TINTED LENS HAS BEEN RESTRICTED IN MULTIBILITY!
Following discussion in this thread and in the room the council has unanimously voted to restrict Tinted Lens. Abusers such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Bulu who are naturally able to freely click one high-powered attack become overwhelming when they effectively have no resists. We discussed banning specific abusers but came to the conclusion that the ability itself is what is pushing multiple Pokemon over the edge, and that it is unreasonable to expect the metagame to effectively balance with Tinted Lens present.
Note that this is a restriction, not a Ban. The difference being Pokémon that naturally get Tinted Lens can still use it in their normal ability slot.
SWIFT SWIM, CHLOROPHYLL, SAND RUSH, and SLUSH RUSH HAVE BEEN BANNED
The Multibility metagame has been heavily centralized around weather since the ladder first dropped. As we have previously discussed this is a complex issue, where our true target is not something we can directly ban due to being the combination of two abilities, being weather + weather speed abilities. The council has decided to ban the weather speed abilities as opposed to the weather-setting abilities as we are endeavoring to both keep our bans as uncomplex and as non-interfering as possible. This ban allows weather to still be used as a tool, either as an archetype or by individual Pokémon, while still removing the aspect of it that has become problematic and excessively centralizing.
Note that this is a ban, not a restriction. The difference being Pokémon such as Venusaur or Seismitoad which naturally get these abilities will no longer be able to use them, in addition to being banned in the Multibility slot.
What we did NOT ban in this specific round is Surge Surfer. It is on our radar, especially with the removal of several tools that previously kept it in check, however we felt its performance in the pre-ban slate metagame did not quite warrant a quickban.
As always we love to hear from you all, so please let us know what you think about these bans and how you find the metagame to change!
tl;dr
Tinted Lens has been restricted
Chlorophyll has been banned
Swift Swim has been banned
Slush Rush has been banned
Sand Rush has been banned
tagging Kris
LMAO I just opened forums to show the team I got to the top of the ladder with and I see this post
Aegislash @ adaptability
Ability: Stance Change
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Mild Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Flash Cannon
- Shadow Sneak
- Close Combat
Tapu Lele @ tintedlens
Ability: Psychic Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Psyshock
Barraskewda @ primordialsea
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Flip Turn
- Liquidation
- Drill Run
Garchomp @ regenerator
Ability: Rough Skin
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Dragon Tail
- Earthquake
- Toxic
Ninetales-Alola @ slushrush
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Freeze-Dry
- Blizzard
- Moonblast
Tapu Fini @ regenerator
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 192 HP / 252 Def / 64 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Defog
- Scald
- Taunt
- Moonblast
Literally half of this team is banned, and for good reason Lele 2hko's damn near everything, everyone and their mom knows what Barraskewda does Drill Run was chosen on this set as a Regieleki/Raichu-Alola check, but Psychic Fangs is generally better for hitting Toxapex and Venusaur. Alolan Ninetails was chosen for having the niche of Freeze-Dry which hit all prominent weather sweepers super-effectively, while also hitting Zapdos and Goodra.
The other half, however is still not to be messed with. The dual Regenerator core of Garchomp and Tapu Fini has proved nigh impenetrable. You have to play smart around Venusaur, Goodra, and Electric types that can hit Garchomp, but those are either grounded, so they get hit by Earthquake, or are in the air and get hit by Toxic (Regieleki doesn't KO from full with Extreme Speed, and Tapu Lele's terrain negates the move anyway leaving only the even weaker rapid spin).
The star of the show however, is Aegislash. This damn monster 2hko's EVERYTHING save for certain Ferrothorn spreads and Stamina Blissey which needs 2 or 3 switches to be put into Close Combat range, but is still breakable nonetheless.
0 Atk Aegislash-Blade Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Ferrothorn: 182-216 (51.7 - 61.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Adaptability Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Ferrothorn: 178-210 (50.5 - 59.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 Atk Aegislash-Blade Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Blissey: 418-494 (58.5 - 69.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Adaptability Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 150-178 (49.3 - 58.5%) -- 98.8% chance to 2HKO
252+ SpA Adaptability Aegislash-Blade Flash Cannon vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Clefable: 316-372 (80.2 - 94.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Adaptability Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 248 HP / 92 SpD Corviknight: 210-248 (52.6 - 62.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
As a side note, now that speed boosting abilities are banned, priority will take its place as speed control, so be sure to bust out your Psychic Surge Alakazams and Dazzling/Queenly Majesty *Insert speed boosting setup sweeper here*.