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'''Tiers''' are an attempt by players to classify {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} in a given [[generation]] by their utility in competitive battles. They can be found in any game with variable characters, including [[Pokémon games|Pokémon]] and [[Super Smash Bros.]] The classification of Pokémon into tiers can be challenging, as a Pokémon's [[stat]]s or [[move]]s are not the only factors that can impact a match. Combinations of Pokémon, along with player skill and overall strategy greatly affects the outcome.
'''Tiers''' are an unofficial method of classifying {{OBP|Pokémon|species}} within a particular competitive battling format based on their relative usage.


==Tiers in Pokémon==
Individual sites, users, or organizations may publish tiers, but the most prominent tier lists are produced and published by [[Smogon]], usually based on usage stats from unofficial battle simulators, currently [[Pokémon Showdown]]. Communities such as [[Pokémon Online (battle simulator)|Pokémon Online]] and [[Pokémon Perfect]] have also published their own tier lists, though they are defunct as of 2023. Pokémon Online is of particular note for introducing usage-based tiering, the system most commonly used today. Tiers are defined separately for each generation, with their own rulesets, bans, and often even communities.
Pokémon features [[List of Pokémon|hundreds of species]] available for use in a battle, with great variation in [[base stats]], movesets, [[Type]]s, and {{Abilities}}. There are multiple tiers; the six most common are listed below. Individual sites, users, or organizations may publish tiers, but the most prominent tier lists are produced by [[Smogon]] and {{OBP|Pokémon Online|battle simulator}} and published on their respective websites. Tiers for current [[Appendix:Metagame terminology|metagames]] are updated on a regular basis to reflect the current competitive battling environment; older generations tend to retain the same banlists.


Tier lists are often targets of discussion because there is no "official" tier list for Pokémon. Tiers are often quite fluid—as strategies evolve, Pokémon may move from one tier to another. However, even official tournaments will present lists of disallowed Pokémon.
==Purpose==
Each tier functions as its own metagame, where only Pokémon that aren't in a higher tier can be used. By categorizing Pokémon in this way, Pokémon that would normally be outclassed in higher-tier metagames can still be useful in lower-tier formats, much like {{wikipedia|weight class}}es in sports like boxing. This also allows for rules to be enacted that better accommodate the Pokémon in that metagame that would not be suitable for those in higher tiers. Thus, the purpose of tiers can be boiled down to ensuring that as many Pokémon are viable as possible.


As commonly defined, a "standard" battle allows any Pokémon not listed in the Uber tier. Tiers are 'exclusive' in only one direction; for instance, in a UU battle, Pokémon from tiers above UU (BL, OU, or Uber) are banned, but Pokémon from lower tiers (such as RU or NU) are allowed.
In addition to usage-based metrics, some Pokémon are banned from a tier due to being considered too powerful for that tier's metagame. These can be for metagame health, being statistically overwhelming, or having strategies that players of the tier consider uncompetitive. In doing so, the tier can become more diverse, allowing for more Pokémon to be playable in the problem Pokémon's absence.


===Uber===
==Methodology==
The Uber tier is effectively a banlist for the OU tier, as "standard" battles include everything in the OU list and below. Pokémon in the Uber tier were deemed too powerful or destabilizing to the OU [[Appendix:Metagame terminology|metagame]] to allow. Ubers, if allowed, cause extreme "centralization" of strategies—in other words, it is impossible or very difficult to counter them in a reasonable manner.
Tiers for the latest generation of games are typically updated more often than older generations, due to those usually being the most played formats and being usage-based. Usage-based tiering is conducted through battle simulators such as [[Pokémon Showdown]] collecting aggregate data on the Pokémon used in a given metagame and weighting it based on the player's Elo rating. The weighted usage percentage is used to prevent "noise" — such as outliers who use a Pokémon a considerable amount and invariably lose — from potentially resulting in unrepresentative data. Once the result is unveiled, Pokémon are then risen and dropped between tiers that they are perceived as being better suited for, with an objective usage percentage being employed. With this system, when a new generation of Pokémon begins, it can take multiple months for a new tier to become playable. Due to usage-based tiering relying on a considerable amount of players, once a generation has concluded, the data becomes extremely unreliable. Ergo, old generations of metagames are often locked once the next one begins, with the tier list considered complete and lower tiers being stabilised. However, retroactive bans may be enacted by those who continue to play the metagames, and Pokémon that fall out of favour may be marked as such on battle simulator platforms while still being kept in the tier for the sake of transparency.


The Uber tier may include any Pokémon, not necessarily just [[Legendary Pokémon]]. Typically, it includes all {{pkmn2|Legendary}} [[game mascot]]s except [[List of Pokémon with form differences#Kyurem|Black]] {{p|Kyurem}}, due to various factors preventing it from becoming "too centralizing". Although many legendary Pokémon reside in the Uber tier, a far larger number exists in lower tiers due to similar inadequacies.
In Generations I through III, usage-based tiering was not invented yet and they thus instead use viability-based tiering. With the disadvantages of usage-based tiering becoming impossible after a generation has concluded not being applicable, small communities of enthusiasts still tier these generations in small competitive communities, with websites like [[Pokémon Perfect]] notably being founded for this very purpose. Viability-based tiering is conducted through having tier lists for the metagame itself — dubbed "Viability Rankings" — produced through aggregate rankings either by qualified players or a general large-scale vote. Pokémon are sent up and down tiers based on their perceived viability in the current metagame, usually with a rank being used as the threshold, mirroring that of the given percentage in usage-based tiering.  


After the release of [[Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire]], due to the dominance of [[Mega Evolution|Mega]] {{p|Rayquaza}}, Smogon made their version of Ubers a full-fledged tier, allowing bans from the tier. However, unlike other tiers, it is not affected by usage. As a result, Smogon also endorses a playstyle referred to as "Anything Goes", which has no fan-imposed rules other than the "Endless Battle Clause".
==Classification==
If a Pokémon meets a certain threshold of usage within a particular tier, it is classified as being within that tier, and cannot be used in any lower tiers. A Pokémon's classified tier is only its lower limit; it can still be used in any higher tier. Some Pokémon may still be useful in higher tiers despite their classification but are simply not widely used, and vice versa; so while a strong guideline, usage does not necessarily equal viability. Additionally, some Pokémon — most famously {{p|Quagsire}} — may ebb in and out of metagames, thus travelling up and down tiers rapidly.


===Overused===
If a Pokémon has multiple forms that it cannot switch between within battle, those forms may have usage calculated separately from each other (eg. {{p|Giratina}}'s Altered and Origin formes). However, if the form difference is purely or mostly aesthetic, those forms are often grouped together and tiered on their own (eg. {{p|Gastrodon}}).
Overused, commonly abbreviated as "'''OU'''", refers to Pokémon that are most frequently used in [[standard play]].


OU status does not have to do with a Pokémon's power or ability. The Pokémon that make up OU, as with all tiers, are determined based on usage. A Pokémon's tier may change from generation to generation. For instance, {{p|Magneton}} is often considered OU in [[Generation III]] because of its advantage over {{p|Skarmory}}, another commonly used Pokémon. In [[Generation IV]], {{p|Magnezone}}, the evolution of Magneton, took Magneton's role in OU in some tier lists due to its generally higher base stats. If an OU Pokémon is not used enough in the OU tier, it will fall to the UU tier.
If a Pokémon is banned from a tier, it is placed in a special BL (Borderline) group for that tier, meaning it cannot be used within the tier it's designated for, regardless of its usage. However, it can still be used in higher tiers. "BLs" are not considered to be officially playable tiers.


===Borderline===
Because the metagame shifts over time, as well as Pokémon being banned and unbanned, Pokémon's usage within a given tier will vary over time. At certain points in time, the publisher of the tier system will update which Pokémon are in which tiers based on current usage or viability.
Pokémon in Borderline, commonly referred to as "'''BL'''", are "too strong" for Underused, but are not sufficiently used in Overused battles. In essence, BL serves a ban list for Underused.


===Underused===
==Tiers==
Underused, commonly referred to as "'''UU'''", consists of Pokémon that are not used enough to be in OU. Pokémon classified as UU are often outclassed by Pokémon in higher tiers, possibly as a result of generally lower base stats, available moves, or Abilities. For example, in Generation V, {{p|Machamp}} fell to UU in some tier lists largely as a result of the introduction of {{p|Conkeldurr}}, which has {{m|Mach Punch}}, {{m|Drain Punch}}, and generally superior base stats. UU Pokémon are commonly used in OU battles, but most have smaller niches. If a UU Pokémon is not used enough in the UU tier, it will fall to the RU/LU tier.
Different generations have different numbers of tiers. Newer generations have more Pokémon and more interest, so typically have more tiers as a result. Publishers of tier lists usually only create new tiers when there is enough interest in them to justify maintaining that new tier.


===Borderline 2===
Tiers are normally ranked as follows.
Pokémon in Borderline 2, commonly referred to as "'''BL2'''", are "too strong" for Rarelyused/Littleused, but are not sufficiently used in Underused battles. In essence, BL2 serves a ban list for Rarelyused/Littleused.
#AG (Anything Goes, taken from the ''Stadium'' series of games)
#Ubers ([[wiktionary:Uber|German for "above competition"]], not normally tiered by usage)
#OU (OverUsed)
#UU (UnderUsed)
#RU (RarelyUsed)
#NU (NeverUsed)
#PU ([[wiktionary:PU|expression of disgust]])
#ZU (ZeroUsed, unofficial)


===Rarelyused/Littleused===
Some publishers of tier lists used the LU (Little Used) tier in place of RU or changed their definitions to be clearer (eg. 1U, 2U, etc). However, due to the prominence of Smogon's tier list, Smogon's terminology has dominated most tier lists.
This tier is referred to as either "'''RU'''" or "'''LU'''". While the name of the tier varies, its "level" is equivalent. The tier consists of Pokémon that are not used enough to be in UU. For example, {{p|Escavalier}} is considered RU in Generation V in some tier lists because it is not used enough in UU battles. If an RU/LU Pokémon is not used enough in the RU/LU tier, it will fall to the NU tier.


===Borderline 3===
==Metagames==
Pokémon in Borderline 3, commonly referred to as "'''BL3'''", are "too strong" for Neverused, but are not sufficiently used in Rarelyused/Littleused. In essence, BL3 serves a ban list for Neverused.
Each tier functions as its own metagame, with its own banlist, normally referred to as the tier's name appended with BL (e.g. UU-BL). However, OU's banlist has its own unique name, Ubers. Playing without any restrictions (or only very specific rules such as the "Endless Battle Clause") is typically referred to as "Anything Goes," which has since been adopted as the banlist for Ubers.


===Neverused===
Unlike other banlists, Ubers functions as a metagame itself. Due to its functioning as a metagame, Ubers has its own banlist dubbed "Anything Goes", for Pokémon that are considered too unhealthy even within its own metagame. This technically began in [[Generation IV]] with {{p|Arceus}} due to technical difficulties on [[Shoddy Battle]], but officially beginning in [[Generation VI]] with Mega {{p|Rayquaza}}'s official ban from Ubers. Unlike tiers, Ubers is not based on usage, so usage within Ubers does not result in a Pokémon ceasing to be in the OU tier, though tiering from Ubers has historically been proposed.
Neverused, commonly referred to as "'''NU'''", consists of Pokémon that are not used enough to be in RU/LU. The name is not literal, stemming from the tiers of [[Generation I]], where Neverused Pokémon had generally lower "competitive value" in comparison to other Pokémon. Some Pokémon that are pre-evolutions of Pokémon in higher tiers may be classified as NU.


===Borderline 4===
In addition to banning specific Pokémon, each format may also ban certain moves, Abilities, items, or even the usage of particular game mechanics (such as [[Dynamax]] or the [[Terastal phenomenon]]). They may also issue bans on certain combinations of these, such as a party not being allowed to have two named moves at the same time (particularly involving {{m|Baton Pass}}), though this is considerably rarer and subject to extreme contextual circumstances.
Pokémon in Borderline 4, commonly referred to as "'''BL4'''", are "too strong" for PU, but are not sufficiently used in Neverused. In essence, BL4 serves a ban list for PU.


===PU===
Battle simulators typically offer tier-based formats by default, automatically enforcing the restrictions associated with them. To play with these formats in the games themselves, both players need to agree to the rules in advance, as in-game rule-creation options typically do not offer enough granular control over the rules to support these formats. Due to both the difficulty of enforcing these rules in-game and the availability of usage data, tier lists are usually based on usage within battle simulators.
'''PU''' (which doesn't stand for anything, instead referencing the exclamation of disgust) is a tier below Neverused in Smogon's tier list (other tier lists do not have a tier this low) which consists of Pokémon that are not used enough to be in NU.


===Not Fully Evolved===
==Format types==
This group is more commonly known as "'''NFE'''", and as the name implies, contains most Pokémon that have not yet reached their final [[evolution]] stage and do not have a high enough usage to appear in any tier. This group is not actually a tier, but rather a collection of Pokémon without significant usage even in the lowest tier.
Fans usually discuss tiers in the context of standard Single Battles. However, tier systems have also been published for other variants, such as [[Double Battle]]s, Middle Cup, and [[Little Cup]] Single Battles. Tier systems for these format types function in the same way, but typically do not have as many tiers as standard Single Battles due to the lower popularity of these format types.


====Little Cup====
Similarly, some sites (such as Smogon) create their own custom Pokémon, and have format types that include those Pokémon with their own tier lists, in this case being called Create-A-Pokémon (CAP).
{{main|Little Cup}}
Little Cup is an entirely separate battle style where only the Pokémon that are the lowest evolutionary stage in their family are allowed, like {{p|Bulbasaur}} and {{p|Mienfoo}}. Pokémon that do not evolve at all, such as {{p|Luvdisc}}, are not allowed in the tier. The moves {{m|Sonic Boom}} and {{m|Dragon Rage}} are also prohibited. All Pokémon must be level 5 or lower to compete.
 
This tier is based on the [[Stadium Cup]].
 
Some unevolved Pokémon—for example, {{p|Meditite}}, {{p|Scyther}} and {{p|Gligar}}—are sometimes considered too powerful and banned in some tier lists. In this special battle style, {{DL|Drink|Berry Juice}} is also sometimes banned.
 
==Tier variations==
Some Pokémon are listed in tiers but are sometimes used in competitive play outside of their own tier because they have a change during evolution that modified their disposition enough to allow them to stay competitive, even some in an unevolved state.
* {{p|Porygon2}}, which is due to its evolution, {{p|Porygon-Z}}, having lower {{stat|Defense}} and {{stat|Special Defense}}, meaning Porygon2 can be used as a {{dl|Appendix:Metagame terminology|wall}}, unlike its evolution.
* {{p|Pikachu}} holding {{DL|Stat-enhancing item|Light Ball}} can have higher Attack and Special Attack than its evolution, {{p|Raichu}}.
* {{p|Magneton}}, as previously stated, is still used in lower tiers because it carries the ability to trap {{t|Steel}} types with {{a|Magnet Pull}}. It also has use in OU battles, as its slightly higher speed than {{p|Magnezone}} allows it to outspeed many OU Pokémon that Magnezone cannot.
* {{DL|Stat-enhancing item|Eviolite}}, an item that multiplies both Defense and Special Defense of not-fully-evolved Pokémon by 1.5, has increased the popularity of several other pre-evolutions, such as {{p|Gligar}}, {{p|Dusclops}}, and {{p|Chansey}}, among others, Dusclops and Chansey even being in a higher tier than their evolutions, {{p|Dusknoir}} and {{p|Blissey}}, respectively, on some tier lists.


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.smogon.com/xyhub/tiers Smogon tier list]
* [https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/tiering-faq.3644714/ Smogon tier list and FAQ]
* [https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/tiering-policy-framework.3628026/ Smogon tiering policy]


{{Project Fandom notice}}
{{Project Fandom notice}}

Latest revision as of 10:16, 28 December 2023

Tiers are an unofficial method of classifying Pokémon within a particular competitive battling format based on their relative usage.

Individual sites, users, or organizations may publish tiers, but the most prominent tier lists are produced and published by Smogon, usually based on usage stats from unofficial battle simulators, currently Pokémon Showdown. Communities such as Pokémon Online and Pokémon Perfect have also published their own tier lists, though they are defunct as of 2023. Pokémon Online is of particular note for introducing usage-based tiering, the system most commonly used today. Tiers are defined separately for each generation, with their own rulesets, bans, and often even communities.

Purpose

Each tier functions as its own metagame, where only Pokémon that aren't in a higher tier can be used. By categorizing Pokémon in this way, Pokémon that would normally be outclassed in higher-tier metagames can still be useful in lower-tier formats, much like weight classes in sports like boxing. This also allows for rules to be enacted that better accommodate the Pokémon in that metagame that would not be suitable for those in higher tiers. Thus, the purpose of tiers can be boiled down to ensuring that as many Pokémon are viable as possible.

In addition to usage-based metrics, some Pokémon are banned from a tier due to being considered too powerful for that tier's metagame. These can be for metagame health, being statistically overwhelming, or having strategies that players of the tier consider uncompetitive. In doing so, the tier can become more diverse, allowing for more Pokémon to be playable in the problem Pokémon's absence.

Methodology

Tiers for the latest generation of games are typically updated more often than older generations, due to those usually being the most played formats and being usage-based. Usage-based tiering is conducted through battle simulators such as Pokémon Showdown collecting aggregate data on the Pokémon used in a given metagame and weighting it based on the player's Elo rating. The weighted usage percentage is used to prevent "noise" — such as outliers who use a Pokémon a considerable amount and invariably lose — from potentially resulting in unrepresentative data. Once the result is unveiled, Pokémon are then risen and dropped between tiers that they are perceived as being better suited for, with an objective usage percentage being employed. With this system, when a new generation of Pokémon begins, it can take multiple months for a new tier to become playable. Due to usage-based tiering relying on a considerable amount of players, once a generation has concluded, the data becomes extremely unreliable. Ergo, old generations of metagames are often locked once the next one begins, with the tier list considered complete and lower tiers being stabilised. However, retroactive bans may be enacted by those who continue to play the metagames, and Pokémon that fall out of favour may be marked as such on battle simulator platforms while still being kept in the tier for the sake of transparency.

In Generations I through III, usage-based tiering was not invented yet and they thus instead use viability-based tiering. With the disadvantages of usage-based tiering becoming impossible after a generation has concluded not being applicable, small communities of enthusiasts still tier these generations in small competitive communities, with websites like Pokémon Perfect notably being founded for this very purpose. Viability-based tiering is conducted through having tier lists for the metagame itself — dubbed "Viability Rankings" — produced through aggregate rankings either by qualified players or a general large-scale vote. Pokémon are sent up and down tiers based on their perceived viability in the current metagame, usually with a rank being used as the threshold, mirroring that of the given percentage in usage-based tiering.

Classification

If a Pokémon meets a certain threshold of usage within a particular tier, it is classified as being within that tier, and cannot be used in any lower tiers. A Pokémon's classified tier is only its lower limit; it can still be used in any higher tier. Some Pokémon may still be useful in higher tiers despite their classification but are simply not widely used, and vice versa; so while a strong guideline, usage does not necessarily equal viability. Additionally, some Pokémon — most famously Quagsire — may ebb in and out of metagames, thus travelling up and down tiers rapidly.

If a Pokémon has multiple forms that it cannot switch between within battle, those forms may have usage calculated separately from each other (eg. Giratina's Altered and Origin formes). However, if the form difference is purely or mostly aesthetic, those forms are often grouped together and tiered on their own (eg. Gastrodon).

If a Pokémon is banned from a tier, it is placed in a special BL (Borderline) group for that tier, meaning it cannot be used within the tier it's designated for, regardless of its usage. However, it can still be used in higher tiers. "BLs" are not considered to be officially playable tiers.

Because the metagame shifts over time, as well as Pokémon being banned and unbanned, Pokémon's usage within a given tier will vary over time. At certain points in time, the publisher of the tier system will update which Pokémon are in which tiers based on current usage or viability.

Tiers

Different generations have different numbers of tiers. Newer generations have more Pokémon and more interest, so typically have more tiers as a result. Publishers of tier lists usually only create new tiers when there is enough interest in them to justify maintaining that new tier.

Tiers are normally ranked as follows.

  1. AG (Anything Goes, taken from the Stadium series of games)
  2. Ubers (German for "above competition", not normally tiered by usage)
  3. OU (OverUsed)
  4. UU (UnderUsed)
  5. RU (RarelyUsed)
  6. NU (NeverUsed)
  7. PU (expression of disgust)
  8. ZU (ZeroUsed, unofficial)

Some publishers of tier lists used the LU (Little Used) tier in place of RU or changed their definitions to be clearer (eg. 1U, 2U, etc). However, due to the prominence of Smogon's tier list, Smogon's terminology has dominated most tier lists.

Metagames

Each tier functions as its own metagame, with its own banlist, normally referred to as the tier's name appended with BL (e.g. UU-BL). However, OU's banlist has its own unique name, Ubers. Playing without any restrictions (or only very specific rules such as the "Endless Battle Clause") is typically referred to as "Anything Goes," which has since been adopted as the banlist for Ubers.

Unlike other banlists, Ubers functions as a metagame itself. Due to its functioning as a metagame, Ubers has its own banlist dubbed "Anything Goes", for Pokémon that are considered too unhealthy even within its own metagame. This technically began in Generation IV with Arceus due to technical difficulties on Shoddy Battle, but officially beginning in Generation VI with Mega Rayquaza's official ban from Ubers. Unlike tiers, Ubers is not based on usage, so usage within Ubers does not result in a Pokémon ceasing to be in the OU tier, though tiering from Ubers has historically been proposed.

In addition to banning specific Pokémon, each format may also ban certain moves, Abilities, items, or even the usage of particular game mechanics (such as Dynamax or the Terastal phenomenon). They may also issue bans on certain combinations of these, such as a party not being allowed to have two named moves at the same time (particularly involving Baton Pass), though this is considerably rarer and subject to extreme contextual circumstances.

Battle simulators typically offer tier-based formats by default, automatically enforcing the restrictions associated with them. To play with these formats in the games themselves, both players need to agree to the rules in advance, as in-game rule-creation options typically do not offer enough granular control over the rules to support these formats. Due to both the difficulty of enforcing these rules in-game and the availability of usage data, tier lists are usually based on usage within battle simulators.

Format types

Fans usually discuss tiers in the context of standard Single Battles. However, tier systems have also been published for other variants, such as Double Battles, Middle Cup, and Little Cup Single Battles. Tier systems for these format types function in the same way, but typically do not have as many tiers as standard Single Battles due to the lower popularity of these format types.

Similarly, some sites (such as Smogon) create their own custom Pokémon, and have format types that include those Pokémon with their own tier lists, in this case being called Create-A-Pokémon (CAP).

External links

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