RU Playstyle Classification Thread

Bulky Offense

Special Sweepers:

(Trick Room)
  • Outspeeds almost everything in Trick Room
  • Fantastic bulk in both defenses
  • Great coverage with 3 moves
  • Can run Nasty Plot so break through walls
  • Key resistances against many common Pokemon allow it to set up Trick Room easily
  • Regenerator allows it to have multiple opportunities to come in and sweep
  • Can force switches if item has not been revealed to set up Trick Room
  • Hazards not names Toxic Spikes aren't much of a problem thanks to Regenerator
  • 4 mms means it can't hit everything for SE damage
  • (Almost always) Must have Trick Room to sweep
  • If the opponent if running TR Escavalier, it can counter sweep if you're team is weakened enough
 

Molk

Godlike Usmash
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Got another viable in RU NU wallbreaker :eek:.

Offense/Bulky Offense/Balance:

Wallbreakers:

(Choice Specs or Lumrest maybe??)

  • Exeggutor's Choice Specs Leaf Storm is stronger than Choice Specs Glaceon's Blizzard, even with that big drawback walls are going to run in fear
  • Has sleep powder to cripple a pokemon for the rest of the match bar first turn wakeups, which makes it even more of a nightmare to deal with
  • matches up well against many common stall pokemon such as poliwrath, alomomola, steelix, roselia, and amoonguss, all of which run away in fear of being KO'd
  • can beat escavalier and ferroseed down with Hp Fire, who could potentially wall exeggutor otherwise
  • absolute and total nuke, even at -2 its doing like 40% to clefable with leaf storm
  • Psyshock lets it get past special walls more easily, although Leaf Storm still 2HKOs a lot of them so Psychic can work here too
  • Lumrest isn't as powerful as Choice Specs but it still hits pretty hard and lives quite a bit longer, so it could be mentioned as a wallbreaker here too i guess.
  • 252+ SpA Choice Specs Exeggutor Leaf Storm vs. 236 HP / 0 SpD Druddigon: 199-235 (56.21 - 66.38%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
 
Bulky Offense / Balance:

Pivot:


(Baton Pass)
  • Great bulk with 116/85/95 in overall.
  • Work like pivot because Baton Pass, using Calm Mind + Baton Pass is a solid option since is walled by a lot of mons such Spiritomb, Escavalier, Durant or Absol.
  • Moonlight and Psychic, both moves are necessary on any set.
  • Heal Bell, Thunder Wave or Trick Room, are another support options for Musharna.
  • Running evs speed creep to outrun Spiritomb and Escavalier, and evading the Pursuit.
 

Molk

Godlike Usmash
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Because well.... why is it in bulky offense but not balance or offense .-.

Offense/Balance:

Physical Sweepers:

(Swords Dance)

  • Swords Dance samurott is often compared to swords dance feraligatr as a physical sweeper, but it does have one advantage, and a big one at that: Megahorn.
  • Megahorn lets Samurott pose an immediate threat to Pokemon that would stand in Feraligatr's way such as Tangrowth, and lets Samurott KO things like Rotom-C, Lilligant, and Sceptile that were foolish enough to switch in
  • Also hits Slowking much harder than any of Gatr's coverage moves by a longshot (yes even Crunch)
  • Hits Uxie and Mesprit way harder than waterfall could too, giving rott yet another advantage
  • Otherwise, performs a lot like SD gatr, sets up a swords dance, breaks down the opposing team, takes on revenge killers with Aqua Jet, and can cause a huge amount of trouble if it gets a torrent boost.
Offense:

Wallbreakers:
(Mixed Attacker)
  • Pretty underrated Wallbreaker
  • Coverage between STAB Hydro Pump, Ice Beam, and Hidden Power Grass is really nice, especially with that big base 108 Special Attack stat
  • Can use Megahorn to get past Slowking, which walls other Pokemon that use this kind of coverage easily, even without investment Megahorn will be strong enough to KO
  • Can be given a Speed boosting nature to hit that important neutral base 80s benchmark
  • Outside of Megahorn, Samurott can use things like Taunt and Aqua Jet to decent effect in the last slot too
  • Torrent boosted Hydro Pump is a nuke
  • Probably Samurott's best overall set and the best way for it to seperate itself from the crowd of waters imo.
 

ScraftyIsTheBest

On to new Horizons!
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This needs more Mesprit 'cause it's the best RU Pokemon ever. Anyways,

Offense:


Special Sweepers (put this one in Balance too):
(Calm Mind)


  • Good mix of both bulk and power, can set up handily and hit pretty hard
  • Has really good coverage, Psyshock+BoltBeam is pretty fucking awesome
  • Can be a devastating sweeper thanks to this
  • Has handy resistances to take on Gallade, Hitmonlee, etc
  • Nifty Speed tier, while gets shit on by Scolipede and Durant, it's still a pretty fine speed to boot
  • Only Cinccino beats this thing in terms of cutemons in RU
Wallbreakers:
(Choice Specs)
  • Good special attack and movepool make it a fantastic wallbreaker
  • With its good power, ability to hit a lot of things hard, it can break down many walls
  • Has a fine Speed tier, so it can outspeed some stuff while hitting really hard
  • One of few special wallbreakers out there honestly
  • Cute as fuck, that should automatically give it a spot on your team
Revenge Killers:
(Choice Scarf)
  • Its 80 Speed is certainly not at the level of Primeape or Manectric, but still suffices for a revenge killer
  • While it lacks a little power, it has great coverage and fine damage output
  • Can revenge kill threats such as Omastar, Feraligatr, Hitmonlee, etc.
  • Has U-turn to switch out and ease prediction
  • Healing Wish+Scarf is also really cool
  • It's fckin cute
Hail:
Utility:
(Offensive Stealth Rock)
  • Fits well on hail
  • Provides a great Fighting resistance for hail teams
  • Sets up Stealth Rock for a support option
  • Spams Blizzards as well as T-bolts to wear down typical hail absorbers
  • It's fucking cute
Yeah some extra stuff (Mesprit is awesome so it should find itself more spots on this list)
 
Bulky Offense / Balance:

Special Sweeper:


(Calm Minder)
  • Good STAB with a great HP and overall bulk being faster like CM sweeper.
  • STAB fire move and Calm Mind, both moves are necessary on this set, Flamethrower or Lava Plume.
  • Hidden Power Grass and Substitute are the others mainly options, Hidden Power Grass to coverage and Substitute to make subs to 101 hp and prevent Toxic, Para and more stuff.
  • Extrasensory is another cool option on LO Calm Mind set.
  • Still viable a set with Roar or a set Resttalker with Calm Mind and mono attacker and taking advantage about Pressure, this set work better against Hail teams with Spikes and Stealth Rocks up, while the Substitute version work better with Toxic Spikes.
 

mkizzy

formerly kenny
Offense
Hazard Setters:

  • Berry Juice + Sturdy lets Pineco live several turns and (hopefully) get off some hazards/spin.
  • Access to both SR, Spikes, and Rapid Spin (along with Pain Split :P)(while being cooler than Sandslash!)
  • Can weaken mons like Druddigon, Uxie, and Steelix (if it doesn't Toxic/Roar) which a lot of teams/mons appreciate.
  • Ideal situation is:
1. Both you and your opponent set up rocks
2. Opponent attacks Pineco, you spike. Berry Juice heals you back up and restores sturdy.
3. They attack again, you get off another layer or spin.
4. If you're still alive you can Pain Split
(you can also Pain Split turn 3 to weaken stuff, really useful!)
 

Molk

Godlike Usmash
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Offense

Special Sweepers/Revenge Killers:

(Special Attacker)

  • Despite being an NFE psychic-type with a lot of competition from the likes of Sigilyph, Kadabra is a legitimate threat and can be quite useful when needed
  • 120 Special Attack and 105 Speed really helps Kadabra do some damage to the opposing team.
  • Magic Guard makes Kadabra completely immune to passive damage from status/hazards/Life Orb etc
  • Magic Guard+Focus Sash lets kadabra revenge kill many threats in the tier such as Emboar, Galvantula, and Durant (when running hp fire) Focus Sash lets Kadabra always take a hit and KO in return
  • Offensive set with LO is alright although Sigilyph is better at that overall
  • Access to Taunt and Encore to cripple opponents is what seperates Kadabra from a Sigilyph running a similar set, and Encore Kadabra can actually make itself quite annoying, locking opponents into undesirable moves/racking up hazards damage/helping teammates set up etc.
  • Really frail and pretty much any move will OHKO without a sash :/.
 
Following with Psychic type, what about this in RU?

Offense

(Special attacker)
  • 125 SAtk + Analytic (even witch a Choice Specs) provides Beheeyem a huge amount of power for sweep
  • His movepool let him cover most of threats with Psychic, TBolt and Hidden Power, Signal Bema, including Energy Ball in some set
  • Access to Nasty Plot and Calm Mind to rise up his offensive presence
Balanced
  • Recover+boost move (NP/CM) can make Beheeyem a really good mon due to a decent HP and Sdef stats
  • It can be used as a Trick Room setter, but then Analytic power increase will be useless
  • Really hates Sucker Punch (specially Specs set) , a problem that can only be solucionated with predict, using a non-attack move or with a switch.
 

Molk

Godlike Usmash
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Offense/Bulky Offense:

Revenge Killers/Tanks and Utility:

(Choice Scarf)

  • Although Lilligant is ususally seen running a Quiver Dance set, she can also pull off a Choice Scarf set to decent effect
  • 110 Special Attack and base 90 Speed is more than enough for Lilligant to do her job as a revenge killer with this set
  • Powerful STAB moves in either Leaf Storm or Petal Dance, although they both have drawbacks of nerfing your special attack and stopping you from switching respectively
  • even if Scarf Lilligant can't immediately OHKO something she can use Scarf Sleep Powder to put an opponent out of comission before they can react, although she needs to switch out afterwards
  • Hidden Power Rock and Hidden Power Fire let Lilligant revenge kill different threats that resist her Grass-type STAB, such as Moltres and Durant for example.
  • Scarf Healing Wish lets Lilligant fully heal a sweeper when her job is done, giving that pokemon a second chance and opening the opponent up to a late game sweep, really clutch move
  • Give scarf Lilligant a try, you won't be disappointed!
 
Bulky Offense / Volturn:

Wallbreaker / U-turn user:



(Choice Specs)

  • Scary, doing 2HKO with the right move every mon on the metagame.
  • U-turn help keeps momentum and killing something when is very weak or helps too against the better checks to Moltres at first time.
  • Fire Blast, Hurricane, Hidden Power Grass and U-turn on the standard movepool. Moves like Flame or Air Slash are still viable which a better accuracy if you need a more secure attack on a late game without the lose of a STAB move.
  • Annoying as hell against hail teams.
 

Molk

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Offense/Bulky Offense:

Special Sweeper:

(Rain Special Attacker)

  • Usually seen on rain but perfectly viable as a standalone pokemon
  • Rain Dance is the equivalent of a Rock Polish that boosts Water-type moves for Ludicolo
  • really good coverage between hydro pump, ice beam, and giga drain, the latter increases Ludicolo's longevity as well
  • decent typing and bulk helps ludicolo get a rain dance up
  • overrides hail which is pretty nice, gives you a good advantage over hail if they let snover die early on
  • can still support teammates that might like the rain even if its not a full rain team, which is pretty nice
  • cool pineapple
also, this thread will be updated again once links and stuff get updated :x
 
Balance:

Hazard Setters:

(Utility)
  • Good type capable to check different stuff like: Escavalier, Durant, Magmortar, Magneton, Klinkang, Manectric, Galvantula etc
  • Stealth Rock supporter which is a staple move on every team.
  • Solid Rock is cool to take some effective damages such Hidden Power Ground random or some Earthquake, cant take water attacks thought at least with a decent damage.
  • Earth Power and Lava Plume are both moves offensive, Lava Plume help luring Slowking and burning him.
  • Like last option between Protect or Roar, Protect helps healthing a bit since lacks to recover while Roar is useful against stuff like SubCM Uxie, while is cool if you run Spikes.
 
Balance

Rapid Spinners:
(Rapid Spin Support)

  • Can stop Escavalier, Hitmonlee, Gallade, and Emboar
  • Has the fantastic Rocks + Spin combo
  • Can force out spin blockers and Slowking with Yawn, allowing him to get Rocks (Or a spin), and a (hopefully) favorable matchup
  • Can effectively shuffle by using Yawn after getting Rocks up
  • Lava Plume does decent damage and has an awesome 30% chance to burn
  • Can force out many physical sweepers that lack an SE STAB with Yawn
 
Miscellaneous Roles:


($wag Cat)

  • Prankster, with this ability work amazing paired this ability with status moves:
  • Swagger is the manly move on Liepard since confucio appear on the battle (can miss thought).
  • Foul Play is great since didnt matter the Liepard Atk, just attack with the stat of your opponent, this work very well with Swagger 1. making confusion on the opponent mon 2. a super strong foul play.
  • Substitute is another necessary move, to get a free turns after paras or after Swagger since Liepard is very weak.
  • To finish, Thunder Wave that work very well like a combo with Swagger + priority sub also; or Encore that helps against sweepers and you can get a free turn.
  • Liepard is totally risky but sometimes can beat entire teams, reduces the skill; just if you feel lucky use the cat with most swag in pokemon!
OH damn just was posted on the before page :eek:nvm
Another, then.

Miscellanous Roles:


(Priority Riolu)
  • Prankster makes a priority Roar after Copycat.
  • Needs hazard support, so hazard mons mostly Stealth Rock and Spikes work very well, also a spinbloker is useful to keep hazards on the opponent field while is good because can take some priority attacks like extreme speed that beats Riolu.
  • Another thing that beat this Riolu are Protect mons that cancel Copycat and Magic Coat, so take care about them.
  • Trappers mon like pursuit users like Escavalier or Absol, Wynaur or Gothorita are a good trappers that can trap some of the priority users that beats Riolu.
 

ScraftyIsTheBest

On to new Horizons!
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Balance/Bulky Offense

Hazard Setters:


(Utility)

  • Great special bulk
  • Useful resistances to wall special attackers
  • Can set up Spikes very reliably thanks to this
  • Also has Toxic Spikes, awesome
  • 100 SpA so it's not a sitting duck
  • Natural Cure is cool to absorb status
  • It only dropped to NU because RU ladder is shit (if you don't know what I'm talking about, go use a joke team and you can easily manhandle all the noobs there)
 

TROP

BAN DRUDDIGON. FIREWALL DRAGON DID NOTHING WRONG
is a Tiering Contributor Alumnus
Hail
Ice Body mon:

(Walrein .75)
  • Basically a slightly worse Walrein that can still stall out teams with ease if it manages to set up a sub.
  • Only like 3% bulk difference in the special side when compared to Walrein, and because you are mostly setting up against special attackers, the drop in physical bulk is not a big deal.
  • Gets disable over Walrein if you really want to see your opponent rage even harder if it sets up a sub, also forces switches vs choiced attackers
  • Slightly faster than Walrein, which is enough to beat opposing Walrein, Alomomola, and Lanturn without investing in speed.
  • SmogonCC approved mon.
 
Are Camerupt, Beheeyem, and Torkoal really effective in practice? I know for a fact that Torkoal isn't that great of a spinner, being absurdly weak to special attacks, weakness to Spikes and SR, and having no recovery. Camerupt's typing is just as bad as it is good, and it's lack of recovery really hurts its viability. I can't think of a reason why I would ever consider any of these Pokemon for a team. They're incredibly niche Pokemon that are ranked low in viability. Maybe you can prove their viability with some logs or something, but this goes for everyone:

Do not post niche Pokemon. The point of this thread is to suggest the best Pokemon for each role and Pokemon that should be considered when team building. Stuff like Simipour which is mediocre and sees almost no usage doesn't belong here. If you want a Pokemon like that added, discuss it in the NP or Viability thread first.
 
Balance:

Utility:


(Substitute)

  • Great type along with a great ability: Water Absorb allows to be a great resistances for many teams and with a only weakness and terrible against Grass attacks.
  • Best set on my opinion about Seismitoad, a good average between offense, bulk and utility checking threats.
  • Run Substitute to get free against stuff like Qwilfish, Kabutops, some Wallrein and Dewgong, Alomomola, Flareon, Carracosta, Lanturn or Choice Volt Switch users.
  • Earth Power and Surf or Hydro Pump are necessary moves by STAB and coverage.
  • Finally, Sludge Bomb or Toxic, Sludge Bomb is cool since hits grass types on the switch or on the sub and has a chance (30%~) to poison the opponent, Toxic is another option for stuff like Slowking.
  • Walled totally by stuff like Roselia or Amoonguss.
 

Molk

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Offense/Bulky Offense/Balance

Physical Sweepers:

(Rock Polish)

  • One of Aggron's biggest flaws that stops it from just smashing through whole teams at once is its low speed stat, which makes it easy to revenge kill after its scored a KO with Head Smash
  • Rock Polish fixes this up pretty nicely, doubling Aggron's Speed stat and allowing to stay in and Head Smash faster opponents without fear of being outsped
  • Huge physical bulk and good resists make sure Aggron can find plenty of opportunities to set up a Rock Polish
  • Even with just a Life Orb instead of a Choice Band, Aggron's Head Smash and Heavy Slam are still massively powerful
  • Resists Extremespeed, Shadow Sneak, Sucker Punch, and Quick Attack, and has the bulk to take stray aqua jets, making it somewhat priority resistant
  • great late game cleaner
  • can still wallbreak even if it doesn't find an opportunity to set up.
 
Balance:

Physical Sweepers:


(Bulk Up)

  • Bulk Up is the main move on this set to get more Atk and Def.
  • Thanks to eviolite along with Bulk Up this set needs an specially defensive evs spread oriented.
  • With Taunt this work like a Stallbreaker against another balance / more defensive teams, preveting: WoW, Toxic, Roar/WW, Haze, boosting the opponent etc any move no offensive.
  • Return is the only attack on this set, is a bit weak but after some boost hits strong.
  • Slack Off is necessary to recover health and stall another mons or just to get more Bulk Up.
  • Vital Spirit is cool for Smeargle or stuff like Amoonguss or Jynx in a switch. Looks a bit redundant with Taunt otherwise.
  • Faster.
  • Double01 es noob s/n
 

Molk

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Offense/Balance (already in bulky offense but it should be in the others too)

Physical Sweepers:



  • Gurdurr is quite the viable fighting type despite its NFE status
  • 85/85 physical bulk bolstered by eviolite means that Gurdurr takes physical hits exceptionally well, and this is augmented further after a bulk up
  • Gurdurr can even check strong physical attackers like aggron when needed, taking head smashes and drain punching in return
  • very threatening to pretty much anything that doesn't resist fighting-type moves after a bulk up (and even some mons that do if they can't pierce gurdurr's bulk up boosted defenses
  • Guts means burning or poisoning Gurdurr just makes it stronger.
  • can revenge kill Pokemon with Mach Punch if needed, mach punch helps a lot vs offensive hail abusers especially
  • meta is a little unkind to it with things such as slowking and uxie being popular, but with proper support these can be removed and gurdurr can shine.
 

mkizzy

formerly kenny
Bulky Offense / Balance

Wall Breaker:

(Specs)
  • Tinted Lens is an excellent ability, letting it break through mons who even resist its moves.
  • 2HKOs a large chunk of the tier.
  • Bug Buzz + Air Slash + Tinted Lens = perfect neutral coverage.
  • U-turn is always nice, and the damage from it isn't miniscule considering Mothim's Attack stat + STAB.
  • Needs Rapid Spin support and then you're golden n_n
  • Better than QD :P
 

Molk

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Hail

Utility:

(Offensive Rapid Spin)

  • Kabutops works rather well on hail teams
  • packs on a fighting-type weakness which can be annoying but brings a nice 4x resistance to Fire-type moves, letting it tank Flare Blitzes and Fire Blasts for the hail abusers
  • Rapid Spin keeps SR off the field, which is great because most hailmons are weak to it\
  • hail abusers can KO tangrowth, one of Kabutops's best checks, with Blizzard, letting it run free and possibly clean up
  • Aqua Jet helps kabutops revenge kill in a pinch, especially when many threats to hail teams such as Entei and Emboar are weak to the move
  • useful outside of Rapid Spin too because of its good STABs, access to swords dance, great attack stat, and priority
 
Bulky Offense / Offense:

Special Sweeper:


(Life Orb / Special Force)
  • Great special attacker, similar to mixed but more bulky so dont need run less defense and with another special options.
  • Hydro Pump or Surf and Ice Beam, both moves are necessary. Water STAB also works great with Torrent when you're has a few HP.
  • The item that should run Samurott is Life Orb just to hit strong always or Salac Berry or Petaya berry, the pinchie berrys should be used along with Substitute to activate your berry and Torrent; also Substitute helps against stuff like Lanturn that runs Volt Switch and not Tbolt. Salac Berry is probably better since Samurott is a bit slow like special sweeper while Petaya Berry + Torrent with a good coverage and Hydro Pump with Substitute is an interesting option like wallbreaker.
  • Grass Knot or Hidden Power Grass like the third move, Grass Knot does more against the another waters such Wallrein, Slowking or Poliwrath but does nothing against Lanturn.
  • Taunt and Hidden Power Fire are a decent option too, Taunt helps against walls while that Hidden Power Fire can nails Ferroseed and you dont need risky the miss against stuff like Escavalier or Durant.
 

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