Underused Pokemon Matchmaking Phase 2 [Week 29 - Nasty Plot Infernape]


This core has trouble with pert in general as well as grounds and any water that can stall croak. Celebi beats pretty much every water especially at +2. Dazzling gleam to hit hyd on the swich in. And dual stabs to hit both grounds and fighting types as well as tenta. Set is both standard and fire.


Celebi @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Giga Drain
- Dazzling Gleam
- Psychic
 

nv

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It's time to vote! :)

Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 244 Def / 12 Spe
Bold Nature
- Roar
- Scald
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
Cune works very well with them because they always fear Krookodile. RoarCune isn't the best Krookodile switch, but it can switch-in some times thanks to it's big bulk. Another thing that is annoying as fuck to this core is Gyarados, since it's going to click Dragon Dance and sweep. This core isn't weak to Celebi thanks to Houndoom, so it works very well with Suicune.

Metagross @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Bullet Punch
- Earthquake / Explosion
- Stealth Rock

When examining this core, it has obvious issues with threats such as Mega Aerodactyl, Crobat, Mega Sceptile, etc. It also doesn't have a Stealth Rock setter and an actual Fairy resist would be a great perk. So here we have SR Metagross. It's been rising in popularity lately for both it's Mixed set and simple SR set which are both very good. In this situation, the SR variant is much better and offers a large amount of role compression as a check towards the aforementioned threats, a Fairy and Flying resist, form of priority, and a Stealth Rock setter. So all in all, Metagross is a pretty great partner for these two due to the large amount of things it does in a single slot while maintaining momentum and offensive synergy.

This core has trouble with pert in general as well as grounds and any water that can stall croak. Celebi beats pretty much every water especially at +2. Dazzling gleam to hit hyd on the swich in. And dual stabs to hit both grounds and fighting types as well as tenta. Set is both standard and fire.


Celebi @ Life Orb
Ability: Natural Cure
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 29 HP / 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Giga Drain
- Dazzling Gleam
- Psychic
Voting ends on Monday.
 

nv

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mfw one vote...congrats to JoarAddamNessosin I guess lol.

This week's victim is one that seemed to have suffer from Sylveon's drop, but is still a good win con for more balanced teams

Florges (F) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flower Veil
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Synthesis
- Aromatherapy
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast

Submissions end on Friday.
 
reserving Suicune

Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Rest
- Calm Mind
- Roar

Suicune can check many fire and steel types that are threatening to florges, which allows the latter to spam moonblast on the switch to weaken its checks early game so it can sweep later. This is a good strategy when combined with entry hazards Considering many of the checks to florges lack recovery.

Roar is important on Suicune because it allows it to check many bulky setup sweepers, like Snorlax, cresselia and Reuniclus (as well as opposing Suicune and florges), who set up on both of them. Sleep talk could be used over CM but I prefer having ability to set up on the aforementioned Pokemon and having an additional win condition.

This core can handle a hefty amount of the tier, but is very weak to Celebi and many poison types like acid spray Tentacruel and Nidoqueen among some other threats.
 
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LeoLancaster

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Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Spikes
- Heavy Slam
- Pin Missile

CM Florges cannot sweep until the opponent's Steel-, Fire-, and Poison-types are worn down or eliminated. Almost all of these checks lack recovery and are vulnerable to Spikes, making the hazard a good way to support Florges. Thus, Specially Defensive Forretress is a good partner.

This particular set has max spdef, Heavy Slam, and Pin Missile to better cover Florges' shortcomings: as a special wall, the flower cannot check two of the tier's top special threats in Celebi and Sylveon. This set alleviates that with the unconventional move choices. Giving up Volt Switch can be annyoing sometimes but when Krookodile, Swampert, and Nidoqueen are both very common and easily switch into Forry it can be hard to use it anyway. It also comes with the added benefit of doing a decent chunk to Krook and Hydreigon (against Scarfdrei Pin Missile can be a little less reliable than Gyro Ball, but it certainly helps when running HSlam). Finally, it also checks Mega Beedrill for Florges.

Bulky Water-types make good partners for the Florges + Forry core, as they patch up the Fire weakness, provide a solid Mega Aerodactyl check, and complete the Fairy/Water/Steel core. Roar Suicune is a good choice for its reliability and ability to rack up Spikes damage with Roar, and Swampert also makes a fine partner by providing Stealth Rocks and an Electric immunity on top of its duties as a Water-type.
 
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Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Damp
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Roar
- Toxic/Stealth Rock


Cm Florges is a great win-con for bulky offence or Balance but struggles with steels and fire types. Defensive regular swampert helps with all of these excpt grass knot/energy ball infernape[not much trouble for florges]/chandy respectively and both can be worn down with repeated switches into rocks. Depending on the rest of the team swampert can either set rocks or use toxic to wear down switchins like cune before roaring them out. Roar is pretty mandatory to stop other cm sweepers before florges can set up. This core would enjoy something for things like nasty plot celebi which can beat florges in already set up and ohkos swampert and and rapid spin support because both mons get worn from repeated switch-in because of the plethora of mons they check.​
 


Dugtrio @ Choice Band
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace
- Toxic / Memento / Sucker Punch

A more direct way of helping cm Florges in sweeping. It traps usual fairy type counters like fire, steel and poison types. Also Whimsicott and strong physical wallbreakers if you can weaken them a bit. Unfortunately quite a bit of them can avoid the trapping like Bronzong, Forretress, Doublade, Rotom-H, Crobat, Weezing and cm psyshock user, they are still problems for Florges. These are weak to Hydreigon though so it could be cool to use it alongside with u turn possibly since it also appreciates Dugtrio support.

All it really needs is earthquake the rest is coverage but it's interchangeable. Toxic could be cool to poison something so Florges can stall it later but idk. Memento to set up easier maybe. Sucker Punch to trap faster foes like scarfed Darmanitan.
 

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Krookodile @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
- Superpower

This match is pretty similar to the famous Krook/Sylveon core everyone seems to be working with nowadays. Anyway, it's pretty self-explanatory, CM Florges hates things like Bronzong, Metagross, Toxicroak, Entei, Nidos, and more by not being able to sufficiently break through them without being KO'd itself. Though it can't switch into most of these Pokemon, Krookodile is there to actually check them effectively (rather than counter), either by Pursuit trapping them or straight up KOing them with either one of its strong STABs/Superpower, which allows Florges having an easier time late-game, which is when bulky set-up sweepers are at their best.
 

nv

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Time to vote!
reserving Suicune

Suicune @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Rest
- Calm Mind
- Roar

Suicune can check many fire and steel types that are threatening to florges, which allows the latter to spam moonblast on the switch to weaken its checks early game so it can sweep later. This is a good strategy when combined with entry hazards Considering many of the checks to florges lack recovery.

Roar is important on Suicune because it allows it to check many bulky setup sweepers, like Snorlax, cresselia and Reuniclus (as well as opposing Suicune and florges), who set up on both of them. Sleep talk could be used over CM but I prefer having ability to set up on the aforementioned Pokemon and having an additional win condition.

This core can handle a hefty amount of the tier, but is very weak to Celebi and many poison types like acid spray Tentacruel and Nidoqueen among some other threats.

Forretress @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Spikes
- Heavy Slam
- Pin Missile

CM Florges cannot sweep until the opponent's Steel-, Fire-, and Poison-types are worn down or eliminated. Almost all of these checks lack recovery and are vulnerable to Spikes, making the hazard a good way to support Florges. Thus, Specially Defensive Forretress is a good partner.

This particular set has max spdef, Heavy Slam, and Pin Missile to better cover Florges' shortcomings: as a special wall, the flower cannot check two of the tier's top special threats in Celebi and Sylveon. This set alleviates that with the unconventional move choices. Giving up Volt Switch can be annyoing sometimes but when Krookodile, Swampert, and Nidoqueen are both very common and easily switch into Forry it can be hard to use it anyway. It also comes with the added benefit of doing a decent chunk to Krook and Hydreigon (against Scarfdrei Pin Missile can be a little less reliable than Gyro Ball, but it certainly helps when running HSlam). Finally, it also checks Mega Beedrill for Florges.

Bulky Water-types make good partners for the Florges + Forry core, as they patch up the Fire weakness, provide a solid Mega Aerodactyl check, and complete the Fairy/Water/Steel core. Roar Suicune is a good choice for its reliability and ability to rack up Spikes damage with Roar, and Swampert also makes a fine partner by providing Stealth Rocks and an Electric immunity on top of its duties as a Water-type.

Swampert @ Leftovers
Ability: Damp
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Earthquake
- Scald
- Roar
- Toxic/Stealth Rock


Cm Florges is a great win-con for bulky offence or Balance but struggles with steels and fire types. Defensive regular swampert helps with all of these excpt grass knot/energy ball infernape[not much trouble for florges]/chandy respectively and both can be worn down with repeated switches into rocks. Depending on the rest of the team swampert can either set rocks or use toxic to wear down switchins like cune before roaring them out. Roar is pretty mandatory to stop other cm sweepers before florges can set up. This core would enjoy something for things like nasty plot celebi which can beat florges in already set up and ohkos swampert and and rapid spin support because both mons get worn from repeated switch-in because of the plethora of mons they check.​


Dugtrio @ Choice Band
Ability: Arena Trap
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace
- Toxic / Memento / Sucker Punch

A more direct way of helping cm Florges in sweeping. It traps usual fairy type counters like fire, steel and poison types. Also Whimsicott and strong physical wallbreakers if you can weaken them a bit. Unfortunately quite a bit of them can avoid the trapping like Bronzong, Forretress, Doublade, Rotom-H, Crobat, Weezing and cm psyshock user, they are still problems for Florges. These are weak to Hydreigon though so it could be cool to use it alongside with u turn possibly since it also appreciates Dugtrio support.

All it really needs is earthquake the rest is coverage but it's interchangeable. Toxic could be cool to poison something so Florges can stall it later but idk. Memento to set up easier maybe. Sucker Punch to trap faster foes like scarfed Darmanitan.

Krookodile @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Earthquake
- Superpower

This match is pretty similar to the famous Krook/Sylveon core everyone seems to be working with nowadays. Anyway, it's pretty self-explanatory, CM Florges hates things like Bronzong, Metagross, Toxicroak, Entei, Nidos, and more by not being able to sufficiently break through them without being KO'd itself. Though it can't switch into most of these Pokemon, Krookodile is there to actually check them effectively (rather than counter), either by Pursuit trapping them or straight up KOing them with either one of its strong STABs/Superpower, which allows Florges having an easier time late-game, which is when bulky set-up sweepers are at their best.
Voting ends on Monday.
 
Forretress

Tough choice all are good teammates but i voted forry cause not only it can switch into stuff that troubles Florges but it can wear down stuff for it to sweep. Also cause it doesnt have volt switch, it's so shit with spe def forry.
 

nv

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While the votes were literally tied at one for each participant, thanks to yandaud, LeoLancaster is the winner so congratulations n_n

This week, I decided to go with a well known win condition for more offensive teams.


Infernape @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast / Grass Knot
- Vacuum Wave

Nasty Plot gives Infernape a way to break bulkier Pokemon and with Focus Blast, even some common bulky cores such as Alomomola and Blissey. That being said, Grass Knot gives you a more reliable move against Water-types at the cost of no powerful Fighting STAB.

Submissions end on Friday.
 


Not Land Dog (Krookodile) @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge/Superpower


Band Krok™ pairs very well with Np-ape. Ape deals with most waters and grass types after 1 boost and krok deals with celebi and other physics and flying types with knockoff/pursuit+stone edge. I chose stone edge over superpower because +2 vacuumwave deals with scarf-hydr and steels really arnt a issue. With this partner grass knot would be the ideal option imo because even without superpower bliss is less of an issue then mola. This core would appreciate hazzards/removal as well as something to asorb status(conk could deal with bliss and make a nice fighting spam core as well here). Other threats to this core are bulky waters and fairys which neither mon can switch in on so something to deal with them is needed.
 
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Aerodactyl @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crunch / Earthquake
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Wing Attack / Earthquake

NP Infernape's stops somewhat vary slightly between Focus Blast and GK variants but this set is aiming to partner with the Focus Blast variant so ye. Crunch Aerodactyl can lure in Slowking for Ape, or you can put EQ for the ability to OHKO Tentacruel, or have both in order to try to help Nape as best possible. The main reason Aerodactyl is arguably the best partner for this, however, is that it essentially removes every good Infernape check on offensive builds in the form of faster Pokemon that don't care about Vacuum Wave, such as Crobat and Beedrill, while also being able to Pursuit trap every Chandelure variant with ease.
 
Aww i wanted mega Aerodactyl :p it's hands down the best teammate



Beedrill @ Beedrillite
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Poison Jab
- Drill Run
- Protect

It's a cool teammate that will give NP Infernape more opportunities to come on the battlefield thanks to U-turn, to try to patch its shit bulk. Because most switchins to mega Beedrill are bulky steel types like Forretress, Doublade etc, physical walls in general. It helps versus psychic types and fairy types who often have a lot of special defense. It troubles people using Chandelure and Tentacuel, who are very good nape counters, because you have Drill Run and always outspeed both and can absorb Toxic Spikes as well. Not the best teammate though they do have a compounded weakness to some flying types like Crobat and Aero but these can be worn down by U-turn and a steel type with Stealth rock will gladly take care of them. It's cool for Beedrill to be paired with a fire type that can beat bulky water and ground types and isnt outsped by Cobalion ^^
 

nv

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It's voting time!


Not Land Dog (Krookodile) @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
IVs: 0 SpA
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge/Superpower


Band Krok™ pairs very well with Np-ape. Ape deals with most waters and grass types after 1 boost and krok deals with celebi and other physics and flying types with knockoff/pursuit+stone edge. I chose stone edge over superpower because +2 vacuumwave deals with scarf-hydr and steels really arnt a issue. With this partner grass knot would be the ideal option imo because even without superpower bliss is less of an issue then mola. This core would appreciate hazzards/removal as well as something to asorb status(conk could deal with bliss and make a nice fighting spam core as well here). Other threats to this core are bulky waters and fairys which neither mon can switch in on so something to deal with them is needed.


Aerodactyl @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Crunch / Earthquake
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Wing Attack / Earthquake

NP Infernape's stops somewhat vary slightly between Focus Blast and GK variants but this set is aiming to partner with the Focus Blast variant so ye. Crunch Aerodactyl can lure in Slowking for Ape, or you can put EQ for the ability to OHKO Tentacruel, or have both in order to try to help Nape as best possible. The main reason Aerodactyl is arguably the best partner for this, however, is that it essentially removes every good Infernape check on offensive builds in the form of faster Pokemon that don't care about Vacuum Wave, such as Crobat and Beedrill, while also being able to Pursuit trap every Chandelure variant with ease.
Aww i wanted mega Aerodactyl :p it's hands down the best teammate



Beedrill @ Beedrillite
Ability: Swarm
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- U-turn
- Poison Jab
- Drill Run
- Protect

It's a cool teammate that will give NP Infernape more opportunities to come on the battlefield thanks to U-turn, to try to patch its shit bulk. Because most switchins to mega Beedrill are bulky steel types like Forretress, Doublade etc, physical walls in general. It helps versus psychic types and fairy types who often have a lot of special defense. It troubles people using Chandelure and Tentacuel, who are very good nape counters, because you have Drill Run and always outspeed both and can absorb Toxic Spikes as well. Not the best teammate though they do have a compounded weakness to some flying types like Crobat and Aero but these can be worn down by U-turn and a steel type with Stealth rock will gladly take care of them. It's cool for Beedrill to be paired with a fire type that can beat bulky water and ground types and isnt outsped by Cobalion ^^
Voting ends on Monday.
 

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