Steel no longer resists Ghost and Dark in XY. How will this change Ubers?

Theorymon

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So as some of you know, Corocoro just leaked. One of the really surprising things that was revealed, was that Steel got nerfed, no longer resisting Ghost and Dark type moves. Let's discuss that change right now, its going to have some big effects considering how much of a staple Steel-types are!

My first thoughts are:

Jirachi is really sad now. Ghostceus destroys it now x_x. It's also Pursuit weak, though it can at least Iron Head Tyranitar.

Ghostceus is going to be even nastier than usual. Not only is Judgment harder to switch in now, but even the Swords Dance set got more usable. +2 Shadow Force actually OHKOs stuff like Ferrothorn, so now you just need to get rid of Normal types...

Speaking of Shadow Force, I totally want to try out Shadow Force Giratina-O in gen 6 now. Again, getting rid of normal types is important, but blasting through Steel-types means that its much harder to switch into now!
 
This is really good for Dark types since there currently aren't very many Fighting types in Ubers. Especially nice for Darkrai, I don't see it returning to OU next gen with this.
 

Fireburn

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Shadow Force E-Killer, Darkrai, Monoattacker Darkceus just all got a lot better. Giratina-O might get decent mileage out of Shadow Force too, and I'm sure Tyranitar is thrilled. Jirachi is going to be a hard mon to Pursuit though, though not being able to counter Ghostceus anymore kind of sucks. X_X

I'm more scared of what Yveltal will be like...who's gonna wall that thing? (assuming it's built like a typical cover legend).

I'm sure there will still be plenty of reason to use Steel-type Pokemon though, if only because they picked up a resistance to Fairy and still resist tons of stuff.
 

Furai

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According to Serebii it's unconfirmed yet; this and Fairy-type just took Ubers to a whole new level. I honestly do not think it will be as 'balanced' as it is right now. Darkceus is literally not stopped by its usual checks anymore. Darkrai is gonna be a bitch to handle. Genesect really lost a lot of utility; can't switch into a bunch of moves now.

In Fighting Arceus we trust!
 
According to Serebii it's unconfirmed yet; this and Fairy-type just took Ubers to a whole new level. I honestly do not think it will be as 'balanced' as it is right now. Darkceus is literally not stopped by its usual checks anymore. Darkrai is gonna be a bitch to handle. Genesect really lost a lot of utility; can't switch into a bunch of moves now.

In Fighting Arceus we trust!
They edited it and it IS confirmed. Yveltal is really scary although we know nothing bout him yet.
 

Blue Jay

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I don't necessarily see Arceus-Dark becoming much better. Even if Steel types no longer resist it, Fairy types now do (as well as hitting back super effectively, which Steel types could not), and it still has to face things like Blaziken, Genesect and Terrakion which all give it hell with physical attacks (and Lucario may be Uber viable or even a fully fledged Uber too, with its Mega Evolution).

I'm also not sure about Darkrai. It particularly enjoyed the completely unresisted coverage of Dark/Fighting, despite the notorious inaccuracy of Focus Blast. Fairy types now resist both, as well as hitting it super effectively, so it would like to run something like Dark Pulse/Sludge Bomb (based on its current movepool) instead. However, this leaves it walled by Tyranitar and Lucario, as well as a number of Pokemon that are less likely to be used in Ubers. If anything, now that its STAB seems harder to wall (there will probably not be particularly many Uber viable Fairy types in this gen) and it has worse neutral coverage, I expect to see a rise in the Substitute+Nasty Plot set - it may even become the main set.

Ghost/Fighting coverage definitely sounds more dangerous than ever; perhaps Arceus-Normal will be seen in a defensive role more often and Chansey/Blissey may find more usage.

I also expect an absolutely monstrous wallbreaker in Yveltal. Flying has always been an excellent attacking type, and with Dark no longer resisted by Steel types any coverage alongside the two may not be needed (the only resists to both being some rare dual typings), especially since the Dark type STAB is boosted by Yveltal's ability. Not to mention that some of the current premier walls are weak to Dark type attacks. This is an offensive dual typing to rival Ho-Oh's, although I expect quite a different stat spread, and Regenerator as well as Ho-Oh's newfound resistance should distinguish it.
 
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alexwolf

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Fireburn said:
Monoattacker Darkceus just all got a lot better.
It really depends, but most probably the introduction of Fairy-types will keep Darkrai in check, or could actually be even more of a problem for it than Steel-types were, especially because Fairy-types can hit back with super effective STAB attacks.
 
Ugh, I had a post but my dumbass laptop touchpad made me erase it all. I'm not typing it up again so in summary:
-Dark types nerfed more by Fairy than helped by Steel nerf
-Tina-A doesn't give a fuck
-Tina-O is no longer a giant ass to stall with Dragon Tail, it'll now be a more standardish attacker with maybe Shadow Force. (otherwise it'll be CM everywhere)
-CM Arceus-Ghost now has no problem with Forry and Skarm. It MIGHT be able to drop Focus Blast for another coverage move depending on how the Normals and Darks are next gen. Overall, what worked best before (generally spdef bulky tanks/walls) still works.
-SD Arceus-Ghost got the biggest buff as Shadow Force is now a lot harder to switch into. It'd be nice to get some good Normal/Ghost types to make up for it. Maybe Fairy/Normal Chansey? (or the physically defensive Unaware mon I already wanted)
-I'm not bothered about Honedge not being a wall anymore.
 
Here are my opinions on it:
- I really don't like this, I have gotten sooo used to how it is everything will be all changed up now. Steel was easy enough to kill anyways.
- Ferrothorn won't be soo amazing anymore.
- May break Ubers imo, every steel-type is probably gonna be shaken up. Like Hydreigon and Dialga are being so crippled.
- Honedge will most likely be NU... Just my first impression, it has Pursuit weakness and a whopping five weaknesses on top of what seems to be not very powerful imo. (Yes, I know this is Ubers, just throwing this out there!)
- Looks like the entire meta will be different.
- Poor Jirachi, now has four weaknesses that will most likely be very common.


Just imo.
 
Here are my opinions on it:
- I really don't like this, I have gotten sooo used to how it is everything will be all changed up now. Steel was easy enough to kill anyways.
- Ferrothorn won't be soo amazing anymore.
- May break Ubers imo, every steel-type is probably gonna be shaken up. Like Hydreigon and Dialga are being so crippled.
- Honedge will most likely be NU... Just my first impression, it has Pursuit weakness and a whopping five weaknesses on top of what seems to be not very powerful imo. (Yes, I know this is Ubers, just throwing this out there!)
- Looks like the entire meta will be different.
- Poor Jirachi, now has four weaknesses that will most likely be very common.


Just imo.
If Jirachi goes UU in XY, I am going to hate it so much.
 
Iron head Flinches Fairies with 160 BP not counting STAB. Steel got buffed overall, as there are few decent Dark or Ghost attacks that hurt them to begin with, but this really hinders them in Ubers due to Ghosts and Darkrai everywhere.

I'm just hoping that the new Fairy Ubers are walls and not potent offensive threats so that the metagame is turned on its head completely.
 
Honestly, I don't think it will go UU. Serene Grace Iron Head will still be annoying as ever.
That's true. Here is a list of predictions I have come up with that shakes up XY.
  • Jirachi gets fairy/steel. Fire wrecks it, but it gets better due to steel nerfs.
  • Xerenus (idk how to spell it) is bulky and wrecks ubers, skyrocketing steel/poison arceus usage.
  • Yvetal drops ghosteus usage.
  • Blissey gets fairy/normal and can wall outrages for days.
 
That's true. Here is a list of predictions I have come up with that shakes up XY.
  • Jirachi gets fairy/steel. Fire wrecks it, but it gets better due to steel nerfs.
  • Xerenus (idk how to spell it) is bulky and wrecks ubers, skyrocketing steel/poison arceus usage.
  • Yvetal drops ghosteus usage.
  • Blissey gets fairy/normal and can wall outrages for days.
Honestly, this is accurate imo. Xerneas* btw lol. And if Blissey gets Fairy/Normal it will shoot to ubers. Dat Outrage immunity + resistances just being added and her impressive stats already. Scary Montser.
 

Bryce

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I'm more worried about how we're gonna kill FairyCeus and may be Xernes if it's a wall.Being weak to only Poison and Steel(garbage attacking types) and resisting shit like Dark/Fighting while that immunity to Dragon should make it an excellent wall (unless some major metagame shifts).I only hope that the metagame will offer enough widely usable attackers which can break through those two via brute force.

Steel losing it's resistances to Dark and Ghost is really interesting,Ghostceus just got a lot better.Darkrai will have trouble with fairy types.

Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y are two very interesting additions,especially MM X.Overall,I think we'll be seeing a very different metagame in Gen 6.
 

Haruno

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I'm more worried about how we're gonna kill FairyCeus and may be Xernes if it's a wall.Being weak to only Poison and Steel(garbage attacking types) and resisting shit like Dark/Fighting while that immunity to Dragon should make it an excellent wall (unless some major metagame shifts).I only hope that the metagame will offer enough widely usable attackers which can break through those two via brute force.

Steel losing it's resistances to Dark and Ghost is really interesting,Ghostceus just got a lot better.Darkrai will have trouble with fairy types.

Mega Mewtwo X and Mega Mewtwo Y are two very interesting additions,especially MM X.Overall,I think we'll be seeing a very different metagame in Gen 6.
As long as fairy is a special attacking type which seems very likely then ho oh can potentially wall xerneas. And wide enough usable attackers? We have plenty of those already, what we need are more defensive mons since B/W brought a whopping 1 in ferrothorn.
 

Bryce

Lun
Except most of those widely usable powerful attackers are dragons(I can think of kyogre and mewtwo other than that,Ho-oh is can be used on a limited number of teams and requires spin support) which fairy types are immune to and hits for SE damage.I know we have enough offensive pokes right now,but with the new fairy type,it'll be quite different.Especially,with fairyceus with those stats and movepool.I guess Dialga stands out really well.Even Darkrai is nerfed with it's 'unresisted' dark+fight coverage getting resisted by fairy.
 
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Haruno

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Except most of those widely usable powerful attackers are dragons(I can think of kyogre and mewtwo other than that,Ho-oh is very hard to fit in and requires spin support) which fairy types are immune to.I know we have enough offensive pokes right now,but with the new fairy type,it'll be quite different.
Ho oh is far from being hard to fit on a proper sun team and it's already one of the strongest mons in the tier even factoring in SR. Being resistant to fairy just makes it even better. Not to mention very few mons only rely on dragon attacks, the only thing it really does is stop things from pressing draco meteor and expecting shit to die.
 

Bryce

Lun
I didn't say ho-oh is hard to fit in on sun teams,I meant in general.You can't throw Ho-oh in on any Rain team or teams that simply use Groudon for it's individual traits other than their weather.Defensive sand teams can also run Ho-oh but that's about it.I understand those mons have other means of attacking other than dragon attacks.But you have to keep in mind that I'm talking mainly about Arceus,who can come in,outspeed and force out those respective attackers.Like I edited in my previous post,Dialga is something that stands out.I'm simply saying that Fairy types are going to be hard to kill and they can wall a good portion of the ubers metagame.
 

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