Battle Spot Singles Role Compendium

[dogknees]

Draft by Dogknees, QC'd by cant say + Noved. Credit to p2 for thread layout and idea.
Approved by cant say. Banner graciously provided by blazenix, thanks again man!
​

Welcome to the SM Battle Spot Singles Role Compendium! The purpose of this thread is to provide a visual list of what roles Pokemon fulfill in the current metagame. Ideally, the thread will help players of any skill level in finding Pokemon that fulfill their team when searching for specific roles, as well as assisting in encouraging players to use a wider array of Pokemon in their building. Pokemon selection withing the Role Compendium is based on both viability and general performance in the current metagame, however all Pokemon are ordered alphabetically. Check out The Pokemon Dictionary if you don't understand what a certain term means!​

Guidelines​

• All users are allowed to post nominations, but must be done so with a logical point of view.

• When nominating, check out the SM Battle Spot Single Viability Thread for a general guideline of what's viable. Note however that some exceptions will be made.

• If you feel as if something is not the role it is listed, feel free to mention so, but along the same kind of guidelines as if you were nominating a Pokemon. Think of it as a reverse nomination.

• Keep in mind that the metagame constantly changes from season to season, so expect both subtle and major changes to be made!

• Thanks everybody, enjoy the resource!

 

[dogknees]

Available Mega Pokemon
Viable:

Niche:

Nonviable / Gimmicky:

Wallbreakers
Physical:

Special:

Mixed:

Walls
Physically defensive:

Specially defensive:

Mixed:

Pivots
Offensive:

Defensive:

Both:

Field Modification
Stealth Rock:

Toxic Spikes:

Sticky Web:

Aurora Veil:

Light Screen:

Reflect:

Both:

Status Abusers:
Toxic:

Will-O-Wisp:

Thunder Wave:

Sleep:

(Hypnosis)

(Yawn)

(Spore)

(Sleep Powder)


Baton Pass users:

(Speed Boost)

(Minimize)

(Extreme Evoboost)

Phasers:
Roar:

Whirlwind:

Assault Vest Users

Assault Vest:

Focus Sash Users

Focus Sash:

Choice Item Users

Band:

specs:

Scarf:

Trappers:
Shadow tag:

Pursuit:

Magma Storm:

OHKO Move Users:
Fissure:

Sheer Cold:

Horn Drill:

Guillotine:

Evasion Users:
Minimize:

Trick Room:
Setters:

Abusers:

Weather
Rain:

Sand:

Sun:

Hail:

Priority

(Water Shuriken)

(Extreme Speed)

(Mach Punch)

(Shadow Sneak)

(Sucker Punch)

(Ice Shard)

(Bullet Punch)

(Prankster)

(Fake Out)

(Vacuum Wave)

(Aqua Jet)

Setup Sweepers
Swords Dance:

Dragon Dance:

Calm Mind:

Nasty Plot:

Agility / Autotomize / Rock Polish:

Other:

(Flame Charge)

(Hone Claws)

(Quiver Dance)

(Power Up Punch)

(Shell Smash)

(Contrary)

(Belly Drum)

(Z Conversion)

(Tail Glow)

(Extreme Evoboost)

(Curse / Belly Drum)

(Moody)

Z Moves:

(Normalium Z)

(Belly Drum)

(Z Conversion, Hyper Beam)

(Firium Z)

(Fire Blast)

(Flare Blitz / Overheat)

(Overheat)

(Waterium Z)

(Hydro Pump)

(Liquidation)

(Razor Shell)

(Flynium Z)

(Hurricane)

(Fly)

(Drill Peck / Brave Bird)

(Bounce)

(Grassium Z)

(Wood Hammer / Horn Leech)

(Solar Beam)

(Leaf Blade)

(Grass Knot)

(Electrium Z)

(Thunderbolt)

(Dragonium Z)

(Outrage)

(Draco Meteor)

(Groundium Z)

(Earthquake)

(Fightinium Z)

(High Jump Kick)

(Focus Blast)

(Superpower)

(Sacred Sword)

(Rockium Z)

(Stone Edge)

(Rock Wrecker / Stone Edge)

(Icium Z)

(Haze)

(Psychium Z)

(Psychic)

(Hypnosis)

(Steelium Z)

(Iron Head)

(Smart Strike)

(Darkinium Z)

(Dark Pulse)

(Night Slash)

(Ghostium Z)

(Shadow Ball)

(Shadow Claw / Curse)

(Tapunium Z)

(Nature's Madness)

(Primarium Z)

(Sparkling Aria)

(Play Rough)

 

[dogknees]

Reserved

 

[4lexander3]

So, first: Great work you guys did!! :)
Some things I'd add:

Sash: Landog

Grassium Z: Volcarona (Giga Drain, Solar Beam)
Normalium Z: Cloyster (Giga Impact), Volcarona (Hyper Beam)
Waterium Z: Cloyster (Hydropump)
Flynium Z: Gyarados (Bounce), Landog (Fly)
Electrium Z: Blaziken (Thunder Punch)
Psychium Z: Thundurus-Therian (Psychic)

Z-Celebrate: Greninja

Trick Room Abusers: Alolan-Marowak

Rain Abuser: Omastar

Mega Blastoise is missing at the Available Megas.

And some categories you might add are Phasers and good Substitute user.

But again, very good Thread, ty for it :D

 

[a0161613]

Nice list.

I would add a fake out list (Kangaskhan & Smeargle)

I'd also suggest that status abusers (Glare Serperior, Toxic P2 etc) get their own spot.

 

[Nelson Tangela]

Add the cant say special, Moody Glalie, to Evasion Users imo.
If it deserves a mention under OHKO Move Users and Wallbreakers, Moody Glalie should also be listed under Evasion threats. Fishing for those Evasion boosts is like the most annoying thing about it.

Add Lapras to Ice Shard Priority users. It is not common, but if it deserves a mention as a Sheer Cold threat, it also deserves a mention as an Ice Shard threat. More Lapras run Ice Shard than Sheer Cold.

Add Muk-A to pivots imo. It's one of the best Pokémon to throw into Ghost-types for one.

Add Aegislash to pivots.

Maybe add a Speed Boost category to Setup Sweepers and mention Blaziken there. Swords Dance is not what makes Blaziken worth using. Speed Boost is.

Maybe add a Substitute category to Setup Sweepers.

Maybe add a Weakness Policy category to Setup Sweepers.

Maybe add a Beast Boost category to Setup Sweepers.

Intimidate deserves its own category.

 

[dogknees]

So, first: Great work you guys did!! :)
Some things I'd add:

Sash: Landog

Grassium Z: Volcarona (Giga Drain, Solar Beam)
Normalium Z: Cloyster (Giga Impact), Volcarona (Hyper Beam)
Waterium Z: Cloyster (Hydropump)
Flynium Z: Gyarados (Bounce), Landog (Fly)
Electrium Z: Blaziken (Thunder Punch)
Psychium Z: Thundurus-Therian (Psychic)

Z-Celebrate: Greninja

Trick Room Abusers: Alolan-Marowak

Rain Abuser: Omastar

Mega Blastoise is missing at the Available Megas.

And some categories you might add are Phasers and good Substitute user.

But again, very good Thread, ty for it :D

Adding in Bounce Gyarados, the rest are too niche / simply don't have enough usage to make them worth adding. Thanks though!

Nice list.

I would add a fake out list (Kangaskhan & Smeargle)

I'd also suggest that status abusers (Glare Serperior, Toxic P2 etc) get their own spot.

There is fake out under the priority section. Smeargle is also pretty much irrelevant outside of webs / spore, so i won't be adding in fake out. Also status abusers is an extremely splashable term; there's too much variety in those to make a section out of it. Thanks for the suggestions though!

 

[Nelson Tangela]

Also status abusers is an extremely splashable term; there's too much variety in those to make a section out of it. Thanks for the suggestions though!

I highly disagree with this.

In a metagame without Sleep Clause, with Hex Mega Gengar and random Toxic or Will-O-Wisp users that can cripple tanks and win whole games that way, status does deserve its own section.

Porygon2 is a great Aegislash switchin, until it runs into Toxic.

Landorus-T is a great Charizard X switchin, until it runs into Will-O-Wisp.

Charizard is a great Ferrothorn switchin, until it runs into Thunder Wave.

Ferrothorn is a great Suicune switchin, until Scald does Scald things...

...

 

[dogknees]

Add the cant say special, Moody Glalie, to Evasion Users imo.
If it deserves a mention under OHKO Move Users and Wallbreakers, Moody Glalie should also be listed under Evasion threats. Fishing for those Evasion boosts is like the most annoying thing about it.

Add Lapras to Ice Shard Priority users. It is not common, but if it deserves a mention as a Sheer Cold threat, it also deserves a mention as an Ice Shard threat. More Lapras run Ice Shard than Sheer Cold.

Add Muk-A to pivots imo. It's one of the best Pokémon to throw into Ghost-types for one.

Add Aegislash to pivots.

Maybe add a Speed Boost category to Setup Sweepers and mention Blaziken there. Swords Dance is not what makes Blaziken worth using. Speed Boost is.

Maybe add a Substitute category to Setup Sweepers.

Maybe add a Weakness Policy category to Setup Sweepers.

Maybe add a Beast Boost category to Setup Sweepers.

Intimidate deserves its own category.

While ice shard is on lapras, it's hardly worth noting. The niche in lapras itself is sheer cold, not ice shard. While it does technically fulfil the category, it's simply not worth noting (despite what usage suggests).
Muk-A, will consider.
Aegislash was originally on pivots but was removed. Everyone knows that speed boost is what makes Blaziken worth using, though just gaining the speed doesn't really let it sweep. It's the attack boost in tandem with that which makes blaziken both hard hitting and fast (in addition to this, you're not going to sweep with stabs + hidden power coverage). W
Sub is part of a setup, but it doesn't help the mon break any particular threats. There isn't anything that utilises sub alone to sweep without some other sort of boosting move (eg how both hone claws metagross and calm mind suicune), so this doesn't really fit in setup sweepers.
Weakness Policy, will consider.
Beast Boost is more of a snowball effect imo rather than something that you setup with and sweep. Depends how you interpret it, so i'll have a think about this one as well.
Intimidate, will also consider.

I highly disagree with this.

In a metagame without Sleep Clause, with Hex Mega Gengar and random Toxic or Will-O-Wisp users that can cripple tanks and win whole games that way, status does deserve its own section.

Porygon2 is a great Aegislash switchin, until it runs into Toxic.

Landorus-T is a great Charizard X switchin, until it runs into Will-O-Wisp.

Charizard is a great Ferrothorn switchin, until it runs into Thunder Wave.

Ferrothorn is a great Suicune switchin, until Scald does Scald things...

...

Aegislash vs p2, I can agree with. Lando can still lose to Zard X depending on both the lando and zard x set, so that's a bit controversial. Zard is still a fine ferro switchin even with twave since ferro is still forced out so you can get the free boost, plus majority of the time you're going to come in on it using rocks or vs choice band. The ferrothorn + suicune argument is irrelevant since scald is not something that makes a mon a status abuser.

 

[Nelson Tangela]

While ice shard is on lapras, it's hardly worth noting. The niche in lapras itself is sheer cold, not ice shard. While it does technically fulfil the category, it's simply not worth noting (despite what usage suggests).

Three out of the current top seven Pokémon are highly weak to Ice Shard (Garchomp, Salamence, Landorus). Lapras has STAB on it. Are you serious, dude?

Aegislash was originally on pivots but was removed.

Why? That typing alone makes it the definition of an offensive pivot...

Everyone knows that speed boost is what makes Blaziken worth using, though just gaining the speed doesn't really let it sweep. It's the attack boost in tandem with that which makes blaziken both hard hitting and fast (in addition to this, you're not going to sweep with stabs + hidden power coverage).

Blaziken used Baton Pass. Your argument failed.

Sub is part of a setup, but it doesn't help the mon break any particular threats. There isn't anything that utilises sub alone to sweep without some other sort of boosting move (eg how both hone claws metagross and calm mind suicune), so this doesn't really fit in setup sweepers.

Substitute Aegislash breaks Porygon2.
Substitute Gyarados breaks Leech Seed threats and revenge killers.
Substitute Gengar breaks revenge killers.
Heatran uses Substitute so much to beat things that it can easily be called a Setup move on a Setup Sweeper.

Beast Boost is more of a snowball effect imo rather than something that you setup with and sweep. Depends how you interpret it, so i'll have a think about this one as well.

Many of the UBs rely on boosting moves to sweep, but they can still do it with a Beast Boost boost if they don't get the chance to use the move in the first place. I'd list it.

Lando can still lose to Zard X depending on both the lando and zard x set, so that's a bit controversial.

90% of battles come down to "depending on the movesets".

Zard is still a fine ferro switchin even with twave since ferro is still forced out so you can get the free boost, plus majority of the time you're going to come in on it using rocks or vs choice band.

Battle Spot is not a 1vs1 format. Of course Ferrothorn is shitting its pants against a paralyzed Charizard, but Ferrothorn's teammates might be throwing a party...

"Majority of the time" is a very weak argument imo.

The ferrothorn + suicune argument is irrelevant since scald is not something that makes a mon a status abuser.

I'm done. lol

 

[WallaceTheChampion]

Why not list Incineroar as Assault Vest user? I know its not the strongest Assault Vest User around but it is Incineroar's only viable set i guess. The Incineroar set that Theorymon used to win Battle Spot Special S1 is the best set to use in combination with Assault Vest and helped me in a lot of battles. with 252 HP EVS and 252 SP.Def EVS Incineroar is then a really bulky tank on the Special side.

 

[Solerme]

I'd make the Entry Hazard division a little wider, calling it Supporters and adding Screens setters / Status abusers and maybe the typical phazers.

Being aware, for example, of a sub toxic aegislash or of a dual screen tapu koko could deeply influence your decision making when choosing the three pokemon imo.

 

[GateCreeper]

How is Gliscor a Physical Wallbreaker in this format? Is there some new SD set that's been in use recently that I haven't seen? I'd take it out of there imo.

Also, I'd argue that Rotom-H and Rotom-W can be both offensive and defensive pivots as well. Z-move and Choice sets are very viable on the two of them and that serves as an offensive pivot more than a defensive one.

Seems kind of iffy putting Breloom in the SD section if it's pretty low on usage. Same goes for Landorus-T too.

 

[NOVED]

How is Gliscor a Physical Wallbreaker in this format? Is there some new SD set that's been in use recently that I haven't seen? I'd take it out of there imo.

Also, I'd argue that Rotom-H and Rotom-W can be both offensive and defensive pivots as well. Z-move and Choice sets are very viable on the two of them and that serves as an offensive pivot more than a defensive one.

Seems kind of iffy putting Breloom in the SD section if it's pretty low on usage. Same goes for Landorus-T too.

Guillotine is what it uses to break walls.

 

[DragonWhale]

A few changes I'd suggest:

I wouldn't consider slowbro, scizor, and lucario viable megas. They're moreso niche.

Add a baton pass role. Maybe in the parentheses add what they usually pass.

Add moody to setup sweepers. That's the primary role of glalie.

I don't think we should include moody in evasion. It's way too random/inconsistent to consider evasion as glalie's role.

Speed boost: there's really only two pokemon that actually sweep with only speed boost and that's blaziken and sharpedo (even if they're both a bit ineffective without offensive boosts). The rest is not worth adding to sweepers but rather add them to bp. I guess just put it as parentheses.

I wouldn't consider beast boost to have a place in a role compedium. You don't put UBs on a team because they have beast boost. They most likely fill a more important role for your team. The ability is just a bonus.

Agree with status users deserving a slot. You use toxic explicitly to fill the role of crippling your opponent's tank, you use para explicitly to cripple your opponent's fast mons, you use wow to cripple physical attackers etc.

I'm not too sold on having scald there honestly.

Also Nelson Tangela there's no reason to be so passive aggressive in this thread. Cool it please.

 

[The Squash]

This is a pretty nice list, but I have a few suggestions:

-Add Mega Audino and Pidgeot as niche megas, since their mega stones are currently available (but they aren't very good)
-Kartana could potentially be added to the list of vacuum wave users (Vacuum Wave is currently #8 most used move on Kartana)
-Add Primarina to the priority users because of Aqua Jet (currently #3 most used move on Primarina)

I also like Solerme's idea of adding screen setters.

 

[DragonWhale]

We shouldn't add bad megas just because they exist. We should probably remove Pinsir and Aerodactyl too.

 

[dogknees]

Many changes have been made!

changes

1. Slowbro + Scizor moved to niche megas, added unviable / gimmicky megas and moved some there.
2. Primarina added as an aqua jet user.
3. Mega Steelix added as a trick room abuser.
4. Glalie added to setup sweepers via moody.
5. Light Screen + Reflect + Aurora Veil users added.
6. Status abusers added.
7. Phasers added.
8. Baton pass users added.
9. Poisonium Z added with Pyukumuku as the only user.
10. Landours-Therian taken out of Swords Dance users.
11. Trapping section added.
12. Gigalith added to sand setters.

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, but please be patient with me here! It's difficult to always be the devil's advocate lol. A lot of the stuff that is added / removed gets discussed first, since we need to try and make this thread as accurate as possible. There are a few things i'm going to discuss with people, so maybe expect some changes in the coming days. Feel free to post your thoughts on the changes made as well!

Thanks guys

 

[Purgatory]

As much as I adore Suicune, I wouldn't use him for OHKO-move-spam, because his Sheer Cold acc is only 20%. That seems unviable, even if he is bulky as all heck.

Otherwise, the list looks awesome to me. Thanks for the hard work!

 

[dogknees]

As much as I adore Suicune, I wouldn't use him for OHKO-move-spam, because his Sheer Cold acc is only 20%. That seems unviable, even if he is bulky as all heck.

Otherwise, the list looks awesome to me. Thanks for the hard work!

All OHKO moves are 30% accuracy. And yeah, while you're literally playing a game of RNG, the idea is that you can spam sheer cold over and over again with suicune and pressure literally anything your opponent has. Nothing (bar focus sash / sturdy) wants to switch in against a sheer cold at the risk of it hitting. Because suicune can fit the role of a OHKO move user, and because it holds good viability in the metagame, we added it in. I hope that makes sense!

And thanks very much, glad you like the lost!

Edit: I was just informed about the nerf of water mons using sheer cold (rip, I look like an idiot now). While this does change the sheer cold game for suicune dramatically, it's still a viable option, though the least viable out of the OHKO options. There is always room to move though, we'll see how the meta develops before making a decision as to whether it should be removed or not :]

 

[Purgatory]

Edit: I was just informed about the nerf of water mons using sheer cold (rip, I look like an idiot now). While this does change the sheer cold game for suicune dramatically, it's still a viable option, though the least viable out of the OHKO options. There is always room to move though, we'll see how the meta develops before making a decision as to whether it should be removed or not :]

The change really only affects Smeargle, Suicune and Kyogre, and the information online isn't very clear. I ran a little over a hundred tests in the Battle Tree with a Sheer Cold Suicune, and it did net me a lot of BP:s, and a lot of fun, but a dissapointing conclusion that Sheer Cold has only around 22% accuracy when used by a non-ice type. A more reputable member here did the same and got results showing a slightly-below 20% accuracy, and he did well over 500 tries IIRC. The common conclusion seems to be 20% accuracy, but this wasn't implemented in Showdown last time I checked, and the info is ambiguous on the usual online resources (i.e. Serebii, Bulbapedia etc.)

 

[4lexander3]

Serperior can learn both, Light Screen and Reflect.
The Rotoms are offensive as well as defensive Pivots imo.

Why not list Incineroar as Assault Vest user? I know its not the strongest Assault Vest User around but it is Incineroar's only viable set i guess. The Incineroar set that Theorymon used to win Battle Spot Special S1 is the best set to use in combination with Assault Vest and helped me in a lot of battles. with 252 HP EVS and 252 SP.Def EVS Incineroar is then a really bulky tank on the Special side.

I wouldn't call it the only viable set. Prebank I had pretty good success with an Incinium Z Set with DLariat, FB, Taunt and Sub because it was very Anti-Meta. You could tank an Koko Tbolt and Ohko w/ a little bit prior dmg, you could tank an specs Lele Moonblast and ohko, you could tank an Bonemerang and so on. You could also shut down Celesteela and Aegislash.
But in general I wouldn't add Incineroar to anything. Postbank it is just too bad.


But I'd still like to see a List if common Substitute-Users. I'd add Landog, Aegi, Breloom, MMence, Mimikyu, Glalie, Gliscor, Gengar, Celesteela, Gyarados, Heatran, Tapu Bulu and maybe Volcarona.

 

[dogknees]

Serperior can learn both, Light Screen and Reflect.
The Rotoms are offensive as well as defensive Pivots imo.

I wouldn't call it the only viable set. Prebank I had pretty good success with an Incinium Z Set with DLariat, FB, Taunt and Sub because it was very Anti-Meta. You could tank an Koko Tbolt and Ohko w/ a little bit prior dmg, you could tank an specs Lele Moonblast and ohko, you could tank an Bonemerang and so on. You could also shut down Celesteela and Aegislash.
But in general I wouldn't add Incineroar to anything. Postbank it is just too bad.


But I'd still like to see a List if common Substitute-Users. I'd add Landog, Aegi, Breloom, MMence, Mimikyu, Glalie, Gliscor, Gengar, Celesteela, Gyarados, Heatran, Tapu Bulu and maybe Volcarona.

I don't think that the rotoms are offensive pivots. If we have a look at the smogon definition of both an offensive and defensive pivot...

"An offensive pivot will force a switch by threatening KO on the opponent, thus obtaining momentum, whereas a defensive pivot will be difficult to break past, and thus will slow the opponent's momentum.

So yeah, rotom (both wash and heat) don't really threaten to KO many pokemon, so i don't think they can be added as offensive pivots.
As for sub users, there really aren't pokemon that don't use sub to assist in a primary role. For example, gengar uses sub to help its primary role of trapping. Glalie uses a sub to help its primary role of sweeping via moody. Aegi and Celesteela use a sub because it fits their subtoxic role (note they're already under the status abuser section for toxic). Overall, i find sub a lot more of a backup move rather than a primary means to focus on. Granted it is essential in some roles, but those roles are covered for under the compendium already.

If anyone else has thoughts on this, please share them! I'm open minded and would happily change my opinion with enough reason to do so

 

[Vif-Argent]

Can I suggest Azumarill as an Aqua-Jet user? It's in more than 90% of Azu sets, along with Play Rough. While not being the threat it was in ORAS, Azu is a powerful wallbreaker. At +6 a priority like Aqua-Jet can clean the match lategame.

 

[Hulavuta]

dogknees noved and I both agree that Rotoms are certainly pivots, and that is their main role. They come in on stuff like Mamowswine, Azumarill, Landorus-T, Hippowdon (ok really all Ground-types) and Zard-Y for Rotom-H. They do threaten them with their STAB moves and their defensive typing. They then gain momentum by forcing the opponent to switch out, which they can take advantage of with Volt Switch. So I think they should be added.

edit: offensive btw