I was originally going to make a post about how I disagree with some of the statements in this thread (I definitely don't think stall or Clef are bad and find win rate to be a terrible stat), but decided to leave that for a video instead. So, here are some things I've been toying with before and during SPL
Phaedra (Starmie) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid / Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Trick
- Rapid Spin
- Psychic / Thunderbolt / Surf / Ice Beam / Thunder Wave / Recover
I was a big advocate of SpecsMie this season. Many offensive teams love the utility Starmie brings, but hate the standard 3a spin set's utter uselessness against defense. With Specs, you have the choice to either blast through bulky stuff with Hydro Pump or cripple something with Trick. The powerful Hydro Pump in conjunction with its Speed means offense has a tough time switching into it as well. I don't think Spin is a waste on it at all - enabling its teammates the way it does is half the reason to use it, imo.
Staross (Starmie) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder Wave
- Psychic
- Rapid Spin
- Recover
Psychic and Thunder Wave are both incredibly important on bulky Starmie. Whenever I used to use one, I would miss the other. So, I ditched Hydro/Surf. It might seem sacrilegious to use Mie without Water STAB, but it really does just take up a moveslot more often than not - it barely dinks its intended targets, targets that you'd rather use Spin/TWave in a 1v1 most of the time anyway, targets which your other teammates will be able to handle (since it's not like you should rely on Mie to counter stuff). This set allows it to act as terrific paralysis support for its teammates without being a complete sitting duck against Pokemon you do not want to give free turns to - Breloom and Roserade. Psychic OHKOing Gengar also means it can't pull any spinblocking tricks on you, and the supereffective hit on Machamp is valuable as well. This is the only bulky Starmie I've used for a long time, and I never found myself wanting to put a Water move on it. Max Speed to outrun Scarf Magnezone.
Royal Blue (Empoleon) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
- Surf / Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Grass Knot
- Knock Off
More or less unwallable; the few things too bulky for its excellent coverage will get ruined by Knock. Can be EVed in many different ways (HP, Def, SpA, SpDef, Spe). A great set for turning Emp's unique, useful defensive profile into offensive pressure no matter what the opponent's response is.
Frances Ha (Roserade) (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Natural Cure / Poison Point
Bold Nature
- Spikes
- Sleep Talk
- Sludge Bomb / Grass Knot / Energy Ball / HP Fire
- HP Fire / Sludge Bomb / Rest / nothing
Despite resisting Breloom's STABs, Rose is too naturally frail to switch into them. It doesn't become a perfect, game-long counter or anything with Bold and Defense investment, but it gets the job done a couple times, which is all you should count on it for, and really all that is needed by the teams using Rose to begin with. The permanent effect of Spikes makes it arguably the best move you can pull from ST, as opposed to the likely nothing of the tier's other Sleep Talkers, both in terms of damage dished out and in terms of being able to check Loom at all. (This is also why I don't like TSPikes on this set - they do nothing against Loom). Switching into Breloom is immensely difficult for many teams due to how disruptive Spore is, and this Rose allows you to keep going without missing a beat.
Irene (Roserade) (F) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Leaf Storm
- Toxic Spikes / Sludge Bomb / Weather Ball
- HP Ice / Sludge Bomb / Weather Ball
Scarf Roserade is excellent - as a lead, on Toxic Spikes teams, in general. The Scarf lets you get the jump on the common Azelf and Jirachi leads that would otherwise thwart your lead attempts. Incidentally, you can consider not even risking sleep against Azelf, and instead choose to eviscerate it with a Modest Leaf Storm. Running Scarf on Rose also opens up its TSpikes teammates beautifully by freeing one of them of the obligation to run Scarf, allowing them to run more dangerous sets and thus having a more overwhelming offensive attack. With its strength, Speed and good resists, it's a good midgame Pokemon, able to switch in against Waters and Electrics - this is what allows it to set up TSpikes midgame, after all - while revenge killing a significant portion of fast Pokemon. You can even bolster its coverage if you feel like you're not getting much mileage out of TS. If you have sand, give Weather Ball a try - it's strong and has great coverage against a lot of Pokemon Roserade faces off against.
Regina George (Roserade (F) @ Black Sludge / Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Modest / Timid Nature
- Spikes
- HP Ground / HP Fire / HP Ice
- Sludge Bomb / Toxic Spikes
- Grass Knot / Sludge Bomb
There are traditionally two types of midgame Roserade; the bulky set, which runs Spikes (and also TSpikes sometimes, but always Spikes), and the offensive set, which is basically the lead Focus Sash set with Sleep Powder and Toxic Spikes - it just exchanges its Sash for Black Sludge. This was my attempt at a true offensive Spiker, which DPP doesn't really have. By this I mean a Spiker that is also threatening, not just a fast Skarmory or Sash dual hazards Rose.
When Rose uses Spikes, it gives up being able to use Sleep Powder or Leaf Storm. Thus, the offense on this Rose comes not just from its power and Speed, but from the extra coverage it gains - just like STalk Rose, I think this set loses efficacy if you go dual hazards. Rose can already be quite annoying with two offensive moves; with three, it becomes an actual threat - it's tough for a many offensive teams to switch into it unscathed, especially because most Pokemon that can hit it hard are slower than it. This set isn't quite Greninja, but I think it has its place - if you don't truly need Rose to be tanky, you can use this, which allows Rose to maintain pressure itself while still laying down those all-important Spikes.
Both Black Sludge and Scarf work here - I prefer BS for longevity against opposing attacks and flexibility in firing off its own, but a Scarfer that can lay down Spikes is really, really sweet on some teams.
I really like Metagross on TSpikes/specially offensive Spikes teams. The set hardly even matters - its physical bulk and physical muscle are a fantastic complement to the more specially-oriented Pokemon on those teams. Scarf and Iron Ball are my favorites, as their Trick cripples opposing defenses, making it more difficult for them to divide and conquer. ScarfGross is particularly awesome because, like with ScarfRose, it means you don't have to waste the Scarf on your hazard-abusing special attackers. It also makes a fantastic Stealth Rocker on such teams, and the hazards synergize nicely with the Agility set as well; this also has the benefit of surprise factor, which makes an already terrifying set even scarier.
Weaver (Heatran) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SDef / 252 Spe
Hasty / Mild Nature
- Stealth Rock / Fire Blast
- Explosion
- Fire Blast / Magma Storm / Hidden Power Ice / Toxic / Earth Power
- Hidden Power Ice / Toxic / Earth Power / Magma Storm / Overheat
For several years, Scarf was far and away the most popular Heatran set. It then disappeared off the face of the earth for its inability to deal with paralysis Jirachi sets. I have started liking it again, though, as Tran provides excellent role compression for TSpikes offense - it is a specially offensive Choice Scarfer that can still wallbreak, as it lures in and destroys special walls with Explosion. You don't have to blow up as soon as you switch it in or anything - you can pick your spot midgame and ensure you nail it your target. There's no downside, as you won't need ScarfTran's Speed against defensive teams. Unlike Latias and Rotom, who would attempt to do something similar with Trick, Tran does not fear a premature Pursuit trap from Tyranitar. If anything, ScarfTran will make your Specs Latias' Trick even more devastating!
This is already immensely useful, but the role compression doesn't end there, as Tran can and often should also be your SR user. This means none of your other Pokemon have to SR, or Scarf, allowing them to run their most threatening sets, AND Tran is also helping wallbreak for them.
Finally, though it's tough to decide what moves to run, Tran can make itself and its teammates even harder to deal with without needing to blow up by also packing Toxic. Magma Storm's extra 6.25% and removing the opponent's ability to double switch is not as direct, but can set up similarly threatening scenarios. Mild's extra power is awesome if you can handle DDers, especially with Overheat as the last move.
Sandalphon (Heatran) @ Leftovers
Ability: Flash Fire
Hasty Nature
EVs: 32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
- Substitute
- Protect
- Explosion
- Lava Plume
SubProtect Tran (with or without Torment) is awesome - it chokes out tons of teams. However, sometimes it runs into frustrating scenarios against defensive teams where it's not as threatening as you'd like it to be. Sub boom Tran is awesome - it beautifully abuses such assumptions that a Subbing Tran won't be able to dish out such heavy damage; it's great against defense but can also be a nasty surprise against several offensive Pokes. However, losing Protect is rough - it's great for scouting/longevity without a Sub up, and makes Sub even more absurd. This set allows you to have your cake and eat it too - massively threatening in all situations. Of course, you need to handle opposing Tran, but that's true of several great Heatran sets already, such as SpDef SR boom and the aforementioned TormenTran. EVs are somewhat flexible.
Offret (Heatran) @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
Hasty / Mild Nature
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
- Fire Blast
- Earth Power
- Dragon Pulse
- Explosion / Taunt
Resist berries are nice, but this is a forgotten terror. Incredibly hard to wall. Doesn't mind losing HP Grass when paired with SpikesRade.
Wardance (Gengar) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Will-O-Wisp
- Explosion
Boom Gar is wonderful for taking down bulky targets like Waters and Flyers if you can ensure bulky Steels aren't going to get in your way; hence, WoW. Black Sludge gives the boom surprise factor, ensuring you nail your target.
Leliel (Gengar) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Taunt
- Explosion
Many players have become accustomed to eating non-LO Shadow Balls and Focus Blasts, and this set is a harsh reminder of just how strong Gar can be. LO boom is seriously powerful as well. However, the problem that led to LO Gar falling out of favor - Wish Protect Jirachi - is still quite present, so you can't just recklessly throw the old SubSplit variant on a team. Fortunately, those bulky Rachis have shifted to physical Defense as a response to Breloom - as has Skarmory - so Gar can now threaten them with greater ease. However, even physdef Rachi can handle 2 LO Gar SBalls...in a vacuum. It's forced to Wish after it switches into SBall - thus, Gar Taunts, and can then switch out and come back later, where Rachi will no longer be able to check it (especially since that Taunt will prevent it from Protecting for extra Lefties), or can simply go for the 2HKO from there if you don't mind eating an Iron Head. Taunt is similarly useful for stifling a Milotic Recover, meaning you can (later) break through it without needing to boom - and of course, if you're low on health and need to take Milo out, you can. Essentially, this set aims to remove the downsides of using LO Gar without
relying on Magnezone or Explosion. It works quite well without Spikes, but becomes an absolute menace with them.
@ Wide Lens
Absolutely serious. Tran's item flexibility is well-known, and being able to actually land Fire Blasts, Magma Storms and Will-o-Wisps is useful as hell. We used a set of SR / FBlast / WoW / Boom in SPL and it was great. That's just one example; you can definitely use Magma > FB there and/or ditch SR/Boom for Taunt, Earth Power and so on. Gar can definitely afford to lose Black Sludge, especially with how much scarier it gets if it actually hits WoW and Focus Blast. You can even potentially justify Hypnosis in the last slot.
Atomic Raindance (Rotom-Wash) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 8 HP / 252 SpA / 248 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Rain Dance
- Thunder
- Hydro Pump
I adore this set. Not only does it clear weather, it does so by making itself more threatening. Excellent alongside Roserade and Suicune.
Андрей (Flygon) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: varying Attack / 252 SpA
Rash / Mild Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Earthquake
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
I think +SpA is essential on MixGon. Its Speed is still excellent against offense, and it needs every bit of power it can get to threaten defensive teams. Outrage ensures it remains threatening even at -2 SpA, and is often key in allowing Gon to finish off bulky Pokemon that'd otherwise heal in its face. It often doesn't need max Speed and absolutely loves Attack EVs, which also allow its Earthquake to actually threaten KOs against its targets.
Рублёв (Flygon) @ Leftovers / Soft Sand
Ability: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- U-turn
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
- Toxic
I've seen others experiment with bulky Flygon, and tried it myself, but never liked it - I found it to be a worse Gliscor in just about every way. However, I do think there is merit to two Toxic Gon sets. The first is to use it as the 4th move on Scarf - it's legit. The second is to switch the Scarf for Leftovers and Outrage for Dragon Claw. With Zone, Pursuit and Toxic, it's difficult to truly counter. You don't need to make Gon bulky for Toxic to work on it - this set is offensively threatening as hell, since you can't abuse its STABs by forcing it to lock into one of them; it can instead use those STABs freely, which reveals just how dangerous they are, especially with EV investment.
Roost is an option, but I've never bothered because I find U-turn too good on it - it adds another dimension to the threat Gon can pose (taking advantage of forced switches, safely dinking defensive answers while denying double switch attempts). The closest thing to a true answer this Gon (+ Zone + Pursuit) has is Leech Breloom, and that's why it pairs so beautifully with Sleep Talk Roserade. Restrictive, but incredibly worthwhile.
The item choice is between Lefties' longevity, which works well when trying to outlast with Toxic + repeated U-turns, and Soft Sand, which utterly destroys EQ-weak targets that might otherwise barely live while also slamming Waters and Clef really hard. Even bulky Loom doesn't like taking it with hazards and sand, especially with the followup U-turn. Though I don't think it's required, I particularly like Soft Sand alongside Wish Clef or Rachi.
As for EVs, Lefties sets can consider running 36 Defense to always live a +2 Lucario ExtremeSpeed and CB Tyranitar Crunch from full, or 88 Defense to live both after SR.
SymphonyOfSickness (Breloom) @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
- Toxic
There are a few different ways to run Toxic on Breloom. I liked slotting it over Spore on a Mach Superpower set; with Zone dealing with Skarmory and Jirachi, Loom would then be utterly ruinous to Latias Gliscor balances. It also cripples Zapdos. I also enjoyed Toxic on a Leech Seed Protect variant, using Sky Uppercut as the Fighting STAB to ensure Bold Clef was 2HKOed. Both great sets that continue to prove Loom doesn't need Spore. Ban Spore.
Moondawn (Jirachi) @ Choice Band / Iron Plate
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant / Jolly Nature
- Iron Head
- U-turn / Stealth Rock
- Trick / Body Slam / Thunder
- Fire Punch
Jirachi's Iron Head is the most terrifying attack in the tier, even with zero investment. With hazards, it puts the opponent on a timer, as their Pokemon capable of withstanding the move won't last forever. I've loved Adamant Jirachi in the past, as it makes that timer tick faster, and this set is an extension of that concept; losing Leftovers sucks, but it's manageable, and boosted Iron Heads are worth the effort - their power is terrifying. When Waters like Swampert and Suicune are taking upwards of 23% from a CB Iron Head, things can get hairy fast. Most flinch-focused Jirachi are also not very good against stall, but with this set you unleash a Trick and suddenly you've crippled something; it's generally a useful move.
The Iron Plate variant doesn't have the power or the wall-crippling ability of CB, but it's still quite strong, and the flexibility is quite useful, especially since you can slot SR on it.
Vajrabhairava (Jirachi) @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 252 Atk
Adamant Nature
- Iron Head
- Zen Headbutt
- Fire Punch
- Body Slam / Thunder
Zen Headbutt's extra coverage can make FlinchRachi even tougher to counter. It's no Iron Head, but it's just as strong, and its flinch rate is still quite high, even with its imperfect accuracy. The reason isn't just to have a second flinch option, though; the secondary STAB provides some really useful coverage against some of Rachi's common answers used for their Iron Head resistance:
252+ Atk Jirachi Zen Headbutt vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Swampert: 132-156 (32.6 - 38.6%)
252+ Atk Jirachi Zen Headbutt vs. 252 HP / 0 Def Suicune: 106-126 (26.2 - 31.1%)
252+ Atk Jirachi Zen Headbutt vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Milotic: 102-120 (25.9 - 30.5%)
252+ Atk Jirachi Zen Headbutt vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Rotom-Wash: 84-99 (27.6 - 32.5%)
252+ Atk Jirachi Zen Headbutt vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Zapdos: 96-114 (25 - 29.7%)
You're not going to be flinching these out from full or anything, but the window they have to stave Rachi off closes a lot more quickly when it can hit them for such big damage, especially with hazards in the picture. It's useful in many scenarios - it hits Breloom and Machamp a lot harder and even chips Heatran and Empoleon switchins (alongside hazards) a lot more than Iron Head would.
Grandeur of Hair (Mesprit) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold or Impish Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Healing Wish
- 2 of Thunder Wave / U-turn / Knock Off / Psychic / Imprison
Functions like Uxie on paralysis/bulky offense teams, but with the crucial benefit of Healing Wish, which allows its battered teammates to make a final push down the stretch - those teams tend to suffer from being worn down before they can seal the deal, and HW can really turn the tables. Nothing like having to face a second Machamp.
Sachiel (Swampert) @ Leftovers
Ability: Torrent
EVs: lots of HP / 252 Atk / a little Spe
Adamant Nature
- Waterfall
- Earthquake
- Ice Punch
- Protect
Offensive Pert is excellent, but sometimes takes hits a little worse than it'd like; with Protect, this is an issue no more. By grabbing every bit of extra health it can, it becomes even more terrifying. Scouting stuff like Specs Latias is excellent as well. It's easy to fit Stealth Rock on other Pokemon. Make sure you can handle Skarmory (Zone is good, not required) and you're good to go.
Help I'm a Rock (Rhyperior) @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 192 HP / 252 Atk / 64 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Substitute
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Ice Punch
Swords Dance is threatening, but I've always preferred Ice Punch's coverage on Rhyperior - being able to immediately threaten Gliscor and Breloom is too important to pass up. As long as you are able to handle Skarmory and Bronzong, I much prefer this set. I also find EVing to outrun Clef a waste, especially when it's so easy to paralyze it. With this spread, the Sub survives Clef's Ice Beam in sand while maintaining as many HP EVs as possible to shrug off physical attacks. Pairs beautifully with the TWave Psychic Starmie.
SorryToBotherYou (Tentacruel) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Liquid Ooze
EVs: 248 HP / 216 Def / 44 SpD OR 248 HP / 140 Def / 44 SpD / 76 Spe
Bold / Timid Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off
- Toxic Spikes / Sludge Bomb
- Surf
Tenta has a great niche over Starmie on hazard-focused teams; it passes up Mie's longevity between Recover and Natural Cure for a more aggressive approach. Knock Off is as crippling as ever, especially against Clef, while also absorbing and setting TSpikes. Not fearing Tyranitar's Pursuit is also great. If TSpikes aren't doing much, Sludge Bomb is great for helping against Loom. Knock and the TS absorption are still really effective, especially in games Starmie would just be dead weight against Clef. The SpDef survives Specs Latias' Draco Meteor with SR and sand.
Italian Spiderman (Gliscor) @ Leftovers
Ability: Hyper Cutter
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Earthquake
- Ice Fang
- Night Slash
Offensive SD Gliscor is highly dangerous and made even more threatening by Night Slash; it's crucial for bulky Rotom and Latias, who are not easy to Pursuit. Absolutely needs the power of Adamant. Great set for various types of offense.
Nostalghia (Venusaur) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 248 HP / 52 Def / 156 SpA / 52 Spe
Modest Nature
- Knock Off
- Leech Seed
- Sludge Bomb
- Leaf Storm
Venusaur, like Shaymin, was almost singlehandedly knocked out of the metagame by Clefable. However, Venusaur, unlike Shaymin, can reliably threaten Clef thanks to Knock Off. (It works particularly well if you can threaten a Pursuit on it with Tyranitar afterwards.)
Knock not only allows Venu to actually make use of Leech Seed, but gives it its niche over Roserade, crippling not just Clef, but also Pokemon like Heatran, Jirachi and bulky Latias more effectively than Rose's Spikes (especially with a potential SBomb poison for Lati), thus more easily allowing the likes of CM Jirachi to sweep lategame. Another advantage Venu has over Rose is its far superior physical bulk, letting it act as a solid Breloom check.
The SpA is important to pressure Clef. Speed outruns Milotic and ResTalk Rotom. The HP and Defense EVs ensure that Venu will always survive +1 Gyarados Ice Fang after SR without dying to sand afterwards; even without SR, that Ice Fang will always put Venu into Overgrow range, allowing Venu to blast it back with Leaf Storm.
Sound of Metal (Bronzong) @ Choice Band
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Trick
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake
- Explosion
As great as Trick Room Zong is, it sometimes finds it hard to sweep or set up CBTar, a problem which is exacerbated by the fact it doesn't want to sustain damage early on for fear of hindering that sweep attempt later on. This often feels like a waste of Zong's great defensive utility. There's also Zong's problem of not being threatening against defense. Trick CB is a great set that can get in the thick of action early on, making the most of its defense while still posing an offensive threat with its powerful attacks and defense-crippling capability of Trick, the latter of which is particularly ruinous to the bulky teams that would otherwise be its bane; once it's neutered a wall, it can hang back as its team takes advantage of the opponent's compromised defenses, then come back when given the opportunity to get a boom off.