Other Metagames ORAS Monotype Bug - Buggy Brawlers

[Keahi]

I recently formed this team as an answer to a need in the Monotype Sample Team community and I want to be more involved in that community, primarily on the official Smogon Server. Throughout my time in the Monotype Community, I've learned a few new tricks that I wouldn't have necessarily learned through the regular metas; you don't have to the mono STAB on every single Pokemon.


I had a general idea of what I wanted to use, since I've messed around with Bug teams with some success. I started with Mega Pinsir and came up with a standard set.

Pinsir-Mega @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Quick Attack
- Frustration / Facade
- Earthquake
- Close Combat

When Pinsir is used, it's typically seen as either a set-up sweeper or a revenge killer. Thus why I have given it Moxie. I know from some of the other pokemon, I could use them to absorb status, but I want to flip that effect and that is the reasoning behind why I put Facade on Mega Pinsir as well. Scald is easily the most common in the meta right now with its 30% chance of burning the opponent. Facade would do double the damage and do a simple revenge tactic. Earthquake and Close Combat are for coverage as well.

252 Atk Aerilate Mega Pinsir Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Mega Sableye: 210-247 (69 - 81.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Galvantula @ Life Orb
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunder
- Energy Ball
- Sticky Web
- Hidden Power [Ice]

Galvantula is no longer walled by its weaknesses as much. Once Sticky Web is out on the field, the rest of the team can have a field day. That's #1 priority. After that, you can hit the entire Flying Meta for Super Effective Damage. Although I don't recommend it, but it is notable. When facing Mega Charizard Y, you can use Thunder, but be aware that instead of its 93.5% accuracy (CompoundEyes); it now has 66.5% accuracy. Still is terrible but more accurate than usual

252 SpA Life Orb Galvantula Hidden Power Ice vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Landorus: 338-400 (105.9 - 125.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252 SpA Life Orb Galvantula Thunder vs. 248 HP / 180+ SpD Zapdos: 157-187 (40.9 - 48.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 SpA Life Orb Galvantula Hidden Power Ice vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Thundurus-T: 169-200 (56.7 - 67.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

Scolipede @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Poison Jab / Protect / Swords Dance
- Megahorn
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide

Scolipede was one of those weird pokemon back in BW until it got its hidden ability, Speed Boost. It's what got Blaziken banned to Ubers (if I remember correctly). With EdgeQuake (Rock Slide in place of Stone Edge) coverage, it's able to tackle Bug's weaknesses (Rock, Flying, and Fire) with ease, just needing a little help from either Volcarona or Galvantula to fully complete the battle. Megahorn helps to counter its own weakness from Psychic, while having a nifty resistance to both Fighting and Grass (which why would you want to face Bug against those types). Poison Jab is helpful for tackling Fairies and adding the chance to poison an opposing pokemon, but Protect is preferred since it's Adamant. Scolipede loses its ability to check Base 100+ Speed Pokemon when Adamant, but a simple Protect will be helpful. Swords Dance is for that extra spike in Attack to fully crush the opponent.

Volcarona @ Leftovers
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Giga Drain

This set I wouldn't mind changing that much, but I would prefer to keep Giga Drain just for healing purposes. I know Roost is a better option, but sometimes you need to be a little riskier than usual. Barian again recommended HP-Ground to help fight Steel types, primarily Heatran. It helps to alleviate the stress from a Bug v. Steel matchup while helping against an Electric Matchup.

+2 252 SpA Volcarona Hidden Power Ground vs. 248 HP / 192+ SpD Heatran: 392-464 (101.8 - 120.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Armaldo @ Assault Vest
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 Atk / 8 Def / 248 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Rock Blast
- Aqua Jet
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin

I know this might throw people through a loop, but I prefer AV Armaldo. It can tank a lot of powerful moves while spinning and getting a couple of KOes by itself. As I said above in my introduction, I'm not a fan of using hazards myself, but I must have some form of hazard removal. I know that Lefties may be better, but when facing certain pokemon, AV is significantly better.

252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 248 SpD Assault Vest Armaldo in Sun: 192-226 (65.9 - 77.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
and in revenge
252+ Atk Armaldo Rock Blast (2 hits) vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Charizard Y: 432-512 (145.4 - 172.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

w/o AV
252 SpA Mega Charizard Y Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 248 SpD Armaldo in Sun: 288-339 (98.9 - 116.4%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO

Scizor @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 8 SpD / 248 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bullet Punch
- Superpower
- Pursuit
- U-turn

I needed a revenge killer that could KO at a moments notice and it has nifty resistances and immunities (Looking at you Fairy types). I've gotten to fall in love with Pursuit trapping and the rest of the set is self-explanatory. SuperPower is to help the steel matchup. It could also be useful in the Dark and Rock matchup, despite other moves and pokemon are more effective.

 

[lax]

Cool team! Here's a rate:

The first thing I noticed is your Pinsir set. First things first, I noticed your uncertainty between Facade and Frustration. Well, definitely go with Frustration. Frustration is the strongest, most reliable stab mega pinsir can utilize as it has 100% accuracy, no recoil or any side effects, just a strong 102 base power move. Facade however, is extremely situational. You would have to know you are getting status to fully use facade, or you're just wasting a slot on a move that will not be as strong. Initial damage is extremely important when going with Pinsir so I would definitely go for Frustration > Facade as facade is just too situational for a mon meant to hit hard right away, like Pinsir. Next thing is changing Swords Dance > Earthquake. Swords Dance is generally one of the things that make pinsir as dangerous as it is so you should definitely use this to your advantage. Earthquake was only really for hitting Aegislash back in XY Meta, but now aegislash got recently banned and there is no need to run eq when close combat is enough to hit steel mons hard. Swords Dance is very useful for setting up on "walls" like most bulky water types or any wall that doesn't ohko you really. You can set up on them and possibly ohko/inflict tons of damage the next turn. Definitely consider SD.

Regarding your slashed moves on Scolipede, I definitely think Protect is the most appropriate option for you. Since you are running the Adamant nature (which is recommended to hit as hard as possible), you start out slower than even base 100 mons and threats like Charizard-Y, for example. Being able to protect, outspeed and ohko is definitely a useful option. Protect allows your speed boost to activate generally making you faster than whatever your opponent is, allows for mindgames vs set up mons, and allows you to scout. Scouting your opponents move is extremely helpful as it allows you to make your play based off of that and possibly switch scolipede out of a move into something that can tank it.

Now, the third thing that could be changed is the Volcarona item. While leftovers is useful for gaining bits of health back each turn, I definitely feel that Lum Berry is way more useful. As volc is a set up sweeper, status usually messes up the potential sweep completely. From t-wave to toxic, status just causes volc to be crippled and loses all its sweeping potential, that is, if you do not have a lum berry. Lum allows for you to kill off the status user while contracting no status and is just helpful in situations vs mons like discharge zapdos or klefki. Setting up on a potential status and then killing the mon the next turn is super helpful.

The next change is rather huge, I'd recommend you to change your Armaldo to Leftovers and to put Stealth Rocks > Aqua Jet. Rocks are extremely useful because they help vs two big bug threats, fire and flying. Fire and Flying usually have to try and remove hazards so setting up rocks can be extremely annoying for them and give you the pressure you need to win this hard matchup. Also, not only does rocks help against fire and flying, it also just helps in ANY kind of matchup. Rocks may be able to hit mons on any teams that take double the damage from entering in on rocks, break sturdy or sash, and just wear down your opponent periodically. Just an extremely helpful move that should be on all, if not most, Monotype teams as it helps with certain matchups exponentially.
​

Sets

Pinsir-Mega @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Quick Attack
- Frustration
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat

Scolipede @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Protect
- Megahorn
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide

Volcarona @ Lum Berry
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Quiver Dance
- Fiery Dance
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Giga Drain

Armaldo @ Leftovers
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 Atk / 8 Def / 248 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Rock Blast
- Stealth Rocks
- Earthquake
- Rapid Spin

good luck! :)

 

[Trichotomy]

I would recommend Focus Sash>Life Orb on galv since you stated that your first priority is to set up webs, and lo doesn't pick up any significant ohkos or 2hkos that sash wouldn't

I would definitely recommend Adamant>Jolly on Scizor since it hits much harder and you really don't outspeed anything significant with jolly

gl with your team

 

[Elliot]

Nice team, rate:

My main change outside of what Laxuy has said (all of which I agree with, btw) would be to change your Armaldo set again. I agree with Leftovers > Assault Vest however my choice of moves would be Stealth Rock / Rapid Spin / Knock off / Stone Edge, Rock Blast is interchangeable with Stone Edge here if you really want it, although I definitely prefer Stone Edge for the reliable damage. I prefer this set on Armaldo because Knock off is extremely handy when against opposing walls that may like to switch into Armaldo (Skarmory, Slowbro, etc).

I would also recommend changing the EVs on your Armaldo, from 252 Atk / 8 Def / 248 SpD to 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SpD with an Adamant nature, as this benefits you much more than running Special Defense EVs, since it will allow you to take hits from both sides (physical and special) and just generally increase longevity. The 248 HP is there to make switching in to SR slightly less painful.