ORAS UU Mandiqueen Rose - Evolution of ORAS UU

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INTRODUCTION
Hi hello Smogon. I'm back for what feels like my 9000th RMT, but this squad a special place in my heart, as it is what I consider simultaneously my favorite and best team across any tier. For anyone who has watched ORAS UU tournament play over the last few years, this team should incredibly look familiar, as it has accumulated a ridiculous amount of usage over that large time frame, primarily in the tier's main setting of UUPL. Simply put, it is the culmination of my favorite Pokemon combinations and synergies, all of which were specifically meant to take on the bland 2016 meta. Along with the team itself, I really wanted a platform to discuss how ORAS UU has shifted in a major way over the last couple years, which was once considered a boring lost cause in its later stages.

Literal Novel Below
Perception
I've acknowledged time and time again that while there are some poor elements (I think you can guess what I'm referring to by now) that prevent the tier from reaching its presumed full potential, that isn't an excuse to roll over and let the tier die completely out of pure laziness. What I'm getting at here is that there was a distinct lack of creativity towards the end of ORAS as the main gen, as well as the following couple years. I don't mean this as some sort of weird flex, but seeing my home tier bogged down into the same boring framework over and over to go along with people not attempting to do anything about it really rubbed me the wrong way. It seemed like everyone and their mother was under the impression that "using anything other than Sylveon/Celebi/Krook/Aero/Tentacruel/Steel is straight up worse" and it could not have been anything further from the truth. That 'STACK +1' framework single handedly ruined the tier in a lot of people's minds because oh no it's a combination of good Pokemon that have decent offensive and defensive synergy. Absolutely unbeatable!! This was amplified by the fact that goons threw on Fairy-resist: Doublade/Forretress/Arcanine/Bronzong/etc. and were apparently baffled why they couldn't pressure standard Sylveon defensive cores. It was mind-bogglingly frustrating.

Playing into this notion of "ORAS UU is a lost cause," everyone seemed to have their own take on what ruined the tier. It was clear there were broken elements at hand in some way shape or form, but simply put, some opinions on the matter were laughable. It blows my mind that Sylveon and Gyarados were once considered too much by veterans of the tier. With other perceived culprits, such as Hydreigon, Celebi, and Entei (more notably Sacred Fire), there were absolutely discussions to be had, but it became more and more clear over time that the metagame was capable of adjusting to them. In particular, Entei saw next to no usage this UUPL, as while it is a huge threat that must be accounted for in the teambuilder, it simply does not offer much to teams. Often times it relies on opposing teams being weak to it, which can be said for many breakers in any tier, but pretty much every team comes equipped with a bulky Water-type. It isn't a matchup fish by any means, but considering how naturally it is covered among common team frameworks, Entei's main selling point has been cut off. Anyway, as you would know if you've literally ever seen me talk about the tier, I strongly believe Conkeldurr is the driving force behind the clusterfuck that is ORAS UU. Conveniently, no one would realize this until later on because "xd dog shit tier not building this." It became increasingly apparent over the years how much of a flipping threat Bulk Up Conkeldurr was, essentially possessing 3 respectable counters, one solid check, and beyond that, nothing concrete. I delved into this more thoroughly here. I've said this in private chats a bunch of times, but that post was less about actually trying to get Conkeldurr banned for UUPL 2019 and more about spreading awareness. For YEARS, this flipping tier and its issues were misunderstood to an incredible extent, and that was the easiest way to bring Conkeldurr's unhealthiness to light. That bolded blurb there has always been my main frustration when it came to ORAS UU. At the risk of sounding super elitist in this scenario, people should not form opinions on something that they are clueless about, and that comes as a result of giving up on the tier when there was so much more room to explore.

So, after tons and tons of rants about ORAS UU as a whole and how its perception was entirely off, I took it more and more onto myself to shape the tier's narrative in a different light. I distinctly remember a number of prominent figures in the community saying things along the lines of "If you use Sylveon and Celebi and your opponent doesn't then you win," which naturally infuriated me. I wouldn't say I made a point not to use these Pokemon, but I had always favored other approaches and that became clear in my 2017 UUPL run where I went 7-1. In those 8 games I ended up using 0 Sylveon and 1 Celebi. Those trends have largely carried through over the last few years. That was just the start however. What I did make a point to do, was popularize certain team frameworks that abused the shit out of these standard lazy Sylveon balances that only won games because their opposition refused to punish them.

Team Frameworks
Now, in this section, I will of course touch on the ORAS UU frameworks that effectively killed defensive Sylveon, but beyond that, I want to highlight the direction has gone in as a whole. My previous section was meant less as an angsy rant than it was as the context necessary for the new age to take shape. Of course, teams are not limited to these types of approaches, but the ones included largely represent the common structures that are near-omnipresent across tournament play within the tier. Also, yes, I made almost all of these.

The Death of Defensive Sylveon
:xy/conkeldurr: :xy/empoleon: :xy/hydreigon:
1588300494497.png1588300610272.png1588300659044.png1588300780350.png
(click)
This concept was the primary one behind the death of defensive Sylveon and it's pretty simple. WishTect is horrendous recovery. Generally, the one Conkeldurr counter on standard 2016 ORAS teams was of course, Sylveon. While not limited to Empoleon but it was usually the most practical partner in the role, Bulk Up Conkeldurr + Steel-type phazer was a fantastic way of setting up Conkeldurr for a sweep later on in the game. Throw up rocks, Knock Off the Sylveon when Conk first gets in, then phaze Sylveon around as it tries to heal. Eventually, Conk gets out of hand and wins since it would beat everything else with solid support around it. Now, Conkeldurr + phazing cannot be the only way of pressuring Sylveon, as Conk isn't exactly doing heaps of damage to it. The most common approach alongside the ConkPoleon core also featured Choice Specs Flash Cannon Hydreigon, something that also appreciated the shit out of Empoleon's phazing capability. The lower Sylv gets, the worse it is at coming into its ridiculously powerful STAB moves, overwhelming Sylv in combination with the broken Fighting goon. Beyond that offensive fulcrum, the team usually rounded out with Crobat as much-needed defensive glue, Speed control, and positioning for the two breakers. Naturally there would also be a Ground-type, covering Mega Aerodactyl, usually getting up Stealth Rock, and sharing nice synergy with bulky Crobat. The last could honestly be whatever flavor pick to help out in a given matchup. There wasn't any definitive 6, as all versions have advantages and disadvantages, but Conk + Steel phazer + good support became a metagame staple and abused the shit out of the general defensive reliance on Sylveon.

:xy/mandibuzz: :xy/nidoqueen:
1588301977529.png1588302025916.png1588302068661.png1588302111311.png
(click)​

Ah yes, my flagship playstyle. I covered it and its own evolution here, but I'll go over the basic premise here as well, especially considering it contains the team I'm highlighting later on. Nidoqueen is one of the tier's most prominent offensive threats, thanks to its raw power, coverage options, natural bulk, and ability to abuse reliance on defensive Fairy-types. I've talked about this Pokemon 900 other places, but Mandibuzz has seen a huge rise since the end of ORAS as a fantastic anti-meta pick, dealing with many of the tier's biggest threats at the time, such as Hydreigon, Celebi, Mega Sceptile, CB Krook, Gyarados, etc. Additionally, it gets hazards off with Defog and is a great pivot with its slow U-turn, primarily into Nidoqueen on its main checks in Fairy-types. Something you may notice compared to the ConkPoleon section is that there was a lot more tinkering to do with this approach. It can go purely balanced or it can go in a more up-tempo direction. While you do want a Water, Steel, fast mon, and way of handling opposing Waters, there is a lot of flexibility in making those team picks. Additionally, the style is less round-about in its way of abusing Sylveon. Instead, Mandibuzz pivoted around on many of Sylveon's common partners mentioned above, then it would get Nidoqueen into favorable positions to throw our hazards or powerful attacks. Again, Sylveon's WishTect recovery is a major headache for its user, giving up a shit load of initiative to Nidoqueen, especially if it needs to heal up to handle its teammates. That's what Nidoqueen does best: abuse defensive Fairy-types and punish passiveness. That is the playstyle in a nut shell and its flexibility in the builder + in-game and its sheer power is what has always made it one of my favorite styles.

Admittedly, these two styles remain strong, but have lost a decent amount of their luster given the metagame adjustment away from Sylveon, utilizing Florges and its one-turn recovery from Synthesis instead. Naturally, this has cut down on the free turns for Pokemon like Nidoqueen and Florges is not nearly as vulnerable to Empoleon's Roar shenanigans preventing it from healing. With that said, onto what is truly represents the following term:

Modern ORAS

:xy/florges:
1588303434063.png1588303619738.png1588303663419.png1588303706990.png1588303773560.png1588303872830.png1588304129128.png1588304165469.png
(click)
Whew. The number of examples included here might be a little excessive at a glance, but it's important to note just how flexible that generic Florges balance can be. While it is a very very general term in what can fall under its umbrella, it is clear in a lot of these teams just how much more cohesive they can play than their Sylveon-based counterparts of old. Generally speaking, this is the most consistent playstyle in modern ORAS, and that is a big reason why. If built properly, Florges balances maintain what is usually the best balance by meeting defensive needs while having the option to keep up the pressure necessary to maintain momentum. Despite its better bulk and bigger Wishes, Sylveon teams are naturally slower paced by way of its more passive form of recovery, offering more turns for opposing threats and opting for a more defensive nature in order to cover them. Simply put, Florges is the best defensive glue in the tier, and there are a vast number of ways to capitalize on this inherent in-game flexibility. Given Hydreigon and Conkeldurr's dominating presences, defensive fairies will always be staples in ORAS UU and Florges is head and shoulders above the others.

:xy/slowking: :xy/mandibuzz:
1588304695195.png1588304786049.png1588304911131.png1588305077785.png
(click)
Hm, something might look familiar here. Anyway, while I said Mandiqueen was past its prime as a standalone playstyle, its "cousin" in Slowking Mandibuzz bulky offense has maintained a strong presence in tournament play. The premise remains similar to its predecessor in Mandiqueen, abusing reliance on defensive fairies by way of Mandibuzz's pivoting into threatening Poison breakers/hazard setters or Steels. However, the difference lies in its more offensively-inclined makeup. Slowking and Mandibuzz possess such flexible defensive uses between them that it frees up the rest of the team to focus more on offensive synergy than trying to check all the defensive boxes ORAS UU brings about in the builder. The two in tandem are likely the best two-mon defensive core that the tier has to offer, covering almost every top tier threat in some capacity, or at least offering pivoting options around them. As seen above though, the playstyle is fairly limited in its options beyond that defensive core, since Mega Aerodactyl is such a useful glue, especially for its Speed and ability to trap Celebis weakened by Mandibuzz's U-turn. Additionally, Roserade generally fits too well to put any other grasses, since it is a prime abuser of Mandibuzz's pivoting and forms a strong offensive core with Mega Aerodactyl and the presumed Fighting-type next to it. The Fighting-type is usually there because Roserade and Mega Aerodactyl do such a great job at neutralizing Crobat by way of their respective Sleep Powder and Pursuit, as well as the framework constantly putting opposing Fairies on the back foot. This support system in place makes set-up Fighting-types great picks as the teams' win conditions.

:xy/empoleon: :xy/crobat:
1588306269598.png1588306542664.png1588306601598.png1588306658303.png
(click)
Now, beyond shitting on Sylveon-reliant balance teams, Empoleon + bulky Acrobatics Bat is also just a strong defensive core. Crobat itself is a horrendous Defog user, and given the tier's limited options in that department, Empoleon fills that role and lets Crobat perform as its best. Otherwise, Haze Defog Crobat would give up loads of momentum as it cant get rocks off its side and is forced into continually Roosting, while lacking the option to gain momentum since it can't fit U-turn. At a glance, these teams have a striking resemblance to the ConkPoleon teams of old, but with Florges' rise, there has been some movement away from Roar being a primary countermeasure against defensive Fairy-types on this type of framework. As a result, the Fighting-types of choice are much much more immediately threatening, featuring CB Conkeldurr on the first two, Toxic Orb Heracross on the third, and an all-out-attacking AV Hera on the last. Alongside these roided up physical goons is their trusty partner in crime: Steel coverage Hydreigon on the first three, while the last opts for Mega Abomasnow in hopes of cutting off Florges' Synthesis recovery. Naturally, turning away from the previously standard BU Conk in that Fighting slot means the team needs other ways of dealing with bulky Water-types. All of these examples possess a great deal of options in that department.

Metagame Developments
:xy/metagross:
Metagross @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 108 Atk / 96 Def / 56 Spe
Impish Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Protect / Stealth Rock
- Toxic

Metagross has historically been seen as one of the most punishing offensive Steels, be it through its Choice Band, offensive rock setter, or even lure sets, but this set takes an entirely different approach to the gen 3 fan favorite. Given the prominence of bulky Water-types in the tier, more standard offensive sets do not always have the breathing room to reach their full potential as a mon, but much of its counterplay has something in common: a weakness to Toxic. Pokemon like Slowking, Swampert, and Seismitoad simply hate the turn to turn chip as it severely hinders their longevity. The bulk investment allows Metagross to more effectively combat opposing Steel-types (whom are immune to Toxic) as well as better handle threats like Mega Aerodactyl. Protect allows it to both scout choiced attackers like CB Krookodile and Scarf Hydreigon while also letting it accumulate more and more passive recovery, similar to other notorious bulky Steels of old such as ADV OU Skarmory or ORAS RU Registeel. This thing is hilariously annoying for many teams, especially with the general fall of Suicune and Forretress, and it still sufficiently threatens the ever-present Florges for its teammates that may struggle against it.

:xy/seismitoad:
Seismitoad @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
- Scald
- Knock Off / Earth Power
- Toxic / Earth Power
- Stealth Rock

Seismitoad has been seeing more and more usage as opposed to its usual direct competition in defensive Swampert. The principle is really simple. Scald is a ridiculously good move in ORAS UU, and having an immunity to it in your corner is absolutely worth the minor trade off in bulk. The Scald immunity is especially prevalent in that it lets Seismitoad completely counter most Empoleon and Tentacruel, two of the tier's most common hazard control options. Winning those exchanges handily makes putting on pressure that much easier, as obviously Swampert really can't directly combat that aforementioned removers. It may be favored in an isolated one-on-one situation, but Scald burns severely hamper its offensive presence and overall longevity, making Seismitoad vastly superior as a pure rocks setter while offering comparable defensive utility.

:xy/pelipper:
Pelipper @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Scald
- Roost
- U-turn
- Defog

Functionally, Pelipper is very similar to its slow U-turning Defogging counterparts in Mandibuzz and Gligar. While its defensive uses are much more limited than those of the former, which stand out as its main competition, Pelipper offers a solid answer to a unique combination of offensive threats. This includes Pokemon such as Mega Swampert, Cobalion, bulky Steel-types, and most Choice Band Conkeldurr. Unfortunately, it cannot realistically fit Flying STAB to more sufficiently threaten Fighting-types, but it performs its role nonetheless. It is not a stellar option by any means, but given the tier's limited options for its slow-pivoting and hazard-removing role, it possesses a solid niche in the tier.

:xy/jellicent:
Jellicent (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / REDACTED Def / REDACTED Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hex
- Recover
- Will-O-Wisp
- Taunt

Jellicent is satan. If there's anything universally agreed on in Pokemon, it's that burns were broken pre-gen 7. This thing literally just sits there and throws out wisps and Taunts, annoying pretty much any (particularly Tentacruel) balance team in existence since its counterplay in actuality is so limited. Additionally, Fire-types really aren't prevalent in the slightest, especially with the fall of Entei, so all there is to directly punish Jellicent are Pokemon like Roserade, Celebi, and Guts Fighting-types. With the proper support, Jellicent is a major threat to be reckoned with. However, despite its massive potential in certain matchups, it remains rarely seen due to it not accomplishing what bulky Water-types are generally relied on to handle. As a result, threats such as Mega Swampert, Mega Aerodactyl, and Krookodile can present bigger issues than they otherwise may.

:xy/rhyperior:
Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Atk / 244 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn / Toxic / whatever
- Stealth Rock

Following Seismitoad, a Ground-type rocker where its merits lie almost solely in its Scald immunity, we have another Ground-type rocker with the worst possible matchup against the tier's most spammed move. However, its positive traits are fairly similar to some of its main selling points in SM UU, being its ability to check Flying-types and its natural offensive presence. While Seismitoad more directly combats Tentacruel and Empoleon, Rhyperior possesses a stronger one-on-one matchup versus removers like Mandibuzz and Crobat. Due to this trait, it makes for a fantastic Roserade partner, further pressuring two of its most prominent checks. It has a fine niche, but its weakness to common moves in Scald and Mega Aerodactyl's Earthquake make it harder to justify than other options in many cases.


IN-DEPTH

:xy/nidoqueen:

Nidoqueen @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 128 HP / 252 SpA / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Stealth Rock​

Nidoqueen presents the team with its primary way of making initial progress. Its combination of coverage, raw power, natural bulk, and useful resistances give it an essentially unmatched skill set within the tier. It has a grand total of two hard answers; otherwise it is capable of at least trading with the vast majority of the tier, and nothing quite abuses defensive Fairy-types like Nidoqueen. Naturally, it heavily appreciated Sylveon when it was the defensive Fairy-type of choice, given the passivity brought about by its WishTect form of recovery, but the principle remains the same even with Florges replacing it on most balance teams. In any case those two hand Nidoqueen near-free opportunities to throw out its hazards or roided up attacks. The favorable positioning presented by U-turn Mandibuzz possesses similar effectiveness as the old days, allowing Nidoqueen to wreak as much havoc as possible.

:xy/mandibuzz:

Mandibuzz @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 240 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Foul Play
- Roost
- U-turn
- Defog​

As I've said 901 times by now, Mandibuzz offers a unique blend of defensive utility in addition to its rare capabilities as a slow U-turn pivot and entry hazard remover. While Pokemon like Gyarados, Mega Sceptile, and Choice Band Krookodile have fallen off to come extent, it remains a strong countermeasure or pivot to other threats like Celebi, Mega Blastoise, Hydreigon, Roserade, and Mega Swampert. There isn't another Pokemon available that possesses that level of natural utility, and it really is the engine that makes the team go. U-turning, specifically on its main answers in Fairy-types, hands its teammates free opportunities to fuck shit up whether its with their hazards, Sleep Powder, or strong attacks. It does have some issues versus some goons like Conkeldurr and Taunt Rocks Krookodile, but it is largely a net positive in most matchups.

:xy/roserade:

Roserade @ Meadow Plate
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Sludge Bomb
- Toxic Spikes
- Sleep Powder​

If Mandiqueen is my flagship playstyle as a player, Roserade is my flagship Pokemon. This thing is just so flipping good, and the pressure it applies is up there with the best in the tier. It sees natural favorable positions against the tier's ever-present Fairy- and Water-types, further abusing those chances by putting whatever present counterplay out of commission with Sleep Powder on the switch. Speaking of positioning, Mandibuzz proves absolutely vital in getting Roserade into these good spots, considering its shaky-at-best bulk. Ordinarily, I believe Sleep Powder 3 attack Roserade is the best set in ORAS UU, but Toxic Spikes are especially crucial in this teams matchup versus fatter teams like AloBliss. Also, getting walled by Pokemon such as Escavalier and Forretress is not that big of a deal given the other counterplay to both, whether its Cobalion or Nidoqueen. Additionally, Natural Cure is helpful given that Roserade does see a good amount of pressure as the team's #1 answer to bulky waters, so alleviating burns is appreciated. As for Meadow Plate, I opted for it over Black Sludge to further punish common pivots like Empoleon and Tentacruel which can otherwise be annoying to some extent.

:xy/aerodactyl-mega:

Aerodactyl-Mega @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 20 SpD / 236 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace
- Crunch
- Pursuit​

Mega Aerodactyl has been one of the kings of the tier pretty much since its inception. The speed along with additional support options like Pursuit really help tie the team together in combination with Mandibuzz, as it can trap a weakened Celebi or Crobat to free up teammates. While Mega Aerodactyl does many of the same things for the most part, there are some twists on this specific set. Crunch is a crucial move for the team to more effectively handle Calm Mind Reuniclus, which would otherwise be a near unbeatable threat if played well. An Adamant nature will get you castrated by certain users, but its crucial alongside Crunch for better rolls on the aforementioned Reuniclus. Also, Mega Sceptile has fallen out of favor to an extent, and Mandibuzz is one of the sturdiest counters to it anyway. Mega Beedrill is another one that's essentially extinct given its difficulty fitting on teams. Overall, weirdish set, but it performs roles necessary for the team to perform to its fullest.

:xy/slowking:

Slowking @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Psychic
- Slack Off
- Toxic​

As mentioned way above, Colbur Slowking and Mandibuzz from a fantastic two-Pokemon defensive core, covering almost every relevant offensive threat at least marginally well between them. The biggest advantages of Slowking over other Water-types is its broken Regenerator ability and capability of countering Mandibuzz's most prominent counter in opposing Cobalion. The former of which gives the team much much more flexibility in-game. Ordinarily, you would expect such an offensively oriented team to have some difficulty positioning around when faced with opposing offensive threats, but the pivoting provided by it and the buzzard open up countless avenues play. Colbur Berry + Psychic lets it check Bulk Up Conkeldurr, at least weakening it for one of its teammates to finish it off, while also giving it some extra room to annoy goons like Hydreigon and Krookodile. Toxic was the utility pick in the last slot primarily to handle Cresselia, but it universally useful in a tier lacking many solid switch-ins. Ridiculously important glue for the team.

:xy/cobalion:

Cobalion @ Shuca Berry / Lum Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
- Zen Headbutt
- Swords Dance​

Cobalion offers the squad with a potent setup sweeper, taking advantage of the wallbreaking and hazards set by its teammates in Roserade and Nidoqueen. Along with its role as a set up goon, Cobalion also gives the team some additional speed alongside Mega Aerodactyl and a check to bulky Normal-types that may give trouble to the aforementioned special attackers. Shuca Berry comes in handy for serving as a soft check to opposing Mega Aerodactyl and more easily pivoting around Pokemon such as Mamoswine and Krookodile if needed. Lum Berry is another fine option, most notably helping out in the teams matchup against AloBliss alongside Roserade's Toxic Spikes, as well as shrugging off weak Scalds without risking a burn. Zen Headbutt is a cool coverage option to nail Tentacruel and opposing Nidoqueen, minimizing their opportunities to annoy the team and punching through those types of squads more easily if they are the only fighting checks alongside the presumed Fairy-type.

THREAT LIST
:reuniclus: CM Reuniclus - Although Mega Aerodactyl's set is largely tailored towards shoring up the team's Reuniclus matchup, it is by no means fantastic counterplay, especially if rocks are on my side. Roserade and Nidoqueen are capable of denting it while unboosted, but it sees essentially free opportunities against Mandibuzz and Slowking, meaning positioning around it is crucial.

:suicune: Suicune (+ Pursuit) - There isn't a ton to say here that couldn't be inferred already, but the team's main Suicune answer is Roserade. Roserade has notoriously low physical defense and is slower than the tier's main Pursuit users in Mega Aerodactyl and Krookodile, making Suicune in tandem with them a scary sight at times. It's still 5050s which can be won, but avoiding the scenario altogether is ideal.

:heracross: Heracross - Heracross is one of the few offensive threats that can actively abuse Slowking + Mandibuzz as a defensive core. While other Fighting-types are generally kept in check by Slowking + the others, Heracross is especially tough to pivot around against. Minimizing its opportunities via good positioning with Aerodactyl and a healthy Nidoqueen goes a long way here.

REPLAYS
Mexico PL vs Bushtush - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6uu-1053815869-rxyeoy68b66758p8id5vl6cfqb1vvjspw
Mexico PL vs Rewer - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6uu-1044274931-7424k05rrasendi0jhmta6e45d5b3rkpw
Mexico PL vs Jardem - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6uu-838819598
RoA Olympics vs ZDen - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6uu-837307079
RoA Olympics vs Tezy - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6uu-837002256
RoA Olympics vs hs - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6uu-834084082
Something vs PDT - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6uu-818354583
UUPL V vs Rodriblutar - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-uu-288146
UUPL VI vs Nat - https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen6uu-742532320
Many, many others that were not me

CONCLUSION
There isn't much else to be said at this point given the full novel I dropped in the intro, but this tier is my home and it will always hold a special place in my heart. This was my favorite team ever and it seems like a perfect time to "retire" it since literally everyone knows/has it and the tier has evolved a shit ton since its inception. I'm not sure what the future holds for me mons wise, but thanks for reading sirs, have a good one.

IMPORT
Cobalion @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
- Zen Headbutt
- Swords Dance

Roserade @ Meadow Plate
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Sludge Bomb
- Toxic Spikes
- Sleep Powder

Mandibuzz @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 240 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Foul Play
- Roost
- U-turn
- Defog

Slowking @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Def / 8 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Psychic
- Slack Off
- Toxic

Aerodactyl-Mega @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 20 SpD / 236 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Stone Edge
- Aerial Ace
- Crunch
- Pursuit

Nidoqueen @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 128 HP / 252 SpA / 128 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Stealth Rock
 
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