I started with wanting to build with AV Muk, but that's not really something you build around (it's surprisingly splashable and potent), so I settled on a banded set because I hadn't seen it a while and wanted to see how it performs. Gunk Shot hits for stupid amounts of damage when it's not quad-resisted (see aptly-named replay below), and your choice of the elemental punches provides excellent coverage for switch-ins. There are a few notable things it doesn't break or which prevent him from freely clicking Gunk Shot (Mareanie, Bronzor, Golem, Gourgeist*, etc), so I built the team around freely switching into and taking advantage of these.
Muk
Band Muk actually has a relatively easy time getting in and clicking moves in a lot of matchups. Notably, it switches into Special Abomasnows even w/o full SpD investment (Specs chunks hard but then you find out it's specs), forces out Special Busken, switches into Swanna Hurricane, freely into Bronzor, Licki, etc. Point is, once Gunk Shot resists are eliminated, Muk can really punch holes. The nice thing about Muk is that its movepool allows it to weaken those resistances with accurate prediction (Ice Punch for Golem, Thunderpunch for Mareanie, notably. Speed EVs are to creep Gourgeist and 2HKO with Ice Punch (or gunk shot, if you're lucky).
Muk's roles:
- Abomasnow switch-in*
- Swanna switch-in*
- Prevent Special Combusken 6-0
- Blanket Special Check*
- Toxic Switch-In
- Threatens Swanna
- 6-0s stall
- Deals with Bronzor*
- Breaks Lickilicky
- Breaks Mareanie
Noctowl
I built this team around Muk, but Noctowl has honestly stolen most of the spotlight. It capitalizes on the defensive mons that come in on Muk, sets up Agility, and blows something back with an unresisted Z-Cane. God forbid your opponent lets it get both dances up. I didn't originally start with this offensive core, but Noctowl actually fits the bill perfectly for complementing Muk because it freely comes in on Gourgeist, non-SpDef Mareanie, and even opposing Muk. You'll see in my replays just how easy this thing is to get in with this team, and how much damage it does after getting just Agility set up. Muk appreciates the chaos and holes that Noctowl creates (it busts through Bronzor, Golem, Mawile, etc with ease). I don't have time to post calcs to prove it, but the replays speak for themselves. Hyper Voice is there to help with cleaning up the mons that Muk weakens (it does 60% to offensive Golem without a boost) and give a reliable STAB (coverage means nothing to Tinted Lens). I don't find myself missing Roost very much at all.
Noctowl's roles:
- 6-0s stall
- Setup sweeper
- Z-move user
- Breaks Lickilicky
- Cleaner
Granbull
Muk invites in Golem, Pinsir, Rapidash, and all manner of other threatening physical mons. Insert my all-time favorite ZU PhysDef mon: Aguav Granbull. One of the things I love about Granbull is that it can Heal Bell physical attackers which switch into Scald like CB Muk, so getting burned on a switchin isn't the worst thing in the world (Muk KOs Swanna with T-punch through burn, but you get the idea).
Granbull's Roles:
- Stop Z-Me First Pinsir
- Prevent 6-0 from Muk
- Golem Switch-In
- Electivire Switch-In
- Rapidash Switch-In
- Komala Switch-In* (Band still hurts but you force it out and potentially live 2 if low roll or you proc berry)
- Prevents Combusken 6-0 (SD)
- Kecleon Switch-In
- Toxic User
- Threatens Golem, Shiftry, Electivire, Rapidash, Kecleon, Komala
- Shiftry switch-in*
- Toxic switch-in
Kecleon
Kecleon is an excellent disruptor on this team and gives it a way to reliably Knock Off pesky Eviolite abusers and finish off weakened threats (Swanna, Electivire, Pinsir, etc). It is, of course, also a blanket Special check for the team and prevents 6-0s from offensive Silvallies. There's not too much more to say here except that Kecleon is good and functions very well on this team. Heal Bell support from Granbull and Hwish support from Mime allow it to do what it does even better.
Kecleon's roles:
- Knock Off User
- Prevents 6-0 from Scarf Mime
- Abomasnow Switchin*
- Blanket Special Check
- Threatens Komala, Silvally-Fighting
Sandslash
I've been surprised by how well this set has functioned for me. I needed an electric resist, rocks, scarfer, and defog/spin in the last 2 slots, so suddenly Sandslash sounded pretty great. I honestly think it's almost on par with Golem as a standalone rocker (due to its mostly favorable MU vs the aforementioned rock monster and other rocks-setters), and the extra EVs in attack have really paid off weakening switch-ins and generally bulky mons that need to be worn down. The odd choice with this set was X-Scissor, which really just serves to nab a surprise KO on incoming Shiftry or on Shiftries that set up SD on it expecting a switch-out (it lives one unboosted Seed Bomb anyways and Granbull counters Shiftry if it blows Leaf Storm on Slash). I imagine now that I've posted this that it won't work quite as well any more, though. Try Sandslash out on your teams (Knock or Toxic in place of X-Scissor, or both and forego Spin); you won't be disappointed. It 2HKOs offensive Golem and outspeeds with this spread.
Sandslash's roles:
- Rocks
- Spin
- Electric Immunity
- Prevents 6-0 from Muk
- Golem Switch-In
- Switches into Electivire (even Ice Punch, to an extent)
- Switches into Rapidash
- Kecleon Switch-in
- Threatens Shiftry* (Surprise)
Mr. Mime
People who know me will be surprised by this pick; I am notoriously awful at using Mr Mime and think it is overrated. However, it fit well on this team because it gave me a way to revenge-kill, threaten fat physical walls and unboosted 95s/swanna, and, most importantly, provides Healing Wish support. Focus Blast is used here over Trick or another coverage option so that I can bop banded Komala who otherwise gives the team a bit of trouble if played well. Healing Wish is really useful on this team because everything gets worn down over time (especially the team's namesake, Muk), and having yet another way to heal burns is important.
Mr. Mime's roles:
- Prevents 6-0 from scarf mime (lol)
- Scarfer
- Deals with Gourgeist
- Threatens base 95s (unboosted)
- Prevents Combusken 6-0 (both sets)
- Threatens Golem, Swanna, Rapidash
- Breaks Mareanie
- Healing Wish!
Overall, the team is a little unorthodox because it doesn't have a Silvally, but it has been very consistent for me so far (see: multitude of replays). I hope you enjoy it as much as I have this past week! Team is threatened by normal-spam after Granbull goes down and Shiftry if surprises don't work and it carries Leaf Storm and is played well.
Oh and it stomps ladder. Hard. Really hard.
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