Metagame SV OU Metagame Discussion

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Time to revitalise an ancient B/W core.
:sv/corviknight:
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- U-Turn
- Roost
- Brave Bird / Body Press / Defog
- Body Press / Brave Bird / Defog
:sv/quagsire:
Quagsire @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Timid Nature
- Toxic / Scald / Haze
- Spikes
- Recover
- Earthquake

:sv/heatran:
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Magma Storm
- Protect
- Stealth Rock

This core was developed during BW for sand against rain teams. The original core was :bw/skarmory: :bw/heatran: and :bw/gastrodon:, but I updated it. This core was great—it resisted many attacks while setting up double hazards. Heatran spread status, and it would cripple physical threats. Quagsire felt stronger than Gastrodon in this meta because a water immunity felt much less important.
 
Time to revitalise an ancient B/W core.
:sv/corviknight:
Corviknight @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- U-Turn
- Roost
- Brave Bird / Body Press / Defog
- Body Press / Brave Bird / Defog
:sv/quagsire:
Quagsire @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Unaware
Tera Type: Grass
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Timid Nature
- Toxic / Scald / Haze
- Spikes
- Recover
- Earthquake

:sv/heatran:
Heatran @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
- Lava Plume
- Magma Storm
- Protect
- Stealth Rock

This core was developed during BW for sand against rain teams. The original core was :bw/skarmory: :bw/heatran: and :bw/gastrodon:, but I updated it. This core was great—it resisted many attacks while setting up double hazards. Heatran spread status, and it would cripple physical threats. Quagsire felt stronger than Gastrodon in this meta because a water immunity felt much less important.
Gastrodon also has a water immunity in storm drain, and is better imo since its got rocks > spikes and is better on the special side with is a lot more important vs the elekis and magearnas everywhere
The hearten set needs earth power for sure and taunt, the set u showed loses 1v1 to every flash fire heatran and taunt + magma completely shuts down all stall cores and setups
also make it tera grass
 
For a little fun, I was looking for OU options with weather ball.

there’s so little..

But Kilowattrel has it, and is electric type,

so we have a slower, softer hitting version of ice skates eleki, with a little more in the movepool.

and Slowking synergises well with kilowattrel,

here’s the set, let me know thoughts:

:Kilowattrel:

Kilowattrel @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
Tera Type: Ice
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Weather Ball
- Hurricane
- Thunderbolt

to be used with:

:Slowking:

Slowking @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: any
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Chilly Reception
- Psychic / Surf
- Filler 1
- Filler 2


it doesn’t hit very hard, so Tera electric might be better to hurt bulkier gholdengo, Tera type toxapex, etc.

the weather ball is great at eliminating volt switch stops like Garcho, usually if you can use weather ball to take out the ground, you’re forcing a Tera out on the opponents bulky pivot.

Slowking easily pivots in on AV Pex and a few other misc Pokémon’s. The helmet is so it can make progress against some contact moves. HDB is also great.

had a bit of fun using pelliper with this pair as well.
 
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For a little fun, I was looking for OU options with weather ball.

there’s so little..

But Kilowattrel has it, and is electric type,

so we have a slower, softer hitting version of ice skates eleki, with a little more in the movepool.

and Slowking synergises well with kilowattrel,

here’s the set, let me know thoughts:

:Kilowattrel:

Kilowattrel @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
Tera Type: Ice
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Weather Ball
- Hurricane
- Thunderbolt

to be used with:

:Slowking:

Slowking @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
Tera Type: any
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Chilly Reception
- Psychic / Surf
- Filler 1
- Filler 2


it doesn’t hit very hard, so Tera electric might be better to hurt bulkier gholdengo, Tera type toxapex, etc.

the weather ball is great at eliminating volt switch stops like Garcho, usually if you can use weather ball to take out the ground, you’re forcing a Tera out on the opponents bulky pivot.

Slowking easily pivots in on AV Pex and a few other misc Pokémon’s. The helmet is so it can make progress against some contact moves. HDB is also great.

had a bit of fun using pelliper with this pair as well.
Finally, the core I've needed for my Pincurchin electric terrain team. I can finally deal with ground types
 
Finally, the core I've needed for my Pincurchin electric terrain team. I can finally deal with ground types
you know double pivot koko and chilly reception with a bolt beame to take advantage of the boosts sounds pretty cool.

kilowatrel just hits so softly tho, it can’t even OHKO Volcarona with hurricane, lol

and the defenses are so low it can’t even switch into things it resists.
 

Red Raven

I COULD BE BANNED!
Made a small list that summarizes which ones have been banned and allowed upon Home's release. I made it for myself so I don't have to keep scrolling but I figured I might as well share it

bans.JPG


Probably have missed one or two and if I'm not mistaken, the ones left are Bundle, Mane, Shifu, and Zamazentas
 
Time to address the elephant in the room. Or should I say bear
:sv/ursaluna:
Listen, I now its a Hisuian mon, and Walking Wake was also an issue on day 1. But Ursaluna is a MONSTER. It has 130/105/80 bulk, 140 ATTACK, and Guts Facade + Earthquake or Headlong Rush. Combine it with Tera Normal, nothing is living that hit. You'd need a Ghost type. Oh Wait those get blown up by its Ground STAB. It even has Crunch as the cherry on top. ALSO IT GETS SWORDS DANCE. Pair it with Trick Room Magearna or Slowking and this thing just wins games on its own. You can't outlast it because of its sheer strength, you can't out offense it because smart (or really anyone) play can just use a slow pivot into it and let it go to work, you can't outspeed it if it has Trick Room support - because even if you do outspeed in Trick Room, your screwed outside of it, AND you most likely wont be able to OHKO it while it gets 1 or 2 KOs per game. You need to preserve your Ursaluna answer and have it on the field for whenever it comes in which is super exploitable by it using Swords Dance or going into the appropriate mon.

This thing has to go. This is going to be a not fun theoretical Trick Room meta. And they though Dracovish was bad. Yea, give it actual bulk and all the power in the world and see where that goes
 

SetsuSetsuna

is a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a member of the Battle Simulator Staffis a Team Rater Alumnus
Community Leader
Before Pokemon Home arrives, and in hope it can further develop in the Home meta, I wanted to give a special s/o to the Pokemon I had the most fun with in the last few months, Maushold, and highlight some of the stuff it can do

:sv/maushold:
Maushold @ Wide Lens
Ability: Technician
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Population Bomb
- Tidy Up
- Encore
- Bite​

It improves your mu against stall structures like Ting-Lu Stall, Cyclizar Stall, and even against stalls with Flame Body Pokemon like Talonflame and Volcarona as it trades with them, making life easier for another physical breaker like Kingambit in the back. It does all of this without relying on Tera or compromising one of its moveslots, unlike Tera Dark/Fire Kingambit or Tera Dragon Baxcalibur. Here are some replays
  • vs :Blissey::Clodsire::Alomomola::Dondozo::Slowking::Orthworm: You can see how it takes advantage of a Pokemon like Slowking in order to weaken the opposin team. After finding room to set up, it is then able to win the game thanks to Encore on Alomomola's Wish and Tera Ghost on Orthworm's Body Press.
  • vs :Volcarona::Alomomola::Clodsire::Blissey::Dondozo::Toxapex: Even if the game was lost, you can see Maushold trading with Volcarona and weakening Dondozo for Kingambit to be in a position to win.
Some good support partners include
  • Magnezone for its ability to trap Corviknight and trap/weaken Kingambit that can be annoying for non Low Kick Maushold. An example of Maushold + Magnezone team is this RMT by yestrday.
  • Knock Off Great Tusk is what I went for in the last few days of prehome ladder. Some of the most common Great Tusk switch-ins happen to be Amoonguss, Corviknight and other Great Tusk, all of which will try to answer Maushold with Rocky Helmet. Once Great Tusk lures them in and removes it, Maushold will be freed. Great Tusk also checks Kingambit, and offensive variants can force Garganacl and Skeledirge to burn their Tera, allowing Maushold to hit them as well. Finally, Rapid Spin is a good complement to Maushold's Tidy Up, allowing to keep the field clear of hazards.
  • vs :Toxapex::Dondozo::Alomomola::Wo-Chien::Clodsire::Corviknight: After Corviknight got its Rocky Helmet removed, Maus was able to weaken it as well as Dondozo for Kingambit to clean up the game.
  • vs:Hatterene::Hydreigon::Corviknight::Meowscarada::Kingambit::Volcarona: After Corviknight got its Rocky Helmet removed, and the team was forced in a position for Maus to either setup or start claiming, Maus was able to claim Hydra and Volcarona, and keep Corviknight and Kingambit weakened.
It provides extra hazard removal and speed control. Outspeeding Iron Moth, Walking Wake, Baxcalibur, Hydreigon, while also being able to clear hazards goes a long way, particularly against BO.
  • vs :Iron Moth::Great Tusk::Iron Valiant::Baxcalibur::Slowking::Kingambit: Here it uses its Speed to threaten Iron Moth, Baxcalibur, and ofc Slowking, getting several KOs by the end of the game.
  • vs :Corviknight::Dragapult::Skeledirge::Ting-Lu::Toxapex::Great Tusk: Despite apparently not doing much this game, it was able to keep the field clear from Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and keep Skeledirge low which lead to Azumarill and Kingambit ultimately winning the endgame.
Encore + Tera Ghost lets it take advantage of priority moves and setup sweepers. If Kingambit gets a KO with Sucker Punch, then Maushold can come in and locked it with Encore, allowing it to Tidy Up. Tera Ghost also lets it do this against Breloom's Mach Punch and Dragonite's Extreme Speed. It can also mess with sweepers like Polteageist, Ceruledge, and Volcarona to name a few.
  • vs :Dragapult::Hatterene::Great Tusk::Ting-Lu::Dragonite::Gholdengo: In this replay Maus finds itself against a Ting-Lu clicking Ruination. It is then able to Encore it and setup against it, finally stopping Dragonite's attempt to revenge kill it thanks to Tera Ghost.
  • vs :Hawlucha::Indeedee::Polteageist::Armarouge::Hatterene::Iron Treads: Thanks to +1 Maushold being faster than +2 Polteageist, it is able to Encore it into Shell Smash, preventing the opponent from setting up and winning the game.
  • vs :Iron Valiant::Great Tusk::Roaring Moon::Glimmora::Kingambit::Ceruledge: Here it stopsCeruledge from getting out of hand locking it into Swords Dance, and then clearing Toxic Spikes and weakening Kingambit for its team.
  • vs :Walking Wake::Kingambit::Dragonite::Iron Moth::Glimmora::Azumarill: In this game it uses its Speed to score a KO against Iron Moth and non Extreme Speed Dragonite, finally cleaning the game after locking Kingambit into Sucker Punch.
Some other Maushold moments
  • :Maushold: Psyspam in WCoP weakened Garganacl with Low Kick and forced Dragon Darts Dragapult out, letting Polteageist find itself against Great Tusk and thus setup and win the game.
  • vs :Garchomp: Garchomp is at its lowest since the start of the generation, with Rocky Helmet and max HP being far from the most popular options unlike in November. At+1, Maushold is able to trade with uninvested Garchomp, OHKOing it without getting KOed from the recoil.
  • vs :Great Tusk::Sandy Shocks::Dragonite::Toxapex::Cinderace::Gholdengo: Maushold claims 6. Not actually uncommon. Corviknight can run Leftovers, Amoonguss Black Sludge or Red Card, Great Tusk a lot other items such as in this replay, and ghosts are some chip or 1 flinch away from not being able to take on it.
A Maushold team I used this week to climb to 2000+


I hope Maushold continues to see some level of play in the Home meta, as it is a Pokemon I love very much. Ty for reading <3!
 
Time to address the elephant in the room. Or should I say bear
:sv/ursaluna:
Listen, I now its a Hisuian mon, and Walking Wake was also an issue on day 1. But Ursaluna is a MONSTER. It has 130/105/80 bulk, 140 ATTACK, and Guts Facade + Earthquake or Headlong Rush. Combine it with Tera Normal, nothing is living that hit. You'd need a Ghost type. Oh Wait those get blown up by its Ground STAB. It even has Crunch as the cherry on top. ALSO IT GETS SWORDS DANCE. Pair it with Trick Room Magearna or Slowking and this thing just wins games on its own. You can't outlast it because of its sheer strength, you can't out offense it because smart (or really anyone) play can just use a slow pivot into it and let it go to work, you can't outspeed it if it has Trick Room support - because even if you do outspeed in Trick Room, your screwed outside of it, AND you most likely wont be able to OHKO it while it gets 1 or 2 KOs per game. You need to preserve your Ursaluna answer and have it on the field for whenever it comes in which is super exploitable by it using Swords Dance or going into the appropriate mon.

This thing has to go. This is going to be a not fun theoretical Trick Room meta. And they though Dracovish was bad. Yea, give it actual bulk and all the power in the world and see where that goes
It's important to note Trick Room has rarely been a good strategy in singles. Each use only lasts 5 turns, including 2 turns to both use it and switch, so building a team around it relies on maintaining healthy setters that use a -7 priority status move. It can hardly be a setup sweeper due to the 3 turn limit, it must pivot in.
Even if it is a serious meta-warping problem, quick bans are an option. Since Ursaluna's effectively brand new, a wait and see approach is better than shooting it down before it's even proven definitively it's unhealthy.
 

G-Luke

Sugar, Spice and One For All
is a Community Contributoris a CAP Contributoris a Forum Moderator Alumnus
Time to address the elephant in the room. Or should I say bear
:sv/ursaluna:
Listen, I now its a Hisuian mon, and Walking Wake was also an issue on day 1. But Ursaluna is a MONSTER. It has 130/105/80 bulk, 140 ATTACK, and Guts Facade + Earthquake or Headlong Rush. Combine it with Tera Normal, nothing is living that hit. You'd need a Ghost type. Oh Wait those get blown up by its Ground STAB. It even has Crunch as the cherry on top. ALSO IT GETS SWORDS DANCE. Pair it with Trick Room Magearna or Slowking and this thing just wins games on its own. You can't outlast it because of its sheer strength, you can't out offense it because smart (or really anyone) play can just use a slow pivot into it and let it go to work, you can't outspeed it if it has Trick Room support - because even if you do outspeed in Trick Room, your screwed outside of it, AND you most likely wont be able to OHKO it while it gets 1 or 2 KOs per game. You need to preserve your Ursaluna answer and have it on the field for whenever it comes in which is super exploitable by it using Swords Dance or going into the appropriate mon.

This thing has to go. This is going to be a not fun theoretical Trick Room meta. And they though Dracovish was bad. Yea, give it actual bulk and all the power in the world and see where that goes
There is no such thing as a Trick Room meta.
 
The most similar pokemon to Ursaluna is probably Conkeldurr; Exactly 140 attack, high HP and Def, Guts and low speed. Conk could tear teams apart with stab Drain Punch, Facade, Knock Off, even some priority in Mach Punch.
All that stuff sounds scary on paper, but Conk was UU in Gen 8. Turns out Speed is valuable.
 
The most similar pokemon to Ursaluna is probably Conkeldurr; Exactly 140 attack, high HP and Def, Guts and low speed. Conk could tear teams apart with stab Drain Punch, Facade, Knock Off, even some priority in Mach Punch.
All that stuff sounds scary on paper, but Conk was UU in Gen 8. Turns out Speed is valuable.
To me its most similar to melmetal, a slow bruiser pokemon with lots of coverage and attacking moves to take advantage of its typing, as well as immense bulk, but low speed and is used mainly as a bulky attacker that can come in on some hard hitting threats, but has the upside of doing massive damage in return despite being held back by speed sometimes, and just like stab iron fist boosted double iron bashes, stab guts facade is nothing to scoff at either
 
There is no such thing as a Trick Room meta.
I realize making comparisons to natdex is bad for reasons that have been discussed in this thread, but afaik there's precedent there for trick room making a slow but powerful/bulky mon broken. granted melm has a slightly better defensive typing, better bulk, and one of the more busted signature moves from gen 8, so luna may not end up being as bad.
 
1685297989718.png


I've seen a lot of people writing this thing off as a one-trick pony and just another niche trick room abuser. I have played plenty of test games, and watched plenty of test games, and I can safely say this mon completely warps the builder. It has one main set that I've used the most and I imagine is the most common right now in post-Home test games. It's also important to note that test games may not reflect the actual official meta we will likely begin playing late Tuesday early Wednesday. It'll probably take a few weeks into the new official meta to actual get a genuine assessment of this mon, but I do think it will be OU by usage and controversial at least to start.

Ursaluna @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 208 HP / 252 Atk / 48 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Facade
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
This set is extremely simple, it's a trick room sweeper with respectable bulk. If you're able to get this thing on the field while trick room is up, it's more than likely going to claim a kill or two. Here are some calcs showcasing it's defensive prowess, so that even if not in Trick Room, you're able to live hits and revenge kill.
252 SpA Choice Specs Iron Valiant Moonblast vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 249-294 (54.9 - 64.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
252 SpA Gholdengo Focus Blast vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 302-356 (66.6 - 78.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
252+ SpA Magearna Fleur Cannon vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 264-312 (58.2 - 68.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
252+ SpA Magearna Ice Beam vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 246-290 (54.3 - 64%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
252+ SpA Life Orb Tera Ice Regieleki Tera Blast vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 351-416 (77.4 - 91.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage

These are just a few calcs that showcase how effectively it is able to tank hits and revenge kill. In trick room, you're going to move before everything and 0hko a lot of what is on the calcs, but even outside of trick room, a lot of times you're able to still tank hits and revenge. These calcs are not cherry picked either, these are some extremely hard hitters that Ursaluna is able to live, meaning it's able to shrug a ton more off of less threatening moves. Of course, offensively is where it shines. Tera Normal allows it to get Adaptability STAB Facade with Guts boosted. With access to Swords Dance, you're able to break through physical defence tanks such as Corviknight, Great Tusk, etc. Here are some offensive calcs:

252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dondozo: 348-410 (69 - 81.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 248 HP / 220 Def Zapdos: 480-566 (125.3 - 147.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 164+ Def Landorus-Therian: 444-524 (116.2 - 137.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Great Tusk: 316-372 (72.8 - 85.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
After a Swords Dance, you're have a chance to 0hko a fully physical defensive corviknight.
+2 252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Corviknight: 368-434 (92.2 - 108.7%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
+2 252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Fire Punch vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Corviknight: 396-466 (99.2 - 116.7%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
(usually I would hit Facade as there may be a defensive tera coming for fire punch if they haven't used yet)
Trick Room only lasts four turns though, so Ursaluna requires massive support in order to function well within Trick Room. Fortunately, the HOME update is exactly what Trick Room needed in order to see at least a little more use in Singles with setters such as Glowking, and Magearna. Magearna stands out however, due to access to Volt Switch, and I've personally been running a Eject Pack Fleur Cannon set which can do a lot of damage and keep momentum that forms an excellent core with Ursaluna

Magearna @ Eject Pack
Ability: Soul-Heart
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Fleur Cannon
- Focus Blast
- Volt Switch
Let's say, you're not in the mood to give Ursaluna the support it requires, because admittedly, it can sometimes be hard to pull off. Rest Talk sets are not as well tested, but still extremely notable within the meta. Shoutout to Srn for working on this and sharing it.

Ursaluna @ Leftovers
Ability: Guts
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 248 HP / 116 Def / 144 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Body Slam
- Earthquake
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
You still get the Guts boost while asleep, making this set a very threatening SleepTalker with a lot of defensive utility. I'm less sure about this set until we get the official meta, though I'm confident Ursaluna will be a very polarizing mon, at least to start.

I think that, in general, if a mon makes a normally very unviable strategy (in Singles) singlehandedly viable or notable, it's a good mon. This is the case with Trick Room and Ursaluna. Here is a team that I built myself abusing Ursaluna, not a full TR team but rather just a semi trick room team: https://pokepast.es/8fd208dc86c48f5a

Here are a few replays showcasing Ursaluna's power and it's ability to basically singlehandedly make Trick Room notable:
**Again, note that these games are simply tests. They may not reflect the actual meta.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9customgame-1871028345 Trick Room vs Screens HO
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9customgame-1869582388-g2tdho82jczbfbkulqootiz6etlftjrpw Trick Room vs BO/Balance
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9customgame-1872059026-1mgrof5eh469n3lm8xbn0by9lkv5bdopw Ursaluna vs HO (no TR)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9customgame-1872287951 Semi TR vs HO (I haxxed this game but Ursaluna is still nuts)

yeah ig Ursaluna is ok
 
View attachment 519777

I've seen a lot of people writing this thing off as a one-trick pony and just another niche trick room abuser. I have played plenty of test games, and watched plenty of test games, and I can safely say this mon completely warps the builder. It has one main set that I've used the most and I imagine is the most common right now in post-Home test games. It's also important to note that test games may not reflect the actual official meta we will likely begin playing late Tuesday early Wednesday. It'll probably take a few weeks into the new official meta to actual get a genuine assessment of this mon, but I do think it will be OU by usage and controversial at least to start.

Ursaluna @ Flame Orb
Ability: Guts
Tera Type: Normal
EVs: 208 HP / 252 Atk / 48 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Swords Dance
- Facade
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
This set is extremely simple, it's a trick room sweeper with respectable bulk. If you're able to get this thing on the field while trick room is up, it's more than likely going to claim a kill or two. Here are some calcs showcasing it's defensive prowess, so that even if not in Trick Room, you're able to live hits and revenge kill.
252 SpA Choice Specs Iron Valiant Moonblast vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 249-294 (54.9 - 64.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
252 SpA Gholdengo Focus Blast vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 302-356 (66.6 - 78.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
252+ SpA Magearna Fleur Cannon vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 264-312 (58.2 - 68.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
252+ SpA Magearna Ice Beam vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 246-290 (54.3 - 64%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage
252+ SpA Life Orb Tera Ice Regieleki Tera Blast vs. 208 HP / 48 SpD Ursaluna: 351-416 (77.4 - 91.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after burn damage

These are just a few calcs that showcase how effectively it is able to tank hits and revenge kill. In trick room, you're going to move before everything and 0hko a lot of what is on the calcs, but even outside of trick room, a lot of times you're able to still tank hits and revenge. These calcs are not cherry picked either, these are some extremely hard hitters that Ursaluna is able to live, meaning it's able to shrug a ton more off of less threatening moves. Of course, offensively is where it shines. Tera Normal allows it to get Adaptability STAB Facade with Guts boosted. With access to Swords Dance, you're able to break through physical defence tanks such as Corviknight, Great Tusk, etc. Here are some offensive calcs:

252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Dondozo: 348-410 (69 - 81.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 248 HP / 220 Def Zapdos: 480-566 (125.3 - 147.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 164+ Def Landorus-Therian: 444-524 (116.2 - 137.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Great Tusk: 316-372 (72.8 - 85.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
After a Swords Dance, you're have a chance to 0hko a fully physical defensive corviknight.
+2 252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Facade (140 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Corviknight: 368-434 (92.2 - 108.7%) -- 56.3% chance to OHKO
+2 252+ Atk Guts Tera Normal Ursaluna Fire Punch vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Corviknight: 396-466 (99.2 - 116.7%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
(usually I would hit Facade as there may be a defensive tera coming for fire punch if they haven't used yet)
Trick Room only lasts four turns though, so Ursaluna requires massive support in order to function well within Trick Room. Fortunately, the HOME update is exactly what Trick Room needed in order to see at least a little more use in Singles with setters such as Glowking, and Magearna. Magearna stands out however, due to access to Volt Switch, and I've personally been running a Eject Pack Fleur Cannon set which can do a lot of damage and keep momentum that forms an excellent core with Ursaluna

Magearna @ Eject Pack
Ability: Soul-Heart
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 SpA
Quiet Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Spe
- Trick Room
- Fleur Cannon
- Focus Blast
- Volt Switch
Let's say, you're not in the mood to give Ursaluna the support it requires, because admittedly, it can sometimes be hard to pull off. Rest Talk sets are not as well tested, but still extremely notable within the meta. Shoutout to Srn for working on this and sharing it.

Ursaluna @ Leftovers
Ability: Guts
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 248 HP / 116 Def / 144 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Body Slam
- Earthquake
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
You still get the Guts boost while asleep, making this set a very threatening SleepTalker with a lot of defensive utility. I'm less sure about this set until we get the official meta, though I'm confident Ursaluna will be a very polarizing mon, at least to start.

I think that, in general, if a mon makes a normally very unviable strategy (in Singles) singlehandedly viable or notable, it's a good mon. This is the case with Trick Room and Ursaluna. Here is a team that I built myself abusing Ursaluna, not a full TR team but rather just a semi trick room team: https://pokepast.es/8fd208dc86c48f5a

Here are a few replays showcasing Ursaluna's power and it's ability to basically singlehandedly make Trick Room notable:
**Again, note that these games are simply tests. They may not reflect the actual meta.

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9customgame-1871028345 Trick Room vs Screens HO
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9customgame-1869582388-g2tdho82jczbfbkulqootiz6etlftjrpw Trick Room vs BO/Balance
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9customgame-1872059026-1mgrof5eh469n3lm8xbn0by9lkv5bdopw Ursaluna vs HO (no TR)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9customgame-1872287951 Semi TR vs HO (I haxxed this game but Ursaluna is still nuts)

yeah ig Ursaluna is ok
Keep in mind it can be used outside of Trick Room. While niche, it can run 140 speed EVs to outpace no speed Corviknight. VERY NICHE sets can use Yawn or like Rest Talk or something. I'm not sure, this mon is strong
 

G-Luke

Sugar, Spice and One For All
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I believe Ursaluna will play similarly to the likes of Walking Wake upon debut, but will have to content with being alot easier to revenge kill generally in exchange for being harder to wall.
 
I believe Ursaluna will play similarly to the likes of Walking Wake upon debut, but will have to content with being alot easier to revenge kill generally in exchange for being harder to wall.
Well yes. Obviously. But did people use screens Walking Wake? No, because sun + screens is too much setup in a short amount of time. It could be used on screen teams because like it honestly only needs 2 actual turns to be of any use - those being the turn Guts activates, and the potential hit after a Swords Dance

Maybe I overyped cocaine bear
 
The most similar pokemon to Ursaluna is probably Conkeldurr; Exactly 140 attack, high HP and Def, Guts and low speed. Conk could tear teams apart with stab Drain Punch, Facade, Knock Off, even some priority in Mach Punch.
All that stuff sounds scary on paper, but Conk was UU in Gen 8. Turns out Speed is valuable.
Ursa has significantly higher bulk than Conk, a much better typing both offensively and defensively. The latter is especially relevant because it makes outright KOing a healthy bear harder. That and stab facade is a kinda big difference.
 
Luna definitely looks significantly strong to the point where TR might just be a niche usecase for it, even if he's slow you really need to prioritize putting yourself in a position where you can take it out, cuz otherwise it'll be able to take something down with it, especially with how you can just slow pivot to get it in for free. You don't even need to SD to put insane amounts of pressure on whoever you're facing, just guts is enough to be an immediately threatening presence that demands prescient counterplay so you don't end up in an at least 2:1 trade to take it down.
 
Well yes. Obviously. But did people use screens Walking Wake? No, because sun + screens is too much setup in a short amount of time. It could be used on screen teams because like it honestly only needs 2 actual turns to be of any use - those being the turn Guts activates, and the potential hit after a Swords Dance

Maybe I overyped cocaine bear
Trick Room, swap out, Swords Dance, and now you have two turns for Ursalina to murder things. Without the Swords Dance boost, it's very powerful but not "OHKO walls" powerful, and while it has great bulk, it's defensive typing is only good, whereas Melmetal's was excellent.

Very powerful, yes. Quick ban levels of clearly broken, no.
 
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