Hello Smogon! If you read my last RMT, "The Blue Lagoon", you'll remember I put a ton of work into that team to not get anywhere with it. After spending a whole weekend building it, and avoiding auto-weather I had finally made the great team I was looking for. However, it was getting haxed frequently and along the way I figured out it would take an equal amount of effort to ladder with it as it would building it. I constantly found weaknesses with it and they weren't uncommon, I also found out more effective pokemon to fill the roles others had previously, and it would've taken at least another weekend to fine tune it to perfection. I decided to just dump it and move on.
My next step was making a test alt "Viper Venom" to relax and play some fun teams. I built 2 Drizzle teams, I wanted to test out things like Starmie, Dragonite, and Gyarados under rain. The first team I built was meh.... never played it except once a couple days ago. The second team came out and splashed me in the face as the next team I would be battling with (this was a much more effective splash than Magikarp's)! This team peaked at 1454, #11 on the ladder. Now that alts are banned, Viper Venom is just hanging up there lol.
Because weather teams are much easier to synergize than non-weather, I decided to base my team around Kevin Garrett's code for team building- #1-2 being the lead and lead support, #3-5 being the main core, and #6 tying up any loose ends. Toed would be #1, obviously. The main core was what made me instantly fall in love with this team. It begun with posts from Smogon, I had been itching to use Nidoqueen as one of the few great Terrakion counters and to try out a Life Orb+Sheer Force Toxic Spikes set I saw someone post. I also heard of Nidoking+Gyarados making an excellent combo for Yellow version, I had really been wanting to use them together either competitively or in-game, Gyarados has been my favorite pokemon for a long time and all through gen 4, so I know a thing or two about how to support it. Scizor completed the trio, I had seen one on the actual catridge game, and its battle stance is just super cool looking. Together these pokemon resisted all 17 types and didn't share a single weakness.
#2 and 6 were next. I needed something to set up Stealth Rock and further my team's resistance to boosted water attacks. Recovery for Gyarados and his SR weakness looked great as well. I thought about Jirachi, but it's been pissing me off too much to use it myself, plus the synergy isn't TOO great. I used a Life Orb Tinkerbell Celebi in the 2 slot to set up SR and punch Tyranitar's face off with Leaf Storm. Latias took #6 to further my water resistances. Just like my last team I had made an accidental color theme! (2 green, 2 blue, 2 red)
The next series of changes was where this team clicked. Jirachi and Ferrothorn were being assholes even with Scizor on my team, so I used Magnezone over Scizor. This didn't leave me Latios proof, and Celebi wasn't completely doing the job I had hoped it would do, so of course I used my own Ferrothorn. Both of these changes drastically improved my team, and I will elaborate on it in their individual sets. This finally made my team capable of competing with and even beating the big boys at the very top of the ladder!
@
Ability- Drizzle
Nature- Timid
EVs- 4 def, 252 spA, 252 spe
-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Perish Song
-Hydro Pump
Politoed starts the fun. Being faster than all of the other weather inducers isn't ideal, but the rest of my team along with Toed can handle them pretty well if I play right. I decided I to use the scarf set to turn Politoed into a vicious attacker along with my weather inducer. With the scarf Politoed can check all of the biggest weather threats, such as Excadrill, Arcanine, Landorus etc. and every other inducer bar Abomasnow. This means I don't have to rely on Azumarill to do so, which is really against my style- I would much rather fire off a boosted Surf or Hydro Pump and have a lower chance of Jellicent coming in to annoy my team.
I have always used Scarf on this team but the set previously included HP Grass (lol) and Focus Blast. HP Grass was meant to hit Water/Grounds and pure waters while Focus Blast was for Ferrothorn, neither were worth a moveslot. Perish Song was added because Gorebyss was REALLY pissing me off and Hydro Pump turns out to be crucial to gurantee certain KOs. Reuniclus could really take 1% more from Surf for a 2HKO and Thundurus survives a Surf at full health so it is very important to have. 4/5 accuracy always sucked for me so I still run Surf as the primary option, although Hydro Pump may be better overall. Ice Beam is essential coverage for Dragons like Dragonite, Garchomp, and Lati@s switch-ins.
@
Ability- Iron Barbs
Nature- Sassy
EVs- 252 HP, 88 def, 168 spD
IVs- 31/31/31/31/31/0
-Stealth Rock
-Leech Seed
-Power Whip
-Gyro Ball
Ferrothorn may centralize the OU metagame and I know it goes against my habit of originality but oh well. I loved Ferrothorn from the very first time I saw it (until I saw it on every other team of course). Anyway, this is your cookie cutter Ferrothorn set. It is here to absorb powerful attacks from both sides and support my team. SR is SR, Leech Seed is for any recovery I might need, and the attacks are just attacks, very powerful attacks. Suprisingly, I seldom ever use them. I could be running Protect in one of those slots to help me outstall scary things, but if I come across another Gyarados or something I may regret it.
Ferrothorn's support in general is irreplaceable. The only other SR+Leech Seed user is Celebi, who shares an Ice weakness with my other hazard setter, Nidoqueen, and is a very awkward fit on this team. Nidoqueen and Gyarados can be beat down by hazards, especially if an opposing Ferrothorn set up while Magnezone was raping it. Both come in on common threats to him. I have considered running more defense to have an easier time staying in on Excadrill, who hugely threatens my team.
@
Ability- Sheer Force
Nature- Bold
EVs- 248 HP, 120 def, 140 spA
-Toxic Spikes
-Earth Power
-Thunder
-Fire Blast
Ahh, some originality for the team. I love niche pokemon with a unique set of resistances, and Nidoqueen is my favorite right now. Nidoqueen is such a great counter to all kinds of fighting types, including Mienshao, Conkeldurr, and Scrafty(kinda). She brings the unique Fighting+Rock resistance so it can take some strain off Gyarados and check Terrakion. The EV spread deserves some explanation- 248 rounds down SR and Spikes damage, 120 hits a jump point in defense, and the remaining spA allows huge damage on pokemon like Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Scizor.
Toxic Spikes are CRUCIAL to this team. Most of the biggest threats to this team (Garchomp, Taunt+Will-o-wisp Mew, Tyranitar, Blissey at times etc.) are owned by Toxic Spikes in conjuction with Latios. Earth Power is bread and butter STAB, Thunder abuses rain and nails Rotom-W while Fire Blast gives Scizor and Ferrothorn the burn (yes, even in rain). Ice Beam hits Gliscor, Lati@s, and the genies, all of whom are better dealt with by switching. Fire Blast is also nice for sun teams and Forretress.
@
Ability- Intimidate
Nature- Adamant
EVs- 72 HP, 252 atk, 184 spe
-Waterfall
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Ice Fang
Gyarados was one of the main reasons I made this team. Ive always been a huge fan of him and what better weather to use him in? Waterfall is obnoxiously powerful, im essentially firing off a banded STAB Outrage with no side effect. It's actually my main method of handling Reuniclus. Most of the other moves are pretty filler. Earthquake is to 2HKO Jellicent if it is softened up just a tad and if I want to hit Ferrothorn. Stone Edge is QuakeEdge and Ice Fang is to nail Dragonite and Lati@s.
Unfortunately, Gyarados seems to be the weakest fit in the team. It doesn't help out too much against the Excadrill and Garchomp im so weak to but it does clear my absence of a strong physical attacker and lure in set up bait for my other pokemon in one. Rotom-W and Ferrothorn that come in, say hi to Latias and Magnezone! It may leave me weak to these threats, annoying things and SR but no pokemon is perfect.
@
Ability- Magnet Pull
Nature- Modest
EVs- 252 HP, 56 spA, 64 spD, 136 spe
-Substitute
-Charge Beam
-Thunder
-Hidden Power (Ice)/Flash Cannon
Magnezone was put in this slot to trap annoying things. I accidentally discovered just how incredibly amazing the synergy it shares with Latias is on the way! To put it blunty, if you run HP Fire to deal with the specially bulky steels Ferrothorn and Jirachi, you're gonna fail. SubCharge is the only way past them. It's subs will only ever survive one Power Whip from Ferrothorn, but it can take two Body Slams from Jirachi. Most of the time you will get past them+another pokemon and Latias will just love you for it. Sometimes a Tyranitar even comes in to eat Flash Cannon!
The EV spread is kinda complex. The HP allows for the biggest subs, the spA investment allows for great power, the spD lets it takes Hurricanes/Scalds better and the speed outruns Jellicent, Skarmory and Nidoqueen. I have considered Thunderbolt over Thunder so I can hit Ninetails for an OHKO after a few boosts but that takes away the rain abusing factor. Its fun to watch its spA skyrocket from 341 to over 1000! It surely helps Gyarados and Latias a ton!
@
Ability- Levitate
Nature- Timid
EVs- 240 HP, 16 spA, 252 spe
-Substitute
-Calm Mind
-Roost
-Dragon Pulse
Here she is, once again a favorite of mine. Toxic Spikes support is a huge boost to her as she can now beat (or at least seriously harm) annoying Chansey, Tyranitar, and Mew. Breaking down any of those is hugely beneficial to me. Against sun, if I can get some CMs up the only common sweeper that can hurt me is Sawsbuck, and it can only do so with contact attacks, meaning Ferrothorn will add sting to the Life Orb and possible Double-Edge damage. Venusaur, Ninetales, Infernape etc. cant do a thing 1 v. 1.
Once the bulky annoying steels are trapped along with her normal counters being crippled Latias can get VERY scary. Substitute is the best set in this case so nothing can come in and Pursuit her and bulky things bar the blobs can't lay a status. Little subseeders and sleepers including Celebi, Breloom, Shaymin, and Roserade are handled by this set as well. I have actually considered Roar over Roost and relying on bulk and/or Leech Seed to stay healthy, allowing me to set up alongside Sigilyph, Reuniclus, and Virizion. However, it seems worse in the long run and because of Substitute the odds are in my favor of winning through a crit.
Gorebyss- Extremely annoying to deal with, if the guy using it has a good sense of basic prediction and I don't have T-spikes up im in a bad spot. Such a cheap prick like Gliscor and Metagross last gen.
Deoxys-S- The other annoying threat to this team. I can't really do a thing about it setting up, and the following sweepers can oftentimes overpower me if it carries screens. Not that SR and Spikes aren't annoying enough.
-As for changes I am considering Forretress over one of my current steels and a Moxie DD set on Gyarados.
Thanks for reading and please RMT!
My next step was making a test alt "Viper Venom" to relax and play some fun teams. I built 2 Drizzle teams, I wanted to test out things like Starmie, Dragonite, and Gyarados under rain. The first team I built was meh.... never played it except once a couple days ago. The second team came out and splashed me in the face as the next team I would be battling with (this was a much more effective splash than Magikarp's)! This team peaked at 1454, #11 on the ladder. Now that alts are banned, Viper Venom is just hanging up there lol.
Team Building Process-
Because weather teams are much easier to synergize than non-weather, I decided to base my team around Kevin Garrett's code for team building- #1-2 being the lead and lead support, #3-5 being the main core, and #6 tying up any loose ends. Toed would be #1, obviously. The main core was what made me instantly fall in love with this team. It begun with posts from Smogon, I had been itching to use Nidoqueen as one of the few great Terrakion counters and to try out a Life Orb+Sheer Force Toxic Spikes set I saw someone post. I also heard of Nidoking+Gyarados making an excellent combo for Yellow version, I had really been wanting to use them together either competitively or in-game, Gyarados has been my favorite pokemon for a long time and all through gen 4, so I know a thing or two about how to support it. Scizor completed the trio, I had seen one on the actual catridge game, and its battle stance is just super cool looking. Together these pokemon resisted all 17 types and didn't share a single weakness.
#2 and 6 were next. I needed something to set up Stealth Rock and further my team's resistance to boosted water attacks. Recovery for Gyarados and his SR weakness looked great as well. I thought about Jirachi, but it's been pissing me off too much to use it myself, plus the synergy isn't TOO great. I used a Life Orb Tinkerbell Celebi in the 2 slot to set up SR and punch Tyranitar's face off with Leaf Storm. Latias took #6 to further my water resistances. Just like my last team I had made an accidental color theme! (2 green, 2 blue, 2 red)
The next series of changes was where this team clicked. Jirachi and Ferrothorn were being assholes even with Scizor on my team, so I used Magnezone over Scizor. This didn't leave me Latios proof, and Celebi wasn't completely doing the job I had hoped it would do, so of course I used my own Ferrothorn. Both of these changes drastically improved my team, and I will elaborate on it in their individual sets. This finally made my team capable of competing with and even beating the big boys at the very top of the ladder!
The Final Team
In Depth
In Depth
Ability- Drizzle
Nature- Timid
EVs- 4 def, 252 spA, 252 spe
-Surf
-Ice Beam
-Perish Song
-Hydro Pump
Politoed starts the fun. Being faster than all of the other weather inducers isn't ideal, but the rest of my team along with Toed can handle them pretty well if I play right. I decided I to use the scarf set to turn Politoed into a vicious attacker along with my weather inducer. With the scarf Politoed can check all of the biggest weather threats, such as Excadrill, Arcanine, Landorus etc. and every other inducer bar Abomasnow. This means I don't have to rely on Azumarill to do so, which is really against my style- I would much rather fire off a boosted Surf or Hydro Pump and have a lower chance of Jellicent coming in to annoy my team.
I have always used Scarf on this team but the set previously included HP Grass (lol) and Focus Blast. HP Grass was meant to hit Water/Grounds and pure waters while Focus Blast was for Ferrothorn, neither were worth a moveslot. Perish Song was added because Gorebyss was REALLY pissing me off and Hydro Pump turns out to be crucial to gurantee certain KOs. Reuniclus could really take 1% more from Surf for a 2HKO and Thundurus survives a Surf at full health so it is very important to have. 4/5 accuracy always sucked for me so I still run Surf as the primary option, although Hydro Pump may be better overall. Ice Beam is essential coverage for Dragons like Dragonite, Garchomp, and Lati@s switch-ins.
Ability- Iron Barbs
Nature- Sassy
EVs- 252 HP, 88 def, 168 spD
IVs- 31/31/31/31/31/0
-Stealth Rock
-Leech Seed
-Power Whip
-Gyro Ball
Ferrothorn may centralize the OU metagame and I know it goes against my habit of originality but oh well. I loved Ferrothorn from the very first time I saw it (until I saw it on every other team of course). Anyway, this is your cookie cutter Ferrothorn set. It is here to absorb powerful attacks from both sides and support my team. SR is SR, Leech Seed is for any recovery I might need, and the attacks are just attacks, very powerful attacks. Suprisingly, I seldom ever use them. I could be running Protect in one of those slots to help me outstall scary things, but if I come across another Gyarados or something I may regret it.
Ferrothorn's support in general is irreplaceable. The only other SR+Leech Seed user is Celebi, who shares an Ice weakness with my other hazard setter, Nidoqueen, and is a very awkward fit on this team. Nidoqueen and Gyarados can be beat down by hazards, especially if an opposing Ferrothorn set up while Magnezone was raping it. Both come in on common threats to him. I have considered running more defense to have an easier time staying in on Excadrill, who hugely threatens my team.
Ability- Sheer Force
Nature- Bold
EVs- 248 HP, 120 def, 140 spA
-Toxic Spikes
-Earth Power
-Thunder
-Fire Blast
Ahh, some originality for the team. I love niche pokemon with a unique set of resistances, and Nidoqueen is my favorite right now. Nidoqueen is such a great counter to all kinds of fighting types, including Mienshao, Conkeldurr, and Scrafty(kinda). She brings the unique Fighting+Rock resistance so it can take some strain off Gyarados and check Terrakion. The EV spread deserves some explanation- 248 rounds down SR and Spikes damage, 120 hits a jump point in defense, and the remaining spA allows huge damage on pokemon like Tyranitar, Ferrothorn, and Scizor.
Toxic Spikes are CRUCIAL to this team. Most of the biggest threats to this team (Garchomp, Taunt+Will-o-wisp Mew, Tyranitar, Blissey at times etc.) are owned by Toxic Spikes in conjuction with Latios. Earth Power is bread and butter STAB, Thunder abuses rain and nails Rotom-W while Fire Blast gives Scizor and Ferrothorn the burn (yes, even in rain). Ice Beam hits Gliscor, Lati@s, and the genies, all of whom are better dealt with by switching. Fire Blast is also nice for sun teams and Forretress.
Ability- Intimidate
Nature- Adamant
EVs- 72 HP, 252 atk, 184 spe
-Waterfall
-Earthquake
-Stone Edge
-Ice Fang
Gyarados was one of the main reasons I made this team. Ive always been a huge fan of him and what better weather to use him in? Waterfall is obnoxiously powerful, im essentially firing off a banded STAB Outrage with no side effect. It's actually my main method of handling Reuniclus. Most of the other moves are pretty filler. Earthquake is to 2HKO Jellicent if it is softened up just a tad and if I want to hit Ferrothorn. Stone Edge is QuakeEdge and Ice Fang is to nail Dragonite and Lati@s.
Unfortunately, Gyarados seems to be the weakest fit in the team. It doesn't help out too much against the Excadrill and Garchomp im so weak to but it does clear my absence of a strong physical attacker and lure in set up bait for my other pokemon in one. Rotom-W and Ferrothorn that come in, say hi to Latias and Magnezone! It may leave me weak to these threats, annoying things and SR but no pokemon is perfect.
Ability- Magnet Pull
Nature- Modest
EVs- 252 HP, 56 spA, 64 spD, 136 spe
-Substitute
-Charge Beam
-Thunder
-Hidden Power (Ice)/Flash Cannon
Magnezone was put in this slot to trap annoying things. I accidentally discovered just how incredibly amazing the synergy it shares with Latias is on the way! To put it blunty, if you run HP Fire to deal with the specially bulky steels Ferrothorn and Jirachi, you're gonna fail. SubCharge is the only way past them. It's subs will only ever survive one Power Whip from Ferrothorn, but it can take two Body Slams from Jirachi. Most of the time you will get past them+another pokemon and Latias will just love you for it. Sometimes a Tyranitar even comes in to eat Flash Cannon!
The EV spread is kinda complex. The HP allows for the biggest subs, the spA investment allows for great power, the spD lets it takes Hurricanes/Scalds better and the speed outruns Jellicent, Skarmory and Nidoqueen. I have considered Thunderbolt over Thunder so I can hit Ninetails for an OHKO after a few boosts but that takes away the rain abusing factor. Its fun to watch its spA skyrocket from 341 to over 1000! It surely helps Gyarados and Latias a ton!
Ability- Levitate
Nature- Timid
EVs- 240 HP, 16 spA, 252 spe
-Substitute
-Calm Mind
-Roost
-Dragon Pulse
Here she is, once again a favorite of mine. Toxic Spikes support is a huge boost to her as she can now beat (or at least seriously harm) annoying Chansey, Tyranitar, and Mew. Breaking down any of those is hugely beneficial to me. Against sun, if I can get some CMs up the only common sweeper that can hurt me is Sawsbuck, and it can only do so with contact attacks, meaning Ferrothorn will add sting to the Life Orb and possible Double-Edge damage. Venusaur, Ninetales, Infernape etc. cant do a thing 1 v. 1.
Once the bulky annoying steels are trapped along with her normal counters being crippled Latias can get VERY scary. Substitute is the best set in this case so nothing can come in and Pursuit her and bulky things bar the blobs can't lay a status. Little subseeders and sleepers including Celebi, Breloom, Shaymin, and Roserade are handled by this set as well. I have actually considered Roar over Roost and relying on bulk and/or Leech Seed to stay healthy, allowing me to set up alongside Sigilyph, Reuniclus, and Virizion. However, it seems worse in the long run and because of Substitute the odds are in my favor of winning through a crit.
Threats
Gorebyss- Extremely annoying to deal with, if the guy using it has a good sense of basic prediction and I don't have T-spikes up im in a bad spot. Such a cheap prick like Gliscor and Metagross last gen.
Deoxys-S- The other annoying threat to this team. I can't really do a thing about it setting up, and the following sweepers can oftentimes overpower me if it carries screens. Not that SR and Spikes aren't annoying enough.
Considered Changes
-As for changes I am considering Forretress over one of my current steels and a Moxie DD set on Gyarados.
Thanks for reading and please RMT!
