Naturally Gifted: Featuring Natural Gift Talonflame
Capping off the tail end of the XY meta just a few weeks before ORAS goes official, I've decided to base a team around one of the more niche sets of one of gen VI's most influential pokemon; Natural Gift Talonflame.
The Team At a Glance:
An In-Depth Look:
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Moonlight
- Flamethrower
Clefable is a new addition recommended to me in order to stop several physical set up sweepers my team typically has trouble with, while also posing a decent threat to Kyurem-Black. It may seem strange to be using unaware CM Clefable, however it's not my main win condition like magic guard CM typically is, and its consolidated team slot of both a set up sweeper check and a potential mixed wall thanks to calm mind is much appreciated. It's put in some serious work, letting me down only to a crit from Venusaur's Sludge Bomb, but still feels inefficient.
Terrakion @ Focus Sash
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
Terrakion is...acceptable. Typically he's either doing phenomenal or not pulling his weight at all, hardly any middle man with him. He's fast, he reliably gets rocks on their side and keeps them off my side, and his sash nets him a surprising amount of 2HKO opportunities he would've otherwise fainted in. His largest problem is frankly how expendable he is, and therefore how often his rocks getting removed means no more rocks the whole game occurs. Ultimately, Terrakion is valued solely for his rock laying and preventing reliability and his ability to severely damage most opposing hazard setters outside of Gliscor and Skarmory. I feel he's the most expendable member of the team right now and sticks out the most.
Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 8 atk / 252 def
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
Mega Scizor is my defogger, previously a swords dance user. Scizor can reliably remove rocks several times a match, which is what I specifically need from him in order to support talonflame. technician bullet punch hits decently even uninvested thanks to 150 base attack, and in a pinch can stop weakened Pinsir if rocks are still on the field preventing Talonflame's sweep. he's helpful but his noticable lack of offensive presence is a hindrance, as he and Talonflame are my only physical attackers outside of the disposable sash terrakion.
Rotom-Wash @ leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Rotom-Wash is the standard glue several teams use to check the largely popular "bird spam" and he's no exception on my team. Hydro pump and volt switch are standard, as is will-o-wisp. Ultimately the largest difference (really not a significant difference at all) is that the 44 speed EVs meant to outspeed 252 speed Azumarill have been moved to special defence, to increase his bulk. 252 speed Azumarill has been uncommon enough that I've made the decision it isn't worth running the 44 on Rotom.
Kyurem-Black @ Life Orb
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 56 HP / 252 SpA / 200 Spe
Mild Nature
- Substitute
- Roost
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
Kyurem Black is a new addition to the team meant to handle strong defensive cores that are popular in the metagame right now. While a fully special Kyube may seem inferior to normal kyurem, teravolt is well worth 10 base special attack. With it, Kyurem Black can eliminate common Rotom-Wash/Landorus-Therian cores as well as Heatran/mega Venusaur cores. the EVs are meant to outspeed Adamant maximum speed excadrill in order to hit it with 2 ice beams if it's air balloon, and can KO outright with earth power if it's scarfed.
Talonflame @ Liechi Berry
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Natural Gift
- Flare Blitz
- Brave Bird
- Swords Dance
Talonflame is my team's most prominent win condition and one of my newfound favourite pokemon I was skeptical of much of gen VI. The Natural Gift Swords Dance set has recently become one of my favourite pokemon sets in the current XY meta, and is the pokemon much of my team revolves around. Liechi berry is the berry of choice for Talonflame, as It can easily dispose of Rotom at +2 after rocks and also threaten Tyranitar at +2 if it's been significantly worn down. Liechi also provides Talonflame with a helpful attack boost easily accessed with recoil damage if the opposing team has no Rotom-Wash. The hazard heavy play style I've used for the team is extremely helpful for this particular Talonflame, as it takes severely less recoil damage late game when several switches have already occurred. This is extremely important for a Talonflame without roost obviously.
Big Threats:
While not a total threat list, this is a good indicator of the problems my team has faced so far on the ladder. It's important to note that Politoed and Tyranitar themselves aren't the problem so much as dedicated rain and sand offence. I have only 2 even sort of bulky pokemon that resist water, and no substitute or protect users to help stall out rain turns. Sand offence is also a problem, as they often carry 2 or 3 of Talonflame's counters on a single team, and if Excadrill gets a swords dance boost he can muscle past even Rotom with a bit of prior damage. Charizard X is a massive problem, it's basically GG if it gets in a dance, and physical and substitute variants of Kyurem-Black are a massive problem as i only have a single dragon resist who isn't even defensively oriented. There are obviously several other threats to my team, however these have been the most prominent to me laddering with this team. Chansey is a newfound threat to my team, as I lack severe physical presence or any significant forms of stall breaking. When I see Chansey in Team Preview I know I have to save Terrakion for it, and it's often GG or a tedious PP stall if he goes down.
The Expendables:
Currently I feel Terrakion and Latias are the weakest members of my team. They both serve an important role, defogging and rock setting, while also being an offensive pivot and rock preventer, however they're definitely sub optimal for my team composition. Whatever I replace them with I need to fill similar roles. Of course, the possibility of turning scizor into my defogger in order to free up another slot also remains.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Grass Knot
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Spikes
Greninja is a pokemon that was an obvious choice for me. The spikes variant is an exceedingly excellent partner for Talonflame rocking a liechi berry. Off all of Talonflame's checks and counters only Rotom-Wash is a levitator. Rotom-Wash is also the pokemon Talonflame aims to lure in and surprise KO at +2 attack. This leaves Diancie, Tyranitar, Heatran, and less importantly Raikou, Mega Manectric as Talonflame's most prominent counters. Most important to notice is that they're all grounded, do not have reliable recovery, and the defensively oriented of the 5 are all immediately threatened out by Greninja, easy set up fodder. Greninja serves multiple roles, typically he functions on the team luring Ttars and Heatrans in with Talonflame and double switching to Greninja to get spikes up early game. Talonflame's counters are out, they're inevitably going to be coming back in for more hazard damage, and by then I can start playing Greninja more aggressively to attempt to KO them. However I also often play him as a cleaner late game if the opposing team does not have a significant amount of checks to Talonflame. He is capable of both punching holes early game and cleaning late game, though typically not in the same game. Spikes also lets me potentially play around Thundurus, providing me with an immunity to his priority thunder wave and then KOing him next turn.
Latias (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Healing Wish
Latias is a helpful utility pokemon on this team, providing my team with massively important defog support. All my pokemon are affected by stealth rocks neutrally or worse, save Terrakion who is irrelevant as he's typically either KO'd early game or left with only 1 hp from his sash. Latias has provided my team with general special bulk to help deal with offensive threats like Landorus-I, and Healing wish has constantly given me victories bringing Talonflame back from low health after punching holes early game. Ultimately though Latias has been disappointing as an offensive defogger, it's just generally not threatening enough even with Life Orb Draco Meteor.
So that's currently my team, in about its third iteration. As it improves and evolves I'll be buffing up this RMT with replays, team building process, and ladder rankings. Currently the team sits at 1502 ELO after 65 games (obviously in need of improvement.)
Capping off the tail end of the XY meta just a few weeks before ORAS goes official, I've decided to base a team around one of the more niche sets of one of gen VI's most influential pokemon; Natural Gift Talonflame.
The Team At a Glance:
An In-Depth Look:
Clefable @ Leftovers
Ability: Unaware
EVs: 252 HP / 160 Def / 96 SpD
Calm Nature
- Calm Mind
- Moonblast
- Moonlight
- Flamethrower
Clefable is a new addition recommended to me in order to stop several physical set up sweepers my team typically has trouble with, while also posing a decent threat to Kyurem-Black. It may seem strange to be using unaware CM Clefable, however it's not my main win condition like magic guard CM typically is, and its consolidated team slot of both a set up sweeper check and a potential mixed wall thanks to calm mind is much appreciated. It's put in some serious work, letting me down only to a crit from Venusaur's Sludge Bomb, but still feels inefficient.
Terrakion @ Focus Sash
Ability: Justified
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Close Combat
- Taunt
- Stealth Rock
- Stone Edge
Terrakion is...acceptable. Typically he's either doing phenomenal or not pulling his weight at all, hardly any middle man with him. He's fast, he reliably gets rocks on their side and keeps them off my side, and his sash nets him a surprising amount of 2HKO opportunities he would've otherwise fainted in. His largest problem is frankly how expendable he is, and therefore how often his rocks getting removed means no more rocks the whole game occurs. Ultimately, Terrakion is valued solely for his rock laying and preventing reliability and his ability to severely damage most opposing hazard setters outside of Gliscor and Skarmory. I feel he's the most expendable member of the team right now and sticks out the most.
Scizor @ Scizorite
Ability: Light Metal
EVs: 248 HP / 8 atk / 252 def
Impish Nature
- Defog
- Roost
- Bullet Punch
- Knock Off
Mega Scizor is my defogger, previously a swords dance user. Scizor can reliably remove rocks several times a match, which is what I specifically need from him in order to support talonflame. technician bullet punch hits decently even uninvested thanks to 150 base attack, and in a pinch can stop weakened Pinsir if rocks are still on the field preventing Talonflame's sweep. he's helpful but his noticable lack of offensive presence is a hindrance, as he and Talonflame are my only physical attackers outside of the disposable sash terrakion.
Rotom-Wash @ leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 212 Def / 44 SpD
Bold Nature
- Volt Switch
- Hydro Pump
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pain Split
Rotom-Wash is the standard glue several teams use to check the largely popular "bird spam" and he's no exception on my team. Hydro pump and volt switch are standard, as is will-o-wisp. Ultimately the largest difference (really not a significant difference at all) is that the 44 speed EVs meant to outspeed 252 speed Azumarill have been moved to special defence, to increase his bulk. 252 speed Azumarill has been uncommon enough that I've made the decision it isn't worth running the 44 on Rotom.
Kyurem-Black @ Life Orb
Ability: Teravolt
EVs: 56 HP / 252 SpA / 200 Spe
Mild Nature
- Substitute
- Roost
- Ice Beam
- Earth Power
Kyurem Black is a new addition to the team meant to handle strong defensive cores that are popular in the metagame right now. While a fully special Kyube may seem inferior to normal kyurem, teravolt is well worth 10 base special attack. With it, Kyurem Black can eliminate common Rotom-Wash/Landorus-Therian cores as well as Heatran/mega Venusaur cores. the EVs are meant to outspeed Adamant maximum speed excadrill in order to hit it with 2 ice beams if it's air balloon, and can KO outright with earth power if it's scarfed.
Talonflame @ Liechi Berry
Ability: Gale Wings
EVs: 120 HP / 252 Atk / 136 Spe
Jolly Nature
- Natural Gift
- Flare Blitz
- Brave Bird
- Swords Dance
Talonflame is my team's most prominent win condition and one of my newfound favourite pokemon I was skeptical of much of gen VI. The Natural Gift Swords Dance set has recently become one of my favourite pokemon sets in the current XY meta, and is the pokemon much of my team revolves around. Liechi berry is the berry of choice for Talonflame, as It can easily dispose of Rotom at +2 after rocks and also threaten Tyranitar at +2 if it's been significantly worn down. Liechi also provides Talonflame with a helpful attack boost easily accessed with recoil damage if the opposing team has no Rotom-Wash. The hazard heavy play style I've used for the team is extremely helpful for this particular Talonflame, as it takes severely less recoil damage late game when several switches have already occurred. This is extremely important for a Talonflame without roost obviously.
Big Threats:
While not a total threat list, this is a good indicator of the problems my team has faced so far on the ladder. It's important to note that Politoed and Tyranitar themselves aren't the problem so much as dedicated rain and sand offence. I have only 2 even sort of bulky pokemon that resist water, and no substitute or protect users to help stall out rain turns. Sand offence is also a problem, as they often carry 2 or 3 of Talonflame's counters on a single team, and if Excadrill gets a swords dance boost he can muscle past even Rotom with a bit of prior damage. Charizard X is a massive problem, it's basically GG if it gets in a dance, and physical and substitute variants of Kyurem-Black are a massive problem as i only have a single dragon resist who isn't even defensively oriented. There are obviously several other threats to my team, however these have been the most prominent to me laddering with this team. Chansey is a newfound threat to my team, as I lack severe physical presence or any significant forms of stall breaking. When I see Chansey in Team Preview I know I have to save Terrakion for it, and it's often GG or a tedious PP stall if he goes down.
The Expendables:
Currently I feel Terrakion and Latias are the weakest members of my team. They both serve an important role, defogging and rock setting, while also being an offensive pivot and rock preventer, however they're definitely sub optimal for my team composition. Whatever I replace them with I need to fill similar roles. Of course, the possibility of turning scizor into my defogger in order to free up another slot also remains.
Greninja @ Life Orb
Ability: Protean
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 30 Atk / 30 SpA / 30 Spe
- Grass Knot
- Hydro Pump
- Ice Beam
- Spikes
Greninja is a pokemon that was an obvious choice for me. The spikes variant is an exceedingly excellent partner for Talonflame rocking a liechi berry. Off all of Talonflame's checks and counters only Rotom-Wash is a levitator. Rotom-Wash is also the pokemon Talonflame aims to lure in and surprise KO at +2 attack. This leaves Diancie, Tyranitar, Heatran, and less importantly Raikou, Mega Manectric as Talonflame's most prominent counters. Most important to notice is that they're all grounded, do not have reliable recovery, and the defensively oriented of the 5 are all immediately threatened out by Greninja, easy set up fodder. Greninja serves multiple roles, typically he functions on the team luring Ttars and Heatrans in with Talonflame and double switching to Greninja to get spikes up early game. Talonflame's counters are out, they're inevitably going to be coming back in for more hazard damage, and by then I can start playing Greninja more aggressively to attempt to KO them. However I also often play him as a cleaner late game if the opposing team does not have a significant amount of checks to Talonflame. He is capable of both punching holes early game and cleaning late game, though typically not in the same game. Spikes also lets me potentially play around Thundurus, providing me with an immunity to his priority thunder wave and then KOing him next turn.
Latias (F) @ Life Orb
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Draco Meteor
- Psyshock
- Defog
- Healing Wish
Latias is a helpful utility pokemon on this team, providing my team with massively important defog support. All my pokemon are affected by stealth rocks neutrally or worse, save Terrakion who is irrelevant as he's typically either KO'd early game or left with only 1 hp from his sash. Latias has provided my team with general special bulk to help deal with offensive threats like Landorus-I, and Healing wish has constantly given me victories bringing Talonflame back from low health after punching holes early game. Ultimately though Latias has been disappointing as an offensive defogger, it's just generally not threatening enough even with Life Orb Draco Meteor.
So that's currently my team, in about its third iteration. As it improves and evolves I'll be buffing up this RMT with replays, team building process, and ladder rankings. Currently the team sits at 1502 ELO after 65 games (obviously in need of improvement.)
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