Resource SS OU Viability Ranking Thread [Pre-DLC]

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I agree with quite a bit of what you said here but I can't agree with your points about gengar making toxtricity useless. It has more resistances (albiet no immunities) and a free resist to all sound moves which can be pretty important when you consider how squishy both pokemon can be. Also it has volt switch. Not that gengar isn't necessarily a better mon than toxtricity ( not being super slow and having better coverage is nice) but I don't think you can really draw that much equivalence.
Yeah I might remove that bit then, I just meant to show that it's not just awkward to wield, it also often gets outclassed in some areas by the ghosts (e.g. the breaker that switches in to clef and fighting attacks and other things), like you can also compare it to aegislash in some circumstances.
 
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to B
Cloyster is actually immensely threatning and slept on in this metagame. There is actually very few true good ice resists in this metagame, and most of them are fodder after a single flinch. Cloysters hardest counter, toxapex, not only loses if flinched, but opens up another chance for cloyster to flinch it to death if it chooses to haze. The next best things are prio users like bisharp, conk and aegis ( bish and aegis resist ice +rock blast too) but those can get memed by ice shard (bisharp and low HP conk) or be out of range due to being weak (aegislash) thus risking getting flinched and die. Of course, it still finds immense difficulty to setup on anything that isn't a weak physical wall that is scared by it (
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S rank gang gang :pimp:) and most of the time you do need a flinch or two to actually win the game. However, once it's counters are flinched and prio users out of the way, it can't really be outsped (choice scarf hydra is slower, shitty choice scarf pult gets ice sharded and scarf rotoms are also slower) and is pretty much unstoppable. It's certainly more threatning than dd Gyarados and is up there with hawlucha (though lucha trades lack of offensive counterplay for a lot of defensive counterplay iirc)
So overall cloyster deserves a rise out of the depths of c+ due to it being immensely more threatning than anything over there and taking advantage of the meta trends such as dug (free setup +kill pex if on your side) running seis as the water, mostly offensive aegis set that are 2hkoed such as specs or cb, lack of good speedy scarfers (pult is ass) and most steels not actually resisting ice.
 
Right, here is my official Morpeko nomination - hopefully in a better format this time! (If I've missed anything, pm me and I'll make amends).

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UR -> C-
Morpeko is a pretty average mon at first glance; this generation's Pika-clone with some fairly mediocre stats. I mean 58 Def, SpD and HP is pitiful - a 0 Atk Rhyperior could OHKO it with Bulldoze (105 - 123.7%). On paper it seems like Morpeko would be yet another PU/ZU mon...

However, Morpeko has something that no other mon on the game has:- the ability Hunger Switch accompanied by the move Aura Wheel, which somehow make it a fairly lethal late-game sweeper. Aura Wheel is a base 110, 100% accurate move that changes type as Morpeko changes form (Electric when in Full Belly Mode & Dark when in Hangry Mode) and raises Speed by 1 stage. This is a combination that is definitely slept on in the OU meta right now.

Morpeko is a phenomenal banded late-game sweeper that, under the right circumstances, can clean up with Aura Wheel alone. But also has a plethora of other solid coverage moves, such as Brick Break, Crunch, Outrage, Psychic Fangs, Seed Bomb, Stomping Tantrum and Wild Charge/Thunder Punch. It also has access to some moves that aren't as viable on Morpeko but can still find their use such as Facade, Ice Fang, Fake Out, Quick Attack, Rapid Spin, Taunt and Parting Shot.

Back to Aura Wheel though, as it is the main reason I believe Morpeko to be viable in the current OU meta. The fact that Aura Wheel is a 100% accurate move that has a base power of 110 is very powerful. It means that when it is in Full Belly Mode it can deal a decent chunk to most non-ground (or Volt Absorb/equivalent) mons, and when in Hangry Mode it can deal a decent chunk to most mons. Also, due to the speed increase post-Aura Wheel, it allows Adamant Morpeko to go from a Speed stat of 293 to 439, allowing it to outspeed max speed Timid Dragapult (421) and fire off a Dark-type Aura Wheel to OHKO it, or many other mons.

But what does Aura Wheel do in terms of the current meta, and why should Morpeko be ranked in the Viability Rankings?
Here are some noteworthy mons that Banded Aura Wheel can revenge-kill (calculated using standard Smogon sets) [not including all OU mons, just a fair amount of B rank or higher]:

Electric-Guaranteed OHKO
Corviknight (110 - 130.5%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Mandibuzz (107.5 - 126.4%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Cinderace (100 - 117.9%)
Togekiss (133.1 - 157.2%)

Electric-Guaranteed 2HKO (Even after type switch)
Clefable (81.3 - 95.7%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Toxapex (83.5 - 99.3%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Conkeldurr (66 - 77.9%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Obstagoon (71.8 - 84.7%) (Morpeko outspeeds Adamant without boosts)
Grimmsnarl (95.7 - 112.7%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)

Dark-Guaranteed OHKO
Aegislash-Blade (254.3 - 300%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Aegislash-Shield (109.8 - 129.6%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Dragapult (189.9 - 223.9%)
Gengar (274.8 - 323.6%)
Cinderace (100 - 117.9%)
Toxtricity (109.2 - 128.7%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)

Dark-Guaranteed 2HKO (Even after type switch)

Rotom-Heat (70.2 - 83.1%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Dracovish (73.8 - 87.2%) (Morpeko outspeeds Banded without boosts)
Rotom-Mow (92.5 - 109.5%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Hatterene (78.3 - 92.4%) (Morpeko outspeeds without boosts)
Morpeko @ Choice Band
Ability: Hunger Switch
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Aura Wheel
- Brick Break
- Crunch / Wild Charge
- Fire Fang / Seed Bomb / Psychic Fangs

You always want to be running Aura Wheel on this mon! Brick Break is mainly for mons like Tyranitar/Bisharp, Fire Fang for Ferrothorn, Seed Bomb for Seismitoad/Gastrodon, and Crunch/Wild Charge as an alternative to Aura Wheel as it is not always in the mode you want it.

This mon does have checks, such as Hydreigon, Seismitoad, Dugtrio, Excadrill, Tyranitar and Kommo-o. However, as previously stated, this mon provides the niche of a late-game sweeper that has access to both Electric and Dark Aura Wheel, meaning that ground-types/volt absorb/equiv mons don't outright check it. The key to mastering Morpeko is to remember which mode it is in, and learning 2 sets of calcs for the same move.

Another small niche I have exploited with Morpeko is sending it in initially against slower Stealth Rock users. A vast amount of OU players aren't increasingly aware of the coverage Morpeko has, and on various occasions I have been able to OHKO a Seismitoad with Seed Bomb, a Tyranitar with Brick Break, or take a hefty chunk out of a Ferrothorn with Fire Fang (84 - 100%).
Here are a few replays that showcase Morpeko as a late-game sweeper:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1051965425
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1051525919
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1051390365
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1051385841
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1050816623 (This replay also shows Morpeko as a lead mon being able to OHKO Seismitoad and thus prevent rocks).
Essentially what this mon does is, once the necessary threats have been killed, is switch in and revenge kill a mon like Corviknight, to gain the +1 speed and proceed to sweep.
 
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Dugtrio is piss weak w/out band and w/ band it dies to literally almost anything.
Togekiss isn't the best rn given that heattom is on like every team, Specs Weatherball pelipper isn't even a thing, and rain isn't that good so as said in the slate explanations, it's dropping.
Cloyster rising to B-, I think I can tolerate, that being said, 40% isn't exactly consistent.
I'm also pretty sure Steel Wing Dragapult isn't a real set, dropping it for Phantom Force may be worth it, but then it's walled by Corviknight, which isn't exactly ideal given it's the primary hazard removal.
I did agree w/ Kommo-o rising, but now that it has, I don't think it's worth moving up given Clefable is everywhere.
I also agree w/ Mew rising but as a suicide lead, SR+Spikes on the same mon that can actually afford the move slots is too good rn.
I do also agree w/ Toad dropping, with Vish being like nowhere it's mediocre stats are finally starting to show.
I also think Hippowdown dropping a rank, tbh I haven't seen it anywhere around the ladder, but then I'm only around 1500-1600 so it could be more common up the ladder.
Obstagoon is definitely not meh, it has literally no counters so you have to make the right predict to bring a mon in safely, or U-turn when it comes in. It can actually beat Corv w/ Obstruct or Switcheroo combined w/ Knock Off.
Hatt can reflect stuff other than hazards and I'm on the fence but I think it's fine where it is.
Drill stays, SD Rock Slide tears vs non Body Press.
Edit: Also stop this bullshit about tox dropping it tears balance
A->A+ Agree


I realize I am just echoing a lot of points f is for frens, olliert and many others have said but dugtrio definitely deserves to rise. This mon has seen a ton of success in every week of SPL so far and for good reason . The ability to force 1v1s means it doesn't have to deal with its checks and counters and can simply pick and choose which mons it fights. Because of this it is basically guaranteed a kill every match, as not only is there almost always a pokemon it traps, but even if there isn't, it has the ability to force a revenge kill, which is absurdly powerful. Yes people are adapting to this mon, such as max def clefable, or just not running pokemon that it traps, but when a pokemon literally forces such a change in the meta like no other A rank mon it is clear it needs to rise.

Also sorry for not talking about the C mons that people want risen, I don't really know enough about them to make any judgement.
 
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to A-
While Sylveon already rose to B+ last slate, I don't think that's quite high enough. Among the rest of B+, Sylveon definitely stands out as it is significantly more splashable; it's the best check available to Pokemon such as Hydreigon, which makes it a very appealing option very often. On top of that, it's much harder for Pokemon such as Rotom-H to punish it with the discovery of Calm Mind on Sylveon. Sylveon definitely fits in better among Pokemon like Kommo-o, Hippowdon, and Rotom-C.
I agree with this It's far too low. Could even make a push for A rank, it's so easy to put on a team. Threatens Hydreigon, Dragapult, isn't beaten by life orb Clef 3 attacks + SR/Moonlight. Is the only pokemon really that comfortably deals with sub Hydreigon and Dragapult. Will take a +2 flash cannon with ease and OHKO Hydreigon back behind a sub, which Clefable can't do. Takes special hits so well in a game where there's so few good special walls due to the dex cut. It's a great wish passer, rivaling Clefable in this regard.

It has a lot of versatility too, yawn can stop pokemon switching in to set up on it. Has mystical fire and psyshock which albeit aren't amazing does can catch out pex, ferrothorn a bit, the lowering of Sp.A from mystical fire useful. Has draining kiss too which can be run with hyper voice to make sure a soundproof Komm-o doesn't sweep. Quick attack pixilate. Not saying that these options are better than the main options, but it just shows that it displays a bit more versatility than just the main sets.

I think it's probably better than the pokemon in A-, though not sure better than those in A. But certainly B+ is just too low IMO.
 

Ruft

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I figured I'd list all the rises and drops I'd like to see. I won't go too in-depth since there's a lot I want to cover.

Rises:

Dugtrio A → A+

Its Choice Band set has become very difficult for many teams to deal with as it is able to trap and kill a lot of common picks, including but not limited to Clefable, Toxapex, Excadrill and Sylveon as well as a lot of other ones like Seismitoad when they're weakened. It is especially threatening now that so many teams rely on Wish-passing for sustain.
(suspect test Arena Trap)

Sylveon B+ → A-

Many teams appreciate Wish support and this is your best option after Clefable. Sylveon is a solid alternative to the latter as it handles common threats Hydreigon and (most) Dragapult much better thanks to its superior special bulk. Calm Mind is also quite threatening.

Togekiss B+ → A-
Nasty Plot makes this a very threatening wallbreaker. Flinching with Air Slash is very potent in this relatively slow metagame and paired with Flamethrower it hits a lot of the meta hard.

Mamoswine B → B+
Mamoswine is once again a solid anti-meta pick since Ice + Ground STAB is amazing, allowing it to threaten the likes of Dragapult, Hydreigon, Aegislash, Toxapex, Mandibuzz, etc.

Rotom-Wash B → B+

I think we've been too hard on Rotom-Wash. It's a very potent Trick Scarfer that unlike Rotom-Heat isn't weak to Stealth Rock. It's also very difficult to hit it super-effectively since its only true weakness is Grass which is rare right now (and Earthquake from Excadrill which you outspeed with Choice Scarf).

Snorlax B- → B

Snorlax continues to be a solid wincon since it can set up with Curse on a lot of common Pokemon like Clefable and Dragapult. Once it gets going it becomes very hard to stop thanks to its Curse-boosted physical bulk and naturally great special bulk.

Cloyster C+ → B-
Cloyster is a pretty legit wincon. If you can take out its checks (Aegislash and Conkeldurr mostly) and find an opportunity to use Shell Smash, the game's over. It has even shown its potential in SPL now to a certain extent.

Quagsire C- → C
I know it's ranked for Unaware but Water Absorb Quagsire is a niche, more sustainable alternative to Seismitoad if you already have another Stealth Rock setter on your team. It has access to Recover unlike Seismitoad and Toxic unlike Gastrodon. Haze can also be useful.

Drops:

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Toxtricity B → B-

A lot of its targets have Protect or Baneful Bunker allowing them to scout its move and most teams have a switch-in to every one of them: Ghost- (or Steel-)types for Boomburst, Ground-types for Overdrive and Volt Switch, and Steel-types for Sludge Wave are all very common.

Barraskewda & Drednaw C → C-

Both of these need rain to be effective and even then struggle a lot with common bulky Water-types like Seismitoad. I think Seismitoad itself functions better as a Stealth Rock setter for rain than Drednaw too. I feel like the best form of rain right now is just Choice Specs Pelipper, perhaps paired up with something that's also strong outside of rain like Dracovish or Crawdaunt.

UR nominations:
I like to use SPL replays as they show what the Pokemon are capable of at the highest level of play.

Chandelure UR → C+
What Chandelure offers over other Ghost-types is its added Fire typing that is great both offensively, as it threatens common Steel-types like Corviknight and Ferrothorn, and defensively, as it allows it to switch into Fairy-types like Clefable and Sylveon. Choice Specs-boosted attacks from this Pokemon are very hard to take coming off of 145 base Special Attack, and 80 Speed is actually pretty good in this slow metagame where a lot of common Pokemon are in the 60-75 range like Clefable, Corviknight, Aegislash and Seismitoad. Flash Fire is nice since it dissuades or abuses the use of Fire-type attacks from the opponent but both Infiltrator and Flame Body are also fine abilities.
teal6 vs Charmflash - win
Trosko vs Twixtry - loss

Rhyperior UR → C+

Rhyperior is quite a decent and overlooked Stealth Rock setter as it is one of the few that can take on Corviknight since it has a great Attack stat and takes little from Corviknight's attacks thanks to its great physical bulk and Solid Rock ability. It forces out other removers Mandibuzz and Excadrill too. Rock/Ground-typing is not terrible this generation since it also makes it a solid switch-in to Rotom-Heat and Togekiss.
robjr vs The Hallows - win
Twixtry vs Trosko - win

Ludicolo UR → C-
I feel like if Barraskewda and Drednaw are ranked as rain abusers Ludicolo should be too since it can actually get past the aforementioned bulky Water-types. Weather Ball/Hydro Pump + Energy Ball/Giga Drain + Ice Beam (+ Focus Blast) is pretty insane coverage honestly and I personally think it might actually be a better rain option than both Barraskewda and Drednaw.
Charmflash vs Tace - loss

I agree with or have no strong feelings on the position of every other Pokemon on the VR.
 
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Deleted User 229847

Banned deucer.
C- → C+
Spectacular pokemon all around for having such low stats, with the presence of dracovish the water absorb set is a viable one. Seimitoad is actually a very frail check to dracovish if the latter's player knows how to play, it gets 3hko'd (44%) by psychic fangs and if you get a drop with crunch we are talking about a nasty 2hko with basically no chance to sustain whatsoever. Quagsire at the very least can abuse both recover and toxic without being demolished by chipping down damage;

On the other hand I find Quagsire with Unaware to be more and more needed as an anti-physical statupper check, it even checks rotom-w and rotom-h nplot sets. It's insane how much this metagame is infested with vicious disgusting offensive statuppers, which is making quagsire more and more mandatory on my stalls.

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C- --> C It lost swords dance, that's true. But on the othe hand, Shedinja still might be viable. Toxic is nowhere to be seen on most pokemons, pursuit got deleted, tyranitar is at an all time low... I am trying to run a sash set with thief/wow/x scissors/protect in order to provide as much of a nuisance as possibile to the enemy team, stealing stuff from them and spreading burns. I also like how it completely walls mamoswine which is pretty hard to deal with in a common stall team. It's not a great pokemon by any means, but it's a viable one that doesn't deserve to stay in the same tier of araquanid or arcanine;
 
Similarly to Ruft, I'll give a brief summary as to the changes I'd like to see in the rankings in the next shift.

Rises:

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A to A+
Its Choice Band set has become very difficult for many teams to deal with as it is able to trap and kill a lot of common picks, including but not limited to Clefable, Toxapex, Excadrill and Sylveon as well as a lot of other ones like Seismitoad when they're weakened. It is especially threatening now that so many teams rely on Wish-passing for sustain.
Think Ruft pretty much summed everything up for Dugtrio, and I agree with the potential suspect test.

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A to A+
Conkeldurr is a giant threat, and if played smart has the potential to be a win-con in almost any battle. Flame Orb Guts on a Base 140 Atk mon, with excellent STAB in Mach Punch, Drain Punch, Close Combat, and coverage/utility in Earthquake and Bulk Up, has the potential to take out the majority of the meta. It also has decent natural bulk and, as said, if the player plays smart it can ruin an opponent's team. It can also run a few coverage moves like Thunder Punch.

1579966343497.png
B to B+
With Dynamax gone Ditto did lose some viability, however, it single-handedly gives you a free pivot into bulky mons like Toxapex and Corviknight, and allows you to essentially mimic what they're doing. Ditto is also capable of preventing sweeps.

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B to B+
The main switch-ins to this mon are Rotom-Heat and Rotom-Wash. The former gets bodied by Stone Edge and the latter is hardly ever seen in the current meta. A lot of teams don't have a reliable switch-in to banded icicle crash.

1579960893744.png
C+ to B-
Shell Smash accompanied with Ice, Water and Rock coverage is able to take out many threats, and has a lot of sweeping potential after a Shell Smash, which it can get up fairly safely on Walls. It also has chances for flinches which can take out mons that it can't OHKO.

1579968693330.png
C+ to B-
Jellicent can break through a lot of bulkier teams with a combination of Taunt, Will-o-Wisp, Hex and Recover/Strength Sap. Mons like Toxapex straight up lose 1v1 to Jellicent. A water immunity also helps out with mons like Dracovish.

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C to B-
Haxorus is a powerful sweeper that is not to dissimilar to that of Excadrill. After a Dragon Dance, Haxorus is able to beat over a lot of common threats in the meta with a mixture of Outrage, Earthquake and Poison Jab/Iron Tail. Mold Breaker also means that levitate mons like Rotom-Heat aren't able to switch in and burn Haxorus, furthermore establishing it's threat. It is way too powerful to be only ranked C in my opinion.

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C to C+
Sirfetch'd hits hard. If it comes in as a 'revenge-kill' mon, it will most likely deal a huge chunk of damage to a mon, if not OHKO it. Scrappy also means that ghost types can't take a Close Combat. I think this mon is better than many of the mons in C+ tier and deserves an upgrade. It also has a surprising lack of switch-ins to a Scrappy 135 Atk STAB Close Combat.

Falls:

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B+ to B
Cinderace isn't as big of a threat as it was in the early meta. It gets completely shut down by the most common rocker, being Seismitoad, and overall doesn't have a great match up against some of the biggest threats in the meta. Court Change is also not amazing as it relies on the user stacking hazards, more viable and reliable hazard control takes the form of Corviknight. It also doesn't appreciate Dugtrio in the slightest.

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B to B-
Dracozolt gets shut down by a lot of top tier threats. It gets walled by the likes of Seismitoad and completely shut down by Dugtrio. Ground-type mons are far too prevalent in the current meta for Dracozolt to be that much of a break through mon.

I'll refrain from any new nominations (aside from Morpeko, whom I have already made a case for in an earlier post), mainly due to me having little experience with any others.
 
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to A-
Nothing much to say. This thing is a huge ass threat even without the ability dynamax. You put this thing behind a sub or catch something with a T-Wave on the switch and a lot of the time its suddenly a game of if its designated check is flinched down or not. Its solid bulk makes it easy to bring in and the mon is honestly only helped by the fact that the meta is really slow at the moment. B+ really doesn't do it justice.

to A-
What i've noticed is teams either run Clefable or this to fill the main role of their fairy. In tandem with its ability to switch into and defeat rising threats including but not exclusive to Hydreigon and Dragapult, it provides amazing utility in its Wish/Protect sets. While not as well as Clefable, (The arguable strongest mon in the tier) it can also become a potent wallbreaker through the means of Calm Mind.

to A+
This thing will always put in work in some way. What a team would generally struggle with beating, (Clefable for example) Dugtrio can trap and defeat to alleviate stress that would otherwise be placed on the rest of the team. This alone makes it highly splashable which is also helped by the variety of items it can run. While I dont believe it's banworthy in the current state of Gen 8 OU, I think Dug is definitely something to look out for as it always is and deserves to move up a little bit.
 
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I'd like to nominate
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from UR-> C-

I've been using Frosmoth on screens teams with some success.
Current set:
Frosmoth @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Ice Scales
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Quiver Dance
- Ice Beam
- U-turn/Defog/Hurricane/Stun Spore

Frosmoth is usable as your sweeper option that comes in on SpA threats. Behind Light Screen, it can come in on some pretty nutty stuff like

+2 252 SpA Life Orb Gengar Sludge Wave vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Ice Scales Frosmoth through Light Screen: 110-131 (39.1 - 46.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

252+ SpA Life Orb Clefable Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Ice Scales Frosmoth through Light Screen: 125-148 (44.4 - 52.6%) -- 21.9% chance to 2HKO

+2 252 SpA Life Orb Hydreigon Flash Cannon vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Ice Scales Frosmoth through Light Screen: 121-143 (43 - 50.8%) -- 2.7% chance to 2HKO


It can really catch some stuff off-guard that intend to revenge kill it:

252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Fire Blast vs. +1 0 HP / 0 SpD Ice Scales Frosmoth: 220-260 (78.2 - 92.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Its main issue is that it is piss weak to physical threats although it does survive some hits behind reflect that can be crucial.

252+ Atk Guts Conkeldurr Drain Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Frosmoth through Reflect: 161-190 (57.2 - 67.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252 Atk Mold Breaker Excadrill Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Frosmoth through Reflect: 204-240 (72.5 - 85.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO


Okay, its main main issue is that it doesn't beat haze Pex without luck (Game Freak really trolled not giving it Freeze Dry)

+1 252+ SpA Frosmoth Hurricane vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 141-167 (46.3 - 54.9%) -- 10.5% chance to 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery

It is definitely usable though. It puts in more work than *checks C- rank* ... Polteageist and Shedinja at the very least.
Replays:
Starts turn 23 Not that special but it did secure my win very nicely
Starts turn 26 shows off one of the calcs in action basically
Starts turn 14 just happened, a nice clean up.
 
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Chandelure ur -> C+/B-

This mon is useful in the current metagame due it having no switchins in the tier right now other than hydra who is great to do a chunk to so that it is less of a threat the entire game. Another asset of chandelure is that it immediately forces corv out unlike other strong breakers like crawdaunt and conk who take way to much damage from corv bb/press so it is a good mon to pair with a sweeper walled by corv such as sand excadrill. Now you might say that specs aegislash does the same thing, but that is incorrect as chandelure also 2hkos mandibuzz which aegi doesn't unless it kills itself with steel beam, and mandis usage appears to have risen this week.

Chandelure @ Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Psychic

This is what I believe to be the best Chandelure set in the current metagame. Fire blast is necessary to 2hko full spedef clef thanks to tect which would be able to avoid the 2hko from flamethrower. Psychic is used on this set to Ohko kommo which would otherwise switchin. Obviously, energy ball hits kills toad and gastro and 2hkos tyranitar. Inflitrator and flash fire are both good options, but I lean a little bit more towards infil due to sub mons like mowtom and corv which do a significant amount of damage to chand if it has to break its sub first.

252+ SpA Choice Specs Chandelure Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clefable: 247-292 (62.6 - 74.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ SpA Choice Specs Chandelure Psychic vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Kommo-o: 336-396 (94.9 - 111.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery.
252+ SpA Choice Specs Chandelure Fire Blast vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Mandibuzz: 238-282 (56.1252+ SpA Choice Specs Chandelure Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Seismitoad: 294-346 (71 - 83.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery - 66.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Choice Specs Chandelure Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Hydreigon: 174-206 (53.5 - 63.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ SpA Choice Specs Chandelure Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Seismitoad: 294-346 (71 - 83.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

 
:sirfetch C => B-/B
I know this already got nominated, but I personally think C+ is still a bit too low.
Banded set is so good, nothing bar hatterene or weezing-galar(and both are very mediocre) likes switching into a banded CC.
Clefable and Sylveon, the most prominent fighting resists, both get 2hko'd.
252+ Atk Choice Band Sirfetch'd Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 240 Def Sylveon: 173-204 (43.9 - 51.7%) -- 69.5% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Choice Band Sirfetch'd Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 160 Def Clefable: 176-207 (44.6 - 52.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Choice Band Sirfetch'd Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Kommo-o: 204-241 (57.6 - 68%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Choice Band Sirfetch'd Close Combat vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Clefable: 215-253 (64.9 - 76.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Choice Band Sirfetch'd Close Combat vs. 196 HP / 0 Def Clefable: 215-253 (56.5 - 66.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Choice Band Sirfetch'd First Impression vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Hydreigon: 362-428 (111.3 - 131.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Choice Band Sirfetch'd Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ferrothorn: 396-468 (112.5 - 132.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO

and w/ scrappy ghosts aren't coming in either, since every one gets OHKOed after rocks(even gengar).
:flareon: C => B-
Flareon is simply the # 1 check to Clefable, who is arguably the best mon in the tier.
It takes maybe 20 percent from LO clef T-Bolt and spdef clef literally cannot do anything to flareon.
It also serves as an excellent switchin to Scarf Hydra (less common but still a threat) and Dragapult, and just about any spatker.
He also is quite strong, able to to 2hko clef w/ flash fire. He also boasts a fire immunity and access to will-o-wisp which annoys it's most common switch-in, Seismitoad. He is also a wish-passer an extremely useful trait.
 
rhyperior.gif

Rhyperior
Unlisted -> C+ or B-
Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast / Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock
Pretty obligatory move choices apart from the decision between Rock Blast and Stone Edge. Rock Blast's power is enough to warrant being preferred over Stone Edge but the option is there. Stone Edge kills has a higher chance to OHKO Rotom-H and Hydreigon (at +2) but apart from that I believe they are the only notable difference between Rock Blast and Edge. Max speed is used to outspeed most Conkeldurr, slow Corviknight and fat Clefable with a bit of leeway to cover a bit of extra speed investment.

Rhyperior's niche over it's bulky ground type brethren Seismitoad and Mamoswine lies in it's ability to come in on and take advantage of common bulky defensive Pokemon such as Clefable, Corviknight and Sylveon in order to open holes for it's offensive partners that it's competitors can't. Unlike Seismitoad, Rhyperior poses a serious, immediate threat to opposing hazard control (namely Corviknight and Mandibuzz) instead of pestering them with scald burns. Unlike Mamoswine, Rhyperior possesses the bulk, setup potential and typing to switch into Pokemon like Rotom-H and Corviknight and place pressure. Rhyperior pairs especially well with Hydreigon and Dragapult, as Rhyperior can threaten Clefable, Sylveon and Mandibuzz and they in turn come in on and threaten Seismitoad. That being said, while it is able to switch into Corviknight with rather well, Rhyperior will take nearly half from uninvested Clefable Moonblast and over half from Sylveon Hyper Voice. Thankfully for Rhyperior, as both of these Pokemon are commonly thrown into powerful attackers such as Specs Dragapult or Orb Hydregon, Rhyperior is able to switch in on the turn they Wish and threaten boosting with Swords Dance if they elect to attack it, or throw out a strong attack or set up Stealth Rock on a pivot. Notably, +2 Earthquake is a clean OHKO on Clefable and Sylveon.

However, there are many serious flaws that hold Rhyperior back. Primarily, it's base 45 speed means that it will be outsped and seriously hurt by the majority of common offensive Pokemon. It's abysmal Special Defense really holds back it's tanking capabilities in a metagame full of very strong special attackers such as Hydreigon and Dragapult which both OHKO it with Orb and Specs Draco Meteors respectively. While it can take on Rotom-H from full, it will not enjoy taking a +2 Overheat which will do around 70% from uninvested. Defensively, Rock / Ground isn't doing Rhyperior any favors and as it has no reliable recovery of it's own, Rhyperior really wants Wish support from a bulky Fairy teammate. Rhyperior also has to be wary of Dugtrio, but even banded will struggle to take it out if Rhyperior is fairly healthy.

+2 252+ Atk Rhyperior Rock Blast (3 hits) vs. 248 HP / 224+ Def Corviknight: 201-243 (50.3 - 60.9%) -- approx. 94.1% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

+2 252+ Atk Rhyperior Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 240 Def Sylveon: 396-466 (100.5 - 118.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

+2 252+ Atk Rhyperior Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 160 Def Clefable: 402-474 (102 - 120.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

+2 252+ Atk Rhyperior Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 72+ Def Hippowdon: 280-331 (66.6 - 78.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

+2 252+ Atk Rhyperior Earthquake vs. 236 HP / 0 Def Conkeldurr: 396-466 (96.5 - 113.6%) -- 75% chance to OHKO after burn damage

252+ Atk Rhyperior Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 204-240 (67.1 - 78.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery
0 SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Rhyperior: 159-187 (42.8 - 50.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

0 SpA Pixilate Sylveon Hyper Voice vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Rhyperior: 204-241 (54.9 - 64.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

224+ Def Corviknight Body Press vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Solid Rock Rhyperior: 97-115 (26.1 - 30.9%) -- 7.4% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
(Corviknight's best option against Rhyperior)

252 Atk Choice Band Dugtrio Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Solid Rock Rhyperior: 244-289 (65.7 - 77.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Choice Band Aegislash-Blade Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Solid Rock Rhyperior: 271-321 (73 - 86.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Guts Conkeldurr Mach Punch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Solid Rock Rhyperior: 136-162 (36.6 - 43.6%) -- 98.2% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen8ou-472154
The Hallows v. robjr SPL Week 2. Both times Rhyperior has been used so far in SPL was in week 2. Rhyperior is brought in to handle Rotom-H, a big threat to robjr's team. Unfortunately for The Hallows, Rhyperior dodges Rotom-H's Will-O-Wisp, however even burned, Rhyperior still would be used to pivot and halt the weakened Rotom-H.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen8ou-471999
Trosko v. Twixtry. Rhyperior is able to switch in and pressure Corviknight whenever it came in to Defog. The game passes by before Rhyperior had the opportunity to put in as much work as it theoretically could have in this game, but it did force in Trosko's Seismitoad, which Twixtry used to bring in his Ferrothorn.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8ou-1050844486
Realistically a best case matchup for Rhyperior played by me. Only solid Rhyperior switch in is Seismitoad which Hydreigon can switch into and use to exert pressure on the rest of the team. Also, Rhyperior can trade with Sylveon, the most solid switch in to Hydreigon.
 
I can't understand moving Flareon up the ranks. If anything, it should move down or perhaps even be completely unranked, though I won't go that far for now. As the metagame has evolved, Clefable checks have become easier to use and the seeming need to use niche Pokemon like Flareon, has almost completely dissipated. The statement that Flareon is the best check to Clefable may be true, but that doesn't make it the #1 check to Clefable. To be the #1 check, the Pokemon needs to be splashable and actually justifiable to be run at all. On top of that, Dugtrio's significant reign over the metagame right now does not favor Flareon much either.

I'd also like to support ranking Rhyperior, though the set provided isn't very optimal, so I'd like to share a similar one that capitalizes on Rhyperior's capabilities even further.
Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 44 Def / 172 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Stealth Rock
- Swords Dance

This particular EV spread enables Rhyperior to beat Excadrill one-on-one, meaning that Rhyperior has a good matchup against all entry hazard removal. The Special Defense allows Rhyperior to live a Choice Specs-boosted Focus Blast from Gengar.
 
:dugtrio: to S rank

looking at SPL it's clear how this pokemon warps the metagame. dugtrio does the same thing it has always done, but i think it is especially effective in this metagame compared to ORAS and SM because of the power de-creep in SS. the trapping utility dugtrio provides has always been exceptional across these 3 gens, but in ORAS and SM, building with dugtrio made it difficult to check everything due to the sheer volume of ridiculous threats. in short, while its trapping capabilities proved to be ridiculous, it provided little role compression in metagames where role compression is not just extremely valuable, but almost a necessity for a good pokemon.

in SS, it is really easy to come up with a defensive / bulky offense core that handles most of the metagame easily while also fitting dugtrio on your team. for this reason, dugtrio becomes even easier to use reliably than ever before. you no longer need to worry about your team having holes in it that you hope dugtrio's broken trapping will counterbalance. instead, you get to purely benefit from that balance.

SS OU also has plenty of fast and slow voltturners that can pivot dugtrio in reliably against the pokemon it wants to trap. dragapult, cinderace, corviknight, the rotoms, etc. are all really high viability pokemon that are also able to pivot dugtrio in safely with their standard sets.

the relative speed of this tier is also pretty low, meaning dugtrio is able to trap multiple breakers reliably in a tier with not /too/ many breakers to begin with. cinderace, dracozolt, tyranitar, and toxtricity are all examples.

looking at metagame shifts, we can also see the huge impact dugtrio has had on the metagame. the aformentioned breakers see little usage, largely because they are such dugtrio bait, and necessary defensive pokemon like toxapex, clefable, and sylveon are all relying on niche strats and ev spreads (shed shell, quick attack sylveon...) to make sure your opponent doesn't autowin with dugtrio.

overall i think it's clear that dugtrio is both extremely powerful and surprisingly splashable, and it warps the metagame more than any other pokemon atm.

that was the only nom i really wanted to go deep into, but there are some other brief noms i have:
  • :seismitoad: to A- or B+: early on, seismitoad looked like a new glue mon. amazing defensive typing + ability, rocks, solid bulk... however, seis really lacks longevity. it's really REALLY easy to chip, and unlike other bulky pivots we've seen throughout the ages (think the rotoms, tankchomp, AV magearna...), it is also extremely passive. usage has gone down for sure as well.
  • :dracovish: to B+: powerful but slow breakers like this always end up in the B ranks unless they're broken, and i don't think dracovish is broken. it is definitely a matchup-fishy pokemon and can just autowin vs some teams, but it lacks consistency compared to the other pokemon in the A ranks.
  • :kommo-o: to A: extremely good glue pokemon that is also capable of running a myriad of offensive sets, all of which are threatening in their own ways. definitely been showing up in SPL.
  • :cinderace: to A- or A: cinderace is really nice on offensive and bulky offense teams thanks to its excellent utility in court change, taunt, and u-turn. its also a solid breaker in its own right thanks to the super powerful pyro ball. a big point for cinderace's viability is that it works really well with dugtrio, being one of the nicest ways to pivot it in because of how difficult it is to wall pyro ball for so many teams. cinderace is also one of the top utility mons on offense, and i think SPL has shown that offense is starting to take off.
  • :rotom-wash: to B+: i think B is a harsh overreaction. this pokemon is still good, especially with declining seismitoad viability.
  • :dracozolt: to B-: dugtrio bait and horribly inconsistent.
  • :cloyster: to B or B+: this pokemon has been tearing up both the tournament and ladder metagames, and it is a big reason to use more offensive builds. i think its leagues better than any of the C+ or B- pokemon, and it's probably on par with pokemon like bisharp and hawlucha.
  • some miscellaneous things about the lower ranks: rhyperior and chandelure can definitely be ranked. flareon, vaporeon, milotic, and polteageist should all be unranked imo.
 
I can't understand moving Flareon up the ranks. If anything, it should move down or perhaps even be completely unranked, though I won't go that far for now. As the metagame has evolved, Clefable checks have become easier to use and the seeming need to use niche Pokemon like Flareon, has almost completely dissipated. The statement that Flareon is the best check to Clefable may be true, but that doesn't make it the #1 check to Clefable. To be the #1 check, the Pokemon needs to be splashable and actually justifiable to be run at all. On top of that, Dugtrio's significant reign over the metagame right now does not favor Flareon much either.
While dugtrio's presence makes life harder for any grounded fire type, Flareon has other uses that you seem to be ignoring. It's not just a clefable counter, it also checks other powerful special attackers like hydreigon and dragapult and hatterene. Combined with it's wish support and powerful flare blitz, it makes up its niche. I will grant you that dugtrio makes it significantly worse than it could be, but i don't think judging a mon because it's weak to a broken thing that will not be here forever is a good reason to nom it down.


edit: here's the set i use. superpower is for hydrei and coverage on things that resist fire, wisp lets you handle some physical attackers, and wish + burn + the occasional blitz will wear down dragapult.

Flareon @ Heavy Duty Boots
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wish
- Will-O-Wisp
- Superpower


+2 252 SpA Hydreigon Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Flareon: 279-328 (83.5 - 98.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Flareon: 178-211 (53.2 - 63.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
 
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Deleted User 229847

Banned deucer.
  • :dracovish: to B+: powerful but slow breakers like this always end up in the B ranks unless they're broken, and i don't think dracovish is broken. it is definitely a matchup-fishy pokemon and can just autowin vs some teams, but it lacks consistency compared to the other pokemon in the A ranks.
  • :kommo-o: to A: extremely good glue pokemon that is also capable of running a myriad of offensive sets, all of which are threatening in their own ways. definitely been showing up in SPL.
  • :cinderace: to A- or A: cinderace is really nice on offensive and bulky offense teams thanks to its excellent utility in court change, taunt, and u-turn. its also a solid breaker in its own right thanks to the super powerful pyro ball. a big point for cinderace's viability is that it works really well with dugtrio, being one of the nicest ways to pivot it in because of how difficult it is to wall pyro ball for so many teams. cinderace is also one of the top utility mons on offense, and i think SPL has shown that offense is starting to take off.
  • :rotom-wash: to B+: i think B is a harsh overreaction. this pokemon is still good, especially with declining seismitoad viability.
  • :dracozolt: to B-: dugtrio bait and horribly inconsistent.
  • :cloyster: to B or B+: this pokemon has been tearing up both the tournament and ladder metagames, and it is a big reason to use more offensive builds. i think its leagues better than any of the C+ or B- pokemon, and it's probably on par with pokemon like bisharp and hawlucha.
  • some miscellaneous things about the lower ranks: rhyperior and chandelure can definitely be ranked. flareon, vaporeon, milotic, and polteageist should all be unranked imo.
I don't understand how u can put dracovish on B+ when it's the only reason stuff like jellicent and seismitoad are used (yea, they are shitmons), with a huge increase of ferro and tox too, is because this thing is legit autowin when you don't have 2 hard checks and/or 1 immunity. You can't ask for him to be B+ and then raise Cinderace to A-, it makes no sense whatsoever, and even cloyster while being better than expected, can't be ranked so highly or pushed to the supposedly same tier dracovish.
 
While dugtrio's presence makes life harder for any grounded fire type, Flareon has other uses that you seem to be ignoring. It's not just a clefable counter, it also checks other powerful special attackers like hydreigon and dragapult and hatterene. Combined with it's wish support and powerful flare blitz, it makes up its niche. I will grant you that dugtrio makes it significantly worse than it could be, but i don't think judging a mon because it's weak to a broken thing that will not be here forever is a good reason to nom it down.


edit: here's the set i use. superpower is for hydrei and coverage on things that resist fire, wisp lets you handle some physical attackers, and wish + burn + the occasional blitz will wear down dragapult.

Flareon @ Heavy Duty Boots
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Wish
- Will-O-Wisp
- Superpower


+2 252 SpA Hydreigon Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Flareon: 279-328 (83.5 - 98.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Dragapult Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Flareon: 178-211 (53.2 - 63.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
That flareon set has no way of reliably healing itself since if a physical mon switches in on wish flareon is forced to switch out. Flareon's superpower cant even kill hydreigon in one hit and if they are a substitute set its even worse for Flareon.
0 Atk Flareon Superpower vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Hydreigon: 238-280 (73.2 - 86.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

Also imma keep saying this but Arcanine is a superior check to clefable since both will be able to deal with clef equally but the difference is that Flareon requires 3 moves to stop clef while Arcanine requires only 2 and Arcanine is two times more physically bulky and has a bigger movepool (For example Play rough would beat hydreigon better than superpower and he also gets CC if you want fighting coverage)

252+ Atk Abomasnow Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Flareon: 286-338 (85.6 - 101.1%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
-1 252+ Atk Abomasnow Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arcanine: 152-180 (39.5 - 46.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Sash dugtrio loses 1v1 to arcanine if it has extreme speed too btw
252 Atk Dugtrio Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Arcanine: 330-390 (85.9 - 101.5%) -- 12.5% chance to OHKO
0 Atk Arcanine Extreme Speed vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Dugtrio: 108-128 (51.1 - 60.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
This would also mean after intimidate Banded trio can lose to arcanine and Flare blitz would be an OHKO on banded trio
 
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zbr

less than 99% acc = never hit
is a Tiering Contributor Alumnus
but i don't think judging a mon because it's weak to a broken thing that will not be here forever is a good reason to nom it down.
duggy is with us right now so there's no reason to judge a mon with the thought process that it's not going to be here. I agree with the nom simply because guess who is commonly paired with hydrei, pult and hatterene? duggy! since their biggest threats are removed easily by duggy. just from that alone, and the fact that it's primary niche is to be a clef check and that there are other better options out there, I think it's fair to argue a downwards movement in it's ranks.
 
I don't understand how u can put dracovish on B+ when it's the only reason stuff like jellicent and seismitoad are used (yea, they are shitmons), with a huge increase of ferro and tox too, is because this thing is legit autowin when you don't have 2 hard checks and/or 1 immunity. You can't ask for him to be B+ and then raise Cinderace to A-, it makes no sense whatsoever, and even cloyster while being better than expected, can't be ranked so highly or pushed to the supposedly same tier dracovish.
Not saying I agree or disagree but it's important to remember that the Viability Rankings are for the current meta and not a "THIS IS HOW GOOD THE MON IS, PERIOD." Things shift and change. If the meta shifts to something where Water Absorb mons/Water resists become less common, Dracovish is gonna rise in viability. And then the meta may shift to answer Dracovish, and it'll drop in viability then.

It kinds reminds of Gen 6/7 Volcarona, where Volcarona would see good usage and move up in VR and then be prepped for and drop...and then people would stop prepping for it as much after a while and Volcarona would be better again.
 
:obstagoon: B+ -> A-

Obstagoon is definitely being slept on by being ranked in the B tier. It's ability, Guts, makes it a powerful wallbreaker and its base 95 Speed outspeeds a great amount of Pokemon, such as Clefable and Corviknight. It can lure in Conkeldurr, which is common in the metagame and allow for a switch-in to kill it or force it out. It also has a great wide variety of moves such as Bulk Up, Taunt, Switcheroo, etc. Its Dark/Normal typing seems decent but is really helpful for granting immunity to a Shadow Ball from Choice Specs Dragapult, forcing out a switch. Obstagoon has multiple rules that can be fit on any team, from a wallbreaker to a stall breaker. It's signature move, Obstruct, also allows it to hit a bunch more Pokemon than Bulk Up. When partnered with the right teammates, Obstagoon is a legit monster.

252+ Atk Choice Band Strong Jaw Dracovish Fishious Rend (85 BP) vs. +1 0 HP / 4 Def Obstagoon: 175-207 (53.5 - 63.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 Atk Guts Obstagoon Facade (140 BP) vs. 196 HP / 0 Def Clefable: 517-610 (136 - 160.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252 Atk Guts Obstagoon Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ferrothorn: 272-322 (77.2 - 91.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252 Atk Guts Obstagoon Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Grimmsnarl: 568-669 (144.1 - 169.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252 Atk Guts Obstagoon Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Corviknight: 265-313 (66.2 - 78.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 Atk Guts Obstagoon Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. -2 252 HP / 0 Def Corviknight: 354-417 (88.5 - 104.2%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
+1 252 Atk Guts Obstagoon Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mandibuzz: 279-328 (65.8 - 77.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO


Honourable Mentions
:ferrothorn: A -> A- Pretty meh imo, gets hit by one of the most common special attackers in the game, Clefable and Dragapult. Not to mention it gets forced out by Rotom Heat, Conkeldurr and Hydreigon as well, which have been increasing in usage. Seismitoad has also been dropping a bit so Ferrothorn has trouble finding one, especially if your opponent predicts Ferrothorn is coming in.

:crawdaunt: B- -> B One of the best wallbreakers in OU, has almost no switch ins and Adaptability Aqua Jet hits hard. Not much else needs to be said.

:toxapex: A+ -> A Toxapex suffers a bunch from Dugtrio and takes a decent chunk from Clefable and Dragapults Thunderbolt. Other Pokemon such as Seismitoad, Conkeldurr and Excadrill can hit Toxapex unless facing a burn from Scald.
 
I really don't toink it's fair to claim that Dracovish is "just another wallbreaker" where it a) wallbreaks with absolutely unmatched ease and b) can perform very, very well against offense with a Choice Scarf while still retaining much of its wallbreaking capabilities. Dropping it to B+ rank seems a little silly to me, regardless how how well prepared for it is.

Dropping Ferrothorn is kinda laughable to me, it's one of the best walls in the tier, fits really easily on teams, can be extremely annoying to take down and holds the important niche of basically being the only good Spikes user right now. No way should it drop.
 
Noms I agree with:

:Dugtrio: A -> A+/ S

These bad boys wait in an alley til one of your unsuspecting mons takes a wrong turn, blocks off your escape route, and gets away with murder. :psycry::mad:

Joking aside, this mon is great. A quick tactical preview tells you the key targets to save Duggtrio for, and when it comes time, you kill your target. Maybe two if you play your cards right. The simple fact is Arena trap is an amazing ability on a solid pokemon. STAB earthquake is considerably valueble againts steels, poisons, fire types that are grounded. And many common share one of those types. Plus you got stone edge for flying coverage. It will always carry it’s weight and ko something.

:Seismitoad: A+ -> B+

I’m on the fence about this tbh. Toad’s stats are not terrific. Just passible. Vish really is the only reason the toad could sit alongside Pex and thorn. They are objectively better tanky hazard setters. Not to say toad is bad, but it depends on wish support for longevity. Whenever a mon requires team support, that’s a fair indicator that it’s a B rank mon.

However toxic is currently still relatively rare; giving Toad role compression. And Vish still exist. Granted there are other team compositions you can create to handle the fishy dragon. Adding a webber or a chioce scarfed fairy/dragon could work. But honestly these options feel like a bunch of extra hoops and very contrived.

Again, with Vish around maybe toad is -A at best. But I’m still leaning towards +B. It is not +A alongside mons like pult, Heatom, and pex tho.

Noms I disagree with:

:kommo-o: -A -> A

Don’t get me wrong, I love kommo. But it still has some glaring weaknesses that keep it in check. Clefable is a consistant part of the meta. Hydreigon and Dragapult are both higher speed teirs and popular picks. Unless you’re running clanging Kommo or webs, those two dragons will eat kommo alive. Using his Clanging set will always be high risk high reward, because switching out nullifies the health and item investment you put in to get him set up. His rocks set is safer, but it is not a special wall which Clef, Hydre, Pult all specialize in.

As much as I love this dragon, I just can’t see it rising higher then -A. I wish I could, but this meta doesn’t give it that level of impunity.

:Cinderace: +B -> -A/A

Again I want this to rise (favorite starter this gen), but we gotta be reasonable. While it’s signature move is good, toad doesn’t care, fairly often Kommo-o runs bullet proof, Corviknight and manibuzz remove all hazards anyways.

Now when this soccer player gets his hidden ability, I wouldn’t be surprised if Cinderace becomes the next greninja (just maybe slightly less good) and soar to +A / S rank. But for the current meta, I just find Cinderace underwhelming most games honestly.
 
Flareon
- I agree with Flareon dropping, it's a difficult mon to use and it doesn't properly check the mons it wants to check. Thunder Wave Clefable can seriously cripple Flareon and can force it into 50/50s with enough chip. Another big problem is that Flareon requires 2 turns to heal in a meta that is very fast and every turn is way too valuable to waste. Arcanine is better due to faster recovery, having e-speed for dugtrio, and having intimidate for physical attackers. Arcanine is just better (and I'm glad people are starting to realize this) because it's more splashable.
+2 252 SpA Life Orb Hydreigon Draco Meteor vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Flareon: 363-426 (108.6 - 127.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
By the way, that ^ is the real calc for Flareon coming in on a +2 Draco from Drei. Most players are running LO now due to the better damage output against fat teams.


^ - I disagree with Dracovish dropping. True, it does nothing most games but, don't forget the fact that it does nothing because people are over-preparing for it. Seismitoad and Vaporeon are being used a lot to keep this mon in check. Toad is even paired up with wish partners from time to time in order to prevent massive chip damage. It should never drop from A- because this mon is too centralizing.
252+ Atk Choice Band Strong Jaw Dracovish Psychic Fangs vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 190-224 (62.5 - 73.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Strong Jaw Dracovish Fishious Rend (170 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 141-167 (46.3 - 54.9%) -- 98.8% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Black Sludge recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Strong Jaw Dracovish Fishious Rend (170 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex in Rain: 212-250 (69.7 - 82.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Strong Jaw Dracovish Fishious Rend (170 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ferrothorn: 158-186 (44.8 - 52.8%) -- 28.9% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Strong Jaw Dracovish Fishious Rend (170 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ferrothorn in Rain: 237-279 (67.3 - 79.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Choice Band Dracovish Low Kick (100 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Ferrothorn: 168-198 (47.7 - 56.2%) -- 85.9% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery


By the way, Ferrothorn & Toxapex are terrible defensive answers to Dracovish. Only Seismitoad, Vaporeon and Gastrodon are defensive answers to Dracovish; nothing else. I tried running Pex and Ferro and was surprised by the damage output and realized, "These mons should never be ran to answer vish."
 
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