As the second DLC cascade truly comes to NU, this shift may be the most chaotic we’ve seen yet. With a plethora of really powerful species unexpectedly migrating to the RU environment during the mid-month shift, it probably should have been expected that this shift would be- very wonky, to say the least. Looking at some of these drops, it would appear that the power level of NU has completely shifted, to a point where I’ve probably never been more unsure about which of these guys will get the boot. Due to life stuff and the sheer amount of species I have to cover here, I’m going to try to keep each of these blurbs short (ha!), so I won’t be able to go as in depth as I’d like. Still, I hope these predictions do prove useful to you NU teambuilders.
Abomasnow: Hail comes back to NU with a roaring vengeance, and while Abomasnow may not be the best of the three hail setters NU now has, its unique STAB combo and movepool variety, alongside the absurdity of Aurora Veil, should give it a valuable role for both Hail and Veil teams. That said, Veil has proven controversial in NU in the past, so in the event it’s banned (see last gen), it might end up falling down to PU.
Aerodactyl: While the power level is undoubtedly more that what Aerodactyl would’ve preferred, but hopefully it might be able to perform down in NU. Aero has several potential roles, including a suicide Rocks lead, fast support mon with Defog, Band attacker and late-game sweeper thanks to Dragon Dance. Offensive sets did take a hit thanks to the loss of Pursuit, but access to a not-useless Flying STAB in Dual Wingbeat is great nonetheless. That said, the sheer amount of drops mean it might take some time for Aero to truly take off in the tier.
Araquanid: Webs + Water Bubble Liquidation = Profit. From there you have your choice of Leech Life for secondary STAB and recovery (you usually need Boots), Toxic for chip and Magic Coat/Substitute to protect from status. With the amount of new offensive threats in the tier, Webs is bound to be a dangerous playstyle, although it does take some more complex building, and Araquanid will inevitably be at the forefront of that playstyle.
Arcanine: Arcanine grants NU another strong Fire type, and one that functions either offensively or defensively. Offensive Arcanine is a strong Band user thanks to STAB Flare Blitz, great coverage in Wild Charge and CC and strong priority in Extreme Speed. Defensive is basically another Incineroar, pivoting thanks to Intimidate and Teleport, using Morning Sun for recovery (yeah, Incin doesn’t get recovery, but still) and getting solid chip with Flamethrower + Toxic (plus Boots to bypass Rocks). This flexibility is sure to make Arc a solid glue mon in the tier.
Archeops: Strong and swift, Archeops probably won’t get too much usage considering Aerodactyl also dropped. Archeops isn’t bad, as it still hits hard, pivots with U-turn and packs Boots to bypass its old Rock weakness; it’s just that Aero offers more possibilities considering it isn’t actively crippled by its ability and pulls off multiple sets better thanks to its superior speed tier.
Arctovish & Arctozolt: These two are basically in the same boat, so I’m just going to do them together. Thanks to Slush Rush and respective broken-ass moves, the Arctos hit deceptively hard, and can abuse Hail even better thanks to the in-built possibility of Aurora Veil to actually live a hit or two. Even if Veil gets banned, these two are sure to make hail a tour-de-force, and I wouldn’t be surprised if at least Zolt gets banned.
Articuno: While it may be restricted to running Boots, Articuno is by no means a one-dimensional mon. Ice STAB (Ice Beam or Freeze-Dry, maybe Blizzard with Hail support) and Roost are both a given, but other than that you have Hurricane for dual STAB, U-turn for pivoting, Defog or Heal Bell to serve as a solid cleric, Toxic for chip and potential Substitute to guard against status and Pressure stall. Sure, it can’t afford to eat Knock Off, but otherwise Articuno is a great defensive mon.
G. Articuno: While I don’t think Garticuno deserved to get knocked down this far, I think it should serve as a pretty good threat. While its STAB combo isn’t the best, Competitive + 125 Special attack is nothing to laugh at, forcing opponents to think twice about Defogging. It can either serve as an AoA with either Specs or Scarf, using U-turn to pivot, or use Boots to be a late-game Calm Mind Sweeper, with either Shadow Ball for coverage or Recover for longevity.
Barbaracle: If you wonder why I keep bringing up Veil- well, it’s mainly because of mons like Barbaracle. Veil lets Bar get off a Shell Smash without too much difficulty, after which you’re free to tear through stuff with Tough Claws-boosted attacks (including STAB Liquidation) as well as coverage like EdgeQuake. It may be held back by its many weaknesses and low Speed pre-Smash, but this is one of the drops that might end up being broken.
Bewear: Bewear is a pretty simple guy- hit hard with Band or SD + Life Orb, use Fluffy to tank hits and possibly rack up SD boosts. That opportunity means I think SD is probably the best set, but Band’s immediate power should be at least considered.
Blastoise: Blastoise may not be a stand-out drop, but its potential between Shell Smash and defensive Rapid Spin does give it some merit. Given Barbaracle is kicking around, Smash sets are probably best going special, with STAB, Ice Beam and whatever you need for the third move. Defensive sets are easy to explain- Spin hazards, spread status with Toxic + Scald, and then hit Grass types with Ice Beam or maybe pivot with Flip Turn? That said, Toise does face competition from other pure-Water types like Vaporeon and Clawitzer, so it might end up falling through the cracks.
Braviary: With Defiant and the coveted Brave Bird + CC combo, Braviary is an offensive powerhouse. Band hits like a truck, Scarf is a fantastic revenge killer, and Boots allow a Bulk Up sweeper with good recovery in Roost. Granted, Choice sets must contend with a Rock weakness and Brave’s moves of choice can wear it down easily, but especially with U-turn Braviary is not a mon to take lightly.
Bronzong: What are you doing here? .. No seriously, why is this thing down here? You know the drill with Bronzong- a key defensive mon that sets Rocks, Levitates over EQs and has enough bulk to live most +0 hits. You got decent offensive pressure in Heavy Slam, Psychic, EQ and Toxic, just beware of Knock Off and you’re good.
Celebi: Celebi is another mon that makes itself a tier staple thanks to great variety. Lead sets can set Rocks, use TWave for Speed control and U-turn because pivoting is always appreciated. Sweeper sets utilize Nasty Plot to make 100 SpA genuinely scary, its STABs backed by the perfect coverage in Earth Power or Aura Sphere (Sphere is mainly for Bronzong). Finally, Scarf sets serve as a decent revenge killer, while also supporting its team with Healing Wish. Don’t be fooled by its gentle demeanor- you can never be certain of what Celebi will be running, and unless you’re packing Bronzong you need to be very careful about how you play.
Charizard: While Charizard has a decent amount of power to its name, the transition to NU costs it its greatest weapon- the Sun. I’m not sure if Drought is unbanned or not, but even if it is the departure of Torkoal means Sun teams probably wouldn’t be that good in NU anyways, especially when Hail is an ever-present threat. Compared to other Rocks weak mons, Charizard just doesn’t have the power or utility to make it a solid contender, especially in this power crept environment.
Copperajah: While not quite as big as the coming of SteelVally, Copperajah’s solid bulk and great power with Heavy Metal-boosted Heavy Slam and Heat Crash, alongside solid coverage like EQ and Power Whip make it a fearsome but slow Band user. Copper loves the drops of Cresselia and Diancie, who can both activate Trick Room easily and make it even scarier. It also has Rocks for an alternate set, but we have plenty of setters already and Band is just so good.
Cresselia: Another mon who has no business down here, Cresselia is a fantastic threat, especially since the lower power level allows its offensive presence to actually be felt. With superb bulk, Cress easily sets up Trick Room or CM, has Moonblast for good coverage, Moonlight for recovery, status in TWave and additional support in Lunar Dance once she’s on her last legs. If you’re running a defensive team, Cress is a prime candidate.
Decidueye: Finally back to NU, Decidueye faces a significantly harsher environment than what it left. The general power creep means that Decidueye is no longer the potentially ban-worthy threat it was earlier this gen; that said, it’s not bad. For sets, you’ve got SD, NP, Band, Specs, Scarf, defensive Defog, etc. Physical sets get priority in Shadow Sneak and Sucker, Special sets have some very strong attacks, Choice sets can all pack U-turn and defensive sets like Roost. Decidueye is no longer a hammer, but it is still a Swiss Army Knife.
Dhelmise: The mon with (functionally) 3 STABs, Dhelmise sticks with the slow and steady approach, with powerful dual STAB in Power Whip and Poltergeist, Anchor Shot for trapping, EQ for good coverage, Switcheroo for Band sets, SD and Rapid Spin to potentially set up. Whether you go Band, AV or SD, Dhelmise will hit you like- an anchor, I guess.
Diancie: In spite of some rather glaring weaknesses type-wise, Diancie’s bulk and utility allows it to be a great support mon. It can set both Rocks and TR, and has access to Heal Bell for cleric duties. This princess isn’t restricted to support duties, however, as its bulk allows it a potent CM set bolstered by newfound Mystical Fire, or can potentially utilize a physical set thanks to Diamond Storm (which naturally pairs well with Body Press) and new physical Fairy STAB, although 100 Attack means physical Diancie won’t get by on power alone.
Dragalge: Dragalge’s terrific Adaptability- boosted STAB combo and anti-Steel coverage in Focus Blast make it a deceptively strong cannon. Slow Flip Turn greatly benefits both a powerful Specs set and a reliable Toxic Spike setter, allowing Drag to keep up momentum for its team. Both sets make Dragalge one of the scariest new mons in the drop in spite of low Speed.
Durant: Okay, I’ve been hesitant to predict potential bans in this installment, but- 109 Attack backed by Hustle, a great speed tier and being free of all the mons that actually answered it defensively in higher tiers make Durant a pure menace. Sure, it can’t take a special hit to save its life, but that’s a low price to pay when your only other flaw is potentially missing. This is one of the few things that probably needs to be banned.
Exploud: Scrappy Boomburst go brrr. Add some high-powered coverage to the mix, and Exploud is a very high reward Pokemon, albeit with significant risk due to low Speed and the new influx of Fighting types.
Flygon: With a decent speed tier and a variety of options, Flygon isn’t the best at anything it does, but is still quite solid. Scarf allows it to be a decently powerful revenge killer, DDance can be an effective sweeper and it can even perform defensively with Defog thanks to Levitate + Rocks resist, allowing a Defogger who isn’t reliant on Boots. Sure, without a boost it isn’t too powerful, even by NU standards, but it gets the job done at whatever it sets out to do.
Golisopod: Golisopod has quite a lot going for it, between Spikes, SD, STAB priority First Impression, strong moves like Liquidation, CC and Knock Off, joining together in two great sets in Boots and Band. Boots can set Spikes more easily or find set- up opportunities, while Band actually makes use of Emergency Exit since that allows it to fire off another Impression; Band sets still want hazard support, though.
Golurk: Golurk utilizes its strong STAB combo and great coverage in CC to hit hard against everything, with the final slot going to Rocks, Rock Polish, or Ice Punch/Stone Edge/Switcheroo for Band sets. Alternative sets can use Iron Fist Shadow Punch to counteract no-item strategies and get around the poor pairing between Poltergeist and Knock Off.
Goodra: With immense special bulk and Sap Sipper, Goodra finds plenty of opportunities to come in and fire off powerful attacks. Its movepool means it is effective on either side of the spectrum, physical sets boosting with Sap Sipper while special drops Dracos like nobody’s business. Band or Specs really make it a stronk snail, but AV pairs delightfully with its already great special bulk and allows it to freely switch up moves.
Heliolisk: A speedy special attacker, Heliolisk goes all in on offense while still contributing defensively thanks to immunities to Water and Ghost. Grass Knot and Surf give it decent anti-Ground coverage, while STAB Hyper Voice or Dark Pulse prevents it from being walled by Grass types. Boots pair well with Volt Switch, although given power creep it might be better to just go all-out offensive with LO, Specs or Scarf.
Heracross: Heracross is definitely one of the scariest drops, sporting two powerful sets in Guts and ScarfMoxie. With SD, Guts allows Hera to clean house, even dropping Bug STAB for full-power Facade and anti-Ghost Knock Off. Megahorn rejoins the fray, alongside EQ or Stone Edge over Facade, on Scarf sets, which can easily clean up weakened teams. Both sets have issues, but Hera still leads the Fighting revolution into NU.
Hitmonlee: Other than Hail, the other big shift here is the cavalcade of new Fighting types; of these, Hitmonlee is sadly far from the best choice. As a fast Fighting type, it is largely outclassed by Mienshao, Virizion and Lucario, and options like Heracross, Machamp and Pangoro don’t make it any easier to stand out. Hitmonlee’s one attribute is Unburden, allowing it to sweep late game after a Curse + White Herb or when supported by Indeedee’s Psychic Terrain, which also protects it from priority. Otherwise, you’re better off using something else.
Indeedee: To speak of Indeedee is to speak of Expanding Force and priority blocking, both of which are great, potentially problematic pros. It also brings solid coverage in Dazzling Gleam and Mystical Fire, and is just strong enough to terrify with Specs or CM sets. Expanding Force may be what pushes it over the edge, as it basically demands a Psychic resist or Dark type on each team.
Indeedee F: With its male counterpart down here, there is currently no reason to use Indeedee F.
Kabutops: Without Drizzle, Kabutops probably won’t make too much of an impression in NU. Sure, it’s pretty strong after SD, and gets good moves like priority Aqua Jet, Rocks, Knock Off and Rapid Spin, but especially with Barbaracle around Kabu just faces too much competition with other offensive Waters, especially with its key weaknesses.
Kingdra: While it would prefer having Drizzle around, I don’t think Kingdra will be as hurt by its absence as Kabu. STAB Draco is a powerful thing, allowing it to be a decent Specs user with Hydro and Hurricane. DDance sets are also possible, making use of several good resistances to set up; the gimmicky but fun Focus Energy + Sniper can also be effective under the right circumstances. That said, it isn’t the strongest Dragon around, so I doubt it will light up the tier.
Linoone: Linoone + a meta where Veil is probably going to be common is usually not a good combination in terms of balance. Belly Drum and STAB E-Speed more than makes up for its otherwise lackluster attack, and Shadow Claw and good speed prevent Ghost types from being good answers to it. Linoone is a good reminder that being one-dimensional doesn’t make a mon bad.
Lucario: Lucario is definitely interesting among the many new Fighting types for 2 reasons: first, it has super effective STAB against Fairies, meaning that it can bypass many traditional Fighting checks. Its other asset is that it’s ability to run a special set, although it can use either SD or NP, as both sets hit hard and have great coverage. Honestly, this flexibility means it’s the Fighting type I’d say is most likely to be broken, especially with the “ability to get past usual Fighting checks” thing.
Machamp: Unable to compete with Conkeldurr, Machamp’s fall was probably to be expected. While its Guts set may not be as scary as Heracross due to the lower speed tier, it’s still pretty damn scary; STAB CC, Facade, Knock Off and Heavy Slam, among other options. Its speed may be enough to hold it back, but switching into this thing will probably be a pain.
Mantine: Probably one of the best bulky Waters we’re getting, Mantine uses its ability to counter other bulky Waters and its special bulk to serve as a solid defensive mon. Outside of Defog and Roost, Mantine is a textbook generic Water with Scald + Toxic, although it performs this job better than most. That said, it doesn’t appreciate Knock Off or opposing Toxic, and Electric types can overwhelm it without much issue.
Mienshao: Mienshao is my choice for the best new Fighting type, striking quickly and strongly and U-turning out, with pivoting being especially good thanks to Regenerator. Scarf is one of the fastest revenge killers around and will probably be the standard set, although other alternatives like AV can be surprisingly effective (trust me, I saw this thing put in work back when Mien was UU); SD is tempting, but low bulk makes it hard to set up safely.
Milotic: Milotic initially seems to be a generic bulky Water (albeit with Recover), but it does carve itself a niche thanks to its abilities. Marvel Scale allows Milotic to be a good mixed wall, especially with Haze and Dragon Tail to counteract sweepers. Competitive, meanwhile, allows Milo an option to boost otherwise okay 100 SpA, hitting hard with STAB and Ice Beam and presenting an incentive to not Defog. That said, Marvel needs to recover constantly to heal off burn damage, plus maxing out physical bulk makes Milo surprisingly squishy on the special side, so make sure you EV carefully.
Noivern: Another mon that probably doesn’t deserve its placing down here, Noivern enjoys being one of the naturally fastest mons in the tier, using Boots to repeat the fast pivot role it had in UU just over a month ago. Draco and Flamethrower are good offensive tools, although Defog is another option for HO teams that want fast hazard control. Given the lower power level, Specs could potentially be a good surprise set with Hurricane or Switcheroo.
Obstagoon: The bane of STALL somehow ends up in NU, and it functions more or less the same as ever: Knock Off and Guts boosted Facade, CC, and a plethora of options like Bulk Up, Taunt, Obstruct, Parting Shot or Gunk Shot for AoA. Obsta’s speed tier is pretty good for NU, allowing it to tear through slower teams with ease, even if it does need to compete as a Guts attacker with Heracross, who packs a higher Attack and SD. Still, the greater speed does allow it to stand out.
Omastar: While Omastar definitely misses Drizzle, it does have enough depth to its game to avoid the same fate as Kabutops. Spikes has a lot less competition than Rocks, and Weak Armor gives Oma an easier time setting multiple layers. Oma also has Smash, and can differentiate itself from Barbar since it goes special, finally having a special Rock STAB in Meteor Beam, which it can make good use of on Veil teams. Granted, Oma’s low speed and glaring weaknesses mean that without a speed boost many mons can take it out without much issue, but Oma is one mon that you should be careful not to sleep on.
Palossand: Palossand functions as a rare defensive Ghost, leveraging its typing and bulk (w/Shore Up) to switch into powerful Fighting attacks. It would prefer if most of those Fighting types didn’t have Knock Off, which often forces it to run Colbur Berry, but its good resistances help make up for that. Scorching Sands is another good tool, allowing it to spread dual status with Toxic, backed up by either Rocks or STAB Shadow Ball.
Pangoro: Pangoro sets itself apart from other Fighting types thanks to STAB on Knock Off and having Scrappy, which allows it to better spam CC on Band sets. Iron Fist is another good ability, boosting Drain Punch, Ice Punch and priority Bullet Punch well for SD sets. That said, being weak to Fighting itself is not a good thing, and any Fairy type bops you effortlessly with Pangoro’s low speed; still, Pangoro has a valuable niche among NU Fighting types.
Passimian: Passimian is largely outclassed by Mienshao due to the latter’s superior Speed tier. There’s basically no reason to use Pass over Mien, as the 2 run basically the same moveset; Passimian’s only perks are stronger Poison coverage and Defiant, but it doesn’t want to switch into most Defoggers. Still, I’d say it’s better in a vacuum than Hitmonlee.
Polteageist: Polteageist is another sweeper that can easily abuse Veil; set up with Smash, clean with Shadow Ball, jacked up Stored Power and Giga Drain for Dark types. Still, Dark types can usually handle Poltea fairly easily, and if it’s been knocked down to Sash priority users snipe without too much trouble (unless you pair with Indeedee). Poltea is the textbook case of a high reward option that requires quite a bit of maintenance, between hazard removal, priority protection and teammates to handle Dark types.
PorygonZ: If you don’t have a Ghost type, PorygonZ clicks Adaptability Tri-Attack, and then something dies. Even if you have a Ghost type, Pory also has Shadow Ball and Dark Pulse. This is especially true with the power boost of Specs or NP, and the newfound second wind for Web teams and Veil teams this shift only makes it easier to help Pory bypass its few checks (Veil helps sweeper sets). Yeah, this is definitely one of the more questionable additions.
A. Raichu: Alolachu looks to be a decent fast sweeper/revenge killer, hitting hard with NP and great coverage like Surf, Grass Knot and Focus Blast. Electric types pride themselves on Speed, and Alolachu is currently the fastest Electric type in NU so it’s bound to be useful. That said, it’s not too strong pre-Plot and its low bulk means it can have a hard time setting up, so it’s possible a Specs set could rise to be generally better.
Regigigas: And there go my hopes of Regigigas finding a niche in NU. The power creep was bad enough for it, but being a slow Normal type in a tier now infested with strong Fighting types is just a terrible combo, and should sufficiently keep Regi from any true NU niche.
Reuniclus: LO Reuniclus is a powerful attacker, able to perform well defensively thanks to Magic Guard and Recover while utilizing strong coverage in Shadow Ball and Focus Blast. 3 attacks + Recover hits hard enough, but CM brings it to a new level. Acid Armor also allows Reuniclus to function as a Stored Power sweeper on teams that can sufficiently deal with Dark types. Sure, it’s slow and its bulk can be torn through fairly easily, but any NU team would do good to keep their Dark types healthy.
Rhyperior: Can you smell- what the Rock- is cooking?! Rhyperior leverages its superb power and Solid Rock-backed physical bulk to smack hard. While Rhy can reliably set Rocks, the lower power level allows it to be more overtly offensive, as Band rips things to shreds while sweeper sets with SD and/or Rock Polish keep almost every enemy on their toes. STAB EdgeQuake will never not be great for a physical attacker, and powerful coverage like Megahorn, Heat Crash and Aqua Tail beg the question of why you would waste a slot on Rocks. Sure, the influx of Fighting types isn’t great, but good Solid Rock bulk allows Rhy to take a hit from most of them, even with lackluster SpD.
Ribombee: After a short stint in RU, Ribombee returns to NU to be the other Web setter of note. Even outside of a Webs lead, Ribombee can also utilize a decently strong Specs attacker or a viable Quiver Dance set thanks to the influx of Veil. Psychic allows Bee to hit Poison types, while U-turn allows it to pivot, on top of status like Stun Spore. That speed tier alone will probably justify its NU placement, even with paper-thin bulk.
Roserade: Another drop that’s probably undeserved, Roserade’s main function is as a Spikes lead with Sleep Powder and strong dual STAB. Rose’s solid SpA and decent Speed tier allow it to pull off this job quite reliably, and Natural Cure allows it to absorb status for its teammates. It’s not too great outside the lead slot besides checking Waters, but beware this rose’s thorns.
Rotom-Mow: Motown does Rotom things; Defog, Scarf, NP sweeper- it accomplishes all of these things, especially with its ability to bypass Ground types and support options like TWave, Wisp and Trick. Would not be surprised if this thing ends up as a top tier (at least after the meta settles).
Scrafty: If history is any indication, there’s not much reason to use Scrafty over Pangoro, as Scrafty simply can’t compete with Pang’s far superior power. Scrafty basically needs Bulk Up or DDance to function, and as such I think its one use over Pangoro will be on HO Veil teams, where it can more easily snowball with Moxie and DDance.
Scyther: Technician Dual Wingbeat. I could leave it there, but even with Boots being required Scyther is a tremendous offensive threat with U-turn, Knock Off, Brick Break and Quick Attack, backed up by SD and a terrific speed tier. A bulkier set with Defog and Roost is also possible, although without Eviolite that bulk isn’t the best.
Sharpedo: Sharpedo bites clean through NU, serving as a fantastic late game cleaner thanks to Speed Boost. On top of a good STAB combo, Sharpedo has a ton of great coverage like CC, EQ, Psychic Fangs and Ice Beam. Even with LO, Shark does sometimes rely on scoring the SE hit to do its job, but to an extent that’s true of every offensive mon. Maybe it’ll get to stay given just how many bizarre drops NU just received, but honestly this thing could easily end up being overwhelming, especially with Psychic terrain to nullify its one weakness in priority. Maybe now at least people will finally let Sharpedo go physical/physically-dominant mixed.
Shiftry: Again, Sun isn’t really a thing down in NU, so Shiftry might struggle to see serious usage. Sure, SD and NP are good assets, but the influx of fast attackers and Fighting types don’t exactly help Try’s case.
Sigilyph: Between excellent abilities in Magic Guard and Tinted Lens, Sigilyph leverages 103 SpA to hit hard and support its decent speed tier. Even without Lens, Sigil still packs Heat Wave for Steels and Energy Ball for Rock types, among other options. CM and Specs both hit fairly hard, and the gimmicky CosmicStored Power combo is something to be wary of so long as it isn’t a mono-attacker set. A quad resistance to Fighting doesn’t hurt either. Sigil is definitely a solid choice- maybe too solid, but I’m not convinced of that.
Silvally-Steel: SteelVally is no stranger to SS NU, and it does what Vally normally does: Defog, mixed attacker, SD sweeper- and with its typing SteelVally serves as a crucial glue mon for various teamstyles, filling any role one would need a Silvally for quite well. Steels hate Flame Charge or Flamethrower, and options like Surf, Grass Pledge, Thunderbolt and Psychic Fangs allow it to deal with other various checks, and having two pivoting options in U-turn and Parting Shot don’t hurt either. Even with the Fighting Nation attacking, SteelVally should prove quite resilient.
Sirfetch’d: While Sirfetch’d may not be the most overtly impressive Fighting type this shift, Scrappy proves a key asset in spamming CC and ignoring Intimidate. Compared to fellow Scrappy user Pangoro, Sir boasts several advantages, such as stronger priority in First Impression and no quad weakness, on top of great coverage like Knock Off, Brave Bird and Poison Jab. Band will probably be its bread and butter, although Veil teams may be able to support SD variants.
G. Slowbro: Glowbro, now free of competition with its brother, now gets to take the old AV set for a spin again, alongside CM/NP sweeping and AoA sets. Glowbro’s solid physical bulk allows it to set up without too much issue, and Regenerator perfectly complements the AV set. Iron Defense even provides access to the mono-Stored Power set, but like other users you want to remove any Dark types first. Even with 3 less than ideal weaknesses, Glowbro is able to tank some key physical hits, especially given a handy quad Fighting resistance. Finally, Quickdraw is a thing if you want to be degenerate.
Slurpuff: Have I mentioned that Veil makes a lot of things really scary enough yet? Imagine a Belly Drum user that also gets a free speed boost when it sets up and packs higher Attack than the already problematic Linoone. Sure, Drain Punch and Facade are literally it's only physical coverage, but given that Drain Punch smacks the type that tends to be the best answer to Fairy- yeah, Drum Slurpuff is terrifying.
Starmie: Starmie’s great speed tier and solid coverage options in BoltBeam are enough to justify it being a great NU mon, as it can revenge kill most non-Scarfers without needing a Scarf of its own. I’d say the best set is definitely LO, as frankly the SE button is one of Starmie’s main perks that can’t really be optimized with Specs. Plus, non being Choice-locked allows you to run Recover for sustain (Star is surprisingly good at getting this move off thanks to how much it tends to threaten out) and Rapid Spin to clear hazards and make it even harder to revenge kill. Starmie is a great mon. Use it.
Sylveon: What- what is this generation? Much like Noivern, former UU king Sylveon has somehow found its way down here, and between Specs, CM and bulky cleric looks poised to be a top tier threat for NU. Psyshock and Mystical Fire are perfect coverage for offensive variants, while cleric sets pack both Wish and Heal Bell, alongside stellar special bulk; even on defensive variants, Pixilate Hyper Voice still hits fairly hard on key threats. Sylveon also loves the Fighting influx, as it can take on most of them and appreciates their support in removing Steel types. I never thought an Eeveelution would be a versatile threat, but there you go.
Talonflame: With Boots, Gale Wings allows Talonflame to serve as an outstanding revenge killer, getting the SD up to clean house with its powerful STAB combo. Defensive variants have also seen use this gen thanks to Flame Body and U-turn on top of naturally great speed, so you never know for sure which variant you’ll face. The HO state of the meta may push it over the edge, but it’s not so strong unboosted so- maybe it stays?
Toxtricity: While its speed and bulk are still subpar, NU should provide the grounds for Toxtricity to finally stand on its feet. Tox wants to rock, and it’s gonna shout its Boombursts and Overdrives with high power, alongside Sludge Bomb and Volt Switch. Veil is a blessing for Tox, as it allows the gecko to utilize its best set: Shift Gear, which can be surprisingly hard to stop (trust me, I’ve been on the other end of this). Specs also packs respectable power, although that set is best kept on Web teams.
Tsareena: As solid as it may look on paper, the current HO cluster-crap is probably not good for Tsraeena. There are simply too many faster, stronger mons around right now. Sure, Power Whip is pretty strong, and Rapid Spin, U-turn and Knock Off are great support options, but Tsareena isn’t too difficult to exploit and pre-spin its speed leaves it at a bit of a disadvantage.
Tyrantrum: Head Smash- er, Tyrantrum- makes great use of Rock Head Head Smash alongside CC, EQ and potential Scale Shot to boost up and headbutt the tier into submission. Scarf is a nightmare, revenge killing at least one mon each time without proper prediction, while DDance uses decent physical bulk (/possibly Veil) and hits so hard Tyrant doesn’t even need Dragon STAB. Webs teams, meanwhile, can utilize the nightmare fuel that is Band Tyrant, whose Head Smash can cleave through even resists. Tyrant loves the current state of the meta- although it may be Tyrant’s undoing.
Umbreon: Umbreon steps up as decent mixed cleric, passing Wish and Heal Bell- at least in theory. In practice, Umbreon falls flat for two reasons; first, have I mentioned how many strong Fighting types are in the tier right now? Even with its bulk, Umbreon just can’t stand up to many of them. The second problem is that it’s outclassed as a cleric by both Sylveon and Vaporeon- Sylveon resists Fighting as opposed to being weak to it and actually packs some offensive pressure, while Vaporeon passes meatier wishes thanks to higher HP, can use Flip Turn to safely let teammates receive said Wish, and packs Scald for dual status and some actually offensive merit. Maybe when NU calms down, but right now Umbreon’s gonna have a tough time.
Uxie: Uxie may be overshadowed by some of the other new Psychics, but it has a few perks. As a TR setter, Uxie sets itself apart from Cress thanks to Rocks, as well as other great support options like Heal Bell, Knock Off, U-turn and Memento. Granted, it would prefer some recovery and can’t really go offensive at all, but Uxie has its place in the meta.
Vanilluxe: Hail + Veil= profit. Vanilluxe is probably the best Veil setter due to being the fastest available, with Freeze-Dry for STAB and potential Explosion for HO teams. Not much to say, really.
Vikavolt: The sometimes forgotten third Web setter (what? I did have over 70 mons to get through), Vikavolt does have some use thanks to its killer power and slow Volt Switch. Its STABs hit pretty hard, while Energy Ball handles Ground types and potential Roost allows it to leverage its decent bulk. While slow pivot/web setter is its main role, it can also clean late game with Agility or go for nuclear power thanks to Specs, giving a good amount of variety to its game.
Vileplume: Vileplume uses Strength Sap to endlessly sit on physical threats that can’t reliably OHKO. Oh, and you also have Sludge Bomb and Sleep Powder, backed by Effect Spore to be an annoying blob. Sure, this thing gets walled hard by Steels, but Strength Sap means it can easily 1v1 most physical ones.
Virizion: The last member of the Fighting Nation to come down to NU, Virizion makes use of its great speed tier and solid special bulk to set up SD or CM and break down several walls for its team. SD is better since it gets the all important Rock coverage for Flying types, but CM does have some use thanks to surprise factor. Virizion is the naturally fastest Fighting type around right now, so that alone will probably secure it a spot.
Zoroark: The crafty trickster fox (or whatever) looks to play some devious mind games on the tier thanks to Illusion, especially with either SD or NP to exploit. It gets just enough coverage to make either set work, and can potentially utilize Choice sets with U-turn. However, it isn’t too hard to scout Zoroark, and the abundance of Fighting types doesn’t do it any favors. That said, the ability to run very different sets may leave it a tad excessive for NU.
was great last gen but the lack of HP means she gonna struglle with 
nice offensive stealth rocker with an ability to beat magic bounce, a physical Dragon breaker is nice to have
look insane to me, the tier lacks psyquick types and he speed tier is really nice in 110
a better spdef regirock and a nice tool anti Aurora veil team
doesnt look Fine in a tier with plenty of bulky water but Sniper gimmicks can help in some case
Stamina horse go brr
i dont see this being useful
i hate this mon... toxic everywere
no drought means no fun.. Lonely to drop to pu
the pain of pasive mons.. now with teleport
(Steel) 
and 
are unbanned!
P.S.: The Roselia advocates congratulate Roserade on her arrival at the NU tier! 
