Resource SV Monotype Viability Rankings

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WhiteQueen

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As someone who has played water extensively since the start, these are my thoughts:

(1) Dondonzo -> S
This fish is just ridiculous. Any Pokémon that can single-handedly bail a player out of a losing situation deserves the ultimate ranking. Invest some Sp.Def and nothing kills her without dying first after she secures a Curse or two

(2) Toxapex-> A
She got nerfed badly this generation without Knock Off and the ability to fish for burns. Toxapex is still not useless, though, as she still can set Toxic
Spikes, Haze, and just being hard as fuck to kill

(3) Azumarill -> A
Sap Sipper is a godsend against powerhouses like Breloom. Without Azumarill, water teams get completely wrecked by the mushroom. I’m not even gonna bother saying anything about grass teams
 
:sv/appletun: B --> A
Besides Toedscruel, Appletun is one of if not the only counter for Fire types such as Tauros or Scovillain. I've spammed Grass in the ladder a few times and honestly without Appletun I wouldn't know how to beat them except cry and pray. Having Thick Fat just increases its defensive utility against Fires even more along with Earthquake to actually deal damage. Until HOME comes (i don't know what the hell is coming from HOME because i never checked), Appletun is pretty solid to be in Grass teams that need a way to deal with Fires easier. It's not entirely passive either, being a wall in general and breaking down SpDEFs of the opponents with Apple Acid.
Seconding this nom, would also like to point out I've been using Iron Defense Body Press sets as a surprisingly sturdy wincon for the type. Loses to Skeldirge 1v1, but you can't win em all.
Also, nothing relevant is coming from home besides Miracle Worker herself (Hisuigant) and the p shaky Hisuitrode.
 

kenn

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Okay so after discussing it a bit in the room (and more with Starfox.) I got a couple of things I wanna bring to light for Fighting so here goes nothing.

:flamigo: UR ---> B
This thing has been super fun to use and honestly a really good Scarfer with 2 spammable STAB moves thanks to Scrappy allowing you to power through Ghost types such as Sableye, forcing Dark to play around this and Iron Valiant, or Gholdengo, which means Steel has to rely on keeping Corviknight healthy. It also can be a sort of status absorber with access to Facade, a good neutral move to use once it has been potentially burned or poisoned. While it does have a lot to offer, it also has some very obvious flaws. Base 90 Speed basically forces it to run Choice Scarf as it can't outrun the things it wants to otherwise and its lack of coverage leaves a lot to be desired despite having Scrappy to help ease a Ghost matchup or against Sableye in general.

:gallade: B ---> A
Gallade has been surprisingly excellent at just about taking out everything Fighting is scared of (Leaf Blade takes down Quag, Night Slash takes out Flutter, and so on) and I just feel like Fighting is hard pressed to build a team without using Gallade. While Gallade basically only has one good set (Choice Scarf), it utilizes that one set nearly perfectly. Gallade does struggle against some fatter mons if they haven't been previously worn down and it wants to run like 5 moves (Psycho Cut, Sacred Sword, Leaf Blade, Night Slash, and Trick) but overall Gallade is a super solid pick for most, if not all, Fighting teams and the VR should reflect this as such.

:quaquaval: A ---> C
This one seems drastic as it is a whole TWO ranks BUT I truly feel like the more I play with it, the less I feel it adds to a team. Everything it beats for Fighting, Fighting takes on anyways. If you want a Scarfer, Gallade does a way better job at threatening things and still outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame. I can see this still being worth it for snowballing purposes as Moxie is fantastic, especially when paired with Aqua Step, but I also think it is definitely vying for a slot on Fighting that is already fulfilled by other teammates that just do it better in my opinion.
 

Havens

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Had some time laddering as I recover from surgery, some things I'd like to nom:

UR -> B (Dark): This is more of a "someone forgot this exists" nomination. There's plenty that needs to be improved with the VR and that only comes with more time, but even then not seeing Tyranitar of all mons not be ranked on Dark is a head-scratcher. I've found that it doesn't have to be so utilitarian anymore as a rocker, given Ting-Lu has usurped that role from it, and have found that being either a special wall or DD is sufficient enough. AV TTar with Dragon Tail + Heavy Slam + 2 filler does what it needs to, as Specs Moonblast from Flutter Mane is a 3HKO in sand with Heavy Slam being in immediate KO. CB or DD can also be incentivized for breaking and sweeping power, though the former is preferred since the latter is kind of niche given the existence of faster sweepers (Chien-Pao, Meowscarada, Greninja coming soon, etc).

B -> A (Fairy): Ok like I know Klefki exists and all, but this mon is neat in its own right. I could call it "better base Mawile", and that describes how I feel about it competitively on Fairy. With Fairy dittos becoming commonplace at the moment in the suspect, having a Tinkaton on your team improves your chances at winning out the ditto. It's the only other Knock Off user besides Iron Valiant at the moment, and the only Stealth Rock user that's valuable in using right now (sorry Scream Tail). Mold Breaker to bypass Hatterene Magic Bounce means that it always goes up, and without any hazard removal available to Fairy, any extra chip damage/utility is valuable. Though offensively there's much to be desired in terms of pure stats, Fairy/Steel is just exceptional typing to have, especially considering the amount of Chien-Pao running around at the moment. It might decline post Flutter Mane suspect, but for the moment there's high value in Tinkaton that we aren't utilizing.
 
Several suggestions based on games I have played from ladder / kickoff tour:

Abomasnow (Grass): UR --> C or B

Definitely not the greatest Pokemon around, but Hail giving it a 1.5x boost in Defense, Body Press and a neutrality to Ice moves makes threats like Chien Pao and Baxcalibur a lot more manageable for Grass teams, through the easening of pressure on Wochien. It also has access to useful utility moves in Aurora Veil and Leech Seed, enabling it to increase the longevity of its teammates. Dark teams are relevant enough to justify a check for Chien Pao and it can be useful in certain other scenarios as mentioned, so C rank would serve it well.

Here is a replay: https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9monotype-1781320964 (please take the plays with a grain of salt).

Ting-Lu (Ground)
A --> S

Ting-Lu can perform multiple roles on Ground teams and is one of the reasons why the type has been performing so well. In Ground's case it is even more free to run other sets such as Resttalk and Choice Band, something it cannot do in Dark teams, thanks to other hazard stacking possibilities Ground teams have (Garchomp and Gastrodon/Quagsire being the main examples). It is extremely tanky and provides an useful Psychic immunity which prevents Stored Power sweepers and strong Psychic attackers from breaking Ground's defensive core (Great Tusk and Clodsire, both of which are weak to Psychic moves). In the recent kickoff tournament it had abundant usage being present in almost every Ground team.


Rotom-Mow (Grass) A --> B or C

Despite being one of the Grass most viable special attackers, it does not contribute much to matchup improvement in general (especially against top tier types like Ghost, Ground and Dark). It also does not help that much against Flying (a type that it is supposed to help against this matchup) given threats like Killowattrel and Dragonite check it rather comfortably. It still has overall decent utility through pivotting and a immediate check with Trick and a choice item which can come handy in games, but overall Grass has more interesting choices to consider and many threats to worry about when teambuilding, thus justifying its drop. Probably still useful in the Steel matchup since it is one of the few ways to beat Corviknight but not really that useful otherwise

Seconding this nom, would also like to point out I've been using Iron Defense Body Press sets as a surprisingly sturdy wincon for the type. Loses to Skeldirge 1v1, but you can't win em all.
Also, nothing relevant is coming from home besides Miracle Worker herself (Hisuigant) and the p shaky Hisuitrode.
I disagree with the Appletun nomination though. The Fire matchup is already pretty damn rough to the point you lose it 90% of the time even with Appletun, thanks to the big amount of pressure the type is put into (the only fire resist available to Grass). It also struggles against Bug Buzz variants of Volcarona and Iron Moth, which can do a lot of damage through Sludge Wave. Overall it is a very passive Pokemon despite offering an useful fire resistance, which is effective against other teams that have Fire coverage (stuff like Ceruledge on the Ghost matchup, for example), but not on the Fire matchup itself. Pokemon like Tauros (Fire) and Scovillain only really see common usage in Fire teams so it is not really a concern to prep for them other than prepping for the Fire matchup itself, which is again not worthy (big opportunity cost in teambuilding).

Due to its uses I think it is valid to keep it at B, but asking for a rise sounds a bit too much IMO.
 
All of these are about mono fire
Buffs:
Cinderace A to S:

For me this is an absolute no brainer. Priority in monotype right now is hugely impactful, and having sucker punch on a mon with this much attack and speed, not to mention libero does so much to shut down opposing threats. In addition, it has amazing coverage and even court change for hazard removal, U turn allows it to be a reliable lead, and he's just thicc enough to live stuff he really doesn't have any right to and get the KO.

Talonflame B to A:

For many of the same reasons cinderace is good, talonflame is better. Gale wings brave bird is a consistent nuke against the dozens of defensively frail attackers running around the tier, and the types that resist it are rarer this generation than last. Gale wings also works for defog, which makes it likely the most reliable hazard removal early in the game, and its fast enough to do a good job even if its health isn't full. This does require boots, but honestly talon basically requires them anyway. It is one of the only option for ground switch-ins, and it has healing with roost.

Nerf:
Volcorona S to A:

Sad to see this guy fall from the top. In mono he suffers from not having 5 moves. when running a QD set you have to give up one of giga drain, bug buzz, firey dance, and psychic, and all of them have a lot of use cases that make slotting them in very good. The alternative is a specs set for coverage, but then you aren't fast enough to outrun everything you need to and your locked into one move. Its just in a poor place where it cant have everything it kinda needs, and I think that it isn't the automatic slot that it used to fill. Scarf Iron moth is probably a better pick if you arent planning on using both.
 

mushamu

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As someone who has played water extensively since the start, these are my thoughts:

(1) Dondonzo -> S
This fish is just ridiculous. Any Pokémon that can single-handedly bail a player out of a losing situation deserves the ultimate ranking. Invest some Sp.Def and nothing kills her without dying first after she secures a Curse or two

(2) Toxapex-> A
She got nerfed badly this generation without Knock Off and the ability to fish for burns. Toxapex is still not useless, though, as she still can set Toxic
Spikes, Haze, and just being hard as fuck to kill

(3) Azumarill -> A
Sap Sipper is a godsend against powerhouses like Breloom. Without Azumarill, water teams get completely wrecked by the mushroom. I’m not even gonna bother saying anything about grass teams
I think Toxapex + Greninja should both be at S now that the latter has dropped. Choice Specs Greninja, or really any Greninja set is extremely useful especially when backed up with Toxapex's defensive capabilities and it's pretty much what Water revolves around. Greninja being at S should be self explanatory, but the short version is that it's an offensive juggernaut that can run a lot of sets depending on what it wants to beat. For example, Choice Specs pretty much nukes everything in the tier and other sets are just as threatening. Both of these Pokemon got nerfed pretty hard but they're still very effective in the current metagame especially since the power levels are lower than what they were in SM. I also feel like Dondozo and Azumarill should stay at their current rankings as neither of them can really compare to the Pokemon that are a rank above. They're really good on fatter teams, but with Greninja dropping more balanced and offensive teams have seen a surge in viability and Dondozo + Azumarill's roles can be compressed into other Pokemon like Quagsire (Unaware + Electric immunity + hazards) and Toxapex (Grass neutrality, can use Safety Goggles to answer Breloom).
 
why is brambleghast B for ghost? I really don't understand this and there are no sample movesets as well
another thing is skeledirge; I feel like A is a better place for him than B. I have been trying out more offensive sets lately with max hp and spa, and honestly its hit taking ability is still fine. It's defensive set is obviously very splashable, as it can counter many threats that ghost otherwise can't break past or out-offense. The consistent burns along with hex also churns out big damage for such a defensive pokemon
 
why is brambleghast B for ghost? I really don't understand this and there are no sample movesets as well
another thing is skeledirge; I feel like A is a better place for him than B. I have been trying out more offensive sets lately with max hp and spa, and honestly its hit taking ability is still fine. It's defensive set is obviously very splashable, as it can counter many threats that ghost otherwise can't break past or out-offense. The consistent burns along with hex also churns out big damage for such a defensive pokemon
Brambleghast is a very solid rapid spinner + spikes setter
 
Two nominations for two mons that I feel strongly should be higher here.

:quaquaval: (Water) A ---> S
I came to this realization when experimenting with some water squads with style.css. I think the duck has reached a point to where you cannot drop it on Water. Quaquaval fills many roles on water teams, all in one slot. It can run many sets, including a Boots + Roost + 3 attacks set, choice scarf, or a set-up set with Bulk Up or Swords Dance. Boots + RoostBoost Quaquaval is an outstanding mon to have, and allows you to secure important matchups, such as Dark and Steel. RoostBoost usually carries the moves Aqua Step, Close Combat, Roost, and there are numerous options for the final slot, including Rapid Spin, Ice Spinner, U-turn, Taunt, or setup moves like Swords Dance or Bulk Up. Choice Scarf is another set that can be run, and especially is useful on rain teams, as a form of speed control when rain is not up. Overall, Quaquaval's offensive role compression, ability to snowball certain teams, and coverage of key matchups makes it a must have on any water team.

:flamigo: (Flying) C ---> A
Another mon that has increased in usage as of recent, and for many reasons. Slap a Choice Scarf on the flamingo and watch it go brr on TONS of threats. Flying tends to struggle with the Ghost and Dark matchups, and Flamigo is the exact mon that the type needed in order to better these common matchups. Close Combat/Brave Bird/U-Turn/Facade is the most common set on Flamigo. Close Combat is your main Fighting STAB, and thanks to Scrappy, ghosts cant exactly switch into it, making it very threatening. It also helps immensely in the Dark matchup, as Sableye cannot switch into Close Combat, and the Dark often has to resort to sacrificing something. Brave Bird is a self-explanatory Flying STAB that hits most things that resist CC. Facade allows for Flamigo to still be useful should it be burned, and U-turn allows it to gain momentum. For these reasons, Flamigo is a tremendous addition to any Flying team.
 
Abomasnow should be ranked on Grass (not sure where but is worth and better than Flapple for example) and Tyranitar on Dark (is better than Weavile and other mons listed).
Abomasnow can help against Chien-pao with a physically defensive set (still bad check but grass has no better options) because the cat sweep so easily with SD and ice shard + icicle crash (set that can be used in dark teams). Aurora veil + light clay is very good for obvious reasons.
Leech seed + veil + blizzard + body press /focus blast is the set.

Tyranitar always was a stable on balanced dark. This gen other options like Ting-lu exist but isn't outclassed by anything in particular, can be used as a Volcarona check and Sand can help vs Fire teams, for example.
 

mushamu

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Post wcop noms:

Flying:
A -> S
Kilo should be S because of the defensive utility it provides flying alongside the offensive presence it gives. Alongside being an electric immunity, volt switch is incredible in particular for contributing to the momentum that brings in other flying pokemon as the type is rather reliant on offensive threats to deal damage. It's a pokemon u should be using on pretty much every flying team and coupled with how good it is means it deserves to sit with the other titans in corviknight and dragonite at S.

C -> A
This pokemon is like dark-type skarmory. Alongside giving stealth rock to an offensive type which is already huge, it gets a lot more utility options at its arsenal in parting shot, taunt, roost, and knock off. Parting shot in particular is nice to deter hatterene under screens because of the way it interacts with magic bounce and roost means dark hates switching into it now as it can recover off the damage sableye inflicts on it and spams knock.

C -> B

Burn + typing is really good combined with the speed. You can counter specs greninja by coming in on ice beam and then spamming roost. It pretty much can solo dark alongside corviknight by spreading wisp all over the type and then spam u-turn. Talonflame is in general a really nice utility pokemon that should be explored more.

I still think gyarados should be A ranked because of its amazing utility and flamigo/mence should be B ranked because of their roles as speed control.

Ghost:
Unranked -> A
This pokemon is incredible because it adds an entire other dimension to ghost teams. Having a ghost immunity flips a lot of matchups towards the ghost team's favor: aside from the mirror matchup there's fairy, dragon, etc that can't spam ghost attacks anymore to win. The set I've been using is substitute/wisp/knock/hex and it does a lot of work when combined with spikes while wisp can lure in pokemon like kingambit and skuntank by baiting illusion with flutter mane.

B -> A

Skeledrige walls like half the tier and fits nicely with spikes balances. Pokemon like kingambit, azumarill, mimikyu, and dragonite and completely neutered by wisp + slack off and it has an offensive presence too with torch song and shadow ball. Amazing pokemon.

That's all, thanks for reading!
 
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Neko

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Hi, dropping some noms for some types I've enjoyed recently:
Dark:
:meowscarada: A-> S
(The catto is the second fastest scarfer right now, and its ability to force switches, revenge-kill meanies like Scarf Valiant and Specs Flutter Mane, and clean types late-game is unparalleled. It can also fit in Spikes or Trick in a pinch too, making it a great last-ditch effort in murking walls like Toxapex in a pinch. Or just u-turn and bring in something like Hydrei to take advantage of those)

Dragon:
:cyclizar: S-> A/B (Rapid Spin and Knock Off good, Shed Tail isnt as amazing in Monotype, as you almost always need Multiscale Dragonite if your shed tail is going anywhere. Dragalge is usually a better pick as it covers random Fairy-types which Dragon-types usually can't handle as well)
:walking-wake: A (Catgon helps so much for Dragon teams as he provides a good Chien Pao, Baxcalibur, and Scizor answer with a Choice Scarf set. He's also a decently fast scarfer if you don't want scarf Dragapult / Roaring Moon, though this comes at the cost of not being able to pivot. It can also run wallbreaking sets with a Choice Specs, but Specs Pult does it better, with the exception of Ting-Lu hating Walky Wakey much, much more)

Electric:
:kilowattrel: C->A (Deals with fast threats like Greninja and Iron Valiant which nom Electric teams and is also a cool Ground immunity. Just don't count on it hitting Hurricanes, though. Also helps since he's the fastest viable Electric guy)
:pincurchin: B->C (Is a liability, activating opposing team's Quark Drive for very little returns is not fun)
:bellibolt: UR->C (Electromorphosis with Soak isn't too bad + Electric struggles to field 6 good mons anyways. Checking Chien-Pao and Azumarill in a pinch is also great)
:iron-thorns: A->B (He's a disappointment, or a work in progress.)

Fighting:
:quaquaval: A->B (He's a terrible scarfer compared to Flamigo due to Speed + Scrappy and Setup-wise is outclassed by Breloom)

Flying:
:flamigo: C->A (Already mentioned by Starf0x)

Ghost:
:skeledirge: B->A (Also mentioned by Mush, would like to add that it has the ability to win against almost all Physical attackers and is currently fighting a speedcreep war to keep Kingambit in check)
:zoroark-hisui: A (Diguising as bulky stuff like Skele and Focus Missing Greninja, Disguise as Flutt and trick Corviknight, Disguise is disgusting and this makes Ghost teams a bit more fun to play)
 
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Dead by Daylight

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:sv/pawmot: C ----> B

Pawmot's niche on Fighting boils down to a Revival Blessing user and a somewhat solid Choice Scarfer. Now, I don't play Fighting often, but the value of being able to revive a dead teammate seems far too good to pass up. Fighting seems to be a very do-or-die type this gen, and being able to revive a fallen teammate lets you win after breaking down that teammate's answers and getting it back in. Not only that, but it is also a fairly viable scarfer. It's blazing fast, and Double Shock's power lets it do some key damage. It kills Chien-Pao with Mach Punch. It can revive teammates effectively. What's not to like?
 

WhiteQueen

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:tropius: UR -> A for Flying

The Flying-type has been pretty mediocre, and that won’t change until Home comes out. Other than Kilowattrel and its Volt Absorb ability, Flying has zero electric immunity. But with Kilowattrel’s abysmal bulk, no amount of immunities will help its longevity. Enter Tropius with its Grass/Flying typing and formidable 99/83/87 bulk and excellent Harvest ability, which helps it brush off electric and other powerful special attacks with the Protect and Sitrus Berry recycling combo.

Tropius @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Harvest
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Leech Seed
- Substitute
- Protect
- Bullet Seed

Tropius in action:

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9monotype-1834243104-hl8f88yh811w8jvn5he80fna9b1g8oypw

Some damage calculations:

244 SpA Choice Specs Walking Wake Draco Meteor vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Tropius: 243-286 (60.5 - 71.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
244 SpA Choice Specs Walking Wake Flamethrower vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Tropius: 226-266 (56.3 - 66.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Kilowattrel Thunder vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Tropius: 183-216 (45.6 - 53.8%) -- 41% chance to 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Flutter Mane Mystical Fire vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Tropius: 200-236 (49.8 - 58.8%) -- 99.6% chance to 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Flutter Mane Moonblast vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Tropius: 189-223 (47.1 - 55.6%) -- 76.2% chance to 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Sandy Shocks Thunderbolt vs. 248 HP / 252+ SpD Tropius: 165-195 (41.1 - 48.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

With Protect, Sitrus Berry recycling, and Leech Seed, Tropius can beat the aforementioned powerhouses.
 
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Pengairxan

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454MS8.png
B -> A

This frog is an absolute champion and I am hopefully going to explain why. As of right now, Dark and Water are very commonly considered the two best types and two of the most common types you need to ready for and Toxicroak can answer solidly into both. The main set I'll be using to argue for Toxicroak here is a Physically bulky Drain punch set.

On the Dark side, Croak can easily handle both Chien-Pao and Kingambit without much fear and can solidly hold its own against other common threats Dark has to offer like Meowscarada, Skuntank, Ting-lu (will have to take a 31.3% chance risk on EQ unless it is a switch in) and Hydreigon, once it uses Draco Meteor though. Any threat Toxicroak can't deal with by itself, it team mates can cover. Water meanwhile has to play around killing Toxicroak as it is a safe switch into any water move. Pelipper's rain now does nothing for water attackers instead making Toxicroak recover 12.5% per turn. Toxicroak can also easily handles threats such as Quaquaval, Floatzel and Cloyster thanks them to its strong stabs/Thunderpunch and priority moves for cleaning up with each one. Thunderpunch coverage also works wonders in sending Pelipper and Gyarados to the grave while forcing Pex to spam to recover or switch out into something else to survive.

These are not the only matchups Toxicroak works wonders in. With Ice punch it can works it way through a Ground team being an answer into Clodsire and Palossand while crippling anything that tries to switch in. Sucker Punch acts as a Solid priority move and allows Toxicroak to work wonders in the Ghost and Psychic matchups and get one last hit in before falling against threats such as Fluttermane, Gholdengo, Dragapult, Gallade and Armarouge. Against Fairy, Poison jab/Gunk shot makes it Poison's best answer into Belly drum Azumarill killing the average Azumarill everytime after a belly drum without fail and working as a solid killer of mons like Hatterene, Sylveon and Scream Tail.

This also isn't the only run to way the Croak, just the version I run and have had the most success with. With Nasty plot, it can setup into a nasty special attacker with moves like Vaccum wave, Focus Blast, Sludge bomb and Shadow ball. Bulk up makes Toxicroak even bulkier and more powerful than it already is. Close combat is always a great nuke into anything. Fakeout is always nice for chip, building up poison damage and breaking focus sashes. And Choice bands allows anything Toxicroak croaks out to hurt like hell. Special mention to Choice band Earthquakes which makes Toxicroak the single most dangerous mon in the Poison Mirror being able to easily end the existence of Poison's defensive core (with the exception of physically defensive Amoonguss) in 4 total hits (2 for Pex and 1 each for Clod and Skuntank) allowing all of Poison's other offensive threats to easily cleanup.

Also small argument for
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going from A -> S. Nearly every type has a mon that wants to spam a psychic type move like they're going out of style against a Poison team and Skuntank is the only mon on Poison who really can eat them without fearing for its life. Then it can respond by setting up Toxic spikes, a Crunch/Poison jab for solid damage with Sucker punch for priority. And if it wants to be really fancy, it can run Play Rough for thee Dark matchup, a Fire spin set to trap defensive mons and drain their health or explosion to break opposing walls or ruin offensive mons with Aftermath to deal good damage to contact attackers on the way out.
 

Neko

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some Ice noms
:cetitan: B->A
Its excadrill mini for Ice teams, with a side of Belly Drum. Icy rock means you have 6 turns max of utilizing your near perfect coverage, and with slush rush you even outspeed up to scarf 110s (Iron Moth, for instance) which allows Chien-Pao to use better sets like Swords Dance. Choice Band Cetitan is mildly acceptable, but BD is by far its best set

:glaceon: UR->B
Access to Freeze-Dry, decent longevity and bulk, and enough speed to murk slower Water and Ground teams makes it a great pick (considering there's not a lot of Ice mons until HOME anyway). Sub-CM sets are the way to go, mostly, as you can use Quagsire, Toxapex, and Water Absorb Clodsire as setup fodder as Eq cant break its substitute if you invested in enough Def.
 

Giyu

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Ghost:
:Mimikyu: S -> A

Mimikyu has been increasingly difficult to fit on Ghost due to the type preferring balance structures rather than offense or even hyper offense which it excels in. It's Fairy typing is no longer unique because of Flutter Mane and it's priority in Shadow Sneak is shared by Brambleghast and Ceruledge, both of which I've found more synergetic with balance structures. Mimikyu is still overall a great Pokemon and asset to Ghost, however, I don't think it deserves to be S tier.

:Dragapult: A -> S
With my suggested drop of Mimikyu, I propose Dragapult's rise to take it's place. Dragapult's variability molds and sustains Ghost's structural integrity, making up for whatever the team could possibly need, whether it's more breaking power, speed control, or something I've been liking; Hex and status spam. Among the myriad of things Dragapult provides, one of the biggest bonuses is U-turn. Ghost almost completely lacks pivoting and momentum outside of Zoroark-Hisui and the unviable/niche Decidueye and Oricorio. I personally don't think you can have a Ghost team without Dragapult, whether it's balance, offense, or whatever you please, hence my suggestion.
 

Dead by Daylight

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:rotom-heat: B ---> A (Fire)

Right now, it's almost like Rotom-H is the only viable Ground immunity on Fire. While Talonflame does exist, it is quite frail without Heavy-Duty Boots and weak. Rotom-H, on the other hand, not only provides a key Ground immunity, but also threatens Waters out with its STAB Electric attacks, while also being able to mess with defensive cores through a timely Tricked Choice Scarf. Additionally, its Speed tier is just good enough for it to excel as a Scarfer, with max Speed and a Timid nature allowing it to outrun things like +1 Gyarados and Quaquaval, two massive threats that can otherwise roll through Fire if Sun isn't up and Torkoal is dead, while also outspeeding and dealing with Chien-Pao and Flutter Mane in an emergency. It's not frail either; its bulk is surprisingly good enough even without much, if any investment, letting it perform its roles well enough to be an A-tier 'mon on Fire. Its main flaws are its Stealth Rock weakness and no access to any form of reliable recovery, but those can be played around on a well-built team.

:coalossal: B ---> A (Rock)

Coalossal is one of my personal favorite designs, and Rock needs it right now. Not only does it provide good role compression in the form of a hazard setter (Spikes), it also removes only hazards on your side with Rapid Spin and can sponge physical hits quite well while also punishing them with a 30% Flame Body burn chance. Additionally, it can deal with troublesome Steel-types with its crucial neutrality. After all, if you have a 91.1% usage rate on your type, then you're doing something right.
 
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Ghost
:zoroark-hisui: S (or at least A)

I said this before and I will say it again. Zoroark hisui is mandatory on ghost. Not only does it make the ditto much easier, it also help massively against types carrying any ghost move at all. For example, iron valiant often runs specs shadow ball on fighting, choiced flutter mane on fairy, etc. The only somewhat limiting downside is that this pokemon has no bulk whatsoever. However, especially with help from gholdengo and skedirge, this can be wholly manageable. This compounded further as it has access to uturn and knock off. U-turn allows you to scout a switch and safely hide as pult. Knock off is incredible in the ditto especially against itself(on normal too but normal sucks :D). Shadow ball is nice to hide as since most ghosts are special attackers and run shadow ball anyways. It even has access to will-o-wisp to hide as dirge.

:Skeledirge: S (or at least A)

Having this in B is a crime. Ghost lacks defensive utillity and often has to play a sack heavy game. This is not that reliable when your worst matchup, dark, is the best type in the game. What skeledirge does is provide a piece of defensive utility that ghost desperately needs. Take pokemon like kingambit. With a small number of speed ev you can outspeed it and will-o-wisp it before it can attack. This is just one example of what skeledirge can do. It can check non choiced lokix and shit on bug; it's the corner piece of ghost's strategy against steel.

If we look at usage stats, we see that those 2 pokemon are much higher up than those in B-tier. The ghost pokemon better are dengo, mane, pult, mimi, and sab(this is because of dark, ghost almost never runs it). All of which are S-tier and A-tier pokemon. I believe those 2 should join them in S and A as well.
 


Temporary Artwork by CodyFontanazza | VR Sheet by Ticken & Managed by roxie

Welcome to the Scarlet and Violet Monotype Viability Rankings! In Monotype, Pokemon are ranked based on their viability relative to the other Pokemon you have available on a particular type. The Pokemon in A rank are more viable than those in B rank, but that does not mean B-rank Pokemon aren't useful or don't have a very valuable niche. Anything that is ranked must be usable and have some value that prevents it from being outclassed. Most Pokemon are placed into one of four different rankings: S, A, B, and C. Previously, the D ranking was included, but collectively, we've decided not to include D rankings during this era of Monotype. Some Pokemon aren’t listed either because they are completely outclassed or haven't been ranked yet. Pokemon are ranked separately for each type. For example, Grass teams love Toedscruel's access to Spikes and Rapid Spin, but Ground teams have limited interest in Toedscruel because there are superior options for its niches; Toedscruel would be ranked separately for each type.

General / Write-up Rules
  • Flaming will not be tolerated. Please respectfully debate each other's nominations.
  • Post smartly, don't just be like "I like Magnezone, so it should be in S Tier!"
  • Stay on topic. This thread is intended for the discussion of how viable Pokemon are relative to each other, which does involve sometimes referring to Pokemon as broken or extremely good. However, there are other more suited threads for posting about whether a Pokemon is too broken, so make sure to frame your posts appropriately.
  • Please only nominate rank changes for Pokemon that you have direct experience using. Do not use theory or on-paper ideas.
  • Avoid posting very brief and simple questions such as "Why is Galarian Corsola A Rank? It sucks!" The Simple Questions and Simple Answers are the perfect place to ask your simple question to get a simple answer!
Viability Ranking Council: These people will have the final say if a decision by the community cannot be reached or if a Pokemon is completely misplaced. If you do not contribute to this thread, do not expect your suggestions to be added miraculously. We each vote individually on Pokemon, so post here if you want all of us to see your suggestion!

How to rank
  • Include the Pokemon you're rating, the type, and what rank you want it to be.
  • Explain as to why you put it in that rank and how it fares in Monotype. (Why should it be ranked lower or higher?)
S Rank
Scizor
Volcarona

A Rank
Forretress
:lokix:Lokix
:slither_wing:Slither Wing

B Rank
Heracross
Vivillon

C Rank
Frosmoth
Masquerain
:rabsca:Rabsca
:venomoth: Venomoth
S Rank
:chien-pao:Chien-Pao
:ting-lu:Ting-Lu

A Rank
Greninja
Grimmsnarl
Hydreigon
:kingambit:Kingambit
:meowscarada:Meowscarada
Sableye

B Rank
:roaring_moon: Roaring Moon
Skuntank

C Rank
:brute_bonnet: Brute Bonnet
:iron_jugulis:Iron Jugulis
Krookodile
:lokix:Lokix
Spiritomb
Weavile
:wo-chien:Wo-Chien
S Rank
:baxcalibur:Baxcalibur
:cyclizar:Cyclizar
Dragapult

A Rank
Dragonite
Garchomp
Hydreigon

B Rank
Dragalge
:roaring_moon:Roaring Moon

C Rank
Appletun
Haxorus
Noivern
Salamence
:tatsugiri:Tatsugiri
S Rank
:iron_hands:Iron Hands
:rotom-wash:Rotom-Wash

A Rank
:iron_thorns:Iron Thorns
Magnezone
:pawmot:Pawmot
:sandy_shocks:Sandy Shocks

B Rank
:oricorio-pom-pom:Oricorio Pom
Pincurchin
:rotom-heat:Rotom-Heat
:rotom-mow:Rotom-Mow
Toxtricity

C Rank
Eelektross
Jolteon
:kilowattrel:Kilowattrel
Luxray
Rotom
:rotom-frost:Rotom-Frost
S Rank
:flutter_mane:Flutter Mane
Klefki

A Rank
Azumarill
Hatterene
:iron_valiant:Iron Valiant
Mimikyu

B Rank
Gardevoir
Grimmsnarl
:tinkaton:Tinkaton

C Rank
:scream_tail:Scream Tail
Sylveon
S Rank
:great_tusk:Great Tusk
:iron_hands:Iron Hands
:iron_valiant:Iron Valiant

A Rank
Breloom
:quaquaval:Quaquaval

B Rank
Gallade
Hawlucha
Lucario
:slither_wing:Slither WIng
:tauros-paldea-fire: Tauros-Paldea-F
Toxicroak

C Rank
Heracross
:pawmot:Pawmot
Medicham
S Rank
Torkoal
Volcarona

A Rank
Cinderace
:iron_moth:Iron Moth
:Scovillain</p><p>:
scovillian
:skeledirge:Skeledirge

B Rank
:ceruledge:Ceruledge
:rotom-heat:Rotom-Heat
Talonflame
:tauros-paldea-fire: Tauros-Paldea-F

C Rank
:arcanine: Arcanine
:armarouge:Armarouge
:charizard: Charizard
Salazzle
S Rank
Corviknight
Dragonite

A Rank
:iron_jugulis:Iron Jugulis
:kilowattrel:Kilowattrel

B Rank
Gyarados
Pelipper

C Rank
:bombirdier: Bombirdier
:charizard: Charizard
:flamigo:Flamigo
Hawlucha
Honchkrow
Noivern
Salamence
Staraptor
Talonflame
Vivillon
S Rank
:flutter_mane:Flutter Mane
:gholdengo:Gholdengo
Mimikyu

A Rank
Dragapult

B Rank
:brambleghast:Brambleghast
:ceruledge:Ceruledge
Froslass
:gengar:Gengar
:skeledirge:Skeledirge

C Rank
Mismagius
Palossand
Polteageist
Sableye
Spiritomb
S Rank
Amoonguss
Breloom
:meowscarada:Meowscarada

A Rank
:rotom-mow:Rotom-Mow
:toedscruel:Toedscruel
:wo-chien:Wo-Chien

B Rank
Appletun
:brambleghast:Brambleghast

C Rank
:arboliva:Arboliva
:brute_bonnet:Brute Bonnet
Cacturne
Flapple
:scovillain:Scovillain
Tsareena
S Rank
:clodsire:Clodsire
:great_tusk:Great Tusk

A Rank
Gastrodon
:iron_treads:Iron Treads
Quagsire
:ting-lu:Ting-Lu

B Rank
Garchomp
Palossand
:sandy_shocks:Sandy Shocks

C Rank
Hippowdon
Krookodile
:toedscruel:Toedscruel
S Rank
:baxcalibur:Baxcalibur
:chien-pao:Chien-Pao

A Rank
Abomasnow
:cloyster:Cloyster
Froslass

B Rank
Avalugg
:cetitan:Cetitan
:rotom-frost:Rotom-Frost

C Rank
Crabominable
Frosmoth
Weavile
S Rank
Blissey
Ditto

A Rank
:cyclizar:Cyclizar
Indeedee
:maushold:Maushold
Staraptor

B Rank
:arboliva:Arboliva
Chansey
Pyroar

C Rank
Braviary
:farigiraf:Farigiraf
:grafaiai:Grafaiai
Indeedee-F
Komala
Ursaring
S Rank
Amoonguss
:clodsire:Clodsire

A Rank
:glimmora:Glimmora
:iron_moth:Iron Moth
Skuntank
Toxapex

B Rank
:gengar:Gengar
Salazzle
Toxicroak

C Rank
:revavroom:Revavroom
Dragalge
:haunter:Haunter
Qwilfish
:venomoth:Venomoth
Toxtricity
S Rank
Hatterene
Indeedee

A Rank
Bronzong
:espathra:Espathra
Gallade
:slowbro:Slowbro

B Rank
:armarouge:Armarouge
Gardevoir
Slowking

C Rank
Indeedee-F
Medicham
:rabsca:Rabsca
:scream_tail:Scream Tail
S Rank
:garganacl:Garganacl
:glimmora:Glimmora
Tyranitar

A Rank
Drednaw
Lycanroc-Dusk

B Rank
Coalossal
:iron_thorns:Iron Thorns
:klawf:Klawf
Lycanroc
S Rank
Corviknight
:gholdengo:Gholdengo
:iron_treads:Iron Treads

A Rank
:kingambit:Kingambit
Klefki

B Rank
Bronzong
Forretress
Lucario
Magnezone
Scizor

C Rank
:orthworm:Orthworm
S Rank
Greninja
Toxapex

A Rank
:dondozo:Dondozo
Gastrodon
Pelipper
Quagsire
:quaquaval:Quaquaval
Slowking

B Rank
Azumarill
Barraskewda
:cloyster:Cloyster
Rotom-Wash
:tatsugiri:Tatsugiri

C Rank
Alomomola
Floatzel
Gyarados
:slowbro:Slowbro
:tauros-paldea-water: Tauros-Paldea-W
:veluza:Veluza


Blacklist
These Pokemon have been brought up multiple times for discussion with the same arguments or are just awful. A type can be blacklisted if it is an extreme circumstance. If anyone talks about a Pokemon that is blacklisted, your post will be deleted and or infracted.
  • None
I think we should have updated the viability ranking of SV Monotype since the national one already did that
 
C -> B (Bug)
Masquerain seems very niche, but is a great lead since it has access to both Tailwind and Sticky Web. Paired with a Focus Sash, you can use Masquerain to hinder any physical attacking leads, when combined with Chilling Water. I've seen moderate success with it, and I think it has potential.

Here are some sets I've been using, as well as the roles they fill:
Masquerain @ Focus Sash
Ability: Intimidate
Tera Type: Bug
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sticky Web
- Tailwind
- Chilling Water
- Air Slash
Masquerain @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unnerve
Tera Type: Bug
EVs: 68 Def / 252 SpA / 188 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Haze
- Ice Beam
- Giga Drain
- Air Slash
 
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