Navigating the Battlefield: Entry Hazards in National Dex Ubers

By bumboclaat. Released:2024/09/11.
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Navigating the Battlefield: Entry Hazards in National Dex Ubers Art

Art by Pissog.

Hazards in NDUbers

Pokémon Gold and Silver were revolutionary games that introduced some mind-blowing features. My schoolyard oggled over the day/night system, discussing the new Pokémon and proclaiming with false bravado how to obtain Celebi. The introduction of entry hazards via Spikes was never brought up, if it was even noticed. A quarter of a century later, when getting people to agree on much of anything is tantamount to splitting the atom, the power and importance of entry hazards is universally recognized amongst competitive Pokémon players. Entry hazards are often a metagame in and of itself, and National Dex Ubers is no different!

The metagame surrounding entry hazards contains a colorful cast of Pokémon. Some are splashable tier staples, such as Ho-Oh and Eternatus, while others such as Giratina and Smeargle are limited to specific archetypes. The ease of both setting and removing entry hazards—the latter a rarity in Generation 9—creates a dynamic metagame within the metagame. So let's dive in and look at the major and some of the minor Pokémon and how they attempt to win the entry hazard war!

Dedicated Leads​

When many players make their first foray into National Dex Ubers, they often gravitate towards hyper offense. The allure is obvious, as most offensively-inclined Pokémon possess absurdly high stats, high-powered moves, and the ability to further boost to obscene levels. However, simply scouring the teambuilder for six beatsticks is seldom a recipe for success, despite the dopamine it yields.

Good hyper offense teams employ a designated lead to deploy the entry hazard(s) of choice and a bevy of synergistic Pokémon that exploit these hazards and are capable of sufficiently pressuring Defoggers to either maintain them or punish their removal. Fortunately for hyper offense enthusiasts, the traditional archetypes are not only viable but metagame-defining rather than being relegated to gimmick status. Some Pokémon, such as Chi-Yu, require Sticky Web support, while others—such as Ultra Necrozma—can fit on any archetype. The first order of business when making a hyper offense team is to decide which style to use; fortunately, builders are blessed with a plethora of options!

Click the Pokémon to read their descriptions!

Sample Set

Shuckle is the preferred Sticky Web setter for those looking for consistency, especially against bulky offense and balance teams. As Sturdy provides a built-in Focus Sash, Shuckle opts to equip a Mental Herb to enable it to set Sticky Web in front of common Taunt users such as Yveltal and utility Arceus formes. Encore deters Pokémon such as Giratina-O and Ho-Oh from attempting to Defog, while Final Gambit provides free entry for a teammate and some chip damage.

Unfortunately, Shuckle often struggles against opposing hyper offense teams, as other dedicated leads have the ability to either prevent or otherwise remove Shuckle's Sticky Web. Mega Diancie wholly prevents them from being set with Magic Bounce. Although Shuckle can Terastallize into a Steel-type to prevent Smeargle and Glimmora from removing Sticky Web with Mortal Spin, this is often a huge waste; teammates such as Arceus may need access to Terastallization to sweep, and Smeargle may run Rapid Spin instead. Deoxys-S usually runs Taunt and Magic Coat, which results in some mindgames in which Shuckle is very likely to lose.

Sample Team

Shuckle Arceus-Ground Zekrom Necrozma-Dusk-Mane Primal Kyogre Rayquaza

Zekrom Webs by Sami

Sample Set

Smeargle's variance is nearly as vast as its movepool. Despite being an inconsistent Sticky Web setter due to the prevelance of Taunt users—all of whom outspeed it—Smeargle is nothing short of a nuisance for the couple of turns it is alive. Smeargle's last two moveslots often seem curated to cause maximum annoyance to the team you've happened to load, making the decision of how to handle it a risky endeavor. Even if Smeargle fails to set Sticky Web, it is likely to leave its mark on the battle before fainting, whether it is via a status condition or via setting Stealth Rock or Spikes.

Smeargle does not suffer from the same degree of futility into opposing hyper offense leads as Shuckle due to Stone Axe, Ceaseless Edge, and Nuzzle not being blocked by Taunt. If you want a more reliable Sticky Web setter, Shuckle is undoubtedly the choice, but Smeargle offers an incredibly high ceiling if it runs into the right matchup for the moves it is carrying while being able to punish Pokémon that can deny it from setting up Sticky Web.

Sample Team

Smeargle Arceus Necrozma-Ultra Chi-Yu Marshadow Yveltal

Smeargle Webs by offonoff

Sample Set

Nothing of note has changed for Deoxys-S over the generations. In National Dex Ubers, it holds the crown as the best dedicated lead despite seeing a small drop in viability recently due to increased competition with Glimmora. Taunt prevents other dedicated leads from attempting to match entry hazards, while Magic Coat dissuades them from attempting to set entry hazards entirely. The fourth moveslot is quite flexible and can be tailored to better handle certain matchups at the cost of consistency. For example, Deoxys-S can use Psycho Boost to bypass Glimmora's Toxic Debris and Skill Swap to bypass Mega Diancie's Magic Bounce and set entry hazards unencumbered. However, this notably comes at the cost of overall consistency.

Due to Deoxys-S's absurd Speed tier, it is able to heavily invest in bulk to enable it to survive an extra attack and set an additional entry hazard. For example, the second EV spread's bulk investment turns Ho-Oh's Sacred Fire into a 3HKO. Ultimately, Deoxys-S is an incredibly flexible Pokémon that dictates what can and cannot answer it.

Sample Team

Deoxys-Speed Eternatus Zacian-Crowned Yveltal Necrozma-Ultra Arceus

Deoxys-S HO by adem

Sample Set

Magic Bounce makes Mega Diancie a near perfect lead into opposing hyper offense teams. Although other dedicated leads such as Smeargle and Deoxys-S can use Skill Swap to set entry hazards against Mega Diancie, this is rare given it compromises their consistency into the rest of the metagame, which is seldom a worthwhile tradeoff. The only dedicated lead that Mega Diancie has some trouble with is Glimmora due to Mud Shot's Speed drop. However, this goes both ways; if Mega Diancie does not Mega Evolve, it can break Glimmora's Focus Sash and then Mega Evolve to outspeed and OHKO it the following turn with Earth Power, preventing entry hazards entirely.

Although Mega Diancie's frailty means it is not difficult to knock out, its combination of power, coverage, and Speed also causes balance and bulky offense teams to make difficult decisions on how to handle it. For example, Primal Groudon easily does so, but the damage from Earth Power means it will not be healthy enough to check Pokémon such as Zacian-C. Usually this duty is assigned to Arceus formes, but speedy Arceus-Ground and Arceus-Water—the only formes capable of preventing Mega Diancie from setting entry hazards—are rare. Consequently, Mega Diancie is an excellent choice for hazard-stacking hyper offense teams that have a free Mega slot.

Sample Team

Mega Diancie Rayquaza Groudon-Primal Necrozma-Ultra Arceus-Ground Zacian-Crowned

Mega Diancie HO by Planet

Sample Set

Glimmora is a Pokémon seemingly designed to be the perfect dedicated lead. This makes it more surprising that it was largely cast aside as a niche, off-beat pick to have some fun with on the ladder until relatively recently. After a visit to the optometrist, the National Dex Ubers playerbase has fully embraced Glimmora as not only viable but a Pokémon that threatens Deoxys-S's generations-long strangehold on the lead slot. Perhaps the greatest validation of Glimmora's legitimacy is the shift from Tera Ghost amongst dedicated leads to Tera Steel.

Glimmora operates in an identical manner to other tiers. Glimmora's powerful Power Gem means that Defoggers such as Ho-Oh and Yveltal have to find an opportunity later in the game to remove its entry hazards. Mortal Spin also dissuades Giratina-O from counterleading, as the poison chip damage will render it unable to check Glimmora's teammates later in the game. Mud Shot's Speed drop and decent damage also makes Eternatus a poor choice to handle it. Despite Glimmora being easy to remove on paper, doing so in game without significant collateral all comes together to create a lead that can be infuriating to dispatch.

Furthermore, Glimmora is also the best of the dedicated leads into stall teams. It survives a surprisingly long time; most Pokémon on stall teams don't have a way to meaningfully threaten it as Eternatus's Dynamax Cannon is the only attack that actually chunks Glimmora without setting Toxic Spikes. As Glimmora is able to set entry hazards on Giratina and Ho-Oh multiple times, it can easily position its teammates to stallbreak via double switches and also remove hazards itself. If you enjoy using Glimmora hyper offense teams in OU, it is worth giving it a go in a tier where it can support significantly more powerful Pokémon!

Sample Team

Tapu Lele Glimmora Deoxys-Attack Necrozma-Ultra Lunala Ditto

Standard Psyspam by Community

Hazard Setters

The power of entry hazards is far from some secret metagame knowledge closely guarded by top players. The National Dex Ubers ladder has an earned reputation for an unsettling amount of what can only be described as tomfoolery. Amongst even the lowest depths of the ladder, where most teams fiercely reject any conventions associated with good teambuilding, they at least seem to recognize the strength of entry hazards.

Access to entry hazards, particularly Stealth Rock, is quite widespread. Despite this, the pool of Pokémon commonly tasked with setting them is relatively small. Although offbeat choices such as Ultra Necrozma and Arceus-Water make occasional appearances, you're much more likely to see a cast of familiar faces assigned to carry out this essential role. Without further ado, let's take a look at the common and some niche entry hazard setters in National Dex Ubers.

Click the Pokémon to read their descriptions!

Sample Sets

The National Dex Ubers Discord is littered with hundreds of messages from players quibbling over precisely how strong hyper offense is. Regardless of your personal views on the matter, it is an undeniable fact that it is a strong, widely used playstyle. This makes Toxic Spikes, and by extension, Eternatus, a strong tool for many teams attempting to withstand the offensive barrage, as it is the only viable Toxic Spikes user and absorber. As Eternatus is quite difficult to fit on these teams, simply setting a layer usually ensures that they will remain on the field for the remainder of the game. The strength of Toxic Spikes alone enables defensive Eternatus to provide significant value in an otherwise poor matchup.

Toxic Spikes serve as more than simply an anti-offense tool. Although balance teams are resilient to Toxic Spikes, their presence does deter some defensive Pokémon such as Primal Groudon and utility Arceus formes from switching in, as the chip damage can leave them unable to fulfill essential defensive functions.

Eternatus is far more than just a Toxic Spikes setter. Its bulk, power, and coverage converge to create a Pokémon with near unparalleled flexibility that can easily slot into nearly any team! Toxic Spikes are just one, albeit large, part of its toolkit.

Sample Team

Groudon-Primal Giratina-Origin Arceus-Water Yveltal Eternatus Zacian-Crowned

Calm Mind Refresh Arceus-Water Status Spam by adem

Sample Set

The durian is seemingly unfazed by the power creep, movepool expansion, and ever-increasing number of threats to account for. Despite Primal Groudon receiving the blessing of Spikes, Ferrothorn remains the premier choice for bulkier hazard stacking balances. Aside from rudely reminding Primal Groudon that it is nothing but a temporary stopgap to Primal Kyogre's torrential assault rather than a proper check, Ferrothorn is an excellent blanket check to top-tier Pokémon such as Arceus-Ground and Zygarde. Surprisingly, Ferrothorn can even threaten Ho-Oh, as Knock Off makes switching in a significant risk.

Ferrothorn is the epitome of just enough. Its bulk is unimpressive by Ubers standards, but combined with its typing it checks what it needs to and even some Pokémon such as Arceus and Ultra Necrozma in a pinch. It has a pretty sparse movepool, but it also doesn't need more than what it has. This results in a nut that can be very tough to crack and is definitely worth trying out if you haven't!

Sample Team

Groudon-Primal Ho-Oh Arceus-Fairy Zygarde-Complete Ferrothorn Ditto

Ferrothorn + DD Zygarde + Ditto Balance by bumboclaat

Sample Sets

Primal Groudon has returned for yet another Ubers metagame where it sits upon its throne pitying the Pokémon attempting to justify their slot on the team, knowing its own is secure. If there is some role on your team that needs filling, it is quite likely Primal Groudon can do that and more. This immense flexibility and role compression results in Primal Groudon being functionally—but not technically—mandatory on most teams. Primal Groudon's access to Stealth Rock and Spikes makes its defensive set a staple on balance teams.

Perhaps you want a more aggressive approach? Primal Groudon can turn into a ferocious wallbreaker that still sets entry hazards. With only 112 Attack EVs Primal Groudon's Stone Edge OHKOes any Ho-Oh arrogant enough to assume it can eat a Rock Tomb and Defog safely. When combined with Swords Dance, it can truly wreck havoc on fatter balance teams, which often give it free turns. Even offensive teams frequently make use of offensive support Primal Groudon.

While Primal Groudon can do everything, it cannot do everything at once. This extends to its matchups with the tier's common Defoggers. While Primal Groudon can easily break through Ho-Oh and Yveltal if it desires, it has a difficult time doing the same with the Giratina formes. Although Primal Groudon can play a key role in the stallbreaking effort with some sets, it is not a self-sufficient stallbreaker and cannot break through Giratina due to its absurd natural bulk.

Primal Groudon does do slightly better against Giratina-O, but it is generally a trade at best. Although Primal Groudon can handle physical sets decently, it struggles immensely against special sets, which take advantage of Primal Groudon's lower Special Defense. The only move Giratina-O fears is Toxic, which heavily cuts into its already poor longevity, though it is annoyed by the rare Dragon Tail. However, most Giratina-O teams do not need particularly robust entry hazard removal and are designed to win through offensive pressure before Giratina-O's longevity becomes an issue.

A poor matchup does not prevent Primal Groudon from being a consistent entry hazard setter, and it has five teammates to help it out anyways. No Pokémon is perfect. If you are looking for a Pokémon that comes close and is going to provide value game in and game out, turning to the best Pokémon in the tier is a good place to start.

Sample Team

Groudon-Primal Ho-Oh Arceus-Fairy Zygarde-Complete Ferrothorn Ditto

Alomomola + Giratina-O Balance by bumboclaat

Sample Set

Scrolling through the viability rankings, it may come as a surprise that Arceus-Fairy is arguably the most consistent Stealth Rock setter in National Dex Ubers. Arceus-Fairy is far from just a Stealth Rock setter and is an essential component of many balance and bulky offense teams despite its polarizing matchups against many of the top Pokémon in the metagame, such as Primal Groudon, Eternatus, and Zacian-C. Despite this, it checks other Pokémon such as Zygarde, Arceus-Dark, and most notably Life Orb Yveltal.

It can use the free turn it generates by forcing these Pokémon out to set Stealth Rock. What differentiates Arceus-Fairy from other Stealth Rock setters is the ease with which it is able to maintain them. Although Giratina-O and Yveltal can Terastallize to escape their Fairy-type weakness, Taunt prevents them from Defogging and using their most potent means of harming Arceus-Fairy: status. Although Arceus-Fairy does not force Ho-Oh out, Taunt forces a stalemate and preserves entry hazards. Although Arceus-Fairy prefers to remain unencumbered by status, as does any Pokémon, it happily accepts a burn from Sacred Fire relative to paralysis or poison.

Arceus-Fairy's role compression and defensive utility result in an incredibly versatile Pokémon that easily slots into balance and offense teams alike. This supportive presence enables teammates to deviate from more standard spreads. For example, Primal Groudon can opt for either offensive Swords Dance sets or Spikes to create a hazard stacking core. Perhaps it shouldn't be shocking that Arceus-Fairy was the most used Arceus forme in the National Dex Ubers Open.

Sample Team

Groudon-Primal Ho-Oh Arceus-Fairy Zygarde-Complete Kyogre-Primal Lunala

Choice Specs Lunala Balance by bumboclaat

Sample Set

Garganacl is a rising star in National Dex Ubers as a shockingly resilient Stealth Rock setter on bulky balance teams. Its superb matchup into Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Giratina-O enables it to consistently win the hazard war, as its bulk and status immunity make it near impossible for any of the three to meaningfully harm Garganacl. Even Giratina-O's Draco Meteor is a 3HKO. Garganacl not only wins these matchups with ease, but it also punishes Defog attempts, as Covert Cloak is non-existent and neither these Pokémon nor their teammates are keen to absorb Salt Cure.

Although Garganacl is a Tera hog, its newfound efficacy in shutting down much of the metagame makes this a worthwhile investment. In addition to completely walling Giratina-O, Tera Fairy provides Garganacl with a unique resistance to Marshadow's STAB moves, which is much appreciated, as it is quite threatening to bulkier balance teams. Tera Water enables Garganacl to completely neuter the largest threat to these teams in Primal Kyogre, which can effortlessly blow through many fat balance teams with an offensive set. As Tera Water Garganacl survives even Primal Kyogre's Thunder after Stealth Rock, it can consistently use Salt Cure and limit its rampage. This chip damage also prevents defensive Primal Kyogre from accumulating the Calm Mind boosts it requires to overpower defensive teams, as it poses no threat to Tera Water Garganacl and can easily be forced out.

Sample Team

Garganacl Ditto Giratina-Origin Alomomola Eternatus Chien-Pao

Garganacl Chien-Pao Fat by Bobsican

Sample Set

While plumbing the depths of the viability rankings in any tier, you'll stumble across a surprising consignment of Pokémon. Some, such as Mega Latios, are a source of bewilderment that leave you wracking your brain to try and figure out what possible niche it could have. Others, such as Arceus-Rock, are far more straightforward.

Befitting its name, Arceus-Rock is a decent, if niche, Stealth Rock setter. While it obviously has no trouble with Ho-Oh and Yveltal, Arceus-Rock can be slightly bothered by Giratina-O. Its longevity enables Arceus-Rock to win the hazard war, but its poor defensive typing and middling Speed leave it vulnerable to many offensive Pokémon, including Marshadow, Zacian-C, and Ultra Necrozma.

Sample Team

Groudon-Primal Yveltal Arceus-Rock Gothitelle Kyogre-Primal Mega Salamence

Arceus-Rock Balance by BananaTimeZ

Sample Set

Defensive Necrozma-DM has had a roller coaster of a generation, uncharted territory for a Pokémon that has been nothing less than rock solid since its debut, though it is currently seeing a slight resurgence following the Xerneas ban. Necrozma-DM greatly benefits from the metagame currently trending towards bulkier balance that teams that it can slot into. Necrozma-DM still has many of the issues that plague it, but it remains a boon to these teams as a disruptive Stealth Rocker with longevity. Although Necrozma-DM has trouble fitting everything it would like, treating it with disregard can have disastrous consequences; Pokémon such as Zacian-C and Eternatus can have their sweep cut short by Thunder Wave, while Ho-Oh erroneously switching in can have its Heavy-Duty Boots removed by Knock Off.

Sample Team

Groudon-Primal Ho-Oh Arceus-Fairy Eternatus Alomomola Necrozma-Dusk-Mane

Choice Specs Eternatus Fat Balance by Bobsican

Sample Set

Arceus-Dark has long been a stall staple in National Dex Ubers, but Stealth Rock Arceus-Dark is relatively new. Early on, stall teams did utilize Stealth Rock, but often on Arceus-Fairy. As time went on, Arceus-Fairy gradually fell out of vogue and vanished entirely with Koraidon's ban. Shortly after, a stall team featuring Mega Tyranitar became popular due to its ability to counter specially offensive Yveltal. This forced Arceus-Dark to adapt, as it shifted from a Bold to Timid nature to outspeed Yveltal and began utilizing Stealth Rock itself.

Arceus-Dark's access to Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, and Toxic makes Refresh an odd choice, but it is a crucial factor in enabling Arceus-Dark to maintain Stealth Rock. Although Taunt would prevent Stealth Rock from being removed, Refresh enables Arceus-Dark to keep itself status-free rather than relying on Chansey to do so. This prevents stallbreakers such as Choice Band Rayquaza and Choice Specs Lunala from entering freely on Chansey. Additionally, it saves momentum and allows Arceus-Dark to save Recover PP.

Arceus-Dark seldom has trouble maintaining Stealth Rock. Ho-Oh's propensity to act as a Toxic absorber against stall teams forces it out, as it relies on Regenerator for healing, and Refresh allows Arceus-Dark to shrug off a Sacred Fire burn. Giratina-O is naturally afraid of Foul Play, but even if it opts to Terastallize, its complete lack of recovery and inability to meaningfully cripple Arceus-Dark make Giratina-O struggle to remove entry hazards.

Despite the competition from Mega Tyranitar, many stall teams still prefer Arceus-Dark, as it better handles Pokémon that give stall teams trouble such as Ultra Necrozma, mixed Primal Groudon, and Rayquaza. Stall may be struggling in the current metagame, but Arceus-Dark is a reason why many stall teams are viable to begin with.

Sample Team

Dondozo Giratina-Origin Arceus-Dark Ho-Oh Eternatus Chansey

Stall by Community + Council Edits

Sample Set

Despite taking some time to receive recognition, Mega Tyranitar has established a niche on some stall teams over Arceus-Dark due to its role compression. Mega Tyranitar is a Stealth Rock setter and a rare counter to specially offensive Yveltal, a terror to many stall teams. Mega Tyranitar's gargantuan mixed bulk in conjunction with sand chip damage wholly prevents Yveltal from making any progress. Additionally, Mega Tyranitar also pressures Choice Specs Lunala significantly more than Arceus-Dark due to being 3HKOed by Moonblast.

Mega Tyranitar's proficiency as a Stealth Rock setter stems from the inability of the Defoggers to actually threaten it, as even Giratina-O's Draco Meteor bounces off. Knock Off and Toxic pressure Ho-Oh, Yveltal, and Giratina-O to Terastallize in order to prevent Mega Tyranitar from winning the war of attrition in longer games. This can force some balance and bulky offense teams to make awkward decisions, as they may rely on other Pokémon using Terastal offensively to stallbreak.

All in all, Mega Tyranitar is a good Stealth Rock setter for stall teams, but it can be considered more of a sidegrade than an upgrade to Arceus-Dark. The role compression it provides is incredibly valuable, but Mega Tyranitar does not solve the issues stall faces. Still, it is nice that Tyranitar can continue a generation-spanning tradition of viability in Ubers, albeit a small one.

Sample Team

Giratina Dondozo Chansey Tyranitar-Mega Ho-Oh Mewtwo

Mega Tyranitar Stall by Community + Council

Defog

Aside from being a bike-free tier, perhaps the starkest difference between SV and National Dex Ubers is the presence of widespread and consistent entry hazard removal. This has resulted in a more balance-leaning metagame where entry hazards are easy to both set and remove. The banning of Xerneas has also had a significant impact on the hazard removal metagame, as Yveltal and Giratina-O, two otherwise excellent Defoggers, faced immense challenges in finding opportunities to remove hazards without letting some game-ending threat setup freely. It should not be surprising that Xerneas-weak Defoggers are flourishing with its absence. So, lets lace up our Heavy-Duty Boots and take a look at the hazard removal options in National Dex Ubers!

Click the Pokémon to read their descriptions!

Sample Set

Ho-Oh is the glue holding many balance teams, and to some degree, the metagame as a whole, together amidst all the chaos. It is able to provide its team with so much more than simply a reliable Defog user with longevity. Ho-Oh is able to at worst soft check the majority of the metagame due to its stellar defensive typing, superb natural bulk, and solid movepool. These traits, in conjunction with Regenerator, enable Ho-Oh to eschew Recover, as it is naturally healthy enough to fulfill its defensive obligations while maintaining serious longevity.

Paradoxically, the departure of Xerneas benefited Ho-Oh despite being its best counter. Ho-Oh has become a more consistent Defogger, as it is less prone to being overwhelmed by the hyper offense teams that dominated the Xerneas metagame. Offensive sets are also rising to prominence, as Ho-Oh can more easily skirt by on more offensive teams. Despite being as effective as ever, Ho-Oh has seen a slight decline in usage, as more offensive teams that opt to use Giratina-O or Yveltal are both trending and seeing high levels of success.

One of the consequences of being one of the best Pokémon is that any good team needs Ho-Oh counterplay. Ho-Oh is far from infallible, and many Pokémon target it with Rock-type coverage such as Primal Groudon's Stone Edge or Eternatus's Meteor Beam. Some Calm Mind Arceus formes will run Power Gem, while Zacian-C uses Wild Charge to avoid being walled. Despite the massive target on its back, Ho-Oh remains the most consistent Defogger in the tier and will serve you well so long as you respect and scout counterplay.

Sample Team

Groudon-Primal Ho-Oh Arceus-Dark Zygarde-Complete Calyrex-Ice Necrozma-Dusk-Mane

CB Caly-I + Double DD BO by bumboclaat

Sample Set

Giratina-O, and the bulky offense teams it often anchors, are perhaps the biggest beneficiaries of Xerneas's ban. During the Xerneas metagame, Giratina-O was between a rock and a hard place, as Defogging often resulted in free entry or setup for Pokémon such as Xerneas and Zacian-C. It has flourished in the post-Xerneas metagame, as there is no longer a threat around every corner seemingly ready to punish its every move.

Despite some use on balance and stall structures, Giratina-O's true home is bulky offense; its lack of recovery limits it to only Defogging a couple of times before it goes down, but its team seldom requires more than this, as they are usually able to end the game before this becomes an issue. Giratina-O's bulk enables it to consistently Defog at least once against most Pokémon, and it is unbothered by Primal Groudon, which Ho-Oh and Yveltal can have issues with.

Giratina-O's offensive presence stems from its unpredictability, which makes it difficult to switch into. At the outset of a game, you can reasonably assume that Giratina-O's moveset will consist of Defog, its STAB moves, and a status move. What makes Giratina-O tricky to dance around initially is that its counterplay is dependent on whether it opts for a physical or special set and the status move of choice. For example, defensive Eternatus is wholly unbothered by physical sets but does not want to switch into Draco Meteor or Thunder Wave. Conversely, a Ho-Oh aiming to absorb a Draco Meteor will find itself forced out by Poltergeist. Even Pokémon such as Yveltal and Arceus-Fairy that can handle both its Ghost- and Dragon-type STAB moves fear switching in on a status move.

This flexibility enables Giratina-O to tailor its moveset to best benefit its team. Furthermore, Giratina-O's huge natural bulk enables it to shed its weakness-filled typing via Terastallization to cripple Pokémon such as Zacian-C and Ultra Necrozma threatening to sweep with Thunder Wave or Will-O-Wisp.

Sample Team

Groudon-Primal Giratina-Origin Arceus-Fairy Landorus-Therian Yveltal Chien-Pao

Chien-Pao BO by adem

Sample Set

Choice Scarf Yveltal offers immense role compression for teams that appreciate—but not require—consistent entry hazard removal to function. It is most commonly seen on offense and bulky offense teams, but can fit on some balances. Yveltal's Choice Scarf enables it to bypass Taunt users such as Arceus and opposing Yveltal that are able to prevent other Pokémon such as Ho-Oh and Giratina-O from removing entry hazards. This trait is valuable against hyper offense teams, especially Sticky Web variants, as entry hazards only need to be removed once.

This Speed also makes Yveltal a potent revenge killer, as it is able to check powerful setup sweepers such as Arceus and Zacian-C with its Dark Aura-boosted Foul Play. For example, Yveltal's presence can dissuade Zacian-C from using Swords Dance, as it is likely to be OHKOed by Foul Play afterwards despite its Dark-type resistance. Yveltal also provides a rare source of pivoting, as it can capitalize on the switches it forces to position a teammate via U-turn. Although less common, some bulkier balance teams opt to exchange Choice Scarf for Heavy-Duty Boots to shore up matchups into Pokémon such as Ultra Necrozma and Arceus that Ho-Oh struggle to handle alone.

Sample Team

Groudon-Primal Yveltal Arceus-Fairy Zygarde-Complete Ferrothorn Eternatus

Dragon Dance Zygarde BO by Mom Lover

Sample Set

Giratina has been synonymous with stall ever since it debuted, and National Dex Ubers is no exception! Giratina works in tandem with Ho-Oh as a double Defog core to ensure that the field remains in pristine condition. They are remarkably consistent because no entry hazard setter is capable of preventing Defog while also offensively threatening both Pokémon. For example, Arceus-Fairy can easily set and maintain Stealth Rock on Giratina due to Taunt but does not want to use its Recover PP to offset Ho-Oh's Brave Bird.

Giratina offers more to justify its inclusion on stall teams than merely a bulky Defogger. Giratina's bulk in conjunction with Dragon Tail makes it an excellent mixed wall. Notably, Giratina is an essential component in neutralizing Primal Groudon, as it walls the mixed sets that can otherwise bypass Dondozo with Eruption or Overheat. Giratina even makes excellent use of Pressure outside of depleting Stealth Rock and Spike PP, as most Pokémon rely on low PP moves. For example, Giratina can sacrifice itself to remove half of Rayquaza's Dragon Ascent PP, preventing it from soloing the rest of the team. Giratina is considered a nearly undroppable member of stall teams and will quickly remind you why, should you choose to do so. Conversely, Giratina-O's passivity, vulnerability to hazards, and lack of offensive presence limit its jurisdiction exclusively to stall teams.

Sample Team

Dondozo Giratina Arceus-Dark Ho-Oh Eternatus Chansey

Stall by offonoff

Closing Thoughts

Despite its reputation, National Dex Ubers is a balanced format where every playstyle is viable. Whether you want to set Sticky Web and start blasting with your beatsticks or you prefer the slower, methodical approach of stall or a hazard-stacking balance, entry hazards are going to play a big role throughout the course of the battle. If this article piqued your interest, National Dex Ubers has a very active ladder, a forum with continually updated resources, and a very active Discord server.

National Dex Ubers Forum | National Dex Ubers Discord​

HTML by Steorra.
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