And also my 4k
Below the clearly inferior metagames of DPP Ubers, OU, and UU, lies the somewhat unofficial DPP NU, my favorite tier in Smogon's history. Few metagames have both obvious powerhouses that centralize the tier AND many viable strategies available. DPP NU has both. Sure, you can use Charizard, Slowking, Skuntank, Regirock, Tauros, Jynx, Nidoqueen, and Haunter all day. But you can easily find niches for many Pokemon in unique builds. Even a Swords Dance Meganium can wreck an unprepared team (I hate you Oglemi )
My philosophy on Pokemon has overwhelmingly been to have fun with it. Though it's a bit different when I'm playing in a team tournament, when I'm playing for me, I'd rather use sets and teams that I enjoy using to a team I find boring, even if the boring team has a better shot at winning. This has resulted in me using everything from Mandibuzz in Doubles to Stoutland in BW OU (rip) on a regular basis. I find those teams fun and I like to use em. For whatever reason people like to yell at me about this. You can continue to play purely to win, if that's what floats your boat. It's not for me. If I want to play a game for pure competition I go play soccer or chess, games I've played my whole life and which offer much less in the realm of creativity. Pokemon is a place for me to have fun messing around with shit in the teambuilder. And most of the time it's bad. That's ok by me. Experimenting is fun. I'm always pleased when I see innovative builders also do well in their tiers, as it's not easy to do both. Examples include ben gay in ORAS OU, Mizuhime in ORAS Doubles, steelphoenix in ORAS Ubers, among many others. I'd like to think that I'm at that kind of level when it comes to DPP NU, where I can experiment with truly absurd builds and still do well against other top competitors in the tier.
The four teams are as follows: Full Trick Room, Full BellyZard, Diglett CroKing, and a strange Stall build (which is bad but I still wanted to post it). While all 4 are fun to use, I'd only call the first team particularly reliable. All 4 importables, without text, are available at the bottom.
I'd previously done a really silly full TR team with Clamperl that can win games, such as this one against McMeghan http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-33870 , but is generally inconsistent. Then in PUPL, I wanted to try out some very different mons that are actually more viable. Like the first one that leads Glalie (setting Spikes for Clamperl) I also wanted the TR nature of the team to be totally unobvious from the lead Pokemon.
See this team in action vs Sweep, using what I believe to be an atomicllamas team: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-73503
Haunter @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Shadow Ball
- Explosion
- Sucker Punch
Haunter is a wonderful little confusing lead. The first things that come to mind with a Haunter lead are Taunt and its good speed. This alone will cause many common leads to feel a bit neutered. Add on the fact that its Ghost typing that makes it immune to Medicham, Jynx, Sneasel, Monferno, and Shiftry Fake Outs and you've got a very good lead TR user. It can set up Trick Room and Explode against most everything. Next to nothing in DPP NU that leads can take out Haunter before its Trick Room and Boom. Floatzel can Taunt it before TR happens, but it is unlikely to use Taunt in the first place as it has little reason to. Piloswine can at least Ice Shard before the Explosion happens, but it cannot stop Trick Room. Sucker Punch is a nifty 4th slot that lets Haunter beat many other leads, despite being slower. With 252 Atk it and Explosion - with old mechanics - actually hit quite hard.
Ampharos @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def / 3 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
- Substitute
Manectric and Magneton are both very good Electric types that fit very well on Offense, due to a decided lack of common Ground types in DPP NU. Only Nidoqueen is particularly common, though Rhydon, Gligar, and Sandslash do get used occasionally as well. I definitely wanted a powerhouse Electric type for this reason - especially important when Slowking is prevalent and would trouble many TR teams. Ampharos is an obvious fit and the set is straightforward.
Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Crabhammer
- Crunch
- X-Scissor
- Superpower
I had one Pokemon that totally destroys Slowking and now I wanted another. Crawdaunt has quite a lot of power for DPP NU and a good amount of coverage. Even more importantly, it is a Physical Sweeper that can't be blunted by the ever prevalent Tauros's intimidate. And thanks to its somewhat rare status as a physically-oriented Water Type, it also threatens all the most common Physical Walls, Regirock, Nidoqueen, and Gligar. It functions very similarly to how Band Floatzel would on an offensive team, but it's an even better wallbreaker because it can beat Slowking and Lickilicky more easily.
Porygon2 @ Life Orb
Ability: Download
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
We've got 3 Pokemon that threaten Slowking, so why not add a 4th? I definitely need a second Trick Room user, and Porygon2 fits the bill easily to maintain offensive pressure. BoltBeam and STAB Tri Attack, all boosted by LO (and often from +1 thanks to Download), make P2 a big nuisance for opponents. At the same time, even without the still-nonexistent Eviolite, P2 is pretty bulky and can be counted on to reset Trick Room against most any opponent that isn't a Fighting type.
Slowking @ Life Orb
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 232 HP / 24 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Surf
- Signal Beam
And what if the opponent is a Fighting type? Let's add the beast itself, OTR Slowking, which can set up TR against any Fighting type opponent. 252 Atk Life Orb Pure Power Medicham ThunderPunch vs. 232 HP / 24 Def Slowking: 304-358 (78.1 - 92%). - not ideal if Rocks are up, but it's still a solid chance and if they are up I have to rely on my last. Signal Beam is the unusual choice, but it lets Slowking hit opposing Slowking as well as Shiftry and Cacturne.
Marowak @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Earthquake
- Thunder Punch
- Fire Punch
- Double-Edge
Finally, we have a classic TR sweeper. Marowak's good physical bulk lets me have an emergency button against huge threats like LO Medicham. Meanwhile offensively Ground STAB is amazing, due to Charizard and Haunter being the only super common immunities. Double Edge looks a little strange, but it is Marowak's best option against Gligar (except Ice Beam but not by much, and Double Edge is far more spammable if the opponent is switching around to predicted resists). Bonemerang can also be used for Focus Sash users, especially given that this team has ZERO hazards lol.
What I mean by this is that the entire team is designed to support its sweep. Here's an amazing replay of it in use, where I somehow win against Kiyo despite never getting it set up properly: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-69499
Kadabra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Def
- Taunt
- Counter
- Psychic
- Thunder Wave
Kadabra is basically never seen. However it has an interesting little niche as a lead. Because of its Inner Focus, it can beat, or at least cripple, all Fake Out leads. At the same time, it can Taunt slower Stealth Rock leads, which is essential for Charizard. And against most any typical lead, worst comes to worst, it can use yellow magic. SashCounter is just generally cute.
Charizard @ Salac Berry
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 92 HP / 220 Atk / 196 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Substitute
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
Here's the Charizard the team will be based around. The Speed investment is enough to outrun +speed 80s, such as Medicham, as well as Adamant Skuntank. The extra bulk I can attain is useful for Substitute living various hits that I don't remember when Screens are set up (see rest of team). The sacrifice of 8 points of Attack is relatively unimportant once Charizard hits +6 anyway. I opt for odd HP instead of even on the off chance that my opponent DOES manage to get Stealth Rock up. Although this is likely a lost scenario anyway, I do want to retain the chance of setting up against a sleeping Pokemon (see rest of team).
Jumpluff @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sleep Powder
- Memento
- Encore
- Reflect
Well here's a Screen and Sleeping. There's not much to say here other than that Jumpluff can do its job against countless things, as long as they don't hit it Super Effectively. It can even mess with something as strong as Tauros (as seen in the replay). So long as Jumpluff doesn't lose both speed ties to Tauros, it will put Charizard in an amazing position to set up. Nothing much else to say other than that Sitrus Berry should absolutely be the standard item on this set. MAAAYBE a resist berry. But not Leftovers ffs.
Solrock @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Explosion
BellyZard sometimes needs some help to net a KO, or maybe just break a Sash. Solrock also provides both Screens and can explode. What more could you want to preserve momentum and help set up the sweep? Like Jumpluff, this set is just very straightforward at what it does.
Medicham @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Psycho Cut
- Thunder Punch
- Trick
Now I want a secondary win condition. Scarf Medicham fits the bill, as High Jump Kick can sweep tons of teams under proper conditions, which they may be forced into to stop Charizard. Jumpluff may even have put a Slowking or Nidoqueen to sleep previously. Alternatively, Trick can cripple bulkier opponents (or just lock them into an undesirable move) and help set up Charizard later.
Skuntank @ Black Glasses
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Explosion
Lastly, Skuntank is super useful for eliminating some problematic fast mons like Manectric, Haunter, and Jynx that mess with Charizard. Eliminateing the targets of Skuntank (Slowking and Haunter especially) generally helps Scarf Medicham sweep. Explosion is Explosion and can take out other blocks to Medicham like Nidoqueen.
Replay here against innovamania: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-71116
Piloswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Rock Tomb
Piloswine is a less common lead, but it can get up Stealth Rock pretty reliably due to its ability to hit most anything with Taunt very hard. Ice Shard lets it beat most any Sash leads. I am going with a fast Piloswine that can outrun +speed 80s after a Rock Tomb lowers their speed.
Slowking @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 108 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Psychic
Slowking is meant to be the star of the show. Cro-anything can be very destructive, and Slowking is no exception. Most teams have one or two dedicated Slowking stops, and anything after that can be easily overwhelmed by this set. In many cases, those stops are Manectric or Magneton (often Choice), ThunderPunch Medicham (often Choice), or Skuntank. All of these can be threatened by a Ground type ;) I opted for Psychic because there are few Dark types in DPP NU and basically no Steel types. Only Skuntank is very common, followed by the less common Shiftry, Cacturne, and Sharpedo. going with Surf on the other hand would have me auto walled by Quagsire and Mantine, who are much harder to remove by force.
Diglett @ Custap Berry
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Reversal
- Shadow Claw
And that's where Diglett comes in. Even though it's a generally terrible Pokemon in this metagame, being too slow to take out many things and too weak to take out scores of others, it can easily remove Manectric, Magneton, and choiced Medicham. Skuntank however poses a problem. Sucker Punch will demolish Diglett. That's where Sub Custap Berry comes in. You can Sub on the Sucker Punch and then EQ. EQ does a solid 76-90% vs Skuntank, so with Rocks and/or much of any prior damage, it's dead. The Custap Berry unfortunately does not let you go before Sucker Punch, but it's still very useful in many scenarios to get 2 hits on on something. Life Orb can also be used to get the OHKO on Skuntank.
Drifblim @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Explosion
So now I wanted a secondary lure to get Slowking's counters onto the field, so that something else can get sacrificed before bringing in Diglett. Drifblim shares many of the same weaknesses. It also can Explode on those Slowking checks if it gets the chance, or if not it can make the safer play of Tricking on turn 1 that it's out. If this catches a Skuntank, you're in really good shape for the rest of the game, since you can now Explode. If Skuntank uses Sucker Punch, go to Diglett, trap and remove it with Substitute to stall its Suckers.
Nidoqueen @ Leftovers
Ability: Poison Point
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 172 Def / 80 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Counter
- Pursuit
- Earth Power
How do you make a Cro-pokemon more threatening? Toxic Spikes of course! Especially useful with a Diglett to remove Skuntank, the most common absorber, and also threaten opposing Nidoqueen. Counter is used to lure Tauros, who is strong enough physically to threaten Slowking and also faster than Diglett. Pursuit is used to annoy Haunter.
Electrode @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 100 Atk / 252 SpA / 156 Spe
Naive Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunder Wave
- Explosion
And now a secondary win condition and some support. Electrode outruns everything but scarfers. This means it can sweep late game with Thunderbolt if needed. It can also paralyze most anything, which makes it trappable by Diglett and also something Slowking can outrun. By the way... Those 44 Speed EVs on Slowking earlier? They're for a Scarf Medicham. If it's paralyzed, either by Twave or Static, Slowking will outrun. And just like Drifblim, it can be used to lure things and Boom to clear Slowking's path. In this case, it could do so on a bulky Grass like Vileplume. 100 Atk Life Orb Electrode Explosion vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Vileplume: 362-426 (102.2 - 120.3%).
This team is far from perfect and I definitely don't advise its use. It has many bad matchups. In reality, no Stall should be used in DPP NU other than HailStall with Walrein. But that's so boring and borderline broken... Replay here against Kiyo: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-60611 (a loss, I know)
Camerupt (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 160 HP / 80 Atk / 32 Def / 236 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Explosion
Camerupt is, to be honest, not a good lead. However, it leads better than most of the team. Trading hazards is fine, as I will be able to spin in most every matchup at some point. They likely won't. Unfortunately, though, this gives big momentum to the opponent if they use Bulk Up Pass Floatzel, as Kiyo did in our match.
Hitmonchan @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Punch
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
I think this set is basically nonexistent. It is the standard Bulk Up set onsite, with Rapid Spin over Thunder Punch/Mach Punch. But I think it makes perfect sense. With a Bulk Up under Hitmonchan's belt, it can OHKO Haunter, meaning that it can't spinblock in many circumstances. It can also find opportunities to spin against many opponents once it has used Bulk Up and can't be damaged much. Yes, this loses to Slowking without Thunder Punch, but Slowking is not an issue for a stall team to take on, especially not one with my next Pokemon.
Mantine (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Surf
- Toxic
And here's the eZ Slowking counter. Eats all of them up, except for my own CroKing set lol. It's also reliable against most all Charizard, an important mon to check for stall. Unfortunately, no help against Magmortar and its Thunderbolt, but Camerupt can hold its own there... if it's not dead from being the lead. This is why ideally Camerupt would not lead.
Lickilicky (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Return
- Power Whip
Wish support is pretty necessary, obviously, and Lickilicky is my go to guy. Power Whip can be replaced by Aqua Tail. Toxic is not advised as then Haunter would be a major pain for the team.
Dusclops (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Seismic Toss
A secondary star to the show that basically never gets used. However, it's a nice little Tauros counter. Does pretty well against Medicham too. And if Willo hits, Skuntank doesn't even beat it without Life Orb or Lum Berry. BlackGlasses is a common alternative, and it loses.
252+ Atk BlackGlasses Skuntank Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dusclops: 168-198 (59.1 - 69.7%)
252+ Atk BlackGlasses burned Skuntank Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dusclops: 84-102 (29.5 - 35.9%)
This fails to do enough after Leftovers recovery!
Roselia (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Energy Ball
- Aromatherapy
There's not much to say here. Roselia does what it does. It's my spiker and cleric. Beyond that it offers pretty little to the team. It'd possibly be better to use Heal Bell on Lickilicky and replace Roselia with a more generally useful Spiker in Cacturne. All in all, though, just don't use stall in DPP NU unless you want to pray for a really good matchup.
Below the clearly inferior metagames of DPP Ubers, OU, and UU, lies the somewhat unofficial DPP NU, my favorite tier in Smogon's history. Few metagames have both obvious powerhouses that centralize the tier AND many viable strategies available. DPP NU has both. Sure, you can use Charizard, Slowking, Skuntank, Regirock, Tauros, Jynx, Nidoqueen, and Haunter all day. But you can easily find niches for many Pokemon in unique builds. Even a Swords Dance Meganium can wreck an unprepared team (I hate you Oglemi )
My philosophy on Pokemon has overwhelmingly been to have fun with it. Though it's a bit different when I'm playing in a team tournament, when I'm playing for me, I'd rather use sets and teams that I enjoy using to a team I find boring, even if the boring team has a better shot at winning. This has resulted in me using everything from Mandibuzz in Doubles to Stoutland in BW OU (rip) on a regular basis. I find those teams fun and I like to use em. For whatever reason people like to yell at me about this. You can continue to play purely to win, if that's what floats your boat. It's not for me. If I want to play a game for pure competition I go play soccer or chess, games I've played my whole life and which offer much less in the realm of creativity. Pokemon is a place for me to have fun messing around with shit in the teambuilder. And most of the time it's bad. That's ok by me. Experimenting is fun. I'm always pleased when I see innovative builders also do well in their tiers, as it's not easy to do both. Examples include ben gay in ORAS OU, Mizuhime in ORAS Doubles, steelphoenix in ORAS Ubers, among many others. I'd like to think that I'm at that kind of level when it comes to DPP NU, where I can experiment with truly absurd builds and still do well against other top competitors in the tier.
The four teams are as follows: Full Trick Room, Full BellyZard, Diglett CroKing, and a strange Stall build (which is bad but I still wanted to post it). While all 4 are fun to use, I'd only call the first team particularly reliable. All 4 importables, without text, are available at the bottom.
First up, Full TR:
I'd previously done a really silly full TR team with Clamperl that can win games, such as this one against McMeghan http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-33870 , but is generally inconsistent. Then in PUPL, I wanted to try out some very different mons that are actually more viable. Like the first one that leads Glalie (setting Spikes for Clamperl) I also wanted the TR nature of the team to be totally unobvious from the lead Pokemon.
See this team in action vs Sweep, using what I believe to be an atomicllamas team: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-73503
Haunter @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Shadow Ball
- Explosion
- Sucker Punch
Haunter is a wonderful little confusing lead. The first things that come to mind with a Haunter lead are Taunt and its good speed. This alone will cause many common leads to feel a bit neutered. Add on the fact that its Ghost typing that makes it immune to Medicham, Jynx, Sneasel, Monferno, and Shiftry Fake Outs and you've got a very good lead TR user. It can set up Trick Room and Explode against most everything. Next to nothing in DPP NU that leads can take out Haunter before its Trick Room and Boom. Floatzel can Taunt it before TR happens, but it is unlikely to use Taunt in the first place as it has little reason to. Piloswine can at least Ice Shard before the Explosion happens, but it cannot stop Trick Room. Sucker Punch is a nifty 4th slot that lets Haunter beat many other leads, despite being slower. With 252 Atk it and Explosion - with old mechanics - actually hit quite hard.
Ampharos @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def / 3 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
- Substitute
Manectric and Magneton are both very good Electric types that fit very well on Offense, due to a decided lack of common Ground types in DPP NU. Only Nidoqueen is particularly common, though Rhydon, Gligar, and Sandslash do get used occasionally as well. I definitely wanted a powerhouse Electric type for this reason - especially important when Slowking is prevalent and would trouble many TR teams. Ampharos is an obvious fit and the set is straightforward.
Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Crabhammer
- Crunch
- X-Scissor
- Superpower
I had one Pokemon that totally destroys Slowking and now I wanted another. Crawdaunt has quite a lot of power for DPP NU and a good amount of coverage. Even more importantly, it is a Physical Sweeper that can't be blunted by the ever prevalent Tauros's intimidate. And thanks to its somewhat rare status as a physically-oriented Water Type, it also threatens all the most common Physical Walls, Regirock, Nidoqueen, and Gligar. It functions very similarly to how Band Floatzel would on an offensive team, but it's an even better wallbreaker because it can beat Slowking and Lickilicky more easily.
Porygon2 @ Life Orb
Ability: Download
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
We've got 3 Pokemon that threaten Slowking, so why not add a 4th? I definitely need a second Trick Room user, and Porygon2 fits the bill easily to maintain offensive pressure. BoltBeam and STAB Tri Attack, all boosted by LO (and often from +1 thanks to Download), make P2 a big nuisance for opponents. At the same time, even without the still-nonexistent Eviolite, P2 is pretty bulky and can be counted on to reset Trick Room against most any opponent that isn't a Fighting type.
Slowking @ Life Orb
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 232 HP / 24 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Surf
- Signal Beam
And what if the opponent is a Fighting type? Let's add the beast itself, OTR Slowking, which can set up TR against any Fighting type opponent. 252 Atk Life Orb Pure Power Medicham ThunderPunch vs. 232 HP / 24 Def Slowking: 304-358 (78.1 - 92%). - not ideal if Rocks are up, but it's still a solid chance and if they are up I have to rely on my last. Signal Beam is the unusual choice, but it lets Slowking hit opposing Slowking as well as Shiftry and Cacturne.
Marowak @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Earthquake
- Thunder Punch
- Fire Punch
- Double-Edge
Finally, we have a classic TR sweeper. Marowak's good physical bulk lets me have an emergency button against huge threats like LO Medicham. Meanwhile offensively Ground STAB is amazing, due to Charizard and Haunter being the only super common immunities. Double Edge looks a little strange, but it is Marowak's best option against Gligar (except Ice Beam but not by much, and Double Edge is far more spammable if the opponent is switching around to predicted resists). Bonemerang can also be used for Focus Sash users, especially given that this team has ZERO hazards lol.
Now for full BellyZard:
What I mean by this is that the entire team is designed to support its sweep. Here's an amazing replay of it in use, where I somehow win against Kiyo despite never getting it set up properly: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-69499
Kadabra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Def
- Taunt
- Counter
- Psychic
- Thunder Wave
Kadabra is basically never seen. However it has an interesting little niche as a lead. Because of its Inner Focus, it can beat, or at least cripple, all Fake Out leads. At the same time, it can Taunt slower Stealth Rock leads, which is essential for Charizard. And against most any typical lead, worst comes to worst, it can use yellow magic. SashCounter is just generally cute.
Charizard @ Salac Berry
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 92 HP / 220 Atk / 196 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Substitute
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
Here's the Charizard the team will be based around. The Speed investment is enough to outrun +speed 80s, such as Medicham, as well as Adamant Skuntank. The extra bulk I can attain is useful for Substitute living various hits that I don't remember when Screens are set up (see rest of team). The sacrifice of 8 points of Attack is relatively unimportant once Charizard hits +6 anyway. I opt for odd HP instead of even on the off chance that my opponent DOES manage to get Stealth Rock up. Although this is likely a lost scenario anyway, I do want to retain the chance of setting up against a sleeping Pokemon (see rest of team).
Jumpluff @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sleep Powder
- Memento
- Encore
- Reflect
Well here's a Screen and Sleeping. There's not much to say here other than that Jumpluff can do its job against countless things, as long as they don't hit it Super Effectively. It can even mess with something as strong as Tauros (as seen in the replay). So long as Jumpluff doesn't lose both speed ties to Tauros, it will put Charizard in an amazing position to set up. Nothing much else to say other than that Sitrus Berry should absolutely be the standard item on this set. MAAAYBE a resist berry. But not Leftovers ffs.
Solrock @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Explosion
BellyZard sometimes needs some help to net a KO, or maybe just break a Sash. Solrock also provides both Screens and can explode. What more could you want to preserve momentum and help set up the sweep? Like Jumpluff, this set is just very straightforward at what it does.
Medicham @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Psycho Cut
- Thunder Punch
- Trick
Now I want a secondary win condition. Scarf Medicham fits the bill, as High Jump Kick can sweep tons of teams under proper conditions, which they may be forced into to stop Charizard. Jumpluff may even have put a Slowking or Nidoqueen to sleep previously. Alternatively, Trick can cripple bulkier opponents (or just lock them into an undesirable move) and help set up Charizard later.
Skuntank @ Black Glasses
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Explosion
Lastly, Skuntank is super useful for eliminating some problematic fast mons like Manectric, Haunter, and Jynx that mess with Charizard. Eliminateing the targets of Skuntank (Slowking and Haunter especially) generally helps Scarf Medicham sweep. Explosion is Explosion and can take out other blocks to Medicham like Nidoqueen.
The third team is built around Diglett + CroKing:
Replay here against innovamania: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-71116
Piloswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Rock Tomb
Piloswine is a less common lead, but it can get up Stealth Rock pretty reliably due to its ability to hit most anything with Taunt very hard. Ice Shard lets it beat most any Sash leads. I am going with a fast Piloswine that can outrun +speed 80s after a Rock Tomb lowers their speed.
Slowking @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 108 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Psychic
Slowking is meant to be the star of the show. Cro-anything can be very destructive, and Slowking is no exception. Most teams have one or two dedicated Slowking stops, and anything after that can be easily overwhelmed by this set. In many cases, those stops are Manectric or Magneton (often Choice), ThunderPunch Medicham (often Choice), or Skuntank. All of these can be threatened by a Ground type ;) I opted for Psychic because there are few Dark types in DPP NU and basically no Steel types. Only Skuntank is very common, followed by the less common Shiftry, Cacturne, and Sharpedo. going with Surf on the other hand would have me auto walled by Quagsire and Mantine, who are much harder to remove by force.
Diglett @ Custap Berry
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Reversal
- Shadow Claw
And that's where Diglett comes in. Even though it's a generally terrible Pokemon in this metagame, being too slow to take out many things and too weak to take out scores of others, it can easily remove Manectric, Magneton, and choiced Medicham. Skuntank however poses a problem. Sucker Punch will demolish Diglett. That's where Sub Custap Berry comes in. You can Sub on the Sucker Punch and then EQ. EQ does a solid 76-90% vs Skuntank, so with Rocks and/or much of any prior damage, it's dead. The Custap Berry unfortunately does not let you go before Sucker Punch, but it's still very useful in many scenarios to get 2 hits on on something. Life Orb can also be used to get the OHKO on Skuntank.
Drifblim @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Explosion
So now I wanted a secondary lure to get Slowking's counters onto the field, so that something else can get sacrificed before bringing in Diglett. Drifblim shares many of the same weaknesses. It also can Explode on those Slowking checks if it gets the chance, or if not it can make the safer play of Tricking on turn 1 that it's out. If this catches a Skuntank, you're in really good shape for the rest of the game, since you can now Explode. If Skuntank uses Sucker Punch, go to Diglett, trap and remove it with Substitute to stall its Suckers.
Nidoqueen @ Leftovers
Ability: Poison Point
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 172 Def / 80 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Counter
- Pursuit
- Earth Power
How do you make a Cro-pokemon more threatening? Toxic Spikes of course! Especially useful with a Diglett to remove Skuntank, the most common absorber, and also threaten opposing Nidoqueen. Counter is used to lure Tauros, who is strong enough physically to threaten Slowking and also faster than Diglett. Pursuit is used to annoy Haunter.
Electrode @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 100 Atk / 252 SpA / 156 Spe
Naive Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunder Wave
- Explosion
And now a secondary win condition and some support. Electrode outruns everything but scarfers. This means it can sweep late game with Thunderbolt if needed. It can also paralyze most anything, which makes it trappable by Diglett and also something Slowking can outrun. By the way... Those 44 Speed EVs on Slowking earlier? They're for a Scarf Medicham. If it's paralyzed, either by Twave or Static, Slowking will outrun. And just like Drifblim, it can be used to lure things and Boom to clear Slowking's path. In this case, it could do so on a bulky Grass like Vileplume. 100 Atk Life Orb Electrode Explosion vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Vileplume: 362-426 (102.2 - 120.3%).
Lastly a strange stall build:
This team is far from perfect and I definitely don't advise its use. It has many bad matchups. In reality, no Stall should be used in DPP NU other than HailStall with Walrein. But that's so boring and borderline broken... Replay here against Kiyo: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen4uu-60611 (a loss, I know)
Camerupt (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 160 HP / 80 Atk / 32 Def / 236 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Explosion
Camerupt is, to be honest, not a good lead. However, it leads better than most of the team. Trading hazards is fine, as I will be able to spin in most every matchup at some point. They likely won't. Unfortunately, though, this gives big momentum to the opponent if they use Bulk Up Pass Floatzel, as Kiyo did in our match.
Hitmonchan @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Punch
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
I think this set is basically nonexistent. It is the standard Bulk Up set onsite, with Rapid Spin over Thunder Punch/Mach Punch. But I think it makes perfect sense. With a Bulk Up under Hitmonchan's belt, it can OHKO Haunter, meaning that it can't spinblock in many circumstances. It can also find opportunities to spin against many opponents once it has used Bulk Up and can't be damaged much. Yes, this loses to Slowking without Thunder Punch, but Slowking is not an issue for a stall team to take on, especially not one with my next Pokemon.
Mantine (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Surf
- Toxic
And here's the eZ Slowking counter. Eats all of them up, except for my own CroKing set lol. It's also reliable against most all Charizard, an important mon to check for stall. Unfortunately, no help against Magmortar and its Thunderbolt, but Camerupt can hold its own there... if it's not dead from being the lead. This is why ideally Camerupt would not lead.
Lickilicky (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Return
- Power Whip
Wish support is pretty necessary, obviously, and Lickilicky is my go to guy. Power Whip can be replaced by Aqua Tail. Toxic is not advised as then Haunter would be a major pain for the team.
Dusclops (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Seismic Toss
A secondary star to the show that basically never gets used. However, it's a nice little Tauros counter. Does pretty well against Medicham too. And if Willo hits, Skuntank doesn't even beat it without Life Orb or Lum Berry. BlackGlasses is a common alternative, and it loses.
252+ Atk BlackGlasses Skuntank Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dusclops: 168-198 (59.1 - 69.7%)
252+ Atk BlackGlasses burned Skuntank Crunch vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dusclops: 84-102 (29.5 - 35.9%)
This fails to do enough after Leftovers recovery!
Roselia (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Energy Ball
- Aromatherapy
There's not much to say here. Roselia does what it does. It's my spiker and cleric. Beyond that it offers pretty little to the team. It'd possibly be better to use Heal Bell on Lickilicky and replace Roselia with a more generally useful Spiker in Cacturne. All in all, though, just don't use stall in DPP NU unless you want to pray for a really good matchup.
Haunter @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Shadow Ball
- Explosion
- Sucker Punch
Ampharos @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def / 3 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
- Substitute
Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Crabhammer
- Crunch
- X-Scissor
- Superpower
Porygon2 @ Life Orb
Ability: Download
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
Slowking @ Life Orb
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 232 HP / 24 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Surf
- Signal Beam
Marowak @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Earthquake
- Thunder Punch
- Fire Punch
- Double-Edge
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 Atk / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Shadow Ball
- Explosion
- Sucker Punch
Ampharos @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def / 3 Spe
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Focus Blast
- Substitute
Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Crabhammer
- Crunch
- X-Scissor
- Superpower
Porygon2 @ Life Orb
Ability: Download
EVs: 232 HP / 252 SpA / 24 SpD
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Tri Attack
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
Slowking @ Life Orb
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 232 HP / 24 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Surf
- Signal Beam
Marowak @ Thick Club
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Earthquake
- Thunder Punch
- Fire Punch
- Double-Edge
Kadabra @ Focus Sash
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Def
- Taunt
- Counter
- Psychic
- Thunder Wave
Charizard @ Salac Berry
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 92 HP / 220 Atk / 196 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Substitute
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
Jumpluff @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sleep Powder
- Memento
- Encore
- Reflect
Medicham @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Psycho Cut
- Thunder Punch
- Trick
Skuntank @ Black Glasses
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Explosion
Solrock @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Explosion
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Def
- Taunt
- Counter
- Psychic
- Thunder Wave
Charizard @ Salac Berry
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 92 HP / 220 Atk / 196 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Substitute
- Fire Punch
- Earthquake
Jumpluff @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sleep Powder
- Memento
- Encore
- Reflect
Medicham @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Pure Power
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Psycho Cut
- Thunder Punch
- Trick
Skuntank @ Black Glasses
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Explosion
Solrock @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Light Screen
- Reflect
- Explosion
Piloswine @ Focus Sash
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Rock Tomb
Drifblim @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Explosion
Diglett @ Custap Berry
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Reversal
- Shadow Claw
Slowking @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 108 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Psychic
Nidoqueen @ Leftovers
Ability: Poison Point
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 172 Def / 80 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Counter
- Pursuit
- Earth Power
Electrode @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 100 Atk / 252 SpA / 156 Spe
Naive Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunder Wave
- Explosion
Ability: Oblivious
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Rock Tomb
Drifblim @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Trick
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Explosion
Diglett @ Custap Berry
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Reversal
- Shadow Claw
Slowking @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 104 Def / 108 SpD / 44 Spe
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Psychic
Nidoqueen @ Leftovers
Ability: Poison Point
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 172 Def / 80 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Counter
- Pursuit
- Earth Power
Electrode @ Life Orb
Ability: Static
EVs: 100 Atk / 252 SpA / 156 Spe
Naive Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Thunder Wave
- Explosion
Camerupt (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 160 HP / 80 Atk / 32 Def / 236 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Explosion
Hitmonchan @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Punch
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
Mantine (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Surf
- Toxic
Lickilicky (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Return
- Power Whip
Dusclops (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Seismic Toss
Roselia (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Energy Ball
- Aromatherapy
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 160 HP / 80 Atk / 32 Def / 236 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Explosion
Hitmonchan @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Punch
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
Mantine (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Surf
- Toxic
Lickilicky (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Return
- Power Whip
Dusclops (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Seismic Toss
Roselia (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Energy Ball
- Aromatherapy
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