To be honest, I like using lower tiers and less popular Pokémon. Just because someone is labeled as NeverUsed doesn't always mean they're useless, it just means no one's going to expect them. Besides it's no fun picking what everyone else already picks or the obviously broken poison heal Glisor. Always consider looking one tier lower or one of the NU that fits anywhere.
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Walrein @ Leftovers
Ability: Ice Body
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 SDef
Calm Nature
- Hail
- Ice Beam
- Substitute
- Toxic
If you could pick anything as a starter, what would it be? 80% of people would answer one of the dragon lines, therefore I would choose an ice type Spheal so I could make them regret those choices. Walrien is an NU for a few reasons, mainly the ice typing. However, with a base 110HP and 90 in both Def, they don't call him Wall-rien for nothing. Given leftovers and a hail with Ice Body, he can heal quite fast behind his substitute. On top of that, how many tanks do you know get a stab on ice? With EV's, max HP and add on to the defense of your choice. Thick Fat can be helpful for blocking predicted attacks but once you're already out, no one's going to consciously hit you with fire.
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Hitmontop @ Black Belt
Ability: Technician
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Close Combat
- Aerial Ace
- Mach Punch
The only thing keeping this team from sinking into RU. So I was looking up spinners who could walk into a stealth rock and resist it. Fighting types do so, Hitmontop spends all day spinning, and why not add Technician and Aerial Ace for some more damage. He's got plenty of coverage if you want to mix it up or would rather have Intimidate but I like the surprise on the enemies face when a Mach Punch hits like it was 90 base damage (oh yeah, and he gets a STAB and why not give him a belt).
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Cacturne (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 68 HP / 224 Atk / 216 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Switcheroo
- Superpower
- Needle Arm
- Sucker Punch
Funny thing about Cacturne, he can learn Teeter Dance, Dynamic Punch, Superpower, or why not just give him a Choice Scarf and Switcheroo surprise everyone who thought they had time to set up. Because Sand Veil is banned in most tiers, Cacturne also makes a good water interceptor if you know what you're doing. And don't forget his signature attacks: An arm full of flinch needles and a the dark version of Quick Attack.
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ナデシコ姫 (Lilligant) @ Miracle Seed
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Giga Drain
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Attract
All hail Nadeshiko-Hime and her grace. Lilligants are naturally fast, come with Sleep Powder and can Quiver Dance themselves into divinity to the point even Ice Beam is ineffective. She is perfectly capable setting up all on her own, the only reason she's RU is she only learns grass attacks (coverage problems) and really has only 1 strategy (sad face). However, near the end of the match when all hope seems lost, Lilligant enters with her graceful dance and beauty to sweep whatever's left. I personally use Attract to get around sleep clause (because everyone thinks everyone else stopped using it ;3 ). There are a few ways to make this build different, Hidden Power can improve on the poor coverage and Energy Ball/Petal Dance+Own Tempo work just as well as STAB attacks. Though personally I would rather have a heal than be locked into a endless attack.
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Aggron @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Atk / 80 Def
Careful Nature
- Head Smash
- Earthquake
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Punch
Every team needs a physical tank, and who better than a monster made of steel and stone? Actually Bronzong would work much better but owell. Aggron has massive defense, big attacks and massive weight for his signature attack (not shown but you might like it). Aggron maybe slow but if you know there's a physical threat infront of you (and it's not ground or fighting), Aggron will block it and force a switch cause whatever's there at the end of the turn is getting pulverized.
(Honestly now that I think about it, Bronzong would be a much better steel tank)
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Charizard @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 108 HP / 200 SAtk / 200 Spd
Timid Nature
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Dragon Pulse
- Roost
And finally, the starter everyone dismissed as useless, Charizard. Here's how things work, the enemy sends out Blastoise who has focused on defense and special attacks. Doing some simple math in their head, they realize Charizard is going to get destroyed by water and proceed to Hydro Pump, little do they know this was the plan all along. Charizard survives with his sash and is blazed, now able to unleash a massive Fire Blast decimating Blastoise's HP and becoming a massive threat so long as Hitmontop is able to keep the air space free of sharp rocks. Slow steel types beware. If Charizard is able to survive the first few hits, he also has roost to get to full HP again and 2 other special attacks for coverage, Air Slash for fighting types+STAB and Dragon Pulse for a universal no-resistance attack.
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And that's the team I've set up. Not the most obvious choices but you know what, it's not about what everyone says you should do, it's what you like using. I don't expect this set up to defeat a OU team but these NU members are perfectly capable of taking on UU teams and have ascended past their normal counters. Part of the game is to do what the enemy isn't expecting, and I can guarantee no one in UU expected to see a Cacturne with Superpowers.
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Walrein @ Leftovers
Ability: Ice Body
EVs: 252 HP / 56 Def / 200 SDef
Calm Nature
- Hail
- Ice Beam
- Substitute
- Toxic
If you could pick anything as a starter, what would it be? 80% of people would answer one of the dragon lines, therefore I would choose an ice type Spheal so I could make them regret those choices. Walrien is an NU for a few reasons, mainly the ice typing. However, with a base 110HP and 90 in both Def, they don't call him Wall-rien for nothing. Given leftovers and a hail with Ice Body, he can heal quite fast behind his substitute. On top of that, how many tanks do you know get a stab on ice? With EV's, max HP and add on to the defense of your choice. Thick Fat can be helpful for blocking predicted attacks but once you're already out, no one's going to consciously hit you with fire.
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Hitmontop @ Black Belt
Ability: Technician
EVs: 80 HP / 252 Atk / 176 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Rapid Spin
- Close Combat
- Aerial Ace
- Mach Punch
The only thing keeping this team from sinking into RU. So I was looking up spinners who could walk into a stealth rock and resist it. Fighting types do so, Hitmontop spends all day spinning, and why not add Technician and Aerial Ace for some more damage. He's got plenty of coverage if you want to mix it up or would rather have Intimidate but I like the surprise on the enemies face when a Mach Punch hits like it was 90 base damage (oh yeah, and he gets a STAB and why not give him a belt).
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Cacturne (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Water Absorb
EVs: 68 HP / 224 Atk / 216 Spd
Jolly Nature
- Switcheroo
- Superpower
- Needle Arm
- Sucker Punch
Funny thing about Cacturne, he can learn Teeter Dance, Dynamic Punch, Superpower, or why not just give him a Choice Scarf and Switcheroo surprise everyone who thought they had time to set up. Because Sand Veil is banned in most tiers, Cacturne also makes a good water interceptor if you know what you're doing. And don't forget his signature attacks: An arm full of flinch needles and a the dark version of Quick Attack.
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ナデシコ姫 (Lilligant) @ Miracle Seed
Ability: Chlorophyll
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
- Giga Drain
- Quiver Dance
- Sleep Powder
- Attract
All hail Nadeshiko-Hime and her grace. Lilligants are naturally fast, come with Sleep Powder and can Quiver Dance themselves into divinity to the point even Ice Beam is ineffective. She is perfectly capable setting up all on her own, the only reason she's RU is she only learns grass attacks (coverage problems) and really has only 1 strategy (sad face). However, near the end of the match when all hope seems lost, Lilligant enters with her graceful dance and beauty to sweep whatever's left. I personally use Attract to get around sleep clause (because everyone thinks everyone else stopped using it ;3 ). There are a few ways to make this build different, Hidden Power can improve on the poor coverage and Energy Ball/Petal Dance+Own Tempo work just as well as STAB attacks. Though personally I would rather have a heal than be locked into a endless attack.
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Aggron @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rock Head
EVs: 252 HP / 176 Atk / 80 Def
Careful Nature
- Head Smash
- Earthquake
- Thunder Wave
- Ice Punch
Every team needs a physical tank, and who better than a monster made of steel and stone? Actually Bronzong would work much better but owell. Aggron has massive defense, big attacks and massive weight for his signature attack (not shown but you might like it). Aggron maybe slow but if you know there's a physical threat infront of you (and it's not ground or fighting), Aggron will block it and force a switch cause whatever's there at the end of the turn is getting pulverized.
(Honestly now that I think about it, Bronzong would be a much better steel tank)
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Charizard @ Focus Sash
Ability: Blaze
EVs: 108 HP / 200 SAtk / 200 Spd
Timid Nature
- Air Slash
- Fire Blast
- Dragon Pulse
- Roost
And finally, the starter everyone dismissed as useless, Charizard. Here's how things work, the enemy sends out Blastoise who has focused on defense and special attacks. Doing some simple math in their head, they realize Charizard is going to get destroyed by water and proceed to Hydro Pump, little do they know this was the plan all along. Charizard survives with his sash and is blazed, now able to unleash a massive Fire Blast decimating Blastoise's HP and becoming a massive threat so long as Hitmontop is able to keep the air space free of sharp rocks. Slow steel types beware. If Charizard is able to survive the first few hits, he also has roost to get to full HP again and 2 other special attacks for coverage, Air Slash for fighting types+STAB and Dragon Pulse for a universal no-resistance attack.
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And that's the team I've set up. Not the most obvious choices but you know what, it's not about what everyone says you should do, it's what you like using. I don't expect this set up to defeat a OU team but these NU members are perfectly capable of taking on UU teams and have ascended past their normal counters. Part of the game is to do what the enemy isn't expecting, and I can guarantee no one in UU expected to see a Cacturne with Superpowers.
