Project National Dex Next Best Thing - Slate 10: Dragapult

[hidin]

Banner by Zephyr2007
Approved by Moderation Team | OP taken from Egor's one | Hosted by hidin and Dorron

What is the Next Best Thing?
The Next Best Thing is a project where users search through the listed Pokemon's movepool and post about it. In your post, explain what is does and why it should be used over a standard set. Here are a few examples, courtesy of TPP, Anish and Finchinator, which can be found below!

Examples

click me!
Garchomp by TPP


click me!
Zygarde by Anish


click me!
Tangrowth by Finchinator

How does it work?
Every cycle a new Pokemon will be chosen for participants to create a new creative yet effective set, and this set should not be in progress of being written or already uploaded on the Smogdex. The participants will get 3-4 days to make their set and create their post. People may discuss the set posted during these days, the following two days there will be a vote to represent the most creative yet effective set. After the voting, the winner will have been announced and their post will be archived.

Rules
- Feel free to be as creative as possible, but you must be able to showcase the viability of your set. Replays are a good asset to demonstrate your arguments - especially for newer players - but are not compulsory.
- Your set may not be changed after the voting phase as begun, but may be changed prior to the voting stage.
- You may only submit one set per week.
- You cannot vote for your own submission.
- Do not post sets that have either been reserved or have been posted. However, you may reserve a set if the reservation has not been altered for over 24 hours.
- Please do not make a habit out of not following up on your reservation.
- Please do not reserve a set that currently has an analysis or is in the process of being created.

Hall of Fame

Cycle 1 - Choice Specs Gholdengo

Gholdengo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Good as Gold
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Make It Rain
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Trick

Cycle 2 - Reversal Zamazenta

Zamazenta @ Protective Pads
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Howl
- Reversal
- Crunch
- Substitute

 

[hidin]

Cycle 1

Gholdengo's provides immense utility for one Pokemon; its ability Good As Gold and Steel / Ghost Typing with considerable bulk make it an amazing Pokemon to slot on a variety of teams. It checks dangerous threats such as Iron Valiant, Zamazenta, and Tapu Lele as well, which Gholdengo absolutely feasts on. As such, lets see what you can do to make Gholdengo the Next Best Thing!

Submissions end March 10th!​

 

[ChrisPBacon]

Gholdengo @ Fightinium Z
Ability: Good as Gold
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 248 HP / 20 Def / 36 SpA / 204 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Focus Blast
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- Recover

kingambit and ttar switch into ghold. they try to kill it with suit. click fight z and kill them.
bulk lets u live gambit sucker agter like a few soverlord boosts bc why not, speed for 254 tier, rest in spa to best smack tinglu
nuff said

 

[sealoo]

Gholdengo @ Choice Specs
Ability: Good as Gold
Tera Type: Ghost
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Make It Rain
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Trick

Hits real hard and is real powerful and is real good at breaking real pokemon.

real pokemon include: heatran, clod, hippo, gambit (if u predict good), landorus, garchomp

 

[Giyu]

Gholdengo @ Metronome
Ability: Good as Gold
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Flash Cannon
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast / Thunderbolt / Recover
- Substitute

real nice for passive pokemon and is a good way to eliminate switch-ins like tyranitar and kingambit

 

[hidin]

Voting is open! We close on March 13th, so be sure to quickly vote for your favorites!

 

[Giyu]

by sealoo

 

[sealoo]

by Giyu

 

[Dorron]

Fightinium Z

 

[Sulo]

specs

 

[Dorron]

Congrats to sealoo for winning the first Next Best Thing cycle!!

Cycle 2

Zamazenta is one of the new staples in the tier this generation. Its incredible stats, superb Speed tier and movepool additions in Body Press make it a force that can't be ignored in the teambuilder. All his three sets are threatening offensive options that can break through many walls the tier offers. But this time we will take a look to what makes it our Next Best Thing.

Submissions end March 17th!​

 

[Giyu]

Zamazenta @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Wild Charge
- Crunch
- Ice Fang

Zamazenta can be a potent revenge killer due to it's impressive coverage and offensive stats, outpacing the likes of Dragapult and other Choice Scarf users such as Gholdengo, Kartana, and Walking Wake.

 

[Sputnik]

Zamazenta @ Protective Pads
Ability: Dauntless Shield
Tera Type: Fighting
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Howl
- Reversal
- Crunch
- Substitute

I haven't rigirously tested this set really but it seems promising as a nutty sweeper that does well into many playstyles. Sub, Howl as much as possible, and keep subbing until you get down to 1 HP. Tera and go nuts. Unboosted Reversal hits harder than CB Close Combat, you can get multiple Howls up in some cases, and the lack of band means you can fit Crunch to hit Ghosts without predicting. Protective Pads gives you safety against the many Helmet users in the metagame+Ferrothorn. Chip Pex and Lando before you try to get going.

 

[hidin]

Ok so I forgot to do voting on Friday, and due to little submissions I'll make this quick and end voting March 19th. Vote for your favorite!

 

[R8]

reversal

 

[Redgoop115]

scarf

 

[Taka]

Reversal

 

[sealoo]

Reversal

 

[Giyu]

Reversal

 

[hidin]

Congratulations to Sputnik for winning this slate with Reversal Zamazenta!

Cycle 3

Tapu Lele is known for its immense strength due to its charged up Psychic STAB and generally being a very potent offensive threat that teams must prepare for. Choice Specs, Choice Scarf, and Calm Mind are all the usual but let's see what you can do to make Tapu Lele the Next Best Thing!

Submissions end March 24th!​

 

[sealoo]

Tapu Lele @ Assault Vest
Ability: Psychic Surge
Tera Type: Water / Psychic
EVs: 80 HP / 252 SpA / 56 SpD / 120 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Moonblast
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Shadow Ball

not a new set by any means, in fact it was probably better last gen, but its still good and functions pretty well rn. honestly, the defensive utility is cool but having a lele that can switch moves just doesnt feel fair in some mus. spread is like 256 to creep things trying to get above ape, enough hp to live 3 stoss (do w/e with that, chans/bliss suck), and then spd dump

 

[Giyu]

Tapu Lele @ Twisted Spoon
Ability: Psychic Surge
Tera Type: Normal / Psychic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psyshock / Psychic
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Taunt

Twisted Spoon Tapu Lele saw considerable usage in SwSh due to it's ability to bluff Choice Specs and halt bulkier team compositions with Taunt. Would-be checks such as Gastrodon and Chansey are severely punished by Taunt and sustain immense damage from Psyshock.

 

[ArSd]

Tapu Lele @ Life Orb
Ability: Psychic Surge
Tera Type: Psychic
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Moonblast
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball

This set has the ability to 2hko pretty much the entire defensive metagame (Chansey is not real), shadow ball over taunt or calm mind allows you to snipe opposing Gholdengo which is otherwise a fine check. Life Orb is chosen over Psychic Spoon since it allows you to get the 2hko on both Garg and Hippo while keeping the ability to switch moves.

Calcs

252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Garganacl in Psychic Terrain: 192-227 (47.5 - 56.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Lele Psychic vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Hippowdon in Psychic Terrain: 220-261 (52.3 - 62.1%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock and Leftovers recovery
252 SpA Life Orb Tapu Lele Focus Blast vs. 248 HP / 128 SpD Scizor-Mega: 151-178 (44 - 51.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Stealth Rock

 

[Sputnik]

I'm so sorry.


Tapu Lele @ Leftovers
Ability: Psychic Surge
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Iron Defense
- Calm Mind
- Stored Power
- Taunt / Dazzling Gleam / Moonblast but this is lamer

Idef and CM then start clicking Stored Power. Taunt ruins fatter stuff, DGleam hits Darks. Not much to add I think this sort of set speaks for itself these days lmao.

 

[Giyu]

I'm so sorry.


Tapu Lele @ Leftovers
Ability: Psychic Surge
Tera Type: Steel
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Iron Defense
- Calm Mind
- Stored Power
- Taunt / Dazzling Gleam

Idef and CM then start clicking Stored Power. Taunt ruins fatter stuff, DGleam hits Darks. Not much to add I think this sort of set speaks for itself these days lmao.

why not use moonblast instead of gleam