Project Victim of the Week 2.0: ZU Edition

[Dr Ya Yeet]

gurdurrr and sableye

 

[rumia]

gotta give it up to gurdurr and gourgeist my gs

 

[wooper]

CHECKS​

USER​	POKEMON​	SET​	VOTES​
Marsheaux​	​	scarf sawk​	5​
Dr Ya Yeet​	​	cm spiritomb​	0​
waterbend​	​	bulk up gurdurr​	5​

COUNTERS​

USER​	POKEMON​	SET​	VOTES​
Corthius​	​	defensive sableye​	5​
risin_glory​	​	shift gear klinklang​	1​
third bonnie​	​	defensive gourgeist-super​	4​

looks like Marsheaux and i tied for the checks with our fighting-types, and Corthius edged out as the winner for the counters with sableye, but it was a close one! congrats to all of our winners, and thanks again to all of our participants! next up we have...

Altaria @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 184 Def / 60 SpD / 16 Spe
Bold / Impish Nature
- Defog
- Hurricane / Flamethrower / Earthquake
- Toxic / Heal Bell
- Roost​

one of the tier's few viable dragon-types, altaria shines as a defensive mon on many types of teams. it boasts great mixed defenses, a fantastic ability, and key resistances to fire-, water-, grass-, and fighting-types, and an immunity to ground-types, with reliable recovery and well-rounded support options like defog, toxic, heal bell, haze, and roar to boot. hurricane nails fighting- and grass-types when it hits and synergizes nicely with defog lowering the opponent's evasion; flamethrower maintains the vital coverage for grasses, while also hitting steels; and earthquake hits steels as well, but allows altaria to check fire-types more consistently. this spread in particular lets alt outspeed max speed, neutral-nature base 50s like perrserker and the rare mawile, survive 2 dark pulses from choice specs thievul, with the rest poured into defense.

submissions will be accepted until friday march 25th at 11:59 pm gmt -5. good luck everyone!

 

[Corthius]

Jynx because it's busted af


Jynx (F) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Lovely Kiss
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast
- Psychic
Check
Jynx can switch into any of Altarias moves and OHKO it in return with Ice Beam.
252 SpA Choice Specs Jynx Ice Beam vs. 248 HP / 60 SpD Altaria: 732-864 (207.3 - 244.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

0 SpA Altaria Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Dry Skin Jynx: 124-148 (45.7 - 54.6%) -- 54.3% chance to 2HKO
0 SpA Altaria Hurricane vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Jynx: 93-109 (34.3 - 40.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Altaria Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Jynx: 119-141 (43.9 - 52%) -- 14.1% chance to 2HKO

 

[viet noa]

Rapidash-Galar @ Kee Berry
Ability: Pastel Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Stored Power
- Dazzling Gleam
- Morning Sun

Bulky CM Gapidash is a counter to Altaria. Because of Gapidash taking little damage to Altaria's attacks, alongside its immunity to Toxic, Altaria becomes setup fodder to bulky CM Gapidash. Same goes for SD Rapidash, which I was gonna do, but bulky CM Gapidash's bulk (and zero physical attack investment) lets it counter Altaria harder.

Calcs

0 SpA Altaria Hurricane vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Rapidash-Galar: 106-126 (31.7 - 37.7%) -- 90% chance to 3HKO
0 Atk Altaria Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Rapidash-Galar: 73-86 (21.8 - 25.7%) -- 1.6% chance to 4HKO
0 SpA Altaria Hurricane vs. +1 252 HP / 4 SpD Rapidash-Galar: 72-85 (21.5 - 25.4%) -- 0.3% chance to 4HKO
+1 0 SpA Rapidash-Galar Dazzling Gleam vs. 248 HP / 60 SpD Altaria: 194-230 (54.9 - 65.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

[Dr Ya Yeet]

less get that fairy dragon energy flowinnn


Clefairy @ Eviolite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Soft Boiled/Moonlight
- Moonblast/Teleport
- Knock Off/Teleport
- Stealth Rock
COUNTER
wayy too much bulk to care about hurricane, immune to toxic damage,even sets up rocks in its face coz alt always switches out. can take the free turn to teleport/heal/knock/rocks/anything

 

[OranBerryBlissey10]

Lycanroc-Midnight (Lycanroc-Midnight) @ Choice Band
Ability: No Guard
Shiny: No
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Close Combat
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch

Big scary wolf lives any hit, outspeeds and easily ohko's making it a counter. It quite literally never misses and usally makes progress when it gets on the field. Only Earthquake and Toxic even remotely threaten Lycanroc so switchins are relatively free.

calcs

0 SpA Altaria Hurricane vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Lycanroc-Midnight: 56-66 (18 - 21.2%)
0 Atk Altaria Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Lycanroc-Midnight: 136-162 (43.7 - 52%)
252+ Atk Choice Band Lycanroc-Midnight Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 180+ Def Altaria: 408-480 (115.2 - 135.5%)
252+ Atk Choice Band Lycanroc-Midnight Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 180+ Def Altaria: 244-288 (68.9 - 81.3%)

 

[PowerOfMemes]

Alcremie @ Leftovers
Bold Nature (If you're running Aromatherapy be Calm Nature)
Ability: Aroma Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA (If you're running Aromatherapy switch Def to SpDef)
- Calm Mind/Aromatherapy
- Recover
- Dazzling Gleam
- Mystical Fire

This sweet eats up all hits physical or special from the big blue birb, and then can choose to use it as set-up fodder, 2HKO it with D Gleam, or Aromatherapy off the toxic (if you're that set). And all of Altaria's moves, at worst, either 5HKO or 6HKO, so it's a counter.

Def Alcremie Calcs

0 SpA Altaria Hurricane vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Alcremie: 76-90 (22.7 - 26.9%) -- possible 5HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 SpA Altaria Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Alcremie: 41-49 (12.2 - 14.6%) -- possibly the worst move ever
0 Atk Altaria Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Alcremie: 47-56 (14 - 16.7%) -- possible 9HKO after Leftovers recovery

SpDef Alcremie Calcs

0 SpA Altaria Hurricane vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Alcremie: 57-67 (17 - 20%) -- possible 7HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 SpA Altaria Flamethrower vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Alcremie: 31-37 (9.2 - 11%) -- possibly the worst move ever
0 Atk Altaria Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Alcremie: 68-81 (20.3 - 24.2%) -- possible 6HKO after Leftovers recovery

Offensive Calcs

4 SpA Alcremie Dazzling Gleam vs. 248 HP / 60 SpD Altaria: 170-204 (48.1 - 57.7%) -- 91.4% chance to 2HKO
And if you have any boosts, it should drop easily.

 

[Marsheaux]

Piloswine @ Eviolite
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Icicle Crash
- Ice Shard
​

Piloswine is a counter to Altaria - Icicle Crash always gets the OHKO, in effect forcing the opponent to switch and live with Stealth Rock or risk losing Altaria, while Piloswine's combination of Thick Fat and natural bulk means that Altaria's attacks do little to it. Roosting to negate some of Icicle Crash's power is counter-productive for Altaria and just allows Piloswine to finish it off with Ice Shard anyway.

Calcs

252+ Atk Piloswine Icicle Crash vs. 248 HP / 184 Def Altaria: 460-544 (130.3 - 154.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 SpA Altaria Hurricane vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Piloswine: 90-106 (22.2 - 26.2%) -- 10.1% chance to 4HKO gl landing it that much lmao
252+ Atk Piloswine Ice Shard vs. 248 HP / 184 Def Altaria: 220-264 (62.3 - 74.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

[5Dots]

Rhydon @ Eviolite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Rock Polish
Nothing out of the ordinary - Rhydon does what it does best as a great Altaria COUNTER. Rather than using the standard mixed tank set, Rhydon opts for a Double Dance set and aims to use Altaria as setup fodder. The standard mixed defensive tank still is better and more common, but Rhydon can go for more sweeping potential with this set.

Calcs

0 SpA Altaria Hurricane vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Rhydon: 54-65 (15.3 - 18.5%) -- possible 6HKO
252 Atk Rhydon Stone Edge vs. 252 HP / 180+ Def Altaria: 270-320 (76.2 - 90.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

[wooper]

Lunatone @ Colbur Berry / Power Herb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid / Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock / Rock Polish
- Power Gem / Meteor Beam
- Earth Power
- Psychic / Moonblast​

most of the tier's stealth rockers are either defensive--like miltank, the stunfisk cousins, clefairy, uxie--or physically offensive--like rhydon, piloswine, and the long-forgotten pre-dlc titan stonjourner. however, lunatone has a niche as a specially offensive rocker that can take on some common defoggers like articuno, cramorant, and of course, altaria.

lunatone is able to stomach any of altaria's attacks with ease. both flamethrower and hurricane are resisted by lunatone's rock-type and the former isnt stab for altaria, and levitate obviously means you dont have to worry about earthquake not that anyone runs it. you can forego rocks and use altaria as set-up fodder because of this, turning lunatone into a deadly rock polish sweeper with meteor beam, boosting its strong base 95 spatk and steamrolling through teams. no matter which route you opt for, you threaten the 2hko with power gem, or the ohko with +1 meteor beam, regardless of if you run timid or modest. you do, however, need to watch out for toxic cutting your sweep short; despite this, lunatone is still an offensive counter to altaria.

calcs

252 SpA Lunatone Power Gem vs. 248 HP / 60 SpD Altaria: 192-228 (54.3 - 64.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
+1 252 SpA Lunatone Meteor Beam vs. 248 HP / 60 SpD Altaria: 428-506 (121.2 - 143.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

0 SpA Altaria Hurricane vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Lunatone: 51-60 (15.8 - 18.6%) -- possible 6HKO
0 SpA Altaria Flamethrower vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Lunatone: 28-33 (8.7 - 10.2%) -- possibly the worst move ever

now let's get onto the voting slate! surprisingly, we only received counters! vote for your favorite two (2) below!

COUNTERS​

USER	POKEMON	SET
Corthius​	​	lovely kiss 3 attacks jynx​
hiss​	​	bulky cm gapidash​
Dr Ya Yeet​	​	spdef clefairy​
OranBerryBlissey10​	​	banded lycanroc​
PowerOfMemes​	​	2 attacks alcremie​
Marsheaux​	​	bulky offensive piloswine​
5Dots​	​	double dance rhydon​
waterbend​	​	offensive lunatone​

​

im voting for jynx and gapidash! the voting period will end sunday march 27 at 11:59 pm gmt-5. good luck everyone!

 

[5Dots]

and

Regular lycanroc dips to PU without tier shifts, nice

Now I can finally pair with hippopotas and worse Kangaskhan Stoutland

 

[Marsheaux]

Lunatone and Rapidash-Galar

 

[Corthius]

Luna and gash

 

[Dr Ya Yeet]

me when no checks dang
galardash and lunatone

 

[Tuthur]

pilo lycan

 

[viet noa]

lycanroc and piloswine

 

[PowerOfMemes]

lunatone and jynx

 

[5Dots]

The results are in, and congratulations to waterbend and hiss for winning Week 12 with Lunatone and GalarDash, respectively! Thank you to everyone who took time to calculate and submit their counters:​

USER	POKEMON	SET	VOTES
waterbend​	​	Offensive Lunatone​	5​
hiss​	​	Kee Berry Galarian Rapidash​	4​
OranBerryBlissey10​	​	Choice Band Lycanroc-Midnight​	3​
Marsheaux​	​	Tank Piloswine​	2​
Corthius​	​	Lovely Kiss Jynx​	2​
PowerOfMemes​	​	2 Attacks Alcremie​	0​
Dr Ya Yeet​	​	Specially Defensive Clefairy​	0​
5Dots​	​	Double Dance Rhydon​	0​

This week, it’s going to be cloudy with a chance of defog in the forecast. It has roosted as one of ZU’s premier defoggers. It’s a cornerstone in bulkier and balance builds. It’s none other than…Articuno!

Articuno @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 248 HP / 236 SpD / 24 Spe
Careful Nature
- Roost
- Defog
- Freeze-Dry / Brave Bird
- Toxic / U-turn / Heal Bell
Articuno’s gigantic special bulk, vast utility movepool, and Pressure makes it an important aspect on defensive and stall teams alike. It can shrug off most special attacks with ease, and has the moves to tailor to whatever a team needs. How will you deal with the Cruel Pokemon? Deadline to submit is Friday on April 1st, 11:59 PM GMT-4!​

 

[wooper]

reserving klinklang

Klinklang @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 236 HP / 116 Atk / 156 Spe
or 108 HP / 244 Atk / 156 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Gear Grind
- Wild Charge
- Shift Gear​

klinklang is an easy offensive counter to articuno. you resist both its stabs and are immune to toxic; the most it can do to you is uturn out or hope a freeze on your switch in haze isnt a thing so hush. the first spread maximizes its hp and hits a lefties number, with the speed for outpacing scarf base 95s after youve gone for shift gear; the second maximizes attack while still hitting a lefties number. gear grind is a 2hko with either spread, but you can also use cuno as set-up fodder

Hide

 

[viet noa]

reserving perrserker

 

[5Dots]

Reserving Sawk

Sawk @ Black Belt
Ability: Mold Breaker
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Earthquake
Black Belt Sawk is a great offensive CHECK to standard Articuno thanks to Sawk being faster and Stone Edge easily OHKOing Articuno. Unlike Choice Scarf or Choice Band, Black Belt Sawk can switch between moves should it incorrectly predict with Earthquake. At the very least, Sawk can cripple Articuno with Knock Off on the switch and not have to worry about bluffing its item. However, Sawk can’t switch in safely since Brave Bird OHKOes it and hates being poisoned by Toxic.

Calcs

252 Atk Mold Breaker Sawk Stone Edge vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Articuno: 428-504 (111.7 - 131.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Black Belt Mold Breaker Sawk Close Combat vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Articuno: 229-270 (59.7 - 70.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
0 Atk Articuno Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Sawk: 288-338 (98.9 - 116.1%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO

 

[Dr Ya Yeet]

bitvh (Miltank) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 84 Def / 108 SpD / 64 Spe
Bold Nature
- Milk Drink
- Seismic Toss
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock/Heal Bell

attacks do not touch it,outspeeds and sets rocks in its face,reliable recovery,can toxic/consistent damage with toss. toxicuno can be annoying but you can get heal bell too so i think COUNTER

 

[Corthius]

midnight doggo

Lycanroc-Midnight @ Choice Band
Ability: No Guard
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Close Combat
- Play Rough
- Sucker Punch
Check
While Lycanroc-Midnight can take on every attack Articuno throws at it, it lacks the longevity to withstand Freeze-Dry and even Brave Bird damage over the course of a game. It does win the 1v1 in a vacuum tho.

 

[Marsheaux]

Coalossal @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flame Body
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Rock Blast
- Flamethrower​

Coalossal is a counter to Articuno - you know the drill, none of Articuno's attacks significantly damage Coalossal, allowing hazards to be set up straight in the bird's frozen face. Flame Body discourages the use of U-Turn, leaving Toxic as Articuno's best option against the old heap of coal, whose Rock Blast attack further threatens sets that carry Substitute.

Calcs

0 Atk Coalossal Rock Blast (2 hits) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Articuno: 192-224 (50.1 - 58.4%) -- approx. 2HKO
0 Atk Articuno Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Coalossal: 48-57 (11.3 - 13.4%) -- possible 8HKO