First of all, huge props and thanks to aim for creating this thread, and I'll try to contribute and read when I can.
Now when it comes to UU, it is in a really good place right now, and it's been a lot of fun building, and battling really. There is no playstyle that is dominating the meta, both offense, balance, and stall alike are all able to be used effectively, though stall being a bit harder to build than others may be. I wanna put my opinion on mons that are thriving, and some of the trends i've been seeing.
The cool croc Krook. This is quickly becoming one of the most reliable scarfers, and pursuit trappers in the tier and offers so much role compression for teams. While slower than pokemon such as scarf hydreigon and latias, due to it's awkward speed tier, it still does what it does very well. It's Ground/Dark typing leaves it immune to electric, which allows it to be able to block volt switch [what makes mega manectric so annoying, its speed tier+volt switch], access to pursuit which allows it to trap troublesome ghost, and psychic types granted you predict right. It also has the ability intimidate, which lowers the attack of the opponent which really does give Krook a defensive aspect that is very appreciated. There is also it's rocks set, though due to not having much experience with it I won't be saying much about it. All in all, Kroo is rising to dominance as one of the most splashable scarfers in the tier next to hydreigon.
This, this dragon right here is rising to prominance as easily one of the most versatile pokemon in the metagame. It has so many sets, A classic Dragon Dance set with z move, rocker, mixed, specs, belly drum, probably more that i can't think of at the moment. The point is: this thing is scary. The part on top of it that makes it that much more, is it's choices of abilities: Bulletproof, Soundproof, and Overcoat. These are all great options as they can all let it take advantage of certain mons. You want it to get past it's check in sylveon and special altaria? Use soundproof, bye bye hyper voice! Want it to take advantage of Amoonguss' spore? Overcoat is there. Want just an overall nice move to take care of some choice locked mons or to take advantage of stakataka? Bulletproof blocks things like Gyro Ball and shadow ball. It just has so many options that it can be so hard to predict and deal with. Also it takes advantage of a choice locked krookodile, which choice scarf is it's best set right now. Sadly I havent been able to really play around much with it due to having troubles building, but it is a nasty balance breaker that can take advantage of so many meta trends [Such as my next few points.]
Another dark type that takes advantage of some of the meta trends, this lobster is such a menace to deal with. It's main two sets are Choice Band and Swords Dance, and both make it scary. With it's base 120 attack, and it's ability adapdability it makes its stab moves just that much harder to deal with. The thing that holds it back is its speed, which is only base 55 [If this was faster it probably wouldn't be UU right now]. But guess what? This can be made up with because it has Aqua Jet, a priority move that only really gets outsped by other priority. Choice band raises it's attack immideatly by 1.5x with the downside that it's locked into one move, but whatever switches in is going to get damaged, that's the problem, even resisted hits do so much due to the increase in attack and the stab boost due to its ability. Switch it in safely with u-turn or volt switch, and something will get damaged. Swords Dance boosts a pokemons attack by 2x in one turn, which is also really scary with the threat that it can use waterium-z to have a one time super strong nuke that can get past pretty much anything. All in all, Crawdaunt is a wallbreaker and a cleaner [due to it's access to aqua jet] that can punch holes in teams or clean through a weakened team easily if one is not prepared, it also appreciates common defensive cores such as the next two mons.
These two make one of the most solid defensive cores on balance currently, and cover each others weaknesses almost perfectly. Hippowdon is one of the most reliable stealth rock setters on balance and bulky offense. With access to recovery in slack off, options in toxic, whirlwind, fire fang [for scizor] and it's reliable stab move in Earthquake, there isn't much that can go wrong with the hippo. It's a ground type and the most reliable Mega Manectric counter in the tier due to it's sheer bulk. 108/118/72 is nothing to scoff at, meaning it can take so many unboosted hits, granted they are neutral. And hell, it even takes some super effective non-stab moves pretty well too. It's weaknesses are ice, water, and grass, and guess what teams with 2 out of the three of those? Next up is Empoleon, the penguin whose risen to the top as one of the most solid defoggers. This thing is good right now, water/steel is very appreciated to deal with a lot of threats such as primarina, latias [Granted it's not electrium-z] popular flying types like togekiss [non aura sphere] and moltres, and if it has roar, suicune as well. it's a very good special wall with 84/88/101 in it's defenses. It's main set currently is defog, and occasionally rocks [though typically in this core hippowdon is the rocker]. It does have it's drawbacks, unlike hippowdon, Empoleon's only recovery is through leftovers which means it can get easily worn down and broken past unlike it's partner, which typically can only get truly broken past when boosted or if it is toxic'd. Another downside is that it's best set in Defog, is beaten by some of the tiers most common rockers, Swampert and Hippowdon on balance, Cobalion on offense, and other picks that don't beat it as easily [it depends on coverage]. Overall, these two compliment each other very well and overall, do the jobs they need to. Like said above, some of the new meta trends can take advantage of this core such as crawdaunt and kommo-o, but there isnt much that can go wrong with this combo.
The fighting types of the tier, they all dominate in their own ways. First off all: these all take advantage of a pokemon called krook if it's locked into a dark type move. Let's say Krook pursuits your latias, and then you have a Terrakion or Infernape. Switch in your fighting type and set up to do some massive damage. Cobalion and Terrakion both take advantage of krook more than infernape due to their ability justified which means a +1 in attack if hit with a dark type move. Let's focus in on the notable fighting types starting with Terrakion. Oh boy is this thing fun to go against, it's most notable sets being Choice Band and SD with a z-move. It can do a lot of damage even to resisted hits if predicts aren't on point. Choice band similar to crawdaunt raises it's base 130 [Let's just assume it's that, 129 is close enough to 30] attack to astronomical levels, letting it break through almost any team without a slowbro, doublade or palossand [The three biggest checks/counters to terrakion]. SD with it's prospective z-move is a similar thing to crawdaunt, boost attack, hit really hard, simple as that. Cobalion adds a lot more to a team than just breaking power like terrakion does. It's main set is a Rocker with SD, which let's it boost and break, and also set rocks. With it's Steel/Fighting combo it can also check scizor which is still one of the best pokemon in the tier. It also has it's calm mind set [which is heat tbh] though like before, i don't have experience with it so I won't say too much about it, but htis allows it to get past it's common checks and counters due to being special instead of physical. Next up, infernape, the monkey. It's most common set right now is nasty plot and boy is it scary. Fire/Fighting stabs is really hard to resist with the only true counter being latias due to being able to outspeed and with access to roost [if chosen]. Infernape has all the options it needs, z moves to send off a powerful nuke, ways to boost itself, strong moves to throw off, priority, and options like grass knot. It has it all really. There are also it's other sets in Choice Scarf, Choice Band, Mixed Life Orb, Life Orb Slack Off, and the rare SD. Another very versatile pokemon that can do a lot. There is also it's Nasty Plot brother in Lucario, not as bulky as Cobalion, but can also break through unprepared teams pretty well. Sadly not as good of a speed tier as the three most notable ones above. There is also Kommo-o but the dragon was spoken about earlier in the post.
Now let's talk about this guy. Slowbro and his mega. These two are as good as ever in the metagame, with their typical calm mind sets, discovering it's potential with block, and well.. there's a lot to say here. Let's start out with it's base form. 95/110/80 in terms of bulk, water/psychic typing which allows it to check some of the tiers premier threats, and it's ability regenerator, letting it recover 1/3 of it's health once it switches out. This thing is great on it's own. With access to scald, reliable recovery in slack off, ability to set up if it wants, moves like toxic and thunder wave to cripple and annoy things, it has it all. The best set to use on regular slowbro right now [though don't quote me on this] is it's block toxic set with rest. Trap something like aggron, pert, etc with block, burn with scald or toxic, then stall. Hooray a wall is gone. With it's immense physical bulk not only can it trap walls, it can wall things as well, which just makes it that much better and more annoying, but I think we know what it does. There are also sets that use thunder wave, ice beam to lure it's checks, and much more. What can't slowbro do? Now let's assume it's a calm mind set, what is the one thing you don't want to happen if you are setting up? Get crit and lose everything you worked for. Now, turning to mega slowbro, that's solved with Shell Armor, which prevents you from being crit! Now it's bulk is even greater then before, boasting its stats at 95/180/80. Now that's a huge! boost to it's defense and it patches up it's special defense through the use of calm mind. This thing with enough boosts is so hard to kill without toxic [and if it has rest, too bad for you]. And what makes this even more great, even if you have the mega, you don't have to mega evolve right away, which let's you take advantage of the great ability normal slowbro has in regenerator. This thing is bulky, has the typing to wall tons of threats, and can just do so damn much in this current meta only really being stopped by the likes of special ghost, dark, and electric types like gengar, chandelure, hydreigon, and manectric. [There are other things that can break it but these most easily stop slowbro.]
There are a lot of mons that have fallen out of favor as well, such as swampert and rhyperior losing out as the premier checks to mega manectric, or rotom mow in favor of it's alternate form rotom heat due to mamo returning to UU from OU. Muk losing its spot as one of the best special walls and pursuit trappers, and a lot more really. It's amazing how much the meta has changed in such a short time due to drastic things such as Gliscor and Serp moving to OU, and some things at risk of dropping such as Latios or who knows what else. There is still a lot to explore in the current meta, and we'll see how it develops further on.
Honestly there is so much I could add to this, but these are the main points that i feel really show what the meta is leading towards. No one playstyle really dominates, fat has ways to beat offense, offense has ways to beat fat, and i don't really see one playstyle being super dominant [Though I do feel offense takes advantage of current trends better than balance does]. A lot of what is shown above is things that have been on the down low that have really risen to prominence from the changes that have happened recently, and i hope it stays this way for a while. This turned out to be a really long post due to how much there really was to talk about, and i'm sure there's even more, hopefully this can spark a bit of discussion of what other pokemon are rising that go with these trends, or are anti-meta and are able to beat the current trends. This is the most fun i've had in UU for a while and I'm hoping to be a better part of the community
Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my large blob of me ranting and saying who knows what, happy discussing! o/
