Barbaracle is a HUGE threat in the current meta, and waaaaay too underrated, being able to bulldoze through any team with Shell Smash, along with surprisingly good 72 / 115 / 86 bulk, along with being able to hit 678 Attack and 470 Speed (read: faster than 252+ Dugtrio, fastest relevant threat). tbh, I have seen few priority users and even fewer scarfers, letting Barbaracle destroy teams once a certain threat/wall is destroyed
I know what you're thinking, "But it has a bad typing and it can't set up easily". Well, let me take these accusations one by one.
I agree, it has a bad
defensive typing, but Barbaracle isn't a wall, is it? Considering it's an offensive wallbreaker/sweeper, we must take its offensive typing into consideration.
Water walled by:
Dragon- Most relevant one is
Druddigon Kyurem, which gets rekt by Stone Edge/Cross Chop. Even Druddigon gets destroyed, if you really want to include it :/
+2 252+ Atk Barbaracle Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Druddigon: 337-397 (94.1 - 110.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
Grass- Shaymin, the most relevant Grass type, gets destroyed:
+2 252+ Atk Barbaracle Stone Edge vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Shaymin: 309-364 (90.6 - 106.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
I will admit, Tangrowth is a stop though. Even though its 2HKO'd, it should switch in when Bar kills.
+2 252+ Atk Barbaracle Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Tangrowth: 190-225 (47 - 55.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
Water- I haven't seen many Water types tbh. The only Water types that resist Rock as well is Empoleon (banned, iirc) and Poliwrath (not that relevant). Even the bulky af Alomomola gets 2HKO'd.
+2 252+ Atk Barbaracle Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Alomomola: 256-303 (47.9 - 56.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
All in all, Barbaracle has an amazing offensive typing, letting it destroy many relevant threats.
I know , "But it can't set up". However, it can set up surprisingly well thanks to its aforementioned 72 / 115 / 86 bulk. Just look at these calcs:
4 Atk Bronzong Gyro Ball (129 BP) vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Barbaracle: 112-133 (39.1 - 46.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
4 Atk Alomomola Waterfall vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Barbaracle: 61-73 (21.3 - 25.5%) -- 0.7% chance to 4HKO
4 SpA Gastrodon Earth Power vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Barbaracle: 206-246 (72 - 86%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
4 SpA Cresselia Psychic vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Barbaracle: 87-103 (30.4 - 36%) -- 46.5% chance to 3HKO
Some of the best walls in the meta, Bar can set up on a majority (along with KOing them, do the calcs yourself). This lets Bar have good and multiple oppertunities to set up and destroy.
and remember, Barbaracle only needs to set up once. This puts a ton of pressure to not let it set up.
tl;dr, Barbaracle is a huge threat, and will murder you while your sleeping.
Random replay:
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/rubeta-107007284
Note that even though I was in a horrible position, I still got the SS up and swept. Also note his one huge counter to Barbaracle, Gourgeist-H, still lost thanks to support from Cress :]