Hey, y'all! Your favourite Flittle fanatic Catalisador here to give my thoughts on some underexplored Pokémon and movesets in the current NU metagame!
Golem stands out as an extremely versatile defensive AND (somewhat) offensive glue in the current metagame. With access to a plethora of support moves such as Stealth Rock, Volt Switch and Roar, as well as the potent combination of Magnet Pull and Iron Defense + Body Press, it is able to act as a premier defensive wall, checking and threatening metagame staples like Salazzle and Jolteon, AND counter to common defensive Steel-types such as Bronzong, Copperajah and Orthworm. Furthermore, Terastalization enhances Golem's defensive capabilities even further, potentially turning it into the superb defensive Water and Fairy types. I've been using Golem for quite a lot of success recently and completely recommend it for teams that are struggling to pick a counter to Steel-types as well as a check to common metagame staples in Salazzle, Jolteon and Scyther. Its role-compression can be an absolute godsend! I've been using a spread of 252 HP, 152+ Def, 20 SpDef and 84 Spe, which allows it to outpace up to base 55 Spe Pokémon such as Dudunsparce, unboosted Arboliva, Copperajah and Piloswine, threatening them with ID-boosted Body Presses, while avoiding the 3HKO from any of Salazzle and Jolteon's unboosted moves pre-Terastalization and Bronzong's Psychic.
Cryogonal is another cool pick I've been testing out recently. With a pretty unique combination of special bulk, speed and access to utility moves in Rapid Spin and Haze, it is able to check common special attackers such as CM Mesprit and Uxie, Goodra, special Shaymin and Tatsugiri, the later three especially thanks to its super-effective Freeze-Dry. It is another Pokémon that I recommend for its role compression of removing hazards and acting as a wall against potent metagame staples. I've been running a spread of 248 HP, 44 Def and 216+ Spe which allows it to avoid the 3HKO from Piloswine's Icicle Crash while maximizing its Speed to outpace base 100s like Shaymin.
Gligar is a pretty common metagame staple right now, but I've been using it in a completely different and interesting way: an all-out attacking moveset. Thanks to its superb defensive typing and Eviolite-boosted bulk, it is able to check or punish common metagame staples like Heracross, Bronzong, Sandaconda, etc. However, it is very prone to getting Knock Off: so enter Acrobatics, a way to gain a strong secondary STAB which compliments Earthquake and allows it to 2HKO or OHKO common metagame staples like the aforementioned Heracross, Scyther and Hariyama. Lastly, the combination of Knock Off and U-Turn gives teams momentum and superb utility, also allowing it to punish the likes of Levitate Bronzong, Qwilish-Hisui, Scyther, Piloswine on the switch-in, etc. I definitely recommend experimenting with 4 Atks or even SD Gligar right now! A very unique and potent choice right now.
Lastly, I wanted to give the spotlight to an extremely potent offensive Pokémon in the current metagame: Piloswine. Despite being mostly used for its defensive qualities such as checking Jolteon and co., the boar's combination of unresisted Ice- and Ground-type STABS lets it act as a self-sufficient offensive threat in the current metagame. I've been experimenting with Choice Banded variants, which only struggle against Bronzong (without Tera Blast Ghost). It is a very unexpected attacker that can pick off easy KOs with its powerful Earthquake and Icicle Crash/Icicle Spear (or Ice Shard against weakened foes). Definitely recommend experimenting with more offensive variants of Piloswine, even just max Atk Eviolite, as it fulfills very interesting offensive niche in the current metagame.
So, I wanted to know your opinions: what are some underexplored Pokémon you're using right now?
Edit: here's some teams showcasing the aforementioned sets and Pokémon! Click the sprites for the importables!
SD Shaymin + Golem-Alola
SD Loaded Dice Heracross + 4 Atks Gligar
CB Piloswine + Golem-Alola