Little Cup Speed Tiers

Little Cup Speed Tiers
Orginally made by Ray Jay and Ssin

Introduction

As Pokemon in Little Cup are at level 5, there is a narrower range of Speed stats that are present than in Smogon’s other metagames, and this often makes the decision of whether or not to maximize the Speed stat a far more difficult one. Furthermore, Pokemon with a variety of base Speed stats sometimes reach the same maximum Speed due to the fact that it takes more than 4 EVs to increase the stat by one point. Below, you will find each Speed stat that LC Pokemon are capable of reaching, along with how many EVs the Pokemon needs to acquire that stat.

Tier 1 (33 - 40 Spe)

Speed Stat / Pokemon / Base Speed / Nature / EVs / Boost
38 / Buizel / 85 / + Speed / 236 / +2
36 / Buizel / 85 / Neutral / 236 / +2
... / Anorith, Deerling / 75 / Neutral / 236 / +2
34 / Drifloon / 70 / + Speed / 196 / +2
... / Drilbur / 68 / + Speed / 212 / +2
... / Surskit / 65 / + Speed / 236 / +2

Analysis: Tier 1 is reserved for Pokemon that reach the highest stats of practical importance in Little Cup. Buizel at +2 is the highest included because anything beyond that occurs due to repeated Speed Boosts or uses of boosting moves and is ultimately trivial. The Pokemon in this tier all need to be at +2 to reach these stats, but all of the Pokemon here do this passively through an ability rather than by setting up. These Pokemon are, for the most part, very frail, and typically handled through strong priority attacks.

Tier 2 (26 - 32 Spe)
32 / Kabuto / 55 / + Speed / 236 / +2
30 / Elekid / 95 / + Speed / 236 / +1
... / Horsea / 60 / Neutral / 196 / +2
... / Cranidos / 58 / Neutral / 212 / +2
... / Venipede / 57 / Neutral / 220 / +2
... / Dwebble, Kabuto / 55 / Neutral / 236 / +2
28 / Elekid / 95 / Neutral / 236 / +1
... / Misdreavus, Taillow / 85 / + Speed / 236 / +1
... / Binacle, Dratini, Mantyke / 50 / Neutral / 196 / +2
... / Bellsprout, Exeggcute, Shellder / 40 / + Speed / 196 / +2
... / Cherubi, Golett, Omanyte / 35 / + Speed / 236 / +2
27 / Misdreavus, Taillow / 85 / Neutral / 236 / +1
26 / Bellsprout, Exeggcute, Shellder / 40 / Neutral / 196 / +2
... / Cherubi, Golett, Omanyte / 35 / Neutral / 236 / +2
... / Clamperl / 32 / + Speed / 180 / +2
... / Aron, Oddish, Petilil / 30 / + Speed / 196 / +2
... / Rhyhorn / 25 / + Speed / 236 / +2

Analysis: This tier is mostly composed of slower Pokemon who can quickly elevate their Speed (Cranidos, Shellder, Omanyte, Dwebble) and the rest of the Pokemon who have an ability that doubles their Speed in certain weather conditions. This tier is mostly important for finding the maximum stat each of these Pokemon can hit; most of the time, however, weather sweepers or Shell Smash sweepers opt to use a nature that boosts Attack or Special Attack, as the only things that can outspeed them are typically other set-up sweepers. It is worthy of noting that 19 Speed Pokemon such as Misdreavus, when equipped with Choice Scarf, can at least Speed tie a good majority of these Pokemon, even when the latter are at +2.

Tier 3 (19 - 25 Spe)

25 / Froakie / 71 / + Speed / 188 / +1
... / Archen, Mankey / 70 / + Speed / 196 / +1
... / Chinchou / 67 / + Speed /220 / +1
... / Carvanha, Cyndaquil, Mienfoo / 65 / + Speed / 236 / +1
24 / Cranidos / 58 / + Speed / 212 / +1
... / Axew, Bunnelby / 57 / + Speed / 220 / +1
... / Larvesta / 55 / + Speed / 236 / +1
... / Clamperl / 32 / Neutral / 180 / +2
... / Aron, Oddish, Petilil / 30 / Neutral / 196 / +2
... / Rhyhorn / 25 / Neutral / 236 / +2
... / Tirtouga / 22 / + Speed / 180 / +2
22 / Cranidos / 58 / Neutral / 212 / +1
... / Axew, Bunnelby / 57 / Neutral / 220 / +1
... / Larvesta / 55 / Neutral / 236 / +1
... / Bagon, Darumaka, Dratini / 50 / + Speed / 196 / +1
... / Scraggy / 48 / + Speed / 212 / +1
... / Amaura / 46 / + Speed / 228 / +1
... / Gothita, Inkay, Magnemite, Torchic / 45 / + Speed / 236 / +1
21 / Bagon, Darumaka, Dratini / 50 / Neutral /196 / +1
... / Scraggy / 48 / Neutral / 212 / +1
... / Amaura / 46 / Neutral / 228 / +1
... / Gothita, Inkay, Magnemite, Torchic / 45 / Neutral / 236 / +1
... / Larvitar / 41 / + Speed / 188 / +1
... / Shellder, Snover, Teddiursa / 40 / + Speed / 196 / +1
... / Machop / 35 / + Speed / 236 / +1
20 / Voltorb / 100 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Diglett, Elekid / 95 / + Speed / 236 / None
19 / Diglett, Elekid / 95 / Neutral / 236 / None
... / Abra, Meowth, Poliwag, Ponyta / 90 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Aipom, Buneary, Buizel, Glameow, Gligar, Misdreavus, Taillow, Wingull / 85 / + Speed / 236 / None
... / Magby / 83 / + Speed / 252 / None

Analysis: This tier represents the fastest unboosted Pokemon in the metagame and what other Pokemon hit in their attempts to outspeed them. The "19" Speed stat is considered just about legendary in Little Cup, and many titans of the metagame have been banned or are very strong partly due to it. However, there are three Pokemon that can actually outspeed all of these unboosted as they hit 20 Speed. 21 is therefore the minimum stat for a Choice Scarf Pokemon to hit if it wants to outspeed the entire unboosted metagame. Many of the Pokemon above at +1 are listed as they are commonly seen with a Choice Scarf, due to their effectiveness in handling the 19 Speed Pokemon or for revenge killing anything else in the tier that does not boost Speed.

Tier 4 (15 - 18 Spe)

18 / Feebas, Gastly, Magikarp / 80 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Blitzle / 76 /+ Speed / 228 / None
... / Anorith, Deerling, Doduo, Minccino / 75 / + Speed / 236 / None
... / Stunky / 74 / + Speed / 244 / None
17 / Litleo, Rattata, Woobat / 72 / + Speed / 180 / None
... / Froakie / 71 / + Speed / 188 / None
... / Archen, Combee, Drifloon, Helioptile, Mankey, Natu, Onix, Spearow, Treecko / 70 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Drilbur, Espurr / 68 / + Speed / 212 / None
... / Chinchou / 67 / + Speed / 220 / None
... / Cottonee, Finneon, Purrloin / 66 / + Speed / 228 / None
... / Carvanha, Charmander, Cyndaquil, Electrike, Finneon, Houndour, Joltik, Mienfoo, Remoraid, Sandile, Skorupi, Smoochum, Surskit, Trubbish, Vulpix, Zorua / 65 / + Speed / 236 / None
... / Pansage, Pansear, Panpour / 64 / + Speed / 244 / None
... / Goldeen, Snivy / 63 / + Speed / 252 / None
16 / Fletchling / 62 / + Speed / 180 / None
... / Chimchar / 61 / + Speed / 188 / None
... / Barboach, Fennekin, Growlithe, Horsea, Karrablast, Pawniard, Riolu, Rufflet, Spoink, Starly, Tangela, Tynamo, Vullaby, Zigzagoon / 60 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Cranidos / 58 / + Speed / 212 / None
... / Axew, Bunnelby, Venipede / 57 / + Speed / 220 / None
... / Pidgey, Pumpkaboo (Small) / 56 / + Speed / 228 / None
... / Ducklett, Dwebble, Eevee, Ekans, Kabuto, Lillipup, Noibat, Zubat / 55 / + Speed / 236 / None
15 / Skiddo / 52 / + Speed / 180 / None
... / Pumpkaboo (Average) / 51 / + Speed / 188 / None
... / Bagon, Binacle, Croagunk, Darumaka, Dratini, Krabby, Mantyke, Skitty, Swablu, Swinub / 50 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Scraggy, Tyrunt / 48 / + Speed / 212 / None
... / Amaura, Pumpkaboo (Large) / 46 / + Speed / 228 / None
... / Gothita, Inkay, Magnemite, Seel, Tepig, Torchic / 45 / + Speed / 236 / None
... / Clauncher / 44 / + Speed / 244 / None
... / Pancham / 43 / + Speed / 252 / None

Analysis: This is the tier in which the vast majority of unboosted Little Cup resides. In these tiers, it is often easy for Pokemon to get lost among the crowd and not have any real desire to run maximum Speed, so similarly to tier 2, this is merely to demonstrate what the absolute maximum Speed these Pokemon could potentially be at. Important to note is the fact that although 19 Speed is typically regarded as the number to hit, there aren't many Pokemon that hit a maximum of 18 Speed, so this stat is statistically only slightly less advantageous.

Tier 5 (11 - 14 Spe)

14 / Flabébé, Gible / 42 / + Speed / 180 / None
... / Larvitar, Pumpkaboo (Super) / 41 / + Speed / 188 / None
... / Frillish, Goomy, Porygon, Shellder, Snover, Teddiursa / 40 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Phantump / 38 / + Speed / 212 / None
... / Cacnea, Cherubi, Corphish, Golett, Machop, Omanyte, Scatterbug, Timburr / 35 / + Speed / 236 / None
... / Chespin / 33 / + Speed / 252 / None
13 / Clamperl / 32 / + Speed / 180 / None
... / Aron, Elgyem, Klink, Oddish, Petilil, Skrelp / 30 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Bergmite, Honedge / 28 / + Speed / 212 / None
... / Paras, Rhyhorn / 25 / + Speed / 236 / None
... / Spritzee / 23 / + Speed / 252 / None
12 / Tirtouga / 22 / + Speed / 180 / None
... / Litwick, Solosis / 20 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Foongus, Slowpoke, Wooper / 15 / + Speed / 236 / None
11 / Ferroseed, Trapinch / 10 / + Speed / 196 / None
... / Munchlax / 5 / + Speed / 236 / None

Analysis: Here's where the slowest Pokemon in LC hit their maximum stats. Most of these Pokemon will never want to run a max Speed set, as EVs are better spent in their defenses, but there are a few exceptions. This mostly include Pokemon such as Oddish or Aron who have the means to boost their Speed, so maximizing the stat allows them to get more out of their boost.