Neko
When you live for love, how precious life can be
[SET]
Hoopa-Unbound @ Expert Belt / Heavy-Duty Boots / Leftovers
name: Trick Room (Dark)
Ability: Magician
EVs: 184 HP / 68 Def / 160 SpA / 96 Spe OR 96 HP / 252 Def / 160 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Trick Room
- Thunderbolt
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
[SET COMMENTS]
Hoopa-U takes advantage of its ability to run multiple sets in order to force out threats like Keldeo, non-Choice Scarf Iron Valiant, and Hippowdon to set up Trick Room and start decimating faster-paced types like Fighting, Dragon, and Ground. Thunderbolt 2HKOes Articuno and Corviknight, which readily soaks up its other attacks, while Psychic trashes Fighting teams and lets Hoopa-U OHKO Toxapex. Focus Blast lets Hoopa-U immediately OHKO Archaludon, which greatly threaten Dark teams. The given EV spread lets Hoopa-U outspeed Choice Specs Magnezone and slower threats, like Ursaluna-B and Kingambit, without the need for Trick Room so Hoopa-U does not have to set up Trick Room and potentially benefit slower foes, as Dark-type teams can outspeed and handle them without the need for Hoopa-U to do so. Alternatively, one can forgo the Speed and pour the remaining EVs into Defense, giving it a shot at surviving mixed Iron Valiant's Close Combat. The defensive EV investment makes Hoopa-U bulky enough to withstand Choice Scarf Enamorus's Moonblast and Choice Specs Keldeo's Secret Sword. With 160 Special Attack EVs, a Modest nature, and Expert Belt, Hoopa-U is able to 2HKO even the bulkiest special walls in Articuno, Clodsire, and Iron Hands with the appropriate move and is strong enough to even remove Blissey after minimal chip damage with Focus Blast. If this sheer wallbreaking power is not needed, items that improve its longevity such as Heavy-Duty Boots, which is important because Dark teams' access to entry hazard removal is scarce, or Leftovers are preferred.
Kingambit loves Hoopa-U's ability to set Trick Room up, despite not being dependent on it, in order to threaten Fairy- and Dark-types like Iron Valiant and Chien-Pao that normally check it instead. Aside from this, Kingambit forms a wallbreaking core with Hoopa-U, taking advantage of Hoopa-U's ability to remove Skarmory, Ursaluna-B, and Keldeo to wreak havoc on Flying, Ground, and Water teams late-game. Choice Scarf Meowscarada dispatches threats that OHKO Hoopa-U, like Choice Specs Flutter Mane and Roaring Moon, and loves Hoopa-U's ability to remove bulky walls that prevent Meowscarada from making progress like Skarmory, Archaludon, and Toxapex. Chien-Pao acts as a cleaner after Hoopa-U has greatly weakened the opposing Corviknight and Ursaluna-B, tearing through Flying, Ground, and some Water teams after a Swords Dance, if it has the appropriate coverage. Defensive walls like Ting-Lu and Sableye are also appreciated, with Ting-Lu supporting Hoopa-U's wallbreaking by setting entry hazards and Sableye checking strong Fighting-types like Zamazenta and Sneasler, which can OHKO Hoopa-U. Mandibuzz provides Defog support to keep Hoopa-U healthy, checks setup sweepers like Scizor and Dragonite, and pivots Hoopa-U in, if the opportunity arises, with U-turn.
[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
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Dark (Trick Room)
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Nasty Plot provides Hoopa-U with absurd breaking power, which lets it outright OHKO the aforementioned special walls, but this wastes a precious turn under Trick Room. Dark Pulse can be considered, as its combination with Psychic will hit most of the metagame for neutral damage at the very least, but Focus Blast and Thunderbolt's ability to score OHKOs or 2HKOs against prominent threats and walls is more impactful.
[CREDITS]
Written by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/neko.542526/
Quality checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sasha.510532/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/boomp.637295/
Grammar checked by:
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/autumn.384270/
https://www.smogon.com/forums/members/sapphiree.567354/
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