Texas Cloverleaf
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Effective Combinations in RU
Credit to SilentVerse for assistance
Effective Offensive and Defensive combos are important for every team. Effective Offensive combos are necessary to be able to break through the opponent's defenses and sweep. You can't just bunch 6 sweepers together and call it a day. Whereas defensive combos are necessary to cover up type- weaknesses and / or being able to tank hits from threats with good defensive bulk from both ends of the spectrum (Physical and Special).
Definitions:
Defensive Combos:
Defensive Combination
Steelix @ Leftovers
Relaxed - Sturdy
252 HP, 96 Def, 160 SDef
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake
+
Mandibuzz @ Leftovers
Careful - Big Pecks
248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
- Taunt
- Roost
- Toxic / Whirlwind
- Brave Bird / Toxic
Mandibuzz and Steelix form a wonderful defensive combo together. Steelix sets up Stealth Rock which both Mandibuzz and Steelix can use to rack up damage from phazing, and Steelix takes troublesome Electric- and Rock-type attacks with ease, and brings in Ground- and Grass-type Pokemon who Mandibuzz can dismantle with joy. Since Steelix is also an incredible physical wall, he can take on those powerful physical attacks which Mandibuzz would faint against with ease, while Mandibuzz can easily take special attacks with her marvelous overall bulk. This core tends to work well on stall teams, since the damage racked up from phazing and other entry hazards which Mandibuzz's and Steelix's teammates may have set up will add up extremely quickly due to just how good they are at phazing.
Offensive Combination
Spiritomb @ Choice Band
Adamant - Choice Band
172 HP, 252 Atk, 84 Spe
- Shadow Sneak
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Trick
+
Gallade @ Leftovers
Careful - Steadfast
240 HP, 224 SpD, 44 Spe
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Shadow Sneak / Night Slash
- Substitute / Taunt
Spiritomb and Gallade work well together in tandem, providing opportunities to set up on and beat each others counters. Spiritomb provides excellent revenge killing abilities for a team with its powerful priority, but is set up on and defeated by Steel-type Pokemon and Substitute users. Conveniently, both of these are perfect opportunities for Gallade to come in and start setting up Substitutes or Bulk Ups of its own; Gallade can also quickly KO the Steel-types with Drain Punch. Conversely, Gallade often has trouble setting up on bulky Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokemon, Pokemon that Spiritomb can quickly remove with a Choice Banded Pursuit, Shadow Sneak, or Sucker Punch.
Both Offensive and Defensive Combination
Scyther @ Choice Band
Jolly - Technician
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
- U-turn
- Aerial Ace
- Bug Bite / Quick Attack
- Brick Break / Bug Bite
+
Lanturn @ Leftovers
Calm - Volt Absorb
40 HP / 252 Def / 216 SDef
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Ice Beam
- Heal Bell
Like the fabled Scizor + Rotom-W combination in OU, Scyther + Lanturn works similarly in that they both resist each others weaknesses admirably well, while keeping a reasonable offensive presence with the VoltTurn combo. Scyther can take on the Grass-types who give Lanturn issues, while Lanturn can smack around troublesome Fire-, Flying-, Electric-, and Ice-types. Offensively, Scyther's powerful U-turns will force switches to physical walls such as Rhydon and Steelix, who are threatened by Lanturn's Water-type STAB move. However, if they switch out, Lanturn has the ability to use Volt Switch, and since Lanturn tends to lure in Grass-types, who Scyther can severely maim with U-turn, this vicious cycle can keep continuing as long as you continue to make the right predictions. Lanturn can even cure any attempts to status this combo with Heal Bell, which prevents any attempts to thwart this duo by inflicting either Pokemon with an irksome burn or Toxic.
Strategic Combination
Linoone+Uxie (in progress)
Your turn!
So now it's your turn to post some effective combinations you've been using in the metagame. Please don't just post "Septle and GATRS is vair gud". If you can, give the movesets, and briefly outline the pros and cons of your combination, and which category it fits under.
But that's not all!
In addition to posting combinations that work effectively together, I also want you to discuss the playstyles that each of these combinations work most effectively in. You should be able to answer the following questions:
By answering these questions about your combination you provide insight into how best to utilise your combination and into the benefits it holds over other options. With that said, get crackin'!
Credit to SilentVerse for assistance
Effective Offensive and Defensive combos are important for every team. Effective Offensive combos are necessary to be able to break through the opponent's defenses and sweep. You can't just bunch 6 sweepers together and call it a day. Whereas defensive combos are necessary to cover up type- weaknesses and / or being able to tank hits from threats with good defensive bulk from both ends of the spectrum (Physical and Special).
Definitions:
Defensive Combos:
Offensive Combos:2 Pokemon that use type resistances or general defensive stats (or both) to help switch into each other's threatening pokemon's attacks. Examples for type would be Moltres and Rotom-C, as both resist several of the other's weaknesses. Note I specifically used two offensively inclined pokemon to demonstrate this has to do with switching into attacks; offensive pokemon can be partners in defensive combinations. Examples for general defensive stats would be Slowking and Tangrowth; while they don't cover each other's type weaknesses (they actually share the Bug-type weakness), 1 covers the physical spectrum very well while the other covers the special spectrum excellently. Both also have the Regenerator ability, allowing them to live for a long time.
Both Offensive & Defensive Combos:2 Pokemon whose attacks cover what the other cannot defeat. An example would be Choice Specs Moltres and Calm Mind Sigilyph; Moltres lures in and weakens Specially Defensive threats with boosted Fire Blast / Air Slash so Sigilyph can plow through said threats with ease, otherwise these threats would be able to take on Sigilyph and prevent it from sweeping their team.
Strategic Combos:2 Pokemon that both cover each other's defenses well and beat what the other has difficulty with. An example would be Life Orb Sceptile and Swords Dance Feraligatr; Life Orb Sceptile is a target for Entei, who can revenge kill it with Extremespeed, whereas Feraligatr can use this as an opportunity to set-up. Likewise, Tangrowth likes to switch in on Feraligatr and deliver a swift KO with Power Whip, Sceptile can use its Grass-resistance to switch in and begin to wreck havoc. The two cover type-weaknesses well (defensive synergy) as well as hit hard from both sides of the spectrum (offensive synergy).
Examples:2 Pokemon (or concepts) who work together, not necessarily through typing or offensive benefits, to accomplish some goal. Examples would be Spikes + Powerful Attacker, like Scolipede and Cofagrigus. These 2 don't necessarily have optimal defensive typings for each other or possess attacks that cover each other well, but the Spikes that Scolipede provides helps Cofagrigus against Pokemon like Drapion and Munchlax.
Defensive Combination
Steelix @ Leftovers
Relaxed - Sturdy
252 HP, 96 Def, 160 SDef
- Stealth Rock
- Roar
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake
+
Mandibuzz @ Leftovers
Careful - Big Pecks
248 HP / 244 Def / 16 Spe
- Taunt
- Roost
- Toxic / Whirlwind
- Brave Bird / Toxic
Mandibuzz and Steelix form a wonderful defensive combo together. Steelix sets up Stealth Rock which both Mandibuzz and Steelix can use to rack up damage from phazing, and Steelix takes troublesome Electric- and Rock-type attacks with ease, and brings in Ground- and Grass-type Pokemon who Mandibuzz can dismantle with joy. Since Steelix is also an incredible physical wall, he can take on those powerful physical attacks which Mandibuzz would faint against with ease, while Mandibuzz can easily take special attacks with her marvelous overall bulk. This core tends to work well on stall teams, since the damage racked up from phazing and other entry hazards which Mandibuzz's and Steelix's teammates may have set up will add up extremely quickly due to just how good they are at phazing.
Offensive Combination
Spiritomb @ Choice Band
Adamant - Choice Band
172 HP, 252 Atk, 84 Spe
- Shadow Sneak
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit
- Trick
+
Gallade @ Leftovers
Careful - Steadfast
240 HP, 224 SpD, 44 Spe
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Shadow Sneak / Night Slash
- Substitute / Taunt
Spiritomb and Gallade work well together in tandem, providing opportunities to set up on and beat each others counters. Spiritomb provides excellent revenge killing abilities for a team with its powerful priority, but is set up on and defeated by Steel-type Pokemon and Substitute users. Conveniently, both of these are perfect opportunities for Gallade to come in and start setting up Substitutes or Bulk Ups of its own; Gallade can also quickly KO the Steel-types with Drain Punch. Conversely, Gallade often has trouble setting up on bulky Psychic- and Ghost-type Pokemon, Pokemon that Spiritomb can quickly remove with a Choice Banded Pursuit, Shadow Sneak, or Sucker Punch.
Both Offensive and Defensive Combination
Scyther @ Choice Band
Jolly - Technician
252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
- U-turn
- Aerial Ace
- Bug Bite / Quick Attack
- Brick Break / Bug Bite
+
Lanturn @ Leftovers
Calm - Volt Absorb
40 HP / 252 Def / 216 SDef
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Ice Beam
- Heal Bell
Like the fabled Scizor + Rotom-W combination in OU, Scyther + Lanturn works similarly in that they both resist each others weaknesses admirably well, while keeping a reasonable offensive presence with the VoltTurn combo. Scyther can take on the Grass-types who give Lanturn issues, while Lanturn can smack around troublesome Fire-, Flying-, Electric-, and Ice-types. Offensively, Scyther's powerful U-turns will force switches to physical walls such as Rhydon and Steelix, who are threatened by Lanturn's Water-type STAB move. However, if they switch out, Lanturn has the ability to use Volt Switch, and since Lanturn tends to lure in Grass-types, who Scyther can severely maim with U-turn, this vicious cycle can keep continuing as long as you continue to make the right predictions. Lanturn can even cure any attempts to status this combo with Heal Bell, which prevents any attempts to thwart this duo by inflicting either Pokemon with an irksome burn or Toxic.
Strategic Combination
Linoone+Uxie (in progress)
Your turn!
So now it's your turn to post some effective combinations you've been using in the metagame. Please don't just post "Septle and GATRS is vair gud". If you can, give the movesets, and briefly outline the pros and cons of your combination, and which category it fits under.
But that's not all!
In addition to posting combinations that work effectively together, I also want you to discuss the playstyles that each of these combinations work most effectively in. You should be able to answer the following questions:
- What playstyle(s) does this combination work best in?
- What factors make it successful? Why?
- What key roles does this combination fulfill for the playstyle?
- What makes this combination better than most others in a playstyle?
- How does this combination benefit a team and its possible teammates?
By answering these questions about your combination you provide insight into how best to utilise your combination and into the benefits it holds over other options. With that said, get crackin'!