SM NU Gen 7 NU Team

[floppy_seal99]

BiggestGuyUUUU's Gen 7 NU Team

Introduction​

Six months ago, I became enamoured with the idea using consistently high performing Pokémon in lower tiers, but given unusual sets in such a way that I could make play more interesting beyond switch in, click setup a time or two, and spam STAB and high-level coverage. I approached this from the perspective of using mons with good enough offenses to allow large defensive investments and the use of creative status moves and attacks to get around these limitations.

Teambuilding Process​

Previous incarnations of this team have used some 'mons that while fun, did jack shit unless a disconcertingly large number of countermeasures present everywhere were eliminated. For example:
-Specially defensive Bulk Up Pinsir with 1 attack: Body Slam. (Charles Barkley himself. This set, while hilarious when working, carried the team the same number of times Barkley carried his team to a chip.)
-Magnetic Flux Ampharos. I really hate having to decide between HP Ice or Grass, and lacking the power to do anything without gambling on my Charge Beam boosts.

The Team​

Eat, Sleep, Balk (Incineroar) (M) @ Maranga Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Bulk Up
- Power Trip
​

This was originally intended to be the cornerstone upon which the team is built. ESB, while powerful, must be given opportunities to set up 3 Bulk Ups at minimum in addition to tanking a weak special attack (often a half-hearted Scald from some pivot or other) in order to trigger Maranga. This is, then, a late game cleaner, to be used once any combination or number of Passimian, Scrafty, Steelix, Hariyama, Medicham, Rhydon, Hitmonlee, or Omastar are eliminated or crippled. ESB provides fire resist to benefit Open Borders (Klinklang) and Talk Shit Get Crit (Decidueye). It acts as a burn absorber for Talk Shit, She Crit Me, and Open Borders. It's a useful Psychic immunity, and I've won several battles by bringing it in on a Typhlosion locked into Extrasensory that stay in waiting for the Knock Off that seemingly all other baracat variants have. In general, this set is geared towards clearing out defensive threats in the late game by accumulating boosts and stalling out dangerous physical attackers without powerful Fighting STAB.

80 Days in Paris (Mr. Mime) @ Leppa Berry/Leftovers
Ability: Filter
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Recycle/Calm Mind/Dazzling Gleam
- Metronome/Psyshock
- Barrier
- Rest
​

Has anybody heard of Eggulai? It's a Blissey meant to be used in OU or UU that extends battles needlessly by using Block to hem in and PP stall special wallbreakers. 80 Days in Paris is a faster-paced and slightly stronger (if less trappy) variant of Eggulai meant to come in on burned Fighting-Types or burned 'mons lacking Knock Off in general, boost defense, and clear the way for ESB. 80 Days thus serves a role as the most important Fighting resist on the team (Talk Shit is an immunity meant to be thrown out when a clear setup opportunity arises, not for general pivoting). If the Metronome isn't working nicely, then I switch out the moves and item as necessary.

GOOSE IS LOOSE (Swanna) @ Life Orb
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Defog
​

Initally used as a Defogging pivot that could quickly nail Quiver Dancers and SR setters on the side, GOOSE is also a half-decent wallbreaker. It's another Fighting-resist, giving the team another layer of building around ESB. Scald spreads useful burns on physical threats to make 80 Days' job and ESB's job easier. Ice Beam for coverage when Hurricane isn't hitting Vivillon, Butterfree, Masquerain, or Mothim. It really only works however, if any users of Rock Slide or Stone Edge have already been taken care of by Scald, Gronk (Passimian), or Open Borders.

Talk Shit Get Crit (Decidueye) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Long Reach
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Tailwind
- Shadow Claw
- Sucker Punch
​

I get almost sexually charged at the thought of using Z-Tailwind Kartana in OU, so an ersatz version in NU was in order. Kills fighting, ghost, and psychic types for its teammates, and its near infinite supply of crits allows it to get around status as a result. Tailwind gets reactivated as necessary to increase longevity and possibly provide some small measure of team support. Leaf Blade is a consistent, powerful STAB move with plenty of PP to smite Prankster 'mons with instant recovery. Shadow Claw deals with fellow Ghosts, but can be subbed out for Sneak if necessary. I do love me a crit Sucker Punch, and it is the team's only priority, possibly serving as the only thing between a weakened Shell Smasher and total party kill.

Gronkowski (Passimian) @ Scope Lens
Ability: Receiver
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Focus Energy
- Beat Up
- Close Combat
- Iron Head
​

More crits like Talk Shit. Passimian's susceptibility to burns and its frailty is mitigated with this set here. It's an additional fighting resist, and deals with Steel Types other team members may have issue with. Gronk is also great at getting around Sashes, Sturdy, and stat changes here. Cosmic Power Sigilyph ain't got shit.

Open Borders (Klinklang) @ Iron Plate
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Shift Gear
- Gear Grind
- Return
- Wild Charge
​

Defensive bulwark that can set up rapidly, and wallbreak to once again, clear a path for 80 Days and ESB. Iron Plate guarantees the KO on most Diancie variants without LO recoil. The EVs and Nature give it staying power in the face of many good Fighters and Quakers. The other moves are there to hit Fire Types and for general coverage. Not really much else, I just felt I needed another strong physical wallbreaker.

Conclusion​

It's not the strongest or fastest team. I'm aware. It also gets handily destroyed by Vivillon in all scenarios except perfect execution on the part of Open Borders or GOOSE IS LOOSE. I'm not that high on the ladder, but this team has seen success against many teams that were clearly taken from Samples or built on a conventional template. Any feedback is welcome, I'd love to make the small tweaks needed to advance even a couple hundred points up the ladder.

Importable

Eat Sleep Balk (Incineroar) (M) @ Maranga Berry
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpD
Careful Nature
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
- Bulk Up
- Power Trip

80 Days in Paris (Mr. Mime) @ Leppa Berry
Ability: Filter
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Def / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
- Recycle
- Metronome
- Barrier
- Rest

GOOSE IS LOOSE (Swanna) @ Life Orb
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hurricane
- Scald
- Ice Beam
- Defog

Talk Shit Get Crit (Decidueye) @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Long Reach
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Leaf Blade
- Tailwind
- Shadow Claw
- Sucker Punch

Gronkowski (Passimian) @ Scope Lens
Ability: Receiver
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Focus Energy
- Beat Up
- Close Combat
- Iron Head

Open Borders (Klinklang) @ Iron Plate
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Shift Gear
- Gear Grind
- Return
- Wild Charge

 

[Disjunction]

floppy_seal99 I just wanted to stop by and make a post of sincere appreciation for this team. Since posting this, myself and my friends have become fast fans of the structure of this squad and have found tons of success with it. Here are a couple of replays that I've gotten myself, not counting what my friends have gotten.
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7nu-824379237 Me beating the current neverused tier leader
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7nu-838196850 finals of an NU room tour against the current leader of the NU C&C section
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7nu-836316562 another good one versus an NU player who has played for years
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7nu-835763057 another NU room tour finals against an NU room auth
https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/gen7nu-844272804 a convincing win against another NU room auth in another NU room tournament

Probably the crowning replay, though, is from one of the most recent weeks of the Smogon Premiere League where the NU Tier Leader Eternally brought EAT SLEEP BALK against his opponent and got a convincing 6-0 https://replay.pokemonshowdown.com/smogtours-gen7nu-423575

So thank you very much. If I were to rate your team (as this IS the section for rating teams) I'd give it a perfect 10 out of 10. You've genuinely made my experience playing Pokemon better by creating this team. The only thing I'm disappointed with is the fact that you haven't made any other teams that I can enjoy. Keep me in the loop if you ever decide to come back to NU, you've earned this fan.