Gen 6 Top 10 Titans of the Ubers 6th Gen Metagame

[Aberforth]

Approved by Hack who told me I can post this.
General OP idea taken from Mr.Aldo/Agent Gibbs which was taken from Gary2346. Most of the OP is very similar to the RU thread of the same name.

Top 10 Titans of 6th Gen Ubers

In Black and White, Genesect reigned supreme with it's Choice Scarf madness, hazard stack was difficult to prevent or remove, Latis were commonly used and nothing was immune to the Outrage of a Dragon. However then Gen6 came about, along with a number of mechanical changes including, but not limited to, the nerf of dragon types, nerfing sleep somewhat and hazards becoming increasingly harder to set up and maintain with the Buff to defog. Fairies were introduced to help balance the overpowered Dragon type, and thus became the most overpowered type themselves. And on top of this, Mega Evolution was introduced, which fundamentally changed the way that games took place, and gave previously unviable pokemon like Gengar, Kangaskhan and Mawile a chance to make an impact of their own in the tier of Giants, some with more success than others. Added to that the nerf to all forms of weather and XY Ubers was substantially different to BW2 Ubers. But most people agreed it was a decent meta, and was reaching a decent spot of solidity.

And then ORAS came out and threw the baby out with the bathwater. Mega Ray was here briefly before deciding playing with Gods was not challenging enough and it now realms in the land where few dare tread. Primal Groudon threw everything asunder and took its place as the best pokemon in the tier and quickly dominated the metagame, dealing with most every challenge sent it's way. Along with that, the Lati twins came back from Hiatus, Stall and Offense got extra Magic Bouncers in the form of Sableye and Diancie, and Yveltal received a couple of extra tutor moves. And since then, the metagame has shifted and twisted around Primal Groudon's dominance that has resulted in a rather surprisingly fun and quite dynamic and diverse metagame.

And thats how you summarize an entire gen, lol. But thats not the deal, the real question is: Out of all the amazing Pokemon that graced this tier, what can we say were the Top 10 that were the most influential? What Pokemon had the bigger impact in the metagame? Some made you run specific Pokemon and sets to handle them? Which one of them shaped the metagame? We need to consider all the questions to find 10 of the most defining Pokemon.

And here is where you, yes you the guy behind the monitor, enter! From October 5th - October 19th you guys will nominate Pokemon to be voted on to be placed as candidates for the Top 10 Titans of 6th Gen Ubers. To be clear, this includes XY as well as ORAS, so things like Scarf Kyogre are not bad choices because of their performance after Primal Groudon joined the tier. Of course, if you're thinking of nominating something like Deoxys-N, please save some time and dont. In some cases it's fine, however obvious trolling is not the aim of the thread. Any pokemon that gets nominated will be in the running for a place in the top 10 list so long as it follows the general format found down below. After October 19th, we will rank the nominations from 1-10 as a community by vote. When voting, keep in mind we are not voting based on how good the pokemon is, but rather how influential it has been this generation. Normally the two go hand in hand, but there are times when this is not the case.

A general rule of thumb: The Pokemon should have been available at least a reasonable amount of time in order to accurately determine their influence. Or in other words, dont reserve Mega-Ray. Something existing for a week is not a reasonable amount of time. Similarly, if Zygarde-Perfect is released for ORAS next week, it's too late and cannot be considered given how late in the party it joined.

Post format, please follow it!

Nominating [Pokemon]

Enter sprite or animated model here.

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.

In what main roles was [Pokemon] used?

Explain why this Pokemon was used on a team more often then 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 Ubers?

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

Current Nominations

Gengar | Xerneas| Klefki | Deoxys-Attack
Arceus-Water | Primal-Groudon | Ho-oh | Mega Salamence
Arceus-Normal | Darkrai | Lugia |Rayquaza

Top 10 Ubers Titans. The following section will be used as the hall of fame once completed:

1. - Xerneas
2. - Mega Gengar
3. - Primal Groudon
4. - Arceus-Normal
5. - Ho-Oh
6. - Darkrai
7. - Klefki
8. - Mega Salamence
9. - Lugia
10. - Deoxys-Attack

You are allowed to reserve nominations, but if you don't post your nomination within 24 hours of reserving it, it will be back up for grabs. I'll try to be as lenient about this as I can, but I also don't want anyone to sit on a nomination for too long. You can also only reserve one nomination at a time, but if you finish one entry, you can reserve a new one.​

Have fun!

 

[orch]

Nominating Gengar

What effect did Gengar have on the metagame?
Gengar was so good that XY ubers playerbase tried to ban it twice (indirectly and directly) and caused one of the biggest ubers policy change. In XY, it performed as the best support pokemon in meta by trapping and suiciding vs certain threats to facilitate your team's strategy. It forced meta adaptions such as mandating stall to bring pursuit to ensure that Taunt Gengar doesn't 6-0 your stall team. In fact, there was few stall teams that used dedicated Gengar counter such as Spiritomb because Gengar could beat majority of pursuit trappers with certain sets anyways. Balance teams feared Gengar's ability to easily come into Defog Arceus and lose their defogger and caused the rise of Defog Giratina-O which can escape from Gengar. Offense teams feared Gengar due to its ability to defeat EKiller and Darkrai with 130 speed base Focus Blast. Gengar singlehandely caused the decline of Toxic Spikes as a playstyle and caused it to be confined to Hyper Offense builds.

In ORAS, Gengar was toned down due to the introduction of a competitive mega (Salamence) and PDon. PDon is one of the most reliable Gengar check since it avoids 2hko and ohkos with PBlades. At first, people failed to appreciate Gengar's impact on metagame, then eventually the popularity of Gengar rose to fever pitch when Ho-Oh balance archetype reached its peak. Hex Gengar was used as a support pokemon that could easily clean and target pokemon that are statused by teammate Ho-Oh and TWave pokemons. Ironically, Gengar was also used as one of counter against Ho-Oh builds, since it targeted defog Arceus and ensured that SR would go up and stay up. The shift from physical to special Gira-O allowed Gengar to pressure defoggers more than ever. Now, the meta has transitioned away from Ho-Oh balance circlejerk. In spite of that meta change, Gengar is still being used as a catch-all pokemon that's powerful versus offense, balance, and stall at once.

In what main roles was Gengar used for?

Gengar was most used as Extreme Speed immune, Toxic Spikes absorber, eliminating defoggers, and eliminating basically any non-ghost pokemon that you want.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

Shadow Tag combined with levitate, vast move-pool, one of the best speed benchmark (130), poison and ghost typing, acceptable offensive presence, and useful defensive immunities. Everything about Gengar is good.

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

In most cases, you couldn't deal with this pokemon. That's the point of Shadow Tag.

In most of cases, you must accept the trade and find alternative way to win. However, some people tried to beat Gengar by outplaying with Pursuit Tyranitar, Scizor, Aegislash, and Spiritomb. Gengar developed counterplay for all of the pursuit users excluding Spiritomb anyways.

Other people would just try to dominate with revenge killers such as Scarf pokemons, Deoxys-Attack, and Mega Mewtwo Y and beat Gengar as last pokemon to faint.

 

[Peli]

I'll take darkrai

 

[Haruno]

reserving ekiller

 

[Mr.378]

I'll do Mega Salamence

 

[oversway]

doing xerneas

 

[oversway]

Nominating Xerneas

What effect did [Pokemon] have on the metagame?

Introduced in XY, Xerneas quickly became notable for its excellent stats, easy setup with Power Herb/Geomancy, and wide coverage options. It was also able to threaten many dragon-types that had previously dominated the tier, such as Palkia. It also had few true checks, due to the uncommoness of poison-types and the coverage it could run in Focus Blast and Thunder to hit Steel-types and Ho-Oh, respectively.

With ORAS came the Primals, and in Primal Groudon one of the most solid answers to Xerneas. However, Xerneas's sheer power, allowing it to 2hko most resists at +2, and its ability to run a multitude of sets still made it a threat to be reckoned with. By virtue of typing and bulk it was able to counter Dark-types, such as Sableye, Yveltal, and Tyranitar, and discouraged Dragon-types such as the Lati twins from coming in and spamming Draco Meteor. Teams were often forced to run multiple checks to Xerneas to avoid getting swept late-game.

In what main roles was [Pokemon] used?

Commonly used as a late-game sweeper due to ease of setup and coverage options. Also used as a revenge killer with the Choice Scarf set with its high immediate power and ability to counter the most common Darkrai set. Other roles it could perform were a Choice Specs wallbreaker and late-game Resttalk stallbreaker.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

Excellent all-around stats allowing it to run a wide variety of sets, wide coverage, powerful STAB, ease of setup

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

Ho-Oh is able to deal with Scarf/Resttalk variants, but falls to HP Rock or Thunder after Geomancy. Primal Groudon can check Xerneas with Thunder Wave/PBlades. Klefki can cripple Xerneas with Thunder Wave yet is unable to check it since it will lose 1v1 to most Xerneas barring parahax. Lugia at full, thanks to Multiscale, can phaze it out. If using offense you can check Xerneas by sacking a mon to get damage and revenging with Extreme Speed or other priority. Alternatively you could try to trap it with Gengar if carrying Sludge Wave, or just OHKO it outright before it gets a chance to set up with Lucario's Iron Tail or Deoxys's Psycho Boost.

 

[keys]

Might as well try to get Klefki in there. Reserving Klefki.

 

[Funbot28]

Nominating Primal Groudon

What effect did Primal Groudon have on the metagame?

Primal Groudon is undoubtably the biggest change ORAS bestowed onto the Ubers tiers besides Mega Rayquaza (which was rightfully banned). Throughout the entirety of ORAS Ubers, Primal Groudon remained to be a staple and centralizing force to the metagame due to the boundless options and roles it was able to perform. It performed these roles so well that it was almost always better to add Primal Groudon onto your team to execute that role. This resulted to its unparalleled usage in many Ubers tournaments (example being it having 97% usage in the Ubers Open V). Any successful ORAS Ubers team needed to pack at least 1-2 sure answers to Primal Groudon due to its ubiquitous usage. Primal Groudon was also known to be a very good blanket check to numerous threats in the metagame such as Xerneas, Primal Kyogre (in the harsh Sunlight), Klefki, Mega Diancie and so much more, leading to these threats relying on team support to deal with Primal Groudon accordingly. However, Primal Groudon did pack answers to it as well, good examples that were used often includes Giratina-O, Latios and Latias, Arceus-Water, Arceus-Dragon, Mega Salamence, Ho-Oh (if Primal Groudon lacks Rock-type coverage), etc... which helped cope with Primal Groudon's volatile capabilities. Primal Groudon was also known to have decreased the viability of many old XY Ubers threats such as Genesect, Palkia, and regular Kyogre, diminishing their usage exponentially as a result.

In what main roles was Primal Groudon used?

Primal Groudon held a multitude of viable roles in its arsenal ranging from being one of the best Stealth Rock setters in the metagame due to it being able to beat many common Defoggers and hazard blockers such as Skamory and Mega Sableye so easily. Primal Groudon was also able to force out switchins often which helped racked up hazard damage on the opposing team as well. Primal Groudon was also able to pull off a Dual Dance offensive sweeping set which was so potent due to there being a marginal amount of Pokemons that could switch into Primal Groudon after a +2 Attack boost. Other viable sets include the Thunder Wave + Swords Dance sweeper set that allowed Primal Groudon to cripple incoming threats and be able to setup on them accordingly leading to a sweep. Primal Groudon excelled in all these roles, which stiffened up the competition for other options respectively.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

Primal Groudon had the perfect combination of stats, abilities, useful resistances and synergy to make it the perfect Pokemon it is at the moment. With a high 780 BST and a great Fire/Ground typing in conjunction with the ability Desolate Land that theoretically leaves Primal Groudon with only one weakness allowed Primal Groudon to wall the majority of the metagame while also being able to hit most of the metagame for at least neutral damage with its STABs alone. Primal Groudon paired well with many common offensive and defensive threats of the meta including Mega Gengar, Xerneas, Yveltal, Arceus-Normal, Darkrai, Mega Diancie, etc which allowed Primal Groudon to easily be placed on a variety of teams due to its great synergy it could always carry no matter what the team archetype is.

How do/did you deal with Primal Groudon in Ubers?

Primal Groudon had always benn able to adapt to the metagame at any state due to the versatility and flexibility within its options. This is why periodically, the discovery and discardal of Primal Groudon sets occured as many players customized their Primal Groudon set to accomodate with the needs of the team specifically (in which Primal Groudon can almost always fufill). Ground-immunities that resisted Fire-type attacks such as Giratina-O, Latios & Latias, and Ho-Oh were able to deal with Primal Groudon quite well (although Primal Groudon could carry the appropriate coverage to deal with the affomentioned checks). Defensive Arceus formes that were niot hit super effectively by any of Primal Groudon's STABs such as Arceus-Water and Arceus-Dragon also prooved to be somewhat reliable answers as they are able to cripple and stall Primal Groudon to death most of the time. Besides these two options, not much was able to stop Primal Groudon 100% of the time due to the variations of its sets.

Done!

 

[keys]

Nominating Klefki

-:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

-:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

What effect did Klefki have on the metagame?

Even though the absolute ubiquity of Primal Groudon is a truly gargantuous knock on Klefki's effectiveness, reducing it's impact on the tier severely, it is absolutely undeniable that Klefki is one of the main forces behind the Ubers Metagame, as it stands. It is truly a unique mon in this sense, since almost all of the other staples in the tier (such as Xerneas, Primal Groudon, Mega Mence, Arceus, etc) all require team preparation especially tailored to deal with them, due to their sheer potency and capability of plowing through unprepared opponents, being able to create trends simply arising from their ubiquity.

Klefki does not generate such concerns, due to it not being a Pokemon that can offensively dismantle teams. However, this is exactly why it is so useful. Even though most squads already carry a Primal Groudon, meaning there isn't much additional changes the metagame had to go through due to Klefki, in the case of an absence of such check, teams are absolutely deterred by the keys. Instead of looking at how teams prepare for this, it is preferable to observe how a substantial portion of the tier is severely hindered and thus, has to work around Klefki. It checks and/or deters the top threats in the tier from working in optimal conditions (not named Primal Groudon) and forces these out. It can hard check a multitude of monstrous threats in Ubers, such as Darkrai, Xerneas, Yveltal, Latias, and Latios, which makes it absolutely valuable to any balanced build. Furthermore, it's incredible typing and decent bulk provides it's longevity and ability to switch into the aforementioned threats with minimal damage. Teams are required to possess a check to Primal Groudon regardless of having Klefki or not, meaning the ubiquity of the former doesn't obstruct all too much the presence of the keys.

Prankster, coupled with the dual status of Toxic and Thunder Wave allows it to serve as a backup plan to basically every fast sweeper in the tier, thus hindering such threats greatly. On top of that, it can compress a multitude of roles, being able to emergency set up screens for a sweeper and even stack hazards, severely crippling almost every defogger in the tier with one of the two status conditions it carries. Therefore, even though it doesn't force much adaptation from the meta to work around it (apart from the Dragon reduction in presence, although Xerneas also has an influence in this), since Groudon is everywhere, it does affect the tier in a huge way, since sweepers and offensive mons in general would be a lot scarier without this as a check, as well as the pressure it puts on defoggers which don't appreciate the status, meaning keeping hazards up is a lot easier. Everyone knows what the keys will bring to the table, and yet it is still capable of consistently pulling it off, if that isn't a showcase of it's credentials, I'm not sure what is.

In what main roles was Klefki used for?

The key factor when considering Klefki's effectiveness is compression. There is no better status distributor, as well as being able to perform a plethora of other roles, such as secondary checking a huge portion of the tier. In a tier where every slot on your team is pressured into being as efficient as possible, where roles need to be compressed for maximum coverage, Klefki is absolutely the perfect fit.

Klefki is the face of ORAS Ubers balance, since it is able to adapt to changing scenarios and provide utility in every match in some way, regardless of matchup. It is the best spiker in the tier, as well as the best secondary check to a wide array of threats, as previously mentioned. As stated previously, it's main role is that of crippling the opposing team with statuses, setting up hazards, pressuring hazard removal/control agents and overall just providing a solid glue to your team that can provide the utility necessary.

As for what makes it amazing for this specific role, Prankster coupled with an impressive support movepool as well as enviable typing makes it the prime source of it's main purpose.

What caused Klefki to have a significant impact?

The whole package which comes with Klefki is absolutely perfect for the roles it personifies. It's decent bulk, perfect ability, amazing defensive typing (immunity to Dragon and Poison (toxic) as well as a plethora of resistances), amazing role compression in a metagame where role compression is imperative to success and pretty good synergy with the "usual suspects" make it a plus on any solid balance build.

This mon works well with anything that can switch into Primal Groudon "safely", with things such as Giratina-O, Primal Groudon itself (sets Stealth Rock and also blanket checks a wide range of Pokemon, such as Kyogre, Steel-types, and Xerneas)and Arceus-Water being great partners. Teams are required to possess a check to Primal Groudon regardless of having Klefki or not, meaning the ubiquity of the former doesn't hinder 100% the presence of the keys.

How do/did you deal with Klefki in Ubers?

The main checks to Klefki are currently Primal Groudon, of course, and Ho-Oh/Ground Arceus. Klefki has a terrible time with all of these, but it can also severely cripple such Pokemon on predicted switches, meaning it can wear those down with status, opening up a door for it's increased effectiveness later on. You don't per se need to "prepare" for Klefki, since it doesn't sweep teams, but the small things it does are extremely key (I'm sorry I had to) in any Ubers matchup.

Overall, it's complicated to argue for Klefki to be in the Top 10 simply due to the fact that Primal Groudon exists. However, the keys are that dominant in the face of a metagame where role compression is paramount where regardless of the behemoth that stops it from completely breaking down teams, it is still a huge influence in the current milieu and should not be overlooked whatsoever. It is definitely Top 10 in Gen 6 Ubers, and I hope this short passage has convinced you of such. Isn't it great to have a beautiful ring of keys as your favourite pokemon?

Thank you for reading :)

​

 

[xCaptainHero]

Reserving Deo s

 

[Daenys]

Nominating Deoxys (Attack Forme)

What effect did Deoxys have on the metagame?

Deoxys was not influential in popularizing the offensive nature of the tier this current generation . Offense was already the most popular playstyle but Deoxys' role in it is possibly the most important as it was the only centralizing force by large which mandated the use of priority on almost every team which was a significant change from X/Y . Only Primal Groudon in OR/AS and Xerneas in X/Y can claim such a feat.

In what main roles was Deoxys used?

OHKO. The only role this offensive titan has is revenge killing. While it can be seen as limiting , the value of this utility cannot be understated as OR/AS saw a transitional shift towards a largely offense oriented metagame from X/Y which was largely balanced due to the prevalence of steel types and their still great resistances providing defensive utility which largely fell out of favor due to the introduction of Primal Groudon factors which favored Deoxys letting it function as a revenge killer with no equal.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

The fact that it has no switchins . Like Choice Band Ho-Oh.
OR/AS introduced the dominating force that is Primal Groudon which largely wiped out various steel types popular in X/Y , invalidated fast revenge killers like Genesect which was already seeing its impact and usage declining in X/Y . This along with the continued prominence of Darkrai favored Deoxys hugely as it's speed tier now posed considerable threat and it is no understatement that it is often seen as the premier revenge killer in the tier , shaping the metagame to rely on priority as the only reliable form of counterplay to check it . It single handedly forced Arceus-Ghost to run the sub-optimal Swords Dance Extreme Speed set , some Giratina (Origin Forme) sets to run Shadow Sneak (and Shadow Force to handle the now popular physical ghostceus sets) .Notably, the lack of reliable recovery on bulky offense/balance teams and offensive threats simply being slower , often dying in one hit due to their frailty meant that Deoxys would cripple teams enough to let any teammate pick up the pieces without much effort.

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

The only sure fire ways to deal with this monster is priority . While shaky ways like hoping Mega Mewtwo Y outspeeds the popular Life Orb Rash set while taking nearly 80+ knock off or attempting to force it out with klefki which can switch in only once or going to yveltal hoping it doesn't die to ice beam exist , this is largely due to a toss up between knock off and ice beam on the last slot of it's moveset owing to a resurgent lati twins ,that even allows for this in the first place . Sand Rush Excadrill is also an option but these builds rely on Arceus-Ghost to fulfill this role as Excadrill is the primary Geomancy Xerneas check on these teams although it can rely on the speed control offered by the favoring weather to take out Deoxys.


PS: Metagame is a terrible word
PPS: So is counterplay


Edit: Going to do Arceus-Water in this post itself PomMan


Nominating Arceus-Water

What effect did Arceus-Water have on the metagame?

Arceus-Water has survived the transitions through generations since it's arrival , with it's role largely unchanged , a feat that many of the other defensive formes cannot claim anymore which is proof of it's influence in the tier. The introduction of defog in X/Y has seen it fulfill the role of hazard control with no equal as it continues to enjoy it's popularity as a reliable defog user in OR/AS while other defensive formes have lost relevance in the transition from X/Y to OR/AS . It is arguably the best defog user , forming a part of the Klefki+Ho-Oh+Arceus-Water core which is the backbone of balance in ORAS which is a testament to it's impact and importance.

In what main roles was Arceus-Water used?

Possessing solid defenses , reliable recovery and access to status , Arceus-Water is the best defogger in the tier , outstalling most Primal Groudon sets bar Swords Dance with toxic . It is one of the more reliable Ho-Oh checks , forcing it out more than once due to it's access to Recover. It's ability to run Ice Beam foregoing Defog allows it to check Mega Salamence and Rayquaza. It also serves as a great partner for balance teams ,checking Mega Diancie , Arceus-Rock and Arceus-Ground allowing teammates such as Ho-Oh , which also benefits from it's ability to Defog, to wreak havoc. The invaluable role compression it provides is possibly only matched by Primal Groudon and Klekfi in it's impact on the tier.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

In a largely offensive metagame , Arceus-Water established Balance as the most consistent playstyle in the tier . It has popularized the Hex sets on Gengar-Mega and Giratina (Origin Forme) , Thunder Wave on Primal Grodon and shaped the balance meta to encourage status spam which has led to variety by forcing counterplay in a tier often criticized for being largely stale . Being the face of OR/AS Balance alongside Klefki ,it has significantly shaped the OR/AS metagame due to the sheer defensive utility it offers.

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

There are a multitude of ways to deal with Arceus-Water , the first and foremost being status of any form , especially toxic which it is loath to be inflicted with . Common water resists like Dialga , Ferrothorn , Giratina-O and Shadow Tag users like Mega-Gengar and Gothitelle can comfortably stop Arceus-Water and Primal Groudon can attempt to overwhelm it with Swords Dance although it gets poisoned in the process.

 

[rileydelete]

Nominating Ho-Oh

Whether it’s applying reliable offensive pressure with its bulkier leftover sets, tearing through teams with its Choice Band set, or going down the middle of the road with a Life Orb, Ho-Oh is a Pokemon every team in gen 6 has needed to prepare for.

How Ho-Oh affected the 6th generation metagame:

Ho-Oh became so consistently dangerous and dominant that not only did Stealth Rock seem to become mandatory for every Ubers team, but multiple Pokemon began to commonly carry rock Rock type moves just to have a way to counter it. Stone Edge Ekiller, Stone Edge Fairyceus, and even niche options like HP Rock/Rock Slide Xerneas made their way into the metagame as patchwork ways to shut down the phoenix. The entire metagame has been forced to adapt to this titan.

What roles has Ho-Oh played in the 6th generation?

Ho-Oh is a flexible Pokemon that can function as a phaser, status spreader, and beyond, but it’s most notable and dangerous roles are as follows:

The Rainbow Tank

106/90/154 bulk allows Ho-Oh to comfortably tank harsh hits while dishing out damage. Regeneration enhances its bulk, partially alleviating its Stealth Rock Weakness. Brave Bird and Sacred Fire allow it wide coverage. A concise movepool also lets it spread status, phase, set up substitutes, and more. This Ho-Oh role is bulky, flexible, and ready to provide a solid boon to your team.

The Choice Conqueror

Want a bulky threat that can rip through teams? Choice Band Ho-Oh has the power to provide just that, with a max Adamant Ho-Oh reaching 591 Attack. This amount of power allows it to outright one-shot many Pokemon, and break through even the thickest walls. Even when going all out in terms of aggression, Banded Ho-Oh can still have the bulk investment to tank massively powerful hits, like a +2 Thunder from Xerneas. Add in its power to constantly threaten switch-ins with a burn, and you have a monster of an Uber. Many wallbreakers have power, but few have the bulk and survivability that Choice Band Ho-Oh has.

Why was Ho-Oh so significant in this generation’s metagame?

Ho-Oh has been a solid Uber for generations now, but when Gen 6 dropped, it received an utterly massive boon in Defog getting buffed to remove all hazards from the field when used. Now Ho-Oh didn’t need to rely on a team-designated spinner like Forretress to remove hazards. Instead, it only needed a teammate to give up a moveslot. Defog’s wide distribution meant that it could be given to a bulky support Arceus, Giratina, one of the Lati duo, and more. And then there’s the icing on the cake: Defog ignores typing, so a Ghost type couldn’t hand wave it away. Origin Ruby and Alpha Saphire then proceeded to add new threats like Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, but also add two highly reliable Magic Bouncers in the form of Mega Dancie and Mega Sableye. With Stealth Rock less of a concern than it had been in the past, this firebird could truly take flight.

Ho-Oh also found itself handily able to check the abundance of new Fairy types, with its Fire typing providing it with a new resistance. This *6th* resistance only further enhanced Ho-Oh’s 106/90/154 bulk, allowing it to comfortably tank even some super effective hits. Pair this special bulk with an accurate signature move that inflicts a burn 50% of the time, and you have a Pokemon that can get around its own physical checks. With its STAB moves and reliable coverage backed by a solid 130 attack, the amount of Pokemon that can freely switch into Ho-Oh without risk are few and far between.

With strong attacks, solid stats, a highly useful ability in Regenerator, and an easier way to deal with Stealth Rock, Ho-Oh has made itself known as a Pokemon every team needs to prepare for, and its influence has been felt the entire generation.

How does one deal with Ho-Oh?

When you see a Ho-Oh in team preview, the most important thing to do is set up Stealth Rock as fast as possible. Rocks will force Ho-Oh to lose half its health on the switch, putting pressure on the bird. Make sure offensive pressure is kept up to make defogging difficult. If there’s no way to keep Stealth Rock up, your next bet is to find a way to shut Ho-Oh down offensively, preferably with Rock coverage or a very powerful super effective attack. Status is a reliable backup option, but Ho-Oh is immune to burn, and can get around Poison with regenerator. Again, with its massive bulk and raw power, it should be a priority to keep those jagged rocks up!


Ho-Oh is a beastly bird whose power has made itself known through multiple generations. Gen VI gave Ho-Oh the tools to make it even easier to play and beat teams with. It has its weaknesses, but when every team needs a way to keep the firebird it at bay, it’s easy to see why this Pokemon is a true Ubers titan.

 

[4gb]

What effect did Giratina-Orgin Have on the Metagame?

​

With the effects of Defog changed, Giratina-Orgin is easily one of the most useful defoggers of XY. With it's excellent bulk of 150HP/100D/100SPD Giratina-Orgin checks the physical spectrum of ORAS, the most notable mention is how it checks ekiller with its immunity to normal, Giratina-Orgin also resists Primal-Groudon's STAB moves, making it a nice, soft blanket over the almost mandatory Pokémon of ORAS.

In what main roles was Giratina-Orgin used for?

​

A physical wall, a very flexible Pokémon that can cover all of the popular metagame trends and can be flexible on many BO/Balance teams.. it can be a status-passer, a mixed set, and it even has shadow sneak for fast psychics.​

Why was Giratina-Orgin so significant in this Generation's Metagame?

​

Ever since Giratina-Orgin debuted in Generation four, it was always a great Pokémon, and Generation 6 is no different. With the addition of new Pokémon from ORAS, such as Primal-Groudon, Giratina-Orgin has even more things to check. Although with the inclusion of fairy types, or the nerf to dragon types, Giratina-Orgin still finds use, as no Xerneas is really safe switching into a status effect, or a shadow force.​

How do you deal with Giratina-Orgin?

​

You would either a) pressure it into defogging and switch into a faster dark/fairy type to kill it. or b) widdle it down as it has no reliable way of regenerating.. unless you count rest. Or c) flex by predicting the status effects and go into an adequate check without having to pressure it into defogging.

 

[Aberforth]

Darkrai, Ekilller, MegaMence and Deo-S are now all up for grabs again after the reservations ran out.

 

[keys]

Nominating Mega Salamence

-:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

-:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

What effect did Mega Salamence have on the metagame?

Introduced in ORAS (Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire), Mega Salamence quickly found itself a place at the upper echelons of the Ubers tier. The vast influence this Pokemon has forced upon the scenario is undeniable, possibly only second to that of Primal Groudon. It's absolute ubiquity (37.18% usage rate in Ubers Open V Round I) has imposed a multitude of alterations to the Metagame, to the point where no adequate team can get away with not including a way of dealing with this formidable threat. For instance, it's capability of checking recurrent and pertinent threats in Primal Groudon, Arceus, Ho-Oh, just to name a few, already present it as an enviable asset. That coupled with it's gargantuan offensive presence and sheer potency, meaning it can independently dismantle teams, provides all Uber players with a quasi-complete weapon.

Making it's way into most versions of Hyper Offense (still one of the most effective archetypes) as well as pretty much any archetype shows just how formidable the influence this Dragon has had on the tier. Of course we must account for it's complete absence from X & Y, since the concept of this listing encompasses the generation as a whole. Nonetheless, Mega Salamence's impact after its introduction is that substantial that no one can deny it's plural capabilities and effectiveness. This Pokemon has generated countless trends and even made the presence of numerous Pokemon rise/plummet due to it's ubiquitous presence. Mega Mence's potency and pressure cannot be overlooked whatsoever, as it absolutely annihilates cores if not properly accounted for when teambuilding.

The metagame underwent several alterations in order to adapt to the premier mega evolution of ORAS. The presence of mons such as Arceus Water, Lugia, Arceus Rock, Skarmory, just to name a few once again has risen drastically subsequent to the introduction of this menace (I love puns). It has engendered a profuse alteration of the tier as a whole, being able to overpower it's checks depending on the set. Nevertheless, Mega Salamence also possesses a plethora of builds, from offensive juggernaut to bulky offensive and even sets that cater towards a defensive approach, meaning it can be an invaluable asset to a wide spectrum of builds and styles, being able, as previously mentioned, to even work around it's "checks" depending on the adopted style.

»»-------------¤-------------««

In what main roles was Mega Salamence used?

Salamence effortlessly occupies the top echelon of Ubers viability, slotting seamlessly into a plethora of squads, meaning it's capability of performing plural roles with impressive efficiency is the crux to it's profuse usage. Aforementioned functions such as checking the "usual suspects" of the Metagame as well as being one of the premier offensive weapons in existence showcase a few of this mon's credentials. Regardless of it's multifaceted approach, it's main role was indubitably that of a set up sweeper and/or bulky offensive machine. The chief reasons for such proficiency at said role should be outlined as it's abilities (prior to Mega evolution as well as post metamorphosis), impressive statistics as well as an enviable movepool which takes absolute advantage of said stats. The complete package arising from such composition meant that it could compress a multitude of roles and provide utility where needed, catering to any and every player and archetype, something very few Pokemon can claim to provide.​

»»-------------¤-------------««

What caused Mega Salamence to have such a significant impact?

The whole package which comes with Mega Salamence is absolutely perfect for the roles it personifies. Absolutely solid offensive stats (more specifically it's grand 145 Atk) as well as blistering speed (120 base speed) and enviable bulk (95/130/90) allows this mon to effectively undertake it's roles. These, coupled with 2 perfect abilities (prior and post Mega Evolution) in Intimidate (cripples offensive checks and allows it so quasi-safely set up) and Aerilate (allows it to hit foes with flying STAB capacities coming from Normal-type moves) ensure this mon has an easier time taking hits and disposing of opposition. Furthermore, the extremely solid typing, both offensively and defensively, means it can serve as both an offensive weapon and defensive utility agent. It so happens to resist extremely common types (most notably Fire and Water) as well as possessing a Ground immunity, making it an offensive check to several common threats. Of course with those come the weaknesses, most notably that of Ice and Stealth Rocks, which obviously hinders the Pokemon, but isn't even close to enough to knocking off it's multiple benefits. Those characteristics comprised into one singular Pokemon makes it a premier sweeper, capable of sweeping most of the Metagame subsequent to it's setup.

Moreover, it retains quality synergy with extremely common Pokemon, such as Primal Groudon, Dialga, Darkrai, Klefki, support Arceus formes, such as Arceus Water (hazards can be an issue for Mence) and Rayquaza (the presence of both usually overpowers the defensive checks to said mons), just to name a couple. With Mega Salamence being so seamlessly paired with a multitude of powerful and useful mons, it allows it to be that much more effective and beneficial to any squad seeking it's services.

»»-------------¤-------------««

How do you deal with Mega Salamence in Ubers?

Standard checks that have arisen as a result of the incredible ubiquity of Mega Salamence and it's dominance over the Metagame include, just to name a few, Arceus Water, Lugia, Primal Groudon (to a certain extent), Klefki (surprise, surprise! The god of Ubers itself that checks half of the tier >_>), Arceus Rock and Skarmory. However, every single one of those can be worked around by Mence's coverage options as well as repeated offensive pressure, meaning Mega Salamence has no absolute opposing option capable of completely nullifying it's sheer potency and pressure. As previously stated, every team must and should prepare for Mega Salamence, due to it's copious use and dominance over unprepared as well as prepared teams.

As a final addendum, I would like to express my utter surprise in the eventual scenario which could arise in case this mon isn't voted within the top 10. Of course it's late introduction in Generation VI is a cause for concern, however, very few Pokemon have been as influential as Mega Salamence has been since. I hope the arguments delineated within this post have been enough to convince you of the copious repercussion it has had on the tier, as it is undeniable the Dragon has shown enough to compete for a spot atop the list.

»»-------------¤-------------««

Thank you for reading :)

 

[HappyHoopa05]

Darkrai, Ekilller, MegaMence and Deo-S are now all up for grabs again after the reservations ran out.

I'll try to do E-killer

 

[HappyHoopa05]

Nominating Arceus-Normal

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

What effect did [Pokemon] have on the metagame?

First introduced in the late DPPt generation to the metagame, Arceus and all of his forms have been a dominating force in the Ubers metagame / tier since then and definitely one of the gods that shaped this chaotic game. Holding one of the perfect 120 / 120 / 120 / 120 /120 / 120 base stats, he is not only a super fat machine but also a deadly and quick killer. Paired with that, Arceus have access to one of the best variety of offensive and supportive moves, including the infamous Extreme Speed. Many physical attackers are blessed by having this move, but besides Linoone and Smeargle, none of them have acesses to STAB Extreme Speed. This makes the kinds of Glass Cannon have a hard time to shine, as Arceus paired with a boost item or / and a set-up can obliterate any non-fat pokemon. He is one of the reasons his Ghost counterpart have a considerable usage as well other pokemon who are depicted as Glass cannons but run fat sets like Yveltal.

In what main roles was [Pokemon] used?

As mentioned, this Pokemon always run a variant of the EKiller set, which consistes basically Extreme Speed paired with Swords Dance, a coverage move (Earth Quake, Shadow Claw, Stone Edge) and / or a support move (Refresh, Will o Wisp). This set basically has two main rolls: Revenge Kill (As he has a Priority who always hits first is strong enough to obliterate non-fat things) and Set-up sweep in the late, although the last one generally is taken by Xerneas or Salamence. This pokemon is chosen over other Priority spammers due to him 1st: Having the strongest priority move STAB in the game (As sucker punch is kinda limited) and 2nd: His type alongside incredible bulk of 120 / 120 / 120 guarantee him a set-up or a safe 2HKO in front of anything that is anemic or doesn't hit super effectively on him. As a set-up sweep, it faces huge competition from Xerneas and Salamence, but the fact that he can fulfill the roll of revenge killer and set-up sweeper at the same time is generally a good enough excuse to use him over or paired with those mentioned.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

What made him cause a huge impact in the metagame you may ask, it's due to various but very significant reason. First we have his perfect 120 all base stats, making 720 (Considering that the primal have 770, this is damn high) in total. Now we also look to his movepool that include many coverage moves as well moves that can support his sweeping such as refresh and swords dance. Extracting from the second mention, we have STAB Extreme Speed that makes him the best revenge killer in the metagame, paired with his fat also gives him a way to fulfill the roll of revenge killer.

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

The best counters / checkers to this pokemon are either: Fat things that can cripple Arceus eventually beating him quickly, such as Ghostceus , Primal Groudon and Giratina OR things who can beat him in the eventual 1v1 with brute strength and bulk, such as Yveltal and Genesect.

This is it, I hope you liked it :3.

 

[GoodGame1324]

Reserving rayquaza

 

[keys]

Nominating Darkrai

-:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

-:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:--:¦:-

What effect did Darkai have on the metagame?

The significant potency inherent to Darkrai as a fragment within the Generation VI Metagame as a whole is vehemently indisputable. Perhaps one of the most purely influential sources of offense in the tier, the usage of the aforementioned Pokemon has skyrocketed since the introduction of a more offensively-oriented tier since the genesis of the latest generation with Pokemon X & Y. The sheer influence subsequent to it's presence is absolutely undeniable, clearly undertaking one of the central positions in terms of usage (an astounding 22.05% usage rate in Ubers Open V Round I). The influence has been so excruciatingly vast that this mon is possibly the largest strain imposed upon team composition as a whole, where every single builder that aspires to obtain any success must thoroughly account for Darkrai when composing their team. Once again, it cannot be stressed enough how much Darkrai has and will always strain teambuilding to ludicrous extents, because if not properly prepared for, it will absolutely dismantle opposition. Of course it's premier role is that of an extremely potent offensive weapon, and even so, it is capable of providing some defensive utility, not only by dealing with plural threats in Giratina-Origin, Latias, Latios, Arceus Ghost and Lugia, just to name a few but also being able to break down opposing cores and defensive builds and most importantly, circumvent a plethora of it's so called "checks" with a vast spectrum of viable coverage move options, meaning there is honestly no absolute form of guaranteeing it's demise. Due to it's enviable offensive tools, it has pretty much shaped the offensively-oriented tier as we know it, engendering this archetype as super effective as well as strongly straining squads who must at all costs check this behemoth somehow.

Making it's way into most versions of Hyper Offense (still one of the most effective archetypes) as well as offensive builds in general shows just how ubiquitous and worrisome this Pokemon is in the current milieu. The Metagame was, sooner rather than later, forced into adapting around the presence of Darkrai. The incessant rise of fairy types as well as strong priority and most notably, the infamous Sleep Talk, have all been consequences that arose significantly from the overwhelming strain brought by Darkrai builds. On the other end of the spectrum, the usage of slower Psychic types has plummeted as a whole (faster psychics such as Mewtwo and Deoxys-A can still offensively deal with Darkrai) with the introduction of this Pokemon, exemplifying it's inherent potency and gargantuan offensive pressure. Very few mons in Ubers can claim to have had such a profuse impact on the tier like Darkrai has. It's wide spectrum encompassing a plethora of builds provides users with a premier offensive weapon catering to a vast array of builds and needs.

»»-------------¤-------------««

In what main roles was Darkrai used?

Simply put, Darkrai is the absolute best at what it does. It seamlessly slots into a multitude of offensive builds, performing it's signature role with impressive efficiency and success. Regardless of the multitude of sets/approaches that can be taken when building with this mon, the definite crux of it's profuse usage is definitely that of a sleep inducer with the capacity to capitalise on the induced sleep turns. Being capable of consistently putting a foe to sleep makes this mon so overwhelming to face, thus pressuring opponents into catering their builds specifically to handle it and often forcing the opponent to fodder something to sleep mid-game. It's role as an offensive power is unparalleled and singular in the current Metagame, meaning no other Pokemon resembles Darkrai in any way. The central foci for such proficiency is a result of a combination of factors, ranging from it's useful ability, enviable stats (especially those concerning speed and offensive prowess) as well as an impressively diverse movepool which is able to effectively take advantage of said utilities, providing it with tools to sweep (nasty plot + dark pulse) as well as handle checks (excellent coverage options) and simply put dismantle teams apart. The complete package arising from such composition meant that it could perform it's function with substantial effect, catering to any and every build requiring it's services, something very few Pokemon can claim to provide. Perhaps it's most enviable characteristic, Darkrai requires very little support to consistently have an impact in any match. It shows it's credentials with impressive consistency, being able to do what it is supposed to regardless of matchup.

»»-------------¤-------------««

What caused Darkrai to have such a significant impact?

The whole package which comes with Darkrai is absolutely perfect for the roles it personifies. A tremendous Special Attack stat sitting at base 135 coupled with a fantastic Speed tier set at 125 provides this Pokemon with an enviable base to where it can consistently put something to sleep before taking hits (it is quite frail) as well as break through defenses with it's wide array of moves, including a plethora of useful and powerful coverage moves which make it possible to take on it's common checks. Those statistics combined with a similarly convenient ability in Bad Dreams allows Darkrai to deal passive damage whilst it sets up and/or is already unleashing powerful hits (Dark STAB is still pretty effective). Pardon me for my redundancy, but once more, it is important to stress that those characteristics as well as a solid typing in pure Dark (the psychic immunity as well as the typing resistances are appreciated), make it extremely strenuous of an activity to dispose of this threat. Darkrai personifies it's role with exemplary composure, being able to serve as probably the single most "accounted for" when teambuilding in ORAS Ubers.

Despite it's aforementioned relative independence, which is in itself a positive trait, meaning it can slot into almost every build, it also happens to pair extremely well with a multitude of powerful and recurrent names. It retains quality synergy with extremely common Pokemon such as Primal Groudon (checks Xerneas, Diancie and fairies in general as well as common scarfed users such as Genesect, which bother Darkrai), Arceus, Primal Kyogre, Xerneas as well as steel-types in general that can take on the fairies that threaten Darkrai. As a minuscule addendum, Darkrai's offensive presence is so overwhelming that it also pressures defoggers and spinners extremely well, meaning teams that appreciate hazards as well as hazard setters are optimal pairings for Darkrai. With Darkrai being so seamlessly paired with a multitude of powerful and useful mons, it allows it to be that much more effective and beneficial to any squad seeking it's services.

»»-------------¤-------------««

How do/did you deal with Darkrai in Ubers?

Recurrent checks that have arisen as a result of the incredible ubiquity of said mon and it's dominance over the Metagame include, but are not restricted to, Mega Diancie, Scarfed Xerneas or simply Rest Talk Xerneas (note: both of these will still get dismantled by the commonly used coverage provided by Sludge Bomb), Klefki, viable sleep talk users in general as well as strong priority and fast scarfers. One must also mention that the fragility inherent to Darkrai is of course a major downside and the chief way it's checks have of breaking it down. However, every single one of those can be worked around by Darkrai's coverage options as well as repeated offensive pressure, meaning Darkrai has no absolute opposing option capable of completely nullifying it's sheer potency and pressure. As previously stated, every team must and should heavily prepare for Darkrai, due to it's copious use and dominance over unprepared as well as prepared teams.

»»-------------¤-------------««

Thank you for reading :)

​

 

[Arii Stella]

Reserving Yveltal~

 

[michaeloche]

Nominating Lugia

What effect did Lugia have on the metagame?

Lugia is renowned for being one of the best defensive Pokemon in Ubers, mainly due to its bulk, recovery, and access to Multiscale, which halves damage taken while at full HP. As a result, most Pokemon without a powerful super effective STAB move or boosting capabilities will have trouble breaking Lugia down. It is also fairly fast for a defensive Pokemon, only outdone in that category by Arceus. Its typing gives it an immunity to Ground moves (very helpful with Primal Groudon running around) and some nice resistances to boot, but makes it weak to Knock Off and Stealth Rock. It also is highly reliant on Toxic to wear opponents down due to its low (by Ubers standards) offensive stats.

In what main roles was Lugia used?

Lugia is primarily used as a wall, able to stall out anything that can't handle it very well. A commonly seen set is below:

Hide

Lugia @ Leftovers
Ability: Multiscale
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Whirlwind
- Toxic
- Ice Beam

This set takes advantage of Lugia's defensive stats and movepool. The Speed investment is to outspeed Adamant Rayquaza, but if you don't need that, you can run 96 Speed EVs to outpace Adamant Groudon. HP is maxed out and everything else goes into physical bulk so that Lugia can take as many hits as possible. Whirlwind can get rid of setup sweepers, especially GeoXern, Toxic wears down foes that lack recovery or cleric support, and Ice Beam gives Lugia something to do if it gets taunted and gives it an edge over bulky Mega Salamence sets. Alternative options include Reflect for taking hits better, albeit temporarily; Aeroblast for more power, but fewer PP; and Substitute to avoid Toxic.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

As mentioned before ad nauseam, Lugia is one of the bulkiest Pokemon in the tier. It fares best on defensive teams, having more bulk than Arceus forms and using the qualities of its typing to its advantage. The buff to Defog and the advent of good Magic Bounce users helps Lugia teams deal with Stealth Rock, as many Arceus forms and Mega Sableye can form effective defensive cores with it.

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

Keeping Stealth Rock in play can pressure Lugia into staying out of battle, as can powerful attacks. Mega Gengar is an excellent tool against Lugia, able to trap it with Shadow Tag, Taunt it to prevent it from healing and maybe force it to Struggle depending on its set, and can hit it with STAB Shadow Ball. Certain Arceus forms, such as Ghost and Rock, can use their STAB moves against it, but setup variants need to be wary of Whirlwind and non-Refresh variants hate Toxic. Mega Sableye generally walls Lugia, as it can reflect Toxic, heal off damage, and even use Knock Off if necessary, but keep in mind that Night Shade, if it has it, will not break Substitute, so be careful of those sets.

 

[GoodGame1324]

Nominating Rayquaza

What effect did rayquaza have on the metagame?

Prior to oras, rayquaza was the primary dragon dancer or set up sweeper of the tier, and can also perform wallbreaking roles in three different ways, in the form of using a choice band, swords dance, or running a mixed set, as one would be foolish to disregard that base 150 special attack.

Fast forward to oras, rayquaza has never been so potent as before. First of all, it have its mega counterpart being the first pokemon to be banned from ubers. Even discounting his mega form, rayquaza still hits its peak in oras, as it gets a 120 base power flying type move, dragon ascent, which rayquaza lacked in previous generation. Dragon Ascent also didn't lock rayquaza into repeating for another turn or two, unlike outrage, so it was free to spam that move early in the game, allowing it to break down bulky teams easier than in previous generations. With the introduction of primal forms, rayquaza also has a decent matchup against both of them, as it can easily revenge kill or dent both primals. Rayquaza is also a great wallbreaker on offensive teams due to its synergy with mega salamence, as both have the same checks, making it easier for the two to overwhelm the opposition. Rayquaza is also appreciated on hyper offense teams due to its wallbreaking power, as it can lead to another sweeper to clean up. Due to a slower metagame, rayquaza also benefits because certain arceus forms no longer running enough speed to outspeed jolly rayquaza. It's mixed offenses and wallbreaking power makes it a pokemon that must be considered during teambuilding, especially for bulky teams.

In what main roles was [Pokemon] used?

Rayquaza is mostly used as a mixed wallbreaker, as due to the advent of many power set up sweepers, such as Xerneas, Mega salamence, and rock polish Primal Groudon, its dragon dancing set has become, for the most part, obsolete. However, that is of very little concern because with the addition of Dragon Ascent in its movepool, Rayquaza is arguably the best mixed wallbreaker in the metagame, with deoxys-attack as its only competition for that role. Because of a slower but more hard-hitting metagame, rayquaza's mixed set is now its best set, with the choice band coming second, due to their immediate wallbreaking power, which is appreciated for hyper offense teams to improve their matchup against bulkier teams.

What caused it to have a significant impact?

Rayquaza was able to tear up many bulky teams, while extremespeed made it so that it was not a liability against hyper offense. It's wide coverage, plus amazing STABs allow it to hit the majority of the tier for great damage. It's ability and movepool, also allowed it to effectively revenge kill both primal forms, or dent another opponent should they switch out. It's defenses are also adequate enough so that it doesn't easily die to random priority, unlike deoxys-attack, the other viable A rank wallbreaker in the tier. The introduction of mega salamence also revived the Rayquaza-Salamence combo from DPP, which kept defensive teams on their toes.


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

Lugia is one of the few defensive pokemon that can check rayquaza, as it avoids the 2HKO if multiscale is intact and OHKO rayquaza after stealth rock with ice beam, or set a timer on it with toxic. The presence of hyper offensive teams give rayquaza little room to get onto the battlefield and fire off a powerful attack due to the plethora of fast pokemon on those teams, as well as strong priority which can easily pick off a worn down rayquaza. Bulky arceus forms can also switch in and threaten with a super effective move.

 

[HappyHoopa05]

Today is the day, I hope we get a healthy and plausible discussion.

 

[Aberforth]

Yea, I was originally going to wait until the end of the day, but that's probably not likely to yield any further responses. So let's start voting, starting with the number one slot. To be clear, we vote for the top spots, and then work our way down with the remaining pokemon. I was originally thinking start from the bottom but that would just be messy.

Here are the nominations:

nominations

Mega Gengar
Xerneas
Klefki
Deoxys-Attack
Arceus-Water
Primal-Groudon
Ho-oh
Mega Salamence
Arceus-Normal
Darkrai
Lugia
Rayquaza

Format for Votes:

Voting for: Pokemon
Because: Reason (can be very brief or longer if you so choose, and you can say you agree with another users reasoning. Try not to do too much, a few lines should be more than enough)

So I'll start this off with my vote.

Voting for: Xerneas
Because: It dominated all the way through the 6th generation, being arguably the most dangerous sweeper throughout both XY and ORAS with it's fantastic signature move, and with a huge array of coverage options that could turn checks into not-checks, and it had a fair number of other dangerous sets as well at various points, capitalising on the popularity of Geomancy sets too render checks to those sets incapable of doing their jobs (ie: Block)