BW RU Threat List

1. Offensive Threats
2. Defensive Threats

Offensive Threats

Absol

Typing: Dark
Base Stats: 65 HP / 130 Atk / 60 Def / 75 SpA / 60 SpD / 75 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Super Luck / Justified

Absol possesses the strongest priority available in RU, its STAB Sucker Punch. So, you can bet your bottom dollar that nearly every set will be based around utilizing this aspect to the fullest extent. Absol is typically seen boosting its already sky-high Attack with Swords Dance and Life Orb, and then punishing the opponent with its Sucker Punch. It will also typically carry Substitute to block status and give it an opportunity to set up due to its frailness. Absol is also adept at putting frail Ghost- and Psychic-types in a checkmate position due to its incredibly powerful STAB Pursuit and the threat of Sucker Punch. Additionally, mixed Absol is a great lure for Pokemon like Escavalier and Tangrowth, thanks to its Fire Blast reliably KOing them.

Accelgor

Typing: Bug
Base Stats: 80 HP / 70 Atk / 40 Def / 100 SpA / 60 SpD / 145 Spe
Abilities: Hydration / Sticky Hold / Unburden

Boasting the highest Speed stat in RU bar Ninjask, Accelgor can swiftly devastate its opponents. Speed isn't all that's going for it; Accelgor has great Special Attack and fantastic coverage amongst its attacks. Bug Buzz threatens namely the Grass- and Psychic-types in the tier, with Focus Blast bringing up the rear hitting Normal-, Steel-, and Rock-types. Accelgor also has the option of Hidden Power Rock; Hidden Power Rock hits Moltres, which would otherwise wall Accelgor. Giga Drain is another threat to hit Water-types looking for a free entry. Usually, being a Bug-type is a liability; however, in RU, many common Pokémon are weak to Bug, such as Uxie, Slowking, Tangrowth, and Lilligant. Being a powerful offensive threat isn't all that's going for Accelgor; it has access to the slimly distributed Spikes, allowing it to support its team. However, most people overlook that option because of Accelgor's frailty. Despite not being the most common threat around, Accelgor can rip through teams easily given the opportunity.

Aerodactyl

Typing: Rock / Flying
Base Stats: 80 HP / 105 Atk / 65 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 130 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Pressure / Unnerve

Aerodactyl has fallen a long way from its former OU status in DPP. However, it fits right in with the RU metagame, and is now one of the most popular and effective Pokémon to use. Sporting a great base 130 Speed, it outruns virtually everything in the metagame with the exception of Accelgor and most Choice Scarf users. It has access to the famous EdgeQuake combination, allowing it to hit many Pokémon in the RU tier for neutral damage, and those that it doesn't, such as Torterra, Aerodactyl can power through with Double-Edge. Aerodactyl isn't just limited to attacking either. It is a fantastic dedicated lead, as with its high Speed and access to both Taunt and Stealth Rock, it can often set up Stealth Rock while preventing your opponent from doing the same, something that most Pokémon with access to Stealth Rock are hard-pressed to do. In addition, while Aerodactyl has yet to receive the elusive Brave Bird and Head Smash, it has finally received a usable boosting move in the form of Hone Claws. Although a +1 boost may seem underwhelming, the +1 accuracy boost really helps with Stone Edge, as it will have 100% accuracy after a single boost. Aerodactyl can really tear things up in RU if you give it a chance!

Aggron

Typing: Steel / Rock
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 180 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Sturdy / Rock Head / Heavy Metal

This heavily armored rhinoceros looks like one big, mean mofo. But looks are not all Aggron has going for it, for it is one of the most potent offensive threats in the BW RU metagame. In a tier lacking monster physical walls such as Skarmory and Hippowdon, Aggron is freed from its shackles and ready to wreak havoc. With abysmal Speed, horrendous Special Defense, good but unspectacular Attack, and one of the worst defensive typings in the game, Aggron doesn't seem like much of a threat at first glance. But it has one ace in its hand: Rock Head + Head Smash. Anything without a Rock resistance and spectacular Defense is going to be rocked hard. Aggron has access to Autotomize and Rock Polish to get the jump on faster threats and sweep unboosted by virtue of its sheer power. It can also equip a Choice Band and rock switch-ins hard, clearing the field for a teammate to sweep. With physical defense topped only by Steelix, Aggron has no trouble getting in either, putting tremendous pressure on the opponent with its mere presence.

Archeops

Typing: Rock / Flying
Base Stats: 75 HP / 140 Atk / 65 Def / 112 SpA / 65 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Defeatist

Archeops is the definition of a powerhouse. Base 140 Attack, a great 112 Special Attack, and base 110 Speed with a great offensive movepool make it a feared attacker. On top of all this, a great offensive typing does wonders for it, as its Rock and Flying STAB combination is only resisted by Aggron, Klinklang, Rhydon, and Magneton in RU. Its sets also show its many ways to overpower teams. From a Flying Gem-boosted Acrobatics set to a Choice set that has the potential to tear apart even the bulkiest of physical walls, Archeops shows why it is such a top RU threat. If you rely on its ability to help you defeat it, you'll be in a lot of trouble until its HP is under 50%.

Bouffalant

Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 95 HP / 110 Atk / 95 Def / 40 SpA / 95 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Reckless / Sap Sipper / Soundproof

Bouffalant has a great 110 base Attack and Reckless, crushing nearly everything with a boosted Head Charge. Bouffalant's Head Charge is one of the most powerful moves in the tier when boosted by Reckless. Bouffalant also has access to the great Sap Sipper ability, giving it an immunity to Grass-type moves while receiving an Attack boost in the process. This means Bouffalant is able to come in on various Grass-types, such as Lilligant, Ferroseed, and Tangrowth, and set up Swords Dance or Substitute, crushing the opposition with the multitude of Attack boosts it receives. That's not all; Bouffalant has great defenses as well, boasting a base 95 stat in all three, enabling it to absorb weak attacks from walls. Bouffalant makes an excellent wallbreaker with Choice Band and its good movepool. Whether you choose to smash through the opponent with a Reckless Head Charge or utilize Swords Dance and Sap Sipper, Bouffalant is a force to be reckoned with.

Braviary

Typing: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 100 HP / 123 Atk / 75 Def / 57 SpA / 75 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Keen Eye / Sheer Force / Defiant

One might wonder what makes Braviary such a threat, and one has all the right to do so. Braviary's only stats that stand out are his great HP and Attack. Braviary's defensive stats are below average, while his middling Speed stat really holds him back from sweeping. But not all Pokémon can make it on their own; with the right tools, Braviary is a force to be reckoned with. Choice Band lets Braviary crush the opposing walls with his STAB Brave Bird and Return, backed up with a strong Superpower. Braviary's middling Speed stat can be patched up with a Choice Scarf, making him a fierce revenge killer, easily OHKOing huge parts of the tier. Braviary can also set up on unsuspecting walls with his Substitute + Bulk Up set, which takes advantage of his ability to make 101 Substitutes. Although Braviary's movepool is scarce and his abilities don't help him much, he is still a powerhouse, and an unpredictable one at that.

Carracosta

Typing: Water / Rock
Base Stats: 74 HP / 108 Atk / 133 Def / 83 SpA / 65 SpD / 32 Spe
Abilities: Solid Rock / Sturdy / Swift Swim

Carracosta has one the best setup moves in the game in Shell Smash, which lets it become one of the best physical or mixed sweepers in RU. A base 108 Attack and 83 Special Attack aren't anything to laugh at when they can easily take down physically bulky Pokemon. Carracosta is difficult to revenge kill because of Aqua Jet, which can easily knock out frail offensive Pokemon. STAB Stone Edge and Waterfall are available to power through defensive Pokemon, and Ice Beam is also used to take down Grass-type Pokemon like Tangrowth, which could otherwise take on Carracosta. Two helpful abilities, Solid Rock and Sturdy, aid it when setting up. With Solid Rock, Carracosta can survive some attacks that would've otherwise KOed. On the other hand, Sturdy guarantees a Shell Smash setup opportunity if it hasn't been broken. Carracosta's coverage doesn't range very far outside of those four aforementioned attacks so Pokemon like Poliwrath and Quagsire can take Carracosta even after setup.

Charizard

Typing: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 78 HP / 84 Atk / 78 Def / 109 SpA / 85 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Blaze / Solar Power

Charizard is one of the most popular starter Pokémon from RBY. However, when it came to the competitive scene, it was always in the lower tiers, always to be forgotten. That is, until it got Solar Power from the Dream World. Now, it is a very powerful sun sweeper that is feared in the RU metagame. With base 109 Special Attack that becomes even more powerful than Deoxys-A in the sun, it is easy to understand why. And if you thought that was good enough, with a Choice Specs, it rips holes in even the bulkiest of RU's special walls such as Clefable and Uxie. With a great offensive STAB combination that is resisted by only Aerodactyl, Omastar, and Rhydon, it can easily rip through teams in just a matter of turns.

Cinccino

Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 60 Def / 65 SpA / 60 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Cute Charm / Technician / Skill Link

Despite its cute and harmless appearance, Cinccino is actually one of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier. With a great ability in Skill Link and moves in Tail Slap, Bullet Seed, and Rock Blast to take advantage of it, Cinccino can hit many Pokemon for serious damage. Its high 115 Speed is a great asset as well, as this allows it to outspeed the majority of the RU tier. Cinccino's multi-hitting capabilities ensure that not even Pokemon with Substitute or Focus Sash are safe from this chinchilla's sweeping attempts. Cinccino's biggest flaws are its inability to hit Steel-types for much damage as well as its poor defenses, meaning it will usually cringe in one hit. Nonetheless, Cinccino is a prime example of a Pokemon whose looks can be deceiving.

Crawdaunt

Typing: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 63 HP / 120 Atk / 85 Def / 90 SpA / 55 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Hyper Cutter / Shell Armor / Adaptability

Crawdaunt boasts good dual STABs in Waterfall and Crunch, resisted by few Pokémon in RU. It is also granted the Adaptability ability, which is really great for Crawdaunt. Coming off of a fantastic base 120 Attack, Adaptability-boosted Waterfall will drown many Pokémon in a gush of water. Crawdaunt also has ways to boost its already high Attack stat—the most common boosting move it uses is Dragon Dance. Dragon Dance also alleviates the problem posed by its low Speed stat, and with 160 Base Power dual STAB moves to make use of, Crawdaunt can easily sweep a team by itself. Setup is made even easier with Substitute, which allows the lobster to easily boost in front of defensive Pokemon. It can even utilize a Choice Band effectively, spamming its STAB moves without much care; the few Pokemon that resist Crawdaunt's dual STABs won't enjoy taking a Superpower. Crawdaunt makes a deadly sweeper in RU, and is a huge threat that should never be overlooked. However, Crawdaunt has a pathetic base 55 Special Defense, meaning it can be fried like a lobster by a single neutral special attack. Other than its low Speed and Special Defense, Crawdaunt does not have many other flaws. If you don't take Crawdaunt as a serious threat, expect yourself to be pinched where it hurts.

Druddigon

Typing: Dragon
Base Stats: 77 HP / 120 Atk / 90 Def / 60 SpA / 90 SpD / 48 Spe
Abilities: Rough Skin / Sheer Force / Mold Breaker

Sporting a monstrous base 120 Attack stat, Druddigon's STAB Outrage hits like a train. Druddigon will most often be carrying a Choice Band or Life Orb to capitalize on its Attack and destroy the opposition with Outrage and some combination of Superpower, Earthquake, Fire Punch, and Sucker Punch. Druddigon's also an extremely adept offensive Stealth Rock setter as it tends to force a ton of switches thanks to the immediate threat that it poses. Steel-types aren't exactly safe either as Fire Punch, Superpower, Earthquake, and Flamethrower are all there to blast through them. The only thing stopping Druddigon from dominating the RU tier is its below average Speed, which makes it somewhat easy to revenge kill. Let it be clear though, Druddigon is the undisputed RU Dragon.

Durant

Typing: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 58 HP / 109 Atk / 112 Def / 48 SpA / 48 SpD / 109 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Hustle / Truant

With the boost from Hustle and a relatively high Speed stat, Durant is without a doubt one of the most threatening offensive forces in RU. However, Hustle comes with one main caveat: a decrease in accuracy of its physical moves. Durant is effectively always playing at 80% accuracy, but with the ability to OHKO physically defensive Tangrowth at +1 with X-Scissor, nobody's really complaining. Durant will most often be using Hone Claws to both remedy its unfortunate accuracy situation and boost its Attack even further. If not using Hone Claws, Durant will most likely be carrying a Choice Band. X-Scissor and Iron Head are staples on any Durant set as STAB moves, and Superpower, Rock Slide, and Thunder Fang round out coverage.

Emboar

Typing: Fire / Fighting
Base Stats: 110 HP / 123 Atk / 65 Def / 100 SpA / 65 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Blaze / Reckless (Unreleased)

Emboar is a unique Fire-type Pokemon. Due to its secondary Fighting typing, it takes less damage from Stealth Rock than other common Fire-types. It also has decent bulk, so it can take on huge threats, such as Escavalier and Durant, with minor difficulty. Emboar also has a fairly large amount of useful moves. With a high base 123 Attack, Emboar can dish out massive damage with a STAB Flare Blitz and Superpower, as well as nail bulky Water-types with a powerful Wild Charge. Head Smash can also be used to hit Flying-type Pokemon such as Sigilyph, while Earthquake is useful for Poison- and Fire-types. Emboar is most commonly seen wielding a Choice Scarf to make up for its low Speed, though a Choice Band set can cause massive damage. The biggest downside to Emboar is that most of its moves have negative effects, but it can still survive long enough to wreak havoc.

Entei

Typing: Fire
Stats: 115 HP / 115 Atk / 85 Def / 90 SpA / 75 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Flash Fire (Unreleased)

A laughingstock of all legendary Pokémon, Entei finally gets to shine as a top threat in the RU metagame. Entei has all it takes to be a successful Choice Band user: sky-high Attack, a high Base Power STAB, and strong priority. Without a bulky Water-type to absorb its hits, your opponent will easily be overwhelmed with a combination of its boosted Flare Blitz and ExtremeSpeed. The strong priority is also extremely convenient to check fast threats such as Aerodactyl at low health. Beware of other physical Entei feigning a Choice Band set, they'll typically be using a Life Orb, Flame Plate, or Expert Belt. The Substitute + Calm Mind set is an unexpected but viable option to sweep. Stealth Rock weakness, vulnerability to passive damage, and common weaknesses to Water-, Ground-, and Rock-type moves hold Entei back from becoming too dominant. Also, the predominance of bulky Water-types means that most teams will be prepared for Entei. Still, Entei is a strong attacker that can take apart a team if given the opportunity.

Electivire

Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 75 HP / 123 Atk / 67 Def / 95 SpA / 85 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Motor Drive / Vital Spirit

Electivire has been the butt of many jokes throughout its bumpy ride in DPP OU, commonly referred to as "Noobvire;" it now finds itself in a more "appropriate" tier in RU. For starters, it is actually a very competent offensive Pokémon in RU. With the addition of Wild Charge, Electivire no longer needs to rely on weak STAB options such as a 75 Base Power ThunderPunch and 95 base Special Attack backed Thunderbolt. Unfortunately, Electivire's main shortcoming remains the lack of reliable stat boosting moves, meaning it can still only KO frail or weakened opponents. However, Electivire still makes a solid late-game sweeper by virtue of incredible super effective coverage, made possible by its plethora of excellent coverage moves. Furthermore, Electivire's signature ability, Motor Drive, gives it a useful Electric immunity. It can also pick up a free Speed boost by simply switching into Electric moves such as Thunder Wave or Galvantula's Thunder. Any Ground resist with reasonable physical bulk will put a full stop to Electivire. However, if partnered with a wallbreaker or strong physical attacker to eliminate or weaken these threats, Electivire is more than capable of running through a team.

Escavalier

Typing: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: Base Stats: 70 HP / 135 Atk / 105 Def / 60 SpA / 105 SpD / 20 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Shell Armor / Overcoat

Escavalier is a force to be reckoned with, as its base 135 Attack will easily pierce any defense, especially when boosted by a Choice Band. Escavalier is commonly seen utilizing a Choice Band set because of the sheer power it brings to the table. A Choice Band-boosted Megahorn will punch a hole in any Pokemon, even some that resist it! For coverage, Iron Head takes advantage of Escavalier's secondary STAB. Pursuit is an awesome way to trap fleeing Ghost- and Psychic-types, especially because Escavalier's typing allows it to switch in easily on their STAB moves. The last slot typically seen is either Return or Sleep Talk. Return just hits neutrally on anything that might resist Escavalier's dual STABs, particularly Moltres. On the other hand, Sleep Talk allows Escavalier to take a Spore or Sleep Powder and not be dead weight.

Feraligatr

Typing: Water
Base Stats: 85 HP / 105 Atk / 100 Def / 79 SpA / 83 SpD / 78 Spe
Abilities: Torrent / Sheer Force (Unreleased)

Feraligatr, having been a solid UU physical sweeper for several generations in the past, returns to wreak havoc on a new metagame: BW RU. With two excellent boosting options in Swords Dance and Dragon Dance as well as respectable Attack and decent Speed, Feraligatr can easily destroy teams after one turn of setup. Unfortunately, the RU tier is home to strong physical walls such as Tangrowth and Quagsire; however, with proper team support, Feraligatr can still shine as a sweeper and wallbreaker. Feraligatr's biggest strength is its versatility along with its decent bulk. It can often find opportunities to set up, and what might be a check to its Dragon Dance set can't handle its Swords Dance set. Feraligatr can 2HKO almost every Pokémon after a Swords Dance as well, so teams will be hard pressed to deal with Feraligatr should it find a free turn to set up.

Fraxure

Typing: Dragon
Base Stats: 66 HP / 117 Atk / 70 Def / 40 SpA / 50 SpD / 67 Spe
Abilities: Rivalry / Mold Breaker / Unnerve

Although he is not fully evolved, Fraxure is one of the most dangerous Pokemon in the RU tier. With a high 117 Attack stat as well as an excellent boosting move in Dragon Dance, Fraxure can make for a formidable sweeper. He also boasts a great ability in Mold Breaker, bypassing abilities such as Sturdy. This is further built on by Fraxure's great coverage in just Outrage and Low Kick. This ensures that not even Steelix can take him on safely without serious damage. Fraxure also has Taunt, so he can stop walls from either setting up hazards or crippling him with status. Fraxure's greatest faults are his middling bulk and initially poor Speed, which means he is rather easy to pick off without a boost. However, Fraxure is a powerful offensive threat who shouldn't go underestimated.

Gallade

Typing: Psychic / Fighting
Base Stats: 68 HP / 125 Atk / 65 Def / 65 SpD / 115 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Steadfast / Justified

The Martial Arts Zen Master is back for BW and ready to rip RU a new one, this time with a new toy from Dream World in the form of Justified. A vicious STAB Close Combat coming off a base 125 Attack stat makes Gallade the very definition of a power hitter. Combine that with Swords Dance and you have yourself a potent sweeper. While Gallade is not exactly Deoxys-S, it is not lacking in the Speed department either, and can use Shadow Sneak to ward off potential revenge killers. Gallade is also capable of running an effective Bulk Up set. Superb coverage moves such as Night Slash, Psycho Cut, and Ice Punch make Gallade incredibly difficult to wall. Access to a plethora of support moves makes it extremely versatile and unpredictable. Taunt, Substitute, Disable, Trick Room, Thunder Wave... the list goes on and on. With that in mind, Gallade is not unstoppable, as many Pokémon can outspeed and exploit Gallade's weak Defense for a KO. Even so, Gallade is without a doubt one of the premier threats in BW RU and has the offensive presence to back it up.

Galvantula

Typing: Bug / Electric
Base Stats: 70 HP / 77 Atk / 60 Def / 97 SpA / 60 SpD / 108 Spe
Abilities: Compoundeyes / Unnerve / Swarm

Although most players choose Rotom or Manectric as their offensive Electric-type, Galvantula should not be overlooked. Thanks to Compoundeyes, it can make use of a 91% accurate Thunder, hitting much harder than Rotom's Thunderbolt. It also has excellent coverage moves, with STAB Bug Buzz, Giga Drain, and Hidden Power Ground to choose from. Combined with a base 108 Speed stat, Galvantula is one of the most threatening all-out sweepers in the tier. Galvantula is also an excellent scout with a speedy Volt Switch. However, it is very frail, so the few things that do outspeed it, mostly Choice Scarf and weather-boosted Pokémon, will probably be able to OHKO it. Its Bug typing makes the spider weak to Stealth Rock, which helps in its downfall. Although it isn't the most common threat, you should always prepare for Galvantula because it can blast through slower teams.

Golurk

Typing: Ground / Ghost
Base Stats: 89 HP / 124 Atk / 80 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Iron Fist / Klutz / No Guard

Golurk stands out from the crowd of the other RU Ghost-types in being the only strong physical attacker of the group. With a huge base 124 Attack stat, Golurk is able to unleash powerful STAB Earthquakes and Shadow Punches, the latter of which is boosted even further by Iron Fist. Golurk is typically seen running a tank set, which works in its favor by utilizing its good bulk, Attack, and wide coverage. Golurk is also able to effectively utilize a Choice Band set, which turns it into an offensive spinblocker and tank. Both sets will most likely make use of an Iron Fist-boosted Drain Punch, as well Fire Punch and Stone Edge for coverage.

Gorebyss

Typing: Water
Base Stats: 55 HP / 84 Atk / 105 Def / 114 SpA / 75 SpD / 52 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Hydration

At a glance, one would wonder why Gorebyss has so much hype this generation. Its stats are average at best, and it is outclassed by many other offensive and defensive Water-types in RU. Gorebyss does have one very important niche in the metagame, though. It is one of the few Pokémon with access to Shell Smash in the tier. With support from the team such as Reflect and Light Screen, Gorebyss can easily boost to +2 Attack, Special Attack, and Speed and sweep with its diverse special movepool. Gorebyss is even dangerous without Shell Smash, as its ability Swift Swim remedies its terrible Speed stat. Despite Gorebyss's status as a top-tier threat in RU, its subpar stats and exploitable typing make it quite easy to defeat as long as you can prevent it from setting up.

Hitmonchan

Typing: Fighting
Base Stats: 50 HP / 105 Atk / 79 Def / 35 SpA / 110 SpD / 76 Spe
Abilities: Keen Eye / Iron Fist / Inner Focus

Hitmonchan is a very predictable Pokémon; it will most often be seen running a straight Life Orb set of Drain Punch / Mach Punch / Ice Punch / ThunderPunch, which gives it good coverage and power. Agility may also replace one of its coverage moves to try and sweep late-game. It can also make use of its rare Iron Fist ability and its STAB Focus Punch in a SubPunch set. When behind a Substitute, Hitmonchan is free to fire off its Focus Punches without being flinched. It will also commonly carry Ice Punch and Mach Punch for coverage, which are also boosted by Iron Fist.

Hitmonlee

Typing: Fighting
Base Stats: 50 HP / 120 Atk / 53 Def / 35 SpA / 110 SpD / 87 Spe
Abilities: Limber / Reckless / Unburden

Hitmonlee is typically seen capitalizing on its Reckless-boosted STAB Hi Jump Kick with either a Life Orb, Choice Scarf, or Choice Band. It will normally be carrying Stone Edge and Double-Edge for coverage, along with Mach Punch or Sucker Punch for priority. Also, Hitmonlee is capable of using its Unburden ability; the ability is typically activated through a Fighting Gem-boosted Mach Punch or a Normal Gem-boosted Fake Out, and from there Hitmonlee is free to attempt to sweep the opposition with its boosted Speed and STAB Hi Jump Kick. This set lacks the raw power of the others, but it makes up for it with its far higher Speed.

Jynx

Typing: Ice / Psychic
Base Stats: 65 HP / 50 Atk / 35 Def / 115 SpA / 95 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Forewarn / Dry Skin

Jynx is a major threat to be prepared for in RU. Her Dream World ability, Dry Skin, allows her to set up on most bulky Water-types in the tier such as Lanturn. Jynx has access to two great boosting move in Nasty Plot and Calm Mind, the former boosting her Special Attack to ridiculous levels and the latter making it very difficult to break with a special attack while slowly preparing for a sweep. One of Jynx's most threatening aspects is her signature move Lovely Kiss, which lets her put a slower opponent to sleep, and Jynx outspeeds a lot in RU with her high base Speed. However, due to her extreme physical frailty, Jynx must always use Substitute when trying to boost her stats. This leaves her with only one attacking move at her disposal, and Ice Beam is the obvious choice. All in all, Jynx can boost her stats to very threatening levels, and can use Lovely Kiss to beat some of her checks. This makes her a large threat in the RU metagame.

Kabutops

Typing: Rock / Water
Base Stats: 60 HP / 115 Atk / 105 Def / 65 SpA / 70 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Battle Armor / Weak Armor

Kabutops has most of the perfect tools to be a great sweeper: high Attack backed by Swords Dance, a great dual STAB combination, and priority. Its typing is especially nice with a 4x resistance to Fire-type attacks, which is especially helpful in a tier where Entei has the ultimate firepower. Kabutops can hit almost every Pokémon in the tier at least neutrally, and after a Swords Dance, nothing will enjoy switching into it; furthermore, it has high enough Defense that it can take a hit if needed. Aqua Jet takes on Choice Scarf users such as Typhlosion and Rotom, stopping their revenge killing efforts. Kabutops's low Speed can even be moderately fixed with Weak Armor or Swift Swim. Kabutops can also take on a supportive role, setting Stealth Rock when forcing a switch and using Rapid Spin to support the number of hazard-weak Pokémon that reside in RU. Such variants are no slouches offensively either, hitting opponents with Waterfall or Stone Edge. Luckily, its typing leaves it weak to Fighting- and Ground-type moves, two attack types that are always around. The bottom line is this: most teams are already prepared for Kabutops when preparing for other threats, but a properly supported shellfish can tear teams apart.

Klinklang

Typing: Steel
Base Stats: 60 HP / 100 Atk / 115 Def / 70 SpA / 85 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Plus / Minus / Clear Body

Klinklang is one of the best offensive Steel-types in RU. It gets an excellent boosting move in Shift Gear, and its signature move Gear Grind allows it to bypass Substitutes, with decent Base Power to boot. After a Shift Gear, it can outspeed all of the metagame, and also becomes very powerful. It usually runs Return as a coverage move due to its awful movepool, and in the fourth slot a number of different moves are commonly seen. Substitute is the most prominent, avoiding status as well as protecting itself from priority. However, it can also run Wild Charge to blast Moltres and Poliwrath, Hidden Power Fire to defeat Ferroseed, or use Hidden Power Ground to escape the clutches of Magneton; all are would-be counters. Straight-up countering Klinklang is pretty difficult, as its speed and power are pretty high. Just keep in mind, the best way to deal with Klinklang is to prevent it from setting up, as it much more manageable before a Shift Gear than after.

Lanturn

Typing: Water / Electric
Base Stats: 125 HP / 58 Atk / 58 Def / 76 SpA / 76 SpD / 67 Spe
Abilities: Volt Absorb / Illuminate / Water Absorb

Lanturn doesn't seem like it can do anything much offensively; it has a measly base 76 Special Attack, reaching a maximum of 276. Nonetheless, Lanturn is still an offensive threat to look out for. Its bulk, access to Volt Absorb, and Volt Switch make it a good Choice Specs user. Lanturn doesn't have much difficulty using its Choice Specs-boosted Volt Switch as Ground-types think twice before switching in for fear of a Hydro Pump, and Lightningrod and Volt Absorb users (bar Lanturn) are hit hard by it as well. With a Choice Specs, Lanturn reaches 406 Special Attack, which is pretty decent though not particularly splendid for a Choice Specs user. However, its great bulk and typing grants Lanturn several opportunities to come in and blast a powerful Hydro Pump or keep the offensive pressure up with Volt Switch. Never assume that every Lanturn is the same standard defensive one, or you might face a situation where you get swept by an offensive variant.

Lilligant

Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 70 HP / 60 Atk / 75 Def / 110 SpA / 75 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Own Tempo / Leaf Guard

Like many other Grass-types, Lilligant has very balanced stats and a very shallow movepool, not to mention Grass is not a great type to begin with. However, Lilligant was blessed with every special attacker's dream: Quiver Dance. Quiver Dance turns Lilligant from a less-than-average sweeper to a very potent one. On top of this, Lilligant couldn't have asked for two better abilities. Chlorophyll doubles its Speed under sun, making it a strong addition to a Sunny Day team. Own Tempo allows Lilligant to use Petal Dance, as it nullifies the move's confusion, making it a 120 Base Power STAB move with perfect accuracy and no downside, apart from being locked into it for 2-3 turns. Lilligant also has many support options, including Aromatherapy and Sleep Powder. One must be careful when using Lilligant though, as there are many powerful Bug- and Flying-types in RU that Lilligant struggles against, due to its lacking movepool. Hidden Power helps with this though, as Hidden Power Rock hits Fire-types while Hidden Power Fire hits opposing Grass-types (both hit Bug-types). Underestimate Lilligant's power and you will surely pay for it.

Linoone

Typing: Normal
Stats: 78 HP / 70 Atk / 61 Def / 50 SpA / 61 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Pickup / Gluttony / Quick Feet

Linoone has the potential to devastate teams after a single turn of setup, having the ability to OHKO the majority of the tier. After a Belly Drum, Linoone's Attack stat skyrockets and it can proceed to destroy teams before it gets hit itself thanks to its STAB ExtremeSpeed. Ghost-types aren't safe either, as a +6 Shadow Claw OHKOes most of them, and thanks to Linoone's excellent base 100 Speed, it can outrun Rotom as well. It also has access to Rock Smash to slay Aggron, as well as Seed Bomb to destroy Pokémon such as Rhydon and Quagsire. Linoone is truly a devastating Pokémon that can turn a surefire loss into a clean sweep in just one turn.

Ludicolo

Typing: Grass / Water
Base Stats: 80 HP / 70 Atk / 80 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Rain Dish / Own Tempo

Ludicolo is a fantastic Swift Swim sweeper that boasts excellent type coverage with its dual STAB combination and great coverage moves, along with excellent Speed and extremely powerful Hydro Pump in the rain. It's also one of the few Swift Swim sweepers in RU that can blow right through bulky Water-types. Ludicolo can set up its own rain, which it uses to sweep effectively, and it can also help support the rest of the team. Ludicolo is certainly a good Pokémon, and if one is silly enough to underrate it, they could be in for a world of pain.

Magmortar

Typing: Fire
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 67 Def / 125 SpA / 95 SpD / 83 Spe
Abilities: Flame Body / Vital Spirit

Magmortar is something to prepare for in RU mainly due to its coverage. Thunderbolt, Focus Blast, and Hidden Power Grass are all staples and can hit would-be counters such as Slowking, Munchlax, and Lanturn hard. It is also a great Expert Belt user, so your switch-in might not be safe even if it resists the first attack Magmortar throws at it. Magmortar is extremely difficult to switch into, and with Vital Spirit it is one of the best switch-ins to Tangrowth there are. The only Pokémon that can claim to avoid the 2HKO from Magmortar is Munchlax, and even it can be worn down easily because of its lack of Leftovers and reliable recovery. Usually, you'll have to resort to revenge killing Magmortar. Feraligatr and Kabutops can both utilize STAB Aqua Jet to dispose of Magmortar, and Spiritomb and Absol can hit it with Sucker Punch. Of course, any Pokémon that outspeeds Magmortar, such as Aerodactyl and Hitmonlee, is free to dispose of it as well. Although a terror to stall teams, offensive teams generally don't have a lot trouble with Magmortar.

Magneton

Typing: Electric / Steel
Base Stats: 50 HP / 60 Atk / 95 Def / 120 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Magnet Pull / Sturdy / Analytic

Magneton is a unique offensive threat in the RU tier. It's ability to trap and kill almost every Steel-type in the metagame for free is a huge boon for most offensive teams, and it can even set up a sweep for itself if it's running a SubCharge set. Although typically seen playing off of its Eviolite-boosted defenses and huge set of resistances, Magneton can also utilize a Choice Scarf adequately. Thanks to its monster base 120 Special Attack stat, Magneton has no problem outspeeding and blasting through frail offensive teams. The only thing really holding Magneton back is its lack of reliable recovery; it even lacks Leftovers in most situations. It also sports a shallow movepool, though this is somewhat remedied with its access to the ever-useful Volt Switch. Team Preview is your best weapon when faced with a Magneton; don't send out your Steel-type unless you're confident you can defeat Magneton or it's already out of the picture.

Manectric

Typing: Electric
Base Stats: 70 HP / 75 Atk / 60 Def / 105 SpA / 60 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Lightningrod / Static / Minus

Manectric's role as a fast Electric-type sweeper is highly contested by Galvantula, which has amazing dual STABs and is faster. However, Manectric is one of the few Electric Pokémon that can cripple any wall that opposes it thanks to its access to Switcheroo. Not knowing whether your special wall could be doomed for the rest of the game makes Manectric a Pokémon to be feared. Even if a special wall manages to avoid Switcheroo, Manectric can just Volt Switch away, giving the user momentum. Its movepool coupled with a base 105 Special Attack and Speed makes Manectric one of the best users of a Choice item in the RU metagame. Its access to Flamethrower and Overheat is rare for an Electric-type, and this allows Manectric's Hidden Power slot to be freed up for another coverage type. Not only do you have to watch out for Switcheroo, but you have to be careful when using Electric moves against a team with Manectric as well; activating Lightningrod will power up its Special Attack, spelling disaster for the opposing team considering Manectric's great coverage.

Medicham

Typing: Fighting / Psychic
Base Stats: 60 HP / 60 Atk / 75 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Pure Power / Telepathy

While Medicham might not seem all that threatening when one looks at his stats, he has a key advantage over many other physical attackers thanks to Pure Power, which doubles his Attack and turns Medicham into a monster that can 2HKO many of the key threats in RU. When running a Choice Scarf set, he can easily clean up late-game with Hi Jump Kick, which still hits incredibly hard with no boost thanks to its 130 Base Power and STAB. Choice Band sets are definitely as threatening, working as excellent wallbreakers with Hi Jump Kick. If anything comes in on Medicham, he can always just use a nifty coverage move such as Psycho Cut or ThunderPunch, or even Trick to mess with any incoming walls. Unfortunately, Medicham is frail, so take advantage of that by using a revenge killer to take care of Medicham. Ghost-types can also come in on a Hi Jump Kick and make Medicham waste half of his HP. However, all of Medicham's flaws can be easily covered; he's definitely worth a shot on your team and is something to watch out for!

Mesprit

Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 80 HP / 105 Atk / 105 Def / 105 SpA / 105 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Levitate

Mesprit has decent stats across the board, with usable offenses and defenses as well. With its efficient movepool, Mesprit can pull off a few offensive sets quite well. As with most Psychic-types, Mesprit can utilize Calm Mind to set up. Its reasonably good bulk often makes it somewhat easy to set up. Furthermore, Mesprit has good coverage options in Thunderbolt and Ice Beam. Grass Knot could be a possibility as well if it's in a hurry to take down heavy foes. Despite going all out offensive, Mesprit is quite hard to take down without a super effective hit thanks to its good bulk. Psyshock makes this offensive threat even harder to wall with dedicated special walls at times. Mesprit is a pretty good Choice user as well thanks to its access to Trick to cripple special walls trying to wall it. Choice Specs Mesprit hits hard too, as base 105 Special Attack isn't too bad. Mesprit can turn into an efficient revenge killer with a Choice Scarf thanks to its good coverage. As its base 80 Speed isn't really spectacular, it can utilize an offensive Trick Room set as well; the main attraction to using Mesprit it Healing Wish, which doesn't have widespread distribution. Finally, Mesprit is pretty adept at supporting weather teams as well.

Moltres

Typing: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 90 HP / 100 Atk / 90 Def / 125 SpA / 85 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Flame Body (Unreleased)

Moltres finds itself with a solid place amongst the offensive powerhouses dominating the RU tier at this time. Boasting a superb base 125 Special Attack stat along with brilliant offensive coverage between Fire Blast, Hurricane, and Hidden Power, Moltres can threaten a huge amount of the tier with ease. Many of the dominant special walls in the tier, such as Cryogonal, lose immediately to Moltres due to their inability to take Fire Blasts, while many other special walls, such as Clefable, are beaten down easily if they switch in on the wrong move. Unfortunately, Moltres is a bird that has one major thing clipping its wings, so to speak: a crippling 4x weakness to Stealth Rock. Stealth Rock is the most efficient way of handling Moltres in general due to the inability of most of the tier to switch in on its STABs; it has some exploitable weaknesses to Electric-, Water-, and Rock-type moves as well, all of which are reasonably common in RU. However, Moltres is still undeniably one of the dominant offensive forces in RU.

Pinsir

Typing: Bug
Base Stats: 65 HP / 125 Atk / 100 Def / 55 SpA / 70 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Hyper Cutter / Mold Breaker / Moxie

Pinsir now has the Moxie ability, which lets it truly unleash its fury. After a Swords Dance boost, Pinsir can take down any defensive Pokemon down with X-Scissor or Earthquake, and offensive Pokemon aren't safe either thanks to Quick Attack. Pinsir becomes increasingly dangerous the more KOs it gets because its Attack will skyrocket thanks to Moxie. Pinsir can also be seen utilizing a Choice Scarf set, which is a dangerous end-game sweeper simply because of the Moxie snowball effect. Pinsir's biggest weakness is its Bug typing and relatively low Speed, which can be targeted by faster Pokemon like Aerodactyl and Galvantula, and a weakness to Stealth Rock doesn't do it any favors either.

Primeape

Typing: Fighting
Base Stats: 65 HP / 105 Atk / 60 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Vital Spirit / Anger Point / Defiant

The Pig Monkey Pokémon, a veteran of the original RBY games, has changed little across the generation shift. Previously a fairly solid member of DPP UU, it makes a reappearance in BW RU again as just one of many Fighting-type Pokémon. Base 105 Attack isn't much to write home about in a tier packed with hard-hitting sweepers and bulky Poison- and Ghost-type walls; indeed, the new generation was not particularly kind to Primeape. Nonetheless, it does have a few advantages that make it a threat to watch out for. Its offensive movepool, which includes options such as Stone Edge, Ice Punch, Punishment, Earthquake, and even Seed Bomb, is impressive; more importantly, its base 95 Speed is still among the best of the bunch, making Choice Scarf an excellent option on it. This monkey has other tricks up its sleeve too—namely Encore and U-turn—that make it much harder to check or counter. Overall, with a combination of power, coverage, and speed, Primeape definitely poses a unique and solid offensive threat.

Rhydon

Typing: Ground / Rock
Base Stats: 105 HP / 130 Atk / 120 Def / 45 SpA / 45 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Lightningrod / Rock Head / Reckless

Rhydon's typing and stat spread screams offensive tank, and that's normally the kind of set you'll see Rhydon using on the battlefield. Due to being an NFE, Rhydon is capable of wielding Eviolite to boost its already huge Defense stat, letting it counter some of the top threats in RU, particularly Archeops and Entei. Rhydon is easily capable of setting up Stealth Rock, and will almost always be carrying Stone Edge and Earthquake for STAB moves to form the EdgeQuake combo. Rhydon's coverage is typically rounded out with Megahorn, which lets it get a super effective hit on Slowking, Uxie, and Tangrowth, all Pokémon that would normally switch in on Rhydon without fear. Rhydon is also capable of sweeping teams late-game with Rock Polish and Life Orb with the aforementioned coverage moves.

Rotom

Typing: Electric / Ghost
Base Stats: 50 HP / 50 Atk / 77 Def / 95 SpA / 77 SpD / 91 Spe
Ability: Levitate

Rotom is one of the most dangerous Pokémon in the RU tier, and a threat you should always be prepared for. The main reason for Rotom's dangerousness is its versatility. It can run a whole slew of effective sets, each of which requires a different counter. Rotom's typing and access to Will-O-Wisp also helps make up for its seemingly lackluster defenses. Most Rotom will be a running a SubSplit set, which capitalizes on its ability to force switches due to its 3 immunities, as well as punishing special walls that possess a high HP stat. This set commonly uses a Life Orb to increase its damage output from its STABs, as well as lowering its HP so that it can sap more HP from the likes of Clefable with Pain Split. The other common set is a Choice Scarf set, which capitalizes on Rotom's relatively high Speed stat and access to Volt Switch and Trick. This set will usually run Hidden Power Ice for coverage, but it may also run Thunderbolt along with Volt Switch to give it a more reliable STAB option that doesn't force it to switch.

Rotom-C

Typing: Electric / Grass
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate

Rotom-C is a powerful offensive threat in RU, literally capable of mowing through its opponents. With a unique dual STAB combination not shared by any other Pokémon, Volt Switch, and support moves such as Trick, Rotom-C can easily distinguish itself from other RU Grass-types such as Lilligant and Sceptile. Because of Volt Switch, Trick, and a typing that kills any Ground-types trying to block the Volt Switch, Rotom-C is commonly seen using a Choice Scarf. It can utilize its many resistances and one immunity to switch in multiple times throughout a match and either scout the switch with Volt Switch, cripple the switch with Trick, or just straight up attack with Leaf Storm or Thunderbolt. Rotom-C is also capable of setting up Rain Dance for the team and can then utilize perfectly accurate Thunders.

Samurott

Typing: Water
Base Stats: 95 HP / 100 Atk / 85 Def / 108 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Torrent / Shell Armor (Unreleased)

With 100 base Attack, Swords Dance, and Aqua Jet, Samurott is easily one of the best physical sweepers in the metagame. It is also one of the few Pokémon that carry Megahorn, which after a Swords Dance hits like a truck. If that wasn't good enough, it has a great special movepool and base 108 Special Attack, which means it can pull of a Choice Scarf set or a Choice Specs set to tear apart defensive teams. Couple this with 95/85/70 defenses, and you have a bulky attacker that packs quite a punch. With moves such as Taunt in its arsenal as well, it can stop an opposing Pokémon's setup in its tracks and then proceed to attack them. Having a Water typing isn't bad at all, with only 2 weaknesses and 4 resistances. Samurott is definitely a Pokémon you must be prepared for when making a team.

Sandslash

Typing: Ground
Base Stats: 75 HP / 100 Atk / 110 Def / 45 SpA / 55 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Sand Veil / Sand Rush

Sandslash is well-suited for a support role as it has access to both Stealth Rock and Rapid Spin. With a decent base 75 HP and respectable base 110 Defense, it makes a good physical wall—albeit one without reliable recovery. Sandslash also has the option of running EdgeQuake coverage, although it has access to Toxic and Safeguard to further support its team as well. A good base 100 Attack means that its damage output is pretty good too. Ghost-types attempting to spinblock Sandslash will have to look out for Night Slash, which can easily slice through them. Thanks to it solid Defense, it can check a wide variety of physical threats, though it will still fall short to some of them. Sandslash will most often be seen using a Swords Dance set, allowing it to almost guarantee a Rapid Spin after a boost; it can take down several Ghost-types with either Night Slash or Earthquake. No matter which set Sandslash uses, it will carry Rapid Spin. Thus, one might find difficulty trying to safeguard their entry hazards when facing a Sandslash. After all, Sandslash is one of the only spinners in RU. However, its Special Defense is really abysmal, and will fall to almost every special attack.

Sawsbuck

Typing: Normal / Grass
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 70 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Sap Sipper / Serene Grace

With spot-on Attack and Speed, Sawsbuck is a solid RU sweeper. It can boost either of those stats with Swords Dance and Agility, respectively. With Baton Pass at its disposal, it can pass those boosts along to teammates, making it all the more versatile. The Swords Dance set is perhaps the most threatening, as any free turn of setup will transform it into absolute monster. A simple Choice Band set is also a common option for Sawsbuck; instead of setting up, it just gets to work punching holes in the opposing team. Sap Sipper is a great ability that boosts Sawsbuck's Attack when hit with a Grass-type attack. Chlorophyll, on the other hand, is handy for sun teams, though it requires more team support. Horn Leech is Sawsbuck's trademark attack; it's a physical equivalent of Giga Drain, which keeps Sawsbuck nice and healthy as it breaks through the opposition.

Sceptile

Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 70 HP / 85 Atk / 65 Def / 105 SpA / 85 SpD / 120 Spe
Abilities: Overgrow / Unburden

When one looks at Sceptile, they usually look at it as your standard special sweeper. However, Sceptile offers much more than that. Needless to say, it is arguably the best special sweeper in the tier. Sceptile can use its awesome offensive movepool that includes Leaf Storm, Giga Drain, Hidden Power, Focus Blast, Earthquake, Leaf Blade, and Acrobatics to hit hard and fast on either attacking side. Sceptile lacks boosting moves on the special side and also suffers from a typing that gives it weaknesses to 5 types, 2 of which are really common in RU. Despite this, Sceptile is a real force in the RU metagame.

Scolipede

Typing: Bug / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 90 Atk / 89 Def / 55 SpA / 69 SpD / 112 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Swarm / Quick Feet

Scolipede is an immediate threat to many popular Pokémon in RU, with excellent base 112 Speed and great coverage with STAB Megahorn, Earthquake, and Rock Slide. For the situations when Scolipede isn't faster and/or not threatening an OHKO, it can use Spikes or Toxic Spikes very effectively to support the sweeping efforts of other team members. This works especially well with Kabutops and Cryogonal being the most common spinners, because they take a ton of damage from its Life Orb-boosted attacks. Swords Dance is a lesser seen move because of the lower overall utility, but combined with Baton Pass it can turn the game on a dime. Be very careful around Scolipede because it is very easy for it to grab a free turn and becomes very threatening when it does.

Scyther

Typing: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 80 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 105 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Technician / Steadfast

Scyther boasts great base 110 Attack and 105 Speed, which make it the perfect candidate for a Swords Dance sweeper. The awesome Technician ability allows Scyther to capitalize on a couple of moves, such as Aerial Ace and Bug Bite. After a Swords Dance, Scyther is an incredibly threatening sweeper, and Quick Attack allows it to pick off weakened foes, making them fall like dead flies. It can also utilize Choice items effectively; Choice Scarf Scyther is a great revenge killer, picking of threats such as Lilligant. Choice Band Scyther packs a punch, and its U-turn is bound to hurt. Although Scyther is mostly seen as an all-out offensive Pokémon, it can also use Eviolite to great effect. Scyther is decently bulky with Eviolite, as base 80 defenses aren't too bad. It is also not easy to counter as well, as it has access to Baton Pass and U-turn, allowing it to easily escape from undesirable match-ups. Furthermore, Roost makes Scyther frustrating to take down, especially if it is holding Eviolite. Though Scyther is highly elusive thanks to its high Speed and access to moves such as U-turn, its greatest downfall is its 4x weakness to Stealth Rock. Every switch in will shave off 50% its HP, greatly reducing its longevity. Still, Scyther is a dangerous threat to note, as its incredible offensive capability will often leave a path of destruction.

Sigilyph

Typing: Psychic / Flying
Base Stats: 72 HP / 58 Atk / 80 Def / 103 SpA / 80 SpD / 97 Spe
Abilities: Wonder Skin / Magic Guard / Tinted Lens

Sigilyph is a rather unique Pokémon introduced in BW. While its only above average base stats are Special Attack and Speed, Sigilyph is certainly something to be prepared for in RU due to its ability, Magic Guard. With it, Sigilyph can avoid Stealth Rock damage, takes no damage from poison or burn, and also takes no damage from Life Orb. It can run an effective offensive set, as it gets great coverage with Psychic, Air Slash, and Heat Wave. Its last move can either be Calm Mind to boost its stats further, or Roost to heal off damage. Sigilyph can also run a set with Cosmic Power. Cosmic Power boosts its defenses, while also boosting the Base Power of the move Stored Power, which Sigilyph gets as STAB.

Skuntank

Typing: Poison / Dark
Base Stats: 103 HP / 93 Atk / 67 Def / 71 SpA / 61 SpD / 84 Spe
Abilities: Stench / Aftermath / Keen Eye

Skuntank's main goal is to trap and eliminate the opposing team's Ghost- and Psychic-types to allow a teammate like Hitmonlee to more easily sweep. A rather sinister moveset of Pursuit, Taunt, Sucker Punch, and Crunch gives it all the tools it needs to trap and eliminate the threats it needs to. It'll most commonly be using a Life Orb to give it the power it needs to eliminate Pokemon like Uxie and Misdreavus. Watch out for mixed sets running Fire Blast and Poison Jab as they let Skuntank beat various Pokemon that can normally switch in without much worry like Steelix and Tangrowth.

Spiritomb

Typing: Ghost / Dark
Base Stats: 50 HP / 92 Atk / 108 Def / 92 SpA / 108 SpD / 35 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Infiltrator

Spiritomb is one of the few Pokemon that has no weakness to any type, which is a blessing for any Pokemon. Spiritomb is a good spinblocker that can combat common spinners such as Cryogonal. Spiritomb has an innate ability to trap Psychic- and Ghost-types with the gambit of Sucker Punch, Pursuit, Foul Play, and Shadow Sneak. A Choice Band set is common to trap many Pokemon especially if they have low Defense, not just the aforementioned types. BlackGlasses can bluff a Choice Band to surprise the opponent. Defensive Pokemon aren't safe either because Spiritomb can Trick its Choice Band to cripple most defensive Pokemon. Spiritomb's low Speed and HP means that Spiritomb will almost always be outsped and can't take too many hits, respectively, and the only recovery move it gets outside of Rest is the unreliable Pain Split.

Swellow

Typing: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 60 HP / 85 Atk / 60 Def / 50 SpA / 50 SpD / 125 Spe
Abilities: Guts / Scrappy

Swellow remains largely unchanged throughout the generations. While Swellow's only impressive stat seems to be its wonderful Speed, it has an excellent ability in Guts. It usually holds either Flame Orb or Toxic Orb to activate its Guts ability, boosting its average Attack to high levels. Guts-boosted Facade and Brave Bird are terrifyingly powerful, denting anything that does not resist them. Not only is it capable of punching holes, but it can also scout with U-turn, taking no damage from its status as well. Swellow's remarkable Speed means that it is usually only hit by priority moves, but it has Quick Attack, which can finish off weakened foes. With the usual moves being Facade, Brave Bird, Quick Attack, U-turn, Pursuit, and Protect, Swellow is highly predictable. It is also easily walled by Steel- and Rock-types thanks to its poor coverage, and will be worn down quickly by its status. Still, Swellow is deceptively powerful, and can peck its way through teams like hot knife through butter. Without a Rock- or Steel-type in its way, it can easily leave a path of wreckage in its wake.

Tauros

Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 75 HP / 100 Atk / 95 Def / 40 SpA / 70 SpD / 110 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Anger Point / Sheer Force

Tauros is typically seen as a straight-up physical attacker, utilizing its high Speed and Attack stats with a Life Orb to the fullest. Tauros has a fantastic ability in Sheer Force, which can allow gives it a recoil-less Life Orb and boosted STAB Rock Climb, Rock Slide and Fire Blast. Earthquake is most commonly seen as the coverage move. Finally, instead of being a full-on attacker, Tauros can opt to setup with Work Up, giving it even more power at the cost of a coverage move, usually Zen Headbutt.

Typhlosion

Typing: Fire
Base Stats: 78 HP / 84 Atk / 78 Def / 109 SpA / 85 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Blaze / Flash Fire (Unreleased)

Typhlosion is one of the few Fire-types that gets blessed with the move Eruption. At full HP and wielding a monstrous 109 base Special Attack and 100 Speed, the typical Choice Specs Typhlosion only has a few safe switch-ins since Eruption can OHKO or 2HKO nearly any Pokémon that doesn't resist the move. Unfortunately, there are also some counters to Choice Specs Typhlosion. Slowking and Lanturn are very common in the metagame and can take most of Typhlosion's attacks easily. Rapid Spin support is also needed if Typhlosion wants to keep Eruption's maximum power. However, with proper support, Choice Typhlosion can cut through an entire team with its speed and power in the late-game. Thanks to Team Preview, Typhlosion can also create instant pressure as a lead if you see that the opponent lacks the proper resists. Even if Typhlosion's Eruption isn't at maximum power, opponents still have to worry about a Blaze-boosted Fire Blast, which is even more powerful than Eruption.

Zangoose

Typing: Normal
Stats: 73 HP / 115 Atk / 60 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Immunity / Toxic Boost

Zangoose truly is a frightening threat in that it can hit ridiculously hard without a turn of setup. This is due to its ability, Toxic Boost, which powers up its already-high Attack stat to ridiculous levels when it's poisoned, which is easy to do with a Toxic Orb. To capitalize on this ability, Zangoose has STAB Facade, which becomes a 140 Base Power STAB move when Zangoose is poisoned. Zangoose can even use Swords Dance to make this attack even more powerful, and also has access to Close Combat to get rid of pesky Steel-types such as Steelix. Ghost-types aren't safe from this behemoth either, as it has access to Shadow Claw. It also has Quick Attack for priority, and even that becomes powerful due to Toxic Boost. Zangoose is truly a devastating threat due to a ridiculously powerful STAB move, Close Combat, Shadow Claw, a great ability, and the power to sweep teams in the blink of an eye.

Defensive Threats

Alomomola

Typing:Water
Base Stats: 165 HP / 75 Atk / 80 Def / 40 SpA / 45 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Healer / Hydration / Regenerator

Despite her current NU status, Alomomola has recently proven herself as one of the best support Pokemon available in RU. Coming equipped with the third biggest Wish in the game, physical bulk that rivals even the defensive titan, Tangrowth, and a great defensive ability in Regenerator, Alomomola is capable of repeatedly switching into the majority of RU's physical attackers multiple times over the course of the match, while using her massive 267 HP Wishes to heal her teammates in the process. Alomomola's biggest flaw is her relative lack of offensive presence compared to other Pokemon, and in fact, many Pokemon such as Quiver Dance Lilligant can use Alomomola as setup bait given the chance; a Pokemon that can check Alomomola's counters is a requirement. Nonetheless, Alomomola is an excellent Pokemon, and any team that doesn't prepare for her will find themselves having quite a hard time.

Altaria

Typing: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 75 HP / 75 Atk / 90 Def / 70 SpA / 105 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure / Cloud Nine

Altaria's decent typing grants it resistances to Fighting-, Water-, Grass-, Fire-, and Bug-type moves, which are extremely common in the RU metagame. In addition, Altaria has an immunity to Ground-type moves, and it has access to various support moves, such as Heal Bell, Roost, and Toxic. Natural Cure is a blessing on a defensive Pokémon, as it means Altaria won't be crippled by status any longer than it stays on the field. Natural Cure works great in tandem with Rest, fully restoring Altaria's health and waking it up when it switches out. That's not all, as Altaria's decent defensive stats mean it can use a defensive Dragon Dance set; while it's difficult to KO, Altaria raises its stats to respectable levels, and becomes a dangerous threat. Don't overlook Altaria because of its common weaknesses, because it can be crippling if you don't take it into account.

Amoonguss

Typing: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 114 HP / 85 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Effect Spore / Regenerator

With good typing and the Regenerator ability, Amoonguss is a great defensive pivot. It has access to both Spore and Stun Spore, and will almost always cripple an opposing Pokemon. Amoonguss can wall a significant portion of RU threats, mainly Water- and Grass-types, and can heal off damage through Synthesis, Giga Drain, and Regenerator. It also has the ability to remove a Pokemon's boosts with its STAB Clear Smog, making it a tough Pokemon to set up on. What sets Amoonguss apart from Tangrowth is mainly its typing, which enables it to resist Fighting-type moves such as Sceptile's Focus Blast, inability to be poisoned, and a perfectly accurate sleep inducing move. Amoonguss is one of the toughest Pokemon in RU to take down.

Clefable

Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 95 HP / 70 Atk / 73 Def / 85 SpA / 90 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Cute Charm / Magic Guard / Unaware

Clefable is a solid special wall that, thanks to Magic Guard, is unaffected by passive damage, such as entry hazards and Toxic, that break other defensive threats. The sheer versatility of sets it can run makes countering it difficult until you know just what's up its sleeves. Access to Wish, dual screens, and Heal Bell provides it with plenty of ways to support its team. Encore, Thunder Wave, Toxic, and Stealth Rock are all excellent options for crippling opponents, easing its allies' attempts at sweeping the opponent. Unfortunately, its lower Defense stat and weakness to Fighting means its threatened by any powerful Fighting-type, and there's certainly no lack of them in RU.

Crustle

Typing: Bug / Rock
Base Stats: 70 HP / 95 Atk / 125 Def / 65 SpA / 75 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Sturdy / Shell Armor / Weak Armor

While Crustle has a huge Defense stat, it has a poor defensive typing. Therefore, it will usually be seen as a dedicated Custap Berry lead, where it will almost always be able to set up Stealth Rock and a layer of Spikes, if not more. It does have resistances to Normal- and Poison-type attacks, and its access to STAB Rock- and Bug-type attacks, particularly Stone Edge and X-Scissor respectively, is usually enough to scare off other common dedicated leads such as Uxie and Accelgor. Beware of treating all Crustle the same; it is also capable of attempting a sweep with Shell Smash.

Cryogonal

Typing: Ice
Base Stats: 70 HP / 50 Atk / 30 Def / 95 SpA / 135 SpD / 105 Spe
Ability: Levitate

Cryogonal's Ice typing is bad defensively and it has a horrid Defense stat, but it has a massive Special Defense stat and is capable of tanking many of the common special attacks, particularly Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Surf, and Giga Drain, with ease. Cryogonal is typically used for its access to Rapid Spin, despite its weakness to Stealth Rock. However, it also carries an immunity to Spikes and Toxic Spikes thanks to Levitate, which somewhat makes up for this. It's also incredibly fast for a defensive Pokémon, and has access to reliable recovery in Recover. Cryogonal even has a decent Special Attack stat to threaten the opponent with its STAB Ice Beam. Finally, it has access to Light Screen and Reflect in order to support the team even further, and will often carry Haze as well to cancel out any stat boosts the opponent might accumulate.

Drapion

Typing: Poison / Dark
Base Stats: 70 HP / 90 Atk / 110 Def / 60 SpA / 75 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Battle Armor / Sniper / Keen Eye

Drapion's typing is perfect for countering Psychic- and Ghost-types, and is incredibly adept at trapping them with its STAB Pursuit. Because its typing is suited for taking on Psychic- and Ghost-types and has a decent Defense stat to start with, most Drapion will be specially defensive to be able to more easily take Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Dark Pulse, and Focus Blast. When specially defensive, Drapion will usually be setting up Toxic Spikes and absorbing them for its team, while also carrying Whirlwind to phaze the enemy and attempt to poison the rest of the team. The last slot is usually left to Taunt to prevent the enemy from setting up entry hazards on Drapion, as well as stopping defensive walls from using Rest or other forms of recovery to ensure the Toxic builds up.

Dusknoir

Typing: Ghost
Base Stats: 45 HP / 100 Atk / 135 Def / 65 SpA / 135 SpD / 45 Spe
Ability: Pressure

Dusknoir is one of the few Ghost-types available in RU, and is one of the bulkiest by far. Most Dusknoir will be carrying Will-O-Wisp to punish any physical attackers. Dusknoir's role on a team is typically a tank, and will usually be carrying Shadow Punch, Seismic Toss, Fire Punch, and Earthquake for attack moves. The last slot is typically left to Pain Split, which works wonders with Dusknoir's naturally low HP, and lets it take on other walls such as Clefable more effectively.

Escavalier

Typing: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: Base Stats: 70 HP / 135 Atk / 105 Def / 60 SpA / 105 SpD / 20 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Shell Armor / Overcoat

Escavalier's excellent typing allows it to successfully combat special attackers. Its typing allows it to successfully counter Lilligant, Slowking, Tangrowth, and Jynx, if they lack a Fire-type attack that is. The standard defensive moveset will have Megahorn, Iron Head, and Toxic. The dual STAB attacks allow Escavalier to hit decently hard thanks to its base 135 Attack, and Toxic fulfills the purpose of slowly wearing down opposing Pokemon. Escavalier can be even more dangerous depending on its last attack. Rest + Chesto Berry ensures that Escavalier will be around for a long time, and it can also utilize Rest and Sleep Talk. Overcoat is the icing on the cake, as it is then immune to hail damage, allowing it to counter hail threats, such as Glaceon and Rotom-F, much more easily.

Ferroseed

Typing: Grass / Steel
Base Stats: 44 HP / 50 Atk / 91 Def / 24 SpA / 86 SpD / 10 Spe
Ability: Iron Barbs

A fantastic Grass / Steel typing means Ferroseed can safely shut down a large portion of the RU metagame thanks to a whopping 10 resistances and one immunity. It has a number of support options too, with access to Spikes and Stealth Rock to support the team, Thunder Wave and Toxic to cripple the opponent, as well as Leech Seed and Protect to keep itself healthy. Ferroseed's stats might look underwhelming, but thanks to Eviolite, its bulk is comparable to its much bigger brother Ferrothorn. Ferroseed's ability, Iron Barbs, complements its role perfectly, punishing enemy contact moves such as Rapid Spin making it a real annoyance to physical sweepers in general. It is far from perfect though, as a weakness to Fighting is a hindrance to its physical walling capability while a massive 4x weakness to Fire is always there to be exploited. An almost complete lack of offensive presence makes it vulnerable to Taunt and it can be set up on by anything that doesn't fear Gyro Ball, Seed Bomb, or status. Despite these flaws, Ferroseed is still a reliable entry hazard setter.

Flareon

Typing: Fire
Base Stats: 65 HP / 130 Atk / 60 Def / 95 SpA / 110 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Guts

Flareon doesn't look like a threat at first, but upon further inspection she is a difficult Pokemon to take down. Thanks to her ability in conjunction with her stats, she can effectively take on many of RU's top threats such as Sceptile, Lilligant, Magmortar, and Galvantula. Combine her bulk with Wish and you have an awesome Pokemon that can heal herself and heal others when needed. Flareon has many other support options such as Heal Bell, Will-O-Wisp, Roar, and Yawn. She isn't a weak attacker either, as Flareon can take advantage of its 130 or 95 base Attack or Special Attack, respectively. Flareon's weakness is her low Defense, which is further compounded by her pure Fire typing.

Golbat

Typing: Poison / Flying
Base Stats: 75 HP / 80 Atk / 70 Def / 65 SpA / 75 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Inner Focus / Infiltrator

Golbat has a decent typing, but unfortunately, many of the Pokemon it can wall usually carry super effective Rock-type moves. Golbat is also quite bulky due to being able to make use of Eviolite, and it has some great support moves to go along with its bulk. It can Taunt the opponent, phaze it out with Whirlwind, dish out damage with Brave Bird or Super Fang, and recover its HP with Roost. It can also act as a solid pivot if it chooses to run U-turn. Its Speed is very useful as well, as base 90 Speed outruns quite a few threats in the tier. However, due to its Stealth Rock weakness and lack of recovery from Leftovers, Golbat will often have to use Roost or U-turn, making it very easy to set up on.

Hariyama

Typing: Fighting
Base Stats: 144 HP / 120 Atk / 60 Def / 40 SpA / 60 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Thick Fat / Guts / Sheer Force

One of the many Fighting-types in RU, Hariyama stands out from the crowd, competing with a whole different playstyle compared to the others. Thanks to its massive HP stat, Hariyama can take a more defensive role; Thick Fat also adds to Hariyama's defensive prowess, allowing it to survive boosted Fire- and Ice-type moves and hit back with a powerful STAB move. Although Hariyama is slow, it has a high Attack stat, and moves such as Payback, Bullet Punch, and Fake Out enable it to take advantage of its low Speed stat. Hariyama is commonly seen utilizing Rest, Sleep Talk, and Whirlwind, which makes countering it directly pretty difficult. In addition, Hariyama's Guts ability means it can't be beaten by Scald and Will-O-Wisp; they only add to its power.

Lanturn

Typing: Water / Electric
Base Stats: 125 HP / 58 Atk / 58 Def / 76 SpA / 76 SpD / 67 Spe
Abilities: Volt Absorb / Illuminate / Water Absorb

Lanturn is one of the best bulky Water-types in RU. Its great typing grants it only two weaknesses, Grass and Ground, albeit two common attacking types. Its huge base 125 HP makes it incredibly hard to take down, especially with special attacks. Volt Absorb gives Lanturn yet another generous gift of not only an Electric-type immunity, but also a way to recover HP without having to rely on Rest. Lanturn's presence on the team may deter the opponent from recklessly launching Electric-type attacks, which might benefit the Lanturn user. Not only is Lanturn a great special tank, it can also provide plenty of support for the team. With access to support moves, such as Heal Bell and Thunder Wave, Lanturn can provide the team with various forms of support. As with most Water-types, it has access to the frustrating move known as Scald, which has a chance of inflicting a nasty burn on the target. Burning the target also allows Lanturn to handle it more easily as it has a ridiculously low Defense stat. Unlike most bulky Water-types, Lanturn can act as a nifty defensive pivot by switching itself out with a slow Volt Switch. Thus, Lanturn is a rather elusive tank that can get itself out of harm's way. Lanturn can also support rain teams with Rain Dance and even Heal Bell, the latter of which is hard to fit on rain teams. Lanturn is truly a defensive beast to take down, and is one of the most common and effective bulky Water-types in the tier.

Lickilicky

Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 110 HP / 85 Atk / 95 Def / 80 SpA / 95 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Own Tempo / Oblivious / Cloud Nine

Lickilicky's mixed defenses are phenomenal, letting it tank attacks from all sorts of opponents. This is made even better considering it only has one weakness in Fighting-type moves. Lickilicky's main role on a team is a Wish passer, thanks to its ability to pass huge HP Wishes, and as a cleric thanks to its access to Heal Bell. It will also usually be carrying Protect in order to heal itself with Wish, as well as to scout the opponent's moves and gain Leftovers recovery. Lickilicky's attack moves are typically left to Body Slam for STAB in order to spread paralysis on the opponent, and to Dragon Tail in order to phaze the opponent.

Mandibuzz

Typing: Dark / Flying
Base Stats: 110 HP / 65 Atk / 105 Def / 55 SpA / 95 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Big Pecks / Overcoat / Weak Armor

Mandibuzz is a strange defensive Pokémon; unlike its Flying-type brethren, Mandibuzz sports decent base 110 HP, 105 Defense, and 95 Special Defense stats. Commonly seen as a specially defensive Pokémon, Mandibuzz can switch into common Psychic-, Ghost-, and Dark-types, namely Slowking, Absol, and Uxie, with little trouble. Access to Roost, Taunt, and Whirlwind make it difficult to knock out of the sky, and coupled with its decent defensive stats, it will be a pain to face when you're stuck with a special attacker. Overcoat is by far Mandibuzz's most useful ability. Mandibuzz's other abilities are pretty poor, but they don't affect its walling potential in the slightest. Just because it's a Flying-type, and it's weak to Stealth Rock, don't underestimate Mandibuzz as a defensive Pokémon.

Mesprit

Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 80 HP / 105 Atk / 105 Def / 105 SpA / 105 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Levitate

While Mesprit is usually better off with an offensive set due to the presence of other more capable defensive Pokémon in the tier such as Uxie, Mesprit is still a viable option at providing team support. Mesprit isn't totally helpless offensively even though it might be defensively oriented. Its equal defenses and offensive stats make it an all-rounded defensive pivot. Mesprit's support movepool isn't too bad either, with access to Stealth Rock, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Trick Room, Thunder Wave, and Toxic to name a few. What stands out though is Healing Wish, which allows it to bring in a refreshed teammate after setting up a desirable field condition. It can even use dual screens as well. Mesprit is one of the few defensive Pokémon that can keep an offensive presence while providing team support, making it less of a setup bait while fulfilling its roles. Thus, Mesprit is not entire outclassed defensively and is still a threat to look out for in this aspect.

Miltank

Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 95 HP / 80 Atk / 105 Def / 40 SpA / 70 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Thick Fat / Scrappy / Sap Sipper

Miltank possesses three awesome abilities, each of which let it fulfill different roles on a team. Most defensive sets will make use of a specially defensive EV spread and Thick Fat to counter threats such as Moltres and Typhlosion, while retaining its ability to counter physical threats such as Entei. Almost all defensive sets will be carrying Stealth Rock to support the team, Heal Bell to cure status, and Milk Drink for reliable recovery. Miltank's attacking move will typically be left to Body Slam to spread paralysis on the opponent's team. If Miltank is using a Curse set, it will usually be running Scrappy in order to hit Ghost-types. Sap Sipper allows Miltank to easily switch into Spores and Sleep Powders, and Grass-types in general.

Misdreavus

Typing: Ghost
Base Stats: 60 HP / 60 Atk / 60 Def / 85 SpA / 85 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Levitate

Misdreavus is a deceptively bulky Ghost-type thanks to Eviolite that can quickly become infuriating to take down. It's a great spinblocker that can deal with a few of the spinners in RU. Misdreavus has a large support movepool including Pain Split, Heal Bell, Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, Thunder Wave, and Perish Song. She isn't a slouch offensively either, because she has Calm Mind and Nasty Plot backed by a base 85 Special Attack. Misdreavus has no reliable recovery, not even Leftovers, so she will eventually succumb to chip damage. In addition, Dark-types can trap Misdreavus if they can avoid Will-O-Wisp, preying on her lower base 60 Defense.

Moltres

Typing: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 90 HP / 100 Atk / 90 Def / 125 SpA / 85 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Pressure / Flame Body (Unreleased)

While Moltres will usually be using its huge base Special Attack and STAB Fire Blast and Air Slash, it can also make use of its decent defensive stats in a SubRoost set. Moltres's typing is perfect for countering the multitude of Grass- and Bug-types in the tier, and setting a Substitute up on the Pokémon it scares out with its STAB moves is easy to do. Once Moltres has a Substitute up, it's able to stall the opponent with a combination of Toxic and Roost. It will usually be carrying Flamethrower for a STAB move due to its higher PP and accuracy over Fire Blast.

Omastar

Typing: Rock / Water
Base Stats: 70 HP / 60 Atk / 125 Def / 115 SpA / 70 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Shell Armor / Weak Armor

Omastar is most commonly seen as a Shell Smash sweeper, as it is one of the best Shell Smash users, and it might be a waste not to use its offensive potential to the fullest. However, don't forget that Omastar's best stat is actually its base 125 Defense. With such a huge Defense stat, Omastar acts as a good check to several physical attackers in the tier, though it might not be completely effective due to the omnipresent Fighting-types in the tier. Nonetheless, Omastar's access to several support moves make it an ideal defensive Pokémon too. It can lay Stealth Rock, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes, though it is quite inefficient at setting up all of them. Still, it finds many opportunities to set them up as the threat of Shell Smash Omastar is too great for people to ignore and often cause people to immediately switch to their appropriate counters, only to realize that Omastar is taking its time to lay down entry hazards. Being a defensive Water-type has its merits as well as it can potentially burn opponents with Scald. Omastar can tank physical hits from burned opponents all day long bar some super effective hits. Never assume that every Omastar is the same Shell Smash Omastar, as it is still a rather potent defensive threat.

Piloswine

Typing: Ice / Ground
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Snow Cloak / Thick Fat

Despite its current NU status, Piloswine happens to be one of the best tanks available in RU. Coming equipped with good 100 / 80 / 60 defenses which are further bolstered by Eviolite, Piloswine can take most hits with ease, even some super effective ones. This makes Piloswine a solid and consistent setter of Stealth Rock, a very important move that's used on almost every competitive team. Thick Fat helps Piloswine immensely, eliminating its weakness to Fire-type attacks while simultaneously providing it with a resistance to Ice-type moves, making Piloswine one of the best answers to common Pokemon seen on hail teams such as Glaceon and Rotom-F, who both have a huge amount of trouble breaking through Piloswine thanks to Thick Fat. Despite Piloswine's excellent defensive prowess, he isn't a sitting duck either. He has a good base 100 Attack stat and one of the best STAB combinations in the tier, so Piloswine is capable of doing quite a bit of damage when it has to. Piloswine isn't without its flaws, though, as it has a complete lack of reliable recovery and can't even hold Leftovers without losing a large amount of its cherished bulk, making Piloswine somewhat easy to wear down.

Poliwrath

Typing: Water / Fighting
Base Stats: 90 HP / 85 Atk / 95 Def / 70 SpA / 90 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Damp / Swift Swim

Poliwrath possesses fantastic mixed defenses and a unique typing that lets it tank the attacks of many different threats in the tier, particularly Entei, Klinklang, Rhydon, and Crawdaunt. Its ability, Water Absorb, lets it counter nearly ever Water-type in the tier, bar Lanturn, Ludicolo, and Slowking. Poliwrath's signature move, Circle Throw, gives it a decent STAB and phazing move, letting it rack up entry hazard damage. Poliwrath will typically be using a RestTalk, as it lets it continually counter physical threats such as Durant and Aerodactyl throughout the match. Watch out for Scald as well, as a timely burn can be the turning point of the match.

Quagsire

Typing: Water / Ground
Base Stats: 95 HP / 85 Atk / 85 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 35 Spe
Abilities: Damp / Water Absorb / Unaware

Quagsire is a unique Pokémon, as with Unaware, which ignores the opponent's stat boosts, it is able to stop the majority of Pokémon reliant on setup as well as Pokémon that cannot hit hard right off the bat. For example, physically defensive Quagsire stops all variations of Drapion barring a critical hit, as neither Night Slash nor Poison Jab can deal enough damage. Ground / Water typing and access to Recover make it all the more difficult to take down, as many unboosted neutral hits are unable to 2HKO Quagsire. In response, it can build up Curse boosts and threaten to steamroll the opponent or flat out wall and stall with burn or Toxic. Luckily, Quagsire hates status, which will sap away at its health and turn those 3HKOes into 2HKOes. Furthermore, strong neutral hits or special attacks from the likes of Aggron, Druddigon, and even unboosted Gorebyss will leave a dent in Quagsire, giving it no time to Recover. In addition, Grass-type moves will destroy it completely; this is rather unfortunate for Quagsire since Pokémon such as Rotom-C, Tangrowth, Lilligant, and Sceptile exist to take advantage of it. So, while a rare Quagsire variant may tear apart your team, most are handled without rage.

Qwilfish

Typing: Water / Poison
Stats: 65 HP / 95 Atk / 75 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Poison Point / Intimidate

One would wonder why anyone would ever use a Qwilfish—and its meager stats go a long way to support that misconception. However, with its excellent typing and Dream World ability Intimidate, Qwilfish can tank resisted physical hits surprisingly well. With a large support movepool including Taunt, Thunder Wave, Spikes, and Toxic Spikes, Qwilfish can fit on any team quite comfortably. Spikes is an especially notable niche for Qwilfish, as it is one of the better defensive Pokémon with access to this rare commodity.

Regirock

Typing: Rock
Base Stats: 80 HP / 100 Atk / 200 Def / 50 SpA / 100 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Clear Body / Sturdy (Unreleased)

The first thing that should jump out at you when looking at Regirock's stats is its absolutely gigantic Defense stat. This, combined with its high Attack and Special Defense stats, allows it to perform as one of the sturdiest tanks you'll find in RU. Thanks to its typing and high Defense, Regirock is able to take on the likes of Aggron, Entei, Scyther, and Electivire with ease. Most defensive Regirock will carry Stealth Rock and Thunder Wave or Toxic to support the team, with Earthquake and Rock Slide as attacking options. Beware of mono-attacking Curse sets, which remedies one of the main problems Regirock has: its lack of reliable recovery. Also, watch out for the occasional Sunny Day supporter, which will commonly carry Fire Punch and/or Explosion to get a sun sweeper in unscathed.

Rhydon

Typing: Ground / Rock
Base Stats: 105 HP / 130 Atk / 120 Def / 45 SpA / 45 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Lightningrod / Rock Head / Reckless

Although Rhydon is cursed with a horrible defensive typing that gives it many crippling weaknesses, its superb defenses thanks to Eviolite make up for that. With Eviolite, Rhydon has a Defense stat that reaches near unmatchable levels, allowing it to take repeated onslaughts from attackers such as Entei and Escavalier. Rhydon also has access to Stealth Rock and boasts a high base 130 Attack stat, as well as the coveted STAB EdgeQuake, ensuring it's no sitting duck either. Furthermore, Rhydon's resistances to Normal and Fire allow it to comfortably take on powerful attackers, such as Bouffalant and Entei, with ease. However, Rhydon's biggest downfall is the lack of reliable recovery, not even Leftovers, so any damage done is going to be permanent without Wish support. It also has an atrocious Special Defense stat, which means many special attacks can take it down in a flash, especially Grass- and Water-type attacks. However, Rhydon is a behemoth that should not be overlooked as a defensive threat.

Roselia

Typing: Grass / Poison
Base Stats: 50 HP / 60 Atk / 45 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure / Poison Point / Leaf Guard

While she might not look like the part, Roselia is a great asset to defensive teams thanks to many qualities. Eviolite boosts her defenses to great levels, and thanks to her Grass / Poison typing, Roselia can serve as an effective special wall, taking onslaughts from some of RU's top special attackers such as Sceptile, Galvantula, and Lilligant. Her perks don't stop there; she has access to Spikes, making her one of the best setters for a stall team. She also has access to Natural Cure, allowing her to heal off any status that cripples her as well as use Rest effectively, as she can fully restore HP and switch out to cure the sleep. She also boasts a decent base 100 Special Attack stat, giving her offensive presence with Giga Drain and Sludge Bomb to hit decently hard. She does have an atrocious Defense stat and some crippling weaknesses, but with her ideal support movepool, great bulk, and good typing, Roselia makes a great defensive supporter when needed.

Rotom

Typing: Electric / Ghost
Base Stats: 50 HP / 50 Atk / 77 Def / 95 SpA / 77 SpD / 91 Spe
Ability: Levitate

Although Rotom's defensive stats are far from top tier, its wonderful defensive typing and access to support moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Pain Split give it a definite niche as a defensive Pokemon in the RU tier, sporting 3 important immunities as well as 5 resistances. Bulky Rotom is notable for being one of the few spinblockers that matches up well against premier spinner Kabutops, having enough bulk to survive a Life Orb Stone Edge or even a +2 Aqua Jet while OHKOing it in return with a STAB Thunderbolt. Outside of Kabutops, bulky Rotom also serves as a good check to many other dangerous Pokemon such as Durant, Escavalier, Cinccino, Hitmonlee, and Braviary, resisting their STABs and having just enough bulk to survive their coverage moves and burn them with Will-O-Wisp. Of course, bulky Rotom isn't without its flaws; while its defensive typing is amazing, Rotom's lack of pure defensive stats means it will often fall quickly to repeated neutral hits, but when played well, bulky Rotom is both a valuable asset and an intimidating opponent.

Slowking

Typing: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 80 Def / 100 SpA / 110 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator

If one is looking for a fantastic defensive pivot that has instant recovery, can spread status, and actually has enough power to put a dent into something, Slowking is the one. Slowking can use its massive Special Defense to switch into a ton of special attacking threats and attempt to attack back, cripple, switch to a Pokémon that resists the move in the case that the opponent is carrying a Choice item, or do a double switch if you predict the opponent will be switching to. Thanks to its amazing ability in Regenerator, it can heal its health by 33% whenever it switches, meaning it is able to repeatably switch into a threat and threaten it out. While its Defense isn't completely stellar, it's still good enough to be able to tank some hits. Keep in mind that Slowking has many common weaknesses, meaning the number of Pokémon it can switch into is a bit limited, but Slowking can still come in and threaten most of the special attacking Pokémon in the tier out. Slowking is also not just useful for tanking hits; it can attempt a sweep using a Trick Room + Nasty Plot set. If your opponent has a Slowking in it, be very careful in playing around it; it can and will do a lot of damage to your team if you let it.

Smeargle

Typing: Normal
Base Stats: 55 HP / 20 Atk / 35 Def / 20 SpA / 45 SpD / 75 Spe
Abilities: Own Tempo / Technician / Moody (Banned)

Although its appearance may state that this little beagle should stick to the canvas, Smeargle is one of the most annoying Pokémon to face in the RU metagame. What makes it so special you ask? Smeargle has access to literally every move in the game. With a decent 75 base Speed and every support move, Smeargle does a fantastic job of helping out a team whether it be through hazards, Spore, Baton Pass, or even Trick Room! Despite Smeargle's perks, not everything is fine and dandy for the little artist, as ultimately its lack of an offensive presence is its downfall. Most of Smeargle's stats border on horrifying, and Smeargle isn't exactly a speed demon either, allowing it to be outsped and KOed rather easily. Often, faster Pokémon with Taunt put a full stop to Smeargle, rendering its support capabilities useless. On top of this, Team Preview allows your opponent to prepare for Smeargle and stop it as quickly as possible. Although Smeargle isn't the monster it was in the past, it is not to be overlooked.

Steelix

Typing: Steel / Ground
Base Stats: 75 HP / 85 Atk / 200 Def / 55 SpA / 65 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Sturdy / Sheer Force

Steelix is a physically defensive behemoth, boasting an astronomically high base 200 Defense, backed by an acceptable base 75 HP. Although it's weak to common attacking types, such as Fighting and Water, it has the great Sturdy ability to fall back on if it's at full health. With its extremely high base Defense and Sturdy ability, it will be nearly impossible to take it down with a physical attack, even if it's super effective. Steelix can support the team with Stealth Rock and a phazing move of either Dragon Tail or Roar. Its Steel / Ground typing gives Steelix useful resistances to several types such as Bug, Dark, and Ghost. Steelix has a pathetic base 30 Speed that it can use to its advantage; with a Speed-hindering nature, its STAB Gyro Ball can still deal decent damage to most Pokémon in the tier. Earthquake is also reasonably strong. Still, Steelix offenses are hardly impressive, and other physical walls can stall out Steelix as well. Nonetheless, Steelix is a huge physical threat to look out for.

Tangrowth

Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 125 Def / 110 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Leaf Guard / Regenerator

Tangrowth is an excellent physical wall that has gotten even better this generation thanks to its new ability, Regenerator. Regenerator allows Tangrowth to restore a sizable amount of health throughout every match, in conjunction with moves such as Leech Seed and Giga Drain. Its other ability, Chlorophyll, eliminates problems that arise from its pitiful base 50 Speed, allowing it to become a frightening sweeper with Growth. When not tanking hits from physical attackers, Tangrowth also has the potential to strike back hard with great mixed offensive stats—100 Attack and 110 Special Attack—and powerful moves, such as Power Whip. However, what most makes Tangrowth dangerous is Sleep Powder. With Sleep Powder, Tangrowth is able to basically eliminate one Pokémon on the opponent's team, and Tangrowth doesn't even really care if it misses occasionally thanks to its almost endless supply of recovery. Tangrowth is seen most often as a physical tank, although more offensive sets can be used as well; take caution when facing Tangrowth, as it has the potential to sweep your team after just one turn of setup.

Uxie

Typing: Psychic
Base Stats: 75 HP / 75 Atk / 130 Def / 75 SpA / 130 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Levitate

Uxie resumes its role from DPP UU as one of the most versatile supporters available in the metagame. With huge mixed defenses, almost nothing in the tier can outright KO Uxie, which means it will almost always accomplish what it set out to do. Almost every support Uxie will be carrying Stealth Rock and U-turn, but aside from that commonality, most Uxie sets will be different. Uxie's support movepool takes on the colorful rainbow of Thunder Wave, Toxic, Yawn, Rain Dance, Sunny Day, Trick Room, dual screens, Memento, and Trick. But the fun doesn't stop there! Just when you think that Uxie couldn't get more dangerous than being able to support nearly any kind of team, it's also capable of going on the offensive with a bulky SubCM set. After a Calm Mind, very little in the tier can break its Substitutes in one hit, and from there Uxie can steamroll right over the opposing team with Psychic and Thunderbolt. In short, expect the unexpected when facing a Uxie, and use Team Preview to your advantage to prepare for a possible field supporter Uxie.

Whimsicott

Typing: Grass
Base Stats: 60 HP / 67 Atk / 85 Def / 77 SpA / 75 SpD / 116 Spe
Abilities: Prankster / Infiltrator / Chlorophyll

Whimsicott was one of the most hyped up Pokémon in the beginning stages of BW, but it quickly fell from grace after people realized that Grass-types walled it cold and it had no form of offense, as well as its obvious predictability. However, Whimsicott is still quite dangerous in its own right. Even though it has absolutely no way of getting past Grass-types, it can severely cripple them with a priority Stun Spore, or Taunt them. Whimsicott can play a greater role in the RU tier as a team supporter; it has access to a priority Sunny Day, Encore, Taunt, Stun Spore, Light Screen, and even Memento! This crafty little prankster has all sorts of tricks up its grassy sleeves, and therefore you should best be on your guard, for fear of being played by the fluffball.

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