TJ
Banned deucer.
TJ: Hey gum, how are you doing tonight?
gum: Hey TJ! I'm doing fine, how about you?
TJ: Im doing well, just a bit tired. Thanks for asking!
TJ: Can you tell us a little about yourself outside of Smogon?
gum: I'm a 14 year old (yes) High school student. Outside of school I practice Taekwondo and I like to spend time with my friends, and that's pretty much it.
TJ: How and when did you get into competitive Pokemon? What drew you to PU?
gum: I was watching videos on youtube and then I clicked on a video talking about competitive and it looked fairly interesting, so I decided to give it a try. It took me a while to try PU, as I only tried it out in September during the Pyrorar suspect test. I stuck to the PU because it looked like a fairly fun tier and the community was, and is, extremely welcoming, and I don't regret making this decision.
TJ: How does it feel being drafted in PUPL? Can you give us unbiased powerrankings of the teams?
gum: It feels kinda great, especially since I wasn't excepting it. This is a though question but I'd say that, in order from the best to worst, the Voracious Victreebels are first, the Magnanimous Misdreavus are second, Hearthome Haunters are third, Destructive Dedennes are fourth, Kind-Hearted Kinglers are fifth, and Olivine Octilleries are sixth.
TJ: We recently banned Lilligant. Do you think it was the right decision?
gum: Yes, and I'm looking forward to see how the metagame is going to develop without Lilligant.
TJ: If you could free something from PUBL what would it be?
gum: This is a really hard question, and I'm tempted to just answer "no" but I'd say Archeops. It doesn't look as overbearing as it was when it was first banned, as the meta is faster, although that might change with Lilligant banned. It'd also be forced to use Stone Edge form Oricorio-Pom-Pom, and there's also stuff like Mudsdale and Regirock being extremely good and common right now. Also, it also offensively checks stuff like Simisear and Victreebel, which are pretty dangerous threats.
TJ: Anything you think is underrated in PU rn?
gum: I've been enjoying Toxic Hitmonchan a lot recently, a set I decided to use after yogi made a VR post about it. It just Toxics switchins like Mesprit and Froslass and outlasts them. I think Hitmonchan as a whole is a rather underexplored and underrated mon, with sets like Band also being really solid. It's an underexplored threat and people need to stop using AV, that set is bad.
TJ: Who are some of your favorite people in the PU community?
gum: I'll try to make this short lol. There's KellyKafka, Scizorphobic, PhantomHurious, SeelofApproval, j0gurt, TJ, UberSkitty, BackAtYouBro, ShuckleDeath, Specs, Oathkeepre, tondas, and Jmash324. Very cute and nice users. I always enjoy talking or working on stuff with them.
TJ: Who do u fuckin hate in smogon
gum: I hate user KellyKafka.
TJ: Whos the shittiest player uve played
gum: you.
TJ: Was expecting you to say Specs tbh
TJ: Favorite Food / TV Show?
gum: I'd say that my favourite food is lasagna, and that my favourite TV show is Stranger Things.
TJ: Finally, could you give us a cool team and briefly explain it?
gum:
This is a team I built a while ago and used to get reqs for the Lilli suspect. It started around the Lycanroc + Ludicolo core, which looked like a really solid core. Mesprit is Mesprit and provides my team with Stealth Rocks, a slow U-turn, a Fighting-type check, and Healing Wish. Alolan Sandslash gave me an answer to Psychic-, Ice-, and Grass-types and removal. Gurdurr gave me priority for stuff like Omastar and it's also extremely important as it gives me an answer to Stoutland and Kangaskhan. Finally, Choice Scarf Lanturn, which was Dodrio before Lilligant got banned, gave me a Fire-type switchin and a way to deal with Hydro Pump Costa, which is really hard for this team to deal with otherwise. This team struggles against Guzzlord, especially Z-Draco, but this team was made before it dropped and I find it pretty easy to pressure offensively with Lycanroc.
gum: Hey TJ! I'm doing fine, how about you?
TJ: Im doing well, just a bit tired. Thanks for asking!
TJ: Can you tell us a little about yourself outside of Smogon?
gum: I'm a 14 year old (yes) High school student. Outside of school I practice Taekwondo and I like to spend time with my friends, and that's pretty much it.
TJ: How and when did you get into competitive Pokemon? What drew you to PU?
gum: I was watching videos on youtube and then I clicked on a video talking about competitive and it looked fairly interesting, so I decided to give it a try. It took me a while to try PU, as I only tried it out in September during the Pyrorar suspect test. I stuck to the PU because it looked like a fairly fun tier and the community was, and is, extremely welcoming, and I don't regret making this decision.
TJ: How does it feel being drafted in PUPL? Can you give us unbiased powerrankings of the teams?
gum: It feels kinda great, especially since I wasn't excepting it. This is a though question but I'd say that, in order from the best to worst, the Voracious Victreebels are first, the Magnanimous Misdreavus are second, Hearthome Haunters are third, Destructive Dedennes are fourth, Kind-Hearted Kinglers are fifth, and Olivine Octilleries are sixth.
TJ: We recently banned Lilligant. Do you think it was the right decision?
gum: Yes, and I'm looking forward to see how the metagame is going to develop without Lilligant.
TJ: If you could free something from PUBL what would it be?
gum: This is a really hard question, and I'm tempted to just answer "no" but I'd say Archeops. It doesn't look as overbearing as it was when it was first banned, as the meta is faster, although that might change with Lilligant banned. It'd also be forced to use Stone Edge form Oricorio-Pom-Pom, and there's also stuff like Mudsdale and Regirock being extremely good and common right now. Also, it also offensively checks stuff like Simisear and Victreebel, which are pretty dangerous threats.
TJ: Anything you think is underrated in PU rn?
gum: I've been enjoying Toxic Hitmonchan a lot recently, a set I decided to use after yogi made a VR post about it. It just Toxics switchins like Mesprit and Froslass and outlasts them. I think Hitmonchan as a whole is a rather underexplored and underrated mon, with sets like Band also being really solid. It's an underexplored threat and people need to stop using AV, that set is bad.
TJ: Who are some of your favorite people in the PU community?
gum: I'll try to make this short lol. There's KellyKafka, Scizorphobic, PhantomHurious, SeelofApproval, j0gurt, TJ, UberSkitty, BackAtYouBro, ShuckleDeath, Specs, Oathkeepre, tondas, and Jmash324. Very cute and nice users. I always enjoy talking or working on stuff with them.
TJ: Who do u fuckin hate in smogon
gum: I hate user KellyKafka.
TJ: Whos the shittiest player uve played
gum: you.
TJ: Was expecting you to say Specs tbh
TJ: Favorite Food / TV Show?
gum: I'd say that my favourite food is lasagna, and that my favourite TV show is Stranger Things.
TJ: Finally, could you give us a cool team and briefly explain it?
gum:
Lycanroc @ Lycanium Z
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Drill Run
- Accelerock
musicology (Ludicolo) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 29 HP
- Rain Dance
- Hydro Pump
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
Sandslash-Alola @ Leftovers
Ability: Slush Rush
EVs: 252 HP / 208 SpD / 48 Spe
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
Gurdurr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 212 Def
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off
- Toxic
Lanturn @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
Ability: Steadfast
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Swords Dance
- Stone Edge
- Drill Run
- Accelerock
musicology (Ludicolo) @ Life Orb
Ability: Swift Swim
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 29 HP
- Rain Dance
- Hydro Pump
- Giga Drain
- Ice Beam
Mesprit @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 240 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Healing Wish
Sandslash-Alola @ Leftovers
Ability: Slush Rush
EVs: 252 HP / 208 SpD / 48 Spe
Careful Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Toxic
- Icicle Crash
- Earthquake
Gurdurr @ Eviolite
Ability: Guts
EVs: 252 HP / 44 Atk / 212 Def
Adamant Nature
- Drain Punch
- Mach Punch
- Knock Off
- Toxic
Lanturn @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Ice Beam
This is a team I built a while ago and used to get reqs for the Lilli suspect. It started around the Lycanroc + Ludicolo core, which looked like a really solid core. Mesprit is Mesprit and provides my team with Stealth Rocks, a slow U-turn, a Fighting-type check, and Healing Wish. Alolan Sandslash gave me an answer to Psychic-, Ice-, and Grass-types and removal. Gurdurr gave me priority for stuff like Omastar and it's also extremely important as it gives me an answer to Stoutland and Kangaskhan. Finally, Choice Scarf Lanturn, which was Dodrio before Lilligant got banned, gave me a Fire-type switchin and a way to deal with Hydro Pump Costa, which is really hard for this team to deal with otherwise. This team struggles against Guzzlord, especially Z-Draco, but this team was made before it dropped and I find it pretty easy to pressure offensively with Lycanroc.
TJ: Thanks for your time, gum! As always, if you guys have your own questions, feel free to ask them below!