What Are the Underused & Overused Tiers in Pokémon?

"Pokemon Black" and "White"

• At the time of publication, "Pokemon Black" and "White" are the most recent "Pokemon" games released. Taking place in the region of Unova, both games add 156 new Pokemon for players to capture. In a twist on past "Pokemon" games, Pokemon from previous games cannot be caught until the player has been crowned the Unova Pokemon champion; once they're crowned, the total Pokemon count is raised to over 400. Multiplayer matches against friends or online opponents can be played at any time with any Pokemon you have currently obtained.

Tiers

• The concept of tiers in "Pokemon" is a fan-created one; tiers are used to separate Pokemon in terms of strength. The four tiers are Uber, OverUsed, UnderUsed and NeverUsed. In multiplayer matches and tournaments, some tiers are disqualified, such as the Uber tier; this helps create a more leveled play field and better matches. Usually, the Uber tier is always banned; this tier incorporates Pokemon that are legendary in status, such as Mewtwo or Groudon, as these Pokemon are often much stronger than your average Pokemon. The NeverUsed tier are Pokemon that are too weak to be effective; these Pokemon are only seen in tournaments and multiplayer play when only the NeverUsed tier is allowed. Most tournaments consist solely of OverUsed and UnderUsed Pokemon.

OverUsed Tiers

• The OverUsed tier, abbreviated as OU, consist of Pokemon that you see often; these Pokemon generally have good statistics and attack moves. However, they are not as strong as legendary Pokemon, keeping them out of the Uber tier. Some examples of OverUsed Pokemon in "Black" and "White" include Whimsicott, Mienshao, Jellicent and Haxorus. These Pokemon all have above average statistics in areas such as health and attack, can learn strong moves from technical machines and have good defensive abilities.

UnderUsed Tiers

• The UnderUsed tier, abbreviated as UU, consists of Pokemon that, while still being good in a battle, are not quite as strong or flexible as Pokemon in the OverUsed or Uber category. In a tournament or multiplayer match, UnderUsed Pokemon are used infrequently. Some examples of UnderUsed Pokemon in "Black" and "White" include Empoleon, Heracross, Houndoom and Roserade. Many UnderUsed tier Pokemon are popular with players, but do not have the necessary strength or moves to stand up to Pokemon in the Uber or OverUsed tiers.