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Corthius

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:ss/Starmie:
not the KrustyKrab (Starmie) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Analytic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Thunderbolt / Thunder
- Ice Beam / Psyshock
- Trick
I have been liking Starmie as a whole a lot in the tier. Its coverage is absurd and works really really well together with its ability as it forces a lot of switches to get the boost from Analytic. While the standard Life Orb set is generally better, no doubt, Choice Specs grants some guaranteed OHKOs versus pokemon you might not want to risk two Hydro Pump's. Overall the damage versus non-switching targets benefits a lot from this and a right prediction gets punished a lot more.
A bit trade off is Trick for Recover (I guess you can run both anyway but missing out on either coverage sounds poo). While Recover grants more longevity, without the Life Orb recoil you are way less forced to click that move anyway and in general Starmie doesn't want to waste turns not clicking attacks anyway. With the new drop Snorlax, a lot of people also value tricking choice items a lot (Trick is similar broken to Knock Off imo) and shutting down a potential Vaporeon is really valuable for a potential teammate.

252 SpA Choice Specs Analytic Starmie Thunder vs. 252 HP / 40+ SpD Vaporeon: 354-418 (76.2 - 90%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Analytic Starmie Thunder vs. 252 HP / 40+ SpD Vaporeon: 354-418 (76.2 - 90%) -- 18.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
252 SpA Choice Specs Analytic Starmie Thunderbolt vs. 252 HP / 40+ SpD Vaporeon: 290-342 (62.5 - 73.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252 SpA Choice Specs Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Drapion: 285-336 (101.4 - 119.5%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252 SpA Choice Specs Starmie Hydro Pump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Diancie: 314-372 (103.2 - 122.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252 SpA Choice Specs Starmie Psyshock vs. 12 HP / 244 Def Snorlax: 169-201 (36.4 - 43.3%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Choice Specs Analytic Starmie Psyshock vs. 12 HP / 244 Def Snorlax: 220-261 (47.4 - 56.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
 
Blastoise @ White Herb
Ability: Torrent
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Shell Smash
- Liquidation
- Ice Punch
- Crunch




Blastoise is a dangerous sweeper. It has access to shell smash, a crazy boosting move. It is countered/checked by many special walls. Remember that shell smash also boosts attack.

This set is basically physical Blastoise. It has a surprise factor and can lure in many of its usual checks/counters.
 
I've been using a team of mostly meta Pokemon apart from this Gallade recently, and the Gallade has actually been one of my most used/useful members.


Gallade @ Assault Vest
Ability: Justified
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch / Close Combat
- Rock Slide
- Zen Headbutt / Psycho Cut
- Knock Off

Specially defensive Gallade. This set is a good surprise which can swap into special attackers like Starmie, Indeedee-F, Heliolisk, and Dragalge reliably. Others, such as Diancie, Inteleon, Exploud, and Sylveon can be swapped into depending on what set they run, if you can read their move, and what situation the enemy team is in.

Gallade's high attack stat and good coverage allows him to threaten almost anything, so, if you can swap in safely, there is almost always an opportunity to make a read and gain a significant advantage.

Drain Punch is preferred over Close Combat, as it allows Gallade to heal what he's lost when swapping in, and allows for a winning situation against Escavalier, which Close Combat does not. Rock Slide is mostly to cover Talonflame and Arcanine, which are common choices to swap into against Gallade. Zen Headbutt is Gallade's strongest stab psychic move, but only has 90% accuracy, so if you prefer not to chance it, Psycho Cut also works. Knock Off covers Xatu, Decidueye, and many others, while also taking items from Pokemon Gallade can't deal significant damage to.

I was thinking the same set but with Careful could be an option, it would definitely make some specific matchups more reliable, but I haven't tested it in any way yet.
 
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:sm/decidueye:
Decidueye @ Life Orb
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Leaf Storm
- Shadow Ball
- Roost

Nasty Plot Decidueye is an underrated threat I've never seen anyone use so far.
This set combines the sweeping capabilities of Swords Dance and the safe switch in to Scald that Choice Specs provides into a Nasty Plot sweeper.
It serves as a mid-game wallbreaker that can threaten bulky waters and spam shadowball while being a good switch in to Vileplume and Rotom-M
Life Orb is there to make +2 Leaf Storm OHKO Mantine and make Shadow Ball stronger. Roost allows it to function as a consistent switch to bulky waters and heals off Life Orb damage, but U-Turn could be used to pivot out of checks like Guzzlord and Braviary.

Offensive
+2 252+ SpA Life Orb Decidueye Leaf Storm vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Mantine: 376-445 (100.5 - 118.9%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Decidueye Shadow Ball vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Arcanine: 187-222 (48.8 - 57.9%) -- 96.9% chance to 2HKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Decidueye Leaf Storm vs. 252 HP / 56+ SpD Diancie: 312-369 (102.6 - 121.3%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ SpA Life Orb Decidueye Shadow Ball vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Weezing: 208-247 (62.2 - 73.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery
Defensive
0 SpA Mantine Air Slash vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Decidueye: 134-162 (44.9 - 54.3%) -- 43.8% chance to 2HKO
0 SpA Vileplume Sludge Bomb vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Decidueye: 106-126 (35.5 - 42.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
(even better if Decidueye is burned)
0 SpA Weezing Flamethrower vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Decidueye: 112-134 (37.5 - 44.9%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
 

Fragmented

procrastinating...
is a Pokemon Researcher
:ss/braviary:
Braviary (M) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Close Combat
- Agility
- Bulk Up

SwSh gave Braviary access to Agility, which has been mostly overlooked because, honestly, it's not that great a move. But this effectively allows Braviary to run a dual dance set, making it much more difficult to revenge kill. Depending on what you need, you can clean up offensive teams with a +2 Speed Braviary, or make holes in defensive cores with Bulk Up. Most people expect Sub+BU or scarf sets anyway, and will be in for a nasty surprise when their scarf Rotom-Mow or Heliolisk no longer checks it. This set will die very fast due to the lack of recovery, although you could run Roost over BU or CC, but you'll rarely want to click it when you can just Brave Bird everything.

:ss/espeon:
Espeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Def / 40 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Morning Sun
- Calm Mind
- Toxic

Throwing this in for the lols. This was designed to counter standard Mudsdale, Talonflame and Vaporeon. It can live 2 EQs from 0 Atk Mudsdale, tank a Brave Bird from defensive Talonflame (U-turn does less damage) or a Knock Off from Passimian. It has enough Speed EVs to outrun Jolly Tyrantrum and can set up on the likes of Vaporeon and Mudsdale. Why this over Xatu? It has 130 SpAtk and 110 Spe, so Psychic is going to hit decently hard. I use Toxic in the last moveslot to wear down Vape and Muds faster, but you could run other options like Dazzling Gleam. You will also have to remember that this Espeon is now slow and cannot outspeed many things that a normal Espeon would (Heliolisk, Zoroark, Rotom-Mow, Silvally, etc. I have lost games because I forgot), though you could always fake it. Fun set, Indeedee probably still better.
0 Atk Mudsdale Earthquake vs. 252 HP / 216+ Def Espeon: 135-159 (40.4 - 47.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 Atk Talonflame Brave Bird vs. 252 HP / 216+ Def Espeon: 111-132 (33.2 - 39.5%) -- 18.7% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Passimian Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 252 HP / 216+ Def Espeon: 204-242 (61 - 72.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO
 
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Golbat @ Eviolite
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Roost
- U-turn / Taunt
- Toxic
- Super Fang / Brave Bird​


I’ve been super high on Golbat the past couple weeks, mostly expressing it in the NU discord. Figured I might as well share it here.
The moves before the slashes are what I run because it fits the best on the team structures I use. Generally fast paced offense with strong hazard removal and a 2 mon defensive backbone. The other two moves are probably better for general use. I just prefer toxic+uturn+super fang for breaking down some of the fatter cores like Staka Vap or Esca/Muds/Eveelution

The reason why I like Golbat so much is for the sheer amount of things that just don’t touch it! For the most part, it’s able to tank, outspeed and roost off damage even from some of our strongest breakers.

252+ Atk Guts Machamp Facade (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Eviolite Golbat: 224-264 (63.2 - 74.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO


^ and thats with no defense investment while Golbat can KO in response with Brave Bird.

Golbat is not a dedicated wall however. It fills a similar niche (albeit fatter) as Tflame where it has speed, utility and the ability to mitigate damage over the course of a game by virtue of roost and out speeding what you’re looking to work around. When running Golbat over Tflame you’re changing what you’re looking to check, Tflame functions better vs things that are a bit lower power but might have more speed and Golbat functions excellent vs those fatter cores+the slow strong breakers.

fwiw I don’t think running Defog on Golbat is a good idea in similar vein to Tflame, sure it gets it but you rather not use it. There’s plenty of viable hazard removers which is also why I go eviolite>booties



 
Xatu Pokemon GIF - Xatu Pokemon Shadow Ball - Discover & Share GIFs


Used this Xatu set for the Rotom-Mow reqs.

Xatu @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 236 Def / 20 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Reflect
- Night Shade
- Roost
- Teleport

Xatu benefits from having Reflect due to its below average bulk and defensive typing. Five turns go a long way and In combination with Rocky Helmet, it's now in your favour to win former unfavourable match ups vs Copperajah and SR Rock Blast Stakataka alongside. I'm not saying you beat SR Diancie, but at least with Reflect up, you can safely take less than 50% and Teleport to your sufficient checks/counters.

0 Atk Stakataka Rock Blast (3 hits) vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Xatu through Reflect: 99-117 (29.6 - 35%) -- approx. 1.9% chance to 3HKO
16+ Atk Copperajah Heavy Slam (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Xatu through Reflect: 82-97 (24.5 - 29%) -- 99.8% chance to 4HKO
252+ Atk Copperajah Heavy Slam (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Xatu through Reflect: 98-116 (29.3 - 34.7%) -- 8.6% chance to 3HKO

The Reflect support could also come in handy for mons especially any set up sweepers. Some other useful scenarios include avoiding a 2HKO from guts Machamp and Fetch'd. Drapion and Escavalier too but now, you're not forced out if they choose to switch in and attack because Reflect solidifies that you can safely bring your next mon on choice with Teleport. You can adjust the EV's to your taste but I enjoy the bulk / don't care about outrunning a few extra things.
 

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