Lower Tiers World Cup 2025
Art by Waruchuu
Hosted by bellchime, Akeras, etern, Rarelyme, and July
After a long wait we are happy to announce the Power Rankings of first iteration of Lower Tiers World Cup. The aim is for this tour to be a current-gen focused tour which provides higher quality games than the usual lower tier subforum world cups and allows lower tier players to experience representing their countries. There is no better way to boost players ego or give them some added motivation to prove people wrong than to present power rankings! Special Shoutout to Tuthur for doing a great part in helping these and shout outs to Lustre and adorluigi for GP checks. Rest of the shoutouts and special thanks to all the various writers credited section wise in this post.
written by Ming549 feen
1) Europe - TheFranklin (1) and Drud (14)
Leading the charge for team Europe is tier leader TheFranklin as well as tour mainstay Drud. After his tremendous 2024 campaign that resulted in a circuit championship for TheFranklin, he has continued his strong play in 2025 where he most recently led his RUPL team, The Tenacious Technicians, to finals off the back of an impressive 6-3 record in the ultra-competitive Bo3 slot and qualified with a bye for the most recent edition of the RU ladder tour. Drud, although less involved with RU as a whole, has also been keeping busy in 2025 with winning the first edition of the RU homefield advantage tournament. With these two titans combined, Europe is looking scary as always going into pools.
2) US Northeast - Ming549 (9) and robjr (7)
Robjr is an extremely consistent tournament player whose last stint in the tier was RUPL, where he had a disappointing record of 1-4. But don't let that be hisonly underlying factor, since he had an impressive record of 6-4 in SCL. Ming549, while a mainstay name for RU now, is still a relatively newer player, mainly credited for bringing some of the wackiest teams ever. From Thief Fezandipiti to bringing Rain in game five of seasonals finals, he's not afraid of thinking outside the box. Whether he can match the builder heat with in-game skills is yet to be seen. With a rather average record of 2-2 in the recent RUPL, the Minger has much to prove, but his opponents will regret if they do not take Ming as a threat.
3) Bangladesh - feen (2) and Sir Tetris (18)
Led by the resident tier leader himself, Bangladesh finds itself sporting a formidable core of feen and Sir Tetris. Beyond just leading the tier, feen has also found himself on a hot streak as of late, putting together an impressive 6-1 record in the most recent edition of RUPL. Also representing team Bangladesh is Sir Tetris. After a somewhat lackluster 2024 where he went 1-2 in RUWC and 1-3 in RUBD, Tetris will be looking for a bit of a reset as he hopes to find victory for his country.
4) United Kingdom - Master Chief (5) and MachJacob (17)
Having been unable to recruit RU extraordinaire stresh for this tour, team UK had to instead settle for their second best option, the #1 best poser on the site, Master Chief. When he's not committing egregious Feliburn identity fraud and deceiving Feli's LatAm teammates, Master Chief is a strong pilot and builder who has seen tremendous recent success having managed his RUPL team, the Party-crashing Pranksters, to the number one seed with a strong 18-13 overall SV record during that tournament. Alongside him is British brother in arms MachJacob, an RU mainer who recently made his RUPL debut, finishing with a 3-4 record. The past year has been one of ups and downs for Machjacob. After a disappointing 1-4 performance in last year's RUWC, MJ bounced back to secure a pristine 4-1 record during RUBD. He will be looking to solidify his standing within the community with another hopefully strong performance.
5) Canada - LBN (10) and TyCarter (16)
Team Canada finds itself spearheaded by the Winter Seasonal winner himself LBN and rounded out by the jack of all tiers TyCarter. Known for his exotic taste in building and coming off a tremendous winter seasonal win followed by a 5-2 stint in RUPL, LBN has all the momentum coming into this tour and is looking to keep it rolling for team Canada. From DPP OU to BW RU, TyCarter has made a name for himself for the sheer number of random tiers that he plays, this time finding himself in SV RU. Although not exactly familiar with the tier in recent times, the combination of his meticulous prep as well as support from the likes of LBN and Sneakyplanner has him well positioned to make a splash this tour.
6) France - Pepeduce (15) and PokemonCestDur (12)
After an extended hiatus, French phenom Pepeduce has entered back into the RU arena, joined this time by his countryman PokemonCestDur. With a reputation that precedes him, Pepeduce is one of the all-time most electric frenchmen to pick up the RU sticks. However, after years missing from the scene and a notable distaste for SV as a generation, the question remains whether he will be able to make a return to form for his country. PokemonCestDur meanwhile is a name with more notable recent results in the RU tier, most recently having earned a 2-3 record in RUPL XI playing for the Tenacious Technicians, as well as a 1-3 record playing for team France in RUWC VI. Questions remain whether or not this French duo will be able to acclimate quickly to this new-look RU, but with the French RU brain trust behind them, things are looking good for Team France.
7) China - Metallica126 (6) and Soul king0 (25)
After willing their team to a tremendous finals appearance last RUWC, Metallica126 and Soul king0 are back representing their country in RU. Coming into this tour, Metallica is fresh off a 4-5 RUPL showing that saw his team make finals of the tour as well as a 6-2 performance in RUGL where, although he did not play SV, his team won the entire tour. Needless to say, Metallica is in great form and will be looking to continue his strong run during this tournament. Soul king0 has largely been absent from RU since RUWC VI last year. However, in that tournament, he put up a tremendous 4-2 effort and has shown to be keeping up with the meta after participating in the most recent edition of RU ladder tour, so good things can be expected especially considering the well of support Metallica is sure to provide.
8) Brazil - Ampha (11) and toinha (20)
Representing team Brazil is RUPL franchise Toxic Chain's SV core of Ampha and toinha. A longstanding contributor to tier as well as someone who made his SCL debut last year, Ampha is no stranger to RU. However, after a rather lackluster 3-5 showing in this year's RUPL, Ampha will be looking to take this opportunity to get back on the right foot. Toinha is a more lowkey name compared to Ampha with his most decorated showing in RU occurring during last year's RUGL where he strung together a monstrous 8-1 season. Following this breakout performance with a respectable 3-2 finish in this year's RUPL, all eyes will be focused on the young Brazilian as he hopes to solidify his placement within the tier.
9) Spain - Guille (8) and Irene (24)
Team Spain has brought in the big guns enlisting Guille and Irene as their RU duo. Guille ended 2024 on a tremendous hot streak winning the RU summer seasonal, triumphing in RU Cup, and making an appearance in the RU circuit finals all in consecutive fashion. However, after a somewhat middling RUPL where he went 2-5 in his comfort tier BW RU, he will be looking to get his 2025 back on track. Joining him is Irene, a jack-of-all-trades player; Irene has seen success in literally dozens of formats and tiers across the site and is looking to make RU her next stop for this tournament.
10) Latin America - Feliburn (3) and Lazuli (32)
Retired man turbo Feliburn leads the RU charge for his team, Latin America, in this year's LTWC. It has become a running gag in the RU community of how often Feliburn "retires" only to come back like nothing happened; however, after recently being waxed by a Masquerain during the playoffs portion of RU ladder tour, Feliburn might finally be entering his washed era… Accompanying old man fburn is Lazuli, the Chilean superstar whose 3-1 record in SV OU has been an integral piece to team Chile's success in this year's WCoP. With teams supplied from Feliburn, superb pilots, and if he can keep his motivation high, team LatAm is poised to make some noise during this year's tournament.
11) US Midwest - AJ (13) and FlamPoke (23)
Leading the charge for team Midwest is RU mainer FlamPoke and UU mainer AJ. Although his relationship with the community has soured in recent times, FlamPoke's results within the tier cannot be denied. After stringing together two strong team tour performances where he went 4-3 in RUBD and 5-2 in RUPL, Flam is looking to continue his streak, this time in LTWC. AJ is the other half of team Midwest's RU core. The Grand Slam playoff hopeful's engagement with the tier is passing to say the least; however, you do not make a RU open semifinals appearance off luck alone, and he will be looking to use this tournament as an opportunity to solidify his place as a top player within the tier.
12) India - Lime (4) and Vioz (33)
Ladder hero extraordinaires Lime and Vioz form the starting RU lineup for this year's team India. After a meteoric 2024 where Lime saw himself starting in SCL and putting together an impressive 7-3 record, he took a step away from the community to focus on other endeavors. However, after coming back for RU Ladder Tour, Lime reminded everybody he is still a force to be reckoned with after putting up the single highest elo in the laddering portion of the tournament. Vioz is another name people may be familiar with if they were participating in RU ladder tour as someone who, while unfortunately did not qualify for the playoffs stage, was making waves during the laddering portion nonetheless.
13) US South - Tenebricite (19) and Kingler (29)
RUPL champion Tenebricite is joined by teammate Kingler as the RU core for team US South. Although stuck playing ORAS RU for the tour, Tene's experience in RUPL as a whole and access to the Noble Guardian's builders will be sure to set him up for success as he tries his hand at current gen RU. He is joined by another ORAS RU player, Kingler, also trying his hand at SV RU for this year's tournament. After winning RUWC IV as the ORAS player for US South, Kingler is hoping to bring that same winning mentality to the table.
14) Portugal - Lilo (21) and Msousa (30)
Team Portugal is fielding Lilo and Msousa as their RU core. After a recent berth to the French community league finals playing RU, Lilo is set to put together a strong season for his country. Meanwhile, Msousa has also been getting busy this past year playing old gens RU, specifically ADV, in tours such as RUPL and RUBD. With plenty of recent activity coming from the duo, they hope to put together a strong showing for team Portugal.
15) Italy - Terracotta (28) and fran17 (26)
RU ORAS head fran17 is joined by teammate Terracotta as the RU core for team Italy. Traditionally an ORAS RU mainer, fran17 has had some experience with SV as a generation. However, after a disappointing 0-3 showing in last year's RUWC, he is looking to bounce back in a major way and put on a strong showing for his team. Accompanying him is Terracotta, another old gens mainer, although this time in SM. Though neither of these players have seen a lot of recent success within RU, with the support of guys like zS and entrocefalo behind them contributing ideas, they will surely be a team worth keeping your eye on.
16) Germany - Paprikaflow (27) and Heni-san (31)
SPL standout Paprikaflow and RULT qualifier Heni-san comprise the RU core for team Germany. After making a splash in ORAS OU during SPL, Paprikaflow then took his talents to RU where he put together a solid 4-3 showing during RUGL II. His accompanying countryman is RULT playoff qualifier Heni-san. After a bit of time away from the tier, Heni-san returned to the fray, making playoffs of this year's RU ladder tour and even securing himself a round 1 bye. However, after his swift round 2 exit, he is still looking to prove himself as an RU mainstay.
17) US West - sire clod (22) and Ruffles (38)
US West has chosen sire clod as well as Ruffles as their RU representatives for LTWC. Although neither of these players have a strong track record with SV RU, they are hoping to prove the doubters wrong and put together a strong season. As far as general RU experience goes, Ruffles is coming off a tremendous RUGL campaign where he put together a flawless 7-0 record as the best record in the tour. Sire clod meanwhile is an OU mainer who is looking to break into RU after having made a strong run during the most recent OU spring seasonal.
18) Asia - 8truc (36) and Blazing (34)
8truc and Blazing comprise the RU core for team Asia. Ubers mainers, 8truc and Blazing find themselves a long way away from their native tier of motorbike dinosaurs and will be looking to prove themselves in RU, another tier filled with motorbike dinosaurs! Supporting the duo will be the likes of Xiri, who has been a longstanding name within Smogon lower tiers and will sure to have a well of experience to pull from, and Horii, who recently saw success playing ORAS RU in RUGL and will probably have a wealth of teams to pull from his teamcord.
19) Belgium - Wanony (35) and Elgino (37)
Playing RU for team Belgium are Wanony and Elgino. After a tremendous season where he went 3-0 in a competitive UU pool, Wanony will be looking to replicate those results this time in the adjacent RU tier. Elgino, a randbats main, is the other player to round out team Belgium's RU core. Though without much experience with RU specifically, RU historically has a history of good randbats players being able to pick up the sticks and deliver tremendous results, a history that Elgino will be hoping to add to. Supporting these two are Mada and OranBerryBlissey10; Mada briefly ventured into RU for this year's RU blind draft, while OranBerryBlissey will be able to pull from their RUPL teamcord's wealth of teams and ideas.
20) Argentina - Maxisc23 (39) and Souji/Akumu (40)
Two relatively unknown names in Maxisc23 and Souji/Akumu hold down the RU front for team Argentina in this year's edition of LTWC. With no prior RU tournament experience to their names, Maxisx23 and Souji/Akumu will have to contend with the daunting task of learning a new meta and performing well enough within their pools to secure points for their countrymen. Will these two old gen mainers be able to step up to the task? Only time will tell.
NeverUsed
written by Pokeslice Ampha Django
1) South - Shengineer (1) and Stories (4)
Together with the “New French Defense,” U.S. South finds itself with objectively a top-two core in all of LTWC. NU’s favorite YouTuber (subscribe please) and newest RO, Shengineer, has been making waves in the tournament scene for ages now, consistently pulling in top records across the board while being arguably the main SV NU innovator out there. With him is team captain Stories, someone whose reputation as an extremely strong pilot precedes her. In general, there’s no doubt one expects to see a fantastic record from Stories regardless of tier or tournament, but with her finally back and playing SV NU this LTWC, you can expect fireworks.
2) France - Elias PSY (2) and Esteb4n (7)
In NU, France arguably fields the strongest core in all of LTWC, a duo known colloquially as the “New French Defense” in NU circles. The first arm of this duo, Elias PSY, has been on a multi-year bender in this tier, leading the way in innovation while constantly posting positive records in every tournament he touches, whether that be in SCL or NUPL. Complementing him in the French Defense is Esteb4n, a relatively newer face in the NU scene, but someone who’s proven himself to be one of the tier’s best players with a Seasonal win and the crown of top record in SV NU in NUPL under his belt. There’s no reason to expect anything less than a stellar season here from these two.
3) UK - Django (5) and Icemaster (13)
Django, affectionately known as Djaddy in NU circles because of his age and calm demeanor outside of ladder tours, has been a mainstay on the NU tournament scene for a while now. He originally came out of retirement last NUPL to help carry the Vivillons to their first franchise win and has continued to be one of the faces of the tier ever since. His lackluster 3-5 NUPL record this year and the NUFL Sawsbucks horrendously collapsing under his management don’t tell the full story. Django is a player who will push the meta forward like almost no one else and can back it up with his play. Together with him is Icemaster, a player who needs no introduction and is coming off a really impressive and convincing 4-3 record this last NUPL, along with other strong NU performances in other tournaments. As long as Django isn’t out of commission because he cracked a hip trying to carry this team too hard, Icemaster should have an amazing run this LTWC like he usually does.
4) West - Fusien (11) and Pokeslice (8)
US West has opted for longtime SS NU advocate and Limber Ditto Lover Pokeslice alongside the most recent OST winner Fusien for their NU core. Pokeslice, despite not playing many SV NU tournaments, has been heavily involved in the metagame and building teams in SCL, NUCL, NUFL, and NUPL. He’ll be hoping that stepping into the starting slot here will yield better results than his 1-2 record in SCL, and provided he actually tests his teams, there’s a high chance he can improve on this. Fusien, meanwhile, is coming off an unimpressive 1-3 in NUPL, where expectations were high following his OST win. Despite the rough tournament, there is clearly an extremely talented player there, so the bar for this duo remains high. Shiloh on the bench can also provide top-tier team building (when he’s actually responding to Discord messages), so overall, US West is a team to watch in NU.
5) India - DugZa (3) and vk (17)
Don’t let the fact that he wasn’t picked to represent his team in the NUPL finals tiebreak fool you — the star of the show here for Team India in NU will be DugZa and the maple-sweet ease with which he beats down his opponents. The past few tournaments in NU have seen DugZa consistently at the top of the player pool, with the price tags to match, so it’s fair to expect that trend to continue here. Coupled with him is vk, a player without any NU experience to speak of, but who is a proven competitor in other tiers, especially OU. If DugZa can feed him strong teams throughout the tournament, expect this Team India duo to make waves in this LTWC.
6) Northeast - Dr. Phd. BJ (12) and Sabella (14)
The Doc might be the most entertaining player in the pool now that he’s back in action for U.S. Northeast this tournament. A former SCL NU main, BJ took a small break from Pokémon only to come back for his favorite tournament the past few weeks, NU Ladder Tour. His trash-talking ways and swaggy demeanor should be a joy to watch this tournament. Thrown in alongside him is Sabella, someone who always seems to be a threat in NU team tours. Although primarily playing SS NU in recent memory, this WCoP player got exposure to the tier in the most recent NUPL, so there’s a lot of expected upward momentum here with Sabella.
7) Brazil - Ninja (10) and seraphz (16)
Old man Ninja seems to be defying Father Time in recent NU tournaments, sporting extremely consistent and high-quality records for years now, despite his 2009 join date. As of late, his play has looked extra fresh, earning him a new level of respect as a player within the NU community. Even though this tournament will be in SV NU and not DPP NU where he truly shines, with him at the helm for Brazil, there’s good reason to expect the NU slots to anchor much of this Brazilian team. Paired with Ninja is seraphz, a potent player in his own right and someone who has put together strong NU performances over the years. Despite often flying under the radar, this should be the type of tournament that really allows him to shine, especially in this core.
8) Canada - big tony 2014 (9) and Career Ended (20)
Although the rumor is that big tony 2014 is just an industry plant (he really might be), his NUPL and seasonal successes are nothing to joke about. A relatively newer face on the NU tournament scene, big tony 2014 has been tearing people up as of late, and there’s no reason to expect that to stop now. Career Ended, big tony 2014’s partner in crime, is a respectable player in his own right, boasting a ribbon from a few years back. So despite the lack of NU experience, it’s clear that there’s enough pilot potential here to do damage in this tournament if big tony 2014 can pass over some strong squads.
9) Latin America - One Last Kiss (18) and Gtcha (24)
The LatAm core of One Last Kiss and Gtcha has a lot of potential to do well in this tournament, but the lack of real NU experience does raise some questions. In general, it’s hard to count either player out. One Last Kiss has been a consistent face across a plethora of managing positions and tournaments on the website, so expect him to be competent as a player and willing to pick up SV NU in a serious manner to help his team reach its potential. This should bode well for Gtcha, the SPL and SCL-winning star power that this core will need to succeed, and someone who can reach the moon if given a fair number of good teams to work with. Having Ishtar as a resource could also be quite helpful, considering her crossover from PU into NU tournaments and her friendships with strong NU mains within the community have given her a solid grasp on the tier. So between her, One Last Kiss’s willingness to try hard, and Gtcha’s skill level, the lack of clear SV NU experience might not end up being so prominent.
10) Midwest - Diamonds_Realms (6) and ara (37)
This duo has the unique distinction of featuring one of the newest players on the NU tournament scene in Diamonds_Realms together with one of the oldest in ara. Even beyond that little fun fact, the Midwest NU core is quite exciting. Diamonds_Realms has been “cursed” to have a consistent 5-3 record in every single team tournament he’s participated in over the past year, no more, no less, and is typically acknowledged as one of the main meta pushers in the current tier. Ara, although lacking recent SV NU experience, will definitely benefit from having such a strong mainer by his side. Expect good things here from these two.
11) China - Separation (15) and akxhdwy (29)
There isn’t much to say about the Chinese NU core based on recent success in the tier, but that doesn’t mean you should count them out. Separation is known to be a competent pilot with some past NU experience, while akxhdwy has quietly put up strong performances across the site. Additionally, Metallica126, although playing RU this tournament, is able to help build great teams for this duo to shine. The floor may be low here compared to many of the other teams, but if the effort is put in, they can rise to great heights.
12) Europe - Larry (24) and Axzel (25)
Despite a recent shake-up to their lineup, Europe’s NU core still looks primed to deliver a great season this LTWC. Between the two players, Larry boasts more NU experience, sporting a respectable 3-4 record this last NUPL as part of the regular season champs, the Flygons. Although this seems like a mediocre introduction to the tier, Larry’s pedigree as a three-time trophy winner proves that this could have just been a fluke. As a prominent WCoP player for the Nether5ands, there’s also little reason to doubt Axzel in this tier, despite his inexperience with it. Together with manager fish anemometer and new NU community member 5MGMatthew5, the support will be there to help him shine.
13) Argentina - Enzonana (19) and Raichy (32)
Enzonana and Raichy, the chosen NU representatives for Team Argentina this tournament, are two names with strong reputations as players, albeit not directly in the SV NU scene. Between the two, Enzonana has relatively more SV NU experience, but as a member of the cursed Diancies this last NUPL, that experience translated to an abysmal 2-4 record and left much to be desired. Raichy, on the other hand, comes into this tournament with a clean SV NU slate, so there isn’t the same baggage to discuss. As long as the two of them can play up to their potential, magic can happen down in Argentina, but without clear support here, it seems hard to believe.
14) Italy - poh (21) and Ale Duncan (36)
Neither poh nor Ale Duncan necessarily inspires much confidence at first glance, but there’s reason to believe in a solid season from the Italian core. Poh, a respectable pilot in his own right, is a longtime NU community member and a consistent face in the tier’s individual tournaments, meaning that he’ll hopefully have a relatively high floor when it comes to his team choices this LTWC. If that’s the case, we might be able to see Ale Duncan overperform in a tier he isn’t known to play.
15) Asia - purbaj (30) and gorex (28)
Team Asia’s NU core will be led by purbaj, a relatively new face in the NU community, but one who is already starting to become a known name on the tournament scene after a strong breakout performance in NUFL. A lot of pressure will be put on the newcomer to perform well, but there’s no reason to believe that he can’t deliver. Together with purbaj, the managers for Asia have tagged in gorex to help round out their NU core. Gorex has dabbled in NU in the past, so he isn’t entirely unfamiliar with the tier, but it’s safe to say that any success here will stem more from his overall strength as a player than from NU-specific knowledge.
16) Belgium - Showl (23) and Wappy.kBs (38)
Belgium has probably fielded the most underrated wildcard duo for their NU players this LTWC. Both Showl and Wappy.kBs are newer faces on the NU tournament scene, yet they’ve both made strong moves in the past few months to get their names out there. Showl has been tearing up individual tournaments recently while also putting up an undefeated, albeit modest, NUFL run. Meanwhile, Wappy.kBs broke out in the most recent NU Swiss tournament with a monster 6-1 performance in the qualifying rounds that included wins over many of the top-rated players in this tournament. With these two coming into this tournament hot, there’s zero reason to expect a slowdown for Team Belgium.
17) Portugal - Kapperajah (34) and Frixel (27)
Although not as flashy as many other NU cores in this tournament, Portugal’s duo of Kapperajah and Frixel is sneakily strong. Despite lacking a wealth of NU experience, both players have recently put together notable runs in the tier — notably with Kapperajah making Swiss playoffs and Frixel’s solid NUFL season. The hope for Portugal is that this level of individual success will continue and translate in some way into a positive season for their team this LTWC.
18) Germany - ict (22) and ukaaa (40)
Despite not actively playing the tier this tournament, the star of the German NU core will be their manager Emre Mor 9, a player who just led his team to a resounding victory in the most recent NUPL. Combine the knowledge gained from that run with a former Grand Slam winner in ict and a respectable pilot in ukaaa, and you’re looking at a consistent recipe for success from the German team.
19) Bangladesh - 16BR (31) and Soumav (35)
16BR was the star SV player on the worst franchise in NU history these past few months while participating in NUFL as a Safari Zone Sawsbuck. Thankfully for Bangladesh, this abysmal team showing had much more to do with its managing duo and draft than with 16BR as a player, and the experience there should come in handy for this tournament, both in play and in the builder. Together with Soumav, a WCoP player for Bangladesh, this team should be in a strong position to fight for wins every week and potentially upset some of the more prominent slots.
20) Spain — SEROO (33) and Lhions (39)
The Spanish NU core seems to lack much NU experience and firepower, but they’ve slotted two of their captains here in hopes of creating something special. As his 2013 join date would suggest, Lhions is an old gens player, specifically sticking to many nostalgic ADV tournaments across the site, but whether these skills will transfer over to SV NU remains to be seen. SEROO has a bit more exposure to the NU community, especially in SS and SM NU where he’s been called up to play a few times in tournaments, but the lack of SV NU experience might cause trouble here. Despite this, there’s potential for upsets with these two players at the helm for Spain, even with the lack of dedicated NU star power or support.
PU
written by MZ
1 - Europe: fish anemometer (1) and sugar ovens (15)
We’ve finally reached the third standout team in the rankings, and I’m pretty sure this is also the pair with the most trophies and ribbons in the PU Hall of Fame. Both fish anemometer and sugar ovens are extremely well-established PU powerhouses with too many accolades to list, although it can’t hurt to mention that sugar ovens is PU’s most recent individual tournament winner (at least until the PU Open wraps up).However, discussing this team also means addressing the elephant in the room: fish anemometer’s motivation. Currently 1-3 in PUPL and saying his heart just hasn’t been in team tours recently, he still finds himself with the #1 player ranking in the pool because everyone knows what he’s capable of. But it’s unclear whether his mental state is ready for this tournament, especially under the combined pressure of starting in LTWC and SCL.If these two players come in prepared, then good luck to anyone trying to face them down. But if fish phones it in, sugar ovens might find himself carrying the core.
2 - US West: MZ (6) and TJ (10)
I’ve been alluding to a clear top five in the rankings (the others being China, Brazil, Europe, and US Northeast), and this is one of them — probably worth a mention.
3 - Brazil: LpZ (5) and kyuss (13)
Brazil is the first of five teams with enough star power for its starting pair to be ranked significantly higher than the rest of the pack — one of the only teams with a combined ranking below 25, while every other roster sits at 30 and up. It says a lot that kyuss, a PU council member whose accolades include a PULT victory, a 4-1 record in PUWC, and a current 3-0 in PUPL, might find himself outshone by current Smogon Grand Slam Champion LpZ. While in PU LpZ is most known for being a diehard BW fanatic, his current-gen chops are nothing to sneeze at, and it’s rare to see him underperform in low-tier team tours. There are no sure things in Pokemon, but there are definitely teams everyone should fear — and Brazil’s PU core is truly terrifying for any other contender.
4 - China: Suzukaaa (7) and 691 (12)
The second team with an absolutely standout roster, China finds itself with two star players in Suzukaaa and 691. Across nearly every tier and format, Chinese players have been on a serious upswing recently, and PU is no exception, with Team China taking the PU World Cup in 2024.Beyond that, Suzukaaa claimed victory in the PU Winter Seasonal just a few months ago, while 691 only just exited in the semifinals of the PU Open, and both have been putting up decent PUPL performances. Add in the support of other Chinese players like Metallica126, and you’ve got a recipe for one of the tournament’s most powerful starting duos.
5 - Italy: zS (2) and entrocefalo (19)
It’s hard to go wrong with two extremely accomplished tournament players like zS and entrocefalo. While both have reached their highest peaks in tiers outside PU, neither is unfamiliar with the format, making appearances in the ongoing PUPL and various other team and individual tournaments.If this tournament can hold enough of their focus, expect big things from Italy’s PU core. The main danger of underperformance appears to be if SCL or other endeavors become too distracting.
6 - US Northeast: Vulpix03 (9) and Finchinator (14)
The final pair to stand out significantly in the PU power rankings features two players who’ve had plenty of success in PU in the past but are only recently making a comeback to the tier.
Vulpix03 is an ex-council member with multiple team tour wins under his belt but hadn’t been active in the tier recently until his strong 5-2 record in this year’s PUBD. Meanwhile, Finchinator should require no introduction — even to PU players unfamiliar with higher tiers — due to his #7 placement on the PU team tour overall records sheet. However, he hasn’t had a big showing since a 5-1 record back in 2022. Both are fully capable of dominating the competition with proper motivation, but given Northeast’s lack of support players, they’ll need to prove they haven’t missed a step.
7 - US South: asa (8) and Taka (22)
Winner of the “most a’s per capita” award, both asa and Taka come into the tournament with plenty of potential but no recent successes to flaunt. PUTL asa has spent more time recently managing, but less than a year ago she had a standout 6-1 PUWC record. Taka is a mainstay of random forum PLs but has never quite found much success in PU, with a current 0-3 as a substitute in PUPL and an all-time peak of 3-1 in PUWC 2023. There’s plenty of potential here, and South is not short on PU mainers to provide support, but both will need a bit of a return to form to top this pool.
8 - Asia: Xiri (4) and TMM (27)
Having a PU circuit winner is usually a good sign that your starting pair can perform well, but Team Asia finds itself with a seriously volatile starting player in Xiri and a big question mark in TMM.
Xiri’s peak PU performance suggests potent possibilities, but he’s also -7 on the PU team tour sheet overall before counting the current PUPL and his 1-3 record there. Notoriously volatile, Xiri’s best records are consistently in individual tournaments rather than team settings.Meanwhile, TMM’s only PU outing appears to be a 2-1 in PUWC 2024, which says little about how he might perform now. Truly, if you want a pair that could end up with either the best or worst record in the pool, you couldn’t come up with a better duo than this.
9 - France: Hiko (11) and Platum (23)
Although a relative newcomer to the tier, Hiko has already become a notable threat with his victory in the PU Love Tour and his current 3-1 PUPL record. He might be too new to have shown as much versatility in building as one might want for a tournament like this, but he hasn’t shown much weakness either. Platum is more of a question mark, having played in a few PU tournaments to middling results. However, France is historically strong in PU, and the depth of support these two can likely rely on should do wonders for their chances.
10 - US Midwest: Bouff (3) and Magician (32)
Maybe the final boss of the high-low duo concept, we have the #3 ranked player coming off a 6-0 in PUBD and currently 4-0 in PUPL paired with someone who doesn’t appear to have ever touched the tier. Bouff is an absolute star for the Midwest and almost makes me wish I hadn’t moved out of the region, but Magician will have to pick up the tier fast to keep up with his star partner. Still, the region has plenty of other experienced PU players to help support them, and it’s hard not to see this core at least going even.
11 - United Kingdom: Stareal (17) and Baddy (21)
For years, the UK was a top country when it came to PU players, with highlights including two entrants in the top 6 of the PU Hall of Fame and an ex-PUTL. But those days are long gone, and while Baddy captained Team UK in PUWC and has an almost neutral 2-3 record across two PU team tours, Stareal doesn’t appear to have any prior PU experience.Both players have found success across other Smogon tiers, and they have several teammates playing old gens in PUPL who might provide insight or snag some teams. There’s nothing especially bad about this duo — it’s just that, as an old player who remembers the UK’s dominance in PU, it’s disconcerting to see such an inexperienced pair given the reins in a tournament like this.
12 - India: myjava (20) and Lana (24)
Sometimes the best you can do is take two pretty good players without much PU experience and see what they can make of the tier.
myjava and Lana are both strong players who have shown up in or around PU team tournaments in the past, with myjava even starting on Team India’s PUWC-winning 2023 roster. Neither has had much recent success or involvement with the tier, and with India’s 2024 PUWC run going much more poorly, it’s unclear how much support or knowledge this pair will have to bolster their chances.
13 - Latin America: ishtar (16) and adpg.2007 (35)
Recent ex-PULT ishtar has been on a bit of an SV break, opting to start ORAS in the current PUPL and skipping the most recent PUBD and PUWC altogether. Nevertheless, she holds a respectable player ranking and is expected to both perform and help support her much less experienced teammate. A single 3-1 record in the most recent PUWC is all that could be found on adpg.2007, an enigmatically named player who nevertheless has a good amount of experience in some of the most random low tiers and old gens imaginable. Will we see a big comeback or a new star rise? I wouldn’t be bullish, but I wouldn’t be shocked to see this pair overperform.
14 - Belgium: OranBerryBlissey10 (18) and B1Kharma (34)
Belgium finds itself in a common position for these types of tournaments: one established star player and one player who, apparently for lack of anyone else more invested in the tier, finds themselves in the sidekick role. OranBerryBlissey10 has been a successful PU player across many tournaments and generations, even if he’s never outright won a tournament yet, and his preferred generation of SS won’t be seen here. B1Kharma doesn’t appear to have notable PU experience, but a quick scan of his wall suggests he plays enough different random metas to have a reasonable shot at adapting. And that’s Belgium: a solid, middle-of-the-pack duo whose most standout quality is being the only pair of starters to both have numbers in their usernames.
15 - Canada: wesh papillon (26) and mclagno (30)
While Canada has produced some big PU names in the past, the combined PU team tour experience from mclagno and wesh papillon amounts to a single 1-3 record in PUWC from wesh all the way back in 2021. That’s not entirely fair, since mclagno also finished top 3 in the most recent PU Seasonal and made PU Ladder Tour playoffs before losing in round 1, but it does highlight how little we know about what this core might do. Definitely a dark horse — but not the most questionable starting pair either.
16 - Germany: xSuko (33) and Feaniix (25)
Two players negative on the PU sheet does not bode well for Germany, even if both might be more motivated for a tournament that reaches beyond the PU subforum. xSuko appeared for exactly one loss in PUWC 2024, while Feaniix has a variety of team tours under his belt, mostly in the BW slot, further obscuring how they might perform in the current, post-shifts, SV PU metagame.
In a relatively straightforward tier like SV PU, it’s hard to completely write off any team — and PU is no stranger to Germans making big runs out of nowhere — but this pair has a lot to prove.
17 - Bangladesh: Let’s Rumble Shall We (28) and Mushfiq (36)
While this is nearly another roster where both players have almost no prior connection with PU, the one time I can confirm either player entered a PU tournament is a respectable top 16 finish in the most recent PU Open from Let’s Rumble Shall We. That record speaks positively to Bangladesh’s core being able to pick up the tier quickly and effectively. It doesn’t say enough to expect this starting core to excel, but it’s more than other lineups can say. Plus, if building becomes a roadblock, they might be able to get manager feen to steal pastes from his PUPL team, which includes both starting members of Team China.
18 - Spain: Bloshh (29) and Peum (38)
Peum had a pretty uneventful run in the current PU Open, and Bloshh has a few old gens games under his belt in the most recent PUPL and PU Classic. While putting two players this inexperienced with the tier in starting positions might seem questionable, it’s unclear if Spain even had other options. The country has historically been absent from PUWC, and as someone who’s been around PU’s tournament scene since the beginning, I can’t name a single notable Spanish PU player off the top of my head. At least there’s something freeing about having practically no expectations — Team Spain’s PU duo will either impress us or place exactly as predicted.
19 - Portugal: Frixel (31) and I Feel Stabby (37)
Frixel is apparently an excellent doubles player, while I Feel Stabby stands out with an excellent username. Seriously, at a time when most people end up shortening and simplifying their usernames, it’s refreshing to have a starter who wants to be identified by a full sentence — let alone one this funny. That being said, I couldn’t find any evidence that either player has ever played a game of SV PU in their lives. Maybe they have, or maybe they’re the type of players who are really good at quickly picking up new metagames for tournaments. But given that Portugal didn’t even field a team for the last PU World Cup, it’s hard to expect much from this pair — as much as I’d love to start writing serious pieces about how someone named I Feel Stabby is the next big PU up-and-comer.
20 - Argentina: GabrieLopez (39) and ILSB (40)
Reading Argentina’s submitted player rankings was almost whiplash-inducing. I simply didn’t understand how they could rank so many players so differently from every other team in the pool. The only explanation that makes sense is that absolutely nobody on the team had experience with the tier beforehand. I can’t speak for every player on Argentina’s roster, but at least for GabrieLopez and ILSB, I couldn’t find evidence that either had played so much as a round 1 PU Seasonal game during their Smogon tenure. Argentina finds itself fielding both bottom-ranked players in the pool with no apparent knowledge of the tier or their competitors — and I am absolutely here for it. Watching brand-new players try to break the PU metagame is always a treat, and any win this team gets would be an upset by definition. More than any other team on this list, I truly hope we see something crazy from this pair. There’s absolutely nowhere to go but up.
Little Cup
written by Envy Colin Always Edgy
1) US Midwest: Tazz (3) and Kythr (1)
Tazz (66-46 LC subforum) and Kythr (49-24 LC subforum) are both mainstays in official tournaments such as SCL and LC subforum tournaments such as LCPL, and they consistently go even or positive. Tazz, an LC tier leader, is known both for his excellent SV results and results in LC old gens. Kythr is better known for his old gens' results, but he has played SV in a variety of tournaments including LCWC 4 and the still-being-played LCPL 14. Both players have been around a very long time compared to the rest of the pool. This core is the consensus favorite to be the best LCers in the tournament because they are the most proven by far and are involved with the tier right now.
2) Brazil: Envy (5) and Always Edgy (11)
Following team Brazil's meteoric rise in LCWC 4, many powerhouse LC players have entered the tournament scene. The two expected to start this tournament are Envy (6-2 in LCBC, 5-5 in LCPL 13, and 4-5 last SCL), who has had a consistent-yet-rapid rise in the last two years playing LC, and Always Edgy (3-5 in LCBC and 5-4 in LCPL 13), who has also risen to be a consistent LC subforum team tournament performer. Team Brazil's bench contains many other LC players, including Dugtrio is Broken and Seraphz, who can help support the team. Brazil will no longer be underestimated like it once was during the early stages of LCWC 4 when playing Little Cup.
3) Spain: Éric (6) and Wail Wailord (16)
Éric (23-24 LC subforum) and Wail Wailord (37-28 LC subforum) sometimes go under the radar, but they are also very consistent pilots and builders with frequent positive results in both LC subforum and SCL. JuanSG is a very underrated builder and pilot who will be able to give unique and invaluable support building, and he can sub in if anything goes wrong. Eric and Wail Wailord have been excellent in recent years and have played a long time, but they lack the SV peaks of some other players in the pool. However, they have arguably the best floor due to their current form and experience.
4) Italy: Laroxyl (4) and Corckscrew (18)
Both Laroxyl (32-34 LC subforum) and Corckscrew (35-28 LC subforum) have been around a long time and have always produced results. Laroxyl is a consistent SCL player who is always a threat to the rest of the pool, while Corckscrew is known best for his ORAS and BW skills, but he plays SV too. A potential concern is building, because while Laroxyl is a skilled builder, his teams can be hit or miss at times. Corckscrew knows the tier, but most of his knowledge is in LC old gens. Italy is capable of being elite in LC but has less unanimous expectations compared to those ranked above it.
5) US South: Colin (8) and Greedy_eb (20)
Colin (21-10 LC subforum) and Greedy_eb (16-10 LC subforum) are both proven players with strong records in LC subforum tournaments. Colin had a SCL appearance and has had great success in both SS and SV LC in the last 3 LCPLs. Greedy_eb was LCWC 4's MVP and has also been constant in the last LC teamtours, with a 4-0 record in LCPL 14. Teambuilding shouldn't be a problem for this core, since both have enough experience in the SV LC metagame to find the current metagame trends, this duo has one of the higher floors in the field and should be expected to go at least even or positive in most matchups.
6) Canada: Elfuseon (10) and AS Saint Priest (19)
Team Canada has many good LC players, including Elfuseon (23-28 LC subforum) and AS Saint Priest (LC subforum). Elfuseon has played LC in tournaments since before SV was released, while AS Saint Priest joined in 2024. They will be supported by Wesh Papillon, who has been less active in LC recently but in the past has been a great builder. This core should be able to build their own teams, which makes it unlikely that this team sets a very bad record in LC
7) Germany: Lokifan (2) and Fantos13 (28)
Lokifan (31-11 LC subforum) is a rising star who went 8-2 last SCL, while Fantos13 (21-23 LC subforum) is a DPP LC veteran who has been around a long time. Neither of the players are especially known for their team building in SV, but both players are known for being skilled pilots. On paper, this core looks lopsided especially, as Lokifan's teambuilding support is not known to be as valuable as many other players'. If Fantos13 has or builds good teams, he can raise the ceiling of team Germany.
8) France: CMDoge (17) and Toadow (13)
Both of team France's players are consistent in LC subforum tournaments, but neither have participated in SCL yet. Toadow (43-25 LC subforum) is primarily known for playing SM LC, while CMDoge (30-22 LC subforum) primarily plays SV LC. Team France's LC players are generally under the radar, but should be a force if CMDoge's building is up to date. If their teams are outdated, both players can be trusted to outplay some bad matchups to win games.
9) United Kingdom: LilyAC (7) and naere (29)
LilyAC (58-36 LC subforum) is a veteran who is capable in every LC tier, and who has recently supported Tazz in his SCL run. She will likely be tasked with supporting Naere (6-3 in LCBC), a comparatively new player who is known for her ADV and DPP skills. LilyAC's team building support is legendary, so both her and Naere should have good teams to pilot. A big concern here for the United Kingdom team is that neither player has played much SV LC in tournaments, primarily being known for their old gen results.
10) US West: Babyboyblues (14) and bleahey (21)
Babyboyblues (31-27 LC subforum) is one of the best LC builders and pilots when he gets up to date with the meta, and so has been drafted as an SCL support pick for the last two editions. Bleahey (4-3 in LCBC, 2-3 in LCPL 13) is a newer player who has been able to pick up a variety of LC tiers including SV. US West's biggest strength is most likely to be in the teambuilder, with piloting the teams being the bigger question. There is also a chance this team crashes and burns if their meta innovations fail.
11) Europe: Quinn (12) and PoseidonWrath (25)
Both Quinn (11-14 LC subforum) and PoseidonWrath (4-6 LC subforum) are comparatively newer players than those ranked at the top of the power rankings, and both are on the rise. Quinn has played in various LC team tournaments, and got drafted in SCL, while PoseidonWrath is newer and has only played in a few subforum team tournaments. Team Europe's players are both capable and primed for a breakout season, but neither has had a dominant record in LC subforum team tournaments or in SCL.
12) US Northeast: Kaboom (15) and reggg (24)
US Northeast has Kaboom (2-3 in LCBC, 8-2 in LCPL 13), who returned from his LC hiatus a few years ago and ever since has been a consistent force in whichever tiers he plays in. The team also has Reggg (5-2 in LCBC, 3-2 in LCPL 13), who doesn't have as long a playing career as Kaboom, but has become one of the best DPP LC players and has been active playing SV LC too. On the bench, Zcarlett, BlackKnight_Gawain, and Pigwarrior19 are all capable of building and playing to support team US Northeast. This core may have a higher ceiling and floor than their ranks would suggest.
13) Bangladesh: Eniigma (9) and Calambrito (37)
Eniigma is best known in LC for his dominance in individual tournaments, having won the 2023 LC Circuit, in addition to many other individual tournaments. He also put up a positive record in SCL III, proving he can win against the best players. Calambrito is much lesser known, particularly because his best results are not in LC. The rest of team Bangladesh and Eniigma, also known for his unique building style, should be able to support Calambrito in putting this core in a position to succeed.
14) Asia: Trace (26), and Vooper (23)
Trace (39-44 LC subforum) is known for his versatility and has played most LC old gens throughout his long career. Vooper (4-3 in LCBC) is much newer to the scene and is active playing SV LC. Team Asia has a high ceiling and a low floor, depending on how much of Trace's prior experience translates to SV LC. Good team building for team Asia would go a long way in making them scary to play against.
15) India: Rahul_3301 (30) and Piyu (22)
Piyu has seen great success outside of LC, as well as recently playing old gens in the ongoing LCPL 14, and Rahul_3301 (1-1 in LCWC 4) is an underrated player who has been around a few years and recently has started participating in LC subforum team tournaments. I'm expecting a breakout season from team India's LC core because they have the skill to win in LC, even if their results don't show it or are in other formats. Just as much as many similarly ranked teams, team building is a big X factor that will decide if they succeed or not.
16) Belgium: Rubyblood (27) and Flights of Fantsy (36)
Team Belgium's LC core consists of players who have succeeded in non-LC tiers. Rubyblood's LC experience is limited to playing in 2025's LC open, where he reached round four. He is much better known as an OU player who went 6-4 last SPL and is a frequent sighting in other official tournaments. Flights of Fantsy has no known LC experience, but he did play OU for team Belgium in the ongoing WCoP 2025. This team can be scary if they build or find teams, but this looks to be more difficult for them compared to other teams.
17) Latin America: Tempo di anguria (33) and GasaiYunoSan (32)
Tempo di anguria (2-3 in LCBC) and GasaiYunoSan (1-2 in LCBC and 3-3 in LCWC 4) have not shown consistent success on LC subforum team tournaments, but they have played the tier. They have proven that they are good enough to succeed in SV LC, but haven't yet compared to most of the pool. Team Latin America will depend on them to have a breakout season if they want their LC slots to put up a winning record.
18) China: Cen344uu (31) and Vxltarktimi (39)
Neither of team China's players have any results in LC subforum team tournaments yet. Cen344uu is not known to many LC players, but he is playing in LCPL 14. Vxltarktimi is almost completely unknown to most LC players, but has recently been playing the tier in LCSL 4, and has tournament experience in a variety of other formats. There isn't really a lot of information to gauge how successful they may be this tournament, which contributes to their low ranking.
19) Portugal: Sayyonara (34) and Minatevis (38)
Neither of these players have any results in LC subforum team tournaments. Minatevis has played in WCOP for team Portugal, and Sayyonara made it to top four of the most recent LC open. This suggests that team Portugal could be very underrated, and are capable of winning vs the best opponents. It is unknown if either player builds, but sayyonara would not have been able to advance so far in the ongoing 2025 LC open if he had not been able to find or build teams.
20) Argentina: Larvii (35) and Grillo (40)
Neither of team Argentina's players have any results in LC subforum team tournaments. Both players have tournament experience in other formats, but the lack of LC results of any kind are why this LC core is ranked so low.
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