Resource USUM RU Sets Viability Rankings

[zizalith]

approved by MrAldo
op stolen from the ou one

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Welcome to the RU 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. The sets for each Pokemon are organized in order of viability. Keep in mind some analyses may be outdated and not have a mention of a set shown here; this will be handled on a case to case basis.

You can also consult with the RU Role Compendium for more information.

Cohosted with:

• Averardo
• banks
• Chrisloud1
• GustavoYAY

Terminology

• 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.

S RANK:

Blastoise Mega
Offensive Spinner: S

Zygarde-10%
Choice Band: S
Dragon Dance: A

A RANK:

A+:

Registeel
Defensive: A+

Roserade
Life Orb: A+
Black Sludge: A+

Shaymin
Offensive: A+
Z-Celebrate: A
SubSeed: B+
Choice Scarf: B+

Virizion
Swords Dance: A+
Calm Mind: B+

A:

Barbaracle
Shell Smash: A

Gardevoir
Choice Specs: A
Choice Scarf: A
Calm Mind: C

Milotic
Defensive: A
Competitive: C-

Metagross:
Choice Band: A
Stealth Rock: A
Agility: B+
Choice Scarf: B
Mixed: C
Assault Vest: C

Ninetales
Nasty Plot: A
Choice Specs: A

Noivern
Taunt + Roost: A
Choice Scarf: B
Choice Specs: B-
Stallbreaker: B

Toxicroak
Swords Dance: A
Choice Scarf: B+
Nasty Plot: C+

Tyrantrum
Choice Band: A
Choice Scarf: A-
Rock Polish: B

A-:

Arcanine
Life Orb: A-
Electrium Z: A-
Choice Band: B-
Defensive: C+

Bronzong
Defensive: A-

Machamp
Assault Vest: A-
Choice Band: B+
Flame Orb: B+

Mandibuzz
Stallbreaker: A-
Specially Defensive: B+
Physically Defensive: B

Raikou
CM + Z-Move: A-
Choice Specs: B+
Choice Scarf: B-
Assault Vest: B-
Sub + Toxic: C+
Vinkou: C-

Seismitoad:
Stealth Rock: A-

Snorlax
Curselax: A-
Choice Band: B+
Gluttony: B-

Salazzle
Nasty Plot: A-
Choice Scarf: B+

B RANK:

B+:

Abomasnow-Mega
Swords Dance: B+
Mixed: B-

Ampharos-Mega
Wallbreaker: B+

Bewear
Choice Band: B+
Swords Dance: B

Dragalge
Offensive: B+
Defensive: C

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

Feraligatr
Swords Dance: B+
Dragon Dance: B

Goodra
Choice Specs: B+
Choice Scarf: B+
Choice Band: B
Electrium Z: B-
Assault Vest: C

Golisopod
Choice Band: B+
Spikes: B-

Mantine
Defog: A-

Mismagius
Nasty Plot: B+

Nidoqueen
Offensive Hazard Setter: B+
Defensive Hazard Setter: C-

Rhyperior
Tank: B+
Choice Band: B-

Slowking
Assault Vest: B+
Nasty Plot OTR: C

B:

Araquanid
Totem Trapper: B
Sticky Webs: B-

Cresselia
Defensive: B
Calm Mind: B-

Diancie
Defensive: B
Offensive: B

Escavalier
Choice Band: B
Bulky Attacker: B-
Swords Dance: C-

Florges
Defensive: B
Offensive: B

Flygon
Dragon Dance: B
Choice Scarf: C+

Forretress
Utility: B
Suicide Lead: C

Lycanroc-Dusk
Swords Dance: B
Choice Band: C+

Necrozma
Offensive Stealth Rock: B
Calm Mind: B
Swords Dance: C+

Porygon2
Defensive: B

Sigilyph
Defog: B
Calm Mind: B-

Slowbro
Physically Defensive: B
Calm Mind: B-

Swellow
Choice Specs: B

Umbreon
Cleric: B

Yanmega
Tinted Lens: B
Speed Boost: C+

B-:

Aerodactyl
Offensive Utility: B-

Espeon
Calm Mind: B-
Electrium Z: B-
Choice Specs: B-
Rocky Helmet: C
Choice Scarf: C-

Froslass
Spikes Lead: B-

Honchkrow
Life Orb: B-
Z-Taunt: B-

Houndoom
Nasty Plot: B-
Choice Scarf: C
Mixed: C-

Medicham
Life Orb: B-
Choice Scarf: C+

Pangoro
Choice Band: B-
Swords Dance: C+

Pyukumuku
Unaware Wall: B-

Rotom-C
Utility: B-
Choice Scarf: C-

Tsareena
Rapid Spin: B-
Choice Band: C+

Vaporeon
WishTect: B-

C RANK:

C+:

Cloyster
Shell Smash: C+

Donphan
Rapid Spin: C+

Gigalith
Defensive: C+
Choice Band: C

Glalie-Mega
Offensive: C+

Linoone
Belly Drum: C+

Marowak-Alola
Swords Dance: C+
Stealth Rock: C

Ribombee
Choice Specs: C+
Quiver Dance: C
Sticky Webs: C-
Choice Scarf: C-

Sneasel
Offensive: C+

Stoutland
Sand Sweeper: C+

Torkoal
Sun Support: C+

Torterra
Stealth Rock: C+
Swords Dance: C

Venusaur
Sun Sweeper: C+

C:

Bruxish
Swords Dance: C
Choice Band: C
Choice Scarf: C-

Emboar
Choice Band: C
Bulk Up: C-

Galvantula
Sticky Webs: C

Golbat
Taunt + Toxic: C
Defog: C

Passimian
Choice Scarf: C
Choice Band: C

Quagsire
Unaware Wall: C

Slurpuff
Belly Drum: C

Steelix
Defensive: C

Vanilluxe
3 Attacks + Taunt: C
Choice Specs: C-

Vivillon
Flyinium Z: C

Uxie
Utility: C

Xatu
Defensive: C

C-:

Comfey
Calm Mind: C-
SubSeed: C-

Golem-Alola
Steel Trapper: C-

Kingdra
Critdra: C-
Rain Sweeper: C-

Vikavolt
Tank: C-

D:

Banette-Mega
Offensive Utility: D

Jolteon
All out Attacker: D

 

[KW]

omg the ludicrously inaccurate vr wasn't enough, now we feel the need to rank the sets
quick fixes
Choice Scarf is terrible on min should be like C
Z Cele is A+ worthy
Subseed is A+ Worthy
Regular Offensive is A-
I am literally repulsed by the Gardevoir rankings, specs is B at best Choice scarf is S and CM is a non set
Gligar makes a terrible stallbreaker
Grassium Entei can be like B, switch places with Vintei imo
Noivern's only set is stallbreaker, what does utility even mean? defog? that's not a set, neither is specs
Offensive Dragalge is bad in a meta w/ too many steels, should be B-
CB Pangoro is terrible, SD is quite alright
Did you say choice scarf is Flygon's best set?!
DD Zydoge is as good as cb

 

[Guidorealmsmc]

Just gonna make a couple of suggestions:

• Dragon Dance Zygarde should be A. It's probably among the best and most reliable setup sweepers in the tier doesn't because it doesn't really need too much support and it's really difficult to revenge kill it. Plus it turns the tables on many of zygarde's normal switch ins. As a result I think A- undermines the capabilities of dd zygarde as a whole.
• Offensive Diancie is about as good as defensive one. Offensive Stealth rock variants gives offense a rocks setter that has the power + coverage to deter other setters from coming in vs it while also being able to heavily threaten removers at the same time(blastoise takes a huge chunk from moonblast, mandibuzz loses to it, and gligar doesn't take moonblasts very well from it unless it's spdef), a bird check, a fire check that's not crippled by burns are all things that make it quite effective in this meta.
• Put scarfgon at C+. Neither set is really thay great in the meta but scarf is much less threatening because it's stabs are terrible to be locked into making it forced to go for u turn overpredicts which deals pathetic damage on a 100 attack no stab option. Dragon dance set I feel should be ranked lowly too but only because there are better setup sweepers that require a lot less support and have much less flaws like zygarde(can run adamant, isn't forced to waste z move vs ground immunities, and extreme speed ruins scarfers and sends golisiopod into Emergency exit after rocks), barbaracle(way stronger and harder to check. Also has 1 expendable slot to run something to beat a supposed check), or virizion(compresses a ton of roles for a team along with being a very good set up sweeper which makes it quite easy to fit.

 

[zizalith]

this is finally updated!!

 

[banks]

Remove scarf from roserade, it was plausible a few months ago but there's really no need for it at all now. Probably best to differentiate offensive sets in roserade as well, like more offensive lo Leaf Storm / Hidden power [type] / Synthesis / Sludge or Spikes, as well as less offensively based Synth / Spikes Black Sludge or Yache berry sets.

Toxic doublade fell out of fashion enough so that it warrants a removal of the set. Pursuit is usually merged into Swords Dance sets these days.

Choice specs or scarf really aren't as bad as they're depicted here, specs and scarf should probably be the same ranking and around b+ / a- area.

Lower the ranking of Choice band, not really seen anyone use it recently and I think scarf has a lot more business being in b+ over band.

Choice scarf should be a- or b+, realistically scarf sees more usage (and success as a result) so the ranking should reflect on that accordingly.

Differentiation between choice band and spikes, with choice band being b+ and spikes being lower at b- / b.

Calm Mind is on par with the offensive stealth rock set by now, also not seen someone use Swords Dance in a long, long time, since like early usm so yeah lower that.


Other insignificant things; was agility feraligatr every a thing lol? if it was I'd probably nuke it now. Speed boost yanmega shouldn't be that low, rabbit recently used it in ruwc that worked effectively vs his opponent.

 

[zizalith]

hello! we've recently decided to introduce a sets viability rankings team that will discuss metagame shifts and vote to decide which rank each set will be in. placements can be strongly influenced by convincing posts so make sure to write down your thoughts on the meta!

say hello to the new team members:

• Chrisloud1
• banks
• Averardo
• GustavoYAY

i really hope we can get more discussion going on here!

 

[HonchTheConch]

Unlesss Someone says otherwise, I dont really see Defensive Toxicroak being viable simply because stall has decreased signifigantly in viabillity

 

[Sickist]

happy to have you Chrisloud1 banks Averardo and GustavoYAY !

I also second removing scarf roserade, get that outta here please.

 

[zizalith]

first update coming up:

Rises:

Assault Vest: UR -> B-
Sub + Toxic: UR -> C+

Drops:

Choice Scarf: C -> UR

Defensive: C- -> UR

Choice Band: A- -> B+

Assault Vest: C -> UR

Utility: C+ -> UR

others:

Stealth Rock + Rapid Spin renamed to just Rapid Spin.

reasonings

assault vest raikou has been used on offense to check water types like mega blastoise and milotic while providing extremely useful volt switch support. likewise, sub + toxic variants have sprung up to deal with common electric type checks such as rhyperior, gastrodon, and goodra.

choice scarf rose has seen very little usage lately, as the role compression it offers in speed control + spikes is neither useful or consistent. additionally, it finds itself outclassed by other scarfers and grass types like shaymin.

defensive croak was used on stall teams on a meta where cress was easily exploitable and other fighting resists like aromatisse and croak started gaining more usage. cress is back to being good, and stall has significantly decreased in viability since gligars departure, which warrants a drop.

choice band champ, although powerful, faces much competition from the more common flame orb variants. even though it has more longevity and can get even more power if statused, not being able to switch moves is too significant to keep it in the a ranks.

assault vest snorlax is a blend of regular curselax's defenses and resistances with figy lax's offensive presence. however, it is not particularly good at either role and ends up being worn down way too quickly to be viable.

utility missy was used to spread burns and help setup sweepers setup with memento. however, its lacking offensive presence makes it largely useless on most scenarios compared to regular nasty plot variants.

donphan's niche is no longer a spin + rocks set, and although it is somewhat viable it isnt very reliable, so the set was just changed to spinner to reflect this.

there was also some discussion on removing rocky helmet espy, although its ability to break balance and stall under screens make it a viable pick on such archetypes. magic bounce also helps screen teams to preserve their screens against defog users like mantine and set up on them

feel free to discuss any changes.