xXBlu3BreathXx

Welcome to the OU Viability Rankings Thread. If you do not know what a viability thread entails read further. A viability thread has as purpose to put Pokémon into 'ranks', by lack of a better term. In the OU viability rankings we base our rankings on how viable certain Pokémon in OU are. Discussion is encouraged and remember that you are always entitled to your opinion but forget not to be respectful to other community members. The rankings will be based on how well a Pokemon performs its role(s) in the metagame; these roles cover how well it performs in the offensive, defensive and supportive characteristics. This means a Pokemon will be in a higher rank depending on how well it performs its role(s) and a Pokemon can fit into the same rank as something that fills a different role. If you have any suggestions for Pokemon not on the viability list feel free to express your opinion but please provide an explanation as to why you believe it fits in the OU metagame. The older viability rankings were outdated so I decided to make a new one. The initial list bellow was made in collaboration with LifeStyle. This list will be updated more frequently on this discord server, please join in the discussion as well: https://discord.gg/MKtjuzyMkv Resources for Discussion Damage Calculator *Subject to mechanic differences https://www.smogon.com/dex/bw/pokemon/ *Subject to mechanic differences Tiering Etiquette Guide _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PokeMMO OU Viability Ranking S Rank: Reserved for Pokemon that are the pinnacle of the OU metagame. These Pokemon are able to perform a variety of roles very effectively, or can just do one extremely well. Their use has low risk involved and high reward exerted. Pokemon in this rank have very few flaws that are patched up by numerous positive traits. S Rank: Conkeldurr Rotom Wash A Rank: Reserved for Pokemon that are fantastic in the OU metagame, and can sweep, support, or wall significant portions of the metagame. These Pokemon require less support than most others to be used effectively and have few flaws that can easily be compensated for when compared to their positive traits. A+ Rank: Garchomp Scizor Reuniclus A Rank: Tyranitar Gengar Ferrothorn Hydreigon Excadrill Infernape Blissey A- Rank: Salamence Breloom Togekiss Dragonite Gliscor Volcarona Skarmory B Rank: Reserved for Pokemon that are great in the OU metagame. These Pokemon have more notable flaws than those above them that affect how they function in the tier. Their positive traits still outshine their negatives, but they require a bit more team support to bring out their full potential. B+ Rank: Starmie Kingdra Cofagrigus Pelipper Hippowdon Jellicent Gyarados Dugtrio Milotic B Rank: Chansey Tentacruel Rotom Mow Mienshao Magnezone Gastrodon Porygon 2 Chandelure Cloyster B- Rank: Swampert Kabutops Jolteon Mamoswine Darmanitan Mandibuzz Weavile Heracross Lucario Sigilyph Venusaur Crobat Metagross Ludicolo C Rank: Reserved for Pokemon that are mediocre in the OU metagame, but have just as many notable flaws that prevent them from being effective. Pokemon in the C tier often require significant support to be effective. Pokemon from this rank tend to face a lot of competition with the more commonly used Pokemon. These Pokemon exert a below average presence in the metagame. C Rank: Bronzong Electrode Wobbuffet Aerodactyl Whimsicott Haxorus Dusclops Arcanine Snorlax Porygon-Z Torkoal Zoroark Toxicroak

me and marco in about 20 minutes

Let me start off by saying that by no means Smogon should be relied on as evidence for our metagame, however it can provide some good insight as to why something is strong or what mons can deal with another mon. Here is the information Smogon provided as a check/counter for Garchomp in BW OU: Firstly, I would like to point out we do not have a lot of these mons but on the flip side a few of them like Heatran and Jirachi were only checks because of Outrage locking Garchomp in. Most Garchomps we have to deal with carry Dragon Claw due to Outrage still following previous gens base power of 90, this obviously gives way for things like Mandibuzz being able to wall non Stone Edge variants. Before I continue I would like to list what I believe to be the current viable Garchomp sets: I firmly believe that each set has a switch in, for example the Mandibuzz I mentioned earlier should beat variants without Stone Edge or say a Porygon2 could deal with Chain Chomp very well. However, a lot of people are concerned about Yache Berry variants being able to tank a hit, albeit annoying there are some mons that can muscle through it like Weavile, Mamoswime and Conkeldurr. Even if you are in a bad situation just chipping Garchomp can put Yache variants in range of something like a Starmies Ice Beam. Here is a list of mons (OU/UU) that I believe can have some success (depending on the set) against Garchomp defensively (walls/tanks): Mandibuzz Porygon2 Skarmory Ferrothorn Forretress Gastrodon Rotom forms Gyarados Bronzong Gliscor Hippowdon Chansey/Blissey (Chain Chomp) Umbreon Wobbufett Obviously some mons here cannot outright beat "X" Garchomp set but can pivot into something else to check it. For example you could pivot from a Skarmory into a Infernape on the predicted Fire Blast. Now this requires predictions and you will never get them right all the time, but that is just a part of Pokemon. You may even end up with Garchomp over predicting and you end up killing it because of it. To expand on the mons that can handle Garchomp offensively: Any Dragon with a Choice Scarf can outspeed it and kill it with a Draco Meteor e.g. Salamence, Hydreigon Stab Ice Moves e.g. Mamoswime, Weavile, Cloyster Strong mons e.g. Flame Orb + Guts Conkeldurr, Life Orb Starmie, Choice Band Infernape Priority (to deal chip or finish it off) e.g. Scizor, Breloom, Lucario, Azumarill Just for a quick tldr: Garchomp is bulky and has some switch ins but it can be killed (even OHKO'd) and switched into depending on the set, just have to predict a little more and just accept that if you play stall it will most likely take a mon or put it very low.

IGN: BlueBreath Country: UK Tier: Any IGN: Axellgor Country: UK Tier: UU, NU, LC

The core issue at hand here is luck. You can argue all you want whether Garchomp is over powered by itself but when you pair it with the ability to dodge it can get out of hand very easily. Lets say you have a Garchomp with a set of: Substitute Swords Dance Earthquake Dragon Claw This set can use substitute 4 times, that is 4 chances it gets a free substitute in the sand, this is pretty brainless to spam with a good payoff when it works. Keep in mind after it gets the substitute it will swords dance without a care then proceed to sweep you because you missed a move that should have hit. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Garchomp can possibly get lucky enough to dodge moves while behind a substitute or go for a risky kill in the sand if it dodges. This is extremely uncompetitive and leaves the other player feeling that it was out of their control. Now we all know moves can miss but those moves usually have significant upsides like huge base power or good secondary traits, sand veil makes every move (apart from garbage moves that state they will hit without fail e.g. aerial ace) the opponent makes have a chance to miss. I would like to talk about sand briefly here because it is was enables sand veil to work. We have two sand stream setters in OU which are both good being Tyranitar and Hippowdon. It is a fair assumption to make that with 13.8% (Tyranitar) and 7.25% (Hippowdon) usage you will encounter sand setters roughly 1/5 to 1/6 games by your opponent. What I am trying to say here is sand veil has a very reasonable chance to be active in a duel especially if you bring your own setter to initiate it. I think removing or swapping sand veil would be the best course of action to balance Garchomp.

That was kind of the point of his post.

me and Fab in 20 mins

Me and Fab in 20 mins

But Murkrow is banned in every relevant gen of LC and Scraggy was banned in BW LC. We don't have fairy types here so Scraggy is pretty busted. I'm personally not in favour of reintroducing broken mons to somewhat deal with another broken mon. Nothing newly introduced can really deal with them outside of possibly Shieldon for Murkrow and even that is iffy.

me and Lunarck in 30 minutes

Very quick and cheap service, would definitely use it again.

me and Poseidon now

me and Julian in 10 mins

me and zebra in 10 mins

me and kiwi in 10 mins

There should have been some prior warning if you change the tier just before the tournament starts. Kind of implies you don't care about tournaments.

me and fab in 10 mins

me and frags after them

me and lkrenz game 1 in 15 mins

me and sebat game 2 in 20-30 mins