely alleviates itself from the is is immune to the Ground-type weakness attacks that similar Pokemon such as Mega Charizard X and Heatran abhor. While its Stealth Rock weakness and reliance on Overheat hold it back defensively, Rotom-H's many unique qualities add to make a very present potent defensive threat.
Thundurus
Type: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 79 HP / 115 Atk / 70 Def / 125 SpA / 80 SpD / 111 Spe
Ability: Prankster / Defiant
Thundurus is by no means a Pokemon to take lightly. With excellent Attack, Special Attack, and Speed stats in tandem with two great abilities, it is definitely a force to be reckoned with. Thundurus makes full use of Prankster with its access to moves such as Taunt and Thunder Wave, which allow it to spread status with great ease. Thundurus's Prankster-boosted Thunder Wave also allows it to act as a panic button to speedy setup sweepers. On top of these great attributes, Thundurus is also gifted with Nasty Plot, allowing it to utilize its offensive tools to sweep through fractured teams as soon as its counters have been eliminated. Alternatively, Thundurus can strike without boosts to be an immediate threat whenever it switches in, and can and utilize Defiant to give itself a free Attack boost against Defog users, utilizing a great physical movepool including Knock Off, Superpower, and U-turn. Thundurus's position as one of OU's most threatening and defining attackers is never to be underestimated.
Tyranitar
Type: Rock / Dark
Base Stats: 100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe
Ability: Sand Stream / Unnerve
A metagame-defining force from generations past, Tyranitar possesses many traits that make it a prime threat. Fantastic stats across the board barring Speed, excellent STABs, a wide movepool, and Sand Stream all compile to form what makes combine to make Tyranitar what it is. Another part of what makes Tyranitar so scary is that you'll never know exactly what it's going to do. Indeed, Tyranitar can successfully run a plethora of sets: Choice Band, Choice Scarf, mixed attacker, and boosting sweeper. Given its expansive movepool, Tyranitar can also serve as a lure, dismantling its common switch-ins with other moves such as Fire Blast, Thunderbolt, and Ice Beam. Sand Stream not only boosts Tyranitar's already excellent special bulk to even higher levels, allowing Tyranitar to trap special attackers such as Latios, but also provides valuable sand support to teammates. Sand can provide temporary support to Pokemon such as Terrakion and Excadrill, which become even more scary with the provided stat boosts. Although its type weaknesses and middling Speed may hold Tyranitar back in some departments, it is a highly notable offensive threat nonetheless.
Deoxys-D
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 70 Atk / 160 Def / 70 SpA / 160 SpD / 90 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Deoxys-D functions impressively as a hazard setter in Overused OU. It has excellent bulk, which allows to set up entry hazards such as Stealth Rock and Spikes throughout the game. It can work as a lead, and its ability to fulfil this role is only amplified by its access to the rare Magic Coat, which allows it to bounce back Taunt from opposing leads such as Thundurus, allowing it set up more hazards as the foe switches out. However, due to its bulk, it isn't limited to just early-game hazard setting; it can also preserve itself for hazards laying later, which gives it the utility of being able to set up hazards again if they have gone. Additionally, Deoxys-D can also use Recover if it is being worn down too quickly and still wants to set up hazards, and its reasonable Speed allows it to Taunt slower leads itself, without Magic Coat. Because of its bulk, it doesn't need to use Leftovers, and it can instead use Red Card or Mental Herb to surprise the opponent and let it continue its job. Deoxys-D is an effective hazard setter in the game, and it is almost guaranteed them up, making it a strong supportive threat.
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Ferrothorn
Type: Grass / Steel
Base Stats: 74 HP / 94 Atk / 131 Def / 54 SpA / 116 SpD / 20 Spe
Ability: Iron Barbs / Anticipation
Being one of the top-tier defensive threats in BW, Ferrothorn returns largely unchanged. It has an excellent defensive typing, which in conjunction with its massive base 131 Defense and great base 116 Special Defense allows Ferrothorn to wall a large amount of the tier. It also has Thunder Wave to cripple fast offensive threats, as well as both Stealth Rock and Spikes, which lets it easily set up hazards during the free turns it obtains from the switches it forces. With its ability Iron Barbs, Ferrothorn can wear down physical attackers quickly, and it can even heal itself in the process with Leech Seed. However, unlike most defensive Pokemon, it actually has a usable Attack stat, which means it can use Power Whip and Gyro Ball to deal hefty damage to foes. It can even use Protect to stall with Leech Seed and Leftovers, while a Rocky Helmet can rack up passive damage with Iron Barbs. It is still one of the best defensive Pokemon in the tier, with a surprising amount of versatility, and it must always be prepared for on a serious team.
Vaporeon
Type: Water
Base Stats: 130 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 110 SpA / 95 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Hydration
Vaporeon finds itself a niche as a solid defensive Wish passer. With an exceptional base 130 HP, Vaporeon can pass huge 232 HP Wishes, which can heal up to weakened teammates. This makes it a good choice for both balanced and stall teams that have Pokemon lacking a good source of recovery. Vaporeon is no slouch defensively, either, as it can take a variety of physical hits with 130/60 physical bulk and also has great special bulk, even uninvested. With a Water immunity, resistances to Fire and Ice, and only two weaknesses, Vaporeon is not easy to hit for heavy damage, and it can bounce right back with Wish and Protect. Protect lets it scout opposing attacks, (remove comma) too, easing prediction immensely. On top of all this, Vaporeon has access to STAB Scald, which hits pretty hard off of base 110 Special Attack and has a good chance to burn the foe, especially crippling to physical attackers. It can cripple the opponent with Toxic, stalling it out with Wish and Protect whilst chipping away at it further with Scald. It can phaze with Roar, stopping boosting sweepers in their tracks; attack with Ice Beam, which deals significant damage to Dragon- and Grass-types; and act as a cleric with Heal Bell. Overall, Vaporeon is a solid bulky Water-type brimming with utility.
Wobbuffet
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 190 HP / 33 Atk / 58 Def / 33 SpA / 58 SpD / 33 Spe
Ability: Shadow Tag / Telepathy
At first glance, Wobbuffet looks like garbage. Its stats are all utterly abysmal besides HP, and its movepool consists of... (space after ellipses) eight moves, none of which are attacks, recovery, status, utility, or anything that would be of use. However, this movepool fits its role perfectly, with its ability Shadow Tag allowing it to trap foes and either eliminate them or make them setup bait with Encore. With a high base HP, Wobbuffet is actually pretty bulky despite what its pitiful defenses might lead you to believe, and this means it loses a large number of HP after each attack. This means that Counter and Mirror Coat can thus hit back foes extremely hard. Wobbuffet can take at least one hit from basically every attacker and proceed to dispatch the foe with double the damage it did to Wobbuffet received. In addition, Wobbuffet has Tickle to make physical walls easier for physically offensive teammates to take out. Access to Safeguard prevents Pokemon like Prankster Thunder Wave Thundurus from incapacitating teammates at crucial times. This unique ability to support and take out makes Wobbuffet extremely dangerous.
Sableye
Type: Dark / Ghost
Base Stats: 50 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Keen Eye / Stall / Prankster
Sableye is capable of being a menace to teams of all types. Its ability Prankster gives priority to any status moves, which it can easily utilize along with its expansive movepool of support options. Priority Will-O-Wisp is simply a nightmare for almost every physical attacker, stopping many sweeps cold and forcing switches left and right. Priority Taunt allows Sableye to shut down any foe attempting to set up, bring it down with status moves, or recover lost health. Priority Recover means that Sableye will usually be able to heal before its opponents can attack it, allowing it to easily stall. Finally, a myriad of attacking moves such as Knock Off and Foul Play makes sure that Sableye isn't a sitting duck, (remove comma) and adds to its already insane utility value. Make sure your team has a way to deal with Sableye, because Sableye certainly has a way to deal with you back.
Conkeldurr
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 105 / 140 / 95 / 55 / 65 / 45
Ability: Guts / Sheer Force / Iron Fist
Thanks to its base 140 Attack stat and Fighting-type STAB, Conkeldurr certainly knows how to dish out damage. Its Drain Punch is the strongest in the tier, giving it an extremely useful source of recovery and damage in one move. In particular, it makes Conkeldurr a great user of Assault Vest, letting it stand up to the vast majority of special attackers in the OU tier while keeping a method of HP recovery. Thanks to Guts, a large number of Pokemon that are reliant on status to wear down or weaken attackers will find that a Guts-boosted Conkeldurr is no easy threat to handle. Outside of Guts, Conkeldurr also sports two other useful abilities in Sheer Force and Iron Fist, which are alternative options to boost its power. Lastly, a relatively powerful Mach Punch lets Conkeldurr overcome its low Speed and finish off weakened opponents, and solid move options such as Knock Off and even Bulk Up let Conkeldurr get past nearly everything that can take its Drain Punch. All in all, Conkeldurr's above-average bulk, solid movepool, and great abilities turn this Fighting-type into a threat that makes its mark on every battle.
Mew
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Synchronize
Mew's all-around base 100 stats and unrivaled movepool make it not only an extremely versatile threat but also a very unpredictable foe. With access to Stealth Rock and Defog, as well as Taunt, Mew can function as a bulky and effective utility counter. Will-O-Wisp can be a nasty surprise for any physical attacker, and in conjunction with Softboiled, can actually let Mew stall out several threats. In addition, Mew excels at Baton Passing boosts, as it has a way to boost every single stat with useful boosting moves such as Nasty Plot and Amnesia. With sets as diverse as these examples, Mew can truly fulfill a customizable role depending on the needs of its team, and it is this versatility that makes Mew such a valid and threatening support Pokemon. Make sure you can recognize what Mew's purpose is as soon as possible, as attempting to counter the wrong set can waste precious turns and affect the outcome of a game.
Kabutops
Type: Rock / Water
Base Stats: 60 HP / 115 Atk / 105 Def / 65 SpA / 70 Def / 80 Spe
Ability: Swift Swim / Battle Armor / Weak Armor
Kabutops has always been one of the premier Swift Swim users, with a Speed stat that's very intimidating when under rain and a great Attack to fire rain-boosted Waterfalls off of. With the combination of Drizzle and Swift Swim unbanned in the OU environment, Kabutops can be an extremely powerful wallbreaker or a great cleaner with its great coverage in its STABs alone. This allows it to run Swords Dance as a boosting move to jack up the power with a free turn without missing much, and it becomes very difficult to wall at that point. Kabutops is mainly useful for rain teams as most Swift Swim abusers or rain-based pokemon in general are special attackers, but Kabutops and it can wipe away many of those special walls for its team. On top of these strengths, Kabutops also brings priority in the form of Aqua Jet to the table. Overall, Kabutops a fairly one-dimensional but extremely effective attacker on rain teams.
Reuniclus
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 110 HP / 65 Atk / 75 Def / 125 SpA / 85 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Overcoat / Magic Guard / Regenerator
Don't let its adorable exterior fool you, for Reuniclus is a merciless attacker that will stop at nothing until your team is ripped to shreds. A giant Special Attack and good bulk stand out as Reuniclus's positive traits, and that abysmal Speed can be turned into a great advantage with its access to Trick Room, turning the Speed advantage that most Pokemon have against them to hit them with extremely powerful attacks. On top of that, it has access to one of the best abilities in the game, Magic Guard, letting it take no damage from Life Orb or any other residual sources. This allows Reuniclus to be particularly troublesome to teams reliant on residual damage. Reuniclus can either sweep with Trick Room and good coverage, or an effective Calm Mind set that lets it set up ad nauseum against defensive teams that just don't have the power to break through. Because of these traits, Reuniclus is a threat to all kinds of teams.
Mega-Garchomp
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 170 Atk / 115 Def / 120 SpA / 95 SpD / 92 Spe
Ability: Sand Force (Sand Veil / Rough Skin)
Garchomp has always been an offensively dominant pokemon, and its mega forme Mega Evolution just gives it more tools to destroy with. Reasonably high bulk, incredible Attack, enough Speed to outpace almost all defensive threats, and Special Attack that can break down physically defensive pokemon that once troubled Garchomp are the key advantages of this forme. Typically, (add comma) Mega Garchomp acts as a wallbreaker, using incredibly high powered powerful attacks, (remove comma) and mixed coverage to break down defensive threats. Now, with a high-powered Draco Meteor and Fire Blast, Garchomp can get past old foes Hippowdon, Skarmory, Landorus-T, and Gliscor without breaking a sweat. As well, 170 base Base 170 Attack serves Garchomp well letting it go to work on the physical side, dealing huge amounts of damage to all types of teams. To top this off Overall, with bulk no wall can hope to break through with raw attacks, and the potential of a Sand Force boost, Garchomp becomes quite a monster to deal with.
Landorus
Type: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 89 HP / 125 Atk / 90 Def / 115 SpA / 80 SpD / 101 Spe
Ability: Sand Force / Sheer Force
Hailing for the Ubers tier during Black and White, Landorus's power lives up to this reputation. What makes it Landorus so threatening is that its ability Sheer Force boosts its fairly wide array of special attacks, (remove comma) and negates Life Orb recoil, (add comma) giving it what is essentially a free 1.69x boost and turning its base 115 Special Attack into something far greater with little drawback. Commonly seen as an all-out attacker or as a Calm Mind sweeper, (add comma) Landorus's fantastic raw damage output, solid Speed, and nice coverage options make it very threatening to both offensive and defensive teams. In addition to its special sets, Landorus also has physically offensive options to boast. One should handle Landorus with care, as switching a special sponge into this Pokemon directly is not always safe.
Crawdaunt
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 63 HP / 120 Atk / 85 Def / 90 SpA / 55 SpD / 55 Spe
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Shell Armor / Adaptability
Blessed with a high Attack stat and a brilliant ability in Adaptability, Crawdaunt has no trouble hitting as hard as possible. With powerful STAB moves in Crabhammer and Knock Off as well as priority in the form of Aqua Jet, Crawdaunt's Choice Band set is an incredibly powerful wallbreaker, and it even has Superpower as strong coverage. This isn't Crawdaunt's only option though; it has acces to Swords Dance to make it hit even harder, as well as Crunch for the Mega Pokemon that may otherwise wall it. As it is one of the best hole-punchers in the game, Crawdaunt is a definite threat; it is an offensive powerhouse that must be prepared for.
Mamoswine
Type: Ice / Ground
Base Stats: 110 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 70 SpA / 60 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Oblivious / Snow Cloak / Thick Fat
Due to its Mamowsine can be a real threat with a its reasonably high Attack stat, decent Speed, and useful typing for the OU metagame, Mamoswine can be a real threat. Besides its high attack stat, Mamoswine It also has reasonably good bulk, allowing it to take hits on top of dishing them out. Thick Fat gives Mamoswine resistances to common Ice and Fire attacks, which is a huge advantage since those are pretty common. It can run different roles, from being a supporter with Stealth Rock, Sash + Endeavor, (add comma) to an all-out-attacker. Also, having a pretty decent Speed stat, it has no problems taking out the opponent if it is slower than Mamoswine. Access to Ice Shard and Icicle Crash makes Mamoswine a perfect Dragon slayer, (add comma) and, (remove comma) to complement its Ice-type STAB, Mamoswine's also has an offensively useful Ground typing. Every team should be prepared for Mamoswine as it can take a hit and it has great attacking stats.
Exploud
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 104 HP / 91 Atk / 63 Def / 91 SpA / 73 SpD / 68 Spe
Ability: Soundproof / Scrappy
Generation 6 XY has gifted Exploud with access to Boomburst, a STAB move with a staggering 140 Base Power, with perfect accuracy, and no drawbacks and STAB on Exploud - All for no drawbacks. This alone makes Exploud inflict a great deal of damage on the to a majority of opponents, and when further bolstered by Choice Specs, Exploud it becomes truly terrifying, in spite of its mediocre base 91 Special Attack. Further complementing Exploud's access to Boomburst are its Scrappy ability, which allows Exploud to still hit would-be checks in the form of Ghost-type Pokemon (I removed the acute 'e' because it would be a giant chore to go and replace it everywhere else in this article), and a change in gameplay mechanics pertaining to sound-based moves, which means that Exploud can hit foes through their Substitutes, in addition to being able to hit Ghost type Pokémon. This Pokemon, Like many Normal-types, Exploud also has a vast movepool, and with gems such as Fire Blast and Focus Blast at its disposal, Exploud it can deal with Pokemon that who take little damage from Boomburst, such as Ferrothorn and Heatran. Overall, it is fair to say that Exploud has finally been able to set itself apart from its fellow Normal-types and carve itself a niche as a potential threat within the OU metagame. This Pokémon is worth preparing for, as it is a wallbreaker who that can utilise an almighty STAB move and great movepool, and will to do some serious damage if given the chance.
Dragonite
Type: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 91 HP / 134 Atk / 95 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Inner Focus / Multiscale
While its stats may best suit the role of an attacker, Dragonite can pull off a very potent defensive role as well. Its amazing defensive ability, Multiscale, is only compounded in greatness made even better by Dragonite's useful typing, which provides it resistances to Fire-, Ground-, Water-, Grass-, and Fighting-type attacks. Using Roost, Dragonite can heal itself back to full health, meaning that Multiscale can effectively be used multiple times throughout a game. Moreover, unlike other defensive Pokemon, Dragonite is by no means Taunt bait and has great offensive presence even when not fully invested. With Multiscale intact, one can expect bulky Dragonite to withstand not only special attacks, but physical attacks too. These attributes allow Dragonite to cover a wide range of threats in OU, such as Aegislash, Thundurus, and Landorus, and Keldeo very consistently.
Deoxys-S
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 90 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 180 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Deoxys-S is fully capable of an offensive set utilizing its blazing Speed, powerful STAB Psycho Boost, and fantastic coverage options to act as a very dangerous attacker and revenge killer. It usually carries the aforementioned Psycho Boost alongside Ice Beam, Superpower, and Knock Off while holding a Life Orb. These moves give it super effective coverage against a myriad of common threats, while its unmatched Speed stat allows it to perform the role of a revenge killer without being burdened by the debilitating effect that comes with a Choice Scarf. All in all, Deoxys-S is a dangerous revenge killer that excels at its job and can easily catch unprepared teams off-guard.
Excadrill
Type: Ground / Steel
Base Stats: 110 HP / 135 Atk / 60 Def / 50 SpA / 65 SpD / 88 Spe
Ability: Sand Rush / Sand Force / Mold Breaker
Excadrill finds its place on many teams as the best user of Rapid Spin in the OU tier. Its STAB Mold Breaker Earthquake lets it obliterate Gengar and Aegislash, OU's two most common spinblockers. Excadrill can be very difficult to switch into because of its high Attack stat, pseudo EdgeQuake coverage, and Mold Breaker, which lets it beat would-be checks such as Rotom-W with ease. Thanks to said Mold Breaker among other qualities like decent Speed and high Attack, (add comma) Excadrill is one of the few Ground-types to act as a good Choice Scarf user as well. It can also set up Stealth Rock or attempt to sweep with Swords Dance in conjunction with its Sand Rush ability, which lets it reach astronomically high speeds in sandstorm. Overall, Excadrill is an fearsome threat in the OU tier because of its great attacking prowess and ability to remove entry hazards with incredible ease.
Salamence
Type: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 95 HP / 135 Atk / 80 Def / 110 SpA / 80 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie
After peaking in DPP as a Pokemon so good it was banned to Ubers, Salamence has been getting more competition with each generation, but it remains a terrifying Pokemon to face. Great mixed attacking stats let it break through many defensive cores, and a solid Speed makes it effective in a variety of roles. Its Dragon Dance set can easily get a boost with smart play, and while its list of checks and counters has increased, once those are removed it is very likely to sweep successfully once those are removed. Some Fairy-types can now counter the legendary MixMence, but it is still a great wallbreaker, and a Choice Scarf set with Moxie still cleans with as much reliability as ever if one provides that extra bit of support that it needs. A great movepool and great attacking stats combine to make a Pokemon that has always thrived in the competitive environment.
Tornadus-T
Type: Flying
Base Stats: 70 HP / 100 Atk / 80 Def / 110 SpA / 90 SpD / 121 Spe
Ability: Regenerator
Once the king of rain offense, Tornadus-T has no doubt fallen from grace since the BW2 era. However, its amazing Speed stat, stellar offensive movepool, and base 110 Special Attack make it a difficult Pokemon to switch into safely, which renders Tornadus-T a fearsome offensive threat. By virtue of Hurricane's shaky accuracy, Tornadus-T is often paired with Politoed, which can provide useful Drizzle support. An otherwise inconvenient weakness to Stealth Rock is mitigated by Tornadus-T's ability, Regenerator, which is complemented by its access to U-turn. Regenerator's usefulness does not end there, as it lets Tornadus use a Life Orb with littler fewer regrets, (remove comma) or act as a potent pivot with the use of Assault Vest. This means that Tornadus-T will be able to constantly switch in and out through a battle and persistently be a hassle to deal with. U-turn also allows Tornadus-T to scout for potential switch-ins and adjust accordingly, making defensive counters to the Cyclone Genie less appropriate due to risks of being trapped or set up on.
Slowbro
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 110 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
With base 95 HP and 110 Defense, Slowbro doesn't get taken down easily by physical attacks, and thanks to its unusual Water/Psychic typing, Slowbro gains valuable resistances to Fire-type, Ice-type, and Fighting-type moves, all commonly utilized by physical attackers. Regenerator makes it a fantastic pivot, allowing it to gain 33% of its health by switching out, and gives another level of survivability to Slowbro greatly improves is longevity. Access to reliable recovery allows it to wall certain threats and slowly wear its opponents down with Scald or one of its many coverage attacks. In addition to Scald's burn chance, Thunder Wave gives Slowbro another way to cripple its opponent, and works working especially well on the special attackers that attempt to switch into it. Finally, Slowbro's usable base 80 Special Defense lets it run an effective Assault Vest set, making it into an even better pivot that can switch into and sponge hits from both special and physical attackers. All in all, Slowbro can be an extremely tough Pokemon to break for unprepared teams.
Clefable
Type: Fairy
Base Stats: 95 HP / 70 Atk / 73 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Cute Charm / Unaware / Magic Guard
Although Clefable may seem underwhelming at first glance, its abilities Unaware and Magic Guard make it a a powerful defensive threat that cannot be ignored. With Unaware, Clefable becomes a very reliable counter to most boosting Pokemon. Clefable's pure Fairy typing gives it a host of useful resistances with which it can wall attackers, and against opponents unable to boost around it, Clefable's decent defensive stats can go a long way. On the other hand, Clefable's Magic Guard nullifies all residual damage, allowing Clefable to effortlessly wall Pokemon that rely on status and residual damage to defeat their opponents, particularly the Pokemon commonly found on defensive teams. Because of these two unique abilities, good typing, and its access to reliable recovery, Clefable can be a serious obstacle to both offensive and defensive teams.
Scizor
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 130 Atk / 115 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Swarm / Technician / Light Metal
Having a near-perfect typing with only one weaknesses, beefy defenses, excellent Attack, and a very good movepool, (add comma) Scizor has a lot going for it. Bullet Punch is the main attraction with Scizor as it's simply one of the strongest priority moves in OU, solidifying Scizor as a very dangerous sweeper, (remove comma) and revenge killer. In its sweeper role Scizor uses its defensive attributes to Swords Dance, and with powerful coverage moves to hit defensive Pokemon, and as well as Bullet Punch to hit anything faster, Scizor excels. With a Choice Band, (add comma) Bullet Punch, U-turn, and Pursuit give Scizor the utility of a revenge killer, trapper, and pivot all in one, while potentially Knock Off and Superpower make it hard to wall. Scizor also acts a good offensive supporter with access to Defog, (remove comma) and Roost. Few, if any Pokemon can match Scizor's offensive, defensive, and support presence all in one.
Mega-Blastoise
Type: Water
Base Stats: 79 HP / 103 Atk / 120 Def / 135 SpA / 115 SpD / 78 Spe
Ability: Mega Launcher
Having good bulk, both physically and specially, a superb base 135 Special Attack, and above average defensive typing, (add comma) Mega Blastoise can take hits and dish them back as well as, even if it does lack recovery. With 135 SpA, and above average offensive typing Mega-Blastoise can also dish them out. But what gives Mega Blastoise a good place solid niche in the metagame is its access to Rapid Spin, which Blastoise it is very effective at considering its abilities. Not only do its stats and typing lend itself to being an effective spinner but Mega Launcher-boosted Dark Pulse can 2HKO any Ghost as well, meaning that spinblocking Blastoise is futile. Though not amazing, Mega Blastoise fills a clear offensive and supporting niche which it does well.
Gyarados
Type: Water / Flying
Base Stats: 95 HP / 125 Atk / 79 Def / 60 SpA / 100 SpD / 81 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie
While by appearance alone one might assume that a Pokémon like Gyarados would be primarily used as an offensive Pokémon, take a look at its stats—95/79/100 bulk is certainly solid, combined with Water / Flying typing which offers Gyarados a decent set of resistances, (remove comma) and few weaknesses. Access to Intimidate means that Gyarados is able to deal with otherwise dangerous physical attackers. Gyarados also has some interesting defensive tools in the forms of Rest, Sleep Talk, Thunder Wave, Roar, Dragon Tail, (add comma) and Taunt, all of which Gyarados can run successfully given its ability, typing, (add comma) and stat spread. Gyarados makes for an effective user of the RestTalk strategy for these reasons: (colon) it has the bulk to withstand attacks and heal the damage with Rest, in addition to nullifying any statuses it may have had inflicted on it, and while asleep can use Sleep Talk to try and attack or phaze its foe. Gyarados' attack is a high base 125, and this means that even uninvested, it can still do decent damage with Waterfall Gyarados's high base 125 Attack allows it to do decent damage with Waterfall even when uninvested. Also of great note is Gyarados's ability to pull off a bulky Dragon Dance set, allowing it to stick around and accumulate boosts in order to eventually attempt to sweep.
Alakazam
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 55 HP / 50 Atk / 45 Def / 135 SpA / 95 SpD / 120 Spe
Ability: Synchronize / Inner Focus / Magic Guard
Alakazam's glorious mustache isn't the only thing that gives it a good reputation in the OU metagame. The ability, Magic Guard, (remove comma) makes it immune to all forms of residual damage, which means that the only way to defeat Alakazam is through direct damage. Combine this with its blazing Speed and high Special Attack stat, and it's no surprise why Alakazam is often regarded as one of the most successful failsafes in the metagame. When equipped with a Focus Sash it ensures that Alakazam has to be hit a minimum of two times before going down, allowing it to get at least one hit on its target, or two if it's running Thunder Wave. This makes Alakazam a stop to nearly any sweeper that poses to plow through a team, even if it has to sacrifice itself in doing so.
Mega Alakazam
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 55 HP / 50 Atk / 65 Def / 175 SpA / 95 SpD / 150 Spe
Ability: Trace (Synchronize / Inner Focus / Magic Guard)
If Alakazam wasn't powerful or fast enough for you, then its bearded Mega Evolution should whet your appetite for sure. In fact, its ridiculously high Speed is topped only by Deoxys-S, the fastest Pokemon in the game. This means that Mega Alakazam basically outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame with ease, allowing it to revenge kill even more Pokemon than its former self. In addition, its jaw-dropping Special Attack and fantastic coverage makes it incredibly difficult to switch into, and only a very select few defensive Pokemon can claim to wall it successfully. However, one of Mega Alakazam's most unique offensive traits comes from its ability, Trace. With this ability, Mega Alakazam is able to copy other Pokemon's abilities such as Swift Swim, Protean, Flash Fire, and Sheer Force to use for its own benefit, which makes it that much more threatening and unpredictable. Although it might not seem too significant, Mega Alakazam's slightly iincreased bulk defensive increase allows helps it to take certain priority moves better than Alakazam itself, which can be pretty significant under some circumstances. In conclusion, Mega Alakazam is a real offensive threat in the OU metagame, and it can easily run through most unprepared teams.
Politoed
Type: Water
Base stats: 90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Damp / Drizzle
Once a force around which an entire metagame revolved, the changes of new XY mechanics have indeed made Politoed fall from popularity; however, (add comma) that doesn't mean, (remove comma) it's not still threatening. Although Drizzle is no longer permanent, eight turns of rain with a Damp Rock are more than enough for a myriad of offensive Pokemon to take advantage. Swift Swim offense (now legal with Drizzle) is still a potent strategy, for which not as many teams prepare, and Drizzle makes many already threatening Pokemon as Thundurus and Azumarill even more hard-hitting and difficult to handle. As a bonus, it Politoed can easily beat the three common weather inducers in OU, Tyranitar, Hippowdon and Mega Charizard Y. Though its other attributes than Drizzle seem underwhelming, defensive Politoed can do indeed work, with rain-boosted Scald for burn support and Encore to ease setup for sweepers. Overall, Politoed—and the playstyle, to which it brings life—still has potential to be incredibly dangerous and powerful.
Chandelure
Type: Ghost / Fire
Base stats: 60 HP / 55 Atk / 90 Def / 145 SpA / 90 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body / Infiltrator
With a monstrous base 145 Special Attack, Chandelure's damage potential is impressive. Its Ghost STAB is now easier to spam than ever, and a Choice Specs Fire Blast is something that not many things would want to switch into, especially not with a Flash Fire boost. With Choice Scarf it can be also very good revenge killer, fixing its biggest downfall in Speed as it does. Though Shadow Tag is sadly no longer a possibility, it has received in exchange Infiltrator, making it so that not even Substitute can protect against its nuclear assault. It can even enjoy its beloved sun support with the help of Mega Charizard Y, potentially making it even more lethal. Overall, Chandelure's presence on the field is instantly threatening and commanding of respect.
Chesnaught
Type: Grass / Fighting
Base Stats: 88 HP / 107 Atk / 122 Def / 74 SpA / 75 SpD / 64 Spe
Ability: Overgrow / Bulletproof
Chesnaught has a unique combination of qualities that make it into a great and resilient physical tank. With base 88 HP and 122 Defense, Chesnaught can easily take many physical attacks, and its good defensive typing gives it a resistance to EdgeQuake, a move combination commonly found on many physical attackers, and also gives it as well as a valuable Dark-type resistance. Thanks to its bulk and ease of switching in, Chesnaught lends itself naturally to be a great user of Leech Seed user, replenishing both its own and its teammates' health. In tandem with Spiky Shield, Chesnaught can stall for Leech Seed recovery while making physically attackers lose 25% of their HP in a single turn, making it great at wearing down its counters. Finally, Chesnaught's ability Bulletproof makes it immune to many commonly seen attacks, making it great switch-in to Pokemon reliant on moves such as Shadow Ball or Aura Sphere.
Cofagrigus
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 58 HP / 50 Atk / 145 Def / 95 SpA / 105 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Mummy
Thanks to Cofagrigus's its massive base 145 Defense stat and decent mono-Ghost typing, Cofagrigus can easily set up on a number of a physical attacker. What it sets up is rather unique and potentially powerful: Trick Room. Cofagrigus is indeed one of the best supporters to the obscure, but deadly Trick Room playstyle. Access to Nasty Plot not only makes it a great supporter but also a potentially dangerous sweeper in its own Trick Room. Eccentric as it may be Trick Room, (add comma) and its users should be taken seriously, and Cofagrigus is no exception.
Breloom
Type: Grass / Fighting
Base Stats: 60 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Effect Spore / Poison Heal / Technician
Breloom's persistence as a threat despite the presence of numerous hard counters is hard to overstate. Despite garbage stats outside Attack, (add comma) Breloom thrives in OU by virtue of excellent abilities, (remove comma) and some choice moves. Breloom's ace in the hole is Spore, putting quite a number of switch-ins out of commission. Wielding the strongest Mach Punch patches up Breloom's bad Speed pretty nicely, (remove comma) and lets it act as a decent revenge killer. Other Technician staples are Bullet Seed, (add comma) which has the potential for incredible power that even resistances to the move should watch out for, and Rock Tomb, (add comma) which forms solid coverage for Breloom all the while reducing speed and reduces the Speed of switch-ins, making switching in all the more challenging. Beyond the Technician sets it has access to Poison Heal, Leech Seed, and Drain Punch, (add comma) which incur provide insane amounts of passive healing, (remove comma) and can sometimes be seen all on one set, (add comma) making Breloom damn hard to kill.
Gothitelle
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 70 HP / 55 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpA / 110 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Frisk / Competitive / Shadow Tag
Blessed with the rare Shadow Tag ability, Gothitelle stands out as one of the best trappers in the game. Gothitelle It has an extensive special movepool which allows it to tailor it that can be tailored specifically for threats that it wants to trap. When equipped with a Choice Specs, Gothitelle is very proficient at eliminating defensive cores; it just needs to run the correct coverage move. It can use Psychic for Mega Venusaur, Thunderbolt for Skarmory, Hidden Power Ground for Heatran, and Grass Knot for Hippowdon; its options are plentiful. It can also use a Choice Scarf set effectively to trap offensive threats, such as Keldeo, Scizor, and Gyarados. It is arguably the most versatile trapper, both in the Pokemon it can trap, (remove comma) and the moves it can run to defeat them. It has a wealth of other options available ranging from specific Hidden Powers for certain foes, (remove comma) to Trick to cripple nearly all defensive Pokemon. Because of its versatility and its ability to remove threats easily, Gothitelle can fit into most teams very well, (remove comma) and is almost always able to do its intended job, making it a difficult opponent to face and a significant foe to watch out for.
Blissey
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 255 HP / 10 Atk / 10 Def / 75 SpA / 135 SpD / 55 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
The elder of the pink blobs is a nightmare for nearly any special attacker to face, as its gargantuan base 255 HP stat and superb 135 Special Defense make it nearly untouchable from the special side for the most part. Access to reliable recovery lets Blissey become arguably one of the toughest special walls to break, as it is nearly impossible to wear down slowly over the course of a battle. Natural Cure ensures that Toxic doesn't hamper Blissey either, and Blissey's great status-absorbing ability can be a major pain for Pokemon reliant on the effects of status. Finally, Blissey makes good use of Toxic and Seismic Toss to ensure that almost no boosting special attacker can get past it, with very few exceptions.
Amoonguss
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 114 HP / 85 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Effect Spore / Regenerator
Amoonguss puts its nice base 114 HP stat to use with its ability, Regenerator, which restores 33% of its HP every time it switches out. With a usable base 70 Defense and 80 Special Defense, Amoonguss can utilize this useful form of healing to become not only a decent pivot but also a solid counter to any Pokemon it walls, since Amoonguss's its opponent will have a very hard time taking it down. Amoonguss's switch-ins must be wary, as Spore can easily put them out of commission for a significant amount of time, and Amoonguss's Poison-type STAB deters most Grass-types from switching in to absorb a Spore. Amoonguss must be played around with care, as the above qualities give it a high level of mobility for a defensive Pokemon.
Kyurem
Type: Ice / Dragon
Stats: 125 HP / 130 Atk / 90 Def / 130 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Although overshadowed by Kyurem-B, Kyurem's access to Pressure and Roost lets it act as a good offensive Pressure staller. Impressive offenses, (remove comma) and defenses, useful resistances. and solid Speed mean that setting up a Substitute is no challenge for Kyurem, and from behind it, (add comma) it can easily stall out moves that tend to target Kyurem it, such as Stone Edge, Close Combat, and Gyro Ball. After stalling these moves out, (remove comma) Kyurem can use its aforementioned offenses and good STAB and coverage options to hit back pretty hard.
Politoed
Type: Water
Stats: 90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Damp / Drizzle
Thanks to the Drizzle ability, Politoed's STAB Water attacks like Hydro Pump and Surf do not only do 1.5x the normal amount of damage, but rather 2.25x pack an extra punch, and this alone makes Politoed's base 90 Special Attack much more powerful than it appears. On top of this, (add comma) Politoed has access to Ice Beam, Focus Blast, (add comma) and Psychic, (add comma) which altogether make short work of most of OU's Water resistances. Politoed's defenses and Speed are not amazing, but they aren't bad at all, too. With a pair of Choice Specs Politoed is very powerful, and can provide some support to its team with Drizzle. With a Damp Rock Politoed may not be as strong but it provides a hell of a lot of support fostering the offensive rain playstyle by itself, powering up ludicrously threatening swift swimmers. While Damp Rock is preferred for prolonging the duration of rain so that Swift Swim sweepers can wreak havoc, Politoed can also run Choice Specs to pose more of an immediate threat. All in all, Politoed's offensive supporting abilities are unique, (remove comma) and very dangerous.
Gastrodon
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 111 HP / 83 Atk / 68 Def / 92 SpA / 82 SpD / 39 Spe
Ability: Sticky Hold / Storm Drain / Sand Force
Although Gastrodon's nice base 111 HP and usable defenses make it decently bulky, its more the fact that it gets a complete immunity to Water-type attacks through Storm Drain that is what makes it such a threat. Gastrodon's great Water/Ground typing gives it an immunity to Electric-type moves, letting it wall Rotom-W in any situation, and gives it as well as four great resistances at the cost of only one relatively uncommon weakness. Recover prevents it from getting worn down from Rotom-W's burn as well as allowing it by status (such as Rotom-W's burn) and also allows to wall anything that cannot 2HKO it, which works perfectly in tandem with Toxic or Scald burns. Make sure you have a way to deal with Gastrodon, as it can be a major annoyance with its resilience and ease of switching in.
Mega Aggron
Type: Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 230 Def / 60 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Filter (Sturdy / Rock Head / Heavy Metal)
Simply put, Mega Aggron is like a walking sponge of all physical attacks, thanks to its unrivaled base 230 Defense stat and great defensive Steel typing. Mega Aggron's ability Filter saves it from being easily brought down by common Fire-, Ground-, and Fighting-type attacks, a huge problem for other defensive Steel-types. Mega Aggron is bulky enough to use Rest, as the vast majority of physical attackers can't even take it out in two turns. Used alongside Sleep Talk and Curse, Mega Aggron becomes one of the most dangerous boosting tanks in the metagame, particularly when relevant special attackers have been removed. Overall, these qualities make Mega Aggron a threat that must be played around carefully, as its sheer defensive prowess lets it walk all over an unprepared opponent.
Starmie
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 60 HP / 75 Atk / 85 Def / 100 SpA / 85 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Illuminate / Natural Cure / Analytic
Boasting a blistering base 115 Speed stat and access to a plethora of special coverage moves, Starmie at first seems to be a powerful sweeper, but it manages to stand out from the rest by virtue of its ability to use Rapid Spin. With Rapid Spin, Starmie is able to fulfill both the role of both a sweeper and a spinner, and this is further complemented by the ability Analytic, which means that foes switching in will take more damage than usual; this lets it beat most spinblockers easily. It is commonly seen utilizing a Life Orb and various special attacks, such as Psychic, Hydro Pump, Thunderbolt, or and Ice Beam. Both Powerful and versatile, Starmie is standout at its job, and it is both relevant and effective in the metagame.
Tornadus
Type: Flying
Base Stats: 79 HP / 115 Atk / 70 Def / 125 SpA / 80 SpD / 111 Spe
Ability: Prankster / Defiant
One of the three Incarnate genies, Tornadus's has a great base 125 Special Attack and high base 115 Attack allow it to function as a good mixed attacker. Its Speed is also very good, allowing Tornadus to narrowly outpace base 110 Speed Pokemon like Latios, Latias, and Gengar. Its movepool is equally as good, (add comma) having access to with options such as the powerful Hurricane, a Fighting-type move to break resistances to said Hurricane, and Knock Off to harass Chansey. Though generally outclassed by its Therian forme as an attacker, (add comma) its Prankster ability lets it act as a pretty good supporting attacker, letting it very reliably set up Rain Dance for offensive rain-based teams, (remove comma) or and Tailwind for weatherless ones while having a pretty great offensive presence in itself.
Latias
Type: Dragon / Psychic
Base Stats: 80 HP / 90 Def / 110 SpA / 130 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Latias may seem outclassed by Latios at posing an offensive threat in OU, but Latias it has several qualities that set it apart from the latter. For one, Latias's superior bulk allows it to switch in with greater ease. Latias It can run a Defog Life Orb set akin to that of Latios, but this sets itself apart with its access to Healing Wish to that uses Healing Wish to differentiate itself, and support the team very usefully. Besides the aforementioned qualities, Latias is able to make good use of its access to Roost/Recover, being able to reliably restore health when the need arises. It is fair to say that Latias's offensive presence in OU is not to be underestimated, despite competition it may receive from Latios. This Pokemon can hurt many teams if one is unprepared to face it.
Aegislash
Type: Steel / Ghost
Base Stats: 60 HP / 50 Atk / 150 Def / 50 SpA / 150 SpD / 60 Spe (Shield Forme); 60 HP / 150 Atk / 50 Def / 150 SpA / 50 SpD / 60 Spe (Blade Forme)
Ability: Stance Change
In both the aesthetic and functional senses, Aegislash is one of the most unique Pokemon to have made an appearance in OU. Aegislash's ability, Stance Chance, allows it to change its forme from a slow, sturdy wall that can tank hits from all sorts of threats to a frighteningly powerful wall-crumbler that can severely cripple or KO most Pokemon in OU. King's Shield, which also has the nasty effect of lowering the opponent's Attack stat by two stages if they use a contact move against it, allows Aegislash to change back to its Shield forme, which, in the hands of a skilled player, effectively gives it a Base Stat Total of 720. This combination of traits, alongside its STAB moves, Pursuit, and Sacred Sword, allows it to become a tank that can take quite a few hits and deal copious amounts of damage right back. Access to Swords Dance and also allows Aegislash to step outside of its normal tank / wallbreaker roles and attempt a sweep.
Manaphy
Type: Water
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Hydration
Despite its cute and seemingly harmless exterior, Manaphy just so happens to be a very dangerous sweeper in the OU metagame. With access to one of the best boosting moves in the form of Tail Glow, (add comma) which increases its Special Attack by a whopping 3 stages, Manaphy is able to deal huge amounts of damage with just one turn of setup. It also has access to useful coverage moves such as Energy Ball, Psychic, and Ice Beam to hit most of the offensive and defensive threats that reside in the tier. Although its Hydration ability lost a lot of its usefulness due to the nerf to weather, Manaphy can still function very well on dedicated rain teams, as it will no longer have to worry about being crippled by status, and it can even use Rest as a reliable healing option. Manaphy has very balanced stats all across the board; its Speed stat puts it above a majority of defensive Pokemon and quite a few offensive threats, while its above average bulk lets it set up on weaker attacks with ease. Its lone pure Water typing gives it only two weaknesses, which makes it a lot harder to revenge kill.
Mega Pinsir
Type: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 155 Atk / 120 Def / 65 SpA / 90 SpD / 105 Spe
Ability: Aerilate (Hyper Cutter / Mold Breaker / Moxie)
With the vast amount of powerful Mega Pokemon that thrive in OU, Mega Pinsir stands out as one of the best. Its fantastic Aerilate ability makes all of its Normal-type moves Flying-type, with an added 1.33x damage boost, allowing it to not only use Return as a powerful and accurate Flying-type STAB move, but also useful priority in the form of Quick Attack. Swords Dance boosts Mega Pinsir's already high Attack stat to absurd levels, and combined with its relatively high Speed stat and priority, it should come to as no surprise how easily this thing Mega Pinsir can slice through unprepared teams once it sets up. Its decent physical bulk lets it set up on resisted attacks if it has to, as its typing gives it useful resistances to Fighting-, Bug-, and Grass-types, including an immunity to Ground-type moves. With Earthquake, Mega Pinsir is able to bypass through some of the Steel- and Rock-types that resist its Flying-type moves, which keeps it from being walled so easily. Overall, Mega Pinsir is a top-tier threat in the OU metagame, and without proper preparations, it will most surely tear any team apart.
Espeon
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 60 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 130 SpA / 95 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Synchronize / Magic Bounce
Espeon's ability Magic Bounce dramatically defines its role as a support Pokemon, as it ensures Espeon must almost always be beat through brute force as opposed to status or the use of Taunt. This makes its support sets quite effective, particularly in conjunction with Espeon's high Speed that lets it utilize moves such as Reflect, Light Screen, and Baton Pass before the opponent can get a strong hit on it. Furthermore, Magic Bounce's ability to reflect entry hazards as well as harmful status moves can go a long way in preventing Espeon's team from being weakened or crippled. Overall, Espeon is a support threat that can be hard to stop from doing its job.
Heatran
Type: Fire / Steel
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body (unreleased)
Sporting a fantastic Special Attack stat and a great movepool, Heatran makes for a threatening offensive Pokemon in OU. Its most common offensive set is an all-out attacker set that utilizes its powerful STAB Fire Blast, great typing, good coverage moves, and access to Stealth Rock to be a useful member of offensive teams. Alternatively, Heatran is a good user of Choice items. With Choice Specs, Heatran's Fire Blast is very powerful and can be very difficult to switch into. This makes it a very effective wallbreaker. It can also utilize a Choice Scarf set as a solid revenge killer, again utilizing its good power, coverage, and Fire-type STAB to be effective at its role. All in all, Heatran is a fairly versatile Pokemon that can be a good fit on nearly any offensive team.
Garchomp
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 130 Atk / 95 Def / 80 SpA/ 85 SpD / 102 Spe
Ability: Sand Veil / Rough Skin
Garchomp was one of the most feared offensive Pokemon from previous generations, but it returns with no new toys under its belt. However, it still has everything it needs to be a threat. Its Ground and Dragon / Ground STAB is almost unresisted, (remove comma) and it also has strong coverage options to hit those that do resist. Moves like Swords Dance and Stealth Rock make it a diverse and versatile offensive threat that can fit on to a lot of teams. Being a pseudo-legendary, it's blessed with exceptional stats that lets it do almost anything from sweeping with a Swords Dance to soaking up neutral hits for the team. Overall, Garchomp is a well-rounded and unpredictable Pokemon, so make sure your teams can deal with this popular threat.
Magnezone
Type: Electric / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 70 Atk / 115 Def / 130 SpA / 90 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Magnet Pull / Sturdy / Analytic
Magnezone brings to the competitive scene a superior superb base 130 Special Attack, enough to seriously dent everything but the bulkiest walls or resistances. Although Its good STABs coupled with its sheer attacking prowess can make it a hard Pokemon to switch into, (remove comma) for some opponents, it's much harder to switch out. Thanks to Magnezone's amazing ability Magnet Pull, all Steel-types (apart from Aegislash) are trapped and cannot switch and Magnet Pull ensures that all Steel-types bar Aegislash are trapped, allowing Magnezone to reliably dispatch most of them with one of its moves and open up a sweep for a teammate. Considering Magnezone's ability to take one of the most useful types in the game and turn it into a huge liability for the opponent, Magnezone it must be evaluated as a severely game-changing opponent.
Rotom-W
Type: Electric / Water
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Although it is typically seen sporting a defensive set, it cannot be denied that one of Rotom-W's selling points is the awesome coverage it gets from its STABs alone. With a respectable base 105 Special Attack, Rotom-W can do significant damage to a number of opponents with the appropriate move. Thanks to its access to STAB Volt Switch, Rotom-W can not only afford to run items such as Choice Scarf, but also grab momentum on a whim, as most Ground-types fear Rotom-W's STAB Hydro Pump too much to switch in. Overall, Rotom-W's offensive qualities and flexibility allow it to be an effective offensive presence that cannot be underestimated.
Dugtrio
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 35 HP / 80 Atk / 50 Def / 50 SpA / 70 SpD / 120 Spe
Ability: Sand Veil / Arena Trap / Sand Force
Although its tiny stats may deter you from believing it is a threat, Dugtrio truly holds its ground in the OverUsed metagame thanks to its stellar ability: Arena Trap. With Arena Trap, Dugtrio becomes a massive nuisance as well as an able revenge killer and trapper. Not only can Dugtrio pick off weakened opponents, but it can quickly dismantle important team members such as Tyranitar and Heatran to open the way for a sweeper. Its decently powerful STAB Earthquake is complemented by Stone Edge and Reversal, which allow Dugtrio to tackle a range of threats. The Mole Pokemon is also oftentimes seen on weather-based teams based on weather, allowing said teams to ensure a victory in the weather war. All in all, Dugtrio's offensive qualities allow it to be a deadly trapper and should never be disregarded in battle.
Mega Gardevoir
Type: Psychic / Fairy
Base Stats: 68 HP / 85 Atk / 65 Def / 165 SpA / 135 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Pixilate
Having an excellent offensive typing, stats, (add comma) and ability, (add comma) Mega Gardevoir becomes a real threat as long as it lives. Pixilate makes Normal moves transform into the Fairy-type and makes it 1.3x the normal power and also gives them a 1.3x boost, and this works well with Mega Gardevoir's access to Hyper Voice. Mega-Gardevoir has access to a lot of powerful normal moves, just like Hyper Voice. It also has access to powerful STAB moves like Psychic and Psyshock, which in combination with a Add to the mix powerful STAB options such as Psychock and Psychic and a superb 165 Special Attack, and it's easy to understand why Mega Gardevoir really does a lot, even to Pokemon that who resist those attacks. A nice base 100 Speed makes Mega Gardevoir decently fast and able to quickly KO a lot of Pokémon. Being immune to a very common type also comes in handy a lot; Dragons are literally useless against Mega Gardevoir. It also has a nice base 135 Special Defense, letting it check nearly any special attacker. Finally, access to useful moves such as Taunt and Calm Mind make Mega Gardevoir a very strong wallbreaker.
Deoxys-S
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 90 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 180 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Deoxys-S is among the premier support threats of the XY OU metagame. Boasting the highest Speed stat in the game and a marvelous support movepool, it's not hard to see why. Between Stealth Rock, Spikes, Light Screen, and Reflect, Deoxys-S can perform a multitude of supportive roles. Throw in Taunt and Magic Coat to shut down other leads and prevent setup, and you've got one fantastic lead. Deoxys-S is often praised for its ability to guarantee Stealth Rock and at least one layer of Spikes up at the beginning of nearly every match. It can also set up dual screens just as effectively as it can with hazards, as it has enough bulk and Speed to be able to set both Light Screen and Reflect up in the majority of games. Overall, as one of the tier's greatest assets to hyper offense, Deoxys-S is certainly a staple of the XY OU metagame
Goodra
Type: Dragon
Base Stats: 90 HP / 100 Atk / 70 Def / 110 SpA / 150 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Sap Sipper / Hydration / Gooey
Although pure Dragon-types are a rare sight, Goodra can easily utilize its unusual typing's best qualities, easily sponging powerful Fire-, Grass-, Water-, and Electric-type attacks. In addition, Goodra's excellent base 150 Special Defense coupled with its good base 90 HP means that no stray Ice Beam or Hidden Power Ice will easily take it down, a feat that most other Dragon-types have yet to match. With three great abilities, foes have to be wary in how they choose to fell Goodra. Sap Sipper protects Goodra from most sleep-inducing moves and prevents Leech Seed from wearing it down, whereas Hydration lets Goodra fully replenish itself in a single turn with Rest and prevents Goodra it from succumbing to status. Finally, Gooey lowers the Speed of attackers using contact moves, punishing the physical attackers that may try to hit it on its weaker Defense stat.
Diggersby
Type: Normal / Ground
Stats: 85 HP / 56 Atk / 77 Def / 50 SpA / 77 SpD / 78 Spe
Ability: Pickup / Cheek Pouch / Huge Power
While its poor stats and adorable exterior may fool you into thinking Diggersby is just another competitively unviable early-game rodent, it is actually one of the hardest-hitting Pokemon allowed in OU, thanks to its ability, Huge Power. With Huge Power, its two main STAB moves, Return and Earthquake, are almost guaranted to OHKO or 2HKO anything that doesn't resist them, and even some things that do. It can sky-rocket its Attack to monstrous levels after one use of Swords Dance, which is the focal point of Diggersby's best set. It uses its STAB moves as well as Quick Attack to lay waste to opposing teams after a single turn of setup; Quick Attack after a Swords Dance is likely to OHKO some faster offensive Pokemon. Wild Charge allows Diggersby to 2HKO Skarmory after Swords Dance, as well as demolish Gengar. Diggersby is by no means a one-trick pony, for it can also effectively utilize a Choice Scarf set, which can each to obtain momentum with the use of U-turn and revenge kill rather reliably.
Mega Houndoom
Type: Dark / Fire
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 90 Def / 140 SpA / 90 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Solar Power
Mega Houndoom's great Speed and Special Attack, the latter getting boosted even further in sun, are not something to be trifled with. Sun support from Ninetales or a Sunny Day user is not hard to provide; in fact, Mega Houndoom can set it up itself. In the sun, Fire Blast becomes incredibly strong, Dark Pulse also gets powered up, and Solar Beam loses its charge turn. If you choose to use Mega Houndoom without sun, it gets Nasty Plot to shoot its Special Attack through the roof, (remove comma) and has nifty support options such as Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, and Destiny Bond. Since one of Houndoom's base abilities is Flash Fire, it has an easier time switching in, and if you it can get a Flash Fire boost and a Solar Power/Nasty Plot boost, Fire Blast reaches unimaginable power levels. Though Mega Houndoom is by no means perfect, it is still quite strong when used well.
Type: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 78 / 81 / 71 / 74 / 69 / 126
Ability: Flame Body / Gale Wings
Talonflame is seen as one of the best revenge killers in the metagame, primarily due to its high Speed and excellent ability in Gale Wings. This ability gives priority to its Flying-type moves, allowing it to revenge, sweep, and clean with Brave Bird, which functions as a powerful, priority STAB move. It can also hit hard with Flare Blitz, which prevents it from being walled by Steel-types. Talonflame has two effective boosting moves in Swords Dance and Bulk Up, and it can also create momentum with its fast U-turn, while also having priority Roost to help mitigate the damage it takes from its recoil moves. Because of its high Speed, it has the freedom to run a Choice Band set, which takes advantage of Talonflame's stat spread perfectly. This marks Talonflame as a potent threat, and its ability to fill a multitude of roles only adds to its effectiveness in the metagame.
Type: Dark / Steel
Base Stats: 65 / 125 / 100 / 60 / 70 / 70
Ability: Defiant / Inner Focus / Pressure
With access to Defiant, Swords Dance, (add comma) and powerful STAB moves such as Sucker Punch, Knock Off, (add comma) and Pursuit, Bisharp is one of the deadliest sweepers and offensive supporters in the metagame. It has an excellent Attack stat, and its unique typing makes it the only Steel-type that still resists Ghost- and Dark-type moves, while its own Dark-type STAB, Knock Off, is now able to break through other Steel-types. In addition, Knock Off is both powerful, (remove comma) and removes a foe's item, threatening offensive and defensive Pokemon alike. Bisharp's ability, Defiant, makes it a perfect switch-in to Defog, doubling its Attack, while also meaning that Sticky Web and Intimidate only benefit it. Its secondary STAB in Iron Head also threatens the new Fairy-types, and it even has Pursuit to trap various Dark-type weak threats. Bisharp applies constant offensive pressure, (remove comma) and is thus one of the most effective attackers in the Overused environment.
Type: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 78 HP / 104 Atk / 78 Def / 159 SpA / 115 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Drought (Blaze / Solar Power)
Mega Charizard Y is renowned as one of the best wallbreakers in OU thanks to its extremely high Special Attack, decent Speed, and ability Drought. With the sun Drought brings, Mega Charizard Y can fire off extremely powerful sun-boosted Fire Blasts, which outright slaughter much of the OU tier. It is unique among Fire-types in that it can murder both Heatran and Water-types with its coverage, which includes Focus Blast and sun-enhanced Solar Beam. Thanks to its large Special Defense stat, Mega Charizard Y can take a battering from special attacks, heal up with Roost, and outright demolish their users. Furthermore, because the opponent does not know which Mega Charizard this is when it comes out, he or she is left to guess what to switch in initially, which can be punished. Combine all this with resistances to key types like Fighting, Bug, Fire, and Steel, and you have a frightening offensive Pokemon that given but one free opportunity can do serious harm to any team.
Type: Dark
Base Stats: 95 HP / 65 Atk / 110 Def / 60 SpA / 130 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Synchronize / Inner Focus
Umbreon carves out its niche in the metagame through the combination of several factors that distinguish it. Its phenomenal mixed bulk allows it to avoid 2HKOs from powerful attacks, even some non-STAB super effective ones, using its free turns to provide the team with Wish and Heal Bell support that will make efforts to wear down Umbreon's team extremely frustrating. In addition to being a sturdy wall and team supporter, though, Umbreon also maintains a modest offensive presence through its very useful Foul Play that prevents it from being setup bait for physically offensive threats. This deals heavy damage to many physical attackers that wish to break down Umbreon, and in combination with its good defensive typing and recovery, Umbreon is like a bad meal; it hurts and can't be kept down.
Type: Dark
Base Stats: 65 HP / 150 Atk / 60 Def / 115 SpA / 60 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Magic Bounce (Pressure / Super Luck / Justified)
Mega Absol is blessed with huge Attack and Speed stats and an often-overlooked Special Attack stat that allows it to wallbreak or sweep depending on what is needed. Despite its frailty, its useful ability in Magic Bounce allows it to set up a Swords Dance on a variety of defensive Pokemon. Sucker Punch gives it extremely powerful priority that can be used to revenge kill Psychic- and Ghost-type attackers or sweep offensive teams. Knock Off also gives it a strong, more reliable option that has great utility against almost all Pokemon. Mega Absol's wide movepool allows it to choose its own counters, and if necessary, (add comma) it can even Baton Pass its boosts along to another sweeper, as almost no battler would attempt to phaze Mega Absol. The power, speed, and utility that Mega Absol provides makes it a lethal threat capable of sweeping or disrupting many teams if given the opportunity.
Type: Steel/Fairy
Base Stats: 50 HP / 105 Atk / 125 Def / 50 SpA / 95 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Huge Power
Sporting the highest Attack stat in the game, surpassing even Deoxys-A and Thick Club Marowak, Mega Mawile is a dangerous wallbreaker of frightening power. Its Steel/Fairy typing, the Intimidate ability in its base forme, and its deceptively high bulk once Mega-Evolved in Mega forme afford it many opportunities to switch in, set up, and wreak havoc. Its excellent coverage and access to powerful priority in Sucker Punch to work around its glacier-like speed make it even deadlier. Swords Dance doubles its already sky-high Attack to absurd levels; the list of things that can stomach a +2 Sucker Punch is quite short. It can alternatively use a Substitute set which, while not as powerful and lacking reliable recovery, protects it from the crippling burn status and frees opportunities to use non-priority attacks from a still extremely high Attack stat. Finally, Mawile's movepool is extensive, and potential counters can easily be hit harder than they might expect. Because of its sheer might, Mega Mawile has the potential to be a formidable threat to offensive and defensive teams alike.
Type: Steel / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 80 Atk / 140 Def / 40 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Keen Eye / Sturdy / Weak Armor
By virtue of its extremely high Defense stat and great defensive typing, Skarmory is a solid switch-in and counter to many prominent physical attackers. It's one of the few Steel-types that are immune to Ground-type moves and neutral to Fighting-type moves, and it carries with it an impressive eight resistances and two immunities that stop many. Access to reliable recovery makes Skarmory one of the most durable physical walls, while Whirlwind prevents it from becoming setup bait. The entry hazards it can lay down punish the special attackers that switch into it, and access to Defog can easily eradicate entry hazards detrimental to its own team. Overall, Skarmory's impressive physical bulk and amazing utility value make it a major defensive threat that must be played around carefully.
Type: Ghost / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 130 SpA / 75 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Gengar sports two very high stats in Special Attack and Speed, and can certainly use them well can use its high Special Attack and Speed very well with a great STAB and solid coverage options. However, because of the extremely effective non-attacking moves Gengar has access to, it fights very differently than other fast special threats. Gengar's Substitute is notoriously easy to set up, thanks to Gengar's its great typing and ability. Disable takes care of the many opponents that rely on a single move to hit Gengar, Taunt shuts down any attempt to indirectly deal with Gengar, and Will-O-Wisp is a nasty surprise to any physical attackers hoping to hit it on its weaker Defense stat. These support options, coupled with the fact that Gengar needs only two attacking moves to hit the entire tier for neutral damage, make Gengar an extremely unconventional but equally deadly threat to teams of all varieties.
Type: Bug / Fire
Base Stats: 85 HP / 60 Atk / 65 Def / 135 SpA / 105 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Flame Body / Swarm
Volcarona is a fearsome sweeper if given even one free turn. A huge base 135 Special Attack stat and decent Speed combined with access to one of the best boosting moves in the game in Quiver Dance allow Volcarona to blast through an unprepared team with only one turn of setup. A good typing gives it strong STAB moves and as a virtue of it, Volcarona has as well as several resistances that it Volcarona can use to set up. In lieu of a fully offensive set, it can also run a bulkier set that sets up with frightening ease on physical and special attackers alike, even those with super effective moves. While there are several threats that can almost always prevent Volcarona from doing its job, if these are removed, (add comma) then Volcarona will usually have a chance to sweep and one must be careful not to give it a chance to do so when facing it.
Type: Dragon / Ice
Base Stats: 125 HP / 170 Atk / 100 Def / 120 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Teravolt
Boasting the 4th fourth highest BST in the game, surpassed only by the Mega Mewtwo forms and Arceus Himself, Kyurem-B is almost as dangerous as it seems. An obscenely high Attack stat and a great Special Attack stat allow it to function as a powerful mixed attacker attack effectively from both sides of the spectrum, and excellent bulk means it is very difficult to take down. Its ability is also helpful, allowing it to bypass many defensive Pokemon's abilities like Thick Fat or and Levitate. An ample movepool gives Kyurem-B strong STAB moves, good coverage options, and a variety of sets it can run. Its typing gives it some useful resistances, thus and Kyurem-B thus finds it easy to create and maintain a Substitute, while it can also be an all-out attacker that is relatively effective at stallbreaking.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 120 HP / 70 Atk / 120 Def / 75 SpA / 130 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Levitate
A defensive juggernaut to the core, Cresselia has no issues taking a plethora of hits from the offensive Pokemon littered around the tier. Cresselia's phenomenal mixed bulk in tandem with its access to recovery and Levitate allow it to take on common threats such as Terrakion, Dragonite, Garchomp, and Keldeo. Aside from its defensive prowess, Cresselia is also a stupendous dual screener. Cresselia's biggest draw as a utility Pokemon, Lunar Dance, provides Cresselia with a means of completely restoring a battered teammate and distinguishes Cresselia from other users of the dual screens strategy. Despite lackluster typing, Cresselia shines as a supporting Pokemon in the metagame and is a defensive threat which every team should be prepared to deal with.
Type: Fairy / Flying
Base Stats: 85 HP / 50 Atk / 95 Def / 120 SpA / 115 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Hustle / Serene Grace / Super Luck
With solid bulk, respectable Special Attack, and a useful Fairy/Flying type, Togekiss is a good special wall. Its crucial type advantages against Dragon, Ground, and Fighting enable it to handle dangerous special threats as Latios and Landorus, and even some physical ones as Dragonite and Conkeldurr. Though somewhat held back by a Stealth Rock weakness, it has access to reliable recovery to offset the damage. Its support movepool is expansive, containing gems such as Defog, Thunder Wave, and Heal Bell. Its Serene Grace ability makes it an infamous abuser of the "paraflinch" strategy, in which slowed-down opponents are whittled down as successive flinches and full paralysis immobilize them. Overall, Togekiss's durability, utility, versatility, and even disruptive potential make it a notable defensive threat.
Type: Water / Flying
Base Stats: 95 HP / 125 Atk / 79 Def / 60 SpA / 100 SpD / 81 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie
Gyarados has many great traits to make it a threatening Dragon Dance user in the metagame. Alongside its great Attack stat, Gyarados has two excellent abilities that make it even more dangerous of as a sweeper. Intimidate helps it take hits better, (add comma) and Gyarados has several useful resistances and a decent bulk in order to set up on a myriad of Pokemon; these resistances include common priority moves such as Mach Punch and Bullet Punch one to many common priority moves seen in OU, Fire, Fighting, and more. This makes it not uncommon for Gyarados to find the opportunity to set up multiple Dragon Dances without too much of a problem. Moxie can alternatively be useful to prevent opponents from sacking sacrificing Pokemon against Gyarados in an effort to bring in a would-be counter freely. Its Water STAB gets good coverage on its own, (add comma) and a STAB Bounce allows it to take on Grass-types that usually threaten Water-type. It also has many coverage moves, such as Stone Edge, Ice Fang, and Earthquake, to deal with other Pokemon as well, making it tough to wall.
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 95 HP / 155 Atk / 109 Def / 70 SpA / 130 SpD / 81 Spe
Ability: Mold Breaker (Intimidate / Moxie)
Just like Gyarados, Mega Gyarados is a threatening Dragon Dance sweeper. 155 Base 155 Attack is exceedingly high; (semi-colon) with it, its good STAB and myriad of coverage moves hit damn hard. With Mold Breaker, (add comma) it has the potential to get past a wide variety of Pokemon that it otherwise could not, (add comma) such as Rotom-W, Quagsire, and Mega Venusaur. Mega Gyarados's type change when it Mega Evolves is as useful as it is unique, having the luxury of setting up on Pokemon that either Water/Flying or Water/Dark allows as it has the luxury of setting up on different sets of Pokemon depending on what forme it is in. The Mega Gyarados's additional bulk, which sits at a great 95/109/130, is also helpful, and unlike base Gyarados, (add comma) it doesn't have to deal with any 4x weaknesses or a Stealth Rock weakness, meaning it is difficult to outright KO. All these traits allow Mega Gyarados to simultaneously act as a threatening sweeper and wallbreaker.
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 150 Atk / 140 Def / 65 SpA / 100 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Technician
Thanks to Technician and an extremely high base 150 Attack stat, Mega Scizor finds itself in possession of one of the strongest priority moves in the game in the form of Bullet Punch, allowing it to revenge kill many weakened threats. Furthermore, Swords Dance lets Mega Scizor easily sweep late-game once its counters have been sufficiently weakened, and Scizor can easily use its outstanding bulk, Roost, and nice typing to set up two or even 3 three boosts. Access to STAB U-turn lets Mega Scizor exit the field while dealing significant damage to many of the defensive threats that may attempt to check it. With a movepool consisting of many other options such as Pursuit, Knock Off, and more, Mega Scizor has a way to threaten or cripple just about every other Pokemon in the tier.
Type: Bug / Rock
Base Stats: 20 HP / 10 Atk / 230 Def / 10 SpA / 230 SpD / 5 Spe
Ability: Sturdy / Gluttony / Contrary
Shuckle's hilarious stats notwithstanding, (add comma) it indeed has a notable niche in OU. Impressive overall defenses make Shuckle the most resilient and reliable user of the powerful Sticky Web. Access to Encore prevents opponents from taking advantage of it freely, and it can be used to deter Defog and Rapid Spin users from removing Shuckle's hazards, or punish them if they do. Sturdy affords the use of a Mental Herb with little few regrets, (add comma) letting Shuckle act as a pretty effective lead, and Stealth Rock is always a nice touch. Sum these traits, and Shuckle is something that can threaten teams with its utility.
Type: Electric / Dragon
Stats: 90 HP / 95 Atk / 105 Def / 165 SpA / 110 SpD / 45 Spe
Ability: Mold Breaker
When looking at Mega Ampharos, the first things that stand out are its glorious locks, (add comma) and its unique Electric/Dragon typing, shared only by the Uber titan Zekrom. When looking at its stats, the first two things that immediately stand out are its colossal 165 base Special Attack, the second highest in OU, and its atrocious base 45 Speed. However, (add comma) one thing to not overlook is its base 90 / 105 / 110 base defenses, which, when invested, makes Mega Ampharos ridiculously tanky, and as a result, one of Ampharos's best sets is a Volt Switch set, as it is capable of taking virtually any hit at full health and safely switching into a deadly sweeper in waiting. It is in this such role that its bad Speed is actually a blessing, as this allows it to function as a fantastic pivot switch, arguably the most optimized pivot switch one in the game. If utilized in an even more offensive manner, its Speed can be patched up quickly with Agility, turning Mega Ampharos into a deadly sweeper.
Type: Electric / Water
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Rotom-W is an important defensive threat for numerous reasons. Its good mixed defenses allow it to take advantage of its stellar defensive typing. The number of useful resistances Rotom-W has is impressive, but what makes it so useful is its ability, Levitate, (add comma) which lets it avoid all the Ground-type moves that Ice-, Water-, Steel-, and Flying-type Pokemon use for coverage, and the fact that it only has a single weakness, (remove comma) means that often attackers will often not possess a coverage move to hit it super effectively. Possessing multiple semi-reliable methods of recovery, Rotom-W can be a pain to take down. In addition, Rotom-W has access to Will-O-Wisp, preventing many physical attackers from attempting to stay in and muscle past Rotom-W it. Finally, Rotom-W is one of the only defensive Pokemon with access to Volt Switch, which allows it to grab momentum on many of the switches it forces. These unique qualities combine to give Rotom-W an important place in the metagame.
Type: Water
Base Stats: 100 HP / 75 Atk / 115 Def / 90 SpA / 115 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Pressure / Water Absorb (Unreleased)
With a great defensive typing, formidable bulk, and access to Calm Mind, it is no wonder that Suicune is a notable defensive threat in the OU metagame. Through the use of these mentioned attributes, Suicune can be a solid and sturdy late-game sweeper. With investment in physical bulk, the fabled CroCune set fears not the likes of status or offensive measures after it begins boosting. Indeed, it can only be stopped with by extraordinary power before it has begun accumulating Calm Mind boosts or with phazing. Suicune is also capable of deterring Pokemon that try to set up on it thanks to Scald, which possesses poses a nasty 30% burn chance of 30% to almost any setup sweeper that dare try. Deal with Suicune as soon as possible, (add comma) or face the consequence being fall victim to its offensive and defensive capabilities.
Type: Fire / Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Victory Star
Victini as an offensive Pokemon is typically employed as a wallbreaker, (remove comma) or revenge killer. Victini's Its stats may not look to fit these roles, even with a solid 100 base Speed, (remove comma) and great natural bulk for an offensive Pokemon. Victini's true power lies in its access to some legendary moves. Typically using a Choice Band, the exorbitant extraordinary Base Power of the STAB V-create lets it Victini demolish anything that does not resist it. As well Victini It also has access to a wide array of coverage moves, with highlights including the powerful Bolt Strike that punishes the Water-types that resist V-create, as well and Brick Break to muscle through Tyranitar and Heatran. V-create also allows Choice Scarf Victini to again thanks to the massive power of V-create can act as a revenge killer that can easily KO offensive threats; this set and utilizes U-turn to create momentum on forced switches forces. Even defensive teams that can reliably wall Victini have to be careful as Victini it has some serious tricks up its sleeve, (add comma) not limited to such as Trick and Final Gambit. Finally, going for ambush tactics Victini is also capable of a special set—typically Life Orb-boosted—which can take physically defensive Pokemon by surprise, and it has plenty of power to back it up, with Victory Star boosted patching up the accuracy of moves such as Focus Blast, Blue Flare, and Thunder.
Type: Fighting / Rock
Base Stats: 91 HP / 129 Atk / 90 Def / 72 SpA / 90 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Justified
Terrakion is a premier physically offensive Fighting-type capable of sweeping, wallbreaking, and revenge killing. Solid bulk, great Speed, and high Attack are just the right things to compete in OU. Commonly seen with a Life Orb or Choice Band, (add comma) Terrakion is very challenging to switch into; the coverage and power between Close Combat, Stone Edge, Earthquake, (add comma) and the occasional Hidden Power Ice put immense offensive pressure on the opponent, and Terrakion will usually KO something if it has momentum. Complimentary of With a great 108 base Speed, Terrakion's ability to check slower offenisve Pokemon is difficult to rival; anything but the bulkiest attackers falls to Close Combat or Stone Edge. With a Choice Scarf Terrakion is a great revenge killer, easily taking on the likes of Charizard, Dragonite, Tyranitar, Gyarados, Volcarona, and other dangerous Speed-boosting sweepers. As well as all-out attacking sets, (add comma) Terrakion has access to boosting moves Rock Polish and Swords Dance, (add comma) letting it sweep defensive teams, and or offensive teams depending on what the situation calls for. Finally, beyond pulverizing the opponent, (add comma) Terrakion is a very talented offensive supporter, reliably setting Stealth Rock, (remove comma) and keeping it up with either the pressure of Swords Dance or Taunt.
Type: Fire / Dragon
Base Stats: 78 HP / 130 Atk / 111 Def / 130 SpA / 85 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Tough Claws (Blaze / Solar Power)
Mega Charizard X is Charizard's second Mega Evolution known at the moment, and its plain to see that the black dragon is just as threatening as its Y counterpart, if not more so, as Mega Charizard X it has pretty much everything it needs to be a threatening Dragon Dance sweeper. Dragon Dance boosts both Mega Charizard X's Attack and Speed stats significantly when used, and With its the ability to force multiple switches, nice defensive typing, and somewhat beefy 78/111/85 bulk, it's not hard for Mega Charizard X to get at least one Dragon Dance under its belt. On top of this, Mega Charizard X's Fire / Dragon STAB combination of Fire and Dragon is absolutely fantastic, and as it is resisted by only a fair few Pokemon such as Heatran and Azumarill boast the ability to resist the combination, which of course makes its offensive presence quite potent. Combine this with Mega Charizard X's its Tough Claws ability, which gives a slightly greater boost than a Life Orb to moves Mega Charizard X will be commonly using, (add comma) like such as Flare Blitz, Dragon Claw, and Outrage, and the ability to restore HP at will with Roost, and you have an absolute monster on your hands, capable of plowing through team after team entire teams once set up correctly. Overall, Mega Charizard X is a formidable offensive threat, and its Dragon Dancing prowess makes it a threat to offensive and defensive teams alike. (period)
Type: Water / Fighting
Base Stats: 91 HP / 72 Atk / 90 Def / 129 SpA / 90 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Justified
With an excellent base 129 Special Attack stat, a high BP powerful STAB in the form of Hydro Pump, and a good Speed tier, Keldeo is a very powerful specially offensive threat that should always be prepared for. With a Choice Specs equipped, Keldeo's Hydro Pump becomes a force to be reckoned with, and that can punch holes through a large spectrum wide variety of teams quite easily. On top of this, Keldeo has access to the exclusive Fighting-type move Secret Sword, which targets the opponent's Defense instead of Special Defense, letting Keldeo it easily break past incredibly Specially Bulky Pokemon special walls that might be able to take multiple Hydro Pumps quite easily, such as Goodra, Chansey, and Blissey. Choice Specs isn't the only set Keldeo can effectively run, though; Keldeo it can also effectively run a Choice Scarf set, using its boosted Speed to revenge kill a variety of threats such as Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, Genesect, and Mega Lucario, as well as a Calm Mind set that boosts its Special Attack and Special defense stats in preparation for a game-ending sweep, making it somewhat versatile. All in all, Keldeo is an excellent special attacker, and that should never be underestimated.
Type: Fire / Steel
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body
With a staggering nine resistances, five of which are doubly resisted 4x, and two immunities, one of which is an immunity to popular and powerful the common Fire-type moves, Heatran is a full stop to many popular Pokemon. It has great mixed defenses that, when fully invested, allow it to take on a significant portion of attackers. With access to both Will-O-Wisp and Toxic, as well as the high burn rate of its most popular STAB, Lava Plume, Heatran can easily cripple many of its common switch-ins. Finally, it can phaze its opponents out with Roar, preventing them from attempting to boost up against Heatran and also collecting entry hazard damage after it sets up Stealth Rock. All in all, Heatran's decent stats, phenomenal typing, and wide support movepool make it a dangerous defensive threat.
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 123 Def / 122 SpA / 120 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Thick Fat (Overgrow / Chlorophyll)
With extremely high 80/123/120 defensive stats, Mega Venusaur is certainly no defensive pushover. It carries valuable resistances to Fighting-, Grass-, Water-, Electric-, and Fairy-type moves, and its ability Thick Fat curbs the effectiveness of the Ice- and Fire-type coverage moves that offensive Pokemon commonly carry. An immunity to Toxic and access to semi-reliable recovery make Venusaur very hard to take down for defensive teams and offensive teams alike. Finally, Venusaur has access to status moves such as Leech Seed and Sleep Powder, letting it wear down or greatly cripple the few Pokemon that can actually threaten it. All of these qualities come together to make Mega Venusaur one of the tier's most resilient and self-sufficient defensive Pokemon.
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 72 HP / 95 Atk / 67 Def / 103 SpA / 71 SpD / 112 Spe
Abilities: Torrent / Protean
With high Speed, good Special Attack, a solid offensive movepool, and a rare ability in Protean, Greninja makes for a very dangerous cleaner in OU. Its ability changes its type to that of whatever move it uses, meaning Greninja receives STAB off of every move. Along With a great offensive movepool with tools such as Hydro Pump, Dark Pulse, Ice Beam, and Extrasensory, Greninja can consistently pose a threat to many Pokemon. Access to Spikes and Toxic Spikes mean that Greninja can also function as a good offensive hazard setter, (add comma) setting up hazards for its team while still posing a strong offensive threat thanks to Protean. While its frailty and slight lack of power prevent Greninja from reaching the top of the charts, its Speed and great coverage make it a threat to many teams in OU.
Type: Bug / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 100 Atk / 89 Def / 55 SpA / 69 SpD / 112 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Swarm / Speed Boost
Scolipede sees use in OU mainly due to its ability, (add comma) Speed Boost. This, along with access to Spikes and Toxic Spikes, makes Scolipede a perfect candidate for a fast entry hazard setter in the OU metagame. In addition to this, Scolipede also has access to Baton Pass, which it can use to pass Iron Defense and Swords Dance boosts to its teammates and along with good boosting moves in Iron Defense and Swords Dance, make Scolipede a formidable user of the move. In addition, Thanks to its naturally high Attack and Speed along with a good offensive movepool in Megahorn, Earthquake, and Poison Jab, Scolipede can also sweep on its own, with its access to Swords Dance further helping it. Although its slight lack of power and many weaknesses can hold it back, Scolipede's versatility ensures that it can make for a solid addition to a team.
Type: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 91 HP / 134 Atk / 95 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Inner Focus / Multiscale
Dragonite sits near the top of the hierarchy of OU Dragons. With stats and typing similar to a handful of others, what sets Dragonite apart is its marvelous ability, (remove comma) and a movepool only second to the likes of Mewtwo and Arceus. As a Dragon Dancer, (add comma) Multiscale lets it get to +1 on damn near pretty much anything, typically in combination with a Lum Berry to avoid status. After that, (add comma) Dragonite has all the coverage it needs to topple over the OU tier, as well the raw power of Outrage to get past walls and even priority with Extremespeed to let it defeat the likes of priority-based revenge killers such as Talonflame, (remove comma) and Mamoswine. Besides being a Dragon Dance user that is challenging to stop from setting up, Dragonite also has other tactics. With a Choice Band it can check almost anything, (remove comma) and break down many walls, (add comma) as Multiscale, Outrage, Extremespeed, and its coverage go a long way. Roost can be utilized on offensive sets as well, letting Dragonite set up in the face of even more Pokemon.
Type: Dragon / Psychic
Base Stats: 90 HP / 90 Atk / 80 Def / 130 SpA / 110 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Latios has the highest Special Attack of any non-Mega Dragon in the OU tier, sturdy defensive stats, (add comma) and great Speed. To compliment this, Latios's movepool has plenty of options. It's no surprise that Latios is commonly seen breaking down defenses firing off Massive with its powerful Draco Meteors, getting past specially defensive Pokemon with Psyshock, using coverage moves to defeat would-be counters, and occasionally Tricking a Choice item to especially resilient specially defensive walls rendering them crippled to cripple them. Besides wallbreaking, Latios has access to the coveted Defog, (add comma) allowing it to utilize its excellent bulk, nice set of resistances, and offensive pressure to remove entry hazards. Non-Choice Unchoiced sets can also be seen with recovery moves letting Latios stay in the fight after being worn down that improve Latios's longevity.
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 123 Def / 122 SpA / 120 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Thick Fat (Overgrow / Chlorophyll)
Mega Venusaur utilizes its stellar defensive capabilities to switch into numerous attacks with ease and fire off powerful Sludge Bombs and Giga Drains from its solid base 122 Special Attack. Boasting Thick Fat, Mega Venusaur is not threatened by Fire- and Ice-type attacks, a trait many other Grass-types would kill for. With this and resistances to numerous common attacks, it is among the easiest attackers in OU to switch in, providing offensive power and defensive utility in one slot. Its STABs alone pose a threat; with the coverage to take out the Fire- and Steel-types that resist them and reliable recovery, Mega Venusaur can fell many foes and persist throughout each battle as a force to be reckoned with, both offensively and defensively, for any team.
Type: Fire / Dragon
Base Stats: 78 HP / 130 Atk / 111 Def / 130 SpA / 85 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Tough Claws (Blaze / Solar Power)
While renowned as a devastating offensive threat, Mega Charizard X is also seen filling the role of defender, boasting an excellent defensive typing and a solid base 111 Defense stat. Thanks to its resistances, defensive Mega Charizard X stands out as an excellent way to handle Mega Charizard Y, a top OU wallbreaker. It can switch into many physical attackers and cripple them with a burn, thereby ruining them for the remainder of the match. It is one of the best available switch-ins to offensive Electric-, Steel-, Bug-, and Grass-types of all kinds, taking their attacks with ease and smacking back hard with its Tough Claws-boosted attacks whilst Roosting off damage as needed, allowing it to persevere throughout each battle. With investment, Mega Charizard X proves an excellent defensive pivot that can cripple foes while still packing quite a punch.
Type: Ground / Dark
Base Stats: 95 HP / 117 Atk / 80 Def / 65 SpA / 70 SpD / 92 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie / Anger Point
Upon looking at Krookodile's stat spread, running it defensively might seem like some sort of cruel joke; it has only decent 95/80/70 defenses and a solid base 117 Attack stat to take advantage of. However, with full defensive investment and Intimidate, Krookodile proves to be a formidable physical wall. With the foe at -1, even neutral physical attacks—and even some super effective ones, such as Aegislash's Sacred Sword (Krookodile is one of the best ways to handle it in OU)—don't do much to it, and Krookodile has a number of tools to steal the momentum away from the opponent. Its STAB Knock Off cripples foes, making them easier for defensive teammates to wear down and handle overall. Taunt stops setup sweepers like Calm Mind Clefable that aim to boost up and stop defensive teams in their tracks, (remove comma) and prevents the foe from damaging or healing against Krookodile. Combine these two stellar moves with Stealth Rock, a crucial hazard for every team, and a threatening STAB Earthquake, (add comma) and you have a Pokemon that has a solid niche on defensive teams.
Type: Fairy
Base Stats: 95 HP / 65 Atk / 65 Def / 110 SpA / 130 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Cute Charm / Pixilate
With its base 95 HP and 130 Special Defense stats, Sylveon makes itself is known as a great special tank. A mono-Fairy typing gives Sylveon three resistances, one immunity, and only two weaknesses, which are both uncommon special attacking types, making Sylveon extremely tough to break through on the special side without substantial boosts. With access to Wish and Heal Bell, Sylveon not only has a fairly reliable method of recovery for itself, but can also heal up and cure teammates, so giving free turns to Sylveon can have far-reaching implications for the entire team. Pixilate makes Sylveon's Hyper Voice a powerful STAB move, ensuring that Sylveon is not setup bait for dangerous sweepers, and it can even use Calm Mind to bolster its Special Defense while also improving its offensive presence, exacerbating its difficulty to break making it all the more difficult to break.
Type: Dark / Flying
Base Stats: 110 HP / 65 Atk / 105 Def / 55 SpA / 95 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Big Pecks / Overcoat / Weak Armor
Mandibuzz is a serious defensive threat, possessing impressive bulk that can cover most physical and many weaker special attacks. Mandibuzz is also in possession of a It also has a unique typing that makes it one of the few Pokemon that resists Ghost-type attacks but isn't weak to Fighting-type attacks, making it one of the best counters to the popular Ghost-types such as Gengar and Aegislash that rely on Ghost/Fighting coverage. However, Mandibuzz's movepool is even more impressive, with staples such as Roost and Whirlwind to solidify its position as a reliable wall, (remove comma) and useful utility options such as Defog to help out its team by removing troublesome hazards, and as well as Taunt to hinder setup sweepers. Mandibuzz is no sitting duck, either, as Foul Play can heavily damage the physical threats it checks, while Knock Off can be a serious pain for any Pokemon reliant on their item. Overall, Mandibuzz remains a defensive threat that must be accounted for, both for its walling potential and its ability to seriously disrupt the opponent's strategy.
Type: Rock / Flying
Base Stats: 80 HP / 135 Atk / 85 Def / 70 SpA / 95 SpD / 150 Spe
Ability: Tough Claws (Rock Head / Pressure / Unnerve)
What stands out about Mega Aerodactyl is its ungodly Speed that lets it outpace practically everything, even some Pokemon possessing a Choice Scarf. It also has decent bulk and a good set of resistances that allow it to check many threats, while staying healthy with access to reliable recovery in Roost. This allows it to be a good offensive Stealth Rock setter. Although Tough Claws doesn't boost its main STAB move, Stone Edge, high Base Power and STAB allow that to hit hard on its own, while almost all of its coverage moves get a free Life Orb boost on top of the high Attack stat to let Mega Aerodactyl wallbreak, clean, or revenge kill with great reliability. In fact, (space) its coverage is quite diverse, with Ice Fang for Latios and Landorus-T, Earthquake for Aegislash, and even Fire Fang to breeze through common physical walls such as Skarmory and Ferrothorn. Huge Speed, great power, and solid bulk makes Mega Aerodactyl a threatening Pokemon to face, especially with a wide array of coverage options to make it unpredictable.
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 112 Atk / 118 Def / 68 SpA / 72 SpD / 47 Spe
Ability: Sand Stream / Sand Force
In a metagame that only gets more powerful, Hippowdon manages to stand up against a huge spectrum wide variety of physical attackers with its outstanding bulk, access to reliable recovery, and good defensive typing which leaves it with few physical weaknesses. Because of its great bulk, Hippowdon can wall some of OU's most common threats, including Aegislash, Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, Mega Charizard Y, and Excadrill, phazing them out with Whirlwind, reducing their longevity with Toxic, or hitting back with a considerably powerful Earthquake, Rock Slide, or Stone Edge. It even has Stealth Rock, which it can set up during many of the free turns it generates against helpless foes. Slack Off distinguishes it from its competition, as recovery makes it very difficult to leave a lasting impact on it. Hippowdon provides great utility, supplies sandstorm to support the team, and checks a huge amount of physical attackers with ease, while also using its decent special bulk to take those attacks if necessary.
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 55 HP / 20 Atk / 35 Def / 20 SpA / 45 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Own Tempo / Technician / Moody
Smeargle is the only Pokemon with access to the move Sketch, which essentially lets it copy any move and gives it any possible moveset it desires. This enables it to fill almost any supporting role on your team, (add comma) whether it is to lay down every entry hazard in the game, put foes to sleep with Spore, Taunt opposing leads, or even Baton Pass boosts such as Shell Smash. This diversity gives it a high level of unpredictability, and it enables it to tailor its moveset in order to best suit your team. Overall, Smeargle is quite dangerous due to its versatility, (remove comma), and should always be remembered in the metagame.
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 48 HP / 48 Atk / 48 Def / 48 SpA / 48 SpD / 48 Spe
Ability: Limber / Imposter
Ditto is an unparalleled revenge killer in the metagme, by virtue of its Hidden ability Imposter. This ability allows Ditto to copy the opponents stats bar HP, moveset, and possible stat boosts simply by switching in. With a Choice Scarf, Ditto will always be faster than the opposing Pokemon unless they are holding a Choice Scarf themself, and Ditto uses this to sweep through teams with the potential boosts it has acquired. Not only this, but Ditto's ability lets it scout the movesets of common leads and other Pokemon with a wide variety of options; this makes planning against those threats much easier to handle. It also has the advantage of being able to copy Mega Evolutions Pokemon, allowing a possible two Mega Evolutions Pokemon on one team. Ditto is a thorn in the side of setup sweepers, and its strange talent should never be forgotten.
Type: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 79 HP / 105 Atk / 70 Def / 145 SpA / 80 SpD / 101 Spe
Ability: Volt Absorb / Defiant
Possessing one of the highest Special Attack stats in the game, Thundurus-T is a massively powerful special attacker. Volt Absorb is a great ability that gives it switch-in opportunities while healing itself, (add comma) and it has a nifty Speed tier that puts it just ahead of common Pokemon, including Manaphy and Mega Charizard Y, which it threatens with its powerful STAB Electric-type moves. Agility and Nasty Plot give it boosting moves that allow it to break through many different kinds of teams, and a good typing makes it very resistant to priority despite poor bulk. It can even utilize both boosting moves on one set so it will be helpful against more than one team archetype. Thundurus-T also has a very potent Choice Scarf set that revenge kills and picks up momentum with Volt Switch. Thundurus-T possesses many of the ideal characteristics of an offensive Pokemon, and it is among the most dangerous threats of the metagame.
Type: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 90 HP / 90 Atk / 85 Def / 125 SpA / 90 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Pressure / Static (Unreleased)
Zapdos has an amazing stat spread that has allowed it to be successful for all 5 five previous generations, and this one is no different. Good defensive stats combined with a typing that gives Zapdos resistances to the common Flying-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks allow Zapdos it to take on a plethora of powerful threats in the metagame, including Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Scizor. Roost allows it to do its job throughout the match, and it is one of the best Defog users as it finds many opportunities to do so. Its Special Attack is also very threatening, letting it fight back against the threats that it walls. A powerful STAB Thunderbolt and good coverage options such as Heat Wave mean Zapdos is both difficult to break through and sponge attacks from. Zapdos is an extremely effective Pokemon and that will cause trouble for many attackers when used correctly, and it must be played around carefully.
Type: Water / Ice
Base Stats: 50 HP / 94 Atk / 180 Def / 85 SpA / 45 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Shell Armor / Skill Link / Overcoat
Boasting access to the amazing move Shell Smash, Cloyster is a deadly sweeper, being able to double its Attack, Special Attack, and Speed in one turn, (remove comma) and also finding frequent setup opportunities with its gargantuan Defense stat. In addition, its ability Skill Link makes its Icicle Spear and Rock Blast essentially 125 Base Power moves, which causes devastation even to Pokemon that resist it. It can also use Hydro Pump to get past physical walls, (remove comma) or Razor Shell for specially defensive Heatran, and it even has priority in the form of Ice Shard. When equipped with a Never-Melt Ice, it can break through even the sturdiest of threats such as Mega Venusaur and Clefable. Cloyster can even use a King's Rock, which in conjunction with its multi-hit moves gives Cloyster a 41% chance of flinching the opponent, which is handy for breaking through sturdy walls. All in all, Cloyster is a threatening sweeper after only one turn of setup, and it can wreak havoc on unprepared teams.
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 95 HP / 85 Atk / 85 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 35 Spe
Ability: Damp / Water Absorb / Unaware
With its ability Unaware, Quagsire is able to take on the plethora of physical setup sweepers in the tier. Unaware ignores the opponent's offensive stat boosts, allowing Quagsire to still be an efficient check even if the foe is at +6. It can spread burns with Scald, crippling physical attackers, while it can also use Toxic to take down more defensive threats. It still has Earthquake as some form of offense against Ground-weak threats, as well as reliable recovery in the form of Recover; it can even lock an opponent into a move with Encore. It is very effective on stall teams, as it can help with some teammates' potential problems, specifically their ability to be often used susceptibility to being used as setup bait, making it an excellent counter to many Pokemon in the tier top threats such as Bisharp and Mega Charizard X. (period) making it a significant defensive threat.
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 70 Atk / 65 Def / 125 SpA / 105 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Natural Cure / Technician
Roserade is an unique specimen among offensive support Pokémon. With exclusive access to Sleep Powder, Spikes, (add comma) and Toxic Spikes, it poses the dual threats of treacherous entry hazards and incapacitation by sleep, (add comma) the free turns from which it can use to its advantage as a hazard-setter. On the attacking side, Roserade's excellent base 125 Special Attack and good offensive movepool, including the very rare Technician Hidden Power, means even Steel- and Dragon-types need to tread carefully around it. Thanks to its other viable ability, Natural Cure, it can also function as a serviceable status absorber and a solid counter to prominent threats such as Rotom-W. Although its frailty and middling Speed somewhat hold it back, it is a solid player in offensive teams, bringing a special utility shared by none other.
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 150 Atk / 140 Def / 65 SpA / 100 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Technician
Mega Scizor's very high Defense and above average Special Defense stat allow it to tank a variety of attacks, especially because of its great defensive typing that leaves it with eight resistances, an immunity, and only a single weakness. With investment in Mega Scizor's HP, which isn't at all uncommon due to its fantastic Bullet Punch that negates the need for Speed investment, Mega Scizor becomes very bulky and won't be taken down without a dedicated effort. Mega Scizor can wall certain attackers with the help of Roost, sporting better defenses than even Skarmory when fully invested, whereas moves such as Defog, Knock Off, and Baton Pass make it a very resilient support Pokemon.
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 250 HP / 5 Atk / 5 Def / 35 SpA / 105 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
Don't let Chansey's status as a NFE Pokemon fool you into thinking it's any less of a threat. With defenses exceeding even that of its evolved form Blissey thanks to Eviolite, Chansey is capable of taking a wide range of both physical and special attacks. Reliable recovery allows Chansey to stall while it wears down many of its opponents with either Toxic or Seismic Toss. Its ability, Natural Cure, prevents opponents from wearing it down with status, allowing it to out-stall even other defensive Pokemon. Finally, it has plenty of support options such as Wish, Stealth Rock, and Aromatherapy to help out its teammates, meaning giving free turns to Chansey is a dangerous ordeal. Make sure your team can break Chansey, as it is extremely difficult to wear down and will easily outlast its foes, given the chance.
Type: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 85 HP / 120 Atk / 70 Def / 50 SpA / 60 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Reckless
Staraptor's motto in battle is "live hard, die young." (period inside quotes) Boosted by the Reckless ability and Choice Band, its two STABs in Brave Bird and Double-Edge make it one monstrous wallbreaker, and Close Combat shatters any hopes of Steel- and Rock-types stopping its assault. It can just as effectively use Choice Scarf to become a fantastic and still hard-hitting revenge killer. Staraptor's perhaps biggest niche in the OU metagame is perhaps as a partner sweeper to Talonflame in a "double-bird" core. Taking inspiration from earlier "double-Dragon" strategies, the duo of Staraptor and Talonflame overwhelms their mutual counters—not even Rotom-W, often a team's sole Talonflame counter, can stand up to STAB-boosted Reckless Double-Edges. Its access to U-turn makes it a solid VoltTurner, forming such a core with Talonflame alone. In XY, every team must have a check to the "FlySpam" playstyle, or they will find themselves overwhelmed immediately.
Type: Fire / Fighting
Base Stats: 76 HP / 104 Atk / 71 Def / 104 SpA / 71 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Blaze / Iron Fist
Infernape is a proficient mixed attacker in the metagame, with decent offensive stats, nice Speed, and a selection of great coverage moves. Infernape It is one of the best Pokemon to use against stall teams; it can easily break through common defensive cores with Fire Blast and Close Combat, as well as Quagsire with Grass Knot, an obstacle for offensive teams. Infernape also has Mach Punch as priority, as well as Thunder Punch as coverage for troublesome Pokemon such as Gyarados, both of which are boosted by Infernape's Iron Fist ability, though it has the freedom to choose Blaze to boost its Fire-type STAB attacks when it is weakened. Infernape's nice offensive typing combined with its solid power allow it to dismantle common stall cores and thoroughly trouble defensive teams.
Type: Water / Dragon
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Swift Swim / Sniper / Damp
Kingdra is one of the strongest, typically special, rain sweepers in the game. Backed by solid stats, in the rain Swift Swim gives Kingdra incredible Speed in the rain, and rain- and Life Orb / Choice Specs boosted Hydro Pumps have immense power. Kingdra is the crown jewel of rain offense, cleaning up teams that have lost their priority users or Water-resistant Pokemon, or crushing walls and sweepers alike with superior firepower and Speed. Water and Dragon together form great coverage Water / Dragon coverage is good enough to render additional coverage moves unecessary, so little consideration of coverage moves is needed, and with that Kingdra is thus capable of running a mixed set as rain-boosted Waterfalls attacks make short work of special sponges. Besides causing massive destruction in a drizzle the rain, Kingdra has a rather unique set that utilizes the move Focus Energy to confer itself a 100% critical hit rate, effectively a multiplier of 2.25 thanks to its ability Sniper. Critical hits also mean the stat drop of Draco Meteor is ignored, opposing Ditto are unable to take advantage of your boosting, and opposing Light Screen and Reflect are ignored. Although this set may be slow, it's extremely powerful and is very difficult to switch into.
Type: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 125 Def / 45 SpA / 75 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil / Poison Heal
Although Gliscor's Ground/Flying typing and base 125 Defense stat are nice, it's truly Gliscor's ability Poison Heal that makes its mark on the OU tier. In addition to the extra recovery helping Gliscor tank much stronger moves, the total 25% recovery gained over two turns from Poison Heal allows Gliscor to stall with Substitute and Protect without losing any health, preventing the vast majority of its opponents from actually being able to damage Gliscor at all once it sets up a Substitute. Because of this, Gliscor is a fantastic Toxic staller, and many poisoned Pokemon—despite perhaps carrying super effective moves—will eventually find themselves losing to Gliscor simply because they cannot touch it, especially as some moves (such as Hydro Pump) can easily be PP stalled. With a valuable support movepool including Stealth Rock and Knock Off, Gliscor can be both a nuisance to take down and a reliable source of your opponent's team's support.
Type: Grass
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 125 Def / 110 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / Regenerator
Tangrowth's mono-Grass typing is nothing to laugh at, as this monster's base 100 HP stat and base 125 Defense make it incredibly bulky on the physical side and let it switch into many physical attackers with impunity. Its ability Regenerator allows it to simply switch out to regain health, making it extremely hard to wear down over the course of a match, even when afflicted by burn or poison. Leech Seed, Sleep Powder, and Knock Off let it wear out and cripple the Pokemon that could potentially hurt it and provide a great degree of support to the rest of its team. When equipped with an Assault Vest and maxed out in Special Defense, Tangrowth becomes an extremely resilient mixed pivot that can serve a team throughout the entire match thanks to Regenerator, and a good attacking movepool allows it to have a decent offensive presence in addition to its defensive capabilities.
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 100 Atk / 121 Def / 81 SpA / 95 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Aura Break
Zygarde does not look immediately threatening, but the numerous ways it can become so should not be underestimated. One should observe its potent STAB combination, which has very few resistances between them, and its access to boosting moves such as Dragon Dance and Coil, which is already a recipe for a very dangerous sweeper. Zygarde's offensive movepool is not wide, (add comma) but it is precise: with both STABs, Stone Edge, and Extreme Speed, there aren't a lot of offensive or defensive threats it cannot cover. Zygarde also has very impressive bulk, which can be further boosted with Coil, and this allows its Substitutes to not be broken by just about any non super-effective attack from defensive Pokemon. Access to Dragon Tail means that opposing phazers do not present a threat to Zygarde, which will almost always be faster. Zygarde's only real downfall is its inability to pose an immediate threat like other Dragons can against most neutral targets, but if you can pit Zygarde against an opponent it can comfortably defeat, the opponent may have little to no time left to stop it.
Type: Water / Fairy
Base Stats: 100 HP / 50 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Thick Fat / Huge Power / Sap Sipper
Azumarill's Huge Power ability gives it an effective Attack stat that rivals the most powerful attackers in the game, making it one of the most powerful Pokemon in OU. The combination of Waterfall and Play Rough is incredibly difficult to switch into, due to the fact that only a very few select defensive Pokemon resist both of these moves. With access to priority in the form of Aqua Jet, Azumarill is able to revenge kill weakened sweepers and pick off Pokemon that are faster than it. When equipped with a Choice Band, Azumarill becomes a potent wallbreaker capable of busting massive holes into offensive and defensive teams with ease. Azumarill even has access to Belly Drum to boost its Attack stat to obscene levels, and when combined with Aqua Jet, there's very little that can stop it from sweeping once it sets up. This flexibility in addition to its power, typing, and stats makes Azumarill a defining force in the OU metagame.
Type: Bug / Fighting
Base Stats: 80 HP / 185 Atk / 115 Def / 40 SpA / 105 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Skill Link (Swarm / Guts / Moxie)
Mega Heracross is no slouch when it comes to hitting hard. With an absolutely monstrous Attack stat and a potent STAB combination, Mega Heracross is easily one of the strongest wallbreakers and hole-punchers in OU. Its Skill Link ability forces Rock Blast, Pin Missile, and Bullet Seed to always hit their maximum amount of times, allowing Mega Heracross to have an immense amount of giving Mega Heracross immensely powerful coverage against a wide majority of defensive threats. With Swords Dance, Mega Heracross can even pose as a potent sweeper, capable of OHKOing most of the metagame with its powerful coverage moves after just one boost. One must not also forget that Mega Heracross has very solid defensive stats for such an offensive juggernaut, which means that it's able to easily survive almost any kind of non-super effective attack from full health, which makes making it quite threatening towards offensive teams as well. Its somewhat below average 75 base 75 Speed stat is more than enough to put it ahead most defensive threats, and a few offensive threats as well. With Mega Heracross's sheer power, insane coverage, and access to boosting moves, it's no wonder why teams cower in fear at the sight of this beast.
Type: Steel / Fairy
Base stats: 57 HP / 80 Atk / 91 Def / 80 SpA / 87 SpD / 75 Spe
Abilities: Prankster / Magician
Klefki has gained much notoriety as a Prankster user and one of the most irritating Pokémon to face, and for good reason. While it may appear to be a subpar threat because of its at-best mediocre stats, its excellent typing, with nine resistances, two immunities and merely two weaknesses, more than makes up for its average bulk, and even its lacking offenses are made up for with Foul Play. It has access to a wide variety of support moves such as Spikes and dual screens, all thanks to augmented by Prankster-given priority, making Klefki setting up at least one of the above guaranteed against anything not itself having Prankster Taunt. Klefki can even use Switcheroo, so that not even otherwise good switch-ins as Gliscor are completely safe. Because of its wide support and disruptive potential, this little enchanted key-chain should never be underestimated.
Type: Electric / Fire
Base stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
While at first glance it may seem as a lesser Rotom-W, the Heat forme of Rotom is surely not to be overlooked. Its unique typing, with eight very useful resistances, and access to Will-O-Wisp, Thunder Wave, and Trick makes Rotom-H intensely anti-metagame. It can reliably check such dangerous threats as Talonflame, Aegislash, Thundurus, Mega Mawile, Mega Charizard Y, and Mega Pinsir with more consistency than Rotom-W in some cases due to the increased resistances. Its immunity to both paralysis and burn means that it is also a great status absorber. Thanks to Levitate, it completely alleviates itself from the is is immune to the Ground-type weakness attacks that similar Pokemon such as Mega Charizard X and Heatran abhor. While its Stealth Rock weakness and reliance on Overheat hold it back defensively, Rotom-H's many unique qualities add to make a very present potent defensive threat.
Type: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 79 HP / 115 Atk / 70 Def / 125 SpA / 80 SpD / 111 Spe
Ability: Prankster / Defiant
Thundurus is by no means a Pokemon to take lightly. With excellent Attack, Special Attack, and Speed stats in tandem with two great abilities, it is definitely a force to be reckoned with. Thundurus makes full use of Prankster with its access to moves such as Taunt and Thunder Wave, which allow it to spread status with great ease. Thundurus's Prankster-boosted Thunder Wave also allows it to act as a panic button to speedy setup sweepers. On top of these great attributes, Thundurus is also gifted with Nasty Plot, allowing it to utilize its offensive tools to sweep through fractured teams as soon as its counters have been eliminated. Alternatively, Thundurus can strike without boosts to be an immediate threat whenever it switches in, and can and utilize Defiant to give itself a free Attack boost against Defog users, utilizing a great physical movepool including Knock Off, Superpower, and U-turn. Thundurus's position as one of OU's most threatening and defining attackers is never to be underestimated.
Type: Rock / Dark
Base Stats: 100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe
Ability: Sand Stream / Unnerve
A metagame-defining force from generations past, Tyranitar possesses many traits that make it a prime threat. Fantastic stats across the board barring Speed, excellent STABs, a wide movepool, and Sand Stream all compile to form what makes combine to make Tyranitar what it is. Another part of what makes Tyranitar so scary is that you'll never know exactly what it's going to do. Indeed, Tyranitar can successfully run a plethora of sets: Choice Band, Choice Scarf, mixed attacker, and boosting sweeper. Given its expansive movepool, Tyranitar can also serve as a lure, dismantling its common switch-ins with other moves such as Fire Blast, Thunderbolt, and Ice Beam. Sand Stream not only boosts Tyranitar's already excellent special bulk to even higher levels, allowing Tyranitar to trap special attackers such as Latios, but also provides valuable sand support to teammates. Sand can provide temporary support to Pokemon such as Terrakion and Excadrill, which become even more scary with the provided stat boosts. Although its type weaknesses and middling Speed may hold Tyranitar back in some departments, it is a highly notable offensive threat nonetheless.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 70 Atk / 160 Def / 70 SpA / 160 SpD / 90 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Deoxys-D functions impressively as a hazard setter in Overused OU. It has excellent bulk, which allows to set up entry hazards such as Stealth Rock and Spikes throughout the game. It can work as a lead, and its ability to fulfil this role is only amplified by its access to the rare Magic Coat, which allows it to bounce back Taunt from opposing leads such as Thundurus, allowing it set up more hazards as the foe switches out. However, due to its bulk, it isn't limited to just early-game hazard setting; it can also preserve itself for hazards laying later, which gives it the utility of being able to set up hazards again if they have gone. Additionally, Deoxys-D can also use Recover if it is being worn down too quickly and still wants to set up hazards, and its reasonable Speed allows it to Taunt slower leads itself, without Magic Coat. Because of its bulk, it doesn't need to use Leftovers, and it can instead use Red Card or Mental Herb to surprise the opponent and let it continue its job. Deoxys-D is an effective hazard setter in the game, and it is almost guaranteed them up, making it a strong supportive threat.
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Type: Grass / Steel
Base Stats: 74 HP / 94 Atk / 131 Def / 54 SpA / 116 SpD / 20 Spe
Ability: Iron Barbs / Anticipation
Being one of the top-tier defensive threats in BW, Ferrothorn returns largely unchanged. It has an excellent defensive typing, which in conjunction with its massive base 131 Defense and great base 116 Special Defense allows Ferrothorn to wall a large amount of the tier. It also has Thunder Wave to cripple fast offensive threats, as well as both Stealth Rock and Spikes, which lets it easily set up hazards during the free turns it obtains from the switches it forces. With its ability Iron Barbs, Ferrothorn can wear down physical attackers quickly, and it can even heal itself in the process with Leech Seed. However, unlike most defensive Pokemon, it actually has a usable Attack stat, which means it can use Power Whip and Gyro Ball to deal hefty damage to foes. It can even use Protect to stall with Leech Seed and Leftovers, while a Rocky Helmet can rack up passive damage with Iron Barbs. It is still one of the best defensive Pokemon in the tier, with a surprising amount of versatility, and it must always be prepared for on a serious team.
Type: Water
Base Stats: 130 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 110 SpA / 95 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Hydration
Vaporeon finds itself a niche as a solid defensive Wish passer. With an exceptional base 130 HP, Vaporeon can pass huge 232 HP Wishes, which can heal up to weakened teammates. This makes it a good choice for both balanced and stall teams that have Pokemon lacking a good source of recovery. Vaporeon is no slouch defensively, either, as it can take a variety of physical hits with 130/60 physical bulk and also has great special bulk, even uninvested. With a Water immunity, resistances to Fire and Ice, and only two weaknesses, Vaporeon is not easy to hit for heavy damage, and it can bounce right back with Wish and Protect. Protect lets it scout opposing attacks, (remove comma) too, easing prediction immensely. On top of all this, Vaporeon has access to STAB Scald, which hits pretty hard off of base 110 Special Attack and has a good chance to burn the foe, especially crippling to physical attackers. It can cripple the opponent with Toxic, stalling it out with Wish and Protect whilst chipping away at it further with Scald. It can phaze with Roar, stopping boosting sweepers in their tracks; attack with Ice Beam, which deals significant damage to Dragon- and Grass-types; and act as a cleric with Heal Bell. Overall, Vaporeon is a solid bulky Water-type brimming with utility.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 190 HP / 33 Atk / 58 Def / 33 SpA / 58 SpD / 33 Spe
Ability: Shadow Tag / Telepathy
At first glance, Wobbuffet looks like garbage. Its stats are all utterly abysmal besides HP, and its movepool consists of... (space after ellipses) eight moves, none of which are attacks, recovery, status, utility, or anything that would be of use. However, this movepool fits its role perfectly, with its ability Shadow Tag allowing it to trap foes and either eliminate them or make them setup bait with Encore. With a high base HP, Wobbuffet is actually pretty bulky despite what its pitiful defenses might lead you to believe, and this means it loses a large number of HP after each attack. This means that Counter and Mirror Coat can thus hit back foes extremely hard. Wobbuffet can take at least one hit from basically every attacker and proceed to dispatch the foe with double the damage it did to Wobbuffet received. In addition, Wobbuffet has Tickle to make physical walls easier for physically offensive teammates to take out. Access to Safeguard prevents Pokemon like Prankster Thunder Wave Thundurus from incapacitating teammates at crucial times. This unique ability to support and take out makes Wobbuffet extremely dangerous.
Type: Dark / Ghost
Base Stats: 50 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Keen Eye / Stall / Prankster
Sableye is capable of being a menace to teams of all types. Its ability Prankster gives priority to any status moves, which it can easily utilize along with its expansive movepool of support options. Priority Will-O-Wisp is simply a nightmare for almost every physical attacker, stopping many sweeps cold and forcing switches left and right. Priority Taunt allows Sableye to shut down any foe attempting to set up, bring it down with status moves, or recover lost health. Priority Recover means that Sableye will usually be able to heal before its opponents can attack it, allowing it to easily stall. Finally, a myriad of attacking moves such as Knock Off and Foul Play makes sure that Sableye isn't a sitting duck, (remove comma) and adds to its already insane utility value. Make sure your team has a way to deal with Sableye, because Sableye certainly has a way to deal with you back.
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 105 / 140 / 95 / 55 / 65 / 45
Ability: Guts / Sheer Force / Iron Fist
Thanks to its base 140 Attack stat and Fighting-type STAB, Conkeldurr certainly knows how to dish out damage. Its Drain Punch is the strongest in the tier, giving it an extremely useful source of recovery and damage in one move. In particular, it makes Conkeldurr a great user of Assault Vest, letting it stand up to the vast majority of special attackers in the OU tier while keeping a method of HP recovery. Thanks to Guts, a large number of Pokemon that are reliant on status to wear down or weaken attackers will find that a Guts-boosted Conkeldurr is no easy threat to handle. Outside of Guts, Conkeldurr also sports two other useful abilities in Sheer Force and Iron Fist, which are alternative options to boost its power. Lastly, a relatively powerful Mach Punch lets Conkeldurr overcome its low Speed and finish off weakened opponents, and solid move options such as Knock Off and even Bulk Up let Conkeldurr get past nearly everything that can take its Drain Punch. All in all, Conkeldurr's above-average bulk, solid movepool, and great abilities turn this Fighting-type into a threat that makes its mark on every battle.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Synchronize
Mew's all-around base 100 stats and unrivaled movepool make it not only an extremely versatile threat but also a very unpredictable foe. With access to Stealth Rock and Defog, as well as Taunt, Mew can function as a bulky and effective utility counter. Will-O-Wisp can be a nasty surprise for any physical attacker, and in conjunction with Softboiled, can actually let Mew stall out several threats. In addition, Mew excels at Baton Passing boosts, as it has a way to boost every single stat with useful boosting moves such as Nasty Plot and Amnesia. With sets as diverse as these examples, Mew can truly fulfill a customizable role depending on the needs of its team, and it is this versatility that makes Mew such a valid and threatening support Pokemon. Make sure you can recognize what Mew's purpose is as soon as possible, as attempting to counter the wrong set can waste precious turns and affect the outcome of a game.
Type: Rock / Water
Base Stats: 60 HP / 115 Atk / 105 Def / 65 SpA / 70 Def / 80 Spe
Ability: Swift Swim / Battle Armor / Weak Armor
Kabutops has always been one of the premier Swift Swim users, with a Speed stat that's very intimidating when under rain and a great Attack to fire rain-boosted Waterfalls off of. With the combination of Drizzle and Swift Swim unbanned in the OU environment, Kabutops can be an extremely powerful wallbreaker or a great cleaner with its great coverage in its STABs alone. This allows it to run Swords Dance as a boosting move to jack up the power with a free turn without missing much, and it becomes very difficult to wall at that point. Kabutops is mainly useful for rain teams as most Swift Swim abusers or rain-based pokemon in general are special attackers, but Kabutops and it can wipe away many of those special walls for its team. On top of these strengths, Kabutops also brings priority in the form of Aqua Jet to the table. Overall, Kabutops a fairly one-dimensional but extremely effective attacker on rain teams.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 110 HP / 65 Atk / 75 Def / 125 SpA / 85 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Overcoat / Magic Guard / Regenerator
Don't let its adorable exterior fool you, for Reuniclus is a merciless attacker that will stop at nothing until your team is ripped to shreds. A giant Special Attack and good bulk stand out as Reuniclus's positive traits, and that abysmal Speed can be turned into a great advantage with its access to Trick Room, turning the Speed advantage that most Pokemon have against them to hit them with extremely powerful attacks. On top of that, it has access to one of the best abilities in the game, Magic Guard, letting it take no damage from Life Orb or any other residual sources. This allows Reuniclus to be particularly troublesome to teams reliant on residual damage. Reuniclus can either sweep with Trick Room and good coverage, or an effective Calm Mind set that lets it set up ad nauseum against defensive teams that just don't have the power to break through. Because of these traits, Reuniclus is a threat to all kinds of teams.
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 170 Atk / 115 Def / 120 SpA / 95 SpD / 92 Spe
Ability: Sand Force (Sand Veil / Rough Skin)
Garchomp has always been an offensively dominant pokemon, and its mega forme Mega Evolution just gives it more tools to destroy with. Reasonably high bulk, incredible Attack, enough Speed to outpace almost all defensive threats, and Special Attack that can break down physically defensive pokemon that once troubled Garchomp are the key advantages of this forme. Typically, (add comma) Mega Garchomp acts as a wallbreaker, using incredibly high powered powerful attacks, (remove comma) and mixed coverage to break down defensive threats. Now, with a high-powered Draco Meteor and Fire Blast, Garchomp can get past old foes Hippowdon, Skarmory, Landorus-T, and Gliscor without breaking a sweat. As well, 170 base Base 170 Attack serves Garchomp well letting it go to work on the physical side, dealing huge amounts of damage to all types of teams. To top this off Overall, with bulk no wall can hope to break through with raw attacks, and the potential of a Sand Force boost, Garchomp becomes quite a monster to deal with.
Type: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 89 HP / 125 Atk / 90 Def / 115 SpA / 80 SpD / 101 Spe
Ability: Sand Force / Sheer Force
Hailing for the Ubers tier during Black and White, Landorus's power lives up to this reputation. What makes it Landorus so threatening is that its ability Sheer Force boosts its fairly wide array of special attacks, (remove comma) and negates Life Orb recoil, (add comma) giving it what is essentially a free 1.69x boost and turning its base 115 Special Attack into something far greater with little drawback. Commonly seen as an all-out attacker or as a Calm Mind sweeper, (add comma) Landorus's fantastic raw damage output, solid Speed, and nice coverage options make it very threatening to both offensive and defensive teams. In addition to its special sets, Landorus also has physically offensive options to boast. One should handle Landorus with care, as switching a special sponge into this Pokemon directly is not always safe.
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 63 HP / 120 Atk / 85 Def / 90 SpA / 55 SpD / 55 Spe
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Shell Armor / Adaptability
Blessed with a high Attack stat and a brilliant ability in Adaptability, Crawdaunt has no trouble hitting as hard as possible. With powerful STAB moves in Crabhammer and Knock Off as well as priority in the form of Aqua Jet, Crawdaunt's Choice Band set is an incredibly powerful wallbreaker, and it even has Superpower as strong coverage. This isn't Crawdaunt's only option though; it has acces to Swords Dance to make it hit even harder, as well as Crunch for the Mega Pokemon that may otherwise wall it. As it is one of the best hole-punchers in the game, Crawdaunt is a definite threat; it is an offensive powerhouse that must be prepared for.
Type: Ice / Ground
Base Stats: 110 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 70 SpA / 60 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Oblivious / Snow Cloak / Thick Fat
Due to its Mamowsine can be a real threat with a its reasonably high Attack stat, decent Speed, and useful typing for the OU metagame, Mamoswine can be a real threat. Besides its high attack stat, Mamoswine It also has reasonably good bulk, allowing it to take hits on top of dishing them out. Thick Fat gives Mamoswine resistances to common Ice and Fire attacks, which is a huge advantage since those are pretty common. It can run different roles, from being a supporter with Stealth Rock, Sash + Endeavor, (add comma) to an all-out-attacker. Also, having a pretty decent Speed stat, it has no problems taking out the opponent if it is slower than Mamoswine. Access to Ice Shard and Icicle Crash makes Mamoswine a perfect Dragon slayer, (add comma) and, (remove comma) to complement its Ice-type STAB, Mamoswine's also has an offensively useful Ground typing. Every team should be prepared for Mamoswine as it can take a hit and it has great attacking stats.
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 104 HP / 91 Atk / 63 Def / 91 SpA / 73 SpD / 68 Spe
Ability: Soundproof / Scrappy
Generation 6 XY has gifted Exploud with access to Boomburst, a STAB move with a staggering 140 Base Power, with perfect accuracy, and no drawbacks and STAB on Exploud - All for no drawbacks. This alone makes Exploud inflict a great deal of damage on the to a majority of opponents, and when further bolstered by Choice Specs, Exploud it becomes truly terrifying, in spite of its mediocre base 91 Special Attack. Further complementing Exploud's access to Boomburst are its Scrappy ability, which allows Exploud to still hit would-be checks in the form of Ghost-type Pokemon (I removed the acute 'e' because it would be a giant chore to go and replace it everywhere else in this article), and a change in gameplay mechanics pertaining to sound-based moves, which means that Exploud can hit foes through their Substitutes, in addition to being able to hit Ghost type Pokémon. This Pokemon, Like many Normal-types, Exploud also has a vast movepool, and with gems such as Fire Blast and Focus Blast at its disposal, Exploud it can deal with Pokemon that who take little damage from Boomburst, such as Ferrothorn and Heatran. Overall, it is fair to say that Exploud has finally been able to set itself apart from its fellow Normal-types and carve itself a niche as a potential threat within the OU metagame. This Pokémon is worth preparing for, as it is a wallbreaker who that can utilise an almighty STAB move and great movepool, and will to do some serious damage if given the chance.
Type: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 91 HP / 134 Atk / 95 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Inner Focus / Multiscale
While its stats may best suit the role of an attacker, Dragonite can pull off a very potent defensive role as well. Its amazing defensive ability, Multiscale, is only compounded in greatness made even better by Dragonite's useful typing, which provides it resistances to Fire-, Ground-, Water-, Grass-, and Fighting-type attacks. Using Roost, Dragonite can heal itself back to full health, meaning that Multiscale can effectively be used multiple times throughout a game. Moreover, unlike other defensive Pokemon, Dragonite is by no means Taunt bait and has great offensive presence even when not fully invested. With Multiscale intact, one can expect bulky Dragonite to withstand not only special attacks, but physical attacks too. These attributes allow Dragonite to cover a wide range of threats in OU, such as Aegislash, Thundurus, and Landorus, and Keldeo very consistently.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 90 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 180 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Deoxys-S is fully capable of an offensive set utilizing its blazing Speed, powerful STAB Psycho Boost, and fantastic coverage options to act as a very dangerous attacker and revenge killer. It usually carries the aforementioned Psycho Boost alongside Ice Beam, Superpower, and Knock Off while holding a Life Orb. These moves give it super effective coverage against a myriad of common threats, while its unmatched Speed stat allows it to perform the role of a revenge killer without being burdened by the debilitating effect that comes with a Choice Scarf. All in all, Deoxys-S is a dangerous revenge killer that excels at its job and can easily catch unprepared teams off-guard.
Type: Ground / Steel
Base Stats: 110 HP / 135 Atk / 60 Def / 50 SpA / 65 SpD / 88 Spe
Ability: Sand Rush / Sand Force / Mold Breaker
Excadrill finds its place on many teams as the best user of Rapid Spin in the OU tier. Its STAB Mold Breaker Earthquake lets it obliterate Gengar and Aegislash, OU's two most common spinblockers. Excadrill can be very difficult to switch into because of its high Attack stat, pseudo EdgeQuake coverage, and Mold Breaker, which lets it beat would-be checks such as Rotom-W with ease. Thanks to said Mold Breaker among other qualities like decent Speed and high Attack, (add comma) Excadrill is one of the few Ground-types to act as a good Choice Scarf user as well. It can also set up Stealth Rock or attempt to sweep with Swords Dance in conjunction with its Sand Rush ability, which lets it reach astronomically high speeds in sandstorm. Overall, Excadrill is an fearsome threat in the OU tier because of its great attacking prowess and ability to remove entry hazards with incredible ease.
Type: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 95 HP / 135 Atk / 80 Def / 110 SpA / 80 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie
After peaking in DPP as a Pokemon so good it was banned to Ubers, Salamence has been getting more competition with each generation, but it remains a terrifying Pokemon to face. Great mixed attacking stats let it break through many defensive cores, and a solid Speed makes it effective in a variety of roles. Its Dragon Dance set can easily get a boost with smart play, and while its list of checks and counters has increased, once those are removed it is very likely to sweep successfully once those are removed. Some Fairy-types can now counter the legendary MixMence, but it is still a great wallbreaker, and a Choice Scarf set with Moxie still cleans with as much reliability as ever if one provides that extra bit of support that it needs. A great movepool and great attacking stats combine to make a Pokemon that has always thrived in the competitive environment.
Type: Flying
Base Stats: 70 HP / 100 Atk / 80 Def / 110 SpA / 90 SpD / 121 Spe
Ability: Regenerator
Once the king of rain offense, Tornadus-T has no doubt fallen from grace since the BW2 era. However, its amazing Speed stat, stellar offensive movepool, and base 110 Special Attack make it a difficult Pokemon to switch into safely, which renders Tornadus-T a fearsome offensive threat. By virtue of Hurricane's shaky accuracy, Tornadus-T is often paired with Politoed, which can provide useful Drizzle support. An otherwise inconvenient weakness to Stealth Rock is mitigated by Tornadus-T's ability, Regenerator, which is complemented by its access to U-turn. Regenerator's usefulness does not end there, as it lets Tornadus use a Life Orb with littler fewer regrets, (remove comma) or act as a potent pivot with the use of Assault Vest. This means that Tornadus-T will be able to constantly switch in and out through a battle and persistently be a hassle to deal with. U-turn also allows Tornadus-T to scout for potential switch-ins and adjust accordingly, making defensive counters to the Cyclone Genie less appropriate due to risks of being trapped or set up on.
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 110 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
With base 95 HP and 110 Defense, Slowbro doesn't get taken down easily by physical attacks, and thanks to its unusual Water/Psychic typing, Slowbro gains valuable resistances to Fire-type, Ice-type, and Fighting-type moves, all commonly utilized by physical attackers. Regenerator makes it a fantastic pivot, allowing it to gain 33% of its health by switching out, and gives another level of survivability to Slowbro greatly improves is longevity. Access to reliable recovery allows it to wall certain threats and slowly wear its opponents down with Scald or one of its many coverage attacks. In addition to Scald's burn chance, Thunder Wave gives Slowbro another way to cripple its opponent, and works working especially well on the special attackers that attempt to switch into it. Finally, Slowbro's usable base 80 Special Defense lets it run an effective Assault Vest set, making it into an even better pivot that can switch into and sponge hits from both special and physical attackers. All in all, Slowbro can be an extremely tough Pokemon to break for unprepared teams.
Type: Fairy
Base Stats: 95 HP / 70 Atk / 73 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Cute Charm / Unaware / Magic Guard
Although Clefable may seem underwhelming at first glance, its abilities Unaware and Magic Guard make it a a powerful defensive threat that cannot be ignored. With Unaware, Clefable becomes a very reliable counter to most boosting Pokemon. Clefable's pure Fairy typing gives it a host of useful resistances with which it can wall attackers, and against opponents unable to boost around it, Clefable's decent defensive stats can go a long way. On the other hand, Clefable's Magic Guard nullifies all residual damage, allowing Clefable to effortlessly wall Pokemon that rely on status and residual damage to defeat their opponents, particularly the Pokemon commonly found on defensive teams. Because of these two unique abilities, good typing, and its access to reliable recovery, Clefable can be a serious obstacle to both offensive and defensive teams.
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 130 Atk / 115 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Swarm / Technician / Light Metal
Having a near-perfect typing with only one weaknesses, beefy defenses, excellent Attack, and a very good movepool, (add comma) Scizor has a lot going for it. Bullet Punch is the main attraction with Scizor as it's simply one of the strongest priority moves in OU, solidifying Scizor as a very dangerous sweeper, (remove comma) and revenge killer. In its sweeper role Scizor uses its defensive attributes to Swords Dance, and with powerful coverage moves to hit defensive Pokemon, and as well as Bullet Punch to hit anything faster, Scizor excels. With a Choice Band, (add comma) Bullet Punch, U-turn, and Pursuit give Scizor the utility of a revenge killer, trapper, and pivot all in one, while potentially Knock Off and Superpower make it hard to wall. Scizor also acts a good offensive supporter with access to Defog, (remove comma) and Roost. Few, if any Pokemon can match Scizor's offensive, defensive, and support presence all in one.
Type: Water
Base Stats: 79 HP / 103 Atk / 120 Def / 135 SpA / 115 SpD / 78 Spe
Ability: Mega Launcher
Having good bulk, both physically and specially, a superb base 135 Special Attack, and above average defensive typing, (add comma) Mega Blastoise can take hits and dish them back as well as, even if it does lack recovery. With 135 SpA, and above average offensive typing Mega-Blastoise can also dish them out. But what gives Mega Blastoise a good place solid niche in the metagame is its access to Rapid Spin, which Blastoise it is very effective at considering its abilities. Not only do its stats and typing lend itself to being an effective spinner but Mega Launcher-boosted Dark Pulse can 2HKO any Ghost as well, meaning that spinblocking Blastoise is futile. Though not amazing, Mega Blastoise fills a clear offensive and supporting niche which it does well.
Type: Water / Flying
Base Stats: 95 HP / 125 Atk / 79 Def / 60 SpA / 100 SpD / 81 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie
While by appearance alone one might assume that a Pokémon like Gyarados would be primarily used as an offensive Pokémon, take a look at its stats—95/79/100 bulk is certainly solid, combined with Water / Flying typing which offers Gyarados a decent set of resistances, (remove comma) and few weaknesses. Access to Intimidate means that Gyarados is able to deal with otherwise dangerous physical attackers. Gyarados also has some interesting defensive tools in the forms of Rest, Sleep Talk, Thunder Wave, Roar, Dragon Tail, (add comma) and Taunt, all of which Gyarados can run successfully given its ability, typing, (add comma) and stat spread. Gyarados makes for an effective user of the RestTalk strategy for these reasons: (colon) it has the bulk to withstand attacks and heal the damage with Rest, in addition to nullifying any statuses it may have had inflicted on it, and while asleep can use Sleep Talk to try and attack or phaze its foe. Gyarados' attack is a high base 125, and this means that even uninvested, it can still do decent damage with Waterfall Gyarados's high base 125 Attack allows it to do decent damage with Waterfall even when uninvested. Also of great note is Gyarados's ability to pull off a bulky Dragon Dance set, allowing it to stick around and accumulate boosts in order to eventually attempt to sweep.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 55 HP / 50 Atk / 45 Def / 135 SpA / 95 SpD / 120 Spe
Ability: Synchronize / Inner Focus / Magic Guard
Alakazam's glorious mustache isn't the only thing that gives it a good reputation in the OU metagame. The ability, Magic Guard, (remove comma) makes it immune to all forms of residual damage, which means that the only way to defeat Alakazam is through direct damage. Combine this with its blazing Speed and high Special Attack stat, and it's no surprise why Alakazam is often regarded as one of the most successful failsafes in the metagame. When equipped with a Focus Sash it ensures that Alakazam has to be hit a minimum of two times before going down, allowing it to get at least one hit on its target, or two if it's running Thunder Wave. This makes Alakazam a stop to nearly any sweeper that poses to plow through a team, even if it has to sacrifice itself in doing so.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 55 HP / 50 Atk / 65 Def / 175 SpA / 95 SpD / 150 Spe
Ability: Trace (Synchronize / Inner Focus / Magic Guard)
If Alakazam wasn't powerful or fast enough for you, then its bearded Mega Evolution should whet your appetite for sure. In fact, its ridiculously high Speed is topped only by Deoxys-S, the fastest Pokemon in the game. This means that Mega Alakazam basically outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame with ease, allowing it to revenge kill even more Pokemon than its former self. In addition, its jaw-dropping Special Attack and fantastic coverage makes it incredibly difficult to switch into, and only a very select few defensive Pokemon can claim to wall it successfully. However, one of Mega Alakazam's most unique offensive traits comes from its ability, Trace. With this ability, Mega Alakazam is able to copy other Pokemon's abilities such as Swift Swim, Protean, Flash Fire, and Sheer Force to use for its own benefit, which makes it that much more threatening and unpredictable. Although it might not seem too significant, Mega Alakazam's slightly iincreased bulk defensive increase allows helps it to take certain priority moves better than Alakazam itself, which can be pretty significant under some circumstances. In conclusion, Mega Alakazam is a real offensive threat in the OU metagame, and it can easily run through most unprepared teams.
Type: Water
Base stats: 90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Damp / Drizzle
Once a force around which an entire metagame revolved, the changes of new XY mechanics have indeed made Politoed fall from popularity; however, (add comma) that doesn't mean, (remove comma) it's not still threatening. Although Drizzle is no longer permanent, eight turns of rain with a Damp Rock are more than enough for a myriad of offensive Pokemon to take advantage. Swift Swim offense (now legal with Drizzle) is still a potent strategy, for which not as many teams prepare, and Drizzle makes many already threatening Pokemon as Thundurus and Azumarill even more hard-hitting and difficult to handle. As a bonus, it Politoed can easily beat the three common weather inducers in OU, Tyranitar, Hippowdon and Mega Charizard Y. Though its other attributes than Drizzle seem underwhelming, defensive Politoed can do indeed work, with rain-boosted Scald for burn support and Encore to ease setup for sweepers. Overall, Politoed—and the playstyle, to which it brings life—still has potential to be incredibly dangerous and powerful.
Type: Ghost / Fire
Base stats: 60 HP / 55 Atk / 90 Def / 145 SpA / 90 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body / Infiltrator
With a monstrous base 145 Special Attack, Chandelure's damage potential is impressive. Its Ghost STAB is now easier to spam than ever, and a Choice Specs Fire Blast is something that not many things would want to switch into, especially not with a Flash Fire boost. With Choice Scarf it can be also very good revenge killer, fixing its biggest downfall in Speed as it does. Though Shadow Tag is sadly no longer a possibility, it has received in exchange Infiltrator, making it so that not even Substitute can protect against its nuclear assault. It can even enjoy its beloved sun support with the help of Mega Charizard Y, potentially making it even more lethal. Overall, Chandelure's presence on the field is instantly threatening and commanding of respect.
Type: Grass / Fighting
Base Stats: 88 HP / 107 Atk / 122 Def / 74 SpA / 75 SpD / 64 Spe
Ability: Overgrow / Bulletproof
Chesnaught has a unique combination of qualities that make it into a great and resilient physical tank. With base 88 HP and 122 Defense, Chesnaught can easily take many physical attacks, and its good defensive typing gives it a resistance to EdgeQuake, a move combination commonly found on many physical attackers, and also gives it as well as a valuable Dark-type resistance. Thanks to its bulk and ease of switching in, Chesnaught lends itself naturally to be a great user of Leech Seed user, replenishing both its own and its teammates' health. In tandem with Spiky Shield, Chesnaught can stall for Leech Seed recovery while making physically attackers lose 25% of their HP in a single turn, making it great at wearing down its counters. Finally, Chesnaught's ability Bulletproof makes it immune to many commonly seen attacks, making it great switch-in to Pokemon reliant on moves such as Shadow Ball or Aura Sphere.
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 58 HP / 50 Atk / 145 Def / 95 SpA / 105 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Mummy
Thanks to Cofagrigus's its massive base 145 Defense stat and decent mono-Ghost typing, Cofagrigus can easily set up on a number of a physical attacker. What it sets up is rather unique and potentially powerful: Trick Room. Cofagrigus is indeed one of the best supporters to the obscure, but deadly Trick Room playstyle. Access to Nasty Plot not only makes it a great supporter but also a potentially dangerous sweeper in its own Trick Room. Eccentric as it may be Trick Room, (add comma) and its users should be taken seriously, and Cofagrigus is no exception.
Type: Grass / Fighting
Base Stats: 60 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Effect Spore / Poison Heal / Technician
Breloom's persistence as a threat despite the presence of numerous hard counters is hard to overstate. Despite garbage stats outside Attack, (add comma) Breloom thrives in OU by virtue of excellent abilities, (remove comma) and some choice moves. Breloom's ace in the hole is Spore, putting quite a number of switch-ins out of commission. Wielding the strongest Mach Punch patches up Breloom's bad Speed pretty nicely, (remove comma) and lets it act as a decent revenge killer. Other Technician staples are Bullet Seed, (add comma) which has the potential for incredible power that even resistances to the move should watch out for, and Rock Tomb, (add comma) which forms solid coverage for Breloom all the while reducing speed and reduces the Speed of switch-ins, making switching in all the more challenging. Beyond the Technician sets it has access to Poison Heal, Leech Seed, and Drain Punch, (add comma) which incur provide insane amounts of passive healing, (remove comma) and can sometimes be seen all on one set, (add comma) making Breloom damn hard to kill.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 70 HP / 55 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpA / 110 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Frisk / Competitive / Shadow Tag
Blessed with the rare Shadow Tag ability, Gothitelle stands out as one of the best trappers in the game. Gothitelle It has an extensive special movepool which allows it to tailor it that can be tailored specifically for threats that it wants to trap. When equipped with a Choice Specs, Gothitelle is very proficient at eliminating defensive cores; it just needs to run the correct coverage move. It can use Psychic for Mega Venusaur, Thunderbolt for Skarmory, Hidden Power Ground for Heatran, and Grass Knot for Hippowdon; its options are plentiful. It can also use a Choice Scarf set effectively to trap offensive threats, such as Keldeo, Scizor, and Gyarados. It is arguably the most versatile trapper, both in the Pokemon it can trap, (remove comma) and the moves it can run to defeat them. It has a wealth of other options available ranging from specific Hidden Powers for certain foes, (remove comma) to Trick to cripple nearly all defensive Pokemon. Because of its versatility and its ability to remove threats easily, Gothitelle can fit into most teams very well, (remove comma) and is almost always able to do its intended job, making it a difficult opponent to face and a significant foe to watch out for.
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 255 HP / 10 Atk / 10 Def / 75 SpA / 135 SpD / 55 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
The elder of the pink blobs is a nightmare for nearly any special attacker to face, as its gargantuan base 255 HP stat and superb 135 Special Defense make it nearly untouchable from the special side for the most part. Access to reliable recovery lets Blissey become arguably one of the toughest special walls to break, as it is nearly impossible to wear down slowly over the course of a battle. Natural Cure ensures that Toxic doesn't hamper Blissey either, and Blissey's great status-absorbing ability can be a major pain for Pokemon reliant on the effects of status. Finally, Blissey makes good use of Toxic and Seismic Toss to ensure that almost no boosting special attacker can get past it, with very few exceptions.
Type: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 114 HP / 85 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Ability: Effect Spore / Regenerator
Amoonguss puts its nice base 114 HP stat to use with its ability, Regenerator, which restores 33% of its HP every time it switches out. With a usable base 70 Defense and 80 Special Defense, Amoonguss can utilize this useful form of healing to become not only a decent pivot but also a solid counter to any Pokemon it walls, since Amoonguss's its opponent will have a very hard time taking it down. Amoonguss's switch-ins must be wary, as Spore can easily put them out of commission for a significant amount of time, and Amoonguss's Poison-type STAB deters most Grass-types from switching in to absorb a Spore. Amoonguss must be played around with care, as the above qualities give it a high level of mobility for a defensive Pokemon.
Type: Ice / Dragon
Stats: 125 HP / 130 Atk / 90 Def / 130 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Although overshadowed by Kyurem-B, Kyurem's access to Pressure and Roost lets it act as a good offensive Pressure staller. Impressive offenses, (remove comma) and defenses, useful resistances. and solid Speed mean that setting up a Substitute is no challenge for Kyurem, and from behind it, (add comma) it can easily stall out moves that tend to target Kyurem it, such as Stone Edge, Close Combat, and Gyro Ball. After stalling these moves out, (remove comma) Kyurem can use its aforementioned offenses and good STAB and coverage options to hit back pretty hard.
Type: Water
Stats: 90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Water Absorb / Damp / Drizzle
Thanks to the Drizzle ability, Politoed's STAB Water attacks like Hydro Pump and Surf do not only do 1.5x the normal amount of damage, but rather 2.25x pack an extra punch, and this alone makes Politoed's base 90 Special Attack much more powerful than it appears. On top of this, (add comma) Politoed has access to Ice Beam, Focus Blast, (add comma) and Psychic, (add comma) which altogether make short work of most of OU's Water resistances. Politoed's defenses and Speed are not amazing, but they aren't bad at all, too. With a pair of Choice Specs Politoed is very powerful, and can provide some support to its team with Drizzle. With a Damp Rock Politoed may not be as strong but it provides a hell of a lot of support fostering the offensive rain playstyle by itself, powering up ludicrously threatening swift swimmers. While Damp Rock is preferred for prolonging the duration of rain so that Swift Swim sweepers can wreak havoc, Politoed can also run Choice Specs to pose more of an immediate threat. All in all, Politoed's offensive supporting abilities are unique, (remove comma) and very dangerous.
Type: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 111 HP / 83 Atk / 68 Def / 92 SpA / 82 SpD / 39 Spe
Ability: Sticky Hold / Storm Drain / Sand Force
Although Gastrodon's nice base 111 HP and usable defenses make it decently bulky, its more the fact that it gets a complete immunity to Water-type attacks through Storm Drain that is what makes it such a threat. Gastrodon's great Water/Ground typing gives it an immunity to Electric-type moves, letting it wall Rotom-W in any situation, and gives it as well as four great resistances at the cost of only one relatively uncommon weakness. Recover prevents it from getting worn down from Rotom-W's burn as well as allowing it by status (such as Rotom-W's burn) and also allows to wall anything that cannot 2HKO it, which works perfectly in tandem with Toxic or Scald burns. Make sure you have a way to deal with Gastrodon, as it can be a major annoyance with its resilience and ease of switching in.
Type: Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 230 Def / 60 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Filter (Sturdy / Rock Head / Heavy Metal)
Simply put, Mega Aggron is like a walking sponge of all physical attacks, thanks to its unrivaled base 230 Defense stat and great defensive Steel typing. Mega Aggron's ability Filter saves it from being easily brought down by common Fire-, Ground-, and Fighting-type attacks, a huge problem for other defensive Steel-types. Mega Aggron is bulky enough to use Rest, as the vast majority of physical attackers can't even take it out in two turns. Used alongside Sleep Talk and Curse, Mega Aggron becomes one of the most dangerous boosting tanks in the metagame, particularly when relevant special attackers have been removed. Overall, these qualities make Mega Aggron a threat that must be played around carefully, as its sheer defensive prowess lets it walk all over an unprepared opponent.
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 60 HP / 75 Atk / 85 Def / 100 SpA / 85 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Illuminate / Natural Cure / Analytic
Boasting a blistering base 115 Speed stat and access to a plethora of special coverage moves, Starmie at first seems to be a powerful sweeper, but it manages to stand out from the rest by virtue of its ability to use Rapid Spin. With Rapid Spin, Starmie is able to fulfill both the role of both a sweeper and a spinner, and this is further complemented by the ability Analytic, which means that foes switching in will take more damage than usual; this lets it beat most spinblockers easily. It is commonly seen utilizing a Life Orb and various special attacks, such as Psychic, Hydro Pump, Thunderbolt, or and Ice Beam. Both Powerful and versatile, Starmie is standout at its job, and it is both relevant and effective in the metagame.
Type: Flying
Base Stats: 79 HP / 115 Atk / 70 Def / 125 SpA / 80 SpD / 111 Spe
Ability: Prankster / Defiant
One of the three Incarnate genies, Tornadus's has a great base 125 Special Attack and high base 115 Attack allow it to function as a good mixed attacker. Its Speed is also very good, allowing Tornadus to narrowly outpace base 110 Speed Pokemon like Latios, Latias, and Gengar. Its movepool is equally as good, (add comma) having access to with options such as the powerful Hurricane, a Fighting-type move to break resistances to said Hurricane, and Knock Off to harass Chansey. Though generally outclassed by its Therian forme as an attacker, (add comma) its Prankster ability lets it act as a pretty good supporting attacker, letting it very reliably set up Rain Dance for offensive rain-based teams, (remove comma) or and Tailwind for weatherless ones while having a pretty great offensive presence in itself.
Type: Dragon / Psychic
Base Stats: 80 HP / 90 Def / 110 SpA / 130 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Latias may seem outclassed by Latios at posing an offensive threat in OU, but Latias it has several qualities that set it apart from the latter. For one, Latias's superior bulk allows it to switch in with greater ease. Latias It can run a Defog Life Orb set akin to that of Latios, but this sets itself apart with its access to Healing Wish to that uses Healing Wish to differentiate itself, and support the team very usefully. Besides the aforementioned qualities, Latias is able to make good use of its access to Roost/Recover, being able to reliably restore health when the need arises. It is fair to say that Latias's offensive presence in OU is not to be underestimated, despite competition it may receive from Latios. This Pokemon can hurt many teams if one is unprepared to face it.
Type: Steel / Ghost
Base Stats: 60 HP / 50 Atk / 150 Def / 50 SpA / 150 SpD / 60 Spe (Shield Forme); 60 HP / 150 Atk / 50 Def / 150 SpA / 50 SpD / 60 Spe (Blade Forme)
Ability: Stance Change
In both the aesthetic and functional senses, Aegislash is one of the most unique Pokemon to have made an appearance in OU. Aegislash's ability, Stance Chance, allows it to change its forme from a slow, sturdy wall that can tank hits from all sorts of threats to a frighteningly powerful wall-crumbler that can severely cripple or KO most Pokemon in OU. King's Shield, which also has the nasty effect of lowering the opponent's Attack stat by two stages if they use a contact move against it, allows Aegislash to change back to its Shield forme, which, in the hands of a skilled player, effectively gives it a Base Stat Total of 720. This combination of traits, alongside its STAB moves, Pursuit, and Sacred Sword, allows it to become a tank that can take quite a few hits and deal copious amounts of damage right back. Access to Swords Dance and also allows Aegislash to step outside of its normal tank / wallbreaker roles and attempt a sweep.
Type: Water
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Hydration
Despite its cute and seemingly harmless exterior, Manaphy just so happens to be a very dangerous sweeper in the OU metagame. With access to one of the best boosting moves in the form of Tail Glow, (add comma) which increases its Special Attack by a whopping 3 stages, Manaphy is able to deal huge amounts of damage with just one turn of setup. It also has access to useful coverage moves such as Energy Ball, Psychic, and Ice Beam to hit most of the offensive and defensive threats that reside in the tier. Although its Hydration ability lost a lot of its usefulness due to the nerf to weather, Manaphy can still function very well on dedicated rain teams, as it will no longer have to worry about being crippled by status, and it can even use Rest as a reliable healing option. Manaphy has very balanced stats all across the board; its Speed stat puts it above a majority of defensive Pokemon and quite a few offensive threats, while its above average bulk lets it set up on weaker attacks with ease. Its lone pure Water typing gives it only two weaknesses, which makes it a lot harder to revenge kill.
Type: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 155 Atk / 120 Def / 65 SpA / 90 SpD / 105 Spe
Ability: Aerilate (Hyper Cutter / Mold Breaker / Moxie)
With the vast amount of powerful Mega Pokemon that thrive in OU, Mega Pinsir stands out as one of the best. Its fantastic Aerilate ability makes all of its Normal-type moves Flying-type, with an added 1.33x damage boost, allowing it to not only use Return as a powerful and accurate Flying-type STAB move, but also useful priority in the form of Quick Attack. Swords Dance boosts Mega Pinsir's already high Attack stat to absurd levels, and combined with its relatively high Speed stat and priority, it should come to as no surprise how easily this thing Mega Pinsir can slice through unprepared teams once it sets up. Its decent physical bulk lets it set up on resisted attacks if it has to, as its typing gives it useful resistances to Fighting-, Bug-, and Grass-types, including an immunity to Ground-type moves. With Earthquake, Mega Pinsir is able to bypass through some of the Steel- and Rock-types that resist its Flying-type moves, which keeps it from being walled so easily. Overall, Mega Pinsir is a top-tier threat in the OU metagame, and without proper preparations, it will most surely tear any team apart.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 60 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 130 SpA / 95 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Synchronize / Magic Bounce
Espeon's ability Magic Bounce dramatically defines its role as a support Pokemon, as it ensures Espeon must almost always be beat through brute force as opposed to status or the use of Taunt. This makes its support sets quite effective, particularly in conjunction with Espeon's high Speed that lets it utilize moves such as Reflect, Light Screen, and Baton Pass before the opponent can get a strong hit on it. Furthermore, Magic Bounce's ability to reflect entry hazards as well as harmful status moves can go a long way in preventing Espeon's team from being weakened or crippled. Overall, Espeon is a support threat that can be hard to stop from doing its job.
Type: Fire / Steel
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body (unreleased)
Sporting a fantastic Special Attack stat and a great movepool, Heatran makes for a threatening offensive Pokemon in OU. Its most common offensive set is an all-out attacker set that utilizes its powerful STAB Fire Blast, great typing, good coverage moves, and access to Stealth Rock to be a useful member of offensive teams. Alternatively, Heatran is a good user of Choice items. With Choice Specs, Heatran's Fire Blast is very powerful and can be very difficult to switch into. This makes it a very effective wallbreaker. It can also utilize a Choice Scarf set as a solid revenge killer, again utilizing its good power, coverage, and Fire-type STAB to be effective at its role. All in all, Heatran is a fairly versatile Pokemon that can be a good fit on nearly any offensive team.
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 130 Atk / 95 Def / 80 SpA/ 85 SpD / 102 Spe
Ability: Sand Veil / Rough Skin
Garchomp was one of the most feared offensive Pokemon from previous generations, but it returns with no new toys under its belt. However, it still has everything it needs to be a threat. Its Ground and Dragon / Ground STAB is almost unresisted, (remove comma) and it also has strong coverage options to hit those that do resist. Moves like Swords Dance and Stealth Rock make it a diverse and versatile offensive threat that can fit on to a lot of teams. Being a pseudo-legendary, it's blessed with exceptional stats that lets it do almost anything from sweeping with a Swords Dance to soaking up neutral hits for the team. Overall, Garchomp is a well-rounded and unpredictable Pokemon, so make sure your teams can deal with this popular threat.
Type: Electric / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 70 Atk / 115 Def / 130 SpA / 90 SpD / 60 Spe
Ability: Magnet Pull / Sturdy / Analytic
Magnezone brings to the competitive scene a superior superb base 130 Special Attack, enough to seriously dent everything but the bulkiest walls or resistances. Although Its good STABs coupled with its sheer attacking prowess can make it a hard Pokemon to switch into, (remove comma) for some opponents, it's much harder to switch out. Thanks to Magnezone's amazing ability Magnet Pull, all Steel-types (apart from Aegislash) are trapped and cannot switch and Magnet Pull ensures that all Steel-types bar Aegislash are trapped, allowing Magnezone to reliably dispatch most of them with one of its moves and open up a sweep for a teammate. Considering Magnezone's ability to take one of the most useful types in the game and turn it into a huge liability for the opponent, Magnezone it must be evaluated as a severely game-changing opponent.
Type: Electric / Water
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Although it is typically seen sporting a defensive set, it cannot be denied that one of Rotom-W's selling points is the awesome coverage it gets from its STABs alone. With a respectable base 105 Special Attack, Rotom-W can do significant damage to a number of opponents with the appropriate move. Thanks to its access to STAB Volt Switch, Rotom-W can not only afford to run items such as Choice Scarf, but also grab momentum on a whim, as most Ground-types fear Rotom-W's STAB Hydro Pump too much to switch in. Overall, Rotom-W's offensive qualities and flexibility allow it to be an effective offensive presence that cannot be underestimated.
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 35 HP / 80 Atk / 50 Def / 50 SpA / 70 SpD / 120 Spe
Ability: Sand Veil / Arena Trap / Sand Force
Although its tiny stats may deter you from believing it is a threat, Dugtrio truly holds its ground in the OverUsed metagame thanks to its stellar ability: Arena Trap. With Arena Trap, Dugtrio becomes a massive nuisance as well as an able revenge killer and trapper. Not only can Dugtrio pick off weakened opponents, but it can quickly dismantle important team members such as Tyranitar and Heatran to open the way for a sweeper. Its decently powerful STAB Earthquake is complemented by Stone Edge and Reversal, which allow Dugtrio to tackle a range of threats. The Mole Pokemon is also oftentimes seen on weather-based teams based on weather, allowing said teams to ensure a victory in the weather war. All in all, Dugtrio's offensive qualities allow it to be a deadly trapper and should never be disregarded in battle.
Type: Psychic / Fairy
Base Stats: 68 HP / 85 Atk / 65 Def / 165 SpA / 135 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Pixilate
Having an excellent offensive typing, stats, (add comma) and ability, (add comma) Mega Gardevoir becomes a real threat as long as it lives. Pixilate makes Normal moves transform into the Fairy-type and makes it 1.3x the normal power and also gives them a 1.3x boost, and this works well with Mega Gardevoir's access to Hyper Voice. Mega-Gardevoir has access to a lot of powerful normal moves, just like Hyper Voice. It also has access to powerful STAB moves like Psychic and Psyshock, which in combination with a Add to the mix powerful STAB options such as Psychock and Psychic and a superb 165 Special Attack, and it's easy to understand why Mega Gardevoir really does a lot, even to Pokemon that who resist those attacks. A nice base 100 Speed makes Mega Gardevoir decently fast and able to quickly KO a lot of Pokémon. Being immune to a very common type also comes in handy a lot; Dragons are literally useless against Mega Gardevoir. It also has a nice base 135 Special Defense, letting it check nearly any special attacker. Finally, access to useful moves such as Taunt and Calm Mind make Mega Gardevoir a very strong wallbreaker.
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 90 Def / 95 SpA / 90 SpD / 180 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Deoxys-S is among the premier support threats of the XY OU metagame. Boasting the highest Speed stat in the game and a marvelous support movepool, it's not hard to see why. Between Stealth Rock, Spikes, Light Screen, and Reflect, Deoxys-S can perform a multitude of supportive roles. Throw in Taunt and Magic Coat to shut down other leads and prevent setup, and you've got one fantastic lead. Deoxys-S is often praised for its ability to guarantee Stealth Rock and at least one layer of Spikes up at the beginning of nearly every match. It can also set up dual screens just as effectively as it can with hazards, as it has enough bulk and Speed to be able to set both Light Screen and Reflect up in the majority of games. Overall, as one of the tier's greatest assets to hyper offense, Deoxys-S is certainly a staple of the XY OU metagame
Type: Dragon
Base Stats: 90 HP / 100 Atk / 70 Def / 110 SpA / 150 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Sap Sipper / Hydration / Gooey
Although pure Dragon-types are a rare sight, Goodra can easily utilize its unusual typing's best qualities, easily sponging powerful Fire-, Grass-, Water-, and Electric-type attacks. In addition, Goodra's excellent base 150 Special Defense coupled with its good base 90 HP means that no stray Ice Beam or Hidden Power Ice will easily take it down, a feat that most other Dragon-types have yet to match. With three great abilities, foes have to be wary in how they choose to fell Goodra. Sap Sipper protects Goodra from most sleep-inducing moves and prevents Leech Seed from wearing it down, whereas Hydration lets Goodra fully replenish itself in a single turn with Rest and prevents Goodra it from succumbing to status. Finally, Gooey lowers the Speed of attackers using contact moves, punishing the physical attackers that may try to hit it on its weaker Defense stat.
Type: Normal / Ground
Stats: 85 HP / 56 Atk / 77 Def / 50 SpA / 77 SpD / 78 Spe
Ability: Pickup / Cheek Pouch / Huge Power
While its poor stats and adorable exterior may fool you into thinking Diggersby is just another competitively unviable early-game rodent, it is actually one of the hardest-hitting Pokemon allowed in OU, thanks to its ability, Huge Power. With Huge Power, its two main STAB moves, Return and Earthquake, are almost guaranted to OHKO or 2HKO anything that doesn't resist them, and even some things that do. It can sky-rocket its Attack to monstrous levels after one use of Swords Dance, which is the focal point of Diggersby's best set. It uses its STAB moves as well as Quick Attack to lay waste to opposing teams after a single turn of setup; Quick Attack after a Swords Dance is likely to OHKO some faster offensive Pokemon. Wild Charge allows Diggersby to 2HKO Skarmory after Swords Dance, as well as demolish Gengar. Diggersby is by no means a one-trick pony, for it can also effectively utilize a Choice Scarf set, which can each to obtain momentum with the use of U-turn and revenge kill rather reliably.
Type: Dark / Fire
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 90 Def / 140 SpA / 90 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Solar Power
Mega Houndoom's great Speed and Special Attack, the latter getting boosted even further in sun, are not something to be trifled with. Sun support from Ninetales or a Sunny Day user is not hard to provide; in fact, Mega Houndoom can set it up itself. In the sun, Fire Blast becomes incredibly strong, Dark Pulse also gets powered up, and Solar Beam loses its charge turn. If you choose to use Mega Houndoom without sun, it gets Nasty Plot to shoot its Special Attack through the roof, (remove comma) and has nifty support options such as Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, and Destiny Bond. Since one of Houndoom's base abilities is Flash Fire, it has an easier time switching in, and if you it can get a Flash Fire boost and a Solar Power/Nasty Plot boost, Fire Blast reaches unimaginable power levels. Though Mega Houndoom is by no means perfect, it is still quite strong when used well.
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