While I do feel like Slowbro has maintained a status of "maybe this is too good" since the start of the gen, its always been pushed back as a low priority. I feel like if we ever do look at slowbro, it'll have to be during a calm meta where there aren't more pressing issues at hand. Slowbro itself isn't really hurting the tier all that much so I don't mind it staying a bit longer while we look at other things.I think it's time to think about Slowbro. Disclaimer: I've not been active in NU for a while, so forgive me if my metagame knowledge is off.
As far as I remember, one of the biggest reasons Slowbro was not unhealthy in NU was because it helped keep Emboar under wraps. However, with Emboar gone (I know, it's BEEN gone), It's probably time to think about Slowbro again. It seems to me that the Scald/Psychic/Toxic/Slack off set is incredibly potent right now, as it makes it difficult for grass types to switch in. This small change in the Slowbro meta aside, it does what it always has: acted as a super fat counter to many mons, while also being a reliable pivot and way to wear out the enemy team. The two biggest physical threats that seem to have taken the place of Slowbro are Medicham and Incineroar. Incineroar can run train through Slowbro after taking its Colbur away (all the easier if its a Z set). Medicham 2hkos bro with T-Punch after rocks if Jolly and does not need rocks if Ada.
I'm not going to make a lengthy post about Slowbro in the meta as I just want this to be a reminder that Slowbro being OP or restricting on teambuilding is a topic that should be revisited. Personally, and also without much experience in the current meta, I think Slowbro is not really OP, but may potentially still be overcentralizing (need more time to find out), but I remain interested in seeing how the meta would open up without it around. Perhaps because of Medi and Tiger, there is no justifiable reason to ban Slowbro, but on the other hand, it remains S tier after all this time for a reason. Perhaps it is still putting a chokehold on the development of NU as a tier. I want to hear YOUR opinion.
Btw, after my long hiatus, I decided to ask my good friend Eternally for a match in order to get a better sense of what NU is like nowadays. Eternally then proceeded to bring a stall against me in a casual game that I was using in order to learn the meta. This not only violated the rule "Don't bring stall against friends," but also provided me nothing useful in terms of learning the meta, as the stall team was clearly from SUMO (I know because I saw it back then). I find that this was a detestable display of Eternally's lack of sportsmanship and honor. I am both enraged and crushed by the treatment that I received by the man who I once respected and considered a friend. I made this post just to include this Old Man Rant about Eternally.
So what are those other things? Well, Sand really. I think Sand as a splashable core has really shown itself to be too much for the tier, just looking at NUL and NUPL as examples. Sand right now really lacks any sort of meaningful counter play both offensively and defensively. Teams are stretched enough as it is to cover the threats in the metagame, but now they're asked to deal with +2 Z-EQ Sandslash and Stoutland, both with double speed. The counter play to this is literally stuff like Tangela or hoping you can out play your opponent/they mess up.
Just given how splashable it is, how strong it is, how consistent it is, and how little counter play actually exists in the tier, its pretty clear its a very big issue.
So how do we deal with it? Well there are a few ways to go about it. We can either suspect Gigalith, Sand Stream, Smooth Rock, or Sand Rush. Personally I think all 4 have their own merit so I'll run them one by one.
Gigalith suspect is the most standard way of getting rid of Sand. It dropped, it made Sand broken, it can be suspected. The down side is I don't actually think the mon itself is actually the problem. I think if people really wanted they could make Hippo sand on a pretty degenerate level too, and we end up banning a mon that otherwise could be really cool inside our meta.
Sand Stream on the other hand has the effect where it kills Sand as a whole by butchering Gigalith and Hippo, but it ends up killing the mons in the process. I think this would be a better approach then suspecting Gigalith but overall I don't think its the right one as its not really hitting what the core problem with Sand is, it just makes it nerfed into non-viablity and takes out Gigalith in the process.
Smooth Rock ban would all tho nerf the overall playstyle, I don't think it would be enough to actually take care of the problem. 5 turns of Sand would still be enough to do what it needs to do, so overall while still an option, I think its the worst of of the 4.
Sand Rush I think is the real problem here and is where I'd personally like to look at a suspect for. The problem with sand is just how broken the abusers are in it, not sand itself. Sand doesn't just give speed, it can give teams interesting defensive synergy and gives chip on both sides which can create creative team builds. The thing that takes Sand over the top is the ability to get +2 on Sandslash and break open a team/ clean sweep, and then have a banded Stoutland in the back as a back up plan. Its the power it gives these wallbreakers that's the issue not sand itself. By suspecting Sand Rush you take take care of the problem while maintaining Gigalith in the tier which keeps things like Sand balance a thing.
Given just how many different ways you can take this suspect I'm interested to hear what you guys have to think over it, or if it even needs a suspect in some form at all.
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