All Gens Main Tiers

Introduction

In all cases, the ruleset of each tier is the rules listed besides the tier name, and that of all tiers above it. This thread's opening post refers to Pokemon Perfect's main singles tiering in each generation. By each tier-name, Modifications, Clauses, and Bans are listed. The modifications, clauses , and bans will be in effect in all tiers below and including the tier-name by which they reside. Modifications refer to features of simulators that are not replicable on cartridge. Clauses are rules applied to the game which may not be properly implementable on cartridge, though as a community we support ideas to try and make clauses cartridge-implementable. If a Pokemon or other entity is unreleased then it is not legal. They are listed from the oldest generation to the newest. For a depiction of our tiering sytem, please see this thread. For Tiers that are not in this Tier Set, such as Balanced Hackmons, see this thread. For a very in-depth explanation of our Tiering Nomenclature, see this thread. If you want to see a version of this list using Sprites instead of names for the Pokemon, without clauses included, see this thread. For legacy tiers (tiers which have been overridden), see this thread.

The fully detailed list is at the bottom, but the main list presented is suitable for most players' purposes.

RBY1

1P (RBY 1P is the same as RBY Ubers on Smogon) - Sleep Clause, Freeze Clause, Species Clause
Banned Moves: Dig, Double Team, Fissure, Fly, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize, Psywave
1U (RBY 1U is the same as RBY OU on Smogon) - Banned Pokémon: Mew, Mewtwo
2U (RBY 2U is the same as RBY UU on Smogon) - Banned Pokémon: Alakazam, Chansey, Cloyster, Exeggutor, Gengar, Golem, Jolteon, Jynx, Lapras, Rhydon, Slowbro, Snorlax, Starmie, Tauros, Zapdos
3U - Banned Pokémon: Articuno, Dodrio, Dragonite, Gyarados, Haunter, Hypno, Kadabra, Kangaskhan, Moltres Persian, Poliwrath, Raichu, Raticate, Tentacruel, Victreebel
4U - Banned Pokémon: Aerodactyl, Charizard, Clefable, Dewgong, Dugtrio, Electabuzz, Exeggcute, Fearow, Golduck, Kingler, Mr. Mime, Pinsir, Poliwhirl, Sandslash, Vaporeon, Venusaur, Wigglytuff
5U - Banned Pokémon: Abra, Arcanine, Blastoise, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Omastar, Porygon, Rapidash, Scyther, Slowpoke, Staryu, Tangela, Venomoth
6U - Banned Pokémon: Arbok, Dragonair, Drowzee, Electrode, Gastly, Graveler, Lickitung, Magmar, Ninetales, Parasect, Poliwag, Primeape, Seadra, Seaking, Vileplume, Wartortle

GSC

1U (Beta) - Sleep Clause, Species Clause, SleepTrap Ban2
Banned Moves: Double Team, Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize

ADV1,3


1P - Sleep Clause, Species Clause, Symmetry Clause, ADV Infinite Battle Clause
Banned Moves: Double Team, Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize, Sheer Cold
1U (Beta) - Banned Pokémon: Kyogre

HGSS
1U is currently identical to Farceus Ubers on smogon
1U Beta - Sleep Clause, Species Clause, Symmetry Clause
Banned Moves: Double Team, Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize, Sheer Cold

BW2

1U (BW2 1U is the same as BW Ubers on Smogon) - Sleep Clause, Species Clause
Banned Moves: Double Team, Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize, Sheer Cold, Swagger
Banned Abilities: Moody

ORAS

1P - Sleep Clause, Species Clause; Cannot have more than 3 users of Baton Pass per team; Banned Abilities: Moody
Banned Moves: Double Team, Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize, Sheer Cold, Swagger
1U - You cannot Mega Evolve Rayquaza5
Banned Items: Blue Orb, Gengarite, Red Orb, Salamenceite
Banned Abilities: Shadow Tag
Banned Moves: Geomancy
2U (Beta) - Banned Pokémon: Arceus, Arceus-Dark, Arceus-Electric, Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ghost, Arceus-Grass, Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Water, Blaziken [Mega], Darkrai, Deoxys-Attack, Deoxys-Speed, Dialga, Diancie [Mega], Ferrothorn, Genesect, Giratina-O, Gliscor, Groudon, Ho-oh, Kangaskhan [Mega], Klefki, Kyogre, Landorus-T, Latias, Latios, Lucario [Mega], Lugia, Mewtwo, Palkia, Rayquaza, Sableye [Mega], Shaymin-S, Tyranitar, Xerneas, Yveltal, Zekrom

USM

1P - Sleep Clause, Species Clause
Banned Abilities: Moody
Banned Moves: Double Team, Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize, Sheer Cold
1U (Beta) - You cannot Mega Evolve Rayquaza5
Banned Items: Blue Orb, Gengarite, Red Orb
Banned Abilities: Shadow Tag
Banned Moves: Baton Pass, Geomancy

1Note that in all metagames, the game mechanics follow the final handheld title, but the movesets include all things obtainable before the following generation was released. So, in the cases of RBY and ADV, Yellow and Emerald's game mechanics are followed, and moves obtainable from Stadium (without GSC tradebacks), such as Surf Raichu, and from XD, such as Baton Pass Zapdos are permitted.
2Sleep Moves (such as Hypnosis) + Mean Look / Spider Web is an illegal moveset combination
3ADV is short for Advance, which comes from the Gameboy Advance where almost all of the 3rd Generation games are playable. Some players use the term RSE instead of ADV, which is short for Ruby Sapphire Emerald, to describe the 3rd Generation.
4Deoxys-E stands for Deoxys-Everything; this means that all Deoxys forms (Normal, Speed, Attack, and Defense) are banned. Similarly, Arceus-E stands for Arceus-Everything, meaning that all Arceus forms are banned.
5Listed as Mega Rayquaza Clause on simulators. Note that this means Dragon Ascent is a legal move but you aren't given the choice to Mega Evolve Rayquaza when you use the move.


RBY1

1A (RBY 1A is the same as RBY Anything Goes on Smogon) - HP Percentage Mod; Endless Battle Clause; Stalemate Clause
Banned Moves: Psywave2
1B - Cleric Clause
1O - Sleep Clause, Freeze Clause, Species Clause
Banned Moves: Dig, Double Team, Fly, Minimize
1P (RBY 1P is the same as RBY Ubers on Smogon) - Banned Moves: Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill
1R (RBY 1R is also known as Mewbers) - Banned Pokémon: Mewtwo
1U (RBY 1U is the same as RBY OU on Smogon) - Banned Pokémon: Mew
1V - Banned Pokémon: Chansey
1W - Banned Pokémon: Exegutor, Snorlax, Tauros
2U (RBY 2U is the same as RBY UU on Smogon) - Banned Pokémon: Alakazam, Cloyster, Gengar, Golem, Jolteon, Jynx, Lapras, Rhydon, Slowbro, Starmie, Zapdos
3U - Banned Pokémon: Articuno, Dodrio, Dragonite, Gyarados, Haunter, Hypno, Kadabra, Kangaskhan, Moltres, Persian, Poliwrath, Raichu, Raticate, Tentacruel, Victreebel
4U - Banned Pokémon: Aerodactyl, Charizard, Clefable, Dewgong, Dugtrio, Electabuzz, Exeggcute, Fearow, Golduck, Kingler, Mr. Mime, Pinsir, Poliwhirl, Sandslash, Vaporeon, Venusaur, Wigglytuff
5U - Banned Pokémon: Abra, Arcanine, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Omastar, Porygon, Rapidash, Scyther, Staryu, Tangela, Venomoth
6U - Banned Pokémon: Arbok, Dragonair, Drowzee, Electrode, Gastly, Graveler, Lickitung, Magmar, Ninetales, Parasect, Poliwag, Primeape, Seadra, Seaking, Vileplume, Wartortle

GSC

1A (GSC 1A is the same as GSC Anything Goes on Smogon) - HP Percentage Mod; Endless Battle Clause; Stalemate Clause
1U (Beta) - Sleep Clause, Species Clause, SleepTrap Ban3
Banned Moves: Double Team, Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize

ADV1,4

1A (ADV 1A is the same as ADV Anything Goes on Smogon) - HP Percentage Mod; Endless Battle Clause; Stalemate Clause; Symmetry Clause
1U (Beta) - Sleep Clause, Species Clause, ADV Infinite Battle Clause
Banned Moves: Double Team, Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize, Sheer Cold

HGSS

1A (HGSS 1A is the same as HGSS Anything Goes on Smogon) - HP Percentage Mod; Endless Battle Clause; Stalemate Clause; Symmetry Clause
1U (Beta) - Sleep Clause, Species Clause

BW2

1A (BW2 1A is the same as BW2 Anything Goes on Smogon) - HP Percentage Mod; Endless Battle Clause; Stalemate Clause
1U - Sleep Clause, Species Clause
Banned Moves: Double Team, Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Minimize, Sheer Cold, Swagger Banned Abilities: Moody

ORAS

1A (ORAS 1A is the same as ORAS Anything Goes on Smogon) - HP Percentage Mod; Endless Battle Clause; Stalemate Clause
1P - Sleep Clause, Species Clause
Banned Moves: Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Sheer Cold, Swagger
Banned Abilities: Moody
1R (ORAS 1R is the same as ORAS Ubers on Smogon) - You cannot Mega Evolve Rayquaza7, Cannot have more than 3 users of Baton Pass per team6
Banned Moves: Double Team, Minimize
1S - Banned Items: Blue Orb, Red Orb, Salamenceite
1U - Banned Items: Gengarite
Banned Abilities: Shadow Tag
Banned Moves: Geomancy
2U (Beta) - Banned Pokémon: Arceus, Arceus-Dark, Arceus-Electric, Arceus-Fairy, Arceus-Ghost, Arceus-Grass, Arceus-Ground, Arceus-Rock, Arceus-Water, Blaziken [Mega], Darkrai, Deoxys-Attack, Deoxys-Speed, Dialga, Diancie [Mega], Ferrothorn, Genesect, Giratina-O, Gliscor, Groudon, Ho-oh, Kangaskhan [Mega], Klefki, Kyogre, Landorus-T, Latias, Latios, Lucario [Mega], Lugia, Mewtwo, Palkia, Rayquaza, Sableye [Mega], Shaymin-S, Tyranitar, Xerneas, Yveltal, Zekrom

USM

1A (USM 1A is the same as USM Anything Goes on Smogon) - HP Percentage Mod; Endless Battle Clause; Stalemate Clause
1P - Sleep Clause, Species Clause
Banned Moves: Fissure, Guillotine, Horn Drill, Sheer Cold
Banned Abilities: Moody
1R (USM 1R is the same as USM Anything Goes on Smogon) -You cannot Mega Evolve Rayquaza7, Cannot have more than 3 users of Baton Pass per team6
Banned Moves: Double Team, Minimize
1S - Banned Items: Blue Orb, Red Orb
1U (Beta) - Banned Items: Gengarite
Banned Abilities: Shadow Tag
Banned Moves: Baton Pass, Geomancy

1Note that in all metagames, the game mechanics follow the final handheld title, but the movesets include all things obtainable before the following generation was released. So, in the cases of RBY and ADV, Yellow and Emerald's game mechanics are followed, and moves obtainable from Stadium (without GSC tradebacks), such as Surf Raichu, and from XD, such as Baton Pass Zapdos are permitted.
2Reasoning.
3Sleep Moves (such as Hypnosis) + Mean Look / Spider Web is an illegal moveset combination
4ADV is short for Advance, which comes from the Gameboy Advance where almost all of the 3rd Generation games are playable. Some players use the term RSE instead of ADV, which is short for Ruby Sapphire Emerald, to describe the 3rd Generation.
5Deoxys-E stands for Deoxys-Everything; this means that all Deoxys forms (Normal, Speed, Attack, and Defense) are banned. Similarly, Arceus-E stands for Arceus-Everything, meaning that all Arceus forms are banned.
6For simulators: can be called Fullpass Clause or Baton Pass Clause
7Listed as Mega Rayquaza Clause on simulators. Note that this means Dragon Ascent is a legal move but you aren't given the choice to Mega Evolve Rayquaza when you use the move.
Species Clause: Each team can have a maximum of one Pokemon of each species.

Sleep Clause:
Players can send a maximum of one of their opponent's Pokemon to sleep at a time.

Freeze Clause: Players can freeze a maximum of one of their opponent's Pokemon at a time.

Symmetry Clause: Any game mechanics which do not hold when you switch which player is Player 1 are claused out.

Endless Battle Clause: Forcing infinite battles causes the game to be tied. This clause is the prevention of infinite battles, for the benefit of new players of the game (who might otherwise be forced into these for the fun of people not thinking of the consequences of their actions on the lower ladder).

Stalemate Clause: Stalemate Clause is the permission of draws in games at a stage when, after a long amounts of turns, no PP is used (other than from moves gained by Transform), and no damage is dealt.

Cleric Clause: Cleric Clause means that all Pokemon must have full HP and PP, and not have any status conditions prior to the battle. In other words, heal up with Nurse Joy right before your battle if you're on cartridge; the simulators do this automatically.

ADV Infinite Battle Clause: Pokemon with the ability Shadow Tag cannot use the item Leftovers.
In all tournaments, unless otherwise stated, in a scenario where the last remaining Pokemon on each player's teams are KOd simultaneously, we follow what happens on cartridge. So for example, in RBY, when both players' final Pokemon are KO'd, the game tells each player that they lost (essentially, it's a tie). Note that First to 2 / 3 Wins, a common rule for sets in tournaments such as Master Tournaments, ignore ties.
 
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Ortheore

Emeritus
2 1 3 3 3 1 2 2
I had nothing to do with that decision, but I can say from my experience with GSC (where the state of OU is dubious), that the majority of people dislike the idea of changing up past gen OUs, even if you implement a range of measures to not compromise the old OU. It's very difficult to get most people on board with the idea, there's a lot of community resistance and by forcing changes through we risk alienating a significant group of people. On top of all that, ADV OU is regarded by I think most people who play it as one of the best metas available, so these factors are compounded in this instance.

fwiw I wouldn't mind seeing a retiering of all gens, but certainly for gen 3 I don't see it getting off the ground. Heck, I don't even think I'd get involved in the process myself, so who am I to push for this kind of thing?
 
Yeah for Gen 3 there's only very small changes required (adjustments to baton pass limits) and in comparison adv ubers is much less balanced (it is still a good meta though! Quite a few of my friends are into it).

It's a similar case for gen 4 but it's actually still a bit up in the air - some people are calling for an infernape ban and we need to decide on a policy that removes sand veil gliscor (Smogon's solution had a lot more collateral than we'd like..)
 

supercube64

Member
Wow! I have to say that I really like how you formatted the rule sets for each individual tier. Very unique (though not that much different) from Smogon tiers. Do you ever plan on making an entire list that shows the available Pokemon in each tier? That would keep thing's a lot more organised in my opinion. As well as a viability ranking of some kind to show how good a Pokemon is in each tier.
 
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Wow! I have to say that I really like how you formatted the rule sets for each individual tier. Very unique (though not that much different) from Smogon tiers. Do you ever plan on making an entire list that shows the available Pokemon in each tier? That would keep thing's a lot more organised in my opinion. As well as a viability ranking of some kind to show how good a Pokemon is in each tier.
Well there's already viability rankings for many of the tiers, though they're not directly linked (maybe I should?)
 

P5726

Member
Shouldn't Electabuzz be in with the rest of 2U since I remember it being higher in the 2U viability ranking than Raichu? But here it is below Raichu somehow.
 
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