Underused Pokemon Matchmaking Phase 2 [Week 29 - Nasty Plot Infernape]

nv

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Celebi @ Leftovers
Ability: Natural Cute
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Giga Drain
- Psychic
- Dazzling Gleam / Shadow Ball
- Nasty Plot

Celebi is a rather swell partner for CB Snorlax for a variety of reasons. First off, it's typing allows it to check a slew of threats to Snorlax, most prominently, Fighting-types such as Mienshao and Conkeldurr. Secondly, Snorlax is a functional non-Superpower Hydreigon check due to its massive special bulk and Fire check towards Entei and Chandelure, the latter of which can be trapped with Pursuit. It's also worth mentioning that Shadow Ball Celebi variants are able to lure in Bronzong, a solid check to both of these Pokemon. Lastly, Snorlax is deceptively powerful and it softens up defensive teams to assist Celebi in breaking them down much more efficiently. So all in all, Celebi is a fantastic partner that really appreciates the support Snorlax offers.

Lucario @ Life Orb
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly / Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Close Combat
- Extreme Speed
- Bullet Punch

Some of Lucario's most common checks on offensive teams are Ghost-types and Cobalion. CB Snorlax can trap Chandelure with Pursuit and weaken Doublade, Cobalion, and Sableye with Earthquake, increasing the chances of a Lucario sweep vs offense. Lax also checks Nidoqueen (soft lucario check) and together the two give a nice offensively-inclined fallback vs Hydreigon. You'll still want something to break fat Psychic-types for Lucario, but otherwise the two make a nice offensive core.

Reuniclus @ Life Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA
Quiet Nature
- Trick Room
- Psyshock/Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Shadow Ball

Offensive trick room Reuniclus is a great partner for banded snorlax. Snorlax can take advantage of the trick room that Reuniclus sets to wallbreak easier, switch into stuff like most hydreigon sets, sylveon, chandelure and most spattkers that reuniclus has trouble with outside of trick room or even in trick room and can take care of these attackers with a strong stab. Reuniclus can take care of a lot of the steels that snorlax has trouble with as most don't have decent spdef and drop to focus blast or shadow ball in doublade's case. Reuniclus can switch into Fighting types ok but has to watch out for coverage. Between the two, they can break through a lot of the metagame and don't care about status between facade and magic guard. Sorry if this seems choppy I had to write it on mobile. Just wanted to get it in.


Infernape @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
- Grass Knot / Vacuum Wave


NP Infernape is a great offensive partner to CB Lax because it can destroys basically any steel type that might check Snorlax and can use Grass Knot to weaken/kill some fat water types or Vacuum Wave to kill weakened faster mons that might revenge kill Ape like Mienshao. Snorlax can check Chandelure for Infernape and can Pursuit Trap pokemons like Cresselia for Infernape
Voting ends on Monday.
 

nv

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And with all but one vote, DrReuniclus won this week!


Infernape @ Life Orb
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Focus Blast
- Grass Knot / Vacuum Wave

This week's mon is a submission from last week that didn't get any votes, but is nonetheless a very threatening set (I expect to see 0 CB Lax submissions :^P)

Submissions end on Friday.
 

LeoLancaster

does this still work
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Aerodactyl @ Aerodactylite
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
- Wing Attack
- Earthquake

Mega Aero supports NP Infernape by Pursuit trapping the Chandelure, Mega Beedrill, and Crobat that give it trouble. In return, Infernape can weaken bulky Water-types and Sylveon for Mega Aerodactyl (especially if you decide to make an aggressive sack).
 
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Vague

Banned deucer.

Celebi @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- U-turn
- Psychic
- Healing Wish

Celebi is a good partner for Infernape for it's ability to break past problematic Water-types if Grass Knot isn't used and access to Healing Wish to give it another chance to sweep. A Choice Scarf set is particularly useful for luring Crobat, who can give both of them trouble. U-turn is also excellent support to get Infernape into play against a variety of threats that it takes advantage of such as Hydreigon, Metagross, Doublade, etc. Overall, it's a pretty great partner but something for Flying-types and Chandelure would be useful, such as Mega Aerodactyl.
 
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esche

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Krookodile @ Choice Band
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Stone Edge
- Pursuit
Choice Band Krookodile partners very well with Infernape offensively since it is able to effectively weaken its checks and counters. Suicune, Crobat and Mega Aerodactyl and all come to mind; none of them appreciate switching into Knock Off or, in the case of the latter two, a Stone Edge. Chandelure, the best offensive check to Infernape in the entirety of UU, also falls to the crooked Alligator. Additionally, Krookodile has the ability to severely weaken or straight up remove bulky Psychic and Ghost types that could annoy Infernape (Slowking and Jellicent [for variants that forgo Grass Knot in favor of Vacuum Wave], Cresselia, ...) from the game.

be wary of the core shredder tho :p​
 
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Gardevoir @ Leftovers
Ability: Trace
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Psyshock
- Substitute

This infernape set is really bothered by bulky waters, especially tentacruel. Lots of teams really on Tentacruel as their primary Fairy check, which Gardevoir can abuse with its Psychic STAB and easily power through, opening the door for Infernape to sweep. These two form a very potent core that can easily handle the fatter balance / bulky offense running around right now.
 


Uxie @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Thunder Wave / Memento

Uxie provides a good support for Nasty Plot Infernape. It set up Stealth Rock and fares well against Crobat and Tentacruel. It helps Infernape to set up and get on the battlefield safely with U-Turn or Memento if you chose to run it. Uxie switchins are naturally scared by Infernape : dark types, ghost types and steel types like Hydreigon, Sableye, Doublade, Forretress, Escavalier. 16 Speed EVs let Uxie outspeed Jolly Crawdaunt and break its Focus Sash with U-Turn.
 
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