Project SS UU Victim Of The Week v2- Week 53: Darmanitan (Submissions)

[Chicknemacnchez]

Rotom-H: Check

Rotom-Heat @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 92 SpD / 168 Spe
Calm Nature
- Volt Switch
- Overheat
- Defog
- Pain Split

Rotom-H is an important part in most balance, including checking zera. It resists all its moves except knock, which to be fair, it doesnt like, but it will never be 2hkod my knock, even after rocks. I just included the sample set because you just need max hp to wall it. Pain Split is a semi-reliable recovery that can keep it healthy to be able to switch into rocks more than once.


252+ Atk Zeraora Knock Off vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Rotom-Heat: 67-79 (22.1 - 26%) -- 7.3% chance to 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Zeraora Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 248 HP / 0 Def Rotom-Heat: 99-117 (32.6 - 38.6%) -- 98.9% chance to 3HKO
0 SpA Rotom-Heat Overheat vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Zeraora: 175-207 (55.2 - 65.2%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

[Rae]

Reserving Terrakion



Terrakion @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Close Combat
- Earthquake

Terrakion, being both a powerful force and oddly bulky, can eat a CC or Play Rough and KO back with an Earthquake with minimal chip

 

[Monky25]

Mamoswine @ Life Orb
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
- Ice Shard
- Knock Off

Mamoswine is a check to zeraora. It doesn't like switching into knock off +play rough, but given a free switch it can take a hit and retaliate back with a powerful earthquake.
252+ Atk Zeraora Knock Off (97.5 BP) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mamoswine: 126-149 (34.9 - 41.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252+ Atk Zeraora Play Rough vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Mamoswine: 117-138 (32.4 - 38.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Stealth Rock
252 Atk Mamoswine Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Zeraora: 416-492 (131.2 - 155.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

And now its time to vote! We got a large amount of submissions this week, all solid Pokémon in the metagame that can handle Zeraora. The checks and counters for this week are down below
Checks:

by HydreigonTheChild

by BigFatMantis

by Monky25

by Celebiii

by Chicknemacnchez

by Codename Magnum
Counters:

by avarice

by Fusion Flare

by TotomonGang

by Flare219

by Askov (moved this to counters since it fit the definition better)

Vote for 2 checks and 2 counter this week! Remember you CANNOT vote for yourself. Voting ends Thursday, February 25 at 11:59 PM GMT-8. I repeat, vote for 2 CHECKS and 2 COUNTERS.
My votes are:
Checks: Krookodile and Tapu Bulu
Counters: Nidoqueen and Rhyperior

 

[Band]

checks: bulu and krook
counters: amoong and gastro

 

[Flare219]

Checks: Chansey and Rotom
Counters: Rhyperior and Tangrowth

 

[Celebiii]

Checks: Tapu Bulu and Krookodile
Counters: Amoongus and Nidoqueen

 

[BigFatMantis]

Check: Krook (would also have voted for Rhyp)
Counter: Gastro and Amoonguss

 

[Chicknemacnchez]

Checks: Bulu Mamo
Counter: Rhyp and gastro

 

[BChezza]

Checks: Bulu and krook
Counter: Amoonguss and Gastro

 

[Rae]

Checks: Bulu and Krookodile
Counters: Rhyperior and Gastrodon

 

[Monky25]

Voting is up! For the checks, since there was a tie between Bulu and Krook, I had someone split the tie as all the other options got very little votes so I feel none of them should get the runner up 1 point. The message is down below

With that, congratulations BigFatMantis for taking first place among the checks and HydreigonTheChild for being runner up! For the counters, since they were much closer, we have Flare219 for first place and a tie between avarice and Askov tied for runner-up. Congrats all of you! All of your submissions will be added to the hall of fame shortly. Now, lets reveal our next victim!

Gyarados @ Lum Berry
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Dragon Dance
- Waterfall
- Bounce
- Power Whip

Gyarados, the terror of the Pokemon world, is our next victim! Despite being the joke of not having a dragon type, it does not even need it as this Pokemon has insane snowball potential with Moxie, making it a near stable for HO teams. With its new coverage move in Power Whip, those bulky waters who stood in its way are utterly decimated now. While it does have a nasty weakness to electric attacks, Gyarados has always pulled though for me, crushing tons of teams on the ladder and is a top Pokemon in my eyes (Gyara to A- I will not stop). How will you defeat this water beast? Submissions are due Tuesday, March 2nd, at 11:59 PM gmt-8!

 

[Askov]

Kyurem as a counter:

Kyurem @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 56 HP / 200 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Freeze-Dry
- Earth Power
- Substitute
- Roost

Kyurem doesn't rly care about Waterfall/PWhip and can use Substitute to protect itself from Bounce while KOing Gyarados back with Freeze-Dry

 

[avarice]

chasing thunder (Zeraora) @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Plasma Fists
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
- Volt Switch

Zeraora is easily the best Gyarados check in the tier as it does not need choice scarf nor chip + priority to revenge kill Gyarados. With its naturally high speed tier it can outspeed Gyarados even if it has already set up Dragon Dance and OHKO.

 

[Flare219]

Well, this is a fortunate week for me, I already have a counter ready to go.


Umbreon @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP / 52 Def / 200 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Foul Play
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell

So here's the game plan. Switch Umbreon in while the Gyarados Dances. Wish up in its face when it attacks. If it attacks again, Foul Play does a significant chunk of damage, and you recover the damage dealt using Wish. Another Foul Play, and that's a fainted Gyarados. If the Gyarados has the audacity to keep on dancing, Foul Play is a guaranteed OHKO. Bounce is shrugged off with Wish+Protect.

Compared to other walls, Umbreon is much less passive with Foul Play in its arsenal, and with excellent team support moves in Wish and Heal Bell (and possibly being the most viable Wish-passer thanks to its good mixed bulk and ability to shrug off the common Knock Off in contrast to Chansey or Jirachi), it can greatly increase the longevity of its team. Thus, I am nominating it as a counter to DD Gyarados.

Calcs:
(note that this is after Stealth Rock damage on the switch and one turn of Leftovers recovery)
+1 252 Atk Gyarados Waterfall vs. 252 HP / 52 Def Umbreon: 168-198 (42.6 - 50.2%) -- 0.4% chance to 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
+1 252 Atk Umbreon Foul Play vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Gyarados: 276-325 (83.3 - 98.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

 

[BChezza]

Salamence as a counter:



Salamence @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Impish Nature
- Dual Wingbeat / Hurricane
- Flamethrower
- Defog
- Roost

Defensive Mence completely walls non-ice fang Gyara, and hits it back for considerable damage. The reason I slashed DWB and Hurricane is to show that either or can be used to shut down Gyara, and I know both are used.

- 0 Atk Salamence Dual Wingbeat (2 hits) vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Gyarados: 134-162 (40.4 - 48.9%) -- approx. 3HKO
- 0 SpA Salamence Hurricane vs. 0 HP / 4 SpD Gyarados: 127-151 (38.3 - 45.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

Both of these do enough to 2HKO after rocks, but even without rocks Mence can counter sufficiently.

The only move this Gyara set has to do any meaningful damage is Bounce. In the case of hurricane, Mence will always hit hurricane when Gyara is in the process of bouncing, and DWB is always free after bounce has ended. Bounce also allows roost mindgames.

- 252 Atk Gyarados Bounce vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Salamence: 112-133 (28.4 - 33.8%) -- 0.9% chance to 3HKO
- +1 252 Atk Gyarados Bounce vs. 248 HP / 252+ Def Salamence: 169-199 (43 - 50.6%) -- 2% chance to 2HKO

Gyara loses its boost on Mence coming in due to intimidate, and even if it manages to get another DD off, will pretty much never 2HKO. Before it can get a DD off to do any noticeable damage, Mence has already begun damaging it. In total, the Gyara player has very few options against Mence, requiring the highly abusable Bounce to get worthwhile damage off.

 

[HydreigonTheChild]

Nominating Sash Counter zam as a check

Alakazam @ Focus Sash
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 0 Def
- Psyshock
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball
- Counter

Sash allows it to survive any hit, and retaliate with counter, min def is for the guarantee for any attack to bring it down to sash range then OHKO gyara.

 

[BigFatMantis]

Nomming Magnezone as a CHECK


Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Volt Switch
- Flash Cannon
- Toxic

Gyarados cannot 2HKO this with Waterfall, and needs a +3 Attack to OHKO it. So you can switch Magnezone in freely as it DD's, then KO it with Volt Switch, and if Gyarados switches out then you get a free pivot. Just don't get flinched by Waterfall.

 

[Band]

Amoonguss @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 220 Def / 36 SpD
Bold Nature
- Spore
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb
- Protect

Protect may seem a weird choice, but it's actually a great tool to scout for Choice-item users like Krookodile, Kyurem, Victini, Jirachi, and Chandelure, with the last three capable of shutting down Amoonguss with Trick, which Protect blocks. This lets Amoonguss switch to the appropriate check if needed too. Here it lets Amoonguss stall Bounce PP from Gyarados and always win the 1v1. You'll always want to Spore before attacking to not accidentally poison Gyarados with Sludge Bomb.

Assuming you switch in as they DD, you have 5 turns to kill Gyarados before it can 2HKO you with +6 Waterfall. If they Bounce, you protect. Between those 5 turns, you can put it to sleep after it uses the Lum Berry and attack it with Sludge Bomb, which is a guaranteed 4HKO. Rocky Helmet also hurts them as they're forced to use Waterfall to attack. Because of this, I'm nominating Amoonguss as a counter.​

 

[Monky25]

Skarmory @ Rocky Helmet
Impish Nature
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
- Brave Bird
- Spikes
- Whirlwind
- Roost

Skarmory is a counter to Gyarados. Skarm is able to come in on gyarados at +1 and live a waterfall, plus chip it with rocky helmet. It can then phaze out gyarados with whirlwind to have it lose it's boosts and possibly take extra rocks damage if up. It cannot switch in if rocks are up and it is at +2, but still falls into the counter category more than a check, as it can eat a +2 hit without switching in and phaze it out regardless.

With that out of the way, it’s Voting Time! Here are the checks and counters submitted for this week
Checks

by avarice

by BigFatMantis

by HydreigonTheChild
Counters

by Askov

by BChezza

by Monky25

by Bandkrook

by Flare219

When voting, you are required to vote for 2 CHECKS and 2 COUNTERS THIS WEEK. You CANNOT vote for yourself. I REPEAT, when voting you have to VOTE FOR 2 CHECKS AND 2 COUNTERS THIS WEEK. Voting ends Thursday, March 4, at 11:59 pm GMT-8. My votes are...
Checks: Zeraora and Magnezone
Counters: Salamence and Amoongus

 

[KJLX]

check : zeraora and magnezone
counter : amoongus and umbreon

 

[Band]

check: zeraora and magnezone
counter: kyurem and skarmory

 

[BigFatMantis]

Check: Zeraora
Counter: Umbreon, Kyurem

 

[BChezza]

Checks: Zeraora, Magnezone
Counters: Kyurem, Skarmory

 

[Flare219]

Voting for zera and zam for checks
Voting for kyurem and skarm for counters

 

[Chicknemacnchez]

Checks: Zone and Zam
Counters: Mence and Umbreon