Before you wonder to yourself, "who is this person, and why, for his first post on the Smogon forums, is he taking charge of a whole thread in the popular RMT section?", I must introduce myself. I go by the name of "Trickzio" on these forums (as you may or may not have noticed), and on the Pokemon Online server I'm known as Parazihtez and Porygonitez, which both have name styles you may not agree with, but I like them and that is my ultimate opinion on the subject. If you really need to know, I've been browsing through a few posts on this forum and decided today would be a nice time to sign up. Pardon if I use a few Japanese names during this.
Anyways, a brief outline of my battle experience (and play style) is/are probably one of the more necessary pieces of information required for you to successfully rate my team. I was once an active member of the D/P/P and early B/W community back about 2 years ago, before I got a Mac laptop and had to find a way to install PO on that. I was a great user of stall techniques and my teams usually operated with rare yet effective type synergy using uncommon Pokemon in standard play such as Slowbro and Registeel. When I finally got past my stupidity and managed to download PO, the metagame had changed. A lot. Though not quite as dominant as it used to be through some effective bans, weather is still a prevalent force in the OU metagame and should be considered as such. Thus, I decided to assemble a team which would combat weather effectively yet at the same time continue the stall techniques which I was so experienced with. Through this experience with bulky stallers and inexperience with frail yet rewarding Pokemon, I've come to handle them less effectively than I wish to. This is where I need your help.
I must say, a lot of this team is still quite bulky, but there are a few Pokemon (such as Ambipom and Weavile) that I would NEVER use on any normal team. I have yet to come up with a team name.
Weaknesses:
-Sun Teams are a HUGE threat, especially when Latios is down.
Lets Get Started!
Ambipom @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252Atk / 252Spe / 4HP
Adamant Nature
-Fake Out
-Double Hit
-Low Sweep
-U-turnSay hello to possibly one of the most underestimated Pokemon in standard play. A Pokemon usually limited to UU, this standard Ambipom does just as great a job in OU, 2HKOing many a lead in this unforgiving metagame with a combination of Silk Scarf-boosted (+ Technician) Fake Out, followed by SS-boosted Double Hit or one of the other coverage moves. I'm not sure if I'm utilising this Pokemon correctly at this time but I'm ultimately happy with its ability to outspeed and surprise a huge portion of the metagame, including unsuspecting foe such as Breloom that lacks Mach Punch. U-turn can be used for some early game scouting, as mid game Ambipom is pretty risky to use because of its frailty. I can also use it to hit Psychic, Dark and Grass types for significant damage before switching into a designated counter. Conkeldurr counters this set with ease, as it can shrug off any one of my attacks and hit back with STAB Drain Punch or +1 Mach Punch. Low Sweep is mainly for stuff such as Tyranitar but it is rarely used because most of the players would expect a Fighting-type coverage move on this Pokemon.
Weavile @ Choice Band
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252Atk / 252 Spe / 4HP
Jolly Nature
-Night Slash
-Pursuit
-Ice Shard
-Low Kick
Yep. A Choice Band Weavile set. There used to be a lot of things wrong with this set, but sometimes I feel the need to play Pursuit mindgames with Psychics and Pokemon such as Gengar. Ice Shard is there to take out Dragon Dancers like Salamence and Dragonite with ease. Low Kick nails hopeful Pokemon such as Heatran and Tyranitar coming in for a free turn if I predict them coming. Night Slash is pretty self-explanatory. Weavile is unable to take a hit, and the only times it gets a chance to switch in are on Psychic attacks and on boosting sweepers. That said, Weavile is a mixed bag for me. On one hand, I can use it as a revenge killer with Ice Shard and its already incredible speed, but on the other hand it's outsped by a ton of Scarfed threats. Mach Punch is also a problem for this Poke, but even worse considering the 4x weakness to fighting. It is also weak to CB Scizor, the most common Pokemon in standard play.
Slowbro @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252HP / 240Def / 16SpA
Bold Nature
-Scald
-Fire Blast
-Slack Off
-Thunder Wave
Okay. The moment you saw Slowbro, you said to yourself, "I thought this was a Standard OU RMT - someone move this to UU!" Fortunately, that is not the case. This beastly mon is just as effective in OU as it is in UU, or arguably even better, due to the near absence of effective counters compared to the amount in UU. Slowbro is the ultimate bane of Infernape's existence - even a ThunderPunch from a CB and Iron Fist boosted Infernape only has a 12% chance to 2HKO when factoring in lefties recovery. It also has the ability to force out Choice-locked Scizor, and surprise KOs Scizor and other 4x fire weak Pokemon, 2HKOing specially defensive Ferrothorn. Scald can potentially cripple unsuspecting physical sweepers, and Thunder Wave is hated by any Pokemon, physical or special. Slack Off and Regenerator together guarantee that this dimwitted Pokemon will be healthy for more than a couple of turns.
The only thing that Slowbro doesn't have going for it is its unfortunate Psychic typing. This means that if Scizor isn't choice locked then Pursuit or U-turn will dent it, and while this can be slightly mitigated by Regenerator and Slack Off, it prevents Slowbro from being the defensive threat it dreams of...
Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Rain Dish
EVs: 252HP / 236Def / 20Spe
Bold Nature
-Toxic Spikes
-Scald
-Rapid Spin
-Hidden Power (Fire)This set was suggested by Kalbot to perform over my sometimes unsatisfactory Hitmontop. It consists of the standard TSpikes set seen in the battlefield, with a few necessary twists. This Tentacruel has the ability to outspeed and severely damage Adamant Breloom before becoming a target for sleep. Covering up my team's previous specially based fire type weakness, Tentacruel serves as a good answer for rain teams with Rain Dish. It's ability to spin away entry hazards is invaluable, and Toxic Spikes are always a great asset to a team. Scald cripples incoming physical attackers, potentially making Tentacruel an effective mixed wall with a typing that has excellent synergy with the rest of the team. Black Sludge is not enjoyed by mischievous and unsuspecting Trick-users, who soon after want their Choice items back.
Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252SpA / 252Spe / 4HP
Timid Nature
-Surf
-Draco Meteor
-Hidden Power (Fire)
-ThunderboltLatios was an addition to my team over my Jirachi that wasn't working very well... Latios, on the other hand, speeds into battle, outspeeding most unboosted opponents with an incredible 110 Base Speed combined with a Choice Scarf. Surf is for coverage, Psyshock to beat Chansey/Blissey and Dragon Pulse if I'm feeling that Latios will stay in longer for more than a few turns. Despite not being as powerful as Specs Latios, it functions as a great revenge killer if I think Weavile isn't strong enough to nail a select few Pokemon. A few tweaks were made on Rwhite84's suggestion, such as the removal of Dragon Pulse and Psyshock for more coverage options. The only thing is that I have to be careful on whhen to switch in and what to switch in on because of Latios' additional common weaknesses thanks to it's Psychic typing.
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Thorns
EVs: 252HP / 88Def / 168SpD
IVs: OSpe
Relaxed Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Leech Seed
-Power Whip
-Gyro BallAlright. Ferro is here to do what he does best, and that is to tank a TON of hits with his great defensive typing, hit back with a surprisingly powerful STAB Gyro Ball and Power Whip, preventing it from becoming complete set up bait, and stalling with Leech Seed. Stealth Rocks is in place instead of Spikes because otherwise I would have no reliable Stealth Rock placer. I enjoy Stealth Rock better because it dents so many offensive threats upon switch in (including but not limited to Volcarona, Salamence, Dragonite and Tornadus). Just like Bronzong before it, Ferrothorn holds my team together, and can switch in repeatedly to powerful attacks. Unfortunately, my precious check to everything lacks reliable recovery so I'll have to rely on Leech Seed and Leftovers if he gets smashed unexpectedly by a Specs Fire Blast Gyarados or something.
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 80HP / 252Atk / 176Spe
Adamant Nature
-Substitute
-Wish
-Body Slam
-Iron HeadJirachi, is, quite ironically, one of my most hated Pokemon, and before creating this team I vowed never to use it.
Then... one fateful night... it was like a third eye opening inside my soul. I wanted to scream but the inhumane spirit inside me clenched my heart and ripped out the evil and disrespectful act, before showing me the pathway to victory...
Okay, that probably didn't make sense, and was a failed attempt to be funny, but the bottom line is I usually hate Jirachi, and being the hypocrite I am, I believe that only rage-inducing moments merit its use. This Jirachi forces lots of things like Gyarados out, who expect Thunderbolt or something. At this point, I'll sub or wish up and paraflinch my way through the enemy team. This tactic is not without its flaws, however, as Normal and Steel are resisted by a multitude of types and it will take significant amounts of hax to break hrough stuff like Ferrothorn and Skarmory. Does it come as a surprise that my only OU Pokemon is the one that has been the most disappointing throughout my use of this team?
Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252Def / 252HP / 4SpD
IVs: 0Spe
Relaxed Nature
-Gyro Ball
-Earthquake
-Toxic
-Stealth RockDespite being the same typing as Jirachi before it, Bronzong has a lot going for it. Despite being the physically defensive type, it couldn't care less about being trapped by Magnezone, especially ones without a balloon. Stealth Rocks aren't the most important element to my team, but there's nothing wrong with having them there. Gyro Ball hits threats like Terrakion hard, and Toxic cripples walls like Chansey and Blissey, but a smart enemy can predict this and come in on Toxic with a steel type such as Skarmory, which can use Bronzong as Spikes bait. I'm tossing whether to change this to a specially defensive variant considering Slowbro's ability to tank physical hits rather well.
TL;DR - My team has a lot of problems I would like to fix, but despite these it does relatively well in most battles against the common OUs. I'm happy with Slowbro's performance the most.
Also, please inform me of any formatting or informational issues <3
A lot of effort went into this, so I would appreciate it if it was taken seriously.
Anyways, a brief outline of my battle experience (and play style) is/are probably one of the more necessary pieces of information required for you to successfully rate my team. I was once an active member of the D/P/P and early B/W community back about 2 years ago, before I got a Mac laptop and had to find a way to install PO on that. I was a great user of stall techniques and my teams usually operated with rare yet effective type synergy using uncommon Pokemon in standard play such as Slowbro and Registeel. When I finally got past my stupidity and managed to download PO, the metagame had changed. A lot. Though not quite as dominant as it used to be through some effective bans, weather is still a prevalent force in the OU metagame and should be considered as such. Thus, I decided to assemble a team which would combat weather effectively yet at the same time continue the stall techniques which I was so experienced with. Through this experience with bulky stallers and inexperience with frail yet rewarding Pokemon, I've come to handle them less effectively than I wish to. This is where I need your help.
I must say, a lot of this team is still quite bulky, but there are a few Pokemon (such as Ambipom and Weavile) that I would NEVER use on any normal team. I have yet to come up with a team name.
Team Building Process
Okay, starting this off I really wanted effective Rapid Spin support. This, combined with it's ability to take physical hits incredibly well and set up hazards made Forretress a pretty solid Pokemon for my team.
Next thing I needed... A scout! Well, looking back on that it wasn't necessary, but Mienshao is a good choice to scare a lot of Pokemon away and force out reliable counters, who I can gain momentum off with U-turn. As a bonus, it has great mixed stats and HJK is an awesome STAB move to have.
An answer to boosting and choiced dragon types is available in all of my teams, and this one is no exception. Mamoswine was chosen for his reasonable physical bulk, sheer force when a Choice Band is slapped on and access to priority in Ice Shard. It is also immune to both types of damaging weather.
Next thing I needed was an answer to Choice-locked Scizor, the most prevalent Poke in the metagame, and an effective way to cripple physical sweepers with burn, alongside great coverage. Slowbro was an excellent choice with wonderful bulk alongside Regenerator to negate passive damage upon switching out. Welcom to the team, Slowbro!
Bronzong was next, single handedly countering half of the threats in the OU game and hitting back with a strong Gyro Ball and Earthquake. As a bonus he can set up Stealth Rock for my team. Pretty cool, right?
Next, because I was in a mischievous mood on the night that this team was made, I decided to add someone that's main role is to piss everyone off. Hello and welcome to the team, Jirachi!
I started noticing how easy it was for opponents to set up on Forretress. A change was in order, and with the bonus ability of being able to hit ghost-types with Rapid Spin, I chose Hitmontop, who I'd never before used in OU.
Next I started to notice how easy Mienshao was to counter. A majority of scarfed opponents were able to force it out, and while lacking Regenerator, I felt like Ambipom could tear more holes in the opponent's team despite a lower attack stat.
Mamoswine was doing well, however it was outsped and checked by a ton of threats, and it's low speed was countered so often that I decided to replace it with Weavile. Weavile doesn't have the ability to switch into any attacks besides Psychic thanks to it's poor defensive typing and natural frailty. This is mitigated by the fact it just forces so many Pokemon out that it's unbelievable. Weavile is one of my favourite revenge killers even without a Choice Scarf - it has access to priority to make up for it. This was my team at the start of the RMT.
Next thing I needed to do was to replace Hitmontop, as while not as bad as Forretress, it was still setup bait. Tentacruel covered my weakness to specially based fire type moves, could set up Toxic Spikes and had incredible special defense. It was my team's answer to Drizzle.
Jirachi was doing nigh nothing to help my team synergy, especially sharing its typing with Bronzong, who was possibly one of the most valuable members of my team. I also needed something to counter my bulky fighting weakness. Latios was the answer to my problems. I run Choice Scarf to revenge kill +1 sweepers if Weavile is down or lacks the damage to OHKO.
I had a huge weakness to Vaporeon in the rain. Tentacruel does nothing to it, and any status I deal towards it is mitigated by Hydration. Ferrothorn does what Bronzong does, but better. It can stall out Pokemon with Leech Seed, hit hard with a usable attack stat and STAB Power Whip, and still has the ability to set up Stealth Rock. I just have to watch out for Magnezone a lot more.
Next thing I needed... A scout! Well, looking back on that it wasn't necessary, but Mienshao is a good choice to scare a lot of Pokemon away and force out reliable counters, who I can gain momentum off with U-turn. As a bonus, it has great mixed stats and HJK is an awesome STAB move to have.
An answer to boosting and choiced dragon types is available in all of my teams, and this one is no exception. Mamoswine was chosen for his reasonable physical bulk, sheer force when a Choice Band is slapped on and access to priority in Ice Shard. It is also immune to both types of damaging weather.
Next thing I needed was an answer to Choice-locked Scizor, the most prevalent Poke in the metagame, and an effective way to cripple physical sweepers with burn, alongside great coverage. Slowbro was an excellent choice with wonderful bulk alongside Regenerator to negate passive damage upon switching out. Welcom to the team, Slowbro!
Bronzong was next, single handedly countering half of the threats in the OU game and hitting back with a strong Gyro Ball and Earthquake. As a bonus he can set up Stealth Rock for my team. Pretty cool, right?
Next, because I was in a mischievous mood on the night that this team was made, I decided to add someone that's main role is to piss everyone off. Hello and welcome to the team, Jirachi!
I started noticing how easy it was for opponents to set up on Forretress. A change was in order, and with the bonus ability of being able to hit ghost-types with Rapid Spin, I chose Hitmontop, who I'd never before used in OU.
Next I started to notice how easy Mienshao was to counter. A majority of scarfed opponents were able to force it out, and while lacking Regenerator, I felt like Ambipom could tear more holes in the opponent's team despite a lower attack stat.
Mamoswine was doing well, however it was outsped and checked by a ton of threats, and it's low speed was countered so often that I decided to replace it with Weavile. Weavile doesn't have the ability to switch into any attacks besides Psychic thanks to it's poor defensive typing and natural frailty. This is mitigated by the fact it just forces so many Pokemon out that it's unbelievable. Weavile is one of my favourite revenge killers even without a Choice Scarf - it has access to priority to make up for it. This was my team at the start of the RMT.
Next thing I needed to do was to replace Hitmontop, as while not as bad as Forretress, it was still setup bait. Tentacruel covered my weakness to specially based fire type moves, could set up Toxic Spikes and had incredible special defense. It was my team's answer to Drizzle.
Jirachi was doing nigh nothing to help my team synergy, especially sharing its typing with Bronzong, who was possibly one of the most valuable members of my team. I also needed something to counter my bulky fighting weakness. Latios was the answer to my problems. I run Choice Scarf to revenge kill +1 sweepers if Weavile is down or lacks the damage to OHKO.
I had a huge weakness to Vaporeon in the rain. Tentacruel does nothing to it, and any status I deal towards it is mitigated by Hydration. Ferrothorn does what Bronzong does, but better. It can stall out Pokemon with Leech Seed, hit hard with a usable attack stat and STAB Power Whip, and still has the ability to set up Stealth Rock. I just have to watch out for Magnezone a lot more.
Weaknesses:
-Sun Teams are a HUGE threat, especially when Latios is down.
Lets Get Started!
*Insert Team Name Here*
Ambipom @ Silk Scarf
Ability: Technician
EVs: 252Atk / 252Spe / 4HP
Adamant Nature
-Fake Out
-Double Hit
-Low Sweep
-U-turn
Weavile @ Choice Band
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 252Atk / 252 Spe / 4HP
Jolly Nature
-Night Slash
-Pursuit
-Ice Shard
-Low Kick
Yep. A Choice Band Weavile set. There used to be a lot of things wrong with this set, but sometimes I feel the need to play Pursuit mindgames with Psychics and Pokemon such as Gengar. Ice Shard is there to take out Dragon Dancers like Salamence and Dragonite with ease. Low Kick nails hopeful Pokemon such as Heatran and Tyranitar coming in for a free turn if I predict them coming. Night Slash is pretty self-explanatory. Weavile is unable to take a hit, and the only times it gets a chance to switch in are on Psychic attacks and on boosting sweepers. That said, Weavile is a mixed bag for me. On one hand, I can use it as a revenge killer with Ice Shard and its already incredible speed, but on the other hand it's outsped by a ton of Scarfed threats. Mach Punch is also a problem for this Poke, but even worse considering the 4x weakness to fighting. It is also weak to CB Scizor, the most common Pokemon in standard play.
Slowbro @ Leftovers
Ability: Regenerator
EVs: 252HP / 240Def / 16SpA
Bold Nature
-Scald
-Fire Blast
-Slack Off
-Thunder Wave
Okay. The moment you saw Slowbro, you said to yourself, "I thought this was a Standard OU RMT - someone move this to UU!" Fortunately, that is not the case. This beastly mon is just as effective in OU as it is in UU, or arguably even better, due to the near absence of effective counters compared to the amount in UU. Slowbro is the ultimate bane of Infernape's existence - even a ThunderPunch from a CB and Iron Fist boosted Infernape only has a 12% chance to 2HKO when factoring in lefties recovery. It also has the ability to force out Choice-locked Scizor, and surprise KOs Scizor and other 4x fire weak Pokemon, 2HKOing specially defensive Ferrothorn. Scald can potentially cripple unsuspecting physical sweepers, and Thunder Wave is hated by any Pokemon, physical or special. Slack Off and Regenerator together guarantee that this dimwitted Pokemon will be healthy for more than a couple of turns.
The only thing that Slowbro doesn't have going for it is its unfortunate Psychic typing. This means that if Scizor isn't choice locked then Pursuit or U-turn will dent it, and while this can be slightly mitigated by Regenerator and Slack Off, it prevents Slowbro from being the defensive threat it dreams of...
Tentacruel @ Black Sludge
Ability: Rain Dish
EVs: 252HP / 236Def / 20Spe
Bold Nature
-Toxic Spikes
-Scald
-Rapid Spin
-Hidden Power (Fire)
Latios @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252SpA / 252Spe / 4HP
Timid Nature
-Surf
-Draco Meteor
-Hidden Power (Fire)
-Thunderbolt
Ferrothorn @ Leftovers
Ability: Iron Thorns
EVs: 252HP / 88Def / 168SpD
IVs: OSpe
Relaxed Nature
-Stealth Rock
-Leech Seed
-Power Whip
-Gyro Ball
Previous Mons
Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252HP / 252Def / 4SpD
Impish Nature
-Foresight
-Rapid Spin
-Mach Punch
-Sucker Punch
I've been thinking about this set for quite a while now, and how I can make potential improvements to it. Close Combat was originally in place of Mach Punch but ultimately I didn't want any defense drops to stop this handy spinner from also carrying out life as an effective physical wall - especially with Intimidate. Foresght allows me to hit ghosts, and with good prediction I can nail ghosts on the switch and rapid spin while they watch helplessly as their beloved entry hazards go away. Being vulnerable to all forms of spikes doesn't help Hitmontop's cause however, and right now its attack stat is quite poor, and right now Sucker Punch doesn't even KO Gengar, though it does cause quite a few switches because of people over-estimating its average attack stat. That said, I'm still quite happy with Hitmontop's overall performance.
Hitmontop @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 252HP / 252Def / 4SpD
Impish Nature
-Foresight
-Rapid Spin
-Mach Punch
-Sucker Punch
Jirachi @ Leftovers
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 80HP / 252Atk / 176Spe
Adamant Nature
-Substitute
-Wish
-Body Slam
-Iron Head
Then... one fateful night... it was like a third eye opening inside my soul. I wanted to scream but the inhumane spirit inside me clenched my heart and ripped out the evil and disrespectful act, before showing me the pathway to victory...
Okay, that probably didn't make sense, and was a failed attempt to be funny, but the bottom line is I usually hate Jirachi, and being the hypocrite I am, I believe that only rage-inducing moments merit its use. This Jirachi forces lots of things like Gyarados out, who expect Thunderbolt or something. At this point, I'll sub or wish up and paraflinch my way through the enemy team. This tactic is not without its flaws, however, as Normal and Steel are resisted by a multitude of types and it will take significant amounts of hax to break hrough stuff like Ferrothorn and Skarmory. Does it come as a surprise that my only OU Pokemon is the one that has been the most disappointing throughout my use of this team?
Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252Def / 252HP / 4SpD
IVs: 0Spe
Relaxed Nature
-Gyro Ball
-Earthquake
-Toxic
-Stealth Rock
Edits
-Fixed a few spelling errors and punctuation mistakes
-Added a Tentacruel set in place of Hitmontop on Kalbot's suggestion - created new section called "Previous Mons"
-Created a new section called "Edits"
-Added a Team-Building Process
-Corrected Jirachi's nature from "Hardy" to "Adamant"
-Added Ferrothorn and Latios to the team over Bronzong and Jirachi, respectively
-Changed Latios' set slightly on Rwhite84's suggestion, added Ferro's description and lengthened Latios'
-Fixed any Japanese names
-Fixed a few formatting issues
-Added a Tentacruel set in place of Hitmontop on Kalbot's suggestion - created new section called "Previous Mons"
-Created a new section called "Edits"
-Added a Team-Building Process
-Corrected Jirachi's nature from "Hardy" to "Adamant"
-Added Ferrothorn and Latios to the team over Bronzong and Jirachi, respectively
-Changed Latios' set slightly on Rwhite84's suggestion, added Ferro's description and lengthened Latios'
-Fixed any Japanese names
-Fixed a few formatting issues
TL;DR - My team has a lot of problems I would like to fix, but despite these it does relatively well in most battles against the common OUs. I'm happy with Slowbro's performance the most.
Also, please inform me of any formatting or informational issues <3
A lot of effort went into this, so I would appreciate it if it was taken seriously.
