What is the PU tier in Pokémon Showdown?

The PU tier in Pokémon Showdown refers to the fifth usage-based tier, comprising Pokémon that are not part of the OU, UU, RU, or NU tiers and are not banned to Ubers, UUBL, RUBL, NUBL, or PUBL. The PU tier is designed to provide a platform for Pokémon that are not commonly used in competitive play, allowing for a more diverse range of Pokémon to be used in battles.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

1. What does PU stand for in Pokémon?: PU doesn’t stand for anything, it’s mostly an expression that, in the competitive system, means a Pokémon is not commonly used.
2. What are the tiers in Pokémon Showdown?: The tiers in Pokémon Showdown, from highest to lowest, are: Ubers, OverUsed (OU), UnderUsed (UU), RarelyUsed (RU), and NeverUsed (NU).
3. What is the difference between PU and ZU Pokémon?: ZeroUsed (ZU) is an unofficial metagame that forms the usage-based tier below PU, containing all fully evolved Pokémon not in PU by usage, barring the few that are banned.

Tiers and Rankings

4. What does UU and OU mean in Pokémon?: UU stands for UnderUsed, while OU stands for OverUsed, referring to the usage of Pokémon in competitive play.
5. What is a Tier 1 Pokémon?: Pokémon in Tier 1 are meta-defining and are typically the best at filling whatever role they fit into.
6. What is the most played tier in Pokémon Showdown?: The OverUsed (OU) tier is the most commonly played competitive format in Pokémon Showdown.

Pokémon Showdown Specifics

7. What is LC in Pokémon Showdown?: LC (Little Cup) is a format where players can only use Pokémon that have not yet evolved, are capable of evolution, and are obtainable at level 5 in-game.
8. What is BL in Pokémon Showdown?: BL (Borderline) exists as a tier that defines Pokémon that are not literally “overused” but are still too powerful to be allowed into the UU tier.
9. What does PP stand for in Pokémon?: PP (Power Points) represent the number of times a Pokémon can use a particular move.

Competitive Play

10. What is considered a good ELO in Pokémon Showdown?: A good ELO in Pokémon Showdown is generally considered to be around 1400-1600, providing excellent tournament practice without climbing above this range.
11. What is the most op Pokémon in competitive play?: Some of the most op (overpowered) Pokémon in competitive play include Palafin, Dondozo & Tatsugiri, Gholdengo, and Amoonguss.

Bans and Restrictions

12. What Pokémon are banned in Pokémon Showdown?: Pokémon such as Annihilape, Chi-Yu, and Cyclizar have been banned from competitive singles in Pokémon Showdown due to various reasons.
13. What does RU mean in showdown?: RU stands for RarelyUsed, referring to Pokémon that are not commonly used in competitive play.

Miscellaneous

14. Is Pokémon Showdown legal?: Pokémon Showdown is not technically legal, as it would likely be found to constitute copyright infringement, but it is unlikely that any action would be taken against them.
15. What does zu mean in showdown?: ZU (ZeroUsed) is an Other Metagame that forms the usage-based tier below PU, containing all Untiered Pokémon, as well as those in NFE or LC, barring the few that are banned.