Reuniclus

[Fluffy Otters]

FYI,Shubarugo(Brave/Adamant 252 Attack) can OHKO Bold 252 Hp/252 Def Reuniclus with a STAB Megahorn:
405 Atk vs 273 Def & 424 HP (120 Base Power): 384 - 452 (90.57% - 106.60%)

With a CB,it's guaranteed.
607 Atk vs 273 Def & 424 HP (120 Base Power): 576 - 678 (135.85% - 159.91%)

How much does Reuniclus do back?
A +1 Psycho Shock does: 430 Atk vs 246 Def & 281 HP (80 Base Power): 75 - 89 (26.69% - 31.67%)
A +1 Focus Blast does: 430 Atk vs 246 Def & 281 HP (120 Base Power): 151 - 178 (53.74% - 63.35%)

That's a Shubarugo with NO investment in its bulk(It's not like he wouldn't invest in it) and with a Brave nature and 0 Speed IVs,he will always be slower than Reuniclus and can "out speed" the TR variants.

With 252 HP,Reuniclus can barely 2HKO him: 430 Atk vs 246 Def & 344 HP (120 Base Power): 151 - 178 (43.90% - 51.74%)

Although he has coverage issues,Shubarugo is fantastic against Reuniclus
Spiritomb isn't really the only counter.

I'm expecting people to say: "Oh,it's not used much. It's crap. Ban reuniclus."

I'd also like to point out that Shubarago is excellent for Rain teams crushing things like Nattorei, Burungeru, Virijion, Rankurusu (and Trick Room), Tentacruel, Toxicroak, Parasect, Tyranitar, Abomasnow...Shubarago is really underrated and why it isn't used more is bizzare. I mean, it's a bug/steel with an attack even stronger than Scizor's and with higher defenses. Sure it doesn't get Bullet Punch but it carries the capability to crush many of rain's counters (like Rain needs any more help, shush, don't tell anyone in case it by some miracle survives). It's movepool is small but that's actually a good thing somewhat. You can afford to run Swords Dance/Iron Head/Megahorn/Filler and for a Rain team, you can use that filler slot to be...you guessed it, Rain Dance. Tyranitar is scared of Megahorn/Iron Head (although if it gets in safely and carries a fire move you're in trouble but otherwise...) and could be an excellent back up plan in case Politoad is dead or you need something to set up rain and can't afford to risk Politoad. It also cuts the fire weakness in half and with better special defense, it can take those random unstabbed Hp Fires or unstabbed Flamethrowers (except Tyranitar by virtue of switching weather and Ninetails although both risk severe potential damage switching in).

I wonder if some bizzaro Trick Room/Rain Dance team is possible with Shubarago and friends being how slow Swift Swimmers are without rain and with they outspeed and Trick Room does outspeed then you set up Rain and outspeed some more...

Anyhow, back to Rankurusu. Shubarago is an excellent counter (except for very random Hp Fire just like Scizor) although the Spiritomb/Burungeru example does not quite match Scizor/Shubarago.

Rankurusu is annoying, very, but probably not worthy of being nominated for Uber. Although then again, if people want to ban it, that's fine too because that is one less potential annoying threat and a glue of Trick Room.

If Rankurusu does happen to be banned, his lower stage prevo could replace him because it has quite similar defenses with evo stone (actually higher although I don't know how much the hp difference would make so probably about equal or only slightly weaker) and Magic Guard as well.

 

[Raptorg]

Escavalier doesn't even need a Choice Band to OHKO Max HP/Def Reuniclus. With Life Orb or Insect Plate, Megahorn is a guarenteed OHKO...unless it misses...

Meanwhile Durant, an amazing Pokemon with the offensive stats of a Dragon and only the inability to hurt other Steel-Types, can ALWAYS OHKO Reuniclus with Life Orb X-SCISSOR.

Poor Durant. Until you get that Superpower Move Tutor, you're always gonna be forgotten... :<

Who ?

 

[akira95]

Who ?

ops i mean ononookusu i think or kurimugan?

 

[Missingno. Master]

Durant is the Bug/Steel ant Pokemon (Aianto). Excadrill is Doryuzuu. Haxorus is Ononokus. Druddigon is Crimgan.

 

[Raptorg]

Never knew 109/48/109 were dragonlike offensive stats.

Honestly, if you need a counter to this green blob, just use Scizor, whose defenses don't suck, can still outspeed, brings amazing priority, is a better dancer, has roost.. Well, he basically just outclasses Aianto in just about anything, really.
Plus, he can actually switch in on a psychic, not something I see Aianto doing with his 48 special defense and 58 health.

 

[KurashiDragon]

Why are you even bringing Durant into this conversation. First off it has worse atk than scizor which means that if Durant can OHKO with CB X-Scissor than Scizor can absolutely destroy Reuniclus with CB Bug Bite because of higher Atk and Technician. Not only that but you'd also have to take into account that Durant's SpD is absolutely appalling. 48 SpD means it wont be surviving a Focus Blast at all where as 252/0 Scizor can absolutely survive a 252 Life Orb Quiet Focus Blast from Reuniclus.

 

[Fluffy Otters]

I honestly don't know what you guys are talking about now. However SHUBARAGO (Bug/Steel Hp:70 Atk:135 Def:105 SAtk:60 SDef:105 Spd:20) is an excellent counter to Rankurusu, NOT Aianto (who pretty much does ohko with Hustle Life Orb X-Scissor).

Shubarago is still underrated.

 

[astrohawke]

I honestly don't know what you guys are talking about now. However SHUBARAGO (Bug/Steel Hp:70 Atk:135 Def:105 SAtk:60 SDef:105 Spd:20) is an excellent counter to Rankurusu, NOT Aianto (who pretty much does ohko with Hustle Life Orb X-Scissor).

Shubarago is still underrated.

Shurabago just has a pretty bad movepool. It's not that underrated as scizor does a lot of what it can do better.

 

[masterful]

I honestly don't know what you guys are talking about now. However SHUBARAGO (Bug/Steel Hp:70 Atk:135 Def:105 SAtk:60 SDef:105 Spd:20) is an excellent counter to Rankurusu, NOT Aianto (who pretty much does ohko with Hustle Life Orb X-Scissor).

Shubarago is still underrated.

Most players just don't like it as it can't U-turn or use Superpower like Scizor can

 

[Fluffy Otters]

Shurabago just has a pretty bad movepool. It's not that underrated as scizor does a lot of what it can do better.

Yes, Scizor can Bullet Punch. But Shubarago has some advantages like better special defense against very random hp Fires and Flamethrowers in Rain and dragon attacks (unless Scizor uses Light Screen). It does have a horribly tiny movepool limited to Swords Dance/Megahorn/Iron Head as your best offensive options but other than that...pfft. Heatran walls you although Heatran also walls non-Super Power Scizor always unless it U-Turned the switch. Heatran still forces both out. And Rock Smash is never an option (it's a sad testament to how weak a Rock Smash is when a +4 max Shubarago Rock Smash doesn't ohko min/min Heatran without Stealth Rock, Life Orb, or prior damage).

However, Shubarago can afford to use a moveslot to Rain Dance unlike many Scizor (well, Scizor can but the question is what do you give up due to moveslot syndrome and Choice Band obviously can't use it). It's not like Shubarago has many options other than Rain Dance or Substitute for that last slot anyhow so why the heck not?

Also, Shubarago is SLOW, tying with Nattorei and could be made even slower. This abuses Trick Room to the max and allow you to turn the tables on Trick Roomers who'll die to the 135 base attack bug pretty easily. Megahorn hits very hard. Scizor is slow, but many Trick Roomers are slower and so Scizor is forced to use Bullet Punch or go second and could easily be resisted.

If it wasn't for Bullet Punch and Roost, I'd honestly say Shubarago was likely better and it's always fun to use underrated monster Pokemon. However Shubarago in my mind can compete with Scizor (especially on Rain Dance and Trick Room teams). After all, considering the number of things Shubarago and Scizor can destroy for rain is pretty close. And it's always a fun surprise since people won't really know about it likely.

 

[KurashiDragon]

Shubargo does have megahorn though which has more power than Scizor's Bug Bite. it also has far better special bulk and it's physical bulk is 5 points superior. (Yes I am nitpicking) However, there are a few things that Scizor has over Shubargo. That being a better movepool, a better ability, and greater speed. I actually like shubargo over Scizor though. I feel that it's got alot more raw power than Scizor in the CB set.

However, this thread is about Reuniclus not Shubargo and it's steel/bug friends. I actually think that Shubargo can function as a Reuniclus counter. It's higher special bulk, Megahorn, and low speed means it can compete with both of the sets that Reuniclus is supposed to be broken with.

 

[Fluffy Otters]

Shubargo does have megahorn though which has more power than Scizor's Bug Bite. it also has far better special bulk and it's physical bulk is 5 points superior. (Yes I am nitpicking) However, there are a few things that Scizor has over Shubargo. That being a better movepool, a better ability, and greater speed. I actually like shubargo over Scizor though. I feel that it's got alot more raw power than Scizor in the CB set.

I don't know about a Choice Band Shubarago. I mean, Megahorn/Iron Head and then what? The rest of it's movepool is pretty barren of good attacking moves. I happen to like Swords Dance Shubarago because it will smash people with that Megahorn and really, there is no other option even though Swords Dance is so awesome, I don't see why there needs to be. Sure it has problems with Heatran. So does Scizor if it doesn't blast it on the switch-in with Super Power or don't carry it. Technician isn't really anything that special without the Bullet Punch since Shubarago's Megahorn is still a hell of a lot stronger than Technician Bug Bite which is pretty funny. Bullet Punch is what really made Scizor. It's not that Scizor was ever bad but how many people would use it without Bullet Punch? It has niche Baton Passing and good defensive typing and Roost but probably not many people.

And Shubarago is AWESOME on and against Trick Room lol. Megahorn/Iron Head will smash harder than Bullet Punch against them, especially after Swords Dance. And +2 Megahorn is like a +2 Salamence Outrage, devestating. As long as you remove Heatran and 4x resists, Shubarago hurts and on the off chance you do somehow manage to survive with less than a 1/3, you'll probably get off at least one Mega powerful Megahorn. (Although if you somehow get +4 Swarm and Life Orb, Megahorn could ohko min/min Heatran...which won't happen but if it does that is lol funny being a 4x resist).

 

[masterful]

I don't know about a Choice Band Shubarago. I mean, Megahorn/Iron Head and then what? The rest of it's movepool is pretty barren of good attacking moves. I happen to like Swords Dance Shubarago because it will smash people with that Megahorn and really, there is no other option even though Swords Dance is so awesome, I don't see why there needs to be. Sure it has problems with Heatran. So does Scizor if it doesn't blast it on the switch-in with Super Power or don't carry it. Technician isn't really anything that special without the Bullet Punch since Shubarago's Megahorn is still a hell of a lot stronger than Technician Bug Bite which is pretty funny. Bullet Punch is what really made Scizor. It's not that Scizor was ever bad but how many people would use it without Bullet Punch? It has niche Baton Passing and good defensive typing and Roost but probably not many people.

And Shubarago is AWESOME on and against Trick Room lol. Megahorn/Iron Head will smash harder than Bullet Punch against them, especially after Swords Dance. And +2 Megahorn is like a +2 Salamence Outrage, devestating. As long as you remove Heatran and 4x resists, Shubarago hurts and on the off chance you do somehow manage to survive with less than a 1/3, you'll probably get off at least one Mega powerful Megahorn. (Although if you somehow get +4 Swarm and Life Orb, Megahorn could ohko min/min Heatran...which won't happen but if it does that is lol funny being a 4x resist).

Scizor possesses U-turn, and therefore can scout, but overall, I agree, this thing can do many of the things Scizor can, just not Bullet Punch or Superpower

 

[SJCrew]

Why are you even bringing Durant into this conversation. First off it has worse atk than scizor which means that if Durant can OHKO with CB X-Scissor than Scizor can absolutely destroy Reuniclus with CB Bug Bite because of higher Atk and Technician. Not only that but you'd also have to take into account that Durant's SpD is absolutely appalling. 48 SpD means it wont be surviving a Focus Blast at all where as 252/0 Scizor can absolutely survive a 252 Life Orb Quiet Focus Blast from Reuniclus.

Looks like somebody forgot about Hustle.

CB X-Scissor w/Durant: 116% - 137.3%
CB Bug Bite from Scizor: 99.1% - 116.5%

Aianto is stronger. :V

 

[Lee]

I tested Shubarugo (I refuse to call him Escavalier, it sounds way too French) extensively when I was writing the analysis and he is a surprisingly useful Pokemon. He's a perfectly viable choice over Scizor due to him being a much safer switch into the likes of Latios, Gengar and of course Rankurusu. Scizor is probably generally 'better' but I've made a few teams in the past where I found Shubarugo to be a better overall fit.

Shubarugo boasts the rare honor of being able to counter both CM and TR variants of Rankurusu with ease. There's quite a few Pokemon that can counter one but get crushed by the other - few can boast to counter both as efficiently as Shubs.

Unfortunately for him though, I've noticed a sharp increase in Scizor usage since CM Rank became really popular and that can only mean an increase in HP Fire Rankurusu which is bad news for Shubarugo.

Aianto/Durant

252 SpA LO Psychic vs 4/0 Aianto = 70% - 83%
0 SpA Leftovers Focus Blast = 72% - 85%

Yeah, not a counter.

 

[KurashiDragon]

@SJcrew

Fair enough then. However, you still taking quite a risk with Hustle X-scissors. 80% is not a good trade off for a slightly higher (I say that because Scizor still has a high chance of OHKO) chance of OHKO. Then you have to consider that if it does miss you'd have to contend with Focus Blast. With 48 SpD there's no way your taking a Focus Blast to the face without being seriously crippled.

Next you have to consider that Scizor has a high chance to OHKO with a 100% Acc move and can take Reuniclus' Focus Blast if need be because of its much higher special bulk.

The payoff is not worth the reward when you take the differences in their scenario's into account. Scizor is just all around better when taking on Reuniclus. Now I dont know Durant all that well so I can really say if Scizor is the better pokemon in general but at the very least the point I'm trying to make is "why are we talking about Durant going against Reuniclus in the first place when we have Scizor who does much better in this aspect?"

 

[NDenizen]

I would pretty much guarantee Hidden Power Fire be used on Ranculus. Most opponents switch in Bug/Steels and Nattorei expecting to wall, but just get destroyed in Trick Room. You lose out on Focus Blast or Shadow Ball but honestly it's just too useful nowadays.

 

[Fluffy Otters]

I would pretty much guarantee Hidden Power Fire be used on Ranculus. Most opponents switch in Bug/Steels and Nattorei expecting to wall, but just get destroyed in Trick Room. You lose out on Focus Blast or Shadow Ball but honestly it's just too useful nowadays.

If it used Trick Room first, Shubarago still owns it with Megahorn and if it survives (max hp/max defense takes 90.57% average so any less it's dead) which is why it is such a great counter to it. But I do see the concern there since if it doesn't, those carrying Hp Fire will win...too bad it has to give up on Recover.

 

[NDenizen]

If it used Trick Room first, Shubarago still owns it with Megahorn and if it survives (max hp/max defense takes 90.57% average so any less it's dead) which is why it is such a great counter to it. But I do see the concern there since if it doesn't, those carrying Hp Fire will win...too bad it has to give up on Recover.

I personally feel Trick Room best compliments offense, so Recover isn't a huge loss, as it might be compared to Calm Mind sets. You're just wasting valuable TR turns (or the turn needed to set up TR again) to regain health that will usually not get in the way of a revenge kill from any decent rebuttal.
The bigger loss is Ghost coverage if anything, though from what I can see by using TR Ranculus, Psychic is usually more than enough to hit them, and Hidden Power Fire whilst not ideal, still allows you to not at least get walled by Sableye or Spiritomb.

Ranculus @ Life Orb
Magic Guard
Offensively based stats, insert here
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Focus Miss (for desperate times)
- Hidden Power Fire

It's a wonderful addition to a semi-slow team, being able to sweep by itself hit hard without TR, or at least give its teammates a chance if it does only manage TR. Magic Guard never fails to be useful.

 

[KurashiDragon]

Slash HP (Fire) with Shadow Ball. One of the most major problems with HP (fire) replacing shadow ball is that it's so easy for Latias to come in and cripple it with trick. Slash the set so people know there's another option for taking on Latias.

 

[Cshadow]

What's Focus Blast for specifically that Shadow Ball couldn't cover? Also, the loss of Recover hurts Rankurusu's durability quite a bit. He won't be switching in or tanking attacks and repeatedly setting up Trick Room without it.

 

[KurashiDragon]

@Cshadow

Every single Psychic type can come in on Reuniclus without Shadow Ball. But to be more specific Latias is a major counter to Reuniclus if it lacks Shadow Ball. Capable of resisting all it's attacks and tricking it a scarf.

@masterful

Yes I did read it wrong. What you said is correct. To be specific though, Tyranitar can completely wall Reuniclus without focus blast and take it down with Crunch. Also you could say that it's more useful to take on sandstorm because it takes on Excadrill which could be a major threat without Focus Blast.

 

[masterful]

What's Focus Blast for specifically that Shadow Ball couldn't cover? Also, the loss of Recover hurts Rankurusu's durability quite a bit. He won't be switching in or tanking attacks and repeatedly setting up Trick Room without it.

Uhhh, dark types, steel types, normal types, duh types? More power?

 

[Fluffy Otters]

What's Focus Blast for specifically that Shadow Ball couldn't cover? Also, the loss of Recover hurts Rankurusu's durability quite a bit. He won't be switching in or tanking attacks and repeatedly setting up Trick Room without it.

Tyranitar is the biggest reason. If it wasn't for him, Rankurusu and Psychics in generally probably wouldn't bother running it at all for fairly obvious reasons like that horrid accuracy.

 

[Cshadow]

@Cshadow

Every single Psychic type can come in on Reuniclus without Shadow Ball. But to be more specific Latias is a major counter to Reuniclus if it lacks Shadow Ball. Capable of resisting all it's attacks and tricking it a scarf.

Well, yes, that's why I was wondering why you would use Focus Blast /over/ Shadow Ball.

@Everyone else: Oops forgot about Ttar my bad, all the other types Masterful mentioned would probably (on average) be hit harder by one of his other attacks. Alternatively, I dont know if Rankurusu should be trying to cover every single threat with his huge moveslot syndrome. After all, that's why you have teammates, no? But I myself wouldn't be able to decide what to get rid of or what to keep either, haha.