Wanted to share my ideas of the metagame and post some of my own takes on where I see the meta going w a Vr. (warning this is super long)
S Rank:
Tyranitar is of course the best Mon in the tier -- I think it bares repeating, but even if it had no moves or EVs, Tar's sand would be defining in Adv due to pressure it puts on defensive builds. Since we all know this, would like to shoutout the value of Phys defensive Pursuit Tar (something like 248 Hp / 108 Def), as it can fulfill an aero check on those Loom / Mence / Forre teams we've seen running around. I also love bulky Lum DD Grass Tar alongside SubCM Thunder / Ice Jirachi, as it allows you pressure the few things that wall Jirachi while still having a fat TTar in the back for when you need it. Other options I enjoy include Protect, Counter, DD Double Edge, DD Endure Salac, UDTar (I think Fast MixTar could use some resurgence), and CB.
S- Rank: (I think these next two are a cut above the others)
Zapdos is one of the best offense enablers in the tier. I think we've seen the Timid Fast BP die out a bit as people realize the value that SpDef + BP and Twave has on creating offense opportunities. Don't sleep on SubPass either -- one option I've really liked is to combine it w a Focus Punch Gar with enough EVs to live Modest Bliss Ice Beam (248 HP on Zap and 204 SpDef on Gengar will do the trick) so you can get that instant momentum on bliss off of a Skarm/Cune lead as an example. Zap is also one of my favorite options on Forre teams, as its resistances and overall bulk can help save your bliss or celebi against trapping or a rogue MixZap. A cool option I first heard of from Ibidem is to run enough Speed for Ada Hera and Drill Peck, so you're not so vulnerable against Loom and Hera (even Timid 0 Atk Drill Peck OHKOs them) with Rest / Roar or Hp Grass / Tbolt. Fully offensive MixZap is also really awesome too, as you take advantage of those teams that rely on just celebi to be their special wall. Zap + Beat Up dug of course is awesome, but I think people are starting to catch on and not lead mons passive to Zap on their stall teams or run other special walls besides bliss (like pairing it w their own Rest Zap).
Meta is another great offense enabler that also has a lot of defensive versatility. I think its bulk and Explosion is one of the best blanket checks to anything in the tier. Team weak to Starmie after you lost Snorlax? Tank the Hydro and boom on it. Salamence giving you pain? Even max Hp allows you to live any hit and Explode. I personally am really liking the Eq / Tpunch / HP Grass / Explosion set, but I'm also a big fan of CB of course, defensive, and any super fast version (salac or the fast Mix set Cowboy Dan likes). I think Agility is pretty mediocre unless you're running like Smeargle HO w Rock Spam. I think there's some unexplored territory using it as the main Rock resist on some Forre spikes like Marcop used in SPL. Also think its one of the main reasons Mag first starting dropping in usage once people figured out CB Boom killed SpDef skarm and people dropped Protect on Skarm for some reason
A+ Tier:
Like Siglut, I think Celebi belongs up here up at the top of A+ (I don't think people have had it this high since like 2014?). I value versatility pretty highly, and Celebi is one of the most diverse mons in the tier -- Defensive (both SpDef and Phys Def although imo SpDef is better), SuperBi, and CMPass (although I think it has started to be better prepped for) are all great options. Having Leech Seed is such a great tool to force switches, while having the immunity is also very helpful. I think SDPass is a little too inconsistent for my liking -- a lot has to go right to get the pass off, and with Salamence (either CB, or Mix w Roar) being super popular, it is pretty hard to make work beyond the normal inconsistencies of Mag offense. A set I have always enjoyed is CM 2 attacks + Leech seed with a Special wall like Bliss in the back. I enjoy pairing it with Fighters like Yama or Medicham to help them against break through Moltres and Salamence. I think we'll see a bunch more great Celebi builds in the coming year.
I find it hard to put Pert outside of the top 5 in ADV -- even though I love to use other Rock resists, I always come back to Pert in some way due to its insane reliability at its job. I think there are a lot of teams out there cleaved by offensive Pert, although I think the nonbulky (you pretty much need 248 HP) version kinda struggles in the current metagame cause it gets blasted by Aero. Like Eden, my standard is to run the Quiet offensive pert, but I also like EndSalac's ability to break through things Pert should have no ability to get through, like Milo if you cheese w like Swagger. An option I first heard from Asta I like is to try mono Focus Punch w ProTox (perhaps w Surf as well), as you help your Jolt Spikes or other special offense break through Bliss while still giving them some coverage against Rock threats.
Jirachi is another super versatile threat that people have tended to not prepare for as well. A lot of teams really struggle against SubCM Jirachi (especially those super Fat Double Wish stalls and poorly build Forre teams). Defensive Jirachi typically struggles once it takes a Zap TWave, but is still pretty reliable for teams trying to bypass the pain of ZapDug (running SpDef Zap helps here). Superrachi is still a great offensive threat, and physically defensive (either straight up or with CM) can just seem unkillable to some teams. I am not a huge fan of the Mixed set w DynamicPunch as I used to be due to its unreliability, but it is there. Jirachi has seen a rise as people have explored its versatility (can distinctly remember 10 years ago when people only though of Calm Mind sets). I also really enjoy it w DDGrass Tar or w CMPass celebi/Sub Pass Vaporeon -- helps it get through Bliss or any other thing.
A Tier
I am a Mence lover, and really helps to shore your team up against a whole host of threats, most prominently the Fighters and Celebi. Intimidate is also a fantastic tool to help out for weakening threats such as DDTar or Heracross. I think Mixed is probably the in vogue set, but I'm also a big fan of Jolly CB and a fat Protect Wish set (specifically 152 HP / 20 Def / 200 SpA / 136 Spe so you can combat opposing Salamences w Dragon Claw better than the super fat WishProtect set). I think a lot of people have replaced Gar w Mence on their stall teams, as they satisfy the Fighter defensive switch in, but I've had success running them together (like a CB mence aggressively predicting TTar w Brick Break so that Gar can be more free, see my Finals g2 in my set against Mikmer for PP Open 1 as an example for a team). Mence also is a fantastic Breloom partner much like Zard is -- I think we're in peak Mence metagame for now.
And now the Mon people love to shit on, Gengar. I do not prescribe to theory that Gar is washed -- imo any list w Gengar outside the top ten is hard to take seriously. I think Gar is due for a revival -- with Spikes down, nothing is harder to switch into for offensive teams than Taunt Wisp Gengar. Options I really love on it are SpDef Giga Drain, SpDef Taunt Wow Destiny Bond (being able to do your Gengar shenanigans while still removing Tar for something like a SubCune in the back is awesome), double Status, HP Grass, and Hypno Focus Punch. Gar also shores your team up against Fighters with its fast Explosion, while also stopping Celebi from passing w its fast Taunt (although watch out for Psychic). Gengar I think is gonna make a comeback despite Pursuit Tar's high usage, especially since a lot of teams are relying solely on an unreliable trapper to remove it. I think it is also great on Spikeless builds -- Roro ran a fantastic team w Jynx + Dug to remove Tar for Gar to run rampant, and it always is nice to remove Bliss the old fashion way by boom + Dug (even if this is pretty predictable). I also like the linear option of running it on Medi + Meta + Celebi + Star team for that opposing Fighter counter.
Another mon people have loved to bash, Blissey. As someone who used to think Bliss was the second best mon in the tier, I think the key to getting the most out of Blissey's incredible potential is to build properly w it. Having leads that immediately are forced out by Zapdos, not having other options for switching into special threats, and having Bliss be your only way to revenge Mence is a recipe for disaster in the current meta. Bliss's bulk is accentuated w Spikes and Sand up -- even things like SD Pass can be annoyed by Bliss repeatedly clicking Seismic Toss or Ice Beam. Bliss can also shore up a team against mixed attackers, as without Fighting coverage, it can be quite difficult to 2HKO reliably. I think people will start diversifying their special wall slot or run things alongside Bliss, but I think it is still quite reliable. Shout out to Aromatherapy, Toxic Snatch (and Toxic in general), and of course Fire or Electric Bliss.
If you asked me a few months ago, I would have had Skarm in the next tier or even lower, but I've been liking recent builds w it. Skarm is one of the more iconic threats in ADV, as Spikes makes so many mons much greater threats while it is also the former gold standard for physical walling. I really like dropping Roar on Skarm (as long as you can handle Metagross well), as being able to have both the ProTox that made Skarm so good in 2016/2017 while also having Drill Peck for Fighters is great. A set I don't really like right now is YOLOskarm, as Mag is pretty bad in the current metagame and having a Skarm without HP or Special bulk feels painful (a SpDef Gar tbolt does about double the damage) and it is hard to get the spikes up. Like CB Meta boom, I think Taunt Skarm is another reason Mag usage has dropped due to its Spikes preventing utilities.
A- tier:
I think Dug is a very polarizing mon -- on one hand, it is partially responsible for helping make bliss less secure about its metagame placement, while on the other, making a defensive team w only five slots forcing you into predictable defensive builds or missing key utility. However, Dug is undeniably great at simplifying the game -- a lot of top mons are trappable, and being able to trap TTar and then remove Sand for something like a Suicune is fantastic. A pairing I like in the current meta is both Sunny Day Dug + Suicune and the classic Skarm + Dug. Spikes makes it a lot easier to trap the threats you need to. I am not as high on CM Spam w Dug as I was, I personally think the best CM Spams drop Dug to make the team more powerful.
I think the biggest winner of the "Gar sucks" chant is Forre. I'd argue that Forre is the best option in the game for the hazards war -- while not nearly as good as a wall as Skarm, its durability, relative difficulty in trapping, and access to both Spikes and Rapid Spin make it good at getting Spikes up for you an removing them. An option I really like on Forre is Counter, as it helps you out a lot on the phys def side by counter strong attacks while still covering you against Mag to an extent. I think the meta is gonna come for Forre soon, as the same forces in like 2015/2016 that brought Forre back down (like more Fire spam, SpDef Gengar, more offensive threats to take advantage of Forre's lack of offense) could return. But right now, I like it here.
Aero can sometimes just bullshit its way to win games. I think Aero Spikes teams are one of the strongest teams against cheese or other non optimal structures. I think Aero also is pretty underrated defensively -- it stops CM Celebi from passing w HP Bug, is the best nontrapper revenge killer in the game by being faster than everything, it is a pretty good MixMence counter, and can remove DDTar w HP Fighting if you choose to go that route. I wish I could have it higher up, as it just cleaves through people cheating on their defense for more speed, but a well build team can sometimes make Aero feel a little lost. Niche options like Curse or SD pass are nice on specific teams.
I personally have relatively high Suicune usage, but I feel it needs to be all the way down here. Cune can be really awesome w a lot of support, but it is susceptible to a lot of metagame conditions like sand and Spikes. I find offensive Cune w/o rest or Sub to be mediocre -- Resting sets have a ton of potential, but need to be built around. Cune's functional bulk also helps it act a Rock resist if sand isn't up. I love Suicune on Explosion offense, as well as with Sunny Day Dugtrio. I do not like it as much as a replacement to Milotic on Spikes teams unless alongside Aroma Bliss or Heal Bell Celebi even if it has a great Roar and defensive utility on those teams. SubCune also requires a team built around it, but can absolutely devastating w Rain Dance.
I think Lax is due for a rise in the next installment, as people as running teams very weak to good ole curse lax. Forre teams typically only have Ttar to phase it out, as Forre is set up bait for it. I think Curse Boom is great (it can get rid of Skarm, but I like to run it with something else that gets rid of Skarm to take advantage), but I like it alongside Claydol, as it helps you out from being so weak to special threat w sand and Spikes. I think dropping the normal coverage on these sets can be pretty great. A Curse, Rest, EQ lax I think is gonna be the next big metagame adjustment bc those teams people ran in SPL are quite weak to it.
B+ tier:
I'm a huge Claydol spammer. I think it is quite nice get your special wall in against Zapdos without immediately losing it to Dugtrio/getting worn down by Tbolt. There was a period where I had a Claydol, Starmie, or Forretress on every team I build, simply bc the utility of Spin is so high. I do like the double spinner archetype w Forre, Boom spam w Off Claydol, and just good ole Skarm beatdown. An option I'm really liking is to run 248 HP 136 Atk / 112 Def to dodge the 2HKO from Aero Double Edge while still being a threat. It also is a great answer to the Fighters and generally helps keep your Snorlax healthy from Tbolt on Spikeless offense.
Another Mon I use a lot of, Starmie. I think Bolt Star is a little over saturated in the metagame, but it is a quite nice Swampert/Meta answer while still being fast enough for Moltres as well as of course being a great spinner. Be careful about getting trapped by TTar Pursuit (I like a little SpDef on it so this doesn't happen) or blanking your Rapid Spin into Gar when you could have Para'd or hit it. I haven't used an OffStar in quite some time -- I don't think it is bad, but it feels very match up dependent. I think the 3 attacks Spin is pretty mediocre. I do think OffStar is due for a rise, if only Hydro didn't miss.
I love the fire bird. It is definitely a mon that can run into some great matchups -- those Jolt Spikes teams typically really struggle to switch into it (shoutout hclat). Even Milo can struggle to switch into Modest HP Grass w Spikes down (please run Modest on your Moltres). It quite enjoys Bliss's usage dropping. An option I really like on it is Protect, which helps your team be less weak to Aero. Sunny Day + Morning Sun is one of the better weather clearers. I don't really agree that using Zap is better, as Molt's unique ability to shred offensive teams w Fire + Grass + Wow while giving the team a check to Hera is under-appreciated.
Missing Megahorn is such a pain. I feel like it'd be a tier higher if it didn't miss (which it never seems to do against me :( ). Hera is the 6-0 machine though, and is the bane of poorly build defensive teams. It doesn't like being in the Mence era much, but Sub Salac sets clean like few others and CB tears teams apart. I also am a big fan of the Linear bulky set w Thief on it, but not as much as I was a few months ago. It pretty much forces teams to run some kind of Flyer, Gengar, or trap it w Dug lest than want to be annihilated
I think Vaporeon belongs back in OU -- its offensive SubPass set generate momentum like few others while its defensive sets are the bane of Suicune. It lost a great partner in Mr. Mime on MaedPass, but it still is a great Wish mon. A pairing I really like is w Medicham -- passing a 101 HP sub from the lead spot against Bliss is a guaranteed KO on anything in the game w Lefties Medicham. An underrated option I feel is Roar over Ice Beam on the Offensive SubPass set, as Hclat showed last SPL, prevents slow Roar Cune from being a counter. Vaporeon also survives all kinds of dumb stuff at full health, like DD Tar Rock Slide, Mence boosted HP Flying, Zap Tbolt, and others. Defensive Vaporeon needs to be run w a Heal Beller, but is really good at being an alternative option to Milo that shores the team up against Suicune.
Another Mon I think should be OU, Yama is a great option both w offensive and hyper stall options. Pairing it w defensive Star is a great option to help mitigate Skarm without a Magneton. Knock Off is obviously great, and Focus Punch + Coverage hits really hard. Doesn't enjoy the Mence metagame that we're currently in, but Knock + Sand is always a great wallbreaker. Another option I like to help w teams without a good Heracross answer is to run HP Flying, as it takes Megahorns fairly well. I don't think it ever should be your only Rock resist unless you're running a super physically fat Pursuit Tyranitar and Wish support. I think we've already hit peak Hariyama, but it still is a great option
B tier:
Loom has finally gotten its due as a scary Sleep + Fighting option. Being able to almost always get a Spore off is a fantastic ability and its triple Fighting set has really been a boon for teams that drop Gengar for more offensive coverage over the last year+. I think you should always run Jolly -- being able to get Spore off against the 244-252 tier is invaluable. I've experimented w bulky Breloom and thought it was pretty mediocre. I think running other Hidden Powers is quite nice -- running Bug to nail Celebi or Ghost to get Gengar is quite nice. It also helps reduce the dependence on Pursuit Tar. I think we will see an adjustment in the meta to help combat Breloom, but I have been enjoying the innovation like w SubPunch and SD Loom.
I think Milo is a bit ass right now. It of course walls Mixed threats forever, and is awesome alongside Celebi or on any team that needs a lot of threats checked in one slot. However, it is really passive and hard to prevent Metagross from Exploding on a key member. I don't think the offensive sets are are really worth it, and Milo really needs Refresh to not be completely helpless to Toxic. I think pairing it besides another Rock resist is pretty mandatory.
I feel like teams relying on Magneton to remove Skarm or Forre can feel hard to justify in the current meta. I personally think the only Mag worth using is one w Magnet and Forre bulk, as not shoring yourself up against those threats is rather painful. Some teams need it to function, but smart play from Skarm or Forre can make your team getting worn down relatively quickly. I do think Mag has some nice utility as a switch in against CB threats w its resistances as well as forcing damage on Bliss teams w Toxic. I suppose rain support or EndSalac are there, but don't feel very good in the current meta. MagDol also feels like a matchup fish at this point
Flygon is another good Rock resist that isn't affected by Spikes -- however, it primary issue is being OHKOed by so many Ice-type moves. I am a fan of the Rest sets, whereas the offensive sets need quite a bit of support, but can feel fantastic w Pursuit Tar and maybe Mag as well due to its high speed and great coverage. I'm not a huge fan of CB, I like the berry options Hclat has experimented w, but can feel easily walled. I think relying on Flygon to pivot Zapdos can be a fool's errand due to HP Ice, but works well on highly offensive teams that use Zapdos or Jolt as their main special wall.
P2 is quite good at its niche of removing Dug and being prob the game's best counter to Salamence. Its also one of the best Para spreaders. It's bulk is deceptive esp not in sand -- tanking things like Molt Flamethrower, Aero, and Starmie. However, I find that unless it is absolutely needed for Dug removal, it is extremely passive and often can be fulfilled with another mon. Even Gardevoir or Salac Dug can do what P2 does wrt to removing opposing Dug. P2 gives momentum to Meta and Lax while also giving Bliss a super free softboiled. It can also lull teams w multiple Ground weaks into a false sense of security by removing Dug, but then being weak to Spikes or generally being weak to Earthquake.
B- tier:
I feel like Venu's viability is really hurt by the prominence of TWave Zap. I also think that other Venus besides Timid max Speed are viable -- Gacusaur (max Calm special bulk w 252 speed) is also quite nice. I think it was Watermess who said Venu fits only on teams that can really use that extra momentum from Sleep + Seed, and I agree -- looking at my Venu teams, the best partners I found were Forre/Skarm spikes or SubPunch and ZapDug. I think it absolutely needs back up in the special wall slot -- I think this mon could definitely use some more innovation.
I am a big fan of Steelix -- being immune to Aero's Rock Slide and being the best Steel type against both Mag and Dug is quite nice. I think teams like the Forre + Steelix and Gyara + Steelix are quite good, as they give the team options to absorb CB Meta without having to risk the Water. However, despite my love for lix, it is very passive -- games against Skarm teams feel like inexorable Stall walls or force the usage of Magneton. I've been experimenting w Boom teams w Steelix, think it is one of the best BLs.
Jynx is one of the best offensive leads in the metagame -- it immediately forces a trap on TTar and Meta while gaining momentum on all leads except like modest CroCune. I've tried the occasional midgame Jynx, but I feel like most Jynx builds have been optimized pretty well -- you're pretty much required to run Dug, but Jynx can just 6-0 some teams w Ice Beam and HP Fire/Psychic and Calm Mind. Jynx's main problem is the brutal accuracy on Lovely Kiss, sleep RNG, and the prominence of Jolly CB Mence leads, but if you're willing to risk that, Jynx is one of the best options for CM Spam archetypes in the current meta.
I have real problems w Cloy in the current meta. It dies so quickly, and w the reemergence of Claydol, Starmie, and Forretress over the last two years has really hurt Cloy's viability. Cloy forces you to run Gengar for this reason, of which teambuilding feel quite restrictive in making sure everything is covered. However, Cloy is the only Spiker that can't be trapped easily, as well as has less variance than the other two HO Spikers, Smeargle and Yoloskarm. Cloy is also quite good at gaining momentum on bulky waters. Cloy's style also is quite prediction dependent to make sure one gets the most out of its Boom and Spikes combination, and as such, can feel quite inconsistent.
Like Cloy, Zard can feel quite inconsistent -- it is arguably the most prediction heavy non Choice Band Mon in the entire metagame. However, getting the Focus Punch on Tar or Bliss can win games, and if the opponent doesn't have Milo or Suicune, the opportunity can arise frequently. Zard also suffers from Heracross syndrome -- missing Fire Blast on Zapdos or Gengar can be soul crushing at times. I think the Sunny Day Blast Burn set is fun, as well as Beat Up (with or without the gimmicky Fire Spin to trap Bliss). If the meta goes more offensive, definitely looking forward to more Zard.
Again, another very inconsistent mon. I find Jolt Spikes to be very hard to use, as I constantly feel I am one Suicune Hydro Pump or Molt Flamethrower away from losing the game. However, it is undeniable these teams have found success on ladder and in the past. My take on it is to run more bulk -- I've used 144 HP and 8 Sp Def to Tank Suicune's +1 Hydro Pump while running enough speed for Dugtrio. Think Wish is a nice option -- run it alongside things that can take care of Bliss and Spikes.
Medicham is one of the scariest Fighters in the game. Nothing walls Medicham outside of Super Fat ProTox WishMence or maybe Weezing. I think Medi's bulk is rather underrated, as even w a small amount of investment it can live DDTar Eq and Jolly Dug Eq. I think CB is rather bad on Medi despite the insane power -- lefties or even Black Belt or Lum (lures Gengar like a charm) allows you to switch moves and 480 Attack does quite a bit of damage. I think we've seen some nice Medi builds in the metagame, although I think the hype has died down a bit. One of my favorite tools on my bulkier teams
I really struggled where to put Gyarados -- I think it has some good sets like TWave, Taunt HP Rock (pairing it w Knock Off for Skarm is amazing), HP Ghost Gyara, etc. But it is so unbelievably weak even at +1 and is hard countered by Zapdos. Even on SD Pass at +3, Gyara stills struggles to get kills. Teams that it should ravage can typically tank a hit and boom on it or hit it w like TTar Rock Slide. It also almost 100% requires Magneton to function. However, if teams are lacking options for it, it can be quite devastating. I think Rest DD bulky Gyara is pretty bad right now, but I would love to be wrong.
C+ Tier:
Despite recently dropping to BL, Ice man can be effective w the right support. It is great as a back up special wall and likes Dug support for its pathetically weak Explosion to get the trap on Bliss. It does a good job spreading Twave and hitting things hard w Ice Beam. Being weak to TTar and Meta really shafts its viability, however.
Smeargle is main HO Spiker in the metagame (I think it is a lot better than Yoloskarm). Infinite options and access to Spore help teams built around Rock spam + Agiligross function. I think previous iterations of the metagame w BP allowed on it were a lot more favorable for it, but it's got a decent Speed tier and just enough bulk to tank hits and activate that Salac to get off a STAB Boom, Spikes, or really whatever it wants.
I think Armaldo has a lot of unexplored territory both w other options and in teams. Knock Off is always excellent and it has a great offensive typing. It of course is the best Snorlax counter in the game w Harden, but it also can use HP Bug to OHKO offensive Celebi while being deceptively bulky. The mons that hurt its viability are not as good, with the exception of Metagross. Be on the lookout for it
Kingdra Rain can be quite good if built around it. Think it is a great receiver for CM Pass Celebi. Like Sub on it, as well as HP Grass to not have to risk HPump's horrible accuracy. While Kingdra's bulky, it can be hard to justify letting the cleaner take a big hit to revenge like a DDTar for example. Think Kingdra isn't as viable as it used to be, but still can be effective.
I love Raikou, but I think the hype behind Lead Toxic has worn off and we're left w all the normal Raikou problems. Sub CM can sweep w the best of them if it receives a CM Pass from Celebi, and the rogue CMRest can be quite nice w support. Still think it is quite effective in the right match up, however.
Blaziken hype has definitely worn off from last SPL -- it still is a Big 5 killer that can quite some damage behind a Sub. An underrated option that Asta showed me was max attack Focus Punch -- being able to 2HKO Milo behind a sub is quite impressive. Think it really didn't like Zapdos running a lot of bulk as the standard, but it still can be effective in the right match up against standard TSS.
I used to be a big Weezing fan, but I now find it pretty hard to build with. I liked it on Boom offense w Naughty HP Fighting, Fire Blast, and Wow, but it can feel difficult to use. I found Gar to just work better in the slot I used Weezing unless I really needed help against Drill Peck Skarm. I think Taunt can still be effective, and it of course has a much stronger boom and physical bulk than Gengar.
Donphan needs so much support to be usable -- pursuit trapper for Gar, Magneton, special wall, etc. But it is the best DDTar counter in the game (besides Groudon lol) and can be quite effective against Aero Spikes teams. Don't think the metagame has really affected it all that much -- might see a comeback if CurseLax sees a resurgence.
Umbreon pretty much only fits if you want a Pursuiter that doesn't bring sand or you want to use a physical ttar. It is quite good at its niche -- it pretty guarantees Gengar's removal next time it comes in if you switch into WoW and it hits if you're smart and invest in SpA. I find my Umbreon teams typically can struggle against the classic Gar + OffStar combo if I don't run a Heal Beller. You can also be cheeky and run Vapicuno's Mean Look pass too, be on the lookout for that.
That other Pursuiter. Like Umbreon, run Houndoom if you want to run a physical Tar or don't want sand. However, unlike Umbreon, Houndoom fulfills almost no defensive niche, so it is more restrictive in terms of team building. On the other hand, Houndoom's Pursuit is much stronger than both Umbreon and Ttar's, so it can actually remove SpDef Gar instead of chipping it w a good roll. I think there are some under-explored options on Doom like Beat Up, but it feels so restrictive to build w you might not ever see those options.
Registeel is infuriating to play against -- it never dies and has Counter if you try to use physical moves on it then Rests off the damage while spreading Paralysis. It pretty much only fits on hyper stall teams w Forretress, but its defensive utility is undeniable. I've seen curse + boom sets, but I've had a hard time fitting them, although definitely theorymonned them as a back up special wall if curse + boom lax dies.
Like Hclat, I also see Scizor as more of a Fighting mon than as a Bug mon. It can definitely match up fish for someone who doesn't know what's up w the EndSalac Reversal. I also think it can be a decent CB mon w Baton Pass acting like U-Turn for Mag to switch in. I think the SD passer can have some viability on hyper offense. At the same time, I don't think it is consistent at all and that HP Bug is doing very little damage otherwise.
C Tier:
Cross Chop accuracy makes me hate this mon. I swear its like 60% accurate and misses at the worst possible times. I think it's only really viable as either Bulk Up or CB. I liked Linear's teams w it -- it is enormously powerful if you can predict well as well as being deceptively bulky with investment. If only No Guard was in Adv...
The fish! I think Lanturn has become underrated after it was overrated over the summer. I'm not a huge fan, but it can be effective in the right circumstances. I typically just set up on it w Suicune or just kind of ignore its coverage, but it is absolutely a great Starmie counter and Volt Absorb is quite helpful. It is good when you don't want to be so passive against special threats.
Marowak is prob the best Speed pass recipient in ADV -- almost every good adv player has been swept by this getting Speed passed from Ninjask or Zapdos on the ladder. It also fits on some defensive teams as a breaker w Para support. Can live some weak attacks, but this thing took a hit to its viability once Mime got banned.
I think Eggy is the most underrated mon in ADV. Sleep + Boom is always a good combo, and it has a good movepool with options like Wish and of course the standard Psy / Grass / Fire coverage. Eggy really made me appreciate how good Celebi's stats are, because even to live Dug's HP Bug, you need insane investment. It is prob best to run speed for base 70 creep, enough bulk for Swampert ice beam, and then put the rest in SpA. Can be a good option for some Spikeless offenses.
Linear showed us all how effective Jumpluff Spikes can be after I think UD theorymonned this Poke. Still think it only really fits on very specific teams, but in that niche (preventing set up w Encore, Sleep, SubSeed) it is bar none the best at it.
Demon bug! I think Ninjask is probably going to eventually get banned, but it is undeniably the best Dugtrio punisher in the game and definitely the best Speed passer. I can't tell how many times I raged at this thing when I lost my Sand Veil (RIP Cacturne and Gligar in these rankings) req accounts to teams w this thing. Maybe the Mime banning will finally be what's needed for this thing not to be awful?
Dusclops is so bad. I have tried to make this thing work in modern ADV, but it is just so uniquely bad, I don't know how to justify running this over Gengar or even alongside it if you Destiny Bond the Tar. I think the Snatch Wow Thief set is pretty cool, as is the attack invested set w Shadow Ball Wow Pain Split and Focus Punch. But its so unbelievably slow and weak -- I guess that Sean B guy annoys me w it whenever I play him on ladder.
Good ole Zammer. Zam has an awesome movepool, a great Speed tier, and SpA stat. It can be quite effective w four attacks, Knock off, or a Calm Mind. So what gives? It just has no defensive niche whatsoever. It has to risk the speed tie w Dug. I have seen it work on some Jolt Spikes and as a kinda pseudo suicide lead for Dug, but Jynx or Raikou just do that way better. If it had Magic Guard and Focus Sash, I could see it be amazing like in BW, but it instead sucks in ADV.
Gardevoir can actually be kind of effective -- it is a much more offensive Dug trapper w Trace and can be annoying w Taunt, Salac, and Destiny Bond. Pokology stalled the shit out of me w a ProTox Wish specially defensive Gardevoir. It is pretty decent option that prob needs some more exploring.
I swear every time I try to make Ludicolo work as a rain sweeper or as a bulky leech seed attacker, it disappoints me. I just find it to be too weak or too frail to do anything of note. I know some people love it, but count me out.
Camel! I'll repeat what I said in the earlier thread -- a Ground-type that can't counter TTar and is immediately removed by ZapDug is rather hard to build around. It is quite nice that it is a great counter to Defensive Zap and Gengar. It also has Explosion and good offensive stats. But it is so unbelievably slowwwwwwwwww. Previous iterations of the metagame were kinder to it.
Everything else really isn't worth using (like Slaking or Rhydon) or I haven't really experimented w it enough to comment (like Miltank, Dragonite, Solrock, or Politoed). Seen them on ladder, though.
Thanks for reading!