Ask a simple question - get a simple answer: PU edition

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does PU stand for?
- Nothing; it's meant to imply that these Pokemon "stink" in the regular tiers.
 
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Raiza

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Since it happened me a few times: is there a reliable pokémon or tactic to not get butt-blasted by Belly Drum Linoone when using a bulky offense? Like everytime I finish not having enough damage to kill him, expecially when used with Meowstic(the double screens set) and I get totally obliterated.
I know he's not really used a lot, but when i encounter him with a bulky offense most of the times it ends badly
 
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Since it happened me a few times: is there a reliable pokémon or tactic to not get butt-blasted by Belly Drum Linoone when using a bulky offense? Like everytime I finish not having enough damage to kill him, expecially when used with Meowstic(the double screens set) and I get totally obliterated.
I know he's not really used a lot, but when i encounter him with a bulky offense most of the times it ends badly
Scarf Haunter or just Life orb Haunter (as Linoone is ususally adamant) is a perfect answer
 

Anty

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hi Raiza.
Tangela is a fine check for Linoone:
+6 252+ Atk Linoone Extreme Speed vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Eviolite Tangela: 226-267 (67.6 - 79.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Who can more reliably beat if screens are up as it can sleep powder, or if no light screen:
252+ SpA Tangela Leaf Storm vs. 252 HP / 44 SpD Linoone: 271-319 (75.2 - 88.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Otherwise offensive teams can try and use offensive pressure to try and prevent it from setting up. This may be hard if the opponent has screens up, but you can always try and stall out screen turns when meowswtic is out
 
don't forget TRICKSCARFNASTYPLOTMISDREAVUS

Also, if Linoone is running max HP, which is probably the best spread, NP Misdreavus can also outspeed it, though most on the ladder are probably max speed so it might not always work. Otherwise if you can stall out screen turns by double switching into things that resist espeed / whatever coverage moves it has, then priority users that resist espeed such as carracosta and golem work well. If you have a golem, you can also just pressure the linoone player into not getting hazards up so that you have sturdy intact and then just koing it through screens with a +2 earthquake as it seed bombs you.
 

MZ

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[18:48] Jsmis: Is arceus good?
Yes, this was the PU room, and the question definitely confuses me
 

Grim

The Ghost
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[18:48] Jsmis: Is arceus good?
Yes, this was the PU room, and the question definitely confuses me
Hey Megazard Z, I see you're new! Sorry to dissapoint you, but Arceus is not PU. I suggest looking at the official Smogon® tiers in the teambuilder to see what is part of the tier and what is not. If you're still confused, you could check out our mentor program! Check out #Mentor as well! I hope I answered your question and that you will enjoy Smogon! n_n
 
Does anyone have the original viability rankings, back in the Samurott/Torkoal/Lilligant/Pangoro/etc. era?
Yes. Keep in mind that we hadn't used everything, so a lot of the list is innaccurate.

Preliminary PU Viability Rankings (As of August 29, 2014)

S
Samurott
Sneasel

A+
Barbaracle
Carracosta
Exeggutor
Leafeon
Lilligant
Musharna
Scyther

A
Garbodor
Kricketune
Poliwrath
Purugly
Tauros

A-
Bouffalant
Dodrio
Flareon
Golem
Huntail
Kadabra
Mr. Mime
Pangoro
Pelipper
Piloswine
Raichu
Roselia
Rotom-F
Tangela
Togetic

B+
Basculin
Bastiodon
Chatot
Drifblim
Floatzel
Gogoat
Gourgeist-S
Heatmor
Leavanny
Mantine
Marowak
Meowstic-Male
Mightyena
Ninetales
Rampardos
Rapidash
Swanna
Serperior
Torterra
Ursaring
Wartortle

B
Altaria
Arbok
Articuno :(
Beheeyem
Cacturne
Camerupt
Ditto
Frogadier
Glaceon
Gourgeist-L
Kecleon
Linoone
Luxray
Munchlax
Sawsbuck
Sliggoo
Stunfisk
Swoobat
Throh
Victreebel
Volbeat
Vullaby

B-
Ariados
Aurorus
Beartic
Electabuzz
Electrode
Fraxure
Gigalith
Hippopotas
Lapras
Kingler
Misdreavus
Noctowl
Raticate
Regice
Stoutland
Torkoal
Wigglytuff
Zebstrika

C+
Butterfree
Carbink
Duosion
Furfrou
Golduck
Masquerain
Metang
Murkrow
Pikachu
Relicanth
Simipour
Vanilluxe
Vigoroth
Wormadam-Trash

C
Avalugg
Bibarel
Dragonair
Fearow
Gourgeist
Grumpig
Hypno
Jumpluff
Klang
Lampent
Lumineon
Machoke
Meganium
Meowstic-F
Monferno
Ninjask
Persian
Pidgeot :(
Politoed
Quilladin
Shelgon
Simisear
Snover
Unfezant
Whiscash

C-
Carvanha
Dusclops
Dwebble
Frillish
Gabite
Illumise
Lairon
Lopunny
Octillery
Parasect
Pineco
Porygon
Seviper
Solrock
Trapinch
Tropius
Wailord
Walrein
Zweilous

D
Beedrill
Bellosom
Corsola
Delibird
Dunsparce
Dusknoir
Floette
Furret
Girafarig
Lickitung
Lunatone
Magmar
Maractus
Minun
Mothim
Omanyte
Parasect
Phione
Plusle
Riolu
Scraggy
Seadra
Shedinja
Simisage
Slaking
Stantler
Sudowoodo
Whirlipede

E

Beautifly
Braixen
Bronzor
Carnivine
Castform
Cherrim
Chimecho
Dedenne
Delcatty
Delibird
Dewgong :(
Dustox
Eelektrik
Farfetch'd
Ledian
Luvdisc
Magcargo
Marshtomp
Meditite
Natu
Pachirisu
Prinplup
Regigigas
Seaking
Shelmet
Spinda
Sunflora
Swalot
Tentacool
Unown
Vespiquen
Vibrava
Watchog
Wormadam
Wormadam-Sandy
Yanma

Unranked
Everything else
 
because we didn't use it and we thought it was terrible

also you and wdm made the original rankings so don't ask me n_n
 
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Can someone explain why Dunsparce is ranked E in the viability thread? I thought it had a niche. Granted, it's a narrow niche (Serene Grace paraflinching), but I would think that it'd at least be D rank for that.
 

MZ

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Can someone explain why Dunsparce is ranked E in the viability thread? I thought it had a niche. Granted, it's a narrow niche (Serene Grace paraflinching), but I would think that it'd at least be D rank for that.
This question probably should've gone to the viability rankings, but it's because you only move out of E with a good, useable niche. Dunsparce lacks good stats and there are simply so many better options for normal types right now (broken bull, broken chameleon, CB Stoutland, etc)
 
^This, but this is actually the right thread for this type of question, posting simple questions in the viability ranking thread just clutters things up.
 
What makes Ninetales so good? I know it has Nasty Plot and such, but wouldn't Simisear and Heatmor be as good or better with better stats and good mixed capabilities.
 

Raiza

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World Defender
I don't really play Ninetales a lot but I can answer your question with some reasons, maybe someone else could go more in depth
Ninetales can run different sets thanks to his high base SpDef(higher than the other two) and Speed, from the Nasty Plot to the StallTales making him less predictable than Simisear and Heatmor. Ninetales also has Flash Fire, yes Heatmor has it too, but he isn't nearly bulky into the Special Defensive side compared to Ninetales, also lacking Speed.
 

Anty

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What makes Ninetales so good? I know it has Nasty Plot and such, but wouldn't Simisear and Heatmor be as good or better with better stats and good mixed capabilities.
Heatmor isnt very comparable to ninetales, as heatmor is a slowish wallbreaker, while ninetales is more of a sweeper. Ninetales's niche over simisear mainly comes in its bulk, as 73/75/100 provides much more set up opportunities than 75/63/63. This also allows it to live a hit and be at high enough to abuse life orb, or allow it to set up substitutes on weaker pokes. Coverage is also important, energy ball is much better than grass knot as pokes like pelipper only take 60 bp from grass knot, and psyshock provides coverage on throh and flash fires like opposing ninetales, although focus blast is still nice for that, it misses a lot.
 

Grim

The Ghost
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SlashItToBits Glaceon is mainly used as a Choice Specs Blizzard wallbreaker with Snow Cloak or Ice Body in hail teams. It can run Choice Scarf too for better use against offense.
 

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