Rate of the Week V3: Week 27

[IronBullet]

Rate of the Week
​

Welcome to Rate of the Week! This is a project that looks to bring quality individual rates into the spotlight and recognizes the hard work of unbadged raters. Here's how it will work:

• Each week, official Team Raters will be paying close attention to the RMT forum and reading the rates posted in their respective tiers. They will then shortlist a few which will be in contention for the Rate of the Week award.
• From the pool of shortlisted rates, one will be chosen which most exemplifies the qualities of an excellent rate. That rater will be the winner for that particular tier!
• A post will be made by an official TR who specialises in that tier, explaining how and why the particular rate won. This will allow aspiring raters to gain an idea of what constitutes high-quality rates, and hopefully incorporate those aspects into their own rates.
• There will be multiple winners every week, one from OU and a couple from other tiers depending on the quality of the rates posted. We hope that in this way we can expand rating activity in less popular tiers, while maintaining a weekly OU winner.
• Official Team Raters are eligible to win, but unbadged raters will have priority since that is the main focus of this project.

So what's in it for the winners? Well, they will earn a place in the Hall of Fame, which will be kept in the OP of every thread, and will earn more consideration for the Ladybug

and Team Rater

badges. Also, after gaining three places in the Hall of Fame, a rater will be eligible to earn voice status in the RMT room on PS! on the condition that they've shown an interest in getting involved.

We hope that this project will encourage people to put more effort into their rates and become better and more experienced raters, which will consequently increase the quality as well as the quantity of rates in the forum. Good luck to you all!

Hall of Fame

Week #1 - Toon Linked (OU)
Week #2 - Nedor (OU), Arifeen (UU)
Week #3 - Fireburn (Ubers), Do A Bibarel (UU)
Week #4 - AM (OU), Raiza (PU), Kiyo (NU)
Week #5 - FlamingVictini (OU)
Week #6 - Cyndequil. (UU)
Week #7 - BreloomMyHomie (OU)
Week #8 - FlamingVictini (OU)
Week #9 - oml it's too ez (OU), Cyndequil. (UU), MrAldo (RU)
Week #10 - Nedor (OU), Cyndequil. (UU), Cranham (Ubers), Lax (Monotype)
Week #11 - AM (OU)
Week #12 - Lange (OU), Amaroq (UU)
Week #13 - all falls down (UU)
Week #14 - Manipulative (UU)
Week #15 - mil (OU)
Week #16 - Tricking (OU)
Week #17 - Hector Hard Mode (OU), Christo. (UU)
Week #18 - p2 (OU), all falls down (UU)
Week #19 - ez (OU), Chakra (RU), S0LID G0LD (LC), Memoric (Doubles)
Week #20 - nv (UU), GradeAGarchomp (VGC), Joshz (Anything Goes)
Week #21 - King Sun (OU), PrinceLucian (NU), GradeAGarchomp (VGC), NOVED (Battle Spot)
Week #22 - ez (OU), fran17 (LC), TONE114 (PU)
Week #23 - Sken (LC)
Week #24 - Nedor (OU), RebornFX (VGC)
Week #25 - Adaam. (UU), Level 51 (Doubles), all falls down (Monotype)
Week #26 - bludz (OU)
Week #27 - celes (OU), Cyndequil. (UU), Chakra (RU)

 

[dream light]

This week's OU winner is celes. He made a detailed and comprehensive rate that greatly improved the team's counterplay options against pertinent threats in the current metagame.

celes started by analyzing common threats to sand builds such as Tornadus-T, Mega Charizard Y, Mega Alakazam, Keldeo, and Mega Scizor while pointing out the team's difficulty in executing a scenario where it can win. He changed Keldeo to Rotom-W, providing a more reliable means of checking Tornadus-T, Mega Scizor via Will-O-Wisp, most Belly Drum Azumarill, Keldeo, and opposing Excadrill. He then optimized Amoonguss's set by giving it Clear Smog over Hidden Power Fire, providing the team with a means to check Calm Mind sweepers such as Slowbro, Clefable, and Substitute + Calm Mind Keldeo. To help handle Mega Charizard Y and Mega Alakazam, celes opted for Chople Berry over Choice Scarf on Tyranitar, shifting Stealth Rock in the process. Since he had adapted the team to cover opposing Excadrill and moved Stealth Rock to Tyranitar, celes replaced Landorus-T with Swords Dance Talonflame, which provided a win condition and a means to pivot into Mega Gardevoir while also checking Mega Scizor, Mega Venusaur, Amoonguss, and Ferrothorn. Finally, he replaced Facade with Ice Punch on Mega Lopunny to help the team handle bulky Ground-types, like Landorus-T.

Thanks to his well-structured and comprehensive rate, celes has earned himself a spot in the Hall of Fame! Congratulations!

 

[feen]

This week's RU winner is Chakra! His rate is a well structured one with a nice format. He first clarifies what the problems in the team are and proceeds to rate. Chakra suggested to run max Speed Aggron, as many walls such as Alomomola, Blastoise, and Jellicent can outspeed it otherwise, which reduces Aggron's wallbreaking capabilities. He also mentioned how Aggron doesn't need bulk and should focus on breaking walls only. His next change of Scrafty to Assault Vest Tangrowth is a great one, as Tangrowth has nice synergy with Golbat, and can function as a better special tank.

Next, Chakra changed the set of Mega Glalie to make it fare in the current metagame better. Finally, Chakra explained how unviable Magmortar is in RU, and suggested Choice Scarf Emboar over it. While this may seem like a mediocre change in the beginning, Emboar gives the team Speed, which it lacks. Emboar also checks Sneasel and Mega Glalie, which are huge threats to the team, and can also act as a Dark-type switch-in.

Thanks to his insightful rate, Chakra earns a spot in the Hall of Fame. Congrats!

 

[IronBullet]

This week's UU winner is Cyndequil.! His rate contains many efficient suggestions, is formatted and structured well, and overall is a perfect example of how even minor changes can vastly improve a team's performance.

He starts off by recommending a couple of adjustments to Tentacruel, namely adding 96 Speed EVs and considering Haze over Acid Spray. The additional speed enables Tentacruel to get the jump on Adamant Mamoswine, a huge threat to any balance team, while Haze allows Tentacruel to check SD Cobalion more reliably. It also provides the team with more breathing space against Gyarados and an emergency check against DD Feraligatr.

He then reasonably states that Rest on Mega Swampert can be a hindrance rather than an asset, as without Sleep Talk it offers two free turns to the opponent which concedes a ton of momentum and is really detrimental for a balance team. Seeing as Salamence is a major threat, Cynde recommends Ice Beam instead to better check it. Mega Swampert can still be healed up via Sylveon's Wishes, and with the team already packing multiple checks to Entei, the loss of Rest is not too serious.

Finally, NP Celebi can straight up sweep the team with a moveset of Giga Drain / Psychic / Dazzling Gleam, so Cynde suggests X-Scissor on Cobalion over Rock Polish. The tradeoff is more than worth it considering how much the team struggles to check Celebi without it. He wraps up with an optional change of Scarf Hydreigon if the team requires more speed control, and considering how much of a threat Sub CM Chandelure is to stall teams, this is definitely a worthwhile option to keep in mind. For an overall excellent rate, Cynde is more than deserving of another place in the Hall of Fame. Congrats!