Resource USUM OU ULTRA Sets Viability Ranking Thread

[power]

Approved by Finchinator |Format borrowed from OU Viability Rankings|Co-hosted by sedertz, Finchinator, Talah, Charmflash, Jordy, and Leo

Image by sneaky.

Welcome to the official ULTRA SM OU Sets Viability Rankings. In this thread, we as a community will rank every Pokemon's usable set into which tier of the viability ranking they individually fall under. In this thread, you're encouraged to post your thoughts and opinions on the various set rankings for each Pokemon. Posts in this thread will be taken into account when deciding rank changes. Keep in mind that the sets are organized in order of viability!

Please do note that no set can be ranked any higher than the Pokemon's current position on the Viability Rankings. Additionally, the ranking team will not be including sets they do not find to be at least C+ in viability in the current metagame.

SETS: If looking for sets they can be found in the preliminary pokedex sub-forum along with the OU Analyses sub-forum for WIP analyses: Uploaded and WIP

You can also consult with the OU Role Compendium for more information: A guide by p2​

Terminology

• All-Out Attacker means every move used on this Pokemon is an offensive move. There are no setup moves, utility moves, nor support moves.
• Offensive usually incorporates Pokemon that are Offensively-oriented; however, may have some utility with them (i.e. Taunt, Intimidate) or setup moves.
• Utility varies from Pokemon to Pokemon, but basically these Pokemon are not often Offensive based and, even if they are, usually support the team more often than sweep. Such examples are laying entry hazards, setting up terrain, or using U-turn / Volt Switch. This can sometimes be known as Pivot as well.
• Defensive are basically Pokemon that are more Defensively-oriented.

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SM OU Ranking Tier List

(In alphabetical order)

S Rank:

S Rank

Greninja-Ash
Choice Specs: S
Z-Crystal: A-

Heatran
Firium Z: S
Specially Defensive: S
Steelium Z: A+
Grassium Z: A

Landorus-T
Flyinium Z: S
Rockium Z: S
Choice Scarf: S
Defensive: A+
Focus Sash: A
Double Dance: B+

Magearna
Shift Gear + 3 Attacks (Steelium): A+
Shift Gear + Calm Mind (BoltBeam): A+
Assault Vest: A+
Shift Gear + Calm Mind (FleurFocus): A+
Calm Mind + Pain Split: A-
Heart Swap + Pain Split: A-
Shift Gear + 3 Attacks (Fightinium / Electrium): A-


A Rank:

A+ Rank

Alakazam (Mega)
3 Attacks + Recover: A+
CM + Recover: A-

Ferrothorn
Utility: A+

Mawile (Mega)
Swords Dance: A+
All-Out Attacker: A+

Tornadus-T
Rocky Helmet: A+
Flyinium Z: A+
Fightinium Z: A-

Toxapex
Defensive: A+

A Rank

Celesteela
Defensive: A

Garchomp
Swords Dance + Rockium Z: A
TankChomp: A-

Greninja
Specially Based: A
Physically Based: A
Choice Scarf: A-
Focus Sash: B+

Kartana
Swords Dance + Normalium Z: A
Choice Band: A
Choice Scarf: A

Latias (Mega)
Calm Mind + 2 Attacks: A
Calm Mind + Stored Power: A-
Defensive: A-
Defog: B

Magnezone
Z-Crystal: A
Choice Scarf: A-
Choice Specs: A-

Medicham (Mega)
All-Out Attacker: A

Rotom-W
Physically Defensive: A
Specially Defensive: A-
Z-Crystal: B-

Tapu Bulu
Choice Band: A
Specially Defensive: A-

Tapu Koko
Choice Specs: A
Z-Move: A-
Defog: B
Dual Screens: B
Choice Scarf: C+

Tapu Lele
Choice Specs: A
Fightinium Z: A
Choice Scarf: A-
Assault Vest: B+
Psychium Z: B+

Tyranitar (Mega)
Stealth Rock: A
Dragon Dance: B

Volcarona
Bulky Buginium Z: A
Psychium Z: A
Wiki Berry: A-

A- Rank

Chansey
Pink Blob: A-

Clefable
Life Orb: A-
Defensive: B+

Gliscor
Stealth Rock: A-
Swords Dance: A-
Utility: B

Kyurem-B
Z-Move: A-
Life Orb: B+

Reuniclus
CM + 2 Attacks: A-
Acid Armor: A-

Scizor (Mega)
Swords Dance: A-
Curse: B
Defog: B-
Pursuit: C+

Tangrowth
Assault Vest: A-
Rocky Helmet: B+

Tyranitar
Assault Vest: A-
Choice Band: B+
Stealth Rock: B-

B Rank:

B+ Rank

Charizard (Mega X)
Dragon Dance + Roost: B+
Dragon Dance + 3 Attacks: B
3 Attacks + Roost: B

Diancie (Mega)
Protect: B+
Stealth Rock: B+
All-Out Attacker: B-

Excadrill
Sand Rush: B+
Leftovers: B+
Focus Sash: B

Gyarados
Dragon Dance + Z-Crystal: B+

Heracross (Mega)
Offensive: B+

Latios (Mega)
3 Attacks + Roost: B+

Lopunny (Mega)
All-Out Attacker: B+
Power-Up Punch: B+

Pelipper
Damp Rock: B+
Choice Specs: Intentionally not ranked

Sableye (Mega)
Specially Defensive: B+

Serperior
Glare: B+
Leech Seed: B+
Defog + Synthesis: B-
Choice Scarf: C+

Swampert (Mega)
Stealth Rock: B+
All-Out Attacker: B

Tapu Fini
Utility: B+

Zapdos
Physically Defensive Defog: B+
3 Attacks + Leftovers: B
Electrium Z: B-

B Rank

Amoonguss
Black Sludge: B
Assault Vest: C+

Blacephalon
Speedboosting Choice Specs: B
Speedboosting Sub+CM: B-

Gastrodon
Specially Defensive: B

Gyarados (Mega)
Dragon Dance: B

Hawlucha
Swords Dance: B

Hippowdon
Defensive: B

Hoopa-U
Choice Band: B
Choice Specs: B
Z-Crystal: B

Hydreigon
3 Attacks + Roost: B
Taunt: B-
Defog: C+

Jirachi
Choice Scarf: B
Specially Defensive: B

Kingdra
Choice Specs: B

Mamoswine
Offensive: B

Mew
Mewnium Z: B
Defensive: B-

Pinsir (Mega)
Swords Dance: B

Suicune
Substitute: B

Venusaur (Mega)
Defensive: B

Victini
Choice Scarf: B
Choice Band: B
Z-Celebrate: C+

Weavile
Choice Band: B
Choice Scarf: C+
Swords Dance: C+

B- Rank

Alomomola
Defensive: B-

Charizard (Mega Y)
3 Attacks + Roost: B-

Keldeo
Taunt + Calm Mind: B-
Substitute + Calm Mind: C+

Kyurem
Substitute + Roost: B-

Manaphy
Tail Glow: B-

Pyukumuku
Unaware: B-

Quagsire
Unaware: B-

Slowbro
Defensive: B-

Slowbro (Mega)
Defensive: B-



Rules:

• Post intelligently. Posts like "I think set X should be in this tier" will be deleted.
• No flaming and being an idiot. You'll get warned if you purposely do. This specifically includes making joke nominations about other users.
• Usage statistics may be used to support an argument or a claim, but don't base your ENTIRE argument around them. For example, you can't just say "Set X shouldn't be this tier because it isn't used that often!"
• Suspect talk, unrelated stuff, one liners that ask questions that provide no substance, something that doesn't really pertain to rankings or petty arguments about semantics and definitions, such as the definition of a counter as one example, will be deleted.
• Only argue about the rankings of potential sets here, not the individual Pokemon rankings, arguments about individual Pokemon should take place in the SM OU Viability Ranking thread.

 

[talah]

reserved

 

[pooyou123456789q]

My thoughts:
S looks fine
scarf ninja >>>> aoa, I'd probably move it up cuz ninja is probably the best scarfer atm
add lead ninja, A- seems good for it
is wp zygarde really different enough from Z-dance to warrant a separate set? personaly doubt it
av mag down since it's worthless vs balance & most things it wants to check can break through it
Z-sg lets you meme tran/fero, think its good as sg+cm
fightinium = psychium on lele imo
the two av growth sets are virtually the same
>cm sableye in 2k18
specs peliper down since most rain teams need damp rock and it's hard to justify on non-rain teams
scarf pony to b- since it's shit vs fat and volc use is down
switch the two latios sets since Z loses to the most common rocker and is shit vs all playstyles
change mamo set name to physical attacker since it can run other items
offensive mew to B since it's as good as defensive
helmet chomp down

 

[Mellow]

Scarf Tyranitar should definitely be somewhere around B+ / A-, it being ranked below Assault Vest is whack

edit: it's me from the future, i was very wrong LOL

 

[Felixx]

Add "Defog Pivot" Koko to A-, and "Dual Screens" to B+/A-, both should be ranked considering both have an analysis (Special Z-Crystal and Defog Pivot are 2 different sets)

 

[talah]

Updated! Full list of changes here.

 

[Yasuo]

-SubSwarm Volcarona should be added
- Scarf Garchomp should be added
- Speed Boosting Blacephalon could be mentioned I believe
- Choice Scarf Ttar needs to be ranked higher than AV, no one uses AV Ttar anymore
- Scarf Serperior and Defog Synthesis should be ranked lower, SubSeed is Serperiors best and most common set. Having the two extremely niche sets so close to it's staple doesn't feel right

 

[power]

Scarf Garchomp

 

[Yasuo]

Scarf Garchomp does have a OU analysis unlike TankChomp to be fair.

 

[Colonel M]

Scarf Garchomp does have a OU analysis unlike TankChomp to be fair.

To be fair ScarfChomp probably should be removed.

Don't quote me on that. It's an unmon no matter what.

 

[AM]

Blacephalon was an unmon for months and look how that turned out

 

[MANNAT]

-SubSwarm Volcarona should be added
- Scarf Garchomp should be added
- Speed Boosting Blacephalon could be mentioned I believe
- Choice Scarf Ttar needs to be ranked higher than AV, no one uses AV Ttar anymore
- Scarf Serperior and Defog Synthesis should be ranked lower, SubSeed is Serperiors best and most common set. Having the two extremely niche sets so close to it's staple doesn't feel right

• Scarf Garchomp is actually really bad and should be removed from the site
• Volcarona doesn't use SubSwarm commonly enough to mandate a set here imo, but it's not so unviable it can't be added ig
• AV TTar has actually seen a resurgence as of late to better check Heatran and situationally check Pokemon like Mega Alakazam
• Defog Synth is fine where it is and Scarf is a good bit better than Defog Synth while not being THAT much worse/niche compared to SubSeed so the rankings for him seem fine

 

[Kutscher]

Is sand rush drill worth being B? It seems that the last time I faced one was in oras

 

[Vengeance417]

Is sand rush drill worth being B? It seems that the last time I faced one was in oras

I don't think it is either, especially when Tyranitar itself has started to fall off recently. The best Excadrill set atm is Mold Breaker Sash Lead for HO squads.

 

[Flame from Heaven]

I think all of Blacepahlon’s sets should be b- right now as Scarf does an amazing job at wrecking common HO builds at the moment. It can also put in work against BO which is becoming more common. Choice Specs does great against BO and against HO it can get at least one kill if it finds a free opportunity to come in. It can also put work against balance if it’s paired with Spikes.

 

[LeNorm]

With Heatran, should the list now differentiate between Steelium-Z and Trapping-Z. They seem distinct enough to me to get different ranks (Steelium to S, Trapping-Z to A+ would be my vote) and now have different analyses up.

 

[Felixx]

I feel like "Acid Armor CM" Reuni should be above "CM 2 Attacks", since it's been a lot more popular recently w/ Tspikes support, both sets should be B+ so they should just switch places

Other than that, either rise "Scarf" regular Latios to B-, or switch places with "Z-Move + Defog", Scarf Latios is bad but it still gets some usage, and when was the last time you actually saw a decent team with Z-Move Latios?

 

[NotInMyChristianServer]

Calm Mind Clefable to A (below Magic Guard)
Since the reason of Clef viability is the massive team support it provides, IMO the Calm Mind set should be ranked below the Standard Magic Guard set. CM Clef cannot help Tran, Scarf Lando or anything somewhat bulky outside of paralysing problematic 'mons and/or removing Mega Sableye. But still, the "new" CM set is probably the best stallbreaker set in her arsenal, having any stall staple problems bar Skarmory and Unaware users.
PBP (Physically Based Protean) Greninja to A (above AoA)
Since this set's main niche is luring checks like Ferro, Chansey and Magearna by using Gren lower (but decent) Attack stat, obviously the damage output is not as high compared to the Waterium Z set, but having Spikes makes it better than the AoA set IMO, 'cause the team support Spikes provides. With this set lurking around, a lot of teams will need another Gren check like Pex or Mega Venu just to scout what set the frog is running.

 

[talah]

updated!(finally) full list of changes here.

e: also made some ninja changes

e2: also CM+Split Magearna to A-

 

[power]

Hey, I'm running this project again now! Revamped nearly the whole thing since it hasn't been touched for a few months; feel free to post nominations again. About half the mons got revamped from scratch, so hopefully this resource will be accurate for a good while now.

I won't be posting a changelog since so much got changed.

 

[neomon]

some small things:

I don't know if that has any relevance but I think Bulk Up Bulu is better than SD in most cases
I would mention bold pex somewhere cause thats about as good as the good old spdef set if not better rn
I'd drop screens koko one rank cause it isnt as dominant of a playstyle as it was before especially with lucha being considerably worse now
celebrate victini is imo more effective than both scarf and band but put that up for discussion

 

[Jordy]

I have a few suggestions.

I dont think Unaware Clefable should be ranked at B because I think all Unaware users (Quagsire, Pyukumuku, Clefable) are pretty much equal in terms of viability.

I feel like Rotom-W's "Defensive Defog" set should be renamed to "Defensive Utility" or "Utility", something along those lines at least because it doesn't exclusively run Defog, often dropping it for Will-O-Wisp or Thunder Wave instead.

On Hydreigon, I think "Stallbreaker" should be ranked, probably around B- or C+, because Taunt is used a decent amount.

 

[Socreo]

I think that Tapu Koko should have its Z-crystal set split into physical and special, since they are not equally viable (and it is that way on the dex).

 

[MattL]

I think it would be helpful to link each Pokemon's analysis into its name.

Greninja-Ash
Choice Specs: S
Z-Crystal: A-

Heatran
Firium Z: S
Specially Defensive: S
Steelium Z: A+
Utility Trapper: A+
Grassium Z: A

Landorus-T
Offensive Choice Scarf: S
Flyinium Z: S
Rockium Z: A
Bulky Choice Scarf: A
Defensive: A
Focus Sash: A

Thanks for running this!

 

[Adapt or Die]

I think scarf serperior should rise to B. Outspeeds mega-swamp in rain and a host of "faster" mons and common scarfers (looking at you Lele and lando-t) that foolishly try to revenge kill it. Makes an excellent sweeper/cleaner on its own, as well as super fast glare support for speed control of ddancers/volcarona. Super fast defog for hazard removal. Glare-seed is obviously serp's #1 set as it breaks some mons that scarf just can't, but scarf is its #2 set.