Resource Ask a Simple Question, Get a Simple Answer: PU Edition

I know that currently there's a suspect test for Exeggutor-Alola, but I wanted to ask: is there any plans to retests banned mons after this?

Not right after necessarily, but in the near future.
 

INSANE CARZY GUY

Banned deucer.
I know that currently there's a suspect test for Exeggutor-Alola, but I wanted to ask: is there any plans to retests banned mons after this?

Not right after necessarily, but in the near future.
No, however Pu leaders have generally historically been democratic within reason and if nu release snow warning in maybe a year eggy has reasonable chance to return
 

TailGlowVM

Now 100% more demonic
I know that currently there's a suspect test for Exeggutor-Alola, but I wanted to ask: is there any plans to retests banned mons after this?

Not right after necessarily, but in the near future.
There was discussion a while back of a Sceptile retest, though I have no idea if there are still plans to do that in the future.
 

Leni

formerly tlenit
is a Forum Moderator Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnusis a Top Tiering Contributor Alumnusis a Past SCL Champion
RUPL Champion
I know that currently there's a suspect test for Exeggutor-Alola, but I wanted to ask: is there any plans to retests banned mons after this?

Not right after necessarily, but in the near future.
There was discussion a while back of a Sceptile retest, though I have no idea if there are still plans to do that in the future.
nope, no plans for now. To me, if we moved further with any of PUBL mons, the Raichu-Alola would be first on the list. Anyhow, there is no plans to retest any current PUBL mon for now (or after Eggy-A suspect). Just so you know guys, cheers!
 
Why isn‘t Lunatone ranked? It seems like a nice way to handle special Zard, and Future Sight + Moonlight + decent Natural bulk means it gets a lot of chances to come in relatively unharmed, click Future Sight for decent damage and force the opponent to make awkward plays. I‘ve played around with it for a bit and it seems pretty good.
 

Chloe

is a Community Contributoris a Top Tiering Contributoris a Contributor to Smogonis a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Site Content Manager Alumnusis a Community Leader Alumnusis a Battle Simulator Moderator Alumnus
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Why isn‘t Lunatone ranked? It seems like a nice way to handle special Zard, and Future Sight + Moonlight + decent Natural bulk means it gets a lot of chances to come in relatively unharmed, click Future Sight for decent damage and force the opponent to make awkward plays. I‘ve played around with it for a bit and it seems pretty good.
It's a very niche pick, that hasn't seen really any attention in the post-CT meta until recently. Rock-types in general are quite effective at the moment, but we definitely can't rank all of them due to the strong competition from the ones that do see prevalent usage. I'm personally unsure if Lunatone fits this criteria, as simply being a Rock-type with Future Sight doesn't really sound like something I'd be prepared to use over Gigalith, Archeops or Regirock in any serious game. If you feel like Lunatone carves a sufficient niche to be ranked however, and can justify it with replays against competent opponents, you should nominate it.
 
Rain Dance Strategy with Ludicolo as core seems to be a rising meta around 1300 rating and I find it hard to win against it as the strategy dex in this forum about Ludicolo don't have much details yet. Any tips for me to handle it? I am looking to change my team just to handle that popular strategy I always encountered when I played (I had 3 straight games against 3 different players around rating 1100-1300). My current team's core is Charizard which is heavily countered by that in my experience.
 

Specs

Getting in your own way
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Rain Dance Strategy with Ludicolo as core seems to be a rising meta around 1300 rating and I find it hard to win against it as the strategy dex in this forum about Ludicolo don't have much details yet. Any tips for me to handle it? I am looking to change my team just to handle that popular strategy I always encountered when I played (I had 3 straight games against 3 different players around rating 1100-1300). My current team's core is Charizard which is heavily countered by that in my experience.
Is it just Ludicolo as a rain abuser? If so, you could try out Gigalith. Spdef always switches into it if you're healthy (takes around 50 from pump in sand) and is able to remove the rain. Encore Whimsicott sounds pretty good against it. You're able to encore them into whatever move they click on you (most likely Ice Beam) and react accordingly. Druddigon might be what you're looking for as well, trading damage on drudd for a Glare on Ludi sounds worth it if otherwise destroys your team

If it's rain as a whole I might need to see more of the team but, generally having one or two of those options I mentioned alongside maybe some priority or spikes, and making key trades in battle should do the job. Keep up the offensive pressure when needed to make sure they cant get up rain every time without being punished.

If any of these don't work out feel free to pm me on here or discord (on my profile) and we can talk more
 
Is it just Ludicolo as a rain abuser? If so, you could try out Gigalith. Spdef always switches into it if you're healthy (takes around 50 from pump in sand) and is able to remove the rain. Encore Whimsicott sounds pretty good against it. You're able to encore them into whatever move they click on you (most likely Ice Beam) and react accordingly. Druddigon might be what you're looking for as well, trading damage on drudd for a Glare on Ludi sounds worth it if otherwise your team gets destroyed.

If it's rain as a whole I might need to see more of the team but, generally having one or two of those options I mentioned alongside maybe some priority or spikes, and making key trades in battle should do the job. Keep up the offensive pressure when needed to make sure they cant get up rain every time without being punished.

If any of these don't work out feel free to pm me on here or discord (on my profile) and we can talk more
Thanks! I just realized that this strategy is the same in ZU with Rain Dance setters like Liepard and the team is full of Rain abusers that includes Qwilfish. What you've mentioned helped a lot so thanks for the response
 
What are some of PUs more reliable stall breakers? I‘ve been running into it a lot lately and am not sure how to manage.
 
I like Perrserker with Taunt as a Stall breaker. Iron Head (or tail if you're spicy) / Taunt/ Seed Bomb (for Quag and Lanturn) / U Turn or Swords Dance with Steely Spirit with Lefties. The SD version shreds stall but puts in less work against faster teams.

Look out for the rare Ferroseed and give it Wish support for longevity it can handle most
 
How does the Archeops set with Herb + Beam work?

Is it mixed? Meant to lure some defensive wall and then you click beam for a 1/2hko?
There are some nice options but I simply don't have the nous for it, any help?
 
Late game cleaner, Herb and Beam is a ridiculous one off hit and gives you an instant boost, it then has all of the coverage and speed to polish off enemy teams.

It's not THAT strong so it needs some prior chip, it particularly hates Quagsire nowadays but it's a good late game cleaner than can finish off weakened teams.

Meteor Beam/ Heat Wave/ Air Slash/ Earth Power is standard
 
How do You have fun in Pu?

I feel like we're living in the days of Thunder
I stop worrying about ladder, and just experiment with pokemon and get opinions on them. PU has a lot of threats that aren't popular or hasn't been fully explored, so exploring less viable (or using a viable pokemon in a new way). I am currently exploring sand offense again.

It's awful and I am terrible with it.

But it's nice to explore to figure out what I am just short on as a player
 
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wooper

heavy booty-doots
is a Forum Moderator
out of curiosity, why doesnt :silvally:-ground get much usage, if any at all? i feel like edgequake is very valuable in the tier right now, with top-ranking mons like :gigalith:, :charizard:, :aggron:, :togedemaru:, and :lanturn: getting picked off quite easily. it even runs u-turn or flame charge, as most SD vally do, which targets mons like :tsareena: and :ferroseed: and, if opting for the latter, lets it outspeed faster threats like :charizard:, :togedemaru:, and scarf :mesprit:. i cant say that ive ever seen groundvally on the ladder since pre-DLC, nor have i used it in any recent iteration of the metagame, so is there any explanation at all?
 

INSANE CARZY GUY

Banned deucer.
The thinking goes something like this, while yes a utility set service could and would work, there's just better offensive stab for a sweeper and it doesn't exactly stop electric types like galvan or specs Jolteon. Defogging isn't "great" with T-spikes being common as Weezing. While You can vally sauce them out on a double and resisting rocks/sand is still excellent other than argon You aren't doing anything with the ground stab You couldn't do with very little chip and the SD it was going to do anyhow. Lanturn gets smacked by any +2 vally.

SD vally also struggles with quag, coming in more than once on hazards+chip, phasing, tangla, and finding harmless targets. Getting a ko is fine, but You really want the free set-up like by spin blocking or walling them out.

Ground can get Gigalith sure but not on turn 1 toxic tect is about enough to scout out the set and keeping Gigalith completely intact. Whimsacot because a game over for vally ground as even +2 jolly flame charge isn't a ko. Just a lot of the side meta is geared to hitting those mons. It's nice to note Grassy Terrain doesn't effect mutliattack.


252+ Atk Choice Band Thwackey Grassy Glide vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Silvally-Ground in Grassy Terrain: 384-452 (116 - 136.5%)

252+ Atk Silvally-Ground Multi-Attack vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Gigalith: 276-326 (73.7 - 87.1%)

I would try vally ground but rhydon kos tsar and ferroseed with heat crash and is just so fat. They're probably about as vaible unless You value the rock typing.

Ultimately I think vally ground is playing on their choke and/or not knowing the set and is overall itself forced to fit vs so much of the meta it's convoluted more than realible.
 
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Why isn‘t Lunatone ranked? It seems like a nice way to handle special Zard, and Future Sight + Moonlight + decent Natural bulk means it gets a lot of chances to come in relatively unharmed, click Future Sight for decent damage and force the opponent to make awkward plays. I‘ve played around with it for a bit and it seems pretty good.
I don't have much combat experience but the only niche I can foreseeably forecast on Lunatone would be using its special bulk in a sandstorm combined with Weather Ball.

That way it can hit relatively hard with the unusual power of a special 100 base power rock move+STAB.
 

5Dots

Chairs
is a Community Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributor
I don't have much combat experience but the only niche I can foreseeably forecast on Lunatone would be using its special bulk in a sandstorm combined with Weather Ball.

That way it can hit relatively hard with the unusual power of a special 100 base power rock move+STAB.
Not necessarily. Lunatone was ranked more so for being a nifty check to Charizard, Weezing and Galarian Articuno due to it resisting their STABs and decent bulk with investment. Unlike Gigalith, it possesses reliable recovery with moonlight and even annoys gigalith itself with Levitate. Offensive sets, let alone weather ball in sand, aren’t good since it is outclassed by Archeops and Lycanroc in such a role.
 
What exactly does the Defensive Espeon set do? I'm referring to this one:

Espeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 232 Def / 28 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam / Toxic
- Wish
- Protect / Morning Sun / Reflect
 
What exactly does the Defensive Espeon set do? I'm referring to this one:

Espeon @ Leftovers
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 248 HP / 232 Def / 28 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam / Toxic
- Wish
- Protect / Morning Sun / Reflect
Defensive Espeon's main purpose is to block hazards and status from Pokemon like of Regirock and Audino, respectively, while acting as a decent Fighting-type check. 28 Speed EVs lets it outspeed positive-natured base 70s, such as Flapple, Hitmontop, and Magneton.
 

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