Resource SS OU DLC2 Viability Ranking Thread [SEE: Page 105, Post 2618]

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Bonsly to SSSS+ infinite and knuckles tier

Fuck this broken ass mon. 10 SpA?! 10 Speed?! What was Game Freak thinking. Access to CM and the most broken special move in the game Snore? Ban this mon from OU. Ban this mon from Ubers. Hell, ban it from AG. Its too powerful to be played by anyone. It alone can defeat Goku in every form and just sneeze on Superman. People talk about banning Calrex Shadow in Ubers when this is the real problem here
 

Finchinator

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Some additional housekeeping notes:
  • Due to the timing of recent tiering changes and metagame shifts, we have had larger shifts in viability.
  • This means that we are going to see Pokemon move 2 or more subranks (or full ranks even) more often than normal.
  • I embrace this change as a product of us doing our best to keep up with a constantly evolving metagame.
  • I quite like using bullet points in these posts evidently.
  • I will be splitting this post in to two and keeping the thread locked as it will potentially be locked for a relevant upcoming tiering announcement (spoilers!!!) anyway.
  • The drops post will be up in the next 24 hours hopefully.
Rises
  • :Corviknight: from A to A+: The bird is, in fact, the word in SS OU. For those who do not get the song or Family Guy reference, tough luck -- this will be your zoomer tax for the update. Social commentary aside, Corviknight's rise to prominence as a Defogger is a movie we have seen before. During the earlier stages of SS OU, Corviknight was seen as close to a metagame staple; we are not necessarily there yet, but Corviknight is still far-and-away the most consistent Defog user. This has had rippling effects on the metagame, too, such as the rise of Magnezone and Fire Fang Garchomp arguably, but despite these adaptations, Corviknight has found its way onto many a team. The sheer role compression of checking Rillaboom, offensive Ground types, and many other physical attackers while boasting the famous Skarmory typing goes such a long way for it as a defensive presence alone. However, add the combination of Pressure and Defog or even Bulk Up and you have one of the tier's best options. We have even seen an uptick in Iron Defense to combat physical sweepers. Overall, Corviknight has overtaken Mandibuzz with ease and provides a practical presence that fits onto many teams despite its largely defensive nature.
  • :Dragapult: from A to A+: In a tier where Regenerator loop switching, Defog PP whittling, and Magic Guard status soaking are strategies frequented by the playerbase, dramatic, offensive alternatives with convenient applications can be at a premium for certain team structures. In comes Specs Dragapult, which can function as both a breaker and revenge killer. While it lacks the muscle to break through specially Defensive Clefable or Toxapex, it can still force their hands very well. Beyond Choice Specs, the traditional Heavy Duty Boots pivot Dragapult sets also excel, functioning as a blazing fast pivot and potential late-game cleaner. Shortcomings of Dragapult exist such as being fragile and having unremarkable base special attack, but despite this, Dragapult's offense and utility combine well enough to take the speed control metagame by storm. Dragapult's ultimate rise is a clear signal of its improving status in the metagame through higher usage and more applications in teambuilding.
  • :Slowking: from A to A+: The King himself has climbed up from the depths of Underused, shackled to the lower tier label, all the way to the top of castle Overused. Slowking has successfully claimed itself a spot in A+ as one of the 10 best Pokemon to roam free in OU for the first time ever. For those reading this wondering why Slowking has suddenly become a mainstream OU option rather than an NU dweller, the short, obvious answer is the correct one: Teleport and Heavy Duty Boots work wonders when paired with Regenerator. Of course, competition within the family previously held back Slowking, but this competition grew much more favorable for our not-so-agile protagonist with recent metagame shifts. Slowbro was great for covering Cinderace and blanking Pokemon like Barraskewda in Rain or Excadrill in Sand, but Cinderace is long gone and the latter two (and various other Slowbro victims) have subsequently struggled to retain the same levels of viability since the quickbans. Enter: Slowking. With superb special defense and an identical movepool, Slowking's niche surpassed that of Slowbro when encountering an onsalought of Heatran, Tapu Lele, Tornadus-Therian, and Nidoking. Slowking's role is virtually the same as Slowbro's, but flipped to being specially defensive rather than physically. Future Sight cores are as strong as ever, but they are defined far more by OU's newest King rather than it's long-time brother, leading us to this ranking.
  • :Kartana: from A- to A: In a metagame defined by great walls and unprecedented power creep, the Pokemon designed after a glorified paper clip with a golden-yellow mustache that only a mother could love would naturally thrive. Paper clip or not, Kartana hits harder than virtually any Pokemon due to its magnificent base attack and options like STAB Leaf Blade and boosted Knock Off. When utilized with Swords Dance, few things can actually check it and virtually none can counter it. Kartana is held back by a speed tier that gets overwhelmed by the abundance of Tornadus-Therian and its horrnedous special bulk, but it still rose, dismaying the owner of the first ever Smogon Anti-Kartana Viability chapter, Thunder Pwoell. With Cinderace and Magearna banned coupled with an uptick in Pokemon like Slowking and Rotom-Wash, Kartana has been beasting through SS OU with many boosts under its belt. Swords Dance Life Orb sets are superb, but even Choice Band and Choice Scarf hold their (admittedly light) weight as well.
  • :Tapu Lele: from A- to A: Tapu Lele may be one Expanding Force away from being left off this list due to a prompt assignment to Ubers, but it is not in need of any new toys to hang around OU as a very threatening offensive presence. Tapu Lele's reputation as being a demanding specially offensive punisher has been reached for yet another generation. A slight power decrease and the loss of Z moves hurt, but with some time and favorable bans, Tapu Lele surged in viability, spamming Psychic to the top. Choice Specs Tapu Lele increased greatly in viability with the ban of one revenge killer and another defensive response in Cinderace and Magearna respectively, but other varints such as Calm Mind also maintain strong levels of viability, cementing Tapu Lele as an A tier threat right now.
  • :Zeraora: from A- to A: The stealth Electric cat went from being an absolute animal in DLC1 to being a UU Pokemon, but a shocking revelation that clicking Knock Off on Leftovers Landorus-Therian opened games wide open for Zeraora teams saved it once more. While Zeraora faces a number of strong roadblocks, it is able to wear things out, revenge kill many offensive threats, and gain momentum while incurring minimal risk thanks to Volt Switch and Heavy Duty Boots. Zeraora is on its way to make another big name for itself in the OU metagame this generation.
  • :Dragonite: from B+ to A-: Dragonite's multi-generational affair with mediocrity culminated with some flirting with fresh faces; it turns out that a fancy new pair of boots can make this Dragon as attractive as ever to a metagame with plenty of love to go around. With the combination of Heavy Duty Boots and Multiscale, Dragonite has become a defensive standout while still boasting a unique brand of offensive versatility. Initially, Dragonite's viability was largely seen as a reactionary measure to Cinderace's presence in the metagame as Dragonite kept it in check. However, Dragonite proved that was not the case by seeing even more usage in tournaments like SPL as the metagame progressed beyond that point. Be it with a durable Dragon Dance set that gives teambuilders nightmares or with a utility set that can cover whatever you need in a pinch, Dragonite has found itself splashed onto many teams -- certainly enough to reside within the A subranks at A-.
  • :Melmetal: from B+ to A-: Melmetal's journey to and through SS OU has been one of the more bizarre metagame storylines to follow, but we have reached a point where it is settling down as a good, but not metagame defining, option. Protective Pads, Choice Band, and Leftovers sets have all seen consistent usage on everyone's favorite metal man recently. it does not quite stand out in any one fashion, but Melmetal's ability to tank hits and dish out massive damage makes up for the lack of distinguished role in the current metagame. This lands it squarely in the middle of A-, but with room to move up once more if given the chance.
  • :Scizor: from B+ to A-: As we saw last update, Kyurem skyrocketed in usage and viability in response to the bans of Magearna and Cinderace. Scizor saw this and rose up to a similar fashion. Scizor is not necessarily a dynamic breaker on most teams it is used on, but rather a defensive pivot with good enough offensive utility to justify giving up a team slot on your bulky-offense and balance builds. Scizor's defensive typing allows for a great deal of favorable match-ups, solidifying it in A- for the time being.
  • :Skarmory: from B+ to A-:
  • :Magnezone: from B to A-: Four Steels in a row must mean something, right? No actually, this is entirely random. However, Magnezone's pull is far from random, trapping opposing Steels with ease. With the Body Press set making rounds once more, Magnezone has gained the ability to threaten many would-be checks and also trap Ferrothorn. This set is also less passive and one dimensional as a hole, giving Magnezone a new lease on life in the metagame. Of course, normal suspects such as Corviknight and Skarmory are easy traps for Magnezone as well, which is one of the biggest selling points. With Magnet Pull trapping being effective and Magnezone seeing consistent usage, it belongs with A-, where it gets the nod to rise up to.
  • :Volcarona: from B to A-: Seeing Volcarona do neutral damage with Fire STAB on Flame Body Heatran is my favorite interaction ever, but it also sums up the general idea behind it increasing in viability. Try out Volcarona while people are dismissing it and it may pay off later with a devastating sweep.
  • :Weavile: from B to A-: One of the two Dark types that has shot up a lot in usage without much warning. Regardless of specific reasons, Weavile has become a consistent offensive threat in the metagame. New tools like Heavy Duty Boots and Triple Axel combine with old tools like Choice Band and boosted Knock off to help solidify Weavile right now. Very few Pokemon enjoy stomaching the dual STABs from Weavile and those Pokemon do not even appreciate losing their item, which makes Weavile particularly threatening and warrantrs a big raise up to A- as it is a trendy pick.
  • :Urshifu-Rapid-Strike: from B- to A-: It turns out that you did not need Rain to make this bad boy work. Urshifu-Rapid surging soaked opposing teams that were unprepared. With likely Future Sight support, Urshifu-Rapid quickly became one of the better breakers out there. One can only wonder what it will do moving forward, but for now we will slot it in A- alongsdide fellow splashy breakers to see what stricks and what does not.
  • :Rotom-Wash: from B to B+: The Washing Machine has been putting in the spins, cycling through the metagame with lots of momentum and status spread throughout it. Rotom-W is a great pivot in a metagame infested by Tornadus-T. While it is still not at its peak from prior generations, Rotom-Wash is impvoing and this is perhaps the first step in a longer increase in overall viability.
  • :Buzzwole: from B- to B: Occasional sightings of offensive Buzzwole that can still check Rillaboom, Kartana, and Grounds have salvaged its OU viability for the time being. This is not a huge endorsement for it, but there is enough usage to warrant a slight rise to B for now instead of bottoming out.
  • :Blacephalon: from C+ to B-: Anyone recall last generation when I used updates to share my vendetta against the clown? Me too, it was a fun time.
  • :Primarina: from C- to B-: Substitute + Calm Mind Primarina had another coming out party, which left the metagame on watch. A full rank up for the stealth, former starter that is keeping it fresh in OU. Primarina is a bit of a match-up fish without a doubt, but it can be a very calculated one depending on the speciifc circumstances.
  • :Arctozolt: from C- to C: I have minimal experience with Arctozolt, but I hear that it is pretty good on Hail teams with the right support, so give that a go. Or don't...I cannot control you people. All I can say is it is slightly better than the worst viable Pokemon you can do as it is now C rank, so knock yourself out.
  • :Cloyster: from C- to C: Shell Smash Cloyster turning games into weighted coin flips is not particularly enjoyable, but it is efficient enough to remain viable and move up to the part of the lower barel that is not entirely scraping the bottom, which is promising for right now.
Stay tuned
 

Finchinator

-OUTL
is a Tournament Directoris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Top Smogon Media Contributoris a Top Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Past WCoP Championis the defending OU Circuit Championis a Two-Time Former Old Generation Tournament Circuit Champion
OU Leader
Keep in mind this is all based off of the non-Zamazenta-Crowned metagame, thanks and have a nice day!

:Skarmory: rose due to the prominence of the Iron Defense + Body Press set as an effective Spike setter, physical wall, and anti-HO option. It is able to handle Pokemon like Rillaboom, Dragonite, Kartana, Garchomp, Melmetal, Excadrill, Bisharp, and Weavile depending on the circumstances, granting it a great deal of viability. As reflected in the last post (minus the explanation), Skarmory is now A-.

I also missed :Bisharp: in last post. Much like Weavile, Bisharp enjoyed the revitalization of offensive Dark types in a metagame still evolving past Magearna. While Bisharp's potent Swords Dance set remained a constant, the Choice Band variant was an up-and-comer that prompted this development. Bisharp is now A- rather than C rank.

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drip drop
  • :Zapdos: from A to A-: The bird seems to no longer be the word, unfortunately. Zapdos is still an effective Defogger with a good offensive and defensive presence, but the abundance of Knock Off is a limiting factor that continues to plague it. This coupled with Heatran, Garchomp, Tyranitar, and Trick Clefable matching up well as Stealth Rock setters does not bode super well for Zapdos.
  • :Slowbro: from A to B+: Slowbro was a victim of the uptick in Slowking usage. The Zamazenta-Crowned metagame is much more friendly to it at least, but this is reflective of the official metagame rather than the restest tier, so it resides in B+ for the time being. While still being a very viable option that does well against physical attackers throughout the metagame, the lesser match-up against Tornadus-Therian, Nidoking, and Heatran oftentimes leaves it a bit less practical than Slowking in the Pokemon's most slow-paced race to the top of the OU metagame.
  • :Blissey: from A- to B+: Blissey is still able to function as a specially defensive pivot, but the metagame has been physically heavy as of late. And a handful of special attackers can potentially deter it such as TauntMagma Heatran, Psyshock Tapu Lele, and Calm Mind Clefable. All things considered, Blissey is just a tad less convenient, leading to a slight drop.
  • :Excadrill: from A- to B+: With Sand seeing slightly stagnant usage and other Steel types that can actually check things beyond CM+Electric Clefable being mandatory on some builds, Excadrill has been brought down a peg. It is still a threat on the offensive end, but Corviknight and Skarmory are great currently. There is just less room for everyone's favorite mole.
  • :Slowking-Galar: from A- to B+: The surprise rise of the early stages has continued to fall off recently, seeing much less usage than the regular Slowfamily members. Slowking-Galar still has a unique blend of offensive presence and specially defensive pivoting capabilities, but this is not enough to justify it outside of a handful of specific builds right now.
  • :Tyranitar: from A- to B+: The weather inducing dinosaur that once ruled the land of competitive Pokemon has seen better days, now falling out of the A ranks one more during the same generation it dipped into UU at a point. Tyranitar's fall from grace has been a quiet, but sad, turn of events. This metagame is not even particularly bad for it, but it absolutely is not as kind to it as generations with Pursuit or permanent Sand being around. Tyranitar is still a strong special wall with offensive options and good utility, but it can only find its way on to so many teams.
  • :Latios: from B+ to B-: Droppin' Dracos is pretty hard when Fairy and Steel types reign supreme I reckon. Latios has little-to-no defensive merit and fails to stand out offensively, making it a very mediocre option. We already saw it drop to UU via usage before a prompt ban from that metagame; needless to say, Latios is bottoming out and deserves the quick drop.
  • :Amoonguss: from B to B-: With an abundance of other viable Grass types and another pair of superior Poison types on the defensive end with Regenerator, rarely is there room for Amoonguss to find its way on to teams. Moreover, it continues to descend down the ranks, falling down to B- for the time being.
  • :Kommo-O: from B to B-: The versatility of Kommo-O is promising until you notice that not any set is particularly viable right now, leading it in to an awkward fringe territory that is hard to recover from for the time being.
  • :Moltres: from B to B-: While the Substitute + Roost set saw some recent usage, Moltres still has faded away as a Defogger and holds on to minimal overall usage. B- is still plenty viable, but Moltres will need to prove it is worth bringing more in order to retain a higher ranking. As it stands, there is just not much going on to discuss on this front, hence a slight drop off.
  • :Moltres-Galar: from B to B-: He falls down to B-, too. While it can soft check Dragapult and function well on hyper offense, Moltres-Galar is both limited and Hurricane reliant, making it a less appealing option than other Dark types usually.
  • :Zarude: from B to B-: Zarude has seen better days, oftentimes losing sweeping options to U-turn spam, Iron Defense Steel/Flying types, and the abundance of Flying types like Tornadus-Therian and Zapdos that roam free higher on the VR.
  • :Regieleki: from B to C: This Pokemon has always been bad, but people are finally realizing it now.
  • :Kingdra: from B- to C+: Rain is still alright, but Kingdra is less and less common on this archetype, which is the only reason to make use of it currently.
  • :Hatterene: from B- to C: Hatterene showed great potential earlier in the generation, but it has never stuck since DLC2, facing stiff competition from other Fairy types and struggling to find any room in a metagame filled with Heatran, Melmetal, and overwhelming attackers. In addition, Psychic types not named Slowbro/Slowking are oftentimes left out in the current tier when they are not stone-cold killers like Tapu Lele.
  • :Nidoqueen: from B- to C: Nidoking is almost entirely in the shadow of it's more offensive counterpart, Nidoking. The bulk trade-off simply is not worth it given how necessary the extra breaking power currently is.
  • :Celesteela: from C+ to C: Celesteela already fell off starting during the later stages of last generation. It picked up where it left off here, seeing virtually no usage in OU and ultimately falling to C. No sets stand out and no common teams make use of Celesteela, which faces strong competition from fellow Steel types, including Skarmory and Corviknight which offer greater utility with the same typing.
  • :Shuckle: from C+ to C: Shuckle was C+? News to me. Down we go!
  • :Grimmsnarl: from C to C-: As a second rate screen setter, Grimmsnarl is lagging behind in viability right now. Perhaps being saved by sponging Dragapult, Grimmsnarl has few other redeeming qualities for the time being.
  • :Incineroar: from C to C-: The lack of recovery has plagued the team player cat all generation, finding usage only as a Ghost resistant pivot. Lacking offensive breaking power in this metagame and durability is a tough combination for a Pokemon that is already quite slow sadly.
  • :Mimikyu: from C to C-: Disguising itself as a viable option for many months, Mimikyu is finally on its way down, retreating to the abyss of lower tiers and fringe territory where it belongs given how weak it is for OU standards. An amazing ability is sadly wasted given the lack of offensive consistency from Mimikyu.
  • :Thundurus: from C to C-: Prankster and a promising speed tier help Thundurus, but the lack of HP Ice still bothers it greatly. In a metagame filled with Ground types, there is very little room for Thundurus to function offensively, which is just about all it has going for it to begin with sadly.
  • :Weezing-Galar: from C to C-: One of the surprising winners of the DLC1 metagame has fallen off entirely in a metagame filled with Heatran, Ground types, and Future Sight that will likely never open the door back up for it moving forward.
  • :Krookodile:, :Necrozma:, :nihilego:, & :Stakataka: from C to UR: We ranked them at one point. I cannot recall why, but they are no longer ranked. Good bye!
OP will be updated whenever you least expect it, so a preemptive "do not ask" is in place.
 

Finchinator

-OUTL
is a Tournament Directoris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Top Smogon Media Contributoris a Top Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Senior Staff Member Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnusis a Past WCoP Championis the defending OU Circuit Championis a Two-Time Former Old Generation Tournament Circuit Champion
OU Leader
ausma to UR - Fulfills no current niche

Weavile should probably be A. Strong dual STAB that comes alongside a premium speed tier and a ghost resistance to salvage some semblance of defensive presence, even if it isn’t much. Both SD and CB are very rewarding and have few outright counters and only a handful of checks. One of the best options on BO and even synergizes well with FuturePort honestly.
 

Aegislash B to B+ or A-

Aegislash @ Leftovers
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 36 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Rash Nature
- Toxic
- King's Shield
- Shadow Ball
- Close Combat

This set puts in tremendous work against much of the current meta. It can smack Lando with toxic or shadow ball and allows you to scout choiced things like Dragapult. Close combat punishes Heatran switches and lets you kill Blissey and Tyranitar. Aegislash also brings useful defensive utility to any team its on by virtue of its typing and can soft check a plethora of things on offense like rillaboom, gapdos, hawlucha and tapu lele. Choiced Aegi sets are also fantastic futureport recipients and can also pressure opposing futureport cores (seriously Slowking is Aegislash's best friend). This is a mon you have to respect and scout. Imo it has more aspects of A- than B+ but either way B is short selling it.


Volcorona A- to A+

Completely warps the tier around it and picks its own checks. A borderline suffocating mon. There is little to note about Volcorona that has not already been said a million times but it's clearly second only to Dragapult in terms of consistent offensive prowess. It has a single truly consistent check to all sets - Heatran. It is a staple of HO/BO and even balance. Teams that don't run Heatran often have T-wave Dragapult or a Blob as their check. You can just attack into Dragapult with Psychic on the switch and now it can't check you the second time you come in. Blobs lose to safeguard sets (though they are rare). I can't see any way one could argue this isn't a top threat without talking about 4MSS or matchup fishing.
 
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ausma to UR - Fulfills no current niche

Weavile should probably be A. Strong dual STAB that comes alongside a premium speed tier and a ghost resistance to salvage some semblance of defensive presence, even if it isn’t much. Both SD and CB are very rewarding and have few outright counters and only a handful of checks. One of the best options on BO and even synergizes well with FuturePort honestly.
Nah, was talking about how Zamazenta-C was about to make Weav/Bish hard drop VR wise. But I agree with what you're saying, Weavile definitely deserves A at the very least, in my opinion.

Also yes, Ausma should drop to UR; does not possess a metagame niche whatsoever tbh.
 
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B<A-

Personally I believe since the bans of Mag and Ace, and the fact that Zama was around for the tier for a bit, despite it's very recent departure, I believe Aegislash should be looked at more. The nerfs in Gen 8 really hurt it, and yes it does have issues with some of the power creep, but I believe personally Aegislash is a great mon. Being a potent Ghost type and remaining a defensive/offensive check to pokemon like Lele, Lati, Kyurem, and way of countering rising defensive presences in Slowking and Corviknight is really beneficial. It would've actually even been better than this with Zama staying as Zama would also be able to scare out dark types in return for Aegi. Anyways the versatility of Aegislash is something special I see in my eyes as it has the ability to run Specs, Band, SD, Sub Toxic, Mixed and Coba Berry. Sometimes you never know what this sword and shield is gonna be, so you have to figure out a bulletproof strategy to play around it. Aegislash also pairs nicely with a lot of the pokemon that are rising such as Kyurem, Weavile, Urshifu R-S, and even Rillaboom, As they either pressure Lando/Heatran cores well, provide it with momentum, or supress it's weaknesses against it. I feel like Aegislash is getting ignored, when we see things like Bisharp and Scizor getting their place in the meta, while this king isn't :/. Overall I feel like Aegislash holds a solid stance in the meta as being an offensive ghost, with tons of different sets it can run, and the ability to stop defensive forces or be a hindrance to common breakers, despite it's lacking speed, and ineffectiveness at breaking Lando/Tran compared to others.


C+<B+

If I wanna be real I don't know what this thing is doing down here LOL. C+, Gengar really? I mean Gengar has the ability to pretty much wreck all of what's in it's tier. Either way I feel like Gengar similar to Aegislash is a bit underlooked, and it's impressionable Ghost + Fighting combo and ability to break stall/balances is powerful. Gengar is got a great speed tier that allows it to outspeed threats like Kartana, Garchomp, Volcarona, and it has valuable traits like being a resist to Grassy Glide(despite being 2HKO'd but still), a pokemon that pressures Fairies and Heatran, and being a way to completely invalidate Blissey. Also Gengar is notably much better in a metagame where Mandibuzz is lacking as that is seen as the main check to it. Overall Gengar's premise as a very threatening wallbreaker, as well as it's combined utilizing traits, imo argue for a promotion.

1619458864944.png

B< B+ or A-

I feel like Victini's had enough time to prove itself worthy of rise after it got banned, and looked over and I feel that it is a potent pick in the metagame. A new tool in Heavy Duty Boots, allows for the benefit of pivoting safely as well as providing as a way of being immune to hazards. Victini has found itself to be a great abuser of FS as well to mitigate switch ins in Toxapex and Landorus, and overall gives it a risk-free position when firing an attack. V-Create/U-turn/Bolt Strike/Toxic, is overall really solid as it allows to come in to pivot, status, and then fire of a big blow at the end. Overall Victini has impressed the favors of a meta where Slowking is more benefited than Slowbro, as it’s able to 2HKO it more safely with Bolt Strike, as well as being a decent pivot in to Tapu Lele as it resist’s stabs + Focus Blast, and outspeeds + OHKO’s in return with V-Create. Overall I’ve seen Victini to be very effective, therefore it deserves B+, or A- as an offensive pivot, that has been successfully adapting to the meta.
 
View attachment 335797
B<A-

Personally I believe since the bans of Mag and Ace, and the fact that Zama was around for the tier for a bit, despite it's very recent departure, I believe Aegislash should be looked at more. The nerfs in Gen 8 really hurt it, and yes it does have issues with some of the power creep, but I believe personally Aegislash is a great mon. Being a potent Ghost type and remaining a defensive/offensive check to pokemon like Lele, Lati, Kyurem, and way of countering rising defensive presences in Slowking and Corviknight is really beneficial. It would've actually even been better than this with Zama staying as Zama would also be able to scare out dark types in return for Aegi. Anyways the versatility of Aegislash is something special I see in my eyes as it has the ability to run Specs, Band, SD, Sub Toxic, Mixed and Coba Berry. Sometimes you never know what this sword and shield is gonna be, so you have to figure out a bulletproof strategy to play around it. Aegislash also pairs nicely with a lot of the pokemon that are rising such as Kyurem, Weavile, Urshifu R-S, and even Rillaboom, As they either pressure Lando/Heatran cores well, provide it with momentum, or supress it's weaknesses against it. I feel like Aegislash is getting ignored, when we see things like Bisharp and Scizor getting their place in the meta, while this king isn't :/. Overall I feel like Aegislash holds a solid stance in the meta as being an offensive ghost, with tons of different sets it can run, and the ability to stop defensive forces or be a hindrance to common breakers, despite it's lacking speed, and ineffectiveness at breaking Lando/Tran compared to others.


C+<B+

If I wanna be real I don't know what this thing is doing down here LOL. C+, Gengar really? I mean Gengar has the ability to pretty much wreck all of what's in it's tier. Either way I feel like Gengar similar to Aegislash is a bit underlooked, and it's impressionable Ghost + Fighting combo and ability to break stall/balances is powerful. Gengar is got a great speed tier that allows it to outspeed threats like Kartana, Garchomp, Volcarona, and it has valuable traits like being a resist to Grassy Glide(despite being 2HKO'd but still), a pokemon that pressures Fairies and Heatran, and being a way to completely invalidate Blissey. Also Gengar is notably much better in a metagame where Mandibuzz is lacking as that is seen as the main check to it. Overall Gengar's premise as a very threatening wallbreaker, as well as it's combined utilizing traits, imo argue for a promotion.

View attachment 335799
B< B+ or A-

I feel like Victini's had enough time to prove itself worthy of rise after it got banned, and looked over and I feel that it is a potent pick in the metagame. A new tool in Heavy Duty Boots, allows for the benefit of pivoting safely as well as providing as a way of being immune to hazards. Victini has found itself to be a great abuser of FS as well to mitigate switch ins in Toxapex and Landorus, and overall gives it a risk-free position when firing an attack. V-Create/U-turn/Bolt Strike/Toxic, is overall really solid as it allows to come in to pivot, status, and then fire of a big blow at the end. Overall Victini has impressed the favors of a meta where Slowking is more benefited than Slowbro, as it’s able to 2HKO it more safely with Bolt Strike, as well as being a decent pivot in to Tapu Lele as it resist’s stabs + Focus Blast, and outspeeds + OHKO’s in return with V-Create. Overall I’ve seen Victini to be very effective, therefore it deserves B+, or A- as an offensive pivot, that has been successfully adapting to the meta.
i agree with the victini nomination, but i really dont think that gengar is a mon that should be B+, first of all its speed tier is pretty weird in a meta where mons like dragapult, zeraora, tornt, weavile, koko are all offensive threats to it and common asf, its really frail meaning it cant switch into anything, and it needs to setup a nasty plot meaning a free switchin to anything. Sure, mandi is declining in usage but theres too much things that can handle gengar and i wouldnt put it in where slowbro or tang or ttar are.
 

TailGlowVM

Now 100% more demonic
Well I do have a couple of quick noms:
:volcarona: A- to A: Volcarona usage skyrocketed during the Zamazenta-C suspect, and for good reason. Sure it has one hard counter, Heatran, but people have accepted Heatran is exploitable: you can wear it down without huge difficulty, and lure it with stuff like Sand Tomb Scizor. Aside from that, complete counters that do not fold to variations like bulky/Safeguard/Giga Drain are very limited. I think Heatran, Garchomp and Dragapult are too common to put it above A rank though, and Volcarona can be a matchup fish at times since specific moves/EVs are required to beat everything, so A should be it for now.

:dragapult: A+ to S: Look at how centralising Dragapult is - Weavile and Bisharp (the latter sometimes using Assault Vest even) and Zeraora have rose up partly for it, and it is arguably our most useful speed control in the metagame. It is one of the most important threats to prepare for in the teambuilder (Look at how many casually built teams people post that lose to it easily. Also, whilst I can't be completely certain, I would not be surprised if Hydreigon's slump in usage is partly because it's a Dark-type that loses to Pult). Finally, one of the best checks, Mandibuzz, is declining in usage at the moment. I believe these traits are S-rank worthy.

:buzzwole: B to B+ / A-: Buzzwole now has a solid niche once again as the likely best answer to Rillaboom and Kartana in the tier while also checking Garchomp and Landorus-T. Without busted stuff like Kyurem-B, Zygarde and Urshifu to cover, it can now take full advantage of its impressive base 139 Attack and good coverage moves by running an offensive set, differentiating itself from other Rillaboom answers by being far less passive. Whilst its rise in usage may be partly as a Zamazenta-C answer, I believe it may actually be better off without it, as Zama would be the offensive Rillaboom answer some people were demanding.
 
:terrakion: C+ to B
I've been finding this mon extremely underrated, especially with FS support. Both CB and SD Terrakion are insanely good at breaking through teams, as very few Pokémon can switch into powerful Stone Edges and Close Combats without falling to some of its other coverage moves, like Earthquake and Megahorn. It can also be a decent suicide lead thanks to its access to Stealth Rock and Taunt. Overall I think Terrakion could be moved up to B or at the very least B-, C+ seems way too low for it right now. As a bonus, here's a replay of me playing horribly until I predict correctly with Terrakion and win the game: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1316386039-tnkshk9tzva557lv4sw2sj0xqhdfb7hpw

Other noms I agree with:

:volcarona: A- > A
:aegislash: B > B+
:victini: B > B+
:dragapult: A+ > S
:buzzwole: B > B+
 
Noms of My Own

:rillaboom: A to A+

I know it's a tired old nomination and all, but I really do think this thing has by this point easily solidified itself as a top 10 mon in a tier without Zamazenta-Crowned existing (and it honestly probably would've still been top 10 in that meta too). It is arguably the most mandatory mon on HO ever at the moment, it fits on a bunch of other types of offensive teams, and it absolutely mandates some form of defensive counterplay (a lot of which has gotten better in-part because they can check it) on almost every team archetype in order to prevent it from mowing through a team with relative ease. I know A+ is getting extremely crowded but I firmly believe Rilla is as much a contender among them as Pex/Clef/Ferrothorn, if not moreso, and is otherwise very much out of place in A.

:nidoking: from A- to B+

I don't think Nidoking sucks by any stretch of the imagination, but I think it stands out the most compared to the rest of the A- subrank mons; it has to run TBolt to reliably break past the extremely common Slowking and the overall pool of top-tier threats that can reliably outpace and KO it before it has a chance to utterly smack something is increasing rapidly. It still utterly demolishes slow/fat teams and takes advantage of Zeraora a bit, though, so if someone has an argument for it to stay in A- I'm all ears and will probably quickly change my mind.

(I'm also very tempted to push for an expansion of S since I think there are five faces of the metagame that are very clearly ahead of the rest in Landorus-T, Garchomp, Dragapult, Heatran, and Tornadus-Therian, but that's a bit ambitious so I'll keep this as a footnote for now).

Noms I Agree With:

:dragapult: from A+ to S: Strongly Agree

Honestly, this thing is pretty close to being broken IMO, but even if it wasn't oppressive as hell I'd think it deserves that S-ranking. Dragapult is an extremely centralizing offensive threat with both Specs and HDB Pivot being very oppressive to fight against. It's an offensive check to SubRoost Kyurem (and, really, anything slower than it that can't eat a hit... which is to say, most of the tier) and is very hard to out-offense itself. Ghost-type and Ice-type priority and Zeraora are fantastic in this meta in large part due to Dragapult's extreme influence over the tier.

:volcarona: from A- to A or A+: Agree

This thing and Pex are in my opinion two of the most restrictive mons to deal with while teambuilding. Volc's counterplay is unbelievably limited as it can very easily and very readily run a moveset that can deal with anything except maybe Heatran. Volcarona can easily adjust to most other counterplay by virtue of just running a coverage option like Psychic or Giga Drain, more defensive investment over offensive investment alongside Roost, or a niche option like Safeguard to turn hard-counters into total setup fodder. Its extreme offensive pressure is excellent in a tier where dedicated Volc revenge killers are becoming decreasingly prominent and the defensive niche it simultaneously fills is excellent now that Moltres has largely fallen out of favor. Volc warps the tier far more than anything in A- realistically should and absolutely deserves a rise, in my opinion.

:victini: from B to B+: Strongly Agree

Victini fulfills a unique niche at present in this metagame and I think that niche is quite solid at present, and I think it has plenty of merit to rise at the moment.

:gengar: from C+ to B+: Disagree, but I think a rise to B- or B is fine.

Gengar's Speed tier is just extremely awkward at the moment, but being an offensive Ghost with solid offenses and a fantastic typing is still plenty valuable. Dragapult casts a large shadow over it, but at the very least I think this should be ranked similarly to the clown.

:aegislash: from B to B+: Agree

It's a pain to fight on HO and its auspicious defensive typing is fantastic for this metagame even beyond HO teams. Kyurem needs Earth Power to consistently break through it and Kyurem frequently can't afford to run said move, and this tier is very strapped for good Kyurem answers. I think A- might be a stretch but this thing is so versatile and can fit on so many different archetypes that I firmly believe a rise isn't unwarranted.

:buzzwole: from B to B+: Strongly Agree

I always figured it would only be a matter of time before the Jojo Mosquito would reestablish a niche for itself in OU, and it has done so. It keeps a ton of extremely dangerous physically-offensive threats in check thanks to its weird defensive typing but now it's able to invest more heavily into its excellent Attack stat and still do so. I don't think Buzzwole is necessarily a top-tier mon quite yet, but this new niche is almost entirely unique and I think it deserves a rise.

:weavile: from A- to A: Strongly Agree

Both SD and Band are fantastic threats that were already rising heavily before the Zamazenta-Crowned suspect test. Now that Shield Doggo isn't around to brick Weavile completely, it can flex its amazing STABs much more easily again and I think it deserves a rise as a result.
 

Clone

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If you say so.....

Two noms. One might be controversial. One isn’t.

:Dragapult: > S

Other people already nommed this but I want to echo their sentiments. Dragapult is probably the best mon in the tier. It’s blazing fast and has two insanely good sets, being Specs and Boots pivot. Specs needs no introduction. In most games you just click shadow ball till the steel or fairy is dead and then you can drop a Draco. Outside of Mandibuzz or TTar, most answers to Dragapult are switching into a neutral Shadow Ball because they’re only 3HKOed. But the thing is, all it takes is one SpDef drop and suddenly it’s not an answer any more. And fishing for drops is super easy because the majority of Pult answers are passive. Nothing outspeeds it outside of Zeraora (which isn’t switching in) unless it’s holding a choice scarf. And that’s what makes it so good. Having mainly passive answers means that it’s super easy to just click U-Turn and go out to a teammate to maintain momentum. It’s hard to pressure Pult offensively when most mons need a scarf to move first. Pult also resists two priority moves, Aqua Jet and Grassy glide too, meaning priority isn’t a reliable way to handle it. Keeping momentum is easy. Spamming specs shadow balls is easy. And on top of that, Pult fits on any type of team outside of stall which makes it super splashable. It’s difficult to wear down and often outlasts it’s checks throughout the course of games. It is most definitely meta defining and deserves to be ranked accordingly.

I just finished typing and realized I didn’t even mention the boots set. Tl;dr spread status (burn or para, take your pick) and spam Hex and U-Turn to your hearts contentwithout worrying about hazards thanks to Boots. Last thing I want to mention is that without Pursuit this gen, you can’t really punish Pult for clicking shadow ball on a resist because you can just switch out.

And now for a nom that may be controversial, but something that should be discussed:

:Slowking: > S

Alright. Hear me out. The short version is Boots + Regenerator + Teleport + Future Sight, paired with a solid defensive typing and very good special bulk make this thing probably the best support mon in the tier and centralizes the Metagame around it. And I think it should be ranked accordingly.

To expand, the most consistent team archetype right now in my opinion is balance with Future Sight and Regenerator support paired with breakers to take advantage of the impending Future Sight. Discussions elsewhere are starting to ponder if it’s healthy for the metagame, or even overpowered. I’m not here to argue one way or another on that, but I am here to advocate for it’s best enabler to be ranked S alongside the other two most used and best mons in the tier (Lando T, already S, and Dragapult, which should be S)

The best enabler of this team archetype currently is Slowking. It has the aforementioned traits. It can come in on a plethora of Pokémon, set up a Future Sight, and Teleport out safely, only to do it again thanks to Boots and Regerator and having access to Slack Off. And most Future Sight resists tend to be Steel Types, such as Ferrothorn, Corviknight, Heatran, Melmetal, etc. I’ll focus on these for a second because none of them really want to directly switch into Slowking, because a Scald burn will cripple them. If a Dark Type isn’t present, that means that whatever is coming in on the Future Sight is at the mercy of whatever Slowking Teleports out to, and Slowking is so splashable that it pairs well with virtually anything. This creates the gameplay loops that many people are talking about potentially being unhealthy.

Well one thing that needs to be mentioned is that one of the best answers to this problem is Slowking itself. Slowking v Slowking happens quite frequently as they wall each other, leaving the advantage to whoever loses the Teleport speed tie. Being the best answer to a centralizing Force means that you’re probably extremely valuable to have on a team, and if that force is yourself then that furthers my point on its viability.

Outside of that, Slowking is just really good on its own. It’s defensive typing and special bulk allows it to check/ counter prominent threats like Lele, choiced Urshifu, Heatran, Torn T, Nidoking, and plenty of others I haven’t mentioned. It’s very difficult to wear down without status because of Boots and Regenerator, meaning simply switching out is rewarded with 33% HP, and unless the boots are knocked off it doesn’t care about hazard damage. It’s super splashable and fits on a variety of teams. For these reasons I believe is should be S rank to reflect its status in OU.

In summary:

:Dragapult: > S
:Slowking: > S
 

ausma

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Despite now being unranked, I will leave a post anyway and nobody can stop me


Dragapult: A+ to S.

Dragapult spearheads offense in this tier; nothing more, nothing less. It is adorned with a nearly unparalleled speed tier, incredible coverage, pivoting, and status in order to force progress, and is a very powerful Pokemon with a monstrous combination of Ghost- and Dragon-type STABs (which in of themselves are customizable depending on the set). However, despite being top tier in its own right, it is also an unparalleled enabler with access to U-turn and the ability to play around very exploitable Pokemon (such as Mandibuzz and Blissey) to support a myriad of offensive cores, while also being able to shut down a majority of HO cores single-handedly and force egregious adaptations on Balances and Offenses to have a feasible matchup against it. There's not much more for me to say about Dragapult that hasn't been said already. It has the centralization, polarity, and versatility to be worthy of S tier in my eyes.


Kyurem: A to A+.

Kyurem is a Pokemon that defines quite a bit right now in the current metagame, especially without Zamazenta-C around. In spite of its speed tier, it is a Pokemon with nearly unparalleled stallbreaking and wallbreaking capabilities, enforcing adaptations that can be very easily exploited, or in some cases even overwhelmed regardless. Heavy-Duty Boots, Freeze-Dry, and the bans of Magearna and Cinderace were a perfect storm of changes for it that let quite a bit of its rather staggering attributes stand out, such as its offenses, resistances, and bulk.

1: Choice Specs

There's little to talk about with its Choice Specs variant. Although I see it as one of the tier's most excruciating wall breakers, I think its speed tier and Stealth Rock weakness do make it pretty manageable and require the Kyurem user to carefully position it in order to do its job. However, this being said, it is incredibly hard to actually answer once it does get a wallbreaking opportunity. The addition of Freeze-Dry tremendously decreases the range of Pokemon viably able to stomach its STAB Ice-type moves, only really limited to Scizor, Jirachi, Aegislash, SpDef Corviknight, and SpDef Clefable. Blissey and Heatran are willing to soak its Ice-type moves but embarrassingly fold to Focus Blast, and Jirachi/Aegislash want no part in stomaching Earth Power. Its best counterplay is either a Scizor, Jirachi, a healthy SpDef Corviknight, Clefable, or winning 50/50s. With apt team support, this can prove to be even more middling, as it pairs very well with a majority of the tier's premier offensive pivots, such as Rillaboom, Urshifu-Rapid-Strike, and Tapu Koko. Its sheer strength is also capable of overwhelming a majority of checks given that they either need to be healthy or outright lack reliable recovery. However, its Choice Specs set is not why I believe Kyurem is deserving of a rise, in spite of being a very polarizing wallbreaker that needs to be prepped for.

2: SubRoost

I believe Kyurem deserves a place in A+ because of how effective its SubRoost set is. This set takes a bit more of a different angle, playing much more into the traits that make Kyurem stand out as an individual Pokemon. Not only is Stealth Rock seldom an issue with Heavy-Duty Boots, but it is great at using Pressure and its literally perfect neutral coverage in Freeze-Dry + Earth Power to keep a majority of the tier at bay, and then using its bulk, Pressure, and longevity in order to PP stall the things that should on paper beat it such as Blissey, before paving the way for a teammate or even itself to exploit the rest of its team. It is superb at taking advantage of many of Specs' checks using this set, being only really dissuaded by Scizor in a vacuum. Even if it foregoes the occasional Icicle Spear for the generally superior Earth Power, it can still easily drain Blissey of its Seismic Toss and status as the tier's most effective Pressure user, too.

Since more defensively inclined Pokemon are somewhat inconsistent in handling it, Kyurem's best answers come in the form of offensive checks which are able to outspeed and threaten it out, but this also requires the Kyurem's Substitute to be down (unless the opponent's offensive check is Scale Shot Garchomp), meaning Kyurem can force crucial chip damage before being forced out in most cases. It's really difficult to check this set reliably, and it's probably one of the best, yet most unique progress enforcers in the tier for long-term battles and is a premier Balance proponent that can do incredible work even with good preparation.


Kartana: A to A+

On the topic of very difficult-to-handle offensive threats, I think Kartana is the most devastating wallbreaker and win condition in the tier, boasting ungodly strength and the ability to completely overload what in theory should check it. Most airborne Pokemon that soft-check it are easily exploitable and with Knock Off can be overwhelmed with little to no sweat. In spite of not having a STAB boost, Knock Off removing Heavy-Duty Boots can critically impair would-be checks like Mandibuzz and Zapdos and leave them easily overwhelmed in the long term with Stealth Rock support.

With Swords Dance, its pool of answers falls solely to Buzzwole once it gets a boosting opportunity, making it monstrous on Hyper Offenses where it can find many setup opportunities and can be supported with Screens. Kartana also boasts a great typing and ungodly physical bulk that it takes very good advantage of for setup and switch-in opportunities alike. Choice Band on the other hand has a very small pool of switch-ins in its own right due to the nuclear immediate power, making it incredibly difficult to safely swap in as its damage output is blatantly absurd and cleaves past what in theory should be able to keep it contained. Beast Boost alongside both sets is practically just overkill and can further help it seize games (especially with a Choice Scarf)

Kartana's sole weakness at the current time is horrible special bulk and a speed tier that is eclipsed by common forms of speed control which leaves it very vulnerable to revenge killing. However, this being said, its general lack of consistent defensive answers that aren't from an extremely small pool of Pokemon, alongside having a speed tier that eclipses a majority of the tier, make it incredibly difficult to answer and is something that almost always is capable of piercing major holes into even prepared teams.


Urshifu-R: A- to A

Urshifu-R is a superb offensive pivot with incredibly powerful STABs and the ability to play around its switch-ins. As a Fighting-type with immediate power, a fairly good defensive typing, and access to a multi-hit signature move that guarantees critical hits, it carves a fantastic niche as a wallbreaker, offensive pivot, and a phenomenal anti-lead against offenses respectively. Surging Strikes with a Choice Band is incredibly difficult to switch into without a dedicated resist and even said resists are able to be pivoted around and taken advantage of with U-turn, making Urshifu-R phenomenal at both forcing damage and gaining momentum for more offensively inclined teams. Although it despises contact recoil (though can slot in Protective Pads for both Bulk Up and U-turn), its ability to take advantage of many Pokemon in general makes it a phenomenal pivot and even a potent win condition, which is a huge reason I believe it is worthy of a rise.


Volcarona: A- to A (or A+)

The matchup moth has become reached its final form as the murder moth. It is the most customizable, most potent win condition in the tier that is able to freely pick what it wants to beat without withholding its potential. It has a small pool of immediate answers that it can eventually eclipse with access to Flame Body and Quiver Dance boosting 3 stats simultaneously to give it room to play with its EV spreads and moves without shivving its cleaning potential, while also being surprisingly easy to support with a myriad of potent offensive pivots to give it plenty of setup opportunities.

What I enjoy the most about Volcarona as a win condition is that it can play with a lot of options. It can choose to make use of its dual STABs and Psychic to quickly do its job and cleave past Haze Toxapex; it can use a bulkier Safeguard + Roost set to use Blissey as setup fodder; it can even run Roost + 2 attacks to play into its typing and Flame Body to find even more set up opportunities. Its only real counters are defensive Dragonite and Heatran, the former of which needs Multiscale to keep Volcarona contained, and the latter being exploitable and prone to being overwhelmed against offenses. Although a lot of people talk a lot about Volcarona being a matchup Pokemon, I believe the fact that it's so customizable, allowing for different kinds of adaptations and cores to be run while being efficient all the same, and has the ability to claim games so forcibly makes it a Pokemon well worth being higher than A-, and possibly even being a contender for A+. Although it needs support, any good cleaner needs conditions to be fulfilled before they can do their job, and Volcarona's requirements are much less demanding than others.


Aegislash: B to B+

Aegislash fulfills a very fascinating niche in part to its great defensive typing and Stance Change letting it perform as a surprisingly potent offensive check to a lot of different things. I won't talk too much about its offensive sets as they have been mentioned to death and are all very solid for reasons stated before, but a set I find to be very underrated and would like to briefly mention is its SubToxic set, which alongside its defensive typing and King's Shield, can be a superb status spreader and an egregious wall capable of whittling down a majority of Balances with proper pivoting support and a team able to capitalize. I think Aegislash's longevity can be an issue, but it 100% should be risen, in short.

Other things I agree with:
:weavile: A- to A
:Buzzwole: B to B+
:Victini: B to B+
 
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:bw/Garchomp:
I'm nominating Garchomp to S rank
I've seen a couple of people bring up just how powerful of a mon this thing is, it's clearly one of the main threats in the format if not the main one. Splashable in most playstyles due to sheer virtue of its versatility, making an amazing win condition in Bulky Offense, a threatening wallbreaker in Hyper Offense, options in mixed are very useful for wearing down would-be checks in Landorus-Therian and Iron Defense Skarmory, and its defensive sets, although not as effective with Cinderace out of the picture, can still adapt and be specially defensive to stomach Heatran, Volcarona, although with clear downisdes as having Fire Blast with no investment makes it not as much of an effective rocker due to lack of power against Corviknight. That being said, I think that its sheer utility in a game, when it can easily adapt to be useful in every scenario, together with a decent versatility make it worthy of S rank.



That being said, I strongly agree with rising Kartana to A+ rank, this thing is crazy and a bit of chip can put its checks in a very uncomfortable position. Although it suffers from being consistently revenged by threats like Dragapult, Tornadus-Therian, and Tapu Koko if chipped, its breaking capabilities still stand, Choice Band is crazy powerful but needs support and needs solid momentum absorbers and Choice Scarf, although not on its best spot and not good at being Kartana, has a niche in teams that need a speed control that covers most other speed control options.


Other noms i agree with:
:Dragapult: to S
:Kyurem: to A+
:Weavile: to A
:Victini: to B+
:Aegislash: to B+
:Nidoking: to B+
 
Hey everyone. Hope you're having a good day.
I'm here to give arguments for getting :bronzong: on the OU VR, as I believe it has a niche. I've written an analysis for it. However, I've never written one before, and nor it is QC/GP checked, so I'm sorry to say it has a lot of flaws. I tried my best though, hope it's understandable. I'm fully open to critisism and questions, either here or on Dr Ya Yeet#2664. Ofcourse, I'm just providing my opinion, but I would request the moderators to look at this with an open mind. Without further ado, here it is -
1619534915120.png

[Overview]
I believe Bronzong has a very small but worth mentioning niche in the current SS OU metagame. Its main selling point is it's ability to counter Kyurem, one of the most devastating and deadly wallbreakers in the tier, but it doesn't just end there. It also counters Tapu-Lele, who has been increasing in popularity for it's vicious and raw power. It also checks/counters some other important pokemon like SD Garchomp, Sand Rush Excadrill, Landorus-Therian lacking knock, Melmetal, Flamethrower-less Nidoking, Non-Heat Wave Tornadus-Therian etc. It also neglects Magnezone's trapping by simply Earthquaking it, which is an advantage it has over Corviknight . Perhaps most importantly though, it provides team support by setting up Stealth Rocks. It's biggest drawback is lack of reliable recovery, and susceptibility to Knock-Off.

[Set]
name: Mixed Defense Bell
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Iron Head
move 3 : Earthquake/Protect
move 4: Toxic
item: Leftovers
ability: Levitate
nature: careful
evs: 252 hp, 100 defense, 156 special defense

[SET COMMENTS]
Iron Head is taken over Gyro Ball because of it's higher PP, mainly for it's matchup vs Sub+Roost Kyurem. Toxic lets it have somewhat of a presence on the field, hitting targets like Garchomp. Earthquake is taken to hit Magnezone looking to trap you, as well as surprising Heatran on the switch. It also hits Excadrill, Melmetal and Nidoking super-effectively. The spread allows it to live 2 specs focus blasts from timid/modest Kyurem and Tapu-Lele, and the rest is dumped into hp and defense to check physical threats like Excadrill, Garchomp, Melmetal and Non knock off Landorus-Therian. It also sits on Hippowdon, and can switch into Choice locked Rillaboom and Kartana, also stone walling Flamethrower-less Clefable.

Speaking of Clefable, it's a good partner for it, as it can take knock offs, as well as can potentially Wish it back up, while switching into focus blasts from Kyurem and Tapu-Lele. In exchange, Bronzong can switch into poison and steel attacks aimed at Clefable. Hydriegon is also an amazing partner as it resists Ghost, Dark, Fire and can check Heatran which is greatly appreciated. It can also Defog.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other options
===
Earthquake could be swapped out for Protect, which helps you rack up toxic damage, while healing with leftovers. However, then it is then unable to punish the heatran switching into it, and loses to Magnezone.

Checks and counters
===
**Knock Off users** : Considering Leftovers is it's only source of recovery, getting them removed while taking a super-effective move, perhaps even STAB, is very bad.

** Ghost Types**: This is pretty obvious, Bronzong being a psychic type, hates Shadow balls , notably from Dragapult, but also from niche Pokemon like Gengar and Aegislash.

**Fire types**: It struggles against fire types like Heatran , Volcarona and Rotom-Heat, who can switch in and threaten it out.

**Attackers with fire coverage**: These include Nidoking, Tornadus-Therian, CM Clefable etc.

[Credits]
-Written by : [[Dr Ya Yeet , 541592]]
- Quality Check/ Grammar checked by : [[ Dr Ya Yeet , 541592]]
(lol)
 
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Well Im going to do my first post in here with a small nomination
:ss/tangrowth:
FROM B+ TO A-
Tangrowth is genuinly an incredible Pokemon in the metagame right now, instead of AV its physically defensive set is better than ever.
The rise of RillaZone teams means that Corviknight and Skarmory have to be very careful when facing against them, thats where the tangster comes in, matching incredibly against Rillaboom and Kartana while not being trapabble at all.
Tangrowth also matches up very well against other rising threats like Bisharp, Urshifu and Garchomp, while it is forced out by the common Dragapult and Kyurem it isnt a complete momentum sink like defensive Buzzwole forced to constantly manually heal thanks to Regenerator, it also doesnt give free switchins to them thanks to the incredibly spammable Knock Off.
Tangrowth has been mostly forgotten this gen but this new post-cinderace meta is incredibly good for it and the utility it brings is incredibly valuable even in bad matchups.

Noms I agree with:
:dragapult: to S
:kyurem: to A+
:kartana: to A+
:aegislash: to B+
 
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