Metagame PU: What is that Stench... First Look at the PU Metagame

[Rafael J. Feliciano]

What is that Stench: First Look at the PU Metagame


As the heading suggests, this my first attempt at a new Meta as I usually battle in OU but wanted a change of scenery. I am not going to delve too much into the intro, so let’s dive into the Team Building Summary and Details Section.

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Team Building Summary

Carracosta’s natural defenses plus Solid Rock make him too good a Stealth Rock user to pass up. I really like the Shell Smash set, but with stuff like Eviolite Tangela and Scarf Simisage running around; I didn’t feel like having him as my physical sweeper would be an optimal decision.

Togetic is here to check above mentioned Simisage and Tangela while also acting as my Cleric. Respectable 55 / 85 / 105 defenses that get a definitive boost thanks to Eviolite.

Scyther is an assassin whose bulk gets a generous boost thanks to Eviolite. SD + BP to our primary sweeper(s) is the goal here and Scyther’s blistering speed accomplishes this very efficiently.

I combined these two because either one is the recipient of a SD Boost. Sawsbuck is a Deer Zombie thanks to Horn Leech especially at +2 and Flareon just str8 UP REKTS SH!T. Will elaborate more on their respective sets in the Details Section.

The last member of the team is Haunter. Pretty simple 3 Attacks + D-Bond set which is here to pick off any weakened foes that somehow survived that doubled barreled barrage of Sawsbuck and Flareon.

Team Building Process Details

Carracosta (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Scald
- Rock Slide
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock


Role: Stealth Rock Setter / Physically Defensive Wall


As mentioned before, Solid Rock combined with 252 / 252+ Defense Investment makes Carracosta really difficult to take down. The reason I went with him over other PU SR Users like Golem and Marowak is because of Carracosta’s access to Scald, which any trainer can tell you, is a pain to deal with. This factor is amplified further of the team is lacking a cleric to heal their main or secondary sweeper. Rock Slide over Stone Miss because… well… it’s Stone Miss and I hate missing attacks. Toxic is to poison non-steel mons who will try to wall Carracosta and set up on it.

Togetic (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IV: 0 Atk
- Seismic Toss
- Heal Bell
- Wish
- Defog


Role: Cleric / Defog Support


This little fairy is the glue of the team. She Wish Passes, can heal teammates with her magical Bell Chime and removes hazards. Add to that her awesome bulk that is enhanced by Eviolite and we really are getting somewhere here. Seismic Toss grants consistent damage against anything that isn’t a Ghost Type, but overall, support is her game and she is bulky enough to absorb quite a few hits. Note; 248 HP allows her to switch in 3 times into SR if she really needs to remove rocks 3 times… which prolly means that the match is possibly on Turn 247!!!!!!

Scyther (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aerial Ace
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
- Baton Pass


Role: SD Pass / Tertiary Sweeper


Scyther’s goal in life is to do one thing only, Baton Pass a +2 Atk boost. Scyther’s blistering speed allows it to pull off a BP before an attack can land; especially a fire attack for with Flareon coming in on it, increasing its OP Flare Blitz to another level. Otherwise Aerial Ace with STAB and Technician Boosts makes this move very powerful while never missing. Finally Knock Off is here to punish opponent switches early game since items, in general, carry more weight in PU in my opinion especially with the lack of Mega Stones and a heavy nod towards Eviolite for many of the walls that can benefit from it like Tangela et al.

Sawsbuck (M) @ Salac Berry
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Horn Leech
- Return
- Substitute
- Synthesis


Role: Physical Sweeper #1/ “Undying Deer Truck”


Sawsbuck is our physical attacker that is actually meant to live for a prolonged period of time, kind of like a nosferatu or a lich. Using the classic SubSalac combo as the one thing that Sawsbuck needs to avoid is getting crushed be a WoW of T-Wave to cut his sweep short. Substitute’s HP Drain is mitigated by the Horn Leech and Synthesis while STAB Return is for anything that resists Horn Leech. Otherwise Return and Horn Leech at +2 do copious amounts of damage that tear unprepared teams to shreds.

Flareon (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Superpower
- Quick Attack
- Flail


Role: Physical Sweeper #2/ “Kamikaze Guru”


Whereas Sawsbuck is the undying zombie of the team; Flareon is the Kamikaze Bomber of the team. Flareon’s Flare Blitz at +2 will OHKO virtually everything that doesn’t resist it. The problem with Flareon is its speed, though usable, makes him situational at best. That’s why we are going with Jolly Choice Scarf to Max out Flareon’s speed to net a surprise KO when the opponent least expects it. CB is not needed since we are passing +2 attack every chance we get to him. The rest of the attacks are for coverage, with Flail being the only “odd” choice but affords Flareon the ability to spam an attack that is very powerful once Flareon is below 10%, which is actually quite achievable, allowing for Flareon to hit the opponent for Base 150-200 Atk damage barring priority users and ghosts types.

Haunter (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IV: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Thunderbolt
- Destiny Bond


Role: Revenge Killer / Glass Cannon


Haunter is here to Hit’N’Run opponents and snipes those who have been weakened and need to be kicked into their grave. Standard STABs in Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb with Thunderbolt to hit opposing flying types, Poliwrath, Carracosta, etc... Rounding out the set is Destiny Bond, which helps drag down opponents whom I can’t OHKO but can KO me.


Well, this is the team in its entirety. Let me know what you think and hope you enjoyed looking at the team.

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Sincerely,
Prof. R. Feliciano
Director of Metagame Studies, Smogon University, New York Campus
Director of Archaeological Studies, Smogon University, Chicago Campus
Lead Archaeologist of the Ruins of Alph excavation, Summer 2014
Lead Archaeologist for the Cave of Origin excavation, Fall 2014
Selected: Lead Archaelogist for the Spear Pillar, Circa. Fall 2015 (spoiler)

Importable

Carracosta (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
- Scald
- Rock Slide
- Toxic
- Stealth Rock

Togetic (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IV: 0 Atk
- Seismic Toss
- Heal Bell
- Wish
- Defog

Scyther (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Aerial Ace
- Knock Off
- Swords Dance
- Baton Pass

Sawsbuck (M) @ Salac Berry
Ability: Sap Sipper
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Horn Leech
- Return
- Substitute
- Synthesis

Flareon (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Flare Blitz
- Superpower
- Quick Attack
- Flail

Haunter (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IV: 0 Atk
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Thunderbolt
- Destiny Bond

 

[g]

Hi, this forum is not really the place for RMT threads (which should be posted in rmt section under other), wouldn't really expect from a former rmt ladybug zzz.
Anyway if you want to showcase a team the samples teams thread is the place. Locking.