Playstyle Viability Rankings

[Arash]

Let's start some discussion...

Balanced Rock for C Rank

Rock types are known for their high defenses, and the first thing I thought of is a team to take advantage of this:

sample team

Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Superpower

Aggron @ Aggronite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Dragon Tail
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 244 HP / 12 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Toxic
- Recover

Shuckle @ Red Card
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Encore

Diancie @ Air Balloon
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SpA / 2 Spe
- Trick Room
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Aerodactyl @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Fly
- Iron Head

The team's goal is to wear down the opponent via sandstorm, stealth rock, chip damage, toxic, etc. while tanking hits and winning through attrition. Mega-Aggron is the best tank rock has to offer because it ditches its rock typing (LOL) and its gargantuan defense (with some help from Filter) can take any EQ / CC, rest up and fight while sleeping. Fairies in particular hate this thing as heavy slam OHKOs most of them and if you can avoid Togekiss / Gardevoir / Clefable hitting you SE, you could beat fairy teams 1v6 with this thing. Tyranitar / Cradily form your special walls, Shuckle sets the rocks (and serves as a get-out-of-jail free card against a sweeper that has boosted too much), Diancie is your way to beat Skarm / Ferro, and Aerodactyl is the late-game cleaner.

While this team can be effective, it struggles hard with steel / ground (depending on which mons you are facing, you may as well forfeit from the start), faces an uphill battle against water / grass / fighting, and doesn't really have any easy matchups. That said, if your prediction skills are above average and you know what attacks your team can tank, this team can succeed.

C-rank fits it best: Reserved for playstyles that are situational, and depending on the matchup you may have already lost. These playstyles are hard to use, and require a more experienced player. It gets what it needs to be successful, but at the end it’s still gimmicky. These playstyles have a hard time adapting to the metagame. (High risk, medium reward)

 

[Arash]

But wait, there's more!

Offensive Rock for C+ Rank

Besides high defense, rock is also known as an excellent attacking type with plenty of powerful attackers. I have had the most success with rock going on the offensive (explanation to follow):

sample team

Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Superpower

Terrakion @ Focus Sash
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Close Combat
- Taunt

Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 6 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid / Naive Nature
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Earth Power / Diamond Storm

Aerodactyl @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Fly

Omastar @ White Herb
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power

Rhyperior @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Poison Jab
- Avalanche
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch

Although there are some slower mons on here (in fact, Tyranitar and Aerodactyl are the exact same sets as the defensive team posted above), the team plays completely differently. Terrakion is the polar opposite of Shuckle as far as your rocks setter; the offensive presence pressures your opponent from the start (and can be very useful even late game, unlike Shuckle). Diancie as the mega is your hazard control (with Magic Bounce) and has HP fire for Skarm / Ferro (who are still difficult for rock to break through). Rhyperior prevents the team from losing to Scizor, Lando-T and Excadrill by tanking one hit and OHKOing all of them back. Lord Helix needs no explanation.

Aerodactyl is a special set that I found as the best overall for rock teams. While choice scarf seems ridiculous on a mon with base 130 speed, the fact is that almost all scarfers aim to beat this speed benchmark. Rather than lose to every scarfer (as well as stuff like Mega-Lopunny), running a scarf itself allows it to outspeed and OHKO things like Keldeo (who is a nightmare for every rock team), even with an adamant nature. Fly seems like another odd choice, but it is necessary to score the OHKO on Keldeo:

252+ Atk Aerodactyl Fly vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Keldeo: 302-356 (93.4 - 110.2%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

Plus, in monotype having an attack like Fly is more effective than in OU, as often times you will fight teams with no good switch-in to flying moves (just ask Bounce Gyarados) and being choice-locked into Fly isn't as horrible as it would be in OU. Iron Head is for fairies, and EdgeQuake is EdgeQuake.

This team has really surprised me at how effective it can be, but once again ground / steel / water / fighting teams give you trouble, and once again flying / bug / fire teams aren't the easy matchups that they should be. By applying constant pressure and pursuit-trapping powerful special attackers with Tyranitar, this team can eek out a win against its hard matchups sometimes, and can generally win vs neutral matchups if you keep the pressure on. This team is more consistent overall than a defensive rock team (who will never beat Keldeo) and IMO is worthy of C+ rank.

(tagging Anttya for good measure)

 

[Dece1t]

Let's start some discussion...

Defensive Rock for C Rank

Rock types are known for their high defenses, and the first thing I thought of is a defensive team built on slowly wearing the enemy down:

sample team

Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Superpower

Aggron @ Aggronite
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Heavy Slam
- Dragon Tail
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

Cradily @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 244 HP / 12 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Toxic
- Recover

Shuckle @ Red Card
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Encore

Diancie @ Air Balloon
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SpA / 2 Spe
- Trick Room
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]

Aerodactyl @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Fly
- Iron Head

The team's goal is to wear down the opponent via sandstorm, stealth rock, chip damage, toxic, etc. while tanking hits and winning through attrition. Mega-Aggron is the best tank rock has to offer because it ditches its rock typing (LOL) and its gargantuan defense (with some help from Filter) can take any EQ / CC, rest up and fight while sleeping. Fairies in particular hate this thing as heavy slam OHKOs most of them and if you can avoid Togekiss / Gardevoir / Clefable hitting you SE, you could beat fairy teams 1v6 with this thing. Tyranitar / Cradily form your special walls, Shuckle sets the rocks (and serves as a get-out-of-jail free card against a sweeper that has boosted too much), Diancie is your way to beat Skarm / Ferro, and Aerodactyl is the late-game cleaner.

While this team can be effective, it struggles hard with steel / ground (depending on which mons you are facing, you may as well forfeit from the start), faces an uphill battle against water / grass / fighting, and doesn't really have any easy matchups. That said, if your prediction skills are above average and you know what attacks your team can tank, this team can succeed.

C-rank fits it best: Reserved for playstyles that are situational, and depending on the matchup you may have already lost. These playstyles are hard to use, and require a more experienced player. It gets what it needs to be successful, but at the end it’s still gimmicky. These playstyles have a hard time adapting to the metagame. (High risk, medium reward)

That isn't defensive rock, that's more balanced if anything. I'd edit that so the team suits the name or vice versa.

But wait, there's more!

Offensive Rock for C+ Rank

Besides high defense, rock is also known as an excellent attacking type with plenty of powerful attackers. I have had the most success with rock going on the offensive (explanation to follow):

sample team

Tyranitar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Superpower

Terrakion @ Focus Sash
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
- Close Combat
- Taunt

Diancie @ Diancite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 6 SpD / 252 Spe
Serious Nature
- Protect
- Moonblast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Earth Power

Aerodactyl @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Fly

Omastar @ White Herb
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Shell Smash
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power

Rhyperior @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Poison Jab
- Avalanche
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch

Although there are some slower mons on here (in fact, Tyranitar and Aerodactyl are the exact same sets as the defensive team posted above), the team plays completely differently. Terrakion is the polar opposite of Shuckle as far as your rocks setter; the offensive presence pressures your opponent from the start (and can be very useful even late game, unlike Shuckle). Diancie as the mega is your hazard control (with Magic Bounce) and has HP fire for Skarm / Ferro (who are still difficult for rock to break through). Rhyperior prevents the team from losing to Scizor, Lando-T and Excadrill by tanking one hit and OHKOing all of them back. Lord Helix needs no explanation.

Aerodactyl is a special set that I found as the best overall for rock teams. While choice scarf seems ridiculous on a mon with base 130 speed, the fact is that almost all scarfers aim to beat this speed benchmark. Rather than lose to every scarfer (as well as stuff like Mega-Lopunny), running a scarf itself allows it to outspeed and OHKO things like Keldeo (who is a nightmare for every rock team), even with an adamant nature. Fly seems like another odd choice, but it is necessary to score the OHKO on Keldeo:

252+ Atk Aerodactyl Fly vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Keldeo: 302-356 (93.4 - 110.2%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

Plus, in monotype having an attack like Fly is more effective than in OU, as often times you will fight teams with no good switch-in to flying moves (just ask Bounce Gyarados) and being choice-locked into Fly isn't as horrible as it would be in OU. Iron Head is for fairies, and EdgeQuake is EdgeQuake.

This team has really surprised me at how effective it can be, but once again ground / steel / water / fighting teams give you trouble, and once again flying / bug / fire teams aren't the easy matchups that they should be. By applying constant pressure and pursuit-trapping powerful special attackers with Tyranitar, this team can eek out a win against its hard matchups sometimes, and can generally win vs neutral matchups if you keep the pressure on. This team is more consistent overall than a defensive rock team (who will never beat Keldeo) and IMO is worthy of C+ rank.

(tagging Anttya for good measure)

I don't get some of the sets you provided. First of all why choice scarf Aerodactyl? It's already naturally fast. I'd make it choice banded/sash lead instead, especially bc Omastar will benefit from the prevention of hazards getting set up. I don't know why you made terrakion your lead, when you can run much better sets like scarf or band. Otherwise I agree with the reasoning, but I'd personally make offensive rock C+, and balanced rock C.

Edit: Try curse aggron over dragon tail, I tbh don't see much of a need for it, unless you run more hazards. On your Mega diancie as well, slash diamond storm. The mixed combo is what makes it so deadly, and it should be an option on its own. Omastar, I don't see a need for white herb since it already doesn't have great defensive typing, try sash or air balloon instead.

 

[Arash]

That isn't defensive rock, that's more balanced if anything. I'd edit that so the team suits the name or vice versa.

Noted and changed; I was on the fence about that anywho

I don't get some of the sets you provided. First of all why choice scarf Aerodactyl? It's already naturally fast. I'd make it choice banded/sash lead instead, especially bc Omastar will benefit from the prevention of hazards getting set up. I don't know why you made terrakion your lead, when you can run much better sets like scarf or band. Otherwise I agree with the reasoning, but I'd personally make offensive rock C+, and balanced rock C.

Edit: Try curse aggron over dragon tail, I tbh don't see much of a need for it, unless you run more hazards. On your Mega diancie as well, slash diamond storm. The mixed combo is what makes it so deadly, and it should be an option on its own. Omastar, I don't see a need for white herb since it already doesn't have great defensive typing, try sash or air balloon instead.

I already had an explanation for CSdactyl in there; this was originally a CB but I was tired of it getting outsped by scarfers, and the team in general had difficulty with scarf Keldeo as nothing could either take a hit and OHKO back, or outspeed it. With scarf you can run adamant and still outrun scarf 110s. Since Aero is now the scarfer on the team, Terrakion can be the dedicated SR setter especially since it doesn't necessarily have to lead; it can force things out due to offensive presence and take advantage of these free turns to set SR. Taunt also screws with walls and leads to more free turns.

Omastar originally had a sash but there were two problems I kept running into: I would either be revenge killed by priority / scarfers after SS, or be hurt badly by tankish mons if I SS in their face. This is all assuming I was successful preventing hazards in the first place. Omastar's naturally good defense coupled with white herb lets it take either a +2 mega-scizor BP or 2 unboosted BPs, and it will need Shell Smash under its belt to threaten the OHKO back with surf (after rocks).

Aggron was originally the curse set but I found that SD Garchomp and some special attacking boosters (most notably Volcarona) could boost in my face without me doing much back. Dragon Tail serves as a rude awakening for these, and also 1/3 of the time it will prevent the opponent from switching something dangerous in while Aggron is sleeping. Heavy Slam even unboosted will let it win vs Excadrill / Terrakion / etc. and will let it win vs. what it needs to.

Mega Diancie imo serves the team better as a dedicated special attacker, but I went ahead and slashed in Diamond Storm over Earth Power if beating other Mega-Aggrons / Heatrans is covered by the rest of the team.

 

[SirSkit]

Offensive Bug for A Rank

Bug isn't the best defensive type out there, but it excels when it goes with (hyper) offense. This is because it has access to threats like Scizor, Volcarona, Heracross, and Mega Pinsir, which collectively threaten a large part of the metagame. In some matchups, Scizor acts as a really reliable wincon (think Ice, Rock, Fairy), but Mega Pinsir is acts as another great wincon vs. Bug, Fighting, and Poison. Volcarona threatens Electric, Ghost, and Grass, then Heracross just cleans up after everything else.

Here's the team I've been using, but other than the Forretress, Galvantula, and Volcarona sets, I think it could be seen as "standard" bug.

Hide

Forretress @ Custap Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Explosion
- Rapid Spin

Volcarona @ Lum Berry
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 72 HP / 252 SpA / 184 Spe
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Roost

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Superpower
- Knock Off

Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge

Galvantula @ Life Orb
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 0 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunder
- Energy Ball
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch

Pinsir @ Pinsirite
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Frustration
- Earthquake
- Quick Attack
- Swords Dance

Basically you just attempt to stack hazards (which is super easy low ladder) and pave the way for something to sweep late game. Volcarona is running that awkward set since I just wanted something that could sweep Steel after Heatran's Air Balloon is removed, and Galvantula doesn't really need Sticky Web to do well IMO. The team isn't hard to use at all, honestly .3. Having two strong priority users helps you get out of poor situations. It is best to play extremely aggressively with this team, but just not too recklessly. If you want to alter the team at all, Armaldo, defensive Forretress, Giga Drain > HP Ground Volcarona, Sticky Web Galvantula, or possibly Yanmega are good options.

Replays

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-305286080 vs. Dragon
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-305277101 vs. Water (see? AoA Galvantula isn't bad u-u)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-305275657 vs. Bug
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-302715567 vs. Water
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/monotype-293187882 vs. Fire (not the team above, but it is still an offensive Bug team.)

 

[TheAce22]

Balanced Psychic for S rank.

Psychic has everything needed to make it function as one of the top types. It has great walls such as Slowbro for Physical attackers and things like Latias or Mew which can both be pretty nice for taking special hits. It has awesome wall-breakers in Mega Gardevoir and Hoopa Unbound along with reliable hazard removal and hazard set up. It has a great scarfers in Victini and Jirachi. It is a decently diverse type with things such as Mega Gallade, Medicham, Metagross and others all being viable, along with multipe sets for different Pokemon like Hoopa U, Meloetta, Mew, and a few others so it's not just 6 generic, easy to predict mons. Overall Psychic is a very nice type which can be very effective in multiple games making it one of the best current types in the current metagame so I think it should be S rank.

Sample team: http://pastebin.com/wxwy8J33

tagging scpinion to add this to playstyle rankings

 

[Wish9]

Offensive Dragon for A Rank (at worst B+ imo)

If there is any other type that can rival Fighting at Offense, it's definitely Dragon. With hard hitters such as Latios, Kyu-B, Dragonite, Garchomp, and Dragalge, it doesn't take anyone with brains any effort to realize how powerful Dragon is. They even have reliable SR setters in Garchomp and Druddigon. A lot of them have colorful movepools with the coverage for almost every type (including Steel moves for Fairies) and fast anti-hazard support in the Latis, making them very versatile. Their stats are overall very high and well-rounded. Add on Life Orb and Choice Items to these beasts when they DROP A DRACO (guess the reference) or blow everything back with Outrage and you'll find that the only reliable types of teams that reliably can take their attacks without fear are Normal and Fairy. As far as team synergy goes, Kyu-B can cover Ice while Dragalge can cover Fairies. Overall, while Fairies have come to balance Dragons out, they do not completely stop them from maintaining a powerful pressense on the battlefield.

Lord B33: The Legend's Team: http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/monotype-overpowered-dragon-mono-peak-13.3554310/#post-6497399

scpinion get yo ass over here lol