STABmons Viability Rankings Thread v3 ✿

discussion: where to put lucario?
Should still be running something like SD+CC+Espeed+Gear Grind/Ice Punch as a cleaner, right? I can't think of a reason to use its special set over Keldeo's.

Drop it in C rank, I guess. It sits in C+ in OU, and compared to there, we have defensive Gyarados, direct competition with Mega Lopunny (and to a lesser extent, other Normal-types, which get STAB Espeed and cool abilities), and the omnipresent Sylveon, which takes huge chunks out of it with fakespeed, or just KOs if Luke has a Defense drop. I could maybe see it used as a secondary extreme killer alongside Mega Lop, but never as a standalone when there are plenty of good mons that do its essential role. So, C.
 

EV

Banned deucer.
My preferred set is NP+Doom Desire+Secret Sword+KS/Protect. Fighting STAB punishes the targets that try to absorb Doom Desire, such as Heatran, and to a lesser extent, some Waters and other Fire-types. Could run Dark coverage for Slowking.
 
What are people's general thoughts on Aerodactyl's placement? This is not a nomination for S Rank, but it seems to be so good in the current metagame that I can't help but wonder if others think it should move up. I am neutral on the subject, and here is why.

Firstly, Aerodactyl is incredibly strong. Choice Banded Head Smash basically invalidates resistances and Brave Bird compliments it nicely. With such high Speed, blazing high Attack, and excellent coverage options, Aerodactyl is simply a monster. However, it's frail and well, that's pretty much its one huge flaw. It can't take hits well at all. It's a glass cannon, but the best in the tier in my opinion. Super hard to prepare for, too. Just been noticing it being used a lot more recently. Even the usage indicates this:

| 13 | Aerodactyl | 10.38129% | 787 | 9.697% | 653 | 10.736% |

I'm bored and even made a graph:

 

Josh

=P
is a Team Rater Alumnusis a Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Contributor Alumnus
It's fine in a+, it's really good but so are mlope, zard x, msciz, etc. Usage =/= viability, especially on a dead ladder. Admittedly it's really hard to switch into but so is a zard x vcreate for example.

However, zard y could drop to a. It's just not on the same level as the rest of a+. Not really much more to say, the rest of a+ is literally just outright better than it
 
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EV

Banned deucer.
Agreeing with Josh on Aero. 99% of the time it has no recovery so you can manage its switches with Rocks and priority forcing it out. It hits bongo hard with a band but that plays into it being forced out more, and I've started running Pursuit on Scizor to take advantage of that.

I disagree about Zardy, though. I find it's still better than Zardx. Yeah yeah 50% SR weakness but also
  • Resists Pixie Speed / Fairy (actually makes a decent check to mixed Sylveon when no rocks are up)
  • Self-healing Oblivion Wing
  • Sun boosted Blue Flares aka nuke that doesn't lower any stats (vs V-create, otherwise nothing compares)
  • Rounds out coverage with Focus Blast / Solar Beam / Earthquake (doesn't waste time with fancy status moves)
Cons
  • No Speed control
  • Less overall bulk
  • Dat SR
  • Focus Blast is ugly

Other shifts~
  • Latios & Gengar -> go away who uses you even
  • Mega Venusaur -> rise
  • Mega Pidgeot -> I am personally offended it's ranked so low, rise
  • Scizor -> banded, rise
  • Celebi -> somehow ranked below Dragonite, Krookodile, and Mamoswine? Rise
  • Kangaskhan -> Official Fissure runs a mean Inner Focus set that I hate, rank B+?
  • Bouffalant -> can check Sylveon/Pidgeot (Soundproof) or Serperior (Sap Sipper), any Normal with a usable Attack is viable, rank B+?
  • Gyarados -> doesn't cut it in current meta, drop
  • Sableye, Jirachi, Meloetta, Mega Tyranitar -> underrated, rise
 

Funbot28

Banned deucer.
Ok so I will give some noms while im at it too before SuMo comes and TI will ungratefully rip Stabbies from us :(((

A+ -> A: Agree The meta is really not too kind to Mega Charizard Y atm. With Aerodactyl running rampant and FakeSpeed being everywhere, Mega Zard Y kinda has a hard time breaking down stuff like its intended to especially with that nasty x4 SR weakness. It still hits like a truck and Oblivion Wing does help its sustainability, but I feel its kinda hard to justify using Zard Y rn when there are so many better option in megas such as Zard X, Pidgeot, Scizor and Lopunny.

A+ -> S: Neutral (leaning towards A+ tho) A month ago I would agree that Aerodactyl is like the best mon in STABmon that lacks no true counters (which is kinda true) and is a perfect contender for S-Rank. However, after using it a bit more I have realized that it really has a hard time sustaining itself throughout the match and still struggles with priority even tho it resists FakeSpeed due to its abysmal defenses. I do feel however that people are really underrating how volatile this thing truly is, which is why I am quite unsure atm.

A- -> A: Agree Omg why is this thing so low?? Mega Venasaur is such a good mon rn especially since everyone is running the brainless standard balance teams with Sylveon, Ferrothorn, Keldeo, Rotom-W etcc which Mega Venasaur matches up really good against. The bulky special set and the Coil set (which is not a meme guys...) are both very good at breaking down teams while still being able to wall out a majority of threats which is why Mega Venu is so effective.

A- -> A/A+: Agree COMPLETELY Oml Mega Pigeot is amazing and its about time people recognize it. Sing with Boomburst, Hurricane and Heat Wave is quite perfect for it as it can really break down so many threats with sleep so easily. Work Up sets also are very good and if ur team does not have a good sleep absorber, it allows Mega Pidg to truly become really dangerous and it should rise because of this. Maybe A+ is reaching but definitely deserves to go to at least A at this point.

C -> B-/B: K so this is my own nom now and believe me guys I am not joking. All my replays got deleted so I cant really bring them up rn (dont worry will have some more for u guys later), but Bibarel is probably the best Acupass user in the meta rn since +3 stat boosts after one turn is just so good. It has a hard time to boost at times to its average stats, but once it starts going it can become a nightmare to stop.
Rip Sweet Prince
 
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  • Latios & Gengar -> go away who uses you even
Latios needs to stay; it rocks imo. Gengar can drop.
  • Mega Venusaur -> rise
+10000
  • Mega Pidgeot -> I am personally offended it's ranked so low, rise
+100000000
  • Scizor -> banded, rise
Yes.
  • Celebi -> somehow ranked below Dragonite, Krookodile, and Mamoswine? Rise
Yes.
  • Kangaskhan -> Official Fissure runs a mean Inner Focus set that I hate, rank B+?
Sure. What's the set? Sounds fun.
  • Bouffalant -> can check Sylveon/Pidgeot (Soundproof) or Serperior (Sap Sipper), any Normal with a usable Attack is viable, rank B+?
Niche. B imo.
  • Gyarados -> doesn't cut it in current meta, drop
;_;.
  • Sableye, Jirachi, Meloetta, Mega Tyranitar -> underrated, rise
Jirachi+1, Meloetta+1. Haven't seen Sableye/MTTar recently. Not opposed, just unsure as to what has changed for them.

Char Y is fine also.
 

EV

Banned deucer.
Latios is such a liability as a defogger as Tyranitar is exceedingly popular. Scarf has been replaced by Band because checking Thundurus is null so it's always gonna kill the Latios and now you're down your Defogger. I find it's also a liability with Sylveon as common as it is now, which has increased the prevalence of Heatran and Ferrothorn, two Pokemon that generally get in easily on Latios.

Basically the current meta is stacked against it. You're better off running a fat Latias set for Defog support, which at least gives you a more reliable answer to Keldeo.
 
Lunar Dance + insane Dragon STAB + reliable offensive Keldeo switch in is invaluable. Of course Tyranitar is an issue, Pursuit always will be, but to drop such an intense powerhouse for it doesn't make logical sense to me. Putting it in the same rank as things like Volcanion and Mega Blastoise makes no sense; it isn't as niche as those. Sylveon can't switch in and it plays the mindgames with it since Psystrike is THAT strong. You can't look at Latios in a vacuum. Just using it for Defog support is negleftful when you have three other moveslots. Psystrike and Draco Meteor, then Lunar Dance or Surf. This combination make Latios an A Rank threat. Yes, metagame trends are pushing its prevalance down, but not an entire rank.
 

EV

Banned deucer.
I didn't look at in a vacuum. I compared it to common metagame threats and trends. That's like the least vacuumy thing I could have done.
 

Betathunder

alphalightning
Im gonna agree with EG here on the drop of latios. Albeit a hard hitter, in the current stage of the meta it just isnt that good. For starters, it's quite frail and loses to most fakespeed priority (plus sylveon is so common that dragon typing isn't really helping its cause). Although the point is brought up that it resists both of keldeo's stabs, max speed specs spout does 56 min, and steam eruption/secret sword both do half (plus burn chance). Furthermore, its stabs are both resisted by steel types, which are so common due to fakespeed (klefki, ferro, tran, etc). Defog is nice, but its niche at best since most people just run spin so they don't lose their hazards bc spike stacking is so nice. Ultimately, it's still a decent mon, but in the current meta its not deserving of its A rank.
 
Excuse me for asking this, but why exactly is Mega-Diancie A Rank? I don't think it gets anything, and you are probably better off with some other rock type like Terrakion or Tyranitar. Sorry if I'm being stupid.
 

MAMP

MAMP!
Excuse me for asking this, but why exactly is Mega-Diancie A Rank? I don't think it gets anything, and you are probably better off with some other rock type like Terrakion or Tyranitar. Sorry if I'm being stupid.
while its true that diancie doesn't really get all that many new tools in stabmons (play rough and moonlight are the only notable ones), its still a very good pokemon and matches up well against the meta. it has a very good ability in magic bounce, a great speed tier, very high mixed attacking stats and a movepool that complements them, and a very useful resistance to normal which lets it beat the fakespeeders that would otherwise revenge kill it.
 

EV

Banned deucer.
Calm Mind + Moonlight helps versus balance builds and Head Smash makes it a great wallbreaker when the enemy is expecting full special set (because of Power Gem access). I've never been a huge fan of it but it's good. Not sure how it is in the current meta, however.
 

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