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Project NU Matchmaking Reinvigorated (Again) [Week 11 - Swords Dance Shiftry] VOTING

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And with 3 votes, allstar124 takes the win this week. Congratulations :)

This week, I decided to go with a somewhat underrated mon, but a fun one nonetheless.
Friday
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Vivillon @ Focus Sash
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Hurricane
- Sleep Powder
- Endeavor

Submissions end Friday.
 
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I'll take Gurdurr.

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Hold No Guns (Gurdurr) @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Atk / 64 Def
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off
- Bulk Up

Bulk Up Gurdurr is a fine partner to Vivillon, because it can eliminate Piloswine and Klinklang, which are common Vivillon checks. Gurdurr is also an excellent status absorber thanks to Guts, allowing it to take Toxic, Thunder Wave, and Will-O-Wisp with ease, all of which Vivillon is crippled by, especially Thunder Wave. All this gives Vivillon a clear path to sweep.
 
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Poliwrath @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 96 HP / 252 SpA / 160 Spe
Modest Nature
- Scald/Hydro Pump
- Focus Blast
- Ice Beam
- Vacuum Wave

Poliwrath is a cool for Viv, being able to exploit most of Vivillions checks and counters with the appropriate coverage move. Additionally, Wrath can pick off foes which Viv has broken down with endeavor thanks to its priority in Vacuum Wave. Wrath can also switch into fire and rock type moves, should you choose to preserve Vivillion. Overall Viv and Wrath have nice defensive and offensive synergy, with enough coverage and power to break huge holes in the opponent's team.
 
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Bad Apple!! (Kangaskhan) @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Double-Edge
- Earthquake
- Sucker Punch
Silk Scarf Kangaskhan is a solid partner for Vivillon since it really appreciates Viv's ability to endeavor down things like Steelix and Rhydon so that it can throw out as many Double edges as possible. The two also do decent against both balanced and offensive teams though I'd probably run Timid on viv nowadays since it outspeeds jolly Sawk which can come in handy.
 
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Barbaracle @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Razor Shell
- Return
- Superpower / Stone Edge

Shuca-Barbaracle makes for a cool parter with Vivillion. Barb appreciates Vivi's ability to decimate Fighting types such as Hitmonchan and Sawk, while Vivi appreciates Barb busting through bulky Rock and Steels like Rhydon and Lix. Also, common checks to Vivillion such as Piloswine, Kangaskhan, and Rhydon provide Barbaracle with a free Shell Smash, as Shucha Berry let's it survive even the tiers most powerful unboosted Earthquake. These two mons do a great job of taking advantage of each other's counters, and are a core that breaks down a lot of common builds in this meta.

252 Atk Rhydon Earthquake vs. -1 0 HP / 4 Def Shuca Berry Barbaracle: 217-256 (76.1 - 89.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Kangaskhan Earthquake vs. -1 0 HP / 4 Def Shuca Berry Barbaracle: 128-151 (44.9 - 52.9%) -- 26.6% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Piloswine Earthquake vs. -1 0 HP / 4 Def Shuca Berry Barbaracle: 198-234 (69.4 - 82.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
 
So by a landslide, Aurosis wins this week, so s/o to the newest Sweet Potato! Congratulations :)

This week, I decided to go with a mon that was on the decline until recent drops made him relevant if not necessary for almost any team...

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Hariyama @ Assault Vest
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 240 SpD / 16 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Fake Out
- Bullet Punch / Earthquake

Submissions end Friday.
 
Reserving Rotom
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Rotom @ Spell Tag
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Volt Switch
- Hex
- Shadow Ball
Almost as anoying as this sprite. We all know this core and its one of the most solid cores there are in this meta. Rotom checks most of the hariyama's mains switch ins, being pelliper, weezing, and to a extent even vileplume. Hariyama walls the fire types that give rotom issues and also can OHKO skuntank with earthquake which is great. Beside the lord ninetales nothing can really deal with this core.
 
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Man, why couldn't this have been CB Hariyama? Come on NV

Reserving Vileplume.

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Flower Drum Song (Vileplume) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Effect Spore
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Giga Drain
- Moonlight
- Sludge Bomb
- Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Ground / Sleep Powder

Vileplume and Hariyama form an excellent core for balanced teams because each can switch into each others checks and counters respectively well. Vileplume can easily switch into the two NY Fairy types that threaten Hariyama, Mega Audino and Mawile. Vileplume also switches into Samurott, which can potentially use Hariyama as set up fodder. On the other side of the spectrum, Hariyama switches into common Fire and Ice types that threaten Vileplume thanks in part to Thick Fat.
 
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Reserving Steelix
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Steelix @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 244 HP / 136 Atk / 128 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Toxic / Roar

Steelix makes a fantastic Hariyama partner as it resists or is immune to all of Hariyama's weaknesses and can beat them all realiably. It also sets up Stealth Rock for Hariyama as they force a lot of switches, allowing them to wear down the opposing team. Thick Fat Yama also helps Steelix with Fire and Ice types, which is quite helpful. So, yeah, partner this up with something like Mantine or Pelipper to take on Fighting-types, and you got a hella good balance core to work with!
 
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Rhydon @ Eviolite
Ability: Lightningrod
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Polish
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn

Rhydon provides a great normal resist which Hariyama greatly appreciates, whilst in return Yama can sponge powerful special attacks from the likes of Poliwrath, Combusken, Magmortar, Cacturne and Sceptile to a lesser extent. Rock Polish + 3 Attacks help Rhydon combat common psychic type switch-ins to yama with Megahorn, in particular providing a nice check to Malamar. Overall a pretty standard but effective partnership.
 
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Xatu @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Roost
- Psyshock
- Thunder Wave

When you think of Hariyama's checks, you think most traditionally of bulky physical flyings, psychics, poisons, and mega-audino. Furthermore, when not running guts, it is very vulnerable to nearly every form of status that is not Yellow Magic, as toxic and burn severely inhibit its longevity and attacking capabilities, while Sleep can allow pokemon it would otherwise check to use it as setup fodder. CM Xatu not only can capitalize on Mega Audino and most Psychics by winning the CM War through psyshock, but is able to punish most of the physical pokemon such as Sawk (without SE) who threaten Yama a lot. Furthermore, it nearly 100% guarantees that stuff like Weezing which may exploit the presence of Hariyama using Wisp / TSpikes will not get its way.

PS I much prefer TWave + CM over any other form of burd as it punishes shit like Skunk, Klinklang, and Pard a lot harder than other coverage that Xatu can carry, rather than choosing between Heat Wave or Signal, colbur will normally let you dead switch out to bring in an actual check after the TWave, yellow magic is ultimate punish. If you have to choose coverage though just Heat Wave cause fuck Steelix malamar is shit anyways.
 
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Magmortar @ Expert Belt
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Will-O-Wisp
Deals with common wisp users like rotom decently and handles typical fighting resists like Vileplume, Pelipper and Weezing pretty easily. Magmortar having the support of Thick fat yama also means that it can take a bit more of an offensive route with Expert Belt. Fire Blast / Thunderbolt / HP grass is pretty solid coverage against most of the tier while Will-o-wisp helps to cripple common fire switchins like opposing Hariyama.
 
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Sceptile @ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Leaf Storm
- Giga Drain
- Focus Blast / Hidden Power [Ice] / Hidden Power [Fire]
- Rock Slide

Sceptile and Hariyama have some pretty cool synergy. 'lure' Sceptile beats things like Xatu, Scyther etc more easily, while Hariyama takes care of Poison types (with Earthquake) for Sceptile to clean up. HP Fire and Focus Blast are kinda meh, as its targets are mostly handled by Hariyama. Opting for HP Ice + Rock Slide can be a bit overkill, though it's mostly personal preference.
 
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Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Healing Wish

Mesprit can work well on pretty much any team due to it's variety of usable sets, especially so with healing wish when Hariyama is involved. Hariyama's main problem is being whittled down and Mesprit help with this through healing wish, but also with the slow U-turn. This defensive set allows it to switch in on most physical attacks Hariyama can't deal with and hit back with an attack or set rocks.
 
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