Interview with Oglemi

Interview and flavor by EonX. Art by Andrew and ium.

At long last, the time has come to find the building I am most excited to enter. After exiting from the main Smogon GS building, I know exactly where to go. I take a right to see a building with a giant Druddigon statue at the top with the words "RU Open HQ" engraved into the building. I head inside, greet all of my friends who are competing, and head over to the host's office on the left. There's tons of pictures on the wall, possibly of every Pokemon in existence! Inside, I find the legendary Oglemi. We shake hands and sit down to discuss a few things.

The RU Open is obviously one of the biggest opportunities RU has to shine. The tier has been conducting a Suspect Test of both Zoroark and Yanmega for the past couple of weeks and it should be completed just before the first round starts. How could the results affect the metagame as we draw closer to the start of the RU Open?

Well, Zoroark and Yanmega are some of the most threatening offensive Pokemon in the tier, and all the next best Pokemon are largely bulky and/or defensive, so I think it's safe to say we'll see a rise in bulky offense and stall in the tier. Cresselia will also jump in viability with two of the hardest hitters gone, as she beats Sharpedo one-on-one, checks Hitmonlee, and is an amazing support mon in general. Reuniclus will also see a similar rise due to not having to be afraid of mispredicting a Sucker Punch, etc. Oh and Doublade will easily become one of the best, if not the best, mon in the tier.

So, it seems bulky Psychic-types stand to gain the most from the possible bans of Zoroark and Yanmega. Are there any offensive Psychic-types that might gain from this as well?

Meloetta and Delphox of course will get a leg up, though I think they'll also miss having Zoroark and Yanmega as offensive partners; Zoroark especially is a great partner for Delphox if Stealth Rock is gone.

We've talked about Pokemon we might see more of with these possible bans, but what are some Pokemon that could take a hit in terms of their viability?

Oglemi thinks for a moment, possibly theorymoning in his head.

Aromatisse might take a slight hit in viability as it was one of the best checks to both. I actually think Emboar will as well; it was a great offensive check to both, and while it'll still be good I think with the inevitable rise of bulky Psychic-types it'll take a slight hit in viability.

Sounds like competitors in the RU Open will have to predict how the metagame will shift in the early rounds should these bans take place. With that in mind, can you pick out a few players that we should keep a close eye on for having a strong showing, possibly even making Finals and winning?

Oglemi takes a moment to look at his computer, which I'm assuming has a list of all the competitors entered into the Open.

Wepwn and Bloo immediately come to mind as past RU Open top contenders and Bloo has stated that he currently loves the RU tier, so we should see a good showing from him. New Breed, SilentVerse, Spirit, and Hot N Cold play RU constantly and should put up a good showing. Then there's top tournament players like McMeghan and underdog giant-slayer Calloflochie that should do well as well. My call for Finals will be New Breed vs. Bloo.

I smile and nod my head in agreement due to knowing many of the names.

Sounds like it's going to be a pretty stacked field for the RU Open. Are there any players that you feel are flying a bit under the radar heading into the RU Open that could do really well and even knock off some of the top contenders?

atomicllamas isn't known well on the tournament scene but plays RU all the time as well, so he will likely get far in the tournament. Pearl. is also back from the dead and I'm really excited to see if he's shaken the dust off yet to play at a high level.

Oglemi gets an alert on his computer. A late entry perhaps? He makes eye contact with me and motions for me to continue.

It will be interesting to see if the RU specialist and returning veteran will be able to turn some heads in the RU Open. You previously predicted the Finals to pit New Breed vs. Bloo. Who wins that match to be crowned RU Open champion, and why?

Oglemi cringes, but then smiles a bit, almost as if he knew what I was going to ask him.

I think New Breed's constant experience with the tier and access to a lot of training partners will let him pull through in the end.

It should be a fantastic match either way if it happens. We'll see if New Breed finds a way to emerge victorious amongst the fierce competitors he's sure to face during the RU Open. Hopefully the Open will be a big success, and thanks for taking the time to do this.

We shake hands as he asks me to wait a moment before I leave. He reaches down and pulls out a Virizion plush to give to me. I chuckle a bit and thank him before heading out. As I head out, it seems even busier than when I entered the building. I see plenty of familiar faces and try to acknowledge them as I see them on my way outside.