Love in Theory and Practice: A guide to NU Theorymon
Intro
Getting tired of standard NU? This could well be your solution. The basic idea of NU Theorymon is to take otherwise overlooked and forgotten Pokémon, and give them upgrades. These usually come in the form of new abilities or new moves, but they can also give new typing and in some cases, a boost to base stats. It's interesting to see what the playerbase comes up with. Here are some of the more threatening Pokémon you'll encounter in this metagame.
Offensive Pokémon
Simple Whiscash
Whiscash has always been very underwhelming for a physical sweeper: average Speed and low Attack meant it was often outclassed by the likes of Shell Smash Carracosta or Swords Dance Samurott. But with Simple, Whiscash can use Dragon Dance to double its Attack and Speed in one turn, letting it destroy offensive teams. Its good Water/Ground typing gives it opportunity to set up on Pokémon like Rhydon, Lanturn and Regirock, while its decent bulk makes it tough to revenge kill without Grass moves. As threatening as it might be though, a lack of physical Ice moves means Whiscash needs opposing bulky Grass types down before starting to sweep. But despite these faults, Whiscash is a major threat that one would be a fool to take lightly.
Whiscash @ Life Orb / Lum Berry
Ability:
Simple
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge / Zen Headbutt
Thick Fat + Shell Smash Torterra
Torterra was lucky enough to win 2 slates. The first buff it got was the ability Thick Fat, which negates its Fire weakness and reduces its Ice weakness to X2. With this ability, it can avoid a OHKO from Cryogonal's Freeze Dry. Shell Smash turns it into a very threatening late game sweeper. For the price of -1 Defence and Special Defence, Shell Smash basically gives Swords Dance, Nasty Plot and Rock Polish all in one. Its good physical bulk can make it hard to revenge kill, and it can easily set up on the likes of Rhydon, Quagsire, Gastrodon and physical Skuntank. Grass STAB also lets it be one of the few physical attackers that can beat Quagsire. Shell Smash renders Rock Polish and Swords Dance obsolete, as it basically combines them. You need to prepare for Shell Smash Torterra in NU Theorymon.
Torterra does still have problems though. Even at +2, Scarf Jynx still outruns and OHKOes most of the time with Ice Beam. Weezing still stops it cold, and Torterra still struggles to break through bulky Grass types.
Torterra @ White Herb / Meadow Plate / Life Orb
Ability
: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
-
Shell Smash
- Earthquake
- Wood Hammer / Seed Bomb
- Stone Edge
Calm Mind Samurott
Samurott's always been a major force in NU due to its ability to run 2 very different sets, which made it very difficult to counter. Calm Mind takes this a step further, putting Samurott in a club alongside the likes of Hydreigon, Kyurem-B and Rayquaza: it now has no guaranteed counters. There are two types of Calm Mind users: some aim to boost once or twice and smash up as much as they can, the other aim to boost over multiple turns and slowly bulk up. Samurott can do both of these well, and annoyingly both Calm Mind sets have different checks. Samurott's only real flaw is its average Speed. Its Calm Mind sets lose to Lanturn and Jynx, but its Swords Dance set still smashes them to bits.
Samurott @ Life Orb
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
-
Calm Mind
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Grass Knot / Hidden Power Electric
Samurott @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 248 HP / 116 SpA / 144 Spe
Timid Nature
-
Calm Mind
- Substitute / Taunt
- Scald
- Ice Beam / Grass Knot
Tail Glow Ampharos
Tail Glow is a boosting move most special sweepers would die for. Tail Glow lets Ampharos demolish defensive teams; very little in the tier can avoid a 2HKO from it at +3, and thanks to Agility it can even run a double booster set to be able to function as both a threatening wallbreaker and a late game cleaner. Mono Electric typing is also surprisingly good defensively, granting it only a single weakness. This combined with its decent bulk makes it surprisingly hard to revenge kill. Unlike most Electric types, it actually has a good movepool, with useful coverage in Focus Blast, Hidden Power and Signal Beam. Ampharos is let down by low Speed though, and while its typing only gives it one weakness, it doesn't have many useful resistances either.
Ampharos @ Lum Berry / Life Orb / Leftovers
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
-
Tail Glow
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Focus Blast
Ampharos @ Life Orb / Shuca Berry
Ability: Static
EVs: 72 HP / 252 SpA / 184 Spe
Modest Nature
-
Tail Glow
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Ice
- Agility
Ground / Dark Sandslash with Mold Breaker
Like Torterra, Sandslash was lucky enough to be nominated for 2 slates, and it won both times. Its newfound Dark typing makes it the best offensive Rapid Spinner in NU, as no Ghost type is going to want to take a STAB Knock Off to the face. Mold Breaker is a wonderful ability for Sandslash, letting it smash Levitating Pokémon with its STAB Earthquake. It can also set up Stealth Rock against Xatu, and lets sets with Swords Dance beat Quagsire. Ground / Dark moves have excellent netural coverage, with only Shiftry and Cacturne (and if it wins the slate, Meganium) resisting both. Like Luxray though, Dark typing is a double edged sword: a Psychic immunity is nice, but it comes with Bug, Fighting and Fairy weaknesses. Sandslash is also let down by low Speed.
Sandslash @ Lum Berry
Ability:
Mold Breaker
EVs: 188 HP / 252 Atk / 68 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Rapid Spin
- Swords Dance
Defensive Pokémon
Roost Mantine
Reliable recovery's always a good thing. Roost lets Mantine Defog reliably throughout the match, as it heals off Stealth Rock damage, and lets it beat Water types lacking Electric coverage much more easily. Its typing gives it 4 resistances and thanks to Water Absorb, 2 immunities. Really that's all there is to say about Roost Mantine - it's a good bulky Water type. It is still straddled with a 4X Electric weakness though, and is weak to the very Stealth Rock it aims to remove.
Sets:
Mantine @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
-
Roost
- Scald
- Air Slash
- Defog / Toxic
Solid Rock Regirock
Did you look at Regirock's 80 / 200 / 100 defences and think "hmm, not quite enough"? No, neither did I, but hey that's what's happened. Solid Rock turns what was already one of the bulkiest Pokémon in the tier into a nigh unkillable monster. Solid Rock and no 4X weaknesses make Regirock extremely difficult to break, letting it easily set up Stealth Rock and Sunny Day. While lack of reliable recovery is an issue, it can still run a RestTalk set as Earthquake and Rock Slide offer excellent netural coverage. It is prone to being set up on though, and does struggle with threatening Pokémon like Torterra, Samurott and Steelix.
Sets:
Regirock @ Leftovers
Ability:
Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Rock Slide
- Drain Punch / Earthquake
- Thunder Wave / Explosion
Regirock @ Heat Rock
Ability:
Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Impish Nature
- Sunny Day
- Stone Edge
- Drain Punch / Earthquake
- Explosion
Regirock @ Leftovers
Ability:
Solid Rock
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 Def
Adamant Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Rock Slide / Stone Edge
- Earthquake
Toxic Spikes + Spore Vileplume
Spore and Toxic Spikes transform Vileplume into one of the best status spreaders in NU. Toxic Spikes can put walls that lack Heal Bell or Refresh on a timer, while Spore is a welcome upgrade over Sleep Powder, as it will never miss. It can spread it reasonably well too - apart from Ferroseed (Toxic Spikes fodder), opposing Vileplume and possibly Torterra, no Grass-type in NU will want to switch in on Vileplume. Spore lets it shut down most sweepers that lack Sleep Talk, and its typing brings it useful Water, Electric, Fighting and Fairy weaknesses. However, it also comes with Fire, Ice and Psychic weaknesses.
Sets:
Vileplume @ Black Sludge
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
-
Spore
- Moonlight
- Giga Drain
-
Toxic Spikes / Sludge Bomb
Wish Lanturn
With its great defensive typing and high HP stat, Lanturn can effectively pass the biggest Wishes in NU. While it does face competition from Mega Audino, who is much bulkier, Lanturn sets itself apart with its STAB Volt Switch to gain momentum and its higher HP stat, thus passing bigger Wishes. It can use Volt Switch fairly safely, as apart from Gastrodon and possibly Torterra, no Ground type will switch into Lanturn. Unlike Mega Audino, Lanturn can also use the aforementioned Volt Switch to safely bring in a teammate. However, Lanturn's great HP is undermined by average defences, and Ground type attacks are very common.
Sets:
Lanturn @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
-
Wish
- Volt Switch
- Scald
- Protect / Ice Beam
Honourable Mentions
Luxray gets Dark typing and Strong Jaw, turning it into a threatening wallbreaker. However, it's let down by lacklustre Speed. In a similar vein, Electrivire gets the mighty Bolt Strike, finally giving it a strong physical STAB. However, it struggles with bulky Ground types. Piloswine and Claydol both gain reliable recovery in the form of Slack Off and Recover respectively. Armaldo gains Skill Link and Pin Missile, making it extremely deadly against slow defensive teams. However, its lack of resistances makes it hard to switch in, and it struggles more against fast offensive teams. Marowak is in a similar boat, as despite gaining Sucker Punch, that can easily be played around. Probopass loses its X4 Ground weakness with Levitate, but it still lacks offensive presence and is still X4 weak to Fighting moves
Get Out There
NU Theorymon is a fun and diverse side tier that you should definitely try. We all have those Pokémon that we love to use but just aren't viable. This could be your chance to make them viable.