Popularity of Pokemon in Competitive Battling

[SHUCKLE MAN]

Okay, as most of us know, Shoddy Battle has been obtaining statistics about the most commonly used Pokemon since October, so we now have 5 months worth of data. The top 10 most used Pokemon in OU battling each month are as follows:

October
1. Blissey
2. Garchomp
3. Gyarados
4. Gengar
5. Tyranitar
6. Salamence
7. Weavile
8. Heracross
9. Metagross
10. Skarmory

November
1. Blissey
2. Garchomp
3. Gengar
4. Tyranitar
5. Gyarados
6. Salamence
7. Infernape
8. Skarmory
9. Cresselia
10. Bronzong

December
1. Blissey
2. Garchomp
3. Gengar
4. Gyarados
5. Tyranitar
6. Infernape
7. Salamence
8. Metagross
9. Weavile
10. Cresselia

January
1. Blissey
2. Garchomp
3. Gengar
4. Gyarados
5. Tyranitar
6. Lucario
7. Heatran
8. Salamence
9. Metagross
10. Bronzong

February
1. Garchomp
2. Gengar
3. Blissey
4. Gyarados
5. Tyranitar
6. Lucario
7. Heatran
8. Bronzong
9. Salamence
10. Metagross

March
1. Garchomp
2. Gengar
3. Blissey
4. Gyarados
5. Tyranitar
6. Bronzong
7. Lucario
8. Heatran
9. Infernape
10. Metagross

So what do you all think of this? I'm quite surprised about Blissey. This may be the first time in half a decade or something that she hasn't been the most used OU Pokemon! And Heracross usage has dwindled. He's now only 21st. Probably because of all the Gengar running around.

Here are the most common leads (the first Pokemon sent out in the battle). I find these lists extremely useful because I always struggle so much to decide who to lead with.

November
1. Gyarados
2. Hippowdon
3. Salamence
4. Gengar
5. Tyranitar
6. Bronzong
7. Weavile
8. Swampert
9. Infernape
10. Abomasnow

December
1. Gyarados
2. Gengar
3. Salamence
4. Bronzong
5. Hippowdon
6. Weavile
7. Tyranitar
8. Infernape
9. Yanmega
10. Roserade

January
1. Gyarados
2. Gengar
3. Bronzong
4. Tyranitar
5. Salamence
6. Hippowdon
7. Ninjask
8. Yanmega
9. Abomasnow
10. Weavile

February
1. Gengar
2. Gyarados
3. Tyranitar
4. Bronzong
5. Salamence
6. Hippowdon
7. Ninjask
8. Yanmega
9. Weavile
10. Abomasnow

March
1. Gengar
2. Bronzong
3. Gyarados
4. Tyranitar
5. Salamence
6. Yanmega
7. Hippowdon
8. Ninjask
9. Azelf
10. Infernape

 

[aipomkong]

Lucario usage has shot up because of the Life Orb Swords Dance set it seems.

 

[SHUCKLE MAN]

And Wobbuffet is now allowed in OU, which will no doubt have helped Lucario in February. Wobbuffet's existence also probably helped Gengar too.

I was actually very surprised to see Gengar overtake Blissey (I thought he'd get close, but not overtake it). I guess DP is just becoming more and more offensively orientated...

 

[Brettt]

Looks like forretress usage has been shrinking. Also, I know this doesn't come as a surprise to many, but I for one am surprised to NOT see hippowdown up there, its not as popular as tyranitar, but I have seen it a plethora of times.

 

[SHUCKLE MAN]

Hippowdon was the 2nd most used lead one month though. But yeah, I'd be interested to see what would happen to Hippowdon and Abomasnow usage if Tyranitar had been put in uber.

 

[Brettt]

Tyranitar can barely survive in uber because of kyogre and groudon, they ruin sand stream and counter him very well. Tyranitar will remain the most used sand streamer, because hippowdown is only used to set up a sandstorm and to counter T-tar, and Abomasnow, well, teams built around hail usually aren't as succesful as ones built around sandstorm.

 

[Profesco]

I guess that's some pretty interesting data. Blissey, Garchomp, Blissey, Garchomp... Anyone care to predict March's lineup?

 

[Brettt]

I guess that's some pretty interesting data. Blissey, Garchomp, Blissey, Garchomp... Anyone care to predict March's lineup?

Luvdisc =D

Garchomp is probably one the better pokemon in OU, and its very hard to counter effectively, and Blissey, well, everyone knows why people use that.

 

[SHUCKLE MAN]

^Well, I got this month's wrong, so my confidence is shaking...

I'm guessing Blissey, Garchomp, Gengar, Gyarados and Tyranitar will remain as the top 5, as usual.

 

[aipomkong]

Tyranitar can barely survive in uber because of kyogre and groudon, they ruin sand stream and counter him very well

Just thought i'd post to say that it doesn't matter how a Pokemon performs in Ubers, if it is too strong for OU then it has to go to Ubers whether it works there or not.

i.e. Wobba in R/S.

Blissey will probably go back to #2.

 

[SHUCKLE MAN]

Salamence usage has been gradually decreasing, with the SpecsMence hype diminishing and everything else. So maybe Metagross may finally get higher than its counterpart!

 

[Darkmaster Rannon]

sweet, heatran, sweet...

wait! wobbufett is now in the OU environment? that means.... *evil smile* All shall fear wobbufett lord Wobbly Fett!

 

[Cain Nightroad]

Looks like the Landshark knocked Blissey back down to Earth. Not surprising, with all of the new combinations coming out that help out dragons and increase popularity. However, the usual SkarmBliss wall might make a comeback and send the Landshark crashing.

 

[Dragodynamite]

Blissey? ^o)
Is gyarados a OU? O_O i was certain that s/he was UU =.=

 

[Star Dust]

The offensive based d/p metagame knocks Blissey off her throne. Guess people are getting smarter. But with the sudden decrease of Blissey usage, more people will use Special Attackers more freely. Creating a rise in the usage of Blissey again. But Garchomp will probably stay on the top.

 

[aipomkong]

Is gyarados a OU? O_O i was certain that s/he was UU =.=

lol.

The only time Gyarados was ever UU was in GSC

 

[Death dealer]

lol.

The only time Gyarados was ever UU was in GSC

Yeah, it had no taunt or dragon dance, and next to no physical attacks. And nor did it have intimidate, which is pretty bad as well.

 

[Brettt]

lol.

The only time Gyarados was ever UU was in GSC

Gyarados probably got some of the best improvements this gen, with the advent of physical and special attacks.

 

[SHUCKLE MAN]

Gyardos's glory days were in RBY imo, when he had base 100 Special Attack to work with! And Chansey had base 105 Special Attack there too.

I'm guessing Dragodynamite hasn't done much competitive battling.

 

[Brettt]

Gyardos's glory days were in RBY imo, when he had base 100 Special Attack to work with! And Chansey had base 105 Special Attack there too.

I'm guessing Dragodynamite hasn't done much competitive battling.

Yeah, but who of us were battling in the RBY days? Gyarados's time is now, as we can plainly see from the charts.