





Fireflies
In honestly, it's difficult to deviate from standard Sneasel balance in NU, especially with Gallade nullifying any other, slower builds. I do believe there's ways around this hyper offensive metagame forced upon us. Speed control moves like TR are very antimeta. So here is a Eject Button Tailwind offense, which is pretty cool! I think the team can most definitely be polished, but I just wanted to post it before the suspects are gone.



FIREFLIES (Volbeat) (M) @ Eject Button
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Encore
- Thunder Wave
- Tailwind
- Seismic Toss
I posted this set somewhere, but Eject Button is a pretty underrated item. It completely denies momentum - it eats it and gives it to you. If you absorb moves U-turn and Volt Switch with an Eject button, the opponent is unable to switch out, and you get a free switch into a Pokemon of your choice. What does this mean? A lot, actually. One of the most obvious uses of this is pairing this with a trapper, or a faster offensive threat vs. things that often spam Volt Turn. I can switch into a Rotom Volt Switch, absorb the hit, switch out to Sneasel, and Pursuit it out for guaranteed KO. In other tiers, you want to trap their Scizor with Magnezone but it's just spamming u-turn every turn? Eject Button it into trap. You want to switch your Dugtrio in for the trap, but you can't because it's a fucking Dugtrio? Eject Button and pivot into Dugtrio. Want to switch something into Scald, but too scared of a burn? Eject Button, pivot into your desired attacker. If necessary, Volbeat can also come in on a double down or an otherwise free switch-in, then Tailwind before Volbeat dies. If he lives, T-wave and Tailwind, or even Encoring opponents into an attacking move then dying / ejecting. This completely regains your momentum.
Rest of the set isn't rocket science. Maximum physical bulk for against most of the physical metagame. Tailwind and T-wave were already covered. Encore is great for either locking opponent into moves I can set up on taking minimal damage (then Ejecting yourself out immediately), or just heavily discouraging your opponent to use non-attacking moves. Encore predictions can get pretty cute. Last slot is Seismic Toss for just general offense, U-turn often doesn't really do a whole lot, and forces you out in situations where you'd rather not, etc.



THIEVES (Sneasel) @ Choice Band
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
- Pursuit
Sneasel the suspect. In this team, I wanted to make use of the synergy between Eject Button and trappers. As the only viable trapper in NU, Sneasel is a no-brainer for this team. Sneasel is a good Pursuit user, and paves the way for Gallade to sweep. Knock Off is also a great move because it does a lot of damage unless it's resisted. Priority is also very helpful in not straight-up losing to some of the more dangerous sweepers out there, etc. Icicle Crash because there's really nothing else to put on Sneasel, and lets me get some BS wins if necessary. Sneasel acts as my team's main fast mode when Tailwind is not available. Sneasel's set is not only good, but incredibly standard. There shouldn't really much I have to say, lol.



MURDERERS (Gallade) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 196 HP / 136 Atk / 112 Def / 64 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Leaf Blade / Psycho Cut
- Knock Off
Gallade is pretty good... I have been experimenting with many different Gallade sets, and this is one of the best directions Gallade can go in this meta. Don't use SD, because every team is offensive, you won't get to set up, and you're a worse Sawk vs. them. Sure u break stall but <_<. Leaf Blade is only because I'd lose to Quagsire otherwise, but revealing Bulk Up on Gallade is a surefire way to bring them in and bopping them, so there it is! If you want to use the Gallade set, which is the cornerstone of this team, I'd probably say having a Grass-type somewhere is helpful. Probably you'll be not as retarded as I am, so you won't use Volbeat, giving you plenty of breathing room to incorporate one in your team, ayy lmao. But even so, Leaf Blade can still work. Honestly, SpDef Bulk Up Gallade is so bad unless you have to have it or you get destroyed by Pyroar or Ludicolo or something, and even then you're probably better off finding another answer, instead of making your wincon have the shittiest spread on the face of planet just to fix a teambuilding error. Just consider this: how many times has your Gallade been hit by a physical attack? I'd say a lot, probably. Now, what about special hits? Very few, other than scalds and stuff that aren't really intended to do damage anyways. Physical defense lets me survive Klinklang, boosted Uxie, etc. and respond accordingly. I know the standard setmaking concept tells you: hey, use Spdef because you're boosting Defense, but the goal of making a set isn't to look reasonable. It's to win games, and be of most use in as many games as possible. Physically defensive Bulk Up Gallade accomplishes this by investing in defense. Investment in defense is amplified with the help of Bulk Up.
Tailwind lets you outspeed threats and set up much easier vs. teams that should in theory be able to deny you from setting up in the first place. But naw, Gallade will get up +1 first vs. your physical attacker, tank it easy, then Drain Punch get all his health back. After +1 and near-full HP, you can't stop Gallade with most standard teams. In fact, I feel that Gallade + Fighting-type (which I couldn't fit in because I'm operating with 5 members, but whatever) is obscenely unbalanced, lol.



FISHYS (Relicanth) @ Stone Plate
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Head Smash
- Waterfall
- Zen Headbutt
This thing nearly 2HKOs Prinplup. It's strong, and it resists normal. It takes most neutral physical hits and OHKOs them back. This lets me get a pretty good matchup vs anti SR teams, as they usually end up sacking primp to this very early on, then SR goes up (or they just sac Xatu for free, which is equally troublesome). Then easy win ensues. Waterfall is good secondary STAB, and Zen Headbutt is very crucial for luring in Poliwraths and doing a fuckton of damage to them. Stone Plate because I needed to get SR up so I couldn't be choiced, and this lets me get more damage on Head Smash, which is basically the main attack I'll be pressing. 140 Speed EVs lets me outspeed Sneasel in Tailwind, and outspeeds most Lanturns and Head Smash them for victory. This is pretty important, though, so if you think your opponent creeps with Lanturn more, you should put more Speed EVs. If Relicanth goes first vs. an offensive mon, they're usually not recovering from that Head Smash to their 4Head. haha



LIARS (Magmortar) @ Life Orb
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 76 Atk / 180 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Mach Punch
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt / Hidden Power Grass
Offensive Magmortar is unbelievable. It stomps Sneasel-based teams all day long. Fire Blast and Thunderbolt are amazing 1-2 punch covering most threats. Earthquake with Attack investment + Life Orb 2HKOs most Lanturn, and 3HKOs at worst. Mach Punch always OHKOs Sneasel, which is pretty nice: it's one of the best wallbreakers that don't let Sneasel outspeed u and put you in a precarious position. This 6-0s Gallade / Sneasel / Lilligant / Mawile / Lanturn / Xatu. Only gripe usually is Magmortar's Speed, but it's fast enough to outspeed Adamant Sawk, and most defensive Pokemon, and the ones that outspeed usually have no way of switching in safely vs. this beast. Under Tailwind, this is a monster just setting up for kills after kills. HP Grass / Focus Blast can be an option over Thunderbolt, which often sees no play as Mantine is extinct (and if it's in the game, I can still easily manage them). However, the power downgrade leaves me much weaker to Samurott.



CLAY DOLLS (Claydol) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Zen Headbutt / Grass Knot
I wanted some anti hazards measure given that I'm very weak vs. SR. Claydol gives me an additional Fighting-type resist, Rapid Spin, decent bulk, etc. I'm max speed because Claydol don't last after taking too much beating, so best off trying to outspeed something and use that opportunity to spin away stuff. Jolly Max speed Claydol not only outspeeds the congested 239 Speed creep zone (neutral 70 base), but also the new speed creep zone of 269 (Adamant Sawk), which is great. Stone Edge with Colbur bops Sneasel and Xatu, Zen Headbutt is for vs. Fighting-types. Earthquake hits Mawile, and is just a solid STAB I couldn't do without. Claydol is valuable on my team as a way of checking Rock-types, especially Double Dance Rhydon which plagues my team otherwise (T-wave immunity is particularly damning). It is perfectly viable to sneak in Grass Knot over Zen Headbutt. Going mixed sounds terrible, but Grass Knot not only trolls Quagsire who come in after seeing Earthquake, but hits stuff like Rhydon much harder than EQ can.
I used this team (and its variants / earlier templates) to ladder for the suspect test. It does not play like a standard team, which makes it quite convoluted, but it's pretty fun to use because nothing else quite plays like this.
MURDERERS (Gallade) @ Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 196 HP / 136 Atk / 112 Def / 64 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off
FIREFLIES (Volbeat) @ Eject Button
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Encore
- Thunder Wave
- Tailwind
- Seismic Toss
THIEVES (Sneasel) @ Choice Band
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
- Pursuit
FISHYS (Relicanth) @ Stone Plate
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Head Smash
- Waterfall
- Zen Headbutt
LIARS (Magmortar) @ Life Orb
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 76 Atk / 180 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Mach Punch
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
CLAY DOLLS (Claydol) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Zen Headbutt
Ability: Justified
EVs: 196 HP / 136 Atk / 112 Def / 64 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bulk Up
- Drain Punch
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off
FIREFLIES (Volbeat) @ Eject Button
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Impish Nature
- Encore
- Thunder Wave
- Tailwind
- Seismic Toss
THIEVES (Sneasel) @ Choice Band
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
- Pursuit
FISHYS (Relicanth) @ Stone Plate
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 116 HP / 252 Atk / 140 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Head Smash
- Waterfall
- Zen Headbutt
LIARS (Magmortar) @ Life Orb
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 76 Atk / 180 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Mach Punch
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
CLAY DOLLS (Claydol) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Zen Headbutt
Shoutouts:
BW: Zebraiken, Raseri, tennisace, FLCL, DTC, CrashinBoomBang, Django, Annoyer, etc. I know I haven't gotten to know some of you as much as others, but thanks for giving me a chance as a community, though I never considered myself anything more than just an average player. Also hello to ebeast, Molk and the rest of the goon squad. And C&C users: Oglemi, sandshrewz, sirndpt, etc.: thanks for the help. I know a lot of people didn't really know me as a person during this era, but this was more or less intended because in the beginning, I was somewhat scared of the internet and the personalities that may be hiding behind them from all the scare stories, lol. Recent events may confirm I was correct in this initially guarded approach, haha. Still, you guys made this an enjoyable experience, and I doubt I'd have stuck around if it weren't for you guys.
LoL: Big shoutouts to Stone_Cold for gracing me with his legendary presence, I don't even remember how I even came to play with the crowd, given I never really interacted with you on Smogon, but even with all the legendary Fiddlesticks ultimates and downright feeding, it's been a fun ride. Also cheers to Nails RU, SilentVerse , rem, etc.
ORAS: Everyone else in the skype groups, Blast, Finchinator, hollywood, Can-Eh-Dian, Kiyo, iplaytennislol , Montsegur , scorpdestroyer, QueenOfLuvdiscs , etc. and many more. + Deej Dy, Teddeh, Brawlfest, Syncrasy, Shaneghoul, HJAD etc., sorry if I left you off!
Thank you mikanosh for listening to my retarded ideas. And in general for teaching me how to be less retarded in life. =)
And thanks everyone for reading.