Project Break This Team: USUM UU Edition [Week 71 - Submissions]

[Sickist]

CB Zor + Icium CM Bro

 

[vivalospride]

this is supposed to be fightinium z wtf

 

[VCrakeV]

I'm not sure if this is a core, but one helps the other sweep:

Azelf @ Focus Sash
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Explosion
- Flamethrower
- Taunt

Scizor @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bug Bite
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off

Azelf can get rocks up pretty easily, which ensures that Scizor's +2 bullet punch OHKOs Babiri Terrakion and Hydreigon. The rest of the team just drops to a boosted Scizor anyway. If they spin with Tsareena as you sd (or switch into it as you sd, and outspeed to spin the next turn), just sd again (or take your chances with the Hydreigon and Terrakion rolls; they are in your favor).

 

[Dolphine]

Infernape @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- U-turn
- Close Combat
- Gunk Shot

Gengar @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Cursed Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Wave
- Focus Blast


Scarf Nape can check Hydreigon and bait out Primarina on a Uturn, then comes in Gengar to sub and kill. If Gengar kills Doublade and heavily weaken Primarina, Scarf CC isn’t far from winning. Gengar can win easily too, with Hydreigon Terrakion gone.

 

[Smallsmallrose]

sets

Infernape @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 168 Atk / 88 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Fire Blast
- Close Combat
- Slack Off
- Gunk Shot

Mimikyu @ Ghostium Z
Ability: Disguise
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Shadow Claw
- Play Rough
- Shadow Sneak

This variant of Mixed Infernape absolutely shreds the team, outrunning and OHKOing Primarina, Doublade, Mamoswine, and Tsareena. Terrakion can take it but has to risk a speed tie, making a revenge kill or switch into Hydreigon the most optimal play for KOing it. But at this point, Mimikyu can swap in or come after Infernape fainting and it gets a free SD with full HP and disguise still up due to Hydreigon having to click Draco on Infernape, which is more or less a death sentence for this team. Mimikyu already tears and rends the team to shreds at +2 with no real resistance to it, but if it can do so while fully healthy and with disguise, Nearly the entire team has to be sacked just to deal with it.

 

[Estarossa]

Sickist never filled out his reservation, so voting will be for the following cores!

VCrakeV -

InfernoDolphin73 -

Smallsmallrose -

Please vote for your favourite submission! Voting ends on monday :)

 

[Jade]

Rose, a well-played Mimikyu is really annoying for this sort of team. Mixed Infernape is something you don’t see very often as well, props!

 

[Solaros & Lunaris]

Rose

 

[prikshit]

I Highly Value Originality In This Tier And My Good Friend Smallsmallroses Has Crafted A Sneaky Concoction To Punish This Weeks Team... Mixed Infernape Is A Dastardly Set And While Usually A Trash Boy Pokemon, Mimikyu's Disguise Is Overpowered Against Offensive Teams Such As These. I Am Voting For Smallsmallroses!!

 

[VCrakeV]

Smallsmallrose, because Hydreigon is forced to draco Infernape to beat it, which gives Mimikyu a free turn to set up and still have disguise intact; the only other Pokemon that can outspeed (nothing takes a hit) and KO is Terrakion, which has to win the speed tie *and* get a good roll with CC.

 

[TMM]

rose

 

[Sickist]

rose

also im a dumb bitch lmao

 

[avarice]

Congrats to Smallsmallrose for the landslide victory! Week 63's squad is also from them!

Importable

Altaria @ Altarianite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 64 HP / 252 Atk / 192 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Facade
- Fire Blast
- Roost

Snorlax @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 252 HP / 152 Def / 104 SpD
Careful Nature
- Curse
- Facade
- Recycle
- Earthquake

Scizor @ Buginium Z
Ability: Technician
EVs: 244 HP / 16 Atk / 148 Def / 96 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Bullet Punch
- Swords Dance
- Roost

Nidoqueen @ Black Sludge
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 HP / 108 Def / 72 SpD / 76 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam

Mantine @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Roost
- Defog
- Haze

Zeraora @ Life Orb
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Close Combat
- Grass Knot
- Knock Off

"I built the team around the combination of M-Altaria and Snorlax so of course I'd use those in the first two slots. I decided to use facade fire blast M-Altaria to pester stall and improve my Scizor matchup respectively. Snorlax checks a slew of special attackers and has earthquake to discourage Terrakion. Scizor takes on Latias and Celebi variants for the team while also handling opposing M-Altaria, Krook, and Aero pretty well. Buginium Z also allows it to catch Amoonguss switches to make M-Altaria more effective. Nidoqueen can somewhat check Terrakion and electrics while providing stealth rock, and also takes pressure off of Scizor to check Opposing Mega Altaria by itself. Mantine checks Scizor and Mamoswine for the team as well as providing a Lucario check and a backup Infernape check. Zeraora tries to glue the team together by being fast enough to let team revenge threats like Terrakion in a pinch while going mixed lets it pester defensive builds that won't falter to Facade M-Altaria alone. It's electric typing and volt immunity also let it emergency check some electrics and flyings in a pinch, just in case the other team members that would deal with these pokemon have a lot on their plate. What's my last?"

Submissions end Friday!

 

[Dolphine]

Amoonguss + Lati

Lati would be very good against this team, especially 3 attacks LO. Those 3 attacks would be Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, and HP fire along with roost. This set alone can take on most of the pokemon here. The issue and Zeraora and possibly Snorlax. Thus, Amoonguss can come in and blanket this whole team and not care about Zera and Snorlax with Spore and Clear Smog.

Latias @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
- Roost
- Hidden Power Fire

Amoonguss @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Clear Smog
- Hidden Power Fire

 

[sanguine]

Jellicent @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe
Bold Nature
- Hex
- Taunt
- Will-O-Wisp
- Recover

Celebi @ Fairium Z
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 112 Def / 104 SpA / 40 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dazzling Gleam
- Psychic
- Stealth Rock
- Recover


Jellicent + Amoonguss walls the entirety of the team. Jellicent shuts down the non-Toxic Mantine, Snorlax, Scizor, and Nidoqueen. The Celebi takes on Altaria and Zeraora reliably if kept healthy, and can always OHKO Altaria w/ Fairium Z after Rocks with this set.

 

[Haribo]

Quagsire+Amoonguss

Click for Sets

Quagsire @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Scald
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Recover

Amoonguss @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Clear Smog

Coming off of the weather suspect, our favorite slug boi Gastrodon came to mind immediately when I looked at this team. However, upon a second look, Quagsire is clearly the better pick. Firstly, the team does not appreciate switching into Scald + Toxic. Further, thanks to Unaware, Quagsire alone will always beat Scizor and Snorlax. Additionally, Quagsire will beat Nidoqueen (barring Earth Power drops or Ice Beam Freeze) and Mantine thanks to Earthquake/Toxic (respectively) + Recover. This leaves the only mons that can potentially threaten Quagsire to be Zeraora +Mega Altaria, the former of which dies to EQ after rocks on a predicted switch, and the latter needing to be statused to win 1v1. Even without either of those circumstances, both are still checked hard by Amoonguss thanks to Clear Smog and the broken Spore.

 

[VCrakeV]

I tried coming up with a balanced or offensive core like last time, but this team looks hard to break (and I am accustomed to stall, so I struggle to come up with offensive stuff). Anywho, stall core:

Crobat @ Black Sludge
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 228 HP / 140 Def / 60 SpD / 80 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heat Wave
- Roost
- Toxic
- Haze

Avalugg @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 212 SpD
Impish Nature
- Avalanche
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic


The Crobat on this core checks the whole team bar Nidoqueen and Zeraora. It's ripped straight from the team I posted in the discussion thread, and is designed to check u-turn Pokemon like Scizor and bulky set up Pokemon like Snorlax and Malt. Heat wave 2HKOs Scizor, and bullet punch fails to OHKO at +4. Toxic cripples Malt, Mantine, Snorlax, and Zeraora on the switch. Haze stops Snorlax and Malt from boosting to a threatening level, and roost is mandatory for recovery. Black sludge provides passive recovery. The SpD and Spe investment has nothing to do with this team; it allows Crobat to check Infernape and Lucario.

Avalugg usually isn't used to check special attackers like Nidoqueen, but I noticed this one is particularly passive. I also needed something that could remove Nidoqueen's rocks and check Zeraora, so I settled on SpD Avalugg. The defense investment allows Avalugg to check Mega Aerodactyl, which isn't on this team, but I believe Avalugg should always be able to do that in UU. The rest is dumped into SpD to wall Nidoqueen and Zeraora's grass knot. I would normally just run max defense with rocky helmet, as Zeraora and Nidoqueen are easily handled by other Stall teammates (like Articuno and Gligar), but I made this set for the sake of having just two Pokemon in a core in this competition.

The two Pokemon synergize well together, too; Crobat can check some Pokemon that force out Avalugg, like Infernape, banded scizor, and Lucario, while Avalugg checks Zeraora, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Sharpedo for Crobat (these are just examples).

 

[Jade]

Sets

Celebi @ Metronome
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Psychic
- Nasty Plot
- Recover

Volcanion @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 44 SpA / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
- Steam Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
- Protect/Substitute

At first glance on this team, I immediately noticed that it has troubles with Celebi if Snorlax is chipped or goes down. The only thing potentially standing in the way of Celebi sweeping is Scizor or Zeraora, the latter of which doesn't even kill with Knock Off after rocks: 252 Atk Life Orb Zeraora Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Celebi: 250-294 (73.3 - 86.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO. Metronome is the item of choice here, which may seem weird at first glance, but helps in the inevitable 1v1 matchup against Snorlax and especially Mantine. Outside of this team, it can be used to help vs Blissey and lessen the need to spam Recover. Edit: Shoutouts to Scizorphobic for coming up with the Metronome set idea!

Anyway, my next member, Volcanion, is a major nuisance for this team, especially considering that both of the team's switch in options with Mega Altaria, Snorlax, and Mantine dislike Toxic, though the former two can use Facade in their favor. Volcanion can surprise Mantine coming in, expecting that it's Specs, only to be crippled majorly with Toxic. The last slot is pretty flexible - you can use Protect to stall out Toxic turns with the three mons mentioned, or Substitute to essentially do the same thing at the cost of losing some of your HP.

 

[Estarossa]

I tried coming up with a balanced or offensive core like last time, but this team looks hard to break (and I am accustomed to stall, so I struggle to come up with offensive stuff). Anywho, stall core:

Crobat @ Black Sludge
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 228 HP / 140 Def / 60 SpD / 80 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heat Wave
- Roost
- Toxic
- Haze

Avalugg @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 212 SpD
Impish Nature
- Avalanche
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic


The Crobat on this core checks the whole team bar Nidoqueen and Zeraora. It's ripped straight from the team I posted in the discussion thread, and is designed to check u-turn Pokemon like Scizor and bulky set up Pokemon like Snorlax and Malt. Heat wave 2HKOs Scizor, and bullet punch fails to OHKO at +4. Toxic cripples Malt, Mantine, Snorlax, and Zeraora on the switch. Haze stops Snorlax and Malt from boosting to a threatening level, and roost is mandatory for recovery. Black sludge provides passive recovery. The SpD and Spe investment has nothing to do with this team; it allows Crobat to check Infernape and Lucario.

Avalugg usually isn't used to check special attackers like Nidoqueen, but I noticed this one is particularly passive. I also needed something that could remove Nidoqueen's rocks and check Zeraora, so I settled on SpD Avalugg. The defense investment allows Avalugg to check Mega Aerodactyl, which isn't on this team, but I believe Avalugg should always be able to do that in UU. The rest is dumped into SpD to wall Nidoqueen and Zeraora's grass knot. I would normally just run max defense with rocky helmet, as Zeraora and Nidoqueen are easily handled by other Stall teammates (like Articuno and Gligar), but I made this set for the sake of having just two Pokemon in a core in this competition.

The two Pokemon synergize well together, too; Crobat can check some Pokemon that force out Avalugg, like Infernape, banded scizor, and Lucario, while Avalugg checks Zeraora, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Sharpedo for Crobat (these are just examples).

As in our rules, we request that you use viable sets (and pokemon in avalugg's case). This is not a counterteaming competition, and these sets should be viable outside of this specific matchup.

This crobat sacrifices a lot in order to run both haze and heat wave. On stall teams, crobat tends to be used primarily as a defogger who can kill threatening stallbreakers such as NP Celebi/Lucario/Infernape due to resisting their priority and/or being able to revenge with Brave Bird. It can also be used as an opposing stallbreaker of its own with super fang + taunt, while still being able to revenge these stallbreakers. Heat wave is oddly specific here to deal with scizor, when crobat would never be used for this in reality, due to how easily it can be put in range of bullet punches from more offensive scizor's than this one.

Avalugg tends to be a bad choice as a physical wall in UU, due to the prevalence of fighting types such as terrakion and cobalion. Your EV spread doesn't really let you check aerodactyl that well either, as stone edge is only not a 2HKO if at full, and this is going to be the same vs zeraora who will destroy this core if you ever let avalugg not be at full HP. As a rapid spinner in UU, it struggles with lots of common stealth rockers, with your set in particular hating terrakion, cobalion, empoleon, toxic m-aggron, and offensive nidoqueen to mention a few.

Feel free to submit another core before the deadline however!

 

[VCrakeV]

As in our rules, we request that you use viable sets (and pokemon in avalugg's case). This is not a counterteaming competition, and these sets should be viable outside of this specific matchup.

This crobat sacrifices a lot in order to run both haze and heat wave. On stall teams, crobat tends to be used primarily as a defogger who can kill threatening stallbreakers such as NP Celebi/Lucario/Infernape due to resisting their priority and/or being able to revenge with Brave Bird. It can also be used as an opposing stallbreaker of its own with super fang + taunt, while still being able to revenge these stallbreakers. Heat wave is oddly specific here to deal with scizor, when crobat would never be used for this in reality, due to how easily it can be put in range of bullet punches from more offensive scizor's than this one.

Avalugg tends to be a bad choice as a physical wall in UU, due to the prevalence of fighting types such as terrakion and cobalion. Your EV spread doesn't really let you check aerodactyl that well either, as stone edge is only not a 2HKO if at full, and this is going to be the same vs zeraora who will destroy this core if you ever let avalugg not be at full HP. As a rapid spinner in UU, it struggles with lots of common stealth rockers, with your set in particular hating terrakion, cobalion, empoleon, toxic m-aggron, and offensive nidoqueen to mention a few.

Feel free to submit another core before the deadline however!

Thanks for the constructive criticism. However, I'd like to point out that the Crobat set was not made for this team, as you seem to think. As I pointed out in my previous post, this Crobat set is from a team I posted in the discussion thread (which was weeks ago). It doesn't need Brave Bird because my Pyukumuku checks giga drain Celebi, and Blissey checks leaf storm variants. It doesn't need defog because I have that on Articuno and Gligar. The Crobat set also handily checks more offensive Scizor sets, despite what you said; it is EVd to avoid the 2HKO from from max attack CB Scizor's bullet punch. If you want to learn more about this Crobat and the team, please check it out in the original post (I don't want to derail from the topic too much).

By the way, how does one judge the viability of a set? It's not like we have a VR for sets, so there is no standard to go by (and surely we aren't expected to stick only to standard/common sets, are we?)

As for Avalugg, the spread I chose is somewhat specific to this team. That said, I chose Mega Aerodactyl's stone edge as a benchmark. Instead, I could move some SpD EVs to Def to check Aero better, while still not taking too much damage from Nidoqueen (144 Def / 112 Spad works, and allows you to safely pivot into CB Crawdaunt, even with lefties knocked off). Like I said, I would normally use max defense, but it is not entirely unviable to go mixed, as Avalugg can still check all of the Pokemon it needs to check without heavy defense investment. Speaking of unviable, I was not aware it was not on the VR. Is it possible to make a case to get a Pokemon on the VR (in an appropriate thread)? Like my Crobat set, this isn't just for the competition; I believe Avalugg is a viable Pokemon (on stall teams... don't use it on any other build lol), and should be on the VR.

 

[avarice]

Thanks for the constructive criticism. However, I'd like to point out that the Crobat set was not made for this team, as you seem to think. As I pointed out in my previous post, this Crobat set is from a team I posted in the discussion thread (which was weeks ago). It doesn't need Brave Bird because my Pyukumuku checks giga drain Celebi, and Blissey checks leaf storm variants. It doesn't need defog because I have that on Articuno and Gligar. The Crobat set also handily checks more offensive Scizor sets, despite what you said; it is EVd to avoid the 2HKO from from max attack CB Scizor's bullet punch. If you want to learn more about this Crobat and the team, please check it out in the original post (I don't want to derail from the topic too much).

By the way, how does one judge the viability of a set? It's not like we have a VR for sets, so there is no standard to go by (and surely we aren't expected to stick only to standard/common sets, are we?)

As for Avalugg, the spread I chose is somewhat specific to this team. That said, I chose Mega Aerodactyl's stone edge as a benchmark. Instead, I could move some SpD EVs to Def to check Aero better, while still not taking too much damage from Nidoqueen (144 Def / 112 Spad works, and allows you to safely pivot into CB Crawdaunt, even with lefties knocked off). Like I said, I would normally use max defense, but it is not entirely unviable to go mixed, as Avalugg can still check all of the Pokemon it needs to check without heavy defense investment. Speaking of unviable, I was not aware it was not on the VR. Is it possible to make a case to get a Pokemon on the VR (in an appropriate thread)? Like my Crobat set, this isn't just for the competition; I believe Avalugg is a viable Pokemon (on stall teams... don't use it on any other build lol), and should be on the VR.

Whether it was specifically designed for the team or not, it's an incredibly niche set on bat. Avalugg is blatantly unviable. Appreciate you participating but the core will not be on the slate for voting unless you decide to edit accordingly to a core that functions in UU consistently. UR picks like Gastrodon are already pushing it.

 

[avarice]

- InfernoDolphin73

- faded love

- Haribo

- Juuno

Voting time gamers!!

I don't know whether to be proud or disappointed that Estarossa wasn't awake to post this

 

[Stoward]

Juuno

 

[Solaros & Lunaris]

Juuno

 

[Taptricity]

Juuno