SM NU Verrückt (TOP 10 PEAK - THE TEAM THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE)

Rabia

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GP & NU Leader
Introduction

It's been a minute, but I've been thinking for a hot minute about when to share a team of mine again.

Now is that time.

Generally, those Twitter single Pokemon data showcases never really catch my eye, but when they did one for Delphox, I noticed its most common teammate was... Clawitzer? Pretty average Pokemon overall and I just attributed it to the low ladder doing their thing, but I decided hey, let's try to get this core to work.

:delphox::clawitzer:
Obviously started out with this core. I originally went with Calm Mind Z-Move Delphox with SubToxic Clawitzer given the latter's ability to draw in a fair amount of Delphox answers like Slowking and Vaporeon and cripple them. Later, however, I changed it to Z-Future Sight Delphox because frankly, the current metagame doesn't lend itself to Calm Mind sets very well; they're just too prone to being trapped or walled post-Z-Move.

:delphox::clawitzer::steelix:
I went with Steelix as my Stealth Rock setter because it's just so good at its job, I knew I'd need a secondary check to Fairy-types as well as a Flying-type check, and Steelix's bulk gives it a metric ton of opportunities to set Stealth Rock. I also went with a different set than standard here with Figy Berry because quziel made it look heat.

:delphox::clawitzer::steelix::passimian:
Passimian is the god Pokemon of the tier and gives me an Incineroar check as well as a way to get Delphox and Clawitzer in against things like Weezing and Slowking.

:delphox::clawitzer::steelix::passimian::rotom:
Team looked semi-weak to Heliolisk, and Flying-types are always spooky, so I went with Rotom. This also gives me another check to Fighting-types and a Defogger immune to Toxic Spikes, which is nigh essential in the metagame unless your name is Dhelmise.

:delphox::clawitzer::steelix::passimian::rotom::guzzlord:
Guzzlord was the last pick because I didn't like Clawitzer being my only switch-in to Water-types. Plus, it gives me another Incineroar check as well as a Rotom check, which is very epic awesome.

Alright, time to check out the team I guess.

The Team

:delphox: @ Psychium Z
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Future Sight
- Dazzling Gleam
- Protect

User Eternally used this set in Snake Draft a couple games, and honestly it's pretty great. With Aerodactyl being everywhere and Passimian being a decent revenge killer to Delphox, Protect is great for scouting those two Pokemon and figuring out what move they want to lock into. It also works incredibly well in tandem with Future Sight, letting me delay turns while waiting for that BOP of damage. Shattered Psyche is really fun, especially when it's used on the turn Future Sight hits, as well, that's a lot of damage. It's a generally good way to get past checks like Druddigon and Seismitoad. The last two moves are incredibly self explanatory; Flamethrower lets Delphox threaten Grass-types, while Dazzling Gleam gives it coverage for Dark-types like Incineroar and Guzzlord.

:clawitzer: @ Leftovers
Ability: Mega Launcher
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SpA / 20 SpD / 144 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Water Pulse
- Dark Pulse
- Substitute
- Toxic

The Delphox enabler. Legend has it he's slain several "better" Water-types by himself. The general principle of the set is to force things out like Rhydon and Steelix to get a Substitute up. From there, your common switch-ins will be fodder to one of Dark Pulse and Toxic, with bulky Water-types particularly hating Toxic. The EVs are designed to make this easier, with the bulk letting Clawitzer's Substitute take Assault Vest Slowking's Scald and the Speed investment giving it the jump on Alolan Exeggutor. I think the way this pairing works should be pretty obvious: you draw in things like Slowking and Vaporeon and Toxic them, which makes it much easier for Delphox to impact the game once they're removed.

:steelix: @ Figy Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 108 Atk / 148 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Gyro Ball
- Curse

I don't know how much I can really write for some of these Pokemon, but I'll try my best. Steelix provides an insane amount of crucial properties: a Fairy-type check, a Flying-type check, a Rock-type check, and Electric-type check, Stealth Rock, blah blah blah. It's the best Stealth Rock setter for a reason(s). Figy Berry is kinda cool for the burst healing, which can be really useful in matchups where I'm having to switch into stuff like Heliolisk. The EVs let Steelix OHKO Xatu after two Curse boosts, which is rather nice.

:passimian: @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Earthquake

The Buddha reincarnated. The second coming of Jesus. God himself. Passimian is so great because it does so much in one slot. You get an Incineroar check, a pivot, a Knock Off spammer, a revenge killer to a million threats. It's so nice. There aren't a whole lot of great Choice Scarf users in the tier, and with me going Steelix as my Stealth Rock setter, it was either Passimian or Rotom. Passimian just offered too much to pass up here and gives me outs against many threats I lack super consistent defensive answers to. I went Earthquake > Gunk Shot here because I felt the extra insurance against random Delphox would be nice.

:rotom: @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- Defog

While I'm not super high on Heliolisk like others are, I still wanted a good answer to it. I also felt kind of weak to Fighting-types, and I needed a Defogger, so Colbur Berry Rotom definitely was the play. While I think pinch Berries are a better choice for an item on bulky Rotom sets, I couldn't really afford being weaker to Fighting-types. Rotom is a particularly solid Defogger right now because of how dominant Toxic Spikes are; between Weezing and Garbodor, you're very likely to encounter Toxic Spikes. Additionally, because Clawitzer and Delphox both sort of rely on not being poisoned to function well, I really wanted a good form of hazard control specifically for Toxic Spikes.

:guzzlord: @ Choice Specs
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 64 Def / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Sludge Bomb

Guzzlord has always been a Pokemon I've avoided when building, and I don't really know why. It offers a good bit of defensive utility by virtue of its typing, and given Slowking's dominance it's very nice to have a reliable check to it. Guzzlord also gives me a great source of damage, which the team sort of lacked? There really isn't a whole lot to say about this Pokemon; you just spam Draco Meteor unless your opponent has a Fairy-type, which you just Sludge Bomb bop. The Speed gives me the jump on Vaporeon, and the Defense EVs occasionally let Guzzlord tank a Close Combat from Passimian lol.

Conclusion

This generation has definitely been one of my favorites so far. I haven't ever bothered to integrate myself all too well into a community before, and NU (Smogon as a whole tbh) is filled with some nice people. I think I've made a lot of strides overall during USUM, and I hope to keep popping off come SwSh. I'd shout people out, but honestly there are too many people I'd want to tag, and I would definitely miss someone and then get a million PMs about "unga unga why no tag". You know if I like you lol. Anyhow, as we close out this generation, I wish y'all the best of times as we head into the next. Hopefully we can all continue succeeding in our endeavors :)

Delphox @ Psychium Z
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flamethrower
- Future Sight
- Dazzling Gleam
- Protect

Clawitzer @ Leftovers
Ability: Mega Launcher
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SpA / 20 SpD / 144 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Water Pulse
- Dark Pulse
- Substitute
- Toxic

Steelix @ Figy Berry
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 108 Atk / 148 SpD
Brave Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Gyro Ball
- Curse

Passimian @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- U-turn
- Knock Off
- Earthquake

Rotom @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hex
- Defog

Guzzlord @ Choice Specs
Ability: Beast Boost
EVs: 64 Def / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Draco Meteor
- Dark Pulse
- Fire Blast
- Sludge Bomb
 

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