The Naughty Corner: Little Cup's Banlist

Scyther

Scyther has been banned from Little Cup ever since the tier's inception in DP. Its base stat total of 500 would tower over the rest of the tier—the current highest is Ponyta with a BST of 410. If Scyther were to be legalized, it would have the highest Speed and third highest Attack of the metagame, and better overall bulk than Munchlax and Spritzee, two of the tier's bulkiest Pokémon. And that's just scratching the surface: while Bug / Flying typing is considered woeful in most tiers, in Little Cup it's brilliant: in a tier packed with Fighting-types, sturdy Fighting-resistant Pokemon are always important, and Flying STAB is extremely potent. Technician gives its STAB Aerial Ace and Bug Bite a good 90 Base Power, and with Technician-boosted Quick Attack even priority wouldn't stop it. It even gets Roost to help offset its 4x Stealth Rock weakness, and with the fastest and most powerful U-turn in LC, it could even be a great offensive pivot. Oh, and it could also Baton Pass Swords Dance and Agility.

Sets

  Swords Dance

Scyther @ Eviolite / Life Orb / Berry Juice

Level: 5

Ability: Technician

EVs: 36 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpD / 236 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Swords Dance

- Aerial Ace

- Brick Break

- Roost / Bug Bite / Quick Attack

A simple physical sweeper. Swords Dance would boost Scyther's Attack to incredible levels. Aerial Ace would get the boost from STAB and Technician. Brick Break would hit the Rock- and Steel-types that resist Aerial Ace for super effective damage. For the last slot, Roost could keep Scyther healthy, Bug Bite could be used as a secondary STAB move, and Quick Attack could be used for priority. The EVs would maximize Speed, with Defense and Special Defense boosted by two points each. The rest would be invested in Attack for extra power. Eviolite would give Scyther great bulk, thus giving it an easier time setting up. Life Orb could be used for extra power and would generally be better if Scyther was not running Roost. Berry Juice would be another option if it forgoes Roost, restoring Scyther's HP once it falls below half.

  Offensive Pivot

Scyther @ Life Orb

Ability: Technician

Level: 5

EVs: 196 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 236 Spe

Jolly Nature

- U-turn

- Aerial Ace

- Brick Break / Knock Off

- Roost

With the fastest and strongest U-turn in LC, Scyther would also make a brilliant offensive pivot. U-turn gets STAB and would let Scyther easily grab momentum. Aerial Ace would be the STAB move for when you don't want to switch out, and it's also boosted by Technician. Brick Break would hit the Rock- and Steel-types that resist Aerial Ace super effectively. Knock Off on the other hand would deprive the foe of its held item. Roost would be used to restore Scyther's HP, meaning Stealth Rock wouldn't be too detrimental. The EVs would maximize Speed and Attack, with Defense and Special Defense boosted by one point each. A Life Orb would give Scyther incredible power.

  Baton Pass

Scyther @ Eviolite

Ability: Technician

Level: 5

EVs: 36 Atk / 116 Def / 116 SpD / 236 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Swords Dance / Agility

- Baton Pass

- Aerial Ace

- Roost

Of course if you don't need a sweeper or pivot, Scyther could also be a good Baton Passer. Swords Dance could make physical attackers much more dangerous, while Agility could help Pokémon let down by low Speed. Baton Pass would be used to both past boosts to a teammate and grab momentum. Roost would provide reliable recovery, giving Scyther an easier time setting up and making sure it isn't too hampered by Stealth Rock. The EVs would maximize Speed and boost both Defense and Special Defense by two points each. The rest would be put in Attack so Aerial Ace can hit harder.

Sneasel

Sneasel was the first Pokémon banned from XY LC. While it was legal, it was the fastest Pokémon in the tier with its amazing base 115 Speed. With maximum investment, it would hit 23 Speed. To put that into perspective, the current fastest Pokémon in LC (Diglett, Elekid, and Voltorb) all sit at 20 Speed when maxed out. This let Sneasel outrun the entire unboosted metagame, +2 Adamant Tirtouga, and all Choice Scarf users with 15 or less Speed. High base 95 Attack let it hit extremely hard as well, and its STAB moves were only resisted by Pawniard, Houndour, and Carvanha. In XY, Knock Off got buffed, giving Sneasel a new 97-Base Power STAB move to spam that also removed its foe's item. The few Pokémon that were bulky enough to switch into Sneasel, like Timburr and Snubbull, would all function significantly worse without their items. If Sneasel could get in safely, at the very least something would lose its item; more likely, you'd simply have to sack something. Thanks to STAB Ice Shard, you couldn't even reliably revenge kill it with priority. It also got Swords Dance, just in case it wasn't hitting hard enough for you. The aforementioned Speed also let it run an excellent Choice Scarf set, as it could outrun +2 Pokémon with 15 Speed, even with an Adamant nature. Ultimately, its combination of speed, power, and utility made it too much for LC, and it was quickbanned early into XY.

Sets

  All-Out Attacker

Sneasel @ Life Orb

Ability: Inner Focus

Level: 5

EVs: 236 Atk / 236 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Knock Off

- Icicle Crash

- Brick Break / Ice Shard

- Ice Shard / Swords Dance

This was the main set Sneasel ran when it was legal. Knock Off was Sneasel's main STAB move; in addition to hitting very hard, it would also remove the foe's item, hindering them for the rest of the match. Icicle Crash was the secondary STAB move, hitting most of the Pokémon that resist Knock Off for at least neutral damage. Brick Break OHKOed Pawnaird, Carvanha, and Houndour, the only Pokémon in LC to resist Sneasel's STAB type combination. Ice Shard could also have been used if you needed priority. Swords Dance would boost Sneasel's Attack to monstrous levels. The EVs simply maximized Speed and power; Life Orb provided a good power boost.

  Choice Scarf

Sneasel @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Inner Focus

Level: 5

EVs: 236 Atk / 236 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Knock Off

- Icicle Crash

- Brick Break

- Ice Shard / Poison Jab

In addition to being an extremely potent wallbreaker, Sneasel could also be an excellent revenge killer. With a Choice Scarf, Sneasel sat at 31 Speed with an Adamant nature, letting it outrun +2 Adamant Dwebble. Knock Off was once again the main STAB move—even the Pokémon that could reliably take it would not enjoy losing their items. Icicle Crash was the alternate STAB move, having excellent coverage with Knock Off. Brick Break OHKOed Pawniard, Carvanha, and Houndour, the only Pokémon to resist both of Sneasel's STAB attacks. Ice Shard let Sneasel revenge kill Fletchling; Poison Jab could be used to hit Fairy-types harder than anything else. The EVs maximized speed and power. Thanks to Choice Scarf, Sneasel didn't need to run a Jolly nature.

Yanma

Once Sneasel got banned, Yanma could stretch its wings and quickly established itself as one of the most formidable Pokémon in the tier. High Special Attack (by LC standards) combined with Speed Boost and a great offensive typing let it effortlessly clean late-game. With Sneasel's ban, the only common priority move it was weak to was Fletchling's Acrobatics. Compared to Carvanha, Yanma was faster and had much better bulk—it could easily survive Eviolite Pawniard's Sucker Punch from full health. However, dedicated special walls like defensive Porygon could still stop Yanma's sweep. But then players discovered a set that was, if anything, even more dangerous: a Hypnosis pivot set. Hypnosis has always been a horrible move competitively due to its low accuracy, but with Compound Eyes Yanma had access to a 78% accurate Hypnosis. While a reliable sleep-inducing move may not seem that big of a deal, as many other Pokémon have one too, what made Yanma such a threat was its excellent Speed (tied for highest in the tier) and access to U-turn. It could easily put an opposing Pokémon out of commission and shift momentum to its team at virtually no risk. In the end, Yanma's sweeping prowess and fantastic utility made it too much for Little Cup, and it was ultimately banned.

Sets

  Compound Eyes

Yanma @ Berry Juice

Ability: Compound Eyes

Level: 5

EVs: 236 SpA / 236 Spe

Timid Nature

- Hypnosis

- U-turn / Substitute

- Air Slash

- Bug Buzz

And here we have Yanma's Hypnosis set. This set is meant to be an offensive pivot rather than a sweeper. Thanks to Compound Eyes, Hypnosis has 78% accuracy, better than Sleep Powder. Combined with Yanma's unmatched Speed, it is all but guaranteed to put something out of commission. U-turn is used to scout switch-ins and grab momentum. Substitute could be used to give Yanma at least one free attack, should the opponent switch out. Air Slash is the main STAB move, hitting the plethora of Fighting-types in LC for super effective damage. Bug Buzz is the secondary STAB move for when more power is required. The EVs simply maximize speed and power. Berry Juice is used to heal Yanma once its HP drops below 50%.

  Life Orb

Yanma @ Life Orb

Ability: Speed Boost

Level: 5

EVs: 240 SpA / 240 Spe

Modest Nature

- Air Slash

- Bug Buzz

- Hidden Power Fighting

- Protect / Giga Drain

This is Yanma's Speed Boost set, designed to clean late-game. Air Slash serves as the main STAB move, having the best neutral coverage and wrecking most of LC's Fighting types. Bug Buzz is the secondary STAB move for when more power is needed. Hidden Power Fighting hits the Steel-types that resist Yanma's STAB moves for super effective damage, OHKOing Pawniard and Magnemite that lack Eviolite. Protect is the best option in the last slot to guarantee a Speed Boost, but Giga Drain can be used to hit Water-, Ground-, and Rock-types for super effective damage and somewhat mitigate Life Orb recoil. The EVs maximize Speed and power—due to Speed Boost, there is no point running a Timid nature. Life Orb is the only item this set should run, as it needs all the power it can get.

Tangela

When Tangela was legal in LC, its base 100 Special Attack was second only to that of Abra and Solosis. While they have to make do with 90-Base Power STAB moves, Tangela had access to 120-Base Power and a 130-Base Power STAB moves in Solar Beam and Leaf Storm. While they both had drawbacks—the former required sun and the latter forced Tangela out—neither made Tangela any less of a threat. With the nerf to Drought (the sun it brought was no longer permanent), Vulpix was unbanned in XY, so Tangela gained an automatic sun setter. Vulpix could also soften up the opponent's team. The set Tangela ran at first was a simple Chlorophyll sweeper set with a Life Orb. This set was extremely difficult to stop, as it could outrun the most common Choice Scarf users and hit incredibly hard. Tangela was no glass cannon either—despite low Special Defense, its huge base 115 Defense more than made up for it, allowing it to take neutral physical hits like a champion. To give you an idea of how physically bulky it was, from full health Tangela could survive an Acrobatics from Fletchling most of the time without using an Eviolite. It didn't help matters that most of that set's checks, Goomy, Choice Scarf Snover, and Cloud Nine Lickitung, were (and still are) regarded as very niche Pokémon. Hidden Power Fire got a 50% power boost in the sun, so bulky Grass- and Steel-types weren't reliable checks, and Ancient Power hit Fire- and Flying-types, so they couldn't switch in either. Solar Beam + Hidden Power Fire + Ancient Power was all the coverage Tangela needed, freeing up the last slot for whatever it wanted. It could run Sleep Powder to put an opposing Pokémon out of commission, Knock Off let it always weaken the opponent's team, even if it went down early, and Growth gave it insane power. And it wasn't purely broken as a sweeper: Tangela could also run an equally dangerous tank set with Regenerator. Regenerator meant that Tangela didn't have to run a recovery move, freeing up the slot for additional coverage or a utility move. It could fire off stupidly powerful STAB Leaf Storms, and then switch out to restore its stats and 33% of its HP. So, Tangela was left with no reliable counters and few good checks, and ultimately its combination of power, bulk, and abilities was deemed too powerful for LC.

Sets

  Chlorophyll Sweeper

Tangela @ Life Orb

Ability: Chlorophyll

Level: 5

EVs: 156 Def / 200 SpA / 120 Spe

Modest Nature

- Solar Beam

- Ancient Power

- Hidden Power Fire

- Sleep Powder / Growth

This was Tangela's Chlorophyll sweeper set. While this was the most popular set, it should be pointed out that it would sometimes run a bulkier version with Eviolite, Giga Drain, and usually Growth in the final slot. Solar Beam was the main STAB move, having no drawbacks in sun. Ancient Power hit four out of the five types Grass is weak to and covers the Fire-, Flying-, and Bug-types that resist Solar Beam. Hidden Power Fire is boosted by sun and covered the Steel- and Grass-types that resisted Solar Beam. Sleep Powder put a would-be check out of commission, while Growth took Tangela's Special Attack to sky-high levels. A Life Orb was used to help Tangela hit even harder. The EVs gave it 14 Speed, allowing it to outrun Choice Scarf Gastly in sun. Special Attack was maximized for optimum power, with the rest of the EVs in Defense to allow Tangela to take priority moves better.

  Offensive Tank

Tangela @ Eviolite / Life Orb

Ability: Regenerator

Level: 5

EVs: 76 HP / 156 Def / 120 SpA / 116 SpD / 40 Spe

Modest Nature

IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe

- Giga Drain / Leaf Storm

- Ancient Power

- Hidden Power Fire / Sludge Bomb

- Knock Off / Sleep Powder

And here's Tangela's Regenerator set. While the last set was meant to sweep, this set was more of an offensive tank, absorbing resisted and weaker neutral moves and returning fire. Giga Drain was the perfect STAB move for a set like this, doing respectable damage and keeping Tangela healthy. Leaf Storm could be used instead for its incredible power. Ancient Power hit the Bug-, Flying-, and Fire-types that resist Grass-type moves super effectively. Hidden Power Fire hit Steel-types and opposing Grass-types for super effective damage. Sludge Bomb traded hitting Steel-types for a much stronger attack against opposing Grass-types, as well as Fairy-types. Knock Off removed the foe's held item, making Eviolite-reliant walls much less effective. Sleep Powder could also be used to put something out of commission. The EVs gave Tangela enough Speed to outrun uninvested Vullaby. Defense and Special Defense were boosted by two points each, hitting Eviolite numbers. The rest is placed in Special Attack for more power. Eviolite is generally the best item to run, as the bulk it granted gave Tangela more opportunities to switch in. However, Life Orb made Tangela much stronger, and the recoil could be mitigated with Regenerator.

Swirlix

So far in this article we've looked at overpowered physical attackers and overpowered special attackers. What made Swirlix so very threatening was its ability to do both. At first glance it may not look overpowered, with those average all-around base stats. However, when you look at its movepool, ability, and typing it starts to become clear. When Berry Juice was unbanned, no other Pokémon in LC reaped the benefits as much as Swirlix. Thanks to Belly Drum, it could maximize its Attack, heal to full HP and, thanks to Unburden, double its Speed all in one fell swoop. Fairy typing is pound for pound one of the best types around, as its useful Bug-, Dark-, and Fighting-type resistances gave Swirlix ample opportunities to set up in the Fighting-type infested metagame. However, while its Belly Drum set was indeed very powerful, bulky Steel-types like Ferroseed could usually shut it down, albeit at the cost of their item thanks to Swirlix's access to Thief. But then players discovered its Calm Mind set. While it may not have had the sheer power of the Belly Drum set, Swirlix's special movepool was far superior, with options like Flamethrower, Energy Ball, and Thunderbolt. It could even run Cotton Guard or Heal Bell to boost Defense and cure status, respectively. This made an already tough to check Pokémon virtually unstoppable, as what checked one set would be crushed by the other. Ultimately, the combination of power, speed, and unpredictability was enough to push Swirlix over the top, and it was banned alongside Gligar.

Sets

  Belly Drum

Swirlix @ Berry Juice

Ability: Unburden

Level: 5

EVs: 212 Atk / 68 Def / 204 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Belly Drum

- Play Rough

- Return

- Thief

Meet the most threatening physical sweeper in LC, before its ban. Belly Drum maximized Swirlix's Attack and put Swirlix in Berry Juice range, healing its HP and triggering Unburden. Play Rough was Swirlix's STAB move and 2HKOed everything that didn't resist it after Belly Drum. Return hit Poison- and Fire-types for neutral damage. Thief hit Gastly and Honedge for super effective damage and would steal the foe's item once Berry Juice had been consumed. The EVs maximize Attack so Swirlix can do as much damage as possible. Maximum Speed EVs let it outrun Scarf Gastly after triggering Unburden. The rest was placed in Defense for extra bulk. HP was uninvested so that Belly Drum would always trigger Berry Juice and Unburden.

  Calm Mind

Swirlix @ Berry Juice

Ability: Unburden

Level: 5

EVs: 20 HP / 68 Def / 204 SpA / 204 Spe

Modest Nature

- Calm Mind

- Draining Kiss

- Flamethrower

- Cotton Guard

This set made up for the lack of power with superior coverage options and being harder to revenge kill. Calm Mind gives Swirlix the power needed to sweep. Draining Kiss is used as the STAB move and to restore Swirlix's HP. Flamethrower hits the Steel-types that resist Dazzling Gleam hard, OHKOing Ferroseed after Calm Mind. Cotton Guard makes Swirlix much harder to break in conjunction with Calm Mind. If more coverage is desired, Surf or Energy Ball can be used instead to hit Fire-types and bulky Water-types, respectively. The EVs maximize Special Attack, letting Swirlix hit as hard as possible. The Speed EVs let Swirlix outrun Choice Scarf Gastly once Unburden has triggered. HP and Defense are boosted by a point each to make Swirlix less susceptible to priority.

Gligar

Unlike with Swirlix, you can tell Gligar would be broken tier with a cursory glance of its stats and movepool. As it was conceived as a fully evolved Pokemon, its Speed was among the highest in the tier alongside good (by LC standards) 65/105/65 defenses, and a solid base 75 Attack. Swords Dance let it sweep teams easily with its high Speed and bulk, and like Tangela it had no four-moveslot syndrome: its STAB Earthquake and Acrobatics were only resisted by Archen and Bronzor, freeing up the last slot for just about anything it wanted: Roost, Stone Edge, Knock Off, and Baton Pass were all viable options. And sweeping wasn't the only thing Gligar could do—it was easily the most versatile Pok��mon in the tier. Gligar was one of the only Pokemon in LC to have both Defog and Stealth Rock, while not being weak to Stealth Rock. Access to Taunt and U-turn made sure it wasn't setup fodder. Dedicated Baton Pass sets were perfectly plausible too, as it could pass Swords Dance and Agility. Flying STAB was, and still is, among the best in LC due to the abundance of Fighting-types—said Fighting-types also meant Gligar was never short of setup opportunities. It could also run an itemless all-out attacker set, and even a Choice Scarf set—its STAB Earthquake let it hit Shell Smash Tirtouga and Omanyte very hard. It was no jack of all trades, master of none either; in all of its roles, it outclassed most its rivals. It was bulkier than most other physical sweepers and had better STAB coverage; it could check Fighting-types better than everything else, as it wasn't weak to their coverage moves (apart from Ice Punch, which has limited distribution); it could Defog better than anything else, as it wasn't weak to Stealth Rock and had reliable recovery; it could Baton Pass better than anything else, as its Speed and bulk gave it an easier time setting up. All of this meant there was little reason not to run Gligar on your team, and as a result of its overcentralization it was banned.

Sets

  Swords Dance

Gligar @ Berry Juice

Ability: Hyper Cutter

Level: 5

EVs: 156 Atk / 76 Def / 236 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Swords Dance

- Earthquake

- Acrobatics

- Stone Edge / Baton Pass

This was Gligar's flagship set, designed to sweep late-game. Swords Dance took its Attack up to levels where it could sweep. Earthquake was the main STAB move, 2HKOing everything that didn't resist it at +2. Acrobatics was the STAB move to use after Berry Juice had been consumed or Knocked Off. It smashed the Grass- and Bug-types that resisted Earthquake and wrecked the many Fighting-types in LC. Stone Edge could have been used was an option to hit Flying-types—it was also this set's only way of beating defensive Archen. Baton Pass could have let Gligar escape from a dangerous matchup as well as pass boosts to a teammate. The EVs maximized Speed, enabling Gligar to Speed tie with Abra. 76 Defense EVs give Gligar some protection from priority. The rest was put into Attack for extra firepower. Berry Juice healed Gligar and enabled it to have a 110-Base Power Acrobatics after it had been consumed.

  Utility

Gligar @ Eviolite

Ability: Hyper Cutter

Level: 5

EVs: 76 HP / 76 Def / 76 SpD / 236 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Defog /d Stealth Rock / Knock Off

- Roost

- U-turn

- Earthquake

If you weren't interested in using Gligar as a sweeper, it could also make a good support Pokemon. Defog was a good support option—Gligar was one of the few Pokémon in LC to have Defog without being weak to Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock was a viable option too, as Gligar was the fastest setter in the tier after Diglett (which generally has better things to do). Knock Off was always a good support option, removing the Eviolites from walls so that other Pokemon could clean more easily later. Roost kept Gligar healthy for longer, letting it support its team more easily. U-turn made sure Gligar was never a momentum drain. Earthquake was a decently powerful STAB move. The EVs maximized Speed while boosting HP, Defense, and Special Defense by one point each, making Gligar bulkier overall.

  All-Out Attacker

Gligar

Ability: Hyper Cutter

Level: 5

EVs: 236 Atk / 236 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Acrobatics

- Earthquake

- Roost

- U-turn / Knock Off / Stone Edge

If you didn't need Gligar to sweep or provide utility, it could also be an effective fast attacker. Acrobatics was the main STAB move, doing huge damage to the multitude of Fighting-types in LC. Earthquake was the alternate STAB move, hitting the Rock-, Steel-, and Electric-types that resisted Acrobatics for super effective damage. Roost let Gligar fire off strong attacks throughout the match. U-turn was useful to scout switch-ins and grab momentum; Knock Off could be used to hit Bronzor super effectively as well as remove items from opposing Pokemon. Stone Edge hit Flying-types harder than Acrobatics. The EVs simply maximized Speed and power.

  Choice Scarf

Gligar @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Immunity

Level: 5

EVs: 236 Atk / 236 Spe

Jolly Nature / Adamant Nature

- Earthquake

- Stone Edge

- Knock Off

- U-turn

With good Attack and among the highest Speed in the tier, Gligar was also a potent revenge killer. Earthquake was the STAB move, letting Gligar revenge kill Shell Smash Omanyte and Tirtouga. Stone Edge hit the Bug- and Flying-types that resisted Earthquake hard. U-turn let Gligar scout switch-ins and grab momentum. Knock Off deprived the target of their item. The EVs simply maximized Speed and power. Jolly nature was usually best to take advantage of Gligar's Speed, but Adamant was viable too, as it would still outrun +2 13 Speed Pokémon like Modest Omanyte.

Meditite

Meditite was a far more straightforward case than others we've seen so far: it simply hit really, really hard. Thanks to Pure Power, it effectively had the highest base Attack in LC, and a vast movepool made sure that nothing could switch into it. STAB High Jump Kick would already maul anything not resisting it, and for the Pokémon that did resist High Jump Kick, it had a secondary STAB attack in Zen Headbutt as well as coverage in the elemental punches. High Jump Kick, Zen Headbutt, and Thunder Punch was usually all the coverage it needed, letting it run just about anything it wanted in the final slot. Typically it was usually seen running a Life Orb, as that was the best way to make use of that insane Attack stat. While that set was indeed very threatening, it was a glass cannon: getting in safely was very difficult, and it was often forced out after a KO. However, it could also run a bulky set with Eviolite. While this set didn't have the power of the Life Orb set, it was much easier to switch in. Overall, its sheer power was just too much for Little Cup to handle.

Sets

  Life Orb

Meditite @ Life Orb

Ability: Pure Power

Level: 5

EVs: 196 Atk / 76 Def / 196 Spe

Adamant Nature / Jolly Nature

- High Jump Kick

- Zen Headbutt

- Thunder Punch

- Fake Out / Bullet Punch

This was Meditite's Life Orb set, and if it got in safely, more often than not, something would die. High Jump Kick was Meditite's main STAB attack, at worst 2HKOing anything that didn't resist it. Zen Headbutt was the alternate STAB move, hitting the Poison-types that resisted High Jump Kick for super effective damage. Thunder Punch 2HKOed Slowpoke, which could otherwise wall this set. Fake Out or Bullet Punch could be used for some priority. The EVs maximized Speed and power. An Adamant Nature was usually best for the sheer firepower, but Jolly was viable too if you needed it to Speed tie with Pawniard. The rest were placed in Defense to shield Meditite from priority. A Life Orb was used to make Meditite even more powerful.

  Bulky Attacker

Meditite @ Eviolite

Ability: Pure Power

Level: 5

EVs: 36 HP / 116 Atk / 156 Def / 156 SpD / 36 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Drain Punch

- Zen Headbutt

- Thunder Punch

- Bulk Up / Fake Out / Bullet Punch

Thanks to Eviolite, this set effectively had 20 / 21 / 21 defenses, and thanks to Pure Power, 26 Attack. That means it can both dish out and take a lot of damage. Drain Punch is the main STAB move, used to keep Meditite healthy. Zen Headbutt is the alternate STAB move, hitting the Poison-types that resist Drain Punch. Thunder Punch could still 2HKO Slowpoke after Stealth Rock, which could otherwise wall this set. Bulk Up boosted Attack and Defense, giving Meditite amazing power and good bulk. Fake Out or Bullet Punch could be used for priority, although they were very weak. The EVs give Meditite Eviolite numbers, while boosting its HP and Speed by one point each. The rest is placed in Attack for power.

Murkrow

Murkrow was among the most destructive Pokémon in LC during its lifetime. It was among the fastest Pokémon in the tier, able to hit 19 Speed with maximum investment. Excellent (by LC standards) 85 / 85 attacking stats coupled with a powerful STAB attack in Brave Bird meant it could hit extremely hard, and thanks to STAB Sucker Punch, even priority wasn't a safe bet to take it out. And, sorry to keep saying this, Flying STAB was (and still is) incredibly potent due to the ubiquity of Fighting-types in LC. With Heat Wave rounding out its coverage, it could hit absolutely everything in LC for at least neutral damage. The perfect netural coverage granted by its STAB attacks and Heat Wave let it run anything it wanted in the final slot. It could run Roost to offset Life Orb recoil and possible Stealth Rock damage, Taunt to cripple a weak wall, or Hidden Power Grass to nail bulky Rock-types and Chinchou. It could also run a status spreader set with Berry Juice, thanks to Prankster giving it priority Thunder Wave. This meant that Murkrow had no safe switch-ins whatsoever, and despite its frailty, its useful immunities to Ground- and Psychic-type moves gave it more switch in opportunities than you might think. If it got in safely, something would die, and in the end, that power got Murkrow banned.

Sets

  All-Out Attacker

Murkrow @ Life Orb

Ability: Prankster / Super Luck

Level: 5

EVs: 236 Atk / 76 SpA / 188 Spe

Naive Nature

- Brave Bird

- Sucker Punch

- Heat Wave

- Roost / Hidden Power Grass / Taunt

Meet one of the most threatening wallbreakers in the tier. If it got in safely, more often than not the opponent would have to sack something. Brave Bird was the main STAB attack, at worst 2HKOing everything that didn't resist it. Sucker Punch was the alternate STAB move, also getting +1 priority. Heat Wave wrecked the Steel-types that resisted Brave Bird while also letting you hit Grass-types without Brave Bird's recoil. Roost was the best option to offset Life Orb recoil and possible Stealth Rock damage. It also got +1 priority thanks to Prankster. Hidden Power Grass could be used to 2HKO defensive Tirtouga, which could otherwise wall Murkrow. Taunt could be used to shut down weak walls. The EVs maximized Speed and Attack, with the remainder boosting Special Attack by one point. A spread of 76 Atk / 236 SpA / 188 Spe was viable too if you wanted Murkrow to hit harder with special moves. Prankster was the ability of choice if you were running Roost or Taunt, as it gave those moves +1 priority, while Super Luck was ran with Hidden Power Grass to give Murkrow a higher chance of scoring a critical hit.

  Dcaekrow

Murkrow @ Berry Juice

Ability: Prankster

Level: 5

EVs: 36 HP / 76 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpD / 188 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Thief

- Substitute

- Brave Bird

- Thunder Wave

If you didn't need Murkrow to smash holes in the opposing team, it could also be used as a great annoyer. The purpose of this set was to spread paralysis and overall weaken the opposing team so that something else could clean up later. Thief was used to steal items once Murkrow's Berry Juice had been consumed or Knocked Off. Substitute gave Murkrow a shield from revenge killing and status—it could easily find time to set it up against Fighting- and Grass-types. Brave Bird was Murkrow's main STAB attack. The recoil could also help it get into Berry Juice range earlier. Thunder Wave crippled Pokémon reliant on their Speed, and could be a potential game changer. The EVs maximized Speed, letting Murkrow tie with Abra and outrun Gastly. HP was boosted by one point, and Defense and Special Defense by two points to give Murkrow better overall bulk. The rest was added in Attack for some extra power. Prankster was used to give Substitute and Thunder Wave +1 priority. Berry Juice restored health lost through setting up Substitutes and Brave Bird recoil.

Misdreavus

Like Gligar, Misdreavus was conceived as a fully evolved Pokémon, and thus it had the highest base stat total in the tier—at 435, it was higher than that of some fully evolved Pokémon like Swellow and Quagsire. Misdreavus's base 85 Speed put it among the tier's fastest Pokémon, while its base 85 Special Attack let it hit extremely hard, especially after a Nasty Plot. No one-trick pony, Misdreavus could run numerous sets, with roles ranging from sweeping to revenge killing to wallbreaking. Good bulk and three immunities (factoring Levitate) gave Misdreavus ample opportunities to switch in, and while in the past it was kept in check by bulky Dark-types like Vullaby and Scraggy, the addition of Dazzling Gleam to its movepool meant they were no longer safe. Dazzling Gleam combined with Shadow Ball had perfect neutral coverage in LC, letting Misdreavus do pretty much anything it wanted with the final two slots. It could fill them up with any of Nasty Plot, Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, Pain Split, Destiny Bond or additional coverage moves like Hidden Power Fighting or Thunderbolt. In addition, XY was when Steel-types lost their Ghost resistance, just to make Misdreavus a bit harder to handle. In the end, the combination of high base stats and unpredictability gave it very few reliable checks, and Misdreavus became the penultimate ban of the XY era.

Sets

  Nasty Plot

Misdreavus @ Berry Juice / Eviolite

Ability: Levitate

Level: 5

EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 236 Spe

Timid Nature

- Nasty Plot

- Shadow Ball

- Dazzling Gleam

- Substitute / Hidden Power Fighting

This was Misdreavus's Nasty Plot set, designed to sweep late-game. Nasty Plot took its Special Attack to massive levels, letting it sweep. Shadow Ball got STAB and would at worst 2HKO anything not resisting it at +2. Dazzling Gleam hit the Dark-types that resisted Shadow Ball for super effective damage, OHKOing Scraggy and Vullaby at +2. Substitute was generally the best option to shield Misdreavus from status and revenge killing, most notably bypassing Pawniard's Sucker Punch. Hidden Power Fighting OHKOed Pawniard and could 2HKO Munchlax after Nasty Plot. The EVs maximized Speed and Special Attack, letting Misdreavus hit as hard and fast as possible. If you were running Substitute, Berry Juice was the best option to restore HP once Misdreavus got below 50%. If you were running Hidden Power Fighting, Eviolite gave Misdreavus some extra bulk, making it harder to revenge kill. The IV drops of Hidden Power Fighting mandated running a spread of 240 SpA / 240 Spe.

  Choice Scarf

Misdreavus @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Levitate

Level: 5

EVs: 240 SpA / 240 Spe

Timid Nature

- Shadow Ball

- Dazzling Gleam

- Hidden Power Fighting

- Trick / Destiny Bond

In addition to being one of the best special sweepers in the tier, Misdreavus could also be one of the best revenge killers in the tier. It should also be pointed out that this set could also use Choice Specs and would sometimes feature Nasty Plot to take advantage of free turns generated by Trick. With among the highest Speed (second only to Elekid, Diglett, and Voltorb), with a Choice Scarf it could outrun +2 Modest Omanyte, +2 Adamant Shellder, and tie with +2 Adamant Dwebble. Shadow Ball was again the STAB move. Dazzling Gleam let Misdreavus revenge kill Scraggy while also nailing most Dark-types. Hidden Power Fighting hit Normal-types hard. As this set was weak compared to the Nasty Plot set, Trick was often the best option to cripple a weak wall. Destiny Bond could be used instead to bring something else down with Misdreavus. The EVs maximized speed and power.

  Life Orb

Misdreavus @ Life Orb

Ability: Levitate

Level: 5

EVs: 240 SpA / 240 Spe

Timid Nature

- Shadow Ball

- Dazzling Gleam / Thunderbolt

- Hidden Power Fighting

- Destiny Bond / Taunt

If you liked the idea of the power of the Nasty Plot set but didn't like having to set up, this set was a good solution. With brilliant Speed and high Special Attack, Misdreavus could dish out a lot of damage. Shadow Ball was the STAB move, doing good damage to anything that didn't resist it. Dazzling Gleam hit the Dark-types that resisted Shadow Ball hard. Thunderbolt could be used to get a stronger hit on Vullaby as well as hit bulky Water-types like defensive Tirtouga and Eviolite Staryu. Hidden Power Fighting hit Normal-types hard, as well as Dark-types not weak to Dazzling Gleam like Pawniard and Houndour. Destiny Bond would let you bring something else down when Misdreavus had done its job, while Taunt could cripple a weak wall. The EVs maximized Speed and power.

Drifloon

The final Pokémon banned from Little Cup in XY, Drifloon was unusual in the case of bans. A lot of the Pokémon we've looked at so far had their power as the primary reason for that ban. While Drifloon could hit hard, it was actually banned for its unparalleled stalling ability. When Berry Juice was unbanned, Unburden got a huge buff, and Drifloon reaped the benefits big time. If Drifloon could avoid Knock Off, Berry Juice with Recycle effectively gave it unlimited recovery and with Will-O-Wisp, it could stall out opponents for days, easily running through unprepared teams. As fearsome as that set was, it still had checks such as Porygon, which could recover off burn damage and hit hard with Ice Beam or Thunderbolt. However, that wasn't Drifloon's only set: it could also run a fearsome Calm Mind set. Due to its superior bulk (after boosting), this set could muscle through the SubRecycle set's checks like Chinchou and Porygon, and Will-O-Wisp coupled with STAB Hex let it hit burned targets extremely hard. It was given a retest due to the nerf to burn damage in SM, but it was found to be just as effective as it was in ORAS, and it ultimately remained banned.

Sets

  SubRecycle

Drifloon @ Berry Juice

Ability: Unburden

Level: 5

EVs: 116 Atk / 84 Def / 84 SpD / 196 Spe

Jolly Nature

- Acrobatics

- Substitute

- Recycle

- Will-O-Wisp

This was Drifloon's SubRecycle set, and it could run through unprepared teams with ease. Acrobatics was a reliable STAB attack, hitting the plethora of Fighting-types in LC for super effective damage. It was chosen over Shadow Ball because nothing is immune to it. Substitute let Drifloon avoid status and take at least one attack. It also helped Drifloon get into Berry Juice range. Recycle would restore Berry Juice once it had been consumed, letting Drifloon heal almost all of its health endlessly. Will-O-Wisp crippled physical attackers, and the passive damage combined with Substitute and Recycle keeping Drifloon healthy made Drifloon almost impossible to break. The EVs maximized Speed, letting Drifloon burn Pokémon like Pawniard before they could attack or set up a Substitute. After Unburden was activated by Berry Juice's consumption, it would outrun absolutely everything. Defense and Special Defense were boosted by two points each, letting Drifloon take hits better. The rest was placed in Attack to give Drifloon a bit more power.

  Calm Mind

Drifloon @ Berry Juice

Ability: Unburden

Level: 5

EVs: 84 Def / 116 SpA / 84 SpD / 196 Spe

Timid Nature

- Hex / Shadow Ball

- Calm Mind

- Recycle

- Will-O-Wisp

While the SubRecycle set was designed to stall, this set is meant to be played as a special sweeper. Hex was the preferred STAB attack, having a massive 130 Base Power against a foe with a status condition. Shadow Ball hit Fire-types, which could not be burned and therefore were likely to be without a status condition, harder, but it was inferior otherwise. Calm Mind gave Drifloon the power and bulk it needed to sweep. Recycle would restore Berry Juice once it had been consumed, essentially giving Drifloon endless recovery. Will-O-Wisp would cripple physical attackers and power up Hex. The passive damage also made it easier to break though walls. The EVs maximised Speed, letting Drifloon burn 16 Speed Pokémon like Pawniard before they could attack. Defense and Special Defense were boosted by two points each, giving Drifloon better overall bulk. The rest was placed in Special Attack for more power.

Eevium Z

Eevium Z would've turned Eevee into one of the most threatening Pokémon in the tier. This item was banned right from day one in SM for one simple reason: when used with Last Resort, Eevium Z turns the move into Extreme Evoboost, a move that grants an amazing +2 boost to every stat, apart from accuracy and evasion. With Adaptability-boosted Returns and +2 Speed and Defense, Eevee would be able to run through teams with ease. And if, for some reason, you didn't want the best sweeper in LC, it could also Baton Pass those boosts, turning just about any offensive Pokémon into a complete monster. I don't think anyone could claim the council made the wrong choice quickbanning Eevium Z.

Sets

  Extreme Sweeper

Eevee @ Eevium Z

Ability: Adaptability

Level: 5

EVs: 156 Atk / 40 Def / 80 SpA / 80 SpD / 80 Spe

Naughty Nature

- Last Resort

- Return

- Shadow Ball

- Hidden Power Fighting / Hidden Power Grass

Last Resort turns into Extreme Evoboost with the Eevium Z, giving Eevee great power, bulk, and speed. Return is the main STAB attack, at worst 2HKOing everything that doesn't resist it at +2. Shadow Ball hits the Ghost-types immune to Return for super effective damage. Hidden Power Fighting hits the Rock- and Steel-types that resist Return super effectively. It helps that most of them have lower Special Defense. Alternatively, Hidden Power Grass hits Onix and defensive Tirtouga for 4x super effective damage. The EVs give Eevee enough Speed to outrun Choice Scarf Mienfoo after Extreme Evoboost, with Defense, Special Defense and Special Attack boosted by one point each for more bulk and power. The rest is placed in Attack so Return can hit harder. Adaptability is used to give Return a huge effective 204 Base Power.

  EvoPass

Eeevee @ Eevium Z

Ability: Adaptability

Level: 5

EVs: 76 Atk / 196 Def / 76 SpD / 156 Spe

Adamant Nature

- Last Resort

- Baton Pass

- Return

- Substitute / Shadow Ball

If a +2 boost to all stats on a mediocre Pokémon isn't doing it for you, how about giving those boosts to something more threatening? Last Resort becomes Extreme Evoboost with an Eevium Z, giving all of Eevee's stats (bar accuracy and evasion) a +2 boost. Baton Pass let Eevee pass the boosts to a teammate. Return was there in case Eevee got Taunted—it would still do a lot of damage even at +2. Substitute would give Eevee a way to set up on passive walls, as well as offer the recipient a shield against revenge killing. Shadow Ball could be used instead to hit Ghost-types super effectively. The EVs gave Eevee 22 / 14 / 14 defenses, letting it reach 22 / 28 / 28 after using Extreme Evoboost. 156 Speed EVs boosted Speed by two points, letting it outrun Choice Scarf Gastly after Extreme Evoboost. The rest was placed in Attack for more power. Adaptability is Eevee's best ability, giving Return a huge effective 204 Base Power.

Porygon

The first Pokémon to be banned in SM, Porygon has always been a good Pokémon, but it wasn't until the introduction of Z-Moves that it became truly broken. Conversion has always been a gimmick, but when used as a Z-Move, it boosts all stats bar accuracy and evasion by one stage, in addition to changing the user's type. After using Z-Conversion, Porygon would outrun everything without a Choice Scarf, hit extremely hard, and have solid mixed bulk, and it could even shed its lackluster pure Normal typing. Given Porygon's incredible movepool, it could pick and choose what type it wanted to be depending on what your particular team wanted it to beat, thus making it impossible to counter.

Sets

  Conversion Sweeper

Porygon @ Normalium Z

Ability: Download

Level: 5

EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 196 Spe

Timid Nature

- Thunderbolt

- Ice Beam

- Conversion

- Recover / Psychic

While this wasn't the only set Porygon could run, this was the one that pushed it over the top. After using Z-Conversion, Porygon would have 27 Special Attack, 21 Speed and 23 / 21 / 21 defenses, making it very powerful, pretty fast, and bulky all at once, and Download could potentially let it hit even harder. Thunderbolt used in the first slot made Porygon Electric-type after using Conversion, giving it only one weakness. Ice Beam formed the BoltBeam combination with Thunderbolt, having perfect neutral coverage on the entire LC metagame bar Magnemite and Chinchou, which couldn't harm Porygon in turn. Recover was the preferred option in the final slot to let Porygon last longer, while Psychic could be used to smash the Fighting-types in LC. The EVs gave Porygon enough Speed to outrun everything without a Choice Scarf after using Conversion, with maximum Special Attack to hit as hard as possible. The rest was placed in Defense to protect Porygon from priority.

  Defensive

Porygon @ Eviolite

Ability: Trace

Level: 5

EVs: 236 HP / 196 Def / 76 SpD

Calm Nature

- Recover

- Ice Beam / Tri Attack

- Psychic / Tri Attack

- Thunder Wave

If you didn't want to use Porygon as a sweeper, it could also be a great mixed wall. Recover provided reliable recovery, keeping Porygon alive longer. Ice Beam mainly hit Flying-types, OHKOing Fletchling after Stealth Rock. Psychic hit Fighting-types hard, 2HKOing defensive Mienfoo on the switch. Tri Attack could be used over either of those moves if you needed a STAB attack. It also had a chance to burn, paralyze, or freeze the opponent, which could be a game changer. Thunder Wave crippled fast frail Pokémon like Abra, as well as Choice Scarf users. The EVs gave Porygon very high 26 / 24 / 24 defenses in conjunction with Eviolite, making it very difficult to break without STAB Fighting moves. Trace let Porygon copy a useful ability, like Regenerator from Foongus or Volt Absorb from Chinchou.

Cutiefly

Cutiefly may seem like an odd choice for a ban, given that, apart from Speed, none of its stats are anything special. However, it could do something nothing in Little Cup has even been able to do: Baton Pass Quiver Dance. This combination was what made Venomoth so threatening in BW, and in the higher tiers in XY, a Baton Pass clause was introduced that prevented a Pokémon from passing Speed and other stats to a target. But no such clause exists in LC. After being passed a Quiver Dance boost or two, special attackers like Magnemite, Chinchou, and special Vullaby were transformed into veritable wrecking balls of destruction, and with its Bug / Fairy typing, Cutiefly was never short of setup opportunities in the Fighting-type-infested metagame. Really, the only Pokémon who could reliably handle the combination of Cutiefly and Magnemite was Whirlwind Munchlax, and really, you shouldn't be forced to run one Pokémon to deal with a threat. While introducing the same Baton Pass clause as that of the standard tiers was discussed, it was ultimately decided that since no other Baton Passer could offer the kind of support Cutiefly could, it would be better just to ban Cutiefly.

Sets

  QuiverPass

Cutiefly @ Eviolite

Ability: Shield Dust

Level: 5

EVs: 116 Def / 116 SpD / 244 Spe

Timid Nature

- Quiver Dance

- Baton Pass

- Moonblast

- Roost

Quiver Dance was the boosting move of choice, increasing all of Speed, Special Attack, and Special Defense. Baton Pass could turn many a special attacker into an unstoppable monster, or it could be used to gain momentum. Moonblast was the STAB attack in case Cutiefly got Taunted. Roost was used to restore HP, letting Cutiefly set up multiple times throughout the match. The EVs maximized Speed while also boosting Defense and Special Defense by two points each, giving it overall better bulk. Shield Dust was used to prevent flinches from Fake Out or burns from Scald.

  Offensive Quiver Dance

Cutiefly @ Eviolite

Ability: Shield Dust

Level: 5

EVs: 36 HP / 116 Def / 240 SpA / 84 Spe

Modest Nature

- Quiver Dance

- Moonblast

- Psychic

- Hidden Power Ground

If you didn't need Cutiefly to pass the boosts, it could also sweep itself. Quiver Dance boosted Speed, Special Attack, and Special Defense, letting Cutiefly sweep. Moonblast was the STAB move, having wonderful neutral coverage in the tier. Psychic hit the Poison-types that resisted Moonblast hard. Hidden Power Ground further complemented Moonblast's coverage by hitting Fire- and Steel-types hard. The EVs maximized Special Attack, with Defense boosted by two points to hit an Eviolite number. The Speed EVs let Cutiefly outrun Choice Scarf Adamant Pawniard after using Quiver Dance, with the rest in HP for extra bulk.

Gothita

Gothita's ability Shadow Tag let it trap any non-Ghost-type Pokémon on the battlefield, and combined with its vast movepool, it was all but guaranteed to either KO or cripple something. It was most commonly seen running a Choice Scarf set, and while it did somewhat lack in power, thanks to Trick it could easily cripple a weak wall or a bulky sweeper. Even just locking the foe into an undesirable move could be a game changer, giving a teammate a chance to set up and sweep. Its vast movepool and immense customizability meant it could choose what it wanted to trap and KO and let it fit onto a wide variety of team archetypes. On offensive teams, it could cripple certain walls to let sweepers roam free, while on more defensive teams it could trap and remove opposing stallbreakers. It could also run a threatening Calm Mind set, trapping weak walls like Spritzee and setting up all over them. This set was even more dangerous than its Choice Scarf set, as it meant running weaker support Pokémon was often a complete liability. It could even run an Eviolite set without Rest, which freed up a slot for any of Energy Ball, Thunderbolt, Thunder Wave, Charm, and Hidden Power Fire. Its mere presence on a team meant that you would often have to sack something to deal with it, and ultimately its trapping prowess made it too much for LC and it was banned.

Sets

  Calm Mind

Gothita @ Eviolite

Ability: Shadow Tag

Level: 5

EVs: 236 HP / 196 Def / 76 SpD

Timid Nature

- Calm Mind

- Psyshock

- Rest

- Sleep Talk

Thanks to this set, most of LC's walls became complete liabilities. This set aimed to break through defensive Pokémon, with Calm Mind boosting its Special Attack to good levels and Rest to cure status. It could sweep itself, but its main use was to act as a stallbreaker. Psyshock was the STAB move, used in place of Psychic to win Calm Mind wars. Sleep Talk let Gothita act while asleep. The EVs gave Gothita 24 / 21 / 21 defenses in conjunction with Eviolite, letting it set up on more defensive Pokémon.

  Choice Scarf

Gothita @ Choice Scarf

Ability: Shadow Tag

Level: 5

EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 236 Spe

Modest Nature

- Psychic

- Thunderbolt

- Energy Ball

- Trick / Hidden Power Fire

This set was all but guaranteed to put something out of commission—if it couldn't achieve a KO, it could still cripple something with Trick. Psychic was Gothita's STAB move, hitting the many Fighting-types in LC for super effective damage. Thunderbolt hit Flying-types hard, OHKOing Nasty Plot Vullaby after Stealth Rock. Energy Ball hit Ground- and Water-types super effectively, 2HKOing Mudray after Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes. Trick let Gothita lock an opposing Pokémon into one move and was best used on weak walls and bulky sweepers like Ferroseed and Calm Mind Spritzee. Hidden Power Fire hit Ferroseed hard, which could otherwise wall this set. The EVs maximized Gothita's speed and power, letting it hit 14 Speed so that it could outrun the entire unboosted metagame with a Choice Scarf.

  Eviolite Attacker

Gothita @ Eviolite

Ability: Shadow Tag

Level: 5

EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 76 SpD / 160 Spe

Modest Nature

- Psychic / Psyshock

- Thunderbolt

- Calm Mind / Energy Ball

- Thunder Wave / Charm / Hidden Power Fire

This set's flexibility was what made it so dangerous. After the STAB move, you could choose to run just about anything you wanted, letting Gothita pick what it wanted to trap and eliminate. Psychic was a more powerful STAB attack, good for eliminating Fighting-types and Pokémon with lower Special Defense. Psyshock was best used with Calm Mind to win Calm Mind wars; it also hit Munchlax harder. Thunderbolt was the best option in the second slot to hit the plethora of Water- and Flying-types in LC. Calm Mind let Gothita boost its average Special Attack to threatening levels. Energy Ball hit Chinchou and bulky Ground-types like Mudbray and Hippopotas hard. Thunder Wave crippled frail offensive Pokémon and stopped Dragon Dance Scraggy from setting up on Gothita once it had removed something. Charm was very effective in conjunction with Calm Mind, making Gothita very hard to break. Hidden Power Fire 2KHOed Ferroseed unboosted, which could otherwise wall Gothita. Other options like Encore and Taunt were viable as well, to lock foes into undesirable moves or cripple weak walls, respectively.