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NU Barbaracle
- Thread starter Empress
- Start date
add/correct remove comments
n-nice 2/2
Overview
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While Barbaracle might not be the first choice for your NU team, it has a viable niche as an anti-lead. It possesses the coveted combination of Taunt and Stealth Rock, allowing it to shut down slower opposing leads such as Crustle and bulky Uxie while being guaranteed to set up an entry hazard. Moreover, Barbaracle possesses the coverage needed to deal with many dedicated leads, such as Stone Edge for Typhlosion and Grass Knot for Seismitoad. Barbaracle's niche over Archeops is its neutrality to Water- and Rock-type moves, allowing it to deal with Defoggers with Scald and Rock Blast users better than Archeops can. Alternatively, Barbaracle can act as a sweeper because of its access to Shell Smash. It has great offensive synergy in its Rock- and Water-type STAB moves and possesses great coverage to beat Pokemon that resist its STAB combination, such as Ferroseed. Barbaracle even has Tough Claws to make its contact moves hit harder. However, Barbaracle's low Speed means it matches up poorly against faster leads such as Archeops, and it will do little for the team if affected by Taunt. Its poor Speed does it no favors as a sweeper, either, as it will be guaranteed to take a hit or be Taunted before setting up. Barbaracle also faces competition as a Shell Smash user from Gorebyss, which can Baton Pass its offensive boosts to a teammate to aid their sweep. Nonetheless, Barbaracle remains a decent choice for any team desiring early-game momentum or a solid late-game cleaner.
Dedicated Lead
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name: Dedicated Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Grass Knot / Endeavor
ability: Tough Claws
item: Focus Sash
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Naive / Jolly
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is a very useful entry hazard, and Barbaracle will have many chances to set it up against slower leads such as Uxie. Taunt shuts down slower entry hazard setters such as Crustle, (RC) as well as Defog users such as Prinplup. Stone Edge hits lead Xatu as well as Flying-type Defog users such as Mantine for massive damage. Grass Knot hits Seismitoad for super effective damage, whereas Endeavor will bring down the foe to 1 HP if Barbaracle has used its Focus Sash. Alternatively, Razor Shell hits the Ground-type Rapid Spin users Claydol and Sandslash, which Archeops cannot do.
Set Details
========
Full investment in Speed and Attack maximizes Barbaracle's offensive potential. A positive Speed nature allows it to have an easier time setting up Stealth Rock. If running Grass Knot, a Naive nature is preferred in order to not lower Barbaracle's Special Attack; otherwise, a Jolly nature should be used. Focus Sash allows Barbaracle to survive a single powerful attack, guaranteeing it can set up Stealth Rock before it faints. Mental Herb is an alternative to protect Barbaracle from a faster Taunt once.
Usage Tips
========
This set should always be used as a lead, or at least in the early-game, in order to gain momentum. While Barbaracle matches up well against lead Archeops, prediction is very important, as Archeops can either Taunt Barbaracle to stop it from setting up Stealth Rock or attack Barbaracle to bring it to low health. Moreover, Barbaracle potentially forces out offensive leads such as Typhlosion, so take advantage of predicted switches to get Stealth Rock on the field. Taunt should always be the first move against slower entry hazard leads such as Crustle and Uxie.
Team Options
========
This set is best used on a hyper offense team that appreciates early-game Taunt support and Barbaracle's ability to break walls such as Seismitoad and Mega Audino with Grass Knot and Endeavor, respectively. Offensive Fire- and Ice-types such as Typhlosion and Sneasel, respectively, are good attacking partners that simultaneously threaten the Grass-types that will switch into Barbaracle and force it out, such as Leafeon. Spinblockers, such as Mismagius and Golurk, and faster Taunt users, such as Archeops, can prevent foes from removing Barbaracle's Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin and Defog, respectively.
Shell Smash
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name: Shell Smash
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Razor Shell
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Cross Chop / Grass Knot
ability: Tough Claws
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry / White Herb
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Naive
Moves
========
Shell Smash is a great boosting move, raising Barbaracle's Attack and Speed to high levels. Razor Shell is Barbaracle's Water-type STAB attack, receiving a damage boost from Tough Claws and having a high 50% chance to lower the foe's Defense. Stone Edge is Barbaracle's secondary STAB attack, hitting targets that resist Razor Shell, and is Barbaracle's best bet against Water- and Grass-types. Cross Chop provides strong Fighting-type coverage and gets the Tough Claws boost, hitting bulky targets such as Ferroseed for super effective damage. Alternatively, a +2 Grass Knot will OHKO Seismitoad and deal serious damage to Unaware Quagsire.
Set Details
========
Life Orb is the preferred option to raise Barbaracle's damage output even further, though Lum Berry can be used to protect Barbaracle from crippling status effects, such as a Prankster Thunder Wave from Liepard. White Herb is also an option to remove the stat-lowering effects of Shell Smash. Maximum Speed investment allows Barbaracle to outspeed everything up to Choice Scarf Pyroar, and maximum Attack investment lets Barbaracle deal as much damage as possible. If running Grass Knot, Barbaracle needs a Naive nature, as Grass Knot does not always OHKO Seismitoad with a Jolly nature.
Usage Tips
========
This set has few choices for setup fodder. It must set up on Choice-locked Pokemon, (AC) such as Typhlosion locked into Fire Blast, or on defensive Pokemon should Barbaracle be running Lum Berry. Barbaracle's primary role is that of a late-game cleaner instead of an early-game wallbreaker, and you more or less get one shot to sweep with Barbaracle, so be sure to preserve it throughout the match and bring it out wisely.
Team Options
========
A Fire- or Ice-type such as Typhlosion or Cryogonal will beat the Grass-type attackers that give Barbaracle trouble. Special attackers deal with physical walls that Barbaracle cannot break; Pyroar and Ninetales double as special attackers which beat Grass-types. Entry hazard setters such as Archeops can wear down foes in order to ease Barbaracle's sweep. A bulky Grass-type can smash the bulky Water-types that Barbaracle struggles against. Vileplume is a great partner because it hits Grass-types super effectively with its Poison-type STAB moves and covers Barbaracle's Fighting weakness.
Other Options
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Earthquake is an alternative to hit Garbodor and Lanturn a little harder, and the move has perfect accuracy and avoids contact. However, it does not get the Tough Claws boost, and Ground-type coverage is often redundant on the Shell Smash set. Poison Jab and X-Scissor hit Grass-types harder, have perfect accuracy, and get the Tough Claws boost, but Stone Edge typically deals with Grass-types well enough already. Moreover, many of NU's relevant bulky Grass-types such as Vileplume, Ferroseed, and Gourgeist are not weak to the moves. Barbaracle learns Switcheroo but is too slow to be a good user of it. Superpower is an alternative to Cross Chop if you hate missing, and it more reliably OHKOes Eviolite Ferroseed after a Shell Smash, though lowering Barbaracle's Attack is not ideal.
Checks & Counters
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**Grass-types**: Should Barbaracle not be running Poison Jab or X-Scissor, bulky Grass-types such as Tangela wall it and hit it super effectively right back. Both Gourgeist-S and Gourgeist-XL are hit neutrally by Poison Jab and X-Scissor, so they wall Barbaracle regardless of whether it runs those moves or not. Fast, offensive Grass-types such as Lilligant and Leafeon can OHKO Barbaracle before it can use Shell Smash and bring lead Barbaracle down to its Focus Sash.
**Faster Taunt Users**: Faster Pokemon such as Archeops can Taunt Barbaracle, preventing it from setting up Stealth Rock or Shell Smash.
**Gurdurr**: Eviolite Gurdurr is a great physical tank that can take a +2 Razor Shell from Barbaracle and 2HKO it back with Drain Punch and Mach Punch.
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types resist Barbaracle's Razor Shell and can often take a Stone Edge. Seismitoad, Quagsire, and Poliwrath wall non-Grass Knot variants, and they threaten Barbaracle back with their Ground- and Fighting-type STAB moves, respectively. While a +2 Grass Knot OHKOes Seismitoad, it does not do the same to Quagsire because of Unaware and Poliwrath because it has only a single weakness to the move.
**Status Problems**: If Barbaracle is not running Lum Berry, all forms of status prevent Barbaracle from sweeping effectively.
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While Barbaracle might not be the first choice for your NU team, it has a viable niche as an anti-lead. It possesses the coveted combination of Taunt and Stealth Rock, allowing it to shut down slower opposing leads such as Crustle and bulky Uxie while being guaranteed to set up an entry hazard. Moreover, Barbaracle possesses the coverage needed to deal with many dedicated leads, such as Stone Edge for Typhlosion and Grass Knot for Seismitoad. Barbaracle's niche over Archeops is its neutrality to Water- and Rock-type moves, allowing it to deal with Defoggers with Scald and Rock Blast users better than Archeops can. Alternatively, Barbaracle can act as a sweeper because of its access to Shell Smash. It has great offensive synergy in its Rock- and Water-type STAB moves and possesses great coverage to beat Pokemon that resist its STAB combination, such as Ferroseed. Barbaracle even has Tough Claws to make its contact moves hit harder. However, Barbaracle's low Speed means it matches up poorly against faster leads such as Archeops, and it will do little for the team if affected by Taunt. Its poor Speed does it no favors as a sweeper, either, as it will be guaranteed to take a hit or be Taunted before setting up. Barbaracle also faces competition as a Shell Smash user from Gorebyss, which can Baton Pass its offensive boosts to a teammate to aid their sweep. Nonetheless, Barbaracle remains a decent choice for any team desiring early-game momentum or a solid late-game cleaner.
Dedicated Lead
########
name: Dedicated Lead
move 1: Stealth Rock
move 2: Taunt
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Grass Knot / Endeavor
ability: Tough Claws
item: Focus Sash
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Naive / Jolly
Moves
========
Stealth Rock is a very useful entry hazard, and Barbaracle will have many chances to set it up against slower leads such as Uxie. Taunt shuts down slower entry hazard setters such as Crustle, (RC) as well as Defog users such as Prinplup. Stone Edge hits lead Xatu as well as Flying-type Defog users such as Mantine for massive damage. Grass Knot hits Seismitoad for super effective damage, whereas Endeavor will bring down the foe to 1 HP if Barbaracle has used its Focus Sash. Alternatively, Razor Shell hits the Ground-type Rapid Spin users Claydol and Sandslash, which Archeops cannot do.
Set Details
========
Full investment in Speed and Attack maximizes Barbaracle's offensive potential. A positive Speed nature allows it to have an easier time setting up Stealth Rock. If running Grass Knot, a Naive nature is preferred in order to not lower Barbaracle's Special Attack; otherwise, a Jolly nature should be used. Focus Sash allows Barbaracle to survive a single powerful attack, guaranteeing it can set up Stealth Rock before it faints. Mental Herb is an alternative to protect Barbaracle from a faster Taunt once.
Usage Tips
========
This set should always be used as a lead, or at least in the early-game, in order to gain momentum. While Barbaracle matches up well against lead Archeops, prediction is very important, as Archeops can either Taunt Barbaracle to stop it from setting up Stealth Rock or attack Barbaracle to bring it to low health. Moreover, Barbaracle potentially forces out offensive leads such as Typhlosion, so take advantage of predicted switches to get Stealth Rock on the field. Taunt should always be the first move against slower entry hazard leads such as Crustle and Uxie.
Team Options
========
This set is best used on a hyper offense team that appreciates early-game Taunt support and Barbaracle's ability to break walls such as Seismitoad and Mega Audino with Grass Knot and Endeavor, respectively. Offensive Fire- and Ice-types such as Typhlosion and Sneasel, respectively, are good attacking partners that simultaneously threaten the Grass-types that will switch into Barbaracle and force it out, such as Leafeon. Spinblockers, such as Mismagius and Golurk, and faster Taunt users, such as Archeops, can prevent foes from removing Barbaracle's Stealth Rock with Rapid Spin and Defog, respectively.
Shell Smash
########
name: Shell Smash
move 1: Shell Smash
move 2: Razor Shell
move 3: Stone Edge
move 4: Cross Chop / Grass Knot
ability: Tough Claws
item: Life Orb / Lum Berry / White Herb
evs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
nature: Jolly / Naive
Moves
========
Shell Smash is a great boosting move, raising Barbaracle's Attack and Speed to high levels. Razor Shell is Barbaracle's Water-type STAB attack, receiving a damage boost from Tough Claws and having a high 50% chance to lower the foe's Defense. Stone Edge is Barbaracle's secondary STAB attack, hitting targets that resist Razor Shell, and is Barbaracle's best bet against Water- and Grass-types. Cross Chop provides strong Fighting-type coverage and gets the Tough Claws boost, hitting bulky targets such as Ferroseed for super effective damage. Alternatively, a +2 Grass Knot will OHKO Seismitoad and deal serious damage to Unaware Quagsire.
Set Details
========
Life Orb is the preferred option to raise Barbaracle's damage output even further, though Lum Berry can be used to protect Barbaracle from crippling status effects, such as a Prankster Thunder Wave from Liepard. White Herb is also an option to remove the stat-lowering effects of Shell Smash. Maximum Speed investment allows Barbaracle to outspeed everything up to Choice Scarf Pyroar, and maximum Attack investment lets Barbaracle deal as much damage as possible. If running Grass Knot, Barbaracle needs a Naive nature, as Grass Knot does not always OHKO Seismitoad with a Jolly nature.
Usage Tips
========
This set has few choices for setup fodder. It must set up on Choice-locked Pokemon, (AC) such as Typhlosion locked into Fire Blast, or on defensive Pokemon should Barbaracle be running Lum Berry. Barbaracle's primary role is that of a late-game cleaner instead of an early-game wallbreaker, and you more or less get one shot to sweep with Barbaracle, so be sure to preserve it throughout the match and bring it out wisely.
Team Options
========
A Fire- or Ice-type such as Typhlosion or Cryogonal will beat the Grass-type attackers that give Barbaracle trouble. Special attackers deal with physical walls that Barbaracle cannot break; Pyroar and Ninetales double as special attackers which beat Grass-types. Entry hazard setters such as Archeops can wear down foes in order to ease Barbaracle's sweep. A bulky Grass-type can smash the bulky Water-types that Barbaracle struggles against. Vileplume is a great partner because it hits Grass-types super effectively with its Poison-type STAB moves and covers Barbaracle's Fighting weakness.
Other Options
########
Earthquake is an alternative to hit Garbodor and Lanturn a little harder, and the move has perfect accuracy and avoids contact. However, it does not get the Tough Claws boost, and Ground-type coverage is often redundant on the Shell Smash set. Poison Jab and X-Scissor hit Grass-types harder, have perfect accuracy, and get the Tough Claws boost, but Stone Edge typically deals with Grass-types well enough already. Moreover, many of NU's relevant bulky Grass-types such as Vileplume, Ferroseed, and Gourgeist are not weak to the moves. Barbaracle learns Switcheroo but is too slow to be a good user of it. Superpower is an alternative to Cross Chop if you hate missing, and it more reliably OHKOes Eviolite Ferroseed after a Shell Smash, though lowering Barbaracle's Attack is not ideal.
Checks & Counters
########
**Grass-types**: Should Barbaracle not be running Poison Jab or X-Scissor, bulky Grass-types such as Tangela wall it and hit it super effectively right back. Both Gourgeist-S and Gourgeist-XL are hit neutrally by Poison Jab and X-Scissor, so they wall Barbaracle regardless of whether it runs those moves or not. Fast, offensive Grass-types such as Lilligant and Leafeon can OHKO Barbaracle before it can use Shell Smash and bring lead Barbaracle down to its Focus Sash.
**Faster Taunt Users**: Faster Pokemon such as Archeops can Taunt Barbaracle, preventing it from setting up Stealth Rock or Shell Smash.
**Gurdurr**: Eviolite Gurdurr is a great physical tank that can take a +2 Razor Shell from Barbaracle and 2HKO it back with Drain Punch and Mach Punch.
**Bulky Water-types**: Bulky Water-types resist Barbaracle's Razor Shell and can often take a Stone Edge. Seismitoad, Quagsire, and Poliwrath wall non-Grass Knot variants, and they threaten Barbaracle back with their Ground- and Fighting-type STAB moves, respectively. While a +2 Grass Knot OHKOes Seismitoad, it does not do the same to Quagsire because of Unaware and Poliwrath because it has only a single weakness to the move.
**Status Problems**: If Barbaracle is not running Lum Berry, all forms of status prevent Barbaracle from sweeping effectively.
n-nice 2/2
Last edited:
Thank you Winry! This is done!
