Feel like based on some of the low tier guys (comfey and scream tail in C tier, harcanine in D) there are definitely a few mons I’ve used and seen recently that deserve to be raised from UR.
In no specific order, Gapdos, Mew, Chesnaught, Zarude, Crawdaunt, and mayyybe Diancie all I think coulf see rising to D. Lowk i think Gapdos could even see C tier but that might be just me.
Box of potential sets:
https://pokepast.es/3973bea42a7ac488
Galarian Zapdos is an excellent breaker or rkiller depending on which choice item you give it. It has nigh unresisted coverage (except Gholdengo and ironically Zapdos, both of which detest Knock), and hits crazy hard, capable of ohkoing or 2hkoing nearly everything in the tier with timely reads. It also generates momentum exceedingly easy with U-turn, and shrugs off hazards with its phenomenal typing. Knock is also a guaranteed progress forcing option, and OHKOs offensive dengo on Band sets. It takes advantage of the slew of grounds in the tier exceptionally well, notably Landorus-Therian which it absolutely farms thanks to Defiant. Defiant is also nice in other corcumstances, notably as a defog discourager and miscellaneous drops from hamurott, dengo, and more. Its speed outspeeds key targets like lando, kyu, and tusk, and its bulk is also decent, at 90/90/90, meaning it can take on neutral hits with ease before hitting back with blistering strength. Additionally, while less viable than the other sets, I think a sub/taunt bulk up set is also usable for taking advantage of lando, clod, and gliscor, and also (similarly to band) breaks stall incredibly well while having increasing longevity than band often does. Main drawback of this mon imo is how fast it dies to recoil, but it does what it is supposed to remarkably well.
Mew is a cool niche offensive hazard lead I’ve seen a bit of recently, having remarkable lead mus into many other leads and hazard removers. It ohkos tusk, 2hkos corv (if you’re lucky) and tusk, and helmet prevents treads and glimm from spinning on it more than once. It’s similar to deo-s, but trades speed for bulk and different coverage, which I think gives it a solid niche.
Zarude plays like a less splashable Pon with a worse typing, but increased bulk and stab knock off plus the ability to hold an item give it a niche and make it an even better stallbreaker. aside from the sets above, a recent Fez + Zarude Sun RMT saw incredible success at top ladder, forget exactly what the peak was but it was definitely top 10. On Sun, it further takes advantage of leaf guard, preventing status like burns from pult and toxic from scor, pex, or clod, and a boosted synthesis for incredible recovery. Overall, I would say this mon definitely deserves a spot.
Chesnaught was taken off recently and I’m not sure why. While Skarm is much better in many ways, Stab Body Press, Knock, and ability to check non PR Pon much better give it a significant niche. Additionally, it can forgo spikes and use a bulk up knock set to not only check pon and gambit, but also function as a pseudo-gholdengo and iron crown check after tera thanks to bulletproof blocking shadow ball and focus blast. This plays more similarly to okidogi then skarm, and has a different role, but I think both are solid and have distinguishable niches that deserve a D tier spot.
Daunt doesn’t need much of an explanation, with proper hazard support it still poses a threat to bulky and fast paces teams alike. Strong priority + strong knock is a lovely combo in this meta, and while it competes with lokix and sciz in this role, it breaks stall and fat better than either of the other two do. Main flaw is being a water breaker in a pon metagame, but I still think this mon has a niche.
Diancie is the most questionable here perhaps but it functions as a very strong bulky attacker and trick room setter that enables semiroom very well, which gambit appreciates immensely. Meteor beam is a goated move and after beaming it has nigh unresisted coverage in moonblast + earth power. It has very good bulk as well, able to eat a plethora of super effective hits before setting tr and forcing out common threats to it.
Overall, I think there are a slew of niche viable mons unmentioned on the VR, and would like at least some of them (gapdos haha) to see some consideration.
In no specific order, Gapdos, Mew, Chesnaught, Zarude, Crawdaunt, and mayyybe Diancie all I think coulf see rising to D. Lowk i think Gapdos could even see C tier but that might be just me.
Box of potential sets:
https://pokepast.es/3973bea42a7ac488
Galarian Zapdos is an excellent breaker or rkiller depending on which choice item you give it. It has nigh unresisted coverage (except Gholdengo and ironically Zapdos, both of which detest Knock), and hits crazy hard, capable of ohkoing or 2hkoing nearly everything in the tier with timely reads. It also generates momentum exceedingly easy with U-turn, and shrugs off hazards with its phenomenal typing. Knock is also a guaranteed progress forcing option, and OHKOs offensive dengo on Band sets. It takes advantage of the slew of grounds in the tier exceptionally well, notably Landorus-Therian which it absolutely farms thanks to Defiant. Defiant is also nice in other corcumstances, notably as a defog discourager and miscellaneous drops from hamurott, dengo, and more. Its speed outspeeds key targets like lando, kyu, and tusk, and its bulk is also decent, at 90/90/90, meaning it can take on neutral hits with ease before hitting back with blistering strength. Additionally, while less viable than the other sets, I think a sub/taunt bulk up set is also usable for taking advantage of lando, clod, and gliscor, and also (similarly to band) breaks stall incredibly well while having increasing longevity than band often does. Main drawback of this mon imo is how fast it dies to recoil, but it does what it is supposed to remarkably well.
Mew is a cool niche offensive hazard lead I’ve seen a bit of recently, having remarkable lead mus into many other leads and hazard removers. It ohkos tusk, 2hkos corv (if you’re lucky) and tusk, and helmet prevents treads and glimm from spinning on it more than once. It’s similar to deo-s, but trades speed for bulk and different coverage, which I think gives it a solid niche.
Zarude plays like a less splashable Pon with a worse typing, but increased bulk and stab knock off plus the ability to hold an item give it a niche and make it an even better stallbreaker. aside from the sets above, a recent Fez + Zarude Sun RMT saw incredible success at top ladder, forget exactly what the peak was but it was definitely top 10. On Sun, it further takes advantage of leaf guard, preventing status like burns from pult and toxic from scor, pex, or clod, and a boosted synthesis for incredible recovery. Overall, I would say this mon definitely deserves a spot.
Chesnaught was taken off recently and I’m not sure why. While Skarm is much better in many ways, Stab Body Press, Knock, and ability to check non PR Pon much better give it a significant niche. Additionally, it can forgo spikes and use a bulk up knock set to not only check pon and gambit, but also function as a pseudo-gholdengo and iron crown check after tera thanks to bulletproof blocking shadow ball and focus blast. This plays more similarly to okidogi then skarm, and has a different role, but I think both are solid and have distinguishable niches that deserve a D tier spot.
Daunt doesn’t need much of an explanation, with proper hazard support it still poses a threat to bulky and fast paces teams alike. Strong priority + strong knock is a lovely combo in this meta, and while it competes with lokix and sciz in this role, it breaks stall and fat better than either of the other two do. Main flaw is being a water breaker in a pon metagame, but I still think this mon has a niche.
Diancie is the most questionable here perhaps but it functions as a very strong bulky attacker and trick room setter that enables semiroom very well, which gambit appreciates immensely. Meteor beam is a goated move and after beaming it has nigh unresisted coverage in moonblast + earth power. It has very good bulk as well, able to eat a plethora of super effective hits before setting tr and forcing out common threats to it.
Overall, I think there are a slew of niche viable mons unmentioned on the VR, and would like at least some of them (gapdos haha) to see some consideration.