Gliscor @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Poison Heal
Tera Type: Fairy
EVs: 224 HP / 28 Atk / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Careful Nature
- Knock Off
- Sand Tomb
- Protect
- Taunt
Good old Gliscor is back from Dexit (BDSP doesn't count) and ready to take on OU again. But with it's return through the DLC comes another new ground type, Bloodmoon Ursaluna. Gliscor has run a pretty mean Spdef set in the past, but even that can't hold up to the might of a Blood Moon.
252+ SpA Ursaluna-Bloodmoon Blood Moon vs. 244 HP / 252+ SpD Gliscor: 223-264 (63.3 - 75%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Poison Heal
Not a switch in. Not a counter. And its strongest returning attack is pitiful thanks to Ursaluna's leftovers.
0 Atk Gliscor Earthquake vs. 16 HP / 0 Def Ursaluna-Bloodmoon: 88-105 (23.7 - 28.3%) -- possible 5HKO after Leftovers recovery
The worst thing Gliscor can really do is use Toxic, but this comes with a number of drawbacks. For starters, it means it has to take a Blood Moon on that turn, which we've established it really can't do. Secondly, Ursaluna can heal the damage with Moonlight and switch out to reset the Toxic counter. Against a pokemon with reliable healing, Toxic is a far less relevant problem, especially given the cost of massively denting a defensive pokemon like Gliscor.
So, what to do? Well, if Blood Moon is such a huge problem, lets just get rid of it.
We start by using Taunt when Ursaluna switches in. If we end up clicking Knock Off or Sand Tomb, that's also pretty beneficial for us, but for the sake of the experiment let's assume it's Taunt. Now the Ursaluna is faced with three options. Swap out, use Vacuum Wave, or use Blood Moon. Vacuum Wave is obviously never the play. By now we'll have our Poison Heal active, which will render the small damage that Vacuum wave does meaningless.
252+ SpA Ursaluna-Bloodmoon Vacuum Wave vs. 224 HP / 252+ SpD Gliscor: 21-25 (6 - 7.2%) -- possibly the worst move ever
Instantly healed off.
Some Bloodmoon players might swap out upon being taunted, since they've lost their opportunity to set up with Calm Mind. However, thanks to Mind's Eye, Blood Moon is a move that will never have any switch ins. Any Rock or Steel types can be hit with Vacuum Wave afterwards, and besides, what's Gliscor gonna do? We can always swap out the turn afterwards.
This is when Gliscor uses Sand Tomb, and the Ursaluna player will probably figure that something's up. That said, as planned, it's hit Gliscor with a massive Blood Moon, likely bringing it down to about 30% health (42 after Poison Heal recovery).
Well, now Ursaluna is trapped, can't Blood Moon and also can't use it's two status moves. In return, it's only taken a little over 14% damage (>8% from the Sand Tomb itself and a further 12% from the trapping., but then 6% healing from leftovers.)
Ursaluna has to Vacuum Wave here. No big deal. It can Blood Moon next turn. It hits Gliscor and Gliscor retaliates with a Knock Off. No leftovers anymore, plus we're at around 75% health. 62% after Sand Tomb. Annoying, for sure, but now we're back at the original position. No switch ins for this Blood Moon. Gliscor is at around 55% health now., and Blood Moon does a minimum guarantee of 63%. It's won the matchup. Sure, it'll take another 10% from a following Knock Off, but it'll kill Gliscor, free itself from Sand Tomb, and still be at over 50% health. That's fixable with a Moonlight after Taunt wears off, which will be after this next turn. Very convenient timing. Let's do it.
Gliscor used Protect!
Ah, now that's an issue. A pretty severe one. Ursaluna has now fallen to 52% health. Taunt has worn off, but Blood Moon is now unusable. Sand Tomb will still last a couple turns, and Gliscor has healed to 67%. Ursaluna can Vacuum Wave but, as established, that does nothing. Since Gliscor outspeeds, it can Taunt Luna before it uses Moonlight. No matter what happens this next turn, Ursaluna has fallen to 40% health and Gliscor is up to 89%. Now it can comfortably tank another Blood Moon.
Now, if the Gliscor player is unlucky, Sand Tomb will wear off this turn, giving Ursaluna the opportunity to escape, but with such little health that many neutral hits will now KO it, especially if hazards are up.
If Sand Tomb lasts another turn, then Gliscor can simply Protect, healing to full, denying Blood Moon, and watch Ursaluna's health approach the red, at 28%. By now, we've completely turned the tables on Ursaluna. It may be free from Sand Tomb, but at this level of health it's really not looking good. Meanwhile Gliscor will be at 100% health now. We've completely crippled Ursaluna, denying it even the opportunity of setting up, with a pokemon it should have been able to 2 shot.
Now then, the observant of you may realise that Ursaluna does have a way out of this predicament. Coincidentally, its Tera Type is Ghost, likely to have an immunity to incoming Close Combats. Well, Ghost types are immune to trapping moves/abilities. It would be a commitment of its Tera, but Ursaluna
could escape Sand Tomb if it catches on to what Gliscor is doing nice and early. But that's the problem. It won't.
Gliscor is specifically intended to be in a disadvantageous position for half the matchup, even taking a Blood Moon head on for most of its health. Even despite minor annoyances, Ursaluna is not threatened until the turn where Gliscor pulls out Protect. We're also taking advantage of a little mechanic that we've all run into when using Terastalisation, or even Mega Evolution.
You can't swap out on the turn you do it.
This means that, even when the Ursaluna player catches on to what you're doing, they have to spend 2 turns and their Tera just to preserve their bear, which is
still going to be at low health by now. It's not a worthy commitment. Furthermore, trying to Tera Ghost against a pokemon with Knock Off, even if not at full power, is never a safe idea.
28 Atk Gliscor Knock Off vs. 16 HP / 0 Def Tera Ghost Ursaluna-Bloodmoon: 80-96 (21.5 - 25.8%) -- 23.4% chance to 4HKO
The risk of taking that doubled damage is far too great considering how minor the reward is.
Therefore, Gliscor will pretty much always come out of this confrontation at full health, with Ursaluna on its last legs.
TLDR:
Whilst it's true that this doesn't quite
kill Ursaluna, the combo of Protect, Poison Heal, Taunt and Sand Tomb are able to cripple it, likely for the rest of the battle. This trapping set can also help against the metagame as a stallbreaker, and Protect and Knock Off are very good for limiting turns of Sun, Rain or even Aurora Veil.
Sorry for the long submission, and it's good to be back.
rock tomb by Admiral_Stalfos19!!
drain punch by 
choice scarf by 
power herb by 
(can be normal Weezing too)
