Leading Pokemon

[Miss Doronjo]

Lead Pokémon start off a competitive team. Picking a successful lead for a team in the metagame is never an easy task. Most players actually do not start picking their lead until their team is nearly complete. The reason for this is that each lead performs in a different way, so choosing a lead that benefits the team the most is a lot easier when the rest of the team is made.

Leads can range from setting up the necessary Stealth Rock, putting something to sleep, using Taunt to disable the opponent's lead, setting up a weather effect, to functioning as an anti-lead capable of defeating many other leads. Leads are so important because they set the pace for the rest of the game.

Thanks to the new metagame from BW, you can now pick what pokemon you want as a lead before the actual game begins; which can turn the tide of a battle from the get-go.

Top 10 OU Leads (as of January 2013)
1. Politoed
2. Rotom-Wash
3. Tyranitar
4. Deoxys-Defense
5. Ninetales
6. Ferrothorn
7. Landorus-Therian
8. Breloom
9. Scizor
10. Jirachi

Top 10 Uber Leads (as of January 2013)
1. Kyogre
2. Deoxys-Speed
3. Groudon
4. Darkrai
5. Genesect
6. Dialga
7. Deoxys-Attack
8. Forretress
9. Tyranitar
10. Palkia

Top 10 UnderUsed Leads (as of January 2013)
1. Bronzong
2. Mienshao
3. Crobat
4. Azelf
5. Ambipom
6. Victini
7. Froslass
8. Darmanitan
9. Sableye
10. Chandelure

Top 10 RarelyUsed Leads (as of January 2013)
1. Uxie
2. Aerodactyl
3. Nidoqueen
4. Snover
5. Crustle
6. Accelgor
7. Smeargle
8. Steelix
9. Druddigon
10. Sandslash

Top 10 NeverUsed Leads (as of January 2013)
1. Golurk
2. Golem
3. Piloswine
4. Armaldo
5. Sawk
6. Regirock
7. Ninjask
8. Bastiodon
9. Liepard
10. Gigalith

Top 10 Little Cup Leads (as of January 2013)
1. Mienfoo
2. Hippopotas
3. Dwebble
4. Misdreavus
5. Meowth
6. Snover
7. Aipom
8. Scraggy
9. Murkrow
10. Ferroseed

Now, speaking about Leading pokemon, what kinds of pokemon do you usually tend to lead off with in competitive play? How would they help against other leads? What's your favourite lead of all?What kinds of leads do you use? Do you have any original pokemon lead ideas of your own? Any other thoughts?

sources;
The Smogon Metagame

[AdrianD]

I tend to lead Zoroark, but I dont really have one lead pokemon. I try to predict which pokemon comes out first. Though Given my 1-10 record in rated battles and about .500 in free rated. Perhaps I am doing something wrong and cant seem to fix it.

[Murt93]

rotom-w is 2nd really? I also thought ninetails would be more popular.
I like to lead with the old suicide azelf @ focus sash taunt,rocks,explosion and fire blast tyranitar can be a problem but it usually catches deoxys-d,scizor,ferrothorn off guard cant do much to jirachi in the rain however :L