Resource AAA Role Compendium

April · Nov 11, 2022

AAA Role Compendium

This is the Role Compendium for the AAA tier. Each Pokemon that is here is, to varying degrees, viable in the AAA metagame, and as such, it will change as the viability rankings get updated. Feel free to discuss below whether a Pokemon should be added to or removed from a certain role; however, please refrain from discussing the order of a given subsection aside from glaring issues.

Each role will be split into 2 subsections: Common and Uncommon. Common is for Pokemon that are well, common. A commonly seen Pokemon that also commonly runs the relevant move/ability. Uncommon is for Pokemon that are either overall common but uncommonly run a particular option or uncommon/niche (B- under) Pokemon that typically run the same option.

Also, I keep forgetting to edit this in, but a big thanks to Greybaum for the original version of this!

Last Updated: August 25, 2025

Hazard Setters

Stealth Rock:
Common Users: :great tusk:

Uncommon Users: :swampert:

Spikes:
Common Users: :garchomp:

Uncommon Users: :deoxys-speed:

Toxic Spikes:
Uncommon Users: :iron-moth:

Sticky Web:
Uncommon Users: :Smeargle:

Hazard Control

Defog:
Common Users: :corviknight:

Uncommon Users: :mandibuzz:

Rapid Spin:
Common Users: :great tusk:

Uncommon:

Other removal:
:cinderace:

(Court Change)

Spinblockers:
Common: :gholdengo:

Niche:

Momentum

U-turn:
Common Users: :corviknight:

Uncommon Users: :azelf:

Volt Switch:
Common Users: :zapdos:

Uncommon Users: :electrode-hisui:

Flip Turn:
Common Users: :swampert:

Uncommon Users: :samurott-hisui:

Parting Shot:
Common Users: :pecharunt:

Set-up Sweepers

Swords Dance:
Common Users: :chien-pao:

Uncommon Users: :tinkaton:

Nasty Plot:
Common Users: :gholdengo:

Uncommon Users: :pecharunt:

Bulk Up:
Common Users: :great tusk:

Uncommon Users: :corviknight:

Calm Mind:
Common Users: :primarina:

Uncommon Users: :latios:

Iron Defense / Acid Armor:
Common Users: :corviknight:

Uncommon Users: :manaphy:

Dragon Dance:
Common Users: :roaring-moon:

Niche Users: :kommo-o:

Quiver Dance:
Niche Users: :ribombee:

Other:
:iron moth:

(Fiery Dance) :manaphy:

(Tail Glow) :manaphy:

(Take Heart) :kommo-o:

(Belly Drum) :deoxys-defense:

(Cosmic Power) :polteageist:

(Shell Smash)

Status Afflictors

Burn - Direct (Will-O-Wisp):
Common Users: :moltres:

Niche Users: :slither wing:

Burn - Indirect (Lava Plume/Scald/Matcha Gotcha):
Common Users: :manaphy:

Uncommon Users: :heatran:

Niche Users: :mew:

Paralysis - Direct (Thunder Wave/Stun Spore/Zap Cannon/Glare):
Common Users: :gholdengo:

Uncommon Users: :latios:

Paralysis - Indirect (Discharge/Thunder):
Common Users: :zapdos:

Bad Poison - Direct (Toxic):
Common Users: :pecharunt:

Uncommon Users: :iron moth:

Bad Poison - Indirect (Malignant Chain):
Common Users: :pecharunt:

Utility

Knock Off:
Common Users: :great tusk:

Uncommon Users: :azelf:

Wish:
Common Users: :scream tail:

Heal Bell:
Niche Users: :blissey:

Wallbreakers

Physical Amplification (Sword of Ruin, Adaptability, etc.):
Common: :great-tusk:

Uncommon:

Special Amplification (Sheer Force, Adaptability, Hadron Engine, etc.):
Common: :gholdengo:

Uncommon:

Magic Guard - Physical:
Common: :great-tusk:

Uncommon:

Magic Guard - Special:
Common: :gholdengo:

Uncommon:

Magic Guard - Mixed:
Common: :cobalion:

Uncommon:

Weather - Desolate Land:
Common: :iron moth:

Uncommon:

Weather - Primordial Sea:
Common: :primarina:

Uncommon:

Dedicated Walls

Physically Defensive Amplification (Intimidate, Fluffy, etc.):
Common: :corviknight:

Uncommon:

Type Immunity Walls (Well-Baked Body, Volt Absorb, Earth Eater etc.)
Common: :corviknight:

Uncommon:

Regenerator - PhysDef:
Common: :great tusk:

Uncommon:

Regenerator - SpDef:
Common: :roaring moon:

Uncommon:

Speed Control

Naturally Fast (119+):
Common: :roaring moon:

Uncommon:

Choice Scarfers:
Common Users: :gholdengo:

Uncommon Users: :great-tusk:

:zapdos-halar:

Extreme Speed:
Uncommon: :deoxys-speed:

Sucker Punch:
Common: :chien-pao:

Uncommon:

Rapid Spin:
Common: :great-tusk:

Uncommon:

Surge Surfer:
Common: :gholdengo:

Other (Amplification):
:manaphy:

(Protosynthesis)

Other (Priority):
:zarude:

(Grassy Glide) :brambleghast:

(Shadow Sneak) :mamoswine:

(Ice Shard) :barraskewda:

(Aqua Jet) :iron-hands:

(Fake Out) :slither-wing:

(First Impression) :ursaluna-bloodmoon:

(Vacuum Wave)

Isaiah · Sep 15, 2023

Greybaum said:
AAA Role Compendium

This is the Role Compendium for the AAA tier. Each Pokemon that is here is viable in the AAA metagame, and as such, it will change as the viability rankings get updated. Feel free to discuss below whether a Pokemon should be added to or removed from a certain role; however, please refrain from discussing the order of a given subsection unless something is completely off.
An asterisk denotes Pokemon that have recently been introduced to the game (or have new moveset additions); their viability is not guaranteed.

Hazard Setters

Stealth Rock:

*

Spikes:

*

Toxic Spikes:

*

Sticky Web:

*

Hazard Control

Defog:

*

Rapid Spin:

*

Other removal:
(Court Change) (Mortal Spin)
*
(Tidy Up)

Spinblockers:

*

Momentum

U-turn:

*

Volt Switch:

*

Flip Turn:

*

Other:
(Chilly Reception)
*
(Parting Shot)

Set-up Sweepers

Swords Dance:

*

Nasty Plot:

*

Bulk Up / Curse:

*

Calm Mind:

*

Other:
(Fiery Dance) (Iron Defense) (Dragon Dance) (Torch Song) (Quiver Dance) (Belly Drum) (Victory Dance) (Shell Smash)
*
(Iron Defense) (Dragon Dance) (Quiver Dance) (Belly Drum) (Shell Smash)

Status Afflictors

Burn - Direct (Will-O-Wisp):

*

Burn - Indirect (Lava Plume/Infernal Parade/Steam Eruption/Scald):

*

Paralysis - Direct (Thunder Wave/Stun Spore/Nuzzle/Zap Cannon):

*

Paralysis - Indirect (Discharge/Thunder):

Bad Poison - Direct (Toxic):

*

Bad Poison - Indirect (Poison Fang):

*

Poison - Direct (Mortal Spin):

Poison - Indirect (Sludge Bomb/Poison Jab):

*

Utility

Knock Off:

*

Wish:

*

Healing Wish:

*

Heal Bell:

*

Wallbreakers

Physical Amplification (Sword of Ruin, Adaptability, Guts, etc.):

Special Amplification (Beads of Ruin, Adaptability, Hadron Engine, etc.):

Magic Guard - Physical:

Magic Guard - Special:

Magic Guard - Mixed:

Weather - Desolate Land:

Weather - Primordial Sea:

Regenerator - Offensive:

Dedicated Walls

Physically Defensive Amplification (Intimidate, Fluffy, etc.):

Specially Defensive Amplification (Vessel of Ruin, Sand Stream etc.):

Regenerator - PhysDef:

Regenerator - SpDef:

Speed Control

Naturally Fast:

Choice Scarfers:

Grassy Glide:
*

Triage:

*

First Impression:

Extreme Speed:

*

Sucker Punch:

*

Jet Punch:

This exists now! It's got a bunch of Pokemon (even some that probably won't be good), so expect it to get cut down over time once the VR develops. For now, just use it as a good quick reference point :]

Iynhe · Jan 3, 2024

A couple Scarves sprites are missing (eg: Gouging Fire: without scarf can't really outspeed Dragonite at +1 lmao)
Really useful though (even with the missing sprites simply analyzing the numbers will show the correct scenario)
Thank you!

Isaiah · Mar 5, 2024

The Role Compendium is now up to date! Thanks to Gimmicky for this version :]

https://www.smogon.com/forums/threa...ompendium-are-up-to-date.3710571/post-9390610

April · 2025-08-25T22:18:24-0400

THE ROLE COMPENDIUM HAS BEEN UPDATED FOR AUGUST 2025! Expect regular updates, especially as we keep an eye on what's going on in AAAPL :]

Resource AAA Role Compendium

April

cheru fan

Isaiah

Here today, gone tomorrow

Iynhe

Isaiah

Here today, gone tomorrow

April

cheru fan