Normal-types in RU: Anything but Average
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Introduction
Despite not hitting anything for super effective damage, Normal has cemented itself as one of the best offensive types in the RU tier. Only 3 types resist Normal (Steel, Rock, and Ghost) and most Normal-types have coverage moves to deal with these types, making sure that they aren't complete roadblocks for them. Normal is actually quite similar to Dragon as an attacking type in how it functions; they both hit the majority of the other types for neutral damage, use high powered moves to deal as much damage as possible, and struggle with a certain defensive type that can be worked around with certain kinds of support or coverage moves. Normal-types are rather strange defensively as they are only weak to Fighting-type moves and have an immunity to Ghost-type moves, but their main flaw defensively is that they don't have any notable resistances to any other type, making it slightly harder for them to switch in. Thankfully, many of the defensive Normal-types have incredible defensive stats and reliable recovery to help out with that. Normal-types also commonly have important support moves such as Heal Bell, Wish, Stealth Rock, Whirlwind, and dual screens, giving them a solid niche on more defensive teams as well. Overall, Normal is anything but bland in the RU tier and there's usually one Normal-type that can fit the flavor of your team.
Offensive Normal-types
Bouffalant
Bouffalant has cemented its position as one of the best bulky attackers in the RU tier ever since the dawn of the tier itself, and with great defenses, a high Attack stat, and access to the coveted Sap Sipper, Bouffalant isn't stepping down any time soon. The mighty AFRO BULL is one of the biggest threats to defensive teams that RU has, with its 95 / 95 / 95 defenses ensuring that the majority of RU's defensive threats will not be able to break its Substitutes even with minimal bulk investment. Bouffalant can then proceed to set up a Swords Dance and break down pretty much every defensive Pokémon in the RU tier that isn't a Levitating Ghost-type. Bouffalant also has the niche of being one of the best checks to Grass-type Pokémon RU has to offer, gaining a free Attack boost from moves like Giga Drain, Sleep Powder, and Leaf Storm; in fact, Bouffalant is arguably the best Lilligant counter in the tier, turning her into setup bait with the SubSD set or just smashing heads in with a Choice Band-boosted Head Charge.
Example Set:
Bouffalant @ Leftovers
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 156 HP / 252 Atk / 100 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Swords Dance
- Head Charge / Return
- Earthquake
Braviary
Braviary wasn't bad before, but the american bird got a very important buff in the new games that make him more threatening than he ever could be before: Roost. With Roost, Braviary has even more potential than it had before, being able to run a very effective 3 attacks + Roost set, or even a Bulk Up set that can set up on various defensive Pokémon. Braviary's old sets are just as good as before as well, with the Choice Band set being an incredible wallbreaker, at least 2HKOing Pokémon such as Lanturn, Slowking, Tangrowth, and Poliwrath with ease. Choice Scarf Braviary can even function as a decent revenge killer using its good bulk, high Attack stat, and good coverage to check a variety of offensive Pokémon. Braviary even has U-turn, making both Choice sets great options for scouts!
Example Set:
Braviary @ Leftovers
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 212 SpD / 44 Spe
Careful Nature
- Substitute
- Bulk Up
- Brave Bird
- Roost
Cinccino
Cinccino also got a big buff in the new games. Previously, Cinccino was a very luck-based Pokémon that had the potential to either be a complete bust or an absolute monster depending on the amount of times its attacks hit, but times like that are no more as the chinchilla has gained the ability Skill Link! With Skill Link, Cinccino is much more reliable than it was before, being able to use its high powered multi-hit moves to their maximum effectiveness. Cinccino also has the potential to stop Smeargle leads or Substitute users with these moves, adding to its potential as an underrated threat. The best part is probably that Cinccino has a phenomenal Speed tier at 115, just barely outrunning various RU Pokémon such as Archeops, Scyther, Scolipede, and Galvantula! Cinccino can also function as a decent scout with U-turn, using its ability to force tons of switches to its advantage. Also, most importantly, just look at it, isn't it cute?
Example Set:
Cinccino @ Life Orb
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Tail Slap
- Rock Blast
- Bullet Seed
- U-turn
Ditto
Ditto was never seen as anything more than an important breeding tool for the majority of its life, but with the addition of Imposter to its arsenal, Ditto has a new lease of life as one of the best revenge killers and scouts in the game. Ditto can be quite the annoyance to the opposing team when used properly, from making the opponent think twice about boosting because Ditto can simply come in, copy the boost, and counter-sweep them, to scouting an opponent's entire moveset simply by switching in. Ditto can also use the opponent's support moves and abilities to its advantage; examples include using Rapid Spin against the opponent's Cryogonal or copying a Slowking's Regenerator to get a third of its HP back with little risk.
Example Set:
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Imposter
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def / 30 Spe
- Transform
-
-
-
Kangaskhan
Kangaskhan is a bit of an oddball. She has high and balanced stats across the board and a great movepool, but she doesn't seem to have anything that stands out among her fellow Normal-types. This couldn't be any further from the truth, because Kangaskhan has a very rare ability that only four other Pokémon have, and she is arguably the best user of: Scrappy. With Scrappy, Kangaskhan can easily take on the generic Ghost-types that are often switched in to check most other offensive Normal-types, completely ignoring the immunity! This ability makes it much easier for Kangaskhan to simply spam her Normal- and Fighting-type attacks without need for prediction, making her very hard to wall despite her only slightly above average Attack stat. Kangaskhan can run both a Choice Band and a SubPunch set to good effect, using her ability and bulk to her advantage to carve a solid niche for herself.
Example Set:
Kangaskhan @ Choice Band
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double-Edge / Return
- Earthquake
- Drain Punch
- Sucker Punch
Linoone
Linoone is the definition of high risk, high reward. On one hand, Linoone has the perfect recipe to sweep a huge amount of RU teams in Belly Drum, ExtremeSpeed, and Gluttony, but on the other hand, Belly Drum is a very risky move, cutting Linoone's HP in half to boost its Attack stat to +6. Sadly, Linoone is very frail, and often cannot afford to set up without tons of support, and outside of Belly Drum, the little badger is pretty plain and boring. Thankfully, there are many ways to make setting up a Linoone sweep easier. Dual screens are a good option for making Linoone easier to set up, and RU has two of the best screen setters at its disposal: Uxie and Cresselia. Both of these Pokémon are incredibly bulky, meaning that not only can they get the dual screens up multiple times a match, they also have their own unique little perks to help Linoone sweep even more easily! Uxie has Memento to cut an opponent's attacking stats even lower, while Cresselia can revive a Linoone below 50% of its health and give it another chance to sweep via Lunar Dance. This may seem like a little much for such a seemingly average Pokémon, but trust me, a properly supported Linoone can turn any match into a living hell for the opponent.
Example Set:
Linoone @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Belly Drum
- ExtremeSpeed
- Shadow Claw / THE MIGHTY ROCK SMASH
- Seed Bomb
Sawsbuck
Sawsbuck is a very underrated Pokémon in the RU tier, and while its usage isn't as high as some of the other Normal-types, it actually has a whole lot going for it! For one thing, Sawsbuck has a secondary Grass typing over its Normal-type brethren, giving it nifty resistances to Water and Electric, among other things. This gives Sawsbuck the capability to check multiple Pokémon in the RU tier such as Kabutops, Rotom, Rotom-C, and Lanturn. Sawsbuck, like Bouffalant, also has Sap Sipper, giving it the capability to come in on the various Grass-types in the RU tier (and Smeargle!) with near impunity. Sawsbuck also has some cool moves like Baton Pass, Horn Leech, and Nature Power at its disposal. Baton Pass can be used to pass Swords Dances, Agilities, or even a Sap Sipper boost you got from a Grass-type! Horn Leech is the physical equivalent of Giga Drain, and allows Sawsbuck to heal off damage from entry hazards and any stray attacks it might get hit by. Nature Power basically becomes Earthquake under normal battle settings, but with one cool perk: it does not count as an attacking move, meaning that it doesn't trigger Sucker Punch. This means that Absol cannot even hope to revenge kill you under normal circumstances.
Example Set:
Sawsbuck @ Life Orb
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Double-Edge / Return
- Horn Leech
- Nature Power
Swellow
Swellow has made quite a reputation for itself in the lower tiers over the past few years, being known and feared by UU players everywhere since the start of DPP, and it is also probably one of the main reasons you are running a Rock or Steel on your team. Swellow has the ability Guts, which turns it from a mild mannered garden bird to a devastating offensive force within one turn. When Guts is taken into account, Swellow's base Attack shoots up from base 85 to the equivalent of a base 152 Attack Pokémon of the same nature; combine that with high powered STAB moves and a Speed tier that any offensive Pokémon would die for, and you have a monster on your hands. Sadly, Swellow's coverage is limited, and it often finds itself walled by Pokémon like Steelix and Rhydon early-game because of this. Thankfully, there are ways to get past this, namely entry hazards, good use of U-turn, and a Pokémon that can break them down just in case. Once those Pokémon are removed, there is little that can stop Swellow from ravaging through your weakened team. Beware of Swellow, or your team will struggle to escape the bird's onslaught alive!
Example Set:
Swellow @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Facade
- Brave Bird
- U-turn
- Protect / Quick Attack
Stoutland
Stoutland may be RU, but it is actually very outclassed within the tier. While Scrappy and Intimidate are fantastic abilities in their own right, Stoutland simply has an inferior movepool and stats in comparison to other Normal-type Pokémon with those abilities. For example, Kangaskhan is arguably a better user of Scrappy, as its similar bulk, superior Speed, and access to Double-Edge make it a better offensive user of Scrappy, while Stoutland is actually outclassed by Granbull defensively; even though Granbull has slightly worse defenses, Granbull also happens to have access to Heal Bell, which allows it to provide valuable cleric support for your team, while Stoutland can only spread paralysis with Thunder Wave. The only advantage that Stoutland possesses over its fellow Normal-types is its ability to sweep under manually-induced sandstorm, but that's a mediocre strategy at best. Overall, unless some revolutionary Stoutland springs up or Sand Stream is unbanned in RU, Stoutland will most likely fall to NU during the next tier shift.
Example Set:
Stoutland @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Return
- Superpower
- Fire Fang
- Crunch
Tauros
Tauros has taken quite a fall since its golden days in RBY, but that doesn't mean he's no longer a threat! In fact, with its new lease on life in Sheer Force, Tauros is more threatening than it has been in a long time! Tauros has plenty of moves that benefit from the ability, and with good Attack, high Speed, and impressive physical bulk for an offensive Pokémon, he has ample opportunity to use these moves to its advantage! With the boost from Sheer Force, Tauros's Rock Climb has the equivalent of 117 Base Power, rivaling the power of Double-Edge, and unlike Double-Edge, has no notable drawback aside from the drop in accuracy. This gives Tauros all the more time to do what it does best: hit stuff hard and fast! Tauros also has a Rock Slide with the same Base Power as its Stone Edge, and (thankfully) a notable increase in accuracy. Tauros can even use Fire Blast despite his low Special Attack to break through things that would wall it otherwise such as Tangrowth, Steelix, and Escavalier! To top it all off, all moves boosted by Sheer Force also ignore the negative effects of Life Orb, giving the mighty bull much more longevity! Tauros's usage is depressingly low though to be honest; in fact, it is one of the most used Pokémon among top RU players! Give it a try if you get the chance!
Example Set:
Tauros @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Rock Climb
- Rock Slide
- Fire Blast
- Earthquake
Zangoose
In past generations, Zangoose has been overshadowed by almost every other Normal-type in the lower tiers, but in BW, Zangoose received exactly what it needed to not just carve a niche for itself, but also give a few of its previous competitors a run for their money! Zangoose received Toxic Boost, an ability that functions just like Guts, except only for poison. With Toxic Boost, Zangoose's already high Attack shoots up to absolutely astronomical levels; for example, with Toxic Boost taken into account, Zangoose can easily 2HKO physically defensive behemoths such as Tangrowth and Cresselia with its STAB, and even 2HKO Pokémon that resist its STAB as bulky as Escavalier. Because of this nearly unmatched power, many defensive teams are forced to predict circles around Zangoose to wear it down, or lose several team members before the Toxic Orb finally wears the mongoose out. Unlike fellow status abuser Swellow, Zangoose has access to Close Combat, allowing it to just charge past the Rock- and Steel-types that would give Swellow major trouble. Because of this, they actually work well on the same team, one breaking through what troubles the other, leaving one to clean up what's left in the end. Zangoose also has a decent base 90 Speed to back up its sky high Attack, and even has a decently powerful priority move in the form of a STAB Quick Attack to pick off some potential revenge killers.
Example Set:
Zangoose @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Toxic Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Facade
- Close Combat
- Night Slash
- Quick Attack
Defensive/Support Normal-types:
Audino
We'll just get this out of the way right away: Audino is a bit outclassed as a defensive Normal-type by Clefable and Lickilicky. However, it does have a couple niches that still make it usable in RU, the most prominent of which is its fantastic ability in Regenerator. While not as good as Magic Guard (which prevents recoil damage, status damage, and entry hazard damage), it still makes Audino a fantastic pivot and wall when used alongside fellow Regenerators Tangrowth and Slowking. This allows Audino to absorb an attack, throw up a Wish, and then switch to a teammate while also healing at the same time. As a defensive Pokémon, Audino has one major factor that separates it from most of the pack: it's able to wall Nidoqueen. This is a huge godsend for most defensive teams as only a few other Pokémon are able to achieve the same feat, and Audino accomplishes it with gusto. As a Normal-type, Audino's movepool is massive and sports some really nice gems like access to dual screens, Heal Bell, Healing Wish, and more, which all let it fill whatever role your team may need. Finally, the last major niche Audino has that really separates it from Clefable and Lickilicky is its access to Trick Room. Few Pokémon are able to effectively pull it off in RU, and Audino is nearly a must on Trick Room teams lest they be annihilated by Nidoqueen before even starting.
Example Set:
Audino @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell / Return
- Toxic / Thunder Wave
Clefable
With a movepool that stretches to the farthest regions of the universe, Clefable is one of the most versatile Pokémon in RU. While Clefable is actually capable of functioning well both offensively and defensively, she is most commonly seen being used on more defensive teams because of her expansive support movepool which includes Wish, Heal Bell, Stealth Rock, Encore, Seismic Toss, Softboiled, Thunder Wave, and various other moves that aren't seen as much such as Gravity. Clefable also has the distinction of being one of the few defensive Pokémon that can actually reliably switch in on the top wallbreaker in RU: Nidoqueen. Clefable isn't 2HKOed by anything Nidoqueen can throw at it except the rare Focus Blast, making her an excellent way to pivot in and out of the... whatever that thing is supposed to be... a mutant poison rat? Yeah, let's go with that. Anyway... Clefable also has the coveted Magic Guard, a rare ability that makes the user completely immune to all forms of passive damage. This is a godsend for Clefable as without having to worry about entry hazards, Clefable's job as a special wall is much easier and also makes Clefable a good status absorber! As mentioned before, Clefable isn't limited to playing defense, and her expansive movepool also allows her to effectively run several offensive sets, examples include a Calm Mind set that is an excellent stallbreaker, and even a Life Orb attacker that takes advantage of Magic Guard Double-Edge!
Example Set:
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell / Toxic
- Seismic Toss
Granbull
Granbull is an awesome Pokémon, straight up. While offensively it's sorely outclassed by Zangoose and Ursaring, defensively it sits on a strong niche. Its access to three major components in a massive Attack stat, Intimidate, and Heal Bell make it a unique choice for any team. It's also one of the few Normal-types that's great as a physically defensive wall, rather than a specially defensive wall (something it really only shares with Miltank). This allows Granbull to switch in on physically attacking threats, such as Crawdaunt and Aerodactyl, and paralyze them with Thunder Wave to end any sort of sweep they may have been plotting. Granbull can also switch in on Steelix like a boss and perform any cleric duties before being phazed without having to worry about Gyro Ball or Earthquake as much as Clefable or Audino. Unfortunately, Granbull isn't so bulky that it's still cleanly 2HKOed by even a -1 Choice Band Entei and Escavalier. However, it makes up for this by packing a wallop as a defensive Pokémon. It's so strong that it easily 2HKOes Golurk and 3HKOes Dusknoir with an uninvested Crunch after Stealth Rock, and easily 2HKOes any offensive Fighting-type in RU apart from Hariyama and Poliwrath with just Body Slam!
Example Set:
Granbull @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Impish Nature
- Heal Bell
- Thunder Wave
- Body Slam / Super Fang
- Crunch
Lickilicky
Lickilicky is neat as a defensive Normal-type in that it is the most specially defensive one available while still being usable (Munchlax is actually more specially defensive... but it sucks, more on that later). What really sets Lickilicky apart from Clefable and Audino is its semblance of offensive presence without relying on something like Seismic Toss. This allows Lickilicky to both counter and threaten Nidoqueen with a super effective Earthquake at the same time, instead of just sitting like a lump on a log and stalling with Wish. Lickilicky makes great use of Body Slam as well, and can phaze opponents thanks to Dragon Tail. While normally you'd only use Lickilicky for its defensive purposes, its offensive movepool really can't be ignored. Its array of usable attacking moves is truly incredible, and can make use of nearly all of them thanks to its impressive Attack and Special Attack. Swords Dance, Curse, Work Up, Power Whip, Fire Blast, Double-Edge, and the mighty Explosion are all options that can be used to surprise your opponent expecting the standard Wish passer set.
Example Set:
Lickilicky @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Wish
- Protect
- Body Slam
- Heal Bell / Earthquake
Miltank
Moooove over losers, Miltank is taking the stage in RU. It's very bulky, but so are the rest of the entries in this defensive list. So what's so great about the cow? A lot of things actually. The heifer sports not one, not two, but three fantastic abilities, all of which allow it to check and counter various Pokémon in the tier and provide different roles on a team. Thick Fat is arguably the most useful, as it lets her absorb Flare Blitzes from the likes of Choice Band Entei as if they were nothing, and she is defensive enough to take Fire Blasts from Moltres and Nidoqueen extremely comfortably (Hurricane and Sludge Wave still rock her boat but that's besides the point) and she isn't even 2HKOed by Scarf Typhlosion's full health Eruption! Ice-type attacks aren't as prominent in RU, but it still lets her basically have a free switch into Cryogonal among other stray Ice Beams. Her second ability, Sap Sipper, lets her switch in on Grass-types like Lilligant and Roselia with impunity and maybe even gain an Attack boost in the process. It also allows her to not even care about Spore or Sleep Powder, putting a lot of pressure on teams that rely on sleeping moves to put certain Pokémon out of commission. Her last ability, Scrappy, is the lesser seen of the three, but it's still a great ability when used well. Scrappy will typically be seen on a mono-attacking Curse set, as with Scrappy she's able to use her Normal-type STAB without worrying about being completely walled by Ghost-types, particularly Rotom. These three abilities, combined with a fantastic support movepool which includes Stealth Rock and reliable recovery in Milk Drink, makes her one tough nut to crack. Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Miltank is her crazy base 100 Speed (I still don't logically understand this, rolling from a full stop can only get you going so fast), which puts her above a large number of walls even without any investment, meaning she will almost always be the first one to heal with Milk Drink or Heal Bell.
Example Set:
Miltank @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 HP / 40 Def / 216 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Heal Bell
- Milk Drink
- Body Slam
- Stealth Rock / Earthquake
Munchlax
no recovery
weak as hell
lol sleeptalk in gen 5
loses to stuff it is supposed to beat because it is insanely easy to force out
loses to metang
but seriously Munchlax is terrible, and if you are actually using it on a serious team, we would like to redirect you to here.
Smeargle
Smeargle may not have any great, or even good stats, but what it lacks in sheer stats it makes up for with one unique quality: the ability to learn literally every move in the game! Because of this, Smeargle is one of the most unique and effective support Pokémon in the tier. For example, Smeargle can have any combination of every entry hazard, Spore, and multiple methods to prevent setup such as phazing and suicide moves, such as Explosion, in one set. Smeargle is also capable of running many other unique but deadly sets such as a Baton Pass set that can use Spore to cripple usual stops to Baton Pass chains, set up Ingrain to prevent phazing, and pass every kind of boost possible. It's also even capable of becoming a suicide Trick Room lead that can use Endeavor to cripple an opposing Pokémon or two. Thanks to these unique move combinations, Smeargle is one of the only Pokémon that can effectively "lead" in RU, being one of the best options for offensive teams in the tier! Lastly, although its lacking in the stats department, it has just enough Speed to do what it needs to do: mess with the opponent as much as possible with a wide array of support moves.
Example Set:
Smeargle @ Focus Sash
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Spore
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Whirlwind
Threats to Normal-types:
Steelix
Sporting a resistance to Normal-type moves, an absolutely massive base 200 Defense, and the ability to come in an indefinite amount of times without being worn down by Stealth Rock, Steelix is a massive roadblock to almost every offensive Normal-type in RU. Once Steelix is in it can either heavily damage them with a powerful Gyro Ball or Earthquake, set up Stealth Rock while it has the chance, hindering the rest of your team, or phaze your poor Normal-type out with Roar, erasing any stat boosts it may have had before and forcing them into any entry hazards your opponent may have set up. Thankfully, there are several ways you can support your Normal-type to get around Steelix. For example, Steelix may take little to no damage from Stealth Rock, but Spikes can still wear it down over the course of the match. Smeargle, Accelgor, Ferroseed, and Omastar are good options for setting these up; with a few layers of Spikes up, several of the Normal-types mentioned can 3HKO or even 2HKO Steelix with their coverage moves, allowing the user to break through the iron snake and proceed to deal major damage to the rest of the opponent's team. There are also several Pokémon that can take advantage of Steelix. Bulky Water- and Ground-types, such as Slowking, Poliwrath, Rhydon, and Quagsire, are perfect examples of Pokémon that can come in on Steelix without trouble and force it out.
Spiritomb
Most Ghost-types give Normal-types trouble in some way, so how is Spiritomb any different from the rest of its cohort? The answer lies in Spiritomb's nearly unique typing: Ghost/Dark. With this unusual typing, Spiritomb has a complete lack of type weaknesses, meaning that opposing Normal-types can't hit it with moves that would hurt other Ghost-types, such as Crunch, nearly as hard. Spiritomb can use this typing and high 50 / 108 / 108 defenses to come in on the majority of offensive Normal-types, and from there either attempt to burn them with Will-O-Wisp, completely ruining their chances of sweeping during the match, or trap them with a somewhat powerful Pursuit that will cripple them for the rest of the match. Fortunately, Spiritomb is nowhere near as bulky as Steelix, and can also be dealt with using team support. Spiritomb's physical attacks usually have a low Base Power, meaning that any Pokémon with decent bulk that isn't weak to Ghost or Dark can come in on them. Bulky Rock-, Steel-, and Ground-types such as Klinklang, Aggron, Steelix, and Rhydon are good options for checking Spiritomb, with them really only fearing Will-O-Wisp. Opposing Dark-types are also a good option. Certain Normal-types such as Kangaskhan and Bulk Up Braviary are also capable of working around Spiritomb without much trouble either due to their ability or a powerful secondary STAB.
Fighting-types
Fighting-types have an innate advantage over Normal-types in that they are the only ones that can hit Normal-types for super effective damage with their STAB moves. This allows the Fighting-types to put intense pressure on said Normal-types and almost always force them to switch out if they can outspeed them or survive an incoming attack. If they carry Mach Punch, as Hitmonlee usually does, they can even revenge kill offensive Normal-types at a moderately high HP. In general though, the Fighting-types of RU's main purpose is to punch holes in and threaten the defensive Normal-types, as most often they are the only attackers that can threaten to OHKO them from the get-go. Gallade can even use most defensive Normal-types as an opportunity to set up a Substitute or a Swords Dance and facilitate a sweep. Though most of the Fighting-types have a hard time switching in on the offensive Normal-types, Poliwrath and Hariyama can accomplish this and check them with Circle Throw or Force Palm. Because of the threat of Fighting-types, most teams featuring Normal-types will use Pokémon such as Uxie, Misdreavus, and Spiritomb to absorb their attacks and force them out or cripple them with status.
Escavalier
With its helmet on securely and lances grasped tightly, Escavalier is ready to joust with any Normal-type that dares stand in its path! Thanks to Escavalier's excellent dual Bug/Steel typing and respectable 70 / 105 / 105 defenses, Escavalier can come in on the majority of Normal-types with ease. From there, Escavalier has the perfect opportunity to fire off its mighty Megahorn, which is so unimaginably powerful that it can 2HKO bulky resists such as Entei and Nidoqueen with little effort. Escavalier also has the distinction of being neutral to most Normal-types' coverage moves that would hit other Steel-types super effectively, such as Close Combat and Earthquake. Escavalier is surely an intimidating threat to any Normal-type, but thankfully some of them have the power or coverage needed to bring even this knight in shining armor to its knees. Escavalier usually runs a Choice Band set, making it incredibly hard to switch into once it comes in safely, but this also means two other things: Escavalier lacks any form of reliable recovery, not even Leftovers, and it's going to be switching in and out quite a bit. This makes Escavalier easy to wear down over time simply by setting up Stealth Rock and repeatedly forcing it out using a Pokémon such as Moltres or Entei. Some players may also opt to run a trapper, such as Magneton, to dispose of Escavalier early in the match before it can do too much damage, leaving your Normal-type home free to wreak havoc. Lastly, some Normal-types such as Tauros and Stoutland have room to run a Fire-type move to hit Escavalier, making it quite a bit harder for the steel snail to come in on them directly.
Rhydon
Rhydon poses a huge threat to Normal-types in that it's basically immune to their STAB attacks, particularly if it's invested in Defense. This lets it switch in on the likes of Swellow, Bouffalant, and Tauros without nary a care and blast them with its STAB Earthquake or Rock Blast, or set up Stealth Rock to make coming in again even tougher, particularly for Swellow and Braviary. A couple of the Normal-types mentioned above can blow straight through even this defensive behemoth though, such as Zangoose and Sawsbuck, but they cannot switch in, nor can they stay in (except for Sawsbuck) should Rhydon come in for the revenge kill lest they be KOed themselves. Rhydon is a pretty daunting aspect for a lot of the Normal-types, but the main thing to remember when dealing with Rhydon is that it will almost never be carrying any form of recovery (not even Leftovers), meaning that every switch into Spikes, Stealth Rock, and an attack will be permanent damage. This means that even Swellow can quickly wear down Rhydon with U-turn and entry hazards, should your team have a reliable Rhydon counter that can consistently switch in such as Poliwrath.
Conclusion:
I think it's now apparent that not only are Normal-types one of the strongest defining factors of the RU metagame, but that there's also a TON to choose from and be prepared for when diving in head first. Get out there and try to find out which Normal-type best meshes with your team. About the worst thing it can do is make your team's color scheme a little more bland!
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