[NU RMT] Team DayBroken

[Ice-eyes]

This is not only a very good and pretty successful team, but a good example of how the NU metagame is shaping up for this format. The team is designed to utilise bulky pivots to manipulate the opponent, break down their walls, eliminate their checks, take down sweepers if necessary, and then sweep.

Props to arkeis for pictures.

The Lead
Primeape @ Choice Scarf
Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Vital Spirit
4 HP/252 Atk/252 Spe
Close Combat
U-Turn
Ice Punch
Stone Edge

Choice Scarf Primeape is an insane lead. Unlike many, it can actually stay alive, and has a number of roles. It has access to U-Turn for scouting, can function as a revenge killer in the late game, and can take down many otherwise dangerous +2 Dragon Dancers/Agility users such as Crawdaunt and weakened Kingler. Of course, it’s nice to be able to beat just about every common lead, or predict the switch and U-Turn away. Here’s how it matches up against these often-used leads:

: Ice Punch is 4x Super Effective, and unless the annoying little puffball is Scarfed (god forbid) it’s outsped and OHKOd. If Sashed, it doesn’t matter, since it can’t really do anything to Ape (yay, Sleep Immunity!)

: Take the Fake Out, then Close Combat or U-Turn away. It’s outsped and can’t Hypnosis because of Vital Spirit.

: Close Combat isn’t an OHKO, but it lands a heavy blow on Relicanth, deterring it from setting up Rocks. Meanwhile, Ape resists Rock and comfortably survives either of Relicanth’s STABs even at -1.

: Basically the only reason I’m running Stone Edge on this set – Pinsir takes very heavy damage from it.

: See Pinsir.

: Did someone say 4x Ice Punch weakness? It’s always outsped and usually OHKOd.

: Guess who gets outsped and has paper defenses that can’t deal with Close Combat and take a hefty amount from U-Turn? If you said Floatzel, you win a cookie.

: Guess who gets outsped and has paper defenses that can’t deal with Close Combat and take a hefty amount from U-Turn (which also breaks its Sash for something like Skuntank to revenge)? If you said Floatzel, you were wrong – it’s Electrode.

: See Relicanth.

: Even a 2x Ice Punch doesn’t do that much damage, since most are phsically bulky – a U-Turn to Slowking is generally advisable, as it can take Slash's attacks, heal off damage, and threaten with Surf.

: I’ve seen a couple of these as leads – they fear Close Combat, and U-Turn can find Magmortar to OHKO with Focus Blast if they stayed in.

: It’s weak to both Close Combat and U-Turn, with paper defenses. Go figure.

: U-Turn out to Miltank, who can take any Ghost-type moves and doesn’t mind Will-o-Wisp either.

: Good luck setting up. CC OHKOs, but it’s unlikely to stay in, so I usually U-Turn.

The Walls

Miltank @ Leftovers
Impish (+Def, -SpA)
Scrappy
252 HP/4 Atk/252 Def
Body Slam
Milk Drink
Heal Bell
Stealth Rock

While I do agree that Stealth Rock is generally a waste of Miltank’s prodigious talents, the question was not really what set to run on the little cow that could, but what pokemon to run that could set up the Rocks. With that in mind, Miltank is a great wall, offering both ridiculous physical bulk (enhanced by its EV spread) and great defensive synergy with Slowking. It takes on the vast majority of NU’s physical threats, fearing only carriers of Fighting-type moves, such as Primeape, Medicham, Pinsir and Zangoose. Heal Bell and fast, instant recovery makes Miltank one of the best utility pokes and walls in NU, and it really serves its purpose as a bulky pivot here.

Slowking @ Leftovers
Calm (+SpD, -Atk)
Own Tempo
252 HP/52 SpA/200 SpD
Surf
Grass Knot
Slack Off
Light Screen / Toxic

Slowking completes my defensive combo, allowing me to avoid revenge kills from special attackers. It’s a good switch-in to most of the special side of NU, including the otherwise threatening Choice Scarf Typhlosion and Choice Scarf Magmortar. It also takes on the Choiced Fighting-types that threaten Miltank, such as Primeape and Medicham. Another useful role of Slowking is to attract Skuntank like flies – it can switch out, allowing another poke to damage The Stinky One, or it can wear it down with STAB Surf. With Skuntank weakened or KOed outright, Espeon has a much easier time sweeping.
Surf provides powerful STAB, and Grass Knot is a powerful secondary attack that few people see coming. I’ve had a few people tell me I should be using Ice Beam (news flash – Leafeon is gone!), or Hidden Power Electric – this is usually said immediately after I have hit their Quagsire/Gastrodon with it, or broken the sub of the DD-Lapras they expected to wall me. The EV spread provides maximum Special bulk – I’m still searching for a magic number to invest in Slowking’s Special Attack that allows certain OHKOs/2HKOs, but I’m not sure exactly how much. Light Screen is a useful support option, and something to do in the common situation that Slowking forces something out, while Toxic allows it to force out or beat other Slowking.

The Wall-Breakers

Magmortar @ Expert Belt
Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
Flame Body
4 Def/252 Spe/252 SpA
Fire Blast
Thunderbolt
Focus Blast
Hidden Power (Grass)

This Magmortar is absolutely ridiculous. If it comes in on something slower, or something that fears ScarfMortar, something is going down, most likely your Special wall. Think about it – what’s your switch-in to Magmortar? Slowking, Mantine, Miltank or Quagsire? What do all of these have in common? After a Thunderbolt on the switch, Magmortar KOs all four, and countless other possible switch ins – the only one of them it doesn’t outspeed is Miltank, which really hates a Focus Blast to the face and can’t hope to OHKO with Body Slam/Return. The great thing about the Expert Belt is that it encourages you to stay in or pivot to something else that Magmortar really threatens. Ah, my Quagsire is immune to your clearly Scarfed Thunderbolt! I don’t have to fear HP Grass! Ah, your Choiced Thunderbolt has damaged my Slowking! I’ll switch to my Sandslash! Magmortar tears holes in absolutely every common switch in there is to it, and most of them are also Espeon checks.
What’s really nice about this team is that Magmortar, usually so easy to revenge kill, can just be switched out to one of the two pivots/walls. The EV spread is built to maximise Speed, so Mortar can take down even threats like max Speed Timid Magneton, which can otherwise cause problems – especially if it gets a Sub. However, Modest with maxed-out Special Attack is required to make sure that neutral Fire Blast still maintains enough kick without a boost from Life Orb.

Skuntank @ Life Orb
Adamant (+Atk, -SpA)
Aftermath
252 Atk/252 Spe/4 SpD
Sucker Punch
Pursuit
Taunt
Explosion

I’ve lumped it in with Magmortar as a wall-breaker, but Skuntank fulfils several overlapping roles on this team. The first is to break down walls that the rest of the team can’t really deal with – since Magmortar can’t hit bulky switch-ins like Dusclops and Gardevoir super effectively, Skuntank is a good pokemon to tear through them and make sure they can’t even switch out due to Pursuit – and it can avoid the inevitable Will-o-Wisp with Taunt. Even if it does switch in on Will-o-Wisp, it can be healed by Miltank, so it’s not the end of the world. The second job Skuntank has is to switch in on and KO threatening foes like Espeon and Haunter, both of which can otherwise pose an issue to the team. Another function of Skuntank is as a revenge killer – there are quite a few threatening Swords Dancers, Agility users and Dragon Dancers in the tier, some of which Primeape can’t deal with (particularly if it is dead). If they are weakened, Skuntank can often KO with Sucker Punch and Aftermath. Belly Drum Charizard also dies, even when behind a Substitute. Finally, when it gets low on health and it has done its job, it can tear through pretty much anything with a Life Orbed, max attack Explosion.
Its EVs and item cast it in a very offensive role – this isn’t a pokemon that sticks around for that long once it has neutralised a threat. But it makes up for its lack of longevity by taking down at least one and often two threats to the team. Taunt is a surprisingly undervalued option – it lets Skuntank stop Will-o-Wisp and force out annoying threats like SubSeed Jumpluff, otherwise hugely difficult to kill once it gets going. Similarly, Cursers can be forced out, or killed if they stay in. Skuntank is a hugely versatile pokemon, and wreaks havoc in nearly every match.

The Sweeper

Espeon @ Choice Specs
Modest (+SpA, -Atk)
Synchronise
252 Spe/252 SpA/4 SpD
Psychic
Signal Beam
Hidden Power (Ground)
Trick / Baton Pass

Espeon is the only pure sweeper that the team has and is the source of many of its wins – while attritional warfare can let Primeape or Magmortar finish things off, it is Espeon which the team is built around setting up for. Once Magmortar has taken out their dedicated special wall and pulled in their fast, Scarf revenger to be worn down, and Skuntank has torn through their bulky Psychic-type or Choice Scarf Haunter, Espeon shreds pretty much everything. Modest max SpA Specs Psychic is enough to OHKO most non-bulky pokemon – as well as anything else that doesn’t resist it and has taken residual damage.
Psychic offers a powerful STAB move, and is the main sweeping tool – Signal Beam hits other Psychics and most Dark-types, while Hidden Power Ground hits Skuntank. It is a difficult choice in the last slot – Trick allows Espeon to cripple walls like Miltank, while Baton Pass allows it to scout their Espeon counter and bring in the appropriate poke to grind it down.

So, there you have it – a hard-hitting, synergistic balanced team based around using bulky pivots to weaken the opponent, taking out their counters along the way, for an Espeon sweep.

 

[Ice-eyes]

Thanks to Brawler for this almost too comprehensive list.
Threat List

Ampharos: It shouldn’t really ever get a sub up, and is easily outsped and revenged by Skuntank/Espeon/Primeape if it does manage to score a kill.

Armaldo: Primeape deals with any and all, including the occasional lead, plus Slowking can Surf it for serious damage on a predicted Rapid Spin. Magmortar tears a large hole in it as well.

Articuno: Magmortar easily takes care of it, and it shouldn’t really be doing much if I can get Rocks up.

Banette: Miltank can switch in and wall it, doing damage with Scrappy, while Skuntank can trap and kill it.

Bastidon: Espeon annihilates it, as does Primeape.

Bellossom: SubSeeders are irritating but can easily be dealt with by Primeape and Skuntank, which resists Grass and can Taunt.

Bibarel: Primeape tears a large hole in it, as does Magmortar, though it can be hard to take down if it’s been Baton Passed boosts.

Cacturne: It has a 4x weakness to Bug. Primeape and Espeon carry Bug attacks. Magmortar tears through it as well.

Camerupt: Slowking walls and threatens Special variants and I can sack something to Explosion or weather it with Miltank.

Charizard: Zard is the main reason I have considered Timid Espeon, but Primeape revenges with Stone Edge and Slowking walls and threatens Special variants. Skuntank revenges Belly Drummers, and I can set up Rocks reliably.

Chimecho: Skuntank breaks it down, Espeon can as well.

Clamperl:
I can just work around it with Slowking absorbing most of its attacks and Espeon/Magmortar taking Grass Knot – this allows me to stall out Trick Room and annihilate it.

Cradily: Cursers can be annoying, but Skuntank taunts them and Magmortar shreds it with Focus Blast.

Dodrio: Skuntank revenges it, Miltank walls it and stalls it out, Primeape can Ice Punch it into oblivion.

Dusclops: Skuntank can deal with it, but it can be difficult to take down if Skuntank dies.

Electrode: Only seen as a lead, and Primeape beats it.

Entei: It is pretty badly walled by Slowking, and everything else can at least cause some damage.

Espeon: Skuntank and Slowking can both take Psychic, and Skuntank easily Pursuits it to death. SubCM variants pose more of a problem, but Slowking takes those down as well.

Exeggutor: Primeape U-Turns for massive damage, Skuntank can easily kill it, Espeon SigBeams, Magmortar hits it with Fire Blast.

Flareon: Slowking threatens it, Primeape can inflict serious pain. It often tries to come in on Magmortar, but I rarely Fire Blast first time out and so can severely damage it, and outspeed.

Floatzel: Non-Rain Dancers lose to Primeape, Rain Dancers are stalled out through switches and revenged by Skuntank.

Gardevoir: Skuntank Taunts it, then Pursuits it to death, while Espeon can Signal Beam and Primeape U-Turns for a big chunk.

Glaceon: It’s slower than Magmortar, and Primeape also deals with it.

Gligar: Primeape Ice Punches, Slowking Surfs, it doesn’t really pose a threat to anything except Skuntank.

Golduck: Calm Minders are shut down by Slowking’s Grass Knot and take heavy damage from Primeape. Skuntank can Taunt, and boom on it if things get really bad.

Gorebyss: Walled by Slowking, Thunderbolted by Magmortar if it tries to switch in on a ‘choiced’ Fire attack and set up RD.

Golem: Primeape beats leads, Slowking threatens it.

Granbull: Once again, Primeape shines, Skuntank revenges and it can’t switch in on anything really.

Grumpig: Like all defensive Psychic-types, Primeape U-Turns and Skuntank traps it.

Haunter: It can be annoying, but Skuntank traps it, Miltank can switch in on Choiced Shadow Ball or Explosion, and Espeon slaughters non-Scarfers.

Hitmonchan: Espeon tears it to shreds, Skuntank can revenge even if it has an Agility, Slowking switches in on its Fighting attacks and Miltank on anything else.

Hypno: Primeape U-Turns, Skuntank revenges, Espeon SigBeams.

Jumpluff: It is one of the most annoying pokemon in the tier, but luckily Primeape is one of the best counters, immune to Sleep and threatening an Ice Punch. It can’t switch in too often because of the Rock weakness.

Jynx: Primeape is immune to Lovely Kiss and U-Turns off, Skuntank Pursuits it to death. Magmortar crushes it into the dust.

Kangaskhan: Primeape tears through it with Close Combat, Miltank walls it unless it has Hammer Arm.

Kecleon: Keckleon can’t Snatch anything, can’t really Sub, and though it checks Espeon somewhat is easily OHKOd by Primeape and possibly Magmortar.

Kingler: Revenged by Skuntank and Primeape, walled by Miltank, but it can still be troublesome if my team is weakened and it can get an Agility and/or SD.

Lapras: Slowking carries Grass Knot, so it can only really set up its Dragon Dances/Curses on Miltank. Slowking avoids the 2HKO from a +1 Return and 2HKOs back with Grass Knot. Primeape takes down even +2 Dragon Dancers so long as they don’t have Sub. Cursers get Focus Blasted by Magmortar.

Lickilicky: Primeape rips it to pieces, Magmortar Focus Blasts.

Linoone: It doesn’t really get a chance to set up, Miltank can survive +6 ES and wear it down, Skuntank revenges with Aftermath.

Magcargo: Slowking walls it, Skuntank taunts it, Primeape/Magmortar hit it with powerful Fighting-type attacks.

Magmortar: The Choice Scarfer can just be walled, and worn down through Stealth Rock. LO variants are a little harder to kill, but both can be revenged by Primeape and the latter by Espeon.

Magneton: It is outsped and Fire Blasted by Magmortar. Espeon hits it with HP Ground and has decent special defense.

Manetric: Scarfers can be annoying, as they outspeed everything, but it can’t OHKO anything except possibly Primeape, and is taken down by Magmortar and Espeon or Sucker Punched by Skuntank.

Mantine: Magmortar lures it in and Thunderbolts for the KO.

Marowak: Only a threat under Trick Room. Slowking Surfs it to death, Miltank can wall it.

Medicham: Slowking switches into Choiced Fighting or Psychic attacks, while the LO variant is easily outpaced and KOd by Espeon. Skuntank can revenge, and Primeape U-Turns off for damage.

Meganium: It is weak to Bug, Ice and Fire, therefore Primeape, Magmortar and Espeon can easily take it down. SubSeeders can be irritating, but it lacks the speed to beat Espeon and Primeape, so I can sack something to take down the sub and revenge if the worst comes to the worst.

Miltank: Non-max/max are OHKOd by Magmortar’s Focus Blast, Psychic from Espeon puts a huge dent in it and Primeape can also do serious damage. Skuntank’s Aftermath revenges weakened Cursers, who can also be taunted.

Mr. Mime: Skuntank is a good counter, Taunting and Pursuiting, while Primeape’s U-Turn does significant damage.

Muk: Cursers can be annoying, but Espeon’s Psychics annihilate it.

Ninetails: It often tries to switch in on ‘choiced’ fire attacks from Magmortar, but takes a lot of damage when they are not forthcoming. Primeape can switch in on Hypnosis or Nasty Plot, Slowking shrugs off even boosted Energy Balls and hits back with Surf.

Noctowl: Primeape can KO it and is sleep-immune. It doesn’t like physical attacks in general – Skuntank can Taunt and Pursuit it.

Persian: Only seen as a lead, which Primeape beats comprehensively.

Pinsir: Swords Dancers can be revenged by Skuntank, Primeape Stone Edges all variants.

Politoed: Magmortar lures and destroys it, Skuntank taunts it.

Porygon2: Primeape can inflict a pounding with Close Combat, as can Magmortar. Miltank Heal Bells the paralysis it tries to spread.

Primeape: ScarfApes are a pain, as they check Espeon, but they can be worn down and Skuntank, particularly, can dent it with Sucker Punch and Aftermath.

Probopass: It has 4x weaknesses to Fighting and Ground – Magmortar, Espeon and Primeape all outspeed and OHKO it.

Quagsire: Another poke that’s lured by Magmortar and Slowking, then dispatched.

Raichu: Espeon hits it with HP Ground, it can’t really touch anything on the team.

Rampardos: Scarfers are easily revenged by Skuntank and Primeape.

Raticate: It is a rare situation in which my team is so weakened that Miltank can’t wall it and Primeape/Skuntank can’t revenge.

Regice: Magmortar puts a very large dent in it, and Primeape scares it away with the threat of a Close Combat on its weaker stat.

Relicanth: Primeape deals with leads and can revenge Rock Polishers – so can Skuntank, and it’s walled by Miltank.

Sandslash: It fears Surf from Slowking and HP Grass from Magmortar, while Espeon’s Specs Psychic rapes it.

Sharpedo: U-Turned off by Primeape for massive damage. It dies to Espeon and is walled by Miltank unless mixed, as well.

Shedinja: Magmortar, Primeape and Skuntank can all hit it, while Espeon Tricks it Specs and Miltank can set up Rocks.

Shuckle: Primeape Stone Edges, Slowking Surfs, and it can’t do much once Taunted by Skuntank.

Skuntank: Easily weakened by Slowking, massacred by Primeape’s strong attacks, hurt badly by Magmortar. Espeon can hit it with HP Ground, Miltank takes Explosion comfortably.

Slaking: Magmortar can come in on the Truant turn and Focus Blast, Primeape hits it with STAB Close Combat, Miltank can take anything it throws out and Milk Drink damage off.

Slowking: Skuntank can trap it if necessary, Primeape U-Turns for damage, Slowking stalls it out if running Toxic and can dent with Grass Knot.

Tauros: Primeape easily revenges, as does Skuntank if it’s weakened.

Torkoal: It dies to HP Ground from Espeon, and is weak to Stealth Rock.

Typhlosion: Slowking walls it, Rocks wear it down.

Ursaring: It gets taken out by Primeape and Magmortar if Guts. Skuntank revenges.

Venomoth: It’s weak to Rocks, and Primeape can take Sleep and hit it with Ice Punch. Magmortar blasts it if Sleep Clause is active.

Victreebel: It’s annoying under Sun – my best bet is to sack something and profit with Magmortar.

Vileplume: SubSeeders are irritating, but Primeape can Ice Punch and is Sleep-immune. Magmortar outspeeds it and Fire Blasts.

Wailord: Slowking takes its Water Spouts and can Grass Knot if it dares to stay in.

Walrein: Hail Stallers are really, REALLY annoying – Magmortar can hurt it, though, Slowking Grass Knots its Subs away and Slacks Off Hail damage, Primeape easily outspeeds and hits it with Close Combat.

Whiscash: Dragon Dancers are revenged by Skuntank, and if for some reason it’s non-DD Magmortar can OHKO with HP Grass. Slowking takes an attack – it shouldn’t get more than one or possibly two DDs – and Grass Knots.

Xatu: Primeape Ice Punches or Stone Edges, Skuntank traps and KOs it, Magmortar outspeeds and T-Bolts.

Zangoose: Primeape revenges, Skuntank revenges, Espeon revenges, all of them can come in for free on the Swords Dance. The odd Scarfer dies to Primeape and Skuntank, and Miltank walls it if it's locked into something non-Fighting-type.

 

[-Eddie-]

I think Espeon would be better off with a choice scarf. I'm kind of new, but aren't late game sweepers supposed to be fast? With a Modest nature, Espeon can't even outspeed positive base 100s. If you do keep the specs, I would at least recommend timid over modest.

EddieD

 

[uncalled4]

Milktank set that works better

Milktank @ leftovers scrappy
Impish
255 hp / 130 def / 125 spD
Thunder wave
Milk drink
Curse
Body slam

First turn t wave so there slower then you absorb the first hit then start milk drinking/cursing till they get hacks untill your + 6 +6 then sweap, it works way to well has never failed me yet.