Resource Simple Questions, Simple Answers UU Edition

Colin

formerly BeardedDrakon
is a Tiering Contributor
LCPL Champion
Other than salamence, what hazard control options are there on stall?
 

Estarossa

moo?
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Member of Senior Staffis a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Battle Simulator Moderator
C&C Leader
Other than salamence, what hazard control options are there on stall?
Skarmory is an obviously popular one too that fulfills some similar defensive roles to mence as a physically defensive wall, trading speed / special bulk / more offensive threats for helmet, steel typing, whirlwind/id+bpress and stuff like that.

Flygon is one that's picked up on semi-stall and saw usage for it across masters due to fantastic matchup versus nihilego in particular which is something no other removers other than excarill could really do (who doesn't really work too well on fatter playstyles particularly). Also had some cool uses in matchups against pokemon like salazzle and volt switch thundy-t. [Not sure how relevant Flygon will be post shifts on semi-stall but we'll see, might still see some use]

Scizor's new but should be a good option for all of its defensive roles + bulk as a Defogger, also offers priority as useful speed control, can happily run helmet like skarmory does etc.
 
I'm really new to Pokemon Showdown and I need some help building a team. I already know I want to run a Sandstorm team, with Hippowdon + Gigalith + Exadrill. What should the other 3 pokemon be? Right now I'm running Mandibuzz + Keldeo + Renuclius but I suspect there's better line ups I could choose.
 
I'm really new to Pokemon Showdown and I need some help building a team. I already know I want to run a Sandstorm team, with Hippowdon + Gigalith + Exadrill. What should the other 3 pokemon be? Right now I'm running Mandibuzz + Keldeo + Renuclius but I suspect there's better line ups I could choose.
Hippo + gigalith is redundant ... they accomplish the same job but hippo does it 10x better. You prob want slowking or amoonguss > reuniclus due to the abysymal BD and CB azu MU
 

corvere

and beneath the mist, i saw my true reflection
is a Contributor to Smogon
new uu giganoob here. what items does keldeo typically run? i mainly wanna know about the item the toxic icy wind flip turn set runs. also, does the ev spread vary from max max?
 

Estarossa

moo?
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Member of Senior Staffis a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Battle Simulator Moderator
C&C Leader
new uu giganoob here. what items does keldeo typically run? i mainly wanna know about the item the toxic icy wind flip turn set runs. also, does the ev spread vary from max max?
Usually one of Choice Specs if doing those sets, or Leftovers otherwise. If your team was kinda weak to Spikes and you had no removal you might consider Boots instead but otherwise Keldeo's resistance to Rock leaves Leftovers instantly recovering rocks damage and profiting over 2 turns after forcing something out, and being able to heal off Sand damage now hippo is in the tier.

You definitely don't want to run a Toxic Icy Wind Flip Turn set though, Keldeo having both its STAB moves is kind of non negotiable, would be more likely to see something like Toxic, Scald, Secret Sword, Flip Turn if going this route, and pairing it with things that take advantage of Grass types like Chandelure, Salamence, Salazzle, Azelf etc.

Keldeo always just goes for max spa max speed timid. (could potentially run mixed megahorn spreads over a year ago back in earlier DLCs to lure celebi but there is no reason to diverge from max max anymore).
 
HO is such a pain in the ass to use on ladder, nobody switches out on low ladder meaning double switches are barely a factor and there are no good anti-defog tools in the tier like there are in OU (Gzap, Bish). I’m taking a break, but how do I even play HO? (I’m a BO guy) it feels so inconsistent
 

Sulo

pure heroine
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Top Social Media Contributoris a Community Leaderis a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Battle Simulator Moderator
National Dex Leader
HO is such a pain in the ass to use on ladder, nobody switches out on low ladder meaning double switches are barely a factor and there are no good anti-defog tools in the tier like there are in OU (Gzap, Bish). I’m taking a break, but how do I even play HO? (I’m a BO guy) it feels so inconsistent
I think using HO is just a matter one, abusing what's right in front of you (i.e. bringing in Thundy-T on a Celesteela because it's usually not able to K.O. you from full; this is assuming you're using a suicide lead), and two, figuring out what wincons to preserve in case you make a bad play or your opponent outplays your sweepers. This is especially important in low ladder where people make especially egregious plays that could mess up a potential sweep.

As for the anti-defog problem, Meteor Beam Nihilego is a very common sweeper on HO that can demolish most foggers bar potential fog Scizors. It's a good pick for a lot of Hyper Offense teams that can remedy this issue.

Hopefully I answered your question!
 

romanji

eepy
is a Tiering Contributoris a Social Media Contributor Alumnusis a Community Contributor Alumnus
Sulo y u snipe me >:(
HO is such a pain in the ass to use on ladder, nobody switches out on low ladder meaning double switches are barely a factor and there are no good anti-defog tools in the tier like there are in OU (Gzap, Bish). I’m taking a break, but how do I even play HO? (I’m a BO guy) it feels so inconsistent
Here's the general gameplan of how use HO
1. Setting up rocks, typically Excadrill or other leads like Krookodile
2. Getting in your set up sweeper, mainly one that can threaten hazard removers Mandibuzz with something like Thundurus.
3. Repeat with other sweepers, so that you have the team sufficiently weakened for you late game sweeper like Cloyster or Azelf to clean up the rest of the team.
 
HO is such a pain in the ass to use on ladder, nobody switches out on low ladder meaning double switches are barely a factor and there are no good anti-defog tools in the tier like there are in OU (Gzap, Bish). I’m taking a break, but how do I even play HO? (I’m a BO guy) it feels so inconsistent
We do have access to great mons who are able to pressure/punish common hazard removal in the tier. Just because we are not punishing the defog directly we can make aggressive doubles or force our opponents to make tough decisions when attempting to defog.

A prime example would be Azelf running appropriate coverage, but you need coverage throughout the team to pressure hazard removal.

If you want to post or PM me your current team I'll take a look and see if I can suggest some improvements.

source: still terrible at gen8 but have many top 10 ladder peaks with HO

HO team I am currently running: https://pokepast.es/61afb369e472d089

edit: oh my I had thread open from yesterday and was third reply :(
 
Why am I running into garbage like Scarf Coba, Offensive Steela on Balance, Venu with Sleep Powder + Leech Seed in Sun, NP Crobat, Wish Tox Mence? Is the UU ladder just that bad?
 
This has been eating away at me for a while, so I better ask here before I bother the discord.

Why is it that Aegislash or any other suspected mon having multiple viable sets considered a point for ban-worthiness? I know that it isn't the sole or even main reason (sometimes it is), but I have a hard time wrapping my head around the theoretical applications for why that's a reason to ban.

I get that the different sets are all very viable, but as far as I see each set has a separate counter. Is it because all of the various sets it has (I'll stick to Aegislash for ease of discussion) are all powerful, and the simple fact that you need to play the guessing game is what makes it such a crippling threat for teams?

I remember similar things said for Zarudr and Scizor, but I more than understand that the meta has smoothed out over those two.
 
Last edited:
This has been eating away at me for a while, so I better ask here before I bother the discord.

Why is it that Aegislash or any other suspected mon having multiple viable sets considered a point for ban-worthiness? I know that it isn't the sole or even main reason (sometimes it is), but I have a hard time wrapping my head around the theoretical applications for why that's a reason to ban.

I get that the different sets are all very viable, but as far as I see each set has a separate counter. Is it because all of the various sets it has (I'll stick to Aegislash for ease of discussion) are all powerful, and the simple fact that you need to play the guessing game is what makes it such a crippling threat for teams?

I remember similar things said for Zarudr and Scizor, but I more than understand that the meta has smoothed out over those two.
Set diversity can be a problem if each set has a wildly different mons that counter it, this is worse if the consequences of guessing wrong are very punishing. For example, Kommo-o was an already difficult mon to check with its limited counters but when you added the fact that it could sub and belly drum as you switched to primarina to then just proceed to OHKO it, pushed it into the edge for many people (same thing could happen if u expected drum and it used clangorous soul).

Bonus points if different sets could fit in the same style of team, scizor, while having the possibility of SD + LO with Superpower to remove Skarmory can really only be effective in HO teams so scouting the set at preview is easy. Something difficult to do w Kommo-o as 3 of its sets with different answers were very HO effective. (This also applies to aegi to some extent as subtox variants and cc variants can be very good in the same style of BO team)
 
That makes complete sense. No matter what, Kommo-o does the exact same job, but you need the right mon to handle it, and you literally only have one guess.

Which means having to jam multiple checks for multiple potential sets, most likely weakening the team as a whole.
 

Estarossa

moo?
is a Site Content Manageris an official Team Rateris a Social Media Contributoris a Member of Senior Staffis a Community Contributoris a Smogon Discord Contributoris a Tiering Contributoris a Top Contributoris a Smogon Media Contributoris a Dedicated Tournament Hostis a Battle Simulator Moderator
C&C Leader
Sure I'd like to help, thanks for asking. I can be DM'd here, or I'm also in the UU discord.
I actually didn't see this until now but I've asked to have the thread unlocked again so you can help out, that would be really appreciated ty! Help with the replays would be particularly appreciated as its the more time consuming part, I would be happy to run the usage stats after if you could do those parts, you can hmu on disc if you wanna discuss more etc.

https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/uufpl-ii-replays-usage-stats.3700253/
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 2)

Top