Grumpig @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
EVs: 252 SpAtk / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Modest Nature (+SpAtk, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Magic Coat
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
Persian give this the most trouble. Fake Out and U-Turn hit decently hard. Mirror Coat has +4 priority and helps to block sleeper leads such as Ninetails, Rapidash (who think they can actually setup) and status afflicters such as Supporter Froslass and lead Rotom. Thick Fat and EVs in special defense means that they are not hitting hard either with resistances to Fire and Ice. U-Turn Primeape hits relatively hard in theory haven't done the calculations yet. It was either this or Dunsparce, which would make me more reliant on Rotom in order to avoid Close Combat.
Previously, I had Granbull as a lead, which at times is effective against mirror matches, U-Turn Primeape, Life Orb Scyther, Tinted Lens Venomoth. Likewise, Nidoking didn't really do much help on the team probably because I was using him as a physical attacker or mixed seeper in order to pick off Froslass. Personally, I have mixed feelings about having Grumpig, it's unique most people don't really know how to handle it. If I do see the above Pokemon, I switch into Steelix for its resistance to Bug.
The moveset is really diverse in a similar fashion to Nidoking without the bad matchups. One bad thing is that its slow, but its a bulky special sponge. Hidden Power Fighting is to pick off the amount of Steels, Magnet Rise Probopass and Steelix. Shadow Ball is for Rotom and Froslass leads. Psychic is for STAB, particularly to hit back against Primeape without U-Turn, Hitmontop and Hitmonlee. Drapion provides this lead with a considerable amount of trouble with CB Pursuit.
Granbull @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 216 Atk / 42 Def
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpAtk)
- Body Slam
- Heal Bell
- Crunch
- Earthquake
This is the prime physical attacker for the team. Granbull plays the supporter with altered EVs in attack and defense in order to hit harder for STAB Body Slam with a high chance of paralysis, which is necessary to take down Gastrodon. Grumpig can stall it out by taking hits both on the special and physical spectrum; however, Recover means that Gastrodon has a lot of staying power. On the other hand, Earthquake hits a large amount of Pokemon hard such as OHKO'ing Lanturn and Nidoking. Intimidate is necessary to bring down popular physical attackers such as Swellow and Scyther.
There is a lack of Brick Break because Hitmontop does the job perfectly fine and dandy. Crunch is for Froslass and Rotom leads. It does wonders against Taunt Hypno. The inclusion of the unorthodox Heal Bell is because of no Vileplume or Meganium packing Aromatherapy. The reccommend suggests EVs is overdoing it in the defense department, Granbull is bulky enough already and hits just as hard. Less switching is better because of the lack of a Rapid Spinner to rid of Toxic Spikes, Spikes, Stealth Rock. The well-rounded moveset means that I can face a lot of different threats without having to switch out, which is amazing late-game.
Rotom @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 6 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SpAtk
Modest Nature (+SpAtk, -Atk)
- Protect
- Shadow Ball
- Thunderbolt
- Will-O-Wisp
The Altaria and Drifblim killer. Rotom helps to adds synergy to the team with its useful resistances and helps to catch opponents on the switch with Will-O-Wisp and stalling off damage with Protect. Shadow Ball is for Claydol, Froslass, Hypno and opposing Rotom. Thunerbolt is particularly useful against Poliwrath who has seen a considerable spike in popularly in comparision to Sharpedo and Politoed (who are often Scarfed).
Lanturn @ Leftovers
Ability: Volt Absorb
EVs: 40 HP / 252 SpA / 136 SpD / 80 Spd
EVs: 40 HP / 36 Spe / 192 SpA / 240 SpD
Calm Nature (+SpDef, -Atk)
- Confuse Wave
- Thunderbolt
- Thunder Wave
- Surf
Lanturn is the backbone of the team and his job is to spread status in the form of Thunder Wave and Confuse Ray, then pick my poison in the form of STAB Surf or Thunderbolt. And while having Ice Beam would be helpful at times, Parafusion allows me to stay in against bad match-up whereas opponents would normally think I would switch. I take a riskier and more aggresive approach with Lanturn, sometimes going against Gastrodon, Life Orb Vileplume, even Earthquake barring Altaria.
The numbers above are for two different EVs spreads, but I am undecided which one to choose. the inclusion of Grumpig means that I have alot more freedom as I have two special sponges and one physical wall, which fits nicely with the whole metagame switch towards bulky sweepers. I used to run the second EV spread which got me to 32nd on the Shoddy Leaderboard, not a particularly big accomplishment, but one nonetheless. According to the Strategy-Dex, the second one is particularly useful in UU (and I'm thinking -- Nidoking still OHKO's it)
Leafeon is a big threat to Lanturn. It can absorb a hit and force me to switch because it's faster and can often OHKO with Leaf Blade (if play it risky and decide to stay in). Wish is particularly annoying and can stall me out and I don't have a particular way to get rid of it.
Hitmontop @ Life Orb
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 6 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SpAtk)
- Bullet Punch
- Close Combat
- Fake Out
- Mach Punch
Hitmontop helps to clean up the mess that my other Pokemon leave behind. Technician + Life Orb -which you've probably heard millions of times already that you want to Mike Tyson bite off your ears - does massive amounts of damage. At times, it is difficult to drop Stealth Rock with Steelix. Often, it will be late game to seal the game; however, Hitmontop gives me some leeway in the moves department so that I can battle back. I play high risk equals high reward type mindset (when needed) and often find myself come in on Nasty Plot Ninetails when it's setting up, Fake Out and Mach Punch for the easy kill.
On a side note, Calm Mind Drifblim and Claydol are particular nuisances to the team. Claydol often drops by unwelcome and unexpectedly on my Fake Out forcing me to switch out. Calm Mind Drifblim with those mind-numbingly large substitutes, if given an opportunity, have the ability to sweep the team especially since Shadow Ball on Grumpig when its set up means that I will be eating roast pig.
Steelix @ Leftovers
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Atk / 82 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SpAtk)
- Earthquake
- Explosion
- Gyro Ball
- Stealth Rock
Lastly Steelix, I opted for more EVs in Atk to be more hard hitting against the mirror matches. The EVs invested in defense means that Steelix hits the 500 mark and can give the speed demons a run for their money by taking a hit from Swellow, Scyther, Choice Scarf Sharpedo, Hitmonlee and hit back with Gyro Ball for kill. Explosion is usually saved for late game when I know that I won't be exploding on Rotom or Drifblim. It helps to get rid of Gastrodon at times, which can be an annoying physical wall. The worst thing that can possibly happen is the Magnet Rise Probopass comes in uses Taunt and then its Earthquake food for the masses.
P.S. If anyone remembers the thread with all the UU threats organized into physical and special attackers and defenders could you send the link. I believe Foresty took the liberty of doing that, but I haven't been able to come up with it using the search function.
