Resource PU Matchmaking! (Week 9.1: Aurorus)

[dibs]

Gastrodon-East @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Def / 16 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Scald
- Toxic
- Recover

I chose to take a more defensive approach since Magmortar's potent breaking potential forces teams to check it offensively rather than defensively. Gastrodon is able to switch in on a number of these offensive checks; Kangaskhan, AV Hitmonchan, Archeops, Primeape, Lycanroc etc. In return, Magmortar supports Gastrodon by being a switch in to Lilligant and grass type coverage, and breaking walls that try to cripple Gastrodon such as Miltank and Bronzor.

 

[Twix]

Gorebyss Nah nvm fuk gorebyss

Abomasnow @ Grassium Z
Ability: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Ice Shard
- Wood Hammer
- Earthquake

Grassium Abomasnow is one of my favorite Pokemon right now, especially in the suspect since it can OHKO a full HP Hariyama. It's a great sweeper and really lends itself well to Magmortar. Abomasnow can take on pesky threats such as Lanturn, Registeel, and Archeops, which are scary for Magmortar. In return, Magmortar pretty much beats all scary Ice- and Fire- and Steel-types that threaten Abomasnow, to allow it to sweep late game. Together, they also work well wearing down Pokemon such as Qwilfish and Mesprit.

 

[Lakeredman]

Nominating Carracosta
​

Carracosta @ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Knock Off
- Waterfall
- Toxic

I have nominated physically defensive Carracosta because of its synergy with Magmortar and its ability to check the physical attackers that Magmortar struggles with. For example, Magmortar can obliterate Ice- and Grass-types, which can give Carracosta problems, especially Abomasnow and Lillligant. In turn, Carracosta can check Ground- and Rock-types that Magmortar depends on the unreliable Focus Blast to hit. Magmortar can also sponge special hits, while Carracosta can tank physical hits, creating a solid core in terms of type synergy and covering each other's weaknesses.

 

[yogi]

Now that all the submissions are in it's time to vote! Please only pick one!

1) neomn and their Swanna
2) Baguette Syndrome and their Shiftry
3) Dibs The Dreamer and their Gastrodon
4) Twix and their Abomasnow
5) Lakeredman and their Carracosta

Voting ends Thursday!

 

[TJ]

 

[love chants]

hm it's hard to decide between dibs and lakredman, but i think i'm gonna have to go with

Dibs

 

[dibs]

Shiftry was smart af, so im going Baguetterino

 

[Kill the Lights]

Real close but gotta go with Twix

 

[Aaronboyer]

 

[Taskr]

Baguette

 

[Baguette Syndrome]

Lakeredman gets my vote.

 

[LordST]

Diberino

 

[PTF]

My vote goes to Lakeredman

 

[Darkfire47]

Twix

 

[Lakeredman]

Neomn earns my vote (mostly so I don't have to vote for someone else)

 

[Z+V]

Twix

 

[yogi]

And the winner is Twix with four votes so congratulations bud! Dibs The Dreamer is second with three votes, so well done to him as well!

Gastrodon @ Leftovers
Ability: Storm Drain
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Scald
- Toxic
- Recover

So this week I thought we'd look at a mon that's slightly overlooked in the current meta, in Gastrodon. It's able to check common threats such as Archeops and Magmortar (lacking Hidden Power Grass) and is able to threaten and beat almost every rocker in the tier. So let's find this slug a match!

You have until Sunday!

 

[Baguette Syndrome]

Oricorio-Sensu @ Flyinium Z
Ability: Dancer
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Substitute
- Calm Mind
- Revelation Dance
- Hurricane

Sensu has a fantastic matchup versus the Grass types that scare off Gastrodon. Even Shiftry, a common Sucker Punch spammer, can't safely use it because of Substitute. Sensu is also a good check to Pokémon that can take advantage of Gastrodon's moves, namely Guts users like Gurdurr and Ursaring. Sensu can take advantage of the T-Spike and Toxic users that Gastrodon hates such as Roselia and Bronzor, as none of the common users can break Sensu's substitutes, especially after Calm Mind boosts.

Gastrodon takes on the many rock-type leads that threaten to obliterate Sensu, as well as absorbing Electric and Ice moves bar freeze-dry. It counters Carracosta lacking HP Grass and Pawniard in general, two huge threats to Sensu.

 

[Taskr]

Roselia @ Eviolite
Ability: Natural Cure
EVs: 252 HP / 32 Def / 224 SpD
Calm Nature
- Spikes
- Synthesis
- Giga Drain
- Sludge Bomb

Toxic Spikes are a really big issue for Gastrodon so I've decided to pair it with Roselia because it's able to absorb them and offer a 4x resistance to Grass allowing it to take on things that Gastrodon can't such as Ludicolo and Lilligant. Gastrodon can also take on Fire types which Rose hates like non HP Grass Magmortar and Combusken.

 

[Twix]

Swanna @ Life Orb
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Roost
- Defog
- Hurricane
- Scald

Swanna and Gastrodon have a pretty solid type connection between the two of them. Gastrodon can take on Swanna's weaknesses in Rock- and Electric-, while Swanna can take on Grass-types. Even though they both share a water typing, it is their secondary typing and subsequent STABs which make them pair well together.

 

[Lakeredman]

Nominating Ninjask​

Ninjask @ Buginium Z
Ability: Speed Boost
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Swords Dance
- Leech Life
- Night Slash
- Aerial Ace

Grass-types, especially Lilligant, give Gastrodon massive problems, so I chose to pair Gastrodon with Ninjask. Ninjask demolishes Grass-types, while Gastrodon can wear down the opposing team and check Steel-types, Rock-types, and Magmortar lacking Hidden Power Grass. Gastrodon also allows Ninjask to use its fourth moveslot to run Flying-type STAB (as Dig would typically be run in the last slot along with Groundium Z to hit Steel- and Rock-types) and also allows Ninjask to run Buginium Z for a powerful STAB nuke, boosted by Swords Dance.

 

[Mango Smoothie]

Ninetales @ Firium Z
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Fire Blast
- Psyshock
- Nasty Plot
- Energy Ball / Substitute
Ninetales and Gastro work really well together. Gastrodon hates grass-types, which Ninetales takes advantage of to fire off Fire Blasts or set up Nasty Plots to then blast away the opposition. Outside of the obvious grass-type weakness, Gastrodon also fails to threaten pokemon like Weezing which would be able to set up Toxic Spikes or the like due to Gastro's passivity, and while Ninetales hates status it comes in virtually unscratched or can even get the WoW boost. On the flip side, Gastrodon laughs at most rock-types like Archeops or Lycanroc that trouble Ninetales, and can toxic troublesome bulky waters or walls.

 

[cryalot]

Magmortar @ Assault Vest
Ability: Vital Spirit
EVs: 64 HP / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
Modest Nature
- Fire Blast
- Flame Charge
- Thunderbolt
- Hidden Power Grass

AV Magmortar has a really good synergy with Gastro, being able to put up a decent defensive core and adding at the same time some good offensive presence. Magmortar can easily switch in grass types that threaten Gastrodon and take advantage from there, and the AV set has also some good bulk so that it can live a bit longer.

 

[yogi]

Right, it's that time again, so let's vote!
1) Baguette Syndrome and their Oricorio-Sensu
2) Taskr and their Roselia
3) Twix and their Swanna
4) Lakeredman and their Ninjask
5) Mango Smoothie and their Ninetales
6) cryalot and their Magmortar

You have until Thursday!

 

[TJ]

Taskr