Pokémon Nihilego

[Hiddenfreezer]

uh this Pokemon...
Guys remember how Nidoking got a bit of a "Anti-Meta" Position in ORAS?
I know you all want to abuse its spike stacking abilities, but I think its true potential is of a strong Poison Attack user like Nido with a bit worse coverage but definitely more (special) bulk of Gengar.

In fact... it is quite between Nidoking and Gengar.

Now that Lando-I is banned too, I can only see this Pokemon moving "up".
Just an example of Special Bulk:
252 SpA Life Orb Latios Draco Meteor vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Nihilego: 220-259 (61.2 - 72.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Any Neutral Special Attack weaker than that can't threaten Nihilego, which can acquire even Moxie boosts.
=> This thing gonna be viable in OU, whether for spike stacking or being a hybrid gengar/nidoking

 

[-Vivian J. K]

Would I be better off going for HP Ice over HP Fire if I were to pair an offensive hazard setter Nihilego up with Celesteela to cover its weaknesses and deal with Steel-types (a la Flamethrower/Fire Blast) that would otherwise wall Nihilego?

 

[AmateurGamer]

All I can say about Nihilego is

Nihilego @ Black Sludge
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 72 HP / 184 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Clear Smog
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic Spikes
- Thunder Wave

This set is quite amazing. It's great for setting up entry hazards.

 

[bluegrass]

Nihilego @ Air Balloon
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 176 SpA / 80 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Power Gem
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Toxic Spikes

I've been running this set on hazard stack team and it's really a lot of fun. EVs are set so speed is the highest stat to ensure a speed increase from Beast Boost, which I've found helpful to ensure you can set down another layer of tspikes or manage to get both hazards up. The extra EVs are dumped into SpD since HP or Def investment still won't help her tank physical attacks. I settled on Air Balloon as the item since my team is ground weak, but Sash is probably more reliable for setting hazards if you can keep your side of the field clear of them. HP Fire > HP Ice since I'm running Mega Absol w/Ice Beam on the team, but they're pretty interchangeable depending on team needs.

 

[The Great Roydinho]

by far the dumbest typing on a "pokemon" ever.
i want to know wtf gamefreak were thinking

 

[Count Serperior]

by far the dumbest typing on a "pokemon" ever.
i want to know wtf gamefreak were thinking

The Pokemon Sun and Moon website describes it as "UB-01's body is composed of a glass-like substance."
Glass is a mineral made from the same stuff as sand and rocks, thus the Rock typing.

UB-01 is a parasitic beast, that uses neurotoxins to affect its hosts, thus the Poison typing.


Overall, Nihilego might be the most "UB" of the UBs, its typing is weird, it looks alien, and can even be seen as Lovecraftian. It's got tentacles, controls minds, and summons floating rocks that shoot laser beams too XD

 

[Banryu]

I love how bizarre its typing is, personally. It's the only UB to get a unique typing as well, IIRC.

 

[heavylobster43]

by far the dumbest typing on a "pokemon" ever.
i want to know wtf gamefreak were thinking

Its typing is actually pretty cool, and makes it one of the best checks available for stuff like Zard-Y and Volcarona. Also, with Lando-I being gone, this thing is one of the better offensive Rocks setters around. It's one of the few Rocks setters Tapu Fini can't switch into at all, which is important because Fini is probably the best Defogger in the tier right now. Kind of a shame that it can't do much to Excadrill and is massive Duggy bait, otherwise it would be a lot better.

 

[BasedKoi]

Bulky-Suicide Hazard lead Focus sash
Bold Nature
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP /252 Def /4 Spe
Moves:
- Toxic Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave/Guard Split/Power Split/Clear Smog
- Power Gem

At first the idea seems contradictory to being a suicide lead, but hear me out. Lego's base 47 Def coupled with a 4x weakness to Earthquake is utterly horrible; you're going to get OHKO'd pretty much immediately. The idea here is to try to mitigate that. So ob you're primarily using Lego to set up hazards and that's pretty much it, but with access to Clear Smog and both Guard and Power split there's room to be a bit of a troll. Power Split against a strong physical attacker more or less neuters them on the spot and forces a switch. The same goes for Guard Split versus something like Hippowdon. If neither of those options appeals you could always just run T Wave or Clear Smog to hinder a sweep set up.

Toxic Stall Black Sludge
Bold Nature
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP /252 Def /4 Spe
Moves:
- Toxic
- Venom Drench
- Rest
- Wonder Room/Sleep Talk

Pretty simple stall set. Rest is the only recovery option available, so pairing it with Sleep Talk may be advisable. Of course, there is the wonder room option for when you can predict a physical set. The downside to this being that your special goes to the dumps for 5 turns. Venom drench puts a stop to pokes trying to use you to set up, lowering their entire offensive option spread across the board after you get dat toxic. Obv steel types wall this, so keeping something to deal with them on the backburner is advisable.

 

[Plague von Karma]

Toxic Stall Black Sludge
Bold Nature
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 HP /252 Def /4 Spe
Moves:
- Toxic
- Venom Drench
- Rest
- Wonder Room/Sleep Talk

Pretty simple stall set. Rest is the only recovery option available, so pairing it with Sleep Talk may be advisable. Of course, there is the wonder room option for when you can predict a physical set. The downside to this being that your special goes to the dumps for 5 turns. Venom drench puts a stop to pokes trying to use you to set up, lowering their entire offensive option spread across the board after you get dat toxic. Obv steel types wall this, so keeping something to deal with them on the backburner is advisable.

You do know that Pokemon can just switch out from this, right?

 

[legend slayer]

what do z- tickle and z-confide do ? im pretty sure they are normal moves and do they buff you up with it?

 

[Justin Rickerman]

what do z- tickle and z-confide do ? im pretty sure they are normal moves and do they buff you up with it?

They boost defense and sp. def respectively. They aren't really worth the item slot. There are much better z-moves.

 

[BasedKoi]

You do know that Pokemon can just switch out from this, right?

That's true with just about any toxic stall set though?

 

[legend slayer]

They boost defense and sp. def respectively. They aren't really worth the item slot. There are much better z-moves.

i need something to fill slots on this thing with spA boosts he doesn't even have calm mind it will be good after that because of beast boost but he can't kill everyone right away without a boost or 2

 

[Justin Rickerman]

i need something to fill slots on this thing with spA boosts he doesn't even have calm mind it will be good after that because of beast boost but he can't kill everyone right away without a boost or 2

Until I can modify IV's via powersav, I have been runnning dazzling gleam. It hits dragons, fighting and dark for solid damage. It's movepool is kinda of barren though.

 

[zferolie]

I also feel like CLear smog can be a really good move on it. It pretty much stops dead any Quiver dance, or nasty plot setter in the game. Even stops some slow bulkier Swords dance uses as well.

Nihilego @ Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Clear Smog
- Toxic Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Power Gem


I also see it gets acid spray, which is a psudo Nasty plotter. Can't use Clear smog on that set though, so you lose the hazing capability

Nihilego @ Focus Sash/Black Sludge
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Acid Spray
- Power Gem
- Hidden Power [Fire] /Ice
- Sludge Bomb

not sure which to do, and I am going to hunting for this Metroid soon.. guess I'll go for Timid with HP fire... unless HP Ice would be better?

 

[heavylobster43]

I also feel like CLear smog can be a really good move on it. It pretty much stops dead any Quiver dance, or nasty plot setter in the game. Even stops some slow bulkier Swords dance uses as well.

Nihilego @ Focus Sash
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Clear Smog
- Toxic Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Power Gem


I also see it gets acid spray, which is a psudo Nasty plotter. Can't use Clear smog on that set though, so you lose the hazing capability

Nihilego @ Focus Sash/Black Sludge
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Acid Spray
- Power Gem
- Hidden Power [Fire] /Ice
- Sludge Bomb

not sure which to do, and I am going to hunting for this Metroid soon.. guess I'll go for Timid with HP fire... unless HP Ice would be better?

Power Gem + typing already stops Volcarona lacking HP Ground, and you won't get the chance to attack +1 HP Ground Volca, and I can't really think of another particularly relevant Quiver Dancer in OU. I don't think I've really found any instances where I'd want Clear Smog over Sludge Bomb. SR + 3 attacks, lead set, and Choiced sets are basically what you want to stick with, and even the lead set is kind of iffy given how unreliable TSpikes are. Nihilego, while definitely holding a niche in OU, isn't a particularly amazing mon, and its current utility is kind of limited. Wonder Room sounds interesting in theory, but you're still generally beaten by Steel/Ground types even with it up. Duggy's OHKOing you regardless. Acid Spray is interesting, but right now you're mostly just getting Steel switch ins anyways, so you should be setting up hazards or throwing out HP Fire anyways.

 

[CatKawaii]

by far the dumbest typing on a "pokemon" ever.
i want to know wtf gamefreak were thinking

What do you mean guy? Rock/Poison is such a groovy type combo. Ya it gets some common weaknesses but it has a bunch of resistences. It also has some wicked stab coverage. Definitely the coolest ub.

 

[zferolie]

Power Gem + typing already stops Volcarona lacking HP Ground, and you won't get the chance to attack +1 HP Ground Volca, and I can't really think of another particularly relevant Quiver Dancer in OU. I don't think I've really found any instances where I'd want Clear Smog over Sludge Bomb. SR + 3 attacks, lead set, and Choiced sets are basically what you want to stick with, and even the lead set is kind of iffy given how unreliable TSpikes are. Nihilego, while definitely holding a niche in OU, isn't a particularly amazing mon, and its current utility is kind of limited. Wonder Room sounds interesting in theory, but you're still generally beaten by Steel/Ground types even with it up. Duggy's OHKOing you regardless. Acid Spray is interesting, but right now you're mostly just getting Steel switch ins anyways, so you should be setting up hazards or throwing out HP Fire anyways.

I can see replacing T-spikes with a 3rd move on my first set. Been running that current one in showdown and I fine I can really only reliable get spikes out most of the time, but T-spikes when I get even 1 layer out does help a lot.

In any case, I'll just catch a Timid Metroid with HP fire, so I can swap between the 2 depending on what happens. I find Timid is the best since any kills you happen to get boost your SpA and you can start getting stronger and stronger.

As for Clear smog, I find it still hurts things after just 1 beast boost. And the utility is nothing to sneeze at I guess. Sure you get more raw power from sludgebomb, but the chance of stopping a Quiverdancer or a cuntrey user or even a baton passer is never a bad thing. But again, thats just how I feel. Most of the time sludge bom is probably better, but I just like the idea of CLear smog being around.

Heck, with how popular Porygon Z is right now, a Clear smog will ruin its day

 

[heavylobster43]

I can see replacing T-spikes with a 3rd move on my first set. Been running that current one in showdown and I fine I can really only reliable get spikes out most of the time, but T-spikes when I get even 1 layer out does help a lot.

In any case, I'll just catch a Timid Metroid with HP fire, so I can swap between the 2 depending on what happens. I find Timid is the best since any kills you happen to get boost your SpA and you can start getting stronger and stronger.

As for Clear smog, I find it still hurts things after just 1 beast boost. And the utility is nothing to sneeze at I guess. Sure you get more raw power from sludgebomb, but the chance of stopping a Quiverdancer or a cuntrey user or even a baton passer is never a bad thing. But again, thats just how I feel. Most of the time sludge bom is probably better, but I just like the idea of CLear smog being around.

Heck, with how popular Porygon Z is right now, a Clear smog will ruin its day

I almost never see Porygon Z. If that or similar sweepers bother you, then sure. But I never seem to run into Porygon-Z, etc. And I have noticed that TSpikes are probably better now than they might have been at other points in the meta. So they might be worth running since coverage outside of its dual STABs are kind of unreliable, though if grounded Poison types come back into favor they might not be.

 

[Plague von Karma]

That's true with just about any toxic stall set though?

The Venom Drench isn't worth it imo. The Toxic can go on anything and stay, but Venom Drench stops when the Pokemon switches out. It's not worth the slot when Stealth Rock can be used to build up pressure and make switching less frequent.

 

[zferolie]

The Venom Drench isn't worth it imo. The Toxic can go on anything and stay, but Venom Drench stops when the Pokemon switches out. It's not worth the slot when Stealth Rock can be used to build up pressure and make switching less frequent.

Only thing I use venom drench on is Salazzle in double battles. Poison gas Venom drench combo hits both foes and everything in the game. truely not a fun time for them

 

[legend slayer]

Until I can modify IV's via powersav, I have been runnning dazzling gleam. It hits dragons, fighting and dark for solid damage. It's movepool is kinda of barren though.

thats what im saying he should at least get calm mind access to setup sweep but until u net a kill and beat boost spA he is not good enough to wreak havok.

u can always hp ice on ground types people

 

[zferolie]

u can always hp ice on ground types people

Ice does hit ground but will you OHKO any real threats before they OHKO, beast boost or no? It may be best just to retreat from a ground type

 

[legend slayer]

modest nature at +1 should kill many ground types as they are usually weak in the SpD department