I do not agree that things have to be banned for the meta to reach balance like njnp claims. My bro makes some good arguments but current meta does not host anything similar to the previously cancerous existences like bloodmoon or sneasler, nor does the meta see overwhelming spamming of grassy or zap gking like the previous dlc metas have shown us. Instead, this meta revolves around a rock paper scissors of ho, balance, and fat, with each style teching to beat the others (think gking pivot balance as paper, stall/fat as rock, and ho as scissors). Even archaludon who is being suspected right now can only function on rain and has a predictable set, making it essentially a conditionally bulky breaking Mon like bloodmoon but with more counterplay. It exists on literally one style which happens to be one that is most linear and difficult to innovate. I have toyed with rain structures of all categories from fat to hazard ho, only to find the staples being… staple on rain. Therefore, when facing down an arch one at least has an information advantage. Moreover, we are currently witnessing the peak of an interactive ecosystem wherein threats counterbalance threats, with no style seeming significantly out of place. While weathers and glim hos have significantly lowered the floor of entry into ou, a seasoned player can still out prep and deal with the given threats in the current metagame with a well built team. In my opinion, some balances we have seen with good countermeasures for ho setup spam but also boasting longevity to combat fatter scor or regen teams do exist, and thus holding the metagame together by deterring the two extremes of ou which venture into cheese territory: ho and stall. Because of the existence of threats like the proto mons, weather, breakers, hazards, one cannot simply sit on a crown of unawares and blissey and try to stall out every game, nor can one run 6 setups and cheese wins because well built teams will run phazing or unawares. A diverse meta in which instead of using bans to limit the proliferation of pests such as scor, zap, gking, and grassy of the past, we just let the ecosystem sort itself out, shows a lot of promise and diversity. I can tell you with certainty that this is the most expansive meta with the most amount of viable mons and sets since release of sv, and it’s not even close. I am glad we are currently able to enjoy such prosperity in ou and see underrated threats flourish, keep the game diverse and do not fuck up the ecosystem with unnecessary bans. Exemplified by the kyurem suspect, the people understand that kyu is a valuable piece of glue holding the meta together by deterring rain, sun, and trading into bulky offenses. Now we need people to realize that rain is also an essential part of the ordeal, checking other weathers so sun doesn’t dominate the cycle and bully out all the fatter styles, while also keeping speedy ho in check with its blitzing barraskewda. Arch’s existence also necessitates a defensive backbone on certain teams which curbs the ho population, while its vulnerability to stall gives it a reason to be used, creating an effect similar to that of Yellowstone park’s wolves curbing grazers while promoting plant life indirectly. If we are to remove key pieces of the ou ecosystem, we cannot foresee how the circumstances will change. Perhaps some styles will be phased out, others may become overpowered. The burden of proof is on the ban side, I must see some hard proof w statistical support showing why certain mons break the balance of the game and deserve to be banned, either with abnormal usage or win rate. Until then, let’s keep the tier in balance and harmony as is intended.
—— avatar Basedlord
ps not even gonna address the tera ban crowd like just use ur mind for one second and have any semblance of skill child, I believe in you