Dexit Most Missed (The Teammates We Lost)

By Gimmicky. Released: 2025/01/23.

Introduction

The removal of Pokémon from the game, unaffectionately known as "Dexit", has long been controversial to both well-seasoned competitive players and more casual fans ever since the announcement that Pokémon Sword and Shield would have a reduced Pokédex, leaving many Trainers without access to their favorite Pokémon. While some Pokémon like Pikachu, Eevee, and the series's lovely darling Charizard were obviously safe from the hammer, fan-favorite Pokémon like Pidgeot, Greninja, and Shaymin were not spared this same injustice and are to this day unobtainable in Sword and Shield. For Scarlet and Violet, the Pokémon Company decided to change things up, reintroducing some old favorites (notably every starter Pokémon) yet making others unavailable even via transferring. As this is being written, over 20% of the National Pokédex remains inaccessible to Trainers in Paldea, which of course begs the question: What are we missing out on? Which of these unavailable Pokémon would be able to thrive if given the chance? This list is going to make some assumptions as to which Pokémon keep which moves, but we've tried to be pretty realistic!

Tapu Fini

The Tapu Pokémon instantly come to mind as among the most heartbreaking losses, and one of the best among them is Tapu Fini. Tapu Fini has fantastically well-rounded stats, as even with an admittedly underwhelming base 70 HP, its titanic base 115/130 defenses alongside one of the best defensive typings in the game make it one of the bulkiest Pokémon on the field at any time, while a solid Speed tier and even decent Special Attack prevent it from being too passive. Tapu Fini also has a rich movepool, flush with utility options like Trick and Taunt, ensuring that it'll always be making progress or keeping the foe at bay somehow. Even with the nerfed distribution of moves like Defog and Knock Off, it's not unreasonable to imagine Tapu Fini maintaining access to these rare moves, cementing itself as a juggernaut of utility. Offensively, its well-balanced stats may attract players to either go with a Calm Mind set with Scald and Draining Kiss or a Choice Scarf set with the high-risk high-reward of a fast Hydro Pump and a Dragapult-outspeeding Moonblast. Tapu Fini's balanced stat spread and already solid typing also make it well posed to take advantage of Terastallization both offensively and defensively, with particularly appealing options like Tera Steel and Poison to blank Sludge Bomb and Tera Grass and Dragon to tank Thunderbolt and Power Whip.

In OU, Tapu Fini would face some significant competition with its Water / Fairy type compatriot Primarina, but this choice is not quite as clear cut as you might imagine. Tapu Fini only has slightly higher Special Defense and in fact is far weaker, with base 95 Special Attack compared to Primarina's far higher base 126, but Tapu Fini more than makes up for this with a customizable Speed tier and especially much higher physical bulk alongside slightly better special bulk, allowing it to more effectively check threats like Walking Wake, Iron Valiant, and Weavile. Also notable is Tapu Fini's access to Taunt and Nature's Madness, allowing it to act as an extremely potent stallbreaker compared to Primarina. Tapu Fini's ability also gives it some extra points, as Misty Surge weakening Dragon-type attacks for its teammates allows Pokémon like Great Tusk and Iron Treads to suddenly become sturdy Raging Bolt checks. Even more important is Misty Terrain's status-blocking effect, giving teammates like Zamazenta and Roaring Moon a much better matchup into status spreaders like Gliscor. Primarina may be more immediately threatening, but Tapu Fini has the stats and the movepool to effectively take advantage of the same Pokémon as Primarina, and in fact, it could handle many of them even better. If Tapu Fini was blessed with Flip Turn, which isn't unreasonable to imagine, it could not only compete with Primarina as a slow, bulky pivot but also act as a fast one with Choice Scarf and Trick. Tapu Fini would also be an amazing entry hazard remover if it were to keep Defog, forcing out common hazard setters such as Great Tusk, Gliscor, and Hisuian Samurott—though it would have to be wary of losing its Leftovers or Heavy-Duty Boots to Knock Off if it hopes to win the hazard war long-term.

In Ubers, meanwhile, it's not unreasonable to imagine Tapu Fini comprising a similar niche as in SS as a trapper with Nature's Madness and Whirlpool. Even though Tapu Fini absolutely does not appreciate the presence of Eternatus and, for the time it was legal, Miraidon, a naturally solid matchup into Koraidon, Arceus-Water, and other powerful threats like Calyrex-I gives it the potential to fill a very valuable niche in neutralizing these threats. A lack of reliable recovery really bites it in the mask here, as even a resisted Flare Blitz from Koraidon or a stray Earthquake from a boosted Arceus-Ground has the potential to chip it down before it can trap something, but it's not hard to imagine Tapu Fini having the bulk to consistently trap and eliminate at least one foe (especially with a defensive Tera type like Ghost or Dragon), which is potentially a very viable use case. Misty Surge would be another massive selling point, especially with the prominence of Toxic Spikes Glimmora. Taunt is also a hugely valuable move, which would allow Tapu Fini to be an excellent stallbreaker by taking advantage of passive foes like Blissey and Ting-Lu while also annoying setup sweepers like Koraidon. Tapu Fini's highly spammable Scald is another point in its favor, threatening good damage and, outside of Misty Terrain, a devastating burn to Calyrex-I while outright threatening Landorus-T (which isn't affected by Misty Terrain) and Gliscor.

Monotype players, meanwhile, would rejoice in the reintroduction of Tapu Fini, as it finally gives Water teams the utility option they've been longing for, while Fairy Trainers would be thrilled for the return of an excellent stallbreaker. Water teams would also appreciate the additional entry hazard removal if it kept Defog, generally just allowing for far more flexibility in the builder given the sheer versatility it provides. The sheer bulk and generally solid defensive profile would make Tapu Fini a staple on Water teams and a solid, albeit niche, option on Fairy teams for its incredible defensive utility and even sweeping or stallbreaking potential with Calm Mind. It'd be so good, in fact, that many people might even think of it as a problem thanks to its sheer expansive movepool and especially its great bulk—Primarina is already hard enough to deal with!

In Doubles OU, it could potentially reprise its niche as a glue on more balanced teams, effortlessly checking Chi-Yu and Chien-Pao while also potentially checking even Ogerpon-W if it uses the right Tera type. Misty Terrain providing another stopgap to Rillaboom's powerful Grassy Glide is also notable, allowing a faster teammate like Landorus or Chien-Pao to become the revenge killer instead of the victim. Misty Terrain would also be notable for its status prevention, making Blizzard spam from the likes of Kyurem or Burning Bulkwark from Gouging Fire far easier to play around without the chance of getting frozen or burned, respectively.

In Almost Any Ability, Tapu Fini would be a near-strict upgrade to Primarina on many teams, as unlike RegenVest Primarina, it can afford to invest fully in Special Defense as opposed to having to run physical defensive investment, allowing it to check threats like Roaring Moon, Zamazenta, and Great Tusk far, far more easily while still retaining a decent matchup against Deoxys-S. Tapu Fini's access to Trick would also be incredibly notable, as removing an Assault Vest from Swampert and Heavy-Duty Boots from Zapdos would make them far easier to break through with powerful special attacks and wear down over time, respectively. Assuming it kept Defog, Tapu Fini would be one of the best entry hazard removers in a tier that famously lacks removal options, threatening common hazard setters like Great Tusk, Garchomp, and Skarmory with powerful damage.

Ferrothorn

Ferrothorn has been a hallmark of competitive Pokémon from the early days of Gen 5, and for good reason. Ferrothorn's standout trait is its fantastic Grass / Steel typing, giving it a whopping nine resistances (and an immunity!) to some of the most common attacking types in the game while only having two very manageable weaknesses. Ferrothorn's neutralities are also incredible, making it a Steel-type that doesn't fear Earthquake while also being a Grass-type that shrugs off Brave Bird and Ice Beam like they're nothing. Complementing this fantastic typing is a similarly amazing stat spread, with an unimpressive base 74 HP being majorly accented by incredible base 131/116 defenses, allowing it to eat even super effective hits with the right EVs, and even a solid Attack stat that keeps it from being entirely passive. Ferrothorn's movepool is also incredible, with it having both Spikes and Stealth Rock at its disposal alongside excellent utility like Leech Seed, Knock Off, and even Thunder Wave. Ferrothorn is more than just a passive Spikes setter, though; Body Press (boosted by Iron Defense) and Gyro Ball can let it deal massive damage with its high Defense and low Speed, respectively, while good old Power Whip still packs a punch even without investment, and Iron Barbs is great for passive damage on Rapid Spin users. It's not difficult to imagine Ferrothorn taking amazing advantage of Terastallization, allowing it to completely bypass the few flaws it does have with the click of a button. Perhaps it would use Tera Ghost to counter Fighting-types as well as Rapid Spin, or maybe Tera Water to gain a sudden resistance to its Achilles' heel of Fire-type attacks.

In OU, Ferrothorn would be a natural fit in the already entry hazard-heavy metagame, likely partnering with Gholdengo to keep its Spikes up for as long as possible. Especially if it kept Knock Off, which isn't too difficult to imagine, Ferrothorn would slot amazingly into many hazard stacking offense or bulky Spikes stacking teams. Ferrothorn has an interesting matchup against the tier's best spinner in Great Tusk, as Great Tusk really does not want to switch into Power Whip, while the existence of Ferrothorn would force Great Tusk to run the otherwise uncommon Close Combat far more regularly. Ferrothorn would also be notable for being an especially great check to Ogerpon-W and Primarina, resisting their powerful STAB moves and setting up Iron Defense or hazards right in their faces—assuming Ogerpon-W isn't forced to run Superpower or Low Kick, which would make it far easier to account for in the teambuilder, as walls like Sinistcha and Pecharunt now fear Knock Off far less. Ferrothorn would likely find itself using Tera Ghost more often than not, turning itself into a spinblocker and a sturdy check to Great Tusk and opposing Iron Defense + Body Press users like Zamazenta and opposing Ferrothorn at the cost of losing to Kingambit and Dragapult. Tera Flying or Fairy could also see use to resist Close Combat without becoming Dragapult food while gaining a handy Spikes immunity or Dark resistance. Ferrothorn's solid mixed defensive stats give it plenty of versatility and set variety, and teams would likely invest its EVs it in many different ways based on their needs.

The traits that make Ferrothorn good in OU don't just go away in Ubers, and it could shine in a lot of unique ways there. Ferrothorn would've been a great soft check to Miraidon for the time it was in the tier, greatly assisting teams in dealing with it. Ferrothorn's typing and solid special bulk would also let it retain its years-old niche of stonewalling Kyogre, now more important than ever in Gen 9, being able to set up Spikes or Leech Seed in the face of the whale or just hitting it hard with Power Whip. Being a Spikes setter that isn't a Ground-type is also incredibly valuable, as the typical counterplay to Spikes users like Gliscor is suddenly turned on its head. Ferrothorn's negative traits are only enhanced, though, as it's far more passive in Ubers than it is in OU. Threats like Zacian-C, Koraidon, and Calyrex-I would be able to take advantage of its extreme passivity to set up, while Eternatus and Groudon carrying Fire-type coverage threaten it out instantly, denying it of a second layer of Spikes. Ho-Oh, Ferrothorn's eternal enemy, remains just as common as ever and annoys even Protect Ferrothorn with Whirlwind. Despite these flaws and sketchy matchups, it's not hard to imagine Ferrothorn being a great, if somewhat niche, addition to Ubers.

In Godly Gift, an Other Metagame where Pokémon gain access to the base stats of a restricted Pokémon depending on their position in the party, Ferrothorn with an HP donation would be a great presence in the tier, effortlessly walling Hisuian Electrode by virtue of its fantastic typing while also being no slouch physically, stopping Ogerpon-C and Weavile in their tracks with minimal Defense investment. The many prominent Fighting-types receivers of the tier, from Great Tusk to Zamazenta, as well as many viable Fire-types like Ho-Oh, Ceruledge, and Skeledirge give it a lot of trouble, but Ferrothorn's bulk with an HP donation from Arceus or even Zacian is massive enough that it can often work around these threats.

Ferrothorn isn't the only member of this evolution line that sees use! Many of the same traits that make Ferrothorn good also apply to its baby brother, letting it fill a similar role in LC and even in lower tiers. Ferroseed's status as an unevolved Pokémon allows it to hold the Eviolite, giving it gargantuan bulk compared to its surroundings, but it isn't able to hold Leftovers or put out any offensive pressure at all, making it incredibly passive, far more so than its evolution. Ferroseed notably couldn't even learn Body Press, blocking it off from a significant source of offensive pressure.

PU would be an incredibly hostile environment for Ferroseed, as though it matches up well versus tier staples Bellibolt and Florges, it's threatened immensely by the many, many Fire- and Fighting-types of the tier, from Arcanine to Pawmot to Paldean Tauros. The lack of Body Press comes back to bite it, as it can do very little but use Leech Seed to dissuade switch-ins like Scrafty, Alolan Sandslash, and Coalossal from either setting up in front of it or spinning away its hard-earned Spikes. Even Terastallization wouldn't be enough to save it; in fact, Terastallizing Ferroseed instead of an offensive threat or even a more consistent wall would be the biggest waste you could imagine. PU as a tier is simply far more powerful than it was in earlier generations, and Ferroseed would find it incredibly hard to thrive in an environment where so many top-tier threats are hostile to it, but on the right team with enough support, it could be an effective entry hazard stacker to enable offensive teams.

In LC, Ferroseed would likely reprise its role as one of the best walls in the tier. Though it matches up poorly into Mienfoo, its utterly dominating bulk and sheer number of useful resistances would give it many chances to get onto the field and set up entry hazards, checking powerful threats like Shellder and Glimmet. Access to both Spikes and Stealth Rock is especially notable, making Ferroseed by default one of the best hazard setters in the tier. Its offensive stats, while still not impressive, are far less underwhelming at Level 5 than at Level 100, allowing it to threaten foes like Mudbray and Gothita with Giga Drain and Knock Off, with Knock Off also crucially removing Eviolite from switch-ins like Mienfoo. Fire-type moves are relatively common in the tier, both as STAB attacks on Hisuian Growlithe and as coverage on Stunky, Koffing, and Tera Fire users, but with teammates like Mareanie and Glimmet to help check Mienfoo and Fire-types, Ferroseed would undoubtedly be a viable wall and hazard setter in LC, if not one of the best.

Nidoking

Nidoking wasn't just the Pokémon that carried you through the Kanto games! Nidoking's access to the highly coveted Sheer Force ability, giving it a 1.3x boost on any of its moves with a secondary effect (and ignoring Life Orb recoil on those moves, effectively giving it a 69% boost on its best moves), and deep movepool riddled with options like Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, Flamethrower, and even Stealth Rock made Nidoking into one of the most explosive offensive threats around. (period) Nidoking's Special Attack is relatively unimpressive, sitting below Pokémon like Cobalion and even Swanna, but what it lacks in raw stats it more than makes up for with its absurd damage amplification. Poison / Ground, while not the best type combination in history, is certainly a rare one, giving Nidoking a surprising range of opportunities to switch in against a variety of moves including the powerful Volt Switch despite its less than stellar bulk. Nidoking's offensive coverage is also fantastic, with the combination of Sludge Wave and Earth Power being nearly unresisted, and the few Pokémon resistant to both these types being deathly afraid of any of its plentiful coverage moves. Nidoking's Speed, while leaving much to be desired, is still quite decent, letting it outpace most defensive Pokémon handily to make it a highly effective wallbreaker.

The power level of OU is high enough that Nidoking would likely be an uncommon sight at best. While outspeeding and OHKOing Kingambit and Gholdengo is a valuable trait, Nidoking simply doesn't have the bulk, power, or Speed to keep up in OU. While it's not unfeasible to imagine seeing it have mild success on teams that can take advantage of its unique matchup versus Raging Bolt and its utter domination of Clefable and Garganacl, it would be difficult to use and as such not widely viable. Nidoking's best bet would be as a niche wallbreaker on (bulky) offense teams, where it could find a genuine niche for its ability to handily deal with all of Raging Bolt, Clefable, Gliscor, and most Steel-types.

Nidoking would also struggle a lot in UU. Nidoking despises the omnipresence of Assault Vest Tornadus-T and Slowking, as both shrug off Thunderbolt and force it out, while the most common Rapid Spin user in Excadrill outspeeds and OHKOes it effortlessly even if it has to fear Flamethrower. Nidoking's matchup versus the other high-tier threats like Greninja, Weavile, and Latios isn't much better, struggling to switch in and easily being forced out once it hits the field, but when it does get an opportunity to switch in against a foe like Hydrapple, Cobalion, or Tyranitar, Nidoking would be well equipped to dish out major damage. Nidoking would be an uncommon sight in UU, but the sheer power of Sheer Force combined with Terastallization could make it an effective offensive Stealth Rock user on the right team.

RU would be the most likely home for Nidoking, and here, it's easy to see it fitting in quite nicely. The power and bulk of the tier are significantly lower than both OU and UU, giving Nidoking an environment where its Sludge Wave is immensely threatening while not being immediately forced out by all of the best Pokémon in the tier. Nidoking's Speed tier is also a lot better in RU, as with a Timid nature, it outspeeds and immediately threatens important foes like Slither Wing, while a Modest nature still outspeeds most defensive Pokémon like Bisharp, Empoleon, and bulky Mew. Nidoking's powerful STAB moves are also much harder for the tier to handle, with even Amoonguss and Assault Vest Cyclizar being effortlessly 2HKOed by Sludge Wave, while Magnezone and Jirachi dread the idea of switching into Earth Power. Thunderbolt is also great coverage in the tier, notably smacking Slowbro extremely hard. Nidoking wouldn't be a perfect Pokémon, though, as it would still be forced out by threats like Azelf and Krookodile while struggling to make meaningful progress against Reuniclus or Slowbro if it gets a Calm Mind up. Despite these few flaws, it's hard to argue for Nidoking being anything other than excellent in RU.

Buzzwole

It'd be a disservice to mention the Tapu Pokémon and not the Ultra Beasts, and Buzzwole is one of the most versatile ones we had. Its base stats are fantastically distributed, with a great base 107 HP perfectly complementing a fantastic base 139 Defense and helping to make up for its below-average Special Defense. Buzzwole's Attack is similarly sky-high, matching its Defense and finding itself more powerful than even Solgaleo and Garchomp, while a base Speed stat of 79 is underwhelming but often manageable. Buzzwole's rare typing is where it really shines, as Bug / Fighting in tandem with its gargantuan physical bulk allows it to be a highly effective defensive Pokémon, crucially giving it a resistance to all of Dark-, Ground-, and Fighting-type attacks as well as an important neutrality to Rock, making Stealth Rock less of an issue than it is for most Bug-types. Buzzwole's movepool is nothing to scoff at either, with important utility options like Roost, Bulk Up, and Taunt going alongside an absurdly powerful STAB Close Combat as well as weaker but similarly useful options in Leech Life, Drain Punch, and coverage like Ice Punch, Earthquake, and Poison Jab. This section is going to run under the assumption Buzzwole maintains access to Roost, as this helps wildly differentiate it from its Fighting-type compatriots. Buzzwole's strength is in its versatility, as it could effectively play any role, from a hard wall to an absurdly powerful wallbreaker.

In OU, Buzzwole immediately faces very strict competition from the omnipresent Great Tusk. Great Tusk's stat spread is almost tailor-made to just slightly outclass Buzzwole on first glance: slightly lower Attack than Buzzwole, but just about tying with it in physical bulk while being faster to boot. The inherent similarity between these two would make Buzzwole's use cases far more specific than the widely splashable Great Tusk, but it has enough unique traits to set itself apart and find its own niche. Buzzwole's unique typing comes to save it here, trading Great Tusk's Electric immunity for crucial resistances to Fighting, Grass, and Ground as well as a neutrality to Water, making Buzzwole a fantastic check to threats like Zamazenta, Ogerpon-W, and opposing Great Tusk while still effectively countering Kingambit. This would also make it an excellent user of defensive Terastallization, with options like Tera Grass, Steel, and especially Ghost all potentially being valuable. Buzzwole's access to Roost, if it kept it, would only serve to accentuate its role as a solid physical tank or wall, enabling it to switch in safely against common threats, threaten big damage even without investment, and then heal off any damage of its own. What Buzzwole has in reliable recovery and plentiful resistances, though, it lacks in access to the entry hazard removal, item removal, or Speed-boosting potential that define many Great Tusk sets. Despite what that meaty Attack stat, okay Speed, and the snowball potential of Beast Boost might suggest, Buzzwole likely wouldn't be great as a Choice Scarf user thanks to middling Speed even at +1 as well as a far less spammable STAB type and needing far more coverage for threats like Gliscor and Gholdengo. This would mostly relegate Buzzwole to bulky teams that can comfortably fit these utility options elsewhere, but even with this restriction, it's not hard to imagine a world where Buzzwole remains OU by usage despite its glaring weaknesses.

Buzzwole could possibly have a niche in Ubers as well, but it would no doubt be a quite small one due to the omnipresence of threats like Koraidon, Zacian-C, and Ho-oh that devour it for breakfast, and that's not even taking the tier's many special attackers into account. A large part of Buzzwole's niche in past generations of Ubers was how well it could counter Zygarde, Marshadow, and some Yveltal sets, but with these three no longer in the game, this leaves Buzzwole scrambling for any use case at all in the incredibly powerful Gen 9. Outside of some gimmicky all-out attacking sets to punish bulky teams, Buzzwole would be almost completely outclassed by Great Tusk here, which is already itself a niche presence.

Monotype players would find Buzzwole an interesting addition to the tier, as even in the fact of stark competition, the role compression it provides would be incredibly useful. Bug teams in particular would often struggle to pick just one of Slither Wing and Buzzwole; Slither Wing's access to the powerful U-turn that anchors Bug-type teams and slightly higher Speed are both highly valuable traits, but Buzzwole's much higher physical bulk, slightly higher Attack, and access to valuable coverage like Ice Punch can't be ignored either. Slither Wing would still be more valuable as a revenge killer, but Buzzwole would still be a niche option as a Bulk Up sweeper on Bug teams, providing some crucial defensive utility into tougher matchups while still providing the explosive power of STAB Close Combat into Steel- and Ground-types that Bug can struggle with. Fighting, meanwhile, has essentially no need for Buzzwole, already having more than enough options for opposing Ground and Steel teams.

In STABmons, an Other Metagame where Pokémon can use almost any move that matches their native typings, Buzzwole would likely reprise its role from SS as a fantastic bulky pivot and wallbreaker. The addition of U-turn and Body Press to its movepool are massive gains, giving Buzzwole one of the strongest pivoting moves in the entire tier and a powerful damage-dealing option for defensive sets, respectively. Defensive sets would be amazing for their ability to switch in on and force out powerful threats like Tyranitar, Rillaboom, Great Tusk, and especially Kingambit while using U-turn to pivot to its own absurdly powerful teammates. Similarly, it could effectively run either Choice Band or Choice Scarf to become one of the tier's best revenge killers with either an absurdly powerful First Impression or a speedy, still strong U-turn.

Zygarde

Zygarde, thanks to its three formes and three (completely necessary) signature moves, stands out as one of the most unique legendary Pokémon we've ever seen and also one of the strangest omissions from Scarlet and Violet. Zygarde boasts a reasonable enough but somewhat underwhelming base stat distribution, with great base 108 HP and base 121 Defense accented by solid Special Defense and Speed. Where Zygarde falls a little flat, though, is in its offense; base 100 Attack is fine, especially when boosted by Dragon Dance, but it lacks the immediate punch you'd expect. As if straight out of a magical girl anime, once it drops below 50% HP, a Zygarde with the Power Construct ability will change to its Complete forme, boasting rebalanced stats, including an astonishing base 216 HP. This transformation turns it into the single bulkiest Pokémon ever created, allowing it to be either a fantastic wall or a dangerous setup sweeper even with its average Attack. Here, Zygarde's two better signature moves come to play; Thousand Arrows is a slightly weaker Earthquake with the massive upside of hitting Flying-types, while Thousand Waves shares the same Base Power but traps foes, preventing them from switching. Zygarde also has access to some incredible utility moves like Glare and Dragon Tail, and while its best recovery move might be Rest, Zygarde-C is so bulky that going to sleep can be worth it!

Power Construct would inarguably be banned from OU. There's no way around it; the combination of stats, versatility, and the near universal breaking power of Thousand Arrows on a Pokémon with incredible bulk already means Zygarde-C would never see the light of OU, let alone the absurdity of a Zygarde-C able to take advantage of Terastallization. The question becomes, then, if Zygarde itself would become an Uber instead of just banning the ability. Even without Power Construct, Zygarde was banned on its own merit in both USM and SS due to its sheer staying power, versatility, and impossibility to wall after setting up. On paper, Zygarde could once again prove too much for OU. Its bulk, while a bit worse in Gen 9 than it was before, is still perfectly great and can now be even further boosted by a defensive Tera type like Poison or Fairy. Bulky Zygarde with Glare and a defensive Tera type would have some excellent matchups in the metagame, causing immense problems for foes like Kingambit, Iron Moth, and even powerful threats like Darkrai and Ogerpon-W. Thousand Arrows would be just as hard to switch into as ever, and even users of Tera Flying such as Kingambit aren't safe against it. Dragon Dance or Coil sets, while maybe not quite as threatening, would likely still be extremely viable options that force plenty of win/win scenarios for the Zygarde user. If it wasn't outright banned, Zygarde would be one of the many excellent Ground-types of OU and likely a bit of a centralizing force.

In Ubers, though, where Zygarde would be able to harness the true power of its Complete forme, Zygarde could find itself as a fantastic presence, able to leverage its fantastic bulk as either a sturdy wall or a dangerous setup sweeper. Zygarde's gargantuan bulk and access to Glare would make it one of the most reliable status spreaders in the tier as well as a reliable check to Necrozma-DM and Ho-Oh. Thousand Arrows would be just as spammable in Ubers as it would be in OU, with only Tera Grass users and some bulky Arceus formes able to reliably answer it. Trapping sets with Thousand Waves could also see use, taking advantage of passive foes like bulky Arceus formes to easily set up with either Dragon Dance or Coil alongside Scale Shot. Dragon Tail would also be a fantastic move, especially for bulky sets, demolishing setup-reliant foes like Arceus, Arceus-Ground, and Calyrex-I while also bothering Koraidon and opposing offensive Zygarde. The omnipresence of Koraidon would give Zygarde some issues as a physical wall, but with Tera Fairy or Water, it would serve as a fantastic roadblock to it while also sponging hits from powerful threats like Zacian-C, Calyrex-I, and Chien-Pao, turning these powerful threats into setup fodder. Zygarde would be an incredibly powerful presence in the metagame, able to reliably take hits from powerful physical or special attackers while spreading status or threatening a sweep of its own. Tera Ground could also see use for the damage boost to Thousand Arrows (allowing Zygarde to 2HKO bulky Arceus formes at +1) while still shedding the 4x Ice weakness, making it that much harder to KO.

In Mix and Mega, an Other Metagame where any Pokémon can hold almost any Mega Stone to receive the associated stat, typing, and ability changes, Zygarde would likely reprise its role as a solid user of Extreme Speed. Altarianite, on top of boosting Zygarde's offenses, would give Zygarde a secondary Fairy typing and access to Pixilate, turning its Extreme Speed into a very powerful move that's hard to resist, especially after a Coil or a Dragon Dance. Though Zygarde would lose the STAB boost upon Mega Evolving, Thousand Waves would still be a powerful coverage option to hit Steel- or Fire-types looking to switch in on Extreme Speed, as even Ho-Oh wouldn't be safe. Zygarde would face some heavy competition from Dragonite or Hisuian Arcanine as a Fairy-type Extreme Speed user, but it would undoubtedly be a powerful one; alternatively, a Stone like Lucarionite could be used to maximize the damage of Zygarde's STAB moves, turning Thousand Arrows into a nigh-unwallable move after a single Dragon Dance.

Zygarde has more than just its 50% forme to work with! Zygarde also has a 10% forme that sacrifices most of its bulk for a fantastic Speed tier of base 115. Zygarde-10% is extremely frail, with just base 54 HP and average-at-best defenses, while maintaining the base 100 Attack of its other formes. This means it plays extremely differently from its other formes; instead of being a bulky setup sweeper, Zygarde-10% is a powerful wallbreaker or revenge killer, requiring a much more gentle hand to use effectively. In tiers where its grown-up formes are available, there's almost no reason to use the dog, but in lower tiers or tiers with Zygarde banned, it could often find itself a niche.

Zygarde-10%, despite its shortcomings, could reasonably find itself in UU thanks to its great Speed tier, access to Extreme Speed, and access to arguably the best offensive move in the game in Thousand Arrows. Base 100 Attack is, even down in UU, not the most impressive stat in the world, and while base 115 Speed is fantastic for outspeeding threats like Latios, Sandy Shocks, and Cobalion, it still isn't perfect thanks to the omnipresence of Greninja and Tornadus-T. Zygarde-10% could have some trouble dealing with the aforementioned faster threats as well as priority users like Lokix and Scizor thanks to its pitiful bulk, but the striking power of Thousand Arrows keeps them from switching in while its own priority in Extreme Speed keeps the matchup balanced. The difficulty to wall Zygarde-10% thanks to Thousand Arrows would be what gives it value over other Ground-types like Mamoswine. Tera Ground would likely be the most common Tera type to boost the power of Thousand Arrows even further, but Tera Normal would also be an option to boost Extreme Speed's power. Zygarde-10% would likely settle as a powerful but somewhat risky wallbreaker or sweeper with either a Choice Band or perhaps a Loaded Dice + Scale Shot set.

Monotype teams, meanwhile, would adore Zygarde-10%'s ability to effortlessly hit airborne enemies without giving Ground-resistant foes a free switch while blazing past the crowded base 110 Speed tier, notably outspeeding the Ogerpon formes and the Lati twins. Ground-type checks like Rotom-W, Skarmory, and Moltres would suddenly find themselves at the receiving end of a powerful Thousand Arrows. The Flying matchup, which can normally easily handle Ground-type moves for obvious reasons, is flipped entirely on its head with the presence of Zygarde-10%. Dragon-type coverage in the form of Outrage or Scale Shot is also helpful for Ground teams, hitting neutral Flying-types like Landorus and Mandibuzz harder than Thousand Arrows while also smacking Ground-resistant Pokémon such as Hydrapple and Araquanid. Choice Band sets would be incredibly potent, rounding out the moveset with Extreme Speed for powerful priority and finally a move like Skitter Smack to hit Grass-types super effectively or an alternative Dragon-type move for extra flexibility.

Honorable Mentions

While only Tapu Fini made the final list, all 4 of the Tapu Pokémon are greatly missed in Generation 9! Tapu Koko would be an electrifying (pun intended) option in almost any tier it's available in, enabling powerful future Paradox Pokémon with its Electric Terrain and perhaps even pushing threats like Iron Valiant to banworthy status in OU or Monotype. Tapu Bulu, though still outclassed by Rillaboom in plenty of tiers, would be a fantastic option in whatever lower tier it ends up in while also being a powerful threat in Monotype or STABmons. Tapu Lele would be just as powerful a special wallbreaker as ever, with its Psychic Terrain making it an incredible priority blocker in OU or Monotype, while Sheer Force or, Arceus forbid, Hadron Engine sets could be incredibly difficult to handle in Almost Any Ability. Just be thankful that GameFreak couldn't make the mistake of giving it Expanding Force...

The glue of SS Ubers is now nowhere to be seen! Cut alongside Zygarde and it-who-shall-not-be-named, Yveltal's combination of excellently distributed stats and deep movepool would fit perfectly into the Ubers metagame. Taunt, Defog, and a deceptively powerful Foul Play are all excellent options, makinh defensive sets with Roost incredibly valuable. On the offensive side, an absurdly powerful Dark Aura-boosted Knock Off or Dark Pulse alongside STAB Oblivion Wing and powerful coverage like Heat Wave, Rock Slide, and the ever useful U-turn would make Yveltal incredibly difficult to switch into even without much investment. Is this the Koraidon check we need? Also notable would be Oblivion Wing's return, giving Flying-types such as Thundurus-T and Tornadus-T a powerful, reliable Flying-type move in STABmons.

Though we haven't seen it since the days of Ultra Sun and Moon, Primal Groudon is still dearly missed. With a stat spread that's still bonkers, a great typing with a multitude of switching opportunities, and, in Gen 9, access to Spikes, Primal Groudon would be just as defining a presence in Ubers and AG as it's always been. Desolate Land is as fantastic an ability as ever, and anything from support options like Roar, Will-O-Wisp, and entry hazards to powerful Swords Dance + Heat Crash sets could be seen. Just imagine, if it was allowed to Terastallize, having to deal with a Primal Groudon with Tera Flying...

Rounding out a trifecta of legendaries, we have... well, Aerodactyl was a legendary in our hearts. Aerodactyl would likely fall to NU, where it would be just as fantastic as it was in the past, leveraging a fantastic Speed tier, valuable supporting options like Stealth Rock and Taunt, and the power of STAB Stone Edge and Dual Wingbeat boosted further by Dragon Dance to be excellent in either a entry hazard setting role or as a powerful revenge killer. Even with its frailty, Aerodactyl has a surprisingly apt defensive profile, able to switch in effortlessly on Earthquakes while tanking Fire-, Poison-, and Normal-type moves surprisingly well. Aerodactyl could also be a great offensive Tera user, boosting the power of its Aqua Tail to make the Ground-types that otherwise trouble it into nothing but fodder. In STABmons, meanwhile, Aerodactyl would get access to the Head Smash and Brave Bird it's always longed for, making base 105 Attack look preposterously powerful with Dragon Dance. Someday we'll be able to revive the Old Amber again!

Conclusion

Dexit always has been and probably always will be controversial. Nobody likes having options taken away from them, especially beloved ones like legendary Pokémon and the Ultra Beasts. People have argued for a long time about whether metagames like Gen 8 and especially Gen 9 OU would be better with or without Dexit, and while this article can't solidly answer that, I hope it gives you a bit of insight into how some of these cut Pokémon (could have) worked and just what makes a Pokémon good in a particular metagame. If you're missing Tapu Fini like I am, feel free to check out one of our National Dex formats, where every Pokémon in the National Pokédex is available as well as mechanics like Mega Evolution and Z-Moves! Or, if that's not your taste, load up a game of Gen 9 OU and be thankful you don't have to deal with Tera Water Ferrothorn.

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