[OVERVIEW]
Unaware users are a necessity on stall teams due to their ability to deal with many threatening setup sweepers in RU such as Snorlax, Flygon, and Linoone. Pyukumuku is one of the few users of this ability, making it a natural pick on stall teams due to its solid bulk and access to reliable recovery. Its combination of Block and Toxic allows it to trap and eliminate threats such as Feraligatr and Bewear with passive damage, preventing them from damaging the team's defensive backbone. Additionally, access to a rare move in Soak allows it to remove the STAB boost from the attacks of foes, allowing Pyukumuku to better deal with Pokemon like Salazzle that it would be unable to wall otherwise. It sets itself apart from its competition in Quagsire thanks to its higher overall bulk, as well as a resistance to Water, which lets it beat Feraligatr much more reliably. However, its complete lack of offensive presence due to its lack of damaging moves means it is only viable on stall teams and makes it total Taunt and Substitute bait from the likes of Mandibuzz and Hoopa. Quagsire, on the other hand, can avoid being overly passive with its access to Earthquake, Scald, and Curse, which also let it beat defensive setup sweepers such as Snorlax more easily than Pyukumuku. Furthermore, despite its very solid defensive stats, Pyukumuku can still be taken advantage of by strong special wallbreakers such as Choice Specs Meloetta and Swords Dance Feraligatr.
[SET]
name: Unaware Wall
move 1: Recover
move 2: Toxic
move 3: Soak
move 4: Block / Counter
item: Leftovers
ability: Unaware
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Recover keeps Pyukumuku healthy throughout the match, allowing it to check threats reliably. Toxic is the only way Pyukumuku can damage foes, and it is very useful for wearing down opposing Pokemon. Soak allows Pyukumuku to inflict Poison- and Steel-types with Toxic poison, as well as remove the STAB boost from the attacks of foes, which can help Pyukumuku take strong neutral hits from wallbreakers and Z-Move users. Block lets Pyukumuku trap Pokemon and stall them out with Toxic; eliminating key threats to stall teams. Additionally, it prevents the opponent from continuously switching between two Steel- or Poison-types, which would effectively prevent Pyukumuku from doing anything. Counter allows Pyukumuku to defeat physical attackers more easily, but losing out on the ability to trap and reliably eliminate Pokemon is not ideal. Rest is an option to beat trapper Araquanid in a one-on-one situation, but the other moves Pyukumuku usually carries are more important. Protect can be used to scout and cushion a Z-Move, such as Salazzle's Acid Downpour or Cloyster's Breakneck Blitz. However, Pyukumuku once again has trouble fitting this on its moveset.
Set Details
========
The given EV spread with a Bold nature simply maximize Pyukumuku's physical bulk so it can check Pokemon like Feraligatr effectively. Leftovers provides Pyukumuku with a form of passive recovery, which it greatly appreciates. Pyukumuku's main niche in RU is as an Unaware user; thus, Unaware is crucial to check the tier's multitude of setup sweepers.
Usage Tips
========
Due to Pyukumuku's stellar bulk and defensive typing, Pyukumuku can be used as a direct switch-in to the Pokemon that it can check such as Doublade, Cloyster, and Zygarde-10%. Use it as a counter to setup sweepers such as Feraligatr and Cloyster that can threaten the team if they get out of control. Make sure to use Recover liberally so Pyukumuku remains healthy enough to check what it needs to throughout the match, and utilize Wish or Heal Bell from its teammates if it's at lower health or statused. Use the combination of Soak and Toxic on defensive Poison- and Steel-types such as Dragalge and non-Choice Band Escavalier to wear them down easily. If the opponent has two Steel- or Poison-types and is switching between them to prevent them from being inflicted with Toxic poison, trap one of them with Block and proceed to Toxic stall it. Remember that trying to inflict Toxic poison on offensive Toxic-immune Pokemon such as Choice Band Escavalier is not always worth the trouble, since Pyukumuku will be forced to tank at least two hits in the process, making it an unwise choice if Pyukumuku is low on health. Soak also removes the STAB damage boost from foes, which makes the matchup against Pokemon such as Salazzle and Bewear much more favorable. Avoid switching into multiple layers of entry hazards with Pyukumuku, since it can get worn down easily and has difficulty checking threats when weakened. Keep in mind that Unaware also ignores opposing stat drops, so if Pyukumuku has been weakened, it may be 2HKOed by Feraligatr’s Superpower.
Team Options
========
Pyukumuku appreciates being paired with a cleric such as Umbreon or Audino. Both of these allow it to play more recklessly, since they can heal it late-game with Wish and cure its status condition with Heal Bell. Fairium Z Cresselia can provide a much-needed answer to Mold Breaker Pangoro, which can otherwise run through an unprepared stall team, as well as a check to many Pokemon that threaten Pyukumuku such as Rotom-C, Virizion, and Mega Ampharos. A Defog user such as Mandibuzz or Gligar can remove entry hazards so Pyukumuku can stay healthy more easily and more reliably counter setup sweepers thanks to Unaware. Registeel acts as a blanket check to special attackers and provides utility in Stealth Rock, helping wear down the opposing team further. Espeon or Xatu can be used to bounce Taunt, Toxic, and entry hazards back to the opposing side of the field. Dragalge can always check Salazzle without having to play around its Acid Downpour, which can be valuable for Pyukumuku’s team.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
Gastro Acid can allow Pyukumuku to bypass Magic Guard, Magic Bounce, Synchronize, and Immunity safely, enabling it to inflict their users with Toxic poison and beat them. It also allows Pyukumuku to beat Machamp, Toxicroak, and Mold Breaker Pangoro by removing their abilities; removing Guts severely cuts Machamp's power, removing Dry Skin allows Pyukumuku to use Soak on Toxicroak, and removing Mold Breaker makes Pangoro unable to bypass Unaware. However, Pyukumuku is already pressed for moveslots as it is. Poisonium Z could be used to switch into Knock Off better and to have a better matchup against Taunt users by powering up Toxic to bypass Taunt; however, Pyukumuku still loses to all Taunt users in a one-on-one situation, and using Poisonium Z means Pyukumuku doesn't get the passive recovery offered by Leftovers, so it is an unreliable choice. Taunt allows Pyukumuku to beat defensive setup sweepers such as standard CurseLax and Swords Dance Escavalier more easily, though it has difficulty finding space for Taunt on its moveset, and Pyukumuku's low Speed means that it still can't beat Substitute users with the move, so Taunt is usually not very useful. A more specially defensive spread of 252 HP / 108 Def / 148 SpD with a Calm nature allows Pyukumuku to take Salazzle's Acid Downpour into Sludge Wave after Stealth Rock and avoids the 2HKO from Hoopa's Shadow Ball at -1.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Taunt and Substitute Users**: Due to Pyukumuku's passive nature, Taunt and Substitute users such as Mismagius, Jellicent, and Hoopa can be devastating, since they can use it as setup fodder while Pyukumuku can't do anything back to them.
**Toxic-immune Pokemon**: Pokemon with Magic Guard, Immunity, and Magic Bounce are immune to anything Pyukumuku can throw at them. Magic Bounce deserves a special mention, since if Pyukumuku uses Block or Toxic on Espeon or Xatu, they can PP stall it, use it as setup fodder, or reduce its longevity. However, Gastro Acid variants can beat all of these except for ones utilizing Magic Bounce. Defensive setup sweepers such as standard CurseLax are also capable of dealing with Toxic due to Rest, which allows them to easily shrug off status and PP stall Pyukumuku.
**Electric- and Grass-types**: Shaymin and Roserade can come into any move Pyukumuku uses and always at least 2HKO it with their respective Grass-type STAB moves. They don't mind even mind Toxic due to Natural Cure and Roserade's Poison typing. Electric-types such as Mega Ampharos, Rotom-C, and Rotom-H heavily dent Pyukumuku with Thunderbolt and Volt Switch, but they don't appreciate Toxic.
**Toxicroak**: Due to Toxicroak's Poison typing and immunity to Soak, Pyukumuku can't use Toxic on it. This allows Toxicroak to PP stall Pyukumuku. However, Pyukumuku can beat Toxicroak if Toxicroak is a Life Orb variant or a Gunk Shot variant, since Life Orb recoil gradually adds up, and Gunk Shot variants will not have more PP than Pyukumuku, thus ending up PP stalled itself. Gastro Acid variants of Pyukumuku can also beat Toxicroak.
**Wallbreakers**: Despite Pyukumuku's solid defenses, its low HP stat allows Choice Specs users like Espeon, Yanmega, and Gardevoir to take advantage of its uninvested Special Defense and 2HKO it. Physical wallbreakers like Choice Band Tyrantrum can also 2HKO Pyukumuku, but they lose if it is carrying Counter. CritDra and Mold Breaker Pangoro can easily break Pyukumuku, since Unaware doesn't block critical hits and Mold Breaker bypasses Unaware.
**Residual Damage**: Status inducers such as Jellicent, Gligar, and Cresselia can severely cripple Pyukumuku through burns and Toxic poison, as it will lose either its Leftovers recovery or be placed on a timer. This can be mitigated by having a cleric on your team, however. Pyukumuku is also very vulnerable to all three forms of entry hazards, which sometimes makes it difficult for Pyukumuku to come in, as it will have to take entry hazard damage and potentially two attacks before being able to recover its health.
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