QC : Spirit / Arifeen / Omicron
GP : Kris / Lemonade
[OVERVIEW]
Pyukumuku is one of the two viable Unaware users in RU due to its fantastic natural bulk and defensive typing, allowing it to stop setup sweepers such as Slowbro, Toxicroak, Snorlax, Doublade, Feraligatr, Cloyster, and Dragon Dance Flygon before they go out of control. However, Pyukumuku faces competition from Quagsire, another Unaware user, because Quagsire isn't as passive due to its access to actual offensive moves, and Quagsire can also check Pokemon such as Salazzle and Reuniclus better. However, Pyukumuku's superior bulk and lack of a 4x Grass weakness allow it to check Pokemon such as Mega Glalie, Linoone, and Swords Dance Virizion better than Quagsire can. Similarly to Quagsire, Pyukumuku only fits well on stall teams due to its passive nature, which is a momentum drain for offensive and balance teams, and Pyukumuku benefits a lot more from the support of stall staples such as Espeon and Umbreon. Pyukumuku's passive nature comes from the fact that it only has access to two attacking moves, Counter and Bide, which causes Pyukumuku to be susceptible to Taunt users such as Comfey and Sableye. Despite Pyukumuku's amazing defenses, its low HP stat means that it struggles to take hits from powerful attackers such as Nidoqueen and Swellow, which can 2HKO Pyukumuku with ease.
[SET]
name: Unaware Wall
move 1: Recover
move 2: Counter
move 3: Toxic
move 4: Soak
item: Leftovers
ability: Unaware
nature: Bold
evs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
=======
Recover allows Pyukumuku to remain as healthy as possible throughout the match, which then enables it to repeatedly check Pokemon such as Salazzle, Flygon, and Snorlax. Counter lets Pyukumuku potentially knock out physical attackers such as Escavalier, Tyrantrum, and Honchkrow, as Pyukumuku can tank at least one hit from them at full HP. Toxic provides Pyukumuku with a way to wear down its foes and is usually Pyukumuku's only source of damage. Soak allows Pyukumuku to change the foe's type, in order to use Toxic on Steel- and Poison-types such as Registeel, Bronzong, and Dragalge, thus putting them on a timer. It also removes the STAB boost on any non-Water-type Pokemon, which can turn the matchup to Pyukumuku's favor.
Set Details
========
Pyukumuku's main niche in the RU tier is as an Unaware user; thus, Unaware is crucial to check the tier's multitude of setup sweepers. The EV spread along with a Bold nature maximizes physical bulk, allowing Pyukumuku to check physical setup sweepers such as Doublade, Durant, and Zoroark better. An alternative fully specially defensive spread of 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD with a Calm nature allows Pyukumuku to check special setup sweepers such as Slowbro and Florges better; however, physical setup sweepers tend to be a lot more common than special ones. Leftovers provides passive recovery for Pyukumuku, allowing it to stay as healthy as possible. Poisonium Z is an alternative to Leftovers that works in tandem with Toxic, which increases Pyukumuku's Defense by one stage and enables Pyukumuku to badly poison its foe under Taunt. Since Z-Crystals can't be removed, Pyukumuku will not have to risk getting Tricked a Choice item or take additional damage from Knock Off.
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, Slowbro, Flygon, Cloyster, and Bronzong. Also, Pyukumuku should always be used to put a stop to setup sweepers such as Doublade, Dragon Dance Flygon, Feraligatr, and Florges before they get out of hand. Make sure that Pyukumuku stays as healthy as possible throughout the match, since staying at high HP means it can check setup sweepers a lot easier. The combination of Soak and Toxic should typically be used on bulkier Steel- and Poison-types such as Registeel, Bronzong, and defensive Dragalge in order to to place them on a timer. As for more offensive Steel- and Poison-types such as Durant, Escavalier, Roserade, and Venusaur, Pyukumuku should either try to get a KO with Counter if they are physically offensive or switch out into a different Pokemon. This is the case because most offensive Pokemon don't stay in long enough for Toxic damage to accumulate, and Pyukumuku will be forced to tank two hits in order to badly poison them, which is usually not worth it. Soak can remove the STAB boost from any Pokemon that is not Water-type, which makes the matchup against Pokemon such as Salazzle and Heracross much more favorable. Since Pyukumuku can't really damage its foe without Toxicing them, opponents will often switch in Pokemon that are either immune or don't care for status conditions such as Venusaur, Shaymin, and Florges. Use this opportunity to your advantage by either double switching or using Recover. Avoid switching Pyukumuku into entry hazards, especially onto two layers of Toxic Spikes, as the additional damage will turn 3HKOs from Pokemon such as Choice Scarf Tyrantrum, Salazzle, and Stoutland into easy 2HKOs. Remember that Pyukumuku is the slowest viable Pokemon in the RU tier, meaning that virtually any Pokemon with either a status-inducing move or Taunt such as Gligar and Milotic will be able to use their moves on Pyukumuku with ease. This also means that Pyukumuku will always have to tank at least two hits when switching in before being able to use Recover. If Pyukumuku isn't running Poisonium Z, it must be careful around Pokemon such as Gardevoir, Rotom-C, and Noivern that can potentially give it an unwanted Choice item, which will severely cripple it.
Team Options
========
Pyukumuku fits very well on stall teams due to its ability to check many of the tier's setup sweepers with Unaware. Due to Pyukumuku's susceptibility to Taunt and status conditions, Magic Bounce users such as Espeon and Xatu that can reflect any incoming Taunts, direct status-inducing moves, and entry hazards away from Pyukumuku are good partners. Clerics such as Florges and Umbreon can help remove any status conditions on Pyukumuku with either Aromatherapy or Heal Bell. Since Pyukumuku wants to avoid any unnecessary damage from entry hazards, entry hazard removers such as Mantine and Gligar are extremely beneficial. Defensive Poison-types such as Dragalge can also help remove Toxic Spikes from the field as well. Due to Pyukumuku's weaknesses to Electric- and Grass-type moves from Pokemon such as Rotom-H, Virizion, and Venusaur, Pokemon such as Cresselia, Gligar, and Bronzong are good partners to act as solid checks to them.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
While Taunt may seem like an odd choice because Pyukumuku is extremely slow, it can provide an easier matchup against bulkier setup sweepers such as Florges, Slowbro, and Snorlax, which can help prevent them from recovering up as often. Gastro Acid can nullify abilities such as Magic Guard, Immunity, and Synchronize on Pokemon like Reuniclus, Gligar, and Umbreon so that Pyukumuku will be able to safely use Toxic on them. Pyukumuku can also use Gastro Acid to annul abilities such as Mold Breaker and Guts on Pokemon like Pangoro and Heracross, which will turn the matchup to Pyukumuku's favor. Memento allows Pyukumuku to function on offensive and balance teams better, but Pyukumuku's passive nature causes it to be a momentum drain, and it benefits a lot more from the support from stall teams.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Pangoro and Kingdra**: Pangoro is able to bypass Unaware due to Mold Breaker, allowing it to break through Pyukumuku. Swords Dance Pangoro sets with Lum Berry guarantee that Pangoro will be able to set up once without the fear of getting badly poisoned by Pyukumuku. As for Kingdra, the CritDra set relies on boosting Kingdra's Speed and critical hit rate through Agility and Focus Energy, which both bypass Unaware. If Kingdra manages to land a critical hit with Draco Meteor, Pyukumuku will be OHKOed.
**Taunt**: Since Pyukumuku's set consists of utility moves and Counter, it is completely shut down by Taunt users such as Comfey, Mismagius, and Jellicent since it will be unable to do anything in most cases.
**Substitute**: Similarly to Taunt, Pokemon behind a Substitute are able to protect themselves from Pyukumuku's utility moves, and Pyukumuku will not be able to do anything back unless it is able to use Counter.
**Residual Damage**: Status inducers such as Jellicent, Gligar, Cresselia, and Toxic Spikes can severely cripple Pyukumuku through burns and the badly poisoned status, as it will lose either its Leftovers recovery or be placed on a timer. Pyukumuku is also vulnerable to all three forms of entry hazards, which 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 back up.
**Status-immune Pokemon**: Pokemon that have access to direct, status-immune abilities such as Magic Bounce and Magic Guard like Reuniclus, Espeon, and Xatu, can annul or reflect Pyukumuku's Toxic while not having to worry about Counter, since they are all specially offensive. Pokemon such as Gligar, Shaymin, and Heracross also don't mind Toxic due to their abilities, which are Immunity, Natural Cure, and Guts, respectively. Clerics such as Umbreon, Florges, and Diancie have access to either Heal Bell or Aromatherapy, which allows them to brush off Toxic. It is also important to note that Umbreon's ability, Synchronize, will pass the badly poisoned status onto Pyukumuku. While Toxicroak is immune to Toxic, Pyukumuku is unable to use Soak on it due to Dry Skin, forcing Pyukumuku to rely on either Life Orb recoil or Counter to knock Toxicroak out.
**Grass-types**: Grass-types such as Shaymin, Virizion, and Venusaur all threaten Pyukumuku with their Grass-type STAB moves, while Pyukumuku cannot do much back other than Toxic. Venusaur and Roserade cannot be poisoned due to their secondary Poison typing, and it generally isn't safe for Pyukumuku to use Soak on them to get rid of it. However, Virizion, Chesnaught, and Dhelmise also tend to not appreciate switching onto Toxic and also have to worry about Counter.
**Electric-types**: Similarly to Grass-types, Electric-types such as Rotom-C, Galvantula, and Jolteon are able to threaten Pyukumuku with their Electric-type STAB moves, but they, along with Rotom-H, tend to not appreciate getting badly poisoned by Toxic. Pyukumuku must also be careful around Pokemon with Electric-type coverage such as Gigavolt Havoc Reuniclus and Durant.
**Wallbreakers**: Even though Pyukumuku is quite physically bulky, its low HP stat means that powerful physical attackers such as Honchkrow, Choice Band Tyrantrum, and Guts Heracross are able to 2HKO it. However, they must be careful of Pyukumuku's access to Counter. Meanwhile, specially offensive wallbreakers such as Hoopa, Offensive Dragalge, Choice Specs Kommo-o, and Gardevoir also have the capabilities to 2HKO Pyukumuku due to its lack of Special Defense investment.
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