A Whole New World: UU in November 2021

« Previous Article

Next Article »

Introduction

Tier shifts are some of the most volatile and exciting parts of Smogon tiering. Every three months, Pokémon can either rise or drop to a new tier depending on whether they make the usage threshold (4.52%). Players are often excited to see what new changes can impact their metagame. UU is no stranger to this experience, receiving six new Pokémon that would be tier staples in addition to a retest of a previously broken Pokémon. Read this article to check out the new drops and how they fit in UU!

---

The Rises

While this article mostly covers the drops, I wouldn't be doing the article justice to not acknowledge the Pokémon UU lost, as these four rose into OU. UU lost the following: Buzzwole, Pelipper, Barraskewda, and Alolan Ninetales. Out of these rises, most players can say the one with the most impact is the loss of Buzzwole. Rain, although decently common on the ladder, wasn't used much in tours due to its inconsistency. Many of the popular options on rain teams fell flat against common threats like Salamence and Assault Vest Tangrowth. Meanwhile, Alolan Ninetales retained a niche as a dual screens setter on hail teams, but the unreliability of this archetype caused it to be seldom used, especially after the ban of Arctozolt from UU.

However, Buzzwole was an integral part of the tier, being A+ on the Viability Rankings at the time of its departure. It was an offensive powerhouse with reliable recovery, being able to slam tier staples like Krookodile and Chansey with ease and synergize with top picks like Roserade and Celesteela. Its greatest asset was the sheer defensive utility its massive bulk provided. Even without any Defense investment, Buzzwole was still able to wall and limit the progress of many strong wallbreakers like Mienshao, Zarude, Lycanroc-D, Mamoswine, and Zygarde-10%.

So what do these rises mean? Well, it's hard to say since the metagame has been completely turned upside down by the drops. Rain as a playstyle is really niche now due to losing its best setter and wallbreaker to OU. The addition of Slowking and Latias to the tier (spoilers!) also limit the viability of this archetype, comfortably dealing with the remaining sweepers in Kingdra, Keldeo, and Seismitoad. As for the rise of Buzzwole, wallbreakers like Zygarde-10%, Mienshao, and Lycanroc-D all immensely improve with the loss of a common defensive answer.

---

The New Drops

---

After being an OU staple for generations now, Excadrill has finally fallen to UU, where it has quickly risen to be one of the most influential Pokémon in the tier. Excadrill offers lots of role compression on teams with its amazing Ground + Steel typing, acting as a potent entry hazard setter and remover depending on its team. Its specially defensive utility set lets Excadrill take on many threats like Aegislash, Nihilego, Galarian Slowbro, Rotom-W, and Jirachi while providing its team with Stealth Rock support and hazard control. Its merits have even contributed to it receiving very high amounts of SCL usage, reflecting just how threatening Excadrill is.

Excadrill also can run an offensive set utilizing Swords Dance and Rapid Spin, being able to boost its Speed and Attack in one set while maintaining the utility of entry hazard removal. It can destroy walls like Chansey and Aegislash with a boost while also outpacing revenge killers like Zygarde-10% and Life Orb Mienshao. However, this set is walled by staples like Moltres, Skarmory, and Celesteela, limiting Excadrill's ability to make progress. It also struggles to secure both boosts, since it will get forced out before being able to, relegating it to being a late-game cleaner only. Lastly, Excadrill also can run a suicide lead set on hyper offense teams to set Stealth Rock and attack the opposing team as much as possible before fainting, allowing many setup sweepers like Galarian Moltres to come in and start tearing teams apart.

---

Grass-types like Tangrowth and Amoonguss are great teammates for Excadrill, being able to take Water- and Grass-type attacks from Zarude and Primarina. Thundurus-T enjoys the entry hazard support Excadrill provides and can remove counters like Skarmory and Celesteela. Since Excadrill struggles to keep Spikes off against Skarmory, Hatterene makes an amazing partner that can completely counter it. Excadrill's Rapid Spin support is great for partners like Moltres and Salamence, which now can drop Defog for a third attack instead. They also can check dangerous Fighting-types like Conkeldurr for Excadrill.

---

---

Slowking has stood out as one of the premier defensive options in the tier in the new metagame, taking on former staples like Celesteela and Keldeo. Its solid bulk, Teleport, and Regenerator makes it a nuisance to face and an excellent supportive option on bulky offense and balance teams. Psychic lets Slowking immediately threaten Conkeldurr. On the other hand, Future Sight allows Slowking to enable powerful wallbreakers like Mienshao in smashing defensive teams. Slowking often opts for a physically defensive spread to take on common threats like Excadrill and Mamoswine better, since it can still handle special attackers like Primarina and Moltres with its high Special Defense. Using a Colbur Berry allows Slowking to softcheck dangerous Fighting-types like Conkeldurr and Mienshao.

---

Defensive pivots like Amoonguss, Tangrowth, and Skarmory are all valuable partners for Slowking, forming near-unbreakable defensive cores by handling threats that completely destroy Slowking like Aegislash, Excadrill, and Zarude. Chansey also helps check dangerous special attackers like Hydreigon and Galarian Moltres, which Slowking cannot beat, and frees up Slowking to take a more physically defensive spread. Powerful wallbreakers like Mienshao and Conkeldurr appreciate the Future Sight support Slowking provides to help them wallbreak more easily. They also appreciate its ability to switch into threats like Azelf and Moltres for them while bringing them in with slow pivoting via Teleport. In return, they force out dangerous Dark-types like Hydreigon.

---

---

Long-time UU staple Swampert has made a splash, as it finally dropped down from OU. Despite players not expecting much from Swampert due to the presence of common Grass-types and its lack of reliable recovery, Swampert has overcome all odds and made a name for itself as a solid Stealth Rock setter thanks to its solid matchup against entry hazard removers like Excadrill and Mandibuzz. Furthermore, Swampert's nice physical bulk lets it check the likes of Celesteela, Jirachi, and Krookodile in addition to Excadrill. Flip Turn is an amazing new tool in Swampert's arsenal, allowing it to gain momentum after setting Stealth Rock and not be a momentum sink for teams, thus giving it a niche over its competition in Seismitoad. Toxic or Yawn can cripple threats like Tangrowth and Hydreigon, with the latter also allowing Swampert to gain momentum as the Pokémon switches out. Sets like Choice Band have even been used in the UnderUsed Snake Draft, taking switch-ins like Amoonguss by surprise, showing off the strengths of Swampert in the metagame.

---

Swampert's biggest issue is its lack of recovery, as it gets worn down consistently switching into Lycanroc-D and Excadrill. Therefore, both Tapu Bulu and Jirachi make amazing partners for Swampert, being able to offset this drawback with Grassy Terrain support and Wish, respectively. Tapu Bulu can also check Zarude and Azumarill, while Jirachi can form a momentum core with it and check Tapu Bulu. Moltres also forms a momentum core with Swampert and removes Grass- and Steel-types like Amoonguss and Aegislash for it. Powerful wallbreakers like Conkeldurr and Heracross appreciate the entry hazard and slow pivoting support from Swampert to come in and wallbreak.

---

---

After nearly two years of being in OU, Mandibuzz finally drops to UU, where it honestly has defied lots of expectations. Many players believed Mandibuzz would suffer the same fate it did in OU, trying to check too much at once and failing to check anything in the end. However, Mandibuzz has really shined over its competition in Galarian Moltres thanks to its stellar mixed bulk and ability to fit U-turn. Very few Pokémon can deal heavy damage to Mandibuzz without being boosted or hitting it super effectively. Mandibuzz offers lots of role compression by providing a Ghost-type resistance, pivot, Ground-type immunity, and mixed wall, making it a great asset to teams it is on. Foul Play lets Mandibuzz KO Dragon Dance Salamence and Gyarados after they boost while also helping against Belly Drum Azumarill, Swords Dance Aegislash, and Excadrill. Knock Off is helpful for crippling Celesteela and Slowking, while Brave Bird is helpful in weakening Conkeldurr. Defog can be run for even more role compression, though this is often done as a last resort. U-turn allows Mandibuzz to grab momentum on checks like Primarina and Skarmory. The given EV spread lets Mandibuzz outspeed Swords Dance Aegislash while maximizing its physical bulk to take on threats like Gyarados, Zarude, and Zygarde-10%.

---

Amoonguss can switch into Electric- and Fairy-type attacks from Thundurus-T and Primarina for Mandibuzz. It also can absorb Knock Off, allowing Mandibuzz to preserve its Heavy-Duty Boots. Excadrill provides an Electric-type immunity and pressures threats like SubToxic Aegislash and Nihilego. It also frees up a slot for Mandibuzz to not run Defog. Slowking likes Mandibuzz being able to switch into Aegislash and Hydreigon and can form a momentum core with it, with Mandibuzz enjoying Slowking checking Nihilego and Keldeo. Dangerous wallbreakers like Conkeldurr and Azumarill appreciate Mandibuzz's slow pivoting to get them in safely to wallbreak.

---

---

After a brief departure to OU, this high flier has landed back in UU to be an amazing pick in the metagame right now. Skarmory's massive bulk allows it to check dangerous physical attackers like Gyarados, Zarude, Excadrill, and Lycanroc-D with ease, and its longevity thanks to Roost allows Skarmory to support its team with Spikes. Body Press lets Skarmory threaten Mamoswine and Excadrill, while Brave Bird allows Skarmory to consistently damage Conkeldurr and Azumarill. Whirlwind lets Skarmory force out setup sweepers like Belly Drum Azumarill and accure Spikes damage on threats like Aegislash. Toxic is an alternative option over Whirlwind to cripple Moltres and Slowking. Defog can even be run on bulkier builds thanks to its great matchup against entry hazard setters like Excadrill and Roserade. The given EV spread lets Skarmory outspeed Adamant Azumarill.

---

Skarmory fits best on bulky offense, balance, and stall teams that appreciate its qualities as a physical wall and phazer. Since Skarmory has poor special defense, Chansey and Slowking make great teammates to check threats like Hydreigon and Moltres. Excadrill forms an entry hazard stacking core with Skarmory while also taking on Aegislash for it. Amoonguss can handle Rotom-W and Primarina for Skarmory. Offensive threats like Mienshao, Thundurus-T, and Choice Specs Primarina enjoy Skarmory wearing down checks like Tangrowth and Chansey with Spikes.

---

---

Saving one of the best for last, Hydreigon returns to UU and has become one of the most frightening Pokémon in the tier. An insane Special Attack, amazing coverage, and great defensive utility checking the likes of Chandelure, Slowking, and Rotom-W while offensively pressuring the omnipresent Skarmory, Aegislash, and Slowking have all yielded Hydreigon success in UU. Hydreigon is also one of the most versatile threats in the tier. Its Life Orb + Roost set lets it act as an insanely dangerous wallbreaker that can sustain itself with Roost. Hydreigon can also use a Nasty Plot set to completely wipe out staples like Celesteela and Amoonguss after a boost. That's not all though, as Choice Scarf Hydreigon is one of the best revenge killers in the tier, outspeeding and removing boosted sweepers like Dragon Dance Gyarados. Hydreigon has left a major impact on the builder, influencing the rise of Fairy-types like Primarina and Azumarill.

---

Hydreigon is very weak to Fighting- and Fairy-types, so it appreciates a switch-in into these attacks like Amoonguss. Jirachi similarly can check Fairy-types like Hatterene and provide Stealth Rock support to wear down checks like Celesteela. It also can bring Hydreigon in with U-turn on Pokémon like Aegislash and Rotom-H to wallbreak. Mienshao can help overwhelm Fairy-types like Primarina alongside Hydreigon and breaks through Chansey for it. Late-game cleaners like Azelf and Excadrill can clean through teams that Hydreigon has weakened.

---

---

Latias was unbanned from UUBL due to the potential it had to be balanced with new checks like Mandibuzz, Slowking, and Excadrill dropping. Moreover, Pokémon that would naturally check it like Primarina, Celesteela, and Aegislash were quite good, giving Latias a great case for being retested. However, Latias once again proved to be banworthy, mostly because of this set. It dropped Psyshock to run Thunderbolt for Slowking and Primarina, no longer making them hard checks, but even then Latias could still run Psyshock, making Fighting-types like Mienshao shaky answers. Its ability to wallbreak with Life Orb in conjunction with recovery in Roost and great coverage caused it to be too overbearing in the tier and thus led it to being banned. We can expect Pokémon like Thundurus-T, Hydreigon, and Salamence to get better with Latias's departure.

---

Conclusion

UU has been revitalized with the addition of all these new Pokémon into the metagame. New threats have risen up while old ones fell. I hope this article explained how all of these new additions fit in the tier and motivated you to give UU a try!

---

« Previous Article

Next Article »

All guides and strategy information are © 2004 Smogon.com and its contributors. Pokémon is © 1995 Nintendo. Privacy Policy