Competitive Leads in PRO Discussion/Usage

[Enforcer]

 

Hi wanted to contribute to this sub-forum some

a little about me

 

My in-game name is Enforcer, I have finished top 25 for the last 4 PVP seasons on Red Server

 

 

Wanted to share some of my knowledge regarding Lead Pokemon in PRO and what ive experienced at the top tier ELO of PRO on Red server

 

 

Lead - the Pokemon you begin the battle with. In my mind you have 4 types of leads

Role- to give you an early lead in most battles, essentially a mon that sets the rest of ur team up to succeed

 

I personally classify them into

1. Hazard setter (stealth rock,spikes,toxic spikes)

2. Weather inducer (Tyranitar,Politoed,Hippowdon,Ninetails)

3. Extreme offensive threat (physical or special, usually a dragon dance,sword dance,belly drum,shell smash,nasty plot user)

4.Anti lead - possesses numerous coverage moves or taunt to prevent hazards. Occasionally a spinner defogger will lead but that wont be its primary role(see above 3). Also can be a trapper(Magnezone)

 

* some mons fall into multiple categories

 

 

based on my experience here is what i consider to be the most popular leads, mainly at mid to top elo on Red Server

 

Feel free to comment, if ive left some off that u feel u encounter alot at mid-top tier ELO post it, also feel free to comment on if u think a Mon should be moved up or down in popularity.

 

Obviously you can Lead with any Pokemon you want, I only listed ones I feel are in the meta on RED server and have encountered multiple times

the mons in the very sparce tier- i have had encounters only a few times with but they were used by mid-top tier players on red

my goal of the thread is to attempt to narrow down the choices for newer players ,to the mons that are competitive in the current Meta

 

 

 

Frequent Usage

Togekiss Tyranitar Politoed Staraptor Klefki Weavile

 

Moderate Usage

Machamp Galvantula Hippowdon Gyarados Azumarill Gengar Donphan Garchomp Ferrothorn Skarmory

 

 

Sparce Usage

Weezing Mamoswine Dragonite Gliscor Clefable Mew Talonflame Metagross Ninetails

 

 

Very Sparce Usage

Crobat Forretress Swampert Roserade

Bisharp Arcanine Breloom Hydreigon Scizor Jirachi Medicham

Cloyster Magnezone CrawdauntAmbipom Starmie

[Xrevolutionx94]

I like this :3 Although the usages for these pokes in red are wayyyyyy different in yellow :3

[Enforcer]

318828 I like this :3 Although the usages for these pokes in red are wayyyyyy different in yellow :3

 

thats interesting, maybe you could share what the top 5 leads are on Yellow

 

Togekiss is by far the most used at the top on RED

[Thejollypear]

318830--

 

 

This will help me, and hopefully other new PVP'rs out there. Thanks for the hard work put into this!

 

+1 from me.

[Tr3y]

Very helpful and accurate. Good job. ;) :y:

[Xrevolutionx94]

What I seen on Yellow would be A LOT of Toge starts and we all know why besides that we see skarmory,politoad,tyranitar, starmie. There is a bunch of rain teams rn in yellow. I play with a mix of extreme offensive and hazards if I get a good chance to break sturdys and sashes. I played on yellow since it opened and so far been on the top 10/top 5 every season but 1 and I played all physical teams with noting but on going attacks and trying to out think other players. And imo after knowing the player for sometime the win is based off who is the better thinker/pvper in that case. Not who has the best team. But I enjoy the pvp meta and once the ability unaware gets coded and choice items and lifeorbs the meta is in for a big big big change>>as in so many more pokes will be added to the meta. I cant wait for that <3

[Xrevolutionx94]

Also many magnezone starts for the mg pull on skarmorys and toge starts and that's pretty smart tbh and gyara starts :3

[Burdy]

Well done, thanks for all the info!!

 

+1 for me

[Gambilicious]

good list, but i would put drag, ferro, donphan and machamp one down ( in drags case maybe even 2, its rarely getting used as lead)

 

Would move Meta 1 up and who the hell uses Crawdaunt lead? :P

 

 

Also feels like, that starmie leads are somehow fotm right now.

[Coop33]

Where is my classic Ambipom-Lead!

Used to be very strong Pre Gen 6th and hey, guess where we are in PRO. :P

 

Love to lead with him and get a free fake out. If u meet an opponent u already know u can bait an expected ghost type switch in and one shot gengars with knock off who predict your fake out.

I saw ambipom a few times as i pvp´d, atm im a bit out of form tho.