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Project Top 10 Titans of Generation 8 OM Metagames
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Magmar for much of DLC2 NFE was a niche but threatening wallbreaker, capable of rolling through teams with a large variety of different sets. It was only when people started running Belly Drum and Specs variants that it terrorized the tier, becoming by far the most difficult Pokemon to check. It forced people into running largely suboptimal defensive Pokemon to check it, including Marshtomp (very bad in Golbat meta), Gabite, and Mareanie (mid). Even these Pokemon struggled to handle it, however, as they could be easily chipped down or even have their Eviolites stolen with no-item Thief variants. Overall, Magmar's sheer set diversity made it an impossible Pokemon to handle.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Magmar's sheer number of sets made it impossible to predict on preview what it would be running. It could run HDB/Evio Taunt 3 attacks, Fire Spin Seismic Toss sets, Choice Specs, no-item Thief, and Belly Drum to name a few. Some of these sets were better than others, but the variety was what made it difficult to handle, with the opponent never knowing which of their Pokemon would be a safe switch-in.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Primarily, its power. At the peak of Choice Specs Magmar mania, it was able to cleanly 2HKO the most common SpDef wall in the tier, Duosion. Along with that, nearing its ban, it had a solid 3-5 viable sets that it could run, all of which were able to be effective and bypass their checks. Its diversity and power made it have such a big impact.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
There were no consistent checks to Magmar. Non-Specs special sets could be checked by Duosion, while Specs sets had to rely on suboptimal walls such as Mareanie/Gabite/Marshtomp or just predicting the right coverage move. There were a few Pokemon that were able to decently revenge-kill Magmar, including Raboot/Electabuzz if it had been worn down or Scarf Lampent, but these weren't great forms of counterplay and Magmar had solid bulk. Other than that, wearing it down with Stealth Rock was a decent way to prevent it from repeatedly switching in, but Golbat was a very good form of removal and if you ran into Hattrem, keeping Rocks up was hard.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Mr. Mime-Galar has been a controversial figure since its debut in SS. Highly capable to run many sets with different checks and counters, gave Klang viability and offensively check fighting types. Mr. Mime-Galar was banned many times due to its overbearing presence. Unbanned in DLC2 but swiftly banned for the same reason. Need a fast spinner? Check. Need a fast sweeper that forces easy switches? Check. This mon can do what it wants based on the team used. This mon was absurd no matter what metagame it was in and what set it used.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Mr. Mime-Galar ran multiple sets. Nasty Plot Eviolite, Fast HDB Spin. Hypnosis. It can use easy coverage options like Focus Blast and Shadow Ball. Specs was also a set that had little checks. 100 base speed is very fast and it has decent bulk even combined with Eviolite, but the fact that it doesn't need eviolite proves how versatile this mon is. Heck it can even do both spinning and Nasty Plot on the same set since Rapid Spin is buffed to increase speed. Stellar offensive typing with access to Freeze Dry can break bulky teams reliant on water types. Offensive cores a plenty. Electabuzz, Pikachu, Gurdurr. Name it, you pair well with Mime
What caused it to have a significant impact?
The variety of sets and fantastic coverage was so straining on the builder. You can never prep for every set. Freeze Dry alone gave Mime so much flexibility on every set. An ice type that can deal with water types with ease is always amazing. When the Specs set is ran, you needed to play around it. There was no switch in to the specs set. Klang being a solid check if Mime didnt click Focus Blast. Also its a huge reason Banded First Impression Fraxure became viable and why Pikachu became the best Revenge killer in the metagame. Rapid Spin gave amazing role compression so you dont need a slot for removal, and lets Wartortle run Shell Smash sets much easier.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Some of its best checks were few and not as easy to fit, or were easy to fit but relies on prediction. Checks include Klang and Ferroseed without Focus Blast, Duosion without Shadow Ball, Fraxure with First Impression, Raboot offensively, Piloswine without Focus Blast, Pikachu offensively, Kadabra Offensively. As you can see, the ways to deal with Mime were very specific and its a main reason why ultimately Mime was banned from NFE. Role Compression, few checks, move dependent. No surefire way to deal with this monster. Imagine you played during DMAX Era, Lord it was too OP lmfao
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Haunter was a terrifying breaker since its inception. It could run various sets, Choice Scarf, Life Orb, Sub Wisp, Sub Disable, but most prominent was its Choice Specs set. During the post-Home metagame, along side Machoke it heavily warped the metagame with nearly every team was running Galarian Linoone as a result of this Ghost. At its peaks, it was clearly a cut above every other special attacker and pretty much every offense team was using Haunter on their team. This Pokemon was so potent, it had to be quickbanned twice as even with the DLC leading to NFE's power level going up in its second stint, it still tore the metagame apart.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Usually Haunter was used as a breaker but sometimes as a cleaner as well; usually it was the latter with Scarf. Had a lot of disruption with Trick, Disable, Wisp, which helped to shut down bulkier walls and enable its teammates. Other matchups it would just brute force its way to make picks every time it got a chance to get onto the field. Its Ghost-typing allowed it to be a decent spinblocker on offense teams.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Insane STAB combination, Speed and Special Attack made it too much to handle. Difficult to revenge kill compared to other fast threats since most priority was resisted or dealt no damage at all (only Sucker Punch, which could be outplayed by substitute sets) The first time around, it was pretty much the only good special attacker, and the second time around, a bunch of good special attackers were introduced into the tier and it was still the best of the bunch. The difference the second time around was that these Pokemon would help wear down Haunter's checks and make it even more of a demon.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Galarian Linoone was faster and was immune to Shadow Ball but had to be wary of Sludge Wave. Pokemon would unironically use Protect to scout Haunter's next attack, namely Hattrem so that you could switch into Klang or Galarian Linoone depending in what it was locked into. This only worked if the Haunter was choiced, which they usually were. DLC 1 gave a couple more tools, such as Kadabra which was sometimes Sash and was faster, and that was it... Ye, the only times it wasn't S was when there were more broken Pokemon which got banned pretty much instantly such as Sneasel, Pawniard, and Porygon 2.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Raboot was always around during the pinnacle of VoltTurn teams, which have always had a presence within NFE. Whether it be with Pikachu, Thwackey, and nowadays Electabuzz, it has always found a place on offense thanks to its good offensive stats and wide coverage, backed by an amazing ability in Libero. In fact the Libero buff was so strong that during the DLC 1 metagame, even after Pikachu was quickbanned, Raboot had to be suspect tested and narrowly avoided being banned itself since the metagame mostly bled out to its hit-and-run playstyle. Pokemon like Lampent which resisted U-turn and were immune to its most common attacks (Flare Blitz and High Jump Kick) gained a large niche, although Raboot then started running Assurance so... Raboot has been a premier offensive threat ever since the introduction of its hidden ability and has withstood the test of time.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
During the Home metagame, Raboot didn't have access to Libero and usually opted for a Sub Bulk Up set since it lacked immediate power but still had very good coverage to act as a cleaner. With Libero, Heavy-Duty Boots All Out Attacker sets became the norm, with Choice Band variants occasionally being more common depending on the metagame. The initial Sub set never went away as now Gorsola would become setup bait. Choice Scarf also had a small niche initially but became less common over time and Grassy Seed with Acrobatics also saw usage when paired with Thwackey. It was a great pivot, wallbreaker, revenge killer, and cleaner that could easily fit onto any offense teams and even some balance oriented teams.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Libero. This ability alone turned Raboot from a mon sitting around in the B-ranks to an S tier calibre Pokemon, with its amazing movepool allowing it to be used to full effect. Choice Band made it a gigantic threat immediately capable of at least 2HKO'ing most Pokemon while Heavy-Duty Boots made it very obnoxious to play around given it was constantly generating momentum for its team. It was basically a marginally weaker physical version of Magmar but could instead pivot.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Not allowing Raboot to get onto the field safely was actually one method of not letting it ruin your entire team; more specifically a lot of defensive Pokemon threatened it with Knock Off and both Heavy-Duty Boots and Choice Band were very important for allowing to perform its role, since it'd be way easier to switch into and could be pressured with hazards respectively. Boots variants could struggle to get past Vullaby, Mareanie, Corsola, and later Golbat, resulting in it acting as a pivot bot against these. Lampent dealt with non-Assurance sets punishing Raboot by using Substitute. While Raboot was fast, there were faster Pokemon and priority attackers that could deal with it such as Kadabra, Electabuzz, Gurdurr, Pikachu, and Thwackey depending on Raboot's type.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Kadabra had a massive effect on the metagame, from controlling the speed tiers as it was the uncontested fastest Pokemon until Electabuzz's arrival in DLC, to generally being a generally great special attacker. I'd argue however, the innovations on Kadabra was actually what made it's influence one of the greatest in NFE; specifically starting the trend of using set-damage moves (which would later be seen on Electabuzz and even Magmar). One of Kadabra's few reliable answers was Ferroseed, which had to rely on Leech Seed for unreliable recovery; Night Shade allowed Kadabra to remove Ferroseed if it switched into Kadabra twice. At its best Kadabra was entirely dominant abusing hazard stack while being completely immune to them itself. During the time it was allowed, Kadabra was a force to be reckoned with and was ultimately banned due to having too many ways of getting around its checks.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Kadabra was one of the best cleaners in the metagame thanks to the combination of Magic Guard and Focus Sash allowing it to always live a hit (except if you hard switched it into Koffing beforehand). This meant that priority attackers couldn't even reliably revenge kill it by themselves. Life Orb turned it into a devastating breaker thanks to its solid coverage and sky-high Special Attack. Kadabra also offered a lot of offensive utility for teams in Knock Off, Encore and even sometimes Counter.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
It's difficult to pinpoint one factor that made Kadabra good, as it was more so a culmination of every one of its attributes. It was the fastest Pokemon, possessed amazing special attack, had solid coverage, and its utility moves meant you had a reliable offensive Pokemon that could pick and choose what its checks were and be supported with ease. Kadabra was way too efficient of a breaker when compared to all the others given it had more immediate power than most but also was much easier to use, often being preserved for end games with little consequence. The innovations in set-damage moves only sped up Kadabra's ability to chip its answers making it too much for the tier to handle.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Steel-types and Ferroseed and Klang could switch into it a couple times but later weren't that reliable because of Seismic Toss and their lack of reliable recovery. Galarian Corsola, Vullaby, and Clefairy could serve as decent checks but struggled vs Encore and hated switching into Knock Off. Scarfers and priority could also work alright but you'd have to break Kadabra's Sash beforehand, and Sucker Punch could be outplayed by Substitute sets. Most of the time, the way to deal with Kadabra was dealing with everything else first and then hopefully you had a Pokemon that was healthy enough to deal with it and its Sash.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Early on in SS NFE, Rufflet proved to be a metagame defining threat. For the short duration that Dynamax was allowed, Rufflet was arguably the best abuser of the mechanic as it fixed its two biggest issues of lack of speed and inaccuracy while simultaneously turning it into an absolute offensive behemoth that would strike down the rest of the metagame. For a little while, Rufflet was forgotten about but it then became the figure head of screens teams with the rise of Morgrem and Alola Pix. Bulk Up Rufflet was a fearsome setup sweeper which was bulky enough to setup on even non-Choiced Piloswine with screens up, and it was able to prey on metagame devoid of fast special attackers leading to its eventual ban. After DLC 2 dropped, Rufflet was unbanned, and while it's never had the same highs in the earlier metagames, once in a while it'll manage to sweep and unprepared team with its Bulk Up set.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Rufflet's main set is a Bulk Up set, usually with Substitute although occasionally Agility was used, and is a dedicated sweeper. Choice Band Rufflet is one of the hardest hitting wallbreakers while Choice Scarf allows Rufflet to clean and revenge kill. These sets could use U-turn so Rufflet could also act as a decent pivot, though not one that should be relied on given Hustle.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Lack of special attackers made Bulk Up sets absolutely terrifying in earlier metagames since it managed to be both insanely bulky and insanely powerful at the same time. Hustle gives it far more immediate breaking power than other physical attackers in NFE.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Choice Band physical Ice-types like Sneasel and Piloswine could deal with an unboosted Rufflet early on. Mareanie had Haze, Carkoal could fish for burns and Klang could go into a setup war and win with a crit. Honedge was probably the only decent answer to its Choice Band set early on as it was immune/resisted all its common coverage (if they are the 1/100 who run Shadow Claw unlucky). Post DLC 2, counterplay was far more common with many special attackers like Electabuzz, Kadabra, Mr. Mime-Galar, and Magmar all being present and able to stop it from just setup sweeping. Golbat could Taunt rufflet and the most the aforementioned special attackers had access to Taunt or Encore to shut it down. Stealth Rock was also useful in limiting its earlier turns as more time would have to be wasted using Roost rather than setting up. This residual damage along with Rough Skin/Iron Barbs Pokemon and Brave Bird Recoil limited the viability of Choiced sets from ever being too potent.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Along with Rufflet, Klang was other setup sweeper that best utilised Dynamax; Max Steelspike raising its defense in a metagame filled with physical attackers made it difficult to revenge kill, and its coverage in Wild Charge was actually decent with Electric Terrain up. Post Dynamax Ban, Klang remained a solid setup sweeper, and was most notably one the best specially defensive walls in the tier. Usually RestTalk Klang sets would still run Shift Gear and be able to turn the tide against some of the most potent special attackers in Mr. Mime-Galar and Haunter, and later on even Kadabra. Innovations during the post Home metagame made it just as fearsome as in Dynamax meta, Iron Defense in particular allowed it to setup on even Piloswine and defensive Machoke, albeit somewhat unreliably due to some using Dynamic Punch. Klang was typically paired with Galarian Linoone as a core in order to tackle the dominant Haunter during this meta. In DLC 1, its role once again shifted back to being a more specially defensive Pokemon but often forgoing Shift Gear for Volt Switch as it acted as a great slow pivot. Klang was a strong setup sweeper or defensive wall up till DLC 2, where it fell off due to the power creep introduced into NFE.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Klang was used as a setup sweeper or a specially defensive wall/pivot. RestTalk was often the norm on its sets and along with its Steel-typing, this made it a fairly good status absorber as well.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
NFE's lack of solid scarfers meant that Shift Gear would allow it to outspeed pretty much the majority of the metagame after one use making it a great and reliable setup sweeper. Its stats were overall solid enough allowing it to perform both defensive and offensive roles at the same time, which few Pokemon could achieve.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Physically bulky Pokemon such as Galarian Corsola, Gurdurr, Machoke, and Haze Mareanie were often used to stop Klang during the early stages of NFE. Ferroseed was by far its best check with Iron Barbs and Leech Seed meaning Klang could never make progress against it. Specially defensive Klang was never too much of a threat as it lacked immediate power, so most physical breakers would be able to punish it. Water-Ground-types in Palpitoad and Marshtomp were amazing counters to Klang as well, except for the occasional Magnet Rise variants. Fire-types became more common after DLC 1; Raboot, Lampent, and Magmar all threatened Klang out and didn't really fear it despite not being notable for their defenses and the metagame has remained too hostile for it to be much of a viable pick in recent times.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
While it can be argued which of the sun core of Ivysaur or Vulpix had a greater effect on the metagame, I believe it was Ivysaur that truly made sun shine. Sun initially had to rely on Gloom but when Ivysaur was introduced into NFE, it turned Sun into a broken strategy. Ivysaur's access to Weather Ball, Sludge Bomb and Solar Beam meant that after a Growth boost it would threaten to OHKO most of the metagame and the best answers were niche special walls like Sliggoo and Munchlax. This led to it being quickbanneduntil DLC 2, where it and several other Pokemon were reallowed in the format. However, even with Golbat being the best Pokemon and nearly omnipresent on teams, Ivysaur and Sun still proved to be obnoxious and could beat teams down. Sleep Powder in particularly allowed for more reliable setup and meant that Ivysaur could potentially brute force past Golbat. Vulpix was later banned, and manual sun teams never really took off. Ivysaur was relegated to a stallbreaker set which was generally outclassed by Tangela, although its Poison-typing was useful in certain matchups. At the moment it struggles to compete with Roselia whose Spikes are far more valuable than its Knock Off support, although there is no denying that Ivysaur was a terror when Vulpix was around.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Ivysaur was mainly used as sun's premier sweeper, it was also a decent stallbreaker which matched up favourably into Tangela teams.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
It was by far the best Chlorophyll Pokemon due to access to Weather Ball and actually decent stats that meant it could outspeed Choice Scarfers under Sun.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Hakamo-o was Ivysaur's best check since Bulletproof and its typing meant that Ivysaur could never break past it; similarly Sliggoo was also good into Ivysaur during its early days due to Sap Sipper meaning it could not be slept and the insane special bulk it possesed. Both were rather niche however. Focus Sash Kadabra could allows live a hit and OHKO in return. Fire- and Flying-types matched up well into Ivysaur but don't expect the former to really switch into Ivysaur with the exception of Lampent whose Ghost-typing and Flash Fire made it a pretty consistent answer. When Sun was down, Ivysaur was extremely vulnerable and slow and basically not a threat but often you'd have to find ways of pivoting around it's coverage in order to not just get swept by it.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Early on, it was worse than Machoke due to its lack of Knock Off, but as soon as it received the move Knock Off, it was swiftly quickbanned from NFE. Its Bulk Up sets could essentially 1v1 every Pokemon in the tier, with Taunt turned Pokemon like Haze Mareanie into setup fodder. Gurdurr was unbanned during DLC 2 and it yet again replaced Machoke due to access to Drain Punch and STAB priority. There it proved to be an strong Pokemon but not too overwhelming but always remained within the top 5-10 Pokemon within NFE as a great tank.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Gurdurr was usually running either a Bulk Up tank, a Flame Orb all out attacker or a defensive Defog set. Its naturally great physical defense meant it could soft check threats like Raboot while retaining a great offensive presence with moves such as Knock Off to break down its checks. Also was a decent status absorber because of Guts.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Its naturally physical bulk and great attack made it an amazing tank, backed up by solid coverage and good supportive moves such as Defog, Taunt, and Knock Off made it a very complete package able to hold its own against many other Pokemon. Access to some recovery, albeit unreliable, as a Tank made it particularly unique when compared to other bulky attackers like Piloswine.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Galarian Corsola was an amazing answer to Gurdurr during its early days as the lack of Knock Off meant Gurdurr would never be able to make progress against it. Later on, Gorsola was still a decent answer, but it was Pokemon like Golbat, Tangela, and Koffing which really helped to stop Gurdurr from making much progress, even if Gurdurr had the right coverage. Gurdurr was also vulnerable to special attacks from Kadabra and G-Mime. Due to Drain Punch being its only recovery, most attacks from faster Pokemon could slower wear it down throughout the course of a game.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Galarian Corsola has been a defensive staple throughout every single NFE meta. Early on, it was by far the best mixed wall and lack of Toxic and Knock Off distribution only exacerbated the difficulty of taking down Galarian Corsola for many teams. With Will-O-Wisp, Strength Sap, and Haze, it was the best physical blanket check until the arrival of Tangela and Golbat later on. With access to Stealth Rock, it competed with Piloswine as best Stealth Rock user. Specially defensive Gorsola also saw usage when there were particularly strong special attackers such as Mr. Mime-Galar, Kadabra, and even Haunter. Galarian Corsola has continued to be an amazing wall and support for teams to this day, even with more Pokemon having access to Knock Off and means to cripple walls.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Galarian Corsola was most common used as a wall; physically and specially defensive depending on the biggest threat, although it was usually better as the former given Wisp and Sap made it near impossible for most non-Guts physical Pokemon to break through. Gorsola could also act as a setup sweeper with various Calm Mind sets having success during different points of the meta utilising both Iron Defense and Weak Armor.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Few Pokemon have comparable defensive stats, 60/100/100 is extremely good in NFE, and having amazing utility moves in Strength Sap, Will-O-Wisp, and Stealth Rock have kept it extremely relevant as reliable wall.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Knock Off/Thief and Toxic could punish Gorsola in the long term as it is often difficult to remove this Pokemon immediately. Early on Galarian Linoone and Haunter were some of the strongest Pokemon against it, the former was immune to Shade or Shadow Ball and could Taunt Gorsola while Haunter was strong enough to crush physically defensive variants, while doing a large chunk to specially defensive. Later on Pokemon such as Morgrem, Lampent, and Zweilous could also handle Gorsola fairly easily. Taunt as mentioned earlier was also a great way of shutting down Gorsola, examples include Golbat and Electabuzz. Certain setup sets were aimed to beat Gorsola such as Substitute Raboot and Substitute Rufflet as their Normal-typing meant Gorsola could not hit them and Sub stopped Wisp or Sap attempts.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Both Wartortle's offensive and defensive sets have been used to great effect. It has continuously been one one the strongest setup sweepers/wallbreakers with Shell Smash and has forced teams to have a sturdy Grass-type or Haze Mareanie that is able to handle it. Defensive sets have access to both Flip Turn and Rapid Spin offering great role compression, and its typing and stats make it one of the best utility Pokemon NFE has to offer. One of the earliest innovations was using Wartortle on Sun and utilising the deadly Weather Ball to nail usual switch-ins like Ferroseed and Roselia. The with Substitute it could waste turns of Sun when Weather Ball was no longer required, and put it into Torrent range so that its STAB would crush the rest of the team. Despite each DLC bringing new Pokemon and raising the power level of NFE, both of Wartortle's main sets have managed to keep up and it has consistently remained one of the best mons, although it has never been outright broken.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Wartortle has been a great setup sweeper and defensive pivot. It often tailored its defensive spread for the defining Fire-type; physical initially was more common due to Raboot having a near stranglehold in the tier during DLC 1 but later Magmar's rise made special more desirable. It is also the tier's only common Rapid Spinner and has a pretty favourable matchup into one of the best Stealth Rockers in Piloswine, despite its lack of reliable recovery.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Most setup sweepers in NFE are physical, and Wartortle being the exception already makes it rather unique. Great defensively even without investment allows it to easily and reliably setup and this consistency has landed it a place on many different teams. Amazing movepool has allow both offensive and defensive sets to flourish.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Whenever Wartortle has been good, Thwackey has never been far behind. It's priority Grassy Glide always threatens to revenge kill the turtle and is one of its toughest matchups. Other specially defensive Grass-types like Roselia and Ferroseed are able to hold their own against Wartortle as long as they have not lost their Eviolite (and assuming your Bullet Seed Ferro). Haze Mareanie denies Wartortle from being able to break past it. Electabuzz can notably live a hit from +2 Wartortle and KO it. Wartortle's defensive sets aren't too much trouble either as it lacks recovery so Toxic and it having to come into entry hazards to clear them puts immense pressure on it.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
While Thwackey was largely underwhelming during the earliest metas, this quickly changed as it received Grassy Surge and became one of the best offensive threats NFE has to offer. This ability in conjunction with Grassy Glide gave it a reliable STAB move with priority which was a useful tool for keeping fast frail attackers such as Kadabra and Mr. Mime-Galar, as well as a Shell Smash boosted Wartortle. Thwackey's Grassy Surge also had a large effect against the Ground-types of the tier as most were reliant on Earthquake for their damage. Piloswine in particular often opted for High Horsepower as a result during metas where Thwackey was frequent such as the DLC 1 metagame. Speaking of this metagame, after the departure of Pikachu, Thwackey + Raboot became the pinnacle of VoltTurn Offense in NFE and the pair proved extremely dominating as they would quickly wear down teams before cleaning them, aided by Thwackey's Grassy Glide. Since then Thwackey has never managed to reach this peak again mainly due to Golbat's arrival making it far more difficult for Thwackey, and the post Golbat metagame utilising a lot of Physdef Poison Point Roselia to punish its U-turn spam and STAB. Nonetheless, Thwackey is still a strong offensive threat that is very relevant in the current metagame.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Thwackey was used as a Swords Dance breaker/sweeper or Choice Band breaker. Knock Off helped to cement its breaking role, while its access to U-turn and Grassy Glide meant it was a reliable pivot and revenge killer. Grassy Terrain and Wood Hammer backed by a Choice Band results in one of the strongest physical attack possible in NFE. It was sometimes used as an enabler on Grassy Terrain teams utilising mons like Acrobatics Grassy Seed Raboot and very rarely other more niche setup sweepers like Unburden Calm Mind Swirlix.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
The combination of Grassy Surge and Grassy Glide gave Thwackey a large impact as before it receive its Hidden Ability, it received little to no usage at all.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Poison-types like Koffing, Ivysaur, and Roselia have always given Thwackey a tough time since they all take very little from Grassy Glide, although only the latter really punishes its U-turn. Thwackey also disliked the common Fire-types like Raboot and Magmar which were faster than it and resisted its STAB. Magmar in particular also had Flame Body proving an absolute nuisance against Thwackey since a burn severaly limited Thwackey's breaking potential and also nullified the healing from Grassy Terrain. General blanket checks to physical attackers did well into Thwackey, although its Knock Off was still annoying. Examples include Tangela, Golbat and Galarian Corsola, with the former's Regenerator and high defense meaning it could take on U-turn with ease without losing any momentum.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Vullaby is a Pokemon that may seem underwhelming at a glance, yet has consistently received high amounts of usage during several metas in different tours. It has been and continues to be one of NFE's best hazard removal options and was also considered one of the best U-turn bots with its slow pivoting enabling many frail attackers to get onto the field safely. In the DLC 1 metagame, this was especially the case, and although Golbat's reign did knock it down a peg temporarily, since Bat's departure Vullaby has once again cemented itself as an extremely splashable Pokemon. Even when Bat was around, Vullaby's Dark-typing proved extremely useful against Duosion's Future Sight as it was by far the best immunity to the move. The role compression of U-turn spamming, checking multiple threats, and Knock Off spamming while not the most glamourous, is highly effective and its consistency as a glue Pokemon has allowed it to stay relevant on many team archetypes over a long duration.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Vullaby was mainly used as a defensive pivot, with physically defensive, specially defensive and mixed all used. It was also a fairly good defogger. Offensive sets were rare outside of the post-Home metagame where Nasty Plot weak Armor was tried a few times. Sometimes it would use other utility moves like Taunt to shut down walls and entry hazard setters, as well as Toxic and even Whirlwind for various other strategies.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Vullaby was super easy to fit on teams and it offered a lot of role compression, with Knock Off, U-turn, Defog, reliable recovery, solid defenses, and fairly good typing. This always resulted in its high usage in tours despite the metagame changing multiple times.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Very often, Vullaby suffers from having to do too much; more specfically its weakness to Rocks and reliance on Eviolite meant that Pokemon like Haunter and Kadabra could break past it during the course of a game since it is very difficult to preserve a healthy Vullaby long-term. Toxic also has the same effect here. Piloswine has always given it trouble and the fact it sets up Rocks adds further insult to injury as Vullaby cannot reliable clear hazards against Pilo teams. While Vullaby is known to be a great pivot, it was taken advantage of by strong electrics like Pikachu and Electabuzz doing likewise to it with Volt Switch.
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What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Pawniard started off in NFE as an OK offensive Pokemon with access to Stealth Rock; initially like many other physical attackers, it had to rely on Throat Chop as its Dark-type attack as opposed to Knock Off which is inferior due to the presence of Eviolite everywhere. Pawniard was another Pokemon which shot up to the top of the metagame after the Home update, as well as a few bans such as Sneasel and Gurdurr leaving it uncontested as a Dark-type wallbreaker and having one less counter. The combination of Swords Dance, Knock Off, Iron Head, and Sucker Punch was nightmarish to deal with. Physically defensive Ground-types like Palpitoad and Trapinch lacked reliable recovery and Knock Off was super punishing, Fighting-types for the most part were straight up not good with the exception of Machoke which had to resort to being physically defensive and utilising RestTalk otherwise +2 Iron Head would deal a significant amount of damage. The overall effect of Pawniard was that the quality of the metagame dropped as these Machoke sets would rely on Dynamic Punch as their main STAB forcing more luck into the game. Sucker Punch was devastating against the frail offensive threats. While Haunter and Machoke were also deemed problematic by parts of the community, Pawniard was the first to be banned of this devastating trio. Later Pawniard was allowed again when DLC 2 came around, but even with the power level icnreasing with mons like Gurdurr back, Gabite around, Electabuzz with Focus Blast at the top of the metagame, and other previously banned Pokemon back in the metagame, it proved too strong of a breaker for NFE to handle.
However, we have yet to delve in on Pawniard's effect on the "entry hazards metagame"; Pawniard not only had access to Stealth Rock but it was also the only Pokemon that was good enough to be commonly used that would punish Defog attempts due to its Defiant. This gave it an immediate SD boost making it even harder to deal with as it no longer had to waste a turn setting up. Basically every Defogger was fodder for Pawniard with the exception of Gurdurr, which lacked reliable recovery and still took a lot of Iron Head once it lost its Eviolite, and Hattrem with its massive influence due to Magic Bounce was swiftly shut down by Pawniard as well due to Knock Off completely destroying it and Pawniard being able to live a Mystical Fire which procs Defiant. Overall, Pawniard had a drastic effect on the metagame for the short periods of time that its Knock Off version was allowed in NFE.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Despite only ever really running a handful of moves, Pawniard did fulfil several differnet roles with its 2 sets, its Stealth Rock set served as one of NFE's best hazard setters and deterred Defog, and offered great utility with Knock Off. Meanwhile its Swords Dance sets were more dedicated towards wallbreaker and cleaning, with Sucker Punch being a decent revenge killing tool as well.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Despite looking fine on paper, the combination of its moves and typing and ability were just way too strong. Similar to past NFE metagames, we once again saw that without Monferno, Pawniard is completely busted. Most physical attackers would struggle with the likes of Galarian Corsola, or Tangela, or even Golbat, but not Pawniard; it made each of these literal fodder especially because Gorsola was struggling to run Wisp at the time and Tangela couldn't do anything without Sleep Powder (in SM it used HP Fighting to check Pawniard but rip Hidden Powers). STAB Knock Off and Sucker Punch, with Swords Dance, another great STAB move in Iron Head, the only good Defog punish, a bunch of useful immunities and resistances as an offensive Pokemon allowing it to switch in safely despite its frailty at least once per game. Every single check/counter to Pawniard did not have reliable recovery, and would automatically be forced to run Rest, and faster Pokemon were too frail against +2/+4 Sucker Punch.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Pre Knock Off Pawniard was relatively easy to handle given that the Ground-types and Fighting-types such as Palpitoad and Gurdurr that switched into it could retain their Eviolite and switch into it multiple times. Sneasel was also better than Pawniard during this time as a offensive Dark-type. Post Knock Off Pawniard was near impossible to deal with, Pokemon were forced to run Rest such as Machoke in order to deal with it, and PhysDef Gurdurr in DLC 2 but these Fighting-types had signficant issues since they were going so defensive, they were extremely easy to switch into; and Pawniard could continuously force them in. Funnily a broken strategy known as Arena Trap was one of the best ways to remove Pawniard since it would often just switch out after chipping away walls in the ealry game; Physically defensive Trapinch served as one of the best Pawniard answers we had for the post Home metagame. Faster Pokemon could KO Pawniard as long as Pawniard was not boosted; Electabuzz, Magmar, Raboot all come into mind with the latter if having used High Jump Kick/Sucker Punch previously would resist the incoming Sucker Punch. Sash Kadabra could Counter vs Pawniard.
After writing all this, it makes me mad that I somehow voted DNB on the Pawniard quickban vote during the early DLC 2 days, but thankfully my council carried me and made the right decision.
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What Effect did this Pokemon have on the Metagame?
Machoke was a hot-button topic throughout SM NFE, and being one of the only fighting types in the tier gave it an immediate head start going into SS. Once the metagame properly settled down, Machoke became one of the most controversial Pokemon in the tier with its Dynamic Punch set. While Guts hit harder, Dynamic Punch has the ability to beat any of its counters that weren't outright immune to it 33% of the time. While it started off running DPunch/Knock/Earthquake/Bullet Punch, over time people realized that Machoke's absolutely massive movepool meant it could beat just about anything it set its mind to. Substitute sets meant that options such as Mareanie couldn't break Machoke, Encore and Toxic let it wear down Gorsola, Heavy Slam for Clefairy, it beat Vullaby naturally, etc. You could put Machoke on a team and pick 1-2 defensive Pokemon you wanted it to beat, and then just go to town from there. It's inarguable that part of the reason pre-dlc NFE was so offensively geared was because Machoke demolished defensive teams pretty much by itself, let alone with a full team backing it up. It was put up to suspect around the time of the Isle of Armor, escaping by (if my memory serves me correctly), one single vote. It got arguably better in the Isle of Armor as despite the faster pace, there was nothing Pokemon such as Kadabra and pre-ban Haunter appreciated more than something to knock things like Vullaby and Gorsola or even kill them outright. Even the introduction of Tangela, a hearty physical wall with Regenerator, didn't slow it down because it had a 33% chance to just punch through it. While it dodged a few quickban discussions, Machoke remained an extremely controversial Pokemon until the Crown Tundra dropped, bringing Golbat and Gurdurr into the tier. Gurdurr's higher bulk seemed much better than Machoke's better speed, but more importantly, Golbat hard countered the both of them and was hugely popular and contested. Machoke laid low until Golbat's ban, after which it established itself as a Gurdurr sidegrade, having a much better movepool, better speed, and dynamicpunch to make a name for itself once again, albeit much less common than before.
In what main roles was this Pokemon used?
Machoke broke walls and 6-0ed stall, simple as that. You picked which supposed Machoke switchin your team needed to beat, and Machoke would force it in and beat it so the rest of your team could take advantage of the holes it opened up. Lead Machoke was also extremely common during its heyday, as the momentum it generated with knock and dpunch on a good lead matchup was invaluable.
How did/do you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Before DLC, we kind of didn't. The thing was kept in the tier by a single vote and had a reputation for being pretty much uncounterable. Things like Gorsola, Mareanie, Koffing, and Clefairy were the most useful checks, but Machoke could beat all of them with the right moveset or just good dynamicpunch rolls. Tangela and the general faster pace of the metagame helped quite a bit, but Machoke held strong pretty much up until Golbat was introduced. With Golbat gone, it's pretty much the same, albeit with Machoke being much less common. It can't beat them all at once, but it can beat everything.
Going back on my promise because we missing some noms
What Effect did this Pokemon have on the Metagame?
Tangela has consistently been one of the most dominating defensive forces in the metagame, with amazing natural physical bulk and Regenerator. It is by far one of NFE's best Knock Off switch-ins as it can still check Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Galarian Linoone without Eviolite. It has also remained one of Piloswine's best answers. During the DLC 1 and DLC 2 metagames, Tangela was the premier defensive Pokemon as its ability made it great for dealing with the unstoppable VoltTurn from Pikachu and co.; speaking of the electric mouse, Tangela was arguably the only viable long term answer. It could hold its own offensively as well, great Special Attack and strong STAB in Leaf Storm (or Giga Drain for recovery) and Sludge Bomb as OK coverage with item removal makes it an decent offensive threat even if switch-ins to its moves to exist. Lastly, it has a ton of utility such as Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and Leech Seed allowing it to punish its common switch-ins/glue teams together even better. There were several points where this combination of offensive and defense was debated to be too much for NFE as it was in contention for being suspect tested a couple times during the early Post DLC 2 days. However, with Golbat's departure allowing for Roselia's rise, Tangela's command over the metagame came to an end but it still remains a solid pick these days.
In what main roles was this Pokemon used?
Defensive wall or Stallbreaker. For Pikachu in particular it'd run far more special defensive investment than usual turning it slightly more mixed than physical due to Volt Switch being the biggest threat despite it being a resisted hit. Thief was sometimes also used over Knock Off making its role as a dedicated Knock switch-in greater. It also had more niche roles occasionally such as using Infestation to lure in and trap Ferroseed and being a secondary Chlorophyll sweeper when Pix was allowed.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Few Pokemon can offer the same offensive and defensive prowess that Tangela did; it was the best Regenerator Pokemon for most of NFE and that ability is even more valuable in a metagame which doesn't utilise passive recovery. Nothing really enjoyed switching into it due to the being crippled by status or losing Eviolite. Tangela was just an exceptional glue Pokemon that was super splashable during its peak.
How did/do you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Birds; Vullaby and later Golbat were extremely good at switching into Tangela and making sure it was never too oppressive. Tangela also struggled against Steel-types although Klang fell off and Pawniard was swiftly banned. Special Attackers would exploit its low special defensive with haunter, Kadabra, Magmar, and Mr. Mime-Galar all being massive threats to it. Nowadays Roselia's high presence in the metagame gives it a tought ime sicne Tangela can only Knock its Eviolite and can do much against it afterwards.
What Effect did this Pokemon have on the Metagame?
Tangela has consistently been one of the most dominating defensive forces in the metagame, with amazing natural physical bulk and Regenerator. It is by far one of NFE's best Knock Off switch-ins as it can still check Pokemon such as Gurdurr and Galarian Linoone without Eviolite. It has also remained one of Piloswine's best answers. During the DLC 1 and DLC 2 metagames, Tangela was the premier defensive Pokemon as its ability made it great for dealing with the unstoppable VoltTurn from Pikachu and co.; speaking of the electric mouse, Tangela was arguably the only viable long term answer. It could hold its own offensively as well, great Special Attack and strong STAB in Leaf Storm (or Giga Drain for recovery) and Sludge Bomb as OK coverage with item removal makes it an decent offensive threat even if switch-ins to its moves to exist. Lastly, it has a ton of utility such as Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, and Leech Seed allowing it to punish its common switch-ins/glue teams together even better. There were several points where this combination of offensive and defense was debated to be too much for NFE as it was in contention for being suspect tested a couple times during the early Post DLC 2 days. However, with Golbat's departure allowing for Roselia's rise, Tangela's command over the metagame came to an end but it still remains a solid pick these days.
In what main roles was this Pokemon used?
Defensive wall or Stallbreaker. For Pikachu in particular it'd run far more special defensive investment than usual turning it slightly more mixed than physical due to Volt Switch being the biggest threat despite it being a resisted hit. Thief was sometimes also used over Knock Off making its role as a dedicated Knock switch-in greater. It also had more niche roles occasionally such as using Infestation to lure in and trap Ferroseed and being a secondary Chlorophyll sweeper when Pix was allowed.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Few Pokemon can offer the same offensive and defensive prowess that Tangela did; it was the best Regenerator Pokemon for most of NFE and that ability is even more valuable in a metagame which doesn't utilise passive recovery. Nothing really enjoyed switching into it due to the being crippled by status or losing Eviolite. Tangela was just an exceptional glue Pokemon that was super splashable during its peak.
How did/do you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Birds; Vullaby and later Golbat were extremely good at switching into Tangela and making sure it was never too oppressive. Tangela also struggled against Steel-types although Klang fell off and Pawniard was swiftly banned. Special Attackers would exploit its low special defensive with haunter, Kadabra, Magmar, and Mr. Mime-Galar all being massive threats to it. Nowadays Roselia's high presence in the metagame gives it a tought ime sicne Tangela can only Knock its Eviolite and can do much against it afterwards.
What Effect did this Pokemon have on the Metagame?
Duosion started off life in NFE as an OK Pokemon usually using a Double Dance set aimed at setting up and sweeping through teams. It was the best defensive setup sweeper but its biggest issue was Dark-types such as Vullaby and Galarian Linoone being everywhere. Some sets would just use Calm Mind and run a move like Toxic or Thunder to punish the Dark-types but Duosion was always a cut or two below the top dogs of the metagame. Then one day during the post DLC 2 metagame, when Ho3nConfirm3d was writing an analysis on the theorised Future Sight Duosion, it happened. He spammed the set to great success and soon enough everyone was using Future Sight Duosion on their teams. It would use Regenerator Defensive sets but a 120 Base Power move backed by a 125 Special Attack stat is gonna hurt the metagame regardless if its invested or not. The need for Dark-types on teams became much greater. Even though Golbat was such a dominant force during this time, Vullaby was also used a fair bit and Duosion was certainly one of the reasons. This set had an incredible affect on the metagame as it changed up the way teams were built and played; we saw more Protect as a result, we saw niche Pokemon like Zweilous given a shot due to their typing, and we saw strategies based around Future Sight specifically such as Whirlwind Golbat (evil set). Duosion just broke down teams extremely efficiently as there are a distinct lack of mixed walls forcing Dark-types to be used way more often. Duosion was also one of the few semi-reliable Specs Magmar checks because at least it was only a chance to be 2HKOed and it had Regenerator but that Pokemon was dummy broke; but it did compeltely neuter Electabuzz Volt Switch. Lastly, setup Duosion sets did not completely disappear when Future Sight became the norm, arguably it was even more effective now people did not expect it although because Dark-types were more common, it still would need dedicated support in order to remove them before it could sweep.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
It was used as either a setup sweeper (Calm Mind and Calm Mind + Acid Armor) or a Future Sight defensive pivot. Trapping sets saw a little bit of usage as Infestation Night Shade could work in certain scenarios but overall was quite niche as the common Dark-types had recovery or were immune to Night Shade.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Future Sight spam allowed teams to overload defensive backbones easier than ever before. Forced a Dark-type on every team/many Duosion mirrors for a little while
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Dark-types were great at answering both sets. Taunt, Haze and phazing moves shut down Double Dance. Certain strong wallbreakers could take it down such as Specs Magmar, Specs Haunter, and Choice Band Thwackey but switching them in was tough. Trick from Galarian Mime and Gastly would also limit is effectiveness greatly although Future Sight minded less as it would probably just fire off Future Sights and switch out anyways. Pokemon could sometimes setup against Future Sight Duosion if they were immune to Toxic and didn't care about its attacks; examples are Calm Mind Hattrem and Sub Zweilous.
What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Electabuzz has been standing tall for a while in SS NFE. After Pikachu leaving, it has been the best electric-type around with no competition. Moreover, it is the faster Pokémon we have without any type of boosts. It is true that Piloswine is also top tier Pokémon and is the ground-type for excellence, but Electabuzz has enough coverage on Focus Blast, Psychic, and Seismic Toss to deal with it slowly. It is true that lately it has fallen in usage compared to last metagame. However, it is still one Pokémon you have to be afraid of during teambuilding. It is a top tier Pokémon that has never been broken but a healthy adding to the tier.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Electabuzz has been used as a special attacker (eviolite, heavy-duty boots, and even Choice Specs) and part of Volt-Turn cores. It even has a defensive role as revenge killer/soft check to Shell Smash Wartortle.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Speed, coverage, Volt-Switch, and a decent special attack makes it a Pokémon that you many times are going to use or, at least, consider during teambuilding. It has been around for a while bieng at A+/S spots in viability ranking, lately.
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
Basically with a well played Piloswine + soft check to electric. Choice Specs can be scary but rely a lot on reads which isnt amazing. Evio is the best set right now with a little competition of heavy-duty boots (the latter does not offer proper SS Tortle check though). Due to the fact that is that good, some increase of usage has been observed in Pokémon such as Gabite, Marhstomp, and even Palpitoad and Hippopotas.
What effect did Pokemon have on the metagame?
Roselia is one of the Pokémon that most got benefited from last bans and it has changed the whole metagame altogether with Vullaby. Because Golbat and Magmar disappeared, Roselia found a way to be one of the best special defensive walls and, at the same time, create some pressure and progress with Spikes and a decent special attack.
In what main roles was Pokemon used?
Roselias has been mainly used recently as a special sponge and a Spikes setter. It is also a decent check for SS Tortle. Electabuzz, non-Acro Thwackey. Spikes, with just a few defoggers around (Vullaby, Gurdurr...), are so good. Hattrem is normally run as physical tank so it does not appreciate to switch into Sludge Bomb. Moreover, Vullaby is also quite easily to abuse and pressure to make Spikes easier to stay in the opponent's field.
What caused it to have a significant impact?
Right now, tier has completely changed because of Roselia and its Spikes being a dominant Pokémon in the current metagame (with Piloswine and Vullaby).
How do/did you deal with this Pokemon in NFE?
You basically don't. I mean, you use Vullaby to threaten it and Defog but playing around with Vullaby is easy enough. Some Ice Punch/Psychic Electabuzz are seeing some suage in order to pressure it too. Increase of Fire-type special attackers is also good (Lampent) to reduce the Roselia splashability we have seen lately. Also, you can pressure it with your physical attackers as it is quite frail in this part (like SD Acro Thwackey).
Shing'n Streets I hope you agree with it :)
Thank you all for the wonderful submissions! IT'S TIME TO VOTE! Let's start the voting off with our #1 Titan.
Corsola-Galar
Duosion
Electabuzz
Golbat
Gurdurr
Hattrem
Haunter
Ivysaur
Kadabra
Klang
Machoke
Magmar
Mr. Mime-Galar
Pawniard
Pikachu
Piloswine
Raboot
Roselia
Rufflet
Tangela
Thwackey
Vullaby
Wartortle
Duosion
Electabuzz
Golbat
Gurdurr
Hattrem
Haunter
Ivysaur
Kadabra
Klang
Machoke
Magmar
Mr. Mime-Galar
Pawniard
Pikachu
Piloswine
Raboot
Roselia
Rufflet
Tangela
Thwackey
Vullaby
Wartortle
- Status