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Project Victim of the Week

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CHECK

Talonflame @ Sharp Beak
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Flare Blitz
- Swords Dance
- Roost

Talonflame is a great check to mega medicham. It can kill Medicham with Brave Bird without any boost and also thanks to Gale Wings it will always outspeed it unless you run like 0 speed brave nature talonflame. There is really nothing much to say about Talon being a check to Medicham.


252 Atk Sharp Beak Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Medicham: 390-462 (149.4 - 177%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Medicham: 356-422 (136.3 - 161.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO (even Jolly kills with no item)

0 Atk Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Mega Medicham: 248-294 (95 - 112.6%) -- 68.8% chance to OHKO (has a decent chance to kill even without any attack investments)
 
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Checks:

I Slowbro
III Talonflame
III Hawlucha
Mega Pinsir
II Mega Metagross


Counters:

I Spritiomb
Shedinja
II Reuniclus
V Mega Slowbro
IV Cofagrigus
III Doublade
IMew
I Cresselia
I Mega Sableye

You may vote for one check and two counters!​
 
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Week 107: Thanks guys for all the votes for Mega Medicham! :D

Checks: Talonflame (FireMonkeyGamer) | Hawlucha (-Magic-) | Mega Metagross (InvisibleWater)
Counters: Mega Slowbro (nameless90) | Cofagrigus (Random Passerby) | Doublade (Sobi)

Week 108: Sand Rush Excadrill
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Excadrill @ Life Orb / Air Balloon
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin / Swords Dance
​
 
Counter
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Rotom-Wash @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 Spe
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split

Rotom-W is immune to Earthquake and takes very little damage from Iron Head thanks to a 4x resistance. Rock Slide can, especially with Life Orb at +2, deal much damage to Rotom-W, but will never be able to OHKO Rotom-W even with all possible hazards on the field. In return Rotom-W OHKO's Excadrill with Hydro Pump.

+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-W: 165-195 (54.4 - 64.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and sandstorm damage

0 SpA Rotom-W Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Excadrill: 350-414 (96.9 - 114.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO after 3 layers of Spikes
 
Counter: Defensive Landorus-T

Landorus-Therian @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 8 SpD / 8 Spe
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stone Edge
- Stealth Rock

-1 252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Landorus-T: 99-118 (25.9 - 30.8%) -- 7.2% chance to 4HKO after Leftovers recovery
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Landorus-T: 149-177 (39 - 46.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

0 Atk Landorus-T Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 446-528 (123.5 - 146.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Simply put, Landorus-T can take 2 hits on a row (including one on the switch) and, in return, it can OHKO back with a STAB. Intimidate doesn't really matter in these calcs.
 
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as a hard check
Azumarill @ Choice Band
Ability: Huge Power
EVs: 172 HP / 252 Atk / 84 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Play Rough
- Superpower / Knock Off

Basically a garunteed way of revenge killing with aqua jet. It can also come in on sd/spin/iron head and it can even live an earthquake.

252+ Atk Choice Band Huge Power Azumarill Aqua Jet vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 356-422 (98.6 - 116.8%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO
 
Soft Counter
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Skarmory @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Roost
- Defog / Spikes
- Counter
- Whirlwind

Counter Skarmory does a really good job countering (haha puns kill me) Excadrill. Due to its high defense stat and typing, it resists Iron Head and is immune to Earthquake. If Excadrill tries to break through it with Swords Dance, Rock Slide, Excadrill's most powerful move against it, does at max, around 48%, and Counter will do a massive amount of damage back, and Skarmory can proceed to Roost off the damage taken and let Excadrill die to Life Orb damage (I'm taking LO calcs here because Air Balloon is pathetic against it). I will admit it's more of a shaky counter because Iron Head and Rock Slide can flinch and Counter isn't super reliable (better than Brave Bird in this situation), but for the majority of battles Skarmory would be considered a counter. If Excadrill lacks Swords Dance then Skarmory will always win.

+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 109-129 (32.6 - 38.6%) -- 3.4% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Skarmory: 136-161 (40.7 - 48.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
 
mega slowbro as soft counter
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Slowbro-Mega @ Slowbronite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 148 Def / 108 SpD
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Slack Off

mega slowbro is a great counter to excadrill because it only takes around 30% from its hardest-hitting STAB move, and can then OHKO excadrill with scald, or iron defense / calm mind on the switch; the former reduces the amount of damage slowbro takes from excadrill's attacks--highest is 18% from earthquake--, while the latter allows mega slowbro to OHKO excadrill with scald (without any boosts, it has a 25% chance to OHKO).

Calcs:

+1 0 SpA Mega Slowbro Scald vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Excadrill: 458-542 (126.8 - 150.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
0 SpA Mega Slowbro Scald vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Excadrill: 306-362 (84.7 - 100.2%) -- 25% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock

252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. +2 252 HP / 148+ Def Mega Slowbro: 60-71 (15.2 - 18%) -- possible 5HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. +2 252 HP / 148+ Def Mega Slowbro: 23-29 (5.8 - 7.3%) -- possibly the worst move ever
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Rock Slide vs. +2 252 HP / 148+ Def Mega Slowbro: 30-36 (7.6 - 9.1%) -- possibly the worst move ever
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 148+ Def Mega Slowbro: 121-142 (30.7 - 36%) -- 42.8% chance to 3HKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 148+ Def Mega Slowbro: 48-57 (12.1 - 14.4%) -- possible 7HKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 148+ Def Mega Slowbro: 60-71 (15.2 - 18%) -- possible 6HKO
 
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Check: Hippowdon
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Hippowdon @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 144 Def / 112 SpD
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Slack Off
- Stone Edge / Toxic / Whirlwind

Even though Hippowdon gives Excadrill the Sand Rush boost, Hippo is still a great counter to Excadrill. It can take any hit and even +2 Earthquake from a Life Orb Adamant Excadrill, and has a good chance to kill Excadrill with an eq. Hippowdon can always beat Excadrill unless that 30% chance to flinch with iron head. LOL

252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 144+ Def Hippowdon: 168-199 (40 - 47.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 144+ Def Hippowdon: 335-395 (79.7 - 94%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

0 Atk Hippowdon Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 356-422 (98.6 - 116.8%) -- 93.8% chance to OHKO (Excadrill will 100% die to an eq after taking Life Orb damage).
 
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Charizard @ Charizardite Y
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Solar Beam
- Focus Blast
- Roost

Switches in, kills sand, OHKOes in return. Can obviously not switch in, but it completely neuters Excadrill if Tyranitar is down, and serves as a check because of this.
 
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Mega alakazam as check

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Alakazam @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Substitute / Protect

Mega Alakazam needs to get in safely, since it can't take a single hit, but once he does, he can trace Sand Rush, outspeed and OHKO with focus blast.

Substitute and Protect both ease prediction and can stall out sand turns. Running Protect means you don't need to mega evolve before the fight with Excadrill, but running substitute eases the matchup with the Tyranitar the Excadrill is likely to be paired with.
 
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Tangrowth @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 204 Def / 56 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Giga Drain
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- Sleep Powder

Status: Counter

Tangrowth easily tanks Earthquake by virtue of its pure Grass typing, takes nothing from Rock Slide and discourages the use of Iron Head (which still doesn't deal a lot) thanks to Rocky Helmet. Meanwhile, Mojombo can do anything it wants: put Excadrill to sleep, remove its Life Orb via Knock Off or pop its Balloon with Giga Drain to follow with Earthquake.

Against Tangrowth (LO Excadrill):
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 204+ Def Tangrowth: 77-90 (19 - 22.2%) -- possible 5HKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 204+ Def Tangrowth: 122-146 (30.1 - 36.1%) -- 47.6% chance to 3HKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 252 HP / 204+ Def Tangrowth: 77-91 (19 - 22.5%) -- possible 5HKO

Against Excadrill:
0 SpA Tangrowth Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Excadrill: 126-148 (34.9 - 40.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 Atk Tangrowth Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 105-124 (29 - 34.3%) -- 3.8% chance to 3HKO
0 Atk Tangrowth Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 216-256 (59.8 - 70.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
 
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Breloom as a Check

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Breloom @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Spore
- Bullet Seed
- Mach Punch
- Swords Dance / Rock Tomb

Even though it's not recommended for Breloom to hard-switch into anything (poor bulk), Breloom can, in emergency cases, switch into Excadrill's unboosted Earthquake (once) or Rock Slide. In most realistic scenarios, Breloom will be brought onto the field after one of its teammates got KOed or via U-turn. In those kinds of 1v1 situations, Breloom only has to use Mach Punch to outspeed (priority) and OHKO Excadrill everytime.
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Rock Slide vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Breloom: 71-84 (27.2 - 32.1%) -- 77.3% chance to 3HKO after sandstorm damage
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Breloom: 143-169 (54.7 - 64.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after sandstorm damage
252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Breloom: 231-273 (88.5 - 104.5%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO (ouch!)

252 Atk Life Orb Technician Breloom Mach Punch vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 385-455 (106.6 - 126%) -- guaranteed OHKO
One can also use an Adamant nature instead of Jolly if more firepower is needed, but against Excadrill, a Jolly nature makes Breloom sufficiently powerful to deal with it.
 
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Suicune as a hard check
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Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Calm Mind
- Scald
- Rest
- Roar / Sleep Talk

Suicune acts as a nice hard check to Excadrill, as due to its phenomenal natural bulk and Water typing, it can stomach its moves pretty well. Although this isn't a counter due to its only form of recovery being Rest which leaves it open to Earthquakes from Exca if not running Sleep Talk. If it's Adamant LO, it even has a chance at getting 2HKO'd after Rocks, although it is much easier to handle if running Air Balloon. Also take into account that unboosted Scald is only a 2HKO:

252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Suicune: 160-188 (39.6 - 46.5%) -- 34.8% chance to 2HKO after Stealth Rock, sandstorm damage, and Leftovers recovery

252+ Atk Excadrill Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Suicune: 123-145 (30.4 - 35.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock, sandstorm damage, and Leftovers recovery

0 SpA Suicune Scald vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Excadrill: 224-266 (62 - 73.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
 
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Chesnaught @ Leftovers
Ability: Bulletproof
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Leech Seed
- Drain Punch
- Spikes
- Spiky Shield

Chesnaught resists Excadrill's dual STABs and can hit back with Drain Punch. It can also use Spiky Shield to gain more Leftovers recovery.
 
Check or soft-counter
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Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 244 HP / 208 SpD / 56 Spe
Impish Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Roost
- Stone Edge / Knock Off

I was messing around in the teambuilder, EVing Gliscor to take on Excadrill better, and this was the spread that I came up with. Compared to a careful spread EV'd specifically to take a +2 Iron Head, this spread sacrifices 2 points in SpD in excange for an extra 9 points in defense, making it more efficient than the careful spread and meaning that you can be a few hit points below full health without risking a max roll. Anyway, like I said, adamant +2 LO Exca can't OHKO and in exchange it gets chunked by EQ.

+2 252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. 244 HP / 0+ Def Gliscor: 289-341 (82.1 - 96.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Poison Heal
0 Atk Gliscor Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 308-366 (85.3 - 101.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes
 
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Counter

Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Gyro Ball
- Toxic
- Earthquake

Bronzong eats up any hit from excadrill and can 2hko with earthquake.

4 Atk Bronzong Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 4 Def Excadrill: 198-234 (54.8 - 64.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ Atk Life Orb Excadrill Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Bronzong: 62-74 (18.3 - 21.8%) -- possible 6HKO after Leftovers recovery
 
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