Appendix:Metagame terminology: Difference between revisions

A Pokémon designed with the sole purpose of annoying the opponent and making the game difficult for him/her. Moves for this purpose include {{m|Confuse Ray}}, {{m|Protect}} and {{m|Attract}}. It should be noted that the use of Annoyers has fallen since the start of [[Generation III]].

A moveset with {{m|Baton Pass}} and at least one stat-boosting move or {{m|Psych Up}}, {{m|Mean Look}} or {{m|Substitute}}. Designed to raise one or more stats for a few turns, then pass off to another Pokémon. Stat boosts are countered by a '''Hazer''' or '''Pseudo-Hazer'''.

A combination of {{m|Thunderbolt}} and {{m|Ice Beam}} on the same set that is resisted only by {{p|Magnezone}}, {{a|Volt Absorb}} {{p|Lanturn}}, and {{p|Shedinja}}.

A {{p|Suicune}} with {{m|Calm Mind}} and {{m|Rest}}. A very powerful and over-used Pokémon. It can be countered by a Pokémon with the {{a|Insomnia}} ability using {{m|Skill Swap}} (e.g. Hypno), or the move {{m|Worry Seed}}

A moveset built with the defeat of another in mind. For example, a '''Skarmbliss''' counter would have an effective means of dealing with both {{p|Skarmory}} and {{p|Blissey}}, usually a Fire/Electric attack for Skarmory and a powerful Fighting-type such as {{m|Close Combat}} or {{m|Focus Punch}} for Blissey. TyraniBoah and MixApe are examples of specific counters.

A combination of {{m|Double Team}} and {{m|Rest}} quite common back in the [[Generation II]] days. Almost obsolete now thanks to {{m|Aerial Ace}} and similar moves.

A moveset with a paralysis-inducing move to negate speed, and a flinch move such as {{m|Bite}}, {{m|Headbutt}}, {{m|Rock Slide}} or {{m|Extrasensory}}. It relies on chance to repeatedly flinch the foe until it faints. As an added bonus, the paralysis will kick in 25% of the time, preventing the foe from getting an attack in edgewise. {{p|Dunsparce}} was the most feared flinchaxor, because its {{a|Serene Grace}} increases the flinch chance to 60% until the appearance of {{p|Togekiss}} in [[Generation IV]].

Something that relies more on chance than reliability or strategy. For example, {{m|Horn Drill}} is a hax move. Items such as [[Items#Focus Band|Focus Band]], [[In-battle effect item#BrightPowder|BrightPowder]], and [[Items#Scope Lens|Scope Lens]] are hax items. The most common use of "hax" is in the term "Flinchax".

A mixed sweeper moveset for {{p|Infernape}} that is extremely useful for wall-breaking. The set consists of the moves {{m|Nasty Plot}}, {{m|Grass Knot}}, {{m|Flamethrower}}/{{m|Fire Blast}} and {{m|Close Combat}}.

Not an actual tier, but a term used to describe using Pokémon that are not fully evolved, and thus should not be used competitively until they evolve. There are some exceptions, namely:

Never-used. Refers to Pokémon with very low stats and small movepools that prevent it from being used in the common metagame, such as {{p|Ariados}} and {{p|Unown}}.

These are moves that cause a one-hit knock out when it hits. {{m|Sheer Cold}} is an example of a OHKO move.

Over-used. Refers to commonly used Pokémon in the metagame such as {{p|Tyranitar}} and {{p|Blissey}}.

A moveset with {{m|Wish}}, {{m|Safeguard}}, {{m|Light Screen}}, or {{m|Reflect}} on it. Reflect and Light Screen are countered by {{m|Brick Break}}.

A moveset with either {{m|Roar}} or {{m|Whirlwind}} and {{m|Toxic}}, {{m|Thunder Wave}} or {{m|Will-O-Wisp}}. Works by inflicting a status condition, then Phazing and repeating. Often used in tandem with a Spiker for best results. Countered by a '''Cleric'''.

The use of a sleep inducing move is forbidden if a Pokémon on the opponent's team has already been put to sleep by one of the user's Pokémon. Sleep induced by moves such as by [[Rest]] or abilities like [[Effect Spore]] are exempted.

A moveset with {{M|Rest}}, {{M|Sleep Talk}} and two damaging moves on it. Used to maintain a Pokémon (usually with good defenses) healthy with Rest and using Sleep Talk in the meantime to attack. {{p|Milotic}} is an excellent example of a sleeptalker due to {{a|Marvel Scale}}.

Much like the '''Tank''', this moveset lives to inflict a status condition and then stall with either {{m|Protect}} or (rarely) with {{m|Fly}}, {{m|Dive}}, or {{m|Dig}}. Although {{m|Toxic}} is the standard you can also have a Pyrostaller (a Staller with {{m|Will-O-Wisp}}). Countered by a '''Cleric'''.

A moveset with {{m|Substitute}} and {{m|Focus Punch}}, created to avoid the flinch chance from Focus Punch.

A moveset with {{m|Sunny Day}} and {{m|SolarBeam}}. Often used on Pokémon with the {{a|Chlorophyll}} ability, {{type2|Fire}} Pokémon, or Pokémon with the moves {{m|Synthesis}}, {{m|Morning Sun}} or {{m|Moonlight}}.

A moveset designed with the object of quickly knocking out, or "sweeping," an opponent's team. Specializes in mostly direct attacks with stat-boosting moves also common. It is characterized by high Speed and offensive stats. Comes in three variations - Physical, Special, and Mixed. Usually countered by a '''Tank'''.

A moveset with the object of stalling until the opponent faints, usually from {{m|Toxic}}. Moves that raise defenses, recover HP, and inflict status conditions on the opponent are good choices for a tank.

A moveset with {{m|Rain Dance}}, {{m|Thunder}}, and a Water attack. Pokémon with the {{a|Volt Absorb}} or {{a|Water Absorb}} [[ability]] are preferred, due to their immunity to enemy {{m|Surf}}s and {{m|Thunder}}s.

A moveset that employs {{m|Trick}} and the held item [[In-battle effect item#Choice Band|Choice Band]] to incapacitate any opponent that doesn't use Physical attacks (most likely a Tank, Annoyer or Special Sweeper). Trick switches items with the opponent, so that they lose their valuable held item and get a restrictive one.

A Pokémon (primarily [[Legendary Pokémon|legendary]]) with very high stats and usually a large and diverse movepool. Current Ubers are:

While most Pokémon in the Uber tier are there for their stats, Wobbuffet is included primarily because of its Shadow Tag ability. Since the principle behind countering a Pokémon in battle is to switch out to a Pokémon that is better able to cope with the opponent's strengths, and Shadow Tag works like Mean Look to trap a Pokémon in battle, Wobbuffet can be thought of as "uncounterable."  In addition, its ability to learn Encore means that the use of Wobbuffet requires no prediction skills===the Wobbuffet user must only Encore an offensive move and then use either Counter or Mirror Coat (depending on the move's type) to induce damage on the opponent.

A hacked {{p|Spiritomb}} or {{p|Sableye}} with the ability Wonder Guard. Since {{p|Spiritomb}} and {{p|Sableye}} have no weaknesses, they can only be damaged by weather conditions, status problems, entry hazards such as {{m|Spikes}} or {{m|Stealth Rock}} and the move {{m|Fire Fang}}.

 

A moveset of [[Garchomp]] abusing the [[Yache Berry]] item to get up a [[Swords Dance]] and attacking. It was the predominant reasoning for Garchomp's banning on Smogon due to its lack of effective counters.

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