Project NU Matchmaking Reinvigorated (Again) [Week 11 - Swords Dance Shiftry] VOTING

[Louna]

Sawk @ Choice Band
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Zen Headbutt
- Stone Edge

Due to his ability, his amazing attack, and the Choice Band, Sawk paired with Specs Swellow is just amazing. In addition, Sawk is cute. Sawk help Swellow to deal with steel-type and rock-type, while Swellow can hit hard the Psychic-type, the Ghost-Type and the Poison-type for Sawk. Due to his amazing speed, Swellow can hit a lot of things who can just destroy Sawk due to his own lack of speed. These two mons can enter pretty easily in a lot of offensive teams.

 

[kay]

Garbodor @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Spikes
- Toxic Spikes
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch

So one of the main things Swellow suffers from is its vulnerability to getting revenge killed by priority, which is where Garbodor comes in. Garbodor aims to sponge the Fake Uuts/ Mach Punches aimed at Swellow and give chip damage back with Rocky Helmet + Aftermath. It also supports the way Swellow wants to play as a late game cleaner, getting spikes on the field allows Swellow to have an easier time cleaning up games with its amazing speed and hard hitting STAB. Swellow also makes your opponent hesitate on clicking ground moves versus Garbodor as that can lead to Swellow getting a free switch in. Over all this is a core I really like and highly recommend trying.

 

[shiloh]

Vivillon @ Focus Sash
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Hurricane
- Energy Ball

Vivi + Swellow forms a pretty neat special attacking core that works to wear down each other checks / counters. In particular, Vivi is able to use Energy Ball to heavily damage Rhydon / Lanturn in order for Swellow to freely spam Boomburst, while both can use their STAB options in Hurricane / Boomburst in order to wear down special walls like AV Magmortar and AV Hariyama. This core definitely needs a way to remove hazards, but either than that its a pretty solid core.

 

[etern]

Piloswine @ Eviolite
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Crash
- Stealth Rock

Specs Swellow is REALLY good right now, and I believe Piloswine is still one of its best partners. The main Pokemon that give Swellow trouble are Aurorus, Regirock, and other rock, ice and steel types. Piloswine helps swellow take these threats down with its impressive eviolite boosted bulk, and supereffective moves boosted by an adamant 100 attack. Piloswine also helps Swellow net some OHKO's it would have otherwise not recieved without stealth rock support.

For example:
252 SpA Choice Specs Swellow Boomburst vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Scyther: 153-181 (44.6 - 52.7%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Choice Specs Swellow Boomburst vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Samurott: 255-301 (77 - 90.9%) -- 25% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
(There are many more OHKO's similar to this, but these are the 2 that sprung to mind first)

Furthermore, Piloswines ability to shield Swellow from electric type attacks further helps the longevity of this partnership. And finally, the icing on the cake of this core is that Piloswine can easily pick off foes Swellow has weakened with stab priority in Ice shard.​

 

[Shadestep]

+

Lapras @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam / Signal Beam
- Freeze-Dry
- Frost Breath

Swellow @ Choice Specs
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Boomburst
- Heat Wave
- U-turn
- Sleep Talk / Tailwind / Filler

this is a pretty cool offensive core that takes care of things that can repeatedly come in on Swellow.
I am like the biggest fan ever of specs Lapras, as it just puts so much pressure and basically just kills shit.
things like Klinklang, Rhydon and Regirock that can easily switch in on any Swellow set, just get merked by a specs Hydro Pump. the synergy is nice because checks to Lapras include Hariyama, AV Magmortar (only if you are locked into an Ice Move, ofcourse) etc. also get shat on by Swellow.

Lapras is also way bulkier than you think and it can take hits from Regirock or Klinklang when it really needs to, although you really shouldnt consider it a check to Klinklang tho.

i dont rly think calcs are needed cuz Lapras is a fucking monster and every mon you can think of (yes even M-Audino has a chance to get 2HKO'd) just dies.

 

[lolbro]

finally, a mon a can fully get behind, reserving hariyama, should be up this weekend, I have shit to write for smogon and school ;-;

 

[XenoTech N]

You guys can use Zangoose now I have other stuff going on.

 

[nv]

Ok so this week's contestants are ready to be matched! We got the beautiful Holiano and their powerful Sawk, the wise Sir Kay and his disgusting bag of trash Garbodor, the out of this world metaphysical and their colorful Vivillon, the king ♕Eternally♕ and their lemon Pledge Piloswine, and lastly the silent but deadly shadestep and their beautiful form of transportation Lapras.

Withholding my vote in case of a tie, otherwise have fun! :)

 

[lolbro]

ok rip in so many pepperonis, uhhh, piloswine nabs my vote!

 

[XenoTech N]

Imma say dat Piloswine.

 

[kay]

Piloswine

 

[Louna]

Lapras

 

[Shadestep]

Garbodor

 

[Alice Kazumi]

Sawk

 

[nv]

I know we are in the midst of voting, but the banner got an update from Cretacerus himself so go check it out! :)

 

[Absollite]

Piloswine

 

[nv]

And with that, ♕Eternally♕ is the winner this week! This week's mon I am going to go with something I am having fun with. This mon is...

Hitmonchan @ Life Orb
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Ice Punch
- Rapid Spin

I honestly love Hitmonchan as it has such great power with the added utility of being able to spin away hazards unlike prominent Fighting-types such as Sawk and Hariyama. ANyways, have fun picking partners and see you guys Friday! :)

 

[Louna]

Articuno @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Ice beam
- Freeze-Dry
- Hurricane

Articuno like a lot the way to Rapid Spin with Hitmonchan, and removing steel-type while Hitmonchan like how Cuno can defeat the bulky water and pressure cm psychic (fuck mush, this thing isn't a pokemon :c). The two mons are also bulky, and it's cool.

 

[Machineae]

So whenever I use Scyther I always somehow find chan on my team too. The partnership is really simple. Chan smacks rocks, steels and spins away rocks. It's also rather specially bulky without investment so that's nice. Scyther is a god rn and can handle everything from there. I like bulky SD personally but CB works just fine if not better. With Chan hitting rocks you're also less likely to have to uturn after a boost!

Scyther @ Eviolite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Roost
- U-turn / Bug Bite
- Wing Attack

 

[Evan.]

Swellow @ Choice Specs
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Boomburst
- Heat Wave
- U-turn
- Sleep Talk

hitmonchan and swellow are good partners cause hitmonchan can spin and break down rocks and steels for swellow, meanwhile swellow can hit all those pesky ghost types that spinblock on chan. pair these 2 with something that beats bulky boosters since these 2 can't beat stuff like mush or megadino, which both set up on them fairly easily.

 

[nv]

Well with only three submissions this week, time to add a bit of flair to each submission.

We got the most competitive poster in all my threads, Holiano, and the bird that can freeze all the Pokemon even the Water-types, Articuno. Next up, we have the deus ex-Machineae with their unexpected power caused an event saving a seemingly hopeless situation with their lil' bugger Scyther. Lastly, we have the fake American Can-Eh-Dian and his Swellow with their fancy spectacles.

I will withhold my vote in case of a tie, otherwise good luck and voting will end ~Sunday / Monday.

 

[Louna]

Can-Eh-Dian's Swellow

 

[erisia]

Can-Eh-Dian's Swellow

 

[Shadestep]

Holiano's Articuno

 

[Holiday]

Swellow