Light Speed

[ryan]

Light Speed - An NU RMT​

Hi guys. :) I made this RMT today based around my favorite team that has some really cool, really fun sets. Trying to unleash Liepard's true potential, @Sweet Jesus made this really cool Liepard set a while back that I've been using a lot lately. It's totally fun, especially because the ladder always expects SwagPard, so they'll stay in and try to hit it, hoping to kill it, only to get smashed by it. I wanted to build around this and Primeape to form a cool VoltTurn core that would be pretty hard to break, especially since a lot of the things that Primeape can't beat, Liepard can. I threw in some Pokemon that could take some hits and a Scarfer, and the team was born.

The Team
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Primeape (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Vital Spirit
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Ice Punch
- Assurance

The original reason why I built this team was because I wanted to use Choice Band Primeape. It's a really cool Pokemon, and it's totally different from Sawk who uses his sheer power to break through almost everything in the tier. Primeape has better Speed than Sawk, which is a good enough reason in and of itself to use it, but on top of that, Primeape has U-turn. With U-turn, I can have Primeape U-turn out from its checks and counters, primarily stuff like Musharna and Liepard, and bring out something else to take them on. Later in the game, Primeape can just spam Close Combat and watch things die. Also, I used Assurance over Stone Edge because it can KO Musharna with a little bit of residual damage and Stealth Rock. Assurance's Base Power doubles if the Pokemon it's hitting took damage already that turn, so if I know I can take out a Musharna switch-in, I will!

Liepard @ Dread Plate
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Encore
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch

After I added Primeape, the next logical step would normally be to use Skuntank, as it can come in after U-turning out against Misdreavus and Musharna and Pursuit trap them. I didn't want to use Skuntank because while it is a great Pursuit trapper, it also causes you to lose a lot of momentum and hates getting burned by Will-O-Wisp from Misdreavus. While Misdreavus does as well, this is ultimately not as large of an issue, as I can bring it in to harass the aforementioned Pokemon and then pivot out into something else to both keep up my team's momentum and disrupt the opponent's. I decided to use Liepard instead as a catch all for Ghost- and Psychic-types, another U-turn user, a way of revenge killing a lot of stuff with Sucker Punch, and a way to stop setup sweepers from destroying my team. Liepard is easily the most clutch member of my team, and it's gotten me out of a lot of really scary situations with priority Encore.

Jynx @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Trick
- Lovely Kiss

Jynx is the best Choice Scarf user in the tier because it's fast, it has awesome two-move coverage, and it has both Trick and Lovely Kiss to screw with defensive and offensive teams alike. These things make it both one of the best revenge killers and one of the best late-game cleaners all in one. Jynx is also my answer for a lot of setup sweepers that Liepard can't beat, such as Shell Smash Carracosta and Swords Dance Samurott, because neither of them can outspeed Jynx or use their priority moves to beat it. There's really not a whole lot to say about her. She doesn't add a whole lot in terms of defensive synergy for the team, but that's ok because a have a really cool defensive core as well that I'll get to in a minute!

Probopass @ Leftovers
Trait: Magnet Pull
EVs: 160 HP / 252 SpA / 96 Spe
Modest Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Volt Switch
- Power Gem
- Earth Power

Probopass is a totally cool Pokemon that doesn't get near as much love as it deserves. Unfortunately, its two massive weaknesses hold it back a lot, but when you have those weaknesses covered, it can really shine. Because Probopass is so bulky, I decided to use an offensive set with Magnet Pull. There are very few times when Sturdy would be advantageous anyways, since I have teammates to cover its weaknesses. Magnet Pull also helps to get rid of Steel-types so that Jynx can clean up more easily later in the game. Probopass serves as my Normal- and Flying-type check, and it can also help keep up momentum with Volt Switch. The Speed EVs are used to outspeed Shell Smash Torkoal before it gets off the Smash as well as Metang.

Roselia @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spd
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb

Roselia is used on this team for a few reasons. First off, it covers a huge weakness to Toxic Spikes that the team had when defensive Ludicolo was in this spot. Second, it can take on most Ground-types pretty easily, which is huge for the team since it has no Ground resists. Finally, it sets Spikes for the team, which is huge considering the massive amounts of switches that a VoltTurn-y team can force. Physically defensive Roselia is being used over specially defensive because it's far more necessary for the team to cover Ground-types, and it also allows it to beat other lesser seen Pokemon, such as Sawsbuck, far more easily.

Musharna @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def /16 SpD
- Psychic
- Moonlight
- Baton Pass
- Thunder Wave

Musharna wraps up my defensive core and team in general. It's able to take on the strong Fighting-types that would otherwise be huge threats for my team, and it's easily the best glue Pokemon in the tier. Thunder Wave is the only thing I'm a bit iffy on, but it's nice to be able to paralyze opponents so that Primeape has an easier time later on in the match (since it's not as fast as people normally expect it to be). The reason why I chose pivot Musharna is because it donks Skuntank that try to come in and Pursuit trap it and can pass out to Probopass who doesn't care about anything Skuntank might want to do to it. Baton Pass in general was a big reason for Musharna, as it's another great pivot to help me keep up offensive momentum against my opponents. It works exceedingly well with Liepard as well because people who think they can try to set up on Musharna will get Encore'd into whatever move they want to use.

Wrapping Up

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That's the team! It's easily the most fun team I've made in ages because it's probably the best VoltTurn team I can really make without being hyper offensive (which is super boring and generally a pretty unreliable strategy in NU because of the lack of overwhelmingly powerful Pokemon). I sometimes struggle against Bug-types, but overall, I've found them pretty manageable with smart playing. Swords Dance Pinsir is taken care of with a well-played Liepard, while Scolipede is only a major threat if it is carrying Earthquake (which outside of the ladder, it rarely ever does). I tried to cover as many things defensively and offensively at the same time without having to give up any momentum, and I think this team overall succeeds in that. I'll leave with this: free Serifs fonts on the forums, NU rules, Ariana Grande for life, and ( ͡≖ ͜ʖ ͡≖) you like krabby patties don't you squidward?

Importable

Liepard @ Dread Plate
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Encore
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch

Musharna @ Leftovers
Trait: Synchronize
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SDef
Bold Nature
- Psychic
- Moonlight
- Baton Pass
- Thunder Wave

Primeape (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Vital Spirit
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 Atk / 4 HP
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Ice Punch
- Assurance

Jynx (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 30 Def / 30 SDef / 30 Spd
- Ice Beam
- Psychic
- Trick
- Lovely Kiss

Probopass @ Leftovers
Trait: Magnet Pull
EVs: 208 HP / 252 SAtk / 48 Spd
Modest Nature
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
- Volt Switch
- Power Gem

Roselia (F) @ Eviolite
Trait: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spd
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb

 

[watashi]

nice team although the ev spreads could use some tweaking. probopass should use 96 speed in order to beat out metang and the rare smashkoal. ludicolo should probably use something like 252 HP / 200 SDef / 56 Spe in order to outrun golem. toxic spikes are also a huge threat so you might want to consider skuntank over liepard but they're pretty different in practice so it might change the dynamics of this team.

 

[Moose V]

Solid team! I like the idea of using liepard as a pusuit trapper cuz most players switch when it comes in out of fear. You might want to use stone edge over ice punch on primeape, however as it could mean you can 2 hit rather than 3 hit something like defensive golbat. Tho I really like that liepard, I agree you might need to use a poison type as, since your whole team's grounded, toxic spikes seem like they'd take a heavy toll.

 

[ryan]

Yeah, the reason why I used Assurance>Stone Edge in the last slot is because the main thing I would normally want to hit with Stone Edge is Charizard which outspeed Choice Band Primeape. I'm working on the team now though, mainly the defensive core, to try to fix the weakness to Toxic Spikes without adding a major Ground-type weakness. I'll switch the Probopass EVs as well if it stays, which I would really like it to. Probopass beats Golbat and Mandibuzz, among other defensive Pokemon, without many troubles, and is a really important member of the team in practice.

Edit: and Roselia takes over for Ludicolo. :) Thanks for pointing out the weakness FLCnub and @ebeast for the Roselia idea. :V