The Anti Meta Issue: VGC Regulation H's Anti Meta Potential

Hi guys today my writeup is going to be about something I hold very close to my heart; all my horrible teambuilding ideas that fall under the anti-meta category! Being a 13 year old way back in 2014, watching Sejun Park’s World Championship, Exploring VGC, discovering elite Anti Meta players like Ashton Cox, Wolfe Glick, James Baek and Jamie Boyt has had me hooked to the playstyle ever since!

I’ve always liked the logic of ‘you know the meta, but they don’t know what your team does’ which is the driving force behind my love for off meta ideas. Also it is just that much edgier and punk to do! But do not fret as this isn’t going to be a thought vomit type of post, I will (try my best to) share with you a list of contenders I think might genuinely find a place on a team that gets a respectable finish in big tournaments. The viability of the ideas tapers down as we move to the bottom tiers of my list because sometimes you really have to get desperate to give a Pokemon a chance.

This list does not cover all of the Pokémon given that I have left out Pokémon like Kommo-o, Baxcalibur and Meowskarada into their own ‘No-Man’s Land’ tier for the Regulation, they don’t have any big compositions to fit into but will definitely be seen and don’t fit the bill of anti-meta. Consequently ideas that just did not make any sense in the current VGC format were also excluded. Giving a particular example of this is the scope lens, focus energy crit Inteleon, you’d rather save the time and use something else as an offensive water type, comparatively even a Floatzel on a rain team would do better! Other examples of no case options are Arboliva, Appleton, Arbok, Avaugg or Mabosstiff.

Without rambling on, let’s look at my list and the explanations for it!

Tier 1: Anti Meta’s Top Tier

    This category is going to be about a set of Pokémon that have popped up here and there, I strongly believe they are most likely to become a solid part of the metagame moving forward given more people recognize their strength:

Delphox:

Viability: Fast Psyspam Attacker, This regulation’s Iron Crown

Moves: Expanding Force, Flamethrower, Heat Wave, Nasty Plot, Protect, Dazzling Gleam, Encore, Will-o-wisp, Helping Hand.

Items: Life Orb, Focus Sash, Choice Specs

    Delphox is already strongly on the rise given that in this format it is the premier fast expanding force user. I compare it a lot with Iron Crown given that in the previous regulations Crown was able to hit the top meta threat of flutter mane with its secondary steel STAB whereas in Regulation H Delphox an do the same by threatening Gholdengo with its Fire type attacks.

 

Blaziken:

Viability: Fast attacker, Effective coverage

Moves: Close Combat, Flare Blitz, Fire Pledge, Coaching, Will-o-Wisp, Protect, Swords Dance, Rock Slide, Brave Bird

Items: Focus sash

    Blaziken is a Pokémon that has been grossly overlooked due to power creep but in the current format where steel types are the crown jewel of almost every team the offensive coverage is surely viable. We have had only a single major thus far in regulation H, the Baltimore regional Championships and 2 Blazikens made day 2. Of course, it carried the Flare Blitz and Close Combat for effective STAB options and Protect, but the 4^th support/disruptive move was different. One used coaching and the user utilized fire pledge in combination with a partner Empoleon to set up the sea of fire field effect. Given it also gets other offensive coverage in addition to will-o-wisp Blaziken’s time to shine is coming sooner.

Milotic:

Viability: Anti Incineroar, Disruptor

Moves: Muddy water, Scald, Icy wind, Ice beam, Recover, Coil, Hypnosis, Protect.

Items: Sitrus Berry, Leftovers, Adrenaline Orb

    Milotic has been a dominant part of past metagames and with Incineroar currently crowning itself as the evergreen king of VGC, given it is not as dominant in the current format; Milotic still holds a near and dear place in the format to counter it with competitive. Its other sets of coil + hypnosis with the added annoyance of its longevity getting increased via muddy water’s accuracy drops, the defense buffs from said coil, recovery from moves or items and lastly the turns it can buy via hypnosis can make it a really annoying opponent to face. The current obstacle in its success is the abundance of strong spread damage in this format. Furthermore Milotic struggles to set up in the face of things like Clefable, Gholdengo and Kingambit.

 

Orthworm:

Viability: Body Press sweeper, Anti Garchomp, Anti Bloodmoon Ursaluna

Moves: Iron Defense, Body Press, Protect, Shed Tail, Heavy Slam.

Items: Leftovers, Sitrus Berry

    Recently Joseph Ugarte used this Pokémon in the first Grand Challenge on his sand team. Given it has great perks defensively and can rack up Kos given a Body press Iron Defense setup or throw a wrench in your opponent’s plans via shed tail; Orthworm can be effective.

 

Clefairy:

Viability: Fairy Type Friend Guard User

Moves: Follow me, Icy Wind, Life Dew, Heal Pulse, After You, Thunder wave, Encore, Helping Hand, Dazzling Gleam.

Items: Eviolite.

    Even though Clefable and Maushold are the clear dominant follow me users in this format, Clefairy combines the specs of both. Additionally, Clefairy I really slow allowing it to use tech moves like after you as a trick room counter or support recovery. These slots are usually swapped over for more significant damaging Moonblasts on Clefable.

 

Volbeat and Illumise:

Viability: Prankster Tailwind, Dual Weather, Unique tech moves.

Moves: Tailwind, Rain Dance, Sunnyday, Encore, Light Screen, Endeavor.

Items: Focus Sash, Covert Cloak.

    These two are essentially the 2 peas in a pod situation. The only advantage or niche to using these is their ability to use both the weather conditions with tailwind given the favorable prankster ability. Surely Murkrow can do that as well, something that on paper is much more viable but Murkrow, unlike Volbeat and Illumise cannot learn moves like encore or light screen. It is kind of splitting hairs but Illumise and Volbeat’s niche has shown itself at a regionals level event already and I think it has a proper place in this format.

 

Corviknight:

Viability: Bulky Tailwind setter, Body Press sweeper

Moves: Brave Bird, Body Press, Tailwind, Iron Defense, Roost, Protect, Bulk Up, Taunt.

Items: Sitrus Berry, Leftovers, Rocky Helmet

    Corviknight’s advantage in the format comes from its bulk and amazing defensive typing. Where other tailwind setters are frail and weak Corviknight can stay longer on the field. You can also use it as an anti Blood Moon Ursaluna pokemon as this steel type doesn’t need to worry about ground type moves either. Iron defense body press is something that has shown promise in the past and could work for Corviknight in this format.

 

Blaze-Breed Tauros:

Viability: Intimidate support, Good coverage

Moves: Raging Bull, Flare Blitz, Close Combat, Wild Charge, Will-o-Wisp, High Horsepower, Tera Blast, Rock Tomb.

Items: Life Orb, Mirror Herb, Assault Vest, Focus Sash

    I have used Tauros myself this format, but in testing only and that too was the Aqua-Breed Tauros. This Pokémon is one of the cases of “it fell off” where we saw people testing it in the start of the format but nowadays it really is nowhere to be seen. Given the usability of fighting STAB and intimidate support with its respectable speed and coverage it is surely going to fit on someone’s team sooner or later.

 

Brambleghast

Viability: Fast Tailwind Attack

Moves: Poltergeist, Shadow Sneak, Power Whip, Strenght Sap, Protect, Tera Blast,

Items: Focus sash, Choice Band

    Brambleghast has proven itself to have a very valuable niche in high power level formats such as regulation D format paired with a prankster tailwind user and its wind rider ability. Now given that it doesn’t solely have to rely to tera blast ghost and can use poltergeist as a main attacking option further boosted by tera ghost gives it more tools in its arsenal. Not to mention the low power levels of the current format also make room for it to use the focus sash item increasing its longevity on the field while being an effective attacker. Pair that up with the move strength sap and you have something people need to gear up for in advance.

 

Gastrodon:

Viability: Storm Drain Disruptor

Moves: Earth Power, Ice Beam, Yawn, Clear Smog, Recover, Protect, Muddy Water, Icy Wind, Whirlpool

Items: Sitrus Berry, Rindo Berry, Leftovers, Rocky Helmet, Covert Cloak

     Gastrodon has been 2x a world champ believe it or not. It is not the stat number that is impressive about gastrodon but the little tools it was given that makes it the kingpin of certain formats. With rain being rooted into the foundation of Regulation H, storm drain is yet again highly valuable. Gastrodon also being able to block the big stab attacks from Dondozo and become a worse nightmare given Clear Smog or Yawn, this Pokémon can provide a convincing matchup versus the archetype. I have myself used it as a rain and Garchomp sand counter, to be honest it wasn’t the best fit synergistically but it definitely got said job done.

 

Skeledirge

Viability: Torch Song Sweeper, Dondozo Check

Moves: Torch Song, Shadow Ball, Tera Blast, Yawn, Slack Off, Protect, Earth Power, Will-o-Wisp

Items: Throat Spray, Leftovers, Sitrus Berry

    Way back in regulation A Skeledirge was a great Dondozo check given that it has a mix of both offensive and defensive tools to counter Dondozo. Disruptive moves like slack off and yawn hold back Dondozo as with the unaware ability and a defensive tera, you can quickly rack up big boosts by consecutively using torch song.

 

Greninja:

Viability: Water Shuriken in rain, Fast haze, Dark Typing

Moves: Water Shuriken, Dark Pulse, Haze, Protect, Ice Beam, Hydro pump.

Items: Focus Sash, Loaded dice.

    I would have put it in the No-Man’s Land category for this regulation but I think it really is somewhat niche to not put into that category. Greninja’s main work is to use water shuriken either inside of rain or use it on the partner Annihilpae or Archaludon is order to boost them. Being a fast Haze user also works amazingly for this Pokémon but Maushold being a lot more flexible into multiple matchups almost always makes it preferable over Greninja.

 

Rimbombee:

Viability: Fast Tailwind and Pollen Puff with an inbuilt covert cloak or spore immunity.

Moves: Pollen Puff, Tailwind, Protect, Moonblast, Fake Tears, Light Screen.

    Rimbombee’s excellence comes from its speed stat and amazing abilities making it another viable tailwind support. Sweet veil gives you a anti spore option whereas shield dust is an inbuilt covert cloak. Decent fairy type offense is also quite valuable in the current format.

 

Indeedee

Viability: Fast Psyspam Attacker

Moves: Expanding Force, Hyper Voice, Shadow Ball, Trick, Thunderbolt, Dazzling Gleam, Encore, Gravity.

Items: Choice Specs, Focus Sash

    Indeedee Male, contrary to its female counterpart is going to be an offensive sweeper. Given that setting up psychic terrain can be used as a semi disruptive tool; indeedee also takes offensive advantage by firing off high powered expanding forces and hyper voices on the opponents.

 

Araquanid

Viability: Wide guard supremacy, amazing ability

Moves: Liquidation, Icy Wind, Lunge, Wide Guard, Protect, Mirror Coat, Soak.

Items: Mystic Water, Safety Goggles, Clear Amulet

    Araquanid was a part of this metagame but fell off in recent weeks. Given make it rain from Gholdengo, the Hatterene and Torkoal psyspam sun teams and Tyranitar’s rock slide are all strong spread moves of this format: Araquanid can put a stop to them via the single click of a wide guard. This can also be used in tandem with its water bubble ability doubling its water type damage, preventing burns and using leech life or lunge to further make it annoying, Araquanid can find itself on some Reg H teams.

 

Gengar:

Viability: Fast attacker, Disruptive Support.

Moves: Shadow Ball, Sludge Bomb, Haze, Will-o-Wisp, Taunt, Trick Room, Imprison, Icy Wind, Encore, Disable, Dazzling Gleam, Thunderbolt, Thunderwave, Clear Smog, Perish Song.

Items: Focus Sash, Choice Specs, Assault Vest

    While it is unfortunately certain that generation 9 is past Gengar’s prime, it still carries good tools in its arsenal. In this relatively slow format, Gengar’s speed is something noticeable. It also gets a wide array of offensive attacks with the inbuilt fake out immunity and ability to neuter toxic spikes from Glimmora. You might find it questionable as to why have I put Choice specs and Assault Vest on this frail Pokémon, but mind you Ashton Cox had ran a choice specs bulky Gengar way back in 2014, something that lived a Politoed’s Hydro Pump in the rain, a reasonably strong attack of said metagame. Given that speed investment or quite frankly special attack investment is not a priority as both are naturally given, someone somewhere might benefit by running a bulky coverage tank Gengar on their team.

 Offensive capabilities aside, we already know Gengar has been well known for its disruptive prowess in VGC, having a tech or two in that case could also work.

 

Scyther:

Viability: Technician Attacker

Moves: Dual Wingbeat, Bug Bite, Pounce, Close Combat, Protect, Tailwind, Aerial Ace.

Items: Focus sash, Life Orb, Eviolite.

    People don’t realize this that Scyther and Scizor both have the same base stat total and it was always the typing of Scizor that allowed it to shine so much in VGC. However, in a format where fighting types are very useful and Rillaboom is running wild, a very useful case for Scyther can be made. Additionally, this Pokémon can set up tailwind for its teammates as well.

 

Gyarados

Viability: Intimidate Support and Set up Sweeper.

Moves: Waterfall, Tera Blast, Thunder Wave, Dragon Dance, Taunt, Protect, Icy Wind, Ice fang, Earthquake, Helping Hand, Scary Face.

Items: Sitrus Berry, Clear Amulet, Leftovers

    Gyarados has proven itself in many a past format, at times as a dragon dance sweeper and recently in Scarlet and Violet as a stellar (no pun intended) support option for big attackers. With the lower power level favoring its set up sweeping potential and its supportive sets being supported in this very same generation of competitive Pokemon, additionally given the lack of Electric Types in this format; Gyarados can become a key player.

 

Toxicroak:

Viability: RainCore Check, Rillaboom Check, Fast Fake Out User

Moves: Fake Out, Close Combat, Drain Punch, Sucker Punch, Poison Jab, Gunk Short, Protect, Low Sweep.

Items: Focus sash, Choice Band, Assault vest.

    We have seen this Pokémon be prevalent in very high-power level formats with dual restricted legendries and it was all given the very specific techs it carries for competitive. The dry skin ability combined with its moves of fake out and sucker punch and most importantly Close combat for the current format’s Raincore Archaludon makes a great case for its use. There was a time where people really were hyped up about this Pokémon but yet again… it ‘fell off’. In my opinion it can pick back up anytime rain starts to top the charts in Regulation H or someone could have it really shine on a team that struggles with said archetype.

 

Tier 2: Most Confident in:

These are the Pokémon which I feel most confidence about. Yes, they have had success in the past or carry very important techs for this format but haven’t been explored as much in the current format. Disclaimer: I started this writeup before Dortmund regionals so DrifDeedee on this list and Magmar popped up with great showing on said weekend. Regardless I chose to put them here (selfishly as a pat on the back to validate that some options can swoop into the metagame)

 

Hariyama

Viability: Psyspam and P2 Ursaluna composition counter, Strong Trick room attacker

Moves: Fake Out, Close Combat, Detect, Knock Off, Wide Guard, Ice Punch, Rock Slide, Feint, Upper Hand.

Items: Flame Orb, Safety Goggles

    Of all the Pokémon on this list, Hariyama has the most going for it. For once the psyspam archetype can be countered by it via the click of a single wide guard and it can itself become a great trick room sweeper given the guts orb set. Speaking of the guts orb set; it also implies that Hariyama is immune to Amoonguss’ spores in trick room. Moreover, it can counter the key core of Porygon 2, Ursaluna, Incineroar and Amoonguss in this format with relative ease while also carrying wide guard for Gholdengo on such teams.

 

Altaria

Viability: Weather Counter, Dozo Check, Tailwind Support

Moves: Tailwind, Haze, Will-o-Wisp, Moonblast, Dazzling Gleam, Air Slash, Draco Meteor, Protect, Perish Song, , Helping Hand, Roost, Safeguard, Fire Spin.

Items: Sitrus berry

    Altaria is a Pokemon that was used bits way back in regulation A due to its Haze, Will-o-Wisp and Tailwind carrying sets. One thing to note here is that weather was just not common back then, however now weather seems to be the talk of the town which means Altaria gets to fully utilize its cloud nine ability and pave a way for its partners by disruption.

 

Malamar

Viability: Anti Incineroar, Anti Psypspam

Moves: Superpower, Knock Off, Trick Room, Topsy Turvy, Protect, Psycho Cut, Destiny Bond, Disable, Taunt.

Items: Life Orb, Sitrus Berry

    Malamar is in quite an interesting spot this regulation given that it can smack Incineroars given its contrary ability and the move super power with which it can stack amazing stat boosts. This specific mon also works really well against Psyspam for being a dark type with trick room access itself to be able to reverse it in your team’s favor. For the current metagame it can put great work into the standard P2, Ursaluna compositions. Additionally Topsy Turvy can act as a pseudo haze as a Dondozo matchup.

 

Gothitelle

Viability: Shadow Tag, Fake Out, Trick Room and Imprison.

Moves: Fake out, Psychic, Psychic Noise, Heal Pulse, Protect, Thunderwave, helping hand, taunt, Tickle.

Items: Sitrus Berry, Safety Goggles, Mental Herb, Leftovers

    Gothitelle has had solid performances throughout the years of VGC given its amazing shadow tag ability. Admittedly in regulation H Gothitelle lacks much performances but this is the Pokémon I believe is most likely to pick up in usage. Not to mention its ability to be a fake out user in a format with relatively low power levels, I strongly believe a new perish trap archetype might be birthed!

 

Mamoswine

Viability: Dragon counter, Physical attacker

Moves: Icicle Spear, Icicle Crash, Ice Shard, Earthquake, High Horsepower, Haze, Protect, Rock Slide, Substitute.

Items: Life Orb, Loaded dice, Focus sash

    Mamoswine’s viability has increased with the new loaded dice item’s interaction with multi hit moves. Now that you have a 100% accurate, multi hit (so you break focus sashes) 100 BP ice move in icicle spear, Mamoswine doesn’t have to rely on Icicle Crash’s shaky accuracy, Ofcourse with steel types running around the ground type coverage also helps a great deal and the intimidate immunity via its oblivious ability is also nothing to scoff at. Interestingly enough Mamoswine also gets the tech move haze which is ever so valuable in Dondozo formats.

 

Magnezone

Viability: High base special attack, sturdy ability and magnet pull ability

Moves: Thunderbolt, Volt Switch, Flash Cannon, Protect, Tera Blast, Discharge, Steel Beam, Substitute

Items: Life orb, Choice Specs, Magnet

    Another overlooked Pokemon right now in my opinion is Magnezone. With steel types being all the rage; Magnezone is not only is itself a steel type, but can also trap them in via magnet pull and snipe them with something like a tera blast ground or fighting! Given its sturdy ability means that you have the benefit of focus sash and its electric typing assures that you can use it to counter the rain cores of this format.

 

Politoed

Viability: The other rain setter, haze user, perish song user.

Moves: Weather ball, Icy wind, Perish Song, Haze, Protect, Ice Beam.

Items: Sitrus Berry, Leftovers

    Politoed is something that gets used on and off on regulation H teams but I feel like its true potential is still not discovered yet. Politoed, unlike Pelipper (which is in practice stronger and far ore popular in this regulation) relies more on its defensive tools. Given the right archetype politoed could be a mainstay. I don’t think committing to hyper offense rain is the one for it, for the ability to disrupt weather with setting up rain, using haze as a dondozo counter and also getting tools like perish song, Politoed is bound to get a strong finish as the season progresses.

 

Klefki:

Viability: Dual Screens + Light Clay, Defensive Typing

Moves: Reflect, Light Screen, Thunder wave, Foul Play, Dazzling Gleam, Trick Room, Imprison, Sunny Day, Rain Dance.

Items: Light Clay, Covert Cloak, Sitrus Berry

    Klefki is an oddball to discuss here but I do think it can pick up in use. We just saw a Grimmsnarl get a  very respectable finish at Baltimore regionals and Klefki effectively has the same tools for what Grimmsnarl uses but with a different typing. Steel and fairy is a strong defensive type combination and someone might replace their Grimmsnarls with a Klefki as regulation H moves forward. Klefki can also become an annoying trick room + imprision user or set up or use weather setting moves disruptively.

 

Charizard

Viability: Powerful Sun Attacker

Moves: Heat wave, Flamethrower, Blast burn, Air Slash, Solarbeam, Scorching Sands.

Items: Life Orb, Choice Specs

    Gen 1’s Favorite child Charizard is definitely a second rate Hisuian Typhlosion at the moment. Its differences come from its offenses not relying on its HP given Eruption is risky to go for. The reason it is second rate is that it can be hit by a fake out, and given defensive plays you lose an effective bunch of your HP at the end of every turn spent in the sun.

 

Sylveon

Viability:  Strong Fairy Stab

Moves: Hyper Voice, Quick Attack, Tera Blast, Detect, Yawn, Hyper Beam, Shadow Ball,

Items: Choice Specs, Life Orb, Pixie Plate/Fairy Feather

    Sylveon has been such a beast in middling to low power level formats because of the strong spread fairy type attacks it can fire off given Hyper voice paired with Pixiliate. It was overshadowed by Flutter mane in majority of the S/V regulations but now that Flutter mane is gone… well it is still overshadowed by Primarina, the other spread attack user which has a slightly better defensive typing. The favor goes to Primarina given the abundance of dominant steel types in this format. Sylveon is different however in its ability to flip the type chart against steel types with tera fire tera blast or mystical fire: something that gives it a strong niche over Primarina.

 

Breloom

Viability: Fast spore, Fighting STAB.

Moves: Mach Punch, Superpower, Bullet seed, Spore, Protect, Rock Tomb, Feint.

Items: Focus sash, Loaded Dice

    Breloom has seen use and impressive finishes in formats that had Megas and even restricted Pokémon, mind you, it was also formats Amoonguss was available. Breloom is naturally the fastest spore user in this format (Given Toedscreul gets nerfed by its ability) and with fighting type coverage being super valuable this format it is sure to get some good finishes. Some people have innovated on the only viable breloom set; the good old standard technician mach punch focus sash set and have given it a stronger close combat with the loaded dice item to up the offensive power. Given a base 130 attack stat, Breloom as a sweeper that has a 100% chance to connect a sleep move doesn’t sound to shabby at all!

 

Magmar

Viability: Follow Me Support, Anti Amoonguss

Moves: Follow Me, Clear Smog, Will-o-Wisp, Flamethrower, Protect, Overheat, Acid Spray, Helping Hand.

Items: Eviolite

    Much like its cousin Electabuzz, Magmar also can enjoy become viable on a plethora of teams in this format. Given its bulk and follow me paired with either flame body or vital spirit: Magmar vs Electabuzz becomes a case of type and speed control preference. Whereas Electabuzz gets speed control via electroweb, Magmar can utilize the move clear smog to stave off the set up sweepers and most importantly Dondozo from taking away games.

 

Drifblim

Viability: Terrain partner

Moves: Shadow Ball, Acrobatics, Will-o-Wisp, Haze, Tailwind, Thunderwave, Destiny Bond, Strength Sap, Icy Wind, Knock Off, Hypnosis.

Items: Psychic seed, Grassy Seed

    Meanwhile the dominant terrain boosted Pokémon is Sneasler and that too for good reason, Drifblim has been notorious for offering a more defensive or disruptive role alongside terrain setters in previous generations. It definitely isn’t a huge sweeper but can rely on reliable moves like shadow ball for special damage or utilize acrobatics for physical damage well. Moves like destiny bond, tailwind, thunder wave, will-o-wisp and most importantly clear smog and haze in this format are highly potent. With Rillaboom and Indeedee female both being relatively defensive pieces of this format, the only viable partner for Drifblim right now stands in Indeedee’s male variant. Mind you Drifblim also has the ability to disrupt opposing weather by setting up rain dance or sunny day.

 

Chandelure

Viability: Strong special attacker, Disruptive role

Moves: Shadow Ball, Flamethrower, Will-o-Wisp, Heat Wave, Haze, Protect, Trick Room, Imprison, Taunt, Trick, Minimize.

Items: Focus sash, Life orb

    A big potential Pokemon on this list has to be Chandelure. With a monstrous special attack stat with a very decent ghost and fire typing Chandelure can slide itself into the metagame at any point, of course given the beastly dragons, sand and rain are not making the best case for fire being a great offensive type; Chandelure can also rely on its disruptive tools including will-o-wisp, clear smog and trick room + imprison sets as a niche for its viability.

 

Mudsdale

Viability: Inner Focus Ground Type attacker, Stamina boost mon.

Moves: Earthquake, High Horsepower, Heavy Slam, Rock Slide, Close Combat, Body Press, Fissure.

Items: Leftovers, Sitrus Berry, Choice Band, Life orb

    Mudsdale is one of the most overlooked pokemon right now. Sure Ursaluna when properly set up provides more raw offensive output, but mudsdale enjoys the advantage of having inner focus completely negating Incineroar, one of Ursaluna’s prime counters. Furthermore you can use this Pokémon as a stamina boost partner with body press, sure Archaludon would fit in 98% of the teams much better but for that one team, Mudsdale might be better.

 

Sableye

Viability: Dual Screens + Will-o-Wisp + Fake out Immunity

Moves: Shadow Sneak, Fake out, Icy Wind, Night Shade, Thunderwave, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sucker Punch, Foul Play, Willo-Wisp, Reflect, Light Screen, Taunt, Confuse Ray, Gravity,

Items: Light Clay, Sitrus Berry

    The description I wrote for its viability is exactly what gives it the edge over Grimmsnarl and Klefki. Sableye also gets access to a relatively unique speed control move in Quash which can work inside of trick room to make a single opponent move last in the turn order.

 

Rotom-Wash

Viability: Levitate, Good Bulk, Disruptive Moves

Moves: Thunderbolt, Hydro Pump, Will-o-Wisp, Protect, Trick, Shadow Ball, Volt Switch, Dark Pulse, Electroweb, Uproar, Nasty Plot

Items: Sitrus Berry, Leftovers, Choice Scarf, Choice Specs.

    Just like some of the pokemon on this list, they are simply here because they have proven themselves to be part of the metagame in the past. That is not the only spec that Rotom carries as in this particular format, with the prevalence of Raincore, Garchomp and Ursaluna being prevalane tits specificities do have a very profound use. I think the main drawback that prevents people from using Rotom wash is the shaky accuracy of some of its moves which doesn’t seem as worth it in 2024 as it might have seemed a decade ago.

 

Rotom-Heat

Viability: Levitate, Good Bulk, Disruptive Moves, Set up Sweeper

Moves: Thunderbolt, Overheat, Nasty Plot Will-o-Wisp, Protect, Trick, Shadow Ball, Volt Switch, Dark Pulse, Electroweb, Uproar

Items: Safety Goggles, Sitrus Berry, Leftovers, Choice Scarf, Choice Specs.

    Rotom-Heat can also be really potent given how common the pairing of Amoonguss and Gholdengo is. Moreover, having answers into both Primarina and Rillaboom at once makes me feel like it can have a very useful place in this format. Again, the problem with Rotom-Heat is that other Pokémon, that are a lot more flexible are using more accurate or efficient fire type attacks than Overheat.

 

Infernape:

Viability: Faster fake outs, the only Pokemon that uses aura sphere with STAB.

Moves: Fake Out, Close Combat, Aura Sphere, Flare Blitz, Overheat, Flamethrower, Protect, Encore, Will-o-Wisp, Vacuum Wave, Upper Hand.

Items: Focus Sash.

    Faster fake outs, the only Pokemon that uses aura sphere with STAB. Better fire and fighting options are part of the metagame, namely Blaziken has been popping up recently, Infernape’s fast fake out feels undervalued vs Speed Boost and Coaching. Albeit, you need to consider that Infernape gets access to the tech move Encore which Blaziken can not.

 

Tier 3: Could see them:

This tier is filled with Pokemon that I might not be the most confident in, however given their past use or some specific techs I think they could have an anti-meta-appearance here and there. Some of the specific techs also land them on a proper team in the metagame.

Azumarill:

Viability: Belly Drum Sweeper, Offensive Water Type, Defensive Typing, Bait Disruptor

Moves: Liquidation, Aqua Jet, Play Rough, Superpower, Belly Drum, Ice Punch, Protect, Perish Song, Sing, Knock Off, Ice Spinner.

Items: Sitrus Berry, Choice Band, Assault Vest, Life Orb.

    Azumarill, just like Gyarados has proven itself in the past, when set up properly, this Pokémon has stood its ground in higher power level formats with megas way back in 2015. Unlike the need of choice locking with Basculegion or switch setting with Palafin, Azumarill is more ready made of an attacker in my eyes. Also this Pokémon enjoys the unique perk of running some key disruptive sets on some perish trap sets (albeit best of 1 success level compositions) its sap sipper ability makes it Amoonguss immune furthermore pairing with moves like sing to disrupt. Of course one can tap into the OG Belly Drum sweeping sets to take wins, but obviously psychic terrain and the occasional Farigaraf are hurdles in the way.

 

Braviary

Viability: Defiant, Bulkier than Flamigo

Moves: Brave Bird, Close Combat, Tailwind, Protect, Double Edge.

Items: Covert Cloak, Sitrus Berry

    Braviary just like Staraptor feels a tad bit outclassed in this format by another Pokémon, in Braviary’s case it is Flamigo. However its differences from Flamigo make the case for its viability! Braviary is naturally bulkier than flamingo given you don’t have to expend your focus sash item on this slot and can go for something like a covert cloak to have fake out immunity without using tera ghost. Furthermore defiant pressures opponents from switching in their intimidate users and punishes odd effect stat drops from attacks like moonblast. Given the normal typing a very specific situation can allow it to wall a choice locked mon like Gholdengo if it has used Shadow ball.

 

Quaquaval:

Viability: Aqua Step + Moxie set

Items: Clear Amulet, Focus sash, Grassy seed, Psychic Seed, Assault Vest

Moves: Aqua Step, Close Combat, Aqua Jet, Protect, Ice Spinner, Acrobatics, Knock Off, Triple Axel, U-turn, Wave Crash, Upper Hand.

    Quaquaval’s edge over the other water types of the format comes from its fighting stab options along with its moxie + aqua step sets which allow it to set up a pseudo dragon dance boost for itself. Admittedly I once lost a bo3 set to this mon and so I recently testing it myself. Quaquaval is not the one to pick up 1hkos by itself so it is tougher to play because you need to time sending it on the field at the right time. It reminds me of the past interaction of Palafin vs Azumarill where people preferred the latter at a point due to Palafin requiring a switching setup to fully utilize.

 

Kilowattrel:

Viability: Fast Tailwind Setter, Electric Type Offense

Moves: Tailwind, Thunderbolt, Protect, Air Slash, Electroweb, Endeavor, Volt-Switch, Weather Ball, Thunder, Hurricane.

Items: Focus sash, Covert Cloak, Choice Specs

    Kilowattrel being naturally the fastest tailwind setter the format has to offer makes it special. Furthermore being able to snipe opposing flying types and water types with STAB electric coverage that, atleast on paper, seems like it can put in some work. With Kilowattrel’s Competitive ability and a good special attack stat, I believe it has the bells and whistles to become a partial rain sweeper as well with an item like Choice Specs.

 

Mimikyu

Viability: Disguise Ability, Good typing

Moves: Shadow Sneak, Shadow Claw, Curse, Trick Room, Play Rough, Will-o-Wisp, Taunt, Wood Hammer, Swords Dance Misty Terrain, Protect

Items: Mental Herb, Life Orb, Fairy Feather

    Mimikyu is already one of the earliest regional champs in generation 9 and of course given its excellent signature ability, it will be viable whenever available. It is just that better trick room archetypes are trending at the moment as the trick room setters, whereas successful are 1: slower than Mimikyu and 2: have better offensive output than Mimikyu. However, as the format develops I think people are likely to tap into using Mimikyu.

 

Garganacl

Viability: Salt Cure stalling.

Moves: Salt Cure, Recover, Wide Guard, Protect, Iron Defense, Body Press

Items: Leftovers, Sitrus Berry, Rocky helmet.

    Garganacl has 1 super important thing going for it, however that one thing it does super duper well! Salt cure is an extremely annoying move and with the present state of the format being filled with water and steel types, this guy can put in important work. It only helps that wide guard in regulation H is a much more important move, another tech Garganacl carries so I wouldn’t be surprised to see this guy pop up somewhere big!

 

Arcanine

Viability: Bulky Intimidate pivot, Justified Sweeper

Moves: Flare Blitz, Flamethrower, Extreme Speed, Snarl, Will-o-Wisp, Wild Charge, Protect, Morning Sun.

Items: Sitrus Berry, Pinch Berries, Assault Vest, Choice Band

    I view the dynamic between the Kantonian vs Hisuian Arcanine as that of Scar and Mufasa. Sure Arcanine’s Hisuian variant might be generally more applicable but I think the OG has some good techs that can lead it to getting used in this regulation. The most prominent one is that it is neither 4x weak to water or ground type attacks in its base form making it generally bulkier. In addition to that Kantonian Arcanine can sit out Make it Rain spam as its pure fire type allows it to resist the move. Of course, you can go for the cheesier side beat up justified proc sets.

We cannot overwrite what this Pokémon can go given it had such dominant performances alongside Palafin and Amoonguss in the 2023 season. Arcanine’s entire thing is getting power crept and then coming back as the king and Regulation H feels like another time this history will repeat itself.

 

Scizor

Viability: Steel type priority attacker

Moves: Bullet punch, Swords Dance, Protect, Bug Bite, Aerial Ace, Close Combat, Feint, Upper Hand.

Items: Life Orb, Choice Band.

    Scizor is majorly power crept and its place has been taken by other steel types in the current format, however with fighting and ground types becoming popular to counter said steel types, Scizor takes neutral damage from both of the aforementioned instead of super effective damage, for the first time making a bug type advantageous for a Pokémon. Swords dance setup and Scizor getting its own fighting coverage with close combat makes a good case for its use.

 

Sneasel

Viability: Fast Fake Out, Great Typing, Great ability

Moves: Fake Out, Knock Off, Ice Punch, Ice Shard, Taunt, Icy Wind, Beat Up

Items: Focus Sash, Eviolite.

    Sneasel is a sneaky one with all the things it hs going for it. Sure there are many viable fake out users and dark types to disrupt and be immune to the psyspam teams but Sneasel is the faster than most of these. What’s better about Sneasel is that it also packs STAB ice coverage with a high base speed allowing it to snipe the 4x weak Dragon types of this format including Garchomp and Dragonite. Unlike its evolution in Weavile, Sneasel enjoys the privilege of having the ability inner focus which prevents its attacks from dropping via intimidate spamming making sure that the offensive prowess it has to offer versus this format is delivered effectively with Archaludon, Annihilape and the occasional Weak Armor Weakness Policy Armarouge team that pops up now and then, Sneasel gets the key move beat up to assist said strategies.

 

Ludicolo

Viability: Rain Sweeper.

Moves: Fake Out, Hydro Pump, Muddy Water, Ice Beam, Icy Wind, Giga Drain, Energy Ball, Encore, Focus Blast, Weather Ball, Bullet Seed, Tera Blast

Items: Choice Specs, Assault Vest, Sitrus Berry, Leftovers, Absorb Bulb

    Ludicolo might not seem as useful at first but I put it this high because I think it has some very useful answers into the raincore of this format. Being a grass type it can get super effective coverage into  Basculegion, if we are to tech on a tera fighting tera blast or have a cheeky focus blast on the set we can also do great deal of damage to Archaludon now. For it being a rain sweeper it has the innate power immunity allowing it to ignore Amoonguss too. Some disruptive moves like Encore, Bullet Seed for the side proc and most importantly Fake out make a very strong case for this duck man.

 

Bruxish:

Viability: Dazzling ability

Moves: Wave Crash, Trick Room, Ice Fang, Psychic Fangs, Taunt, Protect, Icy Wind, Flip Turn

Items: Clear Amulet, Focus sash,

    In a world where Farigaraf has been all the rage, Bruxish being the original torch bearer with Dazzling can have its place. I do believe that a Bruxish composition was used in Worlds 2023 championship as a convincing trick room setter at that. Moves like Psychic Fangs, Ice fang and Wave Crash also have useful offensive coverage given the current Regulation H format, a format that favors offensive output from its trick room setters.

Cinderace:

Viability: Fast Protein Attacker

Moves: Flare Blitz, Hi Jump Kick, Iron Head, Low Kick, Gunk Shot, Sucker Punch, Pyro Ball, Zen Headbutt, U turn,

Items: Life Orb.

    Speaking of ex torch bearers, Cinderace was the past generation’s Meowskarada. Protein’s nerf is the biggest hit to its viability in my opinion. Albeit, in a format where FWG cores are all the rage, Cinderace has its place somewhere on someone’s team.

 

Kleavor:

Viability: Unique Tailwind setter

Moves: Stone Axe, X-Scissors, Tailwind, Protect, Close Combat, U turn, Feint, Quick Guard.

Items: Focus sash, Life orb.

    A bug type that deals with flying types itself. Sharpness boosted attacks and a unique tailwind setter. Bug coverage is rare in terms of offense in this format but can provide useful answers into Indeedee, moreover the stone axe setting up hazards can be useful for slow paced teams. Not very many solid compositions to place it in is the downside.

 

Dusclops:

Viability: Bulky Trick Room setter

Moves: Trick Room, Haze, Wil-o-Wisp, Taunt, Night shade, Shadow Sneak, Helping Hand, Bulldoze, Pain Split.

Items: Eviolite.

    Bulky Trick room setter not weak to fighting types, annoying movepool + haze user. Tons of utility moves + fake out immunity that Porygon 2 or Hatterene do not get access to. Better trick room setters out there + Incineroar and Kingambit dominant format doesn’t favor it at the moment. Given that if you are building a trick room composition you can carry the option to out speed and taunt Amoonguss once in trick room with Dusclops.

 

Mandibuzz:

Viability: Powder and Psyspam Immune Tailwind Disruptor.

Moves: Tailwind, Snarl, Foul Play, Roost, Taunt, Knock Off, Whirlwind, Feather Dance, Theif.

Items: Sitrus Berry, Psychic Seed, Grassy Seed, Rocky Helmet, Leftovers.

    Amoonguss and Psyspam immunity + disruptive support. The point against it is that the format support immediate tailwind setter and better anti Amoonguss modes exist on teams.

 

Lumineon:

Viability: Storm Drain Tailwind Disruptor

Moves: Tailwind, Encore, Flip Turn, Soak, Protect, Safeguard, Icy Wind, Ice beam, Charm

Items:

    This sounds like a joke, but for being someone who used Gastrodon for its sole ability of storm drain into countering the rain core, I think Lumineon could be someone’s ideal tailwind setter. Even a decently fast base speed as 91 is not to be written off, as the format’s major players can be outsped in regulation G. Furthermore moves like encore, flip turn, icy wind or soak can provide a mix of disruption and surprise, something that your opponent definitely never prepper for.

Heracross:

Viability: Fighting Type Gutsorb Attacker.

Moves: Close Combat, High Horsepower, Knock Off, Megahorn, Detect, Facade, Rock Slide.

Items: Flame Orb

    Heracross can be a fast yet strong gutsorb option with fighting STAB. It is faster than Hariyama or Conkeldurr + deals with psychic types itself. Not being part of any solid comps right now hurts its usability. Another key detail here is that Heracross is base 85 speed with access to High Horsepower and Knock Off making it a great tech vs Gholdengo too!

Snorlax:

Viability: Bulky Set up Sweeper or Coverage Monster

Moves: Body Slam, Double Edge, High Horsepower, Belly Drum, Curse, Protect, Rest, Recycle, Heat Crash, Ice Punch, Seed Bomb, Crunch, Hammer Arm, Gunk Shot, Yawn, Encore.

Items: Assault Vest, Sitrus Berry, Leftovers, Aguav Berry

    Like many, Snorlax has been at the top of the charts in previous VGC formats. It could either be a belly drum sweeper, or a bulky attacker. What’s fun about it is that it can utilize both gluttony and thick fat as its useful ability. We have seen rare Assault vest coverage base sets for Snorlax as recent as regulation G. sure Snorlax’s Normal Type provides it a good sponge into Astral Barrages but it holding onto such a high power level format speaks for its viability.

 

Overqwil:

Viability: The Other Rain Sweeper

Moves: Poison Jab, Throat Chop, Substitute, Protect, Gunk Shot, Haze, Aqua Tail, Aqua Jet, Destiny Bond, Icy wind, Taunt, Toxic Spikes.

Items: Life Orb, Choice Band, Focus Sash, Clear Amulet

    Even though we haven’t seen much success from non water type swift swim sweepers in VGC’s history Overqwil has some useful techs in this format. Being a dark type makes it anti psyspam, atop of which you can have strong poison coverage to counteract big fairy attackers like Hatterene and Primarina. The poison stab being a great answer into Rillaboom as well and in rain, it outpacing Dragapult with a stab dark attack makes it feel particularly promising.

Serperior:

Viability: Contrary set up

Moves: Leaf Storm, Reflect, Light screen, Glare, Protect, Dragon Pulse, Tera Blast.

Items: Leftovers, Miracle Seed, Light Clay

    Serperior holds great potential when it comes to utilizing the contrary + Leaf storm moveset. This alone can make a great case for its use. Atop of this some people in the recent Grand Challenge have explored a part screen setting set for Serperior and piloted it to great success. Serperior also gets the unique tech of being able to use tera blast’s stat drops to its own advantage by flipping them via contrary into attack boosts. I strongly believe Serperior’s time is coming sooner than later in Regulation H.

 

Tier 4: Usable Niche

This tier contains Pokémon that have a smaller role they can play within this format. They are not going to be the star of the teams they feature in but can patch up small holes in the team’s fabric given their techs:

Pokemon	Niche
Slowking	Hatterene needs to tera out of its psychic fairy type to a fire or water type in order to resist make it rains or eruptions from Gholdengo or Torkoal respectively, Slowking naturally resists both. One of the few lines to get the move Scald as well makes it a potent Trick Room sweeper
Noivern	Unlike other Tailwind setters it can threaten a 1HKO on Garchomp and other Dragon types of the format. It also gets Super Fang access.
Grumpig	Between the pure Psychic type, Thick Fat Ability and the comfortability to have a Assault vest set with Snarl it can provide amazing utility versus the Torkoal Psyspam teams. Packing on Psychic noise and Body press as the other two moves can help further into the P2-Ursaluna Trick room teams.
Abomasnow	Snow setter that can work in trick room and has a spore immunity. It also gets the valuable coverage with Earth Power. Being able to terasstal out of a poor defensive typing makes it worth looking into in this generation.
Ninetales	Torkoal is much more effective as the sun setting sweeper but Ninetales can provide a more disruptive role with annoying moves including Will-o-wisp, Encore, Disable as well as fast Overheats that take a chunk out of the opponent in Sun
Rhyperior	Ursaluna is established as the trick room sweeper, but Rhyperior can also pack a serious punch. Having access to the elemental punches helps it take on multiple type of Pokémon added with the benefit of access to solid rock as an ability.
Goodra	Gets Sap Sipper or Gooey Ability, can be ran with Assault vest and before one of the tankiest mons to exist. Goodra is a pseudo legendary marking it with a base 600 total stat points. I think it can and will be used by someone.
Venusaur	Fast sleep powder and stab poison type coverage under the sun. the current format however supports manual sun setting and lets fire types be its sweepers.
Raichu	A former world champ with multiples tools like encore, fake out, super fang and nuzzle in its arsenal. Given electro shot can be dealt with otherwise; Raichu is finding hard to root itself onto an archetype.
Gardevior	Fast Hatterene with Access to Telepathy ability making room for partners like Garchomp or Toxtricity to be used on the same team. Arguably gets better coverage with access to Thunderbolt as well.
Medicham	Pure power is a potent ability. Combine that with fake out and Fighting STAB and further add on the ability to skill swap the pure power around makes Medicham something worth looking into even if for a very specific niche.
Weavile	Fast Fake out, STAB Ice and Dark coverage are the main selling points of Weavile. In a format where dragon types are becoming the key piece to popular compositions, Weavile is sure to have a solid place. Heck this guy can even pack a punch , or to be specific a kick, with low kick to deal with steel types and land strong hits into the Steel/Ghost Gholdengo.
Hisuian-Goodra	Middling power level formats have seen success of Body Press sweepers and Goodra has been the talk of the town, unfortunately never materializing as a true part of a metagame. What’s unique about Goodra as compared to Kommo-o fitting in this role is that it can use Life Dew and has a much more defensive type to start setting off of.
Crabominable	With Hyper Cutter, Fighting STAB and Ice STAB Crabominable has very useful coverage into this format and can work as a trick room sweeper. Particularly against Porygon 2 and Ursaluna cores with Incineroar and Amoonguss.
Dragalge	Dragalge can be a tanky trick room sweeper with amazing coverage given it also gets access to adaptability but the format is not supportive of such trick room strats in the moment. It also gets access to Haze increasing its usability.
Tsareena	It has a great ability and can utilize Triple Axel extremely well making it a great Anti Rillaboom option. Packing on some fighting type coverage and threatening mons like sucker punch Kingambit are also covered.
Lokix	First Impression, Dark Type and Tinted Lens are great traits for this Pokémon making it usable.
Rotom-Mow	It might not be as dominant as its cousin forms given it doesn’t resist Pelipper’s hurricanes and offensive grass coverage is not as important, regardless I can see it be the best Rotom Form on someone’s team.
Spiritomb	Dark Type, Trick Room setter with Will-o-Wisp is good for an anti meta Resume in Regulation H Having Curse, Ally Switch, Destiny Bond and Icy Wind can make a case for Spiritomb over Dusclops. Ofcourse, a base 92 special attack stat is not too shabby when you want to fire off STAB snarls for some chip giving it great lines into Psyspam.

 

Tier 6: Outclassed

These are potent Pokémon but the current format, either due to the relative structure and other times due to more flexibility favors others over the little niche these guys have to offer.

Pokemon	Potential Role	Better Options
Kingdra	Dragon type Swift Swim sweeper that has Clear Smog to counter Dondozo. If you want to run it as a meme its special and physical attack stat is the same and Kingdra is one of the few blessed children to get Wave Crash, pair that with Outrage and Flip Turn to troll the ladder.	Basculegion or even Ludicolo
Oranguru	Trick room setter with both Oblivious and Inner Focus to assist in setup. Also with the signature move Instruct that can make partner’s double the threat.	Format’s preferred options are ones that can deal instant damage themselves e.g. Indeedee and Porygon 2
Houndstone	Sand Sweeper with fast Last Respects and Will-o-Wisps.	Excadrill can be brought in the front or back of the party. Doesn’t have to wait to power itself up offensively.
Lycanroc	Fast STAB Rock Slides as a Sand sweeper and Focus Sash Endeavor Strategies.	Excadrill has better coverage and typing as compared to pure rock.
Hippowdon	Sets up sand and has more defensively oriented moves like Sand Tomb, Slack Off and Yawn	Tyranitar’s offensive coverage with Assault Vest handles much more.
Metagross	Pseudo Legendary with Clear Body and massive attack stat	Steel and Psychic is not a great typing. Better steel types are dominant in terms of coverage and secondary typing such as Kingambit, Archaludon and Gholdengo
Staraptor	Scarf Final Gambit with Intimidate and Flying coverage	Second rate to Annihilape in most if not all cases.
Meowstic	Prankster Yawn alongside other useful prankster support moves	Grimmsnarl, Sableye or Klefki have much better typing
Conkeldurr	Strong Gutsorb attacker with Wide Guard to handle Psyspam Torkoal	Hariyama with Fake Out feels better to me in this type of the format.
Exeggutor	Expanding Force user with spore immunity as a grass type and Harvest ability to help defensively.	Hatterene can deal with dark types, Exeggutor on lead with Indeedee is synergetically poor in this case.
Braviary	Strong Expanding Force user with Sheer Force or Tinted Lens.	Needs to terastallize out of the flying type to get the Expanding force boost.
Basculegion-Female	Special coverage with Adaptability for Ghost and Water Moves	Offensive output is still too poor as compared to Basculegion Male or other Aater type or Ghost type attackers.
Magmortar	Faster and more offensive Magmar with Thunderbolt for Electric coverage	Frailer than Magmar. Magmar seems to have found solid ground in the MagBal Archetype, Magmortar therefore has a very small niche.
Scrafty	Fake Out user with Intimidate and STAB Fighting + Dark coverage	Cannot protect itself against any Fairy types effectively.
Golduck	The other Altaria with Cloud Nine. Gets moves like Encore and Yawn	Altaria has a much better typing and can be ran bulkier than Golduck.
Venonat	It is a poor man’s Amoonguss with Compound Eyes Rage Powder and Sleep Powder. Gets unique coverage with moves like Disable or Struggle Bug as compared to Amoonguss.	Amoonguss is almost always superior
Blastoise	Fake Out user with Flip Turn or a Shell Smash Sweeper	Better setup options or Fake Out pivot options are available and much more flexible than Blastoise.
Dugtrio	Arena Trap is the usable niche	Gothitelle exists as the better trapper and much better ground types exist for offense.
Alolan-Persian	Fast Fake Out, Parting Shot and utility moves like Foul Play, Snarl and Icy Wind. You do not risk triggering defiant like with Incineroar.	Incineroar is much more flexible on more teams.
Poliwrath	Fighting STAB and potential Belly Drum sweeping sets	Basculegion is much more readymade of an attacker.
Magneton	Bulkier Magnezone with Eviolite. Given that it is base 10 points in speed faster and the difference of special attack is only 10 base points as well, it can be used as a fast sturdy or a bulky Eviolite support option.	4x weakness to ground in a format where ground type is very common forces Magneton to terasttalize.
Feraligatr	Strong Sheer Force + Life Orb water type attacker	Second rate to Pelipper, Basculegion and Primarina with much more useful secondary typings.
Empoleon	Incineroar check with amazing defensive typing	Lack of water type attacks makes other water types a much better option for the format.
Squakabily	Parting Shot is its only niche over using Staraptor	Much weaker Final Gambit so Staraptor is always superior.
Honchkrow	CritMachine sets with Super Luck, Focus Energy and Scope lens. Part Haze or Tailwind user	Hydreigon does the CritMachine set much better and Murkrow does tailwind haze much better.
Electavire	A 1-1 reflection of the Magmortar vs Magmar debate between Electavire and Electabuzz	Electabuzz is much better as offensive electric coverage is less flexible than use of Electroweb.
Gliscor	Bulky Toxic Orb Set or a coverage Tailwind Setter set with Hyper Cutter. I can see it working like Corviknight	Corviknight with a defensive steel typing over Gliscor’s x Ice weak typing makes the former much more preferable for most teams.
Salazzle	Fast Fake Out, Pseudo Glimmora sets with fire coverage	Glimmora’s Meteor Beam set makes Glimmora the means of damage itself instead of only setting up for Dondozo in the back + Toxic Spikes stays on the field unlike Poison Gas.
Beartic	Unique typing for a Swift Swim user and base 130 Physical Attack is respectable.	Not taking advantage of STAB Water type coverage in rain is going to be a dud.
Lurantis	Contrary Superpower + Grass typing gives it a good MU into the standard P2, Ursaluna archetype	Malamar has more going for it as compared to Lurantis.
Drednaw	Rock STAB for a rain sweeper is its niche	Not as Fast or as strong as Basculegion.
Krookodile	Ground and Dark Typing is great. Intimidate can be useful! Underwhelming stats hold it back.	Garchomp does the ground type offense much better and Incineroar does the dark type Intimidate much better.
Meinshao	Fastest Fake Out, Intimidate immunity, Wide Guard user and Feint use are its perks	This much speed isn’t usually needed as middling speed fighting types with secondary types are going to be usually superior
Vikavolt	Strong special attacker in Trick room	Trick room attackers are already well settled to be between Hatterene, Torkoal, Ursaluna or Porygon 2
Copperajah	Heavy Metal combos well with Heavy slam and Heat crash as moves. Has a respectable Attack stat and slow speed to be a Trick room sweeper.	Trick room attackers are already well settled to be between Hatterene, Torkoal, Ursaluna or Porygon 2
Clawitzer	The niche is the coverage it gets with Mega Launcher and a very decent special attack stat	Trick room attackers are already well settled to be between Hatterene, Torkoal, Ursaluna or Porygon 2
Misdreavus	Eviolite makes it bulky with a Dusclops-esqe role to set up Trick room and Levitate being a slightly better ability.	Dusclops outspeeds and Taunts Amoonguss if opponent switches it in to counter your trick room, Misdreavus cannot have this privilege.
Vileplume	Much worse in stats Hisuian Lilligant with Poison STAB	Hisuian Lilligant is generally much better in many other Matchups.
Reunicles	Anti Amoonguss, high special attack sweeper in Trick Room	Hatterene can effectively do much better with a Fairy STAB as well.
Lucario	Fighting STAB on the Special side. The reason it is not higher is because they took Follow Me away	Much better options exist for both fighting and steel types.
Slowbro	Physically bulky Psychic Type Trick Room setter with Regenerator and Oblivious.	Slowking with the higher special defense is theoretically better in the current metagame

 

Tier 7 Gimmicks:

Many Pokémon are designed in a way to be used as gimmicks. Said gimmicks require very specific partners to be set up. They can be powerful but matchup dependent and somewhat lackluster due to their one note playstyle which makes them predictable. When scouring through the Pokedex I was surprised at how many gimmicks were available so I made this a separate category here:

Pokemon	Gimmick	Partners
Weezing	Turn off abilities	Toedscruel, Slaking
Toadscreul	Fast Spore and redirection	Weezing
Slaking	Strong without ability	Weezing or Worry seed user
Toxtricity	Strong 3 way spread attacks in Boomburst or Overdrive	Telepathy users, Ghost types or Ground Types
Smeargle	Any move in the game	Anything that uses smeargle to set up, popular gimmick is with Alolan Muk
Muk	Minimize and copy moody with power of Alchemy ability	Smeargle, Flamigo
Jigglypuff	Perish song teams	Gothitelle, Politoed, Primarina, Dewgong, Azumarill
Dewgong	Perish song user with fake out and haze.	Gothitelle, Politoed, Primarina, Jigglypuff, Azumarill
Electrode	Bullet seed Annihilape or Archaludon trigger	Annihilape, Archaludon.
Coalossal	Steam Engine, Weakness Policy Sweeper	Masquerain, other weak fire or water move user
Masquerain	Coalossal’s best partner right now	Coalossal
Chesnaught	Belly Drum Grassy Glide sweeper	Rillaboom
Slowpoke	Weakness Policy trigger	Torkoal with Weakness Policy inside of Trick Room
Dudunsparce	Weakness Policy + Rattled + Side Beat up set up sweeper	Maushold, Whimsicott
Magcargo	Weakness Policy + Weak Armor + side target sweeper	Anything that uses low power contact move to (preferably multi hit) to trigger weakness policy and weak armor
Frosmoth	Ice scales + Snow + Quiver Dance + Grassy Seed and Terrain Covery and Aurora Veil can make this Pokemon an invincible wall. Can also have part supportive movesets with Wide Guard and Tailwind.	Ninetales or Abomasnow are partners. This dedicated of a setup is generally not worth it for one Pokemon. Where steel and Fire types are common, Ice and Bug or Pure Ice isn’t really a defensive type.
Hawlucha	Works much like Sneasler but naturally has the flying STAB Acrobatics option. Hawlucha isn’t 4x weak to psychic types and has a ground immunity as well.	Indeedee or Rillaboom are the partners. Dire Claw’s utility is more generalizable as compared to Flying type.
Bellibolt	Bulky recovery + damaging tank. Electromorphosis + Parabolic Charge is the way.	Something that can trigger a potential weakness policy. Pure electric type holds it back. Not bulky enough to be a going last type of tank but not strong enough to be a trick room sweeper in the current metagame
Pallosand	Weakness Policy + Water Compaction Tank	Smeargle or Greninja with Water Shuriken.
Primeape	Anger point self crit setup	Smeargle or Froslass
Oricorio	Dancer Gimmicks	Quaquaval or Volcarona.
Rabsca	Revival Blessing move sets	Trick room sweepers or stall gimmick mons
Porygon Z	Blizzard spammer	Ninetales
Trapinch	Arena Trap, Base 100 attack with Feint	Trick Room Sweepers
Glalie	Moody boost shenanigans… The least potent gimmick on this list, almost a meme Pokémon than anything seriously usable.	Fake out or redirection to stack Moody Boosts, Flamigo with costar.
Hitmonlee	Unburden Boosted Coaching support	Rillaboom
Stonjornor	Power Spot Partner with Wide Guard	Any sweeper that could help from relatively strong rock STAB
Minior	Shell Smash Sweeper	Flamigo with Costar or fake out + Redirection users to assist setup
Daschbun	Well Baked Body + Body Press stacks	Lava Plume Users like Armarouge or Chandelure
Alcremie	Decorate + Sweet Veil	Sweepers
Slowbro	Belly Drum + Quick Draw. Too meme-y and unreliable to be used seriously.	Trick Room setters.
Toxapex	Bulky staller with Wide Guard.	Slow burn stall teams, Dondozo + Tatsugiri
Scovillian	Rage Powder User, Spicy Extract with Moody Ability	Can have similar Schenanigans to Smeargle alongside Alolan Muk.
Glaceon	Snow Cloak memes with Blizzard spamming	Ninetales or Abomasnow.

 

Tier 8: The Trenches

Much more specific niches that are not as generalizable as the above tiers. Regardless, I could see them being used somewhere:

Pokemon	Niche
Espathra	We have seen it in a regionals already given Lumina Crash + Speed boost strategies paired with Indeedee
Lapras	It is a bulky Water type with Water Absorb and gets access to STAB Freeze Dry. With the wide variety of utility moves it can run, it is possible to put an assault vest on it.
Luxray	Works much like the classic good old support utility Arcanine but electric is nearly not as good of a defensive type, though one could use it for coverage. Unlike Arcanine it can pivot via Volt Switch
Crawdaunt	Hyper Cutter with strong water and dark stab are its strengths. If Intimidate is not the major issue, you could also beef it up by running an Adaptability set with Life orb or Choice Band.
Flareon	A Poorman’s Gutsorb Ursaluna. Type coverage or potential synergy is the reason you’d run it.
Torracat	We have seen this dark type less, faster Incineroar be used before however in the current metagame slower parting shots and a dark typing are much more useful tools.
Tinkaton	One of the few Pokémon that could status a Gholdengo via Mold Breaker. Gigaton Hammer is a great move, coverage with feint also could be a beneficial niche for some team. Steel and Fairy as a typing is of course elite.
Rampardos	Its base attack is extremely high combining with the sheer force boost to rock slides can make it a devastating trick room sweeper. Its just that there’s much better offensive types to consider for a trick room sweeper.
Wigglytuff	Competitive and fairy typing are its techs over other Pokémon, Alas its stats are somewhat pathetic and a very minor case can be made for it. Like much of the discussion around slow offense trick room has established itself well already.
Dugtrio	Arena trap is the poor man’s Shadow tag and even at that it is a bad ability especially when coming from a Pokémon like Dugtrio, someone might show this guy pity on a perish trap archetype or use it as a meme.
Victreebel	I would consider this guy the poor man’s Venusaur especially as Venusaur got a buff in access to Weather Ball, the only saving grace Victreebel used to have over it, now a physical moveset can be considered. It could alternatively play the role of a disruptor with Encore and Clear Smog
Hypno	Gets Inner Focus and Insomnia as Abilities and is a Haze user giving it unique specs into the current metagame.
Cloyster	Skill Link allows it to utilize icicle spear to the maximum potential breaking focus sashes and multiscale to take out mons like Whimsicott and Dragonite in a single hit. Adding rock blast and Bullet Seed to said set gives it unique coverage options in the format.
Qwilfish	Both Qwlfish can be a tanky disruptor with Eviolite, though I think Hisuian variant takes the cake with psyspam immunity and taking grass hits as resisted instead of neutral. Base 95 atk is nothing to scoff at and with an ability like intimidate and moves like taunt you can bring it versus mons like Primarina, Rillaboom, Hattdeedee lead and Amoonguss.
Houndoom	In loving memory of Chi Yu, Houndoom is uniquely immune to the STABs of Armarouge. If Hisuian Typhlosion is the one troubling your team, consider this guy. Also it pins Gholdengo and Kingambit Offensively and Defensively (I wouldn’t bet on it surviving many hits given how frail it is)
Flygon	I probably put this guy here because of how much we all love it and want to see Flygon succeed. Maybe if you need an electro shot immune, ground immune, part dragon type tailwind setter with breaking swipe as the pseudo or controlled intimidate, Flygon can be the one. It is below Noivern as it is neither as speedy or specially offensive to take OHKO’s on dragons with draco meteor.
Camerupt	Poor man’s Torkoal but with STAB Earth Power. It could run more coverage options unless focusing on fire spamming.
Cacturne	With Water absorb and a grass and dark typing that can be utilized both physically or specially offensive, Cacturne can play a niche role. It could, for the first time in VGC’s history be ran with max speed as it outpaces Blood Moon Ursaluna’s Turbo-Bear sets.
Banette	Insomnia, being able to set up trick room, Immunity to façade from Ursaluna and an innate fake out immunity makes the case for banette no matter how niche it could be. It can utilize that base 110 physical attack stat well
Comfey	Comfey can be part gimmicky with the side weakness policy proc strategies but to be honest with it getting both tailwind and trick room, paired with triage can make it more generalizable. The most obvious use for a Pokémon like this is on Annihilape and Archaludon setup teams but even on such squads Sinischa generally offers more utility with a Grass/ Ghost typing and redirection support.
Yanmega	I did have to go back and look into VGC’s history to confirm this that Yanmega had been a significant special attacker. Given that flying STAB is useful in this metagame and a tailwind setter, with speed boost can be usable, Yanmega makes this list. We have seen it with those annoying gravinosis teams as well making a case for its use. It can increase offensive type coverage via tera blast in generation 9. Also, it looks cool so there’s that.
Florges	The unique ability of flower veil and pairing with Rillaboom on a grassy seed set is quite gimmicky essentially ‘protecting the king’ if said king was a grass type but with Talonflame Gholdengo being a popular lead you are least likely to have your Rillaboom be protected either way. Albeit, moves like Safeguard and Pollen Puff are the little useful bits it has to offer paired with that monstrous special defense stat. the reason why it is not in the gimmicks category is due to a potent calm mind set that could exist.
Barraskewda	It is definitely not worth it as a swift swim user with an already monstrous speed stat, maybe if you want a ‘bulky’ Barraskewda for some reason you can go for it as speed won’t need much investment. I think its main role comes with the Propeller Tail ability that can make it bypass the abundance of redirection in this format.
Sunflora	Definitely a meme. Surprisingly enough it can dish respectable damage between boosting items and Solar Power in Trick Room powered up via Torkoal’s sun but even in writing that you’d get the point that it is too specific or dedicated of a setup to use Sunflora over others.
Pincurchin	Respectable offensive stats, the slowest possible speeds you need this format and the inbuilt ability to not only oversight the opposing terrains but power itself up offensively while also becoming an amongst spore counter. That being said I was thinking about how we just saw Regielecki and Landorus work well, so pairing Pincurchin with a Ground or Ice type in trick room can be useful.
Oricorio	The reason Oricorio Sensu is here is because it gives you this pseudo fake out immunity with its ghost typing. Atop of that having a respectably high power revelation dance of ghost type can be viewed as valuable. Furthermore it gets Safeguard which can be an Amoonguss Check. I don’t expect it to be paired or used as a dancer gimmick mon as such teams don’t inherently need Tailwind.
Cyclizar	Fast Shed Tail with Regenerator and Fast Draco Meteors are the two reasons you will use this Pokémon. But the niche is far to specific to be used in good context.
Espeon	Kind of the same analogy as Delphox or Gardevior for a fast Psyspam attacker but its mono Psychic typing makes it a second to the aforementioned anti meta options. Maybe if you need a fast Psyspam attacker that also specifically gets Yawn, Espeon could work there. Additionally the ability Magic Bounce is great, something that Gardevoir as the ‘fast Hatterene’ lacks.
Bronzong	An amazing typing and the chance to be used as a body press iron defense Pokémon but stellar abilities. The reason that it is so low on the list is because as a trick room setter it is not giving the same offensive output as others in the moment. I could maybe see it as a Tera fighting body press counter into P2, Ursaluna and Incineroar.
Stantler	Stantler has the niche of being a Trick Room setter with Intimidate, if you don’t favor from it, the ability Sap Sipper could also work well for you.
Pachirisu	There are far better follow me users and also far better Electro Shot counters to dedicate a slot to Pachrisu in the current metagame. However unlike other follow me users, Pachirisu gets moves like Eerie Impulse, Nuzzle and Super Fang in its toolbox.
Clodsire	With an ability like Water Absorb and learning Haze Clodsire has some stuff going in its favor. Albeit it is far to passive to fit into the current pace of this metagame.
Cincinno	A memey option or call it a poor man’s Maushold as it uses skill link and its variety of multi hit moves to great use, particularly with the annoying or up to chance Kings Rock set that makes flinch rates much higher.
Revavroom	Steel and Poison is a great defensive typing with abilities like Filter and Overcoat. Revavroom could set itself up but its role is not very clear stat wise and more flexible options exist to deal with the same Pokémon Revavroom checks.
Haunter	Haunter still retains the levitate ability with relatively good speed and offenses. Being not fully evolved it can benefit from the Eviolite item. I can see this guy as a utility offense option where item slots of focus sash are taken making Gengar a shaky decision to bring.
Jumpluff	With its fast speed, good grass typing, rage powder and strength sap support and sleep power it has tons going or it to become very annoying. Its just that its abilities are almost always going to be a dud given it doesn’t go well with Torkoal and pairing it with a Ninetales would be far too offensively passive.
Hisuian Sneasel	It has much of the same tools as Johtonian Sneasel but with a poison fighting typing. I just think the OG’s type is far better with the stats it gets. Ofcourse Sneasler is a mainstay of the format and pairs comfortably with terrain and seed partners making it so that one would seldom even consider Sneasel.
Hitmontop	Way past its prime from the TopMoth Days and becoming the 2016 World Champion but it still has some useful tools that held it to such a high status. The main downside of Hitmontop is the pure fighting type not pairing well with its role as a defensive pivot. If you want it as a sweeper, there’s better options available.
Perrserker	We are bound to see someone use Perrserker alongside Gholdengo for the Steely Spirit gimmick lead. But what keeps this guy out of the gimmicks category is its Tough Claws ability which can be potent.
Shiftry	The poorman’s Brambleghast. It is much less preferrable due to fake out holding it back when in tailwind. Also Ghost is a generally better offensive option given fairy types are part of almost every team and you are not setting up a tailwind vs P2 and Ursaluna teams.
Golurk	This guy was a part of my first VGC team and the potential I saw in it was the Ghost Typing with No Guard Dynamic punch and Stone Edge way back in 2014. It still gets the same bells and whistles now along with Clear Amulet options and also utilizing High Horsepower with 100% accuracy.

 

Tier 9: I Guess these Exist!

Yes, these have competitive prowess but outclassed to such a degree or sometimes absolutely subpar in what they do, that I don’t think they could fit a serious team in Regulation H

Pokemon	Niche
Hitmonchan	You are much better off using any other Fake Out user or offensive Fighting type but if you like it, I guess it could work.
Vaporeon	In Regulation A Vaporeon became a way to check Dondozo with Water Absorb and Haze. Now Primarina takes the mantle much more flexibly but if one wants to… I guess this exists.
Ariados	I like Ariados’s design but the only thing it has going for it is the Rage Powder and String Shot utility. I guess its base attack stat is not too shabby given you pair it with a focus sash to improve longevity.
Lanturn	With either Water Absorb or Volt Absorb it becomes an alternate counter to Raincore and it is somewhat convincing but its stats are the main thing holding it back severely.
Quagsire	Kind of the intersection of Vaporeon and a Clodsire with Haze, Water Absorb but the Ground typing. It also gets the unaware ability allowing it to throw the wrench called Yawn at setup sweepers.
Granbull	Far better offensive coverage options to consider as a trick room sweeper and its defenses are subpar to consider it an Intimidate support. But hey I like it!
Umbreon	Umbreon shines in high power level formats where its monstrous defenses and foul play which uses its opponent’s monstrous attacks works well. Right now it feels too passive but if someone is building a dedicated stall team (please don’t) I could see it.
Floatzel	Its only saving grace over most other non Basculegion Rain Sweepers is that it also gets Wave Crash in its movepool. And I guess it is also naturally faster than Basculegion but you are certainly not going for a Wave Crash vs Last Respects 1v1
Ambipom	It is an intersection of Cincinno with a fast fake out user. It has good tools in technician pairing with fake out and STAB Double Hit but too specific. Another one of those, I guess if you wanted to you could use this!
Emboar	One of favorite starters pairs its reckless ability well with the offensive tools like Flare Blitz, Wild Charge and Head Smash allowing it to offensively cover for its own weaknesses at that. I don’t see it happening in a format where there are other great fighting types available.
Galvantula	Between Compound eyes, Electro web and Thunder I could see it being used but too niche and ‘guess if you wanted to’ type of situations. But Volcarona can this this so much better.
Carbink	Some people picked it up in the start of Regulation H but trick room setters with iron defense body press sets are not really a thing. Pue fairy would have ben amazing but the fairy rock typing in a Ursaluna and Gholdengo dominant format is horrendous. No effective abilities either given Sturdy and Clear Body are amazing but not useful for a Carbink
Cetitian	Slush Rush offense paired with strong water attack in Liquidation and a potential Belly Drum moveset, I tried it… it is too frail to set up and not as offensive to sweep. Baxcalibur enjoys the buff from snow and does it so much better
Wyrdeer	Unlike Stantler, it cannot use Eviolite but can resist Expanding Force from opposing Psyspams. I guess with its stats you could also effectively pack of some offensive psychic coverage or a tera blast coverage option.
Zangoose	Its own Unique Gutsorb brought to you via Toxic Boost but too specific, a fun niche to impress some friends with but not as serious.
Piloswine	Too specific between thick fat, Eviolite and supportive moves like icy wind. Typing is highly unfavorable until you tera out of it.
Alolan Exeggutor	Dragon is a decent defensive type but Grass (even if it still adds on a spore immunity) makes defensive Mus much worse.
Ampharos	I just saw someone use Plus Ampharos with a Power Herb Meteor Beam set but the setup is too specific. Kind of like the case of Sunflora, not worth it.
Galarian-Slowking	Curious Medicine effective the move Haze, but its typing is defensively terrible to switch into many mons this format. I guess offensive poison coverage is not too shabby in a Primarina + Rillaboom dominant format.
Froslass	An option usually seen on Anger Point Gimmick teams but with a decent speed stat, Ice STAB and Ghost Type it can fill a niche role on some team. I just can’t comprehend what that team would be.
Spewpa	Rage powder support that plays much differently to Vivillon. Its kind of the same Clefable vs Clefairy dynamic. Spewpa gets string shot, struggle bug and rage power as its useful moves and can survive a non tera Choice specs Gholdengo make it rain when invested properly with an Eviolite being held.
Komala	Definitely bordering on memes but a base 115 attack stat with a wide offensive movepool and status immunity can make it that specific niche or someone.
Haxorus	I badly want this guy to be more effective but there’s so many better dragon types out there. Baxcalibur seems like the last nail in the coffin for Haxorus’ viability before it gets an update. I guess with the PLZA release coming up, we could see it getting the fan theorized part steel mega evolution.

 

PHEW THIS WAS IT! It feels ironic to have started this idea as a little cutesy “fun and creative writing project” and then have it drain the few braincells I have left. But, to be honest, knowing myself I am glad I got this huge anti meta brainstorming itch phase out of the way for myself and can simultaneously present my ideas and opinions into a form that others can look to inspiration from.

I did apply some of the ideas present in this catalogue of anti-meta ideas, I’ll link the open team sheets because these are just some proof of concept, not fully fledged teams. Of the most diabolical ideas I could glue together, these two, in the proof of concept phase, looked sensible and potent:

·         Hariyama Team: https://pokepast.es/d5f59eed05c8d89e

·         Perish Trap Team: https://pokepast.es/6fa293fe6d9e08b9

This was a tedious, but I have to admit fun ride to do this writeup, hope you as a reader have enjoyed… Bye for now!