As in our rules, we request that you use viable sets (and pokemon in avalugg's case). This is not a counterteaming competition, and these sets should be viable outside of this specific matchup.I tried coming up with a balanced or offensive core like last time, but this team looks hard to break (and I am accustomed to stall, so I struggle to come up with offensive stuff). Anywho, stall core:
Crobat @ Black Sludge
Ability: Infiltrator
EVs: 228 HP / 140 Def / 60 SpD / 80 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heat Wave
- Roost
- Toxic
- Haze
Avalugg @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Def / 212 SpD
Impish Nature
- Avalanche
- Recover
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic
The Crobat on this core checks the whole team bar Nidoqueen and Zeraora. It's ripped straight from the team I posted in the discussion thread, and is designed to check u-turn Pokemon like Scizor and bulky set up Pokemon like Snorlax and Malt. Heat wave 2HKOs Scizor, and bullet punch fails to OHKO at +4. Toxic cripples Malt, Mantine, Snorlax, and Zeraora on the switch. Haze stops Snorlax and Malt from boosting to a threatening level, and roost is mandatory for recovery. Black sludge provides passive recovery. The SpD and Spe investment has nothing to do with this team; it allows Crobat to check Infernape and Lucario.
Avalugg usually isn't used to check special attackers like Nidoqueen, but I noticed this one is particularly passive. I also needed something that could remove Nidoqueen's rocks and check Zeraora, so I settled on SpD Avalugg. The defense investment allows Avalugg to check Mega Aerodactyl, which isn't on this team, but I believe Avalugg should always be able to do that in UU. The rest is dumped into SpD to wall Nidoqueen and Zeraora's grass knot. I would normally just run max defense with rocky helmet, as Zeraora and Nidoqueen are easily handled by other Stall teammates (like Articuno and Gligar), but I made this set for the sake of having just two Pokemon in a core in this competition.
The two Pokemon synergize well together, too; Crobat can check some Pokemon that force out Avalugg, like Infernape, banded scizor, and Lucario, while Avalugg checks Zeraora, Mega Aerodactyl, and Mega Sharpedo for Crobat (these are just examples).
Thanks for the constructive criticism. However, I'd like to point out that the Crobat set was not made for this team, as you seem to think. As I pointed out in my previous post, this Crobat set is from a team I posted in the discussion thread (which was weeks ago). It doesn't need Brave Bird because my Pyukumuku checks giga drain Celebi, and Blissey checks leaf storm variants. It doesn't need defog because I have that on Articuno and Gligar. The Crobat set also handily checks more offensive Scizor sets, despite what you said; it is EVd to avoid the 2HKO from from max attack CB Scizor's bullet punch. If you want to learn more about this Crobat and the team, please check it out in the original post (I don't want to derail from the topic too much).As in our rules, we request that you use viable sets (and pokemon in avalugg's case). This is not a counterteaming competition, and these sets should be viable outside of this specific matchup.
This crobat sacrifices a lot in order to run both haze and heat wave. On stall teams, crobat tends to be used primarily as a defogger who can kill threatening stallbreakers such as NP Celebi/Lucario/Infernape due to resisting their priority and/or being able to revenge with Brave Bird. It can also be used as an opposing stallbreaker of its own with super fang + taunt, while still being able to revenge these stallbreakers. Heat wave is oddly specific here to deal with scizor, when crobat would never be used for this in reality, due to how easily it can be put in range of bullet punches from more offensive scizor's than this one.
Avalugg tends to be a bad choice as a physical wall in UU, due to the prevalence of fighting types such as terrakion and cobalion. Your EV spread doesn't really let you check aerodactyl that well either, as stone edge is only not a 2HKO if at full, and this is going to be the same vs zeraora who will destroy this core if you ever let avalugg not be at full HP. As a rapid spinner in UU, it struggles with lots of common stealth rockers, with your set in particular hating terrakion, cobalion, empoleon, toxic m-aggron, and offensive nidoqueen to mention a few.
Feel free to submit another core before the deadline however!
Whether it was specifically designed for the team or not, it's an incredibly niche set on bat. Avalugg is blatantly unviable. Appreciate you participating but the core will not be on the slate for voting unless you decide to edit accordingly to a core that functions in UU consistently. UR picks like Gastrodon are already pushing it.Thanks for the constructive criticism. However, I'd like to point out that the Crobat set was not made for this team, as you seem to think. As I pointed out in my previous post, this Crobat set is from a team I posted in the discussion thread (which was weeks ago). It doesn't need Brave Bird because my Pyukumuku checks giga drain Celebi, and Blissey checks leaf storm variants. It doesn't need defog because I have that on Articuno and Gligar. The Crobat set also handily checks more offensive Scizor sets, despite what you said; it is EVd to avoid the 2HKO from from max attack CB Scizor's bullet punch. If you want to learn more about this Crobat and the team, please check it out in the original post (I don't want to derail from the topic too much).
By the way, how does one judge the viability of a set? It's not like we have a VR for sets, so there is no standard to go by (and surely we aren't expected to stick only to standard/common sets, are we?)
As for Avalugg, the spread I chose is somewhat specific to this team. That said, I chose Mega Aerodactyl's stone edge as a benchmark. Instead, I could move some SpD EVs to Def to check Aero better, while still not taking too much damage from Nidoqueen (144 Def / 112 Spad works, and allows you to safely pivot into CB Crawdaunt, even with lefties knocked off). Like I said, I would normally use max defense, but it is not entirely unviable to go mixed, as Avalugg can still check all of the Pokemon it needs to check without heavy defense investment. Speaking of unviable, I was not aware it was not on the VR. Is it possible to make a case to get a Pokemon on the VR (in an appropriate thread)? Like my Crobat set, this isn't just for the competition; I believe Avalugg is a viable Pokemon (on stall teams... don't use it on any other build lol), and should be on the VR.