Project The PU Theorymon Project [Week eighteen: Meganium]

[MZ]

My router was broken, sorry this is late. The winner is Dundies!

Our next subject is Illumise! You have 5 days to post

 

[Dundies]

Illumise's Pokedex entry reads: "Illumise attracts a swarm of Volbeat using a sweet fragrance. Once the Volbeat have gathered, this Pokémon leads the lit-up swarm in drawing geometric designs on the canvas of the night sky."

When I read this, I was immediately drawn to how it lead a "lit-up swarm" on the night sky. When I think of electricity, I think of light, which is why I theorized about this: +Electric type and +Thunderbolt. When looking at Illumise's counterpart, Volbeat, I asked myself why Illumise didn't get Tail Glow. Its Pokedex description fit it well and it seemed indifferent in design compared to Volbeat, so I theorized about this: +Tail Glow.

Here's a possible set:

Illumise (F) @ Life Orb
Type: Bug / Electric
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Tail Glow
- Bug Buzz
- Thunderbolt
- Giga Drain

With the help of Tail Glow and Thunderbolt, Illumise would be able to set up on and sweep slower teams. Thunderbolt would deal super effective damage to Flying-types, which resist Bug Buzz and Giga Drain, while also hitting Fire-types for neutral damage. Because of Illumise's mediocre speed and poor defenses, it would be in no way broken.

 

[MegaMasher]

week one: Magmar- Eevee General

Sheer Force and No Guard Magmar will be hard-pressed to stick around in PU. That's going to be the challenge with this project, since at least with OU theorymon you can't go any higher until you bump into Ubers, and that designation is a lot easier to "predict" than where a Pokemon will end up in the lower/est tiers.

Anyway, here's a change I suspect would stick around in PU and give Magmar a niche over other Fire-types:
+Poison typing, +Sludge Bomb, +Poison Jab
(If three changes are too much, forget Poison Jab)

Justification: It learns Smog, Clear Smog, and Belch naturally (and Smokescreen, which is Poisonous looking in the anime), so the stretch isn't that much farther to go full-Poison. Magmars hang around volcanoes all day which are constantly spewing out carbon dioxide and sulfur, so the gas has gone to its head. The artwork just needs a touch of smoke and some purple elements in its "horns" and you got yourself a Fire/Poison Magmar.

Weaknesses: Ground, Psychic, Rock, Water
Resistances: Bug, Fairy, Fighting, Fire, Grass, Ice, Poison, Steel
Immunity: Burn, poison, sleep (Vital Spirit)

Theorymon: Vital Spirit, Eviolite, and Clear Smog allow Magmar to check setup on Jumpluff, Clefairy, Leafeon, and Ninetales without Psyshock/HP Ground (if that exists) for example. It also gets free switches on Roselia, Tangela, Gourgeist, Togetic, and Victreebel most of the time due to its typing and ability. Normally, Fire-types hoping to check a Grass-type would have to beware of Sleep Powder, which debilitates them and renders their checking capabilities temporarily useless. Not so anymore!

Base 93 Speed gets the jump on stuff like Leavanny (92), Chatot/Murkrow (91), Mr. Mime (90), and it ties with neutral 252 Quick Feet Ursaring (313 in-game Speed). At +1, it outspeeds Rock Polish Torterra and just loses out to Shell Smash Barbaracle by 1 point. The benefit of Scarf would be to beat Scarf Mr. Mime and Rotom-F, otherwise Eviolite or Leftovers are probably preferred.

Offensively, its Special movepool consists of Fire Blast, Flamethrower, Sludge Bomb, Belch*, Focus Blast, Psychic, and a Hidden Power of choice, likely Grass. Its physical movepool has Flare Blitz, Poison Jab, Cross Chop, and Thunder Punch, of which the latter two can be added to spice up a mixed set. Looking at possible checks and counters, we have Poliwrath, Carracosta, Barbaracle, Golem, Grumpig, and Lickilicky, who either resit both its STABs and/or have the bulk to absorb neutral hits. Luckily, Psychic grants a SE hit on Poliwrath and Focus Blast/Cross Chop hit Carracosta, Barbaracle, Golem, and Lickilicky for SE damage as well. Magmar would need to watch out for Aqua Jet from the Water/Rock mons and have a teammate ready to get past Grumpig.

*120 BP after you eat a berry and lasts the rest of the match even if you switch out. Sitrus gimmick maybe?

Conclusion: With Fire/Poison typing added to its other attributes, Magmar would be able to check Fairy and Grass-types much easier than something like Ninetales, who must be wary of Sleep Powder and doesn't hit as hard without a boost. Magmar trades some Speed for more power and mixed capabilities, which puts one foot in Simisear territory, but the natural bulk it has backed by an Eviolite and a dual typing allows it to maintain a separate niche from the fiery simian.

Possible set:
Magmar @ Eviolite
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Clear Smog
- Fire Blast / Lava Plume
- Focus Blast
- Psychic

week two: Physical Zebstrika- Ben Ohver

Zebstrika @ Life Orb
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- Wild Charge
- Pursuit
- Quick Attack

The Addition of just the Normal Typing to Zebstrika gives it an instant boost that can make it more rounded out and make a Physical set viable. It is a tiny boost that will do so much in terms of Zebra's strength and give it a reasonable and effective dual stab. This is basically a physical Heliolisk with not a water immunity but a grass immunity. While other Normal Type pokemon like Tauros had Sheer Force, Zebstrika doesn't have an Overwhelming ability that will make it that overpowered in the metagame.

week three: Sliggoo- Eevee General

This guy has some good bulk, especially with an Eviolite attached. Unfortunately it lacks in recovery outside of Rest and since it will want that Eviolite, it loses access to Leftovers. A mediocre Special Attack prevents it from taking any offensive role most of the time. All in all, Sliggoo struggles to make an impact in PU due to its absence of longevity and firepower. There's an ability that can address both of these issues, however, and turn it into a useful pivot with longevity and the potential to apply offensive pressure all in one.

+Regenerator (-Hydration)

Justification: It's harder to make a compelling case for Regenerator over something like Sticky Hold, which would play off the dex entry mentioning how it excretes a sticky substance. However, since it is made of a gooey, sticky substance and its evolution Goodra begins to drip in its animation, the stretch to say this material regenerates overtime isn't too far out of the realm of Poke Science.

Theorymon: Sliggoo's defensive role wouldn't change that much with Regenerator--it would just get better. Pivoting becomes much easier and mistakes can be recovered from with a simple switch out and Dragon is a cool type to absorb common Water, Fire, and Grass attacks found among top tier Pokemon. Spamming Draco Meteor gets easier as well now that switching is encouraged and the drops are erased as you regain HP. With quite a few coverage moves you can cater its set to check a range of threats with Sludge Wave, Muddy Water, Ice Beam, and Thunderbolt.

Regenerator doesn't just tilt Sliggoo more to the defensive side, however. Base 60 Speed isn't god awful (though it's not great), so with an investment it could outpace some of the tier's slower threats. And since it has respectable special bulk already, you might even forgo the Eviolite for a Life Orb, an item that works wonderfully with Regenerator. With its typing, bulk, and improved offenses, it could still pivot in on resisted hits and threaten back with decent power off 83 Special Attack, which I should note is higher than other special threats like Ninetales and Zebstrika and just two less than Floatzel. Plus its main STAB Draco Meteor has a high base power which further invigorates its middling Special Attack.

Conclusion: Regenerator presents two options for Sliggoo: bulky Eviolite pivot or Life Orb attacker. Regenerator helps unearth its great coverage that hits most of the tier for SE damage plus a high BP STAB move, which I think would make Sliggoo more viable and worth consideration on teams looking for a versatile, bulky special attacker.

Possible Set:
Sliggoo @ Life Orb
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Sludge Wave
- Muddy Water / Ice Beam / Thunderbolt
- Muddy Water / Ice Beam / Thunderbolt

week four: Frogadier- 2xTheTap

Frogadier is a fairly capable special attacker, especially with Protean, Life Orb, its decent Special Attack stat and a wide array of powerful special moves, but what holds it back from being truly effective in PU is its poor bulk and its inability to KO faster threats without Paralysis / Sticky Web / Tailwind support. Similarly, it struggles against powerful Pokemon with priority, like Pawniard and Mightyena. However, there's a move it could receive to alleviate its somewhat disappointing Speed stat and improve its ability as a cleaner, without making it too overpowered in PU.

+ Vacuum Wave

Justification: It wouldn't be inconceivable for the Greninja line to receive Vacuum Wave through breeding at some point, given its froggy brethren, Toxicroak and Croagunk, already have access to it. By simply adding Froakie, Frogadier and Greninja to the Humanshape Egg Group, this could become possible. According to its Pokedex entry, "It appears and vanishes with a ninja's grace. It toys with its enemies using swift movements, while slicing them with throwing stars of sharpest water." With Vacuum Wave being quick and Ninja-like, this move would suit Frogadier aesthetically, too.

Theorymon: The problem with justifying a team slot for Frogadier basically boils down to the fact that other offensive Water types in PU often make it so it's left behind in favor of more viable options, like Poliwrath or Floatzel. Floatzel is at a superior speed tier and has slightly better bulk, while Poliwrath is much more splashable and provides teams with a multitude of resistances and an immunity to Water type attacks.

However, with the addition of Vacuum Wave, Frogadier would need less support and could fit in on most offensive teams (especially on teams where a cleaner is needed, like on Spike Stack). Frogadier could also see some use over Poliwrath, as it receives STAB from every move it gets, it hits harder, and is much faster (save for Poliwrath's offensive RD sets).

Vacuum Wave Frogadier would still be a step shy from being overpowered because fast Psychic types who resist Vacuum Wave still exist, like Scarf Mr. Mime and Kadabra; they would be able to take a hit and KO back with STAB. Similarly, Special Walls like Regice and Lickilicky would still be able to sponge a hit from Frogadier, even with this new super effective coverage. Vacuum Wave would simply make Frogadier better in terms of its cleaning ability, and against Pokemon with priorty, like Mightyena and Pawniard especially.

Here's what a possible set would look like:

Frogadier @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Vacuum Wave
- Grass Knot
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam

week five: Tentacool- Al'Akir

Tentacool @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 232 HP / 252 Def / 24 SpD
Bold Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Knock Off/Ice Beam/Sludge Wave

One of the main things stopping Tentacool from being useful is the lack of any kind of recovery. Since spinners come in on hazards as a part of their job, Tentacool finds it difficult to perform its own job well due to the stacking damage of coming on hazards again and again. Regenerator fixes this problem and adds an interesting new and useful spinner to PU.

In practice, Tentacool usually comes in and is able to do 1 action before being forced out by the massive amounts of switch-ins Tentacool has (Poliwrath, Gogoat, Torterra, Piloswine, Pelipper...the list goes on). With this in mind, Regenerator is extremely beneficial to Tentacool since the jellyfish is going to be constantly switching anyway and doesn't have to waste the 1 turn manually healing. Regenerator also heals 33%, which is a little short of the 37.5% that full hazards cause, meaning that Tentacool heals most of the hazard damage off. Anything less than full hazards and Tentacool will spin freely and heal some for the trouble. If only Toxic Spikes are out, then Tentacool can switch in to absorb the hazard without having to spin, do the one action, and then heal for the full 1/3.

As for flavor, some parts of the intricate lifespan of the jellyfish reproduce via budding and fission. Since this is Pokemon, it isn't a large stretch of the imagination to say that Tentacool can use this for healing...or just make a new Tentacool on every switch. No one will notice the difference, I promise.

Having a reliable spinner that isn't weak to rocks and can't be poisoned is something that PU lacks and wants dearly, and Regenerator Tentacool can be just that.

week six: Clefairy- Robert Alfons

Clefairy @ Eviolite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Softboiled
- Baton Pass
Seeing how Clefairy already has a great typing, fantastic ability, and a super wide movepool, it's hard to really think of anything it could get to improve, but here's an attempt to give it something new that has some use. BP allows it to pass CM boosts to teammates, which is really cool, and it doesn't pass up on anything huge by having BP in the 4th moveslot. It can still be used like you usually would use CM Clefairy (a bulky setup sweeper with immunity to passive damage, AKA the bane of stall), but in case your opponent rocks something that can beat Clefairy 1-v-1 quite easily, you can use BP to pass the boosts you accumulated to something that takes care of it. It doesn't make Clefairy a dedicated boost passer per se (otherwise NP Togetic would probably outclas it to a degree), but it does allow it to circumvent its counters, provided that you bring stuff on your team that appreciates the CM boost and can kill stuff that gets in Clefairy's way. It's part sweeper, part boost passer. Pretty cool stuff imo.

Justification isn't really needed tbh, Baton Pass is widespread, especially among cutemons, so I don't even know why it doesn't have this move already lol.

week seven: Noctowl- Unfixable

Normal / Dark
Noctowl @ Life Orb
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse
- Hyper Voice
- Heat Wave

I didn't change the Normal-typing because I'm pretty sure we're not allowed to, unless I misunderstood the rules. Anyways, I know there are three buffs on here, but hear me out. A ton of Noctowl's Pokedex descriptions include mentions of darkness. For example, "It unfailingly catches prey in darkness. Noctowl owe their success to superior vision that allows them to see in minimal light, and to their supple and silent wings." or "Its eyes are specially developed to enable it to see clearly even in murky darkness and minimal light." So it does make sense that it is a Dark-type, which goes hand in hand with Tinted Lens. This leads me to believe Noctowl can learn Nasty Plot. Specifically mentioning things like "murky darkness" and "catching prey" lead me to this. Similarly, Mandibuzz learns it because it feeds on prey, a Nasty Plot! Dark Pulse is added because Noctowl does not have any other Dark-type STAB besides Hidden Power (or Thief / Faint Attack, but that's not a very solid option). Hyper Voice and Heat Wave are just general coverage. I think this is an interesting buff to Noctowl that lets it put in serious work.

week eight: Electrode- Dundies

Electrode @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Aura Sphere
- Hidden Power [Ice]

At first look at Electrode, you can tell it has no trouble levitating above the ground, as it usually is. Therefore, the ability Levitate made sense. Aura Sphere also made since because, well, it's a sphere.

Competitively, this would give Electrode no weaknesses, allowing it to take on Pokemon like Probopass with ease. Aura Sphere gives Electrode a much better option for hitting Probopass, Piloswine, Golem, etc.

Zebstrika is only Electric type. :[

 

[MZ]

Zebstrika is only Electric type. :[

Yes, and in his theorymon he made it normal too. Please read the OP, type changes are allowed

 

[Twix]

(+ Fairy Type)
Illumise (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Dazzling Gleam
- Quiver Dance
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

Ah Illumise, the cute, but somehow pesky little firefly which is always in the shadow of its brethren Volbeat. BUT NO MORE! The era of Illumise is now, the time for conquering has come among us. This creature will get even more cute with the Fairy-typing, and will be incredibly deadly. Also, instead of doing its common diggery-do, Illumise learned a new dance, the dance of Quivering, to guide it on its way to best Volbeat. When People think of Illumise they think of disgusting Prankster shenanigans. With this astronomical concoction of mine, Volbeat will be a deadly sweeper unlike the tier has ever seen. This Volbeat has two items, a Life Orb, and Shades. Volbeat just got VolBEAT.

Actual explanation:
Illumise is constantly dancing, jumping from side to side with a smile running down its adorable face. It made perfect sense to add Quiver Dance to its set. As for the Fairy-type, Illumise already had some eclectic Fairy moves such as Dazzling Gleam, Charm, and Moonlight, so it seemed very fitting for it.

 

[MZ]

GO VOTE FOR ME BUT YEAH THIS IS LAST SUBMISSION

Just add water

Illumise (F) @ Leftovers
Typing: Bug / Water
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Moonlight
- Seismic Toss / Scald
- Thunder Wave / Tailwind / Encore
- U-turn

Water typing actually gives this a defensive niche over volbeat. You become Electric weak and lose dat grass resist but now you resist water and ice, which is legit useful for a bulky set to fuck things up with Prankster. Shit like Simipour and Floatzel are now stopped and you have Prankster Twave and a slow pivot move to fuck up potential switchins. I also put Scald on, not the most important part but it would obviously make it way better because lol@burns. Seismic Toss is a fine move if you don't want to consider Scald. It also makes it usable as a rain setter because rain teams need a water resist badly, and now you aren't 100% forced into roselia or something. As for defending the change, it gets rain dance and water pulse and it's blue so yeah.

On a side note, some of these submissions are @_@. We don't have to take stuff and be like LOL QUIVER DANCE TAIL GLOW GG IM A GOOD BUFFER
maybe illumise is hard but creativity/10 zzzz

 

[Magnemite]

megazard z

 

[Twix]

Dundies

 

[Nayr1230]

Ben

 

[Grim]

fren ben

 

[Raiza]

benohver

 

[Mistress Remilia]

megazard z

 

[jay]

ben ohver

 

[ManOfMany]

Megazard Z

Hard decision.

 

[Melons-N-Soda]

BenOhver

 

[letterman4]

DUNDIES!!!
Tail Glow is my favourite move of all of Pokemon. :)

 

[RawMelon]

zard

It's simple but helps enough to make it viable

 

[MaroGod]

Ben Ohver

 

[T.I.A.]

Ben 10

 

[TerrickTerran]

Twix or Ben or whatever.

 

[MZ]

The winner is Twix (Ben Ohver)!

Our next subject is Luxray! You have 5 days to post (if I start doing this on time, it's hard to tell days of the week in the summer)

 

[MegaGallade]

week nine: Luxray- Twix

(+ Fairy Type)
Illumise (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Dazzling Gleam
- Quiver Dance
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

Ah Illumise, the cute, but somehow pesky little firefly which is always in the shadow of its brethren Volbeat. BUT NO MORE! The era of Illumise is now, the time for conquering has come among us. This creature will get even more cute with the Fairy-typing, and will be incredibly deadly. Also, instead of doing its common diggery-do, Illumise learned a new dance, the dance of Quivering, to guide it on its way to best Volbeat. When People think of Illumise they think of disgusting Prankster shenanigans. With this astronomical concoction of mine, Volbeat will be a deadly sweeper unlike the tier has ever seen. This Volbeat has two items, a Life Orb, and Shades. Volbeat just got VolBEAT.
Actual explanation:
Illumise is constantly dancing, jumping from side to side with a smile running down its adorable face. It made perfect sense to add Quiver Dance to its set. As for the Fairy-type, Illumise already had some eclectic Fairy moves such as Dazzling Gleam, Charm, and Moonlight, so it seemed very fitting for it.

The post says 'Luxray' :I

Love the changes so far, I'm hoping to see the project grow. :] If I was better at PU I'd post a Luxray change :P

 

[T.I.A.]

Luxray @ Choice Band
Type: Electric / Fighting
Ability: Frisk (-Rivalry)
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Volt Switch
- Wild Charge
- Close Combat
- Crunch / Ice Fang

I may not play PU that much, but I'm desperate that this would make it at least more useable. The new Fighting type was added because male lions protect the cubs with close up action (or the other way around) and also gives it resistences to common types like Rock and thanks to the Electric typing, a neutrality to Flying. The new typing gives it new STAB to Close Combat. It's was given to it for a Superpower minus the Attack drop with the cost of lowering both defenses. Frisk is added in place of Rivalry because it's Pokedex entries say that it's eyes can go through objects.

 

[MZ]

Luxray @ Flame Orb
Type: Electric / Fighting
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance / Protect
- Wild Charge
- Close Combat
- Facade / Crunch

I may not play PU that much, but I'm desperate that this would make it a whole lot better.

Let's try to justify these at least a little bit, I don't see why it would get sd. Also making them broken isn't the point

edit Ticktock below
yeah but how would it ever learn swords dance? It doesnt make sense? If you cant provide some good reasoning I'm gonna have to ask you to remove that part

 

[T.I.A.]

Let's try to justify these at least a little bit, I don't see why it would get sd. Also making them broken isn't the point

I did, I just accidentally posted it before I could finish it up.