Project NU Archetype Cores: Discuss Your Experiences! (HIATUS)

[Oda]

BEEheyem (PrinceLucian)
Eternally

 

[Xrn]

mfw nobody has voted for two yet

~Eternally and Advantage

 

[erisia]

Yeah Oda dfmetal Take Azelfie please vote for two cores D:

 

[nv]

~Eternally and Advantage

 

[Cheryl.]

Eternally and Advantage

 

[Em]

Eternally
Advantage

 

[Quantum Tesseract]

~Eternally and Advantage

Same

 

[erisia]

Somewhat unsurprisingly, this week's winners are ~Eternally and Advantage! The lesson from this week's session is that using a lure to draw in standard Psychic-type responses is often more useful than just trying to overwhelm them outright with powerful STAB attacks. Going back to three-type cores, this week's theme is

. Water has great offensive synergy with both Poison and Flying, just make sure to patch up that Electric-type weakness!

Submissions will continue until Saturday 30th April at 12:00 GMT. Here's your usual suspects.

Water-types

Barbaracle, Carracosta, Floatzel, Frogadier, Gorebyss, Kabutops, Lanturn, Lapras, Ludicolo, Mantine, Omastar, Pelipper, Poliwrath, Prinplup, Quagsire, Samurott

Flying-types

Altaria, Archeops, Articuno, Charizard, Chatot, Dodrio, Drifblim, Jumpluff, Mantine, Ninjask, Pelipper, Rotom-Fan, Scyther, Swellow, Vivillon, Vullaby, Xatu

Poison-types

Garbodor, Haunter, Muk, Roselia, Skuntank, Vileplume, Weezing

 

[Em]

Reserving Lanturn, (Lord) Chatot, Garbodor

R.I.P., can't do it, on hiatus. :(

 

[PrinceLucian]

-Swellow is one of the best late game cleaners without needing a boost,as boomburst is one of the best gifts swellow could ask for,hitting even ghosts with its awesome ability in scrappy, and garbodor is one of the better partners for swellow being able to setup spikes and weaken teams for its sweep.Kabutops is here as strong spinner and priority, and it hits a lot of unprepared teams with its coverage moves.Add a nice hariyama,rotom and u have the team lol

Sets:

Hide

Swellow @ Choice Specs
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Boomburst
- U-turn
- Heat Wave
- Brave Bird

Garbodor @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 248 HP / 164 Def / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Toxic Spikes
- Seed Bomb
- Spikes

Kabutops @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Jet
- Rapid Spin

 

[Aladyyn]

Hide

Arbok @ Life Orb
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Coil
- Gunk Shot
- Sucker Punch
- Earthquake

Xatu @ Yache Berry
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Roost
- Giga Drain
- U-turn

Lanturn @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 136 SpD / 120 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Scald
- Thunder Wave
- Heal Bell

Arbok is a pretty cool pokemon. LO Gunk Shot packs a solid punch even without a boost and if you can get off a Coil, this kobra turns into a killing machine. Obviously can't do it all alone because Arbok is not something you'd call a reliable powerhouse. Xatu easily deals with Weezing, Quagsire and Rhydon, which are pretty much the main threats to this Arbok set. Lanturn provides paralysis support because Arbok is not very fast and also Heal Bell because I decided to use Intimidate over Shed Skin. With this set I'm not looking to get multiple boosts so getting that one Coil off is more important than the longevity Shed Skin provides. Lanturn + Xatu is also a neat VoltTurn core, which helps Arbok find setup opportunities. Also offensive lefties has always been the coolest Lanturn set.

 

[Take Azelfie]

Importable

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

Skuntank @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Defog

Swellow @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Facade
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Quick Attack

Swellow is a fantastic late game cleaner but appreciates having Steels and Rocks weakened or removed. LureTank can fill that role pretty well as well as defog so Swellow doesn't have to come in on Stealth Rocks. Lapras also fits nicely here since it is able to these Rock- and Steel-types (Ferroseed can be a problem but Tank beat that) while also providing Swellow with a switch in for incoming Aqua Jets attempting to revenge kill it. Lapras also likes having Stealth Rocks removed as well and Lapras can stop Magmortor which can be a problem for Skuntank.

edit: forgot to mention Lapras can check Shell Smash Omastar in a clutch case

 

[etern]

Sets

Omastar @ White Herb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shell Smash
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power

Jumpluff
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Acrobatics
- Memento
- U-turn

Garbodor @ Toxic Plate
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spikes
- Gunk Shot
- Drain Punch
- Explosion

This is a HO core based around supporting a Shell Smash Omastar sweep with spike + memento support. Offensive Garb is a fun set that can get a lot of surprise KO's while also reliably setting down spikes to weaken things such as Lanturn, Ferroseed, and Mega-Audino for Omastar, with Explosion you can keep momentum, and either switch into Omastar and set up, or pivot into Jumpluff to put something to sleep and then Memento. Finally, standard SS Omastar with epower for Lanturn and a Timid nature to outspeed prominent Choice Scarfers.

 

[Jarii]

Sets

Barbaracle @ White Herb
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 16 SpD / 240 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Razor Shell
- Return
- Shell Smash

Jumpluff
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Acrobatics
- Memento
- U-turn

Skuntank @ Lum Berry
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 232 Atk / 132 SpD / 144 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Poison Jab
- Memento

This core is completely built around Barbarcle sweeping. Sub lets you set up on a lot of mons that rely on toxic or will-o-wisp to stop barb. However it's the combination of sub + memento support that really makes this so good, this essentially lets you set up on every bulky mon that isn't a grass type. Jumpluff is a amazing Memento user since it has amazing speed tier which makes it outspeed almost the entire tier (only floatzel and swellow outspeed it while archeops and tauros speed tie with it). With fast sleep powder and memento you have a high chance to get up a sub with Barbaracle. Skuntank is there so the scarf rotom is not going to be a issue for this team (as long you predict right). Memento Skuntank has a huge suprise factor since most players do not expect memento nowdays.

 

[quziel]

sets

Ludicolo @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Rain Dance
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Giga Drain

Charizard
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Acrobatics
- Will-O-Wisp
- Roost
- Swords Dance

Skuntank @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Defog
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]

explanation

Basically, the idea here is that wispzard can switch into pretty much any grass type that may want to switch in on ludicolo, while ludicolo can switch in to any most rock type, lanturn, and can just generally break stuff. Skuntank supports the core by helping to provide hazard removal for zard, and by luring in bulky ground types and hariyama for the other two members to set up on.

 

[Xrn]

Sets

Old Scyther (Kabutops) (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Stone Edge
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall

Scyther (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- U-turn
- Aerial Ace
- Roost

MetaPhysical (Roselia) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spikes
- Giga Drain
- Synthesis
- Sludge Bomb

I decided to add Roselia first simply because its a mon that can take on electric types, besides Rotom-Fan. Next, I decided on Kabutops because it can beat flying types that Roselia struggle with and provide support for the third mon. I added Scyther for my flying type because with the chip damage from Roselia's spikes and spin from Kabutops it can sweep pretty easily if it gets up an SD. This core is basically made to get chip damage on the opposing team with spikes, then either deal big damage with Scyther or Kabutops, then clean up with one of them.

 

[poh]

sets

Samurott @ Life Orb
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Aqua Jet
- Megahorn

Swellow @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Facade
- Brave Bird
- Pursuit/Quick Attack
- U-turn

Muk @ Choice Band
Ability: Poison Touch
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Shadow Sneak
- Fire Punch
- Focus Punch

Mixed Samurott is such a threat right now with Sceptile gone and together with physically offensive Swellow they form a really scary offensive combo. Swellow gives a Ground immunity for Muk and Samu kan deal with Psychics with Megahorn. (keep in mind that LO Hydro Pump does more to Musharna than Megahorn). Muk and Swellow can take on Grass types to benefit Samurott. Even though i didn't cover the big Electric weakness, Shadow Sneak 2HKOs Scrotom and if other electric types aren't scarfed, Swellow can revengekill them with Facade. Samurott deals with Rock and Steel types Swellow doesn't like to face.

calcs

252+ Atk Choice Band Muk Shadow Sneak vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Rotom: 154-182 (63.9 - 75.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Muk Focus Punch vs. 244 HP / 0 Def Steelix: 250-296 (71 - 84%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
52 Atk Guts Swellow Facade (140 BP) vs. 40 HP / 252 Def Lanturn: 282-333 (70.3 - 83%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ SpA Life Orb Samurott Hydro Pump vs. 240 HP / 16 SpD Musharna: 231-274 (53.3 - 63.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

 

[Jisoo]

sets

Carracosta @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Scald
- Rock Slide
- Knock Off

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

Swellow @ Choice Specs
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Boomburst
- Heat Wave
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- U-turn

This is a nice SpikeStack core I actually used once Sceptile dropped. Its based around Choice Specs Swellow which is one of if not the hardest hitters in the current meta. Carracosta is the rocker of choice, being able to take a lot of hits with ease and react appropriately with a myriad of options. Garbodor is the spiker, one of the best in the tier at its job. It absorbs tspikes and is able to chew some physical hits while punishing with Rocky Helmet. Swellow is the main man, absolutely demolishing with its Normal STAB. Overall its a pretty cool core that works really well.

 

[Shadestep]

Sets

Samurott @ Life Orb
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 SpA
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Electric]
- Filler

Garbodor @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 HP / 168 Def / 40 SpD / 48 Spe
Impish Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Seed Bomb
- Spikes
- Toxic Spikes

Archeops
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Acrobatics
- Stone Edge
- Roost
- Heat Wave

Samurott is a pretty strong Water-type as we all know. HP Electric helps with weakening Mantine, which is pressured to Defog often as Garbodor has loads of opportunities to set up either Spikes or Toxic Spikes. people also don't pack Flying-resists on their team anymore, so Archeops is really really good. I decided on Heat Wave > Earth Power because Samurott is a pretty easy switch-in to Steelix, and the core struggles with Ferroseed a lot otherwise. Garbodor is kinda like a glue because the core loses to Hitmonchan otherwise. Weakening Hitmonchan with Samu and then switching in Garbodor might prevent a spin if Hitmonchan gets below 16% HP, which is neat. Seed Bomb > Drain Punch mainly for Rhydon, because it can actually hurt Samurott with both of its STABs so it's not really a safe switchin.

 

[erisia]

An absolutely crazy amount of submissions this week! BerninHell also has a core they want to submit but is currently unable to complete the post, so I'll show it below. Also as a reminder for next week can people please submit cores in the type order stated; it just makes slating the vote easier. Or do what you feel like idk.

BernInHell:

sets

Samurott @ Lum Berry
Ability: Torrent
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Aqua Jet
- Waterfall
- Megahorn

Archeops @ Focus Sash
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Taunt
- Endeavor
- Head Smash

Skuntank @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Acid Spray
- Defog

This core uses hazards lead Archeops and Acid Spray Skuntank to set up Swords Dance Samurott for a sweep. Acid Spray Skuntank is useful for absorbing T-spikes and breaking through walls such as Vileplume and Pelipper that could otherwise deal with Samurott, while Archeops almost guarantees Stealth Rocks for a sweep and can usually get off an Endeavor too so that Samurott can finish off the foe with Aqua Jet.

Due to the huge number of submissions this week, please vote for your three favorite cores. Voting will continue until Monday May 2nd at 12:00 GMT (woo Bank Holiday).

PrinceLucian:

Aladyyn:

Take Azelfie:

~Eternally:

Jarii:

quziel:

Xrn_n:

PursuitOfHappiny:

Watchog:

Shadestep:

BernInHell:

 

[Shadestep]

PrinceLucian
Jarii
Aladyyn

 

[Aladyyn]

Take Azelfie
Jarii
quziel

 

[Jisoo]

jarii
quizel
shadestep

 

[Jarii]

shadestep
eternally
aladynn (because he likes that name)

 

[etern]

PrinceLucian
Jarii
Aladynnn