approved by macle
banner by Bummer
idea and OP by Berks shamelessly copy-pasted
Have you ever tried to build around a certain Pokemon, but found that it left too many holes in your team for standard sets to cover? Have you ever found yourself looking for a 6th Pokemon to add to a team, knowing exactly what you have left to cover, but just couldn't find a mon that fit? These teambuilding traumas trouble me every time I try to build a team, and I'm sure I'm not alone.
Well, then, my fellow Little Cuppers, what is there to be done?
Welcome to Know Your Niche, the new LC Community project in which we sleuth out all those niches you never knew you'd need! Each week or so, there will be a new niche on the slate; it could range anywhere from "submit your best partner for x mon" to "submit a Stealth Rock user that can hold its own against y mon". You'll have some time to submit sets you've found that fulfill the given niche, along with an exploration of exactly how and how well your set fills said niche. Submissions will close, the community will vote, and the winning set will be featured in the Niche Archive for the future reference of all LC team builders! Also be sure to only post 1 Pokemon a week, and include a set along with an explanation.
You can find the current week's assignment in the post below!
Niche Archive:
Ability: Bulletproof
Level: 5
EVs: 68 HP / 28 Atk / 156 Def / 236 SpD
Impish Nature
- Seed Bomb / Zen Headbutt
- Protect
- Spikes
- Synthesis
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 SpA / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Solar Beam
- Sunny Day / Flame Charge / Hypnosis / Will-O-Wisp
- Morning Sun
- Fire Blast
banner by Bummer
idea and OP by Berks shamelessly copy-pasted
Have you ever tried to build around a certain Pokemon, but found that it left too many holes in your team for standard sets to cover? Have you ever found yourself looking for a 6th Pokemon to add to a team, knowing exactly what you have left to cover, but just couldn't find a mon that fit? These teambuilding traumas trouble me every time I try to build a team, and I'm sure I'm not alone.
Well, then, my fellow Little Cuppers, what is there to be done?
Welcome to Know Your Niche, the new LC Community project in which we sleuth out all those niches you never knew you'd need! Each week or so, there will be a new niche on the slate; it could range anywhere from "submit your best partner for x mon" to "submit a Stealth Rock user that can hold its own against y mon". You'll have some time to submit sets you've found that fulfill the given niche, along with an exploration of exactly how and how well your set fills said niche. Submissions will close, the community will vote, and the winning set will be featured in the Niche Archive for the future reference of all LC team builders! Also be sure to only post 1 Pokemon a week, and include a set along with an explanation.
You can find the current week's assignment in the post below!
Niche Archive:
- Pokemon must be able to at least not be 2HKOed by Sludge Bomb, Weather Ball, and Solar Beam from Bellsprout after Stealth Rock, and not be KOed by Acid Downpour into any of the previous moves
- Pokemon should have a status inflicting move, a set up move, hazards, hazard removal, or a status inflicting move
Ability: Bulletproof
Level: 5
EVs: 68 HP / 28 Atk / 156 Def / 236 SpD
Impish Nature
- Seed Bomb / Zen Headbutt
- Protect
- Spikes
- Synthesis
I believe that Chespin is the ultimate sun check.
With Bulletproof, it is completely immune to both Sludge Bomb and Weather Ball, and thanks to its typing, it resists Solar Beam and is unaffected by Sleep Powder (unlike most alternatives!). What about Acid Downpour? No problem. When you use Protect, the damage is reduced by 75%, so at most it's going to deal as little as 9 damage. With Synthesis, Bellsprout has absolutely no way to touch Chespin, allowing a free opportunity to set up Spikes. It's also worth noting that Chespin is a generally reliable and bulky Spikes user that can wall other common threats like Mudbray, Foongus, and Gastly.
You could run Zen Headbutt over Seed Bomb if you want Chespin to be able to super effectively hit Bellsprout, Foongus, and Gastly, but they can't really do anything versus it anyway, and having no STAB move can be a large hindrance.
I guess you could run a Bulk Up set instead of Spikes too if you run less Defense EVs and more HP EVs.
With Bulletproof, it is completely immune to both Sludge Bomb and Weather Ball, and thanks to its typing, it resists Solar Beam and is unaffected by Sleep Powder (unlike most alternatives!). What about Acid Downpour? No problem. When you use Protect, the damage is reduced by 75%, so at most it's going to deal as little as 9 damage. With Synthesis, Bellsprout has absolutely no way to touch Chespin, allowing a free opportunity to set up Spikes. It's also worth noting that Chespin is a generally reliable and bulky Spikes user that can wall other common threats like Mudbray, Foongus, and Gastly.
You could run Zen Headbutt over Seed Bomb if you want Chespin to be able to super effectively hit Bellsprout, Foongus, and Gastly, but they can't really do anything versus it anyway, and having no STAB move can be a large hindrance.
I guess you could run a Bulk Up set instead of Spikes too if you run less Defense EVs and more HP EVs.
- Pokemon must carry a Z-crystal and a corresponding move
- Pokemon must have good synergy with any Mudbray set; all participants must list at least one example, i.e. a Mudbray check it can counter, a way it can heal up Mudbray, etc.
Ability: Flame Body
Level: 5
EVs: 36 HP / 236 SpA / 196 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Solar Beam
- Sunny Day / Flame Charge / Hypnosis / Will-O-Wisp
- Morning Sun
- Fire Blast
Hardcounters Pumpkaboo, Snivy (Glare is annoying, but that shit annoys everything), Chespin (Rock Slide can be a problem but Pony bulky and Chespin aint). It can also switch in on annoying ice moves from ice types. It's speedtier is also amazing, outspeeding 90% of the meta.
"But Fille, a Fire type can't switch in on a water type!!" True. What Ponyta does though, is BAIT water types. Of course, Z Sunny day allows it to outspeed everything, but ppl see sunny Day and immidiately switch out their water type again. Boom, trap gone. Grassium Z Solar Beam tho ... That shit hits hard af, and hits any incoming water type.
Water/Poison types (Skrelp/Mareanie/Tentacool) still 1v1 this Ponyta, however, neither of those are able to tank an EQ from basically any Mudbray, and Tentacool is the only one that can possibly outspeed (Unless scarf Mudbray).Dewpider(Mudbray get's Rock Slide smfh Fille) is a hardcounter to this sweet little Mudbray/Ponyta core, and Abra can be a bitch (Chance to OHKO Pony with Psychic and speedties while at most being brought down to sash, hits Mudbray hard with Energy Ball.) Corphish / Shellder are also not baited out by Ponyta, fearing the Will-O-Wisp. Both are able to set up on Mudbray.
Sunny Day is probably the most reasonable option, weakening water type moves, boosting Morning Sun/Fire Blast and giving Solar Beam no charge time, but Flame Charge can be used for speed/Diglett/Abra?, while Hypnosis is a risky but fun option for ... Abra? WoW is just great yk and makesit easier to abuse Stamina for Mudbray.
Synergy-wise, these 2 Ponies obviously both share that sweet Water Weakness. That problem is, however, solved with the offensive presence of both. Pony switches in on Grass/Ice type moves (And pokemons) that Mudbray struggles with, while Mudbray hardcounters most of the Rock types in the tier that Pony struggles with, and a bulkier set can switch in on the remaining Ground types that Pony does not like. Z-Solar Beam obviously deals with random slower Ground/Rock types, but manny of these carries Sturdy, which makes it a bit harder again for Pony to deal with them. Mudbray does not give a fuck.
"But Fille, a Fire type can't switch in on a water type!!" True. What Ponyta does though, is BAIT water types. Of course, Z Sunny day allows it to outspeed everything, but ppl see sunny Day and immidiately switch out their water type again. Boom, trap gone. Grassium Z Solar Beam tho ... That shit hits hard af, and hits any incoming water type.
Water/Poison types (Skrelp/Mareanie/Tentacool) still 1v1 this Ponyta, however, neither of those are able to tank an EQ from basically any Mudbray, and Tentacool is the only one that can possibly outspeed (Unless scarf Mudbray).
Sunny Day is probably the most reasonable option, weakening water type moves, boosting Morning Sun/Fire Blast and giving Solar Beam no charge time, but Flame Charge can be used for speed/Diglett/Abra?, while Hypnosis is a risky but fun option for ... Abra? WoW is just great yk and makesit easier to abuse Stamina for Mudbray.
236 SpA Ponyta Bloom Doom (190 BP) vs. 76 HP / 148 SpD Eviolite Chinchou: 22-26 (88 - 104%) -- 6.3% chance to OHKO
(22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 26)
Guaranteed OHKO after Fire Blast damage.
236 SpA Ponyta Bloom Doom (190 BP) vs. 116 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Staryu: 24-30 (114.2 - 142.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
(24, 24, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 28, 28, 28, 28, 28, 28, 30)
236 SpA Ponyta Bloom Doom (190 BP) vs. 196 HP / 116 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 24-30 (85.7 - 107.1%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO
(24, 24, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 28, 28, 28, 28, 28, 28, 30)
OHKO after Fire Blast damage.
Everything else is basically OHKOd.
(22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 26)
Guaranteed OHKO after Fire Blast damage.
236 SpA Ponyta Bloom Doom (190 BP) vs. 116 HP / 0 SpD Eviolite Staryu: 24-30 (114.2 - 142.8%) -- guaranteed OHKO
(24, 24, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 28, 28, 28, 28, 28, 28, 30)
236 SpA Ponyta Bloom Doom (190 BP) vs. 196 HP / 116 SpD Eviolite Slowpoke: 24-30 (85.7 - 107.1%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO
(24, 24, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 26, 28, 28, 28, 28, 28, 28, 30)
OHKO after Fire Blast damage.
Everything else is basically OHKOd.
Synergy-wise, these 2 Ponies obviously both share that sweet Water Weakness. That problem is, however, solved with the offensive presence of both. Pony switches in on Grass/Ice type moves (And pokemons) that Mudbray struggles with, while Mudbray hardcounters most of the Rock types in the tier that Pony struggles with, and a bulkier set can switch in on the remaining Ground types that Pony does not like. Z-Solar Beam obviously deals with random slower Ground/Rock types, but manny of these carries Sturdy, which makes it a bit harder again for Pony to deal with them. Mudbray does not give a fuck.
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