|Tainted Tangles|
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Hey all! If you haven't seen me lounging around on Showdown these passed 4 years I'm really not quite sure where you've been. This should be my 5th RMT, 3rd not counting the CAP ones I've done in the past. Anyhow, I've been playing ZU a lot these past few months and this is a team that I've just created very recently that I've been having quite a bit of success with. Given that there is no current ZU ladder I've been having to play a lot of tour matches to really determine if this was team was where I wanted it to be. In all honestly I think its pretty great and I sincerely hope you enjoy it!
Team Building
I personally had never built with Muk before in ZU and so I figured it would be a great place to start. I knew it would be challenging however because of rise in usage that Golem, Bronzor, and Mareanie are now seeing because of tier shifts. However I decided to go about it anyway because CroMuk is just a really cool Setup sweeper in the meta right now and with the correct team support it can be downright deadly. Furthermore I hate Rotom-Frost with a passion and it's way easier to account for it at the beginning then to built into a corner later on.
I chose Tangela as the follow up Pokemon to create a ClefTang-esk sort of core which is a really neat core currently in PU that I've been having a lot of fun with. One of the major reasons I added Tangela is because it for the most part shuts down most physical attackers more importantly it shuts down and checks Golem. This is pertinent for the late game when Muk can come in and sweep. Furthermore because Tangela is a physically defensive Pokemon it fits very well on a team in which I already knew was going to be a balance kind of build.
You simply cannot have balance without hazards. I'm sorry but like without that filthy stealth rock chip how are you gonna net KO's with your revenge killer? I put on Golem so I could just get rocks out of the way to be honest. Golem is one of the best rockers in tier currently because Torterra left and went to NU, which is a waste. Golem also is also able to pressure other Muk, and Golem mind you, that may cause an issue for the team. In addition, Golem has access to the ability Sturdy which allows it to net some KO's it otherwise wouldn't as long as its at 100%.
I decided it was best to follow up Golem with my hazard removal. For this task I chose Silvally-Water out of the other 50 we have because its one of the best Silvally forms we have for defogging. Furthermore with its access to Flamethrower and its decent bulk its able to lure in Scarf Abomasnow and live a Wood Hammer and KO back with a Flamethrower. In addition, Parting Shot is very handy when I need to bring in Tangela for some Regenerator recovery or just bring in anyone in general.
Next, I decided I wanted to add a Pokmeon that I've really enjoyed using recently just to have some fun with it. With Lycanroc leaving I decided now would be the perfect time to take Butterfree for a spin. Butterfree adds a Ground immunity as well as another opportunity to setup late game. In addition to that it adds Status through Sleep Powder which can be extremely helpful when it hits of course. In Hindsight the only real reason why I added Butterfree is because its just a really fun Pokemon to use when things work out and I just really like it of course.
Finally, the team lacked speed control as well as a decent revenge killer. I added Chatot because its faster then Rotom-Frost, Boomburst doesn't miss, and I really despise Rotom-Frost. Furthermore Chatot has access to Heat Wave which comes in handy when taking out those pesky Steel-types that Muk hates so much. In addition Chatot, is in my opinion, one of the most dangerous Choice Scarf users in the tier due to its access to Boomburst and its decent speed tier.
Hedorah (Muk) @
Ability: Sticky Hold
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Muk, as intended, is easily the star of the team. CroMuk made its debut in mid ORAS PU and it immediately cemented itself as a threatening setup sweeper. It has successfully done the same here in ZU as well. Curse is Muk's main form of setting up allowing it to slowly but surely raise its already decent attack as well as its very defense stat. Poison Jab is Muk's best for of STAB here for this intended purpose. Rest Talk is Muk's signature use of recovery allowing it to return to 100% as weel as stave off burns from opposing Scalds and Will-O-Wisps. In terms of EVs, the set I'm making use of allows Muk to take roughly half (50%) from Psychic from any of the prominent Psychic-types we hold in this meta like Kadabra, Grumpig, and Mr. Mime. This is incredibly important when applying chip to them as none of the Psychic-type Pokemon previously stated want to take a Poison Jab.
Kudzu (Tangela) @
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
- Tangela is one of the best if not the best physical wall in the tier. Regenerator gives it an insane amount of longevity which can then be coupled with Giga Drain, Leech Seed, and Synthesis to ensure it doesn't die until it really needs to. Giga Drain is great for chip as well as hitting those pesky Golem that are just popping up everywhere. Leech Seed is fantastic for Pokemon that may try to switch-in on Tangela. However if its a Grass-type all you have to do is click Knock Off. I find myself click Knock Off 90% of the time when my opponent has a Grass-type on their team. In fact the most common Grass-type I've been seeing is Lurantis which can be an issue for Tangela as it tends to be bait for Lurantis to Setup. The EVs I have applied on this set ensure that no Physical attacker will be breaking Tangela unless it's like Beartic at +2 which tends to be a more common thing because of hails increased viability thanks to Abomasnow dropping.
Roche (Golem) @
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 36 Atk / 220 Def
Impish Nature
- See Golem's moveset was one that required a bit of tweaking. Originally I had Toxic over Sucker Punch and then I realized that it did absolutely nothing so I replaced Toxic with Protect. Finally I got so sick and tired of not being able to revenge kill as well as getting bopped by setup sweepers that I replaced Protect with Sucker Punch and I found it to work so much better. Other than that its just Golem's regular same old Leftovers Stealth Rocks set. I decided on Rock Blast over Stone Edge because it has better accuracy and for some reason I figured it would help me wade through unforeseen Focus Sash users as well as potential Substitute situations. Regarding EVs I really wanted Golem to trade Earthquakes with another Golem and then click Sucker Punch and KO the opposing Golem. That was my vision anyways which has worked out pretty well. Max Attack Adamant Choice Band Golem has a 6.3% to OHKO which is pretty nice considering after rocks it becomes a tad bit more which isn't to bad in the grand scheme of dice rolls.
Liquidius (Silvally-Water) @
Ability: RKS System
EVs: 248 HP / 76 Def / 184 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Silvally-Water is usually my go to lead when the opponents only form of entry hazards is Golem. It is so easy to lead Silvally on an oppoinsg Golem and force a switch immediately. Furthermore Flamethrower comes in handy when looking to chip Steel-types or just a whooping up on Scarf Abomasnow as stated above way back in the team building portion. Another great Pokemon to chip with Flamethrower is Lurantis as it can be problem for my team in general if not played around accordingly. Parting Shot is really nice for gaining momentum even though most of my Pokemon just suck the momentum away anyway because of how defensive they can be. Defog is of course to remove hazards which is extremely important for my team considering Chatot nor Butterfree want to tank Stealth Rock Damage. I was really torn at first on what EVs were the best option. I was sure if I wanted a slower bulkier pivot so I could get Muk or Butterfree in unharmed but I ended up deciding on a faster defogger in order to add more pressure to offensive builds as Silvally is able to hit 299 Speed.
Monarch (Butterfree) @
Ability: Compound Eyes / Tinted Lens
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Butterfree is extremely good at its job when put in the position to do it; however it is just so hard to get a good solid sweep with this Pokemon. I usually see it end up putting something to sleep and getting off a KO or 2 before it succumbs to an aliment or just a plain old revenge killer that finally has an opportunity to strike. Honestly with Butterfree you can run either Compound Eyes or Tinted Lens. I myself prefer Compound Eyes because it gives Butterfree more of a chance to set up and do something. However if you find yourself to be having a rough time playing around Bronzor I would suggest running Tinted Lens so you can just knock it off with Tangela and Air Slash it with Butterfree for some decent damage. Dual STAB Butterfree is kind of a must in order to do as much damage as possible with it while its still alive and kicking. Z-Bug Buzz is great for nuking things at +1 although I try to save it for the bulkier opposing Pokemon it really doesn't matter if you have a majority of your team remaining. The EVs are pretty straightforward here. Because Butterfree is a frail setup sweeper it needs the all the Speed and Special Attack it can get.
Maestro (Chatot) @
Ability: Tangled Feet
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Chatot acts as a fantastic revenge killer thanks to its access to Boomburst which is undeniably one of the most powerful STAB moves in the game to have access to. This coupled with the fact that it is able to outpace Choice Scarf Rotom-Frost is absolutely amazing. Boomburst has a 62% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rocks so for me that really just seals the deal. Enough about Rotom-Frost though, Chatot comes equipped with Heatwave which can bop Bronzor which tends to be a reoccurring issues with this team. Furthermore Tailwind is useful if you want / need something to outpace something else and Chatot is on its last legs. Chatter is more of a move to run on a Choice Specs set but I used it for a little while on my Choice Scarf set and it did alright. It really only hits Fighting-types such as Silvally-Fighitng, Monferno, and Combusken. U-turn is a must in my opinion in order to gain momentum off those really easy revenge kills or just an option to lead and U-turn right away depending on the match-up. A maximum speed investment is required in order for Chatot to fully take on its role as a Choice Scarf user.
Replays
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-789001300
(BloodAce's Bronzor Balance)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-788972411 (JdRDMS' SD Silvaly offense)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-788970016 (London1's DDance Fraxure Squad)
Importable
Threatlist
+
Beartic in hail actually really hard to get past especially when it gets a Swords Dance off and Tangela thus becomes a snack. My only shot to take this thing down is to stall out hail and get some chip off with Golem and maybe if I'm lucky kill with Rock Blast assuming Golem is at full before taking a hit. Another option is revenge kill with Chatot as long as Chatot isn't in range of an Aqua Jet it is by far the best option.
Bronzor is a pain in the ass because it just throws up Stealth Rocks every other turn which means Butterfree can never come in and Nuke it with Z-Bug Buzz. Furthermore if its running Toxic it becomes a huge problem for Tangela because Tangela doesn't want to stay in and knock it off in fear of catching status with toxic. Bronzor is only really an issue because of how big a part of the team Muk is.
Sub + Toxic Duggy-A is super dangerous because it stalls out Tangela and is only out paced by Choice Scarf Chatot which will never just directly switch in. It requires a decent amount of prediction to beat because of the Substitute games it will play and that in and of itself is just a big pain in the butt. Golem is a soft check at best because of Dugtrio's access to both STAB Earthquake and Iron Head.
Conclusion
I actually really enjoy ZU right now. It's a really solid meta and the only issue I see is probably Rotom-Frost which is debate for a whole other day. If you are interested in ZU check the room Here. I hope my team works out for you guys and as always if you any suggestions just let me know!
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-789001300
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-788972411 (JdRDMS' SD Silvaly offense)
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7zu-788970016 (London1's DDance Fraxure Squad)
Importable
Threatlist
Beartic in hail actually really hard to get past especially when it gets a Swords Dance off and Tangela thus becomes a snack. My only shot to take this thing down is to stall out hail and get some chip off with Golem and maybe if I'm lucky kill with Rock Blast assuming Golem is at full before taking a hit. Another option is revenge kill with Chatot as long as Chatot isn't in range of an Aqua Jet it is by far the best option.
Bronzor is a pain in the ass because it just throws up Stealth Rocks every other turn which means Butterfree can never come in and Nuke it with Z-Bug Buzz. Furthermore if its running Toxic it becomes a huge problem for Tangela because Tangela doesn't want to stay in and knock it off in fear of catching status with toxic. Bronzor is only really an issue because of how big a part of the team Muk is.
Sub + Toxic Duggy-A is super dangerous because it stalls out Tangela and is only out paced by Choice Scarf Chatot which will never just directly switch in. It requires a decent amount of prediction to beat because of the Substitute games it will play and that in and of itself is just a big pain in the butt. Golem is a soft check at best because of Dugtrio's access to both STAB Earthquake and Iron Head.
Conclusion
I actually really enjoy ZU right now. It's a really solid meta and the only issue I see is probably Rotom-Frost which is debate for a whole other day. If you are interested in ZU check the room Here. I hope my team works out for you guys and as always if you any suggestions just let me know!
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