Rate of the Week V3: Week 18

[Enki]

Rate of the Week
​

Welcome to Rate of the Week! This is a project that looks to bring quality individual rates into the spotlight and recognizes the hard work of unbadged raters. Here's how it will work:

• Each week, official Team Raters will be paying close attention to the RMT forum and reading the rates posted in their respective tiers. They will then shortlist a few which will be in contention for the Rate of the Week award.
• From the pool of shortlisted rates, one will be chosen which most exemplifies the qualities of an excellent rate. That rater will be the winner for that particular tier!
• A post will be made by an official TR who specialises in that tier, explaining how and why the particular rate won. This will allow aspiring raters to gain an idea of what constitutes high-quality rates, and hopefully incorporate those aspects into their own rates.
• There will be multiple winners every week, one from OU and a couple from other tiers depending on the quality of the rates posted. We hope that in this way we can expand rating activity in less popular tiers, while maintaining a weekly OU winner.
• Official Team Raters are eligible to win, but not more than once. Unbadged raters can win the award multiple times.

So what's in it for the winners? Well, they will earn a place in the Hall of Fame, which will be kept in the OP of every thread, and will earn more consideration for the Ladybug

and Team Rater

badges. Also, after gaining three places in the Hall of Fame, a rater will be eligible to earn voice status in the RMT room on PS! on the condition that they've shown an interest in getting involved.

We hope that this project will encourage people to put more effort into their rates and become better and more experienced raters, which will consequently increase the quality as well as the quantity of rates in the forum. Good luck to you all!

Hall of Fame

Week #1 - Toon Linked (OU)
Week #2 - Nedor (OU), Arifeen (UU)
Week #3 - Fireburn (Ubers), Do A Bibarel (UU)
Week #4 - AM (OU), Raiza (PU), Kiyo (NU)
Week #5 - FlamingVictini (OU)
Week #6 - Cyndequil. (UU)
Week #7 - BreloomMyHomie (OU)
Week #8 - FlamingVictini (OU)
Week #9 - oml it's too ez (OU), Cyndequil. (UU), MrAldo (RU)
Week #10 - Nedor (OU), Cyndequil. (UU), Cranham (Ubers), Lax (Monotype)
Week #11 - AM (OU)
Week #12 - Lange (OU), Amaroq (UU)
Week #13 - all falls down (UU)
Week #14 - Manipulative (UU)
Week #15 - mil (OU)
Week #16 - Tricking (OU)
Week #17 - Hector Hard Mode (OU), Christo. (UU)
Week #18 - p2 (OU), all falls down (UU)

 

[busyguy]

This week's OU winner is p2. The team is defensive build and uses M-Altaria/Hippowdon/Starmie/Clefable with Klefki and a Spin blocker in Gourgeist.
He starts his rate by suggesting Skarmory>Klefki explaining that Klefki fits more on offensively minded teams because of its lack of reliable recovery and phasing moves. Skarmory, while also having access to Spikes, helps the team deal with M-Venusaur, M-Diancie and M-Gardevoir more reliably; over the course of the battle Klefki will get worn down by repeatedly switching into them, whereas Skarmory can Roost the damage off.
The next two changes address the M-Venusaur weakness. Reflect Type on Starmie not only helps with pursuit trappers, but also relieves the pressure from Skarmory by being able to deal with defensive M-Venusaur in a 1v1 situation, burning it with Scald over time and stalling it out of Synthesis.
p2 made a short but precise rate, which made the team significantly better while keeping the original idea of the team which is weakening threats with hazards damage to stall the opponent out or win by setting up with Clefable. These are the reasons why he has earned himself a spot in the Hall of Fame. Congratulations!

 

[feen]

This week's UU winner is all falls down! He made a very detailed rate with a great format. He also took the effort to add images to increase the visual appeal of the rate. First, he identified the threats to the team, giving ideas of the sets and situations as to why these Pokemon posed a threat. He then remarked that Defensive Zapdos on an offensive team was not optimal, as it gave free switches to a couple of threats the team was weak to. He also said that the team's Speed control wasn't that great, and the Chesnaught set was subpar, and gave a free switch in to Entei, one of the team's biggest threats. The team also had shaky Fire-type resists and was also weak to Calm Mind Florges.

First change he suggested was running Defog over Stealth Rock on Empoleon, as Zapdos isn't a great Defogger on the team. This change is complemented by his next change of running Nidoqueen over Zapdos. This gives a more offensive hazard setter while still checking Fighting-types, but can deal with Florges.

All Falls Down also suggested Lum Berry Dragon Dance Gyarados over Chesnaught to rectify the loss of Ground-type resist, as well as having a Fire-type resist, which also provides offensive pressure to the opponent. Thanks to his detailed rate, all falls down has earned a spot in the Hall of Fame. Congratulations!