Predictions for XY RU
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Introduction
RU was a very fun and very interesting tier last generation. With XY here, many cool Pokémon have a very good shot at entering RU, and many old favorites have gotten some great improvements. So, my cohort, ScraftyIsTheBest, and I have tried to predict what will stay, leave, and enter RU this generation. Let's get into it, shall we?
Predictions for Gains
Doublade
Unlike its evolution, Aegislash, Doublade is not an offensive monster that can give itself the defenses of a god within a turn. Instead, it works as a physical tank. With huge Defense after an Eviolite boost and a great typing, Doublade will be able to take hits from many physical threats like Escavalier, Durant, and Hitmonlee. The thing that puts Doublade above other pre-evolutions that utilize Eviolite is the fact it can actually do damage back with its good base 110 Attack stat. Also, its low Speed is actually a blessing in disguise, giving it a powerful Gyro Ball against many fast Pokémon. Unfortunately, despite all its good traits, Doublade has quite a few flaws. First off, it has no means of recovery outside of Rest, which makes wearing it down a lot easier. Also, its typing isn't as good as it could've been in past generations, since it is susceptible to Ghost- and Dark-type attacks, and while it has a great ability in No Guard, it is pretty much useless to it, since most of its moves are already accurate. Doublade's biggest flaw is its low HP and Special Defense stats, the latter of which only receives a small boost from Eviolite. However, despite these flaws, Doublade still has many good traits that will make it at least usable in RU.
Pangoro
Ah, Pangoro, the Punchin' Panda. Pangoro will be an interesting Pokémon in RU. It has a similar stat spread to Druddigon, with decent bulk, strong Attack, and low Speed. However, unlike Druddigon, it doesn't have the great and rare Dragon typing. Instead, it is a Fighting / Dark type. While Pangoro's typing gives it excellent resistances to Ghost- and Dark-types, it also gives a weakness to Fighting-types and a crippling 4x weakness to the Fairy-type. However, its typing does give it nearly unresisted STAB cove... wait, there comes those darn Fairies again to ruin Pangoro's fun. Yes, it seems like the introduction of Fairies will greatly hamper Pangoro's ability. Still, Pangoro will be able to function well in RU, since it seems like it'll be greatly lacking in the Fairy department, with Aromatisse and Slurpluff being the only likely Fairy-types accessible in RU, both of which will almost definitely be NU. So, with the lack of Fairies, Pangoro will be a big threat, with a great and unique move in Parting Shot, which sends Pangoro out and lowers the opponent's Attack and Special Attack, and an Iron Fist-boosted Hammer Arm. Like most powerful moves, Hammer Arm does have two flaws: it lowers the users Speed and has only 90% accuracy. Pangoro will still be able to use Hammer Arm effectively, but be aware that it will become slower than Pokémon it would normally outspeed, such as Crustle, Tangrowth, and Druddigon.
Clawitzer
First off, I'd like to point out that Clawitzer's huge claw is both awesome and hilarious. Now, onto the Pokémon itself. Clawitzer has a great Special Attack, with an equally great ability, Mega Launcher, an ability that boosts the power of aura and pulse moves, namely Dark Pulse, Aura Sphere, Dragon Pulse, and Water Pulse. (It also gets Heal Pulse, but it's unusable outside of doubles.) Fortunately, Game Freak decided not to play a sick joke on us for once and gave Clawitzer all of these moves, and others, such as U-turn, Ice Beam, and Aqua Jet. So now you may be wondering, "If it has a great Special Attack stat, a great ability, and a great movepool, why would it end up in RU?" Well, because of its bad Speed and only somewhat decent bulk, its sweeping abilities are greatly hampered. Because of this, I predict it'll end up in RU, where it will make a great wallbreaker by utilizing Choice Specs. Also, unlike a lot of wallbreakers, it can give you some momentum with U-turn. So, despite all of its flaws, Clawitzer may end up being RU's premier special wallbreaker of Generation 6.
Toxicroak
The only reason why Toxicroak was as good as it was in OU was because of how well it worked within permanent rain, so with the nerf to permanent weather, Toxicroak's viability in OU has almost completely disappeared. With its only average stats compared to the UU tier's stronger Fighting-types, UU will probably pass over Toxicroak, which leads it to the wonderful tier of RU. Here, Toxicroak can excel. With its decent Attack and Special Attack, great ability, and access to moves like Drain Punch, Sucker Punch, the elemental punches, and boosting moves like Swords Dance and Bulk Up, Toxicroak has a good chance of being a big threat in RU. Also, with the introduction of Fairy-types, Poison Jab, a move it rarely used (no pun intended) in previous generations, has become much more viable. With its access to Taunt, Toxicroak can act has a stallbreaker and put many walls and utility Pokémon, such as Qwilfish, to a complete stop. However, despite all its perks, Toxicroak's 4x weakness to the Psychic-type will be a huge thorn in its side, especially in a tier with Pokémon such as Slowking, Uxie, and Gallade.
Mega Manectric
Mega Manectric, along with Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Houndoom, and Mega Banette, will be one of the few Mega Evolutions that will probably end up in RU. Back in BW, Manectric was a fairly solid Pokémon in RU; its signature Choice Scarf set made it a pretty decent revenge killer with its good Speed and Special Attack as well as great coverage. It also had the ability to gain momentum with Volt Switch, and Lightningrod was also a pretty good ability that helped its viability. Manectric was also a good user of Expert Belt and Choice Specs primarily as a sweeper, using its movepool to hit many threats quite hard. In this generation, Manectric got quite an improvement with a new Mega Evolution. Mega Manectric has very high Special Attack and Speed stats, meaning it hits even harder and faster than ever. It also has better bulk and Intimidate, which gives it more switch-in opportunities. The downside, though, is that Mega Manectric cannot use Choice Scarf and loses Lightningrod, but nonetheless, Mega Manectric will likely be a solid choice as a wallbreaker and sweeper in XY RU.
Mega Houndoom
Houndoom was in UU throughout BW. However, it was a fairly niche Pokémon, facing competition from many other Dark- and Fire-types, while not exactly being fast or strong enough to really excel. Its access to Nasty Plot, as well as a mixed trapper set, did give it use though. Houndoom has bordered RU levels in usage for a long time, yet it has never managed to actually reach RU. In XY, Houndoom did receive a new Mega Evolution, but its best niche lies on sun teams where it can use Solar Power, and as it is, sun is not an easy playstyle to use due to Stealth Rock and rain teams. In addition, Houndoom often lives in the shadows of other Mega Evolutions as they have better utility. However, in RU, Houndoom could definitely shine. Mega Houndoom has very high Special Attack and Speed, which will make it a very strong attacker. With either Nasty Plot or Sunny Day, Mega Houndoom can deliver loads of pain to opponents, and its great Fire / Dark STAB combo only aids in this. Although a Stealth Rock weakness and being somewhat frail will get in Houndoom's way, it will most definitely make for a strong threat in XY RU.
Predictions for Losses
Galvantula
Although Galvantula was far from the best Pokémon in BW RU, it was a very solid Pokémon nonetheless. Its main claim to fame was its Compound Eyes-boosted Thunder, which provided it with an accurate and powerful STAB move. Galvantula's STABs grant it great coverage as well, with Thunder and Bug Buzz hitting everything in the tier for good damage. Its Speed was the icing on the cake, as it had enough Speed to outspeed much of the metagame, though it did miss out on some relevant threats in the tier such as Accelgor, Sceptile, Cinccino, and Scolipede, and its frailty let it down from being the best. Overall, however, Galvantula was a very solid choice in RU with all of its traits combined.
While Galvantula didn't exactly change and didn't receive a large number of buffs, it got one new move that will surely push it out of RU: Sticky Web. This move alone will give Galvantula a strong niche in the higher tiers, as Galvantula is one of the few viable users of the move around, other than Smeargle. Sticky Web is a new entry hazard that lowers the Speed of all grounded Pokémon that enter the battlefield, which can be major in many battles, since in most battles, Speed is king. Galvantula will make a great user of the move in the higher tiers, as it stands out with its offensive presence, great coverage, and high Speed allowing it to pose a threat even after it has finished its job of setting up Sticky Web. It is not certain whether Galvantula will remain in OU or not, but one thing's certain; this spider will be leaving RU and is moving onto bigger and better things.
Smeargle
Despite having some of the worst stats in the game, Smeargle was a valuable member of BW RU. Its access to every move in the game made it very versatile. It was one of the best hazard setters in the tier, as it had access to both Stealth Rock and Spikes, a trait shared only with Omastar and Crustle. In addition, it had Spore, which gave it a strong way to cripple an opponent. Smeargle could also run Quiver Dance or Shift Gear in conjunction with Baton Pass, giving it a niche as a Baton Passer. To a lesser extent, Smeargle had a place on Trick Room teams, with Spore, Endeavor, and Dragon Rage, also known as FEARgle. All in all, Smeargle was one of the better Pokémon to use in BW RU, and was a great choice on many teams.
Much like Galvantula, Smeargle has a new-found niche in higher tiers as one of the two viable users of the rare Sticky Web. As previously stated, Sticky Web is a move that lowers the Speed of all grounded entering Pokémon, which makes Smeargle a great fit on teams that are looking for Speed control. Although Smeargle lacks offensive presence, it still has a wide array of support moves such as Spore, Stealth Rock, and Spikes, all of which it can utilize rather well. Smeargle also continues to be one of the few viable Baton Pass users available in higher tiers aside from Scolipede, since it has Shell Smash, making it usable on SmashPass teams. While it is uncertain if Smeargle will remain OU, the new Sticky Web will be sure to give Smeargle high usage in one of the higher tiers.
Clefable
Throughout BW RU, Clefable has always been one of the tier's best special walls. Magic Guard was a very valuable ability in its arsenal, which made Clefable invulnerable to status that would otherwise pester most walls. In addition, its access to Wish and Heal Bell made it a great team supporter, and along with its bulk and Magic Guard, it was a great choice for stall teams. Aside from being a special wall, it could run an offensive set with a Life Orb, as its recoil-free Double-Edge along with a wide array of coverage moves made it a good tank or wallbreaker. Calm Mind was also a good move that could make Clefable a good special tank with offensive presence. All in all, Clefable was a versatile Pokémon that saw pretty good use in RU.
With the new Fairy-type introduced in XY, the once Normal-type Clefable has been completely retyped to Fairy, which is an immediate buff for it. Clefable makes for one of the better Fairies, and Unaware is now much more useful on it. With Unaware, Clefable makes a great answer to most users of Dragon Dance, being immune to their STAB and boosts while defeating them with Moonblast. In addition, it got a slight boost to its Special Attack, from an average 85 to a fairly good 95. It can also make for a strong user of Calm Mind, and still functions as a viable Wish passer and cleric. While it is unlikely it will reach OU, Clefable will make for a solid choice on UU teams.
Aggron
Aggron has had a reputation throughout BW RU as one of the tier's scariest wallbreakers. A Choice Band Head Smash coming from a base 110 Attack stat can bring a lot of pain, and a lack of recoil due to Rock Head was a great thing in Aggron's favor. It could smash foes apart between STAB Head Smash and Heavy Slam, along with great coverage moves such as Earthquake, Fire Punch, and Low Kick. A Rock Polish set was also very usable, patching up Aggron's lack of Speed. Moreover, a great base 180 Defense stat and a large number of resistances gave Aggron plenty of switch-in opportunities to come in and wreak havoc. Despite its lack of special bulk and three very exploitable weaknesses, Aggron's sheer power brought much terror to BW RU battlefields.
In the new generation, Aggron just happens to be one of the Pokémon that received a Mega Evolution. Aggron's new Mega Evolution turns it into one of the most resilient physical tanks around. In addition, Mega Aggron is a pure Steel-type, which makes it less vulnerable to Fighting- and Ground-type moves. Extremely high Defense along with Filter make Aggron very hard to take down physically, while it brings good power and support options to use such as Stealth Rock and Thunder Wave. Despite the lack of a recoil-free Head Smash, Aggron's extreme bulk alone gives it a place in the higher tiers, being able to either support its team or stall with RestTalk. Aggron also takes on Dragons and Fairies quite well, among many other types. Overall, while Aggron itself may not have changed much, its new Mega Evolution will be sure to push it out of RU.
Kabutops
Kabutops had a strong place in BW RU as the tier's premier Rapid Spin user. RU was a tier filled to the brim with hazards, with many users of Stealth Rock and even Spikes running amok in the tier. Kabutops was one of the two viable RU Pokémon with access to Rapid Spin, the other being Cryogonal. Kabutops made great use of the move with its strong offensive presence, and it could defeat all of the viable spinblockers bar Dusknoir, a Pokémon which bordered nonviable. It also had great synergy with many Pokémon that benefited from Rapid Spin support, such as Moltres and Scyther. Additionally, Kabutops was a good rain sweeper thanks to Swift Swim and its good STAB combination. Overall, Kabutops had a very strong niche in BW RU and was an incredibly useful Pokémon.
Although Kabutops hasn't changed at all since BW, the nerf of automatic weather has resulted in the unban of the Drizzle + Swift Swim combination. As a result, Kabutops will most definitely see high usage in upper tiers as a staple on rain teams. Kabutops is one of the best rain sweepers, due to its great power and STABs. It also has priority Aqua Jet to deal a strong blow to opposing priority users. Its access to Rapid Spin can still be helpful even with Defog around, especially if used with Moltres or Tornadus-T. Surely, Kabutops will hit it big on rain teams, and its time in RU is definitely over.
Improved Pokémon
Crawdaunt
While Crawdaunt was decent last generation, it wasn't great. Its main problem was its poor Speed and mediocre defenses, which made it easy to revenge kill. This generation, its stats have remained the same. However, with the new breeding mechanics, Crawdaunt is now able to run Aqua Jet, which is pretty much all it needed to become a major threat. It can now use a Choice Band set and act as a revenge killer with its priority and high Attack stat. However, Aqua Jet wasn't the only reason Crawdaunt is much more viable. Its signature move, Crabhammer, has gotten a pretty sizable increase in power and Knock Off is now able to dish out great damage. With all of these additions to its movepool, Crawdaunt can function as a much better sweeper than it was last generation. However, due to its low defenses, it will still have trouble setting up, so its most common role will probably be that of a Choice Band revenge killer. Whatever happens, Crawdaunt will probably be a Pokémon to watch out for this generation.
Exploud
Exploud was a fairly mediocre Pokémon in the past generations; it had average bulk and Speed, which prevented it from performing well. Exploud also did not really stand out from any other Normal-type due to its lack of appealing stats. However, Exploud can finally rise out of mediocrity and see use in RU due to a single new move: Boomburst. Boomburst is a new Normal-type move with an absolutely absurd Base Power of 140. Exploud can hit much harder now, and becomes one of the best users of the move due to its ability Scrappy, so nothing is immune to its powerful Boomburst. In addition, Exploud has very good coverage moves such as Overheat, Ice Beam, and Surf, which means it is able to hit anything for a huge amount of damage. Exploud also got a slight boost in its Special Defense, which makes it a bit more bulky than before. Overall, Exploud is one of the newly improved Pokémon of XY, and is sure to finally see some use.
Entei
One move. That is all Entei has gained. However, Sacred Fire is one heck of a move. It is a powerful move with a whopping 50% chance to burn. With it, Entei will do a lot of damage and many of its sets will be used a lot more as a special or mixed attacker. Also, fortunately enough, Sacred Fire is compatible with Extreme Speed, which is will make Entei an even bigger threat than it was last generation, which is saying a lot. However, out of all the Pokémon listed here, Entei has the biggest chance to be banned or move up a tier, since it's the only Pokémon other than Ho-Oh to have access to Sacred Fire and now has the same offensive presence as Arcanine. So, if Entei stays, it will be one of the most dominant forces of the tier and be a threat that almost every team should prepare for. If it doesn't stay, it'll probably bump Arcanine down, which would be very, very interesting in RU. There's about 50/50 chance of either happening.
Escavalier
Escavalier was an extremely good Pokémon in BW RU and one of the few to be in the godly S-rank. So if you thought Escavalier was a pain to deal with last generation, you better watch out! Our steel knight has gotten a large amount of improvements this generation that will make him even more of a threat than last generation. First off, Overcoat has gotten a huge upgrade, making Escavalier immune to all of those pesky Powder moves. This give it many chances to switch in and threaten Pokémon such as Lilligant and Amoonguss. Another improvement it got was the introduction of a new item—Assault Vest—which will help Escavalier take special attacks much more easily. While Assault Vest stops it from using non-damaging moves, the only non-damaging move it actually uses is Swords Dance. Now you may be thinking to yourself, "Yes it got a few improvements, but it still has a crappy movepool." Not so, reader! Escavalier's movepool has gotten two very useful buffs. First is the Knock Off buff, which gives Escavalier a strong Dark-type move while removing the opponent's item. Second is the new addition of Drill Run, which will finally give Escavalier a way to get past its Steel-type brethren. Also, with the introduction of Fairy-types, its Steel coverage will become a bit more useful, but not much since RU seems like it won't be getting many good Fairies.
Conclusion
As Bob Dylan said, "The times, they are a changing." This is very true for RU, with many Pokémon coming into the tier, many leaving, and many improving. However, some things will probably stay the same this generation, like Slowking will most definitely stay in the tier. No matter what happens, though, the one thing that we must hope for is that RU is as fun and creative as it was last generation, if not more so.
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