Project NU Next Best Thing [Week 35: Gastrodon]

[roxie]

MixedCroak

 

[Xerche]

CritCroak

 

[Corthius]

thief

 

[roxie]

Congratulations to (me lol) for winning my first cycle with Itemless Thief !

Cycle 24 - Into the Unknown

Have you seen that sick-looking horse Elsa was riding in Frozen 2? Yeah, that's Glastrier (don't @ me). The ice horse galloped right out of RU into NU and has a number of sets people are still exploring as we speak! Its bulk allows it to use Substitute on Pokemon like Copperajah and Mudsdale, which gives it opportunities to setup Swords Dance or Iron Defense and muscle through defensive cores on teams! Although its poor speed is frowned upon, don't underestimate the offensive and defensive choices it can use in combat! Submissions for Glastrier will end on Friday, April 9th. Have fun!

Banned Sets

None!

 

[Corthius]

Frozen II is a cool movie
reserving sub ironpress

this pokemon is gorgeous
Glastrier @ Leftovers
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 252 HP / 92 SpD / 164 Spe
Careful Nature
- Substitute
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Icicle Spear​

Iron Defense is a cool surprise tech on Glastrier, allowing it to set up on a wide variety of physical attackers in the tier e.g. Flygon, Mudsdale and Talonflame. Its main use is to surprise defensive pokemon like vaporeon that can't break your substitute with an uninvested Scald or Bronzong and snow ball through the oppsing team. Make sure to remove special breakers beforehand so you have an easier time and don't get interrupted with your sweep.
This set works best with a good Jellicent answer e.g. Heliolisk, as it is not able to really damage that thing.

 

[Pokeslice]

CB

 

[Xerche]

Hailstrier



Glastrier @ Icy Rock
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Hail
- Rest
- Body Press
- Icicle Spear​

With snow warning banned, hail has become significantly harder to use in NU. Glastrier is a mon that hits hard but is also extremely resilient despite being an ice type. I decided to try and use this bulk to make Glastrier a mon that can facilitate it’s team by setting hail. Glastrier can take hits from a lot of mons in the tier, and investing fully in bulk only serves to make this more true. As such, it is able to set hail for the team most of the time. Defensive investment allows Glastrier to take advantage of body press as it’s main attack, and because of it’s high natural attack, icicle spear will also hurt. Glastrier’s Weakness to hazards makes it easy to wear down with stealth rocks, so pairing it with hazard removal is a must. Rest helps alleviate some of the chip Glastrier will end up taking, and paired with heal bell support, it can be extremely annoying for opponents to try taking down the Hailstrier.

 

[Katy]

swords dance + iron defense + maranga berry

Glastrier @ Maranga Berry
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Swords Dance
- Iron Defense
- Icicle Crash
- High Horsepower​

This set aims to use Glastriers decent bulk in both ways. Iron Defense strengthen its physical defense, whereas the Maranga Berry, one Glastrier is struck by a special hit, will help it out on its special defensive spectrum. Swords Dance boosts its attack stat; furthermore its coverage in High Horsepower lets it hit Steel-types such as Copperajah and also Fire-types such as Entei and Arcanine. Icicle Crash its the STAB of choice and hits like a truck after a boost due to Swords Dance. The spread allows Glastrier to survive some hits, so it can setup more safely.

 

[Just_Aaron]

Swords Dance

Glastrier @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Icicle Crash
- High Horsepower
- Megahorn / Taunt​

Glastrier already packs solid enough natural bulk to take attacks from faster threats if it needs to, so I decided to invest mostly on Atk and Speed, more than enough to outspeed Vaporeon base 65s and below (Although Idk if Vaporeon could viably start running 36 speed EVs to outspeed Jolly Glastrier), but you can opt for a bulkier spread of 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe with an Adamant to outspeed Diancie and have even more power. Swords Dance raises Glastrier already huge attack, Icicle Crash is obvious STAB, with High Horsepower providing the best neutral coverage. For the last slot, I decided to go with Megahorn, because it is your hardest hitting move against Waters, it can 2HKO Bronzong after a boost (and prevents Colbur Berry shenarigans) and OHKOs bulky Starmie without a boost. However, Taunt can be used to stop status, recovery, and other moves such a Stealth Rocks and Defog from being used (Specially useful if you pair Glastrier with Entei to overwhelm Waters and remove the option to use Heal Bell to deal with Sacred Fire's burns)

 

[turtledoggo1]

Psychic Seed Glastrier

Glastrier @ Psychic Seed
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Atk / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Iron Defense
- Body Press
- Rest
- Icicle Crash

This set would be used on a psychic terrain team and would increase glastrier's bulk to even higher levels. Of course your physdef is unchanged, which is why iron defense is good on this set. It is able to set up on foes such as copperajah, bronzong, vaporeon and many other pokemon, then rest off. The speed on this set is primarily for mudsdale, which can ruin a sweep by spreading status after you have already used rest. very minor but also something that could happen pretty often, given mudsdale's prominence. After a +2 iron defense, you aren't even ohko'd by sirfetch'd close combat, and can standup to even tyrantrum's head smash. Icicle crash is your main reliable stab, allowing you to hit most things that body press cannot

Calcs

252 SpA Choice Specs Espeon Psychic vs. +1 252 HP / 0 SpD Glastrier: 135-160 (33.4 - 39.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 SpA Choice Specs Exploud Overheat vs. +1 252 HP / 0 SpD Glastrier: 204-242 (50.4 - 59.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Vaporeon Scald vs. +1 252 HP / 0 SpD Glastrier: 58-69 (14.3 - 17%) -- possible 6HKO
252+ Atk Sirfetch’d Close Combat vs. +2 252 HP / 0 Def Glastrier: 176-210 (43.5 - 51.9%) -- 11.3% chance to 2HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Tyrantrum Head Smash vs. +2 252 HP / 0 Def Glastrier: 306-362 (75.7 - 89.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
236 Atk Flygon Stone Edge vs. +2 252 HP / 0 Def Glastrier: 72-86 (17.8 - 21.2%) -- possible 5HKO

 

[TailGlowVM]

RestTalk Glastrier

Glastrier @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spe (or maybe you want some speed, not sure)
Adamant Nature
- Icicle Crash
- High Horsepower / Swords Dance
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

From personal use of Glastrier, its biggest problem is that it gets worn down super quickly, and consequently doesn't always do much, but it always forces trades. Rest and Sleep Talk gives Glastrier better longevity and removes status so it can stay in and fire off more attacks. High Horsepower is probably the best choice for the near-perfect neutral coverage it gives with Icicle Crash, but Swords Dance can instead make Glastrier a wincon once Ice resists are removed.

 

[nameless90]

Blunder Policy Glastrier

Glastrier @ Blunder Policy
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 248 HP / 96 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Facade
- Icicle Crash
- High Horsepower
- Megahorn


General idea
The general idea is to have a fastish version of Glastrier in order to spam damage all around in order to clean/badly damage the opponent's team.
Icicle Crash is the STAB allowed. Facade is here to make good use of a burn.
High Horsepower + Megahorn are good overage moves and both can trigger Blunder Policy.
Close Combat is a move with good coverage, but it ruins the bulk of our horse ==> no, thanks.

This set makes Glastrier a little more tricky to deal with, especially if you have already grabbed a +1 Atk boost.


EVs (spread) and item
With 164 Spe EVs Glastrier hits 137 Spe points, enough to outspeed 0 Spe EVs Piloswine, Sableye, Vileplume, Diancie and Regirock.
After a +2 Spe boost, Glastrier hits 274 Spe points, enough to outspeed 252+ Spe Evs Absol and Claydol. (https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/nu-speed-tiers.3662269/)

248 hp EVs in order to hit odd health points, in order to enter into SR one more time.
The remaining EVs + an Adamant nature are used to boost the Atk stat of this horse in order to hit quite hard.

Tips
Use VoltTurn strategy to bring in Glastrier in front of a slower threat to set-up or, if you are facing an HO team, to preserve its health points as much as possible.
It is recommended to get rid of Intimidate users, though, because the boost of Blunder Policy fades upon switching-out.

 

[Banbadoro]

Endure + Custap Glastrier

Glastrier @ Custap Berry
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 84 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Def / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Endure
- Swords Dance / Close Combat
- Icicle Crash
- High Horsepower / Close Combat

The standard SD set, with Ice + Ground coverage, which max Attack to make the most of that huge Atk stat. CC could be an option over either High Horsepower, or over SD to make 3 attacks. Now Glastrier is very, very slow, so most of the time it ain't going first - that's where the Custap Berry comes in to make you go first. In doing so you get one last huge hit off, by which point you may have already got an SD off or accumulated some 'Moxie' boosts via previous KOs (or both). 164 Spe EVs are to outspeed 0 Spe Vileplume, as I would want to outspeed that without using a berry. 84 HP EVs are to give an odd number of HP to lower Rocks damage.

 

[wooper]

Glastrier @ Leftovers / Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 252 HP / 12 Atk / 20 SpD / 224 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Icicle Crash
- Close Combat
- Substitute​

224 speed with a jolly nature is 1 point faster than uninvested base 65s, the most prominent being vaporeon. 252 hp nets you 404 hp for 101-base subs, and the additional 20 spdef means that vape's uninvested scald never breaks your sub. the remaining evs are put into attack to help slightly boost your ko potential vs vape with CC at +2, but they can also go into speed to help creep. you can run either lefties for the passive recovery or hdb to bypass rocks and other hazards.

calcs
0 SpA Vaporeon Scald vs. 252 HP / 20 SpD Glastrier: 84-100 (20.7 - 24.7%) -- guaranteed 5HKO
+2 0 Atk Glastrier Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Vaporeon: 233-275 (50.2 - 59.2%) -- 78.5% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+2 12 Atk Glastrier Close Combat vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Vaporeon: 236-278 (50.8 - 59.9%) -- 85.9% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

 

[Elias PSY]

Substitute+Torment



Glastrier @ Leftovers
Ability: Chilling Neigh
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Atk / 200 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Substitute
- Torment
- Swords Dance
- Icicle Crash / Icicle Spear

Scouts and shut down choice locked wallbreakers like tyrantrum and sirfetch'd.Also shut down defensive mons relying on 1 move to break substitute (ie weezing,vaporeon,sylveon,iron head copper)
Icicle spear has higher pp and thus can win pp wars.

 

[roxie]

Voting ends on Sunday at 11:00 pm GMT-4/ET for Glastrier! Thank you for all submissions Please be reminded that: Voting for your own set is not allowed and advertising for people to vote for your set will result in disqualification in your submission.

SubID by Corthius
Hail by Xerche
Dual Setup + Maranga Berry by Katy
Swords Dance + Megahorn/Taunt by Just_Aaron
Psychic Seed by Turtledoggo21
RestTalk by TailGlowVM
Blunder Policy by nameless90
Endure + Custap Berry by MalMoonsault
Swords Dance + Substitute by sexywooper
Torment by Elias PSY​

 

[roxie]

dual setup + maranga berry

 

[Katy]

SUB ID by Corthius

 

[Xerche]

Swords Dance + Megahorn/Taunt

 

[Just_Aaron]

Swords Dance + Substitute

 

[TailGlowVM]

Psychic Seed by Turtledoggo21

 

[Pokeslice]

Maranga

 

[turtledoggo1]

Custap berry

 

[nameless90]

SubID by Corthius
because this set mixes the defensive prowess and the offensive one.

 

[wooper]

psychic seed