Description changes will be boldfaced, and Pokemon moveset changes will be underlined.
All of the factors stated above may cause the initial (and wrongly thought assumption) that weatherless teams are inferior to weather-based teams. However, a deeper glance reveals that weatherless teams can compete against and emerge triumphant against their weather-bound counterparts. For one, weatherless teams aren't forced to partake in the painstaking weather wars that are ever-present in OU. Another thought that must be taken into consideration is that weatherless teams often have greater freedom when it comes to team member selection. Many weather-bound sweepers share common counters, making it easier to break past them with the appropriate offensive pressure. Those thoughts are what initially pushed me to make a weatherless team. After coming up with a few ideas and testing them, this team was established. The last I checked (at least a week ago), I made it to at least #51, if not higher, on Showdown!'s OU ladder under the alt Trinitrotoluene using this team. Of course, ladder ratings are not needed to prove a team's viability, but I felt like showing that this team has brought me success in its current state.
Yes, this team was given another Bleach-based name. This time, the team's name comes from the name of one of the two revealed Quincy: Vollständig. The Quincy: Vollständig, the seeming Quincy equivalent to an Arrancar's Resurrećion and a Shinigami's Bankai, grants the wielder an extreme speed and power boost. I've also decided to go with a more simplistic approach to formatting this RMT, so if you expected something fancy, a la Girl in the Fire or Deep Sea of Mare, then I'm sorry to disappoint you. You could also call this team Team Jirachee (suggested by Jirachi him/herself), because that was the working title for this RMT, only being shelved because Grimaniel sounded better.
The task of creating a weatherless team without turning to stall-based tactics might seem daunting, if not impossible at first. This is due to the sheer amount of sweepers that are borderline broken with a boost from their favorable weather condition. However, a vulnerability almost every weather sweeper shares is a dislike of entry hazards. With that in mind, my first choice for a team member was Deoxys-D, who had access to Stealth Rock, Spikes, and a very respectable base 90 Speed. While the rise of Genesect didn't help it much, it did not reduce Deoxys-D's viability. However, by itself, Deoxys-D cannot win battles. It must rely on teammates to force switches, maximizing the value of its hazards.
Dragonite is often touted as OU's best dragon, thanks to its access to Multiscale, which bolsters Dragonite's already respectable bulk, and a very impressive movepool, which includes ExtremeSpeed, a move with +2 priority, and the very powerful Outrage. Thanks to its impressive resistances, bulk, and access to Multiscale, it can serve as a stop to many rain and sun teams. At that point in time, I decided that I wanted to use a Dragon Dance set, reasoning that hazard support would enable it to break through its counters. At that point, Dragonite could not sweep through teams on its own, thanks to the overwhelming amount of Pokemon that could stop its sweep cold. Teammates would be needed to alleviate that vulnerability.
Gyarados and Dragonite are very similar Pokemon. They share common checks and counters, leading to the idea that one could be used to overwhelm their commom checks and counters, so the other can launch a game-breaking sweep. While both had access to Dragon Dance and an unfortunate weakness to Stealth Rock, they had several traits that distinguished one from the other. Gyarados had great Water STAB and the ability to stall a turn with Bounce, while Dragonite's features have been discussed in brief previously. I still wanted a way to ease my time against Skarmory and Gliscor, two of the most prominent physical walls, so I knew that I needed a special sweeper.
Magnezone was a great addition to the team. Instead of using the SubCharge set, I opted to use a set that took advantage of Magnezone's superior bulk and power: the Choice Specs set. This gave the powerful magnet the ability to deal with Dragonite's and Gyarados's most feared nemeses: Skarmory and Ferrothorn. In terms of resistances, Magnezone also synchronized perfectly with Dragonite and Gyarados. It resisted their weaknesses, and they resisted its weaknesses.
At that point, the team needed a revenge killer, and there was one that the team had in mind: Genesect. Not only could it revenge kill many notable threats, such as Haxorus, Latios, and opposing Gyarados, it could also grant teammates a free switch-in, thanks to its access to U-turn and a notable resistance to Dragon- and Ice-type attacks. That resistance to Ice-type attacks also took some pressure off of Magnezone to continually switch into such attacks.
The team was looking good, but the problem of Rapid Spinners needed to be solved. Gengar and Chandelure were considered for this team slot, but Gengar won out in the end due to its higher Speed and access to Focus Blast, granting it perfect neutral coverage in only two moves. Gengar also had an immunity to Ground-type attacks, something that Chandelure lacked. Now, if Chandelure had Shadow Tag, then that's another story.
Upon testing, Gyarados ended up being dead weight, compounding a Stealth Rock weakness and not really giving much back to the team besides problems with Starmie and Thundurus-T. Since Stealth Rock eliminated Dragonite's Multiscale, a Rapid Spinner was needed. Starmie seemed to be the best choice for the job, thanks to its incredible Speed and acceptable offenses. After an adjustment of sets, the team was completed.
PHP:
Deoxys-Defense @ Rocky Helmet
Trait: Pressure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SDef / 252 Spd
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Stealth Rock
- Spikes
- Taunt
- Magic Coat
Dragonite (F) @ Choice Band
Trait: Multiscale
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 4 Def / 252 Atk / 252 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Outrage
- Earthquake
- Fire Punch
- ExtremeSpeed
Gengar (F) @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Levitate
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 SAtk / 252 Spd / 4 HP
Timid Nature
- Shadow Ball
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Ice]
- Destiny Bond
Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Trait: Magnet Pull
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 148 HP / 252 SAtk / 108 Spd
Modest Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
Starmie @ Leftovers
Trait: Natural Cure
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 252 Spd / 252 SAtk / 4 SDef
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Hydro Pump
- Psyshock
- Thunderbolt
- Rapid Spin
Genesect @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Download
Shiny: Yes
EVs: 64 Atk / 252 SAtk / 192 Spd
Hasty Nature
- U-turn
- Flamethrower
- Ice Beam
- Thunderbolt
Deoxys [Defense] @ Rocky Helmet | Pressure
Timid | 252 HP / 4 SpD / 252 Spe | 0 Atk
Stealth Rock | Spikes | Taunt | Magic Coat
[BOX]Any good team should have access to entry hazards. They play such a crucial role in nearly every battle that this team goes through, simply because they force many Pokemon into the KO range for the rest of this team. While there are many hazard setters in OU, they all have various advantages and disadvantages. The two hazard setters that I had the hardest choice choosing between were Forretress and Deoxys-D. Both had access to Stealth Rock and Spikes, but the former had access to Volt Switch while the latter had access to Taunt and Magic Coat, alongside a great base Speed and respectable bulk, even when uninvested. Deoxys-D ended up winning me over due to its combination of speed, bulk, and access to Stealth Rock and Spikes. When it came to choosing a set, the fast hazard layer was the way to go for an offensive team such as this one.
Stealth Rock is the most important hazard and with few exceptions, is the first move Deoxys-D makes when it's on the field. Spikes is the other hazard that Deoxys-D sets. With Deoxys-D's bulk, I'll usually get at least one layer up against the most offensive teams, and two layers up against a stall team. Taunt is used on the occasion a Forretress or Ferrothorn is faced down on Turn 1. Magic Coat is used when a Prankster, opposing Deoxys-D, or stall team is faced. While this Deoxys-D may seem like Taunt bait, it does not need to worry, since the Taunters are easily predicted and shut down with Magic Coat. The EVs work fantastically when Deoxys-D is placed in the lead position, and the IVs minimize confusion damage. The Rocky Helmet was chosen over Leftovers or Mental Herb since it allows Deoxys-D to punish weak Pokemon, such as Specially Defensive Jirachi and Forretress, once they've been Taunted.
Deoxys-D is this team's designated lead unless an Espeon or Xatu is seen in Team Preview. Those two Pokemon are usually seen without a Spinner to back them up, so Gengar is sent Turn 1 to sic the two so Deoxys-D can set hazards. As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, Deoxys-D's first move made, with few exceptions, is the setting of Stealth Rock. Afterwards, Spikes are laid until Deoxys-D is KO'd by the opponent. If a spinner is switched into Deoxys-D, Gengar is brought in to eliminate them. The only lead that can prevent Deoxys-D from laying more than one layer of Spikes is the combo of Genesect and another Pokemon faster than Deoxys-D. If an opposing Deoxys-D or Prankster Pokemon is faced, Magic Coat is used to catch them off-guard. When facing set-up sweepers, Taunt is used so the opponent cannot obtain more than one boost. Once weakened, Deoxys-D is used as death fodder so another teammate (usually Genesect) can obtain a free switch. Deoxys-D, while not a killer on its own, is an invaluable member of the team, and one that I will not replace (until Custap Berry is released).[/BOX]
Dragonite (F) @ Choice Band | Multiscale
Adamant | 252 Atk / 4 Def / 252 Spe
Outrage | Earthquake | Fire Punch | ExtremeSpeed
[BOX]Dragonite is ridiculously powerful, scoring many KOs with Outrage, even before hazard damage has taken its toll. After hazards have been set, the number of Pokemon that can switch in safely against Dragonite's assault boils down to Skarmory and Gliscor, both of which are eliminated rather effectively by Starmie and other team members. Dragonite has several sets that can be used rather effectively. Its most iconic set, the Dragon Dance set, has been used on this team before. While it didn't exactly disappoint me, it didn't satisfy the team's need for a physical attacker with incredible power out of the box. I then decided to use the Choice Band set, and the immediate power this set possesses has astounded me. While I could have used Choice Band Haxorus, who possesses more power and speed, over Dragonite, Dragonite's possession of Multiscale has made battling opposing sun and rain teams much less of a hassle.
Outrage is Dragonite's main STAB, dealing a heavy amount of damage to most Pokemon, even before hazard damage has taken its toll. It 2HKOes many important members of stall teams, such as Jellicent and Heatran (factoring its resistance in) after Stealth Rock and one layer of Spikes damage, and OHKOes almost every Pokemon that doesn't lack a resistance or has a defensive EV spread. Earthquake is a fun little move that throws so many Jirachi and Heatran off their proverbial pedestals as safe switch-ins. Fire Punch helps Dragonite beat apart Steel-types immune or neutral to Earthquake. However, it sees relatively small use since Magnezone is the main Steel killer. ExtremeSpeed helps Dragonite pick weakened teams apart and revenge kill boosted, but weakened threats. The EVs maximize power and speed, with the last 4 being tossed into Defense, for lack of a better place. As mentioned earlier, I am considering using Haxorus over Dragonite.
Due to the massive amount of power this set possesses, Dragonite is this team's designated wallbreaker. After hazards have been laid by Deoxys-D, Dragonite is brought in by Genesect's U-turn on a Pokemon that can be forced out with the threat of a powerful Outrage. From there, the members of an opponent's team will determine the move Dragonite opens with. If a sun team is being faced, Dragonite will usually open with Outrage, hopefully netting a KO. However, should I observe that my opponent's team has a Claydol, Donphan, or Forretress, I will open with Fire Punch, hopefully hitting them for a decent amount of damage on the switch. As the game progresses, Dragonite will start to spam Outrage, letting it live up to its wall-breaking reputation. ExtremeSpeed will also see some use to snipe weakened threats that could be problematic if they're allowed to live. Once Dragonite has been weakened sufficiently, it will be used as death fodder to grant another team member a free switch-in. In conclusion, Dragonite is an important team member. If you're going to suggest a replacement to Dragonite, it should be just as, if not more powerful.[/BOX]
Gengar (F) @ Choice Scarf | Levitate
Timid | 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe | 2 Atk / 30 Def
Shadow Ball | Focus Blast | Hidden Power Ice | Destiny Bond
[BOX]Gengar is the obligatory spinblocker of the team. It easily is the most offensively inclined among all the Ghosts in OU, besides Chandelure. The two reasons Gengar made the cut instead of Chandelure are its access to Focus Blast and a higher Speed stat. When it came to set choices, I initially went with the SubSplit set, to maximize the power Gengar can get. However, there was one large problem: it could not spinblock Starmie! Its attempts to do so would usually end up with Gengar falling to a boosted Hydro Pump or Psyshock. To solve that problem, I ended up using this relic from the Diamond / Pearl era. With Scizor's presence on a slight decline thanks to Genesect, it's safer to use this set than it was before. With this set, Gengar usually only has to spinblock once per game, due to the sheer surprise factor this set possesses. Even if the opponent realizes that this is a Scarf Gengar, it's still effective as an emergency revenge killer and momentum setter.
Shadow Ball is Gengar's main STAB move. It packs respectable power after a STAB boost and is the main move spammed against offensive teams. In the end-game, it packs sufficient power to sweep through a weakened offensive team. Focus Blast is Gengar's main coverage move, hitting everything that Shadow Ball cannot hit for at least neutral damage. This move allows Gengar to deal with Scarf Terrakion and Stoutland extremely efficiently, reducing their threat level substantially. Hidden Power Ice allows Gengar to revenge kill Dragons and Therians that Genesect cannot revenge kill. It's also a great way to catch opposing Scarf Landorus off-guard. Destiny Bond, at best, is a filler move, and is one that I want to replace. Despite Destiny Bond's status as a filler move, it has helped against set-up sweepers that the rest of the team does not like dealing with, and is currently the best option for the last slot. Thunderbolt has been tested, but its lack of power disappointed me. Trick, while effectively crippling at least one member of a stall team, has backfired on me more than once, substantially reducing its appeal. The EVs maximize speed and power, and the IVs lower confusion damage.
Gengar's main reason for being on the team in the first place is to spinblock, protecting my hazards and maintaining a constant source of damage. As I mentioned earlier, if I use this set correctly, Gengar only has to spinblock once per game. Since the most common spinner in OU is Starmie, Gengar can easily use the element of surprise and get a surprise kill, eliminating Starmie and maintaining my hazards, all in one fell swoop. Once the obligatory spinner(s) are gone, Gengar can then transition to the role of secondary revenge killer. While Genesect is charged with the main job of revenge killing, Gengar is there to cover what it cannot, such as Scarf Landorus, Thundurus-T, Salamence, and Terrakion. All things said, Gengar is an extremely important member of the team that I cannot afford to let go.[/BOX]
Magnezone @ Choice Specs | Magnet Pull
Modest | 148 HP / 252 SpA / 108 Spe | 2 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
Volt Switch | Hidden Power Fire | Thunderbolt | Flash Cannon
[BOX]Magnezone is Dragonite's wall-breaking partner in crime. While Dragonite swiftly eliminates the special walls, Magnezone breaks the physical walls impeding its rampage. The only threat that the two cannot face down efficiently is Gliscor, who is handled excellently by the rest of the team. Choosing a set turned out to be a very difficult issue. While I particularly liked the SubCharge set, it gave opposing Ferrothorn a chance to set up hazards on Magnezone. It also lacked immediate power, something which this team needed desperately. While the Scarf set held some appeal, that role was generally done better by Magneton, who was faster and almost as strong. That left the Specs set, which was powerful enough to meet my demands, and bulky enough to deal with the bulky Steels. I loved how it could beat Ferrothorn with ease, regardless of the weather.
Volt Switch, while not the strongest attack in Magnezone's arsenal, is the attack Magnezone will be spamming early on in the game. This eases the acquisition of more favorable match-ups for the team while effectively giving Magnezone the ability to deal "free" damage. Hidden Power Fire is Magnezone's main tool used in the dismantling of opposing Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Genesect. It's also quite useful for landing massive amounts of damage on Steels outside of the rain. Thunderbolt is Magnezone's other STAB move, capable of OHKOing Skarmory and Scizor (after SR damage for the latter) in the rain, amd 2HKOing many more Pokemon. Flash Cannon is alost never used, and was thrown on as an afterthought. It helps nail the Mamoswine ad Dragons that love switching in on it. The EVs maximize power while giving Magnezone enough speed to beat max speed Wobbuffet, with the rest being placed in HP to grant Magnezone some bulk. The given IVs minimize confusion damage while giving Magnezone a base 70 Hidden Power Fire.
Magnezone is brought in on Steel-types that Dragonite and Gengar lure in like crazy. With its bulk, it doesn't mind taking Genesect's coverage, Scizor's Bullet Punch, or Skarmory's Brave Bird. From there, it can OHKO the three with either HP Fire or Thunderbolt. However, it can only switch into the first two after they've killed off or weakened Once opposing Steels have been eliminated, Magnezone is used as part of a VoltTurning core with Genesect to weaken the opponent and grant other team members free switch-ins. If I need to, I will use Magnezone as death fodder so another teammate can get a free switch. All in all, Magnezone is an important member of my team, and one that I am reluctant on replacing.[/BOX]
Starmie @ Leftovers | Natural Cure
Timid | 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe | 0 Atk
Hydro Pump | Psyshock | Thunderbolt | Rapid Spin
[BOX]This team utilizes a VoltTurning core and Dragonite, so hazards are obviously going to be a problem. I had several choices for a spinner, such as Forretress, Donphan, Tentacruel, and Starmie. Starmie had a compromise between power, speed, and bulk, making it the most optimal choice at the moment. Starmie also gets spectacular coverage and a resistance to Breloom's Mach Punch, allowing it to serve as an emergency check to Breloom. Its auspicious typing also allows it to play the part of the nuisance to rain teams. When it came down to choosing a set, I wanted the largest offensive presence that Starmie could muster, hence the set seen above.
Hydro Pump is Starmie's main STAB, bringing the pain to the opponent under the rain. Even without the rain and Life Orb, Hydro Pump is still a strong move, being able to 2HKO Sunny Day Ninetales and Techniloom. Psyshock is Starmie's other STAB, useful in getting surprise kills on Keldeo, Virizion, and the aforementioned Techniloom. Psyshock is also useful for dealing nasty surprise blows to Amoonguss and Gengar, who usually do not expect it. Thunderbolt helps Starmie deal with Politoed and Jellicent more efficiently, reducing the pressure on Magnezone to contain Politoed. Rapid Spin is Starmie's main lot for being on the team, eliminating the presence of hazards that are oh-so-detrimental to the rest of the team. The given EVs maximize its speed and power, and the IVs minimize confusion damage. I've contemplated using Ice Beam over Thunderbolt to hit dragons that switch into it, but I haven't tested that yet.
Starmie is an interesting case of usage through a battle. For some battles, it's complete dead weight, while for others, it's a critical piece needed to advance towards victory. Its main goal throughout battle is to get hazards off the field, extending the lifetime of the rest of the team. Once hazards are gone, Starmie can play the role of the late-game cleaner, tearing through weakened teams with its powerful STAB and Thunderbolt. Against stall teams, Starmie is used to break the common core of Amoonguss, Heatran, and Slowbro, reducing the difficulty found in facing them off. I don't really have much else to say about Starmie other than it works. I'm considering trying out Cloyster as a spinner for the offensive pressure it brings, but I'm not sure about it. Help here would be appreciated.[/BOX]
Genesect @ Choice Scarf | Download
Hasty | 64 Atk / 252 SpA / 192 Spe
U-turn | Flamethrower | Ice Beam | Thunderbolt
[BOX]Genesect is pretty cool. With a Choice Scarf and its powerful coverage moves, it keeps the dragons, Weavile, Landorus, Starmie, and Therians in check rather effectively. It's also a great momentum grabber, thanks to its access to a Download-boosted U-turn and critical resistances to Dragon- and Ice-type moves. There aren't that many options for Genesect when it comes to selecting a moveset. You could go in a sweeping direction with Rock Polish / an all-out attacking set, or go with a Choice set. Choice Band and Specs turn Genesect into a powerful wall-breaker, but this team needed a good revenge killer, so the Scarf set was chosen. Everything that Genesect cannot beat (Heatran, Blissey) is covered by another member of the team, and in turn, Genesect covers Pokemon that the rest of the team would rather not face. I'm considering using Mamoswine over Genesect, but that's just a back-thought.
U-turn is Genesect's main STAB and means of granting teammates favorable match-ups.*After a Download and STAB boost, it can do a surprisingly large amount of damage, even to those that resist the move. U-turn also helps Genesect escape from the clutches of Magnezone. Flamethrower incinerates Abomasnow, Scizor, Ferrothorn, and Forretress. However, it doesn't see too much use, considering Magnezone is the primary Steel killer on the team. Ice Beam is used to keep dragons and Therians down, and is great for punishing those MoxieMence that opt to use an Attack-boosting nature instead of a Speed-boosting nature. Thunderbolt is great for smacking Skarmory (in the rain) and Politoed around with ease. I have contemplated the use of Explosion over one of the coverage moves, but doing so has caused me times of regret when I could have used that option. I've also contemplated the use of Mamoswine over Genesect. It checks similar threats, and it also gives the team another source of priority, something which I think would be appreciated. The EVs were tailored by Funkasaurus, and they perform well enough that I haven't bothered myself to question them.
As I mentioned earlier on, Genesect is first and foremost a revenge killer. It keeps annoying Pokemon, such as the Lati twins, in check, and provides favorable match-ups for the rest of the team. As a result, it plays a rather large part in every battle conducted. In the early game, after hazards have been laid, it's mainly used as a momentum grabber thanks to its access to U-turn. This allows Genesect to root out potential counters and favorable match-ups more easily. However, if an Espeon is seen in Team Preview, Genesect is sent out to erase its presence and create pressure that will allow Deoxys-D to set up its hazards. In the mid-game, Genesect's revenge killing capabilities are fully manifested, and its coverage moves are used at full blast. At the end, Genesect can be used as a forced win condition thanks to its Download-boosted offenses. All things considered, Genesect is a cool team member, but I think that its slot could be served better with a different Pokemon.[/BOX]
