100TH POST HYPE
We've had as crazy a ride as Quagsire this generation, and it really is sad to see how dead this thread is (lol), but there definitely needs to be a final update so that some of the mons in the rankings are accurately represented. Specifically, I'd like to go over some of the stuff that I really think needs to happen before this thread is closed, since there are a LOT of mons that really aren't being represented very well within their current rankings right now. and yes I did a post like this already but I have a lot of stuff I want to talk about this time as well. Here's what I think should happen in the final update.
Cobalion up to C+/C - This is one that I've been pushing for for a really long time, and I will continue to advocate for Cobalion's rise, since it's really just an insult for the thing to be ranked alongside crap like Staraptor, Cofag and Goodra. It's not a great Pokemon by any means, but cmon guys, it has a great speed tier alongside stealth rock, taunt, pivoting capabilities and the ability to 1v1 Weavile and Bisharp with ease. It offers your team fantastic role compression and in no way should stay in C-.
Zapdos and Mega Manectric should switch ranks - Another one I've talked about in the past, and yeah, these two really need to switch ranks if we want to represent the meta as accurately as possible. Mega Manectric has been responding poorly to metagame trends for a long time now, and really has no way to deal with the rise in ground type scarfers and Mega Lopunny and Medicham, which both give it competition as a mega and 1v1 it easily. On the other hand, Zapdos is able to function as a sturdier check to bird spam given its flying type and static to punish pivoting and choice-locked Excadrill, and is able to tank the fighting megas' fighting stabs while threatening to paralyze, all without a mega stone. Overall, Zapdos can just do way more for your team as an electric than Mega Mane, as the former is just more versatile in every area than the latter.
Gliscor down to B+ - This one's old news by now, but that news is still valid. Let me make myself clear that in nomming Gliscor down I am NOT suggesting that it's a worse Landorus, but that Landorus' presence in the tier definitely hurts it. Landy is just a fantastic pick for your team given its amazing role compression for any archetype, and given the weakness stacking you'll be doing in putting Gliscor on your team as well, that isn't such a great idea. Furthermore, Gliscor sharing a type with Lando means that everything that's carrying coverage for Lando will automatically be prepared for Gliscor. Lastly, even Gliscor's niche as a good mon against bulkier builds is being compromised due to those builds carrying pokemon that can take care of it with ease, like Manaphy. This guy's still great, but really not cutting it enough to be A material at this point.
Mega Gardevoir down to B+, Mega Metagross up to A - Here we have two mega evolutions that are both being misrepresented in A-, but on different sides of the spectrum. Mega Gardevoir has lots of offensive prowess, but hasn't adapted at all to the rise in scarfed Exacdrill and Lando-T. It's also obliterated by Mega Lopunny, a mon that on paper it should beat, and really just isn't as consistent as any other mega in A- right now. Mega Metagross, on the other hand, is really just thriving in the current meta. It's fat, powerful as hell and fast at the same time, and has responded really well to Mega Sableye's absence, given that one of the only things it didn't tear right through just left the tier and left it with less reliable answers. Move that beast on up.
Azelf up to B-/C+ - Another example of a mon that's gotten even better in Mega Sableye's absence. Now that Mega Diancie is the only relevant mon that discourages it from setting up hazards, it can opt to run iron tail over skill swap and almost always guarantee that it's getting rocks down. Azelf is without a doubt the best suicide lead available and deserves much more recognition for that than C, especially among stuff like Entei and Mega Pidgeot.
Mega Heracross down to A- - Last one I promise. I'm not totally sure if this has been brought up before, but Mega Heracross really doesn't feel like an A rank mon to me anymore. Its got a hell of a stall breaking set still, but is now so prepared for by bulkier builds - which its supposed to be best against - that it's now harder for it to do its job than before and it feels equal in viability to Mega Pinsir considering both the mega's pros and cons.
Edit: Forgot to mention that with Mega Sableye gone, players are less inclined to use stall, which also hurts it a little bit. Also while I'm here, Mega Heracross isn't my last nom lol.
Mega Ampharos to go unranked - Honestly, why is this thing even in D anymore. I get that its a little bulkier than Zapdos and a hell of a lot bulkier than Manectric, but those are literally the only perks there will ever be to using it considering its higher power goes to waste given that awful speed tier. Mega Ampharos is simply just dead weight most of the time, as its too slow to even dent the stuff that threatens it like Lando-T and Excadrill, and is wasting your opportunity to use a much more consistent and beneficial mega, like literally anything else that's ranked. Furthermore, this guy's just totally eclipsed as a defensive electric by Zapdos, who can actually deal with grounds (pretty set in stone at this point that bulky electrics require ground immunities), has reliable recovery and isn't destroyed by the tier's plethora of dragons, such as Lati@s, Zard X, Hydreigon and Kyurem. Speaking of all these dragons that destroy Amphy, what's the point in running it over any of them 99% of the time when these guys all pair well with Zapdos anyway?
If you made it this far, thanks for reading! And of course, thanks so much to the amazing council for doing the best job possible managing this thread. Please consider these changes, and enjoy gen 7! :)