Other Don't use that, use this!

[Brammi]

Approved by Fiend.

Welcome to Don't use that, use this! SV Little Cup edition.

The purpose of this thread is to provide helpful suggestions to players of sets that might be common but are either outclassed or find difficulty justifying their niche outside specific teams. Often it is very helpful to be able to clearly see what the reasons behind why certain sets or Pokemon will be a stronger option for your team. To that end, the entire purpose of this thread is to help bring the communal quality of SVLC up, this is not a thread to pan anything without reason. All submissions to Don't use that, use this! should be very clear in what the positives of your suggestion is.

I think this calls for some examples. So to start this off I want to talk about Sticky Webs!

Sticky Webs

Don't use that
Tarountula @ Focus Sash
Ability: Insomnia
Level: 5
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 188 Atk / 76 Def / 196 SpD / 36 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sticky Web
- Circle Throw
- Lunge / Sucker Punch
- Memento / Spikes

Use this
Surskit @ Eviolite
Ability: Swift Swim
Level: 5
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 36 HP / 180 Def / 36 SpA / 20 SpD / 236 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sticky Web
- Hydro Pump
- Giga Drain
- Icy Wind

The main draw on paper for Tarountula is a better support movepool in the form of moves like Circle Throw, Spikes, and Memento. In most game situations it is very difficult for Tarountula to find turns to do this due to it's low speed and bulk. In most situations Tarountula will not have enough bulk to avoid a 2hko, and it also sits at a measly 9 speed, which is not outspeeding any other lead mons in the current metagame. These traits make this a suicide lead for Sticky Web for almost all games it is playing, not allowing it the turns to use moves that give it differentiation from Surskit.

Surskit meanwhile hits the metagame benchmark 17 speed, avoids the KOs from common leads Glimmet and Diglett most of the time, and is able to set up Sticky Webs. You are even able to go for Icy Wind before Sticky Web against Diglett, threatening to KO and gain back with Giga Drain. This is also able to Icy Wind against Toedscool, and create headaches for offensive Quaxly builds with Tera Ghost and Giga Drain. The Longevity increase, better matchups against common leads, and much better speed tier giving it use beyond the first two turns allow for Surskit to be a better choice in most team builds wanting to use Sticky Web.

I will open the floor to this thread now for others to contribute.

 

[Brammi]

Held for Compendium

 

[NotJackewu]

Stop using Dragon Dance sweepers, use Shell Smashers instead.
VS ​

I have seen a lot of newer people ask why we dont use Dratini and similair Dragon Dance sweepers on our teams.
The main reason is that, unlike in OU, our pokemon can't live many hits. Most pokemon wont be able to tank 2 hits before dying.
There's also the question of what to even set up on.

Dratini's speed stat is pretty bad. Only being able to hit a speed stat of 15 means you will not outspeed any of the good scarf mons, best case scenario is probably a speed tie.
Axew and Bagon have more merit to them.
Both hit a speed stat of 16 but probably want to boost their attack instead for picking up essential kills, once again the best case scenario being a speed tie.
Just like Dratini these two Pokemon take 60% minimum from most relevant mons and unlike Dratini, they're susceptible to getting burned.
The amount of viable Will-O-Wisp users make it very hard for these two to set up, which makes the pool of pokemon to possibly set up on a lot smaller than Dratinis (which was already small to begin with).

So these Pokemon are able to set up at least one Dragon Dance and their attack stat isn't too bad, what's stopping them?
Pawniard.
Pawniard is the biggest problem for these mons, being able to tank any Dragon move they throw out, which is bad because your main method of sweeping your opponent's team is using Outrage. After Outrage is used once, youre locked into it until your Pokemon gets confused (2-3 turns).
This allows your opponent to trap your Dragon Dance sweeper with Pawniard, who resists Dragon type moves thanks to its Steel typing.

You might be able to get rid of Pawniard in some of your matches, but will still find yourself struggling to stay alive because of the amount of Priority.
Diglett Sucker Punch, Meowth Fake Out, Nymble First Impression, legit any viable Choice Scarf mon just to name a few are all big problems for the Dragon Dancers.


Instead use Chewtle or Shellder.
Thanks to Shell Smash they get a +2 boost in speed and +2 boost in both offensive stats at the cost of their defenses.
Because these mon are often slower than the opposing pokemon thats not too much of an issue though, their defenses are dropped AFTER taking a hit.

There are a few pokemon that are able to take a hit from the both of them, but all of them are threatened by Toedscool.
Once these pokemon lose their item or have taken even the slightest amount of damage, the Shell Smashers can sweep the team.

So what's the gameplan (Chewtle)?


Chewtle is the weakest of the two, but thanks to screens that isnt a big issue.
The only pokemon that is able to run something anti-screens in its moveset is pawn, so by equipping Impidimp with Drain Punch you can predict a Pawn switchin and do HUGE damage to it, disabling it for the rest of the game and allowing your Chewtle to set up even without screens.

Tera Dark keeps Chewtle alive since the only good form of priority is Sucker Punch. For other forms of priority like Nymble First Impression and Meowth Fake Out, we run Protect.

Once you've damaged or knocked off Mareanie and Pawn there is nothing standing in your way of sweeping the entire enemy team.
With the combination of Strong Jaw + Tera Dark boosted Crunch and STAB Liquidation there's nothing that can stop it.


Will-O-Wisp might be a problem for your team, but Larvesta can absorb the Will-O-Wisp and blow up your opponent with Flare Blitz after.

Replay of the team

https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9lc-1829567103-e555e3lvq59xfjp8ofmcwdzgngb7f9ppw

If youre interested in the calcs

+2 244 Atk Strong Jaw Chewtle Crunch vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Zorua-Hisui: 34-42 (170 - 210%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 244 Atk Chewtle Liquidation vs. 0 HP / 164 Def Drifloon: 25-30 (100 - 120%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 244 Atk Strong Jaw Chewtle Crunch vs. 0 HP / 164 Def Drifloon: 44-54 (176 - 216%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 244 Atk Strong Jaw Tera Dark Chewtle Crunch vs. 36 HP / 156 Def Eviolite Toedscool: 24-28 (114.2 - 133.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 244 Atk Strong Jaw Tera Dark Chewtle Crunch vs. 76 HP / 76 Def Eviolite Quaxly: 24-28 (104.3 - 121.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO

So what's the gameplan (Shellder)?

Its main strength is Skill Link + Tera Rock boosted Rock blasts, allowing you to hit 5 Rock Blasts every single time (as long as you don't miss of course)

Shellders high defense stat allows it to set up on basicaly every physical attacker.
One of the ways you will probably set up a Shellder sweep is by letting your opponent kill something with diglett and bringing in Shellder after.

Diglett damage calc

236 Atk Life Orb Diglett Earthquake vs. 36 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Shellder: 9-12 (45 - 60%) -- 12.1% chance to 2HKO

Afterwards, Shellder can use Ice Shard to OH-KO Diglett, denying the Sucker Punch.

Mons to look out for are:

• Pawniard, weaken this mon by knocking it off or burn it with Will-O-Wisp and the threat is dealt with.
• Mareanie, one of the few mons that is able to tank a Tera Rock boosted Rock Blast. Weakening this pokemon is essential to sweeping, so make sure to either Knock it off or hit it hard with either Toedscool Earth Power or trap it with Diglett and click Earthquake.
• Crabrawler, another mon that can tank a single hit of a set up Shellder. Just like Pawniard burning it helps a lot but it will still be rough, your best bet is to weaken it throughout the span of the game, once it hits 76% HP Shellder will be able to kill it.

Set up Shell Smash, Click Liquidation or Tera Rock boosted Rock Blast and sweep the entire enemy team.

Old replay of a different Shellder team that should give you the general idea

Gastly is banned now obviously, but replace it with Zorua-Hisui/Drifloon and you have the same idea
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen9lc-1807107387-fk2ozfkesmpvbvq0eyj1xh4xtwutca3pw

If youre interested in the calcs

+2 236+ Atk Tera Rock Shellder Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 76 HP / 76 Def Eviolite Quaxly: 30-35 (130.4 - 152.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
+2 236+ Atk Tera Rock Shellder Ice Shard vs. 36 HP / 156 Def Eviolite Toedscool: 24-32 (114.2 - 152.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 236+ Atk Tera Rock Shellder Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 116 HP / 180+ Def Eviolite Mareanie: 20-30 (86.9 - 130.4%) -- approx. 6.3% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
+2 236+ Atk Tera Rock Shellder Rock Blast (5 hits) vs. 124 HP / 156+ Def Eviolite Foongus: 30-35 (120 - 140%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock
+2 236+ Atk Tera Rock Shellder Liquidation vs. 0 HP / 164 Def Drifloon: 25-31 (100 - 124%) -- guaranteed OHKO
+2 236+ Atk Tera Rock Shellder Liquidation vs. 0 HP / 36 Def Eviolite Zorua-Hisui: 19-24 (95 - 120%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO

 

[Tack]

Toedscool @ Eviolite
Ability: Mycelium Might
Level: 5
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 36 HP / 116 Atk / 36 SpA / 116 SpD / 196 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Earth Power
- Knock Off
- Rapid Spin
- Power Whip

so hasty toedscool is the worst possible set and got onto smogdex bc qc were cooking some dogshit, dont use it, use literally any toedscool spread other than it i am begging u

ringtone (Toedscool) @ Eviolite
Ability: Mycelium Might
Level: 5
Tera Type: Water
EVs: 36 HP / 36 Atk / 156 Def / 36 SpA / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
- Power Whip
- Earth Power

here's one thats phys focussed in my builder still if u want phys

Toedscool @ Eviolite
Ability: Mycelium Might
Level: 5
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 36 HP / 156 Def / 116 SpA / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
- Giga Drain
- Earth Power
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off

either of these toedscool spreads is strictly better than hasty please stop bringing bad mons