« Previous Article | Next Article » |
Art by internet.
PU's journey into the Alolan region brought major changes to the metagame. One of the main boons was Alolan formes, which made previously unviable Pokémon shine with different typings, movepools, stats, and abilities. Most of the fully evolved Alolan formes reside in the PU tier, each of which impacts the metagame in its own unique way. Let's all have a closer look at each of their individual roles in the current PU metagame!
Sandslash-Alola @ Leftovers
Ability: Slush Rush
EVs: 252 HP / 208 SpD / 48 Spe
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Icicle Crash
- Toxic
Alolan Sandslash is arguably the best and most common Alolan forme in PU due to its fantastic defensive typing, good bulk, resistances, and role compression that allows it to check some of PU's top threats. These attributes also give Alolan Sandslash many opportunities to remove hazards and set up Stealth Rock. Unlike other hazard removers, its STAB combination allows it to beat hazard setters like Mesprit and spinblockers like Oricorio-G and Froslass. Additionally, Toxic brings useful utility, crippling many of its checks like Jellicent, Poliwrath, and Quagsire. While not as omnipresent or easy to fit on teams, Alolan Sandslash can also run an offensive set with Icium Z and pose as a decent threat to teams. However, its Speed outside of hail is average at best, and Alolan Sandslash is also weak to common types like Fighting and Ground and lacks reliable recovery. Furthermore, the prevalence of Pokémon like Jellicent, Gurdurr, and Quagsire also hinders its offensive set. On top of that, Pokémon like Oricorio-E and Lilligant are also running Hidden Power Fighting and Hidden Power Fire more often, meaning Alolan Sandslash can struggle to check Pokémon it's usually tasked to handle.
Persian-Alola @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Fur Coat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Parting Shot
- Taunt
- Foul Play
- Toxic
With its good bulk, Speed, and support movepool, Alolan Persian stands out as an excellent blanket check to physical attackers like Lycanroc and Dodrio. The utility it provides via Parting Shot, Taunt, and Toxic gives it use on many teams, as it's able to shut down and cripple Pokémon like Audino, Quagsire, and Regirock for its teammates. Z-Parting Shot, in particular, is incredibly useful for bringing a teammate at low health back to full and doesn't require the user to sacrifice itself like Healing Wish. Additionally, Alolan Persian can also successfully run a Nasty Plot set thanks to its blistering Speed and decent movepool while still supporting its teammates. This set takes advantage of Alolan Persian's ability and Speed to set up Nasty Plot and attempt to sweep the opposing team; it also keeps the pivot's set utility thanks to Z-Parting Shot and is rather unpredictable due to the number of options Alolan Persian can run, thanks to its vast movepool. Unfortunately, Alolan Persian's passive nature, poor Special Defense, weakness to Fighting, and mediocre firepower prior to setup prove to be its Achilles heel, as it can struggle to break past walls even after a Nasty Plot boost. Alolan Persian also lacks reliable recovery, meaning that it can be worn down fast by the attacks it's commissioned to take. While it has a decent movepool, it can't run everything at once, and this always leaves it weak to something; thus, it must have the right matchup for you to get the meowst out of it.
Raichu-Alola @ Psychium Z / Aloraichium Z
Ability: Surge Surfer
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
- Substitute / Grass Knot
Alolan Raichu has solidified itself as one of the fastest and strongest Alolan formes in PU due to its fantastic Speed, dual typing, and good Special Attack that can be bolstered by Nasty Plot. Access to Nasty Plot and high Speed allow it to plow through teams, set up on Pokémon it forces out like Qwilfish, and outspeed a large portion of the metagame, making it one of the tier's premier wallbreakers and sweepers. Alolan Raichu can circumvent checks like Skuntank and Lycanroc as well through Substitute, making it even scarier to face, and it has great set diversity between its Z-Moves; Psychium Z allows it to break through defensive Pokémon and Ground-types likes Audino, Eelektross, Mudsdale, and Gastrodon more easily without having to run Grass Knot, while Aloraichium Z serves as a nuke to defensive titans like Mesprit and Regirock. However, Alolan Raichu's frailty is just as much of an issue as it was for its Kantonian counterpart last generation. Its mediocre defensive typing and poor bulk mean that setting up can be difficult and that it can struggle to break through Pokémon like Mudsdale without a boost. Alolan Raichu's Psychic typing also gives it a weakness to Sucker Punch, making it a double-edged sword. Unfortunately, Alolan Raichu is also vulnerable to faster Pokémon like Lycanroc and Choice Scarf Scyther if it isn't behind a Substitute.
Dugtrio-Alola @ Leftovers
Ability: Tangling Hair
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Substitute
- Toxic
Alolan Dugtrio is superior to its Kantonian counterpart in every way due to its ability, better bulk, nigh-unresisted coverage, and Steel typing that gives it several useful resistances and an immunity to Toxic Spikes. Its ability to force out top-tier threats like Skuntank and Aggron allows it to set up Substitute and circumvent balance staples like Tangela and Quagsire via Toxic. Alolan Dugtrio can also afford to run other sets like offensive Stealth Rock with Memento, which puts more pressure on foes and aids setup for a teammate. However, Alolan Dugtrio has mediocre Attack and defenses and is offensively pressured by a majority of the tier including faster Pokémon like Alolan Persian and Choice Scarf Primeape. This is further compounded by the prevalence of Pokémon like Gurdurr, which hinders Alolan Dugtrio's longevity and can also switch in and receive a Guts boost and set up on Alolan Dugtrio with relative ease. Alolan Dugtrio can also only really stall out one Pokémon, as it's forced to constantly use Substitute, meaning it often trades itself.
Raticate-Alola @ Normalium Z / Darkinium Z
Ability: Hustle
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Double-Edge
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
Just one glance at Alolan Raticate may deter players from using it over other Dark- and Normal-types such as Absol, Kangaskhan, and Stoutland due to Hustle's shaky accuracy; however, Alolan Raticate's decent Attack stat that is further augmented by Hustle and bolstered by Swords Dance makes it a fearsome wallbreaker. Alolan Raticate also has a good matchup against offensive teams, and its type combination gives it almost unresisted coverage, only stopped by Carbink and Mawile, which don't see much usage. Seeing as very few Pokémon can check Alolan Raticate defensively, revenge killing looks like a solid option, right? Wrong. Alolan Raticate's Sucker Punch can OHKO common revenge killers, namely Manectric and Swanna, after a little bit of prior damage. However, Alolan Raticate's offensive prowess is held back by its poor bulk and bad defensive typing. This is further compounded by the prevalence of Fighting-types like Gurdurr, making it less effective as a setup sweeper overall. Furthermore, Alolan Raticate is overly reliant on Sucker Punch and hindered by Hustle's accuracy drop, meaning it can be extremely unreliable and give free setup to foes like Simisear. One thing can be said for certain, though; not a creature will be stirring in the presence of this behemoth, just so long as it can land all of its Knock Offs.
Golem-Alola @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Wild Charge
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
- Explosion
Surprisingly, Alolan Golem is the only Alolan forme in PU that performs worse than its Kantonian counterpart. That being said, Alolan Golem serves an entirely different purpose than regular Golem in trapping Steel-types; Alolan Golem has a unique niche in the tier thanks to its typing and access to Magnet Pull, the latter of which is only shared by Probopass. Magnet Pull allows Alolan Golem to remove Steel-types such as Alolan Sandslash with Fire Punch. Unfortunately, with Ferroseed rising to NU, there isn't much reason to use Alolan Golem over Probopass, as it lacks speed, has a lackluster typing, and fails to remove certain Steel-types reliably like Probopass can, such as Aggron, which explains why it has hit rock bottom in terms of viability.
The influx of new Pokémon in PU this generation brought forth several changes that will forever have a lasting effect on the tier. Several Pokémon that were staples in ORAS would not have been able to compete in the USM metagame had it not been for their reimaginations via having Alolan formes or access to Z-Moves. Having these Alolan formes only adds to the already diverse PU tier!
« Previous Article | Next Article » |