-
Welcome to Smogon! Take a moment to read the Introduction to Smogon for a run-down on everything Smogon, and make sure you take some time to read the global rules.
-
Congrats to the winners of the 2023 Smog Awards!
Project ORAS NU Theorymons
- Thread starter Shadestep
- Start date
- Status
Stunfisk and Marowak
Stunfisk and Marowak
One major problem with SD chicken is that it really lacks a reliable fighting stab, and while superpower isn't amazing for reliability, I figured that CC might be a bit too strong, as it would give it a completely risk free option, and superpower fits as it isn't the perfect move that CC is, has drawbacks with its attack drop, but still has high enough base power that busken can at least pretend to hurt stuff like gastro and easily deal with lanturn now, which it previously couldn't.
One major problem with SD chicken is that it really lacks a reliable fighting stab, and while superpower isn't amazing for reliability, I figured that CC might be a bit too strong, as it would give it a completely risk free option, and superpower fits as it isn't the perfect move that CC is, has drawbacks with its attack drop, but still has high enough base power that busken can at least pretend to hurt stuff like gastro and easily deal with lanturn now, which it previously couldn't.
Sorry, I've been out of town and haven't had the opportunity to get on a computer or laptop and update this. Don't worry though I'll get back soon and update this and possibly start up the NU Theorymon Tournament soon!
Hitmonchan getting Shadow Punch seems odd at first, but it gives it a reliable way of beating the ghosts it was once walled by. It does remove coverage against Flying-types though, but team support is always a thing.
Physical Combusken gets a competent Fighting-type move to utilize. Considering that Combusken is a "hit and run" type of Pokemon Close Combat is a nice addition.
Weezing loses its Ground-type weakness in favoring of being able to hit first with Will-o-Wisp or potentially Toxic Spikes. Out of these choices this is the least impressive to me.
Rapidash getting Earthquake just means it no longer uses Drill Run. Slightly stronger and will always hit. Its main flaw of being worn down very easily still apply though, so I wouldn't really see it get much use.
Calm Mind Samurott could be a good wincon I guess? Cro-Rott sets could function like Malamar in a sense.
Physical Combusken gets a competent Fighting-type move to utilize. Considering that Combusken is a "hit and run" type of Pokemon Close Combat is a nice addition.
Weezing loses its Ground-type weakness in favoring of being able to hit first with Will-o-Wisp or potentially Toxic Spikes. Out of these choices this is the least impressive to me.
Rapidash getting Earthquake just means it no longer uses Drill Run. Slightly stronger and will always hit. Its main flaw of being worn down very easily still apply though, so I wouldn't really see it get much use.
Calm Mind Samurott could be a good wincon I guess? Cro-Rott sets could function like Malamar in a sense.
Ghost Busting Hitmonchan
Gives it a way to hit Ghosts, though it has to give up one of its other coverage moves.
Funnily enough, I was playing NU today and was up against a Regice and Golurk with my AV Hitmonchan. Golurk switches in on Drain Punch, while Regice switches in on Ice Punch. If I had Shadow Punch, then his Regice switch would be worse and it would still hurt Golurk if he stayed in.
Close Combat Combusken
YES
YES
YES
ALL THE WAY, YES.
An accurate, and powerful STAB attack on something that can't get burned? YES!
And, because of the Baton Pass ban, you don't have to worry about Baton Passing the Defense drops (in NU).
Prankster Weezing
Would be great, as Weezing has a ton of moves to use with Prankster, like:
Taunt
Destiny Bond
Will-O-Wisp
Thunder Wave
Toxic
Toxic Spikes
Pain Split
and more, I think.
The only problem is that it loses it's great Ground immunity and now it's weak to it
Earthquake Rapidash
KOes stuff that Drill Run couldn't normally KO... yup....
Calm Mind Samurott
Suicune's less bulky cousin. Helps Samurott set up with it's nice SpAtk stat and can now be run like a Suicune.And now I have a reason to consider running Air Slash for lols
My nomination: Linoone + Magic Guard/Bounce
This doesn't look like it makes much sense, but let me explain.
With Magic Guard, Linone can switch in on Rocks or Spikes and get up a Belly Drum safer-ly. It also won't take any damage from Toxic, which prevents it from being burned.
With Magic Bounce, Linoone doesn't fear Weezing's Will-O-Wisp or Ferroseed's Thunder Wave and can be used for supporting the rest of the team.
Gives it a way to hit Ghosts, though it has to give up one of its other coverage moves.
Funnily enough, I was playing NU today and was up against a Regice and Golurk with my AV Hitmonchan. Golurk switches in on Drain Punch, while Regice switches in on Ice Punch. If I had Shadow Punch, then his Regice switch would be worse and it would still hurt Golurk if he stayed in.
Close Combat Combusken
YES
YES
YES
ALL THE WAY, YES.
An accurate, and powerful STAB attack on something that can't get burned? YES!
And, because of the Baton Pass ban, you don't have to worry about Baton Passing the Defense drops (in NU).
Prankster Weezing
Would be great, as Weezing has a ton of moves to use with Prankster, like:
Taunt
Destiny Bond
Will-O-Wisp
Thunder Wave
Toxic
Toxic Spikes
Pain Split
and more, I think.
The only problem is that it loses it's great Ground immunity and now it's weak to it
Earthquake Rapidash
KOes stuff that Drill Run couldn't normally KO... yup....
Calm Mind Samurott
Suicune's less bulky cousin. Helps Samurott set up with it's nice SpAtk stat and can now be run like a Suicune.
My nomination: Linoone + Magic Guard/Bounce
This doesn't look like it makes much sense, but let me explain.
With Magic Guard, Linone can switch in on Rocks or Spikes and get up a Belly Drum safer-ly. It also won't take any damage from Toxic, which prevents it from being burned.
With Magic Bounce, Linoone doesn't fear Weezing's Will-O-Wisp or Ferroseed's Thunder Wave and can be used for supporting the rest of the team.
Shadow Punch would be the optimal move for Hitmonchan to pressure spin blockers and could also help deal with bulky cm psychics of which admittedly there are very few.
CC on chicken is also an idea I like. Low Kick is a pretty unreliable fighting STAB since its bp is based on weight meaning it (unfortunately) does pitiful damage to a lot of lighter targets. With Close Combat, SD chicken would be able to KO gastro after a Swords Dance boost with a bit of prior damage which is certainly very useful since gastro often impedes its sweeps.
While Prankster on a mon with a lot of support move like Weezing initially sounds quite promising I'm not sure how well it would pan out in practice. As I see it, Weezing wouldn't have to run immense amounts of speed to creep stuff like Malamar allowing it to invest more heavily in defense, but I don't see that as being worth having to forego its ground immunity.
Being able to use EQ on Rapidash instead of Drill Run would definitely be nice but I don't think that alone is a powerful enough buff, despite the 20 base power boost it would still struggle to deal with Rock-types and it still can't quite manage to net the OHKO on relevant grounded Fire-types like Magmortar and Pyroar or even something like Lanturn. Sure a tiny damage boost is nice but this buff is so insignificant I don't really see much of a point.
Calm Mind on rott, while it does at first sound a bit odd would give the special set a lot more wallbreaking power. I don't have much to say about this change but it seems interesting.
CC on chicken is also an idea I like. Low Kick is a pretty unreliable fighting STAB since its bp is based on weight meaning it (unfortunately) does pitiful damage to a lot of lighter targets. With Close Combat, SD chicken would be able to KO gastro after a Swords Dance boost with a bit of prior damage which is certainly very useful since gastro often impedes its sweeps.
While Prankster on a mon with a lot of support move like Weezing initially sounds quite promising I'm not sure how well it would pan out in practice. As I see it, Weezing wouldn't have to run immense amounts of speed to creep stuff like Malamar allowing it to invest more heavily in defense, but I don't see that as being worth having to forego its ground immunity.
Being able to use EQ on Rapidash instead of Drill Run would definitely be nice but I don't think that alone is a powerful enough buff, despite the 20 base power boost it would still struggle to deal with Rock-types and it still can't quite manage to net the OHKO on relevant grounded Fire-types like Magmortar and Pyroar or even something like Lanturn. Sure a tiny damage boost is nice but this buff is so insignificant I don't really see much of a point.
Calm Mind on rott, while it does at first sound a bit odd would give the special set a lot more wallbreaking power. I don't have much to say about this change but it seems interesting.
Hitmonchan + Shadow Punch
Seems interesting. It gives Chan a way to hit most Ghosting-type pokemon on a switch-in and hurting them more than Ice Punch. 'Chan would be come pretty pretty good, helping it deal with all of the tier's spinblockers.
Combusken + Close Combat
Gives it an interesting STAB to abuse other than Low Kick, that could actually hurt more things, such as Gastrodon. Looks pretty good.
Weezing + Prankster
Sounds nice, as it could abuse its very cool toxic spikes, taunt, will-o-wisps etc, could be helpful to save your team from DD Rhydon or anything. Losing Levitate can be pretty annoying sometimes but well, it can absorb Tspikes at least.
Rapidash + Earthquake
Finally a great reason to use this horse. Looks fine and would give to the tier an actual real physical Fire-type mon.
Samurott + Calm Mind
Another great idea. Samurott would become a real monster, having 2 excellent wincon sets that would be pretty effective, and hard to check. It would probably rise in Viablity Rankings.
Seems interesting. It gives Chan a way to hit most Ghosting-type pokemon on a switch-in and hurting them more than Ice Punch. 'Chan would be come pretty pretty good, helping it deal with all of the tier's spinblockers.
Combusken + Close Combat
Gives it an interesting STAB to abuse other than Low Kick, that could actually hurt more things, such as Gastrodon. Looks pretty good.
Weezing + Prankster
Sounds nice, as it could abuse its very cool toxic spikes, taunt, will-o-wisps etc, could be helpful to save your team from DD Rhydon or anything. Losing Levitate can be pretty annoying sometimes but well, it can absorb Tspikes at least.
Rapidash + Earthquake
Finally a great reason to use this horse. Looks fine and would give to the tier an actual real physical Fire-type mon.
Samurott + Calm Mind
Another great idea. Samurott would become a real monster, having 2 excellent wincon sets that would be pretty effective, and hard to check. It would probably rise in Viablity Rankings.
Chan - Erm, am I the only one that's meh about this nom? ice punch hits pretty much every ghost needed hard enough and doesn't forfeit on needed coverage... I mean, on paper it sounds like an alright idea, but in practicality it really wouldn't achieve much more than what ice punch offers.
Combusken - I think CC would be a welcome addition to buskens movepool, and would make it far more dangerous with SD+SB, without having to rely on the shaky power of low kick to deal with mons that resist its fire stab.
Weezing - whilst being the only priority user of wisp in the tier, I feel as if the loss of levitate would impact how good of a glue mon/physical wall it is; though absorbing t-spikes is also pretty interesting. access to prankster taunt would also be an interesting niche with spikes.
Rapidash - a better way of hitting rock types without the lower power and shaky accuracy, overall an improvement. not much to say apart from it giving it an actual reason to use it instead of the other tiers fire types.
Samurott - i'm not sure how I feel about this, I mean yeh, it'd eat stall or slower teams, but giving up on most likely megahorn would mean it could be stopped by more imo. would be an interesting option tho, due to how versatile it is.
Combusken - I think CC would be a welcome addition to buskens movepool, and would make it far more dangerous with SD+SB, without having to rely on the shaky power of low kick to deal with mons that resist its fire stab.
Weezing - whilst being the only priority user of wisp in the tier, I feel as if the loss of levitate would impact how good of a glue mon/physical wall it is; though absorbing t-spikes is also pretty interesting. access to prankster taunt would also be an interesting niche with spikes.
Rapidash - a better way of hitting rock types without the lower power and shaky accuracy, overall an improvement. not much to say apart from it giving it an actual reason to use it instead of the other tiers fire types.
Samurott - i'm not sure how I feel about this, I mean yeh, it'd eat stall or slower teams, but giving up on most likely megahorn would mean it could be stopped by more imo. would be an interesting option tho, due to how versatile it is.
Hitmonchan and Samurott
Take Azelfie
More flags more fun
Combusken + Samurott
Suggesting Throh + Early Bird
Suggesting Throh + Early Bird
My boi Combusken and Samurott
Samurott and Weezing
I'd also like to nominate: Armaldo with Skill Link and Pin Missile. It now has twin 125 base power STABs effectively, coming off that massive Attack stat. It also gets Rock Polish if you find it too slow.
I'd also like to nominate: Armaldo with Skill Link and Pin Missile. It now has twin 125 base power STABs effectively, coming off that massive Attack stat. It also gets Rock Polish if you find it too slow.
- Status