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Welcome to Smogon! Take a moment to read the Introduction to Smogon for a run-down on everything Smogon, and make sure you take some time to read the global rules.
This thread exists in order to give new users or users looking to get into UU a way to know, at a glance, what Pokemon do in the metagame. We do this in two parts: the Role Compendium and the Checks Compendium. At the start of each section of the Teambuilding Compendium, there will be a short explanation of how they work, in order to minimize confusion. This resource should help greatly with the teambuilding process, and we hope you enjoy the information provided within. If you have any points you'd like to make about either compendium, please don't hesitate to make a well-informed and thorough post in the thread.
The USUM UU Role Compendium
The USUM UU Role Compendium categorizes Pokemon based on simple roles that teams may desire to fill. Each Pokemon listed can effectively perform the role in question in some manner. Specification is provided when necessary. If you desire a Pokemon to be listed in a section where it currently is not listed, please post in this thread with clear and thorough reasoning as to why you believe it should be added, and the Teambuilding Compendium team will process your request as soon as we can. All Pokemon listed in the USUM UU Role Compendium are in the UU Viability Rankings, so please do not request a Pokemon that is not currently ranked to be added. If you wish to argue the viability of an unranked Pokemon or about the viability of a Pokemon in general, please post there instead.
The Pokemon in the Role Compendium are ordered alphabetically. If you wish to see the relative viabilities of these Pokemon, check the UU Viability Rankings thread linked above!
Spikes:
Stealth Rock (Offensive):
(used with Sandslash-Alola)
Stealth Rock (Defensive):
Sticky Web:
Toxic Spikes:
Defog (Offensive):
Defog (Defensive):
(Steel)
Rapid Spin:
(used with Aurorus)
Spinblockers:
Defiant users:
(used with Sandslash-Alola)
Heal Bell/Aromatherapy:
Healing Wish/Lunar Dance:
Wish:
Physical Walls:
Special Walls:
Mixed Walls:
Physical:
Special:
Mixed:
Taunt-based Stallbreakers:
Setup-based Stallbreakers:
All-out Attacking Stallbreakers:
Trapping-based Stallbreakers:
Note: Just because a Pokemon is listed as a stallbreaker does not mean that you can 6-0 every stall team with it; all stallbreakers require support to do their job effectively, and all stallbreakers require careful play and, in some cases, specific sets in order to prevent stall from performing one of its vital functions. You cannot simply slap on a stallbreaker and assume that you are 100% A-ok versus stall.
Welcome to the UU Checks Compendium! Here, we'll look at each individual UU threat residing anywhere between the S and B- ranks of the current UU Viability Ranking Thread. The checks are ordered alphabetically, with the more niche Pokemon (C+ and below on the VRs) being placed at the end, after a |. The goal is to determine which specific Pokemon that are viable in UU can be used to check each of these threats to varying extents. Each Pokemon capable of checking a listed UU threat will be put into one of three categories depending on how well they can check the aforementioned threat. The three different categories are as follows:
Soft Check - a soft check is often a Pokemon capable of revenge killing the Pokemon it's aiming to check, meaning that it is often more of an offensive check and should almost never directly switch in. A soft check can also be defined by its ability to switch into some of an opposing Pokemon's commonly run moves, but not all, meaning that they only win if given a free opportunity to switch in. A good example of a soft check is Scizor to Terrakion, as it often can't comfortably switch into Terrakion's attacks without risking a KO or considerable damage, though with STAB priority Bullet Punch, it can handily revenge kill Terrakion once in play. In essence, a soft check isn't often capable of consistently switching into and walling an opposing threat, and is instead capable of beating it through revenge killing it, taking on specific sets, or winning a 1v1 situation only if given a free opportunity to come into play.
Hard Check - a hard check is a Pokemon that is often capable of switching into a beating an opposing threat, though there are still situations in which it can be beaten (i.e. if the Pokemon it aimed to check were to run an often unconventional coverage option to lure it in). Hard checks can also occasionally be defined as Pokemon capable of switching into and beating an opposing threat, but due to specific circumstances, only being capable of doing this once or twice in a match as opposed to consistently. Hydreigon is a good example of a hard check to Celebi, as it can often switch in on Celebi's offensive and defensive sets and win, but should fear less usual options capable of crippling it, such as Dazzling Gleam or Thunder Wave. Mega Aerodactyl is a good example of a hard check to Chandelure, as when healthy it can switch into and win against all sets, though it can only switch in about once throughout a match.
Counter - a counter is a Pokemon capable of consistently switching into an opposing threat throughout an entire match and winning against it in a 1v1 situation, unless it is powered through by a rare Critical Hit or is at low health. Nihilego is a good example of a counter to Togekiss, as it can always freely switch in on Togekiss, and unless at fairly low health, will have an extremely high chance of beating it one on one. It's important to remember the distinction between a counter and a hard check, which is that a counter can consistently switch into any move from a Pokemon it aims to check and multiple times, whereas hard checks must look out for various coverage options and, in some cases, cannot switch into a threat multiple times.
Now, without further ado, it's time to get to the checks! We hope this tool can be useful for you to determine what you'll need to fit on your team to answer to various threatening UU presences. Enjoy!
A very minor suggestion that could probably be chalked up to ease of use. Could the Pokemon listed in the teambuilding compendium be organized from most viable to least viable (either in its role or in general), from left to right? It would make teambuilding judgments easier by allowing the user to quickly identify the objectively "best" Pokemon for the role.
A very minor suggestion that could probably be chalked up to ease of use. Could the Pokemon listed in the teambuilding compendium be organized from most viable to least viable (either in its role or in general), from left to right? It would make teambuilding judgments easier by allowing the user to quickly identify the objectively "best" Pokemon for the role.
I'm sorry, but this suggestion isn't entirely feasible in terms of the reward gained for the work put in. The Viability Rankings thread is linked directly in the Role Compendium's introductory paragraph, and ordering the entire Role Compendium by VR rank would take a decent amount of work and would require a significantly larger amount of work to maintain over time, considering the weekly-or-so VR updates.
I did, however, add a clause to the Role Compendium explaining, in bold, that the Pokemon are in alphabetical order and to check the VRs for their relative viabilities.
After discussing with the team, we've decided to not include Suicune in stallbreakers for now; we decided it was a "really bad stallbreaker" because it can't actually break a good half of stall teams at +6, and while it is annoying for stall to face, that's usually the extent of it. However, we did add a brand new trapping-based stallbreakers section featuring Pyukumuku and Slowbro!
Mega Aerodactyl is so weak to Quagsire that Quagsire is it’s double counter.
Also, I’m surprised Cloyser isn’t in shell smash setup sweepers but Barbaracle is. Guessing you forgot it.
Mega Aerodactyl is so weak to Quagsire that Quagsire is it’s double counter.
Also, I’m surprised Cloyser isn’t in shell smash setup sweepers but Barbaracle is. Guessing you forgot it.
To answer your point with cloyster, I believe the only pokemon put on this compendium is the ones on the Viability Rankings, and due to cloyster not being ranked it's not added.
Would like to suggest that Latias be listed as a check instead of a counter to Infernape. ALthough all Latias set counter the NP set very well, most Latias sets struggle with Scarf or Band sets that run U-Turn. Since Latias takes 40% and 60%, respectively, from U-Turn, Latias cannot safely switch into Infernape most to all of the time.
Would like to suggest that Latias be listed as a check instead of a counter to Infernape. ALthough all Latias set counter the NP set very well, most Latias sets struggle with Scarf or Band sets that run U-Turn. Since Latias takes 40% and 60%, respectively, from U-Turn, Latias cannot safely switch into Infernape most to all of the time.
After discussion with the team we've decided that we DO want to make sure to state that Latias is one of the most reliable forms of counterplay to Infernape, because it is, so we're splitting it off into Roost latias and non-Roost latias, as Roost lati can generally recover off U-turn damage throughout the course of a match while still reliably taking all of Infernape's other attacks. (This will be implemented once Hilomilo has the time to do so)
I feel Azelf deserves a mention as a choice scarf user. Yes, it's easily pursuit trapped (though i'd argue the same for chandy/gar/nihilego/latias*) but the ability to outspeed all the scarfers in the tier, catch a Pokemon like Scarf Infernape U-Turning out with psychic or a Scarf Hydreigon with Dazzling Gleam, + access to u-turn itself and flamethrower/fire blast to threaten steels & trick to cripple fat, it deserves a spot. I feel the amount of times I myself and others have U-Turned out w/ scarf ape/hydreigon vs Sash Azelf lead is enough to justify a scarf set.
I feel Azelf deserves a mention as a choice scarf user. Yes, it's easily pursuit trapped (though i'd argue the same for chandy/gar/nihilego/latias*) but the ability to outspeed all the scarfers in the tier, catch a Pokemon like Scarf Infernape U-Turning out with psychic or a Scarf Hydreigon with Dazzling Gleam, + access to u-turn itself and flamethrower/fire blast to threaten steels & trick to cripple fat, it deserves a spot. I feel the amount of times I myself and others have U-Turned out w/ scarf ape/hydreigon vs Sash Azelf lead is enough to justify a scarf set.
Hey, thanks for the suggestion! We've added Salazzle to Toxic users, seeing as Corrosion sets had not been explored as much as they have now back when we were making this and they're definitely some of Salazzle's better sets right now. However, we're gonna put a hold on Scarf Azelf for now after discussion with the Compendium QC team, as we've decided that atm it's overall too niche for a slot in Scarfers, which is a very subjective category. This is subject to change in the future, given that. (on a related note we also cut scarf kyurem)
Block users were added to the Trappers section, and Mega Slowbro was included in this and trapping-based stallbreakers.
We've been working on an update ever since the new VR came out, and the Checks Compendium update's been taking longer than expected, unfortunately. We'll get that up to date as soon as we can, but for now, the Role Compendium has been updated to reflect the new VRs. Thanks for your patience, folks!
Also, we've added a few people to our compilation team! Welcome, Moutemoute, Nuked, and vivalospride! Y'all have been real helpful throughout the updating process.
Welcome to part 1 of 2 of the second major UU Teambuilding Compendium update!
...In other words, the Role Compendium has been updated to reflect the current VRs (Added articuno/zeraora, removed Porygon2). In addition, we have a new section in Type Checks for Fighting-type checks, considering how good Fighting-types have gotten in the metagame! Big thanks to new team member martha for compiling it n_n
The checks compendium has been updated to reflect Zeraora's introduction and the recent VR changes. Thanks go out to A Cake Wearing A Hat for his hard work on this update and for Moutemoute for making our new Zeraora and Gligar section. Enjoy!
Seeing as terrakion is there, I think Mamoswine could be added as a dedicated lead, same goes for froslass. Froslass is also a viable spikes user/spinblocker with bisharp in the tier (they're already on the vr unlike galvantula). I presume bisharp will be going to be implemented soon but yeah. Also starmie can be a potent Electrium Z user to hit opposing waters, mainly empo. Zeraora can run Electrium, Flynium, and Steelium well and Celebi I think deserves the mentions with its other Z sets like Fairium, Grassium, and Psychium.
(used with Sandslash-Alola)
(Steel)
(used with Aurorus)
