Monotype A Monobug without Volcarona? Peaked Rank #4, 1732 ELO, 82.2% GXE

[Some Guy Maybe?]

Well since I accidentally deleted my last thread like a moron, let's get to it.

Proof of Peak with the team:

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Hello all, I'd like to get some feedback on a monobug team that I've had a lot of fun with. Here's the team:

Pinsir (M) @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- Quick Attack
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance

Mega Pinsir is by far my favorite bug mega, so I started with it. The set is incredibly basic, but it doesn't need to be innovative. Mega Pinsir is a great wallbreaker, and with swords dance can just rip teams to shreds. Useful in all match ups, standing out particularly in Grass, Poison, Fighting, Steel, and Normal. Mega Pinsir hits a good speed tier, but a lot of grounded scarfers or grounded megas outspeed it, which is why we have...

Galvantula (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Energy Ball
- Sticky Web

Galvantula is primarily there to set up webs and hurt something before it goes down. I run Energy Ball over Bug Buzz to bait out Mega Swamperts vs water, and make Gastrodons think they can just stay out on it without consequences. Is useful offensively vs Water, Flying, and Ground somewhat, but webs are important for nearly every type.

Forretress (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Volt Switch
- Rock Slide

Can't run Monobug without hazard removal, especially with Mega Pinsir. Forretress is my rock setter and spinner of choice. Volt switch is for gaining momentum/baiting Pokemon that'd like to switch into it. Rock Slide is to punish Pokemon like Charizard or Volcarona should they think they can come in on it freely.

Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
- Superpower

I've always been a fan of band Scizor, so it was a near given that'd it'd be here. Banded Bullet Punch puts in a lot of work vs Fairy and faster threats in general. U-turn is nice for baiting and scouting. Superpower is to hit steel types like Ferrothorn and Heatran that switch in/are slower under webs. Pursuit is the most situational move here, only seeing occasional use for trapping stuff like a Vicitini that's already used V-Create under webs.

Scolipede (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Megahorn
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
- Protect

With Speed Boost Scolipede makes for a fun late game cleaner. Mega Horn is a nice STAB that hurts everything that doesn't resist it, and Poison Jab is more for fairies and reliability, though it's the move I'd probably replace first. Earthquake is very nice for Fire types, Rock types, Poison types, and steel types not named Celesteela, Ferrothorn, or Skarmory. Under webs it can face off with swift swimmers if I really need it too.

Araquanid (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Bubble
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Toxic

Now usually one should go for Volcarona as the main special attacker on a bug mono, but I decided to go a more unusual route. Choice Specs Araquanid hits very hard, heavily damaging a lot of Pokemon that try to come in on it thinking it's a physical set. Some calcs:

252+ SpA Choice Specs Water Bubble Araquanid Scald vs. 240 HP / 0 SpD Garchomp: 272-324 (65.2 - 77.6%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ SpA Choice Specs Water Bubble Araquanid Scald vs. 248 HP / 144+ SpD Sableye-Mega: 170-204 (56.1 - 67.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

252+ SpA Choice Specs Water Bubble Araquanid Scald vs. 240 HP / 0 SpD Mandibuzz: 252-296 (59.8 - 70.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Choice Specs Water Bubble Araquanid Scald vs. 248 HP / 0 SpD Zapdos: 260-308 (67.8 - 80.4%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Choice Specs Water Bubble Araquanid Scald vs. 240 HP / 0 SpD Staraptor: 360-426 (97 - 114.8%) -- 81.3% chance to OHKO

252+ SpA Choice Specs Water Bubble Araquanid Scald vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Eviolite Porygon2: 168-198 (44.9 - 52.9%) -- 24.6% chance to 2HKO

252+ SpA Choice Specs Water Bubble Araquanid Scald vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Celesteela: 170-204 (42.7 - 51.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery

252+ SpA Choice Specs Water Bubble Araquanid Surf vs. +1 0 HP / 4 SpD Volcarona: 340-408 (109.3 - 131.1%) -- guaranteed OHKO

+1 252 SpA Volcarona Inferno Overdrive (185 BP) vs. 248 HP / 8 SpD Water Bubble Araquanid: 183-216 (53.9 - 63.7%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

Surf is there for some extra power should I want it (or if I'm up against mono fire) and Toxic is there to bait in water absorb Pokemon. Ice Beam is mostly filler, admittedly.

Some key threats to this team: Mono Flying is a problem in general for this team. This team is very reliant on Galvantula, Araquanid, and Mega Pinsir to deal substantial damage to Celesteela/Skarmoy. It's also reliant on Mega Pinsir and Scizor to beat Ferrothorn. Mega Pidgeot is the worst mega for this team to face, it takes a toll on the team to take it out. It's also reliant on Mega Pinsir and Araquanid for Mega Scizor. You need rocks up vs Dragonite or else it requires predictions/a sack to beat. Also if the opposing team has a Ditto, never mega evolve Pinsir until you take it out.

Some replays of the team in action:

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-618249074

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-618242180

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-608491813

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-618199308

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotypesuspecttest-615773786

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotypesuspecttest-615791769

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-620304311

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-620218518

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-620216544

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotype-618220652

http://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7monotypesuspecttest-615946676

An easy importable of the team:

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Pinsir (M) @ Pinsirite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Return
- Quick Attack
- Close Combat
- Swords Dance

Galvantula (F) @ Focus Sash
Ability: Compound Eyes
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunder
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Energy Ball
- Sticky Web

Forretress (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Volt Switch
- Rock Slide

Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
- Superpower

Scolipede (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Megahorn
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
- Protect

Araquanid (M) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Water Bubble
EVs: 248 HP / 252 SpA / 8 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Scald
- Surf
- Ice Beam
- Toxic

Feedback for improvement would be appreciated! Let me know if you liked the team!

 

[Vid]

Hello Some Guy Maybe? I really like the idea of a Bug team without Volcarona. The team is overall really solid and patches up most holes that are made from not using Volcarona by using Choice Specs Araquanid as powerful special wallbreaker instead of the traditional AV all-out-attacker with Mirror Coat.
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  The current Forretress set with Rock Slide is being used as a lure, but there is one problem with this is that Forretress needs to be at full HP to successfully lure Volcarona and Mega Charizard Y. Armaldo > Forretress with this change you have a Rapid Spin user that can set up Stealth Rock like Forretress while also giving your team a defensive Fire resist making Araquanid's job a bit easier. Since Armaldo has a higher Attack stat than Forretress it can reliably deal with Mega Pidegot which is a major threat that is acknowledged in the threatlist. Armaldo also has Rock Blast which allows it to beat Substitute + Toxic Zapdos one-on-one which is a major threat to a Bug team without Volcarona due to lack of powerful fast attackers. On top of this it has Knock Off which can remove Leftovers giving Mega Pinsir more opportunities to successfully sweep. Proposed Change(s): Armaldo > Forretress
  
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  The current Scolipede set works really well especially on a Bug team without Volcarona, but there is one minor issue with it. An Adamant nature may seem nice on paper boosting Scolipede's Attack stat because Speed Boost can make up for lost speed. However, this isn't the case as +1 Scolipede is still outsped by Choice Scarf Victini and Choice Scarf Terrakion, which are major issues to this team. Jolly nature > Adamant nature with a Jolly nature you can outspeed Choice Victini, Choice Scarf Latios, Choice Scarf Gengar, and Choice Scarf Terrakion (etc.) at +1 giving the a chance against Psychic without Sticky Webs while almost guaranteeing Fighting matchup. The only notable KO Scolipede doesn't get with a Jolly nature is not being able to always OHKO Choice Scarf Togekiss, which is only really common on Flying teams and rare on Fairy teams. Proposed Change(s): Jolly nature > Adamant nature

Jolly nature vs Adamant nature calcs

252 Atk Life Orb Scolipede Poison Jab vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Tapu Koko: 328-385 (116.7 - 137%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Life Orb Scolipede Poison Jab vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Togekiss: 296-351 (95.1 - 112.8%) -- 75% chance to OHKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Scolipede Poison Jab vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Togekiss: 328-385 (105.4 - 123.7%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252+ Atk Life Orb Scolipede Megahorn vs. 248 HP / 232+ Def Slowbro: 320-377 (81.4 - 95.9%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Life Orb Scolipede Megahorn vs. 248 HP / 232+ Def Slowbro: 291-346 (74 - 88%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
252 Atk Life Orb Scolipede Earthquake vs. 4 HP / 0 Def Gengar: 359-424 (137 - 161.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Life Orb Scolipede Megahorn vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Latios: 510-603 (170.5 - 201.6%) -- guaranteed OHKO
252 Atk Life Orb Scolipede Earthquake vs. 0 HP / 0- Def Victini: 265-312 (77.7 - 91.4%) -- guaranteed OHKO after Stealth Rock - Blue Flare Victini is being used for this calc since it's a bigger threat than non Blue Flare Victini

Good Luck with the team!

Sets

Armaldo @ Leftovers
Ability: Battle Armor
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Rock Blast
- Stealth Rock
- Rapid Spin
- Knock Off

Scolipede @ Life Orb
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Megahorn
- Poison Jab
- Earthquake
- Protect

 

[Deleted User 400951]

I'd also say Sleep Talk or HP Grass over Scald. Scald honestly seems extra with Surf, and while burning the for is helpful I feel like absorbing sleep or hitting waters is more helpful. It's not a necessary change though.

 

[Some Guy Maybe?]

I'll be sure to give that Armaldo set a try, and yeah thinking about it some more, jolly nature probably would work a lot better.