Pokémon Scarlet & Violet - Balloonar Landing - Jan 2 26 D

We’ve closed out 2025, so how are the most used Pokémon on Ranked battles for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet for single battles? Here are the top 75:

1. Ting-Lu (±0)
2. Calyrex (Shadow Rider) (+2)
3. Koraidon (±0)
4. Chien-Pao (-2)
5. Miraidon (±0)
6. Urshifu (Rapid Strike) (±0)
7. Flutter Mane (±0)
8. Dondozo (±0)
9. Landorus (Therian) (±0)
10. Glimmora (±0)
11. Ho-Oh (±0)
12. Dragonite (+6)
13. Zacian (±0)
14. Gliscor (±0)
15. Arceus (Normal) (+1)
16. Clodsire (-4)
17. Kyogre (±0)
18. Mimikyu (-3)
19. Archaludon (±0)
20. Iron Treads (+1)
21. Grimmsnarl (+2)
22. Ursaluna (Bloodmoon) (+3)
23. Garganacl (±0)
24. Calyrex (Ice Rider) (-4)
25. Lunala (-3)
26. Sneasler (±0)
27. Ogerpon (±0)
28. Arceus (Fairy) (+1)
29. Wo-Chien (+9)
30. Eternatus (±0)
31. Muk (Alolan) (-3)
32. Scizor (±0)
33. Chi-Yu (±0)
34. Ursaluna (Hisuian) (+2)
35. Incineroar (+4)
36. Skeledirge (+5)
37. Ditto (-6)
38. Alomomola (-3)
39. Arceus (Ground) (+3)
40. Terapagos (±0)
41. Lugia (-7)
42. Primarina (+2)
43. Kingambit (+2)
44. Breloom (-1)
45. Weezing (Galarian) (-8)
46. Tyranitar (+1)
47. Rillaboom (+1)
48. Urshifu (Single Strike) (+7)
49. Necrozma (Dusk Mane) (-3)
50. Whimsicott (-1)
51. Gholdengo (+3)
52. Heatran (+5)
53. Ceruledge (-2)
54. Brute Bonnet (+20)
55. Meowscarada (-5)
56. Iron Bundle (-4)
57. Smeargle (+3)
58. Iron Valiant (-5)
59. Arceus (Water) (-1)
60. Corviknight (-4)
61. Kyurem (Black) (+1)
62. Porygon2 (-3)
63. Toxapex (+6)
64. Arceus (Flying) (+12)
65. Dragapult (-4)
66. Rayquaza (+7)
67. Azumarill (-3)
68. Umbreon (-3)
69. Zamazenta (+1)
70. Chansey (-7)
71. Giratina (Origin) (-5)
72. Walking Wake (+7)
73. Roaring Moon (-6)
74. Arceus (Electric) (-6)
75. Iron Crown (+27)

Returning to the top 75 are Arceus with the Sky Plate (Flying), Walking Wake, and Iron Crown. Notably, Iron Crown hadn’t appeared on this list since April 2024. Leaving the list are Garchomp, Hippowdon, and Gothitelle.

Iron Crown has seen the biggest jump in terms of number of spots, having been at 102nd through November. It is an unconventional counter to Calyrex Shadow Rider: Calyrex Shadow Rider’s most common Tera type by far is Fairy, so after it has Terastallized, Iron Crown turns up and takes out Calyrex with Tachyon Cutter. It’s super-effective and hits twice to bypass Calyrex’s Focus Sash. It is also fast enough that it can boost its Speed through Quark Drive to outrun Calyrex. (I’d guess that once Pokémon Champions comes out, if both Pokémon are available, we’ll see Mega Absol Z as a Calyrex Shadow Rider counter, as Calyrex has a x4 weakness to both of Mega Absol Z’s types and is one point slower than Absol, though it’ll depend if there will be a way to deal with Focus Sash.

On the Ancient Pokémon side is Brute Bonnet, who started out higher but went up 20 spots anyway. Besides the obvious use of Spore to neutralize anything not Grass-type in its way, Brute Bonnet can also make use of Clear Smog to remove stat boosts and deal a small amount of damage for Focus Sash, Synthesis to heal back the damage before the other Pokémon was put to Sleep, and Crunch, Sucker Punch, or Bullet Seed to deal large damage to not just Calyrex, but Flutter Mane, Ting-Lu, Kyogre, and such.

For the people packing Koraidon, there is Arceus holding the Sky Plate. The standard moveset is Recover, Taunt, Judgment, and Calm Mind. The choice of Sky Plate appears to be in response to the previous month showing Koraidon overtaking Miraidon in popularity, necessitating something that can beat Koraidon.

Type: Single Battle
Opponent: J
Battle Court: Medali (Fortune Eatery)
Music: Director Clavell
My Pokémon: Luz (Lanturn), Freddo (Toxicroak), Tress (Dodrio)
Opponent’s Pokémon: Haxorus, Porygon2, Volcarona

I should’ve paid closer attention to when Trick Room would end…I missed the notification that the twisted dimensions had returned to normal and was keeping a mental count instead (old habits die hard; I forgot there’s a way to check at any turn), and I miscounted by one thinking it lasted for one turn longer than it actually did. Otherwise, that would’ve been my chance to use Endeavor to reduce Porygon2’s HP drastically, then follow with a boosted Quick Attack.

Curiously, my opponent spent awhile each time I switched in to another Pokémon. It didn’t even have to be the first time they turn up in battle, but even each time I switch back in to a Pokémon who previously was already there. I figure when they spend a long time at it, they’re looking up what other people do with these Pokémon, or the list of moves, Abilities, stats, and such, and usually, they only need to do it once. It’s doubly unusual considering they were also using Appletun and Haxorus, two Pokémon not normally seen in single battles. The original recording was about 12 minutes before I trimmed it down, to give an idea of how much time my opponent needed.