I haven't seen a thread of this nature yet, so if there already is one, or topics of this nature are disallowed on this forum, then that's fine.
_ _ _
This forms a vague “Tier list” for what’s being used in the 2011 VGC. The smaller selection of Gen 5 makes it easier to narrow down what is and is not used for this particular game. With no Ubers, or the crazier strategies such as Dark Void Smeargle around, gauging the common threats is much easier than usual.
My lack of any real statistics means this is solely based on observing what most people use for VGC on Pokemon Online, as well as some matches from Seattle, so reliability may differ depending on the experiences of different people. Either way, I’m sure this reflects which pokemon are threatening, which are viable but outclassed, and those pokemon simply nobody has wanted to use.
I’ve also tried to add brief reasons for their usage and threat. What is taken into account are support moves, multi-hit moves, abilities, significant stats and resistances. Resistances and immunities are taken into account regarding multi-hit moves. It’s worth mentioning that there is almost a Dark-Ghost-Fighting centralisation to the metagame, with many of the OU pokemon either being or countering these types. Grass and Flying are also types often taken into account.
Most used multi-hit moves: Water (Water Spout & Surf), Heat Wave, Earthquake, Rock Slide
Most used support/status moves: Trick Room, Rage Powder, Fake Out, Tailwind, Spore, Encore, Taunt
Most used ability: Prankster
Overall, VGC seems to be offensive, though defense and support are still viable strategies.
_ _ _
(TR) indicates pokemon that can take advantage of Trick Room being in effect
* indicates pokemon used at Level 1
This list is primarily based on USAGE
OU (Defining the metagame)
Thundurus - Prankster, Taunt, Thunder Wave, High Offense, High Speed, priority Rain
Whimsicott (TR) - Prankster, Taunt, Beat Up, Endeavor, Trick Room, High Speed, Helping Hand, Encore, Tailwind, priority Sun
Hydreigon - High offense, Earthquake immunity, Water/Heat Wave resistance
Amoongus (TR) - Spore, Rage Powder, High Defense, Water resistance
Jellicent (TR) - Water Spout, High Defense, Trick Room, Heat Wave resistance, Water immunity
Tornadus - Prankster, Taunt, Tailwind, High Speed, priority Rain
Chandelure (TR) - Heat Wave, Trick Room, Taunt, Heat Wave immunity, Imprison
Terrakion - Beat Up recipient, Rock Slide, Earthquake
Mienshao - Fake Out, Inner Focus, Rock Slide, High Offense, High Speed, Fast Guard, Wide Guard
Landorus - Earthquake, Earthquake immunity
Haxorus - High Offense, Earthquake, can hit Levitators
Scrafty (TR) - Fake Out, Rock Slide, Good coverage, High offense, Shed Skin
Reuniclus (TR) - Trick Room, Offense and Defense, Magic Guard
Conkeldurr (TR) – High Offense, Rock Slide, Guts, Wide Guard
BL (Often seen)
Archeops – High Speed, High Offense, Rock Slide, Ability can be swapped/nullified
Volcarona – Heat Wave, Rage Powder
Eeelektros (TR) – Offense and Defense, Good movepool, Mixed, Earthquake immunity.
Cofagrigus (TR) – High defense, Taunt, Trick Room, Cursed Body
Gigalith (TR) - Offense and Defense, Sturdy, Explosion, Rock Slide, Heat Wave resistance, Sandstorm
Druddigon (TR) – High offense
Krookodile – Earthquake, Rock Slide, Intimidate
Zoroark – High Speed, Mind Games
Golurk (TR) – Earthquake, Rock Slide, Sandstorm
Musharna (TR) - Telepathy, High Defense, Trick Room, Skill Swap
Stoutland - Intimidate
Bisharp - Sucker Punch
Darmanitan – High offense
UU (Only occasionally seen)
Escavalier (TR) – High Offense
Galvantula – High Speed, Good Offensive moves
Ferrothorn - Water resistance
Carracosta - Surf, Rockslide, Sturdy
Solosis* (TR) - Trick Room, Endeavor
Whimsicott/Cotonnee* (TR) - Endeavor, Prankster, Trick Room
Alomomola - High Defense, Wish, Healing Heart, Wide Guard, Healing Pulse, Soak
Cincinno – After You, Helping Hand, Encore
Seismitoad - Surf, Earthquake, Muddy Water, Swift Swim
Sigilyph - Skill Swap
Lilligant – Teeter Dance, Chlorophyll
Accelgor -
Braviary - Tailwind
Audino – High Defense, Healing Pulse
Liepard – Fake Out, High Speed
Beheeyem - Telepathy, Simple Beam, Skill Swap
Crustle - Rock Slide
Excadrill - Rock Slide, Earthquake
Vanilluxe - Blizzard
Basculin - High Offense, Aqua Jet, Muddy Water, Surf
Virizion - High Defense, possible Beat Up Recipient
Maractus - Water Absorb, Acupressure, Sucker Punch
Boufalant - Offense and Defense, Sap Sipper
NU (Almost never seen)
Banned
Any Gen 1 pokemon (#001-151)
Any Gen 2 pokemon (#152-251)
Any Gen 3 pokemon (#252-386)
Any Gen 4 pokemon (#386-493)
Victini (#494)
Reshiram (#643)
Zekrom (#644)
Kyurem (#646)
Keldeo (#647)
Meloetta (#648)
Genesect (#649)
(the move "Freefall" is also banned)
_ _ _
April P-O statistics (not reflective of actual VGC players, of course)
The tiers are pretty close, more so than normal tiers, so I decided to add a Borderline tier. I don't think this makes things too much of a clusterfuck, but if it all gets too convoluted i'll remove it.
Obviously, feel free to discuss this list, if you feel something is either out of place or simply too significant a threat to confine to lower tiers, then it's worth a mention.
_ _ _
This forms a vague “Tier list” for what’s being used in the 2011 VGC. The smaller selection of Gen 5 makes it easier to narrow down what is and is not used for this particular game. With no Ubers, or the crazier strategies such as Dark Void Smeargle around, gauging the common threats is much easier than usual.
My lack of any real statistics means this is solely based on observing what most people use for VGC on Pokemon Online, as well as some matches from Seattle, so reliability may differ depending on the experiences of different people. Either way, I’m sure this reflects which pokemon are threatening, which are viable but outclassed, and those pokemon simply nobody has wanted to use.
I’ve also tried to add brief reasons for their usage and threat. What is taken into account are support moves, multi-hit moves, abilities, significant stats and resistances. Resistances and immunities are taken into account regarding multi-hit moves. It’s worth mentioning that there is almost a Dark-Ghost-Fighting centralisation to the metagame, with many of the OU pokemon either being or countering these types. Grass and Flying are also types often taken into account.
Most used multi-hit moves: Water (Water Spout & Surf), Heat Wave, Earthquake, Rock Slide
Most used support/status moves: Trick Room, Rage Powder, Fake Out, Tailwind, Spore, Encore, Taunt
Most used ability: Prankster
Overall, VGC seems to be offensive, though defense and support are still viable strategies.
_ _ _
(TR) indicates pokemon that can take advantage of Trick Room being in effect
* indicates pokemon used at Level 1
This list is primarily based on USAGE
OU (Defining the metagame)
Thundurus - Prankster, Taunt, Thunder Wave, High Offense, High Speed, priority Rain
Whimsicott (TR) - Prankster, Taunt, Beat Up, Endeavor, Trick Room, High Speed, Helping Hand, Encore, Tailwind, priority Sun
Hydreigon - High offense, Earthquake immunity, Water/Heat Wave resistance
Amoongus (TR) - Spore, Rage Powder, High Defense, Water resistance
Jellicent (TR) - Water Spout, High Defense, Trick Room, Heat Wave resistance, Water immunity
Tornadus - Prankster, Taunt, Tailwind, High Speed, priority Rain
Chandelure (TR) - Heat Wave, Trick Room, Taunt, Heat Wave immunity, Imprison
Terrakion - Beat Up recipient, Rock Slide, Earthquake
Mienshao - Fake Out, Inner Focus, Rock Slide, High Offense, High Speed, Fast Guard, Wide Guard
Landorus - Earthquake, Earthquake immunity
Haxorus - High Offense, Earthquake, can hit Levitators
Scrafty (TR) - Fake Out, Rock Slide, Good coverage, High offense, Shed Skin
Reuniclus (TR) - Trick Room, Offense and Defense, Magic Guard
Conkeldurr (TR) – High Offense, Rock Slide, Guts, Wide Guard
BL (Often seen)
Archeops – High Speed, High Offense, Rock Slide, Ability can be swapped/nullified
Volcarona – Heat Wave, Rage Powder
Eeelektros (TR) – Offense and Defense, Good movepool, Mixed, Earthquake immunity.
Cofagrigus (TR) – High defense, Taunt, Trick Room, Cursed Body
Gigalith (TR) - Offense and Defense, Sturdy, Explosion, Rock Slide, Heat Wave resistance, Sandstorm
Druddigon (TR) – High offense
Krookodile – Earthquake, Rock Slide, Intimidate
Zoroark – High Speed, Mind Games
Golurk (TR) – Earthquake, Rock Slide, Sandstorm
Musharna (TR) - Telepathy, High Defense, Trick Room, Skill Swap
Stoutland - Intimidate
Bisharp - Sucker Punch
Darmanitan – High offense
UU (Only occasionally seen)
Escavalier (TR) – High Offense
Galvantula – High Speed, Good Offensive moves
Ferrothorn - Water resistance
Carracosta - Surf, Rockslide, Sturdy
Solosis* (TR) - Trick Room, Endeavor
Whimsicott/Cotonnee* (TR) - Endeavor, Prankster, Trick Room
Alomomola - High Defense, Wish, Healing Heart, Wide Guard, Healing Pulse, Soak
Cincinno – After You, Helping Hand, Encore
Seismitoad - Surf, Earthquake, Muddy Water, Swift Swim
Sigilyph - Skill Swap
Lilligant – Teeter Dance, Chlorophyll
Accelgor -
Braviary - Tailwind
Audino – High Defense, Healing Pulse
Liepard – Fake Out, High Speed
Beheeyem - Telepathy, Simple Beam, Skill Swap
Crustle - Rock Slide
Excadrill - Rock Slide, Earthquake
Vanilluxe - Blizzard
Basculin - High Offense, Aqua Jet, Muddy Water, Surf
Virizion - High Defense, possible Beat Up Recipient
Maractus - Water Absorb, Acupressure, Sucker Punch
Boufalant - Offense and Defense, Sap Sipper
NU (Almost never seen)
Serperior
Emboar
Samurott
Watchog
Simisage
Simisear
Simipour
Unfezant
Zebstrika
Swoobat
Throh
Sawk
Leavanny
Scolipede
Garbodor
Gothitelle
Swanna - Surf, Rain Dance=
Sawsbuck
Emolga
Klinklang
Beartic
Cryogonal
Stunfisk
Mandibuzz - High Defense, Tailwind
Heatmor
Durant
Cobalion
Emboar
Samurott
Watchog
Simisage
Simisear
Simipour
Unfezant
Zebstrika
Swoobat
Throh
Sawk
Leavanny
Scolipede
Garbodor
Gothitelle
Swanna - Surf, Rain Dance=
Sawsbuck
Emolga
Klinklang
Beartic
Cryogonal
Stunfisk
Mandibuzz - High Defense, Tailwind
Heatmor
Durant
Cobalion
Banned
Any Gen 1 pokemon (#001-151)
Any Gen 2 pokemon (#152-251)
Any Gen 3 pokemon (#252-386)
Any Gen 4 pokemon (#386-493)
Victini (#494)
Reshiram (#643)
Zekrom (#644)
Kyurem (#646)
Keldeo (#647)
Meloetta (#648)
Genesect (#649)
(the move "Freefall" is also banned)
_ _ _
April P-O statistics (not reflective of actual VGC players, of course)
The tiers are pretty close, more so than normal tiers, so I decided to add a Borderline tier. I don't think this makes things too much of a clusterfuck, but if it all gets too convoluted i'll remove it.
Obviously, feel free to discuss this list, if you feel something is either out of place or simply too significant a threat to confine to lower tiers, then it's worth a mention.