ORAS NU NU Balanced- I Can Haz(ard) Switches?

[Makeishura]

As the title implies, this is just a balanced nu team that's done decently well on the ladder, that's got me sitting just under 1400 on the ladder atm.

I have no idea how to insert sprites, but I'd be glad to insert them if somebody wishes to inform me.


Horny (Rhydon) @ Eviolite
Ability: Lightning Rod
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Rock Blast
- Earthquake
- Swords Dance
- Rock Polish

You know him and love him, good ol' double dance rhydon. Rock blast takes care of the more common leads like Archeops/crustle, while also functioning as a win condition/late game sweeper. After a rock polish, it outspeeds most everything in the tier, excepting scarfers. Overall, a solid mon that's become an NU staple over the last few months.

Threats
- Basically everything water/grass, unless you have sd/rp up
- Claydol
- Vivillion (Sleep powder)
- Xatu, unless you have an rp up (Grass knot/hp grass)
- Sawk

Ban Scald (Lanturn) @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 40 HP / 252 Def / 216 SpA
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Volt Switch
- Thunder Wave
- Heal Bell

One of Nu's most reliable bulky waters, and an overall solid mon. Scald takes care of offensive mons if you're lucky, and if played correctly can net you quite a few burns. Volt switch maintains momentum, especially after forcing out mantine, or other similar mons. Thunder wave slows down the rest of the team, which is almost essential, as this team is on the slower side. Heal bell is there mostly as filler, but it gets rid of the occasional status.

Threats
- Cacturne (and basically every other grass type)
- Seismitoad

Warning: This CANNOT switch in on M-camerupt

Kangaskhan (F) @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Scrappy
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Double-Edge
- Fake Out
- Drain Punch
- Sucker Punch

Probably the biggest threat on the team, and my personal favorite. Dual priority can take out most offensive sweepers, as well as rack up a bit of damage on the bulkier mons, while double edge+silk scarf absolutely destroys mons. Drain punch isn't too useful, as it does less than half to klinglang, and not much else gets hit by it. Kangaskhan can also function as a reliable lead, often picking up a quick kill by turn two with Fake out+DE. For the most part, I switch around with it, picking up extra damage with fake out.

Threats-
- Scarf Sawk (or any Sawk, on a switch-in)
- Hariyama
- Gurrdurr
- Malamar
- Rhydon (gets a free sd/rp on switch-in)


Ferroseed @ Eviolite
Ability: Iron Barbs
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Gyro Ball
- Spikes
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed

Basically just a standard ferroseed. It takes care of basically every quick lead (E.G. Archeops, mismagius, canturne, etc.), and can also seed mantine for a bit of residual damage on the defog. Aside from that, it sets hazards like every other ferro. Works as a sleep blocker, and handles vivillion rather well. (Hurricane does ~26%, while gyro+hazards/leech kill outright.) After it's outlived it's usefulness, it can be sacked for a bit of damage on physical mons. (Breaks sash/sturdy, kills mons that've already hit their sash)

- Switches in on lanturn's weaknesses

Threats
HP FIRE
Basically every fire mon
Taunt

Claydol @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 SpD
Modest Nature
- Earth Power
- Psychic
- Grass Knot
- Rapid Spin

One of the 2-3 decent spinners in the tier. Deals with M-Camerupt extremely well, especially if you can get it to switch in on an earth power meant for lanturn/rhydon. Aside from that, hp grass is basically the only thing I have for toad, and psychic is the only thing I have that can hit plume decently. Earth power does overall great damage. Punishes switches pretty well.

-Spinner
-Ground immunity

Fuck Typhlosion (Hariyama) @ Assault Vest
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Close Combat
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Bullet Punch

Last but certainly not least, one of NU's best special walls. This thing is a MASSIVE tank, taking ~15% from most special hits, and dealing out 1/2hkos in return. Earthquake is mostly for Muk that try to switch in, expecting fake out in the final slot. Aside from that, knock off in an ohko on magius (after hazards break sash), and a 2hko on claydol. This thing basically just switches in on basically every special threat in the tier no problem. M-camerupt can't really do much to it, aside from wisp, and firespam in general gets demolished. (As the name implies)

- Covers special weaknesses
- switches in from ferro

Threats-
Physical flying



Overall, I think the team is pretty solid, but needs some work.

Needs-
Zangoose check/counter
Seismitoad check/counter
Vileplume check/counter

Edit: Fixing descriptions tomorrow.

 

[HJAD]

Hey Dude!
Nice looking team, seems to be working really nicely for you ATM. However I think I couple things can be swapped to increase its effectiveness by a great amount.

My first requested change would probably be: Defensive Colbur Rocker Mesprit with Hwish and Signal Beam over Claydol. I look at your team and I look at this: SpDef Malamar leads, gets a few super powers under its belt, rests, wins the game. It really is that threatening. Also, Colbur mesprit will give you a decent option for switch into Fighting types at the cost of your hazard control, but we can fix that a bit later. Forgot to mention healing wish is probably the best support move in NU ATM.

Now I know this team is very hazard stack oriented, and a spinner is pretty much required so your opponents hazards dont hurt you as much but I do feel that by using a defogger you leave yourself less exposed to threats in the metagame. I'm going to suggest SpDef Protect/Toxic Leftovers Defog Mantine over Lanturn. This acts as your replacement to the hazard control that you lost in claydol. Not to mention Mantine is probably one of the best defoggers around. The reason why you should use protect over toxic haze etc is because it allows to scout for random electric attacks on your opponents mons, and give you that extra leftovers recovery. I would never reccomend protect on a settup sweeper however. But, Toxic does nullify the Seismitoad weakness you mentioned and can be useful for putting Mantines checks and counters on a timer. This both nullifys your weakness Vileplume and Seismitoad as Mantine is a fantastic switch in to both as well as providing great hazard support.

These two changes takes your team to a mother level, with Zangoose, you can use Colbur mes as a pivot in and out of cc, knowing that he can only click facade as knock off won't kill.

sets

Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Psyshock
-Signal Beam
-Healing Wish

Mantine @ Leftovers
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpD / 8 Spe
Calm Nature
-Scald
-Air Slash
-Defog
-Protect / Toxic

Another thing to note is that, because Mes has rocks now, you don't need rocks on Ferroseed. So I would also reccomend changing stealth rock into Thunder Wave and remove all the sp def from its EV spread and put it into HP. which would help you deal with faster threats that may like to switch in our use ferroseed as settup fodder. Also by investing in HP, you actually get more special defense than if you were investing in special defense itself.

Anyway, gl with the team
~HJAD