After reading this RMT and the subsequent NU Liepard suspect test, I was intrigued by the idea of Assist Liepard. While I had been introduced to a somewhat similar idea in Copycat Riolu, this seemed more effective (sans the devotion of five team slots to supporting Liepard). I did not expect this team to be successful at all in UU, but after making a few modifications I was pleasantly surprised at its success. I eventually used the team to get reqs for the UU suspect test after having hit 2000 ACRE or so at ~95 deviation. Unfortunately, it was hard to use this team on a fresh alt because it relies on enemy hazards and a lot of low ranked players simply didn't have hazards.
At its highest point, this team hit #8 on the ladder. Currently, I am #11 on the ladder as Togainu no Chi. I did not play Pokemon during the UU suspect ladder era, however, and I am crossing my fingers that the people in charge of the suspect test will let me vote on Victini! :D
Ladder Peak: http://puu.sh/4JsuF.jpg
Overview
This team is very simple. I set up hazards by switching in Ditto against the enemy hazard setter, set up hail with Abomasnow, then sac something (usually Abomasnow) to get Liepard in freely, at which point it spams priority Assist, which will always select Roar. The other Pokemon on my team shore up my team's weaknesses.
The Team
Abomasnow (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Protect
- Focus Punch
- Sleep Talk
Abomasnow has one job, and one job only: to set up hail. Hail offers necessary residual damage that hits almost everything in UU, and without hail, I would do no damage against Stealth Rock resists holding Leftovers unless I also had Spikes on the field. Hail also prevents Aqua Jet Kabutops from straight up KOing Liepard in the rain.
I only use three moves on Abomasnow because these are the only moves besides Endure that Abomasnow can learn and that don't interfere with Assist. That said, thanks to max investment, Focus Punch does tend to be fairly powerful, and some of Abomasnow's most common switch-ins are things that are already problematic to this team, such as Bronzong, who resists Stealth Rock and whose Leftovers waste a lot of Assist PP. Abomasnow tends to be the first Pokemon I sac to get in Liepard freely because beyond Snow Warning, it is unimportant to the team's overall design.
Rocky Helmet is the only item Abomasnow can really use to any avail because it doesn't need to do anything more than set up Hail and faint so that I can switch in Liepard freely. Max Speed allows Abomasnow to outspeed almost every common Stealth Rock or Spikes user in the tier except Cobalion, which allows me to switch in Ditto and transform to the hazard setter even in the case of a double switch.
Rotom-H @ Flame Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Trick
- Thief
- Protect
- Snatch
Rotom-H lures in common Stealth Rock setters such as Swampert and Rhyperior. In addition, by Tricking its Flame Orb, it can significantly speed up the pHazing process, especially if it takes an enemy Leftovers, conserving Assist PP. It can also burn multiple enemies by Tricking multiple times, but it's a rare case that Rotom-H lives long enough to do so especially since it is weak to Stealth Rock.
Thanks to Protect, Rotom-H can also stall while burning up to 18% of opponents' HP per turn. Snatch is the last noteworthy move: above all else, it prevents enemies from self-healing.
Like Abomasnow, Rotom-H is invested in maximum Speed to aid in double switching as well as to burn things in a last-ditch effort. However, I opt for HP investment rather than Attack investment because Thief really does no damage either way and Rotom-H's survivability is marginally more important than is Abomasnow's for burning multiple enemies.
Liepard (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Assist
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot
Liepard is the star of the show! I place it in the middle of my team to create the illusion that it's not important to the grand scheme of my team.
There are a few main uses for Liepard. If the opponent refuses to switch in their hazard setter, I can simply spam Assist, then switch to Ditto when it comes out. Obviously this is a bit more complex if their hazard setter can OHKO Ditto (i.e. Life Orb Nidoqueen) and I'll have to sac something. If they try to counter this by switching in their hazard setter as I use Assist (so that they can burn Assist PP while preventing me from setting up hazards) I can force mind games with Nasty Plot.
Second, Liepard is obviously the team's centerpiece and, with hazards and hail up, can spam Assist to wear down the enemy team. Protect defends against Fake Out, though it makes me a bit more susceptible to things like Umbreon which just spam Protect to burn Assist PP, which is absolutely pivotal to conserve, than if I were using Substitute. Still, I find that facing against Protect without Substitute is winnable, whereas I lost 100% of the time against Fake Out if I didn't have Protect. Protect also allows me to chip away at Leftovers-less things like Flygon and Virizion, which resist Stealth Rock.
Liepard finds time to Nasty Plot when enemies spam Protect, but Liepard's fragility makes this a gamble.
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Imposter
Nature: Sassy
EVs: 248 HP
IVs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 3 Spe
- Transform
I generally lead with Ditto because players usually like to lead with their hazards setter, allowing me to set up hazards of my own and quickly put the team's plan into action.
Since I lack Copycat, Ditto is the only reliable way I can set up hazards, which are required for the team to function 99% of the time. Thanks to Scarf, Ditto is faster than enemy Stealth Rock setters and has the bulk to take at least one hit from virtually any hazards setter besides Nidoqueen and Nidoking. Ditto is also often the end-game cleaner for the team when my opponent is down to their last Pokemon or when Assist has run out of PP, as its moveset is the least restrained of anything on the team.
The IVs give me Hidden Power Ground, which hits Raikou. Without it, I would really have no way to beat last-Pokemon Substitute + Calm Mind Raikou unless I got lucky and burned it beforehand with Rotom-H.
Nidoqueen (F) @ Dark Gem
Trait: Poison Point
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
- Thief
- Roar
- Focus Punch
- Counter
Nidoqueen absorbs Toxic Spikes, against which I absolutely cannot win, and offers the only move on this team Assist can choose: Roar. Other than that, she is the most expendable member of the team other than Abomasnow, and can even poison problematic attackers such as Arcanine. When I manage to switch Nidoqueen in, her immediate job is generally to Roar, hopefully force in the enemy hazards setter, and then switch in Ditto. If I already have hazards up, I generally switch her in as death fodder.
Dark Gem Thief robs Leftovers, which is especially helpful against Stealth Rock resists, though it is not particularly powerful. Focus Punch has the added benefit of hitting many of Nidoqueen's switch-ins on their weaker defensive stat, such as Snorlax. Counter was chosen over Protect because Nidoqueen can often stomach something like last-Pokemon Cobalion's attack and then reflect it, which might be the only way I can win. It also allows me to force mind games with Focus Punch.
I invested in HP over Speed to maximize Counter damage.
Mismagius (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
- Mimic
- Trick
- Destiny Bond
- Protect
Using this team without hazards is absolutely aggravating, and Mismagius ensures that hazards, which are difficult to place at all, aren't easily spun away. Aside from that, it steals Leftovers with Trick and allows me to end the game when the opponent is down to their last Pokemon through a fast Destiny Bond.
Mimic allows me to copy hazards in case I need to preserve Ditto's HP for an end-game sweep or lost Ditto, even if I am Choice-locked. Mimic can also steal a powerful attacking move and allow me to clean with Mismagius' high speed, which is the reason Mismagius still has max Attack IVs rather than 0 Attack IVs despite the fact that it takes higher Foul Play damage.
Parting Words
Ultimately, this team was a ton of fun to play. In addition, it's really had very little trouble with the incredibly difficult to deal with Victini. I don't think it's broken per se in UU where there are far more road bumps to the strategy than there are in NU, but the team's success is a testament to how difficult it is to deal with.
At its highest point, this team hit #8 on the ladder. Currently, I am #11 on the ladder as Togainu no Chi. I did not play Pokemon during the UU suspect ladder era, however, and I am crossing my fingers that the people in charge of the suspect test will let me vote on Victini! :D
Ladder Peak: http://puu.sh/4JsuF.jpg
Overview
This team is very simple. I set up hazards by switching in Ditto against the enemy hazard setter, set up hail with Abomasnow, then sac something (usually Abomasnow) to get Liepard in freely, at which point it spams priority Assist, which will always select Roar. The other Pokemon on my team shore up my team's weaknesses.
The Team
Abomasnow (F) @ Rocky Helmet
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Protect
- Focus Punch
- Sleep Talk
Abomasnow has one job, and one job only: to set up hail. Hail offers necessary residual damage that hits almost everything in UU, and without hail, I would do no damage against Stealth Rock resists holding Leftovers unless I also had Spikes on the field. Hail also prevents Aqua Jet Kabutops from straight up KOing Liepard in the rain.
I only use three moves on Abomasnow because these are the only moves besides Endure that Abomasnow can learn and that don't interfere with Assist. That said, thanks to max investment, Focus Punch does tend to be fairly powerful, and some of Abomasnow's most common switch-ins are things that are already problematic to this team, such as Bronzong, who resists Stealth Rock and whose Leftovers waste a lot of Assist PP. Abomasnow tends to be the first Pokemon I sac to get in Liepard freely because beyond Snow Warning, it is unimportant to the team's overall design.
Rocky Helmet is the only item Abomasnow can really use to any avail because it doesn't need to do anything more than set up Hail and faint so that I can switch in Liepard freely. Max Speed allows Abomasnow to outspeed almost every common Stealth Rock or Spikes user in the tier except Cobalion, which allows me to switch in Ditto and transform to the hazard setter even in the case of a double switch.
Rotom-H @ Flame Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Trick
- Thief
- Protect
- Snatch
Rotom-H lures in common Stealth Rock setters such as Swampert and Rhyperior. In addition, by Tricking its Flame Orb, it can significantly speed up the pHazing process, especially if it takes an enemy Leftovers, conserving Assist PP. It can also burn multiple enemies by Tricking multiple times, but it's a rare case that Rotom-H lives long enough to do so especially since it is weak to Stealth Rock.
Thanks to Protect, Rotom-H can also stall while burning up to 18% of opponents' HP per turn. Snatch is the last noteworthy move: above all else, it prevents enemies from self-healing.
Like Abomasnow, Rotom-H is invested in maximum Speed to aid in double switching as well as to burn things in a last-ditch effort. However, I opt for HP investment rather than Attack investment because Thief really does no damage either way and Rotom-H's survivability is marginally more important than is Abomasnow's for burning multiple enemies.
Liepard (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Protect
- Assist
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot
Liepard is the star of the show! I place it in the middle of my team to create the illusion that it's not important to the grand scheme of my team.
There are a few main uses for Liepard. If the opponent refuses to switch in their hazard setter, I can simply spam Assist, then switch to Ditto when it comes out. Obviously this is a bit more complex if their hazard setter can OHKO Ditto (i.e. Life Orb Nidoqueen) and I'll have to sac something. If they try to counter this by switching in their hazard setter as I use Assist (so that they can burn Assist PP while preventing me from setting up hazards) I can force mind games with Nasty Plot.
Second, Liepard is obviously the team's centerpiece and, with hazards and hail up, can spam Assist to wear down the enemy team. Protect defends against Fake Out, though it makes me a bit more susceptible to things like Umbreon which just spam Protect to burn Assist PP, which is absolutely pivotal to conserve, than if I were using Substitute. Still, I find that facing against Protect without Substitute is winnable, whereas I lost 100% of the time against Fake Out if I didn't have Protect. Protect also allows me to chip away at Leftovers-less things like Flygon and Virizion, which resist Stealth Rock.
Liepard finds time to Nasty Plot when enemies spam Protect, but Liepard's fragility makes this a gamble.
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Imposter
Nature: Sassy
EVs: 248 HP
IVs: 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 3 Spe
- Transform
I generally lead with Ditto because players usually like to lead with their hazards setter, allowing me to set up hazards of my own and quickly put the team's plan into action.
Since I lack Copycat, Ditto is the only reliable way I can set up hazards, which are required for the team to function 99% of the time. Thanks to Scarf, Ditto is faster than enemy Stealth Rock setters and has the bulk to take at least one hit from virtually any hazards setter besides Nidoqueen and Nidoking. Ditto is also often the end-game cleaner for the team when my opponent is down to their last Pokemon or when Assist has run out of PP, as its moveset is the least restrained of anything on the team.
The IVs give me Hidden Power Ground, which hits Raikou. Without it, I would really have no way to beat last-Pokemon Substitute + Calm Mind Raikou unless I got lucky and burned it beforehand with Rotom-H.
Nidoqueen (F) @ Dark Gem
Trait: Poison Point
Nature: Adamant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe
- Thief
- Roar
- Focus Punch
- Counter
Nidoqueen absorbs Toxic Spikes, against which I absolutely cannot win, and offers the only move on this team Assist can choose: Roar. Other than that, she is the most expendable member of the team other than Abomasnow, and can even poison problematic attackers such as Arcanine. When I manage to switch Nidoqueen in, her immediate job is generally to Roar, hopefully force in the enemy hazards setter, and then switch in Ditto. If I already have hazards up, I generally switch her in as death fodder.
Dark Gem Thief robs Leftovers, which is especially helpful against Stealth Rock resists, though it is not particularly powerful. Focus Punch has the added benefit of hitting many of Nidoqueen's switch-ins on their weaker defensive stat, such as Snorlax. Counter was chosen over Protect because Nidoqueen can often stomach something like last-Pokemon Cobalion's attack and then reflect it, which might be the only way I can win. It also allows me to force mind games with Focus Punch.
I invested in HP over Speed to maximize Counter damage.
Mismagius (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
Nature: Timid
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
- Mimic
- Trick
- Destiny Bond
- Protect
Using this team without hazards is absolutely aggravating, and Mismagius ensures that hazards, which are difficult to place at all, aren't easily spun away. Aside from that, it steals Leftovers with Trick and allows me to end the game when the opponent is down to their last Pokemon through a fast Destiny Bond.
Mimic allows me to copy hazards in case I need to preserve Ditto's HP for an end-game sweep or lost Ditto, even if I am Choice-locked. Mimic can also steal a powerful attacking move and allow me to clean with Mismagius' high speed, which is the reason Mismagius still has max Attack IVs rather than 0 Attack IVs despite the fact that it takes higher Foul Play damage.
Parting Words
Ultimately, this team was a ton of fun to play. In addition, it's really had very little trouble with the incredibly difficult to deal with Victini. I don't think it's broken per se in UU where there are far more road bumps to the strategy than there are in NU, but the team's success is a testament to how difficult it is to deal with.
Last edited:
