Resource National Dex Role Compendium [Updated 3/17/24!]

hidin

What a kind young man
is a Site Content Manageris a Forum Moderatoris a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogon
OP stolen from last gen

regulardarkguy.png

Art by me!
The purpose of this thread is to provide a visual list organized by roles to see what Pokémon do what. This will help new and experienced players alike in finding Pokémon that fit their teams when looking for specific roles. Each Pokemon that is here is viable in the OU metagame, and as such, it will change as the viability rankings get updated. If you feel there is a Pokemon viable for the roles mentioned below and it hasn't been added to the group, then recommend it in your post with solid explanations. The order of roles will be organized in the following way:
  1. Utility (hazard setters and removers)
  2. Offensive roles (wallbreakers, choice item users, and setup sweepers)
  3. Defensive roles (walls)
  4. Weather (rain and sun) and Trick Room
Note - Pokemon listed to the right of a | are considered niche options in that given role, or niche options in general.

Utility
Entry Hazards
Ceaseless Edge - :samurott-hisui:
Stealth Rock -
:clefable: :diancie-mega: :ferrothorn: :garchomp: :heatran: :landorus-therian: :garganacl::glimmora: :gliscor: :ting-lu: :tyranitar-mega: | :archaludon::blissey: :chansey: :clodsire: :excadrill::gastrodon: :hippowdon:
Spikes - :diancie-mega: :ferrothorn: :garchomp: :glimmora::gliscor: :meowscarada: :skarmory: :ting-lu: | :clodsire:
Toxic Spikes - :toxapex: | :iron-moth::meowscarada: :slowking-galar:
Sticky Web - |:shuckle: :ribombee:

Suicide Leads
Hazard Setters -:landorus-therian: :diancie-mega: :glimmora: | :excadrill::garchomp: :great-tusk::iron-treads::ribombee: :shuckle:
Screen Setters - :grimmsnarl: :tapu-koko: | :ninetales-alola:

Hazard Control
Rapid Spin - :great-tusk: | :excadrill::iron-treads:
Defog - :corviknight: :kartana: :landorus-therian: :rotom-wash: :tornadus-therian: :gliscor: | :moltres: :pelipper::serperior: :scizor-mega: :tapu-fini::zapdos:
Magic Bounce - :diancie-mega::hatterene:|:sableye-mega:
Court Change - :cinderace:


Trapping
Pursuit - :tyranitar-mega: :weavile:| :scizor-mega:
Magnet Pull - | :magnezone:
Other - :heatran: (Magma Storm) | :garganacl:(Block)

Misc.
Encore - :iron-valiant: :Ogerpon-wellspring: :samurott-hisui:| :banette-mega: :clefable: :diancie-mega: :dragonite:
Future Sight - :iron-crown: :slowbro: :slowking-galar::tapu-lele:
Hypnosis -
Knock Off (Defensively) - :clefable: :ferrothorn: :gliscor: :scizor-mega: :tornadus-therian: :toxapex:
| :alomomola: :landorus-therian: :venusaur-mega:
Knock Off (Offensively) - :rillaboom: :samurott-hisui: :kartana: :mawile-mega: :meowscarada: :tyranitar-mega: :weavile:| :iron-valiant: :ogerpon-wellspring:
Taunt - :heatran: :landorus-therian: :tornadus-therian:
| :gliscor: :gyarados-mega::ogerpon-wellspring: :raging-bolt: :serperior: :tapu-lele:
Trick / Switcheroo - :clefable: :darkrai: :rotom-wash:| :jirachi::meowscarada::tapu-fini: :victini:
Thunder Wave / Glare / Stun Spore -
Toxic / Malignant Chain -

Will-O-Wisp -
(Will add these when I'm home.)


Offensive Roles
Wallbreakers
Physical - :barraskewda: :cinderace: :ceruledge: :dragonite: :garchomp: :gouging-fire: :great-tusk: :hawlucha: :iron-boulder: :kartana: :landorus-therian: :lopunny-mega: :mawile-mega: :medicham-mega: :meowscarada: :ogerpon-cornerstone: :ogerpon-wellspring: :rillaboom: :samurott-hisui: :scizor-mega: :swampert-mega: :tyranitar-mega: :ursaluna: :urshifu-rapid-strike: :weavile: :zamazenta:| :banette-mega: :blaziken: :charizard-mega-x: :excadrill: :garchomp-mega: :gyarados-mega: :hoopa-unbound: :iron-hands: :iron-valiant: :lilligant-hisui: :victini:
Special - :archaludon: :charizard-mega-y: :darkrai: :diancie-mega: :iron-moth: :iron-valiant: :kyurem: :latios-mega: :raging-bolt: :serperior: :tapu-koko: :tapu-lele: :tornadus-therian: :volcarona: :zapdos:| :enamorus: :greninja: :kommo-o: :manaphy: :pecharunt: :thundurus-therian: :venusaur-mega:
Mixed - :diancie-mega: :iron-valiant: :kommo-o:| :enamorus: :garchomp: :garchomp-mega: :hoopa-unbound:

Choice Users
Choice Band - :barraskewda: :gouging-fire::kartana: :rillaboom: :samurott-hisui::urshifu-rapid-strike: :weavile: :zamazenta:| :hoopa-unbound: :tyranitar: :victini:
Choice Specs - :darkrai: :iron-valiant: :kyurem: :tapu-koko: :tapu-lele:| :aegislash::enamorus: :magnezone:
Choice Scarf - :darkrai: :kartana: :landorus-therian: :samurott-hisui: :rotom-wash: :tapu-fini: :tapu-lele: :urshifu-rapid-strike:
| :jirachi: :magnezone: :meowscarada: :victini:

Set-Up Sweepers
Agility - :iron-crown:| :iron-moth:
Bulk Up - :corviknight: :great-tusk: :ursaluna:
| :ceruledge: :landorus-therian:
Beast Boost - :kartana:
| :celesteela:
Belly Drum -
|:kommo-o:
Calm Mind - :clefable: :hatterene: :iron-crown: :iron-valiant: :latias-mega: :raging-bolt: :tapu-lele:| :cresselia: :sinistcha: :tapu-fini: :tapu-koko:
Clangorous Soul / Clangorous Soulblaze - :kommo-o:
Curse - :dondozo::garganacl:

Dragon Dance - :dragonite: :gouging-fire: :gyarados-mega: :kyurem:| :charizard-mega-x: :tyranitar-mega:
Iron Defense - :garganacl::iron-crown: :skarmory: :zamazenta:
| :corviknight:
Nasty Plot - :darkrai: :pecharunt: :rotom-wash: :tornadus-therian:| :hydrapple: :hydreigon: :moltres-galar: :thundurus-therian:
Quiver Dance - :volcarona:
Shell Smash - :polteageist:

Swords Dance - :ceruledge: :cinderace: :excadrill: :garchomp: :gliscor: :hawlucha: :iron-boulder: :kartana: :landorus-therian: :mawile-mega: :ogerpon-cornerstone: :ogerpon-wellspring: :rillaboom: :samurott-hisui: :scizor-mega: :ursaluna: :urshifu-rapid-strike: :weavile:| :blaziken: :iron-hands: :iron-valiant:
Tail Glow - :manaphy:
Victory Dance - |:lilligant-hisui:


Priority
Aqua Jet - :barraskewda: :urshifu-rapid-strike:| :samurott-hisui:
Bullet Punch - :scizor-mega: :medicham-mega:
Fake Out - :lopunny-mega: :medicham-mega:
Ice Shard - :weavile:
Grassy Glide - :rillaboom:
Quick Attack - :lopunny-mega:
Shadow Sneak -
| :ceruledge:
Sucker Punch - :cinderace: :mawile-mega:
Extreme Speed - :dragonite:

Water Shuriken - :greninja:
Thunderclap - :raging-bolt:

Pivoting
U-turn - :corviknight::cinderace: :landorus-therian::lopunny-mega: :meowscarada: :rillaboom: :scizor-mega: :tapu-koko: :tornadus-therian: :urshifu-rapid-strike:| :gliscor: :greninja: :hydreigon::iron-moth: :jirachi: :moltres: :victini:
Volt Switch - :iron-crown: :raging-bolt: :rotom-wash: :tapu-koko: :zapdos:
| :magnezone:
Flip Turn - :alomomola: :barraskewda: :samurott-hisui: :swampert-mega:| :latios-mega:
Teleport - :slowbro: | :blissey: :slowking:
Chilly Reception - :slowking-galar:
|:slowking:

Defensive Roles

Walls
Physically Defensive - :alomomola: :corviknight: :dondozo: :ferrothorn: :garchomp: :garganacl: :great-tusk: :landorus-therian: :skarmory: :slowbro: :toxapex: :zamazenta: :zapdos:| :buzzwole::iron-hands: :moltres: :pecharunt: :tangrowth:
Specially Defensive - :ferrothorn: :garganacl: :heatran: :scizor-mega: :slowking-galar: :ting-lu: :toxapex:
| :blissey: :chansey: :clodsire: :empoleon::tornadus-therian:
Mixed - :alomomola: :corviknight: :ferrothorn: :garganacl: :gliscor: :latias-mega: :scizor-mega: :skeledirge: :ting-lu: :toxapex: | :celesteela: :hippowdon: :tapu-fini::venusaur-mega: :volcarona:

Clerics

Wish - :clefable: :alomomola: |:blissey: :chansey::jirachi: :scream-tail:
Heal Bell / Aromatherapy -
|:blissey: :clefable: :chansey:
Healing Wish - :hatterene:
|:alomomola: :enamorus: :jirachi: :lopunny-mega:
Lunar Dance -
|:cresselia:

Weather and Trick Room

Rain
Drizzle - :pelipper:
Swift Swim - :swampert-mega: :barraskewda: | :kingdra:

Other Abusers - :archaludon: :ferrothorn: :manaphy: :raging-bolt: :tornadus-therian: :urshifu-rapid-strike: :zapdos:
| :iron-treads:

Sand
Sand Stream - :tyranitar-mega:| :hippowdon:
Sand Rush - :excadrill:

Snow

Snow Warning - :ninetales-alola:
Slush Rush -
|:arctozolt:

Sun

Drought - :charizard-mega-y:(Semi-sun):torkoal:(Dedicated sun)
Chlorophyll -
|:venusaur:
Other Abusers - :great-tusk: :Gouging-fire: :raging-bolt:
| :victini:

Trick Room
Setters - :cresselia: :hatterene: :porygon2: :stakataka: :slowbro:
Abusers - :mawile-mega: :camerupt-mega: :hoopa-unbound: :Iron-hands::marowak-alola: :stakataka::ursaluna:
(Note - Trick Room is considered a niche playstyle, and therefore all of its setters and abusers are considered niche options)


Please remain civil and provide valid reasoning when nominating to include / remove a Pokemon from the list. Happy posting!

02/19/23 - Added ESpeed Dragonite to Priority section
02/20/23 - Espathra banned; removed, added ID Section and requests were fulfilled
02/22/23 - Requests were fulfilled
08/19/23 - Revamp!
11/7/23 - Quick revamp
3/17/24 - Overhaul and revamp!
 
Last edited:
Can we put zardx in the niche section of belly drum? I haven't tested it in this tier but I quite liked running drum scale fire punch qa in gen 8 nd. qa can ohko no bulk koko at +6.
 
Life orb crawdaunt in the trick room abuser section
after sword dance it it kills almost every mon except pokemon that resist the stabs or have good natural defences and dondozo, with tera dark and water it reaches godly level of power able to 2hko defensive kommo-o after sd
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Adaptability Tera Water Crawdaunt Crabhammer vs. 252 HP / 148+ Def Kommo-o: 221-260 (62.4 - 73.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
 

Sputnik

Bono My Tires are Deceased
is a Contributor Alumnus
I think there should be an IDef section for the setup sweepers, especially considering what Zama and Garg (and ig Skarm?) can do.
 
Being nitpicky as I can be sometimes but imo cyc and shed tail should be in pivoting

Edit: mbe chilly reception slowkings in snow but idk

Edit 2: zap in u turn
 
Last edited:
I have used a defensive Kartana set on sand before.

Kartana @ Leftovers
Ability: Beast Boost
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Sacred Sword
- Knock Off / Smart Strike
- Toxic

Water/Grass resists on sand tend to be slow and/or passive. This set imitates Ferrothorn and Buzzwole as a physical wall, but at higher speed and power. It's not a sweeper set, although it can opportunistically sweep. The intent is to cripple or weaken Ground, Steel, or Rock types and defensive switch-ins so something like Dracozolt can sweep later. Kartana pressures opponents with the threat of Beast Boost and its generally strong attacks.
 
Why aren't terrains in the weather+trick room section? Terrains have much more value and usage than trick room, yet we don't even have a compiled list of different terrains, setters and abusers. For example, rillaboom and bulu could be grassy terrain setters, and rillaboom, hawlucha and sneasler could be terrain abusers.
 
:scovillain: :lilligant-hisui:
I personally think these two should be added to the chlorophyll section, even if its on the more niche side. Sure Scovillain is paper thin, and its also slower than Venusaur, but what it lacks in vitality it makes up for it in firepower. Hisui Lilligant is the best physical Chlorophyll abuser we got, This thing can even outspeed a +1 Iron Boulder undersun while Adamant.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

Top