ORAS NU Exercise in Futility

[Aladyyn]

Hello my name is Aladyyn and I'm an NU player. I decided to bring you guys another RMT because I needed something to do instead of math homework and there is a team that I've been enjoying a lot. While it doesn't have any true innovations in lieu of Block spdef Sawk or defensive Magcargo, a couple sets that aren't used too often are showcased. The team is built around Nasty Plot Liepard, which is a set that I had not used at all since somewhere in XY and wanted to see how it performs in the current NU meta. Its biggest counter from XY, Hariyama, significantly dropped in usage though Mega Audino gives Liepard about as much trouble (why does this thing counter like all of my favorite pokemon :[). After that we got some PDF core action alongside some hazards and a pretty bad pokemon whose only advantage over Ludicolo is resisting fire but it's worth it on this team. Speaking of the team, it's undefeated in NU Open, shame my other teams weren't up to snuff so the record could be better than 3-0 but what can you do. Build better teams maybe, though throwing stuff at the wall until it works once in a while seems to be working alright for me. No peaks because screw ladder I always lose points because I tab out and forget I'm in a battle.

Shoutouts to Mgła for putting out the AOTY that I could steal the name from.

cat (Liepard) @ Black Glasses
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Copycat
- Encore
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse

Liepard is obviously the centerpiece of the team, being able to both sweep in the late-game and perform utility duties with the amazing Prankster Encore, which is basically the best thing ever. Substitute used to be more popular on NP sets in XY if I remember correctly, but honestly it's just an inferior option to Encore. Sub doesn't really give Pard too many setup opportunities compared to Encore and even though just the threat of having Encore is often enough to deter setup, actually having it is a lifesaver. Copycat is another great utility tool, enabling Liepard to revenge kill faster pokemon by copying their move with +1 priority. That and Piloswine is basically the reason I never have trouble with Swellow even though I lack a Normal/Flying resist. Nasty Plot and Dark Pulse are self-explanatory, Black Glasses are used for some extra oomph. This is another advantage over Substitute as you'd probably want to run Leftovers with it and throw away the whole surprise effect of using the less common Liepard set.

garb (Garbodor) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Spikes
- Drain Punch
- Toxic Spikes

Liepard loves Spikes about as much as every sweeper ever and also has perfect defensive synergy with Garbodor so it's obvious that I put this ugly ass thing on like all my teams. It's such a solid catch-all check to physical attackers from Scyther to Sawk thanks to all that sweet residual. Also acts as my main Mega-Audino answer so yea, pretty much the perfect Liepard teammate. Garbodor doesn't have much staying power but the impact that it has in its often limited time is always huge.

ban (Sawk) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Zen Headbutt
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge

Broken. Look at that posture. Sawk knows he's fucking amazing and isn't afraid to show it. It's a shame that I'm not using the best set on this team but it didn't really fit so I just went with the standard CB. Jolly is the obvious better ability because everything tries to creep Adamant Sawk and this way most Xatus can't switch in. The loss in power is noticeable but I can't think of any KOs Jolly misses off the top of my head. I'm sure I'd notice if it was something important though. Stone Edge is my favorite filler to run in the 4th slot since it hits Scyther on the switch while also destroying Xatu, Pelipper and basically every Flying type that thinks it can switch into this monster.

bad mon (Xatu) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Roost

Xatu is the lazy man's hazard removal so obviously I seldom use it. It really fits well on this team, completing the PDF core with Liepard and Sawk and obviously helping keep up Sawk's Sturdy. Thunder Wave is obviously broken as hell and I so wouldn't use it if there was something better but unfortunately there isn't. U-Turn is mandatory for all the Dark types that are running around, escaping the Pursuit from Skuntank and friends. Xatu follows the theme of this team by being a blanket check to tons of things, being able to TWave fast mons that fail to KO so that the rest of the team can deal with them easily. I'm creeping Jolly Sawk so that Xatu can actually act as a switchin.

Lemon. (Piloswine) @ Eviolite
Ability: Thick Fat
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 68 HP / 252 Atk / 188 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Spear

I really love how this shiny looks. That is not the only reason I opted for Piloswine over ugly Rhydon though. Priority is always amazing to have and between Liepard and Piloswine I'm pretty much set in that department. Ice STAB is also great in NU and Pilo is also the best Ice resist itself. Doesn't get obliterated by Freeze Dry mons or Jynx like some other pokemon that try to act like they can check Ice types do. Fast spread to catch Lanturn, which troubles the last member of the team immensely. All in all, another general check to stuff alongside specific niches.

teddeh (Mantine) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Signal Beam
- Air Slash
- Rain Dance

By replacing Ludicolo with Mantine to get a Fire resist on the team, I joined an exclusive club of Mantine users in NU alongside Teddeh and some low ladder scrubs probably. The surprise factor of this set is huge, bopping walls left and right as some people refuse to switch their Weezings out because they're not scared of this monster when they should be. Rain boosted Hydros are stupidly strong even with Mantine's subpar Special Attack stat and Air Slash's clutch flinches are invaluable (between it and Dark Pulse I have won games I had no business being in). Signal Beam is the filler move of choice because the team has nothing for Malamar and random Signal Beam is basically the best counter for the mon. Hydro + Air Slash basically hits everything so Mantine can afford to lose a moveslot, unlike Ludicolo which made the team fairly weak to numerous things before I replaced it.



Like all my teams, this one probably has tons of flaws that I missed and just got lucky instead of getting punished for it. I really enjoy using this team and will probably bring it back for NU League so that my opponents can have an easier time with scouting. Sorry I didn't bother with fancy formatting, but it takes so much time and I need to do homework tonight because I'm lazy and a loser. And also a jellyfish. Thanks for reading and possibly trying this team out on the ladder or perhaps in one of the official tournaments that are run in the NeverUsed room every day! :)
​

shouts to all mah boyz

NotNova230 is the worst player I have ever met and that is the only reason he beats me
Scarf Buck is a top 5 memer in the world today
toreutic likes hats a lot
Jarii is the best NU player alive ngl
Marikeinen is gross and as funny as if he was actually Finnish
Winter's Howl is a weeb in disguise for sure

Obviously props to the whole NU auth which is great even if we don't always agree on something and stuff like that, totes not doing this just for the likes
allstar124 scarf ape is actually good you h8r
blaziken1337
Dentricos
GyRro
Hootie
Kiyo
metaphysical
Orphic
Rapture.
Stoned M&M
Syncrasy
Blast
HJAD
Shaneghoul
boltsandbombers
Can-Eh-Dian
Deej Dy
marilli
Montsegur
Pokedots
Quite Quiet
rw change your name back pls
scorpdestroyer
SilverReaper21
Sir Kay
iplaytennislol
Disjunction
hollywood
Raseri
Zebraiken

also the ones that are not with us anymore but still in our hearts
Teddeh
MFF
soulgazer
Oshony PokeGod
TSM ryan
Brawlfest

Importable

cat (Liepard) @ Black Glasses
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Copycat
- Encore
- Nasty Plot
- Dark Pulse

garb (Garbodor) @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Aftermath
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 Spe
Impish Nature
- Gunk Shot
- Spikes
- Drain Punch
- Toxic Spikes

ban (Sawk) @ Choice Band
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Zen Headbutt
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge

bad mon (Xatu) @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Magic Bounce
EVs: 252 HP / 80 Def / 176 Spe
Timid Nature
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave
- Roost

Lemon. (Piloswine) @ Eviolite
Ability: Thick Fat
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 68 HP / 252 Atk / 188 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
- Ice Shard
- Icicle Spear

teddeh (Mantine) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
- Hydro Pump
- Signal Beam
- Air Slash
- Rain Dance

 

[NotNova]

an NU team without Lanturn isn't an actual competitive team please delete this RMT before you embarass yourself further

Jokes aside, lovely team :) Fought it multiple times, as much as I think you overstate Liepard's usefulness sometimes Nasty Plot is definitely a wonderful set. The only thing I can comment is that the team seems to struggle a lot when facing Electric types in the vein of Rotom, Zebstrika and in particular the dreaded Lanturn due to Piloswine being easy to wear down and the rest of the team pretty much just folding. Tauros also pressures your team immensely, again due to the reliance on Piloswine to check it- which is exacerbated by the fact you opt for a lot of speed investment, meaning you get straight 2HKO'd after rocks.

Unfortunately this cannot really be fixed without removing some of the "special" Pokemon for more generic options like Piloswine > Rhydon and Mantine > Lanturn, so I guess it's gonna stay this way.

There are probably some other flaws I'm missing but it's quite late and I've been studying history all day lol. All in all, fun team, hope we can build something cool sometime soon :)

ps pyro is the best class of them all

 

[Aladyyn]

Stop trying to make me use Lanturn....

 

[HJAD]

I DID IT I HAVE A RATE FOR YOU

Hi Aladyyn

Sweet team you have here. Liepard is a huge sleeper mon in the meta at the minute and im glad you had some inspiration to build around it. I also like how your using an underused mons like Mantine and Piloswine, which both should be more popular than people give them credit for. Onto the team itself, and the no flying / normal resist thing + nascar piloswine reaks of trouble, Archeops or Tauros will have no problem wearing down Piloswine unless you get rocks up, immeadiately, which isnt always guranteed. Your Water Resist is as offensive as they get, not really what you want to be switching into Samurotts etc, it will get overloaded with pressure. Lanturn pressures both Mantine and Piloswine,

My first swap as a result is Defensive Ferroseed > Garbodor. My rationale for this swap was because it provides more of what you need vs more of what you want. Ferroseed checks Water Types / Grass Types in a pinch, something that your team currently lacks. It also provides Leech Seed / TWave support and another psuedo normal / flying check. It therefore enables Sawk to break walls more easierly. Xatu, its big pain in the ass, gets beaten by Piloswine, so there is little to worry about Xatu reking your entire team. The Piloswine / Ferroseed core in general is extremely strong, they defend each others weakness' really well.
I'm gonna leave it at that because im quite frankly stumped. Your team with this swap becomes a tad weak to tauros, however it never, ever, gets a free oppurtuinity to switch in and have a crack at your team. Also slightly weaker to fighters, however, you arent really. If a fighter (im looking at Sawk mainly) clicks knock off on Xatu you could easily pivot out thanks to Colbur Berry, into your win-condition which abuses Sawk locked into Knock for free nasty plots and huge resultant pressure. Mantine is a good psuedo fighting resist and as a result uses sawks locked into cc for fodder. Fighters that can change up moves are admittedly an issue, but Xatu / Mantine should be able to handle it just fine.

suggestion

Ferroseed @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball / Knock Off
- Thunder Wave / Protect
- Leech Seed
- Spikes

sorry my rate couldnt be better, but you should take it as an accomplishment. There is literally no way you could make this team any better without using Lanturn, which imo doesnt really help anything, anyway, or changeing half the mons, therefore the team wouldnt really be yours. Congratulations on an awesomely solid team :]
your bb4l
~HaytchJahd(d)

 

[Kiyo]

For the record I 100% disagree with a change from Garbodor --> Ferroseed, you become considerably weaker to Sawk and Tauros, while having a slightly better matchup vs Archeops. I'm not sure why Tauros never getting a free switch is relevant if it OHKOes or 2HKOes every member of you team, your opponent can literally just sack a pokemon and then proceed to sweep you. While you might be somewhat equipped to deal with CB Sawk, I'm not sure relying on acheiving a sweep with Nasty Plot Liepard is the best failsafe considering that set is better suited for late-game sweeping potential and typically Sawk is more useful in the early game as a wallbreaker. The only reason Ferroseed makes much sense is because it gives you like half a switch-in to Archeops, which at the moment you're relying on Ice Shard and Rocky Helmet damage to check.

If you're unwilling to change members of your team to more standard ones like Lanturn and Rhydon you will inevitably be struggling against top tier threats that those pokemon are designed to check, plain and simple.

Since the nature of this team is already more offensive you can likely attempt to keep hazards off of the field with offensive pressure from your offensive mons such as Sawk and Mantine. If this seems like something you're comfortable doing, then I'd like to suggest a change from Xatu --> Rotom. Wisp+Hex Rotom is a great catch all check to the 3 top tier physical threats that are currently plaguing your team (Archeops, Sawk, Tauros). Will-O-Wisp gives you the ability to deal with Sawk as you'll still outrun it, Tauros is only able to touch you with its weaker moves in Fire Blast and Zen Headbutt, and the majority of Archeops do not run Knock Off or Stone Edge meaning that they'll need to rely on a resisted Acrobatics to deal damage to you. I'll leave an import of the set below, I actually like this change quite a bit because I think the Xatu is a little out of place anyways.

Rotom

Rotom @ Sitrus Berry / Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 144 HP / 108 Def / 252 Spe or 4 HP / 252 Spa / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hex
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split / Shadow Ball / Thunderbolt