Subsitute varients of speed-boosters are just as viable, I find. Primarily, because the protect set is so dominant, people don't expect it, and they will usually switch/boost on the turn that they think you'd protect, allowing you to get a free sub up. Also, it allows you to dodge status quite nicely. Normally, if you're say, a Sharpedo against a Blastoise, you have to either switch or try for the 3HKO with Crunch (if even that). However, with Sub you can Sub on the toxic that they usually go for and then go from there (iirc scald might not even break sub out of torrent).
The final advantage of Substitute is that it allows you to run a very effective Liechi (or Petaya I suppose) set. Instead of the damaging 1.3x boost from Life Orb, you get a static 1.5x attack boost that can really help you with sweeping. Definitely a set that more people should try out.
In other news, there's a set I've been working on a joke team (it features all of the underappreciated/bad pokes/sets in UU I could think of ;)) that's actually worked out really well.
I'm interested to see if you guys think it might be viable.
Houndoom @ BlackGlasses
EVs: 252 SpA/252 Spe/4 Atk
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
It's sort of a mixed version of a popular Skuntank set in NU with triple-dark stab. Although you have minimal investment in attack, STAB, decent base, and BlackGlasses helps boost your Pursuit and Sucker Punch to a point where you can deal a lot of damage to top tier threats, as well as getting some useful priority. BG-boosted Dark Pulse and Fire Blast are for the great stab options.
The reason I like this set is that it distinguishes Houndoom from being more than a sub-par fire type in the shadow of all the monsters of UU by focusing on his dark stab. I'm curious to see what you guys think of it.
Some useful replays of the team for reference:
http://pokemonshowdown.com/replay/uu-44179253 - Houndoom isn't the MVP in this, but he weakens the opponents team to a point where the monster that is Enduresalac hera can clean up.