Competitive Pokemon Meta Shakes Up As Garchomp Is Dethroned After Almost Two Decades

The competitive meta-game of Pokemon has seen a significant change as Garchomp has fallen from his position in the Overused group after nearly two decades. The information follows a monthly update shared by Smogon University (@SmogonU) in a tweet, detailing the several changes to the meta as various notable Pokemon saw themselves drop from the OU group to Underused, etc. Refer to this thread for a detailed breakdown.

Darkness follows October and the DLC drops cast a large shadow across all lower tiers!

More usage stats and information here: https://t.co/lgBj6Dh8GE pic.twitter.com/J67laIcynm

— Smogon University (@SmogonU) October 1, 2023

Other notable drops from the Overused tier include names such as Heatran, Milotic, Azumarill, Amonguss, Shiftry, and Mamoswine. These mons are now available in the Underused group, with the result being achieved due to a lower usage rate. According to Smogon University, if a pocket monster reaches or fails to reach 4.52% usage in a tier during any given month, it will rise to that tier or drop to the one below it respectively.

Aside from Garchomp’s placement in the UU tier, the data shared by Smogon shows other interesting placements for Pokemon in the month of October. One of these changes that stands out the most is Snorlax’s drop from Overused to Never Used (NU). While the groups are adjusted every month based on usage information, falling off from being at that level of usage to never being picked is a bit of a surprise.

Furthermore, Snorlax’s typing, its access to a wide variety of offensive and defensive moves, and its bulkiness made it a fantastic choice, common amongst players. Considering the evolution of pocket monsters and the appearance of new types with Gen 9, perhaps this was bound to happen sooner or later. 

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In contrast to Snorlax’s fall, Blissey’s rise to OU has left some players scratching their heads. Some fans couldn’t make sense of this, raising questions as to what the Pokemon received in its move pool to justify the raise. This query was promptly addressed by fellow players, pointing out its defensive capabilities in light of the recent addition of Bloodmoon Ursaluna.

Garchomp and other Pokemon being placed in the UU tier seems to have caused a major shift in the group’s power balance. Being able to form a team of heavy hitters that have access to solid moves and abilities is sure to have an impact. Perhaps another shift will be in order once November comes around and usage stats for October are reviewed.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet launched in 2022 exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.