Ok so I agree with a lot of this, but not once in here do you mention it is outclassed by foongus in many respects. First of all, Regenerator is EXTREMELY strong right now as it keeps up a bit of momentum for offensive teams, allows for essentially passive recovery and lets it form a good core with the most common mon in the meta right now: Mienfoo. Furthermore, Foongus also checks Fighting-types, Fairy-types, and other Grass-types as well as checking Water and Electric-types like Lileep. The only really advantage of Lileep's typing is that is resists Normal-types and is neutral to Fletchling Acro. But not only is Lileep outclassed by Foongus, it is also heavily outclassed by the commonly looked over Ferroseed. Ferroseed not only resists many, many, many more types than Lileep, it also fulfills the job of hazard stacking much better, by countering Onix, Tirtouga, and other hazard stacking Sturdy users with Bullet Seed while also being able to spike stack. It also spreads paralysis and has a higher Defense stat than Lileep. Honestly, I don't think Lileep deserves B+ by any means as it is outclassed by both of these common Bulky Grass-types. But you did bring up some good points about being the best Chinchou counter. In my opinion: Lileep for B- Oh and I don't see the point of using Lileep > literally any other bulky sweeper because it has one of the worst physical movepools for a sweeper I've ever seen :/I nominate Lileepfor B+.
Lileep has extremely good defenses (being able to "outbulk" Vullaby with 77 and 87 base defenses, and 66 hp (Which reaches the same number as Vullaby's base 70). Allthough it's typing makes it weak to the ever so common fighting types, and also a weakness to steel, it makes up for that with Storm Drain, granting it an immunity and a well appriciated Sp.atk boost from water type moves, as well as resistance to Electric. Lileep's resistances aren't the important issue, besides making it THE best Chinchou counter in the tier, as well as makes it able to counter other common water types (even those with ice beam if they are running a bulky set) such as Staryu, Tirtouga and Slowpoke (Not as common as the others but still a threat imo).
It's grass typing also grants it immunity to Spore, and the less common Stun Spore, making it one of the safest switch-ins to Foongus and Cottonee.
Lileep has a wide movepool, which most notably includes Stealth Rocks, Recover, Giga Drain, Earth Power, Sludge Bomb, Toxic, Rock Slide and Seed Bomb. It can also utilize moves like Mirror Coat, Curse, Stockpile, Swords Dance and Rock Polish with success ( 067jox did a video on the latter 2 options, check it out if you will, video at the bottom).
With said moves and stats, it can safely switch in on big threats in this metagame like Chinchou, Staryu, Tirtouga, Spritzee, Porygon, Foongus, Cottonee, Abra, Carvanha, Ponyta, Archen, Drilbur and Snubbull, as well as many B+ and below pokemons.
It can also threaten out each of these pokemons with a move, besides Foongus, which is where Mirror Coat can be a useful option, allthough not reccommended.
With moves like Earth Power and STAB Giga Drain, it can also hit common switch-ins hard, such as STAB Giga on everything not resisting, or Earth Power on Pawniard and Magnemite.
Most notable sets:
Pixar (Lileep) (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Storm Drain
Level: 5
EVs: 228 HP / 140 Def / 140 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Recover
- Earth Power / Sludge Bomb / Ancient Power
- Stealth Rock / Ancient Power / Sludge Bomb
For 26 hp / 16 defense / 18 sp.def
or a spread of:
EVs: 228 HP / 220 Def / 60 SpD
Bold Nature
for 26 / 18 / 16
or
EVs: 228 HP / 28 SpA / 220 SpD / 12 Spe
Calm Nature
For 26 / 8 / 14 / 13 / 19 / 9
I will base my calcs on the two premier sets, showing calcs from each poke on each variant of the 16/18 spread. Some of the lower damage calcs will make no difference between the 2 sets, hence there will only be 1 calc listed on the sp.def variant.
0 SpA Staryu Ice Beam vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 8-10 (30.7 - 38.4%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 116 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Staryu: 14-18 (66.6 - 85.7%)
200 SpA Staryu Ice Beam vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 10-12 (38.4 - 46.1%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 36 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Staryu: 14-18 (70 - 90%)
If Staryu runs an offensive LO set then it is still a threat sadly, which means there will be some predicting involved:
200 SpA Life Orb Staryu Ice Beam vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 13-16 (50 - 61.5%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Staryu: 18-24 (94.7 - 126.3%)
0 SpA Foongus Sludge Bomb vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 6-7 (23 - 26.9%)
0 SpA Foongus Giga Drain vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 4-6 (15.3 - 23%)
0 SpA Foongus Giga Drain vs. 228 HP / 60 SpD Eviolite Lileep: 6-7 (23 - 26.9%)
0 SpA Lileep Earth Power vs. 124 HP / 160 SpD Eviolite Foongus: 5-6 (20 - 24%)
Mirror Coat seems like the better option here, unless:
0 SpA Lileep Hidden Power (Fire) vs. 124 HP / 160 SpD Eviolite Foongus: 6-8 (24 - 32%)
0 SpA Chinchou Volt Switch vs. 228 HP / 60 SpD Eviolite Lileep: 2-3 (7.6 - 11.5%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 76 HP / 148 SpD Eviolite Chinchou: 12-14 (48 - 56%)
232+ SpA Choice Scarf Chinchou Ice Beam vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 10-12 (38.4 - 46.1%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Choice Scarf Chinchou: 18-24 (75 - 100%)
212+ Atk Tirtouga Stone Edge vs. 228 HP / 140 Def Eviolite Lileep: 9-12 (34.6 - 46.1%)
212+ Atk Tirtouga Stone Edge vs. 228 HP / 220+ Def Eviolite Lileep: 7-10 (26.9 - 38.4%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD sturdy Tirtouga: 20-20 (95.2 - 95.2%)
+2 212+ Atk Tirtouga Stone Edge vs. 228 HP / 140 Def Eviolite Lileep: 16-21 (61.5 - 80.7%)
+2 212+ Atk Tirtouga Stone Edge vs. 228 HP / 220+ Def Eviolite Lileep: 15-18 (57.6 - 69.2%)
12 SpA Spritzee Moonblast vs. 228 HP / 60 SpD Eviolite Lileep: 7-9 (26.9 - 34.6%)
12 SpA Spritzee Moonblast vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 6-7 (23 - 26.9%)
0 SpA Lileep Sludge Bomb vs. 212 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Spritzee: 10-12 (37 - 44.4%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 212 HP / 76 SpD Eviolite Spritzee: 6-7 (22.2 - 25.9%)
0 SpA Porygon Ice Beam vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 10-12 (38.4 - 46.1%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 236 HP / 76+ SpD Eviolite Porygon: 6-7 (23 - 26.9%)
These are rather sad imo, as Lileep have to bank on Pory not having Ice Beam to pose a threat, and threaten out with a Toxic. Ice Beam isn't the most common move on Porygon tho, so here are the next best calcs:
0 SpA Porygon Psychic vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 5-6 (19.2 - 23%)
0 SpA Cottonee Dazzling Gleam vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 4-6 (15.3 - 23%)
0 SpA Lileep Sludge Bomb vs. 116 HP / 196 SpD Eviolite Cottonee: 20-24 (90.9 - 109%)
240 SpA Abra Hidden Power (Fighting) vs. 228 HP / 60 SpD Eviolite Lileep: 10-12 (38.4 - 46.1%)
240 SpA Abra Hidden Power (Fighting) vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 8-10 (30.7 - 38.4%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Abra: 9-12 (47.3 - 63.1%)
If rare LO:
240 SpA Life Orb Abra Hidden Power (Fighting) vs. 228 HP / 140+ SpD Eviolite Lileep: 10-13 (38.4 - 50%)
196+ Atk Life Orb Carvanha Ice Fang vs. 228 HP / 220+ Def Eviolite Lileep: 10-13 (38.4 - 50%)
196+ Atk Life Orb Carvanha Ice Fang vs. 228 HP / 140 Def Eviolite Lileep: 13-16 (50 - 61.5%)
196+ Atk Life Orb Carvanha Crunch vs. 228 HP / 140 Def Eviolite Lileep: 9-13 (34.6 - 50%)
196+ Atk Life Orb Carvanha Crunch vs. 228 HP / 220+ Def Eviolite Lileep: 9-12 (34.6 - 46.1%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 0 HP / 76 SpD Carvanha: 24-30 (114.2 - 142.8%)
76 Atk Ponyta Flare Blitz vs. 228 HP / 140 Def Eviolite Lileep: 9-12 (34.6 - 46.1%)
76 Atk Ponyta Flare Blitz vs. 228 HP / 220+ Def Eviolite Lileep: 7-10 (26.9 - 38.4%)
0 SpA Lileep Earth Power vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Ponyta: 10-12 (47.6 - 57.1%)
0 SpA Lileep Ancient Power vs. 0 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Ponyta: 12-14 (57.1 - 66.6%)
180 Atk Archen U-turn vs. 228 HP / 220+ Def Eviolite Lileep: 10-12 (38.4 - 46.1%)
180 Atk Archen Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 228 HP / 140 Def Eviolite Lileep: 10-13 (38.4 - 50%)
180 Atk Archen Acrobatics (110 BP) vs. 228 HP / 220+ Def Eviolite Lileep: 9-12 (34.6 - 46.1%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Archen: 9-12 (39.1 - 52.1%)
0 SpA Lileep Ancient Power vs. 76 HP / 0 SpD Archen: 14-20 (60.8 - 86.9%)
236 Atk Mold Breaker Drilbur Earthquake vs. 228 HP / 220+ Def Eviolite Lileep: 7-10 (26.9 - 38.4%)
236 Atk Mold Breaker Drilbur Earthquake vs. 228 HP / 140 Def Eviolite Lileep: 9-12 (34.6 - 46.1%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 36 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Drilbur: 14-18 (60.8 - 78.2%)
196+ Atk Snubbull Play Rough vs. 228 HP / 220+ Def Eviolite Lileep: 7-9 (26.9 - 34.6%)
196+ Atk Snubbull Play Rough vs. 228 HP / 140 Def Eviolite Lileep: 7-10 (26.9 - 38.4%)
0 SpA Lileep Giga Drain vs. 36 HP / 116 SpD Eviolite Snubbull: 7-9 (30.4 - 39.1%)
0 SpA Lileep Sludge Bomb vs. 36 HP / 116 SpD Eviolite Snubbull: 10-12 (43.4 - 52.1%)
And yes Gen 5 was my favourite gen thank you for noticing
IN CONCLUSION:
- Lileep has one of the higest split defenses in the tier.
- It has the defenses to switch relatively safely in on several top threats, and threaten them out, even taking some +2 hits.
- It has access to reliable recovery (Recover), and good support moves.
- Great ability for stopping water types and potentially gaining a boost to further threaten switch-ins.
- Can also run offensive set up sets with Curse, Swords Dance or Rock Polish.
If it was up to me Lileep would be A- or A but I guess that's a bit of a stretch going from C+.