Howdy,
I'll try to keep this short but it's been a long UUPL so some of these thoughts might be scattered as they may reference different metas that existed throughout the duration of the tour so bear with me yall. I will only be discussing uniquely SV related things here, but maybe I'll give thoughts on other tiers at some point in their respective threads. This was done on mobile as well so forgive me if the formatting looks weird on a monitor. Starting off with some underrated cores and threats:
Greninja/Iron Moth
This core in the February meta of Battle Bond Greninja and Booster speed Iron Moth went hard like both really played off each other well and were able to keep up momentum nicely. It's unfortunate that we the Friends didn't get to bring this core when it was available, but it's apparently usable in OU so that's cool. Despite how crazy the moth was I definitely miss it in the tier lol. Greninja's lifespan in UU is interesting to think about like over time the circumstances for it have only gotten better. If you've been playing and building for the Hydrapple meta it's pretty easy to see how difficult it is to build an apple team that isn't weak to Greninja.
The Demon
Breloom @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Dark
EVs: 236 HP / 16 Atk / 16 Def / 240 SpD
Careful Nature
- Drain Punch
- Tera Blast / Facade / Rock Slide / Etc.
- Bulk Up
- Protect
Breloom has had some nerfs in this generation but don't let that fool you, this mon can still be lethal under the right circumstances. I was a fan of this Breloom in the January/February UU meta, but I imagine that it can still hold up in the current meta. This particular set is the literal incarnation of death like everything just dies, and it just outlived everything. This set is a throwback to generation 5 BW metas that surprisingly holds its own still in present day SV. Admittedly, it is a bit of a matchup fish despite it having some neat defensive qualities pre-tera, but essentially Facade sets hope to not run into ghosts and even Tera Blast sets are rather commital, but for a tera reliant set, the trade off is actually pretty insane compared to the average tera user like even into some of the ghosts you can still navigate around those matchups, but into non-ghost matchups it puts in a crazy amount of work and just recovers so much health back. This Breloom has honestly been one of, maybe even top 2 of the most fun sets I've used in SV up until this point. This was another mon that the Friends never got to bring since well it's not splashable for just any ole team of course, but on the right team it's so good like even flying types in Zapdos and Torn-t can end up as set up fodder.
My Child
Iron Thorns @ Leftovers / Booster Energy
Ability: Quark Drive
Tera Type: Grass / Fairy / Dragon / Flying / etc.
EVs: 152 HP / 132 Atk / 224 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Supercell Slam
- Ice Punch
- Protect / Earthquake
Alternative Spread: 248 hp, 20 atk, 240+ speed
Iron Thorns is easily my favorite thing that came about in UUPL. Offensive electrics in general are pretty underrated at the moment, although it's understandably tough to compete with Zapdos. This mon has had its moments in UU in the past, and I feel most overlooked the buffs it got with the DLCs as Supercell Slam, while risky to an extent, does give this mon a powerful stab option for a mon that's already decently strong. Thorns is a bulky set up mon that makes for a decent balance breaker with a lethal coverage combo that also takes advantage of the omnipresent Zapdos and Torn-t giving it plenty of set up opportunity. Protect is a neat tech that is nice vs Lokix, but also useful for lefties and scouting potential teras as well. I love that this mon is actually usable again, it's a very good option on offensive builds and definitely encourage yall to give it a whirl if possible.
Light as a Feather
Fezandipiti @ Shuca Berry / Heavy Duty Boots / Leftovers
Ability: Toxic Chain
Tera Type: Steel / Water
EVs: 248 HP / 48 Def / 28 SpD / 184 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Heat Wave
- Calm Mind
- Roost / Substitute
Fezandipiti @ Expert Belt
Ability: Technician
Tera Type: Fighting / Steel
EVs: 248 HP / 76 Atk / 184 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Play Rough
- Double Kick
- Beat Up / Etc.
This is one of the mons that I feel has insane potential in the current meta. I've liked this mon a lot even in past ones that had even Iron Treads and Garchomp, but in the current one it can check a lot especially in heavily pressuring Hydrapple and being able to take it on in a set up war between CMs and NPs. This mon has some unique qualities: being a set up mon that isn't weak to Lokix is very nice, one of the few mons that can actually check Greninja, has a great typing for a CM user and the ability to match, decent bulk and solid speed tier, being a fairy with good recovery, can utilize many different items well. This is strictly for CM sets, but to a pleasant surprise SD Technician sets are actually pretty threatening in this meta (literally Iron Valiant). This can be a very awkward mon to navigate around for some teams thru the typing/speed/coverage combination and decently strong too. This idea came around at a later point in the tour and with a very top-heavy centralized meta, the room for creativity in metas of this sort is very little so deviation from standard stuff was usually pretty risky, but this mon has felt legitimately decent in this meta. I imagine Nasty Plot is probably fine as well. I feel like most offensive Poison and Fairy types with good coverage are pretty underrated overall.
Unbound
Sceptile @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Unburden
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Swords Dance
So this was a set that never really came to fruition, but we all know how the presence of rain made psychic terrain teams disappear, the idea behind Scepy was that it was a terrain abuser that could actually outrun rain Barraskewda after unburden and with workable coverage it seemed neat and could still very much have a niche even post rain, but despite the typing difference it is pretty similar to Hawlucha overall.
The meta lifespan of UU during the tour is kinda wild to think about. The earliest February meta at the start of the tour featured some wild stuff like we still had
,
,
,
too, while
and
rose to OU in exchange for
,
, and
to UU. The rises were quite a shake-up even for UU mains right as this tour was about to begin and the drops were definitely full of suspense in that most didn't really know what to expect from them. Iron Crown was a huge boost to offense and terrain teams, Pecharunt was tormenting many slower builds, and Toxapex was still kinda being explored given that this generation took away much of what made it such a demon in OU. Eventually, the March meta of the tour brought back
and introduced
and
. This meta was so whacky and bizarre lol, but it was cool to see fallen titan
have a legitimate niche once again in UU on fat builds for its circumstantial role compression in the number of things it could check in one slot, and Loaded Dice Excadrill was a neat creation that popped up too. I for one actually was not a fan of Garchomp as a mon like I know it could do a lot and SD of course was definitely threatening, but I hated putting non-SD on teams since it didn't actually check much but rather was just a useful softcheck to things and I wasn't a fan of that. I very much preferred Rhyperior then even before it became popular. I never saw discussion on this particular tech on it but Avalanche was a really neat option on it that could allow it to take on Garchomp, Moltres-Galar, and even Latios that attempted to try and overwhelm it with Draco Meteor.
April meta gave UU
and two rain goons in
and
, in exchange for Deos, Iron Moth, and Ribombee. Rain has had an interesting history in UU so the presence of it once again was always worrisome, and Boulder well was a legitimate option in OU that ended up down here some how so it was another wild thing no one really knew what to expect from. The Garchomp and Goltres ban along with these changes really solidified the existence of fat Hydrapple's dominance in the tier, which honestly was a really cool development to see despite how demonic the mon has become lol. Even though Boulder was a rather fun mon have to have around, good riddance to both it and rain even then though rain probably could have been talked about further, but hopefully the lack of rain makes the tier more enjoyable in some way, although I shall definitely miss the brief moment that
was a legit option in the tier among other random times it's been usable in the tier lol.
There's a lot of different underrated stuff and mons that I feel could work in the tier that I could talk about, but I'll just picture them below and only go in depth for the UU stuff. If you're randomly curious about any of them, feel free to ask about them whether it's thru here or if you see me online or in discord or something, i'd be happy to talk about stuff in more detail.
Hoodra
This mon gets a lot of unnecessary hate when it has and can still do a lot in the current meta. Firstly, I do want to clarify that I think purely defensive sets are bad and think offensive/set up is the only way to get the most out of this mon. In the past, Assault Vest, Choice Specs, and Expert Belt sets have been solid and still do very much have their uses given Hoodras unique defensive profile in combination with its coverage. This mon was the goat in the January/February metas. However, I think most see this mon as a purely special attacker when truly that is far from reality. This mon has a lot going for it and legit it probably has a set somewhere that can keep up with the times. It has a usable physical stat for starters, on top of excellent utility and I feel like this mon hasn't really been explored as much as it could be. I'm convinced that Curse sets are probably usable on it, as well as Acid Armor + Body Press sets and other sets of the sort. The competition for steels is a fair argument against this mon, but Hoodra can very well still hold its own in UU.
Weezing-g
No matter the generation, Weezing-galar always ends up getting a lot of hate. Sure, the mon isn't perfect, but the good qualities it does have get overshadowed by ignorance. This mon was pretty based in the January/February metas, being able to shut down Garchomp or at least force teras from it among other mons in the tier, and was even surprisingly solid vs Garganacl. Most won't say it but Weezing-g being more common in earlier points of UU played into Hydrapple not being as dominant in those stages of the tier. Being one of the few true bug resists into Lokix, and one of the few mons in a generation with an enhanced hazards presence that can actually afford not to run Boots and can utilize many different items is really cool. Defensive sets still have their uses, but I think offensive sets on it haven't been explored fully. In this generation, Weezing-g has stats on both attack and special attack, and nice utility options as well. Speedy sets are pretty neat as well like Choice Scarf Weezing-g with Neutralizing gas is a funny set being one of the few things that can actually outspeed sand Excadrill and terrain Hawlucha, on top of still creeping the base 110s as well. Being a misty terrain setter is something that isn't talked about much and can even run Eject Pack Overheat to pivot out after setting along with Misty Explosion for momentum.
Pecharunt/Sinistcha
Our resident ghosts in Pecharunt and Sinistcha aren't as popular as The Dirge, but both are very much lethal forces under the right circumstances. Pecha is rather straightforward as I'm sure most are aware of what it does, but there is some neat techs that I think are cool on it. Being able to speedtie with Excadrill is kinda cool and idk if yall knew this but +2 Life Orb Shadow Ball can actually ohko it from full. As a utility mon, I think Foul Play is a fun option on it and something I had tested with some success was Parting Shot Pecha + Balloon Magnezone as a good lure to bring in steels to trap as a fun thing it can do. This mon would be so devastating with 16 recovery points tbh but for what its got it a definitely a force to be reckoned with on the right team. Sinistcha is still a very demonic presence despite there being tougher matchups for it. Its defensive profile is still solid. Its standard stabs cm set is still pretty good, but it still has some dangerous options it can run like Scald and Hex sets, and I feel most overlook at how good this mon is at utilizing different items too. A well supported Sinis goes crazy even in the current meta. Don't sleep on the ghosts yall or they will sneak up on you ;]
Quaquaval
Quaquaval is an interesting case that can still do a lot in current meta. Offensive sets are still potent and defensive ones are weirdly useful at times too having the unique profile that can also remove hazards. This mon is not weak and makes for a decent breaker, while also being a solid tera user as well. Triple Axel/Ice spinner sets are pretty cool, and in a post rain world it can still be utilized on terrain teams as well.
Tinkaton
Tinkaton's return to glory after Iron Treads' departure was a great thing to see and remains a solid option in this tier. Everyone is probably familiar with what it does defensively, but I wanted to bring attention to its offensive options. I genuinely think SD sets are underrated like it's another set up mon that isn't weak to Lokix, it's speed stat is amazing in this tier, and it's strong enough to deal some good damage. This mon's coverage has the makings of being a lethal breaker in combination with Mold Breaker, like +2 invested Gigaton Hammer is no joke, fairy is always a good stab to have as well, access to Knock Off is great, and even more niche options in Bulldoze, Ice Hammer, Rock moves are all legit on it. During the tour, I had theorized this:
Tinkaton @ Life Orb
Ability: Mold Breaker
Tera Type: Stellar
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Gigaton Hammer
- Play Rough
- Knock Off / Bulldoze / Ice Hammer / Etc.
Yet another mon we never got to bring, but the calcs with this looked very promising so I'm hoping yall have fun with this if you test it out. Again, offensive fairies don't get enough credit in this meta.
The rest of these are mons I think are underrated and/or mons that I feel are probably alright in UU at the moment:
The following is the team I had used at the time to get Garg reqs and even though it is outdated, maybe it'll give some inspiration some how, but overall this team is easily one of my favorites that I've built in this gen so far like it just worked together so perfectly and I miss it
It's been a long tour, but it's been a blast being on the Friends. I've already sent most of yall personal messages, but I appreciate all of yall so much, you all know who you are and thank you for a great and competitive season, well fought to the other competing teams in this tour too! Take care yall and thanks for reading :]
