Nonetheless settling in throughout a frantic first week of this season, and nonetheless have the second meta of the GBL season (Shade Cup) to get to. However arriving first is the Pageant of Colours, and particularly the debut of humble BRUXISH. Let’s take a fast take a look at this grotesque beautiful fish in PvP.
BRUXISH IN A NUTSHELL
Bruxish
WaterPsychic
So briefly, by way of bulk… Brux doesn’t actually have any. It is vitally barely tankier than notable glass cannons like Scizor, Luxray, and Galvantula, and much less tanky than PvP superstars (it doesn’t present within the written phrase, however that is dripping with sarcasm) Sceptile, Mamoswine, Gallade, Gardevoir, Dragonite, and the Simi trio (Simisear, Simipour, Simisage). I do know, a few of these are legit massive names in PvP… however not in Nice League the place I’m primarily doing these comparisons! In equity, the identical is true of Extremely League the place a few of these do have extra play, however typically solely once they have strikes that may outrace the opposition, comparable to Dragonite with its Claw and Superpower, and Gallade with Leaf Blade and Shut Fight. May Bruxish have strikes that may overcome its flimsiness as effectively? Put a pin in that and we’ll circle again in a minute.
First, I do have to briefly contact on the typing. Water/Psychic is nothing new… it’s been round on the Kanto Slows since Gen1. It’s an odd mixture with no actual overlap, so Bruxish (and the Slows) include all the great and dangerous from every of the 2 typings. From Water comes resistances to Fireplace, Ice, Metal, and different Waters, and vulnerabilities to Electrical and Grass. From Psychic (the typing) come resistances to Combating and Psychic, and weaknesses to Darkish, Ghost, and Bug. Like I stated, finest (and worst) of each worlds, fairly actually.
Now how do its strikes look? Prettier than Brux does, I’ll say that!
BRUXISH MOVESET
Quick Strikes
- Confusion – Psychic sort, 4.0 DPT, 3.0 EPT, 2.0 CoolDown
- Water Gun – Water sort, 3.0 DPT, 3.0 EPT, 0.5 CD
- Chunk – Darkish sort, 4.0 DPT, 2.0 EPT, 0.5 CD
I haven’t talked about them a lot but, however there are some main shades of Kanto Slowbro/king/poke in Bruxish. Not simply within the typing, but in addition the strikes. Brux has the identical two quick strikes that they do: Confusion and Water Gun. Neither are wonderful strikes, however Confusion offers very excessive harm whereas nonetheless producing common quantities of vitality, and is normally most popular on the Slows over Water Gun. That stated, Gun is rather a lot simpler to make use of (no lengthy cooldown like Confusion, which might problematic typically when racing to cost strikes) and is most popular in some restricted metas, like Love Cup.
Nevertheless, Bruxish comes with a third quick transfer that the Slows lack, one which seems to be relatively tame (and in fact is not a transfer you’d normally think about in Open play), however may need unbelievable play in somewhat over every week: Chunk. It doesn’t get STAB like the opposite two strikes, and that vitality technology will trigger people to usually keep away. However subsequent week, we revisit Psychic Cup… a format during which Chunk offers tremendous efficient harm to all however 5 issues (Fighters Medicham and Gallade, Darkish sort Malamar, and Fairies Gardevoir and Galarian Rapidash). I odor a one week marvel within the making!
However exterior of that… yeah, normally it’s simply gonna be set it and overlook it with Confusion, and MAYBE the occasional Water Gun relying on the Cup Of The Week.
Fortunately, their common vitality technology isn’t a lot of an issue with spammy cost strikes like these!
Cost Strikes
- Psychic Fangs – Psychic sort, 40 harm, 35 vitality, Reduces Opponent Protection -1 Stage
- Aqua Tail – Water sort, 50 harm, 35 vitality
- Crunch – Darkish sort, 70 harm, 45 vitality, 30% Probability: Cut back Opponent Protection -1 Stage
Psychic, Water, and Darkish once more… gotta love synergy. Bruxish might lack closing energy (Crunch is the very best it will get, with solely 70 harm), nevertheless it makes up for it with the stress from its quick strikes and spam galore right here. Each Psychic Fangs and Aqua Tail price solely 35 vitality, so it takes solely 3 Confusions (or 12 Water Weapons) to get to them, and even Crunch is just one additional Confusion or 3 Water Weapons on high of that.
GREAT LEAGUE
So how does that translate to actual success? Properly, first I’m going to throw out the Open GL numbers, after which inform you why they’re really a lot better than that first seems. Notice a number of the names on that winlist. Medicham. Azumarill. Swampert. Pelipper. Dunsparce. Vigoroth. Toxicroak. Alolan Ninetales. Walrein. Froslass. Venusaur. Toxapex. Talonflame. And extra in addition to. That could be a GOOD checklist of names, no? Not even Slowbro with future Community Day move Surf can defeat Pelipper, Venusaur, Toxapex, Froslass, or Shadow Swampert like Bruxish can. Brux has spam potential that even Surf Slowbro can solely dream of, and particularly, Psychic Fangs and its fixed weakening of the opponent solely makes Bruxish’s quick strikes all of the extra devastating. This can be a good little core breaker on the best way, people!
And one that is still remarkably constant in 2v2 shielding, retaining all 1v1 protect wins besides Cofagrigus… however changing it with Charizard. The one downer? With out closing energy, Brux really struggles with shields down. It succumbs to its wounds earlier than it could possibly end most issues off, although at the least Medicham is counted amongst its quick checklist of wins even right here.
Earlier than we briefly transfer on to Extremely, circling again on Psychic Cup to indicate off what it could possibly do with its Darkish strikes… yeah, it’s going to be a BEAST. 
Extra on that subsequent week as we dig into the brand new (and improved?) Psychic Cup meta, however for now, I strongly suggest grinding for a very good Bruxish whereas it’s round. You WILL need it for that format… and as I’ve hopefully proven, it’s only a couple TMs away from doubtlessly long run use after that as effectively. (Together with perhaps in Color Cup? 
) I DO RECOMMEND BUILDING BRUXISH FOR GREAT LEAGUE, in case that wasn’t already clear. 
Now on to Extremely to wrap this evaluation up.
ULTRA LEAGUE
So the variety of wins in Ultra League is similar to Nice League… however that’s a nasty factor, for the reason that variety of losses is definitely bigger. Worse, there’s no Medicham or Azumarill or Toxapex or the prefer to abuse right here, and others that it beat in Nice League can catch up and flip the script at this stage, like Swampert. It turns into extra of a task participant in Extremely, beating up on Fighters and Poisons and Fires, and a smattering of Water and Ice varieties, and a pair outstanding Fairies (A-Ninetales and Granbull). However its position actually ends there, with many staples of the meta getting away. Many greater than is true in Nice League, anyway. The shortage of closing energy actually catches as much as it right here, and of the 2, it’s now Slowbro that starts to pull away due to harder-hitting cost strikes. So when you CAN construct an UL Bruxish… I might simply maintain off and watch for Slowpoke Group Day and construct up a Slowbro (or Slowking) as an alternative.
FESTIVAL OF COLORS TIPS?
I actually meant this to stay to only Brux, however briefly concerning the remainder of the occasion:
- MEGA MEDICHAM isn’t actually one thing I anticipate to ever hit PvP, but when it even turned potential, it would be interesting in Ultra League.
- This seems to be like a terrific occasion to grind Sweet XL for WOBBUFFET, which is spicy enough for Great League use so long as you’ll be able to max it out, and the one you’re maxing out is purified with Return. In any other case, it doesn’t actually have a second cost transfer!
- Equally, any occasion the place LICKITUNG is within the wild is one other alternative to grind XLs and work on one of these beasts. Good luck!
- Wingull is an occasion spawn, and PELIPPER is instantly really, really good once more. XLs not wanted right here (until you need the spicy Ultra League Pelipper
), nevertheless it’s a good time to hunt good IVs, at the least. - STUNKY, BURMY (Trash Cloak), and GALARIAN ZIGZAGOON are value looking round for as effectively, with their evolutions being fairly helpful in Nice League (and Extremely, in Zig’s case).
- Amongst raids, DRUDDIGON stays helpful in sure codecs (and the shiny is wonderful), and HO-OH is and certain at all times will likely be a Grasp League staple, presenting one other sweet/XL grinding alternative.
Alright, now let’s wrap it up!
FINAL THOUGHTS
To reiterate another time: in case you have any intention of attempting Psychic Cup (now or sooner or later), go discover a good Bruxish this week. It’s quirky sufficient (and completely different from the Tremendous Sluggish Bros. sufficient) that it ought to discover use in future GL metas as effectively, and even perhaps Open! Don’t fear an excessive amount of about UL although.
And that’s it for in the present day! Till subsequent time (which shouldn’t be lengthy from now!), you’ll be able to at all times discover me on Twitter with common evaluation nuggets or Patreon, in case you’re feeling additional beneficiant.
Till then, be secure on the market, Pokéfriends. Good looking (or ought to I say fishing?), and catch you subsequent time!
The submit A PvP Evaluation on Bruxish (and the Pageant of Colours) appeared first on Pokémon GO Hub.
