I am once again asking you for your support. Around two years ago I made it to #1 on the SM NU Ladder, using a spikes HO team. It had it's time, but the tier shifts were not kind to it. Fast forward to now, and I've created a revamped version of the team. Originally built with the same 4 unsnapped members, I went through a bunch of changes to get this team fitted for UU.
The Team:
Crustle @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 24 HP / 252 Atk / 232 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Rock Blast
- Earthquake
Once again we have the trusty Crustle. But let me note a few changes from gen 7 to gen 8. Due to the figy berry nerf, Sitrus is now the more reliable option. In combination with the 24 HP evs, sitrus allows Crustle to always live 2 earthquakes from lead mamoswine. Adamant over jolly this time to maximize damage output while still outspeeding 252+ coalossal, 252 Dhelmise, +1 uninvested coalossal, and +2 torkoal. The extra power makes a 2-hit rock blast have a chance to OHKO the most prevalent webs setter, Ribombee.
How to use: Lead 99% of the time. Get up rocks or spikes or both depending on the situation. Vs lead mamoswine, it's best you get some chip on it first so that you break sash. If you do come across magic bounce users, always be aware that they can switch in so rock blast is used 70% of the time.
Chandelure @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball
- Taunt
- Calm Mind
After a losing streak, I switched over to Gengar who had a better speed tier, but after the dynamax ban, I went back to Chandelure, as now a partner could deal with sweeper Kommo-o. Chandelure accomplishes what my mismagius did last gen: spinblock and defog block/stall break with taunt. The fire immunity is also greatly appreciated and something gengar can't do.
How to use: Come in on your resistances/immunities. You can also double into it on predicted slow defog users such as Weezing-G. It usually just throws out its stabs, and taunts against fatter mons. Calm mind is for the rare situations where it needs to hit harder.
Braviary (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- Bulk Up
- Substitute
Defog Punisher, but a strange twist to my last iteration. This is the spdef bulk up version, whose subs are able to survive weezing-g's and bulky milotic's attacks. It fills the role for my "dedicated setup sweeper." The immunities also synergies well with chandelure. Sadly, Braviary doesn't have access to roost yet but I'm not sure how helpful that would've been with all of these rhyperior and doublade running around.
How to use: Come in on defogging weezing-g and noivern to reap a boost that is hard to respond to. The bulkiness of this set also allows Braviary to be reserved to take emergency big hits.
Weavile @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pickpocket
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Crash
- Throat Chop
- Swords Dance
My priority setup-sweeper went through the most changes. At first it was qwilfish, then crawdaunt, and now it's weavile. What sets weavile apart is its deadly ice stab and speed tier. With heavy duty boots, it also doesn't need to fear stealth rock and sticky web. Although swords dance is used less than I wanted, Weavile still gets the job done.
How to use: Apply pressure on bulkier mons weak to dark/ice such as hippo or bronzong. If you notice the opponent putting priority on hazard removal, use that free turn to get a swords dance up. If you're daring, you can also use weavile's special bulk to setup in front of passive scald users.
Duraludon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Stalwart
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt
The newest addition to the team: Scarf duraludon. This ultimately replaced klinklang for the instant power, speed, and coverage. It trades the role of dedicated setup sweeper for revenge killer. The higher base speed stat (than my last scarfer) allows me to run modest and still outspeed base 130s, as well as other neutral scarf base 80s. Draco is good for spamming when the resists are gone. Flash cannon ohkoes mamoswine. Dark pulse is for doublade and reuniclus, and tbolt is for vaporeon and milotic.
How to use: Come in on any weakened mon to finish it off, as you are resistant to most forms of priority. In fact, use the myriad of resistances and that stellar defense stat to find a way in and preserve your other offensive threats. With choice scarf comes responsibility, so predict carefully.
Whimsicott @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Encore
- Energy Ball
- Moonblast
- Psychic
Before the dynamax ban, Scott was booted from the team due to dynamax overriding encore. Now I have a solid answer to setup sweepers once again. Scott's stab moves are very important in taking down the bulky water/ground/dark types. Psychic allows you to lure and KO poison types such as Toxicroak, Gengar, and Weezing-G.
How to use: If you are afraid of something setting up, hard switch into Whimsicott to prankster encore them, unless they are a dark type. You can also sac whimsicott with prankster encore in order to lock the target into a move that is resisted by your setup sweepers. Scott's resistances are incredibly important for preventing things like haxorus or scarf thunderbolts from running you over.
Overall a fun hyper offensive team that uses their immunities and heavy duty boots as the defensive backbone for the team and to find opportunities to come in. In a rematch situation, opponents still are pressured in getting up hazards to slow down Whimsicott/Duraludon or to chip Braviary/Whimsicott. It still struggles with steel types and may find itself lacking fire resists from time to time. Feel free to use this team or offer suggestions!
Foreseeable changes(don't get limited by this though):
Braviary - The set I'm using feels so out of place and nowadays braviary is the least useful member. I'm not sure what set I should be running. I already tried the scarf set, which gives me issues versus stall. Should braviary just be replaced as a whole? I barely find myself punishing defog with a meaningful defiant sweep, but braviary's immunities are incredibly useful.
Fire Blast over Flamethrower - The calcs on Umbreon look promising, I'm just not a big fan of inconsistency and it will eventually miss a free kill.
Threatlist:
Rock types - The 4 rock weaknesses didn't get in the way too much, but Gigalith and Rhyperior can do a number on me if crustle doesn't get a hit in.
Doublade - It can get pretty messy unless I catch a greedy SD with encore. If it does manage to get a boost, only Duraludon can win
Bulky Waters - Milotic and Vaporeon can pretty much heal all they want. Hazards, Whimsicott, and Duraludon are important for minimizing problems. With all of these aforementioned threats, I'm glad I replaced Klinklang for Duraludon.
Umbreon - I can't 2hko it with anything except braviary after rocks. It likes to come in on chandelure though, so the most common way I beat it down is to prevent wish with taunt.
Steel types - Although rare, Steelix and Togedemaru are a pain to fight. Enemy Duraludon are also quite scary.
Replays:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1062078801 - Braviary does Something
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1061569549 - Switching
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1060711839 - Peak Match Ft. Weavile
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1052216326 - Team Effort
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1042004934 - Conditioning Game 3
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1049986637-rverj171eeozcwmushl3jgujnemjqwfpw - Chandy the Stallbreaker
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1052221499 - Trash Braviary Replacement
The Team:
Crustle @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 24 HP / 252 Atk / 232 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Rock Blast
- Earthquake
Once again we have the trusty Crustle. But let me note a few changes from gen 7 to gen 8. Due to the figy berry nerf, Sitrus is now the more reliable option. In combination with the 24 HP evs, sitrus allows Crustle to always live 2 earthquakes from lead mamoswine. Adamant over jolly this time to maximize damage output while still outspeeding 252+ coalossal, 252 Dhelmise, +1 uninvested coalossal, and +2 torkoal. The extra power makes a 2-hit rock blast have a chance to OHKO the most prevalent webs setter, Ribombee.
How to use: Lead 99% of the time. Get up rocks or spikes or both depending on the situation. Vs lead mamoswine, it's best you get some chip on it first so that you break sash. If you do come across magic bounce users, always be aware that they can switch in so rock blast is used 70% of the time.
Chandelure @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Shadow Ball
- Taunt
- Calm Mind
After a losing streak, I switched over to Gengar who had a better speed tier, but after the dynamax ban, I went back to Chandelure, as now a partner could deal with sweeper Kommo-o. Chandelure accomplishes what my mismagius did last gen: spinblock and defog block/stall break with taunt. The fire immunity is also greatly appreciated and something gengar can't do.
How to use: Come in on your resistances/immunities. You can also double into it on predicted slow defog users such as Weezing-G. It usually just throws out its stabs, and taunts against fatter mons. Calm mind is for the rare situations where it needs to hit harder.
Braviary (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- Bulk Up
- Substitute
Defog Punisher, but a strange twist to my last iteration. This is the spdef bulk up version, whose subs are able to survive weezing-g's and bulky milotic's attacks. It fills the role for my "dedicated setup sweeper." The immunities also synergies well with chandelure. Sadly, Braviary doesn't have access to roost yet but I'm not sure how helpful that would've been with all of these rhyperior and doublade running around.
How to use: Come in on defogging weezing-g and noivern to reap a boost that is hard to respond to. The bulkiness of this set also allows Braviary to be reserved to take emergency big hits.
Weavile @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pickpocket
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Crash
- Throat Chop
- Swords Dance
My priority setup-sweeper went through the most changes. At first it was qwilfish, then crawdaunt, and now it's weavile. What sets weavile apart is its deadly ice stab and speed tier. With heavy duty boots, it also doesn't need to fear stealth rock and sticky web. Although swords dance is used less than I wanted, Weavile still gets the job done.
How to use: Apply pressure on bulkier mons weak to dark/ice such as hippo or bronzong. If you notice the opponent putting priority on hazard removal, use that free turn to get a swords dance up. If you're daring, you can also use weavile's special bulk to setup in front of passive scald users.
Duraludon @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Stalwart
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Flash Cannon
- Thunderbolt
The newest addition to the team: Scarf duraludon. This ultimately replaced klinklang for the instant power, speed, and coverage. It trades the role of dedicated setup sweeper for revenge killer. The higher base speed stat (than my last scarfer) allows me to run modest and still outspeed base 130s, as well as other neutral scarf base 80s. Draco is good for spamming when the resists are gone. Flash cannon ohkoes mamoswine. Dark pulse is for doublade and reuniclus, and tbolt is for vaporeon and milotic.
How to use: Come in on any weakened mon to finish it off, as you are resistant to most forms of priority. In fact, use the myriad of resistances and that stellar defense stat to find a way in and preserve your other offensive threats. With choice scarf comes responsibility, so predict carefully.
Whimsicott @ Life Orb
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Encore
- Energy Ball
- Moonblast
- Psychic
Before the dynamax ban, Scott was booted from the team due to dynamax overriding encore. Now I have a solid answer to setup sweepers once again. Scott's stab moves are very important in taking down the bulky water/ground/dark types. Psychic allows you to lure and KO poison types such as Toxicroak, Gengar, and Weezing-G.
How to use: If you are afraid of something setting up, hard switch into Whimsicott to prankster encore them, unless they are a dark type. You can also sac whimsicott with prankster encore in order to lock the target into a move that is resisted by your setup sweepers. Scott's resistances are incredibly important for preventing things like haxorus or scarf thunderbolts from running you over.
Overall a fun hyper offensive team that uses their immunities and heavy duty boots as the defensive backbone for the team and to find opportunities to come in. In a rematch situation, opponents still are pressured in getting up hazards to slow down Whimsicott/Duraludon or to chip Braviary/Whimsicott. It still struggles with steel types and may find itself lacking fire resists from time to time. Feel free to use this team or offer suggestions!
Foreseeable changes(don't get limited by this though):
Braviary - The set I'm using feels so out of place and nowadays braviary is the least useful member. I'm not sure what set I should be running. I already tried the scarf set, which gives me issues versus stall. Should braviary just be replaced as a whole? I barely find myself punishing defog with a meaningful defiant sweep, but braviary's immunities are incredibly useful.
Fire Blast over Flamethrower - The calcs on Umbreon look promising, I'm just not a big fan of inconsistency and it will eventually miss a free kill.
Threatlist:
Rock types - The 4 rock weaknesses didn't get in the way too much, but Gigalith and Rhyperior can do a number on me if crustle doesn't get a hit in.
Doublade - It can get pretty messy unless I catch a greedy SD with encore. If it does manage to get a boost, only Duraludon can win
Bulky Waters - Milotic and Vaporeon can pretty much heal all they want. Hazards, Whimsicott, and Duraludon are important for minimizing problems. With all of these aforementioned threats, I'm glad I replaced Klinklang for Duraludon.
Umbreon - I can't 2hko it with anything except braviary after rocks. It likes to come in on chandelure though, so the most common way I beat it down is to prevent wish with taunt.
Steel types - Although rare, Steelix and Togedemaru are a pain to fight. Enemy Duraludon are also quite scary.
Replays:
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1062078801 - Braviary does Something
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1061569549 - Switching
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1060711839 - Peak Match Ft. Weavile
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1052216326 - Team Effort
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1042004934 - Conditioning Game 3
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1049986637-rverj171eeozcwmushl3jgujnemjqwfpw - Chandy the Stallbreaker
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen8uu-1052221499 - Trash Braviary Replacement