Golem isn't as versatile as shiftry or swanna, but it has three very good sets and is easily one of the best stealth rock users, be it as a suicide lead or physical tank. With a choice band Golem is strong enough to break most physical walls; gourg is a 2hko after a bit of chip, dusclops is a 3hko which is good enough since it has to rely on rest, Bronzor dies to fire punch, and Pyukumuku is a 2hko. This leaves Gourgeist-Large, Vibrava, and Slowpoke as the only reliable answers. Band Golem also has better defensive capabilities than most other breakers making it easier to find free turns.
I'd go so far as to say Combusken is one of the most meta-defining pokemon and every team should have a dedicated check to both its sets. Even then, it can bypass swanna and physically defensive mareanie with hp electric, altaria with hp ice, muk and mime with its physical set and pyukumuku with the special set. Obviously there are downsides like its fraility, reliance on protect to gain speed, inability to outspeed common scarfers at +2, and most notably its blind as hell, but all things considered it's easily worthy of A+.
While Dusclops is super passive and primarily sees use on stall, it walls a large portion of the meta and I think it deserves to be with its stall comrades licki and pyuku in B+. So much of ZU is vulnerable to toxic and most things that aren’t (bronz mareanie komala) have low hp stats making them susceptible to seismic toss. It blocks rapid spin from every spinner, which gourg and others fail to do, and pressure is an invaluable ability for stall teams to quickly diminish the pp of moves like stealth rock, defog, and leaf storm.
Servine poses a threat to offensive and bulky teams alike thanks to great defenses alongside synthesis and the ability to boost its special attack with its powerful stab move. A grass typing gives it a bunch of great resistances letting it check things like Golem, Electivire, Floatzel, Marowak and Huntail and heal while it threatens to do heavy damage back. Servine can further invalidate golem by defogging on it, or it can drop defog to break stall teams more reliably.
Vibrava is easily the best answer to the ubiquitous Golem, and also excels at defogging on every rocker that isn't Bronzor. It's also immune to toxic spikes and able to threaten Mareanie, but it doesn't do much otherwise. I think this is enough to make it worthy of C+.
Natu hard counters a lot of passive mons and most notably prevents and punishes the opponent for every setting up hazards with common pokemon like Bronzor, Mawile, Mareanie, Monferno, Shuckle, Smeargle, and Quilladin. Night shade does very good damage to toxic immune pokemon like Bronzor, Mareanie, and rest Duscops. It requires support from something that defogs or spins on Golem and other rock types, like Vibrava or Avalugg, and easily gives up momentum to Electivire, Komala, and other wallbreakers, so it's most viable on stall teams and for this reason I decided to run protect to scout these commonly choiced pokemon.
Slowpoke is a really cool mon that, I argue, has a niche now that Tangela has risen. It’s one of the bulkiest physical walls in the tier, it doesn’t give up as much momentum thanks to regenerator, and, unlike gourg, it doesn’t lose to mixed wallbreakers like rampardos and mawile. Thanks to its typing, it can also counter some strong special attackers like Combusken and specs Floatzel (although trick will cripple it). That being said, Slowpoke faces stiff competition to Mareanie and Gourgeist, and is vulnerable to knock off and common offensive threats like Electivire, Shiftry, Komala and special Swanna, as well as being set-up bait for sub Bouff.
Slowpoke @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic / Yawn / Thunder Wave / Calm Mind
- Psywave / Scald
- Fire Blast / Reflect / Protect / Psyshock
- Slack Off
Slowpoke's deep gen one movepool gives it a lot of different options: psywave deals consistant damage, fire blast hits dark types and other common switch-ins, reflect gives it more breathing room vs set-up sweepers, yawn + protect can force switches, thunder wave helps support slower teammates, and calm mind lets it set-up.
+2 252 Atk Swanna Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 187-222 (48.6 - 57.8%) -- 95.3% chance to 2HKO
spamming slack off will kill swanna to recoil and you wont die unless consecutive crits
252 Atk Electivire Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 180-212 (46.8 - 55.2%) -- 69.5% chance to 2HKO
4 SpA Electivire Volt Switch vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 194-230 (50.5 - 59.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
electivire cant force you out, as you can slack off to scout their move
252+ Atk Choice Band Golem Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 160-189 (41.6 - 49.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
this one is very close, its an 82% chance to kill after rocks, but in any case, you can use slowpoke to scout what move they locked into
252 SpA Life Orb Combusken Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 127-151 (33.1 - 39.4%) -- 100% chance to 3HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Combusken Hidden Power Electric vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 174-205 (45.3 - 53.3%) -- 34% chance to 2HKO
hp electric is pretty close to a 2hko, so 40 spdef to avoid that is something to consider
252 SpA Choice Specs Floatzel Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 135-160 (35.1 - 41.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Muk Gunk Shot vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 175-207 (45.5 - 53.9%) -- 43.8% chance to 2HKO
another case where scouting is important
252 Atk Rapidash Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 104-124 (27 - 32.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Granbull Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 144-171 (37.5 - 44.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+6 252+ Atk Beartic Subzero Slammer (160 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 360-423 (93.7 - 110.1%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO
reflect Slowpoke should beat Beartic, as long as it’s not taunt
252+ Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Mawile Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 130-153 (33.8 - 39.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Rampardos Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 156-185 (40.6 - 48.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0- SpD Shiftry: 132-156 (41.1 - 48.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Pawniard: 106-126 (45.8 - 54.5%) -- 50.8% chance to 2HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Abomasnow: 180-216 (56 - 67.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Exeggutor: 100-118 (30.2 - 35.6%) -- 26.7% chance to 3HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Beartic: 94-112 (28.3 - 33.8%) -- 0.3% chance to 3HKO
Some notable physical attackers Slowpoke loses to are Shiftry, Electivire, Komala, Pinsir, Bouffalant, Abomasnow, Crustle, Kecleon, Pawniard, Toucannon, and Marowak so things like Avalugg, Mawile, Silvally-Fighting, and Monferno make good partners, and they also support Slowpoke by setting up or clearing stealth rocks. Furthermore, Slowpoke needs something to wall special attackers, so Komala, Lickilicky, and Kecleon are all good teammates.
Here's a couple good replays of me using Slowpoke in tour games (unfortunately I only have two)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-915797648 vs funbot
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-919289381 vs uhu
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic / Yawn / Thunder Wave / Calm Mind
- Psywave / Scald
- Fire Blast / Reflect / Protect / Psyshock
- Slack Off
Slowpoke's deep gen one movepool gives it a lot of different options: psywave deals consistant damage, fire blast hits dark types and other common switch-ins, reflect gives it more breathing room vs set-up sweepers, yawn + protect can force switches, thunder wave helps support slower teammates, and calm mind lets it set-up.
+2 252 Atk Swanna Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 187-222 (48.6 - 57.8%) -- 95.3% chance to 2HKO
spamming slack off will kill swanna to recoil and you wont die unless consecutive crits
252 Atk Electivire Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 180-212 (46.8 - 55.2%) -- 69.5% chance to 2HKO
4 SpA Electivire Volt Switch vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 194-230 (50.5 - 59.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
electivire cant force you out, as you can slack off to scout their move
252+ Atk Choice Band Golem Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 160-189 (41.6 - 49.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
this one is very close, its an 82% chance to kill after rocks, but in any case, you can use slowpoke to scout what move they locked into
252 SpA Life Orb Combusken Focus Blast vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 127-151 (33.1 - 39.4%) -- 100% chance to 3HKO
252 SpA Life Orb Combusken Hidden Power Electric vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 174-205 (45.3 - 53.3%) -- 34% chance to 2HKO
hp electric is pretty close to a 2hko, so 40 spdef to avoid that is something to consider
252 SpA Choice Specs Floatzel Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 135-160 (35.1 - 41.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Muk Gunk Shot vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 175-207 (45.5 - 53.9%) -- 43.8% chance to 2HKO
another case where scouting is important
252 Atk Rapidash Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 104-124 (27 - 32.2%) -- guaranteed 4HKO
252+ Atk Choice Band Granbull Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 144-171 (37.5 - 44.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+6 252+ Atk Beartic Subzero Slammer (160 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 360-423 (93.7 - 110.1%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO
reflect Slowpoke should beat Beartic, as long as it’s not taunt
252+ Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Mawile Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 130-153 (33.8 - 39.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
252 Atk Life Orb Sheer Force Rampardos Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Slowpoke: 156-185 (40.6 - 48.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0- SpD Shiftry: 132-156 (41.1 - 48.5%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Pawniard: 106-126 (45.8 - 54.5%) -- 50.8% chance to 2HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Abomasnow: 180-216 (56 - 67.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Exeggutor: 100-118 (30.2 - 35.6%) -- 26.7% chance to 3HKO
0 SpA Slowpoke Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Beartic: 94-112 (28.3 - 33.8%) -- 0.3% chance to 3HKO
Some notable physical attackers Slowpoke loses to are Shiftry, Electivire, Komala, Pinsir, Bouffalant, Abomasnow, Crustle, Kecleon, Pawniard, Toucannon, and Marowak so things like Avalugg, Mawile, Silvally-Fighting, and Monferno make good partners, and they also support Slowpoke by setting up or clearing stealth rocks. Furthermore, Slowpoke needs something to wall special attackers, so Komala, Lickilicky, and Kecleon are all good teammates.
Here's a couple good replays of me using Slowpoke in tour games (unfortunately I only have two)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-915797648 vs funbot
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-919289381 vs uhu
While Pinsir's a great scarfer and sweeper with z-me first, its hindered by its poor defensive typing, which limits its ability to come and go when rocks are up. It also faces competition from Crustle which has more power, slightly better natural bulk, and a neat normal resistance.
I've found Altaria to be extremely disappointing. As a defogger, it loses to the two prominent stealth rock users and it's plagued by a weakness to rock and ice. That being said, it does have some things going for it stat-wise and with natural cure + roost and a typing that allows it to take on combusken. The only case I could see myself using Altaria is with a bulky dragon dance set or alongside magnet pull.
Machoke is a great tank with offensive capabilities few other defensive mons can rival. My biggest problem with Machoke is that it can't reliably check Shiftry, as a knock off followed by two consecutive leaf storms is enough to kill max spdef Machoke. It doesn't quite have the defenses to take on wallbreakers from either side of the spectrum, and it faces competition from Monferno and Silvally-Fighting who can set or remove rocks while pivoting.
Nasty Plot gives Simisear something that Combusken and Rapidash don't have, but it has a hard time setting up with its bad defensive typing and stats. Combusken can sweep teams with or without set up; its secondary fighting typing gives it another powerful stab and a neutrality to rocks, while Rapidash is a great check to Shiftry, Pawniard, and Kecleon because of flame body + morning sun and it can cripple Golem and other prospective checks with will-o-wisp.
Ive never been a fan of this thing and I don’t see hardly any reason to use it over Golem, who can actually switch into electivire. Not only is it a lot more passive than Golem, but it doesn’t get lefties recovery which leads to it dying very quickly. I know it rough skin is nice, but even Hippo does a better job setting rocks thanks to reliable recovery. If I'm missing something here please tell me, but I think this mon is just terrible.
C rank and lower feels like splitting hairs but heres some noms to think about
I don't see what this has as a web setter over Shuckle and Smeargle.
Ampharos has decent all-around stats and access to some cool moves like focus blast and heal bell, but I'd always want to use a different electric type.
This thing gets whirlpool + perish song, but it's very inconsistent, because things can volt switch/uturn on it or just threaten to kill it and ghosts are immune to trapping.
Gothitelle is outclassed by Meowstic-F as a competitive user that doesn’t lose to Silvally-Fighting like pawniard and purugly do. As for other sets, I don’t know what it would try to run that other psychics like kadabra, mr mime, and grumpig couldn't do better.
The only relevant Gourg forms are super, large and small.
I know all the things here are pretty bad, but this is just outclassed by other normal types like Komala or Bouffalant, although I will concede this thing can drop some fat u-turns, 252+ Atk Choice Band Stakeout Gumshoos U-turn vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gourgeist-Super: 140-165 (37.4 - 44.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO.
The best case scenario is you cripple something with switcheroo and healing wish later, but its bad bulk makes it hard to accomplish.
A Silvally-Water with worse stats and no thunderbolt, maybe it can run lefties toxic protect or give you the option of running a different silvally, but really it's horrible.
Hippo is pretty bulky and has a good movepool. Its stats aren't quite where they need to be for it to be a good wall as its 2hkod by band Golem after rocks and Komala after it loses its eviolite.
It's defensive set is quite nice on stall teams where it takes on troublesome pokemon such as Shiftry, Beheyeem and Camerupt. Offensively it is impossible to reliably counter, with Mawile being the best answer to it. However its disappointing bulk and speed hold it back, and it's deadweight versus offense.
Klang is quite bulky with defenses better than even Bronzor, although it's susceptible to super effective attacks that are far from uncommon. In any case it's quite dangerous with shift gear and gear grind to any teams lacking Gourgeist, Mareanie or Pyukumuku.
Light ball boosts Pikachu's attack to an amount equivocal to Slaking's base 160 attack and it has a really good speed tier and priority move for its strength. Unfortunately the combination of fake out and extremespeed is illegal and Pikachu struggles to break Gourgeist-Super, something which Electivire beats with flamethrower. Also Pikachu is incredibly frail and takes heavy recoil from its stab attack.
Luxray is outshined by Electivire in a lot of ways, but it has two good abilities and good stats so I don't see why it should be tossed out completely. I think it can make a decent pivot and status absorber with guts and assault vest to take on Swanna, Toucannon, and Rotom-Fan. Wild Charge and Superpower from a base 120 attack are quite decent and it can run hp water to 2hko defensive Golem even with an Adamant nature.
Of all the potential spikers in ZU, I think Trubbish is the most promising. Sticky Hold in conjunction with eviolite is pretty cool and it has enough special bulk when invested to take on things like Combusken and z-move Swanna, while it can stay healthy with rest + sleep talk.
I dont think Whirlipede doesn't have the same defensive utility as Trubbish, but it has some cool options like endeavor to use alongside speedboost.
Eevee only really fits on screens teams and even then it's outclassed. That being said, it can easily sweep unprepared teams as it's not at all easy to revenge at +2 defenses behind screens.
This thing has slightly better speed and attack than Combusken and a diverse movepool with options like taunt and destiny bond so that's something. It's held back by its horrible defenses though.
Lampent's three immunities hardwall Combusken, Simisear, and z-encore Chatot, and it has good stabs backed by a decent special attack.
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