~Zigswag Your Way to Victory~
Introduction
Hi n~n my name is Pikasohn and this is my first RMT. I've been planning to do this for a long long time but I was too busylazy so I somehow kept delaying the work for almost 2 years, and now it seems like I'm the only one left using Zigzagoon these days ;~; This is a remade version of my old Zigzagoon team that I've been using ever since Gen 5 BW (probably my oldest team that exists), and I'm sure a lot of people would've seen that one quite often either on ladder or on tournaments. I had to remake the team mainly because Fletchling was no longer usable at Gen 7 due to the nerf on Gale Wings, but I think it didn't change that much from the original version. The previous team peaked the XY LC ladder by 1810 points, and ORAS LC ladder with 1637points (I lost the screenshots unfortunately... Z:) so I believe it still will be a pretty decent team even now :3
The Team
ZigSWAGoon (Zigzagoon) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Pickup
Level: 5
EVs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 28 Def / 28 SpD / 116 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Thief
- Seed Bomb
Zigzagoon is the key Pokemon of the team, boasting its beautiful combination of Belly Drum and Extreme Speed to clean out a majority of the metagame. The reason I chose Ziggy in the first place was because it was really cute though. Berry Juice is mandatory because without it, Zigzagoon will not be able to use Belly Drum safely. Basically use Belly Drum to reach half health and then heal with Berry Juice. If the opponent is faster, you can live a hit then use Belly Drum after healing up. Pickup is the only ability compatible with the Belly Drum + Extreme Speed combination, and Pickup is actually not a bad ability for Zigzagoon. For example, in scenarios where you have to face Berry Juice Magnemite, you can actually steal away the Berry Juice that Magnemite used to stop the Recycle chain! The EV spread above gives Zigzagoon an even HP number of 22, ensuring that Berry Juice will be triggered when Belly Drum is used. Max Attack investment and an Adamant nature are essential as Zigzagoon does not have an amazing base Attack stat. The 116 Speed EVs hit 14 speed, allowing Zigzagoon to avoid speed ties against Shell Smashers, slow Rock-types, and slow Ghost-types. The rest are dumped into Defense and Special Defense equally. Thief gives Zigzagoon coverage against Ghost-types that it cannot hit with Extreme Speed, while it also lets Zigzagoon possibly steal an opponent's Berry Juice or Eviolite. Seed Bomb is mainly for hitting Shell Smashers such as Tirtouga or Omanyte.
Cotton Candy (Cottonee) @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 40 Def / 144 SpA / 40 SpD / 232 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Encore
- Memento
Cottonee is Zigzagoon's best friend, as it can provide much support with its Prankster and Memento combination. Thanks to its fast, flexible, and unpredictable use of Memento, Zigzagoon recieves the opportunity to set up safely on important chances. Eviolite was chosen in order to increase Cottonee's longevity, especially since it enjoys switching in and out often. The EV spread above is the offensive Cottonee spread that you can find on the Analysis page. The reason for max Speed is because it allows Cottonee to outspeed Pawniard, Vullaby, and a majority of fighters (Speed ties with max speed Mienfoo). This gives Cottonee the ability to make occasional surprises against some people who are expecting a slow variant and press U-turn or Iron-head without thinking. The Special Attack investment allows Cottonee to lure in and KO standard Pawniard with Hidden Power Fighting after a Dazzling Gleam. Giga Drain is not recommended, as it nearly never hits Water or Ground-types in reality because they always switch out and because it misses out the KO on Pawniard, which is very very important. Encore is the best option for the last move slot, as it lets Cottonee stop set up sweepers with its priority Encore.
El - Soldier (Pawniard) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
Pawniard serves an extremely important role, and can really determine the overall outcome of the team. Armed with Choice Scarf and Pursuit, Pawniard has the duty to either cut off Abra's Focus Sash or eliminate Gastly if any one of them exists on the opposing team. This is something that cannot be ignored because Gastly is Zigzagoon's biggest nightmare. It just comes into the Extreme Speed, laughs, and then throws a Sludge Bomb that OHKOs Ziggy. The same applies to Abra, as it just survives with Focus Sash and laughs too. Basically if any of them don't get cut off, that means Ziggy's dream is never going to come true. The EVs above are just the normal Choice Scarf Pawniard EV spread that you can find on the analysis page. Now some people may wonder why Choice Scarf and Stealth Rock are coexisting on one Pokemon, but this is also a significant element of the team. Zigzagoon greatly, and by greatly, gr8ly appreciates the existence of rocks on the opposing team. Stealth Rocks provide many many benefits to Zigzagoon's sweep. These include breaking gimmicky Focus Sashes, breaking Sturdies, and allowing Ziggy to dish out important OHKOs that would not normally happen without rocks. Breaking Diglett's Focus sash, Magnemite's Sturdy, and wearing down Vullaby would be the most common scenarios. The way of using it is simple, just use Stealth Rock on a predicted Mienfoo/Timburr switchin, and then switch out.
Bouh (Gastly) @ Fairium Z
Ability: Levitate
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 76 Atk / 196 SpA / 196 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Sludge Bomb
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
- Sucker Punch
Gastly is the new member of the team that replaced Fletchling's place. The main reason Gastly was nominated was because it was a fast, offensive revenge killer that can pressure fighters or fairies and can more flexibly switch in compared to others such as Abra or Doduo. It also doesn't mind hazards as much and has levitate to play around Ground-type Pokemon which the team is rather weak against. Fairium Z was chosen as the item becauseit's the hottest trend these days it allows Gastly to OHKO Weak Armor Vullaby at full health, which is quite helpful. Sucker Punch was selected as the last move so that Gastly can lure in Abra and waste its Focus Sash if Pawniard fails to do so, or even surprise an opposing Gastly that attempts to risk a speed tie. 76 Attack investment is to make Sucker Punch slightly less weak and the Hasty Nature is because to take Moonblasts and Sludge Bombs easier. Besides, Gastly shouldn't be getting hit by physical attacks in the first place. Substitute is an option that could be considered over Sucker Punch if you prefer taking advantage of the switches that Gastly forces.
Lemonade (Chinchou) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 152 SpD / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 SpD
- Volt Switch
- Scald
- Heal Bell
- Hidden Power [Ground]
Ah Chinchou, the only Pokemon that never got replaced throughout the history of this team. Chinchou serves as the perfect glue for the team with the ability to check many threats such as Magnemite, Ponyta, Doduo, or Staryu which all otherwise just smash the whole team into pieces. Berry Juice was chosen to increase Chinchou's longevity throughout the match as it will probably have to take a lot of hits from multiple checks. The Resttalk set is not recommended because you won't really have time to use Rest and furthermore, being setup bait can be horrifying for the entire team. My EV spread for Chinchou is slightly different from the standard bulky attack spread on the analysis. Instead of investing into Special Attack, I invested in Special Defense in order to increase Chinchou's ability to take hits more comfortably. Chinchou's job here is to sponge hits from threats, not dealing damage. Some important differences would be that this spread can survive a Dark Pulse from +2 Vullaby or a Psychic from Life Orb Abra. Heal Bell is useful for saving Mienfoo or Pawniard from becoming dead weight from a burn. Slow Volt Switches are always useful for letting other Pokemon grab momentum. Hidden Power Ground is the standard choice for hitting opposing Chinchous, but Ice Beam can also be used if you hate Foongus or Snivy.
Meanfoo (Mienfoo) @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 236 HP / 76 Atk / 196 Def
Careful Nature
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Acrobatics
Mienfoo is there because it's Mienfoo. What more explanation do we need? Mienfoo checks nearly everything else that other teammates do not. Basically it's a go-to meat shield pivot that you can rely on whenever you feel like you're in danger. I decided to use the slow variant of Mienfoo because slowfoo does this job much better and can help the team with slow U-turns. Obviously Eviolite is the choice of item and Regenerator for repeated switchins. Acrobatics was chosen for the filler move so that it doesn't get completely walled by Foongus. You can also use Feint instead of Acrobatics if you hate Abra too much. Now the EV spread is the interesting and unique quality of my Mienfoo that differentiates it from other Mienfoos. This is the first time that I'm revealing this spread, and I'm pretty sure nobody else uses it besides me. The 236 HP lets Mienfoo hit 24HP which means that Mienfoo will heal 8HP every time it switches out, as Regenerator heals 1/3 of the maximum HP of a Pokemon. The 76 Attack, while it seems unnecessary, benefits Mienfoo more than expected in terms of damage rolls. Notable examples would be KOing Onix with Drain Punch after a Knock Off and winning punch fights against Timburr on a 1v1 scenario without Acrobatics. 196 Defense is mandatory for all Mienfoos bar the Choice Scarf and rare Life Orb variants. Careful nature lets Mienfoo hit an eviolite number of 12 Special Defense without any EV point loss that can be used on other stats. Overall, thanks to the 236 HP investment, this Mienfoo boasts the sturdiest physical bulk while still not losing out on Special Defense (It still can't survive Abra's Psychic however).
Play Style
The concept of this team is rather high-risk, high-return. It's important to note that unlike other teams that have a different Pokemon on the 6th slot, this team cannot utilize Zigzagoon to engage in the flow of the game, meaning that you will have to carry on the early/mid game with only five Pokemon. This makes the survival of each Pokemon to continue serving its role extreme vital for the success of the team. If one gets cut off and fails to accomplish its job, the balance of the whole team usually breaks apart.
Zigzagoon & Cottonee: Memento must be used cautiously as it cannot be used twice. Make sure that key checks to Zigzagoon on the other team have been either eliminated or worn down. Once Zigzagoon's sweep is stopped by a check that has been remaining healthy, it's usually GG at that point. Losing two Pokemon with little profit is fatal for the rest of the match. However, going too far into late game without using Memento could also reduce the opportunities to stab in an unexpected setup chance, so try to maintain a wide view and determine when would be the best time to use it. It is advised not to bring Zigzagoon into the field unless it is safe to set up, and the sweep is guaranteed. Zigzagoon should be taken out on a non-setup scenario only when there is no hope of sweeping with Zigzagoon and is better to aim winning with other teammates. Cottonee is not that bulky, so try to switch it in on resisted attacks or predicted status moves that can be locked down by encore. Make sure to make double switches efficiently while playing Cottonee, as it easily attracts Pokemon such as Gastly, Foongus, and Ponyta. Predicted Hidden Power Fightings against Steel-types to wear them down can help Zigzagoon to sweep easily later on.
Pawniard: Using Pawniard is probably the hardest part when using this team, as it has to both set up rocks and Pursuit trap Ghost-types. It is important to never waste Pawniard from a mistake. For example, switching into a predicted Hidden Power Fighting from Gastly or Abra not only wastes Pawniard, but also makes Zigzagoon's life hard. Not to mention using Stealth Rock in front of Mienfoo predicting a U-turn and gettin punched in the face. Playing successful mindgames will be the key to successfully accomplishing Pawniard's gole (You could even sacrifice a Pokemon that you no longer need to bring in Pawniard safely).
Gastly: Gastly probably has the most flexible position in the team, as it doesn't have a specific, essential role that it must serve in order to help Zigzagoon's sweep. When playing Gastly, try to deal as much net damage as possible to the opposing team and cover up the weak spots of other members that occur during the match. This will eventually lead to an advantage and make it easier for teammates to carry out their roles. Be careful of getting trapped when facing a team with Alolan Grimer!
Chinchou & Mienfoo: Chinchou and Mienfoo are the pivots of the team that sponge up attacks and provide slow Volt Switches and U-turns for the team. Chinchou can provide cleric support and wear down opponents with Scald burns while Mienfoo can use Knock Off to get rid of Eviolites from main walls for Zigzagoon. Losing either one of them can make a big hole in the team, so try not to let them die too early during the match.
Threats
Main Threats:
Doduo: Doduo's fast speed and strong wall breaking potential makes it difficult to deal with, especially since it now has Jump Kick in Gen 7. Try to play around it by avoiding Knock Off and Jump Kick when bring in Chinchou and Pawniard respectively.
Diglett: Diglett is always annoying because it's Diglett. Getting Chinchou trapped or getting Cottonee cut off by the absurd Sludge Bomb variant really ruins up the match. Just try to make cautious plays throughout the entire game.
Grimer-Alola: Grimer-Alola is a real nuisance, especially when it's paired up with Fire Blast. It is best to play around it multiple times to wear it down until it becomes weak enough to be shot down.
Drilbur: Drilbur is probably the biggest threat to the team, especially when it's Scarf Drilbur. There are three Pokemon on the team that are weak to Ground-type attacks, and Gastly cannot dodge Drilbur's Earthquake because of Mold Breaker. It is best to use Cottonee to force it out (Beware of predicted Poison Jabs) or to wear it down with Mienfoo. Thank god nobody uses Drilbur anymore these days.
Snubbull: Interestingly, Snubull can be quite annoying to face because of its Earthquake coverage and Thief. Pawniard can only take one Play Rough because it does not have Eviolite and Gastly does not enjoy getting hit by Thief. Successfully predicting which button the opponent will press would be the key, but in most cases, Gastly is the best option.
Foongus: Although Foongus is not much of a threat, Spore is. Foongus can come in easily into Cottonee or Chinchou and then induce sleep to a Pokemon. This can be very annoying to deal with sometimes. It's often best to let Chinchou or Mienfoo sleep, and when you choose Mienfoo, try to stack at least one sleep turn so that it can wake up quickly the next time it comes back.
Situational Threats:
Mienfoo: Normal Mienfoo is not a problem at all, but Scarf Mienfoo can be deadly. Apply pressure with the presence of Gastly so that it can't press High Jump Kick so easily.
Ponyta: Normal Ponyta is not a problem either, but Sunny Day Ponyta is just terrifying. Play around it while sun is up to reduce as much damage as possible, and then use Chinchou to force it out when sun is gone.
Vullaby: Normal Vullaby is easy to deal with, but a Nasty Plot Vullaby that manages to get a speed boost is horrible, especially since Prankster does not work against Dark-types in Gen7. Try to determine which Vullaby variant you're facing before hitting it with a physical move.
Abra & Gastly: If Pawniard gets killed by Hidden Power Fighting without doing anything, these two can create havoc with ease.Just press x when that happens :3
Shoutouts
Shoutouts to...
mad0ka for being my best friend since Gen 5 BW n~n
Quote for being a cool Moderator
macle for being a cool frog :3c ribbit
Fiend for being a dog
Coconut for providing me coconut juice
Corporal Levi for being an ugly poisonous mushroom
OP for being a blue turtle
Sam-testings for still not eating a sock
Serene's Grace for liking Alolan Vulpix
Shrug for shrugging after posting long walls of shittalk
TUO for being unlucky
WaterlessMelon for being a watermelon
ItzViper482 and 067jox for always helping me test teams
Star for being salty
Sken for being a cute user
Vubon for being real
GOAO for being a ghost
Plasmagby for being a plastic Magby
Drew for being a meme
Aaron's Aron for being a dead Aron
and everyone else in the LC community and people who I have met throughout the ladder for playing LC
I love you all ~
Happy Little Cup!
Introduction
Hi n~n my name is Pikasohn and this is my first RMT. I've been planning to do this for a long long time but I was too busy
The Team
ZigSWAGoon (Zigzagoon) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Pickup
Level: 5
EVs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 28 Def / 28 SpD / 116 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Thief
- Seed Bomb
Zigzagoon is the key Pokemon of the team, boasting its beautiful combination of Belly Drum and Extreme Speed to clean out a majority of the metagame. The reason I chose Ziggy in the first place was because it was really cute though. Berry Juice is mandatory because without it, Zigzagoon will not be able to use Belly Drum safely. Basically use Belly Drum to reach half health and then heal with Berry Juice. If the opponent is faster, you can live a hit then use Belly Drum after healing up. Pickup is the only ability compatible with the Belly Drum + Extreme Speed combination, and Pickup is actually not a bad ability for Zigzagoon. For example, in scenarios where you have to face Berry Juice Magnemite, you can actually steal away the Berry Juice that Magnemite used to stop the Recycle chain! The EV spread above gives Zigzagoon an even HP number of 22, ensuring that Berry Juice will be triggered when Belly Drum is used. Max Attack investment and an Adamant nature are essential as Zigzagoon does not have an amazing base Attack stat. The 116 Speed EVs hit 14 speed, allowing Zigzagoon to avoid speed ties against Shell Smashers, slow Rock-types, and slow Ghost-types. The rest are dumped into Defense and Special Defense equally. Thief gives Zigzagoon coverage against Ghost-types that it cannot hit with Extreme Speed, while it also lets Zigzagoon possibly steal an opponent's Berry Juice or Eviolite. Seed Bomb is mainly for hitting Shell Smashers such as Tirtouga or Omanyte.
Cotton Candy (Cottonee) @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 40 Def / 144 SpA / 40 SpD / 232 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Encore
- Memento
Cottonee is Zigzagoon's best friend, as it can provide much support with its Prankster and Memento combination. Thanks to its fast, flexible, and unpredictable use of Memento, Zigzagoon recieves the opportunity to set up safely on important chances. Eviolite was chosen in order to increase Cottonee's longevity, especially since it enjoys switching in and out often. The EV spread above is the offensive Cottonee spread that you can find on the Analysis page. The reason for max Speed is because it allows Cottonee to outspeed Pawniard, Vullaby, and a majority of fighters (Speed ties with max speed Mienfoo). This gives Cottonee the ability to make occasional surprises against some people who are expecting a slow variant and press U-turn or Iron-head without thinking. The Special Attack investment allows Cottonee to lure in and KO standard Pawniard with Hidden Power Fighting after a Dazzling Gleam. Giga Drain is not recommended, as it nearly never hits Water or Ground-types in reality because they always switch out and because it misses out the KO on Pawniard, which is very very important. Encore is the best option for the last move slot, as it lets Cottonee stop set up sweepers with its priority Encore.
El - Soldier (Pawniard) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
EVs: 236 Atk / 36 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
Pawniard serves an extremely important role, and can really determine the overall outcome of the team. Armed with Choice Scarf and Pursuit, Pawniard has the duty to either cut off Abra's Focus Sash or eliminate Gastly if any one of them exists on the opposing team. This is something that cannot be ignored because Gastly is Zigzagoon's biggest nightmare. It just comes into the Extreme Speed, laughs, and then throws a Sludge Bomb that OHKOs Ziggy. The same applies to Abra, as it just survives with Focus Sash and laughs too. Basically if any of them don't get cut off, that means Ziggy's dream is never going to come true. The EVs above are just the normal Choice Scarf Pawniard EV spread that you can find on the analysis page. Now some people may wonder why Choice Scarf and Stealth Rock are coexisting on one Pokemon, but this is also a significant element of the team. Zigzagoon greatly, and by greatly, gr8ly appreciates the existence of rocks on the opposing team. Stealth Rocks provide many many benefits to Zigzagoon's sweep. These include breaking gimmicky Focus Sashes, breaking Sturdies, and allowing Ziggy to dish out important OHKOs that would not normally happen without rocks. Breaking Diglett's Focus sash, Magnemite's Sturdy, and wearing down Vullaby would be the most common scenarios. The way of using it is simple, just use Stealth Rock on a predicted Mienfoo/Timburr switchin, and then switch out.
Bouh (Gastly) @ Fairium Z
Ability: Levitate
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 76 Atk / 196 SpA / 196 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Sludge Bomb
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
- Sucker Punch
Gastly is the new member of the team that replaced Fletchling's place. The main reason Gastly was nominated was because it was a fast, offensive revenge killer that can pressure fighters or fairies and can more flexibly switch in compared to others such as Abra or Doduo. It also doesn't mind hazards as much and has levitate to play around Ground-type Pokemon which the team is rather weak against. Fairium Z was chosen as the item because
Lemonade (Chinchou) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 152 SpD / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 SpD
- Volt Switch
- Scald
- Heal Bell
- Hidden Power [Ground]
Ah Chinchou, the only Pokemon that never got replaced throughout the history of this team. Chinchou serves as the perfect glue for the team with the ability to check many threats such as Magnemite, Ponyta, Doduo, or Staryu which all otherwise just smash the whole team into pieces. Berry Juice was chosen to increase Chinchou's longevity throughout the match as it will probably have to take a lot of hits from multiple checks. The Resttalk set is not recommended because you won't really have time to use Rest and furthermore, being setup bait can be horrifying for the entire team. My EV spread for Chinchou is slightly different from the standard bulky attack spread on the analysis. Instead of investing into Special Attack, I invested in Special Defense in order to increase Chinchou's ability to take hits more comfortably. Chinchou's job here is to sponge hits from threats, not dealing damage. Some important differences would be that this spread can survive a Dark Pulse from +2 Vullaby or a Psychic from Life Orb Abra. Heal Bell is useful for saving Mienfoo or Pawniard from becoming dead weight from a burn. Slow Volt Switches are always useful for letting other Pokemon grab momentum. Hidden Power Ground is the standard choice for hitting opposing Chinchous, but Ice Beam can also be used if you hate Foongus or Snivy.
Meanfoo (Mienfoo) @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
EVs: 236 HP / 76 Atk / 196 Def
Careful Nature
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Acrobatics
Mienfoo is there because it's Mienfoo. What more explanation do we need? Mienfoo checks nearly everything else that other teammates do not. Basically it's a go-to meat shield pivot that you can rely on whenever you feel like you're in danger. I decided to use the slow variant of Mienfoo because slowfoo does this job much better and can help the team with slow U-turns. Obviously Eviolite is the choice of item and Regenerator for repeated switchins. Acrobatics was chosen for the filler move so that it doesn't get completely walled by Foongus. You can also use Feint instead of Acrobatics if you hate Abra too much. Now the EV spread is the interesting and unique quality of my Mienfoo that differentiates it from other Mienfoos. This is the first time that I'm revealing this spread, and I'm pretty sure nobody else uses it besides me. The 236 HP lets Mienfoo hit 24HP which means that Mienfoo will heal 8HP every time it switches out, as Regenerator heals 1/3 of the maximum HP of a Pokemon. The 76 Attack, while it seems unnecessary, benefits Mienfoo more than expected in terms of damage rolls. Notable examples would be KOing Onix with Drain Punch after a Knock Off and winning punch fights against Timburr on a 1v1 scenario without Acrobatics. 196 Defense is mandatory for all Mienfoos bar the Choice Scarf and rare Life Orb variants. Careful nature lets Mienfoo hit an eviolite number of 12 Special Defense without any EV point loss that can be used on other stats. Overall, thanks to the 236 HP investment, this Mienfoo boasts the sturdiest physical bulk while still not losing out on Special Defense (It still can't survive Abra's Psychic however).
Play Style
The concept of this team is rather high-risk, high-return. It's important to note that unlike other teams that have a different Pokemon on the 6th slot, this team cannot utilize Zigzagoon to engage in the flow of the game, meaning that you will have to carry on the early/mid game with only five Pokemon. This makes the survival of each Pokemon to continue serving its role extreme vital for the success of the team. If one gets cut off and fails to accomplish its job, the balance of the whole team usually breaks apart.
Zigzagoon & Cottonee: Memento must be used cautiously as it cannot be used twice. Make sure that key checks to Zigzagoon on the other team have been either eliminated or worn down. Once Zigzagoon's sweep is stopped by a check that has been remaining healthy, it's usually GG at that point. Losing two Pokemon with little profit is fatal for the rest of the match. However, going too far into late game without using Memento could also reduce the opportunities to stab in an unexpected setup chance, so try to maintain a wide view and determine when would be the best time to use it. It is advised not to bring Zigzagoon into the field unless it is safe to set up, and the sweep is guaranteed. Zigzagoon should be taken out on a non-setup scenario only when there is no hope of sweeping with Zigzagoon and is better to aim winning with other teammates. Cottonee is not that bulky, so try to switch it in on resisted attacks or predicted status moves that can be locked down by encore. Make sure to make double switches efficiently while playing Cottonee, as it easily attracts Pokemon such as Gastly, Foongus, and Ponyta. Predicted Hidden Power Fightings against Steel-types to wear them down can help Zigzagoon to sweep easily later on.
Pawniard: Using Pawniard is probably the hardest part when using this team, as it has to both set up rocks and Pursuit trap Ghost-types. It is important to never waste Pawniard from a mistake. For example, switching into a predicted Hidden Power Fighting from Gastly or Abra not only wastes Pawniard, but also makes Zigzagoon's life hard. Not to mention using Stealth Rock in front of Mienfoo predicting a U-turn and gettin punched in the face. Playing successful mindgames will be the key to successfully accomplishing Pawniard's gole (You could even sacrifice a Pokemon that you no longer need to bring in Pawniard safely).
Gastly: Gastly probably has the most flexible position in the team, as it doesn't have a specific, essential role that it must serve in order to help Zigzagoon's sweep. When playing Gastly, try to deal as much net damage as possible to the opposing team and cover up the weak spots of other members that occur during the match. This will eventually lead to an advantage and make it easier for teammates to carry out their roles. Be careful of getting trapped when facing a team with Alolan Grimer!
Chinchou & Mienfoo: Chinchou and Mienfoo are the pivots of the team that sponge up attacks and provide slow Volt Switches and U-turns for the team. Chinchou can provide cleric support and wear down opponents with Scald burns while Mienfoo can use Knock Off to get rid of Eviolites from main walls for Zigzagoon. Losing either one of them can make a big hole in the team, so try not to let them die too early during the match.
Threats
Main Threats:
Doduo: Doduo's fast speed and strong wall breaking potential makes it difficult to deal with, especially since it now has Jump Kick in Gen 7. Try to play around it by avoiding Knock Off and Jump Kick when bring in Chinchou and Pawniard respectively.
Diglett: Diglett is always annoying because it's Diglett. Getting Chinchou trapped or getting Cottonee cut off by the absurd Sludge Bomb variant really ruins up the match. Just try to make cautious plays throughout the entire game.
Grimer-Alola: Grimer-Alola is a real nuisance, especially when it's paired up with Fire Blast. It is best to play around it multiple times to wear it down until it becomes weak enough to be shot down.
Drilbur: Drilbur is probably the biggest threat to the team, especially when it's Scarf Drilbur. There are three Pokemon on the team that are weak to Ground-type attacks, and Gastly cannot dodge Drilbur's Earthquake because of Mold Breaker. It is best to use Cottonee to force it out (Beware of predicted Poison Jabs) or to wear it down with Mienfoo. Thank god nobody uses Drilbur anymore these days.
Snubbull: Interestingly, Snubull can be quite annoying to face because of its Earthquake coverage and Thief. Pawniard can only take one Play Rough because it does not have Eviolite and Gastly does not enjoy getting hit by Thief. Successfully predicting which button the opponent will press would be the key, but in most cases, Gastly is the best option.
Foongus: Although Foongus is not much of a threat, Spore is. Foongus can come in easily into Cottonee or Chinchou and then induce sleep to a Pokemon. This can be very annoying to deal with sometimes. It's often best to let Chinchou or Mienfoo sleep, and when you choose Mienfoo, try to stack at least one sleep turn so that it can wake up quickly the next time it comes back.
Situational Threats:
Mienfoo: Normal Mienfoo is not a problem at all, but Scarf Mienfoo can be deadly. Apply pressure with the presence of Gastly so that it can't press High Jump Kick so easily.
Ponyta: Normal Ponyta is not a problem either, but Sunny Day Ponyta is just terrifying. Play around it while sun is up to reduce as much damage as possible, and then use Chinchou to force it out when sun is gone.
Vullaby: Normal Vullaby is easy to deal with, but a Nasty Plot Vullaby that manages to get a speed boost is horrible, especially since Prankster does not work against Dark-types in Gen7. Try to determine which Vullaby variant you're facing before hitting it with a physical move.
Abra & Gastly: If Pawniard gets killed by Hidden Power Fighting without doing anything, these two can create havoc with ease.
Shoutouts
Shoutouts to...
mad0ka for being my best friend since Gen 5 BW n~n
Quote for being a cool Moderator
macle for being a cool frog :3c ribbit
Fiend for being a dog
Coconut for providing me coconut juice
Corporal Levi for being an ugly poisonous mushroom
OP for being a blue turtle
Sam-testings for still not eating a sock
Serene's Grace for liking Alolan Vulpix
Shrug for shrugging after posting long walls of shittalk
TUO for being unlucky
WaterlessMelon for being a watermelon
ItzViper482 and 067jox for always helping me test teams
Star for being salty
Sken for being a cute user
Vubon for being real
GOAO for being a ghost
Plasmagby for being a plastic Magby
Drew for being a meme
Aaron's Aron for being a dead Aron
and everyone else in the LC community and people who I have met throughout the ladder for playing LC
I love you all ~
Happy Little Cup!ZigSWAGoon (Zigzagoon) (M) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Pickup
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 28 SpD / 116 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Thief
- Seed Bomb
Cotton Candy (Cottonee) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 52 HP / 40 Def / 144 SpA / 40 SpD / 232 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Encore
- Memento
El - Soldier (Pawniard) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 236 Atk / 40 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
Bouh (Gastly) (M) @ Fairium Z
Ability: Levitate
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 40 HP / 76 Atk / 196 SpA / 196 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Sludge Bomb
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
- Sucker Punch
Lemonade (Chinchou) (F) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 160 SpD / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Scald
- Heal Bell
- Ice Beam
Meanfoo (Mienfoo) (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 236 HP / 76 Atk / 196 Def
Careful Nature
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Acrobatics
Ability: Pickup
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 132 HP / 196 Atk / 36 Def / 28 SpD / 116 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Belly Drum
- Extreme Speed
- Thief
- Seed Bomb
Cotton Candy (Cottonee) (F) @ Eviolite
Ability: Prankster
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 52 HP / 40 Def / 144 SpA / 40 SpD / 232 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 1 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 30 Spe
- Dazzling Gleam
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Encore
- Memento
El - Soldier (Pawniard) (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Defiant
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 236 Atk / 40 Def / 36 SpD / 196 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Pursuit
- Knock Off
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
Bouh (Gastly) (M) @ Fairium Z
Ability: Levitate
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 40 HP / 76 Atk / 196 SpA / 196 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Sludge Bomb
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
- Sucker Punch
Lemonade (Chinchou) (F) @ Berry Juice
Ability: Volt Absorb
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 76 HP / 212 Def / 160 SpD / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Scald
- Heal Bell
- Ice Beam
Meanfoo (Mienfoo) (M) @ Eviolite
Ability: Regenerator
Level: 5
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 236 HP / 76 Atk / 196 Def
Careful Nature
- Drain Punch
- Knock Off
- U-turn
- Acrobatics
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