Okay, well eric suggested I do a threat list before we start the "LC box project", so i made one. I could use a bit of help though, there are some Pokemon I don't really know that well, and some Pokemon that I have missed may be worth adding that I haven't yet (I just used the OU list and dropped Wooper). Also, I picked this format because I thought the stats and typing were quite relevant to what the Pokemon actually does.
I also made the "bit" about each Pokemon essentially into a "summary" of each Pokemon, so forgive me for the length.
Threat List
Common Threats
Anorith
Type: Rock / Bug
Base Stats: 45 HP / 95 Atk / 50 Def / 50 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Battle Armor
Anorith is often used as a boosting sweeper, as it has access to both Swords Dance and Rock Polish. Choice Scarf sets are also seen, taking advantage of Anorith's decent Speed and impressive Attack stats. X-Scissor is the primary STAB attack for Anorith, along with Rock Slide for dual STAB coverage. If Anorith is using three attacks, Return or Brick Break will usually be added in for hitting Croagunk and Munchlax, respectively. Anorith also sees some use as a lead, possessing Rapid Spin and Stealth Rock.
Aron
Type: Rock / Steel
Base Stats: 50 HP / 70 Atk / 100 Def / 40 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Sturdy
Aron is almost always used as a Rock Polish sweeper, since its pathetic Speed is one of the major things holding it back from sweeping effectively. Head Smash is Aron's claim to fame; a 225 Base Power attack with the ability to OHKO a huge portion of the Little Cup metagame, and Rock Head allows it to avoid recoil damage. Along with Head Smash, Earthquake and Iron Head are used for coverage. Magnet Rise is also sometimes seen on Aron, as it is a good way to deal with the inevitable Ground-type attacks that will be aimed at it.
Bagon
Type: Dragon
Base Stats: 45 HP / 75 Atk / 60 Def / 40 SpA / 30 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Rock Head
While Bagon does not have a physical Water-type attack or ExtremeSpeed like Dratini has, it is still quite an excellent sweeper. It has higher Attack than Dratini, meaning it will benefit more from a Dragon Dance. On top of that, it has Dragon Claw and Fire Fang. Dragon Claw allows Bagon to hit hard without locking itself in like Outrage does, while Fire Fang means it can dispose of Bronzor. Bagon also runs an effective Choice Scarf set due to its impressive Attack stat and the uncommon presence of Steel-types that resist Bagon's Dragon-type attacks in Little Cup.
Bronzor
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 57 HP / 24 Atk / 86 Def / 24 SpA / 86 SpD / 23 Spe
Abilities: Heatproof / Levitate
With excellent defensive typing and access to Reflect, Light Screen, Stealth Rock, and Rain Dance, Bronzor makes one of the best support Pokemon in Little Cup. Bronzor can also check major threats, such as Gligar (if Bronzor runs Hidden Power Ice, or if Gligar doesn't run Roost), Taillow, and Croagunk. Levitate is a big help for dealing with threats that have Ground-type attacks, particularly Gligar, as it removes Bronzor's Ground-type weakness. Bronzor commonly uses Psychic, Earthquake, Gyro Ball, or Hidden Power Ice as offensive attacks to chip away at the opponent's HP.
Buizel
Type: Water
Base Stats: 55 HP / 65 Atk / 35 Def / 60 SpA / 30 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Swift Swim
Buizel is most often seen on Rain Dance teams because of its ability, Swift Swim. It also has a priority move in Aqua Jet, which is boosted both by the rain and by STAB. Even when it is not used on a rain team, it can run a dangerous Bulk Up set, which hits hard and fast with Buizel's high Speed stat of 19. Buizel is also one of the best Baton Pass users in the metagame, being able to effectively pass Bulk Up, Agility, or Substitute.
Carvanha
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 45 HP / 90 Atk / 20 Def / 65 SpA / 20 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Rough Skin
Carvanha is one of the most dangerous Pokemon because of its excellent coverage and impressive Attack stat. Carvanha is often seen running Substitute with Aqua Jet, Crunch, and Zen Headbutt (or Waterfall), so that if the opponent switches, they will almost always lose at least one Pokemon. Carvanha can also run an excellent mixed set with Hydro Pump and Ice Beam. Also, because of Carvanha's great Speed and Attack stats, it can utilize a Choice Scarf quite effectively.
Chinchou
Type: Electric / Water
Base Stats: 75 HP / 38 Def / 56 SpA / 56 SpD / 67 Spe
Abilities: Illuminate / Volt Absorb
Unlike its evolved form, Chinchou is often used as an offensive Pokemon, utilizing Agility or a Choice Scarf to sweep. Since Chinchou's STAB attacks, Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump, have such good coverage, it isn't difficult for Chinchou to hit almost every type for neutral damage. Chinchou is also often used as a check to many Water-type Pokemon, such as Mantyke, due to its excellent typing and decent defensive stats.
Cranidos
Type: Rock
Base Stats: 67 HP / 125 Atk / 40 Def / 30 SpD / 58 Spe
Ability: Mold Breaker
Cranidos with a Choice Scarf makes it a great revenge killer with its ability, Mold Breaker, and its sky-high Attack stat, along with an insanely powerful STAB Head Smash. Cranidos is also capable of OHKOing even the most defensive Pokemon, barring Phanpy and Hippopotas. It also possesses an above average Speed stat for such a behemoth; it can outspeed a large number of Choice Scarf users that sit at the 21 Speed mark. However, the recoil from Head Smash, pathetic defenses, and vulnerability to priority mean that Cranidos won't be sweeping whole teams anytime soon.
Croagunk
Type: Poison / Fighting
Base Stats: 48 HP / 61 Atk / 40 Def / 61 SpA / 40 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Anticipation / Dry Skin
Croagunk is one of the most versatile Pokemon in Little Cup because of its useful ability and impressive movepool. Croagunk is mostly seen abusing its wide variety of priority attacks. Fake Out and Sucker Punch or STAB Vacuum Wave will 2HKO a good portion of Little Cup, making Croagunk an exceptional revenge killer. SubPunch Croagunk aims to force a switch and set up a Substitute, allowing it to hit the switch-in with a powerful Focus Punch.
Diglett
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 10 HP / 55 Atk / 25 Def / 35 SpA / 45 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Arena Trap
Diglett is one of the few Pokemon who hits 20 Speed without a boost, making it quite an excellent revenge killer with its STAB Earthquake. With access to priority in the form of Sucker Punch, Diglett can use its ability, Arena Trap, to revenge kill even faster Pokemon, such as Choice Scarf Abra and Gastly. Diglett is also often seen as a lead, since it has access to Stealth Rock and priority. Diglett also often uses Hidden Power Ice to dispose of Gligar, since Diglett is easy Gligar bait.
Dratini
Type: Dragon
Base Stats: 45 HP / 64 Atk / 45 Def / 50 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Shed Skin
Dratini is one of the most dangerous Pokemon because of its ability to set up and sweep, and it has very few counters to stop it. Dratini has access to Dragon Dance and Outrage, a destructive duo that can end games quickly if pulled off at the right time. Add ExtremeSpeed onto this, and Dratini is capable of removing lots of checks that rely on outpacing Dratini, as well as priority users, such as Croagunk and Meowth. In the last slot, Dratini usually runs Aqua Tail or Waterfall to deal with bulky Rock- and Ground-types, namely Aron and Gligar. Dratini is also sometimes seen with Substitute, Fire Blast, and Draco Meteor, allowing it to beat its counters and help another Pokemon set up and sweep more easier.
Drifloon
Type: Ghost / Flying
Base Stats: 90 HP / 50 Atk / 34 Def / 60 SpA / 44 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Aftermath / Unburden
Drifloon is one of the most difficult Pokemon to play against, since it has so many viable sets to use. Almost every Drifloon set will run Substitute and either an Oran, Petaya, or Salac Berry. Shadow Ball and Hidden Power Fighting are Drifloon's weapons of choice, granting perfect coverage. Calm Mind, Charge Beam, and Explosion are all seen in the final slot, allowing Drifloon to sweep or explode on a counter, like against Stunky. Baton Pass is also often used over Hidden Power Fighting, since Drifloon has an easy time Baton Passing boosts to its teammates.
Duskull
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 20 HP / 40 Atk / 90 Def / 35 SpA / 90 SpD / 25 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Duskull boasts being the most defensive Ghost-type in Little Cup. It often carries Ice Beam and Will-O-Wisp to deal with Gligar and other physical threats. It beats out faster Ghost-types with Shadow Sneak, which still hurts Pokemon such as Gastly even though it is quite weak. Duskull's low HP stat works great with Pain Split, especially since its defenses are high. Duskull also carries Confuse Ray so it can at least do something to Houndour.
Eevee
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 55 HP / 55 Atk / 50 Def / 45 SpA / 65 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Adaptability / Run Away
Eevee, even with base 55 Attack, will be able to hit quite hard with its STAB attacks, due to Adaptability. Quick Attack, Eevee's only priority move, will even OHKO other defensively frail Pokemon, such as Croagunk and Houndour. Double-Edge is also quite tough to switch into without any immunities. Resistances will more often than not fail when it comes to Eevee's Double-Edge, and on top of this, Eevee often carries Hidden Power Grass to dispose of Rock and Ground Pokemon. Bite is used as well in order to deal with Ghost-types, otherwise they wall Eevee's sets.
Elekid
Type: Electric
Base Stats: 45 HP / 63 Atk / 37 Def / 65 SpA / 55 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Static
While Elekid is quite physically frail, it does reach the crucial 20 Speed mark. With decent offensive Base Stats and quite an impressive movepool, Elekid is known as a fantastic late-game sweeper. Elekid almost always carries and Electric attack, particularly ThunderPunch or Thunderbolt, along with Ice Punch and Cross Chop to deal with Gligar and Munchlax, respectively. Purely physical sets use ThunderPunch and Quick Attack in the last two slots, while the mixed sets use Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Grass.
Gastly
Type: Ghost / Poison
Base Stats: 30 HP / 35 Atk / 30 Def / 100 SpA / 35 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Gastly is one of the scariest Choice Scarf users in LC, since it boasts an excellent base 100 Special Attack stat with two STAB attacks that almost grant perfect coverage. On top of this, Gastly also commonly carries moves like Hidden Power Ground, Energy Ball, and Thunderbolt for additional coverage. Gastly will also often carry Explosion or Hypnosis to deal with Pokemon who Gastly can't KO normally, particularly Munchlax and Stunky.
Gligar
Type: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 75 Atk / 105 Def / 65 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil
Gligar's strength is in its versatility, typing, and excellent Base Stats. Gligar is often holding a Choice Scarf because of its excellent attack coverage, Speed, and ability to revenge kill numerous amounts of threats. It can also take advantage of U-turn, as Gligar tends to force many switches. Gligar also runs Swords Dance or Rock Polish if it isn't holding a Choice Scarf. Earthquake and any combination of Aqua Tail, Stone Edge, Aerial Ace, Roost, and Substitute will often be used along side the aforementioned boosts.
Hippopotas
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 68 HP / 72 Atk / 78 Def / 42 SpD / 32 Spe
Ability: Sand Stream
Hippopotas is the only Pokemon who has the "Sand Stream" ability in Little Cup, making it a necessity on teams that abuse sandstorm. Hippopotas also makes for a nice lead, being able to reliably set up Stealth Rock while beating common leads such as Diglett and Meowth.
Horsea
Type: Water
Base Stats: 30 HP / 70 Def / 70 SpA / 25 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Sniper / Swift Swim
Horsea is one of the most deadly Rain Dance abusers in the metagame due to its high Special Attack and access to Hydro Pump. It also has impressive Defense, allowing it to take a priority attack or two. Ice Beam and Hidden Power Grass or Electric are often seen with Hydro Pump on the Rain Dance set.
Houndour
Type: Fire / Dark
Base Stats: 45 HP / 60 Atk / 30 Def / 80 SpA / 50 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Early Bird / Flash Fire
Houndour is possibly the most difficult Pokemon in the metagame to switch into. With excellent Special Attack, almost all Pokemon are 2HKOed by Fire Blast at the very least. Munchlax is the main exception, however Houndour can carry Crunch or Reversal to deal with it. Houndour is often seen with a Choice Scarf, allowing it to sweep quite effectively late game with Dark Pulse and Fire Blast. Houndour is also used in as an anti-lead utilizing its excellent STAB Sucker Punch to finish foes off before they can finish Houndour off themselves. Life Orb Houndour is one of the most hard hitting Pokemon in the metagame, however with Life Orb and Stealth Rock, Houndour won't be able to switch in too often.
Kabuto
Type: Water / Rock
Base Stats: 30 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Battle Armor / Swift Swim
Kabuto is a very versatile Pokemon. It is a very effective Stealth Rock lead due to its ability to set up Stealth Rock and beat many other leads with Aqua Jet. It is also a great Rain Dance abuser since it resists ExtremeSpeed, Quick Attack, and Ice Shard and has great offensive Base Stats to work with as well. Aqua Jet is almost always used on Kabuto, regardless of which set it is using. Rock Slide and Waterfall are Kabuto's most popular STAB attacks, since they can both cause flinching and have decently high Base Powers. Earth Power and Surf are also commonly seen on Kabuto, since they allow Kabuto to deal with Croagunk and Phanpy respectively.
Krabby
Type: Water.
Base Stats: 30 HP / 105 Atk / 90 Def / 25 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Battle Armor / Hyper Cutter
Krabby has awesome Attack and Defense, and it has access to Agility to mitigate its middling speed. It has a powerful STAB move in Crabhammer, which alongside Return provides unresisted coverage. Oftentimes Krabby's physical bulk allows it to set up an Agility and a Swords Dance with an Oran Berry attached. It can also make a great Choice Scarf user, reaching the "magic" 21 Speed. Most Krabby's have Battle Armor to negate Critical Hits, but Hyper Cutter is sometimes used to deal with the odd Intimidate.
Machop
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 70 HP / 80 Atk / 50 Def / 35 SpD /35 Spe
Abilities: Guts / No Guard
Machop is one of the most difficult Pokemon to play against, because most of its counters can be passed by a few turns of confusion. With No Guard, Machop can use the deadly DynamicPunch, which is very powerful and has a nasty confusion side effect. With access to Payback Ghosts will think twice about switching in, since they are usually OHKOed by it. Machop also can carry Ice Punch and ThunderPunch to deal with Gligar and Mantyke respectively. If not seen in a lead position, Machop is usually carrying a Choice Scarf, putting it at the magic 21 Speed.
Magby
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 45 HP / 75 Atk / 37 Def / 70 SpA / 55 SpD / 83 Spe
Ability: Flame Body
Magby, similar to other strong Fire-types, will usually make quick work of slower Pokemon. Magby's main advantages over said Fire-types, are its ability to actually OHKO Munchlax and Mantyke with Cross Chop and ThunderPunch respectively. Magby can also abuse Mach Punch, which hurts even without STAB. Unfortunately for Magby, it cannot use Cross Chop and Flare Blitz on the same set. With Flare Blitz, Magby often uses a moveset with ThunderPunch, Mach Punch, and Overheat. With Cross Chop, Magby is "forced" to use Fire Blast, meaning it needs to invest in Special Attack. With Special Attack EVs, Mach Punch is not worth using, so Hidden Power Grass is usually seen in that slot instead to deal with Pokemon such as Slowpoke.
Magnemite
Type: Electric / Steel
Base Stats: 25 HP / 25 Atk / 70 Def / 95 SpA / 55 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Magnet Pull / Sturdy
Magnemite is one of the most unique Pokemon in Little Cup because of its typing and ability. Magnemite, due to its Steel-typing, is a great check to Dragon Dance Dratini, because it easily outpaces +1 Adamant Dratini with a Choice Scarf. Magnemite is also often used as a "Steel-trapper" because of its ability "Magnet Pull". Magnemite can come in on Steel-types, use Magnet Rise, and easily KO them with Thunderbolt. Magnemite also has access to Charge Beam and Explosion, which are both commonly used with Substitute sets.
Mankey
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 40 HP / 80 Atk / 35 Def / 45 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Anger Point / Vital Spirit
Mankey, while frail in comparison to other Fighting-types, makes an excellent revenge killer and late game sweeper. With decent Speed, excellent Attack, and access to U-turn, Close Combat, Ice Punch, and Punishment, it is no surprise Mankey is one of the most effective Choice Scarf users in Little Cup. On top of this, Mankey also boasts an unique ability "Vital Spirit", which makes it completely immune to sleep. This helps when you are against Pokemon such as Meowth and Paras.
Mantyke
Type: Water / Flying
Base Stats: 50 HP / 50 Def / 60 SpA / 120 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Water Absorb
Mantyke's strength lies in its bulk and Speed-boosting moves. Rain Dance and Agility Mantyke can be deadly to teams who don't have a proper counter because Mantyke is hard to take down otherwise. Mantyke's main weakness is the fact that it can't reliably beat many of its counters, since it relies on Hidden Power for coverage. Without Hidden Power Electric, Mantyke loses to other Mantyke, and without Hidden Power Ground, Mantyke will lose to Chinchou and possibly Croagunk (depending on prediction).
Meowth
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 45 HP / 45 Atk / 35 Def / 40 SpA / 40 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Pickup / Technician
Meowth is arguably the most effective lead in Little Cup because of its ability "Technician", 19 Speed, and STAB Fake Out. Meowth can essentially break almost any Pokemon's Focus Sash, and KO it the next turn. Additionally, Meowth has utility moves such as Hypnosis to deal with bulkier Pokemon. U-turn is icing on the cake, allowing Meowth to switch out against Diglett while breaking its Focus Sash. Meowth can also run an effective Nasty Plot set with Swift and Water Pulse.
Munchlax
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 135 HP / 85 Atk / 40 Def / 85 SpD / 5 Spe
Abilities: Pickup / Thick Fat
Munchlax is the definition of a "tank". With excellent defensive Base Stats and excellent Attack, Munchlax is a tough Pokemon to beat. Its movepool isn't lacking either, with access to Return, Fire Punch, Earthquake, and Pursuit for Ghosts. Munchlax is one of the only Pokemon who can actually wall in Little Cup.
Omanyte
Type: Water / Rock
Base Stats: 35 HP / 100 Def / 90 SpA / 55 SpD / 35 Spe
Abilities: Battle Armor / Swift Swim
Omanyte can be devastating in the rain with its high Special Attack, Hydro Pump, and its ability Swift Swim. Omanyte is also an excellent support Pokemon since it can set up Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Stealth Rock. Support variants are commonly seen with sandstorm support provided by Hippopotas. Omanyte can also work as a lead setting up entry hazards since it takes little damage from leads like Meowth.
Onix
Type: Rock / Ground
Base Stats: 45 HP / 45 Atk / 160 Def / 45 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Sturdy
Onix is the fastest Rock/Ground Pokemon in Little Cup. With access to both Stealth Rock and Explosion, Onix makes a great lead. With 17 Speed, Onix outpaces almost every lead minus Meowth and Voltorb, who Onix actually beats. Rock Blast allows it to even beat SubSeed Snover, which is quite a common lead in Little Cup.
Paras
Type: Bug / Grass
Base Stats: 35 HP / 70 Atk / 55 Def / 55 SpD / 25 Spe
Abilities: Dry Skin / Effect Spore
While its Base Stats appear to be low, Paras actually functions quite well in the Little Cup metagame. Paras has access to Spore, meaning it can temporarily remove a Pokemon from battle. This is quite important in Little Cup because most Pokemon will not survive the one to four turns that it will be asleep for. Paras is also deceivingly bulky. With an EV spread of 236 HP / 156 Def, Paras can survive an Adamant Gligar's Stone Edge. Paras also has Dry Skin, which basically cancels out the effects of Stealth Rock when Paras switches into a Water-type attack.
Phanpy
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 90 HP / 60 Atk / 60 Def / 40 SpD / 40 Spe
Ability: Pickup
Phanpy is one of the most reliable Stealth Rock leads in the metagame due to its excellent bulk. Phanpy also has access to an impressive movepool, especially for a Pokemon in the lead position. STAB Earthquake, Head Smash, and Ice Shard will make quick work of many leads in Little Cup. Phanpy's strength is in the fact that it will almost always get Stealth Rock up and have enough HP to switch out or beat the opponent's lead.
Poliwag
Type: Water
Stats: 40 HP / 50 Atk / 40 Def / 40 SpA / 40 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Damp
With just one turn of set-up, Poliwag can become a major threat through Belly Drum. Poliwag can also reach 19 Speed with max Speed and a positive nature, outpacing most of the Pokemon in Little Cup and tying with the major ones, such as Gligar and Misdreavus. It also posses moves that can give it a turn of free set-up: Encore and Hypnosis. Poliwag also receives unresisted coverage with only two moves in Return and a STAB-boosted Waterfall, making it a very dangerous sweeping threat.
Porygon
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 75 HP / 60 Atk / 75 Def / 85 SpA / 75 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Download / Trace
Porygon has a myriad of options that make it a threat to many teams. The most commonly run set uses a Choice Scarf. A Timid natured Porygon reaches 21 Speed with Choice Scarf, and can therefore outspeed any Pokemon without a boost in Speed in Little Cup. Porygon also has a great ability to go with it: Download. This ability gives it a chance to boost its Special Attack by one stage upon switching in. This lets it become a much more immediate threat and can wreak havoc if handled properly. Less commonly used sets include Bulky Oran Berry, Choice Specs, and Agility; however, Porygon's primary STAB attack, Tri Attack, and Agility are not legal with Download, forcing Porygon to use Trace, which is more oriented towards bulky sets rather than offensive ones.
Slowpoke
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 90 HP / 65 Atk / 65 Def / 40 SpD / 15 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo
Slowpoke is one of the most effective tanks in Little Cup because of its immunity to confusion and resistance to Fighting-type attacks. DynamicPunch is not handled better by any other Pokemon in Little Cup, minus Ghost-types. Slowpoke has access to Slack Off and Thunder Wave as well allowing it to spread paralysis. Aqua Tail and Zen Headbutt are generally Slowpoke's STABs of choice as they utilize its higher Attack stat. It also makes a great Trick Room user because of its low Speed.
Snover
Type: Ice / Grass.
Base Stats: 60 HP / 62 Atk / 50 Def / 62 SpA / 60 SpD / 40 Spe
Ability: Snow Warning
Snover is one of the more versatile Pokemon in Little Cup because of its equal Attack and Special Attack, above average Defense, and deep movepool. Snover is most commonly seen as a lead, with either a Choice Scarf or a set consisting of Protect/Ice Shard/Energy Ball/Blizzard. Snover can take advantage of having a 120 Base Power STAB attack, Blizzard, with virtually no drawbacks. This is because Blizzard will never miss with hail in play, which starts every time Snover enters battle due to its Snow Warning ability. Other sets include a physical attacking set with Swords Dance, or a SubSeed set. Snover is a dangerous SubSeeder as opponents also take secondary damage from hail, and Grass-types that are immune to Leech Seed take super effective damage from Snover's Ice-type attacks.
Staryu
Type: Water
Base Stats: 30 HP / 55 Def / 70 SpA / 55 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Illuminate / Natural Cure
Staryu has been known as one of the most effective lategame sweepers in the Little Cup metagame. It reaches the magic Speed number of 19 when maxed out, and still retains excellent Special Attack power. Not only that, but it has a wide offensive movepool that consists of various special moves, giving Staryu perfect coverage when used with each other. It's powerful STAB Hydro Pump backed up by Life Orb is capable of 2HKOing even Munchlax, who is the best special wall in LC.
Stunky
Type: Dark / Poison
Base Stats: 63 HP / 63 Atk / 47 Def / 41 SpA / 41 SpD / 74 Spe
Abilities: Aftermath / Stench
Stunky's excellent defensive typing, decent bulk, and Dark -type STAB attacks make it Little Cup's best Ghost counter. With Pursuit and Sucker Punch, no Ghost will have an easy time getting passed Stunky, even if it's weakened. Stunky is also quite effective as a revenge killer, as it boasts the strongest priority attack in Little Cup. Additionally, Stunky has Explosion at its disposal, which will put an end to almost anything in Little Cup.
Taillow
Type: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 40 HP / 55 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Guts
Taillow is one of the few Pokemon in Little Cup that does exactly what its evolution does, which in Taillow's case, is being a Guts sweeper. Taillow will almost always run a Flame or Toxic Orb to abuse Guts and Facade, along with Brave Bird to hit Ghosts for massive damage. Access to U-turn makes Taillow an excellent lure as well. Taillow also has STAB Quick Attack, allowing it to deal with many faster foes or Pokemon that rely on priority to bring Taillow down.
Voltorb
Type: Electric
Base Stats: 40 HP / 30 Atk / 50 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Soundproof / Static
Voltorb is one of the few Pokemon who reach the 20 Speed mark. With access to Taunt, Rain Dance, Sucker Punch, and Explosion, Voltorb makes quite an excellent lead.
Wynaut
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 48 Def / 48 SpD / 23 Spe
Ability: Shadow Tag
Wynaut is one of the most dangerous Pokemon in Little Cup because of its ability to trap any Pokemon. With access to Encore, Wynaut can make it easy for its teammates to set up. Counter and Mirror Coat make Choice Scarf users easy for Wynaut to get rid of as well. Tickle and Safeguard are both common in the last slot. Tickle is used to weaken the opponents Attack and Defense, allowing you to easier set up on a physical attack or Pursuit the opponent to death. Safeguard allows you to Encore and set up on status moves.
Uncommon Threats
Chimchar
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 44 HP / 58 Atk / 44 Def / 58 SpA / 44 SpD / 61 Spe
Ability: Blaze
With access to both Fake Out and Stealth Rock, Chimchar is often seen as a lead. The combination of Fake Out and Overheat OHKOes many of the more common leads such as Hippopotas, Snover, and Phanpy. Chimchar will also run Hidden Power Grass to deal with Kabuto.
Cyndaquil
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 39 HP / 52 Atk / 43 Def / 60 SpA / 50 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Blaze
Cyndaquil is one of the most predictable Pokemon in Little Cup, though it is still quite effective. Cyndaquil, like its third stage evolution, uses a Choice Scarf, its great Speed, and 225 Base Power Eruption (assuming its at full health) to sweep. Cyndaquil also has Double Kick and Hidden Power to deal with Houndour and other Fire-type resists respectively. Additionally, Cyndaquil can use Flamethrower and Blaze to sweep late game after 3 switch-ins to Stealth Rock, as it is weak to it.
Geodude
Type: Rock / Ground
Base Stats: 40 HP / 80 Atk / 100 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 20 Spe
Ability: Rock Head
Geodude makes an excellent physical sweeper with a high Defense stat and great offensive movepool. Geodude can run a Rock Polish set to boost its low Speed. It can also capitalize a Life Orb set which uses Sucker Punch to deal with faster Pokemon and Exposion to deal with sturdy physical walls like Hippopotas and Phanpy. Lastly, Geodude can be used as a tank to provide Stealth Rock support.
Gible
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 58 HP / 70 Atk / 45 Def / 40 SpA / 45 SpD / 42 Spe
Ability: Sand Veil
Gible is known for its powerful STAB moves, Outrage and Earthquake, which come off its respectable base Attack stat of 70. Gible also has access to other powerful moves, such as Fire Blast and Stone Edge, to complement its STAB moves. Gible may be used as a revenge killer when used in conjunction with a Choice Scarf. It also makes for a great wall breaker when behind a Substitute, which is easy to pull off with its ability, Sand Veil, assuming Hippopotas is used.
Natu
Type: Psychic / Flying
Base Stats: 40 HP / 50 Atk / 45 Def / 70 SpA / 45 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Synchronize
Natu is a unique Pokemon in the sense that it has unique typing and a variable movepool. Most Natu carry Psychic since it is the strongest attack that it has access to. With access to Sucker Punch, U-turn, and Pluck, Natu often runs a mixed set utilizing its decent Attack as well as its above average Special Attack. Heat Wave is commonly used to nail Bronzor on the mixed set as well.
Ponyta
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 50 HP / 85 Atk / 55 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Run Away
Ponyta is one of the most devestating Fire-types in Little Cup. Boasting excellent Speed that reaches the 19 Speed mark and a high Attack stat, Ponyta can seriously damage the opponent's team. Flare Blitz is Ponyta's true weapon, completely destroying Pokemon that don't resist it. Ponyta usually carries a Choice Band, as with one Flash Fire boost, Choice Band Ponta is even capable of beating Thick Fat Munchlax with Flare Blitz. Life Orb Ponyta is another common threat, and usually carries Quick Attack as a decent priority move. The rest of Ponyta's moveset usually uses Return and Double Kick, the former dealing excellent damage and helps deal with Pokemon resistant to Flare Blitz, while the latter helps against Rock-types and Munchlax.
Rattata
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 30 HP / 56 Atk / 35 Def / 35 SpD / 72 Spe
Ability: Guts / Run Away
Rattata is one of the more obscure Pokemon because of its movepool and ability. It is slower than Taillow, however Rattata boasts Sucker Punch which helps it avoid being outsped and OHKOed. Rattata also has no Stealth Rock weakness. Another advantage Rattata has over Taillow is that it can beat Bronzor with Flame Wheel.
Remoraid
Type: Water
Base Stats: 35 HP / 65 Atk / 35 Def / 65 SpA / 35 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Hustle / Sniper
Remoraid at first glance it seems average, but the power lies in its usable ability, Hustle. Hustle multiplies Remoraid's Attack (not Special Attack) by 1.5, providing a power increase comparable to Choice Band. This does come at a price of 20% loss in physical accuracy, but the risk has a greater reward. Choice Scarf provides the Speed of an ultra powerful revenge killer; with more Speed and Attack than Cranidos this punches a hole in anything and everything. Remoraid also has Water Spout in its arsenal providing large amounts of power in both sides of the spectrum to revenge kill with.
Squirtle
Type: Water
Base Stats: 44 HP / 48 Atk / 65 Def / 50 SpA / 64 SpD / 43 Spe
Ability: Torrent
Squirtle boasts the rare ability to use Rapid Spin effectively in Little Cup. Squirtle also has access to Fake Out and Aqua Jet, meaning it can run an effective double priority set. Waterfall and Ice Punch are commonly seen in the other two slots to deal with bulkier Pokemon such as Munchlax as well as Gligar.
Wailmer
Type: Water
Base Stats: 130 HP / 70 Atk / 35 Def / 70 SpA / 35 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Water Veil
Wailmer is one of the few Pokemon in Little Cup that learn the mighty Water Spout while boasting a respectable Special Attack stat. As such, a Choice Scarf Wailmer is perhaps one of the biggest threats to teams that lack a member immune or greatly resistant to Water-type attacks. A Water Spout from a full health Wailmer is capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing any switch-in, and it may come back later in the game to KO another Pokemon with Selfdestruct. However a Wailmer locked into Water Spout is perhaps the best set up fodder for Pokemon such as Mantyke or Croagunk.
I also made the "bit" about each Pokemon essentially into a "summary" of each Pokemon, so forgive me for the length.
Threat List
Common Threats
Anorith
Type: Rock / Bug
Base Stats: 45 HP / 95 Atk / 50 Def / 50 SpD / 75 Spe
Ability: Battle Armor
Anorith is often used as a boosting sweeper, as it has access to both Swords Dance and Rock Polish. Choice Scarf sets are also seen, taking advantage of Anorith's decent Speed and impressive Attack stats. X-Scissor is the primary STAB attack for Anorith, along with Rock Slide for dual STAB coverage. If Anorith is using three attacks, Return or Brick Break will usually be added in for hitting Croagunk and Munchlax, respectively. Anorith also sees some use as a lead, possessing Rapid Spin and Stealth Rock.
Aron
Type: Rock / Steel
Base Stats: 50 HP / 70 Atk / 100 Def / 40 SpD / 30 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Sturdy
Aron is almost always used as a Rock Polish sweeper, since its pathetic Speed is one of the major things holding it back from sweeping effectively. Head Smash is Aron's claim to fame; a 225 Base Power attack with the ability to OHKO a huge portion of the Little Cup metagame, and Rock Head allows it to avoid recoil damage. Along with Head Smash, Earthquake and Iron Head are used for coverage. Magnet Rise is also sometimes seen on Aron, as it is a good way to deal with the inevitable Ground-type attacks that will be aimed at it.
Bagon
Type: Dragon
Base Stats: 45 HP / 75 Atk / 60 Def / 40 SpA / 30 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Rock Head
While Bagon does not have a physical Water-type attack or ExtremeSpeed like Dratini has, it is still quite an excellent sweeper. It has higher Attack than Dratini, meaning it will benefit more from a Dragon Dance. On top of that, it has Dragon Claw and Fire Fang. Dragon Claw allows Bagon to hit hard without locking itself in like Outrage does, while Fire Fang means it can dispose of Bronzor. Bagon also runs an effective Choice Scarf set due to its impressive Attack stat and the uncommon presence of Steel-types that resist Bagon's Dragon-type attacks in Little Cup.
Bronzor
Type: Steel / Psychic
Base Stats: 57 HP / 24 Atk / 86 Def / 24 SpA / 86 SpD / 23 Spe
Abilities: Heatproof / Levitate
With excellent defensive typing and access to Reflect, Light Screen, Stealth Rock, and Rain Dance, Bronzor makes one of the best support Pokemon in Little Cup. Bronzor can also check major threats, such as Gligar (if Bronzor runs Hidden Power Ice, or if Gligar doesn't run Roost), Taillow, and Croagunk. Levitate is a big help for dealing with threats that have Ground-type attacks, particularly Gligar, as it removes Bronzor's Ground-type weakness. Bronzor commonly uses Psychic, Earthquake, Gyro Ball, or Hidden Power Ice as offensive attacks to chip away at the opponent's HP.
Buizel
Type: Water
Base Stats: 55 HP / 65 Atk / 35 Def / 60 SpA / 30 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Swift Swim
Buizel is most often seen on Rain Dance teams because of its ability, Swift Swim. It also has a priority move in Aqua Jet, which is boosted both by the rain and by STAB. Even when it is not used on a rain team, it can run a dangerous Bulk Up set, which hits hard and fast with Buizel's high Speed stat of 19. Buizel is also one of the best Baton Pass users in the metagame, being able to effectively pass Bulk Up, Agility, or Substitute.
Carvanha
Type: Water / Dark
Base Stats: 45 HP / 90 Atk / 20 Def / 65 SpA / 20 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Rough Skin
Carvanha is one of the most dangerous Pokemon because of its excellent coverage and impressive Attack stat. Carvanha is often seen running Substitute with Aqua Jet, Crunch, and Zen Headbutt (or Waterfall), so that if the opponent switches, they will almost always lose at least one Pokemon. Carvanha can also run an excellent mixed set with Hydro Pump and Ice Beam. Also, because of Carvanha's great Speed and Attack stats, it can utilize a Choice Scarf quite effectively.
Chinchou
Type: Electric / Water
Base Stats: 75 HP / 38 Def / 56 SpA / 56 SpD / 67 Spe
Abilities: Illuminate / Volt Absorb
Unlike its evolved form, Chinchou is often used as an offensive Pokemon, utilizing Agility or a Choice Scarf to sweep. Since Chinchou's STAB attacks, Thunderbolt and Hydro Pump, have such good coverage, it isn't difficult for Chinchou to hit almost every type for neutral damage. Chinchou is also often used as a check to many Water-type Pokemon, such as Mantyke, due to its excellent typing and decent defensive stats.
Cranidos
Type: Rock
Base Stats: 67 HP / 125 Atk / 40 Def / 30 SpD / 58 Spe
Ability: Mold Breaker
Cranidos with a Choice Scarf makes it a great revenge killer with its ability, Mold Breaker, and its sky-high Attack stat, along with an insanely powerful STAB Head Smash. Cranidos is also capable of OHKOing even the most defensive Pokemon, barring Phanpy and Hippopotas. It also possesses an above average Speed stat for such a behemoth; it can outspeed a large number of Choice Scarf users that sit at the 21 Speed mark. However, the recoil from Head Smash, pathetic defenses, and vulnerability to priority mean that Cranidos won't be sweeping whole teams anytime soon.
Croagunk
Type: Poison / Fighting
Base Stats: 48 HP / 61 Atk / 40 Def / 61 SpA / 40 SpD / 50 Spe
Abilities: Anticipation / Dry Skin
Croagunk is one of the most versatile Pokemon in Little Cup because of its useful ability and impressive movepool. Croagunk is mostly seen abusing its wide variety of priority attacks. Fake Out and Sucker Punch or STAB Vacuum Wave will 2HKO a good portion of Little Cup, making Croagunk an exceptional revenge killer. SubPunch Croagunk aims to force a switch and set up a Substitute, allowing it to hit the switch-in with a powerful Focus Punch.
Diglett
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 10 HP / 55 Atk / 25 Def / 35 SpA / 45 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Arena Trap
Diglett is one of the few Pokemon who hits 20 Speed without a boost, making it quite an excellent revenge killer with its STAB Earthquake. With access to priority in the form of Sucker Punch, Diglett can use its ability, Arena Trap, to revenge kill even faster Pokemon, such as Choice Scarf Abra and Gastly. Diglett is also often seen as a lead, since it has access to Stealth Rock and priority. Diglett also often uses Hidden Power Ice to dispose of Gligar, since Diglett is easy Gligar bait.
Dratini
Type: Dragon
Base Stats: 45 HP / 64 Atk / 45 Def / 50 SpA / 50 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Shed Skin
Dratini is one of the most dangerous Pokemon because of its ability to set up and sweep, and it has very few counters to stop it. Dratini has access to Dragon Dance and Outrage, a destructive duo that can end games quickly if pulled off at the right time. Add ExtremeSpeed onto this, and Dratini is capable of removing lots of checks that rely on outpacing Dratini, as well as priority users, such as Croagunk and Meowth. In the last slot, Dratini usually runs Aqua Tail or Waterfall to deal with bulky Rock- and Ground-types, namely Aron and Gligar. Dratini is also sometimes seen with Substitute, Fire Blast, and Draco Meteor, allowing it to beat its counters and help another Pokemon set up and sweep more easier.
Drifloon
Type: Ghost / Flying
Base Stats: 90 HP / 50 Atk / 34 Def / 60 SpA / 44 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Aftermath / Unburden
Drifloon is one of the most difficult Pokemon to play against, since it has so many viable sets to use. Almost every Drifloon set will run Substitute and either an Oran, Petaya, or Salac Berry. Shadow Ball and Hidden Power Fighting are Drifloon's weapons of choice, granting perfect coverage. Calm Mind, Charge Beam, and Explosion are all seen in the final slot, allowing Drifloon to sweep or explode on a counter, like against Stunky. Baton Pass is also often used over Hidden Power Fighting, since Drifloon has an easy time Baton Passing boosts to its teammates.
Duskull
Type: Ghost
Base Stats: 20 HP / 40 Atk / 90 Def / 35 SpA / 90 SpD / 25 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Duskull boasts being the most defensive Ghost-type in Little Cup. It often carries Ice Beam and Will-O-Wisp to deal with Gligar and other physical threats. It beats out faster Ghost-types with Shadow Sneak, which still hurts Pokemon such as Gastly even though it is quite weak. Duskull's low HP stat works great with Pain Split, especially since its defenses are high. Duskull also carries Confuse Ray so it can at least do something to Houndour.
Eevee
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 55 HP / 55 Atk / 50 Def / 45 SpA / 65 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Adaptability / Run Away
Eevee, even with base 55 Attack, will be able to hit quite hard with its STAB attacks, due to Adaptability. Quick Attack, Eevee's only priority move, will even OHKO other defensively frail Pokemon, such as Croagunk and Houndour. Double-Edge is also quite tough to switch into without any immunities. Resistances will more often than not fail when it comes to Eevee's Double-Edge, and on top of this, Eevee often carries Hidden Power Grass to dispose of Rock and Ground Pokemon. Bite is used as well in order to deal with Ghost-types, otherwise they wall Eevee's sets.
Elekid
Type: Electric
Base Stats: 45 HP / 63 Atk / 37 Def / 65 SpA / 55 SpD / 95 Spe
Ability: Static
While Elekid is quite physically frail, it does reach the crucial 20 Speed mark. With decent offensive Base Stats and quite an impressive movepool, Elekid is known as a fantastic late-game sweeper. Elekid almost always carries and Electric attack, particularly ThunderPunch or Thunderbolt, along with Ice Punch and Cross Chop to deal with Gligar and Munchlax, respectively. Purely physical sets use ThunderPunch and Quick Attack in the last two slots, while the mixed sets use Thunderbolt and Hidden Power Grass.
Gastly
Type: Ghost / Poison
Base Stats: 30 HP / 35 Atk / 30 Def / 100 SpA / 35 SpD / 80 Spe
Ability: Levitate
Gastly is one of the scariest Choice Scarf users in LC, since it boasts an excellent base 100 Special Attack stat with two STAB attacks that almost grant perfect coverage. On top of this, Gastly also commonly carries moves like Hidden Power Ground, Energy Ball, and Thunderbolt for additional coverage. Gastly will also often carry Explosion or Hypnosis to deal with Pokemon who Gastly can't KO normally, particularly Munchlax and Stunky.
Gligar
Type: Ground / Flying
Base Stats: 65 HP / 75 Atk / 105 Def / 65 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Hyper Cutter / Sand Veil
Gligar's strength is in its versatility, typing, and excellent Base Stats. Gligar is often holding a Choice Scarf because of its excellent attack coverage, Speed, and ability to revenge kill numerous amounts of threats. It can also take advantage of U-turn, as Gligar tends to force many switches. Gligar also runs Swords Dance or Rock Polish if it isn't holding a Choice Scarf. Earthquake and any combination of Aqua Tail, Stone Edge, Aerial Ace, Roost, and Substitute will often be used along side the aforementioned boosts.
Hippopotas
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 68 HP / 72 Atk / 78 Def / 42 SpD / 32 Spe
Ability: Sand Stream
Hippopotas is the only Pokemon who has the "Sand Stream" ability in Little Cup, making it a necessity on teams that abuse sandstorm. Hippopotas also makes for a nice lead, being able to reliably set up Stealth Rock while beating common leads such as Diglett and Meowth.
Horsea
Type: Water
Base Stats: 30 HP / 70 Def / 70 SpA / 25 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Sniper / Swift Swim
Horsea is one of the most deadly Rain Dance abusers in the metagame due to its high Special Attack and access to Hydro Pump. It also has impressive Defense, allowing it to take a priority attack or two. Ice Beam and Hidden Power Grass or Electric are often seen with Hydro Pump on the Rain Dance set.
Houndour
Type: Fire / Dark
Base Stats: 45 HP / 60 Atk / 30 Def / 80 SpA / 50 SpD / 65 Spe
Abilities: Early Bird / Flash Fire
Houndour is possibly the most difficult Pokemon in the metagame to switch into. With excellent Special Attack, almost all Pokemon are 2HKOed by Fire Blast at the very least. Munchlax is the main exception, however Houndour can carry Crunch or Reversal to deal with it. Houndour is often seen with a Choice Scarf, allowing it to sweep quite effectively late game with Dark Pulse and Fire Blast. Houndour is also used in as an anti-lead utilizing its excellent STAB Sucker Punch to finish foes off before they can finish Houndour off themselves. Life Orb Houndour is one of the most hard hitting Pokemon in the metagame, however with Life Orb and Stealth Rock, Houndour won't be able to switch in too often.
Kabuto
Type: Water / Rock
Base Stats: 30 HP / 80 Atk / 90 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 55 Spe
Abilities: Battle Armor / Swift Swim
Kabuto is a very versatile Pokemon. It is a very effective Stealth Rock lead due to its ability to set up Stealth Rock and beat many other leads with Aqua Jet. It is also a great Rain Dance abuser since it resists ExtremeSpeed, Quick Attack, and Ice Shard and has great offensive Base Stats to work with as well. Aqua Jet is almost always used on Kabuto, regardless of which set it is using. Rock Slide and Waterfall are Kabuto's most popular STAB attacks, since they can both cause flinching and have decently high Base Powers. Earth Power and Surf are also commonly seen on Kabuto, since they allow Kabuto to deal with Croagunk and Phanpy respectively.
Krabby
Type: Water.
Base Stats: 30 HP / 105 Atk / 90 Def / 25 SpD / 50 Spe
Ability: Battle Armor / Hyper Cutter
Krabby has awesome Attack and Defense, and it has access to Agility to mitigate its middling speed. It has a powerful STAB move in Crabhammer, which alongside Return provides unresisted coverage. Oftentimes Krabby's physical bulk allows it to set up an Agility and a Swords Dance with an Oran Berry attached. It can also make a great Choice Scarf user, reaching the "magic" 21 Speed. Most Krabby's have Battle Armor to negate Critical Hits, but Hyper Cutter is sometimes used to deal with the odd Intimidate.
Machop
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 70 HP / 80 Atk / 50 Def / 35 SpD /35 Spe
Abilities: Guts / No Guard
Machop is one of the most difficult Pokemon to play against, because most of its counters can be passed by a few turns of confusion. With No Guard, Machop can use the deadly DynamicPunch, which is very powerful and has a nasty confusion side effect. With access to Payback Ghosts will think twice about switching in, since they are usually OHKOed by it. Machop also can carry Ice Punch and ThunderPunch to deal with Gligar and Mantyke respectively. If not seen in a lead position, Machop is usually carrying a Choice Scarf, putting it at the magic 21 Speed.
Magby
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 45 HP / 75 Atk / 37 Def / 70 SpA / 55 SpD / 83 Spe
Ability: Flame Body
Magby, similar to other strong Fire-types, will usually make quick work of slower Pokemon. Magby's main advantages over said Fire-types, are its ability to actually OHKO Munchlax and Mantyke with Cross Chop and ThunderPunch respectively. Magby can also abuse Mach Punch, which hurts even without STAB. Unfortunately for Magby, it cannot use Cross Chop and Flare Blitz on the same set. With Flare Blitz, Magby often uses a moveset with ThunderPunch, Mach Punch, and Overheat. With Cross Chop, Magby is "forced" to use Fire Blast, meaning it needs to invest in Special Attack. With Special Attack EVs, Mach Punch is not worth using, so Hidden Power Grass is usually seen in that slot instead to deal with Pokemon such as Slowpoke.
Magnemite
Type: Electric / Steel
Base Stats: 25 HP / 25 Atk / 70 Def / 95 SpA / 55 SpD / 45 Spe
Abilities: Magnet Pull / Sturdy
Magnemite is one of the most unique Pokemon in Little Cup because of its typing and ability. Magnemite, due to its Steel-typing, is a great check to Dragon Dance Dratini, because it easily outpaces +1 Adamant Dratini with a Choice Scarf. Magnemite is also often used as a "Steel-trapper" because of its ability "Magnet Pull". Magnemite can come in on Steel-types, use Magnet Rise, and easily KO them with Thunderbolt. Magnemite also has access to Charge Beam and Explosion, which are both commonly used with Substitute sets.
Mankey
Type: Fighting
Base Stats: 40 HP / 80 Atk / 35 Def / 45 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Anger Point / Vital Spirit
Mankey, while frail in comparison to other Fighting-types, makes an excellent revenge killer and late game sweeper. With decent Speed, excellent Attack, and access to U-turn, Close Combat, Ice Punch, and Punishment, it is no surprise Mankey is one of the most effective Choice Scarf users in Little Cup. On top of this, Mankey also boasts an unique ability "Vital Spirit", which makes it completely immune to sleep. This helps when you are against Pokemon such as Meowth and Paras.
Mantyke
Type: Water / Flying
Base Stats: 50 HP / 50 Def / 60 SpA / 120 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Swift Swim / Water Absorb
Mantyke's strength lies in its bulk and Speed-boosting moves. Rain Dance and Agility Mantyke can be deadly to teams who don't have a proper counter because Mantyke is hard to take down otherwise. Mantyke's main weakness is the fact that it can't reliably beat many of its counters, since it relies on Hidden Power for coverage. Without Hidden Power Electric, Mantyke loses to other Mantyke, and without Hidden Power Ground, Mantyke will lose to Chinchou and possibly Croagunk (depending on prediction).
Meowth
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 45 HP / 45 Atk / 35 Def / 40 SpA / 40 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Pickup / Technician
Meowth is arguably the most effective lead in Little Cup because of its ability "Technician", 19 Speed, and STAB Fake Out. Meowth can essentially break almost any Pokemon's Focus Sash, and KO it the next turn. Additionally, Meowth has utility moves such as Hypnosis to deal with bulkier Pokemon. U-turn is icing on the cake, allowing Meowth to switch out against Diglett while breaking its Focus Sash. Meowth can also run an effective Nasty Plot set with Swift and Water Pulse.
Munchlax
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 135 HP / 85 Atk / 40 Def / 85 SpD / 5 Spe
Abilities: Pickup / Thick Fat
Munchlax is the definition of a "tank". With excellent defensive Base Stats and excellent Attack, Munchlax is a tough Pokemon to beat. Its movepool isn't lacking either, with access to Return, Fire Punch, Earthquake, and Pursuit for Ghosts. Munchlax is one of the only Pokemon who can actually wall in Little Cup.
Omanyte
Type: Water / Rock
Base Stats: 35 HP / 100 Def / 90 SpA / 55 SpD / 35 Spe
Abilities: Battle Armor / Swift Swim
Omanyte can be devastating in the rain with its high Special Attack, Hydro Pump, and its ability Swift Swim. Omanyte is also an excellent support Pokemon since it can set up Spikes, Toxic Spikes, and Stealth Rock. Support variants are commonly seen with sandstorm support provided by Hippopotas. Omanyte can also work as a lead setting up entry hazards since it takes little damage from leads like Meowth.
Onix
Type: Rock / Ground
Base Stats: 45 HP / 45 Atk / 160 Def / 45 SpD / 70 Spe
Abilities: Rock Head / Sturdy
Onix is the fastest Rock/Ground Pokemon in Little Cup. With access to both Stealth Rock and Explosion, Onix makes a great lead. With 17 Speed, Onix outpaces almost every lead minus Meowth and Voltorb, who Onix actually beats. Rock Blast allows it to even beat SubSeed Snover, which is quite a common lead in Little Cup.
Paras
Type: Bug / Grass
Base Stats: 35 HP / 70 Atk / 55 Def / 55 SpD / 25 Spe
Abilities: Dry Skin / Effect Spore
While its Base Stats appear to be low, Paras actually functions quite well in the Little Cup metagame. Paras has access to Spore, meaning it can temporarily remove a Pokemon from battle. This is quite important in Little Cup because most Pokemon will not survive the one to four turns that it will be asleep for. Paras is also deceivingly bulky. With an EV spread of 236 HP / 156 Def, Paras can survive an Adamant Gligar's Stone Edge. Paras also has Dry Skin, which basically cancels out the effects of Stealth Rock when Paras switches into a Water-type attack.
Phanpy
Type: Ground
Base Stats: 90 HP / 60 Atk / 60 Def / 40 SpD / 40 Spe
Ability: Pickup
Phanpy is one of the most reliable Stealth Rock leads in the metagame due to its excellent bulk. Phanpy also has access to an impressive movepool, especially for a Pokemon in the lead position. STAB Earthquake, Head Smash, and Ice Shard will make quick work of many leads in Little Cup. Phanpy's strength is in the fact that it will almost always get Stealth Rock up and have enough HP to switch out or beat the opponent's lead.
Poliwag
Type: Water
Stats: 40 HP / 50 Atk / 40 Def / 40 SpA / 40 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Water Absorb / Damp
With just one turn of set-up, Poliwag can become a major threat through Belly Drum. Poliwag can also reach 19 Speed with max Speed and a positive nature, outpacing most of the Pokemon in Little Cup and tying with the major ones, such as Gligar and Misdreavus. It also posses moves that can give it a turn of free set-up: Encore and Hypnosis. Poliwag also receives unresisted coverage with only two moves in Return and a STAB-boosted Waterfall, making it a very dangerous sweeping threat.
Porygon
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 75 HP / 60 Atk / 75 Def / 85 SpA / 75 SpD / 40 Spe
Abilities: Download / Trace
Porygon has a myriad of options that make it a threat to many teams. The most commonly run set uses a Choice Scarf. A Timid natured Porygon reaches 21 Speed with Choice Scarf, and can therefore outspeed any Pokemon without a boost in Speed in Little Cup. Porygon also has a great ability to go with it: Download. This ability gives it a chance to boost its Special Attack by one stage upon switching in. This lets it become a much more immediate threat and can wreak havoc if handled properly. Less commonly used sets include Bulky Oran Berry, Choice Specs, and Agility; however, Porygon's primary STAB attack, Tri Attack, and Agility are not legal with Download, forcing Porygon to use Trace, which is more oriented towards bulky sets rather than offensive ones.
Slowpoke
Type: Water / Psychic
Base Stats: 90 HP / 65 Atk / 65 Def / 40 SpD / 15 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Own Tempo
Slowpoke is one of the most effective tanks in Little Cup because of its immunity to confusion and resistance to Fighting-type attacks. DynamicPunch is not handled better by any other Pokemon in Little Cup, minus Ghost-types. Slowpoke has access to Slack Off and Thunder Wave as well allowing it to spread paralysis. Aqua Tail and Zen Headbutt are generally Slowpoke's STABs of choice as they utilize its higher Attack stat. It also makes a great Trick Room user because of its low Speed.
Snover
Type: Ice / Grass.
Base Stats: 60 HP / 62 Atk / 50 Def / 62 SpA / 60 SpD / 40 Spe
Ability: Snow Warning
Snover is one of the more versatile Pokemon in Little Cup because of its equal Attack and Special Attack, above average Defense, and deep movepool. Snover is most commonly seen as a lead, with either a Choice Scarf or a set consisting of Protect/Ice Shard/Energy Ball/Blizzard. Snover can take advantage of having a 120 Base Power STAB attack, Blizzard, with virtually no drawbacks. This is because Blizzard will never miss with hail in play, which starts every time Snover enters battle due to its Snow Warning ability. Other sets include a physical attacking set with Swords Dance, or a SubSeed set. Snover is a dangerous SubSeeder as opponents also take secondary damage from hail, and Grass-types that are immune to Leech Seed take super effective damage from Snover's Ice-type attacks.
Staryu
Type: Water
Base Stats: 30 HP / 55 Def / 70 SpA / 55 SpD / 85 Spe
Abilities: Illuminate / Natural Cure
Staryu has been known as one of the most effective lategame sweepers in the Little Cup metagame. It reaches the magic Speed number of 19 when maxed out, and still retains excellent Special Attack power. Not only that, but it has a wide offensive movepool that consists of various special moves, giving Staryu perfect coverage when used with each other. It's powerful STAB Hydro Pump backed up by Life Orb is capable of 2HKOing even Munchlax, who is the best special wall in LC.
Stunky
Type: Dark / Poison
Base Stats: 63 HP / 63 Atk / 47 Def / 41 SpA / 41 SpD / 74 Spe
Abilities: Aftermath / Stench
Stunky's excellent defensive typing, decent bulk, and Dark -type STAB attacks make it Little Cup's best Ghost counter. With Pursuit and Sucker Punch, no Ghost will have an easy time getting passed Stunky, even if it's weakened. Stunky is also quite effective as a revenge killer, as it boasts the strongest priority attack in Little Cup. Additionally, Stunky has Explosion at its disposal, which will put an end to almost anything in Little Cup.
Taillow
Type: Normal / Flying
Base Stats: 40 HP / 55 Atk / 30 Def / 30 SpD / 85 Spe
Ability: Guts
Taillow is one of the few Pokemon in Little Cup that does exactly what its evolution does, which in Taillow's case, is being a Guts sweeper. Taillow will almost always run a Flame or Toxic Orb to abuse Guts and Facade, along with Brave Bird to hit Ghosts for massive damage. Access to U-turn makes Taillow an excellent lure as well. Taillow also has STAB Quick Attack, allowing it to deal with many faster foes or Pokemon that rely on priority to bring Taillow down.
Voltorb
Type: Electric
Base Stats: 40 HP / 30 Atk / 50 Def / 55 SpA / 55 SpD / 100 Spe
Abilities: Soundproof / Static
Voltorb is one of the few Pokemon who reach the 20 Speed mark. With access to Taunt, Rain Dance, Sucker Punch, and Explosion, Voltorb makes quite an excellent lead.
Wynaut
Type: Psychic
Base Stats: 95 HP / 48 Def / 48 SpD / 23 Spe
Ability: Shadow Tag
Wynaut is one of the most dangerous Pokemon in Little Cup because of its ability to trap any Pokemon. With access to Encore, Wynaut can make it easy for its teammates to set up. Counter and Mirror Coat make Choice Scarf users easy for Wynaut to get rid of as well. Tickle and Safeguard are both common in the last slot. Tickle is used to weaken the opponents Attack and Defense, allowing you to easier set up on a physical attack or Pursuit the opponent to death. Safeguard allows you to Encore and set up on status moves.
Uncommon Threats
Chimchar
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 44 HP / 58 Atk / 44 Def / 58 SpA / 44 SpD / 61 Spe
Ability: Blaze
With access to both Fake Out and Stealth Rock, Chimchar is often seen as a lead. The combination of Fake Out and Overheat OHKOes many of the more common leads such as Hippopotas, Snover, and Phanpy. Chimchar will also run Hidden Power Grass to deal with Kabuto.
Cyndaquil
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 39 HP / 52 Atk / 43 Def / 60 SpA / 50 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Blaze
Cyndaquil is one of the most predictable Pokemon in Little Cup, though it is still quite effective. Cyndaquil, like its third stage evolution, uses a Choice Scarf, its great Speed, and 225 Base Power Eruption (assuming its at full health) to sweep. Cyndaquil also has Double Kick and Hidden Power to deal with Houndour and other Fire-type resists respectively. Additionally, Cyndaquil can use Flamethrower and Blaze to sweep late game after 3 switch-ins to Stealth Rock, as it is weak to it.
Geodude
Type: Rock / Ground
Base Stats: 40 HP / 80 Atk / 100 Def / 30 SpA / 30 SpD / 20 Spe
Ability: Rock Head
Geodude makes an excellent physical sweeper with a high Defense stat and great offensive movepool. Geodude can run a Rock Polish set to boost its low Speed. It can also capitalize a Life Orb set which uses Sucker Punch to deal with faster Pokemon and Exposion to deal with sturdy physical walls like Hippopotas and Phanpy. Lastly, Geodude can be used as a tank to provide Stealth Rock support.
Gible
Type: Dragon / Ground
Base Stats: 58 HP / 70 Atk / 45 Def / 40 SpA / 45 SpD / 42 Spe
Ability: Sand Veil
Gible is known for its powerful STAB moves, Outrage and Earthquake, which come off its respectable base Attack stat of 70. Gible also has access to other powerful moves, such as Fire Blast and Stone Edge, to complement its STAB moves. Gible may be used as a revenge killer when used in conjunction with a Choice Scarf. It also makes for a great wall breaker when behind a Substitute, which is easy to pull off with its ability, Sand Veil, assuming Hippopotas is used.
Natu
Type: Psychic / Flying
Base Stats: 40 HP / 50 Atk / 45 Def / 70 SpA / 45 SpD / 70 Spe
Ability: Synchronize
Natu is a unique Pokemon in the sense that it has unique typing and a variable movepool. Most Natu carry Psychic since it is the strongest attack that it has access to. With access to Sucker Punch, U-turn, and Pluck, Natu often runs a mixed set utilizing its decent Attack as well as its above average Special Attack. Heat Wave is commonly used to nail Bronzor on the mixed set as well.
Ponyta
Type: Fire
Base Stats: 50 HP / 85 Atk / 55 Def / 65 SpA / 65 SpD / 90 Spe
Abilities: Flash Fire / Run Away
Ponyta is one of the most devestating Fire-types in Little Cup. Boasting excellent Speed that reaches the 19 Speed mark and a high Attack stat, Ponyta can seriously damage the opponent's team. Flare Blitz is Ponyta's true weapon, completely destroying Pokemon that don't resist it. Ponyta usually carries a Choice Band, as with one Flash Fire boost, Choice Band Ponta is even capable of beating Thick Fat Munchlax with Flare Blitz. Life Orb Ponyta is another common threat, and usually carries Quick Attack as a decent priority move. The rest of Ponyta's moveset usually uses Return and Double Kick, the former dealing excellent damage and helps deal with Pokemon resistant to Flare Blitz, while the latter helps against Rock-types and Munchlax.
Rattata
Type: Normal
Base Stats: 30 HP / 56 Atk / 35 Def / 35 SpD / 72 Spe
Ability: Guts / Run Away
Rattata is one of the more obscure Pokemon because of its movepool and ability. It is slower than Taillow, however Rattata boasts Sucker Punch which helps it avoid being outsped and OHKOed. Rattata also has no Stealth Rock weakness. Another advantage Rattata has over Taillow is that it can beat Bronzor with Flame Wheel.
Remoraid
Type: Water
Base Stats: 35 HP / 65 Atk / 35 Def / 65 SpA / 35 SpD / 65 Spe
Ability: Hustle / Sniper
Remoraid at first glance it seems average, but the power lies in its usable ability, Hustle. Hustle multiplies Remoraid's Attack (not Special Attack) by 1.5, providing a power increase comparable to Choice Band. This does come at a price of 20% loss in physical accuracy, but the risk has a greater reward. Choice Scarf provides the Speed of an ultra powerful revenge killer; with more Speed and Attack than Cranidos this punches a hole in anything and everything. Remoraid also has Water Spout in its arsenal providing large amounts of power in both sides of the spectrum to revenge kill with.
Squirtle
Type: Water
Base Stats: 44 HP / 48 Atk / 65 Def / 50 SpA / 64 SpD / 43 Spe
Ability: Torrent
Squirtle boasts the rare ability to use Rapid Spin effectively in Little Cup. Squirtle also has access to Fake Out and Aqua Jet, meaning it can run an effective double priority set. Waterfall and Ice Punch are commonly seen in the other two slots to deal with bulkier Pokemon such as Munchlax as well as Gligar.
Wailmer
Type: Water
Base Stats: 130 HP / 70 Atk / 35 Def / 70 SpA / 35 SpD / 60 Spe
Abilities: Oblivious / Water Veil
Wailmer is one of the few Pokemon in Little Cup that learn the mighty Water Spout while boasting a respectable Special Attack stat. As such, a Choice Scarf Wailmer is perhaps one of the biggest threats to teams that lack a member immune or greatly resistant to Water-type attacks. A Water Spout from a full health Wailmer is capable of OHKOing or 2HKOing any switch-in, and it may come back later in the game to KO another Pokemon with Selfdestruct. However a Wailmer locked into Water Spout is perhaps the best set up fodder for Pokemon such as Mantyke or Croagunk.
