Here are my thoughts about some of the buffs PU pokemon got. I've omitted some of the ones I think won't fall to PU though:
Arbok- 95 attack is cool, although the Sucker nerf is not. Overall though I think this is an improvement though since it means Arbok can run Jolly much easier now since it now has enough power to break the metagame with +1 Jolly Gunk Shot.
Electrode- 150 speed is a nice medium buff for it. Modest Electrode now only has to invest 112 speed EVs into outspeeding Zebstrika, while Timid sets only need 136 speed EVs to outspeed +2 Modest Gorebyss.
Masquerain- This is a pretty huge buff for sure. It now can outspeed the whole metagame besides Electrode/Ninjask at +1 using a Modest nature, and make no mistake, +1 Bug Buzz off 100 SpA hits really hard. In addition it has fantastic water coverage in Hydro Pump/Scald to blow past pretty much all bug type checks except for Clefairy. There are still a lot of flaws to it, for example being SR weak and having minimal setup opportunities. But this will be scary.
Volbeat/Illumise- The bulk increase is really nice for sure. They become much more reliable as weather setters and disrupters.
Lunatone- 90 HP actually makes this quite bulky on both sides, and Power Gem is a fantastic coverage addition. I could see the famed rock polish set being an actual threat with RP/Earth Power/Power Gem/Psychic giving it perfect coverage. But I think the real gem will lie in its Calm Mind sets. With 90 HP and 85 SpD it can now function as a bulky tank as well as a win condition with a set of CM/Moonlight/Earth Power/Power Gem or something like that.
Solrock- 90 HP is a very nice buff for defensive Solrock, considering that its main flaw was not having enough sheer bulk compared to other SR setters. I see this becoming a lot more common in the tier especially now that it can wall things like Monferno and Stoutland a lot better.
Chimecho- Chimecho is actually really bulky now with 75/80/90 stats. If Clefairy goes to NU, this would be a nice and not outclassed wall, with moves like Recover, Heal Bell, and
Psywave. Additionally it could function as a very decent stallbreaker considering its Access to both Taunt and Recover, or even a win condition with
Cosmic Power + Stored Power Calm Mind + Psyshock sets, with reliable recovery to differentiate it from Grumpig.
Magcargo- I don't think people were entirely fair to Mag before as it could check stuff like Leafeon, Jumpluff, Dodrio (rip), Mawile, Articuno, and Pawniard really well. Now with its bulk and SpA increase it can check all those same threats better- I think it can be relevant if people are willing to give it a try.
Crustle- 105 attack is a tangible improvement, especially for Shell Smash sets considering they come a lot closer to OHKOing stuff like Tangela, Stunfisk, and Metang at +2, meaning it only needs hazards support to sweep teams without a Choice Scarf user. Nothing huge but this will get better.
Beartic*- Okay, this is probably not gonna be PU considering Alolan Ninetales is great with Aurora Veil and is never going PU, and Hail seems a pretty solid strategy overall. That being said, if Hail's popularity dips then this could be a fearsome sweeper along with Snow Warning Vanilluxe.
Vanilluxe*- I have no idea if we keep this or not but hoping we do. Snow Warning is a fairly significant buff but if Alolan Ninetales falls to RU or possibly NU, it could outclass Vanilluxe there, and Aurorus and Abomasnow still exist to give it competition in NU. If it falls to PU it will not only be a terrifying pokemon on its own (Specs/LO Blizzard hits like a truck off of 110 SpA), but will also be great paired with a possible Beartic.
Bellossom- I think people are strongly underestimating this because of how slow Bellossom is. While Bellossom may still need two boosts to outspeed common teams, or three if they have a scarf pokemon, Bellossom still has more than enough bulk to get those boosts. With just one QD in addition to Giga Drain recovery, Bell can be near unkillable on the SpD side, while the only things that can really revenge kill her on the physical side are physical fire-types. Bell will be a very scary bulky sweeper once we find a good stat spread for her mark my words. Set I think will be Quiver Dance, Giga, HP Fire, Sub/Synthesis.
Furret- Coil sets might still be pretty bad, but I don't think they would be completely unviable. Could be nice on normal spam as it does a very nice job of killing typical normal type checks between Coil, Knock Off, and possibly Seed Bomb. Would be scary on webs too, and Furret has surprisingly decent physical bulk so shouldn't be too hard to set up.
Basculin- I think Head Smash is a very cool addition and would make Rock Head sets a nice alternative to Adaptability sets. Although a powerful Aqua Jet/Waterfall would still make Adaptability better, Rock Head sets now have essentially a dual STAB between Waterfall and Head Smash and do a great job of luring things that can take water hits. Overall a very interesting change.
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Okay, now I wanted to start some discussion of Z-moves. There are not many pokemon in PU who would prefer having a Z-move over a Life Orb, leftovers, or choice item, but these pokemon exist and it can definitely be a nice way to lure threats.
Leafeon @ Normalium Z
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leaf Blade
- Knock Off
- Double Edge
SD Leafeon is one pokemon that would function well with a Z-move considering it does perfectly fine without boosting items anyway. Normalium Z offers it a 190 BP Breakneck Blitz, which needless to say OHKOs Monferno, Muk, Articuno, Altaria, opposing Leafeon, etc. This can be really scary since most teams only carry one hard check to Leafeon.
An alternative is using Supersonic Skystrike paired with Aerial Ace (120 BP), or Savage Spin Out (160 BP) with X-scissor to hit Gourgeist and Tangela, respectively.
Grumpig @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Thunder Wave
- Taunt/Calm Mind
Grumpig is another pokemon that could make good use of a Z-move, considering it can easily bluff Colbur Berry and rarely uses a boosting move anyway. Focus Blast Z is a 100% accuracy 190 BP All-Out Pummeling which could destroy stuff like Audino and Bouffalant.
All NP users in general could make decent use of Z-items to lure out and kill specific threats, or even blast past walls with 200 BP moves. I don't feel like going into detail with this though since it's fairly obvious.
Z-Celebrate (+1 All Stats):
Celebrate gives you +1 in all stats, which is pretty scary. Some relevant pokemon like Leafeon, Glaceon, Flareon, and Raichu get the move. This can turn all of them into pretty decent lategame cleaners. However I do not think this strategy will be broken because the boosts in offensive stats are mediocre, so you still get walled by walls. Will be very scary vs offense, but poor vs defensive teams. I think this will boost the viability of both Flareon and Glaceon.
Z-Forest's Curse will also be
very useful on Trevenant as it gives the same boosts and Trev gets great coverage and Horn Leech to make the strategy successul.
Glaceon @ Normalium Z
Ability: Snow Cloak
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 SpD
- Celebrate
- Ice Beam
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Ground]
Z-Splash (+3 Attack):
Lopunny is the only good user of the move (Wailord and Politoed are meh), but nonetheless it is a good user. Lopunny's great speed tier and decent coverage makes it a huge threat vs slower teams that lack a ghost-type. Even if they do have a ghost type, Lopunny can Baton pass the boosts or threaten to kill a weakened ghost with +3 Ice Punch. Lopunny's main problem will be setting up safely, as well as revenge killers, since you only get one opportunity for the Z-move.
Lopunny @ Normalium Z
Ability: Limber
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Splash
- Return
- Drain Punch/High Jump Kick
- Ice Punch/Baton Pass
Z-Work Up (+1 Attack):
Stoutland learns the move, and I think it will be fairly interesting on him as he has always wanted Swords Dance. Additionally, since Work Up is normal type, you can choose to use the Z-move on either the boost or Breakneck Blitz. Will be a fun set.
Stoutland @ Normalium Z
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Work Up
- Superpower
- Return
- Facade
Z-Hypnosis and Z-Encore (+1 Speed)
I don't think Z-hypnosis will be too relevant as it is only 60% accuracy, however it could still be fairly useful on Mr.Mime or Ninetales. Mr.Mime gets good coverage and can sweep teams lategame with or without Nasty Plot, and can also abuse the Z-move with Psychic instead.
Z-encore has wider distribution and I think will be the more common of the two, although it still requires prediction to pull off successfully. Chatot may be the best user of this strategy- after encoring a slower pokemon like Audino it could potentially grab a Nasty Plot, and then only priority can stop it.
Chatot @ Normalium Z
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Encore
- Nasty Plot
- Boomburst
- Heat Wave
also
Megazard I doubt Palossand will come to PU, because it actually fits fairly well in the NU metagame (assuming it is somewhat similar to ORAS). I thought the same as you at first, but reliable recovery and huge bulk patches up so many of its issues. Palossand hard counters Tauros, and easily switches in on Rhydon and Steelix. It also takes on Archeops and Kanghaskhan, while reliably spinblocking Hitmonchan. This is all while being much harder to switch into than Gourgeist-Super. I would love to have it PU though so let's hope for the best.