NEW TO NU: OBSERVATIONS, NOTES AND NOT-SO-PRO TIPS BY DRACOYOSHI8
So I guess I should introduce myself for those who do not know me. I am Dracoyoshi8, a not-so-skilled battler and teambuilder who joined Smogon during the DP era. I started playing NU on Shoddy battle during Gen IV and eventually go back into NU again near the end of Gen V until I ragequit because Liepard is a cheating bastard. I didn't play much of XY competitively, although I did dabble in Ubers and Little Cup at times. Well, now it is summer and I have not much to do, so I decided to start exploring competitive Pokemon, working my way from OU down. About five days ago, I tried NU for the very first time. OU, UU and RU didn't really stick with me, but I ended up falling quickly in love with NU.
However, I came in with no prior knowledge of the Pokemon, the metagame or what even to use. So I guessed and picked Pokemon I thought looked good and jumped onto the ladder and into PS! #neverused lobby tournaments. And I learned certain things very quickly. And now I am here to share my choice nuggets of wisdom with the community, so that one day when another new player gets 6-0'd by Heatmor because they didn't know it learned Giga Drain, he or she won't feel bad either!
1. Mantine does not counter Cryogonal.
Okay so I really like Mantine. He has a ton of Special Defense, he learns Defog, can burn peeps with Scald and flinch hos with Air Slash. Also he is a manta ray kite that carries remoraids like they're his goons and Mantine is some underground crimelord. All-in-all the mon is a total baller. So when I saw Cryogonal, I thought that Mantine has enough Special Defense to take this sucker on. Turns out there is this move called Freeze-Dry that is super-effective on Water-types, and therefore 4x super effective against Mantine. So the snowflake made my Mantine float belly up. It also turns out Cryogonal has obscene Special Defense too, so Mantine probably couldn't have touched it either.
2. Feraligatr often carries Lum Berry.
This Pokemon is disgusting. It gets not one, but TWO amazing boosting moves, has priority, is bulky as real life alligator and also learns a gajillion coverage moves. So when I saw it come out vs. my Spiritomb, I thought that if I could burn it with Will-O-Wisp, it would be totally useless. Feraligatr set up Swords Dance and I used WoW. Turns out it had a Lum Berry. And then the Gatr smacked me with an obscenely powerful Waterfall that also flinched me. In another battle, I tried to paralyze Feraligatr with my Regirock's Thunder Wave, and once again it had a Lum Berry. And then it swept the rest of my team. Feraligatr alone has probably turned Lum Berries into a cash crop being picked by underpayed and discriminated immigrants. And yet I put Lum SD Gatr on my team. I am a terrible person.
3. There is no safe switch-in to Magmortar
This is my least favorite Pokemon in the metagame. First of all, it's hideous. It's some monstrous flaming duck with arm cannons, spikes, massive thighs and skinny shins. And it is constantly glaring out from under its massively protruding forehead. Furthermore, you can't switch into it. It has 125 Special Attack and some of the weirdest yet most impossibly hard to predict coverage ever. I had a Dragalge on my team at full health when my opponent sent in Magmortar. In my mind, Dragalge seemed like the perfect switch-in. It resists Thunderbolt, Fire Blast, Focus Blast and Hidden Power Grass. So I switch to my kelp dragon and Magmortar uses Psychic. PSYCHIC. I didn't even realize it learned Psychic. It's a flaming duck, what level of telepathy can that possibly have? My poor Dragalge was 2HKOed and I proceeded to get rekt. Idk how you switch into this mon without like Assault Vest Grumpig. Someone tell me :(
4. Use Mesprit on every team.
I am convinced this is the best Pokemon in the tier. It's not the fastest, it's not the strongest and it's not the bulkiest, but it can do ANYTHING. You need something to set up Stealth Rock? Mesprit learns that. A bulky pivot? It gets Knock off and U-turn, go to town. It can sweep with Calm Mind, revenge kill and cripple with Choice Scarf+Trick and paralyze fools with Thunder Wave. And when Mesprit is low on health and has done, it can sacrifice itself for the greater good with Healing Wish so your 420 #blazeit Lum Berry Feraligatr can come back in at full health.
5. Frustration is better than Return.
Most people don't use Frustration because they don't lower their happiness. As such, Frustration is a very nice move when your opponent has a Ditto. So when your opponent Imposters your Fearow and tries to hit you with Frustration, they end up dealing about 2% damage. And then you can kill Ditto with Drill Peck that your opponent was too dumb to use instead of Frustration.
6. If you end up battling Aladyyn, try your best.
So this guy is pretty good at NU. And if you end up battling him, give it your best shot, and if you lose, know that you lost to one of the best players in the tier. On the other hand, losing to Raseri.................
7. Heatmor is an overpowered piece of shit.
Heatmor is a lot like Magmortar, except somehow it ends up being even uglier. It also has Flash Fire, gets priority and can use Giga Drain. Like I don't know what I am doing wrong. This thing gets me every single time. I thought that I could at least revenge kill it with my Mesprit, but it gets Sucker Punch too. Oh, and it gets Knock Off, just to be a dick. #HeatmorForSuspect
8. Masquerain learns Sticky Web.
So when I saw my first Masquerain, I immediately thought it was going to use Quiver Dance and try to Baton Pass. So I figured my Steelix could set up Stealth Rock and just Roar it away as it tries to pass. As it turns out, Surskit learns Sticky Web. I did not anticipate that Masquerain would use it. In a moment of panic, I went to my Defog user to get rid of it and Masquerain started using Quiver Dance. It all went down-hill from there.
9. Don't underestimate Vivillion.
Yes it is an early game bug. And yes, the fact that you can't choose which Vivillion you want to use on Showdown is almost reason enough not to use the Pokemon. But this mon ain't no Beautifly or Butterfree. This sucker gets COMPOUNDEYES HURRICANE. Not only that, it can put you to sleep and set up with Quiver Dance. Suddenly the butterfly you OHKOed at the first Gym with Rollout Dunsparce is tearing your team apart, the entire time with its disgusting cheerful smile on its face and fluttering daintily in the breeze. Despicable.
10. Archeops is a crazy bird.
I don't know what is going on but Archeops is seriously upset about it. Maybe he's panicking because he is getting close to 50%. Or maybe he knows that his trainer gave him Choice Band Head Smash and that he has only one, maybe two, shots to do any real damage. Or maybe he is frustrated that they haven't released Flying Gem yet. Whatever it is, Archeops is in a crazed-rage about it and more than willing to share it with obscenely powerful STAB Acrobatics. Good thing Gatr has Aqua Jet.
11. Anticipate Assault Vest on ANYTHING.
There is this bizarre boner for Assault Vest. I don't really get it, but a lot of other players really like the item. And if it gets at least 4 good attacking moves, you better believe someone is going to put a vest on it. One day I tried to use Sludge Bomb on a Miltank and watched as it did pretty much no damage, and I realized it was an Assault Vest Miltank. Why would you use Assault Vest on a Pokemon with Heal Bell, Milk Drink, Thunder Wave and Stealth Rock at its disposal? Who knows.
12. Pelipper is super legit.
Pelipper has ranged from mediocre to downright garbage for three generations, but Gen VI is finally Pelipper's time to shine. At least in NU. It has a surprising amount of physical bulk, can remove hazard with Defog, heal with Roost and learns Scald, aka best move in the game. It also learns Knock Off for some reason, aka second best move in the game. If it learned Whirlwind I would totally use it to switch in on Feraligatr, but for now its pretty good against most Fighting-types and a lot of Ground-types. It also delivers the mail, and there is not a hero more unsung than the postman. Keep on doing the good work, Pelipper.
13. Assault Vest Regirock is bad.
I am a firm believer that Regirock is one of the most underappreciated Pokemon ever. Anything that learns Stealth Rock, Thunder Wave and Drain Punch is alright in my book, but give it naturally insane Defense and it goes from alright to fantastic as far as I am concerned. However, putting Assault Vest on it takes away from its two best traits: the ability to reliably set up rock and spread paralysis. Please don't use AV Regirock :(
14. Have fun.
The NU community is, I believe, the most welcoming and friendly community on Smogon. I am not saying that other communities aren't, because they are, but something about NU is especially warm. Maybe it comes from playing a metagame where Pokemon that have been put down for generations can actually be viable. Whatever it is, the NU community knows how to have a good time, and is more than willing to welcome any and all new players to join the party, even if they think that Assault Vest Magcargo is a good idea. There is plenty to lean, plenty of cool people to meet, and plenty of fun to be had.
PLEASE SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED IN NU :>
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