After having more than a few matches (and also viewing many matches), I would like to post some of my thoughts on several pokemon :
(M) Altaria - The hype it received is justified and Altaria is probably the scariest, most threatening, one of the most suspect-worthy and versatile mega's to land on UU from the ORAS bunch. Regarding that last point, versatility, I've read in this thread mainly on it's undeniably great usage of the move Dragon Dance, but I would like to discuss it's special/supportive set and it is divine!
Ability : Natural Cure -> Pixilate
- Hyper Voice
- Roost
- Heal Bell
-
Perish Song/Haze/Fire Blast
This set capitalizes on (M)Altaria's superb defensive typing, which really at this point need no further explanation to see why and Hyper Voice excellent utility. Bypassing Substitute, (M)Altaria is able to counter SubCoil Zygarde, one of current's tier still most omnipresent threats, which I will elaborate as well later, as well as wreck plethora of prominent 'mons in UU such as Hydreigon, Salamence, Sableye and anything that doesn't resist it and can dish back enough damage really as Altaria is able to roost off easily most damage and support itself and it's team with Heal Bell. The innovative piece however is the usage of the move Perish Song, and it proved to be much more than gimmicky. Altaria's magnificent ability to survive most hits eases the task to keep it alive, and when just the opponent is down to it's last 'mon, no matter how threatening of a set-up sweeper it might be, Perish Song ensures the win. It also serves as an set-up sweepers check, most notably Volcarona, which Altaria resists both it's STABs and the coverage moves it usually carries (Giga Drain, HP Water), and dent any attempt at sweeping the Mothra try. Haze is also an option, which performs similarly and may be better at times, for example : the likes of Calm Ming Slowking/Reuniclus which surprise with having the Calm Mind, then switching to Altaria as they are already at +2/+2. The three turns timer Perish Song gives them is enough for them to wreck havoc, only to come back again later and continue. I neglected to mention Ev spread as I tried this set twice on different teams with various Ev spread - one was Modest and carried for a while Fire Blast instead, which I think was worse overall and really just misses on Forretress, which Altaria would have liked to stay in on and prevent spin/hazard setting, and the other was Calm. I'm not sure which fairs better as both having and lack of power and bulk are noticeable and/or appreciated.
Zygarde - Coming into ORAS, the snake is as fearsome as it was leaving XY. The shift gave him amazing coverage option to hit fairies in Iron Head, but frankly, I don't think it really needs it to shine and in fact, have no room for it really. I used only the SubCoil Adamant set and it works wonderfull, never a liability. As so many new threats like the mega's and the previously BL five landed into the ring, the average ladder is much less prepared to Zygarde as it was during it's test and thus Zygarde is more free to set-up on many opportunities and other times, just outright smash with Adamant Earthquakes. In two different teams, I paired him with a grounded poison type to soak and lay Tspikes (Nidoqueen, Tentacruel), and this combo still works great!
Bronzong - I really have nothing to add more about how great zong became in this meta, especially to more defensive teams as it appreciates Wish support. It has it's issues like fearing Knock Off and it's main attacking move, Gyro Ball, having such low PP but it's virtues currently outweigh it's weaknesses. However, I found trouble making good use out of GyroRocks' last two move-slots. I altered between Trick Room, Toxic, Protect and even tried Psych Up. Trick Room might be nice to support a particular slow hard-hitting 'mon to create a two-'mon core but I have yet found something to fit with Zong. Protect is for both getting more lefties and "surprising" HJK Lopunny/Mienshao. Maybe screens will make a nice fit, but without Light Clay they are less useful and without Lefties, zong is much less effective.
Staraptor - My most exciting out of the five to drop from BL. I tried Banded and it hits hard! The idea is to break any walls attempting at sponging hits and easing the path for a sweeper but often times, Raptor dies just too soon. Between the rock weakness and the massive recoil, it's hard to make good use of it and it's really often one-time used. Additional positive points about it, are that almost always, I succeeded bring Raptor in, as it's most likely it's first time seen in the match, and thus bluff the Scarf not risking speed-ties or even against faster opponents. Moreover, Band STAB Quick Attack is a nice way to deal extra damage at times but its too weak to ever sweep end-game. I view Staraptor as a flying version of Darmanitan, with a slightly better speed which is massively threatening and I fully understand the reasoning behind any future suspect/re-testing but I don't think it's game breaking from my experience. Another thing about it, Raptor surprisingly can sponge decently many average non-SE hits which may let him dish one more hit and at times it really matters.
Shiftry - The offensive defogger received the rare Hurricane and I was eager to try it out. Killing unsuspecting Chesnaughts was very amusing, however the accuarcy is still a bitch and 80 base speed for an offensive defogger in UU in really underwhelming. Not to mention the liability in such a U-turn weakness. Not worth using imo.
(M) Swampert - A revival to rain teams, the formidable starter is both a wall-breaker with Rain boosted Waterfalls and a sweeper. Forcing switches, Power-up-Punch is a fantastic fourth move slot to it (STABs, Ice Punch), letting it netting boosts on opponent's switch-in to later most likely still out-speed and choose the +1 boosted move of choice to eliminate/dent the subject at hand. Wasting a turn to set rain itself and sponging hits while he does it really seemed wrong to me and I feel Tornadus or any other rain setter is a must to maximize Swampert's effectiveness. The bad thing about it, Swampert will probably be the key player at any rain team and if it unables to net a kill and dies (which is a likely scenario as rain teams have trouble worrying about setting both hazards and rain), the rain team have lost a huge chance of winning. In this paragraph I would also like to mention Tornadus and Toxicroak as they proved to still be value-able members rain teams and Swift Swim Armaldo, which exceeded my expectations. With Rock Blast/SR/Spin/?? it is able to lead, control hazards, often ko lead Froslass/Galvantula (Swampert HATES Sticky Web) and sometimes survive to utilize Swift Swim end game.
Blissey - Within the end periods of XY, Blissey was regarded as passive and was praised less and less up to the point she was ranked in Viability B. I didn't agree with it, and I think this still holds true in ORAS. Sponging almost all Special attackers (baring Sub Chandelure, M-Diancie and maybe some others), it has plethora of supportive options like Wish, Aromatherapy, Toxic, Twave and rocks. It can surprise with Counter and she can also, a move seen respectable usage in previous OU gens, hit specific 'mons with Fire Blast/Flamethrower. In XY, she always was labeled as letting other free set-up opportunity and in XY I always felt the big two she gave such opportunities are SD Lucario and Forretress (and the rare SD Mienshao). With Fire coverage it can nail those two while still performing it's job with minimal liability. It also wears down/surprise others like Jirachi, Bronzong and Chesnaught so it's far from useless outside of those two specific 'mons.
A replay Blissey beating Jirachi and outstalling Togekiss afterwars :
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-187363321
Togekiss - I hate paraflinching. that is all. In fact, if Jirachi would rise to OU (I hope not), an idea to suspect/test/ban Serene Grace as an ability sounds great to me. Togekiss brokeness rises from, among others, it's abuse of this ability. Other UU user is Blissey, which never leaves Natural Cure. The only problem is it's only other viable user in lower tiers - Meloetta, while also unfairly un-purposely abusing this ability with sleep inducing Relic Song, it has no other ability, just like Jirachi. (yeah.. Meloetta screws my idea, scratch that)