Other Creative / Underrated Sets Thread (Read the thread, NO SHITTY GIMMICKS)

[EJ190]

I know absol without absolite isn't as good but this could be viable in lower tiers..
Absol w/scope lens
Super luck
Adamant/jolly 252atk252spd
Night slash
Play rough
Sucker punch
Swords dance
With the new mechanics nightslash always crits while suckerpunch and playround have 50% crit rate. Absols low speed is somewhat compensated by sucker punch.

 

[Liquidocelot]

Ive been using this set for a while and it may just be my favorite revenge killer in the game

Togekiss
Serene grace
Timid
252 spe 252spa 4 hp

Air slash
Dazzling gleam
Flamethrower
Aura sphere

I absolutely adore using this set especially because nobody expecs it. Everybody is just like im just gonna switch to my ground type to take a t-wave or steel type to take a dazzling gleam. I ts the best thing to when you outspeed someones plus 1 dragonite and they rage like crazy. Anyways back to the set air slash is special stab when combined with the choice scarf is so much pun to use. Dazzling gleam is your other stab allowing you to hit dragons hard. Flamethrower is so you can torch most steels that resist your stab combination hard. Aura sphere is so you van hit the remaining steels hard.

 

[TheDoctor1]

not sure if this has been posted but:

Conkledurr
Item: Assault vest
Nature: adamant
Ability: Guts
ev's: 252 hp
252 attack
4 spc def

Moves:
Drain punch
mach punch/power up punch
ice punch
knock off

I made this on a joke team but he really works. I mostly use him as an anti lead almost always using knock off turn 1. Idk how many people have either switched in something weak to knock off like gengar or the grass ghost guy, or lost an item a poke would really of liked thanks to turn 1 knock off. Also guts is nice since some people throw around status regardless of the possibility of guts, plus if you don't lead with him and you expect a status move you get a free boost.

I prefer the priority over the pup since I have often gotten pokes down to low %'s and really wanted to go first to finish them off.

Counters: some fairys such as azum since none of these move hit him hard. Also of course talonflame (but he doesnt like coming into knock off). Also mega pinsir. So yea he has counters but thats what the rest of the team is for.

 

[Grillo [old]]

Luxray with assault vest is excellent.

With guts you don't fear being burned and you have 120 base attack, with electrik you don't fear paralysis anymore.

Give him an assault vest and its already very good bulk makes it impossible to break for usual special attacker and you can still put some EV in Def and HP.

The surprise factor might have been a great asset but this Luxray (switching in a lot of Will o Wisp or Toxic) did a lot of 2 for 1 or even 3 for 1 because it is so surprisingly good.

And by the way Electrick resists Flying so I also killed some TalonFlames with this set.

Luxray (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 168 SDef / 88 HP
Adamant Nature
- Wild Charge
- Crunch
- Fire Fang
- Superpower

The EV spread is still someting that I'm working on; the metagame is not stabilized yet but this is actually the greatest switch in for a lot of special attacker and it will give you the momentum.

EDIT: In the current metagame it does great against Rotom, Sableye, Trevenant, Klefki, Starmie, Gengar and others

I liked this build, but i changed fire fang for the ice one (because it goes better in my team) and also changed superpower for facade (since superpower it's a pokebank move)

 

[Scorpiopt]

For those who Talonflame is getting walled by gliscor

SpA Life Orb Talonflame Hidden Power Ice vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Gliscor: 229-270 (64.6 - 76.2%)

Talonflame @ Life Orb
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost
- Brave Bird

 

[Banryu]

I know Shuckle is bad, but I've been pretty well-impressed with this guy:

Shuckle @ Custap Berry
Sturdy | Careful | 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
- Stealth Rock
- Sticky Web
- Knock Off
- Bulldoze / Toxic

Good at getting up these two hazards that it uniquely (?) gets both of and then dying. Knock Off and Bulldoze/Toxic are mainly filler. Has to worry about getting set up on sometimes, which is mainly what Toxic/Bulldoze are for. For bulky guys like CMers or BUers, Toxic works well, while more fragile guys hate having their speed lowered with Bulldoze since they get revenged pretty easily that way.

 

[Pinkachu]

I know Shuckle is bad, but I've been pretty well-impressed with this guy:

Shuckle @ Custap Berry
Sturdy | Careful | 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef
- Stealth Rock
- Sticky Web
- Knock Off
- Bulldoze / Toxic

Good at getting up these two hazards that it uniquely (?) gets both of and then dying. Knock Off and Bulldoze/Toxic are mainly filler. Has to worry about getting set up on sometimes, which is mainly what Toxic/Bulldoze are for. For bulky guys like CMers or BUers, Toxic works well, while more fragile guys hate having their speed lowered with Bulldoze since they get revenged pretty easily that way.

Same poke, different monster

Shuckle @ leftovers
Contrary | any def boosting nature | 252 HP/ 252 DEF/ 4 SDEF
-Shell smash
-power split
-rest
-toxic, knockoff, rollout, something

This shuckle is truly a monster. Best used in sand, it'll become a nigh uncrackable wall. The set serves a double purpose. Contrary shell smash to get defense boosts, power split to shut down opposing sweepers, rest off any damage. Rinse, repeat uuntil your opponent ragequits.

 

[fenyxofshadows]

Same poke, different monster

Shuckle @ leftovers
Contrary | any def boosting nature | 252 HP/ 252 DEF/ 4 SDEF
-Shell smash
-power split
-rest
-toxic, knockoff, rollout, something

This shuckle is truly a monster. Best used in sand, it'll become a nigh uncrackable wall. The set serves a double purpose. Contrary shell smash to get defense boosts, power split to shut down opposing sweepers, rest off any damage. Rinse, repeat uuntil your opponent ragequits.

You could always use Infestation in the fourth slot, since nothing is immune to Bug and it has 100% accuracy, though you'll only deal 1/16th damage per turn to Leftovers/Black Sludge users. It is a pseudo-trapping move, though, so it has plenty of utility.

 

[TheDoctor1]

its funny I was talking to a friend about shuckle like a day or two ago. he told me he was using sand tomb and stuff I looked at shuckle's move pool and came up with this set idea

ability: contrary
infestation
rest
shell smash
and either knock off or toxic (my friend liked toxic I liked knock off)

I figure knock off takes care of the issue of the trapping move not doing that much dmg b/c of items like black sludge or leftovers

and for the item if its legal you can use binding band if it boosts infestation, if not legal or if it doesn't boost then maybe chesto or leftovers.

 

[Dude Bro 420]

For those who Talonflame is getting walled by gliscor

SpA Life Orb Talonflame Hidden Power Ice vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Gliscor: 229-270 (64.6 - 76.2%)

Talonflame @ Life Orb
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Roost
- Brave Bird

I use a similar set and I've found that Overheat is better, and with 60 invested in Speed to beat Jolly Excadrill and 196 invested in SpA for more power, it does almost exactly the same damage to Gliscor (64.1-75.9%) and will 2HKO Gliscor most of the time with Overheat and Brave Bird.

 

[TheUeki]

its funny I was talking to a friend about shuckle like a day or two ago. he told me he was using sand tomb and stuff I looked at shuckle's move pool and came up with this set idea

ability: contrary
infestation
rest
shell smash
and either knock off or toxic (my friend liked toxic I liked knock off)

I figure knock off takes care of the issue of the trapping move not doing that much dmg b/c of items like black sludge or leftovers

and for the item if its legal you can use binding band if it boosts infestation, if not legal or if it doesn't boost then maybe chesto or leftovers.

You would be better off with Power Split instead of Toxic or Knock Off, simply because while you get boosted defenses sometimes it isn't enough. With Power Split you can pretty much halve a pokémon's attack (since shuckle with no attack IVs or EVs has the worst attack ever)

 

[Pancham]

I use a similar set and I've found that Overheat is better, and with 60 invested in Speed to beat Jolly Excadrill and 196 invested in SpA for more power, it does almost exactly the same damage to Gliscor (64.1-75.9%) and will 2HKO Gliscor most of the time with Overheat and Brave Bird.

The reason HPIce is used over Overheat here is because you can use the leftover EVs for bulk, rather than SpA.

 

[Dude Bro 420]

The reason HPIce is used over Overheat here is because you can use the leftover EVs for bulk, rather than SpA.

That makes sense when you're using Roost, but I find that strategy kinda pointless anyways. If you send out Talonfame, your opponent is probably going to do everything in their power to make Talonflame's life shorter and eliminate him. I mean, Talonflame is an excellent revenge killer and arguably the most centralizing Poke in the meta right now.

I would rather make Talonflame hit as hard as possible than compromise its ability to revenge kill to hopefully give it more staying power with defenses that are 78/71/69, resistances to mostly uncommon attacking types, 3 common weaknesses, and that SR weakness.

Let Talonflame do what Talonflame does best, revenge kill.

 

[Floettes]

Tornadus-T (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP/168 Spe/88 SpDef OR 252 HP/88 Spe/168 SpDef
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Hurricane
-Superpower/Focus Blast
- Knock Off/Heat Wave
- U-turn

This is probably my favorite Tornadus-T set there is at the moment. It functions superbly on Bulky Offense teams, acting as both a pivot and check to special attackers. Regenerator and Assault Vest mean that Tornadus-T can take powerful special hits repeatedly without wasting turns for recovery. The first EV spread gives Torn enough speed to outspeed base 110s such as Lati@s while giving it as much bulk as possible. The second spread is the one that I personally use. It sacrifices speed for bulk yet still manages to outpace fully invested positively natured base 100s such as Jirachi and Volcarona. The added special bulk allows Tornadus to take 2 Specs Draco Meteors from Latios, a monster not many pivots can handle. Both spreads work superbly; it all depends on what type of support your team needs.

Hurricane and U-Turn are a must for this set, as the former is Tornadus-T's strongest attack while the latter allows Tornadus-T to maintain offensive momentum. The other moves can be shifted around based on preference. Knock Off is a great utility move, while Heat Wave can hit Genesect and Aegislash for super effective damage. Superpower can be used to smash specially defensive TTar, while Focus Blast can hit Rotom-W harder than the previously mentioned option.

 

[Pancham]

That makes sense when you're using Roost, but I find that strategy kinda pointless anyways. If you send out Talonfame, your opponent is probably going to do everything in their power to make Talonflame's life shorter and eliminate him. I mean, Talonflame is an excellent revenge killer and arguably the most centralizing Poke in the meta right now.

I would rather make Talonflame hit as hard as possible than compromise its ability to revenge kill to hopefully give it more staying power with defenses that are 78/71/69, resistances to mostly uncommon attacking types, 3 common weaknesses, and that SR weakness.

Let Talonflame do what Talonflame does best, revenge kill.

Yah, but you mentioned Overheat as eliminating Excadrill as well, when Flare Blitz already eliminates Excadrill. The things Overheat would hit, Flare Blitz already does enough damage to them as to where Overheat doesn't need to be used. HPIce hits things like Dragonite, Garchomp, Salamence, etc. as well as Gliscor, one of the 3 biggest switchins Talonflame has, just after Rotom-w and Tyranitar. Those extra defensive EVs allows Talonflame to live weak, or resisted, priority moves, like Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, etc. Using leftover EVs in defense isn't compromising anything, if they where, the main set on site wouldn't use them. Overheat only hits a select few mons that Flare Blitz already hits for nearly the same damage.

 

[Dude Bro 420]

Yah, but you mentioned Overheat as eliminating Excadrill as well, when Flare Blitz already eliminates Excadrill. The things Overheat would hit, Flare Blitz already does enough damage to them as to where Overheat doesn't need to be used. HPIce hits things like Dragonite, Garchomp, Salamence, etc. as well as Gliscor, one of the 3 biggest switchins Talonflame has, just after Rotom-w and Tyranitar. Those extra defensive EVs allows Talonflame to live weak, or resisted, priority moves, like Bullet Punch, Mach Punch, etc. Using leftover EVs in defense isn't compromising anything, if they where, the main set on site wouldn't use them. Overheat only hits a select few mons that Flare Blitz already hits for nearly the same damage.

I was talking about the speed investment with Excadrill, not Overheat. Overheat also kills Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn while only having Life Orb recoil so the bird can continue a sweep.

I don't feel like explaining specifics, but up against pokemon that are physically bulky like Donphan, Talonflame really appreciates the special attacking power from Overheat. Maybe a set with HP Ice and Overheat?

 

[Floettes]

I was talking about the speed investment with Excadrill, not Overheat. Overheat also kills Rocky Helmet Ferrothorn while only having Life Orb recoil so the bird can continue a sweep.

I don't feel like explaining specifics, but up against pokemon that are physically bulky like Donphan, Talonflame really appreciates the special attacking power from Overheat. Maybe a set with HP Ice and Overheat?

You're better off leaving killing Donphan/Hippo etc. to Talonflame's teammates, buddy. Plus, who stays in with Ferrothorn on a freaking TALONFLAME? The thing is too powerful, nobody messes around with it.

 

[Aquaslash]

My favorite set that I've never seen (even though this is a third generation Pokemon) is a Haze Milotic.
Milotic
Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP/ 252 Def/ 4 SpA
Nature: Bold
Ability: Marvel Scale (or Competitive this gen, but I doubt it'll work the same)
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Recover
- Haze

Literally wrecks all DD Dragonites and Salamences, demolishes any Bulk Up Pokemon, and ruins all set ups.
It was perfect on my OU No Stealth Rocks team when it was running, I'm sure it's still as good in OU now.

I've been using this set in Pokebank OU for a good while now, and it is amazing. Walls Gyrados and any set up sweeper that isn't named Lucario to hell and back, and has a very strong change to cripple them with a burn or outright KO with Ice Beam/Scald since many of them are water/ice weak. Right now it's biggest hurdle is Rotom-W, who 3HKO's with Volt Switch barring a crit. It's enough of an annoyance where she has to spend time recovering that she'd rather be hazing away stat boots.
The aforementioned Lucario is a very strong check. If it can avoid catching status from ice beam/scald on the switch in, then it can outright OHKO with Close Combat.

ALso I've been trying a competitive set for a while as well. While it is a neat toy that increases her tanking capability, it doesn't seem like it'll be as effective as any marvel scale set.

 

[bobbyvaporeon]

here's a Substitute + 3 attacks Mawile.
Mawile @ Mawilite
Evs: 252 HP, 252 Attack, 4 Speed, Adamant Nature
Ability: Intimidate->Huge Power
Substitute
Play Rough
Sucker Punch
Iron Head
I used this while Blaziken was still around and it worked really well. Everyone expects a Swords Dance, so when they switch into their Heatran or Jellicent to burn her the end up with a Mawile behind a Substitute. They are forced to attack (or roar in Heatran's case, but then you get a good chunk off it's health off with Play Rough.) which means you Can Sucker Punch to destroy most Ghosts. It works really well against Mega Lucario, who seems to use Swords Dance every time I Intimidate it and gets OHKOed with Play Rough. A very underrated set.

 

[FlameUser64]

Victini @ Assault Vest
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Bolt Strike
- V-create
- Zen Headbutt
- Last Resort (only because I don't know what to put in this slot)

This little tyke is surprisingly fun, and I find that I commonly underestimate just how strong a Special hit it can take and fail to switch it in until the opponent's Special Sweeper has already destroyed most of my team, and underestimating AV Victini's ability to survive hits and outspeed + OHKO in return has cost me multiple matches. I'm sure the moveset could use work, but the idea is simply to hit really hard physically in a number of useful offensive types. EVs are in Def instead of Sp. Def so it can take those weird off-stat coverage moves some special attackers run, and I've found it just survives better overall this way than it did when I ran it with 4 Sp. Def.

Primarily I use it as a revenge killer for opposing Special Sweepers, though I can frequently get away with switching it in on a Special Sweeper instead of just using it as a revenge killer, as it's pretty fast and foes never have any idea what to expect when someone switches in a Victini on them in OU, and even less idea when it laughs in the face of their special attacker. It's also useful as a dangerous Physical Sweeper if I can manage to pass it +3 Speed and +4 Defence from Speed Boost Iron Defence Baton Pass Scolipede, especially if they lack many Special Attackers remaining.

 

[Ash Borer]

Victini @ Assault Vest
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Adamant Nature
- Bolt Strike
- V-create
- Zen Headbutt
- Last Resort (only because I don't know what to put in this slot)

This little tyke is surprisingly fun, and I find that I commonly underestimate just how strong a Special hit it can take and fail to switch it in until the opponent's Special Sweeper has already destroyed most of my team, and underestimating AV Victini's ability to survive hits and outspeed + OHKO in return has cost me multiple matches. I'm sure the moveset could use work, but the idea is simply to hit really hard physically in a number of useful offensive types. EVs are in Def instead of Sp. Def so it can take those weird off-stat coverage moves some special attackers run, and I've found it just survives better overall this way than it did when I ran it with 4 Sp. Def.

Primarily I use it as a revenge killer for opposing Special Sweepers, though I can frequently get away with switching it in on a Special Sweeper instead of just using it as a revenge killer, as it's pretty fast and foes never have any idea what to expect when someone switches in a Victini on them in OU, and even less idea when it laughs in the face of their special attacker. It's also useful as a dangerous Physical Sweeper if I can manage to pass it +3 Speed and +4 Defence from Speed Boost Iron Defence Baton Pass Scolipede, especially if they lack many Special Attackers remaining.

u-turn, brick break are decent filler options. Tyranitar kinda beats up on this, especially mega tyranitar, having -1 defense and taking that pursuit if it switches in on v-create is pretty painful. U-turning out or smacking around tyranitar with brick break on the switch is good. Glaciate stings garchomp, landorus therian, and gliscor as always. Energy ball can hurt hippowdon, rotom-w, and gsatrodon though not a ton without investment. DEfinitely lots of options.

 

[Sazoon]

The reason HPIce is used over Overheat here is because you can use the leftover EVs for bulk, rather than SpA.

Lol no it wasn't. The set says 252 attack 252 speed and 4 special attack. Also I don't know why you're argueing why some spreads for talonflame are stupid because each one acomplishes a different thing talonflame couldn't do before and helps cut down on the support it needs. No talonflame set will be able to get past every single threat, but based on your team support it won't need to.

 

[FlameUser64]

u-turn, brick break are decent filler options. Tyranitar kinda beats up on this, especially mega tyranitar, having -1 defense and taking that pursuit if it switches in on v-create is pretty painful. U-turning out or smacking around tyranitar with brick break on the switch is good. Glaciate stings garchomp, landorus therian, and gliscor as always. Energy ball can hurt hippowdon, rotom-w, and gsatrodon though not a ton without investment. DEfinitely lots of options.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[FadedChameleon]

I really like this set on Gourgiest:

Gourgeist-Super @ Leftovers
Ability: Frisk
EVs: 252 Def / 252 HP / 4 Atk
Impish Nature
- Leech Seed
- Trick-or-Treat
- Shadow Sneak
- Seed Bomb

Gourgiest is a good counter to most ground types and can't be KO'd by physical moves even super effective ones. ToT lets shadow sneak hurt surprisingly hard and lefties + leech seed is a good recovery combo.

You could even run it offensive by swapping the HP and ATK stats if you were so inclided, it has done good work for me.

 

[rapzz]

Been having fun with quagsire. People keep getting offguard with this set:

Quagsire
Ability: Unaware
Item: Leftovers
Impish - 252 HP 252 DEF 4 SPDEF
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Stockpile
- Recover

This thing is a beast in a world of stat boosters. Any team unprepared will be stalled by quagsire. It's easy getting to +3 stockpile with recover. Toxic to poison stall opponents and STAB earthquake to take care of steels (Completely walls physical Aegislash).