UFI (Analysed ep.21)

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1

“WW91IHNlZT8gVGhhdCB3YXNuJ3Qgd29ydGggaXQsIHJpZ2h0Pw==”
-UFI

Hi guys, girls and everything in-between! I have to admit it, I knew you wouldn’t vote for an existing Pokémon so I got an Insurgence exclusive one. I decided to go for UFI because… hey, its viable in OU. I do have to say that it is a very unconventional trapper and I needed a little bit of time to really understand how he worked. Nonetheless, here I am. Also, can we talk about how cool this Pokémon is? Astrophysics is just my favourite thing out there and I love all its references.

Be warned, since there is no competitive usage stats avaliable, I do not have any reliable ways to accurately predict the metagame. This analysis is theoretical and does not entirely reflect a Pokémon’s viability.

Typing, Stats, Ability & Movepool

Psychic/Electric
Ability: Event Horizon
Hp: 100
Atk: 100
Def: 100
SpA: 100
SpD: 100
Spe: 100

UFI has a very unusual role in Ins. OU. It is, as far as I can remember, unusual in every way. It has an unusual typing, signature ability and at least 2 signature moves, all having unusual effects. In that regard, it is no surprise that UFI is probably the only Pokémon able to fulfill it’s niche. In general, it seems to best fit on Stall and Semi-Stall teams.

UFI’s typing is interesting. It possesses notable weaknesses in common types like Ground, Bug, Ghost and Dark, but also possesses very interesting resistances in Fighting, Steel, Flying, Psychic and Electric. Some of them are especially interesting coupled with its ability, more on that later. Offensively, its not very outstanding but still has applications. Its movepool is probably its saving grace.

Its signature ability Event Horizon is:

  1. Very fitting for its effect
  2. Very useful for Stall teams.

IRL, the event horizon is the point where a black hole’s gravity become too strong to be escaped from, IRL, the event horizon is the point where a black hole’s gravity becomes too strong to be escaped from, even for visible light. In UFI’s case, it traps any Pokémon using a contact move (except for ghost types, obviously). This has some very good implications. Combined to its typing, it becomes very good at trapping some of the most dangerous Steel, Fighting and Flying types due to them often carrying contact moves. Non Earthquake Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, Talonflame, Mega Heracross, Mega Delta Bisharp, Jirachi, Mega Delta Scizor, Mega Gallade lacking Knock Off, Mega Delta Gallade, Mega Medicham and Talonflame can be on its target list with the proper moves and conditions. Even Excadrill can be trapped with the proper move!

Movepool-wise, it really wants to have Flamethrower or Fire Blast, but Hidden Power Fire can fit the bill most of the time.

Sets suggestions

Defensive trapper

UFI @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Event Horizon
EVs: 252 HP / 196 Def / 60 Spe
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
-Wormhole / Psychic / Magnet Rise
-Thunderbolt / Magnet Rise
-Hidden Power [Fire]
-Nanorepair

This is probably the one used for Stall teams. It is simple, abuse contact moves and then remove the problem. The given EVs allows it to outspeed max speed Mega Szicor and prevent it from using U-Turn or Bug Bite.

Wormhole is a psychic type priority and Nanorepair works like Recover, but also giving a defense boost even if at max HP. Hidden Power Fire allows UFI to eliminate most trapped Steel types, notably Scizor and Mega Metagross.

Summary

UFI @ Leftovers / Rocky Helmet
Ability: Event Horizon
EVs: 252 HP / 92 Def / 164 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
-Magnet Rise
-Thunderbolt
-Hidden Power [Fire]
-Nanorepair

This set is special as it can outspeed and trap Excadrill, but loses the Psychic coverage on Fighting types. 164+ Spe allows it to outspeed 252+ Spe Excadrill and safely trap it. That can be very useful to remove this Rapid Spinner from the picture.

Stored Trapper

UFI @ Leftovers
Ability: Event Horizon
EVs: 252 HP / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
-Stored Power
-Calm Mind
-Thunderbolt
-Nanorepair

This set uses its ability to trap the mons it checks and use them as setup fodder for a Stored Power set. Thunderbolt can be ditched for Autotomize, but it requires any Dark Types to be disposed of previously. I honestly don’t know if it is viable or not, but it seems so. It seems to be better adapted for Semi-Stall or Balanced teams. Its main competition is Mega Latias, which has superior Bulk, but cannot trap.

Other Options

Dark Pulse hits Mega Metagross harder, but have little use otherwise. A generic offensive set using Thunderbolt, Wormhole, Ice Beam and either U-Turn or Nanorepair could be used, but suffers from the myriad of stronger special attackers in the tier, namely Mega Gardevoir, Mega Delta Gardevoir, Mega Manectric, Mega Alakazam and Latios.

Good Teammates

Being a trapper makes it fit better on bulkier archetypes and some offensive teams that require specific threats to be removed.

  • Clefable-Skarmory-Chansey Stall cores like UFI being able to remove Pokémon threatening to Stall like Mega Medicham and Mega Metagross. In return, they gives Wish support, Cleric, switch-ins to all of its weaknesses and lure those threats. Neat!
  • Fighting Weak Pokémon like UFI being able to trap them and remove them. Mega Delta Gallade, Weavile and Heatran are prime examples.
  • Fighting types themselves like Breloom or Mega Delta Scizor like UFI removing physical Flying users, like most Gale Wings abusers with Brave Bird. In return they remove Dark types.
  • Toxic Spikes users can greatly weaken most Dark Types so the sweeper set becomes even more dangerous.
  • Specially bulky Pokémon can compliment its physically bulky sets.

Check and counters

  • Dark types are dangerous as they can fire off very strong Dark Pulses or Knock Off that either OHKOs or does extremely high damage, potentially removing items too.
  • Ghost types cannot be trapped and often use Shadow Ball to hit UFI on its weaker special side. Gengar is a very notable one as it outspeeds, but must worry about Wormhole.
  • Faster Bug types like Mega Delta Metagross(Spider) and Mega Pinsir can attack before UFI recovers and thus have a good chance to 2HKO.
  • Faster Ground types like Garchomp or Mega Delta Metagross(Spider) can dispose of UFI before it traps them. Also, Earthquake is not a contact move.
  • Special Wallbreaker cannot be trapped outside of Draining Kiss and they hit UFI on its weaker special side. Mega Delta Venusaur and Mega Delta Gardevoir are prime examples.
  • Mega Delta Medicham is a special Ground type Wallbreaker that can outspeed and OHKO. I mean, it would only need to be Dark type too to be a perfect counter. Oh wait…
  • Mega Delta Lucario is immune to its STABs, outspeeds, OHKOs and cannot be trapped via Earthquake.

Overall

UFI is a Pokémon that is hard to just slap on your team. It fits into specific teams and uses the most powerful mechanic in the game, trapping, and uses it in a way no others can do. For this reason, it will remain OU.

  • Mega Delta Venusaur (#NeverChosen)
  • Mega Delta Lucario
  • Mega Scizor
  • Delta Vespiqueen
  • Delta Registeel
  • Others (comments)
0 voters
3 Likes
2

can we just talk about how busted nanorepair is? i mean, most contact moves (except draining kiss, grass knot and smth else) are physical, so restoring hp by 50% + 1.5 def boost stops pretty much any physical attacker that isnt dark ground or ghost

1 Like
3

also damn we went 1 month or so without an episode and now we got 2 in the span of 3 days or so. wow

2 Likes
4

oh yeah forgot u turn lol

5

Its because I’m getting online class again. I have nothing else to do and since its the first week, I don’t have much to do in class. Getting back to the old rhythm.

6

makes sense. i have my finals in like 2 weeks lol
welp g2g cya

1 Like
7

So, I’m a grammar/spelling perfectionist when it comes to things like this, so I’ll put some edited paragraphs to make it easier to read. I agree with it being OU, maybe UU or RUBL, unless ofc, it’s Ubers due to trapping, but since it’s not as bad as Arena Trap/Shadow Tag, it should be fine. Another alternative to HP Fire is the useful Focus Blast, which can kill Heatran/Excadrill and 2HKO non SpD A-Tyranitar, with some investment. There is potential for the Scarf/Specs sets, though they may be outclassed. One thing to note is that U-Turning on UFI can deal plenty of damage and won’t get trapped.

UFI has a very unusual role in Ins. OU. It is, as far as I can remember, unusual in every way. It has an unusual typing, signature ability and at least 2 signature moves, all having unusual effects. In that regard, it is no surprise that UFI is probably the only Pokémon able to fulfill it’s niche. In general, it seems to best fit on Stall and Semi-Stall teams.

UFI’s typing is interesting. It possesses notable weaknesses in common types like Ground, Bug, Ghost and Dark, but also possesses very interesting resistances in Fighting, Steel, Flying, Psychic and Electric. Some of them are especially interesting coupled with its ability, more on that later. Offensively, its not very outstanding but still has applications. Its movepool is probably its saving grace.

–

IRL, the event horizon is the point where a black hole’s gravity becomes too strong to be escaped from, even for visible light. In UFI’s case, it traps any Pokémon using a contact move (except for ghost types, obviously). This has some very good implications. Combined to its typing, it becomes very good at trapping some of the most dangerous Steel, Fighting and Flying types due to them often carrying contact moves. Non Earthquake Mega Metagross, Mega Scizor, Talonflame, Mega Heracross, Mega Delta Bisharp, Jirachi, Mega Delta Scizor, Mega Gallade lacking Knock Off, Mega Delta Gallade, Mega Medicham and Talonflame can be on its target list with the proper moves and conditions. Even Excadrill can be trapped with the proper move!

Movepool-wise, it really wants to have Flamethrower or Fire Blast, but Hidden Power Fire can fit the bill most of the time.

–

This is probably the one used for Stall teams. It is simple, abuse contact moves and then remove the problem. The given EVs allows it to outspeed max speed Mega Szicor and prevent it from using U-Turn or Bug Bite.

Wormhole is a psychic type priority and Nanorepair works like Recover, but also giving a defense boost even if at max HP. Hidden Power Fire allows UFI to eliminate most trapped Steel types, notably Scizor and Mega Metagross.

This set is special as it can outspeed and trap Excadrill, but loses the Psychic coverage on Fighting types. 164+ Spe allows it to outspeed 252+ Spe Excadrill and safely trap it. That can be very useful to remove this Rapid Spinner from the picture.

This set uses its ability to trap the mons it checks and use them as setup fodder for a Stored Power set. Thunderbolt can be ditched for Autotomize, but it requires any Dark Types to be disposed of previously. I honestly don’t know if it is viable or not, but it seems so. It seems to be better adapted for Semi-Stall or Balanced teams. Its main competition is Mega Latias, which has superior Bulk, but cannot trap.

Dark Pulse hits Mega Metagross harder, but have little use otherwise. A generic offensive set using Thunderbolt, Wormhole, Ice Beam and either U-Turn or Nanorepair could be used, but suffers from the myriad of stronger special attackers in the tier, namely Mega Gardevoir, Mega Delta Gardevoir, Mega Manectric, Mega Alakazam and Latios.

–

Being a trapper makes it fit better on bulkier archetypes and some offensive teams that require specific threats to be removed.

  • Clefable-Skarmory-Chansey Stall cores like UFI being able to remove Pokémon threatening to Stall like Mega Medicham and Mega Metagross. In return, they gives Wish support, Cleric, switch-ins to all of its weaknesses and lure those threats. Neat!
  • Fighting weak Pokémon like UFI being able to trap them and remove them. Mega Delta Gallade, Weavile and Heatran are prime examples.
  • Fighting types themselves like Breloom or Mega Delta Scizor like UFI removing physical Flying users, like most Gale Wings abusers with Brave Bird. In return they remove Dark types.
  • Toxic Spikes users can greatly weaken most Dark Types so the sweeper set becomes even more dangerous.
  • Specially bulky Pokémon can compliment its physically bulky sets.

–

  • Dark types are dangerous as they can fire off very strong Dark Pulses or Knock Off that either OHKOs or does extremely high damage, potentially removing items too.
  • Ghost types cannot be trapped and often use Shadow Ball to hit UFI on its weaker special side. Gengar is a very notable one as it outspeeds, but must worry about Wormhole.
  • Faster Bug types like Mega Delta Metagross(Spider) and Mega Pinsir can attack before UFI recovers and thus have a good chance to 2HKO.
  • Faster Ground types like Garchomp or Mega Delta Metagross(Spider) can dispose of UFI before it traps them. Also, Earthquake is not a contact move.
  • Special Wallbreakers cannot be trapped outside of Draining Kiss and they hit UFI on its weaker special side. Mega Delta Venusaur and Mega Delta Gardevoir are prime examples.
  • Mega Delta Medicham is a special Ground type Wallbreaker that can outspeed and OHKO. I mean, it would only need to be Dark type too to be a perfect counter. Oh wait…
  • Mega Delta Lucario is immune to its STABs, outspeeds, OHKOs and cannot be trapped via Earthquake.

–

UFI is a Pokémon that is hard to just slap on your team. It fits into specific teams and uses the most powerful mechanic in the game, trapping, and uses it in a way no others can do. For this reason, it will remain OU.

1 Like