My latest NU team is a revamp of my previous one. Now that the metagame has progressed, the team has been rebuilt with a few different choices to further exploit the team’s synergy and combat the metagame’s adaptations of recent times.
A quick glance:
Medicham @ Life Orb
Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Pure Power
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Fake Out
Hi Jump Kick
Zen Headbutt
ThunderPunch
Medicham is one of my favourite NU leads and for good reason. The raw power it packs is incredible – with maximised EVs and IVs, it hits about 168 base attack. Many leads are completely destroyed, but the great thing about Cham is that nothing – nothing – can switch into it for free. Anything quick enough to outspeed it generally takes a huge amount of damage even on a resisted hit, and anything slower is 2HKOd, often no matter what they switch into. Even the leads it loses to, generally those that are faster and can OHKO or sleep it, eat a Fake Out before I switch. An Adamant nature is important because it increases the damage output of Fake Out as well as making sure that Medicham’s attacks, even when resisted, wreak as much havoc as possible. It also increases the chance of KOing Slowking with ThunderPunch after it switches into a HJK, reducing the potential for Thunder Wave stall-out.
Primeape @ Choice Scarf
Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Vital Spirit
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Close Combat
U-Turn
Stone Edge
Ice Punch
Ah, ScarfApe. What does it do? What can’t it do? It’s a scout, a revenge-killer and even a sweeper by turns. It boasts excellent synergy with Medicham, which is adept at killing or weakening physically bulky pokémon so that Primeape can unleash its Close Combats unhindered. Its U-Turn allows it to bring Skuntank in for free on pokes that are ideal for trapping, like Dusclops and Slowking. It’s also a good sleep absorber, covering for Cham against leads like Jumpluff and Butterfree. For all its utility, though, Primeape fills one basic role at heart – as an incredibly good revenge-killer. It tears through most weakened sweepers, coming close to an OHKO on Espeon with U-Turn and slamming through frailer attackers like Magmortar with its powerful Close Combats.
Gligar @ Leftovers
Impish (+Def, -SpA)
Sand Veil
252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Earthquake
U-Turn
Stealth Rock
Roost
Gligar is a new addition to the team, brought in in place of Miltank. The annoying cow just wasn’t cutting it as a Stealth Rock user any more, partly because the metagame was starting to adapt to it. Electric- and Fighting-type pokes are becoming more and more common as players bring in attackers that can break through the ‘MilKing’ core. More than that, though, strong physical attackers like Tauros are becoming less common precisely because they are completely walled by Miltank – I was finding that Miltank wasn’t getting Rocks up early, or even at all, because it didn’t have any opportunities to come in or force anything out. Gligar provides a spread of useful resistances and immunities, so it can be brought in on many resists as well as to sponge generic physical hits. It also has arguably better synergy with Slowking – it can take the Electric attacks aimed at its walling partner while Water and Ice moves targeted for Gligar are easily sponged by the King’s absurd special bulk.
Gligar also has a few other nice touches. In a metagame filled with powerful Fire-types, few Fliers and a burgeoning population of Electrics, STAB Earthquake is a rare and valuable commodity. Its U-Turn, too, makes it a very good wall – should it not need to Roost on an obvious switch, it can let the appropriate poke come in, retaining momentum. Moreover, a slow U-Turn is invaluable to support pokes like Medicham and Primeape, which are otherwise too frail to switch in without impeccable prediction or a sacrifice.
Slowking @ Leftovers
Calm (+SpD, -Atk)
Own Tempo
252 HP/56 SpA/200 SpD
Surf
Grass Knot
Slack Off
Thunder Wave
Slowking completes my defensive combo, allowing me to avoid revenge kills from special attackers. It’s a good switch-in to most of the special side of NU, including the huge threats that are Choice Typhlosion, Charizard and Magmortar. Another useful role of Slowking is to attract Skuntank like flies – it can switch out, allowing another poke to damage the skunk (though it risks Pursuit, few Skuntank are Pursuiting first any more) or it can wear it down with STAB Surf. With Skuntank weakened, KOd or forced to Explode, Espeon has a much easier time sweeping.
Surf provides powerful STAB, and Grass Knot is a powerful secondary attack that few people see coming. I’ve had a few people tell me I should be using Ice Beam (news flash – Leafeon is gone!), or Hidden Power Electric – this is usually said immediately after I have hit their Quagsire/Gastrodon with it, or broken the sub of the DD Lapras they expected to wall me. The EV spread provides maximum Special bulk while allowing Slowking to do an average of 50% to 4 HP Skuntank with Surf – a good chance of a 2HKO, guaranteed with Stealth Rock. Thunder Wave cripples most switch-ins and allows Slowking to stall out many attackers that would otherwise 2HKO, such as Expert Belt Magmortar.
Skuntank @ Life Orb
Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Aftermath
32 HP/252 Atk/224 Spe
Sucker Punch
Pursuit
Taunt
Explosion
Skuntank is an incredibly useful pokémon that I’ve used on almost all of my teams this format. It helps break down walls like Dusclops, Slowking and Gardevoir, using its Taunt, threatening Sucker Punch and powerful Pursuit to trap and kill these checks to Espeon and Primeape. Skuntank’s second job is to insure the team against threats like Espeon and Haunter – its immunity to Psychic and neutrality to Bug allows it to deal with Substitute variants of the cat that lack HP Ground as well as soft countering Specs sets. It’s also a fantastic revenge-killer, taking down many sweepers and wallbreakers with its incredibly powerful Sucker Punch. There are some threats Primeape can’t deal with – especially if it’s dead – so Skuntank is a catch-all answer to most of NU’s most dangerous threats. Finally, when it gets low on health and it has done its job, it can tear through pretty much anything with a Life Orbed, max attack Explosion.
Its EVs and item cast it in a very offensive role – this isn’t a pokemon that sticks around for that long once it has neutralised a threat. 224 Spe lets it outspeed all Miltank that don't have significant investment, as well as Adamant Medicham. Skuntank makes up for its lack of longevity by taking down at least one and often two threats to the team. Taunt is a surprisingly undervalued option – it lets Skuntank stop Will-o-Wisp and force out annoying threats like SubSeed Jumpluff, otherwise hugely difficult to kill once it gets going. Similarly, Cursers can be forced out, or killed if they stay in. Skuntank is a hugely versatile pokemon, and wreaks havoc in nearly every match.
Espeon @ Life Orb
Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
Synchronise
252 Spe/252 SpA/4 SpD
Psychic
Signal Beam
Hidden Power (Ground)
Calm Mind
Calm Mind + 3 Attacks Espeon is in my experience the most effective set. While Specs is easy to wall and always wary of Skuntank’s trapping, and SubCM versions don’t have the coverage to hit both Slowking and Skuntank for super-effective damage, this set has the least problems with the metagame hate against it. Sure, Skuntank can switch in as Espy Calm Minds, but then mind-games ensue. If Skuntank Pursuits, Espeon could stay in and OHKO with HP Ground, but if it Sucker Punches then it risks a free switch-out. Moreover, many players have started sacking weakened pokes to Espy in order to scout for a Specs HP Ground, so Skuntank rarely switches in directly.
Essentially, Espeon is the cleaner that the team needs to finish things off. Once Medicham has taken out their Slowking and pulled in their fast, Scarf revenger to be worn down, and Skuntank has torn through their bulky Psychic-type or Choice Scarf Haunter, Espeon shreds pretty much everything. After a Calm Mind, Psychic destroys anything that doesn’t resist it.
Psychic offers a powerful STAB move, and is the main sweeping tool – Signal Beam hits other Psychics and most Dark-types, while Hidden Power Ground hits Skuntank. A Timid nature is essential because not to outspeed +Spe-natured base 100s greatly hampers Espeon’s ability to function – it needs to beat things like Ninetales, Typhlosion, Manectric and Charizard as well as at worst tying with Tauros.
A last look:
A quick glance:
Medicham @ Life Orb
Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Pure Power
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Fake Out
Hi Jump Kick
Zen Headbutt
ThunderPunch
Medicham is one of my favourite NU leads and for good reason. The raw power it packs is incredible – with maximised EVs and IVs, it hits about 168 base attack. Many leads are completely destroyed, but the great thing about Cham is that nothing – nothing – can switch into it for free. Anything quick enough to outspeed it generally takes a huge amount of damage even on a resisted hit, and anything slower is 2HKOd, often no matter what they switch into. Even the leads it loses to, generally those that are faster and can OHKO or sleep it, eat a Fake Out before I switch. An Adamant nature is important because it increases the damage output of Fake Out as well as making sure that Medicham’s attacks, even when resisted, wreak as much havoc as possible. It also increases the chance of KOing Slowking with ThunderPunch after it switches into a HJK, reducing the potential for Thunder Wave stall-out.
Primeape @ Choice Scarf
Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Vital Spirit
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Close Combat
U-Turn
Stone Edge
Ice Punch
Ah, ScarfApe. What does it do? What can’t it do? It’s a scout, a revenge-killer and even a sweeper by turns. It boasts excellent synergy with Medicham, which is adept at killing or weakening physically bulky pokémon so that Primeape can unleash its Close Combats unhindered. Its U-Turn allows it to bring Skuntank in for free on pokes that are ideal for trapping, like Dusclops and Slowking. It’s also a good sleep absorber, covering for Cham against leads like Jumpluff and Butterfree. For all its utility, though, Primeape fills one basic role at heart – as an incredibly good revenge-killer. It tears through most weakened sweepers, coming close to an OHKO on Espeon with U-Turn and slamming through frailer attackers like Magmortar with its powerful Close Combats.
Gligar @ Leftovers
Impish (+Def, -SpA)
Sand Veil
252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Earthquake
U-Turn
Stealth Rock
Roost
Gligar is a new addition to the team, brought in in place of Miltank. The annoying cow just wasn’t cutting it as a Stealth Rock user any more, partly because the metagame was starting to adapt to it. Electric- and Fighting-type pokes are becoming more and more common as players bring in attackers that can break through the ‘MilKing’ core. More than that, though, strong physical attackers like Tauros are becoming less common precisely because they are completely walled by Miltank – I was finding that Miltank wasn’t getting Rocks up early, or even at all, because it didn’t have any opportunities to come in or force anything out. Gligar provides a spread of useful resistances and immunities, so it can be brought in on many resists as well as to sponge generic physical hits. It also has arguably better synergy with Slowking – it can take the Electric attacks aimed at its walling partner while Water and Ice moves targeted for Gligar are easily sponged by the King’s absurd special bulk.
Gligar also has a few other nice touches. In a metagame filled with powerful Fire-types, few Fliers and a burgeoning population of Electrics, STAB Earthquake is a rare and valuable commodity. Its U-Turn, too, makes it a very good wall – should it not need to Roost on an obvious switch, it can let the appropriate poke come in, retaining momentum. Moreover, a slow U-Turn is invaluable to support pokes like Medicham and Primeape, which are otherwise too frail to switch in without impeccable prediction or a sacrifice.
Slowking @ Leftovers
Calm (+SpD, -Atk)
Own Tempo
252 HP/56 SpA/200 SpD
Surf
Grass Knot
Slack Off
Thunder Wave
Slowking completes my defensive combo, allowing me to avoid revenge kills from special attackers. It’s a good switch-in to most of the special side of NU, including the huge threats that are Choice Typhlosion, Charizard and Magmortar. Another useful role of Slowking is to attract Skuntank like flies – it can switch out, allowing another poke to damage the skunk (though it risks Pursuit, few Skuntank are Pursuiting first any more) or it can wear it down with STAB Surf. With Skuntank weakened, KOd or forced to Explode, Espeon has a much easier time sweeping.
Surf provides powerful STAB, and Grass Knot is a powerful secondary attack that few people see coming. I’ve had a few people tell me I should be using Ice Beam (news flash – Leafeon is gone!), or Hidden Power Electric – this is usually said immediately after I have hit their Quagsire/Gastrodon with it, or broken the sub of the DD Lapras they expected to wall me. The EV spread provides maximum Special bulk while allowing Slowking to do an average of 50% to 4 HP Skuntank with Surf – a good chance of a 2HKO, guaranteed with Stealth Rock. Thunder Wave cripples most switch-ins and allows Slowking to stall out many attackers that would otherwise 2HKO, such as Expert Belt Magmortar.
Skuntank @ Life Orb
Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Aftermath
32 HP/252 Atk/224 Spe
Sucker Punch
Pursuit
Taunt
Explosion
Skuntank is an incredibly useful pokémon that I’ve used on almost all of my teams this format. It helps break down walls like Dusclops, Slowking and Gardevoir, using its Taunt, threatening Sucker Punch and powerful Pursuit to trap and kill these checks to Espeon and Primeape. Skuntank’s second job is to insure the team against threats like Espeon and Haunter – its immunity to Psychic and neutrality to Bug allows it to deal with Substitute variants of the cat that lack HP Ground as well as soft countering Specs sets. It’s also a fantastic revenge-killer, taking down many sweepers and wallbreakers with its incredibly powerful Sucker Punch. There are some threats Primeape can’t deal with – especially if it’s dead – so Skuntank is a catch-all answer to most of NU’s most dangerous threats. Finally, when it gets low on health and it has done its job, it can tear through pretty much anything with a Life Orbed, max attack Explosion.
Its EVs and item cast it in a very offensive role – this isn’t a pokemon that sticks around for that long once it has neutralised a threat. 224 Spe lets it outspeed all Miltank that don't have significant investment, as well as Adamant Medicham. Skuntank makes up for its lack of longevity by taking down at least one and often two threats to the team. Taunt is a surprisingly undervalued option – it lets Skuntank stop Will-o-Wisp and force out annoying threats like SubSeed Jumpluff, otherwise hugely difficult to kill once it gets going. Similarly, Cursers can be forced out, or killed if they stay in. Skuntank is a hugely versatile pokemon, and wreaks havoc in nearly every match.
Espeon @ Life Orb
Timid (+Spe, -Atk)
Synchronise
252 Spe/252 SpA/4 SpD
Psychic
Signal Beam
Hidden Power (Ground)
Calm Mind
Calm Mind + 3 Attacks Espeon is in my experience the most effective set. While Specs is easy to wall and always wary of Skuntank’s trapping, and SubCM versions don’t have the coverage to hit both Slowking and Skuntank for super-effective damage, this set has the least problems with the metagame hate against it. Sure, Skuntank can switch in as Espy Calm Minds, but then mind-games ensue. If Skuntank Pursuits, Espeon could stay in and OHKO with HP Ground, but if it Sucker Punches then it risks a free switch-out. Moreover, many players have started sacking weakened pokes to Espy in order to scout for a Specs HP Ground, so Skuntank rarely switches in directly.
Essentially, Espeon is the cleaner that the team needs to finish things off. Once Medicham has taken out their Slowking and pulled in their fast, Scarf revenger to be worn down, and Skuntank has torn through their bulky Psychic-type or Choice Scarf Haunter, Espeon shreds pretty much everything. After a Calm Mind, Psychic destroys anything that doesn’t resist it.
Psychic offers a powerful STAB move, and is the main sweeping tool – Signal Beam hits other Psychics and most Dark-types, while Hidden Power Ground hits Skuntank. A Timid nature is essential because not to outspeed +Spe-natured base 100s greatly hampers Espeon’s ability to function – it needs to beat things like Ninetales, Typhlosion, Manectric and Charizard as well as at worst tying with Tauros.
A last look:
