- Firstly, if you make a checks or counters argument, the very first thing you need to do is make sure you have the correct terminology. A check, is something that cannot exactly switch in safely, but can often win a "1v1", or revenge kill the Pokemon in question. A counter is something that can 100% switch in and hard wall, or force an unfavourable situation for said Pokemon.

- Secondly, just because something lacks counters / checks does NOT mean it is instantly broken. Cube, BW Hydreigon etc were / are all impossible to switch into, but that does not instantly make them broken. However, if something DOES have checks and counters, this doesn't make it NOT broken either. Genesect had counters, Aegislash had counters (specific to its set) and so on. Also, take not that if you parade around a collection of shitty mons that situationally counter a suspect, I will flat out delete your post. It might even give you an infraction. I know that myself and pretty much every other OU mod is tired of seeing people discuss Arcanine, Weezing, Quillfish and pretty much anything else. Hint: If you are using garbage mons to check a top-tier sweeper, then its potentially a good indicator as to how unhealthy it is.

- Thirdly, just because you beat Mega Mawile while you have an Elo rating of 1000 does not mean it's not broken. If you want to use battle statistics in your argument, look at the top tier battles, the VR posters, the Tourney scene, use really good examples. It's much harder to refuse your points if you are a highly respected battler, usually because it means people trust and respect your opinion, regardless as to which way you vote. The lower you are on the ladder, the less Mega Mawile will be used successfully and intelligently, so please bear that in mind.

- Fourthly, if you use the argument; "LOL MEGA MAWILE SUCKS I JUST OHKO IT WITH EQ GGGGGGGGGGG", I will infract you. No question. All of us are (mostly), intelligent and have the ability to read. We all know how to look at a type chart, and you stating the obvious just makes you look like an utter retard that's out of his/her depth, and thus shouldn't be posting here.

-Fifthly, Fact Check. There is nothing more retarded than posting a sweeping statement that's incorrect. For instance, several people brought up earthquake from several mons as methods of dealing with Mawile. Many of these people failed to realize EQ missed a KO, and thus looked like morons. According to an IRC convo, someone who's opinion I trust remarked that Mega Mawile for instance, actually beats Gliscor provided it used SD on the switch in, tanks the Earthquake, and smokes Gliscor with a +2 Play Rough. I'm not sure if residual damage is required to do all that but the point is, don't take short cuts; we all have damage calculators, and we WILL call you out on it if you fucked up. I'm exempt from this rule because I'm a mod.

- Sixthly, don't assume a suspect (say Mega Mawile) will stay in on your Sun boosted, Blaze boosted Choice Specs Overheat. An earlier argument I saw was someone posting a load of calculations and saying "LOL MAWILE GETS OHKOed BY CHANDELURE". That's A+ logic mate, but Mega Mawile isn't setting up on a Charizard Y, instead, it's coming in on a choice locked dragon move, a resisted attack, a -1 Pokemon that lacks an effective means to do severe damage, etc. Posting a list of Pokemon that can OHKO Mega Mawile means jack shit if you need to sacrifice a Pokemon to get your check in safely. Its not setting up, and its not staying in.

- Seventhly, be careful of the "Prediction argument". IT GOES BOTH WAYS. Really clever posters will use the risk reward prediction argument, which is a good one. If you want a breakdown about it, I'm sure many experienced players will be able to tell you, but the point is, you don't have godlike prediction skills, so I don't want to see posts like "I will go to Heatran on a play rough, then go to Gengar on a Focus Punch, then use Substitute on the Sucker Punch and then use Will-o-Wisp on a second Sucker Punch. You are not clairvoyant, nor is your opponent, so don't pretend otherwise.

- Eighthly, make sure your post actually bring some sort of discussion to it. The posts I see that are just "yea so Mega Mawile has high attack power so I think it's broken" not only have terrible arguments but add NOTHING to the discussion. I'm not asking you to make a novel, but please make sure your post has a depth of reasoning and quality behind it. If you cannot be bothered putting through into it, then quite frankly, I cannot be bothered reading it. In general, the better your arguments are (detail, reasoning etc), the better of the overall quality of your post, and the better chance you have of influencing people to see things your way. Therefore, if you feel strong about a particular suspect, it is in your interest to make your post as well reasoned as possible, because if you half-ass it, then you are convincing no-one.

- Ninethly, don't mention how good / not good a Pokemon will be in Ubers. We don't care. Usage in Ubers has no impact on if we ban / not ban something. It could be garbage in Ubers but if its unhealthy for the OU metagame then it goes, no exceptions.

- FINALLY don't discuss past or future tiering. I couldn't care less if you feel salty about the Aegislash ban, and I don't give a shit that you feel that Thundurus-I should be suspected first. Likewise for the love of god, DON'T, DON'T say "but if we ban Mega Mawile, suddenly haxorus becomes broken", like in one post I read. We do not keep broken things within OU to check others, so please don't try this argument. Furthermore, don't whinge that your precious mon might be garbage in Ubers - we don't use it as a point of reference. It could get less usage that Magikarp in Ubers and we don't care - its not relevant. Likewise, please don't bitch or rage that your fanboy favourite just got suspect tested and might, be banned, use calm logic and reasoning and you will do a heck of a lot of a better job convincing others to see your side instead of posting shit like "FUCK SMOGON IT HATES ON MEGAS AND WANTS TO BAN THEM ALL I HATE THIS SITE".

Have a nice day.