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MOVING ON, the pokemon you'll have to match for this week is:
Reuniclus @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Focus Blast
- Recover
- Psyshock
reuniclus has found its stride as a powerful defensive breaker. what can we do to increase its potential? deadline for submissions in 9pm 6th august, gmt+5:30!
Sylveon @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Wish
- Heal Bell
- Hyper Voice
- Protect
Sylveon can check Dark-types for Reuncilus, absorb Knock Off, and serve as a second fighting type check as Reuniclus on its own isn't a super solid check. In return Reuniclus can check Cobalion and counter Steelix and Stakataka. Sylveon helps in dealing with Incineroar, Pangoro , and Sharpedo for Reuniclus.
Mienshao @ Life Orb / Choice Scarf
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- U-turn
Reuniclus hates having to rely on Focus Blast for Dark-types and Steel-types like Obstagoon, Incineroar, Umbreon, Stakataka, and even Registeel. Mienshao fixes that as a wallbreaker with immediate breaking power and Close Combat. Mienshao can even pivot via U-turn on stuff like Weezing-G or Togekiss that it hates facing for Reuniclus to deal with. Good start to a Fighting-Dark-Psychic core.
Incineroar is an particular good partner for Reuniclus, as it is able to help against Ghost-types such as Duoblade, Polteageist, Chandelure, and it can help against bulky Psychic-types such as Necrozma and Metagross, and weakens them with Knock Off or lower their stats with Parting Shot to help Reuniclus for a setup with Calm Mind. Reuniclus scares out bulky Checks to Incineroar such as Galarian Weezing and Cobalion. Both can also overwhelm Pokemon such as Noivern, Milotic, and Porygon2 with their great assets and access to reliable and helpful moves in their arsenals. In overall these two compliment each other pretty well and can overwhelm a majority of the RU tier pretty successfully.
As Reuniclus can tend to be reliant on its item, whether it be Leftovers or Colbur Berry, Knock Off from Pokemon such as Incineroar and Seismitoad can be a nuisance. Therefore, good Knock Off absorbers such as Galarian Weezing are greatly appreciated. Toxic spikes are also really good with it, as it helps wear down bulky opposition. Galarian Weezing helps deal with pesky physical attackers, such as Heracross and Obstagoon.
Pretty much an ideal partner for Reuniclus in terms of keeping its threats in check. Haze makes sure doublade it never getting past it so it is always a safe switch-in, polteageist can be keep at bay, and other stuff like Swords Dance Necrozma and a good couple of dark types can be checked pretty well. Using Haze in context of keeping setup aiming to overwhelm Reuniclus at bay but the moveset is customizable depending of the team components, Reuniclus returns Milotic favor by absorbing status since milotic got its main option, Refresh, deleted sadly. Pretty reciprocal.
Itemless Flygon can cover and support a lot of Reun's weaknesses. Firstly it manages Poltergiest from ghost types like Alolan Marowak and Golurk. It then could u-turn out into something else preserving momentum. Secondly, it could potentially spread status to bulky haze mons like Quagsire and Milotic and most importantly, Togekiss, a mon that Reun can struggle with depending on your luck. It also can switch into most Metagross sets, another mon that can give Reun issues depending on the situation. Itemless Flygon also absorbs knockoff from Incineroar, Shao, and Obstagoon, who all threaten Reun one way or another. Overall Flygon really helps this poke out as not only can it pivot into it, but it can also manage the mons that prevent it from setting up and sweeping.
moving on, the pokemon you'll have to give a date for this week is:
Lucario @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Extreme Speed
- Meteor Mash
Lucario has emerged as a powerful wallbreaker after zarude's rise. what can we complement it with to augment its potential?
Lucario kills everything, unless they kill it first. Webs stops things from killing it first. Ribombee sets webs. 2 of the most prevelant lucario checks that can get out of webs are flygon and noivern. Ribombee can hit both of these super effectively w moonblast. heavy-duty boots lets it not immediately die during the game and allows for flexibility in the early lines u play.
Lucario needs a nice partner that can outspeed and beat stuff like Noivern and Crobat without having to fear a Flamethrower or Brave Bird chip. Gardevoir can also just deal with the threats faster than Lucario in general like Flygon, Obstagoon (b/c of coverage CC), and Cobalion with enough chip of course. Heck, Garde can even Trick its scarf onto something and cripple it to make it easier for Lucario to handle. In return, Lucario can beat stuff like Porygon2, Snorlax, and Umbreon (since it can scout for Moonblast and switch accordingly). Enough said right?
VoltTurn teammates, such as the aforementioned Raikou can give Lucario more opportunities to switch in against the likes of Togekiss, Zarude, and Roserade, respectively.
Celebi makes a great partner for it and can open up sweeping possibilities for it. Firstly, Celebi lures in Crobat and Noivern so it can paralyze them with Thunder-wave. This is helpful as these two mons often prevent it from getting the sweep it wants. Secondly, it can pivot into Lucario if the opponent decides to switch into their Incineroar or Umbreon. Lastly, it can deal with fighting-type attacks from Coba or Scarf Hera which can give it issues.
Slurpuff is able to take advantage of Crobat, Flygon, and Noivern which can revenge kill Lucario and if they do so this can give Slurpuff set up opportunity. Lucario can also potentially weaken Chandelure a check to Slurpuff.
Dual Screener Klefki can ease Lucario's cleaning function, not only setting Reflect and Light Screen in order to make Lucario more resistant, but also crippling other sweepers with Thunder Wave or Toxic. While Toxic can cripple some Lucario's checks like Seismistoad or Gastrodon, Thunder Wave is even more useful because with the enemy sweepers paralyzed, Lucario doesnt rely so much on Extreme Speed on the late game.