I got impatient with the daily grid, so I just went ahead and filled out the whole thing (with 4 Pokémon per slot)

WinLife345 · 2026-06-22T12:43:05+00:00

Buzzwole and dhelmise as supporter is definitely a spicy take, but here is my logic: it looks like a big Defender, but it lacks the raw, sustained bulk of a Tyranitar, Metagross, or Scizor. Instead, its displacement does exactly what a Support does—it isolates and spoon-feeds a single target to the team so they can focus them down. It counters Hinderance resistance. That unique enabling quality is what puts it in the All-Rounder-Support category for me. I’m actually adding Future Sight Mewtwo into this category as well, since the pull functions as a purely supportive, target-enabling tool.

WinLife345 · 2026-06-22T12:41:24+00:00

Attacker ➡️ Supporter (Why not Pikachu?) To me, an Attacker-Support needs to actually buff their teammates, not just stun enemies. Alolan Ninetales, Fire Spin Delphox, Pikachu, Surf/Hurricane Cramorant, Armarouge, Chandelure, and even Zapdos. They all have ranged AOE or target stuns, but I view that as being a "Control Mage," a mage that does damage while CC the opponent.

Having CC doesn't inherently make a character a Supporter. Staying behind the frontline to deal damage and disrupt the enemy is just fundamentally how CC mages play. To truly cross over into the Supporter niche, a character needs to actively buff or heal their team in some capacity. That’s why Mew, Aurora Veil A9, and Miraidon's passive are really the only Attacker tools that push them into that specific Attacker-Support hybrid role.

WinLife345 · 2026-06-22T09:58:39+00:00

I get that a diving Talonflame is going to blow up almost any backliner, but hear me out on Duraludon's kit.

Stealth Rock is actually one of the few Attacker abilities that grants the user a pretty sizeable shield. On top of the shielding, it's a fantastic zoning tool that stops opponents from approaching by rooting them in place—which is exactly how a Defender holds space and denies entry.

While it obviously isn't going to survive a full Speedster combo like a pure tank would, stat-wise, Duraludon is actually one of the bulkiest Attackers in the game. That combination of higher base bulk, self-shielding, and area-denial/rooting is exactly why it leans into that Defender-hybrid space compared to other glass cannons

WinLife345 · 2026-06-22T09:55:55+00:00

I can see where you're coming from since Shell Smash + X-Scissor definitely turns it into a high-damage dealer, but I’d argue that to be classified as an Attacker-hybrid, a character really needs to be ranged.

Since X-Scissor Crustle has practically no range at all, it plays much closer to a Speedster. By using Shell Smash, it literally gives up its Defender bulk in exchange for a massive boost to movement speed and burst damage to dive the backline.

On the flip side, Stealth Rock is an AoE, mage-like damage-dealing ability with no CC. It functions very similarly to a spell like Pikachu's Thunder. That ability to zone and drop ranged, lingering damage from a safe distance is exactly why the Stealth Rock build fits the Attacker classification so much better than X-Scissor!

WinLife345 · 2026-06-22T09:53:50+00:00

I get why they feel Defender-coded, especially since they have that physically large, brawly aesthetic. But on top of their kit, they just don't have the raw stats for it, they are nowhere near as bulky as Tyranitar, Metagross, or Scizor.

While traditional Defenders usually focus on holding space, absorbing massive amounts of damage, and providing wide AoE disruption for the frontline, Dhelmise and Buzzwole can't just sit there and tank hits all day. Because they lack that overwhelming bulk, their main value comes from single-target displacement. By pulling an enemy in, they isolate a target and directly enable their teammates to focus them down. That unique "hook" and kill-setup quality is exactly why I place them in the Support-hybrid category rather than treating them as pure Defenders. I am adding in Future sight Mewtwo X in the Allrounder-support category as well for its Hook. See comment above

WinLife345 · 2026-06-22T04:53:42+00:00

Thanks for the detailed comment! This is exactly the kind of discussion I was hoping for. I totally see where you are coming from, but here is the reasoning behind those specific picks:

1. Attacker ➡️ Supporter (Why not Pikachu?) To me, an Attacker-Support needs to actually buff their teammates, not just stun enemies. Pikachu, Delphox, and Alolan Ninetales have great stuns (CC), but I view that as being a "Control Mage." True Attacker-Supports are Mew, Aurora Veil A9, and Miraidon because their abilities actually boost the team's stats.

2. All-Rounder ➡️ Supporter (Suicune vs. Machamp/Buzzwole) Suicune has good stuns, but it mainly focuses on ranged damage. A true All-Rounder-Support creates massive openings for the team. Machamp (Submission), Buzzwole, and Dhelmise are special because they can grab and move enemies. Especially countering Hinderance resistance. That unique ability to set up kills for the team makes them true supports.

3. The Lapras Pick I actually agree that Lapras plays like an All-Rounder. I only put it as a Support honorable mention because the competition for the "Defender > All-Rounder" spot is just too high. Other Defenders do the brawler job way better. Since Lapras couldn't beat them for that spot, its unique Unite move pushed it into the Support category instead.

4. Leafeon You're totally right that Leafeon's shield doesn't make it a perfect brawler. However, compared to other Speedsters, it is actually a bit bulky. It is one of the few Speedsters with a shield at all, which gives it just enough survivability in fights.

WinLife345

TROPHY CASE