RU Sets: Good vs. Bad #1
Nidoqueen Support vs. Special Attacker Support: [SET] Why it's bad: A defensive set is a complete waste of Nidoqueen's offensive potential. While raw stats indicate that Nidoqueen has better defenses than offenses, Sheer Force invalidates this entirely; Nidoqueen is actually one of the most powerful threats in the RU metagame. This set forgoes Nidoqueen's unique offensive capabilities in exchange for mediocre and widely distributed moves. First of all, Toxic Spikes is the worst hazard in the tier and is not effective in the slightest. Many Poison-types, including Nidoqueen herself, are commonly seen in RU and will absorb Toxic Spikes upon entry. Furthermore, there are many Pokemon that are unaffected by Toxic Spikes, as they have the Levitate ability, like Uxie, or are not grounded, like Braviary. Roar can also be used by a more defensive Pokemon, such as Steelix, so it's really just a waste of a moveslot. Nidoqueen becomes a much better Pokemon when using the offensive set. Special Attacker: [SET] Why it's better: Nidoqueen is one of the deadliest forces in the tier, and this set is the one responsible. Thanks to Sheer Force, Nidoqueen gets a huge boost to all of this set's moves and does not take Life Orb damage. Ice Beam is not on this set because it only hits the Dragon-types in RU, of which there are very few. If you want to make Nidoqueen bulkier, use an EV spread of 168 HP / 252 SpA / 88 Spe; this gives her some bulk while maintaining offensive presence, while still outspeeding max Speed Adamant Bouffalant, Modest Omastar, and Adamant Crawdaunt. The only entry hazard that Nidoqueen should be using is Stealth Rock, and even then, Nidoqueen will miss the extra coverage offered by any move she chooses to forgo. 
Drapion Bulky Swords Dance vs. Offensive Swords Dance Bulky Swords Dance: [SET] Why it's bad: Drapion simply does not hit hard enough. It only has a mediocre base 90 Attack, and with no investment, Drapion isn't going to be dealing any significant damage to the opposing team. Drapion's bulk is deceptive; even with nearly maximum HP investment Drapion gets worn down quite easily, being 2HKOed by many common threats, such as Sceptile. The extra bulk that comes with this set is practically pointless, and should not be used. Another common move found on bulky variants of Drapion is Toxic Spikes. As said before, Toxic Spikes should not be used in RU, as grounded Poison-type and non-grounded Pokemon—be it through Levitate or Flying Typing—are abundant in the tier. The best choice for a Swords Dance Drapion would be to capitalize on its offensive abilities by maximizing its Attack investment. Offensive Swords Dance: [SET] Why it's better: This set actually hits quite hard due to the combination of Swords Dance, Life Orb, and of course, the 252 Attack EVs that the bulky set was missing. This set does not need Black Sludge for the added longevity, giving Drapion the option of running Lum Berry; Lum Berry can cure debilitating burns and paralysis, giving Drapion a free turn to set up. Poison Jab is also an option, and due to all of the extra power this set has, can OHKO offensive Tangrowth. You might think that this Drapion is very weak defensively; however, the difference in damage that it takes from the bulky set is almost unnoticeable. With or without investment, Drapion is 2HKOed a majority of the time, making this set far superior its bulky counterpart. 
Galvantula Choice Scarf vs. All-Out Attacker Choice Scarf: [SET] Why it's bad: Equipping Galvantula with a Choice Scarf is a poor choice for a number of reasons. First and foremost, a Choice Scarf restricts its flexibility; Pokemon with immunities or resistances to its moves, such as Lanturn, or even Electivire, can potentially wall Choice Scarf Galvantula, whereas they will falter against the All-Out Attacker. Galvantula is also part Bug-type, meaning that its mobility with Volt Switch is severely limited by its weakness to Stealth Rock—this is further compounded by the numerous Electric-type immunities in the tier. Basically, this set plays like a worse Manectric that has an even tougher time dealing with Nidoqueen. Galvantula is already extremely fast with a base 108 Speed, and restricting its freedom to switch moves is like taking the wheels off a bike. All-Out Attacker: [SET] Why it's better: This set unleashes Galvantula's full potential. Galvantula's great coverage in Electric-, Bug-, Grass-, and Ground-type moves is its biggest advantage over arguably its fiercest competitor, Manectric. Giga Drain stops Lanturn and allows Galvantula to regain some HP, offsetting residual damage from Life Orb and entry hazards, and hopefully lengthening its sweep. Hidden Power Ground also takes care of pesky Electric-types, such as Manectric and Electivire. This set's added power and versatility ensures that it is not walled as easily as the Choice Scarf set; it is unequivocally the best option for Galvantula, giving it the damage output and flexibility that it needs. |