Smogon Shoddy Server Statistics - November 2008

[Zoro]

Anyone knows why Hitmonchan usage has risen that much this month ? =C

Thanks Doug, these are just awesome.

 

[goldemblem]

I have been out of the competitive scene for a while, why the hell is Scizor in the 1st place of OU?

 

[Naxte]

I have been out of the competitive scene for a while, why the hell is Scizor in the 1st place of OU?

Pretty much Platinum updates, which brought it Bullet Punch, which is a great move on it, getting STAB and Technician boosts, on top of being a priority move coming off 130 base attack. It's pretty much been high since it got it; in October it was number 2 and it was already jumping up in the middle of September, when the Platinum updates were added.

Scizor is also part of the reason why Zapdos has increased in usage, since it works as a good counter for Scizor, especially since it got Heat Wave in the transition to Platinum.

 

[RaikouLover]

Originally Posted by Fat stvn
How the hell can Yanmega beat Zapdos and Bullet Punch Scizor (I doubt it can survive LO BP at 50% but I could be wrong ~_~).

I never once even dreamed of the possibility of Yanmega beating Zapdos. However, Yanmega DOES beat Scizor one on one most of the time. Even a 50% health Yanmega can take out Scizor if you Air Slash predicting its switch in (which is pretty damn likely since people are so overzealous with switching in Scizor). Yanmega 2HKOs Scizor, and Scizor doesn't 2HKO Yanmega, hence Yanmega will always win, making Scizor a shit "check" that people seem to use it as. People are too blinded by Hypnosis accuracy drop, which was never the main reason you should be using Yanmega anyway. But yeah, just for everyone's reference:

394 Attack Life Orb Bullet Punch vs. Min HP / Def Yanmega: 51-60%
394 Attack Life Orb Bullet Punch vs. 104 Def Yanmega: 45-53%

Emmm.... No wonder... I forgot I'm the only idiot that uses Defense EVs on Yanmega, thats why mine never loses to Scizor :-(... Dammit everyone! Stop running max speed with Speed boost!

 

[Trust]

Ludicolo #58. I supose that my team helped with that. I hope it reaches OU soon, as it can start a sweep with Rain Dance and setting up with Swampert, Starmie or Heatran.

About Rhyperior and Flygon, it was clear. Rhyperior helps with a lot of threats in Platinum, and Flygon is the new lite Garchomp.

Yanmega also lost Hypnosis accuracy, and with Bullet Punch Scizor it can't be as strong as before.

 

[petrie911]

Magnezone at only 36th? Considering that you can switch it in on any Steel attack and have it do laughable damage (CBgross can't even break the sub with Meteor Mash), in addition to trapping and killing any steel that isn't Lucario, Heatran, or sometimes Jirachi, I would think people would be using it a lot. It's the main reason I don't worry about Scizor. It comes in on my Aerodactyl and I immediately go to Magnezone to eat the bullet punch. Unless it's Jolly with max speed or extremely specially defensive, I outspeed and OHKO every time with HP fire.

ScarfZone is also fun. Isn't able to counter non-choiced Metagross or EQing Bronzong, but has the nice advantage of pwning Lucario as long as it doesn't switch in on a fighting attack.

 

[RaikouLover]

If your not using ScarfZone, then why are you using HP Fire? Specszone is the shiz right now, it OHKOs Scizor anyway.

 

[grizzly bear]

i expected cacturne to be higher in ou, been seeing so many lately.

 

[rayquazamaster776]

Grumpig | Move | HP-Bug | 22.9
Grumpig | Move | Signal Beam | 13.7

Does anyone else find this weird, or is it just me?

 

[Peachfuzz]

Is Signal Beam a Platinum addition? People probably just don't know about it.

 

[Nido The King]

Bleh I don't know how scizor gets to be the number one used pokemon, a lot of useful counters for it =/[/quote]

You forgot...
With Pursuit and Bullet Punch steroided by Technicion, Scizor's trapping abillities makes Dugtrio look like Jumpluff!

Plus, Dance Orb+a healing move+big attack+amazing movepool/abillity+little weaknesses=a sweeper that makes even SKARMORY back away!!

Let's not forget a useful Baton Passer!

The only real insult is quad weakness to Fire and only average Speed and Defence.

 

[cim]

65 is "average" since when?

It's a pretty mediocre trapper (Technician doesn't boost switch Pursuit) but it's an interesting Pokémon. It's a great revenger. I think it's a lot of hype that he's numebr 1, but he'll be top OU for awhile.

 

[Colonel M]

Trust me, Scizor is very useful because it CAN adapt to a team pretty well. It's by no means a horrible sweeper (priority Bullet Punch is still useful) and the Trapper set is a good set, especially in the Uber tier. Granted, Pursuit isn't boosted during the switch, but it still does consistent damage beforehand (unlike Heracross and Metagross). Choice Band plays mind-games with U-Turn, Bullet Punch, and Pursuit. Good Baton Pass Pokemon, blah blah.

 

[meteor64]

How come NO-ONE noticed shuckle at no.88 in OU? He ranks higher than a lot of BLs now, notably floatzel and Wak.

 

[Peachfuzz]

Scizor's just a different heavy hitter unlike any of the other top sweepers like Salamence, or Heracross. It can fit on so many teams and fulfill so many roles. Awesome stand alone sweeper, trapper, scouter with U-turn, revenge killer. It stops a lot of frail sweepers that teams may otherwise have lots of trouble with. These qualities make it an excellent team player.

 

[never_again]

Top leads: Deoxys-e and Darkrai, by twice as many usages over #3 on.

Rayquaza's usage hasn't slowed down one bit in response to ScarfDialga, but his common movesets have splintered off. SD is no longer the standard Ray set - DD has gained a significant lead (although continue to expect SD). Mixed sets have also been rising in popularity, and I expect them to rise throughout the month

Scarf Dialga does have a role, but the real reason why SDRay has fallen is because people are getting smarter and could EV their Pokes to survive a XSpeed, like Latias, Mewtwo, Palkia and Kyogre.

Support Groudon has dropped in favor of Rock Polish Groudon - who fits well in the current special, speedy metagame. The metagame is evolving to deal with the potent threat RP Groudon posed, and many Groudon users are mixing and matching various sets in order to counter.

Again, Pokemon like Kyogre and Mewtwo can be EVed to survive a Life Orb EQ. Giratina obviously.

BUrestalk and support Dialgas have taken a back seat to Choice Scarf Dialga, who is keeping a myriad of current metagame threats at bay with its handy defensive typing - foremost among them being Rayquaza. ScarfDialga is the primary reason Rayquazas are running DD.

Support Dialga could come back to beat Scarf Darkrai leads

Standard physical wall Lugia usage has risen slightly this month, probably in response to sweeping-oriented Groudons and the rising popularity of Scizor. The CM variant has also picked up some steam - they either succeed completely or fail utterly, in my experience, usually the latter.

Lugia has problems with RP Don, I think it was spiked to handle Rayquaza. CM Variants are gay as hell, one of those Pokemon who take very little risk because

A. Its faster than all of the physical attackers
B. It has the fastest Phazing move in the game, destroying attempts to CM alongside it
C. It can alternate between CM and Roost, taking Mewtwo Ice Beams like it was nothing.

CM Lugia actually started being used to help it survive SpecsKyogre Water Spouts, but then people started turning into a sweeper. Luckily Darkrai manhandles it and can trick a Scarf onto it should something go wrong.

Scizor's usage has skyrocketed since the addition of Bullet Punch, making the trapper set more threatening than ever. Many Scizors now choose to eschew Roost though for Brick Break - partly for Blissey, partly to destroy screens.

Screens are actually the only reason, to stop a certain someone's kitten tactics. Otherwise, SuperPower is obviously superior for Blissey.

Deoxys-f took the heaviest hit this month. The SR lead set is completely shut down by Deoxys-e, and Bullet Punch/Pursuit Scizor, Extreme Speed Ray, and a number of scarfers who can all shut him down one way or another (Darkrai, Dialga, Palkia) hamper his attempt at a rampage.

Yes, although I've met a couple of CB DeoAs before.

Like Lugia, Giratina's usage has risen a little this month, probably to deal with the same threats Lugia is tackling. The great wall set continues to be the most dominating, although there are more CMRestalkers this month (as there should be, since the Wow/Restalk set can very easily become set-up bait).

Giratina's rise is to stop RP Don.


Almost 100% of the time Mew is a straight speed BPer, usually without outside screen and rock/spike support. Irritating to play against, actually, but people are finding ways around it, so I don't expect it to climb any higher.

And it shouldnt, there was only one person in particular "smart" enough to abuse BP Mew.

Metagross and Garchomp remain about the same. No significant changes. Interestingly, Garchomp's usage has dropped a bit while Metagross' remains constant.

I actually expected Metagross to fall with Scizors rising, and Garchomp was never given a specific niche in Ubers.

Other comments: I could swear there were more Tyranitars this month. 19th doesn't seem right. More people should use Giratina-o - those ground and fighting immunities (and all those resistances) really come in handy, and even a straight-up attacking stat is monstrously powerful. It takes resisted hits like a champ - SE hits are pretty damaging though (which is why I've been running a Sub/Draco Meteor/Shadow Ball/Outrage set with maxed attack stats). For some reason, there were a bunch of Ho-ohs this month, many without Groudon too. Anyone want to take a stab at that? Finally, Latios usage has plummetted. He's 25th now, far below standard. That sounds about right. The special attackers of this metagame outclass him.

Ttar staying relatively low is because its existence( to stop Latios/Latias) isnt really too useful now that the twins' usage has dropped and Scizor already gets the job done.

Tina-O should be used more, its just that its too slow and gets beaten by Dialga and Palkia almost every time.

Ho-oh's usage could mean that people like using Ho-oh, it was always one of my favorite Pokemon back in the GSC days.

and Latios is pretty much overshadowed, at least Latias can come in on Specs KYogre Water Spouts

Miscellaneous:
Total pokemon usages: 50946
There were approximately 28.5% fewer uber battles played this month.

Because the same certain someone stopped molesting the ladder

On a side note, the top of the OU usage list doesnt surprise me one bit, as all of them are supposed to check one another. Tyranitar's increase was also expected, to switch into Zapdos, whose of of the top Scizor switch ins. Scizor *just happens* to scare off TTar, I swear OU is like a neverending cycle.

 

[JLei2k]

If your not using ScarfZone, then why are you using HP Fire? Specszone is the shiz right now, it OHKOs Scizor anyway.

Timid Zone with Leftovers is good because of Sub. All those Scarf Jirachi's and Scarf Metagross make him easy to switch in. Either he gets a Scarf tricked on to him and traps and outspeeds them both (Scarf Gross doesn't run EQ usually) or they Iron Head/ Mash then you can safely sub up kill them and have a Sub up for the switch in. I use a TTar lead so he is basically a magnet for those attacks. TTar is also a magnet for Scizor switch ins which this Magenzone can safely sub against as well since they'll normally just Bullet Punch you for some damage knowing you will outspeed or you can just HP Fire it and kill it. I'm surprised Magenzone isn't higher because it can revenge kill Scizor guaranteed and switch in on it pretty safely and guarantee the kill as well.

 

[Diana]

Good stats as always, been looking at stats from here before I joined for sure.

Kind of surprised at Rhyperior jumping that high despite the fact that it's really good, it always seemed to get ignored.

 

[tennisace]

Flygon can work on the same team as Salamence. Dragonite Can't.

I have to disagree, I've used them on the same team before and it was very sucessful, the trick is to not make them both DDers and use one as a lure.

@Skiddle, I use a Scarf Porygon2 with HP Ground to screw Magnezone revenging Scizor. Its really fun to trap the trapper.

Thanks Doug once again, and I can't wait to see those new additions!

 

[Syberia]

MixMence and DDNite together on the same team work very well, one eliminates the counters for the other.

 

[MorseCoder]

The Technicianed Bullet Punch on that Scizor made it a ...

It wasnt that nasty before it got Bullet Punch..

 

[cim]

Don't call it a monster. Please.

Monster would imply it's somehow horribly threatening and there's nothing you could do to stop it.

 

[Amelia]

I'm an Electivire user, and well, i don't see why it's so high in usage really (apart from those newbies who used it). The only reason why I'm actually using Electivire is because I have a team of 3 Electric Weaks, and having Electivire in the team really scares the opponent into using Electric attacks. The trick to using him is to know when to switch him out.

Which is something i doubt the newbies know how to do.

And, the only surprising thing on this list is probably Shaymin-S. The rest are expected.

 

[twash]

Thanks for this Doug, it sure will be useful!

 

[gorm]

chris please keep your arbitrary definitions out of this thread ^__^~

why the vire hate guys? i run it with ~celebi~ + other zapdos bait and it does pretty nice, ohkoing scizor, heatran , and giving zapdos a run for it's money. it takes care of alot of top threats! it's just not very potent. people tend to use it as a sweeper (and it invariably gets walled), not a mop. even starmie can lategame clean, and it's attacking power is even lower than vires ;)