ALL THE OTHER KIDS
(with the pumped up kicks...)
Introduction:
Hello everyone, this is the first serious team I've posted in this forum and one the most successful teams I've played with. I've been visiting this site for a while now, and I've always been attracted to the lower tiers. Needless to say, when BW NU was introduced I was all over it.
The Team:
I made this team only a week or so after NU was playable on the smogon PO server. Initially, I was running BP Shell Smash Gorebyss with a team of receivers, but that stopped working once I faced good players. Ironically, I played some practice matches with Pearl at this time, and he easily beat me with his Choice Specs Exeggutor. I remember him saying how almost nothing could switch in to a Specs Leaf Storm, and he was right. I ditched the BP team and immediately build one around Eggy, and this is it after a few tweaks. It has a reliable lead, a solid offensive core, and several members utilize U-turn / Volt Switch to keep momentum. At its best, this team peaked at #3 on the smogon ladder, #2 on the PO LU ladder (found this kinda funny), and most importantly won A Whole NU World tournament.
A Closer Look:
Mesprit @ Leftovers
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Grass Knot
- Psychic
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
Mesprit is easily the most reliable pokemon in NU. It has great balance between bulk and power, making it easy to fit on almost any team. I use Mesprit to set up hazards early and to switch in to weaker attacks throughout the game. The EVs give Mesprit a great balance between bulk and speed, and it has not let me down. Psychic surprisingly does a decent amount of damage to most pokemon considering the neutral nature and lack of EV investment. Grass Knot is mainly there to catch things like Quagsire and Rhydon by surprise, which is never a bad thing. This moveslot changes the most often based upon what I am seeing on the ladder; I have used Thunderbolt, Ice Beam, and Thunder Wave here as well. Lastly, U-turn is a great move in general, and it helps Mesprit keep momentum by scouting opponent switch-in.
Quagsire (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Relaxed Nature (+Def, -Spd)
- Recover
- Yawn
- Scald
- Earthquake
Despite the attention in OU, Quagsire remains one on NU's premier walls. Boasting one of the best abilities in the game, Quagsire can handle almost any set up sweeper with ease. For my team, he is my answer to threats such as Klingklang, Absol, Emboar, and Dragonair, just to name a few. I use a physically defensive set because frankly, it's the best and it is what my team needs. The set I use may be a bit different from the standard, but in my opinion this is what funtions best in this tier and for my team. Earthquake deals reliable damage to most things Quagsire counters, while scald gives me the chance to cripple something on my opponent's team. In all honesty, I am surprised Yawn isn't used more on Quagsire. It is great at forcing switches and piling up hazard damage, and is basically guranteed to stop all set up sweepers. Quagsire functions great on my team, as its only weakness is covered by four other team members.
Exeggutor (M) @ Choice Specs
Trait: Chlorophyll
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Giga Drain
- Psyshock
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Leaf Storm
This thing is an absolute monster. There is almost nothing in NU that can safely switch in to this set 100% of the time, meaning the only way to beat it is good play and good predictions. Exeggutor fits in my team very nicely, with its weaknesses covered and it forming a nice fire/water/grass core with Quagsire and Magmortar, making it very easy to find opportunities to bring Exeggutor in to battle. Most of the time I spam Giga Drain, while Leaf Storm is used if I don't want to predict, or Psyshock or HP Fire if I do. Exeggutor is also deceptively fast, or at least comparatively. There have been countless times where Eggy has gotten a surprise kill or two due to the opponent underestimating its speed.
Magmortar (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Vital Spirit
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Flamethrower
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
While we're on the topic on pokemon who hit like a truck, here is Magmortar. Magmortar is definitely one of the hardest fire types to play against, if not the hardest. Originally, I had Flame Charge over Focus Blast, and it worked to an extent. However, Miltank and Lickilicky were becoming more popular at one point, and my team was seriously weak to them. I changed to Focus Blast and despite its 5% accuracy, the change helped my team. I use hp grass because I think its the most practical, although I can see other types such as ice being useful. Another great thing about Magmortar is its access to Thunderbolt, which can 2HKO Slowking if it has taken a little prior damage. Magmortar is also my answer to Smeargle and other sleep-inducing pokemon, due to my ability Vital Spirit making Spore / Sleep Powder useless. I couldn't say how many times my opponents have used Spore without knowing that Magmortar got Vital Spirit this gen, something even I didn't realize right away.
Magneton @ Eviolite
Trait: Magnet Pull
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Flash Cannon
Of all the pokemon on my team, Magneton probably sees the most use, and with good reason. Due to eviolite, Magneton acually has surprisingly good bulk. Magneton can take advantage of this due to its great synergy with the rest of my team. It also forms a near perfect U-turn duo with Braviary, which helps my team to keep momentum. Magneton is also equally as good as a counter to Klingklang as Quagsire is, so my team is completely safe from that menace. Magneton also funcions as a way to clear the steel types out of the way, so Braviary has a much easier time spammimg Brave Bird. Not much else to say, other than a lot of people underestimate Magneton's bulk and power. Too bad to see him leaving.
Braviary (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Jolly Nature (+Spd, -SAtk)
- Frustration
- Brave Bird
- Superpower
- U-turn
A lot of people try to argue that Swellow is the superior flying-type in the tier. However, I think they take two very different roles. Swellow is meant to hit as hard as possible and then get out before recoil + status damage begins to add up. Braviary, however, is the best revenge killer in NU, in my opinion. Bar things like Typhlosion and Manectric, there isn't anything faster in the tier that I've had to revenge (off the top of my head). Perhaps its greatest use, though, is the ability to outspeed Gorebyss after a Shell Smash, which is a HUGE savior to my team. U-turn allows Braviary to be a great lure to steel types, only to have them be met by Magneton. Overall, Braviary is my "failsafe" to many offesive threats in NU, and it funtions perfectly in keeping the momentum for my team.
So, there's the team. I will likely be retiring it, since Magneton is RU and the metagame will be changing very rapidly. I am still open to suggestions though! If you think this team can work in the new meta, feel free to help.
Threatlist:
Here is a threatlist, containing only the pokemon who are threats to my team.
ORANGE: small threat
RED: big threat
Well that's it, all comments are welcome and I hope you enjoyed!