First and foremost, what I consider the single coolest pokemon in LU right now: Daburan (M) @ Evolution Stone Trait: Magic Guard EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SDef Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk) - Psychic / Psycho Shock - Hidden Power [Fighting] - Recover - Calm Mind Oh look, its mini-Rankurusu! And, despite lacking Focus Blast, needing Evolution Stone to actually be bulky, it does get higher defenses and the same Special Attack as Rankurusu, making it every bit as good as its older brother. Basically, come in on stuff that can't hurt it or a Status move, Calm Mind a couple times, Recover when needed, and start raping face. If you're playing LU, you better have a check to this guy, or you will get swept, without a doubt. Next up, one of the best checks to the powerful Flying-types that are in the tier right now, namely, Moltres, Scyther, and Staraptor. Magnezone @ Choice Scarf Trait: Magnet Pull EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) - Thunderbolt - Flash Cannon - Hidden Power [Ice] / Hidden Power [Fire] - Volt Change With the aforementioned, ridiculously good, Flying-types running around the tier, and an unfortunate shortage of good Stealth Rockers, the tier needs something to keep them in check, and this is it. While it can't switch into Moltres' Fire Blast or Staraptor's Close Combat, it can switch into anything else. From there, you can Volt Chance out, either KOing the pokemon in the process, or getting into a great position, momentum-wise (unless they go to a Ground-type or an Electric Immunity). All in all, Magnezone is a pretty cool pokemon right now. There's also other cool stuff that other players like Bad Romance and Pokemonnerd have been using, like Sharpedo, Celebi, and Porygon2. As of now, LU is one big shitfest of arguably overpowered pokemon and a lack of basic checks to a lot of pokemon, but hey, we just started yesterday. Anyway, discuss other cool sets to use, etc.
I really love LO Agiruda, it dominates and is fast enough to run modest for extra power. Empoleon is available in DW, as is Machamp. So many really strong pokemon atm.
Despite everyone saying stall sucks, I've used it to quite some success. It isn't the phazing/hazard sort, its the status sort. Gastrodon is awesome with Storm Drain and a Electric immunity - Switch it in on Rotom-W or Lanturn and laugh. I need to make an offensive team to try out Magnezone and Crawdaunt. Speaking of Crawdaunt, Bad Romance claims that it 2HKO's the entire tier, barring some stuff like Porygon 2
Just saying the obvious, but Wobbefet + Omastar is pretty awesome. Also, Cresselia is a beast in WiFi
Wobbufett and Cobaluon should also make a great pair, thanks to taking on each others weaknesses as well as granting Cobaluon a +1 to attack when dark-type attacks is afoot. Personally I find Coba too weak to go mixed so swords dance is usually the best way of using him, at which point you're sitting at +3 attack anyway.
Rhydon @ Evolution Stone Trait: Rock Head EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd Adamant/Jolly Nature - Rock Blast - Earthquake - Rock Polish - Megahorn Rock Polish set. Ninjask is OHKO'd by Rock Blast. This can be used with sand support as well, as it can survive more special attacks. 351/276/127 unboosted defenses result in 351/414/190 defenses with the Evo Stone, 351/414/285 with sand support. It still has 359/394 Atk, and after a Rock Polish, it reaches 392 Speed, outspeeding the majority of the tier.
JUST getting used to the English names and you make me have to remember the Japanese names. Thanks PO. Crustle (M) @ Mental Herb Trait: Sturdy EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk) - Shell Smash - Stealth Rock - Rock Blast - Earthquake This guy laughs at everything. Opponents cry while their "foolproof" Taunt lead gets torn to shreds by a SS(J) Rock Blast and still ends up getting Stealth Rocked.
Sandslash@leftovers Trait: Sand Throw EVs: 252 HP/200 Def/52 Sp. Def Nature: Impish (+Def, -Sp. Atk) -Rapid Spin -Earthquake -Stone Edge -Stealth Rock Probably the only worthwhile rapid spinner, and the only one I've tried so far. The EVs are set so I can live an Overheat from Ranpurra if it tries to block Rapid Spin and KO back with Earthquake, since it's the only ghost I've seen being used. Stone Edge is to hit Staraptor and other fliers if I get a chance to do so. The set's almost as standard as you can get, but like I said, it's probably the best spinner in the tier. Although Armaldo looks good with that bug STAB... EDIT: I'm an idiot, SR is incompatible with sand throw, I normally run either X-scissor or Toxic there...
Omastar @ White Herb 4 HP / 252 Sp.Atk / 252 Spe Modest ~Surf ~Ice Beam ~Shell Break ~HP Grass Use this with Sand, and if it sets up it's basically GG.
Seconding this, though I run life orb. Omastar has the bulk to survive things like mach punch even at -1 and tears building-sized holes in pretty much everything not named Lanturn, who I think you have a chance of killing with SR either way. Stopping its sweep is a very daunting task.
Liepard @ Focus Sash Trait: Prankster EVs: 252 Atk / 152 Def / 104 SDef - Taunt - Fake Out - Encore - Night Slash i havent tested it much, but its really fun to use as a strategy disrupting lead. you fake out, night slash and then encore the set up move. its worked pretty well so far.
mental herb blocks the first taunt, you outspeed after a shell smash and set up SR before their second taunt, or if they're weak to rock or capable of being OHKOd by Rock Blast like Aerodactyl, OHKO the sucker THEN set up SR.
Why is it that machamp hasn't been mentioned yet? Though the flying types kind of wreck it, it still works great as a lead (especially if you run counters to said flying types) and the confusion hax is very fun. :D And the ev's I run on omastar is modest, max special attack/speed. The point of white herb on it is so it can possibly get two shell smashes in, because with the ss boost it has great def and special def.
She's good enough for me to use in any tier, but obviously Meloetta is a force down here. Special Tank Item: Leftovers EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD Nature: Calm (+SpD, -Atk) - Thunder Wave / Trick Room (use -Speed nature and 0 Speed IV) / Toxic - Psychic - Shadowball / Thunderbolt - Focusblast / Thunderbolt Damage Calcs: Timid 252SpA LO Celebi Leaf Storm: 37.4% - 44.1% (remember, she's part-Normal and immune to Shadow Ball, so don't fear NP+Shadowball) Modest 252SpA Scarf Lampent Overheat: 30.4% - 35.9% Modest 252SpA Porygonz Dark Pulse: 29.7% - 35.1% Modest 252SpA +1 Porygonz Dark Pulse: 44.6% - 52.5% Adamant 252Atk CB Flygon U-Turn: 64.4% - 76.2% Adamant 252Atk CB Staraptor U-Turn: 72.8% - 86.1% Meloetta tanks the Special end of such a low tier with remarkable ease (404 HP/390 SpDef), and she doesn't need SpA investment with base 128 SpA and nice coverage. Come in, take piddling damage, lay out status and attack. (I use Thunder Wave to cripple fast switchins, but she'll have tons of chances for TR and Toxic wears down stuff like Slowking.) Her natural physical bulk isn't bad, either. Psychic/Ghost/Fighting is the obvious way to go, but if Shadow Ball's power or Focus Blast's accuracy is a pain, Thunderbolt is nice. obviously pair with a physically defensive pokemon - that goes without saying. ideally a Bug resist as you will draw the U-Turns. if you start thinking 'more attack power' or 'Life Orb' or even 'speed' you should probably just run an offensive CM set instead.
Armaldo (M) @ Leftovers Trait: Swift Swim EVs: 252 HP / 200 Def / 56 SDef Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk) - Stealth Rock - Toxic - Earthquake - Rock Blast My lead. Sets up SR early, and is really bulky. The only leads I have a problem with is Machamp, though Dynamic Punch is a 3HKO, which is why I run Slowking as a partner. I would've ran Rapid Spin, but it's incompatible with Swift Swim. Toxic wears down Tangela and Tangrowth.
Furiijio @ Leftovers Trait: Levitate EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 SpAtk Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk) - Ice Beam - Toxic - Rapid Spin - Recover Completely love this spinner. Base 135 SpDef makes it the perfect Special wall in LU. Does have problems with Ranpuraa though D:
Onondo @ Evolution Stone Mold Breaker Adamant/Jolly 252 HP/252 Atk Dragon Dance Outrage Dig Night Slash/Dragon Claw This thing has base 117 attack and reasonable bulk with evolution stone boost. The lack of reliable steel types in LU means this thing rips thru 2 or 3 pokes with ease. Dig is Onondo's only and best move against steels but seeing as most of the steels in LU are 4x ground weak, it doesnt matter too much. Last slot is really a filler move. You dont need much beyond DD outrage.
TBH, it is quite easily revenge killed, and steels aren't THAT rare. Plus, we still have physically defensive pokemon that cripple you (Weezing).
I really like jolteon in this tier, the specs set being my favorite, with volt change thunderbolt, a hidden power and signal beam/shadow ball. It wrecks stuff. I use it to scout and kill bulky waters so empoleon can sweep.
Gurdurr (lol name) is really bulky reacher almost 450 Def full invested with Evolite. 105 Atk and 85 HP is still respectable among LU standards. This is the set I use. Gurdurr @ Evolite 4HP/144Atk/252Def/4Spd (randomish EVs) Adamant/Impish Guts/Iron Fist Bulk Up Mach Punch Drain Punch Stone Edge Spoiler This is officially my favourite LU Pokemon Fraxure @ Evolite/Life Orb 252Atk/4Def/252Spd (depends on item) Jolly/Adamant Dragon Dance Outrage Dig/Substitute Night Slash/X-Scissor So damn strong with 117 Base Attack. The best Dragon Dancer in LU, and maybe even UU (Altaria is weak). +1 Outrage wrecks everything, especially due to the lack of steel types. Edit oops didn't see this because I pressed ctrl+f Fraxure and it came out with nothing =3.[/HIDE]
Lol JCP got Ninja'd by almost a whole day. It is actually fairly defensively bulky with evo stone so its not that weak to revenge kills. Also, running magnezone/ton as a steel trapper is much more viable, with there is no registeel, empoleon and steelix (last 2 are wifi only) which have the defenses to absorb a HP fighting/ground as all except for klinklank (gigigear) and mawile are 4x weak to at least one if not both of those. (and the klinklank and mawile dont exactly have overwhelmingly good SpD.) Weezing takes ALOT of damage from boosted outrage. (And its not a very hard pokemon to counter. Heat Rampage drifblim comes to mind as a cool idea)
just wanted to single out how awesome Mawile is in LU right now. It's slow, but hits really hard and has a decent bulk/typing. Mawile (F) @ Life Orb Trait: Encourage EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk) - Iron Head - Rock Slide - Fire Fang - Swords Dance it resists most things that could be a problem to it (aside from obvious shit like Staraptor's Close Combat but Staraptor is probably gonna be suspected anyway). if speed is that much of a problem you could run something like Crunch instead of SD and Choice Scarf instead of LO.
I've used a scarfed Glaceon which has worked pretty well has it can take out most of the top used pokemon. Glaceon (F) @ Choice Scarf Trait : Snow Cloak EVs : 252 Spd / 252 Sp.atk / 4 Sp.def Timid nature - Ice Beam - Shaodw Ball - Hidden Power (Ground) - Signal Beam Signal Beam is to take out Celebi and also it hurts Slowking and Slowbro predicting an Ice Beam. Hidden Power (Ground) is for most Fire types, Glaceon also out speeds Lampent including scarfed verions. Shadow Ball is just mainly a filler still hits some pokemon most notably Dusknoir. Ice Beam is STAB and also just a powerful move, scarfed Flygon using Outrage only does about 60% percent damage and EQ only does about 50% damage and deals a lot of damage to a good amount of LU.
well my Mawile just ended up sucking and i'm very upset about that. but I do have another, quite good, set that is interesting, for Simipour. The Hermione Granger Water Monkey. I used this thing a couple times in UU, its base 98 attack and special attack are nice and its base 101 speed is lovely and trollish and means it can outspeed max jolly Staraptor by 1 whole speed point. Simipour (F) @ Petaya Berry Trait: Gluttony EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk) - Surf - Hidden Power [Bug] - Ice Beam - Focus Blast Petaya because this thing is frail and will likely be 2hkoed by anything that it can't 1hko. Surf for hard-hitting STAB. HP bug is a surprise package for stuff like Celebi, Slowking, Duosion, Uxie etc. Ice Beam is good damage generally and covers the many Grass types around, especially Tangela/Tangrowth. Focus Blast because there's a lot of Steels (Magnezone, Aggron, etc) shooting up the rankings and deals with normals, and darks that don't mind HP bug like Houndoom.
Thanks to gluttony I've always found this set for Simipour better. Simipour @ Petaya/Salac berry Trait: Gluttony 4 HP/ 252 SAtk/ 252 Spd Timid Nature(+Spd, - Atk) - Hydro Pump - Hidden Power [Grass]/ Nasty Plot - Substitute - Ice Beam 98 special attack is not enough to take care of the big guns, so the monkey needs the boosts it can get. With this spread it will only need to sub twice to get the petaya boost, and can then proceed to try and sweep with it. Or try and get off a nasty plot in conjunction with using the salac berry. Of course, if you're confident you know when you'll be able to swap in Simipour to get the boost you can forego nasty plot to extend coverage.
that's a cool set too but i'd really rather not rely on the accuracy of hydro pump, that thing is frail as hell, one miss and it's dead for sure. i'd definitely consider bringing NP for one of the moves on my set, probably focus blast.
Hydro Pump was really more for the fact that this thing needs to kill the things it hits to begin with, and you can probably afford a miss if you are behind a sub. Granted I haven't calced it against LU's common walls, so surf might be enough for it.
Why not just run Nasty Plot / Ice Beam / HP Electric / Surf on Simipour? Even max/max Celebi gets blown apart by +2 Ice Beam after rocks. (Nasty Plot and Hydro Pump are illegal together)