SM OU Next Best Thing, Week 22: Hydreigon (2024)

OP adapted from SV OU version, hosting permission by Clementine

The Next Best Thing is a project where the users can submit & search for various creative but viable Pokemon sets, utilising the power of various underlooked & unexpected moves/items, or a combination of both in a set.

Here, you'll find many sets that might seem vague, but in reality carves out a niche in this metagame. These sets are excellent at acting as a surprise factor, which can totally change the the match.

You may also find how potent a Pokemon can be by looking, playing & even creating some out-of-the-box sets, that are definitely unworthy at first sight.

The sets here posted should obviously be viable, avoiding jokes such as Choice Band Blissey that can't be taken seriously. Posting meme sets will also drive the host crazy.

Before submitting any set, you must read the Procedures, Rules & Regulations of the forum.

Week 1: Magearna​

Magearna is one of SM OU's most versatile and threatening pokemon thanks to its amazing ability, typing and movepool. It excels at offensive and defensive roles alike thanks to this. Your goal this week is to post creative and viable movesets for Magearna that are

in its SmogDex entry. You have 4 days from now to post sets, after which the voting phaze will begin.
Deadline: November 19, 11:59PM, GMT + 5:30.

Magearna @ Normal Gem
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 8 HP / 244 Atk / 32 Def / 224 Spe
Naughty Nature
- Shift Gear
- Explosion
- Ice Beam
- Iron Head

s/o CM Reuniclus for the innovation

Basically you bluff normal sg mag on HO and blow sh*t up. EVs outspeed +1 kommo-o, live lando eq, and kill chansey + pex after rocks.

Was kicking around some lure ideas and came up with this:

Magearna @ Shuca Berry
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 248 HP / 28 Def / 40 SpA / 192 SpD
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Ice Beam
- Volt Switch
- Heart Swap
- Pain Split

Meant to bluff an otherwise standard defensive or assault vest mag in order to lure SD variants of lando, chomp, and gliscor. With this spec, shuca lets it survive unboosted offensive lando EQ from full, and +2 glis and chomp EQ after 1 rd of rocks. SpA investment let's it OHKO standard SpDef gliscor from full, and obv OHKOes standard offensive variants of chomp and lando from full as well. Remaining EVs are dumped into SpDef so it can do bulky mag things.

When facing an sd glis, chomp or lando it's best to try and hit them on the switch, or when they use SD predicting a switch, for a surprise KO. Otherwise keep the breakpoints in mind for emergency situations. Against teams not packing those mons it's your average bulky mag affair. Its special bulk is noticeably worse, but shuca makes its life easier against certain phys or mixed attackers that pack EQ.

First time participating in a thread like this. Hope it turned out well!

Super-Slow Pivot

Magearna @ Lagging Tail
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 252 HP / 64 Def / 192 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Volt Switch
- Pain Split
- Ice Beam / Thunder Wave / Heart Swap
- Fleur Cannon

Description:
If there is anything to be taken away from Gen 8 OU, it’s Future Sight is dank as f*ck and negative-priority pivoting is f*cking busted, with the positional advantage provided by a slower pivot, warranting even level drops on defensive walls such as the Slowtwins in order to underspeed their fellow brethren. Lagging Tail is an item seldom seen in singles play, usually being reserved for ladder gimmicks such as Whimsicott; however in this case, the traditionally debilitating effect of moving last works to our favor. Although not a direct translation of the concept, this Gear set aims to mimic the teleport pivots that permeate Gen 8 meta by acting as a glue/pseudo-status absorber designed to transform disruption attempts from the likes of Toxapex and Ferrothorn into momentum; with Toxic, Scalds and Leech Seeds thudding into the Iron Rabbit as it volt switches out into a teammate. Thunder Wave in particular has some unique interactions as with Lagging Tail you can maintain the slow pivot, providing your subsequent switch-in the luxury of safely abusing a paralyzed opponent. You can plausibly run a variety of spreads and lasts with this mon, with the configuration I’ve posted mirroring my preference for Fleur Cannon and the capacity to live +2 Hawlucha HJK from full.

Definitely a more niche set that does take some time to properly adjust to (such as manually doubling in Mons particularly weak to Rocks or having the slow as f*ck Pain Split), but it provides unique qualities that truly cannot be replicated otherwise in the builder and is worth experimentation.

Magearna @ Leftovers / Fairium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 248 HP / 108 Def / 152 SpA
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 6 Spe
- Ice Beam
- Volt Switch
- Pain Split
- Thunder Wave / Fleur Cannon

Bulky pivot Magearna but on the physical side. The bulk investment lives +2 EQ from Gliscor and the special attack OHKOs standard SD gliscor from full with Ice Beam while also helping it against a plethora of threatening physical attackers such as Kartana, Tapu Bulu, Lopunny-Mega, Mawile-Mega and Kyurem-Black. The last slot is here to help with the standard psychic threats such as the Lati twins, Tapu Lele and Alakazam-Mega by either crippling them with Thunder Wave or removing them with Fairium Z Fleur Cannon if there isn't another Z user on the team. However, it is also useful for hindering other pokemon like Heatran or Ferrothorn that don't take much from Fleur Cannon, Volt Switch or Ice Beam or ensuring a KO on the likes of Tyranitar-Mega, Kyurem-Black and chipped Clefable.

Submission for Week 1 are now closed. Voting phase has now begun.

The submissions are:
1. Physical Magearna by TPH
2. Shuca lure by callmebomb
3. Super-slow pivot by Proftreez
4. Physically Defensive by CM Reuniclus

Deadline: 11:59PM 23rd November 2023 GMT + 5:30

Gonna run through my thoughts on the vote selection real quick since I like funny sets.

Physical Gear is a particularly funny one that I am partial to due my early expiriences expirimenting with HO, however it lacks consistency in breaking and often times you end up throwing away an SG Gear to deal 50% on a Tran that will lefties heal to full anyway lol.

Shuca Gear is a relatively established set that notably accentuates Magearna's capacity as a pivot, being able to bruteforce through the grounds rather than giving up momentum. However, I often find Shuca to be a waste to reasons I will go over with the next set, and I would not run Heart Swap in combination with Ice Beam, though the special attack investment alongside a Modest nature is something I very much am a fan of on pivot variations of Gear.

With all that being said, my vote goes to Physically Defensive (particularly the Z variation for the general nuke) and it personally is my go-to in the builder. The additional physical bulk allows Gear to survive some ridiculous attacks (Fake Out into HJK from MMedi and +2 Hawlucha after rocks for example), and with the majority of Mons that can effectively threathen Gear often being demolished on switch-in, it transforms Magearna into one of the best trade Mons in the game and my choice for this week.

P.S:

CM Reuniclus said:

Physically Defensive Magearna

Magearna @ Leftovers / Fairium Z
Ability: Soul-Heart
EVs: 248 HP / 228 Def / 32 SpA
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 6 Spe
- Ice Beam
- Volt Switch
- Pain Split
- Thunder Wave / Fleur Cannon

Click to expand...

This spread retains the same Gliscor calc while netting you more defense. Note the rule of thumb dictates you use the nature that increases the higher base stat in EV spreads, because: O P T I M I Z A T I O N. Aight bye lol.

I vote for physical mag by CM Reuniclus because it has become one of its most defining sets.

I also like Proftreez' set, it is really funny. Seeing one of my paralysed mon being faster than this mag would just break my mind.
And shoutout to KaiserKaiba for introducing me to shift gear normal gem explosion magearna a while back

Maktyum said:

I vote for physical mag by CM Reuniclus because it has become one of its most defining sets.

I also like Proftreez' set, it is really funny. Seeing one of my paralysed mon being faster than this mag would just break my mind.
And shoutout to KaiserKaiba for introducing me to shift gear normal gem explosion magearna a while back

Click to expand...

Are you voting for Physically Defensive Mag or Physical SG Mag?

Cdijk16 said:

Are you voting for Physically Defensive Mag or Physical SG Mag?

Click to expand...

Yes physically defensive

Greninja is one of SM OU's most threatening offensive pokemon thanks to its amazing abilities, typing and movepool. The Offensive Battle Bond set is one of the tier's most threatening attackers and late game cleaners. Meanwhile, the Protean sets can lure and heavily damage many of the Battle Bond set's usual checks. It can also perform well as a Choice Scarf user and Hazard Setter on certain structures. Your goal this week is to post creative and viable movesets for Greninja that are

in its SmogDex entry. You have 4 days from now to post sets, after which the voting phaze will begin.
Note: The original deadline of October 28th was postponed by 2 days due to a lack of posts.
Deadline: November 30, 11:59PM, GMT + 5:30.

Work Up Ash Greninja

Greninja-Ash (M) @ Darkinium Z
Ability: Battle Bond
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Work Up
- Hydro Pump
- Dark Pulse
- Water Shuriken

Rather than a simple set, Work Up enables the pairing of power and versatility in one set. Greninja is no longer confined to a single move while still benefiting from a boost. I opted to remove spikes because I believe this Greninja gains more value from having a priority move rather than setting up spikes. The Z-Move Dark Pulse/hydropump further supports the decision to drop spikes, as it provides a significant power boost to break through defensive walls. Additionally, I find Protean much more effective for setting spikes, so I prefer to rely on teammates to handle that aspect. It is rather hard to add this greninja in a team but it can be really efficient.

Greninja @ Psychium Z
Ability: Protean
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Toxic Spikes
- Extrasensory
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Fire]

I'll be the first to admit this set is awful but who cares, we need submissions anyway. You can probably bluff being dual hazards and then nuke something that tries to take advantage of that. Have fun being walled by Heatran, but if your opponent hards Heatran on Gren t1 just click x at that point, not worth your time.

252 SpA Protean Greninja Shattered Psyche (160 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ SpD Toxapex: 252-296 (82.8 - 97.3%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Black Sludge recovery
252 SpA Protean Greninja Shattered Psyche (160 BP) vs. 252 HP / 68 SpD Venusaur-Mega: 356-422 (97.8 - 115.9%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO

you knew this was coming. you all knew this was coming.

Z-Happy Hour Greninja

Greninja (M) @ Normalium Z
Ability: Protean
EVs: 144 Atk / 112 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Happy Hour
- Gunk Shot
- Ice Beam
- Hidden Power [Fire] / Extrasensory

A similar idea to Z-Happy Hour Jirachi, Z-Happy Hour is an interesting tech on Greninja owing to the amount of switches it forces, enabling you to reasonably consistently set up, with an omniboost and a fun type change to boot. Obviously, Greninja is not particularly bulky, but you can take a surprising amount of resisted hits at +1 Def / +1 SpD (Protean, remember. Use it tactically against expected moves). You also have the obvious benefit of outspeeding most scarfers too if you can get your boost, which is nice.

Gunk Shot is a very good option here, as people tend to bring in stuff like Tapu Fini or Tangrowth as an answer to the suspected Ash-Gren, and you can then utterly disintegrate both of those at +1. It's also a good option to slam the multitudes of Fairy-types running rampant round OU. 144 Atk EVs are (far as I can work out) optimal, because it's the minimum amount to OHKO Tangrowth at +1 after rocks.

Ice Beam is another very standard choice owing to coverage for metagame threats such as Landorus, Gliscor, Garchomp, Kommo-O, Zapdos, Tornadus, etc. You only need 92 SpA EVs to score the OHKO onto Kartana from full without a boost, and obviously you'll utterly slam it at +1, but everything else was dumped into SpA anyway since Tangrowth is the only thing you need to EV for basically lol. It also conveniently enough OHKOs Tornadus at +1

The last move, however is pretty much entirely for filler - tailor it depending on your team composition. Hidden Power Fire is probably the best choice here, allowing Greninja to slam Ferrothorn, Mega Scizor, even things like Magnezone and Mawile when you're at +1; however pretty much anything is viable. Extrasensory is the other main option which gives you an out vs Kommo-O, Toxapex, and Mega Lopunny, so it's worth mentioning. You could at a push run Facade to handle status spammers and stall (funny calc incoming) but it's very situational.

Maxouille said:

Z-Dig greninja for you

Greninja (M) @ Groundium Z
Ability: Protean
EVs: 232 Atk / 24 SpA / 252 Spe
Hasty Nature
- Ice Beam
- Gunk Shot
- Spikes
- Dig

OHKO the two most popular Ash-gren wall : and , its a roll on full def pex but
232 Atk Protean Greninja Tectonic Rage (160 BP) vs. 252 HP / 252+ Def Toxapex: 222-264 (73 - 86.8%) -- 87.5% chance to OHKO after Stealth Rock and 1 layer of Spikes, so you can either do that or hit a gunk shot and hope he does not make a double switch hihihihihiihih

still deals great damages on neutral (eg: keldeo, manaphy), and can still run the wide variety of moves from protean gren's coverage and spikes/tspikes

Click to expand...

This moveset is copied move for move from the smogon analysis, therefore it isn't allowed in this thread.