UU Playstyle Classification Thread

PTJon7 · May 20, 2013

Playstyle Classification Thread

Credit to Molk and Oglemi for helping with the OP.

Hey UU Players! The purpose of this thread is to help you to easily find Pokemon that fit a specific role you're looking for. Need a strong physical sweeper? Just take a look at the list under the roles of an offensive team. The categories will have a link to the Pokemon's analysis and the set(s) that fit into the listed role.

The list is small right now, so it's your job to fill in the lists of Pokemon in each role. Suggest viable Pokemon that fit into a certain category and try to give a small explanation of what the Pokemon does and why it fits there. If you don't see a specific playstyle or role that you are looking for, please make a suggestion to add it! Don't be overwhelmed right now, as you can just add 1-2 Pokemon if you would like.

Offense: An offensive team is one that focuses on pressuring the opponent with strong attackers and sweepers.

Hazard Setters:

Froslass (Spikes)
Azelf (Stealth Rock/Dual Screens)

Physical Sweepers:

Kingdra (Dragon Dance)
Weavile (Swords Dance)
Sharpedo (Life Orb)
Honchkrow (Life Orb)
Krookodile (Choice Scarf + Moxie)
Heracross (Choice Scarf + Moxie)

Special Sweepers:

Raikou (Sub-CM)
Porygon-Z (Nasty Plot/Agility)
Chandelure (Choice Scarf)
Kingdra (Choice Specs/Rain Dance)
Yanmega (Life Orb + Speed Boost)
Lilligant (Quiver Dance)
Azelf (Nasty Plot)

Revenge Killers:

Mienshao (Choice Scarf)
Flygon (Choice Scarf)

Wallbreakers:

Chandelure (Life Orb/Choice Specs)
Darmanitan (Life Orb/Choice Band)
Yanmega (Choice Specs + Tinted Lens)

Bulky Offense: A Bulky Offense team is one that has more Pokemon with high defense, but maintains pressure on the opponent through strong attacks and hazards.

Hazard Setters:

Rhyperior (Stealth Rock)
Roserade (Spikes)
Nidoqueen (Stealth Rock)
Piloswine (Stealth Rock)

Physical Sweepers:

Scrafty (Bulk Up/Dragon Dance)
Snorlax (CurseLax/Offensive)
Escavalier (Choice Band)

Special Sweepers:

Slowbro (Choice Specs/Calm Mind)
Togekiss (Nasty Plot)
Chandelure (Sub-Split)
Cofagrigus (Nasty-Room)

Stall: Stall is a full team of walls that focuses on shutting down the opposing team through pure defense and forcing switches.

Physical Walls:

Gligar (Eviolite Wall)
Cofagrigus (Physical Wall)
Slowbro (Physical Wall)
Suicune (Physical Wall)

Special Walls:

Umbreon (Cleric)
Slowking (Special Wall)
Snorlax (RestTalk)
Milotic (Special Wall)

Rapid Spinners:

Hitmontop (Physically Defensive Rapid Spin)
Blastoise (Physically Defensive Rapid Spin)

Spin Blockers:

Sableye (Prankster Wall)
Cofagrigus (Physical Wall)
Froslass (Pain Split)

Shufflers:

Snorlax (RestTalk)
Druddigon (Glare + Dragon Tail)
Riolu (Prankster Roar)
Suicune (RestTalk)

Balance: Balance is a mix of offense and defense. It will usually include both powerful attackers, tanks, and defensive supporters.

Hazard Setters:

Bronzong (Utility)
Rhyperior (Stealth Rock)
Roserade (Spikes)

Physical Sweepers:

Flygon (Choice Scarf/Choice Band)

Special Sweepers:

Nidoking (Sheer Force Life Orb)

Physical Walls:

Blastoise (Defensive)

Special Walls:

Roserade (Tank)
Snorlax (Offensive/RestTalk)

Utilities:

Crobat (Stallbreaker)

Hail: Hail teams take advantage of the auto weather from Abomasnow by wearing down the opponent through residual damage or firing off powerful 100% accurate Blizzards.

Blizzard Spammers:

Abomasnow (Offensive)
Rotom-F (Choice Scarf/Choice Specs)
Nidoqueen (Offensive)

Hail Stallers:

Abomasnow (Defensive Leech Seed)
Walrein (Stallrein)
Qwilfish (Defensive Spiker)

Utilities:

Slowbro (Defensive/Choice Specs)

Rain Teams: Rain teams take advantage of the rain weather condition through abilities like Swift Swim and the boost that rain gives to Water-type moves.

Rain Dancers:

Tornadus (Weather Support/Hurricane Spam)
Blastoise (Physically Defensive Weather Support)
Empoleon (Defensive Weather Support)
Amoonguss (Defensive Weather Support)

Swift Swim Sweepers:

Kingdra (Life Orb)
Kabutops (Swords Dance)
Ludicolo (Life Orb)

Rain Sweepers:

Raikou (Thunder Spam)
Sharpedo (Life Orb)

Trick Room Teams: Teams based around the use of the move Trick Room, which reverses the attacking order of pokemon, making slower pokemon move before faster.

Trick Room Setters:

Slowbro (Offensive Trick Room)
Slowking (Nasty-Room)
Cofagrigus (Nasty-Room)
Porygon2 (Offensive Trick Room)

Physical Trick Room Sweepers:

Snorlax (Choice Band)
Druddigon (Choice Band)
Rhyperior (Offensive)
Victini (V-Create)
Escavalier (Choice Band)

Baton Pass Teams: Teams based around utilizing pokemon with access to stat boosting moves and the move Baton Pass to pass stat boosts to sweepers.

Baton Passers:

Mew (Rock Polish/Nasty Plot/Swords Dance)
Smeargle (Shell Smash/Shift Gear)
Venomoth (Quiver Dance)
Ninjask (Speed Boost +Swords Dance)

Baton Pass Recipients:

Nidoking (Sheer Force Life Orb)

VoltTurn: VoltTurn is a strategy that puts pressure on the opponent by constantly dealing damage and switching out through the usage of Volt Switch and U-turn.

Volt Switch Users:

Lanturn (Defensive)
Raikou (Choice Specs)
Cobalion (Defensive/Offensive)
Zapdos (Life Orb/ Defensive)

U-Turn Users:

Xatu (Magic Bounce Support)
Darmanitan (Choice Scarf)
Mienshao (Life Orb/Choice Scarf)
Mew (Utility)
Crobat (Stallbreaker)
Flygon (Choice Scarf)

Manly Teams: Manly teams consist of only the manliest Pokemon.

Darmanitan (Life Orb/Choice Scarf)
Rhyperior (Tank)
Druddigon (Choice Band)
Nidoking (Sheer Force Life Orb)
Machamp (No Guard)
Honchkrow (Life Orb)

HUARGH · May 20, 2013

Cool concept.

utility/physical wall

Priority WoW together with 252+ def and amazing typing allows it to wall many pokemon. It is immune to fighting and normal, has no weaknesses and can hurt certain predicted switch-ins such as Darmanitan/Victini (expecting the WoW) for massive damage with foul play. In addition to this it has access to taunt and recover - both with priority thanks to prankster. It also spinblocks.

Trainer Au · May 20, 2013

Cool thread!

I think PTJon7 should do his own submission to start off discussion/show us how it should be done.

Here is my attempt:

Pokemon: Chandelure (SubSplit)
Category: Bulky Offense, Special sweeper+Spin Blocker

Chandelure is a huge threat that appreciates the hazards a bulky offense team can provide, and can also stop them from being spun away (though not the most reliable). With a Modest nature and a Life Orb Chandelure is definitely a force to be reckoned with, against bulkier pokemon that don't mind taking it's dual stabs (snorlax) it can use pain split to get it's health back. Chandelure does have it's flaws though, it is pursuit trappable and weak to stealth rock, so it will need spin support.

Hope I did that right :s.

Magical Magmortar · May 20, 2013

I think you should add Hail to the list.

Offense
Special Sweepers

Chandelure (Choice Specs/Scarf)

Hits extremely hard with a great base 145 Special Attack
Great coverage with Shadow Ball and Fire Blast
Can cripple walls with Trick
Flash Fire to absorb Fire attacks

PTJon7 · May 20, 2013

Well I really just copied it off of RU =/ Thanks though!

EDIT: Ninja'd 0_0 Magmortar's post is a much better example.

Exbo · May 20, 2013

Hey ptjon7, cool thread.
Before I suggest a few pokemon that come to mind, do you think that you could add a few more categories (or maybe subcategories to the existing ones) like paralysis support, volt-turn teams, or manual weather teams?

Anyway great idea overall, I believe it will help a lot.

PTJon7 · May 20, 2013

Thanks for all the support! I'll be sure to add more categories to the thread, but everyone feel free to suggest them & pokemon that would fit into the category.

Trainer Au · May 20, 2013

PTJon7 said:
Well I really just copied it off of RU =/ Thanks though!

EDIT: Ninja'd 0_0 Magmortar's post is a much better example.

Oh didn't know it wasn't your idea, I don't RU. I agree Magmortar's post is better. I was originally going to post Chandy, but then I didn't know what to do so I posted asking for the example then just decided what the heck.

Exbo · May 20, 2013

Offense
Physical Sweepers

Sharpedo @ Life Orb
Trait: Speed boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
Protect
Waterfall
Crunch
Earthquake / Aqua Jet

Very good sweeper/revenge killer because of 120 base Atk and Speed boost
Waterfall and Crunch are mandatory STAB attacks, Protect to guarantee a Speed boost and block any random Fake Out
Earthquake to round off the average Water-Dark coverage - alternatively, Aqua Jet to prevent being revenge killled by priority
Extremely fragile, handle with care - switching in and out even on resisted hits hurts a lot, LO recoil racks up fast, susceptible to all entry hazards
Above dangers = requires a lot of support, best used in endgame - Should not be used as an early game wallbreaker because it can't take any hits
Nevertheless, one of the best sweepers in UU

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bulky Offense - Balance - Support
Special Wall

Togekiss @ Leftovers
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SDef / 8 Spd
Calm Nature
- Thunder Wave / Body Slam
- Heal Bell / Wish
- Air Slash
- Roost / Wish

Very good defensive pokemon because of special bulk and Serene Grace
TWave / Body slam to paralyze the opponent, Air Slash to flinch, Roost/Wish for longevity, Heal Bell/Wish to act as a cleric
Very annoying pokemon, with paraflinching the opponent has a 30% chance to move per round
Air Slash does pitiful damage even to frail pokemon but ^see above^
Low-average physical bulk, be careful
Has a certain surprise factor because there are many variants (although this is the most common one)

NfskMjmMal · May 20, 2013

Hail
(Hmmm, doesn't really fit into a category, but might not facilitate the need for a new miscellaneous category)

Raikou (Weather Ball)

Access to Weather Ball
Weather Ball plus Thunderbolt is actually a stronger "BoltBeam" combo than BoltBeam itself
Allows Raikou to run a different Hidden Power for even better coverage
Weather Ball can be used effectively on pretty much every single standard Raikou set

Also, in the description of Hail, you should change Snover to Abomasnow.

CoolStoryBrobat · May 20, 2013

Cool thread, Bro(bat). This actually reminds me of an old thread that got closed in the past, I know it's a bit dated but you could use it for reference perhaps, it covers a huge range of offense playstyles/Pokemon, and I think it's worth taking a look at.

http://www.smogon.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4415908

rainbowumbreon · May 20, 2013

Can this please be added to offense

Honchkrow @ choice scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
Brave Bird
Super Power
Pursuit
Night Slash

-Good for revenge killing
-can pursuit trap mew azelf and other psychic types
-cleans up end game very well

TPO3 · May 20, 2013

For Offense:

Special Sweeper
Kingdra @Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
252 SpAtk/4 SpDef/252 Spe
Modest
~Rain Dance
~Draco Meteor/Dragon Pulse
~Hydro Pump
~Surf

Kingdra is a pretty good special sweeper for offensive teams. It only needs one turn of setup, and it hits extremely hard. It doesn't even need special walls to be completely removed (except for maybe umbreon) but just weakened to a sufficient point. Even though it uses rain, it's not like you're limited from using Fire-types.

Wallbreaker:
Darmanitan @Life Orb/Choice Band
Trait: Sheer Force
252 Atk/4 SpDef/252 Spe
Jolly/Adamant
~Flare Blitz
~Rock Slide
~Superpower
~U-turn

Literally boils down to "click STAB attack and watch things get nuked." Base 140 Attack @Sheer Force is pretty ridiculous for breaking walls. Even things like Gligar get 2HKO'd. It also has decent speed at 95, and can keep momentum up with U-turn. Might have trouble getting in for free, but lots of things on offense do.

Cesterp · May 20, 2013

For rain dancers:

Empoleon @ Damp Rock
Trait: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Impish Nature
- Rain Dance
- Stealth Rock
- Aqua Jet
- Roar

Bringin' in all the utility. Rain, hazards, phazing, and priority. Useful for cleaning up things not expecting an Aqua Jet, and it can get surprisingly powerful when Torrent boosted and in Rain. Always a fantastic supporter. No recovery, sadly, but you can replace Damp Rock with Lefties if you really need to.

Amoonguss @ Damp Rock
Trait: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SAtk
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Rain Dance
- Giga Drain
- Stun Spore

More utility in the form of sleep, paralyzation (not always necessary on a rain team, but good in a pinch), more rain setting, and also recovery in the form of Giga Drain and Regenerator, so that late game, Amoongus can stay alive and set up rain one or two more times for you to guarantee the win.

Amoongus and Empoleon together make a great defensive core, with the only weakness not really accounted for being Ground-type, but having a Ludicolo or Tornadus on the team can easily solve any issues. They also set up rain. Which is important when you're using a rain team.

ScraftyIsTheBest · May 20, 2013

Hey, add this to Stall.

Physical Wall / Spinblocker:

Cofagrigus @ Leftovers
Trait: Mummy
EVs: 252 HP / 248 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Shadow Ball
- Haze
- Pain Split / Rest

Cofagrigus is a great wall and spinblocker, taking on a lot of physical threats such as Mienshao, Snorlax (even if Cofagrigus can't do any damage WoW still fucks Lax over), Heracross, and a bunch of others. He also spinblocks very well, having enough bulk while deterring setup.

As for Bulky Offense

Physical Sweeper
Escavalier @ Choice Band
Trait: Swarm
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Megahorn
- Iron Head
- Pursuit
- Return / Sleep Talk

Escavalier hits like a damn truck, while having a useful defensive typing and bulk to come in multiple times in the match. He smashes many things with CB Megahorn, while he traps with Pursuit and can hit really hard in general. He's slow, but he can do well on Bulky Offense

Hazard Setter

Nidoqueen @ Life Orb
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 100 HP / 252 SpA / 156 Spe
Modest Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam / Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast / Fire Blast

Nidoqueen is a great hazard setter, while she can set up SR with the switches she forces. She also hits hard with Sheer Force+LO boosted attacks that have great coverage, with STAB Earth Power and some other good coverage moves so even Snorlax can't live it. Great piece of bulky offense.

CoolStoryBrobat · May 20, 2013

Oh yeah, I can't help but notice there was no Hyper Offense section. I'll just toss these up here:

Hyper Offense
Leads/Hazard Setters:

Uxie @ Light Clay
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 SpDef
IVs: 0 Atk
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Memento
- Light Screen
- Reflect

Accelgor @ Focus Sash/Damp Rock (For Hyper Offense Rain)
Trait: Sticky Hold
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Spe / 4 SpDef
Timid Nature
- Bug Buzz
- Final Gambit
- Spikes
- Yawn/Rain Dance (For Hyper Offense Rain also)

Crustle @ Custap Berry
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 Spe / 4 HP
Adamant Nature
- Rock Blast
- X-Scissor
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock

Smeargle @ Focus Sash
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Spore
- Magic Coat
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock/Endeavor/Toxic Spikes/Encore/Memento

Yeah, basically just a couple ideas on some good HO leads, there's a ton more but I'm not gonna hog the article, lol.

A future suggestion, the sections seem to be getting...kinda big. You might have to use Hide Tags underneath each section. It'd help with accessibility so one doesn't have to scroll all the way down, but we're not totally at that level yet. ...Yet......

KM · May 21, 2013

Raikou shouldn't really be included in hail, as Scarfed Rotom-F is superior on almost all fronts, and having both is pretty redundant. For starters, UnStab weather ball only reaches 30 higher BP than HP Ice, whereas Stab Blizzard reaches 180 BP. Raikou will also be quickly run down by your own hail. It's also worth noting that Rotom-F has added utility with Trick, allowing it to cripple major threats. It also has Levitate over Pressure, allowing it to switch in on EQs from Flygon and Krookodile and threaten the OHKO.

Overall, Raikou is a nice gimmick, but it's generally outclassed in hail. It's certainly very viable in manual rain, however.

Cesterp · May 21, 2013

For VoltTurn, standard Flygon and Scarf Zoroark can be added to the mix. Zoroark can be devious on a VoltTurn team, and Illusion truly can actually start to become a threatening ability with switches happening often and quickly. It can be a huge momentum gainer if an opponent doesn't realize what it is, especially when your team can help support it in being well hidden.

Arcanine also should probably be added as a physical sweeper wherever you see fit... Offensive Life Orb Arcanine is very standard, so I don't feel like I really need to explain the set too much. It hurts things, and then they die. Plus, ExtremeSpeed, which is always very useful.

TPO3 · May 21, 2013

Small nitpick, I don't really think Choice Band Snorlax would be considered a physical "sweeper" under Bulky Offense. It doesn't really sweep teams unless it has Trick Room support, and even then it gets only 2ish turns. I feel like CurseLax would be better to put in that spot, since it has the opportunity to set up and then sweep with its raised stats.

I've also got a couple for the "Special Sweepers" section of offense.
Yanmega @Life Orb
Trait: Speed Boost
Modest nature
4 Def/252 SpAtk/252 Spe
~Bug Buzz
~Air Slash
~Hidden Power Ground
~Protect

With the extra speed it gets, it will outrun pretty much every other offensive pokemon if played right, and it has just enough coverage and power to wreck teams late-game.

Lilligant @Life Orb
Trait: Chlorophyl
Timid nature
252 SpAtk/4 SpDef/252 Spe
~Quiver Dance
~Giga Drain/Petal Dance
~Hidden Power Rock/Hidden Power Fire
~Sleep Powder

Lilligant is nice as it sets up on pretty much every bulky water-type, and then can sleep powder whatever switches in. It's a nice fit on offense since they provide the hazard support and/or Dual Screens support it really likes.

PTJon7 · May 21, 2013

Anyone got ideas on other categories of play to add?

CoolStoryBrobat · May 21, 2013

I GUESS you could include manual sun, it's pretty straightforward though it's not super effective this meta. But if you do opt to go for it, you can include stuff like Sunny Day Arcanine, Prankster Whimsicott/Sableye, even Slowbro (lol) for sun setters. Sweepers being stuff like Victreebel, Shifty, and Sawsbuck, easily.

However I guess the only other thing one can do is possibly throw some more suggestions for already-existing categories. Like for instance, I honestly think Swampert could be listed as a hazard setter for Bulky Offense, and Porygon2 as a special attacker for that same category.

Also gonna suggest Qwilfish/Roserade for hazard setters on stall/bulky offense teams, and Snorlax as a special wall for Stall.

relaunched · May 22, 2013

Choice Specs + Tinted Lens Yanmega should go under Wallbreakers rather than under Special Sweepers. It's too slow to sweep much of the time but Tinted Lens makes it an excellent wallbreaker, akin to Chandelure and Darmanitan.

Also Abomasnow should go under Hail as a "setter" or something. It's kinda important.

Might add more later.

Exbo · May 23, 2013

Cesterp said:
For rain dancers:
...having a Ludicolo or Tornadus on the team can easily solve any issues. They also set up rain. Which is important when you're using a rain team.

Actually, Tornadus is one of the best rain setters. It has THE highest rain and taunt, thanks to prankster. It pays off to use it as a suicide lead imo, although that kinda defeats the purpose of "having a Ground immunity".
Then again you can use Zapdos or Flygon for excellent defensive synergy with Empoleon and Amoonguss.

ScraftyIsTheBest · May 23, 2013

Add some more Pokemon to this.

For Offense:

Azelf @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Psyshock
- Fire Blast
- Grass Knot

Azelf is an amazing special sweeper thanks to his access to Nasty Plot and solid special movepool. Grab one Nasty Plot boost, and you're in a sweeping condition. Azelf destroys entire teams after a single boost, and few Pokemon in the tier can boost not being 2HKO'd by him after he gets going. He has an awesome Speed stat as well, outpacing a lot of the metagame, allowing him to destroy teams with more ease. The only real way to stop him is to use a fast Dark-type or using Sucker Punch.

Krookodile (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Crunch
- Stone Edge / Superpower
- Pursuit

Krookodile is pretty awesome when it comes to physical sweeping. He has good coverage in his STAB's and also has Moxie to boost his Attack to some pretty monstrous levels, making him harder to stop as he takes down more opponents. His Scarf allows him to outpace a lot of things and also makes him a great revenge killer, revenging stuff like Azelf, Mew, and a bunch of others. He's a great choice if you're looking to sweep teams.

Specter Pro · May 24, 2013

This is kind of nit-picky but I feel Choice Specs Chandelure shouldn't be in the Special Sweepers section as it's low Speed prevents it from actually sweeping through teams most of the time. It's more of a hit-and-runner, especially with Overheat.

Loving this thread btw ^^ great idea.

UU Playstyle Classification Thread

PTJon7

HUARGH

Trainer Au

Insert custom title here

Magical Magmortar

PTJon7

Exbo

PTJon7

Trainer Au

Insert custom title here

Exbo

NfskMjmMal

CoolStoryBrobat

The hero Smogon needs, but not the one it deserves

rainbowumbreon

TPO3

Never practice; Always perform.

Cesterp

ScraftyIsTheBest

On to new Horizons!

CoolStoryBrobat

The hero Smogon needs, but not the one it deserves

KM

slayification

Cesterp

TPO3

Never practice; Always perform.

PTJon7

CoolStoryBrobat

The hero Smogon needs, but not the one it deserves

relaunched

Exbo

ScraftyIsTheBest

On to new Horizons!

Specter Pro