INTRODUCTION
Hey there and welcome for a confined RMT. I decided to share this team with people because it has been quite effective on the ladder versus the majority of the current metagame. Since UULT is underway, I think it's quite nice to share a HO like that because it's quite easy to play with it which lets people enjoy it while laddering. It's a pretty straightforward Screens HO but the team is quite nice overall... let's dive into it !
TEAMBUILDING PROCESS
Espeon is in my opinion the best screeners in the tier at the moment due to its great speed and access to Magic Bounce which allows it to prevent the opponent to set its Entry Hazards, the main purpose of Espeon is simple, set-up Reflect and/or Light Screen to allow its teammates to setup and shred the opponent. On the other hand, I decided to try Dugtrio-Alola which is a pretty niche Pokemon in Underused but it has some real benefits as a Suicide Lead in my opinion. First of all, it's really fast for a Stealth Rock setter and has a great STABs coverage which allows it to pressure a lot of common Pokemon such as Sylveon, Incineroar, Rhyperior, Cobalion etc.. but it also has access to Memento which is a bless for its teammates because it almost ensure them to setup. Dugtrio-Alola also have a quite interesting ability : Tangling Hair, which lowers the opponent's speed if it makes a contact with Dugtrio-Alola. This allows Dugtrio-Alola to bother some Pokemon such as Cobalion or Darmanitan. Overall this two paired well together and can support their teammates.
Shell Smash users are always nice under screens and that's why I decided to play Barbaracle. I decided to opt for tricky set with Protect + Life Orb which allows it to pressure really hard a ton of Pokemon in the tier while still being able to bypass revenge killer with First Impression such as Choice Band Haxorus or Golisopod. Life Orb allows Barbaracle to claim some important OHKO particularly on Cobalion or Bronzong which are OHKOed from full. I opted for Rock Blast to allow Barbaracle to bypass Focus Sash users if I wasn't able to set my Stealth Rocks. However, Stone Edge is 100% legit too.
Haxorus is one of the most threatening setup sweeper in Underused and probably the best wallbreaker in the tier. The main of Haxorus is to break in early/mid game to allows its teammates to clean in the late game. Haxorus is also often used as a death fodder vs Pokemon like Noivern or Flygon. It forces Noivern to use Draco Meteor to remove it which allows its teammates to abuse of Noivern at -2 and setup with ease even if screens are not up so don't be affraid to sacrifice Haxorus. I opted for Poison Jab to shred opponent's Sylveon, even if they are max HP/Def. Earthquake is the best coverage for Haxorus and allows it to punish Steel-types such as Cobalion or Doublade while Dragon Claw acts as a nice STAB.
Like Barbaracle, Linoone enjoys a lot screens which allows it to setup with Belly Drum. Linoone is actually a pretty underwhelming threat and sometimes you'll be able to setup turn 3 and then clean the entire team thanks to Extreme Speed. Throat Chop is used to beat Bronzong, Doublade and Ghost-types while Seed Bomb is useful to punish Rock-types and Quagsire. The EVs spread allows Linoone to outspeed max speed Bewear and Sylveon but also Modest Polteageist.
Last but not least, Toxtricity acts as the final piece of the puzzle. Shift Gear allows it to outspeed almost any Pokemon including the vast majority of UU's Choice Scarf users. Overdrive is the best STAB of Toxtricity and Boomburst is overall fantastic and this Pokemon and allows it to hit Ground-types. Like Barbaracle, I decided to opt for Protect instead of coverage to prevent Toxtricity to be revenge killed by First Impression's users.
TEAM IN-DEPTH
Dugtrio-Alola
Dugtrio-Alola @ Focus Sash
Ability: Tangling Hair
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Memento
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
My perfect blond Lead. Its main purpose is to set the Stealth Rock and then pressure the opponen with its STAB or just use Memento to allow its teammates to rush into the pile.
Espeon
Espeon @ Light Clay
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Toxic
- Psychic
Much like Dugtrio-Alola, Espeon has one purpose, set its screens to ensure the setup of its teammates. Psychic acts a solid STAB while Toxic is useful to cripple some defensive threats or Dark-types such as Incineroar.
Barbaracle
Barbaracle @ Life Orb
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Protect
- Rock Blast / Stone Edge
- Liquidation
After a single Shell Smash, Barbaracle is able to pressure to an extreme extent the UU metagame. +2 Life Orb Liquidation / Rock Blast allows it to OHKO/2HKO the vast majority of the tier and Protect is super useful vs First Impression's users. Life Orb is the key of the set and ensure Barbaracle to claim some KO that it could not normally imagine such as an OHKO on Cobalion and Bronzong.
Haxorus
Haxorus @ Life Orb
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
Haxorus acts as the main breaker of the team and forces some Pokemon such as Noivern to revenge kill it with Draco Meteor which then allows its teammates to setup on it. After a single Dragon Dance, Haxorus is able to outspeed almost any Pokemon while being able to hit insanely hard. Dragon Claw does solid neutral damages while Earthquake hits Weezing-Galar, Incineroar, Rotom-Wash but also Steel-types such as Cobalion, Bronzong or Doublade. Last but not least Poison Jab hits Sylveon which can otherwise pretty well Haxorus. After Stealth Rock damages, +1 LO Poison Jab is an OHKO on max HP/Def Sylveon.. That's dumb.
Linoone
Linoone @ Figy Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Throat Chop
- Seed Bomb
Linoone is a fantastic cleaner thanks to Belly Drum + Extreme Speed. Once the opponent's team is weakened, Linoone can really overwhelm the opponent's and clean without much trouble. Extreme Speed is quite fantastic and allows it to not be revenge killed by Golisopod and Sirfetch'd First Impression since it outspeeds them. The only First Impression user able to outspeed it is Haxorus which is Choice Band most of the time with this attack which means if it revenge kills Linoone is a free setup for one of its mates. Throat Chop and Seed Bomb are the best coverage option for Linoone in the current metagame.
Toxtricity
Toxtricity @ Throat Spray
Ability: Punk Rock
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shift Gear
- Protect
- Overdrive
- Boomburst
Toxtricity is the only special sweeper on the team and a fearsome cleaner/wallbreaker once it used Shift Gear and has consumed its Throat Spray. Like Linoone, Toxtricity is really good in the endgame when its checks/counters have been weakened by its teammates. It's also really hard to revenge kill thanks to Shift Gear + Protect which ensure it to outspeed the vast majority of the tier while not being weak to First Impression's users.
Dugtrio-Alola @ Focus Sash
Ability: Tangling Hair
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Memento
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
My perfect blond Lead. Its main purpose is to set the Stealth Rock and then pressure the opponen with its STAB or just use Memento to allow its teammates to rush into the pile.
Espeon
Espeon @ Light Clay
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Toxic
- Psychic
Much like Dugtrio-Alola, Espeon has one purpose, set its screens to ensure the setup of its teammates. Psychic acts a solid STAB while Toxic is useful to cripple some defensive threats or Dark-types such as Incineroar.
Barbaracle
Barbaracle @ Life Orb
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Protect
- Rock Blast / Stone Edge
- Liquidation
After a single Shell Smash, Barbaracle is able to pressure to an extreme extent the UU metagame. +2 Life Orb Liquidation / Rock Blast allows it to OHKO/2HKO the vast majority of the tier and Protect is super useful vs First Impression's users. Life Orb is the key of the set and ensure Barbaracle to claim some KO that it could not normally imagine such as an OHKO on Cobalion and Bronzong.
Haxorus
Haxorus @ Life Orb
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Poison Jab
Haxorus acts as the main breaker of the team and forces some Pokemon such as Noivern to revenge kill it with Draco Meteor which then allows its teammates to setup on it. After a single Dragon Dance, Haxorus is able to outspeed almost any Pokemon while being able to hit insanely hard. Dragon Claw does solid neutral damages while Earthquake hits Weezing-Galar, Incineroar, Rotom-Wash but also Steel-types such as Cobalion, Bronzong or Doublade. Last but not least Poison Jab hits Sylveon which can otherwise pretty well Haxorus. After Stealth Rock damages, +1 LO Poison Jab is an OHKO on max HP/Def Sylveon.. That's dumb.
Linoone
Linoone @ Figy Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Atk / 20 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Throat Chop
- Seed Bomb
Linoone is a fantastic cleaner thanks to Belly Drum + Extreme Speed. Once the opponent's team is weakened, Linoone can really overwhelm the opponent's and clean without much trouble. Extreme Speed is quite fantastic and allows it to not be revenge killed by Golisopod and Sirfetch'd First Impression since it outspeeds them. The only First Impression user able to outspeed it is Haxorus which is Choice Band most of the time with this attack which means if it revenge kills Linoone is a free setup for one of its mates. Throat Chop and Seed Bomb are the best coverage option for Linoone in the current metagame.
Toxtricity
Toxtricity @ Throat Spray
Ability: Punk Rock
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Shift Gear
- Protect
- Overdrive
- Boomburst
Toxtricity is the only special sweeper on the team and a fearsome cleaner/wallbreaker once it used Shift Gear and has consumed its Throat Spray. Like Linoone, Toxtricity is really good in the endgame when its checks/counters have been weakened by its teammates. It's also really hard to revenge kill thanks to Shift Gear + Protect which ensure it to outspeed the vast majority of the tier while not being weak to First Impression's users.
THREATS
Opponent's Haxorus can be really tough to deal with especially Dragon Dance variants. If it's able to go +1 Atk/Spe it's almost impossible to come back.
Stealth Rocks are mandatory vs Polteageist because it breaks its Focus Sash. Since the only priority on the team is Extreme Speed, Polteageist is able to 6-0 the whole team after a Shell Smash, nothing on the team can take on this beast once it's setup. Fortunately with Stealth Rock up, it can't handle any hits from the team (besides Toxtricity if it hasn't used its Throat Spray yet.
Flygon has a decent match-up vs my team since all my Pokemon are grounded and half of them are weak to its STAB Earthquake. Luckily, under screens it can't OHKO Haxorus, Barbaracle or Linoone which allows to setup or KO it.
PEAK & CONCLUSION
While I definitively agree that this team doesn't bring some new real tool to the well known screens HO, it has some details which allows it to stand out from the others. The main goal of this RMT was to share this team with as much people as possible because I really enjoyed playing with it. The team is also quite easy to use so it's nice if it can help some new UU players to enjoy a bit more the ladder. Anyway, thanks for the reading and I hope you liked my third RMT and first one in the SSUU format. Be safe and stay at home
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