A Guide to Setup Sweepers in UU

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Introduction

We've all fought them and we've all used them. With a single free turn, they can determine the outcome of a match. Stealth Rock Setup sweepers are a huge defining force in any metagame. If you look at the current viability rankings of any tier, you'll notice that many Pokémon in the top ranks are defined by their use of setup moves. This article aims to cover some of the top boosters in UU: a physical sweeper, a special attacker, and a bulky booster, in that order.

Feraligatr

After receiving a godsend ability in the form of Sheer Force, Feraligatr shot up from NU to UU in a matter of weeks. Since then, Feraligatr has established itself as arguably the most threatening Dragon Dance user in UU. Given its decent Speed, incredible power, and decent enough movepool to be able to get past various Pokémon that would otherwise be counters, it's really no surprise it rose to S Rank. Waterfall is the most powerful move Feraligatr has in its arsenal, and very few Pokémon can stand to weather its Sheer Force (come on, do you really think I'd write about a Pokémon with Sheer Force and not make that pun?). Crunch is Feraligatr's best coverage move and allows it to smash Pokémon such as Reuniclus, Cresselia, Doublade, and Slowking to bits. It also hits troublesome bulky Water-types neutrally. However, the last move of the set is where playing with Feraligatr gets really fun. Substitute allows Feraligatr to set up on the numerous bulky Water-types in UU, namely Suicune, Vaporeon, and Alomomola, as with 36 EVs in Special Defense, its Substitute will never be broken by any of their attacks up to a +1 Scald from Suicune. Ice Punch is Feraligatr's best bet against Dragon- and Grass-types such as Hydreigon, Chesnaught, and Whimsicott. Finally, if your team struggles against more defensive teams, Swords Dance can be used to blow past the opposition with the extra power it provides.

In all honesty, there isn't really a 100% successful way to beat Feraligatr. Whimsicott can prevent Feraligatr from attacking by Encoring it into Dragon Dance or Swords Dance. If Feraligatr is running Substitute or Swords Dance in the last slot, Tangrowth, Chesnaught, and FatMence can put a stop to it. However, if you've ever seen Cheaper by the Dozen and remember the scene where they're obliterating apples with tennis rackets, you'll get the idea of what Ice Punch can do to those checks. Provided Feraligatr is running Ice Punch, bulky Water-types such as Suicune and Alomomola can wall it. Fast Pokémon such as Mega Sceptile and Mega Beedrill along with Choice Scarf users such as Rotom-C and Mienshao can revenge kill Feraligatr effectively at +1, but they lose when it's at +2.

Lucario

After basking in the spotlight of OU for two glorious generations, Lucario has finally made its way to UU, where it is loved and cared for by the many players of the ladder. Lovey-dovey stuff aside, Lucario is a menace for defensive teams to face in UU. Part of what makes Lucario so dangerous is that it can run a Swords Dance set, which is scary for offensive teams to face, or a Nasty Plot set, which is incredibly scary for defensive teams. Once Lucario gets a Nasty Plot up, all your defensive troubles seem to just, y'know, go away... At +2, very few Pokémon can avoid being 2HKOed by Lucario. Nasty Plot instantly makes Lucario something that you don't want anything on your team to take on. Aura Sphere is Lucario's best Fighting-type STAB move, though Focus Blast can be used to 2HKO other threats such as Suicune. At +2, Lucario can 2HKO Pokémon as bulky as Porygon2 and Blissey. Flash Cannon is Lucario's best Steel-type STAB move and is especially useful for decimating Pokémon that resist Fighting in UU, namely Florges, Roserade, and Nidoqueen. Dark Pulse is a great option in the last slot, as it nails Slowking, Cresselia, Doublade, Reuniclus, and non-Choice Scarf Chandelure for super effective damage. It is also Lucario's best option against Tentacruel. So, seeing as very few Pokémon can take it on defensively, revenge killing looks like a good option, right? Well, it is, provided Lucario isn't running Vacuum Wave, which can KO a whole bunch of revenge killers after a little bit of prior damage, namely Mamoswine, Hydreigon, Krookodile, and Cobalion. Cobalion in particular is interesting because it can revenge kill Swords Dance Lucario at +2, as it resists Extreme Speed, but it is cleanly picked off by a +2 Vacuum Wave.

So, either figure out what Lucario is running in its fourth slot and play around it, or take the easier (albeit lazier) route and slap Choice Scarf Chandelure on every team.

Reuniclus

If you've ever dreamed of a Pokémon so horrifically awful to deal with in UU that you wanted to cry, you were probably thinking of Arceus. Fortunately, Arceus is banned to Ubers, so don't worry about it. On the other hand, Reuniclus is in UU, which, in a way, is almost as bad. At first, Reuniclus looks like a simple Calm Mind user with its good 110 / 75 / 85 bulk, good Special Attack, and access to reliable recovery. However, at a second glance, you notice its ability: Magic Guard. Magic Guard is absolutely critical to how Reuniclus functions. First off, it makes Reuniclus immune to entry hazard damage. This makes it impossible to wear down through repeatedly being forced out and coming back into entry hazards, making it harder for attackers to break down. Also, it renders Reuniclus immune to damage from Toxic and burns. While most Calm Mind users would tremble in fear of these moves, Reuniclus remains moving its arms up and down as if it were celebrating. As a matter of fact, Reuniclus benefits from being poisoned or burned, as it makes it so Reuniclus can't be paralyzed, frozen, or put to sleep. Another dirty trick people like to play with Reuniclus is running Thunder Wave over Focus Blast or Shadow Ball, crippling its offensive checks as they switch in. Remember that each move gives Reuniclus different checks. For example, Krookodile can take on sets running Shadow Ball or Thunder Wave with no problem, but it fears getting hit with Focus Blast on the switch. The move also hits Hydreigon and Snorlax for decent damage. However, if Reuniclus is running Focus Blast, Doublade and Chandelure can take it on.

So, how do you stop this monster? The best way is to try to hit it before it sets up or, if it has set up, with physical attacks. Of course, super effective STAB moves from Pokémon such as Heracross are effective at dealing some heavy damage. Thankfully, it is weak to Knock Off, so smacking it and removing its Leftovers is a good way to go about trying to take Reuniclus down. Do, however, make sure that your Knock Off user can actually KO Reuniclus after its item is removed, as Reuniclus can use Recover after the first Knock Off against many Pokémon and eventually beat them. Taunt is a great way to stop Reuniclus from boosting and using Recover, so if it is running Shadow Ball instead of Focus Blast or Thunder Wave, you may be able to wear it down with a stallbreaker such as Taunt + Roost Hydreigon. In a similar vein, locking Reuniclus into Calm Mind with Encore from Pokémon such as Whimsicott is particularly annoying for it. Roar Suicune is also a good check to Reuniclus, as it can easily phaze Reuniclus, and if Suicune has Calm Mind, it can set up and phaze Reuniclus to create a huge advantage for Suicune's team. Phazing in general is an effective way to beat Reuniclus, so even running Dragon Tail on Slowking to beat it could work. However, your only method of beating Reuniclus should not be phazing it, as Reuniclus will win in a last Pokémon scenario, so try forcing it out to be taken on by a Pokémon such as Krookodile or Heracross later.

Reuniclus also kinda looks like it wants a hug :)

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