Pangoro is as frightening as it is because he has mold breaker that bypass sturdy, multiscale and anti priority (except psychic terrain). If those abilities got banned, there are even better fighting types like conkeldur, heracross and buzzowle who can run Havoc on the opposing team. Also dont forget pokemon like contrary serperior, etc. Noy only aerialite dragonite will be a nightmare but also technician+quick attack+ somethingATE, and if you combine that with fake out...
In regards to the Sturdy vs focus sash topic, i dont think one is better than the other. In a HO team sturdy is clearly better since you will need a scarf, and maybe a Z-user or mega. But in a bulky offensive playstyle, sacrifice an ability slot for sturdy may be too much if your pokemon can take some hits. Eventually those teams will need about 2 pokemon as blanket checks, but they can carry focus sash instead of something like life orb and have a pokemon with some ability like adaptability instead of a sturdy mon because that would be better for the whole team. If sturdy got banned then every ofensive team will carry pure sash and scarf because that would be the most effective way of playing, so we will be in the same situation as before, but with the difference that choice scarfers will be unprotected and those who carry life orb/Z-move will carry sash now, but they will be supported by some offensive ability like adaptability or though claws. In other words, HO will be worse, but the idea behind those teams will be the same. It is not that bad to have 1 or 2 Focus sash pokemon with Magic guard assist but when more than half of the team is like that it seems a bit uncompetitive.
Regardless of what happen with sturdy, i think that magic guard needs to get banned. What made alakazam great in gen 5 was not focus sash, because other sweepers like weavile needed more support to be effective, despite having a better offensive typing. The meta can adquire a lot more of color, because, despite being magic bounce the obvius replacement of magic guard, teams can use the bounce effect in their favor. Also, some styles like sand and hail can revive because of magic guard is gone. Here are some pokemon whose usage can rise because of a magic guard ban.
Excadril: with Mold breaker, SR and rapid spin it may become the favourite pick for offensive teams. But if a team needs a better ability slot or a better Mold Breaker, Excadril may be difficult to fit. He can also fit on sand teams.
Shuckle: Probaly the best rock setter on contrary teams. If your opponent has magic bounce, then he can bounce sticky web. He is alredy popular but can rise.
Forrestres: good spiker and spiner, he also has overcoat.
Alola Golem/magnezone: magnet pull traps excadril and doublade, also provide a headache vs steelworker teams.
Galvantula: another web setteer, but with better speed and compoundeyes. Serperior can provide contrary support.
Sableye: Prankster may be needed in excadril teams, and he can mega evolve to provide magic bounce support against non-contrary temas. Also a good spin blocker. But most of sableye utility is negated with magic bounce on the other side.
Bishsarp: Defiant helps keep the pressure and slow sweepers with priority like triage pangoro can become deadly with sticky web on his side of the field despite having -1 speed.
tyranytar: Sand can cut focus sash on almost every skill link user. Also, he set up rocks.
Alola ninetales: hail hits every pokemon on the tier with the exception of Kyurem W, cloyster and overcoat teams.
Lati@s/rotom W: Levitate makes the team inmune against spikes and webs without needing a magic bouncer. Being not affected by terrains is an issue, though.
Ferrothorn: good support with spikes and rocks. he can KO any skill link mon that attacks him with tail slap if he carries rocky helmet.
Allowing passive damage will give stall more tools to hurt their opponents rather than pp stalling them, even with ferrothorn alone vs magic bounce. I agree with multiscale going because it was too much, but i feel that magic guard (and innards out ) has to go to.
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If anyone has counters for this that AREN'T named
Sturdy or Multiscale, please tell me
Unawere?
