Project RU Teambuilding

[innovamania]

Edit: Finished updating really should look to see what pokemon have been taken before posting.
What not to Use:

Malamar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Superpower
- Night Slash
- Psycho Cut
- Rock Slide

Role: Physical Sweeper

What It Does: Malamar is one of many pokemon that got a lot of hype when XY came out but then it was soon learned that it's not as good as people think. The basic premise is to set up boosts with Superpower + Contrary and attempt to sweep. Night Slash and Psycho Cut offer some stab moves while rock slide covers bug types who otherwise make Malamar quake in fear and tremble at the very though of them.

Why you shouldn't use it: To start with it breaks one of the major sins of RU and competitive pokemon in general which is to not slap assault vest on random pokemon. Aside from this it also has other faults. For one it has no form of reliable recovery so it will get worn down with enough attacks. It also is extremely slow to set up and usually cant get more then 1 boost before it gets threatened out but the likes of Yanmega and Escavelier. This is impart due to it's mediocre stats (only one of which goes above base 90) and it's 4x weakness to bug types of which their are a plethora of in RU (Escavelier, Yanmega, Durant) and the fact that u-turn is extremely common. All of these factors means that Malamar is a pokemon who requires more team support then it's worth.

What Counters It: Bug types, bug types and bug types. They are the absolute end all end all to Malamar. Escavelier and Durant especially because their naturally high defense means they take little from any of Malmar's moves and even with the defense boosts threaten it out with their stab megahorns. Apart from this anything that hits extremely hard from the beginning like choice users will easily 2hko him thanks to his low stats. Status, in particular burns, will completely shut down Malamar's chances of sweeping as it'll take 2 superpowers to even mitigate the effects of burn.

Any Additional Info: So as you see Malamar is a poke that really shouldn't be used at all. It takes a lot more team support then it's worth and in the end is more of a liability then a sweeper

 

[Velits]

Just wondering; Can Sticky Web be mentioned in the Teammates section? If so, Punchshroom you should definitely mention it as Specsploud loves sticky web, since it's not that fast naturally :I

Might add a 'mon or two later if I feel like :3

What to use

Meloetta @ Assault Vest
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
- U-turn
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock / Psychic
- Focus Blast / Shadow Ball

Role: Special Tank, Late-game cleaner when physical threats are removed, Pivot to a very limited extend

What it does: Meloetta-A has a really high Special defense Stat and nice Special Attack as well, both are 128. This set aims to make those two points even better, with Assault Vest boosting that Special defense even higher (With this spread is about as bulky as Amoonguss on the special side without AV factored in). It tanks hits like Specsploud's Boomburst and Specs Delphox Fire Blast with easy. Hyper Voice is obvious and probably best STAB Move (Unless GF decides to give her Boomburst o3o). The choice between psyshock and Psychic is personal preference, Psychic has more Base Power, however Psyshock maims Special Walls. I feel like Psychic is overall more usefull since Special walls usually don't give much shit about Psyshock but meh. The last slot depend son your teams needs really. Focus Blast can be used to decimate Steels, however Shadow Ball has more neutral coverage and hits Bronzong SE.

Good Teammates: While Meloetta has juice Special Defense, her Defense is a bit disappointing, so carrying a strong Physical Wall is adviced, especially something that can take Dark moves. Also repeated assaults can take Meloetta out so Wish support is usefull, but not necessary. Lastly something that can take on strong Special walls like Cresselia is appreciated. Pokemon that learns Volt Switch/Uturn also work well with Meloetta, forming a VolTurn core which is cool.

What counters it: Like stated above, bulky Psychics like Uxie, Cresselia and, if you opt for Shadow Ball, Steel types become a problem. It is also weak to Sucker Punch and Pursuit due to being a Psychic type. Scarfed Physical attackers like Hitmonlee and Braviary dont give a fuck about her Special bulk so be sure to watch out for them as well. Also being grounded limits her switchins somewhat since this Meloetta set doesnt have a usebale draining move.

Any Additional info: I guess you can opt to replace U-turn for some other move like Grass Knot or Shadow Ball if you really think you do not need it but U-turn is definitely adviced.

It might be a bit gimmicky but I've had huge succes with AV Meloetta using Charge Beam. Ofcourse after the physical threads are cleared. Maybe some other people would like to test this as well since I'm quite inexperienced.

 

[Kevun]

Ahem, so I had some spare time:

What to use:

Drapion @ Black Sludge
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Atk
Careful nature
- Taunt
- Toxic Spikes
- Knock Off
- Whirlwind

Role: Stallbreaker, Hazard Setter

What it does: While Drapion can run a common Swords Dance set, a specially defensive set is where it truly shines. With this, it absolutely destroys common Calm Mind users like Meloetta, Slowking, Reuniclus, and Cresselia, easily tanking any boosted hit and either phazing with Whirlwind or KOing with Knock Off. Taunt, coupled with Drapion's above average speed for a defensive mon, allows Drapion to stop status, shut down walls, and prevent your opponent from using Drapion as setup fodder. Because of Drapion's Toxic immunity, it can get past most walls easily. This and Drapion's great mixed bulk provide many opportunities for Drapion to set up Toxic Spikes, which is a great boon to more balanced or stall teams. Toxic Spikes is one of the main reasons to use Drapion over Skuntank, and Drapion is undoubtedly one of the best users of the move.

Good Teammates: Drapion unfortunately has no means of reliable recovery, which means it can easily be worn down throughout the match. Wish support from things like Alomomola and Aromatisse are immensely helpful to make sure Drapion stays healthy. Because Drapion is likely to be found on more stall-ish teams, bulky walls are best paired up with Drapion to take advantage of the poison Drapion spreads around. In turn, Drapion prevents its teammates from being easy setup fodder, something which most walls have trouble with. Spinblockers are also great partners for Drapion, to ensure that Toxic Spikes are kept on the field. Gourgeist, notably, has great type synergy with Drapion.

What counters it: Dugtrio makes for a great counter to Drapion, trapping eliminating it with its STAB Earthquake. Also, while Drapion has good bulk with investment, its lack of recovery means that powerful attacks from things like Moltres can break through it.

Additional Information: This Drapion set is pretty invariant, as you'll find all of its moves hard to replace. Earthquake is a viable choice to hit Poison-types not named Amoonguss and Steel-types that like to switch into Toxic Spikes, but Drapion simply doesn't have an open slot.

Skuntank @ Black Sludge
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 HP / 228 Atk / 16 SDef / 12 Spe
Adamant nature
- Sucker Punch
- Defog
- Taunt
- Poison Jab

Role: Hazard Remover, Stallbreaker

What it does: While its typing and stats may suggest it plays a similar role to Drapion, the two are in fact different in many respects. Notably, Skuntank has access to Sucker Punch and the ever-valuable Defog, but lacks Toxic Spikes and Knock Off like Drapion. Because of this, Skuntank plays more of an offensive hazard remover as opposed to Drapion, which plays a more defensive hazard support role. Defog is what most people will use Skuntank for, and its decent bulk allows it to perform this effectively. Sucker Punch allows Skuntank to have a decent offensive presence, picking off weakened threats. Taunt gives opposing walls a hard time, and Poison Jab can be used to weaken the opponent. 12 Speed EVs outspeed minimum speed Cresslia, while 228 Attack guarantees a OHKO on Delphox with Sucker Punch. Because the invested special bulk is rather insignificant, 240 Attack EVs can be used instead to hit harder.

Good Teammates: Things that have a hard time with entry hazards like Moltres obviously benefit from Skuntank's Defog, and make great partners. Because Skuntank is easily worn down due to lack of recovery, Wish/Cleric support is also appreciated to keep Skuntank is good condition. Other than that, Skuntank is a great fit on any team due to the utility it brings.

What counters it: Braviary is a pretty big nightmare for Skuntank (and any defogger for that matter), getting a free +2 attack boost when switching into Defog. Cobalion is also a threat to Skuntank, resisting all of its common moves and outspeeding Skuntank, setting up a free Swords Dance. Otherwise, any decently powerful attacker with a STAB Ground-type move can punch a considerable hole in Skuntank.

Additional Information: Life Orb is a viable alternative to Black Sludge, increasing its offensive power but sacrificing its longevity. It's really up to you which item you want to use, and depends on the role you want Skuntank to play.

Clawitzer @ Expert Belt / Life Orb
Ability: Mega Launcher
EVs: 200 HP / 252 SAtk / 56 Spe
Modest Nature
- Scald
- Dark Pulse
- Aura Sphere
- Ice Beam

Role: Bulky Attacker

What it does: With Mega Launcher, its powerful base 120 attack, relatively decent bulk, and its great coverage, Clawitzer is a formidable special attacker. Expert Belt is a great choice on Clawitzer due to its coverage destroying common switch-ins to percieved Choice-locked moves. For example, Ice Beam nails Tangrowth, Virizion, and other bulky grass types that switch into a Scald. Similarly, Dark Pulse nails Slowbro and Jellicent. A Cobalion who thinks he can set up for free due to a choice-locked Dark Pulse suddenly finds himself KOed by an Aura Sphere. However, this is likely to only surprise your opponent one time, so a Life Orb might be used for more power instead. Scald is usually a superior option to Water Pulse, since even pokemon resistant to Scald are threatened to be crippled by a burn. Water Pulse can have more power, but Scald is easily much more spammable. While Dragon Pulse has better neutral coverage, Ice Beam is a much better option to defeat Grass-types like Tangrowth. The 56 Speed EVs are invested to outspeed minimum speed Emboar, before you get nailed by a super effective Wild Charge. Ultimately, Clawitzer's power and coverage allows it to severely weaken the opposing team.

Good teammates: Because of Clawitzer's low speed, Trick Room support is very beneficial (where in that case, a 0 IV Quiet nature should be used instead). Moreover, Expert Belt Clawitzer is a great lure for things like Slowbro and Cobalion, so teammates who appreciate them weakened will benefit from Clawitzer, like Cobalion. Things that can defeat walls like Gastrodon and Aromatisse are also great partners. Grass-types like Tangrowth, Amoonguss, and Virizion also make good parters, since they resist the many Grass and Electric-type attacks aimed at Clawitzer.

What counters it: Clawitzer's main downfall is its horrible speed, and so anything that is faster and carries a super effective move can revenge kill it, like Heliolisk, Sceptile, and Virizion. Furthermore, walls such as the previously mentioned Gastrodon and specially defensive Aromatisse can take anything Clawitzer throws at them. Clawtizer also has trouble defeating Assault Vest Escavalier, which can tank any hit and hit back hard with Megahorn.

Additional Information: Choice Specs can be used instead to turn this thing into a powerful wallbreaker, but since Clawitzer heavily relies on its great coverage to get past many things, an Expert Belt or Life Orb generally suits it better. Also, don't use Assault Vest.


Phew, that took a while...

 

[Punchshroom]

Is there any reason to run timid over modest? Even with modest you still outspeed base 90 scarfers (so meloetta I guess?). delphox's spa isn't all that high to begin with, you might as well give it some more power.

Sorry for the late reply, but Timid Scarf Delphox can outrun +2 neutral Slurpuff; Modest Scarf Fox cannot.

 

[trc]

I've updated up to here and removed Ambipom from the "What not to use" section. Good job guys, keep it coming.

 

[EonX]

How the fuck does Cobalion not have a single set yet? Fixing that now and adding an old favorite that got a buff:

What to use:

Cobalion @ Leftovers
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spe
Nature: Naive
- Stealth Rock
- Iron Head
- Close Combat
- Volt Switch

Role: Hazard Setter, maybe Pivot and Lead?

What it Does: With a great base 108 Speed and high base 129 Defense, Cobalion makes for a fast, yet durable user of Stealth Rock. This is a great Rocks user for offensive-minded teams as Cobalion is capable of dealing some quick damage after it has set up Stealth Rock. Iron Head is the primary STAB move due to its reliability and lack of defensive drops. Close Combat provides Cobaion with some extra power to dent the likes of Rhyperior and Registeel should the need arise. Volt Switch is a really odd move for a Pokemon of Cobalion's typing, but considering most Electric-immune Pokemon won't be willing to come in, it allows Cobalion to build momentum reliably. The EV spread simply maximizes Cobalion's damage output while not nerfing the power of Volt Switch, since it can do a decent amount of damage to the likes of Moltres. Leftovers is the item of choice so Cobalion can take some extra hits and its first job is to keep Stealth Rock on the field.

Good Teammates: Froslass is a solid partner to form a hazard-setting core with Cobalion and neither is really easy to setup on. Pokemon like Sharpedo, Delphox, Moltres, and Heliolisk that can otherwise struggle to find many switch-in opportunities appreciate Cobalion's Volt Switch to give them extra chances to wreak havoc. Most Ghost- and Psychic-types such as Reuniclus, Cofagrigus, and the aforementioned Delphox appreciate Cobalion's ability to absorb Knock Off for them.

What Counters It: Golbat is probably the easiest way to keep this Cobalion from doing much since it has the bulk to tank Iron Head all day, doesn't take a ton from Volt Switch, and has Defog to get rid of the Stealth Rock that Cobalion sets. Moltres isn't too fond of Volt Switch, but it resists Cobalion's STAB combination and wrecks it with Fire Blast. Gligar is another annoying Defog user that simply doesn't care about anything Cobalion tries to do to it. Cresselia and Reuniclus can easily handle Cobalion's unboosted Iron Heads and begin setting up for a potential sweep.

Additional Info: Lum Berry is an option to get a free pass on status ailments. Life Orb can juice up Cobalion's attacks, but generally isn't worth it to give up the decent bulk. If Volt Switch isn't doing much for you, Taunt is an option to prevent slower hazard users from doing much of anything. Switch to a Jolly nature and allocate Special Attack EVs to Defense in this case. If Close Combat's defense drops are a turn off, you could try Sacred Sword. Power drop sucks though.

Braviary @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Nature: Jolly / Adamant
- Brave Bird
- Super Power
- Return
- U-turn

Role: Revenge Killer, Late-game Cleaner

What it Does: Choice Scarf Braviary is a threat that a fair amount of people slept on in BW, but XY made it that much better. With the buff to Defog, Braviary becomes one of the best anti-Defog Pokemon in RU. Why is this? Because, even if Defog doesn't come up in a battle, Braviary is fully capable of pulling its weight. With great power, above average bulk, and solid Speed, Braviary makes for a reliable revenge killer and late-game cleaner. Brave Bird is Braviary's strongest move and will almost always take out any offensive-inclined Pokemon that lacks a resistance. Super Power allows Braviary to deal some serious damage to Rock- and Steel-types such as Rhyperior, Registeel, and Bronzong. Return is a safer STAB option that allows Braviary to revenge kill targets reliably when the power of Brave Bird just isn't necessary. U-turn finishes the set by giving Braviary a scouting move to build momentum with and lure out checks and counters. The EV spread is simple for a physical Choice Scarf user. Jolly is the primary nature of choice to outspeed as many things as possible, but Adamant can allow Braviary to clean up sooner.

Good Teammates: VoltTurn teams couldn't dream of a better Choice Scarf user since it deters Defog to remove the hazard such teams rely on and it has great synergy with most members. Electric-types such as Heliolisk, Rotom-C, and Eelektross can handle most of what Braviary struggles with. Heliolisk in particular can take a dump on Rhyperior and Registeel (it will need Focus Blast for the latter, though) while having great natural Speed to revenge kill some of the slower offensive threats in the tier. Since Braviary's checks and counters largely consist of Rock- and Steel-types, using Dugtrio to trap and remove these threats off of a well-timed U-turn is a good option. Rapid Spin and Defog support is nice as Braviary isn't a fan of Stealth Rock at all. Kabutops shares good synergy with Braviary, sans the shared Electric weakness, while Shiftry is one of the better Defog users to use on offensive teams Braviary should be used on.

What Counters It: Rhyperior, Registeel, and Bronzong are all a pain in the ass thanks to their bulk and resistance to Braviary's STAB moves. Faster Choice Scarf users such as Rotom-C and Heliolisk can't switch-in on Braviary, but they are more than capable of revenge killing the eagle. Stealth Rock can quickly shorten Braviary's lifespan, especially in conjunction with Brave Bird recoil, so anything that sets it up can indirectly check Braviary. This would include Cobalion, Druddigon, as well as the best defensive answers to Braviary in Rhyperior, Registeel, and Bronzong. Cofagrigus can tank a hit, remove Defiant with Mummy, and cripple Braviary with Will-O-Wisp to render the eagle useless the rest of the match.

Any Additional Info: To elaborate on the Jolly vs. Adamant deal, Jolly allows Braviary to stay in front of as many things as possible to be a more reliable revenge killer while Adamant provides a power boost to allow Braviary to clean up teams with less prior damage necessary. Braviary can do both with either nature, but it will favor revenge killing with Jolly and it will be better at late-game cleaning with Adamant.

 

[g]

I am not sure about Magmortar. There is little reason to use it over Moltres or Delphox as a wallbreaker. It is slower than these two and with Expert Belt it can't even reliably break Slowking with Thunderbolt who can be 2hkoed by Specs Moltres and Delphox (abeilt the lattet needs a bit of prior damage).
And Hidden power grass doesn't OHKO Rhyperior all the time even if he is switching into Fire Blast. Aromatisse is also walling Magmortar avoiding the 2HKO from any move even after stealth rock without Choice Specs. Choice Specs Magmortar is strong but it is still outclassed by both thanks to their higher speed and secondary STAB allowing them to break more walls.

 

[Galladium]

I am not sure about Magmortar. There is little reason to use it over Moltres or Delphox as a wallbreaker. It is slower than these two and with Expert Belt it can't even reliably break Slowking with Thunderbolt who can be 2hkoed by Specs Moltres and Delphox (abeilt the lattet needs a bit of prior damage).
And Hidden power grass doesn't OHKO Rhyperior all the time even if he is switching into Fire Blast. Aromatisse is also walling Magmortar avoiding the 2HKO from any move even after stealth rock without Choice Specs. Choice Specs Magmortar is strong but it is still outclassed by both thanks to their higher speed and secondary STAB allowing them to break more walls.

I agree. Having personally used Magmortar, there is no real reason to use it when Delphox exists. It probably should be added to the "What not to use" section, as there are much better choices.

 

[Punchshroom]

TRC. The Clawitzer post has 'Slowbro' instead of Slowking. Might want to take care of that.

Also agreeing with galbia and Galladium about HollowRidley's post. Magmortar faces severe competition from Delphox as it is, and its Electric + Fighting coverage do not cover a lot that Delphox's STABs + Grass Knot would miss out on. Delphox even knows Calm Mind, which would make it a better wallbreaker in essence. Due to Delphox's coverage, I can argue that CM + 3 attacks Delphox can even be classified as a wallbreaker as well, due to its coverage.

Now for my own shit.

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

Role: Late-game Cleaner

What it Does: Swellow's combination of power and speed is a marvel to behold. Capable of outspeeding almost all of the unboosted tier and overpowering the majority of them, Swellow can very easily close up games simply because the opponent lacks the means to outspeed it and weather its assaults. Swellow is fast enough to outspeed Choice Scarf Emboar, and has enough strength to OHKO the same Emboar with nothing but a boosted Facade (not even Brave Bird, mind you!). Most other speedy Pokemon, such as Cinccino, Heliolisk, Virizion, and Delphox, have even lower bulk than Emboar, making them very easy pickings for Swellow.

Good Teammates: Dugtrio can easily trap the Rock- and Steel-types that otherwise wall Swellow cold, as Swellow easily lures them in and U-turns to Dugtrio to dispose of them. Wallbreaker teammates, such as Clawitzer and Emboar, can lay the hurt on most Swellow counters, and appreciate Swellow's ability to force out Pokemon and bring themselves in safely with U-turn. Most of Swellow's checks are grounded, so having Spikes or even Toxic Spikes can go a long way in wearing them down, with hazard setters such as Crustle and Drapion being suited for the job. VoltTurn-using teammates, especially slower users, can help Swellow activate its status orb without risking damage or needing to run Protect; Eelektross, Rotom-C, and Clawitzer can do this nicely. Rapid Spin and Defog support is very crucial if not mandatory, as status takes its toll on Swellow enough as it is, and Stealth Rock would cut into its lifespan even more. Kabutops can lure out Grass-types, Hitmonlee beats up Rock- and Steel-types, and Shiftry's STABs wreck a lot of Swellow responses, all of them knowing Knock Off for good measure.

What Counters It: Basically any Rock- or Steel-type stops Swellow from doing much bar U-turning, although extremely bulky Pokemon such as Gligar, Alomomola, and Cresselia also make good responses. Priority and Choice Scarf Pokemon (unless they are as slow as Emboar) helps in keeping Swellow in check, should they remain healthy enough to survive Quick Attack. Stealth Rock can ward off Swellow until its anti-hazard teammates get rid of the hazard, which can buy one a chance to retaliate.

Additional Information: Flame Orb can be used if one expects Swellow to stay in battle for more than 3 turns at a time. Protect can still be used if VoltTurn is difficult to fit on your team. Pursuit dooms weakened Pokemon, or Dark-weak Pokemon such as Delphox and Mismagius.

Shiftry @ Life Orb
Ability: Chlorophyll / Pickpocket
EVs: 252 Atk / 64 SpA / 192 Spe
Nature: Naughty
- Defog
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Leaf Storm / Giga Drain

Role: Hazard Remover

What it Does: Shiftry has an incredible STAB combination that threatens a wide variety of Pokemon, and it uses that trait to create free Defog opportunities for its teammates. It may be frail, but what it lacks in bulk it makes up for in sheer damage output, especially with its usable mixed offenses and wide offensive movepool, which also gives it something to do when not Defogging. A Defogger that hardly gives up any sort of offensive presence, it is worth a look for teams in need of a supporter that doesn't slow them down.

Good Teammates: Keep in mind that Shiftry is the one doing the supporting with Defog, so its teammates should capitalize on it. Defog-loving teammates obviously benefit the most from Shiftry's support. Not only do the likes of Delphox, Moltres, Swellow, and Yanmega like having Stealth Rock out of their lives, but all of them also appreciate Shiftry's holepunching prowess, be it crippling opponents with Knock Off or smacking them with Grass STAB, which the majority of their counters dislike. However, even with its good coverage, Shiftry often finds itself at the mercy of the musketeers, or Defiant Braviary should it fail to predict correctly. Rotom-S and Doublade can help keep these threats in check very well, preventing Shiftry from potentially becoming a viability for the team.

What Counters It: Cobalion, and Virizion, Emboar and even Combusken resists Shiftry's STABs, meaning they have little to fear from Shiftry and either use it for free setup opportunities or simply KO it before it Defogs. Braviary switch-ins can discourage Defog, though the combination of Knock Off and Sucker Punch would put Braviary in a losing position instead. Shiftry has several weaknesses, but faster Pokemon have to be wary about its powerful Sucker Punch while the slower ones have to worry about taking too much damage. KOing Shiftry is usually very easy, the problem is preventing Shiftry from Defogging or/and doing too much (or even irreparable) damage to your team; laying down hazards and keeping one's hazard setter out of harm's way while applying constant offensive pressure can prevent Shiftry from going for Defog easily.

Additional Information: This is Shiftry's biggest asset: the ability to customise its set with various moves or EVs to suit the team's needs while remaining effective due to its mixed offenses and strong STABs. The aforementioned set has enough Speed to outrun Adamant Slurpuff (likely the fastest threat Shiftry would want to outrun) while packing special Grass STAB instead of physical Grass STAB due to the immense physical bulk most RU Ground-types possess, but more speed (or less), an incline towards Special Attack over Attack (with Dark Pulse in tow), or even certain coverage and lure moves can be used to better support its teammates or itself, depending on what its team requires. For example, Low Kick can be used to weaken Registeel for Yanmega and keeps Cobalion from waltzing in on Shiftry, while a well-timed Explosion can cripple the likes of unsuspecting Druddigon and Aromatisse, paving the way for its teammates to sweep. Shiftry's potential to run so many powerful supporting moves in conjuction with Defog can be tremendously useful for offensive teams.

 

[phantom]

What to use:

Magmortar @ Expert Belt
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]

I completely disagree with this. As a Pokemon on its own, Magmortar isn't a bad per say, but it's outclassed by Delphox which possess Calm Mind and higher Speed, which makes it good against both of offense and defense. I can't think of a reason to use this over Delphox, it's slower and has no way to boost its stats, which makes it a bit easier to play around. On top of which, its low Speed and one-dimensional characteristics makes it rather easy to snipe and prepare for. At least Delphox can run multiple sets, this thing can just do one and it's still outclassed in that regard. In short, Magmortar isn't an example of what to use, but rather, what not to use.

 

[jjoshcja]

What to use:

(Magneton) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 72 HP / 252 SAtk / 184 Spd
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Grass]


Role: Wallbreaker

What It Does: I'll let you guys in on a little secret, specs analytic Magneton (henceforth referred too as maggy) is one of if not the best wallbreakers in the RU tier. When equipped with a set of stylish spectacles maggys modest special attack skyrockets to a whopping 557 when fully invested combine this with the ability analytic's effect of granting a free life orb every time maggy moves second and suddenly absolutely nothing really wants to swap in on even resisted hits from this monster. Furthermore maggy has a fantastic typing granting it resistances to a whopping 10 types allowing it to swap in and abuse its absurdly powerful volt switches many, many times over the course of a match. The given EV's allow maggy to outspeed modest specs Exploud and Clawitzer while maximizing special attack and bulk and Electric/Steel/Grass provides perfect neutral coverage.

Good Teammates: Magneton works amazingly well with hazard support making it an ideal partner in crime for bulky spike stackers such as Roselia, and Quillfish as maggy adores the resistances both provide and the clean ohko's that hazards generate while fish and rose benifit greatly from maggys ability to straight up abuse common defoggers. Speaking of defog Braviary and Golbat make a fantastic volturn partners for maggy as they both pack that nifty flyign typing to get away from annoying EQ's and both love damage on rock, steel, and electric types. Grass types such as Virizion benefit greatly from maggys ability to swap in freely on flying moves and love the decimation of bulky grass types and finnaly fairies such as Granbull and Aromathingy love maggys resistances as it quad resists steel and is immune to poison.

What Counters It: The combination of HP grass, Volt switch, and Flash cannon along with maggys absurd power make it exceptionally difficult to counter what with analytic boosting its hits on the switchin and volt switch letting it escape combat whenever it damn well pleases. The better way to deal with maggy is to simply outspeed the little bugger and smash it around with powerful SE or even neutral moves moves as its bulk is frankly terrible. Or if you really hate the little magnet dugtrio can trapkill it on a revenge kill.

Additional Information: Maggy can run a bulky eviloite set over spectacles however the loss of damage is drastic. Steel trapping magnet rise sets can be run but....dugtrio is in the tier and preforms the job far better.

 

[pipasonze]

What to use:

Hitmontop (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Close Combat
- Toxic
- Foresight / Sucker Punch
Role: Hazard Remover, Physical Wall

What It Does: Hitmontop is the best defensive rapid spinner in RU. Even with the existance of a renewed Defog, Rapid Spin is very valuable (mainly because it doesn't remove your own hazards) and this guy is one of the best pokemon to use it effectively. It has impressive physical bulk with maximum investment, thanks to Intimidate, and has resistances to Dark, Rock and Bug, meaning it is also a good switch-in to Knock Offs. Close Combat is a strong, accurate STAB move (CC>HJK because Ghosts swith in a lot anyway) and Foresight so that you can spin even on supposed spinblockers; alternitively, Sucker Punch can be used to finish weakened faster targets because of its priority. Toxic is meant to be used on Ghost-types that block Rapid Spin or bulky pokemon that trouble your team and wear them down.

Good Teammates: Any pokemon with a SR weakness enjoys Hitmontop's support, examples being Moltres, Delphox and Yanmega; it can also switch in on Rock-type moves aimed at these pokemon. In terms of synergy, it's good to have someone to take on Psychic, Ghost and Flying types that set up on or kill Top, like Drapion and Rhyperior, respectively. Drapion and other Dark-types can also eliminate the Ghosts that block Rapid Spin. Because Top has no recovery bar Lefties and is crippled by burns or Toxic, it functions a lot better with the support of a cleric and Wish passer, like Aromatisse.

What Counters It: The pokemon that give Hitmontop the most trouble are Ghost-types, because they block Rapid Spin and are immune to Close Combat, like Froslass, who can Taunt it and start setting Spikes, and Cofafrigus, who sets up with Nasty Plot or burns Hitmontop (and if it has Rest, doesn't even care about Toxic). Psychic and Fairy types also use Top as setup bait, examples being Delphox(CM), Cresselia (SubCM), and Slurpuff (SubBD). It cannot switch in on pokemon with Defiant/Competitive (like Braviary), because Intimidate gives them a boost.

Any Additional Info: Hitmontop is best suited to more defensive teams, using entry hazards and status to weaken opponents while keeping your own field free of hazards. There are other options for Hitmontop's last moveslot, like: Stone Edge, which has good coverage with CC; Mach Punch, for a more reliable priority move; or Fake Out.

 

[The Leprechaun]

What to use:

Hitmontop (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Close Combat
- Toxic
- Sucker Punch
Role: Hazard Remover, Physical Wall

What It Does: Hitmontop is the best defensive rapid spinner in RU. Even with the existance of a renewed Defog, Rapid Spin is very valuable (mainly because it doesn't remove your own hazards) and this guy is one of the best pokemon to use it effectively. It has impressive physical bulk with maximum investment, thanks to Intimidate, and has resistances to Dark, Rock and Bug, meaning it is also a good switch-in to Knock Offs. Close Combat is a strong, accurate STAB move (CC>HJK because Ghosts swith in a lot anyway) and Sucker Punch can be used to finish weakened faster targets because of its priority. Toxic is meant to be used on Ghost-types that block Rapid Spin or bulky pokemon that trouble your team and wear them down.

Good Teammates: Any pokemon with a SR weakness enjoys Hitmontop's support, examples being Moltres, Delphox and Yanmega; it can also switch in on Rock-type moves aimed at these pokemon. In terms of synergy, it's good to have someone to take on Psychic, Ghost and Flying types that set up on or kill Top, like Drapion and Rhyperior, respectively. Drapion and other Dark-types can also eliminate the Ghosts that block Rapid Spin. Because Top has no recovery bar Lefties and is crippled by burns or Toxic, it functions a lot better with the support of a cleric and Wish passer, like Aromatisse.

What Counters It: The pokemon that give Hitmontop the most trouble are Ghost-types, because they block Rapid Spin and are immune to Close Combat, like Froslass, who can Taunt it and start setting Spikes, and Cofafrigus, who sets up with Nasty Plot or burns Hitmontop (and if it has Rest, doesn't even care about Toxic). Psychic and Fairy types also use Top as setup bait, examples being Delphox(CM), Cresselia (SubCM), and Slurpuff (SubBD).

Any Additional Info: Hitmontop is best suited to more defensive teams, using entry hazards and status to weaken opponents while keeping your own field free of hazards. There are other options for Hitmontop's last moveslot, like: Foresight, to be able to spin on Ghosts; Stone Edge, which has good coverage with CC; and Mach Punch, for a more reliable priority move; or Fake Out.

Foresight + spin is hitmontop's main niche. Without foresight, it's often completely dead weight as the best it can do against a spinblocker is toxic and it doesn't perform its job of physical wall all that well. If you don't even have it slashed there's something wrong :/

 

[DGpegasus]

Foresight + spin is hitmontop's main niche. Without foresight, it's often completely dead weight as the best it can do against a spinblocker is toxic and it doesn't perform its job of physical wall all that well. If you don't even have it slashed there's something wrong :/

Defiant/Competetive users also wreck Hitmontop on a predicted switch/lead. I recommend adding that to the counters list.

 

[Dustflier]

I completely disagree with this. As a Pokemon on its own, Magmortar isn't a bad per say, but it's outclassed by Delphox which possess Calm Mind and higher Speed, which makes it good against both of offense and defense. I can't think of a reason to use this over Delphox, it's slower and has no way to boost its stats, which makes it a bit easier to play around. On top of which, its low Speed and one-dimensional characteristics makes it rather easy to snipe and prepare for. At least Delphox can run multiple sets, this thing can just do one and it's still outclassed in that regard. In short, Magmortar isn't an example of what to use, but rather, what not to use.

Hmm, I guess your right, blame my blind fanboyism lol. I've updated it with the tag what not to use, and I'll edit the post to reflect that. Hopefully he can do work in NU ;-;

EDIT: Ok it's updated, sorry about that

 

[badgerbadges]

Foresight + spin is hitmontop's main niche. Without foresight, it's often completely dead weight as the best it can do against a spinblocker is toxic and it doesn't perform its job of physical wall all that well. If you don't even have it slashed there's something wrong :/

Perhaps he runs shadow tag gothorita to trap and kill ghosts? Thats about all i can think of

 

[DGpegasus]

Perhaps he runs shadow tag gothorita to trap and kill ghosts? Thats about all i can think of

Ghost types are the ones who can't be trapped lol

 

[aVocado]

I'm surprised there is no bug.

What to use:

Broke Bug

Venomoth @ Focus Sash / Black Sludge
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Baton Pass
- Sleep Powder
- Bug Buzz

Role: Special sweeper, Support.

What it does: Venomoth is a very good Pokemon because it can do two things very well. One of them is using the combination of Quiver Dance, Sleep Powder, and Baton Pass to easily set-up and then baton pass the boosts to another Pokemon to accomplish a sweep. The other, is use it's combination of the aforementioned moves to sweep on its own, using Bug Buzz in conjunction with Tinted Lens as an ability, which makes not-very-effective hits do double the damage, effectively hitting Pokemon that resist Bug Buzz for neutral damage, and Pokemon that take quarter the damage (quad resist it) take half. Those two things make Venomoth a very serious threat in the RU metagame.

Good teammates: Anything that enjoys SpA and Spe boosts can make a good teammate. Exploud is the first to come to mind because it's ridiculously strong with a Specs and has a base 140 power STAB move with no drawbacks and that is only stopped by Pokemon with Soundproof as their ability. Moreover, Exploud really appreciates the Speed boosts more than anything else because it lacks some speed of its own, so a boost or two really help it sweep offensive teams, while it also benefits from the SpD boosts as its bulk isn't that good. Delphox and Moltres serve as other examples of good recipients, but the Stealth Rock weakness might be too much, as you generally don't have time to remove hazards when baton passing if they're already up.

What counters it: Assault Vest Escavalier is the best counter you'll ever ask for versus Venomoth, as it has Overcoat to block Sleep Powder, and doesn't mind taking a boosted Bug Buzz, while Iron Head in return does a hefty amount. SD Virizion is also a solid counter, as it is immune to Sleep Powder and is very bulky on the special side so it can take a Bug Buzz or two and retaliate with Stone Edge followed by Leaf Blade, which KOs the bug. There isn't much that can directly switch into Venomoth after that, as the things that are immune to Sleep Powder (Grass-types) either don't like taking a boosted Bug Buzz, or are set-up bait for the bug.

Any Additional Info: borked bug is borked. Wonder Skin can be used, as it can reduce status moves' accuracy by half, which means that some Pokemon won't be able to Taunt you sometimes, but Tinted Lens is generally better to make the bug able to sweep on its own, if there aren't any quad resists to Bug Buzz like Moltres or Cobalion, which also can counter Venomoth somewhat, but they don't like the sleep.

 

[pipasonze]

Foresight + spin is hitmontop's main niche. Without foresight, it's often completely dead weight as the best it can do against a spinblocker is toxic and it doesn't perform its job of physical wall all that well. If you don't even have it slashed there's something wrong :/

Edited the post and slashed Foresight in first place (personally, I don't find it useful at all, but the other options are pretty bad as well).

Saying that Foresight + Rapid Spin is its main niche implies that without the former, Hitmontop is outclassed by another pokemon, which I don't think is true.

 

[The Leprechaun]

Nice OTR power :]]

Reuniclus @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spd / 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball


Role: Late Game Cleaner, Special Sweeper

What It Does: Quite simply, sets up Trick Room and proceeds to destroy everything. Reuniclus is one of the hardest hitters in the tier with a special attack stat only being outdone by meloetta but, unlike meloetta, reuniclus can always afford to run life orb and modest, making it effectively the strongest special attacker in ru. Once it uses Trick Room it is sure to "outspeed" everything thanks to its very low base speed and then it uses its near perfect super effective coverage to clean the field of any opposing mons. Its ability, Magic Guard, only helps it further in sweeping by allowing it multiple switch ins into all layers of hazards and leaving it healthy enough to set up a Trick Room successfully. It's because of all these reason that OTR fetus is the bane of fast, offensive teams; they can't keep up or take a hit from this man.

Good Teammates: Hazard support is massive for weakening foes into KO range for reun so mons like Froslass, support Drapion and anything with rocks end up supporting it. Other slow mons also benefit Trick Room it sets up so Mega Abomasnow, Slowking and Rhyperior are all good partners. Finally, as you're basically concentrating on weakening the opponents pokes, volt turn is great for racking up enough damage to ensure a sweep, this includes mons like eelektross, swellow, braviary and heliolisk.

What Counters It: Support drapion is by far the best answer to reun as it can tank all other moves, prevent trick room with taunt, and hit hard back with Knock Off. Various assault vest users can also stop it in its tracks, this group includes Escavalier, Tangrowth, Meloetta and, to an extent, Slowking. Strong sucker punches are fantastic for offensively checking Reun so Skuntank, Emboar, Druddigon and Zoroark are all massive threats to it.

Any Additional Info: There isn't much, if you really want to check sleep powders, running overcoat can prevent opposing venomoth or vivillion sweeps. Running Signal Beam over Shadow ball allows you to hit dark (without haveing to rely on focus blast) and psychic types but leaves you open to ghosts and there is a big decrease in power.

 

[New Breed]

What to use

Hitmonlee (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Mach Punch / Stone Edge
- Rapid Spin


Role: Hazard Remover, Wallbreaker

What It Does: Hitmonlee is perhaps the best Pokemon in RU right now, Knock Off getting a buff this gen turns Hitmonlee into an insane threat giving it the ability to beat many Psychic and Ghost types that it usually struggled with, which is also what turns it into one of the best Rapid Spinners in the tier. Reckless HJK literally OHKO's everything in the tier that doesn't resist it and still manages to 2HKO a huge chunck of the Pokemon that do resist. Mach Punch is extremely valuable to have allowing you to potentially revenge some faster threats that may have been weakened but Stone Edge is also an option to OHKO any Flying types such as Moltres that might try to switch in.

Good Teammates: In general Dark types make excellent teammates for Hitmonlee as even though with access to Knock Off it has the ability to beat many Ghost and Psychic types it appreciates having them removed by a Pursuit user such as Skuntank or Drapion to ease prediction. Choice Specs Zoroark is also one of the best Hitmonlee partners due to it's ability to lure out and weaken it's limited counters in Gligar and Weezing.

What Counters It: Hitmonlee's counters are very limited, the two best counters in the tier are Gligar and Weezing due to their typing and bulk with Gligar being able to Roost off any damage and the latter being able to burn Hitmonlee with Will-O-Wisp. Doublade gets an honourable mention for being able to tank 2 Knock Off's and do massive damage back to Hitmonlee.

Any Additional Info: A Choice Scarf set is extremely viable since alot of teams rely on outspeeding Hitmonlee instead of packing a dedicated wall to switch in. An Endure Liechi Berry Unburdun set is also possible if you can remove Hail from Mega Abomasnow and priority.

 

[phantom]

What to use

Zangoose (M) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Toxic Boost
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Facade
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Quick Attack / Swords Dance

Role: Wallbreaker; Physical sweeper

What it does: Zangoose is a fantastic wallbreaker and physical sweeper in RU, capable of 2HKOing the entire tier with just the boost from its ability! Its Facade is mainly the most spammable move, easily slicing through physical walls such as Gligar, Tangrowth, and Alomomola. Close Combat allows Zangoose to 2HKO Rhyperior as well as almost every Steel-type in the tier. This is where Knock Off comes in, as it destroys Ghost-types such as Cofagrigus, Mismagius, and Doublade attempting to play around it. Quick Attack lets Zangoose pick off weakened threats such as Sharpedo and gives it a fairly decent priority move to counteract slower Sucker Punches and the like. However, should Zangoose have the appropriate support (sticky web or memento), then Swords Dance can turn all of its 2HKOes into OHKOes, as there are very few Pokemon in the tier capable of surviving its attacks at +2.

Good teammates: Zangoose needs very little support to work well, but Stealth Rock is a given, really. If possible, Zoroark can also make a great partner, as it can lure out many of Zangoose's checks and OHKO them while providing Memento support in order for Zangoose to set up a Swords Dance. Also, Sticky Web from Shuckle also works well with Zangoose, as it prevents it from being revenge killed by faster threats such as Cobalion and Virizion.

What counters it: Nothing! The way to beat Zangoose is to exploit the seeping Toxic damage by switching around to resists and Protect spam, though this can be risky as one false move will likely lead to one of your Pokemon being taken out. As for offensive teams, the main way to deal with Zangoose is to revenge kill it; thankfully, it's not the fastest Pokemon around nor does it have the most powerful priority move, so it's easy enough to take out.

Any Additional Info: Jolly vs Adamant is just a matter of preference, really. Jolly would probably be better fit to counteract offense so that Zangoose outspeeds as much as it needs to because its frailty and constant bombardment with poison damage means it can't afford to take a powerful hit. Adamant is generally better if you're meaning to counteract stall, as the extra power can be mighty useful.

#MangooseHype

 

[aVocado]

Pulled this right out of my ass old team with Milotic:

What to use:

Meowstic @ Light Clay
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 12 SDef / 248 HP / 248 Def
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Thunder Wave
- Psychic

Role: Support

What it does: Meowstic has a very specific role, and it is very hard to stop it from doing it for a number of reasons. It very reliably sets up Reflect and Light Screen, which provide incredible support for the rest of the team, while also spreading paralysis as a last-resort emergency check to boosting sweepers and faster opponents. Needless to say, Thunder Wave for offensive teams is very annoying, let alone a guaranteed, priority Thunder Wave against said offensive teams! As mentioned, it's hard to stop Meowstic from doing its job because it has Prankster, which is the ability that makes Meowstic such an amazing team supporter. EVs are set to give as much bulk as possible, while Psychic gives it an attacking option to not be extreme Taunt bait (although with Prankster, it's screens/twave will always go first). It's also worth mentioning that Meowstic can set-up dual screens more than once in the game, if need be.


Good teammates: Set-up sweepers really love Meowstic's support. Specifically, Barbaracle, Tyrantrum, Venomoth, Vivillon, Delphox and Specs Exploud. All of the mentioned Pokemon really love being behind screens, and in Exploud's case, it really likes its opponent's paralyzed since its a bit too slow against offensive teams. Barbaracle can abuse the screens with Shell Smash, Tyrantrum with Dragon Dance, Venomoth with Quiver Dance (and it can also utilize Baton Pass), Vivillon also with Quiver Dance, and Delphox with CM or Specs. Meowstic is a very handy support for hyper offensive teams.

What counters it: As explained before, it's very hard to prevent Meowstic from setting up dual screens and doing it's job, however, it can still be countered. It has no form of recovery, so continual offensive pressure will eventually kill it. Also, Defog effectively removes your screens, so make sure there aren't any Defoggers or that said Defogger doesn't have a chance to come in and remove your screens. Moreover, it usually wants to switch out after setting up screens, so Pursuit trapping it can be effective.

Additional Info:

Barbaracle @ Life Orb / White Herb
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Razor Shell
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Role: Physical Sweeper

What it does: Barbaracle is a very dangerous physical sweeper, simply because it has good enough bulk to let it survive a neutral hit, set-up, and muscle its way through the opponent's team easily. With an Adamant nature, Life Orb, Tough Claws, and Shell Smash, Barbaracle becomes very scary at +2, being able to KO any slightly weakened wall, and OHKO a lot of frailer Pokemon. Razor Shell is the STAB of choice because it's boosted by Tough Claws, making its base power equal to that of Stone Edge's, while having better accuracy than the latter. Stone Edge, on the other hand, is used to hit Pokemon that aren't hit as hard by Razor Shell, examples are Tangrowth and Alomomola, which Barbaracle can beat (2HKOs both with LO assuming they're 252/252+ Def) given the fact that they have been weakened enough, which usually isn't a lot. It's also worth noting that it effectively OHKOs Amoonguss and Slowking at +2 LO, while having a 12.5% chance to OHKO Virizion with SR on the field. And finally, Earthquake is good neutral coverage, for when you think it's enough to kill a Pokemon and don't want to risk Razor Shell or Stone Edge to miss.

Good teammates: Barbaracle really appreciates Stealth Rock in the field, so a good user of that is very appreciated. It has good synergy with Druddigon, so that's a good teammate. Registeel is another candidate, too, but they have a shared Ground weakness, so beware of that. It also likes dual screen support, which makes Meowstic a very good teammate.

What counters it: If it's using Life Orb, then it will often weaken itself to the point where a relatively strong priority attack will kill it. Mach Punch from Hitmonlee, or Sucker Punch from Life Orb Zoroark. Basically, revenge-killing it with priority is always effective assuming it's non-White Herb. A healthy Tangrowth with max HP will always live a +2 Life Orb Stone Edge assuming it's at 100% health, otherwise it'll OHKO. Otherwise, not many things stand up to its face.

Any additional info:

 

[Expulso]

Pulled this right out of my ass old team with Milotic:

Barbaracle @ Life Orb / White Herb
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spd / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Razor Shell
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake

Role: Physical Sweeper

What it does: Barbaracle is a very dangerous physical sweeper, simply because it has good enough bulk to let it survive a neutral hit, set-up, and muscle its way through the opponent's team easily. With an Adamant nature, Life Orb, Tough Claws, and Shell Smash, Barbaracle becomes very scary at +2, being able to KO any slightly weakened wall, and OHKO a lot of frailer Pokemon. Razor Shell is the STAB of choice because it's boosted by Tough Claws, making its base power equal to that of Stone Edge's, while having better accuracy than the latter. Stone Edge, on the other hand, is used to hit Pokemon that aren't hit as hard by Razor Shell, examples are Tangrowth and Alomomola, which Barbaracle can beat (2HKOs both with LO assuming they're 252/252+ Def) given the fact that they have been weakened enough, which usually isn't a lot. It's also worth noting that it effectively OHKOs Amoonguss and Slowking at +2 LO, while having a 12.5% chance to OHKO Virizion with SR on the field. And finally, Earthquake is good neutral coverage, for when you think it's enough to kill a Pokemon and don't want to risk Razor Shell or Stone Edge to miss.

Good teammates: Barbaracle really appreciates Stealth Rock in the field, so a good user of that is very appreciated. It has good synergy with Druddigon, so that's a good teammate. Registeel is another candidate, too, but they have a shared Ground weakness, so beware of that. It also likes dual screen support, which makes Meowstic a very good teammate.

What counters it: If it's using Life Orb, then it will often weaken itself to the point where a relatively strong priority attack will kill it. Mach Punch from Hitmonlee, or Sucker Punch from Life Orb Zoroark. Basically, revenge-killing it with priority is always effective assuming it's non-White Herb. A healthy Tangrowth with max HP will always live a +2 Life Orb Stone Edge assuming it's at 100% health, otherwise it'll OHKO. Otherwise, not many things stand up to its face.

Any additional info:

Poison Jab > EQ please, to maim most grasses + get the Tough Claws boost.

 

[New Breed]

What to use

Venomoth @ Life Orb
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Quiver Dance
- Bug Buzz
- Roost


Role: Special Sweeper

What It Does: Offensive Tinted Lens Venomoth is one of the most potent RU sweepers in the tier today. Venomoth has all the tools it needs to rip apart most of the commonly seen RU teams in the tier at the moment and it's easy to see why, a +1 LO Bug Buzz does insane damage to anything that doesn't 4x resist and couples extremely well with Sleep Powder considering most Pokemon that want to come in on Venomoth to absorb a Sleep Powder are incredibly weak to Bug Buzz. The key to this set is coming in on something that you can get a free Quiver Dance on, putting whatever they send in to sleep and then proceed to get +2 and hopefully sweep providing it's very few checks and counters are sufficiently weakened.

Good Teammates: Venomoth is one of those rare Pokemon that needs very little support for it to be extremely successful, however there are a few things that can aid in helping a Venomoth sweep. Most of Venomoth's checks and counters are extremely weak to some form of hazards so Spikes and Stealth Rock support is greatly appreciated and helps alot in wearing down things like Assault Vest Escavalier who is immune to sleep and can always take a hit when healthy. Physically based Mixed Zoroark is also an excellent partner for Venomoth being able to lure out Pokemon such as Escavalier, Registeel and other Special Walls. Rapid Spin support is also recommended but not necessary due to Roost being on this set.

What Counters It: Assault Vest Escavalier with Overcoat is probably the best initial switch-in into Venomoth due to being immune to Sleep Powder and only taking around 40% from a +1 Bug Buzz. Thunder Wave Registeel also does a good job at crippling Venomoth but has to be wary of Sleep Powder. Soundproof Mega-Abomasnow also completely counters this set before Mega Evolution due to being immune to both Sleep Powder and Bug Buzz. Other notable checks to Venomoth include 4x resists such as Moltres, Emboar and Cobalion.