Ninetales

Ninetales is a Pokemon with massive highs and deep lows. It is one of the best checks to Xatu, Weezing, and Magmar as it outspeeds all three, takes their attacks very well, and deals solid damage, especially to Weezing. Weezing in particular is one of the hardest Pokemon to switch into in the tier, so being one of the most reliable switch-ins to it is an incredible trait to have. Ninetales can 3HKO common offensive threats such as Xatu, Weezing, and Stantler with its STAB Flamethrower while crippling Water-type Pokemon with Sunny Day, or bulkier Pokemon with Toxic. Its amazing Speed lets it revenge kill Xatu and Primeape in a pinch, while also making it very easy to pull off a Rest. Ninetales's Flamethrower means that Pineco cannot take advantage of it while Resting, making it even easier for Ninetales to Rest and making it a solid lead to prevent early Spikes. Ninetales's Ice resistance and Electric neutrality also means that it stonewalls the likes of Magnenite, Dragonair, and BoltBeam Porygon, making it one of the best specially defensive Pokemon in the metagame.

However, while Ninetales is amazing against many of the tier's top threats, it's horrible against another: Octillery. Unlike other Pokemon weak to Water such as Graveler, Sudowoodo, Pupitar, Flareon, and even Rapidash, Ninetales struggles to deal any sort of immediate damage to Octillery, giving it free turns. Octillery is one of the most dangerous Pokemon in the tier, and thudding against it is not an easy flaw to compensate for in the teambuilder. Ninetales is also easily revenge killed by Dugtrio, and is threatened greatly by Rock-types like Graveler as well. Ninetales also gives free switch-ins to Fire-types like Rapidash and Flareon, the latter of which is an especially bad threat to give free turns to, thanks to its wallbreaking and Baton Pass capabilities. While Ninetales is threatening to frailer targets, it struggles to threaten other bulky RestTalk Pokemon like Wigglytuff, Hitmonlee, and Dewgong. Ninetales also faces competition from the aforementioned Fire-types: Rapidash and RestTalk Flareon, which can threaten Octillery with their much stronger Double-Edge, with the latter even 3HKOing it. Rapidash is also fast enough to outrun and revenge kill Fearow.