Chase

Cmon, Shing, why would anyone choose Chikorita. Why.... --- There were several neat Pokemon available right from the get-go. I found Murkrow ...as the first wild in the game, which I found unappealing because then it's just 43 levels away from Sucker Punch or something. Cherubi was the first Grass-type I found, but I'm using Cherubi in Reborn. I saw Oddish, but passed, even though Vileplume is a decent Pokemon. Then I saw Deerling - and I just didn't capitalize on catching anything outside of Sentret. I might need to find that item guide and see if I can get a bit of cash back - or find another Pokemon to grind in case of emergency later when I got some sleep and can focus on the game accordingly. --- I've fainted both Shadowaddle and Froakie by accident. It's been awhile since I've snagged mons...:/

...IS THIS GAME. BECAUSE I HATE MYSELF. I'm taking on both Rejuvenation (Casual because let's be real that's what I am.) and Reborn concurrently. Unlike Reborn, this playthough is a very fresh, new experience. It certainly doesn't make me any better at this game than I am at Reborn - as Venam's still stealing my lunch money. Then again, I've been blessed with a lot of unique options for my traditional F-W-G core and I haven't really committed to any of them. Right now, I have my starter - a very FUN to use Prinplup, and Furret - the cutest HM 'mon you could possible ever use. --- Things I like about this game/my run so far - The plot is intoxicating - and there is no real "Victoria" figure (so far in my playthough) that somehow manages to derail it. - Prinplup gets a Defiant boost from practically EVERYTHING it opposes. - The usage of the Shadow Pokemon feature and homage to Orre and the Cipher origin. XD/Colis. were great experiences for me. - The places where Reborn is payed homage as well. - Aevis, Aevia, having their own headcanons - despite preferring to give my OC one as I play. - the white protags being based off the models for Yancy and Curtis - prominent Side-quest characters in Black/White 2 - the protagonist being from Unova.

@Meteor Ace Hilda: too @Meteor Ace Hilda: many @Meteor Ace Hilda: fangames @Meteor Ace Hilda: need @Meteor Ace Hilda: help Meteor Ace Hilda was muted by BreloomBot for 7 minutes. (Automated response: flooding) RagesSorrow: You okay Hilda? Forever Pineapple: did you seriously not see that coming --- [6:43:57 AM] Ame: i love you more even [6:43:58 AM] Ame: <3333 [6:44:05 AM] Hilda: Nooooooo [6:44:08 AM] Hilda: I love YOU more. [6:44:26 AM] Ame: why are you stilll awae and i love you most [6:45:12 AM] Ame: not that im complaining but [6:45:30 AM] Hilda: Rejuvenation AND Reborn. [6:45:37 AM] Hilda: AT THE SAME TIME. [6:45:43 AM] Ame: ... [6:45:56 AM] Ame: honey youre mad with with power [6:46:00 AM] Hilda: .....I HAVE A CONDITION. :C [6:46:39 AM] Ame: i [6:48:00 AM] Hilda: .. [6:49:26 AM] Ame: you know what [6:49:30 AM] Ame: it's a four day weekend [6:49:33 AM] Ame: go crazy [6:49:57 AM] *** Ame snuggles and probably falls back assleep on you ***

Firstly, I don't know if Jan is reading this, but I have finally begun to play the game. The plot is fantastic right off the bat and the amount of suspense early is really great. I haven't gotten very far at all mind you all - but I -do- have a couple of rankings immediately....which should be pretty telling of a couple things I've picked up. --- Piplup Family - A something.... Pre-Venam, the Piplup family is able to draw a lot of moves that will trigger it's 'Defiant' ability. This means Piplup is getting free sharp Attack boosts for every stat that is lowered in the early game, and it more than mitigates it's rough learn-set. [more to come with progression - but this had to be listed due to the sheer amount of occurrence.] I guess I'm confirming this one for Chubb, who beat me to it by suggestions - but I don't see the Piplup family on the list. Furret - D Following the trend of other recommended Hidden Machine users, Furret has access to Cut, Rock Smash, Strength, and Surf. It's ability Run Away is particularly useful in conjunction with it's wide access to Field moves in that it can assure an escape.

HAVE YOU SEEN THAT FIELD EFFECT. AME HATES ALL OF US. EVEN ME.... - I'll -regrettably- be playing 15 by the time I reach Serra at this pace. I'm on 14 now to avoid spoiling things and crashes and the like.

---- Take that, mean Goldeen... As you can see, I've got myself a nice little early game Fire-Water-Grass core going on here. Having played through the early game multiple times I feel that there are two ways you can play at this point in time. - AbilitySpam - There are definitely some abilities you can downright abuse to get past Julia. As SezuireSalad already mentioned, Moxie absolutely steamrolls her, be it with Litleo from the trade event -or- Mightyena out in the wild. You also have access to Kricketune and Technician which has the same purpose if you spam Fury Cutter. - Coverage RPS (Rock-Paper-Scissors in the Recreation and Summer Camp biz.) - This is the way middling to intelligent trainers build story teams while still using enjoyable criteria. (I.e. Using Pokemon that you like.) Coverage building is a great way to ensure you never use a Pokemon for the sheer fact of it being good. in Reborn, there may be times where push comes to shove, but certainly not before you reach Julia. For all intents and purposes, I will be playing the game this way as much as I can. --- Charmander - at this point in the game, 'Mander's gon' be the bulk of my offense. It's perfect Special Attack IV means that I 2HKO most opponents I come across at the very least - barring resists. Charmander gives Fern more than he can handle all by himself. Finneon - Finneon's greatest strength above Goldeen is that it's Special Attack stat compliments it's very early access to Water Gun. Once I obtain Water Gun I have a way to deal with Team Meteor. Cherubi - Cherubi is the first Grass type you can encounter in the game, iirc. It won't get it's first STAB attack until level 19, but it starts out with the fantastic move 'Morning Sun' and will learn 'Leech Seed' earlier than it does 'Magical Leaf'. Recovery for days is pretty good, considering Potions may be a hard buy without much cash on you early on. Box Mons: Grimer, Pachirisu (just because I said I didn't like event mon usages doesn't mean I'm not going to do the events. Part of the game.) --- After catching Finneon and rounding out the FWG core, I realized that I need a Pokemon that can use multiple HMs while still holding an offensive presence. I have the option between Bidoof, arguably the best HM slave at this point in time, and Rattata, a normal type Pokemon that can pull it's own weight offensively early on while still learning quite a few moves. I'm gonna see what Youngster Joey raves so much about and try out Rattata.

Alright.... Ah, Reborn. The reason a majority of us are even registered onto this forum and several other things that have changed my life. Some of those things are fairly significant in their own right - so I figured I would attempt to actually make some solid progress through the game, with the advent of the new episode closing in. Now. There are a couple of things you should know about me and Reborn. I really suck at this game. I hate Victoria. A LOT. I tend to be very unorthodox. For example. I value Pokemon that are found in the wild a bit more than I do the event Pokemon - and will usually try to take advantage of wild encounter mons when and where I can. There will be places where picking up the event Pokemon are probably more than just a good idea. Ame, this isn't because I hate your event Pokemon, but I feel like the wild Pokemon add a little bit of distinguishable difference from other play-throughs, and as a Pokemon player, finding out what's in the tall grass is a part of the experience for me. I -like- grinding - partially because grinding in the tall grass allows you to discover Pokemon you may not have seen due to Repel spamming, and partially because being under-leveled, while excusable due to the level caps, can lead to frustrating results in boss battles and losing my precious money fighting windmills is a terrible idea in my opinion. --- Alright. So the starter I went with for this run is Charmander. Pro Tip: If you have played the game before and the early game is discouraging in terms to your opinion on Reborn's replayability, Charmander is a balanced pick for a starter. With access to Dragon Rage early, the Fire starter can help you absolutely bulldoze through said early game, while it's x4 weakness to Rock type moves upon evolving into Charizard causes the 'mon to drop off in value later on. My Charmander is Bashful - a neutral nature which is neither good or bad in a story playthrough - with a max Special Attack IV and solid Attack and Special Defense IVs. It -does- carry a pair of poor physical defense and speed IVs - which may be consequential later on - but Blaze + 31 in Special Attack is enough of a sell - I don't care for perfection. I just want to play the bloody game. I've already lost a battle - getting a little ambitious and taking on the aquatic reservoir owner and his level 10 Goldeen....before grabbing the Old Rod in the first place. Didn't really have a reason to battle the fisherman yet. But tried anyway. Good thing this isn't a nuzlocke! When obtaining the fishing rod - you MAY use the rod in Azurine Lake. Current Party: Charmander / Grimer

I was about to say. The default happiness level on Pokemon Online is Zero though, so I can understand the mix-up.

Bright and early today, we're going to move onto Clawitzer This thing's English name is definitely one of the best....maybe that should be a top ten idea.....oh well. One of the common themes I find with water types is that more often than not they are praised for being defensively stout Pokemon. You don't see too many offensive aquatic Pokemon - especially so in RU. Clawitzer however is a new kid with a cannon for an arm - posing a serious threat to physical walls out there. Special walls aren't the safest switches either, as it's 120 base special attack paired with it's ability 'Mega Launcher' will enable 'Witzer to punch holes in said walls that allow for felling the 'mon after a second attack in most cases. Mega Launcher doesn't have a lot of moves it boosts, meaning there's not a lot of leeway for innovation with Clawitzer as far as the moveset is concerned. Also, Clawitzer is quite easy to play around due to it's poor speed and predictability. Revenge Killers pose a serious threat. All of that aside, Clawitzer - played aggresively - will be able to rend you significant dividends. Keep in mind that 'Witzer's specialty is wallbreaking. This means that things that get switched in that are -not- walls are going to be taking SERIOUS damage, while physical walls are in danger and special walls are certainly not out of the woods. If your team has a particular problem against stall oriented teams, Clawitzer should be the first 'mon considered if you need a water type that can dish out damage. Clawitzer's lack of surprise factor, poor speed, and only mediocre defenses land it down to B on the viability rankings. This simply means that teams where Clawitzer would be effective are not as numerous as mons higher up on the list would be. The only offensive water-type Pokemon that outranks Crayfish Superstar here is former NU legend Seismitoad - who is more versatile in movesets but suffers a x4 weakness to Grass. For being a wallbreaker, Clawitzer is blessed with being a pure Water type in that it's a great monotype defensively. It's defenses are not terrible either. Offensively, you'll want to know that the following moves are boosted by Mega Launcher: Water Pulse, Dragon Pulse, Dark Pulse, Aura Sphere. If you were to throw those four moves in one moveset you would have the entire set work well with the ability. Arguably, Scald is the better STAB move of choice due to it's hefty burn chance. Ice Beam can be run to cover Grass types such as Tangrowth and Amoonguss effectively, while Hidden Power Grass KOs Seismitoad and Gastrodon - Pokemon that would otherwise be the most effective walls 'Witzer would have. Flash Cannon can be used to scare Mega Audino and Aromatisse away. Sludge Bomb and Wave also pressure fairies as well as Grasses, and Muddy Water is an arguable STAB move that can lower accuracy and isn't carried by a lot of Pokemon. Finally, Clawitzer is able to act as a slow-turner with U-turn. Clawitzer doesn't have too much in the toolbelt at all. Substitute and Rest are the most valuable moves available, the former allowing two free shots and possibly a KO while the latter is cause for recovery. Attract can cause infatuation, but that's never a reliable status condition. Entrainment is unique in that not many Pokemon have moves Mega Launcher would benefit, and thus it could catch a few people off guard. If using a balance team and you need to rack up residual damage, you may consider Protect. None of these moves should impede on Clawitzer having at least 3 attack in Life Orb variants, and shouldn't been seen on Choice variants. The Smogon Prototypical Pocket-Passer Clawitzer @ Life Orb Ability: Mega Launcher EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe Modest Nature - Scald - Dark Pulse - Ice Beam - Aura Sphere Other Options: Choice Specs This set encourages the use of Scald to fish for burns and shut down would be physical attackers. Ice Beam edges out Dragon Pulse in this set due to dealing with Grass type threats as well as still being able to deal with DragonSpam with the help of hazards. Dark Pulse and Aura Sphere are the best two moves Mega Launcher boosts, providing an 120 BP duo of moves for 'Witzer to abuse against a lot of the metagame. The Deep Ball Clawitzer @ Life Orb Ability: Mega Launcher EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe Modest Nature - Water Pulse - Dark Pulse - Dragon Pulse - Aura Sphere All Mega Launcher, All the time. Dragon Pulse can OHKO defensive Druddigon. NEAT. The Dual Threat Clawitzer @ Life Orb Ability: Mega Launcher EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe Modest Nature - Scald - Dark Pulse - Ice Beam - U-turn This set allows for Clawitzer to slow turn into a healthy teammate. The College Field General That Doesn't Pan Out in the Pros Clawitzer @ Assault Vest Ability: Mega Launcher EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Def Modest Nature - Water Pulse - Dark Pulse - Dragon Pulse - Aura Sphere This guy works better against offensive teams, able to talk a remarkable amount of hits. Clawitzer is a huge beneficiary of Stealth Rock and Wish support, however, Clawitzer would most appreciate Sticky Web support, as it would then be able to outspeed offensive teams and thus run through them with less effort and running involved. Clawitzer has the ability to shine in Trick Room teams as well, so if you choose to go that route, be sure to find two, maybe even three TR setters.

I'm loving the guessing games being played. We already have some pretty solid attempts....anyway, Hitmontop. All of Tyrogue's possible evolutions are located in the RarelyUsed tier. Hitmontop is the middling choice of Hitmon, and the specialist on removing hazards for teams that focus a little bit more on defensive execution. It's best ability then, is Intimidate, which lowers the opponent's attack one stage, mitigating it's inferior physical defense stat. Paired with Intimidate is a solid 110 special defense stat - making 'Top one of the most reliable spinners to choose from as far as taking hits are concerned. The issue with Rapid Spin however - is usually that Ghost types have the ability to block spinners. Hitmontop has access to the move 'Foresight' - Yeah, Foresight, that move you wouldn't ever learn in a playthrough because it just seemed like a waste of turn. - to counteract this. With Foresight, Hitmontop has nothing preventing it's ability to remove hazards - further upping it's value. As if to further distance itself from Hitmonchan, is it's access to Sucker Punch and Pursuit. While not being the greatest Mon-trap in the tier, it provides 'Top with a couple of means of hitting ghosts - which is something 'Chan simply can't do. For the creative at heart, Hitmontop's other ability isn't too shabby either - given the circumstances. Technician is a unique ability that allows 'Top's weaker moves to cause more damage. What Hitmontop can do with it however, will be seen later in the Showcase. B seems to be a very fair rank for Hitmontop. Bottom line, it just gets outclassed by several fighting types offensively - and with fellow Hitmonlee remaining in the tier, it's not even the best Fighting type with access to Rapid Spin. However - team composition poses the biggest question mark on which spinner you should use out of the two. If going offensive, Hitmonlee is obviously the better choice. Balanced and Stall teams however might be better served by Hitmontop's ability to play defense. Hitmontop is an interesting Pokemon that can stand it's ground and do it's job. Heck. It literally is a top.....there isn't any spinner that gets it done sensibly as well as effectively like Hitmontop does. Starting with offense, the move you will pretty much always want on your set is Rapid Spin. In terms of raw damage, Close Combat is the best option, although after using it Hitmontop's defenses fall through the grates in the floor. HItmontop has access to a metric buttload of priority, and a lot of it gets a hefty boost from Technician variants. Bullet Punch hits fairies hard. Fake Out causes the opponent to flinch. Mach Punch is not only Tech boost-able, but is also the recipient of a STAB, and Sucker Punch deals with Psychic types, as well as Ghosts, ...and Feint breaks through Protect........and there's also Quick Attack. (okay, screw it, Game Freak, just give Hitmontop Extremespeed too...) Low Kick is an interesting attack to consider when dealing with large Pokemon such as Rhyperior, Cobalion, and MegaLix. and Brick Break is actually a decent move on Hitmontop if you are dealing with screen setters such as Bronzong. In the utility bracket I'm going to say the most valuable move you can pick is Foresight - which makes HItmontop's spinning ability unstoppable. Following not too far behind is Toxic, which is invaluable on teams that are looking to outlast the opponent as opposed to knocking the opponent out. Rest and Sleep Talk may be considered to make Hitmontop a frustrating recovery 'mon in it's own right at the expense of two moveslots. Paired with intimidate and it's special defense stat, Hitmontop makes a fairly decent setter of Sandstorm, Sunny Day, and Rain Dance for weather dependent teams. In Doubles, Wide and Quick Guard may be used. Detect may serve as a move to enable Hitmontop to help residual damage stall. Upside-Down Mr. Clean Hitmontop @ Leftovers Ability: Intimidate EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD Impish Nature - Rapid Spin - Close Combat - Foresight - Toxic Other Options - Brick Break, Sucker Punch over Close Combat The Smogon tried and true set focuses on bulk and pure defensive utility support. Intimidate + Max Def investment = solid defenses all around when taking into account 'Top's spectacular special defense stat. Rapid Spin clears entry hazards (while more importantly not defogging any YOUR TEAM'S hazards away!) and Foresight prevents Ghosts from blocking the spin. Toxic causes opponents residual damage. Close Combat's main use in this set was for DOUBLADE - as it would be a super effective attack with Foresight up. With Doublade out of the tier, I decided to pitch Brick Break to help your team in general and Sucker Punch to replace Close Combat as a possible Ghost-buster. Of course, if you want the raw damage, Close Combat is very much a viable option - but it causes 'Top's defenses to drop so be wary. The Beyblade Hitmontop @ Assault Vest Ability: Intimidatea EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD Adamant Nature - Mach Punch - Rapid Spin - Close Combat - Stone Edge Yeah. If you guys give me your creative sets, I might just think of bad names for them. This one's courtesy of Solace (Jericho) - and it functions as a sort of lure - using a front to seem like a defensive Pokemon only to catch opponents looking the wrong direction. Mach Punch can clean up weakened Pokemon. Close Combat with attack investment will hurt - Stone Edge....probably the ONLY coverage move that would be beneficial to the defensive variants of 'Top (even though this is a lure.) is a useful prediction move able to cause huge damage to things, including Ghosts. EAT YO HEART OUT AMBIPOM Hitmontop @ Life Orb Ability: Technician EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD Adamant Nature - Fake Out - Rapid Spin - Mach Punch - Sucker Punch Other Options: Feint, Quick Attack, Sucker Punch Rapid Spin + PrioritySpam....If only Sucker Punch was a less powerful move, then it could be boosted by Technician too. The biggest beneficiaries I can think of for having Hitmontop around are Qwilfish - an intimidate user who sets it's OWN hazards and can play a defensive role, and Granbull, an NU Pokemon that also makes use of Intimidate and can shut down the opponent's physical Dragon types. Rhyperior and Druddigon are good Stealth Rock setters to pair with 'Top due their ability to deal with Flying and Ghost types. Pokemon like Vivillon and Scyther in NU like hazard removal and help clear Psychic types out of the way for Hitmontop. Hitmontop works really well in conjunction with Phazors assuming a stealth rock setter is also present. For example. Intimidated foes are even further deterred from hitting Mega-Steelix, boasting a 230 base defense stat. With access to Toxic, Stall 'mons such as Gastrodon, Jellicent, Amoonguss, Tangrowth appreciate Hitmontops ability to fit and provide synergy. Finally, Flying types such as Braviary and Fletchinder appreciate Hitmontops ability to remove rocks as well as check Rock type Pokemon. Hitmontop is a real team player.

ameameameameameameameameameameameameameameameameame Dr. Pepper. Watching Pitch Perfect 1 and 2 RarelyUsed Star Wars Not being at work. Things Stuff

Good. -THAT- thing can stay in that sorry excuse for a tier....

I'd be catty enough to date Cal just to spite Victoria. But really, I would rather just kill Victoria. Then I can still date Ame.

Well, let me start by saying I've been very hesitant on covering Noivern due to the amount of talk it was generating. You can see Shadow hinting about how good Noivern was all over his critique of my Houndoom entry for an example - and I wasn't sure if a sus-test was in the works soon. It seems my hesitance was well justified. The problem I saw with our newcomers is that they mostly drop from a different measure. Instead of "viability" shifts that we see in suspect tests, we saw a mass "usage" shift - based on how much the Pokemon are used" with our latest "tier shift." I don't think the RU Council was completely thrilled with throwing all of our fairy types up to UU simply because they were used so often and taking a few Dragon types, that would go largely unchecked in their place. Suspect Tests then, are probably the way Smogon cleans up, trying to make viability and balance the key measures by moving things that are "too" viable up to at least the next BL marker - so that things like the advent of RU DragonSpam are lessened in effect. Reuniclus was a 'mon that faced a lot of Dark type threats in UU, such as Hydreigon and Krookodile. It's been in RU for a while and the things that check it seem to be only good checks early in the match. It's speed, while mitigated by Trick Room, was also questionably supported in Trick Room teams due to a lack of options to pair it with - at least for a little while. FetusMon has been in debate though, because once it sets up it's an absolute pain to get rid of - on top of not going quietly to begin with. Just a bit of spoilers for how the next few days are going to go. Thank you for putting up with my week of "shit people need to use more in my opinion." Ya'll are great. <3 Tomorrow, I'll cover Hitmontop. Hitmontop is a groovy little Pokemon and it's to fill a request. Good typing, and useful for dealing with utility. Sunday, I'll cover an offensive water type. Monday, I'll cover a Genwunner 'mon with a pretty unique niche in many metas. Tuesday. I'll cover a dignified wall. Wednesday, I'll cover a wall breaker Thursday, I'll cover a Pokemon I very much dislike. Next Friday, I'll cover a Pokemon I very, VERY much like.

Hey guys. I'll just use this as "the RU hub" for the time being as well. Following the quickban Kingdra suffered - the RU committee on Smogon has decided to run another Sus-Test. The culprits on the test are 2 of our 3 "S Rank" Pokemon. Reuniclus and Noivern. If you were to ask me about Noivern - It would seem that Noivern is being suspected due to being a very centralizing Pokemon. In various RU showcase entries you will see me praise moves that particularly deal with DragonSpam - such as Ice Punch and Dazzling Gleam. It's defenses are not very note-worthy but the coverage the Pokemon packs is stout to say the least. Infiltrator is arguably the final nail in Noivern's coffin - able to deal with sub users. Reuniclus is the more pressing threat in -MY- eyes. It's biggest threat before was Doublade, now an UnderUsed Pokemon. Now it kinda just runs rampant and causes both offensive AND defensive teams trouble. My vote would be to keep Noivern as it's weak to rocks and priority, and doesn't have No-Guard to assist it with HurricaneSpam like M-Pidgeot, while approving of the suspect test fully in Reuni's case.

Today, we conclude our series with Meloetta --- DAY 2 - ARIA --- Meloetta has a very gratuitous movepool regarding any of it's three possible STABS and different Formes. Aria Forme gets access to Hyper Voice, which is arguably the best normal type move in the game -and- Psychic, a means of punishing Poison and Fighting types. Defensively, Aria Forme is built to wall things better than Pirouette Forme is, with it's 128 Special Defense pairing with it's Special Attack. With access to Calm Mind as well, Melo-A's most effective set is to boost both of her mastered stats to astronomical levels, dishing out destruction as few special attacks even have a chance to counter. Mentioned last night, Aria Forme appreciates it's normal typing, as it turns a would-be weakness to Ghost into an immunity. Aria Forme is a better user of most of the utility moves in Meloetta's moveset, and it's coverage is rather impressive. Offensively you will see Hyper Voice or Psychic on virtually every set Meloetta-A uses. Shadow Ball can deal with opposing Psychic types such as Delphox and Ghost types that may come in to try and soak up an immunity from Hyper Voice or block a predicted transformation into Pirouette Forme. Focus Blast can be used to take out predicted Dark Types on the switch. Meloetta-A can also make use of Psyshock, an interesting STAB that works based off of the opponent's physical defense stat. Dazzling Gleam is available for coverage against Dark types that would threaten Meloetta, as well as Dragon types that threaten pretty much most of the RU tier. Finally we get the silly STAB option in Hyper Beam, as well as Thunder, Thunderbolt and Signal Beam for special consideration. Meloetta-A is a viable user of Knock Off - particularly in defensive sets. Finally-Finally...because Meloetta-A may be reasonably choiced U-turn is there to help Meloetta provide momentum for your team. In the utility department Calm Mind is the best-seller, allowing Meloetta-A to boost it's Special Attack and Special Defense - two stats it's particularly proficient in. Substitute pairs nicely with CM, benefiting from the ability to last longer and longer against duress from special attacks. Perish Song is still on the table, and works great in defensive sets in order to force out Pokemon. Skill Swap is worth mentioning for those that may want to steal an ability like Solid Rock from Rhyperior to make Meloetta-A even MORE of a defensive titan, or Infiltrator to get the same effect Hyper Voice has with all of it's moves. Because it -is- Meloetta, one can go for Sing to cause opponents to fall asleep, although the move is very unlikely to land, and pair it with the attack Dream Eater for simultaneous sustain and offense. Psych Up and Snatch can be used to automatically catch up or outmatch Calm Mind users who are a few steps ahead of you. Heal Bell is still there to provide cleric support to the team and works really well on Defensive sets. Finally, Trick can cripple dedicated walls. Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah, Stayin' Alive, Stayin' Alive Meloetta @ Leftovers Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 252 HP / 188 Def / 24 SpA / 44 Spe Modest Nature - Substitute - Calm Mind - Hyper Voice - Shadow Ball Your SubCM set featuring Hyper Voice for STAB and Shadow Ball for coverage. Because Calm Mind will boost and is to be used a lot, and Meloetta is already stacked in the stats CM will boost, there is little need for EV investment in Special Attack and Special Defense - allowing for you to bulk up Aria-Forme in HP and Defense, setting the stage for what could be a decisive sweep if your opponent isn't careful. Scream...when the Pressure breaks me.... Meloetta @ Life Orb Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Timid Nature - Calm Mind - Hyper Voice - Shadow Ball - Focus Blast Other Options: Psychic/Shock over Focus Blast Aria Forme can also opt to just sing the lights out for your opponent with a Life Orb - maximizing it's Special Attack and Speed EV investment and picking up either Dual STABs or more coverage. This Aria-Forme set works better on offensive teams than the previous set. Never gonna give you up...Never gonna let you down... Meloetta @ Leftovers Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD Careful Nature - Perish Song - Knock Off - Heal Bell - Thunder Wave Other Options: U-turn I think the Rick-Roll perfectly explains how this Smogon approved set works. Meloetta-A functions as a special wall here, trolling the opponent with various means - such as slowing the opposing team down, knocking off their held items, and forcing them out with a Perish count. Sometimes love...comes....around.....and it knocks you down... Meloetta @ Choice Specs Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Timid Nature - Hyper Voice - Psychic - Shadow Ball - U-turn Other Options Scarf over Specs, Trick over U-turn. The Choice set works quite nice, allowing Melo-A to hit very hard immediately with Specs or outspeed the unboosted tier with Scarf. Dual STABs and Shadow Ball act as the attack base, while you have the choice to turn out for scouting ability and switch momentum, or crippling a dedicated wall with Trick. Kamina's side-chick Meloetta @ Life Orb Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Timid Nature - Calm Mind - Hyper Voice - Shadow Ball - Thunder Due to Serene Grace, Thunder has a whopping 60 percent chance of paralyzing the target. The move Thunder replaced? FOCUS BLAST - which has the same accuracy. In fact, Thunder may be pretty tempting actually. Aria Forme would appreciate a way to get rid of Dark type Pokemon - particularly Fighting types such as Hitmonlee, Emboar, and Hitmontop, who have access to Dark type moves so that Ghost types are threatened. Granbull or Aromatisse work nicely with Melo-A to shut down Spiritomb, who performs particularly well against Meloettas sets. Drapion is also a problem, so Rhyperior, M-Camerupt, M-Glalie with Earthquake, or something with Earthquake/Earth Power help Aria Forme tremendously on that account.

Tonight we're beginning a two day series on one Pokemon, Meloetta Meloetta is a 5th Gen event Pokemon, along with Keldeo and Genesect. It's unique in that it has two formes, and switches to one of them using the signature move 'Relic Song'. Aria - the base forme - has a Normal/Psychic dual typing that is popular because Aria frees up all four moveslots and is a complimentary typed Psychic 'mon - in that it's Normal typing wards off would-be Ghost type attackers. Pirouette is the forme that follows Relic Song's usage, carrying over the Normal typing, but switching from Psychic to Fighting - as well as swappying a few of Meloetta's stats. Pirouette is used less due to being less beneficial from being a Normal type, while having to reserve one of it's moveslots for Relic Song. Both formes have their own distinct roles - so much so that I deemed Meloetta's Formes as nearly two different Pokemon. Hence - Two-day project! Meloetta in general is ranked at A. --- DAY 1 - PIROUETTE --- Pirouette Forme is my personal favorite due to wielding my favorite type in Fighting - and it's distribution of stats. With a shocking 128 Base Attack and Speed, Meloetta-P is actually faster than Noivern, meaning it likely outspeeds most of the unboosted metagame. It's attack stat is comparable to the likes of Emboar and non-Choice Band Escavalier - who hit pretty hard despite not being boosted. Meloetta uses these stats to be a Fast Wallbreaker and preys on opponents who assume Aria Forme is the Forme being used. Aria Forme will likely draw out one of two things. Dark types, who would be used to threaten Aria Forme, and special walls that may have access to Calm Mind in order to win CM wars with Meloetta-A. Meloetta-P would be able to immediately pose a counter-threat to those switch-ins after getting a free Relic Song off - becoming one of the biggest physical presences in the RarelyUsed tier due to the combination of it's stellar speed and great attack stat. Offensively - Meloetta-P relies on Relic Song to get going on it's first turn in. The move not only causes the Forme change, but also does 20 BP worth of Normal type damage and after Serene Grace has a 20% chance to put the opponent to sleep. After the Forme is in place, Close Combat is it's most reliable Fighting type STAB, and Return and Facade battle it out for Normal STAB of choice. Knock Off guarantees a check against opposing Pyschic types like Delphox on the switch as well as hammers Ghost types after the Forme change. Ice Punch is a very valuable coverage move in DragonSpamLand - and in Meloetta's case, actually works quite well against Noivern. Quick Attack can be used to give Meloetta-P priority. If you are Pro-Serene Grace, Zen Headbutt can be used, offering a hefty 40 percent chance of flinching the opponent - which works great as Meloetta is very fast. Drain Punch gets special mention in giving Meloetta sustain. Finally, Stone Edge is a very powerful Rock type attack, but isn't very reliable in terms of accuracy. Utility-wise - all Meloetta have access to Heal Bell, which can viably replace a coverage move in Melo-P sets to help your team in general. In terms of set up potential - Meloetta-P's best bet lies with Hone Claws, which improves the accuracy of moves like Zen Headbutt and Stone Edge, as well as boost it's already massive attack stat. Perish Song can be used to force out troubling 'Mons, although it also means Melo-P will have to switch out or face fainting as well. Pysch Up and Snatch can copy or steal opposing boosts. Skill Swap can be used to steal an opponent's ability. Dancing Hispanic Fruitbasket-Hat Lady Meloetta @ Life Orb Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe Jolly Nature - Relic Song - Return - Close Combat - Knock Off Other Options: Ice Punch and Zen Headbutt over Knock Off This set is the most common Meloetta-Pirouette set. Return and Close Combat are the safe and solid STABs of choice, while Knock Off is used to threaten Psychic types aiming to rain on Pirouette's parade. "The Show Must Go On" Meloetta @ Life Orb Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe Jolly Nature - Relic Song - Facade - Close Combat - Return Meloetta-P is a Pokemon that may draw status, and with Prankster users such as M-Banette out there - speed isn't enough to overcome the threat of getting burned. That's where having Facade in the moveset comes into play. The best way to play this set is just like the set before - hiding the fact that you have an answer to the status conundrum. When someone tries statusing you, don't give them the satisfaction by using Facade - which becomes even MORE powerful than Return would have been with the condition. Sometimes, your opponent should think twice before trying to cripple you. Missus-Steal-Yo-Ability* Meloetta @ Life Orb Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe Jolly Nature - Relic Song - Return - Close Combat - Skill Swap Meloetta-P, depending on the set, can be a poor user of Serene Grace. However - using Skill Swap on a Pokemon like Scrafty or Druddigon can pay some dividends in terms of raw power. Imagine Meloetta-P's blistering speed and brusing attack paired with an ability like Moxie, where the damage just gets even worse, or Sheer Force when using moves like Ice Punch and Zen Headbutt. Ridiculous. Kamina's Waifu Meloetta @ Life Orb Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe Jolly Nature - Relic Song - Return - Ice Punch - Zen Headbutt Some people -like- Serene Grace....maybe. Relic Song and Ice Punch would have a solid fifth of a chance to cause secondary effects (Sleep/Freeze) while Zen Headbutt would get a 2 fifths shot at a flinch. This set is disgusting. The Unyielding Dancer Meloetta @ Assault Vest Ability: Serene Grace EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe Jolly Nature - Relic Song - Knock Off - Drain Punch - Quick Attack Relic Song -is- an attacking move - meaning you can go Pirouette Forme while wearing an Assault Vest. Meloetta's defenses can be tinkered with very nicely with regards to EVs, while still being able to hit hard and go fast. Drain Punch pairs well with this set in order to provide even more sustainability. Knock Off removes opponents' held items and thus minimizes the threat of being hit hard from offensive boosting items as well as helping your team's speed hold up. Quick Attack provides STAB priority and rounds out the set. A ghost type of your own, such as M-Banette, or Spiritomb, would work nicely with Meloetta-P, able to bring an immunity to Fighting types to the table. Clerics such as Alomomola and Aromatisse cure status conditions that can hinder Melo-P. Hazards make it even easier for Melo-P to get KOs.

Today, we're discussing Spiritomb Returning to RU safely from the 5th generation meta is Spiritomb, the Forbidden Pokemon. For a while, 6th was looking pretty bleak for it - with the advent of Fairy Type Pokemon running around. However, Ghost/Dark is an amazing typing that wards off both Psychic types (pretty much allowing Spiritomb to switch in on them for free) as well as their fighting type counterparts. Aside from Aromatisse, NU Fairies (most note-worthy being Mega Audino and Granbull), and Fairy coverage moves - nothing is going to be hitting Spiritomb for anything above neutral damage. This speaks volumes about Spiritomb's defensive capability. It's offensive stats are not too shabby either, and with access Calm Mind and can boost both offense and defense - being it's best bet at sweeping the opponent. This Pokemon has the potential to give 2 out of the 3 S rank Pokemon some trouble. It's sitting perhaps a bit low at B+. Offensively, Spiritomb relies on Dark Pulse for special attacking sets (CM, or the rare Nasty Plot) and can make use of Pursuit and Sucker Punch in trapper sets. It gets access to Psychic - which is arguably the best coverage move you can give it. Infestation is an option for passive damage racking, and Foul Play can be used to punish those who try to boost their physical attack on Spiritomb. Spiritomb's entire movepool, both offensively and defensively, -is- on the shallow side. Utility-wise, Spiritomb's main trick is Will-O-Wisp, shutting down physical attackers and causing residual damage. It's also able to be used to slow taunt predicted set up sweepers and status/late game hazard setters. With access to Destiny Bond, Spiritomb can sacrifice itself to take out an opposing Pokemon. Memento is another suicide tactic that can be used to gain switch momentum or the benefit of facing off against a Pokemon with nuked stats. Spiritomb is an effective user of the RestTalk combination, having both moves necessary. For setting up, the superior option is Calm Mind, which boosts both Special Attack and Special Defense, giving a balanced Pokemon like Spiritomb the best chance at a sweep. Nasty Plot is it's other option, sharply boosting Special Attack - which can effectively provide the 'mon room for multiple attack slots. The Void Spiritomb @ BlackGlasses Ability: Infiltrator EVs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe Adamant Nature - Sucker Punch - Pursuit - Will-O-Wisp - Foul Play Other Options: Leftovers For immediate offense, look no further than the Pursuit Trapper set. Sucker Punch can hit opponents that try to attack it hard, and first - mitigating it's dreadful speed stat. Pursuit hammers those trying to escape. Will-O-Wisp burns the opponent and severs their attack power, and Foul Play is used to punish those who try to boost said attack power. Notice Infiltrator - the ability actually comes quite in handy with this set against SubCM Meloetta - as substitutes are bypassed by Infiltrator. CroTomb Spiritomb @ Leftovers Ability: Infiltrator EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD Bold Nature - Calm Mind - Dark Pulse - Rest - Sleep Talk Cro-Anything sets annoy me - but this is the best option for Spiritomb to get a sweep going. Rest and Sleep Talk prolong Spiritomb's life, and Calm Mind bulks and buffs the 'mon simultaneously. Dark Pulse is the attacking move of choice here. The Gates of Hell Spiritomb @ Leftovers Ability: Infiltrator EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD Impish Nature - Will-O-Wisp - Foul Play - Rest - Sleep Talk The pure defense set. Will-O-Wisp adds insult to injury and Foul Play further rubs salt in the wound. RestTalk keeps the cycle going while completely healing Spiritomb in the process. This set is intended to swing momentum your way in the event that a Psychic type or Fighting type is pressuring your team. Once it does that, it can be an extreme annoyance for your opponent. The Schemer Spiritomb @ Leftovers Ability: Infiltrator EVs 252 SpAtk / 252 Def / 4 HP Modest Nature - Nasty Plot - Dark Pulse - Shadow Ball - Psychic Other Options: Will-O-Wisp This set is tonight's innovation set - as it will try to play on the element of surprise. Nasty Plot, while inferior to Calm Mind due to the roadblock provided by Spiritomb's speed stat, gives a bigger boost per turn, and this can be used with defensive investment to allow for Spiritomb to run Dual STABs and a coverage move in Psychic. The three moves are perfect in synergy, as Psychic, Ghost, and Fighting types will be facing a lot of pressure and will need to hope they can hit Spiritomb very hard - either with a special attack, or critical hit from a neutral physical attack (or the very rare Play Rough) This set is intended for late game sweeps. So if you can play your way for an opening, this set would allow Spiritomb to punch it's way to victory. An interesting weakness Spiritomb does have is to Fire-type Pokemon. Emboar is a HUGE problem to Spiritomb, as Will-O-Wisp is ineffective against it and catching a Reckless Flare Blitz would at the very least number the amount of turns Spiritomb has to work with. Gastrodon, Seismitoad, and Quagsire are ideal team members to back up 'Tomb here. Steel type Pokemon such as Registeel are effective to cover the lone Fairy weakness, while Drapion could follow suit in a DarkSpam core. SleepTalkers could benefit from Heal Bell users in case a forced switch occurs and 'Tomb needs to be awakened. Durant is something that could punish opposing Aromatisse users, by going for Hone Claws on the turn they switch PerfumeMon out. Amoonguss pairs well with Spiritomb, able to be specially defensive and also pressure Fairy types. Keep in mind that Hazard setters like Cobalion, Qwilfish, M-Glalie, and Rhyperior benefit from Spiritomb's ability to spinblock for them.

Whoever made that edit for me - thanks! And thanks for finding it, Skitty. I really need the base stats translate into max/min stats so I can explain them better. Thanks Rupe!

Tonight, we'll be discussing Medicham The first thing you might do is look at Medicham's stats and realize that Medicham actually -looks- kinda unsavory for a potential team member. With decent speed and better than mediocre defenses being the highlight of the stats, there would -appear- to be better options for an offensive teammate in droves. Have no fear, Medicham, for the ability 'Pure Power' is here to save the day. Pure Power -doubles- Medicham's Attack stat - which would make it's poor 60 Attack -actually- 120 base attack without losing any of the stats from before. Suddenly, you have something you can work with. This enables it to vie for usage against Gallade, the other Psychic/Fighting type Pokemon in the tier. Comparing the two Pokemon, Medicham's balanced defenses are solid positives against Gallade's lacking physical defense stat that is only mitigated by a slight advantage specially. Medicham's moveset also carries coveted priority in the form of 'Bullet Punch' and 'Fake Out', a pair of moves Gallade doesn't have access to, which means Medicham functions arguably better than Gallade as an early game partner. The only issue with Medicham is that it's coverage moves are at times lackluster, even with Pure Power. This Pokemon's ranked B+ in the current rankings. It's use is not going to be dominating the entire meta any time soon, and it will get worn down the longer it stays in. Pure Power however makes this thing very potent offensively, paired with great speed and interesting typing along with priority moves that will help Medicham get KOs. Offensively, there is another distinction 'Cham gets over Gallade - High Jump Kick - a move with only a 10% chance to miss as opposed to the devastating drawback of Gallade's defenses falling after using a weaker Fighting type move in Close Combat. Zen Headbutt is a great secondary STAB - and with Pure Power there is really not a reason to -not- run dual STABs. In the current RU meta, Ice Punch is arguably the most wanted coverage move in the game, which will absolutely decimate Flygon and Noivern on the switch. The other Elemental Punches, Fake Out, Bullet Punch fight for slots (As Cham is most definitely a "4 move syndrome" Pokemon) - Drain Punch is the next best option for Medicham STAB-wise, able to give it sustain, while Psycho Cut can be used to generate critical hits if needed. Utility-wise, Substitute is a very viable option to ensure Medicham does get a critical KO. Foresight -could- be used to help 'Cham fight ghost type pokemon and allow it's STABS to be used to maximize damage output. Detect could be used to scout, and Baton Pass could be used to pass Bulk Ups, Accupressure boosts if you like gambling, or Work Up for mixed attackers. Endure is also there to be paired with Reversal if you feel you particularly can outspeed the remainder of the opposing team, and also available for experimentation is Recover, the one click healing move that gives Medicham immediate relief. However, I'll leave a neat move for a surprise in my experiment stat the "All-In" set Medicham @ Life Orb Ability: Pure Power EVs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Spe Adamant Nature - High Jump Kick - Zen Headbutt - Fake Out - Ice Punch One Pokemon. 4 Attacks. One Boosting Item. Pure. Power. HJK is the move you should hope to spam. Zen Headbutt provides a check to opposing boxers. Fake Out is a safe entry play, allowing Ice Punch some relief damage and make it much easier on Medicham in general to get KOs. Slide and Counter Medicham @ Leftovers Ability: Pure Power EVs: 16 HP / 240 Atk / 252 Spe Adamant Nature - High Jump Kick - Zen Headbutt - Ice Punch - Substitute Substitute allows Medicham to get two attacks off and almost ensures it will KO something. Same story as the first set from that point sans Fake Out "Money" Mayweather Medicham @ Assault Vest Ability: Pure Power EVs: 16 HP / 252 Atk / 240 Spe Adamant Nature - Drain Punch - Zen Headbutt - Bullet Punch - Ice Punch The interesting item set for tonight is again the Assault Vest, which provides a boost to a decent Special Defense stat while allowing Medicham to be EV'ed as per usual. Drain Punch would be the better option for this set to provide Medicham with even MORE staying power, and Bullet Punch takes care of Fairies and still offers priority. It gets THAT move? Medicham @ Life Orb Ability: Pure Power EVs: 16 HP / 240 Def / 252 Spe Adamant Nature - High Jump Kick - Zen Headbutt - Ice Punch - Power Trick Option: Bullet Punch over Ice Punch Taking a page out of the don't f***le with shuckle playbook, Power Trick allows for Medicham to swap it's defense stats with it's offensive ones. This makes 'Chams base attack 75, which is doubled a whopping 150 base attack under Pure Power. - To put that into perspective....That's the same attack stat as GROUDON and NORMAL RAYQUAZA. MAKE SURE you invest in Defense, and not Attack on this set, as it does matter when swapped. It also can run a Bulk Up set in order to be used as a bulky sweeper. Stealth Rock setters are quintessential partners for Medicham, raising it's chances to KO more opposing Pokemon by Rocks being on the field. As for teammates, clerics or things that could soak up status - particularly burns, make for great support partners. Cobalion can work as a Rock user, -and- prey off of Dark type attacks that may be aimed at it with Justified, for a second fighting companion.

I thought we already had a thread for starters. Whatever. I'll leave this here for sheer posterity I guess..

Totodile, Shroomish, Frillish, and Larvesta are pretty cool mons if this is true. Sneasel feels like a mon that will be used too much in my opinion, and I....never do Weavile any justice..so...uh.....I'll just move right along there. LAPRAS is a fun mon, but I wonder if it's worth it in Reborn. and getting Fennekin and Turtwig is going to be fun too. Okay, Honey. I get it. Play Reborn. Play ya..Play ya game...I got it....<3 Also, Arthur, It should be possible to "catch 'em all" when the game is finished. And I intend to do so before doing anything crazy with the project.

Alright, I've decided I'm leading off the week with a double header - Knocking out our BL3s - Combusken and Typhlosion Both of these Pokemon have a similar theme - They're both Fire-type Starter Pokemon. ...and both of them really don't have much to write home about. Combusken is known for being able to Baton Pass it's Speed Boosts off to lower tier mons, along with boosts from Sword's Dance....and that's about it. Typhlosion has it's own offensive usefulness, but it's very, very, very limited to being choiced almost 100% of the time. 'Phlosion will want to spam Eruption as often as humanly possible - and it's just the kind of move it needed with it's not -too- fantastic Special Attack stat. The culprits for why these Pokemon aren't allowed to hang out with the NU club anymore? Abilities. Speed Boost has pretty much had Combusken hovering around ever since it became a thing - and it's a key part of the 'mon's usefulness along with access to Baton Pass. Recently, Typhlosion picked up Flash Fire - which means, you can switch it into a Fire Type move and be immune to it, while also giving Eruption and Fire Blast more power. Combusken is the higher ranked in viability of the two for good reason, but neither 'mon has a lot of legroom outside their respective niche. Combusken FedEx Combusken @ Eviolite Ability: Speed Boost EVs: 248 HP / 4 Def / 108 SpD / 148 Spe Careful Nature - Baton Pass - Protect - Substitute - Flare Blitz Other Options: Swords Dance, Bulk Up over Substitute. Combusken has a few neat things going for it. With access to Substitute, it can expedite it's speed boosting -and- pass both the speed and the sub to it's teammates. Protect is used to provide security and free boosting turns, and Flare Blitz is used in the event Combusken needs to do the mop up duty on it's own. The EV spread focuses on maximizing it's speed to the point where it can be made bulky, and still get a Substitute off first. Eviolite is a godsend item, allowing Combusken to be somewhat respectable in terms of bulk. Swords Dance and Bulk Up can be used later in the match to set up late game cleaners and 'mons that lack their own boosting move. Typhlosion Mt. Vesuvius Typhlosion @ Choice Specs Ability: Flash Fire EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Timid Nature - Eruption - Fire Blast - Hidden Power Grass - Extrasensory Other Option: Focus Blast over Extrasensory This set is designed to break down walls. Period. Eruption is going to be disgustingly painful. Fire Blast is going to be disgustingly painful and consistent (assuming it doesn't miss) when Phlosion is worn down, HP Grass takes care of slower pokemon such as Seismitoad, Gastrodon, and Rhyperior, and Extrasensory allows Fighting and Poison types not named Skuntank or Drapion to get browbeat. Focus Blast can be used to take care of Houndoom, which would trouble Typhlosion by -also- a Flash Fire Pokemon. Pabu the Fire Ferret Typhlosion @ Choice Scarf Ability: Flash Fire EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe Timid Nature - Eruption - Fire Blast - Focus Blast - Hidden Power Grass Other Option: Flamethrower over Fire Blast This set allows Typhlosion to outpace the unboosted RU tier. Eruption is stlil going to hurt a lot. Under 73 Percent you should go for Fire Blast for STAB, while Focus Blast and HP Grass act as your coverage moves. Both Pokemon greatly appreciate hazard removal due to their typing, so Hitmontop, Hitmonlee, and Defog users are near essential - especially with something that may be forced to switch out a lot such as Typhlosion. Wish Support from Alomomola and Aromatisse (or M-Audino) helps these Pokemon do their jobs later in the match. Typhlosion would greatly appreciate partners like Gastrodon and Jellicent to soak up Water type attacks and provide your team even MORE immunity.

This thread sounds like a really cool idea, but as of right now (with an unfinished game) I could really only see this being thorough enough for only some of the Pokemon to get a real decent shake. Obviously Pokemon that appear late in the game have a "tendency" - so Dondon doesn't jump all over me - to be better options then their early game counterparts. Obviously Pokemon you get from an event will be better than those you find in the wild - "in most cases", and obviously viability is subjective - even when discussing Smogon's competitive threads which try to reduce the amount of subjectivity as much as possible. Nevertheless, I've got one rank just for the fun of it. Makuhita & Hariyama - A(generally) Rank This Pokemon line has a choice of three fantastic abilities that are almost always going to be positives for any trainer using them throughout the entire game. With Move Tutors existing (I don't see location as relevant as others would) in Reborn, Makuhita has the potential to be a mainstay despite being found early on. The line finds it's first spoils in felling Florinia's ace in Cradily when not many other options are viable outside of Fire Fighter starters. Thick Fat Hariyama fits well on teams looking to contend with Serra and Charlotte, as Fire and Ice is weakened. Shade's Pokemon are susceptible to Knock Off - a move Makuhita's line picks up during level up. Bullet Punch is an option potentially against Adrienn in terms of Revenge Kill possibilities - Sheer Force Hariyama has the potential to cause massive damage to non resisters, and Guts is a nice ability that soaks up status and makes Hariyama threatening.

I happen to find Typhlosion useful. However, it doesn't function as a setup sweeper and it gets worn down by rocks. It doesn't have much to write home about though. I don't think Smogon is being fair to it in it's viability rankings.