Considering it's the final day of the tier as it stands currently, wanted to give some thoughts on some Pokemon I've played with, had a lot of experience with, etc.
We may have gotten a lot of new toys, but Xurkitree is still quite good. Sure, Nidoqueen is kind of annoying for it as it being the Ground takes away Gleam as a good mid-ground move in a lot of cases, but LO / Specs just slaps it with Grass Knot. Scarf I feel is pretty lackluster in this meta as I feel Xurk should be focusing on what makes it different than other Electrics; pure, raw power. Of course, when there's no Ground type, it's pretty freakin strong to just click Specs / LO Volt Switch continously as most of the tier's non-Ground pivots aren't shrugging it of.
This has been getting a lot of talk and this is actually another reason I really like Specs / LO Xurkitree in this meta as it still 2HKOes +2 Suicune and doesn't drop to 1 Scald. That aside, Suicune is stupid good right now because of the meta around it. Agreeing with
Bouff about CroCune feeling more optimal than VinCune atm as the staying power RestTalk gives Suicune is incredible against the myriad of physical attackers in the tier that attempt to brute force their way through other bulky Waters. It essentially gives Suicune utilty even in games where the opponent has stuff like Zarude + Xurkitree, Heliolisk, or some lesser good Cune counter. I feel it's not getting love from the majority of players right now because Alpha tiers gravitate toward heavy hitters, but Suicune is still really good and rewards smart, patient players very nicely.
phantom mentioned Teleport Slowking enabling a crazy amount of powerful breakers to easily pick and choose their matchups, and while I'm in full agreement with that, Kyurem is arguably the most dangerous one of these. Great Speed tier, good bulk, an Electric resistance, and basically unresisted coverage. Part of why Registeel is a top defensive Pokemon is that it's one of the very few Pokemon that stops Kyurem from mindlessly clicking Freeze-Dry or Draco any time it comes in. SubRoost sets can punish more balanced teams, but Specs benefits immensely from Slowking, U-turn / Volt Switch, and Spikes support which are all relatively easy to get on a team.
This is such a splashable defensive Pokemon right now. It checks so much of the physical metagame and even if it can't check a physical attacker directly, it can pivot in pretty reliably as there's so little that can OHKO it on the physical side. Should you want it to sponge a few special hits in a similar fashion, you can throw AV on to let it sponge Electric attacks. Even so, Helmet with a support move (Leech in particular as it passively pressures switch-ins that don't necessarily care about Sludge Bomb poisons) is such an amazing pivot right now that can turn defense into (passive) offense.
Scarf Zarude is such a fantastic offensive glue mon. A Speed tier above +1 Haxorus is nice, but add in its STAB options, natural bulk, Psychic immunity, and U-turn, and it's such a fun way to generate momentum or steal momentum away (70% of the time) from Slowking users. Throat Chop is also very fun on it as it can make incoming Sylveon a non-factor when it comes to switching into it. Lacking Knock Off is a bit unfortunate, but it's still great. Can also run BU, Band, and a 4 Atks HDB Pivot set, but I really feel Scarf is an easy offensive fit for many teams due to the utility it provides on offense and defense.
I feel this is really underrated right now. While Nidoqueen might define the role of Offensive SR user, Necrozma is an alternative option that can outpace Nidoqueen and OHKO it. Of course, it can also go Autotomize + Meteor Beam, DD, and maybe even bulkier support sets, but I really feel it shouldn't bother with bulkier sets currently as it's a naturally bulky offensive mon that outpaces Nidoqueen, Toxtricity, and a few others I"m probably missing.
The best Pokemon in the tier. I know that's a bold statement to say and perhaps a statement not everyone will understand with stuff like Zarude, Xurkitree, Raikou, and Polteageist around. However, best doesn't always mean it beats the most things or is threatened by the least amount of things. The way I feel "best" should be viewed as is A. how splashable it is B. Does it contribute game in and game out, regardless of team comp matchup? C. Is it the reason you win a lot of games? D. What is the opportunity cost to using a Pokemon in comparison to its competition? Slowking is incredibly splashable as it requires next to no support to function at a base level, it will perform well against virtually all team comps due to tis ability to pivot into many attackers and slow pivot out to help your attackers
pick and choose their matchups, and Slowking will typically be one of the last Pokemon you sac in games because of the positioning it can provide you to regain advantage. And opportunity cost? yeah, there is none. While the likes of Suicune, Starmie, Sharpedo, and Galar Bro/King are good Pokemon in their own right and you wouldn't be frowned upon for using them in the slightest, none of them can provide as many things as Slowking can in a single teamslot. So yeah, Slowking is the best right now in my eyes.
There's tons of other great Pokemon in the tier right now. Galar Weezing, Togekiss, Diancie, Registeel (this mon is never not good in RU lol. Over a half decade of dominance) Nidoqueen, and Lycanroc-Dusk (please use Drill Run on this) are just some of the fantastic Pokemon I'm chosing not to talk about so you're not here an hour and a half reading all my thoughts lol.
