Some quick NFE nominations since I think the meta went into some development.
Rise
UR -> A
The best Defogger in the game, and actually a good hazard removal. Has the bulk to become a solid Gabite or Missy check with solid chipping tools such as Knock Off and Night Shade, which is not only excellent but a very unique combination in this tier for its lack of viable Knock Off mons and low base HP stat. It's also a near-perfect answer as a switch-in against Toedscool, which this tier lacked on a singular Pokemon. Why it isn't higher is because it's not needed to be included as your primary hazard removal and the hazards being still skewed towards them means that Hazard Stacking and Offense are still in favor, which doesn't really need to have this Pokemon in their teams in the first place. I would still put Dartrix in the majority of defensive and balance playstyles, even some offensive and pivot ones because its valuable traits ensure it doesn't feel so passive in so many positions. Definitely deserved to rank highly at A for what they serve in the meta.
Should also talk about the Swords Dance and Nasty Plot sets should also be good in theory for their amazing wincon potential.
Examples such as SD with Trailblaze/Knock Off/Roost or Leaf Blaze, SD with Leaf Blade/Sucker Punch/Roost, or Nasty Plot with Giga Drain/Air Slash if you build it with Magnemite or teams that take advantage of Tinkatuff.
UR -> B-/B
It exists only because Tinkatuff's presence gives it a niche. Yet the niche is extremely dangerous for any Tinkatuff teams as it removes one of the most important Pokemon in this tier that keeps a lot of dangerous threats in heavy check. There is a crazy amount of Pokemon that are very gatekept by Tinkatuff's typing and utility tools, which is the biggest reason why I wanted to rank this in the first place because it drastically matters to every playstyle. Defensive teams like it the removal Knock Off user and Stealth Rock at once, making Crocalor and defensive setup mons like Stored Power Girafarig stronger, and Offensive teams can abuse either Setup Sweepers like Dartrix, Murkrow, Sneasel, Girafarig, etc, or Choice Locked mons like Fraxure, Rufflet, Zwelious, etc. The picks are endless and speak a lot about Tinkatuff's value in this meta. It's not complete fodder as a standalone though. It has the bulk + Rest which is also for Tinkatuff lets it wall out defensive Mareanie at ease, and it can actually threaten Naclstack with Steel Beam, got the slow pivot aspect, and can break Sub Missy so you can't take complete advantage of it. I spammed mite teams on NFE Open right now and on at friendlies and I think this Pokemon deserves to be mentioned.
A+ -> S
Perhaps a hot take? I think this Pokemon is ridiculously good for what it does right now. It gets the freest Spikes interactions and literally has the best hit-and-run game plan right now. I don't think I've seen this get damaged at all except for the Frogadier ditto or if it's forced to play 1v1 against Missy. It doesn't have the bulk Missy has, but I think it has such a big impact on the tier enough to consider me it's a level above A+. Their cleaning game gives me the Gen 8 Electabuzz vibes where the tier lacked mons that could revenge killing by speed alone, and their coverage is almost perfect. Except Frogadier doesn't need to worry too much about priority moves(still needs to be aware of sucker punches), and there are faster mons but they usually aren't used to revenge kill Frogadier so you're still forced to use walls/tanks strategy, though thankfully only with one mon instead of two cored mons. It's very spammable to be picked for a lot of teams for the value and easy synergy it provides. I'm very confident it's the 2nd best Pokemon in the tier as far as the meta goes ahead to.
A -> A+
>mfw trying to find any good Gabite switch-ins
Gabite is so insane lmao. This thing has actually a severe lack of good switch-ins that it feels criminal. Out of my head, I think Misdreavus, Dartrix, Hippo, Mudbray, and Bronzor(LUL) are the good ones. But out of these, Misdreavus is the only one that is good without being easily taken advantage of. Gabite getting Swords Dance means it can sweep while being a rocker. However, it's also bulky enough to take advantage of Substitute, making it a much more dangerous sweeper. I'm in a position where I think it's a big problem for the tier, and it should be looked at closely. It does have its fair share of issues where it does not like to switch in a lot of time to preserve its bulk and most mons should be able to revenge kill it, though be aware that most revenge killers are the frail ones since Gabite is privileged in speed themself. Misdreavus and Frogadier being popular mean it's slightly gatekept by them. I think it has a lot of key tools to feel like an S-rank mons, but because of meta stuff, I am not sure about that. It's definitely A+ though in my eyes.
B+ -> A
I spam this thing way too much for my cores and seeing it in B+ is criminal as hell. Frogadier and its pivot teams are getting more popular and the t-spikes getting more dangerous with Hattrem losing in usage means this thing is very much needed right now. I also think it's the best defensive water type and unlike Quaxwell, you're not being as passive against Drakloak lol. Honestly just deserves a raise, it makes balance cores much more consistent.
B- -> B/B+
Besides its SpDef role and being an excellent slow pivot, I don't think people have pointed out that it's second to only Pokemon that can switch in against Tinkatuff while being able to pivot out of it. Making me feel like it's a stable mon for pivot teams, which has been a more popular playstyle with the introduction of Raboot and Frogadier. It's also much better than the mons in there so I think it's very obvious it deserves a raise.
Drops
A+ -> A/A-
It has competition against Frogadier as a spiker despite the difference in their roles. Dartrix being introduced nerfed Toedscool because you have a good switch-in that not only gets rid of spikes and threatens you, but you can't leed seed them so Toedscool is more vulnerable to being worn down, ruining its longevity. Toedscool is also much easier to take advantage of teams with Sub considering it doesn't have the power to break them in the first place. And the main rockers have the ability of coverage to lure it, set it up, or cores with Dartrix in order to eliminate its annoying interactions. Now it's not bad as Knock + Spin + Toxic provides a lot of value and adaptation to every meta, but I haven't felt threatened by it and I do not think it deserves to be an A+. Not sure if it's A or A- since it has these traits that no one else has, but only it should be dropped 100%
A -> A-
In theory, it should be very useable with things like good base stats with reliable recovery, and spinning, and provides a different water type that doesn't lose to Frogadier while punishing their spikes. But in the paper, this MF is so passive holy shit. Their spinning game is so ass because it doesn't break Drakloak and Missy will find ways to take advantage of it it literally feels like a sitting duck. Loses to Mareanie and SD Gabite, can't 1v1 Naclstack in most cases, and gets worn down anyway so Tink rocks and Frogadier spikes will find a way to get their stuff lol. It's just too inconsistent based on how the meta is shaped right now and I found it way too frustrating to build around it. It's not bad at all, just at large too inconsistent for me to think it's A atm.
A -> A-
I've never been too fond of this mon, and it reflects very well with the builds I've with it are probably lower than 5% in stats lol. Most offensive mons are naturally prepared for it and defensive mons such as Mareanie, Naclstack, Rest/Talk do not care about whatever it's doing lol. It has also a huge dilemma against the hazard where using Boots Crocalor is optimal because it's still bulky, but the loss of the bulk from Eviolite is extremely noticeable. I've been trying to experiment with it recently with Magnemite balance teams, but I still find it very awkward to build around and it doesn't have the flexibility compared to the A rank mons. The biggest issue I've had with this mon is that it doesn't have any relevant threats that are needed for it and those it can counter can be heavily countered/hard-checked by other mons. This Pokemon was one of those mons that got heavily nerfed by Tera ban, and I am not convinced that it deserves A rank atm.
A- -> B
They have their pivot defog thing going on but as the meta has gone their defog game is too specific. Even if it's for Tinkatuff only, it's not like Tinkatuff can run with Stone Edge to lure them(though SE is very niche tbh) or cripple them with para and let the other teammates pressure Fletchinder. I just their roles are heavily outclassed by their competitors and their only niche is not worth it in the future.
Potential Rise/Drops
A+ -> A?
I've mentioned Tinkatuff so much in the Magnemite section. But I think if Magnemite stuff gets actually super legit stable wise then I think Tinkatuff may be dropped. At the same time, Tinkatuff is one mon I would still use a lot despite the Magnemite dilemma since it has that much importance for the tier tbh. But the drop is more like the scenario I am speaking of, hence why I am not confident to rank it lower.
A -> A-
Bit unsure about this one. Being a physical pivot and having that crazy speed tier is a statement in itself. But the issue I've with it is kinda it needs quite of support in order to work and I find it very difficult to build around it except for pivot-based teams. Having that 4mss frustration when the building is also annoying when you're taking account of Drakloak, Naclstack, and Mareanie. But I realized many of the issues were more like personal problems and Raboot can the right support in order to make each set work. Hence I am on the fence about this drop.
All of them above take advantage of Magnemite like hell if the Magnemite could be very legit. Where I would place them is uncertain. Will say Girafarig is criminally underrated as hell even without Magnemite.
Misdreavus
Piloswine
Thwackey
Dunsparce
Ivysaur
Koffing
Monferno
Wartortle
Clefairy
Drakloak
Pignite
Servine
Vigoroth
Duosion
Hattrem
Sliggoo-Hisui
Charjabug
Naclstack
Pawniard
Pikachu
Quilladin
Vullaby
Glimmet
Grimer-Alola
Hakamo-O
Lampent
Varoom
Mienfoo
Weepinbell
Arctibax
Cutiefly
Dewott
Dragonair
Rufflet
Seadra
Braixen
Carkol
Dusclops
Gloom
Grotle
Krokorok
Hippopotas
Marill
Prinplup
Scraggy
Snorunt
Stantler
Webs is an option and this is the better of the 2 users.
This now has 2 tournament game wins. Very scary rain team basis, especially difficult to deal with with Tera-Electric Psyduck.
UR -> B
(Sun is a very powerful archetype, but has its inconsistencies against Ice Shard and Gurdurr/Hwilfish-h centralization)
(Sun abuser)
(Best "meta relevant" Screens user)
(Sun abuser)
(Poison Point + Slow pivoting)
New -> S-
C -> UR
