Solrock and Lunatone
I promised this post to all of you about making Lunatone work in OU, and I'm finally delivering. After endless testing and some much-appreciated help and testing from musiquepkmn we have discovered not only a usable niche in OU for one of the coolest Pokemon ever (Lunatone), but for his counterpart Solrock. Now you're probably thinking "with stats like that, are you kidding me?" Both Solrock and Lunatone have a very usable niche on balance teams, while Lunatone has an additional offensive niche. This is going to take a lot of explaining, so let's not spend forever on an introduction paragraph. Time to jump right into analyzing some of the coolest and most forgotten Pokemon!
Disclaimer - Solrock and Lunatone fit onto VERY specific team archetypes, and are not easily splashable Pokemon. Your team needs to be specifically teched to make them work. If you can fulfill these requirements though, either of these wonderful Pokemon could have a fulfilling, unique place on your team and bring some neat variety and surprise factor to any match!
PS: musiquepkmn is a beautiful human being.
Lunatone: Role #1 - Balance
Lunatone @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 84 HP / 160 Def / 20 SpA / 160 SpD / 84 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Power Gem
- Earth Power
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
Lunatone fulfills a unique role on balance teams, it is a Stealth Rock setter that can switch in and set up on Heatran, acts as a stop to Dragonite, along with being able to handle Pokemon such as Nidoking, Moltres, and Zapdos. Lunatone is able to condense taking care of those problematic Pokemon into one slot, which is crucial and necessary for these kinds of teams (in addition to being able to handle other Pokemon that have problems with STAB Rock-type attacks and immunity to Earthquake. Typical answers to Heatran, Dragonite, and Nidoking (such as Hydreigon, Blissey, and Zapdos) can only handle one of the three each, so having a Pokemon that can compress this into a single slot is extremely helpful. Lunatone has just the right combination of moves, stats, and ability to handle these threats.
Role #1 EV Allotment:
So let's explain the EV spread first, as these EVs are specifically teched for Lunatone's unique niche. 84 Speed is an important benchmark that allows Lunatone to reach key milestones including outspeeding 0 speed Heatran and 0 speed Mandibuzz. Outspeeding these specific Pokemon is crucial to not only gain an advantage and slap Rocks onto the field but to attack first as well. Putting in a small investment of 20 into Special Attack allows Lunatone to get off decently powerful attacks with a strong chance to 2HKO Heatran and numerous other Pokemon with minimal investment (assured 2HKO with minor chip).
20 SpA Lunatone Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 176+ SpD Heatran: 188-224 (48.7 - 58%) -- 50.8% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
20 SpA Lunatone Earth Power vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Nidoking: 160-190 (52.8 - 62.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
20 SpA Lunatone Power Gem vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Zapdos: 186-218 (48.4 - 56.7%) -- 35.5% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
20 SpA Lunatone Power Gem vs. 208 HP / 0 SpD Moltres: 388-460 (104 - 123.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
20 SpA Lunatone Power Gem vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Dragonite: 168-200 (52 - 61.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO (With Multiscale Broken)
The 160 EVs in Defense and Special Defense allow for Lunatone to survive essential hits from key threats, ensuring that combined with the Ground immunity provided by Levitate that it provides important defensive cover for your team.
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Nidoking Sludge Wave vs. 84 HP / 160+ SpD Lunatone: 86-101 (25.1 - 29.5%) -- guaranteed 5HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Dragonite Dragon Claw vs. 84 HP / 160 Def Lunatone: 153-181 (44.7 - 52.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Zapdos Discharge vs. 84 HP / 160+ SpD Lunatone: 111-132 (32.4 - 38.5%) -- 3.4% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 SpA Moltres Flamethrower vs. 84 HP / 160+ SpD Lunatone: 51-61 (14.9 - 17.8%) -- possible 9HKO after Leftovers recovery
Role #1 Team Support Options and Additional Set Options:
Lunatone appreciates partners who can heal off status (such as Toxic from Heatran or Mandibuzz) and thus clerics like Aromatherapy Clefable or Heal Bell Magearna are extremely appreciated. Having a spin blocker never hurts either, and can provide some coverage with STAB Ghost offense as well (Spectrier, anyone?) Offensive Tyranitar is a fantastic partner, as the Special Defense boost from Sandstorm and the additional chip damage/leftovers negation that it enables allows Lunatone to get even more done. Lunatone has some additional move options it can rely on such as Magic Coat, Toxic, reliable recovery with Moonlight, or even Nasty Plot. Usually, however, scouting with Protect tends to have far more potential for success.
Lunatone: Role #2 - Late Game Cleaner
Lunatone @ Power Herb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 56 SpD / 200 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Meteor Beam
- Rock Polish
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
Role #2 Explanation:
Lunatone's role as a late-game cleaner is to act as a Special based pseudo-Shift Gear with a fantastically strong STAB attack that boosts its Special Attack by +1 alongside Rock Polish and follow up with great coverage options in Ice Beam and Earth Power. Lunatone's bulk and setup opportunity is actually deceptively easy thanks to its typing and ability Levitate. While this set requires more support than the Balance set, the benefits of using it are immense. Not many Pokemon are prepared to handle a +1 Meteor Beam, Ice Beam, and Earth Power all on the same set.
Role #2 EV Allotment:
Lunatone's full investment into Special Attack alongside a Modest Nature is absolutely necessary to get critical OHKOs and 2HKOs, as without the Meteor Beam boost it's relatively lackluster. 56 Special Defense is specifically meant to allow Lunatone to always survive a Modest un-status'd Spectrier Hex from full health. (Please make sure you scout the Spectrier set beforehand). Spectrier will often switch in, and you can set up Rock Polish predicting the switch
252+ SpA Spectrier Hex (65 BP) vs. 0 HP / 56 SpD Lunatone: 270-320 (84.1 - 99.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
Lunatone then can proceed to have a 50/50 chance to OHKO Spectrier in return with Meteor Beam, increasing its Special Attack by 1 in the process and preparing for a clean. With some chip, it's almost an assured OHKO.
+1 252+ SpA Lunatone Meteor Beam vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Spectrier: 313-369 (91.7 - 108.2%) -- 50% chance to OHKO
After a Meteor Beam boost, Lunatone being able to either OHKO or 2HKO some of the game's premier threats, especially with chip damage if you've worn down the team enough.
+1 252+ SpA Lunatone Earth Power vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Toxapex: 192-226 (63.1 - 74.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunatone Ice Beam vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Nidoking: 328-388 (108.2 - 128%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunatone Ice Beam vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Latios: 240-284 (79.7 - 94.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunatone Ice Beam vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Landorus-Therian: 628-740 (164.3 - 193.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunatone Meteor Beam vs. 248 HP / 44 SpD Mandibuzz: 518-612 (122.4 - 144.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunatone Ice Beam vs. 248 HP / 44 SpD Mandibuzz: 260-306 (61.4 - 72.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunatone Earth Power vs. 244 HP / 0 SpD Assault Vest Melmetal: 248-292 (52.5 - 61.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252+ SpA Lunatone Ice Beam vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Hippowdon: 340-402 (80.9 - 95.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
I could post calculations all day for this, but you get the picture. It sets up speed, sets up its Special Attack boost while firing off a powerful STAB attack, and proceeds to lay waste to weakened teams. Lunatone's speed is 452 at +2, allowing it to outspeed most of the metagame that isn't carrying a Scarf.
Role #2 Team Support Options and Additional Set Options:
Lunatone appreciates hazard and status support. Stealth Rocks and/or Spikes can turn many 2HKOs into OHKOs, as many are right at the damage threshold. Alternatively, Sticky Webs support fits like a glove and prevents certain problematic Scarfed Pokemon (or naturally bonkers speed tiers such as Regieleki or Beast Boosted Pheromosa) from outspeeding Lunatone at +2. Shuckle is a great partner that can set up both Stealth Rock and Sticky Webs while also spreading status. Cleaner Lunatone (like Balance Lunatone) fits right at home on Sand teams thanks to Tyranitar's Sand giving additional chip damage and Special Defense. With the 56 Special Defense investment and the Sand boost, Lunatone actually has a chance to survive a Modest Life Orb STAB Shadow Ball from Spectrier.
252+ SpA Life Orb Spectrier Shadow Ball vs. 0 HP / 56 SpD Lunatone in Sand: 289-343 (90 - 106.8%) -- 37.5% chance to OHKO
Pokemon that can scout for and deal with Pokemon that have priority is absolutely crucial here, as Grassy Glide Rillaboom and other Pokemon can be a serious thorn in Lunatone's side.
Solrock: Role #1 - Balance
Solrock @ Leftovers
Careful Nature
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 172 HP / 252 SpD / 84 Spe
- Earthquake
- Rock Slide
- Stealth Rock
- Protect
Role #1 Explanation:
Solrock is a physical variant to Lunatone's balancing abilities that is more solid against certain threats while being a little shakier against others. The main draw of Solrock is its ability to handle Stored Power Draining Kiss Magearna (on the switch-in), have a consistent 2HKO against Heatran while having a different kind of defensive utility. Basically, an alternative that handles even more specific threats that works in the same way that you would want Lunatone to function (with some tradeoffs).
Role #1 EV Allotment:
Like with Lunatone, 84 Speed is an important benchmark that allows Solrock to reach key milestones including outspeeding 0 speed Heatran and 0 speed Mandibuzz. Having 172 HP and 252 Special Defense allows Solrock to take specific hits from otherwise troublesome Pokemon (and includes some great defensive synergy courtesy of its ability Levitate).
252 SpA Life Orb Sheer Force Nidoking Sludge Wave vs. 172 HP / 252+ SpD Solrock: 94-109 (25.8 - 29.9%) -- 0.3% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252+ SpA Magearna Stored Power (120 BP) vs. 172 HP / 252+ SpD Solrock: 101-119 (27.7 - 32.6%) -- 82% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Zapdos Discharge vs. 172 HP / 252+ SpD Solrock: 120-142 (32.9 - 39%) -- 11.6% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252+ SpA Magearna Draining Kiss vs. 172 HP / 252+ SpD Solrock: 127-150 (34.8 - 41.2%) -- 73.3% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
In addition to this, Solrock hitting on the physical side allows it to get specific benchmarks that Lunatone cannot get.
0 Atk Solrock Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Heatran: 264-312 (68.3 - 80.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 Atk Solrock Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Magearna: 124-146 (34 - 40.1%) -- 35.5% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Role #1 Team Support Options and Additional Support Options:
Everything that applies to Lunatone's Balance set can be applied here with the exception of movepool options. Tyranitar's sand makes for excellent additional support while having a cleric like Clefable can be an Arceus-send for increasing Solrock's longevity. Solrock also has access to reliable recovery in Morning Sun and Will-O-Wisp to cripple Physical attackers, but Protect's scouting abilities are still extremely useful.
Final Thoughts:
I'm going to continue testing these two Pokemon, along with some additional Pokemon that I will be making posts about later. I absolutely love the state of Crown Tundra's Overused, and the flexibility this meta provides in terms of team building and options is a breath of fresh air. I hope you all are able to make use of Solrock and Lunatone's unique talents for your teams!
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this Pokemon is a really interesting one, as it provides almost the same amount of utility which its kantonian counterpart offers, it has Future Sight to pressure fighting-types and also the bulky water-type in Toxapex. It can also make use of Psychic and has a great secondary stab in Slusdge Bomb. Flamethrower and Scald are great coverage-moves and therefore Galar-Slowking is able to pressure steel-types such as Ferrothorn, Corviknight, and Heatran. Galar-Slowking excells best as a specially defensive Pivot with either an Assault Vest or sometimes Black Sludge as recovery-option. Galar-Slowking is a great Pokemon in case the team is in need for a great specially defensive tool to put on the team, it can help against Pheromosa, Magearna, Clefable, Tapu Fini, and Tapu Koko. Its amazing ability Regenerator helps it to maintain healthy over the coruse of the game and I feel this Pokemon has a lot more potential in the future of the metagame. I think this Pokemon deserves more attention as it can really help versus a plethora of Pokemon in the tier due to its amazing typecombination in Psychic and Poison. 
this bird has an interesting typing in Flying and Fighting, and can act really well on Sticky Web-teams as it acts nice as a Defog deterend with a huge base attack of 125 and Defiant as ability, however it can't spam Close Combat as much as it wants to because it faces alot of issues with Spectrier, Dragapult, Clefable, Garchomp, Toxapex, Moltres, Zapdos, and Landorus-Therian in the tier, so it relies on its other move in Brave Bird to dish out damage, but it leaves it vulnerable because of the recoil-damage it'll take in the game. However I think it can still perform well as a Defog deterend on Sticky Web-teams as it'll give it a free Defiant-boost when the opponent tries to Defog. 
this bird has the blessing Yveltal- and Mandibuzz-typing in Flying and Dark, it can act as a Spectrier-check and it can check other Ghost-types offensively with its great signature move in Fiery Wrath, the Ghost-types which have to fear it are Dragapult, and Aegislash. It can also check Zarude, Necrozma, and Slowking offensively. Moltres-Galar however has a big issue in one Pokemon especially, Magearna, Magearna resists both of its dual-stabs which means this Pokemon likes to have a partner which can help against it. Moltres-Galar can function well in Hyper Offensive-teams with Screens up, as Nasty Plot is a superb boosting-move which gives it more power with its amazing 100 Spatt stat and its amazing bulk of 90 / 90 / 125 and a decent speed-tier in 90. I feel this Pokemon really deserves more attention, as it is able to break through teams easily with its dual-dance-set or either a Nasty Plot + 3 Attack-set
G-Weezing saw a really good use in Pre-DLC2 as a formidable Urshifu-S check and it checkd Pokemon such as Hawlucha as well. This Pokemon is a really interesting case, as I feel it had brighter days in the past, but it can still work as a check to Urshifu-S and its cool typing in Fairy and Poison and its abilities in Neutralizing Gas helps it to make the opposing Pokemons abilities without any effect. It's great set contains Sludge Bomb, Will-o-Wisp, Pain Split and Toxic or Haze, but it can also run Strange Steam as its Fairy-type signature move or Aromatherapy to keep its teammates healthy and act like a great cleric. 
This Pokemon was initially hyped with its Quick Draw + Quick Claw combination and its set-up moves such as Nasty Plot and very very rarely Belly Drum. This Pokemon was very heavily discussed in lower tiers, however this Pokemon didn't have that much of an impact in the OU tier, like it had in the lower tiers. This Pokemon is very luck-based with its Quick Draw-ability and Quick Claw as its Item, but I think it does a better job as fringe sweeping-option for Trick Room-teams, as its low speed leaves it vulnerable to a plenty amount of Pokemon, and its typing isn't that great like the typing is from its kantonian counterpart. But it can still find its place on some Trick Room oriented structures and with as Nasty Plot-boost it is able to break past most Pokemon. 
It's not like protect does anything other than lefties recovery. I will definitely change that on my Solar System buddy teams.
lol just kidding, I think my favorite memory is, that a lot of old faces finally came back due to the Crown Tundra, I missed Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Heatran, and Garchomp, therefore as hectic as Crown Tundra was/is it is my favorite memory of Gen8 so far. I also liked the new Galarian Forms we've got, as I am a fan of Galarian-Moltres, furthermore trying out Glastrier and Spectrier a lot in the metagame was/is really fun. I also like Galarian-Slowking as this is such a great defensive Pivot and has the movepool, to threaten a large portion of the metagame allthough less offensive but still almost as dangerous as Nidoking, speaking of the King, I also like that this Pokemon gets the attention it deserves as a superb Wallbreaker for many teams, which struggle to switch into its many coverage-options.