I would like to nominate Azumarill-->C+/B-
I will mostly be discussing the perish-trap set, and how it is a lot more than just a ladder gimmick.
While its certainly the less common set (Belly Drum 59.713%Perish Song 12.875% | perish trap Azu performs several roles, ranging from bulky balance (or even stall) breaker to a simple defensive switch-in. I will be discussing how Azumarill can perform both of these roles effectively.
Balance/Stall Breaker/Support
One of the main reasons why perish-trap Azu works is because of the sheer surprise factor it has. Due to the fact that offensive Azu is the ever most common set, other players will switch in a defensive wall that can eat up any of its stab attacks. Most of the mons that would switch-in into Azu are bulky, slow mons that the perish trap set takes care of easily. Some of the mons that would come in include (but not limited to): Amoongus, Toxapex, Venusaur, Tangrowth, Ferrothorn, etc.. Most of these mons are of course pretty annoying and there are a plethora of pokemons that would appreciate these bulky grasses/pex gone. For instance, Gren. As they switch in expecting the incoming Play Rough, they instead get hit by a whirpool, trapping them and killing them three turns later. These mons face no threat to Azumarill, as Azu completely eats up its attacks with Sap Sipper, its typing, and a respectable 100 base HP. The only downside to this, are mons who can stack hazads, but pair this with a good defogger/spinner and you should really be okay. In addition to the aforementioned mons, Azu has a really easy time trapping bulky waters, as he can easily rest off the damage (e.g. Cune, Bro, Alomomola etc) which are not as common in OU as the other mons, but they are by no means irrelevant.
Perish Song is also a really valuable tool which can be utilized to save the game from an incoming sweep. I would say Perish Song is a move that is always good to have on a team, shame its so uncommon.
Defensive Wall
Like I said earlier, Azumarill has respectable defenses, which are accompanied by an ever better ability as well as an amazing typing. A mon with a Water/fairy typing accompanied by Sap Sipper can switch into SO MANY specially defensive attackers in the tier. One of the most important pokemon it walls is our beloved OU frog, Greninja. Azumarill absolutely eats up any single move this mon can throw at him (barring the Protean Gunk Shot variant) but most of the time they wont have it, or simply just scout for it.
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja-Ash Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 228+ SpD Azumarill: 129-152 (31.9 - 37.6%) -- 0.1% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Greninja Hydro Vortex (185 BP) vs. 252 HP / 228+ SpD Azumarill: 109-129 (26.9 - 31.9%) -- 36.6% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery.
Yes, Azumarill still works as a Gren counter even in its Ash Form.
I can even go as far as saying that it is LEGITIMATELY the only viable pokemon that can switch in into any variable of Heatran, perhaps one of the most relevant mons as of now.
In addition, Azu completely walls any grass type, and can even work as an emergency switch in for Kartana.
Some of the offensive mons that Azu can switch into include (but not limited to): Serperior, (Ash) Gren, Mega Gyarados, Blacephalon,Heatran, Tapu Bulu,and Volcarona, Kingdra, Keldeo
Replays
I did not know I was going to write a whole essay about a pokemon so I did not save the countless times Azumarill has saved me in a game. I do have some that I found laying around so we will have to work with what we have got. I recently started to use it in a team I built and it has worked out wonders.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-861572124 --> In this replay Azumarill literally saves the game, perish song-ing the crocune, as well as the clefable. They got really bulky with the CM's and Azu stopped them. At the end you can see azu eating up +1 moonblasts like its NOTHING.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-861560356 --> Vs stall.
In this (high ladder-ish) battle the opponent realized that absolutely nothing could be done about the blue rabbit. This replay just demonstrates that while the surprise factor is really good, his effectiveness is not limited to catching an unaware (not the ability) incoming mon.
Set
WP BEARTIc (Azumarill) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Whirlpool
- Perish Song
- Rest
- Protect
This is the spread I like the most. Its able to tank up neutral attacks as well from stuff like Zam, scarf lele, Blacephalon.
Miscellaneous
Before any of you try to shit on this set you should really try it a few games, and decide if its worth the rank. I am leaning towards a B- but friends have told me thats a bit of a stretch, let me know what you think.
TLDR: Its good vs bulky balance/stall, can switch into 2/3 S rank mons without any problem. Walls grass and water types ez.
I definitely think Azu has the potential to be in the same tier of a pokemon i would deem as an inferior trapper, and not much more than a gimmicky and niche pick, Pyukumuku
(AZUMARILL GIF)
EDIT: FIXED REPLAYS
I will mostly be discussing the perish-trap set, and how it is a lot more than just a ladder gimmick.
While its certainly the less common set (Belly Drum 59.713%Perish Song 12.875% | perish trap Azu performs several roles, ranging from bulky balance (or even stall) breaker to a simple defensive switch-in. I will be discussing how Azumarill can perform both of these roles effectively.
Balance/Stall Breaker/Support
One of the main reasons why perish-trap Azu works is because of the sheer surprise factor it has. Due to the fact that offensive Azu is the ever most common set, other players will switch in a defensive wall that can eat up any of its stab attacks. Most of the mons that would switch-in into Azu are bulky, slow mons that the perish trap set takes care of easily. Some of the mons that would come in include (but not limited to): Amoongus, Toxapex, Venusaur, Tangrowth, Ferrothorn, etc.. Most of these mons are of course pretty annoying and there are a plethora of pokemons that would appreciate these bulky grasses/pex gone. For instance, Gren. As they switch in expecting the incoming Play Rough, they instead get hit by a whirpool, trapping them and killing them three turns later. These mons face no threat to Azumarill, as Azu completely eats up its attacks with Sap Sipper, its typing, and a respectable 100 base HP. The only downside to this, are mons who can stack hazads, but pair this with a good defogger/spinner and you should really be okay. In addition to the aforementioned mons, Azu has a really easy time trapping bulky waters, as he can easily rest off the damage (e.g. Cune, Bro, Alomomola etc) which are not as common in OU as the other mons, but they are by no means irrelevant.
Perish Song is also a really valuable tool which can be utilized to save the game from an incoming sweep. I would say Perish Song is a move that is always good to have on a team, shame its so uncommon.
Defensive Wall
Like I said earlier, Azumarill has respectable defenses, which are accompanied by an ever better ability as well as an amazing typing. A mon with a Water/fairy typing accompanied by Sap Sipper can switch into SO MANY specially defensive attackers in the tier. One of the most important pokemon it walls is our beloved OU frog, Greninja. Azumarill absolutely eats up any single move this mon can throw at him (barring the Protean Gunk Shot variant) but most of the time they wont have it, or simply just scout for it.
252 SpA Choice Specs Greninja-Ash Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 228+ SpD Azumarill: 129-152 (31.9 - 37.6%) -- 0.1% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Greninja Hydro Vortex (185 BP) vs. 252 HP / 228+ SpD Azumarill: 109-129 (26.9 - 31.9%) -- 36.6% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery.
Yes, Azumarill still works as a Gren counter even in its Ash Form.
I can even go as far as saying that it is LEGITIMATELY the only viable pokemon that can switch in into any variable of Heatran, perhaps one of the most relevant mons as of now.
In addition, Azu completely walls any grass type, and can even work as an emergency switch in for Kartana.
Some of the offensive mons that Azu can switch into include (but not limited to): Serperior, (Ash) Gren, Mega Gyarados, Blacephalon,Heatran, Tapu Bulu,and Volcarona, Kingdra, Keldeo
Replays
I did not know I was going to write a whole essay about a pokemon so I did not save the countless times Azumarill has saved me in a game. I do have some that I found laying around so we will have to work with what we have got. I recently started to use it in a team I built and it has worked out wonders.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-861572124 --> In this replay Azumarill literally saves the game, perish song-ing the crocune, as well as the clefable. They got really bulky with the CM's and Azu stopped them. At the end you can see azu eating up +1 moonblasts like its NOTHING.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7ou-861560356 --> Vs stall.
In this (high ladder-ish) battle the opponent realized that absolutely nothing could be done about the blue rabbit. This replay just demonstrates that while the surprise factor is really good, his effectiveness is not limited to catching an unaware (not the ability) incoming mon.
Set
WP BEARTIc (Azumarill) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Whirlpool
- Perish Song
- Rest
- Protect
This is the spread I like the most. Its able to tank up neutral attacks as well from stuff like Zam, scarf lele, Blacephalon.
Miscellaneous
Before any of you try to shit on this set you should really try it a few games, and decide if its worth the rank. I am leaning towards a B- but friends have told me thats a bit of a stretch, let me know what you think.
TLDR: Its good vs bulky balance/stall, can switch into 2/3 S rank mons without any problem. Walls grass and water types ez.
I definitely think Azu has the potential to be in the same tier of a pokemon i would deem as an inferior trapper, and not much more than a gimmicky and niche pick, Pyukumuku
(AZUMARILL GIF)
EDIT: FIXED REPLAYS
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