Leafeon
This and Tangela are the best ones imo
This and Tangela are the best ones imo
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Project Counter That Threat! Mk II
- Thread starter xzern
- Start date
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Leafeon is kewl
Frillish is cool.
Leafeon
goin with Tangela
I like the Tangela.
tangela
Musharna as a Counter
Musharna @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpD
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonlight
- Psyshock
- Heal Bell / Signal Beam / Whatever
(This may or may not be kissing up for iTeddeh's vote, but whatever)
Musharna can switch in on any of Xatu's attacks, or if it goes for Calm Mind it can just boost alongside it. Due to the fact that Mushrana has significantly higher HP and Defense than Xatu, it will always with a Calm Mind war between the two.
Here are some calcs (after both have boosted all the way):
+6 0 SpA Xatu Psyshock vs. 240 HP / 252+ Def Musharna: 131-155 (30.2 - 35.7%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
+6 0 SpA Musharna Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 164-193 (49.1 - 57.7%) -- 59% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
Musharna @ Leftovers
Ability: Synchronize
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpD
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonlight
- Psyshock
- Heal Bell / Signal Beam / Whatever
(This may or may not be kissing up for iTeddeh's vote, but whatever)
Musharna can switch in on any of Xatu's attacks, or if it goes for Calm Mind it can just boost alongside it. Due to the fact that Mushrana has significantly higher HP and Defense than Xatu, it will always with a Calm Mind war between the two.
Here are some calcs (after both have boosted all the way):
+6 0 SpA Xatu Psyshock vs. 240 HP / 252+ Def Musharna: 131-155 (30.2 - 35.7%) -- guaranteed 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
+6 0 SpA Musharna Psyshock vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 164-193 (49.1 - 57.7%) -- 59% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
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So apparently this thread has become "Vote for the NFE!".
......Why stop now?
Rhydon @ Eviolite
Ability: whatever
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Atk / 240 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Dragon Tail / Megahorn
Plenty of experience with Pokemon that rely on Psychic + Fire coverage has made it clear that variants of those Pokemon using Psyshock as their STAB makes bulky Rock-types very troublesome foes for them to face. If this were a Xatu using Psychic I would reconsider, but any Rhydon comfortably takes on Psyshock Xatu (unboosted Psyshock does a piss poor 11-13%, whereas boosted Psyshock does only 17-20%), provided Giga Drain isn't used; I went with standard tank Rhydon to simplify things. Rock Blast does not make contact and does at least 60% in 3 hits, putting Xatu at risk at any moment it does not go for Roost against Rhydon.
The last move is for insurance against low Rock Blast rolls, in case Xatu decides to take advantage of them with extra Calm Minds, but usually it isn't necessary since 4 hits can do upwards of 80% to Xatu while 5 hits kills it dead, so at no point would Xatu feel absolutely safe boosting against Rhydon.
You can always go SubSD Rhydon and outright render that Xatu a liability (at the cost of longevity), up to you rly
......Why stop now?
Rhydon @ Eviolite
Ability: whatever
EVs: 252 HP / 16 Atk / 240 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Dragon Tail / Megahorn
Plenty of experience with Pokemon that rely on Psychic + Fire coverage has made it clear that variants of those Pokemon using Psyshock as their STAB makes bulky Rock-types very troublesome foes for them to face. If this were a Xatu using Psychic I would reconsider, but any Rhydon comfortably takes on Psyshock Xatu (unboosted Psyshock does a piss poor 11-13%, whereas boosted Psyshock does only 17-20%), provided Giga Drain isn't used; I went with standard tank Rhydon to simplify things. Rock Blast does not make contact and does at least 60% in 3 hits, putting Xatu at risk at any moment it does not go for Roost against Rhydon.
The last move is for insurance against low Rock Blast rolls, in case Xatu decides to take advantage of them with extra Calm Minds, but usually it isn't necessary since 4 hits can do upwards of 80% to Xatu while 5 hits kills it dead, so at no point would Xatu feel absolutely safe boosting against Rhydon.
You can always go SubSD Rhydon and outright render that Xatu a liability (at the cost of longevity), up to you rly
Cryogonal @ Safety Goggles / NeverMeltIce
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Frost Breath
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Hidden Power [Ground] / Freeze Dry / Whatever
Xatu can't OHKO with Psyshock, Frost Breath is a 75% chance to OHKO. Are you feeling lucky? (if not then use NeverMeltIce/Modest for 100% chance)
RIP Hondour
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I was told this thread doesn't accept just about anything anymore, so here's something else.
Aurorus @ Choice Specs
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Nature Power
- Filler (Freeze Dry)
- Filler (Ancientpower)
- Filler (Earth Power, they don't really matter)
Absolute worst case Xatu runs Giga Drain (for whatever reason (I know it's not a slash)) and Aurorus switch in on rocks as Xatu boost to +1. Xatu cm again on the tri attack, hits the 43% chance to avoid an ohko then giga drain at +2. Aurorus still wins unless crit.
252+ SpA Choice Specs Refrigerate Aurorus Nature Power vs. +2 252 HP / 0 SpD Xatu: 312-368 (93.4 - 110.1%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
+2 0 SpA Xatu Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Aurorus: 222-262 (57.3 - 67.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Psyshock does a few % less than giga, so still need crit.
+2 0 SpA Xatu Psyshock vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Aurorus: 214-253 (55.2 - 65.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Mont Edit: see you can find decent non LC mons that aren't complete ass outside of countering the threat of the week.
edit: changed tbolt for ancientpower because tcw complained
Aurorus @ Choice Specs
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Nature Power
- Filler (Freeze Dry)
- Filler (Ancientpower)
- Filler (Earth Power, they don't really matter)
Absolute worst case Xatu runs Giga Drain (for whatever reason (I know it's not a slash)) and Aurorus switch in on rocks as Xatu boost to +1. Xatu cm again on the tri attack, hits the 43% chance to avoid an ohko then giga drain at +2. Aurorus still wins unless crit.
252+ SpA Choice Specs Refrigerate Aurorus Nature Power vs. +2 252 HP / 0 SpD Xatu: 312-368 (93.4 - 110.1%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
+2 0 SpA Xatu Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Aurorus: 222-262 (57.3 - 67.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Psyshock does a few % less than giga, so still need crit.
+2 0 SpA Xatu Psyshock vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Aurorus: 214-253 (55.2 - 65.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Mont Edit: see you can find decent non LC mons that aren't complete ass outside of countering the threat of the week.
edit: changed tbolt for ancientpower because tcw complained
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CanadianWifier
Run Away With Me
Catgroove (Liepard) @ Black Glasses
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Encore
- Thunder Wave
- U-turn
252 Atk Black Glasses Liepard Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 266-314 (79.6 - 94%)
rip xatu
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Encore
- Thunder Wave
- U-turn
252 Atk Black Glasses Liepard Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Xatu: 266-314 (79.6 - 94%)
rip xatu
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Murkrow @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 128 Def / 132 SpD
Bold Nature
- Roost
- Dark Pulse
- Calm Mind
- Substitute
The EVs are designed such that Heat Wave has basically no chance to break the Substitute if we have the same number of Calm Mind boosts.
0 SpA Xatu Heat Wave vs. 248 HP / 132 SpD Eviolite Murkrow: 68-80 (21 - 24.7%) -- guaranteed 5HKO
On the other hand,
0 SpA Murkrow Dark Pulse vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Xatu: 204-240 (61 - 71.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
It cannot even hope to crit its way past Murkrow because Substitute.
Burd vs Burd, Burd wins.
Also, Murkrow has the bonus of not being mauled by Grass-type coverage like Rhydon and those other peasants.
184 HP / 48 Def / 100 SpA / 176 Spe | Timid
Psyshock / Substitute / Thunderbolt / Calm Mind
This is my Xatu answer on my stall team, which otherwise gets absolutely fucking crushed by it. There's not too much to say about it. If you're lucky, the opponent will assume you're running Giga Drain and set up alongside you. Otherwise, you can set up on it for free until the opponent switches out.
This is also a really weird Pokemon for Counter That Threat. It's not a big issue for offensive teams, where there are tons of answers to it, and hyper/bulky offense is the most common playstyle in NU. It's generally only a problem for stall and balanced. This makes some of the checks and counters in here super misleading because while Pivot Liepard and CB Zweilous do shit all over Xatu, you generally wouldn't use them on teams that struggle with this set.
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