Format Discussion Metronome Battle

[fwqef]

I should say this since it's a new year. Thank you doipy hooves for doing this every month, you're really carrying the forum discussions. These statistics analysis are always a treat to see. I would leave you in charge of Metronome Battles if I could!

 

[jeffdaboss]

Metronome Battles Unofficial Abilities Tier List by Jeffdaboss
So here is the project that I have been working on. I've been going on and off for the past couple months now, but honestly I enjoyed doing this. It really helped me go through and see what niche and unused abilities were hiding in the long list of every ability. This is also very useful for new or returning players to Metronome Battles who are unfamiliar with the metagame. This has given me a few ideas for new teams, and I hope it can give others good ideas too.

*All abilities are sorted in alphabetical order*

S-Tier: These are the meta-defining abilities that can be used with almost any Pokémon on almost any team

Comatose: This Pokemon cannot be statused, and is considered to be asleep
This is a super solid ability. So many games can be ended with a single Toxic or Poison, and you super offensive Pokemon can be crippled by burn, freeze, or paralysis, and this avoids them all. The only downside is the very rare Bad Dreams user, which will effectively win against comatose immediately, as the comatose Pokemon will only last 8 turns without proper healing.

Competitive/Defiant: This Pokemon's Sp Atk is raised by 2 for each of its stats that is lowered by a foe.
Talk about meta-defining abilities, these two are some of the biggest staples of Metronome Battles. Any negative stat change instantly becoming useful for you is great to see.

Filter/Prism Armor/Solid Rock: This Pokemon receives 3/4 damage from super-effective attacks
I thought for a bit on this one. Usage wise, it feels more like an A-Tier ability, as it really only sees usage with Glastrier and the occasional Galar-Moltres, however I feel like people need to be using it more. Making the strongest moves weaker is terrific, and helps preserve the bulk of what could already be a very bulky mon, without sacrificing the utility of weakness policy. Always use Prism Armor, as it bypasses Mold Breaker type Abilities.

Flower Veil: This side's Grass Types can't have stats lowered or status inflicted by other Pokemon
This is soooooo good, I can't even begin to say how amazing Flower Veil is. No status, no negative changes, and a way to make grass types viable in what would otherwise be a not so good metagame for them. Best used on or with mons such as Mega-Venusaur, Necturna, Dhelmise, and Shaymin-Sky.

Intrepid Sword: On switch-in, this Pokemon's attack is raised by one stage.
What do I even need to say here. Busted ability.

Magic Bounce: This Pokemon blocks certain status moves and bounces them back to the user.
Got to be one of the best support abilities, if not the best. Magic Bounce gives a bounceback effect to moves like taunt, torment, toxic, octolock, disable, etc, turning what potentially could've been game over for you into a game over for your opponent.

Magic Guard: This Pokemon can only be damaged by direct attacks.
While not as good as Magic Bounce, Magic Guard is still an insanely good, while underused ability. This prevents damage that isn't coming from a direct attack, providing an immunity to life orb recoil, toxic/poison, and moves like wrap/whirlpool/fire spin. Magic Guard provides much more longevity for your Pokemon, and can even give a large power boost to all of their attacks.

Mold Breaker/Teravolt/Turboblaze: This Pokemon's moves and their effects ignore the Abilities of other Pokemon.
These abilities are great, and I wish more people used them. You can spend all this time coming up with a great ability combo, and then it is completely invalidated because of this ability.

Tinted Lens: This Pokemon's attacks that are not very effective on a target deal double damage
This ability is amazing. In a metagame where choosing a Pokemon is most of the work in the teambuilder, teams prefer Pokemon that have the most resistances possible. This ability takes advantage of that, and turns those resistances into hard hitting attacks nonetheless.

Unaware: This Pokemon ignores other Pokemon's stat stages when taking or doing damage
This ability is great mainly due to the large amount of stat boosting abilities and items in the metagame. This invalidates Intrepid Sword, Dauntless Shield, Weakness Policy, Misty/Electric/Psychic Seed, etc. Terrific when used with stall Pokemon such as Dusclops and Type: Null.

Water Bubble: This Pokemon's Water power is 2x; it can't be burned; Fire power against it is halved
Another underused ability, Water Bubble is very good. Big damage buff to water type attacks, burn immunity removing a form of passive damage, and reducing damage while still proccing Weakness Policy.

A-Tier: These are very prominent abilities that have some very strong uses, but see less usage than S tier

Aerilate: This Pokemon's Normal-Type moves become flying type and have 1.2x power
Aerilate is a very solid ability for metronome battles. Primarily used on strong flying types, it adds another type to get the STAB bonus. It also helps with the ghost type matchup, as you won't be hitting with any normal type attacks. This ability is primarily seen on offensive flying types, such as Pokestar UFO and Mega-Pinsir

As One: The combination of Unnerve and Chilling/Grim Neigh
Definitely not an ability that has seen much usage, but one that I feel is solid in the right matchup. Teams with As One will absolutely destroy Imposter teams, as you prevent them from getting their leppa berry off, restricting them to 5 turns of metronome. The boost from chilling/grim neigh is also nice to see, however it won't come into play as much as Unnerve will, as it only boosts if the user is getting the KO.

Analytic: This Pokemon's attacks have 1.3x power if it is the last to move in a turn.
Can only be run on one Pokemon per team as you can't have two mons both move last, but this is one of the most consistent power boosts there is. However, you run the risk of only being able to use it 100% consistently when using the slowest Pokemon, being Pyukumuku, Shuckle, and Munchlax, or by using Lagging Tail to guarantee you moving last. Either way, you must use either suboptimal Pokemon, or a suboptimal item to guarentee the boost.

Dauntless Shield: On switch-in, this Pokemon's Defense is raised by one stage
While not seen too often, Dauntless Shield is a great ability for both stall and balance teams. Just as intrepid sword is great for your offensive giants, the defense boost is very solid at guaranteeing that you Pokemon stays on the field longer. I personally enjoyed using this on a Pokemon holding a misty seed, with the partner having Misty Surge as it's ability, giving my Pokemon a Defense and Special Defense boost in every battle.

Delta Stream: On switch-in, strong winds begin until this ability is not active in battle
The Primal Weather and Delta Stream are all very strong in metronome battles. While active, Delta Stream removes the weaknesses that flying types have to electric, ice, and rock, greatly increasing their defensive capabilities. It is most seen with Pokemon such as Shaymin-Sky, Pokestar UFO, and Toucannon

Desolate Land: On switch-in, extremely harsh sunlight begins until this ability is not active in battle
Desolate Land can be extremely good when used with the right Pokemon. The ability is drought, except it lasts for as long as the Pokemon does, and prevents any water type attack from working. The best Pokemon in the meta right now for this ability is Mega-Camerupt, as Desolate Land removes its 4x weakness to water, giving it one weakness, five resistances, and an immunity, along with its massive 70/100/105 bulk. It is best used with Pokemon that are either using an ability that is boosted by sunlight, such as Cherrim's Flower Gift, Solar Power, or the rarer Chlorophyll, or on a Pokemon that is also quite weak to water, such as another Mega-Camerupt, or Coalossal.

Download: On switch-in, Attack or Sp. Atk is raised one stage based on the foes' weaker defense
Download is a super solid ability, giving your Pokemon an attacking stat boost in every match. However, the slight inconsistency in it makes it less used in the metagame, as the player would much rather that it always be one or the other. The only thing keeping Download out of S-Tier right now is the existence of Intrepid Sword, giving much more consistency.

Friend Guard: This Pokemon's allies receive 3/4 damage from other Pokemon's attacks
Very good ability, greatly increasing your longevity. However, since it doesn't effect the user at all, it falls in A tier.

Gulp Missile: When hit after Surf/Dive, attacker takes 1/4 max HP and -1 Defense, or Paralysis
This is what makes Cramorant viable. You can run the Gulping and Gorging versions, and spread stat drops and paralysis. You can only guarantee two procs of Gulp Missile a game, but the off chance you roll surf or dive makes it that much more satisfying.

Ice Scales: This Pokemon receives 1/2 damage from special attacks
Best when used on mons that already have a high physical defense, like Regirock or Shuckle. See the bottom of the post for a small rant related to this.

Imposter: On switch-in, this Pokemon Transforms into the opposing Pokemon that is facing it
Imposter has been a metagame staple for along time, with dual imposter Blissey being very popular. However, it is very restricting as a strategy, as you are limited to 5 pp on metronome, making it almost necessary to run a Leppa Berry, and Blissey is really the only good Pokemon to run Imposter with.

Lightning Rod: This Pokemon draws Electric moves to itself to raise Sp. Atk by 1; Electric Immunity
Lightning Rod is another immunity ability, but is especially good because it draws in electric type attacks that could hit your ally Pokemon. It falls here due to the fact that it can also draw in electric type attacks made by your teammate, which could be used to ko an opponent.

Minus: If an active ally has this Ability or the Plus Ability, this Pokemon's Sp. Atk is 1.5x
Definitely a commitment in the teambuilder but it feels really strong. I like to think of it like running Dual Intrepid Sword Mega-Heracross but just special, and honestly it is more consistent than Intrepid Sword, due to the fact that it can't be erased with things like Topsy-Turvy, Haze, or stolen with Psych Up. It would be S Tier if you could run it without the ally with the same ability, which would've made this just a special Intrepid Sword.

Mirror Armor: If this Pokemon's stat stages would be lowered, the attacker's are lowered instead
Definitely quite useful, as any immunity to stat stages is nice. Stays out of S tier due to the prevalence of Flower Veil.

Misty Surge: On switch-in this Pokemon summons Misty Terrain.
Of the terrain abilities this one is certainly the best. While still niche, it is nice to provide an immunity to status effects, and also weaken Dragon-type attacks. It has seen usage when combined with a Pokemon using the Pixilate ability, and is also useful with Misty Seed to provide extra longevity.

Mummy/Lingering Aroma/Wandering Spirit: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon have their Ability changed to Mummy
Budget Neutralizing Gas. Underused by surprisingly good at ruining certain team comps, such as Flower Veil, Unaware Stall, and Primal Weather. It stays in A since contact must be made to activate it, which can be somewhat challenging to do, but once it does happen it makes games much easier to win.

Pixilate: This Pokemon's Normal-Type moves become Fairy Type and have 1.2x power.
Another one of the -ate abilities, still pretty good because of strong Fairy Types such as Mega-Gardevoir, and Mega-Altaria. Falls in line with Aerilate and Refrigerate.

Primordial Sea: On switch-in heavy rain begins until this Ability is not active in battle
This does fall slightly short of being as good as Desolate Land, mainly because Desolate Land simply has more support abilities, along with some better users. Best user of Primordial Sea right now is likely either Mega-Abomasnow or Glastrier.

Purifying Salt: Ghost damage to this Pokemon dealt with a halved offensive stat; can't be statused.
Honestly this is really nice, status immunity is hard to come by, and the combo of Purifying Salt and Clear Amulet gives any mon a pseudo-Flower Veil.

Refrigerate: This Pokemon's Normal-Type moves become Ice Type and have 1.2x power.
Same as Aerilate. Best when used with Ice types for that STAB boost as well.

Serene Grace: This Pokemon's moves have their secondary effect chance doubled.
This isn't an ability that I have given much thought to, but on paper it looks like it could be good. Provides more flinches, more burns, more freezes, and just makes the game more annoying for your opponent.

Sheer Force: This Pokemon's attacks with secondary effects have 1.3x power. Nullifies the effects
Like Magic Guard, this is another way to use Life Orb without taking recoil. Also gives a nice power boost every now and then.

Simple: When this Pokemon's stat stages are raised or lowered, the effect is doubled instead.
If it weren't for Flower Veil this would drop to B, but with Flower Veil giving grass types an immunity to having stats lowered, it greatly enhances Simple's benefits, especially when used when with Weakness Policy.

Storm Drain: This Pokemon draws Water moves to itself to raise Sp Atk by 1; Water Immunity
Same deal as Lightning Rod but different type. Best with Mega-Camerupt or other mons with 4x water weakness.

Thick Fat: Fire/Ice Type moves against this Pokemon deal damage with a halved attacking stat.
Damage reduction like this that still can proc Weakness Policy is very good. Great with Mega-Venusaur.

Trace: On switch-in, or when it can, this Pokemon copies a random adjacent foe's Ability
This may be controversial. I feel like in a metagame where it can be difficult to decide on something as simple as an ability, why not let the opponent choose for you. Yeah, there are a couple scenarios where it doesn't work out and you end up with a bad ability, but I would say that 95% of the time people will be running abilities that can be viable on almost any Pokemon.

Well-Baked Body: This Pokemon's Defense is raised 2 stages if hit by a Fire move; Fire immunity.
The new Flash Fire, this is going to be far better, as the defense buff is crazy when compared to a boost to Fire-type attacks.

Wind Rider: Attack raised by 1 if hit by a wind move or Tailwind begins. Wind move immunity.
Another solid immunity ability, and the occasional Tailwind boost is nothing to scoff at as well.

B-Tier: These are more niche picks that still have their uses, however they either don't come into play too often, or are generally unreliable

Adaptability: This Pokemon's same-type attack bonus (STAB) is 2 instead of 1.5.
Adaptability will always be a strong ability no matter the metagame, but for me it feels a little underwhelming. With 18 types in the game, the odds of getting one of two on your attacks is unlikely. It will almost always be more beneficial to chose a more reliable damage boost, such as Download or Intrepid Sword.

Air Lock/Cloud Nine: While this Pokemon is active, the effects of weather conditions are disabled.
Could be good if ladder is full of weather, but ultimately it is only good when weather comes into play. When it does come into play, it can be very good, ruining strategies such as Mega-Camerupt in Desolate Land.

Anger Shell: At 1/2 or less of this Pokemon's max HP: +1 Atk, Sp. Atk, Spe, and -1 Def, Sp. Def.
Feels like it would be a solid alternative to Berserk, with the added bonus of Atk and Spe, but the defense drops help to even it out.

Bad Dreams: Causes sleeping adjacent foes to lose 1/8 of their max HP at the end of each turn
Has a niche but isn't terrific. Very rewarding if you get the sleep though.

Bulletproof: Makes user immune to ballistic moves (Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast, etc)
Definitely on the more underused side, the immunity that bulletproof provides is very useful, stopping potentially fatal attacks, but it doesn't see too much usage because it's metronome battles, you never know when a ballistic attack is coming.

Chlorophyll: If Sunny Day is active, this Pokemon's speed is doubled
While speed is definitely useful in metronome battles, I certainly don't feel like it is strong enough to necessitate it on many teams. With the extremely high speed you will get under the sun, you become susceptible to losing to Perish Song. There are also stronger abilities to be using on sun teams, such as Cherrim's Flower Gift, or using Solar Power.

Clear Body/Full Metal Body/White Smoke: Prevents other Pokemon from lowering this Pokemon's stat stages
This is outclassed in most scenarios by Mirror Armor. The only scenario where you would use this instead is against Defiant/Competitive builds. Completely outclassed by dual grass + Flower Veil. Always use Full Metal Body due to it ignoring Mold Breaker type abilities.

Contrary: If this Pokemon has a stat stage raised it is lowered instead, and vice versa
Contrary is very much a double edged sword, as stat drops are no longer detrimental to your team, stat boosts are now bad. While it has seen some usage, it just doesn't feel consistent at all for me.

Dancer: After another Pokemon uses a dance move, this Pokemon uses the same move
This is funny and not terrible

Disguise: (Mimikyu only) The first hit it takes is blocked, and it takes 1/8 HP instead
While this ability is pretty solid, it is hindered by the fact that you have to use it with Mimikyu. While Mimikyu's ghost typing is useful for metronome battles, its low attacking stats and lack of resistances cause it to fall at 132 on the usage stats as of writing this.

Dragon's Maw/Transistor: This Pokemon's attacking stat is multiplied by 1.5 while using a Dragon/Electric-type attack
These abilities fall here for the same reason that Adaptability does, because it will only benefit the user every so often. When you get locked into Outrage with Dragon's Maw it will certainly seem powerful, but you have to remember that RNG is a big part of the game, and that these abilities can only help you so much.

Drizzle/Drought: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Rain Dance/Sunny Day
While not completely useless, it is generally more beneficial to use the Primal weather abilities over Drizzle/Drought. The 5 turn limit will only do so much for you, and if you really want more turns you should just switch to primals, because using a weather rock is a waste of an item slot. The upside to these is that it doesn't completely eliminate water/fire type moves, it just weakens them, allowing you to get more Weakness Policy procs.

Effect Spore: 30% chance of poison/paralysis/sleep on others making contact with this Pokemon
This one has a chance to move up once I test it a little more since I haven't ever used it. On paper it seems alright, mainly if you can roll poison with any semblance of consistency. We'll see on this though.

Electric Surge: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Electric Terrain
The pros of Electric Terrain are very nice, immunity to sleep, and boosted electric type attacks. However, like the weathers listed above, the 5 turn limit isn't enough to justify it, and running Terrain Extender feels like a waste of an item slot. I have used it myself, paired with a Galvanize Mega-Ampharos, so that any electric type attacks used in that 5 turn window hit like a brick wall.

Flame Body: 30% chance a Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon will be burned
Effect Spore but with some more consistency, this might move up as well.

Flower Gift: If user is Cherrim and Sunny Day is active, it and allies's Attack and Sp. Def are 1.5x
If any other Pokemon could use this ability I feel like it would be S tier, but since it is restricted to Cherrim, with some more than underwhelming 70/70/78 bulk, it falls here.

Galvanize: This Pokemon's Normal-Type attacks become Electric Type and have 1.2x power
I really wanted to put this higher, trust me. I just couldn't end up doing it because of ground types. Sure, the boost is very nice, but giving your opponents another potential immunity that they didn't already have doesn't completely justify it.

Hadron Engine: On switch-in, summons Electric Terrain. During Electric Terrain, Sp. Atk is 1.3333x.
Almost dropped this to C, but I feel like it can't be that bad, especially because you also have the off chance of someone rolling Electric Terrain during a battle, and pairing it with a Quark Drive or Galvanize mon can't be terrible.

Healer: 30% chance of curing an adjacent ally's status at the end of each turn
It's alright, but you might as well use abilities that prevent status altogether like Flower Veil

Hydration: This Pokemon has its status cured at the end of each turn if Rain Dance is active
Probably decent under Primordial sea

Ice Face: If Eiscue, the first physical hit it takes deals 0 damage. This effect is restored in hail
Similar deal to Mimikyu, where this ability would be much better if it could be used with a different Pokemon. However, AV Cosmoem made a team with Kee Berry Eiscue, so after the first physical hit you get a defense boost. However, it will just be better to run Dauntless Shield most of the time.

Innards Out: If this Pokemon is Koed with a move, that move's user loses an equal amount of HP
Recently popularized with Bonk's Innards Out Ring Target Chansey, Innards Out is a fun, yet very niche ability. Lots of times you can get the ideal 1v1 scenario, but then you will roll earthquake with Chansey's ally turn 1 and you lose instantly.

Infiltrator: Moves ignore substitutes and foe's Reflect/Light Screen/Safeguard/Mist/Aurora Veil
It alright. Has some potential but suffers from inconsistency.

Intimidate: This Pokemon lowers the attack of adjacent opponents by one stage.
Definitely has potential to be used in the metagame, however with the looming presence of Defiant and Competitive, it really just isn't super reliable. Some games you get your -1 attack, but others you just start by giving your opponent +1.

Levitate: This Pokemon is immune to Ground. Gravity/Ingrain/Smack Down/Iron Ball nullify it.
Don't get me wrong, levitate is good. However, its usage is only necessitated on Pokemon with a 4x ground weakness, such as Heatran, Rotom-Heat, Typhlosion, etc, which are not very useful. You also miss out on potential benefits like healing from grassy terrain, and status immunity from misty terrain.

Libero/Protean: This Pokemon's type changes to the type of the move it is using. Once per switch-in.
Basically you get Tera Normal on your Mega-Evolved Pokemon, could be nice with Mega-Heracross.

Magician: If this Pokemon has no item, it steals the item off a Pokemon it hits with an attack
Niche but can be good. Best if used with something like a Weakness Policy, which is the best consumable item, or with a terrain berry if you like using terrain. You can also opt for more consistency by running no item.

Neuroforce: This Pokemon's attacks that are super effective against the target do 1.25x damage
I thought about this one for a while. I have yet to see this be used, but on paper it looks really good, taking what is already good damage, and making it hit even harder. However, in a metagame where most Pokemon that are chosen are made to have minimal weaknesses, I think it is more worthwhile to be using Tinted Lens, as it is better to make your weak attacks stronger as opposed to making your strong attacks stronger.

No Guard: Every move used by or against this Pokemon will always hit
Everytime I roll an OHKO move I think "Man, it would've been nice if I was running No Guard right now" and then I run No Guard and never roll an OHKO move. Not the best because your opponents get the benefits without the effort.

Normalize: This Pokemon's moves are changed to be Normal-Type and have 1.2x power
This can be debatable as I see the benefits of Normalize, but the looming presence of ghost types like Dusclops, Dragapult, Mega-Sableye, and Mega-Gengar make it much worse in the long run.

Pastel Veil: This Pokemon and its allies cannot be poisoned. On switch-in, cures poisoned allies
I mean I guess it's alright. Definitely has consistency as opposed to shed skin or healer, but I don't think poison is that big of a deal.

Pickup: If this Pokemon has no item, it finds one used by an adjacent Pokemon this turn
Pretty fun to use with either dual Weakness Policy or some berries. I have noticed that this is a way to use a modified Harvest + Rowap/Jaboca berries. With this team, once both Rowap Berries have been eaten, you will begin to pickup new Rowap berries. Not super consistent, but a cool loophole.

Poison Point: 30% chance a Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon will be poisoned
Pretty much the same as Poison Touch (see below). Honestly just take your pick.

Poison Touch: This Pokemon's contact moves have a 30% chance of poisoning
Not seen too often but could definitely be nice. This is the most consistent method of poisoning in the metagame, but I think that a big rise in usage here would also cause a big rise in usage for Pastel Veil/Healer/Shed Skin etc.

Power Spot: This Pokemon's allies have the power of their moves mulitplied by 1.3
If only this effected the user as well, this would be S tier 100%. Still pretty good, that buff is better than one would think.

Prankster: This Pokemon's status moves have priority raised by 1, but Dark types are immune.
Would be better in earlier gens which didn't have the dark type immunity, however with that it becomes very underused and underwhelming. Very good when no dark types are present, but then you run into double Mega-Sableye and you can't do anything.

Protosynthesis/Quark Drive: Sunny Day/Electric Terrain active or Booster Energy used: highest stat is 1.3x, or 1.5x if Speed.
Very solid in Desolate Land, and with a Booster Energy, although it is only useful when boosting defenses, as there are better abilities for the offensive stats.

Punk Rock: This Pokemon receives 1/2 damage from sound moves. Its own have 1.3x power.
While definitely better than abilities like Iron Fist and Mega Launcher, you can certainly make an argument here, but it still struggles with consistency issues.

Sap Sipper: This Pokemon's attack is raised 1 stage if hit by a Grass-Type move. Grass Immunity.
Good when run on Swampert and other mons with a 4x grass weakness, but none of these are very viable.

Scrappy: Fighting, Normal moves hit Ghost. Immune to Intimidate
Definitely viable due to the high amount of Ghost types, but consistency brings it down to B tier.

Shed Skin: This Pokemon has a 33% chance to have its status cured at the end of each turn.
Another ability that I haven't seen much of but could certainly be good when used more. Gets rid of your toxic/burn which is nice.

Shield Dust: This Pokemon is not affected by the secondary effect of another Pokemon's attack
No scald burn, no rock slide flinch, no poison fang poison, no ice beam freeze etc. Good but inconsistent as it relies on your opponent getting lucky enough to a) roll the move, and b) get the roll for the secondary effect.

Sniper: If this Pokemon strikes with a critical hit, the damage is multiplied by 1.5x
This is really only reliable when used on Sirfetch'd/Farfetch'd, as they are the only mons who can use the leek, giving plus 2 crit chance, making them the most likely to get crits. Since that is the case, and those mons aren't super good, Sniper falls here.

Soul-Heart: This Pokemon's Sp. Atk is raised by one stage when another Pokemon faints.
Now don't get me wrong, I love Soul-Heart, but it is really only good when run with Innards Out Chansey.

Soundproof: This Pokemon is immune to sound-based moves, including Heal Bell
See Bulletproof

Speed Boost: This Pokemon's Speed is raised by 1 stage when another Pokemon faints.
Speed is certainly not the best stat when it comes to Metronome Battles. Sure, you will outspeed your opponents almost every time, but this causes you to also lose to Perish Song almost every single time.

Stall: This Pokemon moves last among Pokemon using the same or greater priority moves
I don't think this effects Perish Song so it's just not good. Just use a slow Pokemon.

Steely Spirit: This Pokemon and its allies' Steel-Type moves have their power multiplied by 1.5x.
Adaptability is better, but even then just use Intrepid Sword/Download. Much more consistency there.

Stench: This Pokemon's attacks without a chance to flinch gain a 10% chance to flinch
If this stacked with King's Rock it'd be decent

Super Luck: This Pokemon's critical hit ratio is raised by 1 stage
Somewhat inconsistent without Leek, but it's funny

Swift Swim: If Rain Dance is active, this Pokemon's Speed is doubled.
See Chlorophyll for explanation. Only better than other speed-boosting abilities because of Primordial Sea.

Synchronize: If another Pokemon burns/poisons/paralyzes this Pokemon, it also gets that status
While underwhelming due to the random nature of the metagame, it's not completely unviable since it takes those negatives that you get and shares with the opponent. It's a lose-lose scenario.

Tablets of Ruin: The Attack stat of all other active Pokemon is multiplied by 0.75.
Personally this one is borderline A and B tier, as I find it extremely useful when dealing with a lot of Mega-Heracross teams on ladder, pairing it with a special attacker, such as Mega-Venusaur or Mega-Ampharos.

Technician: This Pokemon's moves of 60 power or less have 1.5x power. Includes Struggle
Struggle being included on this can be clutch in some scenarios. Very niche but not completely unviable.

Thermal Exchange: This Pokemon's Attack is raised by 1 when damaged by Fire moves; can't be burned.
Could be very nice when used on your physical attackers, with the tradeoff of needing your opponent to hit their fire type moves.

Victory Star: This Pokemon and its allies' moves have their accuracy multiplied by 1.1
Missing is annoying, and this is certainly the best way to combat that.

Wonder Skin: Status moves with accuracy checks are 50% accurate when used on this Pokemon
Status moves are annoying. So just dodge them.

C-Tier: These abilities either have underwhelming effects, or are outclassed by other abilities.

Aftermath: If this Pokemon is KOed with a contact move, that moves user loses 1/4 of its max HP
Innards Out is better, but still very niche

Anger Point: If this Pokemon(not its substitute) take a critical hit, its Attack is raised 12 stages
Man I would be mad if I rolled a lucky crit just to realize that my opponent was using Anger Point. It's alright, but pretty underwhelming if you ask me

Aroma Veil: Protects user/allies from Attract, Disable, Encore, Heal Block, Taunt, and Torment
This is a weird one because on paper it looks really good, making your team immune to lots of instant game-overs. However, most of the time it will be more beneficial to just run Magic Bounce instead, as instead of just removing the game-overs, you force it onto your opponents.

Aura Break: While this Pokemon is active, the Dark Aura and Fairy Aura power modifier is 0.75x
No one uses auras

Battery: This Pokemon's allies have the power of their special attacks multiplied by 1.3
Power Spot is this but with physical and special

Battle Armor/Shell Armor: This Pokemon cannot be struck by a critical hit
If you are that annoyed by crits in metronome battles I think you should just play another game.

Beads of Ruin/Sword of Ruin: The Special Defense/Defense stat of all other active Pokemon is multiplied by 0.75.
I'm not a huge fan of these abilities, and I feel like the best option is to use a stat boost ability for yourself, such as Download or Intrepid Sword.

Beast Boost: This Pokemon's highest stat is raised by 1 if it attacks and KOes another Pokemon
Not really useful, because the only stat that you really want to raise is your attacking stats, which can already be done with abilities like Defiant/Competitive, As One, Intrepid Sword, and Download.

Berserk: This Pokemon's Sp Atk is raised by 1 when it reaches 1/2 or less of its max HP
Just run Download so that you don't have to wait to fall under 1/2 HP. The only thing that could possible make Berserk better would be it you somehow healed HP after falling under half and then activate Berserk again, but that will rarely ever happen.

Blaze/Overgrow/Swarm/Torrent: At 1/3 or less of its max HP, this Pokemons attacking stat is 1.5x with Fire/Grass/Bug/Water type attacks
But why tho? Just pick something that is better

Big Pecks: Prevents other Pokemon from lowering this Pokemon's Defense stat stage
Just run Flower Veil/Clear Body/Mirror Armor, since those prevent all stat drops from other Pokemon

Color Change: This Pokemon's type changes to the type of a move it's hit by, unless it has the type
One of the only ways to get a steel type in Metronome Battles, but that isn't good enough, because you will likely lose it shortly thereafter.

Chilling/Grim Neigh: This Pokemon's attack is raised by one stage if it attacks and KOs another Pokemon
See As One in A-Tier

Compound Eyes: This Pokemon's moves have their accuracy multiplied by 1.3x
It is always going to be better to use No Guard, even with the downside that your opponents won't be missing either.

Corrosion: This Pokemon can poison or badly poison other Pokemon regardless of their typing
This would be slightly more viable if steel types were in the meta, but since those are gone, this ability rarely comes into play, as poison types aren't super common, and moves that will cause poison are even less common.

Cotton Down: If this Pokemon is hit, it lowers the Speed of all other Pokemon on the field by 1 stage.
Your 1 Pokemon with this ability can outspeed everything, but what about your other partner? I guess you could give them Clear Body or maybe Contrary or something like that, but then you just lose to Perish Song.

Cud Chew: If this Pokemon eats a Berry, it will eat that Berry again at the end of the next turn.
I mean it's usable and will help, but Harvest or Dual Pickup is going to be better.

Cute Charm: 30% chance of infatuating Pokemon of the opposite gender if they make contact
Could be good if you get lucky with genders, but it will likely be unreliable

Dark and Fairy Aura: While this Pokemon is active, any Dark/Fairy move used by any Pokemon has 1.33x power
While on paper using either Aura looks strong, the fact that it is benefitting both sides of the field makes it never seen on ladder, combined with the unlikeliness that the move chosen will be the right type.

Damp: Prevents Explosion/Mind Blown/Misty Explosion/Self-Destruct/Aftermath while active
Yeah you don't blow yourself up, but then your opponents don't blow themselves up

Armor Tail/Dazzling/Queenly Majesty: While this Pokemon is active, allies are protected from opposing priority moves.
Just use dark types if your so worried about it, but there isn't a reason to worry about it in the first place.

Early Bird: This Pokemon's sleep counter drops by 2 instead of 1
Once again, I don't hate sleep

Electromorphosis: This Pokemon gains the Charge effect when it takes a hit from an attack.
Not super useful, due to the small chance of rolling an Electric type attack.

Flare Boost: While this Pokemon is burned, its special attacks have 1.5x power
Outclassed by Choice Specs. That chip damage will add up quickly.

Flash Fire: This Pokemon's Fire attacks do 1.5x damage if hit by one Fire move; Fire immunity
Still a good ability, but Well-Baked Body is going to be much better now.

Forecast: Castform's type changes to the current weather conditions type, except Sandstorm
First off, why are you running Castform. #289 in usage for December 2021. Castform is outclassed by so much. If you want normal type use Pokestar-Giant/Humanoid, if you want water use Manaphy, if you want fire use Pokestar White Door, and why would you want to use ice.

Frisk: On switch-in, this Pokemon identifies the held items of all opposing Pokemon
Has a niche use in being able to see your opponents items. In the game, this can really only help in knowing if you need to dynamax if a charge move is chosen, as the dynamax isn't needed if your opponent has a choice item. It can also be useful on the ladder as a whole, since you can potentially counterteam to beat the teams on the ladder.

Gale Wings: If this Pokemon is at full HP, its Flying-type moves have their priority increased by 1
I mean just use prankster at this point.

Gluttony: When this Pokemon has 1/2 or less of its maximum HP, it uses certain Berries early
I don't even know what berries this would effect, but I'm sure that there is at least one, giving it some viability.

Grass Pelt: If Grassy Terrain is active, this Pokemon's Defense is multiplied by 1.5
Grassy Terrain is quite rare due to the absence of Grassy Surge

Good as Gold: This Pokemon is immune to Status moves.
DON'T USE GOOD AS GOLD JUST USE MAGIC BOUNCE PLEASE I BEG OF YOU

Gooey: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon have their speed lowered by 1 stage
Just a worse Cotton Down, but that isn't even saying much.

Guard Dog: Immune to Intimidate. Intimidated: +1 Attack. Cannot be forced to switch out.
Only good if someone on ladder is running Intimidate, and those players are few and far between.

Guts: If this Pokemon is statused, its Attack is 1.5x; ignores burn halving physical damage
While yes, on paper is looks nice to get a benefit out of a status, but it really isn't that good. You still take burn/poison damage, you are still slowed by paralysis, and you are still frozen. If you really want that attack boost, just go with the tried and true Intrepid Sword.

Harvest: If last item used is a berry, 50% chance to restore it each end of turn. 100% in Sun.
This is a decent ability, but it falls here mainly due to the lack of good berries to use with it. Your only decent option is a Leppa Berry, but no match is going long enough for that to be necessary.

Heatproof: The power of Fire-type attacks against this Pokemon is halved; burn damage halved
This is pretty good on paper, since you take less damage from fire attacks while still proccing Weakness Policy, but just use Thick Fat. You trade off the halved burn damage for an additional halved power from Ice type attacks.

Hunger Switch: If Morpeko, it changes, between Full Belly and Hangry Mode at the end of each turn
Aura Wheel is not a callable move, so that can't be effected by this ability. However, there is a niche use, in which at the end of the turn, your type will always revert back to Electric-Dark. This prevents much effect from moves like Soak, Forest's Curse, Trick-or-Treat, Conversion, etc.

Hustle: This Pokemon's Attack is 1.5x and accuracy of its physical attacks is 0.8x
Just use Intrepid Sword. You will go mad missing attacks that much.

Hyper Cutter: Prevents other Pokemon from lowering this Pokemon's Attack stat stage
Just use Flower Veil/Clear Body/Mirror Armor

Immunity: This Pokemon cannot be poisoned. Gaining this ability while poisoned cures it.
Just use a poison type if you're so paranoid about it.

Inner Focus: This Pokemon cannot be made to flinch. Immune to Intimidate
Intimidate is almost never seen, and flinching saves you some PP

Insomnia: This Pokemon cannot fall asleep. Gaining this ability while asleep cures it.
Maybe this is just me, but I really don't mind falling asleep. It's not super likely that my opponent can suddenly take advantage of me falling alsspe, and it helps me out if we go past Move 16.

Iron Fist: This Pokemon's punch-based attacks have 1.2x power. Sucker Punch is not boosted.
Similar to the aura abilities, you simply won't be rolling punch attacks at any consistency for it to be useful.

Justified: This Pokemon's attack is raised by 1 stage after it is damaged by a Dark type move
Just use Intrepid Sword for crying out loud people

Keen Eye: This Pokemon's accuracy can't be lowered by others; ignores their evasiveness stat
Just use Flower Veil/Clear Body/Mirror Armor if you are worried about accuracy. Use Unaware/No Guard if you are worried about evasiveness

Leaf Guard: If Sunny Day is active, this Pokemon cannot be statused and Rest will fail for it
Just use Flower Veil, or a better Sun ability, like Flower Gift Cherrim or Chlorophyll

Light Metal: This Pokemon's weight is halved
Congrats! Now you take slightly less damage from Low Kick!

Limber: This Pokemon cannot be paralyzed. Gaining this ability while paralyzed cures it.
Pretty much the same as Insomnia, I don't mind being paralyzed that much. I just deal with it and save some PP in the process.

Liquid Ooze: This Pokemon damages those draining HP from it for as much as they would heal
Not too many draining moves

Liquid Voice: This Pokemon's sound-based moves become Water type
It's probably decent, but it just feels like a worse version of the -ate abilities but for water types.

Long Reach: This Pokemon's attacks do not make contact with the target
Immunity to stuff like Flame Body, but do you really need to use your ability slot to ignore that? I don't think so

Magma Armor: This Pokemon cannot be frozen. Gaining this Ability while frozen cures it
Freeze is the rarest of the status conditions, so you don't need to use an ability to be immune to it.

Marvel Scale: If this Pokemon is statused, its Defense is 1.5x
Just use Dauntless Shield

Mega Launcher: This Pokemon's pulse moves have 1.5x power. Heal Pulse heals 3/4 of target's max HP.
Same deal as the others, not enough pulse moves to justify using it, and it's sad enough when you roll heal pulse, but even sadder if you're running Mega Launcher and roll heal pulse.

Merciless: This Pokemon's attacks are critical hits if the target is poisoned
I thought this said user instead of target for a second and that would be busted but yeah this is pretty bad.

Mimicry: This Pokemon's type changes to match the Terrain. Type reverts when Terrain ends
Don't even think about using this

Motor Drive: This Pokemon's speed is raised by 1 stage if hit by an Electric-type move; Electric Immunity
Lightning Rod is just better. Motor Drive doesn't draw moves that don't target it, and the speed boost really isn't that good in Metronome Battles.

Moxie: This Pokemon's Attack is raised by 1 stage if it attacks and KO's another Pokemon.
Just use Intrepid Sword

Multiscale/Shadow Shield: If this Pokemon is at full HP, damage from attacks is halved.
Looks good on paper, but you are rarely ever at full HP. If you choose to use these, use Shadow Shield, due to its ability to bypass Mold Breaker type abilities.

Mycelium Might: This Pokemon's Status moves go last in their priority bracket and ignore Abilities.
Just a worse Mold Breaker all around.

No Ability: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Prevents Trace from activating, which is not something I thought of, but it makes complete sense. Still extremely niche, due to the low usage of Trace.

Oblivious: This Pokemon cannot be infatuated or taunted. Immune to Intimidate
Just run Magic Bounce or Aroma Veil, you don't need to be worrying about Intimidate

Orichalcum Pulse: On switch-in, summons Sunny Day. During Sunny Day, Attack is 1.3333x.
Very outclassed by the infinite length Desolate Land.

Own Tempo: This Pokemon cannot be confused. Immune to Intimidate
While yeah these don't protect against confusion, once again, just run Magic Bounce

Overcoat: This Pokemon is immune to powder moves and damage from Sandstorm or Hail
I mean just use a grass type. Sandstorm and Hail don't come up often enough to necessitate this anyways.

Persistent: When used, Gravity/Heal Block/Safeguard/Tailwind/Room effects last 2 more turns
Similar niche to the other abilities here, you simply aren't rolling them enough.

Pickpocket: If this Pokemon has no iteam and is hit by a contact move, it steals the attacker's item
Magician is better here, because you just need to hit another Pokemon with an attack to take their item.

Power of Alchemy/Receiver: This Pokemon copies the Ability of an ally that faints
One of the most niche abilities there are. You will only see this used with Shedinja to acheive the Sturdinja, which is underwhelming at best.

Propeller Tail/Stalwart: This Pokemon's moves cannot be redirected to a different target by any effect
Yeah, you can kind of ignore Storm Drain and Lightning Rod, but there is still the 50% chance that you target the mon with the ability, and they still have that immunity even if you ignore redirection. Mold Breaker is certainly better.

Psychic Terrain: On switch-in this Pokemon summons Psychic Terrain
Of the terrains this one is the worst, as the only benefits are no priority and a boost to psychic type attacks. There is no way increase your odds of getting more psychic type attacks like the other terrains have with Galvanize and Pixilate, and preventing priority isn't good because prankster is almost never used.

Rattled: Speed is raised 1 stage if hit by a Bug-, Dark-, or Ghost-type attack, or Intimidated
If I've said it once I've said it a thousand times, SPEED IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT

Reckless: This Pokemon's attacks with recoil or crash damage have 1.2x power; not Struggle
Easy B-Tier if this boosts Struggle. Same deal as Iron Fist otherwise

Ripen: When this Pokemon eats a Berry, its effect is doubled
Definitely an underwhelming one here, sure you can deal 1/4 damage with Rowap/Jaboca Berry, maybe you get +2 with Kee Berry etc. Feels like it would be better to run Harvest with these as then you get the chance to get the effect 3+ times instead of the 2 you would get with Ripen.

Rock Head: This Pokemon does not take recoil damage besides Struggle/Life Orb/crash damage
Not enough recoil moves to justify it.

Rocky Payload: This Pokemon's offensive stat is multiplied by 1.5 while using a Rock-type attack.
Just run Intrepid Sword

Sand Force: This Pokemon's Ground/Rock/Steel attacks do 1.3x in Sandstorm; immunity to it
But why tho

Sand Rush: If Sandstorm is active, this Pokemon's speed is doubled. Immunity to Sandstorm
While not completely useless since you can still roll Sandstorm with Metronome, just run Speed Boost instead if you care that much.

Sand Veil: If Sandstorm is active, this Pokemon's evasiveness is 1.25x; immunity to Sandstorm
^see above^

Sharpness: This Pokemon's slicing moves have their power multiplied by 1.5.
Same reasoning as Iron Fist, not enough slicing moves.

Skill Link: This Pokemon's multi-hit attacks always hit the maximum number of times.
Same as the others, not enough consistency to justify using it.

Slush Rush: If Hail is active, this Pokemon's speed is doubled.
See Sand Rush

Snow Cloak: If Hail is active, this Pokemon's evasiveness is 1.25x; immunity to Hail
See Sand Veil

Solar Power: If Sunny Day is active, this Pokemon's Sp. Atk is 1.5x; loses 1/8 max HP per turn
Not too good because if you run it with desolate land, you are dead in 8 turns barring any healing. Just use a Choice Specs with Download or something.

Static: 30% chance a Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon will be paralyzed
Better to use Flame Body or Poison Touch, because those statuses deal damage, while paralysis only slows them down, and in a metagame where moving last is arguably better than moving first, paralysis isn't something that is prioritized.

Steadfast: If this Pokemon flinches, its Speed is raised by 1 stage
SPEED IS NOT IMPORTANT

Steam Engine: This Pokemon's Speed is raised by 6 stages after it is damaged by Fire/Water moves
Once again, speed is not a huge priority in Metronome Battles, so an ability like this doesn't really help a whole lot.

Steelworker: This Pokemon's attacking stat is multiplied by 1.5 when using a Steel-Type attack.
Essentially a worse adaptability, but falls here because of Steely Spirit.

Sticky Hold: This Pokemon cannot lose its held item due to another Pokemon's attack
Only effects getting hit by moves like knock off and corrosive gas, very rarely seen.

Strong Jaw: This Pokemon's bite-based attacks have 1.5x power. Bug Bite not boosted
Same deal as the others. Why is Bug Bite not boosted anyways?

Sturdy: If this Pokemon is at full HP, it survives one hit with at least 1 HP. Immune to OHKO.
Attacks that will one shot you are pretty few and far between in Metronome Battles. So much so Sturdy becomes almost completely unviable.

Surge Surfer: If Electric Terrain is active, this Pokemon's speed is doubled.
Just run Speed Boost.

Sweet Veil: This Pokemon and its allies cannot fall asleep
Once again, I don't really dislike falling asleep, since you preserve PP, and you have less chances of rolling into insta-losses such as Self-Destruct, Memento, or Final Gambit.

Symbiosis: If an ally uses its item, this Pokemon gives its item to that ally immediately
Pickup is just better, because Symbiosis will really only work once. Pickup can keep activating provided that you use the items.

Tangled Feet: This Pokemon's evasiveness is doubled as long as it is confused
This is kinda cool ngl, but there really isn't a way to both get confused and stay confused in Metronome Battles.

Tangling Hair: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon have their Speed lowered by 1 stage
Being slower can be good sometimes

Telepathy: This Pokemon does not take damage from attacks made by its allies
Definitely useful, but is quite underwhelming, as it really doesn't do too much. The immunity to Self-Destruct, Explosion, EQ and stuff like that is just alright.

Truant: This Pokemon skips every other turn instead of using a move
Now you may be thinking, "Jeff, Truant makes you move less. Doesn't that qualify this ability as 'detrimental to the user'?" The answer is yes and no. Yes, you move less. Half the time to be exact. No, this ability is not entirely 'detrimental to the user'. I can see a very small semblance of viability here, when using extreme stall. This would allow you to PP stall your opponent, provided that you can live for 16 turns. Now should you use it? Hell no, but to be honest you really shouldn't be using anything in this tier with competitive visions in mind.

Tough Claws: This Pokemon's contact moves have their power multiplied by 1.3
See most of this tier for explanation

Toxic Boost: While this Pokemon is poisoned, its physical attacks have 1.5x power
Since you don't get immunity to poison, this doesn't seem good at all.

Unburden: Speed is doubled on held item loss; boost is loss if it switches, gets new item/ability
Speed is kinda unnecessary tho

Unnerve: While this Pokemon is active, it prevents opposing Pokemon from using their Berries
See As One

Vessel of Ruin: The Special Attack stat of all other active Pokemon is multiplied by 0.75.
Special Attack is the less common one, so this one is a little lower than the tablets.

Vital Spirit: This Pokemon cannot fall asleep. Gaining this Ability while asleep cures it
Just run Sweet Veil if you're so worried about it.

Water Compaction: This Pokemon's Defense is raised 2 stages after it is damaged by a Water-type move
I mean it's not completely useless, but just use Stamina. It is less of a damage boost but it is far more consistent, because it can activate on any attack, not just water type attacks.

Water Veil: This Pokemon cannot be burned. Gaining this Ability while burned cures it
Just run Water Bubble

Wind Power: This Pokemon gains the Charge effect when hit by a wind move or Tailwind begins.
This would be solid if there was an immunity to Flying-type attacks. Wonder if an ability like that exists.

D-Tier: These abilities have no competitive effect in metronome battles

Anticipation: On switch-in, this Pokemon shudders if any foe has a supereffective or OHKO move
And what if they do? What are you gonna do about it, huh?

Arena Trap/Shadow Tag: Prevents adjacent foes from choosing to switch unless they are airborne (Arena Trap) or have this ability (Shadow Tag).
There is no switching in Metronome Battles

Ball Fetch/Honey Gather/Illuminate/Run Away: No competitive use
ඞඞඞඞඞ

Costar: On switch-in, this Pokemon copies all of its ally's stat stage changes.
Still not switching

Curious Medicine: On switch-in, this Pokemon's allies have their stat stages reset to 0
No switching

Emergency Exit/Wimp Out: This Pokemon switches out when it reaches 1/2 or less of its maximum HP
No switching

Forewarn: On switch-in, this Pokemon is alerted to the foes' move with the highest power
"Attention, the opponent has the move, 'Metronome'!"

Illusion: This Pokemon appears as the last Pokemon in the party until it takes direct damage
Only two mons in the party, and it's not like you opponent will be doing anything differently as they only have one choice. I don't even think it works but I'm too lazy to test it.

Magnet Pull: Prevents adjacent Steel-type foes from choosing to switch
No steel types, and no switching anyways

Mountaineer: On switch-in, this Pokemon avoids all Rock-type attacks and Stealth Rock
Since you can't switch-in, this does nothing.

Multitype: If this Pokemon is an Arceus, its type changes to match its held Plate or Z-Crystal.
No Arceus, but even if there was Arceus you could just pick your type and run a real ability.

Natural Cure: This Pokemon has its non-volatile statues condition cured when it switches out
No switching

Quick Draw: This Pokemon has a 30% chance to move first in its priority bracket with attacking moves
Now I haven't tested this, but I don't think this would do anything since you are only clicking status moves, so I don't think this would do anything, but if it does, we'll put it in C because you can just use Prankster.

Rebound: On switch-in, blocks certain status moves and bounces them back to the user
No switching in

Regenerator: This Pokemon restores 1/3 of its max HP, rounded down, when it switches out.
No switching

Rivalry: This Pokemon's attacks do 1.25x on same gender targets; 0.75 on opposite gender
Literally just use any other attack boosting ability, because here there is a chance that it hurts you instead of helping you.

RKS System: If this Pokemon is a Silvally, its type changes to match its held Memory.
Same as Multitype but with Silvally. Just pick your type on teambuilder and run a real ability.

Screen Cleaner: On switch-in, the effects of Aurora Veil, Light Screen, and Reflect end for both sides
No switching, and there won't be any screens up at the start of the game.

Seed Sower: When this Pokemon is hit by an attack, the effect of Grassy Terrain begins.
Healing Clause

Stakeout: This Pokemon's attacking stat is doubled against a target that switched in this turn.
No switching

Stance Change: If Aegislash, changes form to Blade before attacks and Shield before Kings Shield.
Just pick one, you can't roll Kings Shield to change back anyways.

Suction Cups: This Pokemon cannot be forced to switch out by another Pokemon's attack or item
No switching

Supreme Overlord: This Pokemon's moves have 10% more power for each fainted ally, up to 5 allies.
No one will be dead when you switch in

Toxic Debris: If this Pokemon is hit by a physical attack, Toxic Spikes are set on the opposing side.
Toxic Spikes are useless

Triage: This Pokemon's healing moves have their priority increased by 3
You can't click healing moves

Unseen Fist: All contact moves hit through protection
No protecting in Metronome Battles, and it doesn't go through Max

Zero to Hero: If this Pokemon is a Palafin in Zero Form, switching out has it change to Hero Form.
Never switching out.

F-Tier: These abilities are detrimental to user and/or its allies

Defeatist: While this Pokemon has 1/2 or less of its max HP, its Attack and Sp. Atk are halved
Why

Heavy Metal: This Pokemon's weight is doubled
Guess what? Now you take more damage from Low Kick! Wow! Amazing!

Klutz: This Pokemon's held item has no effect, except Macho Brace. Fling cannot be used
Trick/Switcheroo can't be called by metronome, and fling doesn't work, so the only way to transfer an item this way is through Magician, and even then what item would you even use, Lagging Tail? Not good, just use a different ability so that you can use a good item.

Schooling: If user is Wishiwashi, changes to School Form if it has > 1/4 max HP, else Solo Form.
Please never run this. Just run School Form and pick another ability.

Shields Down: If Minior, switch in/end of turn it changes to Core at 1/2 max HP or less, else Meteor
No one should run Minior anyways (#369 as of Dec 2021), and if you do you surely shouldn't run Shields Down, just pick a form and stick with it so you can run an actually useful ability. The only one I've seen was a dub for me.

Slow Start: On switch-in, this Pokemon's Attack and Speed are halved for 5 turns
lol

Weak Armor: If a physical attack hits this Pokemon, Defense is lowered by 1, Speed is raised by 2
Of the F-Tier, this is my most opinionated choice. It isn't entirely detrimental, but it will certainly do more harm than good. Speed just isn't that good in the meta, and if you are so worried about it, just run Speed Boost.

Zen Mod: If Darmanitan, at end of turn changes Mode to Standard if > 1/2 max HP, else Zen
No matter what form of Darmanitan you are running, whether that be Galarian or Unovian, the Zen form is going to be better, as it has better defenses for Unovian, and better Attack for Galarian.

Banned Abilities

Battle Bond: After KOing a Pokemon: becomes Ash-Greninja, Water Shuriken: 20 power, hits 3x
Ash-Greninja bypasses the 625 BST limit, so this ability is currently banned. If the BST limit wasn't there, it would fall in the D-Tier, because you would rather just start with Ash-Greninja anyways

Commander: If ally is Dondozo: this Pokemon cannot act or be hit, +2 to all Dondozo's stats.
This was funny while it lasted, but this was all that was viable.

Cheek Pouch: If this Pokemon eats a berry, it restores 1/3 of its max HP after the berry's effect
Healing Clause

Cursed Body: If this Pokemon is hit by an attack, there is a 30% chance that move gets disabled.
It's essentially an ability that uses taunt 30% of the time

Dry Skin: This Pokemon is healed 1/4 by Water, 1/8 by Rain; is hurt 1.25x by Fire, 1/8 by Sun
Healing Abilities are all banned, placing this here. If it wasn't banned, it would be an S-Tier ability, as combined with Primordial sea you would be an absolute powerhouse of a mon.

Earth Eater: This Pokemon heals 1/4 of its max HP when hit by Ground moves; Ground immunity.
Healing Clause

Fluffy: This Pokemon takes 1/2 damage from contact moves, 2x damage from Fire moves
If this wasn't banned this ability would be busted. Especially in a metagame with Primal weather abilities, a team consisting of a Primordial Sea user and a Fluffy user would wreak havoc on the world as we know it.

Fur Coat: This Pokemon's Defense is doubled
I have yet to really understand why this ability is banned and Ice Scales isn't. They both do effectively the same thing but with different defenses, so either they should both be banned, or both be legal, but certainly not how it is now.

Gorilla Tactics: This Pokmeon's attack is 1.5x, but it can only execute the first move it executes
Do I even need to elaborate, literally just a choice band but an ability.

Grassy Surge: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Grassy Terrain
Healing Clause

Huge/Pure Power: This Pokemon's attack is doubled
-_-

Ice Body: If Hail is active, this Pokemon heals 1/16 of its max HP each turn; immunity to Hail
Healing Clause

Iron Barbs: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon lose 1/8 of their max HP
If only...

Moody: Boosts a random stat (except accuracy/evasion) +2 and another stat -1 every turn.
This would be funny tho

Neutralizing Gas: While this Pokemon is active, Abilities have no effect
Thank Arceus this was banned.

Opportunist: When an opposing Pokemon has a stat stage raised, this Pokemon copies the effect.
Good Riddance

Parental Bond: This Pokemon's damaging moves hit twice. The second hit has its damage quartered
This would be kinda funny but overall bad for the meta

Perish Body: Making contact with this Pokemon starts the Perish Song effect for it and the attacker
Wouldn't this just make for the most skill based metagame ever. You would pretty much have to run this team and almost every game would come down to a speed tie.

Pressure: If this Pokemon is the target of a foe's move, that move loses one additional PP
Man wouldn't that be fun for the whole family. No PP allowed

Poison Heal: This Pokemon is healed by 1/8 of its max HP each turn when poisoned. No HP loss
Healing Clause

Power Construct: If Zygarde 10%/50%, changes to Complete if at 1/2 max HP or less at end of turn.
Bypasses the BST limit

Rain Dish: If Rain Dance is active, this Pokemon heals 1/16 of its max HP each turn
Healing Clause

Rough Skin: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon lose 1/8 of their max HP
Harming Abilities Clause

Sand Spit: When this Pokemon it hit, Sandstorm begins
See Below

Sand Stream: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Sandstorm.
Harming Abilities Clause

Snow Warning: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Hail.
Harming Abilities Clause

Stamina: This Pokemon's Defense is raised by 1 stage after it is damaged by a move.
I'm not gonna lie I wrote this entire tier list and then realized that this was banned lol.

Volt/Water Absorb: This Pokemon heals 1/4 of its max HP when hit by Electric/Water moves; Electric/Water Immunity
Healing Clause

Wonder Guard: This Pokemon can only be damaged by supereffective moves and indirect damage
Only usable on Shedinja (RIP Pokestar Spirit), otherwise it is banned cause OP

Hope you all got something out of this, and I hope that I saved some of you from making uninformed decisions about ability choices. On another hand, lets talk changes. When it comes to abilities really I only have an issue with Fur Coat. To my knowledge it has never really been tested when it comes to Gen 8, but it was very good in Gen 7. It simply doesn't make sense that Fur Coat can be banned and Ice Scales can be unbanned. I would be in favor of doing a test similar to the one we did for Sturdinja, where we just unban Fur Coat for a week or two and see what the consensus is. At the end, I feel like we either need to ban both or keep both, because in a mode where what category the next attack is simply falls to a percentage chance, it feels weird to keep one and not the other.

In other news, Pokemon Legends: Arceus comes out soon, and that will likely bring the new forms to Showdown! for us. If that is so, I will likely cover these no sooner than a week after the games release, so that people have time to play the game if they don't want to be spoiled. If there are any changes you would suggest, or missing abilities, please let me know so I can make edits where they are needed. Good Luck, and Keep Battling!

 

[Ivy]

If anything, I'd be willing to retest fluffy & fur coat for an unban; the main reasoning behind leaving ice scales untouched was that there is little use for special attackers in the first place lol. it's statistically more likely to roll physical moves via metronome, so typically attack is the better investment. Freeing fluffycoat would level the playing field there, and since those would actually be used a lot in fat teams (to counter the ever-popular maxed attack teams), people would be incentivized to invest in special attackers to counter those teams.
However, I don't think people would generally enjoy a slower meta, so I've put up a poll to see the consensus on this, with the alternative being to simply suspect ice scales.

 

[pyuk]

For the record, I don’t think it’s reasonable to test Fur Coat and Fluffy at the same time since one is just a much better version of the other. There are more physical moves than contact moves and most contact moves are physical anyway, so with both unbanned there’d be no reason to use Fluffy over Fur Coat, and that’s not even mentioning Fluffy’s added fire weakness.

 

[urkerab]

Pixilate: This Pokemon's Normal-Type moves become Fairy Type and have 1.2x power.
Of the -ate abilities this is certainly the best, earning a leg up on Aerilate due to the additional power buff from Misty Terrain.

Misty Terrain does not buff Fairy type moves.

 

[jeffdaboss]

Misty Terrain does not buff Fairy type moves.

Edit has been made, thank you!

 

[doipy hooves]

I should say this since it's a new year. Thank you doipy hooves for doing this every month, you're really carrying the forum discussions. These statistics analysis are always a treat to see. I would leave you in charge of Metronome Battles if I could!

Thanks fwqef. I think I'm better off being a participant to discussing and playing more than making decisions though and I appreciate everyone reading, engaging, and keeping the format going for me to talk about it. Here's to another year of Metronome Battles.

Metronome Battles Unofficial Abilities Tier List by Jeffdaboss
So here is the project that I have been working on. I've been going on and off for the past couple months now, but honestly I enjoyed doing this. It really helped me go through and see what niche and unused abilities were hiding in the long list of every ability. This is also very useful for new or returning players to Metronome Battles who are unfamiliar with the metagame. This has given me a few ideas for new teams, and I hope it can give others good ideas too.

*All abilities are sorted in alphabetical order*

S-Tier: These are the meta-defining abilities that can be used with almost any Pokémon on almost any team

Comatose: This Pokemon cannot be statused, and is considered to be asleep
This is a super solid ability. So many games can be ended with a single Toxic or Poison, and you super offensive Pokemon can be crippled by burn, freeze, or paralysis, and this avoids them all. The only downside is the very rare Bad Dreams user, which will effectively win against comatose immediately, as the comatose Pokemon will only last 8 turns without proper healing.

Competitive/Defiant: This Pokemon's Sp Atk is raised by 2 for each of its stats that is lowered by a foe.
Talk about meta-defining abilities, these two are some of the biggest staples of Metronome Battles. Any negative stat change instantly becoming useful for you is great to see.

Filter/Prism Armor/Solid Rock: This Pokemon receives 3/4 damage from super-effective attacks
I thought for a bit on this one. Usage wise, it feels more like an A-Tier ability, as it really only sees usage with Glastrier and the occasional Galar-Moltres, however I feel like people need to be using it more. Making the strongest moves weaker is terrific, and helps preserve the bulk of what could already be a very bulky mon, without sacrificing the utility of weakness policy.

Flower Veil: This side's Grass Types can't have stats lowered or status inflicted by other Pokemon
This is soooooo good, I can't even begin to say how amazing Flower Veil is. No status, no negative changes, and a way to make grass types viable in what would otherwise be a not so good metagame for them. Best used on or with mons such as Mega-Venusaur, Necturna, Dhelmise, and Shaymin-Sky.

Intrepid Sword: On switch-in, this Pokemon's attack is raised by one stage.
What do I even need to say here. Busted ability.

Magic Bounce: This Pokemon blocks certain status moves and bounces them back to the user.
Got to be one of the best support abilities, if not the best. Magic Bounce gives a bounceback effect to moves like taunt, torment, toxic, octolock, disable, etc, turning what potentially could've been game over for you into a game over for your opponent.

Magic Guard: This Pokemon can only be damaged by direct attacks.
While not as good as Magic Bounce, Magic Guard is still an insanely good, while underused ability. This prevents damage that isn't coming from a direct attack, providing an immunity to life orb recoil, toxic/poison, and moves like wrap/whirlpool/fire spin. Magic Guard provides much more longevity for your Pokemon, and can even give a large power boost to all of their attacks.

Mold Breaker/Teravolt/Turboblaze: This Pokemon's moves and their effects ignore the Abilities of other Pokemon.
These abilities are great, and I wish more people used them. You can spend all this time coming up with a great ability combo, and then it is completely invalidated because of this ability.

Tinted Lens: This Pokemon's attacks that are not very effective on a target deal double damage
This ability is amazing. In a metagame where choosing a Pokemon is most of the work in the teambuilder, teams prefer Pokemon that have the most resistances possible. This ability takes advantage of that, and turns those resistances into hard hitting attacks nonetheless.

Unaware: This Pokemon ignores other Pokemon's stat stages when taking or doing damage
This ability is great mainly due to the large amount of stat boosting abilities and items in the metagame. This invalidates Intrepid Sword, Dauntless Shield, Weakness Policy, Misty/Electric/Psychic Seed, etc. Terrific when used with stall Pokemon such as Dusclops and Type: Null.

Water Bubble: This Pokemon's Water power is 2x; it can't be burned; Fire power against it is halved
Another underused ability, Water Bubble is very good. Big damage buff to water type attacks, burn immunity removing a form of passive damage, and reducing damage while still proccing Weakness Policy.

A-Tier: These are very prominent abilities that have some very strong uses, but see less usage than S tier

Aerilate: This Pokemon's Normal-Type moves become flying type and have 1.2x power
Aerilate is a very solid ability for metronome battles. Primarily used on strong flying types, it adds another type to get the STAB bonus. It also helps with the ghost type matchup, as you won't be hitting with any normal type attacks. This ability is primarily seen on offensive flying types, such as Pokestar UFO and Mega-Pinsir

As One: The combination of Unnerve and Chilling/Grim Neigh
Definitely not an ability that has seen much usage, but one that I feel is solid in the right matchup. Teams with As One will absolutely destroy Imposter teams, as you prevent them from getting their leppa berry off, restricting them to 5 turns of metronome. The boost from chilling/grim neigh is also nice to see, however it won't come into play as much as Unnerve will, as it only boosts if the user is getting the KO.

Analytic: This Pokemon's attacks have 1.3x power if it is the last to move in a turn.
Can only be run on one Pokemon per team as you can't have two mons both move last, but this is one of the most consistent power boosts there is. However, you run the risk of only being able to use it 100% consistently when using the slowest Pokemon, being Pyukumuku, Shuckle, and Munchlax, or by using Lagging Tail to guarantee you moving last. Either way, you must use either suboptimal Pokemon, or a suboptimal item to guarentee the boost.

Dauntless Shield: On switch-in, this Pokemon's Defense is raised by one stage
While not seen too often, Dauntless Shield is a great ability for both stall and balance teams. Just as intrepid sword is great for your offensive giants, the defense boost is very solid at guaranteeing that you Pokemon stays on the field longer. I personally enjoyed using this on a Pokemon holding a misty seed, with the partner having Misty Surge as it's ability, giving my Pokemon a Defense and Special Defense boost in every battle.

Delta Stream: On switch-in, strong winds begin until this ability is not active in battle
The Primal Weather and Delta Stream are all very strong in metronome battles. While active, Delta Stream removes the weaknesses that flying types have to electric, ice, and rock, greatly increasing their defensive capabilities. It is most seen with Pokemon such as Shaymin-Sky, Pokestar UFO, and Toucannon

Desolate Land: On switch-in, extremely harsh sunlight begins until this ability is not active in battle
Desolate Land can be extremely good when used with the right Pokemon. The ability is drought, except it lasts for as long as the Pokemon does, and prevents any water type attack from working. The best Pokemon in the meta right now for this ability is Mega-Camerupt, as Desolate Land removes its 4x weakness to water, giving it one weakness, five resistances, and an immunity, along with its massive 70/100/105 bulk. It is best used with Pokemon that are either using an ability that is boosted by sunlight, such as Cherrim's Flower Gift, Solar Power, or the rarer Chlorophyll, or on a Pokemon that is also quite weak to water, such as another Mega-Camerupt, or Coalossal.

Download: On switch-in, Attack or Sp. Atk is raised one stage based on the foes' weaker defense
Download is a super solid ability, giving your Pokemon an attacking stat boost in every match. However, the slight inconsistency in it makes it less used in the metagame, as the player would much rather that it always be one or the other. The only thing keeping Download out of S-Tier right now is the existence of Intrepid Sword, giving much more consistency.

Flash Fire: This Pokemon's Fire attacks do 1.5x damage if hit by one Fire move; Fire immunity
Immunities are always very useful in metronome battles. Ghost types are the most used type in the metagame, because they all come with 2 immunites, so an ability that gives you one is going to be very useful. Flash Fire is especially good because of the 1.5x boost to all fire type attacks after being hit by one. Flash Fire sees the most usage on Pokemon with 4x weaknesses to fire, such as Mega-Abomasnow.

Friend Guard: This Pokemon's allies receive 3/4 damage from other Pokemon's attacks
Very good ability, greatly increasing your longevity. However, since it doesn't effect the user at all, it falls in A tier.

Gulp Missile: When hit after Surf/Dive, attacker takes 1/4 max HP and -1 Defense, or Paralysis
This is what makes Cramorant viable. You can run the Gulping and Gorging versions, and spread stat drops and paralysis. You can only guarantee two procs of Gulp Missile a game, but the off chance you roll surf or dive makes it that much more satisfying.

Ice Scales: This Pokemon receives 1/2 damage from special attacks
Best when used on mons that already have a high physical defense, like Regirock or Shuckle. See the bottom of the post for a small rant related to this.

Imposter: On switch-in, this Pokemon Transforms into the opposing Pokemon that is facing it
Imposter has been a metagame staple for along time, with dual imposter Blissey being very popular. However, it is very restricting as a strategy, as you are limited to 5 pp on metronome, making it almost necessary to run a Leppa Berry, and Blissey is really the only good Pokemon to run Imposter with.

Lightning Rod: This Pokemon draws Electric moves to itself to raise Sp. Atk by 1; Electric Immunity
Lightning Rod is another immunity ability, but is especially good because it draws in electric type attacks that could hit your ally Pokemon. It falls here due to the fact that it can also draw in electric type attacks made by your teammate, which could be used to ko an opponent.

Minus: If an active ally has this Ability or the Plus Ability, this Pokemon's Sp. Atk is 1.5x
Definitely a commitment in the teambuilder but it feels really strong. I like to think of it like running Dual Intrepid Sword Mega-Heracross but just special, and honestly it is more consistent than Intrepid Sword, due to the fact that it can't be erased with things like Topsy-Turvy, Haze, or stolen with Psych Up. It would be S Tier if you could run it without the ally with the same ability, which would've made this just a special Intrepid Sword.

Mirror Armor: If this Pokemon's stat stages would be lowered, the attacker's are lowered instead
Definitely quite useful, as any immunity to stat stages is nice. Stays out of S tier due to the prevalence of Flower Veil.

Misty Surge: On switch-in this Pokemon summons Misty Terrain.
Of the terrain abilities this one is certainly the best. While still niche, it is nice to provide an immunity to status effects, and also weaken Dragon-type attacks. It has seen usage when combined with a Pokemon using the Pixilate ability, and is also useful with Misty Seed to provide extra longevity.

Mummy/Wandering Spirit: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon have their Ability changed to Mummy
Budget Neutralizing Gas. Underused by surprisingly good at ruining certain team comps, such as Flower Veil, Unaware Stall, and Primal Weather. It stays in A since contact must be made to activate it, which can be somewhat challenging to do, but once it does happen it makes games much easier to win.

Pixilate: This Pokemon's Normal-Type moves become Fairy Type and have 1.2x power.
Another one of the -ate abilities, still pretty good because of strong Fairy Types such as Mega-Gardevoir, and Mega-Altaria. Falls in line with Aerilate and Refrigerate.

Primordial Sea: On switch-in heavy rain begins until this Ability is not active in battle
This does fall slightly short of being as good as Desolate Land, mainly because Desolate Land simply has more support abilities, along with some better users. Best user of Primordial Sea right now is likely either Mega-Abomasnow or Glastrier.

Refrigerate: This Pokemon's Normal-Type moves become Ice Type and have 1.2x power.
Same as Aerilate. Best when used with Ice types for that STAB boost as well.

Serene Grace: This Pokemon's moves have their secondary effect chance doubled.
This isn't an ability that I have given much thought to, but on paper it looks like it could be good. Provides more flinches, more burns, more freezes, and just makes the game more annoying for your opponent.

Sheer Force: This Pokemon's attacks with secondary effects have 1.3x power. Nullifies the effects
Like Magic Guard, this is another way to use Life Orb without taking recoil. Also gives a nice power boost every now and then.

Simple: When this Pokemon's stat stages are raised or lowered, the effect is doubled instead.
If it weren't for Flower Veil this would drop to B, but with Flower Veil giving grass types an immunity to having stats lowered, it greatly enhances Simple's benefits, especially when used when with Weakness Policy.

Storm Drain: This Pokemon draws Water moves to itself to raise Sp Atk by 1; Water Immunity
Same deal as Lightning Rod but different type. Best with Mega-Camerupt or other mons with 4x water weakness.

Thick Fat: Fire/Ice Type moves against this Pokemon deal damage with a halved attacking stat.
Damage reduction like this that still can proc Weakness Policy is very good. Great with Mega-Venusaur.

Trace: On switch-in, or when it can, this Pokemon copies a random adjacent foe's Ability
This may be controversial. I feel like in a metagame where it can be difficult to decide on something as simple as an ability, why not let the opponent choose for you. Yeah, there are a couple scenarios where it doesn't work out and you end up with a bad ability, but I would say that 95% of the time people will be running abilities that can be viable on almost any Pokemon.

B-Tier: These are more niche picks that still have their uses, however they either don't come into play too often, or are generally unreliable

Adaptability: This Pokemon's same-type attack bonus (STAB) is 2 instead of 1.5.
Adaptability will always be a strong ability no matter the metagame, but for me it feels a little underwhelming. With 18 types in the game, the odds of getting one of two on your attacks is unlikely. It will almost always be more beneficial to chose a more reliable damage boost, such as Download or Intrepid Sword.

Air Lock/Cloud Nine: While this Pokemon is active, the effects of weather conditions are disabled.
Could be good if ladder is full of weather, but ultimately it is only good when weather comes into play. When it does come into play, it can be very good, ruining strategies such as Mega-Camerupt in Desolate Land.

Bad Dreams: Causes sleeping adjacent foes to lose 1/8 of their max HP at the end of each turn
Has a niche but isn't terrific. Very rewarding if you get the sleep though.

Bulletproof: Makes user immune to ballistic moves (Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb, Focus Blast, etc)
Definitely on the more underused side, the immunity that bulletproof provides is very useful, stopping potentially fatal attacks, but it doesn't see too much usage because it's metronome battles, you never know when a ballistic attack is coming.

Chlorophyll: If Sunny Day is active, this Pokemon's speed is doubled
While speed is definitely useful in metronome battles, I certainly don't feel like it is strong enough to necessitate it on many teams. With the extremely high speed you will get under the sun, you become susceptible to losing to Perish Song. There are also stronger abilities to be using on sun teams, such as Cherrim's Flower Gift, or using Solar Power.

Clear Body/Full Metal Body/White Smoke: Prevents other Pokemon from lowering this Pokemon's stat stages
This is outclassed in most scenarios by Mirror Armor. The only scenario where you would use this instead is against Defiant/Competitive builds. Completely outclassed by dual grass + Flower Veil.

Contrary: If this Pokemon has a stat stage raised it is lowered instead, and vice versa
Contrary is very much a double edged sword, as stat drops are no longer detrimental to your team, stat boosts are now bad. While it has seen some usage, it just doesn't feel consistent at all for me.

Dancer: After another Pokemon uses a dance move, this Pokemon uses the same move
This is funny and not terrible

Disguise: (Mimikyu only) The first hit it takes is blocked, and it takes 1/8 HP instead
While this ability is pretty solid, it is hindered by the fact that you have to use it with Mimikyu. While Mimikyu's ghost typing is useful for metronome battles, its low attacking stats and lack of resistances cause it to fall at 132 on the usage stats as of writing this.

Dragon's Maw/Transistor: This Pokemon's attacking stat is multiplied by 1.5 while using a Dragon/Electric-type attack
These abilities fall here for the same reason that Adaptability does, because it will only benefit the user every so often. When you get locked into Outrage with Dragon's Maw it will certainly seem powerful, but you have to remember that RNG is a big part of the game, and that these abilities can only help you so much.

Drizzle/Drought: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Rain Dance/Sunny Day
While not completely useless, it is generally more beneficial to use the Primal weather abilities over Drizzle/Drought. The 5 turn limit will only do so much for you, and if you really want more turns you should just switch to primals, because using a weather rock is a waste of an item slot. The upside to these is that it doesn't completely eliminate water/fire type moves, it just weakens them, allowing you to get more Weakness Policy procs.

Effect Spore: 30% chance of poison/paralysis/sleep on others making contact with this Pokemon
This one has a chance to move up once I test it a little more since I haven't ever used it. On paper it seems alright, mainly if you can roll poison with any semblance of consistency. We'll see on this though.

Electric Surge: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Electric Terrain
The pros of Electric Terrain are very nice, immunity to sleep, and boosted electric type attacks. However, like the weathers listed above, the 5 turn limit isn't enough to justify it, and running Terrain Extender feels like a waste of an item slot. I have used it myself, paired with a Galvanize Mega-Ampharos, so that any electric type attacks used in that 5 turn window hit like a brick wall.

Flame Body: 30% chance a Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon will be burned
Effect Spore but with some more consistency, this might move up as well.

Flower Gift: If user is Cherrim and Sunny Day is active, it and allies's Attack and Sp. Def are 1.5x
If any other Pokemon could use this ability I feel like it would be S tier, but since it is restricted to Cherrim, with some more than underwhelming 70/70/78 bulk, it falls here.

Galvanize: This Pokemon's Normal-Type attacks become Electric Type and have 1.2x power
I really wanted to put this higher, trust me. I just couldn't end up doing it because of ground types. Sure, the boost is very nice, but giving your opponents another potential immunity that they didn't already have doesn't completely justify it.

Healer: 30% chance of curing an adjacent ally's status at the end of each turn
It's alright, but you might as well use abilities that prevent status altogether like Flower Veil

Hydration: This Pokemon has its status cured at the end of each turn if Rain Dance is active
Probably decent under Primordial sea

Ice Face: If Eiscue, the first physical hit it takes deals 0 damage. This effect is restored in hail
Similar deal to Mimikyu, where this ability would be much better if it could be used with a different Pokemon. However, AV Cosmoem made a team with Kee Berry Eiscue, so after the first physical hit you get a defense boost. However, it will just be better to run Dauntless Shield most of the time.

Innards Out: If this Pokemon is Koed with a move, that move's user loses an equal amount of HP
Recently popularized with Bonk's Innards Out Ring Target Chansey, Innards Out is a fun, yet very niche ability. Lots of times you can get the ideal 1v1 scenario, but then you will roll earthquake with Chansey's ally turn 1 and you lose instantly.

Infiltrator: Moves ignore substitutes and foe's Reflect/Light Screen/Safeguard/Mist/Aurora Veil
It alright. Has some potential but suffers from inconsistency.

Intimidate: This Pokemon lowers the attack of adjacent opponents by one stage.
Definitely has potential to be used in the metagame, however with the looming presence of Defiant and Competitive, it really just isn't super reliable. Some games you get your -1 attack, but others you just start by giving your opponent +1.

Levitate: This Pokemon is immune to Ground. Gravity/Ingrain/Smack Down/Iron Ball nullify it.
Don't get me wrong, levitate is good. However, its usage is only necessitated on Pokemon with a 4x ground weakness, such as Heatran, Rotom-Heat, Typhlosion, etc, which are not very useful. You also miss out on potential benefits like healing from grassy terrain, and status immunity from misty terrain.

Magician: If this Pokemon has no item, it steals the item off a Pokemon it hits with an attack
Niche but can be good. Best if used with something like a Weakness Policy, which is the best consumable item, or with a terrain berry if you like using terrain.

Neuroforce: This Pokemon's attacks that are super effective against the target do 1.25x damage
I thought about this one for a while. I have yet to see this be used, but on paper it looks really good, taking what is already good damage, and making it hit even harder. However, in a metagame where most Pokemon that are chosen are made to have minimal weaknesses, I think it is more worthwhile to be using Tinted Lens, as it is better to make your weak attacks stronger as opposed to making your strong attacks stronger.

No Guard: Every move used by or against this Pokemon will always hit
Everytime I roll an OHKO move I think "Man, it would've been nice if I was running No Guard right now" and then I run No Guard and never roll an OHKO move. Not the best because your opponents get the benefits without the effort.

Normalize: This Pokemon's moves are changed to be Normal-Type and have 1.2x power
This can be debatable as I see the benefits of Normalize, but the looming presence of ghost types like Dusclops, Dragapult, Mega-Sableye, and Mega-Gengar make it much worse in the long run.

Pastel Veil: This Pokemon and its allies cannot be poisoned. On switch-in, cures poisoned allies
I mean I guess it's alright. Definitely has consistency as opposed to shed skin or healer, but I don't think poison is that big of a deal.

Pickup: If this Pokemon has no item, it finds one used by an adjacent Pokemon this turn
Pretty fun to use with either dual Weakness Policy or some berries. I have noticed that this is a way to use a modified Harvest + Rowap/Jaboca berries. With this team, once both Rowap Berries have been eaten, you will begin to pickup new Rowap berries. Not super consistent, but a cool loophole.

Poison Point: 30% chance a Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon will be poisoned
Pretty much the same as Poison Touch (see below). Honestly just take your pick.

Poison Touch: This Pokemon's contact moves have a 30% chance of poisoning
Not seen too often but could definitely be nice. This is the most consistent method of poisoning in the metagame, but I think that a big rise in usage here would also cause a big rise in usage for Pastel Veil/Healer/Shed Skin etc.

Power Spot: This Pokemon's allies have the power of their moves mulitplied by 1.3
If only this effected the user as well, this would be S tier 100%. Still pretty good, that buff is better than one would think.

Prankster: This Pokemon's status moves have priority raised by 1, but Dark types are immune.
Would be better in earlier gens which didn't have the dark type immunity, however with that it becomes very underused and underwhelming. Very good when no dark types are present, but then you run into double Mega-Sableye and you can't do anything.

Punk Rock: This Pokemon receives 1/2 damage from sound moves. Its own have 1.3x power.
While definitely better than abilities like Iron Fist and Mega Launcher, you can certainly make an argument here, but it still struggles with consistency issues.

Sap Sipper: This Pokemon's attack is raised 1 stage if hit by a Grass-Type move. Grass Immunity.
Good when run on Swampert and other mons with a 4x grass weakness, but none of these are very viable.

Scrappy: Fighting, Normal moves hit Ghost. Immune to Intimidate
Definitely viable due to the high amount of Ghost types, but consistency brings it down to B tier.

Shed Skin: This Pokemon has a 33% chance to have its status cured at the end of each turn.
Another ability that I haven't seen much of but could certainly be good when used more. Gets rid of your toxic/burn which is nice.

Shield Dust: This Pokemon is not affected by the secondary effect of another Pokemon's attack
No scald burn, no rock slide flinch, no poison fang poison, no ice beam freeze etc. Good but inconsistent as it relies on your opponent getting lucky enough to a) roll the move, and b) get the roll for the secondary effect.

Sniper: If this Pokemon strikes with a critical hit, the damage is multiplied by 1.5x
This is really only reliable when used on Sirfetch'd/Farfetch'd, as they are the only mons who can use the leek, giving plus 2 crit chance, making them the most likely to get crits. Since that is the case, and those mons aren't super good, Sniper falls here.

Soul-Heart: This Pokemon's Sp. Atk is raised by one stage when another Pokemon faints.
Now don't get me wrong, I love Soul-Heart, but it is really only good when run with Innards Out Chansey.

Soundproof: This Pokemon is immune to sound-based moves, including Heal Bell
See Bulletproof

Speed Boost: This Pokemon's Speed is raised by 1 stage when another Pokemon faints.
Speed is certainly not the best stat when it comes to Metronome Battles. Sure, you will outspeed your opponents almost every time, but this causes you to also lose to Perish Song almost every single time.

Stall: This Pokemon moves last among Pokemon using the same or greater priority moves
I don't think this effects Perish Song so it's just not good. Just use a slow Pokemon.

Steely Spirit: This Pokemon and its allies' Steel-Type moves have their power multiplied by 1.5x.
Adaptability is better, but even then just use Intrepid Sword/Download. Much more consistency there.

Stench: This Pokemon's attacks without a chance to flinch gain a 10% chance to flinch
If this stacked with King's Rock it'd be decent

Super Luck: This Pokemon's critical hit ratio is raised by 1 stage
Somewhat inconsistent without Leek, but it's funny

Swift Swim: If Rain Dance is active, this Pokemon's Speed is doubled.
See Chlorophyll for explanation. Only better than other speed-boosting abilities because of Primordial Sea.

Synchronize: If another Pokemon burns/poisons/paralyzes this Pokemon, it also gets that status
While underwhelming due to the random nature of the metagame, it's not completely unviable since it takes those negatives that you get and shares with the opponent. It's a lose-lose scenario.

Technician: This Pokemon's moves of 60 power or less have 1.5x power. Includes Struggle
Struggle being included on this can be clutch in some scenarios. Very niche but not completely unviable.

Victory Star: This Pokemon and its allies' moves have their accuracy multiplied by 1.1
Missing is annoying, and this is certainly the best way to combat that.

Wonder Skin: Status moves with accuracy checks are 50% accurate when used on this Pokemon
Status moves are annoying. So just dodge them.

C-Tier: These abilities either have underwhelming effects, or are outclassed by other abilities.

Aftermath: If this Pokemon is KOed with a contact move, that moves user loses 1/4 of its max HP
Innards Out is better, but still very niche

Anger Point: If this Pokemon(not its substitute) take a critical hit, its Attack is raised 12 stages
Man I would be mad if I rolled a lucky crit just to realize that my opponent was using Anger Point. It's alright, but pretty underwhelming if you ask me

Aroma Veil: Protects user/allies from Attract, Disable, Encore, Heal Block, Taunt, and Torment
This is a weird one because on paper it looks really good, making your team immune to lots of instant game-overs. However, most of the time it will be more beneficial to just run Magic Bounce instead, as instead of just removing the game-overs, you force it onto your opponents.

Aura Break: While this Pokemon is active, the Dark Aura and Fairy Aura power modifier is 0.75x
No one uses auras

Battery: This Pokemon's allies have the power of their special attacks multiplied by 1.3
Power Spot is this but with physical and special

Battle Armor/Shell Armor: This Pokemon cannot be struck by a critical hit
If you are that annoyed by crits in metronome battles I think you should just play another game.

Berserk: This Pokemon's Sp Atk is raised by 1 when it reaches 1/2 or less of its max HP
Just run Download so that you don't have to wait to fall under 1/2 HP. The only thing that could possible make Berserk better would be it you somehow healed HP after falling under half and then activate Berserk again, but that will rarely ever happen.

Blaze/Overgrow/Swarm/Torrent: At 1/3 or less of its max HP, this Pokemons attacking stat is 1.5x with Fire/Grass/Bug/Water type attacks
But why tho? Just pick something that is better

Big Pecks: Prevents other Pokemon from lowering this Pokemon's Defense stat stage
Just run Flower Veil/Clear Body/Mirror Armor, since those prevent all stat drops from other Pokemon

Color Change: This Pokemon's type changes to the type of a move it's hit by, unless it has the type
One of the only ways to get a steel type in Metronome Battles, but that isn't good enough, because you will likely lose it shortly thereafter.

Chilling/Grim Neigh: This Pokemon's attack is raised by one stage if it attacks and KOs another Pokemon
See As One in A-Tier

Compound Eyes: This Pokemon's moves have their accuracy multiplied by 1.3x
It is always going to be better to use No Guard, even with the downside that your opponents won't be missing either.

Corrosion: This Pokemon can poison or badly poison other Pokemon regardless of their typing
This would be slightly more viable if steel types were in the meta, but since those are gone, this ability rarely comes into play, as poison types aren't super common, and moves that will cause poison are even less common.

Cotton Down: If this Pokemon is hit, it lowers the Speed of all other Pokemon on the field by 1 stage.
Your 1 Pokemon with this ability can outspeed everything, but what about your other partner? I guess you could give them Clear Body or maybe Contrary or something like that, but then you just lose to Perish Song.

Cute Charm: 30% chance of infatuating Pokemon of the opposite gender if they make contact
Could be good if you get lucky with genders, but it will likely be unreliable

Dark and Fairy Aura: While this Pokemon is active, any Dark/Fairy move used by any Pokemon has 1.33x power
While on paper using either Aura looks strong, the fact that it is benefitting both sides of the field makes it never seen on ladder, combined with the unlikeliness that the move chosen will be the right type.

Damp: Prevents Explosion/Mind Blown/Misty Explosion/Self-Destruct/Aftermath while active
Yeah you don't blow yourself up, but then your opponents don't blow themselves up

Dazzling/Queenly Majesty: While this Pokemon is active, allies are protected from opposing priority moves.
Just use dark types if your so worried about it, but there isn't a reason to worry about it in the first place.

Early Bird: This Pokemon's sleep counter drops by 2 instead of 1
Once again, I don't hate sleep

Flare Boost: While this Pokemon is burned, its special attacks have 1.5x power
Outclassed by Choice Specs. That chip damage will add up quickly.

Forecast: Castform's type changes to the current weather conditions type, except Sandstorm
First off, why are you running Castform. #289 in usage for December 2021. Castform is outclassed by so much. If you want normal type use Pokestar-Giant/Humanoid, if you want water use Manaphy, if you want fire use Pokestar White Door, and why would you want to use ice.

Gale Wings: If this Pokemon is at full HP, its Flying-type moves have their priority increased by 1
I mean just use prankster at this point.

Gluttony: When this Pokemon has 1/2 or less of its maximum HP, it uses certain Berries early
I don't even know what berries this would effect, but I'm sure that there is at least one, giving it some viability.

Grass Pelt: If Grassy Terrain is active, this Pokemon's Defense is multiplied by 1.5
Grassy Terrain is quite rare due to the absence of Grassy Surge

Gooey: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon have their speed lowered by 1 stage
Just a worse Cotton Down, but that isn't even saying much.

Guts: If this Pokemon is statused, its Attack is 1.5x; ignores burn halving physical damage
While yes, on paper is looks nice to get a benefit out of a status, but it really isn't that good. You still take burn/poison damage, you are still slowed by paralysis, and you are still frozen. If you really want that attack boost, just go with the tried and true Intrepid Sword.

Harvest: If last item used is a berry, 50% chance to restore it each end of turn. 100% in Sun.
This is a decent ability, but it falls here mainly due to the lack of good berries to use with it. Your only decent option is a Leppa Berry, but no match is going long enough for that to be necessary.

Heatproof: The power of Fire-type attacks against this Pokemon is halved; burn damage halved
This is pretty good on paper, since you take less damage from fire attacks while still proccing Weakness Policy, but just use Thick Fat. You trade off the halved burn damage for an additional halved power from Ice type attacks.

Hustle: This Pokemon's Attack is 1.5x and accuracy of its physical attacks is 0.8x
Just use Intrepid Sword. You will go mad missing attacks that much.

Hyper Cutter: Prevents other Pokemon from lowering this Pokemon's Attack stat stage
Just use Flower Veil/Clear Body/Mirror Armor

Immunity: This Pokemon cannot be poisoned. Gaining this ability while poisoned cures it.
Just use a poison type if you're so paranoid about it.

Inner Focus: This Pokemon cannot be made to flinch. Immune to Intimidate
Intimidate is almost never seen, and flinching saves you some PP

Insomnia: This Pokemon cannot fall asleep. Gaining this ability while asleep cures it.
Maybe this is just me, but I really don't mind falling asleep. It's not super likely that my opponent can suddenly take advantage of me falling alsspe, and it helps me out if we go past Move 16.

Iron Fist: This Pokemon's punch-based attacks have 1.2x power. Sucker Punch is not boosted.
Similar to the aura abilities, you simply won't be rolling punch attacks at any consistency for it to be useful.

Justified: This Pokemon's attack is raised by 1 stage after it is damaged by a Dark type move
Just use Intrepid Sword for crying out loud people

Keen Eye: This Pokemon's accuracy can't be lowered by others; ignores their evasiveness stat
Just use Flower Veil/Clear Body/Mirror Armor if you are worried about accuracy. Use Unaware/No Guard if you are worried about evasiveness

Leaf Guard: If Sunny Day is active, this Pokemon cannot be statused and Rest will fail for it
Just use Flower Veil, or a better Sun ability, like Flower Gift Cherrim or Chlorophyll

Light Metal: This Pokemon's weight is halved
Congrats! Now you take slightly less damage from Low Kick!

Limber: This Pokemon cannot be paralyzed. Gaining this ability while paralyzed cures it.
Pretty much the same as Insomnia, I don't mind being paralyzed that much. I just deal with it and save some PP in the process.

Liquid Ooze: This Pokemon damages those draining HP from it for as much as they would heal
Not too many draining moves

Liquid Voice: This Pokemon's sound-based moves become Water type
It's probably decent, but it just feels like a worse version of the -ate abilities but for water types.

Long Reach: This Pokemon's attacks do not make contact with the target
Immunity to stuff like Flame Body, but do you really need to use your ability slot to ignore that? I don't think so

Magma Armor: This Pokemon cannot be frozen. Gaining this Ability while frozen cures it
Freeze is the rarest of the status conditions, so you don't need to use an ability to be immune to it.

Marvel Scale: If this Pokemon is statused, its Defense is 1.5x
Just use Dauntless Shield

Mega Launcher: This Pokemon's pulse moves have 1.5x power. Heal Pulse heals 3/4 of target's max HP.
Same deal as the others, not enough pulse moves to justify using it, and it's sad enough when you roll heal pulse, but even sadder if you're running Mega Launcher and roll heal pulse.

Merciless: This Pokemon's attacks are critical hits if the target is poisoned
I thought this said user instead of target for a second and that would be busted but yeah this is pretty bad.

Mimicry: This Pokemon's type changes to match the Terrain. Type reverts when Terrain ends
Don't even think about using this

Motor Drive: This Pokemon's speed is raised by 1 stage if hit by an Electric-type move; Electric Immunity
Lightning Rod is just better. Motor Drive doesn't draw moves that don't target it, and the speed boost really isn't that good in Metronome Battles.

Moxie: This Pokemon's Attack is raised by 1 stage if it attacks and KO's another Pokemon.
Just use Intrepid Sword

Multiscale/Shadow Shield: If this Pokemon is at full HP, damage from attacks is halved.
Looks good on paper, but you are rarely ever at full HP

Oblivious: This Pokemon cannot be infatuated or taunted. Immune to Intimidate
Just run Magic Bounce or Aroma Veil, you don't need to be worrying about Intimidate

Own Tempo: This Pokemon cannot be confused. Immune to Intimidate
While yeah these don't protect against confusion, once again, just run Magic Bounce

Overcoat: This Pokemon is immune to powder moves and damage from Sandstorm or Hail
I mean just use a grass type. Sandstorm and Hail don't come up often enough to necessitate this anyways.

Pickpocket: If this Pokemon has no iteam and is hit by a contact move, it steals the attacker's item
Magician is better here, because you just need to be hit by any attack to activate that.

Power of Alchemy/Receiver: This Pokemon copies the Ability of an ally that faints
One of the most niche abilities there are. You will only see this used with Shedinja to acheive the Sturdinja, which is underwhelming at best.

Propeller Tail/Stalwart: This Pokemon's moves cannot be redirected to a different target by any effect
Yeah, you can kind of ignore Storm Drain and Lightning Rod, but there is still the 50% chance that you target the mon with the ability, and they still have that immunity even if you ignore redirection. Mold Breaker is certainly better.

Psychic Terrain: On switch-in this Pokemon summons Psychic Terrain
Of the terrains this one is the worst, as the only benefits are no priority and a boost to psychic type attacks. There is no way increase your odds of getting more psychic type attacks like the other terrains have with Galvanize and Pixilate, and preventing priority isn't good because prankster is almost never used.

Rattled: Speed is raised 1 stage if hit by a Bug-, Dark-, or Ghost-type attack, or Intimidated
If I've said it once I've said it a thousand times, SPEED IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT

Reckless: This Pokemon's attacks with recoil or crash damage have 1.2x power; not Struggle
Easy B-Tier if this boosts Struggle. Same deal as Iron Fist otherwise

Ripen: When this Pokemon eats a Berry, its effect is doubled
Definitely an underwhelming one here, sure you can deal 1/4 damage with Rowap/Jaboca Berry, maybe you get +2 with Kee Berry etc. Feels like it would be better to run Harvest with these as then you get the chance to get the effect 3+ times instead of the 2 you would get with Ripen.

Rock Head: This Pokemon does not take recoil damage besides Struggle/Life Orb/crash damage
Not enough recoil moves to justify it.

Sand Force: This Pokemon's Ground/Rock/Steel attacks do 1.3x in Sandstorm; immunity to it
But why tho

Sand Rush: If Sandstorm is active, this Pokemon's speed is doubled. Immunity to Sandstorm
While not completely useless since you can still roll Sandstorm with Metronome, just run Speed Boost instead if you care that much.

Sand Veil: If Sandstorm is active, this Pokemon's evasiveness is 1.25x; immunity to Sandstorm
^see above^

Skill Link: This Pokemon's multi-hit attacks always hit the maximum number of times.
Same as the others, not enough consistency to justify using it.

Slush Rush: If Hail is active, this Pokemon's speed is doubled.
See Sand Rush

Snow Cloak: If Hail is active, this Pokemon's evasiveness is 1.25x; immunity to Hail
See Sand Veil

Solar Power: If Sunny Day is active, this Pokemon's Sp. Atk is 1.5x; loses 1/8 max HP per turn
Not too good because if you run it with desolate land, you are dead in 8 turns barring any healing. Just use a Choice Specs with Download or something.

Static: 30% chance a Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon will be paralyzed
Better to use Flame Body or Poison Touch, because those statuses deal damage, while paralysis only slows them down, and in a metagame where moving last is arguably better than moving first, paralysis isn't something that is prioritized.

Steadfast: If this Pokemon flinches, its Speed is raised by 1 stage
SPEED IS NOT IMPORTANT

Steam Engine: This Pokemon's Speed is raised by 6 stages after it is damaged by Fire/Water moves
Once again, speed is not a huge priority in Metronome Battles, so an ability like this doesn't really help a whole lot.

Steelworker: This Pokemon's attacking stat is multiplied by 1.5 when using a Steel-Type attack.
Essentially a worse adaptability, but falls here because of Steely Spirit.

Sticky Hold: This Pokemon cannot lose its held item due to another Pokemon's attack
Only effects getting hit by moves like knock off and corrosive gas, very rarely seen.

Strong Jaw: This Pokemon's bite-based attacks have 1.5x power. Bug Bite not boosted
Same deal as the others. Why is Bug Bite not boosted anyways?

Sturdy: If this Pokemon is at full HP, it survives one hit with at least 1 HP. Immune to OHKO.
Attacks that will one shot you are pretty few and far between in Metronome Battles. So much so Sturdy becomes almost completely unviable.

Surge Surfer: If Electric Terrain is active, this Pokemon's speed is doubled.
Just run Speed Boost.

Sweet Veil: This Pokemon and its allies cannot fall asleep
Once again, I don't really dislike falling asleep, since you preserve PP, and you have less chances of rolling into insta-losses such as Self-Destruct, Memento, or Final Gambit.

Symbiosis: If an ally uses its item, this Pokemon gives its item to that ally immediately
Pickup is just better, because Symbiosis will really only work once. Pickup can keep activating provided that you use the items.

Tangled Feet: This Pokemon's evasiveness is doubled as long as it is confused
This is kinda cool ngl, but there really isn't a way to both get confused and stay confused in Metronome Battles.

Tangling Hair: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon have their Speed lowered by 1 stage
Being slower can be good sometimes

Telepathy: This Pokemon does not take damage from attacks made by its allies
Definitely useful, but is quite underwhelming, as it really doesn't do too much. The immunity to Self-Destruct, Explosion, EQ and stuff like that is just alright.

Truant: This Pokemon skips every other turn instead of using a move
Now you may be thinking, "Jeff, Truant makes you move less. Doesn't that qualify this ability as 'detrimental to the user'?" The answer is yes and no. Yes, you move less. Half the time to be exact. No, this ability is not entirely 'detrimental to the user'. I can see a very small semblance of viability here, when using extreme stall. This would allow you to PP stall your opponent, provided that you can live for 16 turns. Now should you use it? Hell no, but to be honest you really shouldn't be using anything in this tier with competitive visions in mind.

Tough Claws: This Pokemon's contact moves have their power multiplied by 1.3
See most of this tier for explanation

Toxic Boost: While this Pokemon is poisoned, its physical attacks have 1.5x power
Since you don't get immunity to poison, this doesn't seem good at all.

Unburden: Speed is doubled on held item loss; boost is loss if it switches, gets new item/ability
Speed is kinda unnecessary tho

Unnerve: While this Pokemon is active, it prevents opposing Pokemon from using their Berries
See As One

Vital Spirit: This Pokemon cannot fall asleep. Gaining this Ability while asleep cures it
Just run Sweet Veil if you're so worried about it.

Water Compaction: This Pokemon's Defense is raised 2 stages after it is damaged by a Water-type move
I mean it's not completely useless, but just use Stamina. It is less of a damage boost but it is far more consistent, because it can activate on any attack, not just water type attacks.

Water Veil: This Pokemon cannot be burned. Gaining this Ability while burned cures it
Just run Water Bubble

D-Tier: These abilities have no competitive effect in metronome battles

Anticipation: On switch-in, this Pokemon shudders if any foe has a supereffective or OHKO move
And what if they do? What are you gonna do about it, huh?

Arena Trap/Shadow Tag: Prevents adjacent foes from choosing to switch unless they are airborne (Arena Trap) or have this ability (Shadow Tag).
There is no switching in Metronome Battles

Ball Fetch/Honey Gather/Illuminate/Run Away: No competitive use
ඞඞඞඞඞ

Curious Medicine: On switch-in, this Pokemon's allies have their stat stages reset to 0
No switching

Emergency Exit/Wimp Out: This Pokemon switches out when it reaches 1/2 or less of its maximum HP
No switching

Forewarn: On switch-in, this Pokemon is alerted to the foes' move with the highest power
"Attention, the opponent has the move, 'Metronome'!"

Hunger Switch: If Morpeko, it changes, between Full Belly and Hangry Mode at the end of each turn
Aura Wheel is not a callable move. Other than Aura Wheel, there are no competitive changes between Full Belly and Hangry.

Illusion: This Pokemon appears as the last Pokemon in the party until it takes direct damage
Only two mons in the party, and it's not like you opponent will be doing anything differently as they only have one choice. I don't even think it works but I'm too lazy to test it.

Magnet Pull: Prevents adjacent Steel-type foes from choosing to switch
No steel types, and no switching anyways

Multitype: If this Pokemon is an Arceus, its type changes to match its held Plate or Z-Crystal.
No Arceus, but even if there was Arceus you could just pick your type and run a real ability.

Natural Cure: This Pokemon has its non-volatile statues condition cured when it switches out
No switching

Quick Draw: This Pokemon has a 30% chance to move first in its priority bracket with attacking moves
Now I haven't tested this, but I don't think this would do anything since you are only clicking status moves, so I don't think this would do anything, but if it does, we'll put it in C because you can just use Prankster.

Regenerator: This Pokemon restores 1/3 of its max HP, rounded down, when it switches out.
No switching

Rivalry: This Pokemon's attacks do 1.25x on same gender targets; 0.75 on opposite gender
Literally just use any other attack boosting ability, because here there is a chance that it hurts you instead of helping you.

RKS System: If this Pokemon is a Silvally, its type changes to match its held Memory.
Same as Multitype but with Silvally. Just pick your type on teambuilder and run a real ability.

Screen Cleaner: On switch-in, the effects of Aurora Veil, Light Screen, and Reflect end for both sides
No switching, and there won't be any screens up at the start of the game.

Stakeout: This Pokemon's attacking stat is doubled against a target that switched in this turn.
No switching

Suction Cups: This Pokemon cannot be forced to switch out by another Pokemon's attack or item
No switching

Triage: This Pokemon's healing moves have their priority increased by 3
You can't click healing moves

Unseen Fist: All contact moves hit through protection
No protecting in Metronome Battles, and it doesn't go through Max

F-Tier: These abilities are detrimental to user and/or its allies

Defeatist: While this Pokemon has 1/2 or less of its max HP, its Attack and Sp. Atk are halved
Why

Heavy Metal: This Pokemon's weight is doubled
Guess what? Now you take more damage from Low Kick! Wow! Amazing!

Klutz: This Pokemon's held item has no effect, except Macho Brace. Fling cannot be used
Trick/Switcheroo can't be called by metronome, and fling doesn't work, so the only way to transfer an item this way is through Magician, and even then what item would you even use, Lagging Tail? Not good, just use a different ability so that you can use a good item.

Schooling: If user is Wishiwashi, changes to School Form if it has > 1/4 max HP, else Solo Form.
Please never run this. Just run School Form and pick another ability.

Shields Down: If Minior, switch in/end of turn it changes to Core at 1/2 max HP or less, else Meteor
No one should run Minior anyways (#369 as of Dec 2021), and if you do you surely shouldn't run Shields Down, just pick a form and stick with it so you can run an actually useful ability.

Slow Start: On switch-in, this Pokemon's Attack and Speed are halved for 5 turns
lol

Stance Change: If Aegislash, changes form to Blade before attacks and Shield before Kings Shield.
Just pick one, you can't roll Kings Shield to change back anyways.

Weak Armor: If a physical attack hits this Pokemon, Defense is lowered by 1, Speed is raised by 2
Of the F-Tier, this is my most opinionated choice. It isn't entirely detrimental, but it will certainly do more harm than good. Speed just isn't that good in the meta, and if you are so worried about it, just run Speed Boost.

Zen Mod: If Darmanitan, at end of turn changes Mode to Standard if > 1/2 max HP, else Zen
No matter what form of Darmanitan you are running, whether that be Galarian or Unovian, the Zen form is going to be better, as it has better defenses for Unovian, and better Attack for Galarian.

Banned Abilities

Battle Bond: After KOing a Pokemon: becomes Ash-Greninja, Water Shuriken: 20 power, hits 3x
Ash-Greninja bypasses the 625 BST limit, so this ability is currently banned. If the BST limit wasn't there, it would fall in the D-Tier, because you would rather just start with Ash-Greninja anyways

Cheek Pouch: If this Pokemon eats a berry, it restores 1/3 of its max HP after the berry's effect
Healing Clause

Cursed Body: If this Pokemon is hit by an attack, there is a 30% chance that move gets disabled.
It's essentially an ability that uses taunt 30% of the time

Dry Skin: This Pokemon is healed 1/4 by Water, 1/8 by Rain; is hurt 1.25x by Fire, 1/8 by Sun
Healing Abilities are all banned, placing this here. If it wasn't banned, it would be an S-Tier ability, as combined with Primordial sea you would be an absolute powerhouse of a mon.

Fluffy: This Pokemon takes 1/2 damage from contact moves, 2x damage from Fire moves
If this wasn't banned this ability would be busted. Especially in a metagame with Primal weather abilities, a team consisting of a Primordial Sea user and a Fluffy user would wreak havoc on the world as we know it.

Fur Coat: This Pokemon's Defense is doubled
I have yet to really understand why this ability is banned and Ice Scales isn't. They both do effectively the same thing but with different defenses, so either they should both be banned, or both be legal, but certainly not how it is now.

Gorilla Tactics: This Pokmeon's attack is 1.5x, but it can only execute the first move it executes
Do I even need to elaborate, literally just a choice band but an ability.

Grassy Surge: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Grassy Terrain
Healing Clause

Huge/Pure Power: This Pokemon's attack is doubled
-_-

Ice Body: If Hail is active, this Pokemon heals 1/16 of its max HP each turn; immunity to Hail
Healing Clause

Iron Barbs: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon lose 1/8 of their max HP
If only...

Libero/Protean: This Pokemon's type is changed the to the type of the move it is about to use.
STAB on everything would be busted.

Moody: Boosts a random stat (except accuracy/evasion) +2 and another stat -1 every turn.
This would be funny tho

Neutralizing Gas: While this Pokemon is active, Abilities have no effect
Thank Arceus this was banned.

Parental Bond: This Pokemon's damaging moves hit twice. The second hit has its damage quartered
This would be kinda funny but overall bad for the meta

Perish Body: Making contact with this Pokemon starts the Perish Song effect for it and the attacker
Wouldn't this just make for the most skill based metagame ever. You would pretty much have to run this team and almost every game would come down to a speed tie.

Pressure: If this Pokemon is the target of a foe's move, that move loses one additional PP
Man wouldn't that be fun for the whole family. No PP allowed

Poison Heal: This Pokemon is healed by 1/8 of its max HP each turn when poisoned. No HP loss
Healing Clause

Power Construct: If Zygarde 10%/50%, changes to Complete if at 1/2 max HP or less at end of turn.
Bypasses the BST limit

Rain Dish: If Rain Dance is active, this Pokemon heals 1/16 of its max HP each turn
Healing Clause

Rough Skin: Pokemon making contact with this Pokemon lose 1/8 of their max HP
Harming Abilities Clause

Sand Spit: When this Pokemon it hit, Sandstorm begins
See Below

Sand Stream: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Sandstorm.
Harming Abilities Clause

Snow Warning: On switch-in, this Pokemon summons Hail.
Harming Abilities Clause

Stamina: This Pokemon's Defense is raised by 1 stage after it is damaged by a move.
I'm not gonna lie I wrote this entire tier list and then realized that this was banned lol.

Volt/Water Absorb: This Pokemon heals 1/4 of its max HP when hit by Electric/Water moves; Electric/Water Immunity
Healing Clause

Wonder Guard: This Pokemon can only be damaged by supereffective moves and indirect damage
Only usable on Shedinja (RIP Pokestar Spirit), otherwise it is banned cause OP

Hope you all got something out of this, and I hope that I saved some of you from making uninformed decisions about ability choices. On another hand, lets talk changes. When it comes to abilities really I only have an issue with Fur Coat. To my knowledge it has never really been tested when it comes to Gen 8, but it was very good in Gen 7. It simply doesn't make sense that Fur Coat can be banned and Ice Scales can be unbanned. I would be in favor of doing a test similar to the one we did for Sturdinja, where we just unban Fur Coat for a week or two and see what the consensus is. At the end, I feel like we either need to ban both or keep both, because in a mode where what category the next attack is simply falls to a percentage chance, it feels weird to keep one and not the other.

In other news, Pokemon Legends: Arceus comes out soon, and that will likely bring the new forms to Showdown! for us. If that is so, I will likely cover these no sooner than a week after the games release, so that people have time to play the game if they don't want to be spoiled. If there are any changes you would suggest, or missing abilities, please let me know so I can make edits where they are needed. Good Luck, and Keep Battling!

Pretty interesting list, I like the little snippets of analysis for each ability in particular. I made a similar rough bullet point list 2 years ago and while I don't think it's that good a resource or evaluation of the meta looking back, it also gave me some insight on niche use cases I can bring up again here. It's late so I don't really want to get too much into the post but I just wanted to address some parts I have experience with.

I personally think no-item Magician is the most consistent way to use it. Also to correct Pickpocket's description, Magician requires you to hit with an attack, not get hit.

Illusion has a niche use in that Imposter will not activate on an active Illusion (must be in slot 1), so you can force Blissey to reveal its mostly useless true form. I've used this with Mega Sableye in the past for fun because there's a visual bug where it says you mega evolve into the illuded species.
I placed Defeatist in the non-worst tier and I'm not sure why I did but I feel like there was some reason.
Liquid Voice has a notable niche of allowing you to call Perish Song with a Storm Drainer and become immune.

Full Metal Body/Shadow Shield/Prism Armor are notably immune to Mold Breaker and are the optimal choices of their clones. I won't really get into it that much but I personally think Full Metal Body does have some consideration over Mirror Armor for being more consistent in those certain theoretical matchups like Defiant/Competitive if you don't know ahead of time.

Hunger Switch technically has a niche effect because changing form always resets your type to Electric/Dark, even after a Soak or other effect.

RKS System: This might make Silvally immune to type changes, though I'm not sure if that's built into Silvally since Gen 8 but I remember it coming up at some point.

Stance Change is basically an irrelevant ability since Aegislash has always been banned.

I feel like this might have been fixed at one point but there is a funny Stalwart strategy that I never got to work out successfully.

As for missing abilities, I noticed Frisk wasn't in your list and I only checked because I didn't know where to put it in my list. Technically, having information on whether the opponent has a Choice item or not could affect the match if you need to dynamax against a charge move, but otherwise it doesn't really make an active difference.

No Ability is an actual ability choice and notably prevents Trace from activating at all on either pokemon, so it's technically better than Illuminate if you want to stop Trace and have an ability on one mon. Then again, when you get into Trace then anything can be a niche counter, even Prankster + Psychic Surge. I think this might have been what I was thinking about Defeatist for.

The only CAP ability with an effect that might affect the game is Persistent, adding 2 turns to Gravity, Heal Block, Magic Room, Safeguard, Tailwind, Trick Room, and Wonder Room. It's not really a thing, but it does more than Mountaineer and Rebound (activates on switch).

Technically As One is a raw upgrade to Moxie, but speaking of Moxie, Beast Boost isn't in here. I don't think you'd want to use it to gain +Def/SpD/Spe on a kill as a niche but it's a thing.

This post has gotten ahead of me so I'll leave it there for now and might edit in the afternoon, or not. It was nice to search up and look back at these weird strategies though. Overall I think raising this discussion and bringing awareness to some underused abilities in general is pretty nice, I think exploring your options can be part of making your own fun in this format.

I've been pretty focused on following the leaks myself, but I'll probably also wait until release or the next month's stats post to go over Legends Arceus mons due to spoilers. I think it'll be pretty nice for people to have a place to see them in battle at least.

 

[jeffdaboss]

Thanks fwqef. I think I'm better off being a participant to discussing and playing more than making decisions though and I appreciate everyone reading, engaging, and keeping the format going for me to talk about it. Here's to another year of Metronome Battles.


Pretty interesting list, I like the little snippets of analysis for each ability in particular. I made a similar rough bullet point list 2 years ago and while I don't think it's that good a resource or evaluation of the meta looking back, it also gave me some insight on niche use cases I can bring up again here. It's late so I don't really want to get too much into the post but I just wanted to address some parts I have experience with.

I personally think no-item Magician is the most consistent way to use it. Also to correct Pickpocket's description, Magician requires you to hit with an attack, not get hit.

Illusion has a niche use in that Imposter will not activate on an active Illusion (must be in slot 1), so you can force Blissey to reveal its mostly useless true form. I've used this with Mega Sableye in the past for fun because there's a visual bug where it says you mega evolve into the illuded species.
I placed Defeatist in the non-worst tier and I'm not sure why I did but I feel like there was some reason.
Liquid Voice has a notable niche of allowing you to call Perish Song with a Storm Drainer and become immune.

Full Metal Body/Shadow Shield/Prism Armor are notably immune to Mold Breaker and are the optimal choices of their clones. I won't really get into it that much but I personally think Full Metal Body does have some consideration over Mirror Armor for being more consistent in those certain theoretical matchups like Defiant/Competitive if you don't know ahead of time.

Hunger Switch technically has a niche effect because changing form always resets your type to Electric/Dark, even after a Soak or other effect.

RKS System: This might make Silvally immune to type changes, though I'm not sure if that's built into Silvally since Gen 8 but I remember it coming up at some point.

Stance Change is basically an irrelevant ability since Aegislash has always been banned.

I feel like this might have been fixed at one point but there is a funny Stalwart strategy that I never got to work out successfully.

As for missing abilities, I noticed Frisk wasn't in your list and I only checked because I didn't know where to put it in my list. Technically, having information on whether the opponent has a Choice item or not could affect the match if you need to dynamax against a charge move, but otherwise it doesn't really make an active difference.

No Ability is an actual ability choice and notably prevents Trace from activating at all on either pokemon, so it's technically better than Illuminate if you want to stop Trace and have an ability on one mon. Then again, when you get into Trace then anything can be a niche counter, even Prankster + Psychic Surge. I think this might have been what I was thinking about Defeatist for.

The only CAP ability with an effect that might affect the game is Persistent, adding 2 turns to Gravity, Heal Block, Magic Room, Safeguard, Tailwind, Trick Room, and Wonder Room. It's not really a thing, but it does more than Mountaineer and Rebound (activates on switch).

Technically As One is a raw upgrade to Moxie, but speaking of Moxie, Beast Boost isn't in here. I don't think you'd want to use it to gain +Def/SpD/Spe on a kill as a niche but it's a thing.

This post has gotten ahead of me so I'll leave it there for now and might edit in the afternoon, or not. It was nice to search up and look back at these weird strategies though. Overall I think raising this discussion and bringing awareness to some underused abilities in general is pretty nice, I think exploring your options can be part of making your own fun in this format.

I've been pretty focused on following the leaks myself, but I'll probably also wait until release or the next month's stats post to go over Legends Arceus mons due to spoilers. I think it'll be pretty nice for people to have a place to see them in battle at least.

I made these changes, thanks a lot for this info, I had no idea some of this was possible. I'm gonna be honest, I have no idea what is happening in that match you showed for Stalwart. I'm assuming there was another ability to redirect the Solar Beam, and Stalwart ignored that and used the targeting from the charge turn to proc your own Weakness Policy.

 

[doipy hooves]

Today, Pokemon Legends: Arceus has officially released, and tonight the new Hisuian Pokemon have been added to Showdown and are playable on the Metronome Battle ladder, so this post will be about my first impressions of all these new options (spoiler alert). Now there aren't any new abilities or held items added into the mix, but there's still plenty of mons to talk about and how they'll play out in Metronome Battles.

Analysis of Legends Arceus mons/additions

EDIT: Shoutout to RoiDadadou's spreadsheet for having all the new Pokemon and datamined stats in one place for reference and to all the people involved in the prerelease leaks discussing and figuring things out.

Hisuian Arcanine: Fire/Rock, 95/115/80/95/80/90 (555 BST)
Arcanine retains its classically high BST, trading 5 SpA for Atk and gaining the Rock type. Fire/Rock has two major 4x weaknesses in Water and Ground, but technically these can be worked around with Desolate Land/Storm Drain support and Levitate, and otherwise its 7 resistances are pretty solid. It's not a Mega Camerupt or Coalossal in terms of minmaxing for speed but it looks cool and is pretty offensive.

Hisuian Electrode: Electric/Grass, Electrode stats
Electrode is fast and not that impressive otherwise, but now you can use it on a Flower Veil team and it's the fastest Grass-type beating Shaymin-Sky now. Otherwise, Caribolt and Rotom-Mow make for better choices in this field.

Hisuian Qwilfish: Dark/Poison, Qwilfish stats
In theory you can use Eviolite on it now.

Overqwil: Dark/Poison, 85/115/95/65/65/85 (510 BST)
Overqwil competes with a few other Dark/Poison types in the format, including CAP's mythical Chromera with 600 BST. It does have the highest physical attack of them all, which isn't even all that overkill.

Sneasler: Fighting/Poison, 80/130/60/40/80/120 (510 BST)
Being frail and fast is not the best thing in Metronome Battle but the attack is respectable at least and the type is better off than Ice, though it still has a 4x weakness but with more resistances. Also there is a Hisuian Sneasel as well.

Hisuian Lilligant: Grass/Fighting, 70/105/75/50/75/105 (480 BST)
Unfortunately, Hisuian Lilligant's bases are completely outclassed by another addition, aside from raw Speed depending on your perpective, so I will stop here and talk about that pokemon instead.

Hisuian Decidueye: Grass/Fighting, 88/112/80/95/95/60 (530 BST)
Decidueye spreads some stats around, getting more balance overall and notably losing Speed for some other stats. This makes Decidueye one of the more interesting choices of the new additions, being able to fit on a Flower Veil team nicely. It's one of the slower grasses now and among Grass/Fighting types, it has the overall best mixed offenses and Special Attack. While Grass/Fighting has 6 weaknesses including a double Flying weakness, it also has 6 fair resistances. It may not reach the prime of its Ghostly form and friends, but a slow grass is probably one of the most viable things that could have happened.

Hisuian Typhlosion: Fire/Ghost, 73/84/78/119/85/95 (534 BST)
Ghost is a solid type and Typhlosion is a solid mon. Putting them together, you get the most balanced Fire/Ghost type out there and notably the highest HP of them all, even after losing 5 HP/Speed and trading it in for +10 SpA. While Fire and Ghost's weaknesses are both exposed, they combine for a fair share of 9 resistances and immunities. Compared to other Fire/Ghosts, Typhlosion won't have the potential nuking capabilities of the relatively popular Blacephalon (#72 in 1630-weighted usage for Dec 2021) or Thick Club Marowak (#39 + #577 Totem), but it's never completely outclassed in anything and could be a good generalist.

Hisuian Samurott: Water/Dark, 90/108/80/100/65/85 (528 BST)
Samurott gains the Dark type and it gains more weaknesses than resistances out of it. It's gotten frailer and faster and still directly competes with Mega Sharpedo. It has mostly balanced stats, but regular Samurott can boast the same but with more bulk.

Speaking of Water types, White Striped Basculin has the exact same type and stats as regular Basculin, but I guess it can use Eviolite and that's where things get more interesting.
Basculegion-Male: Water/Ghost, 120/112/65/80/75/78 (530 BST)
Basculegion-Female: Water/Ghost, 120/92/65/100/75/78 (530 BST)
Again, Ghost is a pretty nice type to have with its common immunities. Water/Ghost has only been seen on Jellicent before, and Basculegion offers a more offensive take with higher BST and surprisingly HP. The gender difference is 20 in each offensive stat, though female Basculegion might be more consistent with offenses being closer together.

Hisuian Zoroark: Normal/Ghost, 55/100/60/125/60/110 (510 BST)
On the topic of Ghosts, Hisuian Zoroark boasts a unique type combination. Normal/Ghost has only 1 weakness to Dark, 2 resistances to Bug and Poison, and 3 big immunities to Fighting, Ghost, and Normal. Compared to pure Ghosts, this is one Ghost weakness lost and mostly no tradeoff for it (Fighting weakness with Scrappy?), with Normal STAB gained on top. Now Hisuian Zoroark is still fast and frail, especially for a Normal type, and will probably be taking hard neutral hits when it's not taking 0 damage, but it has pretty solid mixed offenses and a fun type niche so I could see usage going either way.

Hisuian Braviary: Psychic/Flying, 110/83/70/112/70/65 (510 BST)
Relatively slow and still pretty balanced. Psychic isn't a great defensive type though even with Delta Stream and Galarian Articuno is mostly stronger aside from HP. We'll see a stronger slow Delta Stream user later.

Wyrdeer: Normal/Psychic, 103/105/72/105/75/65 (525 BST)
The Stantler evolution is here. I'm not sure if you can use Eviolite on Stantler now. Normal/Psychic is kind of a weird type that's pretty much Psychic with a Ghost immunity and neutral to Fighting. Statwise it is pretty slow and mostly offensively balanced, but does barely beat out Meloetta for highest HP and has the highest Attack of them all.

Hisuian Avalugg: Ice/Rock, 95/127/184/34/36/38 (514 BST)
Avalugg got faster, stronger, but lost 10 in its already shaky special stats, and became Rock type to gain common weaknesses and even double them for Fighting and Steel. This is an absolute loss all around, it even shrunk in size. Even if you want a physical tank, regular Avalugg has 184 defence without all these drawbacks. For a compliment, it's immune to both harmful weathers but it'll crack under the pressure of special moves for sure, beating Cloyster and Delibird for lowest special defence of fully evolved Ice types.

Kleavor: Bug/Rock, 70/135/95/45/70/85 (500 BST)
The new Scyther evolution, maintaining its 500 BST. Bug/Rock is a pretty strange type when you think about it, but you probably don't because the most notable one is Shuckle. It's weak to Rock, Steel, and Water, but resists Poison and Normal. Overall Kleavor may have the edge of the highest Attack and Speed of the rock insects, but in the bug leagues it's competing with Mega Heracross, the bug no one has beaten.

Ursaluna: Normal/Ground, 130/140/105/45/80/50 (550 BST)
As the long awaited taller evolution redesign of Ursaring, this bear means business with its extreme physical stats, blowing Diggersby out of the water. Normal/Ground is not the best defensive typing but it could lead to some Weakness Policy usage. Among all Normal types, Ursaluna boasts the highest Attack and probably the best combination of HP, Attack, and Defense (2nd highest) around.

Even among all Pokemon, Ursaluna has pretty respectable Attack and high HP among the highest Attack stats to boot. It does remind me of a lesser Glastrier, which I once compared to Melmetal. Regardless of other choices, I think Ursaluna is a mon that can stand on its own could definitely Choice Band around with some staying power.

Enamorus-Incarnate: Fairy/Flying, 74/115/70/135/80/106 (580 BST)
Last but not least, this new genie brings the highest BST yet to the table. However, we're not done yet as new genie means new Therian forme and it's basically a raw upgrade in exchange for Speed.
Enamorus-Therian: Fairy/Flying, 74/115/110/135/100/46 (580 BST)
Enamorus-Therian is probably the most meta of the new Legends mons, being a slow yet powerfully statted legendary. As a Flying type it can make use of Delta Stream to neutralize weaknesses if not going for Weakness Policy, and/or go for STAB Pixilate hits from the Fairy side. I've actually been laddering with Altaria recently and it's been fun. Overall Enamorus-Therian shines with its high balanced stats, having some high defences to follow up from Venomicon's example, and also combines that with great offenses, all in both categories. Its only lowlights are HP and technically Speed, but I think this mon will find some place in the meta and I used it in my first Legends team to some success. Here are some replays: First battle, Intense flying duel, Glass cannons

That's it for legal mons. Hisuian Goodra is banned for being Steel type and the other big legendary forms are illegal under BST. Sunshine Cherrim got stat buffs in PLA to act as Flower Gift, but we probably won't see that in Showdown.

I also wrote up a bunch of first impressions a week ago that were more on the fly like the SWSH mons, but I ended up deciding to wait for them to be on Showdown with comparable stats instead. They are kind of superfluous now but I'll leave these here anyway.

First impressions 2022/01/21

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF BASE STATS (2022/01/21)
Arcanine: Fire/Rock boasts 2 4x weaknesses that can at least be worked around with heavy support in Levitate and Desolate Land. Pretty big BST like regular Arcanine though.
Electrode: Grass type good but still just fast and that's it.
OVERQWIL: Dark/Poison is done better by Chromera.
Sneasler: Frail but I guess Poison/Fighting is better than Ice/Dark. Though it still has a 4x weakness.
Lilligant: Not the best physical grass/fighting type of this game.
Basculegions: Ghost is a good type to have and 500+ BST is nice.
Zoroark: Pretty frail but Normal/Ghost is weirdly cool.
Braviary: Psychic/Flying isn't great but it can use delta stream I guess and is moderately slow.
Wyrdeer: Normal/Psychic isn't all that in the first place, competes with Meloetta but is slow I guess.
Avalugg: Ice/Rock kind of sucks but maybe it could use WP, though I haven't seen much of OG Avalugg anyway.
Kleavor: It has 500 BST like Scyther and Scizor, but might not have the best type. I don't know how good bug/rock is outside of Shuckle but maybe it can do something with WP.
Ursaluna: Big BST bear. Not quite Mega Heracross level of attack (not that that's expected of any mon) but could fit in as a similar role, being bulkier in HP and slower. Normal/Ground is also a pretty different type that can work with WP and has an immunity.
Typhlosion: Ghost is good in general. Not sure about the other Fire/Ghost stats off the top of my head but I want to say Typhlosion is the most balanced for bulk.
Samurott: It got frailer and mostly faster and got Dark type compared to normal Samurott.
Decidueye: A good grass out of the new mons, bringing a new slow grass type with mostly upgrades and is pretty balanced. Grass/Fighting might be unfortunate for the flying weakness but it could work. Similar to Chesnaught with less defence/speed and more attack/special stats. Even if it's not optimal I think I'll be trying this guy out.
Enamorus-Incarnate: Fairy/Flying, Delta Stream, kind of fast, eh.
Enamorus-Therian: 46 speed? Now this is interesting. It gets purely bulkier too, might be a nice flying tank.

Goodra is banned because steel type and so are the big spoiler formes.

Also technically there are new moves and they do have the Metronome flag, but it doesn't really mean anything in the game and the moves have various different mechanics that might not exactly translate to the main games as is, and aren't in Showdown yet anyway, so I won't go over them. Quite a lot are callable though, so I hope they might show up sooner or later this year because they all have some neat effects.

Overall, I don't think that there will be something centralizing enough to dethrone Venusaur or Heracross, but regardless there's a lot of new neat stuff to have fun with whatever you're picking, and I feel that the Legends Arceus mons will definitely have their novelty to them for a while.

EDIT: The ladder could be pretty interesting to play on in the near future, especially if the Fur Coat/Fluffy test happens.
Also Eviolite does work on certain pokemon that got evolutions in Legends for now, so use it while you can for fun, or just use Type: Null otherwise.

screenshot

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1500564486
This ended poorly but Ursaring did take a bunch of hits at one point.
Also I just realized consciously that you don't need quotes when you make a spoiler tag with a title even though it does it by default.

 

[idea]

Also Eviolite does work on certain pokemon that got evolutions in Legends for now, so use it while you can for fun, or just use Type: Null otherwise.

Fwiw, eviolite working on mons that got evolutions in legends is a purely visual bug, at least in non-metronome formats. In theory it should probably work in metronome since those mons’ evos actually exist in metronome, but I’d expect there’s a good chance it’s still only visual.

 

[Celever]

I'd like to point out a new threat to this format that I think is only gonna increase in usage. I'll put it in spoilers though, because it's a Legend mon.

Big Banded Bear

Ursaluna @ Choice Band
Ability: Intrepid Sword
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Brave Nature
- Metronome

Ursaluna has, arguably, the best stat distribution in the game. Its attack stat is utterly insane at 140, and 130/105/80 bulk is also really really good. Its typing is similarly wonderful in Metronome, as more moves are Normal-Type than any other, especially on the physical side of things, meaning Ursaluna can reel off incredibly hard-hitting STABs with ease. Normal-Type has a particular niche in Metronome Battles as it's the typing of Struggle, meaning against stall builds Ursaluna usually polishes the opponent off anyway. With this build it begins the battle with 936 Attack, which is astronomical, and a 75BP Normal-Type move off that stat will always do substantially more damage than Ursaluna will receive in recoil. I think Ursaluna will undoubtedly become a top tier threat in Metronome Battles, which will be seen all the time.

Enamorus-Therian @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Simple
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Brave Nature
- Metronome

Due to primarily novelty factor I've been pairing it with this thing to form a HO build, and it's actually been really effective. I peak at around 1460 before getting haxed on a fresh account with this duo! After the Simple WP proc, Enamorus-T has 1083 / 1107 offensive stats, and Fairy/Flying actually has a lot of weaknesses; the two types don't cover any of each others weaknesses at all! It has really good bulk though and can easily take even a powerful super effective hit, while also being weak to a lot of weaker moves (I swear Poison Sting has proced WP more than anything else). It's nice synergy with Ursaluna as between them they have 4 immunities, and Ursaluna's bad SpAtk has proced WP with a really weak spread Sludge Wave / Discharge / Parabolic Charge a few times. I don't know how long this will stick around for as a threat in this format, but it's a lot of fun if high-risk high-reward since it's non-Flower Guard Simple.

Since I'm playing rn I'll stick replays in if they prove the concept lol
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504267896-thxq6y10s43yabtoy7bg17s52yjh0krpw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504276942
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504281176
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504283648
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504289524
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504290894
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504293600
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504294359
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504302546-9m1b7gvbyt9v461l0133oqgqlv5rjaepw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504303733
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504316639
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504317578
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504332261-x6udkh0zpf1631d89alcuwn7mapo9ivpw

 

[Lectrys]

I need to provide a correction to the above post: despite being classified as a Normal-type move, Struggle deals typeless damage, and nothing can grant it a STAB boost, including Normal-types.

More Legends: Arceus mon discussion:

Hide

Ursaluna seems quite Glastrier-like to me, but Glastrier's stats look outright better overall: better special bulk, better Attack and Special Attack, lower speed to win Perish Song wars. About Ursaluna's only edges are its slightly better physical bulk and its double STAB, partially compensated for by how painfully common Ghost-types are on the ladder.

On the other hand, this double Enamorus-T team is one of the most consistent Metronome teams I've ever played with:

Enamorus-Therian (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Minus
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Metronome

Enamorus-Therian (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Minus
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Metronome

Weakness Policy is great and doesn't lock you out of moves and all, but sometimes, immediate increased damage feels better - thus Choice Specs (and Quiet) to take advantage of that base 135 Special Attack. Minus on both mons feels shaky because your remaining mon loses the boost if the other gets KOed, but I've yet to figure out any better ability (Download doesn't quite sync up with Choice Specs, Competitive procs too rarely, I get punished fairly consistently on the ladder with Magic Guard and any self-injuring item by my opponents manipulating abilities, Enamorus-T is a touch too fast for Analytic). The beautiful part about Enamorus-T is that its/her 115 base Attack lets you deal fairly consistent damage, thus mitigating plenty of the hax in Metronome Battles. In comparison, Ampharos-Mega has more lopsided offences, no type immunities, and cannot Dynamax (Dynamaxing will win you games), but possibly better bulk and a possibly crucial 1 lower base Speed.

With this team, I've bounced into the (low) 1400s multiple times. This team might even have a shot at getting to #1 on the ladder, I think!

Managed to generate a replay just now:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1504281558

 

[doipy hooves]

Happy February 4th! Legends Arceus has released and there's discussion already going around, so this will be a briefer stats post covering the month of January 2022 as the last period of time before this new set of additions to the meta.

The battle count has risen back up with 62262 games, quite a bit of 2s. If I remembered to post this on 2022-02-02 then it'd be pretty fitting, but I'm 2 days late on that.

https://www.smogon.com/stats/2022-01/gen8metronomebattle-1630.txt
https://www.smogon.com/stats/2022-01/moveset/gen8metronomebattle-1630.txt

1630 Top 10 + last month positions:
#1: Mega Heracross (no change)
#2: Mega Venusaur (no change)
#3: Mega Sableye (#4)
#4: Necturna (#11)
#5: Mega Gengar (#8)
#6: Dusclops (#5)
#7: Dragapult (#6)
#8: Mega Ampharos (#3)
#9: Mega Camerupt (#12)
#10: Type: Null (#7)

The reign of Heracross continues to start off 2022, though Venusaur isn't too far behind now with 12k uses to Heracross's 14k. In general the raw usage this month seems to be pretty spread out. Mega Sableye notably makes a huge bound up into 3rd, breaching 10000 uses. The dark horse of the month is probably Silvally-Ghost hanging at #30 with 627 uses, but Gastrodon has made a pretty big leap into #38 from #157. The rest of the list has been shaken up as well, with Ghost-types really surging up the ranks and occupying places 3 through 7, displacing Glastrier and Blissey from last month. Ghosts may not have the stats to contest Heracross or Venusaur's #1 positions, but they still make up a lot of the rest of what you'll see on ladder, and it goes to show that the power of common immunities shouldn't be underestimated.

No Legends Arceus mons actually show up in these stats. I'm not sure why, but it may be because they were added too late into the month to track, or they were skipped by the stats script. I do agree about the impact of the high stat mons mentioned in the recent posts though, making for some interesting alternatives even just based on having a different typing. If the DLC rumours are true then we might be seeing some more additions later on this year, but at this point there's not much to base on.

As for the moveset file, the peak viability ceilings are Type: Null and Dragapult at 83, followed by Pokestar Giant and Drifblim at 82, Venusaur and Sableye at 81, and Heracross and Dusclops at 80 to round it off. Sablenite is actually the top item on Sableye even with weighted usage now. There's not much major changes from what I've skimmed through but just looking at Heracross, Defiant has increased in usage from 25% to 33% (17 to 30 raw) and Brave has dropped in favour of Adamant and Naughty in general. Also 4% of Venusaur run Nothing, which is an impressive feat when it's 0.798% in raw usage.

On a different note, here are some stats for the recent ingame Metronome competition, also visible through Pokemon HOME. Snorlax and Dusclops seem to be universally solid and Grimmsnarl seems to have made it in #1 with its Pickpocket, though apparently Prankster has similar usage as well and I think this might be raw usage anyway. Also Pressure and Cursed Body are pretty scary and deserve to be banned still.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1480817022980268035

 

[Low-Key]

Time to bring up (one of) the most successful team(s) I made

Import

Enamorus-Therian (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Plus
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Metronome

Ampharos-Mega @ Choice Specs
Ability: Minus
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Metronome

This team is the standard Plus and Minus core, but with Therian Enamorus instead of two Mega Ampharoses, and I gotta say, it pays off. Maybe it's just that two different Pokemon is better than cloning, or I'm extremely lucky. However it happened, this team managed to peak to ~1350 Elo. Have fun!

 

[jeffdaboss]

Back at it with some more Legends Arceus teambuilding.

aaaaaahhhh (Zoroark-Hisui) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Download
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Brave Nature
- Metronome

oooooohh (Dusclops) @ Eviolite
Ability: Friend Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Metronome

If you haven't realized it by now, some of these new mons are strong. Hisuian Zoroark with its 100 Atk, 125 Sp Atk, and 110 Speed, coupled with its near perfect dual-typing of Normal-Ghost, it is the new specially-offensive powerhouse. The only downside to using it is its mediocre at best defensive stats. It sits at 55/60/60, which is just not good. Especially when compared to Mega-Heracross, the tiers main glass-cannon, it is like night and day. Zoroark has the benefit of a beneficial typing, but that is it when it comes to defenses. So, to try and mitigate this massive weakness, we are pairing it with Friend Guard Dusclops. This gives Zoroark a 25% damage reduction, allowing it to tank hits that it may struggle to withstand normally. Dusclops is one of those Pokemon that can use its ability slot to benefit its teammate more than itself, since with the Eviolite, Dusclops already has the defensive utility to last for a while.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1506212470-3epuff6klznmuvf182fs45cn4738b00pw
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1506214559

On another note, I have started to notice a rise in battles this month already. With the new mons added to the sim, Metronome Battles currently stands as one of the only formats where these Pokemon are usable, which is certainly bringing in quite a few people, and I love to see it.

Also, since the vote on whether or not we are suspecting Fluffy/Fur Coat has finished with majority in favor, I hope to see that on the ladder soon, and have already started theorycrafting some ideas.

 

[Ivy]

Yep, I'll submit for the ladder to be updated.
Fluffy and Fur Coat retest is coming to theaters near you!
Since this is basically an OM, there won't be a separate ladder. To participate in the retest, use a new account with the prefix MNOME (i.e. mnome Ivy) and get a 60% GXE over 25 or more games. You can start whenever you'd like, although it will be a few hours before the unbans are live. Once your score is good, post a screenshot here to register to vote. Deadline is Februray 21st.
60% may seem low compared to real formats, buut yeah this is metronome battle so that alone is almost enough to get you to the top 500 on the ladder. Good luck gamers!

 

[Dorron]

There's no shot this counts for TC

 

[Ivy]

There's no shot this counts for TC

I wouldn't put it on my smogon résumé, that's for sure

 

[Dorron]

Never playing this again

 

[plopturnip]

ez luck

 

[doipy hooves]

I like Fur Coat. Had some fun games and did a lot of Heracross tanking. Venusaur is still scary though. For now I just went with the simple meme defence team and it worked out, though I will try it out some more for sure.

EDIT:
Some highlight replays. Overall I think this was pretty viable against Heracross but not sure if it'll be the best option, but it was fun to tank with and did seem to have good success in my general run. Kee Berry could be considered for the 3x Defence but I think Slowbro and Null were more balanced mons for this job that have other preferred items and I'm satisfied with that.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1506341731 - Cotton Guard (above)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1506385905 - stalled to Struggle
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1506392522 - taking Heracross hits
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1506382424 - Psych Up and Swallow come in clutch?
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8metronomebattle-1506397124 - final Sableye 1v1

 

[hgc1110]

Hello

 

[Irpachuza]

Thanks to WP Fur Coat Dragapult and a nice Blissposter for balance

 

[fwqef]

That took way longer than it should have due to me messing around & bad rng at the end. Cheers to everyone who got reqs!

TEAM:

Venusaur-Mega @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD / 252 Spe
Quiet Nature
- Metronome

Dhelmise @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Fur Coat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Def / 252 SpA / 252 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Metronome


Fur coat seems pretty balanced, far less powerful than some of the other stuff that is on the banlist rn. I feel like it can be unbanned.

 

[Ivy]

woo yahoo. good rng was very frontloaded to low ladder so there were some struggles near the end


thoughts: My fur coat team (which I only used half the time, thanks good old intrepid sword bugs) was a Cursola paired with mbounce dusclops. I actually had decent fun with it, including the process of scrolling thru the teambuilder sorted by spdef and seeing "what can I make viable with fur coat now?"
so yeah, some pretty cool new diversity potential is unlocked here