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Resource LC Teambuilding Project V2
- Thread starter Aerow
- Start date
Wynaut @ Berry Juice
Ability: Shadow Tag
EVs: 236 HP / 132 Def / 132 SpD
Bold Nature
- Encore
- Counter
- Mirror Coat
- Destiny Bond / Safeguard / Tickle
Roles: Revenge Killer, Support
What It Does: Wynaut only truly excels in one regard: removing Choice-locked pokemon from the battle. With Choice Band and Choice Specs being fairly uncommon, and the most common users of these items able to KO Wynaut, Wynaut has some hard faults. But with most teams utilizing a Choice Scarf pokemon, or really wishing to have all of its members present, Wynaut is able to become quite the monster for dismantling something (or even some things) on the opposing team. With the astoundingly shallow movepool, only trumped by Caterpie, Weedle, Magikarp, Unknown, and Ditto, Wynaut has all of the tools it needs to become a threat. Counter and Mirror Coat allow Wynaut to 2HKO the metagame, and 1HKO much of the pokemon it hopes to remove. The Counter-Coat combo synergizes extremely well with Berry Juice, allowing Wynaut to sponge a hit, heal back a portion of the damage taken, and promptly retaliate back for twice the damage. Encore complements the duo well, preventing most pokemon from boosting up to a high enough attack stat to flatout KO Wynaut; status moves such as Stealth Rock and Dragon Dance can be Encored, allowing you to switch out freely to check that pokemon. The final option depends on the team; Destiny Bond can be utilized to occasionally nab another KO with Wynaut. On the other hand, Safeguard allows for Encored Thunder Waves, Will-o-Wisps, and Toxics to become set up opportunities or free momentum. Additionally, Wynaut can find use of Tickle. Tickle can be used on trapped walls allowing a Pursuit user to easily trap and KO.
Good Teammates: Volt-Turn pokemon are quite beneficial to the mission of Wynaut; they wear down opponents just enough that Counter or Mirror Coat will practically always KO allthewhile giving Wynaut free switchings to trap certain key pokemon. Set Up sweepers which are not weak to common priority as well as do not require Memento support to set up, such as Nasty Plot Vullaby or Dragon Dance/Swords Dance Corphish, make great use of the free turns Wynaut can provide. Chespin and Stunky help counter Gastly, or Mienfoo, Timburr, and Croagunk to check and counter Pawniard, both of which greatly threatens Wynaut. If Tickle is used, Pursuit users find themselves particularly viable. Stunky synergizes with Wynaut well, able to freely switch into Gastly. Naturally, Pawniard and Houndour perform decently as well.
What Counters It: Nothing in particular is able to counter Wynaut as, unless one foolishly tries to trap a Ghost-type, you cannot switch out on Wynaut. However, pokemon possessing the abilities Aroma Veil or Oblivious can set up directly in Wynaut's face as they are immune to Encore. However, Tickle and Destiny Bond variants of Wynaut don't particularly mind this as Tickle allows for a fairly easy revenge kills and Destiny Bond removes them all together. The larger problem for Wynaut would be Houndour or Nasty Plot Zorua and Vullaby. Being Dark types, they are all immune to Mirror Coat and thus can attack with special moves almost fearlessly. U-turning out into a Ghost-type also foils Wynaut's efforts.
Any Additional Info: Wynaut can forgo some of its bulk to speed creep slower walls and bulky attackers to better abuse its 4th move slot, most importantly Destiny Bond. 11 speed is as fast as Wynaut should go, any faster and you lose far too much bulk to maintain Wynaut's purpose of removing Choice-locked pokemon.
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reserving defensive Vullaby
Vullaby @ Eviolite
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 116 HP / 236 Def / 76 SpD / 36 Spe
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Brave Bird / U-Turn
- Knock Off
Roles: Tank, Hazard Remover
What It Does: Vullaby is one of the tier's premier users of Defog. The HP EVs hit a Stealth Rock number to minimize residual damage, while the rest are put into both defenses to hit Eviolite numbers and improves Vullaby's bulk, bettering Vullaby's abilities. With Defog, Vullaby is adept at removing entry hazards from the field, greatly alleviating its teammates from strain. Roost gives Vullaby recovery which allows it to Defog throughout the match. Additionally, Roost goes amazingly well with Vullaby's starling bulk. Brave Bird is a STAB option for Vullaby, permitting the omnipresent Fighting-type to be rather hard, but the recoil can ruin Vullaby's life span. U-turn can be used over Brave Bird rather well because of this, making Vullaby an excellent addition to bulkier Volt-Turn teams. Knock Off is the second offensive move on Vullaby and is close to obligatory on any physical Vullaby. Knock Off supports the team via the removal of the opposing team's items and can deter the set up of item dependent pokemon. However, Knock Off deals pitiful damage without investment or a super effective hit to boost it.
Good Teammates: Naturally, anything which enjoys the absence of hazards pairs well with Vullaby. Chinchou has great synergy with Vullaby, resisting Ice-type attacks and is immune to Electric-type attacks thanks to Volt Absorb. Offensively, Chinchou helps against most Rock-types. Vullaby can switch in on Ground- and Grass-types for Chinchou while also dealing with Croagunk. Mienfoo is able to handily switching to Rock-type attacks aimed at Vullaby and check Pawniard who troubles Vullaby, allthewhile appreciating the removal of Grass-types and Croagunk. However, both Mienfoo and Vullaby are weak to Fairy-type attacks making Ponyta and Larvesta (who each appreciate the removal of hazards) solid teammates as well, the latter adding to the potential Volt-Turn core.
What Counters It: Snubbull is able to Intimidate Vullaby to weaken its attacks and does not particularly mind losing its item thanks to Theif. STAB Play Rough also does a number despite Vullaby's bulk. Pawniard is able to switch into a non-Pawn lure Vullaby many times, potentially nabbing a free +2 off of a Defog.
Any Additional Info: Hidden Power Fighting can be used to deter Pawniard from switching in on Defog, given that it is a 2HKO. Air Slash is an option instead of Brave Bird if you don't like the recoil, but Brave Bird generally hits harder. A Relaxed nature should be chosen if Vullaby is running Air Slash or Heat Wave, and any EVs in Speed should be moved to Attack or Special Attack.
Vullaby @ Eviolite
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 116 HP / 236 Def / 76 SpD / 36 Spe
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Brave Bird / U-Turn
- Knock Off
Roles: Tank, Hazard Remover
What It Does: Vullaby is one of the tier's premier users of Defog. The HP EVs hit a Stealth Rock number to minimize residual damage, while the rest are put into both defenses to hit Eviolite numbers and improves Vullaby's bulk, bettering Vullaby's abilities. With Defog, Vullaby is adept at removing entry hazards from the field, greatly alleviating its teammates from strain. Roost gives Vullaby recovery which allows it to Defog throughout the match. Additionally, Roost goes amazingly well with Vullaby's starling bulk. Brave Bird is a STAB option for Vullaby, permitting the omnipresent Fighting-type to be rather hard, but the recoil can ruin Vullaby's life span. U-turn can be used over Brave Bird rather well because of this, making Vullaby an excellent addition to bulkier Volt-Turn teams. Knock Off is the second offensive move on Vullaby and is close to obligatory on any physical Vullaby. Knock Off supports the team via the removal of the opposing team's items and can deter the set up of item dependent pokemon. However, Knock Off deals pitiful damage without investment or a super effective hit to boost it.
Good Teammates: Naturally, anything which enjoys the absence of hazards pairs well with Vullaby. Chinchou has great synergy with Vullaby, resisting Ice-type attacks and is immune to Electric-type attacks thanks to Volt Absorb. Offensively, Chinchou helps against most Rock-types. Vullaby can switch in on Ground- and Grass-types for Chinchou while also dealing with Croagunk. Mienfoo is able to handily switching to Rock-type attacks aimed at Vullaby and check Pawniard who troubles Vullaby, allthewhile appreciating the removal of Grass-types and Croagunk. However, both Mienfoo and Vullaby are weak to Fairy-type attacks making Ponyta and Larvesta (who each appreciate the removal of hazards) solid teammates as well, the latter adding to the potential Volt-Turn core.
What Counters It: Snubbull is able to Intimidate Vullaby to weaken its attacks and does not particularly mind losing its item thanks to Theif. STAB Play Rough also does a number despite Vullaby's bulk. Pawniard is able to switch into a non-Pawn lure Vullaby many times, potentially nabbing a free +2 off of a Defog.
Any Additional Info: Hidden Power Fighting can be used to deter Pawniard from switching in on Defog, given that it is a 2HKO. Air Slash is an option instead of Brave Bird if you don't like the recoil, but Brave Bird generally hits harder. A Relaxed nature should be chosen if Vullaby is running Air Slash or Heat Wave, and any EVs in Speed should be moved to Attack or Special Attack.
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[What To Use]
Cranidos @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Level: 5
EVs: 60 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Zen Headbutt
- Fire Punch
Roles: Physical Sweeper, Wallbreaker
What It Does: Cranidos has a 125 base attack stat, which is the largest attack stat in LC. Even though its attack stat looks very promising, its other stats are lackluster. But, with the right amount of team support, Cranidos can be a devastating sweeper. With Sheer Force, Cranidos gets extra power for moves that have a secondary effect, but at the cause of losing the chance to get that secondary effect. Also, since Cranidos holds a Life Orb, moves that support Sheer Force won't get any recoil from it and get even more power. Rock Slide is a good STAB that supports Sheer Force and will definitely leave many dents in your opponent's team. Earthquake is always a good move to deal decent damage and cover weaknesses. Zen Headbutt is also good coverage for fighting types Cranidos hate and it also gets boosted by Sheer Force, so you don't have to worry too much about fighting types. For the last slot, Fire Punch is a great move that gets boosted by Sheer Force to hit Ferroseed, which is a big counter to Cranidos without Fire Punch.
Good Teammates: Sticky Web setters such as Surskit are amazing teammates with Cranidos due to its kind of lackluster speed and many pokemon that outspeed it will kill it. With Sticky Web up, Cranidos can outspeed and do heavy damage to all non-scarf pokemon and some scarfed pokemon too. Hazard setters such as Dwebble and Drilbur also provide Cranidos to get more OHKOs due to Stealth Rocks / Spikes. Pawniard is also a good teammate for Cranidos since it's also very good under webs with its Life Orb set and can take defogs and get +2 attack with its ability Defiant. A spinblocker such as Pumpkaboo also are good teammates with Cranidos since Sticky Web makes Cranidos a thousand times better and you don't want it to go away.
What Counters It: Priority moves greatly hinder Cranidos because of its frailty. Hippopotas can also counter Cranidos pretty well since Cranidos only does around 30% to it with Zen headbutt, Fire Punch, and Earthquake. Then, Hippopotas can OHKO Cranidos with its STAB Earthquake. Other than that, nothing really wants to switch into Cranidos and take a STAB rock move or one of its coverage moves.
Any Additional Information: You can use a different set than this one and use Choice Scarf instead of Life Orb so you don't need Sticky Webs with a moveset of Head Smash, Rock Slide, Earthquake, and Fire Punch. Life Orb generally is a better set for Cranidos, but this one can work too.
Cranidos @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Level: 5
EVs: 60 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Zen Headbutt
- Fire Punch
Roles: Physical Sweeper, Wallbreaker
What It Does: Cranidos has a 125 base attack stat, which is the largest attack stat in LC. Even though its attack stat looks very promising, its other stats are lackluster. But, with the right amount of team support, Cranidos can be a devastating sweeper. With Sheer Force, Cranidos gets extra power for moves that have a secondary effect, but at the cause of losing the chance to get that secondary effect. Also, since Cranidos holds a Life Orb, moves that support Sheer Force won't get any recoil from it and get even more power. Rock Slide is a good STAB that supports Sheer Force and will definitely leave many dents in your opponent's team. Earthquake is always a good move to deal decent damage and cover weaknesses. Zen Headbutt is also good coverage for fighting types Cranidos hate and it also gets boosted by Sheer Force, so you don't have to worry too much about fighting types. For the last slot, Fire Punch is a great move that gets boosted by Sheer Force to hit Ferroseed, which is a big counter to Cranidos without Fire Punch.
Good Teammates: Sticky Web setters such as Surskit are amazing teammates with Cranidos due to its kind of lackluster speed and many pokemon that outspeed it will kill it. With Sticky Web up, Cranidos can outspeed and do heavy damage to all non-scarf pokemon and some scarfed pokemon too. Hazard setters such as Dwebble and Drilbur also provide Cranidos to get more OHKOs due to Stealth Rocks / Spikes. Pawniard is also a good teammate for Cranidos since it's also very good under webs with its Life Orb set and can take defogs and get +2 attack with its ability Defiant. A spinblocker such as Pumpkaboo also are good teammates with Cranidos since Sticky Web makes Cranidos a thousand times better and you don't want it to go away.
What Counters It: Priority moves greatly hinder Cranidos because of its frailty. Hippopotas can also counter Cranidos pretty well since Cranidos only does around 30% to it with Zen headbutt, Fire Punch, and Earthquake. Then, Hippopotas can OHKO Cranidos with its STAB Earthquake. Other than that, nothing really wants to switch into Cranidos and take a STAB rock move or one of its coverage moves.
Any Additional Information: You can use a different set than this one and use Choice Scarf instead of Life Orb so you don't need Sticky Webs with a moveset of Head Smash, Rock Slide, Earthquake, and Fire Punch. Life Orb generally is a better set for Cranidos, but this one can work too.
Cranidos @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sheer Force
Level: 5
EVs: 60 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Head Smash
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
Ability: Sheer Force
Level: 5
EVs: 60 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Head Smash
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
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Forums being stupid, so making these a separate post.
Slowpoke @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 116 HP / 236 Def / 36 SpA / 116 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Fire Blast / Psychic
- Thunder Wave
- Slack Off
Roles: Bulky Pivot, Tank.
What It Does: The purpose of this set it to wall physical attackers and act as an absurdly bulky tank to support the team. With both Regenerator and a very large Defense stat, Slow poke has extreme longevity and walling capabilities. Scald further augments Slowpoke's bulk with its potential burns and nice boost from STAB. Fire Blast provides some coverage, most notably hitting Steel- Bug-, and Grass-types that give Slowpoke problems, increasing the difficulty of switching into Slowpoke. However, Psychic is also a very viable option, hitting Fighting-types who try to land a Knock Off on Slowpoke to help handle it. Thunder Wave cripples many pokemon and is always useful to have on a defensive pokemon. Thunder Wave is also very useful for trying to get the free Slack Off off on a turn they are paralyzed. Lastly, Slack Off makes Slowpoke even more annoying as it provides recovery on top of Regenerator's recovery making Slowpoke extremely hard to defeat.
Good Teammates: Grass-types such as Ferroseed, Chespin, and Foongus synergize well with Slowpoke as they resist the Grass- and Electric-type attacks that Slowpoke is weak to, while Slowpoke resists the Fire- and Ice-type attacks that threaten them. Bulky Fire-types, such as Ponyta, work well Slowpoke due to their typing. In addition, Ponyta and Larvesta both check Pawniard and the Fighting-types who trouble Slowpoke with Knock Off. Pawniard is also notable, as it has good type synergy with Slowpoke and appreciates the paralysis support that Slowpoke provides while providing powerful Knock Off support to aid in wearing down pokemon and making up for Slowpoke's subpar offensive presence.
What Counters It: Chinchou is able to come in on Slowpoke relatively unscathed besides a potential burn and 2HKO with Thunderbolt or Volt Switch. Lileep is able to do the same, just slightly fearing becoming fully paralyzed at the worst of times. Shed Skin Scraggy deals with Slowpoke relatively well but is unreliable. Knock Off in general is a problem for Slowpoke as it not only does a fair amount of damage, but removes Slowpoke's eviolite increasing the ease of which Slowpoke can be dealt with.
Clamperl @ DeepSeaTooth
Ability: Rattled
EVs: 76 HP / 248 SpA / 180 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shell Smash / Substitute
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Roles: Special Sweeper
What It Does: The idea behind this set is rather simple: get Clamperl into a position where it gets to hit everything extremely hard. The premise of this set is simple: find an appropriate time to use Shell Smash and then annihilate everything. With both a Timid nature and the DeepSeaTooth Clamperl's Special Attack reaches an astounding 34 which doubles after a Shell Smash to 68. With such a high Special Attack stat, almost all of LC is outright KOed after a Shell Smash; additionally, all but the faster Choice Scarf pokemon are outspeed by Clamperl after a Shell Smash. Because of this, Clamperl must capitalize on its coverage to be able to best abuse these traits. Surf is the most powerful STAB option distributed to Clamperl which provides amazing coverage alongside Ice Beam. The last move is dedicated to hitting Water-types Super Effectively, allowing Clamperl to not need to worry about Chinchou nor most other common Water-types.
Good Teammates: Entry hazards are essential to Clamperl's success and thus Ferroseed, Dwebble, and Trubbish make great teammates. Wynaut or Gothita can help trap and kill Croagunk, one of Clamperl's best counters; Wynaut can also traps some of the Choice Scarf Pokemon that check Clamperl, as well as help provide set-up opportunities while Gothita plays more easily and fairs better against more common threats such as Timburr. Diglett can also handle Croagunk moderately well, but has the benefit of Memento support to make up for any shortcomings. Checks or counters for Fletchling and Timburr are almost
obligatory, making Chinchou, Magnemite, Spritzee, and Foongus all rather beneficial teammates for Clamperl. Lastly, Memento users greatly increase the ease of setting up. Diglett, Drifloon, Cottonee, and to an extent Koffing support with Memento well.
What Counters It: Honestly, very little actually counters Clamperl. Croagunk and Ferroseed are some of the most effective answers for Clamperl as they are the only ones to survive a +2 Surf/Ice Beam/Hidden Power Grass and be able to retaliate back with enough power to beat Clamperl.
Any Additional Info: Hidden Power Fire can be used instead of Hidden Power Grass to hit Ferroseed, one of the only Pokemon that can survive an attack from +2 Clamperl, although this leaves Clamperl unable to hit most opposing Water-types for neutral damage. This means something to take on Water-types, such as Ferroseed, Lileep, or Chinchou, are needed now as support.
Slowpoke @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 116 HP / 236 Def / 36 SpA / 116 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Fire Blast / Psychic
- Thunder Wave
- Slack Off
Roles: Bulky Pivot, Tank.
What It Does: The purpose of this set it to wall physical attackers and act as an absurdly bulky tank to support the team. With both Regenerator and a very large Defense stat, Slow poke has extreme longevity and walling capabilities. Scald further augments Slowpoke's bulk with its potential burns and nice boost from STAB. Fire Blast provides some coverage, most notably hitting Steel- Bug-, and Grass-types that give Slowpoke problems, increasing the difficulty of switching into Slowpoke. However, Psychic is also a very viable option, hitting Fighting-types who try to land a Knock Off on Slowpoke to help handle it. Thunder Wave cripples many pokemon and is always useful to have on a defensive pokemon. Thunder Wave is also very useful for trying to get the free Slack Off off on a turn they are paralyzed. Lastly, Slack Off makes Slowpoke even more annoying as it provides recovery on top of Regenerator's recovery making Slowpoke extremely hard to defeat.
Good Teammates: Grass-types such as Ferroseed, Chespin, and Foongus synergize well with Slowpoke as they resist the Grass- and Electric-type attacks that Slowpoke is weak to, while Slowpoke resists the Fire- and Ice-type attacks that threaten them. Bulky Fire-types, such as Ponyta, work well Slowpoke due to their typing. In addition, Ponyta and Larvesta both check Pawniard and the Fighting-types who trouble Slowpoke with Knock Off. Pawniard is also notable, as it has good type synergy with Slowpoke and appreciates the paralysis support that Slowpoke provides while providing powerful Knock Off support to aid in wearing down pokemon and making up for Slowpoke's subpar offensive presence.
What Counters It: Chinchou is able to come in on Slowpoke relatively unscathed besides a potential burn and 2HKO with Thunderbolt or Volt Switch. Lileep is able to do the same, just slightly fearing becoming fully paralyzed at the worst of times. Shed Skin Scraggy deals with Slowpoke relatively well but is unreliable. Knock Off in general is a problem for Slowpoke as it not only does a fair amount of damage, but removes Slowpoke's eviolite increasing the ease of which Slowpoke can be dealt with.
Clamperl @ DeepSeaTooth
Ability: Rattled
EVs: 76 HP / 248 SpA / 180 Spe
Timid Nature
- Shell Smash / Substitute
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Roles: Special Sweeper
What It Does: The idea behind this set is rather simple: get Clamperl into a position where it gets to hit everything extremely hard. The premise of this set is simple: find an appropriate time to use Shell Smash and then annihilate everything. With both a Timid nature and the DeepSeaTooth Clamperl's Special Attack reaches an astounding 34 which doubles after a Shell Smash to 68. With such a high Special Attack stat, almost all of LC is outright KOed after a Shell Smash; additionally, all but the faster Choice Scarf pokemon are outspeed by Clamperl after a Shell Smash. Because of this, Clamperl must capitalize on its coverage to be able to best abuse these traits. Surf is the most powerful STAB option distributed to Clamperl which provides amazing coverage alongside Ice Beam. The last move is dedicated to hitting Water-types Super Effectively, allowing Clamperl to not need to worry about Chinchou nor most other common Water-types.
Good Teammates: Entry hazards are essential to Clamperl's success and thus Ferroseed, Dwebble, and Trubbish make great teammates. Wynaut or Gothita can help trap and kill Croagunk, one of Clamperl's best counters; Wynaut can also traps some of the Choice Scarf Pokemon that check Clamperl, as well as help provide set-up opportunities while Gothita plays more easily and fairs better against more common threats such as Timburr. Diglett can also handle Croagunk moderately well, but has the benefit of Memento support to make up for any shortcomings. Checks or counters for Fletchling and Timburr are almost
obligatory, making Chinchou, Magnemite, Spritzee, and Foongus all rather beneficial teammates for Clamperl. Lastly, Memento users greatly increase the ease of setting up. Diglett, Drifloon, Cottonee, and to an extent Koffing support with Memento well.
What Counters It: Honestly, very little actually counters Clamperl. Croagunk and Ferroseed are some of the most effective answers for Clamperl as they are the only ones to survive a +2 Surf/Ice Beam/Hidden Power Grass and be able to retaliate back with enough power to beat Clamperl.
Any Additional Info: Hidden Power Fire can be used instead of Hidden Power Grass to hit Ferroseed, one of the only Pokemon that can survive an attack from +2 Clamperl, although this leaves Clamperl unable to hit most opposing Water-types for neutral damage. This means something to take on Water-types, such as Ferroseed, Lileep, or Chinchou, are needed now as support.
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[What To Use]
Gothita @ Choice Scarf / Life Orb
Ability: Shadow Tag
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 236 Spe
Modest Nature / Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Energy Ball / Hidden Power [Fighting]
Roles: Special Sweeper, Revenge Killer, Wallbreaker, Late-Game Cleaner
What It Does: Gothita is basically a slower, weaker, but bulkier Abra. But the thing that sets it way apart from Abra is its ability, Shadow Tag. With Shadow Tag as an ability, Gothita is a godly revenge killer with its Choice Scarf and Life Orb set. Also, with Shadow Tag, Gothita doesn't have to worry about your opponent to a counter since Gothita will trap their pokemon and you can go for the KO. Psychic is an obvious STAB move for Gothita and will definitely hit hard to almost all of the pokemon in this metagame due to how amazing psychic-types are offensively. Shadow Ball is a also a good coverage move for Gothita since it can win 1v1 versus Abra if you're running Choice Scarf on your Gothita. Thunderbolt is very useful for many offensive pokemon such as Fletchling and Archen and then you can trap and KO them. Energy Ball is good for Chinchou and shell smashers such as Omanyte, Tirtouga, or Shellder. Another option for Energy Ball's moveslot is Hidden Power Fighting since it can nail Pawniard, but you do have to be wary if it's a scarf set(way less common thought due to Misdreavus' ban) or if Pawniard's going to go for Sucker Punch. With Gothita's amazing ability and good movepool to work it, you can definitely make it work as an offensive threat.
Good Teammates: Hazard setters such as Dwebble, Onix, and Drilbur can be good teammates for Gothita since they cans set up Stealth Rocks and/or Spikes to give Gothita more OHKOs to pokemon in this metagame. Rapid Spinners such as Drilbur can be also wonderful teammates for Gothita since Gothita will most likely switch a lot in your battles due to its role as a revenge killer. With that in mind, you'll never want Gothita to take damage form those hazards and end up getting KOd too early in the game. Gothita also appreciates Knock Off support from pokemon like Mienfoo and Pawniard since they can knock off Eviolites and Berry Juices from your opponent and make Gothita's job easier.
What Counters It: Due to Gothita's ability, Shadow Tag will trap your opponent and won't let them switch into a counter, unless they have U-Turn or Volt Switch. If they do use those moves, Stunky is a very good counter to Gothita since it's immune to its STAB and can trap it with Pursuit.
Any Additional Information: If you're planning to use a Life Orb Gothita, a Timid nature on it will be more ideal than Modest since Life Orb will already boost Gothita's moves and the extra speed will help a lot too.
Gothita @ Choice Scarf / Life Orb
Ability: Shadow Tag
Level: 5
EVs: 36 Def / 236 SpA / 236 Spe
Modest Nature / Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Energy Ball / Hidden Power [Fighting]
Roles: Special Sweeper, Revenge Killer, Wallbreaker, Late-Game Cleaner
What It Does: Gothita is basically a slower, weaker, but bulkier Abra. But the thing that sets it way apart from Abra is its ability, Shadow Tag. With Shadow Tag as an ability, Gothita is a godly revenge killer with its Choice Scarf and Life Orb set. Also, with Shadow Tag, Gothita doesn't have to worry about your opponent to a counter since Gothita will trap their pokemon and you can go for the KO. Psychic is an obvious STAB move for Gothita and will definitely hit hard to almost all of the pokemon in this metagame due to how amazing psychic-types are offensively. Shadow Ball is a also a good coverage move for Gothita since it can win 1v1 versus Abra if you're running Choice Scarf on your Gothita. Thunderbolt is very useful for many offensive pokemon such as Fletchling and Archen and then you can trap and KO them. Energy Ball is good for Chinchou and shell smashers such as Omanyte, Tirtouga, or Shellder. Another option for Energy Ball's moveslot is Hidden Power Fighting since it can nail Pawniard, but you do have to be wary if it's a scarf set(way less common thought due to Misdreavus' ban) or if Pawniard's going to go for Sucker Punch. With Gothita's amazing ability and good movepool to work it, you can definitely make it work as an offensive threat.
Good Teammates: Hazard setters such as Dwebble, Onix, and Drilbur can be good teammates for Gothita since they cans set up Stealth Rocks and/or Spikes to give Gothita more OHKOs to pokemon in this metagame. Rapid Spinners such as Drilbur can be also wonderful teammates for Gothita since Gothita will most likely switch a lot in your battles due to its role as a revenge killer. With that in mind, you'll never want Gothita to take damage form those hazards and end up getting KOd too early in the game. Gothita also appreciates Knock Off support from pokemon like Mienfoo and Pawniard since they can knock off Eviolites and Berry Juices from your opponent and make Gothita's job easier.
What Counters It: Due to Gothita's ability, Shadow Tag will trap your opponent and won't let them switch into a counter, unless they have U-Turn or Volt Switch. If they do use those moves, Stunky is a very good counter to Gothita since it's immune to its STAB and can trap it with Pursuit.
Any Additional Information: If you're planning to use a Life Orb Gothita, a Timid nature on it will be more ideal than Modest since Life Orb will already boost Gothita's moves and the extra speed will help a lot too.
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[What To Use]
Pumpkaboo-Super @ Eviolite / Berry Juice
Ability: Frisk
Level: 5
EVs: 204 HP / 116 Def / 156 SpD / 28 Spe
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Shadow Sneak
- Bullet Seed
- Leech Seed
Roles: Tank, Support
What It Does: Pumkaboo has a very unique typing of Ghost/Grass. With this unique dual typing, Pumpkaboo is very good offensively and defensively. Pumpkaboo also is the perfect counter to Drilbur, which is a very big offensive threat in this metagame, which is amazing. Pumpkaboo-Super is the most ideal Pumpkaboo size since this size has the most bulk of any other size and Pumpkaboos will mostly run bulky sets such as this one. Will-O-Wisp is an amazing move to compliment Pumpkaboo's bulk and will nerf all of the physical attackers in LC. Shadow Sneak is Pumpkaboo's main ghost STAB and priority move since it doesn't have access to Shadow Claw or any more physical-based ghost type moves. Bullet Seed is an amazing grass STAB for Pumpkaboo since, due to do the damage rolls in LC, will do better damage than Seed Bomb and can also break Sturdy/sashes from your opponent, mainly the very common sash Abra. Leech Seed will help Pumpkaboo stay on the field for a longer period of time and help out your team since it drains 1/8 of your opponents' HP every turn unless they switch out. Overall, Pumpkaboo is definitely a good option to use on your team.
Good Teammates: There are many good teammates that Pumpkaboo values. Hazard setters such as Drilbur and Trubbish can benefit from Pumpkaboo's effectiveness as a spin-blocker, since it's the perfect counter to Drilbur. Pumpkaboo will also appreciate the hazard support and can also annoy your opponent even more with its Will-O-Wisp and Leech Seed combo since they're consistently switching out while Pumpkaboo has fun with those status moves. Chinchou can also be a good teammate for Pumpkaboo since both have excellent coverage to eachother and both are amazing pokes in LC. Pawniard is also another option since its Knock Off support is amazing and Pumpkaboo will have an easier time dealing with your opponents by using Shadow Sneak and Bullet Seed. They also provide great coverage for eachother too.
What Counters It: You have to play very carefully with Pumpkaboo since not going for Will-O-Wisp on an incoming physical counter will probably make you lose your match. Pumpkaboo's main problem is Pawniard and Guts Timburr. Pawniard, even if it is burned, can knock off your eviolite and still do plenty of damage since it is STAB on pawn. If you burn Timburr, it's gg since Guts will activate when Timburr is burned and due to Timburr's good bulk with Eviolite, Pumpkaboo can't do much. Then, you'll give Timburr free bulk ups and then KO you with a super effective Knock Off. Fletchling can also be a burden to Pumpkaboo even if fletch is burned since Pumpkaboo's STABs will do absolutely nothing and then Fletchling 3HKOs it with Acrobatics.
Any Additional Information: Berry Juice is also a good item for Pumpkaboo due to its good bulk and can regenerate health when your opponent will not OHKO it. You can then proceed spamming Leech Seed, Will-O-Wisp, and its STABs even more.
Pumpkaboo-Super @ Eviolite / Berry Juice
Ability: Frisk
Level: 5
EVs: 204 HP / 116 Def / 156 SpD / 28 Spe
Impish Nature
- Will-O-Wisp
- Shadow Sneak
- Bullet Seed
- Leech Seed
Roles: Tank, Support
What It Does: Pumkaboo has a very unique typing of Ghost/Grass. With this unique dual typing, Pumpkaboo is very good offensively and defensively. Pumpkaboo also is the perfect counter to Drilbur, which is a very big offensive threat in this metagame, which is amazing. Pumpkaboo-Super is the most ideal Pumpkaboo size since this size has the most bulk of any other size and Pumpkaboos will mostly run bulky sets such as this one. Will-O-Wisp is an amazing move to compliment Pumpkaboo's bulk and will nerf all of the physical attackers in LC. Shadow Sneak is Pumpkaboo's main ghost STAB and priority move since it doesn't have access to Shadow Claw or any more physical-based ghost type moves. Bullet Seed is an amazing grass STAB for Pumpkaboo since, due to do the damage rolls in LC, will do better damage than Seed Bomb and can also break Sturdy/sashes from your opponent, mainly the very common sash Abra. Leech Seed will help Pumpkaboo stay on the field for a longer period of time and help out your team since it drains 1/8 of your opponents' HP every turn unless they switch out. Overall, Pumpkaboo is definitely a good option to use on your team.
Good Teammates: There are many good teammates that Pumpkaboo values. Hazard setters such as Drilbur and Trubbish can benefit from Pumpkaboo's effectiveness as a spin-blocker, since it's the perfect counter to Drilbur. Pumpkaboo will also appreciate the hazard support and can also annoy your opponent even more with its Will-O-Wisp and Leech Seed combo since they're consistently switching out while Pumpkaboo has fun with those status moves. Chinchou can also be a good teammate for Pumpkaboo since both have excellent coverage to eachother and both are amazing pokes in LC. Pawniard is also another option since its Knock Off support is amazing and Pumpkaboo will have an easier time dealing with your opponents by using Shadow Sneak and Bullet Seed. They also provide great coverage for eachother too.
What Counters It: You have to play very carefully with Pumpkaboo since not going for Will-O-Wisp on an incoming physical counter will probably make you lose your match. Pumpkaboo's main problem is Pawniard and Guts Timburr. Pawniard, even if it is burned, can knock off your eviolite and still do plenty of damage since it is STAB on pawn. If you burn Timburr, it's gg since Guts will activate when Timburr is burned and due to Timburr's good bulk with Eviolite, Pumpkaboo can't do much. Then, you'll give Timburr free bulk ups and then KO you with a super effective Knock Off. Fletchling can also be a burden to Pumpkaboo even if fletch is burned since Pumpkaboo's STABs will do absolutely nothing and then Fletchling 3HKOs it with Acrobatics.
Any Additional Information: Berry Juice is also a good item for Pumpkaboo due to its good bulk and can regenerate health when your opponent will not OHKO it. You can then proceed spamming Leech Seed, Will-O-Wisp, and its STABs even more.
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I went through the Physical Sweeper category and made some (mostly minor) changes. Bunny, Shrew, and Shellder were perfectly fine while others had mentions of Missy. I should get around to special sweepers fairly soon.
Eren I think that Offensive spinners works better as I have been using webnidos a Lot and Pumpkaboo most of the time make we lose monmentum even been very effective on keep web when you´re talking about offensive teams that abuse Nidos Offensive pressure, anyway genious descrition on Cranidos[What To Use]
Cranidos @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
Level: 5
EVs: 60 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Zen Headbutt
- Fire Punch
Roles: Physical Sweeper, Wallbreaker
What It Does: Cranidos has a 125 base attack stat, which is the largest attack stat in LC. Even though its attack stat looks very promising, its other stats are lackluster. But, with the right amount of team support, Cranidos can be a devastating sweeper. With Sheer Force, Cranidos gets extra power for moves that have a secondary effect, but at the cause of losing the chance to get that secondary effect. Also, since Cranidos holds a Life Orb, moves that support Sheer Force won't get any recoil from it and get even more power. Rock Slide is a good STAB that supports Sheer Force and will definitely leave many dents in your opponent's team. Earthquake is always a good move to deal decent damage and cover weaknesses. Zen Headbutt is also good coverage for fighting types Cranidos hate and it also gets boosted by Sheer Force, so you don't have to worry too much about fighting types. For the last slot, Fire Punch is a great move that gets boosted by Sheer Force to hit Ferroseed, which is a big counter to Cranidos without Fire Punch.
Good Teammates: Sticky Web setters such as Surskit are amazing teammates with Cranidos due to its kind of lackluster speed and many pokemon that outspeed it will kill it. With Sticky Web up, Cranidos can outspeed and do heavy damage to all non-scarf pokemon and some scarfed pokemon too. Hazard setters such as Dwebble and Drilbur also provide Cranidos to get more OHKOs due to Stealth Rocks / Spikes. Pawniard is also a good teammate for Cranidos since it's also very good under webs with its Life Orb set and can take defogs and get +2 attack with its ability Defiant. A spinblocker such as Pumpkaboo also are good teammates with Cranidos since Sticky Web makes Cranidos a thousand times better and you don't want it to go away.
What Counters It: Priority moves greatly hinder Cranidos because of its frailty. Hippopotas can also counter Cranidos pretty well since Cranidos only does around 30% to it with Zen headbutt, Fire Punch, and Earthquake. Then, Hippopotas can OHKO Cranidos with its STAB Earthquake. Other than that, nothing really wants to switch into Cranidos and take a STAB rock move or one of its coverage moves.
Any Additional Information: You can use a different set than this one and use Choice Scarf instead of Life Orb so you don't need Sticky Webs with a moveset of Head Smash, Rock Slide, Earthquake, and Fire Punch. Life Orb generally is a better set for Cranidos, but this one can work too.
Cranidos @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sheer Force
Level: 5
EVs: 60 HP / 236 Atk / 212 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Head Smash
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
[What To Use]
Stunky @ Eviolite / Berry Juice
Ability: Aftermath
Level: 5
EVs: 12 HP / 12 Atk / 220 Def / 28 SpA / 188 SpD / 4 Spe
Serious Nature
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Fire Blast / Crunch / Sludge Bomb
- Defog / Memento
Roles: Support, Hazard Remover (if you choose to use Defog)
What It Does: Stunky is a very unique pokemon in LC. With its dual typing, it's only weak to ground type attacks, which is impressive. Anyway, the biggest niche that Stunky has is it's a counter to Abra and Gastly, two very popular pokemon that are rising after Misdreavus' ban. With them being very popular and fantastic threats, Stunky is your go-to poke to take them out. With its amazing typing, Stunky can take any one of Abra or Gastly's STABs on the switch and then you can proceed to Pursuit trap them and KO. Stunky also has 18 speed which is very useful since it can speed tie Gastly and outspeed the pokemon in the 17 speed tier, which consists of many of the current threats in this metagame. Eviolite on Stunky gives you some more bulk to take hits. Aftermath is the more ideal ability for Stunky because of how it can get some good damage on your opponent when they KO Stunky, which can be useful if you want to revenge kill it. Sucker Punch is an amazing STAB and priority move for Stunky. Stunky does suffer a lot from 4MSS(4-moveslot syndrome). The choice of Fire Blast, Crunch, or Sludge Bomb really depends on your team/preference. Fire Blast can hit Pawniard for a fair amount of damage and suits your team if it's weak to it. Crunch is another dark STAB you can take if you don't want to take the risk of your opponent not attacking resulting in Sucker Punch failing. Sludge Bomb is for when if don't want to be walled by fairies and you want poison STAB to do remarkable damage to fairies type such as Cottonee, Snubbull, and Spritzee. For the last slot, it also depends on your team/preference. Stunky makes for a decent defogger if your team despise hazards. Memento is for softening up your opponent when you want to switch into a sweeper (e.g. Zigzagoon and Omanyte) and set up safely. You do have to sacrifice Stunky though, so make sure you use Memento wisely.
Good Teammates: There are a variety of good teammates for Stunky. Fighting types such as Mienfoo and Timburr appreciate Stunky's role as an Abra and Gastly counter. Stunky will also appreciate the Knock Off support from them too. Foongus can also be a viable teammate due to the coverage they both have and Foongus' spores are always useful. Stunky doesn't have a reliable recovery move, so you could have a wish passer such as Spritzee and Lickitung. As stated in the "What It Does" section, set up sweepers can really benefit from Stunky if you choose to use Memento over Defog. Stunky will most likely outspeed your opponent due to its great speed and you can proceed to switch in to your sweeper after Stunky dies and set up safely due to the -2 attack and special attack stat drops.
What Counters It: Pawniard can counter Stunky without Fire Blast hard. Stunky's STABs won't do a thing to Pawniard and if you're not careful, you can defog Pawniard on the switch and let it get a frightening +2 attack. This is why fighting types are good teammates for Stunky. Hippopotas can also counter Stunky pretty hard due to its amazing bulk with an Eviolite. Hippopotas can then proceed with a STAB and super effective Earthquake to have a chance to OHKO Stunky. Spritzee can counter Stunky without Sludge Bomb because of how it's so bulky and it can take anything from Stunky very well. Fighting types such as Mienfoo and Timburr can also be a burden to Stunky because of how bulky they can be and how they can both restore health with a STAB Drain Punch. You'll also let Timburr get free bulk ups up with Stunky on the field.
Any Additional Information: You can use Berry Juice instead of Eviolite on Stunky if you want to expand the longevity of it in your battles.
Stunky @ Eviolite / Berry Juice
Ability: Aftermath
Level: 5
EVs: 12 HP / 12 Atk / 220 Def / 28 SpA / 188 SpD / 4 Spe
Serious Nature
- Pursuit
- Sucker Punch
- Fire Blast / Crunch / Sludge Bomb
- Defog / Memento
Roles: Support, Hazard Remover (if you choose to use Defog)
What It Does: Stunky is a very unique pokemon in LC. With its dual typing, it's only weak to ground type attacks, which is impressive. Anyway, the biggest niche that Stunky has is it's a counter to Abra and Gastly, two very popular pokemon that are rising after Misdreavus' ban. With them being very popular and fantastic threats, Stunky is your go-to poke to take them out. With its amazing typing, Stunky can take any one of Abra or Gastly's STABs on the switch and then you can proceed to Pursuit trap them and KO. Stunky also has 18 speed which is very useful since it can speed tie Gastly and outspeed the pokemon in the 17 speed tier, which consists of many of the current threats in this metagame. Eviolite on Stunky gives you some more bulk to take hits. Aftermath is the more ideal ability for Stunky because of how it can get some good damage on your opponent when they KO Stunky, which can be useful if you want to revenge kill it. Sucker Punch is an amazing STAB and priority move for Stunky. Stunky does suffer a lot from 4MSS(4-moveslot syndrome). The choice of Fire Blast, Crunch, or Sludge Bomb really depends on your team/preference. Fire Blast can hit Pawniard for a fair amount of damage and suits your team if it's weak to it. Crunch is another dark STAB you can take if you don't want to take the risk of your opponent not attacking resulting in Sucker Punch failing. Sludge Bomb is for when if don't want to be walled by fairies and you want poison STAB to do remarkable damage to fairies type such as Cottonee, Snubbull, and Spritzee. For the last slot, it also depends on your team/preference. Stunky makes for a decent defogger if your team despise hazards. Memento is for softening up your opponent when you want to switch into a sweeper (e.g. Zigzagoon and Omanyte) and set up safely. You do have to sacrifice Stunky though, so make sure you use Memento wisely.
Good Teammates: There are a variety of good teammates for Stunky. Fighting types such as Mienfoo and Timburr appreciate Stunky's role as an Abra and Gastly counter. Stunky will also appreciate the Knock Off support from them too. Foongus can also be a viable teammate due to the coverage they both have and Foongus' spores are always useful. Stunky doesn't have a reliable recovery move, so you could have a wish passer such as Spritzee and Lickitung. As stated in the "What It Does" section, set up sweepers can really benefit from Stunky if you choose to use Memento over Defog. Stunky will most likely outspeed your opponent due to its great speed and you can proceed to switch in to your sweeper after Stunky dies and set up safely due to the -2 attack and special attack stat drops.
What Counters It: Pawniard can counter Stunky without Fire Blast hard. Stunky's STABs won't do a thing to Pawniard and if you're not careful, you can defog Pawniard on the switch and let it get a frightening +2 attack. This is why fighting types are good teammates for Stunky. Hippopotas can also counter Stunky pretty hard due to its amazing bulk with an Eviolite. Hippopotas can then proceed with a STAB and super effective Earthquake to have a chance to OHKO Stunky. Spritzee can counter Stunky without Sludge Bomb because of how it's so bulky and it can take anything from Stunky very well. Fighting types such as Mienfoo and Timburr can also be a burden to Stunky because of how bulky they can be and how they can both restore health with a STAB Drain Punch. You'll also let Timburr get free bulk ups up with Stunky on the field.
Any Additional Information: You can use Berry Juice instead of Eviolite on Stunky if you want to expand the longevity of it in your battles.
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