How to read Pokémon usage stats
Identify the ladder, month and rating cutoff before drawing a conclusion from a popular Pokémon or a rising rank.
By Pokémonism · Maintained by Stone Baldwin · Published · Sources & editorial policy
Start with the format
A usage percentage describes how often a Pokémon appears in a particular source population under that source's calculation. It is not the probability that the Pokémon wins a battle. A popular support Pokémon may appear in many different team structures, while a specialist can perform a valuable role despite low overall usage.
Champions usage pages use Smogon’s Pokémon Showdown statistics. These cover the simulator ladder, separate from in-game Ranked Battles. Check the format, regulation, month and rating cutoff when choosing which figures to use.
Check the month
The month tells you when the battles took place. An August report added in September still describes August’s teams, even if you open the page today.
Older reports help you study past formats. For current team preparation, check whether the regulation or legal roster has changed since the report’s month.
Compare like with like
To describe a trend, compare the same format and rating cutoff across source periods. A change from one regulation to another can change the legal roster, so a rising rank may reflect eligibility rather than a discovery about strength. A higher cutoff also describes a different weighted population; it is not interchangeable with the full ladder.
Suppose usage goes from 10% to 15%. That is an increase of five percentage points, or a 50% relative increase. Both are mathematically correct but tell different stories. Reporting the starting value alongside the change prevents a small base from producing an exaggerated-sounding headline. Rank alone hides the distance between entries.
| Starting usage | Later usage | Percentage-point change | Relative change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | 15% | +5 points | +50% |
| 1% | 2% | +1 point | +100% |
Read movesets and teammate stats
A move distribution is generally conditioned on the Pokémon appearing in the relevant source, rather than on every team in the format. Several listed moves can appear on the same set, so their percentages are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Likewise, a teammate relationship is evidence of co-occurrence, not proof that adding that teammate causes more wins.
Use these distributions to generate questions: what role does this move serve, which threats does the partner cover, and what assumptions does the common spread make? Check a complete set and the surrounding team before copying individual high-percentage choices. Popular pieces taken from different teams may not form a coherent whole.
Try the matchup yourself
Choose a matchup you expect to face and test your answer against a few common sets. A Pokémon that beats an offensive spread may struggle against a bulkier version of the same opponent.
When the next month’s stats arrive, look for changes that affect your team. A rising threat might need a new answer; a declining one might free up a moveslot. Try the change in practice before rebuilding the whole team.
Sources and scope
Written with AI assistance. Examples use the linked game data and Pokémonism calculators.
Report an error with the game, format and source so we can reproduce it.