Jorogumo

PRO PvP Survey Results (March 2025) Hello, everyone! Last week, the PvP Coordinator team released a survey in an effort to gauge how the community feels about the current metagame, as well as what changes can be made to improve the overall experience and satisfaction of the PvP playerbase. The survey results are informal but can constitute a starting point for some PvP discussion. While they are mostly indicative, they can, in some cases, invite to follow or avoid a certain course of action. After 211 total responses, here are the PRO PvP Survey results: First question: On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you enjoy the current metagame? (Read: how fun is it to play?) There were 209 responses to this question and the average response was 6.64/10, meaning that most players are somewhat enjoying the metagame. However, we must also acknowledge that there is room for improvement and that the average response is far from satisfactory. Second question: Do you agree with the statement that the recent rework of PvP rewards has increased your satisfaction with the PvP content offered in PRO? There were 209 responses to this question. The majority of players – 110 (52.6%), to be exact – strongly agreed with the statement, while 83 players (39.7%) somewhat agreed with it. Only 11 respondents (5.3%) somewhat disagreed with the statement, whereas a mere 5 (2.4%) strongly disagreed with it. Overall, 92.3% of participants (193 out of 209) seem to be more satisfied with PvP following the recent rework of PvP rewards. Third question: What are some changes you would like to see implemented in regards to the recent PvP rework? There were 155 replies. We have read every single one of them but cannot include them all. We will thus limit the following summary to the suggestions that were at least made a few times. Players would like a wider variety of PvP Chest rewards, including new TMs, as well as fewer low-value prizes and better drop rates in general. There were several complaints about the way that the reward system currently works. Some players want to shorten the duration of the battle timer. Others eagerly await the merge of both servers and the implementation of the PvP Token Shop. There were a few suggestions to make more PvP statistics and Pokémon data publicly available. Implementing some QoL changes, like showing remaining weather or Trick Room turns, would be appreciated by many. While this question mainly concerned the recent PvP rework, there were some complaints about the metagame being unhealthy and/or unenjoyable. There were a few recommendations for additional tiers/queues. Fourth question: On a scale of 1 to 10, how healthy do you find the current metagame? (1 being extremely unhealthy and 10 being extremely healthy) There were 207 responses to this question and the average response was 6.17/10. This means that, although a sizable portion of players may disagree, most players find the current metagame to be somewhat healthy. Nonetheless, these results seem to encourage considering some sort of action to improve the state of the metagame. Fifth question: How do you feel about the strength of the following archetypes in the current metagame? Hyper Offense: There were 195 assessments. According to 124 of them, Hyper Offense is appropriately strong in the current metagame. 44 players find it to be too strong, whereas only 27 deem it to be too weak. Overall, the playerbase is content with the state of Hyper Offense in the current metagame. Bulky Offense: There were 193 assessments. According to 133 of them, Bulky Offense is appropriately strong in the current metagame. 38 players find it to be too strong, whereas only 22 deem it to be too weak. Overall, the playerbase is content with the state of Bulky Offense in the current metagame. Balance: There were 193 assessments. According to 146 of them, Balance is appropriately strong in the current metagame. 28 players find it to be too weak, while only 19 think that it is too strong. Overall, the playerbase is content with the state of Balance in the current metagame. Stall: There were 195 assessments. According to 96 of them, Stall is too strong in the current metagame. 64 players find it to be adequately strong, whereas 35 deem it to be too weak. Overall, a large portion of the playerbase is discontented with the state of Stall, with 49.2% of respondents considering the playstyle to be potentially problematic in the current metagame. Rain: There were 194 assessments. According to 123 of them, Rain is appropriately strong in the current metagame. 41 players find it to be too weak, while 30 deem it too strong. Overall, the playerbase is content with the state of Rain in the current metagame. Sun: There were 192 assessments. According to 109 of them, Sun is appropriately strong in the current metagame. However, 67 players find it to be too weak, while only 16 deem it too strong. Overall, the playerbase is content with the state of Sun, but a substantial number of players (34.9%) think that the playstyle is too weak in the current metagame. Sand: There were 192 assessments. According to 97 of them, Sand is appropriately strong in the current metagame. However, 86 players find it to be too weak, while only 9 deem it too strong. Overall, the playerbase is content with the state of Sand, but a substantial number of players (44.8%) think that the playstyle is too weak in the current metagame. Snow (or Veil): There were 193 assessments. According to 100 of them, Snow (or Veil) is appropriately strong in the current metagame. However, 77 players find it to be too weak, while only 16 deem it too strong. Overall, the playerbase is content with the state of Snow (or Veil), but a substantial number of players (39.9%) think that the playstyle is too weak in the current metagame. Trick Room: There were 194 assessments. According to 96 of them, Trick Room is appropriately strong in the current metagame. 54 players find it to be too strong, whereas 44 deem it to be too weak. Overall, the playerbase is content with the state of Trick Room in the current metagame. The three archetypes that players found to be the strongest in the current metagame are, in decreasing order of perceived strength, Stall, Trick Room, and Hyper Offense. The three archetypes that players found to be the weakest in the current metagame are, in decreasing order of perceived weakness, Sand, Snow (or Veil), and Sun. Sixth question: Do you agree with the statement that there are too many offensive threats and not enough defensive answers? There were 202 responses to this question. 69 players (34.2%) somewhat agreed with the statement, while 46 (22.8%) strongly agreed with it. 53 players (26.2%) somewhat disagreed with the statement, whereas only 34 (16.8%) strongly disagreed with it. Overall, 115 players (57% of respondents) agreed either partially or completely with the statement that there may be too many offensive threats and not enough defensive answers. Seventh question: Do you agree with the statement that the current offensive trends promote an unhealthy, matchup-fishy metagame? (Read: a metagame where a large amount of games are decided at team preview regardless of player skill) There were 198 responses to this question. 68 players (34.3%) somewhat agreed with the statement, while 57 (28.8%) strongly agreed with it. 50 players (25.3%) somewhat disagreed with the statement, whereas only 23 (11.6%) strongly disagreed with it. Overall, 125 out of 198 players (63.1% of respondents) agreed either partially or completely with the statement that the current offensive trends promote an unhealthy, matchup-fishy metagame. Based on the answers to this question and the previous one, a majority of players find that the wide array of offensive options and builds may minimize the impact of skillful play on the outcome of a given match. Eighth question: Do you believe that the PvP Council should take tiering action against something (i.e., a Pokémon) to improve the state of the metagame? There were 196 responses to this question. A majority of players – 107 (54.6%), to be exact – believe that the PvP Council should take tiering action against something (i.e., a Pokémon) to improve the state of the metagame, while 24 players (12.2%) do not believe so. However, there is substantial uncertainty, with 65 respondents (33.2%) being unsure as to whether the PvP Council should act at all. As a reminder, the PvP Coordinator team can only act on currently released features and can – at best – suggest new releases on the basis of the improvement of the metagame. Ninth question: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you feel about Annihilape in the current metagame? (1 being not broken and 5 being broken) There were 198 responses to this question and the average response was 3.01/5. Most respondents seem to be on the fence. Tenth question: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you feel about Breloom in the current metagame? (1 being not broken and 5 being broken) There were 198 responses to this question and the average response was 2.63/5. Most respondents find that Breloom is unproblematic in the current metagame. Eleventh question: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you feel about Clefable in the current metagame? (1 being not broken and 5 being broken) There were 201 responses to this question and the average response was 3.3/5. Most respondents find that Clefable is potentially problematic in the current metagame. Twelfth question: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you feel about Kyurem in the current metagame? (1 being not broken and 5 being broken) There were 202 responses to this question and the average response was 3.46/5. Most respondents find that Kyurem is potentially problematic in the current metagame. Thirteenth question: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you feel about Kyurem-Black in the current metagame? (1 being not broken and 5 being broken) There were 202 responses to this question and the average response was 3.27/5. Most respondents find that Kyurem-Black is potentially problematic in the current metagame. Fourteenth question: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you feel about Mega Mawile in the current metagame? (1 being not broken and 5 being broken) There were 201 responses to this question and the average response was 3.09/5. Most respondents seem to be on the fence. Fifteenth question: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you feel about Mega Metagross in the current metagame? (1 being not broken and 5 being broken) There were 201 responses to this question and the average response was 2.87/5. Most respondents seem to be on the fence. Sixteenth question: On a scale of 1 to 5, how do you feel about Mega Lopunny in the current metagame? (1 being not broken and 5 being broken) There were 201 responses to this question and the average response was 3.04/5. Most respondents seem to be on the fence. Seventeenth question: Which of the following, if any, would be positive additions to the metagame, in your view? (Select all that apply.) There were 197 responses to this question. The most picked Pokémon is Kartana with 104 votes (52.8% of the responses). The second most picked Pokémon is Toxapex with 102 votes (51.8% of the responses). The third most picked Pokémon is Corviknight with 101 votes (51.3% of the responses). The fourth most picked Pokémon is Slowking-Galar with 96 votes (48.7% of the responses). There is a noticeable drop in votes between the four most picked Pokémon and others. In fifth place is Magearna, with 68 votes (34.5% of the responses). In sixth place is Speed Boost Blaziken, with 56 votes (28.4% of the responses). In seventh place is Darkrai, with 50 votes (25.4% of the responses). In eighth place is Melmetal, with 48 votes (24.4% of the responses). In ninth place is Genesect, with 43 votes (21.8% of the responses). In tenth place is Sheer Force Landorus, with 36 votes (18.3% of the responses). 14 respondents (7.1% of the votes) selected “None of the above.” There were several other suggestions made as additional comments, with the most recurring pick being the guardian deities. Tapu Bulu, Tapu Fini, Tapu Koko, and Tapu Lele are a quartet of Legendary Pokémon and, as is the case with most Legendary Pokémon in PRO, there are usually specific release plans in place, hence the omission of the guardian deities from the poll options. As a reminder, the PvP Coordinator team can only act on currently released features and can – at best – suggest new releases on the basis of the aforementioned suggestions. Any final thoughts, comments, suggestions or concerns? There were 140 replies. We have read every single one of them but cannot include them all. We will thus limit the following summary to the points that were at least mentioned a few times. Ban Stall, I guess. Many other ban suggestions. While players made conflicting observations, one point remained: the current metagame does not feel very balanced; some archetypes fare better than others. More TMs and items – mainly Heavy-Duty Boots –, as well as missing Pokémon, need to be released as soon as possible. Too much repetition and team similarity in the current metagame. A rework of the Reconnect feature. More PvP formats. Once again, thank you so much for participating in this PRO PvP Survey. If there is anything else not mentioned in the results, you may bring it up in this thread. Of course, if you wish to discuss any of the PRO PvP Survey results, you may also do so here.

Reserved.

PRO PvP Speed Tiers Speed stats are an important defining characteristic of each Pokémon species. They determine the order of moves made by Pokémon during a battle. Assuming an equal level of priority, Pokémon with a higher Speed stat at the start of any given turn will make a move before those with lower Speed. In the case of a Speed tie, which occurs when two Pokémon have the same Speed, one of them will randomly go first. Speed-altering moves, like Dragon Dance or Hammer Arm, only start affecting a Pokémon’s Speed on the following turn. You should first identify the maximum Speed of the Pokémon of your choice. You must take into account its Speed IVs and, based on the Pokémon that you want it to outspeed, distribute its EVs accordingly. For example, if your Jolly Gliscor has 31 Speed IVs, you can give it 112 EVs to reach 279 Speed and outspeed any non-Choice Scarf Timid Heatran with max Speed IVs and EVs (i.e., 278 Speed). If your Jolly Gliscor only has 26 IVs, you can give it 132 Speed EVs to achieve the same feat. When you do this, it is best to assume perfect IVs for opposing Pokémon. This thread will only provide the Speed stats of currently viable Pokémon, so it will not cover every single Pokémon in the game, since it primarily is a PvP-focused resource. The updated Viability Rankings can be found here. For individual PvP sets for each viable Pokémon, you may check out this resource. Both threads will continue to be updated in the future with more accurate and relevant information. Since there are far too many viable Speed tiers and Pokémon sets, some will understandably be missing from the list. For example, you may encounter a Bold Volcarona with 240 or 241 Speed or a Pokémon not even mentioned in this thread. Similarly, you may also run into a Zapdos with an unlisted Speed number. Many players do not have perfect Speed IVs on all their Pokémon and some opt for unusual or custom EV spreads tailored according to the needs of their teams. The following Speed tier list is separated into six different tiers: Pokémon with 500+ Speed, those with 400+ Speed, those with 300+ Speed, those with 200+ Speed, those with 100+ Speed, and those with less than 100 Speed. The items within each tier are arranged in descending order, that is, from the fastest Pokémon to the slowest. In some cases, specific scenarios or boosts are taken into account. For example, Trace Mega Alakazam using its ability to copy Sand Rush or Swift Swim becomes twice as fast as normal when the relevant weather is up. Only 2 additional Speed stages will be counted at most for Pokémon that can boost their own Speed thanks to Quiver Dance, Dragon Dance, Beast Boost, etc. Tier 0: 500 and above Pokémon Base Nature EVs IVs Stage Speed Mega Alakazam 150 Positive 252 31 +2 876 Mega Alakazam 150 Neutral 252 31 +2 798 Ribombee 124 Positive 252 31 +2 762 Hawlucha 118 Positive 252 31 +2 736 Mega Diancie 110 Positive 252 31 +2 700 Mega Metagross 110 Positive 252 31 +2 700 Hawlucha 118 Neutral 252 31 +2 670 Thundurus-Therian 101 Positive 252 31 +2 662 Mega Charizard X 100 Positive 252 31 +2 656 Volcarona 100 Positive 252 31 +2 656 Mega Diancie 110 Neutral 252 31 +2 638 Mega Metagross 110 Neutral 252 31 +2 638 Landorus-Therian 91 Positive 252 31 +2 618 Excadrill 88 Positive 252 31 +2 604 Thundurus-Therian 101 Neutral 252 31 +2 602 Mega Charizard X 100 Neutral 252 31 +2 598 Volcarona 100 Neutral 252 31 +2 598 Kommo-o 85 Positive 252 31 +2 590 Gyarados 81 Positive 252 31 +2 574 Mega Gyarados 81 Positive 252 31 +2 574 Ribombee 124 Positive 252 31 +1 571 Dragonite 80 Positive 252 31 +2 568 Mega Altaria 80 Positive 252 31 +2 568 Greninja 122 Positive 252 31 +1 565 Landorus-Therian 91 Neutral 252 31 +2 562 Excadrill 88 Neutral 252 31 +2 550 Kingdra 85 Neutral 252 31 +2 538 Serperior 113 Positive 252 31 +1 535 Mega Tyranitar 71 Positive 252 31 +2 530 Gengar 110 Positive 252 31 +1 525 Latias 110 Positive 252 31 +1 525 Latios 110 Positive 252 31 +1 525 Cloyster 70 Positive 252 31 +2 524 Mega Swampert 70 Positive 252 31 +2 524 Keldeo 108 Positive 252 31 +1 519 Dragonite 80 Neutral 252 31 +2 518 Mega Altaria 80 Neutral 252 31 +2 518 Venusaur 80 Neutral 252 31 +2 518 Blacephalon 107 Positive 252 31 +1 516 Venusaur (HP Fire) 80 Neutral 252 30 +2 516 Tier 1: 400-499 Pokémon Base Nature EVs IVs Stage Speed Garchomp 102 Positive 252 31 +1 499 Manaphy 100 Positive 252 31 +1 492 Mega Charizard X 100 Positive 252 31 +1 492 Jirachi 100 Positive 252 31 +1 492 Volcarona 100 Positive 252 31 +1 492 Victini 100 Positive 252 31 +1 492 Hydreigon 98 Positive 252 31 +1 486 Cloyster 70 Neutral 252 31 +2 478 Mega Swampert 70 Neutral 252 31 +2 478 Landorus-Therian 91 Positive 252 31 +1 463 Annihilape 90 Positive 252 31 +1 459 Porygon-Z 90 Positive 252 31 +1 459 Excadrill 88 Positive 252 31 +1 453 Manaphy 100 Neutral 252 31 +1 448 Mega Charizard X 100 Neutral 252 31 +1 448 Volcarona 100 Neutral 252 31 +1 448 Rotom-Wash 86 Positive 252 31 +1 447 Kommo-o 85 Positive 252 31 +1 442 Mega Aerodactyl 150 Positive 252 31 +0 438 Mega Alakazam 150 Positive 252 31 +0 438 Gyarados 81 Positive 252 31 +1 430 Mega Gyarados 81 Positive 252 31 +1 430 Dragonite 80 Positive 252 31 +1 426 Mega Altaria 80 Positive 252 31 +1 426 Togekiss 80 Positive 252 31 +1 426 Diggersby 78 Positive 252 31 +1 420 Heatran 77 Positive 252 31 +1 417 Mega Altaria 80 Neutral 28 31 +2 406 Mega Lopunny 135 Positive 252 31 +0 405 Mega Manectric 135 Positive 252 31 +0 405 Tier 2: 300-399 Pokémon Base Nature EVs IVs Stage Speed Mega Alakazam 150 Neutral 252 31 +0 399 Mega Tyranitar 71 Positive 252 31 +1 397 Dragonite 80 Neutral 252 31 +1 388 Mega Altaria 80 Neutral 252 31 +1 388 Weavile 125 Positive 252 31 +0 383 Ribombee 124 Positive 252 31 +0 381 Greninja 122 Positive 252 31 +0 377 Tornadus-Therian 121 Positive 252 31 +0 375 Mega Pidgeot 121 Positive 252 31 +0 375 Alakazam 120 Positive 252 31 +0 372 Hawlucha 118 Positive 252 31 +0 368 Tyranitar 61 Positive 252 31 +1 364 Azelf 115 Positive 252 31 +0 361 Starmie 115 Positive 252 31 +0 361 Magnezone (HP Fire) 60 Positive 252 30 +1 358 Serperior 113 Positive 252 31 +0 357 Serperior (HP Fire) 113 Positive 252 30 +0 356 Thundurus-Incarnate 111 Positive 252 31 +0 353 Gengar 110 Positive 252 31 +0 350 Latias 110 Positive 252 31 +0 350 Latios 110 Positive 252 31 +0 350 Mega Diancie 110 Positive 252 31 +0 350 Mega Gallade 110 Positive 252 31 +0 350 Mega Latias 110 Positive 252 31 +0 350 Mega Latios 110 Positive 252 31 +0 350 Mega Metagross 110 Positive 252 31 +0 350 Alolan Ninetales 109 Positive 252 31 +0 348 Keldeo 108 Positive 252 31 +0 346 Infernape 108 Positive 252 31 +0 346 Blacephalon 107 Positive 252 31 +0 344 Mega Pinsir 105 Positive 252 31 +0 339 Hawlucha 118 Neutral 252 31 +0 335 Garchomp 102 Positive 252 31 +0 333 Thundurus-Therian 101 Positive 252 31 +0 331 Baby XD001 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Jirachi 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Manaphy 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Mega Charizard X 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Mega Charizard Y 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Mega Gardevoir 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Mega Medicham 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Mew 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Volcarona 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Victini 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Zapdos 100 Positive 252 31 +0 328 Hydreigon 98 Positive 252 31 +0 324 Mimikyu 96 Positive 252 31 +0 320 Mega Diancie 110 Neutral 252 31 +0 319 Mega Metagross 110 Neutral 252 31 +0 319 Gliscor 95 Positive 252 31 +0 317 Kyurem 95 Positive 252 31 +0 317 Kyurem-Black 95 Positive 252 31 +0 317 Mega Garchomp 92 Positive 252 31 +0 311 Landorus-Therian 91 Positive 252 31 +0 309 Mega Pinsir 105 Neutral 252 31 +0 309 Annihilape 90 Positive 252 31 +0 306 Porygon-Z 90 Positive 252 31 +0 306 Mega Altaria 80 Neutral 28 31 +1 304 Excadrill 88 Positive 252 31 +0 302 Thundurus-Therian 101 Neutral 252 31 +0 301 Tier 3: 200-299 Pokémon Base Nature EVs IVs Stage Speed Baby XD001 100 Neutral 252 31 +0 299 Manaphy 100 Neutral 252 31 +0 299 Mega Charizard X 100 Neutral 252 31 +0 299 Mega Charizard Y 100 Neutral 252 31 +0 299 Mega Gardevoir 100 Neutral 252 31 +0 299 Mega Medicham 100 Neutral 252 31 +0 299 Volcarona 100 Neutral 252 31 +0 299 Victini 100 Neutral 252 31 +0 299 Rotom-Wash 86 Positive 252 31 +0 298 Gliscor 95 Positive 176 31 +0 297 Hydreigon 98 Neutral 252 31 +0 295 Kommo-o 85 Positive 252 31 +0 295 Nidoking 85 Positive 252 31 +0 295 Suicune 85 Positive 252 31 +0 295 Mimikyu 96 Neutral 252 31 +0 291 Kyurem 95 Neutral 252 31 +0 289 Kyurem-Black 95 Neutral 252 31 +0 289 Gyarados 81 Positive 252 31 +0 287 Mega Gyarados 81 Positive 252 31 +0 287 Suicune 85 Positive 216 31 +0 286 Dragonite 80 Positive 252 31 +0 284 Hoopa-Unbound 80 Positive 252 31 +0 284 Mamoswine 80 Positive 252 31 +0 284 Mega Altaria 80 Positive 252 31 +0 284 Togekiss 80 Positive 252 31 +0 284 Mega Garchomp 92 Neutral 252 31 +0 283 Landorus-Therian 91 Neutral 252 31 +0 281 Diggersby 78 Positive 252 31 +0 280 Annihilape 90 Neutral 252 31 +0 279 Gliscor 95 Positive 112 31 +0 279 Heatran 77 Positive 252 31 +0 278 Excadrill 88 Neutral 252 31 +0 275 Mega Heracross 75 Positive 252 31 +0 273 Mega Scizor 75 Positive 252 31 +0 273 Kingdra 85 Neutral 252 31 +0 269 Mega Tyranitar 71 Positive 252 31 +0 265 Tentacruel 100 Positive 16 31 +0 264 Togekiss 80 Positive 176 31 +0 264 Garchomp 102 Neutral 92 31 +0 263 Bisharp 70 Positive 252 31 +0 262 Breloom 70 Positive 252 31 +0 262 Cloyster 70 Positive 252 31 +0 262 Mega Swampert 70 Positive 252 31 +0 262 Volcanion 70 Positive 252 31 +0 262 Dragonite 80 Neutral 252 31 +0 259 Hoopa-Unbound 80 Neutral 252 31 +0 259 Mamoswine 80 Neutral 252 31 +0 259 Mega Altaria 80 Neutral 252 31 +0 259 Venusaur 80 Neutral 252 31 +2 259 Venusaur (HP Fire) 80 Neutral 252 30 +0 258 Diggersby 78 Neutral 252 31 +0 255 Heatran 77 Neutral 252 31 +0 253 Pelipper 65 Positive 252 31 +0 251 Scizor 65 Positive 252 31 +0 251 Mega Heracross 75 Neutral 252 31 +0 249 Mega Scizor 75 Neutral 252 31 +0 249 Garchomp 102 Neutral 20 31 +0 245 Gliscor 95 Neutral 72 31 +0 244 Jirachi 100 Neutral 32 31 +0 244 Landorus-Therian 91 Neutral 104 31 +0 244 Mew 100 Neutral 32 31 +0 244 Zapdos 100 Neutral 32 31 +0 244 Tyranitar 61 Positive 252 31 +0 243 Manaphy 100 Neutral 20 31 +0 241 Tentacruel 100 Neutral 20 31 +0 241 Aegislash 60 Positive 252 31 +0 240 Annihilape 90 Neutral 96 31 +0 240 Clefable 60 Positive 252 31 +0 240 Gliscor 95 Neutral 56 31 +0 240 Kommo-o 85 Neutral 136 31 +0 240 Zapdos 100 Neutral 16 31 +0 240 Bisharp 70 Neutral 252 31 +0 239 Breloom 70 Neutral 252 31 +0 239 Cloyster 70 Neutral 252 31 +0 239 Magnezone (HP Fire) 60 Positive 252 30 +0 239 Mega Swampert 70 Neutral 252 31 +0 239 Volcanion 70 Neutral 252 31 +0 239 Crawdaunt 55 Positive 252 31 +0 229 Pelipper 65 Neutral 252 31 +0 229 Scizor 65 Neutral 252 31 +0 229 Excadrill 88 Neutral 40 31 +0 222 Landorus-Therian 91 Neutral 16 31 +0 222 Mega Heracross 75 Neutral 144 31 +0 222 Mega Scizor 75 Neutral 144 31 +0 222 Rotom-Wash 86 Neutral 56 31 +0 222 Tyranitar 61 Neutral 252 31 +0 221 Annihilape 90 Neutral 16 31 +0 220 Bisharp 70 Neutral 176 31 +0 220 Aegislash 60 Neutral 252 31 +0 219 Clefable 60 Neutral 252 31 +0 219 Magnezone (HP Fire) 60 Neutral 252 30 +0 218 Azumarill 50 Positive 252 31 +0 218 Diancie 50 Positive 252 31 +0 218 Landorus-Therian 91 Neutral 0 31 +0 218 Annihilape 90 Neutral 0 31 +0 216 Heatran 77 Neutral 80 31 +0 210 Crawdaunt 55 Neutral 252 31 +0 209 Rotom-Wash 86 Neutral 0 31 +0 208 Kommo-o 85 Neutral 0 31 +0 206 Suicune 85 Neutral 0 31 +0 206 Mega Altaria 80 Neutral 28 31 +0 203 Bisharp 70 Neutral 96 31 +0 200 Clefable 60 Neutral 176 31 +0 200 Mega Altaria 80 Neutral 16 31 +0 200 Mega Scizor 75 Neutral 56 31 +0 200 Mega Tyranitar 71 Neutral 88 31 +0 200 Mega Venusaur (HP Fire) 80 Neutral 20 30 +0 200 Tyranitar 61 Neutral 168 31 +0 200 Tier 4: 100-199 Pokémon Base Nature EVs IVs Stage Speed Azumarill 50 Neutral 252 31 +0 199 Mega Mawile 50 Neutral 252 31 +0 199 Togekiss 80 Neutral 0 31 +0 196 Clefable 60 Neutral 136 31 +0 190 Heatran 77 Neutral 0 31 +0 190 Conkeldurr 45 Neutral 252 31 +0 189 Klefki 75 Neutral 0 31 +0 186 Mega Scizor 75 Neutral 0 31 +0 186 Seismitoad 74 Neutral 0 31 +0 184 Azumarill 50 Neutral 164 31 +0 177 Bisharp 70 Neutral 4 31 +0 177 Mega Mawile 50 Neutral 164 31 +0 177 Tyranitar 61 Neutral 76 31 +0 177 Bisharp 70 Neutral 0 31 +0 176 Mantine 70 Neutral 0 31 +0 176 Skarmory 70 Neutral 0 31 +0 176 Volcanion 70 Neutral 0 31 +0 176 Uxie 95 Negative 0 01 +0 176 Jellicent 60 Neutral 44 31 +0 167 Alomomola 65 Neutral 0 31 +0 166 Pelipper 65 Neutral 0 31 +0 166 Scizor 65 Neutral 0 31 +0 166 Seismitoad 74 Negative 0 31 +0 165 Aegislash 60 Neutral 16 31 +0 160 Clefable 60 Neutral 16 31 +0 160 Conkeldurr 45 Neutral 136 31 +0 160 Tyranitar 61 Neutral 0 31 +0 158 Cresselia 85 Negative 0 01 +0 158 Aegislash 60 Neutral 0 31 +0 156 Clefable 60 Neutral 0 31 +0 156 Jellicent 60 Neutral 0 31 +0 156 Porygon2 60 Neutral 0 31 +0 156 Blissey 55 Neutral 0 31 +0 146 Tyranitar 61 Negative 0 31 +0 142 Mega Heracross 75 Negative 0 01 +0 140 Alolan Muk 50 Neutral 0 31 +0 136 Azumarill 50 Neutral 0 31 +0 136 Mega Mawile 50 Neutral 0 31 +0 136 Chansey 50 Neutral 0 31 +0 136 Sableye 50 Neutral 0 31 +0 136 Hippowdon 47 Neutral 0 31 +0 130 Alomomola 65 Negative 0 01 +0 122 Tangrowth 50 Negative 0 31 +0 122 Gastrodon 39 Neutral 0 31 +0 114 Aegislash 60 Negative 0 01 +0 113 Porygon2 60 Negative 0 01 +0 113 Crawdaunt 55 Negative 0 01 +0 104 Gastrodon 39 Negative 0 31 +0 102 Tier 5: 99 and below Pokémon Base Nature EVs IVs Stage Speed Cofagrigus 30 Neutral 0 31 +0 96 Mega Slowbro 30 Neutral 0 31 +0 96 Reuniclus 30 Neutral 0 31 +0 96 Slowbro 30 Neutral 0 31 +0 96 Slowking 30 Neutral 0 31 +0 96 Amoonguss (HP Fire) 30 Neutral 0 30 +0 95 Mega Mawile 50 Negative 0 01 +0 95 Quagsire 35 Negative 0 31 +0 95 Alolan Marowak 45 Negative 0 01 +0 86 Amoonguss (HP Fire) 30 Negative 0 30 +0 85 Ferrothorn 20 Neutral 0 31 +0 76 Mega Sableye 20 Neutral 0 31 +0 76 Torkoal 20 Neutral 0 31 +0 76 Cofagrigus 30 Negative 0 01 +0 59 Slowbro 30 Negative 0 01 +0 59 Slowking 30 Negative 0 01 +0 59 Reuniclus 30 Negative 0 01 +0 59 Ferrothorn 20 Negative 0 01 +0 41

The PvP Coordinator team has discussed some more changes to the Viability Rankings based on latest metagame trends and developments.  Rises: Bisharp: A → A+ A staple on BO and HO teams, Bisharp pairs well with other offensive threats, like Mega Lopunny and Mega Pinsir, to overwhelm physically defensive Pokémon that it would otherwise struggle to overcome by itself, such as Zapdos and Skarmory. It is also a top-tier teammate for Pokémon that appreciate the removal of commonplace walls like Clefable, the Slow twins, Chansey, and more.  Zapdos: A → A+ In a metagame where it can check some of the most dangerous offensive threats, like Mega Lopunny, Bisharp, Tornadus-T, Mega Scizor, Mega Pinsir, and much more, Zapdos fits on many offensive, balanced, and defensive builds where it can provide much-needed Defog support, the possibility of chipping down physical assailants with Rocky Helmet, the chance to paralyze them with Static, and decent offensive pressure and momentum even without running HP Ice, thanks to Heat Wave, Hurricane, and Volt Switch.  Kyurem-B: A- → A Kyurem-B is a strong wallbreaker with a lot of set diversity and the ability to blow past some would-be checks, like Clefable and Ferrothorn, thanks to Icium Z. While it certainly has its own drawbacks, like its lackluster speed and vulnerability to Stealth Rock, its bulk allows it to stomach a hit and retaliate even in an offensively leaning metagame.  Slowbro: B+ → A- Slowbro finally joins its specially defensive twin in the A ranks as a strong answer to some of the most prevalent offensive Pokémon in the tier: Mega Lopunny, Mega Metagross, Keldeo, and more. Thanks to Rocky Helmet in conjunction with Teleport, it can swiftly switch into a hit then generate momentum and recover health back with Regenerator. This makes Slowbro an option on more teams than just defensive and balanced structures.  Breloom: B- → B Breloom is a valuable member of specific HO builds that appreciate its priority and ability to incapacitate an opposing Pokémon thanks to Spore and the safety net of Focus Sash. It also performs well against other offensive staples, like Bisharp, Mega Lopunny, and Azumarill just to name a few.  Mega Pinsir: B- → B Just like Breloom, Mega Pinsir finds home on some of the HO builds that heavily benefit from its unique offensive coverage, priority, and ability to overwhelm physical checks with the help of its teammates.  Cresselia: C → C+ Porygon2: C- → C+ Uxie: C- → C+ Trick Room carves itself a notable niche in an offensively oriented metagame where it can turn the speed of opposing HO teams into a disadvantage. The addition of Ursaluna also means that TR builds now gain another valuable member that appreciates common setters like Cresselia, Porygon2, and Uxie.  Drops: Kyurem: S → A+ While Kyurem continues to be a force to be reckoned with in this metagame and can excel against specific team structures, it is decidedly less effective into most of the increasingly common offensive builds.  Mega Medicham: A- → B Mega Medicham continues to struggle in this metagame because wallbreaking requires the widespread presence of walls it can effectively break with its coverage. However, it is quite prediction-reliant against structures that revolve around the likes of Clefable, Landorus-T, Zapdos, the Slow twins, etc. Mega Medicham also suffers from 4MSS (4 Moveslot Syndrome) and must pick between Zen Headbutt, Thunder Punch, and Bullet Punch to round out its coverage. Even then, it is left completely walled by Pokémon like Mega Sableye and Aegislash, the latter of which it can only severely damage with Fire Punch, which it simply cannot afford to run. Pelipper: B+ → C+ Mega Swampert: B+ → C+ Kingdra: B- → C In what is the steepest, longest overdue drop of this update, common Rain staples find themselves tumbling down the viability ranks for a multitude of reasons. Rain structures are not particularly effective against other offensive teams, like Breloom HO, Veil offense, or even Trick Room. Moreover, the matchup-fishy nature of this playstyle also makes it less reliable against Pokémon like Freeze-Dry Kyurem and Chilly Reception Slowking. The PvP Coordinator team believes that Rain has been ranked exceedingly generously for a while now, and this sudden drop seeks to correct a long-standing misperception. Additions: Gengar: Unranked → C+ Gengar has a decent match-up against offense, thanks to its 110 base speed tier, offensive coverage, and access to utility options in Taunt and Destiny Bond. It also fits well on offensive builds, where it can spam Shadow Ball pretty freely while being able to hit common Dark-type switch-ins with Focus Blast and taking advantage of Focus Sash to fire off another hit or use Destiny Bond before fainting. The PvP Coordintor team continues to monitor the VR in lights of the release of new Pokémon, such as Arcanine-Hisui and Ursaluna, and the addition of moves that potentially affect the viability of the likes of Alomomola, the Lati twins, Mega Charizard Y, and Skarmory. However, due to the recency of those events, we are choosing to wait a bit longer before making any further adjustments to the list.

The rankings in this thread reflect those in the other VR thread, so please use that one to make nominations instead. If you believe that a currently unranked Pokémon deserves to be ranked, provide your reasoning, and we will look into the nomination and consider its validity. If you wish to recommend a new set for a Pokémon already on the list, you may use this thread to keep nominations organized accordingly. The label "Offensive Stealth Rock" has already been discussed as an option for Mega Diancie, Mega Metagross, and Mega Swampert. Even though it is a variation of an overall offensive set, we figured it would still be useful to separate an all-out attacker set from one with a utility move, at least until a more detailed list of sets, including moves, is produced.

Not to turn this into a semantics course, but let's not forget the difference between a check and a counter. A Kyurem counter would be able to switch into it manually and still defeat it, even behind its Substitute. A Pokémon like Slowking would not qualify, because it would come in to Future Sight the Sub then switch to another Pokémon that can handle Kyurem after Future Sight breaks the Sub. This makes Slowking a Kyurem check. The list of actual Kyurem counters is extremely limited. There are more offensive and defensive checks, but they would either need to be given a free switch into it or require that no Substitute be up on the other side of the field. Also, another thing worth noting is that, while a Pokémon like Bronzong counters Kyurem, its limited viability means that it would not be worth running in most cases, whereas Clefable and Mega Scizor are both reliable and viable. Encore Alolan Ninetales is also able to switch into Kyurem and lock it into a move, but its usage is exclusive to Veil teams. Bulky Volcarona is a good switch-in as well and, like Mega Gardevoir (which saw some usage on Silver server), can hit Kyurem behind its Substitute. However, Volcarona is weak to Stealth Rock, making it a less reliable answer than Clefable and Mega Scizor. Also, for those of you who enjoy looking at statistics, here are the Kyurem numbers for Silver server and for Gold server that were shared in the official PRO Discord by Wally. While statistics are indicative, they still show that Kyurem excels with certain teammates that can handle some of its weaknesses. I would also encourage each of you, regardless of your opinion on Kyurem and whether you think it is broken or not, to avoid looking at match-ups in a vacuum. Kyurem is not isolated, it is paired up with Pokémon that can help it to handle its checks. Just like you, the Kyurem user can also switch out and not be locked behind Substitute. There are many variables to consider.

As part of our continuing commitment to monitoring developments in the metagame, the PvP Coordinators have noticed that Kyurem is quite possibly a presence that is overcentralizing, difficult to prepare for, and perhaps too strong for our current available answers. This belief is reflected in our recent Viability Rankings update, where Kyurem is now in S-tier. We highly encourage you to participate in this discussion and offer opposing viewpoints, as we recognize that any discussion within a small group of relatively similar people is liable to produce the same ideas, regardless of their competence. We are especially interested in hearing your thoughts on Kyurem's role in the current metagame. Have you had difficulty handling it with your current team? Has it invalidated any builds you wanted to try? Or, on the other hand, are you having success utilizing it? While Kyurem has several viable sets, including Choice Specs and Choice Scarf, we believe it is at its most dangerous when running Substitute, Roost, and Freeze-Dry. On Gold server, players tend to prefer the fourth move Earth Power, while on Silver, players also favor Toxic. This set is able to safely create Substitutes on a vast majority of the viable defensive Pokémon in the PRO metagame, especially balance staples such as Tangrowth and Rotom-Wash. Its titanic base HP stat permits it to easily reach 405 maximum HP, thereby creating 101 HP Substitutes which Seismic Toss Chansey cannot break. Ferrothorn, despite a nominal type advantage, is simply run out of Gyro Ball due to Pressure, while even something like Eviolite Bisharp is faced with the possibility of a straight 2HKO from Earth Power as well as both Substitute and Roost, denying Sucker Punch. Against offensive teams, the combination of Freeze-Dry, Earth Power, and Kyurem's natural bulk forces switches to no end, which it can easily set Substitute on, guaranteeing that it claims a kill shortly thereafter. However, Kyurem's weakness to Stealth Rock and the relative speed of the metagame do somewhat hold it back. Mega Lopunny teams tend to play at a pace that does not often let Kyurem enter the field, while Mega Scizor is one of very few immediately safe defensive answers (though, in an extended interaction, it can certainly eventually get frozen or worn down by hazards). Mega Metagross immediately threatens Kyurem with its faster speed and massive power but simply cannot come in on Kyurem using Substitute more than once. Slowking, which is rapidly gaining popularity, is both a good teammate for Kyurem and a form of counterplay. With Future Sight, it can ensure that a teammate safely enters the field to face a Kyurem without a Substitute while barely dodging the 2HKO from Freeze-Dry. Ultimately, Kyurem is sometimes manageable in battle, even when it poses extreme strain on the teambuilder. We will take into account all feedback we receive before the end of the season, when we intend to make a final decision. Well-constructed and defended reasonings will naturally be given more weight, but we do care even if your opinion is simply that you like the Pokémon. At this time, there are no other Pokémon or combinations that are immediately on our radar, but we will keep you updated as soon as possible if that changes.

Thank you for the suggestions, Bash. Your feedback is appreciated. This thread is in its final form, but we will discuss adding missing sets like the Mega Diancie one you mention or Stealth Rock Mega Metagross. We may need to rename some of the sets to clarify what we mean and avoid any potential confusion. I will just add that usage does not necessarily dictate viability; the most used sets may not automatically be deemed the most viable ones, so we reserve the right to rank all options accordingly while remaining open to changes and additions posted by players in this very thread. We wanted to get the viability rankings and set viability rankings out first as indicative resources while we continue working on the rest. One of the projects would be a detailed list of sets including Abilities, Natures, items, moves, and EV spreads in alignment with what you propose. However, that one would understandably take time and would also link back to this one. Ideally, clicking on each recommended set would take the user to the corresponding set details, but that may not be possible, and we may need to settle for a direct link to the other thread instead. Set explanations would take even longer and are not currently being considered because the time investment would not be worth their limited utility.

Reserved.

Hey. We'll work on a separate list of viable sets, but it'll take time. For now, if there is any Pokémon for which you'd like to know the set(s), please let us know.

PRO PvP Viability Rankings by @Aggs, @Cyanirl, @Jorogumo, and @Pisforpenguin Welcome to the PRO PvP Viability Rankings thread! This thread is maintained by the PvP Coordinator team and will be updated regularly, but we want to hear your thoughts and opinions on both the metagame at large and specific Pokémon. Please understand that viability rankings are fundamentally a subjective matter — and as such, opinions may certainly differ. Please note the following: Usage is not the same as viability. Please do not nominate Pokémon on the grounds that they are frequently used. Be detailed when submitting nominations for changes. It is difficult to convince anyone, us included, to change their mind with a one-liner. All discussion is welcome, especially if you have personal experience laddering with a certain Pokémon for a substantial number of games. Remain civil. While spirited and contentious debate is encouraged, please do not resort to personal attacks. The following Pokémon are ranked in alphabetical order within each sub-tier: S Rank: S Rank Clefable Landorus-T A Rank: A+ Rank Bisharp Kyurem Lopunny-Mega Serperior Tornadus-T Zapdos A Rank Aegislash Azumarill Diancie-Mega Dragonite Ferrothorn Garchomp Heatran Keldeo Kyurem-B Latias-Mega Mawile-Mega Tangrowth A- Rank Annihilape Blacephalon Excadrill Gliscor Latios Manaphy Metagross-Mega Ninetales-Alola Scizor-Mega Skarmory Slowbro Slowking Thundurus Victini Volcarona B Rank: B+ Rank Alakazam-Mega Alomomola Amoonguss Chansey Charizard-Mega-X Charizard-Mega-Y Greninja Jirachi Kommo-o Latias Latios-Mega Magnezone Pinsir-Mega Rotom-Wash Sableye-Mega Tyranitar Weavile B Rank Breloom Gyarados-Mega Hippowdon Hoopa-U Hydreigon Medicham-Mega Mew Suicune Thundurus-T Tyranitar-Mega Venusaur-Mega Volcanion B- Rank Altaria-Mega Crawdaunt Gastrodon Heracross-Mega Porygon-Z Reuniclus Ursaluna C Rank: C+ Rank Aerodactyl Alakazam Cresselia Diggersby Ditto Gallade-Mega Gengar Mamowsine Manectric-Mega Pelipper Porygon2 Quagsire Ribombee Scizor Swampert-Mega Togekiss Uxie C Rank Cloyster Conkeldurr Gardevoir-Mega Gyarados Hawlucha Kingdra Marowak-Alola Mimikyu Slowbro-Mega Terrakion Torkoal Venusaur C- Rank Aerodactyl-Mega Azelf Blastoise Blissey Cofagrigus Garchomp-Mega Infernape Jellicent Kleavor Klefki Mantine Muk-Alola Nidoking Pidgeot-Mega Seismitoad Starmie Tentacruel

Hey. There's a more recent version of this thread here. However, it's not fully up-to-date anymore. There's been several metagame developments since the last update and I haven't had time to keep up with all of them. Z-Moves, Tapus, and other Pokemon are allowed in Ranked PvP for the time being, but they were announced as temporary additions, so I didn't feel the need to rework the other VR list yet.

This is another scenario that will almost never matter in practice. If your Ditto is slower than an opposing Ditto, the nature and the speed will help you in a Struggle war. Otherwise, any nature and speed IV can work as long as your Ditto has Imposter.

Hey. This is minor and will mostly never matter in practice. Basically, 29 HP IVs minimize Life Orb recoil. If Gengar has 30+ HP IVs, it will have 260+ HP and will lose 26 HP every time that Life Orb activates. However, with 29 HP IVs, it will have 259 HP and will only lose 25 HP with every hit because 25.9 is rounded down to 25 due to the way Pokemon mechanics work. This makes 29 HP IVs an optimal choice, but it's totally optional and having higher or lower HP IVs will work just as fine. For the purpose of this (now outdated) thread, I tried to optimize sets and spreads as much as possible.

Starmie Serperior Jynx

Small VR changes: Garchomp: A+ → A Breloom: B+ → B Cofagrigus: C- → C The reasons for these changes were mentioned in the #top25-pvp-chat channel of the PRO Discord server on June 8, 2022. I recommend reading them if you are curious about them. There was also some discussion about Landorus-T, Amoonguss, and Starmie. For now, they all remain in their respective tiers (S, B+, and B-). However, while I generally agree with their current placements, I haven't fully made up my mind one way or the other and would like to see them being discussed further. Kyurem-B is still a recent addition and more time is needed before ranking it. Feel free to discuss that one as well. Edit: Kyurem-B has been tentatively added to A- on August 17, 2022.

Here is the successful application of the newest council member, Nornornor444. About you Main account name: Nornornor444 Alternate account names (only if relevant): Rosani Main server: Silver Your PvP experience Highest rating ever achieved: 529 Highest ranking ever achieved: #5 Number of PRO tournaments (i.e., PRO Ladder Tours or PRO Summer Tours) won: 0 Highest placement in PRO tournaments: 3rd in ladder tournament You and PRO PvP What is your favorite Pokémon to use competitively, and why? Clefable. Clefable has all the good moves which makes it a great utility mon. Having great spatking moves along with Moonblast such as Flamethrower, Ice beam, Thunderbolt gives it great coverage. Access to Thunder wave and Knock Off allows it to cripple switch ins. Having Calm Mind gives Clefable a chance to sweep. Unaware Clef does its role in stall team, dealing with set up sweepers as well as Wish Pass. What is your least favorite Pokémon to face competitively, and why? Static Zapdos with defog. Self explanatory, no one wants their Mega Metagross to be paralyzed. How would you describe the current PRO metagame (i.e., Normal Ranked PvP) to a new PRO player who is familiar with competitive Pokémon in other games or platforms? It's uncompetitive and boring. PRO Meta is somewhat in between Gen6 and Gen7, with the worst mechanics coming from each gen. Gen6 with no defog makes it better for offensive teams to perform better, meanwhile in gen7 almost everything has defog, even static zapdos. Gen7 has better special attackers than PRO Meta which makes PRO mostly a physical meta. Archetype such as stall almost always has no answer for hard hitting wallbreakers such as Band Ttar, Specs keld, Mega Medicham, Band Crawdaunt etc as well as Stallbreaker Torn, Mew. About the PRO PvP Council Why are you interested in applying to join the PRO PvP Council? How do you feel about its current state? I'm interested in applying to the PRO PvP Council because I want to use my knowledge and help shape the meta. Currently, PRO PvP Council has some inactive members not playing the game as much as before, which is why I believe it needs to be shaped. According to you, what should be the role and duties of the PRO PvP Council? The main role of the PRO PvP Council is to help shape the meta, have the meta healthy and enjoyable for players to enjoy. About the current PRO PvP metagame What is your evaluation of the state of offensive, balanced and defensive teams in the current metagame? Do you believe that the PRO PvP Council should intervene and take action to change the situation or not? Hyper offense is not that good in the meta right now, with too many defoggers and static zapdos. The teams are most of the time fat which makes it difficult for hyper offense to perform very well. Bulky Offense is probably the best archetype in the meta right now, as it has ways to deal with most archetypes. Balance has never been good enough to use on ladder considering balance is always about making predicts to get momentum, and losing momentum due to defensive answers. Balance usually never has the upper hand in the match up which makes the player having to predict a lot to win, and definitely not something a new player should use. Stall teams in the meta right now is just bad. There are hardly any answer for Specs Keldeo + Banded Ttar, or mega medicham/banded crawdaunt in stall teams. Stallbreaker Torn usually always just wins vs stalls easily. There are too many ways to beat stalls. Volt Turn with rocks pressure is very hard to deal with for stalls. Addition of Mega Sableye would easily make stall very good but it's not really the way. There isn't much PRO PvP Council can do to fix the metagame, as the blame completely goes for not releasing more gen7 mons that could shape the meta more and make the metagame more healthy. In general, what makes something ban-worthy, and why? The lack of answers in the metagame for a certain mon makes it ban-worthy. Not having many reliable answers, and making teambuilding very limited, such as having to run a certain mon to check something. In your opinion, is Mega Metagross ban-worthy? Justify your answer. Mega Metagross is not ban-worthy in the metagame right now. But it is certainly one of the best megas in the game right now. Megagross was not banned in Gen6 but banned in Gen7. One of the major nerf for megagross in gen6 was the mega speed not being added the turn it megas. The difference between 262-350 is huge. Meanwhile in gen7, megagross would have been dominant with the addition of terrains. Mega Metagross can be simply put as 'Broken' with every terrain helping it somehow; Grassy Terrain helps with recovery every turn and half the damage from EQ, Misty Terrain saving it from Will O Wisps, Psychic Terrain for boosted power with Zen Headbutt and immune to sucker punch, Electric Terrain for that added thunder punch to two shot Skarmory and Slowbro. But right now, there are enough checks and ways to deal with megagross even though it's performance is top notch most of the times. Discuss one of the current PvP bans and explain why it is deserved or undeserved. Mega Mawile:- Mega Mawile honestly deserves to just go somewhere else. It's typing is ridiculous, with access to Pre Mega ability Intimidate let's it set up easily on a lot of pokemon. It has a great movepool, going with Play Rough, Fire Fang, Swords dance, Knock Off, Sucker Punch, Iron Head. It doesn't have much switch ins considering -1 252+ Atk Huge Power Mawile-Mega Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 112+ Def Landorus-Therian: 163-193 (42.6 - 50.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery. Lando-T can only come out once after rocks. 252+ Atk Huge Power Mawile-Mega Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Zapdos: 222-262 (57.8 - 68.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery; has to go on a mindgame after with whether Mega Mawile will Play Rough or Sucker Punch, as you don't want to be in the receiving end of Play Rough when you roost and you die, Sucker Punch on your Heat Wave and die, 0 SpA Zapdos Heat Wave vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Mawile-Mega: 172-204 (71.3 - 84.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO do this and still die to play rough. 252+ Atk Huge Power Mawile-Mega Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 96+ Def Slowbro: 306-362 (77.8 - 92.1%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock. That's not it considering if your only Mawile Switch in is Slowbro, Mawile can simply set up Swords Dance and threat to Ohko. There really isn't enough to deal with Mega Mawile except if someone runs Arcanine with Intimidate and Will O Wisp? Considering competitive Pokemon is a team game and Mega Mawile just has a huge impact with a well built team around it, as it is pretty easy to build a solid VoltTurn around it. Mega Mawile destroys stall entirely unless you slap a Quagsire in it, considering +2 252+ Atk Huge Power Mawile-Mega Fire Fang vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 304-358 (91 - 107.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock. Quagsire still can't though; +2 252+ Atk Huge Power Mawile-Mega Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Unaware Quagsire: 222-262 (56.3 - 66.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery. It's lack of speed and not as much versatile makes it not too entirely 'broken' but still a reasonable ban.

The PvP Council is the entity in charge of overseeing the competitive side of PRO PvP. It currently caters to the higher end of the ladder, especially the top 25 players from each server, as well as ladder tournament participants. While we acknowledge that ladder tournaments display a higher skill cap, we cannot deny that the majority of PvP matches are played on the ladder and that the decisions of the PvP Council will impact the entire community. To promote an optimally healthy and competitive PvP environment, the PvP Council must take the necessary tiering actions when something is proven to negatively impact both the ladder and tournament play. This stems from the belief that it first has to become problematic before reaching a ban-worthy status, although exceptions, namely quick bans, can be made if the metagame otherwise runs the risk of being seriously compromised. It must be noted that the PvP Council must provide a justification for changing the status quo, that is, the (pre)existing state of affairs. The burden of proof should always lie with the side making a tiering proposal. That party should explain how something negatively affects both the ladder and ladder tournaments and why banning it is necessary. Conversely, said party should explain why unbanning something is possible and/or how it can positively impact PvP. While on the lookout for ways to improve the metagame, the PvP Council should consider different suggestions, use personal player experience, and keep an eye on new metagame additions. This period of scrutiny and informal observation should be followed by discussion surrounding the potential issue(s) to exchange arguments favoring or opposing metagame change(s). Following the debate period, the PvP Council should internally vote to determine whether any adjustment(s) should be made and, if so, what course(s) of action should be adopted. The bulk of these conversations takes place in the PvP Council channels of the official Pokémon Revolution Online Discord server. For further information regarding the PvP Council structure, please take a look at this thread: Introducing the PvP Council. Even if you do not meet all requirements, you may still be eligible for the Council position. However, overall, PvP Council applicants must: Have an extensive knowledge and understanding of the PRO PvP metagame. Be able to communicate and debate PvP matters in English efficiently and fluently. Have a relatively clean infraction history, particularly in relation to rank boosting and general behavior, as the infraction history of each applicant will be reviewed. Have an extensive PvP experience in PRO. Carefully follow all the rules of the official Pokémon Revolution Online Discord server. If you are interested in joining the PvP Council, please fill out the application form below and post it in the PvP Council Application section of the forums. We ask that you keep your application confidential and avoid sharing your answers with other members of the PRO community. Moreover, helping other applicants with their applications is not allowed and will result in the rejection of your own application.

6m.

5m.

Welcome to the Baby XD001 suspect test thread. Baby XD001 was first released during the 2021 Halloween event and has been an infamously controversial addition ever since, with its proponents seeing it as a welcome change and its opponents disagreeing with the path it seems to invite PRO to follow. Despite the preexistence of some unofficial Pokémon in the game, Baby XD001 is thought by many to cross a line as the first catchable one of the sort. Inspired by Shadow Lugia, it also possesses an unprecedented dual typing in Shadow / Flying, thus effectively introducing a new type to PRO. This left players both excited and perplexed by the prospect of using Baby XD001. The Shadow type works similarly to the way it operated in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. Offensively, it inflicts STAB-less super effective damage to every type except itself, since Shadow-type moves are not very effective against Shadow-type Pokémon. It is worth nothing that, while Shadow moves themselves do not receive STAB, other moves used by Baby XD001, like Aeroblast, do. Moreover, Shadow-type moves always deal x2 super effective damage, even to Pokémon with a dual typing. Defensively, all moves – with the exception of Shadow-type ones – deal neutral damage to the Shadow type. This means that Baby XD001 will virtually be receiving damage as a pure Flying type, making it weak to Electric-, Ice-, and Rock-type attacks. Baby XD001’s initial base stats were as follows: 20 ATK, 105 DEF, 100 SPD, 55 SPATK, 110 SPDEF, and 70 HP. The HP stat was recently buffed to 76 to prevent potential issues that could arise due to the conversion of Baby XD001 into Baby Lugia, its “purified” counterpart, in the future. As a result, DEF and SPDEF were respectively nerfed down from 105 to 100 and from 110 to 105. Thus, Baby XD001’s current base stats are as follows: 20 ATK, 100 DEF, 100 SPD, 55 SPATK, 105 SPDEF, and 76 HP. Baby XD001 possesses two Abilities: Marvel Scale and Multiscale. Marvel Scale multiplies the Pokémon’s Defense by 1.5 if it has a non-volatile status condition. While Baby XD001 is arguably prone to status, it can utilize Marvel Scale to take advantage of burns. In an effort to maximize the potential of this Ability while simultaneously avoiding other forms of status, Baby XD001 can wield a Flame Orb. The Hidden Ability, Multiscale, halves the damage taken from attacks if the Pokémon is at full HP. Considering Baby XD001’s primary Shadow typing, it can utilize Multiscale well, in conjunction with other moves, like Roost and Calm Mind, to become harder to take down. Baby XD001 learns four Shadow-type moves: Shadow Blast, Shadow Down, Shadow Shed, and Shadow Storm. From a PvP standpoint, Shadow Storm particularly stands out for having a Base Power of 95 coupled with perfect accuracy. Aside from Shadow moves, Baby XD001 possesses the same moves as Lugia – with the exception of four “purified” ones: Earthquake, Feather Dance, Hydro Pump, and Psycho Boost. While its offensive coverage is good and varied, Baby XD001 is likely to find itself in situations where clicking Shadow Storm is more beneficial. However, due to its limited PPs, ranging from 10 to 16, other options can be considered. Furthermore, Baby XD001 learns many utility moves, such as Calm Mind, Defog, Rest, Roost, Sleep Talk, Substitute, Tail Wind, Thunder Wave, Toxic, Trick, and Whirlwind. Despite a deceptively low SPATK stat of 55, Baby XD001 can take advantage of Choice Specs to run a specially offensive set capable of 2HKOing the vast majority of the metagame with just Shadow Storm. On that set, it can even use Trick to circumvent one of its main roadblocks in Chansey. While a Timid nature can viably be used to reach 328 Speed, a Modest nature allows Baby XD001 to have more immediate breaking power and transforms some 3HKOs into 2HKOs. Having said that, Baby XD001 can alternatively run other, viable sets revolving around moves like Calm Mind and Defog. For example, it can make use of Calm Mind with Multiscale and Leftovers or Marvel Scale and Flame Orb. On sets like those, which can be fully offensive, bulky or even fully defensive, Baby XD001 does not lack versatility. For instance, Marvel Scale Flame Orb sets with Calm Mind can run a move like Toxic to improve the match-up against defensive teams. Overall, depending on its set, Baby XD001 can choose its battles and accommodate its own needs or those of its teammates. It is also worth noting that, despite its name, Baby XD001 cannot use Eviolite because it is not considered unevolved. The list of Pokémon able to handle most or all of Baby XD001’s sets is both limited and somewhat set-dependent. Defensively speaking, Chansey and Baby XD001 itself stand out as the most reliable answers due to their ability to stomach powerful Shadow Storm attacks. Assault Vest Tornadus-T can switch into Baby XD001 and threaten to remove its item or generate momentum, although it is faster. Unaware Clefable can take on most Calm Mind sets but must be wary of moves like Toxic or sets such as Choice Specs, making Bold a far less reliable nature against Baby XD001. The same goes for Heatran, which cannot attempt to check Baby XD001 without a Calm nature. Common Pokémon, like Mega Scizor and Ferrothorn, can heavily invest into SPDEF to avoid the 2HKO at all times, but hazards and prior chip tend to make them shaky answers, especially in the long term. With or without Assault Vest, Tyranitar fears very little from Baby XD001 but has to choose between longevity and power. Mega Latias can reliably switch into it and attempt to beat it with Calm Mind and either Psyshock or Stored Power, though it cannot beat Toxic sets without Refresh or, at least, in some cases, Substitute. Amoonguss can threaten Baby XD001 with Spore and Clear Smog, but it should particularly watch out for Aeroblast. Some niche yet viable picks include Filter Mega Aggron, Alolan Muk, Ditto and specially defensive Clear Smog Gastrodon. While it is difficult to check Baby XD001 offensively, maintaining pressure and using faster threats can hinder its ability to retain Multiscale, stay healthy throughout the match or find opportunities to fire off its attacks. Finally, Stealth Rock, one of the most commonly used moves in PvP, prevents Baby XD001 from keeping said Multiscale intact by forcing it to take 25% damage every time that it comes into play. On paper, Baby XD001 can be used on a myriad of teams, ranging from semi-stall to hyper offense (e.g., Sticky Web, Veil…). It will be up to you to try to discover them and use them! When Baby XD001 was first released, it divided the PRO community and the PvP council. As a result, it was banned in October 2021 before ever being allowed in Ranked PvP. This suspect test will serve to determine whether the playerbase wants Baby XD001 to be legal or not. Many of those in favor of allowing Baby XD001 welcome the change it offers with open arms. They wish to give it a chance due to the overall staleness of the metagame, which has known no new, relevant additions since early 2021. They consider PRO as its own entity and separate it from other Pokémon games and platforms, thus appreciating the addition of unofficial Pokémon. While others are less vocal about allowing Baby XD001 just for the sake of implementing a change of any kind, they believe that it should at least be tested and given a fair trial solely based on its PvP performance. They find that Baby XD001 can benefit the game in the long term. Arguing in favor of a case-by-case basis, some even cite Timid Aura Sphere Raikou and Timid Eruption Heatran as unique examples that make PRO stand out. Several Baby XD001 proponents believe it would be manageable and far from ban-worthy since its average Speed tier and relatively low stats mitigate its potential and keep it in check by forcing the player to choose between bulk, power and speed. Those who oppose allowing Baby XD001 in Ranked PvP often cite the fact that it is an unofficial Pokémon with a unique, unprecedented typing that would discourage new or casual players from starting PvP and would demotivate veterans, possibly driving them away. They also view this addition as an unexpected and unwelcome surprise that goes against some of the reasons that prompted them to choose PRO in the first place. Moreover, they find that the Shadow type is an unnecessary complication with many practical repercussions, such as preventing players from properly running calculations or forcing them to learn all the characteristics of the Shadow type. To an extent, they even compare Baby XD001 to previously banned illegal combinations, like Soft-Boiled on Unaware Clefable, to justify a ban for the sake of consistency. Others, who do not necessarily oppose unofficial Pokémon, are against Baby XD001 due to the low opportunity cost of running it and spamming a single move: Shadow Storm. According to them, Baby XD001 is inherently broken because of its Shadow typing and does not contribute positively to the promotion of a skill-based metagame, as it might be too easy to use, too good at what it does, self-sufficient, or potentially overcentralizing. Once the suspect test begins, players will be able to interact with an NPC that will spawn a single Baby XD001. It will be guaranteed to have 31 SPD. Other IVs will be randomized but will at least be equal or superior to 20. When the season ends, every spawned Baby XD001 will be removed. This does not concern the ones previously caught during the Halloween event. The suspect test will last for the entirety of the February 2022 season, ending on February 28 – unless officially announced otherwise. In order to qualify and be eligible to vote, players will need to achieve a minimum rating of 300 over 30 (or more) games played. There will be no game limit or win rate requirement. 300+ rating and 30+ games will suffice. Players will only be able to qualify and vote once (i.e., on a single account). Moderators will make sure to double-check requirements and keep an eye on potential fraud attempts. Eligible voters will be able to vote in this thread after the season ends. It will remain locked until then. The qualified playerbase will vote to decide the outcome of this suspect test. There will be two options to choose from – BAN or UNBAN. The threshold to unban Baby XD001 must be ≥ 60% of the qualified votes cast (meaning that 60% would suffice to unban it). If this threshold is not met, Baby XD001 will remain banned. We hope that you will consider taking part in this suspect test. Good luck to everyone. Voting template: Vote (BAN or UNBAN): Account name: Server (Silver or Gold):

12 CCs.

10 CCs.

The banner on the initial post has been updated. It now includes different Pokémon and, most notably, 3 Mega Evolutions: Mega Alakazam, Mega Metagross, and Mega Scizor.

Suggestions and requests regarding current PvP bans Hello, everyone! The purpose of this thread is to allow players to formulate requests, proposals, and suggestions for potential change or improvement regarding current PvP bans in a manner that would indicate an alternative course of action. For example, if you disagree with a specific ban, please feel free to argue against it. I hope that this thread can serve as a way to better communication between the PvP Council and the rest of the players, especially those who may not frequently check Council-related PRO Discord channels. Moreover, this post should provide the playerbase with an exhaustive list of everything that is currently banned from Normal Ranked PvP, as well as the (brief) reasoning behind each individual ban. As there are several bans, there are multiple items to discuss one by one. I also plan to use the forums to publish future PRO PvP surveys and survey results in an effort to reach a larger number of players and organize all survey-related information in a single thread for more clarity and accessibility in the future. A third thread where players would be able to forward any suggestions or recommendations for PvP Council discussion or metagame improvement is potentially in the works, since this one is exclusively limited to current PvP bans. All of the following items are banned from the queue known as Normal Ranked PvP. Here they are in alphabetical order: Aegislash. At first, Aegislash was allowed with King’s Shield and quickly made a name for itself as the most centralizing Pokémon in the metagame. King’s Shield was then banned, in August 2020, in an attempt to keep it unbanned and in check by limiting its effectiveness. However, as it turned out, Aegislash was still a menace to most playstyles. Its versatility and unpredictability, combined with its unmatched offensive and defensive capabilities, ultimately pushed it over the top and made it an overcentralizing presence in the metagame, even without access to King’s Shield. It was banned in April 2021. Arena Trap. Arena Trap removed one of the main features of competitive Pokémon: the ability to switch. Unlike Magnet Pull, its targets were far greater in number (i.e., all grounded Pokémon that are not Ghost types). The main culprit, Dugtrio, enabled several offensive threats by removing their checks and counters from the game. Moreover, despite being an offensively oriented Pokémon, Dugtrio was able to fit on stall teams by eliminating some of the strongest stallbreakers and wallbreakers in the metagame, like Heatran and Choice Band Tyranitar. Other Arena Trap users were never seriously considered in PRO. When the mechanics of the game transitioned from being Gen 6-based to being Gen-7 based, Dugtrio’s Base ATK went from 80 to 100. This prompted many players to request its ban. Arena Trap was deemed uncompetitive and was consequently banned in April 2018. Baby XD001. Baby XD001 was the first unofficial Pokémon added to PRO. Inspired by Shadow Lugia, codenamed XD001, it had an unusual dual typing: Shadow / Flying. The Shadow type offensively allowed it to inflict STAB-less super effective damage to every other type except itself. Furthermore, all moves besides Shadow-type ones dealt neutral damage to it, thus virtually rendering it a pure Flying type from a strictly defensive perspective. Baby XD001’s base stats were as follows: 20 ATK, 105 DEF, 100 SPD, 55 SPATK, 110 SPDEF, and 70 HP. As far as the prospect of an unofficial Pokémon with a new, unfamiliar typing goes, the PvP Council and the polled community were both split. Therefore, Baby XD001 remained banned. This happened in October 2021. Baton Pass. Baton Pass referred to more than just a move; it represented a playstyle centered on passing accumulated boosts to Pokémon capable of taking advantage of them to sweep the opposition. This behavior was limited by the Baton Pass clause, which stated that teams could only carry a single Baton Pass user and that said user could not simultaneously boost its Speed and other stats. This effectively resulted in Speed Boost Scolipede becoming the main Baton Passer on Baton Pass teams. Speed abusers included Pokémon such as Manaphy and Togekiss. While Substitute was not yet coded at the time, Scolipede adapted and still managed to excel as a Baton Passer. Due to the uncompetitive, matchup-reliant, and luck-based nature of Baton Pass teams, the Staff team then decided, in April 2020, to revoke the Baton Pass clause and ban the move as a whole instead. This was initially announced as a test period, but the change, most likely deemed positive, remained in effect. Battle Bond Greninja. Battle Bond Greninja was released during the 2020 Halloween event and was only allowed for the PvP season of October 2020. The fastest Megas were still unreleased and Ash-Greninja ended up outpacing the entire viable metagame. Offensive and defensive countermeasures were insufficient, with some players resorting to gimmicky checks, like Poliwrath, or exploitable ones, like Chansey, even on offense. After activating Battle Bond, it even had access to one of the most powerful priority moves in the game in Water Shuriken. Overall, Ash-Greninja made steady progress throughout every match and promoted passive (counter)play, which facilitated laying down Spikes on telegraphed switches. It quickly became centralizing to an unhealthy extent and, before its presence could begin to hurt the viability of multiple playstyles, Battle Bond Greninja was banned in November 2020. Blazikenite. Unsurprisingly, Mega Blaziken was never allowed in Ranked PvP. Its Fire / Fighting coverage was bolstered by two powerful STAB moves in Flare Blitz and High Jump Kick. Its Ability, Speed Boost, perfectly complemented its offensive stats, allowing it to fulfill the dual role of a wallbreaker and a sweeper. Mega Blaziken had a good match-up against offensive and defensive teams, while totally dismantling balanced builds in the process. The list of Pokémon able to check it reliably was also too limited. The PvP Council almost unanimously agreed that it would put an unbearable strain on the teambuilder, would require futile overpreparation, would generate an unhealthy amount of unstoppable sweeps, and would hurt the growth of several playstyles in an ever-evolving metagame that had just undergone massive changes, including the release of the second wave of Megas. Blazikenite was swiftly banned in November 2020. Darkrai. Darkrai was on a list of pre-banned Pokémon before its release. Dark Void’s accuracy used to be 80% before dropping to 50% in the transition of PRO from Gen 6 mechanics to Gen 7 ones, thus making the move a low-risk, high-reward prospect that would have complemented the Ability Bad Dreams perfectly. Darkrai also had access to Nasty Plot, a move that would have allowed it to muscle past special walls with ease. Boasting high power and one of the best Speed tiers in the metagame (at the time), Darkrai would have undoubtedly terrorized the PvP scene with just a couple of damaging moves. Genesect. In July 2017, the pre-banned Genesect made its PRO debut with an Ability that worked in reverse. Players who met certain requirements were then asked to vote on Genesect – alongside Gothitelle and Blaziken – to gauge whether there would be sufficient support to test it. Unfortunately, the majority opposed this testing phase and Genesect has remained banned ever since. Aside from its power and typing, it could generate momentum in an unprecedented manner and make progress no matter what. Its versatility and unpredictability were also deemed outstanding. Indeed, Genesect boasted a wide array of viable items, moves, and sets. As a result, it was known for having almost no safe switch-ins. Gengarite. Gengarite, released during the 2020 Halloween event, was instantly banned due to Mega Gengar possessing the already banned Ability Shadow Tag. Usually at its best against defensive and, to a lesser degree, balanced teams, Shadow Tag Mega Gengar would be able to target and remove specific threats with extreme ease, thus paving the way for an easy victory. Its stats, power, and utility would allow it to excel at performing multiple roles at once. Had Shadow Tag somehow not been banned, Mega Gengar would have still almost certainly been banned on the spot due to the low-risk, (almost) guaranteed-reward nature of its kit. Gengarite was banned in October 2020. OHKO moves. The one-hit KO clause, implemented in July 2016, effectively banned the moves Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, and Sheer Cold from Ranked PvP. Despite their low accuracy, these moves could drastically change the course of a match by potentially devaluing the importance of skill and rewarding the luckiest player instead of the most skillful one. Therefore, these specific high-risk, high-reward gimmicks were quickly ejected from a then primitive PvP environment striving for fairness and competitiveness. Lucarionite. Lucarionite was unanimously banned by the PvP Council in January 2022 as soon as its release became public knowledge. Aside from being an offensive powerhouse with limited, situational checks and almost no guaranteed switch-ins, Mega Lucario is notable for its unpredictability and versatility, which allow it to run physically and specially offensive sets. Furthermore, its good Speed tier of 112 and its access to Adaptability, boosting moves in Swords Dance and Nasty Plot, as well as priority moves in Bullet Punch, Extreme Speed, and Vacuum Wave, make it incredibly difficult to stop or revenge kill. Mega Lucario also possesses a wide movepool. Thus, figuring out the (physical or special) nature of its set would not suffice as its movepool can still remain undiscovered due to the number of viable moves that it is susceptible of carrying. Because of all the aforementioned factors, Lucarionite was deemed ban-worthy. Lunala and Solgaleo. Released in February 2021, Lunala and Solgaleo boast an impressive BST of 680. Defensively speaking, Lunala’s typing might be considered underwhelming, but the Pokémon’s various assets outweigh its rare drawbacks. Its bulk is impressive, its Ability is outstanding, and its diverse movepool would allow it to fulfill too many roles far better than anything else would. As for Solgaleo, aside from a passable Ability, it benefits from a good typing, a varied movepool, great defenses, and limited but reliable recovery. Offensively, its coverage is further boosted by the usability of its mixed offensive stats. Overall, both Lunala and Solgaleo were unsurprisingly deemed too powerful for Ranked PvP. Mawilite. When Mega Mawile was released, many thought its low Speed would keep it in check. However, this offensive behemoth turned out to be incredibly difficult to prepare for in a sufficient manner. It only had a handful of checks and counters, some of which served little to no purpose outside of handling Mega Mawile and weakened the team’s overall match-up against other threats. Due to its toolkit, which includes an amazing Fairy / Steel typing, useful pre-Mega Evolution Abilities, and the move Sucker Punch, Mega Mawile was able to bypass its low Speed and perform well against all major playstyles. There was also a discrepancy between the low cost of running Mega Mawile and the ensuing high rewards. Mawilite was banned in April 2021. Moves with a chance to reduce accuracy or raise evasion. Moves that continually increase the user’s evasion, like Double Team and Minimize, are banned due to their inherently uncompetitive nature. Likewise, those that decrease the target’s accuracy, such as Flash and Kinesis, are banned. Moreover, Acupressure, which raises a random stat by two stages, can coincidentally increase evasion and is banned as well. Protean Greninja. Protean Greninja was allowed from 2018 to 2021. There was some opposition to its release, but it fizzled out once it was out. Players had an easier time than expected handling it in PvP. However, as time went on, many realized the full potential of Protean Greninja and, ultimately, its Spikes / Hydro Pump / Ice Beam / Hidden Power Grass set pushed it over the top. Protean Greninja was able to control the hazard game extremely well and had almost no guaranteed offensive or defensive switch-ins, thanks to its Ability and its vast movepool. Protean Greninja also hindered the development of certain playstyles and archetypes. It was banned in April 2021. Sablenite. Stall is not the most popular playstyle. It is then unsurprising that the addition of a new tool to stall teams was met with backlash. This new tool, Mega Sableye, was a godsend to those teams. It allowed them to seize control of the hazard game to an unprecedented degree that made facing them a daunting task. Thanks to Magic Bounce and its overall toolkit, Mega Sableye was able to remove several ways of crippling Stall and defensive teams in general. Some even argued that it promoted unhealthy match-up reliance and centralization in terms of teambuilding and metagame development. Many deemed that Mega Sableye, one of the best Pokémon used on Stall, and Mega Mawile, one of the best offensive countermeasures to Stall teams, should be packaged together. Sablenite was banned in April 2021. Salamencite. The Staff team instantly banned Salamencite. Mega Salamence boasts incredible stats, which include a remarkable combination of power and Speed, as well as an offensively oriented Ability in Aerilate. Only gimmicky or niche Pokémon, like Eviolite Porygon-2 and Cresselia, can safely switch into it, which highlights the unhealthy and centralizing effects of its presence on the teambuilder and the metagame. Mega Salamence also possesses impressive physical bulk, further complemented by the possibility of running Intimidate as the pre-Mega Ability. Its wide offensive movepool allows it to pick its own checks and it even has access to highly valuable utility moves like Roost and Substitute, which respectively give it more longevity and allow it to bypass status. Salamencite was predictably banned in February 2021, shortly following its release. Shadow Tag. In March 2017, the Staff team organized a 3-week voting period on Shadow Tag. Gothitelle was the main culprit, while other Shadow Tag users were potential casualties that most players did not mind back then. The anti-ban side primarily cited the prevalence of Dark types, Gothitelle’s poor match-up against offensive teams, its inability to set up against relevant Pokémon, its proneness to common stallbreakers like Togekiss, and its much-appreciated ability to keep Stall teams in check. The pro-ban side focused on the lack of team preview (at the time), the removal of the fundamental switch mechanic, the uncompetitive and low-risk, high-reward nature of Shadow Tag, the absence of Pursuit from the game, and Gothitelle’s ability to enable certain threats by removing their main checks. Shadow Tag was banned with a 65% supermajority in April 2017. Shaymin-Sky. While Shaymin was initially banned due to a bug that allowed it to obtain illegal moves like TMs Flamethrower and Ice Beam, it was later unbanned. Shaymin-Sky, on the other hand, has remained banned ever since its first and only ban. Shaymin-Sky boasts high Speed, good Special Attack, and respectable bulk. It also possesses the Ability Serene Grace, which works perfectly with Air Slash and Seed Flare, turning the latter into a 120-BP Grass-type move with an 80% chance to lower the target’s Special Defense by two stages. Shaymin-Sky can then proceed to dispose of the sturdiest special walls. Furthermore, this Pokémon has access to various utility moves, like Substitute, Leech Seed, and Healing Wish. Shaymin-Sky was banned in April 2019. Sheer Force Landorus-Incarnate. Sheer Force Landorus-Incarnate is famed for only having two counters: Cresselia and Mega Latias. The latter was not even released when Landorus-I was roaming free in Ranked PvP. Thanks to an amazing Ability in Sheer Force, which grants it a recoil-free Life Orb boost, as well as its varied movepool, Landorus-I had both versatility and unpredictability. It was even able to choose whether to better its match-up against defensive teams with Calm Mind or improve the one against offensive builds with Rock Polish. Moreover, because Sheer Force Landorus-I had low usage, players had to decide whether to account for it at the risk of not encountering any or forego preparing for it altogether at the risk of running into one and suffering certain defeat. Sheer Force Landorus-I was, at first, only banned from PRO Ladder Tours; however, it was also banned from Ranked PvP in August 2020. Some illegal combinations, like Psywave Natural Cure/Serene Grace Chansey/Blissey or Curse Technician/Swarm Scizor. While the latter was solely enforced by the Staff team in August 2020, the community still had a say in previous illegal combinations that were banned, including Soft-Boiled Unaware Clefable in September 2017. Speed Boost Blaziken. When PRO’s mechanics shifted from being Gen 6-based to being Gen 7-based, Talonflame’s Gale Wings was effectively nerfed. This once popular Pokémon was no longer highly viable and, as a result, players realized that they had just lost one of the very few tools to keep Speed Boost Blaziken in check. Shortly thereafter, Blaziken was banned in April 2018, as it had become exceedingly hard to revenge kill or prevent from sweeping due to the shakiness of answers like Slowbro and Azumarill. Blaze Blaziken was unbanned in August 2018 thanks to the addition of a clear Speed Boost message that allowed differentiating between Speed Boost Blaziken and Blaze Blaziken. Swagger. The Swagger Clause was added to Ranked PvP in November 2016. SwagPlay teams were extremely uncompetitive and consisted of running Prankster Pokémon able to utilize the move Swagger, typically in conjunction with Thunder Wave and Foul Play. While this strategy never became popular in PRO, due to how quickly the Swagger Clause was borrowed from Smogon, some players still tried to experiment with similar tactics, including Prankster Confuse Ray Sableye, which were far less successful, consistent, and uncompetitive than SwagPlay teams. Please avoid including the following Pokémon in your comments and suggestions: Falinks, Skwovet, and Wooloo. Zacian and Zamazenta. Balance matters aside, these no longer obtainable Gen 8 Pokémon were released in 2021 with the intent of keeping them banned from Ranked PvP for the foreseeable future. Therefore, discussing them now would be pointless. Please make sure to use the following template to discuss any of the aforementioned items. Template: Example of a good submission: Discussed item: Protean Greninja. Course of action: Retesting. Justification: Protean Greninja deserves another shot. Offensive teams can handle it relatively well thanks to priority users and steadily or increasingly common Pokemon like Mega Scizor, Mega Manectric, Mega Alakazam, and even Keldeo and Scarf Lando. Stall is able to deal with Protean Greninja better than most playstyles, even though Spikes can make things tricky. Finally, while balanced teams might still struggle a bit against Protean Greninja, Pokemon like Ferrothorn and Rotom-W are among the most common ones in the metagame. If some players can afford to run HP Grass to beat Defog Rotom-W, you can immediately expect Spikes and Ice Beam, which immediately makes Protean Greninja easier to check. Moreover, many Pokemon that Greninja beats hard, like Volca, Exca, and Gliscor, have been seeing less and less usage, thus rendering Protean Gren less efficient than it used to be. Weavile is still common and can Pursuit trap Greninja to remove it from the game. Overall, 2/3 major playstyles can deal with Protean Greninja decently well. This is why I believe it should at least be considered for a retest. Example of a bad submission: Please unban Gren. It’s frail and has a lot of counters in the metagame like Chansey and Ferrothorn on every team. It also dies easily to Mach Punch and Bullet Punch. Now we have Lopunny, Manectric and Alakazam to outspeed it too, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Main sources: [Un]Banning Dugtrio & Wobbuffet An unhealthy Battle Bond: The Ash-Greninja case Arena Trap. Yes or No. Ban Blaziken Explaining the recent bans of Greninja, Mawilite, and Sablenite and the unbanning of Mega Metagross Genesect, Gothitelle and Blaziken testing phase PvP Feedback – Baton Pass PvP Feedback – Landorus Ranked PvP Rules. Shadow Tag Voting Softboiled and Unaware ability combined – Allow or Ban from ranked PvP? Time to unban normal ability Blaze Blaziken [Edit: Blaze Blaziken is unbanned | H.A Blaziken stays banned]