Natu

Magic Bounce has carved Natu an interesting niche in the NU metagame, allowing it to shut down several support Pokemon that rely on status, phazing, or entry hazard setting, such as Alomomola, Bastiodon, and Tangela, and can therefore single-handedly wall most stall-oriented teams; it also stops the lesser known but deadly Riolu phazing strategy. Furthermore, the utility Magic Bounce boasts prevents the opposition from obliviously laying entry hazards and spreading status around, an external support tactic no Pokemon but Natu can rightfully claim in NU. However, Natu is very underwhelming itself, as even with Eviolite and a generally maximized Defense stat, Natu is still hit quite hard by many relatively powerful physical attackers. Thus, a skilled user who excels in prediction is required to play completely to Natu's strengths, as switching Natu in on the wrong move or allowing the opponent to set up entry hazards will essentially make it a wasted slot. In essence, Natu is completely reliant on its ability and support moves to cause any kind of nuisances, which makes it a risky Pokemon to use and setup bait for a myriad of sweepers, such as Bulk Up Braviary, Nasty Plot Jynx, and Swords Dance Samurott.