NU Core Threat Analysis [Hiatus]

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NU Cores Threat Analysis!


Pokemon rely on offensive and defensive synergy to function. Cores of Pokemon are units within teams that are built specifically to take advantage of these synergies between Pokemon. Many teams are built around such cores. The premise of this thread is to analyze cores by discussing the threats to them. Hopefully this exercise helps to show how a core can either potentially beat threats or what common Pokemon threaten it to further the teambuilding process.

I will not necessarily be using cores from the Good Cores thread (though I may use a few), but I recommend you check it out if you are looking for a core to build around.

Procedure:

1. I will post a core comprised of 2 Pokemon.

2. Posters will have the chance to post threats to the core.
Example: Vanilluxe is a threat to the Rain core of Ludicolo + Kabutops because it outspeeds both and stops the rain.

3. At the end of the week, I will put the threats to the core up for a vote. This is to allow the community to further invest themselves into this project.

Rules:

1. Please follow up your reservations in a timely fashion. I will allow 24 hours after a reservation to make the post. After the day is up, if you have not made your post then someone else may reserve that Pokemon.

2. Please post only Pokemon that are viable in NU. Preferably ones not listed lower than C- rank in the viability rankings. Avoid using weird / very very specific sets to check these Pokemon.

3. Each poster may only nominate one threat.

4. When posting, please explain yourself. Calcs are not necessary but please list more reasons than something simple like type synergy. Be descriptive so that other posters and I can fully understand your reasoning behind your nomination. Also please list a full set of the Pokemon including its item, full moveset, EV spread, and nature. Different sets can be posted for the same Pokemon so long as they serve an entirely different purpose from the other set.

5. Please be respectful to others.

Clarifications Regarding Threats:
A threat to the core must check or counter at least one member and cannot be countered by the other. A threat does not necessarily need to be able to switch into both members of the core, but it should be difficult/annoying to switch into for the members of the core. Of course, the biggest threats can counter both members or more of the core.
 
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To get this thread started, here is the week one core, composed of two very strong Pokemon, SD Buginium Z Samurott and Scarf Emboar.


Samurott @ Buginium Z
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Waterfall
- Aqua Jet
- Megahorn

Emboar @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Superpower
- Wild Charge
- Toxic

Post a Pokemon that threatens this core, and let's have a great week guys! Submissions will end in 5 days, so October 2nd.​
 
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poh

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Granbull @ Normalium Z
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Play Rough
- Earthquake
- Heal Bell
- Thunder Wave

Granbull can switch into both physical attackers and cripple them with Thunder Wave or click Play Rough and Earthquake for Samurott and Emboar respectively.
 
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yogi

I did not succumb...
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gimme gastro


Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Clear Smog
- Scald
- Toxic
- Recover

Basically the best check/counter to these two in my opinion, unless it gets toxic'd or hit by a +2 z-megahorn. Clear smog resets rott's SD boosts and toxic allows it to stall rott out.

252+ Atk Samurott Savage Spin-Out (190 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gastrodon: 173-204 (40.6 - 47.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Emboar Superpower vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Gastrodon: 172-204 (40.3 - 47.8%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

Also F earth giving a nearly impossible core for w1
 
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quziel

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Will Flesh out later, but Jellicent literally hard counters this rotter set, and takes everything emboar can throw out aside from wild charge.

252 Atk Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 248 HP / 100+ Def Jellicent: 242-286 (60 - 70.9%)
+2 252 Atk Samurott Savage Spin-Out (190 BP) vs. 248 HP / 100+ Def Jellicent: 184-216 (45.6 - 53.5%)
 

Askov

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UUPL Champion
Offensive Seismitoad


Seismitoad @ Expert Belt
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 252 Spe / 4 Def
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Earth Power
- Sludge Wave
- Grass Knot

Although Seismitoad can't come directly on Samurott or Emboar, it can beat them 1v1. Seismitoad is faster than Samurott and doesn't die to Savage Spin Out and can kill it with two GKnot. Emboar can't kill it with Superpower and Seismitoad can retaliate back with Earth Power/Hydro Pump

252 Atk Emboar Superpower vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Seismitoad: 238-282 (67.8 - 80.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Expert Belt Seismitoad Earth Power vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Emboar: 413-490 (114.4 - 135.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252+ Atk Samurott Savage Spin-Out (190 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Seismitoad: 240-283 (68.3 - 80.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252+ SpA Expert Belt Seismitoad Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Samurott: 230-274 (69.4 - 82.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
 

cyanize

Mantra Good I Casted So Many Spells U Idiot
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reserving vaporeon

constellations (Vaporeon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Wish
- Protect
- Haze

Vaporeon comes in on all of Emboar's moves with ease, bar Wild Charge which still has no chance to 2HKO factoring Leftovers recovery from Protect. Samurott it has to 50/50 a little bit, but after you Protect on the Z-Move you can simply Haze its boosts away.

252 Atk Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Vaporeon: 224-264 (48.2 - 56.8%) -- 35.5% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

+2 252+ Atk Samurott Megahorn vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Vaporeon: 235-277 (50.6 - 59.6%) -- 82.4% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 Atk Emboar Superpower vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Vaporeon: 186-219 (40 - 47.1%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
 
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Oricorio-Pom-Pom

Oricorio Pom Pom can switch into any of Emboar's or Samurott's attacks while easily outspeeding and OHKOing back with Choice Scarf.

Oricorio-Pom-Pom @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dancer
EVs: 136 Def / 252 SpA / 120 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Revelation Dance
- Hurricane
- Air Slash
- Hidden Power [Grass]


252 SpA Oricorio-Electric Hurricane vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Emboar: 422-498 (116.8 - 137.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 0 HP / 132+ Def Oricorio-Electric: 234-276 (80.4 - 94.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
252 SpA Oricorio-Electric Revelation Dance vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Samurott: 324-384 (97.8 - 116%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Samurott Waterfall vs. 0 HP / 132+ Def Oricorio-Electric: 124-147 (42.6 - 50.5%) -- 2% chance to 2HKO
 

Martin

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Barbaracle @ Rockium Z
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Stone Edge
- Razor Shell
- Return

Barbaracle can take instant advantage of every Flare Blitz lock from Emboar with Shell Smash and can then OHKO both members of this core with Return. In fact it can probably clean up off of it, 'cause lets face it: if you kill something with Flare Blitz and lack Webs+a second scarfer, Seismitoad, Ditto, Pyuku (Pyuku offense new meta y/y) or something similar then you generally lose on the spot to this busted Pokemon anyway.
 
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Altaria @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 224 Def / 32 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Flamethrower
- Toxic
- Haze

Not much to explain, altaria just hard walls both emboar and samurott and wears them down with toxic. It also has haze to eliminate any stat boost like samurott's sd. (Note that even if altaria is not in the vr, it's not an unviable pokemon that just checks this core. It also checks delphox, slowbro, hitmonlee, rotom mow without rocks, it's a status absorber with natural cure etc.)

Here are the calcs:

+2 252+ Atk Samurott Savage Spin-Out (190 BP) vs. 252 HP / 224+ Def Altaria: 149-176 (42 - 49.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 Atk Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 252 HP / 224+ Def Altaria: 90-106 (25.4 - 29.9%) -- 1.9% chance to 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery

E: Shoutouts Eternally for discovering defensive altaria in SM
 
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Weezing @ Black Sludge
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Pain Split
- Sludge Bomb
- Will-O-Wisp
- Toxic Spikes

Weezing can take on Samurott with ease thanks to it's naturally good phys def as well as crippling it with Will-O-Wisp, also chipping with Sludge Bomb due to samu having no reliable recovery, and somewhat recovering itself off while chipping samu throughout Pain Split. Emboar gets easily worn down by either; hazards or tspikes from Weezing, recoil from Flare Blitz (or wild charge), and of course Sludge Bomb and Pain Split. Additionally, being a defensive mon that doesn't get annoyed by toxic is handy. Rocky Helmet could be used to chip at samu and boar much more efficiently, but the consistent recovery from black sludge is just way too valuable to pass. Sludge also always getting a 2hko off against both samu and boar is rlly nice. Haze could be used to even better deal with samu, but the damage from sludge + will-o is usually enough.

252 Atk Reckless Emboar Flare Blitz vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Weezing: 144-171 (43.2 - 51.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Black Sludge recovery
252 Atk Emboar Superpower vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Weezing: 60-71 (18 - 21.3%) -- possible 7HKO after Black Sludge recovery
252 Atk Reckless Emboar Wild Charge vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Weezing: 73-86 (21.9 - 25.8%) -- possible 5HKO after Black Sludge recovery

252+ Atk Samurott Waterfall vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Weezing: 76-91 (22.8 - 27.3%) -- possible 5HKO after Black Sludge recovery
+2 252+ Atk Samurott Waterfall vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Weezing: 153-180 (45.9 - 54%) -- 3.1% chance to 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery
+2 252+ Atk Samurott Savage Spin-Out (190 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Weezing: 120-141 (36 - 42.3%) -- 94.9% chance to 3HKO after Black Sludge recovery

0 SpA Weezing Sludge Bomb vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Samurott: 114-135 (34.4 - 40.7%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
0 SpA Weezing Sludge Bomb vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Emboar: 120-142 (33.2 - 39.3%) -- 100% chance to 3HKO
 
Our first winners are Garay oak and Rwby, congratulations guys!
The second core is composed of Barbaracle and Whimsicott, two very strong and complementary Pokemon in the current metagame.

Barbaracle @ Rockium Z
Ability: Tough Claws
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Shell Smash
- Razor Shell
- Return
- Stone Edge / Grass Knot

Whimsicott @ Life Orb / Choice Specs
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Energy Ball
- Psychic
- Hidden Power [Ground]

Feel free to submit threats to this core, you have until October 9th, good luck!​
 

cyanize

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is a Community Contributor
reserving vanilluxe

ImTriggered (Vanilluxe) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Blizzard
- Freeze-Dry
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Ground]

Modest Scarf Vanilluxe outspeeds both unless Barb is boosted, OHKOs Whimsicott with Freeze-Dry and does like 95% to Barb. Not much else to say about it.

252+ SpA Vanilluxe Freeze-Dry vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Barbaracle: 254-300 (89.1 - 105.2%) -- 31.3% chance to OHKO
252+ SpA Vanilluxe Freeze-Dry vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Whimsicott: 284-336 (108.8 - 128.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

Might as well forget about finding a defensive stop to this core, it doesn't exist rofl damn garay proving me wrong once again, what a god
 
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Z+V

Banned deucer.

Delphox @ Firium Z
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Fire Blast
- Psyshock
- Grass Knot

Assuming Barbaracle isn't boosted yet, Delphox can easily OHKO both. Whimsicott can't OHKO with HP Ground, even after rocks.

252 SpA Choice Specs Whimsicott Hidden Power Ground vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Delphox: 138-164 (47.4 - 56.3%) -- 81.6% chance to 2HKO
252 SpA Delphox Fire Blast vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Whimsicott: 414-488 (158.6 - 186.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 SpA Delphox Grass Knot (80 BP) vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Barbaracle: 360-428 (126.3 - 150.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO
 

Ferroseed @ Eviolite
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Spikes
- Gyro Ball
- Leech Seed
- Protect/Seed Bomb/Toxic

Pretty much the only defensive counter to this core. It laughs at whimsicott and can revenge kill barbaracle with seed bomb (or leech seed stall it a bit and then gyro a couple of times), while easily living a +2 or even +4 continental crush (plus u can stall out the z move with protect, while gaining leech seed recovery) Here are some calcs:

252 SpA Choice Specs Whimsicott Moonblast vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Ferroseed: 62-73 (21.3 - 25%) -- 0% chance to 4HKO

0 Atk Ferroseed Gyro Ball (150 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Whimsicott: 216-254 (82.7 - 97.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

0 Atk Ferroseed Seed Bomb vs. -1 0 HP / 4 Def Barbaracle: 268-316 (94 - 110.8%) -- 62.5% chance to OHKO

0 Atk Ferroseed Gyro Ball (150 BP) vs. -1 0 HP / 4 Def Barbaracle: 124-147 (43.5 - 51.5%) -- 9.8% chance to 2HKO

+2 252 Atk Barbaracle Continental Crush (180 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Ferroseed: 129-152 (44.3 - 52.2%) -- 16.4% chance to 2HKO

+2 252 Atk Barbaracle Stone Edge vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Ferroseed: 72-85 (24.7 - 29.2%) -- 100% chance to 4HKO

+4 252 Atk Barbaracle Continental Crush (180 BP) vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Ferroseed: 193-228 (66.3 - 78.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

+4 252 Atk Barbaracle Stone Edge vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Eviolite Ferroseed: 108-127 (37.1 - 43.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

0 Atk Ferroseed Gyro Ball (150 BP) vs. -2 0 HP / 4 Def Barbaracle: 165-195 (57.8 - 68.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO


Edit: It has also risen a lot in popularity recently (especially in snake draft), so I think it's already been proved that ferro is viable.
 
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