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Project NeverUsed Dark Horse Project (Check Post #153)
- Thread starter nv
- Start date
- Status
I've been laddering for this off and on for the past several days, and it definitely subverted my expectations. I was able to take my ragtag group of low usage Pokemon higher up the ladder than I thought I could, and the Pokemon I chose as Dark Horses were more useful that I'd imagined.
I want to do more than just post a team and a score, so I'll add some observations on the Dark Horses I chose along with some replays.
Regice was the starting point and centerpiece of my team. The idea was wear opposing Pokemon down through hazard stacking and VoltTurn while creating opportunities for Specs Regice to blow holes in the opponent's team.
Ultimately, Regice was consistently useful, if not a standout Pokemon. I found myself thinking of how other heavy hitters like Samurott or Magmortar would probably be more effective in the role it was playing, though I never felt like its damage output was lacking either. The most consistent use I got from it was the ability to break past Calm Mind users with Frost Breath, which came into play more than you might think. Its respectable natural bulk also affords it extra switch-ins against things like Haunter and Mesprit.
I added Electrode to form a VoltTurn core with Primeape without taking up much usage, but it turned out to be the most valuable part of the team in many battles.
NU is actually really friendly to Electrode right now. In a metagame where Sceptile and Swellow are premier offensive threats, its speed tier is a valuable asset. Swellow in particular dislikes dealing with it because Soundproof gives it immunity to Boomburst. Being able to stop Malamar with Signal Beam is another positive, especially since many players aren't familiar with Electrode and will stay in on it.
Electrode works very well as a late game cleaner and was a consistent threat to my opponents at the end of games, but it wasn't often able to shine until then. An average Special Attack and weak coverage moves amount to a weak early/mid-game presence, and Volt Switch blockers (usually Steelix) stopped me from being able to use it for utility and pressure at those stages very often.
I had a lot of fun with this, and I learned some new things as well! I'm definitely looking forward to trying this again in the coming months.
I want to do more than just post a team and a score, so I'll add some observations on the Dark Horses I chose along with some replays.
Regice was the starting point and centerpiece of my team. The idea was wear opposing Pokemon down through hazard stacking and VoltTurn while creating opportunities for Specs Regice to blow holes in the opponent's team.
Ultimately, Regice was consistently useful, if not a standout Pokemon. I found myself thinking of how other heavy hitters like Samurott or Magmortar would probably be more effective in the role it was playing, though I never felt like its damage output was lacking either. The most consistent use I got from it was the ability to break past Calm Mind users with Frost Breath, which came into play more than you might think. Its respectable natural bulk also affords it extra switch-ins against things like Haunter and Mesprit.
I added Electrode to form a VoltTurn core with Primeape without taking up much usage, but it turned out to be the most valuable part of the team in many battles.
NU is actually really friendly to Electrode right now. In a metagame where Sceptile and Swellow are premier offensive threats, its speed tier is a valuable asset. Swellow in particular dislikes dealing with it because Soundproof gives it immunity to Boomburst. Being able to stop Malamar with Signal Beam is another positive, especially since many players aren't familiar with Electrode and will stay in on it.
Electrode works very well as a late game cleaner and was a consistent threat to my opponents at the end of games, but it wasn't often able to shine until then. An average Special Attack and weak coverage moves amount to a weak early/mid-game presence, and Volt Switch blockers (usually Steelix) stopped me from being able to use it for utility and pressure at those stages very often.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/nu-320013463 - An extremely close game, this would have been over for me very early on without Regice to muscle past both Audino and Musharna with Frost Breath.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/nu-319417234 - Electrode's role in this battle is very atypical; it's pivotal during the first two turns and completely useless for the remainder of the battle in the face of Trick Room.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/nu-321440836 - Basically what I wanted from this team, with Electrode and the others working to create openings for Regice throughout the game.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/nu-321460921 - Regice's bulk comes into play here when it emergency checks SD Sceptile, making room for Electrode to clean the rest (But I doubled to Primeape because i forgot Steelix was low ;_;)
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/nu-319417234 - Electrode's role in this battle is very atypical; it's pivotal during the first two turns and completely useless for the remainder of the battle in the face of Trick Room.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/nu-321440836 - Basically what I wanted from this team, with Electrode and the others working to create openings for Regice throughout the game.
http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/nu-321460921 - Regice's bulk comes into play here when it emergency checks SD Sceptile, making room for Electrode to clean the rest (But I doubled to Primeape because i forgot Steelix was low ;_;)
I had a lot of fun with this, and I learned some new things as well! I'm definitely looking forward to trying this again in the coming months.
With the January stats out, February Dark Horse can start. Post your teams, the total usage of the team as well as the individual usage of each, and fresh alts.
As done with every time we have drops, since there are no usage of them in January, they will not be allowed in February's Dark Horse even if they get a ranking in the VR thread.
Please make sure you guys update your posts with your peaks so I can add you guys into the archive.
As done with every time we have drops, since there are no usage of them in January, they will not be allowed in February's Dark Horse even if they get a ranking in the VR thread.
Please make sure you guys update your posts with your peaks so I can add you guys into the archive.
127 | Jumpluff | 0.41497%
82 | Linoone | 1.23461%
2 | Mesprit | 18.51208%
71 | Floatzel | 1.85797%
93 | Ninetales | 1.01570%
17 | Garbodor | 10.16963%
Total: 33.2%
New alt: Oshioki no Jikan
82 | Linoone | 1.23461%
2 | Mesprit | 18.51208%
71 | Floatzel | 1.85797%
93 | Ninetales | 1.01570%
17 | Garbodor | 10.16963%
Total: 33.2%
New alt: Oshioki no Jikan
- Status