TL;DR
Scorching Sands Excadrill narrowly outclasses Earth Energy Garchomp. This average improve makes it one of many finest common non-legendary Floor attackers, though it’s nonetheless effectively beneath shadows and PB Groudon.
- Be careful for its typing disadvantages, although.
Shaymin (Sky) features essentially the most from Magical Leaf. It’s now solely behind Kartana, above shadows and Zarude. Nevertheless, it’s far behind Kartana, to the extent that low utility of Grass varieties could also be a priority.
Roserade additionally will get a small improve from Magical Leaf, which solidifies its place as the perfect common non-legendary. But it surely’s nonetheless means worse than Kartana and shadows (identical to Excadrill).
Shadow Zapdos is a top-tier Electrical attacker (ETM or not), however not one which’s well worth the grind IMO, except you want selection or love Zapdos. Different top-tier choices are higher, cheaper, prone to be in raids quickly (esp. Shadow Raikou), and/or have higher IV management.
My analyses of different varieties are in this spreadsheet. It’s also possible to observe me on Twitter (X) and Threads!
Notice: This submit doesn’t give attention to new Paldean Pokémon, regardless that some have been proven within the charts. The following article will talk about all launched Paldean Pokémon through the occasions which have simply ended.
“Occasion” Data
Season of Journey Abound is underway till the tip of November. On all weekends through the season, Shadow Zapdos will seem in local-only Shadow Tier 5 raids.
The season additionally introduced many everlasting, regular-TM-able transfer pool modifications as a part of the common GBL updates. This submit reveals essentially the most influential modifications for the raid scene: Scorching Sands Excadrill and new Magical Leaf customers.
- Most different modifications have little impacts on raid attackers, regardless that some turned the perfect choices on area of interest or funds attackers (e.g. Scorching Sands Flygon and Hippowdon, Breaking Swipe Mega Sceptile).
Scorching Sands Excadrill
Chart with ASE and ASE Dodge might be discovered here.
If you happen to thought Gible Neighborhood Day in 2021 was probably the most hyped CDs ever, then Excadrill (Mud-Slap/Scorching Sands) must be of nice curiosity to you. With out even needing an unique transfer!
Excadrill was already amongst an enormous pool of very comparable floor attackers, however now it rises to the highest of the bunch, or no less than close to high.
- As seen within the comparability charts, it does carry out higher than Garchomp and Landorus-T most of the time.
- Its benefit over Garchomp is even larger in TTW (ignores relobbies), and naturally uncooked DPS.
The caveats are its extra frequent typing disadvantages and decrease bulk, making Excadrill much less constant than Garchomp.
- Metal is a superb defensive typing, however on this case, it makes Excadrill weak to hearth-type strikes (typically from fire-type bosses that it’s alleged to counter), in addition to widespread floor and combating strikes.
- The most typical sensible state of affairs is Heatran raids. Excadrill is both tremendous good or tremendous unhealthy towards it.
- The metal typing nonetheless helps it most of the time, with distinctive niches similar to towards Dialga. You simply have to have a back-up plan.
One other draw back is that floor varieties sometimes have decrease energy than various attacking varieties. Excadrill nonetheless faces the identical drawback, identical to Garchomp (detailed right here).
- Comparable choices embrace: Machamp, Gigalith, and Swampert. Yikes.
- Many raid bosses are double weak to floor (the place they’re the one choices), although, in order that helps a bit.
One final phrase on Scorching Sands: It’s at present the perfect ground-type non-signature PvE transfer, so any Pokémon that will get it’ll profit.
- (Shadow) Flygon and Hippowdon already do, although they’re nonetheless not very notable.
- Different potential candidates: Krookodile, Rhyperior, and… Garchomp.
- FYI: Future Shadow Excadrill finally ends up barely worse than Shadow Garchomp on common. The shadow therapy hurts glass cannons greater than tanks.
Magical Leaf Customers: Shaymin Sky, Roserade and Future Decidueye
Chart with ASE and ASE Dodge might be discovered here.
Everybody can now use Shaymin Sky (Magical Leaf/Grass Knot). It’s now narrowly however constantly above all shadow grass varieties and Zarude, with solely Kartana forward of it.
- Magical Leaf is healthier than Hidden Energy Grass.
Nevertheless… Heavy (uncommon sweet) funding in Shaymin continues to be questionable, except for selection lovers.
Moreover the plain possibility of “simply seize one other Kartana”, the efficiency distinction signifies that low utility of grass varieties turns into an actual concern for Shaymin:
- Not too many raid bosses are weak to grass.
- In my Type Utility chart and Strength and Utility (S&U) chart (explanations in this text), Grass sits in direction of the underside, just like Water and Flying which I mentioned not too long ago.
- As well as, the one T4+ boss that’s double weak to grass is Mega Swampert.
- Most of them are additionally countered by one thing stronger than Shaymin.
- Kartana additionally faces the utility concern, however I didn’t emphasize on it earlier than
(as a result of I didn’t give it some thought)as a result of it’s so robust that it begins to outclass many different varieties (even Metagross and Kyogre). Shaymin Sky doesn’t have that luxurious.
- Kartana additionally faces the utility concern, however I didn’t emphasize on it earlier than
- Particularly, Kartana’s typing makes it the perfect non-mega (Primal) Kyogre specialist, however Shaymin Sky does horrible at it.
- Beating Kyogre is among the most vital roles of grass attackers, however whereas Kartana takes impartial injury from Blizzard Kyogre, Shaymin Sky is double weak to it.
- It’s not that Shaymin doesn’t have its area of interest… It has typing benefits towards Earthquake Groudon and most future bosses weak to grass (Urshifu Speedy Strike, Ting-Lu, Keldeo in case of Elite Raids). However a number of of them are additionally (a lot?) higher countered by different varieties.
As for non-legendaries…
Roserade (Magical Leaf/Grass Knot) will get a small improve over the previous Razor Leaf. It was already on the forefront of non-Kartana non-shadow non-Zarude grass varieties, however now it’s solidly forward of others on this tier. (Sorry, Tapu Bulu.)
Decidueye nonetheless doesn’t do a lot at the moment even with Magical Leaf, however the true story is when/if it will get Frenzy Plant (2025?). ML/FP Decidueye will sit close to the place Roserade was once: among the finest common non-legendaries. Simply that it’s barely outclassed by the brand new Roserade.
Miscellaneous notes:
- Shaymin (Land) would have additionally appeared on the chart, near Roserade. I didn’t present it as a result of there’s no cause to not change its kind.
- Shadow Roserade, when launched, shall be somewhat bit above Shaymin Sky.
- Meowscarada, even proper now with out Frenzy Plant, already reveals up as a robust counter – however once more worse than the brand new Roserade. Extra on this within the subsequent article.
Shadow Zapdos
Chart with ASE and ASE Dodge might be discovered here.
Not like Shadow Articuno, Shadow Zapdos (TS or CB/Thunderbolt) is definitely helpful. Legacy/ETM Thunder Shock is the perfect and places it in a cluster of top-tier electrical varieties, however even the non-legacy Cost Beam isn’t far behind.
However sadly, its function type of stops there. (Once more, except for selection lovers and those that don’t have another high choices.)
To make this level, I’ll evaluate Shadow Zapdos with each different non-mega electrical attacker that’s additionally top-tier:
- Shadow Raikou
- Higher efficiency
- Will virtually actually be in Shadow Raids soon-ish (presumably as quickly as 2 seasons from now)
- Xurkitree
- Higher efficiency
- A lot simpler to get good IVs (10/10/10 IV ground for Xurkitree, 6/6/6 for Shadow Zapdos)
- Extra accessible: May get from distant raids, decrease stardust value
- Will virtually actually be again in raids sooner or later
- Shadow Electivire
- Usually higher efficiency (although much less constant)
- Less expensive: No uncommon candies required, simpler to get XLs
- Extra accessible up to now: Had been in Rocket grunts for a very long time, so veteran gamers doubtless have good IVs
- Probably shall be again sooner or later
- Shadow Magnezone
- Comparable efficiency, however turns into higher than Zapdos with higher IVs
- Less expensive: No uncommon candies required, simpler to get XLs
- Far more accessible up to now: Had been in Rocket grunts for a very long time, and was in leaders
- Probably shall be again sooner or later
- Zekrom (Fusion Bolt, legacy/ECTM)
- Comparable efficiency, however turns into higher than Zapdos with higher IVs
- A lot simpler to get good IVs
- Extra accessible: May get from distant raids, decrease stardust value
- Extra helpful in PvP Grasp League
- Will virtually actually be again in raids sooner or later (although will not be with Fusion Bolt)
- Attainable to get one other increase from Bolt Strike finally
Each one in all them is higher, cheaper, prone to be in raids quickly, and/or have higher IV management. And most of them don’t want an Elite TM.
Being a shadow legendary, obtained from in-person-only raids, requiring costly candies and additional stardust, and with solely a 6/6/6 IV ground… You higher be one thing spectacular to be price grinding. And I don’t assume Shadow Zapdos makes the lower, regardless that it’s clearly removed from ineffective. It might be a greater concept to avoid wasting your raid passes for Shadow Raikou or Xurkitree as an alternative.
Shadow Zapdos can be purposeful as a flying attacker with Thunder Shock/Drill Peck, but it surely’s solely just like non-shadow Moltres.
Temporary phrases on Volt Swap Magnezone
- If you happen to can solely decide one quick transfer, Spark is healthier on common.
- Nevertheless, in simulations, Volt Swap is situationally higher 1/3 of the time. Even when not, it’s additionally very intently behind.
- Sadly, whether or not Volt Swap is healthier or not in a given scenario appears unpredictable.
- A lot worse for dodging than Spark as a consequence of longer length.
I gained’t name Volt Swap an improve, but it surely’s actually intriguing on a theoretical stage.
What’s subsequent?
An article on new Paldean Pokémon (starters, Baxcalibur, Bombirdier, Pawmot) is within the works.
- This may occasionally appear very late, however between ready for the Pokebattler web site to replace, worldwide journey, coping with Pokebattler bugs and different IRL issues, that is the earliest I may do.
Earlier than or after that, a fast evaluation/charts of Vikavolt earlier than its CD.
- Spark vs. Volt Swap (CD transfer) is once more the query. Spark continues to be higher on common, however it might be barely completely different from Magnezone as a consequence of completely different charged strikes, so I have to examine.
A consolidated chart with each kind will most likely be out afterwards, in addition to a observe on some long-term modifications.
Previous analyses on different varieties
An entire listing of all my previous analyses – on each single kind apart from regular – can now be present in this spreadsheet!
It’s also possible to observe me on Twitter (X) and Threads! I typically submit sneak peeks of WIP articles earlier than they go reside.
The submit Season of Journey Abound: Scorching Sands Excadrill, Magical Leaf customers and Shadow Zapdos as raid attackers appeared first on Pokémon GO Hub.
