QC Checks: Coconut/AD Thunderboy/Tahu
GP Checks: P Squared/Fireflame479
[OVERVIEW]
Cubchoo's ability Slush Rush along with its decent offensive stats allows it to be a potent hail sweeper. Cubchoo also has access to Water-type coverage to check Fire-types, which are generally quite threatening to hail teams. However, Cubchoo faces competition from Alolan Sandshrew, which has the same ability along with Rapid Spin and a secondary Steel typing. This leads to Cubchoo being a niche pick for hail teams at best. In addition, its weak STAB attack means it often underperforms despite its high Attack stat. Cubchoo's poor defensive typing and bad defensive stats also leave it weak to many common threats in LC, such as Ponyta and Mienfoo, as well as common priority moves like Timburr's Mach Punch. This bad bulk, coupled with a weakness to Stealth Rock, means it struggles to find opportunities to switch in. Finally, Cubchoo is absolutely useless outside of hail due to its poor Speed stat.
[SET]
name: Hail Sweeper
move 1: Ice Punch
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Play Rough
move 4: Surf
item: Eviolite / Berry Juice
ability: Slush Rush
nature: Naive / Naughty
evs: 76 HP / 196 Atk / 36 SpA / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ice Punch is the only physical STAB Cubchoo has access to, but it still hits relatively hard, dealing super effective damage to common Pokemon like Vullaby and Diglett. Superpower hits incredibly hard and breaks down Rock- and Steel-types that can cause trouble for hail, such as Omanyte and Ferroseed. Play Rough deals with Mienfoo and other Fighting-types that can also be troublesome for hail teams. Surf, while a bit weak compared to the other moves, lets Cubchoo check Fire-type threats such as Torchic and Ponyta, which are all 2HKOed after Stealth Rock damage.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread lets Cubchoo hit as hard as possible while letting it outspeed Choice Scarf Mienfoo under hail. The remaining EVs power up Surf and make Cubchoo a bit bulkier. A Naughty nature leaves it vulnerable to special attacks but lets Cubchoo hit harder with its physical attacks. However, a Naive nature can be used to outspeed Choice Scarf Chinchou and other fast Pokemon under hail. Slush Rush is the ability of choice here, as it doubles Cubchoo's Speed and lets it effectively sweep in hail. Eviolite enables Cubchoo to take a hit despite its mediocre bulk, letting it attack safely; for example, it has a high chance of surviving a STAB Drain Punch from Mienfoo. Berry Juice is another option to keep Cubchoo healthy and usually ensures it cannot be 2HKOed, for example, from Timburr's Mach Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Only send out Cubchoo when hail has been set up, as it's virtually useless otherwise. Since Cubchoo has so few opportunities to switch in, try and sweep late-game when all of its counters are gone or weakened. Cubchoo should use Surf if you think your opponent is going to switch into a Fire-type; this will cripple it, allowing Cubchoo to outspeed it and grab a KO. Cubchoo is still very frail even with Eviolite, so bring it in with a slow U-turn or Volt Switch from Mienfoo or Magnemite to avoid taking prior damage.
Team Options
========
Hail setters are essential for Cubchoo to sweep, so having one on your team is a must. Alolan Vulpix in particular has access to Aurora Veil, which makes Cubchoo harder to KO. Electric-types like Chinchou and Magnemite can take care of bulky Water-types that Cubchoo struggles against and bring it in safely with a slow Volt Switch. Abra, Vullaby, and Snubbull, among other Fighting checks, can get rid of the Fighting-types that threaten Cubchoo. Mienfoo, Timburr, and other wallbreakers weaken physical walls such as Onix and Dwebble, letting Cubchoo deal with them easier. Drilbur receives a special mention, since it can also remove Stealth Rock, which Cubchoo is weak to. Staryu and Vullaby can also remove entry hazards, giving Cubchoo an easier time switching in. Vullaby is also immune to hail damage thanks to Overcoat. Entry hazard support from the likes of Ferroseed helps to break down bulky Pokemon such as Mareanie that Cubchoo struggles against. Finally, Fighting- and Ground-type Pokemon such as Mienfoo and Diglett can provide a secondary check to Rock- and Steel-types. Diglett is notable for being able to trap and remove these threats, but keep in mind that hail will break its Focus Sash.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A special-oriented set with Blizzard is an option, but Cubchoo is lacking in special coverage, and this set is even weaker when the hail is gone. Blizzard can also be used on the main set, replacing Surf; however, this means Cubchoo no longer has any way of dealing with opposing Fire-types. Life Orb can be used to boost Cubchoo's damage output, but the recoil and lack of recovery makes Cubchoo easier to KO outside of hail. Life Orb also makes it even weaker to priority moves, allowing it to be easy prey for revenge killers. Power-Up Punch and Hone Claws provide Cubchoo with a way to boost its Attack stat, making it easier to sweep. However, the former is really weak compared to Superpower, and Cubchoo is usually too frail to set up. Night Slash allows Cubchoo to hit Frillish but offers no utility otherwise. Finally, Cubchoo has some interesting support options such as Yawn and Encore, but it lacks the bulk needed to utilize them effectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physical Walls**: Pokemon that are physically bulky such as Alolan Grimer and Timburr can take pretty much any of Cubchoo's attacks and stall it out.
**Steel-types**: Many Steel-type Pokemon in Little Cup such as Magnemite and Ferroseed are very bulky and can take any of Cubchoo's attacks besides Superpower.
**Hippopotas**: Hippopotas removes hail, potentially stopping Cubchoo's sweep, but it cannot switch into Ice Punch.
**Priority**: Being a mono-Ice-type Pokemon, Cubchoo is weak to common priority moves such as Timburr's Mach Punch and Croagunk's Vacuum Wave.
**Bulky Water-types**: Mareanie and Slowpoke can take just about anything Cubchoo throws at them, while Shellder, Omanyte, and Tirtouga can use it as setup fodder. The latter two should be wary of Superpower, however.
**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock takes away 25% of Cubchoo's health, allowing it to be OHKOed by attacks it would normally survive, such as Mienfoo's Drain Punch.
GP Checks: P Squared/Fireflame479
[OVERVIEW]
Cubchoo's ability Slush Rush along with its decent offensive stats allows it to be a potent hail sweeper. Cubchoo also has access to Water-type coverage to check Fire-types, which are generally quite threatening to hail teams. However, Cubchoo faces competition from Alolan Sandshrew, which has the same ability along with Rapid Spin and a secondary Steel typing. This leads to Cubchoo being a niche pick for hail teams at best. In addition, its weak STAB attack means it often underperforms despite its high Attack stat. Cubchoo's poor defensive typing and bad defensive stats also leave it weak to many common threats in LC, such as Ponyta and Mienfoo, as well as common priority moves like Timburr's Mach Punch. This bad bulk, coupled with a weakness to Stealth Rock, means it struggles to find opportunities to switch in. Finally, Cubchoo is absolutely useless outside of hail due to its poor Speed stat.
[SET]
name: Hail Sweeper
move 1: Ice Punch
move 2: Superpower
move 3: Play Rough
move 4: Surf
item: Eviolite / Berry Juice
ability: Slush Rush
nature: Naive / Naughty
evs: 76 HP / 196 Atk / 36 SpA / 196 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Ice Punch is the only physical STAB Cubchoo has access to, but it still hits relatively hard, dealing super effective damage to common Pokemon like Vullaby and Diglett. Superpower hits incredibly hard and breaks down Rock- and Steel-types that can cause trouble for hail, such as Omanyte and Ferroseed. Play Rough deals with Mienfoo and other Fighting-types that can also be troublesome for hail teams. Surf, while a bit weak compared to the other moves, lets Cubchoo check Fire-type threats such as Torchic and Ponyta, which are all 2HKOed after Stealth Rock damage.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread lets Cubchoo hit as hard as possible while letting it outspeed Choice Scarf Mienfoo under hail. The remaining EVs power up Surf and make Cubchoo a bit bulkier. A Naughty nature leaves it vulnerable to special attacks but lets Cubchoo hit harder with its physical attacks. However, a Naive nature can be used to outspeed Choice Scarf Chinchou and other fast Pokemon under hail. Slush Rush is the ability of choice here, as it doubles Cubchoo's Speed and lets it effectively sweep in hail. Eviolite enables Cubchoo to take a hit despite its mediocre bulk, letting it attack safely; for example, it has a high chance of surviving a STAB Drain Punch from Mienfoo. Berry Juice is another option to keep Cubchoo healthy and usually ensures it cannot be 2HKOed, for example, from Timburr's Mach Punch.
Usage Tips
========
Only send out Cubchoo when hail has been set up, as it's virtually useless otherwise. Since Cubchoo has so few opportunities to switch in, try and sweep late-game when all of its counters are gone or weakened. Cubchoo should use Surf if you think your opponent is going to switch into a Fire-type; this will cripple it, allowing Cubchoo to outspeed it and grab a KO. Cubchoo is still very frail even with Eviolite, so bring it in with a slow U-turn or Volt Switch from Mienfoo or Magnemite to avoid taking prior damage.
Team Options
========
Hail setters are essential for Cubchoo to sweep, so having one on your team is a must. Alolan Vulpix in particular has access to Aurora Veil, which makes Cubchoo harder to KO. Electric-types like Chinchou and Magnemite can take care of bulky Water-types that Cubchoo struggles against and bring it in safely with a slow Volt Switch. Abra, Vullaby, and Snubbull, among other Fighting checks, can get rid of the Fighting-types that threaten Cubchoo. Mienfoo, Timburr, and other wallbreakers weaken physical walls such as Onix and Dwebble, letting Cubchoo deal with them easier. Drilbur receives a special mention, since it can also remove Stealth Rock, which Cubchoo is weak to. Staryu and Vullaby can also remove entry hazards, giving Cubchoo an easier time switching in. Vullaby is also immune to hail damage thanks to Overcoat. Entry hazard support from the likes of Ferroseed helps to break down bulky Pokemon such as Mareanie that Cubchoo struggles against. Finally, Fighting- and Ground-type Pokemon such as Mienfoo and Diglett can provide a secondary check to Rock- and Steel-types. Diglett is notable for being able to trap and remove these threats, but keep in mind that hail will break its Focus Sash.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A special-oriented set with Blizzard is an option, but Cubchoo is lacking in special coverage, and this set is even weaker when the hail is gone. Blizzard can also be used on the main set, replacing Surf; however, this means Cubchoo no longer has any way of dealing with opposing Fire-types. Life Orb can be used to boost Cubchoo's damage output, but the recoil and lack of recovery makes Cubchoo easier to KO outside of hail. Life Orb also makes it even weaker to priority moves, allowing it to be easy prey for revenge killers. Power-Up Punch and Hone Claws provide Cubchoo with a way to boost its Attack stat, making it easier to sweep. However, the former is really weak compared to Superpower, and Cubchoo is usually too frail to set up. Night Slash allows Cubchoo to hit Frillish but offers no utility otherwise. Finally, Cubchoo has some interesting support options such as Yawn and Encore, but it lacks the bulk needed to utilize them effectively.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Physical Walls**: Pokemon that are physically bulky such as Alolan Grimer and Timburr can take pretty much any of Cubchoo's attacks and stall it out.
**Steel-types**: Many Steel-type Pokemon in Little Cup such as Magnemite and Ferroseed are very bulky and can take any of Cubchoo's attacks besides Superpower.
**Hippopotas**: Hippopotas removes hail, potentially stopping Cubchoo's sweep, but it cannot switch into Ice Punch.
**Priority**: Being a mono-Ice-type Pokemon, Cubchoo is weak to common priority moves such as Timburr's Mach Punch and Croagunk's Vacuum Wave.
**Bulky Water-types**: Mareanie and Slowpoke can take just about anything Cubchoo throws at them, while Shellder, Omanyte, and Tirtouga can use it as setup fodder. The latter two should be wary of Superpower, however.
**Stealth Rock**: Stealth Rock takes away 25% of Cubchoo's health, allowing it to be OHKOed by attacks it would normally survive, such as Mienfoo's Drain Punch.
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