ORAS NU Pursuit's busted

[honchkrow]

Inspired by OU extraordinaire ABR

Introduction

Hi I'm Advantage and I use stall. I've been using this team for what feels like forever. I made it during NUPL when I was going through a stall phase, and that phase just never ended :P

TEAMBUILDING

I started this team with Gourgeist Super actually, because it's a great defensive wall that handles a lot of top threats (Tauros, SD Samurott, Rhydon, most fighting types, etc). My biggest concern was Xatu as it bounces back will-o-wisp and leech seed, and takes 0 from foul play. After thinking for some time how to beat (or trap) Xatu, I thought of ABR's stall team with banded Weavile. Enter banded Liepard. People often click Xatu immediately when a Gourgeist is on the field, so I often find myself doubling to Liepard to pursuit trap it as most people are scared out. If you fear the opposing Xatu to be colbur berry, just foul play with Gourgeist as it comes in, break the colbur, and then trap it later with Liepard.​

Next up, I decided on Cryogonal. The reason for this was because I know Gourgeist is weak to 2 things, 1 being Xatu, which I just took care of, and 2 being toxic spikes. Cryo obviously serves as the teams hazard control, but more importantly the team's ice resist. Cryo is fully defensive to help vs pursuit trappers like Skuntank, and I also have reflect to help win that 1 v 1 matchup.​

Next up is my obligatory fire resist. I decided on Altaria because it checks fighting types, which helped take pressure off of Gourgeist, and it also has access to a great support move like heal bell. I'll explain later why heal bell is on Altaria as opposed to Maudino.​

Next up is Steelix to cover my flying weakness. This pokemon also serves as a psychic and normal check. I opted for Steelix because it has access to Taunt and at this point in time, Ferroseed looked annoying as it could stack hazards fairly easily.​

Last but not least is Mega Audino. This pokemon is a must on stall imo so it was bound to come sooner or later. So, onto the reason why I don't have heal bell on this pokemon. Well after looking at the team, I thought to myself, "hm, how do I beat opposing offensive Mega Audino". The answer was "o fuck". So that's why I have toxic on this pokemon n_n.​

An In-Depth Look

Gourgeist-Super @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Frisk
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Leech Seed
- Will-O-Wisp
- Synthesis

I chose Gourgeist-Super simply because it's the bulkiest out of all the Gourgeist forms. I don't care about speed when I can just tank every hit. Moveset is fairly simple, only thing I'll comment on is foul play over another move; the reason for this is for pokemon like Klinklang that may carry sub, I need a way to not be set up fodder. Also, regarding Tauros, 4 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Tauros Fire Blast vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Gourgeist-Super: 166-198 (44.5 - 53%) -- 23.4% chance to 2HKO. Now I could run more sp.def to help check this but without max defense, I can barely check life orb Hitmonchan :[​

Liepard @ Choice Band
Ability: Limber
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit

Liepard is a fairly standard set, only things that may jump out at you are limber and sucker punch. Limber is because I don't need prankster or anything since I'm CB, and being immune to yellow magic is always a plus. Sucker is just to have some priority, as seen by Weavile's ice shard in OU. You could try copycat over sucker if you wish, but it is not very reliable at least from my experience.​

Cryogonal @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Freeze-Dry
- Reflect

Cryogonal as I said before is fully defensive to help vs pursuit trappers. The speed actually has a purpose, it's for adamant max speed Garbodor. You could try Safety Goggles if you're worried about Lilligant but hp ice Lilligant is rare enough to where if you lose to it, just say "ct" in the chat and rage quit like any other good player.

Altaria @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 240 HP / 240 Def / 12 SpD / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heal Bell
- Toxic
- Roost
- Flamethrower

Altaria's spread is fairly straight forward as well, the sp.def avoids the 2 hit ko from specs Pyroar like 60% of the time, and would take too much more investment to completely avoid the 2 hit ko. The speed is for max speed adamant Aggron. I know this set can't do much to Aggron but if it get's weakened or smth, I can at least do a little damage and finish it off. Heal bell is the most important move out of this moveset, obviously curing status for a stall team is a high priority.​

Steelix @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 244 HP / 16 Def / 232 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Taunt

This Steelix ev spread is a bit different than what most people are used to seeing. I think I stole this spread from someone but I forgot who lol. I didn't think I needed attack investment to hit Xatu hard since this team kinda relys on Liepard pursuit trapping it. Taunt is mainly for Ferroseed as I stated previously.​

Audino @ Audinite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 232 HP / 104 Def / 172 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dazzling Gleam
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic

Mega Audino supports the team immensely with wish support. Toxic is for opposing offensive Mega Audino as previously stated. The HP hits a regen number if my memory serves me correctly, and I just chose a generic mixed defensive spread to help vs some of my biggest threats, i.e. Pyroar, Zard, Hitmonchan jajaja​

Threats
Tauros

- This pokemon is always threatening since it can fire blast its way through my 2 normal checks. Pivoting to Audino on a fire blast can help deter Tauros for a bit but yea, it's busted.

Not gonna add any more threats bc lets face it, this team's perfect lol.​

Conclusion

This team is a lot of fun to use, maybe not to face but what can ya do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I would add more but I'm tired.​

Importable

Hide

Gourgeist-Super @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Frisk
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Foul Play
- Leech Seed
- Will-O-Wisp
- Synthesis

Cryogonal @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Freeze-Dry
- Reflect

Liepard @ Choice Band
Ability: Limber
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Sucker Punch
- Pursuit

Altaria @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 240 HP / 240 Def / 12 SpD / 16 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heal Bell
- Toxic
- Roost
- Flamethrower

Steelix @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 244 HP / 16 Def / 232 SpD / 16 Spe
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Heavy Slam
- Earthquake
- Taunt

Audino @ Audinite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 232 HP / 104 Def / 172 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dazzling Gleam
- Wish
- Protect
- Toxic

Replay from NUPL: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-nu-157018
Replay from NU Open: http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-nu-185909
also quick shoutout to ~Eternally for helping me find an animated Maudino sprite :S​

 

[HJAD]

Hi tennis,

I'll edit in a more detailed rate when I can but I'll just make this suggestion now. Copycat > Sucker on Liepard with Prankster? Gives you some nice revenge killing impetus, important when u got a team like this where liepard is your main outboard.
I also wanna throw in another suggestion while i have a free moment in my break. You mentioned Tauros as your main threat to this team, I think maybe having a look at an alternate spread of 252 HP / 192 Def / 64 SpD Impish Nature over your current spread and Leftovers over Colbur Berry on Gourgeist Super allows you to avoid the 2HKO from Tauros Fire Blast given you have Leftovers intact. The cost is, as you stated, the MU vs Life Orb Hitmonchan is a tad worse, but, it cant 2HKO Gourgeist-S, given rocks arent up on your side with that spread anyway, so I think it is well worth the sacrifice

 

[Pilo]

This is a tennis team if I've ever seen one

You mentioned that you struggled with Maudino a bit. This can be fixed pretty easily if you use Gunk Shot > Sucker Punch on Liepard.

Also pretty sure you meant to use Calm > Careful on Maudino but I figured I'd point it out anyway. Overall this team is pretty solid so I don't have many changes (sorry).

Stay sharp.

 

[honchkrow]

This is a tennis team if I've ever seen one

You mentioned that you struggled with Maudino a bit. This can be fixed pretty easily if you use Gunk Shot > Sucker Punch on Liepard.

Gunk shot isn't very reliable since i can't switch Liepard into Audino immediately, i kinda have to sack a mon first

Also pretty sure you meant to use Calm > Careful on Maudino but I figured I'd point it out anyway. Overall this team is pretty solid so I don't have many changes (sorry).

fixed

 

[dodmen]

Cool team, tennis. I'm not the most knowledgeable about NU, but I do have one suggestion. I played this team or something very similar in NU open and ended up winning pretty easily with SD Charizard. I feel like even if it has Wisp and not Flare Blitz, it's a big problem considering that your Steelix can't touch it.

What do you think of Foul Play > U-turn on Liepard? I feel like Liepard is either gonna a) double switch in to trap a predicted switch, or b) hit something with a strong Knock Off when it manages to get on the field, so I'm not seeing a whole lot of utility for U-turn, unless I'm missing something obvious. I feel like Foul Play would be useful to deal with SD Zard, which is something another rater also agreed was a large threat. It would also help you revenge SD Rhydon if Gourgeist missed Wisp and other more uncommon situations like that.

Cool team again and good Slam run man!