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Underused Pokemon Matchmaking Phase 2 [Week 29 - Nasty Plot Infernape]

Welp since there was a tie this week, and thanks to Malin wanting to not vote for the 2 obvious frontrunners, I have to break it. I decided to go with Sacri' and his Kyurem. Congratulations!

This week, I decided to go with a Pokemon that a lot of teams have to prepare for in order to not be completely demolished by. I am talking about...

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Krookodile @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge / Superpower

Choice Band Krookodile has become a very common threat that teams have to watch out for thanks to its great STAB combination backed by the immense power it provides.

Submissions end on Friday.
 
Sylveon is mine

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Sylveon @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pixilate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Hyper Voice
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Baton Pass
If you haven't been living under a rock since the last tier shift, you should have heard about this core by now. And to be fair, it gets the attention it deserves. CB Krookodile and Specs Sylveon form an unbelievably effective wallbreaking core, that is easily capable of overwhelming their respective checks. Sylveon has the ability to threaten Dragon, Fighting and Dark types (and everything else that doesn't resists Hyper Voice lol) for Krookodile, as well as the option to use Baton Pass to safely bring in Krookodile on bulky Steel and Poison types like Empoleon and Tentacruel, as well as Fire types (not that they will be safe switch-ins anyway) and specially defensive walls (only Blissey tbh). CB Krookodile can easily deal with Sylveon's checks, either threatening them with an OHKO from its STABs, getting rid of their items (no more passive recovery) or using Pursuit to trap them, leaving them susceptible to Hyper Voice or simply picking them off. Sylveon on the other hand breaks stuff left and right with STAB Pixiliate boosted Hyper Voice, which threatens every single one of CB Krookodile's checks (even mixed Defense Forretress takes over 40%). For an offensive core they also sport decent defensive synergy, with Sylveon resisting Bug and Fighting and Krookodile resisting Poison, and being able to take most Steel type attacks thanks to Intimidate. The best thing about this core though is that most of the time you don't even have to predict, because clicking their powerful and very spamable STAB moves is usually enough to effectively wallbreak. They also are scary versus offfense because if you can maneuver either of them in safely, they usually get a kill.
 
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Kyurem @ Choice Specs
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Draco Meteor
- Dragon Pulse
- Focus Blast

Kyurem is good partner for band Krook, either delete their counters or, indeed, as the very common core band Krook + specs sylv, as even Krook in this core supports Kyurem weakening Blissey and other special wall, pre make it easier for the wallbreaking Kyurem instead Kyurem's job is to weaken physical walls as Ches, tang, physical defensive Forretress.
 
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Salamence @ Lum Berry / Yache Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Iron Tail
- Dragon Dance

Krook and Mence have a great synergy offensively, while having an ok type synergy defensively, sporting only a huge fairy weakness. BUT they aid each other in breaking stuff, potentially breaking those fairies. They have great natural bulk which allows them to take some neutral hits, with Intimidate spam being something always cool. Band Krook really helps a DD Mence sweep late-game, knocking mons like Whimsicott (and other fairies) or breaking Shuca Cobalion so Mence can clean late.
 
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Reserving Whimsicott


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Whimsicott @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Moonblast
- Giga Drain
- Encore / Stun Spore
- U-turn

Whimsicott is both a good partner to Krookodile both offensively and defensively. With a great typing, Whims can switch in to many fighting and water types that threaten Krookodile such as swampert, machamp and suicune while being able to check dark and dragon types fairly well. Krookodile on the other hand resists poison, threatens both steel and poison type, the primary checks to Whims, and have a amazing ability in intimidate to support this even further. Whims also has momentum in U-turn and can bring Krookodile in on many of its checks and proceed to pursuit trap them or fire off a huge earthquake. These mons include Doublade, Chandelure, Empoleon, and many others. Whims natural high speed also allows it to clean up late game as it still packs decent power. The last slot also helps both Krookodile and the team alot and can range from Stun Spore to Encore. Encore stops set up sweepers in track such as suicune, forcing sopponent to switch while generating momentum with U-turn. Stun Spore can cripple a mon and allow CB Krookodile to beat checks of his such as Infernape (Both priority doesn't kill) and can provide a lot of speed control.
 
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cobalion.png

Cobalion @ Shuca Berry / Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock

Cobalion and CB Krookodile form a great core. Not only can Krook can Pursuit-trap Doublade/Chandelure/fat Psychic-types such as Reuniclus for Cobalion, but it can also weaken Salamence and Gyarados with Knock Off on the switch. It's also a good answer to Gligar, one of Coba's hardest counters. In return, Cobalion switches into Mega Beedrill, checks Hydreigon, and carries Stealth Rock so Krook can freely use Choice Band. Because they are both checked to varying degrees (but rarely countered) by the many bulky Water-types in the tier, the two also work together to break down bulky Water-types. Intimidate + Steel-type also provides quite a bit defensive utility, easing teambuilding farther down the road.
 
As if it wasn't obvious enough from the second he posted Lord Esche is the winner this week!

This week, I decided to go with a Pokemon I haven't seen as much as of recently, but can still pose a threat to unprepared teams.

doublade.gif

Doublade @ Eviolite
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Iron Head / Gyro Ball
- Shadow Sneak
- Pursuit / Sacred Sword / Shadow Claw

Swords Dance Doublade can serve as a blanket check to big offensive threats such as Mega Beedrill and Mega Aerodactyl. Sadly, Doublade loses to Krookodile and gets worn down fairly easily, meaning it can be taken advantage of.

Submissions end on Friday.
 
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