ZU Premier League VII Power Rankings

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Welcome to the seventh iteration of ZeroUsed Premier League! This year is shaping up to be a great one, as we see a lot of returning managers and strong faces amongst each team. Thank you to everyone who quickly submitted their power rankings from each team and to all the folks who helped with getting this written as soon as they could. Now, the moment you've all been waiting for, let's see how each team and player was ranked after the draft!

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1. fish anemometer
2. Tuthur
3. yo cho
4. Danny
5. THE_CHUNGLER
6. S1nn0hC0nfirm3d
7. diegoyuhhi
8. LustfulLice
9. zause
10. Metallica126
11. TJ
12. Feliburn
13. FlamPoké
14. sufys
15. Chaos23333
16. JJ09LIE
17. feen
18. Shadow079
19. kyuss
20. Django
21. Esteb4n
22. DripLegend
23. LBN
24. Michael Jordan
25. PTKmoekyuun
26. Trichotomy
27. Taka
28. LettuceLeaf07
29. One Last Kiss
30. Emre Mor 9
31. MAVERICK SHOOTERS
32. Career Ended

Europe's ZUWC stars and SV ZU Council members, fish anemometer and yo cho, take two of the top three spots on this PR list. fish has many individual accomplishments in ZU, such as winning the first SV tournament of the generation and the 2024 ZU Open, as well as being a 2024 ZU Circuit semifinalist and a 2025 ZU Open finalist. He also has an all-time ZU team tournament record of 19-10, being specifically known for carrying Poland and Oceania to the finals in ZUWC I, as well as winning ZUWC II alongside yo cho. OU Spring Seasonal Champion, yo cho, started building some buzz around ZU after a solid 4-2 outing in the last ZUPL, as well as many solid placements in individual tournaments like ZU Swiss and ZULT. He also went 5-1 in the winning ZUWC II run, going undefeated in the playoffs. The two are known for their building skills and superior play, which should elevate their teammates, Esteb4n and Trichotomy. Trichotomy is known for being a great Monotype player, having loads of entries in their Hall of Fame, as well as being notoriously atop their Circuit sheets, being the winner of the 2022 Monotype Circuit. Esteb4n is known for being able to jump into a plethora of lower tiers, making RU Open Semifinals and winning NULT. These two have the skills to do well, alongside the tools, with fish and yo cho by their side.

The baiters SV starts off with two names known for some capitulation in recent team tournament games, yet are still highly respected players despite it - thr0w3nc0nfirm3d and diego. Ho3n is historically one of the greatest ZU players of all time and over the past year and some change, has won 3 official trophies in rapid succession, putting him in the upper echelon of Smogon as a whole. There's little doubt that a motivated S1nn0h would make short work of most of the pool - but herein lies the problem. Without a smidge of effort, his current losing streak may very well continue. Not that it seems to bother him or his 3 trophies. The self-bought diego is the current circuit champion and an exponentially improved player, capable of playing and supporting across multiple generations. His last few team tournament stints have been a rough batch: an infamous ZUPL where his only win was on an also-winless Tuthur and letting down a team Italy that placed so much hope in him. Despite the slumps, his motivation is perennially high and should be at its peak for this tour. With some help from Drud to bring out the best for him, diego looks to finally leave a mark on ZUPL that can be looked back on with pride and not a deprecating ZU discord nickname. Shadow079 is the greatest and most humble Ubers UU player. More recently, he's taken to being an active presence in the ZU community as well. He first showed up in ZU by making it to the finals of Open, annihilating all of his opponents with the same Grassy Terrain and sun team, wreaking havoc and even causing an epic crashout from LBN. He was also trusted enough to be a starter for team Oceania in the WCoP. He did sit out ZUWC, however, so this will be his first time on the stage as a ZU starter. Lastly, PTK is a legend amongst draft and Random Battles players. He set off some fireworks, going 3-0 in ZUWC pools as well. The Baiters have themselves a premium cheap option here, if his linecount manages to reach the triple digits, that is. Drud and diego drafted a core capable of incredible heights but also very low lows. Drud's experience as a tournament-winning manager will have to come through so the reins don't fall off, but if he can pull it off, the other teams are in for some deadly trouble.

ZU's beloved tier leader, Tuthur, has been having a stellar year in SV ZU-currently sitting at 9-2 and serving as a one-man driving force that led team France to the finals of ZUWC. A testament to his strength as a leader and supporter. Unfortunately, 9-2 isn't the record people associate with his name… Tuthur's 0-7 in last year's ZUPL is one of, if not the most infamous records in ZU. There are no prizes for correctly guessing that Tuthur is determined to not repeat such a performance. Luckily for our V-tuber and K-pop-obsessed tl, a complete turnaround might just be in the cards this year. And as seen from the recent demotion drama, the ZU community as a whole will be behind him the whole way. UMPL farmer FlamPoké is one of the most improved players from last year's ZUPL. He's sat out a few recent tournaments, opting to host them instead, but is now back in the fray and ready to fry. His most recent stunt was a modest 1-1 in ZUWC while loading Honchkrow, which isn't too much to go on. But what is guaranteed is his value as a builder and testing partner. He's no slouch in-game either: as seen in tournaments like RUPL, he can put up solid performances against strong opponents. JJ09LIE is Tuthur's other half. A solid pilot (5-4 overall), who has an extra push to display something nice being alongside BFF Tuthur. Taka rounds out the core as a well-known and liked teammate, with success across multiple lower tiers. He'll need to grease the wheels a bit, as this is his return to ZU after a notable while. If it goes smoothly, he's capable of throwing up some wins. The draft by VANGUARDS is well rounded while built around the gnawty Tuthur: beside him are two options trusted by the rankers, and Taka - trusted by the writer.

THE_CHUNGLER'S high rating may be a surprise to some, but for the more erudite, he's taken quiet, consistent strides to make it this high. Among his recent noteworthy performances are a 6-2 record in UMBD, with wins on FlamPoké and Suzukaaa, as well as sweeping his LTWC pool 4-0 with Pekos' Toto and havocknight being among the names he claimed in that run. He's a versatile player capable of supporting multiple slots in SV and different generations as well. Big things are expected from THE_CHUNGLER by both his team and the opposition. Metalllica126 is a beloved, multitalented and reliable pilot who has played the role of soul of many a team. He can be relied on to build, test, innovate and secure wins on even the best players of the pool. Sometimes his willingness to explore niche options leads to some inconsistency, but with Chungler overseeing things, it might strike the right balance. Drafting Metallica126 comes with an additional benefit - it can be a package deal with additional underrated players from team China, which leads us to… Chaos23333 forms the fearsome team China duo with Metallica126. Chaos has popped off recently with a 4-0 clean sweep in LTWC in a pool featuring the 8th ranked LustfulLice. They also started for team China in WCoP, implying a degree of trusted Pokémon fundamentals. Emre Mor 9 rounds out the core. They're well known as a German manager; however, they did play ZU for the team in LTWC - scoring a good 3-1, losing only to their now-teammate Chaos23333. Overall, the Shiiinotic's core looks to perform with the ever-skilled and supportive Chungler and team China duo (and potentially undrafted support), with EM9 filling the SV4 successfully piloting their cooks.

Lice is a player capable of some extremely high ZU highs. He dominated the ZU circuit in 2023 and had an incredible 6-2 ZUPL. In the most recent ZUWC, he emerged from pools with an unscathed 3-0. However, the flip side of the same coin also tells the story of a 1-4 ZUPL in 2024 and a 1-3 LTWC performance. Despite the mixed performances, belief in Lice's ability to perform still remains strong, and he's ranked highly because of what he's shown he's capable of. RU superstar Feliburn is also in the ZU ring now! Feli is one of RU's hardest hitters, and in these tournaments is known as a cool chat presence and proficient tester as well. He hasn't played any SV ZU before, but he did play a very similar metagame in a PUBD tour, and with tests he's almost sure to be one of the most potent players in this pool. Django (aka Djaddy aka Djangod) is a fossil from the Paleozoic who somehow still gets mistaken for a new face. He brings solid play and good banter and is a potential flex option into old gens too. Along with the rest of team UK, his ZUWC was unconvincing, only finishing 1-2, but he hopes to turn it around in this tournament, as is worth noting - his prior engagement in ZU before this has not been unsubstantial. After his hit movie Sinners broke box office records for an original R-rated horror movie, actor, writer, and director Michael Jordan takes to ZU. The tier has been a consistent pastime hobby for the star, as he's contributed to meta discussions and winning teams in the past, and he's improving quickly as well. MJ won ZU Olympiad with a win in the finals, and supports the currently dominating team UK in LTWC. He was also one of three positive records on team UK in ZUWC - finishing 2-1, with an impressive win on 8-1 UMBD ZU monster Suzukaaa. The Tombs will need some quality performances out of their players to stay afloat, but Lice and Feli are more than capable of good seasons, and the UK duo might bounce back strongly after ZUWC and LTWC as well.

Danny needs no introduction as one of the most highly respected lower tier performers on Smogon. He's qualified for Grand Slam playoffs, laid waste to NU and PU tournaments, and won ZU Circuit. The one caveat attached to Danny is his recent tournament involvement - or lack thereof. He hasn't completed a full season in the last tournaments he's entered, frequently needing to be subbed out. If the Flamencos can keep him playing games, he's a surefire elite threat to the pool. zause is… a controversial figure, to say the least. He's been known to make teammates think twice before posting a poke paste, fearing they'll get ripped and shared later on. That said, he does have some achievements to his name: a semifinals in ZU circuit, and a recent win in quarterfinals of LTWC vs piyu, amongst others, are not something to scoff at. The zause buy comes with some risks, but regardless of them, it's a guarantee of activity and try-harding, which will be very much welcomed for the Flamencos' other two pilots. One Last Kiss and MAVERICK SHOOTERS are both in a similar boat. They are players with good Pokémon fundamentals, expected to pilot either Zause's or Danny's teams. Mav is known for some innovative offenses in SV OU, and while there was some doubt they'd continue onto ZU, at the time of writing this PR, we were in for quite the sight… The Flamencos managers will have some player controlling do, as every slot carries some asterisk with it, but if everything falls in the right place, they have quite the unit. If their hands are full, it could just as easily flop.

PU entity sufys has been steadily making a name as a lower tier clicker. While he hasn't played ZU in a good few business days, his stock has been rising in the marginally stronger tier of PU. His building and playing skills are expected to translate seamlessly to the only slightly different environment. Feen is an RU player capable of playing just about any metagame with his fundamental skills. His games in last year's ZUPL were quite infamous for their endgames, but more recently, feen has patched up those mistakes. He's showed up with a 3-1 ZU Olympiad and 3-0 sweep in ZUWC, proving that feen really is the wolves. kyuss, the PU ladder demon with stoner rock band moniker, looks to be a dark horse buy of the tournament. While PU is his mainstay, he's very familiar with ZU Pokémon, as one of his philosophies while building is to disregard viability rankings. He's topped the ladder multiple times before as well, and his in-game seems to be at its peak, as he's currently steamrolling through PUPL. ZUPL might see the same fate. Career Ended is the last ranked player in the PR. He's a proven pilot that can click the right moves, but is not necessarily proven yet in lower tiers, let alone ZU, which he is touching for the first time. The Money Gang's SV core is certainly capable of punching above its weight. Can Tony and neomon make it work?

The Cramorant's SV core finds itself ranked last. Their star player is TJ - an experienced veteran of the game with too many Smogon accolades to list. He hasn't done much in ZU lately, only a 2-1, but in SS. However, with his skillset, he should be the reliable win farmer for the Crams. DripLegend last played ZU during Olympiad, where he achieved a middling 2-3. Despite that, he's well established as a good pilot in any SV lower tier, capable of reeling in wins like they're bluegill. He will be familiar with the Pokémon of the tier as well, as his experience in Olympiad and PU won't go to waste. LBN has been having decent performances in some of the ZU circuit tours, but nothing outstanding. He failed to impress in ZUWC, going 1-2 in his pool. He did have a stellar 4-0 in LTWC against a tough pool, but that was in RU. If he can translate what led to that performance to this tour, there will be higher hopes for this core. Last on the core is LettuceLeaf07, an active ZU chat presence and good teambuilder. As for their play, they have a decent 3-3 in Olympiad making it to the finals, but this is botched by a 0-3 skunking in ZUWC. Lettuce will have to shift into another gear to keep up this tournament, but it's not impossible for them. The Crams have their work cut out for them in SV, with the relatively inexperienced Lettuce likely bearing the teambuilding load of the team. It's going to be an uphill battle for the team.

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It's not much of a surprise to see OranBerryBlissey10 at the top of the SS power rankings. With wins in the most recent editions of ZUPL and ZU Triathlon alongside an excellent 7-1 run in the former, the #1 ZU Hall of Famer is looking to once again dominate in this season of ZUPL with his unique teambuilding and excellent play. In addition to his performances within ZU, he's also continued to post dominant runs in SS NU, with a solid 6-3 run in the most recent edition of NUPL and a current 2-1 run in SSPL playing NU. All in all, OBB has shown consistent mastery in SS ZU throughout the past year and is likely to do so again this ZUPL unless his opponents can find a common weakness in his daring teams.

Placed at a comfy second place on the power rankings, RU Tier Leader TheFranklin once again returns to ZUPL and the Morpekos, having had a dominant 6-2 performance in the last iteration of ZUPL across both SS and SV ZU and a history of excellent performances across ZUPL as a whole: he accumulated a 4-2 lead in SV in ZUPL V and a monstrous 9-3 record in SS across ZUPL III and IV. TheFranklin has proved time and time again to be both a strong and consistent player able to take down the best of the best, and now that he's once again returned to his best ZU tier with all-too-familiar partners in crime, he should have all the tools necessary to find success once again.

Also known as the guy who brought Limber Ditto in SCL, Pokéslice started playing SS ZU last ZUPL and showed a great ability to translate his SS NU skills into ZU, going 4-2 in an experienced pool, namely defeating clean and zause. He hasn't repeated that success since then, however, as he went 1-4 in ZUOL and was benched for TJ in ZUWC. That said, he has remained actively engaged with the tier, and if he is not busy attending weddings, he should be able to perform well and reproduce results similar to last year's campaign.

avarice returns to SS after he played SV the past two ZUPLs and ZUWC II. During ZUPL IV, avarice had the best SS record at 6-1. He also had a 3-3 record in UMPL II. However, avarice hasn't played SS in a ZU team tournament in a couple years. In ZUPL V and VI, he had a combined 7-5 record in SV. Based on his records, avarice has been a highly consistent player in ZU. He should have a lot of support in this slot with Tuthur and Apagogie on the team.

Ninja is a Smogon veteran with multiple appearances in SS ZU throughout different tournaments. Ninja has a combined record of 10-6 across ZUPL IV, ZUPL V, and ZUOL III. After sitting atop the SS pool in ZUOL III with a 4-2 record, Ninja was shockingly not drafted in ZUPL VI. He opted to bench in ZUWC II and did not play any games. In a team mixed with many veterans and newcomers, Ninja is a prime candidate for a breakout run.

NFE superstar PandaDoux has been a familiar face in ZU over the years, playing in a few different tournaments between ZUPL IV, ZUOL I, and ZUWC II with a cumulative 4-4 record in SS ZU across them. He's been shown to be capable of taking wins off of strong players but hasn't had a breakout performance in any particular ZU team tournament. Coming into ZUPL VII, he'll have quite capable support in the likes of former ZUTL 5gen, but despite this, voters are cautious about PandaDoux's capabilities to translate his success in NFE to SS ZU due to his middling overall record in the tier.

If you know, you know: kay is one of the oldest faces within ZU, dating all the way back to even before SS was the current generation, let alone SV. His last time participating in a ZU team tournament was all the way back in ZUPL III, where he co-managed with DurzaOffTopic to help the Flamencos dominate and win the entire tournament. However, this isn't 2021 anymore: ZU has continued to develop and grow stronger in kay's absence, and he hasn't participated in any ZU team tournaments since this win in 2021, so it'll be up to him to prove voters wrong and show that he's still got what it takes to prep and play against the best in the tier.

Perhaps the player with the least experience in SS ZU, seraphz can be the dark horse of this pool. seraphz's only SS ZU game in a ZU team tournament was this past ZUWC, subbing in and beating Diegoyuhhi. Diego, one of the most knowledgeable SS ZU builders, now supports seraphz. seraphz went 4-2 in ZUOL III and 1-2 in ZUWC II playing SV. Taking his building support and past ZU records into account, seraphz has a great shot to outperform his 8th place ranking.

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Former PUTL Champion MZ dominated ZUOL III and ZUPL VI, winning both and boasting a monstrous combined record of 13-2. MZ's most recent showing is his 2-1 in ZUWC II. He returns to the Shiinotics, last year's champions, and has an opportunity to win three straight ZU team tournaments this season. With his vast experience playing tournaments on Smogon, MZ's in-game play makes him one of the toughest players to face. However, MZ was much less successful in SMPL, where he went 3-4. This record can be explained by some misfortune and a tendency to recycle teams.

Perhaps the most surprising part about former ZUTL and ZUOL III Champion 5gen's appearance in this edition of ZUPL is him starting in SM rather than ORAS. Make no mistake, though: even with the change in environment, 5gen's more than a capable builder within SM ZU, demonstrated through supporting MZ in ZUOL III. He's also proven himself repeatedly as a fearsome pilot through his experience in multiple past ZU generations and was SM ZU's tier leader back when it was the newest generation; furthermore, he's got recent experience playing the tier as well, currently starting in ZU in SMPL. While he's typically hailed as a support legend within ZU team tournaments, it's best not to underestimate him in-game either - a sentiment voters seem to share.

a fruitshop owner is finally back to starting SM ZU in ZUPL, where he went 3-2 in ZUPL III and 2-1 in ZUOL II. He has mostly played ORAS ZU in team tours since then and flexed into different tiers to support his teams as needed. When SM was the current generation, fruits was a top player, winning a seasonal and losing in grand finals of the 2019 Fall Seasonal. However, fruits had early exits in the two most recent SM ZU Cups. Coming into this ZUPL season, the Vanguards drafted solid support for afo in Tuthur, SM Cup winner and SM council leader, Tenebricite who went 5-3 in SM last ZUPL, and Apagogie, former SM ZU council member. The Vanguards strongly set up afo for success. Will fruits tap back into peak SM form and match the ORAS success he's known for?

While he's rated a little lower than the typical highs he's used to, Greybaum is one of the most frequent and consistent players in SM ZU, sporting a respectable overall 11-7 record in SM ZU across the past three iterations of ZUPL. While he only typically plays in ZUPL, he usually has a great showing; perhaps remaining doubts exist from a rougher season he had in ZUPL V, or the fact that in SMPL, he's not nearly as dominant as he has been in other team tours he's played SM ZU in, only going 3-3. Nonetheless, Greybaum tends to be a player able to consistently find success in SM ZU and is a player easily capable of making rankings lie if he has a performance similar to last year's.

btboy is one of the top builders in SM ZU. Last year he managed the Morpeek-A-Boos, where he supported Finchinator to a 4-4 in SM. This year, btboy played SM ZU in multiple team tours. He went 2-2 in ZUOL III and 2-1 in ZUWC II, and is currently 3-2 in SMPL IV. His builds are sound and sometimes he uses creative sets and structures. In terms of teammate support, the Morpeek-A-Boos have Havocknight who put up a solid 3-1 in ZUWC.

Tack has been around ZU since the SM days. With the inclusion of ZU in SMPL this year, Tack came back to SM ZU. Tack is currently on a tear, sitting atop the pool with a 5-2 record. The Rats have strong SM support in Drud and czim, as well as other options like S1nn0hC0nfirm3d and sugar ovens, so Tack has plenty of people to test with and help with prep.

Terracotta is a newcomer to the SM ZU scene, starting earlier this year with ZUWC. He had a more than promising season going 3-1 with wins against Drud and Leni, who are more than experienced with the tier. However, in comparison to the other players of the pool, Terracotta still has to prove himself. He's got the potential and has to show that ZUWC wasn't beginner's luck but evidence of his skill in SM ZU.

NU Room Owner Oathkeeper is an infrequent visitor to ZU, typically only participating in tournaments featuring SM ZU and not having actually played in a ZU team tournament since ZUOL's first edition with a disappointing 0-3 performance; furthermore, his only other appearance in a ZU team tournament was back in ZUPL's first edition, where he had a similarly lackluster record. He's been capable of finding success in other tiers over the years, but the fact remains that his performances in SM ZU thus far have left much to be desired. Time will tell if he can defy voter expectations and discover success in his latest return back to SM ZU without reliable support.

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PU Tier Leader and former Monotype Tier Leader DugZa is back in action in ZU after a soft break in 2024, in which he only participated in ZUWC. DugZa is known for being a consistent player site-wide, and it's no different in ZU, in which he has participated in two winning campaigns in ZU Olympiad II and ZU Premier League V, boasting an overall record of 8-5 in those two tournaments, specializing in SM. While this tournament will be his first look into ORAS ZU, support from ORAS veteran teammate 5Dots can help provide crucial team builds and metagame knowledge to prepare for a successful run.

ZU Forum Moderator Havocknight has quickly emerged as a ZU star, having impressive 5-1, 5-2, and 3-1 runs in ZUWC II, ZU Olympiad III, and ZUWC I. They are also coming off a great run in ORAS Underground, having a 4-1 record in NU despite their team's overall struggles. They have been very flexible to play in other tiers as well, and while their ZUPL VI had them going 2-3, they are projected to improve from this record and add another high caliber run to the books.

ORAS mainer Ruffles is entering his first stint in ORAS ZU. Displaying solid records in OU for a while at this point, Ruffles has recently been translating the OU success into very expressive success across different lower tiers, as they went 5-2 in PUPL, 7-0 in RUGL and 5-0 in NUFL in this year, all in ORAS. He's also known for his strength in ORAS OU, putting up a strong 10-7 record between SPL and WCOP. It'll be interesting to see how Ruffles does around here, especially considering his high ceiling as a player and his passion for the generation.

After spending almost a decade in ORAS RU, lighthouses took a leave before coming back last year for another run of competitive play. They have proved themselves to be a more than capable player in that generation, being a starter in the most recent SPL, going 4-5 in the last SPL, and being a finalist for the ORAS OU Global Championship. They have also been a mainstay of the RU tournament scene, being 5th on their overall sheet, with a recent 5-1 record in RUBD. However, he has never played ORAS ZU, let alone a ZU game in any generation, and his teammates tend to specialize in other tiers. Nevertheless, lighthouses should keep games competitive and hopes to tune in with a solid performance.

1v1 main and Lightning McQueen aficionado neomon is back in action for ZUPL VII, marking his return to the tier after a lengthy hiatus. Last seen in ZUPL IV, neomon has recently resurfaced in other team tours like ZU Olympiad III and ZUWC II, where he competed as a player. He holds a solid 17-11 overall record in ZU across multiple generations, with a strong foundation in DPP ZU from earlier appearances. Notably, he's one of the few players in the pool with prior ORAS ZU experience, sporting a respectable 3-2 record from the most recent Olympiad. He'll also benefit from the presence of multi-gen, top-tier specialist 5gen for support. It'll be interesting to see how neomon will perform this time around, and voters seem to be expecting a good run out of him.

ORAS ZU council and veteran Charles A. Theist arms the team with experience as old as the FU days, having competitive roots since the first ZUPL. He has put up impressive performances in individual tournaments, having made finals of several ORAS ZU Cups and qualifying for playoffs in ZU Triathlon. His creative builds also make him one of the hardest players to prepare for, especially when combined with OBB10's input. However, he has struggled more in team tournaments, putting up a 1-3 record in ZUPL I and a 1-4 record in ORAS Underground. While he still has a lot to prove in ZUPL VII, his long history and impressive cup runs make him a threat not to be underestimated.

Capping off a strong 5-3 performance in ZUPL VI in SM, OU main Tenebricite is looking to once again find success in ZU. This time around they are playing in ORAS, a generation he's experienced in, as he started in it for US South in this year's WCoP, even though he went 0-3, and is also 3-1 in this years' RoaPL in ORAS OU. Tenebricite is a frequent participant in varied team tours across the site and often performs well. It's important to note that they'll have support from sleid, a fruitshop owner, and skrimps, which is top-tier. It will be interesting to see how Tenebricite will do this time around, especially given voters' concern on this tier being his first in a stacked pool.

Spiritomb's manager, Zpice, surprised many with his self-buy and even more so when he was shown to start in ORAS, a tier he is not known for playing and has no notable results in. In the ZU tournaments he has played in, he has struggled to perform well, currently having a record of 0-6 for this year in ZU team tours, and with him being needed as support for other slots like ADV, expectations will be quite low for him.

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An accomplished and notoriously creative player, it is not surprising that SEA is leading the pack in BW. Such an excellent appraisal is not unsurprising considering SEA's positive track record and good standing within the community. SEA has had consistently solid records, beginning with 4-3 in ZUPL V and 3-2 in BWPL III, before dominating the competition in 6-2 and 5-2 in BWPL IV and ZUPL VI, respectively. SEA's unpredictability and top-tier records cement her as one of the top players in the pool, setting up for another notch in the belt.

BW ZU Tier Leader and SPL BW OU starter Monai is back looking for another stellar run. Monai is finally back in BW ZU after starting for a while in SV ZU in a few recent team tournaments. He has a surprising 17-12 total record in BW ZU team tournaments after a rough 2-5 in the last ZUPL, but he's been on top of his game lately with strong performances in ZUWC II, ZUOL III, and SPL XVI. He's poised to make a strong comeback with council member skrimps alongside him for the ride.

Xrn returns after a year's hiatus from BW ZU from his campaign across officials and managing alike, towing quite a reputation with him. Despite his underwhelming 2-3 record in ZUPL V and a dearth of BW ZU since, he manages to place comfortably in the top three of power rankings among voters, a testament to his overall great fundamentals and performance across many tiers. There are very high expectations for Xrn in spite of his rusty state in this tier, and only time will tell if his transition back is seamless, or if he uncharacteristically stumbles once again.

Thor is a well-known name within the GSC community in particular, as well as having some history in BW lower tiers and being a generally solid player across many generations. While his performance last ZUPL was a relatively poor 2-5, his abilities as a player overall instill confidence in the voting base. If Thor and his team can overcome the relative lack of support they have for the tier, they should be able to put up a strong performance to improve on his last.

Climbing down the rankings into the bottom half, we have Cow sitting comfortably in 5th place. Cow is a newcomer to the ZU scene, but don't let that and his historically disappointing performance in BW lower tiers fool you. Cow has been very active across numerous generations and has delivered a higher level of performance than expected, particularly in BW OU, where he earned a very recent seasonal win. With solid support in LustfulLice, he is set to shred any doubt that haters might have of his skills.

SV NFE and ORAS ZU council member 5Dots is debuting in his first start in BW, surprising many voters given his long tenure and familiarity in ORAS. He has been a consistently solid player in this generation, not having a negative record in ZU team tours since ZUPL V. He has been capable outside ORAS, going 3-3 in ZUPL IV in SS and making to finals in ZU Open. However, voters are divided on whether he can maintain this standard in a different generation while being expected to support other team slots along the way.

While Foolycl is an old face in Smogon, this will be his first shot in BW and ZU in general. A mostly sitewide player, he has been putting up decent records in Monotype and CAP tiers related to BW and ORAS, playing in tours like MWP VI, MPL XI, and CAPPL XI with mixed to positive success. His most notable tournament performance is finishing top eight in the most recent OST. However, ZU is very different compared to the tiers he's playing in, and while he has a good support base with builders like btboy, fish, and havocknight, voters are concerned if his sitewide success can translate well into ZU, placing him near the bottom of the rankings.

Veteran ZU player SBPC will be looking to claim glory from the old days. Despite his strong showings in ZUPL II and ZUPL III, posting 3-1 and 3-2 records, respectively, he is better known for managing, as he has struggled to keep up with the evolving BW ZU metagame and has mostly been a good support pillar outside of ZU. He also lacks a solid support base to help him catch up to speed, and with a loaded pool of players to face, voter expectations are quite low for him.

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As the unanimously ranked #1 spot in these PR rankings, council member Drud will be looking to carry his team in another ZU team tour. You'll find his name on the top of the DPP leaderboard in the last 2-3 years of ZU team tournaments, amounting to an astounding 22-8 record. He has been a part of the winning team the last two ZUPLs, so he really doesn't need much of a justification as to why he deserves to be in this spot.

HSOWA is the 2nd most well-known DPP ZU player on this list, having been in four of the last five ZU team tournaments. He's been a consistent player, going 14-14 throughout those two tournaments. However, he has taken down some big names along the way and was a part of the winning ZUOL II team. With his DPP ZU metagame knowledge coupled with notable support in wooper, he looks to make a solid run this ZUPL.

Surprisingly to most, this is DPP ZU council member BeatsBlack's first time playing DPP in ZUPL. He does have a 4-3 record in the last two iterations of ZUOL, but he's better known for his great runs in other DPP tiers like in DPPPL, where he boasts and all-time record of 10-5. Beats is a well-known old gens savant with high-level gameplay experience, putting him at number three on this list.

Plague recently picked up DPP ZU in the recent iteration of ZUOL where he went 6-1 against a solid DPP pool. He is more experienced in the tier than anyone below him on this list, which gives him the edge. Plague also went 4-4 in the most recent DPPPL playing Ubers, which means he also has good overall experience with the metagame's mechanics. Hubriz, btboy, and Toto behind him means he will get plenty of support in this slot.

Baddy has become an established force in ZU team tournaments after going 9-7 between ZUPL VI, ZUOL III, and ZUWC I. Although he has never played DPP in any of these tournaments, he has experience with the generation, having played some DPP in the recent PUPL and putting up a strong 6-3 playing UU in the most recent DPPPL. With support from DPP ZU Tier Leader skrimps, he should be able to come out strong in this pool.

DPPPL V champion Ara has returned to DPP ZU, having last played back in ZUOL I where they went 2-2. They are highly regarded as being very knowledgeable across many DPP lower generations by their teammates, giving them an edge here. With their knowledge of DPP as a whole and the support from jhm5, they have a chance of doing well in this very top-heavy pool.

evakiyama! is a brand-new face to the ZU scene. They do have some DPP experience after being drafted in DPPPL to play both Ubers and UU with a 2-2 record, as well as in in other big team tournaments, starting in ADVPL this last iteration. evakiyama! will have an uphill battle in this strong pool with very little team support.

ZU Voice missangelic makes their starting debut in an unfamiliar tier this ZUPL. They came off the bench in the last two ZUOLs, boasting a 3-1 record in BW ZU while also being a part of the winning ZUOL III team. It is odd to find them shoehorned in this tier, as they have no notable experience playing it, but support from SBPC might be able to help them adapt quickly like they did in BW ZU.

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Baoba is one of the newer faces to the ADV pool as of the last year, but they have been making a splash like no other. They've had impressive tour records in ZUOL (5-2) and ADVLTL (4-1), which gives them an overall 9-3 record in recent tours playing ADV ZU. They've also had very strong individual performances, making quarterfinals of ADV Gold Rush and winning ADV ZU's Grand Slam Open. Their consistency and superior play has earned them the top slot amongst this strong group.

ZU Room Moderator plznostep is the runner up here due to them being a ZU main with loads of knowledge about this tier. Despite being sat on the bench the last two Olympiads in favor of the manager starting, plznostep has stepped in to save the team's record by going a combined 4-1. They've also been making their name known around the ADV community, scoring the top ZU record in ADVLTL and PUPL with a 4-3 record while also being drafted to play in ADVPL. They've been keeping up with this tier since its creation, so there's no doubt they'll have a strong outing here.

SPL level player Fogbound Lake is not a new face around ZU but is a new face to ADV ZU in particular. Don't be surprised to see them finish at the top of the pool this year, as they have been known to pick up ADV tiers in team tournaments and excel. Over the last three ADVPLs, they have gone 9-2 in Ubers and 6-1 in RU. They've played at the highest level, being drafted in the SPL and SCL and playing in WCoP, so expect a solid outing here if they are motivated to build or get some good support from Melninja, a prolific builder in the tier who earned a 3-3 record in ADVLTL and a 3-0 record in ZU Olympiad.

bydy finds themselves in the middle of the back as a fairly new player to the ZU scene, making their debut in ZUOL III and going 1-1 while sharing playing time with Melninja. They've had their ups and downs in recent ADV team tournaments; they had an impressive 5-2 in NUFL while only going 3-4 in RUGL and 0-3 in ADVLTL playing a multitude of different ADV tiers. They have a lot of experience with ADV ZU, having joined multiple individuals for the tier recently, which gives them an edge here.

Former ADV ZU Tier Leader and council member BP gets his first start in a ZU team tour here. He's supported the ADV slots in each Olympiad iteration, leading them to a neutral record overall, but you can only lead the horse to water, so they say. He did struggle in the ongoing ADVLTL playing ZU, but he will look to get his revenge in this tour. His familiarity with this tier and recent success in other metas has earned him a respectable spot on this list.

The fabled #2 in the ZU HoF czim is back in ZUPL after three years since his last appearance. This will be his first ever time playing ADV ZU in a team tournament, although he is not unfamiliar with this tier, as he won ADVLT a year and a half ago. He also has a ton of individual wins in ZU, as can be seen on his HoF page, but he notably did win ZU Classic II and IV. However, all of these ZU metagames were in a different place than the tier is now. Without a strong support backing him up in this slot, will czim be able to land on top?

mielke is a brand-new face to ADV ZU, although he's not new to ADV by any means, as he is one of their forum moderators. He's shown a decent outing in ADVPL with an overall record of 9-7 in the last two iterations. He struggled in the recent PUPL, only recording one win. He does have ADV ZU Cup Champion, Zpice, supporting him this season, so he should have the tools to perform well given his knowledge of ADV as a whole.

Parpar is an ADV main who finds themselves at the bottom of a really strong list, since they are also another new face to the ZU scene. They have struggled in recent ADVPL tournaments, only grabbing one win in eleven games over the course of the last three iterations playing ADV UU. However, Parpar has done much better in a tier closer to ZU, PU, going 8-5 in the last two PUPLs. They do have a really solid team of ADV support behind them in BeatsBlack and SEA, so they can hopefully lend a hand while prepping for their own slots to give Parpar a good shot in this pool.

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Overall Team Rankings

Morpeek-A-Boos	52
The VANGUARDS	49
Shiiny Shiinotics	49
Ragebait Raticates	47
Cramlington Cramorants	47
Smeargle Wizard Money Gang	43
Fiery Flamencos	38
Mossui Town Spiritombs	35

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