RBY OU Threat List

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***This is still a rough draft, so don't mind if something's missing from a description atm. I'll be chipping away at and editing this slowly over time.***

Introduction

RBY OU is much more centralized than the OUs of later generations, so this threat list will be broken up in a way that reflects that. At least three of "The Big 4" of Tauros, Chansey, Exeggutor, and Snorlax can be found on the majority of competitive teams, and an extremely common team layout is simply lead + The Big 4 + X. Only 11 other Pokemon are seen often enough to be considered OU. Outside of those, there are several niche threats that you should at least be prepared for, as they can otherwise still be quite dangerous.

Stats will be displayed as Hit Points / Attack / Defense / Special / Speed (critical hit chance).

The Big 4


Tauros
75 / 100 / 95 / 70 / 110 (21.5%)
It's almost guaranteed that Tauros will be running Body Slam / Earthquake / Blizzard / Hyper Beam, although Thunderbolt or Thunder are very rarely used to nail the relatively uncommon Cloyster. Tauros is the most threatening cleaner in the game, and its high chance to critical hit (or paralyze with Body Slam) means nothing really wants to switch into the wrong move from it. Paralysis is the best way to cripple it, outside of the classic Tauros vs Tauros showdown that occurs in most games. To that end, faster Thunder Wave users are ideal, with Starmie in particular being able to survive a critical hit from anything but Hyper Beam. Counter from the likes of Snorlax or Chansey can also prove devastating for Tauros.


Chansey
250 / 5 / 5 / 105 / 50 (9.8%)
Chansey is a versatile defensive threat that packs a surprising amount of punch itself. Its standard set is Thunderbolt / Ice Beam / Thunder Wave / Soft-Boiled, which is capable of beating a good portion of the metagame 1v1. That said, Counter, Sing, and Reflect are all commonly used moves that can prove quite dangerous in their own right. Usually, they'll be used over Thunderbolt and alongside Ice Beam or Seismic Toss; for that reason, you should be wary of these moves from Chansey that have not yet revealed Thunderbolt. Freezing it is probably the best way to remove it from play, although it's not exactly reliable. A paralyzed Chansey will usually be beaten eventually by repeated STAB Psychics, which have about a 1/3 chance of dropping its Special stat. Physical hits (particularly Explosion) can also pressure it, with even Reflect variants being susceptible to critical hits.


Exeggutor
95 / 95 / 85 / 125 / 55 (10.7%)
Exeggutor fills several important offensive and defensive roles on a team, making it a mainstay in the format. It will almost always have Sleep Powder, usually serving as a backup sleeper or the main sleeper on a team without a sleep lead. Stun Spore and, less commonly, Leech Seed also offer team support. Psychic and Explosion are its usual attacks, but Mega Drain and various Normal attacks like Hyper Beam and Double-Edge are also notable. Often, an Exeggutor will end up finishing itself off with Explosion before you can get the job done. That said, it's pretty susceptible to sleep and paralysis, brings a rough weakness to Blizzard, and has inaccurate status moves to take advantage of. Rarer Rest variants can be capitalized on while asleep, especially since they usually lack the immediate threat of Explosion.


Snorlax
160 / 110 / 65 / 65 / 30 (5.9%)
Probably the most flexible threat in the format, Snorlax can be tailored to suit basically any team. Its most standard set has Body Slam, Earthquake, and Self-Destruct, while the last move can be Hyper Beam, Counter, or even Surf. Although that set tends to threaten everything in some way, it doesn't have a ton of staying power and will get battered down eventually. Rest + Reflect variants are much more durable, though STAB special attacks, particularly Psychic with its Special drops, can bring it down. Finally, Amnesia allows Snorlax to take on a sweeper role, usually running Ice Beam / Blizzard and Rest, rounded out by Body Slam, Reflect, or Thunderbolt. Amnesia Snorlax without Body Slam struggles against Chansey, particularly paralyzed ones, while those without Reflect are most easily handled by Explosion.

Common Threats


Alakazam
55 / 50 / 45 / 135 / 120 (23.4%)
Alakazam is most often seen in the lead position, where it excels. Due to its limited movepool, Psychic / Thunder Wave / Recover / Seismic Toss or Reflect is generally the only set you'll run into. Seismic Toss is usually the preferred move of leads, although Reflect leaves it less crippled by opposing paralysis leads and can give Alakazam some late-game tenacity. Chansey and a Psychic-type or two can usually keep Alakazam in check, although they'll probably take paralysis in the process. Most physical attackers can force out Seismic Toss Alakazam, while Reflect variants are even more easily walled by opposing Psychic-types.


Starmie
60 / 75 / 85 / 100 / 115 (22.3%)
Starmie can function well at any stage of the game, as it's one of the best leads, a fantastic mid-game pivot and threat, and an excellent late-game cleaner. It has a nice enough movepool to be tailored to most teams, although it has a bit of 4MSS. The standard set is Blizzard / Thunderbolt / Thunder Wave / Recover, although it's quite common for Psychic to go over either attack. Three-attack Starmie is much less common, as Recover and Thunder Wave are both really important support for Starmie. Also rare are variants with Hyper Beam, Surf, or Hydro Pump. Walling Starmie will come down to its set. Chansey and Snorlax threaten ones without Psychic, Exeggutor and Zapdos are bigger problems for those that drop Blizzard, and opposing Starmie and Slowbro become tougher issues for those without Thunderbolt. Three-attack Starmie without Thunder Wave is even more crippled by paralysis and easier for Tauros to contend with.

Jynx
65 / 50 / 35 / 95 / 95 (18.6%)
A fantastic sleep lead, Jynx is almost always seen in that position. You can be sure of Lovely Kiss and STAB Psychic + Blizzard. The last slot is a bit of a tossup, with Rest and Counter being the usual choices. Seismic Toss or even Mimic can be used to some success, though. Jynx can be difficult to deal with, as it will often put something to sleep and has a decent shot at freezing something else. Once sleep clause if active, your best bet is to either wear it down with Pokemon that it can't do much back to it (Chansey, Starmie, Slowbro) or smack it with a strong physical like Snorlax. Opposing Ice-types, particularly Lapras or a Jynx of your own, are also notable checks that can't be frozen. A Resting Jynx is much easier to capitalize on, with Tauros in particular posing a massive threat.


Zapdos
90 / 90 / 85 / 125 / 100 (19.5%)
Zapdos is generally seen as a mid- or late-game breaker, with its standard set being Thunderbolt / Drill Peck / Thunder Wave / X. Agility is probably the most common final move, although Light Screen, Reflect, Thunder, Hyper Beam, Mimic, and Rest all have varying merits. The easiest way to keep Zapdos in check is with a Golem or Rhydon, although Jolteon does the job reasonably well, too. Otherwise, hitting it with Blizzards and Ice Beams, or even STAB Body Slams and Psychics, will take a toll; Zapdos has no recovery outside of the rarely seen Rest, which still leaves it open to repeated attacks.


Slowbro
95 / 75 / 110 / 80 / 30 (5.9%)
Slowbro is almost guaranteed to be running an Amnesia set, which quickly turns it into a potent tank. Thunder Wave is also practically a guarantee (dual attack Slowbro is extremely rare), with Rest being essentially mandatory as well. That leaves one slot for an attack, which is usually Psychic or Surf, though Ice Beam sees occasional use. Critical hits are its biggest undoing, though anything that can force it into and potentially break a Rest loop is handy. The move Razor Leaf, though only seen on the rare Victreebel or Venusaur, is especially notable for always scoring a super effective critical hit. Applying constant pressure is crucial to prevent it from grabbing any extra boosts.


Lapras
130 / 85 / 80 / 95 / 60 (11.7%)
Lapras has a surprisingly decent movepool and overall solid stats. Blizzard and Thunderbolt (or, less often, Thunder) are essential, with Body Slam being the next most common move. The last slot usually offers support in the form of Sing or Confuse Ray, although Hyper Beam is also an option to prepare for. Rest variants are uncommon and generally easier to pressure. Anything checking Lapras should be wary of potential sleep, freeze, or paralysis. That said, Chansey is generally the best option for countering it. Starmie also poses a notable threat, as do most faster Thunderbolt users.


Jolteon
65 / 65 / 60 / 110 / 130 (25.4%)
Fantastic Speed, excellent Special, and access to Thunder Wave allows Jolteon to function as a great late-game cleaner or an offensive paralysis lead. Outside of the relatively uncommon lead, Jolteon tends to be kept hidden until the end game, usually scouting for Rhydon or Golem first. In either case, Thunderbolt and Thunder Wave are pretty much mandatory, with Pin Missile and Double-Kick being the standard final moves. The aforementioned Rhydon and Golem (or even Sandslash) do an excellent job of shutting down Jolteon. Chansey, Alakazam, and Snorlax also keep it in check, although the chances for critical hits or full paralyses make them shakier. On that note, paralyzing Jolteon leaves it much easier to manage.


Golem
80 / 110 / 130 / 55 / 45 (8.8%)
Golem's main niche over Rhydon, besides slightly higher Speed, is its access to Explosion, so you can be sure it will be running that. Earthquake and Rock Slide are its STAB attacks, and they offer flawless coverage as well. The last slot will usually go to Body Slam for its paralysis chance, although Substitute is occasionally used for scouting switches. It's generally easy to scare Golem off with Ice, Water, and Grass attacks, especially since most users of those moves will outspeed it. Exeggutor in particular is a great counter, as it resists Earthquake, takes little from Rock Slide and Body Slam, outspeeds, and can 2HKO with STAB Psychic or Mega Drain.


Gengar
60 / 65 / 60 / 130 / 110 (21.5%)
As the fastest sleep user, Gengar is often seen in the lead slot. It's a bit risky, as Hypnosis only lands 60% of the time and Gengar packs some rough weaknesses to Psychic and Ground. Immunities to Normal and Fighting are quite nice, however; not only is Gengar unaffected by Explosion, but it usually packs it as well. Night Shade and Thunderbolt typically round out its arsenal, although Mega Drain and Psychic are notable coverage options. When facing Gengar, you should prepare for something to be put to sleep. Paralyzing Gengar will greatly hinder it, as it's relatively frail with common weaknesses. Alakazam and Starmie make great anti-Gengar leads, as they outspeed and threaten it with potential OHKOs from crit Psychics or paralysis from Thunder Wave. After sleep clause is activated, Gengar is a lot less spooky. Exeggutor just fears Explosion, has sleep access of its own, and can also threaten Gengar with Psychic or paralysis. Golem and Rhydon are only really bothered by Mega Drain variants while OHKOing back with Earthquake. Most Snorlax will be able to comfortably take on Gengar as well.


Cloyster
50 / 95 / 180 / 85 / 70 (13.7%)


Rhydon
105 / 130 / 120 / 45 / 40 (7.8%)


Uncommon Threats


Articuno
90 / 85 / 100 / 125 / 85 (16.6%)



Dodrio
60 / 110 / 70 / 60 / 100 (19.5%)



Dragonite
91 / 134 / 95 / 100 / 80 (15.6%)



Hypno
85 / 73 / 70 / 115 / 67 (13.1%)



Kangaskhan
105 / 95 / 80 / 40 / 90 (17.6%)



Kingler
55 / 130 / 110 / 50 / 75 (14.6%)



Moltres
90 / 100 / 90 / 125 / 90 (17.6%)



Persian
65 / 70 / 60 / 65 / 115 (22.3%)




Raichu
60 / 90 / 55 / 90 / 100 (19.5%)




Sandslash
75 / 100 / 110 / 55 / 65 (12.7%)



Victreebel
80 / 105 / 65 / 100 / 70 (13.7%)
 
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