Hello, and welcome to my second RMT in my relatively short time here in Smogon.
Corny as it is, the title more or less sums up where this team came from - Kyurem. A 670 BST Dragon must be able to function in OU somehow, so I decided to build a team around it.
It is my first team to break 1300 on PO, and working it's way through Showdown, since I'm pretty new to PS.
I told myself I'd make a RMT when it breaks 1300 to get some advice from ye fellow Smogonites, and hopefully taking this team further!
Without further ado, here it is:
Preface
I suppose the best way to classify this team is as a pseudo-Hyper Offense team, shifting gears constantly between stall-like play with Abomasnow and Kyurem, to the hyper offense presence of Gengar and Salamence. All the time, the opponent is under constant pressure from 3 substitute users - Gengar, Kyurem, and Abomasnow.
The Team
Abomasnow (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Focus Punch
- Blizzard
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
Abomasnow. What a Pokemon. It has nothing compared to Tyranitar's offensive presence, no boosted attacks from its weather, neither does it have a monstrously defensive stat such as Hippowdon.
What it DOES have, is a typing so detrimental it is equally as amazing.
I suppose the best way to describe SubSeed Abomasnow is as a utility counter. It can switch in safely to almost every support Pokemon in the game (bar steels with Gyro ball and fugly scald burns), and set up SubSeed. Blizzard is there for SE damage, and Focus Punch on anything that resists Blizzard. Focus Punch also destroys Tyranitar and dents most steels.
Abomasnow's role in my team is a tricky one. Aside from setting up hail, it's main use is to come in on harmless stuff and start forcing switches with SubSeed, racking up small damage with hail on the way. This is a pretty crucial stally-like softening role, thus setting up Gengar and Salamence to sweep.
EVs: Balanced defensive stats, and -Spd to control weather. There may be a few threats Abomasnow may need to outspeed that I may not be aware of. Please let me know if you do!
Kyurem @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 52 HP / 220 SAtk / 236 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Roost
- Blizzard
- Earth Power
Kyurem can't sweep. At least it's not supposed to, anyway (still happens occasionally, though). I think this is the biggest misconception when people try to play Kyurem. Kyurem operates very differently to it's dragon brethren Haxorus, Salamence, and Dragonite, whose main role is to come in guns blazing and run everything over.
In my experience, Kyurem plays best as something like a support-sweeper/pseudo-wall breaker- very much so like the aforementioned SubSeed Abomasnow, except with a significantly larger offensive presence and the ability to kill the ever-annoying Jirachi. For this reason, SubRoost, IMO, is the best way to go. Kyurem CAN take hits pretty well, aside from, uhm, those scary weaknesses. But what it can take, it takes pretty well. And unlike other dragons, it is not Mamoswine priority weak.
Blizzard on Kyurem is the only thing on this team that is weather dependent, and together with Earth Power, forms amazing coverage.
I usually bring Kyurem out reasonably early and start threatening with a Substitute, wearing down steels with Earth Power, and hitting like a truck with Blizzard. Kyurem switches out when it needs to, and, similarly, switches in every time it can. Think of Kyurem as the first blow of a tenderizing hammer.
52 HP for l33t HP substitutes.
Salamence (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
This thing. Words cannot describe how much I love MoxieMence. No doubt everyone knows what this thing can, and is, supposed to do.
Scarfed-Moxie Mence is my revenge killer and late game sweeper. I usually avoid using Outrage if Salamence comes out early. Usually I'd go for EQ or Fire Blast to catch steels switching in (screw you, Jirachi).
Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Atk / 228 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
What good is a hail team without a spinner?
Yet Donphan is so, so much more. It is also my rocker, my physical tank, and my only priority user. What it does the best, though, is, being weak to water, grass, and ice, it is THE perfect lure for safe switch-in opportunities for Abomasnow and Kyurem.
Come in on a physical attack, laugh at it, SR up or attack on the switch in, and you get a free pass for Abomasnow/Kyurem. 90% of the time; 40% of the time.
EVs: 28 attack to ensure 2HKO on Dragonite after SR.
Gengar (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Disable
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
Sub-disable Gengar.
Gengar is my spin-blocker/wall-breaker/ mid-game sweeper, and third Sub user.
Gengar comes in on an attack it is immune to, spikes setting attempt (disable spikes then attack), or rapid spin attempt. The rest is history. Sub up and destroy.
Gengar is oh. So. Good. It is perfectly capable of sweeping unprepared teams. I've swept a sun team 6-0 before on PS with Gengar under hail.
The only thing to worry about is getting out-predicted while switching in, since Gengar is rather frail.
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 56 SAtk / 200 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
EVs: A rather weird spread on what is a rather weird Pokemon. Rotom-W is my special sponge and Hurricane check, above all else. HP Ice for flying and Dragons, Will-O-Wisp for physical attackers, Hydro Pump for stab, and Volt Switch for great momentum preserver.
Rotom-W usually comes in on a Gengar/Kyurem counter. Since Gengar and Kyurem are such big threats, most players would not risk losing something that can take them down; which is why Volt-Switch usually works so well.
I used to run Heatran on this slot, but the compounding fighting weakness really sucks as I have to rely primarily on Donphan to take hits - which isn't a good thing considering Donphan has no access to a recovery move. Either that, or risk Gengar. Rotom-W can't check fighting types, but at least it doesn't have to switch out, and can cripple them with Will-O-Wisp save Guts users, severely lightening the burden off Donphan.
Did I mention that exploitable grass weakness?
Pros
- 3 users immune to Spikes
- Most of Ice types weaknesses covered, and resistances exploited
- Handles Jirachi pretty well (yeah, f**k that little pixie)
- Constant pressure with 3 substitute users
- 99.56% of the Metagame takes hail damage (statistics may not be accurate)
Cons
- 3 users weak to SR
- Most physical threats hard to handle if Donphan is out
- Tricky against stall teams
- Without a reliable dragon check, potentially tricky against MagDrags (haven't fought one)
Conclusion
While this team does not have any traditional 'checks' against many popular types (specifically dragons), and not the most forgiving team if you make mistakes, I find that it has the capability to run pretty smoothly against anyone with clever play.
Please, give it a go, and let me know what you think! Enjoy.
Impending Changes
->
Threat list:
If it's scarfed, Salamence cannot outspeed it. Troublesome.
It's stab threatens half of my team (Gengar can't take a hit), and coverage moves threatens the rest. Arrgh.
Abomasnow can't switch in if it's running Flamethrower. Rotom-W helps alleviate this problem with Volt switch, but a CM variant can be tricky.
Takes out Abomasnow and Kyurem with ease; Rotom-W cannot burn it; Salamence cannot OHKO it; but Gengar can usually switch in and disable Payback/Stone Edge. If 'Durr predicts a Gengar switch, I'm in deep trouble.
Rock polish Genesect absolutely destroys this team. Kyurem gets 2HKOed, Gengar gets 2HKOed, and Salamence cannot outspeed it.
Corny as it is, the title more or less sums up where this team came from - Kyurem. A 670 BST Dragon must be able to function in OU somehow, so I decided to build a team around it.
It is my first team to break 1300 on PO, and working it's way through Showdown, since I'm pretty new to PS.
I told myself I'd make a RMT when it breaks 1300 to get some advice from ye fellow Smogonites, and hopefully taking this team further!
Without further ado, here it is:
Preface
I suppose the best way to classify this team is as a pseudo-Hyper Offense team, shifting gears constantly between stall-like play with Abomasnow and Kyurem, to the hyper offense presence of Gengar and Salamence. All the time, the opponent is under constant pressure from 3 substitute users - Gengar, Kyurem, and Abomasnow.
The Team
Abomasnow (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Focus Punch
- Blizzard
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
Abomasnow. What a Pokemon. It has nothing compared to Tyranitar's offensive presence, no boosted attacks from its weather, neither does it have a monstrously defensive stat such as Hippowdon.
What it DOES have, is a typing so detrimental it is equally as amazing.
I suppose the best way to describe SubSeed Abomasnow is as a utility counter. It can switch in safely to almost every support Pokemon in the game (bar steels with Gyro ball and fugly scald burns), and set up SubSeed. Blizzard is there for SE damage, and Focus Punch on anything that resists Blizzard. Focus Punch also destroys Tyranitar and dents most steels.
Abomasnow's role in my team is a tricky one. Aside from setting up hail, it's main use is to come in on harmless stuff and start forcing switches with SubSeed, racking up small damage with hail on the way. This is a pretty crucial stally-like softening role, thus setting up Gengar and Salamence to sweep.
EVs: Balanced defensive stats, and -Spd to control weather. There may be a few threats Abomasnow may need to outspeed that I may not be aware of. Please let me know if you do!
Kyurem @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 52 HP / 220 SAtk / 236 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Roost
- Blizzard
- Earth Power
Kyurem can't sweep. At least it's not supposed to, anyway (still happens occasionally, though). I think this is the biggest misconception when people try to play Kyurem. Kyurem operates very differently to it's dragon brethren Haxorus, Salamence, and Dragonite, whose main role is to come in guns blazing and run everything over.
In my experience, Kyurem plays best as something like a support-sweeper/pseudo-wall breaker- very much so like the aforementioned SubSeed Abomasnow, except with a significantly larger offensive presence and the ability to kill the ever-annoying Jirachi. For this reason, SubRoost, IMO, is the best way to go. Kyurem CAN take hits pretty well, aside from, uhm, those scary weaknesses. But what it can take, it takes pretty well. And unlike other dragons, it is not Mamoswine priority weak.
Blizzard on Kyurem is the only thing on this team that is weather dependent, and together with Earth Power, forms amazing coverage.
I usually bring Kyurem out reasonably early and start threatening with a Substitute, wearing down steels with Earth Power, and hitting like a truck with Blizzard. Kyurem switches out when it needs to, and, similarly, switches in every time it can. Think of Kyurem as the first blow of a tenderizing hammer.
52 HP for l33t HP substitutes.
Salamence (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
This thing. Words cannot describe how much I love MoxieMence. No doubt everyone knows what this thing can, and is, supposed to do.
Scarfed-Moxie Mence is my revenge killer and late game sweeper. I usually avoid using Outrage if Salamence comes out early. Usually I'd go for EQ or Fire Blast to catch steels switching in (screw you, Jirachi).
Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Atk / 228 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
What good is a hail team without a spinner?
Yet Donphan is so, so much more. It is also my rocker, my physical tank, and my only priority user. What it does the best, though, is, being weak to water, grass, and ice, it is THE perfect lure for safe switch-in opportunities for Abomasnow and Kyurem.
Come in on a physical attack, laugh at it, SR up or attack on the switch in, and you get a free pass for Abomasnow/Kyurem. 90% of the time; 40% of the time.
EVs: 28 attack to ensure 2HKO on Dragonite after SR.
Gengar (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Disable
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
Sub-disable Gengar.
Gengar is my spin-blocker/wall-breaker/ mid-game sweeper, and third Sub user.
Gengar comes in on an attack it is immune to, spikes setting attempt (disable spikes then attack), or rapid spin attempt. The rest is history. Sub up and destroy.
Gengar is oh. So. Good. It is perfectly capable of sweeping unprepared teams. I've swept a sun team 6-0 before on PS with Gengar under hail.
The only thing to worry about is getting out-predicted while switching in, since Gengar is rather frail.
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 56 SAtk / 200 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
EVs: A rather weird spread on what is a rather weird Pokemon. Rotom-W is my special sponge and Hurricane check, above all else. HP Ice for flying and Dragons, Will-O-Wisp for physical attackers, Hydro Pump for stab, and Volt Switch for great momentum preserver.
Rotom-W usually comes in on a Gengar/Kyurem counter. Since Gengar and Kyurem are such big threats, most players would not risk losing something that can take them down; which is why Volt-Switch usually works so well.
I used to run Heatran on this slot, but the compounding fighting weakness really sucks as I have to rely primarily on Donphan to take hits - which isn't a good thing considering Donphan has no access to a recovery move. Either that, or risk Gengar. Rotom-W can't check fighting types, but at least it doesn't have to switch out, and can cripple them with Will-O-Wisp save Guts users, severely lightening the burden off Donphan.
Did I mention that exploitable grass weakness?
Pros
- 3 users immune to Spikes
- Most of Ice types weaknesses covered, and resistances exploited
- Handles Jirachi pretty well (yeah, f**k that little pixie)
- Constant pressure with 3 substitute users
- 99.56% of the Metagame takes hail damage (statistics may not be accurate)
Cons
- 3 users weak to SR
- Most physical threats hard to handle if Donphan is out
- Tricky against stall teams
- Without a reliable dragon check, potentially tricky against MagDrags (haven't fought one)
Conclusion
While this team does not have any traditional 'checks' against many popular types (specifically dragons), and not the most forgiving team if you make mistakes, I find that it has the capability to run pretty smoothly against anyone with clever play.
Please, give it a go, and let me know what you think! Enjoy.
Salamence (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
Kyurem @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 52 HP / 220 SAtk / 236 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Roost
- Blizzard
- Earth Power
Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Atk / 228 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 56 SAtk / 200 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
Abomasnow (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Focus Punch
- Blizzard
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
Gengar (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Disable
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
Trait: Moxie
EVs: 4 HP / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Naive Nature (+Spd, -SDef)
- Fire Blast
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Dragon Claw
Kyurem @ Leftovers
Trait: Pressure
EVs: 52 HP / 220 SAtk / 236 Spd
Modest Nature (+SAtk, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Roost
- Blizzard
- Earth Power
Donphan (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Sturdy
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Atk / 228 Def
Impish Nature (+Def, -SAtk)
- Ice Shard
- Rapid Spin
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
Rotom-W @ Leftovers
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 56 SAtk / 200 SDef
Calm Nature (+SDef, -Atk)
- Will-O-Wisp
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
Abomasnow (F) @ Leftovers
Trait: Snow Warning
EVs: 252 HP / 172 Def / 84 SDef
Sassy Nature (+SDef, -Spd)
- Focus Punch
- Blizzard
- Substitute
- Leech Seed
Gengar (M) @ Black Sludge
Trait: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SAtk / 252 Spd
Timid Nature (+Spd, -Atk)
- Substitute
- Shadow Ball
- Disable
- Hidden Power [Fighting]
Impending Changes
Threat list: