Spice UUp Your Game: Down to Earth

By avarice. Released: 2022/01/20.
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Art

Art by anundeadboy.

Introduction

Spice UUp Your Game, a series of UU-based articles that shows off underexplored sets and Pokémon within the UU metagame, has returned for Sword and Shield! The metagame has settled post-Mienshao ban and minor tier shifts and looks to be ready for innovation. This issue will feature some Pokémon used throughout the recent UnderUsed Snake Draft that can stand their ground and are fun to use.

Thousand Waves Zygarde-10%

Zygarde-10%

Choice Band Zygarde-10% has been making waves in UU. No Mienshao in the tier means one less Choice Scarf user to revenge kill it. The most common responses to Zygarde-10% are bulky Grass-types like Amoonguss and Tangrowth. Thousand Waves Zygarde-10% largely benefits from Choice Band's relevancy; it is able to trap common switch-ins like Amoonguss and Tangrowth and set up to +6 Attack and Defense. Zygarde-10% needs to be rather bulky to properly trap foes, and it will usually be deadweight if it cannot set up to +6. While being hit or miss, it's a fun set for sure! Here is a replay of Umbry successfully pulling off the set against Fakee from UUSD.

Choice Band Swampert

Swampert

Swampert has become a defensive staple in UU because of its access to Flip Turn, and it can be physically or specially defensive depending on what a team needs. However, for someone looking to put the spotlight on Swampert, look no further than this Choice Band set. With its solid Attack, Swampert has a good offensive presence. Earthquake has a great amount of power behind it. Flip Turn keeps momentum when Swampert is struggling to get past Pokémon like Tangrowth or a defensive backbone of Slowking + Skarmory or Celesteela. Ice Punch rounds out Swampert's coverage and hits Pokémon like Zarude and Hydreigon. Sleep Talk allows Swampert to absorb sleep and can let it do a hefty amount of damage to Amoonguss with Earthquake or pivot with Flip Turn. Choice Band Swampert is a great wallbreaker in its own right and can even be a lure when paired with Pokémon that do not always run Stealth Rock, like Excadrill and Nihilego. Here is a replay of Swampert shining in the Mienshao metagame in a match between hs and KSt3ve for UUSD.

Gigalith (and Choice Band Excadrill)

Gigalith Excadrill

Gigalith @ Leftovers
Ability: Sand Stream
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Toxic
- Earthquake / Protect
- Rock Blast


Excadrill @ Choice Band
Ability: Sand Rush
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Rock Slide
- Rapid Spin

From the rocky depths of PU, Gigalith's decent natural bulk and Sand Stream has made sand a viable playstyle in UU, enabling Excadrill to be a real menace against offense. Gigalith checks Pokémon like Thundurus-T and Moltres and has a fair amount of utility between setting Stealth Rock and spreading Toxic. Earthquake hits foes such as Nihilego and Excadrill, but Protect has merit to accrue residual damage with sand and Toxic and scout Choice-locked Pokémon like Zygarde-10%. Gravity is another option to support Excadrill and lets it muscle past Celesteela and Skarmory on its own, but it is not as consistent. Choice Band is the best way for Excadrill to capitalize on sand, as only Skarmory can handle Excadrill's STAB combination and Rock Slide. Magneton makes for a decent partner to trap Skarmory. Rapid Spin is nice to have for emergencies and can occasionally be useful to clean with, should Excadrill get hit by Knock Off from Pokémon like Nihilego. Sand was used multiple times in UUSD, but Punny definitely utilized it best. Here is one of their games using it against ProDigeZz.

Closing Thoughts

These Pokémon have hit the ground running in their tournament games and will likely stay relevant, whether Thundurus-T leaves the tier or not. Definitely give them a chance to rock your world!

HTML by Ryota Mitarai.
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