Special Season 12: No Megas or Legends

[cant say]

https://3ds.pokemon-gl.com/information/0ad57dad-d62c-4271-b251-6cc52c2c2caf​

It's every casual trainer's dream; all the OP, unfair, and boring Legendary Pokemon that plague our fair Battle Spot Singles metagame are finally BANNED. Not only that, but the WORST INVENTION EVER aka Mega Evolutions are also banned. This means everyone can now focus on winning with their favorites!

RULES:

• 3v3 singles battles, 6v6 team preview
• Mons will be forced to level 50 no matter what level they are in your battle box
• Standard item clause
  • Mega Stones are banned
• Standard Battle Spot banlist: Mewtwo, Mew, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Celebi, Kyogre, Groudon, Rayquaza, Jirachi, Deoxys, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Phione, Manaphy, Darkrai, Shaymin, Arceus, Victini, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, Keldeo, Meloetta, Genesect, Xerneas, Yveltal, Zygarde, Diancie, Hoopa, Volcanion, Cosmog, Cosmoem, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma, Magearna, Marshadow, Zeraora, and Ash-Greninja
  • As well as: Articuno, Zapdos, Moltres, Raikou, Entei, Suicune, Regirock, Regice, Registeel, Latias, Latios, Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Heatran, Regigigas, Cresselia, Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus, Type: Null, Silvally, Tapu Koko, Tapu Lele, Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, Nihilego, Buzzwole, Pheromosa, Xurkitree, Celesteela, Kartana, Guzzlord, Poipole, Naganadel, Stakataka, and Blacephalon.
• Pokemon transferred from older games are allowed.

This looks really interesting, with a heap of the regular BSS threats gone, but Z moves still allowed, I think we'll see a lot of things like Kommo-o, Porygon-Z, and Volcarona causing havoc. I'm personally just going to spam Vivillon myself.

Here's the BSS viability rankings minus the banned mons just for a quick look at what is available/good. We will add/remove from the list as the meta forms:

prelim s12 VR

S Rank

Reserved for Pokemon that are amazing in the Battle Spot Singles metagame. These Pokemon are usually able to perform a variety of roles effectively, or can just do one extremely well. Their use has low risk involved and high reward exerted. Pokemon in this rank have very few flaws that are patched up by numerous positive traits.

Mimikyu

A Rank

Reserved for Pokemon that are fantastic in the Battle Spot Singles metagame, and can sweep, support, or wall significant portions of the metagame. These Pokemon require less support than most others to be used effectively and have few flaws that can easily be overlooked when compared to their positive traits.

A+

Aegislash

Greninja

Hippowdon

Porygon2

A

Blaziken

Breloom

Excadrill

Ferrothorn

Garchomp

Gliscor

Mamoswine

Tyranitar

Volcarona

A-

Rotom-H

Toxapex

B Rank

Reserved for Pokemon that are great in the Battle Spot Singles metagame. These Pokemon have more notable flaws than those above them that affect how they function in the format. Their positive traits still outshine their negatives, but they require a bit more team support to bring out their full potential.

B+

Azumarill

Chansey

Cloyster

Gyarados

Hydreigon

Kommo-o

Primarina

Porygon-Z

Rotom-W

Serperior

Skarmory

Snorlax

B

Amoonguss

Chandelure

Dragonite

Glalie

Magnezone

Muk-A

Pelipper

Politoed

B-

Araquanid

Clefable

Espeon

Kingdra

Marowak-A

Nidoking

Ninetales-A

Quagsire

Rhyperior

Scolipede

Sharpedo

Umbreon

Whimsicott

C Rank

Reserved for Pokemon that have a niche in the Battle Spot Singles metagame. These Pokemon fill unique roles that are valuable on certain teams but have numerous flaws that hold them back. Pokemon in this rank may actually outperform those in higher ranks with specific team support but often depend too much on their teammates to function.

Ditto

Eevee

Empoleon

Gastrodon

Gengar

Gigalith

Golisopod

Incineroar

Milotic

Shuckle

Vivillon

Wobbuffet

As you can see there are a heap of lower rank BSS mons that are going to be shooting up to S/A+ but I'm leaving them where they are for now.


Tagging The Immortal / LegoFigure11 / Marty to hopefully get the format on PS

 

[GroudonEmpire]

So what Pokemon will be the hot transfer pokes?!
Softboiled Unaware Clefable!

I got nothing else.

 

[Nelson Tangela]

So what Pokemon will be the hot transfer pokes?!
Softboiled Unaware Clefable!

I got nothing else.

Happy Hour Greninja might enjoy a metagame without Suicune, Tapu Fini and Choice Scarf Tapu Koko.

RBY has a bunch of OHKO move users.
GSC has a bunch of Curse users.
Gen IV has a Sucker Punch tutor.

 

[Moose And Goose]

Here's a bunch of random disjointed thoughts about the meta:
-no tapus, no cress, no latios, no zapdos, no lando, no thundy? Sounds like our boi conk is gonna come back! (still mimikyu sadly)
-I can easily see a surge of bulky steels / excadrill to combat mimikyu because of all the checks that are no longer usable.
-No mence means there's not going to be much in the way of flying attacks, which is good for... idk something
-Stall might be slightly broke with no megas / naga
-Hax Duck
-Dewgong isn't banned even though it's so OP that it should be considered a legendary
-Pex might be a lot better because of gren, mimi, volc, PZ, and friends are probably going to be really good
-Zapdos should be bolded

Finally I'd like to give a nomination for the VR

UR -> A+
Despite being banned an empty slot allocated to lando is still better than most other mons you could put in said slot.

 

[Feesh Squad]

-No mence means there's not going to be much in the way of flying attacks, which is good for... idk something

 

[DreamPrince]

Werid that the UBs were banned, even though they aren’t legends. I could see Vivillon being more popular now that terrains are gone.

 

[Feesh Squad]

In all seriousness, Breloom looks terrifying. A lack of Fini/Koko to prevent Spore, Lele not being able to stop Mach Punch, and a lot of other things that checked Breloom being gone makes this thing look really good. I'm planning on making a Kommo-o team and Breloom makes me feel like running Overcoat is a good idea.

 

[RocketSurgery]

Werid that the UBs were banned, even though they aren’t legends. I could see Vivillon being more popular now that terrains are gone.

The UBs are sublegends like Articuno, etc., per the game code.

https://twitter.com/x/status/799322666079551488

I've been enjoying season 11 a lot, and while I'm not looking forward to putting Marshadow away per se, it'll be fun to try out some lesser used things in S12. Might at least get me to breed some new mons, I've mostly just been rnging legendaries/mystery gifts.

It looks like there's only a handful of mons remaining on the viability list that are 100+ speed. Any particularly speedy mons not on the normal viability list that are looking good here?

 

[DreamPrince]

The UBs are sublegends like Articuno, etc., per the game code.

https://twitter.com/x/status/799322666079551488

I've been enjoying season 11 a lot, and while I'm not looking forward to putting Marshadow away per se, it'll be fun to try out some lesser used things in S12. Might at least get me to breed some new mons, I've mostly just been rnging legendaries/mystery gifts.

It looks like there's only a handful of mons remaining on the viability list that are 100+ speed. Any particularly speedy mons not on the normal viability list that are looking good here?

That’s really strange. I remember for one of the Year of the Legendary Pokémon questions, it stated that which one of these Pokémon aren’t legends and Pheromosa was the answer. So it’s been assumed they aren’t legends since then.

 

[Lego]

This is now live on PS!

 

[cant say]

here's a QR I made in case people wanna give this a try ...

ika and I were talking on discord and figured webs + haxorus looks really nice so he put together a team with aegi + gliscor over marowak + p2 but I really wanted a sash/scarf garchomp check (p2) and a fire type / stealth rocker / second blaziken check so landed on wak. p2+mimi+azu have really nice synergy too. I kinda want to run shuckle so I can have webs + rocks on the same mon, and then maybe add in bulky psychic volcarona instead, so might give that a try in future streams, but it's nice to have an electric type since there aren't a bunch of viable options in this format.