You are a type specialist in a hostile region. How do you best represent your chosen element?

CTNC

Doesn't know how to attack
Grass? The type I use multiple Pokemon of every time? The type that gets Leech Seed? I'm back for this! :D I always use 2 or 3 Grass types in game and when I tried the fan game Infinite Fusion I used no Grass types for the sake of not using Grass types. (I used the Dark/Poison Umbreon/Venusaur fusion, Electric/Flying Ampharos/Jumpluff fusion, and Fairy/Psychic Clefable/Exeggutor fusion. My Leech Seed obsession may have made me miss the point I was trying to make. :P)

*checks dex*
Oh. 5 Grass types and the one that should be Grass/Fairy. This is too easy.
*sees Pikachu315111 already did that*
I can still go with 6 Leech Seed users! I should totally do that!
*doesn't do that*

(Later I realized you could use Exeggcute as the 6th and have 6 Pokemon with unique type combos... and also didn't do that. :P)


I usually assume the game's AI is controlling my teams, but this time, I'm assuming an AI that knows what they're doing is in charge. If I didn't, then this could be a very easy opponent... Actually, even with a good AI, this team could struggle against players that know what they're doing and would be the easiest boss if the player happens to have the right Pokemon or the right moves.


:Dragalge::Black Sludge:
Dragalge@Black Sludge
Poison Point
-Toxic Spikes
-Toxic
-Smokescreen
-Protect

If you've read my signature, you know where this is going. It's Status Moves Only and we're starting with Toxic Spikes! That move is worth not leading with a Grass type on a Grass team. Smokescreen punishes Pokemon that setup and encourages switching instead of sweeping. Protect takes advantage of Black Sludge while wasting the precious time the opponent has left if they're poisoned.

Dragalge doesn't learn any Grass moves, but it disguises itself as kelp and a kelp Pokemon would be a Grass type. There's an algae Pokemon that's close enough that it proves my point. (Speaking of, I'm not using Dhelmise because it doesn't learn Leech Seed. Spite made it worth considering though.)

:Exeggcute::Eviolite:
Exeggcute@Eviolite
-Leech Seed
-Sleep Powder
-Synthesis
-Moonlight

Are you immune to Toxic Spikes? Have fun with Sleep Powder. Can't 2HKO Exeggcute? Have fun with Synthesis and Moonlight! Are you immune to Leech Seed and Toxic Spikes? *flips table*

Exeggcute only gains +5 Base Def from evolving into Exeggutor. Unfortunately, Exeggcute's Special Bulk is a little worse than Exeggutor's, even with Eviolite. I'm still going with it because it's the Grass/Psychic you can have in Alola (Unless you leave the universe to evolve it in Ultra Space, but most people don't have that option. :P) and I like using Eviolite. I could've had just one healing move and Protect, but having both is like choosing double PP over a moveslot and something about having both felt funnier.

I'm not going to explain why everyone has Leech Seed and a recovery move because it's the same reason every time. Leech Seed drains the opponent while healing the user (or whoever took the user's place after a switch) and recovery moves are needed for stall.

:Tropius::Mago Berry:
Tropius@Mago Berry
Harvest
-Leech Seed
-Roost
-Toxic
-Protect

Healing Berry + Harvest = Free Healing. The Mago Berry heals half the holder's HP in Gen 7, (only Gen 7) so it has the potential to heal way more than Leftovers! As a bonus, I wanted every Pokemon has a unique item and having a reusable Mago Berry was like a third Leftovers. That's awesome because there's not many good defensive items. There's Leftovers, Poison Leftovers, Health Berries, Eviolite and... Rocky Helmet? (Let's not talk about Bright Powder. Only horrible people lower Accuracy and raise Evasion. No, I'm not being a hypocrite. I'm proud of being a horrible person with this team!)

Toxic is to punish setup Pokemon that aren't affected by Leech Seed and weren't affected by Toxic Spikes, which is worth considering in case Dragalge isn't able to use it. It was either Toxic or Whirlwind to deal with setup Pokemon and Whirlwind has anti-synergy with Leech Seed. Protect is to get a little more healing out of Leech Seed, more chances for Harvest to get the berry back, and wastes one of the opponent's limited turns if they try to attack.

Side note: The choice of which of the berries that heal the user but confuses them if they don't like the flavor was to use was the one that looked most like a bannana.

:Whimsicott::Leftovers:
Whimsicott@Leftovers
Infiltrator
-Leech Seed
-Swagger
-Cotton Guard
-Synthesis

When all else fail, use confusion and pray. Swagger raising Atk makes confusion deal enough damage to actually do something when it needs to do something and Cotton Guard lets Whimsicott take boosted hits. Infiltrator is used to get past Substitute and Safeguard and doesn't have Prankster's downside of making Dark types immune to anything Whimsicott can do.

Warning in case you want to try using confusion: Confuse Ray is likely to do nothing due to giving a 1/3 chance to do something for 1-3 turns. I don't know what's worse, that Confuse Ray is a TM or that I've used that TM... I'm so thankful for Swagger's buff making confusion hurt enough to be tolerable.

:Exeggutor-Alola::Leppa Berry:
Alolan Exeggutor@Leppa Berry
Harvest
-Light Screen
-Curse
-Double Team
-Synthesis

Harvest + Leppa Berry = Infinite PP

I've tortured the game's AI by spamming Recycle until they run out of PP. Morpeko takes over half an hour. It's fun. Now it's your turn to have fun! >:D

Curse boosts Def and Light Screen is as close to a SpD boosting move as Exeggutor gets because it's one of the few Psychic types (or former Psychic types in Alolan Exeggutor's case) that doesn't learn Calm Mind. Double Team makes up for not being able to get SpD to +6, but it's mostly just to be more evil and it shows that you can be soul crushing without needing the power to OHKO an entire team. Leech Seed would probably be better than Double Team, but Toxic Spikes and Leech Seed not working against everyone is a good enough reason to be pure evil.

I would have made Exeggutor the last Pokemon on the team because I think it's the best team member, but it doesn't haev a Z Crystal and Pokemon with Z Crystals are always the last one in team order.

:Lilligant::Grassium-Z:
Lilligant@Grassium-Z
Own Tempo
-Aromatherapy
-Leech Seed
-Toxic
-Synthesis

I need a Z Move user because it's Gen 7, but... Z Status Moves kind of suck unless they're omniboost moves like Z-Conversion. I did the best I could though. Z-Aromathropy healing the user made it seem not bad and Z-Leech Seed and Z-Synthesis reset the user's stats if they were lowered, made it better because of there being options.

Toxic is used in case of Flying types (if they're not OHKOing this team...) or if Toxic Spikes gets removed. The alternatives are Protect and Teeter Dance, which is just version of Confuse Ray that's made for Doubles. Protect might be better than Toxic, but I like not relying on Toxic Spikes too much and not having anything that affects Grass types would make her feel like the weakest link.

I'm assuming the AI controlling this team won't always save the Z-Move user for last and will switch if it needs to, so Aromatherapy would let Lilligant heal the team instead of just herself.


:Dragalge::Exeggcute::Tropius::Whimsicott::Exeggutor-Alola::Lilligant:

I'm a bit self conscious about this team because I really want to to be good, but I think it'd suck against a lot of players... I know it's good against AI though. Anyway, have fun with Leech Seed. I know I will... unless we're having even more fun with Exeggutor. >:D
 
I saw that most people chose Grass- and Fairy-types and I was like "how can I do something different?" Then I noticed that many Pokemon of Poni Island have Grass-type coverage and I chose to propose a team without any Grass-type Pokemon.
In addition, I always saw Poni as a wide, mysterious, and wild island (with forests, plains, rocky coasts, and a canyon), therefore with many places to hide.
So this team is broadly based on the concept of camouflage and spying!


:goodra:
Goodra (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Hydration
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Power Whip
- Dragon Tail
- Earthquake
- Toxic

A strong Grass-type move and an ability related to Grass-type – what more could I ask for? Furthermore, Goodra's hiding his game: if it seems gentle and calm, it can strike very hard with its horns and its tail. Goodra punishes setups with Dragon Tail and Toxic, while hitting hard with Power Whip and Earthquake.


:toucannon:
Toucannon (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Keen Eye
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bullet Seed
- Brave Bird
- Defog
- Roost

Toucannon has literally Keen Eye(s)… He can see the danger coming far off and fly away to warn its trainer. With Defog, Toucannon helps the team by getting rid of hazards. Brave Bird is a strong STAB and Roost gives him recovery.


:zoroark:
Zoroark (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Illusion
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Grass Knot
- Dark Pulse
- Sludge Bomb
- Focus Blast

:mismagius:
Mismagius (F) @ Choice Specs
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Energy Ball
- Shadow Ball
- Dazzling Gleam
- Power Gem

Zoroark and Mismagius are the couple of illusion. They have great SpA and a wide coverage (including Grass-type!), letting them destroy the opponent.


:pyroar:
Pyroar (F) @ Grassium Z
Ability: Unnerve
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Solar Beam
- Fire Blast
- Hyper Voice
- Will-O-Wisp

Pyroar is a discreet Pokemon and approaches you silently.... It completes the special core of the team with strong STABs. Will-O-Wisp helps the team to deal against physical threats. Grassium Z gives it a devastating attack and allows to use Solar Beam on one turn.


:heracross-mega:
Heracross-Mega (M) @ Heracronite
Ability: Moxie
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Bullet Seed
- Pin Missile
- Rock Blast
- Swords Dance

Heracross lives in the woods, roaming them for honey. It might as well be hiding there. Heracross is the last Pokemon and the Mega-Evolution of the team, being a very strong attacker with SD to further boost its Attack.
 
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Hi! I have a team to propose but I wanted to ask before if it's okay that my team have no Grass-type, only Grass-move users? Thank you in advance and have a nice day/afternoon/evening/night!!
Legit my favorite challenge might have been the non-voted FRLG Dark one, where we had no Dark mons to choose from. I burned a really good team concept there and do not regret it at all.
 

QuentinQuonce

formerly green_typhlosion
Good evening! New poll is up. Go go go. You have until March 31st, 9PM GMT to cast your vote!

Let's do numbers.

Tropius: 7
Whimsicott: 7
Lilligant: 7

Exeggutor: 6

Dhelmise: 3

Exeggcute: 1

Florges: 6

Dragalge: 3

Oricorio: 2
Ribombee: 2
Heracross: 2
Goodra: 2

Scyther: 1
Cutiefly: 1
Malamar: 1
Mismagius: 1
Toucannon: 1
Ambipom: 1
Mienshao: 1
Lickilicky: 1
Noivern: 1
Pyroar: 1
Zoroark: 1
Mudsdale: 1


Well, this was a weird round.

How interesting to see Dhelmise and Exeggutor as the least popular Grass-types, since Poni Island is the place they're most associated with - Dhelmise is only found in Seafolk Village, and Exeggutor literally has a location named for it just offshore. Lovely, though, to see Tropius as the (joint) most popular Grass-type. It's an old favourite of mine and one that needs more love in general.

This round stands as a funny sort of inverse to the recent Fire in the Battle Zone topic. That round was set in a harsh, untamed place and so fittingly the teams tended towards rougher, tougher picks. Poni Island strikes me as a similarly wild, uncultivated sort of area and its exclusive Grass-types are those which lean more into strength and away from elegance, so I was expecting some brutish teams: Scyther, Scizor, Pinsir, Heracross, Mudsdale, Zoroark, Tauros, Granbull, Kommo-o - maybe even Raticate or Fearow at a push.

However, even though it's a type containing many distinctly un-pretty species (Victreebel, Ferrothorn, Venusaur, Carnivine, Brambleghast) there's a tendency to associate Grass with beauty and grace. Poni Island has a decent amount of Fairy-types, and Fairy has always had a touch of synergism with Grass - none more so than the literal flower Fairy, so it's no surprise at all to see Florges end up as the most common wildcard. Most of the other common wildcards - Oricorio, Ribombee, Goodra - continue this theme of beauty; only Dragalge stands apart as an explicitly vicious and brutish addition.


Stuff I expected to see more (or at all):

For such a small dex listing, actually a few things.

Miltank/Tauros - as farm animals, they both have a strong Grass aesthetic even though they (surprisingly) don't learn many Grass-moves.

Goodra - this was used a couple of times, but I expected it to show up more for that delicious Sap Sipper synergy.

Scyther - Scyther has a weird association with Grass despite being a Bug/Flying Pokemon. Bug and Grass have always had a heavy overlap but I'm actually quite surprised it doesn't learn any Grass moves, like Leaf Blade. It seems to show up alongside Grass-types a lot - there was that one trainer Ash fought in the Indigo Plateau who used Bug- and Grass-types, and for a while in Pokemon Go Scyther was a research reward for taking snapshots of three Grass-types, not Bug-types like you might expect. Maybe it's just the green colouring and the Pokedex's repeated assertion that it hunts in grasslands but I've always felt Scyther to be a heavily Grass-adjacent mon - something that's very much absent in Scizor's design.

Pinsir - for similar reasons, though Heracross outdoes Pinsir in most respects when they're available together.

Chansey/Blissey. These two are much more Fairy-coded than Grass-coded, but given the abundance of Fairies in this round I'm quite surprised neither made it in. Beyond that, they both lean into Grass's frequently more passive and restorative aesthetic with their bulk and their focus on healing and draining moves. Defensively Normal makes for an interesting addition onto a majority-Grass team and their versatility makes them an easy fit on multiple teams. And of course they learn Aromatherapy...

Mudsdale. Used once, but I was hoping someone would take the opportunity to do something interesting with Rototiller, that most obscure and weirdly-distributed of moves (Lopunny also gets it, actually - rabbits fit the Grass asethetic too!)

Every so often I have a very clear idea for a team theme, and this is one of those times. Of all Alola's coloured meadows, Poni Meadow has always been my favourite - the craggy rock faces contrast so appealingly with the curtain-like foliage of pink blossom and the hazy purplish fog drifting throughout the area. It's a secretive and psychedelic sort of location, all the more so given its proximity to the mysterious nearby Resolution Cave. What sort of person would inhabit such a place long-term is a loose end - an adventurous Aroma Lady perhaps, a scientist studying the distribution of the island's wild Pokemon, or even a botanist trying to harness the soporific power of the meadow's sweet perfume for their own furtive ends. Funnily enough, in USUM six Pokemon are found in the grass in Poni Meadow, making a perfect number for a team representing this location.

1711751554984.png
 
This week feels like the most Doubles teams since the mandatory Plusle/Minun in Kalos round. Was it just because Grass is so good at supporting other mons? My concept definitely could have been doubles, but in all honesty I was not up to that level of movesets this time around.

There were a lot of wildcard mons with one use, and I think most of them are a good fit. Grass is just an easy type for that IMO, there's plenty of mons that eat plants or similar to justify inclusion, which led to a lot of teams with roughly the same 4 grasses that nevertheless FELT very different.
 
Every so often I have a very clear idea for a team theme, and this is one of those times. Of all Alola's coloured meadows, Poni Meadow has always been my favourite - the craggy rock faces contrast so appealingly with the curtain-like foliage of pink blossom and the hazy purplish fog drifting throughout the area. It's a secretive and psychedelic sort of location, all the more so given its proximity to the mysterious nearby Resolution Cave. What sort of person would inhabit such a place long-term is a loose end - an adventurous Aroma Lady perhaps, a scientist studying the distribution of the island's wild Pokemon, or even a botanist trying to harness the soporific power of the meadow's sweet perfume for their own furtive ends. Funnily enough, in USUM six Pokemon are found in the grass in Poni Meadow, making a perfect number for a team representing this location.

1711751554984.png
I had a similar thought with the 7 evolutionary families found on Exeggutor Island in USUM (I initially miscounted and thought there were 6), but this is much neater!

Lots of strong submissions this round. Based on other posts, it seems like people wanted to see strong Grass associations with any off-type picks, which I didn't really bother with this time. It was pretty clear to everyone which Pokemon were the 'grassiest', so I figured I'd focus on trying to make one or two Grass mons shine in battle instead. At the very least, that's what I tend to look for in other teams when deciding how to allocate points. I just wish Malamar learned a Grass move...
 
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Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
is a Community Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributor
Also, I was the only one to specifically use Blue Flower Florges, which is exclusive to Poni; smh my head
In my defense... I didn't know we can change the the color. :regiF: Though, also in my defense, with all the green my team has red makes a nice contrast (makes sense, it's the opposite of green on the color wheel).

3 people used red(default, no surprise). One used White for a wedding-themed party. You used Blue because Poni Island. And I used Orange to color-match with Lilligant. I'm mostly annoyed no one found a reason to use Yellow and complete the set.
Well then let's change that... Nope. Red looks better on my team. Yellow blends in too much and it loses its "presence".

I just wish Malamar learned a Grass move...
Surprised it doesn't get Grass Knot, seems like a Move it would use.

Was it just because Grass is so good at supporting other mons?
I more think it has to do with Grass-types having quite a few Abilities and Moves that benefit from Sun... you know, the weather that powers-up one of its weaknesses (I think they should make it at least so Abilities like Harvest, Chlorophyll, Leaf Guard, etc. make these Pokemon neutral to Fire-type Moves, at least when the sun is out). Likewise it makes them natural filler picks on sun teams, so Grass & Sun sort of go hand-in-hand.

Legit my favorite challenge might have been the non-voted FRLG Dark one, where we had no Dark mons to choose from. I burned a really good team concept there and do not regret it at all.
Checked back on that one, as I also had fun making my "Noir Detective" team, and seeing your theme I think you can use it again if we ever do an early gen again, if you feel it would work.

Anyway, time for previous round reviews. Forgot to do one for Platinum's Battle Zone/Fire so I'll include it too:
(Anyone remember that anime battle theme?)

Anyway, these are the top five of Platinum's Battle Zone/Fire:

Me (30 Points): Whenever we have multiples of same "general" theme, I do get worried the votes are getting split (infact I'm kind of worried that's going to happen with USUM's Poni Island/Grass). But, as I said in my post, within the volcano theme many of us did I found something unique with the way Platinum's Battle Zone portrayed it and the routes around it. While I of course embellished the tale to make it a more in-world experience, my Hiker character's discovery was a reflection of my discovery. Plus I got to use some favorites of mine like Togekiss and Octillery, though not a favorite managed to find a nice niche for Shiftry, and Shiny Camerupt was such a perfect fit that it didn't feel that shoehorned in. Really glad with how the team came out and looks like everyone agreed, thanks! :blobthumbsup:

Hugin (28 Points): A unique concept for sure, though at first I thought you were making a reference to Pokemon 2000, lol. With what you have to work with this is a strategic sun team, not outright strong, but what it lacks in raw power it makes up for in trickiness, and that can be even more infuriating but memorable to battle against. The Idol and Scientist part feels a bit tacked on and overall not needed, many of us want to attach a character to our concept but sometimes they may get in the way.

Cobalt Empoleon (27 Points): Fun idea combining both of Flint's & Buck's specialty and directly connecting it to them. Shame you couldn't use Claydol, but them the breaks (then again you couldn't use any of Flint's Fire-types so at least consistent that way).

SpyderMarz (23 Points): An "inner flame", an interesting if obtuse concept; though I guess it's at least not volcano themed. Funny Hugin had a Volbeat and Cobalt Empoleon had a Bellossom, with you bringing in a Machamp to get the party started together (and how can anyone forget Pokken Machamp pulling a Kenshiro/Jotaro multi-punching technique as its Synergy Burst?).

Eeveeto (21 Points): Daring Fire/Water concept, not sure if it entirely works, but surely matches with the Kindler Trainer Class. I was also planning on using a Kingdra myself, but alas, it learns no Fire-type Moves (and gave me a chance to use Octillery and talk about weird deep sea animals). Just be sure you don't keep switching the weather back-and-forth *looks at Raihan*.


Central Kalos/Steel top five:

Ironmage (28 points): WHOO! Talk about a runaway victory! :psywoke: Very strong theme with name of mythological swords and the mon' which gets the name. Reminds me of my attempt to do a Arthurian team with Crown Tundra/Fighting, though that ended up third as the team didn't look quite Type appropriate at the end (which is actually I think the problem I also had in this round).

DrPumpkinz (15 points): Yeah, you missed Lucario and Wormadam, but had you not you probably would have made an entirely different team and possibly not gotten second! Another weapon's theme, though as I said with Hugin's Battle Zone/Fire team the trainer duo feels tacked on. But I like all the "armed" Pokemon you were able to find, shame Gallade couldn't have its Mega.

Me & Railroader17 (13 points each): Two very different approaches, Railroader17 sticking close to weapons like most others, while I tried to get a bit fancy though ended up missing the target.
Railroader17 went for a blacksmith character and, yeah, I could see them having these Pokemon (I'll admit I was not expecting to see as many Charizards as were included, not that I'm complaining). If anything it's sort of a combination of Ironmage's and DrPumpkinz's team with a Diggersby thrown in for that bit of elbow grease.
And then there's me, hello. Now I do still believe in my Lumiose City team, but I realize now I should have maybe focused a bit more on the steel architecture than the city's culture and history. Thought throwing the curve of using a Mega Blastoise over Lucario would also help, but it only got the appearance of my time further away from the Steel-type; especially when you compare it to the weapon themed ones. :blobthinking:

SpyderMarz (11Points): And weapons again, or I guess in Alakazam's case utensils. Think I REALLY missed the mark. Good concept, solid team.
 
DrPumpkinz (15 points): Yeah, you missed Lucario and Wormadam, but had you not you probably would have made an entirely different team and possibly not gotten second! Another weapon's theme, though as I said with Hugin's Battle Zone/Fire team the trainer duo feels tacked on. But I like all the "armed" Pokemon you were able to find, shame Gallade couldn't have its Mega.
Nah, the double battle is the entire reason I felt comfortable using both Doublade and Aegislash on the same team (sort of; I guess it's technically two different teams). Something about having two of the same family on the same team and just not addressing it felt wrong, especially since one of them would be the ace since it's a Steel specialist. Highlighting both of them by having them be the aces of a squire/knight tag team felt like the most natural way of working with "these two are the same family but one of them isn't fully evolved" and then noticing I could give the squire two really weak Pokemon in Farfetch'd and Beedrill cemented the idea.
 

QuentinQuonce

formerly green_typhlosion
Hello! Our last round's winner has made a decision and so it's time for our next topic:

You are a Poison-type specialist in the Crown Tundra. How do you best represent your chosen type?

I've been hoping we'd return to Poison for a while, it's one of my favourite types.

A reminder to please read the guidelines in the OP before commenting, especially if you're new to the thread. You have until April 12th, 9PM GMT to make your case!

Crown Tundra Pokedex is here for those who need it. One more gentle reminder that you may only include Pokemon in the Crown Tundra Pokedex (i.e. Snom-Dragonite); any teams including Pokemon that appear in the Galar Pokedex or the Isle of Armour Pokedex but not the Crown Tundra's listing will be disqualified.

igiveuponaname: Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Audino, Mr Mime, Golurk, Accelgor
Ironmage: Crobat, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Tyranitar, Golurk, Reuniculus
Eeveeto: Crobat, Nidoqueen, Umbreon, Spiritomb, Ferrothorn, Accelgor
DrPumpkinz: Crobat, Nidoqueen, Mawile, Magmortar, Indeedee, Basculin
Cobalt Empoleon: Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Greedent, Accelgor, Ferrothorn, Obstagoon
Tack: Crobat, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Walrein, Bronzong, Snorlax
WarriorGallade: Crobat, Nidorino, Nidorina, Copperajah, Araquanid, Mawile
Pikachu315111: Crobat, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Chandelure, Weavile, Pincurchin
Hugin: Crobat, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Araquanid, Polteageist, Reuniclus
 
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Samtendo09

Ability: Light Power
is a Pre-Contributor
Hello! Our last round's winner has made a decision and so it's time for our next topic:

You are a Poison-type specialist in the Crown Tundra. How do you best represent your chosen type?

I've been hoping we'd return to Poison for a while, it's one of my favourite types.

A reminder to please read the guidelines in the OP before commenting, especially if you're new to the thread. You have until April 12th, 9PM GMT to make your case!

Crown Tundra Pokedex is here for those who need it. One more gentle reminder that you may only include Pokemon in the Crown Tundra Pokedex (i.e. Snom-Dragonite); any teams including Pokemon that appear in the Galar Pokedex or the Isle of Armour Pokedex but not the Crown Tundra's listing will be disqualified.

Quick question; would Wailmer + Wailord count due to Wailmer being found in Crown Tundra‘s Frigid Water despite not being in the Crown Tundra dex?
1712067171828.png

1712067370937.png

1712067626477.png
 

igiveuponaname

A face in a cloud no trace in the crowd.
is a Community Contributor
:ss/accelgor: :ss/mr-mime: :ss/nidoking: :ss/golurk: :ss/nidoqueen: :ss/audino:

Not a lot of Poison or Poison-adjacent options to choose from this time so honestly I just went ''screw it'' and made more of a concept team with the Nidos being the main inspiration. This team tells the tale of a pair of royalty and their party making the journey across the Crown Tundra. Team composition is doubles based.

:ss/accelgor:
Accelgor @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Toxic Spikes
- Water Shuriken
- U-turn
- Encore

Accelgor is the party's scout, going far ahead of the rest of the party and laying the foundation for the rest of the team's assault. It makes use of Toxic Spikes to cripple their enemies, Water Shuriken to get in some surprise hits against the opponent before they can react, Encore to disrupt their foes, and U-turn to make a safe return back to the rest of the party.

:ss/mr-mime:
Mr. Mime @ Eject Button
Ability: Soundproof
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Fake Out
- Follow Me
- Dazzling Gleam
- Wide Guard

The king and queen insisted that the court jester should not come along with them on their journey, but Mr. Mime, jolly as ever, decided to accompany them on their quest regardless. He mainly keeps Accelgor company on scouting missions and tries to disrupt foes as much as possible so that his companions can do what they need to do. Despite being a fool, he knows when to pull back, and will immediately retreat once he has taken damage so that he can live to see another day.

:ss/nidoking:
Nidoking (M) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
EVs: 4 Atk / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Rash Nature
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Blizzard
- Head Smash

Here we have the king, a power hungry brute making his way across the Crown Tundra in search of its king so that he may conquer him in battle. He shows no consideration for others or himself in battle, going without any form of protection himself and opting instead to attack whatever is in front of him. Sometimes he'll even go so far as to charge in head first into battle with no regards to how much he gets hurt in the process.

:ss/golurk:
Golurk @ Muscle Band
Ability: Iron Fist
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Atk / 4 SpD
Brave Nature
- Ally Switch
- Hammer Arm
- Heavy Slam
- Shadow Punch

Golurk, having been made to protect people and Pokemon alike, accompanies the king and queen on their journey as their bodyguard. He's a very brave soul who prioritizes keeping the royal duo safe no matter what, sometimes going so far as to switch places with them if it believes they are about to be attacked, taking it in their stead. In battle he will usually throw out massive punches or throw its weight around to defeat foes, a tactic which has proven effective thus far on their journey.

:ss/nidoqueen:
Nidoqueen (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Poison Point
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpA / 4 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
- Venoshock
- Protect

The queen accompanies her king on this perilous journey in order to keep him line. But while she may be a more modest and gentle soul than the king, she is no slouch herself. She makes clever use of Accelgor's Toxic Spikes with Venoshock to tear through the afflicted foes and knows to protect herself in battle much unlike the king. She still hits hard outside of Venoshock with Earth Power and Ice Beam since she knows she cannot rely solely on her party members to help her cause damage.

:ss/audino:
Audino @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Healer
EVs: 252 HP / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Heal Pulse
- Reflect
- Light Screen
- Dazzling Gleam

And lastly we have the party's cleric, Audino. The queen had her come along so that the king and the rest of their party lives to see another day by healing any wounds or afflictions they may have suffered in battle and mitigating damage they receive with screens support. Her calm demeanor and support helps everyone stay strong on their perilous journey.
 
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QuentinQuonce

formerly green_typhlosion
Quick question; would Wailmer + Wailord count due to Wailmer being found in Crown Tundra‘s Frigid Water despite not being in the Crown Tundra dex?
We actually had this question last time around and the answer is: yes, provided you can convincingly justify its inclusion (the last CT round was Fighting and, since Wailord learns Body Press, it could have been an appropriate selection but iirc no-one ended up using it)
 
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I end up thinking of the Poison type as something of a primordial essence, especially with a focus on gen 1 lines. It's frontloaded in representation, boasts low index and pokedex numbers, and the battle in RGB's pre-title sequence is between two Poison-types. For a more narrow concept, I decided to go with sets that focus on ignoring some aspect of the battle mechanics, as if the rules connecting the mons to ther wider world aren't yet fully formed.

:nidoqueen:
Nidoqueen @ Black Sludge
Ability: Poison Point
- Focus Energy
- Drill Run
- Stone Edge
- Toxic Spikes
I wanted a unique aspect for each mon rather than running two Sheer Force users. As a result, Nidoqueen instead ignores stat boosts by delivering nothing but crits.

:nidoking:
Nidoking @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
- Thunderbolt
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
You've probably seen this set before. An imposing monster that is more talented with special attacks because Earthquake makes too much sense for the amount of interaction it takes to deal raw damage.

:crobat:
Crobat @ Poison Barb
Ability: Infiltrator
- U-turn
- Dual Wingbeat
- Roost
- Cross Poison
Last regular Poison mon, set up to ignore barriers.

:tyranitar:
Tyranitar @ Smooth Rock
Ability: Sand Stream
- Foul Play
- Body Press
- Stealth Rock
- Rest
Set ignores its own Attack. But Tyranitar itself requires a lot more explanation as to why it's on a team about primordial chaos. If you trade a Missingno. to gen 2, it will be treated as a gen 2 mon. As well, that several Missingno. have actual cry data, most likely for mons cut from gen 1, instead of all 0s or pointing to a garbage address. It just happens that one of those cries is a pitched-down version of Zubat's, similar to what would eventually become Crobat's cry, and the Missingno. that references it is ID 181, which gen 2 interprets as Larvitar.

:golurk:
Golurk @ Expert Belt
Ability: No Guard
- Dynamic Punch
- Poltergeist
- High Horsepower
- Rock Slide
Skips over accuracy checks. Clay is a common motif in mythology for creatures/beings/worlds to be crafted from. I went back and forth between Golurk and Claydol, but in the end I felt Levitate was probably too narrow to really convey "ignores direct attacks."

:reuniclus:
Reuniclus @ Toxic Orb
Ability: Magic Guard
- Acid Armor
- Calm Mind
- Stored Power
- Recover
Chosen for Acid Armour before I really nailed down the "ignore mechanics" theme, since it's a Poison-type move where the user removes some of their existing structure. Item is on-type and (usually) prevents a more incapacitating status from being applied.
 
What is a Poison Pokemon? For me, a Poison Pokemon is a Pokemon capable of learning Toxic in either Gen 8 or Gen 9 (when the illogical thing of almost every Pokemon learning the move ended). So, the team I can do with this is this one:

:accelgor: Item: Focus Sash. Moves: Spikes, Toxic Spikes, Toxic, Bug Buzz. Bugs are often poisonous and this one is even based of a ninja, who often used said tactics. So, it puts Hazards and has the posibility to use Toxic on flying targets too.
:umbreon: Item: Leftovers. Moves: Mean Look, Toxic, Moonlight, Foul Play. Umbreon also learns Toxic and this is due to originally being designed as Poison type. This Umbreon traps it foes, poisons them and Stalls them out with Moonlight.
:ferrothorn: Item: Rocky Helmet. Ability: Iron Barbs. Moves: Stealth Rock, Toxic, Gyro Ball, Power Whip. A plant with thorns that lives in swamps. Thorns of many plants are poisonous and swamps are often associated with poison too due to some gases that can be found there. Ferrothorn puts even more hazards and damages the foes with its Iron Barbs ability, having the chance of using Toxic as well.
:spiritomb: Item: Toxic Orb. Moves: Trick, Hex, Sucker Punch, Pain Split. Spiritomb is a mix of 108 spirits, ready to curse the foes. Curses can be of many types, including a Poison. Unlike the previous Pokemon, Spiritomb does not use Toxic direcly but instead tricks a Toxic Orb, stealing opponent's item too. Such a dirty tactic fits very well with a Poison theme and Spiritomb will proceed to abuse 130 power Hex, Stall with Pain Split and finish with a Sucker Punch.
:crobat: Item: Eject Button. Ability: Inner Focus. Moves: Tailwind, Roost, Acrobatics, Cross Poison. The first of our 2 actual Poisons. Our previous 4 Pokemon were mostly defensive, in a Poison style. However, our 2 Poison Pokemon will be the ones hitting hard. Crobat will finish the battle, but he is not the Dynamax ace. Instead, Crobat being one of the fastest Pokemon, will set-up a Tailwind and activate Eject Button (Crobat has enough bulk to live most hits, even some super effective ones), ensuring our ace comes in undamaged and with a Tailwind helping her. In the event the ace falls, Crobat will come back to finish the battle, abusing the 110 power Acrobatics and healing with Roost if needed.
:nidoqueen: Item: Life Orb. Ability: Sheer Force. Moves: Earth Power, Sludge Wave, Blizzard, Thunderbolt. This is the ace, the Pokemon that will Dynamax. Nidoqueen is a hard hitting powerhouse that also has good bulk (unlike Nidoqueen). With Dynamax, Nidoqueen will use the 3 Tailwind turns to devastate the opposing team. Everything that will survive Nidoqueens wrath, will be taken out by Crobat, who will be assisted by all the Hazards that were previously put on the field.
 
You spot this odd-looking fellow standing in the middle of a bramble field, and although he's stoked to see you, he won't automatically initial a battle like most trainer NPCs. Instead, he insists you challenge him "freely, and of your own will."


:crobat::nidoqueen::indeedee::magmortar::mawile::basculin-blue-striped:
:ss/crobat:
Crobat (M) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Infiltrator
- Poison Fang
- Mean Look
- Roost
- U-turn

The ace, Count Dracula himself. He'll lock you down with a glare and slowly drain your vitality with Poison Fang, while he himself stays healthy by Roosting in boxes of earth. However, he's also a slippery bastard, so he'll U-turn away if he comes up against something he can't toxic stall. Also, you'd think a creature unable to enter any building uninvited wouldn't be able to Infiltrate anything, but the Count finds a way.


:ss/nidoqueen:
Nidoqueen (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
- Earth Power
- Blizzard
- Thunder
- Fire Blast

Mina Harker. Despite being a Poison-type due to Dracula... uh... breastfeeding her, Mina doesn't use any Poison moves due to her resisting his vampiric influence. Indeed, Dracula is the only user of Poison moves in this entire team. Instead, she has four powerful attacks, Sheer Force, and a Life Orb, allowing her to hit as hard as the trains she fiends over.


:ss/indeedee:
Indeedee (M) @ Wise Glasses
Ability: Psychic Surge
- Expanding Force
- Hyper Voice
- Dazzling Gleam
- Energy Ball

Professor Abraham Van Helsing. Despite his quirkiness, Helsing is extremely knowledgeable (represented by the Psychic type) and uses that knowledge to combat Dracula's Poison-type afflictions (and usually fails because nobody ever tells any of the women anything in this book and the lack of communication leads them to inadvertently ruin Helsing's plans).


:ss/magmortar:
Magmortar (M) @ Quick Claw
Ability: Vital Spirit
- Fire Blast
- Thunderbolt
- Focus Blast
- Scorching Sands

Quincy P. Morris, the best character in the book. A Quick Claw for a quick draw cowboy written by someone who has never spoken to an American in his life.


:ss/mawile:
Mawile (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
- Stockpile
- Double Team
- Baton Pass
- Payback

Renfield, the Count's unwilling servant. He only ever Baton Passes his boosts to Dracula, and his Leftovers mirrors the Black Sludge of his master, but when push comes to shove, he'll deliver Payback by grabbing Dracula out of his mist form and choke-slamming him into the ground.


:ss/basculin-blue-striped:
Basculin (M) @ Mystic Water
Ability: Adaptability
- Aqua Jet
- Flip Turn
- Waterfall
- Hydro Pump

Finally, we have the conglomeration of every male lead not named Helsing or Quincy. They're represented by Basculin because they're all boring as fuck and I don't remember any of their names.
 
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:ss/accelgor: :ss/ferrothorn: :ss/greedent: :ss/obstagoon: :ss/nidoking: :ss/nidoqueen:

There's more than one way to poison an ecosystem! My team's all about invasive and noxious species, and since we're in Galar, there's a focus on the United Kingdom.

:accelgor: @ Focus Sash
Ability: Unburden
- Bug Buzz
- Yawn
- Spikes
- Toxic Spikes

Accelgor's unique evolution method has given it a pretty eclectic set of design inspirations, from molluscs to ninjas and even racecar drivers. Personally, I've always thought its body looked shrimp-like too. Here, its aquatic appearance and ninja stealth represent the creeping threat of the Ponto-Caspian species, a group of molluscs, crustaceans, and fish known to invade and take over any body of fresh water they enter. Four of them, all shrimp species, have already made it to the UK and there are fears that if more arrive they could devastate British ecosystems. In battle, it hopes to catch the opponent napping and set up entry hazards.

:ferrothorn: @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Barbs
- Body Press
- Toxic
- Leech Seed
- Protect

Ferrothorn visually resembles several different plants which use burs to disperse seeds, but in this team it's Galium arpine, also known as cleavers, which isn't an invasive plant in the UK but is generally considered a noxious weed, infesting cereal and oilseed crops while being extremely difficult to remove. Its set is a terribly annoying stall-fest, just as long as the opponent isn't Grass/Poison.

:greedent: @ Sitrus Berry
Ability: Cheek Pouch
- Body Slam
- Earthquake
- Belch
- Belly Drum

Skwovet and Greedent are based on the grey squirrels (introduced) and red squirrels (native) found in the UK, with the former severely outcompeting the latter. Belly Drum Greedent is unlikely to accomplish much, but Cheek Pouch gives it a bit of staying power and Belch is very funny as the obligatory Poison move, even if it's not very good.

:obstagoon: @ Wide Lens
Ability: Defiant
- Mega Kick
- Knock Off
- Gunk Shot
- Cross Chop

Raccoons are considered invasive across Europe, but Obstagoon is also based on musicians from the glam rock era, which saw success in the early 70s as one of many UK-based musical movements that flourished in the wake of the 'British Invasion' (heh) of the mid-60s. With Gunk Shot as Obstagoon's strongest Poison attack, I opted for a silly Wide Lens set that makes use of some high-power, low-accuracy moves.

:nidoking: @ Life Orb
Ability: Sheer Force
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Fire Blast
- Ice Beam

:nidoqueen: @ Black Sludge
Ability: Sheer Force
- Poison Jab
- Curse
- Rest
- Sleep Talk

The Nidoran lines share a number of qualities with rabbits and rodents, some of the most notoriously invasive animals of all, as well as kaiju, which are invasive in a more literal sense. In this team, Nidoking and Nidoqueen represent one of the scariest prospects for someone trying to protect an ecosystem from an invasive threat: a breeding pair. However, they also demonstrate one of the ways that humans have tried to counter these species.

Infamously, Nidoqueen and Nidorina can't breed, which seems like a baffling and inexplicable oversight, but what if it's an innovative method of population control? Directly culling members of an invasive species often has very little impact on the number of breeding pairs, because while it does thin out the herd, it also reduces competition within the species. Instead, it can be more effective to sterilise the larger and stronger individuals and return them to the population. They still outcompete their weaker counterparts for food and mating partners, but without being able to reproduce. This strategy is used with species like the signal crayfish, which is a huge problem in the UK.

Nidoking's set is your standard Sheer Force attacker, while the ace Nidoqueen sets up and stalls, hopefully with the help of Accelgor's Toxic Spikes.

-----------------

After breaking my personal rule the last couple of weeks, it was good to get back to having a move of the specialist type on each team member. I struggled for inspiration for a while, but I'm very happy with the final result (you can usually tell when things came together smoothly if I'm not using Double Battles and/or some kind of forced Trick Room+weather strategy as a crutch).
 
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Tack

Bow to your Matriarch
is a Community Contributoris a Tiering Contributor
oh this thread is cool

Something i noticed almost immediately is that all of the potential poisons in this area are actually weak to ice, which is by far the most common type in this regional dex so an actual poison type specialist residing in the area would likely want super solid ice resists right out of the gate that would also fit well into an overall more defensive plan

Nidoqueen (F) @ Black Sludge
Ability: Sheer Force
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic Spikes
- Sludge Wave
- Protect
- Flamethrower

this defensive plan would likely start with a lead tspikes nidoqueen with flame to try and avoid getting goobed by the highly prevalent in region ices while potentially getting a highly favorable matchup incredibly early in the game thru toxic spikes being nonsense

Walrein @ Leftovers
Ability: Ice Body
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic
- Substitute
- Surf
- Ice Beam
the next mon i looked through and felt would be incredibly fitting is a sub+toxic stallrein, which would be insanely powerful under any sort of long term hail (its a tundra! theres a blizzard somewhere!) while providing a quad resist to ice and a decent enough sponge for other stuff that natually synergises immaculately with nidoqueen/king typewise since outside of grass typing the nidos actually resist everything walrein is weak to which is honestly kinda awesome!

Snorlax @ Leftovers
Ability: Thick Fat
- Body Slam
- Curse
- Rest
- Sleep Talk
So this is a mon that is an amazing defensive sponge that provides a second ice resist a reliable sponge for the vast majority of psychics and a long term wincon in cursetalk, it could very easily also be semi-on theme for a poison specialist because it can have Immunity from poison with one of its other abilities!

Crobat @ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Infiltrator
- U-turn
- Roost
- Super Fang
- Brave Bird

So theres 2 fight weak mons now, figure its likely a good idea to add the pivot crobat and balance it out a little. super fang is a crazy good move and u-turn lets it get chip while pivotting away from bad matchups, crobat is a good pokemon that has decent defensive utility in its ground immunity while providing reasonable enough chip damage

so as it stands, froslass while playable kinda sucks to deal with offensively

Nidoking (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Sheer Force
Serious Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Fire Blast
- Sludge Wave
- Earth Power
- Ice Beam
behold! scarf nidoking can revenge the vast majority of the region's dex (including that pesky froslass) and has likely served the trainer very well as they've spent time here


at this point i feel as thought the trainer would come across a MASSIVE problem for the team that lives in the crown tundra
Mamoswine.
fortunately there's an almost tailormade answer to mamoswine thats also available in the region and that? that is bronzong.

Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Flash Cannon
- Protect
- Body Press
it provides rocks for some additional residual damage, is a strong psychic resist to help out the 3 poisons, is another ice resist to help out the 3 ice weak poisons and also happens to be able to click body press on opposing steels to continue helping all of the poisons


full paste for ease: https://pokepast.es/939cb37de918f353
i apologize for my subpar writing but i think this idea fits fairly well for what a poison type specialist would need to be to survive in the crown tundra
 
This one's another neat topic. Poison is a type I feel is often associated with subterfuge, passivity and playing for the long game. If Poison types can successfully surprise the opponent through the way they play and catch them off guard, poisoning their thoughts, they win. If foes make one mistake, they're at the mercy of all the passives they forgot about earlier. This team tries to best play to these strengths and focuses on Single battles.


:Nidorina: @ :Eviolite: Eviolite
Ability: Poison Point
- Toxic Spikes
- Super Fang
- Venom Drench
- Disable

First up, Nidorina.
The obvious question would be, why not Nidoqueen? Stacking an Ice weakness in an area literally called a tundra does not sound like a smart idea, and for the purposes of a lead, Eviolite Nidorina has slightly better bulk. Toxic Spikes help set the stage for any foes that switch in, while Super Fang allows Nidorina to bypass its low offensive stats, dealing decent damage. Disable helps force switches and prevent foes from simply setting up against this lead, and Venom Drench capitalizes on this by further weakening the new foes that switch in.

:Nidorino: @ :life orb: Life Orb
Ability: Hustle
- Head Smash
- Poison Jab
- Hone Claws
- Sucker Punch

Second up, Nidorino.
A similar logic to the above applies here, but Nidorino has something else going for it over its evolution - Hustle! While Sheer Force Nidoking may be able to compare in terms of power, it's not as likely to catch an opponent off guard. Hone Claws allows for its accuracy to be patched up if it ever gets a free turn, Poison Jab (why doesn't it learn Gunk Shot D:) is the requisite reliable STAB, while Sucker Punch allows for good priority and coverage, and Head Smash is just a bonk button.

:Copperajah: @ :maranga berry: Maranga Berry
Ability: Sheer Force
- Flash Cannon
- Belch
- Earth Power
- Fissure

Third up, Copperajah.
Wait, that's a Steel type! What's it doing here? Copper, like other metals, is toxic to most organic life if they eat it directly, which sounds a lot like a poison. To better play this role, it's specially oriented rather than physically. 80 base Special Attack isn't too bad and it offers even more of a surprise. Flash Cannon and Earth Power offer good and consistent damaging options, further boosted by Sheer Force. The held Maranga Berry allows it to take advantage of any Special moves headed its way, and consuming it allows it a strong Poison type move, Belch! Given Steel's resistances, it could easily switch in on an attack aimed for another team member, activating the berry with minimal effort. For the final moveslot, Fissure lets Copperajah fish, sure (heh) for that sweet 30%. But its main purpose is preventing Copperajah from becoming setup fodder to anything with a half decent Special Defense stat, forcing opponents to keep switching around or stalling to navigate it, all while the earlier Toxic Spikes rack up damage.

:Araquanid: @ :leftovers: Leftovers
Ability: Water Bubble
- Soak
- Toxic
- Dive
- Infestation

Fourth up, Araquanid.
Yo dawg, I heard you like passive damage. Araquanid offers some defensive utility against opposing Ground types, as nearly everyone else is weak to them. It has a unique spot on this team by virtue of being able to poison any Pokemon thanks to its combo of Soak + Toxic. Soak also tends to take away STAB from foes, making them indirectly weaker, giving Araquanid more chances to spread the passive damage like no tomorrow. Infestation helps trap foes in, keeping Toxic's damage counter steadily rising and Dive is another good STAB that stalls for yet another turn of Leftovers recovery.

:Mawile: @ :red card: Red Card
Ability: Intimidate
- Poison Fang
- Crunch
- Stockpile
- Baton Pass

Fifth up, Mawile.
Sometimes poison is about making sure another poison is even more deadly and that's what Mawile excels at. Like Copperajah, it offers much needed defensive utility against Psychic types, and is able to inflict decent damage on them with Crunch. It has Poison Fang to hopefully nail the Pokemon unaffected by Toxic Spikes, punishing them if they choose to stay in. Finally, Stockpile helps to make it even harder to kill, giving it more opportunities to spread poison. Baton Pass is the cherry on this cake, enabling the final team member to truly embody the spirit of poison. While Mawile's mediocre stats may lead one to believe that passing many Stockpiles is nigh impossible, that's where its held item, the Red Card comes into play. Thanks to Intimidate, it can usually survive a hit, forcing an advantaged foe to switch out. In tandem with Poison Fang's toxic effect, Mawile can create turns to get the pass off reasonably easily.


:Crobat: @ :black sludge: Black Sludge
Ability: Infiltrator
- Giga Drain
- Venoshock
- Air Slash
- Roost

Last up, Crobat. [Dynamax]
This Crobat is as annoying as can be. It can Dynamax as soon as it hits the field to pick up a few Special Attack or Speed boosts with its STAB types, giving it some good snowball potential. Venoshock ravages any targets unfortunate enough to still be poisoned. While I considered Hex here, it only hits Ground types better than Venoshock, and is generally always weaker outside of that. Air Slash is a generally reliable move with a 30% chance to get a free turn, given Crobat's blistering speed. Lastly, Giga Drain allows it even more longevity, as well as some coverage for Rock types. Roost and Black Sludge let it be even more annoying thanks to the recovery. If Mawile passed along any Stockpile boosts, Crobat's decent defenses would be bolstered significantly, making it very difficult to wear down. This is one war of attrition a foe would be hard pressed to win without a Steel type in the back.
 

Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
is a Community Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributor
You Feel A Sharp Sting
You're walking through the woods, your foot slips but you catch yourself, and suddenly you feel a sharp sting. You pull your leg back to see something scurries away, your foot having a puncture wound.
It's a nice clear day but it's starting to get dark out. You suddenly hear a high-pitch squeaking noise when you feel a sharp sting on your shoulder. You grab you shoulder and see something fly off into the night. When you look at your hand you see it covered in a bit of blood.
You're snorkeling on a beach shore, pushing yourself gently along the floor. You reach out to a rock when you feel a sharp pain. The "rock" is black and has spines, some which are now imbedded in your hand.
The inflicted part of your body begins to feel warm, hot even, as it starts to swell it. You don't know what you just got punctured by, but it injected something, and you gotta find help now.
:ss/nidoking::ss/nidoqueen::ss/crobat::ss/pincurchin::ss/weavile::ss/chandelure:
Nidoking. Sheer Force. Life Orb:life_orb:. Poison Jab, Earthquake, Thunder Punch, Outrage
Nidoqueen. Poison Point. Leftovers:leftovers:. Poison Jab, Earthquake, Toxic Spikes, Venom Drench
Crobat. Infiltrator. No Item X. Cross Poison, Acrobatics, Tail Wind, Venom Drench
Pincurchin. Electric Surge. Electric Seed :electric_seed:. Poison Jab, Zing Zap, Toxic Spikes, Venom Drench
Weavile. Pressure. Muscle Band :muscle_band:. Poison Jab, Knock Off, Triple Axel, Ice Shard
Chandelure. Infiltrator. Wise Glasses :wise_glasses:. Clear Smog, Flamethrower, Shadow Ball, Energy Ball

:nidoking: Nidoking: An aggressive Pokemon, with Sheer Force and powerful Moves with some coverage behind it, Nidoking may not be poisoning anyone but it doesn't need to as it's unleashing raw power which is further enhanced by Life Orb and maybe Sheer Force.

:nidoqueen: Nidoqueen: The opposite attitude of its male counterpart (unless you endanger its young), Nidoqueen is more defensive making it more apt to using the Poison status. With three ways to poison the target then has to deal with Venom Drench further incapacitating it, all the while Nidoqueen is healing a bit at the end of each turn thanks to Leftovers.

:crobat: Crobat: Crobat comes in quick trying to hit a critical and/or poison with Cross Poison or big damage with itemless Acrobatics. If the target is already poisoned more Venom Drench will keep them from coming back and a Tailwind will keep your party ahead. Both of its Abilities are niche so I went with Infiltrator as I feel screens and substitutes are more likely than flinching.

And those were my main three Poison-types. I wouldn't call any my ace, though Nidoqueen and Crobat are likely the ones to be sent out first; Nidoking is meant for later game use when the opponent's team has been softened by poison and Venom Drench. I'm also leaving my Dynamax choice open, not just to them but all my Pokemon, one in particular.

:pincurchin: Pincurchin: It'll likely move last but it makes sure that touching it is a big mistake. Starting out by boosting both its flinching Electric-type move and defense stat with Electric Seed, if Toxic Spikes isn't out yet it sure will be now. Venom Drench helps with the Defense boost (if against a Physical Attacker) and provide support where Pincurchin can't do much else.

:weavile: Weavile: I went over horns, fangs, and spines as venom injection methods, but when it comes to Weavile its a bit more direct with razor sharp claws (claws which a Hisuian variant uses to inject poison, but it's not around yet). With customary Poison Jab, Weavile is a speedy trickster ready to Knock Off items or surprise with a hard-hitting or high-priority Ice-type Move; all slightly empowered by Muscle Band. And even if it doesn't stay out long, Pressure will eat away at the opponent's PP.

:chandelure: Chandelure: Not a sharp sting per se, but a searing heat let's a victim knows the venom has already began to spread and destroy cells. Chandelure luckily gets Clear Smog, finding it a spot on my team (which is good as I was really lacking a Special Attacker) and being another way to keep my opponent's stats under control. And from here it's attack, Attack, ATTACK with high Special Attack + Wise Glasses (and Infiltrator to get around things that would otherwise hinder it nuking).

While Pincurchin and Weavile do have the option of Dynamaxing open to them if the situation calls for it, Chandelure I feel is just as likely as the Poison-types. Not just cause it hits hard, but also the Poison-type Max Move, Max Ooze, for some reason increases the user's and allies Special Attack stat, which only Chandelure can take advantage of!
 
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