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Lava Phrog
Lava Phrog
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Congrats to the winners of the 2023 Smog Awards!
Project Pokémon Matchmaking - Not hosted anymore
- Thread starter Tysonslayer
- Start date
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Hey There it's been a while since I did one of these, but the voting period and these are the count of the votes.
And to that the winner goes to
Katy, congratulations and now for the next round.
Round 22
Tapu Bulu @ Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Horn Leech
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
While Tapu Bulu has major competition with Rillaboom throughout the generation, recently Tapu Bulu has been seeing some usage as a Wallbreaker being able to handle most of it's checks on it's won with the wide coverage move it has. With the usage of Stone Edge luring in and defeating the likes of Volcarona, Mandibuzz, and Tornadus-T gives it an up against them compared to Rillaboom in hindering them with a Knock Off, where Bulu can continue breaking once removing them itself. While also being able to keep itself nice and healthy from the recoil damage of Life Orb wit Horn Leech, and being able to cover it's Steel weakness with Close Combat. Tapu Bulu also has nice defensive utility with it's pretty decent bulk allowing it to be a check against Urshifu-R, Zeraora, Tapu Koko, Garchomp. As usual what do you think pairs well with Tapu Bulu?
You have 72 hours to post a partner, Happy Posting
i = a > c > b = d = e = f = g = h
H > I = C = A > B = D = E = F = G
H > A > B > I > C > G > E > D = F
A>I>H>C=B=D=E=F=G
A > E > C > B = D = F = G = H = I
A > I > G > H = B = C = D = E = F
C > A > B > G > I > H > E > F = D
A = H = I > B > C = D = E = F = G
H > I = C = A > B = D = E = F = G
H > A > B > I > C > G > E > D = F
A>I>H>C=B=D=E=F=G
A > E > C > B = D = F = G = H = I
A > I > G > H = B = C = D = E = F
C > A > B > G > I > H > E > F = D
A = H = I > B > C = D = E = F = G
And to that the winner goes to
Katy, congratulations and now for the next round.Round 22
Tapu Bulu @ Life Orb
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 32 HP / 252 Atk / 224 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Horn Leech
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
While Tapu Bulu has major competition with Rillaboom throughout the generation, recently Tapu Bulu has been seeing some usage as a Wallbreaker being able to handle most of it's checks on it's won with the wide coverage move it has. With the usage of Stone Edge luring in and defeating the likes of Volcarona, Mandibuzz, and Tornadus-T gives it an up against them compared to Rillaboom in hindering them with a Knock Off, where Bulu can continue breaking once removing them itself. While also being able to keep itself nice and healthy from the recoil damage of Life Orb wit Horn Leech, and being able to cover it's Steel weakness with Close Combat. Tapu Bulu also has nice defensive utility with it's pretty decent bulk allowing it to be a check against Urshifu-R, Zeraora, Tapu Koko, Garchomp. As usual what do you think pairs well with Tapu Bulu?
You have 72 hours to post a partner, Happy Posting
Katy
Banned deucer.
Nidoking (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Flamethrower
- Substitute
Nidoking is a fantastic Pokemon alongside Tapu Bulu, as it main STAB in Earth Power won't get effected by Grassy Terrain, so it can still use it with full force. Furthermore Nidoking can open up walls for Tapu Bulu, walls just like Skarmory, Corviknight, and Toxapex, which Tapu Bulu dislikes. Toxapex gets hit hard by Earth Power meanwhile the Steel-types Birds have to fear a strong Flamethrower by Nidoking. Nidoking can also forme a nice partnership with Tapu Bulu because both can act against common Pokemon such as Tapu Koko, Zeraora, and also Landorus-T. If behind a Substitute Nidoking can further its threatening potential. Tapu Bulu appreciates that Nidoking opens up holes for it, and in return, Tapu Bulu can handle Pokemon Nidoking struggles with such as Water-types like Rotom-W and Choice Scarf Tapu Fini. Tapu Bulu can also help against Swampert and Slowking, which Nidoking struggles against. In cooperation, these two have an interesting bond together and appreciate each others company, as they can break down many main threats in the current OU metagame.
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Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 40 HP / 80 Atk / 184 SpA / 36 SpD / 168 Spe
Hasty Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Magma Storm
- Earth Power
- Taunt
- Nature Power
nature power heatran is a bulu partner that offensively pressures steels such as skarmory, corviknight, and aegislash. ideally, the fourth move of choice here is nature power to extend the variety of defensive pokemon that heatran checks with gterrain that effectively makes nature power grass and fire STAB. it targets pokemon such as the slowtwins, the speed evs allow heatran to outspeed 144+ lando (255 > 254) and 2HKO slowking after magma storm chip damage. 80 atk also allows heatran to deal damage from a range of 51% to 60%. tapu bulu can also safely switch-in and threaten a KO on pokemon such as zeraora and provide gterrain healing with leftovers, giving heatran 12% HP each turn. spdef evs allow heatran to avoid the 3hko from specs lele psychic, and rounded out the evs with 184 special attack for as much power as heatran can possibly get.
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Magnezone @ Leftovers
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 Def / 156 SpA / 100 Spe (or whatever other spread ppl prefer)
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Thunderbolt
- Body Press
- Iron Defense
fwiw, specs also works here since you don't rly need to trap ferro or put pressure on bliss
Magnezone traps Corviknight and Skarmory, who are the main checks to Tapu Bulu's Swords Dance set. There really isn't much more to it than that. Tapu Bulu can easily beat most other Rock-weak Flying-types and Fighting-weak Steel-types with its coverage.
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Melmetal @ Protective Pads
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 Atk / 240 SpD / 16 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Thunder Punch
- Superpower / Ice Punch
- Thunder Wave
This Melmetal set shares great sinergy with SD Bulu. First of all, grassy terrain gives Melmetal much needed passive recovery and also mitigates earthquakes, making it even harder to ko. Bulu also has good physical bulk and resists ground, electric, water, dark and fighting type attacks, making it a great offensive checks to threats like shifu, chomp, landot, koko and zeraora. Conversely, melmetal takes on STAB attacks from monsters like lele and Kyurem while having enough physical bulk for Weavile.
The main sinergy between the two, however, is how melmetal helps bulu break teams apart. With thunder wave it cripples many shared checks like Pex, corvi, skarm and volcarona, while also being generally useful for a slower breaker like tapu bulu. Thunder punch makes for consistent damage against those threats. Consistent and free from all the rocky helmet/flame body bs thanks to the gorgeous item that is protective pads.
Ice punch as an alternative to superpower because bulu already has close combat and most of all to murk garchomps and landot that could prevent you spamming twave and generally annoy melmetal
Speed is for Pex, but you may want to invest enough to outspeed hippowdon
tl;dr these two are strong attackers with great defensive utility and offensive sinergy
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+ ()Kartana @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off
- Sacred Sword
- Smart Strike
Kartana
is a great partner to Tapu Bulu , and together, they form a formidable offensive grass spam core. Firstly, Tapu Bulu has destructive breaking power, meaning Kartana a chance clean up late game to snowball and start sweeping. Tapu Bulu also provides Grassy Terrain, which boosts the power of both Tapu Bulu's and Kartana's Grass-type STAB moves. Grassy Terrain also halves the power of Earthquake, which can be useful in interactions with Lando-T 
and Garchomp 
. Grassy Terrain also provides extra recovery for both mons. Secondly, Scarf Kartana gives the slow but powerful Tapu Bulu a form of speed control. Scarf Kartana can take care of threats such as Dragapult and Tapu Lele 
(can't switch-in though) with Knock Off and Smart Strike respectively. Kartana also takes Poison-type and Steel-type attacks with ease, attacks that threaten Tapu Bulu with supereffective damage otherwise.This is why I believe Kartana is the best partner for Tapu Bulu.
+= dubs
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Dragapult@Leftovers
Ability:Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hex
- Draco Meteor
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
this set works as a fine partner for Tapu bulu, Being able to spread paralysis for it and coming in on many poison and fire type attacks for it which it recovers with the grassy terrain bulu provides and U-turning on special walls thinking its the standard specs set giving bulu free setup to tore the defensive cores apart while pult ruins offensive teams with a combo of its speed and paralysis support, overall i think these pokemon act as really nice partners for eachother
What's up everyone love the submissions this week and effort everyone is doing with this project.
We will now commence the voting phase
The voting system used is the Ranked Pairs format (the same as CAP uses). To vote you basically order your options like this: C>B>A>D, like this A>B=C>D, or like this D>C, assuming there are 4 partner options (A, B, C, and D). If you choose not to vote for all partners, the last partner(s) will be assumed to be last and valued equally if more than one got left out. Additionally, don't vote for your own submission. If you have any questions, by all means, ask me.
This Weeks submissions are:
Partner A by Katy
Partner B
by t045t3r
Partner C
by airfare
Partner D
by SLDR
Partner E by VTaxi
Partner F by Shadesan
Voting Phase will be for 48 Hours, happy voting!
We will now commence the voting phase
The voting system used is the Ranked Pairs format (the same as CAP uses). To vote you basically order your options like this: C>B>A>D, like this A>B=C>D, or like this D>C, assuming there are 4 partner options (A, B, C, and D). If you choose not to vote for all partners, the last partner(s) will be assumed to be last and valued equally if more than one got left out. Additionally, don't vote for your own submission. If you have any questions, by all means, ask me.
This Weeks submissions are:
Partner A
by KatyPartner B
by t045t3rPartner C
by airfarePartner D
by SLDRPartner E
by VTaxiPartner F
by ShadesanVoting Phase will be for 48 Hours, happy voting!
TailGlowVM
Now 100% more demonic
B > C > D > E > F > A
A > D > C > E > B
What's up everyone it is me once again and the voting phase has ended with that being said,
let us take a look at the results.
With these results this rounds goes to by t045t3r congratulations, now then onto the next round.
Round 23
Victini @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- V-create
- Bolt Strike
- Glaciate / Scorching Sands
- U-turn
In a meta where Slowking is superior and a new tool in Heavy-Duty Boots, Victini can be quite a potent threat especially once it's switchins are weakened that can deal a lot of damage and a good variety of moves to cover its weakness. V-Create is an immeadiate nuking damage that can deal a good amount of damage of anything that doesn't resist, while Bolt Strike gives it an edge against bulky Water types that try switching on its fire moves. Access to two good coverage moves where can go either way depending on what teams are weak with Glaciate that lets it pick off weakened Ground-Types, while Scorching Sands allows for Victini to hit against Heatran when it tries to switch in a predicted V-create. Lastly it can also function as a pivot with U-Turn whenever it gets into unfavorable to bring its teammates in safely. Now as usual what what are some good partners for Victini?
You have 72 hours to post a partner, Happy Posting
let us take a look at the results.
D = F > A > C > B = E
B > C > E > F > D = A
B > C > D > E > F > A
A > D > C > E > B = F
B > A > D > F > E > C
c = e > a > d > f = b
B > C > E = F > A = D
B > C > E > F > D = A
B > C > D > E > F > A
A > D > C > E > B = F
B > A > D > F > E > C
c = e > a > d > f = b
B > C > E = F > A = D
With these results this rounds goes to
by t045t3r congratulations, now then onto the next round.Round 23
Victini @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Victory Star
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- V-create
- Bolt Strike
- Glaciate / Scorching Sands
- U-turn
In a meta where Slowking is superior and a new tool in Heavy-Duty Boots, Victini can be quite a potent threat especially once it's switchins are weakened that can deal a lot of damage and a good variety of moves to cover its weakness. V-Create is an immeadiate nuking damage that can deal a good amount of damage of anything that doesn't resist, while Bolt Strike gives it an edge against bulky Water types that try switching on its fire moves. Access to two good coverage moves where can go either way depending on what teams are weak with Glaciate that lets it pick off weakened Ground-Types, while Scorching Sands allows for Victini to hit against Heatran when it tries to switch in a predicted V-create. Lastly it can also function as a pivot with U-Turn whenever it gets into unfavorable to bring its teammates in safely. Now as usual what what are some good partners for Victini?
You have 72 hours to post a partner, Happy Posting
Katy
Banned deucer.
Tapu Koko @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Electric Surge
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Dazzling Gleam
- U-turn
- Roost
Tapu Koko is a formidable teampartner for Victini, as their overlapping movepool is great to even burst through their checks in Heatran, Garchomp, and Landorus-T, in addition, they can also help against metagame staples such as Ferrothorn, Corviknight, Toxapex, Tapu Fini, the Slowtwins, and Magnezone, so they can overwhelm them pretty easily as a couple. Victini with V-create and Bolt Strike has formidable coverage alongside Glaciate and U-turn, or Scorching Sands and U-turn. Glaciate and Dazzling Gleam are able to bust through Landorus-T and Garchomp, whereas Scorching Sands is great to help against Heatran, all those Pokemon are able to get overwhelmed by Victini and Tapu Koko, due to their great coverage options. Tapu Koko adds to that with its Electric Terrain, which is able to strengthen Victinis Bolt Strike so it has it easier to break through Pokemon such as Toxapex, Slowbro, and Zapdos. Tapu Koko and Victini also build up a great U-turn core, which can wear down a plethora of Pokemon in the long run. Their typing also allows it to check Pokemon such as Hawlucha well, and Victini can threaten Ferrothorn, Rillaboom, and Tapu Bulu with its STAB attack V-create. In overall these two Pokemon are able to overwhelm a wide variety of Pokemon in the OU metagame and therefore are great partners.
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+ ()Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 Spe
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Taunt
- Draining Kiss
- Scald
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 Spe
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Taunt
- Draining Kiss
- Scald
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Rillaboom @ Choice Band
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- U-turn
- Grassy Glide
- Knock Off
Ability: Grassy Surge
EVs: 12 HP / 252 Atk / 244 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Wood Hammer
- U-turn
- Grassy Glide
- Knock Off
big upside for rilla as a partner is the gterrain recovery it offers with victini's coverage, with the opponent in the teambuilder and in-battle being forced to play coverage poker w/ sheer decision making of what the 4th slot is. wider variety of mons such as grounds and victini removing rilla's most common switch-in being corviknight and both become extremely difficult to check defensively.
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Melmetal @ Protective Pads
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 104 SpD / 112 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Double Iron Bash
- Thunder Punch / Ice Punch
- Superpower
- Thunder Wave
Melmetal greatly appreciates Victini on its side, since its ability to force damage onto bulky Landorus-T and Garchomp benefits Melmetal greatly. The two also work together on other shared checks like Slowbro which can leave the opposing team very weakened and without a switch in to Victini's V-create oftentimes. Victini's pivoting also greatly benefits Melmetal since it can bring it in against opponents like Dragonite which Melmetal can dispose of easily with Ice Punch. Thunder Punch is a better option in my opinion since it hits Corviknight, and Skarmory more reliably.
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Zeraora @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Knock Off
- Volt Switch
- Toxic / Close Combat
Zeraora acts as a nice partner for victini because victini is a Pokémon that invites in waters alot and zeraora preys on that with momentum as these two can start a Voltturn chain that can be really hard for the opponent to stop since victini can lure in landorus-t and garchomp and weaken them which are tough for zeraora to handle and with those grounds gone it can spam bolt switch to its heart's content, overall I think these pokemon pair really well with eachother
Keldeo @ Choice Scarf/Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Secret Sword
- Scald
- Air Slash
- Flip Turn/Icy Wind/Taunt
Keldeo is one of the best choices as a partner for Victini for numerous reasons. It serves as a great weakness/resistance counterpart because of its Water/Fighting type, and is able to take out Pokemon that would threaten its partner. Having a reliable switch-out to tank Dark and Water-type moves protects Victini from some of its biggest obstacles, while Victini can tank hits from Electric and Grass-types before killing them with a V-Create or Scorching Sands. For Scarf Keldeo, Flip Turn is better if you want to run it as a pivot, while Icy Wind is better if you want additional coverage for revenge killing. Taunt is there as an option for Life Orb if you want to use it as a lead and block off statuses or Stealth Rock. Overall, these two are great partners for a physical/special core and can take down some of the biggest threats in the metagame.
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Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet / Wacan Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 248 HP / 160 Def / 100 Spe
IVs: 0 Atk
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Roost
- Body Press
- Taunt / Iron Defense / Whirlwind
Victini and Skarmory share offensive and defensive sinergy. Skarmory provides a reliable switchin to Ground and Dark types that threaten Victini and helps against the Grass demons (especially Kartana). It also can litter the opposing field with Spikes, that are especially powerful for Victini because every major check/switchin is affected by them (barring Landorus-T) and typically don't run HDB. Those include pex, hippo, chomp, heatran and slowbro.
Helmet is the better item, Wacan Berry + speed can be run to thwart grass/dark+zone cores (be careful of knock) if your team is weak to those.
Spikes, roost and press are mandatory. Taunt + speed helps against mandi, stops bdrum azu and everything slower, for example ferro and corvi.
Iron defense + speed destroys those grass/dark+zone cores if you use wacan berry. Whirlwind should probably go with full defense because it won't reliably save you from zone. I like taunt/iron defense more, but this slot is flexible.
This allows Victini to have freedom in its 4th slot. Glaciate and scorch are always useful but I'd mention blue flare as a drawback free fire stab that deals more damage to landot while being a safe click against steel types like ferro/corvi.
Spikes, roost and press are mandatory. Taunt + speed helps against mandi, stops bdrum azu and everything slower, for example ferro and corvi.
Iron defense + speed destroys those grass/dark+zone cores if you use wacan berry. Whirlwind should probably go with full defense because it won't reliably save you from zone. I like taunt/iron defense more, but this slot is flexible.
This allows Victini to have freedom in its 4th slot. Glaciate and scorch are always useful but I'd mention blue flare as a drawback free fire stab that deals more damage to landot while being a safe click against steel types like ferro/corvi.
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