Favorite Anti-Leads

This is a thread I am starting to reflect on some of your favorite anti-leads in the Gen V UU metagame. An anti-lead is a Pokemon tailored specifically to counter common leads in the metagame. This leads to a lot of room for creativity and often gives underrated threats/movesets a chance to shine. In this thread, you can post your own anti-leads and explain why they work, or refute/qualify/defend one that is already shown.

Here are some of my favorites:


Camerupt (M) @ Power Herb
Trait: Solid Rock
EVs: 48 HP/252 SpA/208 Spe
Nature: Modest
-Stealth Rock
-Solarbeam
-Lava Plume
-Earth Power/Roar

Which common leads it beats
Standard lead Swampert and Rhyperior
Why it works
The EVs are tailored so that Camerupt outspends 44 Speed Swampert, i.e. the fastest standard Swampert/Rhyperior lead, and proceeds to destroy either with a Power-Herb Solarbeam, removing the charge turn. It can also set Stealth Rock and has a chance to burn opponents with Lava Plume, such as Mienshao switching in.
Other Advantages
Camerupt is a better Raikou check than Rhyperior because it is neutral to both common Hidden Powers and is still immune to Raikou's STAB. Camerupt also has Roar to halt SubCM Raikou and Cosmic Power Sigilyph, while being immune to burns. In other words, Camerupt is one of the best non-Dark-type CP Sigilyph checks out there.


Virizion @ Life Orb
Trait: Justified
EVs: 4 HP/252 SpA/252 Spe
Nature: Timid
-Giga Drain
-Calm Mind
-Focus Blast
-Taunt

Which common leads it beats
Standard lead Swampert, Gligar, Claydol, and Rhyperior
Why it works
Virizion stops all three from setting up with Taunt, and Virizion can also nail Claydol/Swampert/Rhyperior with a STAB Giga Drain. Virizion can also try to sweep with decent dual STABs, and has recovery to undo LO recoil, letting it be quite the juggernaut.
Other Advantages:
Excellent natural special defense lets it put a lot of pressure on Blastoise to spin, while also handling CroCune and other bulky waters very well. Empoleon, despite being neutral to Giga Drain, is also weak to Focus Blast due to its secondary steel typing.


Claydol @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/4 SpA/252 SpD
Nature: Calm
-Stealth Rock
-Magic Coat
-Ice Beam/Rapid Spin
-Rapid Spin/Earth Power/Psychic

Which common leads it beats
Gligar, Rhyperior without Megahorn/Ice Punch/Avalanche, and Bronzong
Why it works
Magic Coat "returns" hazards and the Toxics that Claydol tends to attract, as well as other status moves that aren't as common. Claydol can also set up its own Stealth Rock should the opponent be hesitant to attempt to do so. Ice Beam destroys Gligar and Flygon, while Earth Power or Psychic can be used as a STAB move to hit certain threats hard.
Other advantages:
Claydol resists Fighting-type moves, is immune to Raikou's STAB (letting it switch in on Specs/Scarf Raikou with good prediction), and is also the second-most common Pokemon in UU to resist EdgeQuake (after Flygon).


Torterra (M) @ Ice Gem
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP/200 Atk/56 SpA
Nature: Brave/Naughty
-Wood Hammer
-Stealth Rock
-Earthquake
-Hidden Power Ice

Which common leads it beats
Gligar, Swampert, Rhyperior, some Empoleon
Why it works
Like Swampert and Rhyperior, Torterra has access to Stealth Rock, STAB Earthquake, and good natural HP, Attack, and Defense stats. Unlike Rhyperior and Swampert, Torterra also has STAB Wood Hammer and a resistance to EdgeQuake, letting it manhandle common lead Swampert and Rhyperior or force them to switch. However, that is only half the battle. Another common lead, Gligar, walls every remotely common Torterra set due to its top-tier physical bulk. However, an Ice Gem-boosted HP Ice on the switch-in cripples Gligar so badly that it will be forced to Roost right away, which is when you nail it with a then-super effective STAB Wood Hammer. With good prediction it is thus an excellent Gligar lure and a good anti-lead.
Other advantages
The HP Ice also does severe damage to Flygon and Tangrowth switching in, and Torterra makes a good check to HP Grass Raikou since it takes neutral damage from HP Grass/Aura Sphere/Extrasensory and is immune to the STAB. Torterra, like Virizion, can also put offensive pressure on Blastoise that attempt to spin away hazards.
 


Azelf Choice Scarfed
Trait:Levitate
EVs :4 HP 252 Spa 252 Spd
Nature:Modest
-Fire Blast
-Grass Knot
-Psychic
-Hidden Power Ice / Uturn


Which common leads it beats
Gligar Swampert Registeel Rhyperior Crobat

Why it works
Its standard scarf azelf from 4th gen but it is so good in uu.Its blistering speed means you wont ever be out sped by another lead.It also has great coverage.A lot of players will assume taunt sr and make poor decisions .It catches A lot of swamperts of guard because not many azelfs run the grass knot.

Other advantages
Its a great revenge killer getting rid of Fake Out mienshou and machamp.The hp Ice can be used to remove flygon from the equation.With this all it take is one good predicted switch to put a major hole in your opponents team.With u-turn it can also act as a great pivot switch.
 
This thread looks interesting, but I feel like it focuses too much on beating defensive leads. Out of the top 5 most common leads, only one is defensive (Bronzong). Another interesting thing is that out of the top ten leads, none are special walls and only two are special attackers, both of which are weak to ghost. Because of this, I've decided to try OTR Cofag as a lead. I haven't done much playtesting but so far it's working pretty damn well.


Cofagrigus @ Life Orb/Leftovers
Ability: Mummy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SDef / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature
IVs: 30 Def / 30 SAtk / 30 SDef / 2 Spd
- Trick Room
- Nasty Plot
- Shadow Ball
- Hidden Power [Fighting]

This thing can set up on so many leads it's ridiculous. Any physical attacker that lacks a phazing move is going to get set up on by Cofagrigus. Leftovers is the commonly used item and gives it some longevity, but I like the power boost from Life Orb. Among other things, it secures an OHKO on Chandelure without a boost, an OHKO on Kingdra and Flygon at +2, as well as the 2HKO on Snorlax. Shadow Ball and HP Fighting provide perfect coverage, and the other two moves give it three turns to wreck the opponent's team.
 
Here's my favorite anti lead, Sableye.

Sableye @ Leftovers
Ability: Prankster
EVs: 252 HP / 120 Def / 136 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
-Taunt
-Will-o-Wisp
-Recover
-Foul Play

Beats pretty much any hazard lead, including shutting down suicide lead Azelf completely. Also beats Baton Passers, especially Smeargle. Most physical attacking leads are neutered with Will-o-Wisp, unless they are Fire type, although if it misses, you can be up a creek, especially if said lead is Rhyperior. Not only that, it can counter many Fighting types that are locked into their STABs, and can force a HJK user to hurt or kill itself.
 

Victini @ Life Orb
Timid Nature
252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
-Blue Flare
-Focus Blast
-Psychic
-Grass Knot

I've been using this Victini spread on my current HO team, and it works exceptionally well. The design of this spread, albeit it's simply just Special Victini, is designed to prevent Stealth Rock from going up. Outside of Mew, Claydol, and Golurk, there's no safe Stealth Rock user. Blue Flare obliterates Bronzong leads, Psychic crushes Nidoqueen, and Grass Knot trips up Rhyperior and Swampert. Unlike many common anti-leads, Special Victini is still more than useful throughout the entirety of a match. Focus Blast prevents Umbreon and Snorlax from directly walling it, threatening to 2HKO most spreads after Stealth Rock, leaving very few Pokemon capable of switching in on Special Victini. There was a reason we suspected this thing, and even though it's not broken, it's extremely good at what it does.
 

Victini @ Life Orb
Timid Nature
252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
-Blue Flare
-Focus Blast
-Psychic
-Grass Knot

I've been using this Victini spread on my current HO team, and it works exceptionally well. The design of this spread, albeit it's simply just Special Victini, is designed to prevent Stealth Rock from going up. Outside of Mew, Claydol, and Golurk, there's no safe Stealth Rock user. Blue Flare obliterates Bronzong leads, Psychic crushes Nidoqueen, and Grass Knot trips up Rhyperior and Swampert. Unlike many common anti-leads, Special Victini is still more than useful throughout the entirety of a match. Focus Blast prevents Umbreon and Snorlax from directly walling it, threatening to 2HKO most spreads after Stealth Rock, leaving very few Pokemon capable of switching in on Special Victini. There was a reason we suspected this thing, and even though it's not broken, it's extremely good at what it does.
Golurk is extremely weak to Grass Knot due to its type weakness and weight. I think it's a OHKO.

And I wouldn't be too worried about Claydol since it's so bad (it belongs in RU), and the defensive sets struggle to 2HKO Victini.
 
Golurk is extremely weak to Grass Knot due to its type weakness and weight. I think it's a OHKO.

And I wouldn't be too worried about Claydol since it's so bad (it belongs in RU), and the defensive sets struggle to 2HKO Victini.
252 SpA Life Orb Victini Grass Knot (120 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Golurk: 338-400 (88.48 - 104.71%) -- 31.25% chance to OHKO

Not always, and the only one I've faced so far took about 77%. I was surprised that it wasn't a clean OHKO too.

And it's not the factor of Claydol being incapable of beating Victini, it's that it can still set Stealth Rock up, which a lead Victini is more or less designed to prevent.
 

perplexingpool

Banned deucer.
Moltres @ Life Orb
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 HP / 4 SDef
Modest Nature
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Roost


Beats every common lead except Mienshao. People often switch Swampert and Rhyperior into it, which just get OHKO'd by HP grass.
 
I'm surprised that nobody's mentioned Smeargle as an anti-lead that beats most leads.

Smeargle@ Focus Sash
Own Tempo
Jolly Nature
252 HP/ 4 Def/ 252 Speed
-Spore
-Shell Smash
-Baton Pass
-Magic Coat

This set is one of the best supporters around. Spore puts to sleep most of the hazard setting leads thanks to max speed investment; Bronzong, Swampert, Rhyperior. Magic Coat is a great move to throw off fast Taunt users like Sableye, who taunt expecting the 1st move to be Spore. Once you bounce back the taunt (or hazards in the former case) you can set up Spore + SmashPass for a quick win. I usually SmashPass the boosts to Nidoqueen or Empoleon which have great resistances, especially in the former's case. You can even opt for a mixed Nido set with Superpower to screw up the obvious Umbreon/Snorlax switch in lol. This set is flexible to have Spikes/Stealth Rock, Quiver Pass, Gear Shift, etc.. This Smeargle was able to beat Froslass when it was UU by bouncing back Taunt and setting up on it.
 

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