Underrated Ubers Movesets
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Introduction
Ubers. Probably the most static tier in the entire game, throughout all of its generations. It's basically a banlist tier, where all the broken stuff from OU are thrown. No holds are barred, you can unleash the power of the strongest Pokemon ever created, which is why Ubers is so fun and attractive. A lot of Pokemon are put aside in favor of the standard Ubers sets and common threats: Kyogre, Palkia, Darkrai, Mewtwo... I can go on with this pretty damn long so I'll just stop.
Like every other metagame, Ubers too has its fair share of underrated Pokemon and movesets. These sets are probably the closest you can get to anti-metagame. For one reason or another, they had fallen from standard usage but have returned to terrorize the tier. The most ingenious and curious of those have been highlighted in this article to showcase the amazing diversity of the Uber metagame.
SubToxic Gliscor
Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Jolly Nature (+Spe, -SpA)
- Substitute
- Taunt / Protect
- Toxic
- Earthquake
Scorpions are pretty kickass, and this one right here is no exception. In my opinion, it's the most underrated set in the entire Ubers environment. It was found in only 3% of the teams in May's statistics. I honestly can't understand how people miss that potential: immunity to Electric- and Ground-type moves, great Speed and Defense, fantastic ability, good STAB... Why not? Gliscor can turn any Groudon into easy setup bait: Taunt it to prevent Roar, use Substitute against everything that comes in, poison with Toxic. So simple, yet so destructive. This thing forces a ton of switches and is capable of beating entire stall teams by itself. Everything but the choice between Protect and Taunt on this set is pretty straightforward; Protect beats offensive teams by scouting their moves, whereas Taunt shuts down stall teams. Gliscor can run a bulkier EV spread, such as 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 Spe, which allows it to outspeed Tentacruel and take physical hits better.
There are literally only two counters for this set: Xatu and Manaphy. Magic Bounce Xatu is the only one that works all the time, as it is immune to Earthquake thanks to its Flying typing and isn't affected by Toxic or Taunt thanks to Magic Bounce, while Manaphy needs the weather to be rainy in order to activate its Hydration ability.
Calm Mind Electric Arceus
Arceus-Electric @ Zap Plate
Ability: Multitype
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Calm Mind
- Thunder / Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
- Focus Blast / Recover
This is possibly the most offensive Arceus form ever. BoltBeam coverage along with Focus Blast puts everything in the game in check, except retarded Shedinja users, but these are defeated by Stealth Rock. Backed with base 120 Special Attack and Speed and Calm Mind, this beast is going to devastate any team. Moreover, its main STAB in Thunder has perfect accuracy in rain, a very common weather in Ubers. This makes Electric Arceus the only Calm Mind Arceus, besides Rock Arceus, that can get past Ho-Oh, an immense threat in Ubers thanks to its high special bulk and Attack. However, if the shaky accuracy of Thunder outside of rain is not to your liking, Thunderbolt is a great alternative over it. Focus Blast rounds off the set with great coverage, but Recover can be used to increase Electric Arceus's lifespan on the field.
The pink blobs, Chansey and Blissey, can also give this Arceus trouble with their high base Special Defense and HP, Softboiled, and Toxic. Therefore, entry hazards, especially Toxic Spikes, are advised as not only does this Arceus force a ton of switches, it makes it easier for it to sweep.
Substitute + Nasty Plot Jynx
Jynx @ Leftovers
Ability: Dry Skin
EVs: 200 HP / 4 Def / 88 SpD / 216 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Lovely Kiss
- Nasty Plot
- Ice Beam
Yes shrang, I did let the analysis get out. Boy, Dream World has been generous to many of us. It gave Jynx the ability to switch into the hardest-hitting attack in the entire game: Kyogre's Water Spout. Instead of being instantly OHKOed by it, Jynx uses Kyogre's own weapons against it: she restores her health instead. Dry Skin also restores an additional 12.5% in the rain, which lets Jynx spam Substitutes in conjunction with Leftovers. Substitute and Lovely Kiss is a deadly combination as well. This set works as follows: switch Jynx into something like Kyogre, set up a Substitute, and put whatever your opponent sends in to sleep with Lovely Kiss. Usually, the opponent will send a Pokemon that can easily defeat Jynx, such as Scizor, and by putting it to sleep Jynx can freely set up Nasty Plots and proceed to sweep. The EVs may seem weird, but they have a purpose. They grant Jynx good bulk, and allows her to set up on many threats. I will quote my own wording (yes, shrang, MINE) from the analysis to demonstrate her bulk: "Jynx will never get 2HKOed by Timid Choice Scarf Kyogre's Thunder, Manaphy won't 2HKO Jynx with +3 Grass Knot or +3 Life Orb Ice Beam, Draco Meteor coming from Modest Dialga will not OHKO, Life Orb Mewtwo cannot OHKO Jynx under rain without a Calm Mind boost, and Ferrothorn's Power Whip will not OHKO."
Any Steel-type is troublesome for this set, especially Pokemon such as Heatran and Scizor, that pack super effective moves against Jynx. Therefore, Focus Blast can be used over Substitute, in order to have some sort of attack to hit them with. Special walls, such as Chansey, Blissey, and Ho-Oh, can also be troublesome, making Psyshock another alternative over Substitute. Replacing Substitute, however, is generally not advised as it will result in less setup opportunities.
Swords Dance Bisharp
Bisharp @ Life Orb
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Swords Dance
- Sucker Punch
- Night Slash
- Brick Break
I know I've said it a bajillion times by now, but here it goes again: "This thing has to be the coolest thing I've ever used!!" When you take a cursory glance at the Smogon PokeDex page on Bisharp, you see a Power Ranger-ripoff with mediocre stats except for a gigantic Attack stat, and you assume naturally that it is doomed to a life in the depths of UU. However, if you take a closer look you'll see that this Red Ranger isn't so mediocre after all. Bisharp has a slew of assets which most Ubers would kill for, but first and foremost is its precious Dark STAB. Strangely in Ubers, most of the walls are weak to Dark-type attacks. Giratina and Lugia are mercilessly ripped apart by a boosted Bisharp with consummate ease. 252/252+ Giratina takes a mammoth 80.16% - 94.44% from Bisharp's +2 Night Slash, while 252/176+ Lugia is cleanly OHKOed after taking Stealth Rock into consideration. However, while Bisharp's primary attraction in Ubers is as a giant destruction ball to smash walls, it is quite capable of holding its own against offensive teams as well. You might wonder what Bisharp could possibly do with that disgusting 70 Speed—but fear not, for this ranger has one last trick up its sleeve: Sucker Punch. With Sucker Punch, Bisharp can easily slice a slightly weakened Uber team apart. For example, Kyogre and Palkia are swiftly taken down by Sucker Punch. Other frail but fast Uber sweepers fare similarly against Bisharp. Its Steel typing also helps Bisharp switch into weak resisted moves in a pinch, but don't expect it to do that too many times!
In spite of its numerous advantages, Bisharp is a tricky Pokemon to use. First off, getting a Swords Dance requires patience and precision. Mindlessly clicking Swords Dance when Groudon is breathing down your neck does not work as Bisharp will probably not live a hit from the bloated offenses of most Uber Pokemon. Bisharp also has difficulty dealing with Pokemon who are resistant to Dark-type attacks. For example, Steel Arceus will easily be able to take Bisharp on and burn it, while Bisharp has to resort to Brick Break to dent Steel Arceus. No doubt, Brick Break will still do respectable damage, but it will not be able to cause too much worry to the metallic God. Other Steel-types, such as Dialga, will be problematic for Bisharp as well. Admittedly, Bisharp does have its fair share of shortcomings, but it certainly does deserve more attention than it currently gets.
StallTwo
Mewtwo @ Leftovers
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Def / 80 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Taunt
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Psystrike
Unlike the offensive approach that makes Mewtwo so feared, this set decides to go on a more defensive route. Its access to Taunt, Will-O-Wisp, and Recover, as well as other support moves such as Light Screen, Reflect, and Toxic, make it a great choice as a defensive pivot over Lugia and Giratina. Sure, its bulk is nowhere close to their bulk, but they don't have that wide movepool! This Mewtwo set tears stall apart so easily. "But the Psycho Killer set can also do that!" Yes, but the Psycho Killer's lifespan is very short when comparing to this one, and sticking Recover in one of its moveslots will result in less coverage, costing Mewtwo's sweep. While Taunt shuts down Chansey and Blissey, Mewtwo will have no chance of getting past them without Psystrike. Same thing with Ho-Oh, which can just burn Mewtwo with Sacred Fire. Psystrike allows Mewtwo to get past these annoyances and have some sort of offensive move, in case it got Taunted by Deoxys-S or a bounced Taunt from Xatu.
The EVs allow Mewtwo to outrun Terrakion while still having great bulk, but the Defense EVs can be shifted into Special Defense to tank Draco Meteors from Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina-O a lot better. Toxic Spikes shut this set down however, so a Rapid Spin user, such as Tentacruel or Forretress, is highly recommended. Even Poison Arceus can do the trick, immediately absorbing them as it switches in. This is indeed one of the most underrated sets in Ubers, and when played correctly, can become very annoying to face.
Tailwind Tornadus
Tornadus @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Tailwind
- Hurricane
- Focus Blast
- U-turn / Taunt
There has been an influx of Tailwind users in Ubers thanks to BW2's move tutors, but Tornadus is still the original and one of the best users of the move. The introduction of Soul Dew has sadly forced Tornadus to abandon its preferred Modest nature in a need to outspeed Latios, but it still hits surprisingly hard. As an example, Life Orb Hurricane 2HKOes Soul Dew Latios. Hurricane has great coverage in Ubers, and Focus Blast dents some of the things that resist it, such as Dialga. Taunt can be used to shut down boosters or entry hazard setters, while U-turn can be used to smack Latias or just maintain momentum.
Tailwind is of course still the crux of the set, and enables Tornadus to suicide in order to give a behemoth of a teammate three turns to wreak havoc at +2 Speed, or, in rare cases, allow Tornadus to deal with a Choice Scarf user late-game. Choice Specs Kyogre is one of the best partners for this set, fueling Tornadus's Hurricanes and bludgeoning the opponent with its absurdly powerful Water Spouts while Tailwind is active. Mixed Dialga is another exceptional partner, threatening a huge portion of the metagame while also resisting the common forms of priority. For these two Pokemon, and any other base 90 Speed partner being used, be sure to run 124 Speed EVs in order for them to outspeed Choice Scarf Palkia while Tailwind is up.
Swords Dance Rayquaza
Rayquaza @ Life Orb
Ability: Air Lock
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpA)
- Swords Dance
- Outrage
- ExtremeSpeed
- V-create
On the fated day when it was revealed that Arceus was going to finally step out of the Hall of Origin, Rayquaza stopped shredding the Uber tier, went into a corner, and cried, for it knew that its days as the premier Swords Dance user were numbered. However, when it was revealed that Arceus was going to released with an EV cap of 100 in each stat, Rayquaza finally heaved a sigh of relief and went back to bullying poor Lugia and Giratina. However, come BW, Rayquaza's worst nightmare had finally come true—the god had arrived in His full glory. Armed with the powerful STAB ExtremeSpeed and backed up with Swords Dance and Recover, Arceus quickly sent Rayquaza scurrying away and took over the throne Rayquaza had occupied for years. However, as the horrible memories of Rayquaza's uncontrollable rage receded into the back of the minds of the Ubers, Rayquaza began to get its chance to destroy the unprepared Uber tier.
It is definitely true that Swords Dance Rayquaza has to contend with the extremely attractive Extreme Killer Arceus, which offers more bulk, a STAB priority move, and Recover in return for slightly less Attack. However, Rayquaza has one very, very large attribute which Arceus does not: Dragon-type STAB. With most of the walls in Ubers being weak or unresistant to the Dragon-type, a boosted Outrage will OHKO most of the Uber tier...
Shell Smash Omastar
Omastar @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature (+SpA, -Atk)
- Shell Smash
- Hydro Pump / Surf
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
This prehistoric fossil might look out of place in the Uber metagame, but this little... thing is a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. In a single turn Omastar can go from a docile little fossil to a rampaging monster with over 722 Special Attack and 418 Speed with a single turn of setup. Add rain to the equation and you get to add a nice 2x boost to that Speed stat and a lovely 1.5x boost to Omastar's Water-type STAB moves. 248/0 Giratina is cleanly OHKOed by a boosted Ice Beam, while the indomitable Ferrothorn takes over 80% damage from +2 Hydro Pump in rain. However, one might naturally ask what does Omastar have over an arguably better Shell Smash user such as Cloyster, which gets STAB on both Ice Beam and Hydro Pump? The answer lies in the often overlooked Rock sub-typing that Omastar possesses. Thanks to its impressive base 125 Defense and passable 70 HP, Omastar can easily stomach a +2 ExtremeSpeed from Extreme Killer Arceus and revenge it with Hydro Pump with a little bit of prior damage.
If you're a careful reader, you will have noticed I've tactfully ignored Omastar's pitiful base Special Defense (by Uber standards). Yes, its true getting Omastar to bag a Shell Smash is nigh-impossible in the face of Uber offensive behemoths toting base 150 Special Attack such as Dialga and Palkia. If you feel you're skilled enough in prediction, you could always play mindgames with your opponent and use the threat of Omastar revenge killing a Pokemon to bag a Shell Smash. If, on the other, hand you are not too confident about your prediction, you could always resort to the good ol' dual screens strategy. Otherwise, if you are a frequent visitor in #pokemon and have been influenced by Theorymon, his trusty accomplice Wobbuffet will be a good teammate to Omastar, helping it set up with Encore.
Closing words
With the Uber metagame being shaken up by BW2 giving us Regenerator Ho-Oh and Multiscale Lugia, not to mention Soul Dew, there is a massive scope for creativity. Sets which were shrugged off as gimmicks might just be "the" set of the metagame. Some underrated sets will become standard eventually, while some standard sets will become underrated, and the cycle will progress indicating the diversity and activity of the metagame. Here's to hoping for a creative and vibrant BW2 Uber metagame!
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