Official Smogon University Simulator Statistics — November 2013

[Srn]

I'm honestly a little surprised how much usage ferrothorn is still receiving even with the nerf to steel types.
Now about talonflame, it's a little sad how much usage leftovers is gaining when bulk up usage is so little. Doesn't make much sense to me. Jolly 252/252 is the most common spread on talonflame? I mean really people? Come on.
Onto aegislash, leftovers being the most common set is disappointing, but atleast people aren't running shadow claw :P It's shocking that mandibuzz isn't one of the top 3 counters to this thing, I guess people just need to use him and understand how bulky he is.
Seeing gengar, its so upsetting to see that sub is only on 36.341% of all gengar. Every gengar should have sub imo.
It's really important to know that most mega kanga are investing in bulk instead of speed, quite surprising actually. Same case for gliscor, 72 speed evs are much more common than 224. Good to keep these things in mind when thinking of checks.
Yet another sad thing to see is the common spreads of trevenant: the first four don't even have speed evs. Speed is one of the most important things for a sub seeder, it should really invest in speed.
But charizard threw me off guard. Y is more common than X? Wow

 

[NoahStar]

| 74 | Politoed | 2.34057% | 45649 | 2.462% | 40578 | 2.791% |

This literally made my entire life!

On topic, what is the chance of Smogon creating a new official tier like RU? With all the new Pokemon coming in, we might need to add a new tier every gen.

 

[skies]

| 97 | Mandibuzz | 1.53396% | 22501 | 1.213% | 18673 | 1.285% |
This really shocks me to be fully honest. I mean, between great bulk, great typing, a new buffed ability, Defog, among other things. Mandibuzz should be seeing more usage and I can't see why it isn't used more? It has all the traits that make a good mon. I mean it has all this:
- Bulk
- Passable Speed
- Good Ability
- Expansive Movepool
- Team Support help
- Momentum
- Shuffling
The only thing holding it back is its offenses. I mean, you could run a gimmicky Nasty Plot set, but you should focus on defensive sets instead. Could anybody please explain to me why this thing isn't so useful, because that is what I've lead to assume. I must be missing something?

 

[Lord Wallace]

This literally made my entire life!

On topic, what is the chance of Smogon creating a new official tier like RU? With all the new Pokemon coming in, we might need to add a new tier every gen.

Doubtful, only 70 new Pokemon were added and our current tiers have a sufficient carrying capacity.
I could see the BL tiers growing a lot though.

But yeah in terms of a completely new tier the only thing I can see is maybe making PU an official tier, but I doubt it.

 

[ImperialWrath]

talons bb IS stronger than arceus espeed by a fair bit so it's safe to call it the strongest priority

Arceus's Extreme Speed was never the game's strongest priority; that would have been Absol's Sucker Punch. Currently, the absolute strongest priority attack is Yveltal's STAB Dark Aura Sucker Punch.

 

[Richitt]

I'm honestly a little surprised how much usage ferrothorn is still receiving even with the nerf to steel types.

But charizard threw me off guard. Y is more common than X? Wow

Can't say much about the other stuff, but ferrothorn still counters a crapton of things, and rockyhelm vs mega kangaskhan is almost ridiculous.

Y gives drought, so it will always have usage, while x is just basically a hard hitting dragon, where you can pick a ton from (that wouldn't take 50% sr damage first time switching in).

 

[Ikari]

| 97 | Mandibuzz | 1.53396% | 22501 | 1.213% | 18673 | 1.285% |
This really shocks me to be fully honest. I mean, between great bulk, great typing, a new buffed ability, Defog, among other things. Mandibuzz should be seeing more usage and I can't see why it isn't used more? It has all the traits that make a good mon. I mean it has all this:
- Bulk
- Passable Speed
- Good Ability
- Expansive Movepool
- Team Support help
- Momentum
- Shuffling
The only thing holding it back is its offenses. I mean, you could run a gimmicky Nasty Plot set, but you should focus on defensive sets instead. Could anybody please explain to me why this thing isn't so useful, because that is what I've lead to assume. I must be missing something?

Mandibuzz is probably going to rise once more people start to see its potential.

 

[Spenstar]

Blaziken landed right at the OU cutoff despite having been banned most of the month, so that's something. However, my boy Blaziken rocking #4 in Ubers on 40% of all teams = amazing!

 

[Tressed]

34% of Dragonite are running Weakness Policy now? Should be interesting trying to break through those without accidentally activating it.

 

[Molk]

| 97 | Mandibuzz | 1.53396% | 22501 | 1.213% | 18673 | 1.285% |
This really shocks me to be fully honest. I mean, between great bulk, great typing, a new buffed ability, Defog, among other things. Mandibuzz should be seeing more usage and I can't see why it isn't used more? It has all the traits that make a good mon. I mean it has all this:
- Bulk
- Passable Speed
- Good Ability
- Expansive Movepool
- Team Support help
- Momentum
- Shuffling
The only thing holding it back is its offenses. I mean, you could run a gimmicky Nasty Plot set, but you should focus on defensive sets instead. Could anybody please explain to me why this thing isn't so useful, because that is what I've lead to assume. I must be missing something?

Nah you aren't missing anything, Mandibuzz is pretty decent/good in the new x/y metagames for sure with the Defog buff, Steel-type nerf, and just general metagame changes (for example, Mandibuzz performs exceptionally well against Aegislash). I'd definitely say that Mandibuzz is a pretty underrated Pokemon at the moment that deserves more usage/possibly even a spot in OU. You have to remember that its still pretty early in the generation though, and with people wanting to try all the new toys available to them, a lot of people might end up overlooking Mandibuzz's potential as a defensive Pokemon/bulky Defog user, especially considering it ended up NU last generation which might make newer players assume that it's not worth using :x. As the metagame settles a bit more and more people realize just how much potential the bird has, i'd expect its usage to go up quite a bit.

 

[skies]

Nah you aren't missing anything, Mandibuzz is pretty decent/good in the new x/y metagames for sure with the Defog buff, Steel-type nerf, and just general metagame changes (for example, Mandibuzz performs exceptionally well against Aegislash). I'd definitely say that Mandibuzz is a pretty underrated Pokemon at the moment that deserves more usage/possibly even a spot in OU. You have to remember that its still pretty early in the generation though, and with people wanting to try all the new toys available to them, a lot of people might end up overlooking Mandibuzz's potential as a defensive Pokemon/bulky Defog user, especially considering it ended up NU last generation which might make newer players assume that it's not worth using :x. As the metagame settles a bit more and more people realize just how much potential the bird has, i'd expect its usage to go up quite a bit.

Yeah, it does well in a lot of cases and I even think it does deserve a spot in OU. In case anybody was wondering, I run Knock Off / Roost / Toxic / Defog.

 

[ScraftyIsTheBest]

I'm loving how Scolipede is achieving OU levels of usage now. Those buffs in Speed Boost, a stronger Attack, and Poison STAB being much more useful make Scolipede a really strong contender in OU. Especially now that Blaziken is banned, Scolipede has a lot more potential as a deadly SD sweeper, a Baton Passer, or a fast Spiker. Overall Scolipede is awesome, and considering it was really good back in BW RU and UU, of course it's good. Great to see, Scolipede is OU material without a doubt imo.

I'd also like to talk about Roserade and Mandibuzz, two very underrated threats in the current metagame. Both have a pretty good right now, and in my opinion both are deserving of OU status right now. Roserade makes a great Rotom-W check atm, and with Spikes+Leaf Storm+Sleep Powder being legal now it's stronger than ever; it can set up Spikes, and hit stupidly hard with Leaf Storm, while Sleep Powder is still a good move even with the nerfs it received. Sludge Bomb is also pretty cool, so Roserade can hit Fairies like Azumarill and Togekiss, not to mention Grass-types such as the occasional Trevenant. Overall Roserade is a pretty good Pokemon atm and should definitely be worth considering.

I'm also agreeing with everyone about Mandibuzz, it's a pretty underrated Pokemon atm. From my playtesting experience, Manidbuzz is one of, if not the best Defogger around atm. It's really bulky, and although it's weak to Stealth Rock, its awesome bulk and useful defensive typing make it a very reliable Defog user, and Roost also keeps it healthy so it can consistently do this. Foul Play is also a great move that hurts physical attackers, of which there are plenty. It's also one of the best Aegislash answers out there, and considering its ubiquity, that's pretty valuable. Overall Mandibuzz is really underrated atm and I definitely recommend using it.

Poor Delphox is the least useful of the Kalos starters. I like Greninja because Protean and I perform really well with fast attackers, Chesnaught is okay I guess as a bulky Spiker that can attack and phaze, but Delphox just isn't all that interesting.

Also Zygarde is pretty good in OU, Coil and DD sets are neat, don't feel like explaining right now.

 

[Super Mario Bro]

Clefable being solidly OU almost gives me goosebumps. I think its Unaware set has enormous potential this gen, especially when the spotlight shines on some of the more dangerous Post-Pokebank set-up sweepers, like NP Thundurus and Tail Glow Manaphy.

 

[Chaoswalker]

| 59 | Gastrodon | 2.84617% | 51388 | 2.771% | 41344 | 2.844% |

Anyone else feel Gastrodon is getting more usage than it should? I know it was over used last generation, but if I remember correctly it got most of it's usage fighting off rain teams. Now that perma-rain isn't a thing, it really all that important to the OU metagame? Or perhaps I'm underestimating its might?

 

[farranpoison]

Anyone else feel Gastrodon is getting more usage than it should? I know it was over used last generation, but if I remember correctly it got most of it's usage fighting off rain teams. Now that perma-rain isn't a thing, it really all that important to the OU metagame? Or perhaps I'm underestimating its might?

As someone who uses Gastrodon regularly myself, Gastrodon is still quite relevant in the OU metagame. In fact, it's one of the best Rotom-W counters there is, being unaffected by pretty much any attack bar WoW and threatening with Toxic. Also, a Water immunity is still quite good, seeing as it's a great partner to Talonflame who attracts Water attacks, and is unaffected by Electric and resists Rock.

 

[CavemanCossy]

Kanghaskan, I'm so proud. One of the best mons this gen by far.

I am very, very surprised to see Alakazam's usage so high in doubles. Personally, I see no reason to use him in that metagame, he is way too frail, loses Magic Guard upon Mega evolving, has no multi hit moves and there are way better psychic types out there.

[Not enough Doubles discussion going on here.]

 

[sidakarya]

I can attest to Scolipede being very effective right now. It's like Ninjask but 100% better - more offensive presence, more bulk, a surprisingly solid defensive type, and many more support options like Spikes. It's a decent sweeper in its own right too, especially with Blaziken gone (again). It's definitely worthy of the OU tier.

Also agreeing, that Roserade is a quite underrated threat that's quite OU-worthy. Grass-types I think will be more in demand to check Rotom-W, but Roserade does this quite well while at the same time putting on pressure with fast sleep and Spikes. One other siginificant buff it got was Technician Hidden Power, which is as strong as Flamethrower and now accessible without neutering your IVs. HP Fire is really helpful for baiting steels like Genesect that love to switch in trying to absorb Leaf Storm. Overall, it got very nicely buffed and a strong contender for OU.

I feel that Rotom-H is very underrated as well. It checks lots of relevant threats like Scizor, Aegislash, M-Mawile, Togekiss among others better than Rotom-W. (Also a good Talonflame check too.) Being immune to both paralysis and burn means it can be a serviceable status absorber, and it's basically the perfect answer to Galvantula leads. The few things holding it back are Stealth Rock and of course, Rotom-W. Still, entry hazards are easier than ever to clear off, and with proper team-building, it's very good as a defensive fire-type (not at all often found!), especially as part of a FWG-core.

 

[Ropeburn]

These stats are really starting to shape up. Looks like the good stuff is rising to the top, and the overrated stuff is starting to sink to the bottom. I still feel like people are underestimating some of the older pokemon such as Rotom-H, Mandibuzz, and Politoed. They're still completely relevant, and they do a great job in OU. The only thing that surprises me is how low Magnezone and Salamence/Lati@s are. Steel type is still a prevalant typing, and those dragons are still a monster, especially with the slower metagame it seems like we're turning towards. Definitely expect dragons to make a comeback once people realize that Fairy doesn't necessarily mean "Dragon-proof team".

 

[sidakarya]

Well to be fair, it is harder for Salamence to break past the most common fairies in OU. With a Life Orb it could possibly break past Azumarill on the switch-in, but it doesn't have a lot of things to break past Togekiss and Clefable (and the less common Sylveon). Poor thing doesn't even get Iron Head, just Steel Wing and Iron Tail (lol). A bigger problem is competition from other Dragon Dancers: Dragonite, which is much bulkier than Salamence, and Mega Charizard X, which basically takes Salamence's niche as a fast dragon dancer but with a better offensive typing.

On the other hand, the Latis are still as good as before, and I do foresee them rising up sometime. Latias is a very good Defog user too (not SR-weak, immune to all other hazards, reliable recovery) which always helps.

 

[nyczxjay]

The teammates portion of the stats seem a little wacky...

 

[November Blue]

Hydro Pump and Surf are used more often on Greninja than Scald. Hydro Pump I can kinda understand, but Surf?!

It's good to see people running 244 HP on Gliscor. I'm a little iffy on the popularity of the Toxic stall set. Taunt + Roost shuts down so many things, and should really be the top set. Stone Edge (or Rock Slide) as a second attack is great for Talonflame, and deals with it much more efficiently than Toxic stall.

Leftovers is much more popular than Lum Berry on Trevenant? Odd.

Breloom's high usage makes me happy. People thought that he'd lag behind in the current meta, but he's still going strong.

The teammates portion of the stats seem a little wacky...

That's already been addressed and explained. Read through the thread, back on page 2, I think.

 

[sidakarya]

Breloom checks a lot of things in this metagame, which will certainly keep its usage up. M-Khan, Rotom-W, Greninja, T-Tar and Excadrill are at the moment the hottest trends in fashion - all of which Breloom can at least revenge-kill. The loss of M-Gengar will be even better for Breloom. For all the nerfs it got, it's still very solid.

 

[I2edShift]

Interesting that the 1850 stats for Charizard are almost identical to the standard ones. Maybe it's not so overrated after all.... However....

Air Slash being used on 40% of Charizard's seriously makes me want to smash my head in the nearest toilet.. I mean COME ON... Use HP Ice, Rock Slide, or even Ancient Power or hindering nature Earthquake.... I mean what are you using Air Slash for? Infernape & Scrafty or something?

I'm surprised that Yzard is more popular than X though. Even with Tough Claws being a 33% boost I always thought Y wasthe better one, but people always just cry Stealth Rock.

 

[HimikoReminisphere]

Calm_Mind_Latias Here's what I get when I plot the distribution using the 51 Pokemon above the OU cutoff in the Pokebank OU meta:

My conclusion is that the data is too sparse to be considered to have a well-defined distribution.

Interesting data right there, despite the fact that there isn't a well defined distribution I could approximate this data to the student t distribution should I need to run some form of hypothesis testing. From what I am seeing here the mean is around 80 and the statistical outliers are around the 85 to 90 base speed mark, Is there any reasoning behind why this is the case?

 

[Nysyr]

Quite Hilarious, my full braindead auto pilot team ended up having 4/6 of it being top 4. I think everyone expected the 1850 stats to look exactly as they are with the 2 most dangerous megas nestling comfortably in 5 and 6. The top 6 actually can make a decent team with all of them put together, so you can see how cookiecutter OU is at the moment.