I think c- is a bit low considering it's performance in the replays against top meta threats, i'd say somewhere in a, at least b+, at most a+
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Resource NU Viability Rankings
- Thread starter etern
- Start date
Are we seeing the Duck renaissance in NU since 2024?
Is this performace in the room with us?
yes, I made a post about it, #299, it's in the replays. look, I get it, you're shocked that i'm arguing for gogoat of all mons but hey, it does well against meta mons to a degree, and it's an argument to boost up decidueye's position on the vr since it can one shot it with poltergeist, that's rare with gogoat so I think Alolan decidueye should be ranked higher depending on the situation with poltergeist running.
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:copperajah: Agree with tier that rajah is way overranked and has been for some time now. Definitely been a mistake that no one has nominated it to drop and it probably should be capping out at like A- right now. I don't see how anyone puts it on par with Duraludon or above Klefki.
:bronzong: I'd probably move Bronzong down to B+ too at this point. If you're not Duraludon or Klefki, you need very good reason to be used in this metagame, and Bronzong simply does nothing particularly well right now beyond being a Steel-type that's immune to Spikes. Unfortunately, that just doesn't really give it much of an edge on anything and it's typically just fodder for good Pokemon like Reuniclus.
:chandelure: Chandelure probably needs to drop out of A+. We're past peak paranoia of that mon atp and most players I think realize that specs has an opportunity cost that is quite awful to justify rn. Boots sets are good for sure but not at all A+ worthy, and when I look at the rest of A+, I see Pokemon that are far more meta defining and simply easier to throw on teams willy nilly.
:basculegion: Basculegion I think should drop too. It's still quite good but hasn't really been a meta mainstay for quite some time. No Tera Blast is definitely inconvenient for it too, although it can run some funny random coverage like Psychic Fangs and Outrage if it wants to still do big Vaporeon damage--those moves just aren't as good as Tera Blast.
:scream tail: I don't think Scream Tail really belongs in A- anymore. We're not seeing that Normal spam HO much since Toxtricity left, and Scream Tail wasn't a fixture of those styles anyway. It's still a fine sweeper to run on that type of team and utility sets have some outside merit because of their speed, but I think Scream Tail just struggles with being a jack of few trades and a master of absolutely none.
:espeon: Espeon should be lower than B. I don't really know why it didn't fall alongside Grafaiai unless it was for some random Magic Bounce tomfoolery, but frankly its only real claim to fame in NU is for Terrain stuff.
:overqwil: Nobody has really used Overqwil since Barraskewda left. It's just far too hard to make work on a consistent basis, and as a general Dark-type it doesn't do much of what you're asking out of one. Scrafty and Incineroar are pretty much always guaranteed to be better choices.
:tauros-paldea-blaze: ok fine guys I was wrong and this Pokemon is ass it can go bye bye
:hariyama: this has not been used in over a year kill it please
:bronzong: I'd probably move Bronzong down to B+ too at this point. If you're not Duraludon or Klefki, you need very good reason to be used in this metagame, and Bronzong simply does nothing particularly well right now beyond being a Steel-type that's immune to Spikes. Unfortunately, that just doesn't really give it much of an edge on anything and it's typically just fodder for good Pokemon like Reuniclus.
:chandelure: Chandelure probably needs to drop out of A+. We're past peak paranoia of that mon atp and most players I think realize that specs has an opportunity cost that is quite awful to justify rn. Boots sets are good for sure but not at all A+ worthy, and when I look at the rest of A+, I see Pokemon that are far more meta defining and simply easier to throw on teams willy nilly.
:basculegion: Basculegion I think should drop too. It's still quite good but hasn't really been a meta mainstay for quite some time. No Tera Blast is definitely inconvenient for it too, although it can run some funny random coverage like Psychic Fangs and Outrage if it wants to still do big Vaporeon damage--those moves just aren't as good as Tera Blast.
:scream tail: I don't think Scream Tail really belongs in A- anymore. We're not seeing that Normal spam HO much since Toxtricity left, and Scream Tail wasn't a fixture of those styles anyway. It's still a fine sweeper to run on that type of team and utility sets have some outside merit because of their speed, but I think Scream Tail just struggles with being a jack of few trades and a master of absolutely none.
:espeon: Espeon should be lower than B. I don't really know why it didn't fall alongside Grafaiai unless it was for some random Magic Bounce tomfoolery, but frankly its only real claim to fame in NU is for Terrain stuff.
:overqwil: Nobody has really used Overqwil since Barraskewda left. It's just far too hard to make work on a consistent basis, and as a general Dark-type it doesn't do much of what you're asking out of one. Scrafty and Incineroar are pretty much always guaranteed to be better choices.
:tauros-paldea-blaze: ok fine guys I was wrong and this Pokemon is ass it can go bye bye
:hariyama: this has not been used in over a year kill it please
I actually think specifically AV Hariyama sets are interesting right now, it does really well into Duraludon and Dudunsparce and Guts makes it actually happy to take on paraspam.
:copperajah:
Keep it A+. I don't know what's up with tier and Rabia, but Klefki and Duraludon also take Spikes (shocker) and there is nothing more to their post than that. Copperajah is the Steel-type with the best match-up against Psychic-types and Steel-types, which should be on every team. I understand why some prefer Duraludon over it, but it's definitely top 2 Steel-type in the tier.
:reuniclus:
Move to S. It's in contetion as best Pokémon in the tier lowkey. Both the support set and the Calm Mind set are easy to slap into teams and are extremly effective at breaking down teams on their own, while being super hard to take down. Magic Guard is honnestly busted in this tier and it shows.
:vaporeon:
Drop to A. Wish Passing has become increasibly harder to use with the rise of Spikes and ParaSpam. Reuniclus also completely shuts down Vaporeon, which is really annoying for it.
:goodra:
Rise to A+. Insane defensive value for offense, as a blanket check to almost any Special attacker, especially with Fairy types getting rarer, beside Klefki which absolutely hates Fire Blast and Knock Off. Many teams preferring Duraludon over other Steel-types make them usually completly forgo a Dragon resist which is insane for Goodra. It's also the best Chandelure check outside Incineroar and one of the few Knock Off / Toxic user that can threaten somewhat Reuniclus.
:meloetta::cinccino::scream_tail:
Normal Spam is kinda dead, I think they could all drop to B+.
:brambleghast:<->:houndstone:
I'm gonna redirect you all to my NP post, but basically, I believe Brambleghast is much easier to fit into teams.
:tornadus:
This mon already was some noob trap before, but without Terablast, people can finally open their eyes on how dogshit it is. Drop it down to B- with Staraptor.
:drednaw:
It lost a lot of splashability without Terablast and absolutely despise Duraludon being the number 1 Steel-type, it could drop to B-.
:scrafty:
To A, it's an amazing status absorber. Just as for Goodras, Fairy-types outside Klefki aren't so great atm. And the Tera Elec set is really good right now.
:toxicroak:
It's etern's Braviary basically, drop it down to C.
:inteleon:
To B+. Vaporeon is much worse, it's basically the fastest mon in the tier since Barraskewda left and Kilo sees barely any use.
:chansey:
To C. Absolutely unviable outside stall and really has a hard time with all the Spikes around.
:ambipom:
To B+. Whenever Spikes are good, Ambipom is good; it also likes many teams dropping Ice resists for Duraludon. It can sometimes struggle with RH Reuniclus, Bellibolt, and Houndstone, which is why I don't think it should rise higher.
:grimmsnarl:
To B. Half my post is about traditionaly Fairy-types struggling and Reuniclus being good, so you can see why Grimmsnarl deserves a rise.
:tatsugiri:
To B+. It's basically what Toxicroak wished to be. Loves the non Dragon resist teams with Duraludon, beats all Ghost-types, making it the most reliable Spinner, and blanket checks a lot of Vaporeon.
:cramorant:
Reuniclus and Articuno Galar really make this things life too hard. Move it to C.
:sylveon:
From A- to B. Same problem as Vapo, being really bad into Spikes and ParaSpam, but its bulk is just not good enough. It's only saved by its pure Fairy-typing which is really good in the tier, but it's just too easy to play around and it's not reliable enough as the center piece of Wish Pass teams.
Keep it A+. I don't know what's up with tier and Rabia, but Klefki and Duraludon also take Spikes (shocker) and there is nothing more to their post than that. Copperajah is the Steel-type with the best match-up against Psychic-types and Steel-types, which should be on every team. I understand why some prefer Duraludon over it, but it's definitely top 2 Steel-type in the tier.
:reuniclus:
Move to S. It's in contetion as best Pokémon in the tier lowkey. Both the support set and the Calm Mind set are easy to slap into teams and are extremly effective at breaking down teams on their own, while being super hard to take down. Magic Guard is honnestly busted in this tier and it shows.
:vaporeon:
Drop to A. Wish Passing has become increasibly harder to use with the rise of Spikes and ParaSpam. Reuniclus also completely shuts down Vaporeon, which is really annoying for it.
:goodra:
Rise to A+. Insane defensive value for offense, as a blanket check to almost any Special attacker, especially with Fairy types getting rarer, beside Klefki which absolutely hates Fire Blast and Knock Off. Many teams preferring Duraludon over other Steel-types make them usually completly forgo a Dragon resist which is insane for Goodra. It's also the best Chandelure check outside Incineroar and one of the few Knock Off / Toxic user that can threaten somewhat Reuniclus.
:meloetta::cinccino::scream_tail:
Normal Spam is kinda dead, I think they could all drop to B+.
:brambleghast:<->:houndstone:
I'm gonna redirect you all to my NP post, but basically, I believe Brambleghast is much easier to fit into teams.
:tornadus:
This mon already was some noob trap before, but without Terablast, people can finally open their eyes on how dogshit it is. Drop it down to B- with Staraptor.
:drednaw:
It lost a lot of splashability without Terablast and absolutely despise Duraludon being the number 1 Steel-type, it could drop to B-.
:scrafty:
To A, it's an amazing status absorber. Just as for Goodras, Fairy-types outside Klefki aren't so great atm. And the Tera Elec set is really good right now.
:toxicroak:
It's etern's Braviary basically, drop it down to C.
:inteleon:
To B+. Vaporeon is much worse, it's basically the fastest mon in the tier since Barraskewda left and Kilo sees barely any use.
:chansey:
To C. Absolutely unviable outside stall and really has a hard time with all the Spikes around.
:ambipom:
To B+. Whenever Spikes are good, Ambipom is good; it also likes many teams dropping Ice resists for Duraludon. It can sometimes struggle with RH Reuniclus, Bellibolt, and Houndstone, which is why I don't think it should rise higher.
:grimmsnarl:
To B. Half my post is about traditionaly Fairy-types struggling and Reuniclus being good, so you can see why Grimmsnarl deserves a rise.
:tatsugiri:
To B+. It's basically what Toxicroak wished to be. Loves the non Dragon resist teams with Duraludon, beats all Ghost-types, making it the most reliable Spinner, and blanket checks a lot of Vaporeon.
:cramorant:
Reuniclus and Articuno Galar really make this things life too hard. Move it to C.
:sylveon:
From A- to B. Same problem as Vapo, being really bad into Spikes and ParaSpam, but its bulk is just not good enough. It's only saved by its pure Fairy-typing which is really good in the tier, but it's just too easy to play around and it's not reliable enough as the center piece of Wish Pass teams.
:flygon: Lots of chatter around it internally among council members and in the community in general. I still think it’s S rank but it definitely needs to be voted on.
:tsareena: Probably the worst out of the viable spinners (Alolaslash isn’t viable), definitely doesnt deserve the A- rank it continues to hold.
:Heracross: Very underexplored rn imo, has historically paired very well with Goodra on slower builds and this environment is just the perfect storm for it to shine. Can also provide decent utility as a status switchin and can tech spikes. I think A-
:Kilowattrel: Garbage, please unrank
:Araquanid: Also garabge, please unrank
:Braviary-Hisui: Not as garbage but very hard to fit when you have such good competition for Psychic types. I think it might still be C rank but needs to be voted on.
:Tentacruel: I forgot this thing was even NU, that’s how garbage it is. Please unrank.
:tsareena: Probably the worst out of the viable spinners (Alolaslash isn’t viable), definitely doesnt deserve the A- rank it continues to hold.
:Heracross: Very underexplored rn imo, has historically paired very well with Goodra on slower builds and this environment is just the perfect storm for it to shine. Can also provide decent utility as a status switchin and can tech spikes. I think A-
:Kilowattrel: Garbage, please unrank
:Araquanid: Also garabge, please unrank
:Braviary-Hisui: Not as garbage but very hard to fit when you have such good competition for Psychic types. I think it might still be C rank but needs to be voted on.
:Tentacruel: I forgot this thing was even NU, that’s how garbage it is. Please unrank.
"Agree with tier that rajah is way overranked and has been for some time now. Definitely been a mistake that no one has nominated it to drop and it probably should be capping out at like A- right now. I don't see how anyone puts it on par with Duraludon or above Klefki." the word spikes will not be found if you ctrl+f the quoted sentence
rajah's better mu against the psychic-types is a fair reason to still use it and that's been what everyone cites for why you'd still use it. otherwise it really is not worth it as seen by its recent usage, and hell you frankly could extend this to every steel including klefki, which I'm personally higher on, but your other justification for it is just... nothing else? "better mu against the other steels" means nothing when duraludon body presses you and you lose the interaction. ig being not dead into keys is ok, but ultimately again the steel meta is duraludon. ultimately i dont believe a better psychic-types mu is enough to justify a+ alongside clear meta definers when that's the only edge rajah still maintains over dura.
tier mentionned it and your initial post lacked any reasoning, so I made the assumption you agreed with his post. Body Press has barely any use on Duraludon, Thunder Wave and phazing moves are much common as 4th move, which are much better in the current metagame (BP Duraludon is helpless against Articuno Galar for instance, while BP really is only great against Copper as DM is barely worse against most other targets such as opposing Dura, Incineroar, and Scrafty).
fairs if you just assumed based on me not laying out exactly why then
bpress is not high usage like the other moves yes but i also feel that's because all of dura's moves are very good on it and there's hardly an unviable combo of them so long as you include twave. draco / press / twave / flash cannon is very fine especially on pert builds where swampert just takes up stealth rock instead. imo no combo of moves will ever truly be useless vs garti unless you fsr lack both of twave and a phazing move
ultimately i dont agree that rajah's better mu against garti and reuni makes it an a+ mon and i do not value a better mu against opposing steels really at all when duraludon's own usage laps them so much that the opposing steel is almost guaranteed to be another duraludon. putting them in the same subrank rn is very unrepresentative of the meta and their relative viabilities. maybe it should only drop one subrank instead and my initial proposal was too harsh, but i cannot agree to keep it on par with duraludon at all
I am new to this so apologies if I get the formatting wrong.
From UR to B-
It's not the curse set that should be considered here. Body slam, Chilling water, Heat Crash, Crunch. Have some physical investment as well, and I think it should match up well against a lot of the meta.
It beats many pokemon here like G Articuno, Cinccino, every viable ghost aside from Golurk (note that Brambleghast isn't a safe switch in at all with heat crash so it will struggle with a strength sap attempt), potentially Dudunsparce, Meloetta.
Chilling water is also quite useful. Especially against Rhyperior.
Here's a couple games where it pulls it's weight.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nu-2601826162-j7hfwl693qh0id7xuw9t49vy8f5pa3spw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nu-2606505647
From D to C
The American Pokemon does actually have a way to differentiate itself from Staraptor and Flamigo: Defiant.
After it gets a kill Incineroar can't come in against it as safely as it can against Staraptor due to this ability. Parting Shot also messes up the other 2 when they switch in, but it enables Braviary. And with a Scarf the speed isn't much of an issue.
Additionally Braviary can learn Rock Slide unlike Staraptor, to try and flinch opponents and not have recoil rack up. Which I should mention that Braviary has higher hp, so it can get more brave birds off.
One example (in this case with Rock Slide) is this game here:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nu-2602816992
Edit: Here's an example of Braviary's extra bulk mattering. (And Scarf Infernape is faster than Staraptor and Flamigo so their extra speed wouldn't have made up for it.)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nu-2606762552-fm8yenw37h44xdfa8pwxvpkagcx1fv3pw
Usually they will perform identically, and Braviary does have a couple pros over Staraptor.
I don't see why this should be lowered. It doesn't need terrains, it's a good set up sweeper. Switch it in against Gligar, Klefki or Chansey or after a sac against Reuniclus. Set up Calm mind, for a stored power sweep.
Edit to point out that hazzards are running rampant, hence the whole Reuniclus suspect test. Espeon is a good counter to the situation.
From UR to B-
It's not the curse set that should be considered here. Body slam, Chilling water, Heat Crash, Crunch. Have some physical investment as well, and I think it should match up well against a lot of the meta.
It beats many pokemon here like G Articuno, Cinccino, every viable ghost aside from Golurk (note that Brambleghast isn't a safe switch in at all with heat crash so it will struggle with a strength sap attempt), potentially Dudunsparce, Meloetta.
Chilling water is also quite useful. Especially against Rhyperior.
Here's a couple games where it pulls it's weight.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nu-2601826162-j7hfwl693qh0id7xuw9t49vy8f5pa3spw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nu-2606505647
From D to C
The American Pokemon does actually have a way to differentiate itself from Staraptor and Flamigo: Defiant.
After it gets a kill Incineroar can't come in against it as safely as it can against Staraptor due to this ability. Parting Shot also messes up the other 2 when they switch in, but it enables Braviary. And with a Scarf the speed isn't much of an issue.
Additionally Braviary can learn Rock Slide unlike Staraptor, to try and flinch opponents and not have recoil rack up. Which I should mention that Braviary has higher hp, so it can get more brave birds off.
One example (in this case with Rock Slide) is this game here:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nu-2602816992
Edit: Here's an example of Braviary's extra bulk mattering. (And Scarf Infernape is faster than Staraptor and Flamigo so their extra speed wouldn't have made up for it.)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9nu-2606762552-fm8yenw37h44xdfa8pwxvpkagcx1fv3pw
Usually they will perform identically, and Braviary does have a couple pros over Staraptor.
I don't see why this should be lowered. It doesn't need terrains, it's a good set up sweeper. Switch it in against Gligar, Klefki or Chansey or after a sac against Reuniclus. Set up Calm mind, for a stored power sweep.
Edit to point out that hazzards are running rampant, hence the whole Reuniclus suspect test. Espeon is a good counter to the situation.
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Here's my opinion
I want to argue
should move from B --- B+
Infernape imo has been one of the most underrated mons in the tier despite it's decent usage and especially now where it can truley shine. Part of the reason why infernape remained a solid niche pick was due to the fact A) it was really fast, B) a really good revenge killer, and C) truely a versatile mon. However because it lacked the fire power, It really struggled to wallbreak without the use of LO or the choice items.
Because hazard stack is running rampant, infernape imo one the better echelon for this due to being really good on it due to it being a fast knock off abused and most importantly it can actually help infernape wallbreak, allowing it to run HDP and not commit to LO chip or being choice locked. on top of the fact that its checks such as G-Cuno, Flamigo, Scarf Flygon, Chandelure (especially), M-Basculegion, and Vaporeon are really susceptible to hazards do not want to switch into a knock off+u-turn combo on repeat.
Infernape also works well against opposing hazard stack mons like duraladon (No T-Wave), Klefki (No T-Wave), and Copperajah, and all the previous mentions.
To summarize, Infernape is good because the meta favor it and checks got worse because of it. I may be wrong on it but I want hear more opinions on it.
I want to argue
Infernape imo has been one of the most underrated mons in the tier despite it's decent usage and especially now where it can truley shine. Part of the reason why infernape remained a solid niche pick was due to the fact A) it was really fast, B) a really good revenge killer, and C) truely a versatile mon. However because it lacked the fire power, It really struggled to wallbreak without the use of LO or the choice items.
Because hazard stack is running rampant, infernape imo one the better echelon for this due to being really good on it due to it being a fast knock off abused and most importantly it can actually help infernape wallbreak, allowing it to run HDP and not commit to LO chip or being choice locked. on top of the fact that its checks such as G-Cuno, Flamigo, Scarf Flygon, Chandelure (especially), M-Basculegion, and Vaporeon are really susceptible to hazards do not want to switch into a knock off+u-turn combo on repeat.
Infernape also works well against opposing hazard stack mons like duraladon (No T-Wave), Klefki (No T-Wave), and Copperajah, and all the previous mentions.
To summarize, Infernape is good because the meta favor it and checks got worse because of it. I may be wrong on it but I want hear more opinions on it.
A few weeks of NUPL, a few tiering decisions and a new VR Slate. You can find the slate here, and keep posting noms! You'll notice that a lot more stuff dropped than has risen, this is a general case of the top of the meta really separating itself from the more niche, hard to use stuff.
:Braviary: UR -> C Honestly couldn't tell you why this got enough support for a ranking. I guess we have a few practical jokers on the council.
:Brambleghast: A- -> A Has solidified itself as the best form of removal in the tier, as well as having a very wide variety of options it can run. It's very importantly the only removal that consistently beats Houndstone, as well as being a decent enough spiker that can double as a spinblocker itself.
:Goodra: A- -> A Shines exceptionally in the yellow magic pandemic as its speed is no longer an issue. Perfect coverage as well as flexibility allows it to be a very threatening option in both the teambuilder and in game.
:Scrafty: B+ -> A- Status absorbers are in very high demand and they don't get much better than Scrafty. Add to that its versatility with BU and DD sets as well as tera flexibility and you have a very real threat you always have to keep in mind.
:Slowbro-Galar: B+ -> A- Reuniclus lite.
:Uxie: B -> A- Extremely threatening late game sweeper that can create extreme pressure with its flexible 4th move options. Has seen a surge in usage recently and has proven that it doesn't need GTerrain to remain a threat.
:Ambipom: B- -> B Decent option in hazard infested environments, and can open up more flexible teambuilding with its access to an unparalleled Fake Out.
:Inteleon: B- -> B Is the real fastest unboosted mon in the tier (Kilo sucks). With our best scarfer also being one of our best Knock absorbers, it opens up some unique situations where Inteleon can really thrive and clean up games.
:Grimmsnarl: C -> B- Random bulky setup slop go! Has a decent amount of solid support moves to pair up with its really strong Atk stat for non setup sets.
:Tatsugiri: C -> B- Dunks on non Vaporeon and just happens to be a Dragon that outspeeds Goodra.
:Goodra: A- -> A Shines exceptionally in the yellow magic pandemic as its speed is no longer an issue. Perfect coverage as well as flexibility allows it to be a very threatening option in both the teambuilder and in game.
:Scrafty: B+ -> A- Status absorbers are in very high demand and they don't get much better than Scrafty. Add to that its versatility with BU and DD sets as well as tera flexibility and you have a very real threat you always have to keep in mind.
:Slowbro-Galar: B+ -> A- Reuniclus lite.
:Uxie: B -> A- Extremely threatening late game sweeper that can create extreme pressure with its flexible 4th move options. Has seen a surge in usage recently and has proven that it doesn't need GTerrain to remain a threat.
:Ambipom: B- -> B Decent option in hazard infested environments, and can open up more flexible teambuilding with its access to an unparalleled Fake Out.
:Inteleon: B- -> B Is the real fastest unboosted mon in the tier (Kilo sucks). With our best scarfer also being one of our best Knock absorbers, it opens up some unique situations where Inteleon can really thrive and clean up games.
:Grimmsnarl: C -> B- Random bulky setup slop go! Has a decent amount of solid support moves to pair up with its really strong Atk stat for non setup sets.
:Tatsugiri: C -> B- Dunks on non Vaporeon and just happens to be a Dragon that outspeeds Goodra.
:flygon: S -> A+ This is not a prank. Flygon has been knocked off his perch. This is unfortunately a side effect of Duraludon's popularity. Flygon can't OHKO the tier's premier steel and gets OHKO'd back. Duraludon's popularity also means Bronzong is much less common now, and one of Flygon's biggest selling points was as a Bronzong lure. It no longer forces the same linear gameplay it once did. It's still a really strong, versatile option, just no longer the king it once was.
:Copperajah: A+ -> A Despite having access to Knock Off and a strong base Atk stat, Duraludon is just a lot more effective at making progress making it the steel of choice. Suffers from a mild case of 4mss which leaves it vulnerable in some endgames.
:Chandelure: A+ -> A Choiced sets have fallen out of fashion owing to the hazard infestation, as well as the surge of options that can just outspeed specs and nuke it (Bramble, Dura etc). Boots sets have always been less threatening.
:Bronzong: A- -> B+ Missing person, if you have information please contact 1-800-Oops my phone got knocked off. Boxxed out by the other steels and is just too passive, despite being a spike immune.
:Cinccino: A- -> B+ Rat HO hasn't been the same since Toxtricity left. Not enough strong normals to really muscle through teams fast enough.
:Meloetta: A- -> B+ ^
:Scream tail: A- -> B+ ^^
:Sylveon: A- -> B+ Utility Sylveon sucks. CM Sylveon has been boxxed out completely by the psychic types. Specs is still threatening but is a slow option that struggles to stay alive, especially when you introduce hazards into the equation.
:Tsareena: A- -> B+ Brambleghast and Houndstone send their regards.
:Toxicroak: B+ -> B- No idea how this shitter stayed in B+ for so long. He hasn't been good since 2025.
:Chansey: B -> B- Failed to carve out a niche outside of stall/semistall, is just too passive compared to the other normal type with rocks and TWave (dududududududududun).
:Espeon: B -> B- Has seen some usage as a niche option for role compression, will need to maintain it to prove it's worthy of remaining on the VR.
:Overqwil: B -> B- Rain has kinda fallen off the map and Overqwil was never that good outside of it.
:Cramorant: B- -> C Just use Altaria if you really want a Defogger or fight resist.
:Tauros-Paldea-Blaze: B- -> C No idea why he wasn't UR'd, ig some people still see some value in him. Don't be like them.
:Drifblim: B- -> UR You won't be missed.
:Grafaiai: B- -> UR Neither will you. The pivot garbage is extreme cope, please don't nom it or use it because I will not take you seriously.
:Hitmonlee: B- -> UR Probably the most likely out of the 3 unburden sweepers to find his way back as he's the best out of them on PTerrain, but PTerrain sucks so unfortunate for you bud.
:Tentacruel: C -> UR lol.
:Copperajah: A+ -> A Despite having access to Knock Off and a strong base Atk stat, Duraludon is just a lot more effective at making progress making it the steel of choice. Suffers from a mild case of 4mss which leaves it vulnerable in some endgames.
:Chandelure: A+ -> A Choiced sets have fallen out of fashion owing to the hazard infestation, as well as the surge of options that can just outspeed specs and nuke it (Bramble, Dura etc). Boots sets have always been less threatening.
:Bronzong: A- -> B+ Missing person, if you have information please contact 1-800-Oops my phone got knocked off. Boxxed out by the other steels and is just too passive, despite being a spike immune.
:Cinccino: A- -> B+ Rat HO hasn't been the same since Toxtricity left. Not enough strong normals to really muscle through teams fast enough.
:Meloetta: A- -> B+ ^
:Scream tail: A- -> B+ ^^
:Sylveon: A- -> B+ Utility Sylveon sucks. CM Sylveon has been boxxed out completely by the psychic types. Specs is still threatening but is a slow option that struggles to stay alive, especially when you introduce hazards into the equation.
:Tsareena: A- -> B+ Brambleghast and Houndstone send their regards.
:Toxicroak: B+ -> B- No idea how this shitter stayed in B+ for so long. He hasn't been good since 2025.
:Chansey: B -> B- Failed to carve out a niche outside of stall/semistall, is just too passive compared to the other normal type with rocks and TWave (dududududududududun).
:Espeon: B -> B- Has seen some usage as a niche option for role compression, will need to maintain it to prove it's worthy of remaining on the VR.
:Overqwil: B -> B- Rain has kinda fallen off the map and Overqwil was never that good outside of it.
:Cramorant: B- -> C Just use Altaria if you really want a Defogger or fight resist.
:Tauros-Paldea-Blaze: B- -> C No idea why he wasn't UR'd, ig some people still see some value in him. Don't be like them.
:Drifblim: B- -> UR You won't be missed.
:Grafaiai: B- -> UR Neither will you. The pivot garbage is extreme cope, please don't nom it or use it because I will not take you seriously.
:Hitmonlee: B- -> UR Probably the most likely out of the 3 unburden sweepers to find his way back as he's the best out of them on PTerrain, but PTerrain sucks so unfortunate for you bud.
:Tentacruel: C -> UR lol.
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Awwww ya!!! Braviary gang rise up rise up into the sternums.
Devastating.
Big day for the Braviary believers. I've never doubted this day would happen! (I will resume with never using this mon.)
Braviary>flamingo>staraptor
Attachments
Not to be a pain, but shouldnt graf and tent be added to “do not use” on the original post asw?
:dudunsparce: -> A+
My post here talks more in depth about Dudunspare's place in the metagame, but it's very clearly one of the top few options right now. ParaSpam is still quite relevant, albeit not to the same extent as when Reuniclus was ruining the tier, and Dudunsparce makes early sequences hell for almost all teams. It's somewhat one dimensional right now, but we've seen a couple attempts at Calm Mind sets at least to remind everyone that setup variants are fair game and not too shabby--Glare is just a particularly hard-to-drop move.
:scrafty: -> A
Tera Electric sets have revitalized Scrafty's place in the metagame and made it pretty clearly one of the top bulky setup options we have once again. It's pretty tough to KO outright because of its natural bulk alongside Bulk Up, and as Ruffles outlined in the NP thread too (I am not hyperlinking again sorry!), it has a disgusting amount of set variety. Scrafty can certainly still struggle at times due to it taking a good few turns to ramp up and the potential to get utterly owned by a few particularly relevant Pokemon like Tera Fairy Uxie, Chilling Water Bellibolt, and Leech Seed Tera Fairy Wo-Chien, but it's great regardless.
:swampert: -> A
Part of the reason I dropped Flygon on the last slate was Swampert's rise, and I think its continued presence warrants a rise on the VR. DuraPert cores are very standard for balance/offense, and Swampert opens up Duraludon to run another move by running Stealth Rock itself. It can definitely feel easy to overwhelm at times, but he's a nice alternative to Flygon and Gligar.
:uxie: -> A
Tera Fairy with Substitute and Draining Kiss? Good set. Tera Electric with Pain Split? Also, a good set. Uxie matches up really well with a lot of our best Pokemon, ie Flamigo, Galarian Articuno, Flygon, and even Vaporeon if you run the sinful Covert Cloak. Just don't run utility.
:ambipom: -> B+/A-
AmbiSpikes is real and good. It fits seamlessly on these teams as yet another option to pressure Duraludon and other Steel-types with consistent Knock Off + U-turn chip damage. This is also just a case of... look at what else is in B. Ambipom simply is far better than those memes.
:tatsugiri: -> higher
NU continues to see random Pokemon appear as hazard removal, and Tatsugiri is our newest attempt at finding hazard removal. At the very least, it's a great pick for offense that compresses removal and Vaporeon beater into one slot, and well, I've seen a few too many people get close to losing to Nasty Plot after it removes hazards. I have no idea how high it should rise, but it's definitely a bit too relevant to the metagame to be in B-.
:decidueye: -> B
Clear Amulet Low Kick is good at supporting Uxie on hyper offense. I truly have nothing more to add than that. Just like Tatsugiri, I find that Decidueye's place in the metagame is clearer than anything else in B-, so it deserves a marginal bump at least.
My post here talks more in depth about Dudunspare's place in the metagame, but it's very clearly one of the top few options right now. ParaSpam is still quite relevant, albeit not to the same extent as when Reuniclus was ruining the tier, and Dudunsparce makes early sequences hell for almost all teams. It's somewhat one dimensional right now, but we've seen a couple attempts at Calm Mind sets at least to remind everyone that setup variants are fair game and not too shabby--Glare is just a particularly hard-to-drop move.
:scrafty: -> A
Tera Electric sets have revitalized Scrafty's place in the metagame and made it pretty clearly one of the top bulky setup options we have once again. It's pretty tough to KO outright because of its natural bulk alongside Bulk Up, and as Ruffles outlined in the NP thread too (I am not hyperlinking again sorry!), it has a disgusting amount of set variety. Scrafty can certainly still struggle at times due to it taking a good few turns to ramp up and the potential to get utterly owned by a few particularly relevant Pokemon like Tera Fairy Uxie, Chilling Water Bellibolt, and Leech Seed Tera Fairy Wo-Chien, but it's great regardless.
:swampert: -> A
Part of the reason I dropped Flygon on the last slate was Swampert's rise, and I think its continued presence warrants a rise on the VR. DuraPert cores are very standard for balance/offense, and Swampert opens up Duraludon to run another move by running Stealth Rock itself. It can definitely feel easy to overwhelm at times, but he's a nice alternative to Flygon and Gligar.
:uxie: -> A
Tera Fairy with Substitute and Draining Kiss? Good set. Tera Electric with Pain Split? Also, a good set. Uxie matches up really well with a lot of our best Pokemon, ie Flamigo, Galarian Articuno, Flygon, and even Vaporeon if you run the sinful Covert Cloak. Just don't run utility.
:ambipom: -> B+/A-
AmbiSpikes is real and good. It fits seamlessly on these teams as yet another option to pressure Duraludon and other Steel-types with consistent Knock Off + U-turn chip damage. This is also just a case of... look at what else is in B. Ambipom simply is far better than those memes.
:tatsugiri: -> higher
NU continues to see random Pokemon appear as hazard removal, and Tatsugiri is our newest attempt at finding hazard removal. At the very least, it's a great pick for offense that compresses removal and Vaporeon beater into one slot, and well, I've seen a few too many people get close to losing to Nasty Plot after it removes hazards. I have no idea how high it should rise, but it's definitely a bit too relevant to the metagame to be in B-.
:decidueye: -> B
Clear Amulet Low Kick is good at supporting Uxie on hyper offense. I truly have nothing more to add than that. Just like Tatsugiri, I find that Decidueye's place in the metagame is clearer than anything else in B-, so it deserves a marginal bump at least.
I will second the ambipom rise. Alongside its ability to vastly pressure and suffocate teams with repeated damage and utility as Rabia mentioned, I would also like to highlight its synergy with several top pokemon while enabling considerable flexibility in the builder thanks to its speed, priority, natural ability to run heavy duty boots, and coveted ghost immunity.
Most notably, ambipom opens up the ability to not run scarf flamigo on teams lacking hazard removal. Not only does it provide the flexibility to run other fighters/sets such as tauros, band/sd flamigo or even nicher options such as hariyama or infernape, it pairs well with them to considerably overwhelm shared checks. Goodra is also a great partner, being a great receiver of ambi pivots, helping overwhelm steels, and together with ambi, helps nullify ghost type offense.
I have been enjoying tera normal with double edge over triple axel, which is surprisingly strong, better into top pokemon such as incineroar and tauros, and much more reliable.
I have been highly appreciative of its resurgence opening up unique team options, showing that the tier still has room to develop and improve itself.
Most notably, ambipom opens up the ability to not run scarf flamigo on teams lacking hazard removal. Not only does it provide the flexibility to run other fighters/sets such as tauros, band/sd flamigo or even nicher options such as hariyama or infernape, it pairs well with them to considerably overwhelm shared checks. Goodra is also a great partner, being a great receiver of ambi pivots, helping overwhelm steels, and together with ambi, helps nullify ghost type offense.
I have been enjoying tera normal with double edge over triple axel, which is surprisingly strong, better into top pokemon such as incineroar and tauros, and much more reliable.
I have been highly appreciative of its resurgence opening up unique team options, showing that the tier still has room to develop and improve itself.
:sv/decidueye-hisui: UR -> B-
Hisuian Decidueye is yet another powerful wallbreaker. However, its unique typing and amazing ability in Scrappy helps it in dismantling meta cores like Swampert + Klefki, Wo-Chien + Bellibolt, and even Duraludon + Houndstone. Choice Band sets hit insanely hard, and they can even make progress with Knock Off or generate momentum with U-turn. It loves taking advntage of the paraspam in NU, too. Not to mention, it's signature move is literally broken: 50% for -1 Defense, 30% for flinch, and 12.5% for crit. There's only a 29.167% chance nothing happens, meaning you can even take a chance against a fatter Pokemon or, if they switch in, you're practically (but not numerically) guaranteed some luck. Defog sets are existent, but I have yet to explore those with Galarian Articuno running this tier. Swords Dance sets are very interesting, though. Covert Cloak + Roost sets are reliable Vaporeon abusers, Spell Tag + Shadow Claw and Shadow Sneak have reliable priority that helps to sweep, and Black Glasses + Knock Off and Sucker Punch is great for more powerful wallbreaking on offense builds.
:inteleon: B -> B+
Inteleon's been enjoying the rise of Spikes stack and offense, allowing it to more easily break through teams and only need some Knock Offs + U-turn to beat Vaporeon. Also, works as a great as speed control with the Boots Pivot set that can actually mess with Vaporeon thanks to Taunt.
:ambipom: B -> A-
Spikes stack has led to this thing being good enough to be top-tier in my opinion. Fake Out, Knock Off, and U-turn just has amazing utility, which is hard to find anywhere else, especially when your last move is so flexible with Triple Axel, Double Edge, Low Kick, or whatever else you find.
:kilowattrel: B- -> B
Hate this weakass bird all you want, but it's a great offensive Flamigo check that doubles up as a Defog deterrent for teams where Galarian Articuno fails to fit on. Amazing Speed control for Spikes stack teams as well. Also, you need to run 164 HP not 160 HP. The calc lies; I've been 2HKOed by Scarf Flamigo CC too many times (twice in my whatever time of NUing) from full health with 160 HP EVs.
:raikou: B -> B-
I guess it works as a pivot now. Or, it can be a decent CM sweeper. It's just too non-threatening without Tera Blast for it to be worth using on a team or to be scared of when facing.
:swampert: A- -> A /:gligar: A -> A-
Gligar is great for the resists, but Swampert has so much utility and can run a real item like Helmet or Lefties. Not to mention, Pert can Roar and softchecks the demons we're struggling with right now like Goodra, Chandelure, and Uxie whereas Gligar folds to them.
:tornadus: A- -> B+
Good mon, it's just not meta defining enough to deserve A-tier status. It's a bit too frail to pull off either pivot or setup sets as effectively as it wants to. Also, paraspam, Steels, and the rise of Bellibolt has made all sets worse off, bar the more niche Tailwind ones.
Hisuian Decidueye is yet another powerful wallbreaker. However, its unique typing and amazing ability in Scrappy helps it in dismantling meta cores like Swampert + Klefki, Wo-Chien + Bellibolt, and even Duraludon + Houndstone. Choice Band sets hit insanely hard, and they can even make progress with Knock Off or generate momentum with U-turn. It loves taking advntage of the paraspam in NU, too. Not to mention, it's signature move is literally broken: 50% for -1 Defense, 30% for flinch, and 12.5% for crit. There's only a 29.167% chance nothing happens, meaning you can even take a chance against a fatter Pokemon or, if they switch in, you're practically (but not numerically) guaranteed some luck. Defog sets are existent, but I have yet to explore those with Galarian Articuno running this tier. Swords Dance sets are very interesting, though. Covert Cloak + Roost sets are reliable Vaporeon abusers, Spell Tag + Shadow Claw and Shadow Sneak have reliable priority that helps to sweep, and Black Glasses + Knock Off and Sucker Punch is great for more powerful wallbreaking on offense builds.
Choice Band (Decidueye-Hisui) @ Choice Band
Ability: Scrappy
Tera Type: Steel / Elec / Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Triple Arrows
- Knock Off
- Leaf Blade
- U-turn
Swords Dance (Decidueye-Hisui) @ Covert Cloak / Black Glasses / Spell Tag
Ability: Scrappy
Tera Type: Steel / Dark / Ghost
EVs: 156 HP / 252 Atk / 100 Spe OR 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Triple Arrows
- Knock Off / Shadow Claw
- Roost / Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak
Ability: Scrappy
Tera Type: Steel / Elec / Water
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Triple Arrows
- Knock Off
- Leaf Blade
- U-turn
Swords Dance (Decidueye-Hisui) @ Covert Cloak / Black Glasses / Spell Tag
Ability: Scrappy
Tera Type: Steel / Dark / Ghost
EVs: 156 HP / 252 Atk / 100 Spe OR 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Triple Arrows
- Knock Off / Shadow Claw
- Roost / Sucker Punch / Shadow Sneak
stab combo keeps up pressure against offense
stab combo pressures and breaks through manual gterrain offense
stab combo breaks through spikes stacking defensive core
stab combo overwhelms bulky core
gets past nasty dudun with ease to open up endgame
Also, Rabia vid, do ur NU duty and sub.
Here's a vid of them messing with SD Hecid
stab combo pressures and breaks through manual gterrain offense
stab combo breaks through spikes stacking defensive core
stab combo overwhelms bulky core
gets past nasty dudun with ease to open up endgame
Also, Rabia vid, do ur NU duty and sub.
Here's a vid of them messing with SD Hecid
:inteleon: B -> B+
Inteleon's been enjoying the rise of Spikes stack and offense, allowing it to more easily break through teams and only need some Knock Offs + U-turn to beat Vaporeon. Also, works as a great as speed control with the Boots Pivot set that can actually mess with Vaporeon thanks to Taunt.
:ambipom: B -> A-
Spikes stack has led to this thing being good enough to be top-tier in my opinion. Fake Out, Knock Off, and U-turn just has amazing utility, which is hard to find anywhere else, especially when your last move is so flexible with Triple Axel, Double Edge, Low Kick, or whatever else you find.
:kilowattrel: B- -> B
Hate this weakass bird all you want, but it's a great offensive Flamigo check that doubles up as a Defog deterrent for teams where Galarian Articuno fails to fit on. Amazing Speed control for Spikes stack teams as well. Also, you need to run 164 HP not 160 HP. The calc lies; I've been 2HKOed by Scarf Flamigo CC too many times (twice in my whatever time of NUing) from full health with 160 HP EVs.
:raikou: B -> B-
I guess it works as a pivot now. Or, it can be a decent CM sweeper. It's just too non-threatening without Tera Blast for it to be worth using on a team or to be scared of when facing.
:swampert: A- -> A /:gligar: A -> A-
Gligar is great for the resists, but Swampert has so much utility and can run a real item like Helmet or Lefties. Not to mention, Pert can Roar and softchecks the demons we're struggling with right now like Goodra, Chandelure, and Uxie whereas Gligar folds to them.
:tornadus: A- -> B+
Good mon, it's just not meta defining enough to deserve A-tier status. It's a bit too frail to pull off either pivot or setup sets as effectively as it wants to. Also, paraspam, Steels, and the rise of Bellibolt has made all sets worse off, bar the more niche Tailwind ones.
Gonna make a VR post for post-guno ban since nobody has yet. I think a lot of things are conservatively ranked rn, so there will be much more risers than fallers. Gonna try to keep explanations brief. Overall I think the VR is mostly reflective of the current meta.
Rises
:duraludon: A+ -> S
This is the mon I have seen the most of since coming back from a hiatus. The ability to take hits and threaten trading with Thunder Wave/Draco Meteor shapes a lot of how the meta plays. I personally have been liking Dragon Pulse > Draco Meteor on some builds, I think people should try that out more. This mon to me feels like it is the most consistent mon on a game to game basis. It makes progress, fits some role compression, and can be customizable depending on team. Feels like the epitome of an S rank mon to me.
:dudunsparce: A -> A+
Meta defining mon. Can run a plethora of sets effectively, the best of which is the Glare + Hex set imo. Can be used as a lead, as a late game win con, has a ton of different tera options and item variations. If Vaporeon is A+, there is no reason Dudunsparce shouldn't be A+.
:scyther: A- -> A/A+
I am stuck between both rankings, but I believe Scyther deserves to move up either way. Tera Electric on HO is brutal to play against for numerous reasons. The speed tier, the raw power, the Eviolite bulk, the strong coverage, it sweeps in practice more than anything I have seen on HO right now. I also like the Defog + HDB variants on other builds. The U-turns actually do damage cause they are stab off 110 Attack.
:swampert: A- -> A
Much like Duraludon, Swampert is very consistent on a game to game basis. I have seen it peak NULT on the loocas sample, and on the hail team during cycle 2. It acts as a pivot, a hazard setter, a Knock Off user, and it can run both physically defensive and specially defensive sets effectively. I like the idea of Swampert being ranked equally to Gligar, because both have similar roles on teams but fit better with different players stylistically speaking.
:cinccino: B+ -> A-
By itself, I am kinda meh on Cinccino because of Tail Slap being volatile, the lack of bulk, and general lack of defensive utility. However, this is one of the best, if not, the best enabler in the tier. The speed tier is amazing, Tidy Up frees up item slots on your side of the field by removing hazards, and it can use Knock Off/Encore/Endeavor for additional utility. You can run things like Specs Chandelure, Eviolite Scyther, and general offensive boosting things that is much tougher to fit on balances. Cinccino by itself probably isn't an A- mon, but what it allows other mons to do make it worthy of an A- ranking.
:ambipom: B -> B+/A-
NU has a lot of HO and hazard stack at the moment, and Ambipom feeds off of both of these things greatly. Knock Off, Fake Out, U-turn and filler is really all it needs. Tera can help give this thing respectable breaking power which is nice. I used a couple Ambipom builds during cycle 1 and there is also the loocas sample that sees a ton of usage. I think Ambipom deserves a raise, how high is ultimately up preference.
:toxicroak: B- -> B/B+
Strong priority and the water immunity are really nice on any team, especially offensive builds. I find Air Balloon Toxicroak specifically has a really easy time setting up, because it has just good enough of a speed tier, strong stabs, and Tera pressure even if you do not end up clicking it. Some teams can get away with running Knock Off. To me, Toxicroak is more justifiable to move up from B- than anything else in that rank.
:rotom-mow: UR -> B
I qualified for cycle 1 of NULT on the back of Rotom-Mow. I also saw brick ladder past 1400s with a Rotom-Mow squad. With such a large increase in Swampert usage, Rotom-Mow heavily benefits from that. I found Tera Steel NP + Pain Split soloed a lot of what I was seeing on the ladder. Rotom is immune to paralysis and grounded hazards which allow it ease of access in most games against balance. A lot of Duraludon are running bulk and not max Special Attack, which allows you to live Draco Meteor and Pain Split most of it back while denting Duraludon. Rotom-Mow is a very anti-meta balance breaker in my eyes, and I think it deserves recognition for the time being.
:salazzle: + :mudsdale: UR -> C
There were a couple noms in the NU Discord that I agree with with. These were both of them. Endeavor Salazzle is nice on HO and regular HDB sets are viable enough with Knock Off + Encore + status utility even if not the most splashable. Good partner with Scrafty which is really good atm. Mudsdale has great pdef and can click Stealth Rock + phase. Both are viable enough for C imo.
Drops:
:brambleghast: A -> A-
I respect the utility of Rapid Spin + Spikes + spin blocker. Ultimately, I just don't think it matches up well enough into enough things in the tier for me to put it in A comfortably. If I look at everything ranked in A- through S and matched it up into Brambleghast, I find the overwhelming majority of things force it out. Defensive sets are very passive if Spikes aren't making immense progress. Lots of teams right now are built with an extra concentration on hazards through boots spam and removal options. Offensive sets are cool, but still ultimately meh because Poltergeist forces stricter building synergy with Knock Off. A rank feels indicative of a top 10-15 mon in the tier right now, and I currently do not see the Brambler in that territory right now.
:copperajah: A -> A-
Its phasing was nice in terrain metas, but it isn't as valuable now. Earthquake is essentially mandatory on Copper now for frequent Bellibolt + Incineroar + Duraludon. Still a more than usable steel type, just not as impactful on the meta as it once was.
:amoonguss: B -> B-/C
I do not think I have seen a single Amoonguss in 2 cycles of LT. Nobody is using this thing, way too passive and the things it has checked in the past are more out of favor in the current meta.
Rises
:duraludon: A+ -> S
This is the mon I have seen the most of since coming back from a hiatus. The ability to take hits and threaten trading with Thunder Wave/Draco Meteor shapes a lot of how the meta plays. I personally have been liking Dragon Pulse > Draco Meteor on some builds, I think people should try that out more. This mon to me feels like it is the most consistent mon on a game to game basis. It makes progress, fits some role compression, and can be customizable depending on team. Feels like the epitome of an S rank mon to me.
:dudunsparce: A -> A+
Meta defining mon. Can run a plethora of sets effectively, the best of which is the Glare + Hex set imo. Can be used as a lead, as a late game win con, has a ton of different tera options and item variations. If Vaporeon is A+, there is no reason Dudunsparce shouldn't be A+.
:scyther: A- -> A/A+
I am stuck between both rankings, but I believe Scyther deserves to move up either way. Tera Electric on HO is brutal to play against for numerous reasons. The speed tier, the raw power, the Eviolite bulk, the strong coverage, it sweeps in practice more than anything I have seen on HO right now. I also like the Defog + HDB variants on other builds. The U-turns actually do damage cause they are stab off 110 Attack.
:swampert: A- -> A
Much like Duraludon, Swampert is very consistent on a game to game basis. I have seen it peak NULT on the loocas sample, and on the hail team during cycle 2. It acts as a pivot, a hazard setter, a Knock Off user, and it can run both physically defensive and specially defensive sets effectively. I like the idea of Swampert being ranked equally to Gligar, because both have similar roles on teams but fit better with different players stylistically speaking.
:cinccino: B+ -> A-
By itself, I am kinda meh on Cinccino because of Tail Slap being volatile, the lack of bulk, and general lack of defensive utility. However, this is one of the best, if not, the best enabler in the tier. The speed tier is amazing, Tidy Up frees up item slots on your side of the field by removing hazards, and it can use Knock Off/Encore/Endeavor for additional utility. You can run things like Specs Chandelure, Eviolite Scyther, and general offensive boosting things that is much tougher to fit on balances. Cinccino by itself probably isn't an A- mon, but what it allows other mons to do make it worthy of an A- ranking.
:ambipom: B -> B+/A-
NU has a lot of HO and hazard stack at the moment, and Ambipom feeds off of both of these things greatly. Knock Off, Fake Out, U-turn and filler is really all it needs. Tera can help give this thing respectable breaking power which is nice. I used a couple Ambipom builds during cycle 1 and there is also the loocas sample that sees a ton of usage. I think Ambipom deserves a raise, how high is ultimately up preference.
:toxicroak: B- -> B/B+
Strong priority and the water immunity are really nice on any team, especially offensive builds. I find Air Balloon Toxicroak specifically has a really easy time setting up, because it has just good enough of a speed tier, strong stabs, and Tera pressure even if you do not end up clicking it. Some teams can get away with running Knock Off. To me, Toxicroak is more justifiable to move up from B- than anything else in that rank.
:rotom-mow: UR -> B
I qualified for cycle 1 of NULT on the back of Rotom-Mow. I also saw brick ladder past 1400s with a Rotom-Mow squad. With such a large increase in Swampert usage, Rotom-Mow heavily benefits from that. I found Tera Steel NP + Pain Split soloed a lot of what I was seeing on the ladder. Rotom is immune to paralysis and grounded hazards which allow it ease of access in most games against balance. A lot of Duraludon are running bulk and not max Special Attack, which allows you to live Draco Meteor and Pain Split most of it back while denting Duraludon. Rotom-Mow is a very anti-meta balance breaker in my eyes, and I think it deserves recognition for the time being.
:salazzle: + :mudsdale: UR -> C
There were a couple noms in the NU Discord that I agree with with. These were both of them. Endeavor Salazzle is nice on HO and regular HDB sets are viable enough with Knock Off + Encore + status utility even if not the most splashable. Good partner with Scrafty which is really good atm. Mudsdale has great pdef and can click Stealth Rock + phase. Both are viable enough for C imo.
Drops:
:brambleghast: A -> A-
I respect the utility of Rapid Spin + Spikes + spin blocker. Ultimately, I just don't think it matches up well enough into enough things in the tier for me to put it in A comfortably. If I look at everything ranked in A- through S and matched it up into Brambleghast, I find the overwhelming majority of things force it out. Defensive sets are very passive if Spikes aren't making immense progress. Lots of teams right now are built with an extra concentration on hazards through boots spam and removal options. Offensive sets are cool, but still ultimately meh because Poltergeist forces stricter building synergy with Knock Off. A rank feels indicative of a top 10-15 mon in the tier right now, and I currently do not see the Brambler in that territory right now.
:copperajah: A -> A-
Its phasing was nice in terrain metas, but it isn't as valuable now. Earthquake is essentially mandatory on Copper now for frequent Bellibolt + Incineroar + Duraludon. Still a more than usable steel type, just not as impactful on the meta as it once was.
:amoonguss: B -> B-/C
I do not think I have seen a single Amoonguss in 2 cycles of LT. Nobody is using this thing, way too passive and the things it has checked in the past are more out of favor in the current meta.
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Hi, we start voting on a new slate by this weekend so that's your deadline if you want to nom something.
:Scrafty: A/A+
Borderline banworthy imo, definitely the most deserving of a suspect in my eyes. Too damn flexible and volatile while maintaining excellent utility outside being a setup sweeper by virtue of Knock Off and status absorption. Requires very specific sets to answer, and even then it has tools to optimize matchups and 5 other teammates to facilitate/take advantage of its extreme pressure.
:Bellibolt: A
I don't personally agree with all the Scyther hype, and a large reason why is bc of how much I love using this guy. He just feels fantastic to have on teams, and the meta favors him very much. Very good into the broken pokemon mentioned above and the variety of pivots infesting the tier.
:drednaw: Higher
Shell Smash slop remains cancerous to face in tera generation. Surprise.
:Grimmsnarl: Higher
Insanely versatile pokemon with an excellent typing. Starting to pick up serious hype in tournament play. SubBU and RestTalk require very different counterplay both in the builder and in game which adds to its unpredictability, while pivot sets still have untapped potential imo.
:whimsicott: B-
Some people like it for some reason. I guess it does have the broken ability and the broken typing.
:araquanid: :braviary: :cramorant: :skuntank: :tauros-paldea-blaze: The Shitbox
Do not use, you will lose.
:Scrafty: A/A+
Borderline banworthy imo, definitely the most deserving of a suspect in my eyes. Too damn flexible and volatile while maintaining excellent utility outside being a setup sweeper by virtue of Knock Off and status absorption. Requires very specific sets to answer, and even then it has tools to optimize matchups and 5 other teammates to facilitate/take advantage of its extreme pressure.
:Bellibolt: A
I don't personally agree with all the Scyther hype, and a large reason why is bc of how much I love using this guy. He just feels fantastic to have on teams, and the meta favors him very much. Very good into the broken pokemon mentioned above and the variety of pivots infesting the tier.
:drednaw: Higher
Shell Smash slop remains cancerous to face in tera generation. Surprise.
:Grimmsnarl: Higher
Insanely versatile pokemon with an excellent typing. Starting to pick up serious hype in tournament play. SubBU and RestTalk require very different counterplay both in the builder and in game which adds to its unpredictability, while pivot sets still have untapped potential imo.
:whimsicott: B-
Some people like it for some reason. I guess it does have the broken ability and the broken typing.
:araquanid: :braviary: :cramorant: :skuntank: :tauros-paldea-blaze: The Shitbox
Do not use, you will lose.
A+
:vaporeon: Vaporeon -> A Still meta defining but not as popular or successful as it once was
A
:Chandelure: Chandelure -> A- or B+ - still scary but falls behind in an offensive meta and loses tools to beat Incin with no Tera Blast
:Copperajah: Copperajah -> A- or B+ - just not doing enough and suffers a lot with Spikes being so good
:klefki: Klefki -> A- - can be taken advantage of too easily and everything techs tera elec for para
:tauros-paldea-aqua: Tauros-Paldea-Aqua -> A- - still good but not as scary as it once was
A-
:Bellibolt: Bellibolt -> A/A+ - extremely good
:Rhyperior: Rhyperior -> B+ - not used enough and not impactful enough to justify alongside the others here
:scrafty: Scrafty -> A - takes over games on its own, also a good tool on HO
:scyther: Scyther -> A+ - meta defining on HO, also the best defogger in the tier
:swampert: Swampert -> A/A+ - extremely good utility and used everywhere
:Tornadus: Tornadus -> A - Amazing HO tool and almost impossible to wall. Forces certain speed tiers on teams
B Rank
B+
:brute bonnet: Brute Bonnet -> B-/C - Bonnet HOs are not good
:Cinccino: Cinccino -> A - key Scyther enabler and also good removal
:Drednaw: Drednaw -> A/A+ - ends games in a single turn, cannot be revenged reliably by any good scarf mon
:scream tail: Scream Tail -> B-/C - Has horrific usage and winrates, role has been replaced on HO. Defensive sets are too easy to take advantage of
B
:Ambipom: Ambipom -> A- - fast normal typing is amazing, as is fast knock turn. Strong fake out makes it a demon against HO and Weather, causes people to run Tera Ghost on Drednaw and Torn (among others)
:Amoonguss: Amoonguss -> C/UR - this mon is bad
:heracross: Heracross -> C/UR - not relevant in the current meta
:Infernape: Infernape -> C - not relevant in the current meta
:inteleon: Inteleon -> B+ - must be considered in the builder and matches up well vs a lot of HO
:raikou: Raikou -> B+ - despite losing Tera Blast, speed tier + ability to threaten grounds with Scald is still very good
B-
:chansey: Chansey -> C - not used outside stall which has very bad results
:decidueye: Decidueye -> B+ - excellent priority user, great on HO, can snipe Incin with Low Kick
:Ditto: Ditto -> UR - this mon is not used
:Grimmsnarl: Grimmsnarl -> B+ - amazing wincon on HO and balance
C Rank
:araquanid: Araquanid -> UR
:avalugg: Avalugg -> UR
:braviary: Braviary -> UR
:Braviary-Hisui: Braviary-Hisui -> UR
:Cramorant: Cramorant -> UR
:Golurk: Golurk -> UR
:Skuntank: Skuntank -> UR
:tauros-paldea-blaze: Tauros-Paldea-Blaze -> UR
:vaporeon: Vaporeon -> A Still meta defining but not as popular or successful as it once was
A
:Chandelure: Chandelure -> A- or B+ - still scary but falls behind in an offensive meta and loses tools to beat Incin with no Tera Blast
:Copperajah: Copperajah -> A- or B+ - just not doing enough and suffers a lot with Spikes being so good
:klefki: Klefki -> A- - can be taken advantage of too easily and everything techs tera elec for para
:tauros-paldea-aqua: Tauros-Paldea-Aqua -> A- - still good but not as scary as it once was
A-
:Bellibolt: Bellibolt -> A/A+ - extremely good
:Rhyperior: Rhyperior -> B+ - not used enough and not impactful enough to justify alongside the others here
:scrafty: Scrafty -> A - takes over games on its own, also a good tool on HO
:scyther: Scyther -> A+ - meta defining on HO, also the best defogger in the tier
:swampert: Swampert -> A/A+ - extremely good utility and used everywhere
:Tornadus: Tornadus -> A - Amazing HO tool and almost impossible to wall. Forces certain speed tiers on teams
B Rank
B+
:brute bonnet: Brute Bonnet -> B-/C - Bonnet HOs are not good
:Cinccino: Cinccino -> A - key Scyther enabler and also good removal
:Drednaw: Drednaw -> A/A+ - ends games in a single turn, cannot be revenged reliably by any good scarf mon
:scream tail: Scream Tail -> B-/C - Has horrific usage and winrates, role has been replaced on HO. Defensive sets are too easy to take advantage of
B
:Ambipom: Ambipom -> A- - fast normal typing is amazing, as is fast knock turn. Strong fake out makes it a demon against HO and Weather, causes people to run Tera Ghost on Drednaw and Torn (among others)
:Amoonguss: Amoonguss -> C/UR - this mon is bad
:heracross: Heracross -> C/UR - not relevant in the current meta
:Infernape: Infernape -> C - not relevant in the current meta
:inteleon: Inteleon -> B+ - must be considered in the builder and matches up well vs a lot of HO
:raikou: Raikou -> B+ - despite losing Tera Blast, speed tier + ability to threaten grounds with Scald is still very good
B-
:chansey: Chansey -> C - not used outside stall which has very bad results
:decidueye: Decidueye -> B+ - excellent priority user, great on HO, can snipe Incin with Low Kick
:Ditto: Ditto -> UR - this mon is not used
:Grimmsnarl: Grimmsnarl -> B+ - amazing wincon on HO and balance
C Rank
:araquanid: Araquanid -> UR
:avalugg: Avalugg -> UR
:braviary: Braviary -> UR
:Braviary-Hisui: Braviary-Hisui -> UR
:Cramorant: Cramorant -> UR
:Golurk: Golurk -> UR
:Skuntank: Skuntank -> UR
:tauros-paldea-blaze: Tauros-Paldea-Blaze -> UR
:meloetta: B+--> A/A-
Good mon good power serviceable speed good set variety overall just good. Amazing benificiary of garticuno ban and reuniclus ban nowadays main competitors r munki and scream tail mainly which r tough competitors especially munki but its not as bad as competing with former 2. Throat spray sets r good breaker sets specs is good breaker scarf is fine but it speed ties migo i suppose. Shadow ball sets absolutely dominates the admittingly rare bronzong steel teams but it appreciates dura being main steel of choice over copper since its much easier for melo to trade better with it and takes less back. Sets like AV are back with reun getting banned and checking chandelure and its just an underrated solid mon. Meloetta will always have to face tough competition as the much faster munki dori exists as a seriously elite competition aswell as annoyances like incineroar klefki and coppet but meloetta does its job well and has good set variety to boot.
Good mon good power serviceable speed good set variety overall just good. Amazing benificiary of garticuno ban and reuniclus ban nowadays main competitors r munki and scream tail mainly which r tough competitors especially munki but its not as bad as competing with former 2. Throat spray sets r good breaker sets specs is good breaker scarf is fine but it speed ties migo i suppose. Shadow ball sets absolutely dominates the admittingly rare bronzong steel teams but it appreciates dura being main steel of choice over copper since its much easier for melo to trade better with it and takes less back. Sets like AV are back with reun getting banned and checking chandelure and its just an underrated solid mon. Meloetta will always have to face tough competition as the much faster munki dori exists as a seriously elite competition aswell as annoyances like incineroar klefki and coppet but meloetta does its job well and has good set variety to boot.