'NU' and Creative Movesets / EV Spreads

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Bulky Water Breaker:

Floatzel@Life Orb
Water Veil
Modest
48HP/252SAtk/210Spd
~Taunt
~HP Grass
~Surf
~Ice Beam/Focus Blast

With a viciously fast Taunt and an immunity to Burn, Floatzel is able to handle most bulky Waters in the tier. HP Grass puts large dents in Quagsire and Gorebyss. Surf also OHKOs Magmortar, and 3HKOs Hypno and Grumpig while Floatzel denies them recovery with Taunt. Taunt can also shield Floatzel from most status barring moves like Body Slam. The last move of choice depends on what you want to hit- Ice Beam puts heavy dents in Tangela and Altaria, always OHKOing the latter after SR and putting large dents in the former, OHKOing it if not heavily invested in SpD. Focus Blast, on the other hand, allows Floatzel to 2HKO Lickillicky and Miltank, and 2HKO Jynx, who would wall it otherwise. An alternative option is to use a Rash nature, and use Crunch, which 2HKOs specially invested Hypno and Grumpig and OHKOs Jynx. 210 Speed EVs also allow Floatzel to outrun positive base 95s.
 
Glad to see this thread picking up some steam :D

Anti-Lead Raichu
@Air Balloon

Encore
Volt Switch
Grass Knot
Toxic / Light Screen
Ability: Lightningrod
Nature: Timid
4 Def
252 SpA
252 Spe

Look how happy he is!

Basically, this guy shuts down leads and stops guys from setting up any more than a stealth rock. After that he makes a great Volt Switch scout and has a great ability to absorb Electric attacks. If you manage to switch him out without taking any damage, his balloon also lets him safeley switch into Ground attacks. More on why he's floating on a balloon in a minute.

Since Raichu with full speed investment outspeeds pretty much any non-scarfed, non-priority lead aside from Ninjask, turn 1 can be used to hit their lead with Toxic (which is great considering the abundance of bulky leads in NU), while turn 2 is dedicated to locking them into their setup move of choice with Encore. After that, the turn 3 Volt Switch gives you switch priority and lets you choose what to send in against their chosen replacement for their crippled lead. Light Screen can be used in place of Toxic for a more support-oriented defensive option, but considering how many turns it takes Raichu to do his job and the common threat of the physically-geared Golem, I don't think it's worth it.

Predicting the switch into a ground type that would absorb the Volt Switch and trap Raichu in gives you the opportunity to punish something hard with Grass Knot. Grass Knot OHKOs Quagsire and Seismitoad, and puts a good dent in Camerupt and Torterra despite hitting for neutral damage. GK is super effective against Stunfisk but unfortunately doesn't do much to it due to its good bulk and low weight.

Here's how this Raichu handles some common leads:


Classic fodder for the strategy mentioned above. Hit it with a Toxic turn 1, when it will usually go for SR. Encore it into SR turn 2, then Volt Switch on turn 3 when it will also undoubtedly switch out, giving you the switch initiative. If they're carrying a ground type that you can hurt with Grass Knot, you can go for that on turn 3 if you predict the switch. I've OHKOd Quagsire on turn 3 multiple times with this exact scenario playing out. If their ground type happens to be Stunfisk, you can always doubleswitch on turn 3.



Golem's utility lead set is actually pretty difficult to deal with for Raichu thanks to Sturdy preventing him from OHKOing Golem with Grass Knot. Most Golem leads will ignore the opportunity to set up SR and go straight for the easy kill on Raichu with an Earthquake, knowing it can survive any hit and could otherwise be Encored into SR. One of the main purposes of the Air Balloon on this set is to limit Golem's attacking options. With Air Balloon, he can only hit you with Rock Blast or Sucker Punch until your balloon is popped. Rock Blast will only OHKO with 4 or 5 hits. Raichu with a balloon can, however, turn the tables. Turn 1 Toxic does a few things: 1) It breaks Sturdy 2) It prevents turn 1 Sucker Punch 3) It feigns a lack of Grass Knot, making Golem think that Toxic is the only thing this Raichu is carrying to hurt it. Turn 2 Grass Knot OHKOs. A Golem that sees the balloon will usually go for SR turn 1 as it's the next best option to Earthquake, since Rock Blast and Sucker Punch are both dodgy. A gambling opponent who knows the odds might go for the Rock Blast and KO with enough hits, but if his gamble fails or he just plays it safe with the Stealth Rock, turn 2 it's dead. I don't think I've seen anyone predict well enough to land a Sucker Punch on turn 2's Grass Knot (although that might change since I'm posting this :p).



One of the few leads that will outspeed Raichu, so you can turn 1 Encore him into Sub. Ninjask doesn't mind spamming subs while racking up speed boosts though, so Volt Switch into a Taunt user on turn 2 to force him into struggle :D. Skuntank is brilliant in this role due to his access to Pursuit and Sucker Punch. If he just straight up goes for the X-Scissor thinking he can OHKO Raichu, he's wrong. If he does this, you can switch into a taunter or something to absorb the attacks and hopefully deal with whatever is getting passed Speed Boosts. Personally I find Ninjask a huge pain to deal with no matter what your lead is (unless it's something with Rock Blast) but maybe that's just me.


(ask for strategies for any more common leads because I'm typing this all from memory and I'm blanking on leads >_<)

After the first few turns and Raichu has switched out, he continues to be annoying with his 1 (or 2) immunities, high speed, Encore, and Volt Switch. I like switching into a T-Wave for a +1 Raichu, then Encoring for a free +2 and a forced switch. Although he's not the best receiver of SpA boosts due to this moveset, he can really hurt or kill something with a Grass Knot on the switch and Volt Switch on the next turn.

Team Options for this Raichu are things that can bait electric attacks, such as Mantine (who in turn walls special attacks and all ground attacks for Raichu). A Taunt user to back him up is also great in combination with Encore and Volt Switch. And since this set often operates on allowing someone to set up Stealth Rocks, and Raichu likes to switch in a lot, a solid rapid spinner like Cryognal, Wartortle, or Armaldo is highly recommended.
 
What does Raichu do against Garbodor and other Poison-types, like Vileplume? And while rare, Persian also outspeeds it and can Fake Out to break its balloon and either bait Encore with Hypnosis or just U-Turn out of there.
 
What does Raichu do against Garbodor and other Poison-types, like Vileplume? And while rare, Persian also outspeeds it and can Fake Out to break its balloon and either bait Encore with Hypnosis or just U-Turn out of there.
Frankly I've never seen Garbodor or Vileplume used as a lead, but that might just indicate I need to spend more time on PO. If Garbodor hit the floor, he's probably trying to lay down Toxic Spikes, which technically you can Encore him into but you probably don't want to. Just Volt Switch out to another Poke, probably your Taunter. I honestly have no idea what to expect from a lead Vileplume so you tell me.

Persian is an uncommon lead but I have seen him from time to time...and you're right, he does outmaneuver Raichu. If you see a Persian in the team setup and you don't see any other likely leads, put another Poke out front. Raichu will find plenty of time to switch in later and be annoying with his 2 immunities and setup interruption.
 
Scarfed Kingler
@Choice Scarf

Crabhammer
Superpower
Rock Slide
X-Scissor
Ability: Hyper Cutter
Nature: Jolly
252 Atk
4 SpD
252 Spe

I was shocked at how much success I saw with this set. Kingler's monstrous 130 Base Attack stat works great without a boost, and the choice scarf takes his mediocre 75 speed up to surprising levels.

This set attains perfect neutral coverage in the tier, and hits a lot of key threats super effectively. Crabhammer is the (unfortunately not Waterfall) STAB of choice, X-Scissor provides fantastic coverage against Grass-types that try to wall or scare out Kingler, and Rock Slide hits the common Fire, Bug, and Flying-types while also offering the speedy crab a nice flinch chance. Rock Slide can reach near-Stone Edge levels of power when boosted by Sheer Force, but unfortunately Kingler can't know Superpower while having Sheer Force. Sheer Force does only help Rock Slide and though it's a useful boost, using it forces Kingler into using the inferior Brick Break over Superpower. Superpower is usually dismissed due to its Attack penalty, but this Kingler doesn't mind stat drops so much due to the hit-and-switch nature of Choice sets. Probably my favorite element of this moveset is its ability to bait in common Water Absorbers, and with a little prediction, hit them super effectively. X-Scissor OHKOs Cacturne and Jynx, and dents Specially Defensive Cradily. Rock Slide slams Jynx, Mantine, and Lapras.

Jolly Nature is important for this set because of the faster Scarfers in the tier. It's worth noting that Scarfed Jolly Kingler outpaces Modest Scarfed Magmortar and Adamant Scarfed Sawk, so if you can ascertain that your opponent is running the slower nature, you can surprise and outspeed them for a OHKO (providing you have SR up for Sawk). This Kingler also outspeeds Scarfed Modest Rotom-S, although this is much more rare than the standard Scarfed Timid set. As for other Scarfers, Kingler easily outpaces and slams Scarfed Emboar and Scarfed Rampardos with a STAB super effective Crabhammer.

Kingler is outclassed as a physical Scarf user by some pokes like Sawk, but lets ask ourselves: who isn't outclassed by Sawk? This is a creative moveset, so it's used to surprise opponents who aren't expecting a Kingler this fast before an Agility. Sawk is depressingly predictable, but most folks who see a Kingler switch-in expect him to start setting up with Swords Dance or Agility. This is a great set for folks looking for a powerful physical Scarfer, but are PokeHipsters like myself that refuse to use the most overpowered Pokes in every tier.

If you doubt this set's ability to rip through an unprepared team, check out this silly vid I made based on this set: http://youtu.be/UD6__04cPNw (although in all honesty I have no idea what this unfortunate fellow was thinking with his team build)
 
Scarfed Kingler
@Choice Scarf

Crabhammer
Superpower
Rock Slide
X-Scissor
Ability: Sheer Force
Nature: Jolly
252 Atk
4 SpD
252 Spe

I was shocked at how much success I saw with this set. Kingler's monstrous 130 Base Attack stat works great without a boost, and the choice scarf takes his mediocre 75 speed up to surprising levels.

This set attains perfect neutral coverage in the tier, and hits a lot of key threats super effectively. Crabhammer is the (unfortunately not Waterfall) STAB of choice, X-Scissor provides fantastic coverage against Grass-types that try to wall or scare out Kingler, and Rock Slide reaches near-Stone Edge levels of power when boosted by Sheer Force. Sheer Force does, unfortunately, only help Rock Slide, but it's worth it over Hyper Cutter considering the lack of prevalent Intimidate users in the tier. Superpower is usually dismissed due to its Attack penalty, but this Kingler doesn't mind stat drops so much due to the hit-and-switch nature of Choice sets. Probably my favorite element of this moveset is its ability to bait in common Water Absorbers, and with a little prediction, hit them super effectively. X-Scissor OHKOs Cacturne and Jynx, and dents Specially Defensive Cradily. Rock Slide slams Jynx, Mantine, and Lapras.

Although I like Sheer Force simply for the boost in power on Rock Slide, if you prefer the flinch chance (or if you're afraid of a Luxray or a Gothitelle or something) you can opt for Hyper Cutter instead.

Jolly Nature is important for this set because of the faster Scarfers in the tier. It's worth noting that Scarfed Jolly Kingler outpaces Modest Scarfed Magmortar and Adamant Scarfed Sawk, so if you can ascertain that your opponent is running the slower nature, you can surprise and outspeed them for a OHKO (providing you have SR up for Sawk). This Kingler also outspeeds Scarfed Modest Rotom-S, although this is much more rare than the standard Scarfed Timid set. As for other Scarfers, Kingler easily outpaces and slams Scarfed Emboar and Scarfed Rampardos with a STAB super effective Crabhammer.

Kingler is outclassed as a physical Scarf user by some pokes like Sawk, but lets ask ourselves: who isn't outclassed by Sawk? This is a creative moveset, so it's used to surprise opponents who aren't expecting a Kingler this fast before an Agility. Sawk is depressingly predictable, but most folks who see a Kingler switch-in expect him to start setting up with Swords Dance or Agility. This is a great set for folks looking for a powerful physical Scarfer, but are PokeHipsters like myself that refuse to use the most overpowered Pokes in every tier.

If you doubt this set's ability to rip through an unprepared team, check out this silly vid I made based on this set: http://youtu.be/UD6__04cPNw (although in all honesty I have no idea what this unfortunate fellow was thinking with his team build)
It's worth noting that Kingler can't learn Superpower while having Sheer Force, so if you choose to use that ability, your next best choice is Brick Break.
 

erisia

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I'd rather use Hyper Cutter tbh, Luxray is becoming more popular thanks to a certain someone, and the lower base power of Brick Break isn't very appealing.
 


Pokemon Name: Lickilicky
Moveset Name: Choice Band
Move 1: Return
Move 2: Power Whip
Move 3: Earthquake
Move 4: Explosion
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Cloud Nine
Nature(s): Adamant
EVs: 248/252/0/0/0/8

... Cue hysterical laughter. I hate to say it, but this actually works. People say surprise factor is normally not enough to warrant such a gimmicy set, but not only is this incredibly fun to troll with, but I can safely say I think this set is almost competitively viable (emphasis on almost), so long as not many people know about it. (I was tempted to keep this for myself, as, like many sets, I am denting it's viability by posting it here, but what the hec :) )

The surprise factor nearly always nets this thing at least 1 ko, often many more before the opponent realises the true nature of set they are facing. Sure, it's nowhere near as powerful or destructive as banded Sawk, for example. However, once you see Sawk, you know it is 90% that it is choiced in some way, so you dispatch appropriate psychical wall to deal with it. It is funny how many times people think thy can set up then get are met with a dead sweeper on their hands.

Furthermore, the nature of the set means it is not limited by running Cloud Nine (as the standard Lickilicky wants to be running wish) so becomes an effective counter to the multitude of weather teams running rampant in the metagame at the moment.

248 HP evs are for bulk, so Lickilicky can repeatedly switch in on things that it threatens. 252 Atk and an Adamant nature are to maximise damage output, which Lickilicky desperately needs due to its mediocre 85 base attack stat. 8 speed is outspeed standard Golem and KO before it sets up rocks (only if sturdy is broken, obviously)

Lickilicky also has a great movepool. The moves in this set are personal preference. Body Slam is there for a neat paralysis rate, though the drop in power is noticeable. Zen Headbutt hits nets the 0hko on Haunter. Rock Slide damages the may fliers in the tier for huge damage, though Return tends to enough to nab the KO. Hammer Arm could possibly work, though a lot of the things it hits super effectively are also hit by the more reliable Earthquake.

Now, to prove that Lickilicky is not too lacking offence, I thought some damage calculations would be appropriate.

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 152 HP/0 Def Absol: 100.32% - 118.45%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 8 HP/0 Def Jynx: 167.4% - 197.07%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 252 HP/0 Def Eelektross: 66.04% - 78.07%
2 hits to KO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Earthquake vs 252 HP/4 Def Probopass: 119.75% - 141.98%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 252 HP/4 Def Cryogonal: 145.06% - 170.93%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 4 HP/0 Def Braviary: 76.32% - 89.77%
2 hits to KO (Guaranteed OHKO after rocks)

You get the idea? This thing isn't piss weak like many would expect it to be, though at many times you will be tearing your hair out because it JUST missed that KO. It's not God-like, and will never sweep, like other banded pokes in the tier can. Also, once the choice band has been rumbled, this set becomes much less effective, and is easily walled, becoming set-up bait if you missplay.

Thanks.
 

watashi

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World Defender


Pokemon Name: Lickilicky
Moveset Name: Choice Band
Move 1: Return
Move 2: Power Whip
Move 3: Earthquake
Move 4: Explosion
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Cloud Nine
Nature(s): Adamant
EVs: 248/252/0/0/0/8

... Cue hysterical laughter. I hate to say it, but this actually works. People say surprise factor is normally not enough to warrant such a gimmicy set, but not only is this incredibly fun to troll with, but I can safely say I think this set is almost competitively viable (emphasis on almost), so long as not many people know about it. (I was tempted to keep this for myself, as, like many sets, I am denting it's viability by posting it here, but what the hec :) )

The surprise factor nearly always nets this thing at least 1 ko, often many more before the opponent realises the true nature of set they are facing. Sure, it's nowhere near as powerful or destructive as banded Sawk, for example. However, once you see Sawk, you know it is 90% that it is choiced in some way, so you dispatch appropriate psychical wall to deal with it. It is funny how many times people think thy can set up then get are met with a dead sweeper on their hands.

Furthermore, the nature of the set means it is not limited by running Cloud Nine (as the standard Lickilicky wants to be running wish) so becomes an effective counter to the multitude of weather teams running rampant in the metagame at the moment.

248 HP evs are for bulk, so Lickilicky can repeatedly switch in on things that it threatens. 252 Atk and an Adamant nature are to maximise damage output, which Lickilicky desperately needs due to its mediocre 85 base attack stat. 8 speed is outspeed standard Golem and KO before it sets up rocks (only if sturdy is broken, obviously)

Lickilicky also has a great movepool. The moves in this set are personal preference. Body Slam is there for a neat paralysis rate, though the drop in power is noticeable. Zen Headbutt hits nets the 0hko on Haunter. Rock Slide damages the may fliers in the tier for huge damage, though Return tends to enough to nab the KO. Hammer Arm could possibly work, though a lot of the things it hits super effectively are also hit by the more reliable Earthquake.

Now, to prove that Lickilicky is not too lacking offence, I thought some damage calculations would be appropriate.

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 152 HP/0 Def Absol: 100.32% - 118.45%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 8 HP/0 Def Jynx: 167.4% - 197.07%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 252 HP/0 Def Eelektross: 66.04% - 78.07%
2 hits to KO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Earthquake vs 252 HP/4 Def Probopass: 119.75% - 141.98%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 252 HP/4 Def Cryogonal: 145.06% - 170.93%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 4 HP/0 Def Braviary: 76.32% - 89.77%
2 hits to KO (Guaranteed OHKO after rocks)

You get the idea? This thing isn't piss weak like many would expect it to be, though at many times you will be tearing your hair out because it JUST missed that KO. It's not God-like, and will never sweep, like other banded pokes in the tier can. Also, once the choice band has been rumbled, this set becomes much less effective, and is easily walled, becoming set-up bait if you missplay.

Thanks.
I think a Life Orb would be better on that set; it doesn't miss out on much KOs as long as you have Rocks up and it gives Lickilicky the ability to switch attacks, which is a huge boon thanks to its great coverage.
 
I think a Life Orb would be better on that set; it doesn't miss out on much KOs as long as you have Rocks up and it gives Lickilicky the ability to switch attacks, which is a huge boon thanks to its great coverage.
Yeah, Life Orb could work well, and you are right about the missing out on few koes. They would play differently though, Life Orb being more lent towards the sweeper spectrum, whereas this is definitely a hit and run set. Recoil from Life Orb would definitely be the downside for running such a set, as it means Lickilicky's health is sapped away, but should never be too much of an issue considering Lickilicky's great bulk and the fact you can just explode for an almost certain KO when running low on health (despite the nerf). Even wish support? Overall Life Orb does sound like a good idea, as although the recoil would be a giveaway, most players would realise after the first turn of use that thee above set is far from standard. Thanks for pointing this out.
 
Gimmick tech time? Gimmick tech time.

Persian @ Life Orb
4 Atk/252 SpAtk/252 Spe
Naive / Technician

Fake Out
Icy Wind
Water Pulse
filler

Persian has crappy offensive stats, crappy defensive stats, mediocre HP. The only thing going for it is Speed and technician-boosted stab Fake Out, which it can abuse greatly. This set puts a spin on the badass giovanni's pet by catching a surprisingly large portion of the metagame unaware with a Tech-boosted special attack. It can 2hko Golem, Camerupt, and other sturdy rock/grounds with Fake Out+Water Pulse, 1hko Torterra/Altaria with Icy Wind while 2hko'ing other Grass-types. Ignore his crappy attack stats and think of him as being kind of an NU Starmie, with great coverage and speed combined with the bonus of Fake Out, as he can clean up teams quite nicely while stalling for Toxic damage against bulkier foes. Notable last-slot options include Hypnosis, U-turn, Taunt, etc. which would be standard fare on any other Persian set and are still viable here. Attacking options that can still work include Thunderbolt, which 2hko's every pure-Water type in the tier with SR, Hidden Power Grass which can 1hko all the water/grounds and water/rocks better than Thunderbolt, and the legendary Mud Slap (lol). He obviously struggles vs. pokemon without crippling weaknesses that he can hit, but it's more meant to be a mid-game lure than anything else, and it can still run a fast Taunt while surprising certain foes with a x4 coverage move. Things in NU aren't defensive enough to survive boosted attacks from even a weak pokemon like this, and their crippling weaknesses to common types means that given that somebody has something that is x4 weak to one of Persian's moves, it's probably going to die to it, meaning that this can open a lot of opportunities for a companion pokemon to exploit the open weakness.
Ok, I'm not going to lie, I initially thought this was the stupidest shit I had ever seen. BUT, I was in the mood to screw around, so I gave it a test, and to my surprise it was actually really good. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY expects this set. Persian is actually a lot stronger than it looks, and it CAN get a bunch of "surprise" KO's on things like Altaria, Golem, iirc Camerupt, and others. The only thing that really hurts it are entry hazards and LO (unless something just outright kills it) because it can Fake Out > Attack > U-turn and troll it's way back into your Pokeball, ready to come back and fake something else out.

To make a long post short: Persian is the shit.
 

erisia

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Exeggutor (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Harvest
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Giga Drain
- Psychic
- Sleep Powder / HP Ice
- Rest

Eggy's a pretty good physical tank, due to its underrated bulk and excellent resistances. It defeats opponents such as Sawk, Golem, DD Altaria, and Torterra with ease, taking hits from them all day and being able to heal off most damage with little consequence. Even opponents that can land super-effective hits, such as Gurdurr, won't be able to kill Exeggutor before it can kill them, and subsequently heals off all of the damage with Rest. While Harvest only has a 50% chance of activating in normal weather, defensive Exeggutor stays in long enough for the odds to be in its favour, giving you status immunity and reliable recovery that other pokemon can only dream of. Meanwhile, Exeggutor hits a lot of the Grass types in the tier hard with Psychic or Hidden Power Ice, giving it yet more functionality on your team.
 


Exeggutor (F) @ Lum Berry
Trait: Harvest
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Giga Drain
- Psychic
- Sleep Powder / HP Ice
- Rest

Eggy's a pretty good physical tank, due to its underrated bulk and excellent resistances. It defeats opponents such as Sawk, Golem, DD Altaria, and Torterra with ease, taking hits from them all day and being able to heal off most damage with little consequence. Even opponents that can land super-effective hits, such as Gurdurr, won't be able to kill Exeggutor before it can kill them, and subsequently heals off all of the damage with Rest. While Harvest only has a 50% chance of activating in normal weather, defensive Exeggutor stays in long enough for the odds to be in its favour, giving you status immunity and reliable recovery that other pokemon can only dream of. Meanwhile, Exeggutor hits a lot of the Grass types in the tier hard with Psychic or Hidden Power Ice, giving it yet more functionality on your team.
Nice Set... for a moment I was thinking that synthesis is a more reliable form of healing for Exeggutor, but if you're goning to run a physical defensive grass type with synthesis, your better off using tangela, but Exeggutor does his harder then tangela but tangela is a more reliable wall. This Exeggutor is probably best paired with a heal bell/Aromatherapy user in case you get unlucky rolls with harvest.
 

erisia

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It's really not necessary, you can just leave Eggy in and it'll heal its own sleep eventually. Against opponents it walls, Harvest not activating is only a minor inconvenience.

I'd say the main reasons to use Eggy as a physical wall over Tangela are its higher offense, status recovery, and Psychic typing, which come in handy if you lack a defensive response to Sawk, and need to deal with Poison types more reliably than Tangela.
 
I made this yesterday. It's no so much gimmicky as it is unique, and works pretty well! Sheck it out, mayne:

@ Life Orb
Naive (24Atk/ 252SpA/ 232Spe)
-Taunt
-Fire Blast
-Earthquake
-Hidden Power (Ice)/(Grass)

This set is used as a lure for Magmortar's usual counters, as most rely on stalling to beat Magmortar. Lickilicky switches into a Fire Blast then expects to get a wish off, then is hit by a taunt, meaning it is forced to attack and take ANOTHER FB, which hurts bad. Flareon get demolished by EQ, so that's nice. The choice of Hidden Power depends on if your team has more trouble with Quagsire or Altaria. Taunt is also useful against other random setup 'mons expecting to set up in front of Magmortar. I also don't find the loss of T-bolt and Focus Blast to be much a hindrance, as nobody will switch a water into Magmortar anyway because they expect it. And Focus Blast was only to help you miss the 2KO on Licklicky, which is now taunted.
 
It's really not necessary, you can just leave Eggy in and it'll heal its own sleep eventually. Against opponents it walls, Harvest not activating is only a minor inconvenience.

I'd say the main reasons to use Eggy as a physical wall over Tangela are its higher offense, status recovery, and Psychic typing, which come in handy if you lack a defensive response to Sawk, and need to deal with Poison types more reliably than Tangela.
I used pretty much the same set for a while and it works rather well. There hasn't been one time when Harvest hasn't activated in time for it to rest making the healing quite reliable. Even uninvested, Exeggutor still hits very hard and can 2HKO quite a few pokes with the right move.
 

TROP

BAN DRUDDIGON. FIREWALL DRAGON DID NOTHING WRONG
is a Tiering Contributor Alumnus
@ Life Orb
Naive (24Atk/ 252SpA/ 232Spe)
-Taunt
-Fire Blast
-Earthquake
-Hidden Power (Ice)/(Grass)
.
There is no need for the Attack evs, you still 2hko Camerupt, Flareon and Lampent Stealth Rock or not without investment, and for Flareon it is OHKO after Stealth Rock damage without investment.
 


Pokemon Name: Lickilicky
Moveset Name: Choice Band
Move 1: Return
Move 2: Power Whip
Move 3: Earthquake
Move 4: Explosion
Item: Choice Band
Ability: Cloud Nine
Nature(s): Adamant
EVs: 248/252/0/0/0/8

... Cue hysterical laughter. I hate to say it, but this actually works. People say surprise factor is normally not enough to warrant such a gimmicy set, but not only is this incredibly fun to troll with, but I can safely say I think this set is almost competitively viable (emphasis on almost), so long as not many people know about it. (I was tempted to keep this for myself, as, like many sets, I am denting it's viability by posting it here, but what the hec :) )

The surprise factor nearly always nets this thing at least 1 ko, often many more before the opponent realises the true nature of set they are facing. Sure, it's nowhere near as powerful or destructive as banded Sawk, for example. However, once you see Sawk, you know it is 90% that it is choiced in some way, so you dispatch appropriate psychical wall to deal with it. It is funny how many times people think thy can set up then get are met with a dead sweeper on their hands.

Furthermore, the nature of the set means it is not limited by running Cloud Nine (as the standard Lickilicky wants to be running wish) so becomes an effective counter to the multitude of weather teams running rampant in the metagame at the moment.

248 HP evs are for bulk, so Lickilicky can repeatedly switch in on things that it threatens. 252 Atk and an Adamant nature are to maximise damage output, which Lickilicky desperately needs due to its mediocre 85 base attack stat. 8 speed is outspeed standard Golem and KO before it sets up rocks (only if sturdy is broken, obviously)

Lickilicky also has a great movepool. The moves in this set are personal preference. Body Slam is there for a neat paralysis rate, though the drop in power is noticeable. Zen Headbutt hits nets the 0hko on Haunter. Rock Slide damages the may fliers in the tier for huge damage, though Return tends to enough to nab the KO. Hammer Arm could possibly work, though a lot of the things it hits super effectively are also hit by the more reliable Earthquake.

Now, to prove that Lickilicky is not too lacking offence, I thought some damage calculations would be appropriate.

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 152 HP/0 Def Absol: 100.32% - 118.45%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 8 HP/0 Def Jynx: 167.4% - 197.07%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 252 HP/0 Def Eelektross: 66.04% - 78.07%
2 hits to KO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Earthquake vs 252 HP/4 Def Probopass: 119.75% - 141.98%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 252 HP/4 Def Cryogonal: 145.06% - 170.93%
100% chance to OHKO

252 Atk Choice Band Lickilicky Return vs 4 HP/0 Def Braviary: 76.32% - 89.77%
2 hits to KO (Guaranteed OHKO after rocks)

You get the idea? This thing isn't piss weak like many would expect it to be, though at many times you will be tearing your hair out because it JUST missed that KO. It's not God-like, and will never sweep, like other banded pokes in the tier can. Also, once the choice band has been rumbled, this set becomes much less effective, and is easily walled, becoming set-up bait if you missplay.

Thanks.
i like the idea of this set, even if it relies on surprise value. but whats with those calcs? it seems like you chose the physically frailest pokemon in the tier (Jynx, Cryogonal, Absol) a 4x weakness (Probopass) and 2 pokemon with only decent bulk (Eelektross, Braviary)
 
Ok, I'm not going to lie, I initially thought this was the stupidest shit I had ever seen. BUT, I was in the mood to screw around, so I gave it a test, and to my surprise it was actually really good. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY expects this set. Persian is actually a lot stronger than it looks, and it CAN get a bunch of "surprise" KO's on things like Altaria, Golem, iirc Camerupt, and others. The only thing that really hurts it are entry hazards and LO (unless something just outright kills it) because it can Fake Out > Attack > U-turn and troll it's way back into your Pokeball, ready to come back and fake something else out.

To make a long post short: Persian is the shit.
thanks yo

Also old set I want some feedback on since I haven't messed with NU in forever:

Tangela @ Life Orb
252 SpAtk/252 Spe/4 HP
Timid/Modest / Regenerator

Sleep Powder/Stun Spore/Leech Seed
Leaf Storm
HP Ice
Sludge Bomb/Giga Drain/Ancientpower

Offensive Tangela plays a little bit like Specs Exeggutor, with two distinct advantages:
1: Regenerator+LO allowing move switches
2: It commonly being a wall with Eviolite, meaning their first switch-in is different, which you can catch by surprise.

The main problem with it is that it can't muscle through dedicated special walls simply because it's not on the same power scale (LO<Specs, 100<125), though it is still quite powerful for NU and is the second strongest Leaf Storm in the tier (I think?). It outspeeds the ubiquitous base 55 tier, meaning that threats that could potentially throw down some serious hurt on Tangela are easily outsped and KO'ed. Timid nature has some more merit now that Ludicolo is down in NU, as when rain is not up tangela can outpace neutral-natured base 70s by one point! Leech Seed can catch walls like Lickilicky as they come in to absorb blows from Tangela, Stun Spore catches offensive switch-ins, and Sleep Powder is always useful, while the listed moves give the best 3-move coverage while reflecting the vast deepness of Tangela's offensive movepool. :P

Here are some calcs with a Timid nature:

Leaf Storm vs. 252 HP Armaldo: (84.18% - 99.44%)
Leaf Storm vs. Magmortar: (44.33% - 52.58%)
Leaf Storm vs. Swellow: (82.38% - 96.93%)
Leaf Storm vs. 252/252 Careful Regirock: (97.80% - 115.93%)
Leaf Storm vs. 252 HP Eelektross: (79.68% - 94.12%)
HP Ice vs. 252/252 Altaria: (64.41% - 76.84%)
HP Ice vs. Rotom-S: (65.56% - 77.18%)
Sludge Bomb vs. 252 HP +1 Tangela: (86.23% - 101.80%)
Sludge Bomb vs. 252 HP Exeggutor: (77.16% - 90.86%)
-2 Leaf Storm vs. Absol: (68.75% - 81.62%)
-2 Leaf Storm vs. 252 HP Linoone: (51.67% - 60.83%) (for those smart-alecks who think you'll switch out and give them a free BD when you're at -2 or think that dual screens give them a god-given right to set up on everything)

Obvious counters are anything with a Poison typing and other Grass-types that are neutral to sludge bomb, which means this pairs well with offensive psychic-types like Kadabra and Gardevoir. Running an Exeggutor of your own isn't an awful idea despite the overlapping weaknesses simply because of the wallbreaking power it provides and bulky Grass-resists being somewhat less common in NU.
 

marilli

With you
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Tangela @ Life Orb
252 SpAtk/252 Spe/4 HP
Timid/Modest / Regenerator

Sleep Powder/Stun Spore/Leech Seed
Leaf Storm
HP Ice
Sludge Bomb/Giga Drain/Ancientpower
I found that a simple 252 HP / 252 SpA spread does a lot better. I felt that as a purely offensive mon, Exeggutor does sooooo much better, and you're relying 100% on surprise value. Even with that, the speed investment doesn't really matter if they switch in frail things into powerful leaf storms. On the other hand, Life Orb + no eviolite makes Tangela a lot vulnerable physically. I found that Modest Eviolite variant with bulk investment is a lot better as it avoids 2HKOes on almost all physical attackers while retaining that super-strong Leaf Storm + Sleep Powder, but I guess that can work, too. (that's like the 2nd set on this thread >.>)
 
Since I didn't like any of the research pokemon, and I enjoy making stupid sets just to see if I can make them work, I made a new dumb set. It's not very good, but here's your chance to see something stupid in action.

Mothim @ Flight Gem
252 Atk/252 Spe/4 Def
Adamant / Tinted Lens

Acrobatics
U-turn
Safeguard/Toxic
Tailwind/Toxic

There is only one reason to use this, and that is its somewhat unique ability to make people think "oh it's just a mothim, I'll throw up my Stealth Rocks and beat it with Rock Blast on turn 2". As a pokemon, it's unusual in that it explicitly lures out its own 'safe switches' and then hurts them significantly due to Tinted Lens. It's also got a few tricky support options like Safeguard, Tailwind, and weather moves which can be handy as well in certain situations.

Here are some calcs you can look at that might actually open your eyes a bit in surprise:

Flight Gem Acrobatics vs. 252 HP Golem: (60.16% - 70.88%)
Flight Gem Acrobatics vs. 252 HP Ampharos: (78.13% - 92.19%)
Flight Gem Acrobatics vs. Scarfed Rotom-S (hit on switch): (92.95% - 109.54%)
U-turn vs. Scarfed Rotom-S (hit on the switch): (39.83% - 47.30%)
U-turn vs. Magmortar: (48.11% - 56.70%)

Any rock-type less bulky than Golem will be 2hko'ed, no exceptions. Any electric-type less bulky than Ampharos will be 1hko'ed after spikes, no exceptions. It is fast enough to throw up a Safeguard/Tailwind/Sunny Day/Rain Dance against slow walls and U-turn out, and its U-turn and Acrobtics do respectable damage due to Tinted Lens letting it hit resists twice as hard. Acrobatics lets it deal good damage to any pokemon that use resists rather than its pure bulk to wall it. The U-turn calcs are just an example of how much damage you can deal on what is supposed to be an 'advantageous' switch for the opponent. It's also just barely fast enough at base 66 speed to always outspeed the dumb rock and electric-types it's trying to hit.
 

erisia

Innovative new design!
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That Mothim set looks like the shit, you can pair it with stuff like Braviary and completely wreck house as you lure out and remove Golem. I can almost guarantee i'd fall for it :p
 

Magmortar (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Vital Spirit
EVs: 60 Atk / 216 SAtk / 232 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Mach Punch
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Dinky little Magmortar set that I've been using lately. Mach Punch is the main selling point of the set, since it lets Magmortar smack around some of the best frail sweepers/revenge killers in the tier. Pokemon such as Cinccino, Absol, Sawsbuck, offensive Cryogonal etc will often come in after Maggy's decimated something with Fire Blast, and try to revenge kill it. All are physically frail, and all are weak to Fighting, so Mach Punch is a pretty nifty move. It stops Absol's Sucker Punch, since Maggy's faster, and 2HKOs with Mach Punch. Cryogonal is OHKOd with SR support, and Cinccino is extremely frail too. Sawsbuck is trickier, since it can tank a MP, but it does knock off around half its HP. Basically, only use MP on frail Pokemon weak to it, as it's piss weak otherwise. To get an idea of how weak it is, it only does like 48% to Absol, but that's not a problem, since they will always try to Sucker Punch you. The Speed EVs let you outrun positive base 80s and give a bonus point, while some were taken out of SpA to beef up Mach Punch.
 
Finally someone sees the merit of Mach Punch on Mag.

Another benefit is that it nearly every Sturdy user in the tier is weak to Fighting so it makes it much easier to bypass (provided they don't KO Mag in return)

The amount of times I've set up my Shell Smash Sturdy Carracosta on Mag and told them that they should consider running Mach Punch only to be laughed at.
 
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