approved by Leo
op from Earth
Threats to OU Cores
Pokemon rely on offensive and defensive synergy to function. Cores of Pokemon are units within teams that are built specifically to take advantage of these synergies between Pokemon. Many teams are built around such cores. The premise of this thread is to analyse the best threats to OU cores, with the aim to support teambuilding by providing a list of cores that may threaten your team and suggest viable Pokémon that can be added in response. If anyone has suggestions for cores you can PM me.
Procedure:
1. Each week I will post a core of 2 Pokemon, these will be proven cores in the meta that are difficult to handle.
2. Posters will have the chance to post threats to the core. This is one Pokemon that can counter/check at least one member of the core, while not being itself countered by either member.
Example: Mamoswine is a threat to the core of defensive Landorus-Therian + AV Magearna, because it can outspeed and OHKO both Pokémon with its STAB moves.
3. At the end of the week, I will archive all viable threats listed in the below post and post a new core, highlighting the most effective and creative threats, as well as explaining why others don't make the cut.
Rules:
1. Please follow up your reservations in a timely fashion. I will allow 48 hours after a reservation to make the post. After 2 days are up, if you have not made your post, then someone else may reserve that Pokemon.
2. Please only post Pokemon that are viable in OU. Also avoid using weird/very specific sets to check these Pokemon.
2.1. This does not mean that you can't submit Pokemon that are not on the viability rankings, I will make exceptions to certain unranked Pokemon I deem viable enough to archive.
3. Each poster may post up to 2 threats. Each set counts as a different threat.
4. When posting, please explain yourself. Calcs are not necessary, but please list more reasons than something simple like type synergy. Be descriptive so that other posters and I can fully understand your reasoning behind your nomination. Please paste the full set of your threat, moves, EVs, ability, Showdown importable is preferred.
5. Different sets can be posted for the same Pokemon so long as they serve a different purpose from the other set.
6. Be respectful to others. Constructive criticism is allowed, as long as it is done in a proper and non-hostile manner.
Clarifications Regarding Threats:
A threat to the core must check or counter at least one member and cannot be countered by the other. A threat does not necessarily need to be able to switch into both members of the core, but it should be difficult/annoying to switch into for the members of the core. Of course, the biggest threats can counter both members of the core.
> Pokémon A checks Pokémon B if, when Pokémon A is given a free switch into Pokémon B, Pokémon A can win every time, even under the worst case scenario, without factoring in hax.
> Addtionally, Pokemon A also checks Pokemon B if, Pokemon A is able to deal with a particular set of Pokemon B, and Pokémon A is given a free switch into Pokémon B, while Pokemon B is using that particular set, then Pokémon A can win every time, even under the worst case scenario, without factoring in hax. This is called "Set Dependence".
Example: Tangrowth can switch into defensive Landorus-Therian without much fear, but is unable to deal with Flyinium Z variants of Landorus-Therian.
> Pokémon A counters Pokémon B if Pokémon A can manually switch into Pokémon B and still win every time, even under the worst case scenario, without factoring in hax.
Example: Heatran should always be able to beat any common, viable, and standard Ferrothorn set, because Heatran is able to OHKO Ferrothorn and it can do little back. Bulldoze is the only way Ferrothorn can properly damage Heatran, but it is neither viable, nor common, nor standard, meaning Heatran is always able to manually switch into Ferrothorn. "Heatran counters Ferrothorn" essentially means, "standard Heatran counters standard Ferrothorn".
op from Earth




Pokemon rely on offensive and defensive synergy to function. Cores of Pokemon are units within teams that are built specifically to take advantage of these synergies between Pokemon. Many teams are built around such cores. The premise of this thread is to analyse the best threats to OU cores, with the aim to support teambuilding by providing a list of cores that may threaten your team and suggest viable Pokémon that can be added in response. If anyone has suggestions for cores you can PM me.

1. Each week I will post a core of 2 Pokemon, these will be proven cores in the meta that are difficult to handle.
2. Posters will have the chance to post threats to the core. This is one Pokemon that can counter/check at least one member of the core, while not being itself countered by either member.
Example: Mamoswine is a threat to the core of defensive Landorus-Therian + AV Magearna, because it can outspeed and OHKO both Pokémon with its STAB moves.
3. At the end of the week, I will archive all viable threats listed in the below post and post a new core, highlighting the most effective and creative threats, as well as explaining why others don't make the cut.

1. Please follow up your reservations in a timely fashion. I will allow 48 hours after a reservation to make the post. After 2 days are up, if you have not made your post, then someone else may reserve that Pokemon.
2. Please only post Pokemon that are viable in OU. Also avoid using weird/very specific sets to check these Pokemon.
2.1. This does not mean that you can't submit Pokemon that are not on the viability rankings, I will make exceptions to certain unranked Pokemon I deem viable enough to archive.
3. Each poster may post up to 2 threats. Each set counts as a different threat.
4. When posting, please explain yourself. Calcs are not necessary, but please list more reasons than something simple like type synergy. Be descriptive so that other posters and I can fully understand your reasoning behind your nomination. Please paste the full set of your threat, moves, EVs, ability, Showdown importable is preferred.
5. Different sets can be posted for the same Pokemon so long as they serve a different purpose from the other set.
6. Be respectful to others. Constructive criticism is allowed, as long as it is done in a proper and non-hostile manner.

A threat to the core must check or counter at least one member and cannot be countered by the other. A threat does not necessarily need to be able to switch into both members of the core, but it should be difficult/annoying to switch into for the members of the core. Of course, the biggest threats can counter both members of the core.
> Pokémon A checks Pokémon B if, when Pokémon A is given a free switch into Pokémon B, Pokémon A can win every time, even under the worst case scenario, without factoring in hax.
> Addtionally, Pokemon A also checks Pokemon B if, Pokemon A is able to deal with a particular set of Pokemon B, and Pokémon A is given a free switch into Pokémon B, while Pokemon B is using that particular set, then Pokémon A can win every time, even under the worst case scenario, without factoring in hax. This is called "Set Dependence".
Example: Tangrowth can switch into defensive Landorus-Therian without much fear, but is unable to deal with Flyinium Z variants of Landorus-Therian.
> Pokémon A counters Pokémon B if Pokémon A can manually switch into Pokémon B and still win every time, even under the worst case scenario, without factoring in hax.
Example: Heatran should always be able to beat any common, viable, and standard Ferrothorn set, because Heatran is able to OHKO Ferrothorn and it can do little back. Bulldoze is the only way Ferrothorn can properly damage Heatran, but it is neither viable, nor common, nor standard, meaning Heatran is always able to manually switch into Ferrothorn. "Heatran counters Ferrothorn" essentially means, "standard Heatran counters standard Ferrothorn".
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