XY NU First team I guess?

[ollie zoop]

This is pretty much the first team I've made in NU that I consider to be serious, I guess. It seems to be able to counter a decent amount of the metagame given that you don't make piss poor predictions, but please let me know if I've missed any glaring weaknesses that aren't really possible to play around.


Cryogonal @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
-Freeze-Dry
-Flash Cannon
-HP Ground
-Recover

Cryogonal is actually a really powerful special attacker that I think people only run for its access to spin. While I think it can be run as a decent spinner due to its special bulk, it's criminally underused as a wallbreaker. It destroys common specially bulky threats like Ludicolo and Mantine, is still pretty specially bulky, pretty fast, and has access to recovery. Flash Cannon is really just there as coverage for the occasional Slurpuff or ice types you come across, and HP Ground is really just meant to hit things like Magmortar that will expect to force you out.

Slaking @ Choice Band
Ability: Truant
4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Retaliate
-Sucker Punch
-Night Slash
-Earthquake

On the off chance that you have to sack something off like the aforementioned Cryogonal, this beast will be there to make sure it wasn't in vain. Very few things in this tier comfortably take a boosted stab banded Retaliate on the chin, so take advantage of teams that seem frail or lack a decent physical wall. Most of the time you'll just be clicking Retaliate, but on the off chance you're up against a team with a Haunter or Rotom, Night Slash can kill it on the switch. Sucker Punch will let you pop the occasional setup sweeper, and Earthquake is for those pesky Steelixes and Golems that tend to eat up Retaliates.

Arbok @ Black Sludge
Ability: Shed Skin
248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
-Gunk Shot
-Sucker Punch
-Earthquake
-Coil

The classic set, made with longevity in mind. Switching in on something that can't kill this due to its tasty poison typing allows it to set up a coil or two. After two or three coils, it's over. This thing is really difficult to counter for some reason, as there isn't really enough in the tier that can beat a boosted Arbok. Gunk Shot for acc. boosted stab after a coil or two, Sucker Punch for the tasty priority (since Arbok is still damn slow even after boosting), and EQ for the coverage against those Steel types that Gunk Shot can't touch.

Scyther @ Eviolite
Ability: Technician
252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-Bug Bite
-Aerial Ace
-Quick Attack
-Roost

Oh Scyther, what are you still doing in NU and LC ubers? Look at this damn thing. The only thing I can see really wrong with it is it has the double rocks weakness, and even with that is has the Roost for the reliable recovery. Technician boosted Bug Bites and Aerial Aces tend to hurt a lot of things while you have access to the Technician boosted Quick Attack for the easy revenge kills. As if it weren't enough that this thing gets good attack and speed, with eviolite you're sitting on nearly 300 in both of your defenses. It's actually sort of surprising how well Scyther takes hits. Don't get cheeky with this one, tho, as it is outsped by several things that carry rock moves, like Archeops.

Sandslash @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Rush
252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge / Knock Off
-Rapid Spin
-Stealth Rock

Basically what you have here is the common defensive Sandslash set, with a minor tweak. Instead of the newly ubiquitous Knock Off, I threw Stone Edge on it. While it isn't quite as much utility, you would be extremely surprised how cheeky people tend to play around a Sandslash. Having access to the rock type move really comes in handy when your opponent switches in the defensive Articuno or the occasional Rotom-Fan. However, if you really don't want to take any chances, Knock Off is always still an option.

Qwilfish @ Black Sludge
Ability: Intimidate
252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
-Waterfall
-Thunder Wave
-Spikes
-Taunt

Another pokemon that I think belongs above NU. Hitting a support pokemon with T wave on the switch and then getting the free taunt off is so annoying and I hate myself for doing it. Qwilfish has crippled more threats than I've cared to count. Also, the free atk drop forces switches every so often, allowing Qwilfish to cripple even more things, which allow for more offensive flexibility with Scyther, Arbok, and Cryogonal. Qwilfish is the king of turning the tides and creating offensive momentum for your team, and it deserves to be mentioned here as such.




Please give me any compliments or criticisms below on things I can improve on this team. Also, I welcome any other fun NU teams that people want to show me, this is easily my favorite tier now that Sigilyph is gone.

 

[Brawlfest]

Hi there! This looks like an interesting team, but there are a few issues. To start with, the team has no revenge killer for an offensive team, and especially with Slaking who basically ensures opponents get free setup opportunities, this is a scary thought. The team also shows glaring weaknesses to strong Psychic, Flying, and Fire types, all of which can cause issues. This said, it does have the fundamentals to be a solid team, and just needs a few changes in order to perform at its peak efficiency.

The first thing you should probably do is to replace Sandslash with Tank Rhydon. Cryogonal is a more reliable and better spinner in the first place, and you really do need a way to check Fire and Flying types, as strong fire types such as Typhlosion easily 2HKO your only resist in Qwilfish. Rhydon also brings to the table way stronger offensive presence to help break through opponents for team members such as Scyther or Arbok to sweep, as well as bringing more bulk to be used as a pivot mid game in case you are unsure if any other member can tank a hit. It provides key resistances and much more offensive presence than Sandslash to the team, and also gets Rocks up more reliably.

Offensive Spiritomb over Slaking is something you should really consider. It not fits so many roles for your specific team that it really is perfect in this position. To start with, Slaking is a bad pokemon in the current metagame due to the sheer amount of setup sweepers, which can take advantage of the turn after Slaking has smashed something to set up and easily blast through you due to your weak priority and lack of a revenge killer. Spiritomb's access to one of the strongest Sucker Punches in the current metagame in tangent with its great bulk and typing makes it a great revenge killer to help you deal with such threats, but more importantly it doesn't allow opponents to safely set up like Slaking would. Furthermore, it can pursuit psychic types which is a huge boon to your team offensively, as they really do a lot of damage to your team otherwise, so having Spiritomb as reassurance helps tons! Oh and its a Spinblocker.

Minor Changes:
Cryogonal: 4 Def > 4 HP, as having 4 HP means you take more damage from your Life Orb and Stealth Rock. Rapid Spin > Flash Cannon, as Flash Cannon doesn't give you any coverage you otherwise don't already get, and Cryo is a more reliable spinner than Sandslash.
Arbok: 204 HP / 252 Atk / 52 Spd is what I would run to give Arbok the ability to outspeed max speed neutral base 55 pokemon, including Bouffalant, Golurk, Exeggutor, etc.
Qwilfish: 248 HP / 164 Def / 96 Spe is the spread that I would give Qwilfish on your team, as again it outspeeds the max speed positive nature base 55 pokemon to give Qwilfish the edge on most importantly Omastar who it can taunt before it does anything, which is critical to this team. It also lets Qwilfish taunt Gorebyss who can otherwise use it as set up, risking only a Thunder Wave as they pass, but it still maintains basically the same bulk.

Cool team, hope this helped!
____________

Rhydon @ Eviolite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Atk / 212 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Rock Blast
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Dragon Tail / Roar / Toxic

Spiritomb @ Dread Plate / Choice Band
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Shadow Sneak
- Will-O-Wisp / Trick

 

[ollie zoop]

Thanks for the feedback! I'm going to institute the changes you outlined and give it a shot today for a few games, see how it feels.

Thanks again!