I'm both psyched and a little concerned that this is only the second NU RMT in this sub-forum
(Astra has the only other one I could find, and I'm just too late for this to be the one year anniversary team
).
I like the idea of breaking "new" ground, but I fear there may not be many members familiar with this tier.
In any case, time to introduce the team:
"Don't forget to pack your angry eyes"
A fierce Glare and Mean Look centered Paraflinch team
So up until now I have mainly played OU, but I find most of my occasionally gimmicky strategies to do better when converted to lower tiers. I recently built this NU team, trying to pull Paraflinch down from OU. I get the impression it is widely overlooked in this tier despite how formidable it can be. In several tests, this team has come inches from winning, only to barely fail due to lack of hax (despite the normal chance of the haxy effects occurring).
Well since this is a Paraflinch team, the place to start is a Serene Grace flincher. Normally Dunsparce is not the place to start since it's use is often iffy at best, but I planned to support this bugger in an almost gimmicky fassion.
I know how common toxic spikes are in lower tiers, so I needed a good poison type to absorb them. I went through several possibilities, turning down Muk due to it's reliance on Toxic or set up boosting that makes it easily phased. Garbodor didn't seem to work either due to it's primary role as a toxic spiker, which would hamper my paralysis focus, thus I decided Arbok would be the best choice due to it's respectable bulk, access to Glare to help the rest of the team, its Intimidate to weaken the several physical sweepers in the tier, and how formidable it can be with a Coil or two under it's belt.
Next, I needed something that could force switches, possibly keeping the opponent off ballance so I could continue with my strategy and spread Paralysis. A semi-custom Volbeat set seems to do the trick and in the process, can ease prediction for me with moves like Encore.
Now there are some threats that the previous 3 just straight up couldn't deal with, but as with most pokemon in NU, not many of them have superb coverage. I added Sub-Disable Haunter to wipe these threats out.
Up to this point, the team looked pretty good, but stall would be a problem (or anything with a fast Substitute). After a little searching, I remembered a trapper set for Prankster Mukrow I had used in OU with some success. A quick double check showed it's allowed in NU, so the team was now nearly complete.
Up to this point, it's easily noted that this team doesn't have any hazards yet, but I'm attempting to force switches (with everything but Murkrow). I needed something with some special bulk, access to some form of hazard(s), and that would lure pokeon the rest of the team could easily deal with (since this was the last pokemon I could add to the team without overhauling other members). Remembering how annoying Swampert and Quagsire could be in higher tiers (and how they're only weak to Grass), I began looking around NU for something similar. I had always wanted to try out Seismetoad (for inexplicable reasons), and it seems to fit what I needed, so here it is.
Meet the Cast:
Apophis (F) @
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Coil
- Glare
- Gunk Shot
- Earthquake
While not always my lead, Arbok is mainly used to spoil a sweep and spread paralysis. I use it similar to how some use Landorus-T in OU, to absorb physical attacks on choiced pokemon and ecourage a switch. I considered Shaed Skin to remove status while boosting, but upon closer examination, Arbok rarely gets multiple turns to set up Coil, and thus benefits more from Intimidate's pseudo defense buff. Since it's now more likely that Arbok could survuive a -1 EQ and fighting types get especially nerfed, Glare works well to cripple switch-ins. Gunk Shot and EQ give it useful coverage, rounding out this rather straightforward set.
DunTouchMe (M) @
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Flash
- Confuse Ray
- Encore
The EVs here are fairly standard and can keep this bug alive long enough for a few switches to be forced. Thunder wave is for spreading paralysis and, thanks to prankster, can be used twice in a row on all-out attackes since the red card will force a switch after the first use. Confuse Ray and Flash strongly encourage further switches while Encore eases prediction for the rest of the team and shuts down sub-seeders and other stall techniques. While Volbeat is complete taunt bait, it rarely fails in it's duties before being shut down and has no real attacking prowess anyway.
The Horror (M) @
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 144 HP / 252 Atk / 112 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Glare
- Rock Slide
- Zen Headbutt
- Roost
Cower in fear at the mere sight of the All-Mighty Dusparce! Most people seem to underestimate this derpolicious larva that has yet to evolve in 3 generations of games, but it us the sole species capable of Paraflinch in NU, not that it does it poorly. Glare allows it to paralyze it's own victims, if need be, and can paralyze almost any pokemon - a bonus in a tier know for viability for ground types with otherwise undesirable dual types (like Rock/Ground). With 90% accuracy, it's just as accurate as Toxic, but this does mean it will occasionally miss. Roost heals off damage and comes in handy with several pokeon that like to burn this bugger. Rock Slide and Zen Headbut give me virtually unresisted flinching ability and prevents the likes of Sub-Disable Haunter from ending my flinch sweep. My EVs also ensure I can still KO Haunter before it can kill me with HP Fighting. I opted for higher speed as well, allowing me to outspeed (and flinch) scarf Electrode as well as most Chlorophyll users under Sunny Day, provided said foes are paralyzed (not hard in most cases thanks to Volbeat's ability and typing as well as my sets on other pokemon, like Seismitoad who can make Electrode lock itself into a non-STAB or nerf a pre-selected STAB). This is also my response to the infamous Swellow, in conjunction with my Volbeat's Encore, since I do not carry a rock type.
7 Days (F) @
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 248 Def / 8 SDef / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Mean Look
- Perish Song
- Taunt
- Roost
Volbeat can only paralyze so much in one game and there's always that one pokemon that you just cant get seem to nail down. That's where Murkrow comes in. Mean Look and Perish Song are fairly standard for trapping and KO-ing foes with a last minute switch and roost is the prefered means of recovery, but that's as far as I go with standard moves. I opted out of Protect (which I know has its uses), seeing as nothing Murkrow would come in on learns Volt Switch and even if one did, I would switch to Seismitoad and keep them trapped that way (giving a practically free turn immediately after as the straight switch or simply die from the timer). Additionally, Murkrow takes neutral damage from U-turn and most users don't get a STAB or even have strong enough physical power to counteract Eviolite. Instead I use Taunt to shut down stall, allowing me to trap either the helpless wall or the switch in with Mean Look. I also sacrificed one defensive point for more speed over other Murkrow, thus allowing my faster priority Taunt to shut them down too.
Come@MeBro (M) @
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Disable
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Shadow Ball
While Murkrow is designed for stallzy sets, Haunter works much like it's higher evolution in OU to shut down a wide range of offensive and boosting threats. Not many pokemon carry more than one move that can hit Haunter hard enough to break it's substitutes and Disable stops that from happening twice in a row. HP Fighting and Shadowball capitalize on Haunter's respectable SAtk and it's decent speed helps keep me alive and status free. These attacks also have perfect neutral coverage, allowing me to hit anything I need to, considering I already have several means of countering this set should it appear on my foe's team.
YUNoLeikMe (M) @
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Surf
- Ice Punch
- Knock Off
Swampert's less useful 5th gen cousin also finds a spot on this team as a bulky support member. Knock Off hampers the opponent's utility by removing key items on various sets while Stealth rock gives me a form of Hazard to hit any and all switches (that don't have Magic Guard, uncommon as it is), breaking Sturdy and the occasional Focus Sash. Surf was chosen over Scald so as not to conflict with the paralysis trend and Ice Punch was chosen due to identical Atk and SAtk stats as well as the fact that Grass/Flying types like to switch in on this pokemon. According to my calcualetions, Ice Puch does just as much damage to several Special Walls that would try to wall me as Earth Power would, plus it can't be nerfed simply by switching to a flying type intending on having an immunity to the normal second STAB this pokemon can carry. Swift Swim might seem to be a better choice of ability at first, but Water Absorb can encourage more switches, which is the underlying theme here. It also leaves most NU water types high and... er, dry sice they rarely carry HP grass or sufficiently powerful physical attacks other than water STABs (usually used under rain for such power).
.
Threats:
I have not tested this team enough or even played NU long enough to know what serious threats to this team may be. Everything I have listed thus far has been from a few test battles and a NU threatlist I found. I would appreciate any pointers from those who have battled in this tier at all since it's not likely anyone would have much less experience it the tier than me.
(Astra has the only other one I could find, and I'm just too late for this to be the one year anniversary team
).I like the idea of breaking "new" ground, but I fear there may not be many members familiar with this tier.
In any case, time to introduce the team:
"Don't forget to pack your angry eyes"
A fierce Glare and Mean Look centered Paraflinch team
So up until now I have mainly played OU, but I find most of my occasionally gimmicky strategies to do better when converted to lower tiers. I recently built this NU team, trying to pull Paraflinch down from OU. I get the impression it is widely overlooked in this tier despite how formidable it can be. In several tests, this team has come inches from winning, only to barely fail due to lack of hax (despite the normal chance of the haxy effects occurring).
Well since this is a Paraflinch team, the place to start is a Serene Grace flincher. Normally Dunsparce is not the place to start since it's use is often iffy at best, but I planned to support this bugger in an almost gimmicky fassion.
I know how common toxic spikes are in lower tiers, so I needed a good poison type to absorb them. I went through several possibilities, turning down Muk due to it's reliance on Toxic or set up boosting that makes it easily phased. Garbodor didn't seem to work either due to it's primary role as a toxic spiker, which would hamper my paralysis focus, thus I decided Arbok would be the best choice due to it's respectable bulk, access to Glare to help the rest of the team, its Intimidate to weaken the several physical sweepers in the tier, and how formidable it can be with a Coil or two under it's belt.
Next, I needed something that could force switches, possibly keeping the opponent off ballance so I could continue with my strategy and spread Paralysis. A semi-custom Volbeat set seems to do the trick and in the process, can ease prediction for me with moves like Encore.
Now there are some threats that the previous 3 just straight up couldn't deal with, but as with most pokemon in NU, not many of them have superb coverage. I added Sub-Disable Haunter to wipe these threats out.
Up to this point, the team looked pretty good, but stall would be a problem (or anything with a fast Substitute). After a little searching, I remembered a trapper set for Prankster Mukrow I had used in OU with some success. A quick double check showed it's allowed in NU, so the team was now nearly complete.
Up to this point, it's easily noted that this team doesn't have any hazards yet, but I'm attempting to force switches (with everything but Murkrow). I needed something with some special bulk, access to some form of hazard(s), and that would lure pokeon the rest of the team could easily deal with (since this was the last pokemon I could add to the team without overhauling other members). Remembering how annoying Swampert and Quagsire could be in higher tiers (and how they're only weak to Grass), I began looking around NU for something similar. I had always wanted to try out Seismetoad (for inexplicable reasons), and it seems to fit what I needed, so here it is.
Meet the Cast:
Apophis (F) @
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Coil
- Glare
- Gunk Shot
- Earthquake
While not always my lead, Arbok is mainly used to spoil a sweep and spread paralysis. I use it similar to how some use Landorus-T in OU, to absorb physical attacks on choiced pokemon and ecourage a switch. I considered Shaed Skin to remove status while boosting, but upon closer examination, Arbok rarely gets multiple turns to set up Coil, and thus benefits more from Intimidate's pseudo defense buff. Since it's now more likely that Arbok could survuive a -1 EQ and fighting types get especially nerfed, Glare works well to cripple switch-ins. Gunk Shot and EQ give it useful coverage, rounding out this rather straightforward set.
DunTouchMe (M) @
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SDef
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Flash
- Confuse Ray
- Encore
The EVs here are fairly standard and can keep this bug alive long enough for a few switches to be forced. Thunder wave is for spreading paralysis and, thanks to prankster, can be used twice in a row on all-out attackes since the red card will force a switch after the first use. Confuse Ray and Flash strongly encourage further switches while Encore eases prediction for the rest of the team and shuts down sub-seeders and other stall techniques. While Volbeat is complete taunt bait, it rarely fails in it's duties before being shut down and has no real attacking prowess anyway.
The Horror (M) @
Trait: Serene Grace
EVs: 144 HP / 252 Atk / 112 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Glare
- Rock Slide
- Zen Headbutt
- Roost
Cower in fear at the mere sight of the All-Mighty Dusparce! Most people seem to underestimate this derpolicious larva that has yet to evolve in 3 generations of games, but it us the sole species capable of Paraflinch in NU, not that it does it poorly. Glare allows it to paralyze it's own victims, if need be, and can paralyze almost any pokemon - a bonus in a tier know for viability for ground types with otherwise undesirable dual types (like Rock/Ground). With 90% accuracy, it's just as accurate as Toxic, but this does mean it will occasionally miss. Roost heals off damage and comes in handy with several pokeon that like to burn this bugger. Rock Slide and Zen Headbut give me virtually unresisted flinching ability and prevents the likes of Sub-Disable Haunter from ending my flinch sweep. My EVs also ensure I can still KO Haunter before it can kill me with HP Fighting. I opted for higher speed as well, allowing me to outspeed (and flinch) scarf Electrode as well as most Chlorophyll users under Sunny Day, provided said foes are paralyzed (not hard in most cases thanks to Volbeat's ability and typing as well as my sets on other pokemon, like Seismitoad who can make Electrode lock itself into a non-STAB or nerf a pre-selected STAB). This is also my response to the infamous Swellow, in conjunction with my Volbeat's Encore, since I do not carry a rock type.
7 Days (F) @
Trait: Prankster
EVs: 248 HP / 248 Def / 8 SDef / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Mean Look
- Perish Song
- Taunt
- Roost
Volbeat can only paralyze so much in one game and there's always that one pokemon that you just cant get seem to nail down. That's where Murkrow comes in. Mean Look and Perish Song are fairly standard for trapping and KO-ing foes with a last minute switch and roost is the prefered means of recovery, but that's as far as I go with standard moves. I opted out of Protect (which I know has its uses), seeing as nothing Murkrow would come in on learns Volt Switch and even if one did, I would switch to Seismitoad and keep them trapped that way (giving a practically free turn immediately after as the straight switch or simply die from the timer). Additionally, Murkrow takes neutral damage from U-turn and most users don't get a STAB or even have strong enough physical power to counteract Eviolite. Instead I use Taunt to shut down stall, allowing me to trap either the helpless wall or the switch in with Mean Look. I also sacrificed one defensive point for more speed over other Murkrow, thus allowing my faster priority Taunt to shut them down too.
Come@MeBro (M) @
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Disable
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Shadow Ball
While Murkrow is designed for stallzy sets, Haunter works much like it's higher evolution in OU to shut down a wide range of offensive and boosting threats. Not many pokemon carry more than one move that can hit Haunter hard enough to break it's substitutes and Disable stops that from happening twice in a row. HP Fighting and Shadowball capitalize on Haunter's respectable SAtk and it's decent speed helps keep me alive and status free. These attacks also have perfect neutral coverage, allowing me to hit anything I need to, considering I already have several means of countering this set should it appear on my foe's team.
YUNoLeikMe (M) @
Trait: Water Absorb
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Stealth Rock
- Surf
- Ice Punch
- Knock Off
Swampert's less useful 5th gen cousin also finds a spot on this team as a bulky support member. Knock Off hampers the opponent's utility by removing key items on various sets while Stealth rock gives me a form of Hazard to hit any and all switches (that don't have Magic Guard, uncommon as it is), breaking Sturdy and the occasional Focus Sash. Surf was chosen over Scald so as not to conflict with the paralysis trend and Ice Punch was chosen due to identical Atk and SAtk stats as well as the fact that Grass/Flying types like to switch in on this pokemon. According to my calcualetions, Ice Puch does just as much damage to several Special Walls that would try to wall me as Earth Power would, plus it can't be nerfed simply by switching to a flying type intending on having an immunity to the normal second STAB this pokemon can carry. Swift Swim might seem to be a better choice of ability at first, but Water Absorb can encourage more switches, which is the underlying theme here. It also leaves most NU water types high and... er, dry sice they rarely carry HP grass or sufficiently powerful physical attacks other than water STABs (usually used under rain for such power).
.
Threats:
I have not tested this team enough or even played NU long enough to know what serious threats to this team may be. Everything I have listed thus far has been from a few test battles and a NU threatlist I found. I would appreciate any pointers from those who have battled in this tier at all since it's not likely anyone would have much less experience it the tier than me.
