Alakazam
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 55 HP / 50 Atk / 45 Def / 135 SpA / 95 SpD / 120 Spe
Ability: Synchronize / Inner Focus / Magic Guard
Alakazam's glorious mustache isn't the only thing that gives it a good reputation in the OU metagame. Magic Guard makes it immune to all forms of residual damage, which means that the only way to defeat Alakazam is through direct damage. Combine this with its blazing Speed and high Special Attack stat, and it's no surprise why Alakazam is often regarded as one of the most successful failsafes in the metagame. When equipped with a Focus Sash it ensures that Alakazam has to be hit a minimum of two times before going down, allowing it to get at least one hit on its target, or two if it's running Thunder Wave. This makes Alakazam a stop to nearly any sweeper that poses to plow through a team, even if it has to sacrifice itself in doing so.
Azumarill
Type: Water / Fairy
Base Stats: 100 / 50 / 80 / 60 / 80 / 50
Abilities: Thick Fat / Huge Power / Sap Sipper
Looking at Azumarill's base stats, it doesn't look like anything special. However, upon further inspection you see how wonderful Azumarill truly is. Huge Power is a blessing which gives Azumarill an Attack stat that's effectively higher than base 150. Its typing gives it many wonderful resistances as well. This typing allows it to check many potent threats like Mega Charizard X and Keldeo. It can run three viable sets: Assault Vest, Choice Band, and Belly Drum. Assault Vest sets are the best sets in the current metagame and act as a wonderful sponge and glue. Choice Band sets hit hard right off the bat and also enjoy powerful priority STAB Aqua Jets. Belly Drum sets turn Azumarill into an even larger threat, as nothing can switch into it at +6, nothing can switch into it safely anyways! Azumarill can OHKO / 2HKO most of the metagame while also having enough bulk to sponge a couple hits in return.
Bisharp
Type: Dark / Steel
Base Stats: 65 / 125 / 100 / 60 / 70 / 70
Ability: Defiant / Inner Focus / Pressure
With access to Defiant, Swords Dance, and powerful STAB moves such as Sucker Punch, Knock Off, and Pursuit, Bisharp is one of the deadliest sweepers and offensive supporters in the metagame. It has an excellent Attack stat, and its unique typing makes it the only Steel-type that still resists Ghost- and Dark-type moves, while its own Dark-type STAB, Knock Off, is now able to break through other Steel-types. In addition, Knock Off is both powerful and removes a foe's item, threatening offensive and defensive Pokemon alike. Bisharp's ability, Defiant, makes it a perfect switch-in to Defog, doubling its Attack, while also meaning that Sticky Web and Intimidate only benefit it. Its secondary STAB in Iron Head also threatens the new Fairy-types, and it even has Pursuit to trap various Dark-type weak threats, particularly the Lati twins. Bisharp applies constant offensive pressure and is thus one of the most effective attackers in the Overused environment.
Breloom
Type: Grass / Fighting
Base Stats: 60 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 60 SpA / 60 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Effect Spore / Poison Heal / Technician
Check out this fighting mushroom. It has only one stat worth looking at, and that's the high Attack stat, which may be further bolstered by Technician. But this is enough to pull it's weight. With moves like Mach Punch, Bullet Seed, and Rock Tomb to be boosted by Technician, and the 100% accurate Spore, this seemingly one trick pony isn't as easy to handle as you may believe. It can lead with it's Focus Sash set, and put something to sleep to neuter it for the moment. The fact that people expect it to be a one trick pony makes it somewhat easier for you to surprise them. Don't overlook Breloom ever during teambuilding, as underestimation may kill your team.
Conkeldurr
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 105 HP / 140 Atk / 95 Def / 55 SpA / 65 SpD / 45 Spe
Ability: Guts / Sheer Force / Iron Fist
Just look at that Attack stat. It's godly. And the bulk. This is the thing that dethroned Machamp as The Bulky Fighting Type. With great physical bulk, it seems Assault Vest was made for this Pokemon, though Life Orb is a good item as well. Attacks coming off base 140 Attack stat, boosted either by Sheer Force or Iron Fist, Conkeldurr takes a big chunk of HP from anything that doesn't resist its attacks. It can also use guts to laugh in the face of Will-o-Wisp and Toxic users. With a decent move pool that gives it the coverage it needs, Conkeldurr itself picks its own checks and counters. It also has STAB priority in the form of Mach Punch, which gets further boosted by Iron Fist. It can also run Bulk Up, which can increase its longevity and raise its Attack to sky levels. This clown is not to be laughed at.
Crawdaunt
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 63 HP / 120 Atk / 85 Def / 90 SpA / 55 SpD / 55 Spe
Ability: Hyper Cutter / Shell Armor / Adaptability
Blessed with a high Attack stat and a brilliant ability in Adaptability, Crawdaunt has no trouble hitting as hard as possible. With powerful STAB moves in Crabhammer and Knock Off as well as priority in the form of Aqua Jet, Crawdaunt's Choice Band set is an incredibly powerful wallbreaker, and it even has Superpower as strong coverage. This isn't Crawdaunt's only option though; it has access to Swords Dance to make it hit even harder, as well as Crunch for the Mega Pokemon that otherwise don't take as much damage from Knock Off. As it is one of the best hole-punchers in the game, Crawdaunt is a definite threat; an offensive powerhouse that must be prepared for.
Diggersby
Type: Normal / Ground
Base Stats: 85 HP / 56 Atk / 77 Def / 50 SpA / 77 SpD / 78 Spe
Ability: Pickup / Cheek Pouch / Huge Power
The Normal type of the first route this Gen, Diggersby's stats are laughable. But that's the case with every Huge Power/Pure Power Pokemon(except Mega Medicham). Huge Power raises its Attack stat way above the "usable" mark. It's STABs provide it such great coverage that only 2 Pokemon in the entire OU can take them to face-Gengar and Skarmory, and these neither check it or counter it well, so Diggersby runs another move to at least dent them well. Having a STAB priority, coming after the Huge Power boost makes it a threatening revenge killer. It can run Life Orb or Choice Scarf, both having slightly different tasks : the former puts dents in the opposition team, while the latter finishes it off. When building a team, don't forget to think something up for this bunny.
Dragonite
Type: Dragon / Flying
Base Stats: 91 HP / 134 Atk / 95 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Inner Focus / Multiscale
Dragonite sits near the top of the hierarchy of OU Dragons. With stats and typing similar to a handful of others, what sets Dragonite apart is its marvelous ability and a movepool only second to the likes of Mewtwo and Arceus. As a Dragon Dancer, Multiscale lets it get to +1 on pretty much anything, typically in combination with a Lum Berry to avoid status. After that, Dragonite has all the coverage it needs to topple over the OU tier, as well the raw power of Outrage to get past walls and Extremespeed to let it defeat the likes of priority-based revenge killers such as Talonflame and Mamoswine. Besides being a Dragon Dance user that is challenging to stop from setting up, Dragonite also has other tactics. With a Choice Band it can check almost anything and break down many walls, as Multiscale, Outrage, Extremespeed, and its coverage go a long way. Roost can be utilized on offensive sets as well, letting Dragonite set up in the face of even more Pokemon.
Entei
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 115 HP / 115 Atk / 85 Def / 90 SpA / 75 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Pressure / Flash Fire (Unreleased)
After playing second fiddle to Arcanine for a long time, Entei finally leaps into the OU metagame strongly. Gen 6 gave it Sacred Fire to abuse it's great attack stat, and the burn chance is always handy as well. With a decent bulk, it can take a few resisted hits nicely, and combined with it's nice speed, it can be a nice late-game sweeper with either Choice Band or Life Orb. To take care of faster opponents, it has Extremespeed as well. Though it's movepool appears shallow besides these, it has just enough tools to be a threat in this tier. This dog can take away the match from your grasp at the final turn, so be sure to prepare for it.
Excadrill
Type: Ground / Steel
Base Stats: 110 HP / 135 Atk / 60 Def / 50 SpA / 65 SpD / 88 Spe
Ability: Sand Rush / Sand Force / Mold Breaker
Meet Excadrill, a very potent offensive Rapid Spinner. With a great Attack stat and powerful STAB at its disposal, Excadrill's offensive presence can prove rather threatening indeed. This is further augmented by its choice of abilities; Mold Breaker means that levitating Pokemon such as Rotom-W aren't safe to switch in on an Earthquake, and when paired with Tyranitar or Hippowdon, Excadrill can become an insanely fast sweeper thanks to Sand Rush. Excadrill can also take on the role of a speedy revenge killer when equipped with a Choice Scarf; allowing it to outspeed and check a whole new legion of foes. The destructive capabilities of this Pokemon are to be feared, and the support it can provide by clearing hazards for its team is very valuable indeed.
Garchomp
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 130 Atk / 95 Def / 80 SpA / 85 SpD / 102 Spe
Ability: Sand Veil / Rough Skin
The pseudo-legendary of DPP, this dragon's still a big thing despite the introduction of Fairies. With fantastic Attack and Speed stats, and a Dragon/Ground typing that gives almost perfect coverage in STABs alone, Garchomp can be a deadly set-up sweeper with Swords Dance, or revenge kill with its Scarf set. Great abilities in Sand Veil and Rough Skin are icing on the cake : the former makes it very threatening when paired with Tyranitar/Hippowdon, while the latter punishes the many physical attackers out there. With 3 resistances, 1 immunity, and only 3 weaknesses, combined with the fact that it takes only 6.25% of damage from Stealth Rock, it can switch in and out a lot. It's bulk gives it a chance to set-up against neutral and resisted attacks, and it's wide movepool can help in surprising it's checks. All in all, Garchomp may not be the might it once was, this shark still is a threat for whom preparation is mandatory.
Gengar
Type: Ghost / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 65 Atk / 60 Def / 130 SpA / 75 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Gengar's high 110 speed and 130 special attack, combined with an excellent Ghost/Poison typing and Levitate, granting it immunities to Normal, Fighting and Ground attacks, and a vast movepool, have made Gengar the only pokemon to remain in the OU tier across all generations. Gengar's Ghost/Poison STAB combination has excellent neutral coverage, with Focus Blast commonly run alongside its STABs for perfect neutral coverage. Gengar also has a plethora of additional coverage options including Thunderbolt, Hidden Power and Energy Ball, and with a Life Orb, can outspeed and 2HKO almost the entire OU tier. Gengar's support movepool is also excellent, and by using one or more attacks in combination with Taunt, Substitute, Will-O-Wisp, Disable or Pain Split, Gengar is able to terrorise stall teams. More rarely, Gengar can also surprise opponents with Trick, Destiny Bond, Counter, Mean Look and Perish Song. While Gengar's low 60/60/75 bulk and lack of useable priority leave it vulnerable to revenge killing, its versatility and unpredictability make it one of the most dangerous pokemon in OU.
Goodra
Type: Dragon
Base Stats: 90 HP / 100 Atk / 70 Def / 110 SpA / 150 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Sap Sipper / Hydration / Gooey
With a great pure Dragon typing and great stats to abuse it, Goodra is an excellent special tank. While Specs and Scarf sets are outclassed by other Dragon-types, Goodras amazing bulk with an Assault Vest gives it a usable niche over Latios and other offensive Dragons. Goodras movepool is what truly sets it apart however, as its access to all of Draco Meteor, Fire Blast, Sludge Bomb, Earthquake, Thunderbolt, and even Muddy Water leaves it with no truly reliable counters, though many checks, as nearly all of them fear switching into one of its common coverage moves. Goodra also has a very easy time switching into common special attackers due to its resistances to Water, Electric, Fire, and an immunity to Grass due to Sap Sipper. Even though Goodra has significant flaws, it's definitely a threat that needs to be played around carefully.
Greninja
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 72 HP / 95 Atk / 67 Def / 103 SpA / 71 SpD / 122 Spe
Ability: Torrent / Protean
Greninja is a unique attacker capable of putting a dent in opponents or doing some late-game cleaning with terrifying ease. This is thanks to blisteringly high Speed, an incredible ability in Protean, and a movepool full of coverage attacks to put the aforementioned ability to great use. Greninja's vast offensive movepool combined with STAB on every attack allows it to dispatch of a wide array of opponents, and it is one of the fastest unboosted Pokemon in OU. Greninja is also capable of scouting and gaining momentum should it run U-turn in its final moveslot. Overall, Greninja's defining traits all add up to make one threatening foe indeed.
Gyarados
Type: Water / Flying
Base Stats: 95 HP / 125 Atk / 79 Def / 60 SpA / 100 SpD / 81 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Moxie
Gyarados is known to be one of OU's most common and fearsome sweepers. Access to Dragon Dance and an Attack stat of 125 is quite scary, but with the ability to run Moxie, it can turn Gyarados from a setup sweeper into a steamroller. It has access to numerous moves to aid in its setup, such as Taunt and Substitute, which both shield it from status moves and greatly increase the number of Pokemon it can setup upon. In addition, it can also run Intimidate for a much easier time switching in on physical attackers and turning them into bait. It carries a plethora of moves, such as Waterfall, Earthquake, Bounce, and Ice Fang which provide it fantastic coverage, which is walled by very few Pokemon. Gyarados isn't exactly on the frail side either, sporting quite solid 95/79/100 defensive stats, making it even more difficult to take down as well. It can run Leftovers for longevity and to acquire more boosts, Life Orb for a large power boost, and it also carries the ability to create guessing games with opponents, as they'll often think to themselves "Is it a mega?", which can put them in very bad situations. Overall, with amazing stats, a solid movepool to draw from, and two amazing abilities, Gyarados has solidified itself in OU as a top choice, and one that every team should be prepared for.
Hawlucha
Type: Fighting / Flying
Base Stats: 77 HP / 92 Atk / 77 Def / 74 SpA/ 63 SpD / 118 Spe
Ability: Limber / Mold Breaker / Unburden
The eagle took off for the OU meta, and is still flying high. Having a unique typing, Hawlucha is a fantastic Pokemon whose typing, stats and abilities say only one thing: SWEEPER! With a decent Attack stat, and a very high Speed stat, Hawlucha is a very threatening presence. Using Power Herb+Sky Attack to heavy damage, the main aim is to activate Unburden, after which it can outspeed the entire tier. Having decent coverage in it's STABS, it can afford to run Substitue and Swords Dance to boost it's Attack and keep away nasty statuses. Also, Aegislash, which laughed in it's face, is banned now, so Hawlucha is easier to use. It's time you started forming a strategy for when you face this bird.
Heatran
Type: Fire / Steel
Base Stats: 91 HP / 90 Atk / 106 Def / 130 SpA / 106 SpD / 77 Spe
Ability: Flash Fire / Flame Body (unreleased)
With excellent Special Attack and a decent Speed stat, along with a great typing, Heatran is more than capable of playing an offensive role. Thanks to its stats, Heatran can either be a revenge klller with a Choice Scarf, wallbreaker with Choice Specs, or just an offensive pivot with an Air Balloon, allowing it to take on Earthquake Charizard X as well as Excadrill. Flash Fire is also a great ability for Heatran, providing it with an immunity to Fire-type moves while also boosting its own should it happen to absorb one. Offensive Heatran is also an excellent glue for many offensive teams due to its great resistances, most notably a 4x resistance to Mega Gardevoirs Hyper Voice and immunity to Fire. It also has near perfect coverage between Fire Blast, Flash Cannon, and Earth Power, only missing out on opposing Air Balloon Heatran.
Infernape
Type: Fire / Fighting
Base Stats: 76 HP / 104 Atk / 71 Def / 104 SpA / 71 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Blaze / Iron Fist
This monkey has been OU ever since it came into being. As its stat spread suggests, it's a fast sweeper, though from which side it may sweep is mostly a mystery, indicating how threatening it is. It can go fully physical, fully special, or mixed, keeping the foe guessing. It also has access to Stealth Rock and U-Turn, so it can lead as well. It has both physical and special STAB priority, which means it can revenge kill from both sides, or put a dent in faster Pokemon(like Greninja, which may be OHKO'd by Mach Punch). It has nice coverage in Grass Knot, U-Turn, and Iron Fist boosted ThunderPunch. It can 2HKO most of the tier unless both it's STABs are resisted, in which case it can either U-Turn out, or use it's coverage to surprise the foe. Be prepared, or rather than bananas, it may eat your team for dinner.
Kabutops
Type: Rock / Water
Base Stats: 60 HP / 115 Atk / 105 Def / 65 SpA / 70 Def / 80 Spe
Ability: Swift Swim / Battle Armor / Weak Armor
Kabutops has always been one of the premier Swift Swim users, with a Speed stat that's very intimidating when under rain and a great Attack to fire rain-boosted Waterfalls off of. With the combination of Drizzle and Swift Swim unbanned in the OU environment, Kabutops can be an extremely powerful wallbreaker or a great cleaner with its great coverage in its STABs alone. This allows it to run Swords Dance as a boosting move to increase its power on a free turn without missing much, and it becomes very difficult to wall at that point. Kabutops is mainly useful for rain teams as most Swift Swim abusers or rain-based pokemon in general are special attackers, and it can wipe away many of those special walls for its team. On top of these strengths, Kabutops also brings priority in the form of Aqua Jet to the table. Overall, Kabutops is a fairly one-dimensional but extremely effective attacker on rain teams.
Keldeo
Type: Water / Fighting
Base Stats: 91 HP / 72 Atk / 90 Def / 129 SpA / 90 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Justified
With an excellent base 129 Special Attack stat, a powerful STAB in the form of Hydro Pump, and a good Speed tier, Keldeo is a very powerful specially offensive threat that should always be prepared for. With a Choice Specs equipped, Keldeo's Hydro Pump becomes a force to be reckoned with, that can punch holes through a wide variety of teams quite easily. On top of this, Keldeo has access to the exclusive Fighting-type move Secret Sword, which targets the opponent's Defense instead of Special Defense, lettin it easily break past special walls that might be able to take multiple Hydro Pumps quite easily, such as Goodra, Chansey, and Blissey. Choice Specs isn't the only set Keldeo can effectively run, though; it can also effectively run a Choice Scarf set, using its boosted Speed to revenge kill a variety of threats such as Mega Gyarados, Mega Tyranitar, Genesect, and Mega Lucario, as well as a Calm Mind set that boosts its Special Attack and Special defense stats in preparation for a game-ending sweep, making it somewhat versatile.
Kingdra
Type: Dragon / Water
Stats: 75 HP / 95 Atk / 95 Def / 95 SpA / 95 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Swift Swim / Sniper / Damp
Kingdra is a fantastic example of a Pokemon withe well-rounded stats, but little usage. It has two fantastic abilities in Swift Swim and Sniper. Swift Swim makes it a deadly sweeper in rain, firing off strong STABs, water attacks being further boosted by rain. The new critical hit mechanics have favoured it a lot. Equipped with a Scope Lens, every hit is a critical hit after Focus Energy. This means you can fire Draco Meteors without having to worry about the drop in Special Attack. Kingdra is mostly either completely Special or mixed, both variants being a threat and having different checks and counters. This shows how difficult it is deal with it. You've got to prepare for this underrated threat, or else it may rip your team apart.
Kyurem-B
Type: Dragon / Ice
Base Stats: 125 HP / 170 Atk / 100 Def / 120 SpA / 90 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Teravolt
Boasting the fourth highest BST in the game, surpassed only by the Mega Mewtwo forms and Arceus, Kyurem-B is a disgustingly powerful attacker. An obscenely high Attack stat and great Special Attack stat allow it to function as an effective mixed attacker, and excellent bulk lets it check some top threats and makes taking it down easier said than done. Its ability is also helpful, allowing it to bypass many defensive Pokemon's abilities like Thick Fat and Levitate. An ample movepool gives Kyurem-B strong STAB moves, good coverage options, and a variety of sets it can run, including devastating physically and specially based mixed attacking sets, as well as a Choice Scarf set that can surprise many unsuspecting foes. It should come as no surprise that Kyurem-B is one of the most feared attackers in the OU tier.
Landorus
Type: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 89 HP / 125 Atk / 90 Def / 115 SpA / 80 SpD / 101 Spe
Ability: Sand Force / Sheer Force
What makes Landorus so threatening is that its ability Sheer Force boosts its fairly wide array of special attacks and negates Life Orb recoil, giving it what is essentially a free 1.69x boost in power and turning its base 115 Special Attack into something far greater with little drawback. Commonly seen as an all-out attacker or a Calm Mind sweeper, Landorus's fantastic raw damage output, solid Speed, and nice coverage options make it very threatening to both offensive and defensive teams. In addition to its special sets, Landorus also several physical offensive options. One should handle Landorus with care, as switching a special sponge into this Pokemon directly is not always safe.
Landorus-T
Type: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 89 / 145 / 90 / 105 / 80 / 91
Ability: Intimidate
Although it has made name for itself as a great pivot, it's difficult to ignore the sky-high Attack stat it has. Possessing the EdgeQuake combo, only few Pokemon like to switch into it's attacks. Having two boosting moves to increase either it's Attack or Speed, it can be either a late-game cleaner or make huge dents in the opposition team in mid-game. Intimidate is useful to dampen the hits of physical attackers, so that it can either set up or start throwing attacks. It also has the coveted Stealth Rock, further increasing it's viability. Every team has to have an answer to this tiger, or else that team shouldn't be allowed to see the light of day.
Latias
Type: Dragon / Psychic
Base Stats: 80 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 110 SpA / 130 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Latias has a lot of things going for it. With a great Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed stat, Latias is a Pokemon that not only hits hard, but can also tank hits from the likes of Mega Charizard Y and Mega Venusaur, too. Latias also has access to Defog, meaning she can support Pokemon such as Charizard, Mega Pinsir, and Talonflame with ease. What separates Latias from Latios, however, is her access to Healing Wish, which allows her to restore sweepers back to full health and cure them of any status conditions when she is no longer needed. Latias is almost always seen running a Life Orb with Defog and Healing Wish, and then a combination of moves such as Draco Meteor, Psyshock, Thunderbolt, Hidden Power Fire, and sometimes even Hidden Power Fighting.
Latios
Type: Dragon / Psychic
Stats: 80 HP / 90 Atk / 80 Def / 130 SpA / 110 SpD / 110 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Latios is known as one of the fastest Dragon-types in OU, second only to Noivern, a Pokemon that's not seen very often. He has well rounded stats, so he can outspeed a large portion of the game, hit back very hard, and even take a hit or two, especially on the special side. Latios is a very powerful revenge killer with Draco Meteor, is able to get past special walls with Psyshock, and is also an effective hazard remover with Defog, creating great synergy with offensive and balanced teams alike, while requiring minimal team support to get the job done. He's neutral to Stealth Rock, and Levitate protects him from every other hazard, thus making switching in and out easier. Latios is one of the most prevalent forces in OU, and having an answer to him is an absolute must.
Mamoswine
Type: Ice / Ground
Base Stats: 110 HP / 130 Atk / 80 Def / 70 SpA / 60 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Oblivious / Snow Cloak / Thick Fat
Ground / Ice has the very best super effective and neutral coverage of any type combination in the game, and when backed up with impressive Attack, priority, and moves with high Base Power, Mamoswine is a huge threat. Ice Shard's priority gives Mamoswine a lot of breathing room against offensive teams, shredding staples such as Thundurus, Landorus, Garchomp, and Mega Pinsir, while Icicle Crash and Earthquake make short work of countless defensive threats. Top this off with access to coverage moves that can get past the handful of Pokemon that can deal with Mamoswine's STAB and access to Stealth Rock, and you have a very effective attacker in the OU metagame.
Manaphy
Type: Water
Base Stats: 100 HP / 100 Atk / 100 Def / 100 SpA / 100 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Hydration
Manaphy's signature move, Tail Glow, allows it to raise its Special Attack by three stages, making it an extremely powerful offensive threat. It also has great coverage in Surf, Ice Beam, and either Energy Ball for the likes of Rotom-W and Slowbro or Psychic for the likes of Mega Venusaur. Leftovers is usually chosen for passive recovery, though Wacan Berry can be used to beat Thundurus, and Life Orb can even be chosen as a way to 2HKO Chansey after a single Tail Glow. While Tail Glow is the most common set, a Calm Mind set with Calm Mind, Rain Dance, Scald, and Rest can be used, taking advantage of Hydration to wake Manaphy up right after it uses Rest.
Mega Absol
Type: Dark
Base Stats: 65 HP / 150 Atk / 60 Def / 115 SpA / 60 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Magic Bounce (Pressure / Super Luck / Justified)
Mega Absol is blessed with huge Attack and Speed stats and an often-overlooked Special Attack stat that allows it to threaten opposing teams severely. Despite its frailty, its useful ability in Magic Bounce allows it to pivot into numerous defensive Pokemon and avoid status, as well as prevent hazard setup; it is a perfect way of dealing with Deoxys-D. Sucker Punch gives it extremely powerful priority that can be used to revenge kill Psychic- and Ghost-type attackers or sweep offensive teams. Knock Off gives it a strong, more reliable option that has great utility against almost all Pokemon. Mega Absol's solid special movepool that contains gems like Fire Blast and Ice Beam allows it to choose its own counters, and can set up a Swords Dance and Baton Pass its boosts along to another sweeper, as almost no battler would attempt to phaze Mega Absol. The power, speed, and utility that Mega Absol provides makes it a lethal threat capable of sweeping or disrupting many teams if given the opportunity.
Mega Aerodactyl
Type: Rock / Flying
Base Stats: 80 HP / 135 Atk / 85 Def / 70 SpA / 95 SpD / 150 Spe
Ability: Tough Claws (Rock Head / Pressure / Unnerve)
Mega Aerodactyl's claim to fame is its almighty Speed stat - tied with Mega Alakazam, it is the fastest unboosted Pokemon in OU. With an arsenal of coverage attacks boosted by Tough Claws plus a solid STAB in Stone Edge, Mega Aerodactyl is capable of hitting much of the metagame for great damage. Mega Aerodactyl can also put its blistering Speed to good use by employing Taunt or Roost in its last moveslot; granting it the ability to cripple walls or regain lost HP respectively. It is fair to say that Mega Aerodactyl boasts unique attributes which certainly make it a threat worth preparing for.
Mega Alakazam
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 55 HP / 50 Atk / 65 Def / 175 SpA / 95 SpD / 150 Spe
Ability: Trace (Synchronize / Inner Focus / Magic Guard)
If Alakazam wasn't powerful or fast enough for you, then its bearded Mega Evolution should whet your appetite for sure. In fact, its ridiculously high Speed is topped only by Deoxys-S, the fastest Pokemon in the game. This means that Mega Alakazam basically outspeeds the entire unboosted metagame with ease, allowing it to revenge kill even more Pokemon than its former self. In addition, its jaw-dropping Special Attack and fantastic coverage makes it incredibly difficult to switch into, and only a very select few defensive Pokemon can claim to wall it successfully. However, one of Mega Alakazam's most unique offensive traits comes from its ability, Trace. With this ability, Mega Alakazam is able to copy other Pokemon's abilities such as Swift Swim, Protean, Flash Fire, and Sheer Force to use for its own benefit, which makes it that much more threatening and unpredictable. Although it might not seem too significant, Mega Alakazam's slightly iincreased bulk allows it to take certain priority moves better than Alakazam itself, which can be pretty significant under some circumstances. In conclusion, Mega Alakazam is a real offensive threat in the OU metagame, and it can easily run through most unprepared teams.
Mega Ampharos
Type: Electric / Dragon
Stats: 90 HP / 95 Atk / 105 Def / 165 SpA / 110 SpD / 45 Spe
Ability: Mold Breaker (Static / Plus)
When looking at Mega Ampharos, the first things that stand out are its glorious locks and unique Electric/Dragon typing, shared only by the Uber titan Zekrom. When looking at its stats, the first two things that immediately stand out are its colossal 165 base Special Attack, the second highest in OU, and its atrocious base 45 Speed. However, one thing to not overlook is its base 90 / 105 / 110 defenses, which, when invested, Mega Ampharos ridiculously tanky, and as a result, one of Ampharos's best sets is a Volt Switch set, as it is capable of taking virtually any hit at full health and safely switching into a deadly sweeper in waiting. It is in this such role that its bad Speed is actually a blessing, as this allows it to function as a fantastic pivot switch, arguably the most optimized one in the game. If utilized in an even more offensive manner, its Speed can be patched up quickly with Agility, turning Mega Ampharos into a deadly sweeper.
Mega Blastoise
Type: Water
Base Stats: 79 HP / 103 Atk / 120 Def / 135 SpA / 115 SpD / 78 Spe
Ability: Mega Launcher
Having good bulk, both physically and specially, a superb base 135 Special Attack, and a great defensive typing, Mega Blastoise can take hits and dish them back as well, even if it does lack recovery. But what gives Mega Blastoise a solid niche in the metagame is its access to Rapid Spin, which it is very effective at using considering its abilities. Mega Launcher-boosted Dark Pulse can 2HKO any Ghost as well, meaning that spinblocking Blastoise is futile. Though not amazing, Mega Blastoise fills a clear offensive and supporting niche which it does well.
Mega Charizard X
Type: Fire / Dragon
Base Stats: 78 HP / 130 Atk / 111 Def / 130 SpA / 85 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Tough Claws (Blaze / Solar Power)
Mega Charizard X is just as threatening as its Y counterpart, if not more so, as it has pretty much everything it needs to be a threatening Dragon Dance sweeper. With its ability to force multiple switches, nice defensive typing, and somewhat beefy 78/111/85 bulk, it's not hard for Mega Charizard X to get at least one Dragon Dance under its belt. On top of this, Mega Charizard X's Fire / Dragon STAB combination is absolutely fantastic, as it is resisted by only a fair few Pokemon such as Heatran and Azumarill , which of course makes its offensive presence quite potent. Combine this with its Tough Claws ability, which gives a slightly greater boost than a Life Orb to moves Mega Charizard X will be commonly using, such as Flare Blitz, Dragon Claw, and Outrage, and the ability to restore HP at will with Roost, and you have an absolute monster on your hands, capable of plowing through entire teams once set up correctly. Overall, Mega Charizard X is a formidable offensive threat, and its Dragon Dancing prowess makes it a threat to offensive and defensive teams alike.
Mega Charizard Y
Type: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 78 HP / 104 Atk / 78 Def / 159 SpA / 115 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Drought (Blaze / Solar Power)
Mega Charizard Y is renowned as one of the best wallbreakers in OU thanks to its extremely high Special Attack, decent Speed, and ability Drought. With the sun Drought brings, Mega Charizard Y can fire off extremely powerful sun-boosted Fire Blasts, which outright slaughter much of the OU tier. It is unique among Fire-types in that it can murder both Heatran and Water-types with its coverage, which includes Focus Blast and sun-enhanced Solar Beam. Thanks to its large Special Defense stat, Mega Charizard Y can take a battering from special attacks, heal up with Roost, and outright demolish their users. Furthermore, because the opponent does not know which Mega Charizard this is when it comes out, he or she is left to guess what to switch in initially, which can be punished. Combine all this with resistances to key types like Fighting, Bug, Fire, and Steel, and you have a frightening offensive Pokemon that given but one free opportunity can do serious harm to any team.
Mega Garchomp
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 170 Atk / 115 Def / 120 SpA / 95 SpD / 92 Spe
Ability: Sand Force (Sand Veil / Rough Skin)
Garchomp has always been an offensively dominant Pokemon, and its Mega Evolution just gives it more power to destroy with. Reasonably high bulk, incredible Attack, enough Speed to outpace almost all defensive threats, and a Special Attack stat that can break down physically defensive Pokemon that once troubled regular Garchomp are the key advantages of this forme. Typically, Mega Garchomp acts as a wallbreaker, using incredibly powerful attacks and mixed coverage to break down defensive threats. Now with a high-powered Draco Meteor and Fire Blast, Garchomp can get past its typical checks such as Hippowdon, Skarmory, Landorus-T, and Gliscor without breaking a sweat. Base 170 Attack serves Garchomp well on the physical side, dealing huge amounts of damage to all types of teams. Overall, with the power and bulk to break through any wall with raw attacks and the potential of a Sand Force boost, Garchomp becomes quite a monster to deal with.
Mega Gardevoir
Type: Psychic / Fairy
Base Stats: 68 HP / 85 Atk / 65 Def / 165 SpA / 135 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Pixilate
Having an excellent offensive typing, stats, and ability, Mega Gardevoir becomes a real threat as long as it lives. Pixilate makes Normal moves Fairy-type and also gives them a 1.3x boost, and this works well with Mega Gardevoir's access to Hyper Voice. Add to the mix options like Shadow Ball, Focus Blast, and Psyshock it's easy to understand why Mega Gardevoir really does a lot. A nice base 100 Speed makes Mega Gardevoir decently fast and able to quickly KO a lot of Pokemon. It also has a nice base 135 Special Defense, letting it check nearly any special attacker. Finally, access to useful moves such as Taunt and Calm Mind make Mega Gardevoir a very strong wallbreaker.
Mega Heracross
Type: Bug / Fighting
Base Stats: 80 HP / 185 Atk / 115 Def / 40 SpA / 105 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Skill Link (Swarm / Guts / Moxie)
Mega Heracross is no slouch when it comes to hitting hard. With an absolutely monstrous Attack stat and a potent STAB combination, Mega Heracross is easily one of the strongest wallbreakers and hole-punchers in OU. Its Skill Link ability forces Rock Blast, Pin Missile, and Bullet Seed to always hit their maximum amount of times, giving Mega Heracross immensely powerful coverage against a wide majority of defensive threats. With Swords Dance, Mega Heracross can even pose as a potent sweeper, capable of OHKOing most of the metagame with its powerful coverage moves after just one boost. One must not also forget that Mega Heracross has very solid defensive stats for such an offensive juggernaut, which means that it's able to easily survive almost any kind of non-super effective attack from full health, making it quite threatening towards offensive teams as well. Its somewhat below average base 75 Speed stat is more than enough to put it ahead most defensive threats, and a few offensive threats as well. With Mega Heracross's sheer power, insane coverage, and access to boosting moves, it's no wonder why teams cower in fear at the sight of this beast.
Mega Houndoom
Type: Dark / Fire
Base Stats: 75 HP / 90 Atk / 90 Def / 140 SpA / 90 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Solar Power
Mega Houndoom's great Speed and Special Attack, the latter getting boosted even further in sun, are not to be trifled with. Sun support from Ninetales or a Sunny Day user is not hard to provide; in fact, Mega Houndoom can set it up itself. In the sun, Fire Blast becomes incredibly strong, Dark Pulse also gets powered up, and Solar Beam loses its charge turn. If you choose to use Mega Houndoom without sun, it gets Nasty Plot to shoot its Special Attack through the roof and has nifty support options such as Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, and Destiny Bond. Since one of Houndoom's base abilities is Flash Fire it has an easier time switching in, and if it can get a Flash Fire boost and a Solar Power / Nasty Plot boost, Fire Blast reaches unimaginable power levels. Though Mega Houndoom is by no means perfect, it is still quite strong when used well.
Mega Manectric
Type: Electric
Base Stats: 70 HP / 75 Atk / 80 Def / 135 SpA / 80 SpD / 135 Spe
Ability: Intimidate (Static / Lightningrod / Minus)
Mega Manectric stands out as a Pokemon with a number of desirable qualities that allow it to excel in OU. First and foremost is its incredible Speed stat - the only unboosted opponents that outspeed it are Mega Alakazam and Mega Aerodactyl. Mega Manectric adopts a hit 'n' run playstyle; using Volt Switch to continually switch in and out of the field, gaining momentum, doing damage, and neutering physical attackers with Intimidate when it switches in. Aditionally, it gets Fire-type coverage to roast Steel-types with in the form of Overheat, which few other Electric-types can lay claims to, and because of the frequent rate at which it switches out, Mega Manectric cares little about the Special Attack drop induced by the aforementioned attack. Overall, this electrified canine makes for one threatening offensive pivot whose lightning-fast assaults will surely come as shocking to anyone unwise enough to underestimate it.
Mega Medicham
Type: Fighting / Psychic
Base Stats: 60 HP / 100 Atk / 85 Def / 80 SpA / 85 SpD / Spe 100
Ability: Pure Power (Pure Power / Telepathy)
Mega Medicham has by far the highest attack in OU. With sufficient Speed, movepool, and defenses to back up that Attack, it unsurprisingly takes on the role of wallbreaker and does it in a way few can match. A simple four attack set can easily 2HKO all but a small few of the metagame, while simultaneously requiring little guess work and no set up, making it very consistent. Conveniently most of Medicham's counters are Psychic types meaning that the occasional pursuit supporter seen with it can make it even harder to counter. Not to be too one dimensional Medicham's access to Bullet Punch, Fake Out, Substitute, and Baton Pass mitigate its predictability and ineptitude against faster offensive teams.
Mega Pinsir
Type: Bug / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 155 Atk / 120 Def / 65 SpA / 90 SpD / 105 Spe
Ability: Aerilate (Hyper Cutter / Mold Breaker / Moxie)
After generations of living in the shadow of Heracross, Pinsir was finally a given a chance to shine this generation with the debut of Mega Evolution. No longer grounded, Mega Pinsir takes flight as one of OU's best physical sweepers. Thanks to its monstrous base 155 Attack stat and the hefty boost granted by Aerilate, Pinsir's STAB Return (or Frustration) is a scary prospect, even without any Swords Dance boosts. After a boost, Mega Pinsir becomes a terrifying sweeping machine that only a select handful of Pokémon can deal with. Access to priority in the form of Quick Attack gives Mega Pinsir a way to put the hurt on foes faster than itself, and a secondary coverage attack such as Earthquake complements Pinsir's Flying-type STAB wonderfully. The dangers that a boosted Mega Pinsir presents to an unprepared team cannot be stressed enough - failing to prepare for Mega Pinsir means that you are surely preparing to fail against it.
Mega Scizor
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 150 Atk / 140 Def/ 65 SpA / 100 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Technician (Swarm / Light Metal / Technician)
Mega Scizor has an incredible attack stat backing it, in addition to Technician boosted Bullet Punch, making its somewhat lacklustre speed stat. However, what makes Mega Scizor much different from most offensive Pokemon is its titanic bulk, which is actually bulkier that Skarmory stat-wise! Using this bulk, Mega Scizor can setup a Swords Dance or two on a large portion of the metagame, with pokemon such as Azumarill, Bisharp, Conkeldurr, and it has reliable recovery in Roost, which allows it to be able to withstand constant offensive pressure and continue to setup. Technician boosted Bug Bites can put a large dent in anything that doesn't resist it, and it also carries Knock Off, which is a fantastic offensive and supportive move, as well as Superpower to lure and beat some of its checks like Ferrothorn and Heatran. It also carries U-turn to grab momentum as well. All in all, Mega Scizor is a versatile offensive threat that can run numerous sets with different coverage moves to sweep, and tailors its moveset to its needs.
Mega Tyranitar
Type: Dark / Rock
Base Stats: 100 HP / 164 Atk / 150 Def / 95 SpA / 120 SpD / 71 Spe
Ability: Sand Stream (Sand Stream / Unnerve)
Mega Tyranitar is one of the most reliable win conditions in the game, as a fantastic Dragon Dancer. Sporting amazing bulk on both sides, augmented by Sand, Mega Tyranitar can setup on virtually any neutrally effective attack, as well as being able to survive some Super Effective ones as well! Being able to setup upon the Latis, CB Talonflame, Mega Manectric and Raikou is amazing for a sweeper. Having access to EdgeQuake for offensive coverage, and the choice of a Crunch for STAB or Ice Punch to round off coverage, it can completely decimate a team after it achieves a Dragon Dance, and can smash through most teams with it's coverage. Having coverage like Thunder Punch for Keldeo, Fire Punch for Ferrothorn, Aqua Tail for Hippowdown and Gliscor, it certainly is tailorable to what you need to take down and its unique speed stat allows it to outpace some prominent threats like Bisharp. If you don't prepare for Mega Tyranitar, you'll be in a lot of trouble, and even if you do, it's imperative you don't let it setup, otherwise it will prove it's reliability as it rips through your team.
Omastar
Type: Rock / Water
Base Stats: 70 HP / 60 Atk / 125 Def / 115 SpA / 70 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Shell Armor / Swift Swim / Weak Armor
Omastar, thanks to its ability, Swift Swim, is a very powerful Pokemon on rain teams. Swift Swim turns Omastar's mediocre Speed stat into something much more usable by doubling it. This Speed, combined with rain boosting the power of Water-type moves, makes Omastar a very fast and powerful threat. Omastar is usually seen carrying Choice Specs to make the power of Hydro Pump incredibly strong in rain, though a Shell Smash set can be used to boost Omastar's Special Attack and Speed even further.
'
Raikou
Type: Electric
Base Stats: 90 HP / 85 Atk / 75 Def / 115 SpA / 100 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Pressure / Volt Absorb (Unreleased)
Raikou may be UU, but it a great Pokemon in OU as well. It can quickly switch out of anything while doing massive damage by using Volt Switch. Thunderbolt is its main STAB, which has a chance to paralyze and deals great damage. Raikou has good staying power, thanks to only 1 weakness. A boosted Hidden Power Ice may deal easier with Ground types, but is kinda frail since it has a weak 60 Base power without STAB. Calm Mind is a way of greeding; Any Special Attack will do more after Raikou boosted it up. Substiute can be set up to block status, and grant a free turn to set up. Raikou is a real threat, with a great 115 Special Attack and 115 base Speed, that you must have a good Pokemon around that can stop it.
Scolipede
Type: Bug / Poison
Base Stats: 60 HP / 100 Atk / 89 Def / 55 SpA / 69 SpD / 112 Spe
Ability: Poison Point / Swarm /
Speed Boost
Like most Pokemon with the ability Speed Boost, Scolipede's base 100 Attack stat and access to Swords Dance make it an amazing late-game cleaner. Scolipede's coverage between its powerful STAB Megahorn, Rock Slide, and Earthquake allow it to hit almost any Pokemon for super effective or respectable damage. Furthermore, after one Speed Boost, Scolipede outspeeds the entire unboosted tier, making it very hard to keep under control. Scolipede's ability in Speed Boost is its claim to fame, and makes it a terrifying Pokemon in the OU Metagame.
Scizor
Type: Bug / Steel
Base Stats: 70 HP / 130 Atk / 115 Def / 55 SpA / 80 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Swarm / Technician / Light Metal
Having a near-perfect typing with only one weakness, beefy defenses, excellent Attack, and a very good movepool, Scizor has a lot going for it. Bullet Punch is the main attraction with Scizor as it's one of the strongest priority moves in OU, solidifying Scizor as a very dangerous sweeper and revenge killer. Scizor excels in its sweeper role, using its defensive attributes to Swords Dance, while having powerful coverage moves to hit defensive Pokemon, as well as Bullet Punch to hit anything faster. With a Choice Band; Bullet Punch, U-turn, and Pursuit allow Scizor to be a revenge killer, trapper, and a pivot all in one. In addition to this, access to Knock Off and Superpower make it difficult to wall. Scizor can also act as a good offensive supporter with access to Defog and Roost. Few, if any Pokemon can match Scizor's offensive, defensive, and supporting presence all in one.
Staraptor
Type: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 85 HP / 120 Atk / 70 Def / 50 SpA / 60 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Intimidate / Reckless
Staraptor's Brave Bird is truly in a league of its own; after boosts from STAB, Reckless and a Choice Band, the vast majority of Pokémon that do not resist it are OHKOed or 2HKOed. Also setting it apart from its avian brethren is its access to Close Combat, which will swiftly dispatch of Rock-type and Steel-types attempting to come in and tank a Brave Bird. Should it encounter a sticky situation, Staraptor can U-turn out to an ally, gaining offensive momentum in the process. In a similar vein, Staraptor can utilize its stellar HP stat in conjunction with Final Gambit to put a dent in Pokemon that it won't be able to break through. Finally, when equipped with a Choice Scarf, Staraptor can take on the role of a late-game cleaner, tearing through the opposition when its counters have been eliminated. Make sure your team is capable of dealing with this flying menace, or you'll know all about it when it strikes.
Starmie
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 60 HP / 75 Atk / 85 Def / 100 SpA / 85 SpD / 115 Spe
Ability: Illuminate / Natural Cure / Analytic
Despite having finally descended to UU after five generations of OU stardom, Starmie's combination of excellent coverage, great power and high Speed mean that it is still a capable offensive threat in its own right. Access to Rapid Spin means that Starmie functions as one of a handful of viable offensive spinners, and also ensures that allies troubled by Stealth Rock will make the most of having Starmie around. But this is not all; additionally, Starmie boasts a rather handy ability - Ghost-types aren't going to like being on the receiving end of an Analytic-boosted Hydro Pump when they come in to try and spinblock. It is fair to say that on the whole, Starmie makes for a pretty solid offensive spinner that one would do well not to underestimate.
Talonflame
Type: Fire / Flying
Base Stats: 78 HP / 81 Atk / 71 Def / 74 SpA / 69 SpD / 126 Spe
Abilities: Flame Body / Gale Wings
Talonflame is a serious threat thanks to its ability, Gale Wings. With Gale Wings, Talonflame receives priority to all Flying-type move, effectively giving it a 120 Base Power priority move in Brave Bird. It's secondary STAB also gives it a way to deal with the Steel-types that resist Brave Bird. The most common set tends to be Choice Band, taking Talonflame's mediocre Attack and making it much more effective at revenge killing and late-game cleaning. It also can use U-turn to gain momentum, as well as priority Tailwind to help a sweeper before it faints. Another common set is Swords Dance, also powering up Talonflame to great levels. These sets can run Natural Gift with a certain berry to break past common counters; for example, Liechi Berry with Natural Cure can help in beating Rotom-W. Finally, a Bulk Up set is possible, not only boosting Talonflame's Attack stat, but its Defense stat as well, making it much harder to KO.
Terrakion
Type: Rock / Fighting
Stats: 90 HP / 129 Atk / 90 Def / 72 SpA / 90 SpD / 108 Spe
Ability: Justified
Terrakion's typing is amazing offensively, as Rock / Fighting coverage is resisted by only a few Pokemon in the game, so it usually only needs his STABs to threaten foes. Due to this excellent STAB coverage, Terrakion can free up its last two moveslots to use whatever it wants, thus allowing it to run a wide variety of sets that have differing purposes, such as anti-lead Stealth Rock setter, double dancer, Choice Band, and Choice Scarf. Terrakion's stats are great in almost every department, having great bulk, excellent Attack, and being at a great Speed tier. Between the flexibility of his sets and his excellent stats, Terrakion is one of the larger forces in OU, and having an answer to him on your team is greatly advised.
Thundurus
Type: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 79 HP / 115 Atk / 70 Def / 125 SpA / 80 SpD / 111 Spe
Ability: Prankster / Defiant
Thundurus is by no means a Pokemon to take lightly. With excellent Attack, Special Attack, and Speed stats in tandem with two great abilities, it is definitely a force to be reckoned with. Thundurus makes full use of Prankster with its access to moves such as Taunt and Thunder Wave, which allow it to spread status with ease. Thundurus's Prankster-boosted Thunder Wave also allows it to act as a panic button to speedy setup sweepers. On top of these great attributes, Thundurus is also gifted with Nasty Plot, allowing it to utilize its offensive tools to sweep through fractured teams as soon as its counters have been eliminated. Alternatively, Thundurus can strike without boosts to be an immediate threat whenever it switches in and utilize Defiant to give itself a free Attack boost against Defog users, utilizing a great physical movepool including Knock Off, Superpower, and U-turn. Thundurus's position as one of OU's most threatening and defining attackers is never to be underestimated.
Thundurus-T
Type: Electric / Flying
Base Stats: 79 HP / 105 Atk / 70 Def / 145 SpA / 80 SpD / 101 Spe
Ability: Volt Absorb / Defiant
Possessing one of the highest Special Attack stats in the game, Thundurus-T is a massively powerful special attacker. Volt Absorb is a great ability that gives it switch-in opportunities while healing itself, and it has a nifty Speed tier that puts it just ahead of common Pokemon, including Manaphy and Mega Charizard Y, which it threatens with its powerful STAB Electric-type moves. Agility and Nasty Plot give it boosting moves that allow it to break through many different kinds of teams, and a good typing makes it very resistant to priority despite poor bulk. It can even utilize both boosting moves on one set so it will be helpful against more than one team archetype. Thundurus-T also has a very potent Choice Scarf set that revenge kills and picks up momentum with Volt Switch. Thundurus-T possesses many of the ideal characteristics of an offensive Pokemon, and it is among the most dangerous threats of the metagame.
Tornadus-T
Type: Flying
Base Stats: 70 HP / 100 Atk / 80 Def / 110 SpA / 90 SpD / 121 Spe
Ability: Regenerator
Once the king of rain offense, Tornadus-T has no doubt fallen from grace since the BW2 era. However, its amazing Speed stat, stellar offensive movepool, and base 110 Special Attack make it a difficult Pokemon to switch into safely, which renders Tornadus-T a fearsome offensive threat. By virtue of Hurricane's shaky accuracy, Tornadus-T is often paired with Politoed, which can provide useful Drizzle support. An otherwise inconvenient weakness to Stealth Rock is mitigated by Tornadus-T's ability, Regenerator, which is complemented by its access to U-turn. Regenerator's usefulness does not end there, as it lets Tornadus use a Life Orb with fewer regrets or act as a potent pivot with the use of Assault Vest. This means that Tornadus-T will be able to constantly switch in and out through a battle and persistently be a hassle to deal with. U-turn also allows Tornadus-T to scout for potential switch-ins and adjust accordingly, making defensive counters to the Cyclone Genie less appropriate due to risks of being trapped or set up on.
Tyranitar
Type: Dark / Rock
Base Stats:100 HP / 134 Atk / 110 Def / 95 SpA / 100 SpD / 61 Spe
Abilities: Sand Stream / Unnerve
Tyranitar's access to an item allows it to play a greater variety of roles than Mega Tyranitar. With a good attack stat of 134, and an amazing physical movepool, Tyranitar is well placed to punch holes in the opponents team, and can also use its 95 special attack to run a mixed set. In addition to Stone Edge and Crunch, Pursuit is an important STAB move on Tyranitar, as it provides the ability to trap many Dark weak pokemon, including Latios and Latias, and even the threat of Pursuit can deter an opponent from carelessly switching in a Dark-weak pokemon. Thanks to Sand Stream, Tyranitar's uninvested special defense of 100 is already equivalent to a base stat of 159, making it bulky enough to switch in on Draco Meteor from Life Orb Latios. Choice Scarf is the most popular item for Tyranitar to hold, as with a speed positive nature, it can outspeed positive speed base 115 pokemon. Choice Banded sets offer immense power, and are able to do enormous damage with Pursuit even if an opponent chooses not to switch out, while an Assault Vest set can even survive a Mega Charizard-Y's Focus Blast in the sun, before OHKOing it with Stone Edge. While Tyranitar's low base 61 speed and 7 weaknesses leave it vulnerable to quite a few pokemon, particularly Fighting types, it has good 100/110/100 bulk, and its power makes it difficult to switch in on. Tyranitar's amazing ability to change the weather, along with the variety of sets it can run have firmly cemented Tyranitar's place in OU for the last five generations.
Victini
Type: Psychic / Fire
Base Stats: 100 / 100 / 100 / 100 / 100 / 100
Ability: Victory Star
Victini's 100 base stats across the board are nothing to scoff at, as it allows Victini to run Mixed, Banded, Scarfed, and Trick Room sets, all functioning in their own way. Victini's great offensive typing in Psychic / Fire allows it dent many Pokemon. However, the true power in Victini is in its signature move 'V-Create'. V-Create is a base 180 Power STAB move that is almost guaranteed to put a dent in any Pokemon that attempts to switch into it if not KO them. V-Create makes Victini one of the hardest Pokemon to switch into in the OU metagame, let alone Victini's banded and revenge killing sets, which already do a good job at making Victini a terrifying Pokemon.
Volcarona
Type: Bug / Fire
Base Stats: 85 HP / 60 Atk / 65 Def / 135 SpA / 105 SpD / 100 Spe
Ability: Flame Body / Swarm
Volcarona is an effective bulky sweeper in the OU tier, boasting an enormous base 135 Special Attack stat and decent Speed combined with access to one of the best boosting moves in the game in Quiver Dance that lets it blast through unprepared teams with minimal setup. A good typing gives it strong STAB moves and, as a virtue of it, several resistances that it can use to set up. Invested bulk in conjunction with Flame Body lets it set up top threats such as Aegislash and Bisharp. While there are several threats that can almost always prevent Volcarona from doing its job, if these are removed, then Volcarona will usually have a chance to sweep that one must be careful to prevent.
Zygarde
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 108 HP / 100 Atk / 121 Def / 81 SpA / 95 SpD / 95 Spe
Abilities: Aura Break
Zygarde does not look immediately threatening, but the numerous ways it can become so should not be underestimated. One should observe its potent STAB combination, which has very few resistances between them, and its access to boosting moves such as Dragon Dance and Coil, which is already a recipe for a very dangerous sweeper. Zygarde's offensive movepool is not wide, but it is precise: with both STABs, Stone Edge, and Extreme Speed, there aren't a lot of offensive or defensive threats it cannot cover. Zygarde also has very impressive bulk, which can be further boosted with Coil, and this allows its Substitutes to not be broken by just about any non super-effective attack from defensive Pokemon. Access to Dragon Tail means that opposing phazers do not present a threat to Zygarde, which will almost always be faster. Zygarde's only real downfall is its inability to pose an immediate threat like other Dragons can against most neutral targets, but if you can pit Zygarde against an opponent it can comfortably defeat, the opponent may have little to no time left to stop it.