Black & White — Competitive Reference
Generation 5 is the permaweather era. Drizzle, Drought, Sand Stream and Snow Warning all set their weather for the entire match — producing the most centralised offensive and defensive cores in Smogon's competitive history.
Released
Sept 2010
Region
Unova
Mechanic
Permaweather + Dream World abilities
Sequel
Black 2 & White 2 (2012)
Drizzle Politoed, Drought Ninetales, Sand Stream Tyranitar, Sand Stream Hippowdon — choose your weather, build the team around it. Most BW2 OU matches were decided before turn one.
At a glance
Gen 5 is the franchise's last permaweather generation. Drizzle and Drought, distributed via Dream World abilities, produced rain and sun teams that ran for the full match — and the format adapted entirely around them.
The era split into two main phases. Black & White (2010) introduced Dream World abilities and Drizzle / Drought / Sand Stream as permanent. Black 2 & White 2 (2012) refined the meta and added returning Pokémon — including the Therian formes — but the permaweather rule remained until Gen 6's 5-turn nerf.
- ReleasedSeptember 2010 (Black & White)
- SequelBlack 2 & White 2 (June 2012)
- RegionUnova
- Signature mechanicDream World hidden abilities (Drizzle / Drought / Sand Stream / Speed Boost)
- Type chartUnchanged — same as Gen 2 onward
- Notable rule changeSleep Clause — sleep counter now resets on switch-out
- Hidden PowerModern formula introduced — type from IVs, fixed 70 BP
- Singles tiersUbers, OU, UU, RU, NU, LC (PU did not exist yet)
- Doubles formatsDoubles OU, VGC 2011 (Unova-only), VGC 2012, VGC 2013
The permaweather era
Drizzle, Drought, Sand Stream and Snow Warning all set their respective weather for the entire match in Gen 5. Every team had to commit to a weather — or pay the cost of fighting under someone else's.
The mechanic itself wasn't new (Gen 3 introduced permanent weather abilities), but Gen 5's Dream World additions distributed permanent-weather abilities to Pokémon that could actually use them competitively. Drizzle arrived on Politoed; Drought on Ninetales; Sand Stream on Hippowdon (already in Gen 4 but reaffirmed); the Tyranitar + ExcadrillSand pair became the format's defining offensive core.
The four weathers
Drizzle Politoed
Effect
×1.5 Water damage; ×0.5 Fire damage. Thunder and Hurricane gain 100% accuracy.
Iconic abuser
Kingdra with Swift Swim (banned-paired); Tornadus-Therian with Hurricane.
Signature item
Damp Rock — irrelevant in Gen 5 (rain is permanent), defining in Gen 6+.
Drought Ninetales
Effect
×1.5 Fire damage; ×0.5 Water damage. Solar Beam ignores its charge turn.
Iconic abuser
Venusaur with Chlorophyll (×2 Speed); Mega-Charizard-Y in Gen 6.
Defining match-up
Sun vs Rain — the most polarised match-up in the format. Whichever weather wins the early-game weather war wins the game.
Sand Stream — Tyranitar / Hippowdon
Snow Warning — Abomasnow
Effect
1/16 chip damage to all non-Ice types. Powers Blizzard to 100% accuracy.
Iconic abuser
Format presence
Hail teams remained niche in OU — Abomasnow was the only viable setter and the chip damage was less consequential than Sand or Rain pressure.
Why Gen 5 banned weather
Gen 5 OU never banned permaweather as a mechanic, but the council banned several weather-paired Pokémon: Excadrill (Sand Rush in sand), Kingdra (Swift Swim in rain — Drizzle + Swift Swim was banned via clause), and other paired abilities deemed uncompetitive in combination.
The structural problem was visibility. Both players see the weather setter at team preview, but the consequences play out across 30+ turns of compounding chip damage and stat boosts. By the time you realise your team can't handle the opponent's weather, the game is already lost. Gen 6 addressed this by capping weather to 5 turns per activation.
Type chart and Unova
The Gen 5 type chart is unchanged from Gen 2 — Steel still resists Ghost and Dark, Dragon has no Fairy counter, and Fairy itself does not exist as a type. The Unova dex contributed structurally but did not modify the chart.
- No new types — the franchise's 17-type chart inherited from Gen 2 stays intact for the entire generation.
- Dragon dominance — without Fairy, Dragon-type sweepers (Garchomp, Hydreigon, Latios, Latias, Salamence) faced no defensive counter at the type level. The era's offensive ceiling sat firmly with Dragon-types.
- Steel still double-resists — Steel resists Ghost and Dark in Gen 5 (these resistances were removed in Gen 6). Steel walls were correspondingly more universal.
- Therian formes — BW2 introduced Tornadus-Therian, Thundurus-Therian, and Landorus-Therian. Each redistributed stats and ability — Landorus-T (Intimidate + 145 Atk + Earthquake) became the most-used Pokémon in BW2 OU.
Battle mechanics baseline
Gen 5 inherits its core mechanics from Gen 4 with one critical exception: the sleep counter now resets on switch-out, ending the Gen 4 sleep-stalling pattern.
1/16
Crit rate
Pre-Gen 7 baseline; ×2 damage
2×
Crit damage
Reduced to 1.5× in Gen 6
25%
Paralysis Speed
Quartered Speed; raised to 50% in Gen 7
∞
Weather duration
Permanent until setter leaves
Status conditions
| Status | Effect | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paralysis | Speed × 0.25 + 25% chance to fail acting | Quartered Speed — Gen 1–6 baseline. Halved Speed only from Gen 7. |
| Burn | Physical Attack × 0.5 + 1/8 max HP per turn | Heavy DoT — Gen 1–6 baseline. Halved to 1/16 from Gen 7. |
| Freeze | Cannot act until thawed | 20% thaw per turn. Ice-type moves can freeze on secondary effect chance. |
| Sleep | Cannot act for 1–3 turns | Counter resets on switch-out — the Gen 5 rule change. Sleep Clause enforced. |
| Poison | 1/8 max HP per turn | Toxic doubles each turn up to 15/16. |
Hidden Power — modern formula
Gen 5 finalised Hidden Power's competitive form. The move's type is determined by the Pokémon's IVs, and the BP was set to a fixed 70 (no longer scaling with IVs as in earlier gens). This made Hidden Power a near-universal coverage option for special attackers — Hidden Power Ice on Latios, Hidden Power Fire on Magnezone, Hidden Power Ground on Thundurus.
Abilities introduced
Gen 5's Dream World introduced hidden abilities — alternate abilities for existing Pokémon, distributed via the Dream World online feature. Several reshaped competitive identity for their carriers.
Sets permanent rain on switch-in. Distributed to Politoedvia Dream World, transforming Politoed from a Gen 3 forgotten frog into BW1 OU's defining weather-team setter.
Sets permanent sun on switch-in. Distributed to Ninetales. Sun teams built around Chlorophyll Venusaur and Sun-boosted Fire-types competed directly with rain.
Sand Force boosts Rock / Ground / Steel moves by 30% in sand. Sand Rush doubles Speed in sand. Excadrillwith Sand Rush + Tyranitar Sand Stream produced one of the format's most powerful offensive cores — Excadrill banned to Ubers as a result.
Reflects status moves directed at the user back at the opponent. Defining counter to hazard-setters and Toxic-spammers — Espeon made entry hazards risky to set against teams running it.
Halves damage from a hit when the user is at full HP. Combined with Dragonite's 91/95/100 bulk, produced one of the era's most reliable Dragon Dance setup sweepers.
Restores 1/3 max HP when the holder switches out. Distributed to Slowbro, Slowking, Tangrowth, Amoonguss, etc. The ability that defined defensive pivoting for the next decade.
Boosts moves with secondary effects by 30%, but the secondary effect itself does not trigger. Combined with 
Life Orb, ignores the Orb's recoil. Defining engine for Nidoking and Landorus.
Status moves used by the holder gain +1 priority. Thunduruswith Prankster + Thunder Wave + Taunt produced one of the era's defining utility lead patterns. Banned in OU mid-cycle for paralysis denial of the format's wallbreakers.
Raises the user's Attack by one stage on knocking out an opposing Pokémon. Salamence + Moxie + Outrage produced uncatchable late-game cleaning patterns.
Defiant raises Attack by two stages when stats are lowered. Competitive does the same for Special Attack. Bisharp with Defiant turned Sticky Web and Intimidate into +2 Attack triggers.
Items introduced
Gen 5 introduced fewer items than later generations, but several reshaped what specific Pokémon could accomplish — most notably Eviolite, which created the Little Cup metagame as we know it.
EviolitePre-evolved bulkBoosts Defense and Special Defense by 50% on Pokémon that can still evolve. Defining item for Little Cup; in OU, used on Chansey, Porygon2, Doublade (Gen 6+).
Air BalloonGround-immunity itemGrants the holder immunity to Ground-type moves until popped (any direct hit pops it). Niche but unique — a one-time Ground immunity for non-Levitate Pokémon.
Big RootDrain boostIncreases the recovery from drain moves (Giga Drain, Drain Punch, Leech Life) by 30%. Used on healing-pivot wallbreakers but rarely on top-tier OU Pokémon.
Float StoneSpeed setup itemHalves the holder's weight, increasing Low Kick / Grass Knot damage against the holder. Niche — used on Normal-type Pokémon needing to dodge Low Kick.
Rocky HelmetContact punisherDeals 1/6 max HP to attackers making contact with the holder. Defining item for Ferrothorn and Garchomp — physical attackers making contact paid a 16% tax per hit.
Red CardSwitch-out triggerOn taking a hit from an opposing Pokémon, forces the attacker to switch out to a random teammate. Single-use. Niche but uniquely punishes Choice item users locked into one move.
Choice Scarf (rebuff)Speed itemExisted in Gen 4 but Gen 5's competitive landscape made it ubiquitous. Boosts Speed by 50% but locks the holder into one move. Defining item for revenge killers (Tyranitar, Latios, Genesect).
Life Orb (rebuff)Damage itemBoosts move damage by 30% but costs the holder 10% max HP per attack. Combined with Sheer Force, the recoil is negated — defining offensive item for Sheer Force users.
Signature moves introduced
Gen 5 introduced a large set of moves, including several that defined the era's offensive ceilings — Hurricane in rain, Stone Edge for Rock-types, and Volt Switch as the franchise's second pivot move.
Electric 70-BP special attack that switches the user out after damage. The Electric counterpart to U-turn, distributed to most Electric-types. Defining momentum tool for Rotom-Wash and Thundurus.
Flying 110-BP special attack. 70% accuracy normally; 100% in rain. Defining offensive option for Tornadus-Therian in BW2 rain teams.
Ghost 50-BP special attack that doubles in power if the target has a status condition. Niche before Toxic distribution; defining on Will-O-Wisp + Hex pivots.
Status move that raises Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed by one stage each. Distributed to Volcarona, Lilligant, Vivillon (Gen 6). One of the most powerful setup moves in the franchise.
Status move that raises Attack, Defense, and accuracy by one stage each. Less common than Quiver Dance but defining for Arbok and Milotic-style coils.
Status move that raises Attack, Special Attack, and Speed by two stages each but lowers Defense and Special Defense by one stage. The franchise's most powerful offensive setup move; banned-paired with frail Pokémon in some lower tiers.
Bug 90-BP sound-based special attack. The franchise's primary Bug-type STAB option for special attackers — distributed to Volcarona, Vespiquen, etc.
Ice 65-BP special attack that lowers the target's Speed by one stage. Kyurem's defining utility option.
Fighting 90-BP physical attack that ignores the target's stat boosts. Distributed to Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion, Keldeo.
Fire 50-BP physical attack that raises the user's Speed by one stage. Distributed broadly — defining sweeper-builder option on Pokémon like Volcarona and Mega Charizard X (Gen 6).
Competitive formats
Gen 5 hosted the standard Smogon tier hierarchy plus a multi-year VGC schedule centred on the Unova dex.
Smogon Singles & Doubles
Tier 1
OU — OverUsed
6v6 Singles. Permaweather era. Banlist included Excadrill, Garchomp (suspect), Thundurus (Prankster), Landorus (BW1), Tornadus-Therian, Genesect, and several Dream World ability bans.
Restricted
Ubers
Hosted box legendaries, Mewtwo, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina forms, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem-Black / White, Excadrill (BW1), Garchomp (BW1 — eventually returned).
Tier ladder
UU / RU / NU / LC
Lower Singles tiers. Gen 5 UU notably ran Mienshao, Roserade, and Crobat. RU and NU were established as separate tiers; PU did not yet exist (introduced in Gen 6).
Specialty
Doubles OU
Smogon's 4v4 Doubles. Permaweather rules applied; Drizzle + Swift Swim banned-paired in Singles also affected Doubles archetypes.
Specialty
Monotype, Hackmons
Long-running unofficial metagames. Monotype became increasingly popular through Gen 5 and 6.
Tournaments
Smogon Tour / SPL
Gen 5 was a peak tournament era for Smogon — SPL (Smogon Premier League) and Tour kept BW1 and BW2 active far past their cartridge release window.
VGC — by year
2011
VGC 2011 — Unova only
4v4 Doubles, Unova dex only (no returning Pokémon). Defined by Hydreigon, Zoroark, Excadrill, and the Therian formes (which arrived in BW2).
2012
VGC 2012 — Full dex
National dex permitted. Garchomp, Tyranitar, Cresselia, and weather cores (Politoed + Ludicolo) defined the format.
2013
VGC 2013 — Full dex + restricted
Two restricted legendaries permitted per team. Dialga + Palkia + Tyranitar + Cresselia cores; Latios + Latias frequent special attackers.
Defining bans
Gen 5 OU's banlist was dominated by weather-paired Pokémon and Pokémon whose Dream World abilities pushed them past the format's defensive answers.
Several Pokémon were banned-paired (banned only with specific abilities) — a tier-level innovation that remains in use. Drizzle + Swift Swim, Drought + Chlorophyll, and Sand Stream + Sand Rush all triggered ban-by-clause rather than full Pokémon bans.
Notable Gen 5 OU bans
| Pokémon | Why it was banned |
|---|---|
| Excadrill | Sand Rush + 135 Atk + Choice Scarf or Life Orb. In Tyranitar's sand, outsped the entire format. Banned to Ubers in BW1 and rebanned multiple times. |
| Garchomp | Sand Veil ban-clause + 130 Atk + Outrage / Earthquake / Stone Edge. Banned to Ubers in BW1; eventually returned to OU. |
| Thundurus | Prankster + Thunder Wave + Focus Blast + Hidden Power Ice. Banned-paired with Prankster (BW1). |
| Landorus | Sheer Force + Life Orb + Earth Power + Focus Blast. Banned to Ubers in BW2 — outpaced every defensive answer. |
| Genesect | Download SpA boost on switch-in + U-turn + perfect coverage. Banned shortly after BW2 release. |
| Kyurem-Black | 170 Atk + 120 SpA + Teravolt. Permanent Ubers from BW2 onward. |
| Kyurem-White | 170 SpA + 120 Atk + Turboblaze. Special analogue to Kyurem-Black; permanent Ubers. |
| Keldeo | 129 SpA + 108 Spe + Hydro Pump + Secret Sword + Hidden Power Ice. Borderline OU/Ubers; suspect-tested multiple times. |
| Salamence | Moxie + Outrage + Dragon Dance. Banned-paired with Moxie in OU; Intimidate variants stayed legal. |
| Manaphy | Tail Glow + Hydration in rain + Scald + Ice Beam. Banned to Ubers. |
| Deoxys-Speed | 180 Speed + Stealth Rock setter. Permanent Ubers. |
| Mewtwo | 154 SpA + 130 Spe + universal coverage. Permanent Ubers from Gen 1 onward. |
Permaweather made the Gen 5 OU council write more rules than any other generation's — banning Pokémon, banning ability-Pokémon pairs, banning entire combinations. The whole framework of "banned in this format with this ability" comes from BW1.
Iconic Pokémon of the era
The Pokémon below shaped competitive Gen 5 across formats. Curated by competitive impact — several entries appear because their Dream World abilities or Therian formes redefined their competitive role.
Singles — BW2 OU
Landorus-Therian
Stealth Rock pivotIntimidate — Earthquake — U-turn
BW2 introduction. The most-used Pokémon in BW2 OU. Intimidate + Stealth Rock + Earthquake + U-turn — physical wallbreaker, defensive pivot, and momentum generator simultaneously.
Tornadus-Therian
Specs sweeperRegenerator — Hurricane — Knock Off
BW2 introduction. Regenerator + Hurricane (100% accurate in rain) + Knock Off + Heat Wave. The defining special wallbreaker of BW2 rain teams.
Tyranitar
Sand setter · WallbreakerSand Stream — Stone Edge — Pursuit
Sand Stream made Tyranitar a defining offensive engine. Choice Scarf, Choice Band, Dragon Dance, and stallbreaker sets all viable. The format's most flexible Pokémon.
Politoed
Rain setterDrizzle — Scald — Perish Song
The defining rain setter — Drizzle on switch-in produced permanent rain. Scald + Perish Song + Encore + Toxic utility set; physical bulk supported the slow defensive shell.
Volcarona
Setup sweeperFlame Body — Quiver Dance — Fire Blast
Quiver Dance + Fire Blast + Bug Buzz + Hidden Power Ground. The franchise's most powerful offensive setup sweeper; banned in many later gens but legal in BW2 OU.
Dragonite
Setup sweeperMultiscale — Dragon Dance — Outrage
Multiscale + Dragon Dance + Outrage + Earthquake / Fire Punch. Multiscale guaranteed at least one Dragon Dance against any non-priority threat.
Latios
Specs special attackerLevitate — Draco Meteor — Hidden Power Fire
Specs Draco Meteor + Surf + Hidden Power Fire. The format's archetypal Dragon-type special wallbreaker — Fairy did not yet exist as a counter.
Hydreigon
Specs wallbreakerLevitate — Draco Meteor — Dark Pulse
Dragon/Dark — coverage of half the format. Specs Draco Meteor + Dark Pulse + Fire Blast / Focus Blast. Defining BW2 wallbreaker for offensive teams.
Ferrothorn
Hazard setterIron Barbs — Spikes — Power Whip
Iron Barbs + Rocky Helmet + Spikes + Power Whip / Gyro Ball. Defining defensive backbone for BW2 OU balance teams; the most reliable hazard setter of the era.
Heatran
Specs trapperFlash Fire — Magma Storm — Stealth Rock
Magma Storm + Stealth Rock + Earth Power + Toxic / Will-O-Wisp. Trap-and-kill against Steel-types; one of the most consistent OU defensive walls of BW2.
VGC — by year
- VGC 2011 — Unova-only. Hydreigon, Zoroark, Excadrill defined the format before Therian formes arrived.
- VGC 2012 — full national dex. Garchomp, Tyranitar, Cresselia, weather cores all legal.
- VGC 2013 — restricted format. Dialga + Palkia + Tyranitar + Cresselia cores defined the meta.
Where to go from here
The above is the static reference for Gen 5. The current state of any of its formats lives in the rest of Pokékipe.
- Live meta data — Pokémon stats, Team Builder, Timeline.
- Terminology — every term used above is defined in the Competitive Glossary.
- Workflow — the VGC Teambuilding and Core Mechanics guides cover the build process and underlying systems.
- Adjacent eras — Gen 6 — X & Y covers Mega Evolution and the Fairy type addition, which together ended the permaweather + Dragon-dominance era of BW2.