PLO offical BW thread.

[NinjaDeathStrike]

Pokemon Black and White release in the US on March 6, 2011. The release of Gen V will bring many changes to the competitive playing field. I've created this thread to inform you guys of the most important changes so you be on top of your game when you enter the arena in BW.

- Some pokemon may now learn a special ability they can't normally get via a new area of the game called the dream world. The dream world is accessed on your PC and pokemon caught there may be transferred to your game
- Breeding a female parent with a dream world ability has a chance to pass on the new ability to the child
- Sleep counter is now reset if you switch out. This is huge. It means that if you're put to sleep and then switch out, the next time you come back in, it's essentially the same as if you had just been put to sleep again. This also effects the move Rest.
- Explosion and Selfdestruct no longer halves the defense of the opponent, making them effectively 250\200 power instead of 500\400
- Sturdy always lets a Pokemon at full health to survive any hit with 1 HP, even if the ability has been activated before. It's basically a free focus sash.
- Magic Coat now reflects Whirlwind, Roar, Disable, Spite, Spikes, Foresight, Encore, Torment, Taunt, Odor Sleuth, Miracle Eye, Embargo, Heal Block, Toxic Spikes, Defog, and Stealth Rock
- The move feint now works even if your opponent doesn't use protect or detect
- The ability Storm Drain now gives immunity to Water attacks as and boost SpAtk when hit with a Water move
- The ability Lightningrod now gives immunity to Electric attacks, including Thunder Wave, and boost SpAtk when hit with an Electric move. Ground-types with Lightningrod do not get a SpAtk boost from being hit with an Electric attack
- Trapping effects like mean look can no longer be baton passed
- Payback no longer deals double damage if the opponent switches out
- Multi-hit moves have all had their power and accuracy raised
- Tail glow now boost SpAtk three stages
- Encore and Taunt only last three turns
- Tail Wind last four turns
- Growth now boost Atk and SpAtk. Both get a +2 boost when in the sun
- Wish no longer heals 50% of the recipient's HP. Wish now heals the recipient by 50% of the user's max HP, rounded up. So, Blissey's wishes are stronger than Jolteon's
- Jump Kick and High Jump Kick not take 1/2 HP is they miss. Their power has also been increased (100 and 130 respectively)
- Stench gives the Pokemon's damaging attacks a chance to flinch, even ones with an existing side effect
-Thrash and Petal Dance now have 120 base power
- Darin Punch now has a base power of 75
- Giga Drain now has a base power of 75
- Multiple Status moves have had their accuracy increased (no sleep moves). Toxic's accuracy has been decreased to 85

There are numerous other changes, but these are the biggest. You can check other sites for a full list.


Preliminary BW Uber list:
Arceus
Darkrai
Deoxys (All forms)
Dialga
Genosect
Giratina (Both forms)
Groudon
Ho-Oh
Inconsistent (ability)
Kyogre
Kyurem
Lugia
Manaphy
Mewtwo
Palkia
Rayquaza
Reshiram
Shaymin-S
Wobbuffet
Wynaut
Zekrom

Special cases:
*Mew*

BW Uber suspects:
Lati@s
Drizzle (ability)
Excadrill
Landlos
Meloetta
Tornelos
Ulgamoth
Voltolos

The pokemon on the Uber list will be banned in official PLO matches unless otherwise noted. Those on the suspect list will be watched closely. If they're too strong, they'll be moved into the Uber list.

Changes: Lati@s have been moved back into OU at least to start with. If Latios is too strong he'll be heading back up. Rotom forms are now allowed on wifi, so they're in the clear. Manaphy has been moved up on account of it having access to permanent rain and a +3 boosting move. Please not that list list is preliminary and subject to change. All members are welcome to debate placements as long as conversations remain level headed and relevant.

About Mew: Mew is tricky because of it's absurd movepool. Still, in Gen V it's stats are outdone by quite a few other threats. Because it's so hard to place, we're going to allow you guys to choose. Look for a poll about whether or not you want it banned.

You may discuss the changes and their effects on the game below.

[NinjaDeathStrike]

Preliminary banlist has been added.

[M]

To give you guys info on why both Ninja and I are watching both Excadrill and Ulgamoth is simply because they are easily highly effective sweepers.

Excadrill with it's ability, Sand Rush, is able to out speed Deoxys-S and nearly all choice scarfed pokemon. It also has access to Sword Dance and 135 base attack, destroying many teams.

With Ulgamoth, being specially built, you would think you can take it down easily with physical moves since it's base defense is only 65. However, if you notice the ability, Flame Body, you know what this means. With every physical move you use on it, you run a 30% risk of being burned, cutting your physical attack by half. This is the same as if Ulgamoth had a base defense stat of 130, with only it's attack stat being the lowest. It's almost guarantee that you will have to lose a guy trying to take it down, which is why Ulgamoth will also be kept an eye on.

The three storm lords, are all powerful sweepers as well, so we'll be watching them when the battling begins.

The reason we decided to watch out for drizzle is because of the devastating sweepers it helps to power. While Hail, Sand, and Sun all help to power up certain types of pokemon, Rain does it better. For many sweepers it boost speed and atk/spatk simultaneously. The other weather conditions usually boost one stat. Rain the the potential to boost three.

Lati@s will obviously be watched because they are coming down from Ubers.

Meloetta is a complete wild card at this point, so we'll have to see what it's capable off after it's released.

(edited a little to explain the other suspects and corrected Excadrill's speed)