RicePigeon

Mega Raticate:
Those base stats are pretty underwhelming for a Mega. True, its got 117 speed, but with 111 attack as its highest base offensive stat, its not exactly KOing much and I would rather use another Mega. Also alot of those calcs are questionable, since none of those Pokemon are actually relevant in OU, except for Gengar, Skarmory and Mega Alakazam. Its not even able to 2HKO Skarmory or Arceus, so how is this a demonstration of its power as a revenge killer? I know you're trying to sell it as a revenge killer, but what exactly is it revenge killing? 117 speed cant even outspeed Greninja, it cant revenge kill boosted Mega Charizard X or Mega Altaria that well, and if your claim to being able to perform as a revenge killer relies on Sucker Punch, then that's kind of too situational, especially when there are faster and more powerful revenge killers like Choice Band Talonflame, Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian, and Choice Band Dragonite.
 
Also your base stat total increase is off by an extra 20 points. If I wanted to do Mega Raticate, a spread like this would be more appropriate methinks:
 
55 / 81 / 60 / 50 / 70 / 97 ----->  55 / 131 / 60 / 50 / 90 / 127
Run Away / Guts / Hustle -> Strong Jaw
 
You now have enough speed to get the jump on Greninja, while also presenting an actual offensive presence. Also just so you know, Strong Jaw does nothing to Hyper Fang's base damage, so you're mostly using it for Crunch and the Elemental fangs, the latter of which Raticate doesnt get, but lets assume that it does:
 
252 Atk Mega Raticate Return vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Greninja: 232-274 (81.1 - 95.8%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
 
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mega Metagross: 278-330 (92.3 - 109.6%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Thundurus: 262-310 (87.6 - 103.6%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 0 HP / 24 Def Mega Gardevoir: 271-319 (97.8 - 115.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Latias: 252-296 (69.2 - 81.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Slowbro: 186-222 (47.2 - 56.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Sableye: 123-145 (40.4 - 47.6%) -- 59% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 4 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey: 262-309 (40.8 - 48.1%) -- 64.5% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
 
252 Atk Mega Raticate Wild Charge vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Greninja: 274-324 (95.8 - 113.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
 
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Ice Fang vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Thundurus: 284-336 (94.9 - 112.3%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO
-1 252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Ice Fang vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Landorus-T: 220-260 (57.5 - 68%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
-1 252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Ice Fang vs. 40 HP / 0 Def Landorus-T: 312-368 (94.8 - 111.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
 
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Fire Fang vs. 252 HP / 88+ Def Ferrothorn: 288-340 (81.8 - 96.5%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Fire Fang vs. 248 HP / 116 Def Mega Scizor: 292-348 (85.1 - 101.4%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
 
Now you actually threaten more of the top threats in OU. With this spread, Mega Raticate now functions as more of a cleaner or offensive pivot for offensive teams, similar to how you would use Mega Manectric or Greninja.
 
 
 
Mega Moltres:
I was thinking more along the lines of this:
 
Standard stats: 90/100/90/125/85/90
Mega stats: 90/140/110/155/85/100
 
With this spread, you can still take advantage of Mega Moltres's capabilities, and you have a monster 140 physical attack stat that you can make use of with U-turn, a big niche that Moltres has over Charizard Y, especially when you can do this:

0 Atk Mega Moltres U-turn vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latios: 162-192 (53.6 - 63.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
 
Which is pretty big considering that Latios is a decent check to Mega Charizard Y, whereas Mega Moltres can just wear it down like that. The extra defense also helps considering you avoid an OHKO from boosted Mega Gallade:
 
+2 252 Atk Gallade Psycho Cut vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Moltres: 253-298 (78.8 - 92.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Gallade Psycho Cut vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Charizard Y: 334-394 (112.4 - 132.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Mega Raticate:
Those base stats are pretty underwhelming for a Mega. True, its got 117 speed, but with 111 attack as its highest base offensive stat, its not exactly KOing much and I would rather use another Mega. Also alot of those calcs are questionable, since none of those Pokemon are actually relevant in OU, except for Gengar, Skarmory and Mega Alakazam. Its not even able to 2HKO Skarmory or Arceus, so how is this a demonstration of its power as a revenge killer? I know you're trying to sell it as a revenge killer, but what exactly is it revenge killing? 117 speed cant even outspeed Greninja, it cant revenge kill boosted Mega Charizard X or Mega Altaria that well, and if your claim to being able to perform as a revenge killer relies on Sucker Punch, then that's kind of too situational, especially when there are faster and more powerful revenge killers like Choice Band Talonflame, Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian, and Choice Band Dragonite.
 
Also your base stat total increase is off by an extra 20 points. If I wanted to do Mega Raticate, a spread like this would be more appropriate methinks:
 
55 / 81 / 60 / 50 / 70 / 97 ----->  55 / 131 / 60 / 50 / 90 / 127
Run Away / Guts / Hustle -> Strong Jaw
 
You now have enough speed to get the jump on Greninja, while also presenting an actual offensive presence. Also just so you know, Strong Jaw does nothing to Hyper Fang's base damage, so you're mostly using it for Crunch and the Elemental fangs, the latter of which Raticate doesnt get, but lets assume that it does:
 
252 Atk Mega Raticate Return vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Greninja: 232-274 (81.1 - 95.8%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
 
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mega Metagross: 278-330 (92.3 - 109.6%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Thundurus: 262-310 (87.6 - 103.6%) -- 25% chance to OHKO
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 0 HP / 24 Def Mega Gardevoir: 271-319 (97.8 - 115.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Latias: 252-296 (69.2 - 81.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Slowbro: 186-222 (47.2 - 56.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Sableye: 123-145 (40.4 - 47.6%) -- 59% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Crunch vs. 4 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Chansey: 262-309 (40.8 - 48.1%) -- 64.5% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock
 
252 Atk Mega Raticate Wild Charge vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Greninja: 274-324 (95.8 - 113.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
 
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Ice Fang vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Thundurus: 284-336 (94.9 - 112.3%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO
-1 252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Ice Fang vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Landorus-T: 220-260 (57.5 - 68%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
-1 252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Ice Fang vs. 40 HP / 0 Def Landorus-T: 312-368 (94.8 - 111.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
 
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Fire Fang vs. 252 HP / 88+ Def Ferrothorn: 288-340 (81.8 - 96.5%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Strong Jaw Mega Raticate Fire Fang vs. 248 HP / 116 Def Mega Scizor: 292-348 (85.1 - 101.4%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
 
Now you actually threaten more of the top threats in OU. With this spread, Mega Raticate now functions as more of a cleaner or offensive pivot for offensive teams, similar to how you would use Mega Manectric or Greninja.
 
 
 
Mega Moltres:
I was thinking more along the lines of this:
 
Standard stats: 90/100/90/125/85/90
Mega stats: 90/140/110/155/85/100
 
With this spread, you can still take advantage of Mega Moltres's capabilities, and you have a monster 140 physical attack stat that you can make use of with U-turn, a big niche that Moltres has over Charizard Y, especially when you can do this:

0 Atk Mega Moltres U-turn vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Latios: 162-192 (53.6 - 63.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
 
Which is pretty big considering that Latios is a decent check to Mega Charizard Y, whereas Mega Moltres can just wear it down like that. The extra defense also helps considering you avoid an OHKO from boosted Mega Gallade:
 
+2 252 Atk Gallade Psycho Cut vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Moltres: 253-298 (78.8 - 92.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+2 252 Atk Gallade Psycho Cut vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Charizard Y: 334-394 (112.4 - 132.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO

+ = ?
 
Ever wonder what would happen if Articuno got a Mega Evolution? What if Regirock got access to Recover? How about if Raichu got an electric type version of Pixilate/Aerialate/Refridgerate? Here, you can propose ideas for Mega Evolutions or moveset/ability changes to a Pokemon.
 
Some rules to keep in mind when making proposals:
Try to be reasonable in your ideas. To put it simple, no Huge Power Mega Slaking or Wonder Guard Spiritombs or anything along those lines. When posting an idea on a Mega Evolution, you must post the base stat and ability/type changes, if any. Keep in mind that when dealing with Mega Evolutions, you are limited to 100 extra base points, just like with the official Mega Evolutions (barring Mega Alakazam). When making type changes, you can only add a new type to a Single-types Pokemon, or change one type of a Dual typed Pokemon. For instance, changing Mega Butterfree from Bug/Flying to Bug/Psychic is permissible, but changing Mega Slowking from Water/Psychic to Fire/Dark is not. Also when doing type changes, try to be reasonable, and don't just add types simply for the sake of adding another type. For abilities, you can only use the abilities found normally in the games themselves, or minor variations of those abilities (for example, an Electric-type variant of Pixilate or a variant of Intimidate that lowers Sp.Attack). Each idea should have some kind of brief description as to how the change should work. While is no minimum or maximum amount of words required, you should be able to judge for yourself if your explanation is detailed enough. If possible, try to show damage calculations against other Pokemon to back up your argument. Damage calculations can be done using Pokemon Showdown's damage calculator Here. List of Theorymon discussions:
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HP: 10-13
Atk: 24-29
Def: 31
S.Atk: 31
S.Def: 0-3
Speed: 31
 
Based on Serebii's IV calculator and the screenshot above.

I already mentioned Lugia in the analysis, and it needs Reflect and Whirlwind/Dragon Tail in order to reliably beat Mega Rayquaza 1-on-1. Also lol Blizzard (lol attacking Lugia in general). Noobie, I strongly suggest using some kind of damage calculator next time you say Pokemon X can beat Pokemon Y with Z move, it'll really strengthen your argument
 
But just for the record, Lugia's Blizzard does pathetic damage to MegaRayquaza while MegaQuaza 2HKOs back without Reflect up:
 
0 SpA Lugia Blizzard vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Mega Rayquaza in Strong Winds: 136-160 (38.7 - 45.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO +2 252+ Atk Life Orb Mega Rayquaza Dragon Ascent vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Multiscale Lugia: 214-252 (51.5 - 60.7%) -- 94.1% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery  
Speaking of Lugia, many defensive Ubers teams have been running Lugia + Mega Sableye + Primal Groudon as their defensive core just for Mega Ray. P-Groudon loses to MegaRay, but it is the most reliable Stealth Rock setter in Ubers at the moment, and Mega Ray hates losing 25% health every time it switches in, especially if Lugia is phazing it out, and Mega Sableye just laughs at any attempt to set up Stealth Rock which would otherwise make MegaRay's job even easier.
 
EDIT: Turns out Extremekiller Arceus can revenge kill weakened MegaRayquaza as long as its HP is below 54%, (216 Speed EVs is enough to outspeed MegaRayquaza and MegaRay's +2 Extremespeed only 2HKOs Arceus anyway). +2 Dragon Ascent eats it alive, though.

Well with ORAS released, allow me to formally reintroduce you to the POTW thread. Like the X&Y version of this thread, the posts will go over a specific Pokemon each week, tell you how to use it, and even give example movesets. Things will be run a bit differently here, however;
For starters, unlike the X&Y PotW thread, which had 1 Ubers Pokemon, one OU Pokemon, and one lower tier Pokemon each week (for a total of 3 Pokemon), there will now be strictly one Pokemon each week, with each tier alternating (in order from Ubers to OU to UU/RU/NU/PU) Since the ORAS Metagame is still relatively young, specific checks and counters and teammates will be kept to a minimum until further notice. List of Ubers & AG POTW
Rayquaza & Mega Rayquaza (11/24/14) List of OU & BL POTW
List of Lower Tier POTW
With that in mind, let us begin with a Pokemon who received a new Mega Evolution and perhaps the most threatening one with power not seen since RBY Mewtwo;
 
EDIT: Outdated. Please view the new PotW for Rayquaza
 
Rayquaza & Mega Rayquaza

Tier Status (Normal): Ubers
Tier Status (Mega): AG
 
Base Stats (Normal): 105 / 150 / 90 / 150 / 90 / 95
Base Stats (Mega): 105 / 180 / 100 / 180 / 100 / 115
 
Abilities (Normal):
Air Lock: For as long as this Pokemon is on the field, negates the effect of all weathers. Abilities (Mega):
Delta Stream: For as long as this Pokemon is on the field, the Strong Winds weather is in effect. Cannot be overwritten by other weathers and reduces the damage of the opponent's Rock, Electric, and Ice attacks by 50%. This weather disappears once the Pokemon is switched out. Contents
Ubers & AG OverviewUbers & AG Checks & Counters Overview
Rayquaza has always been an Ubers Pokemon ever since it was first introduced back in Gen 3. With the release of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, Rayquaza became the second legendary Pokemon since Mewtwo to receive a Mega Evolution. What makes Mega Rayquaza much more threatening than other Mega Evolutions, however, is that the opportunity cost of having to hold a Mega stone does not exist for Rayquaza. Instead, Rayquaza merely needs to know Dragon Ascent in order to Mega Evolve, and can hold any item that it wants. This limited moveslot requirement is more of a positive than a negative, as Dragon Ascent gives Rayquaza a powerful base 120 power physical Flying type STAB attack, and there is virtually no reason not to run it as Flying is easily one of the most spammable attack types this generation. Combine this with Mega Rayquaza's massive 180 base attack and Special Attack, base 115 speed, and ability to hold any item and you have a monster with power not seen since Mewtwo in RBY.
 
If this wasn't enough, Mega Rayquaza also gains access to the new Delta Stream ability, which not only blocks all incoming weather just like Air Lock, but also reduces the damage of any incoming attack that is super effective versus Flying by 50%. In other words, Mega Rayquaza loses its Rock-type weakness, gains an Electric-type resistance, and its crippling 4x Ice weakness is now only 2x. With all of these factors taken into account, Mega Rayquaza has no counters and very few checks.
 
(UPDATE 11/29): Mega Rayquaza has been banned from Ubers effective Nov 29th. Normal Rayquaza may still be substituted for any instance of its Mega, but for all intents and purposes, this PotW now contains outdated information.
 
AG Singles Moveset: Mega Sweeper

Ability: Air Lock (Delta Stream) / Item: @Life Orb, Lum Berry, or Weakness Policy
Nature: Adamant or Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Dragon Ascent / Earthquake / ExtremeSpeed / Dragon Dance or Swords Dance
 
Tips:
Dragon Ascent, despite its name, grants Mega Rayquaza a powerful Flying-type equivalent of Close Combat. Earthquake nails many of the Steel type Pokemon that resist Dragon Ascent, such as Aegislash. Extremespeed allows Mega Rayquaza to outspeed Priority users and faster Pokemon that could otherwise check Mega Rayquaza. The last move is dedicated to a boosting move of choice. Dragon Dance boosts both speed and attack and allows Mega Rayquaza a way to outspeed faster Pokemon without having to rely on Extremespeed, while Swords Dance provides it with more immediate attacking power. While it may make sense to give Mega Rayquaza Dragon Claw or Outrage as a Dragon-type STAB, Dragon provides redundant coverage with Flying. The given EV spread maximizes Mega Rayquaza's attack and speed. For the item, Life Orb provides even more brutal attacking power, while Lum Berry allows Mega Rayquaza to laugh at attempts to burn or paralyze it to stop its sweep. Weakness policy, however, takes advantage of the fact that Mega Rayquaza has very few type weaknesses and is bulky enough to sponge most of them, and makes it even more threatening afterwards. AG Singles Moveset: Mega All Out Attacker

Ability: Air Lock (Delta Stream) / Item: @Life Orb, Choice Scarf, or Choice Band
Nature: Adamant or Naughty w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Dragon Ascent / Earthquake / Draco Meteor or ExtremeSpeed / V-create or Overheat
 
Tips:
Dragon Ascent, despite its name, grants Mega Rayquaza a powerful Flying-type equivalent of Close Combat. Earthquake nails many of the Steel type Pokemon that resist Dragon Ascent, such as Aegislash. For the third slot, Draco Meteor provides a powerful special Dragon STAB that hits any physically defensive Pokemon that try to tank Mega Rayquaza's physical attacks. Extremespeed, however, allows Mega Rayquaza to outspeed Priority users and faster Pokemon that could otherwise check Mega Rayquaza. The last move is dedicated to Fire type coverage. V-Create is a powerful 180 base physical Fire move that hits extremely hard with Choice Band or Life Orb, but usually forces Mega Rayquaza to switch out afterward. Overheat, however, is a weaker special equivalent that hits physically defensive Pokemon harder. The given EV spread maximizes Mega Rayquaza's attack and speed. For nature, Naughty should only be used if running Draco Meteor or Overheat, as it does not drop Rayquaza's Special Attack unlike Adamant. For the item, Life Orb provides brutal mixed attacking power. Choice Scarf can be used to play the role of a revenge killer, especially if running Draco Meteor over Extremespeed. Choice Band, however, provides maximum wallbreaking power, but should only be used if running Extremespeed and V-Create in the last two slots. Recommended Teammates:
Primal Groudon (Immune to Burn and Thunder Wave, can set up Stealth Rock) Jirachi (Provides Healing Wish support, can provide safe switch-ins with U-turn) AG Checks and Counters to Mega Rayquaza
Stealth Rock Mega Aerodactyl (Immune to Earthquake, resists Dragon Ascent and Extremespeed) Klefki (Paralyzes with priority Thunderwave, resists Extremespeed and Dragon Ascent, is KOed by Earthquake, Overheat, and V-Create) Dialga (Resists Dragon Ascent and Extremespeed, Air Balloon variants avoid KO from Earthquake, takes neutral damage from Dragon and Fire attacks) Ditto (Can revenge kill boosted Mega Rayquaza) Arceus-Fairy (Outspeeds and OHKOs with Judgement, is 2HKOed by +2 Extremespeed, has 50% chance of being OHKOed by +1 Dragon Ascent) Lugia (Tanks hits, wins 1v1 with Reflect, can Whirlwind Mega Rayquaza out, also checks Primal Groudon)

This thread's purpose is to introduce people to the various roles that Pokemon can do on a team, in the hopes that this will create better team builders. This list is not comprehensive, but only serves to provide examples of the roles. Do note that some Pokemon species can fulfill multiple roles depending on its moveset, but the roles that a Pokemon can do effectively are largely determined by its base stats.
 
 
Sweeper
This role you are probably most familar with. These are Pokemon that are, once setting up with a boosting move, can sweep through an opponent's team and take out a large number of Pokemon without having to switch out. Effective Sweepers are Pokemon that have both high physical attack stat and high speed, or are capable of boosting both such as through Dragon Dance, so that they can outspeed the opponent's team while hitting hard. Because these Pokemon are primarily offensive, they prefer holding a Life Orb to maximize their damage output, while using a +speed nature such as Jolly to guarantee that they will be as fast as possible, though exceptions do exist. Since many effective sweepers are physical, they absolutely hate being burned, and paralysis can also cut their sweep short. These Pokemon are most effective late in the game when their checks and counters have been successfully removed. Note that some Sweepers who rely on Swords Dance or Nasty Plot can also double as Wallbreakers, which will be detailed below.
 
Example Sweepers:

Ability: Blaze (Tough Claws) / Item: @Charizardite X
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 96 HP / 252 Attack / 160 Speed
Moves: Dragon Dance / Flare Blitz / Dragon Claw / Roost
 

Ability: Steadfast or Justified (Inner Focus) / Item: @Galladite
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Swords Dance / Close Combat / Psycho Cut / Ice Punch, Knock Off, or Shadow Sneak
 

Ability: Rough Skin / Item: @Lum Berry or Life Orb
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Swords Dance / Earthquake / Dragon Claw or Outrage / Fire Fang, Substitute, or Stone Edge
 
 
 
 
Cleaner
A Cleaner is a variation of a sweeper. It fulfills a similar purpose as a Sweeper, but these Pokemon generally do not have a way to boost their offense stat, yet are very fast. Similar to sweepers, these Pokemon are best saved until late game to "clean up" weakened Pokemon that are left behind. It should be noted that Cleaners may lack the same offensive power as Sweepers. Pokemon that utilize a Choice Scarf may also double as a cleaner due to the nature of their boosted speed, but unlike Sweepers, these Pokemon usually require the opponent's team to be weakened first before they can effectively clean up.
 
Example Cleaners:
 

Ability: Protean / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Naive w/ EVs: 44 Attack / 212 Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Gunk Shot / Ice Beam / Dark Pulse / Low Kick or Hydro Pump
 

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 56 HP / 220 Attack / 232 Speed
Moves: Earthquake / Stone Edge / Rock Polish / Swords Dance
 

Ability: Pressure (Tough Claws) / Item: @Aerodactylite
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Stone Edge / Ice Fang / Aerial Ace / Earthquake or Fire Fang
 
 
 
 
Wall
Walls are, as the name implies, Pokemon that are very great defensively, but can't do much offensively. Good walls typically have some kind of recovery move such as Recover or Softboiled. Walls are typically found on Stall teams, where they aim to switch in repeatedly and absorb hits reliably. Since they Pokemon dont hit very hard, they are often relegated to support roles such as setting up Stealth Rock, inflicting status, or phazing out opponents.
 
Example Walls:
 

Ability: Natural Cure / Item: @Eviolite
Nature: Bold w/ EVs: 4 HP / 252 Defense / 252 Sp.Defense
Moves: Softboiled / Heal Bell or Stealth Rock / Seismic Toss / Toxic, Thunder Wave, or Stealth Rock
 

Ability: Levitate / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Calm w/ EVs: 252 HP / 4 Defense / 252 Sp.Defense
Moves: Psychic or Moonblast / Moonlight / Reflect / Ice Beam or Thunder Wave
 

Ability: Sturdy / Item: @Shed Shell
Nature: Bold or Impish w/ EVs: 252 HP / 252 Defense / 4 Sp.Defense
Moves: Defog / Roost / Counter or Brave Bird / Whirlwind or Taunt
 
 
 
 
Wallbreaker
As its name implies, a Wallbreaker is a Pokemon that sports tremendous offensive stats in order to "break walls", yet are usually too slow to effectively perform a sweep. These are Pokemon that instead focus on dishing out as much damage as possible right off the bat in order to poke holes in an opponent's defensive cores, enabling another Pokemon to sweep or clean. Some wallbreakers may require the use of a Choice Band or Choice Specs in order to maximize their wallbreaking potential, while some sweepers that utilize Swords Dance can also double as a wallbreaker if their Attack stat is high enough.
 
Example Wallbreakers:
 

Ability: Trace (Pixilate) / Item: @Gardevoirite
Nature: Modest or Timid w/ EVs: 24 Defense / 232 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Hyper Voice / Psyshock / Focus Blast or Hidden Power Ground / Taunt, Substitute, or Will-o-Wisp
 

Ability: Justified / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Swords Dance / Close Combat / Stone Edge / Substitute or Quick Attack
 

Ability: Justified / Item: @Choice Specs
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 4 Defense / 252 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Hydro Pump / Scald / Secret Sword / Icy Wind or Hidden Power Flying
 
 
 
Stallbreaker
Although they perform a similar role as a Wallbreaker, Stallbreakers differ in that rather than smashing through defensive Pokemon with brute force, they aim to shut down defensive teams by denying them access to their non-damaging moves such as Toxic and Recover through to use of Taunt. These Pokemon also provide some kind of offensive presence or otherwise put pressure on defensive Pokemon by whittling them down or outstalling them. While they can be used on Offensive teams, Stallbreakers can also be used on Defensive teams in order to break opposing Stall.
 
Example Stallbreakers:
 

Ability: Poison Heal / Item: @Toxic Orb
Nature: Careful w/ EVs: 244 HP / 192 Sp.Defense / 72 Speed
Moves: Taunt / Toxic / Roost / Earthquake or Knock Off
 

Ability: Gale Wings / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Careful w/ EVs: 248 HP / 252 Sp.Defense / 8 Speed
Moves: Brave Bird / Taunt / Roost / Will-o-Wisp
 

Ability: Prankster (Magic Bounce) / Item: @Sableite
Nature: Bold w/ EVs: 252 HP / 252 Defense / 4 Sp.Defense
Moves: Will-o-Wisp / Recover / Knock Off / Taunt or Foul Play
 
 
 
Revenge Killer
As the name suggests, Revenge Killers are Pokemon that can come in after an opponent scores a KO and KO them back. This is usually done through the use of Priority moves or Choice Scarf, to ensure that these Pokemon strike first and strike hard, and can outspeed even Dragon Dance users. Alternatively, Revenge Killers can also be brought in on predicted switches or through slow users of Volt Switch or U-turn, in order to ensure that they get in safely.
 
Example Revenge Killers:
 

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Choice Scarf
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 24 Defense / 232 Speed
Moves: Earthquake / Stone Edge / U-turn / Superpower, Knock Off, or Explosion
 

Ability: Gale Wings / Item: @Choice Band
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Brave Bird / Flare Blitz / U-turn / Tailwind or Roost
 

Ability: Teravolt / Item: @Choice Scarf
Nature (1): Naughty or Naive w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 32 Sp.Atk / 224 Speed
Nature (2): Adamant or Jolly w/ EVs: 32 HP / 252 Attack / 224 Speed
Moves: Outrage / Dragon Claw / Fusion Bolt / Ice Beam or Iron Head
 
 
 
Tank
Tanks are sort of a hybrid between an attacker and a wall, in that they sport nice defensive bulk while also maintaining an offensive presence. Commonly found on Bulky Offense teams, these Pokemon are not only able to sponge hits, but are also able to dish out damage in return. These Pokemon either have a naturally high Defense or Sp.Defense stat, or are capable of utilizing Assault Vest without any drawbacks that would hinder their effectiveness.
 
Example Tanks:
 

Ability: Huge Power / Item: @Assault Vest
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 16 HP / 252 Attack / 240 Sp.Defense
Moves: Play Rough / Waterfall / Aqua Jet / Knock Off
 
 
 
Pivots
Pivots are Pokemon that are used mainly for switching. More defensive pivots switch in to take an attack and then generally switch back out as the opponent is forced to switch out, thus disrupting an opponent's momentum. More offensively inclined pivots gain momentum for the player by threatening the opponent with a KO and thus force a switch. Momentum can be gained with pivots either by hard switching or using indirect switching through the use of Volt Switch, U-turn, or Baton Pass.
 
Example Pivots:
 

Ability: Blaze (Tough Claws) / Item: @Charizardite X
Nature: Careful w/ EVs: 248 HP / 180 Sp.Defense / 80 Speed
Moves: Will-o-Wisp / Dragon Claw or Earthquake / Earthquake or Flare Blitz / Roost
 

Ability: Lightning Rod (Intimidate) / Item: @Manectite
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 4 Defense / 252 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Thunderbolt / Overheat / Hidden Power Ice / Volt Switch
 

Ability: Regenerator / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Naive w/ EVs: 76 Attack / 216 Sp.Attack / 216 Speed
Moves: Hurricane / Superpower / U-turn / Taunt
 

Ability: Regenerator / Item: @Assault Vest
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 132 HP / 160 Sp.Attack / 216 Speed
Moves: Hurricane / Focus Blast / U-turn / Knock Off
 
 
 
Trappers
Trappers are Pokemon designed to put an opponent or a specific Pokemon into a lose-lose situation, putting them in a situation where it is too dangerous for them to stay in and attack, and also too dangerous to switch out. This is most commonly done through the use of Pursuit, Magnet Pull, and Shadow Tag, where the former is used to eliminate annoying Psychic and Ghost types, while the latter two prevent the opponent from switching entirely and can reliably eliminate a check or counter to your team's win condition. Common examples in OU include Pursuit for Latios, Magnet Pull for Skarmory and Ferrothorn, and Shadow Tag for Chansey.
 
Example Trappers:
 

Ability: Sand Stream / Item: @Choice Scarf
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Sp.Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Stone Edge / Pursuit / Ice Punch / Super Power
 

Ability: Defiant / Item: @Assault Vest
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 64 HP / 252 Attack / 192 Sp.Defense
Moves: Sucker Punch / Pursuit / Iron Head / Knock Off
 

Ability: Magnet Pull / Item: @Choice Scarf
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 4 Def / 252 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Thunderbolt / Flash Cannon / Hidden Power Fire / Volt Switch
 
 
 
Status Absorbers
Status Absorbers are Pokemon that are either immune to, can easily remove, or can take advantage of common status conditions such as Burn, Poison, and Paralysis. Pokemon that know both Rest and Sleep Talk can also fall under this category.
 
Example Status Absorbers:
 

Ability: Natural Cure / Item: @Eviolite
Nature: Bold w/ EVs: 4 HP / 252 Defense / 252 Sp.Defense
Moves: Softboiled / Heal Bell or Stealth Rock / Seismic Toss / Toxic, Thunder Wave, or Stealth Rock
 

Ability: Poison Heal / Item: @Toxic Orb
Nature: Careful w/ EVs: 244 HP / 192 Sp.Defense / 72 Speed
Moves: Taunt / Toxic / Roost / Earthquake or Knock Off
 

Ability: Prankster (Magic Bounce) / Item: @Sableite
Nature: Bold w/ EVs: 252 HP / 252 Defense / 4 Sp.Defense
Moves: Will-o-Wisp / Recover / Knock Off / Taunt or Foul Play
 
 
 
Phazers
Short for "Pseudo Hazer" or "False Hazer", the term originates from Gen 2 where Haze used to be the most common way to deal with dangerous stat boost users such as Snorlax until people began to realize that forcing them out with Roar and Whirlwind was a much more reliable method of dealing with them. Phazers force an opponent to switch out not by putting them into a disadvantageous situation where the best possible move is to switch out, but forcefully causes them to switch out to a random teammate. This can be done through the use of Roar, Whirlwind, or Dragon Tail, but Perish Song and Yawn can also fall into this category. Phazing an opponent has more applications than just dealing with setup sweepers, as it can also be used to rack up entry hazard damage.
 
Example Phazers:
 

Ability: Sturdy / Item: @Shed Shell
Nature: Bold or Impish w/ EVs: 252 HP / 252 Defense / 4 Sp.Defense
Moves: Defog / Roost / Counter or Brave Bird / Whirlwind
 

Ability: Sandstream / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Impish w/ EVs: 252 HP / 144 Defense / 112 Sp.Defense
Moves: Earthquake / Stealth Rock / Slack Off / Whirlwind
 
 
 
Clerics & Wishpassers
A Cleric is a Pokemon that supports its teammates by keeping them healthy. This is usually accomplished through the use of Wish for HP healing, and Heal Bell or Aromatherapy to keep them free of debilitating status conditions. These Pokemon are most commonly found on Stall and Balance teams due to their defensive capabilities.
 
Example Clerics & Wishpassers:
 

Ability: Natural Cure / Item: @Eviolite
Nature: Bold w/ EVs: 4 HP / 252 Defense / 252 Sp.Defense
Moves: Softboiled / Heal Bell / Seismic Toss / Toxic, Thunder Wave, or Stealth Rock
 

Ability: Regenerator / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Calm w/ EVs: 36 HP / 220 Defense / 252 Sp.Defense
Moves: Scald / Wish / Protect / Toxic or Knock Off
 

Ability: Unaware / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Bold w/ EVs: 252 HP / 252 Defense / 4 Sp.Defense
Moves: Moonblast / Heal Bell / Wish / Protect

Beats having to encounter Wifi noobs who use Ubers and OHKO moves.

http://ricepigeon.webs.com

Changelog:

Lie Meiling:

Ok, I just have to toss this out there.
Should we really continue to announce the releases of this guy?

I think we all agree that he's Chuchonryu 3D edition. Rushjob work and not a single care in it.

It had to be done

If Shadow Tag was a bad ability, it wouldn't have gotten a suspect test to begin with.
 
The question during the whole thing was "Is Mega Gengar too good for even Ubers to handle?". The idea was that Shadow Tag allows Mega Gengar to reliably trap and kill any Pokemon, as it was perhaps the best user of it (Wobbuffet is passive and Gothitelle struggles against offensive teams). It removes the switching element from your opponent, and could potentially allow an unskilled player to beat a much higher skilled battler with minimal effort. This is why Mega Gengar was banned from Singles OU, and why Shadow Tag was banned from all tiers below OU (Wobbuffet is garbage in Singles OU and Gothitelle, as previously mentioned, excels against Stall but is dead weight against Offense).
 
Keep in mind that this only applies to Singles. Doubles is a different beast altogether and neither Mega Gengar nor Shadow Tag are broken in Doubles.

With ORAS coming in 3 days, many of the information in these POTWs will be outdated. With that in mind, no more PotW articles will be done until after ORAS is released (and Mega Salamence inevitably banned from Singles OU) and the metagame settles to a more stable condition.
 
This thread will remain open for discussion, but ORAS POTW will have its own thread opened.

For the love of god, stop posting things that have already been posted : http://mugenfreeforall.com/index.php?/topic/17543-iori-may-crysuper-iori-by-zrc7xxx/
 
Is it that hard to use the site's search feature?

Just based on what you said, you don't really have any idea what net neutrality actually is, otherwise you would know that it has nothing to do with copyright takedown and a lot more to do with bandwidth, data transfer, and ISPs blocking or restricting access to websites and content owned and operated by their business competitors (ie: Comcast blocking access to Youtube in order to promote Xfinity).

Just based on what you said, you don't really have any idea what net neutrality actually is, otherwise you would know that it has nothing to do with copyright takedown and a lot more to do with bandwidth, data transfer, and ISPs blocking or restricting access to websites and content owned and operated by their business competitors (ie: Comcast blocking access to Youtube in order to promote Xfinity).

Except if you're using Clefable, then odds are you're using Clefable specifically for Follow Me, which Togekiss can also do and is a much better user of the move just in terms of base stats:
 

 
Other factors why Clefable is outclassed by Togekiss in Doubles:
Togekiss sports higher base speed and Sp.Attack stats, giving it more offensive presence with STAB Air Slash. Can provide additional support besides Follow Me, such as Speed control with Tailwind or Thunderwave and Helping Hand support. Better typing defensively, as Flying grants Togekiss an immunity to Earthquake, a common spread move. Magic Guard and Unaware aren't as useful in Doubles as they are in Singles, and Serene Grace actually allows Togekiss to flinch hax opponents with Air Slash under the speed control it provides.

Don't post like this. Chuchoryu's character quality (or lack thereof) does not give anyone a license to shitpost.

So filler article until the OU PotW (which will most likely be the Charizards unless anyone has any other nominations):
 
Tiers vs Viability
 
The purpose of this article is to clear up any confusion between these two terms. Often when reading my PotW posts, you'll notice a Pokemon being listed in a lower tier like UU or RU, while the viability section will list higher tiers along with multiple letter grades. What does this all mean? Is this Pokemon good or not?
 
What is a tier?
 
Tiers in Pokemon are based on how often a Pokemon is used. Tiers were originally created with the idea that good Pokemon are used more often than bad Pokemon, and based on this it was decided that basing Pokemon tiers on usage was the most accurate way to gauge how good or bad a Pokemon is. The most common tiering systems used are Smogon's tier system and Pokemon Online's tier system (though it should be noted that both systems tend to have overlap, to the point of being near-identical). It should be noted that Singles, Doubles, Triples, Rotation, and VGC all have their own separate tier lists; a Pokemon that is Uber in Single battles may actually be UU in Double battles. In order from highest tier to lowest tier:
 
Ubers: The highest tier, consisting of powerful Pokemon that are too broken for standard competitive play, such as Mewtwo and Rayquaza.
OU: Over Used, the most commonly played tier
BL: Borderline, the banlist for UU
UU: Under Used
BL2: Borderline2, the banlist for RU
RU: Rarely Used
BL3: Borderline3, the banlist for NU
NU: Never Used
BL4: Borderline4, the banlist for UU
PU: Partially Used
 
What is a Metagame?
 
The metagame is, in the simplest words, an environment. It is essentially what people are using most commonly, such as playstyles, Pokemon, and movesets. It should be noted that each tier has its own metagame. For example, the OU metagame and the UU metagame are completely different; Stall and Defensive teams are much more viable in the UU metagame, and Pokemon that would otherwise struggle in the OU metagame such as Lucario and Hydreigon become fierce threats that define the UU metagame. But a tier's metagame is not determined strictly by which Pokemon actually belong to that tier, but by their viability.
 
What is Viability?
 
A Pokemon is viable in a metagame if it can perform well, or has something to offer that another Pokemon cannot already do but better. To put it short, viability judges how "good" a Pokemon is within a certain metagame. Because each tier's metagame is different, a lower tiered Pokemon will have different viability ranks in higher tiered metagames than those of the lower tiers. The following are viability ranks as follows (based on Smogon's viability ranks):
 
Banned: The Pokemon is banned from this tier's metagame due to either belonging to a higher tier or because of an explicit ban on that Pokemon. S-Rank: Excellent Pokemon that are top threats that define a tier's metagame. A-Ranks: Great Pokemon that partially define the tier's metagame, but still require some support. Divided into 3 subranks (A+, A, and A-) B-Ranks: Good Pokemon that, while they do not define a tier's metagame, still perform well with the right support. Divided into 3 subranks (B+, B, and B-) C-Ranks: Okay Pokemon that require a good amount of support to be effective, or are partially outclassed. May or may not be divided into subranks depending on tier. D-Rank: Pokemon that are usually more trouble than they are worth, but have one or two qualities that prevent them from being completely useless. F-Rank: Pokemon that are completely unviable and should never be used in a tier's metagame (i.e.: Unown)  
So a lower tier Pokemon can be used in higher tiers?
 
Absolutely. Nothing prevents you from using a lower tier Pokemon in a higher tier's metagame. However, while that Pokemon may be allowed, it may or may not be viable. Let's look at two examples using the Singles OU metagame as a reference:
 
Rhyperior
Tier (Singles): RU
Singles OU Viability: B
 
Mega Abomasnow
Tier (Singles): RU
Singles OU Viability: F
 
Here we have Rhyperior and Mega Abomasnow, two Pokemon that are both RU Pokemon, yet one is viable in the OU metagame and the other isn't. Why is this?
 
Let's look at Rhyperior first. If you've seen my PotW on Rhyperior, you'll see that Rhyperior is very nice check to Birdspam teams in OU, capable of tanking hits from Talonflame (A+), Staraptor (B), and Mega Pinsir (A+) and OHKOing back with its STAB Rock moves. It also has the bulk and offensive presence to check other high ranking offensive Pokemon in OU such as Mega Charizard X (S), Dragonite (A), and Mega Aerodactyl (A-). Outside of these threats, Rhyperior can also support the team with Stealth Rock, hindering the above threats or in the very least dissuade them from switching in. It also can block the use of Volt Switch, as many users of this move such as Mega Manectric (A), Raikou (B+), and Magnezone (A-) all can give offensive teams a ton of trouble. All of these qualities make Rhyperior a very viable choice for OU teams that need these qualities.
 
Unlike Rhyperior, who can check or counter many top threats in OU, Mega Abomasnow offers nothing in the OU environment. Its Grass/Ice type offers very few immunities and resistances, and is weak to common attacking moves including Fighting, Fire, Flying, Steel, and Rock, three of which Rhyperior resists and those two that Rhyperior is weak to, it can usually stomach them thanks to Solid Rock and its naturally high base HP and Defense. Snow Warning offers nothing to a team and Hail is generally regarded as the worst of the four weathers in OU, as there are no viable Pokemon (or any Pokemon for that matter) that can abuse Hail asides from Ice types, which involves stacking weaknesses. The Ice Body ability that allows its user to recover HP from Hail is meant for defensive Pokemon, unfortunately Ice is a very very poor defensive type with only 1 resistance to itself. Snow Cloak is too luck-based and is not conductive to a competitive environment. As far as handling high ranking OU threats, Mega Abomasnow finds itself losing to Mega Charizard X (S), Greninja (S), Keldeo (S), Bisharp (A+), Mega Charizard Y (A+), Heatran (A+), Mega Heracross (A+), Mega Scizor (A+), Talonflame (A+), Mega Venusaur (A+), Excadrill (A), Ferrothorn (A), Mega Manectric (A), Mega Medicham (A), Terrakion (A), Mega Aerodactyl (A-), Jirachi (A-), Black Kyurem (A-), Magnezone (A-), Tyranitar (A-), and Mega Tyranitar (A-). The list of top ranking Pokemon in the OU metagame is just too expansive for Mega Abomasnow to fulfill any niche, and thus is not viable.
 
 
As a result of viability, it is very possible for a lower tier Pokemon to actually be more viable than a Pokemon belonging to that tier. An example of this actually happening can be seen in the OU metagame, where Mega Aerodactyl (A-), a UU Pokemon, has a higher viability ranking than that of Zapdos (B-), an OU Pokemon.
 
Why isnt Viability used to determine tiers instead of usage?
 
Viability is used to determine how good a Pokemon is in the current state of a tier's metagame, which fluctuates much more often than wether a Pokemon drops from OU to UU or vice-versa. Tiers are updated rather infrequently (in Smogon's case, tiers are updated every 3 months), and thus eliminates short term trends from affecting tier status. It is possible that during a tier shift, a higher tier Pokemon with lower viability in their tier's metagame will drop to a lower tier, and lower tier Pokemon with higher viability in a higher tier's metagame will rise to that tier. During the last tier shift that occured in September, this is exactly what had happened to Mew, a Pokemon that was A-Rank viability in the OU metagame, rose from UU to OU as a result of its increased usage. The only exception from this is the Ubers tier, which is not based on a Pokemon's usage.
 
Can a lower tier Pokemon have a higher viability in a higher tier's metagame than it does in lower tier's metagame?
 
Yes, this can and has already happened, with the following:
 
Blissey
Tier (Singles): UU
Singles Ubers Viability: B-
Singles OU Viability: D
Singles UU Viability: A-
 
In Blissey's case, Blissey has certain qualities over Chansey that makes it worth the B- ranking in Ubers, due to factors in that environment, namely Mega Gengar and Shadow Tag, as Blissey can hold a Shed Shell to escape them while Chansey cannot. In OU, Shadow Tag is not as much of a concern in OU as it is in Ubers, thus Blissey sits at D rank where it is largely outclassed by Chansey. Another example:
 
Kabutops
Tier (Singles): NU
Singles OU Viability: B+
Singles UU Viability: F
Singles RU Viability: B
Singles NU Viability: A
 
In the case of Kabutops, an NU Pokemon, we see that Kabutops is much more viable in OU than in RU, and is not viable at all in UU. Part of this is due to the fact that Drizzle is banned in all tiers except Ubers and OU, so Rain teams are much more viable in OU than in the lower tiers. In addition to this, Kabutops holds qualities that allow it to perform exceptionally well against many threats in the OU metagame when used on a Rain team. Because of the different environments that are the UU and RU metagames, Kabutops cannot function as well in these metagames as in can in OU's.
 
How is a Pokemon's viability determined?
 
As previously stated, a Pokemon's viability in a tier's metagame is largely dependent on the metagame itself, but the following should provide a rough guideline:
 
Common Matchups: How well does the Pokemon perform against the S and A rank threats and playstyles of that tier's metagame? Can it check or counter the majority of them, or does it lose to the majority of them?
Think: vs (OU Environment) Effectiveness: Can this Pokemon adequately perform in all the roles it can provide, or can another Pokemon perform the same jobs better?
Think: vs (OU Environment)
Think:vs(OU Environment) Uniqueness: If another Pokemon can perform the same role, does this Pokemon offer anything noteworthy that the other one cannot?
Think: Unaware vs Hyper Voice(OU Environment) Opportunity Cost: Can this Pokemon be slapped on to any team and still perform its job well, or does it require more support than its competition?
Think: vs (OU Environment) Mega Opportunity Cost: If the Pokemon is a Mega Evolution, is there another Mega Evolution I can use that would appreciate having a non-mega alternative fulfill the same role? Or is there a better non-Mega alternative that allows me to use another Mega?
Think: vs (OU Environment) Think: vs (OU Environment)
Think: vs (OU Environment) Flexibility: Can this Pokemon perform only one role, or can it fulfill many different roles? Can this Pokemon be used on any team or only one kind of team? If the Pokemon can only fulfill one role, does it excel at doing so, and how viable is that role?
Think: & vs & (OU Environment)

Aerodactyl & Mega Aerodactyl


 
Type (Normal): Rock / Flying
Type (Mega): Rock / Flying

Abilities (Normal): Rock Head / Pressure / Unnerve (HA)
Abilities (Mega): Tough Claws
 
 
Current Tiers:
Singles (Normal): UU
Singles (Mega): UU
Doubles (Normal): DUU
Doubles (Mega): DUU
 
Tier Metagame Viability (Singles):
Ubers (Normal): F
Ubers (Mega): F
OU (Normal): F
OU (Mega): A-
UU (Normal): C
UU (Mega): A+

Tier Metagame Viability (Doubles):
DOU (Normal): B
DOU (Mega): B
 
 
Singles
 
OU Overview
OU Viability (Normal): F
OU Viability (Mega): A-
 
Don't let Mega Aerodactyl's status as a UU Pokemon fool you; Mega Aerodactyl is more than capable of holding its own in the OU environment. It serves as a fast, offensive Pokemon capable of outspeeding many threats without the use of a +speed nature. By virtue of Mega Aerodactyl's typing, it is a very reliable answer to birdspam teams, easily dispatching of Talonflame, Staraptor, and Mega Pinsir. By utilizing Taunt and Roost, Mega Aerodactyl can also serve as a stallbreaker, easily shutting down defensive Pokemon while keeping itself alive. While Aerodactyl's set of contact moves is sparse, Tough Claws acts as a recoil-less Life Orb for those attacks affected by it, turning Aerial Ace and the elemental fangs into usable options. However, Mega Aerodactyl's speed isn't too stellar on the turn it Mega Evolves, leaving it prone to being outsped on turn 1 by Pokemon it would otherwise outspeed. Additionally, weaknesses to Stealth Rock, Bullet Punch, Ice Shard, and Aqua Jet don't do Mega Aerodactyl any favors, either.
 
OU Singles Moveset: Stallbreaker

Ability: Pressure (Tough Claws) / Item: @Aerodactylite
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 244 Attack / 44 Defense / 220 Speed
Moves: Taunt / Roost / Aerial Ace / Aqua Tail

Tips:
With Mega Aerodactyl's speed, Taunt shuts down many defensive Pokemon and Pokemon that rely on status or recovery moves, such as Chansey, Skarmory, Mew, and Hippowdon, as well as preventing the use of boosting moves and Stealth Rock. Roost allows Mega Aerodactyl to stay alive, not only mitigating damage accumulated from Stealth Rock, but also temporarily removes its Electric, Rock, and Ice weaknesses for the turn. Care should be taken though as Roost leaves Mega Aerodactyl weak to Fighting and Ground, two types that it would otherwise take neutral damage from or be immune to, respectively. Aerial Ace, when backed by Tough Claws, reaches a respectable 80 base power, and is used to deal with Grass types such as Breloom, Mega Venusaur, and Amoonguss, while also giving Mega Aerodactyl a way to OHKO Mega Heracross and Mega Pinsir. Aqua Tail gives excellent coverage in conjunction with Aerial Ace, and is also boosted by Tough Claws. Aqua Tail gives Mega Aerodactyl the ability to hit the Rock, Ground, and Steel types that would otherwise give this set problems, such as Heatran, Hippowdon, Gliscor, Skarmory, and Terrakion. The above EV spread allows Mega Aerodactyl to always survive 2 hits from Choice Band Talonflame's Brave Bird, while OHKOing Keldeo with Aerial Ace and Terrakion with Aqua Tail. The given Speed EVs allow it to outspeed everything up to and including Greninja after it Mega Evolves. While it may be tempting to use Leftovers on this set, Aerodactylite offers additional speed, power, and bulk that far outweighs the benefits of the additional recovery that Leftovers has to offer. If the opponent runs a birdspam team, Mega Aerodactyl should be preserved, especially so that it can wall Talonflame, who outspeeds and 3HKOs Mega Aerodactyl with priority Brave Bird. Taunt should be used liberally against Stall and Defensive teams, and also against common lead Pokemon that carry Stealth Rock, such as Garchomp and Terrakion. Taunt works great in conjunction with a Toxic user, especially against Stall teams, as they cannot recover their health. Recommended Teammates:
Clerics, preferably a Fairy type for type synergy (Clefable, Sylveon) Users of Toxic Rapid Spin or Defog users, to remove Stealth Rock (Latios, Latias, Excadrill, Starmie) Checks and Counters to Mega Venusaur (Landorus-Incarnate, Black Kyurem) Slowbro or Quagsire (Type synergy, helps beat Garchomp) OU Singles Moveset: Physical Attacker

Ability: Pressure (Tough Claws) / Item: @Aerodactylite
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Stone Edge / Ice Fang / Aerial Ace / Earthquake or Fire Fang

Tips:
Stone Edge, while not boosted by Tough Claws, still hits quite hard for a physical STAB Rock-type move. Ice Fang gives nice coverage to the Pokemon Mega Aerodactyl can't hit otherwise, such as Garchomp, and its paltry 65 base power turns into a respectable 84.5 when boosted by Tough Claws. Aerial Ace is another STAB move, this one boosted by Tough Claws, and gives great coverage, allowing Mega Aerodactyl to KO threats such as Mega Venusaur, Keldeo, and Mega Heracross. For the last slot, Earthquake can be used for great neutral coverage with Stone Edge, though it is not boosted by Tough Claws. Fire Fang can be used instead, as it does receive the Tough Claws boost, and is Aerodactyl's best option against Skarmory, Ferrothorn, and Mega Scizor. The given EV spread maximizes Mega Aerodactyl's speed and power. Adamant nature is chosen over Jolly, as the extra speed from Jolly does not allow Mega Aerodactyl to outspeed any other notable Pokemon that it could not otherwise. The extra speed, bulk, and power granted by Aerodactyl's Mega Evolution makes Aerodactylite the more viable choice for an item over Life Orb. While Life Orb affects all of Aerodactyl's attacks and not just contact moves, it sacrifices its longevity with recoil, and does not allow Aerodactyl to outspeed key threats that its Mega Evolution can. Try to Mega Evolve as soon as possible, as there are many threats in OU that Mega Aerodactyl can outspeed that its regular form cannot. This Mega Aerodactyl set has wide coverage, able to hit the majority of OU for super effective damage, so prediction is necessary, otherwise the opponent will gain a free switch. If used early in the game, Mega Aerodactyl should focus on wearing down offensive teams so that a teammate can clean up later on. Alternatively, due to its high speed and attack with Tough Claws, Mega Aerodactyl can also operate as a late game cleaner. Recommended Teammates:
Rapid Spin or Defog users, to remove Stealth Rock (Latios, Latias, Excadrill, Starmie) Wallbreakers (Keldeo, Landorus-Incarnate) Entry Hazard users (Ferrothorn, Hippowdon, Tyranitar, Klefki, Greninja) Klefki (Type synergy, can set up priority Spikes, cripples opposing Choice Scarf users with priority Thunder Wave) OU Checks and Counters to Aerodactyl
Common priority moves, such as Aqua Jet, Bullet Punch, and Ice Shard (Azumarill, Crawdaunt, Mega Scizor, Mamoswine, Weavile) Physically Bulky Pokemon and Physical Walls (Landorus-Therian, Rhyperior, Slowbro, Skarmory) Common Electric, Ice, Rock, Steel, Water attacks Stealth Rock ORAS: Mega Slowbro (Massive physical bulk, can KO with STAB Scald.) ORAS: Mega Metagross (Physically bulky, access to Tough Claws, 2HKOs with STAB Bullet Punch, can KO with Meteor Mash, is 2HKOed by variants with Earthquake) UU Overview
UU Viability (Normal): C
UU Viability (Mega): A+
 
Mega Aerodactyl holds the title for the fastest viable Pokemon in UU, outsped only by Ninjask in terms of base speed. Just as is the case in OU, Tough Claws turns rather mediocre moves such as Aerial Ace and Fire Fang into viable and respectable options. Because it no longer has to face competition from the better Defog users in OU, Aerodactyl can be used as an offensive Defogger in UU, providing entry hazard removal for the team. However, being a Defog user can be annoying for Aerodactyl when it is weak to the very same Stealth Rocks that it is supposed to remove. It also has problems getting past certain defensive walls and suffers from a bit of Four Moveslot Syndrome: it wants to run all of its coverage options at once, but sadly cannot.
 
UU Singles Moveset: Offensive Defog/Offensive Support

Ability: Pressure (Tough Claws) / Item: @Aerodactylite
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 120 HP / 252 Attack / 136 Speed
Moves: Defog or Taunt / Roost / Stone Edge / Aqua Tail or Aerial Ace

Tips:
The first slot should be dedicated to what kind of support Mega Aerodactyl should bring. Defog allows it to remove entry hazards, while Taunt gives it an easier time against Defensive teams. Roost gives Mega Aerodactyl reliable recovery, and allows it to mitigate the damage it accumulates from switching in against entry hazards. Stone Edge is Mega Aerodactyl's strongest STAB moves, and quickly decimates the Fire and Flying types of UU. For the last slot, both Aqua Tail and Aerial Ace receive the boost from Tough Claws. Aqua Tail gives it nice coverage with Stone Edge, as it allows Mega Aerodactyl to beat common Stealth Rock setters in UU such as Hippowdon and Donphan. Aerial Ace can be used instead, as it gains STAB and also hits Chesnaught hard. The given EV spread with Jolly allows Aerodactyl to outspeed all Pokemon of base 115 speed and lower, while also allowing it to outspeed neutral natured Pokemon of base 85 speed with a +1 speed boost after Mega Evolving. Attack is maximized to give it the most offensive presence, while the rest is dumped into HP to give it as much bulk as possible. The combination of Defog and Roost gives Mega Aerodactyl great offensive presence and durability for offensive teams. The first priority of this Mega Aerodactyl set should be to keep entry hazards off the field and stay as healthy as possible. Once that is done, then Mega Aerodactyl can worry about damage. Since speed and attack are Mega Aerodactyl's key stats, avoid burns and paralysis at all costs. Recommended Teammates:
Pokemon weak to entry hazards such as Stealth Rock (Chandelure, Honchkrow, Darmanitan, etc) Wallbreakers and Pokemon that can beat common physical walls (Celebi, Shaymin) Hazard setters, to reset entry hazards if needed (Forretress, Nidoqueen, Roserade, Swampert, Hippowdon) UU Singles Moveset: Hone Claws Sweeper

Ability: Pressure (Tough Claws) / Item: @Aerodactylite
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Hone Claws / Stone Edge / Aerial Ace, Roost, or Crunch / Aqua Tail or Aerial Ace

Tips:
Hone Claws is Aerodactyl's only option for a boosting move, increasing its attack and accuracy by 1 stage, allowing it to not only hit hard, but also turns Stone Edge into a 100% accurate move after 1 boost. For the 3rd slot, Aerial Ace is a STAB option that hits Pokemon such as Machamp, Shaymin, and Scrafty hard. Roost can be used for longevity if needed. Crunch is another option that hits Jirachi and Bronzong hard. For the 4th slot, Aqua Tail smacks common Ground types hard, such as Donphan, Gligar, Hippowdon, Nidoking, and Nidoqueen. If Roost or Crunch are used in the 3rd slot, Aerial Ace can be used in this slot for the reasons already mentioned. The above EV spread and nature maximize Mega Aerodactyl's speed and power. Adamant is chosen over Jolly as the extra speed from Jolly does not allow Mega Aerodactyl to outspeed any other notable Pokemon that it could not otherwise. As a cleaner, this Mega Aerodactyl should be saved until late game when its checks and counters have been removed and the opponent's team weakened. For this reason, this set appreciates having entry hazards and wallbreakers to make its job easier. Do not set up with Hone Claws until you are absolutely sure the opponent has no Choice Scarf Pokemon left, as they can revenge kill Mega Aerodactyl. Recommended Teammates:
Wallbreakers (Choice Band Mienshao, etc) Defog or Rapid Spin users (Donphan, Starmie, Crobat, Empoleon) Entry hazard users (Hippowdon, Roserade, Nidoqueen) UU Checks and Counters to Aerodactyl
Physically Bulky Pokemon and Physical Walls (Hippowdon, Suicune, Swampert, Gligar) Bulky Offensive Pokemon (Mega Blastoise, Mega Ampharos, Nidoqueen, Metagross) Choice Scarf users (Hydreigon, Mienshao, Jirachi) Stealth Rock  
 
Doubles
 
DOU Overview
DOU Viability (Normal): B
DOU Viability (Mega): B
 
Aerodactyl and its Mega Evolution struggle a bit to keep up in the Doubles environment. For starters, it is weak to common priority attacks such as Aqua Jet, Bullet Punch, and Ice Shard, all of which keep it at bay. It is highly affected by Speed control, and it also lacks the bulk of other Rock type Pokemon such as Tyranitar and Terrakion, so it is often passed over in favor of them. However, Aerodactyl does have several niches over them. It gains access to various team support options, including Tailwind and Wide Guard. Having access to a fast Rock Slide is always nice, especially when you have a 51% chance of flinching at least one opponent. The most notable niche that Aerodactyl has, however, is Sky Drop; a move that was banned from Doubles last generation due to a glitch that could render an opponent's Pokemon permanently incapacitated with no way to switch out. In general, Mega Aerodactyl is often passed over in favor of the base form, as there are often much better choices for the Mega slot in Doubles, and base Aerodactyl's 130 base speed is often enough to get what it needs done.
 
OU Doubles Moveset: Support

Ability: Pressure or Unnerve / Item: @Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Rock Slide / Sky Drop / Tailwind or Wide Guard / Protect or Wide Guard

Tips:
Rock Slide, as previously mentioned, has a 51% chance to flinch at least one opponent in Doubles. Combined with Aerodactyl's 130 base speed, this can easily score a flinch against any Pokemon not running Inner Focus or Choice Scarf. It also checks threats such as Talonflame and Mega Charizard Y. Sky Drop is an extremely annoying move for the opponent that, when coupled with Aerodactyl's base 130 speed, essentially gives Aerodactyl's partner a free turn; only having to deal with one opponent on the field instead of two. Keep in mind that as of X&Y, Sky Drop will fail against any Pokemon that weighs 440.9 lbs (200 kg) or more, so it is best used against lighter targets (up to and including Entei) The last two slots are Aerodactyl's support options. Wide Guard supports the opponent by rendering Aerodactyl's team immune to spread moves such as Rock Slide, Muddy Water, and Hyper Voice. Tailwind provides speed control that doubles the speed of Aerodactyl's team for 3 turns, but should not be used under Trick Room. Protect is used not only to scout, but also to shield Aerodactyl against Protect, which can break its Focus Sash while rendering it unable to move. Taunt can also be used in any of these slots to stop Trick Room and support Pokemon such as Amoonguss. The above EV spread with a Jolly nature allow Aerodactyl to tie with other base 130 speed Pokemon, such as Mega Gengar, while also giving Rock Slide and Sky Drop as much power as possible. Focus Sash is necessary to ensure that Aerodactyl is able to provide at least one turn of support, usually Tailwind, and is run over Aerodactylite for this purpose. It also allows Aerodactyl to be run alongside Mega Evolutions that appreciate the support Aerodactyl can give, such as Mega Kangaskhan and Mega Gyarados. For the ability, Pressure is useful for scouting common Choice Scarf Pokemon such as Salamence or Gardevoir. Unnerve, however, prevents the opponent from consuming Sitrus and Lum Berries, two common held items found in Doubles. If up against a potential user of Fake Out, it is best to use Protect on turn 1, ensuring that Focus Sash will be held intact so that Aerodactyl can be guaranteed to use its support options. Sky Drop should be used on Pokemon that Aerodactyl's partner cannot handle in order to temporarily remove them from the match, giving Aerodactyl's partner a free turn of 1-on-1 with the other opponent. As previously mentioned, Sky Drop will fail against any Pokemon weighing more than 440.9 lbs (200 kg), the most common of which include Tyranitar, Gyarados, Terrakion, Mamoswine, Rhyperior, and Heatran. Do keep in mind however that the 2nd turn will leave Aerodactyl vulnerable to being targetted, as it cannot use Protect on that turn. Recommended Teammates:
Slow attackers (Bisharp, Mega Kangaskhan, Azumarill, Hydreigon, Mega Charizard Y, etc) Setup Pokemon (Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, Mega Charizard X, Blaziken) Pokemon weak to common spread moves (Aegislash, Mega Charizard Y)  
DOU Checks and Counters to Aerodactyl
Electric types (Mega Manectric, Rotom-Wash) Steel types (Mega Mawile, Aegislash, Ferrothorn) Pokemon that weigh at least 440.9 lbs / 200 kg (Tyranitar, Mamoswine, Heatran, Terrakion, Gyarados, Rhyperior) Swift Swimmers (Kingdra, Ludicolo, [ORAS] Mega Swampert) Mamoswine (Ignores Focus Sash with Icicle Spear, KOs with priority STAB Ice Shard, immune to Sky Drop, resists Rock Slide) Sableye (Shuts down Wide Guard and Tailwind with priority Taunt, burns with priority Will-o-Wisp) Rhyperior (Bypasses Focus Sash with Rock Blast, immune to Sky Drop, resists Rock Slide) Gyarados (Has access to Intimidate, immune to Sky Drop, can speed control with Thunder Wave or Icy Wind, can KO with Waterfall, weak to Rock Slide prior to Mega Evolving) Landorus-Therian (Has Intimidate, outspeeds with Choice Scarf, can KO with Stone Edge)  
 
External Links
Smogon Analysis (Singles OU) Smogon Analysis (Singles UU)

Technically Lucario would count as a lower tier Pokemon, despite its Mega Evolution being an uber. With that in mind, this weeks PotW closes with a proper ubers Pokemon, one that will be gaining more spotlight in the next 4 weeks for reasons that should be self explanitory:
 
Blaziken & Mega Blaziken

 

Abilities (Normal): Blaze / Speed Boost (HA)
Abilities (Mega): Speed Boost
 
Current Tiers:
Singles: Ubers
Doubles: DUU

Tier Metagame Viability (Singles):
Ubers Viability (Normal): A+
Ubers Viability (Mega): A+

Tier Metagame Viability (Doubles):
DOU Viability (Normal): C
DOU Viability (Mega): F
 
 
 
Singles
 
Ubers Overview
Ubers Viability (Normal): A+
Ubers Viability (Mega): A+

Meet Blaziken, the fully evolved Fire-type starter of the Hoenn region. Blaziken is unique among starter Pokemon as it is the first and only starter Pokemon that has been banished to the Ubers tier for being too broken in Singles, kudos to Speed Boost. Without Speed Boost, Blaziken and its Mega Evolution would have been outclassed by Infernape. While Speed Boost was granted to Blaziken for the first time last generation, changes to the breeding mechanics in Gen 6 made it possible for the combination of Speed Boost and Baton Pass to be legal on Blaziken. Its Fire/Fighting STAB combination is an excellent offensive typing, and with Speed Boost and Baton Pass, it can easily pivot out into those Pokemon who can handle its few threats. While Blaziken and its Mega Evolution were both banned from OU, these qualities continue to make Blaziken a formidible threat in Ubers, capable of outspeeding the many base 90 speed Pokemon that plague the tier after Mega Evolving, and even when not Mega Evolved can still outspeed most of the tier with Speed Boost. Due to Gen 6 weather mechanics, Blaziken no longer needs Groudon on its side to remove rain. On the flip side, Blaziken's bulk is rather lackluster by Ubers standards, even when Mega Evolved. It is also heavily reliant on Flare Blitz, which leaves it susceptible to recoil. Although normal Blaziken is just as viable as its Mega, Mega Blaziken is the preferred set, but faces competition from Mega Gengar, Mega Mewtwo Y, and Mega Mewtwo X for the Mega slot on teams, adding to its opportunity cost.
 
Ubers Singles Moveset: Physical Attacker
or
Ability: Speed Boost (Speed Boost) / Item: @Blazikenite or Life Orb
Nature: Adamant or Jolly w/ EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Low Kick / Flare Blitz / Swords Dance or Protect / Protect, Knock Off, or Stone Edge
 
Tips:
Low Kick is the Fighting type STAB of choice, and is preferred over High Jump Kick due to its lack of 50% HP recoil if it misses or used against Ghost types. The variable base damage of Low Kick isnt as much of an issue since many Ubers Pokemon tend to be on the heavier side, guaranteeing that Low Kick will hit for its maximum 120 base damage. Flare Blitz is Blazikens' Fire type STAB of choice, and provides excellent coverage with Low Kick. Futhermore, most Pokemon where Low Kick will hit for less than 120 base damage are easily dispatched by Flare Blitz, which is always a constant base 120 damage. Swords Dance allows Blaziken to massively increase its damage output, while Protect allows Blaziken to secure a +1 Speed Boost while also scouting an opponent's move. For the last slot, Knock Off can be used to provide hard-hitting coverage for those few Pokemon that resist or immune to Blaziken's STAB moves, such as the Giratina formes. If Swords Dance is used in the 3rd moveslot, Protect can be used here instead for the reasons listed above. Stone Edge can be used if being able to hit Ho-oh is needed, as it also gives Blaziken an option to use against Lugia and Yveltal. The above EV investment makes Blaziken as fast and powerful as possible. Adamant nature allows Blaziken to OHKO Kyogre, but Jolly can be used if you need to outspeed certain Choice Scarf users after a Speed Boost, such as Zekrom. Due to Blaziken's relative fraily, avoid directly switching in. Instead, use indirect switches through U-turn or Volt Switch, after an opponent's KO, or on a predicted opponent's switch. Speed Boost, while making Blaziken fast, also leaves it susceptible to priority moves such as Extremespeed from Arceus-Normal and Rayquaza. Recommended Teammates:
Volt Switch or U-turn users (Landorus-Therian, Zekrom, Genesect) Stealth Rock setters (Landorus-Therian, Groudon) (Helps deal with Lugia, Ho-oh, & Yveltal, Assists in Blaziken's sweeping opportunities) Groudon (Sets up Stealth Rock, Provides sun support, Checks Arceus-Normal, Can burn switch-ins to Blaziken with Lava Plume) Landorus-Therian (Sets up Stealth Rock, Provides switch in opportunities with U-turn, Checks Ho-oh, Provides support with Intimidate) Yveltal (Checks both Giratina formes, Type synergy with Blaziken) Xerneas (Checks both Giratina formes, Type synergy with Blaziken, forms an offensive 3 Pokemon core with Blaziken and Wobbuffet) Palkia (sponges water moves for Blaziken, Checks Rayquaza) Wobbuffet (Traps counters to Blaziken, forms an offensive 3 Pokemon core with Blaziken and Xerneas) Arceus-Normal (Blaziken can weaken or KO Arceus-Normal's checks and counters)  
Ubers Singles Moveset: Baton Pass

Ability: Speed Boost / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Baton Pass / Flare Blitz / Protect / Substitute or Roar
 
Tips:
Baton Pass allows Blaziken to pass its Speed Boosts and Substitutes to a teammate. Flare Blitz is Blazikens' Fire type STAB of choice, and gives Blaziken a move to use against Taunt users. Protect allows Blaziken to secure at least one Speed Boost, as well as avoid damage and accumulate Leftovers recoery. For the last slot, Substitute allows Blaziken to stay alive in conjunction with Protect, and can also be passed to a teammate. Roar, however, allows Blaziken to phaze out opposing Roar or Dragon Tail users, preventing Blaziken from losing its speed boosts. Speed and Attack are maxed out in order to not only ensure Blaziken is as fast as possible, but also can hit as hard as possible in case it needs to use Flare Blitz. Jolly ensures that Blaziken can outspeed any Pokemon without Choice Scarf after a single Speed Boost. Leftovers increases Blaziken's longevity in conjunction with Substitute and Protect. Avoid sending this Blaziken in against fast Taunt users such as Deoxys-Speed. It is often advised to use Protect immediately after Blaziken comes in in order to secure a single Speed Boost, afterwards alternating between Substitute and Protect. After a single Speed Boost, Roar variants will be able to outspeed opposing Roar or Dragon Tail users. Recipients of Blaziken's Speed Boosts should be powerful, but slow Pokemon such as Groudon, Choice Specs Kyogre, and Mega Kangaskhan. Recommended Teammates:
Slow offensive Pokemon, to recieve Speed Boosts (Groudon, Choice Specs Kyogre, Life Orb Zekrom, Choice Band Zekrom, Mega Kangaskhan, White Kyurem, Ho-oh, Palkia) Groudon (Sets up Stealth Rock, Provides sun support, Checks Arceus-Normal, good Baton Pass recipient)  
Ubers Checks and Counters to Blaziken
Giratina & Origin Giratina (Immune to Low Kick, resists Flare Blitz, can KO Blaziken or phaze with Roar/Dragon Tail. Does not like Blaziken's Knock Off) Gyarados (Normal Gyarados resists Low Kick and Flare Blitz, has Intimidate, KOs with Waterfall) Landorus-Therian (Can take attacks with Intimidate, KOs with Earthquake. Cannot switch in on boosted Flare Blitz) Arceus-Fairy & Arceus-Water (Defensive variants can tank hits. Water resists Flare Blitz, Fairy resists Low Kick. Both must watch out for Blaziken's other STAB move.) Arceus-Ghost (Immune to Low Kick, can KO with Judgement. Must watch out for Flare Blitz) Quagsire (Resists Flare Blitz, takes minimal damage from Low Kick, ignores Swords Dance boosts with Unaware, can KO with Water and Ground STAB. Must watch out for High Jump Kick variants of Blaziken) Kyogre (Hinders Blaziken's performance with rain, KOs with Water STAB, assists Blaziken checks that do not resist Flare Blitz) Prankster users (Klefki, Thundurus-Incarnate) (Cripples Blaziken with Thunder Wave, Thundurus can stop Baton Pass sets with Taunt) Toxic (Limits the amount of Speed Boosts Blaziken can acquire) Phazing moves such as Roar and Dragon Tail (cancels out stat boosts from Swords Dance & Speed Boost, can ruin Baton Pass attempts) Extremespeed users (Arceus-Normal, Arceus-Ghost, Rayquaza) (Outspeeds Blaziken regardless of Speed Boost and revenge kills) ORAS: Mega Rayquaza (Resists both STABs, takes minimal damage from Knock Off, takes normal damage from Stone Edge, can revenge kill with Extreme Speed, can KO with Dragon Ascent) ORAS: Mega Salamence (Resists both STABs, can KO with Aerialate boosted Return or Hyper Voice, takes minimal damage from Knock Off, cannot take boosted Stone Edge) ORAS: Primal Groudon (Resists Flare Blitz, is 2HKOed by boosted Low Kick, OHKOs with Precipice Blades)  
Doubles
 
DOU Overview
DOU Viability (Normal): C
DOU Viability (Mega): F
 
Unlike in Singles, where Blaziken and its Mega Evolution find themselves banished to Ubers, Blaziken finds itself in Doubles UU. Firstly, its frailty is an unwelcome attribute in the Doubles environment, a trait that is also responsible for Singles Ubers threats like Mega Lucario and Deoxys-Attack finding themselves in Doubles UU. Speed Boost, an ability that is primarily responsible for its banishment to Singles Ubers, actually works against Blaziken in Doubles, not only turning Blaziken into an instant target for Speed Control such as Thunder Wave, but also makes Blaziken slower during Trick Room, a common playstyle in Doubles. Furthermore, High Jump Kick is extremely risky to use in Doubles as almost every Pokemon carries Protect, and Low Kick is much more matchup dependent where not as many Pokemon are heavy enough for Low Kick to reach its maximum base power. Blaziken also finds itself facing competition from other fighting types such as Keldeo, Terrakion, Hitmontop, Scrafty, Mega Lucario, and even Infernape. In addition to these, Mega Blaziken also faces competiton from much better Mega Evolutions, and also prevents Blaziken from being paired with Mega Charizard Y, one of the best possible teammates for Blaziken. Due to this, Mega Blaziken is almost never worth the Mega Slot. Despite these shortcomings, Blaziken does have access to powerful STAB moves that can hit the upper tier threats in DOU, especially when combined with Mega Charizard Y's Drought.
 
 
OU Doubles Moveset: Sweeper

Ability: Speed Boost / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 80 HP / 252 Attack / 176 Speed
Moves: Protect / Flare Blitz / Low Kick or High Jump Kick / Stone Edge or Swords Dance
 
Tips:
Protect is a crucial move to use in Doubles, even moreso in Blaziken's case as it allows it to stall and accumulate Speed Boosts Flare Blitz is Blazikens' Fire type STAB of choice. Low Kick has great coverage with Flare Blitz and also hits common heavy Pokemon such as Heatran and Tyranitar hard. High Jump Kick provides a consistent high base damage even against lighter Pokemon, but leaves Blaziken susceptible to losing 50% of its health if its target uses Protect. For the last slot, Stone Edge gives Blaziken coverage to hit the Pokemon that resist its STAB moves, such as Mega Charizard Y and Salamence. Swords Dance, on the other hand, helps to counter common Intimidate users, and can make Blaziken hard to stop once it accumulates enough Speed Boosts, as long as the opponent doesn't run Trick Room. A Jolly nature with the above EV spread allows Blaziken to outspeed neutral natured Deoxys-Attack with 236 speed EVs after a single Speed Boost, which happens to be the fastest Pokemon in Doubles not counting boosted speed and Choice Scarf users. Attack is fully invested to maximize damage output, while the leftover 80 EVs in HP give Blaziken a bit more bulk. Life Orb further increases Blaziken's damage output, and is preferred over Blazikenite for the reasons listed in the overview. Furthermore, the stat increases afforded by Mega Blaziken do not offer anything significant to Blaziken for  Doubles aside from Speed and Attack, and Life Orb Blaziken still deals more damage than Mega Blaziken anyway, rendering the attack increase unimportant. Blaziken should be brought in immediately after an opponent's KO, as it is too frail to come in at any other time. Futhermore, Flare Blitz and Life Orb recoil will wear down Blaziken quickly, and needs to have as much health as possible before it begins a sweep. Once in Protect should be used to accumulate Speed Boosts, to scout the opponent, and to buy Blaziken's partner some time. Despite Blaziken's power, its attacks are not spammable, as Flare Blitz recoil will wear it down, Low Kick has inconsistent base power and is matchup dependent, and use of High Jump Kick will end Blaziken's sweep if the opponent uses Protect. If using High Jump Kick, a user of Feint is strongly recommended in order to cancel out the effects of an opponent's Protect and ensure that Blaziken does not waste 50% of its own HP. Swords Dance variants should be paired with users of Rage Powder or Follow Me, in order to redirect attacks and prevent Blaziken's sweep from ending prematurely. Wide Guard users perform a similar function in regards to spread attacks such as Earthquake and Muddy Water. Speed Boost does nothing to stop priority attacks or Thunder Wave, so Quick Guard and Safeguard users can be used to alleviate these problems.  
Recommended Teammates:
Feint users (Hitmontop, Mega Pinsir, Goodra) Follow Me or Rage Powder users (Togekiss, Jirachi, Amoonguss) Wide Guard users (Hitmontop, Aegislash) Quick Guard users (Hitmontop, Terrakion) Safeguard users (Klefki, Cresselia) Helping Hand users (Hitmontop, Jirachi, Togekiss) Checks and Counters to Trick Room (Amoonguss, Bisharp, Aegislash, Mega Gengar, Taunt Thundurus-Incarnate, Taunt Keldeo) Bisharp (checks Psychic types, checks Intimidate users, checks Trick Room setters) Mega Charizard Y (Provides sun support, provides offensive presence) Mega Gengar (Provides offensive presence, traps and KOs Psychic and Fairy types, KOs Ghost types, can check and KO Trick Room setters) DOU Checks and Counters to Blaziken
Users of Speed Control, especially Trick Room and Thunder Wave (Thundurus-Incarnate, Cresselia, Chandelure, Aromatisse) Users of Priority moves (Talonflame, Azumarill, Mega Kangaskham, Hitmontop, Whimsicott, Liepard) Intimidate users (Landorus-Therian, Gyarados, Hitmontop, Salamence) (must watch out for Swords Dance variants of Blaziken) Users of Psychic, Ground, and Water type attacks (Latios, Latias, Garchomp, Landorus-Therian, Rotom-Wash, Kingdra) Drizzle (weakens Flare Blitz, triggers Swift Swim, leaves Blaziken more susceptible to Water attacks) Chandelure (Immune to Fighting STAB, immune or resists Flare Blitz depending on ability, must watch out for Stone Edge variants of Blaziken) Mega Charizard Y (Resists both STABs, must watch out for Stone Edge variants of Blaziken) Cresselia (Resists Fighting STAB, can KO with Psychic or Psyshock, can use Thunder Wave, can set up Trick Room) Salamence (Resists both STABs, has Intimidate, must watch out for Stone Edge and Swords Dance variants of Blaziken)  
External Links
Smogon Analysis (Singles Ubers) Smogon Analysis (Doubles OU)

Before I start with the next PotW, I want to report that the UU suspect test for Mega Alakazam has ended, and Alakazite has officially been unbanned from UU.
 
That being said, today's PotW covers a Pokemon that is both UU and Uber:
 
Lucario & Mega Lucario

 

 
 
Abilities (Normal): Steadfast / Inner Focus / Justified (HA)
Abilities (Mega): Adapability
 
Current Tiers:
Singles (Normal): UU
Singles (Mega): Uber
Doubles (Normal): DUU
Doubles (Mega): DUU
 
Tier Metagame Viability (Singles):
Ubers (Normal): F
Ubers (Mega): B
OU (Normal): B
OU (Mega): Banned
UU (Normal): S
UU (Mega): Banned
 
Tier Metagame Viability (Doubles):
DOU (Normal): B
DOU (Mega): B
 
 
Singles
Lucario, a beast straight from Gen 4 and easily a top contender for most threatening Pokemon at the time. Gen 5 introduced a plethora of new Fighting types, which pushed Lucario out of the spotlight, yet still retained OU status. Two of Lucario's biggest faults that hold it back are its frailty and 90 base speed, the latter being rather slow for a sweeper. Gen 6 introduced a Mega Evolution to Lucario that greatly rectified its speed issue. It also blessed Lucario with much higher offensive stats that, when backed by Adaptability, allowed Mega Lucario to steamroll past teams once it acquired a Swords Dance or Nasty Plot boost. Mega Lucario's nail in the coffin for OU, however, was that only 4 Pokemon were capable of countering both its Physical and Special sets, and none of them could do so reliably. Thus, Mega Lucario was banned to ubers.
 

Ubers Overview
Ubers Viability (Normal): F
Ubers Viability (Mega): B

It should stand to reason in the general overview, as well as by its viability rankings, that Normal Lucario is heavily outclassed by its Mega Evolution. Mega Lucario is a destructive force capable of sweeping through unprepared ubers teams. However, Lucario's general frailty carries over into its Mega Evolution, which becomes even more pronounced in the ubers enviroment. A special attacking set is not viable in ubers due to the relative low base power of Mega Lucario's special attacks compared to those of his physical movepool. Furthermore, it has trouble getting past Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas, due to the fact that Mega Lucario must rely on the inaccurate Iron Tail, and both of these ubers threats can easily survive an Adaptability-boosted Bullet Punch.
 
Ubers Singles Moveset: Physical Attacker

Ability: Justified (Adaptability) / Item: @Lucarionite
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Sp.Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Close Combat / Iron Tail / Bullet Punch / Stone Edge, Swords Dance, or Ice Punch
 
Tips:
Adaptability-boosted Close Combat is the primary source of Mega Lucario's offensive prowess, which can easily OHKO or 2HKO any ubers threat that does not resist it, while still doing a respectable amount of damage to those that do. Although inaccurate, Iron Tail is mandatory for muscling past bulky Fairy types such as Arceus-Fairy and Xerneas, while also punishing the Ghost types that are immune to Close Combat. Bullet Punch is chosen over Extremespeed for its better coverage as a priority move, allowing Mega Lucario to revenge kill threats such as weakened Geomancy Xerneas and Mega Gengar. The 4th slot is purely for coverage. Stone Edge allows Mega Lucario to OHKO Ho-oh, who otherwise walls this set. Ice Punch does the same to Landorus-Therian and Gliscor, as well as hitting both Giratina formes. If extra coverage isn't needed, Mega Lucario can run Swords Dance to further boost its Attack and hit even harder, but Mega Lucario will find very few set up opportunities due to its frailty. The above EV spread and nature capitalizes on Mega Lucario's glass cannon nature, all while being able to outspeed as many threats as possible with Jolly. Justified is the preferred ability prior to Mega Evolving, as it allows Lucario to gain a +1 attack boost by switching in to Dark type moves, making Lucario even more threatening after it Mega Evolves. This Mega Lucario set can function either as a wallbreaker to soften up teams for a sweep, or as a late game sweeper once another wallbreaker has softened the team up for Mega Lucario. It should be noted that Arceus-Fairy only takes 90% minimum from Iron Tail. Normal Arceus is OHKOed by Close Combat, but can outspeed and OHKO Mega Lucario with Extremespeed only if it has two Swords Dance boosts under its belt. Mega Lucario can put massive pressure on an opponent's Defog user, punishing them for massive damage if they attempt to remove entry hazards. Due to Mega Lucario's frailty, it is not uncommon for most neutral hits to KO it, so caution should be taken. Send Mega Lucario in on predicted switches or through slow users of Volt Switch and U-turn. Avoid burns and paralysis at all costs; without its massive speed and attack power, Mega Lucario is a sitting duck. Recommended Teammates:
Sticky Web users (Shuckle) Stealth Rock users (Shuckle, Landorus-Therian) Bulky Fairy types (Sylveon, Xerneas) Yveltal (Immune to Ground, counters Lugia & Giratina, lure Rock type attacks for Lucario to switch in against) Landorus-Therian (Immune to Ground, resists Fighting, reduces opponent's physical attacks with Intimidate, can set up Stealth Rock) Arceus-Grass (checks Groudon, checks Kyogre) Origin Giratina (immune to Ground and Fighting, resists Fire, provides additional offensive pressure) Shadow Tag users, to trap & kill support Pokemon such as most Arceus (Gothitelle, Wobbuffet) Users of Volt Switch and U-turn (Landorus-Therian, Zekrom, Scizor) Ubers Checks & Counters to Lucario
Support movesets for Arceus, namely those that carry Will-o-Wisp and are not weak to Fighting or Steel (Arceus-Ghost) Altered Giratina & Origin Giratina (Immune to Close Combat, burns with Will-o-Wisp, can phaze Lucario out with Roar or Dragon Tail) Lugia (2HKOs with Psychic or Aeroblast, walls Lucario and recovers off all damage) Bulky Ground types (Groudon, Landorus-Therian) Revenge Killers (Kyogre, Zekrom, Palkia, Blaziken, Mega Mewtwo X) Aegislash (Immune to Fighting, resists Steel, can 2HKO back if running Shadow Ball) Ho-oh (Resists Fighting and Steel, OHKOs with Sacred Fire)  
OU Overview
OU Viability (Normal): B
OU Viability (Mega): Banned
 
Without access to its Mega Evolution, Lucario stands as a shadow of its former self from its glory days in Gen 4. Held back by its frailty and 90 base speed, Lucario isn't the first choice for a sweeper in the OU metagame. However, Lucario does do rather well in OU. With access to two priority moves in Bullet Punch and Extremespeed to make up for its middling speed stat, as well as KO most frail offensive Pokemon such as Thundurus-Incarnate. Life Orb boosted Close Combat hits for almost as hard as its Mega Evolution. Like in ubers, a special attacking set is not recommended due to the general low base power of its special attacks. Aside from Lucario's speed and frailty issues, Lucario's diverse movepool actually works against it: no matter what moves it runs, it will always find itself unable to deal with certain threats.
 
OU Singles Moveset: Physical Sweeper

Ability: Justified / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Close Combat / Swords Dance / Extreme Speed / Bullet Punch, Iron Tail, Crunch, or Ice Punch
 
Tips:
Life Orb-boosted Close Combat is the primary source of Lucario's offensive prowess, which can easily OHKO or 2HKO any threat that does not resist it, while still doing a respectable amount of damage to those that do. Swords Dance boosts Lucario's attacking for to respectable levels, allowing it to perform a sweep. Extremespeed is unique among priority attacking moves as it has +2 priority rather than +1, allowing Lucario to outspeed even faster priority users such as Gale Wings Talonflame and Thundurus-Incarnate, OHKOing both of them after prior damage and a Swords Dance boost. Lucario has a few options for the last slot. Bullet Punch allows Lucario to run a "Double Priority" set, allowing Lucario to outspeed and KO threats that Extremespeed cannot touch such as Gengar and Terrakion. Iron Tail, while inaccurate, allows Lucario to beat slower defensive Pokemon and potential counters, such as Clefable, Mega Venusaur, Mega Heracross, Sylveon, Mew, and Azumarill. Crunch is used to beat psychic types that have been on the rise, most notably Mew and Slowbro, who otherwise wall Lucario. Ice Punch, on the other hand, allows Lucario to KO various flying types, especially Gliscor and the Landorus forms, but can also put a dent in Pokemon that attempt to switch in such as Zapdos and Garchomp. The given EV spread capitalizes on Lucario's glass cannon role. Adamant nature is chosen not only for the extra power, but also because Jolly does not allow Lucario to outspeed any relevant Pokemon that it could not already outspeed with Adamant. Justified is the preferred ability, allowing Lucario to obtain a free +1 attack boost from switching in against resisted Dark type moves. This is especially useful if the opponent is running Knock Off, as it allows Lucario to punish the opponent for removing its Life Orb, while still maintaining a high damage output. As a sweeper, Lucario should be saved until late game when its checks and counters have been removed. This is especially necessary has Lucario often struggles to find a free turn to use Swords Dance. Alternatively, Lucario can also be used as a wallbreaker earlier in the match. Recommended Teammates:
Fairy type checks and counters (Bisharp, Mega Scizor, Heatran, Excadrill) Stealth Rock users (Garchomp, Terrakion, Clefable, etc) Latios (Memento variants, to allow Lucario an easier time to setup) Mega Charizard Y and Black Kyurem (Wallbreakers, can collectively KO Mega Venusaur, Hippowdon, Skarmory, Mew, and Gyarados) OU Checks & Counters to Lucario
Mega Venusaur (Walls Lucario, can 2HKO with Earthquake or Hidden Power Fire) Bulky Ground types, if not running Ice Punch (Hippowdon, Landorus-Therian, Gliscor) Bulky Fairy types, if not running Iron Tail (Clefable, Azumarill) Bulky Psychic types, if not running Crunch (Slowbro, Mew) Gengar and Terrakion, if not running Bullet Punch (Former immune to Close Combat and Extremespeed, burns with Will-o-Wisp. Latter resists Extremespeed. Both outspeed and OHKO with Fighting type coverage.) Skarmory (KOs with Brave Bird or Counter, but is 2HKOed by +2 Close Combat) Gyarados (Resists Fighting and Steel prior to Mega Evolving, cripples Lucario's attack with Intimidate) Mega Heracross (OHKOs Lucario with Close Combat, can survive boosted hits from Lucario)  
 
UU Overview
UU Viability (Normal): S
UU Viability (Mega): Banned
 
The UU environment is where Lucario is able to fully relive its glory days from Gen 4. Special attacking Lucario suddenly becomes a viable option in this environment due to lack of competition from higher tier threats. Both sets have viable priority moves, with great offensive movepool and stats to use them with.
 
 
UU Singles Moveset: Physical Sweeper

Ability: Justified / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Sp.Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Close Combat / Swords Dance / Extreme Speed or Bullet Punch / Ice Punch, Bullet Punch, or Earthquake
 
Tips:
Life Orb-boosted Close Combat is the primary source of Lucario's offensive prowess, which can easily OHKO or 2HKO any threat that does not resist it, while still doing a respectable amount of damage to those that do. Sword Dance boosts Lucario's attacking for to respectable levels, allowing it to perform a sweep. For the third slot, Extremespeed is unique among priority attacking moves as it has +2 priority rather than +1, allowing Lucario to outspeed even faster priority users. Bullet Punch, however, is an option for fast Pokemon that resist Extremespeed, such as Mega Aerodactyl. For the fourth slot, Ice Punch allows Lucario to hit Gligar, Nidoking, and Nidoqueen for super effective damage. If running Extremespeed in the 3rd slot, Bullet Punch can be used here to give Lucario double priority moves, hitting fast Pokemon that resist Extremespeed without sacrificing the power Extremespeed offers against those that resist Bullet Punch. Earthquake, however, can be used to hit Pokemon such as Doublade, Chandelure, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, and Jirachi. The above EV spread with a Life Orb capitalizes on Lucario's glass cannon nature. Adamant is chosen as Jolly does not allow Lucario to outspeed anything significant that it couldn't otherwise, and its speed issue is mitigated through the use of its priority moves. Due to Lucario's frailty, it should be saved until late in the match or on predicted switches. Alternatively, Lucario can be switched in on resisted Dark type moves, as they will activate the attack boost from Justified. Lucario should only attempt to set up Swords Dance on a predicted switch. For example, Lucario can come in on a Choice Scarf Hydreigon locked into Dark Pulse or Draco Meteor, with the former activating Justified, and proceed to set up Swords Dance as the opponent is left with no choice but to switch. Recommended Teammates:
Volt Switch and U-turn users (Mega Ampharos, Flygon, Crobat, Forretress) Entry hazard users, especially Stealth Rock users (Forretress, Nidoqueen, Donphan) Pokemon that can check or counter Mega Aerodactyl (Swampert) UU Singles Moveset: Special Attacker

Ability: Steadfast / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Timid or Modest w/ EVs: 252 Sp.Attack / 4 Sp.Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Nasty Plot / Aura Sphere / Flash Cannon / Vaccuum Wave or Dark Pulse
 
Tips:
Nasty Plot is the crux of this set, amplifying Lucario's damage output from its special attacks. While weaker than Close Combat on the physical side, Aura Sphere is a very consistent STAB move. Flash Cannon is a secondary STAB move used to hit Fairy types such as Florges and Aromatisse. For the fourth slot, Vaccuum Wave is a STAB priority move and Lucario's only option for priority on the special side, though it provides redundant coverage. Dark Pulse, however, offers greater coverage and pairs very nicely with Aura Sphere as they together provide decent neutral coverage. The given EV spread with a Life Orb capitalizes on Lucario's offensive power while giving it as much speed as possible. Timid is preferred for the extra speed, especially if not running Vaccuum Wave, though Modest can be used for the extra power. Steadfast is the preferred ability here as special Lucario does not benefit from Justified. Steadfast will rectify Lucario's middling speed if the opponent attempts to flinch it, making it much more dangerous. Unlike the Physical Sweeper set, this set performs better against defensive teams, allowing it to serve as more of a wallbreaker than a sweeper. Lucario should only attempt to set up Nasty Plot on a predicted switch. For example, Lucario can come in on a Choice Scarf Hydreigon locked into Dark Pulse or Draco Meteor and proceed to set up Nasty Plot as the opponent is left with no choice but to switch. Because of its frailty, Lucario should be brought in through indirect switching, such as through slow users of U-turn or Volt Switch. If needed, this Lucario can also be brought in after an opponent's KO to either force the opponent out while setting up, or act as a revenge killer with Vaccuum Wave. Recommended Teammates:
Volt Switch and U-turn users (Mega Ampharos, Flygon, Crobat, Forretress) Entry hazard users, especially Stealth Rock users (Forretress, Nidoqueen, Donphan) Checks and Counters to Crobat (Empoleon, Mega Ampharos) Wallbreakers, specifically physical wallbreakers to tear down Specially Defensive Pokemon like Blissey. UU Checks & Counters to Lucario
Chandelure (Outspeeds with Choice Scarf, Immune to Fighting STAB and Extremespeed, resists Steel STAB, OHKOs with Fire Blast) PHYSICAL: Fast Pokemon that resist Normal, if not running Bullet Punch (Mega Aerodactyl) PHYSICAL: Bulky Ground types, if not running Ice Punch (Gligar, Hippowdon) PHYSICAL: Doublade, if not running Earthquake (Immune to Fighting STAB, resists Steel STAB) SPECIAL: Specially defensive Pokemon (Blissey)  
 
 
Doubles
Unlike in Singles, where Mega Lucario is able to rampage OU to the point where it had to be banned to Ubers, Mega Lucario's frailty is even more pronounced in Doubles.

DOU Overview
DOU Viability (Normal): B
DOU Viability (Mega): B
 
As mentioned, Mega Lucario struggles in a metagame that capitalizes on bulky offensive Pokemon. For starters, it is mostly outclassed by Mega Kangaskhan, but has several niches that set it apart, namely its speed, typing, and priority moves. Its frailty is more pronounced than ever before where it now finds itself double targetted by opponents, and often finds itself immediately KOed after scoring its own KO. Furthermore, it is held back by its 90 base speed prior to Mega Evolving. As such, Mega Lucario often finds itself drawing short straws when options such as Terrakion, Hitmontop, and Scrafty exist in the Doubles metagame. However, Adaptability boosted Close Combat still remains a strong attack with its base 145 Attack stat. Furthermore, Lucario has the stats and movepool to run either physical, special, or mixed.
 
 
OU Doubles Moveset: Mega Mixed Attacker

Ability: Inner Focus (Adaptability) / Item: @Lucarionite
Nature: Naive w/ EVs: 4 HP / 172 Attack / 80 Sp.Attack / 248 Speed
Moves: Close Combat / Flash Cannon / Substitute / Detect or Protect
 
Tips:
One of the main problems with special Mega Lucario is the lack of a hard hitting attack like Close Combat. Physical Lucario, on the other hand, becomes completely worthless against burn and Intimidate, especially when facing Landorus-Therian. This set attempts to mitigate these flaws by giving Lucario the best of both worlds, 2HKOing Landorus with Flash Cannon while still being able to OHKO Heatran and Mega Kangaskhan with Close Combat, which it can never do with Aura Sphere on a full special set. Substitute protects Lucario against stray burns and Paralysis, and also prevents Icy Wind from lowering its speed for as long as it stays up. It also gives Lucario a buffer against Landorus-Therian, a very common and threatening Pokemon in Doubles. Detect and Protect are crucial in Doubles, and even moreso on Lucario. For starters, it allows Lucario to Mega Evolve safely, as it will still have only base 90 speed on the turn that it Mega Evolves. It also lets Lucario neutralize attacks aimed at it so that its partner can deal with the opponent for Lucario. The given EV spread and nature maximizes Lucario's speed, while giving it as much power to both of its offense stats. For instance, the above EV spread allows Lucario to 2HKO both Latios and Landorus-Therian with Flash Cannon, while still OHKOing Heatran and Mega Kangaskhan with Close Combat. The 8 EVs in HP allows Lucario to set up Substitute 4 times while having only 3 HP left over. 248 speed EVs with a Naive nature allow Lucario to still outspeed Timid Thundurus-Incarnate and Tornadus-Incarnate. Inner Focus is the preferred ability, as it renders Lucario immune to the flinching caused by Fake Out, a common move in Doubles. For this reason, it may be wise to hold off Mega Evolving Lucario if you suspect the opponent may target it with Fake Out or Rock Slide. This Lucario set appreciates having threatening offensive Pokemon as partners in order to force switches, allowing Lucario to set up a Substitute. Alternatively, Rage Power or Follow Me can be used to redirect attacks, but will leave Lucario vulnerable to spread moves such as Earthquake.  
Recommended Teammates:
Offensive Pokemon (Life Orb Hydreigon, Eruption Heatran) Users of Follow Me or Rage Powder (Amoongus, Togekiss) Thundurus-Therian (Immune to Earthquake, resists Fighting, Choice Scarf sets outspeed and OHKO Landorus-Therian with Hidden Power Ice, counters Talonflame, provides momentum with Volt Switch) Speed Control users, such as Tailwind, Icy Wind, or Thunder Wave (Togekiss, Gyarados)  
OU Doubles Moveset: Physical Attacker
/
Ability: Inner Focus (Adaptability) / Item: @Lucarionite or Life Orb
Nature: Jolly or Adamant w/ EVs: 4 HP / 252 Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Close Combat / Extremespeed or Bullet Punch / Crunch or Rock Slide / Detect or Protect
 
Tips:
Adaptability-boosted Close Combat is the primary source of Mega Lucario's offensive prowess, which can easily OHKO or 2HKO any threat that does not resist it, while still doing a respectable amount of damage to those that do. Most notably, it can OHKO Mega Kangaskhan, a very significant threat in DOU. For the 2nd slot, Extremespeed allows Lucario to outspeed faster threats and priority users, most notably Mach Punch users. Bullet Punch, however, can be used for Fairy types other than Mega Mawile. For the 3rd slot, Crunch can be used to deal with Psychic and Ghost types, which it has problems with otherwise. Rock Slide, on the other hand, is a decent spread move that has a roughly 51% chance of flinching at least one opponent, as well as nailing threats such as Talonflame and Mega Charizard Y. Detect and Protect are crucial in Doubles, and even moreso on Lucario. For starters, it allows Lucario to Mega Evolve safely, as it will still have only base 90 speed on the turn that it Mega Evolves. It also lets Lucario neutralize attacks aimed at it so that its partner can deal with the opponent for Lucario. The given EV spread and nature maximizes Lucario's attack, while making it as fast as possible. Adamant can be used over Jolly if the extra power is needed, especially if your team has methods of speed control such as Tailwind, Icy Wind, or Thunder Wave, but will miss out on outspeeding certain opponents. Inner Focus is the preferred ability, as it renders Lucario immune to the flinching caused by Fake Out, a common move in Doubles. For this reason, it may be wise to hold off Mega Evolving Lucario if you suspect the opponent may target it with Fake Out or Rock Slide. Lucarionite is the main item, making Lucario's Close Combat as strong as possible while giving Lucario a significant 22 point increase to its base Speed. Life Orb can be used instead if utilizing a different Mega, as it will cause Lucario's non-stab attacks to outdamage those of its Mega Evolution, but Close Combat, Bullet Punch, and Iront Tail will suffer from a noticeable drop in power. Furthermore, running Life Orb means Lucario will be stuck at base 90 speed for the match. Lucario should be attempting to pick off slower and/or weakened Pokemon. Bulkier Pokemon that Lucario cannot deal with by itself should be dealt with by Lucario's teammate. Avoid users of Will-o-Wisp, Thunder Wave, and Intimidate at all costs. Without its attack and speed, Lucario is a sitting duck.  
OU Doubles Moveset: Special Attacker
/
Ability: Inner Focus (Adaptability) / Item: @Lucarionite or Life Orb
Nature: Timid or Modest w/ EVs: 4 HP / 252 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Aura Sphere / Vacuum Wave / Dark Pulse, Hidden Power Ice, or Flash Cannon / Detect or Protect
 
Tips:
Aura Sphere is a consistent STAB moves that hits hard with Adaptability. Vacuum Wave is special Lucario's only form of priority. For the 3rd slot, Dark Pulse offers nice neutral coverage with Aura Sphere. Hidden Power Ice can also be used as it allows Lucario to smack threats such as Landorus-Therian and Salamence hard. Flash Cannon is there to take care of Fairy types, such as Gardevoir and Sylveon. Detect and Protect are crucial in Doubles, and even moreso on Lucario. For starters, it allows Lucario to Mega Evolve safely, as it will still have only base 90 speed on the turn that it Mega Evolves. It also lets Lucario neutralize attacks aimed at it so that its partner can deal with the opponent for Lucario. The given EV spread and nature maximizes Lucario's sp.attack, while making it as fast as possible. Modest can be used over Timid if the extra power is needed, especially if your team has methods of speed control such as Tailwind, Icy Wind, or Thunder Wave, but will miss out on outspeeding certain opponents. Inner Focus is the preferred ability, as it renders Lucario immune to the flinching caused by Fake Out, a common move in Doubles. For this reason, it may be wise to hold off Mega Evolving Lucario if you suspect the opponent may target it with Fake Out or Rock Slide. Lucarionite is the main item, making Lucario's STAB moves as strong as possible while giving Lucario a significant 22 point increase to its base Speed. Life Orb can be used instead if utilizing a different Mega, as it will cause Lucario's non-stab attacks to outdamage those of its Mega Evolution, but its STAB moves will suffer from a noticeable drop in power. Furthermore, running Life Orb means Lucario will be stuck at base 90 speed for the match. Unlike the physical attacker set, this Lucario does not need to worry about users of Intimidate and Will-o-Wisp. It still does not enjoy Paralysis, however.  
Doubles Checks & Counters to Lucario
Speed Control (Icy Wind, Thunder Wave, Tailwind) Landorus-Therian (Scarf sets outspeed and OHKO with earthquake, drops Lucario's attack with Intimidate) Fast Fire types (Talonflame, Choice Scarf Heatran, Mega Charizard Y) Quick Guard users (Terrakion, Hitmontop) Physical only: Burn Physical only: Users of Intimidate (Hitmontop, Landorus-Therian, Salamence, Gyarados, Scrafty)  
 
External Links
Smogon Analysis (Ubers) Smogon Analysis (OU) Smogon Analysis (UU) Smogon Analysis (DOU, outdated) Smogon Analysis (DOU, Mixed set)

Since I actually sort of enjoy writing up these little tutorials/guides/tidbits/whatever, I bring you something a little different to act as filler until the next PotW:
 
Entry Hazards
 
First introduced in Generation 2, entry hazards have become a defining part of competitive Pokemon battling in Single battles. Entry hazards, when set up, put passive pressure on the opponent, from passive damage to inflicting Poison or Toxic Poison, to even reducing a fast grounded Pokemon's speed by 1 stage upon switching in, and are a staple of many teams, both offensively and defensively. For offensive Pokemon such as sweepers, damage from entry hazards can easily turn a 3HKO into a 2HKO, and in some cases can secure an OHKO that the Pokemon would never have been able to accomplish otherwise. Defensive teams, who rely on stalling, try to force as many switches against the opponent as possible, slowly whittling them down with passive damage from Spikes and Stealth Rock.
 
Stealth Rock
 
The easiest to set up entry hazard, and also the most prominent entry hazard used in competitive battling, Stealth Rock, when set up, inflicts damage on all Pokemon switching in that do no have the Magic Guard ability, the damage of which is a set percentage of the Pokemon's HP (rounded down) depending on that Pokemon's weakness or resistance to Rock-type moves in the following manner:
x0.25 = 3.125% x0.5 = 6.25% x1.0 = 12.5% x2.0 = 25% x4.0 = 50% From what you can see, Pokemon that have a double weakness to Rock type moves such as Moltres or Mega Pinsir will lose HALF of their health simply by switching in, greatly impacting their effectiveness. Furthermore, Stealth Rock has a wide distribution due to its status as both a TM in Gen 4 and a Move Tutor in Gen 5. Lastly, Stealth Rock is also the only entry hazard that can damage Flying types and Levitate users.
 
Common users of Stealth Rock
Offensive:
Defensive:
 
 
Spikes
 
The the second most common form of entry hazards, though see more use in lower tiers than in OU. Spikes will only hit grounded targets for a set percentage of the opponent's HP, regardless of type effectiveness. Though Spikes begins at 12.5% damage, Spikes can be set up in multiple layers to increase this damage in the following manner:
1 Layer: 12.5% 2 Layers: 18.75% 3 Layers: 25% The obvious flaw with Spikes is the fact that it requires 3 turns of setup in order to deal its maximum damage. As such, Spikes are more commonly seen on defensive teams, who can afford the extra turns. Offensive teams, however, will usually employ 1 layer of spikes in conjunction with Stealth Rock to apply greater offensive pressure on the opponent by forcing them to bring in their hazard remover while simultaneously having to deal with fast, high damaging attacks that could very likely KO their Pokemon before they have a chance to remove them.
 
Common users of Spikes
Offensive:
Defensive:
 
 
Toxic Spikes
 
Most commonly found on lower tier stall teams, Toxic Spikes functions differently than Stealth Rock and Spikes in that rather than directly inflicting damage, it instead inflicts Poison or Toxic Poison depending on how many layers are set up:
1 Layer: Normal Poison (12.5% HP damage every turn) 2 Layers: Toxic Poison (6.25% HP on the first turn, increases by an additional 6.25% every turn after) Due to the passive nature of Poison damage, stall teams appreciate this type of entry hazard. While natural instinct may say to set up both layers, a single layer of Toxic Spikes is actually more effective against offensive teams, who tend to switch out frequently, as they accumulate more damage from Normal Poison over the course of two turns than from Toxic Poison. 2 Layers should be used against opposing stall teams, who tend to keep their Pokemon in for far longer than 2 turns, thus allowing them to accumulate more damage from Toxic Poison and limiting the number of turns they can stay in for. However, do take note that like Spikes, Toxic Spikes will not affect Flying types or Levitate users, and due to the nature of the Poison status, Steel and Poison types will be immune to it, with the latter even able to remove Toxic Spikes from their side of the field simply by switching in.
 
Common users of Toxic Spikes
Offensive:
Defensive:
 
 
Sticky Web
 
The newest entry hazard introduced in Gen 6, Sticky Web is unique in that it causes no damage or status. Instead, Sticky Web will reduce the speed stat of all incoming opponents by 1 stage, as long as they are not Flying types or have the abilities Clear Body or Levitate. While not common in the higher tiers, Sticky Web does see use on certain offensive teams, especially slower and bulkier ones, that appreciate being able to strike first against opponents that they would otherwise be outsped by. It should be noted, however, that the speed drop will trigger abilities such as Defiant, causing the opponent to gain a +2 boost to their offense stat and making them much more threatening.
 
Common users of Sticky Web
Offensive:
Defensive:
 
 
Methods of Dealing with Entry Hazards
 
While entry hazards can be annoying, especially for Pokemon that lose half their health from Stealth Rock, they can be removed or prevented in various ways.
 
Method #1: Rapid Spin
 
First introduced in Gen 2 along with Spikes, Rapid Spin is the oldest utility move and one of the most reliable ones when it comes to removing entry hazards from your side of the field. Rapid Spin does not have a wide distribution, however, as only 13 fully evolved Pokemon currently have access to it. Many newer players may be put off by Rapid Spin's weak and meager 40 base power, but Rapid Spin should only be used as a utility move for removing entry hazards, never as an actual attack. Furthermore, Rapid Spin's 40 base power actually works in Rapid Spin's favor, as this means that its use cannot be prevented through the use of Taunt. However, Rapid Spin is not foolproof. Due to being a Normal-type damaging attack, it will fail to remove entry hazards if used against a Ghost-type Pokemon, a strategy that has long since been known as "spinblocking". Offensive teams that rely on their own entry hazards such as Stealth Rock prefer having Rapid Spin as their form of entry hazard control, as it does not have the side effect of removing their own entry hazards unlike Defog.
 
Common users of Rapid Spin (Offensive):
 

Ability: Sand Rush / Item: @Life Orb or Air Balloon
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Earthquake / Rock Slide / Iron Head / Rapid Spin
 

Ability: Analytic / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 4 Defense / 252 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Hydro Pump / Ice Beam / Psyshock or Thunderbolt / Rapid Spin
 
 
 
Common users of Rapid Spin (Defensive):
 

Ability: Natural Cure / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 248 HP / 20 Defense / 16 Sp.Defense / 224 Speed
Moves: Scald / Reflect Type / Recover / Rapid Spin
 
 
Method #2: Defog
 
First introduced in Gen 4 as an HM move in Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, Defog went mostly unnoticed as while it was able to lower an opponent's evasion by one stage in addition to removing an opponent's Reflect or Light Screen, it also removed your own entry hazards that were set up on your opponent's side of the field without removing the ones that were set up on your side of the field, being counterproductive to not only teams relying entry hazards, but also to teams weak to them. Pokemon X&Y, however, has given Defog a significant buff in that it now removes entry hazards from both sides of the field. Due to its wide access as a Gen 4 HM and ability to remove entry hazards even in the face of Ghost types, many teams employ Defog as their primary form of entry hazard removal. Unlike Rapid Spin, however, its use can be stopped through the use of Taunt. Furthermore, the evasion lowering effect will also trigger the ability Defiant, leading to many OU teams to carry Bisharp as an answer to common Defog users, making them think twice about using Defog lest they be staring into the face of a +2 Bisharp.
 
Common users of Defog (Offensive):
 

Ability: Levitate / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 252 Sp.Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Draco Meteor / Psyshock / Defog / Hidden Power Fire or Thunderbolt
 

Ability: Levitate / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 252 Sp.Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Draco Meteor / Defog / Psyshock, Hidden Power Fire, or Thunderbolt / Roost or Healing Wish
 
 
Common users of Defog (Defensive):
 

Ability: Sturdy / Item: @Shed Shell
Nature: Bold or Impish w/ EVs: 252 HP / 252 Defense / 4 Sp.Defense
Moves: Defog / Roost / Counter or Brave Bird / Whirlwind or Taunt
 

Ability: Light Metal (Technician) / Item: @Scizorite
Nature: Impish w/ EVs: 252 HP / 4 Attack / 252 Defense
Moves: Defog / Roost / Bullet Punch / U-turn, Superpower, or Knock Off
 

Ability: Pressure / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Calm w/ EVs: 252 HP / 136 Sp.Defense / 120 Speed
Moves: Defog / Softboiled / Will-o-Wisp / Taunt, Stealth Rock, or Knock Off
 
 
Method #3: Taunt
 
Unlike Rapid Spin or Defog, which removes entry hazards after they have been set up, Taunt controls an opponent's entry hazards by preventing their use in the first place. Taunt also has many various applications outside of entry hazard control, as it prevents the opponent's use of any non-damaging move, which includes boosting moves such as Swords Dance, recovery moves such as Softboiled, and can even work to ensure your own entry hazards stay up by preventing the opponent from using Defog. Many lead Pokemon carry Taunt specifically for this purpose. Do note that Mamoswine, a common user of Stealth Rock, often carries the ability Oblivious, which now grants it an immunity to Taunt as of X&Y.
 
Common users of Taunt (Offensive):
 

Ability: Justified / Item: @Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Close Combat / Stone Edge / Stealth Rock / Taunt
 

Ability: Pressure (Tough Claws) / Item: @Aerodactylite
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 244 Attack / 44 Defense / 220 Speed
Moves: Taunt / Aerial Ace / Aqua Tail / Roost
 

Ability: Trace (Pixilate) / Item: @Gardevoirite
Nature: Modest or Timid w/ EVs: 24 Defense / 232 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Hyper Voice / Psyshock / Focus Blast or Hidden Power Ground / Taunt
 
 
Common users of Taunt (Defensive):
 

Ability: Sturdy / Item: @Shed Shell
Nature: Bold or Impish w/ EVs: 252 HP / 252 Defense / 4 Sp.Defense
Moves: Defog / Roost / Counter or Brave Bird / Taunt
 

Ability: Pressure / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Careful or Calm w/ EVs: 252 HP / 136 Sp.Defense / 120 Speed
Moves: Taunt / Softboiled / Will-o-Wisp / Knock Off or Night Shade
 

Ability: Poison Heal / Item: @Toxic Orb
Nature: Careful w/ EVs: 244 HP / 192 Sp.Defense / 72 Speed
Moves: Taunt / Roost / Earthquake / Toxic or Knock Off
 

Ability: Poison Heal / Item: @Toxic Orb
Nature: Impish w/ EVs: 252 HP / 56 Defense / 200 Speed
Moves: Taunt / Roost / Earthquake / Acrobatics
 
 
Method #4: Magic Coat and Magic Bounce
 
Rare in OU, but mostly seen in Ubers and the lower tiers. Currently, only 3 fully evolved Pokemon has access to Magic Bounce as an ability. Although its distribution is limited and its users are mostly only seen in the lower tiers, Magic Coat and Magic Bounce are unique in that any entry hazard the opponent uses while the user is on the field will bounce back onto their side of the field, not only preventing them from setting up on your side of the field, but now sets up hazards on their side of the field. Do note that both Magic Coat and Magic Bounce will require some prediction in order to be effective, moreso than any of the other methods listed.
 
Common users of Magic Coat:
 

Ability: Pressure / Item: @Focus Sash
Nature: Jolly or Timid w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Magic Coat / Taunt / Spikes / Stealth Rock
 

Ability: Pressure / Item: @Red Card or Mental Herb
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Magic Coat / Taunt / Spikes / Stealth Rock
 
 
Common users of Magic Bounce:
 

Ability: Pressure (Magic Bounce) / Item: @Absolite
Nature: Hasty or Naive w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Knock Off / Sucker Punch / Fire Blast or Ice Beam / Superpower
 

Ability: Magic Bounce / Item: @Light Clay
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Speed
Moves: Reflect / Light Screen / Baton Pass / Yawn or Psychic

Today is thursday, so it's time to finish up the PotW with this week's OU PotW: Landorus-Incarnate and Landorus-Therian



Landorus-Incarnate & Landorus-Therian




Current Tiers:
Singles (Incarnate): OU
Singles (Therian): OU
Doubles (Incarnate): DUU
Doubles (Therian): DOU

Tier Metagame Viability (Singles):
Ubers (Incarnate): F
Ubers (Therian): A+
OU (Incarnate): A+
OU (Therian): A+

Tier Metagame Viability (Doubles):
DOU (Incarnate): B-
DOU (Therian): S


Singles

Ubers Overview
Ubers Viability (Incarnate): F
Ubers Viability (Therian): A+

While Landorus-Incarnate fails to make much of a splash in the Ubers environment, Landorus-Therian excels here, as it sports a nice 145 base physical attack. By virtue of its Ground/Flying typing, it is immune to the numerous Ground and Electric type attacks that clutter the tier, and is the only Ground type other than Gliscor immune to Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Sticky Web. Its movepool consists of various offensive and defensive options, so that it can run a variety of sets. However, it is slow and rather frail on the special side, and lacks a form of reliable recovery, limiting what it can do.

Ubers Singles Moveset: Physically Defensive

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Impish w/ EVs: 252 HP / 4 Attack / 252 Defense
Moves: Stealth Rock / Earthquake / Stone Edge / Toxic or U-turn

Tips:
Stealth Rock is a crucial support move in any tier, and Landorus-Therian is an excellent user of it due to its physical bulk. Earthquake hits hard for a STAB move on Landorus-Therian, even without investment. Stone Edge, when coupled with Earthquake, gives Landorus-Therian near unresisted coverage, which is resisted only by Breloom and Chesnaught, neither of which are viable enough to be used in the Ubers environment. Toxic allows Landorus-Therian to pressure common switch-ins such as Hippowdon, Groudon, Lugia, opposing Landorus-Therian, and many Arceus formes aside from Normal, Poison, and Steel. U-turn, however, can be used in the last slot instead to give your team offensive momentum, allowing you to switch to an appropriate counter or check to your opponent's Pokemon, as Landorus-Therian forces a lot of switches. This Landorus-Therian is best brought in on physical attackers and walls, and proceed to set up Stealth Rock, attack, or switch out with U-turn. Recommended Teammates:
Special walls or tanks (Blissey, Arceus-Grass) Clerics, preferably a Fairy-type Cleric (Sylveon, Xerneas) Kyogre (Specially Defensive variants only) Arceus-Water (resists Water and Ice, can lure in Electric attacks for Landorus-Therian to switch in against) Palkia (Beats physical walls, counters Kyogre)  
Ubers Singles Moveset: Offensive

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Earth Plate
Nature: Adamant or Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 4 Defense / 252 Speed
Moves: Stealth Rock / Earthquake / Stone Edge / Toxic or U-turn

Tips:
This set runs the same moves as the defensive set, but functions differently. Earthquake hits hard with fully invested Attack and Earth Plate Toxic cripples Pokemon that it cannot break through and provides pressure on the opponent. U-turn, as always, provides offensive momentum. Earth Plate is used to avoid the recoil offered by Life Orb. Adamant nature allows Landorus-Therian to hit even harder, while Jolly guarantees that it will outspeed Pokemon with base 90 speed, such as Ho-oh, Kyogre, Dialga, and Zekrom. Do not be afraid to scout the opponent's team with U-turn, as it puts pressure on Pokemon such as Mega Scizor. Switch out if facing a Pokemon that Landorus-Therian cannot outspeed and OHKO, and avoid burns as much as possible. This set should only be used on more offensive teams. Recommended Teammates:
Pokemon that can beat physical walls and support Arceus formes, such as Shadow Tag users (Mega Gengar, Gothitelle) Checks or Counters to both Giratina formes (Palkia, Xerneas) Status absorbers (Xerneas, Ho-oh, Sleep Talk users) Specially Defensive Pokemon (Blissey, Sylveon, Aegislash, Bronzong, Arceus-Grass)  
Ubers Singles Moveset: Sweeper

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 140 HP / 252 Attack / 116 Speed
Moves: Rock Polish / Earthquake / Stone Edge / Swords Dance, Explosion, or Hidden Power Ice

Tips:
Rock Polish is the crux of this set, boosting Landorus-Therian's speed and allowing it to obtain a sweep. Stone Edge, when coupled with Earthquake, gives Landorus-Therian near unresisted coverage, which is resisted only by Breloom and Chesnaught, neither of which are viable enough to be used in the Ubers environment. Swords Dance can be used in the last slot and gives it more power against defensive teams, though it may be difficult to obtain both boosts, while Explosion allows Landorus-Therian to deal up to 90% to Arceus formes with max HP as well as preventing Defog and Rapid Spin from removing hazards for that turn. Hidden power Ice should only be used if you need coverage against Gliscor and opposing Landorus. Adamant with max attack investment allows Landorus to hit as hard as possible, while 116 Speed EVs will allow Landorus to outspeed all relevant Choice Scarf users after a Rock Polish boost. The rest of the EVs are dumped into HP. It should be noted that Landorus-Therian is outclassed by Groudon as a sweeper, which should be used over Landorus-Therian for this moveset unless you need a Ground immunity on your team or if your team does not appreciate having Drought. If using Swords Dance, you should only use Swords Dance against bulky offense and stall teams, while Rock Polish should take priority if facing Offensive teams. Very rarely will you ever be able to use both Rock Polish and Swords Dance during a match. This variant of Landorus should be saved until late in the match. Avoid setting up if your opponent has a Giratina, Gliscor, or Landorus-Therian, until those threats can be eliminated. Instead, set up on a predicted switch. Recommended Teammates:
Special attackers (Palkia, Mewtwo, Mega Mewtwo Y, White Kyurem) Mega Gengar (traps and removes support variants of Arceus) Light Screen and/or Reflect users (Klefki, Deoxys-Speed) Stealth Rock users (Deoxys-Speed, Deoxys-Attack)  
Ubers Singles Moveset: Choice Band

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Choice Band
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 200 HP / 252 Attack / 52 Defense
Moves: U-Turn / Earthquake / Stone Edge / Superpower or Explosion

Tips:
Stone Edge, when coupled with Earthquake, gives Landorus-Therian near unresisted coverage, which is resisted only by Breloom and Chesnaught, neither of which are viable enough to be used in the Ubers environment. U-turn provides offensive momentum while also allowing you to scout your opponent's team. Superpower allows Landorus-Therian to KO Ferrothorn and score an OHKO on Normal Arceus after Stealth Rock damage. Explosion is another option for the 4th move that hits hard with a Choice Band, which can OHKO Normal Arceus without Stealth Rock 62% of the time as well as Gliscor. The given EV spread ensures that Landorus will never be OHKOed by Normal Arceus's Extremespeed after a Swords Dance boost, while maximizing its attack. It will leave Landorus severely weakened, however, so you should not use this Landorus moveset as your sole Normal Arceus check because of this. Recommended Teammates:
Special attackers (White Kyurem, Yveltal) Darkrai (KOs physical walls, provides support with Taunt and Dark Void) Stealth Rock users (Deoxys-Speed, Deoxys-Attack) Clerics (Sylveon, Xerneas, Blissey) Bulky Water types (Arceus-Water, Kyogre) Ubers Checks & Counters to Landorus
Support movesets for Arceus, namely Arceus-Grass and Arceus-Water (Can Recover off damage, use Defog to remove Stealth Rock, or use Will-o-Wisp to burn Landorus) Altered Giratina & Origin Giratina (Can burn with Will-o-Wisp, Origin forme immune to Earthquake, Origin forme can OHKO with Draco Meteor, Altered forme can wall with Rest) Gliscor (Walls all of Landorus's attacks except Hidden Power Ice variants) Landorus-Therian (Takes little damage from all attacks except Hidden Power Ice. Is crippled by Toxic) Hippowdon (Walls all of Landorus's attacks, but crippled by Toxic) Bronzong (Resists or Immune to all of Landorus's attacks including Toxic) Skarmory (Immune to Toxic and Earthquake, walls Stone Edge, sets up Stealth Rocks and/or Whirlwinds Landorus away) Mega Scizor (Immune to Toxic, can cripple Landorus with its own Toxic, avoids a 2HKO from all variants not carrying Swords Dance) Status moves, especially Will-o-Wisp and Toxic Faster Special Attackers (Palkia, Mewtwo, Mega Mewtwo Y, Kyogre, Xerneas)  
 
OU Overview
OU Viability (Incarnate): A+
OU Viability (Therian): A+
 
In OU, both of Landorus's formes are equally viable, however, their roles differ substantially.
 
Incarnate forme is known for being a powerful wallbreaker. Though its base stats may suggest a preference for physical attacks, it is actually in the special attacks department where Landorus-Incarnate thrives. Most of Landorus's special attacks, such as Earth Power, Sludge Wave, and Psychic, have secondary effects that allow them to receive a 30% base damage boost from Sheer Force. Furthermore, Sheer Force will also negate the recoil damage caused by Life Orb if Landorus-Incarnate uses these attacks, as well as another 30% damage boost from Life Orb, essentially giving Landorus-Incarnate the equivalent of a x1.69 Sp.Atk boost with the freedom to choose attacks, a huge boon over Choice Specs. In addition to its wallbreaking capability, it can also perform the role of a sweeper with either Calm Mind or Rock Polish, the former bolstering its hitting power and the latter allowing it to perform better against faster and frailer offensive teams.
 
Landorus's Therian forme, on the other hand, is one of the better revenge killers in OU with a Choice Scarf, able to outspeed and OHKO many setup sweepers and offensive Pokemon including Mega Charizard X, Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, Mega Pinsir, Mega Manectric, Excadrill, and Greninja. Therian forme is not restricted to revenge killing, however, as it is a very versatile Pokemon that can act as both an offensive and defense pivot thanks to its ability Intimidate, or as a physical setup sweeper with Swords Dance and Rock Polish.
 
OU Singles Moveset: Therian Revenge Killer

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Choice Scarf
Nature: Jolly w/ EVs: 252 Attack / 24 Defense / 232 Speed
Moves: Earthquake / Stone Edge / U-turn / Superpower, Knock Off, or Explosion

Tips:
Stone Edge, when coupled with Earthquake, gives Landorus-Therian near unresisted coverage, which is resisted only by Breloom and Chesnaught. U-turn is important for the early game to scout the opponent's team and keep up offensive momentum. It also hits Latios for super effective damage while also outspeeding it. Superpower allows Landorus-Therian to OHKO many threats including Mega Gyarados, Tyranitar, Mega Tyranitar, Air Balloon Heatran, and Air Balloon Excadrill. Knock Off can also be used in the last slot to hit Gengar, Latios, Latias, and opposing Landorus formes while simultaneously removing their items. Another option is Explosion, which can deal massive damage to Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Azumarill, and Rotom-Wash. 252 Attack maximizes Landorus-Therian's damage output. 232 Speed with a Jolly nature and a Choice Scarf allows Landorus-Therian to outspeed Adamant Mega Charizard X after a single Dragon Dance, one of the fastest threats Landorus-Therian needs to worry about outspeeding. The remaining EVs are put into Defense as Landorus-Therian can still switch into physical attacks effectively thanks to Intimidate. In the early game, Landorus-Therian should be used to scout the opponent's team as it causes a lot of switches for your opponent. Landorus-Therian can be easily taken advantage of when Choice locked into Earthquake, so use it with caution. Predicting your opponent's actions such as switching will be necessary to take full advantage of its coverage moves, especially Stone Edge and Superpower. As is the case with all revenge killers, Landorus-Therian should be brought in after your opponent scores a KO. Recommended Teammates:
U-turn and Volt Switch users (Mega Manectric, Rotom-Wash, Mega Scizor, Raikou) Mega Manectric (forms a Volt-Turn core, forms a Double Intimidate core) Clefable (Absorbs status, checks Latios and Greninja, lures in Poison, Fire, and Steel types for Landorus-Therian) Latios or Latias (checks Rotom-Wash, checks Keldeo, removes Stealth Rock with Defog)  
OU Singles Moveset: Incarnate Wallbreaker

Ability: Sheer Force / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Timid or Naive w/ EVs: 4 Defense / 252 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Earth Power / Psychic / Focus Blast / Sludge Wave, Knock Off, or Stealth Rock

Tips:
STAB Earth Power with Life Orb and Sheer Force boosts hits ridiculously hard, even against opponents who are hit for neutral damage. Psychic is meant for Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur and Amoongus, as well as Rotom-Wash if not running Sludge Wave. Focus Blast OHKOs Tyranitar and Mega Tyranitar, and is also Landorus-Incarnate's best attacking option against Skarmory and Chansey. For the last slot, Sludge Wave hits the many Fairy types that could otherwise take on this set, such as Sylveon, Clefable, Azumarill, and Mega Gardevoir. Knock Off can cripple item dependent Pokemon such as Chansey and Doublade, who lose their effectiveness once Eviolite is removed. Stealth Rock is another option, as Landorus-Incarnate will usually force switches, so it will have plenty of opportunities to set up Stealth Rock if your team does not have a setter. Only use a Naive nature if running Knock Off, otherwise Timid should always be used. Because of Knock Off, Landorus-Incarnate can be used both in early and late game, especially if paired with another special attacker such as Thundurus-Incarnate or Mega Charizard Y, as these two appreciate having an itemless Chansey on your opponent's team. Landorus-Incarnate's first priority should be as a wallbreaker, crippling or destroying defensive Pokemon for another Pokemon to begin a sweep later in the match. If not running Knock Off, you should abuse double switches, especially if your opponent runs a Chansey or one of the Lati twins. Recommended Teammates:
Other special attackers (Mega Charizard Y, Mega Gardevoir, Thundurus-Incarnate, Keldeo) Pursuit trappers for Latios, Latias, and Chansey (Bisharp, Tyranitar) Azumarill (checks Keldeo, Greninja, and Garchomp)  
 
OU Singles Moveset: Therian Defensive

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Impish w/ EVs: 252 HP / 248 Defense / 8 Speed
Moves: Earthquake / Stealth Rock / U-turn / Stone Edge, Rock Slide, or Knock Off

Tips:
Stealth Rock is a crucial support move in any tier, and Landorus-Therian is an excellent user of it due to its physical bulk. Earthquake hits hard for a STAB move on Landorus-Therian, even without investment. U-turn gives your team offensive momentum, allowing you to switch to an appropriate counter or check to your opponent's Pokemon, as Landorus-Therian forces a lot of switches. For the last slot, Stone Edge, when coupled with Earthquake, gives Landorus-Therian near unresisted coverage, which is resisted only by Breloom and Chesnaught. Rock Slide can be used for a more accurate alternative, but will be unable to OHKO Mega Pinsir. Knock Off can also be used to cripple item dependent Pokemon, as well as hit Gengar, Latios, Latias, and other Landorus formes. 8 Speed EVs allow Landorus-Therian to outspeed Modest Magnezone, while the rest of its EVs are put into HP and Defense which, when coupled with an Impish nature, gives Landorus-Therian the best possible physical bulk. Landorus-Therian should capitalize on its high physical bulk and switch in to non-super effective physical attacks, but needs to be wary of mixed attackers and status moves. Stealth Rock should be used on predicted switches, as Landorus-Therian forces a lot of them. Learn to take advantage of "Slow Turning"; Landorus-Therian should use U-turn to take advantage of its uninvested speed to safely bring in a teammate, as Landorus-Therian will be taking the hit before the teammate is switched in, a crucial advantage over directly switching to them.  
Recommended Teammates:
Slow Volt Switch and/or U-turn users (Rotom-Wash, Magnezone, Mega Scizor) Rotom-Wash (resists Water and Ice, forms a "Volt-Turn" core) Clefable (Absorbs status, acts as a cleric with Aromatherapy/Heal Bell and Wish, checks Latios and Greninja, lures in Poison, Fire, and Steel types for Landorus-Therian)  
OU Singles Moveset: Incarnate Rock Polish Sweeper

Ability: Sheer Force / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Rash or Modest w/ EVs: 48 Attack / 252 Sp.Attack / 208 Speed
Moves: Rock Polish / Earth Power / Psychic / Knock Off or Focus Blast

Tips:
Rock Polish is the crux of this set, allowing Landorus-Incarnate to outspeed fast offensive threats and making it much harder to revenge kill. STAB Earth Power with Life Orb and Sheer Force boosts hits ridiculously hard, even against opponents who are hit for neutral damage. Psychic blasts away Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Amoongus, Breloom, Thundurus-Incarnate, and other Landorus formes. For the last slot, Knock Off OHKOs Latios after Stealth Rock damage, while Latias will require prior damage before Knock Off can OHKO. It also cripples Chansey and Assault Vest users who could otherwise sponge Landorus-Incarnate's attacks much easier. Focus Blast can be used over Knock Off if KOing Tyranitar, Air Balloon Heatran, and Skarmory is necessary. Rash should only be used if running Knock Off, otherwise Focus Blast variants should use Modest instead. Both natures maximize Landorus-Incarnate's Sp.Attack, as Rock Polish will boost its speed. 208 Speed EVs is enough to outspeed relevant threats that need to be outsped. As a sweeper, it should be saved until late game when the opponent's team has been weakened. In the early game, Landorus-Incarnate can also be used for its usual wallbreaking role, taking people off guard when it uses Rock Polish as they expect the Wallbreaker set. Rock Polish should be used against a forced switch, such as against Choice Specs Keldeo that is locked into Secret Sword, or against a Latios with -2 Sp.Attack due to Draco Meteor. It is imperative that priority users be eliminated before Landorus-Incarnate attempts a sweep, as those are the only things that will be able to outspeed and end its sweep. Recommended Teammates:
Thundurus-Incarnate (Mixed sets beat Gyarados, Gliscor, Latios, Latias, Chansey, Dragonite, and Azumarill) Talonflame (Outspeeds and KOs priority users) Breloom (checks Azumarill, Mamoswine, and Bisharp, lures and weakens Latios and Latias) Pursuit users (Bisharp or Tyranitar) (traps and KOs Latios, Latias, and Chansey) Offensive Stealth Rock users (Terrakion, Garchomp)  
OU Singles Moveset: Therian "Double Dance" Sweeper

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Leftovers
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 56 HP / 220 Attack / 232 Speed
Moves: Earthquake / Stone Edge / Rock Polish / Swords Dance

Tips:
Stone Edge, when coupled with Earthquake, gives Landorus-Therian near unresisted coverage, which is resisted only by Breloom and Chesnaught.. Swords Dance boosts Landorus-Therian's damage output to massive levels, while Rock Polish boosts its speed to insane levels, forming what is known as "Double Dance". 232 Speed EVs allow Landorus-Therian to outspeed Sand Rush Excadrill, the fastest Pokemon Landorus-Therian needs to worry about, while the 56 HP EVs allow Landorus-Therian to avoid a 2HKO from said Excadrill's Iron Head. The rest of the EVs are dumped into Attack. It is important to note that Landorus-Therian will get very few opportunities to use both Swords Dance AND Rock Polish during a single match, so do not expect to get both boosts. Instead, you should prioritize using only one of the two boosting moves depending on the team you are currently facing; Swords Dance should only be used when facing slower defensive teams, while Rock Polish should be used only when facing faster and frailer offensive teams. Avoid setting up Swords Dance or Rock Polish until Landorus-Therian's checks and counters have been either weakened or eliminated, as you do not want to be OHKOed or burned before attempting a sweep. Recommended Teammates:
Stealth Rock users (Ferrothorn, Heatran, Terrakion) Wallbreakers (Mega Heracross, Mega Gardevoir, Mega Medicham, Mega Charizard Y, Keldeo) Keldeo (Wallbreaker, can weaken Latios and Latias into KO range, KOs bulky ground types) Mega Charizard X (checks Rotom-Wash, lures in Rhyperior and Tyranitar, can wear down Landorus-Therian's checks & counters, can serve as a secondary sweeper when Landorus-Therian is KOed.) U-turn and Volt Switch users (Mega Manectric, Rotom-Wash, Mega Scizor, Raikou)  
OU Singles Moveset: Incarnate Calm Mind Sweeper

Ability: Sheer Force / Item: @Life Orb
Nature: Timid w/ EVs: 4 HP / 252 Sp.Attack / 252 Speed
Moves: Calm Mind / Earth Power / Psychic / Sludge Wave or Focus Blast

Tips:
Calm Mind is the crux of this set, further boosting its Sp.Attack while also boosting its Sp.Defense, allowing it to survive moves that it normally could not such as Hidden Power Ice. STAB Earth Power with Life Orb and Sheer Force boosts hits ridiculously hard, even against opponents who are hit for neutral damage. Psychic blasts away Pokemon such as Mega Venusaur, Amoongus, Breloom, Thundurus-Incarnate, and other Landorus formes. For the last slot, Focus Blast OHKOs Tyranitar and Mega Tyranitar, and is also Landorus-Incarnate's best attacking option against Skarmory and Chansey. Sludge Wave can be used to hit the many Fairy types that could otherwise take on this set, such as Sylveon, Clefable, Azumarill, and Mega Gardevoir. Timid is the preferred nature, as Landorus-Incarnate wants as much speed as it can possibly get in order to attempt a sweep. This moveset works well against defensive stall and balanced teams, but may struggle against faster paced offensive teams. As a cleaner, it should be saved until late game when the opponent's team has been weakened. As such, it should be paired with a wallbreaker. Latios and Latias are big threats to Landorus-Incarnate, and should be KOed before attempting a sweep. Recommended Teammates:
Pursuit users (Bisharp or Tyranitar) (traps and KOs Latios, Latias, and Chansey) Other special attacking wallbreakers (Mega Charizard Y, Mega Gardevoir, Thundurus-Incarnate, Keldeo)  
 
OU Checks and Counters to Landorus-Incarnate
Latios and Latias (Survives every attack except Knock Off, can retaliate with Draco Meteor and Psyshock) Specially Defensive Pokemon (Chansey, Dragonite, Specially Defensive Gliscor) Assault Vest users (Tornadus-Therian, Azumarill, Black Kyurem) Fast Pokemon & Priority users (Greninja, Keldeo, Thundurus-Incarnate, Tornadus-Therian, Mega Manectric, Raikou, Swift Swim Kabutops, Swift Swim Kingdra, Azumarill, Mamoswine, Weavile, Talonflame)  
OU Checks and Counters to Landorus-Therian
Chesnaught (Resists Stone Edge + Earthquake combination, can wear down with Spiky Shield or set up Leech Seed or Spikes) Physical walls (Skarmory, Gliscor, Hippowdon, Mega Venusaur, Landorus-Therian) Bulky Water types (Rotom-Wash, Slowbro, Alomomola, Suicune, Gyarados) Ice types, especially those with Ice Shard (Mamoswine, Greninja, Black Kyurem, Weavile) Burn Passive damage (Stealth Rock, Iron Barbs, Rough Skin, Rocky Helmet, etc)  
 
Doubles
 
DOU Overview
DOU (Incarnate): B-
DOU (Therian): S
 
While both of Landorus's formes are viable in DOU, it is Landorus's Therian forme that truly shines. Having access to Intimidate, 145 base Attack, great offensive and defensive typing, great coverage and utility moves, and access to the spread moves Earthquake and Rock Slide, it is not hard to see why Landorus-Therian is an S-rank threat.
 
 
 
OU Doubles Moveset: Therian Choice Scarf

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Choice Scarf
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 44 HP / 252 Attack / 212 Speed
Moves: Earthquake / Stone Edge or Rock Slide / U-turn / Superpower, Explosion, or Knock Off

Tips:
If you are familiar with Singles OU, you may notice that this moveset looks very similar to the Revenge Killer set. Earthquake is a powerful STAB spread move, hitting both opponents hard, with its only drawback being that it also hurts Landorus-Therian's partner. For the second slot, Stone Edge has nice neutral coverage with Earthquake, and is great for dealing damage to a single target. Rock Slide can be used in this slot instead as not only is it a spread move that does not hurt Landorus-Therian's partner, but also has a nice flinch rate. Do note however that running Rock Slide leaves Landorus-Therian more susceptible to Wide Guard. U-turn, in conjunction with Intimidate and Choice Scarf, allows Landorus-Therian to quickly get an attack drop on both opponents and safely get out of the battle. For the last slot, Superpower allows Landorus-Therian to land big damage to threats such as Mega Kangaskhan and Ferrothorn. Explosion can be used instead to sacrifice Landorus-Therian for big damage to both opponents while also maintaining momentum. Knock Off, however, can be used to remove an opponent's item as well as hit Ghost types. 212 Speed EVs with a Choice Scarf allows Landorus-Therian to outspeed Sky Shaymin, Timid Manectric, and Gengar, the most relevant Pokemon in terms of speed. Adamant nature is used for more power, as Jolly does not let Landorus-Therian outspeed any other significant Pokemon that it would not otherwise. When using Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian, you should mostly focus on using hit-and-run tactics with U-turn; coming in, Intimidating the opponents and getting out with U-turn, then sending Landorus-Therian back in for multiple attack drops with Intimidate. Because of this, it is best to use Landorus-Therian as a lead Pokemon unless the opponent has a Defiant user such as Bisharp. Do not be afraid to use U-turn if you predict your opponent to switch in their own Intimidate user, as this will negate Landorus-Therian's attack drop, which Landorus-Therian hates. By nature of Choice Scarf, this moveset also acts as a revenge killer, just like in Singles. If running Rock Slide, it may be worthwhile to spam it whenever possible, as Rock Slide has a 51% chance to flinch at least one opponent in Doubles. If running Explosion, avoid using it until late game.  
Recommended Teammates:
Flying types and Levitate users (Sky Shaymin, Rotom-Wash, Rotom-Heat, Mega Pinsir, Salamence, Hydreigon, Gengar) Ghost types (Gengar, Aegislash) Wide Guard users (Hitmontop, Aegislash) Users of Feint, to disrupt opponent's Wide Guard (Mega Pinsir, Hitmontop) Bulky Water types (Azumarill, Suicune, Rotom-Wash) Suicune (Bulky Water type, provides support with Snarl, Icy Wind, and Tailwind) Types that are resisted by Steel type, such Fairy, Steel, Grass, and Dragon types (Mega Gardevoir, Sylveon, Mega Mawile, Amoongus, Salamence, Hydreigon, Black Kyurem)  
OU Doubles Moveset: Therian Physical Attacker

Ability: Intimidate / Item: @Leftovers or Yache Berry
Nature: Adamant w/ EVs: 184 HP / 236 Attack / 88 Speed
Moves: Earthquake / Stone Edge or Rock Slide / U-turn or Knock Off / Protect

Tips:
If you are familiar with Singles OU, you may notice that this moveset looks very similar to the Revenge Killer set. Earthquake is a powerful STAB spread move, hitting both opponents hard, with its only drawback being that it also hurts Landorus-Therian's partner. For the second slot, Stone Edge has nice neutral coverage with Earthquake, and is great for dealing damage to a single target. Rock Slide can be used in this slot instead as not only is it a spread move that does not hurt Landorus-Therian's partner, but also has a nice flinch rate. Do note however that running Rock Slide leaves Landorus-Therian more susceptible to Wide Guard. For the third slot, U-turn allows Landorus-Therian to escape in the event of a bad matchup against the opponent, while Knock Off is a good coverage move that also removes an opponent's item Protect is almost mandatory on any Pokemon in doubles, as it allows you to scout an opponent's move and survive for a turn if you predict your opponent to double target Landorus-Therian. Leftovers should be used for greater longevity, while Yache Berry allows Landorus-Therian to survive a hit from Ice type moves, most notably Hidden Power Ice, which is a common coverage move on many Electric type Pokemon. The given EV spread allows Landorus-Therian to outspeed Bisharp while simultaneously surviving a Sucker Punch and OHKOing back, even if you accidentally trigger Defiant with Intimidate. It can also survives a Heat Wave from Mega Charizard Y, Fake Out and Double Edge from a -1 Mega Kangaskhan, Hidden Power Ice from Timid Thundurus, and even the combination of Ice Punch and Mach Punch from a -1 Conkeldurr. Due to Intimidate, this Landorus serves as a nice check to physical attackers. Use U-turn to try to preserve Landorus-Therian for as much as possible, especially if your opponent has an Intimidate user of their own or a Pokemon with Water or Ice type moves. Recommended Teammates:
Flying types and Levitate users (Sky Shaymin, Rotom-Wash, Rotom-Heat, Mega Pinsir, Salamence, Hydreigon, Gengar, Cresselia, Togekiss) Cresselia (Immune to Earthquake, access to Helping Hand, Icy Wind, and Trick Room) Jirachi (Access to Follow Me) Bulky Water types (Azumarill, Suicune, Rotom-Wash) Suicune (Bulky Water type, provides support with Snarl, Icy Wind, and Tailwind) Types that are resisted by Steel type, such Fairy, Steel, Grass, and Dragon types (Mega Gardevoir, Sylveon, Mega Mawile, Amoongus, Salamence, Hydreigon, Black Kyurem)  
 
DOU Checks and Counters to Landorus-Therian
Pokemon with Water or Ice type coverage moves (Cresselia, Azumarill, Rotom-Wash, Politoed, Ludicolo, Kingdra, Deoxys-Attack, Genesect, Black Kyurem, Mamoswine, Weavile) Sky Shaymin (outspeeds non-Scarfed Landorus and KOs) Speed Control moves (Trick Room, Icy Wind, Tailwind) Users of utilty moves such as Wide Guard and Fake Out (Hitmontop, Aegislash, Meinshao, Mega Kangaskhan) Intimidate and Burn users (Hitmontop, Landorus-Therian, Salamence, Scrafty, Rotom-Wash, Gourgeist)  
 
External Links
Smogon Analysis (Therian Ubers)
Smogon Analysis (Therian OU)
Smogon Analysis (Incarnate OU, part 1)
Smogon Analysis (Incarnate OU, part 2)
Smogon Analysis (Therian DOU)

Thanks to the folks at Smogon dissecting the ORAS demo, we now know the base stats for four of the new Mega Evos:


Sceptile -> Mega Sceptile
HP: 70 -> 70
Atk: 85 -> 110 (+25)
Def: 65 -> 75 (+10)
SpAtk: 105 ->145 (+40)
SpDef: 85 -> 85 (+0)
Speed: 120 -> 145 (+25)


Swampert -> Mega Swampert
HP: 100 -> 100
Atk: 110 -> 150 (+40)
Def: 90 -> 110 (+20)
SpAtk: 85 ->95 (+10)
SpDef: 90 -> 110 (+20)
Speed: 60 -> 70 (+10)


Glalie -> Mega Glalie
HP: 80 -> 80
Atk: 80 -> 120 (+40)
Def: 80 -> 80 (+0)
SpAtk: 80 -> 120 (+40)
SpDef: 80 -> 80 (+0)
Speed: 80 -> 100 (+20)


Steelix -> Mega Steelix
HP: 75 -> 75
Atk: 85 -> 125 (+40)
Def: 200 -> 230 (+30)
SpAtk: 55 -> 55 (+0)
SpDef: 65 -> 95 (+30)
Speed: 30 -> 30 (+0)


Mega Sceptile and Mega Swampert's base stats look sexy as fuck. Mega Swampert confirmed as new Rain sweeper.

Mega Steelix strikes me as meh. Base 95 SpDef is nice, but it just seems like an inferior Mega Aggron that needs sand support to be effective, just like Mega Garchomp, and we all know how that Mega turned out.

Mega Glalie is just mediocre, though...

EDIT: At least Mega Glalie can do this:
 
252+ Atk Refrigerate Mega Glalie Explosion vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 276-325 (82.6 - 97.3%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock