Whether you have just finished your first playthrough of Pokémon Scarlet or Violet and want to test your skills against real people, or you’ve spent years watching YouTubers like PokeaimMD or Blunder, you have likely run into the word Smogon.
Smogon University is not an official branch of Nintendo or The Pokémon Company. Instead, it is the world’s largest fan-run competitive community. While the official "VGC" (Video Game Championships) format uses Double Battles, Smogon focuses primarily on 6v6 Single Battles—the format most of us grew up playing in the games.
The sheer volume of Pokémon (over 1,000 and counting) creates a massive power gap. You cannot realistically expect a Butterfree to stand a chance against a Primal Groudon. To solve this, Smogon uses a Tiering System. This system ensures that almost every Pokémon has a place where it can be viable by grouping them based on their "usage" statistics.
If you’ve ever wondered why your favorite Pokémon is "OU" or what it takes to play in the "Ubers" playground, this guide is your roadmap to the competitive landscape.
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The Engine: How Usage-Based Tiers Work
Before we dive into the specific tiers, it is vital to understand how a Pokémon moves between them. Unlike a tier list in a fighting game, which is based on a player's opinion of "strength," Smogon tiers (with the exception of Ubers) are based on popularity.
Every month, the Smogon administration looks at the ladder statistics on Pokémon Showdown (the official battle simulator). If a Pokémon is used in at least 4.52% of battles in a specific tier, it stays in that tier. If it falls below that threshold, it drops to the tier below. If a Pokémon becomes overwhelmingly powerful and "unhealthy" for its current tier, the player base or a council may "ban" it, moving it up to a higher tier irrespective of usage.
This creates a trickle-down effect: 1. OU (OverUsed) is the starting point. 2. Pokémon not used enough in OU drop to UU (UnderUsed). 3. Pokémon not used enough in UU drop to RU (RarelyUsed)... and so on.
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Ubers: The Land of Giants
Technically, Ubers is not a "usage" tier; it is a "banlist" for the OverUsed tier. This is where the box-art legends go to play. If a Pokémon’s stats, ability, or movepool make it impossible to respond to in a standard game, it is sent here.
In Ubers, you will find the heavy hitters: Koraidon, Miraidon, Zacian-Crowned, and Calyrex-Shadow.
- ▹The Vibe: High-octane and incredibly fast. Battles in Ubers often revolve around "speed ties" and massive offensive pressure. Because everything is so powerful, defensive walls like Ting-Lu or Clodsire have to be incredibly specialized to survive.
- ▹Sample Threat: Consider Arceus. With the move Extreme Speed and a Silk Scarf or Life Orb, a "Swords Dance" Arceus can sweep an entire team in three turns if you aren't prepared with a Ghost-type or a physical wall like Dondozo.
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OU (OverUsed): The Standard Meta
OU is the flagship tier of Smogon. It represents the highest level of standard play where no "broken" Legendary Pokémon are allowed. While the name suggests these are just "popular" Pokémon, the reality is that these are the most efficient tools in the current generation.
In the Scarlet and Violet era (Gen 9), OU is defined by Terastallization. This mechanic allows any Pokémon to change its type mid-battle, adding a layer of psychological warfare to every turn.
- ▹The Staples: You will see Great Tusk in almost every other match. Why? Because it compresses three roles into one: it’s a physical tank, a hazard remover (Rapid Spin), and a hazard setter (Stealth Rock).
- ▹The Scenario: You’re staring down a Gholdengo. Its ability, Good as Gold, makes it immune to all status moves. You can’t use Defog, you can’t Will-O-Wisp it, and you can’t Toxic it. Navigating the "Gholdengo vs. Hazard Removal" war is a rite of passage for every OU player.
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UU (UnderUsed): The "Better" Tier?
Many veteran players actually prefer UU over OU. UU consists of Pokémon that are incredibly strong but just missed the cut for the top tier. Often, these are Pokémon that were "top tier" in previous generations but have been victims of "power creep."
- ▹The Vibe: Diverse and experimental. Because the "perfect" walls of OU (like Alomomola) are absent, UU often allows for more creative offensive cores.
- ▹Key Players: Pokémon like Iron Hands, Enamorus-Therian, and Scizor often call UU home.
- ▹The Scizor Factor: Scizor is the king of UU. With Technician-boosted Bullet Punch, it provides the priority and pivoting (U-turn) that every team needs. It's the "gatekeeper" of the tier; if your team can’t handle a Scizor, your team isn’t ready for UU.
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RU (RarelyUsed): The Mid-Tier Bloom
As we move down to RU, we start to see Pokémon with glaring flaws—perhaps they are too slow, have a 4x weakness to Stealth Rock, or lack one specific coverage move. However, within the vacuum of RU, these Pokémon shine.
- ▹The Vibe: RU is often where "niche" strategies become "meta" strategies. You might see weather teams (Sun or Rain) thrive here more than in the higher tiers because the specific "anti-weather" counters are used in OU.
- ▹Sample Set: Yanmega is a classic RU threat. With the ability Speed Boost and Protect, it can become faster than the entire tier in one turn. Its Bug Buzz and Air Slash are terrifying, but it stays in RU because it loses 50% of its health to Stealth Rock if it isn't holding Heavy-Duty Boots.
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NU (NeverUsed): Hidden Gems
Don't let the name fool you. "NeverUsed" doesn't mean these Pokémon are bad; it just means they are outclassed in the higher-octane environments.
In NU, you’ll find many fully-evolved starters that didn't quite make the competitive cut, or middle-stage Pokémon holding an Eviolite (an item that boosts the Defense and Sp. Def of Pokémon that can still evolve).
- ▹The Hero: Chansey frequently drops to NU or RU these days because its evolution, Blissey, is the preferred choice in OU. In NU, Chansey is an unkillable pink blob that can wall almost every special attacker in the format.
- ▹Strategic Depth: Success in NU requires a deep knowledge of "lower-tier" threats. You have to know that Scyther is a genuine threat here, even if it’s forgotten in the world of Ubers.
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PU: The Bottom of the Barrel (But Still Fun!)
The name "PU" is a play on the expression of something smelling bad, but it actually stands for... well, nothing officially, though "Public Use" is the common joke. This is the lowest official usage-based tier.
- ▹The Roster: You’ll find Pokémon like Dugtrio-Alola, Raichu, and Articuno. These are Pokémon with unfortunate typing or stat spreads that make them "unplayable" in OU, but in PU, they are the superstars.
- ▹Why play PU? It is the most "pure" form of Pokémon power. Without the overwhelming stats of Paradox Pokémon or Box Legendaries, PU feels like the classic Pokémon battles of the early 2000s, where positioning and basic type matchups matter most.
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Intermediate Tiers: BL (Borderline)
While climbing the tiers, you will see categories like UUBL or RUBL. These are not playable tiers; they are lists of Pokémon that are "Too Good for the Lower Tier, but Not Used Enough in the Higher Tier."
- 1.The Ban: A Pokémon like Sneasler might be too fast and strong for UU, so the UU council bans it.
- 2.The Limbo: Sneasler enters UUBL.
- 3.The Result: It can be used in OU, but it is prohibited in UU and anything below it.
BL is often called "tiering purgatory." It’s where your favorite Pokémon goes when it’s just a little too "broken" to let the casual tiers have any fun.
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How to Get Started: A 3-Step Plan
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thousands of options, follow this path to enter the world of Smogon tiers:
- 1.Pick a Tier: Start with OU. Because it is the most popular, there are the most resources, YouTube videos, and "Sample Teams" available to help you learn.
- 2.Use a Sample Team: Do not build your own team yet. Competitive Pokémon is a game of "checks and balances." If you don't know the threats, you can't build against them. Go to the Smogon Forums and copy a "Sample Team" built by an expert.
- 3.Play 10 Games on Showdown: Head to Pokémon Showdown and play 10 games. Don't worry about winning. Just watch what your opponents do. When they switch, ask yourself why. When they Terastallize, ask what they gained.
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Final Thoughts
Smogon’s tiering system is the heartbeat of the competitive community. It ensures that whether you love the god-like power of Rayquaza or the scrappy underdog energy of Pawmot, there is a competitive community waiting for you.
The beauty of tiers is that they are constantly shifting. A new DLC, a hidden ability release, or even a single viral tournament match can cause a Pokémon to skyrocket from NU to OU in a matter of weeks. So, pick a tier, grab a team, and remember: every Pokémon has its day—you just have to find the right tier for it.
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