OMotM/LCotM Spotlight: Tier Shift and Sketchmons
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Art by anundeadboy.
What is an OMotM/LCotM?
The OMotM, also known as Other Metagame of the Month, is the metagame that is voted by the players to have a ladder for a specific month. The LCotM, or Leader's Choice of the Month, is a second ladder that is chosen specifically by OM Forum Mods. For the most part, the LCotM is a metagame that needs more love, as it may not be able to compete with the metagames that get nominated for the OMotM voting.
For December, the OM of the Month is Tier Shift, while Leader's Choice is Sketchmons.
Introduction to Tier Shift
Tier Shift is an OM where Pokemon get their non-HP base stats increased based on how many tiers below OU they are. UU and RUBL Pokemon get +15 to each non-HP base stat, RU and NUBL Pokemon get +20, NU and PUBL Pokemon get +25, and PU, ZUBL, ZU, NFE, and LC Pokemon get +30. This allows many lower-tiered Pokemon to shine and compete with higher-tiered stronger threats! Many playstyles are significantly buffed to the point that they become too strong, with a recent Drizzle ban after rain proved to be too strong a playstyle. Not all is focused on low-tiered Pokemon though—OU and Ubers Pokemon like Flutter Mane and Dondozo can still carve a niche with their unique traits to fight alongside their lower-tiered brethren.
Threats in Tier Shift
Slither Wing @ Choice Band- Ability: Protosynthesis
- EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Jolly Nature
- - First Impression
- - Close Combat
- - U-turn
- - Earthquake
- New Stats: 85/155/99/105/125/101
Slither Wing finds itself a valuable role in Tier Shift as a potent pivot, revenge killer, and wallbreaker condensed in a single team slot, providing a valuable blend of offensive and defensive utility. Choice Band-boosted Close Combat can 2HKO or 3HKO sturdy physical walls like Quagsire and Dondozo, while U-turn allows it to pivot out on its few checks like physically defensive Talonflame. Offensive teammates like Rotom-C and Thundurus appreciate the defensive utility provided by Slither Wing's revenge killing capabilities while also forming a potent VoltTurn core that can quickly wear down opposing teams.
Chansey (F) @ Eviolite- Ability: Natural Cure
- EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
- Bold Nature
- IVs: 0 Atk
- - Stealth Rock / Calm Mind
- - Soft-Boiled
- - Thunder Wave / Shadow Ball
- - Seismic Toss
- New Stats: 250/30/30/60/130/75
Chansey is the tier's best special wall, capable of shrugging off hits from the likes of Palkia-O and Thundurus without skipping a beat and setting up Stealth Rock or Calm Mind. Shadow Ball should always be used with Calm Mind as to not allow Ghost-types like Hoopa free entry. Chansey's passivity can be taken advantage of by strong wallbreakers like Heracross and Slither Wing, which can switch in safely and force it out, making secondary walls like Scream Tail and Giratina good partners.
Zoroark-Hisui @ Focus Sash- Ability: Illusion
- EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
- Timid Nature
- - Nasty Plot
- - Shadow Ball
- - Focus Blast
- - Hyper Voice
- New Stats: 55/120/80/145/80/130
Hisuian Zoroark can act as a dedicated Focus Sash lead disguised as a teammate like Heracross or Scyther to lure in their checks like Hippowdon and Dondozo to set up with Nasty Plot and start blasting away holes at the opposing team that are appreciated by its offensive teammates. Special walls like Assault Vest Tornadus-T and Alolan Muk wall Hisuian Zoroark and threaten to remove it, so offensive Pokemon that can beat these switch-ins like Tyranitar and Ursaluna make for good partners.
Introduction to Sketchmons
In Sketchmons, every Pokemon gains access to a single move they normally could not learn! Overpowered moves like Shell Smash are restricted to only native users of the move, and uncompetitive moves like Shed Tail are banned even on native users. Sketchmons allows Pokemon with great attributes but are missing a key move to excel, as every Pokemon now has access to reliable recovery, powerful STAB moves, excellent coverage moves, entry hazards, and hazard removal. Torkoal can set sun and pivot out with U-turn, Blissey can use Infernal Parade to burn and set up on foes, Lurantis can raise its stats with Spin Out or Armor Cannon, and Iron Hands can use Wish to heal its teammates to full. In Sketchmons, the possibilities are endless!
Threats in Sketchmons
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Garchomp @ Rocky Helmet
Ting-Lu @ LeftoversWith the addition of a reliable recovery move, Garchomp becomes one of the tier’s premier bulky Pokemon thanks to its excellent defensive stats, typing, and ability. Thanks to the combination of Rocky Helmet and Rough Skin, Garchomp punishes a wide range of physical attackers for attempting to deal damage, and it is capable of wearing them down over time thanks to Strength Sap's recovery. Ting-Lu serves as a consistent wall against many common special attackers in the format. While many other special walls are vulnerable to sheer destructive power, Ting-Lu's gargantuan bulk and Vessel of Ruin allow it to shrug off hits like +1 Iron Moth's Eruption and Hoopa-U's Focus Blast, and thanks to Shore Up, Ting-Lu is capable of doing this multiple times in one game.
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Toxapex @ Black Sludge
Skeledirge @ Heavy-Duty BootsToxapex is an excellent defensive Pokemon and pivot capable of running several sketched moves to support its team. Salt Cure is the most common, dealing reliable passive damage against everything in the tier, while Mortal Spin removes entry hazards and Flip Turn allows Toxapex to bring in teammates safely. Skeledirge is another common member of defensive cores, using Unaware to ignore boosts from Tidy Up or Take Heart, and its excellent defensive typing allows it to check threats like Rillaboom and Iron Valiant. Take Heart is used to remove poison and paralysis while also allowing Skeledirge to act as a potent wincon; Glare synergizes well with Hex and allows Skeledirge to support slower teammates.
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Iron Moth @ Heavy-Duty Boots / Choice SpecsFinally, Sketchmons heavily benefits powerful offensive threats that need one more tool to break through common checks. Nasty Plot allows Iron Moth to break through most of its normal checks via boosting, while Eruption dishes out absurd damage even to Fire-resistant targets, especially with the prominence of both sun and Electric Terrain in the tier. Rillaboom serves as a source of strong priority, and it likes using coverage moves to pick off specific counters. Pyro Ball nails Corviknight and serves as reliable damage versus neutral targets, while Mountain Gale is useful for Dragon and Flying-types trying to come in on a resisted Grassy Glide.
Final Thoughts
Tier Shift and Sketchmons are OMs that encourage creativity to use Pokemon that may get overlooked in standard play. These are the metagames for the month of December 2023. Enjoy these metagames, and check out the Other Metas room on PS! to discuss them.
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