Gen 3 ZU: Attempt at Spikes Offense with Spin Blocking

[KingKlobah]

I've recently been looking into the ZU tiers and the ADV ZU tier especially. Looking at VR and resource hub for it for a while, I thought I would try making my own team. Never having the opportunity to play the tier myself, I'm sure there are issues with this, so I wanted to have it rated here. Also, if you could give me any tips on how to format posts, that would be nice.

Pokepaste: https://pokepast.es/149b42def94f825c


Snorunt @ Salac Berry
Ability: Inner Focus
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 2 Atk / 30 SpA
- Spikes
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Endure

• Billed as the ADV ZU's top spiker, and I see no reason to disagree. Spikes offense requires a spike-layer, so I use it.
• It uses the tier's sample endure-salac set to pretty much guarantee one layer of spikes minimum. Can then be taken out, just as the analysis says, to allow one of my attackers or status spreaders in.
• Snorunt has an important speed advantage over the tiers alternative spikers, Cacnea and Pineco and access to endure guaranteeing a spike with endure-salac.

Shuppet @ Leftovers
Ability: Insomnia
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 SpD
Sassy Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Knock Off
- Will-O-Wisp

• Billed in the role compendium as the tier's only spin blocker. I chose to run it, since I am interested in protecting my spikes.
• Unlike other Ghosts in gen 3, Shadow Ball offers Shuppet's line a reliable STAB thanks to their decent attack stat. Likewise, with many of the tier's spinners being water or flying Pokemon (Staryu, Squirtle, Cloyster, Kabuto, and Delibird), Thunderbolt as type coverage seems like a good choice.
• The EV's probably need to be respec'ed on this pokemon, but without any experience in the tier and no sample set for Shuppet to work with, I'm hard-pressed to say how. I'm tempted to go with more of an offensive spread but Shuppet's inherent frailness was holding me back.
• Knock Off allows Shuppet to deny enemy pokemon their items while Will-o-Wisp can effectively disarm physical threats in a tier where many top physical attackers use normal or fighting type moves that give a ghost like Shuppet chances to switch in.

Aipom @ Choice Band
Ability: Pickup
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double-Edge
- Brick Break
- Shadow Ball
- Baton Pass

• Reading the analysis and the VR, It feels almost like Aipom is ADV ZU's Tauros. To provide physcial pressure to this mixed spikes offense team, I went with the sample CB set using dry pass (any other type of baton pass is banned in ZU).
• The CB with Fighting + Ghost coverage and strong STAB leave the final move slot open, and dry pass gives us the ability to scope out the opponent's potential switch-in and pivot into a countering pokemon.
• The only thing I'm really unsure of about the sample set is Double-Edge, because its recoil could stack up over the course of the fight. Some other sets run Return.

Elekid @ Lum Berry
Ability: Static
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Thunderbolt
- Fire Punch
- Quick Attack
- Ice Punch

• Elekid provides special attacking pressure to the team, and the Lum Berry set allows it to break through status while cleaning.
• As the most effective cleaner in the tier, it can come in after CB Aipom has dealt with most of the opposition.
• Additionally, this set's Fire Punch and Ice Punch offers support to CB Aipom in potential problem match ups, such as Steels (when not locked into Brick Break) and specifically Lileep.
• The lack of HP Grass on this set might be concerning in matchups against Ground types late game, when Aipom and Butterfree are out, so I'm thinking the moveset might need adjustment.

Butterfree @ Leftovers
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stun Spore
- Sleep Powder
- Psychic
- Morning Sun

• Butterfree sticks out with Skiploom in the tier as a pokemon with access to both Stun Spore and Sleep Powder that also sits in a relatively decent speed tier.
• Additionally, Ground attacks aimed at Elekid present opportunities to for Butterfree to switch-in freely while Fighting attacks targeting Aipom are doubly resisted. Hence, it has amble opportunity to enter the game and neutralize threats to the team's attackers.
• This Butterfree runs max speed investment to get ahead of the things its trying to status. Without much experience or a speed tier list to reference, I'm not sure what level of speed creep I should aim for specifically.

Lileep @ Leftovers
Ability: Suction Cups
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Relaxed Nature
- Rock Slide
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Recover
- Toxic

• The top defensive threat in the tier, I placed it here anticipating a mirror match with itself on other teams. Since my Elekid isn't running Toxic, indications from the resources were that I needed something to wear out opposing Lileep and force it to switch, and Toxic / Recover Lileep seemed right.
• Rock Slide provides a flinch chance to build up Toxic damage and coverage against Flyers while HP Grass provides Lileep with an effective offensive option against other Rock types. The analysis suggests HP Fire as well for Steel pokemon, but Fire Punch Elekid, Brick Break Aipom and HP Fighting Shuppet provide this team multiple answers to Steel as is.
• The physically defensive EV spread also provides support against the physically offensive threats in the tier, provided they aren't CB and locked into a coverage move for Lileep.

 

[awyp]

Hi KingKlobah , welcome to Smogon! I am locking your RMT for the time being as the forum rules require that you provide at least three lines of descriptions for each Pokemon to explain their roles. Please read the rules carefully and look at Team Showcase to see the detail we require. PM me with updated descriptions, and I will be happy to unlock this. Also, feel free to PM me if you need help or have any question. Have a nice day!

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Edit:

Edited and unlocked, thank you for sending the updated descriptions!