Data Usage-Based Tier Update for February 2023 (NU on the menu)

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If people want, here's the text list of Pokemons that dropped to NU (by being below RU) :
Ampharos
Appletun
Banette
Basculin
Beartic
Braviary
Bronzong
Bruxish
Cacturne
Camerupt
Clawitzer
Coalossal
Copperajah
Crabominable
Dedenne
Delibird
Drifblim
Dudunsparce
Dugtrio
Eelektross
Eiscue
Electrode
Falinks
Farigiraf
Flapple
Flareon
Frosmoth
Glaceon
Glalie
Gogoat
Golduck
Goodra
Gothitelle
Greedent
Grumpig
Gumshoos
Honchkrow
Houndoom
Hypno
Indeedee-F
Jolteon
Jumpluff
Klawf
Kricketune
Leafeon
Liligant
Lumineon
Lurantis
Lovdisc
Luxray
Lycanroc-Day
Lycanroc-Midnight
Mabostiff
Masquerain
Medicham
Muk
Oinkologne
Oranguru
Oricorio
Pachirisu
Passimian
Perrserker
Persian
Pincurchin
Pyroar
Qwilfish
Rabsca
Raichu
Rotom
Rotom Fan
Rotom Frost
Sandaconda
Sawsbuck
Scovillain
Seviper
Skuntank
Slaking
Spidops
Spiritomb
Skwakabilly
Stantler
Stonjourner
Sudowoodo
Sunflora
Swalot
Tauros-Paldea-Combat
Toxicroak
Tropius
Umbreon
Ursaring
Vaporeon
Veluza
Venomoth
Vespiquen
Vivillon
Whiscash
Wigglytuff
Wugtrio
Zangoose
Zoroark
 
> Pelliper moves OU, even though it's species mostly serves as rain setters
> Floatzel and Barraskewda remain in UU, even though they're the best swift best swim users at the moment.

I'm confused :P

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CreditsMouse said:
> Pelliper moves OU, even though it's species mostly serves as rain setters
> Floatzel and Barraskewda remain in UU, even though they're the best swift best swim users at the moment.

I'm confused :P

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This is a pretty common occurrence for weather-based mons historically: the setters themselves often make it into higher tiers more often than the weather-dependent beneficiaries themselves. It happened with Torkoal multiple times over the course of Gen 8 who rose to OU on numerous occasions while weather-dependent beneficiaries like Charizard and Venusaur were always stuck in lower tiers. Pelipper itself was OU in Gen 8 while Swift Swim sweepers like Barraskewda itself were in lower tiers very frequently (even though Barraskewda eventually wound up in OU again at the end).

I can't really explain it, but I think it boils down to the fact that the weather setters themselves are the core and heart of any weather-based team for the weather they summon while beneficiaries like Chlorophyll/Swift Swim sweepers and whatnot are both less essential to a weather team (ie you can feasibly build a weather team without them) and are completely dependent on the weather in question to be viable in a higher tier most of the time, thus they see less use overall because they don't have usefulness outside of the dedicated weather team, and oftentimes are not guaranteed to take a teamslot on every single weather team like the setters themselves are.

In particular, you highlight both Barraskewda and Floatzel as both tying as the best Swift Swim sweepers in the tier, and in doing so you just highlighted the very reason they don't see the same level of usage as the premier rain summoner, Pelipper, does. Because both of them tie and are functionally very similar, they are basically competitors for the same role on a given rain team, since their function on said teams, to be a fast sweeper and attacker in Rain thanks to Swift Swim and the Water boost, is more or less very similar, and you are not going to be using both of them on the same rain team. You only have one slot for that role, and it's either Barraskewda or Floatzel in the vast majority of circumstances, the other four teamslots are for other teammates who serve as synergy/cover/support for the team overall, you need wallbreakers, mons who can cover the weaknesses of Floatzel/Barraskewda, and whatnot. Meanwhile Pelipper is uncontested in its role as a rain setter, and it is always going to occupy a slot on every single rain team as the heart and core of the team as the Pokemon who summons the rain to begin with: it has no competitors for its role and its role on a rain team is so essential that all rain teams will use it.

That basically is the picture as to why you see a weather summoner like Pelipper rising to a higher tier while direct beneficiaries like Floatzel and Barraskewda don't. Pelipper is completely essential to a rain team and has no competitor for its role, meanwhile Barraskewda and Floatzel have limited use strictly to rain teams that use Pelipper and are direct competitors with each other for the same slot on a given team.
 
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