Name: Tsutarja aka "Smugleaf" (ツタージャ)
National Dex Number: 495
Type: Grass
Abilities: Overgrow - Boosts Grass-type moves by 1.5 when HP is at 1/3rd or less, Perversity - Reverses stat boosts and drops (Dream World)
Egg Groups: Ground, Plant
Base Stats (Min - Max)
HP: 45 (19 - 25)
Attack: 45 (8 - 15)
Defense: 55 (9 - 16)
Special Attack: 45 (8 - 15)
Special Defense: 55 (9 - 16)
Speed: 63 (10 - 17)
Level Up Moves:
Lv1: Tackle, Lv4: Leer, Lv7: Vine Whip, Lv10: Wrap, Lv13: Growth, Lv16: Grass Mixer, Lv19: Leech Seed, Lv22: Mega Drain, Lv25: Slam, Lv28: Leaf Blade, Lv31: Coil, Lv34: Giga Drain, Lv37: Wring Out, Lv40: Gastro Acid, Lv43: Leaf Storm
Egg Moves:
Captivate
Natural Gift
Glare
Iron Tail
Magical Leaf
Sweet Scent
Mirror Coat
Pursuit
Mean Look
Twister
TMs and HMs:
TM04 - Calm Mind, TM06 - Toxic, TM10 - Hidden Power, TM11 - Sunny Day, TM12 - Taunt, TM16 - Light Screen, TM17 - Protect, TM20 - Safeguard, TM21 - Frustration, TM22 - Solar Beam, TM27 - Return, TM32 - Double Team, TM33 - Reflect, TM40 - Aerial Ace, TM41 - Torment, TM42 - Facade, TM44 - Rest, TM45 - Attract, TM48 - Troll, TM53 - Energy Ball, TM70 - Flash, TM75 - Swords Dance, TM86 - Grass Knot, TM87 - Swagger, TM90 - Substitute, HM01 - Cut
When Tsutarja's image was first released, many people, including myself, expected a Treecko clone. However, leave it to Game Freak to through us completely off guard. Tsutarja and its evolutions have an odd combination of high Defense, Special Defense and Speed with average stats everywhere else. How does this effect Tsutarja in Little Cup? Well, it just barely reaches 17 Speed, which is good. But is has poor offenses to go with its Speed and only reaches 16 Speed max with Hidden Power Fire. Tsutarja has good Defense and Special Defense, but its low base HP hurts its defensive capabilities. In the movepool department, it was left with few offensive options, although its defensive options are decent. But, in all honesty, Lileep is probably still better defensively. And Treecko has better offensive stats and a better movepool. So, it appears Tsutarja is simply outclassed by other Grass-types and there are very few reasons to use it, right?
Not quite. Tsutarja has a niche that not only separates it from other Grass-types, but every other Pokemon in Little Cup. And that niche is its Dream World ability, Perversity. Thanks to Perversity, every time Tsutarja uses Leaf Storm, it gets +2 Special Attack. After a single Leaf Storm, that meager 14 Special Attack jumps to a fantastic 28 Special Attack. Pervesity Leaf Storm makes Tsutarja one of the best cleaners in the game. Very few things that don't resist it will survive a +2 Leaf Storm. And Tsutarja isn't frail either. It can take a few hits as a scarfer.
While Scarf Perversity is awesome, Tsutarja still has a few defensive options it can run. Tsutarja is the fastest Grass-type to learn Dual Screens, which are appreciated by everything in Little Cup. It also is tied for the fastest SubSeeder with Treecko, but Tsutarja has much better defenses. And, of course, Tsutarja has Glare, Taunt and Gastro Acid for support.
Overall, Tsutarja is one of those Pokemon who'll surprise you. With Pervesity and Leaf Storm, it's one of the best cleaners in the game. Outside of that niche, its offensive movepool is terrible. It has decent support options and can often aid in a Pokemon's sweep. Tsutarja is a good enough reason to run a Grass-resist on every team, since it can demolish teams if it gets a Leaf Storm boost. The smug lizard has earned its place in Little Cup, and it won't be giving it up anytime soon.
Sets:
Name: Choice Scarf
EVs: 240 SpA / 252 Spe
Item: Choice Scarf
Ability: Perversity
Nature: Timid
~ Leaf Storm
~ Hidden Power Fire / Hidden Power Rock
~ Taunt
~ Gastro Acid
Yeah, Tsutarja's offensive movepool sucks. But honestly, Leaf Storm is all it really needs. If it's weak to it, use Leaf Storm. If it takes neutral damage from Grass, use Leaf Storm. If it 2x resists it, use Leaf Storm. If it 4x resists it, like Tesshiido and Meraruba, use Hidden Power Fire or Hidden Power Rock, respectively. The other moves are mostly filler. Taunt is a fast way to keep hazards down, protect your team from status and prevent the foe from setting up. Gastro Acid nullifies Shadow Tag, allowing Tsutarja to escape if you get lucky. With Hidden Power Fire and Rock, it only reaches 16 Speed, which is disappointing.
Name: Smugstitute
EVs: 240 SpA / 252 Spe
Item: Life Orb / Berry Juice
Ability: Perversity
Nature: Timid
~ Leaf Storm
~ Substitute
~ Giga Drain
~ Hidden Power Rock / Hidden Power Fire
With this set, Tsutarja attempts to sweep the opponent. Leaf Storm is obviously going to be your main attacking move with Perversity. Substitute acts as a way to block status and as a safety net. That one extra turn Substitute can provide can often make or break a game in Little Cup. Giga Drain can be used to recover damage lost from Substitute and Life Orb. Hidden Power Rock hits Flying-types, Bug-types and Fire-types super effectively while Hidden Power Fire hits Steel-types, Bug-types and Grass-types super effectively.
Name: Dual Screen
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Spe
Item: Light Clay / Berry Juice
Ability: Perversity
Nature: Timid
~ Leaf Storm
~ Reflect
~ Light Screen
~ Glare/ Gastro Acid
A neat defensive set that can still do damage. Leaf Storm is still powerful even without investment, and you are looking at 22 Special Attack after a boost. Light Screen and Reflect raise the teams defensive, potentially allowing another Pokemon to sweep. Glare provides paralysis support and Gastro Acid allows it to escape Shadow Tag. Not much else to really say.
Name: SmugSeed
EVs: 236 HP / 252 Spe
Item: Leftovers / Berry Juice
Ability: Perversity
Nature: Timid
~ Leaf Storm
~ Leech Seed
~ Substitute
~ Gastro Acid / Mean Look
See a pattern? Yeah, Perversity Leaf Storm is so good, every set needs it or else Tsutarja will be outclassed. SubSeed isn't the best strategy in Little Cup, but with Toxic Spike support, it can work. Gastro Acid allows Tsutarja to get away from Shadow Tag or remove Moguryuu's Sand Throw, which is just plain awesome. Mean Look can be used to trap Pokemon so they can't escape Tsutarja's SubSeeding wrath.
