Resource Battle Stadium Singles Viability Rankings (Reg I)

[DerpySuX]

Welcome to the SV Battle Stadium Singles Viability Rankings. As always, the goal of this resource is to rank Pokemon based on their effectiveness in the Battle Stadium Singles metagame. Posts in this thread will be taken into account when deciding rank changes, but ultimately the final decision will fall on the VR Council. This is not meant to be an objective list and there may or may not be placements you disagree with, but that's all the more reason to discuss your opinions here!

The Viability Rankings will be updated appropriately as the metagame progresses or when new Pokemon become available, and we will take posts in this thread into consideration. There is no concrete schedule to when these updates will happen, but the VR Council has the final say on what gets moved in the ranking list. These users are all well informed players that gather the community's input to make final decisions on any individual Pokemon. This is a fairly large group that will cycle in and out of activity, but at the moment the rankings have been discussed by the following users:

• boundtowin
• Butch Hardnight
• deepseazapdos
• DerpySuX
• greilmercenary9
• luisin
• papiloco
• Pearl
• Photon
• Psynergy
• StarkGod
• Theorymon
• Thick Fat Azumarill

Previous BSS Viability Rankings
Regulation A
Regulation B
Regulation C
Regulation D
Regulation E
Regulation F
Regulation G
Regulation H


Restricted Pokemon

S Tier:

S rank
Calyrex-Shadow
Koraidon
Miraidon

S- rank
Ho-Oh

A Tier:

A+ rank
Calyrex-Ice
Lunala
Zacian-Crowned

A rank
Eternatus
Kyogre

A- rank
Necrozma-Dusk Mane
Terapagos
Zamazenta-Crowned

B Tier:

B+ rank
Lugia

B rank
Kyurem-Black


Non-Restricted Pokemon

S Tier:

These are the biggest, most relevant threats in the metagame. You better prepare for them, as they can fit a large majority of teams very well!

S rank
Chien-Pao
Flutter Mane
Ting-Lu

S- rank
Landorus-Therian
Urshifu (Rapid Strike)

A Tier:

These are very metagame relevant threats that fit on a wide variety of teams, or do a specific role very well.

A+ rank
Dondozo
Dragonite
Gliscor
Ursaluna-Bloodmoon

A rank
Garganacl
Glimmora
Ogerpon-Hearthflame
Ogerpon-Wellspring
Sneasler

A- rank
Archaludon
Ditto
Iron Treads
Mimikyu


B tier:

These Pokemon have at least a few flaws that hold them back from being huge threats in this metagame, but they still have unique selling points that make them good picks for some teams.

B+ rank
Alomomola
Clodsire
Grimmsnarl
Rillaboom
Scizor

B rank
Chi-Yu
Iron Hands
Skeledirge
Ursaluna
Wo-Chien

B- rank
Arboliva
Incineroar
Kingambit
Muk-Alola
Tyranitar
Urshifu (Single Strike)
Weezing-Galar



C tier:

These Pokemon are fairly niche, though not unviable. If your team uses one of these Pokemon, make sure your team needs their specific selling point, and isn't a job better done by more relevant Pokemon.

C rank
Chansey
Primarina
Zapdos

Rules

• Post intelligently. Posts like "I think Pokemon X should be in this tier" without giving any reasoning is not helpful.
• Usage statistics may be used to support an argument or a claim, but avoid basing your entire argument around them.
• No flaming, if you disagree with someone please be civil about it.
• No one-liners or useless comments.

 

[Omastar68]

This actually really well encapsulates this meta WITHOUT over emphasizing usage data. Like some mons are honestly too high for their viability, and vice versa. Um I hope just am endorsement is ok to post, with how I'm doing, I can assure everyone I have zero to add or even nitpick.

 

[TheShowdownHero]

Why is Urshifu Single Strike so low?

 

[DerpySuX]

Why is Urshifu Single Strike so low?

It doesn’t really offer anything unique. Urshifu R has better STAB for the metagame and its part water typing allows it to actually switch into some attacks, most notably Chien-Pao’s icicle crash. Coincidentally, Chien-Pao has such a monopoly on Dark-type offense that there’s really no room to use Single Strike instead. Chien-Pao hits harder, has such a good STAB in Ice that it’s Dark-typing is often considered secondary, and can run Sacred Sword if you really want Dark + Fighting coverage on one Pokemon. Chien-Pao also crucially resides in the base 135 speed tier, which is the single most important speed tier in BSS. Since Urshifu is so much slower it’s resigned to Scarf or solely focusing on wall breaking, which won’t really be happening when the most common defensive tera is Fairy. You’d much rather just use Rapid Strike.

 

[Omastar68]

I too have a question about a form, and why it's lesser. Very different mon but here goes.

As much as muk a def deserves a place here, and not so much reg, I can't get what is wrong with kanto weezing. It doesn't follow the same pattern compared to g, with dark giving a much needed psychic immunity to the variant. If it was, then I wouldn't want to ask, I'd know why, but fairy, while by all means fine, doesn't plainly make poison better in my eyes-you get trouble with zacian and no help with psychic. Usage stats though...they further confuse by showing weezing reg is nowhere to be found. Not sure why, I like them both so please help!

And just to be clear, as ever not nominating it or saying it's better etc.

 

[TheShowdownHero]

How is Eternatus so high? Surely as a special breaker miradon severely outclasses it

 

[Omastar68]

How is Eternatus so high? Surely as a special breaker miradon severely outclasses it

Tern is generally NOT that, though there are power herb sets. It's mostly cosmic power.

 

[Slovami]

I too have a question about a form, and why it's lesser. Very different mon but here goes.

As much as muk a def deserves a place here, and not so much reg, I can't get what is wrong with kanto weezing. It doesn't follow the same pattern compared to g, with dark giving a much needed psychic immunity to the variant. If it was, then I wouldn't want to ask, I'd know why, but fairy, while by all means fine, doesn't plainly make poison better in my eyes-you get trouble with zacian and no help with psychic. Usage stats though...they further confuse by showing weezing reg is nowhere to be found. Not sure why, I like them both so please help!

And just to be clear, as ever not nominating it or saying it's better etc.

Fairy is one of the best types in the game. You underestimate its defensive utility. A dark resistance and a dragon immunity are very useful. Especially the second point. Now koraidon who you've forced to Tera can't scale shot in your face, now choice miraidon has to consider a dragon immunity. Psychic STAB isn't common o and anything with it blows you up some other way. The Zacian matchup doesn't matter since kanto weezing doesn't counter it either.

How is Eternatus so high? Surely as a special breaker miradon severely outclasses it

Eternatus is used more defensively in ways miraidon can't do (no recover, pressure stalling, poison typing). Choice specs and power herb sets do exist. Koraidon and miraidon being so common is probably one big reason why eternatus is relatively low but offensive sets benefit a lot from set ambiguity. Whereas all miraidons are offensive in some way with defining power, there are no assumptions about that when it comes to eternatus and people expecting a more defensive type can be blasted with unexpected power.

 

[DerpySuX]

To add to what Slovami said about GWeez, you are immune or quad resistant to both of Koraidon’s STABs, the Fairy type is doing a lot of heavy lifting.

Pretty much nailed why Eternatus is still good. Its defensive utility really shines through.
Here’s a game from BSSCL where I did actually build around Eternatus

 

[Omastar68]

Ok that was helpful thanks. I'm not seeing Zama in data, might be blind, but in any event what the heck is it for? This game stresses me out and I do bad, but there is 1 legend I am relieved to see, which is that.

 

[Slovami]

Ok that was helpful thanks. I'm not seeing Zama in data, might be blind, but in any event what the heck is it for? This game stresses me out and I do bad, but there is 1 legend I am relieved to see, which is that.

It's the best Iron press user in the game.

It got a few results.

It has a lot of trouble with some common things which is why it's so low but it can really run through a lot of builds.

 

[Omastar68]

It's the best Iron press user in the game.

It got a few results.

It has a lot of trouble with some common things which is why it's so low but it can really run through a lot of builds.

Oh ok. That sounds sufficient then for something.

Edit: nitpick but might say glimmora is due for A+. A is ok, but it's gotten better over time. I mean, if bm luna belongs there still, it feels a shoe in. Oppressive with those spikes, even if you have a grounded poison, it can punish that with earth power or whatever. Tons of options, even a good offensive set(s.) I only say might because I've used it like briefly only months ago, no real familiarity with running it. Still, it's one of very few viable hazard removers, and can set them all and stuff. Usage backs this fwiw. I don't think it's quite S, or minus, but I can't say id be against that tbf. Well, not full s cause ground is good...

 

[DerpySuX]

with the recent surge in Landorus T usage as a physical tank I believe we could talk about bumping it up to S-, potentially swapping it with Gliscor.

Landorus T provides incredible utility and offensive prowess as always, this is particularly helpful with Koraidon being the most popular restricted pokemon. Landorus simply existing on a teamsheet heavily dissuades the use of flare blitz, should koraidon lose over half of its HP by hitting into a rocky helmet landorus. Lando T also is excellent against various other threats depending on the tera it chooses. Water is the standard, allowing it to stand up to Chien-Pao and Zacian more consistently, and Tera Normal is used as an emergency Calyrex check.

In contrast Gliscor has fallen relatively out of favor for all but the most defensive teams. Its passivity is extremely exploitable as players have begun to adapt to its presence and once Tera is off the table it can be incredibly trivial to shut down. Gliscor is still very, very good but I believe as the meta has shifted it has fallen a bit and is no longer worthy of the distinction of the highest tier.

 

[StarkGod]

with the recent surge in Landorus T usage as a physical tank I believe we could talk about bumping it up to S-, potentially swapping it with Gliscor.

Landorus T provides incredible utility and offensive prowess as always, this is particularly helpful with Koraidon being the most popular restricted pokemon. Landorus simply existing on a teamsheet heavily dissuades the use of flare blitz, should koraidon lose over half of its HP by hitting into a rocky helmet landorus. Lando T also is excellent against various other threats depending on the tera it chooses. Water is the standard, allowing it to stand up to Chien-Pao and Zacian more consistently, and Tera Normal is used as an emergency Calyrex check.

In contrast Gliscor has fallen relatively out of favor for all but the most defensive teams. Its passivity is extremely exploitable as players have begun to adapt to its presence and once Tera is off the table it can be incredibly trivial to shut down. Gliscor is still very, very good but I believe as the meta has shifted it has fallen a bit and is no longer worthy of the distinction of the highest tier.

I agree with this.

 

[deepseazapdos]

with the recent surge in Landorus T usage as a physical tank I believe we could talk about bumping it up to S-, potentially swapping it with Gliscor.

Landorus T provides incredible utility and offensive prowess as always, this is particularly helpful with Koraidon being the most popular restricted pokemon. Landorus simply existing on a teamsheet heavily dissuades the use of flare blitz, should koraidon lose over half of its HP by hitting into a rocky helmet landorus. Lando T also is excellent against various other threats depending on the tera it chooses. Water is the standard, allowing it to stand up to Chien-Pao and Zacian more consistently, and Tera Normal is used as an emergency Calyrex check.

In contrast Gliscor has fallen relatively out of favor for all but the most defensive teams. Its passivity is extremely exploitable as players have begun to adapt to its presence and once Tera is off the table it can be incredibly trivial to shut down. Gliscor is still very, very good but I believe as the meta has shifted it has fallen a bit and is no longer worthy of the distinction of the highest tier.

Agreed on all points, Landorus-T is a great Zacian check, which I had to deal with several times last season by using different team modes.

Speaking of Zacian checks, I'll make one last nomination for a non-restricted Pokémon since SV ends next month:

-> C or C-

Explanation

Kantonian Zapdos isn't a super common Pokémon on cartridge but it fulfills several niches that make it stand out among Landorus-T, Dondozo, Archaludon and Skeledirge as an alternative for a Zacian check as well as for other Pokémon like Koraidon and Urshifu RS, but here's my observations on the Zacian matchup:

Its main role is to punish contact with Discharge and the Static ability combined with Rocky Helmet.
Compared to Landorus-T, Zapdos doesn't have Intimidate, but shares an immunity to Ground Tera Blast and resists Behemoth Blade without having to terastallize. Zapdos also has recovery with Roost and more pivoting options available (U-turn, Volt Switch).

Even Zacian appreciates having Zapdos as a partner that can deal with Dondozo and opposing Zacian with Heat Wave. Due to not being grounded, it cannot break through potential Yawn cycles if Electric Terrain is active unless it terastallizes, though its natural typing provides an important Fissure immunity for easier repositioning.
Zapdos itself can also discourage Ditto on team preview, because getting paralysed means it can't effectively perform its role as a revenge killer.

 

[Slovami]

with the recent surge in Landorus T usage as a physical tank I believe we could talk about bumping it up to S-, potentially swapping it with Gliscor.

Landorus T provides incredible utility and offensive prowess as always, this is particularly helpful with Koraidon being the most popular restricted pokemon. Landorus simply existing on a teamsheet heavily dissuades the use of flare blitz, should koraidon lose over half of its HP by hitting into a rocky helmet landorus. Lando T also is excellent against various other threats depending on the tera it chooses. Water is the standard, allowing it to stand up to Chien-Pao and Zacian more consistently, and Tera Normal is used as an emergency Calyrex check.

In contrast Gliscor has fallen relatively out of favor for all but the most defensive teams. Its passivity is extremely exploitable as players have begun to adapt to its presence and once Tera is off the table it can be incredibly trivial to shut down. Gliscor is still very, very good but I believe as the meta has shifted it has fallen a bit and is no longer worthy of the distinction of the highest tier.

I agree that Gliscor has fallen from its peak usage somewhat but I don't know if you are only talking about the showdown meta but gliscor represents a major difference between playing on showdown and playing on cartridge, namely the presence of the overall battle timer on cartridge. On showdown you can drain all of the PP of protect and substitute and then overwhelm Gliscor but on cartridge you are liable to run the timer down. As a lot of team structures are vulnerable to Gliscor's BS, it still governs a lot when it comes to team-building and gameplay so I think it still meets the stated criteria of S-.

Incidentally, if you look at finishes and a steadily climbing usage Kingambit definitely deserves to be ranked, especially if dark urshifu is deemed to merit a spot despite being niche. It has a lot of valuable match-ups in the meta (and bad ones, Chien-pao's major asset as a dark attacker is being able to pin Koraidon with either STAB). But it has plenty to differentiate it from pao. Sword of ruin is of course a broken ability but the ubiquitous Landorus can proc defiant or supreme overlord can help approximate pao's power. So I would suggest somewhere in B.

 

[DerpySuX]

I agree that Gliscor has fallen from its peak usage somewhat but I don't know if you are only talking about the showdown meta but gliscor represents a major difference between playing on showdown and playing on cartridge, namely the presence of the overall battle timer on cartridge. On showdown you can drain all of the PP of protect and substitute and then overwhelm Gliscor but on cartridge you are liable to run the timer down. As a lot of team structures are vulnerable to Gliscor's BS, it still governs a lot when it comes to team-building and gameplay so I think it still meets the stated criteria of S-.

I play both PS and console and mainly form my ranking opinions around console play. I still believe that Gliscor is unworthy of S- when console timer is taken into account. Yes there are a good amount of team structures that are vulnerable to Gliscor if it gets going but that’s the key part imo. Every team structure also has at least one if not a handful of tools to annoy Gliscor and stop it from getting out of hand.

I’ve been playing with a Semi-Stall build that includes Gliscor for a couple weeks now and its flaws have become painfully apparent to me because of this. In order for Gliscor to be able to timer stall it needs to have a teammate capable of getting a numbers advantage, Gliscor by itself is incredibly passive and the defensive pieces in scarlet and violet are bulky enough that a simple tera steel or poison can stop Gliscor from making any progress at all. They don’t really mind being weak to Earthquake when it’s coming off an uninvested base 95 attack.

Unstab unboosted neutral Koraidon Flare Blitz hits harder than Gliscor’s STAB super effective Earthquake

0 Atk Gliscor Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tera Poison Dondozo: 72-86 (28 - 33.4%)

252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tera Poison Dondozo in Sun: 92-109 (35.7 - 42.4%)

This means that Gliscor is not self sufficient against teams prepared for status spam, which realistically should be a majority of teams in this meta.

Additionally, A+ is still very good, and still indicates that Gliscor is more than worth consideration for a team. The S ranks are for pokes that are well and truly a cut above the rest, and I just don’t think Gliscor is that.

 

[Omastar68]

I agree completely, glis is a pain, but there are many tools for it, and they are probably more widespread than tools for the proper s things. Several things, not necessarily all good things but still, can't even be affected by most glis. Then there's tera, resistant subs, taunt maybe, multi hit, sound, etc.

It has very little room to viably deviate in set, which hurts a little. Kor and them you may have one or two things for it, not even bring both in some cases, and then if that one goes down early it looks dubious. Glis you can wall better with types, harder with most things like DNite to wall via type I think.

 

[Slovami]

I play both PS and console and mainly form my ranking opinions around console play. I still believe that Gliscor is unworthy of S- when console timer is taken into account. Yes there are a good amount of team structures that are vulnerable to Gliscor if it gets going but that’s the key part imo. Every team structure also has at least one if not a handful of tools to annoy Gliscor and stop it from getting out of hand.

Okay I take your points about its demotion and Landorus's promotion.

Unstab unboosted neutral Koraidon Flare Blitz hits harder than Gliscor’s STAB super effective Earthquake

0 Atk Gliscor Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tera Poison Dondozo: 72-86 (28 - 33.4%)

252 Atk Orichalcum Pulse Koraidon Flare Blitz vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tera Poison Dondozo in Sun: 92-109 (35.7 - 42.4%)

But what do these calcs really show? It's Koraidon lol. I don't think you can say its unstab and unboosted if there is sun (pseudo stab) and oricalchum pulse (free life orb).

But yes Gliscor is normally very weak to the point that things like Lunala or bloodmoon can freely Tera poison on it.

What do you think about kingambit?

 

[DerpySuX]

Okay I take your points about its demotion and Landorus's promotion.


But what do these calcs really show? It's Koraidon lol. I don't think you can say its unstab and unboosted if there is sun (pseudo stab) and oricalchum pulse (free life orb).

But yes Gliscor is normally very weak to the point that things like Lunala or bloodmoon can freely Tera poison on it.

What do you think about kingambit?

My point was precisely because it’s koraidon. Even koraidon struggles to break hyper defensive cores despite its freakish power and I wanted to illustrate that Gliscor’s toxic antics are easy to stop with the right tools.

I plan to annoy the council to discuss the changes talked about here. I have also seen a rise in kingambit and I think it’s worth ranking as well, which is why I didn’t dispute that point.

 

[Slovami]

My point was precisely because it’s koraidon. Even koraidon struggles to break hyper defensive cores despite its freakish power and I wanted to illustrate that Gliscor’s toxic antics are easy to stop with the right tools.

I plan to annoy the council to discuss the changes talked about here. I have also seen a rise in kingambit and I think it’s worth ranking as well, which is why I didn’t dispute that point.

Alright. But don't forget that Gliscor commonly uses taunt. That is a big problem for defensive counterplay.

 

[DerpySuX]

did a smol update

Rises
A+ > S-
UR > B-
UR > C

Drops
S- > A+

 

[Slovami]

Does Zapdos really merit a ranking? Not that I doubt that it can work. But like for example, where is Breloom? That's actually sub 50 in usage. You're much more likely to run into that than Zapdos.
Gothitelle deserves a C rank more than any other random Pokemon since that has a useful and completely unreplicable niche like Chansey.

The only recent top teams with Zapdos featured Lucario and Mamoswine on one and Sinistcha on the other and those mons didn't get ranked (not that I am suggesting that)/

 

[Omastar68]

I was chastised for just using usage, or rather mainly using it. It's an ok point, but arboliva is low and imo deserves what it got. I think it's ok either way, having it or not. I didn't look through and think, "woah, where's zapdos!?," but I'm not against it at all.

Edit: zapdos is sub 100 atm so that is unorthodox...but I would posit why. I'd sooner run it than ss urshifu for example.

 

[Slovami]

I was chastised for just using usage, or rather mainly using it. It's an ok point, but arboliva is low and imo deserves what it got. I think it's ok either way, having it or not. I didn't look through and think, "woah, where's zapdos!?," but I'm not against it at all.

It doesn't really matter of course, just curious.