:bw/venusaur:
[OVERVIEW]
Venusaur is the premier offensive threat on RU sun teams. Nearly every serious sun team uses Venusaur because it is the best option for a Chlorophyll sweeper, and when other Chlorophyll Pokemon are used, it is almost always alongside Venusaur not without it. Venusaur outspeeds the entire metagame including incredibly speedy Pokemon like Regieleki and Choice Scarf Gengar under sun. The combination of Chlorophyll, strong attacks, and great coverage allows Venusaur to outspeed and threaten the entire metagame. Many frailer offensive Pokemon like Maushold, Gengar, and Krookodile can be outright KOd by a Tera Fire Weather Ball or Venusaur's STABs. Moreover, Venusaur's good bulk, ability to threaten out many Pokemon, Toxic immunity, and potential Thunder Wave immunity with Tera Ground give it many opportunities to set up with Growth. There is little in RU that can withstand a Growth-boosted Venusaur as it can overpower even bulky specially defensive Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra and Blissey. However, Venusaur is only as effective as sun teams are, and the task of setting up the correct conditions to bring Venusaur in safely under sun can sometimes be difficult. Moreover, many common Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra, Gardevoir, due to copying Chlorophyll, and various Tera Dragon Pokemon like Umbreon and Registeel are very effective at keeping sun teams in check. When there is competing weather like against Drizzle Politoed, it also be a very difficult matchup for sun teams.
[SET]
name: Chlorophyll Sweeper
move 1: Growth
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Sludge Bomb
move 4: Weather Ball / Earth Power
item: Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Fire / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
The healing of Giga Drain helps Venusaur offset Life Orb's recoil and beat specially defensive Pokemon like Blissey and Umbreon. Sludge Bomb is needed to hit Noivern which can take Venusaur's other attacks. Weather Ball is Venusaur's most powerful attack under sun and it melts the Steel-types that resist its STAB combination. Earth Power is weaker than Weather Ball is in sun but can be effectively used even once the sun has ended and it pairs well with Tera Ground allowing Venusaur to immediately KO certain offensive Pokemon like Entei. Earth Power is also helpful against Ditto as it is much easier to switch into Earth Power with a teammate like Noivern than Weather Ball. Tera Fire strengthens Weather Ball, picking up OHKOs on frailer offensive Pokemon like Maushold or against bulkier Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra after a Growth boost. Tera Ground could be used even on Weather Ball sets for the immunity to Thunder Wave helping Venusaur beat Registeel and Blissey without getting crippled.
Pairing Venusaur with a Drought Pokemon is mandatory and Ninetales is by far the best and most viable option. On top of setting the sun, Ninetales can use Healing Wish late in the game when sun is no longer needed so that Venusaur can be fully restored and sweep. Asides these two, a sun team will have at least one Fire-type like Scovillain or Entei, sometimes both. They pair well with Venusaur as they can break down and weaken the opposition for each other. Sun teams and especially Venusaur need a bulky Fire resist like Slowbro, Swampert, or Rhyperior to check opposing Fire-types. Slowbro and Swampert can even help pivot Venusaur in safely with Eject Button and Flip Turn, respectively. Sun teams need some form of entry hazard removal for their Stealth Rock weak Fire-types and it helps Venusaur utilize its bulk to set up Growth. Noivern, Maushold, and Forretress are all solid entry hazard removal options, and Magic Bounce Espeon reflects any hazards back. Maushold doubles as a huge offensive threat that can potentially take advantage of a Steel-type like Registeel that sometimes terastallizes into a Dragon-type to check Venusaur. Growth Comfey is also a popular option on sun teams that has good synergy Venusaur causing certain Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra and Registeel to terastallize into Dragon-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
A mixed Earthquake set with an EV spread of 80 Atk / 252 SpA / 176 Spe, a Naive nature, and Tera Ground is a solid option that helps break past specially defensive walls like Alolan Muk, Hisuian Goodra, and Blissey. The EV spread gives Venusaur as much offense as possible in both stats while still outspeeding Choice Scarf Gengar in sun, although maximum Speed instead of 80 Attack can be used instead to outpace opposing Scovillain and Regieleki and speed tie with Choice Specs Gardevoir. However, such a set is significantly worse against Umbreon due to Foul Play and less immediately threatening to Steel-types like Registeel. Various Tera types can be used to stuff Venusaur's revenge killers and help set up Growth Tera Dark and Steel are effective against Gardevoir attempting to revenge kill Venusaur with Psychic. Tera Dark is also good for resisting Bisharp's Sucker Punch and Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak while Steel resists Entei's Extreme Speed and Maushold's Population Bomb.
Checks and Counters
====
**Revenge Killers**: Various offensive Pokemon like Entei, Maushold, and Gallade can survive an unboosted attack from Venusaur and KO it in return. Choice Scarf Gardevoir outspeeds Venusaur due to copying Chlorophyll with Trace and threatens to OHKO Venusaur with Psychic. However, if Venusaur terastallizes, Gardevoir can no longer OHKO Venusaur. Ditto is a huge roadblock to Venusaur's sweeping as if it ever boosts with Growth, Ditto can threaten to revenge kill Venusaur and possibly sweep the rest of its team. Priority attacks like Bisharp's Sucker Punch can help take down a weakened Venusaur.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Umbreon has huge special bulk and can deal massive damage to Venusaur after a Growth boost. Blissey loses to Venusaur due to Giga Drain's healing but it can cripple non-Tera Ground sets with Thunder Wave and stall sun turns by healing. Hisuian Goodra can take non-boosted attacks and threaten Venusaur with Draco Meteor and a sun-boosted Flamethrower. Some Hisuian Goodra may even carry Tera Dragon allowing them to take a Tera- and weather-boosted Weather Ball in a pinch. Registeel often carries Tera Dragon and can paralyze Venusaur safely after Terastallizing, although Tera Ground sets have no such fear.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user1.100/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.101/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/
[OVERVIEW]
Venusaur is the premier offensive threat on RU sun teams. Nearly every serious sun team uses Venusaur because it is the best option for a Chlorophyll sweeper, and when other Chlorophyll Pokemon are used, it is almost always alongside Venusaur not without it. Venusaur outspeeds the entire metagame including incredibly speedy Pokemon like Regieleki and Choice Scarf Gengar under sun. The combination of Chlorophyll, strong attacks, and great coverage allows Venusaur to outspeed and threaten the entire metagame. Many frailer offensive Pokemon like Maushold, Gengar, and Krookodile can be outright KOd by a Tera Fire Weather Ball or Venusaur's STABs. Moreover, Venusaur's good bulk, ability to threaten out many Pokemon, Toxic immunity, and potential Thunder Wave immunity with Tera Ground give it many opportunities to set up with Growth. There is little in RU that can withstand a Growth-boosted Venusaur as it can overpower even bulky specially defensive Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra and Blissey. However, Venusaur is only as effective as sun teams are, and the task of setting up the correct conditions to bring Venusaur in safely under sun can sometimes be difficult. Moreover, many common Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra, Gardevoir, due to copying Chlorophyll, and various Tera Dragon Pokemon like Umbreon and Registeel are very effective at keeping sun teams in check. When there is competing weather like against Drizzle Politoed, it also be a very difficult matchup for sun teams.
[SET]
name: Chlorophyll Sweeper
move 1: Growth
move 2: Giga Drain
move 3: Sludge Bomb
move 4: Weather Ball / Earth Power
item: Life Orb
ability: Chlorophyll
nature: Timid
evs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
tera type: Fire / Ground
[SET COMMENTS]
Set Details
====
The healing of Giga Drain helps Venusaur offset Life Orb's recoil and beat specially defensive Pokemon like Blissey and Umbreon. Sludge Bomb is needed to hit Noivern which can take Venusaur's other attacks. Weather Ball is Venusaur's most powerful attack under sun and it melts the Steel-types that resist its STAB combination. Earth Power is weaker than Weather Ball is in sun but can be effectively used even once the sun has ended and it pairs well with Tera Ground allowing Venusaur to immediately KO certain offensive Pokemon like Entei. Earth Power is also helpful against Ditto as it is much easier to switch into Earth Power with a teammate like Noivern than Weather Ball. Tera Fire strengthens Weather Ball, picking up OHKOs on frailer offensive Pokemon like Maushold or against bulkier Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra after a Growth boost. Tera Ground could be used even on Weather Ball sets for the immunity to Thunder Wave helping Venusaur beat Registeel and Blissey without getting crippled.
Pairing Venusaur with a Drought Pokemon is mandatory and Ninetales is by far the best and most viable option. On top of setting the sun, Ninetales can use Healing Wish late in the game when sun is no longer needed so that Venusaur can be fully restored and sweep. Asides these two, a sun team will have at least one Fire-type like Scovillain or Entei, sometimes both. They pair well with Venusaur as they can break down and weaken the opposition for each other. Sun teams and especially Venusaur need a bulky Fire resist like Slowbro, Swampert, or Rhyperior to check opposing Fire-types. Slowbro and Swampert can even help pivot Venusaur in safely with Eject Button and Flip Turn, respectively. Sun teams need some form of entry hazard removal for their Stealth Rock weak Fire-types and it helps Venusaur utilize its bulk to set up Growth. Noivern, Maushold, and Forretress are all solid entry hazard removal options, and Magic Bounce Espeon reflects any hazards back. Maushold doubles as a huge offensive threat that can potentially take advantage of a Steel-type like Registeel that sometimes terastallizes into a Dragon-type to check Venusaur. Growth Comfey is also a popular option on sun teams that has good synergy Venusaur causing certain Pokemon like Hisuian Goodra and Registeel to terastallize into Dragon-types.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====
A mixed Earthquake set with an EV spread of 80 Atk / 252 SpA / 176 Spe, a Naive nature, and Tera Ground is a solid option that helps break past specially defensive walls like Alolan Muk, Hisuian Goodra, and Blissey. The EV spread gives Venusaur as much offense as possible in both stats while still outspeeding Choice Scarf Gengar in sun, although maximum Speed instead of 80 Attack can be used instead to outpace opposing Scovillain and Regieleki and speed tie with Choice Specs Gardevoir. However, such a set is significantly worse against Umbreon due to Foul Play and less immediately threatening to Steel-types like Registeel. Various Tera types can be used to stuff Venusaur's revenge killers and help set up Growth Tera Dark and Steel are effective against Gardevoir attempting to revenge kill Venusaur with Psychic. Tera Dark is also good for resisting Bisharp's Sucker Punch and Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak while Steel resists Entei's Extreme Speed and Maushold's Population Bomb.
Checks and Counters
====
**Revenge Killers**: Various offensive Pokemon like Entei, Maushold, and Gallade can survive an unboosted attack from Venusaur and KO it in return. Choice Scarf Gardevoir outspeeds Venusaur due to copying Chlorophyll with Trace and threatens to OHKO Venusaur with Psychic. However, if Venusaur terastallizes, Gardevoir can no longer OHKO Venusaur. Ditto is a huge roadblock to Venusaur's sweeping as if it ever boosts with Growth, Ditto can threaten to revenge kill Venusaur and possibly sweep the rest of its team. Priority attacks like Bisharp's Sucker Punch can help take down a weakened Venusaur.
**Specially Defensive Pokemon**: Umbreon has huge special bulk and can deal massive damage to Venusaur after a Growth boost. Blissey loses to Venusaur due to Giga Drain's healing but it can cripple non-Tera Ground sets with Thunder Wave and stall sun turns by healing. Hisuian Goodra can take non-boosted attacks and threaten Venusaur with Draco Meteor and a sun-boosted Flamethrower. Some Hisuian Goodra may even carry Tera Dragon allowing them to take a Tera- and weather-boosted Weather Ball in a pinch. Registeel often carries Tera Dragon and can paralyze Venusaur safely after Terastallizing, although Tera Ground sets have no such fear.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user1.100/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user2.101/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user3.102/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user4.103/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user5.104/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/user6.105/