It's been a while... RU RMT

[JeffreyLebowski]

Hey smogon, it's been a hot minute. I haven't been active in a few years, but I was playing around on showdown a few weeks ago, and I was having a lot of fun. I have really been having fun with this RU team, but I have only a vague idea as the the metagame and more sets of eyes never hurt.

We start with a core:

Blastoise @ Leftovers
Ability: Rain Dish
EVs: 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Rapid Spin
- Scald
- Toxic
- Refresh

Venusaur @ Black Sludge
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 252 HP / 4 SpA / 252 SpD
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sludge Bomb
- Synthesis
- Sleep Powder
- Giga Drain


I was basically picking pokemon I wanted to use. These two form a pretty solid tanking core. Of the two, Venusaur has really impressed me, being in a specifically in an excellent counter to opposing bulky waters and grasses, like Tangrowth and other Venusaur, oddly. If anything, Blastoise has kind of disappointed me; Repeated earthquakes from powerful attackers like Rhyperior chip away at my tanks that are supposed to counter them.

From there, I built around them;

Bronzong @ Leftovers
Ability: Levitate
EVs: 252 HP / 136 Def / 120 SpD
Relaxed Nature
IVs: 0 Spe
- Stealth Rock
- Gyro Ball
- Earthquake
- Toxic

Bronzong was one of my favorite OU mons back when I was playing 4th gen, damn has the game changed around him. He still tanks about as well as anything I've seen. All his flaws are still there (he's taunt bait, for instance) and now he has two more weaknesses and explosion doesn't hurt ANYTHING anymore. I was about to switch this out for Togetic and Mega steelix, but suspect test; anyways, for now he's first on the chopping block if anyone has suggestions.

Oh, and the EVs weren't meant to specifically accomplish anything. They were bronzong EVs I ran eons ago.

Rhyperior @ Choice Band
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 172 HP / 252 Atk / 84 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Megahorn
- Rock Blast

This is the pokemon I have thus far been having the most fun with, which is weird because I could have run this set like, eight years ago. Anyways, with a CB attached, Rhyperior has 624 attack. He can one hit KO the entire tier, and 2hko after rocks with a resisted hit. The only problem I have is that he has no reliable options; he routinely reminds me why I have long held Stone Miss to be the worst move in the game.

Houndoom @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dark Pulse
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Substitute

This pokemon has really impressed me as to it's power; he often gets one free turn, rarely two. I mostly use those to sub, so a plot boost rarely ever happens. Fire Blast still gets the job done. His frailty was a known liability, but even so, I'd like someone a little bulkier.

Hitmonlee @ Life Orb
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Stone Edge
- Knock Off
- Mach Punch

My other speedy offensive pokemon, Lee is more of a necessity, and that necessity is powerful priority. He also has pretty excellent utility with knock off and sweeping potential with strong attacks. He's a great pokemon kind of out of place.

There arent grave threats, but there are pokemon that pose problems for my team. The biggest one off the top of my head is Emboar, who has fantastic coverage and hits like a truck. Most are choiced though (honestly, probably the best way to get use him) so I can pretty easily chase him away. But he's can spam his Stab moves and my checks aren't feeling too great anymore.

Anyways, Thanks for all the help in advance

 

[Ramy]

Hey there nice team! Unfortunately the biggest weakness of this team has to be the lack of a reliable fighting type switch in and even a strong weakness to virizion, this may end in changing up some roles of your pokemon as well sadly.

First, Bronzong is a disappointing mon currently due to its major weakness of dark moves which is prominent throughout the tier, lack of moves to take care of threatening mons like fletch and virizion(except for toxic i suppose), and its typing plays a burden with most of the tier having an answer to it. I suggest you change Rhyperior's band set to a bulky rocker set of Stealth Rock, Earthquake, Rock Blast, and Ice punch with an ev spread of 252 HP / 28 Atk / 228 Spd with Solid Rock. Rhyperior acts a superior rocker and more offensive synergy than bronzong. The moves are simple, stealth rock for hazards, earthquake for stab, rock blast also for stab and for dealing with sub braviary, and ice punch is to catch flygon on a switch in. The evs make it so you get the most bulk in special defense possible while also giving 28 attack to ko drapion, avoiding a potential 2ko from aqua tail. Solid Rock decreases super effective moves which can also be in handy with rhyperiors bulk.

Now what are we changing instead of bronzong? Well we still need a check to virizion, so how about a granbull. Granbull acts towards checking virizion, which is one of the best mons in the tier currently and checks fighting types which destroy this team such as hitmonlee and especially medicham. Granbull can also be a safe dark type switch in towards heavily powerful pokemon like knock off since lee and doom dont really appreciate their item being taken. The set i would give is a set of Play Rough / Fire Punch / Heal Bell / Thunder Wave with a ev spread of 248 hp / 8 Atk / 252 def with a impish nature. Play rough acts as your main stab towards fighting and dark types, fire punch hits mons that wall granbull such as escavalier and tangrowth, heal bell can heal away status problems on your team, and thunder wave can criple fast mons. The evs maximize its defense to soak up all the physical hits you receive towards fighting types and others.


Lastly for a minor change, id suggest hidden power water over substitute. Substitute isnt really necessary and its kind of a waste of a moveslot, hp water allows you to hit pokemon that would otherwise wall your moves such as diancie, rhyperior, and emboar.

Thats all for the changes, Good Luck!

Changes

Rhyperior @ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
EVs: 252 HP / 28 Atk / 228 SpD
Adamant Nature
- Stealth Rock
- Earthquake
- Rock Blast
- Ice Punch

Granbull @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 248 HP / 8 Atk / 252 Def
Impish Nature
- Play Rough
- Earthquake
- Heal Bell
- Thunder Wave

Houndoom @ Life Orb
Ability: Flash Fire
EVs: 4 Def / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
- Nasty Plot
- Fire Blast
- Dark Pulse
- Hidden Power Water

 

[Chakra]

Hey man, really like the team. Banded rhyperior is a really cool mon I don't see often and life orb Himonlee is definitely an unappreciated threat. However, I have some changes that could edit the effectiveness of this team.

Although this is a minor nitpick I would suggest the use of torrent over rain dish on blastoise to input more damage with scald when it is at a lower level of health. For example, when a +2 fletchinder knocks you into this range, scald with torrent will guarantee you the OHKO. Rain dish has no benefit here that is directly related to your team due to the lack of rain setters.

For Venusaur I would recommend running enough speed, even on the bulky set, to outspeed threats that could punish your team. In particular a speed a tier you want to reach is that of Explouds. In this case I would recommend a modified bulky spread of EVs: 248 HP / 92 SpA / 168 Spe. This set maximizes your bulk and while also allowing you to OHKO mons like offensive tangrowth and 2HKO mons like specially defensive alomomola with giga drain. I would recommend this spread with a modest nature to maximize damage output while relatively maintaining bulk.

i would suggest running Iron Head > Gyro ball on Bronzong because it hits slow fairies like Aromatisse / Bronzong and Granbull for more damage. (See calcs below) This is definitely beneficial and will assist you in getting rid of fairy checks which can help hitmonlee spam high jump kick and give spiritomb less trouble.
Gyro Ball (48 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Diancie: 132-160 (43.4 - 52.6%) -- guaranteed 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 4 Def Diancie: 220-264 (72.3 - 86.8%) -- guaranteed 2HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 Atk Bronzong Iron Head vs. 252 HP / 244+ Def Aromatisse: 140-168 (34.4 - 41.3%) -- 64.1% chance to 3HKO after Leftovers recovery
0 Atk Bronzong Gyro Ball (38 BP) vs. 252 HP / 244+ Def Aromatisse: 66-80 (16.2 - 19.7%) -- possible 7HKO after Leftovers recovery

The fighting checks in this team are severely lacking as Venusaur is a very shakey check and can be easily dealt with through the likes of Medicham. For this very reason I would switch out Houndoom for Spiritomb. Spiritomb also adds pursuit trapping to this team which helps with hoopa, Sigilyph, Meloetta, etc. which can be threats for this team. Will-o-wisp on this set can also check physical attackers which may be a problem and a beneficial factor to this team. Sucker punch is needed in merely adding priority to the set. For the final move I would recommend foul play to stop mons like Fletchinder from setting up on this mon. Spiritomb also helps against opposing Sawks and Hitmonlee and acts as a spin blocker.

Choice Scarf Hitmonlee is very important for this team because it lacks speed control and it allows you to check threats like Virizion and +1 Scrafty from sweeping. A choice scarf > life orb set would include High Jump Kick / Knock Off / Stone Edge / Close Combat. Mach punch is not needed compared to the life orb set because of the already great set. Close combat can be used to ensure KO's as it has zero chance of missing in comparison. High jump kick is the staple spamming move while knock off hurts ghosts and psychics alike and stone edge is for fletchinder switch ins.

recommended sets

change ability on Blastoise to torrent

Venusaur @ Black Sludge
Ability: Overgrow
EVs: 248 HP / 92 Atk / 168 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Sleep Powder
- Giga Drain
- Synthesis
- Sludge Bomb

Change gyro ball to iron head on Bronzong

Spiritomb @ Black Glasses
Ability: Pressure
EVs: 212 HP / 252 Atk / 44 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Sucker Punch
- Foul Play
- Will-O-Wisp
- Pursuit

Hitmonlee (M) @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Reckless
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Jolly Nature
- High Jump Kick
- Knock Off
- Close Combat
- Stone Edge

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Okay, so I did some testing and here's what I came up with;

First things first. I tried the houndoom switch. A move that does something is better than a move that does nothing, which is what substitute did, but hidden power water is marginal at best, mostly for opposing houndoom and mega camerupt. At 60 BP, Diance and Emboar just kind of laugh at it, unless they are low already, in which case, fire blast is probably fine. I'm running it for now, because houndoom has no better options, so its just kind of there for now.

I've found Scarf hitmonlee about equal to LO. Life Orb had the potential to sweep, which was nice considering most of my pokemon are tanks/ fragile Houndooms. Scarf Hitmonlee has yet to be outrun, and thats a pretty reasonable thing to have in a revenge killer.

On the Granbull front, I found that it gave me a conspicuous ground weakness, meaning pokes like Flygon and rhyperior could spam their stab. It wasn't the worst, but it was pretty annoying, as they would wear me down and blastoise has no reliable recovery. I tried playing around by swapping out Houndoom with Charizard and keeping granbull, but even with a spinner, I found Charizard somewhat lacking, which is weird because he's bulkier and has recovery. I might try him out again in the future.

the Spiritomb set didn't do anything. It dodged a psychic or fighting attack, which was nice, but it never posed a threat to those pokemon. It was set up bait for virizion or slowbro for instance. It had no recovery, no way to boost itself. In the end, I went back to houndoom and am running this as a fighting/ Flygon check:

Togetic @ Eviolite
Ability: Serene Grace
EVs: 248 HP / 136 Def / 124 SpD
Bold Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Dazzling Gleam
- Heal Bell
- Thunder Wave
- Roost

She's alright. She walls most Virizion, Flygon, switches into any fighting, ground or dragon attack. she has reliable recovery and status doesn't bother her. She just doesn't have offensive presence, and I have yet to really notice a need for a cleric, given that blastoise has refresh and venusaur doesn't care much about burn or thunderwave. She does what I need her to do, though, and so I might alter the set

So in addition to testing this, I'll be testing the Rhyperior over the coming days. The verdict so far is that it sets up rocks more reliably, to be certain, but no choice band leaves me open to pokes I used to rely on Rhyperior's power to defeat, like Electross. Simply put, without CB Rhyperior, I'm afraid my team strait up lacks fire power. Testing will tell me if that matters.

Things on my head: Powerful special attackers with Fire/ Electric/ grass coverage are enormous threats, even if they have a middling speed tier. Electross, Magnectric, mainly, but also on my head is Magmortar, who can 2hko the entire team depending on his coverage moves. Not that he actively worries me, but he is on my mind when I use this team.

Thanks for the help, guys!