Why I Think the Monotype Tier Should Have a Ban List
Although being a Sub-Meta of the OU Tier, OU Monotype is different and should thus have it's own Banlist. As each Team is restricted to Pokemon that share one Type in the Monotype Tier, the Checks and/or Counters that a Team has in response to a Threat are limited to a specified list. As such, the Threatlist from its mother Tier can't necessarily be applicable or compared to it. For example, Kingdra, who has an infamous reputation as a powerful Swift Swim abuser, would naturally force any variant of Salamence (without prior Boost) to Switch Out. However, in OU, you have the luxury of supporting your Salamence with a Check or Counter that does not share it's Type, such as Ferrothorn.
But this is the heart and soul of Monotype; the trademark of the Tier: to prove that although you are at a disadvantage, that you are creative, skilled, and smart enough to overcome it. This is the Tier where an otherwise unused (or in this case a Never or Rarely or Under Used) Pokemon finds a niche and finds a home. One such Pokemon is Articuno, who, despite sharing an enhanced SR Weakness with its Teammates, has found a niche as a Check to Swift Swim Teams with powerful Special Attackers and Rain Abusers on my Flying Team with Salamence.
But if each Team is inevitably vulnerable to a certain Pokemon and will have a hard time no matter what, why should there be a need for a Banlist?
Because the object of the Metagame is to achieve a state of balance, in which players have the options to and not to use certain playstyles, Pokemon, or Monotype Teams. This does not necessarily mean making a specified Monotype or play style better, but rather Viable, or usable.
And certain Pokemon in this Tier have an unacceptable dominance over the Metagame that it greatly discourages the use of certain Monotypes to the point where they turn a Type Disadvantage from a challenge, to a near impossible, luck-based, and/or frustrating experience.
One such Pokemon that, in my opinion, makes the Metagame unhealthy by discouraging players from using certain Types is Talonflame.
Why I Think Talonflame Should be Banned:
While held back by a rather mediocre Attack Stat, relative fragility with its 78/71/69 Defenses, Coverage issues with a limited Movepool, and of course it's unattractive Stealth Rock Weakness, it has everything it needs to be a Top Tier threat in OU. Most notably, it's Hidden Ability in Gale Wings transforms a weak Brave Bird into the fastest and strongest (in terms of Power) Priority Move in the game, outside of Extreme Speed. And although having a sparse Movepool, Talonflame could theoretically overcome the above mentioned drawbacks with what it does get. The Scorching Pokemon has access to the previously mentioned Brave Bird, while Acrobatics (in conjunction with a disposable Item) functions as a weaker, but no less threatening, one. It can augment its lackluster Attack Stat with Swords Dance to transform 2HKO'es to 1HKO'es. Bulk Up can do the same thing to a lesser extent, while exchanging more power for the extra Bulk it needs to survive an Extreme Speed or two, and can shrug off the damage it gets doing so with a Priority Roost. It can also run (lol) Natural Gift to temporarily solve it's Coverage issues, as it can run Shucca, Chople, or Passho Berries along with others to Lure in and Damage/KO common Switch Ins such as Heatran, Tyranitar, etc, although this works only once and requires prediction. Even Stealth Rocks, often regarded as the bane of Talonflames existence, can be stopped with a surprise Taunt. In addition to this, it can use it's Item slot too, as it can run the Choice Band for insant power, a Sky Plate/Sharp Beak to make that Brave Bird hurt more, the Sitrus Berry/Leftovers to mitigate its Recoil, or a Liechi Berry among the others that were mentioned. These factors in combination with it's blistering Base 126 Speed make it such a threat.
And as mentioned above, the object of Banlist is to balance the Metagame, or make it a flexible experience in which different types of players, play styles, and in this case, Monotype Teams. With its powerful Priority Attack in Brave Bird in combination with the Moves and Items that help it overcome it's shortcoming, Talonflame can be considered unhealthy for the Metagame as Monotypes such as Bug, Fighting, and Grass have limited Checks/Counters, if any at all. The fact that it in two of the mentioned cases cannot be Revenge Killed directly by any means of outspeeding (bar Boosting Moves) or Priority, could result in the playerbase from being discouraged from using them. Here is how much of an impact this one Pokemon has on Bug, Fighting, and Grass.
Talonflame V.S. Monotype Bug:
First off, let it be mentioned that Bug has proven itself consistently in Gen. V to be a solid Type, even against Flying and Fire. So why in the transition between Generation V and VI, in which it received 3 Mega Evolutions and Defog, is the Usage for Bug Pokemon and thus Mono Bug Teams low? I believe that a major contributor in the declining Usage of Mono Bug can be blamed on Talonflame, as it has only one, uncommon Counter in Scarf Armaldo, and 3 Checks in Armaldo, Crustle, and Shuckle.
Scarf Armaldo is only 2HKO'ed by Talonflame's even while Banded or at +2, while Scarf Armaldo can KO it back in return with Rock Slide or Stone Edge. However, it's not really relevant, as it receives little to no usage.
As for it's Checks, both Armaldo and Shuckle can avoid a 2HKO from Choice Banded Talonflame even after Stealth Rocks, Crustle being the only one that cannot Switch into it. And while the three Bug/Rock Pokemon sounds like a solid stop to the reign of terror that is Talonflame, you must also consider the fact that it gets U-turn to predict or escape these situations, which could result in being worn down by Hazards or it's Teammates so it can burst through you later in the game. In addition to this, Talonflame can also shut down every Rapid Spinner/Defogger and Stealth Rock user Mono Bug has with the combination of Taunt and Flare Blitz, besides Armaldo.
However, the fact that you are practically forced to run these three Pokemon in Bug in order to stop one Pokemon is, in my opinion, unhealthy to the Metagame since an ideal Bug Team with one of the 3 Pokemon is restricted to use Balance or Defensive Play Styles.
Talonflame V.S. Monotype Fighting:
Fighting Monos share the same situation as Bug, facing near extinction on the Ladder after being hailed as one of the best Types back in Gen. V, and the source of the problem is no different. What Fighting Monos you do see now run Physically Defensive Coballion, as it has the Bulk to stomach a Jolly Natured Brave Bird followed by a Flare Blitz, if barely. This is the only Pokemon bar the ideal Physically Defensive Terrakion that can force every variant of Talonflame out upon the Switch In, and scare it off with Stealth Rocks. Another option that the Standard Fighting Team uses in addition to Physically Defensive Cobalion is the classic Choice Scarf Terrakion Set as a means of outspeeding and KO'ing it with one of its powerful Rock Moves, however you are limited to doing this only once, as every variant knocks off about half of your health. The fact that these Pokemon must be used if you want to preserve the rest of your Team from the wrath that is the Scorching Pokemon stands as another example of how it discourages the use of the Type, if not forcing the user to use one of the above Pokemon specifically for this one, weak bird.
Talonflame V.S. Monotype Grass
Let us consider the fact that Monotype Grass has never consistently proved to be a Top Tier Monotype, and isn't popular because of it. Perhaps only a small portion of the Ladder consist of Grass Teams. It has been this way since the debut of the Monotype Tier back in Gen. V. But just because it isn't good, doesn't mean that it should get ignored either, as some people do run Mono Grass, if not just for fun; they need to be respected too. As such, Grass literally has no Counters to Talonflame outside of Scarf Celebi and Shaymin, both of which are not only uncommon but only capable of Revenging the Standard Talonflame. As far as Counters go, the Choice Band Set can be taken advantage of with Pokemon that are neutral to Brave Bird such as Ferrothorn, but have to watch out for Flare Blitz. Outside of that Variant, Grass Teams only have 2 Counters to Standard Talonflame: Physically Defensive Cradily and Tangrowth. If the bird is holding a Choice Band or Life Orb, literally nothing can safely Switch In and reply with a KO in time, not even Focus Sash users unless your using Physically Defensvie Cradily. However, as in other scenarios, the Life Orb Set can U-turn out of this situation, and remove Cradily from the game or take it down to a health where Talonflame can KO it. That being said, the fact that nothing can safely Switch Into LO or Band Talonflame after SR's are up or Revenge it afterwords is another reason why it deserves a Ban, despite the fact that it is an unpopular Type. Everyone must be considered when thinking about the Metagame as whole.
What Makes Talonflame Different From Any Other Threat?
So what makes Talonflame different than, say, Choice Banded Staraptor? Few Pokemon on Bug or Grass can Switch into it's Brave Bird, while nothing on Fighting can do it safely. So why not ban that too?
Because unlike Talonflame, I can actually Revenge Staraptor
What I agree with is Banning Talonflame on the basis that said Monotypes cannot Revenge it, or have an answer to it in terms of using Speed or Priority to kill it, and the fact that it can play around the Pokemon that can take its hits. And the fact that the Pokemon that can actually Check or Counter it can simply be played around and removed. The fact that if those 1 or 2 Pokemon go down, you're practically Swept by 1 Pokemon.
In Conclusion
In my opinion, Talonflame deserves to be Banned for the reason I and others have, and will, mention. It's Priority in Brave Bird is the main reason why, as it provides it with a way to soar above Revenge Killing. Even the few Pokemon that Check it can be played around with a well timed U-turn or Swords Dance, as most Talonflame can practically force any Pokemon of the above mentioned Monotypes out. It's Counters are too few, unlike other similar Pokes such as Staraptor who can actually be Revenged by Scarfers, Priority, etc. And perhaps most importantly, it should be Banned because it discourages the use of certain Monotypes to a greater extent of any other Pokemon in the Tier, to the point where it can dominate one Type by itself.
Everyone should have at least a chance to play with their favorite Type, at least play it a certain way. Talonflame simply doesn't allow that.
However
I didn't mention this earlier because Im pretty sure it is out of the realm of possibility, but Talonflame is really only a problem on Mono Flying. Grass, Bug, and Fighting are at disadvantages to Fire any way you slice the cake. So if a complex Ban where Talonflame could only be used on Fire were allowed, Im all for that too.
Although being a Sub-Meta of the OU Tier, OU Monotype is different and should thus have it's own Banlist. As each Team is restricted to Pokemon that share one Type in the Monotype Tier, the Checks and/or Counters that a Team has in response to a Threat are limited to a specified list. As such, the Threatlist from its mother Tier can't necessarily be applicable or compared to it. For example, Kingdra, who has an infamous reputation as a powerful Swift Swim abuser, would naturally force any variant of Salamence (without prior Boost) to Switch Out. However, in OU, you have the luxury of supporting your Salamence with a Check or Counter that does not share it's Type, such as Ferrothorn.
But this is the heart and soul of Monotype; the trademark of the Tier: to prove that although you are at a disadvantage, that you are creative, skilled, and smart enough to overcome it. This is the Tier where an otherwise unused (or in this case a Never or Rarely or Under Used) Pokemon finds a niche and finds a home. One such Pokemon is Articuno, who, despite sharing an enhanced SR Weakness with its Teammates, has found a niche as a Check to Swift Swim Teams with powerful Special Attackers and Rain Abusers on my Flying Team with Salamence.
But if each Team is inevitably vulnerable to a certain Pokemon and will have a hard time no matter what, why should there be a need for a Banlist?
Because the object of the Metagame is to achieve a state of balance, in which players have the options to and not to use certain playstyles, Pokemon, or Monotype Teams. This does not necessarily mean making a specified Monotype or play style better, but rather Viable, or usable.
And certain Pokemon in this Tier have an unacceptable dominance over the Metagame that it greatly discourages the use of certain Monotypes to the point where they turn a Type Disadvantage from a challenge, to a near impossible, luck-based, and/or frustrating experience.
One such Pokemon that, in my opinion, makes the Metagame unhealthy by discouraging players from using certain Types is Talonflame.
Why I Think Talonflame Should be Banned:
While held back by a rather mediocre Attack Stat, relative fragility with its 78/71/69 Defenses, Coverage issues with a limited Movepool, and of course it's unattractive Stealth Rock Weakness, it has everything it needs to be a Top Tier threat in OU. Most notably, it's Hidden Ability in Gale Wings transforms a weak Brave Bird into the fastest and strongest (in terms of Power) Priority Move in the game, outside of Extreme Speed. And although having a sparse Movepool, Talonflame could theoretically overcome the above mentioned drawbacks with what it does get. The Scorching Pokemon has access to the previously mentioned Brave Bird, while Acrobatics (in conjunction with a disposable Item) functions as a weaker, but no less threatening, one. It can augment its lackluster Attack Stat with Swords Dance to transform 2HKO'es to 1HKO'es. Bulk Up can do the same thing to a lesser extent, while exchanging more power for the extra Bulk it needs to survive an Extreme Speed or two, and can shrug off the damage it gets doing so with a Priority Roost. It can also run (lol) Natural Gift to temporarily solve it's Coverage issues, as it can run Shucca, Chople, or Passho Berries along with others to Lure in and Damage/KO common Switch Ins such as Heatran, Tyranitar, etc, although this works only once and requires prediction. Even Stealth Rocks, often regarded as the bane of Talonflames existence, can be stopped with a surprise Taunt. In addition to this, it can use it's Item slot too, as it can run the Choice Band for insant power, a Sky Plate/Sharp Beak to make that Brave Bird hurt more, the Sitrus Berry/Leftovers to mitigate its Recoil, or a Liechi Berry among the others that were mentioned. These factors in combination with it's blistering Base 126 Speed make it such a threat.
And as mentioned above, the object of Banlist is to balance the Metagame, or make it a flexible experience in which different types of players, play styles, and in this case, Monotype Teams. With its powerful Priority Attack in Brave Bird in combination with the Moves and Items that help it overcome it's shortcoming, Talonflame can be considered unhealthy for the Metagame as Monotypes such as Bug, Fighting, and Grass have limited Checks/Counters, if any at all. The fact that it in two of the mentioned cases cannot be Revenge Killed directly by any means of outspeeding (bar Boosting Moves) or Priority, could result in the playerbase from being discouraged from using them. Here is how much of an impact this one Pokemon has on Bug, Fighting, and Grass.
Talonflame V.S. Monotype Bug:
First off, let it be mentioned that Bug has proven itself consistently in Gen. V to be a solid Type, even against Flying and Fire. So why in the transition between Generation V and VI, in which it received 3 Mega Evolutions and Defog, is the Usage for Bug Pokemon and thus Mono Bug Teams low? I believe that a major contributor in the declining Usage of Mono Bug can be blamed on Talonflame, as it has only one, uncommon Counter in Scarf Armaldo, and 3 Checks in Armaldo, Crustle, and Shuckle.
Scarf Armaldo is only 2HKO'ed by Talonflame's even while Banded or at +2, while Scarf Armaldo can KO it back in return with Rock Slide or Stone Edge. However, it's not really relevant, as it receives little to no usage.
As for it's Checks, both Armaldo and Shuckle can avoid a 2HKO from Choice Banded Talonflame even after Stealth Rocks, Crustle being the only one that cannot Switch into it. And while the three Bug/Rock Pokemon sounds like a solid stop to the reign of terror that is Talonflame, you must also consider the fact that it gets U-turn to predict or escape these situations, which could result in being worn down by Hazards or it's Teammates so it can burst through you later in the game. In addition to this, Talonflame can also shut down every Rapid Spinner/Defogger and Stealth Rock user Mono Bug has with the combination of Taunt and Flare Blitz, besides Armaldo.
However, the fact that you are practically forced to run these three Pokemon in Bug in order to stop one Pokemon is, in my opinion, unhealthy to the Metagame since an ideal Bug Team with one of the 3 Pokemon is restricted to use Balance or Defensive Play Styles.
Talonflame V.S. Monotype Fighting:
Fighting Monos share the same situation as Bug, facing near extinction on the Ladder after being hailed as one of the best Types back in Gen. V, and the source of the problem is no different. What Fighting Monos you do see now run Physically Defensive Coballion, as it has the Bulk to stomach a Jolly Natured Brave Bird followed by a Flare Blitz, if barely. This is the only Pokemon bar the ideal Physically Defensive Terrakion that can force every variant of Talonflame out upon the Switch In, and scare it off with Stealth Rocks. Another option that the Standard Fighting Team uses in addition to Physically Defensive Cobalion is the classic Choice Scarf Terrakion Set as a means of outspeeding and KO'ing it with one of its powerful Rock Moves, however you are limited to doing this only once, as every variant knocks off about half of your health. The fact that these Pokemon must be used if you want to preserve the rest of your Team from the wrath that is the Scorching Pokemon stands as another example of how it discourages the use of the Type, if not forcing the user to use one of the above Pokemon specifically for this one, weak bird.
Talonflame V.S. Monotype Grass
Let us consider the fact that Monotype Grass has never consistently proved to be a Top Tier Monotype, and isn't popular because of it. Perhaps only a small portion of the Ladder consist of Grass Teams. It has been this way since the debut of the Monotype Tier back in Gen. V. But just because it isn't good, doesn't mean that it should get ignored either, as some people do run Mono Grass, if not just for fun; they need to be respected too. As such, Grass literally has no Counters to Talonflame outside of Scarf Celebi and Shaymin, both of which are not only uncommon but only capable of Revenging the Standard Talonflame. As far as Counters go, the Choice Band Set can be taken advantage of with Pokemon that are neutral to Brave Bird such as Ferrothorn, but have to watch out for Flare Blitz. Outside of that Variant, Grass Teams only have 2 Counters to Standard Talonflame: Physically Defensive Cradily and Tangrowth. If the bird is holding a Choice Band or Life Orb, literally nothing can safely Switch In and reply with a KO in time, not even Focus Sash users unless your using Physically Defensvie Cradily. However, as in other scenarios, the Life Orb Set can U-turn out of this situation, and remove Cradily from the game or take it down to a health where Talonflame can KO it. That being said, the fact that nothing can safely Switch Into LO or Band Talonflame after SR's are up or Revenge it afterwords is another reason why it deserves a Ban, despite the fact that it is an unpopular Type. Everyone must be considered when thinking about the Metagame as whole.
What Makes Talonflame Different From Any Other Threat?
So what makes Talonflame different than, say, Choice Banded Staraptor? Few Pokemon on Bug or Grass can Switch into it's Brave Bird, while nothing on Fighting can do it safely. So why not ban that too?
Because unlike Talonflame, I can actually Revenge Staraptor
What I agree with is Banning Talonflame on the basis that said Monotypes cannot Revenge it, or have an answer to it in terms of using Speed or Priority to kill it, and the fact that it can play around the Pokemon that can take its hits. And the fact that the Pokemon that can actually Check or Counter it can simply be played around and removed. The fact that if those 1 or 2 Pokemon go down, you're practically Swept by 1 Pokemon.
In Conclusion
In my opinion, Talonflame deserves to be Banned for the reason I and others have, and will, mention. It's Priority in Brave Bird is the main reason why, as it provides it with a way to soar above Revenge Killing. Even the few Pokemon that Check it can be played around with a well timed U-turn or Swords Dance, as most Talonflame can practically force any Pokemon of the above mentioned Monotypes out. It's Counters are too few, unlike other similar Pokes such as Staraptor who can actually be Revenged by Scarfers, Priority, etc. And perhaps most importantly, it should be Banned because it discourages the use of certain Monotypes to a greater extent of any other Pokemon in the Tier, to the point where it can dominate one Type by itself.
Everyone should have at least a chance to play with their favorite Type, at least play it a certain way. Talonflame simply doesn't allow that.
However
I didn't mention this earlier because Im pretty sure it is out of the realm of possibility, but Talonflame is really only a problem on Mono Flying. Grass, Bug, and Fighting are at disadvantages to Fire any way you slice the cake. So if a complex Ban where Talonflame could only be used on Fire were allowed, Im all for that too.
