Hi, this is my ever post on Smogon. I've been playing for a while using this team, and have reached a relatively high rating with it on PS! (1835 ACRE, 1888 Glicko2). I think that this team could be better, though, so I'm posting this RMT in order to see how it could be improved.
The Team (edits in red)
Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 180 HP/ 252 Atk / 76 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Superpower
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
Tyranitar runs a standard Choice Band set. He induces weather, is my main counter to Heatran and generally wrecks other weather inducers.
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Imposter
EVs: 248 HP/252 SDef/8 Def
Bold Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Transform
- HP Ice
Ditto... doesnt have much else it can run. I use HP ice on ditto, in order to be able to counter threats such as Thundurus-T, as well as having Ice be a generally good attacking type. Ditto prevents most forms of setup on the enemy team, which I had previously found to be problematic as this team requires plently of switching. In this way, it acts as a 'glue' to hold the team together as well.
Ferrothorn (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SDef
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball
- Power Whip
Ferrothorn acts as a momentum-breaker and hazard-setter. I run fully defensive EVs, in order to better counter some of the dragons that would otherwise rip this team apart. Ferrothorn is able to usually still wall special-attackers, due to his awesome defensive typing.
Reuniclus (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 192 HP / 64 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
I forget why i decided to use Reuniclus, but am I glad did. Reuniclus is a great counter to many bulky threats to the team, in particular Machamp and Bulk-up Conkeldurr. His huge amount of power that wrecks most switchins is also great. HP fire is used over shadow ball as my team is mostly able to cover its ghost weakness, with two users of Pursuit under trick room, and acts as an awesome scizor lure. Enemies such as Ferrothorn and Forretress are also unable to set up hazards with HP fire on my moveset.
Breloom (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Technician
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Spore
- Mach Punch
- Stone Edge
- Bullet Seed
A Bulky Breloom set, the additional bulk placed into hp allows breloom to score some surprise KOs, such as on scarfed politoed using Ice Beam, leaving Breloom on 20% hp, provided Bullet Seed lands 3 or more times. The set also counters Scarfed Keldeo using Icy Wind, also failing to KO. Stone Edge acts as a great lure for annoying flying types, who often switch in after Breloom spores something slower. Mach Punch is an all-round great priority move.
Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Superpower
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
My second priority abuser, Scizor is also used in order to nab momentum and help score some kos, such as on focus sash Alakazam. Bullet Punch + Mach Punch together are amazing, and very few can survive some combination of attacks between Scizor and Breloom.
Threat List
I find that my team has huge problems with Bulk-up Toxicroak. If Toxicroak is able to obtain 2 or more boosts, it's often gg for my team. Reuniclus acts as a check to Toxicroak, however, sucker punch and substitute mean that it becomes a game of prediction, where one wrong move on my part means failure. Ditto is often unable to dent toxicroak once enough boosts have accumulated, and a smaller hp pool means toxicroak can easily KO. Ditto also often doesnt even get the chance to transform, if Substitute is up.
Gliscor, under most circumstances, does not pose much of a problem. However, if Reuniclus is KO'd, I have to rely on lucky damage rolls of Bullet Seed in order to KO Gliscor. I'd like a more solid check to Gliscor, and have tried running Ice Beam on Tyranitar to do so, but found the damage boost from Choice Band to win over it.
Thanks for reading this thread, and please don't hesitate with any critique of the team.
The Team (edits in red)
Tyranitar (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Sand Stream
EVs: 180 HP/ 252 Atk / 76 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Superpower
- Crunch
- Pursuit
- Stone Edge
Tyranitar runs a standard Choice Band set. He induces weather, is my main counter to Heatran and generally wrecks other weather inducers.
Ditto @ Choice Scarf
Trait: Imposter
EVs: 248 HP/252 SDef/8 Def
Bold Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 Def
- Transform
- HP Ice
Ditto... doesnt have much else it can run. I use HP ice on ditto, in order to be able to counter threats such as Thundurus-T, as well as having Ice be a generally good attacking type. Ditto prevents most forms of setup on the enemy team, which I had previously found to be problematic as this team requires plently of switching. In this way, it acts as a 'glue' to hold the team together as well.
Ferrothorn (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Iron Barbs
EVs: 252 HP / 88 Def / 168 SDef
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spd
- Stealth Rock
- Leech Seed
- Gyro Ball
- Power Whip
Ferrothorn acts as a momentum-breaker and hazard-setter. I run fully defensive EVs, in order to better counter some of the dragons that would otherwise rip this team apart. Ferrothorn is able to usually still wall special-attackers, due to his awesome defensive typing.
Reuniclus (M) @ Life Orb
Trait: Magic Guard
EVs: 192 HP / 64 Def / 252 SAtk
Quiet Nature
- Trick Room
- Psychic
- Focus Blast
- Hidden Power [Fire]
I forget why i decided to use Reuniclus, but am I glad did. Reuniclus is a great counter to many bulky threats to the team, in particular Machamp and Bulk-up Conkeldurr. His huge amount of power that wrecks most switchins is also great. HP fire is used over shadow ball as my team is mostly able to cover its ghost weakness, with two users of Pursuit under trick room, and acts as an awesome scizor lure. Enemies such as Ferrothorn and Forretress are also unable to set up hazards with HP fire on my moveset.
Breloom (M) @ Leftovers
Trait: Technician
EVs: 240 HP / 252 Atk / 16 Spd
Adamant Nature
- Spore
- Mach Punch
- Stone Edge
- Bullet Seed
A Bulky Breloom set, the additional bulk placed into hp allows breloom to score some surprise KOs, such as on scarfed politoed using Ice Beam, leaving Breloom on 20% hp, provided Bullet Seed lands 3 or more times. The set also counters Scarfed Keldeo using Icy Wind, also failing to KO. Stone Edge acts as a great lure for annoying flying types, who often switch in after Breloom spores something slower. Mach Punch is an all-round great priority move.
Scizor (M) @ Choice Band
Trait: Technician
EVs: 248 HP / 252 Atk / 8 SDef
Adamant Nature
- Superpower
- Bullet Punch
- U-turn
- Pursuit
My second priority abuser, Scizor is also used in order to nab momentum and help score some kos, such as on focus sash Alakazam. Bullet Punch + Mach Punch together are amazing, and very few can survive some combination of attacks between Scizor and Breloom.
Threat List
I find that my team has huge problems with Bulk-up Toxicroak. If Toxicroak is able to obtain 2 or more boosts, it's often gg for my team. Reuniclus acts as a check to Toxicroak, however, sucker punch and substitute mean that it becomes a game of prediction, where one wrong move on my part means failure. Ditto is often unable to dent toxicroak once enough boosts have accumulated, and a smaller hp pool means toxicroak can easily KO. Ditto also often doesnt even get the chance to transform, if Substitute is up.
Gliscor, under most circumstances, does not pose much of a problem. However, if Reuniclus is KO'd, I have to rely on lucky damage rolls of Bullet Seed in order to KO Gliscor. I'd like a more solid check to Gliscor, and have tried running Ice Beam on Tyranitar to do so, but found the damage boost from Choice Band to win over it.
Thanks for reading this thread, and please don't hesitate with any critique of the team.