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Welcome to the Serebii Journal's November Issue. This article focuses heavily on the Upcoming release of ORAS. Which is a fairly popular tier my many in the competative community. If you wish to make comments about the journal please do so in our Discussion thread.
Table of Contents
ADV Stars then and Now
Roles of Pokemon
Top 10 Usage Statistics analysis
How 3rd gen affects todays metagame
Guardians Cup Coverage part 1
Interview
Tournaments
Writers
Ger9119 - ADV Stars then and Now, Guardians Cup Coverage
Eliteknight - Tournaments
BestGamePearl - Interview
Cloneblazer12 - Roles of Pokemon
Moonclawz - Usage statistics
Gray - How 3rd gen affects todays metagame
Introduction and Key Terms
Generation 3 is amongst the most popular of all the Generations by Pokémon fans. Hoenn itself was different with brand new Pokémon and new places to explore. Also it was a big jump in graphics and battle mechanics introducing EVs/IVs, Natures, Abilities. All of these advancements were the first in building the fast paced competitive game we play today, and I will be covering the stars that helped build this and where they fair now in the current Metagame.
S- Rank - These Pokemon define the metagame the most. They have many equally good movesets and/or are unique in their role.
A- Rank- These Pokemon are really good and almost always do their job. They have some flaws that prevent them to be as good as the S-Rank Pokemon.
B- Rank- These Pokemon fullfill a given offensive/defensive/support niche. They have some flaws that prevent them to be as consistant as the higher ranked Pokemon but are nonetheless common and should be taken into account when building a team.
C- Rank- These Pokemon are way less common than the S/A/B one and usually need way more support to work. They are often inferior to the higher-ranked one but have one or two advantages that give them a niche with proper team-support.
D-Rank- These Pokemon have a small niche, but have very noticable flaws that make them more trouble then they're worth the majority of the time.
------------------ S-Rank
Tyranitar has always been a top tier threat, but in ADV it might’ve been in its peak of dominance. It was arguably the best Pokémon in the entire Metagame. A deadly Choice Band set which had very few safe switch ins caused havoc throughout the tier with near perfect coverage. It also was able to run a Dragon Dance set which was also really good. Combine that with a Sub/Punch and a Special Based Wallbreaking Set made Tyranitar the most versatile Pokémon in OU. Now Tyranitar still stands strong in OU, being a featured part of Sand Offense and has a Mega form which is extremely good. It’s not as good as it once was but it’s still an effective Pokémon that should be prepared for when building teams.
Rank/Tier (ADV)- (S-) (OU)
Rank/Tier(XY)- (A-) (OU)
Celebi was another top threat in ADV, it was the best Baton Passer in the Metagame. Being able to Pass either a Swords Dance or Calm Mind along with a Sub to a sweeper was extremely useful. While also being an excellent cleric, with Heal Bell. It was considered to be extremely bulky even being able to shrug off some Super Effective hits like nothing. But now Celebi just isn’t the same, there’s more bulkier stuff and better clerics and it’s not fast enough to Baton Pass stuff. The main reason why Celebi just isn’t that good anymore is the amount of stuff that runs a bluffed Knock off and the amount of birds in OU. It still can be effective but it needs a lot more support now.
Rank/Tier (ADV)- (S-) (OU)
Rank/Tier (XY)- (B+) (OU)
---------- A- Rank
Metagross was another outstanding Pokémon, great typing along with a great movepool. It also is able to use a powerful STAB move in Meteor Mash to do heavy damage along with the chance to boost its own attack. It’s best set in ADV was Agility + Meteor Mash, being able to get an attack boost and then set up to get additional speed is great. And when it couldn’t do no more it can just use Explosion and wreck something it couldn’t beat. The main reasons why it lost a lot was because of the Steel type nerfing along with it wasn’t exactly fast enough to fit with the current metagame. But there’s hope for Metagross to make a return to glory with its Mega Evolution that’s set to be released along with ORAS.
Rank/Tier (ADV)- (A-) (OU)
Rank/Tier (XY)- (D) (UU)
Flygon has always been a fan favorite, great typing and an awesome design. ADV was when Flygon shined the most and was at its most effective. A bulky set that featured STAB Earthquake was its best set, it was able to combine speed and bulk to handle threats like Tyranitar and if it carried toxic it could handle Swampert. Since then Flygon has seen a steady fall from grace, it’s bulk has turned into it being considered kinda frail and it just doesn’t hit that hard anymore and it needs a choice scarf to be effective for the most part, not to mention Garchomp does everything it does but better.
Rank/Tier (ADV)- (A-) (OU)
Rank/Tier (XY)- (Unranked) (UU)
------------ B- Rank
Apart of Hoenn’s Legendary Trio, Regice had a freezing cold grip over the Metagame in ADV. Its two main set was an offensive set with BoltBeam coverage and Explosion and a Restalk Special Wall set. Out of those two it’s BoltBeam set was the best. It was able to hit stuff like Celebi, Zapdos among other Pokémon while soften up special walls like Snorlax and Blissey. The main reason why Regice isn’t effective anymore is Stealth Rock along with Ice type being horrible defensive typing. Of everything in ADV Regice has taken the biggest fall from grace.
Rank/Tier (ADV)- (B-) (OU)
Rank/Tier (XY)- (Unranked) (PU)
Magneton was a great trapper in ADV, being able to trap Skarmory and Forretress was key to prevent spikes from being on your side of the field along with opening up sweeping chances for your own sweepers. Its main counter Dugtrio was handled by an endure+salac berry set. It could also be used in a trapper core with Dugtrio. Magneton isn’t as good as it once was but it can still be a decent trapper but is sort of outclassed by Magnezone, evolite was a big boost to it and helps give it a separate niche from its evolution counterpart
Rank/Tier (ADV)- (B-) (OU)
Rank/Tier (XY)- (C) (RU)
----------- C- Rank
Medicham was a decent Pokémon in ADV, it wasn’t bad and it wasn’t good but it held its own. It’s coverage wasn’t good and it was frail. But Huge Power + Sub/Punch was what made it very effective, not much wanted to switch into such a powerful attack. Medicham is one of the ADV Pokémon that has gotten extremely better since then, the Physical/Special spilt gave it more Physical Coverage and it’s gotten a Mega Evolution that’s one of the best Pokémon in the game currently.
Rank/Tier (ADV)- (C-) (BL)
Rank/Tier (XY)- (A) (OU)
----------- D- Rank
In the XY OU metagame, many playstyles are found. They range from Hyper Offense to heavy Stall. Some are more viable than others, and each issue of the Serebii Journal aims to take a look at each prominent playstyle. This time, we are looking at Balance, as it is the most common and most broad playstyle out there. There is no set formula for creating a balance team, as they can go in many different directions. However, this should not be confused with stall. Even though defensive synergy plays a key component in balance, it also contains offensive presence through the use of powerful wallbreakers or cleaners, unlike stall, which rarely uses things like this.
Out of all the playstyles, balance is the most common. Balance is a playstyle that mixes both offensive and defensive presence into one team, without jeopardizing team synergy. A common misconception about balance is that it must have both sweepers AND walls in order to fit the “Balance” criteria. And while a team may have both, that doesn’t necessarily mean it has to. Out of all common playstyles, balance is the most diverse simply due to the sheer number of ways to approach it. There could be an entire novel written on all different ways to approach balanced building, but it can be broken down into three main groups, hazard control, defensive presence, and offensive presence, each with their own sub groups.
Hazard Control:
Hazard Setters: Good balance builds often utilize entry hazards to rack up passive damage and apply pressure to make up for a reduced offensive presence than Heavy Offense. Hazard setters on balance should have defensive presence and be able to set up their hazards multiple times throughout the match should they be remove from play . Good examples of hazard setters include Ferrothorn, Landorus-T, Clefable, Heatran, and Mew, as they are all capable of switching in multiple times throughout the match. Bad examples of hazard setters on balance include Terrakion, Mamoswine, Bisharp, or Smeargle, as these mons are usually suicide leads, leaving no way to get hazards back up if they are removed mid game.
Hazard Removal: Another key component of balance is removing opposing Entry hazards. Since many balance builds rely on defensive synergy to sponge hits, members switch in and out often, and having hazards on your side of the field can drastically reduce staying power. Both spinners and defoggers are viable, however defog is usually preferred due to the fact that Taunt is the only reliable way to stop it. Good Defoggers on Balance include Zapdos, Latias, Latios, Mega Scizor, and Mew. These Pokemon all have recovery and can switch into attacks multiple times throughout a match. Bad defoggers on Balance include Mandibuzz and Skarmory. Neither one of these are able to handle the rise in Mega Wallbreakers such as gardevoir or Heracross, and are set up bait for many Pokemon. Aside from defoggers are spinners. Out of the two spinners in OU, Starmie and Excadrill, Starmie often takes the spotlight due to having recovery bulk when invested.
Defensive Presence:
Pivots: “Pivot” doesn’t have a set definition, but the best way to describe it is a mon that is able to switch into an incoming hit and either regain momentum through the use of Volt Switch or U-Turn, or to simply force out a threat to your advantage, such as removing / setting hazards or Knocking Off an item (please note that pivots are not limited to these two things). Good pivots include Rotom-W, Assault vest Azumarill, Assault Vest Raikou, Clefable, Sylveon, Latias, Ferrothorn, Defensive Landorus-T, Mega Venusaur, and others.
Walls: Everyone should know what a wall is. If you don’t, the easiest way to explain it is a mon that is able to take repeated hits and regain health through the use of a recovery move. If you’ve ever faced stall, then you’ve seen walls in action. Walls also fit really well on balance teams. Like pivots, theyre able to switch into certain attacks and perform an action such as Defogging, setting up a Wish, removing status, or even laying hazards. Good examples of walls include Chansey, Alomomola, Slowbro, Skarmory, Zapdos, Mandibuzz, Mew, Amoonguss, Doublade, Cresselia, and Heatran.
Tanks: Tanks are like pseudo walls, meaning that they are able to take hits well, but they also have offensive presence. Like the name implies, theyre similar to how real world tanks work. They take a hit and dish out damage in return. Tanks usually have a form of recovery, be it through a move like Drain Punch or Abilities like Regenerator. Tanks act like both pivots and walls, blending the two together while maintaining offensive presence. Good examples of tanks are AV Azumarill, Ferrothorn, Slowbro, Tangrowth, Mega Venusaur, Defensive Landorus-T, Zapdos, Conkeldurr, Suicune, and others.
Offensive Presence:
Set up sweepers: These mons have one job: set up and sweep. There are various forms of set up sweepers that all boost in different ways. There are Swords Dancers like Garchomp and Diggersby that boost quickly, while Calm Mind Boosters such as Keldeo or Suicune take multiple turns to be able to sweep. Neither one is inherently better than the other, as it all depends on each individual team. When using a set up sweeper, it is usually a good option to save him for late game when his checks / counters are removed. Otherwise, trying to sweep with Pinsir while Skarmory is still on the opposing team isn’t gonna work. Good examples of set up sweepers include SD Talonflame, SD Bisharp, DD Zard X, CM Suicune, CM Keldeo, NP Thundurus, and a buttload of others.
Wallbreakers: These mons are powerful hitters that are designed to break walls. They usually lack a good speed tier, but this is not always the case, such as Specs Keldeo and Mega Pinsir. Often paired with a set up sweeper, wallbreakers are usually on the front lines when facing more defensive teams, as their power is needed to break through bulky mons. Late game, wallbreakers even have the potential to sweep if they have the speed and bulk to do so. Mons like SD Pinsir and DD Zard X can wallbreak early game and sweep late game. Other notable wallbreakers include Mega Medicham, Specs Keldeo, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Garchomp, Mega Heracross, Staraptor, Terrakion, Crawdaunt, Banded Azumarill, LO Latios, and others.
Revenge Killers: These mons have one job: kill something after a teammate has fallen. These mons usually have great offenses, but less than stellar defenses. These mons will rarely be able to take more than one hit. However, this is more than made up for by their great offensive presence and speed. Things like Choice Scarfers and priority users fall into this category, as well as mons like Greninja and Mega Manectric. Along with this are cleaners, which are mons that are able to plow through weakened teams. Both set up sweepers and revenge killers fall into this category. Regardless, in order to be an effective cleaner these mons have to have high speed and the capability to dismantle weakened teams. Mons like Greninja, Scarf Landorus-T, Talonflame, Mega Pinsir, and others are good examples of cleaners.
Whether you are good or bad at the game, balance is one of the easiest team archetypes to start with, as they allow for a wide variety of cores and combinations of Pokemon. Mixing both offensive and defensive presence, these teams reach the equilibrium that Hyper Offense and Stall lack, allowing for better team match ups than any other team archetype. Below is an example of a successful Balance Team:
Landorus-Therian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- U-Turn
- Knock Off
Azumarill @ Assault Vest
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Play Rough
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Knock Off
Latias @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 72 HP / 184 SAtk / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Draco Meteor
- Roost
- Defog
The Top 10 Pokemon in XY OU
(Taken from September's 1695 OU stats.)
The XY OU metagame has undergone a significant evolution after Aegislash's ban. Powerful Mega-Evolutions such as Mega-Gardevoir and Mega-Heracross became much more viable, while popular Aegislash checks such as Mandibuzz have died down in usage. The metagame has also become more diverse, with lower-tier Pokemon such as Mew and Crawdaunt gaining popularity. Although the XY metagame has a decent mix of offensive, balanced, and stall teams, the most popular team archetype is bulky offense. These metagame shifts are reflected in the top 10 most in September. This articles takes a look at those 10 Pokemon, explaining some of their most common sets and why they are the most used Pokemon in XY OU.
10. Latias
First up at 10th place with a usage of 15.6% is Latias. Often found on offensive or bulky offensive teams, the Eon Pokemon is most commonly seen running a Life Orb set with the moves Draco Meteor and Psyshock. In the last two move slots, Latias usually runs a combination of Defog, Roost, or Healing Wish. Although it faces competition with its twin brother Latios who boasts higher special attack, Latias has a few important differences. These include the ability to tank special hits much more easily and access to Healing Wish. Healing Wish in particular is a fantastic move for many offensive teams because it allows Latias to heal a teammate’s HP and cure any status conditions. The combination of good special attack, great special defense, and good speed makes Latias a popular choice for many teams.
9. Tyranitar
In 9th place at 16.1% is Tyranitar. Together with Excadrill, Tyranitar forms with basis of Sand Offense, a playstyle that has been declining in usage. Nonetheless, Tyranitar is still one of the top threats in XY OU and should be well prepared for. On sand-offense teams, Tyranitar is often seen running a support set and holding a Smooth Rock to extend the number of turns of Sandstorm. With its special defense buffed in Sandstorm, Tyranitar is one of the best checks to the ever common Latios and Latias. When equipped with a Choice Scarf, Tyranitar also becomes an excellent check to Flying-spam teams- it can not only Pursuit Talonflame but can also and outspeed and KO Mega-Pinsir. All of these traits allow Tyrantiar to be an effective and highly used Pokemon in the XY OU metagame.
8. Keldeo
Next up is the water pony Keldeo. With a usage of 16.5%, Keldeo not only has a great offensive typing, but also has the stats and movepool to back it up. It's most common set, the Choice Specs set, let Keldeo plow through most Pokemon that don't resist its STABs. Even Pokemon that check Keldeo, such as Mega-Venusaur, will not enjoy being burned by Scald. Other Keldeo checks, such as Latias and Latios, can be trapped by Tyranitar. This allows Keldeo to function as an effective stall-breaker. However, Keldeo can also run a Choice Scarf and Calm Mind set effectively. Finally, Keldeo has useful dark and steel-resistances, which allows it to check threats like Tyranitar, Bisharp, and Scizor. Although hindered by the popularity of Latios and Latias, Keldeo is nonetheless a very effective Pokemon that can fit any most any team archetype.
7. Scizor
Coming in seventh place at 16.7% is the metal bug, Scizor. Scizor has numerous traits that make it a top 10 Pokemon. First off is Scizor's fantastic Steel-Bug typing. Scizor's typing gives it resistances to common Psychic, Dragon, Ice, and Fairy-types moves, leaving it with a single Fire weakness. Scizor also has great base stats, with 130 and 150 attack it is base and Mega-Evolved forms respectively. This complemented with Scizor's good bulk, makes it a great pivot for balanced and offensive teams. Scizor can also Mega-Evolve into Mega-Scizor, gaining useful boosts in attack, defense, and special defense. Finally, Scizor has good versatility as a Pokemon. Although often seen running a bulky Sword Dance set, Scizor can also run a bulky Defog set with Roost, a Choice Band set, or even a fast Sword Dance set with Bug Bite and Superpower to beat its common checks. The combination of all of these traits is what makes Scizor such as common and powerful Pokemon to use.
6. Rotom-W
With 16.8% usage, the next Pokemon is Rotom-Wash. With a fantastic typing, good bulk, and good utility, it is not hard to see why Rotom-W as commonly as it is. An Electric/Water typing with the ability Levitate lets Rotom-W check a plethora of tops physical attackers such as Landorus-T, Talonflame, Pinsir, Scizor and many others. Rotom-W can also neuter physical attackers Will-o-wisp and maintain momentum for its team with Volt Switch, punishing potential ground-type switch ins with Hydro Pump. Rotom-W is almost always seen running a physically defense set that allows it be a bulky pivot. Despite Rotom-W's lack of diversity, it is nonetheless a useful and popular Pokemon.
5. Ferrothorn
Next up at 18.7% is Ferrothorn. Ferrothorn's great bulk and utility are mainly why it is a top 10 Pokemon. Sporting 74 HP, 131 Defense, and 116 Special Defense, Ferrothorn is a bulky tank that can absorb both special and physical hits. Often seen on bulky offensive or balanced teams, Ferrothorn can support its team with a wide range of moves, such as Stealth Rocks, Spikes, Leech Seed, and Thunder Wave. The metal plant's typing also lets it check a wide range of top tier threats like Latias, Kyurem-B lacking HP Fire, Greninja, and Azumarill.
4. Latios
In 4th place at 21.3% usage is Latios. With a base 130 special attack and base 110 speed, Latios both fast Pokemon and a hard-hitter. Not many Pokemon, can switch into a Draco Meteor from Latios and most of the Pokemon that can (ex. Heatran and Tyranitar) lack reliable, recovery. Latios can also eliminate some of its most common checks with coverage moves such as HP Fire and Earthquake. In addition, Latios sports useful resistances to common Water, Electric, and Fighting-type moves, and can use Roost to keep itself healthy throughout the match. Finally, Latios has access to Defog, allowing it to support its team by removing hazards. Latios is mostly commonly seen as check to powerful but slower attackers, such as Landorus, Keldeo, Mega-Heracross, and Mega-Medicham. It’s high special attack lets it muscle past physical walls and help pave a late-game sweep for a physical attacker. The Eon Pokemon is a top-tier threat that sees perpetual use on many offensive teams.
3. Heatran
In second place with 21.5% usage is the Lave Dome Pokemon, Heatran. Heatran's typing and solid defensive stats are its main asset, letting it check common offensive and defensive threats such as Latios, Ferrothorn, Talonflame, and Scizor. As such it is commonly seen running a specially defensive set that can both tank hits and provide utility for its team. With access to Stealth Rocks, Roar, Toxic, Protect, and Taunt, Heatran's set can easily be tailored to the needs of its team. However, Heatran also can effectively run an offensive set or even a Choice Scarf set. In fact, Heatran's Choice Scarf set has been gaining popularity recently for the ability to check Mega-Gardevoir. On valuable Pokemon on stall, balanced, and offensive playstyles, Heatran has show itself to be a widely-used and wildly effective Pokemon.
2. Azumarill
In second place with 23.6% usage is none other than Azumarill. Although Azumarill base stats may seem lacking, it's ability Huge Power and Water/Fairy typing more than compensates. Azumarill also has good 100 HP, 80 Defense, and 80 Special Defense. As such, Azumarill is common seen with an Assault Vest set that allows it to check special attackers such as Greninja and Keldeo. This allows Azumarill to act as a “glue” that hold most offensive teams together. Finally, Azumarill has access to priority Aqua Jet, a very useful tool in a metagame with many ground-types. Although relatively uncommon, Azumarill can also run a Belly Drum set that can rip through both offensive and defensive teams.
1. Landorus-T
Finally in first place, at 28.4% usage, is the aptly named Abundance Pokemon, Landorus-Therian. In a metagame filled with powerful physical attackers, Landorus-Therian is a very useful Pokemon. Not only can it check many physical attackers with Intimidate and high attack stat, but can also set up Stealth Rocks and can use U-turn. Landorus-Therians utility is heightened by its useful fighting-type resistance and ground-type immunity. Equipped with a Choice Scarf (its most popular set), Landorus-T is a revenge-killer and pivot for many offensive teams. Running a defensive set, Landorus-T is a bulky pivot that can also set up Stealth Rocks. With the combination of all these factors, it easy to see why Landorus-Therian has the number one usage of all Pokemon in XY OU.
Generation three brought us many new Pokemon and Moves to play with and those introductions have greatly impacted the metagame as it is today. Many of the Pokemon introduced in Gen 3 have slowly risen and became forces in the top tiers while other have been great from the start, many moves were introduced as well and these moves are some of the most seen and most used moves in the metagame. And now we look at the impact these Pokemon and Moves have made on the game we love so dearly.
Pokemon
Here's a list of pokemons introduced in the 3rd generation which have survived the test of time and are in the XY-ORAS OU
Gardevoir
Gardevoir was never really usable in the top Tier with it's typing, lackluster speed and bulk you'd find it taking the role of a damsel in distress more often than not, but alas came the sixth generation and with it a new concept which sparked life into some neglected pokemons : Mega Evolution. Now Gardevoir can take the shoes of a Heroine(or Hero I'm not judging) from those Fairy Tales and go on to slay Dragons thanks to it's new typing and it's brand new ability Pixilate which not only changes Normal type moves to Fairy but also powers them up a bit turning Hyper Beam into a Super Kawaii Moe Desu cannon of death!!!(Writer's note: But seriously don't use Hyper Beam Hyper Voice is much more reliable.)
Breloom
The second pokemon in this fashionable list is the Mushroom/Kangaroo Boxing Heavy Weight Champion: Breloom. Not very common in ADV but present in every OU tier of the following generations Breloom is certainly a pokemon blessed with the right abilities and moves.Poison Heal allows it to recover 1/8 of it's health every turn while it's Dream World ability Technician turn's it into a grass Type sort of-Scizor with access to Spore which not only prevents the opponents pokemon from doing anything at all but it also gives Breloom the perfect opportunity to set up either a Substitute( usually seen with Poison Heal) or Swords Dance ( Technician ).Unfortunately Breloom is faced with some problems in this generation, Spore has become less reliable with Grass types being immune to it as well pokemons with the ability Overcoat making it harder for this Boxing Champ' to set up and do it's work and to make matters worse there's a new bird in play called Talonflame and it's ability Gale Wings just so it happens to allow it to abuse Flying type moves which kind of hurt Breloom. Nonetheless Breloom still stands proud( by the time I wrote this) among those Pseudo-Legends and seriously Overused pokemons and nothing will change the fact that here it's to stay.
Medicham
Despite it's ability doubling it's attack Medicham was always seen as a bit of a cliche.Sure it's Attack would pass 400 even without even needing an Adamant nature but what kept it from soaring was it's terrible speed and and it's non existant bulk.Sure it had the power and the moves but it couldn't even use them.That however has changed all thanks to it's funny looking Mega Evolution( mind you it's still way better than Mega Manectric) Not only Medicham has gained a much appreciated speed boost but it also saw it's Attack stat getting even stronger...because of REASONS!Sure it might not still be as fast as Sonic the Hedgehog but at least now Mega Medicham is just fast enough to do something instead of just being out speed and ohko'ed by everything and it's mom in the ou tier and that paired with it's Goliath-like strength is just downright dangerous.
Manectric
Next is Manectric which I don't think I have ever seen one in competitive battles before 6th gen so feel free to make your own conclusions on how it was before it got a Mega Evolution(and a damn ugly one at that).But now however it is one of the best Volt Switch users thanks to it's speed,power and that wonderful ability that my physical attackers despise:Intimidate.Not really much to say about this dog it got just enough good moves to make it useful (shout out to Overheat which let's it take out Grass types such as Ferrothorn) which unfortunately makes it kind of predictable, honestly if I had one penny for every time I saw the same Manectric set(Volt Switch/Thunderbolt/Overheat/Hidden Power) I'd be able to buy Gamefreak and demand a Mega Evolution for Mega Dragonair.But I digress...In short Manectric may only be able to run one set but honestly that's all it really needs.
Sableye
Just like most Dragons, Sableye did not enjoy the introduction of Fairy type mainly because it meant it no longer could boast about having no weakness.Still with those stats should be more worried about not having enough resistances but thats not the point of Sableye.Sableye's job is to come in on Physical attackers,burn them with a priority Will-o-Wisp and laugh for hours long.Again not much I can really say about this Prankster.Completely useless before Black and White and utterly annoying forever after.It's Mega Evolution will gain a significant boost to its defenses and a new ability which is Magic Bounce and well...I can only speculate at this point but let's just say I'm not looking forward to fighting Stall teams once Hoenn's Out.
Latias
To finish this list we have the Neon Twins Latias and Latios so let's follow the pattern that I set and start with Latias.
While not as strong as Latios, Latias was still powerful enough to be banned from both ADV and DPP generations only to be allowed back in OU in Black and White where it still stands alongside her big brother and despite the introduction of the new immune to Dragon Type and the buff n Dark types Latias is still one of the most used pokemon among the Overused tier mostly thanks to a certain 4th gen Hidden Machine called Defog.Yes with Defog Latias gains the ability to clear all hazards from both sides of the field and it is one of the best pokemons at doing so thanks to it's speed and bulk as well as access to Healing Wish allowing Latias to completely heal a comrade by giving up on it's remaining health.
Latios
And to finish we have the blue private jet that is Latios.Like Latias, he was banned from both ADV and DPP(albeit his DPP ban happened much sooner than Latias') and finally OU from the 5th gen until now.Having also access to Defog Latios is usually found doing the same job as his sister, while it does not have Healing Wish and less bulk Latios can put more pressure on it's opponents due to his higher Special Attack.Both he and Latias will be getting a new mega evolution in the 3rd gen remakes which gives some fairly high boosts to Latios' offense stats and Latias' defensive stats(their ability and types remain the same)
Moves
Here is a list of some of the common moves that were introduced in the 3rd generation.
Dragon Claw
Due to the old mechanics Dragon Claw was originally a special move so it was basically useless as most Dragons were( and still are) physical attackers however with 4th gen's new mechanics Dragon Claw got turned into a phisycal move allowing Dragon types to have a STAB move that although its weaker it is considerably less risky than the alternatives Dragon Rush and Outrage.
Dragon Dance
By boosting not only the attack stats but also the speed of the pokemon that uses it Dragon Dance is certainly one of the best set up moves in the current metagame it may not give a 3+ boost in one turn and it may not affect as many stats as Shell Smash or Quiver Dance but one the right pokemon it is incredibly dangerous.
Hyper Voice
Before 6th gen not many pokemons used Hyper Voice in fact I think the only pokemon I ever saw using this move in Wifi or PS was Meloetta and despite her adorable looks she isn't that common...in OU that is.So why did this so unpopular move make it to this list?You probably already know the answer but it's because of a brand new ability introduced in this generation: Pixiliate.Yes with Pixilate not only does Hyper Voice change to a Fairy type move but it also gains a significant power boost which certain pokemons like Sylveon and Gardevoir-Mega put to good use(and as an added bonus its a sound move so it hits through subs yay!).
Knock Off
Another move that rose in the popularity polls in this generation is the really rude Dark attack called Knock Off.While still retaining its old effect of making the opponents pokemon drop its item Knock Off now does more damage if the opponent pokemon was holding an item this paired with Steel types losing their resistance to Dark made Knock Off a fairly common move in this generation.
Superpower
Yes Superpower may lower your pokemon's Atk and Def but you're not supposed to spam it six times in a row.With a Base Power of 120 Superpower lives up it's name usually ending up doing massive damage and even though it may weaken your pokemon when used correctly it can turn the battle in your favor.
Taunt
Have you ever wonder what kind of stuff your pokemon says when you tell him to use Taunt?Personally I would like to know what kind "insults" my pokemon can come up with but considering this is a childrens game I'd probably be disappointed.But anyway as you've already figured out next on this list is the move that makes the opponent's pokemons want to beat the crap out of your pokemons slighty more than usual to the point it has to use a damaging move or else it wont listen to it's trainer.Very useful in most situations not only in stopping walls to set up hazards or heal themselves but also in preventing offensive threats to set up.
Will-o-Wisp
Will-o-Wisp or as I like to call it: "the reason I lost that battle".Strangely enough the most annoying thing about this burn inducing move is not what it does when it hits but rather how often it doesn't hit.For a 85% accurate move you'd think it would hit 85% of the times but somehow it doesn't feel like it does.Nevertheless it is still a very helpful move when it comes to shut down certain physical threats assuming of course they aren't a fire type or have Guts(basically avoid spamming Will-o-Wisp if you see a Conkeldurr).
Wish
Last but not least we have Wish which works slightly different from other healing moves.Instead of healing half of your pokemon's health in the turn you use it it take one whole turn to activate so you can actually give that health to another pokemon by simply switching in the turn after you you used Wish.
Introduction
This is the last official tour of the year and is one of the most important tours on Serebii. This is also a landmark tour because it’s more than likely the last XY Tour with the release of ORAS upon us. This year’s Guardians cup features a 32 man format, with some of the best players on Serebii participating as well as numerous of new faces looking to make a name for themselves. I will be basing my predictions off of my experiences with the players in the tour. I will like to say good luck to all competitors and let the best person win. With how the brackets being set up the Bottom Eight will be the most challenging to get out of.
--------- Gray TM vs. Psynergy
This is an interesting matchup as both players haven’t played much XY so it will be intriguing to see what they come up with for teams. I haven’t seen Psynergy battle before and as said on the signup thread hasn’t played much at all so rust will be a huge factor here when it comes to predictions. I give Gray a slight edge overall since he has played a bit. Gray TM
Bakphoon TM vs. Moonclawz
On paper this is quite one sided, Moonclawz is one of the rising players in the community while Bakphoon is a relative unknown in the Serebii Competitive scene. The key to this match will be if Moonclawz tries to look ahead to later rounds and doesn’t focus on this match, Bakphoon will have to pull out all the stops in this one. I got Moonclawz winning in a closer match than expected. Moonclawz
Eliteknight vs. The Imposter
This match pairs up two fairly evened skilled players, we got Serebii’s number one tour organizer in EK against The Imposter who isn’t really an OU player. Predictions and teambuilding will be key here, this is one of the matches that I consider to be a toss up. If EK can channel some of his Gen 5 skill I can see him pulling off the win, While Imposter has to show that he can hang in XY OU, I got EK winning even though I’m 50/50 on this. Eliteknight
Skullbash vs. MMS
This is another match that looks like it should be an easy win for MMS, but Skullbash is known for using gimmicks and obscure playstyles. This is the key to winning for Skullbash is if his gimmicks work and if he can get a quick pass to a sweeper. For MMS it’s just to stick to what he’s good at and weather the early strikes from Skullbash. I got MMS winning here in a fairly strong fashion. MMS
Crystalninetails vs. Phantomclaw
An intriguing matchup for sure, Crystalninetails has been a middle of the pack player in Serebii Comp whose looking to break out in a big way while Phantomclaw is a part of the growing Wi-Fi revolution on Serebii. Phantoclaw is a leader in a few Wi-Fi leagues but this isn’t a monotype tour so we have to see if his skill set can transfer over to XY OU. Crystalninetails has to maintain a level head and not choke away a victory. This match will be decided upon plays made early on. I can see an upset brewing here. Phantomclaw
Silentreaper vs. The Last Jedi
Both players here are trying to break out and show the rest of the scene that they belong, The Last Jedi probably plays more than Silent but overall Silent may still be the better player. This is where I think team matchup will go a long way into deciding who wins since I don’t see many “Plays” or Predictions being made here. Also a thing to look out for is Jedi’s gimmicks which may be a factor into him pulling out the win. That being said I can see this as a close match overall. Silentreaper
Bestgamepearl vs. The Hermit
This match I have no idea how it can go, mainly because The Hermit is the biggest question mark in this tour. No one knows much about him so it will be interesting to see how this newcomer fairs against a veteran player like BGP. This match hinges on if BGP has actually played Pokémon in the past few months. This has upset written all over it. The Hermit
Turpoo vs, Archangel
This matchup is between two fairly rusty players, whoever shakes off the rust the quickest has the advantage here. One key factor to watch here is Turpoo’s constant not showing up in big matches. Archangel is the much more experienced player and I can see this as the determining factor. Archangel
Cloneblazer12 vs. NeohopeSTF
This may be the best match of the entire round, we got the most improved player over the past 6 months in Cloneblazer12 against an established solid player in NeohopeSTF. Clone has proven his skill on other forums but this tour will prove himself as the best player on Serebii if he can win it, while NeohopeSTF has no pressure in this match and this could be a factor to this match. However Clone’s teambuilding will be the determining factor in this match. Cloneblazer12
MasterGohan vs. Psilo
A match between a player who mainly plays Wi-Fi against a returning player. Psilo was one of the better players on Serebii in Gen 5 and is looking to make an impactful return, while MasterGohan is looking to prove that Wi-Fi players can keep up with Simulator Players. This may be the sleeper match of the tour, Psilo certainly has some rust on him while MasterGohan is an Elite 4 member of the top Wi-Fi league on Serebii. Also will Psilo be active enough to actually get this match done, this is a match I want to see firsthand. MasterGohan
Apollo77 vs. C-Demo (Highlight Match of R1)
This is my highlight match of R1, mainly because the absolute Hax-Fest that will certainly happen. Both players are evenly skilled, and play the exact same way. It’s almost looking at mirror images of each other. I fully expect two teams filled with hax oriented Pokémon going at it in a long dragged out contest. This is another 50/50 here. C-Demo
King Infernape the III vs. Saph~
Another one of those proving ground matches especially for Kitt whose one of the more new players to the comp scene. The pressure is certainly on Saph to perform here and get the win. I except this to be more one sided than most of the matches in R1. Saph~
Ger9119 vs. Tattooed Tooth
Here we have ger9119 whom has been active on serebii for many years and Tattooed Tooth a relativly new member in the competative scene whom hasnt been seen in the tournament setting often. Ger is know for utilizing pokemon which are very seldom used to great affect in OU whilst Tooth is a mystery. Due to Ger's skill in the OU field and the lack of information on Tooth I feel this match has a 70% chance of ending in Ger's Favour. In the end it comes down to wether or not Ger underestimated his opponent. Ger9119
USAToday vs. Conquer Phoenix
A close match for sure, two experienced players going at it. USAToday is primarly an Ubers player so we have to see if he can bring those skills down a tier into OU and succeed. Conquer Phoenix is an under the radar player who may be able to surprise some player in this tour but first he must get by USAToday. Conquer Phoenix
xDirciox vs. Sparkbeat
Dircio is one of the newer players to comp but has vastly improved, while Sparkbeat is an established player but is also quite rusty. Experience aside I think this match is quite one sided in Dircio’s favor. We will have to see if the new player can pull this one off and continue on his path to becoming one of the better players on Serebii. xDirciox
Naoto Shirogane vs. Ez target?
Two of the more experienced and skilled players are our last matchup in R1. Both players run very bulky teams as well as stall teams. So this one will certainly be going the distance. Hax may be a factor as well especially when it comes to the playstyles both players incorporate into their teams. Another factor is if this match will even be done, EZ target is known to disappear often so this may be the deciding factor as well as overall rust. Naoto Shirogane
----- Key Players to Watch
Cloneblazer12
MMS
Ger9119
Moonclawz
Naoto Shirogane
These five players all have what it takes to put together a run to placing or even winning the Guardians Cup.
-------- Sleepers
xDirciox
Archangel
C-Demo
MasterGohan
The Hermit
These five players all have chances to surprise a lot of people, some are experienced players who have won before and are looking to return to glory while others are new players who are eager to make an impact.
1) Kicking things off, can you tell us about yourself?
-Well, I've been a member of the forum for 4 years, mod for 1ish. I'm 19, I have a youtube channel for Nintendo news, eyes are gray, toothbrush color is orange. All the usual stuff.
2) That's...certainly interesting, though I wouldn't call it the usual! What has your history been like with Nintendo systems?
-Pretty much all I had growing up (and still), had every handheld and console since the Gameboy Color, and played on everything that I don't personally own, so quite an extensive history.
3) I'm pretty much the same way with the handhelds! What made you interested in covering Nintendo related things on Youtube, and do you want to continue doing it for awhile?
-It was really just something that I kept doing anyhow, so I figured that I might as well bring the news to others as quickly as possible. I would love to keep doing it, mostly depending on my resources and health.
4) When did you first become interested in Pokemon?
-I don't even remember this, but apparently when I was 2 years old my sister gave me a Pikachu Pokemon card and I've pretty much been hooked since then. TCG, Games, online stuff, whatnot.
5) What contributions have you made to the Competitive Forums?
-Well, I've modded it! I'm not the most innovative when it comes to bolstering the forum, but I have run my share of tourneys, led some discussion, participated and co-lead several clans/guilds, and so forth. Biggest thing I've done is probably POTW, which I did for just a bit over a year on my own and now help do it with the rest of the contributors.
6) I'm well aware of your presence modding! What has your modding experience been like?
-It's kind of hard to describe, it's pretty much just being a contributing member of the forum with more responsibility, as well as making sure everything runs smoothly. It's been quite a while since I wasn't a mod, so it's hard to describe the difference at this point.
7) What improvements would you like to see with any aspect of the Competitive Forums?
-Hoof, some things I'd definitely like to see was activity pick back up. It's pretty obvious how slow the competitive forums have gotten, so hopefully ORAS will breathe some new life into the section. I also wouldn't mind seeing an OSL/SBF sort of league return as well, those definitely kept the community engaged and active in, well, competitive things.
8) What do you think the Competitive section at Serebii does well?
-I think one of the things that Serebii has over other competitive Pokemon sites is it's easier to start competitive here. Although we may not be as well equipped as others, it's much easier to start getting involved here and to learn quickly without being thrown into the deep end of learning what you need to do. I find it much more accommodating to helping build up newer players.
9) I'd have to agree there! Coming back to POTW, how much work goes into them among the writing staff?
-At this point, the writing kind of cycles, with one of the contributors volunteering to write for a specific week. For me personally, I spend probably about 3-4 hours (off and on, I do do other things while I write) to get it done. Some of the writers have specialties as well, some writing solely for the pre-evolution corner, some for the doubles and triples section, and so forth.
10) I have to ask... how do you come up with the set names?
-Haha, I'm surprised this isn't common knowledge by now. Either we 1) make them up if we think of one or 2) google for "bad puns relating to ______"
11) Serebii's Guardian Cup is just starting. Do you have any predictions of any kind for the tournament?
-Not sure, there's a lot of players I know in there that are all quite good, I'm at the point where I'm just going to wait and see at least how the first round goes before I start placing (figurative) bets on anyone.
12) As we approach the OR/AS release date, what are you looking forward to most from the remakes?
-The music. Good heavens the demo made me so excited for the new games solely because of the music. My nostalgia meter was blasting through the roof, I really loved Ruby a lot as a kid, and they've given some of my main team from back then Megas, so it'll be interesting to try those out.
13) Last question, what's your favorite Pokemon?
-All these tough questions! If I had to pick, it would be something Fire type, either from among the starters (mostly older gen ones), or something like Camerupt or Magcargo. There's too many of these things to choose a favorite at this point.
Under the Magnifying Glass: The Tournaments section
Current Tournaments
Guardians Cup
Hosted By Ragnarok
The Guardians Cup returns with its fifth installment, a 32 man OU tournament which is one of the few tournaments to be hosted by serebii mod staff, aswell as being an Official tournament.
The Cup is currently in the first round of competition. Advanced coverage is also being completed.
Halloween Tournament
Hosted by dragontamer44722
A Festive Wi-Fi tournament, participants were restricted to using Dark, Bug, Poison, Psychic and Ghost typed pokemon. The battle format is round robin and all participants are ready to go with their freshly groomed pokemon.
Rebellious Rebel
Hosted by MMS
The Rebellious Rebel returns at the cusp of XY OU this year. The tournament allows the participants to utilize one uber of their choice. The uber chosen at sign up allows for the user to build around their uber while countering their opponents.
ORAS Hype Tournament
Hosted by Eliteknight
The ORAS Hype tournament is in response to Pokemon showdown adding the new Mega Evolutions and move tutor moves into its database. The Tournament is a 16 man OU tournament otherwise, with the first round started it will be interesting to see the uses of all the new sets available!
Knights of the ROUND
Hosted by Cryuel
The Wi-Fi tournament series continues with the Knights of the ROUND tournament. In the tournament participants create teams in a multi tier fashion whilst having to use a "Knight" pokemon which was predecided by the OP (as to which pokemon are knights and which arnt) The tournament is a Rotation battle style tournament
Recently Completed Tournaments
Monotype Melee
Host Eliteknight
An old favourite returned with Monotype Melee. The Monotype Melee is a simple tournament which at the start of every round a random type is pmed to every participant their job is to make a team of 6 pokemon of that type and to face off against an opponent whom also has a randomly generated type. Neither contestant knows what their opponents type is so they will need to build a team which covers its weaknesses well.
1st: Extroph
2nd: Cloneblazer12
3rd: MMS
Mosh Pit
Hosted by Apollo77
Mosh Pit breaks the mold of how tournaments are normally run on Serebii. Instead of going through the basic 32 to 16 to 8 and so on style bracket it focuses on each person battling numerous times per week instead of just once. It is otherwise a standard XY OU tournament. The tournaments fast paced rounds allow for the tournament to emphasize the main goal of the tournament from the start. Battling a lot of people in short amounts of time.
