'sup Smogon! First of all, thanks so much for my pre-contributor badge; it's been great fun writing up all of these analyses, and I'm extremely pleased that you like them. :D To celebrate, I'm posting an RMT of the team I've been using to "make Luxray the new Camerupt", and which has been hovering around the top ladder page for a while. At first, I just added some seemingly random pokemon around the Lickilicky + Luxray core to help out, but through a lot of playtesting I've identified the key threats to the team and made sure to cover them as much as possible. I don't have a Rapid Spinner or (Toxic) Spiker on this team, since many of the users seem to be dead weight in the tier, and Luxray and Lickilicky can control the opponent's statuses much more reliably. Plus, the team isn't particularly vulnerable, with only Magmortar being weak to Stealth Rock and Mesprit + Haunter having Levitate. Now that it's fully realised, the team falls into a bulky offense archetype, using the Lickilicky + Luxray core to status opponents and provide my bulky attackers with the healing and paralysis they need to overcome all opposition. Almost all of the sets are non-standard, making it harder for first-time opponents to deal with it, so it should be an interesting read. Of course, it also means that there's a lot of potential for me to have made some poor choices, so be sure to give me feedback on any aspects of the team that could be improved. Luxray and Licky are staying, but feel free to provide advice on their movesets.
Lickilicky Deluxe!
So without any further ado, let's begin with the teammates!
Mesprit @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
Mesprit serves as a lot of things to this team: Stealth Rock user, powerful special attacker, Sawk counter, lead most of the time. This used to be an offensive Calm Mind set, and Torterra used to have the Rocks, but I found I was using Calm Mind at times I should just be attacking, and that Torterra wasn't a very effective lead, so I swapped them around. However, unlike most Stealth Rock using Mesprit, this one packs some serious offense; 339 Special Attack, a Life Orb and excellent coverage moves mean I can usually get a surprise kill when opponents think they can set up on me. Ice Beam is particularly useful since opponents will often try and set up Altaria, Cacturne and other mons on me, not knowing they're going to get wrecked by Ice Beam. And unlike other special attackers, it has the bulk and typing to switch into battle repeatedly and keep firing off attacks to keep the opponent on their toes. Overall, I'm pretty impressed by this pokemon, but it's by no means irreplaceable.
Torterra (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 176 HP / 252 Atk / 80 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Synthesis
Torterra is basically my "screw you" to Quagsire, who can really otherwise be a pain to this team if Lickilicky fails to Toxic it. Speed EVs are for pussies, and since I have a ton of paralysis support, any targets that Torterra needs to outspeed will hopefully be dealt with in advance by Luxray or Lickilicky. Thus, most have gone into HP so that Torterra can tank those attacks he resists as much as possible, and to minimise the recoil of his enormous wood. When he hammers, something's going to get fucked, especially once he's overgrown.
Yeah, sorry 'bout that. :p Other than that, he's a pretty standard Torterra with enough Speed to beat uninvested Base 65's, although since I'm no longer using Stealth Rock on him, I've decided to use Synthesis instead so that I can mess with Sucker Punch users and heal off some of Wood Hammer's recoil damage. Like Mesprit, his bulk and raw power make him a good complement to the defensive nature of my core. I've tried other options over him, but I've come to love Torterra's resilience and ability to switch into attacks. I'm definitely open to trying new movesets, but this team's suffered when he's been away, so I'd rather not replace him.
Magmortar (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Vital Spirit
EVs: 24 Atk / 248 SAtk / 236 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Flame Charge
Disco inferno! Magmortar was my most recent choice for another offensive team member, replacing Samurott due to my fairly large weakness to Jynx. With Vital Spirit, Fire typing and good Special Defense, Magmortar can come in on most Jynx and start setting up with Flame Charge. It actually manages to OHKO Jynx with the given investment, meaning it can use it without worrying and gain the speed it needs to sweep properly. Other than that, it's a standard Magmortar with speed-creepy EVs and a little attack investment. I didn't find myself using the Hidden Powers enough for them to be useful, especially since switching Torterra into Quagsire is usually a better idea anyways, and Mesprit can take out Altaria with Ice Beam. I've gone with a Hasty nature since Magmortar likes switching in with its decent special bulk, and although the weakness to Aqua Jet / Sucker Punch is annoying, the users of these moves are often fairly easy to play around. I would say Magmortar is replaceable, but I can't really think of anything else that deals with Jynx this well, other than Rest Talk Lapras or something,
Haunter (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Destiny Bond
- Trick
Scarf Haunter is my revenge-killer, and general messer-up of the opponent's plans. I'd initially used Sawk ad then Kadabra, but Haunter convinced me in the end due to its multiple immunities, 4x resistance to U-turns, immunity to Poison and access to some cool niche moves. Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb are obligatory STAB attacks, hitting surprisingly hard even without a boosting item. Meanwhile, I didn't find too much use for Hidden Power Ground and Thunderbolt since my teammates already have that coverage, er, covered, so I decided to mix it up a little. Destiny Bond is insanely helpful, letting me revenge kill opponents behind Substitutes and bulky opponents like Altaria that I'd normally have no business staying in on. It's a pretty good "oh shit" button, and it's saved me a lot of times. Finally, Trick lets me cripple walls, Eviolite boosters, and other annoying pokemon; sometimes I'm even able to get my Scarf back after it's fulfilled its purpose, giving Haunter a new lease of death.
Lickilicky (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Body Slam
And thus begins the hopefully-infamous defensive core. Licklicky is insanely useful to this team, sponging a whole mess of special attacks and walling many pokemon completely. When Licklicky switches in, it has ample opportunities to support the rest of the team, and especially Luxray, by using Wish and Heal Bell to freshen them up and let them continue battering the opponent with their powerful attacks. Having a reliable Wish user lets me give my offensive pokemon Life Orbs without worrying about them being worn down, while access to Heal Bell lets them stay in on status attacks and just keep up the unrelenting assault. Meanwhile, Body Slam is useful for dealing surprisingly respectable damage and paralysing opponents when Lickilicky hasn't got anything better to do, while also making sure he's not dead weight in the lategame. Overall, Licklicky's sheer bulk made it the primary choice for me over Audino, and Gardevoir has somewhat poor synergy with Mesprit while Lickilicky can switch into the Ghost types that give it trouble, and Mesprit can likewise switch into Fighting types. I don't really know if there's anything that would fill this role better.
Luxray (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Toxic
- Roar
- Volt Switch
And here's the pokemon I've been banging on about for ages, Luxray itself! As a physically bulky pivot, it's incredibly good at switching into Swellow, Braviary, and even stuff like Cinccino thanks to Intimidate and full defensive investment. Meanwhile, I can just spread status like no tomorrow as they switch around or stay in and deal low damage. Using both Thunder Wave and Toxic lets me deal with both offensive and defensive teams effectively; after being paralysed, all sweepers are outsped by Mesprit, Torterra and Magmortar, letting me almost always OHKO them with the correct move. Likewise, defensive walls become much easier to stall out once they've been poisoned, especially so if Lickilicky's still around. And since most people think Luxray's running an offensive set, they'll often switch walls straight in for me, saving me even more time and letting me steal momentum directly. Meanwhile, Roar allows me to switch around opponents on my own if they refuse to co-operate, and is handy for beating boosters in general, especially Ninjask. Finally, Volt Switch provides decently powerful STAB and lets Luxray simultaneously let another team mate into combat, giving me the tactical advantage. I used to run Discharge over Thunder Wave for a while, but I've found consistently paralysing things is more useful for this team than having a spammable attack. Although Luxray lacks recovery and is vulnerable to Toxic itself, Licklicky fixes both of these problems and can switch directly into the special attackers that can threaten to KO it, allowing Luxray to realise its full potential as a status spreader.
...and that's pretty much it guys, I haven't really got a lot more to say at the moment other than to let rip with your feedback! It's been a blast playing NU over the last few months, as the tier has both become more balanced and more open to experimentation; I hope it stays this way for a while. :)
Lickilicky Deluxe!
So without any further ado, let's begin with the teammates!
Mesprit @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
Mesprit serves as a lot of things to this team: Stealth Rock user, powerful special attacker, Sawk counter, lead most of the time. This used to be an offensive Calm Mind set, and Torterra used to have the Rocks, but I found I was using Calm Mind at times I should just be attacking, and that Torterra wasn't a very effective lead, so I swapped them around. However, unlike most Stealth Rock using Mesprit, this one packs some serious offense; 339 Special Attack, a Life Orb and excellent coverage moves mean I can usually get a surprise kill when opponents think they can set up on me. Ice Beam is particularly useful since opponents will often try and set up Altaria, Cacturne and other mons on me, not knowing they're going to get wrecked by Ice Beam. And unlike other special attackers, it has the bulk and typing to switch into battle repeatedly and keep firing off attacks to keep the opponent on their toes. Overall, I'm pretty impressed by this pokemon, but it's by no means irreplaceable.
Torterra (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 176 HP / 252 Atk / 80 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Synthesis
Torterra is basically my "screw you" to Quagsire, who can really otherwise be a pain to this team if Lickilicky fails to Toxic it. Speed EVs are for pussies, and since I have a ton of paralysis support, any targets that Torterra needs to outspeed will hopefully be dealt with in advance by Luxray or Lickilicky. Thus, most have gone into HP so that Torterra can tank those attacks he resists as much as possible, and to minimise the recoil of his enormous wood. When he hammers, something's going to get fucked, especially once he's overgrown.
Yeah, sorry 'bout that. :p Other than that, he's a pretty standard Torterra with enough Speed to beat uninvested Base 65's, although since I'm no longer using Stealth Rock on him, I've decided to use Synthesis instead so that I can mess with Sucker Punch users and heal off some of Wood Hammer's recoil damage. Like Mesprit, his bulk and raw power make him a good complement to the defensive nature of my core. I've tried other options over him, but I've come to love Torterra's resilience and ability to switch into attacks. I'm definitely open to trying new movesets, but this team's suffered when he's been away, so I'd rather not replace him.
Magmortar (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Vital Spirit
EVs: 24 Atk / 248 SAtk / 236 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Flame Charge
Disco inferno! Magmortar was my most recent choice for another offensive team member, replacing Samurott due to my fairly large weakness to Jynx. With Vital Spirit, Fire typing and good Special Defense, Magmortar can come in on most Jynx and start setting up with Flame Charge. It actually manages to OHKO Jynx with the given investment, meaning it can use it without worrying and gain the speed it needs to sweep properly. Other than that, it's a standard Magmortar with speed-creepy EVs and a little attack investment. I didn't find myself using the Hidden Powers enough for them to be useful, especially since switching Torterra into Quagsire is usually a better idea anyways, and Mesprit can take out Altaria with Ice Beam. I've gone with a Hasty nature since Magmortar likes switching in with its decent special bulk, and although the weakness to Aqua Jet / Sucker Punch is annoying, the users of these moves are often fairly easy to play around. I would say Magmortar is replaceable, but I can't really think of anything else that deals with Jynx this well, other than Rest Talk Lapras or something,
Haunter (M) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Destiny Bond
- Trick
Scarf Haunter is my revenge-killer, and general messer-up of the opponent's plans. I'd initially used Sawk ad then Kadabra, but Haunter convinced me in the end due to its multiple immunities, 4x resistance to U-turns, immunity to Poison and access to some cool niche moves. Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb are obligatory STAB attacks, hitting surprisingly hard even without a boosting item. Meanwhile, I didn't find too much use for Hidden Power Ground and Thunderbolt since my teammates already have that coverage, er, covered, so I decided to mix it up a little. Destiny Bond is insanely helpful, letting me revenge kill opponents behind Substitutes and bulky opponents like Altaria that I'd normally have no business staying in on. It's a pretty good "oh shit" button, and it's saved me a lot of times. Finally, Trick lets me cripple walls, Eviolite boosters, and other annoying pokemon; sometimes I'm even able to get my Scarf back after it's fulfilled its purpose, giving Haunter a new lease of death.
Lickilicky (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Body Slam
And thus begins the hopefully-infamous defensive core. Licklicky is insanely useful to this team, sponging a whole mess of special attacks and walling many pokemon completely. When Licklicky switches in, it has ample opportunities to support the rest of the team, and especially Luxray, by using Wish and Heal Bell to freshen them up and let them continue battering the opponent with their powerful attacks. Having a reliable Wish user lets me give my offensive pokemon Life Orbs without worrying about them being worn down, while access to Heal Bell lets them stay in on status attacks and just keep up the unrelenting assault. Meanwhile, Body Slam is useful for dealing surprisingly respectable damage and paralysing opponents when Lickilicky hasn't got anything better to do, while also making sure he's not dead weight in the lategame. Overall, Licklicky's sheer bulk made it the primary choice for me over Audino, and Gardevoir has somewhat poor synergy with Mesprit while Lickilicky can switch into the Ghost types that give it trouble, and Mesprit can likewise switch into Fighting types. I don't really know if there's anything that would fill this role better.
Luxray (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Toxic
- Roar
- Volt Switch
And here's the pokemon I've been banging on about for ages, Luxray itself! As a physically bulky pivot, it's incredibly good at switching into Swellow, Braviary, and even stuff like Cinccino thanks to Intimidate and full defensive investment. Meanwhile, I can just spread status like no tomorrow as they switch around or stay in and deal low damage. Using both Thunder Wave and Toxic lets me deal with both offensive and defensive teams effectively; after being paralysed, all sweepers are outsped by Mesprit, Torterra and Magmortar, letting me almost always OHKO them with the correct move. Likewise, defensive walls become much easier to stall out once they've been poisoned, especially so if Lickilicky's still around. And since most people think Luxray's running an offensive set, they'll often switch walls straight in for me, saving me even more time and letting me steal momentum directly. Meanwhile, Roar allows me to switch around opponents on my own if they refuse to co-operate, and is handy for beating boosters in general, especially Ninjask. Finally, Volt Switch provides decently powerful STAB and lets Luxray simultaneously let another team mate into combat, giving me the tactical advantage. I used to run Discharge over Thunder Wave for a while, but I've found consistently paralysing things is more useful for this team than having a spammable attack. Although Luxray lacks recovery and is vulnerable to Toxic itself, Licklicky fixes both of these problems and can switch directly into the special attackers that can threaten to KO it, allowing Luxray to realise its full potential as a status spreader.
...and that's pretty much it guys, I haven't really got a lot more to say at the moment other than to let rip with your feedback! It's been a blast playing NU over the last few months, as the tier has both become more balanced and more open to experimentation; I hope it stays this way for a while. :)
Mesprit @ Life Orb
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
Torterra (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Synthesis
Magmortar (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Vital Spirit
EVs: 24 Atk / 248 SAtk / 236 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Flame Charge
Haunter (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Destiny Bond
- Trick
Lickilicky (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Body Slam
Luxray (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Toxic
- Roar
- Volt Switch
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SAtk / 4 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Stealth Rock
- Psychic
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
Torterra (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Synthesis
Magmortar (F) @ Life Orb
Trait: Vital Spirit
EVs: 24 Atk / 248 SAtk / 236 Spd
Hasty Nature (+Spd, -Def)
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Flame Charge
Haunter (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
- Destiny Bond
- Trick
Lickilicky (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SDef / 4 Spd
Careful Nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Wish
- Protect
- Heal Bell
- Body Slam
Luxray (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spd
Bold Nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Thunder Wave
- Toxic
- Roar
- Volt Switch
