Approved by blarajan
Now that Tangela is banned from LC, the dynamics of sun have changed a lot. While Tangela was definitely an amazing (this adjective is an understatement really) sun sweeper, many users feel sun is still very strong even without Tangela. In this thread, we will talk about how sun fares without Tangela, its core components, as well as good Pokemon to counter common Pokemon found on sun teams.
Here are the general core components of sun:
Of course, you are not forced to answer any of the questions; they are simply there to promote thinking and guided discussion. It is also worth talking about Pokemon that beat common sun boosted Pokemon, as well as Pokemon that do well against sun teams in general.
Now that Tangela is banned from LC, the dynamics of sun have changed a lot. While Tangela was definitely an amazing (this adjective is an understatement really) sun sweeper, many users feel sun is still very strong even without Tangela. In this thread, we will talk about how sun fares without Tangela, its core components, as well as good Pokemon to counter common Pokemon found on sun teams.
Here are the general core components of sun:
Core Component #1: Vulpix
You obviously want Vulpix on a sun team, as it is much easier to set up sun with Drought than with Sunny Day. A common misconception is that Vulpix is simply a mediocre Pokemon which makes using sun difficult. While Vulpix has some flaws, it is actually a decent Pokemon on its own. Vulpix's Fire Blasts hit hard and it has enough special bulk to check some key threats such as Swirlix.
- What moveset and item is the best for Vulpix?
- How much of a challenge is keeping Vulpix's alive for setting up sun while still retaining additional utility?
Core Component #2: Chlorophyll Sweepers
Even though Vulpix is a decent Pokemon, a Chlorophyll sweeper or two should be used on a sun team, as they become devastating sweepers. Solar Beam combined with enough Speed to outspeed most standard Choice Scarf Pokemon can be very hard to beat without specific Pokemon.
- What Chlorophyll sweepers are good, and what do they have over other sweepers?
- How viable of a strategy is stacking more than 1, or even more than 2 Chlorophyll sweepers?
- How dependent are these Pokemon on sun being up?
Core Component #3: Utility Pokemon
While a core of Vulpix + Chlorophyll sweeper is very strong, you will want some backup to support them. Sun teams will definitely want a good Fire-, Ground-, and Rock-type resistance, Pokemon to beat common sun Pokemon counters such as Munchlax, extra Sun setters, and other utilities like that.
- What support do sun teams need most?
- What Pokemon best provide this support?
Optional Component: Additional Fire-types
Additional Fire-types may not be necessary because of Vulpix, but they are a viable option to use if you want some extra power. A lot of these Pokemon are also good at setting up sun in case Vulpix dies.
- How viable is running multiple Fire-types on a sun team?
- What holes does this cause, and how you patch them?
Of course, you are not forced to answer any of the questions; they are simply there to promote thinking and guided discussion. It is also worth talking about Pokemon that beat common sun boosted Pokemon, as well as Pokemon that do well against sun teams in general.