May 2016 tier updates

[Sirfetch’d]

https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/smogon-usage-based-tier-update-may-2016.3571918/

Quite a few big moves happened this month. I can't say I am too surprised by some of them but Altaria moving down to UU is certainly interesting as well as Zapdos moving up a tier. Amoonguss and Quagsire moving up to OU is weird, but not necessarily surprising after seeing their usage as of late. Discuss!

Celebi moved from OU to UU
Honchkrow moved from UU to RU
Gastrodon moved from RU to NU
Aggron moved from RU to NU
Conkeldurr moved from OU to UU
Alakazam-Mega moved from OU to UU
Altaria-Mega moved from OU to UU
Quagsire moved from NU to OU
Smeargle moved from RU to NU
Mawile moved from NU to PU
Sylveon moved from OU to UU
Amoonguss moved from RU to OU
Zapdos moved from UU to OU

 

[gimmepie]

I'm not surprised by Zapdos. It's surprisingly useful in OU and it's definitely been growing in popularity. I'm somewhat surprised by Amoongus and Celebi's changes though. I certainly understand why they happened, but it was still kind of interesting to see it happen.

The ones that were a big shock to me though, were Altaria's drop and Quagsire moving to OU. Especially the latter.

Honestly though, I don't think these changes will effect OU's meta very much. I think it's the lower tiers that are going to see the most change here.

 

[Sirfetch’d]

I'm not surprised by Zapdos. It's surprisingly useful in OU and it's definitely been growing in popularity. I'm somewhat surprised by Amoongus and Celebi's changes though. I certainly understand why they happened, but it was still kind of interesting to see it happen.

The ones that were a big shock to me though, were Altaria's drop and Quagsire moving to OU. Especially the latter.

Honestly though, I don't think these changes will effect OU's meta very much. I think it's the lower tiers that are going to see the most change here.

Yeah OU is not really going to be affected much by this. The UU meta is going to be really interesting to watch over the next few weeks with the introduction of the new megas to the tier and the ban of Zapdos.

 

[Nah]

I'm surprised that Mega Zam dropped; I thought that I'd seen it enough on the ladder that it'd manage to remain OU.

But I thought that Zapdos already was OU though? And how did Quag jump from NU to OU? Usually when 'mons go up in tiers due to usage it's like a tier at a time, and doubt that there was enough of a surge in its usage to jump 3 whole tiers.

 

[Pinkie-Dawn]

Quagsire moving from one of the worst to one of the best shocks me, and I want to know how, because its base stats wouldn't be able to help it with its Unaware ability. I am sadden that Sylveon's in UU.

 

[pleryt17]

I actually love these changes. Sylveon, Conkeldurr, and Celebi moving down to UU is definitely a change that I've been expecting for a while. Mega Alakazam and Altaria dropping don't surprise me too much - I rarely ever see them on the ladder, although when I do see Altaria, it absolutely destroys. Also, aren't their mega stones banned in UU, meaning that they will be in BL?

Also, Amoonguss and Quagsire going to OU makes me very happy. I love playing lower tiers, but I mainly see stall in the lower tiers, with every single team having Quagsire. Not having Quag is going to restore my love of lower tiers.

 

[gimmepie]

Yeah OU is not really going to be affected much by this. The UU meta is going to be really interesting to watch over the next few weeks with the introduction of the new megas to the tier and the ban of Zapdos.

Well according to encyclopaedia Aurora Gyarados is going to start murdering everything without Zapdos around to check it. Altarianite and Alakazite are banned in UU still I think though, so not much will change with Altaria and Alakazam.

 

[Megan]

I like Celebi dropping to UU. It didn't really do much in OU as of recently, so dropping it might give it a chance to actually do something again. Quag/Amoong are understandable; Zapdos is quite nice defensively, as well, and UU is probably going to miss it.

And both Megas are banned in UU, anyway.

 

[ddrox13]

Remember that M-Zam and M-Altaria are going to BL, not UU. The former makes me happy, more crap out of the OU list in the Showdown teambuilder. But I like M-Alt...

 

[punkysaur]

Sylveon dropping in usage.And I was thinking sylveon is being used too much when it showed in 13 or so of the 20 matches I played.

 

[Aurora]

I don't play OU but it's safe to say that Hoopa-U getting the boot made stall that much better in the tier, facilitating the rise of Amoonguss and Quagsire. I won't miss either in RU. Stall was already crap and Amoonguss was a bit of a pain to account for what with its annoying bulk and irritating ability to shut down anything in the tier with Spore (shoutouts Vital Spirit Choice Specs Magmortar).

Amoonguss leaving now leaves Venusaur unchallenged as RU's premiere Grass / Poison, barring the incredibly niche and barely viable Vileplume. Amoonguss was a fairly reliable switch-in to Venusaur (albeit one that could do little back), so now Venusaur is free to wallbreak just that extra bit more. It also removes Virizion's need to run Zen Headbutt ever, unless you really like dying to Fletchinder or really want to beat Venusaur at the expense of bird coverage. Besides losing a stally Regenerator pivot, though, I doubt Amoonguss going will change much else.

I'll edit in my thoughts on Honchkrow when I get home later today.

 

[Pepperton]

I'm surprised that Mega Zam dropped; I thought that I'd seen it enough on the ladder that it'd manage to remain OU.

But I thought that Zapdos already was OU though? And how did Quag jump from NU to OU? Usually when 'mons go up in tiers due to usage it's like a tier at a time, and doubt that there was enough of a surge in its usage to jump 3 whole tiers.

Stuff like Quag and Amoon were mainly seeing play on stall teams in OU, so the skyrocket up the tiers makes sense in that those mons were actually really common in OU. Thanks to the rise OU's the only tier that's going to have to deal with all of those annoying craps, which is wonderful news.

Celebi, Sylveon, and Conk make for some very, very interesting additions to the UU meta, especially Celebi. Zapdos was so annoying to face so I'm glad it's gone, and honestly I don't see it getting much usage on the ladder, I've never even seen it in OU haha, but glad that it's out of UU as it was on every damn team. Lots of eles in OU outclass it and eles are already seeing a drop in usage anyway so I expect Zapdos to do pretty poorly in its new tier.

Honchkrow is a god.

 

[gimmepie]

Stuff like Quag and Amoon were mainly seeing play on stall teams in OU, so the skyrocket up the tiers makes sense in that those mons were actually really common in OU. Thanks to the rise OU's the only tier that's going to have to deal with all of those annoying craps, which is wonderful news.

Celebi, Sylveon, and Conk make for some very, very interesting additions to the UU meta, especially Celebi. Zapdos was so annoying to face so I'm glad it's gone, and honestly I don't see it getting much usage on the ladder, I've never even seen it in OU haha, but glad that it's out of UU as it was on every damn team. Lots of eles in OU outclass it and eles are already seeing a drop in usage anyway so I expect Zapdos to do pretty poorly in its new tier.

Honchkrow is a god.

Other Electric types don't have the defensive utility that Zapdos does. They also don't have it's ground immunity and access to Defog and Roost recovery. Zapdos is quite useful.

 

[Pepperton]

Other Electric types don't have the defensive utility that Zapdos does. They also don't have it's ground immunity and access to Defog and Roost recovery. Zapdos is quite useful.

You're right except for the ground immunity (Thundurus and Rotom-W), but even with Roost and a Defog, I find it outclassed by several Pokemon. Also as a Roost user it's more succeptable to losing to a Ground mon, even though that mechanic of Roost is easy to play around. It's still worth mentioning.

 

[gimmepie]

You're right except for the ground immunity (Thundurus and Rotom-W), but even with Roost and a Defog, I find it outclassed by several Pokemon. Also as a Roost user it's more succeptable to losing to a Ground mon, even though that mechanic of Roost is easy to play around. It's still worth mentioning.

Whoops I forgot Thundurus and Rotom. Zapdos does have some advantages over them though. Thundurus is useless defensively and should only be used as a sweeper. Rotom gets annihilated by Serperior, Ferrothorn, M-Venu and Celebi. Neither get any form of recovery (Pain Split is borderline useless it doesn't count) or the ability to remove hazards. Roost does make Zapdos loose the ground immunity temporarily, but defensive Zapdos doesn't have great speed and is slower than a lot of EQers.

It definitely doesn't fit on every team, but don't count it out either.