UU: Linoone based

[Mew]

Introduction
I've been searching (and still) for a good Linoone that meets my demands. I wanted to use it in an OU Team, but before that I'd like to test it in the UU Meta-game. So, here it is, my first Linoone-based team.

Cloyster (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Rock Blast
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Shard

I swapped Nidoqueen for this one. It can lay down Spikes and bow away others'. Rock Blast does awesome damage with its ability and can finish off with weakened pokes with priority Ice Shard.

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Linoone (M) @ Salac Berry
Ability: Gluttony
EVs: 70 HP/252 Atk/188 Spe
Jolly nature (+Spe, -SAtk)
- Extremespeed
- Belly Drum
- Seed Bomb
- Shadow Claw

The Linoone I've based my team on. I got a lot of supporting teammates which makes it possible for this to make the final sweep late-game. I gave it more Speed EVs than the standard set outspeed other base 100s with priority and outspeed more pokes after the Salac boost. I still have a problem with Steel-Types, but I'm kind of afraid of using Dig for giving the opponents a chance to switch out to a Flyer/Levitator.

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Uxie @ Light Clay
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SDef
Impish nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Light Screen
- Memento
- Reflect
- U-turn

This one gives the absolute necessary support that Linoone needs to set-up.I've also been thinking about a Trickset to potentially lock Ghost-move users to give Linoone more chance to set-up. Pretty standard Dual Screen set, but does its job exceptionally well.

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Registeel @ Leftovers
Ability: Clear Body
EVs: 252 HP / 100 Atk / 156 SpD
Careful nature (+SDef, -SAtk)
- Earthquake
- Iron Head
- Stealth Rock
- Thunder Wave

Yet another very good supporter. Stealth Rock is a very good support move, and so is Thunder Wave. Iron Head over Explosion for more durability and a chance to flinch, which can be fairly annoying when used in combination with paralysis.

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Mismagius (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP/252 Spe/252 SAtk
Timid nature (+Spe, -Atk)
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
- Shadow Ball
- Substitute
- Nasty Plot

This one is to potentially lure out ghosts and kill them on the switch, to open the terrain for Linoone's ExtremeSpeed. Otherwise it can be used to set up with Nasty Plot behind a Substitute and attempt a sweep at its own.

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Slowbro (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Own Tempo
EVs: 252 HP/252 Def/4 SDef
Bold nature (+Def, -Atk)
- Surf
- Slack Off
- Psychic
- Calm Mind

Hitmontop didn't really add anything anymore due to Cloyster in the lead position having Rapid Spin and doing practically everything Hitmontop and Nidoqueen did, so I added a bulky Water to have something against the Poison/Fire/Grass types in the UU Metagame. Slowbro fits perfectly in this picture. I chose a Calm Mind set to boost its Special Defence and make it even more capable of taking hits.
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Please RMT and help improving the team's functionality. thanks in advance :).

​

 

[Jah.Anon]

First things first can you change the font of Linoone, I had to highlight it to read it(not that I don't know what Linoone does). I think Linoone would benefit from spikes, instead of tspikes because steel types like Steelix and Registeel are grounded so it would be easier to weaken them for a Linoone sweep. Omastar or Qwilfish in place of your Nidoqueen, could really help to get the spikes up fast.

One last thing I would make your descriptions at least a paragraph to avoid getting locked.

 

[The Cicada]

Hi there

Toxic spikes is not very good in UU since venusaur is the #1 used pokemon in UU and will just absorb it up every time you set up Tspikes. So just like the previous rater said,you should use spikes support instead,i would use either omaster,Qwilfish or Cloyster for this role over Nidoqueen.

 

[Mew]

Well, Nidoqueen learns Spikes too, so I'll just swap Toxic Spikes for Spikes. Was already thinking 'bout this. Anything on Linoone or the way it's supported?

 

[sharkz]

Well, Nidoqueen learns Spikes too, so I'll just swap Toxic Spikes for Spikes. Was already thinking 'bout this. Anything on Linoone or the way it's supported?

hey there

hate to nitpick, but actually nidoqueen doesn't get spikes
also I'm not sure how you deal with fire types like moltres? i notice that you lack a fire resist, and fire blast/flare blitz spamming could hurt your team. I would think a bulky water like milotic or slowking could help remedy that problem, although currently I cant think who to replace it with

 

[Al Gore]

Use Return on Linoone over Shadow Claw. The only ghosts in UU that are OHKO'd by +6 Shadow Claw, and aren't OHKO'd by +6 Seed Bomb are Drifblim (2.2% usage), Dusclops (1.0% usage), Max Defense Rotom (<5.8% usage) and Shedinja (1.5% usage). Meanwhile, Return does MASSIVE damage on any steel-type switch-in, which is then finished off by either another Return or ExtremeSpeed leaving the field free for a Linoone sweep.

I also would suggest moving Uxie into your lead position and perhaps switching U-Turn for Stealth Rock, or keep it if you don't want Taunters to lol at you.

That leaves Nidoqueen. Out of the lead position, Nidoking does everything better. However, if you want the spikes support, I'd suggest throwing Cloyster out there.

Cloyster @ Leftovers
Bold Nature
252HP/4DEF/252SPDEF
Spikes
Rapid Spin
Rock Blast
Explosion

Spikes for spike support, Rapid Spin so if you run into a lead Cloyster or Omastar you can set up your screens and then U-Turn to Cloyster to spin them away for Linoone, Rock Blast to stop Subs from ruining Linoone's fun and Explosion for when Cloyster has served it's purpose.

Good luck with your team!

EDIT: With Cloyster handling spinning for your team, you don't really need Hitmontop anymore. I'd either add Milotic for the standard bulky water, or Dugtrio if you really hate steel types.

 

[Rolf]

If you're having problems getting Linoone an oportunity to set up, I have a little toy you might like to try... I've kept it secret for a while but I think you could use it :)

Gastrodon@Leftovers
252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD Calm
~ Block
~ Yawn
~ Memento
~ Protect

Gastrodon has great bulk to pull this off without any hitches. I usually lead with Yawn to scout a switch in, then use Block on their secondary switch. This makes it so they can't switch anymore. Hopefully they didn't bring in something that can sub or taunt, so you can Yawn and then Protect or Memento to bring in Linoone absolutely free and get that one turn that's required. I would probably make Uxie your lead and replace Nidoqueen with Gastroman.

 

[aVocado]

hey there

hate to nitpick, but actually nidoqueen doesn't get spikes
also I'm not sure how you deal with fire types like moltres? i notice that you lack a fire resist, and fire blast/flare blitz spamming could hurt your team. I would think a bulky water like milotic or slowking could help remedy that problem, although currently I cant think who to replace it with

Or a Houndoom maybe.

 

[Mew]

I like the Cloyster lead thingy. It doesn't remove any of the previous team support and indeed opens a slot where Hitmontop first was.

Cloyster has a nice attack stat, so I think I'll max out attack and divide the remaining EVs over HP and SpD. Smogon's set gave EVs specialized for the lead position, so I'll use those.

Cloyster (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Skill Link
EVs: 160 HP / 252 Atk / 96 SDef
Adamant nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Spikes
- Rock Blast
- Rapid Spin
- Ice Shard

 

[Meru]

You need a good pokemon to lure and maybe kill Spiritomb. Spiritomb, Registeel, and Steelix are the three biggest obstacles for a linoone sweep.

 

[franky]

Simple changes here: suicide qwil over your current cloyster. Why use it? it can set up spikes, shut down opposing set-up folks (mostly used to shut down rain dance as it fucks up a linoone sweep), and explodes on possible physical walls like slowbro and even steel-types. Qwilfish tends to draw them and Explosion will take a sizeable chunk either way and this will help Linoone sweep! Spread of 252/252 with jolly nature and the movesets Spikes / Taunt / Explosion / Waterfall is your standard suicide Qwil set.

The spread on Uxie bothers me go for a simple 252 Hp / 252 Spe / 4 SpD spread with a jolly nature if you want to capitalize on setting up more screens. The speed should not be forgotten on uxie, and this will help you set up on the likes on slower taunt users like Qwilfish to name a few.

As for other options, might want to try out an lo variant of Missy. This gives you the power to dish out as much damage as possible to Tomb - a common defensive ghost type that linoone strugles beating. Hopefully with Spikes + shadow ball (lo +2) + sr can leave it sufficiently weakened for linoone to ohko! My last suggestion is Thunderbolt > hp fight so you don't risk the speed tie against enemy mismagius. Hp fighting lowers your speed ivs. overall gl.