Hello! I'm relatively new to the ADV NU tier, but I've been playing games with my friends using samples for quite a while and decided to build a team of my own.
The team uses rain to enable its swift swim users as well as certain defensive Pokemon, rounded out by answers to other threats in the tier.
Rationale for choosing each member:
I began with Huntail. I wanted to build a rain team, and it is the premiere choice for such teams. I then wondered if I could supplement with another swift swim user, and came up with Relicanth. Relicanth also exists in the tier as a Choice Band user and a physically defensive wall, meaning it forces switches from an opponent anticipating strong attacks or to be walled. Both of them set up rain, and one can wear down the others' checks for the other to continue the rain assault. Then, I chose Roselia as a midgame spiker. It also enjoys the defensive utility of rain, and is a decent check to sun sweepers while rain is up because of Stun Spore. Speaking of sun checks, I chose Golbat as it quad-resists Solar Beam and can semi-comfortably take sun-boosted HP Fires from the likes of Tangela while hitting back with Sludge bomb. (252 SpA Tangela Hidden Power Fire vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Golbat in Sun: 121-143 (34.1 - 40.3%) -- 42.5% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery)
Additionally, Golbat is a premiere Hitmonchan check because of its quad-resist to fighting and ability to outspeed it. Finally, I chose Hitmonchan as a lead because it threatens lead Glalie with fighting coverage and rapid spin and can agility on the switch. If it uses agility on the switch to Golbat, it can comfortably 2HKO common variants of Golbat using Rock Slide while living flying moves from non-banded Golbat. Finally, I chose Metang as an offensive agility user that resists grass, has better special defense than Mawile, and that can check Mawile decently due to earthquake and clear body.
Boxer (Hitmonchan) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Agility
- Sky Uppercut
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Rock Slide
Agility Hitmonchan. Threatens Glalie leads with sky uppercut and the potential for rapid spin. It also threatens common Glalie anti-lead Vigoroth while having a decent match into Poliwhirl.
Florist (Roselia) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 20 Def / 236 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Giga Drain
- Stun Spore
Bulky spiker. Also benefits from rain to weaken fire moves. Stun Spore helps to neuter sun threats if they have not set up sun yet.
Terminator (Metang) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 132 HP / 252 Atk / 124 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Agility
Agility Metang. Earthquake and Meteor Mash have decent coverage together, while Explosion can help remove a bulky nuisance like Torkoal that would otherwise check it.
Archaeologist (Relicanth) @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 152 SpA / 52 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Rain Dance
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Surf
Generic Swift Swim set. Edgequake is used for physical coverage.
Dentist (Huntail) @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Rain Dance
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Generic Swift Swim set. HP Grass is chosen for Relicanth and Whiscash as Pelipper can be dealt with using Relicanth.
Hematologist (Golbat) @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP / 112 Atk / 144 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sludge Bomb
- Aerial Ace
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Toxic
Bulky Golbat set used to check opposing Hitmonchan. HP ground is used for hitting Steel and Rock type walls, while Toxic can cripple certain bulky targets and force rest. Sludge Bomb is used as stab and for its poison chance.
Summary:
This team is meant to use rain to enable two Swift Swim users while also enabling other offensive and defensive Pokemon to properly answer the NU metagame.
The team uses rain to enable its swift swim users as well as certain defensive Pokemon, rounded out by answers to other threats in the tier.
Rationale for choosing each member:
I began with Huntail. I wanted to build a rain team, and it is the premiere choice for such teams. I then wondered if I could supplement with another swift swim user, and came up with Relicanth. Relicanth also exists in the tier as a Choice Band user and a physically defensive wall, meaning it forces switches from an opponent anticipating strong attacks or to be walled. Both of them set up rain, and one can wear down the others' checks for the other to continue the rain assault. Then, I chose Roselia as a midgame spiker. It also enjoys the defensive utility of rain, and is a decent check to sun sweepers while rain is up because of Stun Spore. Speaking of sun checks, I chose Golbat as it quad-resists Solar Beam and can semi-comfortably take sun-boosted HP Fires from the likes of Tangela while hitting back with Sludge bomb. (252 SpA Tangela Hidden Power Fire vs. 252 HP / 0 SpD Golbat in Sun: 121-143 (34.1 - 40.3%) -- 42.5% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery)
Additionally, Golbat is a premiere Hitmonchan check because of its quad-resist to fighting and ability to outspeed it. Finally, I chose Hitmonchan as a lead because it threatens lead Glalie with fighting coverage and rapid spin and can agility on the switch. If it uses agility on the switch to Golbat, it can comfortably 2HKO common variants of Golbat using Rock Slide while living flying moves from non-banded Golbat. Finally, I chose Metang as an offensive agility user that resists grass, has better special defense than Mawile, and that can check Mawile decently due to earthquake and clear body.
Boxer (Hitmonchan) (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Agility
- Sky Uppercut
- Hidden Power [Ghost]
- Rock Slide
Agility Hitmonchan. Threatens Glalie leads with sky uppercut and the potential for rapid spin. It also threatens common Glalie anti-lead Vigoroth while having a decent match into Poliwhirl.
Florist (Roselia) @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 20 Def / 236 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Giga Drain
- Stun Spore
Bulky spiker. Also benefits from rain to weaken fire moves. Stun Spore helps to neuter sun threats if they have not set up sun yet.
Terminator (Metang) @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 132 HP / 252 Atk / 124 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Meteor Mash
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Agility
Agility Metang. Earthquake and Meteor Mash have decent coverage together, while Explosion can help remove a bulky nuisance like Torkoal that would otherwise check it.
Archaeologist (Relicanth) @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 48 HP / 252 Atk / 152 SpA / 52 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Rain Dance
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Surf
Generic Swift Swim set. Edgequake is used for physical coverage.
Dentist (Huntail) @ Leftovers
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Rain Dance
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
Generic Swift Swim set. HP Grass is chosen for Relicanth and Whiscash as Pelipper can be dealt with using Relicanth.
Hematologist (Golbat) @ Leftovers
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 HP / 112 Atk / 144 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sludge Bomb
- Aerial Ace
- Hidden Power [Ground]
- Toxic
Bulky Golbat set used to check opposing Hitmonchan. HP ground is used for hitting Steel and Rock type walls, while Toxic can cripple certain bulky targets and force rest. Sludge Bomb is used as stab and for its poison chance.
Summary:
This team is meant to use rain to enable two Swift Swim users while also enabling other offensive and defensive Pokemon to properly answer the NU metagame.