Well, I actually have a question for a certain mon right now! Should I use Mega Steelix as a Curse Sweeper or a Trick Room Sweeper?
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Metagame USUM UU - General Discussion & Trends Thread!
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Curse MegaLix is its most common set. It works perfectly fine outside of Trick Room, and this is the approach I'd recommend because it just requires less support. It doesn't require Trick Room for its Gyro Ball to hit hard after a boost or even neautrally. Curse MegaLix allows it to better handle Scizor and Gligar, while letting it serve as a wincon and a potential breaker if the team requires one. Trick Room teams in general just aren't as amazing as they were, though running Trick Room on Staka and Reuni are viable as OTR sweepers/breakers. Hope this answers your question ^_^
Well, what about Mega Pidgeot? Any recommendations for it?
Mega Pidgeot is overall a niche Pokémon but it has its uses. No Guard for fully accurate Hurricanes, slightly higher SpA, and outspeeding Latias which allows you to pivot on it with U-turn are what makes Mega Pidgeot have some uses over Moltres at the cost of a secondary typing and some defensive utility.
Special Attacker
Pidgeot-Mega @ Pidgeotite
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Hurricane
- Heat Wave
- U-turn
- Roost
This is the main Mega Pidgeot set where it uses both Hurricane and Heat Wave which gives it Moltres's annoying coverage. You do not have to worry about accuracy due to No Guard and you outspeed every defensive answer that you would have. Mega Pidgeot works best on Bulky Offense as it often wants defensive Pokémon backing it alongside sweepers since it cannot boost its own Special Attack. Mega Pidgeot also can act as an anti offensive Pokémon against opposing Bulky Offenses.
Work Up+Refresh
Pidgeot-Mega @ Pidgeotite
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Work Up
- Refresh
- Roost
This set isn't in the analysis, but this is the only other set off the top of my head that Mega Pidgeot really utilizes. The combination of Work Up+Refresh lets Mega Pidgeot be a usable stallbreaker mostly due to other stallbreakers like Terrakion, Infernape, and Lucario all suffer from their Ground weakness as opposed to Mega Pidgeot. This set works better with bulkier teams alongside Toxic Spikes support to chip down fatmons much quicker without having to use up Refresh and Roost PP.
Hope these brief descriptions help you out man! If you need any further help with building a possible team check out the UU Chat on https://play.pokemonshowdown.com/ or the UU Discord at https://discordapp.com/channels/259186588813099010/259186588813099010. You can even talk to me personally on Discord as my tag is BackAtYouBro#7146.
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Yesterday I heard some rumors that Mega Altaria & Scizor could receive a suspect soon, is this correct? What do you think of the two mons in the UU tier?
Also, I predicted that Magneton will drop to RU & Florges might rise back to UU, do you think this is plausible?
It seems obnoxious of me asking these questions, but these have been going on & I want to bring these concepts to discussion.
Also, I predicted that Magneton will drop to RU & Florges might rise back to UU, do you think this is plausible?
It seems obnoxious of me asking these questions, but these have been going on & I want to bring these concepts to discussion.
Neither will get a suspect anytime soon. Nothing about MAlt or Scizor is remotely broken, and while Scizor IS everywhere it's just a great mon, not broken at all. You could make a case for it being unhealthy, and I'd love to see a no-scizor tier, but it's really not even unhealthy so I really doubt either will.
Unless council shows up and says 'here's when we'll suspect'
it's more of pressuring terrakion off the field and removing hazards with a different mon. But yeah, Gligar and like Bulky Starmie would be your best bets.
There's not really any remover that can safely hard switch on it, but offensive Starmie can scare it off for a spin if you can get it in.
What has everyone been using (or seeing) on Mega Sableye, in terms of moves and EV spreads? I was using max defense, with the usual OU moveset but with fake out over protect (because no Lele). I've just recently switched to max SpDef though, after discovering it can wall Nidoking (and knock off life orb to improve the match up even more). But the ability to check Mega Aerodactyl is missed.
Has anyone used unorthodox moves or EV spreads?
Has anyone used unorthodox moves or EV spreads?
Since this is the appropriate thread, I will discuss the recent trend I've seen created by this most recent shift.
We lost Kommo-o and gained Mega Sableye, in other words:
A HUGE turnaround has occurred in the most dominate playstyle in UU. Spikestack was probably one of the best playstyles, and def the most used, as showed by the major usage of pokemon like Frosslass, Mega Shark, and Especially Mega Altaria. This all changed, except for one thing listed here, with the recent shifts. HO lost it's best pokemon arguably in Kommo-o, while stall gained a highly controversial new tool in Mega Sableye. This has led to stall being the dominate playstyle in only the 2 days that shifts have been live. However, one factor remains the same: Mega Altaria. Mega Sableye and Kommo-o's arrival and departure, respectively, have made no difference to it. Just one more victim to it. Some pokemon have gotten better with Sableye's arrival. Reuniclus and Infernape are some beneficiaries, using Sableye as fodder, though Reuniclus doesn't really like Knock Off, it still has recover anyways.
On a positive note before I sadden myself with this next topic, with Kommo-o's departure, at least everyone can run Hyper Voice Sylveon/Altaria safely again...Now to address the current subject of Sableye. There's alot to discuss here, so i'll break this down the best I can.
How does Sableye affect the metagame?
Sableye is a powerful new tool to stall, bringing unparalleled utility, a fantastic defensive typing, and a way to prevent hazards, which benefits other stallmons like Moltres, and many other things. In other thread (cannot remember which one), but several people have compiled stats which illustrate Sableye's affect on the metagame. Stallmons have shot up in usage in comparison to earlier months, and spikestack has basically died. The ladder is infested with stall builds, and UULT week 2 is sure to mirror that. Sableye forces many teams to carry multiple stallbreakers, which could be a little straining on teambuilding. However, it does have a small benefit for the meta. It takes away the focus from spikestack builds and fighting spam, which was the meta pre shifts, which is a nice thing. It also benefits teambuilders, as it makes them actually use stallbreakers, which many newer players seem to forget. The stall spam also acts as practice in the future for ladder players. I'd like to see all of your thoughts on the matter, especially what positives Sableye brings to the tier.
There will be a part 2 after the meta settles, so I can see if Sableye is unhealthy or not and address that then.
We lost Kommo-o and gained Mega Sableye, in other words:
A HUGE turnaround has occurred in the most dominate playstyle in UU. Spikestack was probably one of the best playstyles, and def the most used, as showed by the major usage of pokemon like Frosslass, Mega Shark, and Especially Mega Altaria. This all changed, except for one thing listed here, with the recent shifts. HO lost it's best pokemon arguably in Kommo-o, while stall gained a highly controversial new tool in Mega Sableye. This has led to stall being the dominate playstyle in only the 2 days that shifts have been live. However, one factor remains the same: Mega Altaria. Mega Sableye and Kommo-o's arrival and departure, respectively, have made no difference to it. Just one more victim to it. Some pokemon have gotten better with Sableye's arrival. Reuniclus and Infernape are some beneficiaries, using Sableye as fodder, though Reuniclus doesn't really like Knock Off, it still has recover anyways.
On a positive note before I sadden myself with this next topic, with Kommo-o's departure, at least everyone can run Hyper Voice Sylveon/Altaria safely again...Now to address the current subject of Sableye. There's alot to discuss here, so i'll break this down the best I can.
How does Sableye affect the metagame?
Sableye is a powerful new tool to stall, bringing unparalleled utility, a fantastic defensive typing, and a way to prevent hazards, which benefits other stallmons like Moltres, and many other things. In other thread (cannot remember which one), but several people have compiled stats which illustrate Sableye's affect on the metagame. Stallmons have shot up in usage in comparison to earlier months, and spikestack has basically died. The ladder is infested with stall builds, and UULT week 2 is sure to mirror that. Sableye forces many teams to carry multiple stallbreakers, which could be a little straining on teambuilding. However, it does have a small benefit for the meta. It takes away the focus from spikestack builds and fighting spam, which was the meta pre shifts, which is a nice thing. It also benefits teambuilders, as it makes them actually use stallbreakers, which many newer players seem to forget. The stall spam also acts as practice in the future for ladder players. I'd like to see all of your thoughts on the matter, especially what positives Sableye brings to the tier.
There will be a part 2 after the meta settles, so I can see if Sableye is unhealthy or not and address that then.
So, I'm pretty new to UU, pretty much just started because I thought it'd be fun to try out M Sab in the tier. I will of course try it in the suspect test, but I was looking at experimenting with UU Stall, as my main experience is with Sab and Aggron in OU. I've read that Mega Aerodactyl has a place on stall. What role does it play? What other unique options are there?
There's a few mega options in stall. The main four are usually Altaria, Aggron, Aero, and Slowbro. These mons all usually play the same role in blanket checking a massive amount of stallbreakers and other threats to a stall team. Aero in particular helps check various flying breakers and pursuit trapping some ghost and psychic breakers for stall teams.
Thread is dead, so what better way to revive the thread by discussing some up and coming Pokémon.
The New and Revitalized
In the past slate, UU has added 3 Pokémon to the viability rankings with some familiar faces placed into the mix. Another Pokémon has also been on a major hype train for the return of Screens HO, Xatu! Today I’ll be covering these 4 misfits and see just what makes them viable in this metagame.
Ferroseed
Ferroseed caught the eye of top players in UUPL and displays an array of niches that makes it valuable for more defensive hazard stacking teams. This little explosive seed boasts strong defensive stats combined with an Eviolite. Its typing is the crux of the Pokémon as Ferroseed easily checks Primarina and Mega Altaria while simultaneously setting up Spikes around them. This can be seriously crucial to have a check in your back pocket that also compresses Spikes. Ferroseed also annoys the opposition with Leech Seed and sets these up on tanks like Hippowdon and Gligar and slowly wears them down. However, Ferroseed is terribly passive and lets in Infernape and Moltres in for free while Rotom-H easily removes your Spikes. Ferroseed is also prone to being set up fodder against Latias as long as it’s not utilizing Toxic. Protect is generally preferred to get small boosts of recovery from Leech Seed for free and also lets Ferroseed scout Choice users. Still Ferroseed undoubtedly possess a strong niche in the tier. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen7uu-435416 Charmflash vs Lycans from UUPL is one of the best replays that delves into Ferroseed’s potential.
Hoopa
Hoopa ended up being unranked months ago as it was seen as slow and unreliable when it came to setting up, but it was recently reranked as it proved itself to be one of the better stallbreakers in the tier. Hoopa’s gargantuan 150 SpA combined with strong Special Attacks naturally forces switches. This gives Hoopa various opportunities to set up a Substitute and catching potential switchins like Krookodile and Hydreigon off guard with Focus Blast. What sets it apart from Gengar or Chandelure is its access to Nasty Plot. Nasty Plot gives Hoopa a monstrous boost to its already enormous Special Attack. Hoopa is capable of breaking through Stall like a butter knife. However, Hoopa is severely exposed when its Substitute is gone as its quad weakness to Pursuit leaves it prone to be punished. Hoopa is also quite matchup dependent as it only has a positive matchup against Stall while it lacks its potency against anything else that isn’t a fat team.
Porygon2
Porygon2 is yet another Pokémon that was unranked due to its disappointing defensive qualities. So how did the antiquated super computer find its place once more in the tier? Well a few months ago, the tier underwent some experimentation of omniboosting Z-Moves (the same experimentation that got Shaymin ranked) and Porygon2 was a ripe candidate with its access to Z-Conversion. It took some time, but Porygon2 has been noticed for its potential as a late-game cleaner. What’s unique to Porygon2 though, is that Z-Conversion lets Porygon2 change its typing to the type of the move in its first slot which grants it a reliable STAB in its BoltBeam coverage. Porygon2 also has Download for a potential Special Attack boost beforehand and reliable recovery in case it needs to restore its health. Porygon2’s main issue is the same one that all omniboosters share: you can only set up once in a match. This confines Porygon2 to the late-game and it requires an immense amount of support from its teammates so that its checks are removed or chipped down to the point that Porygon2 can finish them off. Porygon2’s speed is also still underwhelming after a boost and its left to be outsped by Mega Manectric, Mega Beedrill, and Mega Aerodactyl, and Choice Scarf users like Hydreigon, Krookodile, and Infernape.
Xatu
Xatu may be unranked, but it has been received a mountain of praise to the point it is seen to be a prominent member of the Screens HO sample team. What has caused such a quick uproar? Well with Scizor’s Suspect, users from all over are participating to get their reqs quickly for the omnipotent staple of the tier. HO has become a massive trend for these users as quick wins in order to attain reqs and this fad sparked invention. Screens HO has been rejuvenated as a threatening variation of HO. Xatu is seen as a staple of this new version. Xatu bolsters some powerful niches over Azelf for these teams. The main key here is Magic Bounce, which prevents Xatu from being Taunted and also lets it bounce back hazards at the opposition. Xatu is almost guaranteed to set up a Reflect or Light Screen with this mighty ability. Furthermore, Xatu is bulkier than Azelf and its neutrality to U-Turn leaves it a little less prone to being worn down by U-turn. Xatu being much slower is also a boon for HO as its slower U-turn allows the archetype’s sweepers a safe switch in onto the field. Finally, due to Magic Bounce mechanics, Xatu prevents its Screens from being removed by Defog since it acts as your own Defog. Despite all of these positives, Xatu is far more susceptible to having its Light Clay removed by Knock Off which can seriously hinder Screens. Xatu also is much more passive than Azelf and it can’t outspeed sweepers that Azelf can Taunt that can use Xatu as set up fodder. Nonetheless, Xatu is a staple of the new and improved Screens HO and supports the best abusers of these Screens with ease (mainly the fearsome Feraligatr).
Conclusion:
We have 4 new Pokémon that have found themselves on the radar for the tier due to small or unique niches that separates themselves from the Pokémon above them. Make sure to try out these new Pokémon if you have the chance and explore their potential!
The New and Revitalized
In the past slate, UU has added 3 Pokémon to the viability rankings with some familiar faces placed into the mix. Another Pokémon has also been on a major hype train for the return of Screens HO, Xatu! Today I’ll be covering these 4 misfits and see just what makes them viable in this metagame.
Ferroseed
Ferroseed @ Eviolite
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Protect
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Leech Seed
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Protect
Ferroseed caught the eye of top players in UUPL and displays an array of niches that makes it valuable for more defensive hazard stacking teams. This little explosive seed boasts strong defensive stats combined with an Eviolite. Its typing is the crux of the Pokémon as Ferroseed easily checks Primarina and Mega Altaria while simultaneously setting up Spikes around them. This can be seriously crucial to have a check in your back pocket that also compresses Spikes. Ferroseed also annoys the opposition with Leech Seed and sets these up on tanks like Hippowdon and Gligar and slowly wears them down. However, Ferroseed is terribly passive and lets in Infernape and Moltres in for free while Rotom-H easily removes your Spikes. Ferroseed is also prone to being set up fodder against Latias as long as it’s not utilizing Toxic. Protect is generally preferred to get small boosts of recovery from Leech Seed for free and also lets Ferroseed scout Choice users. Still Ferroseed undoubtedly possess a strong niche in the tier. https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen7uu-435416 Charmflash vs Lycans from UUPL is one of the best replays that delves into Ferroseed’s potential.
Hoopa
Hoopa @ Ghostium Z / Fightinium Z
Ability: Magician
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
Ability: Magician
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
Hoopa ended up being unranked months ago as it was seen as slow and unreliable when it came to setting up, but it was recently reranked as it proved itself to be one of the better stallbreakers in the tier. Hoopa’s gargantuan 150 SpA combined with strong Special Attacks naturally forces switches. This gives Hoopa various opportunities to set up a Substitute and catching potential switchins like Krookodile and Hydreigon off guard with Focus Blast. What sets it apart from Gengar or Chandelure is its access to Nasty Plot. Nasty Plot gives Hoopa a monstrous boost to its already enormous Special Attack. Hoopa is capable of breaking through Stall like a butter knife. However, Hoopa is severely exposed when its Substitute is gone as its quad weakness to Pursuit leaves it prone to be punished. Hoopa is also quite matchup dependent as it only has a positive matchup against Stall while it lacks its potency against anything else that isn’t a fat team.
Porygon2
Porygon2 @ Normalium Z
Ability: Download
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Conversion
- Recover
Ability: Download
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Conversion
- Recover
Porygon2 is yet another Pokémon that was unranked due to its disappointing defensive qualities. So how did the antiquated super computer find its place once more in the tier? Well a few months ago, the tier underwent some experimentation of omniboosting Z-Moves (the same experimentation that got Shaymin ranked) and Porygon2 was a ripe candidate with its access to Z-Conversion. It took some time, but Porygon2 has been noticed for its potential as a late-game cleaner. What’s unique to Porygon2 though, is that Z-Conversion lets Porygon2 change its typing to the type of the move in its first slot which grants it a reliable STAB in its BoltBeam coverage. Porygon2 also has Download for a potential Special Attack boost beforehand and reliable recovery in case it needs to restore its health. Porygon2’s main issue is the same one that all omniboosters share: you can only set up once in a match. This confines Porygon2 to the late-game and it requires an immense amount of support from its teammates so that its checks are removed or chipped down to the point that Porygon2 can finish them off. Porygon2’s speed is also still underwhelming after a boost and its left to be outsped by Mega Manectric, Mega Beedrill, and Mega Aerodactyl, and Choice Scarf users like Hydreigon, Krookodile, and Infernape.
Xatu
Xatu @ Light Clay
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 76 SpD / 60 Spe
Calm Nature
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Reflect
- Light Screen
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 76 SpD / 60 Spe
Calm Nature
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Reflect
- Light Screen
Xatu may be unranked, but it has been received a mountain of praise to the point it is seen to be a prominent member of the Screens HO sample team. What has caused such a quick uproar? Well with Scizor’s Suspect, users from all over are participating to get their reqs quickly for the omnipotent staple of the tier. HO has become a massive trend for these users as quick wins in order to attain reqs and this fad sparked invention. Screens HO has been rejuvenated as a threatening variation of HO. Xatu is seen as a staple of this new version. Xatu bolsters some powerful niches over Azelf for these teams. The main key here is Magic Bounce, which prevents Xatu from being Taunted and also lets it bounce back hazards at the opposition. Xatu is almost guaranteed to set up a Reflect or Light Screen with this mighty ability. Furthermore, Xatu is bulkier than Azelf and its neutrality to U-Turn leaves it a little less prone to being worn down by U-turn. Xatu being much slower is also a boon for HO as its slower U-turn allows the archetype’s sweepers a safe switch in onto the field. Finally, due to Magic Bounce mechanics, Xatu prevents its Screens from being removed by Defog since it acts as your own Defog. Despite all of these positives, Xatu is far more susceptible to having its Light Clay removed by Knock Off which can seriously hinder Screens. Xatu also is much more passive than Azelf and it can’t outspeed sweepers that Azelf can Taunt that can use Xatu as set up fodder. Nonetheless, Xatu is a staple of the new and improved Screens HO and supports the best abusers of these Screens with ease (mainly the fearsome Feraligatr).
Conclusion:
We have 4 new Pokémon that have found themselves on the radar for the tier due to small or unique niches that separates themselves from the Pokémon above them. Make sure to try out these new Pokémon if you have the chance and explore their potential!
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Thought I'd move pokeisfun's discussion about Volcanion to here since it seems more appropriate than the NP thread.
I honestly love this mon to bits. When I first discovered PS in late ORAS I was 6-0'd by a volcanion that fucked up my very garbage team with "PS Recommended EV spreads" (real talk though, why do they exist). Fire Water coverage is amazing, especially Steam Eruption. 110 base power with a 30% chance to burn stuff is crazy good.
I'm was honestly pretty pessimistic about defog when I first saw this post. While no rocks setter other than Seismitoad is going to want to switch in on Volcanion, the fact that it has no form of recovery and it is weak to rocks to begin with kinda puts me off the idea of using it as a defogger, regardless of how many switches it may force with its coverage. Also its low speed stat doesn't really do much for it when hazard setters such as Terrakion, Krookodile and Cobalion all move first and can all OHKO it before it can attack if Volcanion takes Stealth Rock damage.
That said though, a Pokemon that you can put in a similar category is Rotom-H, where it's main set runs defog and and a Wiki Berry, allowing it to switch into rocks for more turns.
However, Rotom-H severely outclasses Volcanion as a Hazard remover as Rotom is immune to Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Most hazard removers either have some form of recovery outside of something like leftovers and/or have an immunity to spikes/toxic spikes. Volcanion however can take up to 50% damage if your opponent is able to get up rocks and 3 layers of spikes, and certainly doesn't appreciate toxic spikes.
I was also pessimistic about defog because I thought Earth Power was coverage I didn't want to give up on Volcanion, but also theoretically speaking, the only things that I'm really missing out on hitting is Tentacruel. (There's probably something I'm missing), which means it can technically afford to run defog. But ultimately I think I'd like to see it as a secondary remover.
That said I'm more than willing to be proved wrong, so if people want a set to work with, this is probably a good starting point.
Volcanion @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Steam Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Sludge Wave
- Defog
I've honestly never built with this mon but I'd definitely encourage people to try. The more I look at it, the more pessimistic I am about Defog being a viable pick for Volcanion. It's probably a bit of a stretch to ask people to publicly share teams/replays while UU open is happening, but if anyone does try using defog Volcanion, I'd love to hear how they go.
I honestly love this mon to bits. When I first discovered PS in late ORAS I was 6-0'd by a volcanion that fucked up my very garbage team with "PS Recommended EV spreads" (real talk though, why do they exist). Fire Water coverage is amazing, especially Steam Eruption. 110 base power with a 30% chance to burn stuff is crazy good.
I'm was honestly pretty pessimistic about defog when I first saw this post. While no rocks setter other than Seismitoad is going to want to switch in on Volcanion, the fact that it has no form of recovery and it is weak to rocks to begin with kinda puts me off the idea of using it as a defogger, regardless of how many switches it may force with its coverage. Also its low speed stat doesn't really do much for it when hazard setters such as Terrakion, Krookodile and Cobalion all move first and can all OHKO it before it can attack if Volcanion takes Stealth Rock damage.
That said though, a Pokemon that you can put in a similar category is Rotom-H, where it's main set runs defog and and a Wiki Berry, allowing it to switch into rocks for more turns.
However, Rotom-H severely outclasses Volcanion as a Hazard remover as Rotom is immune to Spikes and Toxic Spikes. Most hazard removers either have some form of recovery outside of something like leftovers and/or have an immunity to spikes/toxic spikes. Volcanion however can take up to 50% damage if your opponent is able to get up rocks and 3 layers of spikes, and certainly doesn't appreciate toxic spikes.
I was also pessimistic about defog because I thought Earth Power was coverage I didn't want to give up on Volcanion, but also theoretically speaking, the only things that I'm really missing out on hitting is Tentacruel. (There's probably something I'm missing), which means it can technically afford to run defog. But ultimately I think I'd like to see it as a secondary remover.
That said I'm more than willing to be proved wrong, so if people want a set to work with, this is probably a good starting point.
Volcanion @ Wiki Berry
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Steam Eruption
- Flamethrower
- Sludge Wave
- Defog
I've honestly never built with this mon but I'd definitely encourage people to try. The more I look at it, the more pessimistic I am about Defog being a viable pick for Volcanion. It's probably a bit of a stretch to ask people to publicly share teams/replays while UU open is happening, but if anyone does try using defog Volcanion, I'd love to hear how they go.
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Couldn't find a SQSA thread for this tier so I suppose I'll ask here:
Given the rise in popularity of Screens teams (and their apparent dominance on the ladder), how exactly does one go about making such a team in UU? I understand that you want a dedicated dual-screens setter (Usually Azelf or Xatu) and I understand that you want to slap a bunch of stuff that benefits from having significantly more setup opportunities like Linoone, perhaps something like Venomoth, and especially Feraligatr as of recently; however, I'm not really sure how to build the team from there. What hazard setters are most effective on Screens HO compared to stuff like Mamoswine/Froslass cores on Spikes stacking teams? What other sweepers benefit the most from the support? How do these teams deal with the tier's plethora of hard-hitting revenge killers and priority users on both ends of the spectrum? What's the decision-making process that goes into deciding which Mega to use?
Thanks in advance, folks!
Given the rise in popularity of Screens teams (and their apparent dominance on the ladder), how exactly does one go about making such a team in UU? I understand that you want a dedicated dual-screens setter (Usually Azelf or Xatu) and I understand that you want to slap a bunch of stuff that benefits from having significantly more setup opportunities like Linoone, perhaps something like Venomoth, and especially Feraligatr as of recently; however, I'm not really sure how to build the team from there. What hazard setters are most effective on Screens HO compared to stuff like Mamoswine/Froslass cores on Spikes stacking teams? What other sweepers benefit the most from the support? How do these teams deal with the tier's plethora of hard-hitting revenge killers and priority users on both ends of the spectrum? What's the decision-making process that goes into deciding which Mega to use?
Thanks in advance, folks!
I've been playing Dual Screens offense before the sudden rise in Cary since I learned the ins and outs of the HO variant of the playstyle from former UUTL Psychotic (now banned). Generally, your choice of set-up sweepers should have either setup move(s) that boost an offensive stat and Speed or priority moves. Notable offensive stat / Speed examples include moves include Dragon Dance, Quiver Dance, Shell Smash, and set-up move pairs (Rock Polish + Swords Dance).
A critical component for Dual Screens offense is having a Pokemon that can break through Unaware walls like Quagsire and Pyuku. This usually means a team will need a Mold Breaker or Grass-type to break them. However, typical breakers like Fight-Z Terrakion will also do.
For Dual screens HO, the goal is to just hit hard. You're almost never going to switch Pokemon. Your teammates should be Pokemon that can set-up on each other's checks and counters. For example, M-Alt and Infernape would be a good core under screens.
(Will edit post for later)
Hey Dreadfury Screens has definitely had a huge amount of usage as of late and from personal experience I think building with screens is both broad and has its limitations. As you have already mentioned you will have a dedicated setter which as of right now Azelf and Xatu have been explored the most as setters.
Azelf being a good user of screens thanks to its amazing speed tier of 115 allowing it outspeed most of the tier allowing it to use Taunt to prevent its Screens being removed. Unlike Xatu it is isn't as passive which gives it a few options you could explore in the final slot such as Explosion for example. Xatu on the other hand, while being slow, has access to Magic Bounce to prevent its Screens being removed, stopping it being Taunted and shuts down opposing set-up sweepers. Just like Azelf it has access to support moves like U-turn to generate momentum or T-wave to cripple offensive threats.
The next partner is usually the Stealth Rock user you want to pair with your Screen setter. The best setter imo is Krookodile thanks to its ability to Taunt opposing Pokemon from hazard stacking or removing its rocks and / or Screens. Krookodile also pressures the Rapid Spin users in the tier like Starmie and Tentacruel if its Focus Sash hasn't been broken. Finally, Krookodile's most useful utility is the ability Intimidate which can allow a lot of your sweepers to have an easier time to set-up. I have personally experienced with other forms of suicide Stealth Rock leads being Infernape and Lycanroc-Dusk. These two pretty much meet the requirements of being a fast Stealth Rock user which has access to Taunt. Infernape while not having as much utility as Krook can check Scizor for these HO teams. Lycanroc is basically a worse Krook, but I used it to pressure Rotom-H and used Endeavor + Accelerock shenanigans. The main point is that I think there is some experimentation that can be had in this slot, but in most cases I recommend using Krookodile for the reasons above.
A lot of sweepers have surfaced under Screens which I think can be viable options. For instance, Feraligatr is the most notable one which appreciates the ease of setting up. Thanks to its ability in Sheer Force and wide move pool it has the coverage to punish a lot of the metagame not leaving it with many switch-ins. It's pure Water-typing is also nice for stopping it get revenge killed by things like Scizor Bullet Punch. The usual HO staples being Scizor and Latias are usually always found on these builds thanks to the offensive presence and utility they provide virtue to their typing. Offensive Scizor is able to break through almost all of its checks depending what you want to cater it to do, while being a check to Mega Altaria, Latias and Celebi still. Latias appreciates the ease to set-up to break through Steel-types like Mega Steelix easier and provides an answer to the Fighting- and Water-types in the tier. Which is nice as Scald can be really annoying for teams that can detriment a lot of its teammates.
Other Sweepers I have personally experimented with is Venomoth, Mega Houndoom, Lucario, Belly Drum Snorlax and Rock Polish Rhyperior. Both Lucario and Linoone have already been tested by Viv and Misa on their variants. As you can see other than the two staples the other slots can be very customisable to your needs. All of these Pokemon appreciate the ability to set-up once or twice thanks to their frailness giving it issues doing so normally.
The main thing to consider is making sure you have the ability to break what you need to. Your HO team won't be effective if it has too many issues breaking certain Pokemon. E.g. if your team lacks any way to break past common Stall staples like Quagsire which can be a huge boon for Physical set-up sweepers then you will have problems. Linoone and Lucario can be example of breakers that don't struggle as much in this regard. You should also consider teammates that work well by inviting in certain Pokemon, which it can weaken and provide set-up opportunities for your other Pokemon.
Then you have to make sure you have checks to offensive revenge killers like Scizor or Scarf Hydreigon. For example I used Mega Houndoom and Lucario for their ability to pressure Steel-types and Stall, but they also provide the utility of checking Scizor and Latias for the former and Hydreigon for the latter. Snorlax and Rhyperior naturally have good bulk to soft-check stuff, but have the offensive presence to break. Venomoth is just frail and likes the easier set-up opportunity to nuke stuff at +1 and with a Z-move. Ofc it is impossible for HO to be able to defensively check everything, but having something for the common threats in the tier that can offensively pressure them is important. There are a lot of viable options here, so do look to explore on this end the most, when it comes to using Screens.
I hope this post answers the questions you had and in general helps other players and encourages them to use some cooler Pokemon that might benefit from dual screens. I pretty much provided all the sets I have used, but that doesn't mean you can't play around with it more to tweak them and make it better. Edit: If people want teams, as examples. The common ones on ladder being vivalospride and Amane Misa versions
Azelf @ Light Clay
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Taunt
- U-turn
Xatu @ Light Clay
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 76 SpD / 60 Spe
Calm Nature
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Reflect
- Light Screen
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Taunt
- U-turn
Xatu @ Light Clay
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 76 SpD / 60 Spe
Calm Nature
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Reflect
- Light Screen
Krookodile @ Focus Sash
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Taunt
Infernape @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 204 Atk / 52 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Close Combat
Lycanroc-Dusk @ Focus Sash
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge / Endeavor
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Filler (Fire Fang / Accelerock / Drill Run etc.)
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Taunt
Infernape @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 204 Atk / 52 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Close Combat
Lycanroc-Dusk @ Focus Sash
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge / Endeavor
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Filler (Fire Fang / Accelerock / Drill Run etc.)
Scizor @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Quick Attack
- Superpower / Bug Bite
Latias @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Ability: Technician
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Quick Attack
- Superpower / Bug Bite
Latias @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Feraligatr @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Liquidation
- Ice Punch
- Crunch
Lucario @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Extreme Speed
- Close Combat
Houndoom-Mega @ Houndoominite
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Flame Charge
Snorlax @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Gluttony
Happiness: 0
EVs: 172 HP / 176 Atk / 104 Def / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Frustration
- Earthquake
- Recycle
Rhyperior @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Polish
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
Venomoth @ Buginium Z
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Bug Buzz
- Sludge Bomb
Linoone @ Figy Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 148 HP / 248 Atk / 8 Def / 88 SpD / 16 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Stomping Tantrum
- Seed Bomb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Liquidation
- Ice Punch
- Crunch
Lucario @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Extreme Speed
- Close Combat
Houndoom-Mega @ Houndoominite
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Flame Charge
Snorlax @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Gluttony
Happiness: 0
EVs: 172 HP / 176 Atk / 104 Def / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Frustration
- Earthquake
- Recycle
Rhyperior @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Polish
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
Venomoth @ Buginium Z
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Bug Buzz
- Sludge Bomb
Linoone @ Figy Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 148 HP / 248 Atk / 8 Def / 88 SpD / 16 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Stomping Tantrum
- Seed Bomb
The main thing to consider is making sure you have the ability to break what you need to. Your HO team won't be effective if it has too many issues breaking certain Pokemon. E.g. if your team lacks any way to break past common Stall staples like Quagsire which can be a huge boon for Physical set-up sweepers then you will have problems. Linoone and Lucario can be example of breakers that don't struggle as much in this regard. You should also consider teammates that work well by inviting in certain Pokemon, which it can weaken and provide set-up opportunities for your other Pokemon.
Then you have to make sure you have checks to offensive revenge killers like Scizor or Scarf Hydreigon. For example I used Mega Houndoom and Lucario for their ability to pressure Steel-types and Stall, but they also provide the utility of checking Scizor and Latias for the former and Hydreigon for the latter. Snorlax and Rhyperior naturally have good bulk to soft-check stuff, but have the offensive presence to break. Venomoth is just frail and likes the easier set-up opportunity to nuke stuff at +1 and with a Z-move. Ofc it is impossible for HO to be able to defensively check everything, but having something for the common threats in the tier that can offensively pressure them is important. There are a lot of viable options here, so do look to explore on this end the most, when it comes to using Screens.
Finally, to answer your last question you don't necessarily have to use a Mega on a team. In most of the teams I built, I didn't resort to using a mega on these types of teams, mainly because very few of them can really meet the requirments to fit under this archetype. If you were to use one, I think examples like Mega Houndoom and Mega Altaria would mostly come to mind. If this question was meant for in general, then mainly focus on the utility you need on your team. For instance, if a team lacks an answer to Latias and Scizor + needs a Stealth Rock user you will resort to Mega Steelix and Aggron. Ofc these wouldn't fit on some offensive playstyles easily without them giving up momentum in the process, so factors like that should be taken into consideration.I hope this post answers the questions you had and in general helps other players and encourages them to use some cooler Pokemon that might benefit from dual screens. I pretty much provided all the sets I have used, but that doesn't mean you can't play around with it more to tweak them and make it better. Edit: If people want teams, as examples. The common ones on ladder being vivalospride and Amane Misa versions
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Hey Dreadfury Screens has definitely had a huge amount of usage as of late and from personal experience I think building with screens is both broad and has its limitations. As you have already mentioned you with have a dedicated setter which as of right now Azelf and Xatu have been explored the most as setters.
Azelf being a good user of screens thanks to its amazing speed tier of 115 allowing it outspeed most of the tier allowing it to use Taunt to prevent its Screens being removed. Unlike Xatu it is isn't as passive which gives it a few options you could explore in the final slot such as Explosion for example. Xatu on the other hand, while being slow, has access to Magic Bounce to prevent its Screens being removed, stopping it being Taunted and shuts down opposing set-up sweepers. Just like Azelf it has access to support moves like U-turn to generate momentum or T-wave to cripple offensive threats.
Azelf @ Light Clay
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Taunt
- U-turn
Xatu @ Light Clay
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 124 Def / 76 SpD / 60 Spe
Calm Nature
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Reflect
- Light Screen
The next partner is usually the Stealth Rock user you want to pair with your Screen setter. The best setter imo is Krookodile thanks to its ability to Taunt opposing Pokemon from hazard stacking or removing its rocks and / or Screens. Krookodile also pressures the Rapid Spin users in the tier like Starmie and Tentacruel if its Focus Sash hasn't been broken. Finally, Krookodile's most useful utility is the ability Intimidate which can allow a lot of your sweepers to have an easier time to set-up. I have personally experienced with other forms of suicide Stealth Rock leads being Infernape and Lycanroc-Dusk. These two pretty much meet the requirements of being a fast Stealth Rock user which has access to Taunt. Infernape while not having as much utility as Krook can check Scizor for these HO teams. Lycanroc is basically a worse Krook, but I used it to pressure Rotom-H and used Endeavor + Accelerock shenanigans. The main point is that I think there is some experimentation that can be had in this slot, but in most cases I recommend using Krookodile for the reasons above.
Krookodile @ Focus Sash
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Taunt
Infernape @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 204 Atk / 52 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Fire Blast
- Close Combat
Lycanroc-Dusk @ Focus Sash
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stone Edge / Endeavor
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Filler (Fire Fang / Accelerock / Drill Run etc.)
A lot of sweepers have surfaced under Screens which I think can be viable options. For instance, Feraligatr is the most notable one which appreciates the ease of setting up. Thanks to its ability in Sheer Force and wide move pool it has the coverage to punish a lot of the metagame not leaving it with many switch-ins. It's pure Water-typing is also nice for stopping it get revenge killed by things like Scizor Bullet Punch. The usual HO staples being Scizor and Latias are usually always found on these builds thanks to the offensive presence and utility they provide virtue to their typing. Offensive Scizor is able to break through almost all of its checks depending what you want to cater it to do, while being a check to Mega Altaria, Latias and Celebi still. Latias appreciates the ease to set-up to break through Steel-types like Mega Steelix easier and provides an answer to the Fighting- and Water-types in the tier. Which is nice as Scald can be really annoying for teams that can detriment a lot of its teammates.
Scizor @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 72 HP / 252 Atk / 184 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Quick Attack
- Superpower / Bug Bite
Latias @ Dragonium Z
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]
Other Sweepers I have personally experimented with is Venomoth, Mega Houndoom, Lucario, Belly Drum Snorlax and Rock Polish Rhyperior. Both Lucario and Linoone have already been tested by Viv and Misa on their variants. As you can see other than the two staples the other slots can be very customisable to your needs. All of these Pokemon appreciate the ability to set-up once or twice thanks to their frailness giving it issues doing so normally.
Feraligatr @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Liquidation
- Ice Punch
- Crunch
Lucario @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Bullet Punch
- Extreme Speed
- Close Combat
Houndoom-Mega @ Houndoominite
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Flame Charge
Snorlax @ Iapapa Berry
Ability: Gluttony
Happiness: 0
EVs: 172 HP / 176 Atk / 104 Def / 56 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Frustration
- Earthquake
- Recycle
Rhyperior @ Weakness Policy
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Polish
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
Venomoth @ Buginium Z
Ability: Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Bug Buzz
- Sludge Bomb
Linoone @ Figy Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 148 HP / 248 Atk / 8 Def / 88 SpD / 16 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Stomping Tantrum
- Seed Bomb
The main thing to consider is making sure you have the ability to break what you need to. Your HO team won't be effective if it has too many issues breaking certain Pokemon. E.g. if your team lacks any way to break past common Stall staples like Quagsire which can be a huge boon for Physical set-up sweepers then you will have problems. Linoone and Lucario can be example of breakers that don't struggle as much in this regard. You should also consider teammates that work well by inviting in certain Pokemon, which it can weaken and provide set-up opportunities for your other Pokemon.
Then you have to make sure you have checks to offensive revenge killers like Scizor or Scarf Hydreigon. For example I used Mega Houndoom and Lucario for their ability to pressure Steel-types and Stall, but they also provide the utility of checking Scizor and Latias for the former and Hydreigon for the latter. Snorlax and Rhyperior naturally have good bulk to soft-check stuff, but have the offensive presence to break. Venomoth is just frail and likes the easier set-up opportunity to nuke stuff at +1 and with a Z-move. Ofc it is impossible for HO to be able to defensively check everything, but having something for the common threats in the tier that can offensively pressure them is important. There are a lot of viable options here, so do look to explore on this end the most, when it comes to using Screens.
Finally, to answer your last question you don't necessarily have to use a Mega on a team. In most teams of the teams I built I didn't resort to using a mega on these types of teams, mainly because very few of them can really meet the requirments to fit under this archetype. If you were to use one, I think examples like Mega Houndoom and Mega Altaria would mostly come to mind. If this question was meant for in general, then mainly focus on the utility you need on your team. For instance, if a team lacks an answer to Latias and Scizor + needs a Stealth Rock user you will resort to Mega Steelix and Aggron. Ofc these wouldn't fit on some offensive playstyles easily without them giving up momentum in the process, so factors like that should be taken into consideration.
I hope this post answers the questions you had and in general helps other players and encourages them to use some cooler Pokemon that might benefit from dual screens. I pretty much provided all the sets I have used, but that doesn't mean you can't play around with it more to tweak them and make it better. Edit: If people want teams, as examples. The common ones on ladder being vivalospride and Amane Misa versions
Holy shit, this was incredibly helpful! I actually didn't think to use Latias or Scizor on these teams even though I always consider SD+LO Scizor to be near-mandatory for Spikes teams, and I find the Rhyperior and Mega Houndoom variants particularly interesting as well!
What about stuff like Mega Altaria? MAlt is one of the most notorious sweepers in the tier and seems like it would really benefit from the amount of support Screens provides. It's already a really decent Mega on SpikeStack teams (although it faces super stiff competition from Mega Sharpedo in that regard), so is there anything holding it back to any significant degree on Screens teams?
I'd say no, Screens is inherently best executed as an offensive playstyle and something like starmie focused on such utility would probably end up counterproductive
All stats refer to glicko not Elo.
Block Slowbro is at 29.7% usage on the June 1630 stats, an increase of over 50% from May when it was at 18.8% usage and even greater than its previous high mark of 27.8% in April. It is still down from its discovery in January though when it was at 38.5% usage.
Additionally, Pyukumuku which usually runs Block (87.5% of the time in June 1630 stats) is seeing an explosion of usage - up from 0.58% in May 1630 to 1.17% in June 1630 - doubling in usage. It's even more obvious in the 1760 stats where it went from 0.75% in May to 2.77% in June, a 370% increase.
In other words, based on the information we have, Blocking is hugely on the rise.
Many players just slap on Block Slowbro on a team and call it a day in terms of the stall match up.
Luckily for my fellow stall players, this can be easily negated without much effort or cost to a typical stall team.
Since stall frequently runs Alomomola, it can easily just run a Shed Shell to almost completely invalidate these so called stall breakers and have a relatively fantastic match up most of the time. It also helps against random niche trappers like Mean Look Crobat and Perish Trappers. There are only a few things to keep in mind:
Block Slowbro is at 29.7% usage on the June 1630 stats, an increase of over 50% from May when it was at 18.8% usage and even greater than its previous high mark of 27.8% in April. It is still down from its discovery in January though when it was at 38.5% usage.
Additionally, Pyukumuku which usually runs Block (87.5% of the time in June 1630 stats) is seeing an explosion of usage - up from 0.58% in May 1630 to 1.17% in June 1630 - doubling in usage. It's even more obvious in the 1760 stats where it went from 0.75% in May to 2.77% in June, a 370% increase.
In other words, based on the information we have, Blocking is hugely on the rise.
Many players just slap on Block Slowbro on a team and call it a day in terms of the stall match up.
Luckily for my fellow stall players, this can be easily negated without much effort or cost to a typical stall team.
Since stall frequently runs Alomomola, it can easily just run a Shed Shell to almost completely invalidate these so called stall breakers and have a relatively fantastic match up most of the time. It also helps against random niche trappers like Mean Look Crobat and Perish Trappers. There are only a few things to keep in mind:
- Alomomola has to avoid being Knocked Off or Tricked if the opponent has a Slowbro or Pyukumuku
- After you reveal Shed Shell, the opponent can still try to Block your switch in as the Poison damage becomes too intense. So you should have something like a Muk,Sub Kyurem, DD Alt, or even Heal Bell Blissey that can switch in to an Leftoverless Slowbro/Pyuk (Alomomola should run Toxic and Knock Off to remove Slowbro's Leftovers and force it to Rest which makes safe switch outs)
- Depriving Slowbro of Leftovers is important as then Heal Bell Toxic Blissey can check it even if trapped, because Slowbro is slower than Blissey and has less than 401 HP, so it is constantly forced to Rest (Seismic Toss 4HKOs).
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Hey here's a common example of a Spikes Sharpedo team. (Was searching for some on other threads, credits to Panther-T)
The idea of these teams are pretty straightforward. You have a Spiker and a Stealth Rocker and then a bunch of sweepers. The spiker, which usually is a froslass (Klefki, Chesnaught, Roserade, and Cloyster are other options) as it's a good suicide lead. It's access to taunt prevents opposing pokemon from setting up early. It's speed is very high, only being outmatched by 8 pokemon in uu: Aerodactyl-mega, Crobat, Manectric-mega, Zeraora, Pidgeot-Mega, Azelf, Beedrill-Mega, and Starmie. Along with taunt is icy wind and destiny bond. Icy wind lowers your opponents speed, allowing you to destiny bond almost always before your opponent kills you, unless they're running some wack shit like scarf Starmie. It's important to predict certain hazard removing moves your opponent could use like Defog (which can be prevented by taunt) or Rapid Spin (Which could be prevented by switching in a ghost type pokemon)
One thing you shouldn't let happen when Froslass is on the field is let your opponent set up! Icy Wind is commonly the only attacking move used on froslass, and if your opponent leads with a pokemon like Swords Dance/Nasty Plot Scizor, Doublade, Infernape, Bisharp, Lucario, Feraligatr, or Mimikyu your team is looking for trouble as they all have priority and can be able to predict your Destiny Bonds. I would recommend immediately switching out if one of those are your opponent's leads.
Now for your Stealth Rocker, I would definitely recommend something bulky. Some examples include Aggron-Mega, Gligar, Hippowdon, Swampert, Cobalion, and Krookodile. These can switch into a lot of pokemon and be able to set up rocks before dying.
And then a bunch of sweepers, set up pokemon for you to go ham on your opponent. In this case, these pokemon are Bisharp, Gengar, Hydreigon, and Mega Sharpedo. These have an easier time sweeping with those Spikes and Rocks on your opponents side.
Here's another version of a Sharpedo Spike Stack team. (Creds to RandomKrud)
Pretty much a spiker (except a bulkier one in chesnaught), a rocker, and a bunch of sweepers. You get the gist.
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