Beastcoast recently hosted its Safari Zone Tournament featuring the new Regulation E ruleset for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Surprisingly, the tournament revealed signs of weakness in Gen IX’s most dominant Pokémon, Flutter Mane.
Prior to Regulation E, Flutter Mane had been unstoppable, winning tournament after tournament and becoming the most-used Pokémon in the format. With its high stats, strong typing, and versatile move pool, Flutter Mane was considered a necessity on VGC teams, reaching a staggering 79% usage at the Europe International Championships last season.
However, the Beastcoast Safari Zone Tournament showcased a shift in the meta. While Flutter Mane remained the most-used Pokémon overall, both finalists opted not to include it in their teams. Instead, they relied on hard-hitting physical attackers like Urshifu, Landorus, Iron Hands, and the new Legendary Pokémon, Ogerpon.
Furthermore, Flutter Mane was dethroned from the top of the usage chart during the top cut, falling below Landorus and tying with fellow Paradox Pokémon, Iron Hands. The introduction of Pokémon and TMs from The Teal Mask DLC in Regulation E has brought new physical threats like Ogerpon and Rillaboom into the mix.
Ogerpon, with its four powerful forms, and Rillaboom, benefiting from the return of its priority move Grassy Glide, pose challenges for Flutter Mane. With its relatively low Defense and HP stats, Flutter Mane struggles against these formidable physical attackers.
Flutter Mane isn’t the only Pokémon losing momentum in this evolving meta. Another casualty is Amoonguss, the beloved mushroom Pokémon. Despite being a staple on winning VGC teams last season, Amoonguss didn’t even make it into the top 10 most-used Pokémon at the Beastcoast Safari Zone Tournament. The presence of numerous strong Grass-type Pokémon has overshadowed Amoonguss.
As Regulation E is still in its early stages, the meta is expected to continue shifting. It remains to be seen whether Flutter Mane and Amoonguss will regain their prominence or continue to struggle against the rising physical threats. With several regional tournaments scheduled for this month, we will soon discover the fate of these once-dominant Pokémon.
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Source: DOTESPORTS
