So, big stall has been said to be dead in NDUU, but with Iron Moth banned, the archetype has been turning quite more viable, if still with some disfavorable matchups.
Skarmory @ Shed Shell
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 244 HP / 124 Def / 44 SpD / 96 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
- Defog
- Roost
252+ Atk Guts Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 244 HP / 124+ Def Skarmory: 123-145 (37 - 43.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Life Orb Bisharp Knock Off (97.5 BP) over 2 turns vs. 244 HP / 124+ Def Skarmory: 227-270 (68.3 - 81.3%) -- not a KO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Choice Band Tyranitar Knock Off (97.5 BP) over 2 turns vs. 244 HP / 124+ Def Skarmory: 277-328 (83.4 - 98.7%) -- not a KO
+2 0 SpA Clefable Moonblast vs. 244 HP / 44 SpD Skarmory: 123-145 (37 - 43.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
124+ Def Skarmory Body Press vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Tyranitar: 344-408 (100.8 - 119.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
124+ Def Skarmory Body Press vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Ursaluna: 180-212 (44.8 - 52.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
Still just having exactly the EVs required to outspeed neutral-natured base 50s like Ursaluna and Azumarill, this Skarmory set performs good role compression as a Defogger and a late-game win condition and anti-setup mon with IronPress, complementing the team as a physical blanket wall to check foes like M-Aerodactyl, Excadrill, Scizor, Tyranitar, Bisharp, and Rillaboom. While its special bulk is situational beyond PP stalling common foes like Pecharunt, Draco Meteor users, and Clefable, its capability to relatively stay on them after scouting in the mid-game enables further usage of Defog to preserve the team's longevity.
Amoonguss @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 208 HP / 232 Def / 24 SpD / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Foul Play
- Toxic
252 Atk Life Orb Mienshao Triple Axel (120 BP) (3 hits) vs. 208 HP / 232+ Def Amoonguss: 306-366 (72.6 - 86.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Tough Claws Aerodactyl-Mega Dual Wingbeat (2 hits) vs. 208 HP / 232+ Def Amoonguss: 352-420 (83.6 - 99.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Keldeo Hydro Pump vs. 208 HP / 24 SpD Amoonguss: 156-184 (37 - 43.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Choice Specs Enamorus Earth Power vs. 208 HP / 24 SpD Amoonguss: 176-208 (41.8 - 49.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
8 Atk Amoonguss Foul Play vs. 240 HP / 0 Def Aegislash-Blade: 318-376 (99 - 117.1%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
Having just the spare EVs to outspeed Garganacl, Amoonguss complements Skarmory as a blanket physical wall to answer stuff that Skarmory can't, most notably Fighting resists like Aegislash, Clefable, Slowbro, Buzzwole, Tapu Fini, and Azumarill, with its access to Regenerator alongside its poisoning and Leech Seed immunity enabling it to compress as a chip damage sponge, easing long games against chip damage spreaders like M-Venusaur, Garganacl, defensive Pecharunt, opposing Amoonguss, and Scald users like Slowbro and Keldeo.
Amoonguss's longevity with Regenerator also makes it a great ally to afford scouting attacks early-game, with Rocky Helmet also discouraging utility moves like U-turn and Rapid Spin, with its difficulty at getting worn down also making it an adept Rocky Helmet user, wearing down physical attackers across the match and placing them into KO range for Foul Play, with such move also discouraging foes like Excadrill from setting up on it.
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 248 HP / 232 Def / 24 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Protect
- Wish
- Teleport
252 Atk Iron Boulder Mighty Cleave vs. 248 HP / 232 Def Clefable: 144-171 (36.6 - 43.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Aerodactyl-Mega Stone Edge vs. 248 HP / 232 Def Clefable: 166-196 (42.2 - 49.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Tough Claws Aerodactyl-Mega Dual Wingbeat (2 hits) vs. 248 HP / 232 Def Clefable: 174-206 (44.2 - 52.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
20 SpA Blacephalon Fire Blast vs. 248 HP / 24+ SpD Clefable: 166-196 (42.2 - 49.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Hydreigon Flash Cannon vs. 248 HP / 24+ SpD Clefable: 166-196 (42.2 - 49.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ SpA Moltres-Galar Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 24+ SpD Clefable: 160-189 (40.7 - 48%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Serperior Leaf Storm vs. 248 HP / 24+ SpD Clefable: 144-169 (36.6 - 43%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Keldeo Hydro Pump vs. 248 HP / 24+ SpD Clefable: 174-205 (44.2 - 52.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Clefable makes a potent core with Skarmory and Chansey to check practically every setup sweeper in the metagame, with Leftovers synergizing with WishTect as to further boost its longevity and ease its capability at soft-checking some of the strongest wallbreakers like Mega Gardevoir and Z-Move users such as Aegislash and Keldeo. WishTect also comes with the benefit of granting way more PP for recovery than Soft-Boiled would, in turn enabling the capability to win the longevity war against balance teams long term, and Teleport ensures that Clefable can reliably heal the HP of an ally that got worn down, thus preventing them from being as easily placed out of the game if its allies are running out of recovery PP or simply lack the momentum to come in and heal.
Sableye-Mega @ Sablenite
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 208 SpD
Sassy Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Knock Off
- Toxic
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover
252+ Atk Zeraora Plasma Fists vs. 248 HP / 52 Def Sableye-Mega: 127-151 (41.9 - 49.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ SpA Moltres-Galar Hurricane vs. 248 HP / 208+ SpD Sableye-Mega: 111-132 (36.6 - 43.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
Even though it's mid as a hazard blocker as its bulk is a bit lacking to properly cover all the main hazard setters properly, M-Sableye instead earns its role on the team by being a potent status spreader and item remover, thus often forcing progress by hindering the longevity of the opposing team, its capability to block Toxic, Will-O-Wisp, Taunt, entry hazards, and Leech Seed also render it a positive matchup on M-Venusaur, Celesteela, Rotom-Wash, Hippowdon, Swampert, and Mew, although it still has to watch out for Sludge Bomb and Scald.
Chansey @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 32 HP / 228 Def / 248 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Seismic Toss
- Stealth Rock
- Soft-Boiled
- Wish
+6 252 SpA Serperior Leaf Storm vs. 32 HP / 248+ SpD Eviolite Chansey: 274-324 (42.2 - 49.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+6 252 SpA Pecharunt Malignant Chain vs. 32 HP / 248+ SpD Eviolite Chansey: 234-276 (36 - 42.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Gardevoir-Mega Psyshock vs. 32 HP / 228 Def Eviolite Chansey: 240-283 (36.9 - 43.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
I always get weird looks whenever I bring up specially defensive pink blobs outside Ubers, but given that the rest of the team can't properly contain Pecharunt, that's where this role becomes legitimate, all while still having the practical physical bulk to soft-check M-Gardevoir and not just end up OHKOed by Pursuit users like Bisharp and Tyranitar, and even some extra special bulk to PP stall Serperior.
All of that said, Chansey is the Stealth Rock setter and blanket special wall of the team, complementing Clefable and M-Sableye at checking a wide variety of special wallbreakers, and in particular also keeping extra support with fat Wishes to keep the rest of the team healthy, in particular this often means that clicking Wish on a expected switch ends up as a semi-pivoting move as if the Pokemon that switches after Chansey can take a hit, it's often back to full with no further questions asked, thus enabling the team to preserve longevity and momentum.
Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 248 HP / 12 Atk / 248 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Spikes
- Recover
252 SpA Choice Specs Keldeo Secret Sword vs. 248 HP / 248+ Def Gastrodon: 190-225 (44.7 - 52.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Choice Band Victini V-create vs. 248 HP / 248+ Def Gastrodon: 168-198 (39.5 - 46.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Tough Claws Aerodactyl-Mega Dual Wingbeat (2 hits) vs. 248 HP / 248+ Def Gastrodon: 176-210 (41.4 - 49.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tyranitar Superpower over 2 turns vs. 248 HP / 248+ Def Gastrodon: 337-397 (79.2 - 93.4%) -- not a KO after Stealth Rock
252+ SpA Aegislash-Blade Shadow Ball vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Gastrodon: 178-211 (41.8 - 49.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
12 Atk Gastrodon Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Tyranitar: 174-206 (51 - 60.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
12 Atk Gastrodon Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Aegislash-Blade: 324-384 (100 - 118.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
12 Atk Gastrodon Earthquake vs. 232 HP / 4 Def Blacephalon: 308-366 (100.9 - 120%) -- guaranteed OHKO
This is mainly here to compress as a Spikes setter that also checks Choice Band users like Victini, Tyranitar, and Iron Boulder, while also acting as a check for Electric-types like Magnezone, Rotom-W, Zeraora, and Thundurus. Gastrodon's capability to spread burns with Scald often causes multiple switches from the opponent, which it also capitalizes on to lay more layers of Spikes, and Earthquake eases the matchup on some of the foes it checks, notably always OHKOing Blacephalon (which is particularly valuable as Calm Mind can make it difficult to answer otherwise) and Magnezone.
Checks and counters
While the team does have ways to play around M-Gardevoir, at the same time it's not possible to safely pull off a strategy to deal with it, the most reliable strategy involves forcing status on it with Amoonguss, then stalling it out with Chansey and Clefable, but with all of these being rather vulnerable to Psyshock, this matchup is still overall disfavorable.
Nasty Plot variants of Pecharunt can freely setup and threaten a sweep, especially as the immunity to Toxic and Seismic Toss turns it rather difficult to wear down, and it isn't helped by it being a setup sweeper that Clefable can't check. However, Chansey can PP stall out Malignant Chain, and from there it can PP stall the rest of Pecharunt's moveset with Stealth Rock + Seismic Toss having way more PP than Pecharunt's moveset, but the matchup still boils down on how often can Pecharunt spread status with the move, as well as if it can win multiple mind-games as I switch between Chansey and Clefable to heal off the status, as well as PP stalling further with Clefable's Protect.
Swords Dance variants can't be checked by Clefable as Mighty Cleave ignores Protect, but at the same time Iron Boulder is still checked by Gastrodon, so ultimately this matchup demands some proactive play to prevent it from setting up multiple times and getting out of control, as well as keeping Gastrodon healthy so it can check it long term.
Its coverage is difficult to scout as it can viably run coverage options that pressure most of the team bar M-Sableye and Clefable, which can get worn down quickly thanks to Volt Switch, especially when dealing with Nasty Plot variants, but at the same time Thundurus has no longevity to speak of and still starts off rather weak, so scouting it with Clefable or M-Sableye and luring coverage options like Grass Knot, Focus Blast, and Knock Off to retain proactive play is key.
Even though Gastrodon can handle V-create variants quite well, Victini's capability to spam U-turn does result on it being necessary to lay entry hazards to prevent it from wearing it down into KO range, Trick can also be rather disruptive as then Gastrodon becomes way more passive and exploitable.
While Chansey can sit on it for quite a while, Chansey's inability to directly do anything back means that the Blacephalon user can still find setup opportunities to eventually overwhelm the team, especially as Fire Blast can overwhelm Clefable independently of setup after some chip, thus demanding proactive play to either status it or OHKO it with M-Sableye, Gastrodon, or (more rarely, namely on the switch) Amoonguss.
Replays
Against balance, showcasing the potential of Amoonguss as a physical wall
Against hyper offense, highlighting how Chansey can check Pecharunt, with Clefable + Gastrodon sorting across a well-played Keldeo
Against hard-stall, featuring PP management and a eventual win condition by wearing down the other team
Last edited:
