Pak
vortex
The two make for an anti-meta pick to start a team, faring well against popular threats such as Sylveon, Krookodile, Celebi, Gyarados, Mega Blastoise, and Mega Sceptile, as well as sharing a great amount of synergy. They could not ask for a better partner in terms of covering each other's type weaknesses, and in addition Mandibuzz lures in the ever-present Fairy-types of the tier to get Nidoqueen in favorable positions through the use of U-turn. I've built roughly thirty teams or so based around this core over the last year and have had a good amount of success with the two, amounting a solid 8-2 record across UUPL IV, UU Majors I, LTPL, and the most recent UUPL V. Today I'd like to share some of my most successful versions across tournament play leading up to what I would like to consider my final product at the end.
Origination and Teambuilding Process
Ah the team that started it all. I first dabbled with this core during UUPL IV when I was still searching for my first win and going up against a Goliath-like figure in OU tier leader, TDK. With hordes of SPL and WCoP wins under his belt, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed from the start while attempting to break my then 0-2 record and get on the board for my team. I opted to go with the team above that I had just made for fun a few days before, but decided to use with my reasoning being something incredibly intelligent like, "mandibuzz is broken dude." The team was pretty straight forward with alright-but-not-great synergy among the six including the solid cores of Mandibuzz + Nidoqueen and Rotom-C + Mega Aerodactyl. I ultimately managed to win 5-0, despite my best efforts to throw the game away. The version itself was pretty sub-optimal, using some weird sets like Knock Off Toxic Mandibuzz, as well as having some glaring weaknesses to Pokemon such as non-Choice Scarf Hydreigon with Stealth Rock up, Choice Band Infernape, Mega Beedrill paired with Choice Band Pursuit Krookodile, and Bulk Up Conkeldurr, which luckily wasn't popular at the time. It wasn't until UU Majors I which started roughly three months later that I decided to revisit the concept in tournament play, knowing I'd be facing a wealth of the infamous Sylveon/Krookodile/NP Celebi/Mega Aerodactyl/Tentacruel/filler team, which the Mandiqueen core happened to match up well against.The versions highlighted above represent the early stages of my beloved Mandiqueen core, albeit all of them are majorly flawed in one way or another. It would've been easy to walk away and abandon the core. However, I'm a bit of a perfectionist in certain ways and I wouldn't let it slide after I had achieved a respectable 5-2 record across the different tournaments using the two together. Below, you will find what I believe to be my best version to date, shoring up many of the weaknesses shared by the variations above and going 2-0 in UUPL V with my buddy YABO and I each getting a win apiece with it.
The Team
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Ability - Sheer Force
EVs - 40 HP | 252 SpA | 216 Spe
Nature - Modest
Sludge Wave | Earth Power | Ice Beam | Taunt/Toxic Spikes/Flamethrower
The first half of the core, Nidoqueen, is obviously the first Pokemon included in my final product. Its main role as per usual is breaking down opposing balance teams. Very little if anything at all switches into this monster if played well, enjoying free switch ins against the omnipresent Fairy-types of the tier (shameless shoutout to the very balanced Hydreigon and Conkeldurr) often provided by way of Mandibuzz's U-turn. When put in these favorable positions, Nidoqueen proved to be fantastic at breaking down Mega Sceptile's main checks and counters in Fairy- and Steel-types. Overall, Nidoqueen is the glue of the team and supports the other five Pokemon in doing their jobs as effectively as possible, especially with the help of Mandibuzz's U-turn.@
Ability - Sheer Force
EVs - 40 HP | 252 SpA | 216 Spe
Nature - Modest
Sludge Wave | Earth Power | Ice Beam | Taunt/Toxic Spikes/Flamethrower
The EV spread is one I often opt against, using a faster version, but it fits the team fairly well, outspeeding pretty much all Cresselia, Suicune, and Metagross, and preventing additional guessing games against Adamant Choice Band Tyrantrum, which can be scary if the user predicts well. Life Orb and the Sheer Force ability are both given on offensive Nidoqueen, boosting its damage output to ridiculous levels to compliment its fantastic coverage. Not many Pokemon found on balance teams are willing to switch into all of Sludge Wave, Earth Power, and Ice Beam, the first three moves on this set. Now the fourth slot is interesting. I ordinarily hate when people slash moves in their RMTs but there are three options in particular that each have their own merits and help in different scenarios. Taunt helps tremendously in dealing with bulky Calm Mind Psychic-types such as Cresselia, Reuniclus, and Slowking, which will often attempt to use Nidoqueen as set-up fodder and can be extremely threatening to the rest of the team under the right circumstances. Toxic Spikes is another option, exerting additional pressure on balance builds, working especially well with Nidoqueen's ability to pressure grounded Poison-types. Finally, Flamethrower helps in dealing with Bronzong, an otherwise annoying presence to the rest of the team, specifically Mega Sceptile.
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Ability - Overcoat
EVs - 240 HP | 16 Def | 252 SpD
Nature - Careful
Foul Play | U-turn | Roost | Defog
Mandibuzz's moveset and EV spread are fairly straight forward. Foul Play lets Mandibuzz be less passive than it would be ordinarily if running a move such as Knock Off in its slot, especially against Pokemon such as Mega Swampert. As explained earlier, U-turn lets Mandibuzz pivot freely in and out, getting teammates in positions to succeed. It is worth noting that when switching in to face a full HP Nasty Plot Celebi, it is better to U-turn into a faster teammate to pick it off than attempt to win one-on-one with Foul Play if it happens to be running Dazzling Gleam. Roost obviously keeps the it healthy and let's it continue to check the Pokemon it's supposed to for the entirety of matches. Defog is Defog. It prevents the rest of the grounded team from being overwhelmed by Spikes and keep itself healthy by preventing damage on switch ins with Stealth Rock up. Punishment is a niche option suggested by Pearl to pressure Calm Mind Reuniclus and Calm Mind Cresselia, two big threats to the team, though it is severely limited by its lack of PP.
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Ability - Regenerator
EVs - 240 HP | 252 Def | 16 Spe
Nature - Bold
Scald | Psyshock | Slack Off | Calm Mind
As mentioned above, Slowking is notorious for sustaining good health throughout matches due to its passive recovery from Leftovers combined with the Regenerator ability and Slack Off also at its disposal. The EV spread is nothing special. Maximum HP and Defense investment allows it to take on physical attackers as well as possible to go along with its already high Special Defense often coupled with Calm Mind boosts. Scald and Psyshock are fairly powerful STAB moves that simply allow it to beat the Pokemon it is meant to check.
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Ability - Overgrow → Lightning Rod
EVs - 252 SpA | 4 SpD | 252 Spe
Nature - Timid
Giga Drain | Dragon Pulse | Leech Seed | Protect
Mega Sceptile is usually pretty cut and dry when it comes to the sets it runs, generally going with the standard moveset of Giga Drain, Dragon Pulse, Leaf Storm, and either Focus Blast or Hidden Power Fire. However, I opted to go with something a little more unique. I held on to the main STAB moves in Giga Drain and Dragon Pulse, as well as maximum investment in Special Attack and Speed coupled with a Timid nature, as these are essential in Sceptile accomplishing the job it is traditional meant to. In the next two slots I chose Protect and Leech Seed. Now, Protect is a perfectly viable and well-known move, allowing Sceptile to get off its Mega Evolution safely, hard counter standard Substitute + Dragon Dance Gyarados, and scout out what move Choice Scarf users lock themselves into. Leech Seed on the other hand is a move rarely ever seen. The main idea around this is when defensive Sylveon inevitably switch into Mega Sceptile, I can Leech Seed them and proceed to keep Nidoqueen as healthy as possible the next turn when it switches in to threaten the Fairy cat. It is the team's only Pokemon that can actively threaten defensive Sylveon and cannot afford to be whittled down early-game in most cases. Leech Seed also works well against special walls such as Snorlax, Cresselia, and Blissey, easing the rest of the team in switching in and handling them.
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Ability - Clear Body
EVs - 248 HP | 224 Def | 36 Spe
Nature - Relaxed
Moonblast | Diamond Storm | Stealth Rock | Heal Bell
Diancie is fairly straight forward when it comes to the sets in runs in ORAS UU, pretty much always opting to run the following moves: Moonblast, Diamond Storm, Stealth Rock, and Heal Bell. Where players often disagree is the EV spread run on this uncommon RU role compressor. Some choose to run hordes of Special Defense in an attempt to build up its overall resistance to the tier's special attackers, but Pearl and I theorized a long time ago that it may just be best to run a simple max max spread in HP and Defense, as it appreciates the ability to sponge hits from Entei, Conkeldurr, and even Mega Aerodactyl as well as possible. 36 Speed with a hindering nature maximizes Diancie's other stats while creeping most Bulk Up Conkeldurr in hopes to Moonblast them before they get the chance to set up and get some health back with Drain Punch.
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Ability - Justified
EVs - 252 Atk | 4 SpD | 252 Spe
Nature - Jolly
Close Combat | Iron Head | X-Scissor | Swords Dance
Overall, the set it fairly standard, utilizing the usual and generic EV spread of maximum investment in both Attack and Speed. I opted for Shuca Berry as the item to help out with the team's overall weakness to Mega Beedrill, Mamoswine, and even Mega Aerodactyl if it found a way to get out of hand. The first three moves are each a given in Close Combat, Iron Head, and Swords Dance, allowing it to dish out huge amounts of damage with its powerful STAB moves after a Swords Dance Attack boost or two. X-Scissor, however, isn't too common. I wasn't confident in my matchup against Nasty Plot Celebi as Mandibuzz U-turning into Mega Sceptile wasn't a sure-fire way of KOing the Grass-type pixie. Additionally, if Mandibuzz had been whittled to the point where +2 Dazzling Gleam would KO, I would have no reliable way of revenge killing it. In addition to Celebi, X-Scissor also helps out my shaky matchup against bulky Psychic-types in Cresselia, Reuniclus, and opposing Slowking. With Taunt Nidoqueen weakening them early on, these Pokemon often find themselves too weak to reliably check this Cobalion set, letting me power through them.
Threat List
Reuniclus - Calm Mind Reuniclus is the main Pokemon that can just rock the team under the right circumstances. Luckily it has really fallen out of favor with all the Bulk Up Conkeldurr running around, but it can freely set up on Diancie, Slowking, and Mandibuzz, and there is no real safe switch in that immediately threatens it as it sets up. One of the only ways of handling it is setting up early with Cobalion and praying Reuniclus is my opponent's main answer, letting me weaken it for a teammate to pick it off. Nidoqueen can also Taunt Reuniclus if my opponent chooses to try setting up on it, letting me weaken it to the point it can be revenge killed. One suggestion Pearl gave was Punishment on Mandibuzz which racks up power as it gains more and more Calm Mind boosts, but it only has 8 PP and lacks the usefulness of Foul Play in just about every other situation.
Offensive Water-types - Rain Dance Mega Swampert, Swords Dance or Choice Band Crawdaunt, and Dragon Dance Feraligatr are probably the biggest threats offensively to this team. Among the defensive core of Mandibuzz, Slowking, and Diancie, there really isn't a sturdy way of handling these monsters if they are to get into their respective favorable positions. Rain Dance Mega Swampert can be played around to an extent by switching between Mandibuzz and Slowking to threaten with Foul Play and Scald burns respectively, and utilizing Slowking's Regenerator ability. Crawdaunt just punches holes if it gets in safely on Diancie or Slowking but can be revenge killed by either Mega Sceptile or Crawdaunt fairly easily. Dragon Dance Feraligatr has a more difficult time setting up as it can't do so in front of Mandibuzz but if played well, but Mega Sceptile can revenge it at +1 Speed. However if it manages to get to +2 Attack and Speed somehow the game is basically over.
Choice Band Fighting-types - Choice Band Fighting-types such as Heracross and Conkeldurr don't have safe switch ins in the slightest. The two threaten the team's main fighting checks in Slowking and Diancie with their ridiculously powerful STAB moves and can proceed to break down the entire team. Offensive Nidoqueen isn't exactly a counter either but is the team's best way of revenge killing these behemoths if they lock themselves into either fighting or bug coverage. U-turn Mandibuzz helps to an extent, keeping them out of many favorable positions if I am to predict their switch in accordingly but all in all yeah ban Conkeldurr.
Shoutouts
Too lazy to do individual shoutouts after writing all this but you guys are what keeps me on this site so thanks for that ig Shiba miltankmilk YABO DrReuniclus Ark TSR Accelgor AmaroqVictory Hikari Eyan HT Pearl rozes Tony Killintime LeoLancaster Kreme Sacri' Aquadext Wanka Donphantastic Thisbemyalt (rip) r0ady BOUFF dodmen Hogg Ice Tea col49 anto Snowy Always petyer Cynde Feliburn Lax Adaam Meru Sam Sabella 1 True Lycan qsns probably forgot a bunch don't @ me
Tournament Replays
Past Versions + Bonus Version from UUPL V Semifinals
UUPL IV vs TDK http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-uu-163390 W
UU Majors I Pool Play vs Ark (no replay) W
UU Majors I Pool Play vs Naruto(sage) http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-453290672 W
UU Majors I Playoffs vs HT http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-uu-204515 L
UU Majors I Playoffs unofficial haxy game 3 vs dodmen http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-466152536 W
UU Majors I Playoffs vs Tony http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/uu-475382606 L
LTPL vs ZoroDark http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-uu-219946 W
UUPL V vs Rodriblutar http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-uu-288146 W
Current Version
UUPL V vs YABO http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-uu-277746 W
UUPL V YABO vs Lax http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-uu-287998 W
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed reading about my various successes and failures using the Mandibuzz and Nidoqueen combination, and the evolution of the teams as ORAS UU came to a close. It's by far my favorite archetype to use, especially with its overall solid record in tournament play, amounting at 8-2 up to the most recent edition of UUPL. I would like to thank Accelgor again for the awesome banner, Pearl for the formatting, and all my friends who supported me over the past year. With this and my 7-1 record in UUPL V, it's looking like a perfect time to hang it up with ORAS UU and it's about time I picked up SM. Thanks for reading!
Importable
Nidoqueen @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Taunt
Mandibuzz @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 240 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Roost
- Defog
Slowking @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Slack Off
- Calm Mind
Sceptile-Mega @ Sceptilite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Dragon Pulse
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Diancie @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 224 Def / 36 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Moonblast
- Diamond Storm
- Stealth Rock
- Heal Bell
Cobalion @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
- X-Scissor
- Swords Dance
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 216 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Taunt
Mandibuzz @ Leftovers
Ability: Overcoat
EVs: 240 HP / 16 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Foul Play
- U-turn
- Roost
- Defog
Slowking @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Psyshock
- Slack Off
- Calm Mind
Sceptile-Mega @ Sceptilite
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Giga Drain
- Dragon Pulse
- Leech Seed
- Protect
Diancie @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 248 HP / 224 Def / 36 Spe
Relaxed Nature
- Moonblast
- Diamond Storm
- Stealth Rock
- Heal Bell
Cobalion @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
- X-Scissor
- Swords Dance
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