Metagame SV OU Metagame Discussion v4

Tbh I think a Palafin suspect is gonna happen regardless of the likeshop.

Imo if you want to be pragmatic, you should pool likes for something absolutely ludicrous like Solgaleo.
Just because you get a silly suspect doesn't mean it has a chance to pass. If we are talking pragmatism, you'd want to get something with an actual chance. Mons that are too ludicrous don't fit that bill.
 
Imo the only interesting things to end up with are Palafin/Tera itself and like.... Lugia/Solgaleo? Tera Blast seems like an eventuality when we reach the end of our stick (which was right before the likeshop but the likeshop is funny so i support it), and most other things don't seem to be really be that on the radar. That said it looks like the BR tera thing was mostly made ahead of time with most people not in the know, so I'd assume we have a Palafin test and then look again at OU with the survey and see where to go from there. I'd personally be surprised if anything polled higher than Tera Blast only due to the current Gridlock of the tier.
 
I see people / YouTubers just talking about how Banded / BU Palafin sets get walled (kinda) by some OU mons (some of them already centralizing like RBolt or Waterpon, idk why should we make them even more centralizing) but they are clearly missing the bigger picture.

Palafin is, tbh, a bulkier IVal with a Stronger priority. And pivot potential. Like how is Dondozo walling mix Grass Knot, Amoonguss Tera Normal Boomburst, or Waterpon getting every single time the CC 50/50.

I think this mon has too many options idk

Those niche sets are terrible in a ladder setting, and pretty bad in a tournament unless you have a great read on what your opponent is bringing, and often they don't work even so. For example, Grass Knot to trounce Dondozo:

0 SpA Palafin Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Dondozo: 146-174 (28.9 - 34.5%) -- 5.8% chance to 3HKO

That's enough to solidly beat the fish, so long as you have Taunt and can prevent it from clicking Rest, but what are you giving up for it? You can't drop Taunt or else Dondozo can just Rest on you; if you drop Bulk Up, then stall doesn't even need Dondozo, you can't muscle through anyway; if you drop Jet Punch, then you're largely deadweight into offensive teams; if you drop Drain Punch, then you'll struggle versus bulky to fat teams.

You could run SpA investment, but even 252 SpA comes up just shy of a 2HKO on Dondozo, and you've destroyed every other matchup in the process. You do win this one specific matchup, but why leave Palafin weak versus other matchups just to beat stall when you can slot in Nasty Plot/Psyshock Gholdengo? The Punching Glove set does better into defense anyway.


Tera Normal Boomburst doesn't actually do anything to Amoongus:

0 SpA Tera Normal Palafin Boomburst vs. 248 HP / 16 SpD Amoonguss: 108-127 (25 - 29.4%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

If you really want to beat the sushroom, run Zen Headbutt; at +1, it's stronger into standard Amoonguss without compromising your EVs or needing to expend your Tera.
 
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No way would Ferro be OU in gen 9. Pex is already super niche in SVOU, and Ferro isn't any better

It would depend one thing and one thing only: Would Ferro retain Knock Off? With that specific move, it easily stays OU despite still being walled by Recover Gholdengo and Clef (who this Gen is much worse).

Honestly, Knock Off is such a busted move that it makes OU otherwise mediocre Mons (see Bisharp from Gen 6 to 8), though even without Knock Ferro would have plenty of niches.
 
It would depend one thing and one thing only: Would Ferro retain Knock Off? With that specific move, it easily stays OU despite still being walled by Recover Gholdengo and Clef (who this Gen is much worse).
I would say yes. It learns it via egg move in previous gens, which is grass/mineral. Quite a few mons in both egg groups learn it, so with SV's breeding, it should work.
It would also probably keep toxic as that it can also learn from an egg move. Probably wouldn't be used, but ferro would keep most things it already had lol.
 
I would say yes. It learns it via egg move in previous gens, which is grass/mineral. Quite a few mons in both egg groups learn it, so with SV's breeding, it should work.
It would also probably keep toxic as that it can also learn from an egg move. Probably wouldn't be used, but ferro would keep most things it already had lol.
Letting ferro keep toxic but not heatran would be mad disrespectful
Also, worse case scenario, ferro doesnt have knock, so it uses payback lmao
 
Letting ferro keep toxic but not heatran would be mad disrespectful
Also, worse case scenario, ferro doesnt have knock, so it uses payback lmao

Ferro is found in swamps, some of them Toxic. Plants often have Poisons too, so it makes sense for it to have Toxic.
Of course, same can be said about volcanic smokes, but in that case you often die earlier from the heat instead of the poison. Interestingly enough, there is a Fire type (without Poison typing) that learns Toxic, Houndoom.
Still, I am glad that Heatran lost it, its now a fair and respectable Mon. A Mon with 130 Special Attack is supposed to kill things with brute force and coverage (Dragon Pulse or Solar Beam, for example), not Toxic the counter, escape and wear it down.
 
Ferro is found in swamps, some of them Toxic. Plants often have Poisons too, so it makes sense for it to have Toxic.
Of course, same can be said about volcanic smokes, but in that case you often die earlier from the heat instead of the poison. Interestingly enough, there is a Fire type (without Poison typing) that learns Toxic, Houndoom.
Still, I am glad that Heatran lost it, its now a fair and respectable Mon. A Mon with 130 Special Attack is supposed to kill things with brute force and coverage (Dragon Pulse or Solar Beam, for example), not Toxic the counter, escape and wear it down.
It's also found in caves!
 
Those niche sets are terrible in a ladder setting, and pretty bad in a tournament unless you have a great read on what your opponent is bringing, and often they don't work even so. For example, Grass Knot to trounce Dondozo:

0 SpA Palafin Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Dondozo: 146-174 (28.9 - 34.5%) -- 5.8% chance to 3HKO

That's enough to solidly beat the fish, so long as you have Taunt and can prevent it from clicking Rest, but what are you giving up for it? You can't drop Taunt or else Dondozo can just Rest on you; if you drop Bulk Up, then stall doesn't even need Dondozo, you can't muscle through anyway; if you drop Jet Punch, then you're largely deadweight into offensive teams; if you drop Drain Punch, then you'll struggle versus bulky to fat teams.

You could run SpA investment, but even 252 SpA comes up just shy of a 2HKO on Dondozo, and you've destroyed every other matchup in the process. You do win this one specific matchup, but why leave Palafin weak versus other matchups just to beat stall when you can slot in Nasty Plot/Psyshock Gholdengo? The Punching Glove set does better into defense anyway.


Tera Normal Boomburst doesn't actually do anything to Amoongus:

0 SpA Tera Normal Palafin Boomburst vs. 248 HP / 16 SpD Amoonguss: 108-127 (25 - 29.4%) -- guaranteed 4HKO

If you really want to beat the sushroom, run Zen Headbutt; at +1, it's stronger into standard Amoonguss without compromising your EVs or needing to expend your Tera.
You've got the wrong Palafin in those calcs, the one that you will be facing after a single switch out would be "Palafin-Hero", and these are the actual calcs:

0- SpA Palafin-Hero Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Dondozo: 230-272 (45.6 - 53.9%) -- 46.9% chance to 2HKO

(Notice how I didn't even bother with a neutral SpA nature in there)

0 SpA Tera Normal Palafin-Hero Boomburst vs. 248 HP / 16 SpD Amoonguss: 186-220 (43.1 - 51%) -- 5.1% chance to 2HKO

So... Yeah lol
 
What are some consistent ways to beat webs? Especially the Araquanid webs. The meta is regressing to base forms of HO and mid ladder especially is riddled with it. I find it’s sometimes difficult to get Cinderace a good switch in without sacking it.
 
What are some consistent ways to beat webs? Especially the Araquanid webs. The meta is regressing to base forms of HO and mid ladder especially is riddled with it. I find it’s sometimes difficult to get Cinderace a good switch in without sacking it.
You can either build teams that don't care about Webs or have hazard clear.

Clear Body Pult is pretty good since your stats aren't lowered. Flying types, Levitate mons, Serperior, and mons with priority can also be pretty good as anti-Webs attackers. Some are better in current OU than others. If you need something else that is faster to keep its speed tier, run a boots set. Slow walls usually don't mind Webs.

For better hazard clear, you can run multiple mons. Like run a primary remover (Tusk, Treads, Corv, Geezing) and potentially a secondary anti-hazard option, which could be another remover or Hatt/Ace. Ace goes really well with Corv. Hatt pairs best with Spinners and blocks Arquanid easier than Ribombee because of Skill Swap shenanigans. Secondary removers could be something like Mortal Spin Glimmora or even emergency Defog on a mon like Scizor.

Finally, it is sometimes possible to anti-lead Webs setters. But Ribombee and Araquanid have somewhat different counterplay. Fast Taunt or maybe certain multi-hit moves can do it. The reason why fast Taunt leads are rare is Hamurott. But this doesn't impact Webs itself.
 
What are some consistent ways to beat webs? Especially the Araquanid webs. The meta is regressing to base forms of HO and mid ladder especially is riddled with it. I find it’s sometimes difficult to get Cinderace a good switch in without sacking it.
court change cinderace is pretty much a win at preview against webs, boots tusk is also fairly reliable at forcing a spin on ghold, having boots on fast stuff like dragapult also helps a lot
 
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What are some consistent ways to beat webs? Especially the Araquanid webs. The meta is regressing to base forms of HO and mid ladder especially is riddled with it. I find it’s sometimes difficult to get Cinderace a good switch in without sacking it.
Boots Tusk, Boots Weavile (also can OHKO Ribombee with Taxel), scarf/booster speed Crown, Boots/Scarf Darkrai, literally stall, Court Change Cinderace (just sac it)
 
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Water Palafin-Hero Wave Crash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dondozo in Rain: 247-291 (49 - 57.7%) -- 96.1% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Water Palafin-Hero Wave Crash vs. 248 HP / 244+ Def Amoonguss: 228-269 (52.9 - 62.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Water Palafin-Hero Wave Crash vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex in Rain: 202-238 (66.6 - 78.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Water Palafin-Hero Wave Crash vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Alomomola in Rain: 313-369 (58.6 - 69.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Palafin-Hero Close Combat vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Ogerpon-Wellspring: 290-342 (96.3 - 113.6%) -- 75% chance to OHKO

Let's allow another Mon to carry a playstyle, no one will have a Déjà vu with Archaludon, looks fun. :psywoke:
Just use Hydrapple smh

252+ Atk Choice Band Tera Water Palafin-Hero Wave Crash vs. 244 HP / 0 Def Hydrapple in Rain: 173-204 (41.7 - 49.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

…oh. Am I gonna have to change my mind on Palafin…
 
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What are some consistent ways to beat webs? Especially the Araquanid webs. The meta is regressing to base forms of HO and mid ladder especially is riddled with it. I find it’s sometimes difficult to get Cinderace a good switch in without sacking it.
Leading with meteor beam glimm is good against both webs setters. Meteor beam OHKOs. Bee will use psychic noise which is a 2hko so you just have to count on them going for their webs instead of attacking you- which they usually do.
 
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