Aurumoth
QC: 3/3 (Animus Majulous, HeaLnDeaL, QueenOfLuvdiscs)
GP: 2/2 (P Squared + frenzyplant, Winry.)
Overview
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Aurumoth is one of the best offensive Pokemon in the CAP metagame. It can utilize both its base 120 Attack and base 117 Special Attack to hit foes hard. With three powerful boosting moves in Quiver Dance, Tail Glow, and Dragon Dance, it can choose whichever one works best for it to help sweep your opponent's team. That, in combination with its vast array of coverage moves, means it is a fearsome sweeper that should not be taken lightly. Aurumoth also possesses two potentially game-breaking abilities in Illusion and No Guard. It enjoys the ability to gain a free boost by tricking an opponent with Illusion, or the luxury of using low accuracy moves such as Focus Blast without the possibility of missing. As if that wasn't enough, Aurumoth's solid 110 / 99 / 60 bulk, as well as Quiver Dance boosting its low Special Defense, mean that it can be difficult to take down once it begins its rampage.
Despite the raw offensive power that Aurumoth possesses, it is not lacking in flaws. It is vulnerable to all types of entry hazards, which can ruin its Illusion if your opponent sees your Colossoil losing 25% of its health upon switching into Stealth Rock. Fast special attackers also give it a difficult time setting up, as its Speed and Special Defense are lackluster before a boost. Aurumoth also suffers from four-moveslot syndrome, particularly on its special attacking sets, as it greatly wishes it could use all its coverage to defeat its potential checks and counters. Finally, it is susceptible to revenge killing, particularly from strong priority users that carry STAB moves it is weak to, such as Colossoil and Talonflame. Overall, though Aurumoth needs a lot of support to set up, it can sweep entire teams once it nets its first boost.
Quiver Dance + Illusion
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name: Quiver Dance + Illusion
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Psyshock / Psychic
move 3: Bug Buzz
move 4: Surf / Ice Beam / Substitute
ability: Illusion
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
evs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
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Quiver Dance is the boosting move of this set, raising Aurumoth's Special Attack to a whopping 500 in addition to patching up its otherwise mediocre Speed and Special Defense. It has two options for a Psychic-type STAB move in Psyshock and Psychic, though Psyshock is preferred in order to get past dedicated special walls. Bug Buzz is Aurumoth's Bug-type STAB move, which comes with the nifty ability to hit foes behind Substitutes. Ice Beam and Surf are its two best coverage options, and you can choose either one depending on what type of coverage your team needs more. Surf hits Heatran, Mamoswine, and Victini for super effective damage, while Ice Beam is the better option against both formes of Landorus and Thundurus. Hydro Pump is an option for Water-type coverage in order to OHKO Cawmodore after it uses Belly Drum, but its imperfect accuracy makes Surf the more reliable choice. Substitute is also an option to protect Aurumoth from a potential KO from Talonflame or a user of Sucker Punch, and it allows you to keep Illusion up for a little longer.
Set Details
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This set combines Aurumoth's offensive power with the surprise factor of Illusion to sweep unsuspecting opponents. Illusion allows you to play mind games with your opponent, tricking them into switching and letting you grab a free Quiver Dance. As there are no other OU-viable Pokemon with a Speed stat between 92 and 94, Aurumoth does not need to invest 252 EVs into Speed. All it needs is a Timid Nature and 232 Speed EVs to get the jump on a Choice Scarfed Landorus-T after a boost. Its Special Attack is then maxed out, and the remaining EVs are dumped into HP to maximize its bulk. Leftovers is the best item for this set, as it promotes longevity and takes advantage of Aurumoth's natural bulk. However, a Life Orb is an option to turn some 2HKOs into OHKOs, and works well when Aurumoth is being used as a late-game cleaner instead of a mid-game sweeper. You can also run a bulky set with a Modest nature and 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD, or a Modest or Timid nature with 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe.
Usage Tips
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Trickery is the main attraction of this set. Once Aurumoth grabs a boost, it is in the clear to begin its sweep. However, you must support it to set up its sweep. It must stay away from Talonflame and Colossoil, as they both pack priority moves that Aurumoth is weak to. You also must keep entry hazards off the field at all times. Not only is Aurumoth weak to Stealth Rock, but taking an incorrect amount of entry hazard damage instantly gives away Illusion. Finally, you must choose the Pokemon you disguise Aurumoth as carefully. Use Team Preview to determine what Pokemon on your side is most likely to force the foe out with its presence, and disguise Aurumoth accordingly.
Team Options
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An entry hazard remover is a mandatory partner for Aurumoth, as is a physical attacker should you forego Psyshock. Colossoil fits both of the above criteria, and it is a great Pokemon to disguise Aurumoth as, because several Pokemon that beat Aurumoth fear Colossoil, such as Stratagem or users of Will-O-Wisp. Aurumoth also lures in special attackers due to its low Special Defense, so a special tank like Volkraken or Sylveon can take on most things that would otherwise defeat it. Sylveon doubles as a cleric, ridding Aurumoth of status problems that cripple its ability to stay in and sweep. Stratagem and Cyclohm also make for good partners, as they check Flying-type attackers and can force out Kitsunoh with the threat of Fire Blast.
Quiver Dance + No Guard
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name: Quiver Dance + No Guard
move 1: Quiver Dance
move 2: Psyshock / Psychic
move 3: Focus Blast / Bug Buzz
move 4: Hydro Pump / Blizzard
ability: No Guard
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
evs: 24 HP / 252 SpA / 232 Spe
nature: Timid
Moves
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Quiver Dance is Aurumoth's boosting move of choice, and Aurumoth's coverage options are more powerful and reliable because of No Guard. Its Psychic-type STAB attack options remain unchanged, with Psyshock remaining the better option. However, Aurumoth can reliably switch Bug Buzz with a fully accurate Focus Blast in order to break down Dark-types, in addition to hitting Pokemon such as Ferrothorn a bit harder. Focus Blast also prevents Chansey from hard walling Aurumoth should you run Psychic. Hydro Pump and Blizzard are both low accuracy moves that No Guard makes more useful. Hydro Pump has the benefit of hitting Kitsunoh neutrally, thus preventing it from hard walling Aurumoth.
Set Details
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No Guard is Aurumoth's ability on this set, making its inaccurate coverage moves far more reliable. A Life Orb can be used to maximize Aurumoth's offensive power, but the recoil will wear it down quickly, making Leftovers the better choice. Aurumoth does not need to maximize its Speed due to the lack of OU-viable Pokemon with a Speed stat between 92 and 94. The given EVs allow it to outrun Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Though it may be tempting to run low accuracy moves in all three of Aurumoth's free moveslots, you should always pack at least one STAB move for the damage bonus, preferably a Psychic-type one.
Usage Tips
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Instead of trickery, this No Guard set is more offensively minded. As this set has no Illusion, the surprise factor of boosting with Aurumoth is rendered moot. On the plus side, this makes entry hazards less of a problem, as you need not worry about Aurumoth taking an incorrect amount of entry hazard damage. However, this does not change the fact that it is still weak to Stealth Rock. You also need to keep Aurumoth away from strong priority users, as well as Unaware users such as Clefable and Quagsire.
Team Options
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Colossoil is a perfect partner for Aurumoth, acting as a physical attacker and hard counter to Kitsunoh. Stratagem and Cyclohm are your top choices for Flying-type spam checks. Finally, should you run Life Orb, a single instance of Life Orb recoil will give Colossoil the chance to OHKO Aurumoth, so you should pack a reliable check to Colossoil. Tomohawk is an amazing choice in this regard.
Physical Sweeper
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name: Physical Sweeper
move 1: Dragon Dance
move 2: Megahorn / X-Scissor
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Zen Headbutt / Substitute
ability: Illusion / No Guard
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
evs: 24 HP / 252 Atk / 232 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
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This set moves away from Aurumoth's expansive special movepool, instead taking advantage of its slightly higher Attack stat. Dragon Dance boosts its Attack and Speed to high levels. Megahorn is Aurumoth's more powerful Bug-type STAB attack, but X-Scissor is an option if you would rather have a 100% accurate attack. Close Combat is Aurumoth's best bet against physical walls like Skarmory and Chansey. Despite Zen Headbutt's shaky 90% accuracy, it is still a decent Psychic-type STAB attack, and its flinch chance can be nice as well. However, Substitute can replace Zen Headbutt, as it is the least useful of Aurumoth's physical moves. Substitute helps protect Aurumoth from strong priority attacks and maintain its Illusion for as long as you can.
Set Details
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Illusion is the preferred ability on this set for the surprise factor, and as such Leftovers is the superior item choice. Conversely, if you want a perfectly accurate Megahorn and Zen Headbutt, No Guard is a legitimate option in tandem with a Life Orb. Its EVs are mostly standard for a physical sweeper, with 232 Speed EVs to be guaranteed to outspeed Choice Scarf Landorus-T. Megahorn or X-Scissor, Close Combat, and Zen Headbutt together have perfect neutral coverage barring Shedinja, Kitsunoh, and Doublade.
Usage Tips
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This set is very vulnerable to physical walls, particularly Hippowdon and Skarmory, which can simply phaze Aurumoth out. Talonflame, Colossoil, and Kitsunoh are its three biggest threats, especially Talonflame, as it walls Aurumoth that do not run Zen Headbutt. Furthermore, Dragon Dance does not boost Aurumoth's bad Special Defense, so keep it away from strong special attackers such as Volkraken or Stratagem.
Team Options
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A special attacker is required to take care of the aforementioned physical walls. Stratagem and Krilowatt have the coverage for both and can wall Talonflame as well. A special wall like Sylveon is also great to sponge up special attacks that Aurumoth cannot take. Tomohawk makes for a great Colossoil counter, while Colossoil itself makes for a Kitsunoh counter and will gladly use Rebound or Guts to take advantage of a Toxic or Will-O-Wisp used against Aurumoth. If you do run Colossoil as a teammate, it would be wise to disguise Aurumoth as Colossoil. Pokemon that can deal with this variant of Aurumoth, such as Kitsunoh, are highly weak to Colossoil. Not only that, but they both can learn Megahorn, which can fool an opponent into not seeing through Illusion.
Special Wallbreaker
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name: Special Wallbreaker
move 1: Tail Glow
move 2: Psyshock / Psychic
move 3: Bug Buzz / Focus Blast
move 4: Surf / Ice Beam / Hydro Pump / Blizzard / Overheat
ability: Illusion / No Guard
item: Leftovers / Life Orb
evs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpA
nature: Modest
Moves
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Instead of the Speed-boosting Dragon Dance or Quiver Dance, Aurumoth's boosting move on this set is Tail Glow. Psyshock is for hitting Chansey, while Psychic provides more overall power. Bug Buzz is Aurumoth's best Bug-type STAB option, while Focus Blast is another option to hit Dark-types should you be running No Guard. Ice Beam and Surf are Aurumoth's best coverage moves, with Blizzard and Hydro Pump being the better options if you choose to run No Guard. Finally, Overheat is an option to OHKO Ferrothorn and Mega Scizor.
Set Details
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The surprise factor is one of Aurumoth's greatest strengths, so Illusion with Leftovers is the best option. If running No Guard, Blizzard and Hydro Pump are superior to Ice Beam and Surf, and Focus Blast can reliably hit Dark-types as well, lessening the need for Bug Buzz. You can also run a Life Orb with No Guard for the raw power of a wallbreaker. The given EVs maximize Aurumoth's bulk, as this set is meant to wear down teams slowly rather than blow them up quickly. They also account for Stealth Rock damage, giving Aurumoth an odd HP stat. Additionally, because this set is not meant to be wearing down hyper offense, Substitute is not necessary.
Usage Tips
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Aurumoth's Speed is a major issue here, as it will not be sweeping with a nearly uninvested base 94 Speed. Furthermore, Aurumoth has no way to boost its Special Defense, leaving it very vulnerable to faster special attackers, such as Mega Charizard Y. Tail Glow Aurumoth is not really a sweeper; instead, its main job is to wear down slow, bulky teams.
Team Options
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This set needs a lot of support to function, preferably ways to cut the opposing team's Speed. Sticky Web is a great supporting option, making Necturna a prime teammate. Paralysis support is pretty much mandatory if you want to cripple opposing answers to Aurumoth, so Thundurus and Klefki can fit this role with their Prankster Thunder Waves. Special walls are nice to take care of the special hits Aurumoth will otherwise not survive; Sylveon and Chansey are your best bets.
Choice Scarf + Final Gambit
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name: Choice Scarf + Final Gambit
move 1: Final Gambit
move 2: Megahorn
move 3: Close Combat
move 4: Zen Headbutt / Trick
ability: Illusion
item: Choice Scarf
evs: 252 HP / 24 Atk / 232 Spe
nature: Jolly
Moves
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Final Gambit will OHKO any Pokemon that has less than 424 HP. However, to give Aurumoth other options besides simply clicking Final Gambit, it retains much of its physical set. Megahorn and Close Combat are the two main ways to deal damage, and while Zen Headbutt can be used, is the least useful of Aurumoth's attacks. Thus, it can be replaced with Trick if you want to try and force Aurumoth's Choice Scarf on a foe.
Set Details
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This set is the ultimate in surprise. Not only will Illusion fool the opponent initially, but most battlers will expect a boosting version of Aurumoth, only to get smacked with a very fast Final Gambit, dealing 424 damage at full health. As Aurumoth outspeeds the entire unboosted OU metagame with a Choice Scarf, it only needs to worry about getting the jump on Choice Scarf Landorus-T. As such, it only needs 232 Speed EVs and maximum HP investment to make the most of Final Gambit. Dumping the other 24 EVs into Attack will maximize Aurumoth's offensive presence outside of Final Gambit.
Usage Tips
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You should send out Aurumoth as early in the battle as possible, as entry hazards will present a problem as the battle goes on, wearing down its HP and limiting the power of Final Gambit. You only get one chance to use Final Gambit, so use it wisely to make sure you don't waste Aurumoth.
Team Options
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You need a Pokemon that can threaten opposing Choice Scarf and priority users, as they will bring down Aurumoth's HP before it even gets a chance to use Final Gambit. Talonflame and Cyclohm, respectively, fit those roles. As Kitsunoh walls this set, having Colossoil on the team can help you get rid of it. Colossoil also works as an entry hazard remover, ensuring that Aurumoth has much health as possible to use Final Gambit. Should you choose to use physical attacks instead of Final Gambit, pack a special attacker such as Stratagem to take care of physical walls.
Other Options
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A Focus Sash is an option, allowing Aurumoth to survive a hit from Talonflame, Mega Charizard X, Mega Pinsir, Colossoil, and Terrakion. A Colbur Berry works if you want to soften Colossoil's Dark-type attacks. Aurumoth also has a vast support movepool, including Healing Wish, Wish, Will-O-Wisp, Trick, and dual screens. Its bulk is strong enough that it can effectively utilize a dual screens set as well. Shadow Ball OHKOes Kitsunoh, deals serious damage to Mega Gardevoir, and does not drop Aurumoth's Special Attack like Overheat does. A special variant of the Choice Scarf + Final Gambit set is also usable, with an EV spread of 252 HP / 24 SpA / 232 Spe, a Timid nature, and a moveset consisting of Final Gambit / Trick / Overheat / Psychic or Psyshock.
Checks & Counters
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**Talonflame**: Talonflame bypasses all of Aurumoth's Speed boosts thanks to Gale Wings giving priority to Brave Bird, OHKOing it in the process.
**Unaware**: Unaware renders Aurumoth's offensive boosts useless. In particular, Clefable can continually use Calm Mind until Aurumoth is switched out.
**Colossoil**: Most Colossoil sets will OHKO Aurumoth with Sucker Punch, and those that can't will usually KO after Life Orb recoil.
**Faster Pokemon**: Sweepers such as Mega Charizard X can outspeed and OHKO Aurumoth before it can boost, ending its sweep before it begins.
**Kitsunoh**: Kitsunoh resists both of Aurumoth's STAB moves, and it threatens back with its own STAB Shadow Strike.
**Status Inflictions**: Status inflictions put an immediate stop to Aurumoth's rampage. Burn and poison will cut into the length of its sweep, while paralysis negates any boosts to its Speed.
**Heatran**: Specially defensive variants of Heatran can survive even super effective hits, and Heatran will hit back with a Fire-type attack.
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