Which starters available in SwSh are competitively viable?

I wanted to use my starter competitively (Cinderace), and I was wondering if any starters available in Gen 8 are competitively viable.

Thanks!

Pleaselog inorregisterto add a comment.

Both Rillaboom and Cinderace are quite strong with their hidden abilities. Grassy Surge, combined with Grassy Glide, gives Rillaboom a very strong priority move. Rillaboom sits comfortably in the OU tier, currently as B-tier in theOU viability rankings. In VGC, Rillaboom’s solid bulk and access to fake out, as well as the grassy glide/grassy surge combo, make it a solid choice for both support and offense.. According toPikalyticsRillaboom is on just over 1/4th of Series 12 teams.

Cinderace is also very strong. Its Libero ability, great coverage and high speed make it a powerhouse, especially in Smogon singles, where it is banned from the OU tier. In VGC, Cinderace has fallen off in usage with the introduction of restricted Pokemon like Kyogre and Groudnon, but in non-restricted formats, Cinderace is an incredibly strong Pokemon that really works well dynamaxed/gmaxed. Since all its moves get the same type attack bonus, it’s max moves hit incredibly hard. The only downside to Cinderace is its lack of bulk, but that can be handled with proper play.

If you wanna use Cinderace, I recommend using its hidden ability Libero, an offensive item like Life Orb, and to pick strong physical moves like Pyro Ball, High Jump Kick, Bounce, Gunk Shot, Sucker Punch, U-turn and more.

I don’t play Battle Spot Singles or Smogon doubles, so I don’t have much to add for those formats, but from what I know Rillaboom is great in Smogon doubles, and Cinderace is strong in Battle Spot Singles. Hope this helps.