New OU List (October 2008)

[X-Act]

It is again the time where the OU list gets updated. Remember that it gets updated 4 times a year: in January, April, July and October.

This month's update coincides with 2 major upheavals: the banning of Garchomp and the release of Platinum. Because of this, we are only using statistics from September 12th onwards, a day after Garchomp was banned from our Standard ladder, to determine the new OU list.

Furthermore, since Platinum has been released so very recently, we have decided to update the OU tier list also next month, in November. A month from now, the tier list should reflect better what the players are using, since, right now, people are still experimenting with the new moves and Pokemon that Platinum offers. Then a subsequent tier list will be issued normally next January 2009.

Apart from this, this is the first OU tier list taken from DougJustDoug's statistics, not from Colin. Since Doug's statistics take into account the Pokemon that were in teams, rather than those used in battles, the algorithm to determine OU had to be changed. Thankfully, it is now even simpler than before.

Firstly, the sum of all Pokemon usages is calculated. Then, this number is divided by 176.1407. This is the usage quota for a Pokemon to be OU or not. If a Pokemon's usage is at least equal to this quota, it is OU; otherwise, it is not.

However, another calculation can be made that determines which Pokemon are used frequently. A Pokemon is used frequently if it is in a team during at least one in every two battles. The quota for a Pokemon to be used frequently is the sum of all Pokemon usages divided by 37.7113.

The number of Pokemon that are used frequently in a metagame helps us determine the level of centralisation in the metagame. Often, the higher the number of Pokemon used frequently, the lower the number of OU Pokemon is and the more the metagame is centralised.

From September 12th onwards, there were a total of 1524240 Pokemon usages. The quota for a Pokemon to be OU is thus 1524240 / 176.1407 = 8654 (rounded up). The quota for a Pokemon to be used frequently is 1524240 / 37.7113 = 40419 (rounded up).

Thus, the new OU list contains the following Pokemon:

Aerodactyl
Alakazam
Azelf
Blissey
Breloom
Bronzong
Celebi
Cresselia
Deoxys-S
Donphan
Dragonite
Dugtrio
Dusknoir
Electivire
Forretress
Gallade
Gengar
Gliscor
Gyarados
Heatran
Heracross
Hippowdon
Infernape
Jirachi
Jolteon
Kingdra
Lucario
Machamp
Magnezone
Mamoswine
Metagross
Milotic
Ninjask
Porygon-Z
Roserade
Salamence
Scizor
Shaymin-S
Skarmory
Snorlax
Spiritomb
Starmie
Suicune
Swampert
Tentacruel
Togekiss
Tyranitar
Vaporeon
Weavile
Yanmega
Zapdos
(51 Pokemon)

Among these OU Pokemon, the following are used frequently:

Blissey
Gengar
Gyarados
Heatran
Lucario
Metagross
Salamence
Scizor
(8 Pokemon)

 

[Imran]

Donphan stands out, Ice Shard i guess

I can't remember whether Kingdra was OU before, but obviously people like it with DD and Outrage. Most of this was predicted really, and I don't believe there is anything that ground breaking, but great job X-Act!

 

[timba]

kingdra already was OU. However, I can't remember alakazam and gallade being OU.

 

[X-Act]

Aerodactyl and Alakazam are the only Pokemon that were never OU and are now OU. All the others were OU at some point.

I need to tell Doug to ban Aerodactyl from the UU ladder.

 

[Colonel M]

Alright, so this obviously means Aerodactyl is out of UU correct?

Everything else seems normal. Gallade being OU again is something I thought of as "wierd" as I've rarely seen it but statistics show it exists.

 

[X-Act]

This month's OU list might look a bit weird. Expect it to be much less weird next November.

 

[cim]

Nice work X-Act! *hi-five*

One thing though: Why don't we just update tiers every month instead of every 3? It's only marginally more stable to do it every 3 months, plus now since tiers are objectively usage based it's not like there needs to be tier discussion or anything, except for BL / UU which gets updated more than every 3 months anyway.

I think though it's nice to have a big OU list, subjectively a lot of these Pokémon don't "feel" OU to me. Alakazam and Gallade to me are horribly rare.

 

[Shelcario]

Yes no more Aerodactyl in UU, great work X-Act.

 

[phalanx]

i thought kingdra was BL last time, or it wasn't not long ago, and porygon-z and jask are OU again?
it updates every 3 so we get a general feel of where things are and removes fluctuations i'm guessing

 

[Chou Toshio]

I guess I just want to know how we are going to handle Rotom in terms of the OU list. Adding the total useage of the forms brought it up to spot 41 if I recall.

 

[User 12783]

Where are the scRotoms? I thought they would definitely be OU!

 

[StarmanXL]

Aerodactyl and Alakazam are the only Pokemon that were never OU and are now OU. All the others were OU at some point.

Huh? I thought Alakazam and Aerodactyl were both OU, at least last year, before getting kicked down to BL, or perhaps I'm just not observant.

But I digress. Good job on getting this put together!

 

[Goodbar]

When considering rotom, will you add their usages together X-Act? I think by next month their combined usage would place them into OU, but separately, probably not...

 

[Mario With Lasers]

51 pokémon? Now that's a pretty big list.

 

[darkie]

Awesome. I think we can expect the 51 number to go down. Remember that this is a new metagame, with Garchomp gone and with the appearance of new moves and pokémon. New metagame means that more people want to try more of what may work.

 

[Kietharr]

I think that the rotom forms (excluding Rotom himself) should be counted as one pokemon as far as usage goes. They've got identical BSTs, abilities, and movepools bar one move each (which is essentially the same as illegal sets).

 

[Age of Kings]

Yay for P-Z and Donphan's return to OU, although now I guess one of my BL teams is now obsolete. >_>;

Actually, yay to the larger OU list in general.

 

[Anti]

'bout damn time Aero was out of UU, that thing's a powerhouse.

I always seems to amaze me that Electivire makes it into OU and not BL every time.

 

[tennisace]

I always seems to amaze me that Electivire makes it into OU and not BL every time.

Maybe Ninjask->Electivire passing is making a comeback?

 

[Bourbon]

Wow, finally, the OU tier is getting bigger. How small did it get when Garchomp was around? Something like, 45, correct? It's at 51 now.

 

[Mario With Lasers]

Won't Electivire ever drop to BL? People always say he's shit, he's walled by half the metagame, etc etc, but in the end, he's always in a comfortable position.

 

[pit-fall]

Glad the list is longer, for a while anyway. Donphan seems interesting, since it usually only serves one purpose.

 

[Chou Toshio]

Won't Electivire ever drop to BL? People always say he's shit, he's walled by half the metagame, etc etc, but in the end, he's always in a comfortable position.

You know there are a lot of players who never post on these forums. lol

 

[Fabbles]

Can't imagine my poor Alakazam will be sticking around much longer due to the ice sharders and Scizor rising, but at least he completed his run! Glad to see Aero up at OU as well, hopefully it stays for a bit.

*Anxiously awaits next month(s)

 

[forbidden]

How did P-Z make it back on the list? When it moved down to BL, everyone belittled it saying how Azelf outclasses it and now its back with no apparent reason and no improvement? Anyone care to shed some light on this? or perhaps a moveset/ev usage list for P-Z.

Edit: found it...
Porygonz | Item | Choice Scarf | 34.6 |
Porygonz | Item | Life Orb | 23.0 |


nope still don't get why, half the people using timid lifeorb and others modest choice scarf, doesn't look so special to me. x.X