WhiteDMist
Path>Goal
Articuno's Revenge
Greetings all! Welcome to another one of my NU Rate My Teams! I may not be familiar to many readers and raters since I only play NU (for now at least). I rarely venture out of anything NU related, and I mostly focus on NU RMTs. Lately it has been difficult to rate because of many (very obviously) new players in the NU metagame. The transition to BW2 and the release of many new Dream World abilities have coincided with tier shifts, so the entire metagame was unsteady for a while. Add that to the bumpy transition from Pokemon Online to Pokemon Showdown and the difficulty of laddering and it makes one not want to play very often. With the upcoming ladder reset, I feel this would be the perfect time to get some input for this particular team. While I obviously do not have a perfect record as a battler, so far I have had a perfect record with this team in the two weeks that I have used it. Unfortunately, most of the opponents I have faced were either new to the NU metagame or were not at their game. I have also not seen many top players lately (same with my group of friends here) since I don't stay on Showdown very long due to the terrible lag. So I'm hoping that these friends and top players will at the very least give me some outside input to make this team's potential grow. Here at least is a screenshot of my current ranking:
With this particular team, I have had around 10 wins and no losses, not counting the wins and losses during the period where the ladder refused to work (within a 2 week period, this is rather pathetic regardless). Still I believe that my only loss was unrated because of that so maybe I should be grateful :/ .
One of my most favorite Pokemon is Articuno. It is a beautiful Pokemon, and is very underrated. It has amazing base stats due to its legendary status, yet is mostly ignored. We all know the main problems to its success are Stealth Rock and Rock moves (especially Rock Blast users like Cinccino). The goal of this team was to make a successful Articuno team. There are a few sets that Articuno can use, but they are mostly defensive sets. These sets require a way to prevent and remove Stealth Rocks from the field, which isn't easy with the sparse selection of Rapid Spinners available to the NU tier. So I decided on an offensive set, which also took advantage of Articuno's main gift from BW2, Hurricane. This meant that I didn't really need to remove Rocks from the field quite as much, but I still built my team around not letting my opponent get up Rocks if I can help it.
The other purpose of my team was to counter a good portion of the metagame, as well as most people's teams. Antiestablishmentarianism as defined by the webster online dictionary (it's sadly not on the merriam-webster online dictionary) as: the doctrine of opposition to the social and political establishment (the longer word antidisestablishmentarianism is the opposition of this doctrine). That is a great definition of this team's purpose: to defy the social establishment of the current NU metagame. This team has answers to most of the common Pokemon in play right now, as well as most of the top 10 used Pokemon of July.
Teambuilding Process
This entire team is based around Articuno, so it is the most obvious starting point.
Next I needed offensive options to preventing Rocks from being set up. Multi-hit moves tend to be the most effective way of stopping the common Sturdy hazard setters. So I chose Cacturne and Cinccino for their strong Bullet Seeds. Cacturne also has the benefit of setting up Spikes and being a decent revenge killer with Encore and Sucker Punch. Cinccino was very hyped, and I wanted to try it out. It also beat Golem and Carracosta rather well, so it was definitely a great option.
I added Seismitoad because it received Stealth Rock in BW2, and this was a perfect time to test it out. Rotom-S has been my go to revenge killer ever since I started playing 5th gen, so it was a must for me.
Haunter was my final choice, and it has been a Pokemon that I have been using a lot lately. In fact, since so many people have been using Golurk as an offensive spinblocker, Haunter has dropped from #9 to #25. I kind of feel that I'm the reason that it is still relatively high, but that's probably not true. Let me think that though ;)
Sadly, Cinccino was't living up to expectations. I also needed something that could OHKO Regirock, and Cinccino can't do so. So I decided on Rampardos, who had a good chance to do so.
And with that, my team was completed. It still wasn't perfect, but it got the job done.
This entire team is based around Articuno, so it is the most obvious starting point.
Next I needed offensive options to preventing Rocks from being set up. Multi-hit moves tend to be the most effective way of stopping the common Sturdy hazard setters. So I chose Cacturne and Cinccino for their strong Bullet Seeds. Cacturne also has the benefit of setting up Spikes and being a decent revenge killer with Encore and Sucker Punch. Cinccino was very hyped, and I wanted to try it out. It also beat Golem and Carracosta rather well, so it was definitely a great option.
I added Seismitoad because it received Stealth Rock in BW2, and this was a perfect time to test it out. Rotom-S has been my go to revenge killer ever since I started playing 5th gen, so it was a must for me.
Haunter was my final choice, and it has been a Pokemon that I have been using a lot lately. In fact, since so many people have been using Golurk as an offensive spinblocker, Haunter has dropped from #9 to #25. I kind of feel that I'm the reason that it is still relatively high, but that's probably not true. Let me think that though ;)
Sadly, Cinccino was't living up to expectations. I also needed something that could OHKO Regirock, and Cinccino can't do so. So I decided on Rampardos, who had a good chance to do so.
And with that, my team was completed. It still wasn't perfect, but it got the job done.
Now on to the team:
Articuno @ Life Orb
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Hurricane
- Hidden Power Ground
- Roost
Like I have said, Articuno is the Pokemon my team is based around. I chose the offensive variant because Stall is very difficult to pull off in the current metagame. Also, I wished to use Articuno's new gift in Hurricane. I have been rather lucky with Hurricane, since it doesn't miss constantly like I had feared. It also makes Articuno a great counter to the Amoonguss-Alomomola core. Ice Beam is still more reliable, but is considerably weaker. Still, the occasional freeze or confusion has saved me from defeat, so they are non-negotiable. Hidden Power Ground is a move that I am not thrilled to have. Originally I had Substitute in that moveslot, but Steel type Pokemon were beginning to get on my nerves. While my team tended to be walled by them, Articuno seemed to be the one to draw in Steel-types like moths to a flame, so HP Ground became necesary. Roost has been very useful to offset Life Orb recoil as well as damage from my opponent. It is even more useful if I fail to prevent Stealth Rocks, since it lets Articuno switch out more safely. I use Modest over Timid because Articuno needs all the power if can get. Also, I REALLY don't like risking a speed tie with other positive base 85 Spe Pokes like Sawk and Pinsir (plus I can always Hurricane Scarf Sawk and tank a CC at full health). The rest of my team covers what Articuno cannot outspeed.
Seismitoad (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 32 HP / 252 SpA / 224 Spe
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Rain Dance
- Sludge Wave
- Hydro Pump
- Earth Power
Odd set right? I needed a Stealth Rock setter, but I didn't want a Flying or Fighting weak Pokemon for this slot. Seismitoad fit this slow because of that alone. More importantly, it can beat several less common Stealth Rock setters and anti-leads like Marowak and Rampardos. But there is a deeper reason than even that: Rain Dance. Has anyone noticed that most teams nowadays seem to have a weakness to Rain? Well, being a NU RMT regular, I have noticed. So this is one of my anti-meta Pokemon, inflicting massive damage to teams that have such vulnerability to Rain. Rain Dance can also benefit Articuno by making its Hurricane 100% accurate. Stealth Rocks is a necessity to deal with the annoying Flying-types that outspeed a good portion of my team. Hydro Pump and Earth Power are powerful, STAB boosted moves. While there are plenty of occasions where I wish that I had Sludge Wave as well, for the most part I am content. It helps that I still do over 30% to Amoonguss with Earth Power after all.
Changes: I've removed Stealth Rock for Sludge Wave to hit Grass-types harder (especially Ludicolo).
Edit: I had...conveniently forgotten to list my new EV spread made to outspeed Modest Ludicolo. Silly me...
Rampardos (M) @ Life OrbChoice Band
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Head Smash
- Superpower
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
Rampardos has a simple job: smash hazard setters. Regirock has become more common, and I needed something that can actually break through it in a single hit. A Banded Superpower has a great chance of doing so, and the bonus comes from the amount of damage I still do to everything else. I once OHKO an Amoonguss with Head Smash, though I don't know if it was specially defensive or not. Regardless, the power Rampardos possesses is amazing, and it can actually tank a weak hit or two. More importantly, many opponents tend to be wary of it (for good reason of course), meaning that they don't always pay attention to some of my other Pokemon until it is too late. Earthquake is a safer alternative to Superpower, but Crunch is something that I'm not sure about. If there is a better move for the slot, I'd be happy to hear it, since I have never used it myself.
Changes: I have removed Choice Band for Life Orb and Crunch for Stealth Rock.
Haunter (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Disable
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
Haunter has a couple of important roles in this team. It is my back-up sweeper if Articuno is gone. It is also my counter to Zangoose. Most importantly, it is THE anti-metagame Pokemon of my team. I have mentioned this before, but I'll say it again. When I was talking to Agent Dell about making a new team and thought about basing a team around SubDisable Haunter, he mentioned offhandedly that SubDisable Haunter screwed over most teams in the NU RMT section. I had to agree with him, and I still do: SubDisable Haunter can single-handedly tear teams apart. With an amazing base 95 Speed, it made up for Articuno's Modest nature. I can almost always find time to set up a Substitute, and I usually can find a perfect time to Disable my opponent's moves. Shadow Ball is obligatory, but Sludge Bomb was a hard choice. I had thought about HP Fighting for that slow for perfect coverage, but I decided not to because of one important thing: I needed to be able to speed tie with other positive nature base 95 speeders. Sludge Bomb also was considerably more powerful. Sure, I am walled by Steels, but that is a price I am willing to pay for speed.
Rotom-S @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Air Slash
- Trick
Rotom-S is my go to revenge killer for a few reasons. The main reason is that it has an excellent base 86 Speed, so it can always beat +2 Gorebyss. It has decent power, can Volt Switch around and give me momentum, and can screw over stall with Trick. Ironically, Air Slash is one of my most used moves since it is reliable and has a good chance to flinch (which has saved my ass quite a few times). There is no other revenge killer in the NU tier that can do what Rotom-S does for my team, which includes taking Fighting and Flying hits. MOST importantly, it is my best answer to Cinccino, who can destroy me if I am not careful. If you are anyone in the NU tier, you know how effective Rotom-S is at its job. There are a few occasions where I would like some extra coverage, like the Hidden Power Ice that Majestic Electric so likes. But for the most part, I am satisfied with Rotom-S' coverage.
Cacturne (F) @ Quick Claw
Trait: Sand Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Seed
- Sucker Punch
- Spikes
- Encore
Cacturne is my final team member, and it has done pretty well in that slot. It may not have Water Absorb, but it still is a decent switch in to Water-type moves from the likes of Alomomola and Wartortle (lol). Bullet Seed is a necessity, as otherwise I'd probably choose the SubSpike set instead. Sucker Punch is a must because it is my only form of priority on this team (which still puts chills in my heart). But it is Encore that really makes me use this particular set, especially with Sweet Jesus' loves of it. Quick Claw is the odd man out with this set. I originally had King's Rock instead, but then I found out that it doesn't work properly on Showdown ;-;. Leftovers was unnecessary since I don't really need the extra health much. Life Orb is rather pointless, since I still don't need to detract from my already low survivability. Lum Berry is an option, but I don't see the need for it much. Quick Claw hasn't really helped me either, but it can give me a chance to ruin my opponents plans with Encore, Sucker Punch, or even Bullet Seed. At worst, I get another layer of Spikes or nothing happens at all.
Threats
Sun Teams are a major threat, since they basically destroy me. Thankfully they are very rare.
This is the complete threat list. Unfortunately, I can't fit it all in a single post, and multiple posts look too disorganized, so this is my solution.
Conclusion
As evidence by the nature of this tea, this is an offensive team. Sure, there are small hints of tankishness among my team, but this team is not meant to take too many hits. This team has a lot of potential, and I want to take it as high as it can go. So, my fellow NU players and raters, I am open to all suggestions!
Articuno @ Life Orb
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Hurricane
- Hidden Power Ground
- Roost
Seismitoad (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SAtk / 164 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Rain Dance
- Sludge Wave
- Hydro Pump
- Earth Power
Rampardos (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Head Smash
- Superpower
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
Haunter (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Disable
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
Rotom-S @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Air Slash
- Trick
Cacturne (F) @ Quick Claw
Trait: Sand Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Seed
- Sucker Punch
- Spikes
- Encore
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Ice Beam
- Hurricane
- Hidden Power Ground
- Roost
Seismitoad (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Swift Swim
EVs: 92 HP / 252 SAtk / 164 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Rain Dance
- Sludge Wave
- Hydro Pump
- Earth Power
Rampardos (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Mold Breaker
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Head Smash
- Superpower
- Earthquake
- Stealth Rock
Haunter (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 SAtk / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Disable
- Shadow Ball
- Sludge Bomb
Rotom-S @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Volt Switch
- Thunderbolt
- Air Slash
- Trick
Cacturne (F) @ Quick Claw
Trait: Sand Veil
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature (+Atk, -SAtk)
- Bullet Seed
- Sucker Punch
- Spikes
- Encore