Metagame The Loser's Game

Approved by UT and in the hills

The Loser's Game
Gen 9 The Loser's Game Banner.png

(Art by Lectrys)​

Unlike all other metas, in The Loser's Game, you win by having all 6 of your Pokemon KOed first at the same time instead of KOing your opponent's Pokemon! Isn't all this losing instead of winning unusual?

As you might expect, move and item selection can look really suboptimal at times! Self-OHKO moves such as Explosion and Healing Wish are banned due to helping you lose a little too quickly. However, opponent-helping moves such as Heal Pulse and double-edged swords such as Substitute, Steel Beam, Belly Drum, Shed Tail, and Perish Song are not! The majority of Pokemon can only KO themselves with the help of self-injuring items, the big 3 being Toxic Orb, Black Sludge, and Sticky Barb. Using Trick and/or Switcheroo to put healing or damage-preventing items such as Pecha Berry, Sitrus Berry, and Leftovers on opposing Pokemon is sure to jam those works! Even assigning EVs and IVs on your Pokemon gets downright suboptimal too, as you'll be wanting low bulk, low attacking stats, and high Speed!

However, some moves and abilities are still good regardless of whether you want to win or lose! Quite a lot of those moves and abilities restrict your opponent's options. Taunt is a mainstay that often restricts your opponent into using only Struggle, Steel Beam, Knock Off, Nuzzle, or Snore. Encore locks your opponent into spamming the same move, preferably one they'd rather not use twice in a row. Imprison prevents opposing Pokemon from using any moves you have in your moveset, especially common ones such as Substitute and ones that Taunt cannot block such as Steel Beam. Be on the lookout for Pokemon with Magic Bounce or Good as Gold who ignore or reflect Taunt, Encore, Heal Pulse, Whirlwind, and more! All the same, Mold Breaker bypasses those dastardly abilities and lets you disrupt their users more easily. Prankster users go first at the cost of Dark-types ignoring them Good as Gold-style. But even outright detrimental abilities such as Sword of Ruin, As One, and Intrepid Sword may not harm some Pokemon's chances enough in The Loser's Game if their stats, movepools, and typings are good enough!

Rules
Mechanic: The first player to have all 6 of their Pokemon KOed at the same time wins.

Clauses:
  • Standard OMs Clauses except for OHKO Clause
  • Min Source Gen=9 Clause
  • All Pokemon must be Level 100
  • You must have a full team of 6 Pokemon
  • Family Clause: You can only use one Pokemon from their respective evolutionary line
Banned Items:
  • Choice Scarf
Banned Moves:
  • All self-OHKO moves:
    • Explosion
    • Self-Destruct
    • Memento
    • Healing Wish
    • Final Gambit
    • Lunar Dance
    • Misty Explosion
  • Magic Room
Banned Abilities:
  • Infiltrator
Strategy
  • Unless you're using Trick Room - and, on some Pokemon, even if you are - make sure to max out your Speed EVs and IVs and grant a Speed-boosting nature to your Pokemon! With the status move-reflecting Magic Coat being snapped in Gen 9, raw Speed is more important than ever. Also make sure to make those Attack, Defense, Special Attack, and Special Defense EVs and IVs as low as possible. On Pokemon that self-2HKO with moves such as Steel Beam, Belly Drum, and Ghost Curse along with Substitute and Black Sludge, make that HP stat divisible by 8 so the self-2HKO is possible! Otherwise, dropping that HP stat as low as you can is probably the best course of action. Note that if you plan to switch your Stealth Rock-weak mon into Stealth Rock, you likely want its HP to be divisible by 8 again!
  • The premier items of The Loser's Game are Toxic Orb (which places a helpful self-injuring status on you and is better at self-KOing Pokemon who like to stay in, but Steel-types and Poison-types cannot profitably use it), Black Sludge (which chips out 1/8 of your max. HP per turn except on Poison-types), and Sticky Barb (which chips out 1/8 of your max. HP per turn, including on Poison-types, but is slightly prone to getting removed). Healing and damage-preventing items such as Pecha Berry, Sitrus Berry, and Leftovers are viable on Trick and Switcheroo users. Item manipulation is so important in The Loser's Game that Knock Off is also a threat to watch out for!
  • Substitute is a staple of The Loser's Game, as it rips out 25% of your max. HP and grants protection from dangerous moves such as Trick, Heal Pulse, and Knock Off.
  • Prankster users go first with priority status moves but are blocked by Dark-types and Psychic Terrain (probably set by Psychic Surge).
  • Court Change, Cinderace's unique move, swaps around which side gets which hazards. Combine this with a Stealth Rock setter and Stealth Rock-weak teammates such as Talonflame, Charizard, Murkrow, and Chien-Pao and you can KO your own team at unprecedented speed! Good Stealth Rock setters include the trapper Dugtrio, the self-2HKOing Taunter Arceus, and the self-2HKOing Pawniard. Gholdengo makes a dream partner for Court Change teams due to its unique ability Good as Gold blocking Defog (the premier hazard-removing move in The Loser's Game) as well as other annoying moves such as Trick and Heal Pulse, as well as its ability to self-2HKO with Steel Beam. Even Cinderace is no slouch at blocking hazard removal attempts itself (including from Maushold and Mold Breaker Hawlucha, who Gholdengo cannot block) thanks to its high 119 base Speed and access to Taunt! Be on the lookout for opponents with Taunt who are determined to prevent hazards from going up and Court Change from being used.
  • Speaking of Steel Beam, it is among the best moves at enabling the self-2HKO due to Taunt being unable to stop it as well as its wide distribution. You could very well fill a team with nothing but Steel Beam users! Your opponent has to respect the 12-turn clock such a team provides. And they will do so with tactics such as Steel Beam fodder mons who get OHKOed by nearly every Steel Beam in the meta (e.g. Impidimp, Ralts, Swinub, Cutiefly), Taunt to try to force Steel Beamers to switch or hit multiple fodders, ways to remove your safe self-2HKO-enabling Black Sludge such as Trick, Switcheroo, and Knock Off, Imprison-Steel Beam sets (such as for Klefki) to prevent you from using that move that rips out 50% of your max. HP, Encore to lock you into Substitute instead of Steel Beam, and you-healing moves such as Heal Pulse and Pain Split. Funnily enough, the Steel Beamer Gholdengo dodges all of those disruptive tactics except Imprison-Steel Beam (that mon even takes more than 25% of its max. HP from a variety of viable Knock Offs) and OHKOing a single Steel Beam fodder, and phazer Steel Beamers such as Zamazenta and Cufant can push out the Imprison-Steel Beam users.
  • Heal Pulse partners well with Taunt or even Imprison to prevent opponents from using Substitute and let you heal them. Heal Pulse even outpaces opposing Struggle and ties with opposing Steel Beam! Due to the current fastest Taunt/Imprison-Heal Pulse users after Calyrex-S being the flawed-speed Indeedee-F and Gardevoir, Pain Split is increasingly viable this generation as a sufficient substitute. Its premier users have low base HP, such as Flutter Mane, so you might actually want to max out your Pain Split users' HP!
  • Perish Song-Baton Pass is a nifty way to get your unfortunately Tricked/Knocked Off mons KOed, and the fast and disruptive Scream Tail is the premier user of this strategy. Be aware that opposing phazing moves can blow away your Perish Songed mons and wipe Perish Song off them!
  • Belly Drum is a decent alternative to Steel Beam in self-2HKO sets that gets stopped by Taunt and locked into by Encore but doesn't injure the opponent. Note that the Slowpoke line has access to both Belly Drum and the Taunt-ignoring ability Oblivious.
  • Terastallization is sure to make an impact in Gen 9 The Loser's Game in a variety of ways! Disruptors such as Electrode-H, Noivern, Shroodle, and Calyrex-S as well as exposed self-2HKOers such as Zacian and Charizard will want Tera Dark to prevent opposing Pranksters from spoiling their fun (except with Imprison). Tera Ghost will make a lot more Pokemon suddenly have access to the self-2HKO-enabling Ghost Curse, especially the Magic Bounce user Espeon. Tera Ice will enhance the viability of Stealth Rock setters on Court Change teams by making them weak to both Stealth Rock and Steel Beam. (Note that Gholdengo prevents all sides' Pokemon from losing any HP to Ghost Curse just by switching in, thus adding even more defensive utility to a The Loser's Game team.)
Watchlist
  • Smeargle
  • Sandshrew-A
  • Gholdengo
  • Calyrex-S
  • Electrode-H
  • Shed Tail
  • Steel Beam
  • Magic Guard
Resources
Council:
Playable In: The main Pokemon Showdown server - The Loser's Game is challengeable there!

Discord: https://discord.gg/wGVJyqW45n

Gen 8 Thread: https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/the-losers-game.3657270/

Changelog
  • May 30, 2023: HOME compatibility released for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet; Calyrex-S reinstated into the watchlist from Gen 8
  • June 21, 2023: volcanionisgood added to the council
  • August 30, 2023: flying moose added to the council
  • Sept. 13, 2023: The Teal Mask DLC released; self-OHKO moves remain banned by default; Magic Guard and Sandshrew-A freed from Gen 8 by default but automatically put on the watchlist
  • Oct. 5, 2023: Electrode-H put on the watchlist (Steel Beam restriction to 2 users per team turned down by OM leadership)
  • Dec. 14, 2023: The Indigo Disk DLC released; Smeargle put on the watchlist
 

Attachments

Last edited:
Viability List

This section currently provides rough viability ratings and sample sets of Pokemon in The Loser's Game. Each section is in alphabetical order.

This will be a WIP for a while, especially the sample sets and their links - please be patient! Not all viable Pokemon, especially borderline Pokemon that could be High-Mid or Mid-Low, will be in at the moment.

High
:arceus: Arceus
:bronzor: Bronzor
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S
:charizard: Charizard
:chien-pao: Chien-Pao
:cinccino: Cinccino
:cinderace: Cinderace
:clefable: Clefable
:comfey: Comfey
:cottonee: Cottonee
:cyclizar: Cyclizar
:darkrai: Darkrai
:deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:dugtrio: Dugtrio
:electrode-hisui: Electrode-H
:espeon: Espeon
:flutter mane: Flutter Mane
:gholdengo: Gholdengo
:gothita: Gothita
:gothitelle: Gothitelle
:hatenna: Hatenna
:hawlucha: Hawlucha
:impidimp: Impidimp
:indeedee-f: Indeedee-F
:iron bundle: Iron Bundle
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant
:klefki: Klefki
:maushold: Maushold
:murkrow: Murkrow
:noivern: Noivern
:nosepass: Nosepass
:ogerpon: Ogerpon
:orthworm: Orthworm
:pawniard: Pawniard
:ribombee: Ribombee
:Sableye: Sableye
:salazzle: Salazzle
:sandshrew-alola: Sandshrew-A
:scream tail: Scream Tail
:shroodle: Shroodle
:slowpoke: Slowpoke
:smeargle: Smeargle
:Spectrier: Spectrier
:swinub: Swinub
:talonflame: Talonflame
:tinkaton: Tinkaton
:weezing-galar: Weezing-G
:zacian: Zacian
:zamazenta: Zamazenta
:zoroark: Zoroark
:zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H

Mid
:azurill: Azurill
:bisharp: Bisharp
:bombirdier: Bombirdier
:Bruxish: Bruxish
:cetitan: Cetitan
:chimecho: Chimecho
:cobalion: Cobalion
:Corviknight: Corviknight
:cufant: Cufant
:cutiefly: Cutiefly
:dachsbun: Dachsbun
:Delibird: Delibird
:diglett: Diglett
:diglett-alola: Diglett-A
:ditto: Ditto
:dreepy: Dreepy
:dugtrio-alola: Dugtrio-A
:enamorus: Enamorus
:espathra: Espathra
:flittle: Flittle
:froslass: Froslass
:gardevoir: Gardevoir
:gastly: Gastly
:gengar: Gengar
:Greninja: Greninja
:grookey: Grookey
:gulpin: Gulpin
:happiny: Happiny
:hattrem: Hattrem
:hoopa: Hoopa
:indeedee: Indeedee
:iron treads: Iron Treads
:jigglypuff: Jigglypuff
:jumpluff: Jumpluff
:kommo-o: Kommo-o
:koraidon: Koraidon
:kleavor: Kleavor
:kricketune: Kricketune
:latias: Latias
:leavanny: Leavanny
:lechonk: Lechonk
:lilligant-hisui: Lilligant-H
:mamoswine: Mamoswine
:marill: Marill
:masquerain: Masquerain
:meowscarada: Meowscarada
:mew: Mew
:Mewtwo: Mewtwo
:mightyena: Mightyena
:miraidon: Miraidon
:mismagius: Mismagius
:pawmot: Pawmot
:persian-alola: Persian-A
:pichu: Pichu
:Ralts: Ralts
:revavroom: Revavroom
:rillaboom: Rillaboom
:roaring moon: Roaring Moon
:sandslash-alola: Sandslash-A
:sceptile: Sceptile
:skarmory: Skarmory
:sliggoo-hisui: Sliggoo-H
:slowking: Slowking
:snom: Snom
:tinkatink: Tinkatink
:tinkatuff: Tinkatuff
:tyranitar: Tyranitar
:Ursaring: Ursaring
:varoom: Varoom
:Vivillon: Vivillon
:Weavile: Weavile
:zangoose: Zangoose
:zebstrika: Zebstrika

Low
:articuno: Articuno
:axew: Axew
:beldum: Beldum
:dragapult: Dragapult
:excadrill: Excadrill
:farigiraf: Farigiraf
:frosmoth: Frosmoth
:furret: Furret
:goodra-hisui: Goodra-H
:houndstone: Houndstone
:iron jugulis: Iron Jugulis
:jirachi: Jirachi
:lucario: Lucario
:mabosstiff: Mabosstiff
:nacli: Nacli
:scizor: Scizor
:shellos: Shellos
:Sunkern: Sunkern
:tarountula: Tarountula
:Toxicroak: Toxicroak
 
Last edited:
Role Compendium

This section provides lists of roles Pokemon viable in The Loser's Game have. Note that not every legal role holder is mentioned, as some of them are too outclassed to appear on the Viability Rankings. For example, Greedent is a disastrously slow, bulky, and high-Attack Belly Drummer that cannot dodge disruption such as Taunt or Encore at all, unlike its fast cousin Charizard and its Taunt-immune cousin Slowpoke, and Greedent also is unlucky enough to have no powerful support options such as Taunt, Encore, Imprison, or Roar.

Assume all lists are by Speed (highest to lowest) unless mentioned otherwise. Pokemon and/or roles in parentheses within lists are benchmarks to compare list members against, not list members themselves (e.g. Gothitelle is not a Steel Beam user despite being in parentheses in the Steel Beam Users list).

Smeargle indirectly learns all moves through its use of the move Sketch, so assume it is in all move and move combination lists.

Prankster
:shroodle: Shroodle = :klefki: Klefki
:cottonee: Cottonee
:Impidimp: Impidimp = :Sableye: Sableye

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S = :deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:mewtwo: Mewtwo
:darkrai: Darkrai
:ribombee: Ribombee
:noivern: Noivern = :meowscarada: Meowscarada
:Greninja: Greninja
:arceus: Arceus
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant
:Persian-Alola: Persian-A = :azelf: Azelf = :ambipom: Ambipom
:scream tail: Scream Tail = :maushold: Maushold
:espeon: Espeon = :zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H = :froslass: Froslass = :gengar: Gengar = :jumpluff: Jumpluff = :latias: Latias = :latios: Latios
:zoroark: Zoroark = :espathra: Espathra = :mismagius: Mismagius
:delphox: Delphox
:comfey: Comfey = :mew: Mew = :jirachi: Jirachi
:indeedee: Indeedee = :articuno-galar: Articuno-G
:leavanny: Leavanny
:Meloetta: Meloetta = :furret: Furret
:indeedee-f: Indeedee-F
:gholdengo: Gholdengo = :cutiefly: Cutiefly
:gardevoir: Gardevoir = :gastly: Gastly = :glalie: Glalie
:flittle: Flittle
:malamar: Malamar
:hoopa: Hoopa
:houndstone: Houndstone
:gothitelle: Gothitelle = :chimecho: Chimecho
:clefable: Clefable = :farigiraf: Farigiraf = :fennekin: Fennekin
:Blissey: Blissey
:hattrem: Hattrem
:gothita: Gothita
:ralts: Ralts
:hatenna: Hatenna
:slowking: Slowking
:bronzor: Bronzor
:Sentret: Sentret
:slowpoke: Slowpoke

:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:mewtwo: Mewtwo
:cyclizar: Cyclizar
:salazzle: Salazzle
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant
:cinccino: Cinccino = :azelf: Azelf = :ambipom: Ambipom
:ogerpon: Ogerpon = :zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H = :gengar: Gengar = :raichu: Raichu = :raichu-alola: Raichu-A
:iron treads: Iron Treads
:pawmot: Pawmot
:comfey: Comfey = :mew: Mew = :manaphy: Manaphy
:tinkaton: Tinkaton
:leavanny: Leavanny
:furret: Furret = :meloetta: Meloetta
:rillaboom: Rillaboom = :toxicroak: Toxicroak
:gardevoir: Gardevoir = :mamoswine: Mamoswine = :blaziken: Blaziken
:tinkatuff: Tinkatuff
:shroodle: Shroodle
:cetitan: Cetitan
:hoopa: Hoopa
:grookey: Grookey = :scizor: Scizor = :sandslash-alola: Sandslash-A = :chimecho: Chimecho = :kricketune: Kricketune
:clefable: Clefable = :goodra-hisui: Goodra-H
:tinkatink: Tinkatink
:sandshrew-alola: Sandshrew-A = :ralts: Ralts = :meowth-galar: Meowth-G = :marill: Marill
:copperajah: Copperajah
:jigglypuff: Jigglypuff = :Sentret: Sentret = :tarountula: Tarountula

:gothitelle: Gothitelle
:gothita: Gothita
:dugtrio: Dugtrio
:diglett: Diglett
:magneton: Magneton
:magnemite: Magnemite
:nosepass: Nosepass

:Gholdengo: Gholdengo
:espeon: Espeon
:hattrem: Hattrem
:hatenna: Hatenna
:dachsbun: Dachsbun
:alcremie: Alcremie
:lechonk: Lechonk
:bruxish: Bruxish
:venomoth: Venomoth
:salazzle: Salazzle
:mamoswine: Mamoswine
:barboach: Barboach
:swinub: Swinub
:Numel: Numel
:slowking: Slowking
:slowpoke: Slowpoke
:swalot: Swalot
:muk: Muk
:gulpin: Gulpin
:shellos: Shellos

Prankster
:Murkrow: Murkrow
:Impidimp: Impidimp = :sableye: Sableye

Non-Prankster
:Chien-Pao: Chien-Pao
:Weavile: Weavile = :darkrai: Darkrai
:Meowscarada: Meowscarada
:Greninja: Greninja
:Roaring Moon: Roaring Moon
:persian-alola: Persian-A
:Iron Jugulis: Iron Jugulis
:Zoroark: Zoroark
:Hydreigon: Hydreigon
:mabosstiff: Mabosstiff
:Bombirdier: Bombirdier
:malamar: Malamar
:Bisharp: Bisharp = :mightyena: Mightyena
:Tyranitar: Tyranitar
:Pawniard: Pawniard
:Indeedee: Indeedee
:Indeedee-F: Indeedee-F
:Bruxish: Bruxish
:Farigiraf: Farigiraf

:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S
:gardevoir: Gardevoir
:gothitelle: Gothitelle = :chimecho: Chimecho
:gothita: Gothita
:ralts: Ralts
:jigglypuff: Jigglypuff
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S
:indeedee-f: Indeedee-F
:gardevoir: Gardevoir
:gothitelle: Gothitelle = :chimecho: Chimecho
:clefable: Clefable
:hattrem: Hattrem
:gothita: Gothita
:ralts: Ralts
:hatenna: Hatenna
:slowking: Slowking
:slowpoke: Slowpoke
:comfey: Comfey
Prankster
:Sableye: Sableye

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S = :deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:flutter mane: Flutter Mane
:Spectrier: Spectrier
:zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H = :gengar: Gengar = :froslass: Froslass
:zoroark: Zoroark = :mismagius: Mismagius
:comfey: Comfey = :mew: Mew
:mabosstiff: Mabosstiff
:gardevoir: Gardevoir = :gastly: Gastly
:houndstone: Houndstone
:weezing-galar: Weezing-G
:ralts: Ralts
:nosepass: Nosepass
:jigglypuff: Jigglypuff
Prankster
:Sableye: Sableye

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S = :deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:flutter mane: Flutter Mane
:zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H = :gengar: Gengar = :froslass: Froslass
:ninetales-alola: Ninetales-A
:zoroark: Zoroark = :mismagius: Mismagius
:mew: Mew = :ninetales: Ninetales
:mabosstiff: Mabosstiff
:gardevoir: Gardevoir = :gastly: Gastly
:houndstone: Houndstone
:alcremie: Alcremie
:ralts: Ralts
:pawmot: Pawmot

:Cinderace: Cinderace

:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
(Fastest Defog user)
:Dugtrio: Dugtrio = :arceus: Arceus
(Fastest Tidy Up user) = :azelf: Azelf
:Lycanroc: Lycanroc
:Scream Tail: Scream Tail
:dugtrio-alola: Dugtrio-A
:Iron Treads: Iron Treads
:mew: Mew = :jirachi: Jirachi
:Hydreigon: Hydreigon
:Diglett: Diglett = :rayquaza: Rayquaza
:Tinkaton: Tinkaton
:diglett-alola: Diglett-A
:excadrill: Excadrill
:kleavor: Kleavor = :mamoswine: Mamoswine = :kommo-o: Kommo-o
:Bombirdier: Bombirdier
:Tinkatuff: Tinkatuff
:Bisharp: Bisharp = :skarmory: Skarmory
:Orthworm: Orthworm = :sandslash-alola: Sandslash-A
:Tyranitar: Tyranitar
:Pawniard: Pawniard = :clefable: Clefable = :barboach: Barboach
:Tinkatink: Tinkatink
:Blissey: Blissey
:swinub: Swinub = :diancie: Diancie
:sandshrew-alola: Sandshrew-A = :Cufant: Cufant = :meowth-galar: Meowth-G
:Numel: Numel
:Shellos: Shellos
:nosepass: Nosepass = :copperajah: Copperajah
:Nacli: Nacli
:Bronzor: Bronzor
:Jigglypuff: Jigglypuff = :torkoal: Torkoal

:talonflame: Talonflame
:scyther: Scyther
:charizard: Charizard = :volcarona: Volcarona
:yanma: Yanma
:oricorio: Oricorio
:ho-oh: Ho-Oh = :moltres: Moltres
:Vivillon: Vivillon
:articuno: Articuno
:masquerain: Masquerain
:delibird: Delibird
:frosmoth: Frosmoth
:snom: Snom
Prankster
:murkrow: Murkrow

Non-Prankster
:iron bundle: Iron Bundle
:chien-pao: Chien-Pao
:weavile: Weavile = :kilowattrel: Kilowattrel
:ribombee: Ribombee
:noivern: Noivern
:cinderace: Cinderace
:salazzle: Salazzle
:froslass: Froslass = :jumpluff: Jumpluff = :iron moth: Iron Moth
:ninetales-alola: Ninetales-A
:iron jugulis: Iron Jugulis = :galvantula: Galvantula
:enamorus: Enamorus
:ninetales: Ninetales
:delphox: Delphox
:rayquaza: Rayquaza = :articuno-galar: Articuno-G = :typhlosion-hisui: Typhlosion-H
:squawkabilly: Squawkabilly
:venomoth: Venomoth
:kleavor: Kleavor
:cutiefly: Cutiefly
:bombirdier: Bombirdier
:glalie: Glalie = :altaria: Altaria
:cetitan: Cetitan
:kricketune: Kricketune
:fennekin: Fennekin
:tropius: Tropius

:talonflame: Talonflame
:noivern: Noivern
(Cinderace)
:hawlucha: Hawlucha (Notably has Mold Breaker)
:scyther: Scyther = :lilligant-hisui: Lilligant-H
:oricorio: Oricorio
:kleavor: Kleavor
:Altaria: Altaria
:corviknight: Corviknight
:scizor: Scizor = :frosmoth: Frosmoth
:weezing-galar: Weezing-G
(Cinderace)
:cinccino: Cinccino
:maushold: Maushold
:Furret: Furret
:minccino: Minccino
:Sentret: Sentret

By Speed of Substitute:
Prankster
:klefki: Klefki

Non-Prankster
(Note that the fastest Imprison-Steel Beam, Taunt-Pain Split, and Imprison-Pain Split users have Prankster)
(Fastest Imprison-Heal Pulse and/or Taunt-Heal Pulse user)
:zacian: Zacian = :zamazenta: Zamazenta
:arceus: Arceus
:dugtrio-alola: Dugtrio-A
:cobalion: Cobalion
:iron treads: Iron Treads
:mew: Mew = :jirachi: Jirachi
:tinkaton: Tinkaton
:revavroom: Revavroom = :lucario: Lucario = :diglett-alola: Diglett-A
:excadrill: Excadrill
:gholdengo: Gholdengo
:tinkatuff: Tinkatuff
:bisharp: Bisharp = :skarmory: Skarmory = :magneton: Magneton
:corviknight: Corviknight
(Gothitelle) =:orthworm: Orthworm = :sandslash-alola: Sandslash-A = :scizor: Scizor
:pawniard: Pawniard = :goodra-hisui: Goodra-H
:tinkatink: Tinkatink
:varoom: Varoom
:magnemite: Magnemite
:sandshrew-alola: Sandshrew-A = :cufant: Cufant = :meowth-galar: Meowth-G = :sliggoo-hisui: Sliggoo-H
:nosepass: Nosepass = :beldum: Beldum
:bronzor: Bronzor

All Steel Beam user tiers are ordered from weakest to strongest Steel Beam. There is a bottom tier for Pokemon that are not guaranteed OHKOed by any (viable) Steel Beam users. If a viable Steel Beam user is missing a tier, this means that no viable Pokemon have been found to be in its tier yet, just tiers above or below.
Always assume a Jolly Steel Beam user. Assume Jolly Black Sludge/Sticky Barb Steel Beam-user fodder and Hasty Toxic Orb non-Steel Beam-user fodder unless told otherwise. Assume no fodder Terastallizes.

Prankster
:impidimp: Impidimp (Naive Black Sludge)

Non-Prankster
:cutiefly: Cutiefly (Black Sludge)
:swinub: Swinub
:ralts: Ralts
:nacli: Nacli (Naive Black Sludge)
:snom: Snom
:igglybuff: Igglybuff
:deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A (Naive Black Sludge)
:cutiefly: Cutiefly (Naive or Black Sludge)
:nacli: Nacli (Naive or Black Sludge)
:azurill: Azurill (Naive or Black Sludge) = :jigglypuff: Jigglypuff (Naive Black Sludge)
Prankster
:cottonee: Cottonee (Naive Black Sludge)
:impidimp: Impidimp

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A (Naive or Black Sludge)
:cutiefly: Cutiefly
:dreepy: Dreepy (Naive Black Sludge)
:delibird: Delibird (Naive or Black Sludge)
:nacli: Nacli
:jigglypuff: Jigglypuff (Naive or Black Sludge)
Prankster
:cottonee: Cottonee (Black Sludge)

Non-Prankster
:flittle: Flittle (Naive Black Sludge)
:sunkern: Sunkern (Naive Black Sludge)
Prankster
:cottonee: Cottonee

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:diglett: Diglett (Naive Black Sludge)
:dreepy: Dreepy (Naive or Black Sludge)
:gastly: Gastly (Naive Sticky Barb)
:delibird: Delibird = :flittle: Flittle (Naive or Black Sludge)
:sunkern: Sunkern (Naive or Black Sludge)
:azurill: Azurill = :jigglypuff: Jigglypuff
Prankster
:shroodle: Shroodle (Naive Sticky Barb)

Non-Prankster
:ninetales-alola: Ninetales-A (Black Sludge)
:diglett: Diglett (Naive or Black Sludge)
:dreepy: Dreepy
:gastly: Gastly (Naive or Sticky Barb)
:flittle: Flittle
:sunkern: Sunkern
Prankster
:shroodle: Shroodle (Naive or Sticky Barb)

Non-Prankster
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant (Naive Black Sludge)
:ninetales-alola: Ninetales-A (Naive or Black Sludge)
:diglett: Diglett
:gastly: Gastly
:diancie: Diancie (Naive Black Sludge)
:tarountula: Tarountula (Naive Black Sludge)
:ribombee: Ribombee (Naive Black Sludge)
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant (Black Sludge)
:lycanroc: Lycanroc (Naive Black Sludge)
:ninetales-alola: Ninetales-A
:weezing-galar: Weezing-G (Naive Sticky Barb)
:axew: Axew (Naive Black Sludge)
:sandshrew-alola: Sandshrew-A (Black Sludge)
:Sentret: Sentret (Naive Black Sludge) = :tarountula: Tarountula (Naive or Black Sludge)
Prankster
:shroodle: Shroodle

Non-Prankster
:chien-pao: Chien-Pao (Naive Black Sludge)
:ribombee: Ribombee (Black Sludge)
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant (Naive or Black Sludge)
:froslass: Froslass (Naive Black Sludge)
:dachsbun: Dachsbun (Naive Black Sludge)
:diancie: Diancie (Naive or Black Sludge)
:ribombee: Ribombee (Naive or Black Sludge)
:grookey: Grookey (Naive Black Sludge Grassy Surge)
:weezing-galar: Weezing-G (Sticky Barb)
:nosepass: Nosepass (Black Sludge)
Prankster
:murkrow: Murkrow (Naive Black Sludge)

Non-Prankster
:chien-pao: Chien-Pao (Naive or Black Sludge)
:ribombee: Ribombee
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant
:Lycanroc: Lycanroc (Naive or Black Sludge)
:froslass: Froslass (Naive or Black Sludge)
:dachsbun: Dachsbun (Naive or Black Sludge)
:kleavor: Kleavor (Naive Black Sludge) = :mamoswine: Mamoswine (Naive Black Sludge)
:smeargle: Smeargle (Naive Black Sludge)
:grookey: Grookey (Naive)
:weezing-galar: Weezing-G (Naive or Sticky Barb)
:axew: Axew (Naive or Black Sludge)
:diancie: Diancie
:ditto: Ditto (Naive Sticky Barb)
:Sandshrew-Alola: Sandshrew-A
:hatenna: Hatenna (Naive Black Sludge)
:lechonk: Lechonk (Naive Black Sludge)
:nosepass: Nosepass
:Sentret: Sentret = :tarountula: Tarountula
Prankster
:murkrow: Murkrow (Black Sludge)

Non-Prankster
:chien-pao: Chien-Pao
:weavile: Weavile (Naive Black Sludge)
:lycanroc: Lycanroc
:froslass: Froslass
:enamorus: Enamorus (Naive Black Sludge)
:dachsbun: Dachsbun = :yanma: Yanma (Naive Black Sludge)
:kleavor: Kleavor (Naive or Black Sludge) = :mamoswine: Mamoswine (Black Sludge)
:glalie: Glalie (Naive Black Sludge)
:grookey: Grookey = :frosmoth: Frosmoth (Naive Black Sludge)
:pichu: Pichu (Naive Black Sludge) = :weezing-galar: Weezing-G
:axew: Axew
:ditto: Ditto (Sticky Barb)
:hatenna: Hatenna (Naive Black Sludge)
:Sentret: Sentret
Prankster
:murkrow: Murkrow (Naive or Black Sludge)

Non-Prankster
:Weavile: Weavile (Black Sludge)
:enamorus: Enamorus (Naive or Black Sludge)
:comfey: Comfey (Naive Black Sludge)
:mamoswine: Mamoswine (Naive or Black Sludge)
:smeargle: Smeargle (Naive or Black Sludge)
:ditto: Ditto (Naive or Sticky Barb)
:hatenna: Hatenna (Naive or Black Sludge)
:lechonk: Lechonk (Naive or Black Sludge)
:Weavile: Weavile (Naive or Black Sludge)
:yanma: Yanma (Black Sludge)
:Kleavor: Kleavor
:pichu: Pichu (Naive or Black Sludge)
Prankster
:murkrow: Murkrow

Non-Prankster
:iron bundle: Iron Bundle (Naive Black Sludge)
:dugtrio: Dugtrio (Naive Black Sludge)
:zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H (Naive Black Sludge)
:enamorus: Enamorus
:comfey: Comfey (Naive or Black Sludge)
:yanma: Yanma (Naive or Black Sludge)
:mamoswine: Mamoswine
:glalie: Glalie (Naive or Black Sludge)
:smeargle: Smeargle
:cetitan: Cetitan (Naive Black Sludge)
:frosmoth: Frosmoth (Naive or Black Sludge)
:clefable: Clefable (Naive Black Sludge)
:ditto: Ditto
:gothita: Gothita (Naive Black Sludge)
:Marill: Marill (Naive Black Sludge)
:hatenna: Hatenna
:lechonk: Lechonk
Prankster
:sableye: Sableye (Naive Black Sludge)

Non-Prankster
:kricketune: Kricketune (Naive Black Sludge)
:Gulpin: Gulpin (Naive Sticky Barb) = :Marill: Marill (Naive or Black Sludge)
:weavile: Weavile
:yanma: Yanma
:diglett-alola: Diglett-A
:vivillon: Vivillon (Naive Black Sludge)
:gardevoir: Gardevoir (Naive or Black Sludge)
:pichu: Pichu
Prankster
:sableye: Sableye (Black Sludge)

Non-Prankster
:iron bundle: Iron Bundle (Black Sludge)
:flutter mane: Flutter Mane (Naive Black Sludge)
:dugtrio: Dugtrio (Naive or Black Sludge)
:zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H (Black Sludge)
:comfey: Comfey
:cetitan: Cetitan (Naive or Black Sludge)
:kricketune: Kricketune (Black Sludge) = :frosmoth: Frosmoth
:clefable: Clefable (Naive or Black Sludge)
:gothita: Gothita (Naive or Black Sludge)
:gulpin: Gulpin (Sticky Barb)
Prankster
:sableye: Sableye (Naive or Black Sludge)

Non-Prankster
:iron bundle: Iron Bundle (Naive or Black Sludge)
:cyclizar: Cyclizar (Naive Black Sludge)
:persian-alola: Persian-A (Naive or Black Sludge) = :cinccino: Cinccino (Naive Black Sludge)
:zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H (Naive or Black Sludge)
:zoroark: Zoroark (Naive or Black Sludge)
:zangoose: Zangoose (Naive Black Sludge) = :furret: Furret (Naive Black Sludge)
:Vivillon: Vivillon (Naive or Black Sludge)
:cetitan: Cetitan
:kricketune: Kricketune (Naive or Black Sludge)
:tinkatink: Tinkatink
:Gulpin: Gulpin (Naive or Sticky Barb) = :Marill: Marill
Prankster
:klefki: Klefki
:sableye: Sableye

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S (Naive or Black Sludge)
:dragapult: Dragapult (Naive Black Sludge)
:zacian: Zacian
:iron bundle: Iron Bundle
:flutter mane: Flutter Mane
:darkrai: Darkrai (Naive Black Sludge)
:meowscarada: Meowscarada (Naive or Black Sludge) = :noivern: Noivern (Naive Black Sludge)
:cyclizar: Cyclizar
:dugtrio: Dugtrio
:hawlucha: Hawlucha
:persian-alola: Persian-A = :cinccino: Cinccino
:scream tail: Scream Tail (Naive or Black Sludge) = :maushold: Maushold (Naive or Black Sludge)
:espeon: Espeon (Naive Black Sludge) = :zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H
:zoroark: Zoroark = :espathra: Espathra (Naive or Black Sludge) = :Lilligant-Hisui: Lilligant-H (Naive or Black Sludge)
:indeedee: Indeedee (Naive Black Sludge)
:leavanny: Leavanny (Naive Black Sludge)
:zangoose: Zangoose = :furret: Furret
:Vivillon: Vivillon
:mabosstiff: Mabosstiff (Naive or Black Sludge) = :toxicroak: Toxicroak (Naive or Sticky Barb) = :articuno: Articuno (Naive or Black Sludge)
:Bombirdier: Bombirdier (Naive Black Sludge)
:gardevoir: Gardevoir = :masquerain: Masquerain (Naive Black Sludge)
:tinkatuff: Tinkatuff
:mightyena: Mightyena
:kricketune: Kricketune = :sandslash-alola: Sandslash-A
:pawniard: Pawniard = :clefable: Clefable
:hattrem: Hattrem
:varoom: Varoom
:gothita: Gothita
:Gulpin: Gulpin = :meowth-galar: Meowth-G
:Numel: Numel (Naive Black Sludge)
:happiny: Happiny (Naive Black Sludge)
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S = :electrode-hisui: Electrode-H = :electrode: Electrode
:zamazenta: Zamazenta
:koraidon: Koraidon = :miraidon: Miraidon
:Spectrier: Spectrier
:talonflame: Talonflame
:Greninja: Greninja
:arceus: Arceus
:cinderace: Cinderace = :roaring moon: Roaring Moon
:salazzle: Salazzle
:zebstrika: Zebstrika
:ogerpon: Ogerpon = :jumpluff: Jumpluff = :dugtrio-alola: Dugtrio-A
:cobalion: Cobalion = :Iron Jugulis: Iron Jugulis
:iron treads: Iron Treads
:pawmot: Pawmot
:charizard: Charizard = :mew: Mew = :ninetales: Ninetales = :jirachi: Jirachi = :manaphy: Manaphy
:Hydreigon: Hydreigon
:tinkaton: Tinkaton
:revavroom: Revavroom = :meloetta: Meloetta
:indeedee-f: Indeedee-F = :rillaboom: Rillaboom = :kommo-o: Kommo-o
:gholdengo: Gholdengo
:skarmory: Skarmory
:corviknight: Corviknight
:gothitelle: Gothitelle = :orthworm: Orthworm = :chimecho: Chimecho
:tyranitar: Tyranitar
:goodra-hisui: Goodra-H
:Ursaring: Ursaring
:magnemite: Magnemite
:cufant: Cufant = :sliggoo-hisui: Sliggoo-H
:beldum: Beldum
:bronzor: Bronzor
:slowpoke: Slowpoke

:electrode-hisui: Electrode-H

:zebstrika: Zebstrika
:farigiraf: Farigiraf = :goodra-hisui: Goodra-H
:sliggoo-hisui: Sliggoo-H = :marill: Marill
:azurill: Azurill

Always assume a Jolly Chloroblast user. Assume Jolly Black Sludge/Sticky Barb Steel Beam-user fodder and Hasty Toxic Orb non-Steel Beam-user fodder unless told otherwise. Assume no fodder Terastallizes.

:wiglett: Wiglett
:barboach: Barboach (Naive or Black Sludge)
:larvitar: Larvitar (Naive Black Sludge)
:graveler: Graveler (Naive Black Sludge)
:rhyhorn: Rhyhorn (Naive or Black Sludge)
:geodude: Geodude
:wooper: Wooper
Prankster
:Shroodle: Shroodle (Naive Sticky Barb)
:Impidimp: Impidimp = :Sableye: Sableye (Naive Black Sludge)

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:Iron Bundle: Iron Bundle
:Greninja: Greninja
:Dugtrio: Dugtrio
:Lycanroc: Lycanroc
:Zoroark-Hisui: Zoroark-H (Naive Black Sludge) = :Dugtrio-Alola: Dugtrio-A
:Zoroark: Zoroark (Naive Black Sludge)
:Basculin: Basculin = :basculin-blue-striped: Basculin-Blue-Striped
:Diglett: Diglett = :Wiglett: Wiglett
:Bruxish: Bruxish
:Diglett-Alola: Diglett-A
:mamoswine: Mamoswine
:Dreepy: Dreepy
:gastly: Gastly (Naive or Sticky Barb)
:Smeargle: Smeargle = :Flittle: Flittle
:Pichu: Pichu = :Barboach: Barboach
:swinub: Swinub
:Ditto: Ditto
:Gothita: Gothita (Black Sludge)
:Ralts: Ralts
:Hatenna: Hatenna
:Numel: Numel = :lechonk: Lechonk
:Shellos: Shellos
:nosepass: Nosepass = :Sunkern: Sunkern
:Nacli: Nacli
:Snom: Snom = :Jigglypuff: Jigglypuff = :Sentret: Sentret
:Slowpoke: Slowpoke

:hawlucha: Hawlucha
(Espeon)
:basculin: Basculin = :basculin-blue-striped: Basculin-Blue-Striped
:haxorus: Haxorus
(Dachsbun)
:tinkaton: Tinkaton
(Gholdengo)
:tinkatuff: Tinkatuff
:tinkatink: Tinkatink
:axew: Axew
(Hattrem)
(Hatenna)

:Scream Tail: Scream Tail
:meloetta: Meloetta
:Kricketune: Kricketune
:Jigglypuff: Jigglypuff
Prankster
:Murkrow: Murkrow

Non-Prankster
:arceus: Arceus
:scream tail: Scream Tail
Prankster
:Murkrow: Murkrow

Non-Prankster
:Flutter Mane: Flutter Mane
:arceus: Arceus
:Scream Tail: Scream Tail
:Gengar: Gengar
:Mismagius: Mismagius
:meloetta: Meloetta
:Gastly: Gastly = :altaria: Altaria
:Kricketune: Kricketune
:marill: Marill
:Jigglypuff: Jigglypuff = :azurill: Azurill

Prankster
:murkrow: Murkrow
:shroodle: Shroodle
:cottonee: Cottonee
:impidimp: Impidimp = :sableye: Sableye

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S = :electrode-hisui: Electrode-H = :electrode: Electrode = :deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:iron bundle: Iron Bundle
:flutter mane: Flutter Mane = :chien-pao: Chien-Pao = :koraidon: Koraidon = :miraidon: Miraidon
:mewtwo: Mewtwo = :spectrier: Spectrier
:talonflame: Talonflame
:weavile: Weavile = :darkrai: Darkrai
:meowscarada: Meowscarada = :noivern: Noivern
:greninja: Greninja
:cyclizar: Cyclizar
:arceus: Arceus
:cinderace: Cinderace = :roaring moon: Roaring Moon
:hawlucha: Hawlucha
:salazzle: Salazzle
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant = :zebstrika: Zebstrika
:persian-alola: Persian-A = :azelf: Azelf = :ambipom: Ambipom
:maushold: Maushold
:ogerpon: Ogerpon = :zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H = :gengar: Gengar = :froslass: Froslass
:cobalion: Cobalion = :iron jugulis: Iron Jugulis
:enamorus: Enamorus
:zoroark: Zoroark
:comfey: Comfey = :mew: Mew
:hydreigon: Hydreigon = :basculin: Basculin = :basculin-blue-striped: Basculin-Blue-Striped
:haxorus: Haxorus
:oricorio: Oricorio
:bruxish: Bruxish = :squawkabilly: Squawkabilly
:revavroom: Revavroom = :zangoose: Zangoose
:rillaboom: Rillaboom = :toxicroak: Toxicroak = :mabosstiff: Mabosstiff
:bombirdier: Bombirdier
:gardevoir: Gardevoir = :gastly: Gastly = :glalie: Glalie
:malamar: Malamar
:mightyena: Mightyena =:bisharp: Bisharp = :hoopa: Hoopa = :skarmory: Skarmory
:corviknight: Corviknight
:gothitelle: Gothitelle = :grookey: Grookey = :kricketune: Kricketune = :chimecho: Chimecho
:tyranitar: Tyranitar
:pawniard: Pawniard = :weezing-galar: Weezing-G
:axew: Axew
:Ursaring: Ursaring
:muk: Muk
:varoom: Varoom
:gothita: Gothita
:ralts: Ralts = :meowth-galar: Meowth-G
:nosepass: Nosepass = :copperajah: Copperajah
:jigglypuff: Jigglypuff

Prankster
:shroodle: Shroodle
:cottonee: Cottonee
:sableye: Sableye

Non-Prankster
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S
:iron bundle: Iron Bundle
:hawlucha: Hawlucha
:salazzle: Salazzle
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant
:cinccino: Cinccino = :azelf: Azelf
:scream tail: Scream Tail = :maushold: Maushold
:ogerpon: Ogerpon = :gengar: Gengar = :jumpluff: Jumpluff = :raichu: Raichu = :raichu-alola: Raichu-A
:ninetales-alola: Ninetales-A
:zoroark: Zoroark = :pawmot: Pawmot = :lilligant-hisui: Lilligant-H
:delphox: Delphox
:comfey: Comfey = :mew: Mew = :ninetales: Ninetales = :jirachi: Jirachi
:indeedee: Indeedee
:tinkaton: Tinkaton
:toxicroak: Toxicroak
:gardevoir: Gardevoir
:tinkatuff: Tinkatuff
:skeledirge: Skeledirge
:chimecho: Chimecho
:alcremie: Alcremie
:clefable: Clefable = :pichu: Pichu = :fennekin: Fennekin
:tinkatink: Tinkatink
:ralts: Ralts = :gulpin: Gulpin = :marill: Marill
:sunkern: Sunkern
:azurill: Azurill = :jigglypuff: Jigglypuff

Prankster
:klefki: Klefki

Non-Prankster
:zacian: Zacian = :zamazenta: Zamazenta
:arceus: Arceus
:mew: Mew = :jirachi: Jirachi
:bronzor: Bronzor
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S
:mewtwo: Mewtwo
:espeon: Espeon = :zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H = :gengar: Gengar
:mismagius: Mismagius
:mew: Mew
:gastly: Gastly
:muk: Muk
:slowking: Slowking
:slowpoke: Slowpoke
:slowking: Slowking
:slowpoke: Slowpoke
Prankster
:klefki: Klefki
:sableye: Sableye

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S = :deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:zacian: Zacian = :zamazenta: Zamazenta
:flutter mane: Flutter Mane
:mewtwo: Mewtwo
:ribombee: Ribombee
:arceus: Arceus
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant
:azelf: Azelf
:scream tail: Scream Tail
:espeon: Espeon = :zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H = :gengar: Gengar = :froslass: Froslass
:ninetales-alola: Ninetales-A
:enamorus: Enamorus
:zoroark: Zoroark = :mismagius: Mismagius
:delphox: Delphox
:mew: Mew = :jirachi: Jirachi = :ninetales: Ninetales
:indeedee: Indeedee = :articuno-galar: Articuno-G = :ho-oh: Ho-Oh
:indeedee-f: Indeedee-F
:cutiefly: Cutiefly
:gardevoir: Gardevoir = :gastly: Gastly
:skeledirge: Skeledirge
:gothitelle: Gothitelle = :frosmoth: Frosmoth = :chimecho: Chimecho
:alcremie: Alcremie
:clefable: Clefable = :farigiraf: Farigiraf = :fennekin: Fennekin
:muk: Muk
:hattrem: Hattrem
:gothita: Gothita
:ralts: Ralts
:hatenna: Hatenna
:slowking: Slowking
:bronzor: Bronzor
:slowpoke: Slowpoke

:Cyclizar: Cyclizar
:sceptile: Sceptile
:Orthworm: Orthworm

Prankster
:shroodle: Shroodle

Non-Prankster
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S
:dragapult: Dragapult
:ribombee: Ribombee
:jolteon: Jolteon
:weavile: Weavile
:cinderace: Cinderace
:hawlucha: Hawlucha
:zebstrika: Zebstrika
:cinccino: Cinccino = :azelf: Azelf = :ambipom: Ambipom
:scream tail: Scream Tail = :maushold: Maushold
:espeon: Espeon = :jumpluff: Jumpluff = :latias: Latias = :latios: Latios
:ninetales-alola: Ninetales-A
:espathra: Espathra = :pawmot: Pawmot = :scyther: Scyther
:mew: Mew = :jirachi: Jirachi = :manaphy: Manaphy = :ninetales: Ninetales
:dachsbun: Dachsbun
:oricorio: Oricorio
:leavanny: Leavanny
:venomoth: Venomoth = :zangoose: Zangoose = :furret: Furret = :meloetta: Meloetta
:indeedee-f: Indeedee-F = :toxicroak: Toxicroak = :kleavor: Kleavor
:cutiefly: Cutiefly
:dreepy: Dreepy = :blaziken: Blaziken
:masquerain: Masquerain
:malamar: Malamar
:flittle: Flittle = :delibird: Delibird
:kricketune: Kricketune = :scizor: Scizor = :chimecho: Chimecho
:clefable: Clefable = :farigiraf: Farigiraf
:diancie: Diancie
:hattrem: Hattrem
:hatenna: Hatenna
:jigglypuff: Jigglypuff
:sentret: Sentret

Prankster
:Shroodle: Shroodle
:impidimp: Impidimp

Non-Prankster
:persian-alola: Persian-A
:squawkabilly: Squawkabilly
:revavroom: Revavroom
:bombirdier: Bombirdier
:varoom: Varoom

:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:gardevoir: Gardevoir
:ralts: Ralts

:slowking: Slowking

:ribombee: Ribombee
:galvantula: Galvantula
:leavanny: Leavanny
:cutiefly: Cutiefly
:Masquerain: Masquerain
:Kricketune: Kricketune
:tarountula: Tarountula

Prankster
:murkrow: Murkrow

Non-Prankster
:talonflame: Talonflame
:kilowattrel: Kilowattrel
:ribombee: Ribombee
:noivern: Noivern
:arceus: Arceus
:roaring moon: Roaring Moon
:jumpluff: Jumpluff = :latias: Latias = :latios: Latios
:iron jugulis: Iron Jugulis
:enamorus: Enamorus
:scyther: Scyther
:comfey: Comfey = :volcarona: Volcarona = :Mew: Mew
:Hydreigon: Hydreigon
:rayquaza: Rayquaza = :articuno-galar: Articuno-G = :yanma: Yanma
:oricorio: Oricorio
:Squawkabilly: Squawkabilly
:ho-oh: Ho-Oh = :moltres: Moltres
:Vivillon: Vivillon
:kleavor: Kleavor = :articuno: Articuno
:cutiefly: Cutiefly
:bombirdier: Bombirdier
:masquerain: Masquerain
:delibird: Delibird
:skarmory: Skarmory
:corviknight: Corviknight
:scizor: Scizor = :frosmoth: Frosmoth
:tropius: Tropius

Prankster
:klefki: Klefki

Non-Prankster
:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S = :deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:flutter mane: Flutter Mane
:mewtwo: Mewtwo
:meowscarada: Meowscarada
:arceus: Arceus
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant
:azelf: Azelf
:scream tail: Scream Tail
:espeon: Espeon = :gengar: Gengar
:espathra: Espathra = :mismagius: Mismagius
:delphox: Delphox
:comfey: Comfey = :mew: Mew = :jirachi: Jirachi
:indeedee: Indeedee = :articuno-galar: Articuno-G
:bruxish: Bruxish
:meloetta: Meloetta
:indeedee-f: Indeedee-F
:gardevoir: Gardevoir = :gastly: Gastly
:flittle: Flittle
:malamar: Malamar
:hoopa: Hoopa
:gothitelle: Gothitelle = :chimecho: Chimecho
:farigiraf: Farigiraf = :fennekin: Fennekin
:diancie: Diancie
:hattrem: Hattrem
:gothita: Gothita
:ralts: Ralts
:hatenna: Hatenna
:slowking: Slowking
:bronzor: Bronzor
:slowpoke: Slowpoke

Prankster
:murkrow: Murkrow
:klefki: Klefki
:impidimp: Impidimp = :sableye: Sableye

Non-Prankster
:regieleki: Regieleki
:deoxys-speed: Deoxys-S
:electrode-hisui: Electrode-H = :electrode: Electrode = :deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A
:dragapult: Dragapult
:flutter mane: Flutter Mane = :miraidon: Miraidon
:jolteon: Jolteon = :mewtwo: Mewtwo
:kilowattrel: Kilowattrel = :darkrai: Darkrai
:arceus: Arceus
:salazzle: Salazzle
:iron valiant: Iron Valiant = :zebstrika: Zebstrika
:cinccino: Cinccino = :persian-alola: Persian-A = :Azelf: Azelf = :ambipom: Ambipom
:scream tail: Scream Tail = :maushold: Maushold
:espeon: Espeon = :gengar: Gengar = :froslass: Froslass = :raichu: Raichu = :raichu-alola: Raichu-A = :latias: Latias = :latios: Latios
:galvantula: Galvantula
:pawmot: Pawmot = :mismagius: Mismagius
:mew: Mew = :jirachi: Jirachi
:hydreigon: Hydreigon
:rayquaza: Rayquaza
:tinkaton: Tinkaton
:zangoose: Zangoose = :meloetta: Meloetta
:gholdengo: Gholdengo
:dreepy: Dreepy
:gardevoir: Gardevoir
:tinkatuff: Tinkatuff
:bisharp: Bisharp = :magneton: Magneton = :hoopa: Hoopa
:gothitelle: Gothitelle = :chimecho: Chimecho
:tyranitar: Tyranitar
:clefable: Clefable = :farigiraf: Farigiraf
:pawniard: Pawniard = :pichu: Pichu
:tinkatink: Tinkatink
:Blissey: Blissey
:hattrem: Hattrem
:gothita: Gothita = :magnemite: Magnemite
:ralts: Ralts = :gulpin: Gulpin
:hatenna: Hatenna
:nosepass: Nosepass = :happiny: Happiny = :slowking: Slowking
:jigglypuff: Jigglypuff
:slowpoke: Slowpoke
:raichu: Raichu = :raichu-alola: Raichu-A
:pawmot: Pawmot
:pichu: Pichu
:hattrem: Hattrem
:hatenna: Hatenna
Prankster
:cottonee: Cottonee

Non-Prankster
:electrode-hisui: Electrode-H
:ribombee: Ribombee
:jumpluff: Jumpluff
:lilligant-hisui: Lilligant-H
:venomoth: Venomoth
:Vivillon: Vivillon
:cutiefly: Cutiefly
:masquerain: Masquerain
:frosmoth: Frosmoth

:Jumpluff: Jumpluff
:lilligant-hisui: Lilligant-H
:Venomoth: Venomoth
:Vivillon: Vivillon

:chimecho: Chimecho
:Blissey: Blissey
:Happiny: Happiny

Prankster
:murkrow: Murkrow

Non-Prankster
:noivern: Noivern
:iron moth: Iron Moth
:volcarona: Volcarona
:yanma: Yanma
:ho-oh: Ho-Oh
:bombirdier: Bombirdier
:masquerain: Masquerain
:skarmory: Skarmory
:tropius: Tropius
:cufant: Cufant
:copperajah: Copperajah
:zamazenta: Zamazenta
:koraidon: Koraidon
:jolteon: Jolteon
:arceus: Arceus = :sceptile: Sceptile
:roaring moon: Roaring Moon
:zebstrika: Zebstrika
:persian-alola: Persian-A
:lycanroc: Lycanroc
:scream tail: Scream Tail
:espeon: Espeon = :zoroark-hisui: Zoroark-H = :latias: Latias = :latios: Latios
:ninetales-alola: Ninetales-A
:cobalion: Cobalion = :iron jugulis: Iron Jugulis
:zoroark: Zoroark
:charizard: Charizard = :mew: Mew = :ninetales: Ninetales
:hydreigon: Hydreigon
:haxorus: Haxorus
:dachsbun: Dachsbun = :rayquaza: Rayquaza
:zangoose: Zangoose = :lucario: Lucario = :moltres: Moltres
:mabosstiff: Mabosstiff = :kommo-o: Kommo-o = :articuno: Articuno
:mamoswine: Mamoswine = :blaziken: Blaziken
:mightyena: Mightyena = :skarmory: Skarmory
:houndstone: Houndstone
:skeledirge: Skeledirge
:tyranitar: Tyranitar
:farigiraf: Farigiraf
:axew: Axew
:tropius: Tropius
:swinub: Swinub
:numel: Numel

:charizard: Charizard (Can notably dodge Imprison-Substitute with Sunny Day into Belly Drum)
:zangoose: Zangoose (Can pull off Mental Herb Belly Drum into Tera Ghost Curse)
:kommo-o: Kommo-o (Also knows Clangorous Soul)
:cetitan: Cetitan (Has Slush Rush, can also pull off Mental Herb Belly Drum into Tera Ghost Curse)
:Ursaring: Ursaring (Has Quick Feet)
:marill: Marill (Blocks Chloroblast and knows Knock Off)
:azurill: Azurill (Blocks Chloroblast and is good Steel Beam fodder)
:slowpoke: Slowpoke (Has Oblivious; can pull off Belly Drum into Tera Ghost Curse)
:slowking: Slowking (Has Oblivious, Trick Room, and a pivoting move; can pull off Belly Drum into Tera Ghost Curse)

:kommo-o: Kommo-o

:Calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S
:dragapult: Dragapult
:Spectrier: Spectrier
:Zoroark-Hisui: Zoroark-H = :gengar: Gengar
:mismagius: Mismagius
:typhlosion-hisui: Typhlosion-H
:dreepy: Dreepy
:gastly: Gastly
:skeledirge: Skeledirge
:electrode-hisui: Electrode-H = :electrode: Electrode
:mewtwo: Mewtwo = :jolteon: Jolteon
:darkrai: Darkrai
:dugtrio: Dugtrio
:persian-alola: Persian-A
:espeon: Espeon
:diglett: Diglett
:zangoose: Zangoose
:excadrill: Excadrill
:mamoswine: Mamoswine = :blaziken: Blaziken
:cetitan: Cetitan
:skarmory: Skarmory
:orthworm: Orthworm = :sandslash-alola: Sandslash-A = :chimecho: Chimecho = :scizor: Scizor
:tyranitar: Tyranitar
:goodra-hisui: Goodra-H = :weezing-galar: Weezing-G
:swalot: Swalot
:tropius: Tropius
:swinub: Swinub = :muk: Muk
:sandshrew-alola: Sandshrew-A = :cufant: Cufant = :gulpin: Gulpin = :meowth-galar: Meowth-G = :sliggoo-hisui: Sliggoo-H
:Numel: Numel = :lechonk: Lechonk
:shellos: Shellos
:slowking: Slowking = :sunkern: Sunkern
:nacli: Nacli
:torkoal: Torkoal
:slowpoke: Slowpoke

:swalot: Swalot
:muk: Muk
:gulpin: Gulpin

:charizard: Charizard
:tropius: Tropius
:sunkern: Sunkern
:toxicroak: Toxicroak

:koraidon: Koraidon
:ninetales: Ninetales
:torkoal: Torkoal

:miraidon: Miraidon

:tyranitar: Tyranitar
Prankster
:klefki: Klefki

Non-Prankster
:zamazenta: Zamazenta
:mewtwo: Mewtwo
:dugtrio: Dugtrio = :arceus: Arceus
:azelf: Azelf
:lycanroc: Lycanroc
:scream tail: Scream Tail
:ogerpon: Ogerpon = :dugtrio-alola: Dugtrio-A = :latias: Latias = :latios: Latios
:cobalion: Cobalion
:iron treads: Iron Treads
:espathra: Espathra
:mew: Mew = :charizard: Charizard = :jirachi: Jirachi
:diglett: Diglett = :wiglett: Wiglett = :rayquaza: Rayquaza
:oricorio: Oricorio
:revavroom: Revavroom = :diglett-alola: Diglett-A = :ho-oh: Ho-Oh = :moltres: Moltres
:excadrill: Excadrill
:kleavor: Kleavor = :mamoswine: Mamoswine = :kommo-o: Kommo-o = :articuno: Articuno
:gholdengo: Gholdengo
:bombirdier: Bombirdier
:flittle: Flittle
:bisharp: Bisharp = :magneton: Magneton = :hoopa: Hoopa = :skarmory: Skarmory
:houndstone: Houndstone
:orthworm: Orthworm = :scizor: Scizor
:tyranitar: Tyranitar
:pawniard: Pawniard = :barboach: Barboach = :goodra-hisui: Goodra-H
:Blissey: Blissey
:swinub: Swinub = :muk: Muk = :diancie: Diancie
:varoom: Varoom
:magnemite: Magnemite
:cufant: Cufant = :sliggoo-hisui: Sliggoo-H
:numel: Numel
:shellos: Shellos
:nosepass: Nosepass = :copperajah: Copperajah
:nacli: Nacli
:bronzor: Bronzor
:jigglypuff: Jigglypuff = :torkoal: Torkoal

:Jumpluff: Jumpluff
:lilligant-hisui: Lilligant-H
:leavanny: Leavanny
:Tropius: Tropius
:Sunkern: Sunkern
:Flutter Mane: Flutter Mane
:Roaring Moon: Roaring Moon
:Scream Tail: Scream Tail

:raichu-alola: Raichu-A
:Iron Bundle: Iron Bundle
:Iron Valiant: Iron Valiant
:Iron Moth: Iron Moth
:Iron Jugulis: Iron Jugulis
:Iron Treads: Iron Treads

:Lycanroc: Lycanroc
:excadrill: Excadrill
:Houndstone: Houndstone

:Cetitan: Cetitan
:sandslash-alola: Sandslash-A
:sandshrew-alola: Sandshrew-A

:rillaboom: Rillaboom
:grookey: Grookey
Prankster
:cottonee: Cottonee

Non-Prankster
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S = :electrode-hisui: Electrode-H
:meowscarada: Meowscarada
:arceus: Arceus = :sceptile: Sceptile
:ogerpon: Ogerpon = :jumpluff: Jumpluff
:enamorus: Enamorus
:lilligant-hisui: Lilligant-H
:comfey: Comfey = :mew: Mew
:leavanny: Leavanny
:rillaboom: Rillaboom
:grookey: Grookey
:tropius: Tropius
:sunkern: Sunkern

:weezing-galar: Weezing-G

By OHKOed By the Weakest Struggle to the Strongest:
Assume Hasty Black Sludge fodder and Timid Struggle user unless told otherwise.

:happiny: Happiny (53 Base Attack)
:pichu: Pichu (61 Base Attack)
:diglett: Diglett = :wiglett: Wiglett (85 Base Attack)

By OHKOed By the Weakest Knock Off to the Strongest:
Assume Hasty item-holding fodder and Timid non-STAB Knock Off user unless told otherwise.

:happiny: Happiny (30 Base Attack)
:deoxys-attack: Deoxys-A (31 Base Attack)
:pichu: Pichu (35 Base Attack)
:dreepy: Dreepy = :flittle: Flittle (37 Base Attack)
:gastly: Gastly (39 Base Attack)
:diglett: Diglett = :wiglett: Wiglett (49 Base Attack)
:hoopa: Hoopa (58 Base Attack)
:ralts: Ralts (63 Base Attack)
:Hatenna: Hatenna (64 Base Attack)
:diglett-alola: Diglett-A (Jolly Diglett-A: 69 Base Attack)
:Gothita: Gothita (72 Base Attack)
:sunkern: Sunkern (76 Base Attack)
:raichu-alola: Raichu-A (84 Base Attack)
:calyrex-shadow: Calyrex-S (89 Base Attack)
:Snom: Snom (90 Base Attack)
:Zoroark-Hisui: Zoroark-H (97 Base Attack)
:shroodle: Shroodle (100 Base Attack)
:Espeon: Espeon (105 Base Attack)
 
Last edited:
:sv/Shroodle:
Shroodle @ Sticky Barb / Pecha Berry
Ability: Prankster
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 8 HP / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
IVs: 0 HP / 0 Atk / 0 Def / 0 SpA / 0 SpD
- Substitute
- Taunt
- Encore
- Parting Shot / Baton Pass / Switcheroo
This little guy immediately grabs attention in this meta. Tons of Prankster options and super frail, making it great Steel Beam and Struggle fodder. I suppose you could run Grafaiai to outrun other Prankster users, but that basically just means you don't have to deal with Shroodle speed-tying with Klefki, as the only faster Prankster user that is currently released is a Dark type (Murkrow).

:sv/Orthworm:
Orthworm @ Black Sludge
Ability: Sand Veil
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 24 HP / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 HP / 0 Atk / 0 Def / 0 SpA / 0 SpD
- Shed Tail
- Steel Beam
- Substitute
- Protect
Orthworm has two really cool things going for it: it is one of two users of Shed Tail, and it can self-KO with a pretty weak Steel Beam.

:sv/Flutter Mane:
Flutter Mane @ Black Sludge
Ability: Protosynthesis
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 16 HP / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
IVs: 0 HP / 0 Atk / 0 Def / 0 SpA / 0 SpD
- Taunt
- Imprison
- Substitute
- Perish Song/Thunder Wave/Pain Split
The new fastest user of both Taunt and Imprison. For the last slot it has Perish Song in case it loses its item, or or it can potentially slow down the opponent with T-wave or Pain Split. Worth noting that its cousin Mismagius has the exact same options but with the addition of Curse and Trick at the cost of speed.

Some other things that look interesting or could at least have a niche.
:Scream Tail::Iron Valiant::Gholdengo::Cyclizar::Iron Hands::Houndstone::Espathra:


:sv/Electrode-Hisui:
Electrode-Hisui @ Black Sludge
Ability: Soundproof
Tera Type: Electric
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 HP / 0 Atk / 0 Def / 0 SpA / 0 SpD
- Chloroblast
- Taunt
- Substitute
- Thunder Wave
This will be cool once we can transfer from Legends. Super fast SubTaunt and grass-type Steel Beam. Soundproof also makes it a good recipient for Perish Pass teams as it can't be Roared away (though it could still be Whirlwinded).
 
Last edited:
Let's take a look at Terastalization:

Tera Ghost is a must have. It allows you to pull out a surprise Curse on something that is about to die, and lets you avoid all form of trapping. Should be the default on everything. The icing on the cake is the weakness to Knock off.
Flying makes you weak to rocks (pretty niche) and avoids arena trap. If you see dugtrio on the opposing team, you can probably Tera your magic bouncer defensively. Oh and I guess it makes you immune to grassy terrain. Kinda outclassed by ghost tho.
Tera Ice makes you weak to rocks and steel beam.
Tera dark gives you Prankster immunity.
The rest is probably trash or strictly worse than ice/flying, para/powder immunities are not worth the shed shell effect of Ghost.

Also, Poison pokemon can Tera to use diverse items. This is minor, but it means Poison mons can now use a Toxic Orb to absorb status/Koff. More importantly, it makes Trick/Switcheroo viable on Shroodle and Ghastly (even without Ghost curse).

Other random thoughts:
- Shed Tail looks amazing. Baton Pass and Sub all in one, and it strips you of half your health. Maybe it's even worth giving Cyclizard odd HP, to subpass twice before going down if some of your team members are to slow to safely sub (odd HP was viable on Espeon/Accelgor in gen6/7 - I haven't played this meta in gen8).
- Speaking of which, we lost the best answer to Trick in Accelgor. In exchange, Belch Gulpin is back, but it's more of a meme.
- Fillet away is a new move that cuts your HP by half (and makes you faster). It's unique to Veluza, sadly, which does not look viable (it has mold breaker but no useful move).
- Toedscool has an unblockable Taunt, but the negative priority stinks.
- Magic Coat was cut from the game. Rest in peace with Snatch.
- K-off has a very narrow distribution. Users (discounting mons with high attack): Ralts line, Salazzle, Tinkatink line (I guess Mold breaker lets you k-off sticky hold users?), Toedscool, Sableye (a bit too strong, use Trick), Shroodle
 
Last edited:
Let's take a look at Terastalization:

Tera Ghost is a must have. It allows you to pull out a surprise Curse on something that is about to die, and lets you avoid all form of trapping. Should be the default on everything. The icing on the cake is the weakness to Knock off.
Flying makes you weak to rocks (pretty niche) and avoids arena trap. If you see dugtrio on the opposing team, you can probably Tera your magic bouncer defensively. Oh and I guess it makes you immune to grassy terrain. Kinda outclassed by ghost tho.
Tera Ice makes you weak to rocks and steel beam.
Tera dark gives you Prankster immunity.
The rest is probably trash or strictly worse than ice/flying, para/powder immunities are not worth the shed shell effect of Ghost.

Also, Poison pokemon can Tera to use diverse items. This is minor, but it means Poison mons can now use a Toxic Orb to absorb status/Koff. More importantly, it makes Trick/Switcheroo viable on Shroodle and Ghastly (even without Ghost curse).

Other random thoughts:
- Shed Tail looks amazing. Baton Pass and Sub all in one, and it strips you of half your health. Maybe it's even worth giving Cyclizard odd HP, to subpass twice before going down if some of your team members are to slow to safely sub (odd HP was viable on Espeon/Accelgor in gen6/7 - I haven't played this meta in gen8).
- Speaking of which, we lost the best answer to Trick in Accelgor. In exchange, Belch Gulpin is back, but it's more of a meme.
- Fillet away is a new move that cuts your HP by half (and makes you faster). It's unique to Veluza, sadly, which does not look viable (it has mold breaker but no useful move).
- Toedscool has an unblockable Taunt, but the negative priority stinks.
- Magic Coat was cut from the game. Rest in peace with Snatch.
- K-off has a very narrow distribution. Users (discounting mons with high attack): Ralts line, Salazzle, Tinkatink line (I guess Mold breaker lets you k-off sticky hold users?), Toedscool, Sableye (a bit too strong, use Trick), Shroodle
We may have lost Accelgor, but in terms of the ability to switch into Trick, Gholdengo is Accelgor on crack and then some. In fact, Gholdengo can switch into nearly all of the meta thanks to Good as Gold! Gholdengo can switch into Knock Off as long as it was thinking of using (that hideously powerful) Steel Beam, as nearly every Knock Off in the format rips out 25% or more of its max. HP. (I only put Gholdengo on the watchlist due to it threatening to make Court Change teams smother all others thanks to its ability also blocking Defog.)

I disagree on the best default Tera typing - I actually think it's Dark instead of Ghost. A metric ton of mons would pay and possibly kill for that immunity to Prankster, especially since Magic Coat got snapped this gen, and Curse is a pretty big opportunity cost on any non-dedicated Tera (Ghost) mon. You stay trapped by Gothitelle, Gothita, Dugtrio, and Diglett, but Gothitelle's near-bunk base 65 Speed makes it nigh-need speed support against fairer teams and get outsped by most if not all of faster teams (Court Change, Self-2HKO Spam), and Gothitelle hates the fact that it lost Magic Coat and therefore a way to get the plentiful faster Taunters Taunted.

Unless we find a niche for them fast, I don't think Toedscruel or Toedscool will be all that viable, as Stall being stapled onto Mycelium Might really sucks (so Spore and Stun Spore get blocked by Substitute all the time), Axew(!!) pulls off Mold Breaker Taunt better due to not having Stall stapled on (Hawlucha drives over the Mycelium Might users with its Mold Breaker sets, especially since it outspeeds Espeon in addition to Gholdengo), and Cyclizar has the much faster Knock Off + Rapid Spin + Taunt. There are even faster and more disruptive Trick Room setters such as Espeon, Klefki, Flutter Mane, Meowscarada, Iron Valiant, and Scream Tail. Toedscool even has too high base Special Defense to be good Steel Beam fodder to boot!

In the meantime, I think Mental Herb is not only the best item on Orthworm, Orthworm may be the only viable user of Mental Herb this gen! Orthworm is slower than most of the meta and therefore has a hard time getting off a Shed Tail...but not as a lead with that fancy Mental Herb! After Shed Tailing, get Orthworm back in again on something that can't heal it and press Steel Beam. Also note that, at least according to Bulbapedia, Shed Tail rounds up, and it fails completely if the user would be KOed by it, already has a Sub, or cannot Pass to anything. Mental Herb Orthworm can also kinda absorb Turn 1 Trick/Switcheroo, although most mons actually do not appreciate getting Tricked Mental Herb. I prefer Sandstorm in the last slot because Protect basically buys it no time with Mental Herb instead of Black Sludge, and Sandstorm can at least provide team support.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I think I'll have a hard time getting this set into the Role Compendium, so here's a fun mon and set to try:

:SV/Pawmot:
Pawmot @ Toxic Orb / Black Sludge
Ability: Volt Absorb
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 HP / 0 Atk / 0 Def / 0 SpA / 0 SpD
- Entrainment
- Nuzzle / Thunder Wave
- Substitute
- Encore

With Volt Absorb Entrainment + an Electric move, Pawmot gets to heal slower mons who stay in too long and try anything too smart for 25% of their max. HP per turn. Encore locks Substitute users into Sub so you can switch out and take advantage of them. (It also locks non-Sub users into that non-Sub move so the healing can commence.) Nuzzle means that slower Taunt users (e.g. Gardevoir, Gothitelle, Revavroom, Pawniard) are forced to switch out when they're Entrained and Magic Bouncers can't just switch in to make you heal yourself with your Electric move, while Thunder Wave lets you Struggle instead of not chip yourself when Taunted. Both moves paralyze switch-ins, letting Pawmot be a decent team supporter even if it can't get its main plan going.

Thanks to its resistance to Steel Beam, its slightly chunky bulk, and its inability to completely offset Steel Beam self-damage, Pawmot really wants Steel Beam fodder teammates (e.g. Impidimp, Ralts, Shroodle, Chien-Pao, Iron Valiant, even Murkrow) in order to force out Steel Beamers. Magic Bouncers let Pawmot get Magic Bounce and prevent Pawmot from healing or Encoring them, while Gholdengo prevents Pawmot from doing anything but paralyze it or Sub up on it. That 105 base Speed is also doing Pawmot no favours, letting it get Taunted by quite a lot of the meta before it gets going. Encore users (even slower ones) lock Pawmot into a single move and thus cripple it. Even the one turn required to use Entrainment leaves Pawmot open to resisted Knock Offs from both faster (e.g. Cyclizar) and slower (e.g. Tinkaton) Knock Off users. Electric-types such as Electrode(-H) can switch into the Electric move without getting paralyzed.
 
Version 1.0 of the Role Compendium is finally finished! The Steel Beam Fodder section might not contain every mon mentioned in the compendium (want a mon there? Just ask!), the Knock Off Fodder section might be incomplete, and just maybe not every important role is in (perhaps the biggest ones not in right now are Copycat Users, Disable Users, Snow Setters, and Sunny Day Users), but all the most important roles should be in now!

In case you didn't notice, The Loser's Game is playable in the main Pokemon Showdown server! Challenge an opponent to Gen 9 The Loser's Game there and have fun developing this meta!

In celebration, here's another set the Role Compendium fails to sing its values of in full - Illusion Zoroark, this time adapted for Gen 9!

:SV/Zoroark:
Zoroark @ Sitrus Berry / Pecha Berry
Ability: Illusion
Tera Type: Ice / Ghost
EVs: 252 Spe
Naive / Hasty / Timid Nature
IVs: 2 HP / 0 Atk / 0 Def / 0 SpA / 0 SpD
- Substitute
- Trick
- Taunt
- Encore / Imprison

Zoroark Illusioning as Steel Beamers was already popular last generation, but this set aims to Illusion as Gholdengo in particular! Thanks to its unique ability Good as Gold granting it immunity to every opposing status move targeting it, along with its access to Steel Beam, Gholdengo might trigger the most stereotyped responses and reliably force in the most Imprison-Steel Beam users in the entire meta. Even better for Zoroark, Gholdengo also knows Trick! Lead with Zoroark or see if you can sneak it in later without it immediately busting its Illusion, then Trick the unsuspecting Klefki when it comes in the turn it sees "Gholdengo". Your opponent may think you're using an unorthodox Gholdengo set and Imprison anyway, and that's Zoroark's opportunity to Taunt or Encore a crippled Klefki! Yes, your opponent will finally realize they got baited into a Zoroark at this point, but Trick can effectively decide games in a single turn, so this gambit is often worth it! Tricking unsuspecting Mold Breaker users such as Hawlucha and Tinkaton is also similarly worth it, and your opponent might not even realize that they got suckered into Zoroark if you Trick them and switch out, since Trick Gholdengo fears both mons' Encores anyway!

Zoroark's antics also work well when Illusioned as Pawniard - both of them are Dark-types to boot, so sly opponents can no longer go for wasting turns checking whether "Pawniard" really is the real deal! - although you might want Black Sludge instead if you don't lead with Zoroark. Try not putting Pressure on your Pawniard in your Zoroark-Pawniard teams so your real Pawniard doesn't immediately give itself away.

The 2 HP IVs make Zoroark's max. HP divisible by 8 to complete the Steel Beamer disguise. Nature depends on how badly you want a chance of Klefki OHKOing Zoroark after Black Sludge. Tera Type aims to fix Zoroark's remaining weaknesses to trappers and not being quite good enough Steel Beam fodder.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snore's distribution may have gotten severe cuts in the Gen 9 games, but luckily, Spit Up performs similarly enough and can help fill the gap Snore left behind!
 
Last edited:
Could Jump Kick/Axe Kick be useful in this metagame as an option against ghosts?
People at least semi-seriously tried High Jump Kick in previous gens - High Jump Kick is a recommended default move in Pheromosa's moveset in Gen 8 Losers, https://pokepast.es/76295494ea56e959. High Jump Kick, Jump Kick, and Axe Kick are killer high risk compared to Knock Off and even Nuzzle (Nuzzle notably paralyzes while Taunted - e.g. pre-Toxiced Toxic Orb Mold Breaker Hawlucha cannot safely Taunt Hatenna). And since Ghosts cannot be trapped, good luck nailing any Ghosts in this meta or praying that your opponent goes down to only Ghosts (Klefki's and Impidimp's niches are just too good, Cinderace is format-warping good, even Chien-Pao has a powerful niche, most self-2HKOers aren't Ghost-types - waiting until your opponent goes down to just Gholdengo, Flutter Mane, Sableye, Zoroark-H, Tera Ghost Espeon, other Tera Ghosts, and Calyrex-S post-HOME takes a long time). High Jump Kick and friends also punish Protect, but your opponent can also punish Taunt and friends by switching (especially switching in Magic Bounce users, Gholdengo, Oblivious users, or even Dachsbun - Knock Off, Trick, and Thunder Wave can also be punished with the proper switch-ins, with Gholdengo probably being the best overall switch-in in the entire meta thanks to its ability blocking nearly everything, Steel Beam letting it absorb Knock Off, and its Ghost type letting it lose at least 25% of its max. HP to nearly all Knock Offs so it doesn't lose self-2HKO tempo) instead of using Protect.
 
Last edited:
With HOME compatibility coming for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet in less than a week, here are some of the teams I built for the pre-HOME, post-Court Change meta!

Stealth Rock Court Change
:Bisharp: :Cinderace: :Gholdengo: :Talonflame: :Iron Bundle: :Hatenna:
https://pokepast.es/fd37f28eb0e915df

Lead with anything that outspeeds (or maybe speed ties) all the Taunt users of the entire opposing team. If you can't, lead with Bisharp. If your Stealth Rock setter Bisharp is going to get Taunted (do remember that Bisharp is immune to Prankster Taunt/etc. thanks to being a Dark-type), switch to Hatenna. Tera Ice Hatenna ASAP. Keep using Baton Pass on Hatenna; Heal Pulse on blatant naked Tidy Ups or Mold Breaker Defogs. Make It Rain on Gholdengo is for solely if you see multiple hazard removers on the opposing team and Stealth Rock is up. Gholdengo is EVed to OHKO Maushold and Hawlucha with Make It Rain. Make sure to use Thunder Wave first on Gholdengo to try to catch Maushold/Hawlucha on the switch.

Self-2HKO Spam
:Gholdengo: :Espeon: :Maushold: :Klefki: :Orthworm: :Pawniard:
https://pokepast.es/5685c18bc0da23b0

Leading with Mental Herb Orthworm is generally safe, although you may want to lead with Pawniard if your opponent has a Klefki. On Turn 1, you should Shed Tail with Orthworm. Shed Tailing to Maushold is generally OK because you can always switch in Espeon or Gholdengo on predicted Taunt. Copycat on Maushold duplicates the last move used and should be used right after a Steel Beam, Belly Drum, or Shed Tail. Try switching out your Steel Beam users on predicted opposing faster Imprisons. Otherwise, that's what Taunt on Pawniard and Confuse Ray on Gholdengo are for. Terastallize Espeon to Tera Ghost the turn you use Curse. Switch Gholdengo in on opposing Espeon because they might try being unpredictable with timing Ghost Curse. Use Imprison on Espeon on predicted Trick if Gholdengo is down. Tera Dark Maushold against opposing Court Change teams if they dare try disrupting it with a Prankster - do this instead of Tera Ghosting Espeon.

Fair Sun
:Koraidon: :Flutter Mane: :Charizard: :Klefki: :Hawlucha: :Gholdengo:
https://pokepast.es/e782f797de390941

Leading with Koraidon is generally safe. The Sun abusers on the team are Flutter Mane and Charizard. The turn you see opposing Klefki, switch to Charizard and take advantage of Klefki not knowing Taunt and Encore and its Imprison not hosing Charizard. Klefki is your anti-Steel Beam mon, Hawlucha is your anti-Court Change and anti-hazards mon, and Gholdengo is your anti-Trick/Pain Split/etc. mon. Tera Ice Koraidon ASAP against Self-2HKO Spam teams.
 
Last edited:
The Loser's Game resources have been updated for the post-HOME meta! The Role Compendium, Viability List, and Sample Sets have been updated with the most viable post-HOME additions and several less viable ones! If you're looking for great post-HOME Pokemon for The Loser's Game, look no further than Calyrex-S, Electrode-H, Zacian, and Arceus! Speaking of Calyrex-S, Calyrex-S has been reinstated into the watchlist from Gen 8! With Taunt and Heal Pulse, Calyrex-S has crushingly good match-ups against most Pokemon slower than it, and Calyrex-S is tied for the second fastest Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet & Violet! Magic Coat was snapped in Gen 9, preventing rude surprises while Calyrex-S is trying to disrupt the opponent, and Calyrex-S can now use Tera Dark to turn Prankster checks into Taunted fodder! Will Calyrex-S's inability to check the self-2HKOers Gholdengo and Espeon, its nasty speed tie with the Taunting self-2HKOer Electrode-H, and its need for Encore to check the Prankster self-2HKOer Klefki be enough to prevent the infamous Shadow Rider from being banned? Find out by playing The Loser's Game and helping the council decide!

Also, can you help us build the best Magician-using Pokemon sets possible? Both Fennekin and Hoopa lost access to sound moves in Gen 9, forcing them to use either overly powerful moves or moves some Pokemon types are immune to such as Stored Power and Mud-Slap. At least Hoopa has Fling to chain item removals. But are the Magician users no better than common Thief users this generation, and is Hoopa better off using plain old Knock Off?
 
The Teal Mask DLC is releasing in less than a week, so I may as well post the post-HOME teams I've been testing (myself) against and/or using in the occasional roomtour!

Stealth Rock Court Change
:Arceus: :Cinderace: :Gholdengo: :Talonflame: :Chien-Pao: :Hatenna:
https://pokepast.es/852f8aa13a40b3a8

The Stealth Rock setter is Arceus because He is tied for the fastest with Dugtrio and, thanks to Steel Beam enabling a self-2HKO, He doesn't consume your Tera slot despite only being neutral to Stealth Rock. Chien-Pao is in a protection slot due to Calyrex-S and Electrode-H, which are both Taunters that outspeed all non-Prankster Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock, being too common and Chien-Pao being a Dark/Ice-type that is immune to Prankster shenanigans, knows Taunt, speed ties with the dangerous Flutter Mane, and outspeeds all Defoggers. Tera Ice Hatenna continues to perform a poor man's Xatu impression. Only use Trick Room on her if your opponent has no Prankster Taunters left and all of their remaining Taunters outspeed Cinderace.

Fast Self-2HKO Spam
:Gholdengo: :Espeon: :Klefki: :Maushold: :Electrode-Hisui: :Arceus:
https://pokepast.es/391590a9784a8353

The drill is familiar. Electrode-H is a generally safe lead, although you might want to experiment with Klefki or Arceus leads against Steel Beam Spam.

Weak Self-2HKO Spam
:Bronzor: :Tinkatink: :Diglett-Alola: :Cufant: :Pawniard: :Espeon:
https://pokepast.es/9432e3e90f4a929c

I found that at least one of my fairer teams that performed fairly well against the 2 "offence" teams above performed poorly against this one (teams like this sans Espeon seem to be lures for budding The Loser's Game builders), so I added this to the test roster. No hazard removal means that the Court Change match-up is dicey. Tinkatink is quite possibly the best Steel Beam user on this team due to disrupting Imprison-Steel Beam users and Taunters with Knock Off and Encore. Leading with her is generally safe. Diglett-A is OHKOed all the time by Electrode-H Chloroblast and nearly all the time after Black Sludge by Klefki Steel Beam, so remember to use it as fodder. Keep Cufant (the team's phazer) as long as your opponent still has Imprison-Steel Beam users, although its Arceus match-up is not that good.

Here's a bonus fairer team that performs reasonably well against all 3 "offence" teams above, although Fast Self-2HKO Spam needs to slip up and wins more easily if it sequences its mons well (e.g. use Arceus first, then Klefki):

Speed Pass Goth
:Dachsbun: :Gothitelle: :Calyrex-Shadow: :Gholdengo: :Maushold: :Flittle:
https://pokepast.es/0b2c8ebfe4df2bc3

Gothitelle with Speed boosts passed to it is a demon who will swing the Court Change match-up in your favour pretty hard by removing their Stealth Rock setter or Cinderace while KOing itself. Gothitelle uses Trick to swing match-ups exceptionally hard; Mental Herb lets it absorb one predicted Taunt. Dachsbun is possibly the best Speed passer in the entire meta due to Aroma Veil making it nearly impossible to lock out of passing Agility boosts. Maushold is a better than average hazard remover on this team with that same Speed pass support. Note that Dachsbun and Maushold both have Copycat for the exact same reason: improve the Steel Beam Spam match-up. Dachsbun can also Copycat Court Change in a pinch. Flittle is mainly here to dunk on Tinkatink (and other Steel Beam and Knock Off users) by being OHKOed by both Tinkatink's Steel Beam and Knock Off. Flittle can also Speed pass in a pinch. Flittle is a defensive Trick user who can absorb Trick/Switcheroo and still foist off its new bad item. Grassy Terrain is on Calyrex-S to disrupt Self-2HKO Spam teams, especially when Gholdengo or Espeon is in front of Calyrex-S. Gholdengo has Sandstorm to try to get an unsuccessful Gothitelle chipped.
 
Last edited:
The Loser's Game resources have been updated for the post-Teal Mask meta! The Role Compendium, Viability List, and Sample Sets have been updated with the most viable post-HOME additions and several less viable ones! While all self-OHKO moves thankfully remain banned by default, Magic Guard and Sandshrew-A are currently free by default but automatically watchlisted! If you're looking for other great post-Teal Mask Pokemon for The Loser's Game, look no further than Ribombee, Swinub, Nosepass, and Ogerpon!

Yes, we in the council are currently discussing the entire watchlist. Things may be more nuanced since Clefable is no Alakazam (although both have Magic Guard and Skill Swap) and Smeargle, which also cannot OHKO anything with Steel Beam but has infinitely more utility than Sandshrew-A, is confirmed to be arriving in the Indigo Disk DLC.
 
Electrode-H has been put on the watchlist! Electrode-H is an absolute speed demon at base 150 Speed, speed tying with Calyrex-S. It is armed with the Steel Beam near-clone Chloroblast along with Taunt to remove most of its counterplay. However, it still hits about as hard as Klefki (OHKOing Iron Bundle, Impidimp, Swinub, and more), its Chloroblast fails to rip out any of its HP if it hits a Sap Sipper user, and it gets outsped by the Taunt and Encore user Tera Grass Ogerpon. Maybe these might be enough to save it from the banhammer even if it goes Tera Dark?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
We have about a week until the Indigo Disk is released, so I may as well give you all a status update and the post-Teal Mask teams I've been testing against!

Watchlist

:sandshrew-alola:
Sandshrew-A
Enough of the council dropped activity for this fall that, despite this self-2HKOing Pokemon being just as hard to prevent from self-KOing without KOing at least 2 opposing Pokemon in the process as ever, we were unable to actually ban Sandshrew-A. The upcoming Smeargle arguably being ban-worthy by Gen 8 standards for the exact same reason as Sandshrew-A complicates things, even if Smeargle is anticipated to be the one hazard remover in the upcoming post-Indigo Disk meta that actually works without team support, therefore having a fair chance to improve team diversity even if it spikes to 100% usage Gen 7-style. We will continue to monitor Sandshrew-A and Steel Beam closely post-Indigo Disk, and Smeargle will be added to the watchlist on entry! Hopefully, the council will be back in full action during the winter holidays...

:Clefable:
Magic Guard
On the other hand, Magic Guard actually turned out to be a big bust so far this generation. Turns out that Gen 9 has a lot more viable Pokemon that are immune to Skill Swap than Gen 8 does, with teams easily able to force at least one, often 2, and occasionally even 3 of Calyrex-S, Gholdengo, Arceus, Flutter Mane, Iron Bundle, and more into their rosters. Combine that with the current best Magic Guard-Skill Swap user being the 60-base-Speed Clefable instead of the 120-base-Speed Alakazam and Gen 7-style teams that KO everyone but a Skill Swap-vulnerable last Pokemon suddenly stop working. Further wrenches in Magic Guard-Skill Swap's plan include Tera Ghost Curse Espeon KOing itself in the 1-vs.-6 even if it gets Magic Guard instead of Magic Bounce and the switch-happy Stealth Rock-Court Change team archetype having an excellent match-up against Magic Guard-Skill Swap in general. We're still innovating Magic Guard-Skill Swap teams with lures and maybe Knock Off, but this is hard...

:Cyclizar: :orthworm:
Shed Tail
This move hasn't had the best users, so it's fallen short of ban-worthy so far. Cyclizar fails to outspeed quite a lot (especially Calyrex-S and Electrode-H), and Mental Herb Orthworm hates dealing with Imprison-Steel Beam. Let's see if Smeargle breaks this move or needs to role compress so much that it fails to use Shed Tail...

:calyrex-shadow: :electrode-hisui:
Calyrex-S & Electrode-H
Ogerpon couldn't have come at a better time - Tera Grass Ogerpon not only outspeeds and Taunts and Encores them into oblivion, she is also vulnerable to Prankster the entire time so she fails to get on the watchlist herself! Calyrex-S and Electrode-H remain concerning for the time being, but a shared check that ignores Tera Dark just might provide enough breathing room...

:Gholdengo:
Gholdengo
Gholdengo ironically competes with Sandshrew-A for a team slot - immune to Taunt, Encore, Heal Pulse, and more, self-2HKOes with Steel Beam, tends to only OHKO one Pokemon per game at maximum, cannot prevent faster Court Change/Sticky Web/Stealth Rock/Belly Drum/Imprison users from doing their business, the works. Where Gholdengo is worthy of its own entry in the watchlist is its immunity to Defog, Rapid Spin, and Mortal Spin, thus blocking all attempts at hazard removal but Tidy Up and arguably Court Change and therefore warping the meta around it. The jury is actually still out on whether Gholdengo has, in fact, reduced The Loser's Game meta to "offensive" teams only (Stealth Rock-Court Change, Self-2HKO Spam) and, therefore, the best Trick/Switcheroo blocker in the meta (in a meta where Trick can win you the game in a single turn and force that win to take 50 or more turns to actually realize itself) damages the meta more than it fixes it. Because that jury is still out, Gholdengo has dodged the banhammer so far, but there is already a cry or two that Gholdengo, just like Sandshrew-A, is similarly too hard to disrupt...

:Klefki: :Gholdengo: :Sandshrew-Alola: :Bronzor: :Arceus:
Steel Beam
You might not have noticed, but the council managed to agree on Restrict 2 for Steel Beam before dropping activity entirely this fall, thus forcing teams to have no more than 2 Pokemon with Steel Beam in their movesets...but this goes against current OM policy, so this was repealed immediately by higher staff. We now face the stark possibilities of Ban or No Ban for Steel Beam, a move that makes Trick less painful but enables 12-turn clock Self-2HKO Spam teams, and with Chloroblast being a very similar move with some Pokemon actually immune to it, we might need to rethink our policy on self-2HKO attacks...

Teams

Stealth Rock Court Change
No changes from the post-HOME version(!). None of the team members got anything notable that they just had to add to their movesets.

Fast Self-2HKO Spam
:Gholdengo: :Espeon: :klefki: :Maushold: :electrode-hisui: :Arceus:
https://pokepast.es/345a63cf60b5e148

Pretty much the only change from the post-HOME version is Espeon switching to a more well-rounded Baton Pass-Roar set, able to KO itself even while Tricked a healing item by Tera Ghost Cursing and phazing opposing Pokemon. Heck, phazing opposing Pokemon can save you against Perish Pass users!

Weak Self-2HKO Spam
:sandshrew-alola: :Bronzor: :Nosepass: :cufant: :Pawniard: :Espeon:
https://pokepast.es/3c65925bd5531e44

This updated build retains anti-Imprison-Steel Beam phazers (Cufant, Espeon) and switch-ins against disruption (Espeon, Pawniard), gets additional Trick/Switcheroo absorbers (Sandshrew-A, Espeon, Nosepass for Toxic Orb Trick), and can win its fair share of match-ups. The Court Change match-up remains dicey.

Trick Room
:Espeon: :Gholdengo: :gothita: :sandshrew-alola: :Maushold: :Impidimp:
https://pokepast.es/710d076a701f8001

This Semi-Room team is very capable of winning against all of the teams above, although its Weak Self-2HKO Spam match-up is the weakest of the 3. This comes at the optics price of running the watchlist wonders Sandshrew-A and Gholdengo. Maushold is sadly currently the only hazard remover that doesn't tank the match-up against Steel Beam Spam and still works at least some of the time, and in this team, it gets the speed control team support it needs to actually remove hazards against Court Change teams. Impidimp runs Toxic Orb Trick as ersatz "opponent healing" against Black Sludge and Sticky Barb users, especially Steel- and Poison-types, that still lets Impidimp use a self-injuring item.
 
The Loser's Game resources have been updated for the post-Indigo Disk meta! The Role Compendium, Viability List, and Sample Sets have been updated with the most viable post-Indigo Disk additions and several less viable ones! Yes, Smeargle is on the watchlist! Due to its issues with reliably garnering Speed boosts, Moody is not on the watchlist even though Smeargle can completely take advantage of it with Baton Pass! If you're looking for other great post-Indigo Disk Pokemon for The Loser's Game, look no further than Deoxys-S, Comfey, Cottonee, and Cinccino!

Curse and Pain Split distribution have skyrocketed, and so have the viability of some Pokemon who got these moves! With Calyrex-S and Spectrier joining the list of Ghost Curse users, might Curse be too mighty a move?

Sample Team submission is open! Got an idea for what a rough team archetype - or a winning team - should look like? Drop some teams here so I don't have to be the only one posting them!
 
Last edited:

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top