Project Top 10 TITANS of Gen 8 PU [DONE]

[SergioRules]

op adapted from ausma, approved by Chloe

Sword and Shield saw the first time a National Dex was not implemented into a Pokemon game. With the base game having only 400 Pokemon to choose from compared to Gen 7's 807, we experienced the first instance of reverse power creep in a generation. With tiering processes being re-evaluated for this limited dex, and the first time a Pokemon game saw not just one but two DLC packages, giving us an additional ~250 Pokemon, this has been an unusual generation to say the least especially for lower tiers. However, throughout all of these wild changes, several Pokemon have earned the title of Titans in PU, Pokemon that make such a lasting impact on the tier that building without them in mind is severely detrimental or Pokemon that are such important glue that they are almost necessary on a good team.

We are here to determine what 10 Pokemon were the most influential Pokemon on the SWSH PU metagame.

From September 6th to September 27th, you will nominate Pokemon that will be voted on for the top 10 most influential Pokemon throughout Gen 8. After that, you will all evaluate all the nominations and individually rank the Pokemon from 1-10 by vote. Of course, all the nominations will count as long as they're reasonable and fit the criteria. Please keep in mind that we're not ranking Pokemon based on how good they are, but we're ranking Pokemon based on how influential they've been. When nominating Pokemon, consider their influence not just in the current Crown Tundra format, but in the Isle of Armor, Home, and Pre-Home metagames as well (if they were there, of course)!

Please use the format below to frame your posts or we won't count them!

Format

Enter your nominee's sprite here.
:ss/pokemon:

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?

Explain how the Pokemon effected the metagame as whole, and how the metagame adapted around it. A brief description of which Pokemon it countered and which Pokemon it did well against would be good here as well. Be sure to consider their impact in previous iterations of SS PU as well if they weren't removed.

In what main roles was Pokemon used?

Explain why this Pokemon was used on a team more often than most other Pokemon, and what was it particularly used for? What made it so good at this role?

What caused it to have a significant impact?

What exactly made this Pokemon have such a large impact on the metagame? Was it its stats, ability, useful resistances, amazing synergy, or the ability to sweep most of the metagame very easily? Did a certain Pokemon cause it to become that much better when it was partnered with it?

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

What are the best checks/counters to this Pokemon? How does the metagame adapt to this Pokemon?

Format Example

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?

Shuckle had insane power with its Shell Smash+Rollout set absolutely destroying Pokemon like Heatmor, Charizard, and Articuno. You had to have a very bulky physical wall to prevent Shuckle from sweeping thanks to its blinding Speed and insane power for the tier.

In what main roles was Pokemon used?

Shuckle was primarily a dangerous setup wincon, sweeping entire teams with its strong STAB Rollout with access to Knock Off and Earthquake for coverage.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

Shuckle's power was nearly unmatched, only facing true competition from Pokemon like Wigglytuff and Pyukumuku. It could also run supportive moves like Stealth Rock and Sticky Web, but most players could not afford to pass up the sheer strength of Shuckle.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

Only 4x Rock-resistant Pokemon like Galarian Stunfisk and physically bulky resists like Throh and Palossand could handle Shuckle, especially after it had used Shell Smash. Many players would sacrifice a fast Pokemon or priority user like Jolteon or Persian just to break Shuckle's Sturdy so they could KO it next turn, which was a monumental task given Shuckle's monstrous bulk.

please format your suggestions more seriously than this one it's just an example to show off the format

You're allowed to reserve nominations, but make sure to finish them in 24 hours, or they will be back up for grabs! Also, you can only reserve one nomination at a time. This is to make sure that your reservation gets done before you finish another. If you pick a Pokemon that has more than one form, be sure to clarify which it is.

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[Hera]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?

Gigalith, for a majority of the tier's lifespan, was THE Rocker of the tier. Withstanding tier shifts and meta shifts that varied from removing solid answers to introducing new ones, Gigalith continued to stay at the top of the heap no matter what happened, always being considered at least a top 10 mon even when the tides were against it. Sand Stream also brought to life Sand balance and Sand offense, which used Sandslash and/or Lycanroc as win conditions that could tear through standard balance teams. The only time Gigalith was in the tier and wasn't the best Rocker in the meta was when Regirock + Ferroseed cores were highly effective, but this period was brief and Gigalith regained supremacy once Doublade dropped.

In what main roles was Pokemon used?

It was almost always a Stealth Rock setter; however, its titanic special bulk and solid physical bulk made it hard to take down without overriding its Sand, using a super-effective physical attack, or even both. And thanks to Gigalith's great bulk, it could often live to tell the tale. Notably, it was the best Charizard counter in the tier, taking little from coverage moves unlike Coalossol, and later in the tier's lifespan, Gigalith began to use Rest more to be a longer-term answer to Toxic Charizard.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

Sand Stream. Without the ability to set Sand, Gigalith would be sitting down in the depths of SU, and maybe even lower than that. Offensively, it's outclassed by Regirock, while defensively, a Wishiwashi checked all the things Gigalith wanted to, with the only caveat being the lack of Stealth Rock. However, with Sand, Gigalith effectively got an Assualt Vest without the drawback, the ability to passively chip down foes by existing, and a way to enable Sandslash and Lycanroc, which were powerful mons at +2.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

Bulky Ground-types were the way to go, with mons like Sandaconda, Quagsire, and even Claydol getting free opprotunites to do whatever they want when Gigalith came in. While Toxic annoys the latter two, clerics were so common that this status would be gone by the time Gigalith came in again. Steel-types such as Togedemaru and Ferrosed also made for solid switch-ins that could threaten it out, although only Ferroseed could come in on a Gigalith with Earthquake. Finally, offensive Fighting-, Grass-, Ground-, and Water-types all forced out Gigalith on the account of their high-powered super effective STAB.

 

[Chloe]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?

Talonflame was the cornerstone of balance at the time. Every balance team was borderline required to run it because of how good it was at just easing the pressure of a plethora of common Pokemon. It alone helped keep a lot of common Pokemon in check, and hence made the metagame feel balanced and a lot more playable even with a bunch of terrifying threats present.

In what main roles was Pokemon used?

It was a fast pivot with an excellent typing, aided by the introduction of Heavy-Duty Boots. It would use its Flame Body ability and its status moves like Will-O-Wisp and Toxic to spread status ailments across teams, the former crippling potent physical attackers and the latter whittling down potential switchins. It also often carried Defog. It allowed Grass-type breakers like Roserade, Virizion, Exeggutor-Alola, Tsareena to get in safely by pivoting on incoming Rock- and Water-types and dealing extensive damage. It was also used as a soft check for switching into some of these in addition to Fighting-types, Steel-types, Fairy-types. It was able to deal with a lot of Pokemon successfully.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

It helped versus a myriad of Pokemon, its presence helped keep Pokemon like Virizion, Toxicroak, Passimian, Scyther in check to some degree as they were pressured by an extremely common Pokemon that was capable of revenging them all, disabling their abilities to clean with ease. How important its ability to get in safely versus so many Pokemon and Defog or spread status or pivot cannot be understated. It was such a great Pokemon to have access to at the time.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

At the time, Talonflame's best answers were Rock-types like Gigalith, Regirock, Archeops; in addition to Water-types like Vaporeon, Lanturn, Jellicent. Every team was required to run one of these Pokemon essentially. Rock-type Stealth Rock setters were prevalent as they pressured teams reliant on removal Talonflame.

 

[5Dots]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Virizion was an elite Grass- and Fighting-type from January-March 2021, and likely the best Pokemon during this time. A solid offensive typing, great bulk for its stats, terrific Speed, and unpredictability in sets made it extremely hard to deal with consistently. All of these traits were overbearing enough to make it #3 in both the January and February 2021 (1630) usage stats. A naturally faster check like Talonflame or Froslass, a Choice Scarf user like Haunter or Mesprit, or a bulky Poison-type like Garbodor or Golbat was necessary to prevent it from trampling over teams. It shaped a lot of offensive and defensive play and was quite difficult to consistently check. This was one of the primary why Talonflame and Weezing was so popular; Virizion was just that demanding to answer.

In what main roles was Pokemon used?

Virizion was primarily used as an all-out-attacker, using its good coverage moves (like Zen Headbutt and Stone Edge) to ram switch-ins like Weezing and Talonflame, making them no longer safe and placing immense pressure in the opposition. Swords Dance made it a fearsome wallbreaker and cleaner, though it had a dilemma of choosing between said coverage moves to either hit Poison- or Flying-types, which made it less common but still a fearsome set. Calm Mind sets were the least of all common, but could lure and beat certain Pokemon like Weezing that would normally beat it. It lacked the flexibility of all-out-attacking sets and relied on either low base-power moves like Giga Drain or Air Slash or the inaccurate Focus Blast to sweep, but could still get out of hand if not properly checked.

What caused it to have a significant impact?
Due to Virizion's excellent Speed, bulk, and unpredictability in sets, it was a dominant force in offensive teams. As mentioned before, a bulky Poison-type, bulky Flying-type, or faster Pokemon were strongly recommended to prevent Virizion from getting out of hand. The set versatility and coverage meant you couldn't rely one Pokemon specifically to check it; you often needed a backup to scout around for specific sets. If the opponent wasn't careful, Virizion could leverage its great bulk and sets to mop up the team mid-to-late game without much trouble.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

Talonflame was the best check against non-Stone Edge variants. It outran and OHKOed Virizion with Brave Bird, can pivot and spread utility with good prediction, and could punish incorrect predictions (STABs, Zen Headbutt) with Flame Body. Talonflame was much worse if it lost its Heavy-Duty Boots, though. Garbodor and Weezing were two other notable Virizion checks that resisted its STABs, didn't take too much from Stone Edge, and could rack up a lot of chip damage with Rocky Helmet (Weezing lost against the Calm Mind set, however). Druddigon could rack even more chip damage but came with the cost of not resisting Close Combat. Choice Scarf users that dealt super effective damage like Mesprit and Braviary threatened massive damage as well. Depending on if Virizion lacked Stone Edge, Xatu and Charizard could also do nicely as well. Fairies could usually take one hit before threatening massive damage back, which included Silvally-Fairy and Aromatisse.

 

[zS]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
i’m grouping these together because they are basically the same case. both dropped at the same time and have been really popular ever since they did, with togedemaru being slightly more consistent whereas sandaconda’s peak was probably a bit higher. they’ve been here for long and have been in the top 15 usage ever since they dropped and didn’t drop below than that ever.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
sanda was primarily used as a rocker or as a wincon with coil
What caused it to have a significant impact?
sanda was just an all around role compression god and was also a really good wincon throughout the gen, being a great rocker, a good status absorber, and a huge threat with coil sets due to its surprisingly high all around bulk and perfect coverage with edgequake.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?
sanda was way more difficult to keep in check if you didn’t have a grass type (or wishiwashi) cuz this mon actually hits kinda hard after a boost. it doesn’t care much about weezing because it resists sludge bomb and has shed skin and the ground immunities either don’t do much or don’t kill it and get cooked by stone edge

 

[zS]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
i’m grouping these together because they are basically the same case. both dropped at the same time and have been really popular ever since they did, with togedemaru being slightly more consistent whereas sandaconda’s peak was probably a bit higher. they’ve been here for long and have been in the top 15 usage ever since they dropped and didn’t drop below than that ever.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
toge was more often than not used as wish support, but scarf sets also were rly popular at some point
What caused it to have a significant impact?
togedemaru is a steel type, albeit a rly weak one but in a tier like pu where steels are meant to be inconsistent if not non existent, it was going to be a good mon by virtue.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?
togedemaru isn’t rly an offensive threat so it had a lot of switch-ins like sanda, weezing, scrafty of what not

 

[sugar ovens]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Various Silvally formes have been meta-defining forces in PU since the very beginning. Silvally-Ground, the whack-a-Silvally period, and even now they are relevant, though not as much as in the past. It would be pretty difficult to pick the one and only most titanest Silvally form, so i'm nominating them all as one mon.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
They've always had the same role - SD sweeper, defogger with the occasional special/mixed set regardless of the type.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Good stats, movepool and Multi Attack.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?
Complaining in NP threads and in the PS room.

 

[DiannieRatson]

Reserving Jellicent



What effect did Jellicent have on the metagame?

Jellicent made Eldegoss popular as the latter is one of the best, if not the best, spinner that can threaten Jellicent out while contributing nice utilities in the metagame. Cryogonal also rise in popularity since it can also threaten Jellicent out with Freeze Dry. Almost every competitive team in ladder became prepared against both Defensive Jellicent and Specs Jellicent. The hazard metagame also became more effective and Defog became more common especially after Espeon-ban. The rise of Defog also made rise to Articuno-Galar.

In what main roles was Jellicent used?

Jellicent is a spinblocker that benefited from Tsareena rising to NU. Aside from that, it became a blanket check against Physical attackers because of Will-o-wisp and EV investments on HP and Defense with Bold Nature. It also has access to Taunt to prevent opposing team from trying to break it by setting-up. It is also a soft check to Charizard and threaten it with a super-effective Scald. Specs Jellicent also seen some decent usage. Water Spout, Shadow Ball, Trick, plus another coverage move or even Surf is used in Specs set. Water Absorb ability also made it a water check in Specs set while being able to threaten with Giga drain or other moves.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

Jellicent centralized the metagame around it because it can wall most Physical attackers with Will-o-wisp. The possible Scald burn also scares Physical attackers. It also has Recover which helps its longevity. It can wall a whole team especially if the team doesn't have a way to like 2HKO Jellicent. Being a ghost type made a spinblocker that can also break with Specs taking advantage of a powerful Ghost STAB that can only be resisted by Dark types and immuned by Normal types. Being able to hold Colbur Berry in defensive set helped it against Knock off and other dark moves while its ability Water Absorb in specs set made it hard to mindlessly click a water move in a battle.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

I spammed Eldegoss. Almost all of my teams has either Eldegoss or Cryogonal. Audino also helped against Specs Jellicent. Aside from having Eldegoss' Rapid spin, I also tend to have a Defog user like Charizard and Ribombee. Leafeon also helped since it is a grass type with Knock off to remove/trigger Jellicent's Colbur Berry that would make it trickier for Jellicent to switch again. Scyther also helped with Knock off and cab click u-turn on a predicted opposing Jellicent switching in.

 

[SergioRules]

What effect did Charizard have on the metagame?
Charizard has been a main staple of the tier since its introduction, consistently sitting at the top of the viability rankings especially once Talonflame left and it became the most consistent Fire-type in the tier. Teams generally started using much more Gigalith, partly because of how good Gigalith is but also due to how well it checked Charizard. Offensive styles of teams still needed to run Pokemon like Archeops and Lycanroc to avoid losing to a well played

In what main roles was Charizard used?
Charizard was primarily an offensive defogger or strong special breaker. Its massive 109 Special Attack paired with a decent base 100 Speed made it an exceptional offensive Pokemon. Charizard's access to Toxic also allowed it to wear down the checks that would switch into it such as Gigalith and Audino, while Roost gave it longevity against Pokemon that couldn't damage it as much like Whimsicott and Eldegoss. It could also be used in a more defensive role with Mystical Fire as its Fire move of choice instead to help check stronger special attackers. Physical sets using Swords Dance or Belly Drum also saw some use.

What caused it to have a significant impact?
The combination of typing, high speed and special attack, good coverage, recovery, and possibly most importantly access to Defog made Charizard very popular. Combine all of these traits with PU's general lack of sturdy Fire-type checks that carry recovery, and it's not hard to see why Charizard has remained an S-tier threat for a good portion of the generation.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?
Most people use Gigalith as their Charizard check which works well if you can prevent it from being worn down too much by passive damage or if your Gigalith carries Rest. Jellicent and Lanturn could potentially take hits from Charizard and threaten it with super-effective damage. Alternatively, faster Pokemon like Stone Edge Virizion, Lycanroc, Archeops, and Scyther could threaten Charizard. Finally, as Heavy-Duty Boots were near mandatory on Charizard, getting rid of its item via Trick or Knock Off could potentially make Charizard lose 50% of its health upon switch in if you are able to get Stealth Rock up.

 

[DiannieRatson]

Reserving Drampa



What effect did Drampa have on the metagame?

Drampa has great coverage and thus, the rise of other special checks like Audino and even Clefairy that is not as popular pre-Passimian rise to NU. Gigalith was kinda neutralized because of its ability Cloud Nine that disabled weather conditions. Thus, the special blanket in Gigalith became less popular.

In what main roles was Drampa used?

I guess I could call it wallbreaker since it has immense power with its very high spatk base stat of 135 and then there's Choice Specs. It can also use the ability Berserk and Calm Mind sets to set-up and sweep. It can also be used defensively because of its Dragon typing and decent defenses. Along with the defensive set is the move Defog.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

First, it is because Passimian rose to NU. Drampa is one of the victim of Passimian's titanic presence in the tier. Now that that fighting mon is gone, Drampa has one less offensive check. Second, it has very high spatk stat with its almost perfect coverage. Draco Meteor has high BP and combine this with Specs, it's hard to wall it. Fairy types like Ribombee and Whimsicott are weak to Flamethrower because of their other typing. It also has another STAB in Hyper Voice. Normal resists like Rock types are weak to water or grass coverage while Steel types are also weak to Fire.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

I forgot how but I remember using it to spam ladder. I assume most will use Specs set and thus, it is up to prediction. Most will click Draco Meteor and thus, Fairy types can switch in. If Hyper Voice, then the Steel types like Spdef Togedemaru. Otherwise, sac then offensively try to kill or at least make it switch out and its ally will take damage. Drampa only has base 36 speed and thus it can be revenge-killed by many offensive faster mons.

 

[gum]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?

mr. rime dropped in may 2020 and quickly became the best pokemon in the tier. following the dlc 1 drops, its viability took a hit but it still managed to remain a top 5-10 pokemon until later dlc 2 metas. it fulfilled a lot of roles successfully, going from threatening breaker with specs and nasty plot to a great removal and support option. this obviously meant that it had a large impact on building. in pre-dlc 1 metas, it made ice resists more common; mawile started using specially defensive sets while other pokemon like klang and type: null were on almost every team to have something for its threatening stabs. later on, it was rather common to see pokemon creep for it, with klinklang being the main one, so teams would have an ice and psychic resist that could afford to switch in multiple times


In what main roles was Pokemon used?

it was mainly a breaker throughout its time of being a viable mon. specs was the main set, and with threatening stabs, access to coverage like focus blast and shadow ball, and utility options like trick and healing wish, it was one of the best breakers around, if not the best at some point. in earlier metas, it commonly ran a specially defensive set to deal with opposing mr. rimes and other threats like mr. mime. it was also one of the only removal options that didn't mind tspikes thanks to boots, and that could also threaten mareanie. other sets like nasty plot gave up some coverage and immediate power to become almost impossible to switch into, but such sets eventually became outclassed by galarian mr. mime thanks to its higher speed

What caused it to have a significant impact?

its breaking abilities and utility options were unparalleled in the much weaker metas we've seen this gen, so really it was a mix of all of these that made it as great as it once was

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

the tier never had real counters. instead, people would often just try to offensively pressure it with faster pokemon like silvally forms, first impression falinks, and manectric. some ice resists like klang, lapras, and opposing mr. rimes were also capable of forcing the player into undesirable scenarios where they'd would have to predict properly. in later metas, faster counterplay became more common. gourgeist gaining poltergeist, unfezant, galardash, were all capable of offensively pressuring it. klinklang also ran enough speed to outspeed modest mr. rime, making it a decent enough resist to the latter's stabs

 

[hex]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?

Ribombee became the premier form of speed control later in the metagame and became a dominant force between being able to setup and clean the metagame, or equipping itself with specs to melt through teams easily and cripple its common switch-ins with switcheroo, being useful on almost any team available. Teams were always forced to run a Steel-type in order to not lose to Ribombee, and even Gigalith was a poor long-term counter thanks to the hazard stacking nature of the tier, making Ribombee an even larger threat in PU. Its access to Roost also made it harder to beat as it can Roost off any progress you've made against it if played well. Thanks to Aromatherapy, bulkier mons such as Gigalith were able to opt for Rest instead of Protect as Ribombee could easily wake it up, making Ribombee an even more potent support mon in the tier than it already was.

In what main roles was Pokemon used?

Ribombee was used as a form of speed control and wincon into one, allowing it to role compress quite easily. With Choice Specs it was quite the fearsome wallbreaker that had very few switch-ins if not Steel-type. Its utility in Aromatherapy and Defog also made it useful on teams that struggled with Toxic spam and hazard stack respectively, making it hard to pass up on any team.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

It's Fairy typing coupled with ability to set up made it mandatory to run a Steel-type on every PU team or run Gigalith with strong support if it was your primary Ribombee switch-in. It also has access to U-turn, meaning this switch-ins could still be taken advantage of quite easily anyway, gaining momentum and putting your opponent in a very tough spot with ease if they play too safely.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

Pokemon such as Togedemaru, Ferroseed, Gigalith, Aggron, Charizard and later in the meta Doublade, are all good Pokemon that are used to switch-into Ribombee, since Ribombee relies on using only Moonblast STAB on its set. It's hard to offensively check Ribombee as it is the fastest mon in the tier aside from a select three Pokemon that aren't seeing much usage. Charizard's usage in the tier also kept Ribombee in check as it was being ran on almost every team as well. Teams rely on common switch-ins to stay alive, hazard stacking, and the knock spam nature of the meta to pressure Ribombee to be played well or to not come in very much at all.

 

[Sugarbear]

What effect did this Pokemon have on the metagame?

Omastar made it a requirement that your team had at least one of the following: Ferroseed, Choice Scarf Togedemaru, special Toxicroak or Thwackey. If you didn't, it would simply sweep your team. Fast offensive teams were easy prey for it, as it could easily trigger Weak Armor against something like Talonflame, Scyther or Kangaskhan and boost up with Meteor Beam, so it didn't even turn to spend a turn setting up with Shell Smash. Stall didn't fare much better - at +3, it could blow through even the likes of Vaporeon and Appletun. Once Vaporeon left and Virizion got banned, people turned to Scarf Togedemaru to check it, thus pushing its old specially defensive set out of viability.

It what main roles was the Pokemon used?

Its old hazard stacking set fell by the wayside, so in SS Omastar devoted itself to its Shell Smash set. This set could be used in one of two ways: either it could sweep a team late game, once its few counters had been weakened or removed, or it could smash big holes into the opposing team for something else to sweep late game.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

In addition to its amazing firepower, most of the Pokemon it struggled with in SM PU were gone. Primeape didn't survive Dexit, Gastrodon and Seismitoad were in higher tiers, so it had no counters and not many reliable checks. It made U-turn, normally a riskless move, now dangerous to click as it could switch in on a predicted one, trigger Weak Armor and threaten to sweep your team. Some players even made use of Eject Button to bait out and punish the U-turn users.

How did / do you deal with this Pokemon?

Ferroseed could tank its attacks well enough, but it had to run a specially defensive spread and Bullet Seed. Physically defensive variants would be 2HKOed by a +3 Ice Beam or Earth Power, and Gyro Ball never 2HKOed -1 Omastar. Choice Scarf Togedemaru could outrun it at +2 and OHKO it with Zing Zap at -1, but Earth Power on the switch would OHKO and a Hydro Pump from Modest Omastar had a 50% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock. Pre-Shell Smash, it could even use it as set up fodder, since Zing Zap would never OHKO it, it could use Weak Armor alongside Shell Smash to get to +4 Speed. Priority users like special Toxicroak and Thwackey could revenge kill it with Vacuum Wave and Grassy Glide, respectively, but both got annihilated by Earth Power or Ice Beam on the switch. Mach Punch users such as Gurdurr and Hitmonlee could revenge kill it after some chip damage.

 

[5Dots]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?

Kingler’s high Attack alongside Sheer Force and a decent offensive movepool made it a frightening late-game cleaner. It was one of the best offensive Water-types, and its presence required at least one bulky Water- or Grass-type like Tangela or Jellicent to prevent it from boosting and sweeping the opponent’s team, especially after Vaporeon (#1 check to it) left the tier. Choice Scarf users like Togedemaru and Rotom were also used more to take advantage of Kingler’s middling initial Speed. The variety in coverage moves made it difficult to consistently check defensively and Agility made it hard to offensively stop after it has boosted.

In what main roles was Pokemon used?

Kingler was either used as a wallbreaker with Swords Dance or late-game cleaner with Agility. It can provide early-game utility with Knock Off and be saved later on to lure walls like Tangela and Ferroseed with its coverage (namely Ice Beam and Superpower). Against slower or less threatening Pokemon like Regirock and Alolan Sandslash, it could set up Swords Dance to wallbreak, and mid or late-game, it can set up Agility to sweep the opposing team.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

Before, while still a strong cleaner, it was hampered quite hard by a lot of Grass- and Water-types, most notably Vaporeon, which can pretty much chip it down with Scald and Wish + Protect indefinitely. Grasses like Tsareena and Virizion can pick it off without trouble if Kingler hasn’t boosted, even if they don’t enjoy switching into Knock Off. With April shifts, a lot of checks like the aformentioned Vaporeon and Virizion left the tier or were banned, meaning it could finally shine. With a variety of coverage moves (Knock Off for Jellicent, Body Slam for strong neutral coverage, Ice Beam for Tangela), it was quite tough to consistently counter. Barring stuff like Scarf Heliolisk, after a boost, it was extremely hard to stop Kingler from sweeping late-game, and it could do so reliably thanks to decent physical bulk and being insanely hard to switch into without dedicated physical walls.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?
Since it relied a lot on Liquidation + Knock Off to make progress, physical walls like Jellicent, Vaporeon, Ferroseed, and Tangela were great at stopping Kingler. The latter only has to fear the rare Ice Beam and Ferroseed could get annoyed by Superpower and Knock Off. Other offensive checks like Toxicroak and Rotom could potentially stop it before a boost, though neither can anticipate the proper boosting move. Residual chip from Rocky Helmet Pokemon like Qwilfish, Garbodor, Druddigon, and Weezing were also extremely annoying, and all of them can inflict status to cripple its sweep immediately.

 

[LettuceLeaf07]

What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?

Tsareena waltzed into the PU metagame during mid-December 2020 shifts, and before it left for NU in the January 2021 shifts, Tsareena had become the tier's sole S-rank. Tsareena's offensive capabilities and utility in rapid spin helped terrorize tier staples like Gigalith and Regirock, while its vast movepool meant checks such as Togedemaru, Whimsicott, and Charizard had to fear a HJK, Triple Axel, or Knock respectively. Tsar did struggle with 4MSS, usually having room for only one coverage move after Rapid Spin, Knock, and Power Whip. Tsar also had to fear faster mons like Archeops and Charizard who outsped and threatened to KO it.

In what main roles was Pokemon used?

Tsareena rose to dominance being offensive utility/a wallbreaker, using its extensive movepool containing Rapid Spin, Knock Off, Power Whip, High Jump Kick, U-Turn, Triple Axel, and Synthesis. Tsar's strong attack and coverage pressured most of the tier's defenses, with Gigalith/Regirock fearing power whip, and everything that resisted grass didn't want to take a knock off, or was weak to coverage like HJK or T-Axel. This offensive presence is what made Tsar such a good spinner, since none of the tier's spinblockers could afford to take a hit from any of Tsareena's other moves (especially knock).

What caused it to have a significant impact?

Between its strong grass STAB, access to knock and rapid spin, base 120 attack stat, above average bulk, and good enough speed, a Tsareena was always going to impact a match. Its coverage scared potential checks, its grass typing made Gigaliths everywhere cower, and even when you think you can check a Tsareena, it may have a coverage move that destroys your check, Synthesis to outlast it, or U-Turn to bring in something that obliterates your check. Because of the strength that a well-played Tsareena has, there were basically no other viable spinners- Eldegoss was barely a blip on the radar during Tsareena's reign.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

Despite Tsareena's strengths and pressure on 90% of the tier's other staples, it was a physical attacker, which meant it was vulnerable to rocky helmet and burn. Weezing could usually run helmet, wisp, and pain split to beat Tsareena, even though Tsareena technically learned Zen Headbutt (which I learned as I wrote this). On top of that, between Tsareena's low speed and 4MSS, you were almost guaranteed to have at least one of your 3.5 Tsareena checks work (eventually), especially with fast, offensively oriented Pokémon like Charizard and Archeops. Tsareena's invested speed was not threatening until it spun, which means that you could feasibly outspeed and threaten a KO on Tsareena.

TL;DR strong atk, otherwise nice stats, grass for giga, spin, coverage

 

[DiannieRatson]

Reserving Passimian



What effect did Passimian have on the metagame?

The effect of Passimian in the metagame is felt not only when it is in the tier but also when it left to rise to NU. When it was in the tier, it made the likes of Weezing to be a near staple if not the staple. It also limited the place of the normal types like Audino and Drampa in the metagame. In-battle, even though it is predictable with its very common Choice Scarf set, it is still tricky to play against it because it can use the move Knock off to force progress or predict possible switch-ins and click a super effective coverage move or simply click the high base power Close Combat for STAB commonly dealing neutral damage. After it left, the likes of Audino, Drampa, Gallade, Ferroseed, and Jellicent rose and seen more play.

In what main roles was Passimian used?

I guess I could also call it a wallbreaker since it has immense power with its high atk base stat of 120 with a great coverage. It can also be a mid to late sweeper or wincon because even if choice-locked, the high base power STAB move of it which is Close Combat (base power of 120 combine with its 120 base attack stat) can be clicked and still deal high neutral damage. It can also act as a fast pivot because of Choice Scarf plus it can use U-Turn.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

First, it has great attack stat that combines with its typing and the move Close Combat, makes it powerful. Combine that high attack stat with Choice Scarf also makes his U-Turn deal decent chip damage while being a fast pivot as it outspeed the whole unboosted metagame with Scarf. It also has coverage like Rock Slide for flying types like Charizard and Gunk Shot for Fairy types like Ribombee. Knock Off also makes it tricky for Jellicent to get in as it can knock Colbur Berry on the switch then quick U-Turn out.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

Having Rocky Helmet helped to discourage it from mindlessly clicking U-Turn. I also used Weezing as a physical blanket check since aside from Passimian, I also had to cover Tsareena. Will-o-wisp for burned status or Paralysis status also helps in lowering down its impact in battle. These are aside from predicting what it will click.

 

[DiannieRatson]

Reserving Scrafty
(Anyone feel free to take this if ever I haven't write this before deadline. Just nomming this to make sure it gets on board)



What effect did Scrafty have on the metagame?

Scrafty restricts teambuilding since it requires specific counters. The usual physical blanket check like Weezing will just be a set-up fodder for Scrafty. Almost every team needs a Fairy type or else Scrafty might 6-0.

In what main roles was Scrafty used?

Scrafty is commonly a set-up sweeper with its Bulk Up or Dragon Dance set. Scrafty can also use a Substitute set with no set-up move paired with it but with coverage moves especially against Fairy types. With that Sub set, Scrafty can spam Knock Off to be a sort of utility while being able to absorb status because of its Shed Skin ability. It also has a good special defense and a Dark typing to be immune with Psychic moves especially Future Sight.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

First, it is because of his abilities. He can go either Shed Skin with Bulk Up set to shrug off status like Burn from Weezing's Will-o-wisp or go with Moxie with Dragon Dance set to further made it hard to deal with. Second, its typing. It has a STAB Knock Off as utility plus chip damage and as a Fighting type, it has STAB Drain Punch for its sustainability. With Leftovers and a boosted physical defense with Bulk Up, it will be hard to revenge kill Scrafty too. It has great defense stats as both of its defense and special defense are base 115. It also has coverage like Iron Head for Fairy types like Ribombee. It can also use Rest to combine with its Shed Skin ability and leftovers to help it be one of the best sweepers in PU after setting Bulk Up.

How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in PU?

By having a Fairy type in every team. There's Whimsicott and Ribombee to outspeed it even after Dragon Dance. Silvally-Fairy is also an option. Aromatisse can be a blanket check against Scrafty and other mons. And if ever Scrafty has Iron Head/Poison Jab and/or Substitute, the Fairy will probably be sac'd then revenge kill it with a faster mon in the team.

 

[SergioRules]

Thank you to everyone for participating!
Voting will start with the #1 slot and continue in descending order until #10. Your first vote should be to what you consider the MOST influential Pokemon of this generation of PU. You may choose any of the following options, and any votes for a Pokemon not on the list will not be counted. The voting period will last at least 72 hours and results of the first round of voting will be posted on 10/1/22.

Eligible Pokemon:
(various)

My vote will be going to Gigalith.

 

[Hera]

Gigalith

 

[5Dots]

Easily , best Rocker as soon as it dropped

 

[Sugarbear]

Charizard

 

[sensei axew]

Silvally

 

[LettuceLeaf07]

Gigalith

 

[Ducky]

 

[When the 2)]

gonna drop a hot take and vote Gigalith