Pokémon Slurpuff

[SylveonIsCute]

Alright, here we go.
Last night, I was up laddering using a Slurpuff, and I have to say, it's extremly nitche. Sub / Belly Drum / Drain Punch / Play Rough is probably the best way to go. Sure, it brings you down to 50% health, but really, if you don't have a Sub up, most priority stops you. This allows you to take out an extra Pokemon while they break your Sub. However, you absolutely NEED to remove anything with priority, Scarfers, or moves that go through Subs at ALL COSTS. I've only gotten one sweep, and that was lower on the ladder since I was using an alternate account. I guess it could be decent with the right team support, but why bother? Azumarill is much easier to slap on a team and doesn't require a lot of team building. Sure it's slower, but that's not as important as being hard countered and or weakened by so many Pokemon.
It'll probably be borderline, just because it destroys most of UU, but not worth using in OU. Just like Salamence (before Mega Mence), it's useable, but not really worth having it's own thread.

Really? I generally have great results with Slurpuff, maybe Slurpuff didn't fit your team very well. Don't forget Slurpuff requires more team support than your conventional Pokemon. By the way, BD Azumarill is just as easily checked/countered and weakened as Slurpuff is (at least that's what I found when i used BD Azu and BD Puff). I kinda agree with you on the last part you said though, it's useable but generally outclassed.

Also, aside from Talon's brave bird and Scizors and Megagrosses bullet punch, Puff can take most priority hits faily well.

 

[Alfalfa]

How typical, ignoring the niches Slurpuff has (albeit not that big of niches but they are there), and instead comparing his negative traits to other Pokemon who can handle these situations better. Really? Wow. I feel like every person commenting on this page is saying the exact same thing -__-
By that logic, I could say that Staraptor is a better flying-type than Talonflame because Staraptor can easily OHKO one of Talonflames biggest checks - Tyranitar. That's what you sound like to me haha. Azumarill, Hawlucha, and Slurpuff all have different attributes that make them good for different roles.

Actually, Slurpuff fairs surprisingly well against bro, check out these calcs:

+6 252+ Atk Slurpuff Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Slowbro: 313-370 (79.4 - 93.9%) -- 43.8% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock
0 SpA Slowbro Scald vs. 4 HP / 0 SpD Slurpuff: 109-130 (35.6 - 42.4%) -- guaranteed 3HKO

I was kinda surprised actually.

My point was that Azumarill could OHKO Slowbro at +6, and Slurpuff cannot.

 

[firehusky]

This may sound pretty stupid, but I think one of the main reasons slurpuff may have a niche in OU is because its not commonly prepared for and when people see it they're like "wtf noob using slurpuff", and they hardly know how to properly deal with it and in the end get 6'0ed by it. I think another advantage slurpuff has over azumarill is the ability to actually use it's stronger STABs. Often times after azumarill has belly drummed the only move it's using is aqua jet, but sometimes if the opponent sends in a faster mon that resists water, azumarill is forced to play rough/super power, forcing it to take a hit. Considering that most teams carry lots of water resists, Azumarill often has to take lots of hits in order to completely sweep. On the other hand, slurpuff's unburden doubles its speed, so it does not have to rely on priority to sweep, but rather it can use it's strongest STAB move, play rough. The argument for that however is that slurpuff's attack is much weaker than azumarills:
+6 252+ Atk Slurpuff Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Mega Venusaur: 146-172 (40.1 - 47.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+6 252+ Atk Huge Power Azumarill Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Mega Venusaur: 224-264 (61.5 - 72.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

The advantage slurpuff has over the luchador bird is that belly drum maxes your attack, while swords dance only doubles it, however hawlucha has a better STAB combo and a better starting speed tier so it has the ability to set up subs repeatedly.

 

[SylveonIsCute]

My point was that Azumarill could OHKO Slowbro at +6, and Slurpuff cannot.

Actually, Slurpuff has a fair chance to OHKO Slowbro after rocks, but yeah i see your point.

This may sound pretty stupid, but I think one of the main reasons slurpuff may have a niche in OU is because its not commonly prepared for and when people see it they're like "wtf noob using slurpuff", and they hardly know how to properly deal with it and in the end get 6'0ed by it. I think another advantage slurpuff has over azumarill is the ability to actually use it's stronger STABs. Often times after azumarill has belly drummed the only move it's using is aqua jet, but sometimes if the opponent sends in a faster mon that resists water, azumarill is forced to play rough/super power, forcing it to take a hit. Considering that most teams carry lots of water resists, Azumarill often has to take lots of hits in order to completely sweep. On the other hand, slurpuff's unburden doubles its speed, so it does not have to rely on priority to sweep, but rather it can use it's strongest STAB move, play rough. The argument for that however is that slurpuff's attack is much weaker than azumarills:
+6 252+ Atk Slurpuff Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Mega Venusaur: 146-172 (40.1 - 47.2%) -- guaranteed 3HKO
+6 252+ Atk Huge Power Azumarill Play Rough vs. 252 HP / 240+ Def Mega Venusaur: 224-264 (61.5 - 72.5%) -- guaranteed 2HKO

The advantage slurpuff has over the luchador bird is that belly drum maxes your attack, while swords dance only doubles it, however hawlucha has a better STAB combo and a better starting speed tier so it has the ability to set up subs repeatedly.

Actually, you were correct about all those things, not stupid at all :)
Yeah another niche is that Slurpuff is unprepared for, it has a surprise factor, I never consider bringing a Slurpuff check when I build a team, because they are just so uncommon. Many people may not even know that Slurpuff can learn drain punch and then blindly switch in Ferrothorn or Heatran as Slurpuff belly drums.

 

[SylveonIsCute]

By the way guys I apologize for not updating the Slurpuff speculation I'm in the middle of doing other things but i promise I will get to it :)

 

[Mr. Goodra]

Been running this thing with cotton guard as the last move and it's been surprisingly consistent late game. I'm gonna work on getting high ladder, then I'll post some replays. Cotton guard prevents revenges and goes great with drain punch, especially when investing in bulk, which is easily doable thanks to the glory of a one turn +6 +2.

 

[pika pal]

Been running this thing with cotton guard as the last move and it's been surprisingly consistent late game. I'm gonna work on getting high ladder, then I'll post some replays. Cotton guard prevents revenges and goes great with drain punch, especially when investing in bulk, which is easily doable thanks to the glory of a one turn +6 +2.

Minor point then, but do you typically use Cotton Guard or BD first? Even while boosting its defenses, Slurpuff still needs to avoid as much chip damage as possible so that it can manage to Drain Punch its health back, or avoid activating its berry too early. On the other hand, Slurpuff still needs to keep up as much pressure as possible after Drumming to either get back its health or avoid something that can check it with a non-damage switch.

And the biggest support I see the set needing (obvious hazard laying aside) is something to deal with Special attackers first, since Puff has no reliable way to buff its Special Defense with such a set.

 

[HYSTG_]

With dual screen support and access to COTTON FREAKING GUARD. I believe that cupcakey can make a little difference :D

 

[HYSTG_]

I will only say that I am quite new to the competitive environment and you may not take me seriously (I've only taken EVs and IVs a month ago cuz I find it interesting to play with) :D

Okay... here goes...

Slurpuff is something not to be ridiculed. She had changed me in Fairy monotype (tho it is a different tier... but still it changed a tier). Getting Drain Punch also made her a viable physical fairy now other than Azu and Mawile. Also having something that can hit a pokemon named Heatran with Air Balloon is a good improvement as well.

Also, It has access to Cotton Guard, of which can do pretty good in a dual screen support. Which cuts physical and special attack in half, and with a +3 Defense and some bulk investments, it can take some Bullet Punches (unless RNG likes to mess with you and get a crit from Scizor) and then Belly Drum and Drain Punch/Play Rough until she can.

Slurpuff is also mostly underestimated by people around the metagame... and they'll be like, "Oh a cupcake. lol" but then, fluffiness is something not to be laughed about. I mostly say to those people after beating them with Cupcakey, "You just got creamed and frosted" ba dum tss.. xDD

And I won't argue with Azu and "the bird that destroyed balance" in terms of viability, because they are different. Azumarill is good with Belly Drum, but mostly relies on Aqua Jet... I'd rather slap Choice Band in it. And "the bird that destroyed balance" is also good with a Power Herb + Sky Attack. And Acrobatics can go through its way. But most of them run HJK. And HJK is pretty heartbreaking when it misses. (Like using belly drum but no +6).

Azu is special because she has Aqua Jet.
Hawlucha is special because she has a good STAB movepool.
and Slurpuff is special because she has Drain Punch now, a move which heals A LOT of HP after a Belly Drum.

What I'm saying is... Slurpuff has something that makes it unique. Something that can make it special, and that's Drain Punch. A single move that may change its viability. We don't know maybe someday she gets Fire Punch too. ;) lol

Also Drain Punch also changed Kecleon's viability (yes, it can Protean and Drain Punch now) so a single move can make a big difference to the metagame.

And that's all I have to say. Thank you for making it this far... and I'm still kinda new so I have a lot to learn from everyone. Please don't eat me. :D

 

[Epicz]

Don't think it would do too well against the speedy threats of OU.

 

[blinkie]

With dual screen support and access to COTTON FREAKING GUARD. I believe that cupcakey can make a little difference :D

Smeargle has access to cotton guard and so does Whimsicott...defense boosting moves are just bad.
Plus a lot of things are good with dual screen support...
Not really an argument to use it in OU over Hawlucha IMO. Plus when people know what they're doing, you can't just rely on them underestimating Slurpluff and then you winning. Sure it can do well with team support, but so can a lot of other mons in OU.

 

[Yamborski]

Smeargle has access to cotton guard and so does Whimsicott...defense boosting moves are just bad.
Plus a lot of things are good with dual screen support...
Not really an argument to use it in OU over Hawlucha IMO. Plus when people know what they're doing, you can't just rely on them underestimating Slurpluff and then you winning. Sure it can do well with team support, but so can a lot of other mons in OU.

The only real thing the have in common is Unburden, despite having radically different ways of activating it. Hawlucha is no doubt better... in fact Slurpuff is predictable, frail, and even after a Belly Drum sorta weak.

However few things are more satisfying than a Slurpuff sweep.

 

[PikachuCandyツ]

Slurpuff is becoming more common in NU now more than ever. Unburden is just such a good ability for Slurpuff considering it's speed. Belly drum w/ unburden is practically a dragon dance on roids and if you manage to set it up properly it can almost guarantee a sweep in the NU meta. I've used Slurpuff unburden sets before and definitely recommend it for any new players.