Pokemon Black and White In-Game Tier List Write-ups (Currently WIP)

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Old Tier List: https://www.smogon.com/ingame/guides/bw_ingametiers
Old discussion: http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/in-game-tier-list-discussion.79041/
Recent discussion: https://www.smogon.com/forums/threa...mkii.3646760/#lg=_xfUid-28-1562540658&slide=0

Approved by DHR-107

Pokemon Black / White
In-Game Tier List Write-ups


Image result for pokemon black and white



What is an in-game tier list?

In-game tier lists rank Pokemon based on their viability and usefulness throughout an entire playthrough of either game. Regarding BW, this constitutes when you begin the game at Nuvema Town from the moment you beat Ghetisis at N's Castle.

The testing conditions for the recent thread differed from most other tier lists in terms of testing conditions. This means we did not overlevel a Gym Leader's highest Pokemon by more than two levels (for example, Lenora's Watchog is 20, so for example we couldn't test at a higher level than 22). In addition, there are about 12 Rare Candies pre-credits which can be used, discounting the one from Passerby Analytics HQ. Additionally, the player was generally required to be from the levels of 48-52 for the final battles (most teams don't reach 53-54 until they start the last two battles of the game). Running 4 team members is generally the most optimal, but running with 6 team members and keeping on track with the level curve is entirely feasible. Tampering with the clock is allowed and is not taken as a disadvantage for the viability of a Pokemon, and neither is the
use of the Substitute or Flash Cannon TMs (found in Twist Mountain in Winter only) as both can be useful for several Pokemon.

What are the tiers?

In this tier list we currently have six tiers. Tiers are based off of the following:

S Tier
A Tier
B Tier
C Tier
D Tier
E Tier

Why is a Pokémon in a certain tier?

Pokemon are ranked under the following 5 factors:

1) Availability: This is how early a Pokemon arrives in the game and how hard it is to find (read: encounter rate). Does it require significant backtracking, HM moves, or otherwise have a low encounter rate? This includes backtracking to revive the Plume Fossil or Cover Fossil in Narcrene City after obtaining one of either in the Relic Castle, or catching Water types or Cobalion/Virizion post-Surf.

2) Typing: A Pokemon's typing can be of great importance for an efficiency playthrough. How does the typing match-up work against the entire game? If a Pokemon has better typing it is often considered a higher rank.

3) Stats: A Pokemon's stat distribution is crucial for a Pokemon's success. Does the Pokemon have a stat distribution that supplements the Pokemon's movepool and typing? If a Pokemon has a stat distribution that favors its both typing and movepool it will often be higher on the tier list. In general, a Pokemon that is often slower than it is faster will often be ranked lower on a tier list.

4) Movepool: A Pokemon's movepool (both level-up and TM/HM) are crucial for a Pokemon. What moves does the Pokemon naturally get and can possibly obtain? Unlike with past games, TMs are of infinite use, and thus have no opportunity cost. With that being said, if a Pokemon requires a TM found in a detour off the main path (like TM24 Thunderbolt on Route 18 with Surf, or TM47 Low Sweep in lower Wellspring Cave with Surf) this will knock it down a bit.

5) Major Battles: Major battles consist of Gym Leaders and the Elite 4 as well as the final battles with N and Ghetsis. How does the Pokemon contribute to major battles? A Pokemon that contributes to many major battles will often be seen higher than those that do not.

What tools are allowed to be used?

The player is allowed to use any legitimate means within the cartridge for completing the game efficiently. The player is only allowed to trade to evolve Pokemon and not to receive outside help otherwise. The player is allowed to use items such as X Items, Potions, TMs, and Berries. Keep in mind that items have opportunity costs associated with them and can still contribute to a Pokemon negatively if it requires a multitude of items. Personally, I generally don't bother with X items myself, and I can't think of any mon in Black and White that would need them.

Tier List Key
This signifies what game a Pokemon can be caught in, and whether they need a trade to evolve.
BW: Both versions
B: Black Version only
W: White Version only
(Trade) - Pokemon is ranked based off of trading for its evolution.
(No Trade) - Pokemon is ranked based off of no trade accessible to the player (this does not include in-game trades).
These following Pokemon unless otherwise noted are version exclusive:
Black (B): Gothita (Routes 16 and 5, 30%, Gothorita (Route 9, 30%), Gothitelle (Route 9, 5%, rustling grass)
Tornadus (roamer post eight badges, level 40, male)
Vullaby (Route 10, 30%) and Mandibuzz (you can catch it postgame so it is untiered catching it that way)
Reshiram: N's Castle, forced capture.
White (W): Solosis (Routes 16 and 5, 30%, Duosion (Route 9, 30%), Reuniclus (Route 9, 5%, rustling grass)
Thundurus (roamer post eight badges, level 40, male)
Rufflet (Route 10, 30%) and Braviary (you can catch it postgame so it is untiered catching it that way)
Zekrom: N's Castle, forced capture.

Trade evolutions: Gigalith (obtained by catching Roggenrola in Wellspring Cave at 50% encounter rate and evolving to Boldore level 25 or in later areas), Conkeldurr (obtained by catching Timburr in Pinwheel Forest (Outer) at 20% encounter rate and evolving to Gurdurr at level 25 or in later areas), Karrablast (Route 6, 25%, trade Karrablast for Shelmet), Shelmet (Route 8, Icirrus City, Moor of Icirrus, 40% in any season save Winter where its unavailable, trade Shelmet for Karrablast).

In-game trades:
Black: Trade Minccino to Youngster Kyle in Driftveil City: Recieve Red-Striped Basculin, level 25, Sitrus Berry, male, Reckless, Adamant, 20/31/20/20/20/20 IVs.
White: Trade Minccino to Youngster Kyle in Driftveil City: Recieve Blue-Striped Basculin, level 25, Sitrus Berry, male, Rock Head, Adamant, 20/31/20/20/20/20 IVs.
Note you can get either variant of Basculin in both games. Red-Striped are common in Black while Blue-Striped are common in White, but the opposite version is always found in the respective versions by Surfing into rippling water.
Both games: Trade Boldore for Emolga with Hiker Manny on Route 7, Emolga is male, level 30, with Lum Berry, Lax, 20/20/31/20/20/20 IVs.

Availability:
Typing:
Stats:
Movepool:
Major Battles:
Additional Comments:

Please keep the Spelling and Grammar Standards in mind when posting writeups: https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/spelling-and-grammar-standards.3588427/
 
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S tier: Reserved for Pokémon who possess the highest levels of efficiency of the available options in the Pokémon Black & White versions. Pokémon in this tier are able to OHKO or 2HKO an overwhelming majority of opponents, limiting the amount of attacks used against them, and possess minimal reliance on items to help assist them defeat opponents at like levels. These Pokémon typically show up before the late-game and any flaws they have are absolutely made up by their advantages.
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Darumaka
Availability: Early-game (40% chance to appear in Route 4).
Typing: Save Drayden/Iris, Fire hits all Gym Leaders and Elite Four for at least neutral damage. with the line only weak to Clay.
Stats: Darumaka is decently fast and its high Attack buffed up by Hustle allows it to hit every opponent hard, with its shaky bulk fixed by Eviolite. As a Darmanitan, it hits even harder, is way faster, and has enough bulk to take neutral hits well and even survive super effective moves from full.
Movepool: It learns Fire Punch at level 22, Belly Drum at level 30, which as a Darmanitan can use to set up safely, and Flare Blitz at level 33. Hammer Arm comes upon evolution and Superpower is learnt at level 47. TM-wise, it can be taught Brick Break as an alternative to Superpower, Rock Slide, and Dig, the latter being good for Shauntal and Ghetsis's Fire resistant Pokémon.
Major Battles: As a Darumaka, it only ever struggles against Clay. Burgh and Elesa lose to Darumaka, although it needs Eviolite for both. As a Darmanitan, it sweeps all the other Gym Leaders, with Drayden/Iris falling to Belly Drum. At the Elite Four, it can use Belly Drum strategies again to sweep all but Marshal. It is useful against N and Ghetsis, the latter being swept if you use Substitute and X Speed in conjuction with Belly Drum.
Additional Comments: Although Hustle might be annoying, most of the misses are not fatal, thus Hustle is much more useful than a liability and does not prevent Darumaka from being one of the best choices for an efficient run of the games.
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Drilbur
Availability: Early-game (Dust Clouds in Wellspring Cave).
Typing: Very few opponents resist Drilbur's Ground STAB, with Burgh's Leavanny being the exception. Its Ground typing provides an immunity to Elesa's Volt Swtich, while its Steel typing provides it with better matchups against Skyla, Brycen, Drayden/Iris, Shauntal, Caitlin, and Grimsley.
Stats: As a Drilbur, it has really good Attack stat and good Speed, although the bulk is not as impressive. As an Excadrill, it gains a significant boost in Attack and HP, allowing it to survive most neutral and some super effective moves. Excadrill's 88 Speed lets it outpace most opponents later on.
Movepool: Until it learns Metal Claw at level 15 and Dig at level 19, it will be relying on Fury Swipes. It learns Rock Slide at level 29 and Earthquake at level 33. Drilbur sets up with Hone Claws until it learns Swords Dance as Excadrill at level 42. It can be taught X-Scissor and Substitute via TMs.
Major Battles: It is able to contribute against Burgh and destroys the rest of the Gym Leaders. Starting from 8th Gym Leader onwards, Excadrill can sweep the whole Elite Four minus Marshal simply by setting up one Swords Dance. It is also capable of contributing majorly against N and Ghetsis (especially if you are playing in Black, because it can use N's Zekrom as a setup bait).
Additional Comments: Drilbur should be evolved at level 33 to learn Earthquake a little earlier, with Soft Sand from Desert Resort boosting Ground STAB. Drilbur is arguably one of the best Pokémon in BW and thus it is largely recommended to catch one, even if the method is annoying.
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Scraggy
Availability: Early-game (20% chance to appear in Route 4).
Typing: Although it struggles with Skyla, Scraggy's typing allows it to beat Brycen and all of the Elite Four barring Marshal.
Stats: Scraggy has a good Attack stat as well as Defense and Special Defense which can be buffed by Eviolite. Its Speed will eventually cause it problems as a Scrafty, but you should have Speed EVs to outspeed some slower threats.
Movepool: Its only STAB initially is Faint Attack, until it learns Brick Break at level 20. It can be taught Payback at level 23 to take advantage of its low Speed. High Jump Kick at level 31 and Crunch at level 38 are its strongest STABs. TM-wise, it can be taught Work Up and Rock Slide.
Major Battles: Other than Burgh's Leavanny, Scraggy does well against every Gym Leader bar Skyla, although it needs Eviolite for all of them as a Scraggy. It also does well against every Elite Four member bar Marshal and is useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Scraggy should always be used with the Moxie Ability over Shed Skin, as Moxie boosts let Scraggy sweep most fights.

A tier: Reserved for Pokémon whose efficiency in terms of completing the game is considered to be very high. Pokémon in this tier are able to OHKO or 2HKO a lot of opponents and are not very reliant on items to succeed, but either have some visible flaws that hurt their efficiency or have their usefulness counterbalanced by a late arrival.
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Archen
Availability: Mid-game; Receive Plume Fossil via female Backpacker in Relic Castle (revive at Narcrene City at level 25).
Typing: Rock/Flying gives 5 weaknesses, though only Rock is common. Archen's only real losing matchup is against Elesa; good elsewhere.
Stats: Archen has fantastic Attack, coupled with good Speed and Special Attack, and lacking defenses. As an Archeops, these stats skyrocket to 140/112 offenses with a great 110 Speed. The line must be careful though, as their Ability Defeatist halves their offenses at 50% or less HP.
Movepool: It starts with Ancient Power (you can TM Rock Tomb), learning Acrobatics (its best move) 3 levels later at 28 to replace Pluck. Archen gets Crunch at 35, U-Turn at 45 and Rock Slide via TM. Dig, Focus Blast and Dragon Claw are options, but the line will mostly be using Acrobatics.
Major Battles: The line's sheer power means it performs well in all major battles save Elesa, though it must stay healthy to avoid Defeatist. Against endgame though, if it doesn't OHKO a mon, they will often come close to knocking it into Defeatist range (a lot are 2HKOed by Acrobatics).
Additional Comments: Archen is one of the strongest Pokemon to use, but Defeatist holds it back despite fantastic offensive capabilities.


Axew
Availability: Late-game (20% chance of encounter in Mistralton Cave, accessed with Surf).
Typing: Dragon-type is practically unresisted save for Steel types. Ice and Dragon-types that are strong against the line are rare (outside of Brycen and Drayden/Iris). Dragon typing is great defensively as it resists Grass, Fire, Water, and Electric.
Stats: It possesses really high Attack (especially as Haxorus), good Speed and acceptable defensive stats. However, as an Axew, it is a bit frail.
Movepool: Axew will have Dragon Claw upon being caught. It learns Dragon Dance at level 32 and Swords Dance at level 48 as Fraxure. It can also learn Brick Break, Shadow Claw, and X-Scissor through TMs for rotating coverage as Haxorus.
Major Battles: You should have Fraxure for Brycen. It is capable of sweeping all major fights that are left (including Brycen due to AI not clicking Frost Breath). Haxorus is the only Pokémon that can sweep the whole E4 along with N and Ghetsis, due to its rotating coverage.
Additional Comments: It is a good idea to have both DD and SD, as you need both to sweep N and Ghetsis. Axew prefers Mold Breaker, as it breaks through some Sturdy Pokémon. It can be given Yache Berry against Brycen. Its 4th move should rotate between which opponent you are facing (e.g. Brick Break for Grimsley, N, and Ghetsis, X-Scissor for Caitlin, and so on). Its Slow Exp. growth rate is fixed with Lucky Egg.


Timburr (trade)
Availability: Early-game (20% chance of encounter in outer part of Pinwheel Forest).
Typing: Fighting hits common Normal and Rock-types and Lenora, Clay, Brycen, Grimsley, and half of the teams of N and Ghetsis super-effectively.
Stats: It has high Attack and HP and acceptable defenses as Conkeldurr, but it is a little bit slow. Timburr's Special Defense is pretty low, as well.
Movepool: It will initially rely on Low Kick and Rock Throw. At level 20, it will learn Wake-Up Slap. It learns Bulk Up and Rock Slide at levels 29 and 33, respectively, along with Hammer Arm at level 45 and Stone Edge at level 49. It also learns Brick Break and Payback by TM.
Major Battles: It does well against Lenora and can do well against Burgh if it's evolved at that point. It can also contribute to Elesa and sweep the rest of the Gym Leaders. It does well against Marshal and Grimsley, but struggles against the rest.
Additional Comments: If you have Sheer Force, do not teach Stone Edge over Rock Slide, as they would have almost the same power, but with Rock Slide being more accurate and having more PP, unless you want to land critical hits more often. The whole line shares a level up learnset.

Lillipup
Availability: Early-game on Route 1 from levels 2-4 at a 50% encounter rate.
Typing: The line are Normal types and neutral against everything save Shauntal (who is immune) and Marshal who hits the line super-effectively.
Stats: The Lillipup line has solid stats except for Special Attack, with Stoutland having 100 Attack, 80 Speed and 85/90/90 bulk.
Movepool: Tackle and Bite carry Lillipup well until Take Down and Crunch at levels 15 and 24 respectively. Return via TM at Nimbasa City is the line's best STAB once they have high friendship, and the Work Up TM can be useful to boost offensive stats.
Major Battles: The Lillipup line has a solid showing in all major battles as few opponents resist Normal, with Ghost and the rare Steel types being handled by Crunch and Dig respectively. Work Up can help the line sweep some fights from Elesa onward.
Additional Comments: Get the Vital Spirit Ability as Lillipup, as it turns into Intimidate as a Herdier onward, letting the line take physical hits better.

Oshawott
Availability: Starter, Nuvema Town.
Typing: Water typing is good everywhere aside from Elesa and the 8th gym.
Stats: Oshawott’s line are mixed attackers with average Speed and decent bulk.
Movepool: Oshawott upgrades from Water Gun to Razor Shell at level 17 to Surf later on. The line also gets the Grass Knot, Dig, Return midgame TMs, and Megahorn can be relearned as Samurott.
Major Battles: STAB beats Burgh’s Dwebble, Grimsley’s Kroododile, Shauntal’s Golurk and Chandelure. Caitlin save Sigilyph is handled with Megahorn, and the line can beat Ghetsis’s Sesmitoad and N’s Carracosta with Grass Knot. You can TM Blizzard for the 8th gym, but it is expensive.
Additional Comments: The Torrent Ability gives Water attacks a 50% boost at 1/3 HP or less.

Panpour
Availability: Early-game; Dreamyard (Snivy) / Pinwheel Forrest (Inner) rustling Grass at 10%.
Typing: Water typing is good for most Gyms aside from the 8th, being effective against Clay and neutral elsewhere.
Stats: The monkeys have mixed 98 offenses, 75/63/63 bulk and 101 Speed.
Movepool: Water Gun becomes the fantastic Scald at level 22. Simipour gets Dig, Acrobatics, Shadow Claw, Rock Tomb/Slide and all Fighting type TMs for wide coverage. Scald later upgrades to Surf and Blizzard is bought at Iccirus City.
Major Battles: Simipour can hit Burgh’s Dwebble, Shauntal’s Chandelure and Golurk, and Grimsley’s Krookodile with STAB, with TM coverage handling almost everything else.
Additional Comments: The default Ability Gluttony can activate Berries at 50% HP. Evolve at level 22 after getting a Water Stone in Castelia City.

Petilil
Availability: Early-game (35% chance to appear in inner Pinwheel Forest in White, obtainable only by trade in Nacrene City in Black).
Typing: Grass lets it hit Clay as well as Rock, Ground, and Water-types, but Burgh and common Bug and Poison-types generally pose a threat to it.
Stats: Petilil has high Special Attack and good bulk. Lilligant has high Speed and Special Attack, with Special Defense also raised by Quiver Dance.
Movepool: Growth, Mega Drain, Sleep Powder, and Leech Seed are likely the moves it will start with. It learns Synthesis at level 17, Magical Leaf at level 19, Stun Spore at level 22, and Giga Drain at level 26. As a Lilligant, it will learn Quiver Dance at level 28 and Petal Dance at level 47.
Major Battles: As a Lilligant, it can sweep every major fight by setting up Quiver Dances; however, in some cases, it should put them to sleep with Sleep Powder to acquire boosts safely. It also needs a lot of boosts to take down a lot of teams that have Grass-resistant Poémon in them.
Additional Comments: Once it learns Giga Drain, evolve it before level 28. Sun Stone can be given by an Ace Trainer in a Nimbasa building. Own Tempo is the preferred Ability to avoid the Confusion Status, including by Lilligant's Petal Dance. In Black Version, you can trade a Cottonee to Dye in Nacrene City. The Modest natured Petilil (Lillil) has the Chlorophyll Ability, is level 15 with a Cheri Berry and has 20/20/20/31/20/20 IVs.

Roggenrola (trade)
Availability: Early-game, Roggenrola is caught in Wellspring Cave at a 50% encounter rate.
Typing: Rock typing lets the line beat Lenora, Burgh, Elesa, Skyla, Brycen and N, being resistant to the common Normal types.
Stats: The Roggenrola line are physical tanks, but are extremely slow. As a Gigalith, it has 135 Attack coupled with 85/130/80 bulk.
Movepool: Roggenrola has Headbutt, picking up Rock Blast at level 14 and Iron Defense at level 20. If you keep it unevolved for 2 levels, Roggenrola picks up Rock Slide at level 27 which carries it to Stone Edge at 49. Rock Smash, Return, Bulldoze and Toxic can be taught via TMs.
Major Battles: The line is a fantastic choice for Lenora, Burgh and (if the only mon in the party) Drayden/Iris with Iron Defense. Gigalith counters Elesa, Skyla and Brycen well, but should avoid Clay. Gigalith 2HKOes neutral endgame targets with Stone Edge and handles N fairly well, especially with setting up Iron Defense on Zekrom in Black. It is useful for Ghetsis’s Eelektross and Bouffalant despite the latter having Earthquake.
Additional Comments: The default Sturdy Ability lets the Roggenrola line survive any hit if it is at full HP. Boldore requires a trade to evolve to Gigalith, and can make good use of Quick Claw or Hard Stone.

Sandile
Availability: Early-game; Route 4 from levels 14-18 at a 40% encounter rate.
Typing: Ground/Dark type gives the line advantages against Elesa, Shauntal and Caitlin, being generally average elsewhere.
Stats: Sandile and Krokorok have high Attack and Speed but dismal defenses. Krookodile has good 95/80/70 bulk, 117 Attack and 92 Speed.
Movepool: Level 14-15 Sandile start out with Bite which is preferable to Assurance otherwise. Sandile gets the Rock Tomb and Dig TMs as well as Crunch at level 28 which are staple STABs. Later on, Krokorok gets the Brick Break/Low Sweep/Rock Slide/Return TMs which give it wide coverage. It is recommended to hold off on evolving Krokorok for eight levels to get Earthquake at level 48 as opposed to level 54 as Krookodile.
Major Battles: The Sandile line has a strong showing in all major battles, even ones where it has a disadvantage, thanks to Moxie and good Speed. It can sweep Elesa with Rock Tomb and Dig, fares decently against Clay's Excadrill, is superb against Shauntal and Caitlin and hits 1/3 of N and Ghetsis's teams super-effectively (N's Carracosta is shaky due to Sturdy and Aqua Jet). Brycen and Marshal are tough for the line but still workable.
Additional Comments: Moxie is the preferred Ability over Intimidate to increase the line's Attack stat each time it faints a Pokemon.

Sawk
Availability: Early-game, Pinwheel Forest (Outer), 10% Black, 5% white (rustling)
Typing: Fighting typing lets Sawk take on Lenora, Brycen, Grimsley, N and Ghetsis well, though it loses to Shauntal and Caitlin.
Stats: 125 Attack and 85 Speed make Sawk an effective sweeper with 75/75/75 overall bulk.
Movepool: Sawk upgrades from Double Kick to Low Sweep to Brick Break to Close Combat throughout the game, with TM moves like Return and Rock Slide providing useful coverage. Work Up and Bulk Up at 33 can help Sawk boost its Attack.
Major Battles: Wins handily against Lenora, but needs Work Up/Bulk Up to sweep most of the other Gyms. Against the Elite 4, Sawk sweeps Grimsley and is neutral against Marshal. STAB Close Combat takes care of half of both N and Ghetsis’s teams.
Additional Comments: Sturdy is the preferred Ability but not required. Try and catch a Sawk at level 17 from dark grass to start with Low Sweep.

Throh
Availability: Early-game (10% chance to appear in grass (White) or 5% chance to appear in rustling grass (Black) in Pinwheel Forest (Outer)).
Typing: Fighting gives it an advantage against Lenora, Brycen, Grimsley and a resistance to Burgh's Bug-type moves, but it is threatened by Skyla and Caitlin type-wise. Its Fighting STAB is also ineffective against Shauntal's Ghost-types.
Stats: Throh possesses high Attack and HP along with good Defense and Special Defense, but it is rather slow.
Movepool: It will have Seismic Toss upon being caught and, based on level, Vital Throw (otherwise learnt at level 17). More damaging moves in the form of Revenge, Storm Throw, and Body Slam are learnt at levels 21, 25, and 29, respectively. Bulk Up comes at level 33 and Superpower at level 49. TM-wise, it can be taught Brick Break (outclassed by Storm Throw) and Rock Slide. Payback via TM helps Throh do well against Shauntal.
Major Battles: Throh is really useful against Lenora. It also sweeps all Gym Leaders, even Skyla and onwards, thanks to Bulk Up. Against the Elite Four, it can sweep Grimsley and Marshal reliably, while Shauntal has her team swept by Throh, minus Cofagrigus, if you heal it up a few times. It is also useful against N and Ghetsis, as it can take down a few of their Poémon easily.
Additional Comments: In White, you can find a level 17 Throh fairly easily by going into dark grass with a level 17 Poémon in the lead and using a Repel. Throh generally can set up only 2-3 Bulk Ups at most, as its low Speed means that it will often take a hit before doing anything.

B-Tier: Reserved for Pokémon whose efficiency in terms of completing the game is considered to be high. Pokémon in this tier are able to OHKO or 2HKO a fair chunk of opponents and may have a bit of item reliance to assist in sweeping opponents. These Pokémon are still very useful but either have several visible flaws holding them back or come fairly late.

Dwebble
Availability: Early-game; Desert Resort, 10%, levels 20-22.
Typing: Bug/Rock typing is peculiar, giving only weaknesses to Water, Rock (common) and Steel types. Matchup-wise, Dwebble has advantages against Elesa, Skyla, Brycen and Grimsley, and to an extent N. It shouldn't be used against Clay and Marshal however.
Stats: Dwebble has good base 85 Defense, 65 Attack and okay 55 Speed. Crustle has 70/125/75 bulk and 100 Attack, but is sluggish at 45 Speed.
Movepool: Starts with Smack Down and gets Bug Bite and Stealth Rock in a few levels. Dwebble gets Rock Slide at only level 29 which is a staple, complemented by X-Scissor learnt at 38 or via TM. As Crustle, you can learn Shell Smash at 43 or via Heart Scale, which turns Crustle into a somewhat fast sweeper but also lowers its defenses. The Shadow Claw, Dig, Bulldoze, Aerial Ace and Return TMs round out Crustle's coverage.
Major Battles: Dwebble's Rock STAB and Stealth Rock punish Elesa's Emolga and Volt Switch. The line beats Clay's Krokorok and easily sweeps the last three gyms with Shell Smash. Against the Elite 4, Grimsley is rough due to Sand-Attack and Krookodile's Intimidate. Shauntal and Caitlin are shaky due to special moves, and Marshal is awkward due to Stone Edge. It can take N's Vanilluxe and Zoroark and Ghetsis's Hydreigon as well.
Additional Comments: Ability-wise, Sturdy guarantees Crustle living a hit from full health, while Shell Armor blocks critical hits. Either are great.

Ferroseed
Availability: Late-game (20% chance to appear in Chargestone Cave).
Stats: The Ferroseed line possesses great Defense and Special Defense, acceptable Attack, and very low Speed making it usually move last.
Movepool: It will know Metal Claw and Gyro Ball upon being caught and, depending on the level, either Curse (24 or 25) or Iron Defense (26). It Power Whip upon evolution and Iron Head at level 46 for more PP. Payback can be learned naturally or via TM.
Major Battles: Ferroseed can do good against Skyla, but needs a lot of Curse boosts to beat her successfully. It also does great against Brycen and extremely well against Drayden. It takes out Shauntal's Golurk and Jellicent, can beat Grimsley by setting up Curse, beats Caitlin's Gothitelle and Musharna by virtue of its typing, however, it struggles against Marshal. It can also beat N's Archeops and Vanilluxe, along with Ghetsis's Seismitoad.
Additional Comments: Giving it Rocky Helmet from Cold Storage is helpful, as it and Iron Barbs will harm contact move users of 1/4 of their HP.

Joltik
Availability: Late-game (39% chance to appear in Chargestone Cave).
Typing: Electric lets it handle all Flying-types (most notably Skyla) and many Water types. Its Bug typing allows it to hit Grimsley super effectively, while also making Ground moves neutral. However, Rock and Fire coverage will get into its way.
Stats: It has good Special Attack and high Speed (which makes Electro Ball useful), although its bulk is not impressive.
Movepool: It comes with Bug Bite and Electroweb upon being caught. At levels 29 and 34 it will learn Electro Ball and Signal Beam respectively. It should be taught Thunder through TM at Iccirus City. Charge Beam is also an option for it, albeit an unnecessary one.
Major Battles: As a Galvantula, it sweeps Skyla and Brycen and can help in the fight against Drayden/Iris. At the Elite Four, it can contribute by taking out specific threats, but generally does not sweep.
Additional Comments: Catch a Joltik with Compound Eyes, as it's needed to spam 91% accuracy Thunder more than usual.

Karrablast (trade)
Availability: Midgame; Karrablast is found on Route 6 at a 25% encounter rate.
Typing: Bug/Steel typing gives Escavalier 9 helpful resistances that help out against the final two gyms, Shauntal, Caitlin, N and (to an extent) Grimsley. Fire moves are rare save for Shauntal's Chandelure, N's Reshiram and Ghetsis's Hydriegon and Eelektross.
Stats: Fantastic bulk of 70/105/105 and Attack of 135 makes Escavalier an effective tank, though 20 Speed means it will always move second.
Movepool: Rough early, but Escavalier soon gets Iron Head at level 37, the/X-Scissor TM and Swords Dance at 52, with Slash/Return as coverage.
Major Battles: Escavalier sweeps Clay with Fury Cutter (steal a Persim Berry for Swagger). Escavalier solos Brycen, the 8th gym and 2/3 of Skyla's team too (use Slash on Swanna). Escavalier handles the endgame well via Iron Defense and Swords Dance, though Shauntal and Ghetsis are shaky.
Additional Comments: Make sure you get a level 26 or lower Karrablast for Fury Cutter. Shed Skin is the preferred Ability as a Karrablast, as it becomes Battle Armor after evolving which helps Escavalier avoid critical hits. You need to trade a Shelmet for a Karrablast so the latter can evolve.

Litwick
Availability: Late-game (100% chance of encounter at Celestial Tower's 2nd floor).
Typing: Fire/Ghost lets hit Bug and Grass-types as well as major battles with Ice-types (Brycen), Psychic-types (Caitlin) and other Ghost-types (Shauntal). However, Grimsley's Dark types as well as Water, Rock and Ground coverage threaten it significantly.
Stats: As a Litwick, its stats are unimpressive, especially Speed, only getting somewhat acceptable with Lampent. However, as a Chandelure, it possesses a really high 145 Special Attack, a good 80 Speed and acceptable 90 Defense and Special Defense.
Movepool: Litwick relies on Flame Burst and Hex + Will-O-Wisp combination as STABs. It can be taught Fire Blast and Shadow Ball through TMs.
Major Battles: It does well against Brycen as Lampent or Chandelure and can do well against Drayden. It also performs well against Shauntal and Caitlin and can contribute nicely to every other matchup, either by KOing a specific threat or by spreading burns.
Additional Comments: A Dusk Stone can be found in Mistralton Cave, allowing you to use a Chandelure against Brycen and for more Route trainers, but requires a detour. Another one can be found on Route 10, but it comes later. Litwick's late evolution (level 41) is an off-set for Chandelure's destructive nature. Flame Body is the preferred ability, as it burns contact move users 30% of the time.

Pansage
Availability: Early-game, Dreamyard (Tepig) / Pinwheel Forrest (Inner) rustling Grass at 10%.
Typing: Grass typing is bad for most Gyms aside from Clay, being neutral otherwise save half of Shauntal’s team.
Stats: The monkeys have mixed 98 offenses, 75/63/63 bulk and 101 Speed.
Movepool: Vine Whip becomes Seed Bomb at level 22, and Leech Seed helps at 16. Simisage gets Dig, Acrobatics, Shadow Claw, Rock Tomb/Slide and all Fighting type TMs for wide coverage.
Major Battles: Simisage can hit Shauntal’s Jellicent and Golurk, Grimsley’s Krookodile, N’s Carracosta and Ghetsis’s Seismitoad with Seed Bomb, with TM coverage handling almost everything else.
Additional Comments: The default Ability Gluttony can activate Berries at 50% HP. Evolve at level 22 after getting a Leaf Stone in Castelia City.

Sigilyph
Availability: Mid-game (10% chance to appear in Desert Resort) at level 20.
Typing: Both Psychic and Flying allow it to hit Fighting-types and Marshal super effectively, but is left vulnerable to Shauntal and Grimsley. Common Rock coverage is also problematic.
Stats: Great 97 Speed and 103 Special Attack with acceptable 72/80/80 bulk make Sigilyph great for Route trainers.
Movepool: Sigilyph comes with Psybeam upon being caught, learning Air Cutter one level later. It learns Light Screen and Reflect at levels 24 and 28, respectively (as well as through TMs). Air Slash at level 41 and Psychic at level 44 are Sigiyph's best STABs and the last level-up moves it will need. Charge Beam and Shadow Ball can be taught through TMs, and it can be given Fly for utility, but the latter is generally useless for battles.
Major Battles: It can beat Clay bar his Excadrill, Skyla, Drayden/Iris, and Marshal. In every other matchup, the most it can do is set up a Reflect or Light Screen for another teammate to take advantage of.
Additional Comments: Before going through the Desert Resort, make sure to take the 10 Ultra Balls from Professor Juniper in the gate to Nimbasa to make its capture easier. Magic Guard is the preferred ability due to making Sigilyph harder to wear down.

Solosis
Availability: Midgame; Route 16/5, 30%, only in White Version.
Typing: Psychic typing lets the Solosis line be favorable against Marshal, yet weak to Shauntal and 2/3 of Ghetsis's team; neutral elsewhere.
Stats: Solosis and Duosion have low bulk/Speed with high Special Attack. Reuniclus has 110/75/85 bulk and 125 Special Attack, but 30 Speed.
Movepool: At level 25, Solosis's moves are Psyshock, Recover, Light Screen and Charm, with Reflect and Thunder Wave available as TMs. Otherwise, it has sparse options until Reuniclus with the Shadow Ball, Focus Blast and Grass Knot TMs. Hidden Power is also an option if you catch a level 24 or lower Solosis, though its damage is lower.
Major Battles: When not fully evolved, Solosis functions best in major battles as a superb Eviolite user who can hit with Psychic STAB. Lategame, it can take on Caitlin and to an extent Shauntal with Shadow Ball, being neutral elsewhere.
Additional Comments: Magic Guard is recommended as an Ability over Overcoat to prevent indirect damage against the line.

Timburr (no trade)
Availability: Early-game (Outer Pinwheel Forest, 20%).
Typing: Fighting hits numerous Normal and Rock-types and Lenora, Clay, Brycen, Grimsley, and half of the teams of N and Ghetsis super-effectively.
Stats: It has a high Attack of 105 and excellent bulk as a Gurdurr with Eviolite but it is slow at 40 Speed.
Movepool: It will initially rely on Low Kick and Rock Throw, learning Wake-Up Slap at level 20. It learns Bulk Up and Rock Slide at levels 29 and 33, respectively, along with Hammer Arm at level 45 and Stone Edge at 49. It also learns Brick Break and Payback via TM.
Major Battles: It does well against Lenora and can do well against Burgh if it's a Gurdurr by that time. It can also help with Elesa and sweep the rest of the Gym Leaders save for Skyla. It does well against Marshal and Grimsley, but has trouble with everyone else.
Additional Comments: If you have Sheer Force, do not teach Stone Edge over Rock Slide, as they would have almost the same power, but with Rock Slide being more accurate, unless you want to land critical hits more often. The whole line shares the same level up learnset.

Tepig
Availability: Starter, Nuvema Town.
Typing: The Fire/Fighting type of Tepig’s evolutions is a mixed bag, giving advantages for Lenora, Burgh, Brycen, Grimsley, N and Ghetsis, but is neutral to Marshal and the 8th gym; bad elsewhere.
Stats: The Tepig line are mixed attackers with slightly slow Speed and decent bulk.
Movepool: Wide, with Pignite learning Flame Charge, Arm Thrust and Rollout naturally, and Rock Tomb, Dig, Bulldoze, Scald and SolarBeam/Grass Knot via TMs. Later on, Emboar has access to the Scald, Rock Slide, Wild Charge and Low Sweep TMs, as well as Hammer Arm through the Move Relearner. Fire STAB comes through Heat Crash at level 31, Flamethrower at 39 and Flare Blitz at level 52.
Major Battles: The line loses to Elesa, Clay Skyla, Shauntal and Caitlin. It takes on Grimsley, N and Ghetsis, but is shaky due to many weaknesses.
Additional Comments: The Blaze Ability gives Fire attacks a 50% boost at 1/3 HP or less.
 
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C-Tier: Reserved for Pokémon whose efficiency in terms of completing the game is considered to be moderately high. Pokémon in this tier are able to OHKO or 2HKO a reasonable portion of opponents but are matchup-based enough to need some item reliance to assist in sweeping some opponents. These Pokémon are useful but either have several visible flaws holding them back or barely make up for their late arrivals.

Audino
Availability: Early-game in any rustling grass after obtaining the first badge.
Typing: Audino is a Normal type, hitting most fights neutrally except for Shauntal who is immune and Marshal who hits it super-effectively.
Stats: 103/86/86 bulk make Audino sturdy. 50 Speed and the offensive stats of 60 are mitigated by...
Movepool: Wide. You’ll have Pound and DoubleSlap for STAB until it gets Secret Power at level 20 and Return at Nimbasa, where Thunder Wave, Reflect and Light Screen can also be bought. Other TMs include Dig and Grass Knot early on and many Special TMs like Charge Beam, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt (detour) Surf, Thunder, Fire Blast, and Blizzard later on. To utilize these effectively, it advised to teach Audino Work Up via TM.
Major Battles: With Secret Power/Return, Work Up and high bulk, Audino takes on many Gyms very well. Audino’s movepool and Reflect/Light Screen keep it relevant endgame, with the Substitute and Work Up TMs helping it sweep Shauntal and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Get Regenerator as a Ability to heal 1/3 HP upon switch. Catch Audino in the level range of 8-11 in the Dreamyard

Basculin
Availability: Lategame; Almost everywhere with Surf, which is obtained after getting six badges.
Typing: Basculin are Water type, letting them take on Shauntal’s Chandelure, Grimsley’s Krookodile and N’s Archeops.
Stats: 92 Attack and 98 Speed make Basculin a physical sweeper that can’t take a hit (you won’t use 80 Special Attack much).
Movepool: It gets Crunch at level 24 and STAB via Aqua Tail at 28 or the Waterfall HM. Double-Edge or the Return TM give Normal coverage.
Major Battles: Basculin with Adaptability STAB has decent matchups in the remaining fights bar Drayden, with Crunch hitting Shauntal’s Jellicent.
Additional Comments: There is a Basculin trade if you give Mincinno in Driftveil City, and it is inferior due to lacking Adaptabilty Ability. Use Repel with a level 25 Pokemon on Route 6 (near Driftveil) to get a high-level Basculi . Red-Striped Basculin are in Black Version, while Blue-Striped Basculin are in White Version, though the opposite-striped Basculin can be found by Surfing into rippling water and both forms have identical stats.

Blitzle
Availability: Early-game (20% chance to appear in Route 3).
Typing: Electric allows it to hit all Water-types bar Palpitoad and Seismitoad, along with Skyla and other Flying-types. It leaves it with the sole weakness to Ground, represented majorly only by Clay.
Stats: Zebstrika has a great Attack stat and an excellent Speed stat letting it outpace many foes. Its defensive stats are fine, but not the best.
Movepool: It learns Shock Wave at level 11 and Thunder Wave at level 15. Flame Charge at level 18 allows it to hit the Electric-resistant Grass-types, with other STAB via Spark at level 25 (as Blitzle) and Wild Charge at 47 (as Zebstrika), respectively. The Return TM helps it hit Ground-types.
Major Battles: Flame Charge allows it to beat Burgh's Leavanny, and it does well against Elesa as Zebstrika. It can surprisingly, take out 2/3 of Clay's team by mitigating Bulldoze Speed drops with Flame Charge, and then hitting with Return. It sweeps Skyla effortlessly and can do well against Brycen. From there, it can only beat specific Electric-weak targets like Shauntal's Jellicent and spread paralysis with Thunder Wave.
Additional Comments: A Zebstrika can also be caught at Route 7, thus skipping Blitzle's rather bad period, but it misses on all previous matchups. The Abilities Lightning Rod and Motor Drive give Special Attack and Speed buffs by one stage respectively when the line is hit by Electric moves.

Cobalion
Availability: Late-game; Mistralton Cave (requires Surf), one static encounter, Guidance Chamber, level 42.
Typing: Fighting/Steel typing gives Cobalion advantages against Brycen, the 8th gym, Grimsley as well as N and Ghetsis.
Stats: Most of Cobalion's stats are around 90 save 129 Defense, 108 Speed and 72 Special Defense.
Movepool: It has Iron Head and Sacred Sword, can be taught X-Scissor, Volt Switch and Work Up via TMs, and gets Swords Dance at level 49.
Major Battles: Great for Brycen, but struggles against Drayden requiring many Work Up uses. Bad for Shauntal and Marshal, but sweeps Grimsley and Caitlin with Swords Dance (the latter with X-Scissor). Rather favorable against N, but you might not sweep due to Focus Blast Zoroark and the legends (Zekrom lives a +6 Sacred Sword). Good against Ghetsis, though Hydreigon comes pretty close if not OHKOs you and outspeeds.
Additional Comments: Cobalion is a decent lategame option, but a flawed one due to requiring a detour and 90 Attack being underwhelming. Dusk Balls to catch it with can be bought from Driftveil. Cobalion's default Justified Ability raises its Attack when hit by a damaging Dark-type move, which you can exploit with Pokemon weak to Dark against Grimsley and Ghetsis.

Deerling
Availability: Mid-game (35% chance to appear in Route 6).
Typing: Grass allows it to hit Clay and common Rock and Ground-types super effectively, while Normal hits Bug and Poison types neutrally. However, it leaves it awkward against Skyla, Brycen, and Marshal.
Stats: Deerling has good Speed, but rather low other stats. As Sawsbuck, it gets great Speed and Attack with acceptable bulk.
Movepool: Jump Kick and Take Down are notable moves it will have upon being caught. At level 32, it learns its first Grass STAB, Energy Ball. Upon evolution, at level 37, it learns Horn Leech. It can be taught Return and Wild Charge through TMs and Megahorn through the move relearner.
Major Battles: It can sweep Clay with healing, Brycen, and Drayden/Iris with the exception of Haxorus. It does well against Shauntal, Grimsley, and Caitlin, and can beat Ghetsis's Bisharp and Seismitoad as well.
Additional Comments: You can catch a Deerling from dark grass for higher levels. The Sap Sipper Ability is preferred but not required.

Druddigon
Availability: Late-game; 10% in every season but Winter (in which it doesn't spawn at all) at Dragonspiral Tower’s entrance.
Typing: Dragon typing lets Druddigon hit the remaining opponents neutrally with STAB, being fairly good against Drayden.
Stats: 77/90/90 bulk with 120 Attack makes Druddigon an effective tank, albeit one with a below-average 48 Speed.
Movepool: You start with Dragon Claw and Crunch, and you can immediately give Druddigon Rock Slide and Bulldoze via TM. Revenge is learned at level 35 for Fighting coverage and Hone Claws can be taught for a Heart Scale at the Move Reminder.
Major Battles: While Druddigon can be shaky against Brycen, Yache Berry can help, and it has the bulk to take Cryogonal’s Aurora Beam and hit back with Revenge or Rock Slide. You have an edge against the eighth gym because their use of Dragon Tail lets you strike first. End-game, Crunch hits Shauntal and Caitlin, and Revenge can be used for the Fighting-weak targets that Grimsley, N and Ghetsis use.
Additional Comments: You’ll want Sheer Force over Rough Skin as an Ability to power up Druddigon’s moves with secondary effects.

Ducklett
Availability: Mid-game (Driftveil Drawbridge shadows).
Typing: Water/Flying; former gives it an advantage against Ground-types (most notably Clay) and Fire types, while the latter makes it strong against Fighting-types like Marshal's as well as Bug and Grass types. However, it is easily picked off by Electric-type moves and Rock types are shaky.
Stats: Ducklett and Swanna's stats are generally average at best, with highest being 97 Speed alongside 87/87 offenses as Swanna.
Movepool: Level-up-wise, the only notable moves are Air Slash and Roost at level 24 and 30 respectively, and Brave Bird at level 47 as Swanna. TM-wise, it should be taught Scald very soon and potentially Rain Dance at level 34. It makes a great HM slave with STAB Surf and Fly.
Major Battles: It beats Clay save Excadrill and sweep the other Gyms barring the 8th due to Haxorus. Against the Elite Four, it can beat specific threats, almost sweeping Marshal and Grimsley, though there's always one Pokémon that prevents a sweep. Caitlin is a bad matchup.
Additional Comments: As a Ducklett, it will rely heavily on Mystic Water for damage output. One can be obtained from Nacrene City for saying you picked Oshawott (even if you didn't) before Surf. Keen Eye is more useful than Big Pecks Ability-wise, but not required.

Elgyem
Availability: Late-game (Celestial Tower from third floor onwards, 15%)
Typing: Psychic gives it a type advantage against Marshal, but is left severely weak to Grimsley and vulnerable to Shauntal's Ghost types.
Stats: Elgyem possesses a good Special Attack, although the other stats are rather mediocre, especially Speed. Upon evolving, its Special Attack becomes a massive 125 and its bulk is acceptable, though it remains sluggish at 40 Speed.
Movepool: Elgyem will be using with Zen Headbutt and (potentially) Hidden Power until it learns Psychic at level 39. It also learns Calm Mind at level 43 and, as Beheeyem, Recover at level 50. The Shadow Ball TM alongside Calm Mind lets it do well against Caitlin and Shauntal. It can be taught Charge Beam for Skyla and Thunderbolt from P2 Laboratory with Surf, though the latter isn't required.
Major Battles: Elgyem can do well against Skyla with Charge Beam and Drayden/Iris (Brycen is average). Against the Elite Four, it loses to Grimsley, but does well against the rest, especially by setting up on them. However, it will generally require healing every fight and it cannot sweep Shauntal fully due to her Golurk outspeeding. You can also use Imprison on Shauntal and Caitlin, locking 3/4 of their teams out of Shadow Ball.
Additional Comments: Hold off Elgyem's evolution by 2 levels so it can learn Calm Mind a little bit earlier. Synchronize is the preferred Ability to afflict the Burn, Paralysis, or Poison status on Elgyem's foes who cripple it with those status.

Emolga
Availability: Routes 5/16, rustling grass, 10% encounter rate at level 22.
Typing: Electric/Flying gives Emolga advantages against Skyla and Marshall. Rock moves are common but Ice moves are rare outside Brycen.
Stats: 103 Speed is solid with average offenses of 75 and somewhat fragile 55/60/60 bulk.
Movepool: Emolga's early Electric STABs (Shock Wave/Spark/Electro Ball/Volt Switch) are interchangeable. Acrobatics is at level 30 for Flying STAB, Light Screen is at level 34, and Discharge is at level 50 (the Thunderbolt TM is an alternative). Agility at level 46 can power up Electro Ball.
Major Battles: Good against Skyla and Marshal and neutral elsewhere. It can do decently against Shauntal's Jellicent, Grimsley's Scrafty and Caitlin's Sigilyph (watch out for Ice Beam from it though).
Additional Comments: You can trade a Boldore for Emolga with Hiker Manny on Route 7. The male Lax natured Emolga is level 30 with Lum Berry and 20/20/31/20/20/20 IVs. Emolga's default Static Ability paralyzes contact move users 30% of the time and can also power up Electro Ball.

Golett
Availability: Lategame; Dragonspiral Tower 1F (50%), 2F (100%)
Typing: Golett and Golurk are Ground/Ghost types with advantages against Caitlin, Marshal and to an extent N and Shauntal.
Stats: Golett and Golurk are slow, but have great Attack and good defenses; Golurk has a exemplary 124 Attack with 89/80/80 bulk.
Movepool: Immediately reteach Shadow Punch for a Heart Scale in Mistralton City and TM Bulldoze on for physical STABs. Iron Defense is a great move for Golett against many opponents. By holding off on evolving two extra levels, Golett will learn Earthquake early at level 45 to replace Bulldoze. The fourth slot can be rotated from Bulldoze, the Brick Break / Low Sweep / Rock Slide / Substitute TMs and the Fly HM as Golurk.
Major Battles: If you have Golurk with Earthquake, it can do well at the 8th gym, as Fraxure and Haxorus will generally boost while you 2HKO. Against the Elite 4, it takes on Shauntal and Caitlin with Shadow Punch and helps against Grimsley and Marshal with Iron Defense, Earthquake, and Fly, even reliably soloing Marshal. Golurk performs well against N and is decent for Ghetsis, but watch out for super-effective coverage.
Additional Comments: The Iron Fist Ability is preferred over Klutz, as it will give Golett and Golurk's Shadow Punch a 20% boost.

Gothita
Availability: Mid-game (30% chance to appear on Route 5/16, only in Black Version).
Typing: Psychic lets it beat Marshal and all Poison-types reliably, but is left weak to Shauntal's Ghost-types and Grimsley's Dark-types.
Stats: The whole line's stats are generally not very high, but acceptable, with the exception of Gothitelle's Special Defense, which reaches 110.
Movepool: It has Faint Attack and Psyshock at levels 24 and 25 respectively. As a Gothorita it learns Psychic at level 39. Charge Beam and Shadow Ball are recommended moves to be taught through TM, and you can also TM it Thunderbolt from P2 Laboratory.
Major Battles: As a Gothorita, it does well against Skyla and helps against Brycen. As a Gothitelle, it has a great matchup against Marshal and contributes to Caitlin and Shauntal's matchups.
Additional Comments:You can catch a Gothita from dark grass at level 25, which will have Psyshock immediately. The Frisk Ability is unhelpful.

Klink
Availability: Chargestone Cave, levels 25-27. 1F 29%, 2F 26%.
Typing: Steel type gives Klink resistances to the Gyms and the primary STABs of Shauntal, Caitlin, and Grimsley, with a weakness to Marshal.
Stats: Klink starts out as a slow master of none due to 70/60 defenses being undermined by 40 HP and 55 Attack. Klang is respectable stats wise aside from 50 base Speed. Klinklang at level 49 has decent 60/115/85 bulk with 100 Attack and 90 Speed.
Movepool: The only physical attacks the line gets are STAB Gear Grind (two-hit move for 50 power each) and the Rock Smash and Return TMs. If you hold off Klang on evolving three levels, it gets Shift Gear at level 52 to boost Attack and raise Speed. It does not learn Wild Charge via TM.
Major Battles: Klink uses the otherwise niche Charge Beam (learns naturally at 26) to handle Skyla along with Gear Grind. Brycen is handled by Klang's Gear Grind, though Beartic can live at least one and likely use Swagger. Klang can tackle the 8th gym, but will likely be worn down since it has no way of boosting its own Attack save X items. The Elite Four are largely average thanks to coverage moves, but N and Ghetsis are favorable.
Additional Comments: The Plus and Minus abilities are irrelevant. The Klink line generally has reliability issues due to Gear Grind's 90 accuracy.

Minccino
Availability: Mid-game (30% chance to appear on Route 5/16).
Typing: Normal lets it hit all major opponents neutrally bar Shauntal and common Rock and Steel-types, but it is weak to Marshal's Fighting-types.
Stats: Minccino's stats are middling bar 75 Speed. Cinccino's Attack and Speed are high, but is has fragile 75/60/60 bulk.
Movepool: As a Minccino, it will have Encore upon being caught, which is really useful if the opponent uses a status move, as the AI doesn't generally know how to switch. It also learns Swift, Tail Slap (main STAB) and Wake-up-Slap (only useful for the Bisharp end-game) at levels 19, 25, and 31 respectively. As a Cinccino, it can be retaught Bullet Seed and Rock Blast through move relearner for Technician-boosted coverage.
Major Battles: Cinccino can do well against Clay, especially if it locks Excadrill into Hone Claws. It also sweeps the rest of the Gym Leaders without too many problems (although Drayden's Druddigon is problematic due to Rough Skin). It does well against Shauntal, not including Cofagrigus, and fine against Caitlin. It can also be useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: A Shiny Stone to evolve Minccino is found from a girl in a house on Route 6. Technician is the preferred Ability to boost the power of multi-hit moves.

Munna
Availability: Early-game in the Dreamyard with a 20% encounter rate at levels 8 and 10.
Typing: Both Munna and Musharna are pure Psychic types, with Marshal being their only advantageous matchup.
Stats: Munna and Musharna focus on being bulky attackers, with Munna having 67 Special Attack with 76/45/55 bulk. After evolving with a Moon Stone, those stats get increased to 117/85/95 bulk with 107 Special Attack as a Musharna; but the line in general are extremely slow.
Movepool: Munna starts with Yawn, picking up Psybeam at level 11, Moonlight at level 17, Calm Mind at level 33 and Psychic at level 37, after which you should evolve Munna. TM-wise, Musharna can make use of Charge Beam, Shadow Ball, Thunder Wave, Reflect, and Light Screen.
Major Battles: As a Musharna, it does pretty well against Skyla, Brycen and the 8th gym with Psychic, but has problems against the previous Gym Leaders unless you evolve early. If you have Calm Mind, it can do well against Shauntal, Caitlin and Marshal, often requiring support elsewhere.
Additional Comments: If you evolve Munna early, Musharna will start falling off soon after Clay as it will have Psybeam as STAB forever. If you evolve Munna later, it will 3HKO things throughout it's life as a Munna, but tank hits rather well with Eviolite. You can get a Musharna in the Dreamyard's rustling grass (before you get a Moon Stone from Lenora in Pinwheel Forest) but this is unreliable with a 5% encounter rate.

Pansear
Availability: Early-game; Dreamyard (Oshawott) / Pinwheel Forrest (Inner) rustling grass at 10%.
Typing: Fire typing is average Gym wise aside from Burgh and Brycen, being neutral otherwise.
Stats: The monkeys have mixed 98 offenses, 75/63/63 bulk and 101 Speed.
Movepool: The weak Incinerate becomes Flame Burst at level 22 with Yawn at 16. Simisear gets Dig, Acrobatics, Shadow Claw, Rock Tomb/Slide and all Fighting type TMs for wide coverage. The Fire Blast TM is at Iccirus for stronger STAB.
Major Battles: Aside from Burgh and Brycen, Simisear can handle Shauntal and Grimsley with Work Up, with TM coverage handling almost everything else.
Additional Comments: The default Ability Gluttony activates Berries at 50% HP. Evolve at level 22 after getting a Fire Stone in Castelia City.

Pidove
Availability: Early-game (40% chance to appear in Route 3).
Typing: Normal hits all bosses bar Shauntal for neutral damage, while Flying helps against Burgh and Marshal, although it makes Elesa difficult.
Stats: 105 Attack and 93 Speed are good with decent 80/80/55 bulk as Unfezant. Pidove struggles with slightly low stats for a little bit though.
Movepool: Work Up, Quick Attack, and Air Cutter are going to be its moves for the majority of time until Nimbasa, where it can be taught Return through TM. Fly can also be taught for a physical Flying STAB, while also providing fast travel across the whole region. Work Up allows it to sweep most matchups post-Elesa. Roost at level 18 allows the line to deal with Clay's Excadrill and Brycen due to removing the Flying typing.
Major Battles: It does well against Burgh and as a Unfezant defeats all Gym Leaders from Clay (save Excadrill) onwards, typically relying on Work Up boosts. It also does well against Shauntal and Ghetsis, although it is completely useless against N.
Additional Comments: Pidove generally requires a few Work Up boosts to sweep every good matchup. Super Luck is the preferred Ability.

Roggenrola (no trade)
Availability: Roggenrola is caught in Wellspring Cave at a 50% encounter rate.
Typing: Rock typing lets the Roggenrola line take on Lenora, Burgh, Elesa, Skyla, Brycen in addition to N.
Stats: Roggenrola and Boldore physical tanks, but are extremely slow. After evolving into Boldore, it has 105 Attack and excellent bulk with Eviolite.
Movepool: Roggenrola has Headbutt, picking up Rock Blast at level 14 and Iron Defense at level 20. If you keep it unevolved for 2 levels, Roggenrola picks up Rock Slide at level 27 which carries it to Stone Edge at 49. Rock Smash, Return, Bulldoze and Toxic can be taught via TMs.
Major Battles: The line is a great choice for Lenora, Burgh and (if the only mon in the party) Drayden/Iris with Iron Defense. Boldore counters Elesa, Skyla, and Brycen well, but should mostly avoid Clay. It will generally be less useful endgame due to 105 Attack not hitting hard enough.
Additional Comments: The Sturdy Ability lets the Roggenrola line survive any hit at full HP. Eviolite is required to make Boldore’s bulk manageable.

Sewaddle
Availability: Early-game (35% chance of appearing in inner Pinwheel Forest).
Typing: Grass notably allows it to hit Water, and Rock, and Ground-type Pokémon which Clay uses. Its Bug typing helps with Grass-types, Psychic-types (Caitlin), and Dark-types (Grimsley). However, it is left with many weaknesses, the most fatal being Flying and Fire.
Stats: Sewaddle and Swadloon have good bulk and Attack. Leavanny possesses high Attack and Speed with decent 75/80/80 bulk.
Movepool: It has Bug Bite and Razor Leaf as STABs very early (by Level 15), along with Leaf Blade and Swords Dance at levels 36 and 46 respectively. The Return and Shadow Claw TMs are good for Leavanny. X-Scissor should also be taught through TM as well for Bug STAB.
Major Battles: Swadloon takes out Burgh's Leavanny. As a Leavanny, it can take out one of Elesa's Emolga and beat Clay bar his Excadrill and Brycen save his Beartic. It sweeps all the Elite Four except Marshal due to Stone Edge. It can also take down Ghetsis's Seismitoad and Cofagrigus.
Additional Comments: Swadloon requires 220 friendship to evolve into Leavanny. Swadloon will likely evolve before Elesa, but definitely before Clay. Use massages in Castelia and the Soothe Bell in Nimbasa to your advantage. Swarm is the preferred Ability over Chlorophyll.

Snivy
Availability: Starter, Nuvema Town.
Typing: Grass typing is bad for 5/8 Gyms aside from Clay (hit super-effectively bar Excadrill) and neutral elsewhere save half of Shauntal’s team.
Stats: The Snivy line are speedy walls with below average offenses until Serperior.
Movepool: Shallow. Vine Whip upgrades to Leaf Tornado and then Leaf Blade at 32, with Growth and Leech Seed early on. At level 36, Servine gets Coil but has trouble setting up due to having 5 weaknesses. Giga Drain at level 44 Return, Reflect and Light Screen TMs are in Nimbasa City.
Major Battles: Besides Gyms, Serperior can hit Shauntal’s Jellicent and Golurk, Grimsley’s Krookodile, N’s Carracosta and Ghetsis’s Seismitoad.
Additional Comments: Overgrow gives Grass attacks a 50% boost at 1/3 HP or less. Snivy is a mediocre Grass type and the worst Unova starter.

Tirtouga
Availability: Mid-game (Revived at Nacrene City Museum from a Cover Fossil from Relic Castle, level 25).
Typing: Water/Rock is not useful, as it makes it much weaker to Clay and Elesa. It does prove useful against Skyla and Brycen though.
Stats: The Tirtouga line has a good Attack and Defense stat, although they lack Special Defense and Speed, with the latter being problematic, as Shell Smash boosts sometimes are not enough to outpace everything.
Movepool: It starts off with Aqua Jet, Crunch, and Ancient Power. Ancient Power can be replaced with Rock Tomb via TM for physical Rock STAB until Smack Down at level 31 or Rock Slide through TM. Scald can be taught via TM and replaced by the Surf HM, Aqua Tail (level 45) or the Waterfall HM post-Surf. The line can either rely on Curse at level 35 or Shell Smash at level 40 for sweeping, the latter giving more power outright.
Major Battles: Although it struggles against many opponents, it can flawlessly beat Skyla, Brycen, and Drayden. It also performs well against Grimsley and can prove useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Due to low Speed, you may need 2 Shell Smashes to outpace everything. Sturdy or Solid Rock are both good Abilities.


Tympole
Availability: Early-game; 40% chance to appear in Pinwheel Forest (Outer).
Typing: Water lets it hit Clay along with Fire-types and common Rock-types. Water/Ground typing from Palpitoad onward leaves it with only a quad weakness to Grass. The typing also allows it to do well against Elesa by blocking off her Volt Switches.
Stats: Other than HP, which reaches 105 as Seismitoad, the line's stats are generally only decent all around.
Movepool: It has BubbleBeam at capture and gets Mud Shot at level 16. Palpitoad learns Muddy Water at level 28 and Rain Dance at level 33. TM-wise, Dig (as Sesmitoad), Bulldoze, Rock Slide, Scald, and Brick Break are good options. Drain Punch is at level 44. Teach it Surf once acquired.
Major Battles: Can beat Burgh bar his Leavanny and is really useful against Elesa. It also has a nice matchup against Clay. Starting from Skyla, it will be heavily reliant on rain for great damage output, except it is bad against Caitlin regardless. However, it is useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Since it will be relying heavily on rain, getting one with the Swift Swim Ability is a good idea. Level 17 Tympole can be found in the dark grass of Pinwheel Forest (Outer), so you will likely want to catch one from there.

Vanillite
Availability: Mid-game; Cold Storage at 30% encounter rate.
Typing: The Vanillite line are pure Ice types, only having clear advantages against Brycen (with Flash Cannon) and the 8th gym.
Stats: Vanillite and Vanillish excel in Special Attack and Special Defense while having modest other stats. Once it evolves into Vanilluxe lategame, it has great stats all around with a fantastic 110 Special Attack and an acceptable 79 Speed.
Movepool: Vanillite starts with STAB Avalanche, picking up Mirror Shot for Steel-type coverage and Acid Armor soon. Before evolving at level 35, Vanillite learns the great STAB Ice Beam. Vanillish gets Mirror Coat at level 47 and can be taught Flash Cannon and Light Screen via TM.
Major Battles: Vanillite can do decently against Clay with Acid Armor and Avalanche, though it will likely have difficulty soloing without items. Vanillish does well against Skyla and the 8th gym, and can take on Brycen if taught Flash Cannon. Against endgame, Vanilluxe tends to have one target it can hit super-effectively per battle aside from Marshal, and can turn the tables on special attackers with Mirror Coat.
Additional Comments: Vanillite evolves at level 35 and 47 into Vanillish and Vanilluxe respectively, so patience is needed when raising it.

Venipede
Availability: Early-game, Pinwheel Forest (Inner), 15%.
Typing: Bug/Poison, which lets it only have a true advantage against Burgh’s Leavanny (Marshal has Stone Edge and Rock Slide).
Stats: Venipede has good Attack, Defense and Speed, with Whirlipede briefly defensive. Scolipede has 100 Attack, 112 Speed and 60/89/69 bulk.
Movepool: Venipede is unwieldy until Poison Tail at level 19 and Bug Bite at 22 before evolving into Whirlipede and learning Iron Defense. Early on, the line can use Rock Smash, Rock Tomb, Dig and Return via TMs. As a Scolipede, the line can relearn Megahorn via Heart Scale and teach Poison Jab and Rock Slide via TM later post-Surf. Scolipede's signature move, Steamroller (level 39) is outclassed by Megahorn and the X-Scissor TM.
Major Battles: Whirlipede beats Burgh's Leavanny, but should avoid Elesa. As a Scolipede, it can deal with Clay's Krokorok and use Iron Defense and Dig for Excadrill. Scolipede should sit Skyla out, but takes on Brycen and the 8th gym fairly well. Scolipede is decent for Caitlin but should be careful of misses and STAB Psychic. It beats end-game's physical threats with Iron Defense, but should be wary of high-critical hit ratio moves.
Additional Comments: Both Poison Point and Swarm have their uses, so either Ability is fine. Consider catching a Whirlipede once the dark grass inside Pinwheel Forest opens up after beating Burgh to skip the awkwardness of Venipede's early moves.
 
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Reserved just in case I need to. You may now post. EDIT: Updated with D, E, and Untiered.

D-Tier: Reserved for Pokémon whose efficiency in terms of completing the game is considered to be average. Pokémon in this tier are able to OHKO or 2HKO a small amount of opponents and tend to be matchup-based enough to need item reliance to assist in sweeping a few opponents. The usefulness of these Pokémon are typically counterbalanced by many visible flaws or are useful Pokémon that come very late.

Bouffalant
Availability: Late-game; Route 10 at a 20% encounter rate.
Typing: Normal typing is average in the remaining fights save for an immunity to Shauntal and a weakness to Marshal.
Stats: Great 95/95/95 bulk and a 110 Attack lets Bouffalant tank well, though it is slow at 55 Speed.
Movepool: Bouffalant starts with Revenge and the signature move of Head Charge, a 120 power STAB move with 1/4 recoil. Bouffalant learns Megahorn at level 41 and the Payback Bulldoze, Rock Slide and Wild Charge TMs provide useful coverage, with Return as a alternative STAB.
Major Battles: Bouffalant uses Head Charge in most fights (including the 8th gym), as it typically out damages coverage moves unless they hit super-effectively. Payback can help against Shauntal (watch out for Cofagrigus's Will-O-Wisp) and Revenge and Megahorn can be useful for Grimsley and Caitlin. Bouffalant can put in work against N and Ghetsis with coverage and Head Charge, but should avoid Marshal.
Additional Comments: Reckless is the preferred Ability, as it gives Head Charge and Wild Charge a 20% damage boost.
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Cottonee
Availability: Early-game; Pinwheel Forest (Inner) 35% at levels 14-17 (only in Black Version).
Typing: Grass typing only gives a definite advantage against Clay and a few other individual targets in major battles. Mostly poor elsewhere.
Stats: Cottonee and Whimsicott have mediocre stats aside from good Speed and overall average bulk.
Movepool: Stun Spore and Leech Seed are useful, and Mega Drain (Giga Drain at level 26) provides STAB. Charm at level 28 is useful, but it is generally not recommended to go for Cotton Guard at level 37 as numerous opponents have high critical hit-ratio or super-effective moves. Whimsicott gets Tailwind at 28 to replace Stun Spore as well as the Shadow Ball and Light Screen TMs. Hurricane at level 46 gives Flying coverage.
Major Battles: Cottonee struggles against numerous major battles either through a type disadvantage or simply not hitting hard enough. Endgame, it can hit Shauntal's Jellicent, Grimsley's Krookodile, N's Carracosta and Ghetsis's Sesmitoad and is neutral otherwise. Cottonee can support the team with numerous status moves but will generally won't faint anything it doesn't hit super-effectively.
Additional Comments: Prankster is the preferred ability to give Cottonee's status moves +1 priority. Sun Stone is given by an Ace Trainer in a building in Nimbasa City to evolve Cottonee. In White Version, you can trade a Petilil to Dye in Nacrene City. The Modest natured Cottonee (Fluffee) has the Prankster Ability, is level 15 with a Cheri Berry and has 20/20/20/31/20/20 IVs.

Cryogonal
Availability: Late-game; Twist Mountain (5% in Winter, 1% in other seasons)
Typing: Ice typing gives Cryogonal an advantage against the 8th gym and about one mon per team endgame, save for Marshal who it is weak to.
Stats: 70 HP and 135 Special Defense makes Cryogonal a great special wall, complimented by good 105 Speed and 95 Special Attack. The physical bulk of 30 Defense means Cryogonal will take reasonable damage from even neutral physical hits.
Movepool: Starts with Aurora Beam, gets Ice Beam at level 33 and Reflect and Light Screen at 37 or via TMs. It gets Flash Cannon via TM for Steel coverage. Recover at level 49 can help it wall special attackers lategame with Light Screen and the Substitute TM.
Major Battles: Cryogonal is decent for Brycen with Flash Cannon, though it is unlikely to sweep unless it uses Substitute. Cryogonal sweeps the 8th gym, though if it fails to OHKO it will take heavy damage. It is good against Shauntal's Cofagrigus and Golurk, Grimsley's Krookodile, Caitlin's Sigilyph and Musharna, N's Zoroark (as long as Night Slash doesn't crit) and Vanilluxe, as well as Ghetsis's Cofagrigus, Sesmitoad and Hydreigon.
Additional Comments: The Levitate Ability gives Cryogonal an immunity to Ground-type attacks. Winter occurs in April, August and December.

Cubchoo
Availability: Late-game (Route 7 with 30% chance to appear in winters in both types of grass).
Typing: Ice lets it hit Skyla and Drayden super-effectively, but almost all major opponents bar Brycen hit it at least neutrally.
Stats: As a Beartic, it possesses a high 110 Attack and acceptable HP, Defense, and Special Defense, but its Speed is really lacking at base 50.
Movepool: Upon evolving, it will learn Icicle Crash immediately. Brick Break, Rock Slide, Surf, Waterfall, and Shadow Claw are all TMs that can be taught to it. Superpower can also be retaught through the move relearner. As a Cubchoo, its STAB will be Icy Wind.
Major Battles: Beartic does well against Skyla and Drayden/Iris, along with Brycen due to Superpower and/or Rock Slide. Against the Elite Four, it can only take down Pokémon that are weak to Ice, which are Shauntal's Golurk, Caitlin's Sigilyph and Grimsley's Krookodile.
Additional Comments: Catch a Cubchoo from normal grass, as dark grass ones will not have Icy Wind as an available move.

Durant
Availability: End-game (Victory Road's first floor with 40% chance to appear).
Typing: Bug/Steel typing allows it to hit Grimsley and Caitlin super effectively, while resisting them in return. However, it is hit neutrally by Marshal's Fighting moves and is vulnerable to any Fire-type coverage.
Stats: Durant possesses a high Attack, Defense, and Speed that allows it to outpace many opponents, but all other stats are really low.
Movepool: Crunch, Dig, and STAB Iron Head are available on capture. X-Scissor from TM gives Bug-type STAB. Rock Slide via TM is also an option.
Major Battles: Durant doesn't have much fights left, but it can do well against Grimsley and Caitlin. It can also beat N's Archeops, Vanilluxe, and Zoroark with the appropriate STAB move. Watch out for Ghetsis's Hydreigon and Eelektross, as both have Fire moves.
Additional Comments: Durant comes with either Swarm or Hustle as Abilities, with Hustle making it more powerful, but more prone to missing, while Swarm maintains most of its moves' perfect accuracy. Durant should be trained on Route 10 in order to gain experience and EVs quickly.

Foongus
Availability: Mid-game; Route 6, 15% (fake items are low leveled, so don't go for them).
Typing: Grass/Poison typing gives a slight advantage to Clay with weaknesses to Skyla, Brycen and Caitlin.
Stats: Foongus and Amoonguss have good stats all around save for great HP and absolutely dismal Speed.
Movepool: Foongus gets Giga Drain in time for Clay, can be taught the Payback TM, and gets Toxic at 32, Synthesis at 39 and Protect via TM respectively to help it stall better. Poison STAB comes in time for Brycen via the Sludge Bomb TM on Route 8. Spore is too late to be learned.
Major Battles: Other than a resistance to Marshal, it is mostly neutral aside from hitting Shauntal's Jellicent and Golurk as well as Grimsley's Krookodile, N's Carracosta and Ghetsis's Seismitoad super-effectively.
Additional Comments: The Effect Spore Ability punishes contact users 30% of the time with either Poison (9%), paralysis (10%) or sleep (11%).

Frillish
Availability: Late-game, Driftveil City with Surf (100%), levels 10-25 elsewhere.
Typing: Water/Ghost allows Jellicent to take on Brycen, Marshal and Caitlin fairly well and is average elsewhere, having 5 weaknesses in total.
Stats: Frillish and Jellicent have great HP and Special Defense, good Special Attack and average Defense as well as somewhat slow Speed.
Movepool: Surf and Shadow Ball make serviceable STABS, and Will-O-Wisp and Recover can be used against physical threats.
Major Battles: Brycen is rather easy for Jellicent due to it’s Ice resistance, though it is shaky against the 8th gym due to Dark moves. Jellicent can burn Marshal and stall him out with Recover rather reliably despite the presence of Payback. Jellicent’s special bulk allows it to take on Caitlin, but is uneven against Shauntal. It can hit a few of N’s Pokémon like Klinklang and Vanilluxe, as well as Ghetsis’s Seismitoad safely.
Additional Comments: Cursed Body is the preferred Ability over Water Absorb due to greater general use.
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Liepard
Availability: Route 2, 20%, levels 4-5
Typing: Dark typing gives an advantage against Shauntal and Caitlin, but a weakness to Marshal and Burgh.
Stats: Purrloin and Liepard have great Speed, decent offenses, but low defenses.
Movepool: Purrloin has Normal moves until STAB Pursuit at level 15, which upgrades to Assurance and Night Slash at levels 31 and 43 respectively. Fake Out (22) and Hone Claws (26) are worth useful, and Aerial Ace, Rock Smash, Grass Knot, Thunder Wave and Return can be taught via TMs.
Major Battles: Aside from the above in Typing, Liepard hits Swanna’s Swoobat and Ghetsis’s Cofagrigus with STAB and Clay’s Palpitoad, Ghetsis’s Sesmitoad and N’s Carracosta with Grass Knot.
Additional Comments: It is advised to get a Liepard on Route 16/5 to avoid Purrloin, as the latter is otherwise E-tier. Limber is the preferred Ability.

Maractus
Availability: Mid-game (10% chance to appear in Desert Resort).
Typing: Grass provides it only with advantage against Clay (whose Excadrill actually beats it). All Gym Leaders either resist Grass or have STABs or coverage that hits it super effectively. Its Elite Four matchup is not great either. However, it does beat Water types and the common Roggenrola line.
Stats: Other than 86 Attack and 106 Special Attack, its other stats are below average save 75 HP.
Movepool: It will start off with Mega Drain and Synthesis and will learn Giga Drain at level 26. Acupressure comes at level 29, Petal Dance (its best STAB) arrives at level 38 and Sucker Punch is learned at level 42.
Major Battles: Its only good matchup is Clay, although it cannot beat his Excadrill. The rest either hit it super effectively (Elesa's Emolga, Skyla, Brycen) or resist its STABs (Drayden/Iris). It also barely provides support for the Elite Four, N, and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: The only reason this cactus can be constituted as useful is due to 106 Special Attack and Petal Dance making it good for most Route trainers, although it provides little-to-none support for more major fights.

Mienfoo
Availability: Late-game (Outside of Dragonspiral Tower with 30% chance to appear in both types of grass)
Typing: Fighting allows it to hit common Normal-types, along with Brycen and Grimsley super effectively. However, it is left vulnerable to Shauntal and Caitlin, whose Pokémon can take Fighting-type moves comfortably.
Stats: Mienfoo's Attack and Speed are mediocre at best, with the rest being even lower. Mienfoo gains a significant boost in Attack and Speed upon evolving, however, and can outpace majority of the end-game opponents.
Movepool: Mienfoo will have Drain Punch upon being caught and will learn Jump Kick at level 37. It can be taught Work Up, Brick Break, Acrobatics, and Rock Slide through TMs as well.
Major Battles: Mienfoo does well against Brycen and Drayden/Iris, though for the latter it needs to set up 3 Work Ups. Grimsley is also a good matchup, and Mienshao can defeat N's Zoroark, Klinklang, and Vanilluxe.
Additional Comments: It is a good idea to catch a Mienfoo from the dark grass from outer Dragonspiral Tower (accessible only in Winter), as it will be caught at a higher level. Keep in mind that Mienfoo is heavily reliant on Jump Kick, which is fatal if it misses. Regenerator is the preferred Ability.

Patrat
Availability: Early-game; Route 1, 50%, levels 2-4.
Typing: Normal type, giving an advantage to Shauntal and average everywhere else save N (where Watchog is mauled).
Stats: Patrat and Watchog have slightly below average stats aside from decent Speed and Attack (77 and 85 respectively as Watchog).
Movepool: Tackle upgrades via Retaliate and later Return, with Bite at level 8 and later Crunch at level 16 being staples. Low Kick via move relearner and TM moves like Dig and Grass Knot have sporadic use. Natural Confuse Ray, Hypnosis and Thunder Wave via TM can provide team support.
Major Battles: Patrat and Watchog are decent in most major fights with Normal STAB and Work Up. Lategame, it can sweep Shauntal and Caitlin with +2 Blackglasses Crunch, and can hit N's Carracosta and Ghetsis's Seismitoad with Grass Knot. Both Bisharp endgame are beat by Low Kick.
Additional Comments: Keen Eye is the preferred Ability to avoid accuracy-lowering from a few opponents, although it is not required.

Shelmet (trade)
Availability: Late-game (40% chance to appear in Icirrus City puddles in non-winter seasons).
Stats: Accelgor possesses an unrivaled Speed stat and has a good Special Attack, although its bulk is somewhat lackluster.
Movepool: It will have Mega Drain and Struggle Bug upon capture. It will also have Yawn and Protect, letting it to put opponents to sleep safely. It learns Giga Drain and Bug Buzz at levels 37 and 44 respectively. Accelgor should be retaught Acid Spray through move relearner and Focus Blast and Sludge Bomb via TM in order to pick up KOs early on.
Major Battles: It does well against Brycen and Drayden with Acid Spray and a attacking move of choice, and it can also put any problematic Pokémon to sleep with Yawn. This strategy proves unreliable against the rest, but it does have good matchups against Caitlin and Grimsley. Against Ghetsis, Accelgor should outspeed Hydreigon but the latter is only 2HKOed by STAB Bug Buzz, though only Fire Blast OHKOs Accelgor.
Additional Comments: It has to manage with the weak Mega Drain and Struggle Bug until it learns more powerful moves. The Hydration Ability can be combined with Rain Dance for free healing, though it is ultimately unnecessary.

Stunfisk
Availability: Late-game in Iccirus City; Puddles (Spring, Summer, Autumn, 20%, levels 31-32), (Winter, 100% Surfing, levels 15-35).
Typing: Ground/Electric typing is average against the major battles aside from losing to Brycen and being rather good against Shauntal.
Stats: Great 109/84/99 bulk with good 81 Special Attack (Attack is 66) with a sluggish 32 Speed.
Movepool: Mud Shot/Mud Bomb serve as special Ground STAB with Bulldoze and Dig on the physical side. Discharge is generally preferably to Thunderbolt (level 45/TM) due to the 30% paralysis chance. Muddy Water (level 40), Scald and Surf provide Water coverage, with Bounce (35) Revenge (50) and Sludge Bomb and Rock Slide (for 30% flinch chance post-parylsis) being other options.
Major Battles: Bad against Brycen, but good against Shauntal's Chandelure and to an extent Jellicent. Stunfisk has a favorable matchup against Grimsley's Bisharp, Caitlin's Sigilyph, as well as Ghetsis's Bisharp. Stunfisk is particularly good against several of N's roster and average elsewhere.
Additional Comments: Static is the preferred Ability over Limber as it paralyzes contact move users 30% of the time.

Tynamo
Availability: Late-game (8% chance to appear in Chargestone Cave's lowest floor).
Typing: Electric allows it to hit Skyla and Water-types super effectively. It is not threatened by Ground-type moves due to Levitate.
Stats: As Tynamo, its stats are rather bad, but its bulk can be fixed with Eviolite, while its Special Attack becomes acceptable with Charge Beam boosts. As Eelektross, it gains great offensive stats and good defensive ones, although its Speed is low.
Movepool: It will have Charge Beam, Thunder Wave, and Spark as moves when caught. It will learn Crunch upon evolving and can be retaught Discharge through move relearner. If you hold up evolving Eelektrik until level 44, it can also learn Thunderbolt, though it's generally not worth it (although you can also teach it through TM from P2 Laboratory with Surf). Acrobatics and Grass Knot are also good options for it through TMs.
Major Battles: It can sweep Skyla even as Tynamo, as long as it has Eviolite. Brycen is swept by Eelektross as well. However, Eelektross can only take down specific threats that are weak to its coverage, such as Caitlin's Sigilyph and Ghetsis's Seismitoad with Grass Knot, as it generally requires many healing items to sweep any of them, although it can help by spreading paralysis with Thunder Wave.
Additional Comments: A Thunderstone can be found in Chargestone Cave, so evolve immediately when Tynamo evolves into Eelektrik. Although the upper floors also have Tynamo, they are with a 2% chance of encounter only, thus you should stick with the lowest floor.

Virizion
Availability: Late-game (Pinwheel Forest's Rumination Field after fighting Cobalion, static encounter, level 42).
Typing: Fighting lets it hit Brycen and Grimsley super effectively, while Grass lets it hit the rest of the Water, Rock, and Ground-types. However, it is threatened heavily by Flying-type moves. It is also left vulnerable to Caitlin's Psychic-types, though it hits half of Shauntal's team with Grass STAB.
Stats: It has a high 108 Speed and 129 Special Defense, along with good Attack, Special Attack, and HP.
Movepool: It will have Giga Drain and Sacred Sword upon being caught and will learn Swords Dance at level 49. X-Scissor and Work Up can also be taught through TMs.
Major Battles: Virizion does well against every major fight that's left, although it will need healing in some cases. It is useful against N and is really good against Ghetsis, although it does not sweep him.
Additional Comments: Virizion is very hard to catch and requires 2 detours (one for Cobalion and one for itself). Virizion will likely be a little bit higher than your team in levels, so make sure you use it enough to get EVs. Virizion's default Justified Ability raises its Attack when hit by a damaging Dark-type move, which you can exploit with Pokemon weak to Dark against Grimsley and Ghetsis.

Woobat
Availability: Early-game, Wellspring Cave, 50%, levels 10-13.
Typing: Psychic/Flying, giving the line an advantage to Burgh, but weaknesses to Lenora's Crunch and Elesa, Brycen and Grimsley in general. Shaky for Marshal despite Psychic/Flying typing due to Stone Edge. Neutral elsewhere.
Stats: The Woobat line has mediocre bulk and only slightly above average Special Attack, though the line is extremely fast.
Movepool: Starts with Confusion and gets Psychic at level 41. Gust upgrades to Air Cutter at 21 and later Air Slash at 32. Amnesia and Calm Mind at level 29 can help the line setup but are tricky to pull off. The line also gets TMs like Grass Knot, Thunder Wave, Charge Beam and Shadow Ball.
Major Battles: Swoobat generally performs decently against Skyla and the 8th gym. The naturally learned albeit niche Imprison with Shadow Ball and Psychic allows it to boost up to +4 and solo Shauntal. Otherwise, Swoobat is too frail to be taking many hits to setup endgame.
Additional Comments: Unaware is the preferred Ability, as Klutz makes held items useless.

Yamask
Availability: Mid-game (50% chance to appear in Relic Castle)
Typing: Ghost type lets it hit Caitlin and Shauntal super effectively (while being hit super effectively by the latter), but struggles against Grimsley.
Stats: Yamask's good bulk can be buffed via Eviolite. As Cofagrigus, it has high 145 Defense and 105 Special Defense as well as a decent 95 Special Attack, but low Speed and HP.
Movepool: It will rely on Hex + Will-O-Wisp for damage output in the beginning. It will learn Ominous Wind at level 25. It also learns Shadow Ball at level 39. Its TM movepool is poor, and can only be taught Grass Knot to have something against Normal-types (excluding Pidove line).
Major Battles: It is useful against Elesa and Shauntal and is pretty good against Brycen and Drayden/Iris. In all other matchups, it can either spread burns, or is reliant on healing items in order to stay on the field.
Additional Comments: As Yamask uses Will-I-Wisp quite often, keeping Hex might be a good idea. It is useless against Normal and Dark-types due to lacking a movepool to threaten them, outside of Grass Knot. Mummy replaces physical attackers' Abilities with Mummy when the line is hit.

E-Tier: Reserved for Pokémon whose efficiency in terms of completing the game is considered to be low. Pokémon in this tier are generally only able to OHKO or 2HKO specific opponents and suffer from being matchup-based, generally relying on items to assist in sweeping several opponents. These Pokémon either have flaws that outshine its strengths or are otherwise decent Pokémon that come too late to be of any major use.

Alomomola
Availability: Late-game; Driftveil City, Surf in rippling water (95%), levels 10-30 (also found elsewhere)
Typing: Water typing's only real benefit for Alomomola is walling Brycen better via resistance, average everywhere else save the 8th gym.
Stats: Alomomola has a massive 160/80/45 bulk, but it's Attack and Speed are about average with Special Attack being a low 40.
Movepool: Alomomola is heavily skewed toward status and support moves, with it's best ones being Wish (level 37), Protect (Heart Scale/TM) and Toxic and Light Screen from TMs. The only viable offensive moves it gets are Waterfall and Return, with Aqua Ring being available via Heart Scale.
Major Battles: Alomomola functions similarly in all major battles by using Light Screen for team support and stalling with Toxic, Protect and Wish.
Additional Comments: Hydration is the preferred ability as it can be combed with Rest and the Rain Dance TM for free healing, but isn't required.

Deino
Availability: End-game; Victory Road 1F (middle and rightmost room), 20%
Typing: Dark/Dragon typing is only helpful for Shauntal and Caitlin terrible for Marshal, being neutral elsewhere.
Stats: Deino has underwhelming stats, with Zweilous having roughly average stats aside from Speed. Hydreigon is feasibly out of reach at level 64.
Movepool: Crunch and Dragon Rush are primary STABs, with the only other options being Work Up, Body Slam (level 48) and Thunder Wave (TM).
Major Battles: Zweilous is good for Shauntal and Caitlin, but bad elsewhere due to lacking stats compared to everything else. Avoid Marshal.
Additional Comments: Even though Deino evolves to Zweilous at 50 in time for the Elite Four,

Heatmor
Availability: Late-game on the rough patches outside Victory Road at a 45% encounter rate.
Typing: Fire typing is neutral virtually everywhere against the remaining six fights save for Bisharp and 1/3 of N's team.
Stats: Good mixed offenses and okay HP, with lackluster stats everywhere else.
Movepool: Not much in Heatmor's natural movepool is worth learning aside from Amnesia at level 46 and Flamethrower at level 51. Focus Blast, Fire Blast, Return, Shadow Claw and Dig can be taught for coverage.
Major Battles: Heatmor will typically be bad in the final fights due to lacking EVs, though it can hit Grimsley's and Ghetsis's Bisharp with STAB and smack Shauntal and Caitlin with Shadow Claw. Marshal has Rock coverage for Heatmor, but the anteater can beat N's Vanilluxe and Klinklang.
Additional Comments: Neither Ability of Gluttony or Flash Fire are particularly helpful for Heatmor.

Karrablast (no trade)
Availability: Karrablast is found on Route 6 at a 25% encounter rate.
Typing: Bug would allow it to hit Grimsley and Caitlin super effectively, but we all know Karrablast beating them is as rare as a blue moon.
Stats: Karrablast has bad stats which cannot hold it for long, especially in the end-game. Seriously, evolve it into Escavalier, if possible.
Movepool: It will have Fury Cutter and Headbutt upon being caught and can be taught X-Scissor through TMs. It's not gonna accomplish much with these stats, though.
Major Battles: Due to the factors mentioned above, Karrablast does nothing in major battles, other than disappoint you.
Additional Comments: If you can't trade with Shelmet evolve it, do not bother with Karrablast.
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Larvesta
Availability: Route 18 (Surf required). You receive a Larvesta Egg in a house from a Pokemon Ranger which hatches at level 1.
Typing: Bug/Fire, giving a quad weakness to the common Rock type.
Stats: 85 Attack and 60 Speed, with other stats being mostly 55.
Movepool: Larvesta gains new moves every 10 levels, with Flame Charge at 30 and Bug Bite at 40 providing STAB. Acrobatics and Wild Charge via TMs provide coverage.
Major Battles: Brycen isn't inherently favorable for Larvesta due to Vanillish's tendency to Acid Armor and Beartic's propensity to Swagger and Brine. In all other major battles Larvesta will get outmuscled due to lacking stats.
Additional Comments: Flame Body is the preferred ability to burn physical attackers using contact moves 30% of the time.
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Pawniard
Availability: Route 9 at a 20% encounter rate.
Typing: Dark/Steel is helpful for the 8th gym, Shauntal, and Caitlin, and is decent elsewhere with nine resistances and two immunities.
Stats: Pawniard and Bisharp have great Attack and good Defense with roughly average other stats.
Movepool: Pawniard has awful starting STABs in Metal Claw and Assurance until Night Slash at level 49 and Iron Head at 54 if you hold off evolution two levels. TM-wise, Rock Slide, Low Sweep/Brick Break, Return and Dig provide useful coverage. Don't use Iron Defense.
Major Battles: Aside from the above mentioned in Typing, the line is terrible for Marshall and Grimsley, and N and Ghetsis have coverage for it.
Additional Comments: Defiant is the preferred Ability. Due to a lacking movepool and evolving to Bisharp at level 52, the line is a subpar choice.
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Rufflet
Availability: Route 10, 20% encounter rate, only in White Version.
Typing: Normal/Flying typing gives the line an advantage against Shauntal and Marshall, being neutral elsewhere aside from Grimsley's Scrafty.
Stats: Rufflet and Braviary have slightly above average bulk and Speed with great Attack.
Movepool: Slash and Aerial Ace are good starting moves, and Return, Rock Slide and Fly can be taught via their respective TMs and HM. Tailwind at level 37 and Hone Claws via Heart Scale are the only other feasible options, as Brave Bird is learned too late.
Major Battles: As Rufflet will often be unevolved for endgame, it won't stack up unless you grind to level 54 for Braviary. Caitlin, Marshall, N and Ghetsis have coverage to hit the line's 3 weaknesses.
Additional Comments: Sheer Force is the preferred Ability to give moves with secondary effects a 30% boost.

Shelmet (no trade)
Availability: Late-game (40% chance to appear in Icirrus City puddles in non-winter seasons).
Typing: Bug would allow it to hit Grimsley and Caitlin super effectively, but it does not beat them due to lacking stats.
Stats: Its stats are pretty bad, leaving it nearly useless against the rest of the game.
Movepool: It will have Mega Drain and Struggle Bug as damaging moves upon being caught, but since it is notevolved, it's not accomplishing much. It will also have Yawn and Protect, allowing it to put its opponents to sleep safely.
Major Battles: None, as its stats are too bad for it to efficiently do something, other than spread sleep status with Yawn.
Additional Comments: If you can't trade with Karrablast to evolve it, do not bother with Shelmet.

Terrakion
Availability: The very end of Victory Road (head down the left stairs from the exit). You must have captured, fainted, or ran from Cobalion. Level 42.
Typing: Rock/Fighting is pretty mediocre for the final fights, with the only advantages being Grimsley, N and Ghetsis.
Stats: Terrakion is a sweeper with 129 Attack, 108 Speed with 91/90/90 bulk.
Movepool: Starts with STABs in Rock Slide and Sacred Sword, gets X-Scissor via TM and Swords Dance comes at level 49.
Major Battles: You may be lucky to live a Psychic from Caitlin's Reuniclus and sweep at +2 with Swords Dance + Expert Belt X-Scissor. It is good for Grimsley, but watch out for Scrafty's Sand-Attack. It takes on N's Vanilluxe and Klinklang, and handles Archeops decently well. Ghetsis's Hydreigon is shaky (it outspeeds), but you can at least take on Bisharp and Bouffalant (latter lives unboosted Sacred Sword but you easily live EQ).
Additional Comments: Terrakion's default Justified Ability raises its Attack when hit by a damaging Dark-type move, which you can exploit with Pokemon weak to Dark against Grimsley and Ghetsis. Dusk Balls to catch it with can be bought from Driftveil.

Thundurus
Availability: End-game (Roaming Unova, triggered by going to Route 7 after trying to go through Route 10's gate with 8 badges).
Typing: Electric/Flying; Flying lets it hit Marshal super effectively, although Rock coverage is dangerous for it. Electric allows it to hit Flying-types and Water-types super-effectively, though no major trainers left specialize in these types. Its typing provides no useful resistances for end-game.
Stats: It has high Attack, Special Attack and Speed and decent bulk, but the lack of EVs will be noticeable in regard to its performance.
Movepool: It can be taught Fly through TM for Flying STAB along with Thunderbolt through TM or Discharge at level 44. Brick Break is also an option through TMs. It learns Crunch at level 49 and can be retaught Reversal for a strong Fighting-type move as well, but the latter isn't useful.
Major Battles: It can do fine against every member of the Elite Four, but will be heavily reliant on healing items to achieve a sweep. N and Ghetsis generally do not fear Thundurus at all, at most Ghetsis's Bisharp is taken out by Brick Break.
Additional Comments: Due to coming late, being a roamer with nasty mechanics, and lacking EVs or useful typing, Tornadus is generally not worth using. Consider using any Flying-type that comes earlier. If you really want to use it, use the Master Ball you get from Professor Juniper, but it's still not going to be worth it. The Prankster Ability gives status moves +1 priority, most notably Thunder Wave via TM.

Tornadus
Availability: End-game (Roaming Unova, triggered by going to Route 7 after trying to go through Route 10's gate with 8 badges).
Typing: Pure Flying type hits Marshal super effectively, although Rock coverage is dangerous for it. It provides no useful resistances for what is left.
Stats: It has a high Attack, Special Attack and Speed, but the lack of EVs will be noticeable in regard to its performance.
Movepool: TM-wise, It can be taught Acrobatics (its most powerful move) with Brick Break as coverage. Additionally, it learns Crunch at level 49 and can be retaught Reversal for stronger Fighting-type move, but the latter isn't useful.
Major Battles: It can do fine against every member of the Elite Four, but will be heavily reliant on healing items to achieve a sweep. N and Ghetsis generally do not fear Tornadus at all, at most Ghetsis's Bisharp is taken out by Brick Break.
Additional Comments: Due to coming late, being a roamer with nasty mechanics, and lacking EVs or useful typing, Tornadus is generally not worth using. Consider using any Flying-type that comes earlier. If you really want to use it, use the Master Ball you get from Professor Juniper, but it's still not going to be worth it. The Prankster Ability gives status moves +1 priority.

Trubbish
Availability: Routes 16 and 5, 20%.
Typing: Poison, giving a weakness to Clay and Caitlin, with Shauntal and most of Grimsley also resisting Poison STAB. Neutral elsewhere.
Stats: Trubbish has good 50/62/62 bulk and 65 Speed, with Garbodor having good stats all around save Special Attack.
Movepool: Acid Spray (obtained from level 22 or lower Trubbish) gets you by until Sludge Bomb at level 29. Stockpile at level 22 is essential to help Trubbish wall things, with the Rest TM (immediately available) and later on the Substitute TM helping with this. Toxic at level 36 is a key for major battles, where it will badly poison foes then setup with Stockpile and heal with Rest. Toxic Spikes can be helpful as can Amnesia at level 46.
Major Battles: Again, Trubbish and Garbodor generally Poison foes, Stockpile and then Rest, as they don't have the tools to do much else. Most of the endgame in particular will stop this strategy cold aside from potentially Marshal.
Additional Comments: Stench is the preferred Ability to flinch slower foes 10% of the time.
Spr 5b 629.png

Vullaby
Availability: Route 10, 20% encounter rate, only in Black Version.
Typing: Sadly, the Dark/Flying typing isn't helpful for the last few battles aside from Shauntal and Caitlin, and is neutral elsewhere.
Stats: Vullaby and Mandibuzz both have good bulk with decent Speed and dismal offenses.
Movepool: Air Slash and Dark Pulse at level 41 and 46 are your main STABs. Toxic, Rest and Substitute via TMs can help the line wall attacks better. Most of the other status moves Vullaby gets are too situational, aside from Tailwind upon capture and Nasty Plot via Heart Scale.
Major Battles: As Vullaby will often be unevolved for endgame, it won't stack up unless you grind to level 54 for Mandibuzz. Caitlin, Marshall, N and Ghetsis have coverage to hit the line's 4 weaknesses.
Additional Comments: Either Ability is fine for Vullaby, but both are generally situational.
Untiered: These Pokemon can't be obtained in-game without use of events or come postgame and thus can't be tiered. The exceptions are Reshiram and Zekrom, who are barely in time for the end of the game.

Genesect

Keldeo

Kyurem

Landorus

Meloetta

Reshiram

Victini

Zekrom

Zoroark

Zorua
 
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Ryota Mitarai

Shrektimus Prime
is a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Top Smogon Media Contributor
I am gonna start the write-ups by reserving Drilbur, Timburr (Trade), and Axew



Drilbur

Availability
: Early-game (Dust Clouds in Wellspring Cave).
Typing: Very few major opponents resist Drilbur's Ground typing, with Burgh only having his Leavanny resist it. Its Ground typing provides it with an immunity to Elesa's Volt Swtich strategies, while its Steel typing provides it with better matchups against Skyla, Brycen, Drayden/Iris, Shauntal, Caitlin, and Grimsley.
Stats: As a Drilbur, it has a really good Attack stat and a fine Speed stat, although the bulk is not as impressive. As an Excadrill, it gains a significant boost in Attack and gains a lot of HP, allowing it to survive most neutral and, in some cases, super effective moves. Its Speed as Excadrill is also high enough to outpace majority of the opponents in the late and endgame.
Movepool: Until it learns Metal Claw at level 15 and Dig at level 19, it will be relying on Fury Swipes. It also learns Rock Slide at level 29 and Rock Tomb through TM. It learns Earthquake at level 33 as well. It will be relying on Hone Claws for setting up until it learns Swords Dance as Excadrill at level 42. It can also be taught X-Scissor for Grass-types and Substitute through TMs.
Major Battles: It is able to contribute to the fight against Burgh and destroys the rest of the Gym Leaders. Starting from 8th Gym Leader onwards, Excadrill can sweep the whole Elite Four minus Marshal simply by setting up one Swords Dance. It is also capable of contributing majorly against N and Ghetsis (especially if you are playing in Black, because it can use N's Zekrom as a setup bait).
Additional Comments: Drilbur should be evolved at level 33 to learn Earthquake a little bit earlier, unless necessary. It can be given Soft Sand from Desert Resort. Drilbur is arguably one of the best Pokémon in BW and thus it is largely recommended to catch one, even if the method is kind of annoying.


Axew

Availability
: Late-game (20% chance of encounter in Mistralton Cave, accessed with Surf).
Typing: Great. Steel-types are rare in BW, so Dragon is practically unresisted. Ice and Dragon-types aren't common as well (outside of Brycen and Drayden/Iris), which means its Dragon typing gives it a huge bonus defensively, as it resists Grass, Fire, Water, and Electric.
Stats: It possesses a really high Attack stat, especially as Haxorus. Its Speed and defensive stats are also quite acceptable. However, as an Axew, it is a little bit frail, but evolves not after a while.
Movepool: Axew will have Dragon Claw upon being caught. It learns Dragon Dance at level 32 and Swords Dance at level 48 as Fraxure. It can also learn Brick Break, Shadow Claw, and X-Scissor through TMs as Haxorus, depending on which Trainer you fight.
Major Battles: By the time you face Brycen, you should have Fraxure. It is capable of sweeping all major fights that are left (including Brycen due to AI not clicking Frost Breath). Haxorus is the only Pokémon that can sweep the whole E4, along with N and Ghetsis, as it can rotate between its coverage to hit them.
Additional Comments: It is a good idea to have both DD and SD ready, as you need to use both to sweep N and Ghetsis. Axew prefers Mold Breaker, as it breaks through some Sturdy Pokémon. It can be given Yache Berry against Brycen. Its 4th move should rotate between which opponent you are facing (e.g. Brick Break for Grimsley, N, and Ghetsis, X-Scissor for Caitlin, and so on). Its slow Exp. growth rate is fixed with Lucky Egg.



Timburr (Traded)

Availability
: Early-game (20% chance of encounter in outer part of Pinwheel Forest).
Typing: Fighting hits the common Normal and Rock-types as well as Lenora, Clay, Brycen, Grimsley, and half of the teams of N and Ghetsis super-effectively.
Stats: It has a high Attack and HP stat and acceptable defenses as Conkeldurr, but it is a little bit slow. Timburr's Special Defense is pretty low, as well.
Movepool: It will initially rely on Low Kick and Rock Throw. At level 20, it will learn Wake-Up Slap. It learns Bulk Up and Rock Slide at levels 29 and 33, respectively, along with Hammer Arm at level 45 and Stone Edge at level 49. It also learns Brick Break by TM. The whole line shares the same level up learnset.
Major Battles: It does well against Lenora and can do well against Burgh if it's evolved at that point. It can also contribute to Elesa and sweep the rest of the Gym Leaders. It does well against Marshal and Grimsley, but struggles against the rest.
Additional Comments: If you have Sheer Force, do not teach Stone Edge over Rock Slide, as they would have almost the same power, but with Rock Slide being more accurate and having more PP, unless you want to land critical hits more often.

K now I am done for these mons, will eventually be back with more

edit: fixed some wrong order
 
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Here are some of my write-ups (also WIP):

Roggenrola (trade)
Spr 5b 526.png

Availability: Roggenrola is caught in Wellspring Cave at a 50% encounter rate.
Typing: Rock typing lets the line beat Lenora, Burgh, Elesa, Skyla, Brycen and N.
Stats: The Roggenrola line are reliable physical tanks, but also some of the slowest Pokémon in the game. As a Gigalith, it has 135 Attack coupled with 85/130/80 bulk.
Movepool: Roggenrola starts with Headbutt and picks up Rock Blast at level 14 and Iron Defense at level 20. If you keep it unevolved for 2 levels, Roggenrola picks up Rock Slide at level 27 instead of 30, which carries it to Stone Edge at 49. TM wise, Rock Smash, Return, Bulldoze and Toxic (good lategame with Sturdy) give it just enough diversity.
Major Battles: The line is a fantastic choice for Lenora, Burgh and (if the only mon in the party) Drayden/Iris with Iron Defense. Gigalith counters Elesa, Skyla and Brycen well, but should avoid Clay. Gigalith 2HKOes neutral endgame targets with Stone Edge. Against N in Black, Gigalith can boost on Zekrom with Iron Defense and sweep everything until Klinklang (watch out for Zoroark’s Focus Blast), and takes on Reshiram in White. It is useful for Ghetsis’s Eelektross and Bouffalant despite the latter having Earthquake.
Additional Comments: The default Sturdy Ability lets the Roggenrola line survive any hit if it is at full HP. Boldore requires a trade to evolve to Gigalith, and can make good use of Quick Claw or Hard Stone.

Roggenrola (no trade)
Spr 5b 525.png

Availability: Roggenrola is caught in Wellspring Cave at a 50% encounter rate.
Typing: Rock typing lets the Roggenrola line take on Lenora, Burgh, Elesa, Skyla, Brycen as well as N.
Stats: The Roggenrola line are reliable physical tanks, but also some of the slowest Pokémon in the game. After evolving into Boldore at level 25, it has 105 Attack and excellent bulk with Eviolite.
Movepool: Roggenrola starts with Headbutt and picks up Rock Blast at level 14 and Iron Defense at level 20. If you keep it unevolved for 2 levels, Roggenrola picks up Rock Slide at level 27 instead of 30, which carries it to Stone Edge at 49. TM wise, Rock Smash, Return, Bulldoze and Toxic (good lategame with Sturdy) give it just enough diversity.
Major Battles: The line is a fantastic choice for Lenora, Burgh and (if the only mon in the party) Drayden/Iris with Iron Defense. Boldore counters Elesa, Skyla, and Brycen well, but should mostly avoid Clay. It will generally be less useful endgame due to 105 Attack not hitting hard enough.
Additional Comments: The Sturdy Ability lets the Roggenrola line survive any hit if it is at full HP. Eviolite is required once you get it to make Boldore’s bulk more manageable.

Timburr (no trade)
Spr 5b 533.png

Availability: Early-game (Outer Pinwheel Forest, 20%).
Typing: Fighting hits the common Normal and Rock-types as well as Lenora, Clay, Brycen, Grimsley, and half of the teams of N and Ghetsis super-effectively.
Stats: It has a high Attack of 105 and excellent bulk as a Gurdurr with Eviolite but it is slow at 40 Speed.
Movepool: It will initially rely on Low Kick and Rock Throw. At level 20, it will learn Wake-Up Slap. It learns Bulk Up and Rock Slide at levels 29 and 33, respectively, along with Hammer Arm at level 45 and Stone Edge. It also learns Brick Break by TM. The whole line shares the same level up learnset. You can also give Gurdurr Payback via TM.
Major Battles: It does well against Lenora and can do well against Burgh if it's evolved at that point. It can also contribute to Elesa and sweep the rest of the Gym Leaders save for Skyla. It does well against Marshal and Grimsley, but struggles against the rest.
Additional Comments: If you have Sheer Force, do not teach Stone Edge over Rock Slide, as they would have almost the same power, but with Rock Slide being more accurate, unless you want to land critical hits more often.

Audino
Spr 5b 531.png

Availability: In any rustling grass after obtaining the first badge.
Typing: Audino is a Normal type, hitting most fights neutrally except for Shauntal who is immune and Marshal who hits it super-effectively.
Stats: 103/86/86 bulk make Audino sturdy. 50 Speed and the offensive stats of 60 are mitigated by...
Movepool: The main reason to use Audino. Offensively, you’ll have Pound and DoubleSlap until it gets Secret Power at level 20, where the 70 power is enough to carry you until Nimbasa City. where you can purchase Thunder Wave, your main STAB in Return as well as Reflect and Light Screen. In addition to the Dig and Grass Knot TMs early on, Audino also gets many Special TMs like Charge Beam, Shadow Ball, Thunderbolt (detour) Surf, Thunder, Fire Blast, and Blizzard later on. To utilize these effectively, it advised to teach Audino Work Up via TM.
Major Battles: With Secret Power, Work Up, and above average bulk, Audino takes on Lenora and Burgh fairly well. Work Up and Return keep it relevant against the other Gym Leaders who struggle to break the medic’s bulk. Audino’s movepool and Reflect/Light Screen keep it relevant endgame, with the Substitute TM and Work Up helping it sweep Shauntal and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Get Regenerator as a Ability. Catch Audino in the Dreamyard where it is within the level range of 8-11.

Druddigon
Spr 5b 621.png

Availability: 10% in every season but Winter at Dragonspiral Tower’s entrance.
Typing: Dragon typing lets Druddigon hit the remaining opponents neutrally with STAB, being fairly good against Drayden.
Stats: 77/90/90 bulk with 120 Attack makes Druddigon an effective tank, albeit one with a below-average 48 Speed.
Movepool: You start with Dragon Claw and Crunch, and you can immediately give Druddigon Rock Slide and Bulldoze via TM. Revenge is learned at level 35 for Fighting coverage and Hone Claws can be taught for a Heart Scale at the Move Reminder.
Major Battles: While Druddigon can be shaky against Brycen, it has the bulk to take Cryogonal’s Aurora Beam and hit back with Revenge or Rock Slide. You have an edge against the eighth gym because Dragon Tail which lets you strike first. Endgame, Crunch hits Shauntal and Caitlin, and Revenge can be used for Fighting-weak targets that Grimsley, N and Ghetsis use.
Additional Comments: You’ll want Sheer Force as an Ability to power up Druddigon’s moves with secondary effects.

Basculin
Spr 5b 550.png
Spr 5b 550B.png

Availability: Almost everywhere with Surf after you get it shortly after obtaining six badges.
Typing: Basculin are Water type, letting them take on Shauntal’s Chandelure, Grimsley’s Krookodile and N’s Archeops.
Stats: 92 Attack and 98 Speed make Basculin a physical sweeper that can’t take a hit (you won’t use 80 Special Attack much).
Movepool: Basculin gets Crunch at level 24 and Aqua Tail at level 28. You can TM Return or learn Double-Edge at 36 for Normal coverage. It can use the Waterfall HM on Route 18 as an alternative to Aqua Tail.
Major Battles: Basculin with Adaptability Waterfall/Aqua Tail has a decent matchup against all the remaining fights but Drayden, with Crunch hitting Shauntal’s Jellicent.
Additional Comments: There is a trade for Basculin if you give a Mincinno in Driftveil City, though that Basculin is inferior due to lacking the Adaptabilty Ability. You’ll want to use the Repel trick with a level 25 Pokemon on Route 6 (near Driftveil) to get Basculin caught up to the rest of your party. Red-Striped Basculin are in Black, while Blue-Striped Basculin are in White Version, though the opposite-striped Basculin can be found by Surfing into rippling water and both forms have identical stats.
 
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Made one

Darumaka(beta)
185243

Availability: Route 4 with a 40% chance of appearing
Typing: As a pure Fire-Type, it carries resistances to Grass, Bug, Steel and Ice while carrying a weakness to Water, Ground and Rock.
Stats: 90 Attack combined with Hustle make Darumaka an incredibly powerful Pokemon at this point in the game, while 55 Speed isn’t to shabby as is it’s 70/45/45 bulk. Darmanitan ties with Archeops and Conkeldurr for the 3rd highest ATK in the game at 140, while carrying a good 95 Speed to boot. 105/55/55 isn’t amazing bulk, but it’s usually enough to take a hit and compensates for Flare Blitz’s recoil.
Movepool: While it starts out pretty average, after it gets Fire Punch most things just die instantly to Darumaka’s fists. Belly drum at Level 30 is useful for sweeping certain matchups like Drayden and Ghetsis and Fkare Blitz at 33 is just “kill me now”. Other than these level up moves, Darumaka also gets coverage in Dig, Rock Tomb/Slide, Return and Brick Break
Major Battles: As Darumaka, only Clay shows any signs of threat towards the Zen Pokemon. Burgh is lol and Elesa’s frail moms are easily crushed by the power of Fire Pawnch. Darmanitan cleans sweeps every major battle barring Marshall and N with either brute strength or Belly Drun strats. Even Ghetsis falls to Darmanitan with a SubDrumXspeed strats.
Additional Comments: During the Winter in Icirrus City, it’s possible to get Darmanitan with the Ability Zen Mode instead of Sheer Force. Despite Zen Mode’s bulk and typing, it’s 50% HP requirement and lack of good Special Psychic Stab makes it a bad choice compared to sheer force.
 
Munna
Spr 5b 517.png

Availability: Dreamyard with a 20% encounter rate at levels 8 and 10.
Typing: Both Munna and Musharna are pure Psychic types, with Marshal being their only advantageous matchup.
Stats: Munna and Musharna focus on being bulky attackers, with Munna having 67 Special Attack with 76/45/55 bulk. After using a Moon Stone, those stats get increased to 117/85/95 bulk with 107 Special Attack as a Musharna; but both are extremely slow.
Movepool: Munna starts with Yawn, picking up Psybeam at level 11, Moonlight at level 17, Calm Mind at level 33 and Psychic at level 37, after which you should evolve Munna. TM-wise, Musharna can make use of Charge Beam, Shadow Ball, Thunder Wave, Reflect, and Light Screen.
Major Battles: As a Musharna, it starts doing pretty well against Skyla, Brycen and the 8th gym with Psychic, but has problems against the previous Gym Leaders unless you evolve early. If you have Calm Mind, it can do well against Shauntal, Caitlin and Marshal, often requiring support elsewhere.
Additional Comments: If you evolve Munna early, Musharna will start falling off soon after Clay as it will have Psybeam as STAB forever. If you evolve Munna later, it will 3HKO things throughout it's life as a Munna, but tank hits rather well with Eviolite. You can get a Musharna in the Dreamyard's rustling grass (before you get a Moon Stone) but this is unreliable with a 5% encounter rate.

Lillipup
Spr 5b 506.png

Availability: Early game on Route 1 from levels 2-4 at a 50% encounter rate.
Typing: The Lillipup line are Normal types and neutral against everything aside from Shauntal who is immune and Marshal who hits the line super-effectively.
Stats: The Lillipup line has solid stats except for Special Attack, with Stoutland having 100 Attack, 80 Speed and 85/90/90 bulk.
Movepool: Tackle and Bite carry Lillipup well until Take Down and Crunch at levels 15 and 24 respectively. Return via TM at Nimbasa City is the line's best STAB once they have high friendship, and the Work Up TM can be useful to boost offensive stats.
Major Battles: The Lillipup line has a solid showing in all major battles as few opponents resist Normal, with Ghost and the rare Steel types being handled by Crunch and Dig respectively. Work Up can help the line sweep some fights from Elesa onward.
Additional Comments: Get the Vital Spirit Ability as a Lillipup, as it turns into Intimidate as a Herdier onward, letting the line take physical hits better.

Venipede
Spr 5b 543.png

Availability: Early game, Pinwheel Forest (Inner), 15%.
Typing: Bug/Poison, which lets it only have a true advantage against Burgh’s Leavanny (Marshal has Stone Edge and Rock Slide).
Stats: Venipede has good stats all around with a penchant for Attack, Defense and Speed, only lacking in HP and Special Attack. Whirlipede becomes briefly defensive while Scolipede has 100 Attack, 112 Speed and 60/89/69 bulk.
Movepool: Venipede is unwieldy until it picks up Poison Tail at level 19 and Bug Bite at 22 before evolving into Whirlipede and learning Iron Defense. Early on, the line can make use of Rock Smash, Rock Tomb, Dig and Return via TMs. As a Scolipede, the line can relearn Megahorn via Heart Scale and teach Poison Jab and Rock Slide via TM later post-Surf. Scolipede's signature move, Steamroller (level 39) is outclassed by Megahorn and the X-Scissor TM.
Major Battles: Whirlipede can take on Burgh's Leavanny well, but should generally avoid Elesa. As a Scolipede at Clay, it can deal with Krokorok via Bug Bite and use Iron Defense and Dig for Excadrill. Scolipede should avoid Skyla, but can take on Brycen adequately and the 8th gym fairly well with Iron Defense. Scolipede is decent for Caitlin with Megahorn but should be careful of misses and Caitlin's STAB Psychic users. Aside from Shauntal, it can take on the rest of the endgame's physical threats decently well with Iron Defense, but should watch out for critical hits from moves like Stone Edge.
Additional Comments: Both Poison Point and Swarm have their uses, so either Ability is fine. Consider catching a Whirlipede once the dark grass inside Pinwheel Forest opens up after beating Burgh to skip the awkwardness of Venipede's early moves.

Vanillite
Spr 5b 582.png

Availability:
Mid-game; Cold Storage at 30% encounter rate.
Typing: The Vanillite line are pure Ice types, only having clear advantages against Brycen (with Flash Cannon) and the 8th gym.
Stats: Vanillite and Vanillish excel in Special Attack and Special Defense while having modest other stats. Once it evolves into Vanilluxe lategame, it has great stats all around with a fantastic 110 Special Attack and an acceptable 79 Speed.
Movepool: Vanillite starts with Avalanche for STAB, picking up Mirror Shot for Steel-type coverage and Acid Armor to buff Defense in a few levels. Before evolving at level 35, Vanillite learns the great STAB Ice Beam. Vanillish acquires Mirror Coat at level 47 and can be taught Flash Cannon and Light Screen via TM.
Major Battles: Vanillite can do decently against Clay with Acid Armor and Avalanche, though it will likely have difficulty soloing without items. Vanillish does well against Skyla and the 8th gym, and can take on Brycen if taught Flash Cannon. Against endgame, Vanilluxe tends to have one target it can hit super-effectively per battle aside from Marshal, and can turn the tables on special attackers with Mirror Coat.
Additional Comments: Vanillite evolves at level 35 and 47 into Vanillish and Vanilluxe respectively, so patience is needed when raising it.

Golett
Spr 5b 622.png

Availability: Lategame; Dragonspiral Tower 1F (50%), 2F (100%)
Typing: Golett and Golurk are Ground/Ghost types with advantages against Caitlin, Marshal and to an extent N and Shauntal.
Stats: Golett and Golurk are slow, but have great Attack and good defenses; Golurk has a exemplary 124 Attack with 89/80/80 bulk.
Movepool: Immediately reteach Shadow Punch for a Heart Scale in Mistralton City and TM Bulldoze on for physical STABs. Iron Defense is a great move for Golett against many opponents. By holding off on evolving two extra levels, Golett will learn Earthquake early at level 45 to replace Bulldoze. The fourth slot can be rotated from Bulldoze, the Brick Break / Low Sweep / Rock Slide / Substitute TMs and the Fly HM as Golurk.
Major Battles: If you have a Golurk with Earthquake, it can do really well at the 8th gym, as Fraxure and Haxorus will generally boost while you 2HKO (watch out Dark type coverage). Against the Elite 4, it takes on Shauntal and Caitlin with Shadow Punch and contribute against Grimsley and Marshal with Iron Defense, Earthquake, and Fly, even reliably soloing Marshal. Golurk performs well against N and is decent for Ghetsis, but watch out for super-effective coverage.
Additional Comments: The Iron Fist Ability is preferred over Klutz, as it will give Golett and Golurk's Shadow Punch a 20% boost.
 
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DHR-107

Robot from the Future
is a Member of Senior Staffis a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Pokemon Researcheris a Smogon Media Contributor
Orange Islands
Code:
[b]Availability:[/b] Example
[b]Typing:[/b] Example
[b]Stats:[/b] Example
[b]Movepool:[/b] Example
[b]Major Battles:[/b] Example
[b]Additional Comments:[/b] Example
Might want to throw the above into the OP so its easier to get a handle on.

Otherwise it's looking good so far. Infernape2018 Yours is massively unprofessional and really needs to be re-written. We don't use language like you've used and Smogon is supposed to be a professional website. Would you turn in an essay at school like that?

The only criticism I have is with the Typing section. But it's always been a bit of an odd one to try and describe. Re-stating the type table probably isn't the best use of this, but I would suggest talking more about the type in general, or whether it gives a resistance/advantage against a particular trainer.

BW2 List said:
Name: Azurill
Availability: Early Game, Floccesy Ranch, 20% (Azurill) - Mid Game, Route 6, 5% (Marill)
Stats: Only really lacking in Speed, but Azumarill is both bulky and packs a real punch when using Huge Power. It has essentially 150 Base Attack.
Typing: Water is a great typing both offensively and defensively. Water STAB in general is a huge asset and there are no principle Grass- and Electric-type trainers to worry about.
Movepool: Azurill gets access to Frustration as soon as it is obtained, and then Return immediately after the first gym. This goes well with its Normal typing and its evolution type. After that, Azumarill gets Aqua Tail at level 21, and then access to Waterfall and Superpower, as well as Ice Punch through tutoring.
Major Battles: It has uses against most of the gyms, just through sheer strength. Clay should prove no obstacle, and you can even smash through Drayden's Dragons. Against the Elite Four it is a similar story, just by using sheer strength. With Ice Punch you can take on Iris in a similar fashion, taking hits and firing back with super effective moves.
Additional Comments: Only use Huge Power. The other abilities will not help you at all. All you need is to take advantage of that wonderful Attack.
Slightly different order here, but under Typing, we highlighted what was positive about the typing rather than just stating its type matchups. We don't even bother mentioning Elesa as anything to worry about because Azumarill has no business being used in that gym (even though it PROBABLY bops a few things with Return/Aqua Tail no issues). The only two things I'd mention is to keep tabs on whats been worked on in the OP (probably with just an edit and a username or something) and try to be more concise on the information being given. Shorter is always better in these lists. For example, the line about not being able to relearn some of the moves in Munna's movepool is kinda redundant information, as none of those moves are relevant to its use.

OH BIG ONE: You appear to be calcing Eviolite like it gives a +50% boost to your Base stat, which is wrong. It acts like Cosmic Power, giving you +1Def/Spcl Def (as in, it gives a 50% boost to your stat value, not the base). So some of your Stats things are wrong for Pokemon like Gurdurr or Boldore.
 
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Tweaked most of the previous writeups last week. Finished Karrablat (trade), Sawk, Frillish and some other stuff.
Karrablast (trade):
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Availability: Karrablast is found on Route 6 at a 25% encounter rate.
Typing: Bug/Steel typing gives Escavalier 9 helpful resistances that help out against the final two gyms, Shauntal, Caitlin, N and (to an extent) Grimsley. Fire moves are rare save for Shauntal's Chandelure, N's Reshiram and Ghetsis's Hydriegon and Eelektross.
Stats: Fantastic bulk of 70/105/105 and Attack of 135 makes Escavalier an effective tank, though 20 Speed means it will always move second.
Movepool: Rough early, but Escavalier soon gets Iron Head at level 37, the/X-Scissor TM and Swords Dance at 52, with Slash/Return as coverage.
Major Battles: Escavalier sweeps Clay with Fury Cutter (steal a Persim Berry for Swagger). Escavalier solos Brycen, the 8th gym and 2/3 of Skyla's team too (use Slash on Swanna). Escavalier handles the endgame well via Iron Defense and Swords Dance, though Shauntal and Ghetsis are shaky.
Additional Comments: Make sure you get a level 26 or lower Karrablast for Fury Cutter. Shed Skin is the preferred Ability as a Karrablast, as it becomes Battle Armor after evolving which helps Escavalier avoid critical hits. You need to trade a Shelmet for a Karrablast so the latter can evolve.

Sawk
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Availability: Pinwheel Forest (Outer), 10% Black, 5% white (rustling)
Typing: Fighting typing lets Sawk take on Lenora, Brycen, Grimsley, N and Ghetsis well, though it loses to Shauntal and Caitlin.
Stats: 125 Attack and 85 Speed make Sawk an effective sweeper with 75/75/75 overall bulk.
Movepool: Sawk upgrades from Double Kick to Low Sweep to Brick Break to Close Combat throughout the game, with TM moves like Return and Rock Slide providing useful coverage. Work Up and Bulk Up at 33 can help Sawk boost it’s Attack.
Major Battles: Wins handily against Lenora, but needs Work Up/Bulk Up to sweep most of the other gyms. Against the Elite 4, Sawk sweeps Grimsley and is neutral against Marshal. STAB Close Combat takes care of half of both N and Ghetsis’s teams.
Additional Comments: Sturdy is the preferred Ability but not required. Try and catch a Sawk at level 17 from dark grass to start with Low Sweep.

Frillish
Male

Availability: Driftveil City 100%, levels 10-25 elsewhere
Typing: Water/Ghost allows Jellicent to take on Brycen, Marshal and Caitlin fairly well and is average elsewhere.
Stats: Frillish and Jellicent have great HP and Special Defense, good Special Attack and average Defense as well as somewhat slow Speed.
Movepool: Surf and Shadow Ball make serviceable STABS, and Will-O-Wisp and Recover can be used against physical threats.
Major Battles: Brycen is rather easy for Jellicent due to it’s Ice resistance, though it is shaky against the 8th gym due to Dark moves. Jellicent can burn Marshal and stall him out with Recover rather reliably despite the presence of Payback. Jellicent’s special bulk allows it to take on Caitlin, but is uneven against Shauntal. It can hit a few of N’s Pokémon like Klinklang and Vanilluxe, as well as Ghetsis’s Seismitoad safely.
Additional Comments: Cursed Body is the preferred Ability over Water Absorb due to greater general use.

Pawniard
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Availability:
Route 9 at a 20% encounter rate.
Typing: Dark/Steel is helpful for the 8th gym, Shauntal, and Caitlin, and is decent elsewhere with nine resistances and two immunities.
Stats: Pawniard and Bisharp have great Attack and good Defense with roughly average other stats.
Movepool: Pawniard has awful starting STABs in Metal Claw and Assurance until Night Slash at level 49 and Iron Head at 54 if you hold off evolution two levels. TM-wise, Rock Slide, Low Sweep/Brick Break, Return and Dig provide useful coverage. Don't use Iron Defense.
Major Battles: Aside from the above mentioned in Typing, the line is terrible for Marshall and Grimsley, and N and Ghetsis have coverage for it.
Additional Comments: Defiant is the preferred Ability. Due to a lacking movepool and evolving to Bisharp at level 52, the line is a subpar choice.

Rufflet
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Availability:
Route 10, 20% encounter rate, only in White Version.
Typing: Normal/Flying typing gives the line an advantage against Shauntal and Marshall, being neutral elsewhere aside from Grimsley's Scrafty.
Stats: Rufflet and Braviary have slightly above average bulk and Speed with great Attack.
Movepool: Slash and Aerial Ace are good starting moves, and Return, Rock Slide and Fly can be taught via their respective TMs and HM. Tailwind at level 37 and Hone Claws via Heart Scale are the only other feasible options, as Brave Bird is learned too late.
Major Battles: As Rufflet will often be unevolved for endgame, it won't stack up unless you grind to level 54 for Braviary. Caitlin, Marshall, N and Ghetsis have coverage to hit the line's 3 weaknesses.
Additional Comments: Rufflet is one of the worst lategame options and should never be considered for an efficient Pokemon White playthrough.

Vullaby
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Availability:
Route 10, 20% encounter rate, only in Black Version.
Typing: Sadly, the Dark/Flying typing isn't helpful for the last few battles aside from Shauntal and Caitlin, and is neutral elsewhere.
Stats: Vullaby and Mandibuzz both have good bulk with decent Speed and dismal offenses.
Movepool: Air Slash and Dark Pulse at level 41 and 46 are your main STABs. Toxic, Rest and Substitute via TMs can help the line wall attacks better. Most of the other status moves Vullaby gets are too situational, aside from Tailwind upon capture and Nasty Plot via Heart Scale.
Major Battles: As Vullaby will often be unevolved for endgame, it won't stack up unless you grind to level 54 for Mandibuzz. Caitlin, Marshall, N and Ghetsis have coverage to hit the line's 4 weaknesses.
Additional Comments: Vullaby is one of the worst lategame options and should never be considered for an efficient Pokemon Black playthrough.

Bouffalant
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Availability: Route 10 at a 20% encounter rate.
Typing: Normal typing is average in the remaining fights save for an immunity to Shauntal and a weakness to Marshal.
Stats: Great 95/95/95 bulk and a 110 Attack lets Bouffalant tank well, though it is slow at 55 Speed.
Movepool: Bouffalant starts with Revenge and the signature move of Head Charge, a 120 power STAB move with 1/4 recoil. Bouffalant learns Megahorn at level 41 and the Payback Bulldoze, Rock Slide and Wild Charge TMs provide useful coverage, with Return as a alternative STAB.
Major Battles: Bouffalant uses Head Charge in most fights (including the 8th gym), as it typically out damages coverage moves unless they hit super-effectively. Payback can help against Shauntal (watch out for Cofagrigus's Will-O-Wisp) and Revenge and Megahorn can be useful for Grimsley and Caitlin. Bouffalant can put in work against N and Ghetsis with coverage and Head Charge, but should avoid Marshal.
Additional Comments: Reckless is the preferred Ability, as it gives Head Charge and Wild Charge a 20% damage boost.

Heatmor
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Availability: Late-game on the rough patches outside Victory Road at a 45% encounter rate.
Typing: Fire typing is neutral virtually everywhere against the remaining six fights save for Bisharp and 1/3 of N's team.
Stats: Good mixed offenses and okay HP, with lackluster stats everywhere else.
Movepool: Not much in Heatmor's natural movepool is worth learning aside from Amnesia at level 46 and Flamethrower at level 51. Focus Blast, Fire Blast, Return, Shadow Claw and Dig can be taught for coverage.
Major Battles: Heatmor will typically be bad in the final fights due to lacking EVs, though it can hit Grimsley's and Ghetsis's Bisharp with STAB and smack Shauntal and Caitlin with Shadow Claw. Marshal has Rock coverage for Heatmor, but the anteater can beat N's Vanilluxe and Klinklang.
Additional Comments: Neither Ability of Gluttony or Flash Fire are particularly helpful for Heatmor.

Deino
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Availability:
End-game; Victory Road 1F (middle and rightmost room), 20%
Typing: Dark/Dragon typing is only helpful for Shauntal and Caitlin terrible for Marshal, being neutral elsewhere.
Stats: Deino has underwhelming stats, with Zweilous having roughly average stats aside from Speed. Hydreigon is feasibly out of reach at level 64.
Movepool: Crunch and Dragon Rush are primary STABs, with the only other options being Work Up, Body Slam (level 48) and Thunder Wave (TM).
Major Battles: Zweilous is good for Shauntal and Caitlin, but bad elsewhere due to lacking stats compared to everything else. Avoid Marshal.
Additional Comments: As Zweilous evolves to Hydreigon until 64 and most teams finish the game around 50, it is one of the worst choices to use.

Larvesta
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Availability:
Route 18 (Surf required). You receive a Larvesta Egg in a house from a Pokemon Ranger which hatches at level 1.
Typing: Bug/Fire, giving a quad weakness to the common Rock type.
Stats: 85 Attack and 60 Speed, with other stats being mostly 55.
Movepool: Larvesta gains new moves every 10 levels, with Flame Charge at 30 and Bug Bite at 40 providing STAB. Acrobatics and Wild Charge via TMs provide coverage.
Major Battles: Brycen isn't inherently favorable for Larvesta due to Vanillish's tendency to Acid Armor and Beartic's propensity to Swagger and Brine. In all other major battles Larvesta will get outmuscled due to lacking stats.
Additional Comments: Flame Body is the preferred ability to burn physical attackers using contact moves 30% of the time.

Alomomola
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Availability:
Late-game; Driftveil City, Surf in rippling water (95%), levels 10-30 (also found elsewhere)
Typing: Water typing's only real benefit for Alomomola is walling Brycen better via resistance, average everywhere else save the 8th gym.
Stats: Alomomola has a massive 160/80/45 bulk, but it's Attack and Speed are about average with Special Attack being a low 40.
Movepool: Alomomola is heavily skewed toward status and support moves, with it's best ones being Wish (level 37), Protect (Heart Scale/TM) and Toxic and Light Screen from TMs. The only viable offensive moves it gets are Waterfall and Return, with Aqua Ring being available via Heart Scale.
Major Battles: Alomomola functions similarly in all major battles by using Light Screen for team support and stalling with Toxic, Protect and Wish.
Additional Comments: Hydration is the preferred ability as it can be combed with Rest and the Rain Dance TM for free healing, but isn't required.
Alomomola is generally one of the worst choices for an efficient play through of Pokemon Black and White.

Emolga
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Availability: Routes 5/16, rustling grass, 10% encounter rate at level 22.
Typing: Electric/Flying gives Emolga advantages against Skyla and Marshall. Rock moves are common but Ice moves are rare outside Brycen.
Stats: 103 Speed is solid with average offenses of 75 and somewhat fragile 55/60/60 bulk.
Movepool: Emolga's early Electric STABs (Shock Wave/Spark/Electro Ball/Volt Switch) are interchangeable. You get Acrobatics at level 30 for Flying STAB, Light Screen at level 34, and Discharge at level 50 (the Thunderbolt TM is an alternative). Agility at level 46 can help power up Electro Ball.
Major Battles: Good against Skyla and Marshal and neutral elsewhere. It can do decently against Shauntal's Jellicent, Grimsley's Scrafty and Caitlin's Sigilyph (watch out for Ice Beam from it though).
Additional Comments: You can trade a Boldore for Emolga with Hiker Manny on Route 7. The male Lax natured Emolga is level 30 with Lum Berry and 20/20/31/20/20/20 IVs. Emolga's default Static Ability paralyzes contact move users 30% of the time and can also power up Electro Ball.

Cottonee
Spr 5b 546.png

Availability:
Pinwheel Forest (Inner) 35% at levels 14-17 (only in Black Version).
Typing: Grass typing only gives a definite advantage against Clay and a few other individual targets in major battles. Mostly poor elsewhere.
Stats: Cottonee and Whimsicott have mediocre stats aside from good Speed and overall average bulk.
Movepool: Stun Spore and Leech Seed are useful, and Mega Drain (Giga Drain at level 26) provides STAB. Charm at level 28 is useful, but it is generally not recommended to go for Cotton Guard at level 37 as numerous opponents have high critical hit-ratio or super-effective moves. Whimsicott gets Tailwind at 28 to replace Stun Spore as well as the Shadow Ball and Light Screen TMs. Hurricane at level 46 gives Flying coverage.
Major Battles: Cottonee struggles against numerous major battles either through a type disadvantage or simply not hitting hard enough. Endgame, it can hit Shauntal's Jellicent, Grimsley's Krookodile, N's Carracosta and Ghetsis's Sesmitoad and is neutral otherwise. Cottonee can support the team with numerous status moves but will generally won't faint anything it doesn't hit super-effectively.
Additional Comments: Prankster is the preferred ability to give Cottonee's status moves +1 priority. Sun Stone is given by an Ace Trainer in a building in Nimbasa City to evolve Cottonee. In White Version, you can trade a Petilil to Dye in Nacrene City. The Modest natured Cottonee (Fluffee) has the Chlorophyll Ability, is level 15 with a Cheri Berry and has 20/20/20/31/20/20 IVs.

Sandile
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Availability:
Route 4 from levels 14-18 at a 40% encounter rate.
Typing: Ground/Dark type gives the line advantages against Elesa, Shauntal and Caitlin, being generally average elsewhere.
Stats: Sandile and Krokorok are glass cannons with high Attack and Speed but dismal defenses. Krookodile, however, has good 95/80/70 bulk as well as a great 117 Attack and 92 Speed.
Movepool: Level 14-15 Sandile start out with Bite which is preferable to Assurance otherwise. Sandile gets the Rock Tomb and Dig TMs as well as Crunch at level 28 which are staple STABs. Later on, Krokorok gets the Brick Break/Low Sweep/Rock Slide/Return TMs which give it wide coverage. It is highly recommended to hold off on evolving Krokorok for eight levels to get Earthquake at level 48 as opposed to 54 as Krookodile.
Major Battles: The Sandile line has a strong showing in all major battles, even ones where it has a disadvantage, thanks to Moxie and good Speed. It can sweep Elesa with Rock Tomb and Dig, fares decently against Clay's Excadrill, is superb against Shauntal and Caitlin and hits 1/3 of N and Ghetsis's teams super-effectively (N's Carracosta is shaky due to Sturdy and Aqua Jet). Brycen and Marshal are tough for the line but still workable.
Additional Comments: Moxie is the preferred Ability over Intimidate to increase the line's Attack stat each time it faints a Pokemon.

Stunfisk
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Availability:
Lategame in Iccirus City; Puddles (Spring, Summer, Autumn, 20%, levels 31-32), (Winter, 100% Surfing, levels 15-35).
Typing: Ground/Electric typing is average against the major battles aside from losing to Brycen and being rather good against Shauntal.
Stats: Great 109/84/99 bulk with good 81 Special Attack (Attack is 66) with a sluggish 32 Speed.
Movepool: Mud Shot/Mud Bomb serve as special Ground STAB with Bulldoze and Dig on the physical side. Discharge is generally preferably to Thunderbolt (level 45/TM) due to the 30% paralysis chance. Muddy Water (level 40), Scald and Surf provide Water coverage, with Bounce (35) Revenge (50) and Sludge Bomb and Rock Slide (for 30% flinch chance post-parylsis) being other options.
Major Battles: Bad against Brycen, but good against Shauntal's Chandelure and to an extent Jellicent. Stunfisk has a favorable matchup against Grimsley's Bisharp, Caitlin's Sigilyph, as well as Ghetsis's Bisharp. Stunfisk is particularly good against several of N's roster and average elsewhere.
Additional Comments: Static is the preferred Ability over Limber as it paralyzes contact move users 30% of the time.
 
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Ryota Mitarai

Shrektimus Prime
is a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Top Smogon Media Contributor
A lot of incoming




Availability: End-game (Victory Road's first floor with 40% chance to appear).
Typing: Bug allows it to hit Grimsley and Caitlin super effectively, while providing it with resistance against them. However, it is hit neutrally by Marshal's Fighting moves and is vulnerable to any Fire-type coverage.
Stats: Durant possesses a high Attack, Defense, and Speed (which allows it to outspeed majority of the opponents that are left even without much EVs), but all other stats are really low. Furthermore, Durant will work with low amount of EVs due to coming late.
Movepool: Crunch, Dig and Iron Head will be known upon being captured. It should be taught X-Scissor through TM, as it its strongest Bug-type STAB. Rock Slide through TM is also an option.
Major Battles: Durant doesn't have much fights left, but it can do well against Grimsley and Caitlin. It can also beat N's Archeops, Vanilluxe, and Zoroark with the appropriate STAB move.
Additional Comments: Durant comes with either Swarm or Hustle as ability, with Hustle making it more powerful, but more prone to missing, while Swarm maintains most of its moves' perfect accuracy. Durant should be trained with trainers from Route 10 in order to gain both experience and EVs quickly.




Availability: Late-game (Outside of Dragonspiral Tower with 30% chance to appear in both types of grass)
Typing: Fighting allows it to hit common Normal-types, along with Brycen and Grimsley super effectively. However, it is left vulnerable to Shauntal and Caitlin, whose Pokémon can take Fighting-type moves comfortably.
Stats: Mienfoo's Attack and Speed are mediocre at best, with the rest being even lower. Mienfoo gains a significant boost in Attack and Speed upon evolving, however, and can outpace majority of the end-game opponents.
Movepool: Mienfoo will have Drain Punch upon being caught and will learn Jump Kick at level 37. It can be taught Work Up, Brick Break, Acrobatics, and Rock Slide through TMs as well.
Major Battles: Mienfoo does well against Brycen and Drayden/Iris, though for the latter it needs to set up 3 Work Ups. Grimsley is also a good matchup, and Mienshao can defeat N's Zoroark, Klinklang, and Vanilluxe.
Additional Comments: It is a good idea to catch a Mienfoo from the dark grasses from outer Dragonspiral Tower (accessible only in winters), as it will be caught at a higher level and thus will need less grinding. Keep in mind that Mienfoo is heavily reliant on Jump Kick, which is fatal if it misses. Regenerator is the preferred ability, as Inner Focus barely does anything relevant.




Availability: Late-game (Route 7 with 30% chance to appear in winters in both types of grass).
Typing: Ice allows it to hit Drayden super-effectively, along with the common Grass and Flying-types, but almost all major opponents bar Brycen hit it at least neutrally.
Stats: As a Beartic, it possesses a high Attack and acceptable HP, Defense, and Special Defense, but its Speed is really lacking.
Movepool: Upon evolving, it will learn Icicle Crash immediately. Brick Break, Rock Slide, Surf, Waterfall, and Shadow Claw are all TMs that can be taught to it. Superpower can also be retaught through the move relearner. As a Cubchoo, its STAB will be Icy Wind.
Major Battles: Beartic does well against Skyla and Drayden/Iris, along with Brycen due to Superpower and/or Rock Slide. Against the Elite Four, it can only take down Pokémon that are weak to Ice, such as Shauntal's Golurk.
Additional Comments: Catch a Cubchoo from normal grass, as dark grass ones will not have Icy Wind in their movesets, as they come at too high levels.




Availability: Late-game (Celestial Tower from third floor onwards)
Typing: Psychic gives it a type advantage against Marshal and Team Plasma's Trubbish, but is left severely weak to Grimsley and vulnerable to Shauntal, along with other Ghost-type coverage.
Stats: Elgyem possesses a good Special Attack, although the other stats are rather mediocre. Upon evolving, its Special Attack becomes even higher, and its bulk becomes somewhat better.
Movepool: Elgyem will be working with Zen Headbutt and (potentially) Hidden Power, until it learns Psychic at level 39. It also learns Calm Mind at level 43 and, as Beheeyem,Recover at level 50. Shadow Ball is a mandatory TM moves that it should learn, allowing it to do better against Caitlin and Shauntal. It can also be taught Charge Beam for Skyla.
Major Battles: Elgyem can do well against Skyla with Charge Beam and Drayden/Iris. Against the Elite Four, it autoloses to Grimsley, but does well against the rest, especially by setting up on them. However, it will generally require healing every fight and it cannot sweep Shauntal fully due to her Golurk outspeeding.
Additional Comments: Hold up Elgyem's evolution by 2 levels so it can learn Calm Mind a little bit earlier.




Availability: Late-game (100% chance of encounter at Celestial Tower's 2nd floor).
Typing: Ghost lets it hit Psychic-types and other Ghost-types like Caitlin and Shauntal's Pokémon, while Fire allows it to hit the common Grass and Bug, along with Brycen. However, Grimsley and Rock, Water, and Ground coverage threaten it significally.
Stats: As a Litwick, its stats are not impressive, especially its Speed stat. Evolution does fix the stats to an extent, but not completely. However, as a Chandelure, it possesses a really high 145 Special Attack, a good 80 Speed and acceptable 90 Defense and Special Defense.
Movepool: Litwick will rely on Flame Burst and a Hex + Will-o-Wisp combination as its STABs. It can be taught Fire Blast and Shadow Ball through TMs as well.
Major Battles: It does well against Brycen as Lampent or Chandelure and can do well against Drayden. It also performs well against Shauntal and Caitlin and can contribute nicely to every other matchup, either by KOing a specific threat or by spreading burns.
Additional Comments: A Dusk Stone can be found in Mistralton Cave, allowing you to use a Chandelure against Brycen and for more Route trainers, but requires a detour. Another one can be found on Route 10, but it comes later. Litwick's late evolution (level 41) is an off-set for Chandelure's destructive nature and its ability to help in every matchup, either with sheer power or Will-o-Wisp. Flame Body is the preferred ability, as it increases the chances of spreading burns.




Availability: Early-game (35% chance of appearing in inner Pinwheel Forest).
Typing: Grass allows it to hit common Ground, Water, and Rock-type Pokémon, most notably Clay. Its Bug typing provides it with advantage against other Grass-types, Caitlin, and Grimsley. However, it is left with many weaknesses, the most fatal being Flying and Fire.
Stats: Its stats as Sewaddle and Swadloon are fine for early-game. Leavanny possesses a high Attack and Speed for the rest of the game, although its bulk will let it down as the game advances.
Movepool: It will learn Bug Bite and Razor Leaf as STABs very early, along with Leaf Blade and Swords Dance at levels 36 and 46, respectively. It can be taught Return, as it will have high power after evolving into Leavanny. Shadow Claw through TM is a good choice to hit Shauntal hardly. X-Scissor should also be taught through TM as well.
Major Battles: Swadloon takes out Burgh's Leavanny, while as a Leavanny, it can take out one of Elesa's Emolga and beat Clay bar his Excadrill and Brycen bar his Beartic. It sweeps all Elite Four members minus Marshal, where it struggles a little bit more. It can also help against Ghetsis by taking down Seismitoad and Cofagrigus.
Additional Comments: Swadloon will likely evolve before Elesa, but definitely before Clay. Use massages in Castelia to your advantage.




Availability: Early-game (20% chance to appear in Route 3).
Typing: Electric allows it to hit all Water-types bar Palpitoad and Seismitoad, along with Skyla and other Flying-types. It leaves it with the sole weakness to Ground, represented majorly only by Clay.
Stats: Zebstrika possesses a high Speed stat, allowing it to outpace majority of the game, and great Attack stat. Its defensive stats are fine, but not the best.
Movepool: It will have Shock Wave at level 11 and can be taught the handy Thunder Wave at level 15. Flame Charge Charge is learnt at level 18, allowing it to hit the Electric-resistant Grass-types, and Spark and Wild Charge at levels 25 (as Blitzle) and 47 (as Zebstrika), respectively. Return can be taught through TM in order to give it a better matchup against Ground-types.
Major Battles: Flame Charge allows it to beat Burgh's Leavanny. It does well against Elesa as Zebstrika and can, surprisingly, take out 2/3 of Clay's team, by mitigating Speed drops from Krokorok's Bulldoze with Flame Charge, and hitting them with Return. It also sweeps Skyla effortlessly and can do well against Brycen. From that moment, it can only take down specific targets, mostly ones weak to Electric, like Shauntal's Jellicent, but can also spread paralysis with Thunder Wave.
Additional Comments: A Zebstrika can also be caught at Route 7, thus skipping Blitzle's rather bad period, but it misses on all good matchups it has before that.




Availability: Mid-game (10% chance to appear in Desert Resort).
Typing: Both Psychic and Flying allow it to hit Marshal and other Fighting-types super effectively, but is left vulnerable to Shauntal and Grimsley. Common Rock coverage is also problematic
Stats: Great Speed and Special Attack make Sigilyph great for Route trainers, although its bulk is not really high.
Movepool: Sigilyph comes with Psybeam upon being caught, learning Air Cutter one level later. It learns Light Screen and Reflect at levels 24 and 28, respectively (as well through TMs if needed). Air Slash at level 41 and Psychic at level 44 are the last level-up moves it's going to need. Additionally, Charge Beam and Shadow Ball can be taught through TMs, and it can be given Fly to travel around the region, but is generally useless for battles.
Major Battles: It can beat Clay bar his Excadrill, Skyla, Drayden/Iris, and Marshal. In every other matchup, the most it can do is set up a Reflect or Light Screen for another teammate to take advantage of.
Additional Comments: Before going through the Desert Resort, make sure to take the 10 Ultra Balls from Professor Juniper to make its capture easier. Magic Guard is the preferred ability due to making Sigilyph harder to wear down.




Availability: Early-game (35% chance to appear in inner Pinwheel Forest in White, obtainable only by trade in Nacrene City in Black).
Typing: Grass allows it to hit Clay and common Water, Rock and Ground-types, but the common Bug, especially Burgh, and Poison-types generally pose threat to it, both offensively and defensively.
Stats: Petilil's stats for its period are acceptable. As a Lilligant, it has a high Speed and Special Attack, with them and the Special Defense affected by Quiver Dance.
Movepool: Growth, Mega Drain, Sleep Powder, and Leech Seed are likely the moves it's gonna start with. It learns Synthesis at level 17, Magical Leaf at level 19, Stun Spore at level 22, and Giga Drain at level 26. As a Lilligant, it will learn Quiver Dance at level 28 and Petal Dance at level 47.
Major Battles: As a Lilligant, it can sweep every major fight by setting up enough Quiver Dances. However, in some cases, it needs to put them to sleep with Sleep Powder in order to accumulate Quiver Dance boosts safely. It also needs a lot of them in order to take down any team that has a Grass-resistant Poémon in it (which are a lot).
Additional Comments: Once it learns Giga Drain, evolve it immediately, before level 28. Sun Stone can be found in a building in Nimbasa, given by an Ace Trainer.


EDIT: Here are more:



Availability: Late-game (39% chance to appear in Chargestone Cave).
Typing: Electric lets it handle all Flying-types, most notably Skyla, along with huge part of Water-types. Its Bug typing allows it to hit Grimsley and Marshal super effectively, while also making Ground moves neutral. However, Rock and Fire coverage will get into its way.
Stats: It has a high Speed stat, making Electro Ball a high power move in a lot of situations, and a good Special Attack, although its bulk is not really impressive.
Movepool: It comes with Bug Bite and Electroweb upon being caught. At level 29 and 34 it will learn Electro Ball and Signal, respectively. It should be taught Thunder through TM at one point. Charge Beam is also an option for it, although not fundamentally needed.
Major Battles: As a Galvantula, it sweeps Skyla and Brycen and can contribute in the fight against Drayden/Iris. At the Elite Four, it can contribute by taking out specific threats, but generally does not sweep.
Additional Comments: Catch a Joltik with Compound Eyes, as it's needed to spam Thunder more than general.




Availability: Mid-game (Driftveil Drawbridge shadows).
Typing: Flying gives it an advantage against Fighting-types like Marshal's, while Water allows it to threaten Ground-types, most notably Clay, Rock, and Fire-types. However, it is easily picked off by Electric-type moves.
Stats: Ducklett and Swanna's stats are generally not high and average at best, with highest being 97 Speed as Swanna.
Movepool: Level-up-wise, the only notable moves are Air Slash and Roost at level 24 and 30, respectively, and Brave Bird at level 47 as Swanna. TM-wise, it should be taught Scald immediately. Rain Dance at level 34 can also be taught to boost Water-type moves' power. It makes a great HM slave, as it can learn and use efficiently both Surf and Fly.
Major Battles: It can beat Clay, except his Excadrill, and sweep every other Gym, minus Drayden/Iris due to Haxorus. Against the Elite Four, it can be used to take down specific threats, almost reaching a sweep on Marshal and Grimsley, although there's always one Pokémon that prevents a sweep. Caitlin is also a bad matchup.
Additional Comments: As a Ducklett, it will rely heavily on Mystic Water for damage output. One can be obtained from Nacrene City for saying you picked Oshawott (even if you didn't) before Surf.




Availability: Mid-game (35% chance to appear in Route 6).
Typing: Grass allows it to hit Clay and common Rock and Ground-types super effectively, while Normal allows it to hit Bug and Poison neutrally. However, it leaves it in a tight spot against Skyla, Brycen, and Marshal.
Stats: Deerling has a good Speed, but the other stats are rather low. As a Sawsbuck, it gets a higher Speed and great Attack, while its bulk becomes more acceptable.
Movepool: Jump Kick and Take Down are the notable moves it will have upon being caught. At level 32, it learns its first Grass STAB, Energy Ball. Upon evolution, at level 37, it learns Horn Leech. It can be taught Return through TMs as well. Megahorn through move relearner is a great choice as well.
Major Battles: It can sweep Clay with healing, Brycen, and Drayden/Iris with the exception of Haxorus. It does well against Shauntal, Grimsley, and Caitlin, and can beat Ghetsis's Bisharp and Seismitoad.
Additional Comments: You can catch a Deerling from dark grasses as well, for higher levels.




Availability: Late-game (8% chance to appear in Chargestone Cave's lowest floor).
Typing: Electric allows it to hit Skyla and Water-types super effectively. It is not threatened by Ground-type moves due to Levitate.
Stats: As Tynamo, its stats are rather bad, but its bulk can be fixed with Eviolite, while its Special Attack becomes acceptable with Charge Beam boosts. As Eelektross, it gains great offensive stats and good defensive ones, although its Speed is still low.
Movepool: It will have Charge Beam, Thunder Wave, and Spark as notable moves when caught. It will learn Crunch upon evolving and can be retaught Discharge through move relearner. If you hold up evolving Eelektrik until level 44, it can also learn Thunderbolt, though it's generally not worth it (although you can also teach it through TM if you go all the way back to get it). Acrobatics and Grass Knot are also good options for it through TMs.
Major Battles: It can sweep Skyla even as Tynamo, as long as it has Eviolite. Brycen is swept by Eelektross as well. However, Eelektross can only take down specific threats that are weak to its coverage, such as Caitlin's Sigilyph and Ghetsis's Seismitoad with Grass Knot, as it generally requires many healing items to sweep any of them, although it can help by spreading paralysis with Thunder Wave.
Additional Comments: A Thunderstone can be found in Chargestone Cave, so evolve immediately when Tynamo evolves into Eelektrik. Although the upper floors also have Tynamo, they are with a 2% chance of encounter only, thus you should stick with the lowest floor.




Availability: Late-game (20% chance to appear in Chargestone Cave).
Stats: Ferroseed line possesses good Defense and acceptable Special Defense, but its Speed is really low, making it take a hit before doing anything (although it does make Gyro Ball more powerful). Its Attack is generally acceptable.
Movepool: It will know Metal Claw and Gyro Ball upon being caught and, depending on the level, either Curse (24 or 25) or Iron Defense (26). It Power Whip upon evolution and Iron Head at level 46 for more PP.
Major Battles: Ferroseed can do well against Skyla, but needs a lot of Curse boosts to beat her successfully. It also does well against Brycen and extremely well against Drayden. It takes out Shauntal's Golurk and Jellicent, can beat Grimsley by setting up Curse, Caitlin's Gothitelle and Musharna by a virtue of its typing, however, it struggles a bit against Marshal. It can also beat N's Archeops and Vanilluxe, along with Ghetsis's Seismitoad.
Additional Comments: Giving it a Rocky Helmet from Cold Storage is a great idea, as it will make contact moves harm their users a lot, in tandem with Iron Barbs.




Availability: Late-game (40% chance to appear in Icirrus City puddles in non-winter seasons).
Stats: Accelgor possesses an unrivable Speed stat and has a good Special attack, although its bulk is somewhat lackluster.
Movepool: It will have Mega Drain and Struggle Bug as damaging moves upon being caught. It will also have Yawn and Protect, allowing it to put its opponents to sleep safely. It also learns Giga Drain and Bug Buzz at levels 37 and 44, respectively. It should be retaught Acid Spray through move relearner, in order to pick up KOs.
Major Battles: It does well against Brycen and Drayden with Acid Spray + attacking move of choice, and it can also put any problematic Pokémon to sleep with Yawn (and protecting itself with Protect to initialize safely the sleep status). This strategy proves unreliable against the rest, though, but it does have a fine matchup against Caitlin and Grimsley.
Additional Comments: It has to manage with the weak Mega Drain and Struggle Bug until it learns a more powerful move.




Availability: Mid-game (50% chance to appear in Relic Castle)
Typing: Ghost allows it to hit Caitlin and Shauntal super effectively (while also being hit super effectively by the latter), but struggles against Grimsley.
Stats: Yamask's stats are okay, and its bulk can be buffed with Eviolite. As Cofagrigus, it has a high 145 Defense and 105 Special Defense, but low Speed and HP as well.
Movepool: It will rely on Hex + Will-o-Wisp for damage output in the beginning. It will learn Ominous Wind at level 25. It also learns Shadow Ball at level 39. Its TM movepool is poor, and can only be taught Grass Knot to have something against Normal-types (excluding Pidove line).
Major Battles: It is useful against Elesa and Shauntal and is pretty good against Brycen and Drayden/Iris. In all other matchups, it can either spread burns, or is reliant on healing items in order to stay on the field.
Additional Comments: As Yamask uses Will-o-Wisp quite often, keeping Hex might be a good idea. It is useless against Normal and Dark-types due to lacking a movepool to threaten them, outside of Grass Knot.




Availability: End-game (Roaming Unova, triggered by going to Route 7 after trying to go through Route 10's gate with 8 badges).
Typing: Flying lets it hit Marshal super effectively, although Rock coverage is dangerous for it. It also provides no useful resistances for whatever's left, as the rest of the major opponents do not use Bug or Grass, while Marshal's Fighting-types have Rock moves.
Stats: It has a high Attack and Speed, but the lack of EVs will be noticeable in its damage output and ability to take neutral or super-effective hits.
Movepool: It can be taught Acrobatics through TMs, as it is its most powerful move. Brick Break is also an option through TM. Additionally, it learns Crunch at level 49 and can be retaught Reversal for stronger Fighting-type move, but is generally not recommended due to Tornadus's inability to take hits well.
Major Battles: It can do fine against every member of the Elite Four, but will be heavily reliant on healing items to achieve a sweep. N and Ghetsis generally do not fear Tornadus at all, at most Ghetsis's Bisharp is taken out by Brick Break.
Additional Comments: Due to coming late, being a roamer with nasty mechanics, and lacking EVs or useful typing, Tornadus is generally not worth using. Consider using any Flying-type that comes earlier. If you really want to use it, use the Master Ball you get from Professor Juniper, but it's still not gonna be worth it.



Availability: End-game (Roaming Unova, triggered by going to Route 7 after trying to go through Route 10's gate with 8 badges).
Typing: Flying lets it hit Marshal super effectively, although Rock coverage is dangerous for it. Electric allows it to hit other Flying-types and Water-types super-effectively, though there are no major trainers left for it that specialize in these types. Its typing also provides no useful resistances for whatever's left, as the rest of the major opponents do not use Bug or Grass, while Marshal's Fighting-types have Rock moves and Steel-types being rare.
Stats: It has a high Attack and Speed, but the lack of EVs will be noticeable in its damage output and ability to take neutral or super-effective hits.
Movepool: It can be taught Fly through TMs, as it is its only Flying STAB, along with Thunderbolt through TM or Discharge at level 44. Brick Break is also an option through TMs. Additionally, it learns Crunch at level 49 and can be retaught Reversal for stronger Fighting-type move, but is generally not recommended due to Thundurus's inability to take hits well.
Major Battles: It can do fine against every member of the Elite Four, but will be heavily reliant on healing items to achieve a sweep. N and Ghetsis generally do not fear Thundurus at all, at most Ghetsis's Bisharp is taken out by Brick Break.
Additional Comments: Due to coming late, being a roamer with nasty mechanics, and lacking EVs or useful typing, Tornadus is generally not worth using. Consider using any Flying-type that comes earlier. If you really want to use it, use the Master Ball you get from Professor Juniper, but it's still not gonna be worth it.



Availability: Mid-game (30% chance to appear in Route 5).
Typing: Normal lets it hit all major opponents neutrally, bar Shauntal and common Rock and Steel-types. However, it is also left vulnerable to Marshal's Fighting-types.
Stats: Minccino stats are okay, but you aren't gonna stick with them for really long. Cinccino's Attack and Speed are high, though. Its bulk is somewhat disappointing, however.
Movepool: As a Minccino, it will have Encore upon being caught, which is really useful if the opponent uses a status move, as the AI doesn't know how to switch, generally. It also learns Swift, Tail Slap, and Wake-up-Slap (although useful only for the Bisharp end-game) at levels 19, 25, and 31, respectively. As a Cinccino, it can be retaught Bullet Seed and Rock Blast through move relearner.
Major Battles: Cinccino can do well against Clay, especially if it locks Excadrill into Hone Claws. It also sweeps without too many problems the rest of the Gym Leaders (although Drayden's Druddigon is problematic due to Rough Skin). It does well against Shauntal, not including Cofagrigus, and fine against Caitlin. It can also be useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: A Shiny Stone can be found in a house in Route 6. Technician is the preferred ability, as most of Minccino's moves become more powerful with it.
 
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Purrloin
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Availability: Route 2, 20%, levels 4-5
Typing: Dark typing gives an advantage against Shauntal and Caitlin, but a weakness to Marshal and Burgh.
Stats: Purrloin and Liepard have great Speed, decent offenses, but low defenses.
Movepool: Purrloin relies on non-STAB Normal moves until Pursuit at level 15, which upgrades with Assurance and Night Slash at levels 31 and 43 respectively. Otherwise, only Fake Out (22) and Hone Claws (26) are worth considering, and Aerial Ace, Rock Smash, Grass Knot, Thunder Wave and Return can be taught via TMs.
Major Battles: Aside from the above, Liepard hits Swanna’s Swoobat and Ghetsis’s Cofagrigus with STAB and Clay’s Palpitoad, Ghetsis’s Sesmitoad and N’s Carracosta with Grass Knot.
Additional Comments: It is recommended to get a Liepard on Route 16/5 to avoid Purrloin. Limber is the preferred Ability.

Snivy
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Availability: Starter, Nuvema Town.
Typing: Grass typing is bad for 5/8 Gyms aside from Clay and neutral elsewhere save for half of Shauntal’s team.
Stats: The Snivy line are speedy walls with below average offenses until Serperior.
Movepool: Shallow. Vine Whip upgrades to Leaf Tornado and then Leaf Blade at 32, with Growth and Leech Seed early on. At level 36, Servine gets Coil but has trouble setting up due to having 5 weaknesses. Giga Drain at level 44 and Return, Reflect and Light Screen TMs are in Nimbasa City.
Major Battles: Aside from Gyms, Serperior can hit Shauntal’s Jellicent and Golurk, Grimsley’s Krookodile, N’s Carracosta and Ghetsis’s Seismitoad with STAB moves.
Additional Comments: Overgrow gives Grass attacks a 50% boost at 1/3 HP or less. Snivy is a mediocre Grass type and the worst Unova starter.

Tepig
Spr 5b 498.png

Availability: Starter, Nuvema Town.
Typing: The Fire/Fighting type of Tepig’s evolutions is a mixed bag, giving advantages for Lenora, Burgh, Brycen, Grimsley, N and Ghetsis, but is neutral to Marshal and the 8th gym; bad elsewhere.
Stats: The Tepig line are mixed attackers with slightly slow Speed and decent bulk.
Movepool: Wide, with Pignite learning Flame Charge, Arm Thrust and Rollout naturally, and Rock Tomb, Dig, Bulldoze, Scald and SolarBeam/Grass Knot via TMs. Later on, Emboar has access to the Scald, Rock Slide, Wild Charge and Low Sweep TMs, as well as Hammer Arm through the Move Relearner. Fire STAB comes through Heat Crash at level 31, Flamethrower at 39 and Flare Blitz at level 52.
Major Battles: The line loses to Elesa, Clay Skyla, Shauntal and Caitlin. It takes on Grimsley, N and Ghetsis, but is shaky due to many weaknesses.
Additional Comments: Blaze gives Fire attacks a 50% boost at 1/3 HP or less.

Oshawott
Spr 5b 501.png

Availability: Starter, Nuvema Town.
Typing: Water typing is good everywhere aside from Elesa and the 8th gym.
Stats: Oshawott’s line are mixed attackers with average Speed and decent bulk.
Movepool: Shallow, but Oshawott upgrades from Water Gun to Razor Shell at level 17 to Surf later on. Dewott gets the Grass Knot, Dig, Return midgame TMs. Megahorn can be relearned as Samurott
Major Battles: Water STAB beats Burgh’s Dwebble, Grimsley’s Kroododile, Shauntal’s Golurk and Chandelure. Caitlin save Sigilyph is handled with Megahorn, and the line can beat Ghetsis’s Sesmitoad and N’s Carracosta with Grass Knot. You can TM Blizzard for the 8th gym for 70,000 but it has sporadic use.
Additional Comments: Torrent gives Water attacks a 50% boost at 1/3 HP or less.

Pansage
Spr 5b 511.png

Availability: Dreamyard (Tepig) / Pinwheel Forrest (Inner) rustling Grass at 10%.
Typing: Grass typing is bad for most Gyms aside from Clay, being neutral otherwise save half of Shauntal’s team.
Stats: The monkeys have mixed 98 offenses, 75/63/63 bulk and 101 Speed.
Movepool: Vine Whip becomes Seed Bomb at level 22, and Leech Seed helps at 16. Simisage gets Dig, Acrobatics, Shadow Claw, Rock Tomb/Slide and all Fighting type TMs for wide coverage.
Major Battles: Simisage can hit Shauntal’s Jellicent and Golurk, Grimsley’s Krookodile, N’s Carracosta and Ghetsis’s Seismitoad with Seed Bomb, with TM coverage handling almost everything else.
Additional Comments: The default Ability Gluttony can activate Berries at 50% HP. Evolve at level 22 after getting a Leaf Stone in Castelia City.

Pansear
Spr 5b 513.png

Availability: Dreamyard (Oshawott ) / Pinwheel Forrest (Inner) rustling grass at 10%.
Typing: Fire typing is average Gym wise aside from Burgh and Brycen, being neutral otherwise.
Stats: The monkeys have mixed 98 offenses, 75/63/63 bulk and 101 Speed.
Movepool: The weak Incinerate becomes Flame Burst at level 22 with Yawn at 16. Simisear gets Dig, Acrobatics, Shadow Claw, Rock Tomb/Slide and all Fighting type TMs for wide coverage. The Fire Blast TM is at Iccirus for stronger STAB.
Major Battles: Aside from Burgh and Brycen, Simisear can handle Shauntal and Grimsley with Work Up, with TM coverage handling almost everything else.
Additional Comments: The default Ability Gluttony activates Berries at 50% HP. Evolve at level 22 after getting a Fire Stone in Castelia City.

Panpour
Spr 5b 515.png

Availability: Dreamyard (Snivy) / Pinwheel Forrest (Inner) rustling Grass at 10%.
Typing: Water typing is good for most Gyms aside from the 8th, being effective against Clay and neutral elsewhere.
Stats: The monkeys have mixed 98 offenses, 75/63/63 bulk and 101 Speed.
Movepool: Water Gun becomes the fantastic Scald at level 22. Simipour gets Dig, Acrobatics, Shadow Claw, Rock Tomb/Slide and all Fighting type TMs for wide coverage. Scald later upgrades to Surf and Blizzard is bought at Iccirus City.
Major Battles: Simipour can hit Burgh’s Dwebble, Shauntal’s Chandelure and Golurk, and Grimsley’s Krookodile with STAB, with TM coverage handling almost everything else.
Additional Comments: The default Ability Gluttony can activate Berries at 50% HP. Evolve at level 22 after getting a Water Stone in Castelia City.

Solosis
Spr 5b 577.png

Availability:
Route 16/5, 30%, only in White Version.
Typing: Psychic typing lets the Solosis line be favorable against Marshal, yet weak to Shauntal and 2/3 of Ghetsis's team; neutral elsewhere.
Stats: Solosis and Duosion have low bulk/Speed with high Special Attack. Reuniclus has 110/75/85 bulk and 125 Special Attack, but 30 Speed.
Movepool: At level 25, Solosis's moves are Psyshock, Recover, Light Screen and Charm, with Reflect and Thunder Wave available as TMs. Otherwise, it has sparse options until Reuniclus with the Shadow Ball, Focus Blast and Grass Knot TMs. Hidden Power is also an option if you catch a level 24 or lower Solosis, though its damage is lower.
Major Battles: When not fully evolved, Solosis functions best in major battles as a superb Eviolite user who can hit with Psychic STAB. Lategame, it can take on Caitlin and to an extent Shauntal with Shadow Ball, being neutral elsewhere.
Additional Comments: Magic Guard is recommended as an Ability over Overcoat to prevent indirect damage against the line.

Archen
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Availability: Receive Plume Fossil via female Backpacker in Relic Castle (revive at Narcrene City at level 25).
Typing: Rock/Flying gives 5 weaknesses, though only Rock is common. Archen's only real losing matchup is against Elesa; good elsewhere.
Stats: Archen has fantastic Attack, coupled with good Speed and Special Attack, and lacking defenses. As an Archeops, these stats skyrocket to 140/112 offenses with a great 110 Speed. The line must be careful though, as their Ability Defeatist halves their offenses at 50% or less HP.
Movepool: It starts with Ancient Power (you can TM Rock Tomb), learning Acrobatics (its best move) 3 levels later at 28 to replace Pluck. Archen gets Crunch at 35, U-Turn at 45 and Rock Slide via TM. Dig, Focus Blast and Dragon Claw are options, but the line will be mostly use Acrobatics.
Major Battles: The line's sheer power means it performs well in all major battles save Elesa, though it must stay healthy to avoid Defeatist. Against endgame though, if it doesn't OHKO a mon, they will often come close to knocking it into Defeatist range (a lot of mons are 2HKOed by Acrobatics).
Additional Comments: Archen is one of the strongest Pokemon to use, but Defeatist holds it back despite fantastic offensive capabilities.

Foongus
Spr 5b 590.png

Availability: Route 6, 15% (fake items are low leveled, so don't go for them).
Typing: Grass/Poison typing gives a slight advantage to Clay with weaknesses to Skyla, Brycen and Caitlin.
Stats: Foongus and Amoonguss have good stats all around save for great HP and absolutely dismal Speed.
Movepool: Foongus gets Giga Drain in time for Clay, can be taught the Payback TM, and gets Toxic at 32, Synthesis at 39 and Protect via TM respectively to help it stall better. Poison STAB comes in time for Brycen via the Sludge Bomb TM on Route 8. Spore is too late to be learned.
Major Battles: Other than a resistance to Marshal, it is mostly neutral aside from hitting Shauntal's Jellicent and Golurk as well as Grimsley's Krookodile, N's Carracosta and Ghetsis's Seismitoad super-effectively.
Additional Comments: The Effect Spore Ability punishes contact users 30% of the time with either Poison (9%), paralysis (10%) or sleep (11%).

Cobalion
Spr 5b 638.png

Availability: Mistralton Cave (requires Surf), one static encounter, Guidance Chamber, level 42.
Typing: Fighting/Steel typing gives Cobalion advantages against Brycen, the 8th gym, Grimsley as well as N and Ghetsis.
Stats: Most of Cobalion's stats are around 90 save 129 Defense, 108 Speed and 72 Special Defense.
Movepool: It has Iron Head and Sacred Sword, can be taught X-Scissor, Volt Switch and Work Up via TMs, and gets Swords Dance at level 49.
Major Battles: Great for Brycen, but struggles against Drayden requiring many Work Up uses. Bad for Shauntal and Marshal, but sweeps Grimsley and Caitlin with Swords Dance (the latter with X-Scissor). Rather favorable against N, but you might not sweep due to Focus Blast Zoroark and the legends (Zekrom lives a +6 Sacred Sword). Good against Ghetsis, though Hydreigon comes pretty close to OHKOing you and outspeeds.
Additional Comments: Cobalion is a decent lategame option, but a flawed one due to requiring a detour and 90 Attack being underwhelming. Dusk Balls to catch it with can be bought from Driftveil. The Ability Justified raises its Attack when hit by a Dark-type Attack, but is situational.
 
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Ryota Mitarai

Shrektimus Prime
is a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Top Smogon Media Contributor
Here are even more:



Availability: Early-game (10% chance to appear in grass (White) or 5% chance to appear in rustling grass (Black) in outer Pinwheel Forest).
Typing: Fighting gives it an advantage against Lenora, Brycen, Grimsley and a resistance to Burgh's Bug-type moves, but it is threatened by Skyla and Caitlin type-wise. Its Fighting STAB also is ineffective against Shauntal's Ghost-types.
Stats: Throh possesses a high Attack and HP, along with good Defense and Special Defense, but it is rather slow.
Movepool: It will have Seismic Toss upon being caught and, based on level, Vital Throw (otherwise learnt at level 17). More damaging moves in the form of Revenge, Storm Throw, and Body Slam are learnt at levels 21, 25, and 29, respectively. Bulk Up comes at level 33 and Superpower at level 49. TM-wise, it can be taught Rock Slide and Brick Break, although the latter is generally outclassed by Storm Throw, due to dealing more damage and ignoring Defense buffs or Attack debuffs. Payback is needed through TM in order to stand a chance against Shauntal.
Major Battles: Throh is really useful against Lenora. It also sweeps all Gym Leaders, even Skyla and onwards, thanks to Bulk Up. Against the Elite Four, it can sweep Grimsley and Marshal reliably, while Shauntal has her team swept by Throh, minus Cofagrigus, if you heal it up a few times. It is also useful against N and Ghetsis, as it can take down easily few of their Poémon.
Additional Comments: In White, you can find a level 17 Throh by going into dark grasses with a level 17 Poémon in the lead and using a Repel. The only other Pokémon that can appear with this trick is Tympole. Throh generally can set up only 2-3 Bulk Ups at most, as its low Speed means that it will often take a hit before doing anyhting.




Availability: Mid-game (30% chance to appear in Black's Route 5. Inavailable in White).
Typing: Psychic lets it beat Marshal and all Poison-types reliably, but is left weak to Shauntal's Ghost-types and Grimsley's Dark-types. Although not common, most Steel-types are also not troubled by it.
Stats: The whole line's stats are generally not very high, but acceptable, with the exception of Gothitelle's Special Defense, which reaches 110.
Movepool: It will have Faint Attack and Psyshock at levels 24 and 25, respectively. As a Gothorita, it will learn Psychic at level 39. Charge Beam and Shadow Ball are recommended moves to be taught through TM, as Gothita's level-up movepool is rather poor. If you have it, you can also teach it Thunderbolt.
Major Battles: As a Gothorita, it does well against Skyla and contributes to Brycen. As a Gothitelle, it has a great matchup against Marshal and contributes to Caitlin and Shauntal's matchups.
Additional Comments: Although not bad, Gothita is generally not impressive either. You can catch a Gothita from dark grasses at level 25, which will have Psyshock immediately.




Availability: Early-game (40% chance to appear in outer Pinwheel Forest).
Typing: Water lets it hit Clay, along with the common Rock-types and the more uncommon Fire-types. Ground typing leaves it with only 1 weakness, although a very nasty one. Ground typing also allows it to do well against Elesa, by blocking off her Volt Switches.
Stats: Other than HP, which reaches 105 as Seismitoad, the stats are generally not very high, but acceptable.
Movepool: It will have Bubble Beam upon being caught and will have Mud Shot at level 16. As a Palpitoad, it learns Muddy Water at level 28 and Rain Dance at level 33. TM-Wise, Bulldoze, Rock Slide, and Scald are good options. Dig is also nice if you want a more powerful Ground STAB, but takes 2 turns. Definitely teach it Surf once you get it.
Major Battles: Can beat Burgh bar his Leavanny and is really useful against Elesa. It also has a nice matchup against Clay. Starting from Skyla, it will be heavily reliant on rain in order to get damage output, but nonethless does well against the rest of the Gym Leaders. The same situation arises in the Elite Four, except it is bad against Caitlin regardless. It is useful against N and Ghetsis as well.
Additional Comments: Since it will be relying heavily on rain, getting one with Swift Swim is a good idea. Level 17 Tympole can be found in Pinwheel Forest's dark grasses, so you will likely want to catch one from there.




Availability: Late-game (Pinwheel Forest's Rumination Field after fighting Cobalion, static encounter).
Typing: Fighting lets it hit Brycen and Grimsley super effectively, while Grass lets it hit the rest of the Water, Rock, and Ground-types. However, it is threatened heavily by Flying-type moves. It is also left vulnerable to Caitlin's Psychic-types.
Stats: It has a high Speed and Special Defense, along with good Attack, Special Attack, and HP.
Movepool: It will have Giga Drain and Sacred Sword upon being caught and will learn Swords Dance at level 49. X-Scissor and Work Up can also be taught through TMs.
Major Battles: Virizion does well against every major fight that's left, although it will need healing in some cases. It is useful against N and is really good against Ghetsis, although it does not sweep him.
Additional Comments: Keep in mind that Virizion is very hard to catch and requires 2 detours (one for Cobalion and one for itself). Virizion will likely be a little bit higher than your team in levels, so make sure you use it enough to get EVs.




Availability: Late-game (40% chance to appear in Icirrus City puddles in non-winter seasons).
Typing: Bug would allow it to hit Grimsley and Caitlin super effectively, but in reality it does not beat them.
Stats: Its stats are pretty bad, leaving it nearly useless against the rest of the game.
Movepool: It will have Mega Drain and Struggle Bug as damaging moves upon being caught, but with those stats, it's not accomplishing much. It will also have Yawn and Protect, allowing it to put its opponents to sleep safely.
Major Battles: None, as its stats are too bad for it to efficiently do something, other than spread sleep status with Yawn.
Additional Comments: If you can't evolve it, do not bother.



Availability: Karrablast is found on Route 6 at a 25% encounter rate.
Typing: Bug would allow it to hit Grimsley and Caitlin super effectively, but we all know Karrablast beating them is as rare as a blue moon.
Stats: Karrablast has bad stats which cannot hold it for long, especially in the end-game. Seriously, evolve it into Escavalier, if possible.
Movepool: It will have Fury Cutter and Headbutt upon being caught and can be taught X-Scissor through TMs. It's not gonna accomplish much with these stats, though.
Major Battles: Due to the factors mentioned above, Karrablast does nothing in major battles, other than disappoint you.
Additional Comments: If you can't evolve it, do not bother.
 
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bdt2002

Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs superfan
is a Pre-Contributor
Oh hey there guys. I know that I basically ditched my test run for this, and I'm very sorry about that. Rest assured I had my reasons. I know you guys usually don't like theorymonning or whatever you call it, but I actually do quite a bit of research on this topic. In game viability has always fascinated me with these games. Basically what I'm trying to say is that to repay my debts and my getting your hopes up, I'm willing to try my hand at some write-ups for you guys. I hope my apologies can get through. But in the meantime, is there anyone you want me to study up on? Note that I'll be busy for this week so I can't write-up until then.
 
Oh hey there guys. I know that I basically ditched my test run for this, and I'm very sorry about that. Rest assured I had my reasons. I know you guys usually don't like theorymonning or whatever you call it, but I actually do quite a bit of research on this topic. In game viability has always fascinated me with these games. Basically what I'm trying to say is that to repay my debts and my getting your hopes up, I'm willing to try my hand at some write-ups for you guys. I hope my apologies can get through. But in the meantime, is there anyone you want me to study up on? Note that I'll be busy for this week so I can't write-up until then.
Well, we’ve done a lot of writeups at the moment. There’s only a handful of remaining writeups we haven’t done so it’s hard to hand off to someone new this late in development, especially since the remaining mons would in all likelihood be done very soon (we just tend to work rather fast). Would you be okay with proofreading our writeups to make sure they are concise and free of small errors? Another pair of eyes would be a big help.
 

Ryota Mitarai

Shrektimus Prime
is a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Top Smogon Media Contributor
More incoming

Since there is lack of interest to fix up the Darumaka entry, I am gonna take it myself:


Availability: Early-game (40% chance to appear in Route 4).
Typing: With the exception of Drayden/Iris, Fire hits all Gym Leaders and Elite Four for at least neutral damage. However, it does leave it weak to Clay and the common Roggenrola line.
Stats: Darumaka's high Attack, buffed up by Hustle, allows it to hit hard every opponent. Its bulk is somewhat unimpressive, but is fixed with Eviolite. Its Speed is more than enough to outpace most opponents in the early stages. As a Darmanitan, it hits even harder, is way faster, and has enough bulk to take neutral hits well and even survive super effective moves from full.
Movepool: It learns Fire Punch at level 22, Belly Drum at level 30, which as a Darmanitan can use to set up safely, and Flare Blitz at level 33. Hammer Arm comes upon evolution and Superpower is learnt at level 47. TM-wise, it can be taught Brick Break as an alternative to Superpower, Rock Slide, and Dig, the latter beng good for Shauntal and Ghetsis's Fire resistant Pokémon.
Major Battles: As a Darumaka, it only ever struggles against Clay, although with enough luck, it helps there as well. Burgh and Elesa lose to Darumaka, although it needs Eviolite for Burgh's Dwebble and Elesa as a whole. As a Darmanitan, it sweeps all Gym Leaders, with Drayden/Iris falling to Belly Drum. At the Elite Four, it can use Belly Drum strategies again to sweep all but Marshal, its only difficult matchup. It is useful against N and Ghetsis, the latter being swept if you use Substitute and X Speed in conjuction with Belly Drum.
Additional Comments: Although Hustle might be annoying, most of the misses are not fatal, thus Hustle is much more useful than a liability and does not prevent Darumaka from being one of the best choices for an efficient run of the games.




Availability: Mid-game (Revived at Nacrene City Museum from a Cover Fossil from Relic Castle).
Typing: Water/Rock is not really useful, as it makes it much weaker to Clay and Elesa, where the other type would help a lot. It does prove useful against Skyla and Brycen though.
Stats: Tirtouga line has a good Attack and Defense stat, although they lack Special Defense and Speed, the latter being problematic, as Shell Smash boosts sometimes are not enough to outpace everything.
Movepool: It will start off with Aqua Jet, Crunch, and Ancient Power, though Ancient Power can quickly be replaced with Rock Tomb through TM for a physical Rock STAB, until Smack Down at level 31 or Rock Slide through TM. Scald can also be taught via TM, as it hits quite hard despite the lower Special Attack. Tirtouga line can either rely on Curse at level 35 or Shell Smash at level 40 for sweeping, the latter giving more power outright. Physical Water STAB can be either Aqua Tail at level 45 or Waterfall through HM.
Major Battles: It can beat flawlessly Skyla, Brycen, and Drayden, although it struggles against the rest of the Gym Leaders. It also performs well against Grimsley and can prove useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Due to low Speed, you will sometimes need 2 Shell Smashes to truly outpace everything. Archen is generally the better choice for a Fossil Pokémon




Availability: Early-game (40% chance to appear in Route 3).
Typing: Normal lets it hit all major bosses bar Shauntal for neutral damage, while Flying gives it a better matchup against Burgh and Marshal, although it does make the matchup against Elesa more difficult.
Stats: 105 Attack and 93 Speed are its only impressive stats, the rest being a little bit more mediocre. Pidove has awful stats for its period, though, so it's gonna struggle a little bit even with Route trainers.
Movepool: Work Up, Quick Attack, and Air Cutter are going to be its moves for the majority of time until Nimbasa, where it can be taught Return through TM. Fly can also be taught for a physical Flying STAB, while also providing fast travel across the whole region. Work Up allows it to sweep most matchups post-Elesa. Roost at level 18 allows Pidove (as a Unfezant) to deal with Clay's Excadrill and Brycen due to removing the Flying typing.
Major Battles: It does well against Burgh and as a Unfezant defeats all Gym Leaders from Clay onwards, typically relying on Work Up boosts. It also does well against Shauntal and Ghetsis, although it is completely useless against N.
Additional Comments: Pidove generally requires 2, sometimes 3, Work Up boosts to sweep every good matchup. Keep this in mind.
 
Are you guys aware that the DHR person didn't want full writeups for things below C tier?
Going forwards, We do not bother with write ups for D Rank or worse Pokemon. We would still explain that D/E rank Pokemon are not great, and if people really want to do write ups for them I won't mind, but I would prefer higher ranks being completed first.
"if people really want to do write ups for them I won't mind"

We really wanted to do them anyway. Aside from the below, everything has pretty much been written up already. I am probably gonna make a sweep back through the thread to see if we can be more concise with our writeups, so we can make changes or omit details then if need be.. And besides, I honestly don't mind doing writeups D rank or worse Pokemon, as they can still be fun to use (Stunfisk for example handles part of N relatively well). While this may be less sustainable for most in-game tier lists, it's not too bad for Pokemon Black and White because of the small pool of Pokemon. Thanks for letting us know.

__

Onto my recent and most certainly final of my playthrough testings. I used Patrat, Woobat, Trubbish, Klink, Cryogonal and Terrakion. Matchups:

Patrat: Meh. Depends on damage ranges, how much they boost and crits. 3HKO Lillipup and 4HKO the monkey. At best you can solo with a Fresh Water and a little luck. If you use Oran Berry, beware Lillipup will also use it after you consume it. Think I was like level 12 or 13 here, not sure.
Used Intimidate fodder.

Watchog (21, held off evolving one level for Super Fang): Crunch can 2HKO Herdier but it seems to be a range (which Take Down secures). +2 Crunch OHKOs Herdier (she spams Leer sometimes and with no debuffs neither Take Down nor Retaliate 2HKO you). +2 Crunch does 3/4 to Lenora’s Watchog, and +3 Crunch leaves it in red, so yeah, don’t buff for Lenora’s Watchog. You should outspeed both (Crunch is a 3HKO on Lenora’s Watchog). Super Fang can help against Watchog as it takes it to half which 1 Crunch won’t do, and if you are lucky with Hypnosis it can give you some free turns (believe I missed once then landed it). I think I stomached Watchog’s unboosted Retaliate comfortably (not sure if she got off a Leer, was at half health upon finishing the fight). Used one Potion in the successful attempt when I sent out Retaliate fodder.

Woobat (21): Bad even with Air Cutter which 3HKOs Herdier and 4HKOs Watchog without critical hits. You might take one attack at close to full health (I barely lived Watchog’s Crunch once) but if they use Leer you will be OHKOed (which happened with Herdier’s Take Down). Herdier’s Take Down does 2/3 unboosted by Leer.
Watchog (24): +3 Retailiate OHKOs Whirlipede and 2HKOs Leavanny and Dwebble. Outsped all three mons. Screech from Whirlipede sucks, but you OHKO it at +3 with Retaliate while +3 Crunch is a range to OHKO Dwebble. You should at least take two mons at worst, or sweep if you don’t have Screech used on you.

Woobat (24): You 2HKO everything with Air Cutter, save Dwebble which is a range. As long as you beat Dwebble you more or less sweep with one item essentially. (Leavanny can live an Air Cutter, but you have essentially 3 chances to crit as he will heal twice).
Trubbish: (29): Sludge Bomb 2HKOs Emolga and 4HKOs Zebstrika. On the other hand, Emolga’s Volt Switch doesn’t even 4HKO with Eviolite unless they get consistently high rolls. So you setup Stockpile and laugh in their faces with Rest (at +3, Zebstrika’s Spark is a 7HKO). It’s possible to avoid crits (I went through the entire match with only one happen and Trubbish can live a critical hit Spark if close to full HP). Decent.

Swoobat (29): The dumb thing: even after a Calm Mind, Volt Switch toughly 2HKOs. So you’d think Amnesia and Calm Mind would help...but then you get to Zebstrika and it lives a +4 Confusion in red. So you boost up to +3 with Calm Mind and OHKO Emolga with Confusion. You will need a Super Potion or Lemonade to get three boosts and kill, but hey, at least you can beat Emolga. Watch out for Quick Attack, but you outspeed all of Elesa’s mons. +3 Confusion does 2/3 of Zebstrika’s HP. Amnesia can help before you setup Calm Mind, but it’s still not easy. Aerial Ace and Pursuit seem to be about 4HKOs from Emolga. Okay, but you have to be level 29.

Watchog (29): Return usually OHKOs Emolga which is really cool (Volt Switch seems to be just shy of a 4HKO with my stats, does about 20 of my 82 HP). Dig or Return knocks Zebstrika to low yellow/red HP, while Spark seems to 3HKO. You can barely solo this fight without healing by using Work Up on an Emolga to OHKO Zebstrika with Return as it comes in from Volt Switch, but since I was left with 3 HP and needed a healing item in an unbossted attempt I believe you should heal once in average. Decent, but watch out for Static.
Trubbish (31): Notably I outsped Krokorok, and I guess it’s worth noting Bulldoze 3HKOs with a Stockpile up. While I somehow beat Krokorok once, this is bad for Trubbish: not even +2 Return 2HKOs Krokorok (though I am Timid natured). Don’t get cute with Stockpile vs Palpitoad; despite our speeding and the use of Stockpile, Muddy Water accuracy drops deter your victory.

Watchog (31): Return is a range to OHKO Krokorok, and knocks Palpitoad to red. Dig 2HKOs Excadrill (notably, you can live a +2 Rock Slide). Probably need to be at +2 to sweep here, but it’s tough since you don’t outspeed Excadrill, even without any Speed drops. You outspeed Krokorok and Palpitoad and can 2HKO with Miracle Seed Grass Knot for your pointless Watchog trivia of the day. Given Excadrill’s propensity to often boost to +2, you can Rock Smash, hope for a Defense drop and kill with Dig.

Swoobat (32): Palpitoad is hilariously easy setup folder: Calm Mind to +6 and you OHKO it and do 2/3 of Excadrill’s HP with Air Slash; watch out for accuracy drops from Muddy Water though. You outspeed and 2HKO Krokorok and Palpitoad with unboosted Air Slash. Also you outspeed Excadrill, so I guess you can setup a Reflect or something (You can live Rock Slide or a critical hit Slash at full, hilariously, even with a high roll I lived Rock Slide at 2 HP).
All mons are at level 37.

Klink: Eviolite. Gear Grind 2HKOs Swoobat, and setting up Charge Beam is unwise due to Unaware and Amnesia. Don’t setup Automatize; you need two to outspeed and your turns are better spent attacking. Heart Stamp and Acrobatics do nothing to you, but flinches can be annoying. Swanna is 2HKOed by Charge Beam assuming you get the boost to +1. Unfezant is 2HKOed by Charge Beam, but it killed me first (could have healed). In another attempt, I believe +2 Charge Beam took Swanna to red, and +3 Charge Beam left Unfezant alive in low red (Gear Grind 3HKOs Unfezant). In a final attempt, Swoobat always attacking with Acrobatics and healing once leaves you around half HP with likely 3 Charge Beam boosts; OHKOed Swanna as it went for Aqua Ring, got to +4 and killed Unfezant albeit with a crit. Granted I have garbage tier Special Attack, so this might be easier for other users. Decent, but stuff can go south with flinches, accuracy, and Charge Beam’s 30% chance to screw your over if you are unlucky (you shouldn’t have to heal).

Watchog: Crunch seems to be a range to kill Swoobat without Blackglasses (used Lucky Egg). You outspeed and 2HKO Unfezant with Return. Swanna outspeeds but only 3HKOs with Air Slash while you easily 2HKO with Return; given how it goes for Aqua Ring turn 1 your chances to sweep are pretty favorable. Given how Swoobat and Unfezant tend to derp with stuff like Amnesia, Leer, Razor Wind and Quick Attack, you should enter Swanna with at least 2/3 HP (even at -1 Defense Watchog only took like 50 HP from Swanna’s Aerial Ace).

Swoobat: Sharp Beak. Air Slash 2HKOs while you ignore Swoobat’s Amnesia thanks to Unaware (I think Assurance 3HKOs you). Unfezant is a moron and goes for Razor Wind while you 2HKO. Notably, my Swoobat was able to barely survive Swanna’s critical hit Air Slash from 4 HP (I still won the attempt without healing thanks to a crit of my own). Unfortunately Air Slash is a range to 2HKO Swanna and Aqua Ring firmly puts it out of 2HKO range. You can safely Calm Mind on Unfezant twice (Razor Wind and Quick Attack takes you to about half), but once is probably best due to the 50/50 of Razor Wind/Leer. At +1 you knock Swanna to 1/3 HP which puts it in range of Confusion (Air Slash missed 3 consecutive times for me in an attempt, so don’t underestimate accuracy). Relatively easy solo; you outspeed everything.

Garbodor: Rocky Helmet. Strangely, Swoobat’s Unaware doesn’t seem to affect Stockpile. Heart Stamp is just shy of a 2HKO normally, but with 3 Stockpile uses it does like 20 damage. Weird. Anyway, hope Swoobat goes for Amnesia while you set up Toxic and Stockpile, then spam Rest until Swoobat falls. You 2HKO Unfezant with Sludge Bomb and if Swanna hits you with Aerial Ace (if Unfezant uses Leer), you 2HKO Swanna.

Another attempt I went for brute force on Swoobat: even with Amnesia up I still 3HKOed thanks to Rocky Helmet. I Stockpiled 3 times on Unfezant (who I outsped, but that’s probably because I am Timid with a good Speed IV) who spammed Razor Wind, then I used Rest, once again 2HKOing Unfezant with Sludge Bomb. Sludge Bomb would be a 3HKO on Swanna, but Aqua Ring can screw that up, so I went for Toxic too. I killed one turn later with Sludge Bomb, only having to Rest once the whole match.
Everyone is level 41.

Klang: Eviolite (didn’t use Persim strats). Vanillish is faster, but it’s RNG whether it will use Acid Armor (if it does you don’t kill with Gear Grind and go into a heal loop). Accuracy drops from Mirror Shot can be annoying with Gear Grind, but like the rest of his team, it can’t do much actual damage. Beartic you outspeed, but it always lives a Gear Grind. However, you CAN OHKO it with Metal Coat Gear Grind, which is great. Cryogonal does nothing and faints.

Cryogonal: Persim Berry. Flash Cannon 2HKOs Vanillish, 3HKOs Beartic and Brycen’s Cryogonal normally. So I used an X Special on Vanilluxe’s Acid Armor, then OHKOed Vanillish and 2HKOed the others. You should be able to take a Slash from Beartic as long as it doesn’t crit (does like 2/3 HP normally). You should outspeed everything, and I still swept in one attempt with a Mirror Shot accuracy drop.

Substitute seems to make the matchup watertight. Sub is barely not broken by Mirror Shot it seems so you guarantee a sweep as long as he uses Armor once.

Can confirm Substitute is great for that fight and allows Cryo to sweep. As long as Vanillish derps and wastes a turn, it will never break Sub. Level 39 for Cryo, 15 IVs for each:

Mirror Shot vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Cryogonal: 22-28 (18.8 - 23.9%) -- possible 5HKO

0 Atk Beartic Slash vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Cryogonal: 47-56 (40.1 - 47.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

0 SpA Cryogonal Flash Cannon vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Cryogonal: 36-44 (32.4 - 39.6%) -- 98.6% chance to 3HKO

Cryo always Rapid Spins which does nothing back to you. As long as you have decent luck you can’t lose this fight, as he wastes all potions on Vanillish sometimes.

For Beartic, it can derp with Swagger, you 3HKO with FC, and Acrobatics chips it to 2HKO with FC without potions. Cryo is 2HKOed by Acrobatics.

Swoobat: Sharp Beak Air Slash 2HKOs Vanillish and seems to roughly 4HKO Beartic. Switched to Yache Berry. +1 Psychic knocks Vanillish to red and 2HKOs Beartic, who you live Icicle Crash at around 2/3 HP due to Yache. You sadly only 3HKO Cryogonal at +1.

So here’s how you win.

Calm Mind to +1 while Vanillish hopefully goes for anything not named Frost Breath (almost never does unless you buff). Psychic to knock it to red. While it heals, use another Calm Mind to get to +2 and OHKO it next turn. Assuming Beartic goes for Icicle Crash (it went for Swagger so I had to waste turns) you should be around 40/110 HP. Acrobatics heavily chunks of not outright OHKOs Cryogonal. You outspeed everyone. Would recommend Persim usually but you need to live Icicle Crash, which you can only do with a Sub up. At +1 the Beartic 2HKO seems to be a range but is possible.

0 SpA Swoobat Psychic vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Beartic: 40-48 (29.8 - 35.8%) -- 24.2% chance to 3HKO

+1 0 SpA Swoobat Psychic vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Beartic: 58-70 (43.2 - 52.2%) -- 16% chance to 2HKO

Watchog: Used Silk Scarf initially. Low Kick does 80 base damage to Cryogonal and 120 to Beartic before weakness (Return is better for Vanillish). Beartic lives a Low Kick in red. Vanillish is only OHKOed by Silk Scarf Return. Tried Expert Belt. At +1 Defense, Vanillish is 2HKOed by Low Kick. Beartic is outsped and OHKOed by Low Kick. Cryogonal outspeeds and does a third with Aurora Beam but you OHKO with Low Kick. You should win this fight after a boost even if Vanillish goes for Acid Armor twice (you outspeed).

Garbodor: Persim. Sludge Bomb 3HKOs Vanillish. So Toxic, setup 3 Stockpiles, then Sludge Bomb to kill Vanillish. Toxic, Stench, Swagger accuracy, Persim, your buffed Defenses, and Rest keep Beartic’s Swagger from being a threat. Cryogonal almost never goes for Frost Breath so Toxic victory is pretty assured. If you use Substitute over Rest, you might need to heal with an item once. Rest and Sub (no Sludge Bomb) turns the fight into a marathon but they will never, EVER kill you thanks to Stockpile. Vanillish’s Frost Breath didn’t even look like a 3HKO.
Drayden: Everyone is level 45.

Watchog: Silk Scarf. +1 Return leaves Druddigon and therefore likely Haxorus in red. Successfully get to +2 and you should sweep just fine.

Swoobat: Sharp Beak. Decent. +1 Psychic/Air Slash OHKOs Fraxure and 2HKOs Druddigon and Haxorus. You should be able to live Druddigon’s Night Slash around low yellow if it doesn’t crit. Haxorus tends to Dragon Tail you. The one time I tested +2, Swoobat knocked Druddigon and Haxorus to red, and notably Swoobat barely lived Haxorus’s Dragon Tail from high green. Good at +1.

Klang: Eviolite. Substitute on Dragon Dance, 2 Shot Fraxure with GG and Return. Unfortunately, Druddigon screws you over because it is not 2HKOed by Gear Grind and Rough Skin (unless you’re playing White, where it has Sheer Force) chips you down. Haxorus is also not 2HKOed by Gear Grind, which is annoying. With Metal Coat, the matchup gets significantly better as you usually 2HKO Druddigon and Haxorus, but you do knock Fraxure into heal range (solved by using Return first). Basically, if you don’t go in with one mon, this matchup depends on GG deciding to hit, Metal Coat, and Druddigon not going for Revenge on you (weirdly common). I reccomend using Substitute on Fraxure (pretty much always spams 3 DDs) since not even Druddigon’s crit Night Slash breaks Sub (Dragon Tail does with a crit from either Druddigon or Haxorus I think). If you have a Substitute up for Haxorus you win, even at like 32 HP as he goes for Dragon Tail twice in a row.

Cryogonal: NeverMeltIce Ice Beam outspeeds and OHKOs his whole team. Without NeverMeltIce Fraxure is OHKOed but Druddigon and Haxorus can live in red, though my Adamant nature may be playing a part. When I used Reflect, Cryogonal seemed to roll a good range and OHKO Druddigon, but Haxorus was again left alive (he went for DD, but upon heal loop he died from a crit). Great.

Garbodor: Fun fight, used Lucky Egg. This was the only one I tested with one mon because it was the only one that made sense to do so for. Stockpile up to max alongside Fraxure’s Dragon Dance, then set up two layers of Toxic Spikes. Even if Fraxure boosts a lot, Dragon Tail does less than a third, and you have a chance of Flinch with Stench anyway (you 2HKO with Sludge Bomb). Poison helps you achieve 3HKOs with Sludge Bomb better on Druddigon and Haxorus, who fail to harm your buffed up trash bag (they never wanted to use high crit moves in any of my attempts, only Dragon Tail). You might run out of Sludge Bomb PP, but if you time your moves right you should have enough.
Terrakion (49 from 7 Rare Candies): Rawst Berry. Likely thanks to my Careful nature, Cofagrigus’s Psychic didn’t 2HKO. After one Psychic, it went for WOW, which was healed by my Rawst Berry (I had 2 Swords Dances at this point, then missed the next WOW next turn, barely living a +4 Rock Slide, but dying after a heal so it must have been a range. Golurk comes out and takes 2/4 from Rock Slide, killing me with EQ. I try again with Hard Stone; unboosted Rock Slide fails to 2HKO Cofagrigus. I knock it to yellow while burned, then Full Restore and kill, now at 87/157 HP. When I come in later, I flinch Jellicent with Rock Slide, 2HKOing it. Unboosted Rock Slide seems to be a range to OHKO Chandelure (you can easily live a Psychic).

Cryogonal (50): NeverMeltIce Ice Beam 3HKOs Cofagrigus who doesn’t even 3HKO with Shadow Ball (burn might close the gap though), you can stall it out even with burn thanks to Recover. You SHOULD kill Golurk with Ice Beam, though my Adamant nature prevented that once most likely (though I successfully OHKOed it in another attempt). With Light Screen up, Chandelure takes you to half with Fire Blast, so you could Recover stall if you want, though be wary because Payback 2HKOs. Cryogonal is also hilariously excellent against Jellicent if you give the SolarBeam TM and Light Screen; Surf is like an 11HKO with Light Screen up, while SolarBeam seems to 3HKO, though a little prior damage from Ice Beam seems to close the gap. If you get disabled from Cursed Body, simply Recover and set up Light Screens and you can easily wall Jellicent out while you wait for the disabled effect to wear off.

Garbodor (50): If you’re lucky, you can get off three uses of Amnesia and Toxic before having to Rest on Cofagrigus. Sadly, this attempt ends there because Golurk comes close to 2HKOing with EQ, and Shadow Punch closes the gap. I assume you can wall the others (even if I test this it wouldn’t push Garbodor higher than D at best). Later tested and found you can even outspeed and get three Amnesia uses off on Chandelure too.

Watchog (51): Even without BlackGlasses, you seem to 2HKO everything save Cofagrigus with Crunch, while Psychic is a 3HKO. You can easily setup on Cofagrigus and you more or less sweep with BlackGlasses at +2; even if Chandelure burns you with Flame Body, you still do 2/3 of Jellicent’s HP with Crunch, and you can take a Surf from reasonably high HP (I fainted before the killing blow). You might need one item, but this matchup is pretty great (watch out for Cursed Body). Without BlackGlasses, Cofagrigus lives a +2 Crunch. Also, Watchog can barely live Chandelure’s Fire Blast from full HP.

Klinklang (52): Metal Coat. Substitute is an extremely safe play as Cofagrigus’s Shadow Ball doesn’t break your Substitute in one use. Sometimes it will try and fail to burn your sub, even if you had one up the previous turn. Testing with Rawst Berry, at +4 Chandelure can live a Gear Grind in low yellow, but as you should have a Substitute up, you should kill it, though know Flame Body can trigger on each hit of Gear Grind. Honestly, just 2HKO Cofagrigus and Golurk with Metal Coat Gear Grind instead of using Shift Gear, as you have to setup too much to harm Jellicent and Chandelure, and their Abilities more or less kill a sweep if they trigger. Golurk went for Curse to faint itself most times I faced it but you can live EQ from full (remember Klinklang does have 115 base Defense).

Swoobat (50): Expert Belt. Suprisingly good if you reteach Imprison with Shadow Ball, Calm Mind and Psychic. Imprison, then boost up to max while Cofagrigus does nothing with Grass Knot, Full Restore, then sweep with Shadow Ball, outspeeding and OHKOing everything. Jellicent comes out second, but even if Cursed Body disables Shadow Ball, Golurk and Chandelure are still OHKOed by Psychic. Also you can sweep at +4 most likely (in my attempt where WOW missed turn 1, I was at 31 HP at the end, and I did this since Chandelure lives +3 Psychic).
Swoobat (50): Crunch from Scrafty OHKOs while you 2HKO it with Air Slash. Air Slash does 3HKO Krookodile without Sharp Beak. So yeah, not using Swoobat here. Best it could do is get off a Reflect really and hope for flinches with Air Slash.

Watchog (51): Silk Scarf Return 2HKOs Scrafty while you take 2/3 from Brick Break. Bisharp can barely live a Low Kick in red sometimes unless you roll a favorable range. You’ll probably be too weakened from Scrafty to deal with the others.

Cryogonal (50): You outspeed and OHKO Krookodile with Ice Beam, even without NeverMelt Ice. Others are risky due to Defense. You can barely live Liepard’s Fake Out/Night Slash if the latter doesn’t crit (I lived at 3 HP) while you knock it to low yellow with Ice Beam (you outspeed).

Terrakion: Expert Belt. Scrafty barely lives Sacred Sword (Brick Break seems a range to 2HKO) as does Krookodile after Intimidate. If you avoid Sand Attack hax after an SD you outspeed and sweep everything. Bisharp does similar damage with Metal Claw (2HKO) that Scrafty did. You outspeed and OHKO Liepard and Bisharp unboosted by the way.

Klinklang (52): Scrafty barely doesn’t 2HKO with Brick Break, while you barely 2HKO with Metal Coat Gear Grind. Tried to sweep with Shift Gear, but at +2 it looks like damage range central if you are going to OHKO or not with Gear Grind, though I did OHKO Scrafty and Krook in two attempts. Also you don’t OHKO Bisharp with +1 Rock Smash and since he gets the Defiant buff if you roll the 50% Defense drop it can kinda suck. You can sweep but there is a lot of factors: Sand-Attack not being used twice, Gear Grind not missing and Bisharp not getting Defiant off. Though in reality, Bisharp can’t harm you if it gets a buff. Worth noting Liepard lives a +1 Return in red.

Garbodor: (50): Scrafty is awkward due to the Crunch/Sand-Attack 50/50 and Sludge Bomb being a rough 4HKO, though Rocky Helmet can close the gap. You should be able to chip it some and waste one of Grimsley’s Full Restores. If he gets Sand-Attack happy, just go ahead and put up Toxic Spikes and faint. Not worth using Stockpile for this matchup. If you hit with it, Focus Blast OHKOs Bisharp and finishes off Liepard, while Sludge Bomb seems to 2HKO Liepard (only does significant damage if it crits with Night Slash).
Swoobat (50): Expert Belt. Tested this with Psychic, Air Slash, Imprison and Calm Mind. Basically you are playing a super-dangerous game vs him despite the type advantage and outspeeding every mon.

If you can dodge Stone Edge from Throh to setup a Calm Mind, you can faint Throh (Expert Belt unboosted Psychic knocks him to low yellow). If you can flinch Sawk with Air Slash afterward, you win as you sweep everything afterwards, but if you fail Sawk will likely kill you with Stone Edge if it hits because even Throh killed off 100 base Attack. Though I generally stay away from evasion hax like Double Team, and as such, the method will not be considered seriously for Woobat’s tiering, you can use BrightPowder to make Stone Edge 72% accurate, as you still outspeed and OHKO all his mons with +1 Psychic even without Expert Belt. Average.

Cryogonal (51): NeverMeltIce Ice Beam 3HKOs Throh and cleanly 2HKOs Sawk, Conkeldurr and Mienshao. Only tested once. You could probably get off a Reflect but I’m not gonna test if it survives because A) my team has trouble beating Marshal and B) Gen V base 30 defense and high crit ratios. Otherwise, you outspeed everything but one hit and you faint. Bad.

Watchog (51): Silk Scarf Return can chip his team, coming just shy of a 2HKO on Throh and Conkeldurr (notably you outspeed even after Bulldoze). While you don’t outspeed Sawk without any Speed drops, you can potentially do well against it; a non-crit Karate Chop only does 2/3 of your HP, and it can also derp and use Stone Edge which can miss. Since you knock it to low yellow/healing range with one hit and it won’t kill you unless it rolls a 12.5% critical hit most likely, it’s decent. Mienshao outspeeds and OHKOs with Jump Kick, though I guess you could abuse Protect so it could cripple itself. Tested once.

Terrakion (50): Rocky Helmet. Meh. While you still outspeed Throh and Conkeldurr after two uses of Bulldoze, +2 Sacred Sword only knocks them to about low yellow/red respectively, though the latter can be killed from Rocky Helmet in red. From full, Sawk’s Karate Chop hits a rough 2HKO without a crit, while you 2HKO unboosted. With Rocky Helmet, Swords Dance on Sawk while he breaks Sturdy, then outspeed and kill Sawk and Mienshao with +2 Sacred Sword. Unboosted Sacred Sword 3HKOs Throh and Conkeldurr.

Klinklang (52): So, so close to being surprisingly good with Metal Coat. Notably, you can live a Bulldoze and a Storm Throw barely, and you’d think this would let you set up two Shift Gears and sweep. Problem is Throh is not OHKOed by +2 Shift Gear (3HKOed unboosted), so you’ll need a bit of prior damage to come in at full and sweep unless it decides to spam Bulldoze. If you get to +2 and faint Throh, Conkeldurr looks like damage range central to OHKO. Mienshao is not OHKOed by +2 Return, but Sawk is killed by Gear Grind. Notably, non-crit Karate Chop from Sawk is only like a 4HKO, and you can even live Conkeldurr’s Hammer Arm from full. The problem is that as always, you have to rely on Gear Grind’s 90 accuracy, which is very bad for a sweeper who struggles to kill things even at +2. I mean, Throh can spam Bulldoze more than twice I think, but that’s RNG and if he chooses Storm Throw it is a 2HKO. So you need prior damage, the Ai somewhat being an idiot, a little bit of damage ranges thrown in, and Gear Grind not missing 4 times in a row with 90% accuracy, which is roughly a 66% chance to sweep after calculations. Yeah; unreliable.

Garbodor (50): Safely gets two layers of Toxic Spikes off and some Poison Barb Sludge Bomb damage on Throh, though the latter has Guts. Didn’t test vs the others.
Garbodor: (50): Amnesia can help you take slightly over half, then a second can maybe help you take another (mine lived at one HP).

Terrakion (50): Expert Belt. Thanks to my Careful nature I was suprisingly able to live Reuniclus’s Psychic, and outspeed everything and sweep at +2 with X-Scissor for all but Sigilyph (who I used Rock Slide on).

Watchog (51): If you can get off two Work Ups at full HP, Watchog sweeps with BlackGlasses Crunch (you have to dodge 2 Focus Blasts from Reuniclus). Unboosted it seems to 2HKO otherwise (Gothitelle comes close, assume so for Musharna because I got a critical hit on it). You are probably more or less 2HKOed by STAB Psychic though, based on how much damage Sigilyph did.

Klinklang (52): Metal Coat. If you can get off two uses of Shift Gear, you can easily OHKO Reuniclus and Sigilyph with Gear Grind, though Musharna and Gothitelle are definitely damage ranges to OHKO.

Focus Blast is a range to kill you:

0 SpA Reuniclus Focus Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Klinklang: 120-142 (90.9 - 107.5%) -- 50% chance to OHKO

Swoobat (52): Spell Tag Shadow Ball 2HKOs Reuniclus and Sigilyph, but Musharna and Gothitelle are 3HKOed. You’re gonna take heavy damage if not outright be killed from coverage moves (looks like Reuniclus’s Thunder still would’ve OHKOed at +1 in a Calm Mind attempt, which I don’t really recommend).

Cryogonal (51): With Light Screen up, Reuniclus’s Focus Blast is a 3HKO while it looks like damage ranges to 2HKO with NeverMeltIce Ice Beam. You seem just shy of a 2HKO with Gothitelle, though Calm Mind makes it unwinnable really. Sigilyph and Musharna cannot touch you hardly at all with Psychic when a Light Screen is up; you OHKO the former and 3HKO the latter.
Everyone is level 52. I’m not using Swoobat or Garbodor for last 2 fights because I’m more or less certain they’d be not worth using (both are gonna be D/E respectively). Testing the others though.

Cryogonal: NeverMeltIce Ice Beam 2HKOs Zekrom, but it OHKOs you back with Fusion Bolt. Pretty safe against Vanilluxe with Light Screen, Flash Cannon 3HKOs even through Ice Body, though watch out for Special Defense drops from Vanilluxe’s Flash Cannon. Recover can be helpful if you have it. You also outspeed Zoroark and live a non-crit Night Slash in red. I used Icy Wind Ice Beam to 2HKO.

Klinklang: I lived after two of Zekrom’s Fusion Bolts at 1 HP (!). Revenged Zekrom with Return. Gear Grind OHKOed Zoroark. Then I smacked his own Klinklang down to low yellow as he finished me off. Extremely safe pick for Archeops one on one, it does nothing significant while you OHKO with Gear Grind. Vanilluxe also goes smoothly, being outsped and OHKOed unboosted. If you dodge Zoroark’s Focus Blast and Shift Gear, you then outspeed and OHKO with Gear Grind. Pretty great!

Watchog: Pretty bad. Even Vanilluxe outpaces and rips you apart with Bliizard (I think they crit though). Watchog is hard to use here because they either hit too hard or are too bulky to muscle through. Silk Scarf Return 3HKOs Zekrom (you can live Fusion Bolt in red). Low Kick 3HKOs Carracosta, while Grass Knot takes it to red.

Terrakion: First attempt used Expert Belt. Outspeeds and OHKOs Vanilluxe with Sacred Sword. Carracosta takes you to red with Waterfall so you’ll have to heal lest you be picked off with Aqua Jet. Doesn’t outpace Archeops, but Terrakion lived Acrobatics from 2/3 HP and OHKOed back with Rock Slide. Outspeeds Zekrom but fails to 3HKO with Hard Stone Rock Slide (could use Bulldoze but eh). Klinklang can actually live an unboosted Sacred Sword without Expert Belt, notably.
Ghetsis:

Like with N, not testing Garbodor/Swoobat. It is worth noting that when I used them for death fodder, Garbodor lived Bouffalant’s Head Charge and Swoobat can barely live I think Dragon Pulse from Hydreigon (I don’t think you outspeed though). Hope the levels are right (did get some experience when and after losing so I could rematch after facing N to get Terrakion to level 53 I think).

Klinklang (53): +4 Gear Grind OHKOed Cofagrigus, Hydreigon, Bouffalant and knocked Seismitoad to red before falling (setup on Cofagrigus without a healing item despite like 3 Special Defense drops). You should be able to take a super-effective non-STAB hit from any one mon save Hydreigon (I lived Eelektross’s Flamethrower and I believe Bouffalant’s EQ cleanly)

Watchog (52): Halfway decent. I outsped Seismitoad and caught it on a healing turn, so I used Work Up to buff to +1. EQ took me to mid yellow while I 2HKOed. Bisharp came out and was outspeed and OHKOed by +1 Low Kick. Eelektross came out and was taken to red by +1 Silk Scarf Return, then Watchog finally gave up. Grass Knot and Return seem to 2HKO Seismitoad, though the latter is a range even with Silk Scarf.

Cryogonal (52): Great Hydreigon counter if you relearn Icy Wind before N. Hydreigon outspeeds and leaves you comfortably in yellow with Focus Blast/Fire Blast, you drop speed with NeverMeltIce Icy Wind (taking it to low green) then outspeeding the following turn to kill with Ice Beam. It’s even better if you Substitute on Cofagrigus beforehand for Toxic. Then you setup a Light Screen and two Shadow Balls don’t even break your Substitute. You 3HKO Cofagrigus with Ice Beam, though Icy Wind can close the gap so you don’t force it into a healing stallfest. If you play it right, Ghetsis has to get past low accuracy moves, Substitute and Light Screen which is extremely unlikely. After Hydreigon, Bisharp comes in to scare you out. Eelektross is barely 3HKOed by Ice Beam and reams you with Wild Charge. Seismitoad is extremely good for the snowflake, as with Light Screen it cant really harm you with Muddy Water and you are immune to EQ. Ice Beam 3HKOs like with Cofagrigus. If you have SolarBeam, one use of it and Ice Beam each should kill Seismitoad also in three turns.

Terrakion (53): Hard Stone. Bouffalant is outsped, but lives Sacred Sword in red if you don’t have Expert Belt, though you are only 2HKOed by EQ. Bisharp is outsped and OHKOed by Sacred Sword. While you can’t 2HKO Eelektross with STABs, it shouldn’t be too bad (didn’t test this but he doesn’t hit you super effectively). You can barely live an attack from Hydreigon (it outspeeds you) but it looks like a damage range even with Expert Belt to OHKO (you can do it though).

Evaluations (short because they accidentally got deleted):

Patrat: Meh early, good enough with Return. It will surprise you how solid it is for so long, though it is inferior to other Normal types. C tier.
Woobat: Very weak but early availability helps it escape E. Stats are low even compared to the rest of earlygame. Easy D tier.
Trubbish: Good at stalling forever with Stockpile and Rest, but inefficient as all get out. Wanna say E tier though I can maybe see D.
Klink: Inconsistent thanks to Gear Grind's 90 accuracy; unlike Darumaka, Klink has to use Gear Grind for the entire journey instead of just 2 major battles. Gyms are good, and decent showing against N and Ghetsis helps keep it relevant endgame, though the E4 are shaky. Shift Gear is okay.
C tier.
Cryogonal: Very good, Encounter rate of 5% in Winter isn't that bad honestly (took me 6-7 minutes to change the clock and find one). Decent for gyms and has typically one target to hit endgame per team. Being pretty good against N and particularly Ghetsis is also nice. Best screen user in the game, though the physical bulk is bad (Alomomola's Wake-Up-Slap from a mook was a threat). D tier.
Terrakion: E tier because it requires heavy Rare Candy investment to be good endgame, though it is decent if you invest.
Writeups are to follow in the next post as this one is long enough already.
 
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Patrat
Spr 5b 504.png

Availability:
Route 1, 50%, levels 2-4.
Typing: Normal type, giving an advantage to Shauntal and average everywhere else save N (where Watchog is mauled).
Stats: Patrat and Watchog have slightly below average stats aside from decent Speed and Attack (77 and 85 respectively as Watchog).
Movepool: Tackle upgrades via Retaliate and later Return, with Bite at level 8 and later Crunch at level 16 being staples. Low Kick via relearner and TM moves like Dig and Grass Knot have sporadic use. Natural Confuse Ray, Hypnosis and Thunder Wave via TM can provide team support.
Major Battles: Patrat and Watchog are decent in most major fights with Normal STAB by sweeping a few Gyms at +1. Lategame, it can sweep Shauntal and Caitlin with +2 Blackglasses Crunch, and can hit N's Carracosta and Ghetsis's Seismitoad with Grass Knot. Both Bisharp endgame are hit hard by Low Kick.
Additional Comments: Keen Eye is the preferred Ability to avoid accuracy-lowering from a few opponents, although not required.

Woobat
Spr 5b 527.png

Availability:
Wellspring Cave, 50%, levels 10-13.
Typing: Psychic/Flying, giving the line an advantage to Burgh, but weaknesses to Lenora's Crunch and Elesa, Brycen and Grimsley in general. Shaky for Marshal despite the typing due to Stone Edge. Neutral elsewhere.
Stats: The Woobat line has mediocre bulk and only slightly above average Special Attack, though the line is extremely fast.
Movepool: Starts with Confusion and gets Psychic at level 41. Gust upgrades to Air Cutter at 21 and later Air Slash at 32. Amnesia and Calm Mind at level 29 can help the line setup but are tricky to pull off. The line also gets TMs like Grass Knot, Thunder Wave, Charge Beam and Shadow Ball.
Major Battles: Swoobat generally performs decently against Skyla and the 8th gym. The naturally learned albeit niche Imprison with Shadow Ball and Psychic allows it to boost up to +4 and solo Shauntal. Otherwise, Swoobat is too frail to be taking many hits to setup endgame.
Additional Comments: Unaware is the preferred Ability, as Klutz makes held items useless.

Trubbish
Spr 5b 568.png

Availability:
Routes 16 and 5, 20%.
Typing: Poison, giving a weakness to Clay and Caitlin, with Shauntal and most of Grimsley also resisting Poison STAB. Neutral elsewhere.
Stats: Trubbish has good 50/62/62 bulk and 65 Speed, with Garbodor having good stats all around save Special Attack.
Movepool: Acid Spray (obtained from level 22 or lower Trubbish) gets you by until Sludge Bomb at level 29. Stockpile at level 22 is essential to help Trubbish wall things, with the Rest TM (immediately available) and later on the Substitute TM helping with this. Toxic at level 36 is a key for major battles, where it will badly poison foes then setup with Stockpile and heal with Rest. Toxic Spikes can be helpful at times as can Amnesia at level 46.
Major Battles: Again, Trubbish and Garbodor generally Poison foes, Stockpile and then Rest, as they don't have the tools to do much else. Most of the endgame in particular will stop this strategy cold aside from potentially Marshal.
Additional Comments: Stench is the preferred Ability to flinch slower foes 10% of the time.

Klink
Spr 5b 599.png

Availability: Chargestone Cave, levels 25-27. 1F 29%, 2F 26%.
Typing: Steel type gives Klink resistances to the Gyms and the primary STABs of Shauntal, Caitlin, and Grimsley, with a weakness to Marshal.
Stats: Klink starts out as a slow master of none due to 70/60 defenses being undermined by 40 HP, and 55 Attack being mediocre. Klang is respectable stats wise, only really lacking with 50 base Speed. Klinklang at level 49 has decent 60/115/85 bulk with 100 Attack and 90 Speed.
Movepool: Very shallow; the only physical attacks the line gets are STAB Gear Grind (two-hit move for 50 power on both hits) and the Rock Smash and Return TMs. If you hold off Klang on evolving three levels, it gets Shift Gear at level 52 to boost Attack and raise Speed. Note that it does not learn Wild Charge via TM in Pokemon Black and White.
Major Battles: Klink uses the otherwise niche Charge Beam (learns naturally at 26) to handle Skyla along with Gear Grind. Brycen is handled by Klang's Gear Grind, though Beartic can live at least one and likely use Swagger. Klang can tackle the 8th gym but will likely be worn down since it has no way of boosting its own Attack save X items. The Elite Four are largely average thanks to coverage moves, but N and Ghetsis are favorable.
Additional Comments: The Plus and Minus abilities are irrelevant. The Klink line generally has reliability issues due to Gear Grind's 90 accuracy.

Cryogonal
Spr 5b 615.png

Availability:
Twist Mountain (5% in Winter, 1% in other seasons)
Typing: Ice typing gives Cryogonal an advantage against the 8th gym and about one mon per team endgame, save for Marshal who it is weak to.
Stats: 70 HP and 135 Special Defense makes Cryogonal a great special wall, complimented by good 105 Speed and 95 Special Attack. The physical bulk of 30 Defense means Cryogonal will take reasonable damage from even neutral physical hits.
Movepool: Starts with Aurora Beam, gets Ice Beam at level 33 and Reflect and Light Screen at 37 or via TMs. It gets Flash Cannon via TM for Steel coverage. Recover at level 49 can help it wall special attackers lategame with Light Screen and the Substitute TM.
Major Battles: Cryogonal is decent for Brycen with Flash Cannon, though it is unlikely to sweep unless it uses Substitute. Cryogonal sweeps the 8th gym, though if it fails to OHKO it will take heavy damage. It is good against Shauntal's Cofagrigus and Golurk, Grimsley's Krookodile, Caitlin's Sigilyph and Musharna, N's Zoroark (as long as Night Slash doesn't crit) and Vanilluxe, as well as Ghetsis's Cofagrigus, Sesmitoad and Hydreigon.
Additional Comments: The Levitate Ability gives Cryogonal an immunity to Ground-type attacks. Winter occurs in April, August and December.

Terrakion
Spr 5b 639.png

Availability: The very end of Victory Road (head down the left stairs from the exit). You must have captured, fainted, or ran from Cobalion. Level 42.
Typing: Rock/Fighting is pretty mediocre for the final fights, with the only advantages being Grimsley, N and Ghetsis.
Stats: Terrakion is a sweeper with 129 Attack, 108 Speed with 91/90/90 bulk.
Movepool: Starts with STABs in Rock Slide and Sacred Sword, gets X-Scissor via TM and Swords Dance comes at level 49.
Major Battles: You might be lucky enough to live a Psychic from Caitlin's Reuniclus and sweep at +2 with Swords Dance + Expert Belt X-Scissor. It is good for Grimsley, but watch out for Scrafty's Sand-Attack. It takes on N's Vanilluxe and Klinklang, and handles Archeops decently well. Ghetsis's Hydreigon is shaky (it outspeeds), but you can at least take on Bisharp and Bouffalant (latter lives unboosted Sacred Sword but you easily live EQ).
Additional Comments: Terrakion's Ability Justified raises its Attack when hit by a damaging Dark-type move, which you can exploit with Pokemon weak to Dark against Grimsley and Ghetsis.
Dwebble
Spr 5b 557.png

Availability:
Desert Resort, 10%, levels 20-22.
Typing: Bug/Rock typing is peculiar, giving only weaknesses to Water, Rock (common) and Steel types. Matchup-wise, Dwebble has advantages against Elesa, Skyla, Brycen and Grimsley, and to an extent N. It shouldn't be used against Clay and Marshal however.
Stats: Dwebble has good base 85 Defense, 65 Attack and a decent 55 Speed. Crustle has great 70/125/75 bulk and 100 Attack, but is even slower than Dwebble at 45 Speed.
Movepool: Starts with Smack Down, getting Bug Bite at level 23. Dwebble gets Rock Slide at only level 29 which is a staple, complemented by X-Scissor learnt naturally at 38 or via TM. You can learn Shell Smash at 43 or via Heart Scale as soon as you evolve, which turns Crustle into a somewhat fast sweeper but also lowers its defenses. The Shadow Claw, Dig, Bulldoze, Aerial Ace and Return TMs round out Crustle's coverage.
Major Battles: Dwebble fares well against Elesa thanks to Stealth Rock (level 24) hindering Volt Switch, and Rock STAB is good for Emolga. Against' Clay, the hermit crab can at least take on Krokorok. Crustle can easily sweep Skyla and Brycen with Shell Smash, though Swanna may cause issues. While neutral against the 8th gym, Crustle can boost up with Shell Smash alongside Fraxure to hopefully sweep. Against the Elite 4, Grimsley is shaky; Scrafty is neutral to Crustle and has Sand-Attack, Krookodile has Intimidate, and Bisharp is neutral and hits with Metal Claw. Shauntal and Caitlin are shaky due to special moves but Crustle can do decently with Shadow Claw and STAB. Marshal is awkward due to Stone Edge. Against N, it can take on his Vanilluxe and Zoroark. Crustle's only real standout moment against Ghetsis without Shell Smash is Hydriegon with X-Scissor.
Additional Comments: Ability-wise, Sturdy guarantees Crustle living a hit from full health, while Shell Armor blocks critical hits.
 
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Ryota Mitarai

Shrektimus Prime
is a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Top Smogon Media Contributor
I made my Karrablast entry even better, enjoy

here's Scraggy and Maractus (latter due to request, haven't really used it)


Availability: Early-game (20% chance to appear in Route 4).
Typing: Along with being useful against Brycen, Scraggy's typing allows it to beat 3/4 of the Elite Four in type matchup, although it is left weak to the 4th one, Marshal and also struggles against Skyla..
Stats: Scraggy has a good Attack stat and Defense and Special Defense, which can be buffed by Eviolite. Its Speed will eventually cause it problems as a Scrafty, but you should have Speed EVs to outspeed some slower threats.
Movepool: Its only STAB initially is Faint Attack, until it learns Brick Break at level 20. It can be taught Payback at level 23 to take advantage of the unimpressive Speed. High Jump Kick at level 31 and Crunch at level 38 are its strongest STABs. TM-wise, it can also be taught Work Up and Rock Slide. Scraggy also has Sand-Attack and Swagger upon being caught to cheese through harder matchups.
Major Battles: Other than Burgh's Leavanny, Scraggy does well against every Gym Leader bar Skyla, although it needs Eviolite for all of them as a Scraggy. It also does well against every Elite Four member bar Marshal and is useful against N and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: Scraggy should be used with Moxie and in no circumstances with Shed Skin, as Moxie provides boosts that allow Scraggy to sweep most fights.




Availability: Mid-game (10% chance to appear in Desert Resort).
Typing: Grass provides it only with advantage against Clay (whose Excadrill actually beats it). All Gym Leaders either resist Grass or have STABs or coverage that hits it super effectively. Its Elite Four matchup is not golden either. However, it does succeed in beating easily the common Roggenrola line and all Water-types.
Stats: Other than 106 Special Attack, its stats are not really high and must rely on them for the duration of the game.
Movepool: It will start off with Mega Drain and Synthesis and will learn Giga Drain at level 26. Acupressure comes at level 29 if you want to rely on RNG, Petal Dance at level 38 and Sucker Punch at level 42.
Major Battles: Its only good matchup is Clay, although it cannot beat his Excadrill. The rest either hit it super effectively (for example, Elesa's Emolga, Skyla, Brycen) or resist its STABs (Drayden/Iris). It also barely provides support for the Elite Four, N, and Ghetsis.
Additional Comments: The only reason this cactus can be constituted useful is due to 106 Special Attack and Petal Dance making it good for most Route trainers, although it provides little-to-none support for more major fights.
 
I made my Karrablast entry even better, enjoy

Availability: Karrablast is found on Route 6 at a 25% encounter rate.
Typing: Evolve it into Escavalier.
Stats: Evolve it into Escavalier.
Movepool: Evolve it into Escavalier.
Major Battles: Evolve it into Escavalier.
Additional Comments: There's nothing funny in this entry, evolve it into Escavalier already.
How are we supposed to follow your advice if the majority of humans can't afford 2 DSs and trade with themselves? "no trade" entries exist for a reason. At the very least, you can change it to "find another DS and evolve it already." so we know you're aware of existence of people who don't already own 2 DSs.
 

Ryota Mitarai

Shrektimus Prime
is a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Top Smogon Media Contributor
How are we supposed to follow your advice if the majority of humans can't afford 2 DSs and trade with themselves? "no trade" entries exist for a reason. At the very least, you can change it to "find another DS and evolve it already." so we know you're aware of existence of people who don't already own 2 DSs.
It's an E mon, who cares, E is supposed to be mons that you should not use, if I write it like this, no one's gonna bother using it, so I am achieving the desired effect.
 
After a lot of work, all of the Pokemon writeups have been updated into the OP with slightly different information presented (the other posts with writeups thus have maginally outdated info) and a few tier shifts (like Solosis to B, Terrakion to E, Pidove to C, Boldore (no trade) to C and Cryogonal to D). The writeups should all be very professional now. If anyone has any inquiries or objections, please let us know as soon as possible, as we are likely going to move the OP and tiers over to In-Game Articles soon.
 
This may be too small of a detail to mention for Accelgor, but he is one of the few Pokémon that can reliably outspeed and OHKO Ghestis’ Hydreigon with STAB Bug Buzz. The speed tiers of most Pokémon aren’t good enough to outspeed an overleveled Hydreigon, and Hydreigon’s absurd power and coverage makes it hard to take a hit and swing back. Accelgor makes dealing with him much easier.
 
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