Reborn meta's best winners

[Lorisaur]

As always, I have no idea where to post, especially with Victory Road not being around anymore (or at least I can't seem to find it)

 

I like making posts to analize Reborn's meta, a meta I really appreciate because it's really balanced thanks to the unavailable content and greatly rewards variety and creativity thanks to the field effects enabling countless strategies. 

 

I originally wanted to post a tier list here, but I'll do it another time. For now, I want to talk about some of the biggest winners of this metagame, as well as some pokemon who usually are great, but here are more... lackluster

Today I'll start with those who really benefit this metagame, and I'll leave those who suffer it for another post

 

1) Silvally. I want to start with him because he is my favourite pokemon. Despite the bias, I objectively can't deny that in an hypotetical tier list, Silvally can't be lower than OU, even if in regular games most of his forms are untiered. He has several perks here: first of all, we are in a meta with no u-turn or volt switch tms, and this Silvally one of the best pivots to keep momentum with parting shot. Darkinium Z is also an option to use in mid-late game to keep a teammate healthy, especially in offensive teams. Second, Reborn's meta is slightly more fast paced than regular OU and games don't last that long. This means that Silvally can function as a solo defogger in a team, despite his lack of recovery. He also benefits from the lack of some fierce offensive threats who could easily weaken him, and he provides decent field control with heat wave or pledges. However, his crucial quality comes from the format that the Devolved League is currently adopting for gym battles: challengers are allowed to choose items according to the leader they are going to face. This allows Silvally to "counterpick" any opponent with relative ease and makes him a relevante piece of any match

 

2) Swampert (non mega). I know, Swampert is currently OU in gen 8 meta, but Reborn takes place in gen 7 where regular Swampert did not have flip turn nor was so viable. Swampert estabilished itself as one of the best stealth rockers in the meta, thanks to his good use of fields and possibility to set up rocks during a whole game while also menacing key pokemon in the meta like Aegislash, Tyranitar, or a Volcarona lacking giga drain. He also serves as a great phazer with roar, altough some players are using coverage moves like ice punch instead of it. Swampert's usage is very high and it shows how a meta with lower damage, but relatively faster games, can lead to the rise of pokemon who in regular games have been victims of power creep

 

3) Metagross. Metagrossite is unavailable, and regular Metagross is RU with no reason to be played. During most of the league's lifespan, I've just considered Metagross as a nice pokemon who could function as one of the best checks/counters available to tier king Naganadel, but I've recently noticed how he can really be a versatile pokemon that works on his own, switching into threats like Gardevoir or Clefable to get the job done with little effort. There are not many Metagross switch ins, and many pokemonbare susceptible to getting crippled by him quite fast. However, his usage (altough high) is probably not high enough to give him an OU spot, considering that "getting crippled" is his main weakness as well with no real recovery options, but usually he knocks down at least a pokemon before falling so he is never a bad options - not bad for a RU pokemon

 

4) Klefki/Noivern/Hydreigon/Scizor (non mega)/others. Regular pokemon around UU range that here enjoy the lower power level, have ways to deal with top threats, or provide invaluable support. Hydreigon has immense versatility and is self sufficient, which is useful to face many monotypes, while Noivern is a fast Dragon that outspeeds Greninja and Naganadel, while Scizor is just amazing and the terror of ice and fairy leaders

 

5) Whimsicott. Same as klefki, he has OU level of usage thanks to the amazing support he gives but god, Whimsicott got the jump from NU. Prankster Nature Power is also a great tool to use with field effects

 

6) Ampharos/Zebstrika (ion deluge).

So, we are getting to the "ion deluge" topic. Ion Deluge is almost useless in canon games, but in Reborn turns the field into electrical for 3 turns (5 with amplified rock). It may not seem much, but it's enough to give a challenger the opportunity to get a crucial repositioning, and this is really useful in very disruptive fields like Glitch or Underwater. Ion Deluge is the most commonly used field changing move, but Grassy Terrain Serperior is not bad either. Altough it lasts shorter, Ion Deluge has the advantage of being a priority move. The two main users are Zebstrika and MAmpharos, but if someone comes up with another cool pokemon like Lanturn or Eelektross I wouldn't be too surprised. However, remember that the viability of this move is undirectly hindered by the absence of TM Volt Switch

 

7) Gyarados. I know, I know, Gyarados is a very good pokemon, but I have to remind you that in Reborn both Gyaradosite and Flynium Z are unavailable. I think Gyarados is mostly used Life Orb, and the simple fact that he can hold up to the challenge very well with a two-turn bounce shows how impressive Gyarados and dragon dance are as a whole

 

8) Tyranitar/Excadrill. Sand is very good in this meta, Tyranitar (non mega) is better than in gen7 OU and excatar is a duo you'll see quite often. Excadrill doesn't really use fields, and some water-based field nerf him, but besides that he is an impressive offensive presence and a fantastic sweeper. With good team support, excatar is a good teambuilding choice and you will not go wrong with them. Hippowdon is of course an awesome pokemon as well, but most players seem to pair Tyranitar with Excadrill more often

 

9) Other OU staples. Just like Excadrill and Tyranitar, many pokemon that were alredy good or usable in gen 7 OU, like Alolan Ninetales, Greninja or Volcarona rose in usage even further, because of many reasons like field control, sweeping potential, or anything else according to the pokemon, but it must be considered that part of their "success" also happened because of the fall or the unavailability of other key pokemon of gen 7 OU, but we will talk about them next time

 

10) many, many more pokemon I did not mention here! As I said, this metagame rewards creativity. When I've picked Silvally for my team I only did it because he is my favourite, I did not even expect him to be unhironically good. Many other pokemon, who would be "bad" or at least not so viable in canon games, here are just fine, like Primarina, Ribombee, Arcanine, Nidoking and much more. Thinking about it, maybe I should have made a separate point about Primarina because her usage is recently rising quite much

 

Now that we have talked about those pokemon, there is a last question: why did I do this?

Well, the first reason is because I want to spread knowledge about this gem of a meta that should be preserved. Second reason is I want to show lesser used pokemon becoming stronger in a game that helps them more than canon games can do. Third reason is that I will love talking about those "good" pokemon that here are not available or just worse than their canon games counterparts (hi Garchomp) and also I'll talk about what is probably the most controversial topic in Reborn meta: Naganadel

 

And with this it's all, see you next time!

Join and follow the league to try this meta first hand on our discord server! https://discord.gg/5YEfcc6F

[Bessi]

if there is a group of pokemon that shines in reborn that gotta be the steel type.they can body everything that isnt fire type.there are many hidden gems across reborn that are steel types.

the one i like the most is one of the best steel pokemon in reborn:escavalier it has the potential to sweep gym leaders and can take hits quite well

another one i would like to point out is aggron.it having sturdy and 2 4x weaknesses makes it perfect to defeat enemies that require a lot of work.only due to the fact that it has sturdy and a very underrated move: metal burst.it can defeat anything without exception.Magnezone is also a beast and it can make good use of its skills.

 

the fact is that many pokemon are too good for reborn and are sent to the late parts of the game.but most importantly this thing made us find and use pokemon we normally wouldnt use.

I am a huge fan of slow and tanky pokemon and those with gimmicky sets and i tend to use them more than the powerhouse pokemon which i use only occasionally.those made pokemon reborn the fun that it is today