National Dex Premier League VI Power Rankings

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Welcome to the NDPL VI power rankings! This being the first NDPL to feature three managers makes it quite interesting from both a spectator and player perspective, creating a much more competitive environment that is sure to make this article all the more intriguing! As always, we've collected the opinions of many knowledgeable players and used them to create multiple rankings for how well they measure up against their competitors in each pool. These are still subjective and not to be taken to heart, so don't worry if you end up lower than expected; it's all in good fun!

A special thanks goes out to each and every person that contributed to the making of this article: adorluigi, Bobsican, Boomenheimer, boomp, bumboclaat, Ineros, Lameflame, LogIce, Mateeus, Runo, sealoo, seth, slopcat, Sputnik, sunny, and Test Bots. This would definitely not have been possible without you guys!

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SV Rankings

1. sealoo
2. Xurkiyee
3. Kayzn
4. entrocefalo
5. Separation
6. hellom
7. Mollymiltoast
8. Kyo
9. Ado
10. Tuthur
11. Tempo di anguria
12. dunoks
13. Mada
14. ojr
15. Skyiew
16. vk
17. avarice
18. 1yr
19. Nashrock
20. YouanMingxue
21. Scish
22. HoodedZack
23. Fragments
24. Soul king0

The Weaviles are the highest ranking group this NDPL, and it's easy to tell why. sealoo shows a great understanding of the tier as a National Dex OU leader and has been on a hot streak throughout the year in multiple individual and team tournaments, winning this year's Winter Seasonal, going 4-0 in this year's NDWC, and a ludicrous 7-1 in NDBD. The rest of their SV core is no slouch, either; hellom is a proven player in multiple big tournaments, represented by his 30.5k price tag, and with experience in the tier as well as coming off of two relatively middling WC's (2-2 and 1-2), expectations are set high for him. dunoks is another player who has proven himself in multiple other tiers and didn't have a bad record of 3-3 in NDWC either. With sealoo to accompany these players in prep, the Weaviles look like a force to be reckoned with this NDPL.

The Mafia's SV core speaks for itself. Xurkiyee and the PugGod Kayzn stand as two of the tier's best players, having each proven themselves time after time as consistently elite. Xurkiyee is defending his title as an NDPL champion from his time on the Phoenix, and Kayzn has shown that he is a consistently valuable slot in his last two NDPLs. With an already mighty SV core, the Mafia opted to snag HoodedZack, who made it to semis of this year's NDUU Open among other solid showings, such as going 6-3 in NDBD playing UU. With support from manager LogIce, subs, and other slots featuring players like Aso, the Mafia's prep looks as strong as their play. As the second-highest ranked among all the SV cores, expectations are certainly high, but this core has all the tools they need to make use of their insane talent.

Many great figures look back on history and compare themselves to the greats. Napoleon thought himself Caesar, and the Song dynasty general Yue Fei thought himself a hero of historical myth. The Absols have no need for such comparisons, as they have picked up two of those historical greats. Kyo and Nashrock are among the most experienced players in the tour, and Separation is solidly among the best players in the entire pool with extremely solid showings in WC and PLs past. Separation manages to shine even in this star-studded roster with his absolutely bonkers results, going 6-1 last PL and 3-1 in the most recent WC. Although the rest of the Absols don't have the same immediately punchy results, this insanely experienced cast is almost certain to prove extremely valuable to their season. Among the three of them, their wisdom, experience, and overall NatDex knowhow should make them a sturdy SV core that is going to take not just great play to beat, but solid forethought in the prep phase.

The Phoenixes rise again with a strong SV starter core in entrocefalo, Tuthur, and ojr. entrocefalo is an Ubers player that has branched out to National Dex OU, performing well in multiple individual tournaments, notably being a finalist in the most recent Winter Seasonal. However, it must be noted that he is coming off of a 0-4 WC, so eyes are on entro to make that return to form. They are also a generally solid player, playing OU formats in other tournaments across Smogon. Tuthur is back for more in National Dex, having a stellar 7-1 record in the most recent NDWC; with fellow Frenchman Ryuji to support once again, he is expected to do solidly in the pool. ojr is another standout player and the popularizer {probably makes more sense} of Porygon-Z, gaining recent ND experience in NDBD. The Phoenixes drafted a solid SV core along with the support to back them up in all-time great managers seth and Ryuji, looking to reclaim the throne with some of their star slots.

The Basculegions take the 5th place spot, with their SV core featuring Mollymiltoast, Tempo di anguria, and vk. Mollymiltoast is the near undisputed best SS National Dex player, but he now makes his appearance in SV National Dex. It's not like he's unfamiliar with the tier, either; he qualified for NDLT but later dropped out, so it will be interesting to see how he adapts to the tier. Besides that, however, his results have more than proven he's a capable player, sporting a 5-2 record in the most recent NDWC and reaching the semifinals of the last Majors. Tempo di anguria is a familiar face around National Dex, as he's a strong player with good performances, such as in the past two NDWCs, where he went 3-2 this year and 5-1 last year, and other tours across the site such as OUPL. vk is a current gen OU player with a newfound interest in National Dex, with strong results in multiple big tournaments across the site such as SPL. With the support of players such as Lameflame and manager Iride to back them up, this group of talented players is bound to make a splash in the SV pool!

The Slowpokes have an SV core with great potential. Individually, Ado and avarice are both solid players, with Ado having an extremely solid LT season and avarice going 3-1 in the last NDWC. Fragments has been less successful with an 0-3 debut in NDBD, but the Slowpokes still see the potential within. In terms of building, though, there are some questions to be asked. The Slowpokes took the drafting strategy of building a village, and what a village it is. With Sputnik and Ineros likely heading the teambuilding effort, there's definitely a question of what the balance is going to look like. An army of assistance is available, so if things work absolutely perfectly, the Slowpokes' think tank could be unparalleled, but it could also very quickly lead to there being too many cooks in the kitchen or ideas kind of sputtering out. With avarice especially on board as mostly a clicker, there's definitely some questions regarding the quality of teams that could potentially come out. That being said, Ineros and Sputnik are quality players and builders, and with a robust core of clickers in Ado and avarice, the Slowpokes are not to be underestimated.

The Victinis' SV core is, to be frank, fine. Mada is a storied player with some extremely solid results, going 5-3 in BD and 3-2 last PL. 1yr is coming back from a 1-4 WC performance last year, and with his solid teambuilding fundamentals, he should prove to be an intriguing slot. Scish is definitely the most interesting watch of the three as a rookie, and many are optimistic about his abilities despite his relatively low ranking. Mada is definitely the most proven of the three, but the rookie Scish and sophomore 1yr have enough talent to be solid threats in their own right. They have a solid support structure with ARTYMASION, MemphisDepay, and chansey and lulu, as well as Darkness 789 and SpaceSpeakers. The clicking power is not as high as the fairly tough pool, but the surrounding cast is definitely there to bolster the matchups. The builds will be there, so the real question for the Victinis is whether the two fresher faces can make the necessary plays happen in game.

The Gogoats were unfortunately ranked last in the pool, but their starting lineup may be somewhat underestimated. Skyiew is a known Ubers player who has taken the time to play National Dex OU in recent team tournaments to middling results, (2-3 in WC and 4-4 in BD) so eyes are on him to see how he fares against multiple other strong players in the tier. YouanMingxue is a newcomer to team tournaments, though they recently made a very solid semifinals run in NDLT, going toe to toe with several other strong players like Kayzn, so he could be a rising star in the making that takes the tournament by surprise. Soul king0 was ranked shockingly low, though at first glance, it's not hard to see why; he had an unimpressive NDPL last year and doesn't have any recent results in National Dex. However, under new management, he may have a greater shot at taking the pool by storm this time around. Additionally, he is a finalist of the 2023 National Dex Circuit Playoffs, so his skill should not be undermined at first glance. Overall, despite being ranked last, the Gogoats have an SV core that is fresh with new talent and previously proven, capable players.

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Ubers Rankings

It would have been shocking if the Galarian Phoenixes opted not to retain Emoxu9. Xu was an integral part of the Phoenixes' NDPL V title run with an 8-1 record. Along the way, Xu proved himself with his spectacular prep alongside airtight gameplay while utilizing the full spectrum of playstyles. Notably, Xu's Chi-Yu + Lunala Sticky Web team remains influential, used, and successful a year later. Unsurprisingly, Xu comes into NDPL VI with sky-high expectations and is the player to beat. Somewhat surprisingly, Xu is accompanied by his fellow Ubers aficionado Entrocefalo – last year's top-ranked player. Entrocefalo may be playing OU this year, but his feedback and experience will be immensely valuable. Most managers would be ecstatic to have just one of these players, let alone both!

Anyone paying a modicum of attention to the Ubers scene has seen Skimmy consistently outputting results over the last couple of years. Consequently, there were expectations going into NDPL V, where Skimmy faced them head-on with aplomb en route to yet another positive tournament via a distinctive style of offense that became all his own and stellar navigation through rough gamestates. This year Skimmy enters with higher expectations, both reflected in his ranking and draft price. Skimmy may not have many teammates to lean on, but Runo has extensive experience playing and building NatDex Ubers and will be a valuable asset to help with ideas, teambuilding, and testing. Expectations are high regardless, but it would not be surprising if the next metagame-defining structure came out of the Gogoats' kitchen this year.

Joining Smogon in 2025, Remnonc has been a rapidly developing player, mainly seen around tournaments for all sorts of tiers and making his name known by beating some solid players, such as Lasen in Gen 5 Ubers in BWPL V and Splendid Silver Star in SS Ubers Cup III; he also made it to the semifinals of SMPL IV as an Ubers player with a 6-2 record and won the RoA Spotlight SM Ubers tournament. Remnonc's records in ND Ubers aren't half bad either, making it to Round 6 of the 2025 ND Ubers Summer Seasonal, as well as Round 5 of the ND Ubers Open III. Given the before-mentioned precedents, those savvy in the tournaments community shouldn't be too surprised to discover that Remnonc has literally been the most valuable player of the Vice City Victinis, going for a large draft budget cost of 18000. Even though Remnonc doesn't tend to build teams, borrowing teams of players such as Splendid Silver Star, as well as the further support into the tier by Sami, a council member of the metagame, enables Remnonc to indeed be a player to not underestimate by far.

Being a main of Uber metagames, Splendid Silver Star has quite the history of mostly lingering around the community as a player for tournaments of this kind of power level. As far as ND Ubers is concerned, making it to the finals of the Beers and Buds money tournament, round 7 of the Winter Seasonal, and most notably winning the ND Ubers Open III, with some of Splendid Silver Star's teams becoming viable to use by other players to modest success. Splendid Silver Star has also been seen in other Uber tournaments, such as having a 3-4 record in UPL XIII, making it to the finals of the ORAS Ubers Cup VIII and the Ubers ORAS Grand Slam, and most notably winning the Ubers Classic IX and the ADV Ubers Cup IX. As a player, Splendid Silver Star often carefully analyzes underrated alternatives while teambuilding, resulting in unique teams that stand the test of time. This is further supported by MirrorSaMa, one of the best players in the format and a manager of the team, granting the Pearl River Slowpokes even more of an upper hand into the tier.

Taka has been an extremely active contributor to the community and its accessibility for years, while also not being shy to tournaments either. He often signs up for several at the same time, notably managing to reach the semifinals of PTPL VI, round 12 of the SV Ubers Summer Seasonal IX, the finals of the LC Winter Seasonal VIII, and the finals of the UPL XIII, overall showcasing adaptability and knowledge across all sorts of formats. While he doesn't make outstanding results all the time and has minimal regular ND Ubers experience, Taka's years of experience has led the voter base to have more faith in him than Bobsican and bumboclaat for winning the tournament. With Xinnobu as an experienced ally in the tier by being in multiple related tournaments, Taka may be able to surpass expectations!

This is Bobsican's first NDPL as an expected full-time starter, and he has a lot to prove! Nerves are a natural expectation, and the extra eyes, courtesy of being the tier leader, are unlikely to help. Bob is known mostly for his love of bulkier structures, often featuring some obscure and offbeat, yet surprisingly effective, Pokémon. Bobsican is a solid player that can pilot a variety of playstyles, but only time will tell if he will find the right mixture to thwart opponents attempting to exploit his tendencies. Anchor9 is likely to keep vibes high and provide ample support. Additionally, Xurkiyee plays NatDex Ubers regularly and may provide some solid insights and suggestions throughout the tour.

As an extremely notable user among the National Dex community, bumboclaat's knowledge and contributions regarding the ND Ubers metagame almost have no competition, showcasing his experience by going into extremely detailed posts about the metagame, doing several metagame resources, exploring the teambuilding depths of balance and bulky offense, and even showcasing decent results in tournament play as well, such as reaching semifinals in the NDBD I and the ND Ubers Ghosting Tour II, finals of the ND Ubers Open, round 9 of the ND Ubers Winter Seasonal, and winning the Beers and Buds tournament and the ND Ubers Trios Tour. Unlike most other players, it is quite apparent that bumboclaat overly specializes in ND Ubers over other formats, which can compensate for his lack of team support for the tier.

Unfortunately, somebody must be at the bottom, and this year it is DripLegend. Drip is a fantastic generalist with a WCOP win under their belt alongside a solid 2-0 UPL showing and success in lower tiers, but it is not yet known how well this will translate to NatDex Ubers. Although the tier is easy to pick up, DripLegend also lacks visible support to expedite this process and breeze past the teething troubles some players struggled with in the first few weeks of NDPL V. Once Drip has done so, their fresh perspective on the tier, in conjunction with their playing ability, may make many voters regret their ranking!

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UU Rankings

Although this might be her first NDPL, Iride's gameplay and understanding of the tier is legendary, with only R1C4M3N rivaling their prowess. Some would say that she would've been easily drafted to NDPL had she signed up last year. Instead; Iride killed it in both ND Blind Draft and NatDex FL II and ended both of her runs with high marks, which only serves to solidify how strong of a player and builder she is. There's zero doubt in anyone's mind that Iride will have a strong showing this NDPL, including herself, as she's self-bought solely to be a strong breadwinner in the UU slot. A great investment from the Basculegions indeed, even without factoring the potential support coming from her good friends Velcroc and Rafadude.

The Three Gogoats retained R1C3M4N after their strong 5-0 showing in NDPL V. Their status in the tier might not be as legendary as Iride (to the point of nearly going undrafted in NDPL V) but they are for sure close in their understanding of the tier and gameplay. R1C3M4N also is coming to NDPL carrying a strong finals placement in 2025 UU Open for NatDex Grand Slam and holds the title of being the 2024 NDUU Circuit Champion. It's not always easy going for R1C4M4N however and he can sometimes struggle to adapt to the current metagame depending on the tier shifts, as seen notably in their NatDex Blind Draft run. Thankfully this isn't the first time R1C4M3N and Runo have worked together in the UU slot (this would mark their 4th Team Tour in a row working together), so if anyone can keep R1C4M3N at their best, Runo would be the person for the job.

Elfuseon might almost be considered a mainer with the amount of times they have been a starter in the UU slot for the past 4 NDPLs. However his consistent results do not equate to in depth understanding of the tier. Elfuseon for the most part is still going to need to have a strong support in the back to anchor his builds, which has been the case for the prior PLs. Thankfully Elfuseon has obtained such a support in salmonelephant, a rising star in NatDex Lower Tiers. This duo shouldn't have any problem at all given how strong of a player Elfuseon is, with very strong showings both in and out of National Dex.

Micciu continues off their solid UU run last NDPL with the Galarian Pheonix, although this time they have for less experienced builders supporting them. Not a deal-breaker since they have better tier familiarity than some of the other starters but they will essentially be forced to fend for themselves in a metagame that is known for being punishing in the builder. Building UU can be challenging to some if it doesn't click immediately so if this happens or Micciu isn't lucky enough to be passed strong teams, then it will be a rather rough season for the Absol's UU slot. Historically when this occurs on teams it will spiral into a functionally lifeless slot with minimal effort being put into it. Micciu is a great player however, and their building takes for NatDex UU has potential keep them afloat if he optimizes the teams.

The Galarian Pheonix love preferring a generally strong player over someone who is deeply versed in the NatDex UU Metagame, it's no different season either with seraphz starting. It helps further that seraphz has a general understanding of the tier down despite not playing it for a good minute, so the acclimation period shouldn't be overwhelming. seraphz will probably not have a huge interest in building this tier but it's not as if they are taking the NatDex UU journey alone, as Ryuji and seth have a lot of experience building the tier. Their combined understanding should help seraphz bring strong teams and let their gameplay shine.

mrfraud has been putting up sturdy results in individual NatDex UU tournaments despite being fairly green to the team tournament scene. However their in-game skill is still unproven compared to the rest of the pool and that can spell doom for the Main Event Mafia if he ends up failing. Being graced with Danbear02's expert NatDex UU support will go far here on top of his already great understanding of the tier but it will mean nothing if they fail to size up to the far more experienced pool.

Although not traditionally a UU player, Axzel still has a lot of great qualities as a player in general and puts up strong performances when he puts effort into it. Even though he may be filling out the UU slot by sheer necessity in the worst case scenario, Sealoo's support in the builder should be able to carry him just as far as the other players in the pool. Although; the lack of base tier knowledge could serve to be detrimental especially as there is a strong chance he will not contribute much to teambuilding. which is why Axzel is ranked so low. Nevertheless, this is only a minor hurdle to overcome and is nothing that simple testing and effort can't fix.

On the surface, cloudu0 has no real mark on the tier whatsoever and no real accolates in general. With only a Round 1 win in the latest NatDex UU seasonal and a Mega Tyranitar suspect test vote to hold to their name in terms of relevance. The support for cloudu0 seems incredibly lackluster as well compared to the rest of the pool. db and Sputnikk know some things about NatDex UU to offer input, but nothing close to having an in-depth understanding of the tier. For this reason they are positioned at the bottom of the rankings. Although they could still pull some upsets, it's more likely that cloudu0 can fail to live up to expectations with both an unorthodox method of building and the general strength of the rest of the NatDex UU pool.

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RU Rankings

Micaiah's consistent performances allow him to easily land in the number one spot in the rankings, sporting a fantastic 6-3 run in NatDex Blind Draft on top of a 6-3 run last NDPL. Part of what makes him so powerful is his ability to run incredibly unorthodox, almost enigmatic, teams and get away with it easily. Compared to most cheese, Micaiah doesn't really seem to miss the mark matchup wise. Even when it's not an easy carry he still has proven very difficult to catch off guard by most attempts to prep into him. Sealoo's and Hex's support has potential to supplement his skills nicely given their past experience with RU for tours like Grand Slam and NDPL. Micaiah does not need the help whatsoever though and the Wealthy Weaviles retained him for that very reason.

Ranking just under Micaiah is the Mafia's lone selfbuy in Danbear02. Danbear has been a mainstay in NatDex RU since his breakout Grand Slam win last year and looks to add to his already incredible track record this tournament. With solid performances in every team tour he has participated in, including a 6-1 record in the previous NDPL iteration, and a 4-4 record in NatDex Blind Draft, as well as the prior mentioned Grand Slam win, the pressure is on Danbear to live up to his previous performances and continue to produce results for his team.

While ranked just below him in 3rd place, Runo finds himself in quite a similar position to Danbear going into this season as his team's sole selfbuy. With consistent tournament showings under his belt, including a solid 5-2 record in NatDex Blind Draft. and as the tier leader possibly possessing the most tier knowledge of anyone in the pool, the Gogoats' decision to selfbuy Runo is a sound one, and just like Danbear, the pressure is on to live up to the high expectations he's placed on himself and put up a solid showing for his team.

Similar to Micaiah, LBN's teambuilding school of thought is also very unorthodox and similar to Micaiah again LBN sports strong showings in NatDex Blind Draft with a fair 4-4 record. That being said LBN has a tendency to have a lot more concepts come out half-baked, which is often a detriment to their otherwise great playing skill. This makes it a lot easier to punish LBN when compared to Micaiah. It also does not help that the Absols did not draft any further support for NatDex RU, thus LBN will be forced to bounce their takes to a brick wall. Not the end of the world however, LBN builds (so long as they stay grounded to reality) are still strong and they should not have to struggle heavily in this tier they are all too familiar with.

The Victinis have once again opted to secure the recent Grand Slam champion for their RU slot, this time around going with salmonelephant. While losing their option to retain Danbear may have been seen as a slight setback, salmonelephant is not one to be slept on, only finding himself in the relatively low position of 5th due to a lack of proper ND team tour experience. If he can manage to keep up the level of play he displayed throughout Grand Slam and NDRU Open, he may just have it in him to surpass his predecessor and seriously upset the pool.

jawabarat returns to the NatDex Tournament scene after achieving a great 5-2 run during NatDex Blind Draft and a fair showing in NatDex RU Open. Despite occasionally going overlooked in the NatDex scene, he still puts up fine showings even when NatDex RU isn't featured such as his run in NatDex World Cup, going 3-0 in a 5 week regular season. jawabarat is also comfortably supported with Iride, Velcroc, and Rafadude being heavily invested in teambuilding. They probably will not struggle with building either, but they may need to slight time to acclimate to some of the tiering changes that occurred this season.

Despite consistently struggling in National Dex RU whenever given the chance, FlamPoke makes his return to the tier under the guidance of the Galarian Pheonix to give this metagame another college try. Compared to the rest of the pool, they have much harder roadblocks to success, as FlamPoke will essentially need to relearn the tier and disregard his prior takes of the metagame that resulted in suboptimal teambuilding. Ryuji and Seth will provide a sturdy support framework in order to make him whole, but even then the rest of the pool is still far more accomplished. The situation is not hopeless however, and FlamPoke can still have a nice run if he locks down his understanding of the tier.

In an extremely competitive pool, LB unfortunately finds himself at the bottom. This isn't to say this slot is doomed for the Slowpokes however, as LB has already shown he is capable of playing the tier, making semifinals of the recent NDRU open. LB won't be alone on his journey to learn NDRU either, with longtime council member and NDRU legend db on the bench providing support, this core has potential to majorly upset the pool. With nothing to lose and everything to prove for the LBdb core, we could end up witnessing the creation of a new NDRU super soldier.

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DOU Rankings

Coming off a combined 8-3 record from NDWC and Doubles Derby, our favorite team stealer, Akaru, finds himself at the top of the pre-season rankings and retained by the Absols. Akaru has put up extremely consistent results in team tours across the site, and National Dex is arguably his best tier. Supported by a familiar face in Code, a recent teammate on the Doubles PL team Akaru captained to a runner-up finish. These two have good building chemistry and are the team to beat in the Doubles slot.

The circuit champion Schister finds himself at #2 in the rankings. Known to be a very unconventional builder, Schister is likely to be bringing some innovative teams to challenge the current metagame. Supported by Eatfoods and Frixel, two very strong players in their own right, Schister has all the tools at his disposal to put up a very strong season and be consistent for the Gogoats.

Voltix comes back after a strong NDWC and Doubles Derby boasting a combined 9-2 record. With his experience in the tier as a day one player, it's no surprise that he was chosen to be retained by the Victinis. Voltix is supported by ARTYMASION, a player predominantly known for singles, but is up and coming in the Doubles scene, making finals of the most recent open. This core will undoubtedly be very strong; it's just a question of how much Voltix's experience can guide a newer player to support him.

Kunal is one of the most innovative players of the NatDex Doubles metagame. Earlier this year, Kunal had helped another one of his teams to win the Doubles Derby (III). He is known to support high-quality players such as Spurrific and Tyo, and now, he himself is on the grand stage. Who knows what is next in his playing cards? Alongside his teammate, Gephicka, he will surely bring more than his worth for the Main Event Mafia.

After a 6-1 NDFL and championship, tyo is back for his second PL. Tyo is a rather consistent performer in the DOU community. While he hasn't played the most SV National Dex, he has been one of the driving forces behind the SS National Dex Doubles metagame, innovating structures and winning the SS National Dex Doubles Kickoff. Drafted alongside Chris32156, another consistent performer in the tier, the legions look to have a strong slot. However, Chris does not tend to build in National Dex, which may prove troublesome for this core.

Terekusai is another well-respected player and council member of the NatDex Doubles metagame. Amongst his accomplishments include being the runner-up of the 2024 NatDex Doubles Summer Seasonal and the winner of the 2024 DOU Draft Tournament. His support, PigWarrior, is the face of Doubles LC metagame, and strategically speaking, he and PigWarrior are well-positioned to find some competitive edge over the other teams. Overall, he is known to be a very consistent player, and the Wealthy Weaviles had made the right choice in drafting him to their team.

SeaLife, also known as the Furret Lover, is the runner-up of the 2025 Official Smogon Doubles Tournament V and winner of the 2025 NatDex Doubles Swiss Tournament. She is without a doubt in the eyes of every Doubles player at the moment, and how she will continue to excel brings curiosity to our minds. Her teams are known to be distinct from the "Tried and True" teams of the NatDex Doubles metagame, and they are bound to catch some players off guard. The Pearl River Slowpokes had made a steal with her and are guaranteed to be in good hands.

Farfromani, also known as GuiltarHeroVGC, is a rising player who had won the RoA-sponsored DPP Doubles OU tournament in 2023. She had also participated in the ND Blind Draft with a decent score of 4-4. She is generally considered to be a good player all around. Although Farfromani is the underdog of this tournament, she shouldn't be underestimated. She has nothing to lose, but everything to prove. This tournament is truly her moment to shine!

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Monotype Rankings

Just like last year, the Pheonixes decided to heavily invest in their Monotype slot by bringing the tried-and-true crash to the table. Historically one of Monotype's and National Dex Monotype's greatest with multiple satisfactory showings all across the tiers' competitions, crash is definitely looking to repeat his last year's performance in the National Dex Monotype slot where he ended with a nice 4-2 record. Most players know about crash's Monotype-maneuvering abilities, and expectations are as high as ever yet again, especially since we're talking about the back-to-back champions' National Dex Monotype hero, who should have peak motivation to help his team three-peat. Is he going to deliver once more, or is an upset on the works?

Victinis' acquisition of Tarre25 to play in the National Dex Monotype slot is looking like a sequel of what they did last year, or the start of a trend: buying some of SV Monotype's most promising players and trying to replicate their performance in the National Dex game. Results were a mixed bag last year, with frol1, a player among SV Monotype's elite, scoring a mediocre 3-4 record. Regardless of that, however, Tarre seems to have what it takes to be a big hit in this pool, coming off of a brutal 4-1 performance in this year's NDMPL and having access to a variety of good teams courtesy of his previous partnerships, as well as his current one with Monotype mainstay Mada. Let's see if Tarre can prove the functionality of Victinis' draft strategy; only time will tell.

Coming in third is a player who, surprisingly, is going to debut as a NDPL starter in this year's competition. One of National Dex Monotype's council members and among the tier's best players, Sunnyboi0 is eagerly looking to have a great showing in this tournament, and it looks like he's very capable of doing so; last year, he dominated most of National Dex Monotype's individual competitions, and he comes off of a combined 9-2 record in the last two iterations of NDMPL. However, Sunnyboi's nerves could very well be his demise, as his performances in higher stake tournaments take a hit when he's under pressure. Overall, the Absols's National Dex Monotype slot could be a hit, with Sunnyboi dominating another team tournament, or, because of the lack of a backup player, a miss if expectations aren't met.

To play in their National Dex Monotype slot, the GoGoats have opted for the relatively safe pick of QWILY. While he doesn't really play the tier, QWILY's extensive SM Monotype curriculum built on multiple good MPL iterations earned him the fourth-place ranking, and it's not hard to see why considering both Monotype metagames have some similarities to this day. The real question regarding the GoGoats's National Dex Monotype slot boils down to if QWILY can sustain week after week of action in a tier he's unfamiliar with, as the team seemingly has no backup National Dex Monotype player or building support. Despite that, if QWILY can maintain his overall level of play, the answer might be more foreseeable than what his placing might suggest.

The Main Event Mafia's approach to the National Dex Monotype slot looks to be the same as what the Victinis and GoGoats did, as the purchase of feen means they have a solid player that has some previous Monotype experience. Despite the team also having little National Dex Monotype support or backup from the outer viewership, feen is bouncing from a really good MPL season and a positive record of 3-2 in this year's NDMPL, which may as well be enough credentials to solidify the Mafia's National Dex Monotype's slot and question feen's only average fifth-place ranking. Is it actually going to be enough, though? All we can do is wait and see.

Ranked in sixth is retirement home's biggest enemy Bka Onon, who has returned to the National Dex Monotype scene after just some months out of this addiction; guess he missed lottery games, Stone Edge going left, and the nerve-wracking tension this game can generate. Surprisingly, his current stint hasn't been in vain either, and he's arguably his best one yet, as he's had an unbeaten, 6-0 NDMPL run this year, and is doing well on individual National Dex Monotype tournaments, too. Despite that, NDPL is a step up from anything Bka Onon has competed in so far after his comeback, so his creativity (?) on the builder and Tenebricite's support will be key for the Basculegion's National Dex Monotype slot if it desires to generate actual results against what looks to be an uphill battle against this pool.

The Weaviles's approach to the National Dex Monotype slot in this NDPL iteration has got to be one of the wildest yet. In comparison to last year's tournament where they had seasoned Monotype veteran Splash and were ranked second in the rankings, their hopes for the slot this year are on the hands of Lacks, an individual with little prior Monotype experience. While it's very common for tournament mainstays to pull great results in Monotype tiers as shown by the various MPL and NDMPL editions, the general public doesn't seem to believe Lacks can pull it off despite his 5-1 SM Monotype record in SMPL this year. Therefore, it's in Lacks's hands to defy the odds and bring National Dex Monotype wins to the Weaviles this season—will he succeed in that mission?

Ironically, one of Monotype's most participative and experienced players is ranked dead last in the... National Dex Monotype pool. Despite his multiple years of playing in team tournaments that have a Monotype tier in it, Ashbala has yet to convince viewers that he has what it takes to pull off a result. While his ceiling is really high—after all, we're talking about someone that has taken a Monotype Bug team to the semifinals of a Smogtour—Ashbala's nerves often get in the way whenever he's involved in an important match, hindering his performance potential. However, the ceiling Ashbala may achieve is probably the reason why the Slowpokes bought him in the first place, and if things click week to week, we might finally see Ashbala make a mockery of this ranking and prove himself as a worthy team tournament player.

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SS Individual Rankings

Tied as the winningest player in ND SS OU history, Devin claims the #1 spot in this season's SS power rankings. Coming off an impressive 8-1 record and a championship run with the Phoenixes, he's firmly established himself as one of the most respected names in the format. A former SCL champion and the reigning RBTT champion, Devin boasts a track record of consistent success across multiple tiers. Retained by the defending champs for another season, expectations remain sky-high—despite limited SS support around him. Can he deliver another dominant run in this PL?

Arguably one of the biggest names in the entire tournament, Luthier returns to NDPL after cleaving through the SS pool in NDPL V with an 8-1 record. The multitime SCL champion was retained by the Weaviles for a hefty price, but it's hard to mount a reasonable argument against the decision considering the caliber of player that the Weaviles now have at their disposal. Detractors may take a cursory look at the PL sheet and find a mediocre 1-3 record in NDWC IV, but this came in SV, and during the notoriously volatile Tera metagame at that. With solid SS support from managers kDCA and Sealoo in his corner, Luthier will likely be a force to be reckoned with once again, and any bet against him would be a foolish proposition.

Slotting into the third place slot is Stareal, who is no stranger to high-level tournament play, deep tournament runs (as a recent UMPL champion), and lopsided win-loss records in his recent National Dex outings. Following two highly successful runs through the NDWC and the SSNDPL player pools (posting a dominant 4-1 W/L record in NDWC and an impressive in 5-2 SSNDPL respectively), Stareal's recent body of work has rightly earned him the recognition as one of the strongest competitors in the NDPL pool. While his individual successes undeniably make him one of the top players to beat in this tour, it will be interesting to see whether he can translate this success alongside the support of co-SS pilot yonmd and the Slowpoke management to lead his team to victory en route to another positive win-loss outing.

After a stellar 6-1 run in the last PL and standout showings in NDWC and WCoP and as the reigning RUPL champion, Tenebricite claims the #4 spot. A rising star in the NatDex community, their sharp play and versatility across multiple metagames have quickly earned them respect. Backed last season by elite SS support from Isza and ezra, they'll once again have a strong team behind them with Mollymiltoast and Lameflame providing guidance. With that foundation, expectations are high for Tenebricite to maintain form and deliver another strong performance this PL.

Known predominantly in greater tournament circles for their recent OUPL victory and SPL XVI showing with the Wi-Fi Wolfpack, One Last Kiss has recently begun to establish their name as a prominent National Dex competitor in recent months, particularly in SS OU following their most victory in SSNDPL. After managing various team tournaments such as SSPL I & II, CAPPL, PTPL, and ADPL, One Last Kiss was initially chosen as a manager of Latin America for NDWC III, and returned with a strong showing as a player in NDPL V & NDWC V. More recently, in SS OU, One Last Kiss fully established themselves as one of the top competitors to beat after posting a strong 5-2 record in SSNDPL, with notable victories against Kustavan and Mollymiltoast as some of SS's strongest players on his way to an eventual team victory with the Gangster Darumakas. While his total body of work in SS OU remains limited to this single victorious outing, his strong showing in each round and his high-level play distinguish him as a worthy recipient of his top-5 ranking.

Claiming the sixth overall slot is Clawed Winter, who is by no means a newcomer to the National Dex scene as one of the more dedicated, creative, and diverse SS OU teambuilders and competitors over many years. Their creative approach to teambuilding, aggressive gameplay, and notable quality wins over the years—along with their willingness to use off-meta options and make the most of opposing scouts—has served them well in various tours dating back to several past SS OU seasonal runs and various team tour selections and showings. Unfortunately, they may be the first to tell you that their recent 1-3 showing in SSNDPL was not fully reflective of their performance, and they were similarly not able to make much of a splash in NDWC, but if there is any managing team that can extract the full value out of their SS starting core, it is Boomenheimer and the Mafia's strong SS support options in Aso, HoodedZack, and the full managing team to elevate Clawed to his top level.

A relative newcomer on the scene (his account is less than a year old at time of writing), MemphisDepay has already turned some heads in the National Dex community with impressive results in individual tournaments, including winning the 2025 SSND Last Chance Qualifier and entering the circuit playoffs as the 3rd seed. Any doubters of his skill were silenced upon a very solid 4-1 performance in NDWC V, a record that included wins over proven high-caliber opponents in Ryuji and omargarciav. These aforementioned wins came in SV National Dex, however, and there are questions as to the overall quality of opponents that participated in the most recent SS National Dex circuit, not to mention Memphis's early exit from circuit playoffs. Time will tell how Memphis will perform in such a challenging environment, but he's certainly proven himself worthy of a starting spot.

Yonmd arrives to this year's NDPL coming off of a semifinal showing in SSNDPL with the Glistening NaGliscors and a 2-2 overall record, following up a similar 2-2 overall showing in NDWC V. Generally known for his creative offensive structures, yonmd has been a staple in the National Dex community for the past several years as a notable competitor in both SV and SS seasonals, as well as a frequent face in team tours, lending to their perception as a skilled Top 8 player in the pool. While they possess ample knowledge of the SS OU metagame and overall playerbase, they are still searching for their signature breakout performance to propel them into the upper eschelon, and will be hungry to build on their neutral win-loss performances this NDPL season.

chansey and lulu finds their way into the limelight of a premier National Dex tournament once again, a spot that they have found themselves in many times before at this point. c&l is coming off of a huge performance in NDWC V, where they stepped up in both SV and SS and slugged their way to a 5-0 record, as one of only two players who played that many games and didn't record a loss. c&l also made their way into 2024's National Dex circuit playoffs off of a very strong performance in last year's ladder tournament, and they turned in a stout 4-1 performance in SSNDPL. A 0-3 record in NDPL V (albeit all losses to exceptionally strong opponents) may cause some pause, however, and they have yet to have a big performance in this year's circuit.

A frequent sight in PLs across the website, ZDen begins their second venture into a National Dex Team Tournament after a pedestrian 2-3 showing in NDWC V. ZDen's reputation still led to voters giving them a solid spot on the PR, however, and they have experience in SM OU, which is not a dissimilar metagame to SS National Dex. As a result, ZDen will be one of the more intriguing names to watch as the tournament unfolds, but anyone counting them out would be making a significant mistake, and they are certainly capable of wading into battle with the big names of the format. Overall, Luthier and ZDen should form a strong core, and they have the support to back them up in this highly developed metagame.

Making his National Dex debut earlier this year with a 3-1 record for LatAm in NDWC, Abele enters the rankings at #12 as a dark horse in the pool. A proven SM player and a key contributor to Chile's WCoP squad, he showed promise early but struggled to carry that momentum into the inaugural SSNDPL. Now joining the Three Gogoats alongside NDWC teammates omarsgarciav and JeoZ, the question is whether this reunion—despite limited SS support—can help Abele recapture the form that first turned heads earlier this year.

Securing the #12 overall position is Aso, who has recently demonstrated his prowess in SS through a successful string of tournament performances over the last SS tour season that earned him a place in SS OU's circuit as the #9 overall seed. There, he also earned a valuable and quality win over the tier's leader in Boomenheimer before falling only in a close three-game contest to the tier's juggernaut in Mollymiltoast. Unfortunately for Aso, his NDWC showing did not go as planned, posting a regrettable 0-5 record (albeit in SV OU, with no SS games played), and combined with his absence in SSNDPL, it may have left the voting pool wanting more from the rising star. However, with the full backing and support of the Main Event Mafia's heavy support for their SS slots, this may be Aso's moment to establish himself as one of the forces to reckon with in the SS OU tier in the years to come.

As one of the tier's least familiar but rapidly rising faces, luuanfps is steadily becoming a household name by virtue of his notable back-to-back runs to the finals of SS National Dex Last Chance, followed up immediately by a run to the finals of SS circuit playoffs. Luuanfps secured a string of quality wins en route to a loss in the final round to Mollymiltoast, demonstrating that his impressive finals run in last chance was no fluke. His lower ranking can only really be ascribed to his newer presence in the community, with no history of participation in major National Dex or large tournaments prior to his recent SS circuit results and his undrafted status in SSNDPL. However, between the obvious strength of his gameplay via the eye test and the strength of the SS OU support he has to draw from with Mollymiltoast, Lameflame, and Tenebricite backing him up, this may be the notable tournament breakout event luuan is looking for to fully establish himself as a top contender in future SS OU pools.

Irene makes another foray into a National Dex team tour, where they will hope to notch their first win in a major National Dex team tournament after getting limited playing time in both NDPL V and NDWC V. This will likely be a tall task, as the SS pool will be a challenging place for a less-proven player to thrive in this tournament. However, they were purchased for a significant investment from the Three GoGoats's managerial team, and they clearly have faith that Irene will be able to put up a good performance here. Having several teammates familiar with the metagame will certainly help them prepare for this slugfest of a tournament, although the deck may be stacked against them considering the quality of players around them.

Landing at #15, lolebruh makes his way into the rankings after debuting for Europe in NDWC earlier this year—though in SV OU, not SS. With some WCoP appearances under his belt and decent runs in SMPL and SSPL, he now finds himself starting in SS next to Devin for the defending champions. The reality, however, is that his NatDex résumé is thin: limited play and little tour success leave plenty of question marks around his ability to hang in such a competitive pool. Surrounded by experienced vets, lolebruh has a tough road ahead and will need to prove quickly that he's more than just roster depth.

Rounding out the SS power rankings at #16 is 3cho, whose lack of notable accolades makes his placement unsurprising. With little experience and a thin résumé, he enters a competitive pool at a clear disadvantage. That said, he won't be on his own—under the guidance of Absols manager Isza, who has a strong track record of developing emerging talent in the NatDex scene, 3cho has at least some support to lean on. Still, the odds are stacked against him, and it remains to be seen whether he can rise above expectations or simply serve as an easy win for veterans.

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SS Team Rankings

The Wealthy Weaviles lay claim to the top spot in the SS power rankings largely off the back of Luthier, who crushed the competition in the previous iteration of NDPL and will be one of the toughest players to beat in the entire pool. ZDen, while being relatively inexperienced within the National Dex tournament scene, has a reputation as a solid player and checked in around the middle of the voter's opinions. If that wasn't enough, kDCA and Sealoo give these two arguably the best SS support in the tournament. Time will tell if these high expectations will be met, but the Weaviles will be the team to beat in the SS portion of the tournament.

Narrowly missing out on the top spot is the highly threatening core of yonmd and Stareal, which features a notable tournament competitor with a wealth of metagame knowledge and experience alongside a cross-site tournament juggernaut with a habit of going positive in National Dex tours. Yonmd is still searching for a résumé-defining dominant season, and from Stareal's perspective, they are happy to fuel their ongoing momentum and pick up exactly where they left off, this time with the support of new Slowpoke management by Ineros and company to guide them to success. It will be interesting to see if Stareal's wealth of high-level tournament experience and confident gameplay, coupled with yonmd's creative teambuilding approach will complement the other's strengths and weaknesses to bolster an already formidable core.

Despite Devin topping the SS power rankings, the gap between his standing and lolebruh's drags the Phoenixes down to #3 in the team rankings. Still, as back-to-back NDPL champions, the Phoenixes bring a winning culture that could help lolebruh develop alongside their veteran core. Whether or not that growth materializes, one thing is certain: with Devin anchoring the slot, every team will have to prepare for a heavyweight in SS.

The Victinis went with some lesser known but undeniably credible talent to round out their SS lineup. Chansey and lulu and MemphisDepay were both voted near the middle of the pack by the voters, largely reflecting their reputation as solid overall players that are a bit short of stardom. Both players are experienced in both SS and SV, which will give the Victinis flexibility with how they want to construct their starting lineups. Overall, the lineup has the talent to perform, but is overall middle of the pack thanks to a stacked SS pool.

A unique pairing with volatile expectations but a potentially high ceiling—the pairing of Aso and Clawed Winter is sure to excite fans of creative SS OU teambuilding, aggressive gameplay, and off-meta picks. Buffed by the Mafia brotherhood and the wealth of teambuilders at their disposal in tier-leader Boomenheimer and annual SS OU faces such as HoodedZack, Aso is sure to be hungry to improve upon his last showing in a major National Dex tour, while Clawed Winter is still seeking that signature résumé-building performance and is similarly looking to overcome an otherwise underwhelming 1-3 showing in SSNDPL. Given this, these two are sure to be hungry for both individual and team success, making them a threatening pair that will be surely prepared by their strong SS OU support at their disposal.

The margin between teams ranked 3 through 6 is razor-thin, but the duo of Tenebricite and luuanfps ultimately lands at the back of that pack despite Tene's top-4 individual placement. The Basculegion of Doom's SS core isn't lacking in talent—Tenebricite brings a proven track record of SS tour success, while luuanfps boasts an SS Circuit Finals appearance. Backing them is some of the strongest support in the field: Circuit winner Mollymiltoast and the highly decorated Lameflame, a two-time NDPL champion and three-time NDWC champion. With that pedigree behind them, this duo has every opportunity to punch above their ranking—the real test will be delivering consistency in such a crowded pool.

Voters were split on the SS talent that the Always Midnight Absols will roll out. One Last Kiss has had ample tournament success both in SS National Dex and across the website as a whole; few will argue that their status as the Absol's most expensive player was a misuse of auction funds, especially considering their recent performance in SSNDPL. However, 3cho's dead-last status in the voting drags the team down to 7th overall. While 3cho's potential is very real, and they have the support to succeed, it's undeniably asking a lot for a newer player to wade into the shark tank that will be this year's SS pool.

Rounding out the SS OU cores is the pairing of Abele and Irene, who individually bring a wealth of high-level tournament experience to the tour—but perhaps not as much specifically in the way of National Dex tour experience as the voters would have liked to see. Abele's prowess in several older generation tiers (notably SM OU) and Irene's wealth of tour experience across the site generally should serve as a helpful performance baseline, with the assistance of the GoGoats management and fellow notable SS OU support in Runo and I Feel Stabby to fill in the gaps. While this core has a lot to prove to overcome voter perception, they undoubtedly have the individual skill and all the tools at their disposal to do so but will need an inspired effort to overcome what is otherwise a daunting player pool.

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