Solomods: Introduction to Do Not Use
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Art by Gaboswampert.
Introduction
A Pet Mod typically is a metagame with an arbitrary premise compared to other tiers, in which a council gains submissions by an interested userbase around the given topic, changing or even adding Pokémon, items, abilities, and so on, which then eventually build up to a unique tier in itself. While Solomods are a subset of Pet Mods, they shine by granting full control of the metagame to the council; as a result, tiers are entirely built at their discretion without the community directly making changes to the tier.
Do Not Use sticks to a rather simple premise—only Pokémon with 280 BST or less are legal bar a few exceptions, with no changes from regular play as far mechanics are concerned bar a National Dex ruleset. This leads to a very underpowered metagame where even the smallest tools that would be seen as something easy to get in a regular tier become something of note.
While originally it focused on Pokémon with 250 BST and lower, the tier (DNU Legacy) proved to be too unstable, as too many Pokémon were difficult to handle, with no discernible way to fix the metagame by tiering actions without ending up with no tier to begin with, so to compensate, the power level was increased, resulting on its current 280 BST premise.
Unlike Little Cup, DNU is a level 100 format that has devalued the impact of multi-hit moves but also made the usage of EVs much more impactful in a tier where they can often provide a major increase to the invested stat in question, compared to other tiers with a higher power level.
DNU's notability has been constantly growing, as it was featured in multiple tournaments such as both entries of the Solomods Premier League and the more recent DNU Premier League.
Banned Pokémon
Shedinja may look surprisingly tame, as it still suffers the characteristic flaws of being unable to withstand any indirect damage or attacks that bypass Wonder Guard, but what made Shedinja broken was neither its defensive utility via Wonder Guard nor the capability to Terastallize, as such a mechanic is banned in the tier to begin with, but rather its role as the strongest wallbreaker the metagame had to offer. With its unrivaled base 90 Attack, Shedinja could brute force past nearly all the defensive metagame with a Swords Dance set. In practice, Shedinja was only really held back by its still lacking base 45 Speed, but ultimately, it was too limiting to the metagame and was banned by a suspect test.
Even though its bulk may be deceptively low, Alolan Diglett's Steel typing makes it surprisingly difficult to KO, as its weaknesses are surprisingly uncommon, and if anything, it's often a target of resisted moves, especially when complemented by Eviolite. However, like with Shedinja, what really made Alolan Diglett overpowered for the tier was its offensive potential making the most of such defensive traits to find setup opportunities; with a Speed tier above nearly the entire metagame and an almost unresisted STAB combination, Alolan Diglett could easily make progress with minimal counterplay, being capable of either running a Swords Dance set or a Choice Band one, so it was banned accordingly by a suspect test.
Banned Abilities
The combination of Hustle + Hone Claws has made Nidoran-M a constraining aspect of the metagame, enabling it to overwhelm basically the entire defensive metagame while also boasting a decent Speed tier to not be easily forced out by other offensive threats. Given eventual metagame developments leading to Alolan Rattata leaning to similar results thanks to access to Hustle as well, a Hustle ban was made at this point, as the ability has shown to turn virtually all of its users in the tier too strong, even on the likes of Togepi.
With Cute Charm, Jigglypuff, already one of the best Pokémon the metagame has to offer, often forced uncompetitive situations by attraction, and while technically normal tiering policy would dictate just banning Jigglypuff, as it's the only good user of it compared to Cleffa and Skitty, DNU's tiering freedom as a Solomod ultimately resulted in a more practical decision of removing the ability from the tier over a metagame staple.
Top Threats
- Budew @ Eviolite
- Ability: Poison Point
- EVs: 252 HP / 148 Def / 108 SpD
- Calm Nature
- IVs: 0 Atk
- - Sludge Bomb
- - Giga Drain
- - Synthesis
- - Spikes
Acting as a jack of all trades, Budew's capability to pressure the defensive landscape mostly made of Rock- and Fairy-types makes it surprisingly threatening offensively, and this is further complemented by its typing also being defensively useful, enabling Budew to check Water- and Grass-types in the tier like Arrokuda and Bramblin; overall, these traits make Budew a decent mixed wall that can easily make progress and support for its allies.
- Jigglypuff @ Eviolite
- Ability: Competitive
- EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
- Calm / Bold Nature
- - Seismic Toss
- - Knock Off / Toxic / Thunder Wave / Teleport / Psychic Noise
- - Wish
- - Protect / Teleport
Jigglypuff is one of the bulkiest Pokémon the metagame has to offer, checking some of the most threatening wallbreakers like Litwick, Bramblin, and Hatenna all while extending the longevity of bulky allies like Marill, Beldum, and Roggenrola by Wish passing, enabling a variety of defensive cores in the metagame. While it may seem passive at first, the low base HP stats of a good portion of the metagame often ensure that Seismic Toss deals a decent amount of damage to the foes it checks, but it can still struggle to pressure foes like Budew and Paldean Wooper. Jigglypuff can also still use Psychic Noise + Competitive on Defoggers like Swablu and Hoothoot to apply offensive pressure, discourage Poison-types from switching into it, and ensure progress against defensive foes like Nacli and Marill.
- Nacli @ Eviolite
- Ability: Purifying Salt
- EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
- Careful Nature
- - Rock Slide
- - Earthquake
- - Recover
- - Curse / Stealth Rock
Nacli leans into a proactive role, making the most of Purifying Salt in a tier where status spreaders are fairly common to either set Stealth Rock with minimal risk or act as a bulky sweeper and potent wincon by using Curse. Even though its large stats may still push the power level of the metagame, Nacli's common weaknesses to typings such as Grass and Water don't make it too difficult to force out, making it a welcoming presence in the metagame.
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Being the best entry hazard control option in the tier, Bramblin makes the most of its solid STAB combination that minimizes passivity all while also retaining longevity with Strength Sap to check foes like Arrokuda, Nacli, and Luvdisc. With one of the highest attacking stats in the tier, Bramblin can also lean into an offensive support role that focuses on wallbreaking while still supporting its team; however, it must remain cautious of the presence of Knock Off and Pursuit in the tier.
- Arrokuda @ Choice Band
- Ability: Swift Swim
- EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Jolly Nature
- - Liquidation
- - Flip Turn
- - Psychic Fangs / Crunch
- - Aqua Jet / Poison Jab
Outspeeding nearly the entire metagame, Arrokuda is often a safe way to make progress on the other team, as it's the best offensive pivot the tier has to offer, often being capable of enabling a sweep for itself or an ally long-term. In particular, it heavily benefits from slow pivots such as Jigglypuff and Tadbulb as well as entry hazards from Pokémon like Paldean Wooper and Nacli to help wear down foes, especially since Eviolite is heavily preferred over Heavy-Duty Boots.
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With a rather unique STAB combination that is nearly unresisted and a somewhat min-maxed stat spread off a large 275 BST, Litwick is a bulky wallbreaker that teams often have to watch out for, but its weakness to entry hazards, as well as its lack of longevity, means that players must cleverly position it so that it can make progress for their teams.
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Taillow has less bulk than Kirlia, is weak to Stealth Rock, and is often walled by Rock-types, especially Nacli, in turn limiting the teams it can fit on; despite this, it still manages to be a threatening wallbreaker. Opponents often have to scout its set, as it can elect to be either a physical or special wallbreaker, which is notable in a tier where mixed walls are uncommon, and it's not easy to pressure offensively outside of priority either, as it outspeeds the entire metagame bar Luvdisc, enabling it to fit on offense and balance teams alike.
- Nymble @ Heavy-Duty Boots
- Ability: Tinted Lens
- EVs: 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
- Adamant Nature
- - First Impression
- - U-turn
- - Leech Life
- - Sucker Punch
Having virtually no defensive utility, a weakness to Stealth Rock, and just 10 BST more than Magikarp, Nymble manages to compensate its low stats even for the standards of the metagame by having a very optimized kit to act as an anti-offense tool, performing as a revenge killer, an offensive pivot, and an option for offense teams as well. While Nymble's Speed may seem lacking, it still manages to outspeed foes like Hatenna and Beldum without relying on priority, enabling it further to take advantage of U-turn to wear down slower foes to then enable a sweep for itself or an ally.
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With the flexibility in the tiering characteristic of Pet Mod metagames allowing to merely ban Pure Power as to increase options in the metagame, Meditite remains in the tier as a surprisingly good wallbreaker, with an unresisted type combination enabling it to make progress once brought onto the field; in particular, it takes advantage of the trend of foes weak to its STAB moves and its capability to either lean towards a bulky setup set or wallbreaker with Choice Specs.
- Swinub @ Life Orb / Eviolite
- Ability: Thick Fat / Oblivious
- EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Adamant Nature
- - Earthquake
- - Icicle Crash
- - Ice Shard
- - Stealth Rock / Trailblaze
As the only viable Ice-type in the tier, Swinub makes the most of its unresisted STAB combination to be a wallbreaker; it can take advantage of the offensive pressure it has to set Stealth Rock, but it can also lean more offensively with Trailblaze instead to wallbreak even more while compensating for its just average Speed tier.
280+ BST Pokémon
As Pet Mods aren't formally abiding to tiering policy, they can afford some flexibility for their convenience, in this case by allowing a few more Pokémon its premise would normally prohibit to grant more options for the metagame.
- Swablu @ Eviolite / Heavy-Duty Boots
- Ability: Natural Cure
- EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
- Impish Nature
- - Brave Bird
- - Toxic / Cotton Guard
- - Defog / Cotton Guard
- - Roost
Because it has to pick between usable bulk with Eviolite or longevity with Heavy-Duty Boots, Swablu is a surprisingly tame physical wall and status absorber in the DNU metagame, having a decent amount of utility options and reliable recovery to perform its roles. It can be surprisingly passive, though, as it has minimal ways to make progress, making it rather reasonable to force out with the Rock-types in the metagame such as Nacli and Roggenrola.
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Being the only legal Steel-type, one would expect Beldum to be a meta-defining setup sweeper like Alolan Diglett, but the catch is that with a total movepool of nine moves, Beldum suffers the exact opposite of 4MSS, as it has little else outside of STAB options. This limits its use down to just being a bulky wallbreaker with a niche of easily entering the field with its wide array of resistances, rather than a threatening setup sweeper.
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As the sole fully evolved Pokémon in DNU, Luvdisc manages to be a top-tier threat thanks to its Speed tier above the entire metagame, allowing it to be a potent revenge killer and anti-offense option. While Luvdisc has solid Speed and bulk, its offenses and coverage options are lacking, in turn not making it too difficult to wall and causing it to compete with Arrokuda and Taillow.
Final Thoughts
DNU is a tier that shows that even some of the weakest Pokémon can still have a tier where they can be seriously used, go on and try checking it out with the rest of its community!
Pet Mods Discord | DNU Discord
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