Hello, friends! With everyone’s 4th favorite NU tier (right after SM, ORAS, and SS without Rotom-Mow) drawing to an end, the NU staff thought it would be nice to get things started already with our very own SV NU speculation thread before we have it proper on February 1st. Feel free to share what Pokémon you think might drop from RU or that you’d like to see dropping (let’s keep it realistic though folks!), how you think the meta will shape up to be, and the impact Terastallization is projected to have in our tier. Are we gonna have a HO-centric tier led by screen setters like Abomasnow and Morgrem, or even hazard leads such as Glimmet? A more defensive focused meta with one of Blissey or Chansey potentially dropping? Or will bulky offense remain the predominant archetype?
To help out, you can check the SV RU stage 1 / alpha thread to see what Pokémon are receiving more attention or staying away from the spotlights, as well as watching how their No Johns Kickoff Tournament goes for a clearer idea on their meta so far. As always, if you’re unsure which Pokémon are or are not currently RU, you can either check on Pokémon Showdown!, or the usage stats from January, which will also be available below:
Last but not least, we thought of a fun little game called SV NU Crystal Ball! Starting on the 15th, you can make your very own list of Pokémon you think will drop next month and score points based on how many you got right. The winner will receive a custom role in our official Discord server. More information on this will be available later. Without further ado, let’s get started!
To help out, you can check the SV RU stage 1 / alpha thread to see what Pokémon are receiving more attention or staying away from the spotlights, as well as watching how their No Johns Kickoff Tournament goes for a clearer idea on their meta so far. As always, if you’re unsure which Pokémon are or are not currently RU, you can either check on Pokémon Showdown!, or the usage stats from January, which will also be available below:
| 46 | Blissey | 4.411% |
| 47 | Tatsugiri | 4.193% |
| 48 | Cloyster | 4.035% |
| 49 | Primeape | 3.670% |
| 50 | Tauros-Paldea-Fire | 3.599% |
| 51 | Magnezone | 3.546% |
| 52 | Revavroom | 3.524% |
| 53 | Bellibolt | 3.466% |
| 54 | Arboliva | 3.297% |
| 55 | Toxtricity | 3.295% |
| 56 | Flamigo | 3.255% |
| 57 | Lycanroc-Dusk | 3.120% |
| 58 | Cetitan | 3.075% |
| 59 | Golduck | 3.075% |
| 60 | Espeon | 3.069% |
| 61 | Haxorus | 2.995% |
| 62 | Gardevoir | 2.981% |
| 63 | Arcanine | 2.927% |
| 64 | Goodra | 2.813% |
| 65 | Bombirdier | 2.615% |
| 66 | Bronzong | 2.482% |
| 67 | Altaria | 2.370% |
| 68 | Coalossal | 2.359% |
| 69 | Avalugg | 2.314% |
| 70 | Krookodile | 2.285% |
| 71 | Mismagius | 2.093% |
| 72 | Abomasnow | 2.065% |
| 73 | Frosmoth | 2.042% |
| 74 | Morgrem | 1.976% |
| 75 | Dudunsparce | 1.869% |
| 76 | Sableye | 1.658% |
| 77 | Weavile | 1.566% |
| 78 | Slowbro | 1.466% |
| 79 | Cryogonal | 1.416% |
| 80 | Mabosstiff | 1.394% |
| 81 | Drifblim | 1.342% |
| 82 | Jolteon | 1.335% |
| 83 | Pincurchin | 1.309% |
| 84 | Sylveon | 1.259% |
| 85 | Veluza | 1.252% |
| 86 | Heracross | 1.249% |
| 87 | Vaporeon | 1.245% |
| 88 | Dragalge | 1.237% |
| 89 | Rotom-Heat | 1.219% |
| 90 | Masquerain | 1.213% |
| 91 | Indeedee-F | 1.201% |
| 92 | Naclstack | 1.187% |
| 93 | Drednaw | 1.187% |
| 94 | Copperajah | 1.160% |
| 95 | Dachsbun | 1.155% |
| 96 | Glimmet | 1.136% |
| 97 | Florges | 1.093% |
| 98 | Froslass | 1.059% |
| 99 | Salazzle | 0.997% |
| 100 | Palossand | 0.940% |
| 101 | Rotom-Mow | 0.936% |
| 102 | Umbreon | 0.915% |
| 103 | Venomoth | 0.830% |
| 104 | Hariyama | 0.798% |
| 105 | Toxicroak | 0.781% |
| 106 | Eelektross | 0.761% |
| 107 | Beartic | 0.753% |
| 108 | Lycanroc | 0.707% |
| 109 | Medicham | 0.679% |
| 110 | Crabominable | 0.647% |
| 111 | Rabsca | 0.646% |
| 112 | Mudsdale | 0.630% |
| 113 | Honchkrow | 0.565% |
| 114 | Muk | 0.553% |
| 115 | Klawf | 0.549% |
| 116 | Squawkabilly | 0.518% |
| 117 | Greedent | 0.510% |
| 118 | Ursaring | 0.497% |
| 119 | Skuntank | 0.452% |
| 120 | Zoroark | 0.451% |
| 121 | Spidops | 0.441% |
| 122 | Glaceon | 0.434% |
| 123 | Clawitzer | 0.413% |
| 124 | Spiritomb | 0.402% |
| 125 | Leafeon | 0.377% |
| 126 | Chansey | 0.377% |
| 127 | Farigiraf | 0.377% |
| 128 | Falinks | 0.356% |
| 129 | Ampharos | 0.348% |
| 130 | Flapple | 0.322% |
| 131 | Houndoom | 0.322% |
| 132 | Raichu | 0.318% |
| 133 | Dugtrio | 0.317% |
| 134 | Bruxish | 0.282% |
| 135 | Eiscue | 0.265% |
| 136 | Flareon | 0.255% |
| 137 | Cacturne | 0.252% |
| 138 | Qwilfish | 0.241% |
| 139 | Scyther | 0.228% |
| 140 | Gogoat | 0.219% |
| 141 | Oricorio-Pom-Pom | 0.210% |
| 142 | Oricorio-Sensu | 0.207% |
| 143 | Sawsbuck | 0.205% |
| 144 | Zangoose | 0.202% |
| 145 | Murkrow | 0.201% |
| 146 | Scovillain | 0.188% |
| 147 | Passimian | 0.171% |
| 148 | Braviary | 0.170% |
| 149 | Electrode | 0.168% |
| 150 | Lurantis | 0.163% |
| 151 | Slaking | 0.161% |
| 152 | Vivillon | 0.154% |
| 153 | Basculin | 0.139% |
| 154 | Appletun | 0.134% |
| 155 | Camerupt | 0.130% |
| 156 | Delibird | 0.125% |
| 157 | Lycanroc-Midnight | 0.117% |
| 158 | Lilligant | 0.114% |
| 159 | Jumpluff | 0.111% |
| 160 | Dedenne | 0.111% |
| 161 | Oinkologne | 0.109% |
| 162 | Sandaconda | 0.108% |
| 163 | Dunsparce | 0.108% |
| 47 | Tatsugiri | 4.193% |
| 48 | Cloyster | 4.035% |
| 49 | Primeape | 3.670% |
| 50 | Tauros-Paldea-Fire | 3.599% |
| 51 | Magnezone | 3.546% |
| 52 | Revavroom | 3.524% |
| 53 | Bellibolt | 3.466% |
| 54 | Arboliva | 3.297% |
| 55 | Toxtricity | 3.295% |
| 56 | Flamigo | 3.255% |
| 57 | Lycanroc-Dusk | 3.120% |
| 58 | Cetitan | 3.075% |
| 59 | Golduck | 3.075% |
| 60 | Espeon | 3.069% |
| 61 | Haxorus | 2.995% |
| 62 | Gardevoir | 2.981% |
| 63 | Arcanine | 2.927% |
| 64 | Goodra | 2.813% |
| 65 | Bombirdier | 2.615% |
| 66 | Bronzong | 2.482% |
| 67 | Altaria | 2.370% |
| 68 | Coalossal | 2.359% |
| 69 | Avalugg | 2.314% |
| 70 | Krookodile | 2.285% |
| 71 | Mismagius | 2.093% |
| 72 | Abomasnow | 2.065% |
| 73 | Frosmoth | 2.042% |
| 74 | Morgrem | 1.976% |
| 75 | Dudunsparce | 1.869% |
| 76 | Sableye | 1.658% |
| 77 | Weavile | 1.566% |
| 78 | Slowbro | 1.466% |
| 79 | Cryogonal | 1.416% |
| 80 | Mabosstiff | 1.394% |
| 81 | Drifblim | 1.342% |
| 82 | Jolteon | 1.335% |
| 83 | Pincurchin | 1.309% |
| 84 | Sylveon | 1.259% |
| 85 | Veluza | 1.252% |
| 86 | Heracross | 1.249% |
| 87 | Vaporeon | 1.245% |
| 88 | Dragalge | 1.237% |
| 89 | Rotom-Heat | 1.219% |
| 90 | Masquerain | 1.213% |
| 91 | Indeedee-F | 1.201% |
| 92 | Naclstack | 1.187% |
| 93 | Drednaw | 1.187% |
| 94 | Copperajah | 1.160% |
| 95 | Dachsbun | 1.155% |
| 96 | Glimmet | 1.136% |
| 97 | Florges | 1.093% |
| 98 | Froslass | 1.059% |
| 99 | Salazzle | 0.997% |
| 100 | Palossand | 0.940% |
| 101 | Rotom-Mow | 0.936% |
| 102 | Umbreon | 0.915% |
| 103 | Venomoth | 0.830% |
| 104 | Hariyama | 0.798% |
| 105 | Toxicroak | 0.781% |
| 106 | Eelektross | 0.761% |
| 107 | Beartic | 0.753% |
| 108 | Lycanroc | 0.707% |
| 109 | Medicham | 0.679% |
| 110 | Crabominable | 0.647% |
| 111 | Rabsca | 0.646% |
| 112 | Mudsdale | 0.630% |
| 113 | Honchkrow | 0.565% |
| 114 | Muk | 0.553% |
| 115 | Klawf | 0.549% |
| 116 | Squawkabilly | 0.518% |
| 117 | Greedent | 0.510% |
| 118 | Ursaring | 0.497% |
| 119 | Skuntank | 0.452% |
| 120 | Zoroark | 0.451% |
| 121 | Spidops | 0.441% |
| 122 | Glaceon | 0.434% |
| 123 | Clawitzer | 0.413% |
| 124 | Spiritomb | 0.402% |
| 125 | Leafeon | 0.377% |
| 126 | Chansey | 0.377% |
| 127 | Farigiraf | 0.377% |
| 128 | Falinks | 0.356% |
| 129 | Ampharos | 0.348% |
| 130 | Flapple | 0.322% |
| 131 | Houndoom | 0.322% |
| 132 | Raichu | 0.318% |
| 133 | Dugtrio | 0.317% |
| 134 | Bruxish | 0.282% |
| 135 | Eiscue | 0.265% |
| 136 | Flareon | 0.255% |
| 137 | Cacturne | 0.252% |
| 138 | Qwilfish | 0.241% |
| 139 | Scyther | 0.228% |
| 140 | Gogoat | 0.219% |
| 141 | Oricorio-Pom-Pom | 0.210% |
| 142 | Oricorio-Sensu | 0.207% |
| 143 | Sawsbuck | 0.205% |
| 144 | Zangoose | 0.202% |
| 145 | Murkrow | 0.201% |
| 146 | Scovillain | 0.188% |
| 147 | Passimian | 0.171% |
| 148 | Braviary | 0.170% |
| 149 | Electrode | 0.168% |
| 150 | Lurantis | 0.163% |
| 151 | Slaking | 0.161% |
| 152 | Vivillon | 0.154% |
| 153 | Basculin | 0.139% |
| 154 | Appletun | 0.134% |
| 155 | Camerupt | 0.130% |
| 156 | Delibird | 0.125% |
| 157 | Lycanroc-Midnight | 0.117% |
| 158 | Lilligant | 0.114% |
| 159 | Jumpluff | 0.111% |
| 160 | Dedenne | 0.111% |
| 161 | Oinkologne | 0.109% |
| 162 | Sandaconda | 0.108% |
| 163 | Dunsparce | 0.108% |
Last but not least, we thought of a fun little game called SV NU Crystal Ball! Starting on the 15th, you can make your very own list of Pokémon you think will drop next month and score points based on how many you got right. The winner will receive a custom role in our official Discord server. More information on this will be available later. Without further ado, let’s get started!
This thing only has high usage for Drizzle teams in UU and OU, even with Nasty Plot, manual Rain is not good or consistent enough to be worth using in RU, and Golduck will probably fall past NU too.
Definitely a product of new-toy syndrome but Bombirdier definitely brings a lot of great tools to the table. Knock Off, U-Turn, Stealth Rock, Roost; this Pokemon has a lot of top tier moves in its arsenal. Its issue is its terrible stats, and Knock Off is surprisingly not too rare in RU making its access to it not as valuable as you'd think.
Maybe I'm wrong on this one because Tera makes setup sweepers very broken but Frosmoth's main issue is its poor speed even after a Quiver Dance. I could see a screens team making use of this but there's simply better options.
Another Ice-type that could maybe see usage by using Tera to shed its typing, but there's again, a surprising number of solid hazard removal options making Cryogonal's niche hardly worth its downsides. This isn't to say Cryogonal is bad in RU, it's been quite good in my experience, but I seriously doubt it would get enough usage to stay.
Electric Terrain is simply not valuable currently in this tier. There's no Quark Drive users, Rising Voltage was cut from the game, no Alolan Raichu.
Copperajah lost its best two coverage moves in Power Whip and Heat Crash, and with Bronzong and Perserrker in the tier, both of which have Stealth Rock, Copperajah just seems like a huge case of being severely outclassed.
A Fire immunity is just not that valuable in this tier, when the premier Fire-types are Rotom-Heat and Salazzle which beat it anyway. It's raw defensive utility is still quite good as a sturdy Fight resistance with Wish and Roar, but I think it will have trouble finding a place on teams in what seems like a pretty offensive metagame. I'll go into more detail about Dachsbun in a bit because I think it would be quite amazing in NU.
There's an arms race for dedicated leads and Froslass simply struggles to make an impact against most of them, although its still quite good at its role. Froslass loses to other leads like Glimmet, Lycaroc (both forms), and struggles against Espeon even if its Shadow Ball.
Another example of just being thoroughly outclassed. Although Toxicroak gets Close Combat now, the tier is littered with faster and/or stronger Fighting-types like Flamigo, Heracross, Medicham, and Tauros.
Eelektross by design should be used as a pivot, with two moves to do so and no weaknessess. Despite having no weaknesses, its stats are definitely offensively oriented, while also being slow, making it not capable of really fulfilling either niche in a tier where other Pokemon simply have better stat distributions and can flesh out either of these roles much better.
Qwilfish is a defensive Spikes user in an offensive metagame. Intimidate means less and less as it gets nerfed each generation. it has an amazing defensive profile and matches up into a lot of good RU Pokemon but I don't think it fill find itself being good on common structures.
Is a unique Chlorophyll sweeper that has Fire coverage without needing to Tera. manual weather teams are usually pretty terrible the higher the tiers go, especially since Abomasnow is quite common.
Unaware, surprisingly decent stats, and support moves like Encore, Slack Off, and Will-O-Wisp with Eviolite make Crocalor a surprising candidate for a viable stall mon. It even sees usage in RU and with limited Knock Off I could see it at least being viable in NU if not NU by usage.
Medicham also got Close Combat and could be broken for similar reasons, although it's quite dependent on its Fighting STAB to do damage.
Amazing power and decent bulk, its hard to say where this thing will end up in terms of viability but I have high hopes for it once the tier develops and bulky playstyles become more commonplace as they always do.
Status immunity and Wish go a long way for Komala, I think it's amazing in RU but nobody else seems to think so. Will be an amazing special tank with Rapid Spin in NU.
These two with Eviolite are surprisingly bulky and have a ton of great support options to stay around longer and not just be Rapid Spin bots. Quaxwell has Roost and Encore, Toadscool has Spore and Knock Off.
Lost Superpower for some reason, but Contrary Leaf Storm and Synthesis are still great especially with Tera.
Braviary looks like it will stat-check a lot of the tier, SubBU sets seems like they're gonna be the standard but Defog options are very limited so people may get creative and use Defog on this.
idk which type will drop probably psychic maybe fire but these guys are gonna be broken and banned so idc.
Powerful special breaker that got Nasty Plot and Focus Blast this gen, can also take advantage of Chansey with Sub.
Gets Swords Dance and Spikes this gen, pretty bulky with Eviolite, should be a solid breaker to make progress in games.
Protean / Libero with solid offensive stats and coverage. Floragato will be a cool Scarfer with no SR weakness and U-Turn similar to Frogadier in SM.
If we even get to keep this, its extremely powerful although it did lose Flip Turn.
Stakeout AND good stats? If we even get this it is going to be insanely stupid if it doesn't get banned right away.
Missy seems to always make its home in NU now, with Nasty Plot and 3 immunities and good coverage, its definitely going to have a great place in the tier.
Getting Stealth Rock and keeping its good coverage from SS, this is probably going to take Copperajah's role in the tier.
Calm Mind eevolutions are enough bulky to benefit speed boost and live neutral hits from opposing scarfers,only outspeeded by jolteon.They can custom Tera to handle specific threats as well
Medicham innate brute force let him boost on forced switchs.Passimian and Tauros got decent speed tier and bulk to do it.
Choice band set get buffed with Tera-Normal supressing rock weakness and giving him strong valuable priority
Better defogger than lurantis i guess . Flare Boost sets 
Not him.....Great Scarfer,np sets get extra coverage with Tera.May be less splashable without defog but still get this annoying unwallable volt switch forcing 50/50
Another AV titan.Drain punch gives it more longevity.Can absorb twaves as well
May be overwhelming once meta stabilize.CB sets are easier to justify rn with reliable STAB in Dragon Claw
No more expanding force bs,will be good even without mystical fire.Copper doesn't like take multiple psyshocks
Can run Muddy Water or Soak to bypass immunities.Great ability giving it offensive presence without any investissement.Wouldn't be surprised if this stay NU
Hail flashbacks.Hazard weakness prevent it to be insanly stupid.Still a nightmare for offensive teams.
One of the few ground types.Unlike Sandaconda,he get spikes which is valuable without much hazard removal.Can threaten the few defoggers with ice beam
Unkillable stuff under screens most notably farigiraf being immune to priorities.Can setup on Sableye and ignore sucker punch
Lost Superpower and U-turn,why run it over bombirdier tho
:boomburst:
Banette is a curiously strong Pokemon that always lacked a means to boost its attack and had a mostly utility-oriented movepool. Getting Swords Dance and a powerful STAB Shadow Sneak and access to Knock Off should make Banette quite a fearsome wallbreaker, although it did lose Poltergeist.
Seviper has always had Swords Dance, but now with Trailblaze it can actually effectively sweep without relying on Sucker Punch, although it could Tera to make it STAB.
Swalot suffered a similar fate to Banette with a movepool that doesn't quite match what the rest of its qualities would be best suited for. It's deep movepool and its new access to Swords Dance can now make it a pretty solid bulky sweeper. 
Great typing and Knock Off with Eviolite, could be good hard to say.
