astralydia
zzz
There have been quite a few changes in my mind this past OMPL. There have some been particular comebacks from the likes of Landorus-Therian, Primal Groudon and Darkrai, whilst some have lost out on the new bulky builds, such as Kartana. Without further ado, here is what I think the current VR looks like.
S rank
I really do believe that all of the mons in S rank seem to shuffle about every day, and they’re all pretty close to eachother in terms of effectiveness. Some builds have lost out, whilst others have gained – and yet, ZyMag has always ended up proving to be an always consistent combination, enough to propel these two ahead of Primal Groudon in some cases.
A rank
A+:
A+ is pretty consistent with where it stands, and I personally believe that like with S, the gap isn’t quite defined between each Pokemon, however, the gap between S and A+ actually feels like something this time around.
A:
As it stands, the gap in A rank mons is quite clear, from the consistent and reliable priority support that Entei gives, to the great wall that is Blissey, most of these mons either suffer from prominence of checks or lack of counterplay against certain threats, particularly I find in order of severity.
A-:
A- is a bit peculiar for me. I find that there are certain mons that hover on the edge of each boundary, and I personally feel as if there’s nothing stopping public opinion from these two going elsewhere. For these next ranks, I’ll be going over a short summary of each position, rather than a full description.
B rank
B+:
Zapdos (Sablenite, Venusaurite, Manectite)
Golisopod (Blue Orb)
Arceus-Ground (Earth Plate)
Skarmory (Blue Orb, Venusaurite)
Metagross (Pinsirite)
Shaymin-Sky (Diancite)
Gliscor (Venusaurite)
Azelf (Red Orb)
Arceus-Fairy (Pixie Plate)
Zygarde-Complete (Leftovers)
Keldeo (Lucarionite, Diancite)
Shuckle (Gyaradosite, Ampharosite)
B:
Manaphy (Absolite, Manectite, Cameruptite)
Cobalion (Pinsirite, Diancite)
Kyogre-Primal (Blue Orb)
Mandibuzz (Sablenite, Venusaurite)
Raikou (Red Orb)
Yveltal (Life Orb)
Rayquaza (Life Orb)
Xerneas (Power Herb, Choice Scarf, Fairium Z)
B-:
Giratina (Leftovers)
(Noivern (Altarianite)) (Ranked for its anti-offense capabilities, particularly against Webs)
Salamence (Salamencite)
Ditto (Choice Scarf)
Mamoswine (Lucarionite)
Genesect (Altarianite, Pinsirite)
Arceus-Dragon (Draco Plate)
Arceus-Rock (Stone Plate)
Giratina-Origin (Griseous Orb)
Volcarona (Red Orb, Cameruptite)
Excadrill (Lucarionite, Pinsirite)
(Zeraora) (Ranked for its Pinsirite set, which compresses speed control into a somewhat bulky package combined with decent damage output.)
Tapu Koko (Diancite, Lucarionite)
(Dugtrio) (Ranked for its Lopunnite set, which can trap the likes of Blissey, carving a free path for something like Magearna or Lunala to sweep.)
C rank
(Kangaskhan-Mega) (Ranked for its ability to break balance using Parental Bond Seismic Toss)
Arceus-Flying (Sky Plate)
Arceus-Ghost (Spooky Plate)
Weavile (Glalitite, Lucarionite)
Jirachi (Ampharosite)
Hippowdon (Venusaurite, Sablenite)
Arceus (Normalium Z)
Archeops (Diancite)
Celebi (Blue Orb)
Gastrodon (Manectite, Sablenite)
Stakataka (Heracronite)
The rest of these nominations, if unexplained, are mainly due to a lack of reasoning for them or simply failure to play with them.
Alas, Primal Groudon. Enter the king of Ubers, and possibly the best contender for the best Pokemon in Mix and Mega. Whilst some sets have really lost out, such as Swords Dance + Stealth Rock and, slightly less so, defensive Stealth Rock with the re-introduction of certain Magic Bouncers like Zapdos and Mandibuzz, other sets have seriously gained traction. A set I want to particularly highlight here is the mixed RP set, which cleans current offense builds quite easily due to most Primal Groudon checks either being weak to Ice or being neutral to Fire. Whilst it definitely struggles with balance, and the loss of defensive roles certainly hurts, it’s not the end of the world for the primordial beast – bluffing here is your main way of muscling through builds!
Pretty much uncontested imo for the most versatile Pokemon in Mix and Mega. Magearna is a ridiculous role compressor in the current metagame, taking on the likes of Tapu Lele and Darkrai as well as bluffmeister with some of its lesser used sets, such as Pinsirite or Manectite… the roles it can do are simply fantastic at the moment. Cameruptite really forces your opponent to play aggressively or it can do ridiculous damage if given plenty a switchin, with the added bonus of doing all the roles a Steel would usually end up compressing. Pinsirite has shown itself on balance builds as a way of greatly enhancing the structure of WishPass, which can particularly make Pokemon like mixed Swords Dance Primal Groudon huge threats to balance and even stall. Cameruptite OTR CM is also a huge wincon, especially versus standard balance teams that don’t opt to use Blissey, as it can very quickly wear such teams down alone and forces conservative play with checks such that it can indirectly re-enforce a team’s defensive structure. Magearna is the queen of balance, and it really shows.
Whilst I haven’t seen much innovation from other people with Zygarde, I personally believe that Offensive Coil Lucarionite Zygarde is ridiculously consistent at the moment. Every check in the book, except maybe Mandibuzz -> fast Ice attack user is prone to getting paralyzed, and that means that shit like Magearna can really exploit the momentum gain from this. It also self-supports Zygarde in the Buzzwole matchup, as it can potentially cheese its way through its titanic bulk. Bulky Altarianite DD is also another set that has shown itself to be particularly good since the shift from Buzzwole to Manectite Mew as the standard blanket check for Zygarde. Not quite as versatile as the other two, but consistent enough to be considered S alongside them.
I really do believe that all of the mons in S rank seem to shuffle about every day, and they’re all pretty close to eachother in terms of effectiveness. Some builds have lost out, whilst others have gained – and yet, ZyMag has always ended up proving to be an always consistent combination, enough to propel these two ahead of Primal Groudon in some cases.
A rank
A+:
Wew. Landorus-Therian has really done it this time, and I currently feel like it is at its prime. Between Salamencite and Altarianite, both very good role compressors for offensive teams, it is an elite wallbreaker that can check even strong threats like Terrakion and Darkrai, and its Salamencite set happens to be one of the best checks to Primal Groudon, particularly Swords Dance + Stealth Rock variants. It also happens to be one of the best techs against webs in particular, as its speed, bulk and power all combine together to nearly invalidate most common techniques of breaking teams, for example, versus mixed Swords Dance Primal Groudon, Landorus-Therian can come in and simply force it out, which can happen early enough in the game to do significant damage to the rest of the team. This new offensive metagame really favours this mon, and for that reason I believe it is at the top of A+.
I feel like I’ve misunderstood how to use it all this time. No wonder I had suspicions it was ranked too low previously…
I feel like I’ve misunderstood how to use it all this time. No wonder I had suspicions it was ranked too low previously…
IF ONLY YOU GOT IN EASIER.
I personally believe Terrakion has the potential to be another S candidate, but with how difficult it is to get in these days and how hard it is to properly preserve, I feel as if A+ is fine as it is for Terrakion. There are also a few good offensive checks rising, such as Altarianite Landorus-Therian, and this severely hampers Terrakion, as it is only realistically able to get in twice or so a game. Regardless, the near uncounterable nature of Terrakion makes it one of the most successful wallbreakers in the metagame at the moment, and consumer of balance.
I personally believe Terrakion has the potential to be another S candidate, but with how difficult it is to get in these days and how hard it is to properly preserve, I feel as if A+ is fine as it is for Terrakion. There are also a few good offensive checks rising, such as Altarianite Landorus-Therian, and this severely hampers Terrakion, as it is only realistically able to get in twice or so a game. Regardless, the near uncounterable nature of Terrakion makes it one of the most successful wallbreakers in the metagame at the moment, and consumer of balance.
Man I’m so glad I brought back Manectite Mew from Gen 6, this mon is actually amazing rn. Being a blanket check to just about half of the entire metagame (Entei, Zygarde, SD Primal Groudon…), and yet with more options than its potential competition in Arceus-Ground, such as U-turn, I find Mew to be the best purely defensive Pokemon in the current metagame at the moment. The problems with it that don’t make it any higher than it currently is are mainly due to having a bad matchup vs multiple of these targets at once (i.e Landorus-Therian + Zygarde) and whilst it’s certainly more resilient than most other checks, it finds it hard to consistently do this.
A+ is pretty consistent with where it stands, and I personally believe that like with S, the gap isn’t quite defined between each Pokemon, however, the gap between S and A+ actually feels like something this time around.
A:
Still the same consistent -atespeeder it has been throughout the metagame. Not much has really changed for it, sans the rise of Manectite Mew, and it can exploit that fairly well via usage of Toxic, which can pressure Mew particularly if not supported properly, i.e paired with a Primal Groudon.
Buzzwole has been a bit interesting recently. Aggronite is still a very reliable wall, but if I’m honest it fails to do much against the common hyper offense team, which can make it a liability on your team. However, there have been rises of stones like Sablenite, as well as the fringe usage of Blue Orb and Metagrossite that particularly employ defensive and offensive niches for certain structures of teams. Sablenite has been a particular rising Pokemon, as it is able to check two of the newer sets in the scene, such as OTR CM Magearna and Darkrai, which checks are usually scarce.
I swear, what was everyone thinking when we put this mon all the way back to B-? Darkrai has shown itself to be a brutally strong wallbreaker, with very few consistent checks – Magearna and non-Aggronite Buzzwole come to mind. And unlike Terrakion, it happens to be great at exploiting the likes of certain walls, such as Mew. Diancite is also one of the best speed control options in the current metagame, being akin to the likes of Naganadel from previous metagames of Mix and Mega. Thunder is a particularly lethal check on it, being able to fry Ho-oh, one of its best checks previously, and hit certain Blue Orb users, such as Primal Kyogre and Golisopod. In any case, it still suffers from the same problems that Terrakion does, as it can be inconsistent at times, and falls victim to Pixilate priority from Entei and Zygarde.
Still the most stalwart wall of the metagame. Whilst it might be very easy to exploit the momentum that Blissey hands over to the opponent, its influence on current builds cannot be denied. It doesn’t invalidate ‘95% of special attackers’ either, as some people claim, as the likes of Magearna, Darkrai, Azelf and Keldeo can all bust through relatively easily. Regardless of this crippling weakness, particularly to Magearna, Blissey just so happens to be one of the best support options for balance at the moment, particularly when paired with Pinsirite Magearna with Heal Bell to help certain wallbreakers get in multiple times, when the best method of defeating them is through chip. I personally placed this at the bottom of A rather than the top of A- despite its lack of effectiveness in some matchups (with the exception of Healing Wish being particularly nice for offense to have!) due to the sheer impact it has on teams and how hard it is to outright beat it rather than force a loss of momentum without certain Pokemon.
As it stands, the gap in A rank mons is quite clear, from the consistent and reliable priority support that Entei gives, to the great wall that is Blissey, most of these mons either suffer from prominence of checks or lack of counterplay against certain threats, particularly I find in order of severity.
A-:
Poor Kartana. The new offensive metagame really does not favour it, and neither does the defensive metagame, either. Rises in Pokemon like Cameruptite Magearna, defensive Stealth Rock Primal Groudon, and even the likes of Landorus-Therian make it difficult for Kartana to do much until saved for lategame, and even then, Kartana can struggle to make too much of a splash. OTR + CM Magearna is a particular trouble for Kartana, as it is able to outright use it as setup fodder lategame and countersweep due to Kartana’s lacking damage output, often times leaving it outside of -atespeed range. As such, its hunger for hazard support and inconsistency in cleaning puts it at the top of A- imo.
Gyara Toxapex yet again lacks counterplay. Having something that can reliably defog Toxic Spikes without a viable Poison in the metagame other than itself sucks pretty badly – so Toxapex, by sheer uncommon typing alone can rip through certain balances just by spreading Toxic so well. Not only this, but it has a great defensive utility, being one of the only checks to the likes of ShadowBolt Cameruptite Magearna, and one of the best partners to Lunala, despite being its complete antagonist. Latiasite Toxapex has a few notable niches too – it is one of the few Pokemon that can claim they check both Entei and Primal Groudon at once, and even fewer that are not afflicted by status. Smack Down causes issues, but this can be very easily exploited by the likes of a Landorus-Therian. Just make sure you’re prepared for a Magearna switchin if this ends up being what you opt as one of your defensive Pokemon.
Victini has seen a few downfalls in the current metagame – whilst the existence of good checks like Blue Orb Magearna and certain Dragon-types has died down, Victini still struggles to find a way to outshine Primal Groudon in most of its roles. It particularly struggles with being offensively checked by Lucarionite Zygarde, however the likes of Glaciate will help to solve this problem. However, by doing this, Victini misses out on Taunt, a valuable breaking tool for the likes of more balanced builds who would opt to run something like Blue Orb Magearna or Gliscor to handle it. It is spread quite far in the current metagame, and the more offensively inclined it becomes, the less viable Victini becomes.
Ho-oh has seen better days certainly, however, I personally agree that Ho-oh is one of the best Pokemon that balance teams could have at the moment. Being a surefire resistance to the likes of Arceus-Ground, defensive Primal Groudon and Magearna (before Stealth Rock) make Ho-oh one of the best defensive role compressors in the metagame. Unfortunately, with the metagame gearing up and certain pressures like Noivern popping up, preventing Ho-oh from properly recovering, it seems as if Ho-oh is starting to slow down again as a team slot. Manectite Mew isn’t great news for it either, as it can happily opt to Intimidate it and lower its attack to safe levels for another switchin to manipulate. Having a Mew burned isn’t great news for Ho-oh either – since the damage nerf from gen 7, Toxic has been far preferred, and having Mew being burned means it can very safely switch into any attack it has. Still a strong option for anyone who likes proactive play.
Lunala is something I find to be particularly useful on the likes of Hyper Offense for a few major reasons – Shadow Shield is particularly nice at stopping matchup bullshit such as Rock Polish Primal Groudon from doing much, and that Z-nuke particularly smarts for anything that isn’t named Gyaradosite Toxapex to try and switch into. CM Roost sets are particular annoyances for Magearna Bulky Offenses – even with the proper chip, CM Roost Lunala will be able to win on a 1v1 matchup. However, I feel as if the increase in prominence of Darkrai really makes Lunala’s day a lot worse, and the comeback of some faster Arceus spreads as well as faster spreads in general can cause non-Roost sets a bit of trouble.
Ultra is still one of the best wallbreakers any sort of offense could want – it particularly pairs quite well with LeleRai as it can abuse Tapu Lele’s Psychic Terrain to its advantage lategame. Unfortunately, Lunala can still give it considerable issues, and Entei, a Pokemon that has fallen only in recent times gives it major problems both when setting up and after setting up. Heat Wave is a rather nice tech that Ultra can employ to lure the likes of Buzzwole, however, I personally (not true for most people) believe that since Buzzwole is in preference of mixed spreads due to Magearna being an issue to check, Heat Wave often doesn’t let Ultra Necrozma through. Alas – if Aggronite Buzzwole didn’t exist, I could imagine both DM and Ultra being much better.
Lele has finally found a partner to abuse the slot that it opened, and Darkrai fits it no better than any other. And with a shift away from Aggronite, more teams have opted to run Magearna as their main countermeasure to it. Nature’s Madness helps out considerably here due to Magearna’s lack of reliable recovery, and can really weaken an opposing core simply by forcing switches. Tapu Lele is decent speed control too – and alongside Darkrai can revenge kill a large portion of the metagame, only really falling to Terrakion and Cobalion. Lucarionite also finds itself in a better position than before with Aggronite Mew and DM having little usage, which manages to break quite well under Sticky Web, and can possibly bring part to a new variant of LeleRai.
DM is ridiculously close to the borderline for me, and it just edges out Zapdos with how well it cleans up the likes of Manectite Mew balance. It also happens to be particularly great at finding setup opportunities where most Steels would be unable to find them, such as versus a Landorus-Therian, making it a great antagonist for a more traditional HO that isn’t Webs. Competition from Magearna as a Steel can really hurt Duskmane, and its one time Z-move can be a particular nuisance. However, a SpD SD set isn’t too bad right now as a strong Magearna check, and thereby certain teams which depend on chipping Steels to rid of them (such as Firespam) often finds themselves in a bit of trouble versus this set. So… unfortunately not that great news for it, but it is still decent enough to find itself in A-.
A- is a bit peculiar for me. I find that there are certain mons that hover on the edge of each boundary, and I personally feel as if there’s nothing stopping public opinion from these two going elsewhere. For these next ranks, I’ll be going over a short summary of each position, rather than a full description.
B rank
B+:
Zapdos (Sablenite, Venusaurite, Manectite)
Golisopod (Blue Orb)
Arceus-Ground (Earth Plate)
Skarmory (Blue Orb, Venusaurite)
Metagross (Pinsirite)
Shaymin-Sky (Diancite)
Gliscor (Venusaurite)
Azelf (Red Orb)
Arceus-Fairy (Pixie Plate)
Zygarde-Complete (Leftovers)
Keldeo (Lucarionite, Diancite)
Shuckle (Gyaradosite, Ampharosite)
Zapdos was placed at the top of B+ due to its newfound niche in stopping Stealth Rock from being set by the likes of Salamencite Landorus-Therian and Metagross without being knocked out from the following Explosion, making it a rather decent tactic against offense.
Golisopod was placed next to it due to a surge in the usage of certain pivots such as Buzzwole and Mew that can severely hamper its ability to break teams or set hazards for the opponent to exploit.
Arceus-Ground was placed below Golisopod due to its Calm Mind set, which we previously overlooked when nominating Arceus-Ground down to B. It happens to be a particularly lethal check against certain builds lacking proper Ground-resists, but most teams are able to deal with it effectively if the game does not get drawn out long enough for them to wilter away.
Skarmory was placed directly below Arceus-Ground due to its niches in checking the likes of Entei, Primal Groudon and Ho-oh all at once, being one of the best stopgaps against Firespam. It particularly started rising due to the decrease of Smack Down Primal Groudon usage and the increase of certain sets such as Defensive SR or Mixed RP.
Metagrosss was placed just below Skarmory because of its defensive niches on Sticky Webs as an offensive Stealth Rock setter. It is a particularly great blanket check to the likes of Tapu Lele due to this trait, and is one of the harder Flying-types to switch into.
Shaymin-Sky was placed below Metagross due to an ever increasing matchup problem versus Steel/Flying and Fire-type teams. However, this does not mean to say that it is bad – the role compression providing both speed control and a way of getting another Pokemon back in the game is greatly appreciated by an abundance of teams.
Gliscor was placed below Shaymin-Sky because of a lack of reliability in beating common Primal Groudon variants and a tendency to be passive against certain builds utilizing Substitutes, such as Lucarionite Zygarde builds.
Azelf was placed below Gliscor because of its newfound place on Webs as a budget Naganadel, as well as having generally limited switchins on standard builds. However, outside of webs support, it is prone to getting revenge killed easily, and so I decided B+ was its best fit.
Arceus-Fairy was placed below Azelf for its CM sets that particularly provide role compression in an attempt to check the likes of Zygarde and Terrakion. Support is simply unable to do the roles it needs to and is absolute bait for the likes of Magearna, as well as fail to set SR / Defog very well in comparison to Arceus-Ground.
Zygarde-Complete was placed below Arceus-Fairy due to its ability to break balance efficiently either with a subCoil set or its standard sub DD set, making it a particularly strong pick for those who wish to exploit the likes of Buzzwole as a standard Zygarde switchin as well as providing a great physical tank which can potentially take the likes of a +2 Close Combat from Terrakion in Complete. However, sets without Substitute can struggle to find the niche that other sets would have, and Giratina is often preferred on stall due to the threats it handles with its better typing.
Keldeo was placed below Zygarde-Complete as it happens to be one of the more situational breakers in the VR, however, it exploits the lack of Water-resists on most teams with its powerful Fighting-type STAB.
Shuckle was placed below Keldeo as Webs hasn’t been getting off to the greatest start with new techs popping up such as OTR CM Magearna and Noivern particularly annoying these builds. The rise in usage of Landorus-Therian is also a double-edged sword for it that particularly strikes it badly; and thereby as most balances now have a breaker that bypasses webs, staying together might be a bit harder for teams in the future.
Golisopod was placed next to it due to a surge in the usage of certain pivots such as Buzzwole and Mew that can severely hamper its ability to break teams or set hazards for the opponent to exploit.
Arceus-Ground was placed below Golisopod due to its Calm Mind set, which we previously overlooked when nominating Arceus-Ground down to B. It happens to be a particularly lethal check against certain builds lacking proper Ground-resists, but most teams are able to deal with it effectively if the game does not get drawn out long enough for them to wilter away.
Skarmory was placed directly below Arceus-Ground due to its niches in checking the likes of Entei, Primal Groudon and Ho-oh all at once, being one of the best stopgaps against Firespam. It particularly started rising due to the decrease of Smack Down Primal Groudon usage and the increase of certain sets such as Defensive SR or Mixed RP.
Metagrosss was placed just below Skarmory because of its defensive niches on Sticky Webs as an offensive Stealth Rock setter. It is a particularly great blanket check to the likes of Tapu Lele due to this trait, and is one of the harder Flying-types to switch into.
Shaymin-Sky was placed below Metagross due to an ever increasing matchup problem versus Steel/Flying and Fire-type teams. However, this does not mean to say that it is bad – the role compression providing both speed control and a way of getting another Pokemon back in the game is greatly appreciated by an abundance of teams.
Gliscor was placed below Shaymin-Sky because of a lack of reliability in beating common Primal Groudon variants and a tendency to be passive against certain builds utilizing Substitutes, such as Lucarionite Zygarde builds.
Azelf was placed below Gliscor because of its newfound place on Webs as a budget Naganadel, as well as having generally limited switchins on standard builds. However, outside of webs support, it is prone to getting revenge killed easily, and so I decided B+ was its best fit.
Arceus-Fairy was placed below Azelf for its CM sets that particularly provide role compression in an attempt to check the likes of Zygarde and Terrakion. Support is simply unable to do the roles it needs to and is absolute bait for the likes of Magearna, as well as fail to set SR / Defog very well in comparison to Arceus-Ground.
Zygarde-Complete was placed below Arceus-Fairy due to its ability to break balance efficiently either with a subCoil set or its standard sub DD set, making it a particularly strong pick for those who wish to exploit the likes of Buzzwole as a standard Zygarde switchin as well as providing a great physical tank which can potentially take the likes of a +2 Close Combat from Terrakion in Complete. However, sets without Substitute can struggle to find the niche that other sets would have, and Giratina is often preferred on stall due to the threats it handles with its better typing.
Keldeo was placed below Zygarde-Complete as it happens to be one of the more situational breakers in the VR, however, it exploits the lack of Water-resists on most teams with its powerful Fighting-type STAB.
Shuckle was placed below Keldeo as Webs hasn’t been getting off to the greatest start with new techs popping up such as OTR CM Magearna and Noivern particularly annoying these builds. The rise in usage of Landorus-Therian is also a double-edged sword for it that particularly strikes it badly; and thereby as most balances now have a breaker that bypasses webs, staying together might be a bit harder for teams in the future.
B:
Manaphy (Absolite, Manectite, Cameruptite)
Cobalion (Pinsirite, Diancite)
Kyogre-Primal (Blue Orb)
Mandibuzz (Sablenite, Venusaurite)
Raikou (Red Orb)
Yveltal (Life Orb)
Rayquaza (Life Orb)
Xerneas (Power Herb, Choice Scarf, Fairium Z)
Manaphy was placed at the top of B due to its offensive role compression on Webs and pure offense based builds with its Manectite set. A lack of overall dedicated preparation for Manaphy can also result in Manaphy becoming an immediate wincon, particularly for those that either lack a Red Orb user or lack a bulky attacker like Magearna.
Cobalion was placed near the top of B due to its general versatility within the two sets. The utility roles that Pinsirite can provide whilst being able to bypass traditional Flying-resists (see: Zapdos) gives Cobalion a much more defined role, particularly on Webs teams, as unlike Magearna the initial speed and +2 damage boost forces it out less from Pokemon like Entei.
Kyogre-Primal was placed just below it with the main problem being that Kyogre-Primal struggles to find places to get into games and start breaking quickly. However, in the cases that it can get in freely, it often times will just win out of being able to do so.
Mandibuzz was placed in B between Kyogre-Primal and Raikou due to its enhanced defensive capabilities compared to other Magic Bouncers, particularly being one of the few that are able to defend against defensive Primal Groudon’s Stealth Rock set. It also provides teams with a great pivot, albeit one that can shorten games due to its tendency to lure in Fairy-types such as Magearna.
Raikou was placed below Mandibuzz as its inability to harm Dragons and middling Speed tier prevents it from breaking most builds – however, those that rely on a Zygarde for their Fire-resist may suffer from the HP Ice build, and that breaking power gives it a solid niche as one of the strongest offensive pivots in MnM.
Yveltal was accidentally deleted. The main reason I feel it should be here is due to its Heat Wave LO set, particularly roasting the likes of Magearna on the switchin. Due to the general lack of checks to this set on most teams, I find it is quite anti-meta and deserves this position – even the likes of Lunala can fear it.
Rayquaza yet again fits the idea of ‘situational breaker with mild defensive utility’.
Xerneas is placed at the bottom of B due to an abundance of checks on teams and the prevalence of Altarianite Extreme Speed preventing it from getting off a sweep easily versus most teams. Fairium Z can cheese some matchups but it is in general an extremely inconsistent set versus any team with a Magearna.
Cobalion was placed near the top of B due to its general versatility within the two sets. The utility roles that Pinsirite can provide whilst being able to bypass traditional Flying-resists (see: Zapdos) gives Cobalion a much more defined role, particularly on Webs teams, as unlike Magearna the initial speed and +2 damage boost forces it out less from Pokemon like Entei.
Kyogre-Primal was placed just below it with the main problem being that Kyogre-Primal struggles to find places to get into games and start breaking quickly. However, in the cases that it can get in freely, it often times will just win out of being able to do so.
Mandibuzz was placed in B between Kyogre-Primal and Raikou due to its enhanced defensive capabilities compared to other Magic Bouncers, particularly being one of the few that are able to defend against defensive Primal Groudon’s Stealth Rock set. It also provides teams with a great pivot, albeit one that can shorten games due to its tendency to lure in Fairy-types such as Magearna.
Raikou was placed below Mandibuzz as its inability to harm Dragons and middling Speed tier prevents it from breaking most builds – however, those that rely on a Zygarde for their Fire-resist may suffer from the HP Ice build, and that breaking power gives it a solid niche as one of the strongest offensive pivots in MnM.
Yveltal was accidentally deleted. The main reason I feel it should be here is due to its Heat Wave LO set, particularly roasting the likes of Magearna on the switchin. Due to the general lack of checks to this set on most teams, I find it is quite anti-meta and deserves this position – even the likes of Lunala can fear it.
Rayquaza yet again fits the idea of ‘situational breaker with mild defensive utility’.
Xerneas is placed at the bottom of B due to an abundance of checks on teams and the prevalence of Altarianite Extreme Speed preventing it from getting off a sweep easily versus most teams. Fairium Z can cheese some matchups but it is in general an extremely inconsistent set versus any team with a Magearna.
B-:
Giratina (Leftovers)
(Noivern (Altarianite)) (Ranked for its anti-offense capabilities, particularly against Webs)
Salamence (Salamencite)
Ditto (Choice Scarf)
Mamoswine (Lucarionite)
Genesect (Altarianite, Pinsirite)
Arceus-Dragon (Draco Plate)
Arceus-Rock (Stone Plate)
Giratina-Origin (Griseous Orb)
Volcarona (Red Orb, Cameruptite)
Excadrill (Lucarionite, Pinsirite)
(Zeraora) (Ranked for its Pinsirite set, which compresses speed control into a somewhat bulky package combined with decent damage output.)
Tapu Koko (Diancite, Lucarionite)
(Dugtrio) (Ranked for its Lopunnite set, which can trap the likes of Blissey, carving a free path for something like Magearna or Lunala to sweep.)
C rank
(Kangaskhan-Mega) (Ranked for its ability to break balance using Parental Bond Seismic Toss)
Arceus-Flying (Sky Plate)
Arceus-Ghost (Spooky Plate)
Weavile (Glalitite, Lucarionite)
Jirachi (Ampharosite)
Hippowdon (Venusaurite, Sablenite)
Arceus (Normalium Z)
Archeops (Diancite)
Celebi (Blue Orb)
Gastrodon (Manectite, Sablenite)
Stakataka (Heracronite)
The rest of these nominations, if unexplained, are mainly due to a lack of reasoning for them or simply failure to play with them.