pokemonisfun
Banned deucer.
New Pokemon
Chansey —> A or A+ seems reasonable, she is facing serious competition with Sylveon and Slowbro these days. With Protect, she’s one of the few good defensive answers to Future Sight attacks but Sylveon can do that with better typing in exchange for much less bulk.
Marowak-Alola —> Not easy to rank, I think you need to consider its most threatening set first which is anything in Trick Room. You can’t just go itemless to check this defensively because Shadow Bone will maul stuff like Slowbro. The only flaw is below average defensive typing (but you can still come in on defensive Sylveon and most Cobalion) and the SR weakness and the horrible Speed. Probably A- or B+ would be fair?
Slowbro —> not easy to rank, by itself it’s not a huge threat, not even impossible to overwhelm defensively since the most threatening sets don’t have room for Slack Off (it’s certainly a fine choice but you won’t be as threatening without one of the Psychic stand is my point). But the ability to abuse Regen and Teleport into attackers makes Slowbro pretty hard to kill. It also has plenty of offensive (Zarude, Fighting types, Lycanroc, basically any offensive mon tbh) and defensive partners right now (Chansey, Arcanine) and Volt-Turn-Teleport-Flip are basically at a high point. This probably depends on your philosophy, it’s always hard to rank mons that rely on partners, but since it fits so nicely in the metagame, it’s probably A or A+ for me
Torkoal —> he also benefits from TR, people like Skip The Drip know it can be a threat with Specs although less so with Chansey now. But overall, Torkoal’s fate will probably be tied to Sun which is surprisingly to me not great. It’s surely good still but I don’t see the need to use a relatively risky style (Sun means you need to use mons with little defensively like Charizard, Vileplume, and Shiftry) when you can run super solid mons in more standard bulky offense or voltturn balances (Sylveon, Keldeo, Rotom Wash, Zarude, for example are all super solid mons defensively and offensively and are hard to fit on Sun). I’m not high on Sun, not because I think it’s bad, I just think the opportunity cost is pretty high now, probably somewhere in the B ranks for torkoal
Zarude —> Even though he’s not properly explored yet, he’s one of the reasons why Volt Turn is so strong now. He loves abusing Future Sight from Slowguys to be basically unwallable and can pretty easily ravage most Sticky Web staples if he puts on Boots like Obstagoon, PZ, and MMQ if the disguise is broken (or UTurn to break it). The only couple of issues are some common weaknesses and lack of pure wall breaking power but partners easily fix that, again Slowbro by itself gives it breaking power with Future Sight and a crucial Fighting and Fire resistance. You don’t need to run Incineroar anymore to beat Polteageist which eases building. Despite Volt Turn being common, UTurn to target Zarude isn’t actually common, with only opposing Zarude and Scyther being common strong users, both of which you can speed tie, Incin is easily chipped or Close Combatted. Zarude is definitely an A+ mon for me, in a tier where I don’t think there any S rank mons.
Chansey —> A or A+ seems reasonable, she is facing serious competition with Sylveon and Slowbro these days. With Protect, she’s one of the few good defensive answers to Future Sight attacks but Sylveon can do that with better typing in exchange for much less bulk.
Marowak-Alola —> Not easy to rank, I think you need to consider its most threatening set first which is anything in Trick Room. You can’t just go itemless to check this defensively because Shadow Bone will maul stuff like Slowbro. The only flaw is below average defensive typing (but you can still come in on defensive Sylveon and most Cobalion) and the SR weakness and the horrible Speed. Probably A- or B+ would be fair?
Slowbro —> not easy to rank, by itself it’s not a huge threat, not even impossible to overwhelm defensively since the most threatening sets don’t have room for Slack Off (it’s certainly a fine choice but you won’t be as threatening without one of the Psychic stand is my point). But the ability to abuse Regen and Teleport into attackers makes Slowbro pretty hard to kill. It also has plenty of offensive (Zarude, Fighting types, Lycanroc, basically any offensive mon tbh) and defensive partners right now (Chansey, Arcanine) and Volt-Turn-Teleport-Flip are basically at a high point. This probably depends on your philosophy, it’s always hard to rank mons that rely on partners, but since it fits so nicely in the metagame, it’s probably A or A+ for me
Torkoal —> he also benefits from TR, people like Skip The Drip know it can be a threat with Specs although less so with Chansey now. But overall, Torkoal’s fate will probably be tied to Sun which is surprisingly to me not great. It’s surely good still but I don’t see the need to use a relatively risky style (Sun means you need to use mons with little defensively like Charizard, Vileplume, and Shiftry) when you can run super solid mons in more standard bulky offense or voltturn balances (Sylveon, Keldeo, Rotom Wash, Zarude, for example are all super solid mons defensively and offensively and are hard to fit on Sun). I’m not high on Sun, not because I think it’s bad, I just think the opportunity cost is pretty high now, probably somewhere in the B ranks for torkoal
Zarude —> Even though he’s not properly explored yet, he’s one of the reasons why Volt Turn is so strong now. He loves abusing Future Sight from Slowguys to be basically unwallable and can pretty easily ravage most Sticky Web staples if he puts on Boots like Obstagoon, PZ, and MMQ if the disguise is broken (or UTurn to break it). The only couple of issues are some common weaknesses and lack of pure wall breaking power but partners easily fix that, again Slowbro by itself gives it breaking power with Future Sight and a crucial Fighting and Fire resistance. You don’t need to run Incineroar anymore to beat Polteageist which eases building. Despite Volt Turn being common, UTurn to target Zarude isn’t actually common, with only opposing Zarude and Scyther being common strong users, both of which you can speed tie, Incin is easily chipped or Close Combatted. Zarude is definitely an A+ mon for me, in a tier where I don’t think there any S rank mons.
----> B+
----> A-/A
UR----> B-
B+ --- A-/A
Added to A+: Slowbro has quickly risen to prominence as a premier defensive presence capable of checking huge threats in Terrakion, Cobalion, and Mamoswine. With Regenerator and Teleport, it can prove extremely difficult to overpower and offers plentiful utility to boot, giving it lots of current splashability.
Added to A-: Alolan Marowak is among the metagame's most overtly threatening wallbreakers, with practically zero safe switch-ins thanks to its immense power and coverage. Its main hangups lie in its lacking defensive utility and pitiful Speed, making it easy to overwhelm, though the offensive potency it exerts is well worth a spot in the A ranks.
Added to B: No set of Kingdra's has really caught on quite yet but it can manage in the metagame with its Choice Specs and Rain Dance sets. Its typing can be hard to defensively combat while offensive teams particularly fear it in rain late-game, though it's also brought down by competition from other Water- and Dragon-types as well as its iffy power and Speed.
Added to B-: Torkoal has breathed enough life into sun for the play style to be represented in B-. It provides a lot of adequate support between Stealth Rock, Rapid Spin, decent bulk, and even Rest if it wants to continuously set Sun throughout a match. Its viability is exclusive to sun teams, however.
from UR to B: Gigalith can somewhat fill in the gap Tyranitar has left, adequately answering to threats like Chandelure, Incineroar, and Noivern while also offering Stealth Rock. Its typing isn't as useful offensively, however, while other rockers like Rhyperior give it stiff competition, justifying a mid-ground rank of B.
from UR to B-: Electric Terrain has grown into a legitimate play style in which Alolan Raichu can pose a huge threat as a cleaner and Pincurchin can provide several means of decent support. The core is held back by middling defensive utility, however, as well as a good amount of counterplay in the current meta.
from UR to C: While not as applicable as it was with Jirachi in the tier, Mudsdale can function as a niche Stealth Rock setter capable of checking defining Pokemon like Lycanroc-Dusk, Cobalion, and Terrakion, though the competition it faces from other Ground-types holds it back quite a bit.
from A+ to S: Lycanroc has developed into UU's fiercest and most centralizing offensive force following Skarmory and Jirachi's departures. It has an amazing Speed tier, the coverage necessary to bypass any of its checks, and strong priority, encompassing everything you'd want in an offensive Pokemon and requiring several checks on each team. It's warped the tier around itself enough to justify a rise to the highest rank possible.
from A to S: Noivern has re-established itself as an amazing option in the metagame, offering unparalleled offensive and defensive utility between its typing, Speed, pivoting capabilities, and utility options. It's seen a huge resurgence thanks to its ability to blanket and/or revenge kill most of the tier, which is well worth a return to S.
from A- to A: Doublade appreciates its main competition for Steel-types leaving the tier, making it an easier but also more urgent fit. It offers solid offensive tools, such as priority for Pokemon like Polteageist and Starmie, but can also win crucial 1v1s against the likes of Terrakion, Lycanroc, and Celebi with its typing and bulk.
from B to A: Sylveon has massively surged in importance following Jirachi's ban and Hatterene's departure. It exerts one of the tier's fiercest offensive forces with its Choice Specs set, while the bulky set is a premier support option capable of checking Noivern, Keldeo, and many other strong Pokemon.
from B+ to A-: Rhyperior no longer has to compete with Tyranitar as a rocker and differentiates itself from its competition well with its ability to apply firm offensive pressure and force trades with Terrakion, Lycanroc, and Obstagoon. It also has neat options like Toxic and Megahorn to lure in switch-ins like Celebi, Slowbro, and Zarude.
from B+ to A-: Mowtom's Choice Scarf set has taken off thanks to its ability to revenge kill Pokemon like Terrakion and Keldeo with STAB Leaf Storm. It also has multiple defensive applications between its typing, ability, and utility move pool, making it plenty splashable.
from B to A-: STAB Ghost-type attacks have proven their potency in the metagame, and Chandelure's ability to take on most switch-ins with its secondary STAB has vastly increased its threat level post-Tyranitar rise. It's among the hardest Pokemon to switch into and has plentiful set options to bypass checks with to boot.
from B to B+: Roserade has massively benefitted from losing two of its strongest checks in Jirachi and Skarmory, vastly improving its worth as a spiker with good matchups against most removal. Sleep Powder and the general lack of good Steel-types also aids it in being even more difficult to maneuver around.
from B to B+: Sharpedo has seen solid usage as a great cleaner that is particularly difficult for offense to maneuver around in the late-game. It pairs well with the surging Roserade and exerts an excellent offensive prowess between its excellent STAB combo and the best coverage it could've asked for in Close Combat.
from B to B+: Tentacruel went from being somewhat underwhelming to actually offering a lot as a utility option, checking Sylveon, Keldeo, and Noivern while providing vital things like Rapid Spin, Toxic Spikes, and Knock Off. It can still overwhelm itself but now has a lot more relevant utility to its name.
from B- to B+: Copperajah has seen a resurgence with several builders now in the market for a solid Steel-type post Jirachi and Skarmory departure. It brings the same tools as it did in the pre-DLC meta between its great bulk, ability to check Pokemon like Sylveon and Celebi, and good power.
from B- to B: Webs has improved enough as an archetype for both setters to see small rises from B-. They each offer individual tools between Araquanid's ability to check Pokemon like Keldeo and Mamoswine and solid wallbreaking presence, and Ribombee's great Speed and solid matchups against Krookodile and various Fighting-types.
from B- to B: Bronzong is another Steel-type with an improved place in the tier following Jirachi and Skarmory's rises from UU. It's a reliable rocks setter that can check several prominent Pokemon, like Sylveon and Noivern, though it's also limited by its passiveness, which can lead several top threats to overwhelm it in time.
from C+ to B: Golurk sees a large rise due to the immense offensive pressure it applies and its ability to consistently force trades or even kills in every match. Although it can no longer check Toxtricity, it can still come in on Terrakion while discouraging most anything from switching in thanks to its strong STAB combo and coverage.
from C to B: Galarbro sees a pretty drastic rise thanks to the large increase in exploration it's seen yielding some pretty strong niches. It can contribute a lot in matches with either its Assault Vest or Calm Mind sets thanks to its unique typing and Regenerator, and is slowly but surely finding more definitive footing in the metagame.
from C+ to B-: Charizard is an easier fit with Tyranitar gone and Torkoal now available to supply it with more reliable sun support than Ninetales. Despite Chansey's place in the tier, it's a terrifying wallbreaker, with sun and Solar Power boosting its Fire-type STAB moves to incredible levels.
from C+ to B-: Gardevoir has a lot more breathing room to carve a niche for itself without Hatterene in the tier. Despite the competition it faces from Sylveon, Gardevoir can provide its own unique perks between Trace, a better Speed tier, and Psychic STAB all giving it fair applications of its own. Choice Scarf sets have also picked up some recent steam, giving it decent set flexibility.
from C+ to B-: C+ was understating Tsareena's usability, with its typing and Rapid Spin allowing it to match up well against hazard setters like Krookodile and its key access to utility options such as Knock Off and U-turn. Triple Axel is also a great tool, further restricting Tsareena's defensive counterplay if fitted.
from C to C+: Shiftry's niche is exclusive to sun, though because the archetype has improved upon Torkoal's entry to the tier, it can now apply itself more easily while also having great synergy with Charizard.
from C to C+: Virizion has taken off as a threatening mixed wallbreaker with fair defensive utility. Its combined abilities to overwhelm paper checks and come in on Pokemon like Zarude and Krookodile gives it fair applications that could be worth rising more in the future, though it still does struggle from competition with other Fighting-types and its occasionally middling power.
from C- to C: Xatu is rising just a bit to reflect its improved presence in the tier as the only viable Pokemon with Magic Bounce now that Hatterene's gone. It still doesn't see much usage but is still a decent utility option nonetheless.
from A+ to A: While still a top notch pick for role compression, Krookodile doesn't fit super well in A+ given its shaky matchup against most removers, like Rotom-W and Galarian Weezing. UU is also full of fast Fighting-types capable of blowing past it, justifying a small drop.
from A+ to A-: Slowking's opportunity cost has been compromised by the addition of Slowbro to the tier, while Sylveon and Chansey also compete with it in various scenarios. It still has its uses with its exceptional special bulk but is no longer a premier option or super easy fit.
from A- to B+: Despite its good matchups against Terrakion and Lycanroc, Palossand suffers from how passive it is, as well as the presences of Ground-types that often present better tools overall, such as Krookodile and the surging Rhyperior, which has hurt the sand castle's recent applicability.
from B to B-: Darmanitan has taken a hit as Pokemon like Slowbro and Rhyperior have surged and its pitiful defensive utility has made other options for offensive Fire-types better choices in most cases. It still has its uses but usually only fits well on more offensive builds these days.
from B to B-: Druddigon can no longer partner well with Hatterene and also can't chip Jirachi down any longer, which alongside shaky matchups against top tiers has taken away from its main applications in the metagame. It still offers unique tools such as Rough Skin and Glare but is no longer as easy or necessary a fit.
from B to B-: Expanding Force isn't as easy for Indeedee to capitalize on with more established Dark-types in the metagame, including Zarude and Krookodile. It's still a threatening wallbreaker but is easier to check now and presents basically zero defensive applicability.
from B to C+: Cloyster has struggled to make a splash with its poor typing and special bulk restricting its opportunities for setup, as well as the fair amount of offensive and defensive responses well integrated within the metagame. All of this makes it harder to justify using Cloyster over other setup sweepers and Water-types.
from C+ to C: Far worse as a Choice Scarf user with plentiful better options in the meta, and barely any niche outside of this given its unremarkable typing and middling stats compared to other Dragon- and Ground-types.
from B to UR: Magneton's uses have dramatically fallen off following Skarmory's rise to UU. It can't reliably trap any relevant Steel-type and is entirely outclassed outside of its irrelevant Magnet Pull niche by UU's other Electric-types. Its niche was entirely contingent on Skarmory existing, and it now has really nothing to its name which is reflected by being blown off the map entirely.
from C to UR: Blastoise has absolutely no reason to be used with far better options for both setup sweepers and entry hazard removers in the tier. It simply doesn't do anything better than other Pokemon that are available.
from C- to UR: Poliwrath doesn't have a niche in the tier without Crawdaunt around, Sirfetch'd is pretty impossible to justify over other Fighting-types that offer better typings and Speed tiers despite its good power, and Vaporeon simply doesn't provide enough over other bulky Water-types or special walls to justify usage. This is all grounds to unrank these three from C-.
B- -> C+ 
B- -> B 
B+ -> A- 
