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Underused Pokemon Matchmaking Phase 2 [Week 29 - Nasty Plot Infernape]
- Thread starter nv
- Start date
Shiba
Sacri'
Mr. Murkrow
And with that, Recreant squeaks by with those final two votes to win this week of Matchmaking.
This week, I was combing through UU and RU mons and realized I haven't done this particular mon yet and I should be ashamed of myself, but whatever. I am talking about...
This little bugger was passed over by me and while I am ashamed I am glad I found him to be the "victim" for this week. Anyways, have fun posting and see you guys Friday! :)
This week, I was combing through UU and RU mons and realized I haven't done this particular mon yet and I should be ashamed of myself, but whatever. I am talking about...
This little bugger was passed over by me and while I am ashamed I am glad I found him to be the "victim" for this week. Anyways, have fun posting and see you guys Friday! :)
Heracross and Doublade
Heracross @ Choice Band
Ability: Guts
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Doublade @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 240 HP / 236 Atk / 32 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Shadow Sneak
- Sacred Sword
- Gyro Ball
- Swords Dance
This core is fairly simple, it's just to mitigate Heracross's big Flying-Type weakness. Common switch-ins to Heracross include Crobat and some other ones like Salamence (has to be Physical). But yeah, the addition of Doublade obviously helps against the Crobats and Physical Salamences, because of the fantastic synergy their typings provide. This core also provides 2 counters to some of the best mons in the tier (Snorlax, Reuniclus, etc). But yeah, I used this core extensively on a team and it's pretty great :]
Heracross @ Choice Band
Ability: Guts
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Doublade @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 240 HP / 236 Atk / 32 Def
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Shadow Sneak
- Sacred Sword
- Gyro Ball
- Swords Dance
This core is fairly simple, it's just to mitigate Heracross's big Flying-Type weakness. Common switch-ins to Heracross include Crobat and some other ones like Salamence (has to be Physical). But yeah, the addition of Doublade obviously helps against the Crobats and Physical Salamences, because of the fantastic synergy their typings provide. This core also provides 2 counters to some of the best mons in the tier (Snorlax, Reuniclus, etc). But yeah, I used this core extensively on a team and it's pretty great :]
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Heracross @ Choice Band
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Knock Off
Heliolisk @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Grass Knot
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch
- Hyper Voice
Heliolisk is really helpfull for Heracross, with his move pool and his speed tiers, he can defeat the few mon who could wall or just kill Heracross, like Salamence, Aerodactyl-mega, Crobat, and some bulky water such as Suicune or Swampert. Heracross help a lot Heliolisk because he can defeat the ground type pretty easily due to his amazing power. He can also pressure the fighting type a lot.
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Heracross @ Choice Band
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge
- Knock Off
Ampharos-Mega @ Ampharosite
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 192 HP / 252 SpA / 64 Spe
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Dragon Pulse
- Focus Blast
- Thunderbolt
Works with other Heracross sets such as SD Lefties and Scarf as well - Ampharos can bring Heracross in safely against many mons with a slow Volt Switch, and wears down common checks such as Florges. Heracross in turn threatens the slower bulky mons that Ampharos has trouble with such as Snorlax and Cresselia. Ampharos also serves as a pivot against Heracross's common revenge killers such as Crobat. Resttalk Ampharos is an option for more longevity, but has more trouble wearing down Heracross switchins and loses momentum with bad sleep rolls. Heracross serves as a Krookodile check, one of the more common Ampharos revenge killers. The two are also naturally bulky enough to be soft checks to the majority of the tier together.
Heracross @ Leftovers
Ability: Guts
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Atk / 216 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Megahorn
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
Mamoswine @ Life Orb
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
- Stealth Rock / Knock Off
Mamoswine is a great mon to pair with SD Heracross by either weakening or taking out common switchins and checks for it. Common ones include Crobat, Mega Aerodactyl, Nidoqueen, Gligar, Salamence, Florges. All these either get one shotted or weakened by Mamoswine's dual STAB. Getting up Stealth Rock also serves well to support Heracross to make 3 of these common switchins less likely to be able to take hits from Heracross. Choice Band Heracross could also work here, but I prefer SD Lefties with 40 HP to be able to more often take Scalds targeted at Mamoswine, while still out speeding Base 80s (like opposing Mamoswine), and proceed to soften up bulky waters. Heracross also helps to deal with Cresselia and Umbreon that Mamoswine has trouble beating.
Reserving Nidoqueen.
Heracross @ Choice Band
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Nidoqueen @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 180 HP / 252 SpA / 76 Spe
Modest Nature
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic Spikes
Band Heracross and Offensive SR Nidoqueen makes a pretty devastating offensive core for most bulky offense teams. Nidoqueen can set Stealth Rock & Toxic Spikes, easily wearing down the opponents team, allowing Heracross to freely spam its STAB or coverage moves and easily clean up the opponents squad. Nidoqueen also eliminates bulky fairy types such as Florges, Aromatisse, and Granbull with Sludge Wave while also beating opposing Poison types with STAB Earth Power. In return, Heracross absolutely destroys Normal types with a STAB Close Combat while swiftly removing Cresselia with a Megahorn. Heracross can also 2HKO Krookodile and Suicune with its STAB moves.
Heracross @ Choice Band
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Nidoqueen @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 180 HP / 252 SpA / 76 Spe
Modest Nature
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic Spikes
Band Heracross and Offensive SR Nidoqueen makes a pretty devastating offensive core for most bulky offense teams. Nidoqueen can set Stealth Rock & Toxic Spikes, easily wearing down the opponents team, allowing Heracross to freely spam its STAB or coverage moves and easily clean up the opponents squad. Nidoqueen also eliminates bulky fairy types such as Florges, Aromatisse, and Granbull with Sludge Wave while also beating opposing Poison types with STAB Earth Power. In return, Heracross absolutely destroys Normal types with a STAB Close Combat while swiftly removing Cresselia with a Megahorn. Heracross can also 2HKO Krookodile and Suicune with its STAB moves.
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Heracross @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
Scarf Cross is a great cleaner at 442.5 speed, whose Moxie ability means that sweeping can be done early, and strong. While the loss of Guts hurts against Prankster users, and especially T-Wave and Toxic abusers, using Heracross late game allows for OHKOs against some of the best late game mons including Krook (outspeeds Heracross with Choice Scarf, max damage 50.1 Stone Edge), Mienshao (outspeeds Hearcross with Choice Scarf, max damage 61.1 High Jump Kick), Sharpedo-Mega (outspeeds Heracross with Speed Boost, max damage 75% Waterfall), Sceptile-Mega (Max Speed 427 Timid [outspeeds] Max Damage 61.7 Dragon Pulse). Heracross can take 1 hit each from these absolute monsters, and for all can OHKO without the Moxie boost. If your opponents team has more than 1 of these Scarfers
Absol @ Absolite
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Play Rough
- Fire Blast
Which pairs incredibly well with MegaZard's Mixed Absol (http://www.smogon.com/forums/thread...he-uu-metagame-v2.3541641/page-3#post-6367346)
Magic Bounce punishes hazard setters and status abusers, which Heracross really appreciates without Guts. Knock Off is the prefered move of choice for obvious utility reasons (looking at you Suicune, Doublade and Choice users), though Sucker Punch is excellent for chipping away at incredibly fast threats to weaken for Heracross. Play Rough adds obvious coverage, but it's Fire Blast that is the real cinche. It hits Cobalion and Forretress hard, which otherwise give Heracross trouble, and the loss of SD only really affects Umbreon (which Heracross loves battling) and Suicune (which should have its own check besides this core). It also keeps Heracross from having to come in too early on grass Types such as Shaymin or Roserade, which with Fire Blast are much more thoroughly checked by Absol between hazards and moves.
Beware of Machamp, as Heracross doesn't have a ton of options, and Absol is just lacking the power, even with Adamant nature. Unburden Slurpuff is also a problem.
This core really suppliments a Hyper Offense team, so hazard setters like Froslass, and wallbreakers like Banded Darmanitan or Entei make amazing partners.
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Heracross @ Assault Vest
Ability: Guts
EVs: 188 HP / 252 Atk / 36SpD / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
Empoleon @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Defog
- Scald
- Ice Beam
So Empoleon is one of the best matches to Heracross, resisting the two most common switchins to Hera, Crobat and Salamence as well as resisting fairy type attacks. Providing a u-turn from bat or double switching, Empoleon is able to tank a hit from any Heracross counter and either get rocks up, remove them, or attack and significantly dent the likes of Bat and Mence (ohko). Getting rocks up also pressures Crobat and Salamence as it takes 25% of their health meaning they can only come in so many more times. Heracross also resists 2 of Empoleon's weaknesses and can tank electric moves thanks the AV, therefore providing a strong synergy core.
The sets posted are unusual, but ones I've been able to achieve a lot of success with. The 188 HP lets Heracross tank a plus 2 Cobalion anything and the 32 Spe evs give it the jump on all suicine including roarcune. It really is a powerful tank with the AV and I'm not sure why it's looked down upon so much. The defensive evs on Empoleon are more team oriented, but they allow it to tank a CB Entei Sacred Fire as well as Darm's Flare Blitz if need be. All in all this duo has performed extremely well for me and I thought I'd share.
Ability: Guts
EVs: 188 HP / 252 Atk / 36SpD / 32 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Megahorn
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
Empoleon @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 HP / 188 Def / 68 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Defog
- Scald
- Ice Beam
So Empoleon is one of the best matches to Heracross, resisting the two most common switchins to Hera, Crobat and Salamence as well as resisting fairy type attacks. Providing a u-turn from bat or double switching, Empoleon is able to tank a hit from any Heracross counter and either get rocks up, remove them, or attack and significantly dent the likes of Bat and Mence (ohko). Getting rocks up also pressures Crobat and Salamence as it takes 25% of their health meaning they can only come in so many more times. Heracross also resists 2 of Empoleon's weaknesses and can tank electric moves thanks the AV, therefore providing a strong synergy core.
The sets posted are unusual, but ones I've been able to achieve a lot of success with. The 188 HP lets Heracross tank a plus 2 Cobalion anything and the 32 Spe evs give it the jump on all suicine including roarcune. It really is a powerful tank with the AV and I'm not sure why it's looked down upon so much. The defensive evs on Empoleon are more team oriented, but they allow it to tank a CB Entei Sacred Fire as well as Darm's Flare Blitz if need be. All in all this duo has performed extremely well for me and I thought I'd share.
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changing it now. Thanks. Didn't do the calc, and I should have
Dr Ciel