Well, after a lot of grumbling about how the UU metagame was turning out, I quit. After seeing last months "less centralized" statistics, I decided to go back and give it another try.
I was pleasantly surprised. All my old favourites work pretty well with only a few minor tweaks. And Victreebel totally rapes, which is a welcome change.
The central team strategy is basically to cripple as many pokemon as possible, starting with Banette. I have five status moves on this team, plus trick-scarf. This opens up holes in the opponent's defense. Then, I attempt to sweep with Gassy or Victreebel. Probopass and Weezing stall for as long as they can while Stealth Rock damage and the status attacks take hold of the opposition. Crawdaunt gets in when he can and fires off unexpected special attacks, in an attempt to remove Steelix and Weezing.
Banette @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Insomnia
EVs: 204 HP/90 Atk/216 Spd
Jolly nature
- Trick
- Shadow Sneak
- Will-o-wisp
- Thunder Wave
I consider it to be the perfect lead. Only loses to those darn Electrode that Taunt me. Hits 363 speed thanks to the Scarf. Insomnia prevents sleep, and any set-up pokemon get a Scarf. Shadow Sneak helps with revenge kills. Thunderwave and Will O Wisp are other options for if I decide to cripple their lead and save the scarf for a wall, like Steelix, who comes in all the time.
The HP EVs let it take at least one hit before going down, usually I can cripple two to three enemies before he bites the dust.
Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sticky Hold
EVs: 168 HP/90 Def/252 SDef
Careful nature
- Curse
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Recover
The first of two set-up pokemon on the team. With STAB on Earthquake and Waterfall, he can deal good damage to anything not pure Grass... or Altaria. Curse is amazing. Too many people try pummeling Gassy with attacks rather than using Toxic or phazing him out. This usually leads to a quick game, as with his impressive special defense and 6 curses, he isn't going down. Recover helps keep him going, making this "a better cursepert" as long as I avoid status.
Thanks to Sticky Hold I can switch into trick pokemon quite easily, which usually allows me to set up.
Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs: 8 HP/12 Atk/32 Def/206 Spd/252 SAtk
Rash nature
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Crunch
I invented this set a long time ago, but it never got any attention back then. I'm working on a peer edit, but anyway, I utilized Crawdaunt's base 90 SpA and STAB on Surf to make it an excellent wall breaker. Outrunning no-speed base 80s means he's just outpace most walls and hit them hard with unparalleled type coverage.
Crunch kills Mantine and Lanturn in two hits, while Hypno and Grumpig die in one. Surf is a very powerful move backed by 397 SpA (it's more powerful than Gengar's LO Shadow Ball) while Ice Beam hits Grass Types and HP Grass hits bulky waters. Shell Armor aids switch-ins on weaker physical attacks without worry.
I have seen Sharpedo running this set as well, however, I prefer the additional bulk Crawdaunt provides... and outspeeding walls by 1 point or by 100 points still yields the same result.
I am honestly considering Choice Specs, as I have only had to use Crunch a couple of times, and usually Surf is enough to do the wallbreaking.
Probopass @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 HP/92 Spd/166 SDef
Calm nature
- Earth Power
- Power Gem
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
Real men use Probopass. Provides a 4x normal resistance, and other good stuff, like Stealth Rocks. It's not as good as killing Steelix anymore because everyone runs Special Defense EVs, but with Crawdaunt running around I don't need Probo for that. Toxic wears down bulky waters, putting them into KO range for my little lobster, and Stealth Rock is just Stealth Rock.
All the Altaria now use Outrage, so usually I lure them into an Outrage with Weezing and then send in Probopass, who is like, 6HKOed by the attack. Power Gem hurts them terribly, and if they are stuck for the full three turns I can sometimes kill them off right then and there.
Weezing @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/6 SDef
Bold nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Sludge Bomb
- Will-o-wisp
I was against Weezing in UU because I thought it was going to be hell to take down with Steelix walling everything, and Weezing taking care of Fighting types. Well, I use Probopass instead and I think it provides better results. The only pokemon busting through these two is Water type special sweepers and Calm Mind Clefable.
Rest and Sleep Talk provide reliable recovery and status absorption. Sludge Bomb is the STAB move, and I don't need to worry about Steels because Will O Wisp cripples them pretty badly. Basically walls those Hitmons all day long... and I don't have to worry about Pain Split for recovery either. Weezing is pretty solid, I gotta admit, I kind of like him.
Victreebel (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature
- Sucker Punch
- Swords Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Leaf Blade
Once Crawdaunt disposes with a couple of physical walls, Victreebel comes in and cleans up the place. 339 attack, Swords Dance and STAB Leaf Blade is ridiculously awesome. One boost and you can destroy everything pretty much, and after a few dances, Leaf Blade even starts to hurt things that resist it. Sucker Punch is a powerful priority move, and coming off of 678 attack (or more) it puts faster sweepers in their place. Sleep Powder can put a counter under until I have enough boosts to defeat it. It also helps with people thinking they can outsmart the Sucker Punch. For example, my hand was forced and I had to Sucker Punch a Ninetales. My opponent sends in a Scyther, and it Swords Dances as I sleep powdered it. Cool.
This little fella wins me more games than I can count. He is irreplaceable and I definitely want one in my DS cart now :D
Anyways, I am having problems with certain types of Clefable, and HP Ground Ninetales. Other than that, I have been almost undefeated, save for a match earlier when a Steelix survived with 1% and finished off my last pokemon, Victreebel.
I was pleasantly surprised. All my old favourites work pretty well with only a few minor tweaks. And Victreebel totally rapes, which is a welcome change.
The central team strategy is basically to cripple as many pokemon as possible, starting with Banette. I have five status moves on this team, plus trick-scarf. This opens up holes in the opponent's defense. Then, I attempt to sweep with Gassy or Victreebel. Probopass and Weezing stall for as long as they can while Stealth Rock damage and the status attacks take hold of the opposition. Crawdaunt gets in when he can and fires off unexpected special attacks, in an attempt to remove Steelix and Weezing.

Banette @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Insomnia
EVs: 204 HP/90 Atk/216 Spd
Jolly nature
- Trick
- Shadow Sneak
- Will-o-wisp
- Thunder Wave
I consider it to be the perfect lead. Only loses to those darn Electrode that Taunt me. Hits 363 speed thanks to the Scarf. Insomnia prevents sleep, and any set-up pokemon get a Scarf. Shadow Sneak helps with revenge kills. Thunderwave and Will O Wisp are other options for if I decide to cripple their lead and save the scarf for a wall, like Steelix, who comes in all the time.
The HP EVs let it take at least one hit before going down, usually I can cripple two to three enemies before he bites the dust.

Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sticky Hold
EVs: 168 HP/90 Def/252 SDef
Careful nature
- Curse
- Earthquake
- Waterfall
- Recover
The first of two set-up pokemon on the team. With STAB on Earthquake and Waterfall, he can deal good damage to anything not pure Grass... or Altaria. Curse is amazing. Too many people try pummeling Gassy with attacks rather than using Toxic or phazing him out. This usually leads to a quick game, as with his impressive special defense and 6 curses, he isn't going down. Recover helps keep him going, making this "a better cursepert" as long as I avoid status.
Thanks to Sticky Hold I can switch into trick pokemon quite easily, which usually allows me to set up.

Crawdaunt @ Life Orb
Ability: Shell Armor
EVs: 8 HP/12 Atk/32 Def/206 Spd/252 SAtk
Rash nature
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Crunch
I invented this set a long time ago, but it never got any attention back then. I'm working on a peer edit, but anyway, I utilized Crawdaunt's base 90 SpA and STAB on Surf to make it an excellent wall breaker. Outrunning no-speed base 80s means he's just outpace most walls and hit them hard with unparalleled type coverage.
Crunch kills Mantine and Lanturn in two hits, while Hypno and Grumpig die in one. Surf is a very powerful move backed by 397 SpA (it's more powerful than Gengar's LO Shadow Ball) while Ice Beam hits Grass Types and HP Grass hits bulky waters. Shell Armor aids switch-ins on weaker physical attacks without worry.
I have seen Sharpedo running this set as well, however, I prefer the additional bulk Crawdaunt provides... and outspeeding walls by 1 point or by 100 points still yields the same result.
I am honestly considering Choice Specs, as I have only had to use Crunch a couple of times, and usually Surf is enough to do the wallbreaking.

Probopass @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 HP/92 Spd/166 SDef
Calm nature
- Earth Power
- Power Gem
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
Real men use Probopass. Provides a 4x normal resistance, and other good stuff, like Stealth Rocks. It's not as good as killing Steelix anymore because everyone runs Special Defense EVs, but with Crawdaunt running around I don't need Probo for that. Toxic wears down bulky waters, putting them into KO range for my little lobster, and Stealth Rock is just Stealth Rock.
All the Altaria now use Outrage, so usually I lure them into an Outrage with Weezing and then send in Probopass, who is like, 6HKOed by the attack. Power Gem hurts them terribly, and if they are stuck for the full three turns I can sometimes kill them off right then and there.

Weezing @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/6 SDef
Bold nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Sludge Bomb
- Will-o-wisp
I was against Weezing in UU because I thought it was going to be hell to take down with Steelix walling everything, and Weezing taking care of Fighting types. Well, I use Probopass instead and I think it provides better results. The only pokemon busting through these two is Water type special sweepers and Calm Mind Clefable.
Rest and Sleep Talk provide reliable recovery and status absorption. Sludge Bomb is the STAB move, and I don't need to worry about Steels because Will O Wisp cripples them pretty badly. Basically walls those Hitmons all day long... and I don't have to worry about Pain Split for recovery either. Weezing is pretty solid, I gotta admit, I kind of like him.

Victreebel (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 Atk/6 Def/252 Spd
Adamant nature
- Sucker Punch
- Swords Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Leaf Blade
Once Crawdaunt disposes with a couple of physical walls, Victreebel comes in and cleans up the place. 339 attack, Swords Dance and STAB Leaf Blade is ridiculously awesome. One boost and you can destroy everything pretty much, and after a few dances, Leaf Blade even starts to hurt things that resist it. Sucker Punch is a powerful priority move, and coming off of 678 attack (or more) it puts faster sweepers in their place. Sleep Powder can put a counter under until I have enough boosts to defeat it. It also helps with people thinking they can outsmart the Sucker Punch. For example, my hand was forced and I had to Sucker Punch a Ninetales. My opponent sends in a Scyther, and it Swords Dances as I sleep powdered it. Cool.
This little fella wins me more games than I can count. He is irreplaceable and I definitely want one in my DS cart now :D
Anyways, I am having problems with certain types of Clefable, and HP Ground Ninetales. Other than that, I have been almost undefeated, save for a match earlier when a Steelix survived with 1% and finished off my last pokemon, Victreebel.