SCL VI Power Rankings

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I'd like to start this introduction by quoting Amaranth, a former TD and crucial figure in making this tournament exist:

i remember when this project started off, the snake years, cheating incidents, the "core audience" of smogon tournaments not taking this tournament seriously. DOU being mad that they got "kicked" from the actual tournament everyone cared about (SPL) to the bozo tournament for least favorite children (snake).

all kinds of shade thrown at this tournament, "the teams have no identity or hype" and so on and so forth

but i check this thread today on a whim, and i see a commencement thread with hype and effortposting easily matching any SPL i can remember. a manager list that I dare say is overall higher level than the managers of last SPL. only some fossils still huffing nostalgia could deny that this tournament is fucking real nowadays.

So what is different about this year, anyway? Just looking at the top of the PRs, it's not like mainers have obviously gotten to a point where they're taking over this tournament; in fact, depending on how you categorize a few of them, it's not unreasonable to argue that there are fewer mainers occupying their tier's top PR ranks than in any year before. It's also not at all clear that mainers are claiming a greater share of each pool's depth than ever before; the most extreme case, UU, only has somewhere between one and three mainers projected to start. While I think that the increasing consistency of the Grand Slam contenders is one factor, with eight players in this year's playoff field having reached the playoffs before, a first in the tournament's history, I'm not at all certain that people noticed that or cared about it. It's true that mind gaming's run turned heads after he had already established himself as one of the site's foremost lower tier players, but then again, the actual winner of the tournament was one of the most notable dark horses in recent memory, zugubu royale.

No, I'm not sure I could find a single number to argue that this year's iteration is different from any other, besides, like, the number of posts in the commencement thread prior to the auction. You just have to feel where the wind's blowing. The frankly absurd depth of manager signups. The success of the Shoguns and Breakers last year that leaves nine of the ten teams here with real legacy to build on (sorry, Foxes). And really, I think there's a lot to be said for the fact that SCL V was just a nice, smooth tournament. Unlike SCL III, which got derailed by the Chloe-Howkings sideshow in playoffs, and SCL IV, which was almost entirely overshadowed by the Kyurem ban wave that upended several relevant teams, SCL V had basically no meaningful controversy once the tournament started and was instead defined by dominant stars, a down-to-the-wire battle for the playoffs, a thrilling tiebreak, and a long-embattled team finally getting the monkey off its back thanks in large part to contributions from its up-and-comers to whom it gave a chance. Why wouldn't you want to be a part of that?

The format should be familiar to our readers by now. Each team submitted its own rankings for every tier, which were then added up to order the projected starters in each tier from one to ten. From there, we handed it over to our rankers, who have been working around the clock this week to get you this article in time. Add a summary for each team, and there you have it. I'm so excited to kick this tournament off, and I encourage everyone to participate in our media effort this season if you're interested! The team has been planning for several weeks to make this tournament special, but we can always use more hands on deck.

Congratulations to the following rookies selected to a team tournament for the first time in their careers: qrChar, KCric, Slikkles, JuanSG, Cielau, Platum, brick, PigWarrior19, THE_CHUNGLER, breakfast enjoyer, HAVOCKNIGHT, Code, Heatranator, DubiousBulb1033, big tony 2014, mintwinter, Leroipolux, Regiboob, and cala_aa. Additionally, congratulations to the following players for being selected to an SCL franchise for the first time in their careers: Ruffles, zugubu royale, ojr, MGdos16, Monai, Silent Waltz, aerobee, Lacks, SammyCe123, LB, Micciu, AgencyIsOwn, Tempo di anguria, NoName6293, yerdunc, waffle04, glass shadows, JojoOui, SirPeanutCronch, Shadow079, and MemphisDepay. Finally, shoutout to the handful of players who have been on SCL teams before, but are still searching for their first career SCL games: DD Joe, Vert, and spell.

Thank you to the following contributors for their work to make this article happen: cala_aa, sire clod, waffle04, Fc, Taka, Princess Autumn, Aberforth, Xrn, IcyPenguin2, Bouff, Permission Slip, Ming549, Astro, Spitfire, Tuthur, Bernardo, hex, MZ, Kaboom, nu, Hacker, Greedy_eb, ego, and goldmason.

Additionally, thank you to the following staff for making this article possible: skype, Guingil, wisteriapurple, Rahul, autumn, Lumari, and Quite Quiet.

Show Individual Ranking

1. Vert
2. Attribute
3. Separation
4. Ewin
5. kDCA
6. Fusien
7. clean
8. vk
9. Stareal
10. Axzel
11. yerdunc
12. Pkel SweeTforU
13. SirPeanutCronch
14. DAHLI
15. Soulwind
16. Silent Waltz
17. kebab mlml
18. AgencyIsOwn
19. Mattz_
20. Let's Rumble Shall We
21. zioziotrip
22. Niko
23. Rubyblood
24. Plague
25. LB
26. Eternal Spirit
27. Tempo di Anguria
28. Patatexv
29. sire clod
30. ojr

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Team Tournament Record:

• 4-6
• 4-6 in OU

Best Individual Performances:

• Finals at Official Smogon Tournament XXII

The reigning champions, the Showdown Shoguns, are opting for a very different strategy this year. Last year, the manager trio of ima, lax, and Giannis Antetokommo-o ended up choosing an OU core of 3d, Mako, and Baddy. 3d as an OU1 made sense from his strong performances leading up to SCL, but Mako and Baddy were less proven by that point. With the support of their powerful manager trio, the Shoguns' OU shattered expectations and ended with 19 wins and 11 losses.

This year they opted for a more top-heavy lineup. Beginning with Vert, who needs no introduction; he's been almost universally considered the best SV OU player for most of the generation. Alongside him, both Axzel and Silent Waltz are strong players with a history of success in this tier, with Axzel qualifying OLT and ending SPL with a 6-3 performance, and Silent Waltz reaching the finals of OST, defeating both ima and Vert to get there. This already strong trio is supported by the managers ima, Giannis, and Star, who are widely known for their success in OU, with powerhouses lax and CTC supporting the slots as well. It's hard to overstate just how much support this already powerful lineup has this year. These three players achieved first in the PR without considering the support they were being provided. If you're interested in OU, I'd keep an eye on this team very closely.

Team Tournament Record:

• 35-20
• 4-7 in OU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Official Ladder Tournament XII

The Islanders, coming off a disappointing season last year and finishing seventh despite an overall winning differential, opted to retain Electric Win and kDCA, who both have had excellent years in SV OU. Ewin is the reigning OLT runner-up, going 5-4 in SCL last year, then 8-3 in SPL, before faltering a bit in WCoP, going 0-3. Despite his most recent official result, it's hard to say Ewin isn't at the top of his game right now, as he just qualified cycle 1 in OLT a couple of weeks ago. kDCA went 4-5 for the Islanders last year but broke out in a big way during SPL, going 9-3, the most wins of any player en route to making the SPL Finals. The SV3 slot will be rounded out by Mattz_, who has seemingly taken a hiatus from SV the past year in favor of playing SS in SPL and WCoP. Nevertheless, Mattz_ is an excellent SV OU player who qualified for OLT playoffs and made the top 8 last year, and he should not have too much trouble picking SV OU right back up where he left off. On the bench is a strong sub in MemphisDepay who grinds the tier heavy and qualified for the STour playoffs. With Hellom supporting and zS able to slide over to OU if need be for whatever reason, this SV core is extremely strong and neck and neck for the strongest core in this tournament.

Team Tournament Record:

• 14-13
• 11-9 in OU

The Foxes, having never had a positive or even neutral SV core in their history, are looking to change that fact with a core of experienced players. With all three members of the 3rd-ranked core qualifying for OLT and the OU tier leader at the helm, it seems that the stars may finally be aligning.

vk headlines the trio, returning to OU after a lower-tier side quest last SCL. A strong 4-2 showing in WCoP after a year of not playing OU in officials and the aforementioned OLT qualification indicates the magic is still there. Stareal joins the core as the only retain on the team, having played in the past WCoP, SPL, and SCL, putting up a strong 14-10 record across the three and aiming to keep this up. Closing out the core is Pkel SweeTforU, who has previously guided the Dynamos to a trophy as a rookie and is looking to recreate that success. They also have Mako, who may not be playing OU but is plenty capable, as shown by going 7-3 in the tier last year, and they can swap over if needed. Micciu rounds out the squad as a capable sub with an OST playoff appearance.

Team Tournament Record:

• 11-8
• 8-7 in OU

The Technical Machines managed not only to have a historically bad start last year but also a historically bad OU core that only managed seven wins the entire season, matching the record set by… the Technical Machines two years prior. This year, the core has been shaken up with fresh faces for the franchise.

The star of the squad is Separation, who needs no introduction. Between his being the most recent OLT winner, having a monstrous 10-4 record in the last SCL and WCoP, and being an active ladderer and builder, expect great things from him. zioziotrip sees a return to OU after not being very active within the tier for the last two years. Coming in with a healthy 13.5k price tag, was the strong WCoP qualifier showing this year a preview of what's to come? Rounding out the starters is Plague, who has gone neutral across 14 games of OU between SPL and WCoP, showcasing a level of consistency that isn't always easy to find. Completing OU are Potatochan and cala_aa, hoping to ensure technical excellence.

Team Tournament Record:

• 5-1
• 5-1 in OU

The Indigo Platoon is an interesting case. As a historically strong franchise, back-to-back 10th-place finishes leave a poor mark on the franchise. Last year the Platoon's OU trio was initially ranked the highest in the tournament. Unfortunately, this didn't pan out and they ended the season 15-15, falling short of their expectations. This year, returning manager Quinn is joined by the team UK duo of Baddy and Django. Baddy's OU performance was essential to the success of the Shoguns last year, and with his support, the Platoon wasn't pressured to buy 3 self-sufficient (and expensive) OUers as they did the year before.

Leading the Platoon's OU slots is clean, valued at 32.5k this year after an impressive 7-4 showing in SPL and a 3-1 in WCoP. For those paying attention, this may remind you of last SCL, where clean went 2-6 after being priced at 31.5k during the auction. Next is yerdunc, an SCL rookie from the draft scene looking to take names after a 6-0 WCoP for team Canada. Joining them is ojr, a player for the Netherlands who beat Yves Stone, DAHLI, and Mako in the WCoP earlier this year. On the bench is Lacks, another Canadian, most known for his performance in SS OU but with significant SV experience from WCoP. For additional support, the Platoons have NoName6293. Though he's starting UU, NoName6293's 10-0 performance in BLT keeps him a good option for supporting this slot and as a possible substitute if necessary. Our rankings place this team at about the middle of the pack, but I would not be surprised to see the Platoons exceeding expectations.

Team Tournament Record:

• 41-49
• 23-25 in OU

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16 at Smogon Tour XXXIII

Last year's runners-up have taken a very different approach this year, foregoing the proven starters that filled the core for newer and more volatile players, which was in part dictated by having 3 expensive retains. One of those retains in Attribute headlines the core. For those unfamiliar with Attribute's overall track record in SV OU, he has never gone negative in the tier in an official until last SCL. However, this does appear as a pretty notable anomaly given he roared back to a dominant 8-2 SPL.

The supporting cast to the core's captain aren't slouches either. Niko joins the fray after a 1-year hiatus from the tier. He has very high highs, including an 8-2 championship run in SCL IV, as well as some lower lows, going 3-6 in the previous edition of SCL and going winless in WCoP, albeit in ORAS OU. Which way he swings remains to be seen, but with how the Spartans were turned around into a dominant team under new management last year, things seem hopeful. The other starter is Patatexv, a newer French player looking to have a strong sophomore SCL. 9-10 all-time in the tier, he's a grinder who's always sure to be up to date with the latest trends. Rounding out the bench is JojoOui, another French player who qualified in cycle 1 of OLT and is a frequent ladderer as well.

Team Tournament Record:

• 4-5
• 4-5 in OU

The Uncharted Terrors' manager trio of shiloh, Gingy, and Kunal is back this year with no OU retains, looking for a change after a middle-of-the-pack OU performance last SCL. That being said, their strategy here seems pretty similar to last year, with four OU picks on the cheaper end, with a combined 32.5k spent on their OU slots and support. Even then, I'd say that the Terrors got more than their money's worth here.

Starting with their flashiest pick, SirPeanutCronch is the most recent OST winner, going from a relatively unknown 35 Pokés player and a sub for team Africa in the WCoP to a rising star in the SV OU scene doing well in pretty much everything he signs up for. This would be his first official team tour (outside of WCoP) since his OST win, so it'll be very exciting to see how he does here. DAHLI joins SirPeanutCronch as an OU player with plenty of experience at this level from prior team tours, going 29-24 in SV OU over the course of the generation. Newer to officials, team UK starter LB joins after a 3-3 WCoP (including Qualifiers) and a 3-2 SPL, with wins over lax and clean. Joining them as support is waffle04, a player for WCoP team Midwest with high-level support experience from being on the Scooters for SPL. Though this team's entire OU core went for cheaper than some individual players, it's pretty crazy to get this much value for the price!

Team Tournament Record:

• 8-10
• 8-10 in OU

This year, the returning manager duo of Accel and Feliburn are joined by Master Chief to captain Studio Gible. Feliburn just won the WCoP as a captain (and player!) for team Latin America, and many, myself included, were excited to see his draft here this year. Their OU approach was pretty similar to last year: spend a substantial amount of money on proven tour players. Their trio of Star, Finchinator, and TJ had tons of experience going into the tour and were quite accomplished by this point. This plan fell short, though, with their 54k trio of OU starters going a combined 14-15.

This year, their big purchase in OU was Fusien for 33k, the most expensive buy in the tournament. Fusien is very well accomplished at this point, with an OST win and multiple positive performances in recent team tours. That being said, Fusien only sits as the 6th-best OU player in the rankings, not quite matching the price tag. With him is Eternal Spirit, more known for his SM than his SV, but having 96-84 on the team tour sheet, with plenty of SV OU experience under his belt. sire clod joins them as their third OU starter, a newer player coming off a 3-1 WCoP as Fusien's teammate on US West. The Gibles round out their OU with the support of Mimikyu Stardust and Suzuya, two players with experience at this level from past SCLs and WCoPs.

Team Tournament Record:

• 29-23
• 15-10 in OU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Official Smogon Tournament XX
• Top 16 at Grand Slam XV
• Top 16 at Official Ladder Tournament X

After years of mediocrity, the Breakers made a deep run last year under new management, in large part thanks to their OU core. However, in light of star player ABR opting not to return, they went into the auction with pretty big shoes to fill. They immediately looked to do so by scooping up xavgb and Nat, two of SV OU's best pla— oh, they're both locked to lower tiers…

With most of their budget gone before even touching an OU-eligible player, the Breakers had to look for value. Despite that, they still managed to replace ABR with another GOAT contender in SoulWind for 15.5k thanks to his SCL stock being at an all-time low following four straight negative seasons. It'd be unwise to write off SoulWind though, and with a myriad of great OU minds behind him, this could be his chance to turn it around. Joining him for cheap will be Let's Rumble Shall We and Rubyblood, neither of whom is a stranger to officials. Rumble impressed in last year's OLT, but has struggled to keep up in team tournaments with a 4-9 sheet over the past year. Still, he's shown enough promise for this to be a high-upside 3k. Rubyblood has performed better historically in SV OU at 15-10, although his success mostly comes from earlier in the generation. He'll have some catching up to do with the help of countryman Mada, who may have his hands full this season. If any of the three struggle to find their form, then the Breakers always have crying, currently residing in Ubers, as well as the capable substitute MGdos16.

Team Tournament Record:

• 5-1
• 5-1 in OU

For the first time ever, the Dynamos are under new management, and it shows. The starter core, as well as the subs, largely consists of rookies, very Blank-like, and two starters from the WCoP-winning LATAM team, no doubt influenced by Dynamo phenom (19-6!) BBEEAA.

Star of the show, arriving with much hype and a large price tag, is AgencyIsOwn. Breaking out this WCoP with a fantastic 5-2 record, including a tiebreak win and the trophy, along with solid performances in unofficial tournaments, makes him one to watch. Is this the beginning of a new superstar? kebab mlml seems to be Raiza's pick of the bunch, and a solid, consistent pick at that, going 2-2 this WCoP and 6-4 in the last edition of SCL. The last starter is another WCoP breakout in Tempo di anguria. Typically known as a National Dex player, he was a key part in the winning LATAM team putting up a heroic 5-1 record. The supporting cast includes managers BBEEAA and Raiza; Leriopolux, who helped the winning LATAM team; and Glass Shadows, captain of Team Mexico, who put up a strong 3-0 record in WCoP himself. Looking at this core, one thing is for certain. No other manager group would be as capable of converting new, enthusiastic faces into a world-beating squad as the Dynamos can.

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Team Tournament Record:

• 38-32
• 14-5 in DOU

Best Individual Performances:

• Semifinals at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament V
• Semifinals at Official Smogon Tournament XXI
• Top 16 at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament VI

With a gargantuan 78% win rate playing DOU in SCL, veteran Xrn finds himself at the top of the pool. Xrn broke into SCL with an astounding 9-1 in 2023, followed by a more modest 5-3 in 2024. After spending last year as a manager, Xrn is back to show that he can still compete on the big stage. Clutching game 3 of last year's DPL finals tiebreak and leading US South to a DWCoP trophy, Xrn has shown that he plays his best when it matters most. Add that to an OSDT top 4 in 2025, a top 16 in 2026, and a current 8-1 DPL record, and it's clear to see why Xrn comes into SCL with high expectations. Supporting him is qrChar, one of DOU's most creative builders, who is no slouch herself, coming off a top 4 finish in the DOU Circuit Championship with creative squads featuring Umbreon and Dondozo. Will this pair ascend to the top of the leaderboard, or will their creative team choices prove too gimmicky for SCL?

Team Tournament Record:

• 12-13
• 12-11 in DOU

Best Individual Performances:

• Semifinals at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament III
• Quarterfinals at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament V

Coming in 2nd is DOU and VGC mainstay zee. After their historic 9-0 record last year, zee and Kunal are running it back and looking to build on that success. zee has had a dominant year in DOU, winning DWCoP and Doubles Derby while currently playing in finals tiebreak of DPL. zee also won DOU's SCL Preview, with a perfect 4-0 record. This begs the question, why aren't they ranked first? Despite these historic highs, zee's sheet record remains a subpar 12-13, casting some doubt as to whether last year was a fluke or the emergence of DOU's next SCL titan. zee has also been busier in recent months, leading to doubts about their ability to win with this diminished level of activity. This SCL, zee has the chance to silence those doubts once and for all.

Team Tournament Record:

• 2-6
• 2-6 in DOU

Best Individual Performances:

• Winner of Official Smogon Doubles Tournament VI

As arguably the tier's most influential user, it's no surprise that eragon has been a staple of SCL throughout SV. He's garnered a reputation as one of DOU's best and most creative builders, and his play has taken a giant step up recently. After his run with the Shoguns last year, he added a second trophy to the cabinet by winning OSDT, proving himself as a top player and, most importantly, beating the support-mainer allegations. Still, it may be jarring to see a longtime substitute with a 2-6 sheet record debut at #3 as a starter, but rankers seem to think those garbage-time games don't represent his skill. This year he'll get a proper shot at starting, supported by watchful eye Hasayo to stop him from burning down the kitchen. Widely considered to be the best in his role, Hasayo's SCL DOU slots combine for a lifetime 33-14, and he's more than capable of stepping in should he fail his hardest challenge yet: getting the year's OSDT winner to go positive, a feat yet to be achieved in SCL. More seriously, it's worth noting this is Hasayo's first time without Xrn or Nails since SCL I, a tour where their slot ended negative. This is a real test for both of them, but the Machines are surely in for an entertaining season regardless of whether or not eragon wards off the OSDT curse.

Team Tournament Record:

• 92-74
• 43-22 in DOU

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16 at Official Smogon Tournament VII

Where to start with Nails? A true veteran of the tournament scene, Nails has amassed a 43-22 record in his time playing SSD/SCL. To hammer that home, the second-highest number of games played, not won, is a mere 38. For seven straight seasons, he has averaged six wins. Nails is truly the epitome of consistency, not just in SCL's DOU pool, but in the tournament as a whole. So why is Nails ranked outside the top 3 for the first time this decade? It's quite simple, really; his limited SV DOU results aren't as outstanding as those above. There shouldn't be any doubt that he's the same extremely skilled, highly calculated player as always. He's still going strong in VGC, and he even made a rare non-SCL appearance in Doubles Derby, clicking his way to 5-1 against a strong schedule. The only real questions surrounding Nails at this point are his motivation to continue playing SV and willingness to keep up with the meta. To help out with that, he's joined by a fresh face this year in PigWarrior19, a lively newcomer sure to bring modern SV insight as well as his own unique ideas. That sort of energy might be just what Nails needs to get back to the heights he reached during SS, but even an average Nails performance is one the Spartans could be happy with.

Team Tournament Record:

• 11-5
• 11-5 in DOU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament IV

Coming in fifth is prominent DOU and VGC veteran EternalSnowman. Known for creative teams and even crazier sets, esm is a terrifying player to fight. With a 7-2 record last year while bringing teams featuring Magmar, Manaphy, and Assault Vest Galarian Moltres, preparing for esm means preparing for just about anything. This unorthodox style has served the SCL veteran well in the past, with an overall 11-5 sheet record. However, esm has seemed more checked out in recent months, following up last SCL with a disastrous 0-4 DWCoP and a poor 1-5 DPL, although the latter came while playing VGC rather than SV DOU. In charge of keeping him motivated is Mike, a fellow US West teammate and longtime friend of esm's. After helping the ninth-ranked player in last season's PRs to a 6-2 record, Mike will be looking to work the same magic here and push esm beyond his current ranking. US West is known for their wacky teams, so can Mike keep esm's creativity from going too far, or will they burn down the kitchen?

Team Tournament Record:

• 11-11
• 11-11 in DOU

Best Individual Performances:

• Winner of Official Smogon Doubles Tournament V
• Top 16 at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament III

Following a slight sophomore slump, bagel's down to 6th in the rankings heading into his third season with the Gible. Individually, bagel has yet to miss a beat since his OSDT win in 2025, racking up three single-digit Seasonal placements and winning his second DOU Circuit Championship. Unfortunately, he's failed to showcase that same brilliance in team tournaments. He sits at 11-11 on the sheet, and in the subforum team tours he fares only slightly better at a 54.4% win rate, never exceeding five wins in a single tournament. Still, there's a first for everything, and this year he's joined by another starter-level player in Code. Code has been fantastic in his short career, winning two Circuit tours in the past year and posting consistently strong team tour records. He's said before that his success largely comes from obsessing over prep and team selection, so this unlikely partnership may prove perfect for someone like bagel who occasionally gets too predictable in the builder. Should the Gible experience any hardships, though, a role swap here would still keep them competitive. This duo, consisting of two of DOU's most successful individual players and hardest workers, certainly has a chance to finish higher than their bottom-half ranking as they try to get bagel his breakthrough team tour.

Team Tournament Record:

• 28-26
• 27-23 in DOU

Best Individual Performances:

• Semifinals at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament III
• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam IV

After over a year away from SV, qsns is making their somewhat surprising return this year. Back when they were active in the tier, qsns was seen as a metagame frontrunner, especially in the Post-HOME and DLC1 metagames. They remained a threat going into DLC2 until their hiatus after SCL IV, but the format has definitely changed since then, which may help explain their lower ranking. It'll be interesting to see if qsns can adapt this year, and while they lack recent experience, they're certainly no stranger to officials with a decade of on-and-off participation. The bulk of their success has come this gen with a combined 12-5 record, so it's far from impossible for qsns to get back to the top if the effort is there. To help out, they have their good friend Smudge! Smudge isn't exactly known for his SV, but he's no stranger to it, and his experience managing qsns in DPL could be crucial in keeping them motivated. The big risk here is that if qsns can't find their groove again, then the Foxes are left with a much weaker substitute—similarly to what happened in qsns' previous Foxes campaign in 2022. Still, this gamble has a chance to pay off tremendously when you've got a player as capable as qsns for just 6k.

Team Tournament Record:

• 5-9
• 5-9 in DOU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament VI
• Quarterfinals at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament II
• Top 16 at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament IV

Coming in at 8th is Ann, one of the most consistent players in DOU and no stranger to the big stage. With the most OSDT top cuts of any player, Ann has repeatedly shown that they have what it takes to make great tournament runs. This will be Ann's fourth SCL, having gone a combined 2-2 in their first two appearances as a support before going 3-7 in their first season as a starter last year. They'll be looking to put that disappointing record behind them with the support of Ratpacker, a strong builder who should complement Ann's liking for solid team structures while adding his own creative elements. Will this be the year Ann can turn it around?

Team Tournament Record:

• 0-0
• 0-0 in DOU

Well, here are the Shoguns. Since SCL's inception, they've always invested under 10k into their DOU core, and that trend continues here. This year they've taken a very on-brand risk by starting KCric, the newest Draft-turned-Doubles star following in the footsteps of players like Xrn and Feyy. He began playing VGC seriously at the start of the year and quickly achieved top 4 at his first and only regional before dipping his toes into DOU too. With a top 16 finish in OSDT and a 7-2 DPL under his belt, KCric has already shown strong fundamentals and the ability to dive outside his comfort zone. He finds himself down at 9th, though, as his lack of experience in this pool full of veterans still raises questions. His dedicated support for the season will be breakfast enjoyer; a fellow newcomer who had starter-level results in 2025 quite similar to KCric's 2026 but has cooled off as of late. Neither player here is known for their building prowess, adding to the doubt surrounding this rookie core. At the very least, their prep has still been praised by past teammates, and KCric will likely receive plenty of outside help from friends to relieve some stress. While there's plenty of cause for concern, if KCric can maintain form, he may defy the odds and deliver the Shoguns their first positive DOU record.

Team Tournament Record:

• 0-0
• 0-0 in DOU

Best Individual Performances:

• Semifinals at Official Smogon Doubles Tournament VI

Coming in last is VGC star and DOU newcomer DubiousBulb1033. Despite being new to the tier, Dubious has already put together an impressive resume in a short time, breaking into the scene with a top 4 of Doubles Ladder Tour, following it up with a top 4 finish in OSDT. Those results make the 9th-place ranking look harsh, but the biggest question mark lies less in his gameplay and more what happens outside of it. Supporting Dubious is DOU veteran Akaru Kokuyo, who went 5-5 in SCL last year and is better known for their gameplay than their teambuilding. Their timezones are also seven hours apart, which could lead to some difficulty scheduling practice sessions. Dubious has relied on teams from Italian players during his previous runs, and it's unclear whether that support will be available in SCL. However, Dubious has shown his in-game talent in the past, and with the right loads we could see him do great this tour.

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Team Tournament Record:

• 8-6
• 7-4 in Ubers

baconeatinassassin takes the number one spot in his debut SCL Ubers season. After a promising 5-3 in RU and PU last year, he decided to return to his home tier and is expected to make waves. Coming off 3 UPL wins in a row with an unbelievable 26-2 record across them, including an 11-0 this year, bacon is arguably the most dominant Ubers tournament player we've seen in years. Combine that with winning 2 Ubers ladder tournaments and a circuit ribbon in SV, and there's no doubt bacon is one of the strongest players out there. The only spot on his resume is an 0-3 in WCoP pools this year, but the playerbase has enough reason to still believe in bacon to be the number one ranked player.

Team Tournament Record:

• 53-32
• 31-13 in Ubers

Best Individual Performances:

• Semifinals at Grand Slam XII
• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam XIV
• Top 16 at Grand Slam XV

The French Canadian comes back after a ridiculous run of 11-1 in SCL V and 8-2 in UPL XIV. Such monstrous performances would usually be enough to call him the undisputed best SV Ubers player, but this pool is so top heavy that he does not hold that number 1 spot. Nonetheless, even if such a dominant record is not easily replicable, Fc has the combination of very solid building and piloting that is hard to stop once he gets rolling. There is no question the Ubers TL has the tools necessary to pull off another Armageddon.

Team Tournament Record:

• 25-20
• 25-20 in Ubers

Icemaster returns as a top-end pick, with stocks never being this high, as he doubled his price to 24k this year. Last year was a bit of an off tournament for him, only going neutral, but that being a below-average showing should say everything. He's since gone 4-1 in World Cup, leading UK to the semifinals, and racked up another 7 wins in UPL. With him being one of the most consistent players in Ubers historically, there's never any doubt that Icemaster has the potential to be near the top of the standings throughout a tournament, and he's showing up again as one of the names to beat.

Team Tournament Record:

• 7-9
• 6-5 in Ubers

As the first retain announced this year, the Studio Gible were eager to run it back with Taka after a string of strong performances. Coming off the bench to sub into Ubers last year and going 5-1 is a strong showing by itself, and he followed it up with a 7-1 run in UPL. Taka has been one of the fastest improving players and has truly established himself as a force in the tier to warrant his ranking at fourth. He may have less overall experience than the players above him and some below him, but he has shown the ability to keep up with the best whenever given the chance and is continuing to gain those accolades with time.

Team Tournament Record:

• 7-9
• 7-9 in Ubers

The view rounds out the top half of the pool, becoming a fully-fledged starter after subbing in last year mid season. With a clean 4-0 in WCoP and a respectable 2-3 record last year given the circumstances, as well as staying generally consistent in every tournament he plays, Skyiew has proven he's a capable starter-level player. His low number of showings in official tournaments as well as a mediocre UPL this year keep him from reaching the heights of the rankings, but with his strong WCoP and this being his second SCL, Skyiew is showing he can be among the highest tier of players.

Team Tournament Record:

• 10-9
• 10-8 in Ubers

The LANA, despite not releasing an album since 2023, has pivoted over to Ubers and made waves there. Starting off with a strong 4-1 the last time she played in SCL IV, followed up with consistent records in UPL and WCoP, she may truly be The Greatest. With support from "sheetlover shake's son" Highlord, the duo should be able to build solid structures. Though both players have been less involved over the last year, Lana has shown she can string together wins in this tier. Unfortunately, if not, her previous SCL performance may seem like Once Upon a Dream.

Team Tournament Record:

• 29-26
• 24-16 in Ubers

If you told people two years ago that entrocefalo would be 7th in an SCL Ubers PR, after winning the most recent Ubers Open, many would call you delusional if not insane. entro has put up great records in Ubers in SCL with a 5-5 last year for the Breakers and a 7-2 for the Machines back in 2023 during his debut. he has also put up great records in SPL and UPL alike. All this being said, he's been struggling in the past few months, putting up a disaster class 1-5 record this previous UPL, with losses to many of the players above him. However, few can contest that entro is not one of, if not the most, influential players of the entire SV era, and it's fully in his ability to have another season like his debut.

Team Tournament Record:

• 27-30
• 3-3 in Ubers

Best Individual Performances:

• Finals at Grand Slam XI
• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam XV
• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam XII

Back in 2022, crying won the Ubers Open and went on to reach Grand Slam finals before putting up a modest 3-3 in SCL II. Since then, they haven't been seen in the tier at an SCL level, but they're back this year after being retained by the Breakers, with support from the winner of the 2023 Ubers ribbon, Vitiate. If there's one thing that crying is known for, it's winning while using beyond unconventional sets such as Subtitute + Bulk Up Rapid Spin Rollout Great Tusk and Assault Vest Toxapex. Couple this with building support from Vitiate, who's coming off of a 5-1 SV record in UPL, they'll absolutely be able to punch above their ranking and prove why the Breakers had faith in them and retained them despite not playing Ubers in an official in over 3 years.

Team Tournament Record:

• 5-4
• 0-0 in Ubers

Sheik :'s drafting comes as a massive surprise, but he could turn out to be a wildcard. He has proven to be a relatively solid player and pilot in DPP but has very limited experience in Ubers formats. Will he be able to prove himself on the big stage among Ubers titans such as Icemaster and Fc? Unsure, but his low ranking reflects the general view about him, especially with only limited support from 2023 Ubers Seasonal Winner Vert.

Team Tournament Record:

• 4-1
• 3-1 in Ubers

Mareep truly electrifies the competition with his 10th place ranking; however, there is no douby that his performance will live up to expectations. After coming off a ridiculous 5-1 in SCL V subbing into Ubers and RU, Mareep has put up mediocre performances playing Ubers between WCoP and UPL, dedicating himself to the craft in order to truly show up on stage once again. With support from Monai, who has limited experience through WCoP himself, the duo is sure to try to get a decent grasp on current meta trends and has the potential to put up a modest record.

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Team Tournament Record:

• 34-31
• 16-11 in LC

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Smogon Tour XXXVIII

First place belongs to longtime SCL veteran Laroxyl. His overall SCL LC record of 18-11 is a testament to the quality of play he has displayed in SCL. Alongside that, he is coming off from a very successful LCPL campaign where he was a large part of his team winning the tournament this year. Laroxyl tends to have a pretty wide range of teams he is capable of playing quite successfully, having played games with almost all Pokémon that can be considered to be a good choice for tournament play. All of the success he has had has led people to think that he is the best LC player for this SCL. The only negative thing to say about Laroxyl is that he is very prone to tilt; however, that has never stopped him from consistently delivering good results in the tier.

Team Tournament Record:

• 13-7
• 13-7 in LC

Eniigma returns to SCL with an impressive 8-3 record and an SCL V championship, making him one of the biggest threats heading into the season. After an unimpressive 2-2 record in LCCL I and not signing up for LCPL XV, he has another opportunity to prove he is still a top-level player. Eniigma has built a reputation for bringing some of the most unorthodox teams, so if Mienfoo isn't at 100% usage, that's on him. The question is whether his creativity can once again take him all the way to the top.

Team Tournament Record:

• 13-11
• 12-7 in LC

After last SCL showed that there are some kinks in his armor, Lokifan has come off the throne and into third place on the rankings this year. However, not much has really changed for one of the most successful SV LCers. He immediately bounced back with a dominant performance in LCCL. His performance in LCPL was not as strong, with a struggling roster and other issues holding him to only five games played that tour. Results aside, creativity is the name of the game with Lokifan, and there's no better tour to reveal some new tricks than SCL. It's very likely we could see more of the Lokifan that went 8-2 in SCL IV, and his fellow competitors certainly think so.

Team Tournament Record:

• 10-8
• 10-8 in LC

Coming in fourth place is our LC Tier Leader, Envy. In their first SV SCL, they got picked up by the Shoguns after having impressive results on the LC ladder and had a decent 4-5 debut. Last SCL, they capitalized on the success they had there and in various LC team tournaments for a 6-3 sophomore SCL. In sheer quantity of games alone, Envy is probably the person starting this SCL with the most games in the tier played out of everyone. Envy's team choices are largely filled with very meta picks, with most teams they load feeling very similar. However, they have a good track record playing these teams, which is a concern for people going into this SCL. The people are expecting Envy to continue the momentum off of their 6-3 SCL from last year.

Team Tournament Record:

• 24-28
• 22-22 in LC

Mr. Consistent is back again in this season in the middle of the pack. In the 3 SCLs after DLC1's release, he sits at a record of 14-13. Nearly always hovering around or at .500 by season end, there might not be a more reliable LCer to have on your team. While this means a standout season is far from likely, you can't discount the quality of play that is required to avoid the occasional subpar season at this level of competition. His playstyle reflects this consistency as well, often looking to load solid low-variance teams, nothing too flashy or high-risk. With a couple untested faces on the lower end of the PRs, perhaps this is tazz's year to walk away with a few extra wins.

Team Tournament Record:

• 9-15
• 6-11 in LC

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16 at Grand Slam XIII

A former LC tier leader makes his return to the tier in SCL VI after tier-locking last year. Hacker comes into this tournament playing for the Indigo Platoons, with a solid body of LC results this season. He won the most recent LC Circuit Playoffs and has performed well in this season's LC team tournaments, going 4-2 in LCPL and 5-2 in LCCL. In contrast, however, his overall SCL record is less impressive, with a 2-5 record in SCL IV and a 3-3 record in SCL V. Outside of LC, Hacker also has plenty of history across other lower-tier Premier Leagues, giving him a strong amount of experience in this tournament's other formats.

The biggest question surrounding Hacker is whether his previous SCL performances will represent how he will perform this year. His negative record in SCL IV playing LC is certainly not encouraging, however his neutral record the following season was a considerably more respectable showing. Still, his mixed SCL history contributes to his relatively average 7,000 credit price tag and 6th-place ranking in the power rankings. As Hacker looks to finally prove himself on one of the biggest stages, he will have his manager, Quinn, in the corner, providing valuable support and assistance throughout the tournament.

Team Tournament Record:

• 16-16
• 16-16 in LC

wail is returning for another SCL season. In the first SV SCL he participated in, he went 0-3, but he returned back to his usual form with a 5-5 record with the Breakers last year. While he may lack the consistency and experience in SV that those ranked above him have, it feels like a safe bet to expect him to deliver the usual average results he delivers. He usually opts for more standard team choices reflecting common picks in the meta, which, paired with his consistent gameplay hovering around the .500 range, means he has the capabilities of both beating and losing to everyone. Perhaps if he lands good matchups or his experience helps him versus some of the rookies this year, this could be his best year yet.

Team Tournament Record:

• 19-20
• 18-20 in LC

The prodigal son of the SCL III Gibles has returned. Under the banner of the Terrors this time around, dcae is looking to wipe that sour footnote on the pages of his illustrious career off of people's minds. Coming off a solid 5-2 record in LCPL XV, most questions aren't whether he is still capable of playing at the level of his peers, but of motivation and team preferences. Terastallization and the Pokémon available in SV LC have left the HO strategies he favors on the weaker side. If he manages to solve the archetype, or really lend his focus elsewhere, his season could easily defy expectations.

Team Tournament Record:

• 0-0
• 0-0 in LC

JuanSG jumps into SCL VI as one of the most promising rookies this tour, being drafted by the Arena Spartans. He has put together an extremely impressive resume in this season's LC tournaments, going 5-1 in LCPL, 4-1 in LCWC, making Top 8 in LC Final Stand, and reaching the finals of the LC Fall Seasonal. These results show Juan has consistently been able to perform well in individual and team tournament settings alike at a high level, quickly making him a respected member within the LC community.

As mentioned previously, Juan does not have an established SCL record to fall back on compared to the rest of his peers, making it difficult to know exactly how his previous LC success will translate to the pressure and level of competition in this tournament. His 9th-place in the power rankings should therefore be viewed more as a reflection of uncertainty rather than a hard ceiling on his potential. He also has plenty of support within his team, notably from PigWarrior19, who is better known for his DOU expertise but is still highly knowledgeable about LC, as well as his manager, tko. With a low draft price and plenty of positive tour experience, there is a very real chance that Juan ends up looking like one of the steals of the draft.

Team Tournament Record:

• 0-0
• 0-0 in LC

Reggg is easily the biggest question mark on this list, having not played an SV LC tour since LCPL XIII two years ago. However, even then he showed he could hang with the best, defeating former SCL-level players babyboyblues and Starsama. Since then, the transition to oldgens has gone well, including securing the second seed for LC Classic playoffs and beating multiple other SCL VI players in various oldgens just this year. With Greedy_eb backing him despite his own struggles this year, perhaps the power of friendship is exactly what Reggg needs to turn his oldgen success into an SCL trophy.

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Team Tournament Record:

• 29-23
• 16-9 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Finals at Smogon Tour XXXVIII
• Semifinals at Grand Slam XIV
• Quarterfinals at Smogon Tour XXXVII

One of the main points a player needs to master to improve their skill set is to understand how to both utilize and play against bulkier teams, as developing their proactivity and playing to win instead of not lose makes it such that they won't end up just flailing around against a team they won't understand how to break. JustFranco is probably the best case study of this in recent memory. Known for bringing teams on the bulkier side often, he's been one of the best lower tier players of the generation due to his consistency and patience. If you get bored or impatient in-game, it's only a matter of time before you get punished for it. He isn't afraid to push boundaries when it comes to his strengths either, bringing Pokémon that no one else has bothered to explore such as Espeon and Toedscruel. With this in mind, it's not surprising that he's been so expensive as of late, notching six win seasons three years in a row in SCL and having strong showings in other tournaments such as WCoP, UU Invitational, and UU Masters, alongside a UU ribbon in 2024 and reaching the finals of the 2025 Circuit. Obviously, he doesn't limit himself to stall and semistall teams and has shown before that he can wield any sort of style. Having a deep understanding of SV UU over the years makes him the player to beat, and it wouldn't be a shocker if he had a dominant season yet again.

Team Tournament Record:

• 90-61
• 21-12 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Winner of Grand Slam X
• Finals at Official Smogon Tournament XV
• Semifinals at Official Ladder Tournament VIII

After almost a year of hiatus from UU, Punny has found themselves one rank lower on the PR than last year. That being said, being only moved down to 2nd shows just how strong and influential Punny is as a player. Their last SCL left a bit to be desired for a player of this caliber, but their ability to show up and perform when needed has never been a question on anyone's mind. This shows up best when Punny is able to flex those self-sufficient building muscles and bring what is new and exciting for them. He also has a very familiar face in Bouff by his side who has had a very strong UU presence for a decent chunk of SV. This meta has a lot of versatility in the builder that can play to Punny's strengths, meaning that this could be the perfect storm that puts him back on the top.

Team Tournament Record:

• 43-24
• 7-2 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Official Smogon Tournament XX
• Top 16 at Grand Slam XII

zS finds himself running it back in UU after a very strong 7-2 performance last SCL. This kind of performance has seemed to follow zS everywhere he appears lately, no matter what the tier is. Over the past year, zS has proved just how consistent he is by being able to make it to the top 8 of OST and top 16 of the currently ongoing Grand Slam. He has also been staying warm in the SCL off-season by putting up a solid 3-1 record in UUPL against some of the stronger players in the subforum. On top of these strong performances, zS also has strong support this year with UU Circuit winner mintwinter in their corner, a fiending up-and-comer who should be able to keep zS on his toes. From the outside looking in, this duo is set to have very productive weekly sessions of idea sharing and tests in order to produce an even more impressive performance than last year. zS has always been a player who is quite self sufficient when it comes to building and playing, but with strong teammates and being retained to a team that allowed him to put up big results last year, everything seems to be coming together for these kind of hot win streaks to continue.

Team Tournament Record:

• 55-45
• 17-4 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Semifinals at Grand Slam XV
• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam VIII

Barely placed behind zS, Etern finds himself ranked fourth for this SCL. The rise in placement should come to no surprise, as he was able to put up a monstrous 10-1 record in UU last SCL. The hot streak in officials hasn't slowed down either, as his World Cup run ended with a 3-0 in groups stage and he managed a deep semifinals run in this year's Grand Slam. Despite being a self-sufficient builder, etern may also have the deepest pool of support out of the rest of the starters this season. Being retained by two managers with a big UU presence in vivalospride and tko also makes for a deadly combo where innovation could truly shine . This placement has put etern into the middle of the big UU names you see in this tour time and time again, making this year a statement to show he does indeed deserve to keep rising in the ranks.

Team Tournament Record:

• 46-37
• 31-21 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Finals at Grand Slam IX
• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam XIV

pdt has established himself as one of the most prolific UU players of the past half-decade, and for good reason. He's put up numbers in pretty much any tour he's played across SS and SV, most recently finding himself with a solid 3-1 record in WCoP this year, as well as a UU Open victory last year. pdt's style, both as a player and as a builder, is much more aggressive than that of his contemporaries. He tends to make early-game reads with ridiculous upside that rarely go punished, and his teambuilding tends to reflect that, utilizing creative sets such as Normal Gem Quick Attack Scizor, NP Rest Hydreigon, and Ingrain + Tera Blast Ghost + Axe Kick Hisuian Lilligant. With this in mind, there's an argument to be made that you could describe him as a "clicker", but clearly his consistent results tell a different story. Last SCL, though, pdt did end up with an uncharacteristic 2-6, which was not ideal for his obscene price tag that tournament…speaking of which, he went for an absolute steal this year at 14.5k, which is a little hard to believe. Regardless, If he isn't motivated enough or he or his team perform poorly at the start of the tour, it might be hard for him to get into the groove. A fully dedicated pdt is what the Foxes are hoping for, as he'll be very hard to take down if he feels up to it.

Team Tournament Record:

• 72-63
• 1-0 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Winner of Grand Slam XI
• Top 16 at Smogon Classic XI
• Top 16 at Smogon Classic IX

Garay oak has an interesting relationship with UU as a player—he's been a lower tier veteran on Smogon for nearly a decade now, putting up strong performances in multiple tiers since. If you ask most people in the UU community, they'll tell you that he's up there with Pak and Accel as one of the best players around… however, that's in oldgen tiers, and we are obviously not there. He finds himself in a similar position to Amukamara, a UU jack of all trades looking for another UU tier to dominate. He absolutely has the aptitude to put up a great record, given his track record on performing in high stakes, winning Grand Slam, WCoP, and Snake Draft, the latter two of which he clutched up through tiebreak wins. This is his first time actually playing in SCL—he managed for the first three editions and skipped out on the last two—but that didn't deter the Dynamos from dropping a fat stack on him. He has better fundamentals than most people on the website, so it won't particularly be difficult for him to learn the tier. He also has recently freed Smogon convict spell to support, so he'll have someone to help quality check his builds. Garay has both the skill ceiling and the resources to take names in this pool, so it'll be worth keeping tabs on his season for anyone interested in strong gameplay.

Team Tournament Record:

• 65-47
• 7-5 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16 at Smogon Classic VIII
• Top 16 at Official Smogon Tournament XVI

Despite not really being known as a "mainer", Fallen S0lidier… alright man… has flown under the radar in auction every time he's played in SCL and is as of writing at an absurd 20-8 record across the three times he's played the tour. The Gible recognized this level of consistency and decided to retain him, because there aren't many players at the moment that can pick up a tier at a high level and master it as much as he can. He knows how to push the boundaries of whatever he's playing, taking tried-and-true styles but putting his own spin on it to give him the edge he needs to win. He also has recent UU hero and resident tryhard Taka to support him if needed. This isn't the marcop's first foray into UU, and there's more than enough reason to believe history will repeat itself favorably for him and his team.

Team Tournament Record:

• 9-7
• 0-0 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16* (ongoing) at Smogon Classic XII
• Top 16 at Smogon Tour XXXVIII
• Top 16 at Smogon Masters III

Even though he is facing a pool with most of the players having some kind of UU experience, NoName finds himself ranked 8th for this year's SCL. Despite this being his rookie year, there are not many players who haven't seen the waves NoName has been making on the big stage. NoName is currently in the top 16 for Smogon Classic after a decent 5-5 showing for the Tigers' ORAS slot in SPL. He has become known as a reliable clicker who can find wins no matter where he is placed, which is what the Platoon management seems to be betting on with this slot. Despite past performances, NoName has no official tour experience in UU, making him a big question mark for how he will perform in this tournament. He does have help on the bench in Mossy Sandwich and the occasional Django to feed him teams and catch him up to the current meta, but will this be enough to make NoName stand out amongst the competition?

Team Tournament Record:

• 96-112
• 0-0 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Finals at Smogon Tour XXIV
• Semifinals at Smogon Classic VII
• Semifinals at Smogon Tour XXV

The oldest player here by a mile, watashi also happens to be the cheapest. He's been playing lower tiers for longer than some people on this website have been alive, and throughout that time he's been known to be a consistent performer. His price is most likely so low because of fears of low motivation and a lack of familiarity from most of the managing pool. He landed on a team of friends, however, who decided to spend their money elsewhere and just position him in UU as someone who they know can perform, provided that he has solid teams to pilot. watashi has Sabella in his corner to provide just that, as Sab has been an improving builder and player in SV UU over the past year, so wata won't arrive on the field completely unprepared. While he's as good of a player as anyone else on this list, shown by a solid 5-4 SPL this year, he's ranked so low because it's not as clear whether he'll care as much. If he does reach that peak, he'll be a very scary opponent to face, but expectations are tempered for the moment.

Team Tournament Record:

• 17-8
• 0-0 in UU

Best Individual Performances:

• Finals at Smogon Masters II
• Top 16 at Smogon Masters III
• Top 16 at Smogon Tour XXXV

ChrisPBacon makes their SCL debut for the Terrors as a strong up-and-coming player but has no official tournament experience when it comes to UU, making them one of the biggest wildcards in this group. Chris has been having an amazing year when it comes to official tournaments, making it to the top 16 of Smogon Masters III after getting to the finals during Masters II. This trend continued into the World Cup this year, where they put up a solid 2-1 performance for their team in groups. This shows that their play shouldn't be an issue, but the teams they will bring and the knowledge gap between them and the other players in this field is yet to be seen. They do have some solid support in sky, who has had a strong presence in UU for a while now, but no one is quite sure how this dynamic will play out. If they are getting passed teams, will the style being passed be on par with Chris' comfort, or will the synergy not quite click to where the team might be left struggling for answers? Only time will tell, but this placement will hopefully be the fire Chris needs to prove to everyone what they are capable of in the lower tiers.

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Team Tournament Record:

• 51-25
• 8-3 in RU

Best Individual Performances:

• Winner of Official Ladder Tournament XI
• Finals at Official Smogon Tournament XVIII
• Semifinals at Smogon Tour XXXVII

After a brief hiatus from SCL last year, xavgb, better known as stresh, has returned to his RU stomping grounds, reprising his role as the first seed in the PRs. A juggernaut in all regards, he comes into this tour as the winner of the 11th edition of the Official Ladder Tournament, the number one all-time leader in the OMs Hall of Fame, and the holder of the best RU record in SCL IV, the last time he played the tier. The bottom line is this guy is really good at the game and is coming into this tour in top form too after a tremendous World Cup of Pokémon, where he went 4-1 during the main stage. It's a little ironic to say it seems all sunshine and rainbows for a British person, but that's where stresh finds himself entering this year's SCL, where he will be trying his best to channel the powers of his ancestors and dominate wherever he goes and whoever he runs into. It is interesting to note, though, that the world (this pool) has truly gone global since stresh's glory days. The old superpower will be facing stiff competition from the American (hjkhj, lighthouses, robjr, and THE_CHUNGLER), Australian (DugZa), and Indian (Spitfire) territories, pressure from European neighbors (TheFranklin and zugubu royale), and a literal time traveler (Garythegengar). So, although this monarchy remains unchallenged as of this moment, stresh should be prepared for a fight, as everyone will be sure to be gunning for the crown.

Team Tournament Record:

• 40-32
• 27-18 in RU

Best Individual Performances:

• Finals at Grand Slam XV
• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam XIII
• Top 16 at Grand Slam IX

The more we go into the years, the harder it is to find something new to say about TheFranklin. If the fact that RU is dominated by a literal turtle is an unnatural phenomenon that science has yet to explain, the RU leader is ranked second behind his former council member.

The Grand Slam runner-up is back to work after a brilliant season in 2025, in which he ended with the best score of 7-2 for the Foxes. But guess what? The 2024 RU Circuit winner was not interested in being retained whatsoever and found a spot in the Dynamos. While Franklin is known for his self-sufficiency, one could assume that he is going to benefit from strong support from Ruffles and Metallica126, both being pretty familiar with RU through Grand Slam and RUPLs, most notably.

If we were to give Franklin one notable trait, the first one that would come to mind is "consistency". Even though his 2025 season was his first time going positive in SCL in Generation 9 (his 2023 season ended at 4-5, and the 2024 one ended at 3-6), and some people even say that he is "not as successful as before", the 24.5k Dutchman still manages to put up solid numbers on the RU tour sheets and come up with freshly cooked ideas week after week, as we can tell by his recent RUPL showings and his individual tour results, which include back-to-back wins in RU Seasonals and, obviously, a Grand Slam finals appearance. Combined with the fact that he is the most experienced RU player in this pool, probably alongside lighthouses, these factors should be the recipe for another successful season; some would even predict an MVP season.

Team Tournament Record:

• 7-4
• 7-4 in RU

To close the podium, the one who is as famous for consistently peaking #1 on the RU ladder as he is for not explaining his username's meaning: the keyboard masher hjkhj!

Because yes, as 2026 has been full of surprises and revelations so far, hjkhj finally decided to follow the movement and reveal in a recent interview that his name was just a pure keyboard mash. Therefore, we are not going to call him High Jump Kick anymore.

The one thing that we are going to praise him for nonetheless is that he never misses when it comes to RU, as he got retained by the Shoguns after an impressive season that earned him the prestigious green trophy after going 7-4, only tying with Santu. While some others would be tempted to just take a break and go enjoy nature and mountains after winning SCL, hjkhj still went his way in RU tours and reached the RULT finals for the second time… before losing a second time. Ironically, the actual RULT winner in Heatranator will be his main support, and probably the only one. Given hjkhj's now infamous teambuilding and in-game skills, it would be no surprise to see him reach the big three in SCL this season again.

If, as he said himself, being at the top of the RU ladder allows him to sharpen his game skills any further, the main key for hjkhj through this season will probably be what helped him get through all the obstacles in 2025: team diversity. The final boss of TikTok scrolling is indeed known for playing bulkier, fattish teams that allow him to take advantage of his opponents usually being less patient than he is, but he can also surprise by playing the most aggressive hyper offense stuff brought to him by the RU mercenaries. Will he go out of his comfort zone again and load the most unhinged hyper offense structures before going back to his good old Quagsire-Umbreon cores? Only midseason will tell!

Team Tournament Record:

• 23-15
• 0-0 in RU

Best Individual Performances:

• Semifinals at Smogon Masters II
• Semifinals at Official Smogon Tournament XX
• Top 16 at Grand Slam XIV

Are you telling me that the PU Leader did the unthinkable by running away from his own tier?! How come… does he even have the legitimacy to do so?

Oh, he won the RU Pentathlon earlier this year and keeps playing RU at a high level, as shown by his recent top 4 at the Winter Seasonal, you say? He gets a pass this time, but don't catch him betraying the house once again…

On a serious note, DugZa is a great definition of flexibility. The then Monotype mainer who reverted to PU before turning into an RU starter in SCL, while also playing OU in World Cup, is one of the most active players out there, being able to play and support multiple tiers at once. Only he really knows why he chose RU to complete his first full season in the tier, but the least we can say is that he is proven to be an opponent one should take very seriously, as he is more than experienced in these official tours, benefits from great in-game skills, and should be able to pick up the tier quite easily after his recent individual performances. Looking at the Foxes roster, it will probably be his best option, as the RU support might be a bit weaker than on the other teams and DugZa is more known for playing older RU gens than SV.

Team Tournament Record:

• 1-1
• 0-0 in RU

Best Individual Performances:

• Winner of Grand Slam XV
• Top 16* (ongoing) at Smogon Classic XII
• Top 16 at Official Ladder Tournament VII

The kid named "Grand Slam winner" is requested at reception. I repeat, the Grand Slam winner is requested at reception!

After travelling back and forth between OLT sessions and Smogon prisons, Zugubu finally cleared his criminal record and went on to earn what might be the most unexpected Grand Slam victory in years. The eternally infracted user joins back to complete half of the RU Power Rankings, which might be surprising considering his recent RU showings in a RU Open top 8, a legendary Bastiodon gameplay that granted him a top 16 in RULT and, obviously, a Grand Slam victory against the RUTL himself, TheFranklin.

As of 2026, and besides his Slam run, Zugubu has shown really great consistency in every lower tier he's played in, with his main quality being his… very unorthodox and unconventional teams and sets that always end up catching the opponent off guard. Couple that with the fact that Ampha, coming off a brilliant RUPL season, is going to be his main RU support, and you end up with a recipe for innovation, creativity, and epic TikTok edits over a random Choice Specs Entei team. While the Terrors didn't invest as much in RU as they did in the past, they at least invested a great amount of credits in the one guy who would make numbers if he started making PS! prank videos.

Team Tournament Record:

• 79-96
• 17-16 in RU

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16 at Smogon Classic IX
• Top 16 at Smogon Tour XXXIII

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr. made a name for himself as a legendary superhero, and also one of the most talkative. In the Smogon Champions League Universe, robjr made a name for himself as one of the safest RU picks in the history of the tournament, already going for his fourth consecutive season as a RU starter. The only difference is that he is not as talkative as Iron Man.

Once again, for the third time, the Orange Islanders have designated robjr as their discreet RU pick. They probably realized that leaving him to the 2025 Platoons was a bad business move, so props to them for that. To carry his good old Daves & Larries (and Helloms, I guess) through the final victory, the aforementioned managers decided to pair 5.5k robjr with Slikkles, one of the freshest RU talents known for his positivity and dedication to the tier, especially after a brilliant RUPL season. On his end, robjr, alongside his thousand-times-proven gaming skills and offensive playstyle, will take advantage of his almost-unmatched tournament experience to make his way into this pool.

If the support will be a non-issue for robjr, as his support in Slikkles and zS is good as gold, there is still one question mark remaining, which is his consistency. As good as robjr is as a pilot and a lower-tier player overall, his tour performances have been a bit flippy at times, alternating between a complete devastation of the opposition… and a more difficult broadcasting. As such, if the team synergy doesn't follow up, there is a risk that he does not exactly end at sixth place.

Team Tournament Record:

• 21-24
• 9-13 in RU

Best Individual Performances:

• Semifinals at Official Smogon Tournament XI
• Top 16 at Official Smogon Tournament XXII

In the history of competitive RarelyUsed, Diogo (sometimes called lighthouses) aged like a fine wine. Among the ten SCL starters, he is the only one to have played RU at the time it was in SPL, which already says a lot about his tour experience. With that being said, don't let the ORAS Circuit winner fool you with performances from 2018 and 2019, because the Gible starter will be supported by two pillars of SV RU in Feliburn and Master Chief to help him keep his confidence up after his RULT run prior to this year's SCL which, admittedly, didn't do him justice after his long tilting phase.

Surprisingly enough, this is lighthouses' first appearance in SCL in his (more than) ten years playing RU. Well, actually, the man played during the Smogon Snake Draft days, which go back to… a long time ago. Still, it goes without saying that he's probably the oldest - I mean, most experienced RU tour player out of the whole pool, which, by the way, gives him an understanding of the game and the tier that is very unique to him.

Combined with the fact that SV RU is not a tier he's known to play much in forum tours, the enlightened apartment being more comfortable with ORAS and SM, that probably explains his 7th place in these PRs. However, the council member is able by every means to pull up with a solid performance in a tier he's been very active in for as long as we can count. To draw his own path into this RU pool, he can count on his recognizable teambuilding style, which shall then be backed up by his official tournament experience and crazily good RU support, without a doubt the best one out of all SCL teams.

With all that being said, the Brazilian relic who originated from the earliest BW RU days is on a mission: does uncle still have it? Does old mean good? Is Gligar as strong in SV RU as it was in XY RU? Come find out whenever he loads a Gligar + Registeel team!

Team Tournament Record:

• 20-22
• 4-1 in RU

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16 at Smogon Masters II
• Top 16 at Smogon Masters I

After being fettered by real-life commitments during last year's tournament, Spitfire is back in full force this year with a new name and a new team, as he enters the fray 8th in PRs as the starter for the Arena Spartans. Although his list of RU accomplishments specifically is relatively limited (like literally three games all-time on the RU team tour sheet?), Spitfire is no stranger to the big stages and at this point has found himself a regular fixture in everything from SCL to SPL. With a reputation as a connoisseur of various rather exotic tiers ranging from SS PU to ORAS UU, Spitfire is one of the most flexible and consistently excellent players across the site. With this track record in consideration, as well as looking at his 4-1 record in RU during last year's tournament, an eighth-place finish in the rankings might seem shocking, but this is more due to the strength of everyone else ranked higher than Spitfire necessarily being expected to flop. This, however, puts Spitfire in maybe the best possible position out of anyone in the rankings to outperform his placement on the list and provide a jolt to his team in a supposedly "weak" slot. Supporting him on the Spartans during this effort is RUPL manager Etern, who led his team to the playoffs of that tour this year off the back of rather unconventional and creative builds and who is sure to be active and providing feedback, tests, or teams outright. Regardless of where they are in the rankings, at the end of the day it all comes down to the man in the arena, and for the Arena Spartans, they hope that Spitfire will be the answer to their RU prayers.

Team Tournament Record:

• 0-0
• 0-0 in RU

At a glance, one might think THE_CHUNGLER was some two-post-andy ghosting slot from the memeworthy name combined with the apparent forgotten Caps Lock that must have been on during the creation of the account. However, this could not be further from the truth as, following in his fellow RU mainer hjkhj's footsteps from last year, THE_CHUNGLER is making his breakout onto the SCL stage, not only as a first-time draftee but as the starter for the Technical Machines. Coming in ranked 9th, THE_CHUNGLER is not particularly expected to do well within a stacked RU pool that is the most powerful it's been in years, but don't let his low ranking deceive you. After a tremendous 5-1 season in this year's RUPL, leading one of the tournament's most dominant SV cores, there is no doubt that he has a firm grasp on the meta and how to generate wins. In addition to solid fundamentals, Chungler also finds himself with the boon of being drafted by Expulso, who has a history of truly machine-like player development. One needs only look back two SCLs to remember Lime's breakout performance, another RU mainer who enjoyed substantial SCL success on an Expulso-led Technical Machines team. Another holdover from that Lime season and another resource Chungler will be able to draw upon is RU oldhead and former tier leader Denial. Although less active within the community these days, Denial remains one of the finest minds the tier has produced as far as their prowess in the builder and is sure to be an invaluable resource to Chungler and the Machines as a whole as they work to prove their low ranking in this pool shortsighted.

Team Tournament Record:

• 40-46
• 0-0 in RU

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16* (ongoing) at Smogon Classic XII
• Top 16 at Smogon Classic XI
• Top 16 at Smogon Classic VIII

While Generation 9 is dealing with the Terastallization, SCL is going through the "old gens OU"-ation in RarelyUsed. After having McMeghan, BIHI, and Kristyl, RU now has to welcome GaryTheGengar, the legend of BW OU. After completing the three-peat at the BW Cup of the Smogon Classic, Gary decided to start doing side quests by getting into the actual Gengar tier. When you think about it, he might be doing this on purpose. In theory, SV RU is the BW OU of 2026. In practice, it is not, but since GaryTheGengar is basically making his whole debut in RU, making his own way into the tier from there might help… I guess?

Although it seems completely logical for him to be ranked last, we should not forget what happened to the old-gen mainers who got into RU during an SCL, as almost every one of them created a big surprise or, at the very least, ended their season on an honorable score. Is Gary going to be an exception? Or an exceptional one? Only time will tell.

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Team Tournament Record:

• 9-5
• 8-1 in NU

Justin Bieber has Beliebers, Blackpink has Blinks, and Shengineer has Shenions. Not only does the newly promoted moderator have a huge cult following, but his almost unanimous rank at the top of the pool is also anything but unexpected. Matter of fact, Shengineer achieved a terrific 8-1 record last SCL, in his first season ever. In NU forum tournaments, Shengineer is also nothing but a sheet warrior, with a 22-8 overall record and a recent 3-1 record in Invitational. With only Terrors management seemingly not trusting him enough to get retained for 11k, most believe the NU popstar's journey through the official sheet has just begun.

Team Tournament Record:

• 89-67
• 18-11 in NU

Best Individual Performances:

• Winner of Official Ladder Tournament X
• Finals at Grand Slam VIII
• Semifinals at Smogon Classic IV

Lax is one of the faces of the Shoguns. He has been with the team since SCL II and has been involved in every edition of SCL, either as a player or manager, since the tournament's inception. His history within the community extends well beyond that, and he has already cemented himself as one of the game's most accomplished players. Lax is a winner of multiple major trophies, and his talent is not in question. While this will be his first time starting in NU during SCL, and he is arguably better known nowadays for his achievements in OU, his history with the tier should not be overlooked. Lax's involvement with NU dates back to the ORAS era, before he truly made his mark as a member of the highly successful Pablos squads of the early 2020s. He has also remained active in the tier, most recently participating in NUPL last year. With his experience, talent, and familiarity with NU, Lax has all the ingredients needed to thrive once he gets back up to speed. Anything short of a top-three finish in the pool would come as a surprise.

Team Tournament Record:

• 64-51
• 4-3 in NU

Best Individual Performances:

• Semifinals at Official Smogon Tournament XVII
• Quarterfinals at Smogon Tour XXXV
• Quarterfinals at Official Smogon Tournament XIX

Nat makes her return to SCL after not playing for the past two seasons. Her SV NU resume is one of the shortest among the starters, limited to only 2 games in Invitational, where she challenged herself with a mono-letter team and a team with the first 6 NU Pokémon in alphabetical order, but still managed to win both. Her high placement in this pool is entirely due to her huge success in SV OU since the beginning of the gen, boasting a prestigious 29-15 record in official tournaments since 2023. She has been competing in official tournaments for years with lots of great records, but Gen 9 is really where she has been shining the brightest. The confidence in Nat translating her success into NU with the support of former SCL starter and NU council member Togkey is through the roof, and she surely has what it takes to compete in the fierce NU pool against players who've been playing the tier for years now.

Team Tournament Record:

• 6-3
• 6-3 in NU

At the end of 2025, Esteb4n was one of the most up-and-coming players on Smogon. After a brilliant debut SCL season in which he went 6-3 and won both the RU and NU Circuits, he was expected to dominate the lower tier scene until next SCL. However, the French player took an extended break from competing in any tournament and even deleted his Discord account. Many believed he was done with the game and only lurked the forums, but unexpectedly, he joined SCL. His 2025 success was enough to grant him a high spot in these rankings, but can he reclaim the same momentum?

Team Tournament Record:

• 22-16
• 21-13 in NU

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16 at Grand Slam XIII
• Top 16 at Grand Slam XII

SCL SV NU and Danny are 2 names that go hand in hand. Still chasing his green trophy after 2 runner-up finishes, he has been a starter since SCL III and has consistently delivered strong results. After going 5-5 in his rookie season, he followed it up with impressive 6-2 and 6-4 campaigns, establishing himself as one of the most reliable players in the pool. While 2026 was relatively quiet for him, his only notable NU team tournament appearance ended in a perfect 5-0 record (multigen with SV) and a finals run for his team. Danny's extensive tier knowledge and overall skill level are beyond question, and there is little evidence to suggest his streak of strong performances is coming to an end. He is also one of the players most invested in SCL, having largely disappeared from tournament play after NUCL III only to immediately return once SCL signups were posted. With his combination of experience, consistency, talent, and love for the tournament, Danny enters the season with some of the highest expectations of any SV NU starter.

Team Tournament Record:

• 16-13
• 16-12 in NU

Elias PSY is the quintessential NU mainer, having dedicated himself almost exclusively to the tier for years. He has been an SCL starter since SCL III and now enters his fourth season as a starter. His track record speaks for itself, positive campaigns of 5-4, 7-3, and then 4-5 last season. Considering how underwhelming the Foxes' season was as a whole, that result is hardly cause for concern. While his 2026 has been quiet in terms of tournament appearances, Elias has never stopped playing the tier. He has consistently reached top ladder positions throughout the year, participated in suspect tests, and continued developing distinctive teams. His consistency and extensive résumé throughout the SV generation have cemented his reputation as one of the most reliable players in the pool. Even after a quieter year, he remains a clear threat and is widely expected to finish with at least an even record.

Team Tournament Record:

• 18-19
• 0-0 in NU

Best Individual Performances:

• Top 16 at Smogon Tour XXXVII

GeniusX is by far the newest name in this year's pool. Being drafted as a starter after playing only nine games of SV NU in his life might sound questionable at first glance, but the results speak for themselves. He dominated NUPL with a 7-2 record on a championship-winning run, posting the best SV record in the tournament while working closely with his friend and manager at the time (and now), tier. It is also worth noting that GeniusX is far from a rookie. He already has experience in official tournaments and has even played in SCL before. The skepticism surrounding this slot stems almost entirely from his limited experience in NU and the expectation that more established specialists may be able to exploit that in some way. At the same time, this is probably the player with the widest range of outcomes in the pool. There is certainly a world where the lack of experience catches up to him, but there is just as much potential for him to exceed expectations.

Team Tournament Record:

• 0-5
• 0-0 in NU

If you only follow the official circuit, you may wonder how there can possibly be 2 people ranked below Shadow079, as that also happens to be the number of players with an official sheet worse than his. He has not made any splash in individuals either. However, this shouldn't come as a surprise to NU regulars, as Shadow has been one of the most anticipated rookies. His NU showings are nothing like his WCoP failures, as Shadow notably managed to score the highest price in the auction at 22.5k and live up to the expectations with a 5-2 record. etern's nepo baby has been one of the most active and successful NU mainers on the circuit. Will he live up to the hype or set a new record on the official sheet? Regardless of the outcome, the spectators will for sure be entertained.

Team Tournament Record:

• 23-14
• 0-0 in NU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam XV

Ruffles has established himself as a very capable player in the official scene with 5 positive seasons out of 5 team tournaments, sitting with a very comfortable 23-14 overall record. Unfamiliar readers may therefore question why Ruffles is ranked in the second-lowest spot; for the past few years, Ruffles has exclusively played ORAS OU and only pivoted recently to SV lower tiers. He made it to the Smogon Grand Slam quarterfinals, losing to the winner of the whole tournament, zugubu royale, showing he was able to translate his ORAS OU skills to SV lower tiers. However, he still lacks NU-specific results compared to the above players, with only a 4-4 NUPL season in SV and a Round 6 exit in Open against Elias PSY. Ruffles' potential is definitely there, but can he make up for this relative inexperience with SV NU compared to his competition?

Team Tournament Record:

• 1-1
• 1-1 in NU

Almost unanimously ranked last in the pool, Diamonds_realm is not to be underestimated. The NU council member is a familiar face to NU regulars, as he's been playing in every NU team tournament since 2024 with an overall 16-13 record, mainly playing SV. He recently got wins in NUPL against SCL-caliber players such as Havocknight, zS, and Tuthur, and some may remember his 2024 SCL season in which his Grassy Seed Oricorio took a win over NUTL etern. Diamonds_realm nonetheless lacks a spectacular showing that would justify ranking him any higher. For the past two years, Terrors management has led cheap NU picks to great records, with Elias PSY going 7-3 and Shengineer 8-1. Definitely do not sleep on him.

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Team Tournament Record:

• 67-47
• 12-6 in PU

Best Individual Performances:

• Winner of Smogon Tour XXXVIII
• Winner of Grand Slam XIV
• Winner of Smogon Masters II

The question every PU player will be asking for the duration of SCL is "who is going to manage to take a game off of Michael". The near-unanimous first-ranked player, Michael is an ideal player to see at the top of the rankings from a spectator's perspective. While his high-rolling streak across PU tours is near unmatched, most notably going 12-5 in the last two SCLs and winning the PU Invitational, he does consistently drop at least a couple of games to make it interesting. And through his own unique takes on the metagame and support from an eclectic pair of teammates in DD Joe and etern, his teams are more likely than not to creatively push our conceptions of the metagame. Michael has outperformed every PU player in this pool before and has individual accomplishments across other tiers to rival the outsiders picking up the tier for this tournament, so really all that's left for him to do is push his record even further and extend his streak of excellent performances for another year. There's only so much he can do to improve on those past performances, and the rest of the pool isn't too far behind.

Team Tournament Record:

• 26-22
• 9-9 in PU

Best Individual Performances:

• Winner of Grand Slam XIII
• Top 16 at Smogon Masters II

BW PU? BW PU. Have you ever heard about bw pu? LpZ certainly has, since its his entire personality. However, he'll have to put that part of himself on pause while he dives into SV PU. Surprisingly ranked above some more tenured SV PU players who have performed more consistently in the tier than he has, he is still no stranger to it. Last year on the Machines he fought against the rest of the pool considerably well while building good teams at the same time. Mr. BW PU shouldn't be expected to struggle at all in this pool given that he has a large range of accolades under his belt, being both a Grand Slam and SPL winner. Not to mention he will have plenty of support between the current PULT winner, regiboob, and known tryhard, Taka. He also has "Fallen S0lidier" to support as well if he so chooses. While we know and love LpZ, can we take a moment to appreciate that I could write more about how bad that name change is than I can write about how much LpZ loves bw pu? Anyway, one more for the 2026 SCL road: bw pu.

Team Tournament Record:

• 9-6
• 7-2 in PU

OMG! Do you see that? That weird red and blue Lego-looking dragon? Woah! It's a former 7-2 player in SCL and current retain wild Druddigon! Placed somehow at... third. Despite outperforming everyone in this pool last year, it seems his peers are not too confident in him repeating such a rampage. It's not too shocking considering the tournament community hive mind, but there is absolutely no doubt that Drud has continued to put up numbers throughout the duration of SV and shows no signs of stopping that draconic fire within him. He arguably has the best support in the tournament in big tony 2014. big tony 2014 has had a big tony 2026 by going 8-0 in the most recent PUPL, revealing himself to be one of the more standout builders (and players) in the community. Together, it's quite hard to imagine how this star-crossed pair could ever come crashing down.

Team Tournament Record:

• 11-6
• 11-6 in PU

Another name that confuses me. What does MZ mean? Does it mean he loves SM ZU? Even though he's a PU main? Does anyone know? Chances are nobody does. I do know what we all know though: MZ is no slouch when it comes to PU. He's one of the oldest community members who still play the tier and fight back, despite being an unc. Last year, despite some hate-watchers and personal scuffles he ran into, he played himself to an impressive 6-4 record while only being 9k. His previous PU team tour record throughout the years that SV has existed is certainly nothing to scoff at either, including making PU Invitational finals (falling just short to MichaelderBeste2). The question stands to see if MZ will prove that old can still be gold or if this SCL will favor a newer generation of PU players.

Team Tournament Record:

• 11-15
• 8-4 in PU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam XII
• Top 16 at Grand Slam XI

Vulpix is an interesting character. He doesn't play the game so often that his results are off the top of anyone's head (which seemingly explains him being ranked middle of the pack). However, he's always relevant enough and keeps himself in shape that when his name is brought up, no one is questioning his skill at the game. The last SCL he played in was in SCL I, actually, back in 2021. While this was in SS, he did put up a 4-0 record. Since then, he's resigned himself into a managerial position for multiple iterations of both SCL and SPL. To otherwise bolster how tenured and consistent he is in the community, he's coming off of a 8-0 PUPL. Granted, that was also in an old gen. He's not totally fruitless in SV either, making a strong run towards semifinals in the recent iteration of the PU Invitational. He's shown time and time again it doesn't matter what generation, he will show up to perform. That being said, it seems he was ready to get back in the SV ring as the generation is seeing the twilight of its life, and he's raring to show he still has what it takes to play on the main stage.

Team Tournament Record:

• 23-23
• 16-11 in PU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam VIII
• Top 16 at Grand Slam XIV

Xiri finally returns to the pool of PU starters, having lain dormant since his respectable 4-3 run in SCL III. Now the rest of the pool will have to readjust to scheduling for early mornings or late nights with the new and improved Xiri, who spent the intervening years winning a PU ribbon and going 6-2 in the most recent edition of PUPL. Despite that resume, he's still only managing to lead off the bottom half of the rankings due to some of the weirdest stretches of inconsistency known to man. For every PU Circuit championship and strong team tour run the Platoon can point to as evidence of a good purchase, there's a 0-4 in PU Invitational or 1-8 run across all PU team tours in 2024 to respond with. He's certainly not the only player with records like these cluttering up the sheets, but he's perhaps the most consistently volatile player (if such a thing can exist) that snuck its way into the auction. Real knowers shouldn't be remotely surprised if he experiences the highest highs or the lowest lows this tournament, and it may very well depend on how weird management allows his teams to be and how many times he gets away with just loading sun again. Once the volatility is averaged out, it appears that the middle of the pack seems like the best prediction anyone can make for what we'll see out of Xiri this time.

Team Tournament Record:

• 17-13
• 0-0 in PU

It's always the most over right before "we've never been so back." The entire PU community was waiting to see where Metallica126 would land this SCL, having announced his intention to try to start in PU after years of playing other tiers despite shifting his focus more and more to PU recently. Whether any team would decide to pick him up was another question entirely. His resume is reasonably strong, coming off of good PUPL and PU Invitational runs, but that only tells half the story. After coming off of a few rough runs and losing in the first round robin round of the PU Invitational, the PU Discord was treated to an absolute classic example of one of Metallica's famous crashouts. Professing his inability to play the game and need to quit the tier for good, he waxed poetic about his shortcomings and invaded many a DM to continue bemoaning his poor ability. Of course, what happened next was history. He won his next four sets in a row over a smattering of the best active PU players and took the eventual champion MichaelderBeste2 to a close game three set in semifinals. He'd then repeat the same cycle as a player/manager in PUPL, crashing out over early weeks before pushing his team to barely sneak into playoffs and win in semis before eventually falling at second place. Metallica wins a lot of PU games, but sometimes it takes a crashout or two before he finds his way, and with only one slot and nine weeks in the regular season, there just might not be time for his process to work.

Team Tournament Record:

• 52-48
• 0-0 in PU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Official Ladder Tournament XI
• Top 16 at Smogon Classic IX

Every SCL there's at least one starter who just, like, doesn't play this tier at all. PU isn't a weird enough metagame that a talented player can't pick it up just fine, it's got plenty of mainers ready and willing to support a team, and it's usually not the strongest player pool in the tier (although it's usually not the weakest either). This trend is pretty sensible and has led to some really impressive outcomes, both good and bad. Slots like Mako who are willing to give the tier a shot are a yearly tradition that sometimes leads to finding a mind gaming (7-2 debut) or Fallen Solidier (8-2), but has just as often left teams dealing with a Void (2-5), SoulWind (1-5), or whatever the hell the Dynamos were doing in SCL III. Five separate starters for a 3-6 record? It's simply incredible that one of those managers had won the PU Open before. Anyway, Mako is really good at OU and she's got the support of two highly accomplished PU players in DugZa and OranBerryBlissey10 to start her journey off right, so the low ranking seems more reflective of an increased swing towards mainer bias in recent years than serious expectations that she'll completely flop. That or a recollection of what happened the last time a non-PU player with DugZa support started in this tournament. Mako has the player skill to make this work and that counts for a lot, especially in the more stable, post-rises status quo PU currently has. The main reason for this low ranking just seems to be that she'll mostly be facing off against players who, whatever else you can say about them, have provably played multiple games of SV PU in their lives.

Team Tournament Record:

• 65-65
• 1-3 in PU

Best Individual Performances:

• Quarterfinals at Grand Slam IV

I haven't done a survey of the join dates of SCL players broken down by tiers, but if someone were to do that then vibes would tell me that the PU pool's average would trend just slightly younger than the rest of the field. I say just slightly because, while the pool has some relatively fresh faces, you've got to weigh that against a player so old that he was already an accomplished and respected player when he was a starting player in PUPL 1 over a decade ago. Kushalos brings age and experience to the field, having racked up at least one record or two in most generations of PU. Most recently he went… 0-2 in his SCL IV debacle that saw him swapping between four different tiers for a combined 1-8 record? Uh oh. Kushalos might have over 120 sheet games and more experience overall than the rest of the field combined (please don't fact check that), but the last time he put up a good record in PU was 2019, and I'm pretty sure one or two things have changed since then. At least Mudsdale was still top tier though. Clearly Machines managers and PU mainstays xcx and Bouff think that their combined experience will be enough to right this ship but, considering that last year's SCL saw him going 3-3 in his more usual stomping ground of NU, expectations are pretty mixed.

• 0-0
• 0-0 in PU

Coming in last to no one's surprise is Trichotomy. After so many Monotype threads being made and clowned on, it seems one of Monotype's best players understood that he will never play in a tournament like this unless it's in a different tier. He has come to take the stage and join in with the plenty of other Monotype mains who have made strides in the tournament community. Trichotomy has had success in other tiers outside of Monotype like ZU, is generally well regarded as a player, and has a good mindset towards the game. The tiers he does play are both tiers that are not in SCL, but he has proven that his skill sets translate between tiers. The rankers are right to doubt his ability to translate that to a stage such as SCL, and in a tier he has no experience in. Whether or not those doubts are proven is up to Trichotomy, however, and with there being questions as to who is going to support him (assumedly mind gaming), could have a rough season ahead of him. One of the biggest factors that is bolstering him, however, is that it's only up from here.

Overall Team Rankings

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