BW OU Threat List
Offensive Threats
Abomasnow
Base Stats: 90 HP / 92 Atk / 75 Def / 92 SpA / 85 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Snow Warning / Soundproof
Abomasnow is unique in standard play, as it is the only fully evolved Pokemon that can summon permanent hail. It is usually seen with a SubSeed set that focuses on wearing the opponent down with hail damage plus Leech Seed. It typically carries Blizzard and a Grass-type STAB move, such as Wood Hammer or Giga Drain, but Earthquake and Ice Shard are also good options. It can also run a Choice Scarf set with Blizzard and Wood Hammer, in addition to Hidden Power Fire or Earthquake to deal with the Steel-types that resist its STAB attacks. In summary, while Abomasnow might not be the best Pokemon in the world, the hail it brings gives it a solid niche as an anti-metagame Pokemon in OU.
Alakazam
Base Stats: 55 HP / 50 Atk / 45 Def / 135 SpA / 85 SpD / 120 Spe
Abilities: Synchronize / Inner Focus / Magic Guard
Alakazam, having been denied OU status for numerous generations, was finally bumped up in part thanks to a new ability, Magic Guard. Packing base 135 Special Attack as well as base 120 Speed and Psyshock to hit Chansey and Blissey, Alakazam is one tough cookie to handle. Its most common set is a Focus Sash one that aims to take advantage of Magic Guard, which prevents entry hazards, weather, and other residual damage from breaking the Focus Sash. Alakazam is used as a hit-and-run attacker and can be exceptionally difficult to handle without a proper counter. Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, and Hidden Power Fire or Energy Ball round out the set's coverage, enabling it to hit every Pokemon in OU for at least neutral damage. Substitute + 3 Attacks with a recoilless Life Orb thanks to Magic Guard is also a common set, with Substitute protecting it from priority.
Azumarill
Base Stats: 100 HP / 50 Atk / 80 Def / 50 SpA / 80 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Thick Fat / Huge Power / Sap Sipper
With the onslaught of many fast, powerful attackers and frail setup sweepers, powerful priority is virtually a must for any team, and Azumarill certainly provides this. With the combination of Huge Power and Choice Band, Azumarill can OHKO many of the top threats in the metagame with STAB Aqua Jet when they are weakened, as well as smack defensive threats such as Ferrothorn and Blissey with Superpower. With Drizzle support, few can stand up to a boosted Waterfall in rain. Azumarill also has coverage options, such as Ice Punch, to fall back on, and its great Water typing and above-average defenses allow it to take the odd hit or two with ease. Overall, Azumarill is a great choice for rain teams looking for a solid revenge killer and late-game cleaner, and it should always be played against carefully.
Breloom
Base Stats: 60 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Effect Spore / Poison Heal / Technician
After being top-tier threat in DPP OU, Breloom returns in BW improved with an even better ability than before—Technician. Technician makes its Low Sweep, Mach Punch, and Bullet Seed extremely powerful. Additionally, Breloom has access to the rare Spore. Thanks to the BW sleep mechanics, it essentially means one Pokemon will be crippled for the duration of the match. With access to Swords Dance to boost its Attack as well, Breloom is quite difficult to deal with, even if you have proper checks to it. The classic SubPunch set with Poison Heal is as effective as ever; Breloom can set up a Substitute on numerous threats, such as a Choice-locked Keldeo, and get off a free Focus Punch. It can even run it on its Technician set, as Spore gives it ample opportunity to fire off the powerful 120 Base Power STAB attack. While SubSeed has fallen into obscurity thanks to metagame shifts, a new set has emerged that runs Protect and Drain Punch in conjunction with Leech Seed, enabling Breloom to pretty much never faint between Drain Punch, Leech Seed, and Leftovers recovery. One perk is that it is weather-independent, unlike many of this metagame's top stallers, and Drain Punch wrecks Ferrothorn—a hard counter to most Leech Seed users. Breloom's versatility, access to Spore, and two equally amazing abilities make it an unmatched top threat.
Celebi
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Natural Cure
Celebi is a Pokemon that has always shined in the OU environment. It is easy to see why, as a typing that grants it six resistances, base 100 stats across the board, and a useful ability in Natural Cure make Celebi a huge threat to look out for. Thanks to its well-balanced stats, Celebi is an effective defensive pivot and supporter for offensive teams. With access to moves such as Thunder Wave and Stealth Rock in addition to a useful Water-type resistance, it's not hard to see why. Furthermore, sporting a great boosting attack in Nasty Plot and useful coverage moves in Earth Power and Hidden Power Fire or Ice, Celebi can also sweep through unprepared teams with ease. To top it all off, Celebi can use Baton Pass to pass Substitutes and boosts from Nasty Plot, Calm Mind, or even Swords Dance to an awaiting teammate, giving it the ability to sweep.
Chandelure
Base Stats: 60 HP / 55 Atk / 90 Def / 145 SpA / 90 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Flame Body
Chandelure has a variety of traits that make it a threat in OU. A gigantic base 145 Special Attack, two powerful STAB moves, and decent defensive stats make Chandelure a threat to contend with. Its prime role is as a special attacker for sun teams, as its sun-boosted Fire Blasts can rip through much of the tier. Its go-to sets are Substitute, Choice Specs, and Choice Scarf, which all pose a threat in different ways. With a Substitute, Chandelure can freely fire off attacks without fear of being revenge killed, while Choice Specs-boosted Fire Blasts are extremely powerful. Choice Scarf Chandelure can outrun much of the metagame and fell offensive Pokemon with its sun-boosted attacks.
Cloyster
Base Stats: 50 HP / 95 Atk / 180 Def / 85 SpA / 45 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Shell Armor / Skill Link / Overcoat
Cloyster's primary role in OU is as a Shell Smash user. With just a single turn of setup, which isn't that hard to get due to its massive Defense stat, Cloyster's offenses and Speed are boosted by two stages, allowing it to hit hard and outrun almost all of the tier. Its ability Skill Link ensures Icicle Spear and Rock Blast have the maximum possible power, granting Cloyster two strong attacks to work with; they also ensure that Focus Sash, Substitute, Multiscale, and Sturdy users cannot stop Cloyster's rampage. These two attacks in conjunction with either a powerful rain-boosted Water-type STAB move or priority Ice Shard make Cloyster a Pokemon to look out for.
Conkeldurr
Base Stats: 105 HP / 140 Atk / 95 Def / 55 SpA / 65 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Guts / Sheer Force
Another slow, bulky, and very powerful Fighting-type, Conkeldurr is not a clown to joke about. Conkeldurr packs a massive 140 base Attack, three great abilities, and plenty of offensive coverage. With Sheer Force, it can utilize the elemental punches and STAB attacks to function as a threatening attacker. Additionally, it can sweep with Bulk Up, which takes advantage of Conkeldurr's nice defenses to ensure a boost, using Drain Punch to hit hard and heal up as needed. Guts lets Conkeldurr scoff at the Achilles' heel of many other physical attackers, enabling it to set up on walls that beat many of its fellow physical sweepers with status or Scald's burn chance. Aside from the traditional Sheer Force and Bulk Up sets, Conkeldurr can also take advantage of Guts directly with a Flame Orb, which boosts the power of its attacks by 50%, making it enormously powerful.
Darmanitan
Base Stats: 105 HP / 140 Atk / 55 Def / 30 SpA / 55 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Sheer Force / Zen Mode
With a colossal Attack stat, a devastating STAB move in Flare Blitz, and a great ability in Sheer Force, Darmanitan has the power to blast its way through its opponents, including those that resist its attacks. With a Sheer Force-boosted Flare Blitz under sun, Darmanitan can power its way through just about all Pokemon who aren't outright immune to Fire-type attacks. Those who are immune face the threat of a similarly boosted Rock Slide or Superpower or a quick U-turn to a counter. With such power, Darmanitan is a massive threat under the sun.
Dragonite
Base Stats: 91 HP / 134 Atk / 95 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Inner Focus / Multiscale
Dragonite finds itself as a top-tier attacker in BW thanks to its ability Multiscale, which lets it take almost any attack at full health. It is most commonly seen utilizing either an offensive Dragon Dance set that looks to sweep or a Choice Band set that punches massive holes and can revenge kill with ExtremeSpeed. With Multiscale, Dragonite is practically guaranteed to set up at least one Dragon Dance, and a strong STAB Outrage, priority ExtremeSpeed, and various forms of coverage (such as Fire Punch, Aqua Tail, Earthquake, and Superpower) all help to ensure it will hit exceptionally hard after a boost. A different spin on this set runs Substitute, Roost, and Dragon Claw, aiming to stack multiple boosts and sweep late-game with Dragon-type resists removed. Additionally, Dragonite has a decent base 100 Special Attack and access to STAB Hurricane as well as Thunder, letting it run an effective mixed wallbreaker set or even sweep with Agility, outrunning virtually the entire metagame at +2. It can even run a mixed anti-lead set to rip apart teams from the get-go, destroying Custap Berry Forretress and Skarmory and dealing out serious damage in the early stages of the battle. Dragonite has the versatility to run a number of sets, almost all of which are effective and can deal serious damage to opposing teams.
Espeon
Base Stats: 65 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 130 SpA / 95 SpD / 110 Spe
Abilities: Synchronize / Magic Bounce
Espeon's saving grace comes not in the form of typing, stats, or moves, but in its Dream World ability: Magic Bounce. Its ability to deflect entry hazards, phazing moves, status moves, and Taunt not only gives it a niche on standard teams, but also allows it to set up on many defensive Pokemon, including Jellicent, Blissey without Seismic Toss, and Skarmory. With Magic Bounce and the ability to set up dual screens, Espeon makes an excellent supporter for offensive teams, and with Stored Power, it serves as the crux of Baton Pass teams. All in all, Espeon is a surefire way to ensure hazard setters cannot do their job.
Gengar
Base Stats: 60 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 130 SpA / 75 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
With its Ghost typing, high base 110 Speed, and massive base 130 Special Attack, Gengar remains a dangerous threat four generations after its introduction. Convenient immunities to common Normal-, Fighting-, and Ground-type attacks make Gengar a great pivot, giving it a wealth of opportunities to switch in and wreak havoc. With Shadow Ball and Focus Blast getting neutral coverage and hitting the vast majority of threats hard, Gengar can simultaneously make use of its multitude of utility options, allowing it to run effective sets with Substitute and Will-O-Wisp, Disable, or Pain Split. Depending on its choice of move, Gengar can make an excellent check to threats such as Conkeldurr, walls such as Blissey, Ferrothorn, and Jellicent, and physical attackers all over. Thanks to its Ghost typing and these traits, Gengar is the premier spinblocker for hazard-stacking offensive teams in OU; it is basically the only offensive spinblocker available. These traits cement Gengar as a force to be reckoned with.
Gliscor
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 125 Def / 45 SpA / 75 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil / Poison Heal
Despite being thought of as a primarily defensive threat, Gliscor's stats, movepool, and typing lend themselves to solid offensive sets. With its bulk and decent Speed, it is easily able to switch into top threats, such as Tyranitar and Lucario, and threaten them with its STAB Earthquake. It can then use Swords Dance to boost its Attack or Agility to boost its Speed as the opponent switches out. With these moves in addition to a Flying Gem-boosted Acrobatics and an Intimidate immunity thanks to Hyper Cutter, Gliscor can surprise its foes expecting to take on a weak defensive set and even sweep unprepared teams.
Gorebyss
Base Stats: 55 HP / 84 Atk / 105 Def / 114 SpA / 75 SpD / 52 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Hydration
With Shell Smash, Gorebyss is able to sweep the opponent despite its otherwise average stats. However, sweeping isn't the most dangerous thing in Gorebyss's arsenal: it, Huntail, and Smeargle are the only Pokemon that can Baton Pass those Shell Smash boosts. This turns Gorebyss into a nigh-unparalleled support Pokemon that, in a single turn, can set up a sweep for one of its more dangerous teammates, such as Kyurem-B, Nidoking, or Expert Belt Jirachi. It also has a usable Defense stat and immunity to status in rain thanks to Hydration. These traits make Gorebyss an effective form of support for top offensive threats, allowing them to devastate teams.
Gyarados
Base Stats: 95 HP / 125 Atk / 79 Def / 60 SpA / 100 SpD / 81 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Moxie
In rain, Gyarados becomes a threatening sweeper with Dragon Dance. This is due to a number of traits. For one, two excellent abilities either help it set up in the case of Intimidate or continue sweeping in the case of Moxie. Solid 95 / 79 / 100 defenses and a typing that grants it resistances to common Water-, Bug-, and Steel-type moves and an immunity to Ground-type moves make setting up pretty easy. Finally, rain-boosted Waterfall and STAB Bounce provide good coverage, allowing for a variety of moves to be run in the last slot. The best Gyarados set runs Substitute or Taunt and some defensive EVs, aiming to stack up multiple Dragon Dances. Also threatening is a full-on offensive set with a coverage move like Stone Edge or Normal Gem-boosted Double-Edge. Choice Band and Choice Scarf sets are also viable, giving Gyarados a good deal of versatility. All in all, Gyarados is a sweeper to watch out for.
Haxorus
Base Stats: 76 HP / 147 Atk / 90 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 97 Spe
Abilities: Rivalry / Mold Breaker / Unnerve
Haxorus was a vastly overhyped threat in the early stages of BW, and it is not quite the terror that its massive base 147 Attack might make it seem. However, it is still a very dangerous threat. Outside of its powerful STAB Outrage, Haxorus has coverage options in Superpower, Earthquake, and Brick Break, allowing it to surprise unsuspecting opponents that switch in expecting Outrage. Access to boosting moves, such as Dragon Dance and Swords Dance, makes Haxorus a dangerous setup sweeper too, as it can be hard to stop after just a single turn of setup. It is also one of the few Dragon-types with access to Taunt, which means that phazing walls, such as Skarmory, won't be stopping Haxorus in a hurry. It can also utilize Choice Band to smash its way through teams with just the raw power of its STAB Outrage, which can power through even the likes of Steel-types such as Ferrothorn and Skarmory! Although Haxorus might seem like an inconsequential threat in comparison to many OU Dragon-types, it is certainly a force to contend with.
Heatran
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire
Heatran is a very versatile Pokemon that can run a variety of sets, ranging from all-out offensive ones to defensive ones. With great balanced stats, a unique and effective typing, and a useful ability in Flash Fire, Heatran can run a fantastic offensive set, which, when backed by a Life Orb or Choice Specs, has the power to rip through whole teams. Slapping a Choice Scarf on Heatran makes it a great revenge killer too, as it can then outspeed many popular unboosted sweepers while simultaneously being able to finish off most threats with a powerful STAB Fire Blast. It also has the ability to clean up weakened teams late-game with any of its offensive sets. Finally, Heatran has a variety of support options, and its respectable defenses allow it to sponge most neutral and resisted attacks. With a great support movepool including Stealth Rock, Sunny Day, Taunt, Toxic, Protect, and Torment, the only thing that stops Heatran from being a top mixed wall is its lack of reliable recovery, which nonetheless can be somewhat remedied by Leftovers. Despite having a nasty weakness to common Ground-, Water-, and Fighting-type attacks, Heatran is still quite a threat and makes a great addition to any team looking for a bulky, powerful attacker.
Hydreigon
Base Stats: 92 HP / 105 Atk / 90 Def / 125 SpA / 90 Def / 98 Spe
Ability: Levitate
With a high base 125 Special Attack, a unique typing, and decent defensive stats, along with a massive movepool filled with coverage options for almost every possible threat and a wonderful ability in Levitate, Hydreigon is one of the few Pokemon that can truly be called "uncounterable." Its power and coverage allow it to shine as a wallbreaker, ripping apart virtually every OU wall not named Blissey or Chansey. Although other Dragon-types like Latios and Latias might appear to outshine it, beware underestimating its abilities, as it can ravage teams given the opportunity.
Infernape
Base Stats: 76 HP / 104 Atk / 71 Def / 104 SpA / 71 Def / 108 Spe
Abilities: Blaze / Iron Fist
Although Infernape has a massive amount of competition from other Fighting-types, do not make the mistake of overlooking it, as its attacks are scary in the sun. Sporting a good Attack stat and high base 108 Speed, Infernape can function effectively as a Choice Band user, ripping apart foes with its Choice Band-boosted Flare Blitz whilst tearing apart bulky Water-types with its Iron Fist-boosted attacks. Although it's still by no means an amazing Pokemon, its access to U-turn to scout and gain a favorable matchup as well as a powerful priority move in Iron Fist-boosted Mach Punch, Infernape can hit teams where it hurts.
Jirachi
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Serene Grace
It's not a stretch to say that Jirachi is one of the most versatile and useful Pokemon in the BW OU metagame. With a number of classic and new threats thriving in OU, including but not limited to Ferrothorn, Latios, Latias, Reuniclus, and Tyranitar, Jirachi's well-rounded combination of offense and defense is sorely needed on many teams. Jirachi has many things going for it: in addition to its Steel / Psychic typing, which grants Jirachi a whopping eight resistances and only two weaknesses, it is also gifted with the amazing ability in Serene Grace, along with many options with which to utilize it. With a Choice Scarf, it is one of the best revenge killers in OU, boasting great coverage and access to U-turn, Trick, and Healing Wish, which grants it utility other Choice Scarf users would die for. With Calm Mind and Substitute or Wish combined with a number of possible attacks, including Serene Grace-enhanced Thunder and Water Pulse, Jirachi can destroy teams given a free opportunity to set up. Finally, with a Shuca Berry, Jirachi can function as an effective Stealth Rock setter, and it can also lure and KO Ground-types. Physically, Jirachi poses a threat with the notorious Iron Head, which, thanks to Serene Grace, has a massive 60% flinch chance, complemented with coverage options in the elemental punches to check the likes of Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Gliscor. More often than not, Jirachi requires minimal support to function, as its wonderful bulk and typing allow it to set up easily on various types of teams. Once its counters and checks have been eliminated, Jirachi can break through most teams in a metagame heavily reliant on defensive Pokemon—still with that ever-serene smile on its face.
Keldeo
Base Stats: 91 HP / 72 Atk / 90 Def / 129 SpA / 90 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Justified
Keldeo's base 129 Special Attack and 108 Speed lend it to the role of a fast, powerful special attacker. With the prominence of rain, Keldeo often gets the chance to fire off powerful rain-boosted Hydro Pumps, which outright murder many threats in the OU tier. Whether it is an Expert Belt, Choice Scarf, Choice Specs, or Calm Mind variant, it is difficult for many teams to handle. It can even run attacks to KO most of its few counters. With an Expert Belt, Keldeo can surprise Celebi, a premier counter, with Hidden Power Bug. With a Choice Scarf, it can revenge kill a number of threats and clean with its rain-boosted Surfs. With a Choice Specs, its Hydro Pumps are so powerful that barely anything can even take them. Finally, with Calm Mind, Keldeo can boost and sweep, smashing through Jellicent with boosted Hidden Power Ghost. Keldeo's typing grants it a number of resistances and a Fighting-type STAB move in Secret Sword, which hits Blissey and Chansey where it hurts. Due to its versatility and exceptional power, Keldeo is one of the best Pokemon in OU.
Kingdra
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Sniper / Damp
Kingdra sets itself apart with its unique Water / Dragon typing; with resistances to three common attacking types, only one weakness to Dragon-type moves, and decent defensive stats, Kingdra can set up easily on a regular basis. This typing also grants Kingdra good offensive dual STAB coverage, resisted only by the common Ferrothorn, as well as the less popular Empoleon and Shedinja. Kingdra may also threaten teams in numerous other ways. Rain Dance sets have the power to break through teams if a select few Pokemon are removed. In rain, Kingdra can take advantage of its ability, Swift Swim, to outrun just about the whole metagame, making it especially difficult to revenge kill. Kingdra poses a massive threat to common rain teams as well, outrunning their attackers thanks to Swift Swim and benefiting massively from the permanent rain. It also has the versatility to run Dragon Dance sets, which can sweep opposing teams late-game. You may be tempted to pair Kingdra with a Drizzle Politoed; however, the combination of Swift Swim and Drizzle is banned, so Kingdra will have to resort to setting it up manually or be supported by a teammate. Nonetheless, this doesn't stop it from being a significant offensive threat.
Kyurem
Base Stats: 125 HP / 130 Atk / 90 Def / 130 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Kyurem is a scary staller with its trademark SubRoost set, hitting hard off its base 130 Special Attack set and felling many foes between Ice Beam and Earth Power. It is a massive threat to stall teams, which often can barely touch it; if they can, it has Roost to heal right back up. With excellent 125 / 90 / 90 defenses, Kyurem is certainly durable enough to take the odd hit or two, allowing it to hang around for a while. It might look like it can do more than just run SubRoost, but virtually every other possible set is outclassed by Kyurem-B. This is immaterial, though, as Kyurem is unparalleled at performing its own role.
Kyurem-B
Base Stats: 125 HP / 170 Atk / 100 Def / 120 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Teravolt
Kyurem-B is among the scariest attackers in OU. Boasting titanic 170 / 120 offenses, excellent 125 / 100 / 90 defenses, a decent Speed stat, and amazing coverage, it's not hard to see why. Kyurem-B's flagship set is Substitute with Ice Beam, Fusion Bolt, and Earth Power, granting it protection from troublesome status and Leech Seed, as well as coverage that lets it literally 6-0 stall teams lacking a solid answer to it. Its ability, Teravolt, means that not even Levitate Pokemon such as Rotom-W can evade Earth Power, allowing Kyurem-B to take out almost every wall in OU. However, this is far from all the sets Kyurem-B can run. With a variety of coverage moves or Roost to keep healthy, it can run an effective specially based mixed set. Such a set can be adapted to run Outrage and smash apart teams physically. Kyurem-B can even revenge kill with a Choice Scarf, bring teams to their knees with Choice Band-boosted Outrages, and sweep with Substitute + Hone Claws and Dragon Tail once its counters are removed and hazards are on the field. Kyurem-B's versatility and raw power make it one of the most threatening Pokemon in OU.
Landorus-T
Base Stats: 85 HP / 145 Atk / 90 Def / 105 SpA / 80 SpD / 91 Spe
Ability: Intimidate
While best known as a defensive Stealth Rock setter, Landorus-T is also threatening offensively. With access to two boosting moves in Rock Polish and Swords Dance, as well as great coverage in EdgeQuake bolstered by an extremely high base 145 Attack, it's not hard to see why. Thanks to Intimidate, Landorus-T can set up on a number of physical attackers, utilizing Rock Polish or Swords Dance when given the opportunity, and it can even use both if it has the chance. With +2 Attack and Speed, Landorus-T becomes difficult to stop except with the bulkiest of physical walls. In addition to its flagship double booster set, it can also don a Choice Scarf and revenge kill, having access to U-turn and a decent base 91 Speed; this allows it to revenge kill threats like Dragonite with ease.
Latias
Base Stats:80 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 110 SpA / 130 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
The transition to BW has seen Latias once again allowed into standard play, with the sole stipulation that it may not hold its signature item, Soul Dew. Nonetheless, Latias is capable of putting its high Speed, power, access to instant recovery, and formidable bulk to good use. Its most common set runs a Life Orb, hitting hard while serving as a check to numerous top threats, including Keldeo and Terrakion. It can also sweep with Calm Mind, and it is difficult to handle when boosted behind a Substitute. Overall, with the metagame centered largely around Fighting- and Dragon-type threats, both of which Latias handles well thanks to its resistance to the former and ability to outspeed and KO nearly all of the latter, it fits very nicely into the metagame.
Latios
Base Stats:80 HP / 90 Atk / 80 Def / 130 SpA / 110 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
It's no mystery as to why Latios is one of the most feared Pokemon out there; with its massive base 130 Special Attack and base 110 Speed stats, as well as passable bulk, Latios is one of the most effective attackers in the metagame. Draco Meteor, perhaps its most common attack, has enough power to heavily dent even the likes of Ferrothorn, and the ability to take Latios's Choice Specs Draco Meteor has become the standard by which all special walls in OU are judged. Latios is able to run a variety of sets, ranging from Choice Specs to Calm Mind to even Dragon Dance. Access to Psyshock, which hits special walls where it hurts, only further bolsters Latios's status as one of OU's top special attackers.
Lucario
Base Stats: 70 HP / 110 Atk / 70 Def / 115 SpA / 70 SpD / 90 Spe
Ability: Steadfast / Inner Focus / Justified
With a terrific boosting move in Swords Dance and an attack movepool that accommodates just about every check and counter possible, Lucario makes its mark on the metagame as a lethal setup sweeper unreliant on weather. Thanks to excellent priority in the form of ExtremeSpeed and STAB Bullet Punch, Lucario can afford to run an attack-boosting nature while still hitting most of its faster checks for major damage. Lucario also has barely any defensive counters, as a +2 Lucario holding Life Orb is capable of OHKOing walls including Skarmory, Gliscor, and Jellicent with the appropriate move. Finally, a great ability in Justified coupled with a 4x resistance to Dark-type attacks allows Lucario to switch in on a predicted Dark-type move to get a free boost. Overall, Lucario is a dangerous threat whose flexibility, quick setup, strong STAB moves, and access to powerful priority allow it to devastate both offensive teams and defensive teams alike.
Magnezone
Base Stats: 70 HP / 70 Atk / 115 Def / 130 SpA / 95 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Magnet Pull / Sturdy / Analytic
With the abundance of Steel-type defensive walls, it is no wonder that Magnezone finds a place in the metagame. Magnet Pull gives Magnezone the ability to trap Ferrothorn, Skarmory, Jirachi, and Forretress (other Steel-types can beat it, but Magnezone destroys these) and promptly eliminate them with its Choice Specs-boosted Thunderbolt or Hidden Power Fire. Even though Magnezone doesn't have the largest movepool, Hidden Power Fire and its STAB moves give it all the coverage it needs. It can pivot out with Volt Switch and smack Ground-types hard with Flash Cannon, too, so it provides some good general utility. In addition to Steel trapping, Magnezone can also hit extremely hard with Analytic-boosted Thunders in the rain. Magnezone's role in OU is as a Steel trapper, which it is exceptional at.
Mew
Base Stats:100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Synchronize
Mew can run a great number of sets, all of which capitalize on its fantastic defensive, offensive, and supportive capabilities. Nasty Plot and Swords Dance are two amazing boosting moves that can be Baton Passed to power up dangerous offensive Pokemon. With its great Special Attack and Speed, however, it can just as easily sweep on its own with Nasty Plot, utilizing its STAB Psyshock to take down even special walls such as Blissey and Jellicent. A stallbreaker set sporting Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, and Recover can beget great results for teams struggling to break stall, leaving its members crippled and damaged. Overall, be very wary of Mew, as behind its pink pixie exterior lies immense versatility and power.
Nidoking
Base Stats:81 HP / 92 Atk / 77 Def / 85 SpA / 75 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Poison Point / Rivalry / Sheer Force
Overlooked in past generations due to its middling stats, Nidoking received a blessing in the form of its Dream World ability, Sheer Force. This allows Nidoking to make full use of its fantastic movepool with a very efficient Life Orb set. Nidoking's useful typing protects it from paralysis and poison and also allows it to remove Toxic Spikes upon switching in. It has access to powerful STAB moves, such as Earth Power and Sludge Wave, as well as the elemental trio of Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, and Ice Beam, all which gain a Sheer Force boost.
Politoed
Base Stats:90 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 90 SpA / 100 SpD / 70 Spd
Abilities: Water Absorb / Damp / Drizzle
Outclassed by other Water-types in previous generations, Politoed shot to instant stardom with the arrival of Gen V. Politoed received Drizzle from the Dream World, turning the OU metagame on its head. In fact, Politoed's infinite rain provided such an exceptional boost to Swift Swim that the two were banned together on the same team. Although its best sweeping compatriots are gone, Politoed's rain still contributes to rain stall teams and teams that need other weathers removed. Politoed itself functions well as a special attacker. As a Choice Scarf user, it can boost its Speed to revenge kill some threats and hit fast with its rain-boosted Hydro Pumps. With Choice Specs, Politoed's Hydro Pumps become even more powerful, allowing it to smash holes in teams. With a Water Gem, Politoed can switch moves and surprise foes with a devastating Water Gem-boosted Hydro Pump. Boasting some versatility and filling an unparalleled support role as an offensive Pokemon, Politoed is one of the best Pokemon in OU.
Rotom-W
Base Stats:50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
With only one weakness thanks to its ability, Levitate, as well as two great offensive STAB moves, Rotom-W makes a great tank in today's metagame. This, in conjunction with good bulk and a solid Special Attack stat, allows Rotom-W to both take hits and dish out damage equally well. Its low base HP makes Pain Split semi-reliable recovery, and with Will-O-Wisp to cripple physical attackers, Volt Switch to pivot out and hit Water-types hard, and Hydro Pump as a powerful, possibly rain-boosted STAB move, Rotom-W makes a phenomenal bulky attacker. However, this is far from its only viable offensive set. STAB Thunderbolt, Volt Switch, and Hydro Pump hit hard when backed by Choice Specs, enabling Rotom-W to ravage foes. This affable washing machine also has Hidden Power to surprise walls that resist its STAB moves, such as Ferrothorn and Gastrodon, thus providing great coverage. With a Choice Scarf, Rotom-W can revenge kill a variety of threats and cripple walls with Trick. Though Rotom-W is not a game-breaking offensive force, its ability to both take hits and retaliate make it a Pokemon to look out for.
Salamence
Base Stats:95 HP / 135 Atk / 80 Def / 110 SpA / 80 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Moxie
This controversial DPP Uber continues to be a solid offensive threat in BW OU. Dragon Dance allows it to run roughshod over entire teams with just a single turn of setup; what's more, Salamence's large movepool and two abilities makes it unpredictable, as it can function as a fast revenge killer and cleaner with a Choice Scarf (thanks to Moxie) and a scary mixed attacker with special attacks like Fire Blast. Due to these factors, despite competition with other powerful Dragon-types, Salamence still has a sizable niche in OU.
Sawsbuck
Base Stats:80 HP / 100 Atk / 70 Def / 60 SpA / 70 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Chlorophyll / Sap Sipper / Serene Grace
Though a much rarer sight than the omnipresent Venusaur as a Chlorophyll sweeper, Sawsbuck is nonetheless a deadly offensive threat in the sun. With its unique dual STAB typing and Jump Kick or Nature Power (Earthquake in Wi-Fi battles) for coverage, Sawsbuck can hit a wide range of threats very hard. If given the opportunity to set up with Swords Dance, it can easily sweep entire teams that lack the Fighting-type priority it hates. It can also surprise foes like Latios, Latias, and Celebi with Megahorn, punching large holes in teams.
Scizor
Base Stats:70 HP / 130 Atk / 100 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Swarm / Technician / Light Metal
Thanks to its excellent typing, nice defenses, and various other traits, Scizor is a great physical attacker and staple on many teams. The Choice Band set is a consistent performer that is useful for a number of teams. U-turn coming off of Scizor's base 130 Attack deals plenty of damage and also allows Scizor to be an effective scout and pivot. Technician-boosted STAB Bullet Punch is a threatening revenge killing tool that easily KOs offensive threats like Terrakion. It can also Pursuit trap foes like Jellicent, Celebi, Latios, and Latias, paving the way for Pokemon such as Keldeo to sweep. However, this is far from its only viable set. With Swords Dance and Flying Gem-boosted Acrobatics, Scizor can get rid of what are normally its premier counters: Jellicent and Tentacruel. Bulky Swords Dance variants can handle a variety of foes, including Latios and Latias, boost up with Swords Dance, and sweep with its counters removed. Given a Choice Scarf, Scizor can serve as a fast scout with U-turn and surprise foes such as Latios expecting to be able to take a hit. Latios, for example, would try to hit it with Hidden Power Fire if it had enough HP left to survive the Bullet Punch. Scizor's versatility, utility, and power put it among the top Pokemon in the OU tier.
Starmie
Base Stats:60 HP / 75 Atk / 85 Def / 100 SpA / 85 SpD / 115 Spe
Abilities: Illuminate / Natural Cure / Analytic
This long-time OU veteran of all four previous generations has a tried-and-tested combination of blistering Speed, fantastic Special Attack, great coverage, and devastating high-powered moves. With Hydro Pump, Psyshock, and Ice Beam in its arsenal, Starmie serves as a powerful offensive threat, and with Rapid Spin, it supports many offensive Pokemon weak to Stealth Rock. Starmie is pretty much the only offensive Rapid Spin user available, making it nigh mandatory on offensive teams vulnerable to hazards. It has excellent coverage and access to two stellar abilities: Natural Cure and Analytic. Natural Cure gets rid of status, making Starmie an excellent status absorber, while Analytic allows Starmie to punish switch-ins with its boosted STAB moves. Rain's prominence in the tier also works well for it, making its Hydro Pump exceptionally powerful. Starmie hits hard and can spin away troublesome hazards, so it's no wonder that it is a top OU threat.
Terrrakion
Base Stats:91 HP / 129 Atk / 90 Def / 72 SpA / 90 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Justified
Terrakion's nice defenses for an attacker, incredible base 129 Attack, and base 108 Speed build it to be a menacing physical attacker. Its counters number few and can easily be dealt with given proper team support. With access to Stealth Rock, it functions as one of the best offensive Stealth Rock leads in the game. It can also run Choice Band and Choice Scarf sets, allowing it to devastate teams with powerful attacks and or revenge kill, respectively. Its ability, Justified, further allows it to snatch an Attack boost by switching in on Dark-type moves such as Tyranitar's Crunch. On top of all this, it can sweep with a Swords Dance set, as long as its checks are removed, ripping apart much of the tier.
Tornadus
Base Stats:79 HP / 115 Atk / 70 Def / 125 SpA / 80 SpD / 111 Spe
Abilities: Prankster / Defiant
Tornadus is very scary in the rain. The one trait that really separates it from other rain-oriented Pokemon is its powerful Flying-type STAB move, Hurricane, which rivals Latios's Draco Meteor in power and comes without any drawback in rain. This allows Tornadus to run a threatening Choice Specs set, which not many Pokemon can check reliably, and even then, many of them can be elminated by Tornadus's coverage moves. It also has access to Prankster Tailwind, allowing a slower teammate to punch some holes in the opposing team for a couple turns, leaving the opposing team weakened for another teammate to capitalize on. These traits combine to make Tornadus a solid offensive threat.
Toxicroak
Base Stats:83 HP / 106 Atk / 65 Def / 86 SpA / 65 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Anticipation / Dry Skin / Poison Touch
Toxicroak's viability in OU lies in its highly coveted ability, Dry Skin, which restores 12.5% of its health in rain and recovers health when hit by Water-type attacks. This, along with Toxicroak's Poison typing, allows it to completely wall nearly every bulky Water-type and set up Swords Dance in their faces. Between Ice Punch, Drain Punch, and priority Sucker Punch, it can eliminate numerous common threats to rain teams such as Ferrothorn, Latios, Latias, and Celebi. For these reasons, Toxicroak is an excellent attacker for rain teams.
Tyranitar
Base Stats:100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe
Abilities: Sand Stream / Unnerve
The mighty sand tyrant returns to take the BW OU metagame by storm—and for good reason too. Tyranitar sports many impressive traits, including a great stat spread, good offensive typing, a diverse movepool, and of course, Sand Stream. With a fantastic Attack stat, Tyranitar can run a solid Choice Band set. Its STAB Crunch and Stone Edge hit extremely hard with the power boost, but they're only the tip of the iceberg; the main event is Pursuit. Tyranitar can switch into Pokemon like Latios, Latias, and Celebi with ease and checkmate them with Pursuit, eliminating them for a partner such as Keldeo to take advantage of. With a Choice Scarf, Tyranitar makes a nice revenge killer, too. Tyranitar can also function as a good Stealth Rock lead with a Focus Sash. Overall, with its ability to remove opposing weather, general versatility, sand-enhanced special bulk, and unparalleled Pursuit trapping capabilities, Tyranitar is among the best Pokemon in OU.
Venusaur
Base Stats:80 HP / 82 Atk / 83 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Overgrow / Chlorophyll
Venusaur has a place in OU as the the premier Chlorophyll sweeper. With access to Growth, two nice STAB types, and Hidden Power, it's mandatory to pack a check to it on every OU team. With Sleep Powder and three attacks, it loses the ability to sweep, but can incapacitate a foe with Sleep Powder and proceed to fire off attacks. It also functions as a great cleaner. Even Heatran isn't entirely safe against it, as it can choose to carry Earthquake and knock it out with ease. It can even run a Sunny Day set, which messes up Tyranitar and Politoed switching in to remove the sun and takes advantage of foes thinking that they have the game won with Ninetales KOed. Venusaur also has the option to swap roles entirely and run a SubSeed set, which is hard to take out thanks to its EV investment and is unparalleled in Speed; it can stall and chip away at foes quite handily.
Victini
Base Stats:100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Victory Star
The newest addition to the pool of pixie-like Pokemon with 600 BST, Victini boasts a 180 Base Power STAB attack in V-create that allows it to function as an atomically powerful physical attacker. Its stat spread makes it quite bulky all around even without investment, granting it numerous switch-in opportunities. Perhaps Victini's most destructive set is its Choice Band set, as a sun-boosted V-create decimates all but Flash Fire Pokemon. Victini can also run an effective Choice Scarf set to revenge kill faster threats. It can even run a Trick Room set, which functions well against the offensive teams of the tier that are packed with speedy attackers. It gains an advantage from the Speed drops incurred by V-create, allowing it to outrun many Pokemon under Trick Room after but one use of its powerful V-create.
Virizion
Base Stats:91 HP / 90 Atk / 72 Def / 90 SpA / 129 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Justified
Although Virizion's Attack and Special Attack stats appear underwhelming for a supposed offensive threat, it can boost these effectively with Swords Dance and Calm Mind. However, what really sets Virizion apart from its many Fighting-type counterparts is its fantastic base 129 Special Defense and wonderful Grass / Fighting typing, which makes it a useful check to sand and rain teams alike. Its two STAB types have pretty good coverage, and with Hidden Power Ice, which destroys the ever-common Gliscor and Landorus-T as well as Dragon-types, you can't rely on type resists to beat it. Access to Taunt also allows it to check slower setup sweepers and boost up against walls, strengthening its clout as a top-tier threat. Virizion is neither the best nor most threatening boosting sweeper around, but its unique defensive traits combined with its offensive capabilities make it a veritable threat.
Volcarona
Base Stats:85 HP / 60 Atk / 65 Def / 135 SpA / 105 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Flame Body
Seemingly mediocre at first glance due to a 4x Stealth Rock weakness, Volcarona poses a massive threat thanks to a move called Quiver Dance, which transforms it into a scary sweeper. With an excellent stat distribution and a unique typing, Volcarona can annihilate most threats with its STAB Bug Buzz and Fire Blast / Fiery Dance combination alone. The remaining Pokemon who resist this formidable combination can be taken care of with either Hidden Power Rock or Ground; even disregarding the Hidden Power, sun-boosted Fire Blasts can take out many Pokemon that resist Fire-type attacks anyway. Alternatively, Volcarona can forgo a coverage move for other useful options such as Rest, Morning Sun, or even Substitute. In the rain, it can even run Hurricane, which lets it break past a variety of bulky Water-types, and with a Passho Berry, it can set up against numerous common Water-type attackers. Revenge killers that would prey on Volcarona's poor Defense stat instead have to contend with its ability, Flame Body, which gives it a nice 30% chance to burn the user of a contact move. Volcarona's versatility and jaw-dropping power make it one of the best sweepers in OU.
Defensive Threats
Amoonguss
Base Stats: 114 HP / 85 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Effect Spore / Regenerator
Amoonguss was at a time relegated to the depths of NU, in which it wasn't even used. However, after gaining access to Regenerator, Amoonguss has emerged as a solid, if somewhat niche, OU wall. While 70 / 80 defenses might not seem so impressive, 114 HP and both Regenerator and Giga Drain to keep it healthy make it more than bulky enough. Moreover, it has access to Spore, a lethal move that can put a Pokemon to sleep and thus leave it crippled for often the duration of the match. Its other moveslots can be customized to Amoonguss's needs. Because its offensive stats are not at all bad for a defensive Pokemon, an attacking move takes up the third slot; usually, it is Hidden Power Ice or Sludge Bomb for Dragon-types and opposing Grass-types. Stun Spore to spread paralysis or Clear Smog to remove stat boosts are the two most common options in the final moveslot. Amoonguss is a hard counter to Keldeo, Politoed, Thundurus-T, and Rotom-W, which are the four big rain threats, as well as Breloom, one of the most difficult Pokemon to wall in the OU tier. It typically runs a specially defensive set to take rain-boosted Hydro Pumps better, but a physically defensive spread is also viable to better counter Breloom and also provide a decent Fighting-type check in general, being able to take Close Combats from threats like Lucario and Terrakion. Overall, Amoonguss is not a top-tier Pokemon, but it has a solid niche as a defensive Pokemon that can handle some of the metagame's top threats.
Blissey
Base Stats: 255 HP / 10 Atk / 10 Def / 75 SpA / 135 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
Despite facing competition with Chansey due to Eviolite, Blissey still proves resilient. With a near-unmatched ability to wall just about any special attacker in the game, Blissey can find a place in any team hurting for a bit more special bulk. With a wide array of support moves, including Toxic, Thunder Wave, Heal Bell, and a massive Wish that allows her to fully revitalize almost all Pokemon in the game, Blissey has a solid niche on defensive teams. She has a number advantages over Chansey, too. First, her usable base 75 Special Attack stat means that Blissey can run Ice Beam or Flamethrower to take down foes like Gliscor, Landorus-T, and Scizor; secondly, Leftovers negates residual damage Blissey may take from weather, and also helps offset whatever more damage she would take than Chansey. With massive Special Defense, OK physical Defense with investment thanks to her high HP, a usable Special Attack stat, and an excellent movepool, Blissey proves herself a major block to nigh every special attacker.
Bronzong
Base Stats: 67 HP / 89 Atk / 116 Def / 79 SpA / 116 SpD / 33 Spe
Abilities: Levitate / Heatproof / Heavy Metal
With fantastic mixed defenses and a combination of typing and choice of abilities that gives it only one weakness, Bronzong is a fantastic mixed wall that can take on a multitude of threats without breaking a sweat. Thanks to its Steel typing, Bronzong is one of the few reliable checks to the ferocious Dragon-types that roam OU including Latios and Garchomp. Bronzong functions brilliantly in a support role, as it can reliably set up Stealth Rock, as well as provide dual screens support. It isn't horrible offensively, either, boasting a slow Gyro Ball, Hidden Power Ice to smack around Dragon-types, Gliscor, and Landorus-T, and Earthquake to remove Heatran.
Chansey
Base Stats: 250 HP / 5 Atk / 5 Def / 35 SpA / 105 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Natural Cure / Serene Grace / Healer
With an Eviolite, Chansey is bulkier both physically and specially than Blissey, skyrocketing its utility as a premier special wall that can take even neutral, unboosted physical hits pretty well. It boasts reliable recovery in the form of Softboiled and can pass enormous Wishes to its teammates. It is a great supporter; aside from Wish, it gets access to status moves such as Toxic and Thunder Wave, as well as Heal Bell to allow it to function as a cleric. With Seismic Toss, it can chip away at foes and is not total Taunt fodder. Due to these traits, Chansey shines as one of the best special walls in the metagame and is one defensive threat that every team should be prepared to break.
Dragonite
Base Stats: 91 HP / 134 Atk / 95 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 80 Spe
Abilities: Inner Focus / Multiscale
Dragonite's nice bulk and Multiscale also lend it to a defensive role. In early BW, a set of Thunder Wave / Substitute / Roost / Dragon Tail began to catch on. Its ability to paralyze hard hitters and wait for a full paralysis with Substitute and Roost made it a very tough wall to overcome and a very useful phazer. A Fire-type attack over Thunder Wave also catches a lot of normal counters, such as Skarmory, Forretress, and Tangrowth, off guard. It can also run defensive sets in the rain with Hurricane, posing a huge threat to Pokemon like Celebi and Virizion, which naturally trouble rain teams. Whether phazing endlessly with Dragon Tail or tanking hits and attacking in the rain, Dragonite can be one of the greatest annoyances defensively if not correctly prepared for.
Ferrothorn
Base Stats: 74 HP / 94 Atk / 131 Def / 54 SpA / 116 SpD / 20 Spe
Ability: Iron Barbs
With 74 / 131 / 116 defenses and a typing that gives it useful resistances to common Dragon-, Water-, and Electric-type attacks, it is little wonder that Ferrothorn is one of the best walls in the game. In a metagame dominated by weather, Ferrothorn is an extremely useful check to rain-based teams, easily absorbing powerful attacks from the likes of Rotom-W, Starmie, and Kingdra. Ferrothorn's unique ability, Iron Barbs, also adds greatly to the headaches of physically based Pokemon and spinners, and it is an especially great way to pick off weakened Pokemon by just switching in. Ferrothorn's movepool is equally impressive; it can set up entry hazards such as Spikes and Stealth Rock, cripple the opponent with Thunder Wave and Toxic, mitigate its lack of a reliable recovery move with Leech Seed, Substitute, and Protect, and even set up with Curse. Ferrothorn isn't invincible, but it shines as a defensive Pokemon with immense utility.
Forretress
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 140 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Sturdy / Overcoat
Access to all entry hazards and the ability to Rapid Spin go a long way toward making Forretress a solid candidate for stall teams. With its colossal Defense, Forretress can tank many physical hits and retaliate with its surprisingly usable base 90 Attack stat and Gyro Ball. Forretress also gets access to Volt Switch, which allows it to function as an effective pivot. Besides its defensive role, Forretress can also function as a suicide hazard setter. With a Custap Berry and Sturdy, Forretress is virtually guaranteed to set up at least Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, and due to its enormous physical bulk, it can often set up more. It gets Explosion, which gives it an advantage over Skarmory, which often runs a similar set. Whether supporting offensive teams with many hazards or providing spinning and Spikes support for a defensive team, Forretress has a place in OU as a Pokemon brimming with utility.
Gastrodon
Base Stats: 111 HP / 83 Atk / 68 Def / 92 SpA / 82 SpD / 39 Spe
Abilities: Sticky Hold / Storm Drain / Sand Force
In the massive pool of bulky Water-type Pokemon, Gastrodon has finally received a niche above the others with Storm Drain, which gives it an immunity to Water-type attacks and a +1 boost to Special Attack when hit by one. All of the previous benefits of its Water / Ground typing remain, such as an immunity to sandstorm damage and but one weakness, and the added bonus of Storm Drain makes it an excellent check to common rain attackers like Thundurus-T, Keldeo, Rotom-W, and Starmie. Scald lets it burn physical attackers, patching up its Defense to an extent while actually providing a decent STAB move in rain. Its Ground-type STAB gives it a way to get past SubCM Jirachi, which loves to set up on typical bulky Water-types. Gastrodon is not one-dimensional either; with Choice Specs it can be a sturdy cannon itself.
Gliscor
Base Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 125 Def / 45 SpA / 75 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil / Poison Heal
Gliscor needs no introduction: it is one of the most common sights in the OU metagame simply because it is able to counter and check a ton of prominent threats. Its Ground-type immunity and Fighting-type resistance both go a long way toward making it the formidable physical wall that it is. Gliscor is typically seen with a SubToxic stalling set, which, thanks to Poison Heal, recovers all of the health lost from a Substitute between the turn Substitute is used and Protect. With special attackers removed, it can often stall out entire teams. Gliscor can even PP stall Hydro Pumps from the likes of Rotom-W.
Gyarados
Base Stats: 95 HP / 125 Atk / 79 Def / 60 SpA / 100 SpD / 81 Spe
Abilities: Intimidate / Moxie
Thanks to Intimidate, Gyarados can pivot into numerous physical attackers and take their attack with ease. With 95 / 79 / 100 defenses, five resistances, only two weaknesses, resistances to key types such as Water, Bug, Steel, and Fighting, and an immunity to Ground-type moves, it's not hard to see why. Its best defensive set runs RestTalk, which gives it a form of recovery, STAB Waterfall, and a phazing move, meaning nothing can set up on it. It is a perfect Volcarona and Keldeo counter and one of the best Fighting-type switch-ins in the game. These traits make it an excellent defensive Pokemon.
Hippowdon
Base Stats: 108 HP / 112 Atk / 118 Def / 68 SpA / 72 SpD / 47 Spe
Abilities: Sand Stream / Sand Force
Hippowdon stands out in that its physical walling capabilities are nigh unparalleled in OU. With huge HP and Defense stats, Hippowdon is virtually impossible to take down with a physical attack, and its respectable Special Defense coupled with great HP allow it to take several special hits with proper investment. Reliable recovery in Slack Off, the ability to use Stealth Rock, and access to Whirlwind to phaze give it great utility, and Earthquake off of a base 112 Attack stat means it isn't setup fodder. It can even run Ice Fang to damage unsuspecting Flying-type foes expecting to handle Hippowdon with ease. Finally, Hippowdon's ability, Sand Stream, eliminates opposing weather, which gives it a place on defensive teams of all kinds that struggle to keep up with rain and sun threats.
Jellicent
Base Stats: 100 HP / 60 Atk / 70 Def / 85 SpA / 105 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Cursed Body / Damp
BW introduced a very welcome 2-in-1 Pokemon: Jellicent, simultaneously both a bulky Water and spinblocker. Along with Jellicent's unique Water / Ghost typing comes plenty of key resistances and immunities, including one to Water-types thanks to Water Absorb, in addition to solid 100 / 70 / 105 defenses, instant recovery, a surprisingly decent offensive movepool, reliable recovery, access to Taunt and Will-O-Wisp, and two nice STAB types; in other words, it has almost everything you could ask for. Jellicent's primary role on a team is as a spinblocker and Water-type check, especially to the common Keldeo. It can can go toe-to-toe with a number of other threats, too, such as Heatran, Volcarona, Infernape, Terrakion, Swords Dance Lucario lacking Crunch, and Choice Band Scizor, just to name a few. All non-Fire-type physical attackers will find themselves burned and thus crippled entirely. Access to Toxic and Taunt also allows it to fare well against opposing bulky Water-types and walls. Jellicent does suffer from being setup bait for Pokemon such as ChestoRest and Passho Berry Volcarona and Calm Mind Keldeo. It is almost completely crippled by faster Taunt users and cannot stand up to the sheer power of the likes of Choice Specs Latios and mixed Kyurem-B. Nonetheless, it is a solid defensive spinblocker and utility counter.
Jirachi
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Serene Grace
Thanks to its large HP and balanced defensive stats, which are some of the most impressive in standard play, as well as its excellent defensive typing, Jirachi easily presents an insurmountable roadblock to thwart many an impending sweep. Jirachi is far from a passive sponge, however. Its wide movepool allows it to be an extremely dynamic Pokemon. Jirachi is often seen spreading paralysis using either Thunder Wave or Body Slam, the latter of which has a 60% chance of paralysis thanks to Serene Grace. As a Normal-type attack, this gives Jirachi a niche ability to paralyze Ground-types. Jirachi is also an excellent team supporter with dual screens, as it has U-turn to conserve momentum after setting up. Its Steel typing and immense special bulk further let it check Dragon-types, particularly Latios, sponging even Choice Specs Draco Meteors with ease. However, the main draw of defensive Jirachi is Wish. A multitude of resistances, great bulk, and the ability to outspeed a variety of threats even without investment lets Jirachi replenish its own health or that of a teammate reliably throughout the match. This variant of Jirachi often maximizes investment on its already large base HP stat to further enhance its capabilities, as with the BW Wish mechanics, Jirachi's 202 HP Wishes can often revitalize a teammate worn down by hazards, Life Orb recoil, or an untimely misprediction. Jirachi's ability to render damage to the rest of its team null and void is what makes it such a defensive threat: be sure to pack powerful Fire- or Ground-type attacks to deal with the star, as it is notoriously difficult to 2HKO otherwise.
Landorus-T
Base Stats: 85 HP / 145 Atk / 90 Def / 105 SpA / 80 SpD / 91 Spe
Ability: Intimidate
Landorus-T serves as a premier defensive pivot in BW OU. While 85 / 90 / 80 defenses might not seem like anything special for such a Pokemon, Intimidate changes everything, lowering the power of physical attacks significantly and allowing Landorus-T to tank them with ease. It is the best Terrakion counter around and can handle Breloom, Dragonite, and more rather nicely. It boasts access to Stealth Rock, which it can set up on the numerous switches it forces on Pokemon that can barely scratch it, and it hits pretty hard with its Earthquakes off a base 145 Attack stat. With U-turn, Landorus-T can turn a favorable switch for the opponent into a great situation for its user. Its moveset is rounded out with Hidden Power Ice, an excellent coverage move that takes out opposing Landorus-T, Gliscor, Dragonite, Breloom, and Garchomp. All in all, Landorus-T's utility as a pivot and Stealth Rock setter is unparalleled, letting it fit well onto offensive and defensive teams alike.
Latias
Base Stats: 80 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 110 SpA / 130 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Latias functions excellently as a special wall in standard play with her massive base 130 Special Defense, access to Roost, and neat resistances to Water-, Fire-, Electric-, Psychic-, and Fighting-type attacks. This makes a bulky Calm Mind set an excellent choice for Latias, letting her boost her impressive Special Defense to outstanding levels and enabling her to hit very hard with STAB Dragon Pulse. Substitute, Wish, Roar, and Refresh all have good utility on this set for a variety of reasons. Finally, Latias can also be more of a team player by running an effective dual screens support set, making use of her great bulk and multitude of resistances to come in repeatedly during the match to perform her job.
Porygon2
Base Stats: 85 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 105 SpA / 95 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Trace / Download / Analytic
Porygon2 stands out as an intimidating tank capable of coming in on some of the top threats in OU and forcing them out. With Eviolite equipped, the range of attacks that can reliably KO Porygon2 shrink immensely, leaving boosted and super effective attacks as the only ones that can effectively take it out. Immense bulk, a fantastic ability in Trace, and reliable recovery enable Porygon2 to easily come in on many threats, such as Heatran, Gliscor, and Intimidate Salamence and Gyarados, and use their abilities against them. Ice Beam and Thunderbolt give it great coverage, Thunder Wave lets it provide paralysis support, and Recover offsets the loss of Leftovers healing. With Download or Analytic, it can even hit pretty hard on the offensive side of things.
Quagsire
Base Stats: 95 HP / 85 Atk / 85 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 35 Spe
Abilities: Damp / Water Absorb / Unaware
Quagsire has one niche in OU due to its ability Unaware. With the ability to ignore an opponent's stat boosts, a respectable amount of bulk, and Recover, Quagsire can easily check various OU physical boosting sweepers due to ignoring their boosts, allowing it to handle threats such as Swords Dance Terrakion and double dance Landorus-T with ease. Quagsire's typing grants it but one weakness, meaning such threats would be forced to run an inferior move in order to KO it. It also has access to the invaluable Scald and STAB Earthquake, which mean it isn't a total sitting duck, and it can wear down Life Orb users fast with Toxic. Overall, Quagsire is a niche Pokemon, but it can function as one of the best checks to physical boosting sweepers should you need one.
Rotom-W
Base Stats: 50 HP / 65 Atk / 107 Def / 105 SpA / 107 SpD / 86 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Rotom-W's various traits make it one of the best defensive Pokemon in OU. With an excellent typing, in addition to its ability, Levitate, it resists a wide array of attacks with only one weakness. Additionally, its access to status moves such as Will-O-Wisp and Thunder Wave makes Rotom-W quite hard to play around, especially considering the power of its Hydro Pump. Will-O-Wisp cripples non-Fire-type physical attackers for good, making them much easier for itself and teammates to handle. Perhaps what differentiates Rotom-W from other Pokemon besides its unique typing is Volt Switch; by using this move, Rotom-W is able to escape from switch-ins and counters and thus maintain momentum. Volt Switch, in combination with U-turn from another teammate (most commonly Scizor), has earned Rotom-W quite a reputation as one of the top Pokemon in the metagame.
Sableye
Base Stats: 50 HP / 75 Atk / 75 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Keen Eye / Stall / Prankster
With the release of its Dream World ability, Prankster, Sableye has turned into a legitimate threat. This ability, combined with the classic combination of a status move, Taunt, and a recovery move, gives Sableye a unique defensive niche. Fast, powerful sweepers that would normally be able to pummel a slow wall or throw up a Substitute for status protection are swiftly burned by Will-O-Wisp, and they will have trouble finishing off a weakened Sableye with its priority Recover. Stall-based teams are also heavily annoyed by Sableye, as it is a very effective stallbreaker with this combo and a solid spinblocker at the same time. Starmie and Tentacruel are the only common Rapid Spin users with a good match-up against Sableye and both get blocked well by Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn, with burn support in the case of Tentacruel. Sableye's priority moves are useful in many more ways, allowing it to annoy opposing teams to no end.
Skarmory
Base Stats: 65 HP / 80 Atk / 140 Def / 40 SpA / 70 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Keen Eye / Sturdy / Weak Armor
In a metagame dominated by powerful physical attackers such as Tyranitar and Conkeldurr, Skarmory stands out as a fantastic physical wall, courtesy of its unique Steel / Flying typing and huge base Defense stat. The generation shift also brought a useful buff to Skarmory's ability Sturdy, in effect giving it a Focus Sash whenever it is at full health. Reliable recovery in the form of Roost, a multitude of resistances thanks to its Steel typing, and a valuable Ground-type immunity help Skarmory wall a large number of threats, including, but not limited to, Garchomp, Terrakion, and physical Dragonite. Skarmory can also utilize its physical bulk and typing to lay entry hazards such as Spikes and Stealth Rock. Furthermore, it has Whirlwind and Taunt in its arsenal; the former stops stat boosters and causes residual damage, while the latter stops setup and cripples slower walls, such as Ferrothorn and Hippowdon. Additionally, Skarmory can run a suicide hazard lead set with a Custap Berry, which, thanks to Sturdy, is guaranteed to set up at least Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes, and thanks to its stellar physical bulk, it can often get more. Skarmory also boasts Taunt, which prevents opposing setup, and it has a decently powered STAB Brave Bird over Forretress.
Slowbro
Base Stats: 95 HP / 75 Atk / 110 Def / 100 SpA / 80 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo / Regenerator
Slowbro has been a superb choice for the role of physical bulky Water-type ever since he made his first appearance in RBY. From the Dream World, Slowbro gets Regenerator, which restores 1/3 of his HP when switching out. With a great typing and an excellent Defense stat, Slowbro makes an excellent physical wall. With his great natural bulk and a choice of STAB moves such as Scald, Surf, Psychic, and Psyshock, he is a great counter to the many hard-hitting Fighting-types and physical sweepers found in OU, especially Terrakion and Gyarados. This makes Slowbro a nice anti-metagame Pokemon. Slowbro also has a large support movepool, containing moves such as Yawn, Thunder Wave, and Toxic, as well as Slack Off for instant recovery. However, being a physical wall isn't all Slowbro can do. He can also utilize Trick Room or Choice Specs, tanking hits and hitting back hard.
Tentacruel
Base Stats: 80 HP / 70 Atk / 65 Def / 80 SpA / 120 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Clear Body / Liquid Ooze / Rain Dish
While at first glance Tentacruel may appear to be just another run-of-the-mill bulky Water-type, it possesses a few qualities that let it stand out from the pack. First is its interesting Water / Poison typing, which bestows it with resistances to many common attacking types, as well as the ability to absorb Toxic Spikes upon entering the field. Next is its ability to use Rapid Spin and set up its own Toxic Spikes or set up a Substitute and Toxic stall foes, which goes a long way towards earning it a spot on many rain stall or balanced teams. Finally, its Rain Dish ability grants it a massive amount of recovery in rain in conjunction with Leftovers; unless it is hit super effectively or hard neutrally, it can survive basically forever. Overall, Tentacruel's utility in spinning and tanking Water-type attacks make it a staple on rain teams looking for a spinner.
Vaporeon
Base Stats: 130 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 110 SpA / 95 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Hydration
Vaporeon still plays mostly the same way as it has since ADV, as a bulky Wish passing Water-type that still packs a punch with an above average base 110 Special Attack stat. Vaporeon's Wishes are huge thanks to its base 130 HP, allowing teammates, especially those without recovery, to persist much longer in battle. Scald is also useful for a potential burn, making it easier to wall physical attacks and wear down opposing tanks. It also has access to Heal Bell, allowing it to function as a cleric, Roar, letting it phaze boosting foes, and Ice Beam, which hits Dragon-types. Thanks to Hydration, Vaporeon also has the opportunity to run an effective Rest + Hydration set which allows it to stall perpetually whilst giving it instant full recovery in rain, as Hydration heals sleep at the end of the turn. This also makes it invulnerable to status of any kind, including Toxic, the bane of most other bulky Water-types. Additionally, it gives Vaporeon an extra moveslot to run another move, which it would love to do with the standard Wish + Protect. All in all, Vaporeon is a solid defensive Pokemon: difficult to take out and packed with utility.
Wobbuffet
Base Stats: 190 HP / 33 Atk / 58 Def / 33 SpA / 58 SpD / 33 Spe
Abilities: Shadow Tag / Telepathy
Most Pokemon can be classified into a few broad categories: sweeper, wall, tank, etc. Wobbuffet cannot, however, because it is completely unique in what it does thanks to its ability, Shadow Tag. With the opponent unable to switch, Wobbuffet can use Counter and Mirror Coat together with its colossal HP stat to KO almost anything, especially if said opponent is Choice-locked. It can also use Encore against Pokemon which try to set up against it, and Tickle against Pokemon like Blissey, who can then be smacked by a teammate's Pursuit for an easy KO. Its tiny movepool also contains Safeguard, which can stop Encored status moves from harming incoming sweepers, and Destiny Bond, which can hopefully help Wobbuffet take down one more Pokemon with it and is most commonly seen with Custap Berry. Unfortunately, these last two are not used much because of Wobbuffet's poor Speed, and it literally has no other moves available to it but Splash. Nonetheless, it does not need anything more to become the ultimate anti-metagame Pokemon that it is. Team Preview has made preparing for Wobbuffet slightly easier, but it is as uncounterable as ever, and it is a definite threat in the OU tier.
Xatu
Base Stats: 65 HP / 75 Atk / 70 Def / 95 SpA / 70 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Synchronize / Early Bird / Magic Bounce
Thanks to Magic Bounce, Xatu can finally make the cut for OU in BW. Its new ability works as an automatic Magic Coat, allowing the Aztec bird to reflect entry hazards, status moves, and phazing moves aimed at its team. Couple this with a 4x resistance to Fighting-type moves, a Ground-type immunity, and resistances to Grass- and Psychic-type moves, and you have the makings of a good defensive switch-in to hazard setters and status users all over. It is particularly suited to offensive sun teams, as it is immune to the Ground-type attacks that often threaten these teams. Additionally, Xatu isn't just a sitting duck; it has several helpful support moves to use during its time on the field, such as FeatherDance, Light Screen, Reflect, Toxic, and even Thunder Wave. It can also function as a pivot with U-turn and roast Steel-types, particularly Ferrothorn, with Heat Wave. When taking its natural immunity to Taunt and Encore into consideration, Xatu is pretty much guaranteed to gain momentum and support its team before fainting in nearly any match. Although Xatu's defensive stats aren't anything amazing, you can still count on it as a reliable way to handle many opposing support Pokemon and keep hazards off of your side of the field.
Zapdos
Base Stats: 90 HP / 90 Atk / 85 Def / 120 SpA / 90 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Pressure
Zapdos's excellent defensive typing allows it to function as a solid specially defensive wall that can go toe-to-toe with a number of top OU threats. An immunity to Ground-type moves means it can easily handle foes like Landorus-T, unless they pack Stone Edge, and with nifty resistances to Fighting-, Bug-, Flying-, and Steel-type moves, Zapdos functions as a solid check to the likes of Scizor, Keldeo, Rotom-W, Starmie, Tornadus, and Choice-locked Terrakion. With Heat Wave it can eliminate Steel-types with ease, a trait most other Electric-types would die for, meaning it isn't hazard fodder for Ferrothorn, and Zapdos can OHKO Scizor before it sets up on and deals heavy damage to it. These traits in combination with Roost for reliable recovery make Zapdos a solid anti-metagame wall.