I just recently won SS Winter SSNL, and I really am enjoying the tier so I just wanted to give my lighthearted thoughts about the viability ranking.
:weavile:- In my opinion, probably the best Pokémon in the tier, that or Clef but leaning Vile. I call it the 'Guess it wrong, you lose' Obviously you can tell with builds, oh this is running Boots SD, Its running Adamant LO SD, its running CB, you have an idea sure but if it gets an SD on switch to say something like a mon that usually checks it (Clef), and it happens to be LO Adamant SD, you get OHKO'd by Triple Axel, is something extremely scary to prep for and why I think making most teams prepped to Weavile builds healthy team building habits, which is why I rank fini pretty high at bordering A / (Best in A-). Obviously Ice / Dark punishes most mons who flood the tier, and there's no real answer other to build Weavile safe teams. Excellent Knock user + being a Dark type into Psychic spam / switching in on a Shadow Ball is always great momentum plays.
:clefable: - Clef is insanely good in this tier, its the ultimate can do it all mon, It can compress so many roles into one slot, it can also fit into almost any team structure outside HO. Moonblast is also broken with having 24 PP, you can just spam it and click knock predicting a switch. Its a mon that can setup rocks, knock, sticky barb, switch in softly and check most mons into being able to setup with the Calm Mind sets. Its versatility in conjunction with it having Magic Guard and access to Moonblast is why I rank it so high.
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:landorus-therian: - The ultimate glue in the tier, compresses so many roles, and has a couple of underrated sets like SD Stone Edge / Gravity, etc. Utility is the best for just fitting it on the team and doing many jobs, and the Toxic on Toxic (Lando vs Lando) is the ultimate interaction of the tier. Best ground type in the tier, no question, and intimidate always does so much when it comes to a pretty offensive matchups. Ability to pivot, remove hazard, weaken physical attackers, Ground immunity, Ground typing, Knock capability, rock setter, just such a good sponge, best mon in S-
:Heatran: - I think Heatran out of all the mons on this list, is the one that trended highest in 2026, its just so freaking good, Flame Body / Flash Fire roulette is always fun to play, one of the best SpD walls in the tier, the best trapper in the tier, small shout out to Fini. The ability to make Pex not as viable as it should be, and having a knock user on the team to remove the Shed just breaks down a lot of defensive structure with ease, and the Set usually looks like Magma Storm, [Earth Power, Taunt, Stealth Rock, Toxic, Will O Wisp, Protect, Heavy Slam]. Endless combinations and pinpointing speed tiers for opposing fat trans can be fun to play around with.
:Melmetal: - My favorite mon in the tier, and I just think its typing and ability to check a lot of mons, makes it a very easy splashable mons, Checks Lele, Protect + Grassy Terrain gives it a lot of defensive capabilities with 12% health gains + Protect + Toxic. Para spam + Bash is also very broken, and not spoken enough, the only reason its not considered broken is because the CB set sucks in this meta, and Bash has 8 PP, it has quite a lot of checks in the tier, but I think without its existence, Clef would be the best mon in the tier. Melm is arguable the best steel type, but as I mentioned tran is just so good rn.
:toxapex:- Regen + Toxic Spikes / Toxic + Fat + Good typing , Haze, Baneful Bunker = BIG STALL, nah but fr not much to say, one of my personal favorites, and I rank it pretty highly on how easy its to put on fatter teams, and the best eject button mon in the tier, and lastly access to Knock + Scald + Regen spam is like peak brainrot / low mental load just spam buttons it doesnt hurt
:dragapult: - Specs Sball hits pretty hard, and elite speed tier, good spin blocker (even if not super common), the versatility in sets has to be considered, DD LO / DFang, Status Sash / Inducer (Utility), ability to pivot, great typing. Some people have it as the best mon in the tier, I certainly don't but I can appreciate how great it is. 2nd best offensive mon in the tier, after Weavile.
:tapu-lele:- I mean, lowkey Specs doesn't have a real answer, I credit Heatran being so high is because you need to run Focus Blast and risk hitting 70% two times in a row and Psychic / Moonblast does peanuts. Choice Scarf comes in handy vs offensive leaning teams, and becomes one of the best cleaners in the game, Psychic and Moonblast just hits so hard when you're running Modest. Assault Vest / Twisted Spoons is underrated, I've dabbled with Draining Kiss + LO, It has some underrated defensive prowess, I am a fan of it.
:Garchomp:- I love the SpD Toxic stall set so much, it's impressively fat and just excellent typing, and good default speed tier. Rough Skin is great for contact, I also am a big fan of the SD Scale Shot sets, underrated asf, and you can plug Roseli, Yache, Haban, Lum, LO, and just cook on the offensive sets, and it doesnt need much support like other offensive mons because overall it's pretty fat and you're only real worry is Grassy Glide / Ice Shard after -1 Def. One of the best mons in the tier, and does some stuff better than Lando, but overall Lando the best ground type in the tier.
:Slowbro: - I rank this mon, much higher then I think other people, but the reality of the fact is that its the best FSighter in the game, Fsight + Teleport is broken, you add the fact that in my opinion its probably the best Shifu answer in the metagame, the Colbur + Body Press sets fuck Weavile pretty bad, and it's a soft check to Lele if you're mixed defensively. Access to Scald + Regen puts in the same class as Pex, but it ain't, I just love its SpA capabilities with combined with 120 base move.
:Urshifu-Rapid-Strike:- Not much to say here, its Shifu, great underrated physical bulk, good Weavile switch, Pads imho is the best set with all the Ferros, Chomps, Zapdos, Heatrans running around. I do like how Shifu becomes a great teammate with a Fsighter, and puts a lot of pressures on steels and darks. Unseen Fist + Surging is elite combo, that helps you just spam buttons.
:Corviknight:- Best pressure user, Flying + Steel is an elite typing when it comes to SS OU, access to Defog, checks Lele pretty decently if it's not running Thunder. Its essentially what Skarm wants to be outside the ability to setup entry hazard, there are some underrated sets I do like on stall teams like Sub SpD Bulk up, but yeah great counter to Excadrill, and checks some physical attacks pretty well like Kart.
:Ferrothorn:- Leech Seed + Protect is broken, great check vs Lele, excellent Knock user, access to entry hazard and TWave and can run ID + BP for zone or other physical attackers
:Tornadus-Therian:- Regen + Knock, is top tier asw as access to Defog; hard to put lower then this, lowkey you can make and argument to put right behind Garchomp but its fine. Def has 4 move syndrome, but Hurricane + Heatwave, Uturn, Knock Off, Toxic, Defog, and Taunt are the usual fillers but the Nasty plot set is kinda bonkers and if put on a fatter team, puts in a lot of work if Hurricane and Focus Blast dont miss.
:Slowking-Galar:- Big ole boss right here to end off A+, excellent typing and access to some great moves like Scald, Ice Beam, Earthquake. You can make an argument to put this mon higher, but I just use the AV sets, the other sets like NP / Trick are okay, it really makes its magic with SpA AV variants, Sludge Bomb + Future Sight go dummy with damages. Excellent bulk and typing, not much else to say, pretty easily-fittable in most teams with Defog support.
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:Tyranitar:- I rank this mon as the best in A tier, I rank it very high, if it had more usage I could prob make an argument for A+, but were not there yet. This mon is so capable when it comes to its CB sets, and 221 allows it to outspeed Lando switch-ins or forces it to invest some speed specifically for this situation. I think sand is such a dominant playstyle and undermind quite a lot, and Tyranitar from most perspectives other then being a ground having access to Slack Off outclasses Hippos in multiple ways, from the way in can essentially take on most Blaces moves, as long as it doesnt Trick / Wisp. Switches in to Pults moves especially if its 252 HP / 252 SpD under sand very well, pretty free rock setter, access to TWave, really hits like a brick with the CB sets. Ive seen Choice Scarf in SPL shoutout to Zaza. Just overall very solid, and I think its been trending upwards and it might continue to trend.
:Zapdos:- Amazing speed tier for a pseudo wall, great for static switches, keeps a lot of the physical attackers like Rilla, Kart, Non-Pads Shifu honest, Specs set is underrated especially as a knock absorber and just stamping on Roost as the 4th move. Good mon, sucks as a defogger
:Rillaboom:- The best Grassy Terrain setter (hate to be obvious), I'm a fan of all its sets from lefties fat, LO superpower, to CB wood hammer, grassy terrain really make some of the mons above it like Garchomp, Melm, Heatran cook harder then it usually does and Rilla + Kart is a great offensive combo, not much to say, Torn, Buzz, Zapdos always switch in on it and the most you can do is Knock and save it for later.
:Kartana:- Probably the best scarfer in the tier, taking in 6.5 damage to rocks is excellent as a scarf user, I like the pads set when it comes to being an imposter faking the choiced item isnt bad and going for a free SD, some when it comes to the Adrenaline Orb sets, LO has been seen as well, I personally think some sets are underutilized like a Synthesis / Defog set, but pretty self explanatory
:Dragonite:- Multiscale is fantastic + Boots makes it one of the best mons in this tier, you can go fat DD, fast DD Ice Punch / Dual Wing + EQ, and if you go super offensive, you can go like Normal Gem + Extreme speed. Answers greatly to Urshifu RS, Heatran (Most), Kart, Rillaboom, checks most offensive threats because of Multiscale. The mixed fat sets are mandatory in some fat structures, so its versatility is there as well.
:Tapu-Koko:- Elite speed, Gleam + Thunderbolt / Volt switch hits everything, I like the pivot sets on fatter builds as well as the Calm Mind sets on certain balance builds, the LO / Specs sets with GK is also a good option, everyone knows why this mon is good, wont go further.
:Hippowdon:- Just a solid check for some ghost spams, easy to setup Rocks / Toxic, very basic for what it brings to the table, the mixed defensive sets are my personal favorite, but physically defensive is also a good option; usually the only real option of a ground type not named gastro on fat builds
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From here because there's not much explaining on some of the selections here I'll only pick and choose the mons I want to talk about in tiers A- / B+ / B
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:Tapu-Fini:- Counters Weavile and Shifu easily, I love misty terrain on balanced builds, I like the scarf set, the CM sub / taunt set, and the fatter whirlpool sets, I think fini on sand builds are underrated and all its sets are good (probably underutilized). Probably best type combo in the tier, opposing Slowking-Galar builds nullifies it but overall if thats not their its pretty free most matchups.
:Zeraora:- Underrated asf, Lando is usually the only legitimate switchin that nullifies most of the bulk up sets, Plasma Fists threatens a lot of mons, fastest mon in the tier, and great ground replacement on offensive builds if you wanted to go that route. Boots pivot and Boots BU are the only legit sets
:Blacephalon:- This mon is so scary especially paired with another Ghost like Pult, it becomes very threatening with SpD drops on Sball. Specs / Scarf set are both viable, but I probably prefer specs personally for breaking power. Boots isn't bad as well especially when paired with Wisp / Taunt / Calm Mind. Ghost spam is a viable play style single handedly because of this mon, but tbh this mon requires quite a lot of support because its very fragile.
:Blaziken:- On paper I dont think the LO sets have much answers to it, especially if the 3rd move is Knock Off / Thunder Punch after the SD even at 1.5 after a Lando intimidate, I also like when this is paired with Rillaboom. Lefties 2 attacks is a fine set as well, and provides enough bulk where you can take a hit from something and SD up and combine that with lefties + grassy terrain. Psychic terrain isnt bad as well, so you can avoid Aqua Jets from shifu. Reminds me of Lele where on paper it lowkey doesn't have an answer.
:Ninetales-Alola:- Hail is such a viable play style, one of my favorites. Aurora Veil HO builds are extremely viable, I've seen Scarf sets, but Light Clay / Icy Rock are usually the best sets and Encore / Hypnosis / Pain Split allows you to setup multiple times throughout the battle. Blizzard / Freeze Dry / Moonblast are all solid moves, this mon allows Arctozolt to just cook, and with Substitute you don't have to do much predictions.
:Arctozolt:- Bolt Beak behind a sub hits almost everything in the tier, and if Lando wants to switch in, you can go for the Blizzard / Freeze Dry, Low Kick is a good option asw, not much to say but this mon is constantly cooking off matchup
:Victini:- Great Lele check / answer, V-Create hits everything hard even if its Boots, Boots is probably the most viable set by far, CB takes a lot of need when it comes to support.
:Moltres-Galar:- Underrated ass mon bro, this mon is so good in multiple types of structures, HO screens, offensive, and even balanced, Mono Fiery Wrath with Chesto Resto cooks because Dark is extremely powerful in this tier, if you go with 2 attacks like Hurricane, the Double Dance set is extremely promising, you can go Boots or Weakness Policy; this mon has such excellent bulk and if paired with a teammate with Healing wish it just puts in so much work, very underrated mon and I see it being higher in the future.
:Zapdos-Galar:- Same here, underrated mon. The Choice Band set with Lando switching in kinda cooks anything switching into it with Brave Bird or even Thunderous Kick / Close Combat. I personally like the Sub Bulk up sets for Lando fishing on the Uturn > Sub or whatever. Great utility with Uturn and pairs well with mons like Zeraora, I also think 100 Base speed isnt bad and it has respectable bulk.
:Aegislash:- Aegislash is a great answer to most Lele sets, I am a big fan of Spell Tag with Shadow Sneak, but Specs Sball also hits like a brick and has good coverage moves like Flash cannon and Close Combat, Kings Shield + Grassy terrain hella cooks, this mon is extremely slept on in my opinion and I think it brings a lot to the table with its defensive capabilities and typing overall. Just slow asf
:Hatterene:- Probably one of the most underutilized mons in the tier, when it comes to newer style builds I feel like you can have a lot of HO style teams with a Eject Button Hatt, you can go Rocky Helmet / Lefties as well but just being able to Healing Wish a mon is solid, obviously either the best TR setter if not 2nd after Cress. Nuzzle / Mystical Fire is a great coverage / status move. Exceptional base SpA, so it hits pretty hard. Relying on Draining kiss when it comes to recovery sucks which is why I lean on this on offensive teams to reject entry hazard and allow a mon to come in with Eject Button.
:Crawdaunt:- Im shouting out Craw because I just feel like it doesn't get as much hype as it deserves, an elite wall breaker, and CB or LO (SD) under rain literally breaks any sort of check thats not Storm Drain / Water Absorb. Solid Knock user, and with priority it helps it clean up pretty smoothly.
:Kingler:- Shouting out the other crab because it lowkey saw some usage, I'm only bringing it up because it probably deserves to be a C viability but there's no sprite of it on the Tier-maker selection.
Happy to answer any questions or see other top players give their 2026 viability ranking, thanks for reading.
. As usual, many thanks to the players who were kind enough to guide me in this project - this would not exist without you.
