Sword/Shield Doubles OU Metagame Primer

• Composition
• Play Restrictions
  • Pokémon Restrictions
  • Ability Restrictions
  • Move Restrictions
• The Doubles Forum
  • Learn
  • Participate

Composition

Doubles OU is a format in which both players have two Pokémon on the field at the same time. All Pokémon except those on the banlist can be used in Doubles OU regardless of the Pokémon's tier in singles play. Unlike in VGC, all Pokémon default to level 100 instead of level 50.

A list of the Pokémon with DOU analyses for the SS era is found on the dex page.

Play Restrictions

• Endless Battle Clause: Players cannot use any moveset on any Pokémon capable of intentionally causing an endless battle. Thus:
  • A Pokémon may not carry Recycle and hold a Leppa Berry in conjunction with Heal Pulse and Moonlight, Morning Sun, Recover, Roost, Slack Off, Soft-Boiled, or Wish.
  • A Pokémon may not hold a Leppa Berry while carrying Recycle and Pain Split.
  • A Pokémon may not hold a Leppa Berry while carrying Recycle and Fling.
• Evasion Clause: Players cannot use the moves Double Team or Minimize.
• OHKO Clause: Players cannot use the moves Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, or Sheer Cold.
• Species Clause: Players cannot have two Pokémon with the same Pokédex number on the same team.
• Gravity Sleep Clause: Sleep moves with below one hundred percent accuracy may not be used in conjunction with Gravity or Gigantamax Orbeetle.
• Dynamax Clause: Players cannot Dynamax their Pokémon.

Pokémon Restrictions

Players cannot use the following Pokémon:

• Calyrex-Ice
• Calyrex-Shadow
• Dialga
• Eternatus
• Giratina
• Giratina-Origin
• Groudon
• Ho-Oh
• Jirachi
• Kyogre
• Kyurem-White
• Lugia
• Lunala
• Magearna
• Melmetal
• Mewtwo
• Necrozma-Dawn Wings
• Necrozma-Dusk Mane
• Palkia
• Rayquaza
• Reshiram
• Solgaleo
• Urshifu (Single Strike)
• Xerneas
• Yveltal
• Zacian
• Zacian-Crowned
• Zamazenta
• Zamazenta-Crowned
• Zekrom

Ability Restrictions

Players cannot use the following abilities:

• Power Construct
• Shadow Tag

Move Restrictions

Players cannot use the following moves:

• Swagger

The Doubles Forum

Learn

The Overview, Rules, and Q&A thread is a great place to learn about the tier and ask any simple questions you might have relating to the Doubles OU metagame. Do not make new threads for questions that could be answered here.

Participate

The SS Doubles OU Viability Rankings sorts Pokémon that are effective in Doubles OU by how well they fare against the rest of the metagame.

The Now Playing thread allows players to discuss current suspects, as well as any metagame trends including newly released Pokémon, newly successful sets or ideas, and potentially broken threats.

The Doubles Circuit Thread details the many official tournaments that are run each year, with information about each tournament, instructions on how to participate, and an outline on how they are incorporated into the overall circuit.

The Doubles OU Discord server allows you to chat in real time with other Trainers about the DOU tier.