CUPCAKE OF DOOM...Sweepin' through teams like a hot knife through butter even though its appearance and stats make it seem harmless
[OVERVIEW]
Slurpuff holds a niche in the UU metagame as a deadly late-game cleaner thanks to its access to Unburden and Belly Drum, which allow it to become a massive threat in one turn by giving it immense power and Speed. With the combination of these, Slurpuff can become a near unstoppable sweeper after its counters, such as Forretress, have been removed or severely weakened. It also has a useful defensive typing and manageable bulk, which help it set up on many common Pokemon in UU such as Salamence, Hydreigon, Heracross, and Mienshao. However, due to the nature of Unburden, Slurpuff becomes a do-or-die Pokemon after setting up: it must sweep on the spot, or it will become deadweight. Slurpuff also has trouble setting up, as Belly Drum requires using up a significant amount of HP. As such, Slurpuff is a Pokemon that must receive support to function at its best.
[SET]
name: Belly Drum
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Play Rough
move 3: Return / Substitute
move 4: Drain Punch
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Unburden
nature: Jolly
evs: 28 HP / 252 Atk / 228 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Belly Drum maximizes Slurpuff's Attack stat to massive levels and also lowers Slurpuff's HP to the point where Slurpuff consumes its Sitrus Berry, thus healing its HP and activating Unburden. Play Rough hits anything that doesn't resist it for extreme damage after a boost. Return serves as an option to hit Roserade, Crobat, and Nidoqueen hard while generally being more reliable than Play Rough. Substitute, however, allows Slurpuff to avoid status and set up Belly Drum more easily. Drain Punch hits Empoleon and weakened Mega Aggron hard while also providing Slurpuff a form of recovery, allowing it to heal off damage sustained from Belly Drum. Aromatherapy is an option over either Return or Substitute to allow Slurpuff to remove status from itself while supporting its team in the process if the need arises.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment is needed in order to maximize Slurpuff's sweeping potential while a Jolly nature and 208 Speed EVs allow Slurpuff to have enough Speed to outrun Choice Scarf Infernape after an Unburden boost, and also outspeed Kingdra under weather. The remaining HP EVs give Slurpuff an even number of HP to activate Unburden after a single Belly Drum. An Adamant nature provides a bit more power, but the difference in damage output is minimal, as Slurpuff performs optimally late-game. Sitrus Berry is the best way to activate Unburden and also heals half of the damage Slurpuff sustains by using Belly Drum. Unburden doubles Slurpuff's Speed after it consumes its Sitrus Berry, turning it into an extremely fast sweeper.
Usage Tips
========
Slurpuff is a late-game cleaner; it should only attempt to sweep once its checks and counters, such as Mega Aggron, Entei, and Forretress, are either severely weakened or removed from play. Slurpuff will have a lot of difficulty setting up, so it is best advised to do so on slow defensive Pokemon such as Florges and Gligar. Make use of its good defensive typing to set up on threats such as Heracross, Mienshao, and Salamence effectively.
Team Options
========
Slurpuff appreciates support from wallbreakers, such as Tyrantrum, Chandelure, and Entei, that can help to weaken or remove Slurpuff's counters, such as Entei and Mega Aggron. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Swampert, Chesnaught, and Froslass is very useful to weaken the opponent's team over the match so Slurpuff can effectively clean. Forretress can also provide entry hazard and Rapid Spin support, and it can also use a slow Volt Switch or Explosion to get Slurpuff into the battle safely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Calm Mind set that runs Dazzling Gleam, Flamethrower, and Surf is usable to rely on large coverage to sweep. However, the set takes a lot of time to have Slurpuff become a threat and relies on the foe not OHKOing Slurpuff to activate Unburden. Draining Kiss could also be used in such a set as a form of recovery, but it is depressingly weak. Wish is a usable option to allow Slurpuff to act as a support Pokemon, but it is outclassed in a defensive role by Aromatisse and Florges. Light Screen can be used, but Slurpuff has little time for such a move. There are lesser, unorthodox, options such as Thunderbolt, Energy Ball, and Safeguard, but outside of dealing with bulky Water-types, these moves generally have little use.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Steel-types**: Bronzong, Mega Aggron, and Forretress are bulky enough to take even a Drain Punch from Slurpuff and either remove Slurpuff from play with Gyro Ball or Heavy Slam or simply force it out. Doublade falls into a similar boat, being able to shrug off practically anything Slurpuff can throw at it.
**Amoonguss**: Defensive variants of Amoonguss can take one Return even after a boost, and can either KO Slurpuff with Sludge Bomb or cripple it with Spore.
**Priority Users**: Entei can revenge kill Slurpuff with a Choice Band Extreme Speed. Lucario can also make use of Extreme Speed and Bullet Punch, while Fletchinder can revenge kill Slurpuff with Gale Wings Acrobatics.
**Entry Hazards**: With Stealth Rock and Spikes up, Slurpuff can easily be damaged to a point where it will have immense trouble setting up. Entry hazard damage also makes Slurpuff much more vulnerable to priority.
**Offensive Pressure**: Overwhelming Slurpuff with repeated powerful attacks or extreme power will prevent it from setting up.
[OVERVIEW]
Slurpuff holds a niche in the UU metagame as a deadly late-game cleaner thanks to its access to Unburden and Belly Drum, which allow it to become a massive threat in one turn by giving it immense power and Speed. With the combination of these, Slurpuff can become a near unstoppable sweeper after its counters, such as Forretress, have been removed or severely weakened. It also has a useful defensive typing and manageable bulk, which help it set up on many common Pokemon in UU such as Salamence, Hydreigon, Heracross, and Mienshao. However, due to the nature of Unburden, Slurpuff becomes a do-or-die Pokemon after setting up: it must sweep on the spot, or it will become deadweight. Slurpuff also has trouble setting up, as Belly Drum requires using up a significant amount of HP. As such, Slurpuff is a Pokemon that must receive support to function at its best.
[SET]
name: Belly Drum
move 1: Belly Drum
move 2: Play Rough
move 3: Return / Substitute
move 4: Drain Punch
item: Sitrus Berry
ability: Unburden
nature: Jolly
evs: 28 HP / 252 Atk / 228 Spe
[SET COMMENTS]
Moves
========
Belly Drum maximizes Slurpuff's Attack stat to massive levels and also lowers Slurpuff's HP to the point where Slurpuff consumes its Sitrus Berry, thus healing its HP and activating Unburden. Play Rough hits anything that doesn't resist it for extreme damage after a boost. Return serves as an option to hit Roserade, Crobat, and Nidoqueen hard while generally being more reliable than Play Rough. Substitute, however, allows Slurpuff to avoid status and set up Belly Drum more easily. Drain Punch hits Empoleon and weakened Mega Aggron hard while also providing Slurpuff a form of recovery, allowing it to heal off damage sustained from Belly Drum. Aromatherapy is an option over either Return or Substitute to allow Slurpuff to remove status from itself while supporting its team in the process if the need arises.
Set Details
========
Maximum Attack investment is needed in order to maximize Slurpuff's sweeping potential while a Jolly nature and 208 Speed EVs allow Slurpuff to have enough Speed to outrun Choice Scarf Infernape after an Unburden boost, and also outspeed Kingdra under weather. The remaining HP EVs give Slurpuff an even number of HP to activate Unburden after a single Belly Drum. An Adamant nature provides a bit more power, but the difference in damage output is minimal, as Slurpuff performs optimally late-game. Sitrus Berry is the best way to activate Unburden and also heals half of the damage Slurpuff sustains by using Belly Drum. Unburden doubles Slurpuff's Speed after it consumes its Sitrus Berry, turning it into an extremely fast sweeper.
Usage Tips
========
Slurpuff is a late-game cleaner; it should only attempt to sweep once its checks and counters, such as Mega Aggron, Entei, and Forretress, are either severely weakened or removed from play. Slurpuff will have a lot of difficulty setting up, so it is best advised to do so on slow defensive Pokemon such as Florges and Gligar. Make use of its good defensive typing to set up on threats such as Heracross, Mienshao, and Salamence effectively.
Team Options
========
Slurpuff appreciates support from wallbreakers, such as Tyrantrum, Chandelure, and Entei, that can help to weaken or remove Slurpuff's counters, such as Entei and Mega Aggron. Entry hazard support from Pokemon such as Swampert, Chesnaught, and Froslass is very useful to weaken the opponent's team over the match so Slurpuff can effectively clean. Forretress can also provide entry hazard and Rapid Spin support, and it can also use a slow Volt Switch or Explosion to get Slurpuff into the battle safely.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
=============
A Calm Mind set that runs Dazzling Gleam, Flamethrower, and Surf is usable to rely on large coverage to sweep. However, the set takes a lot of time to have Slurpuff become a threat and relies on the foe not OHKOing Slurpuff to activate Unburden. Draining Kiss could also be used in such a set as a form of recovery, but it is depressingly weak. Wish is a usable option to allow Slurpuff to act as a support Pokemon, but it is outclassed in a defensive role by Aromatisse and Florges. Light Screen can be used, but Slurpuff has little time for such a move. There are lesser, unorthodox, options such as Thunderbolt, Energy Ball, and Safeguard, but outside of dealing with bulky Water-types, these moves generally have little use.
Checks and Counters
===================
**Bulky Steel-types**: Bronzong, Mega Aggron, and Forretress are bulky enough to take even a Drain Punch from Slurpuff and either remove Slurpuff from play with Gyro Ball or Heavy Slam or simply force it out. Doublade falls into a similar boat, being able to shrug off practically anything Slurpuff can throw at it.
**Amoonguss**: Defensive variants of Amoonguss can take one Return even after a boost, and can either KO Slurpuff with Sludge Bomb or cripple it with Spore.
**Priority Users**: Entei can revenge kill Slurpuff with a Choice Band Extreme Speed. Lucario can also make use of Extreme Speed and Bullet Punch, while Fletchinder can revenge kill Slurpuff with Gale Wings Acrobatics.
**Entry Hazards**: With Stealth Rock and Spikes up, Slurpuff can easily be damaged to a point where it will have immense trouble setting up. Entry hazard damage also makes Slurpuff much more vulnerable to priority.
**Offensive Pressure**: Overwhelming Slurpuff with repeated powerful attacks or extreme power will prevent it from setting up.
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