Hello. The Isle of Armor DLC is less than two weeks away, and with it comes a slew of additions to the base Sword and Shield game. Due to National Dex AG already including most of the returning Pokemon, there's not /that/ much that will impact our format. However, there a few notable and several less notable changes that may affect our metagame. Here are
all the changes that we know of
so far that will impact the National Dex AG format in the coming weeks.
Pokémon
Urshifu
Urshifu comes in two formes, Urshifu-Single-Strike and Urshifu-Rapid-Strike. We do not know stats or movepools yet.
Single-Strike
Dark/Fighting | Unseen Fist Ability (Ignores Protect)
Signature Move: Wicked Blow - Dark-type attack that always results in a critical hit.
Rapid-Strike
Water/Fighting | Unseen Fist Ability (Ignores Protect)
Signature Move: Surging Strikes - Water-type attack that always results in a critical hit. (Based on description appears to hit three times)
Usefulness of Ability
In a metagame like Anything Goes, known users of Protect are currently:
Common: Ho-Oh, Ferrothorn, Smeargle, Sableye-Mega
Seldom used: Zacian-Crowned, Gengar-Mega, Diancie, Gliscor
Personal Prediction: I don't believe this ability will be too potent in this metagame other than forcing out Ferrothorn trying to gain passive recovery. Mega Sableye can still run Fake Out and doesn't miss out on much by doing this. Smeargle may have trouble as a lead against Surging Strikes Urshifu-RS due to it breaking Focus Sash and going through Protect on Moody set, otherwise this ability isn't too amazing in NatDex AG.
GMax
Urshifu has two Gigantamax formes, one for each Urshifu forme. One is a Dark-type GMax move, one is a Water-type GMax move. Both have the effect of breaking Protect & Max Guard. May be useful against defensive Dynamaxers like Necrozma-Dusk-Mane but I really don't know. We really just have to wait and see with this one, we don't know anywhere near enough.
Slowbro-Galar
Poison/Psychic | Quick Draw Ability (Function Unknown), It may still receive Regenerator as Hidden Ability as Slowpoke-Galar does too.
Signature Move: Shell Side Arm - Poison-type attack that changes between Physical/Special depending on what hits the opponent harder.
If this Pokemon retains Regenerator through Evolution, and gains access to Clear Smog, Slowbro-Galar can act as a somewhat reliable Geomancy Xerneas answer.
+2 252+ SpA Xerneas Max Lightning vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Slowbro-Galar: 280-330 (71 - 83.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
That being said, we still do not know that much about this Pokemon. Its stats may change dramatically or its movepool may not appear fruitful.
Zarude
Grass/Dark | Leaf Guard Ability
Signature Move: Jungle Healing - Status move that restores ?% health and heals status (most likely Life Dew + Refresh).
Known moves: Power Whip, Close Combat, Taunt, Swagger, Jungle Healing
Looks borderline useless in this metagame.
Other G-Max Formes
Venusaur - Charizard/Coalossal-GMax effect, except Grass-type
Blastoise - Charizard/Coalossal-GMax effect, except Water-type
Rillaboom - Stronger than Max Overgrowth, Doesn't take opponents ability into account. This effect excludes Prism Armor, Shadow Shield and FMB.
Cinderace - Stronger than Max Flare, Doesn't take opponents ability into account. This effect excludes Prism Armor, Shadow Shield and FMB.
Inteleon - Stronger than Max Geyser, Doesn't take opponents ability into account. This effect excludes Prism Armor, Shadow Shield and FMB.
None of these seem particularly useful. Blastoise would prefer to Mega Evolve to prevent Ditto Dynamaxing, or would prefer the Rain effect of Max Geyser. All three Galarian Starters would need substantial buffs to be useful in this metagame, for example Screens/Spikes becoming excessively common so that Cinderace's Court Change becomes more useful, Rillaboom's Grassy Glide allowing it to become a decent Kyogre revenge killer, etc.
Moves
Updated Learnsets
There's a plethora of returning Pokemon within the Isle of Armor DLC. These Pokemon are already available in National Dex AG, hence they are only relevant due to updated learnsets in Sword and Shield. Pokemon will gain access to moves listed below.
Somewhat Relevant
- High Horsepower
- Stored Power, (Wish+Teleport)
- Sand Tomb, Body Press
- Nasty Plot, Stored Power, Body Press, Muddy Water, (Teleport+Oblivious/Own Tempo)
Irrelevant
- Assurance, Body Slam, Endure, Close Combat, High Horsepower
- Stored Power, (Wish+Teleport)
- Electric Terrain, Endure, Electro Ball
- Endure
- Mega Punch, Body Slam, Endure
- Solar Beam, Swift, Eerie Impulse, Endure, Energy Ball
- Magical Leaf, Psycho Cut, Bulldoze, Future Sight, Calm Mind
- Magical Leaf, Breaking Swipe, Power Whip
Hydro Pump
- Muddy Water
- Beat Up, Assurance, Hydro Pump, Swift
Hurricane, Breaking Swipe
- Body Slam, Close Combat, Darkest Lariat, High Horsepower, Mega Punch, Mega Kick, Revenge, Endure
- Agility, Electro Ball, Play Rough, Psychic Fangs
- Giga Impact, Sandstorm, Rock Blast, Close Combat, Psychic Fangs, Swift, Assurance, Agility, Tail Slap, Endure, Play Rough
- Giga Impact, Sandstorm, Rock Blast, Close Combat, Psychic Fangs, Mega Punch, Mega Kick, Revenge, Payback, Low Sweep, Tail Slap, Endure, Play Rough
- Giga Impact, Sandstorm, Rock Blast, Close Combat, Psychic Fangs, Focus Energy, Work Up, Endure, Play Rough
- Self-Destruct, Heavy Slam, Body Press
- Assurance, Brutal Swing, Blaze Kick, Mega Punch, Mega Kick, Revenge, Agility, Focus Energy, Close Combat
- Screech, Weather Ball, Uproar, Liquidation
- Drain Punch, Reversal, Close Combat, Darkest Lariat, High Horsepower, Liquidation
- Sand Tomb, Assurance, Psycho Cut, Cross Poison
- Razor Shell, Muddy Water
- Agility, Psycho Cut
- Hurricane, Fire Spin, Swift, Endure
- Solar Blade, Power Swap, Brutal Swing
- Revenge, Assurance, Reversal, Megahorn, Close Combat, High Horsepower, Throat Chop
- Cross Poison, Venom Drench, Brutal Swing
- Mystical Fire, Attract
- Mega Punch, Mega Kick, Encore, Swift, Revenge, Assurance, Hex, Endure
Could be Isle of Armor or Crown Tundra
- Body Press, Sand Tomb, Rock Blast, Scary Face, Hydro Pump, Crunch, High Horsepower, Swift
- Hex, Grassy Terrain, Pollen Puff
- Psycho Cut, Cross Poison, Grassy Terrain, Magical Leaf, Bullet Seed, Endure
Move Tutor
Grassy Glide - Grass-type attack that hits with priority in Grassy Terrain. Known recipient: Rillaboom.
Burning Jealousy - Fire-type attack that burns an opposing Pokemon if it has boosted its stats that turn. Known recipient: Chandelure.
Expanding Force - Unknown Description.
Steel Roller - Unknown Description.
Scale Shot - etc etc
Meteor Beam
Misty Explosion
Rising Voltage
Terrain Pulse
Skitter Smack
Lash Out
Poltergeist
Corrosive Gas
Coaching
Flip Turn
Triple Axel
Dual Wingbeat
Scorching Sands
The majority of these move names were leaked a week prior to the announcement of the confirmed moves above and below. The leak got all of the confirmed ones right so the rest are a safe assumption.
GMax formes gain access to a Pokemon's whole legal Sword & Shield movepool
This in short means GMax Charizard gains access to Hurricane now, all GMax Pokemon that are not Pokemon exclusive to Galar should gain Toxic and whatnot now. Additions like these shouldn't really come into play unless someone really wants to run Toxic GMax Lapras.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there a few additions likely to affect the National Dex AG metagame; however, there are also a plethora of minor additions that will not affect the metagame whatsoever. I'm looking forward to seeing how the unrevealed moves pan out, and how Urshifu is. Thank you all for reading. I'll possibly make an updated list once the DLC comes out, but this is what we can expect so far once the DLC comes.
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