A- to A+/S-
Has 1 set (maybe like 1.8 if charitable) but its genuinely such a nightmare in game and usually requires multiple mons to be positioned well to handle appropriately. I think its the best setup sweeper in the tier by a large margin but it also exerts a lot of early pressure as a knocker that outspeeds missy (especially if it reveals wisp).
B+ to A
Great all around glue. Acid spray 3 attacks is very obnoxious on spikes teams and its just really generally useful to have an offensive stopgap to thwackey that doesn't instantly become useless if it takes a knock.
Agree with the Vigoroth and Hisuian Sliggoo nominations. There have been discussions on how Vigoroth's Speed and overall bulk have been very oppressive, and now with Missy gone, there's one less check to it. Not helping is all Fighting-types being naturally slower than it and needing something like Scarf Monferno or Toxic to truly threaten it, both of which have ways to work around it thanks to its deep movepool (enough Bulk Up boosts, Substitute/Taunt). Hisuian Sliggoo is the definite #2 Steel-type and an elite Dragon-type in the tier; its typing is super helpful for checking Grasses, Waters, and Electrics alike and being one of the few walls to handle Tinkatuff really well. It's a driving force as to why other walls like Clefairy and Duosion have faced a much harder time this generation fitting on teams. I'd also like to nominate a few others:
A- -> A/A+
With misdreavus gone and a lack of competition for its role, Drakloak now claims the throne of top spinblocker and speed control in the tier. Solid offensive presence alongside a deep offensive and utility movepool makes it very splashable on multiple teams. I've enjoyed running Specs a lot to 2HKO unsuspecting targets like Vigoroth and Ivysaur. It's also one of the two best screens setters in the tier (alongside Morgrem, another underrated pick) that can pivot out and also use Curse to force switches too.
A- -> A+
It's clear teams depend on Pignite to provide offensive punch, and it's no slouch at it. Possessing one of the highest Attack stats in the tier, a formidable STAB combo, and high-powered moves to back it up, It easily can Knock Off Quaxwell's eviolite and come back later to 2HKO it with Close Combat. This generation and current meta has been a big blessing for Pignite: Magmar got banned, there's new toys in Close Combat + Knock Off, and most walls being very vulnerable to Fire/Fighting/Dark makes it very difficult to wall at all stages of the game. While Monferno and Raboot still stand out as competition, they have been moreso progress makers and lack the raw power and slightly better bulk Pignite has to offer. The fourth moveslot has been especially customizable, choosing between Sucker Punch to finish off faster foes like Girafarig or Frogadier, to High Horsepower to maim Mareanie and ease the mirror matchup. Options like Bulk Up or Trailblaze are also possible options to make it even harder to revenge kill/switch in. Overall a very clear top 10 Pokemon in the tier and should be in consideration against nearly all serious NFE teams.
C -> B-
On the surface, Seadra is completely outclassed by Quaxwell due to its lack of Rapid Spin and Encore. What Seadra has over Quaxwell is much higher Speed (tied with Girafarig and outspeeds staples like Monferno and Gabite) and Poison Point, which discourages Pokemon like Piloswine and Fire-types from freely firing off their STAB moves. Base 85 Speed makes Seadra surprisingly customizable into how much bulk it wants for investment; only 16 are needed to outrun traditional Pignite sets. The downside is that it trades utility, has a very shallow movepool (Ice Beam and
maybe Clear Smog are options, but are far less effective than RestTalk) and relies on Poison Point's 30% chance to distinguish itself from Quaxwell. However, it has emerged as a notable option during last NFEPL; consider the sea horse if your team needs compression of Speed and a Fire-type/Piloswine check.
C- to C+
Still a niche pick, but STAB Knock Off distinguishes it from Piloswine and Gabite. While it lacks in bulk, it makes up by being a better progress maker against Quaxwell and other defensive titans like Vigoroth and Ivysaur, softening up for other heavy hitters like Fire-types or frogadier to take advantage of later in the game.
C- to C+
While Dusclops is no Misdreavus (trading away Speed and offensive presence), Dusclops can still do much of the same things Misdreavus can do as a wall: spread status, get recovery with Pain Split, and consistently chip away foes with Night Shade. With investment, Dusclops can be surprisingly difficult to KO and can be worth spending the sixth slot on your team to block hazards.
Tinkatuff
Girafarig
Piloswine
Frogadier
Quaxwell
Thwackey
Dunsparce
Ivysaur
Koffing
Monferno
Raboot
Wartortle
Clefairy
Fraxure
Gabite
Servine
Duosion
Hattrem
Charjabug
Eelektrik
Mareanie
Naclstack
Pawniard
Pikachu
Quilladin
Vullaby
Fletchinder
Glimmet
Grimer-Alola
Hakamo-O
Lampent
Morgrem
Varoom
Mienfoo
Weepinbell
Arctibax
Crocalor
Cutiefly
Dartrix
Dewott
Dragonair
Murkrow
Rufflet
Zweilous
Braixen
Carkol
Gloom
Grotle
Hippopotas
Marill
Prinplup
Scraggy
Stantler
Toedscool
