SM PU Absol Spikes Bulky Offense (Build 2.0)

[ExoGrim]

Import

Absol @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Knock Off
- Sucker Punch
- Play Rough

Roselia @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 248 HP / 236 SpD / 24 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Sludge Bomb
- Giga Drain

Hitmonchan (M) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 156 HP / 224 Atk / 128 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Thunder Punch
- Rapid Spin

Aurorus @ Choice Specs
Ability: Refrigerate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hyper Voice
- Freeze-Dry
- Earth Power
- Hidden Power [Rock]

Oricorio-Sensu @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Dancer
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Hurricane
- Revelation Dance
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

Mudsdale @ Leftovers
Ability: Stamina
EVs: 252 HP / 132 Def / 124 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Toxic
- Rock Slide

With the removal of Mespirit from PU a couple months back, I figured it would be good to revamp my Absol team from before with a bit more of a focus on offense and as well as utilizing Spikes support.

Absol: Using the same wallbreaker set as before, Absol is there to break the first line of defense for the enemy team for my end game cleaners (Hitmonchan and Oricorio) can attack the opposing side without fear of them surviving. The main difference between the two sets is the move to Life Orb for more immediate power in favor of having Z-Hurricane on Oricorio.

Roselia: Using a Specially defensive Roselia as the teams spiker this time around (has Qwilfish originally) as I feel Roselia has better coverage for the meta, and for this team specifically. Poison + Grass stab allows Roselia to deal with common defoggers like Silvally-Fairy and the Oricorios (tho Roselia cannot stay in on Oricorio initially in fear of Z-Hurricane OHKOing it).

Hitmonchan: Assault Vest Hitmonchan acts as the Spinner and late game physical cleaner for the team. Drain punch and Mach punch allow Hitmonchan to ko enemy mons while remaining relatively healthy all throughout the match. Rapid Spin is for, well, keeping hazards while controlling opposing hazards. Thunder Punch is there since the team as enough rock type coverage currently, however Stone Edge is something I've considered to deal with a wider set of spin blockers (as it can hit Froslass and still hit Oricorio-G, but loses the ability to hit Jellicent).

Aurorus: Specs Aurorus acts as the main special wallbreaker for the team, using Refrigerate over Snow Warning since the team is not using Alolaslash and is rather weak to weather chip... making Hail counter productive. Most of the moves are self explanatory: Hyper Voice and HP Rock for stab, Earth Power for Rocks and Steels and Freeze Dry for Water types.

Oricorio-G: Late game cleaner and sweeper for the team, using Calm Mind + Z-Hurricane to tear through the weakened lines that Absol and Aurorus leave behind. Hurricane and R-Dance are stab moves, with HP Fighting to hit Dark Types and Steel Types that try to wall it.

Mudsdale: Mudsdale is simply there for Rocks and acting as a physical buffer for the team, using Toxic plus EQ+Rock slide to wear down threats for the rest of the team to break or revenge later. To be honest, Mudsdale is likely the most expendable member of this team, I just had a hard time find another physical wall that could be a strong back bone alongside Roselia and still be able to supply rocks for hazard stacking.

 

[ShuckleDeath]

Hello ExoGrim,

I tested your team quite a bit and it's pretty defensively solid overall not automatically losing to anything obvious so I would say this a pretty successful build in that regard. The main problem I saw while testing your team was a complete lack of speed control outside of Absols Sucker Punch, which is pretty problematic when you consider the mechanics of Sucker Punch. The best way to improve this team is to just add a solid Choice Scarf user while still keeping the team solid enough to not lose to common metagame trends, which honestly wasn't super difficult to do, it does however, make the team a little harder to wallbreak with, but the trade off seems pretty fair considering its horrible match up with offensive teams before. I would say the best way to use this team is just super aggressively, using the defensive Pokemon as pivots and hazard setters while just trying to rack up enough chip damage for something to break through. That's how I played with the team changes and it was pretty successful overall.

Pokemon Changes:

--->

Set

Dodrio @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Early Bird
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Frustration
- Jump Kick
- Pursuit

Dodrio fits pretty well with Absol severely weakening physical walls so it acts as a solid win condition, as well as speed control. Aurorus acted as a decent pivot into Normal and Flying-types, but you absolutely needed speed control and it was the most expendable member of your team, which is the reasoning of sacrificing it before anything else. Dodrio still acts as a wather check as it actuyally outpaces timid Victreebel and Ludicolo at +2 it still leaves you a bit open to Qwilfish and Kabutops on rain teams, but you have Absol and Hitmonchan to help you there, so in general you have a fair match up against weather teams still.

--->

Set

Oricorio-Pom-Pom @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Dancer
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Hurricane
- Roost
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

Oricorio-Sensu has been picking up traction as it helps in countering Victreebel but it trades that with being weaker to things like Gurdurr. You have a Roselia already so making this an Oricorio-Pom-Pom seems like a slightly better choice, as not only does it help the Gurdurr match up it actually does a very critical thing in checking opposing Oricorio as with the loss of Aurorus it opens up a bigger hole for them. The goal is to just keep them weak enough for Dodrio to revenge kill them, if you face an Oricorio-Sensu you actually win that 1v1 very comfortably. I would still say Oricorio-Sensu still has merit on your team as it can still act as a spinblocker, but this opens up opposing Oricorio to the point of more changes being made, which in turn opens up different things which can be a bit of a mess. If you still want to try Oricorio-Sensu I would suggest putting Regirock over Mudsdale to help in checking Flying-types and I would change the Oricorio set to the bulky spread to help against Gurdurr and in spinblocking, as that would be the reason to keep Oricorio-Sensu. This opens up Alolan Raichu and Lycanroc a bit more, so it's not really better then the Oricorio-Pom-Pom change, just an alternative change worth trying I will link that, here.

Team Changes <--- Click for importable.

 

[ExoGrim]

Hello ExoGrim,

I tested your team quite a bit and it's pretty defensively solid overall not automatically losing to anything obvious so I would say this a pretty successful build in that regard. The main problem I saw while testing your team was a complete lack of speed control outside of Absols Sucker Punch, which is pretty problematic when you consider the mechanics of Sucker Punch. The best way to improve this team is to just add a solid Choice Scarf user while still keeping the team solid enough to not lose to common metagame trends, which honestly wasn't super difficult to do, it does however, make the team a little harder to wallbreak with, but the trade off seems pretty fair considering its horrible match up with offensive teams before. I would say the best way to use this team is just super aggressively, using the defensive Pokemon as pivots and hazard setters while just trying to rack up enough chip damage for something to break through. That's how I played with the team changes and it was pretty successful overall.

Pokemon Changes:

--->

Set

Dodrio @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Early Bird
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Frustration
- Jump Kick
- Pursuit

Dodrio fits pretty well with Absol severely weakening physical walls so it acts as a solid win condition, as well as speed control. Aurorus acted as a decent pivot into Normal and Flying-types, but you absolutely needed speed control and it was the most expendable member of your team, which is the reasoning of sacrificing it before anything else. Dodrio still acts as a wather check as it actuyally outpaces timid Victreebel and Ludicolo at +2 it still leaves you a bit open to Qwilfish and Kabutops on rain teams, but you have Absol and Hitmonchan to help you there, so in general you have a fair match up against weather teams still.

--->

Set

Oricorio-Pom-Pom @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Dancer
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Hurricane
- Roost
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

Oricorio-Sensu has been picking up traction as it helps in countering Victreebel but it trades that with being weaker to things like Gurdurr. You have a Roselia already so making this an Oricorio-Pom-Pom seems like a slightly better choice, as not only does it help the Gurdurr match up it actually does a very critical thing in checking opposing Oricorio as with the loss of Aurorus it opens up a bigger hole for them. The goal is to just keep them weak enough for Dodrio to revenge kill them, if you face an Oricorio-Sensu you actually win that 1v1 very comfortably. I would still say Oricorio-Sensu still has merit on your team as it can still act as a spinblocker, but this opens up opposing Oricorio to the point of more changes being made, which in turn opens up different things which can be a bit of a mess. If you still want to try Oricorio-Sensu I would suggest putting Regirock over Mudsdale to help in checking Flying-types and I would change the Oricorio set to the bulky spread to help against Gurdurr and in spinblocking, as that would be the reason to keep Oricorio-Sensu. This opens up Alolan Raichu and Lycanroc a bit more, so it's not really better then the Oricorio-Pom-Pom change, just an alternative change worth trying I will link that, here.

Team Changes <--- Click for importable.

you must really like bulky Oricorio XD

 

[ExoGrim]

Hello ExoGrim,

I tested your team quite a bit and it's pretty defensively solid overall not automatically losing to anything obvious so I would say this a pretty successful build in that regard. The main problem I saw while testing your team was a complete lack of speed control outside of Absols Sucker Punch, which is pretty problematic when you consider the mechanics of Sucker Punch. The best way to improve this team is to just add a solid Choice Scarf user while still keeping the team solid enough to not lose to common metagame trends, which honestly wasn't super difficult to do, it does however, make the team a little harder to wallbreak with, but the trade off seems pretty fair considering its horrible match up with offensive teams before. I would say the best way to use this team is just super aggressively, using the defensive Pokemon as pivots and hazard setters while just trying to rack up enough chip damage for something to break through. That's how I played with the team changes and it was pretty successful overall.

Pokemon Changes:

--->

Set

Dodrio @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Early Bird
Happiness: 0
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Brave Bird
- Frustration
- Jump Kick
- Pursuit

Dodrio fits pretty well with Absol severely weakening physical walls so it acts as a solid win condition, as well as speed control. Aurorus acted as a decent pivot into Normal and Flying-types, but you absolutely needed speed control and it was the most expendable member of your team, which is the reasoning of sacrificing it before anything else. Dodrio still acts as a wather check as it actuyally outpaces timid Victreebel and Ludicolo at +2 it still leaves you a bit open to Qwilfish and Kabutops on rain teams, but you have Absol and Hitmonchan to help you there, so in general you have a fair match up against weather teams still.

--->

Set

Oricorio-Pom-Pom @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Dancer
EVs: 248 HP / 8 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Calm Mind
- Hurricane
- Roost
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

Oricorio-Sensu has been picking up traction as it helps in countering Victreebel but it trades that with being weaker to things like Gurdurr. You have a Roselia already so making this an Oricorio-Pom-Pom seems like a slightly better choice, as not only does it help the Gurdurr match up it actually does a very critical thing in checking opposing Oricorio as with the loss of Aurorus it opens up a bigger hole for them. The goal is to just keep them weak enough for Dodrio to revenge kill them, if you face an Oricorio-Sensu you actually win that 1v1 very comfortably. I would still say Oricorio-Sensu still has merit on your team as it can still act as a spinblocker, but this opens up opposing Oricorio to the point of more changes being made, which in turn opens up different things which can be a bit of a mess. If you still want to try Oricorio-Sensu I would suggest putting Regirock over Mudsdale to help in checking Flying-types and I would change the Oricorio set to the bulky spread to help against Gurdurr and in spinblocking, as that would be the reason to keep Oricorio-Sensu. This opens up Alolan Raichu and Lycanroc a bit more, so it's not really better then the Oricorio-Pom-Pom change, just an alternative change worth trying I will link that, here.

Team Changes <--- Click for importable.

One thing I will say is that I feel your changes make this team much more susceptible to physical walls now, has it has no real breaking or sweeping potential on the special side (outside of Oricorio, who is bulky if I use your set).

 

[TONE]

Hey there ExoGrim I do like the concept of Absol hazard stack as it has a lot of potential with hazards up to threaten weakened opponents. I do agree with ShuckleDeath that some needed speed is necessary on a team as slow as this despite have double proirity. The changes I will make will be pretty miniscule, but i still find it to be effective here.

Set

Aurorus @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Snow Warning / Refrigerate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Blizzard / Hyper Voice
- Freeze-Dry
- Earth Power
- Toxic

So first, I actually decided to keep Aurorus, but made it Scarf over Specs as it does act as a nice revenge killer with Blizzard, although you can keep Refrigerate Hyper Voice here if you want as you may think the hail hurts you, it also hurts your opponent and all the extra damage counts and also helps stopping weather teams in their tracks. I also decided to replace HP Rock with Toxic. Main reason for this is due to even if you catch Cryogonal on the switch with HP Rock, you can't 2HKO it and it can recover off the damage. At least with Toxic, you can put it on a timer and whittle it down with rocks and revenge it later with Hitmonchan.

--->

Set

Metang @ Eviolite
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 116 Def / 140 SpD
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Toxic

So you mentioned that you felt that Mudsdale was the most expendable mon and you had a hard time find another physical wall that could be a strong back bone alongside Roselia. While both share a weakness to Fire, Metang actually fits pretty well here acting as rocker as well as a better matchup against Hail as your Ice resist was kinda shaky with only having Hitmonchan, and A-Sandslash under hail just kinda decimated this team at a glance if Mudsdale got weakened. EVs let you act as a solid Normal check to stuff like Kangaskhan, specifically avoiding the 2HKO from uninvested Torterra's Earthquake after rocks while also giving you an added response to Aurorus without having to go hard into Hitmonchan all the time.

You could also go Ice Punch > Thunder Punch on Hitmonchan to do more damage to Torterra and you can probably get away with it I feel as you have Roselia to switch into Jellicent. Another option is Superpower > Play Rough on Absol to do more damage to Ferroseed so it can't freely get up hazards against Roselia, but if you feel Hitmonchan is enough in that regard, then you can ignore this option. Hope my suggestions help.

Importable

 

[ShuckleDeath]

One thing I will say is that I feel your changes make this team much more susceptible to physical walls now, has it has no real breaking or sweeping potential on the special side (outside of Oricorio, who is bulky if I use your set).

Absol is a strong physical wall breaker the sweeping potential comes from both absol and dodrio