Rapture
I got so much time today
Hello friends, today I bring you a unique take on offense, a playstyle that has seen a resurgence in NU as of late. The team started out as a bit of joke one night when I was building around Choice Specs Basculin with fellow NU player Swagcaliber. After a couple of easy wins on ladder I decided to take a more serious approach to the team, eventually leading up to the squad I present before you all today. Overall it's a pretty fun team that got me pretty high on the NU ladder while showing off some cool sets.
Team Overview
Basculin @ Mystic Water/Choice Specs
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Surf
- Aqua Jet
- Ice Beam
- Brine
Basculin is a destroyer of worlds and can be a pain for opposing teams to switch into since most people expect the physical variant which is nice and all, but the special set takes all of its conventional checks out of the picture being able to do big damage to walls like Mawile, Weezing, Tangela, Vileplume, etc. Surf, Aqua jet, and Brine are all stab moves that each possess their own utility, Surf being good early game to weaken checks and is just a hard hitting move in general. Aqua Jet is a pretty handy priority move to handle faster mons in the tier like Pyroar and Archeops. Ice Beam has decent synergy and hits hard enough to handle most grass types despite lacking the boost from Adaptability. Brine is our last move for the fact that its ability to pick off weakened teams is unrivaled, boasting a 260 base power if the opposing Pokemon is under 50% health after the Adaptability boost. Mystic Water gives a good overall boost to Basculin’s water moves, although Choice Specs can work in the item slot if you're feeling real.
Archeops @ Focus Sash
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Endeavor
- Head Smash
- Taunt
The team’s rocker and lead mon 93% of the time, Archeops does a splendid job of getting hazards up quickly and shutting down most attempts of hazards removal all while also preventing opposing hazards from being set. Stealth Rock is the best move in the game and Archeops high base speed more or less guarantees they’ll be set at least once in a match. Endeavor is a great move in conjunction with Focus Sash as it allows Archeops to threaten most mons in the tier by bringing them to one hp if sash is activated. Head Smash is an incredibly strong stab move whose recoil damage is actually beneficial as it foils any attempt of spinning away hazards if Archeops manages to knock itself out from the recoil. Finally, Taunt is a good support move for stopping hazards, status moves, and Defog.
Mismagius @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Dazzling Gleam
- Shadow Ball
- Will-O-Wisp
Nasty Plot Mismagius has been one of my favorite sets to play with as of late mainly because of what a good win condition it is versus slower teams. Nasty Plot gives missy a good shot at sweeping since Mismagius has a bunch of immunities that it can take advantage of due to its typing. Dazzling Gleam and Shadow Ball gets a lot of coverage while being decently powered moves in their own right. Wisp is for getting chip damage while also punishing switches to pursuit trappers. Colbur Berry is necessary for easing prediction vs. dark types and making Mismagius a better fighting type check.
Jumpluff
Ability: Chlorophyll
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Seed Bomb
- Acrobatics
-Memento / Swords Dance
The team's secondary fighting and water type check comes in the form of an adorable Pokemon named Jumpluff. Sleep Powder is nice for killing the opponent's momentum when it actually hits. Seed Bomb and Acrobatics are the stab moves of choice as they have respectable base power while threatening out the aforementioned water and fighting types. The choice of the last move slot is one of preference. Memento gives free turns for Klinklang and Mismagius to set up, while Swords Dance makes Jumpluff into a fearsome sweeper all on its own. Overall both are worth trying out and shows how underrated Jumpluff’s utility is in NU.
Pyroar (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Unnerve
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast / Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Hyper Voice
- Substitute
Standard Pyroar set with a slight tweak, Fire Blast hits ridiculously hard, but Flamethrower is nice for accuracy. Hidden Power grass bops typical fire resists for a lot of damage. Hyper Voice is Pyroar’s most reliable Normal stab and its added effect of hitting through substitute has come in clutch quite a few times. Substitute is a move I wanted to try out on Pyroar after seeing someone post it on the NU forums and I’ve had decent success with it. With so much priority running around and how many switches Pyroar forces, its rather easy to get up the substitute and go to work on the opponent's team.
Klinklang @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
Happiness: 0
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Gear Grind
- Shift Gear
- Frustration
- Substitute
One of the few good steel types and most threatening sweepers in NU, Klinklang’s decent bulk and typing give plenty of set up opportunities with proper prediction and timing, as very rarely will Klinklang be able to set up and win turn one. Instead, it is best to wait it out and find the most opportune time to set up. Gear Grind is a move that likes to miss, but it destroys everything when it does manage to hit. Shift Gear makes for a staple on any self-respecting Klinklang set because even after one boost it can become incredibly tricky to handle. Frustration is Klinklangs best neutral coverage move and throws off the occasional Ditto you’ll see on ladder. Substitute helps with status moves and weaker moves that Klinklang resists. Shuca Berry is the item of choice to chew an Earthquake if need be from Pokemon like Rhydon and Sandslash, the chance to set up on these Pokemon has come in pretty handy overall. Also for those unfamiliar the speed Ev's let you bop scarf Pyroar with the rest invested in HP and attack for some power and bulk.
Sorry in advance if I forget anyone D:
The NU voice crew: Winter's Howl SilverReaper21 Shaneghoul metaphysical
NU Skype frens: iplaytennislol Disjunction Kiyo Can-Eh-Dian boltsandbombers Realistic Waters QueenOfLuvdiscs
People who keep the NU room fun: Pokedots Adaire Sir Kay NV Orphic MARCU5tehBAW5 Syncrasy allstar124 Aladyyn Brick Small.
The NU voice crew: Winter's Howl SilverReaper21 Shaneghoul metaphysical
NU Skype frens: iplaytennislol Disjunction Kiyo Can-Eh-Dian boltsandbombers Realistic Waters QueenOfLuvdiscs
People who keep the NU room fun: Pokedots Adaire Sir Kay NV Orphic MARCU5tehBAW5 Syncrasy allstar124 Aladyyn Brick Small.
Basculin @ Mystic Water
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Surf
- Aqua Jet
- Ice Beam
- Brine
Archeops @ Focus Sash
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Endeavor
- Head Smash
- Taunt
Mismagius @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Dazzling Gleam
- Shadow Ball
- Will-O-Wisp
Jumpluff
Ability: Chlorophyll
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Seed Bomb
- Acrobatics
- Memento
Pyroar (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Unnerve
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Hyper Voice
- Substitute
Klinklang @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
Happiness: 0
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Gear Grind
- Shift Gear
- Frustration
- Substitute
Ability: Adaptability
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Naive Nature
- Surf
- Aqua Jet
- Ice Beam
- Brine
Archeops @ Focus Sash
Ability: Defeatist
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Endeavor
- Head Smash
- Taunt
Mismagius @ Colbur Berry
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Nasty Plot
- Dazzling Gleam
- Shadow Ball
- Will-O-Wisp
Jumpluff
Ability: Chlorophyll
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Sleep Powder
- Seed Bomb
- Acrobatics
- Memento
Pyroar (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Unnerve
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Flamethrower
- Hidden Power [Grass]
- Hyper Voice
- Substitute
Klinklang @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Clear Body
Shiny: Yes
Happiness: 0
EVs: 92 HP / 252 Atk / 164 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Gear Grind
- Shift Gear
- Frustration
- Substitute